Hrant Galstyan l Hetq

Salome Tsetskhlandze l Studio Monitor

Three years after Armenian customs officials seized almost a ton of heroin being smuggled in from Iran, the biggest drug bust in Armenia and the region, only the bus driver and the bus company director have been sentenced.

Armenia's law enforcement has yet to identify the masterminds behind the operation.

The story begins on January 17, 2014, when, according to a report released by Armenias National Security Service (NSS), 927.6 kilograms of heroin were discovered when a truck entering Armenia from Iran was inspected at the Meghri customs house.

The driver of the truck, Georgian citizen Avtandil Martiashvili, was arrested on the spot and charged with contraband transportation. Turkish citizen Osman Ogurlu, the director of the bus company was arrested a day later in Yerevan on drug smuggling charges. Both denied any wrongdoing.

More than three years of investigation have revealed precious little in terms of who organized this most daring of drug smuggling attempts. Certain names have been bandied about and a few details have surfaced regarding how Armenia and Georgia are used as transit countries for the drug trade, but no one else has been charged.

What we do know is that in April 2013, Ogurlu started a cargo transport business in Georgia called Hovo Logistics. He testified that he started the business in Georgia because the cost of cargo trucks there were cheaper than in Turkey.

The courts in Armenia concluded that the company was set-up solely to transport drugs.

Osman Ogurlu

Prior to 2008, Ogurlu worked as a truck driver for a Turkish company called Guvend Logistics. He mostly drove cargo to Iraq. Ogurlu testified that in 2008 he was found guilty of smuggling cigarettes and alcohol, and another time for wiretapping. He says he spent fourteen months behind bars.

In the case materials, theres a document from the Armenian branch of Interpol linking Ogurlu with a 2008 attempt to transport 149 kilograms of heroin. Ogurlu denies any involvement.

After being released from jail, Ogurlu testified that he looked for work. Through a friend, he met Mustafa Nergiz, a Turkish citizen. Ogurlu had heard that Nergiz was a man of influence engaged in the drug trade.

Mustafa met with me and proposed that I start a company in Georgia and that I buy a truck. He would pay me and tell me what to do. At first, he didnt say what for, Ogurlu testified.

Ogurlu started a business with the money and purchased a truck at the Tbilisi car market for around US$40,000. He shipped the truck to Turkey to repair and paint it. Mustafa told Ogurlu that a secret hiding spot would be fitted in the truck. I didnt imagine it would be that large, Ogurlu said.

Ogurlu had also been to the Ukraine and Russia, but wasnt familiar with Europe. Mustafa had told him that the truck would be going to Europe and that he needed a driver. Ogurlu found Avtandil Martiashvili through the same man who sold him the truck.

Avtandil Martiashvili

60-year-old Martiashvili, a driver with almost forty years experience, had worked for a Georgian company called Sakavtotrans since 2009. He drove cargo from Georgia, Armenia and Turkey to Ukraine, Belarus, Poland and the Czech Republic.

He always carried out his duties in a professional and honest manner, wrote Sakavtotrans director Levan Tomaratze in a letter to Armenian law enforcement.

The leasing company cancelled its contract with Martiashvili in 2013. He and other drivers were jobless. Two months later, his friend Suleiman (who helped Ogurlu buy the truck), called him and suggested that he work for the company Ogurlu had recently formed.

Ogurlu testified that Mustafa wanted to see the truck be driven to Europe and back at least once. Thus, in November 2013, Ogurlu loaded the truck with pomegranates and left for Munich from the Turkish seacoast town of Antalya.

Armenias Interpol confirmed that the truck reached Germany and that no drugs were discovered.

On the trip back, the truck transported medicines from Poland to Armenia for Natali Pharm, a company owned by the family of Armenian MP Samvel Aleksanyan. The truck wasnt x-ray scanned when it entered Armenia as per usual. The court in Armenia never ascertained why.

After unloading the medicine, Martiashvili then telephoned Ogurlu, telling him that he found some wood to ship to Poland. Ogurlu told him to forget it and drive the empty truck to Georgia. The two had trouble conversing in Turkish and Russian.

Ogurlu testified that Mustafa met him in December 2013, telling him that he wanted to ship hashish from Iran to Europe. He explained that hashish wasnt heroin or another strong drug, and that he would pay me 100,000 Euros for the job. To get the truck to Iran, without any suspicion, they loaded it up with timber.

The truck left Tbilisis Elyava Market loaded with sawed timber in late December, on the way to Iran via Armenia. For the record, the job had been ordered by the Iranian Vesrt Teraber company.

Upon reaching Iran, Martiashvili and Ogurlu unloaded the timber at the Tehran customs depot and spent the next few nights, until the paperwork was completed, either in the trucks cab or a hotel on the outskirts of town.

Martiashvili assumes the drugs were stashed in the truck during the two days they stayed at the hotel. The Georgian driver said that Ogurlu would periodically leave the hotel ostensibly to check on the paperwork or to meet the Vesrt Teraber company representative.

In Iran, Ogurlu met with Nasri, an Afghani in his early 50s who was Mustafas man on the ground. Ogurlu testified that Nasri took the truck to load it with drugs. He later testified that Nasri told him they would be transporting sand in the secret compartment as a trial run. If the sand wasnt found, theyd fill it with hashish the next time.

When he handed me the key, they said it was sand, and there was nothing to worry about. If I knew it was drugs, it meant the two of us were going to our deaths. In Iran, you get the death penalty for this, Ogurlu testified in court.

How were the drugs to be smuggled?

According to the plan devised by Ogurlu, the truck would drive through Armenia to either of the Georgian ports of Poti or Batumi. Martiashvili would continue by ship to the Ukrainian port of Illichivsk in the Odessa region. Ogurlu, given his fear of the water, would fly there.

As agreed, starting on January 19, Nasri would be waiting in Illichivsk for Ogurlu. They never spoke by phone. If they failed to meet in Odessa, Nasri would wait for them at a Kiev parking garage.

Ogurlu asked Martiashvili to draw the above map of the Tisa garage in Kiev. The phone number belongs to Martiashvili.

Ogurlu said that he would hand the map to a taxi driver to get to the garage. He gave another copy to Nasri who would give it to his intermediary to find the garage and the waiting truck. Nasri was to sell the truck's new trailer, taking the old one, loaded with drugs, from Ogurlu.

Ogurlu was to be paid when the exchange was made. The truck, or the trailer, was to be shipped to Holland.

In case something unforeseen happened, Nasri was supposed to wait until we arrived, Ogurlu said. If they didnt meet in Kiev, Ogurlu said hed either hand the drugs over to the police or burn it.

Ogurlu had told the driver they were transporting concentrates from Iran to Ukraine. In court, Martiashvili claimed he knew nothing about the drug transactions. He said he believed that the truck had been purchased to ship fruits and vegetables from Turkey to Europe. Martiashvili would be paid $1,000 in Georgia to drive the wood to Iran.

Martiashvili also told the court that, getting back into the truck in Iran, he noticed that the speedometers mileage had been turned down and didnt show the 1,596 kilometers from Tbilisi to Tehran. Seeing that the driver had noticed this, Ogurlu said that his hand had accidentally hit the speedometer. The driver says that was the only time he gave the key to Ogurlu; so that he could grab some clothes. On the day of his arrest, police found a second key in Ogurlus bag.

I gave the spare key to Nasri. Martiashvili didnt know about it, and it was in my bag. Nasri took the truck and returned it to the garage the following day at around midnight. Me and Martiashvili spent those two days at a hotel.

Heading to Armenia

The truck started the return trip to Armenia on January 15, 2014. It passed without incident through the Iranian border crossing the following day.

On its way through the Meghri crossing, Armenian customs officials asked Ogurlu to exit the cab. They examined the truck and spotted a suspicious section under the trailer by x-ray. Martiashvili told them the truck was empty. The driver opened the back doors to show the inspectors the truck was empty.

Customs officials began to rip up the floor of the trailer. They said that Martiashvili didnt appear concerned and even wished to assist them.

In the meantime, Ogurlu, realizing that the drugs had been found, flagged down a cab and left for Yerevan. He had an entry visa.

Seeing a number packages in the hidden compartment, the truck was sealed and escorted to Yerevan. 47 large packages were removed at the customs depot.

Months later, Armenias Ministry of Finance revealed that the truck was being monitored as suspicious when it first entered Armenia at Bagratashen with timber destined for Iran.

Finding almost a ton of heroin

Armenia  An alternate drug smuggling route to Europe

Two months after the drugs were found, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) issued a report showing the traditional and new routes used to smuggle heroin into Europe.

Afghan heroin was historically smuggled into western and central Europe exclusively via Balkan route. The product was transported from Pakistan or Afghanistan to Iran and then to the Turkish border. In 2012, the Turkish government busted an attempt to smuggle 850 kilos of heroin to Germany and Holland. In July 2013, 718 kilos of heroin were seized at the Turkish-Bulgarian border.

In the past few years, due to intensified inspections and the installation of x-ray scanners at eastern Turkish border crossings, drug smugglers have sought alternative routes into Europe. The U.N. report suggests that these new routes can be via Irans border with the Caucasus or Iraq, thus bypassing the border with Turkey. Other routes see heroin being transported from Afghanistan, through Pakistan or Iran, to the Persian Gulf states and Africa, and then on to Europe.

It wasnt only the 2014 bust in Meghri that led analysts at the U.N. to view the Caucasus as a new smuggling route, but also a July 2013 seizure by Georgian authorities of 116 kilos of heroin in a car with a Moldovan license plate being driven by a Turkish citizen.

UNODC Map

Weight of seized drugs mysteriously decreased during the preliminary investigation

At first, Armenian law enforcement announced that the seized drugs weighed 927.6 kilograms. Stone fragments weighing 6.5 kilograms were later found within two of the packages. At the conclusion of the three-month examination of the case, the weight was officially reduced to 850.1 kilograms. Armenias National Security Service (NSS) has never gotten back to Hetq as to the reason for the discrepancy.*

The heroin packages and stone fragments found inside.

On the day of his arrest at Meghri, Martiashvili denied knowing anything about the heroin or that a secret compartment had been fashioned in the truck he was driving. He also told Armenian law enforcement that he had no clue as to Ogurlus whereabouts.

The taxi driver who took Ogurlu to Yerevan said that his passenger seemed ill at ease. When the driver received a phone call during the ride, Ogurlu always asked, problem? The cabbie said Ogurlu muttered a few words in Russian, and that they conversed by gesturing. Only when they reached Yerevan did Ogurlu ask if the Georgian border crossing was faraway. In Yerevan, Ogurlu conveyed that he wanted to find a hotel. The driver took him to the Congress Hotel, where he was arrested the following day.

Later, Armenian law enforcement asked Ogurlu if he hadnt noticed that vehicles were being scanned, both after entering Armenia from Georgia and then when leaving for Iran. Ogurlu denied that he was promised assistance at the border. I thought that if I was caught, no problem, let them arrest me, said Ogurlu, adding that if such a thing happened he wouldnt tell anyone. The cabbie testified that Ogurlu never made or received any phone calls during the ride from Meghri to Yerevan.

The truck used to smuggle the heroin

Armenias National Security Service estimated the value of the heroin to be $100-200 million. Each gram was valued between $100 and $200. Teymouraz Maysuratze, Martiashvilis lawyer, said the stash was valued at around $1 billion.

Its assumed that Martiashvili would leave from Georgia to Ukraine by himself. If he knew about the drugs, no one would have trusted him with cargo worth $1 billion, right? Maysuratze said in a conversation with Studio Monitor.

In January 2015, after a trial that lasted almost a year, Avtandil Martiashvili was sentenced to 17 years on smuggling charges and Osman Ogurlu, who ran the company that had leased the truck in question, got 19 years.





The trial. Martiashvili, seated to the left and Ogurlu to the right, with the court translators.

The day after the sentence was handed down, Martiashvili went on hunger strike demanding that international observers visit him in jail.

Leyla Martiashvili, Avtandil Martiashvilis wife, has told us that her husbands health has suffered greatly while in prison. He has serious health issues. The stress and anxiety have led to diabetes. Hes not receiving proper medical treatment or nutrition. He requested a transfer to a civilian hospital but was denied.

Avtandil Martiashvilis relatives have petitioned the Armenian and Georgian governments to have him extradited to Georgia. Armenia has rejected the request, arguing that he hasnt paid 1.4 million AMD in court fees. In a letter to the family, Armenian officials point out that the extradition to Georgia isnt regarded as expedient. Here, the authorities are probably considering the fact that another criminal case pertaining to the organizers of the smuggling attempt is ongoing. Martiashvilis relatives are now trying to ascertain if the extradition can proceed once the court fees are paid.

The case files

One portion of the criminal case continues

Martiashvili recounts that Ogurlu avoided public spaces when they talked by telephone. Ogurlu preferred to stay at out-of-the-way hotels. While Ogurlu said that he had no acquaintances in Georgia, he would meet with individuals at a Turkish restaurant in Tbilisi.

Ogurlu said he met with Mustafa three or four times in Istanbul. He maintained his link to Mustafa through the latters brother, Ismail Nergiz. Ismail used another name when talking to the driver Martiashvili. The last time Ogurlu met Mustafa was at a Turkish restaurant in Tbilisi the evening before leaving for Iran.





The Ankara restaurant in Tbilisi

The plan to smuggle the heroin through Armenia and onto Europe was well conceived. The major players remained in the shadows.

During the preliminary investigation of the smuggling attempt, and before the case involving Ogurlu and Martiashvili was sent to the courts, the NSS decided to separate that portion dealing with Mustafa Nergiz, Ismail Nergiz and the man calling himself Nasri.

In February 2017, NSS Department of Investigations Deputy Director Aghajanyan told Hetq that in August 2014 a decision was taken to postpone the case until more information was obtained regarding the identity and whereabouts of Mustafa, Ismail Nergiz and Nasir. The NSS refused to provide additional details on the matter.

The seized heroin was burnt on June 6, 2015 in a boiler at the Ararat Cement Factory.

Possible masterminds

If we believe the names revealed by Ogurlu to be real, then they correspond to the names of members of a criminal group arrested in Turkey in 2000.

During Operation Matador, 15 people were arrested by Turkish police during an attempt to transport 21 tons of marijuana and 600 kilograms of opium by truck. One of those arrested was a man called Mustafa Nergiz. While no one called Ismail was arrested, there was another man charged, Mehmet Bakir, with the last name Nergiz.

Another man arrested in 2000 was called Orhan. Ogurlu testified that it was a man called Orhan that suggested he work with Mustafa, when he got out of jail in 2009. The three  Mustafa, Mehmet Bakir and Orhan  were sentenced to ten years each.

Turkish police discovered a truck garage containing ten trucks on the Mersin-Tarsus highway. Ogurlu, in his testimony, recounts the names of Tarsus and Mersin. After the truck involved in the 2014 smuggling attempt was repaired and installed with a secret compartment, in the town of Konya, Ogurlu drove it to Tarsus.

According to local press reports, that gang was one of the largest international drug smuggling networks. Seven police officers were charged with aiding the gang and feeding them information. The ringleader, Urfi Cetinkaya, in the drug trade since the 1980s, was accused of transporting drugs from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran to Europe; mainly Holland and Spain.

He was later released due to health reasons and then arrested again in the Last Tango Operation.

Cetinkaya, paralyzed from the waist down, is wheeled into court (hurriyetdaily news.com)

During the case involving the smuggling attempt in Armenia, several names were given to the Iranian company (Vesrt Teraber, Vers Tarabar) that ordered the timber from Georgia. It cant be ruled out that the company has ties to the gang since Ogurlu, in his testimony, noted that Ismail, in addition to other expenses, gave him money to buy the lumber and that, for shipping it, he received $5,000 from Nasir in Iran. It was Mustafa who came up with the idea of shipping lumber to Iran.

There are no details about this company in the court files. Irans corporate registry includes just one company with a similar name  Veresk Tarabar.

Ogurlu established another company in Georgia

During the tenure of Saakashvili as president of Georgia, several reforms were introduced to lessen bureaucracy and thus improve the business environment. As a result, it took only one day to register a company in Georgia.

In 2013, Ogurlu established OSM Trans in Georgia in addition to Hovo Logistics. This was twenty days before he left for Iran. It also sipped cargo, as well as importing and exporting cars.

The official address for the two corporations is the same  78 Ketevan Tzamebuli Avenue, Apt. 11.

The owner of the apartment, Marineh Machavariani, told us that she has no recollection of Ogurlu, adding that she owns a company that facilitates corporate registrations. He probably had no address and I allowed him to use mine. Sometimes, this happens, she said.

Any other address, according to the public register, is registered as the companys other address. Hovo Logistics other address is noted as 20 Iosebidze Street, where three apartments are registered. The owners rent them out and do not remember the name Osman Ogurlu.





20 Iosebidze Street, Tbilisi

The address of Ogurlus second company is registered at 12a Aleksandr Kazbegi Avenue. There are two office buildings there. Here too, no ones heard of Ogurlu or his companies.

In the registration documents, one comes across the name of Mamuka Melatze as the applicant.

Studio Monitor contacted Melatze to ask about his link to Ogurlu and his companies. It turns out Melatze was merely the proxy for the registration process at the public register. Those who either dont have the time or inclination to engage in the process, hire such proxies to do the job in their stead. There are some 350 such proxies operating in Georgia.

The public affairs division of Georgias Ministry of Internal Affairs told us that law enforcement bodies of the two countries collaborated on the case to ensure a fruitful investigation.

Furthermore, the ministry said that Georgia didnt launch a separate investigation, given that the crime occurred in Armenia.

Ogurlu and Martiashvili are now serving their lengthy sentences in an Armenia penitentiary.

Armenias Department of Corrections refused Hetqs request to interview the two convicts, arguing that due to a current work overload it would be inconvenient to do so.

* On April 27, after the publication of the article, the National Security Service responded that the 850.1 kilograms were the 'clean' weight of the heroin based on a chemical analysis, and that "the remaining portion was comprised of the drug packaging and the four stone fragments inside."

P.S. This investigation was implemented with support by n-vestigate.
You probably don't remember the exact time you last opened your refrigerator.

But an electricity smart meter will.

It will also remember the age and brand of your appliance and how it is being used in the home - and all conveniently in real-time.

But a University of Canberra cybercrime expert has questioned the cost of such convenience in a new report, arguing that current smart meter technology could place consumers' privacy and security at risk.
When Vicki Campbell walked into the Telstra store, she just wanted a cheaper phone plan. The $30 a month she was paying was unaffordable on her disability pension.

Telstra sold her a new smartphone, a tablet, and a two-year contract for $90 a month.

She told the sales representative she was "computer illiterate" and did not know how to use a tablet. No problem, said the representative  she would add a help-line service to the contract for an extra monthly fee of about $15.

Ms Campbell, 59, is one of many vulnerable Victorians who are being treated badly by the big phone companies, a new report released today says.
The state Parliament press gallery is a singular place: an underground bunker with burnt orange carpet and museum-grade computers; MPs who've mastered the art of appearing to answer a direct question without saying anything at all; and upstairs, every few weeks, the unedifying pantomime of question time where our elected representatives act like the high school classroom from hell. (Speaker Shelley Hancock was a teacher for a long time, so she probably feels right at home.)

But it's the spectacularly logic-defying policy knots that really strike me, a relative newcomer. Boondoggles that have stubbornly resisted common sense, evidence, budget constraints, or the best interests of voters for years while governments straight-faced claim they're based on sound policy.

NSW Education Minister Rob Stokes is considering proposing changes to acts of Parliament that govern university colleges. Credit:Brook Mitchell

Like the mandated ethanol fuel quotas; the multibillion-dollar prison-building bonanza; and most recently, the failure to reform Special Religious Education in the public school system.

Why? The answer is the power of vested interests and the politics of self-preservation, every time.
Suddenly we've a budget that will do something.

Until now, Scott Morrison and Malcolm Turnbull have had both hands tied behind their backs. They know that our bursting cities need infrastructure: railways, roads and power stations. But they know that if they borrow big to build that infrastructure they'll weigh down their budget deficit which, in the view of one private sector commentator, won't move into surplus until Wyatt Roy gets the pension.

Roy was until last year the youngest-ever member of Parliament.

If they restrain the deficit they can't build what we need, no matter how worthwhile, and if they do build what we need they can't restrain the budget.
Inside the country, private companies are still illegal, but businessmen can buy the status of a state-owned company for the right price. State officials also go into business for themselves, and in turn are required to make money for the regime by nearly any means necessary, opening restaurants outside North Korea, exporting labourers, and selling everything from wigs to apples to artwork.

North Korea's state-controlled economy essentially collapsed at the end of the Cold War, and with it the government's ability to feed the population. In the wake of the great famine that followed, even as the formal state economy ground to a halt, a hodgepodge of networks rose up to help North Koreans survive. Private citizens started their own small businesses to make money, and sold food and household items to each other in black markets while the government often looked the other way. These businesses have metastasized, and have become regular features of the North Korean landscape.

Why is North Korea so brazen, despite knowing sanctions and crackdowns are the inevitable result of its actions? North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is not insane, but he is comfortable taking huge risks, in large part, because of how the North Korean economy has changed over the past several decades.

The political temperature on the Korean peninsula continues to rise. North Korea has responded to the US sending the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier group toward the Korean Peninsula by threatening to sink the aircraft carrier. The international community has responded to North Korean belligerence with attempts to crack down on the country's ability to support itself and to fund its weapons of mass destruction programs. The UN Security Council has passed resolution after resolution tightening sanctions, and China announced in February it was suspending coal imports from North Korea for the rest of the year.

Sanctions neither contain nor deter Kim Jong-un's behaviour because he does not feel the pain they are supposed to bring. Credit:AP

Everyone has become an entrepreneur, in effect, and large swathes of the economy have effectively become a pyramid of protection rackets, with portions of revenues from businesses, both legal and illegal, passed up the line eventually to the top of the regime. Outside the country, the North Korean state has sent out trading companies to buy and sell whatever they can around the world, often operating out of North Korean embassies and establishing joint ventures with local businessmen. North Korea has long since ceased to be a communist country, and is now one where entrepreneurialism and adaptability are key to survival.

The consequences of North Korea's economic transformation are vast. North Korean businesses have evolved to be very good at operating in hostile environments, including when other countries are trying to stop them. To break sanctions, North Korean traders start front companies, use Chinese and other foreign brokers (who have their own front companies) to buy and sell goods on their behalf, and move money through bank accounts throughout Asia. And these efforts appear to have paid off, for the elites if not for the average citizen. There is a building boom in Pyongyang, food prices in the capital city have been relatively stable over the past couple of years, and smugglers are able to move goods across the border between China and North Korea even when sanctions are supposedly being enforced.

Because more and more regular North Koreans have been going into business for themselves, they are no longer dependent on the government for survival. While the North Korean state continues to use the standard tools of totalitarian control  secret police, arbitrary punishment, labor camps, internal travel restrictions, indoctrination sessions, total control of the media, and the like  it no longer feels the need to provide food or many other supplies to the average person on the street to keep itself in power. Yet, because of the chain of bribes stretching from street hawkers up to the top, the regime still profits from what are technically illegal businesses.

Sanctions  the international community's main tool to deter and contain North Korea over the past decade  neither contain nor deter Kim Jong-un's behaviour because he does not feel the pain they are supposed to bring. Untethered from the need to feed the population, profiting from North Korea's economic transformation and confident in the ability of North Korean companies to bypass sanctions, Kim Jong-un is free to take steps, such as military provocations and WMD development, that could bring pain to the general population, and raise the risk of conflict in the Korean Peninsula.
The push by the Nationals  led by Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce and Nationals' deputy leader Fiona Nash  for systematic decentralisation of federal public servants to regional cities, has accelerated. Government departments will now be forced to justify why at least some of their functions should not be moved out.

As criticism mounts, the Nationals are redoubling their efforts. Crucially, they are being supported by their senior partners in the Turnbull government, the Liberals. Not a word of criticism has come from senior Liberals, including the Prime Minister himself, though the only federal Liberal representative in the national capital, Senator Zed Seselja, has spoken up.

The cost of moving the pesticides authority is likely to reach $60 million. Credit:Stephen Jeffery

Many persuasive arguments, by the ACT government, local federal MPs, and local business and community leaders, have been made in defence of Canberra and against these proposals by the Nationals. They have been made specifically in relation to the first such move, the shift of the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority to Armidale in Joyce's electorate of New England. That it is Armidale and not another regional city doesn't really matter, although it strengthens the case against Joyce on the grounds of self-interested pork barrelling.

Whatever the general argument for decentralisation, Canberra is the wrong target. It is actually the best Australian example of decentralisation to the bush that there is. It is a bush capital. The Nationals should be proud of this national achievement rather than try to undermine it.
At the Woodford Folk Festival in 2012, Malcolm Turnbull was highly critical of the state of politics. He said the 60-second news cycle meant it had never been easier for people in public life to lie to the people and treat them with contempt. He acknowledged he was not an exception.

This trend has only worsened. But there is hope.

Information Commissioner Timothy Pilgrim, whose office lacks adequate funds and who has also been forced to act in two other roles concurrently: that of FOI commissioner and privacy commissioner.

In May 2013, Australia became a member of a new international body, the Open Government Partnership, which was created by eight nations, including the United States, Britain and Indonesia. It aims to "secure concrete commitments from governments to their citizenry to promote transparency, empower citizens, fight corruption, and harness new technologies to strengthen governance". It now spans 75 nations.

Each member nation commits to preparing, "with active engagement of government and citizens and civil society", a "national action plan" that makes "concrete commitments" that are "ambitious". The aims and commitments apply to the implementation of each national action plan.
Last month Attorney-General George Brandis called for changes to the "offend, insult and humiliate" clause in Section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act, saying that they stifled freedom of speech and that was "one of the key things the Anzacs fought for".

With perfect timing, yesterday, on Anzac Day, we got to see whether he was right. Because Yassmin Abdel-Magied, the young social advocate, part-time ABC presenter and writer posted on her Facebook page: "Lest we forget (Manus, Nauru, Syria, Palestine)". She deleted the post within hours and wrote a brief apology.

Since then, she has been under unrelenting attack. Conservative Liberal MP Eric Abetz sniffed, "Yassmin Abdel Magied's unfortunate and disrespectful Facebook post today, of all days, is deeply reprehensible."

His colleague Peter Dutton thundered, "It is a disgrace that on our most significant national day to mark the passing of people who have defended this country, this advocate seeks to make political mileage."
It's been a tragic year for minor Australian political parties, first with Palmer United ringing down what was left of its curtain and now with Family First calling it a day. Specifically, a Bob Day.

Yes, ever since the party's sole federal senator and financial sugar daddy saw his building empire collapse, and was then deemed ineligible to have run in the 2016 election in any case, the writing has been on the wall for the only Australian political party brave enough to admit it doesn't completely hate families.

Cory Bernardi has solidified his chances of squeaking in at the bottom of the South Australian senate vote. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

But one party's tragedy is another's triumph, and former Liberal senator turned Australian Conservative, Cory Bernardi, has scored big on the Family First Going Out Of Business Everything Must Go Krazy Bargain Event, by merging the leftover bits of Family First with his own hastily-registered party.

Under the deal the Australian Conservatives have picked up two upper house candidates in the SA government (and their associated public funding) for nix  Dennis Hood and fellow Liberal-deserter Robert Brokenshire  and also gained access to the FF membership database, which is presumably a notepad filled with fax numbers.
Kelly O'Dwyer's son Edward was barely a week old when she briefly emerged from maternity leave last week.

The cabinet minister explained she was happy to speak to reporters and be photographed with her baby, because she wanted to send the message you can have a family and a high-powered political career, too.

From her Higgins electorate office in inner-suburban Melbourne, surrounded by old leatherbound law books and cradling her son, O'Dwyer said she was conscious of the lack of political role models for young people. It may be 2017, but she is still the first serving cabinet minister to give birth.

Since having her first child, Olivia, 23 months ago, O'Dwyer has gone from the junior frontbench to a cabinet gig. There was arguably a bit of a blip when she lost the small business portfolio in Malcolm Turnbull's mid-2016 reshuffle, but the overall trajectory has been objectively groundbreaking.
Life in Geghamavan, a village of some 1,600 souls in Armenias Gegharkunik Province, stumbles ahead as if on auto-pilot.

The fact that Lake Sevan is nearby doesnt help invigorate life in the village. Its as if Geghamavan is a forgotten village located in some remote corner of Armenia.

Located 1,850 meters above sea level, farming mainly revolves around the lowly spud, wheat, barley and rye.

Jobs are scarce  just a store or two and municipal jobs that are either part-time or dont pay much. Many just pack their bags and leave, some permanently and others for seasonal work abroad.

Geghamavan Mayor Vachik Saghatelyan told Hetq that many of his friends and some relatives have left for Russia to find work.

Business in villages four small shops was slow during my visit. There was little variety, and I walked away thinking that the stores dont get fresh deliveries that frequently. The dust sitting on the display counters convinced me this was the case.

Sousanna, one of the village shopkeepers, didnt want anything to do with this reporter from Yerevan. She believes that everyone from the capital looks down on those living in the provinces. She described the following incident as proof.

I used to get salami from this company. Once, they brought non-quality goods. I told the driver that the stuff wasnt edible. He replied, Sure, as if you villagers can tell good from bad. I told him never to set foot in my store again.

Sousanna complains about the lack of business and refuses to sell cigarettes on credit.

No cigarettes on credit

Sousanna took her time criticizing reporters and the political parties as good-for-nothings. Nevertheless, she confessed to following the campaign for the April 2 parliamentary election on Facebook. Her anger subsided somewhat when she remembered a few of the more interesting speeches of the opposition candidates.

What life is this? My children have no future here. We have plenty of households but no kindergarten. My grandkids attend kindergarten in Sevan. Theyll go to school there as well. What can our village school provide these children, Sousanna said.

Leaving Geghamavan

The village kindergarten operated until 1990, when conditions got so bad that it had to close. It was renovated recently, but its still closed.

Vachik Saghatelyan, the village mayor since December of last year, says his predecessor allowed the kindergartens staff to swell so much that most of the local budget went to paying teacher salaries rather than servicing the needs of the children.

Geghamavan Mayor Vachik Saghatelyan

It takes 7 million AMD to operate the kindergarten for one year. We dont have that kind of money. But the kindergarten will soon open. Ill allocate one million AMD from the budget and my son, a businessman, will provide six million. Well improve our management techniques in the coming years so that the kindergarten stays open, Saghatelyan says.

The mayors son is Ishkhan Saghatelyan, an advisor to environment minister Artzvik Minasyan. He ran on the ARF ticket in the April 2 parliamentary election from Gegharkunik, garnering 3,458 votes, the most of any ARF candidate nominated by the rating system.

Ishkhan Saghatelyans campaign poster illegally affixed to a store wall in Geghamavan

Most in the village voted for their native son. Some of the men playing backgammon in the club, however, werent pleased that they had to vote in support of the ARF in order to cast a ballot for Ishkhan Saghatelyan.

A sign in the club saying who can use the ashtrays

Geghamavan, established in 1828, used to be called Shahriz. The first inhabitants were 400 Armenians from the Maku village of Andzouk in the Persian Empire who migrated after the signing of the Treaty of Turkmenchay.

Historical records show the location was populated as early as the VII Century AD.

There are some marvelous stone crosses to be seen at the ruins of St. Hovhannes Church.

A tragic 2015 bus accident claimed the lives of several Armenians returning from Moscow to Yerevan. Some of the injured and killed were from Geghamavan.

On a piece of land adjacent to the village municipality, there are plans to erect a memorial to those killed on foreign shores.

Geghamavan natives now living in Russia will finance the project.

When I asked Mayor Saghatelyan is another place could have been assigned for the memorial, and instead used to build a health clinic, which the village now lacks, or even a playground, he responded that the land had been allocated by during the tenure of his predecessor.

Today, the village only has a first aid station.

Hetq wrote about the illegal garbage dumps scattered throughout Gegharkunik in March 2016.

Even though native son Ishkhan Saghatelyan is an adviser to the minister of the environment, the above eyesore remains in Geghamavan.
Rising tensions with North Korea underscore the need for Australia to "get much more serious" about amassing a missile defence system that could protect overseas forces and ultimately the mainland, a former national security adviser says.

Andrew Shearer, a leading defence specialist who worked for former prime ministers Tony Abbott and John Howard, is one of several experts who told Fairfax Media that Australia needed to consider missile defence to counter rapid advances in ballistic missile technology that are increasing in range and accuracy.

A system that protects the Australian continent would cost billions of dollars. While missile defence has come a long way since the days of former US president Ronald Reagan's Star Wars scheme, intercepting long-range, intercontinental ballistic missiles remains a major technical challenge.

But Mr Shearer, who is based at the Washington-based Centre for Strategic and International Studies, told Fairfax Media: "The problem is that North Korean  and Chinese  missile development has been accelerating very rapidly, particularly over the past few years, to the extent it has often taken western analysts by surprise.
Foreign-owned gas companies have legally avoided paying significant tax on billions in earnings from their Australian operations because of loopholes, according to a study.

The loopholes have allowed the companies to write off interest payments for the borrowings of offshore subsidiaries, it has been claimed.

The study, by academic accountants at the University of Technology School of Accounting, and left-leaning campaign group GetUp, looked at the available balance sheet data of gas giants ExxonMobil and Chevron. It found the two companies have achieved colossal revenue flows from their Australian operations but paid little if anything in petroleum resource rent tax in recent years.

The practice is known as "debt loading" or "thin capitalisation".
An electorate officer for federal Liberal National Party MP Stuart Robert has contradicted her boss in a Queensland Crime and Corruption Commission hearing in Brisbane, saying she was never told an LNP fundraising body would back her campaign.

Felicity Stevenson unsuccessfully ran as an independent candidate in Division 5 at the 2016 Gold Coast City Council election.

Felicity Stevenson arrives at the Crime and Corruption Commission hearing. Credit:Glenn Hunt

The CCC is investigating whether anyone broke the law during last year's Queensland local government elections by failing to disclose donations or party affiliations.

Last week, Mr Robert told the commission he had arranged an LNP fundraising body called the Fadden Forum to fund both Ms Stevenson and Kristyn Boulton, both former LNP members employed at his electorate office, to the tune of $30,000 each.
Following her high-profile engagement and subsequent not-so-amicable split with Good Charlotte's Benji Madden, you might think that Sophie Monk would want to stay well clear of rock stars on The Bachelorette.

But when asked by Fairfax Media at her The Bachelorette role unveiling on Sunday's Logies red carpet if rockers need apply for the show, the 36-year-old said they could on one condition.

"They can if they are awesome," she laughed, giving a not-so-subtle dig at Madden.

Monk, an actor and formerly of girl band Bardot, and Madden, a guitarist alongside his identical twin brother Joel in American pop-rock band Good Charlotte, started dating in 2006. They got engaged in 2007 but broke up in 2008. He is now married to actor Cameron Diaz.
Heather Martin, aka "MommyOFive," is screaming. "Get your f---ing ass up here!" she yells at Cody, her young son.

Mike Martin  "DaddyOFive" to his family YouTube channel's 750,000 subscribers  follows along behind with the camera as Cody runs upstairs. Soon, he is yelling, too: "What the hell is that?" There is ink all over the floor of Cody's room. Cody begins to cry. "I didn't do that," he says, his face turning red. "I swear to God I didn't do that."

Mike and Heather Martin have been reported to Child Protective Services.

For three minutes, the parents scream and swear at Cody and his brother Alex, accusing them of spilling the ink. Suddenly, MommyOFive reveals a small bottle in her hand. She smiles and laughs. The ink was trick ink, she says, it will disappear from the floor.

"You just got owned!" DaddyOFive says, pointing the camera in the face of his two children, who appear to be primary school-aged. "It's just a prank, bruh!" As the Martin parents laugh, their two children remain sitting on the bed, faces still red from crying.
Justice Peter Hamill was unconvinced: "What, [must I] give them 50 years and just hope they are not locked in a cage for that period?"

In the midst of sentencing submissions for three members of the once-feared Brothers for Life gang, Justice Hamill was presented with an affidavit from the youngest, Jamil Qaumi.

A CCTV camera captured Joe Antoun's killer outside his home. Credit:NSW Police

Jamil, 25, claims he has spent much of his 3 years on remand under extremely onerous conditions, including being kept in a tiny cell for 24 hours a day and being placed in handcuffs during meetings with his lawyers.

Jamil and his brothers Farhad - the former leader of the gang's Blacktown chapter - and Mumtaz Qaumi were convicted over a string of violent crimes carried out during the group's reign in Sydney in 2013.
A significant majority of Australians think we drink too much alcohol, the annual Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education's national poll has shown.

The online poll, which surveyed 1820 people, found seventy-eight per cent of people believe Australia has a problem with excess drinking.

Queenslanders were the most likely to drink heavily, with 52 per cent drinking to get drunk compared to an Australian average of 44 per cent.

Victorians were the most likely to consume six or more alcoholic drinks at a sitting (21 per cent) compared to NSW (17 per cent).
The controversial former deputy mayor of Auburn council Salim Mehajer has pleaded not guilty to assaulting a taxi driver outside The Star casino and assaulting TV news reporter Laura Banks hours later.

Mr Mehajer's lawyer Mahmoud Abbas entered pleas of not guilty on his client's behalf in the Downing Centre Local Court on Wednesday.

Outside the court Mr Mehajer declined to comment but Mr Abbas said his client "is entitled to the presumption of innocence".

Mr Mehajer allegedly assaulted taxi driver Nazir Syed causing actual bodily harm by throwing an EFTPOS machine at his face between 4.30am and 4.45am on Sunday, April 2.
Six police officers have been charged with criminal offences in the past week across NSW, with a total of 11 officers charged in April.

The run of charges began at 3am on Good Friday when an off-duty constable on a motorcycle allegedly ran a red traffic light.

Eleven officers have been charged with offences in NSW since the beginning of the month.

He allegedly led police on a pursuit through the streets of Eastwood in Sydney that reached speeds of 120km/h in a 50km/h zone.

Police stopped him on a pedestrian lane way in the neighbouring suburb of Denistone and arrested him. He was later charged with two counts of failing to stop at a red light and one count of initiating a police pursuit, under Skye's Law.
Veronica Suarez is an Uber driver by profession and a financial expert by necessity.

With almost 40 per cent of her weekly income going towards the $580 rent on her Green Valley home, the 39-year-old single parent has become skilled at juggling bills and spotting the supermarket bargains to make ends meet.

"I try to do my best," she said.

"The rent, the gas, the electricity, the phone, the food, medical expenses, school and clothes  everything adds up. It's hard. It's really difficult. Some days I do feel like I'm living on the edge."
I am a

Canna



What Flower

Are You?



table width="145">"You stand up for what you believe in, even if it gets in the way of what other people think. You are proud of yourself and your accomplishments and you enjoy letting people know that."
Instagrams founders, Kevin Systrom, left, and Mike Krieger, at the companys headquarters in California. Credit:NYT This is difficult to quantify. My subjective experience may not match yours (lots of people, for example, say they hate the new ranked feed). But for me, Instagram's many changes have made for a social network that feels more useful, interesting and fun than it was last year. Part of it is the new features themselves, but a bigger reason is the greater use that the features have inspired. Networks are better when more people use them more often; the more I've used Instagram recently, the more stuff I've seen from more people, and the more I want to use it some more. Instagram has thus triggered an echo  it feels like Facebook. More precisely, it feels the way Facebook did from 2009 to 2012, when it silently crossed over from one of those tech things that some people sometimes did to one of those tech things that everyone you know does every day. Instagrams headquarters. About 700 million people now use the photo-sharing service every month, with about 400 million of them checking in daily. Credit:NYT In some ways, this is not surprising. Instagram has been growing like crazy essentially since it went live in 2010, and under Facebook  which bought the company for US$1 billion five years ago  it has had ample resources to keep that up. But with 700 million users, it's in virtually uncharted territory.

There are bigger networks: Facebook has nearly 2 billion users a month, and two instant-messaging apps owned by Facebook, WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger, have grown past the 1-billion-user mark. In China, WeChat also has more users. We've had to unbreak ourselves Kevin Systrom, co-founder of Instagram But last year, you might have said there was a question whether a picture-based service like Instagram could have reached similar scale  whether it was universal enough, whether there were enough people whose phones could handle it, whether it could survive greater competition from newer photo networks like Snapchat. Maybe those problems or others will rear up in the future, and growth could yet stall. But for now, Instagram seems to have overcome any perceived hurdles. It seems to have reached escape velocity. Systrom said this plan to rapidly speed up Instagram's pace of change to attract more users was deliberate. "The primary reason we've scaled more quickly in the last 100 million is that we've figured out that as we've scaled, we've had to unbreak ourselves," he said. What he meant was that Instagram systematically analysed all the bottlenecks to its service and tried to eliminate them. Then it looked for potential opportunities to better serve users and tried to put them in place as fast as possible.

This sounds trivial  aren't all companies looking to constantly improve?  but social networks are sometimes held hostage by their most loyal users, who tend to hate change (cough, Twitter, cough). Facebook bucked that trend; as it grew, it constantly adapted its features to become more things to more people. Systrom is following the same playbook. "My favourite thing to ask the team is, how large do you think Instagram will be eventually?" he said. "Usually you get to some large number, and it's definitely more than two times the size we are now. So I can confidently say that most of the people who'll eventually use Instagram don't use Instagram now." Systrom is a fan of academic business theories, especially Clay Christensen's, whose "Innovator's Dilemma" addresses the tension between serving an incumbent audience at the expense of a much greater potential one. The realisation that Instagram could become much bigger than it is now was freeing, Systrom said; it gives the company the confidence to keep changing. And then there's Instagram's decision to incorporate features developed by Snapchat, about which Systrom was unapologetic. He credited Snapchat with creating Stories, but argued that Stories was no mere feature, but instead a brand-new digital format  something like digital feeds (for instance, Facebook's News Feed or Twitter's stream of tweets)  that could be broadly reinterpreted across different products. "I don't know much about the history of cars, but let's say the Model T was the first car," he said. "So what do you think the first car company other than Ford was thinking? Are we copying Ford, or is this a new mode of transportation that everyone is going to have different takes on?"
On Tuesday, Thai police said Wuttisan Wongtalay, a 20-year-old man, had live-streamed himself killing his 11-month-old daughter in two videos before he took his own life. It took Facebook almost 24 hours to take down the gruesome videos, by which time they had been viewed 370,000 times between them.

Hours later, three men in Sweden were jailed for broadcasting the rape of a woman on Facebook Live. Only last week, footage of a man murdering a 74-year-old in Cleveland, Ohio, was posted on the network, followed by a live broadcast of the killer, Steve Stephens, boasting about his exploits.

If you were designing a technology purpose-built for attention-seeking monsters, it would probably look something like social media.

Wongtalay's wife, Chiranut Trairat, said she did not blame Facebook, but the world's biggest social network is rapidly discovering that the ability to instantly share, broadcast and publicise yourself to the planet has a dark side. "This is an appalling incident and our hearts go out to the family of the victim," a spokesman said. "There is absolutely no place for content of this kind on Facebook and it has now been removed."

Last week, after publicity around the Cleveland murder, Facebook co-founder Mark Zuckerberg said: "We have a lot of work and we will keep doing all we can to help prevent tragedies like this from happening again," before moving swiftly on to other distractions: virtual reality and mind reading.
A woman has described "freaking out" as she watched a blaze destroy her home and her neighbourhood in Brunswick in Melbourne's north.

The fire started in a set of two-storey townhouses in Hope Street, Brunswick, just after midnight, destroying four townhouses.

Resident Amelia Reeves said she was still in shock and hadn't slept after watching her house go up in flames.

She said she was at her partner's house around the corner when her housemate called her and told to come home."It was raining and abysmal and there was fire everywhere and I was freaking out. I was dry retching in the corner like, 'what do I do?'" Ms Reeves said.
A man has allegedly attacked mountain bike riders with a pole, before chasing them with a running chainsaw in a frightening ordeal in the Dandenongs.

The riders were injured, and needed hospital treatment, after the attack which occurred about 6.30pm on April 19.

Two mountain bike riders have been allegedly attacked by a man and his dog near Belgrave.

Three men, aged 29, 32 and 33, have told police they were riding along Barbers Road in Kalorama when they were approached by a man with a dog.

"[They] have reported they were verbally abused by the man," Senior Constable Alistair Parsons said.
The "missing link" in Melbourne's ring road, the North East Link, will be kick-started with $100 million for planning in next week's state budget.

Premier Daniel Andrews said on Wednesday the money would ensure the project was ready to go before the November 2018 state election.

The tollway will run from the Metropolitan Ring Road in Greensborough to either the Eastern Freeway in Bulleen or EastLink.

It will cost between $5 billion and $10 billion to build, Mr Andrews said, creating around 5000 jobs.
For anyone watching Dino Djulbic's immense A-League display last weekend, just the thought of lining up against the Perth Glory hardman is intimidating.

But for the player who actually has to face him, it's really no big deal.

Dino Djulbic's defence was the difference in Glory's 2-0 finals win. Credit:Morne de Klerk

Sydney FC's Brazilian marquee striker Bobo will get the honour on Saturday night at Allianz Stadium, where a grand final appearance will be on the line.

Djulbic was the undisputed man of the match in the Glory's 2-0 elimination-final win over Melbourne City, the veteran centre-back's unbridled eagerness to put his body on the line a major difference between the two sides.
An Esperance teenager has been charged following the death of an elderly man overnight.

WA Police will allege the 18-year-old woman and 89-year-old man became involved in an altercation at a residence on Randell Street in Esperance at around 4pm on Tuesday evening.

The teen has been charged with grievous bodily harm.

It is believed the man and the woman were known to each other, and the man suffered serious head injuries during the fight.

He was taken to Esperance District Hospital for emergency treatment, but died a short time later as a result of serious sustained head injuries.
Emmanuel Macron was booed and whistled at by striking factory workers in his hometown of Amiens, northern France, after an ambush by his nationalist rival Marine Le Pen forced him into a confrontation with some of her hardcore supporters.

Le Pen made a surprise visit to the Whirlpool Corp. plant on the edge of Amiens while election front-runner Macron was meeting with union leaders from the plant in the centre of town. Le Pen told reporters on the picket line that Macron's decision to meet the workers' representatives behind closed doors showed his "contempt" for their plight, forcing her rival to change his plans and engage with the demonstrators live on television.

With the black smoke of burning tires whipped up by a cold wind and cries of "Marine! President!" punctuating his remarks, Macron tried to mount a defence of the European trade regime in the factory parking lot as angry demonstrators crowded round.

"When she tells you the solution is to turn back globalisation, she's lying," Macron told the workers, his comments picked by the microphones of more than 100 reporters witnessing the clash. "We cannot outlaw firing. We must fight to find a buyer."
Beijing: The first 'Made in China' aircraft carrier was launched in Dalian, China's major northern port closest to North Korea on Wednesday, as the more powerful USS Carl Vinson strike group headed towards Korean waters.

The naval showcase came as tensions over North Korea remained high, and Chinese media expressed concern that Russia was exploiting a rift between Beijing and Pyongyang to "fill the gap" in trade as China tightened sanctions on Kim Jong-un's regime.

Chinese state television showed the unnamed aircraft carrier, which is "conventionally powered", festooned in red ribbons and pushed by tug boats. It is only the second aircraft carrier in China's naval fleet.

The United States has 10 nuclear-powered aircraft carriers, and Chinese naval analysts pointed out the technology gap between China and the US would widen when the newest, the USS Gerald Ford, comes into use this year.
Bangkok: A top level investigation into cyber crime across South-east Asia has identified nearly 9000 malware-laden servers and hundreds of compromised websites, including government portals.

The international police agency Interpol said analysts identified 270 websites across the region that have been infected with malware code exploiting vulnerability in their design applications.

Delegation of Interpol member countries attend a conference in Bali in November. Credit:AP

Among them were several government websites containing the personal data of their citizens. The governments were not named.

Derek Manky, global strategist at Fortinet, one of seven companies that collaborated with Interpol in the crackdown, said criminals are increasingly using a sophisticated web of compromised systems to launch attacks.
Name: Marina Sersale

Hometown: Rome, Italy

Resides: Rome, Italy

Profession: I create perfumes

Hobbies: Photography

Hipstographer since: 2013

Year of Birth: 1962

Favorite Combo: John S + BlacKeys SuperGrain

Favorite Lens: John S

Favorite Film: BlacKeys SuperGrain

Favorite Flash: None

"I'd been wanting to visit Iran since I was a child. I had a beloved uncle who lived there for many years and his Persian stories fired my imagination at a young age. Finally, in November 2016, I had the oppurtunity of organising a trip so I spent 2 weeks visiting a few of the main sites and cities.

I found Iran even more beautiful and fascinating that I expected, and its people to be the kindest, most charming and welcoming of any country I've ever visited. Now all I think of is going back "

Marina Sersale

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A vet's letter showing that Simon was fit to travel. Credit:Courtesy Annette Edwards Edwards told The Post that she has shipped about a dozen rabbits internationally in the past without any problems, on carriers including United. "Any other bunnies I've sent to the US have been fine," she said Wednesday. "I've been doing it for quite a few years. I don't sell unless it's to the right person, because these animals are not like normal rabbits. They're more like dogs, so you have to have the right facilities for them. They can't go into a rabbit hutch." Simon the rabbit Edwards said she was at first hesitant to sell Simon at all, intending to keep the black-haired, blue-eyed rabbit as a pet. Simon's father, Darius, is 4 feet 4 inches long from the tip of his nose to the back of the toes on his hind legs; the gray rabbit took over the Guinness record from his mother.

Edwards said she isn't sure why her rabbits grow so large but credits the "very, very laid-back atmosphere" in the English countryside. At only 10 months old, Simon already measured 3 feet 5 inches long, and Edwards believed he may have been on track to break his father's record. "Now that's very big for a bunny of 10 months, and they grow 'til they're 18 months old," Edwards said. "So he could have took over his dad, who knows?" Darius' offspring sell for close to $US400 each, Edwards said. An American man had contacted Edwards through her website, where she maintains photos of Darius, who has become something of a celebrity.

The man had inquired about buying Simon, Edwards said, and finally convinced her after promising the rabbit would be going to a loving home. "I did say I was keeping Simon," Edwards said. "But we found a lovely man. He was going to be a pet. He was going to be much-loved." It was through the buyer, not United Airlines, that Edwards said she first found out that Simon had died. "He rang me because he had a phone call and was on his way to pick up," she said. "He said, 'I don't know if you've heard the news,' but he obviously was very upset, just like we all are." Edwards, who declined to identify the buyer, said she is waiting to hear more details from United about what happened.

Last year, United Airlines transported 109,149 animals and reported 2.11 "incidents" - including death, injury or loss - for every 10,000 animals transported, according to the Transportation Department's Air Travel Consumer Report. The average rate of death, injury or loss among all airlines last year was 0.92 incidents per 10,000 animals transported. In total, 27 animals died while being transported on United flights between January 2015 and February 2017, according to the department. Simon's death comes not long after viral videos captured a passenger being forcibly removed from a United Airlines flight. The incident this month triggered a public-relations crisis for United, which initially defended itself by stating that the passenger, David Dao, had "refused to leave the aircraft voluntarily." United chief executive Oscar Munoz, who in March received the 2017 Communicator of the Year award from PRWeek magazine, was blasted for a subsequent tone-deaf statement, in which he apologised "for having to reaccommodate these customers." Though Munoz would eventually issue a deeper apology two days later, by then the damage to the airline's brand was palpable. United stock prices had fallen and the incident had made the airline the butt of numerous memes online. Chicago Department of Aviation officers used "minimal but necessary force" when they dragged Dao off United Express Flight 3411 on April 9, according to an incident report released this week. Dao, a doctor from Kentucky, suffered a concussion, a broken nose and other injuries. He also lost two of his teeth, according to his attorney, Thomas Demetrio.
The top US military commander in the Pacific has said the US wants to bring North Korean leader Kim Jong-un "to his senses", warning that North Korea could strike US soil.

The warning came as the Trump administration announced a tightening of sanctions against North Korea and a stepping up of diplomatic efforts amid mounting tensions over Pyongyang's nuclear threats.

Kim Jong-un at a "combined fire demonstration", held to celebrate the 85th anniversary of the North Korean army in Wonsan, in an image from a video broadcast by the North's KRT on Wednesday Credit:KRT via AP

Admiral Harry Harris, who heads the US Pacific Command, defended the deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defence (THAAD) missile defence system in South Korea.

He told Congress that he believed North Korea's threats against the US needed to be taken seriously.
SIMPSON BAY:---- On Tuesday afternoon, a group of Dutch travel agents and tour operators arrived on the island on their Carnival Fam Trip coordinated by Le Beau Reizen and 721 Hub Marketing.

Sponsors for the trip are Port St. Maarten, SXM Airport, West Dawn Beach Resort, Daytona Tours, Artemia, Maduro Travel, St. Maarten Carnival Development Foundation, Layback Bar & Grill, KLM, Saba Tourist Office, and the St. Eustatius Tourism Development Organization. The main sponsors are Port St. Maarten, SXM Airport and KLM.

The group will visit the Festival Village to get a sample experience of what Carnival is all about besides attending other events and the grand parade.

On Wednesday the Dutch travel agents will take an island tour and have lunch at the Lolos in Grand Case. Their visit will be filled with activities during the coming days including viewing JOuvert Jump Up and attending other Carnival events at the Festival Village during their stay on the Friendly Island.

The trip also entails a visit to the islands of Saba and St. Eustatius who are also part of the fam trip.

The travel agents will carry out site inspections at several hotel properties allowing the aforementioned to view and inspect the facilities and amenities offered that are visited by tourists on an annual basis.

The Carnival Fam Trip ends on May 3 when the travel agents and tour operators return to the Netherlands.

The idea for the fam trip came out of the Dutch Vakantie Beurs Utrecht in January.

Port St. Maarten in collaboration with SXM Airport and local stakeholders attended the 47th edition of the Dutch Vakantie Beurs Utrecht (Tourism and Leisure Fair), considered the trade show for the Dutch travel industry, back in January, as part of a campaign to promote the destination in Europe.

The Vakantie Beurs takes place every January at the Convention Center in the Dutch city of Utrecht.

Port St. Maarten took the lead several years ago, and once again it did in January 2017 to make sure that the destination had representation at the trade show in the Netherlands in order to promote and drive business to the island from the Dutch and European market.

The objective of the port is to make sure that there is a niche in the Dutch travel market for the St. Maarten Heineken Regatta which takes place in March and Carnival in April. Port St. Maarten feels that the Dutch travel sector should not be underestimated and the current fam trip is an investment paying off for the destination. The port and SXM Airport supported each other at the 2017 fair.

Port St. Maarten has committed itself to attend five editions of the trade fair over the next few years. The objective is to connect with luxury cruise lines in order to further expand the cruise sector with passengers who have a higher disposable income and spend more while visiting a destination.

Port St. Maarten is moving full speed ahead in establishing itself as a homeport destination in the north eastern Caribbean catering to small and medium size vessels as well as the high-end market of the luxury cruise sector. The homeporting business will translate into a significant positive impact on the countrys economy with spinoffs to the majority of business sectors including attracting additional airlift which is also part and parcel in developing homeporting.

More Dutch travelers are becoming aware of cruises, and the St. Maarten cruise brand is the largest and most developed cruise port in the Dutch Kingdom.
BackupAssist Announces Strong Revenue Growth as Company Expands Global Reach into 165 Countries

BOSTON, MA  (Marketwired)  04/25/17  , a provider of automated server backup software for small and medium businesses (SMBs), today announced global expansion of its operations with a growing customer base in 165 countries. Further expansion of company sales operations is highlighted by robust growth of 34% quarter over quarter, driven by managed service providers (MSPs) who deliver BackupAssist-powered cloud backup to SMBs.

According to a recent report(1) by the Enterprise Strategy Group (ESG), improving data backup and recovery has consistently been one of the most important IT priorities over the past five years. Tactical-level backup/recovery (as well as more strategic-level BC/DR efforts) continue to dominate mindshare as production loads evolve and businesses of every size are increasingly dependent on their IT systems and services. With a focus on data recovery solutions for SMBs, BackupAssist has developed software that is customized to meet the unique requirements of these organizations. As a result, company growth has accelerated significantly since the founding of BackupAssist in 2002.

BackupAssist produces backup and recovery software for small and medium size businesses (SMBs), providing business continuity through comprehensive data protection for both physical and virtual servers. The software delivers high value backup and recovery that is reliable and simple to use for the protection of Windows Servers, applications, data, and systems. Clients benefit from bare-metal recovery to the same or alternate hardware; cloud backup for remote recovery; granular recovery tools for Microsoft Exchange, SQL, or Hyper-V environments; and data archiving for long-term backup data retention. The Microsoft Gold certified solution also allows for backup to a comprehensive range of backup targets, including NAS, RDX, iSCSI, local drives, optical drives, USB HDDs, tape backup systems, and the cloud.

In support of its sales operations, BackupAssist maintains an active channel partner ecosystem, which includes VARs and managed service providers (MSPs). Company partners have the opportunity to resell BackupAssist software directly to customers for onsite installation or they can leverage BackupAssist as the foundation for managed backup and recovery services. MSPs deploy BackupAssist Multisite Manager to provide multi-tenant backup and recovery services to customers in their regions of operation. Multisite Manager is a partner-friendly cloud-based application that allows partners to manage BackupAssist installations via a WAN or LAN.

We run a global operation that is highly dependent on our ability to respond quickly to unforeseen circumstances. Every minute of downtime impacts productivity, said Gabriel Mejia, Global IT Director, Arquitectonica. BackupAssist has been very effective at supporting our data recovery requirements. We run all of our local backups with BackupAssist in addition to our off-site replication solution and it has simplified the process tremendously. We receive about 100 file recovery requests per week and support tickets that used to take hours now take minutes to close. The software has served our organization reliably for years and we highly recommend it for both physical and virtual IT environments.

With advanced features developed exclusively for small to midsize businesses, BackupAssist provides reliable and efficient data protection that reduces downtime across physical, virtual, and cloud environments, said Linus Chang, CEO and Co-Founder of BackupAssist. Companies in North America and beyond recognize the advantages of our high value solution which has helped us to achieve considerable momentum. As organizations demand greater performance from their backup and recovery platform, we expect this trend to continue bolstering our growth worldwide.

.@BackupAssist Announces Strong Revenue Growth as Company Expands Global Reach into 165 Countries   #cloud #backup

Visit BackupAssist online at

Follow BackupAssist on at

Follow BackupAssist on at

Follow BackupAssist on at

Founded in 2002, BackupAssist has offices in the United States and Australia. The company specializes in automated server backup and recovery software for small to medium size businesses (SMBs), providing protection for physical, virtual, and cloud environments. The companys high value, multi-platform software is easy to manage and use, reliably supporting tens of thousands of customers in 165 countries. To learn more about BackupAssist, please visit or call 812-206-4265.

(1) Enterprise Strategy Group (ESG), Why You Still Need Backup, February 2016,

Troy Vertigan

BackupAssist Software

Email:
AlgoSec Joins IBM Security App Exchange Community

RIDGEFIELD PARK, NJ  (Marketwired)  04/25/17  AlgoSec, a leading provider of business-driven security management solutions today launched the AlgoSec Security Incident Response App which integrates with IBM security intelligence technology to tie security incidents directly to the business processes that are or potentially will be impacted. By augmenting threat analysis with critical business context, the AlgoSec App enables the SOC team to immediately assess the scale of the risk to the business and prioritize remediation efforts.

The , a marketplace where developers across the industry can share applications based on IBM Security technologies. As threats are evolving faster than ever, collaborative development amongst the security community will help organizations adapt quickly and speed innovation in the fight against cybercrime.

The AlgoSec Security Incident Response App leverages IBM QRadar, the companys security intelligence platform which analyzes data across an organizations IT infrastructure in real-time to identify potential security threats. Leveraging QRadars new open application programming interfaces (API), AlgoSec Security Incident Response App allows AlgoSec and IBM customers to:

Highlight the criticality of the business applications impacted by the attack

Automatically isolate compromised servers from the network

Automatically associate security incidents with the applications, servers, network connectivity flows and security devices impacted by an attack

Identify network connectivity to/from a compromised server on a visual, interactive map

Get a full audit trail to assist with cyber threat forensics and compliance reporting

The AlgoSec Security Incident Response App is an add-on to AlgoSecs Security Management Solution, which automates security policy management across cloud and on-premise networks. Once a vulnerable business application has been identified, the AlgoSec solution can automatically isolate all compromised or vulnerable servers from the network to neutralize the impact of the attack on the business.

When confronted with multiple alerts, the SOC team needs a way to quickly and easily sift through the volumes of data to identify the attacks that will most likely impact key business processes and take action  before they impact business productivity and its reputation, commented Bruno Weinberger, VP Strategic Alliances at AlgoSec. By integrating with IBM QRadar, joint customers can now link cyber attacks directly to the business applications that are or potentially will be affected and then prioritize and automate remediation efforts based on the severity, business impact and risk  thereby aligning incident response processes with business strategy.

The leading provider of business-driven security management solutions, AlgoSec helps the worlds largest organizations align security with their business processes. With AlgoSec users can discover, map and migrate business application connectivity, proactively analyze risk from the business perspective, tie cyber-attacks to business processes and intelligently automate network security changes with zero touch  across their cloud, SDN and on-premise networks. Over , including 20 of the Fortune 50, utilize AlgoSecs solutions to make their organizations more agile, more secure and more compliant  all the time. Since its inception, AlgoSec has provided the .

IBMs security platform provides the security intelligence to help organizations holistically protect their people, data, applications and infrastructure. IBM offers solutions for identity and access management, security information and event management, database security, application development, risk management, endpoint management, next-generation intrusion protection and more. IBM operates one of the worlds broadest security research and development, and delivery organizations. For more information, please visit , follow @IBMSecurity on Twitter or visit the IBM Security Intelligence .

Media Contacts:

Joanne Godfrey

AlgoSec

Craig Coward

Context Public Relations

+44 (0)1625 511 966

Matt Scorer

Context Public Relations

+44 (0)1625 511 966
Interset Security Analytics Platform Delivers New Data Enrichment Framework to Expand Incident Context and Accelerate Investigations

OTTAWA, ON  (Marketwired)  04/25/17  has launched as part of its March release a new data enrichment framework, expanding specialized threat and compliance use case coverage and enhancing attack path visualizations for the market-leading security analytics platform. The new framework ingests third-party data such as threat intelligence feeds, alerts from DLP and other security systems, and even special watch lists like employee notice and HR systems. This critical information can now be used to drive changes to analytic model weighting, workflow actions and alerts, and create context-rich visualizations for incident situational awareness enhancement to support SOC analysts.

When it comes to detecting and stopping sophisticated insider and targeted outside attacks, security teams need to bring all available resources to bear, yet relevant data is often unavailable to the analyst when they need it most, says Interset CTO Stephan Jou. The goal of Intersets Data Enrichment Framework is to ingest vastly different types of data that can be highly valuable to threat detection, and use that information to further support the detection and investigations process.

For example, Jou explains, knowing that an executable detected as an anomalous application on multiple endpoints was listed on the latest threat intelligence for new attacks from Asia is helpful to validate and respond to the incident. Existing security tools already produce valuable alerts and warnings related to anomalous events, but existing systems cannot stitch them together. In identifying insider attacks, motivation can be gleaned from changes in HR records, yet these are rarely available in real-time. With Intersets flexible framework, security tool alerts, third-party data feeds, watch lists and outputs from applications like HR systems can directly play a role in the threat detection and response process. Further, in addition to the display of additional context at the right time, the enrichment framework is processed analytically: Intersets analytical models can incorporate severity information in the third-party feeds to automatically adjust the sensitivity of its models, and the behavioral risk model scores themselves.

Use cases improved by the new Intersets Data Enrichment Framework include:

 SOC analysts validating and evaluating threats need as much context as possible. IOC data, anomalous activity, and other high-risk entities must be displayed on a single pane of glass. Intersets Data Enrichment Framework ingests and connects alerts, threat feeds, watch lists, and other third-party data to deliver a complete picture of the threat so SOC analysts can make fast and effective decisions regarding incident response and mitigation.

 Non-IT data related to working and social activities of an employee can be useful in determining who is at risk for malicious activity and the motives driving action. HR system feeds, high-risk use watch lists, employees who have given notice, reduction in force lists, and social media monitoring system outputs can all be ingested into the Interset platform via the data enrichment framework. Inputs are used to change the weighting of analytic models, kickoff specialized workflow or alerts and provide rich visual context to investigators.

 Interset analytics uniquely capture data staging and exfiltration anomalies from ingested server, file share and IP repository system logs. The Interset Data Enrichment Framework allows the content inspection, finger printing and policy violations of DLP systems to be ingested. This connects customer data movement and compliance violations directly into the Interset platform, combining the data loss protection of DLP systems with the threat detection of the Interset platform.

 From malware introduction to compromised account detection, Intersets Data Enrichment Framework adds new capabilities to pinpoint attacks faster and provide greater context for investigations. Malware threat intelligence feed information, application blacklists, cyber-attack alerts from perimeter systems, and EDR system alerts can all be ingested into the Interset system to connect this data with the results of Interset machine learning and analytic models. When an Interset endpoint sensor detects an anomalous executable that matches content from a threat feed, Interset alerts security teams to the presence of the threat and visualizes the anomaly and matching intelligence in the Interset Incident View.

In addition to the new data enrichment framework, the March release of the Interset platform includes new probabilistic math models to address and a that provides unprecedented visibility into an organizations overall threat surface, IT systems, and user risk.

Schedule a demo of the Interset Security Analytics Platform at .

provides highly intelligent, accurate insider and targeted outsider threat detection. Our solution unlocks the power of user behavioral analytics, machine learning, and big data to provide the fastest, most flexible, and efficient way for IT teams to operationalize a data-protection program. Utilizing agentless data collectors, lightweight endpoint sensors, advanced behavioral analytics, and an intuitive user interface, Interset provides unparalleled visibility to high risk events. This enables early attack detection and actionable forensic intelligence with reduced false positives and noise. Interset solutions are deployed to protect critical data across the manufacturing, life sciences, high-tech, finance, government, aerospace and defense, and securities brokerage industries. For more information, visit and follow us on Twitter @intersetca.

Betsy Kosheff

413-232-7057
DIRTT Announces Award of Significant Contract

CALGARY, ALBERTA  (Marketwired)  04/25/17  DIRTT Environmental Solutions (TSX: DRT) (DIRTT or the Company) announced today it has been awarded a significant contract from a large international company, for interior construction projects in multiple locations. Details on the amount of work to be completed at each location are dependent on final design specifications, creating the potential for this first phase to exceed the US$5 million contract value and develop into a longer-term partnership between DIRTT and that company.

DIRTTs ability to build custom, flexible and beautiful spaces rapidly and with cost certainty were key factors in securing this partnership, says Mogens Smed, CEO of DIRTT. DIRTTs commitment to challenging the conventional construction norms of environmentally-damaging materials, excess waste and project delays were also a significant factor.

About DIRTT

DIRTT Environmental Solutions (Doing it Right This Time) uses its proprietary 3D software to design, manufacture and install fully customized prefabricated interiors. The Companys customers in the corporate, government, education and healthcare sectors benefit from DIRTTs precise design and costing; rapid lead times with the highest levels of customization and flexibility; and faster, cleaner construction. DIRTTs manufacturing facilities are in Phoenix, Savannah, Kelowna and Calgary. DIRTTs team supports more than 100 sales distribution partners throughout North America, the Middle East and Asia. DIRTT trades on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol DRT. For more information visit or contact us at .

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements, without limitation, may contain the words believes, expects, anticipates, estimates, intends, plans, or similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. They involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions and the Companys actual results could differ materially from those anticipated. Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of Management at the date the statements are made, and are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. In the context of any forward-looking information please refer to risk factors detailed in, as well as other information contained in, the Companys filings with Securities Regulators (). Unless otherwise required by applicable securities laws, we undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements either as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Contacts:

Mogens Smed

CEO

DIRTT

403.616.7276

Scott Jenkins

President

DIRTT

403.723.5009

Derek Payne

Chief Financial Officer

DIRTT

403.313.9879
Constellation Software Releases Letter to Shareholders

TORONTO, ONTARIO  (Marketwired)  04/25/17  Constellation Software Inc. (TSX: CSU) announced today that it has released its annual letter to shareholders from President Mark Leonard. The letter can be accessed from the Companys website at or from SEDAR at .

About Constellation Software Inc.

Constellation Software acquires, manages and builds vertical market software businesses.

Contacts:

Constellation Software Inc.

Jamal Baksh

Chief Financial Officer

416-861-9677
NewVoiceMedia recognized as innovative entrepreneurs at the forefront of MAd Tech

Posted by Publisher Software

SAN FRANCISCO, CA  (Marketwired)  04/26/17  , a leading global provider of cloud contact center and inside sales technology that enables businesses to have more successful conversations, has been recognized in Fresh Business Thinkings Shift 100 MAd Tech Edition, a list of the most dynamic and agile media, advertising and technology entrepreneurs.

NewVoiceMedias co-founders Ashley Unitt and Richard Pickering were named for being at the forefront of the industrys revolutionary change; shifting gears to meet the higher expectations of the modern, empowered customer with greater speed, flexibility and efficiency. Their inclusion was validated by a panel led by Fresh Business Thinking group editor, Michael Baxter.

NewVoiceMedia now serves more than 650 customers worldwide, including MobileIron, Lumesse, Vax, JustGiving and Canadian Cancer Society. Its multi-tenant intelligent communications platform enables sales and service reps to have more successful conversations with their customers and prospects worldwide. Core contact center functionality such as omni-channel contact routing, self-service IVR, automated outbound dialing, screen pops and instantaneous CRM updates are provided with proven 99.999% platform availability.

Ashley Unitt, co-founder and chief scientist at NewVoiceMedia, comments, Im delighted to have been recognised by Fresh Business Thinkings Shift 100 list alongside other ambitious entrepreneurs who share my dedication to the advancement of business and technology.

Bivek Sharma at KPMG, sponsor of the Shift 100, said, Were super excited to be associated with the Shift 100, as our service is built around supporting innovative and ambitious businesses as they scale up. Theres some fantastic firms listed, and it shows the sheer breadth and depth of the UK martech and adtech sectors.

For further information about NewVoiceMedia, visit

s cloud contact center and inside sales platform delivers more successful conversations.

The leading vendors award-winning customer contact platform helps organizations worldwide build a more personal relationship with every customer or prospect. It joins up all communications channels without expensive, disruptive hardware changes and plugs straight into your CRM for full access to hard-won data. With a true cloud environment and proven 99.999% platform availability, NewVoiceMedia ensures complete flexibility, scalability and reliability.

NewVoiceMedias 650+ customers include PhotoBox, MobileIron, Lumesse, Vax, JustGiving and Canadian Cancer Society. For more information, visit or follow NewVoiceMedia on Twitter

Image Available:

Nicola Brookes

Tel: +44 (0)7500 006 458

Email:
NewVoiceMedia co-founders recognised as innovative entrepreneurs at the forefront of MAd Tech

Posted by Publisher Software

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM  (Marketwired)  04/26/17  , a leading global provider of cloud contact centre and inside sales technology that enables businesses to have more successful conversations, has been recognised in Fresh Business Thinkings Shift 100 MAd Tech Edition, a list of the most dynamic and agile media, advertising and technology entrepreneurs.

NewVoiceMedias co-founders Ashley Unitt and Richard Pickering were named for being at the forefront of the industrys revolutionary change; shifting gears to meet the higher expectations of the modern, empowered customer with greater speed, flexibility and efficiency. Their inclusion was validated by a panel led by Fresh Business Thinking group editor, Michael Baxter.

NewVoiceMedia now serves more than 650 customers worldwide, including MobileIron, Lumesse, Vax, JustGiving and Canadian Cancer Society. Its multi-tenant intelligent communications platform enables sales and service reps to have more successful conversations with their customers and prospects worldwide. Core contact centre functionality such as omni-channel contact routing, self-service IVR, automated outbound dialling, screen pops and instantaneous CRM updates are provided with proven 99.999% platform availability.

Ashley Unitt, co-founder and chief scientist at NewVoiceMedia, comments, Im delighted to have been recognised by Fresh Business Thinkings Shift 100 list alongside other ambitious entrepreneurs who share my dedication to the advancement of business and technology.

Bivek Sharma at KPMG, sponsor of the Shift 100, said, Were super excited to be associated with the Shift 100, as our service is built around supporting innovative and ambitious businesses as they scale up. Theres some fantastic firms listed, and it shows the sheer breadth and depth of the UK martech and adtech sectors.

For further information about NewVoiceMedia, visit

s cloud contact centre and inside sales platform delivers more successful conversations.

The leading vendors award-winning customer contact platform helps organisations worldwide build a more personal relationship with every customer or prospect. It joins up all communications channels without expensive, disruptive hardware changes and plugs straight into your CRM for full access to hard-won data. With a true cloud environment and proven 99.999% platform availability, NewVoiceMedia ensures complete flexibility, scalability and reliability.

NewVoiceMedias 650+ customers include PhotoBox, MobileIron, Lumesse, Vax, JustGiving and Canadian Cancer Society. For more information, visit or follow NewVoiceMedia on Twitter

Image Available:

Nicola Brookes

Tel: +44 (0)7500 006 458

Email:
Sometimes the reactions I get when I tell people how often I go home on the weekends while attending college full time are surprising. When I tell them that I live on a farm, they seem to understand a bit more. However, I know that only those raised on a farm can empathize with my deep emotional connection to the cows and country roads I call home. Going home for the weekend has a different meaning for farm kids.

There is just something special about the farm where a child spends the early years of their life. The memories created there during a childhood are priceless. Within these moments are thousands of learning opportunities that shape us into the individuals we are today.

I am fortunate to attend school only a few hours from my home. When the week at school is overwhelming with midterms, club meetings, dairy judging practices, and plenty of assignments, I decide to take a trip home. Often, I have a legitimate reason to go home, but recently I have realized I travel home for 48 hours to simply de-stress. Working the entire weekend might not seem like a relaxing way to catch up after a busy week at school or work. However, farm kids like myself may find this type of weekend to be the perfect solution.

Feeding a newborn calf reminds me of the patience it takes to master a project or skill. Checking on my show heifers as they are getting ready for the show season reminds me to strive for progress above perfection in all things I do. Most importantly, spending time with my cows is the best reminder of why I am studying dairy science in college.

The time spent with my family working on the farm holds some of the fondest memories from my childhood. These moments continue to shape me into the agricultural leader I am aiming to be. Spending time on our home farms is a great reminder to never forget the roots we came from.
Knorr-Bremse extends the acceptance period in its Offer for all shares in Haldex to 26 September 2017

Posted by Publisher Internet





.

The Swedish Securities Council has granted permission to extend the acceptance period to 26 September 2017

SSC permits closing of acceptance period prior to 26 September 2017 if relevant regulatory approvals have been obtained earlier

Knorr-Bremse continues merger clearance process with full commitment

On 5 September 2016, Knorr-Bremse AG (Knorr-Bremse) announced a public offer to the shareholders of Haldex AB (publ) (Haldex) to tender all shares in Haldex to Knorr-Bremse (the Offer). The current acceptance period in the Offer ends on 16 June 2017 and Knorr-Bremse has made the assessment that the possibilities to obtain merger clearance on terms acceptable will be significantly enhanced should Knorr-Bremse have additional time to provide more thorough and detailed information to the authorities and prepare potential remedies. As previously announced, Knorr-Bremse therefore requested permission from the Swedish Securities Council (the SSC) to extend the maximum acceptance period with an additional three months, to 26 September 2017.

The SSC announced its decision in its issued statement AMN 2017:15 on 25 April 2017, that a further extension of three months is permitted. The SSC also allows Knorr-Bremse to close the acceptance period earlier if all relevant regulatory approvals have been obtained earlier and provided that Knorr-Bremse give Haldex shareholders ample time, i.e. a minimum of 14 days, to adjust to the new end of the acceptance period.

The extension of the offer period is the right step and in the best interest of Knorr-Bremse, Haldex and its stakeholders. We can now provide additional information that further underlines our argumentation and the strong rationale behind the combination of Haldex and Knorr-Bremse. We are convinced that the expertise of both companies excellently matches. Our innovation power allows us to jointly develop new and pioneering solutions for customers in the commercial vehicle sector. We push forward the merger clearance processes with full commitment to successfully complete it as soon as possible and put the combination of Haldex and Knorr-Bremse into action, said Klaus Deller, Chairman of the Executive Board of Knorr-Bremse AG.

The acceptance period for the Offer now runs until 26 September 2017. If all regulatory approvals are obtained in such time that the acceptance period, in accordance with the SSCs decision and the conditions set, can be closed before that date, Knorr-Bremse will announce this. Knorr-Bremse will also give the target company reasonable time to update its recommendation and the shareholders will in such case also be given ample time to consider the recommendation. If necessary, Knorr-Bremse will register a required supplement to the offer document including the amended recommendation.

The settlement will be initiated as soon as Knorr-Bremse announces that the conditions for the Offer have been fulfilled or Knorr-Bremse irrespectively decides to complete the Offer. If such an announcement takes place on 26 September 2017, at the latest, settlement is expected to be initiated on 5 October 2017.

Important notice

The Offer is not being made, directly or indirectly, in or into Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand or South Africa by use of mail or any other means or instrumentality (including, without limitation, facsimile transmission, electronic mail, telex, telephone and the Internet) of interstate or foreign commerce, or of any facility of national security exchange, of Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand or South Africa, and the Offer cannot be accepted by any such use, means, instrumentality or facility of, or from within, Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand or South Africa. Accordingly, this announcement and any documentation relating to the Offer are not being and should not be sent, mailed or otherwise distributed or forwarded in or into Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand or South Africa.

This announcement is not being, and must not be, sent to shareholders with registered addresses in Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand or South Africa. Banks, brokers, dealers and other nominees holding shares for persons in Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand or South Africa must not forward this announcement or any other document received in connection with the Offer to such persons.

Statements in this announcement relating to future status or circumstances, including statements regarding future performance, growth and other trend projections and the other benefits of the Offer, are forward-looking statements. These statements may generally, but not always, be identified by the use of words such as anticipates, intends, expects, believes, or similar expressions. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve risk and uncertainty because they relate to events and depend on circumstances that will occur in the future. There can be no assurance that actual results will not differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements due to many factors, many of which are outside the control of Knorr-Bremse AG. Any such forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made and Knorr-Bremse AG has no obligation (and undertakes no such obligation) to update or revise any of them, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except for in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.

Special notice to shareholders in the United States

The Offer described in this announcement is made for shares of Haldex AB, a company incorporated under Swedish law, and is subject to Swedish disclosure and procedural requirements, which are different from those of the United States. The Offer is made in the United States in compliance with Section 14(e) of, and Regulation 14E under, the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the U.S. Exchange Act), subject to the exemptions provided by Rule 14d-1(d) under the U.S. Exchange Act and otherwise in accordance with the requirements of Swedish law. Accordingly, the Offer is subject to disclosure and other procedural requirements, including with respect to withdrawal rights, the offer timetable, settlement procedures and timing of payments that are different from those applicable under U.S. domestic tender offer procedures and laws.

To the extent permissible under applicable law or regulation, Knorr-Bremse AG and its affiliates or brokers (acting as agents for Knorr-Bremse AG or its affiliates, as applicable) may from time to time, and other than pursuant to the Offer, directly or indirectly purchase, or arrange to purchase, shares of Haldex AB, that are the subject of the Offer or any securities that are convertible into, exchangeable for or exercisable for such shares. To the extent information about such purchases or arrangements to purchase is made public in Sweden, such information will be disclosed by means of a press release or other means reasonably calculated to inform U.S. shareholders of Haldex AB of such information. In addition, the financial advisors to Knorr-Bremse AG, may also engage in ordinary course trading activities in securities of Haldex AB, which may include purchases or arrangements to purchase such securities. Knorr-Bremse AG and/or its affiliates or brokers have purchased shares of Haldex AB during the period following the announcement of the Offer on 5 September 2016.

NEITHER THE UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION NOR ANY U.S. STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION OR REGULATORY AUTHORITY HAS APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED OF THIS OFFER, PASSED UPON THE FAIRNESS OR MERITS OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT OR DETERMINED WHETHER THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS ACCURATE OR COMPLETE. ANY REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE IN THE UNITED STATES.

This announcement is not an offer, whether directly or indirectly, in Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand or South Africa or in any other jurisdictions where such offer pursuant to legislation and regulations in such relevant jurisdictions would be prohibited by applicable law. Shareholders not resident in Sweden who wish to accept the Offer (as defined below) must make inquiries concerning applicable legislation and possible tax consequences. Shareholders should refer to the offer restrictions included in the section titled Important notice at the end of this announcement and in the tender offer document which was published on 26 September 2016. Shareholders in the United States should also refer to the section titled Special notice to shareholders in the United States at the end of this announcement.
RiskIQ Researchers Identify New Threat Actor NoTrove Delivering Millions of Scam Ads, Threatening Consumers, and the Digital Advertising Industry

London, UK  26 April, 2017  Earlier this year, RiskIQ, the leader in digital threat management, reported an eight-fold increase in internet scam incidents that deny the $83 billion digital advertising industry millions of dollars. Now, researchers at RiskIQ have identified NoTrove, a newly discovered and major threat actor that is delivering millions of scam ads that threaten consumers and further undermine the digital advertising industry.

A new research report released today, NoTrove: The Threat Actor Ruling a Scam Empire, presents a detailed analysis demonstrating how NoTrove uses advanced automation techniques to deliver scam ads from millions of different domain names to stay ahead of detection and takedown efforts. NoTrove was so effective that one of its pages ranked as the internets most visited pages for one day.

The online ad scams work by serving up attractive but disingenuous ads on legitimate websites. The ads might offer bogus surveys or free software upgrades, as examples. When someone clicks on the ad, however, the scammers software then re-directs the users clicks and traffic toward various locations across the internet.

Since advertisers and web content providers want as much of the traffic pie as they can get, web traffic is an essential commodity. Ad scammers like NoTrove profit from this demand, participating in traffic affiliate programmes or selling traffic to traffic buyers (brokers). Unfortunately for the digital advertisers, however, the users are negatively impacted by the ad they are seeing and dont even know how they got it.

Equally troubling for the digital advertising industry is that as ad scammers increase, the likelihood consumers will implement ad blockers as a way to avoid bogus ads increases, as well. This practice, according to Juniper Research, will cost the digital media industry over $27 billion by 2020*.

For consumers, this is more than just a nuisance. Ad scams can also be used to download PUPspotentially unwanted programmesand can redirect them to unwanted places.

The RiskIQ report takes a deep dive into how NoTrove works and shows the advances being made to avoid detection, preventing efforts to take it down, and making it one of the most effective and largest ad scam operations ever. Key findings include:

 To stay ahead of efforts to block its fake ads, NoTrove uses automation to constantly change how the ads are delivered and clickthroughs re-routed.

 The scam master has burned through 2,000 randomly generated domains and over 3,000 IPs, operating across millions of Fully Qualified Domain Names; an FQDN is a complete web address, typically including subdomains for ad scammers, such as ajee99.mycontent.example.com.

 RiskIQ observed 78 variants of NoTrove campaigns, such as scam survey rewards, fake software downloads, and redirections to PUPs.

 Alexa rankings for its domains show how effective NoTrove is; even though each domain is short-lived, the rankings often shoot up into the Alexa top 10,000 based purely on scam ad deliveries; one NoTrove domain reached the ranking of 517, making it one of the most visited pages on the entire internet for that day.

RiskIQ first observed NoTrove a year ago when it began expanding its focus on scams, but PDNS results inside RiskIQ PassiveTotal indicate this group has been operating as far back as December of 2010. Used by more than 18,000 security analysts, PassiveTotal expedites external threat investigation tasks and automates threat research collaboration and artifact monitoring. You can view the Public Project for NoTrove compiled by RiskIQs Threat Research team here: https://passivetotal.org/projects/7ee582dc-c792-e635-ce78-0396e1e00bf4

NoTrove harms not only visiting users, but also legitimate advertisers, adversely affecting those reliant on the credibility of the digital advertising ecosystem such as online retailers, publishers, and networks, said William MacArthur, a threat researcher at RiskIQ. Constantly shifting infrastructure means simply blocking domains and IPs isnt enough. We must now begin utilising machine learning to leverage human security teams who increasingly depend on accurate, automated scam detection.

To conduct this and other web research, RiskIQ applies its proprietary virtual user web crawling technology. This advanced internet reconnaissance acts like a user would, thoroughly interrogating websites and web apps, as well as respective browser session communications. It processes more than two billion HTTP requests per day to surface, identify, and connect internet elements to malicious campaigns.

Acting in concert with RiskIQs machine learning, virtual user technology can provide a deep level of analysis of how threat actors are behaving, their underlying infrastructure, and the techniques they use. In the NoTrove example, they can detect what the NoTrove page looks like down to the document object model (DOM), how a user gets there, and learn what makes a NoTrove page a NoTrove page. RiskIQs platform will even understand and dynamically monitor for small variances in the payload without the need for any human intervention, so it can continue to detect NoTrove, even as this threat actor evolves.

* Worldwide Digital Advertising: 2016-2020, Juniper Research, 11/5/2016 by Sam Barker (https://www.juniperresearch.com/researchstore/strategy-competition/worldwide-digital-advertising)
Searchmetrics welcomes new Ruby partner GIMO from UK

Berlin, April 26, 2017  Searchmetrics, a global leader in enterprise SEO and online content development, welcomes GIMO, a full-service digital marketing agency from London to the Searchmetrics Partner Program. The main reasons for our new Ruby partners decision to join Searchmetrics are the valuable insights that partners receive, in addition to the following advantages:

 Improved customer satisfaction through the best possible qualification and certification under exclusive conditions in the Searchmetrics Academy

 Exchange best practices amongst experts within the partner network

 Expand existing customer relationships and acquire new customers through joint marketing activities

Global Interactive Marketing Online, or GIMO, specializes in SEO, PPC, Digital Media Buying & Planning, Social Marketing, Content Creation and more to provide effective, tailor-made solutions for clients. In the past, teams at GIMO worked in isolation from each other. Since incorporating Searchmetrics into its workflow, they now work together as one team, connected within the Searchmetrics Suite. This has improved communication and enabled the new partner agency to perform faster.

The Searchmetrics partner program has four levels  Ruby, Sapphire and Emerald for

national and multinational agencies, and the Global Partner level for worldwide agency networks. To become an authorized Ruby Partner, an agency must show they are proficient with the platform. This includes having at least three employees demonstrate their expertise in using the Searchmetrics Suite via the Searchmetrics certification program. Another prerequisite is the successful completion of the additional sales certification for at least one employee. This sales certification helps the agency team to pitch successfully and efficiently, leading to new business acquisitions, as well as an increase in their lead conversion rates.

We are fully convinced by our partnership with Searchmetrics and the support has been really great. Our decision to use the Searchmetrics Suite was based on what for us are the two most important features: the SEO Visibility and the Content Optimization, said Marc Brauner, SEO Director, GIMO.

The Searchmetrics SEO Visibility displays the current trend and historical development of a domains visibility in search engines, and it helps GIMO to easily and quickly analyze the overall rankings and performance of their clients websites. Furthermore, the agency has started to optimize their clients website content, and has already seen improvements in rankings on every page they have reworked with the help of the recommendations given in the Searchmetrics SuiteTM. In addition, the time they spend on reporting has been cut down thanks to the softwares smart reporting section; allowing them to spend more time on being strategic for their clients.

We are very glad that our partner network in the UK continues to grow with our newest partner, GIMO, and we are looking forward to driving our businesses together through this partnership, says Dagny Koch, VP Partner Development, Searchmetrics.
MOVE Guides Continues Rapid Growth Trajectory

SAN FRANCISCO, CA and LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM  (Marketwired)  04/26/17  , which moves and manages the mobile workforce, today shared news of its industry-defining progress and tremendous growth through the first part of 2017. Thanks to its transformational global mobility management technology, MOVE Guides is delivering an average cost savings of 20% to customers while reinforcing the validity of a new category that addresses how companies manage their workforces.

MOVE Guides industry-leading position has been solidified by the exceptional growth in its existing customer base, representing an increase in annual recurring revenue of 48% over the last two quarters. In addition, 57% of MOVE Guides customers have proactively chosen to expand services with the company in the last six months. During this same timeframe, MOVE Guides has welcomed world-class brands such as Warner Music Group, Carfax and Booking.com to its impressive client roster.

Existing customers across a diverse set of industries have been positive in their praise of the MOVE Guides platform and services:

MOVE Guides has been very client-centric in meeting our needs in developing policies. They have been a great partner.  Warner Music Group

Carfax is on a mission to help millions of people. As our journey continues, we need to find the best and brightest to join our team. MOVE Guides helps us bring that top talent to Carfax so we can be successful well into the 21st century.  Carfax

I very much enjoyed the MOVE Guides platform. [It is] very simple to navigate the website when adding a move, and they handled every part of the vendor interaction without me having to be actively involved.  Booking.com

In Aragon Researchs latest , the research and advisory firm estimates that, in the next five years, more companies will shift from using outsourced relocation services to SaaS-based global mobility management solutions, creating an over $11 billion Global Mobility Management market by 2023. Given its advanced technology platform, comprehensive relocation support for employees and full slate of experienced supply chain partners, MOVE Guides is exceptionally well poised to dominate this category.

MOVE Guides CEO Brynne S. Kennedy shared, As evidenced by Aragons analysis, the automation of employee mobility management is becoming increasingly attractive for growing organizations, primarily because of the significant benefits to employers and their relocating employees. By centralizing their mobility management in our Talent Mobility Cloud, we are able to help our customers reduce costs, gain better insights into talent management, and generate vast improvements in both employee satisfaction and productivity.

With demand for MOVE Guides mobility technology at an all-time high, the company expanded its executive leadership team as well as its Board of Directors to help guide its continued evolution. Significant new hires for the fast-growing company announced in the first half of 2017 included vice president of finance , vice president of product management and vice president of marketing . Most recently, MOVE Guides welcomed , former executive vice president and CFO/COO of VMware, as its newest board member. With nearly 30 years of experience working with technology companies in both the United States and the United Kingdom, Chadwicks strategic insight will be invaluable as MOVE Guides continues to redefine the global mobility management category.

To complement its existing Talent Mobility Cloud platform, MOVE Guides recently acquired , whose products use data science and matching algorithms to help people discover their best places to live and work. Teleports modern software tools will be integrated into MOVE Guides products, enabling enhanced company data analytics and reduced cost and friction for the mobile workforce. The companies shared vision will help to further transform the global mobility experience for both HR teams and mobile employees.

Under the direction of Kennedy and the companys talented leaders, MOVE Guides continues to launch innovative products that simplify the global relocation process. In its latest product release, the company introduced the first-ever global mobility management platform with the ability to deliver relocation programs that are either core/flex or managed budget.

Under the managed budget policy model, a companys employees can choose from a group of pre-defined services, up to a maximum monetary budget. With a core/flex policy, the manager can decide from a menu of options and then authorize the program for their employee. As a result of this enhancement to MOVE Guides Talent Mobility Cloud, global organizations can establish extremely flexible relocation policies for employees while improving budgetary oversight, dramatically reducing costs, and increasing employee satisfaction with the relocation experience.

Kennedy concluded, This year has marked a period of significant development for MOVE Guides as we have continued to change the way organizations manage and move their valuable talent around the globe. The and feedback direct from our customers show that the market is not willing to settle for the old-fashioned status quo. Thats why we continue to be single-minded in our pursuit to help organizations stay competitive as they fully optimize their global mobile workforces.

MOVE Guides helps HR teams move their employees around the world  for any reason, any policy and any location. MOVE Guides partners with leading multinational companies to deliver a full global mobility program across 200 countries with their Talent Mobility Cloud platform, concierge-level support for employees and a global supply chain of partners.

MOVE Guides has offices in the Americas, EMEA and APAC, and is backed by New Enterprise Associates and Notion Capital. For more information, go to: and follow MOVE Guides on , and .
Toronto  3 April 2016. Gerardo Hernandez is one of the three of the Cuban Five who had been behind bars since 1998, until U.S. President Obama freed them on  Watch video 

Toronto  3 April 2016.

Gerardo Hernandez is one of the three of the Cuban Five who had been behind bars since 1998, until U.S. President Obama freed them on December 17, 2014. The release of the three was part of the agreement negotiated between the U.S. and Cuban governments concerning future relations between the two countries. Two of the Cuban Five, Rene Gonzalez and Fernando Gonzalez were released in 2011 and 2013 after serving their full sentences. Cuba maintained its absolute insistence that the remaining three prisoners be freed and as the international protests continued to grow, freedom for Gerardo, Ramon and Antonio became a vital issue in the negotiations.

Introduction by Heide Trampus and MCed by Juan Carranza. Presentations by:

Jorge Garcia, United Steelworkers Canada

Lisa Makarchuk, Friends of Cuba Against the U.S. Blockade

Joe Mihevc, Toronto City Councillor, Ward 21

Pablo Godoy, United Food and Commercial Workers Canada

Miguel Figueroa, Communist Party of Canada

Brian Gordon Sinclair, author and dramatic interpreter of Ernest Hemingway

Javier Domokos Ruiz, Consul General of the Republic of Cuba in Toronto

Gerardo Hernandez, one of the Cuban Five anti-terrorist fighters unjustly imprisoned in the USA (Sept 1998-Dec 2014)

Sponsored by: United Steelworkers, Canada; Co-sponsored by: Worker to Worker, Canada-Cuba Labour Solidarity Network, Canadian-Cuban Friendship Association, Toronto, and Friends of Cuba Against the U.S. Blockade.
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Senior Liberal Democrat Paddy Ashdown is adamant his party could still send an MP to Westminster from Yeovil this summer - despite the shock withdrawal of their candidate in the area.

Up and down the UK the Lib Dems are feeling very upbeat but especially in the West Country, Lord Ashdown told Somerset Live.

He was speaking after Daisy Benson, who had been lined up as the partys candidate for Lord Ashdowns old parliamentary seat in Yeovil, unexpectedly pulled out of the snap general election race.

Benson had previously said bring it on and looked determined to force current Yeovil MP, Conservative Marcus Fysh, into a close battle.

But over the weekend it emerged she would not stand for parliament.

Lord Ashdown said he would not comment further on Bensons personal reasons for deciding not to stand.

He added: Daisys request to us is that what she said is all she is going to say. We have to respect that and Im sure others will too.

The former Lib Dem leader also heaped praise on Benson for conducting herself with dignity and vowing to help campaign for the local elections.

Benson tweeted a selfie on Monday (April 24) showing her continuing to campaign for Lib Dem candidates in the local elections.

So what happens now for the Lib Dems in Yeovil?

Lord Ashdown said by-election procedure kicks in with advertising for candidates and shortlisting expected to happen rapidly.

On May 7 Lord Ashdown envisages at least two candidates, possibly as many as four, giving speeches before a democratic selection panel.

He said: Im very confident we will get a wide range of highly qualified candidates, including some with good local knowledge.

Theresa Mays chosen general election date is June 8  so the new Lib Dem candidate for Yeovil will not have long to make an impression.

But claims by Lib Dem leader, Tim Farron, that the party is ready to fight the election and seize an opportunity for a better Britain are backed by Lord Ashdown  who predicted a snap election.

He said: We feel very upbeat. Feedback on the doorsteps is very, very good.

Weve been getting some exceptional by-election results. Watching Manchester Gorton is going to be very interesting.

The party is being very well led and we have a clear message.

I think were in a good position to become the most powerful non-Conservative party in the country, but certainly in the West Country.

In the Somerton and Frome constituency the Lib Dems also wont have an official candidate until after the local elections on May 4.

Mark Blackburn told Somerset Live he would be a parliamentary spokesperson for the party until after the council elections.
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A store in Yeovil closed its doors last week with staff apparently given no warning.

Flying Tiger opened in the Quedam Centre in October as a temporary store.

It was due to close after Christmas but had been kept open because it was doing well.

However, on April 18, staff were reportedly told to shut the doors immediately and start stripping the shop down.

Flying Tiger has said its intention always was to shut the store and it had only been kept open longer because of the reaction from people in Yeovil.

Director of Flying Tiger, Simon Hall, said: "We are sad to confirm that the pop-up Flying Tiger store in Yeovil has now closed its doors.

We opened as a small temporary Christmas shop and worked hard to keep it open for a few extra months following the fantastic reaction from the people of Yeovil.

"The 800 square ft shop was never intended to be a permanent fixture and of course all of our team members were aware of this."

One person got in touch with Somerset Live and said the staff had little warning that the shop was closing.

Everything was taken away from the shop by April 20 leaving another empty premises in the Quedam.

The person said: Management came into the shop after lunchtime and just told the staff to shut the doors immediately.

They took some stock and the cash till etc and left the sales staff to strip the shop  everything from stock to shelving, by Thursday.

Originally the store opened as a temporary shop and was due to close after Christmas trading, but staff were all told that the shop had been doing so well that Tiger UK had decided to keep it on.

There had been no notice that the shop would close.

Flying Tiger is a brand originally from Copenhagen mainly selling homeware.

By the millennium it had 38 stores across Denmark and by 2001, it opened its first non-Danish store. Fifteen years later, Flying Tiger has more than 600 stores across 28 countries, serving more than 80 million customers across Europe, the US and Japan.
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A former director of a Gillingham firm used a customer's money to pay domestic bills and wired some of it abroad.

Paulina Kubicz was sentenced on Friday (April 21) at Bournemouth Crown Court after pleading guilty to an offence under the Insolvency Act 1986, following a prosecution by Dorset County Council Trading Standards.

She was sentenced to 200 hours unpaid work, disqualified from being a company director for four years and confiscation proceedings were started under the Proceeds of Crime Act.

The court heard that Kubicz, 25, now an airport security guard, set up the company White Eagle Modern Building Services Ltd in 2012 with two other directors.

After the firm got into difficulties she received a customer's payment into a bank account in her own name and then sent some of the cash abroad.

According to Dorset Trading Standards, in 2014 White Eagle obtained a building contact worth 120,000 in Sturminster Newton.

But things soon went wrong with delays and little work being done, and the customer complained to the Federation of Master Builders, of which the company was a member.

An adjudication by the federation found that the company should pay back 58,000 to the customer.

Kubicz and her fellow directors realised they could not afford to pay this, so they resigned from the federation the following day and took advice about liquidating the company.

The company had also signed a contract with another customer in Somerset for around 74,000. This customer did not know White Eagle had resigned from the Federation of Master Builders and arranged for it to do a further 35,000 of work for him.

Kubicz set up a new bank account in her name, telling the bank a number of lies when doing this, and then after telling the customer they had problems with their existing company bank account, she asked him to pay 16,206 into the new account.

Later analysis of this account showed that less than 500 of this money was spent at builders' merchants, and most was spent on domestic expenditure and transfers to Poland.

In mitigation, Kubicz's barrister said she had been given conflicting advice about company law, that she was no longer involved in the business and was now working as a security officer at Bristol airport.

He added that, depending on the outcome of the court case, she may have the opportunity of a job with the Ministry of Defence.

His Honour Judge Peter Johnson said that he noted that she was a young woman of previous good character, and that her marketing skills exceeded her project management skills, but nonetheless ruled that she had misled the customer into paying the money into her account.

Trading Standards service manager Ivan Hancock said: "When a limited company goes into liquidation, this will often cause some disruption and distress to consumers and other businesses owed money. However, in this case, the director concerned sought to avoid their legal responsibilities having failed consumers.

"This case illustrates that our Trading Standards service will consider using a full range of formal options, including a range of legislative controls and proceeds of crime recovery options, where companies or individuals act unfairly to the detriment of consumers."

Consumers needing work done on their home can look for a trader who is a member of the trading standards 'Buy With Confidence' trader approval scheme. Members are audited by Trading Standards prior to acceptance in the scheme.
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Police believe four hooded men were behind two separate attacks in Bridgwater in the early hours of April 12.

An Avon and Somerset Constabulary spokesman said a man was assaulted by four men by One Stop on West Street at approximately 2am on April 12.

Shortly afterwards police were called to an address in St Matthews Green to reports two men had been assaulted by four other men.

Avon and Somerset police believe the same four men were involved in both attacks.

A spokesman said: The men are described as black and were all wearing hooded tops.

All three victims required hospital treatment for minor injuries.

Two 26-year-old men arrested in connection with the incidents have been released under investigation.

Anyone with information is asked to call 101 and provide the call handler with the reference 5217080733.
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You could travel to South Africa to see the work of a Somerset charity first-hand  if youre willing to spend 24 hours in prison.

Shepton Mallets SOS Africa helps fund the education of 103 children in the country.

Next month fundraisers will voluntarily become inmates at Shepton Mallet prison to support the charitys good work  with charity staff becoming prison officers to recreate the incarceration experience.

But if you want to get involved you have to act quickly because entries for SOS Africas Nominate an Inmate events have to be in by Monday, May 1.

Local people going into the historic prison have been nominated for crimes such as being a couch potato and snoring like a pig by their friends and families.

However if they want to be in with a chance of travelling to South Africa for an unforgettable trip the fundraisers will need to be far from lazy when it comes to getting sponsorship.

Following the completion of the event, inmates who have raised more than 350 will be entered into the draw to win two plane tickets.

Director of the charity, Matt Crowcombe, said: It is always a special moment when sponsors and fundraisers are able to meet the children they have worked so hard to support, for the first time! We are delighted to be able give one lucky fundraiser this incredible opportunity.

There are still spaces to register for Nominate an Inmate, Mr Crowcombe added.

The events will take place on the weekends of May 20-21 and May 27-28.

For more information about the event, drop into the SOS Africa Charity Shop (21 High Street, Shepton Mallet), call 01749344197 or email info@sosafrica.com.
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Somerset jobs could be at risk as a major insurance firm restructures its business.

Insurance broker Swinton plans to axe around 900 jobs by the end of the year as more customers shift towards renewing their policies online.

The firm has put 84 branches and its Norwich call centre under review in an overhaul that could slash its footprint from 194 branches to 110.

It has yet announced which branches are being reviewed. In Somerset there are branches in Yeovil, Taunton and Weston-super-Mare.

Swinton said it was reshaping the business after seeing 90 per cent of its customers buy insurance over the phone or online.

(Image: Google)

Chief executive Gilles Normand said its branch network would remain an important part of the operation, but it needed to adapt to the needs of customers.

He said: "We are reshaping our distribution model to ensure that we continue to meet the changing needs of our customers in an effective and efficient way.

"This change is difficult for all colleagues, especially those who are directly impacted by the proposals, but is vital if we are to remain competitive in a challenging insurance market."

Swinton employs around 3,000 people in the UK and is part of the French mutual insurance group Covea.

The shake-up will see the Norwich call centre, which employs 183 staff, combine with the firm's head office and contact centre in Manchester where it plans to invest 45 million in digital technology.

(Image: Google)

The firm said it had entered a 45-day consultation with staff affected by the proposals and would aim to relocate them to other parts of the company if possible.

Mr Normand added: "Ever since Swinton started selling insurance door-to-door 60 years ago, this business has always evolved - first via branches, then contact centres and increasingly online.

"Our approach today, which is based on a high contact strategy, no longer meets our customers' needs.

"While branches continue to be an important part of our multi-channel business model, we need to ensure that we can interact with customers whenever, and however, they choose."
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A farm apprentice snared by an animal rights group who covertly filmed him attacking cows at a farm near Taunton has been spared jail by magistrates today.

Owen Nichol, 19, of Buckland Road, Taunton appeared at Taunton Magistrates Court for sentencing, after previously admitting two counts of causing unnecessary suffering to animals at Pyrland Farm.

When entering his plea, he told the court he had never treated animals that way before, but had "just lost it" because he was worried about his unwell grandmother and had broken up with his girlfriend.

He was fired from Pyrland Farm once the footage became public.

The case hit the national headlines after his actions were covertly filmed by animal rights group Animal Equity.

The footage shows him swearing and slapping the cows, kicking one in the face and kicking and stamping on a new-born calf seven times in row.

He also shouted abuse at the animals, calling them "c****" and "f****** t****" as he manhandled them, with the animals appearing distressed.

Nichol watched impassively as the footage was played to the court.

RSPCA prosecutor, Lindi Meyer told the court Nichol had been employed as a part-time stockman at the farm at the time of the incident, which was filmed between 9am and 9.30am on December 8.

Watch the original footage of Nichol's abuse, filmed covertly by animal activists - warning, it may be distressing for some readers:

Video Loading Video Unavailable Click to play Tap to play The video will auto-play soon 8 Cancel Play now

"The footage shows him kicking a cow in the face and throwing her calf to the floor," she said. "He slammed the gate against her, kicked and stamped at her new-born seven times in a row and slammed a gate on the animals.

"Needless to say, the violence was unprovoked and unnecessary."

The footage was released to the public by Animal Equity on December 18.

Ms Meyer said an RSPCA vet had described the violence as the worst he had seen in his thirty-five years on the job and Nichol's behaviour could not not tolerated nor condoned.

When interviewed by police, he admitted it was him in the video and said he was "absolutely disgusted with himself".

Ms Meyer said that the farm had been investigated and visited by a number of farming and animal welfare agencies since the footage was released and no further problems had been identified. She urged the magistrates to issue an order preventing Nichol from owning or working with animals in the future.

Defending, Martin Winter said: "Nothing I am going to say today should be construed as an excuse for what he's done - there isn't one.

"He is a young man, not highly educated and he has found this experience very confusing."

He said Nichol had met and talked to the RSPCA Inspector and expressed genuine remorse for the way he had behaved.

"There is evidence that was gained during this investigation that others at the farm to suggest that there was a low-level tolerance towards behaviour which was not the best.

"Mr Nichol was an employee and he had a duty of care towards the animals that he behaved so badly towards. He started work as a part-time employee while he was studying full-time. During that time there were no difficulties - his behaviour and his abilities were described as exemplory. He was offered an apprenticeship which he accepted."

He said that, despite strict rules governing working hours by apprentices, he was frequently asked to work long shifts and up to 60 hours a week.

"On top of that he was also helping out with his father's flock of sheep and by December 2016 he had taken on too much. He was very tired, stressed by other matters.

"He had a high degree of responsibility and he takes things to heart, gets a little too involved. "

He said Nichol had been asked to ensure the calf would suckle and in his desperation to make it happen, he had lost control of the cows.

"He lashed out, became angry and that exacerbated the situation," he said. "It was a single episode of poor behaviour."

Mr Winter added Nichol had been worried about his grandmother who had been hospitalised and had been suffering from an undiagnosed cyst that had prevented him from eating and sleeping at the time.

"This isn't an excuse," Mr Winter said, "just an explanation of where Mr Nichol was at this particular time."

"He truly is appalled at his behaviour. He lost control of the animals and he lost control of himself. This is a young man who has potential and would be crushed by a custodial sentence."

Sentencing Nichol, chairman of the bench, Dr Peter Reed told him: "Your behaviour was absolutely unacceptable. The offence was a deliberate, sustained attack where you kicked the animals. We believe the animals suffered a high level of stress and cruelty in your attack.

"But we take into account your young age, previous good character and the pressure you were working under. We take into account that you co-operated with the inspector and said you were disgusted with yourself."

The bench handed Nichol 12 weeks detention, suspended for one year, 30 days rehabilitation activity and 150 hours of unpaid work and told to pay 300 costs and 115 victim surcharge."

They also banned him from owning or keeping animals for two years.

Dr Toni Shephard, Animal Equality's UK Director condemned the lenient sentence after the hearing.

She said: "We are extremely disappointed that this dairy farm worker has not been sent to prison for the disgusting attacks on vulnerable cows and calves revealed by our investigation. This sentence is wholly inadequate punishment for these disturbing acts of cruelty."
A new report ranking the best maritime cities states Vancouver is poised to be a global maritime business because its policy framework is very attractive to the shipping industry.

The report places Vancouver as the top North American city when it comes to governmental support for the maritime industry.

Globally, apart from Singapore, no city has a more attractive policy framework than Vancouver said the shipping experts who ranked 15 maritime cities and regions.

This is not by coincidence. Vancouver, with a strategic location on the Pacific rim of Canada, has a clear aspiration to become a global maritime HQ/management center through broad tax incentives for shipping and auxiliary services, states the Leading Maritime Capitals of the World report.

The report by Menon Economics, which was released at the Sea Asia conference in Singapore this week is the shipping worlds main reference for benchmarking maritime cities.

Favorable policy framework, supportive government, and attractive living conditions, are attractiveness factors that probably will lead Vancouver to climb on the rankings of maritime cities in the years to come, the report concluded.

Copenhagen, Oslo and Dubai rounded up the top five maritime cities when it comes to attractiveness and competitiveness in the shipping business.

The future of global shipping is tied to Asias resource demands and Vancouver offers the closest and most diversified port in the North American market, said Kaity Arsoniadis-Stein, the executive director of the Vancouver International Maritime Centre.

This is not just about more ships at our port and on our waterways but the corporate activity behind global trade, said, Arsoniadis-Stein, who is in Singapore this week for the Sea Asia Conference.

Arsoniadis-Stein credited strong support from both the federal and provincial governments which funds VIMC efforts to share the advantages of Vancouver globally as a maritime business hub.

Currently, 10 global companies are working with VIMC staff to open up local branches in Vancouver while another 50 have expressed interest in setting up operations in the city.

The Government of Canada congratulates Vancouver for being recognized among the leading maritime capitals of the world in the Menon Report launched at the Sea Asia Conference in Singapore, said Pamela Goldsmith-Jones, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Trade.

As Canadas Gateway to Asia Pacific, Vancouver is a thriving city for foreign investors looking to establish a North American base of operations. The Government of Canada truly appreciates the valuable contributions to Canada's marine sector that come from a vibrant international shipping industry, she said.

Vancouver has been found to be an attractive location for the management of international maritime services and we acknowledge the role that Canadas fiscal regime has played in supporting this finding, said Lynn McDonald, High Commissioner of Canada in Singapore.

Demand is growing in Asia for Canadas natural resources, and Vancouvers maritime industry will be essential in helping Canadian businesses meet the demand.
Guest Commentary

By Dr. Pitman Potter

The new administration in Washington has caused no small amount of unease and uncertainty for Canada. President Trumps executive order withdrawing support for the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and his stated goal of renegotiating NAFTA challenge Canadas trade-reliant economy. Recent comments by Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross suggest that forthcoming NAFTA negotiations will involve more than the tweaking suggested previously.

However, with crisis comes an opportunity to redesign Canadas trade posture. As the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada has noted in a series of position papers offering new perspectives on emerging policy issues, Canada is well suited to take advantage of new opportunities for development on trade, technology, entrepreneurship and a range of other issues.

Canada should continue to pursue a diversity of trade and investment agreements with Asia that entrench market-based trade and investment principles grounded in the rule of law.

Despite US withdrawal, the TPP still offers an invaluable opportunity to achieve this goal. While the US ratification was once deemed essential, Washingtons withdrawal from TPP need not mean the end of the relationships it supports. The TPP offers Canada an opportunity to expand trade and investment relations with several major economies of the Pacific Rim including Japan. Recalling that Japan remains the worlds third largest economy, with which Canada has not yet concluded a bilateral free trade agreement, TPP offers a powerful regional alternative.

The oft-cited Canada-China complementarity study applies to Japan as well, where Canadian exports are in much demand. Australia, New Zealand and Singapore offer similar opportunities. In our own hemisphere, TPPs inclusion of Mexico offers a potential substitute for NAFTA-based arrangements, while Canadas existing bilateral trade ties with Chile and Peru could be significantly enhanced. TPP continues to present important opportunities for Canada and should not be discarded.

Diversification of Canadas trade relations should not mean excluding China, whose economic importance to Canada simply cannot be ignored. Pursuing alternative markets in China has been complicated by the downturn in Chinas economy coupled with continued weakening of the rule of law. Nonetheless, exploratory talks with China on a possible Free Trade Agreement offer potential promise if principles on rule of law and human rights are respected.

However, China will need to ensure that its trade practices become more consistent in practice with the rules of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) and the World Trade Organization (WTO). The TPP excluded China due in part to concerns that it was unable or unwilling to adopt and enforce the trade liberalization policies required by the TPP. Dumping and subsidies are particular areas of concern, but intellectual property protection, cyber security, and reciprocity in investment relations are also critical.

Concurrently with Canada-China free trade talks, trade ties with China can be pursued through a multilateral framework. Participation in the Regional Comprehensive Partnership (RCEP) once it is concluded, might allow Canada broader access to both China and other Asian economies.

In responding to changing conditions in the US, Canada should do more than simply find a single substitute market, but rather should make a strategic commitment to diversifying our exports and our export markets. Bearing in mind that trade and investment relations have the potential to strengthen human rights practices, Canada should actively pursue a diversity of multilateral economic relations with Asia and elsewhere.

The government of Canada should intensify efforts to conclude free trade agreements with India and Japan as well as China. Expanding trade and investment links with India and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) will also be important  technology cooperation with Indias surging hi-tech industry should intensify while the recent opening of Canadas dedicated diplomatic mission to ASEAN should be leveraged to created trade and investment opportunities with important economies such as Indonesia and Singapore.

Here at home, the federal governments infrastructure investment plans should focus specifically on diversifying Canadas exports - aside from resource development and transport, investment in telecommunications, clean energy, and bio-tech infrastructure would be well worth the effort. Canadas response to rising protectionism in the US should not attempt to replicate past US-Canada successes but with a different partner, but rather should find opportunity in diversity  at home and abroad.

Dr. Pitman Potter is a Professor of Law at the University of British Columbia, and a Senior Fellow at the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada.
By Tazeen Inam

New Canadian Media

A graphic novel that creates awareness about sexual abuse among immigrant and refugee women has upped its print order barely a month after its launch in Ontario. The overwhelming demand has come from far beyond just refugee and immigrant-settlement groups.

"We have requests from outside of the province, from other parts of the country as well as internationally," says Krittika Ghosh, senior coordinator of women sexual violence at Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants (OCASI).

This demand is a clear indication that there is a dire need to help such women who are new to the country due to the scarcity of their resources. Smaller friend circles coupled with language barriers and limited education result in suffering in seclusion.

Statistics tell that one in three women in Canada encounters sexual abuse or violence in one way or another.

"They range from people asking for one copy for a library, to some agencies asking for 500 copies in each language. So it's really unique."

Breaking down barriers

Titled "Telling Our Stories: Immigrant Women's Resilience", the unique novel that is written by and for immigrant and refugee women looks to break down barriers that hinder the reporting of abuse.

The project is a joint venture between the Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants (OCASI) and Le Mouvement Ontarien des Femmes Immigrantes Francophones (MOFIF).

The novel, launched on March 2, illustrates four stories of newcomer women  victims of domestic abuse, workplace abuse, and date rape. The book helps create a narrative around this deeply sensitive topic and enables victims to empower themselves to shine a light on this often unreported crime.

Unlike other story formats, the graphic novel was written with input gathered through workshops conducted with 40 immigrant or refugee women, who shared their stories and worked with illustrator Coco Guzman.

"Each story is the outcome of a four-day workshop of newcomer or refugee women and many cases were survivors of sexual and intimate kind of violence," says Ghosh.

It helps people realize that there is no need to suffer in silence as help is available.

It also challenges stereotypes of survivors and to show that they are resilient and capable of organizing to end violence themselves.

Explaining the choice of format, Ghosh says, "We wanted it to be in a format that would be more available and accessible and something that people would want to read."

Professionals and groups beyond social workers, teachers, public libraries, immigrant and refugee welcome groups and the police are reaching out for the book.

The book is available free of cost and is not meant for sale.

The novel is available in 11 languages, including French and English.

This piece was originally appeared in New Canadian Media.

See http://www.newcanadianmedia.ca/component/k2/41129-graphic-novel-highlights-sexual-abuse-of-immigrant-and-refugee-women
Breakdown of Indiana Statehouse races across South Bend area

The 2022 election is a midterm election. Voters will come out to to vote in various Indiana statehouse races Nov. 8 from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Kinder Morgan (NYSE: KMI) has made it clear that it intends to leave no stone unturned as it seeks out alternative financing options for its Trans Mountain Pipeline expansion. The company hopes that by exploring its options, it can extract more value for the project. That's why the company continues to actively pursue an initial public offering (IPO) even though it used a joint venture agreement as a placeholder for its 2017 financial expectations. That pursuit led the company to file preliminary paperwork with Canadian regulators this week, positioning it to launch an IPO if it decides that's the best option.

Prepping for plan B

When Kinder Morgan hired Toronto-Dominion Bank (NYSE: TD) as an advisor to help it arrange the financing for Trans Mountain, the expectation was that the bank would run a "dual-track" process. That meant it would start a formal process to attract joint venture partners willing to take a 50% stake in the project while simultaneously exploring an IPO of either an interest in the pipeline or Kinder Morgan's entire Canadian asset portfolio. However, as its recent filing shows, the company has formally decided that it will package all its Canadian operations into a separate entity should it choose the IPO option.

According to the filing, Kinder Morgan would include not only its Kinder Morgan Canada segment, which comprises the Trans Mountain Pipeline and related terminals, but also its other assets in the country. These include several additional pipelines, such as the Puget Sound Pipeline, which ships oil from Trans Mountain to refineries in Washington state and the Jet Fuel pipeline system that transports jet fuel from a Chevron (NYSE: CVX) refinery in Vancouver to the city's airport. In addition, the company would include the Canadian portion of the Cochin pipeline system that moves 95,000 barrels of light condensate per day from the U.S. to oil producers in Canada. Furthermore, the company also plans to seed this entity with the Vancouver Wharves Terminal, which is a bulk terminal, and the North 40 Terminal that stores crude oil. Finally, Kinder Morgan would package three jointly controlled investments into this entity, including the Edmonton Rail Terminal that it co-owns with Imperial Oil (NYSEMKT: IMO) and the Alberta Crude Terminal and the Base Line Terminal, which are two separate joint ventures with Keyera Corp. (TSX: KEY).

By including those additional assets, which it will carve out of its products pipelines and terminals segments, Kinder Morgan will create a larger entity than its current Canada segment. That larger scale is necessary for two reasons. First, the combined business would have greater diversification, which reduces the risk of investors participating in the IPO. Furthermore, the larger size would make it easier for Kinder Morgan to raise the capital it needs because the combined entity would generate more cash flow to support such a massive construction project like the Trans Mountain Pipeline expansion.

What does this mean for the JV option?

Just because Kinder Morgan formally filed a preliminary prospectus for an IPO of its Canadian assets doesn't mean it has chosen that option. The company made it clear that it plans to fully negotiate with potential joint venture partners to see what kind of value it can earn above the project's construction costs. In one sense, by simultaneously moving forward with the IPO, Kinder Morgan has added a competitor to the JV option.

That said, the company also wants to make sure it has the chance to fully market an IPO to see what kind of value it can get from that option. If the company would receive more value back by going the IPO route, then it would make sense to go that direction.

Either way, the company fully expects that its dual-track process will produce favorable results. Furthermore, the company anticipates wrapping up this process during the second quarter. That will give the company's board time to make a final investment decision so that it can start construction this fall.

Investor takeaway

While Kinder Morgan built its 2017 budget around securing a joint venture to help finance its Trans Mountain Pipeline expansion, the company isn't ruling anything out just yet. That's why it's simultaneously exploring an IPO of its Canadian assets to gauge if it can capture more value by going that route. If nothing else, by continuing to move forward with the IPO, the company can put pressure on potential partners to pony up the premium payment it hopes to earn. That's the whole point here, because the more cash it can pull in with this transaction, the greater flexibility it will have in the future to allocate capital for other uses.

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Georgetown, SC (29440)

Today

Overcast. High 67F. Winds NNE at 15 to 25 mph. Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph..

Tonight

Cloudy with occasional showers late at night. Low around 60F. Winds NE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 50%.
The diamond ring effect of the 2013 total solar eclipse is seen in this amazing photo by eclipse-chasing photographer Ben Cooper, who captured the image from an airplane at 43,000 feet on Nov. 3, 2013 during a rare hybrid annual/total solar eclipse.

It is a popular misconception that the phenomenon of a total eclipse of the sun is a rare occurrence. Quite the contrary. Approximately once every 18 months (on average) a total solar eclipse is visible from some place on the Earths surface. That's two totalities for every three years.

But how often is a total solar eclipse visible from a specific location on Earth? That's another story altogether.

How Solar Eclipses Work: When the moon covers up the sun, skywatchers delight in the opportunity to see a rare spectacle. See how solar eclipses occur in this Space.com infographic (Image credit: Karl Tate, SPACE.com Contributor)

Solar eclipse's shadowy details

On the average, the length of the moon's shadow at new moon is 232,100 miles (373,530 km), and the moon's distance to the Earth's surface is, on average, 234,900 miles (378,030 km). This means that when the moon passes directly in front of the sun, it the lunar disk will appear slightly smaller than the disk of the sun, and skywatchers will witness what's known as an annular eclipse, with a dazzling ring of sunlight still visible around the moon's silhouette.

Of course total solar eclipses do occur, because the new moons distance can vary between 217,730 miles (350,400 km) and 247,930 miles (399,000 km) from the Earths surface, on account of the moons elliptical orbit.

So now, let's return to our original question: How often a total eclipse can be seen from a specific point on the Earth's surface?

The science of prediction

Predicting the details of a solar eclipse requires not only a fairly good idea of the motions of the sun and moon, but also an accurate distance to the moon and accurate geographical coordinates. Rough determinations of eclipse circumstances became possible after the work of Claudius Ptolemy (around A.D.150), and diagrams of the eclipsed sun have been found in medieval manuscripts and in the first books printed about astronomy.

Since the distance to the moon varies, the width of the path of totality differs from one eclipse to another. This width will change even during a single eclipse, because different parts of the Earth lie at different distances from the moon and also because of geometrical effects as the shadow falls at an oblique angle onto the Earth's surface.

In calculating a solar eclipse, one of the first steps is to determine the shadow's relation to the "fundamental plane," which passes through the Earth's center and is perpendicular to the moon-sun line. The path of the axis of the shadow across this plane is virtually a straight line. It is from this special geometry, that the intersection of the moon's dark shadow cone with the rotating spheroid of our Earth must be worked out, using lengthy procedures in trigonometry. To say the least, these factors can make the calculations quite involved (although today's high-speed PCs can effortlessly crunch the numbers, making the task much easier).

In their classical textbook "Astronomy" (Boston, 1926), authors H.N. Russell, R.S. Dugan and J.Q. Stewart noted that:

"Since the track of a solar eclipse is a very narrow path over the earth's surface, averaging only 60 or 70 miles in width, we find that in the long run a total eclipse happens at any given station only once in about 360 years."

More recently, Jean Meeus of Belgium, whose special interest is spherical and mathematical astronomy, recalculated this figure statistically on an HP-85 microcomputer and found that the mean frequency for a total eclipse of the sun for any given point on the Earth's surface is once in 375 years. A value that is very close to the figure that Russell, Dugan and Stewart arrived at.

Related: Amazing Solar Eclipse Photos

Without retracing these computations, there is perhaps another way to check the validity of these answers. In the table below, is a listing of 25 cities. Twenty-three are in North America, plus two others: Honolulu, on the Hawaiian Island of Oahu, and Hamilton, the capital of Bermuda. Using two computer programs designed to scan through the centuries for eclipses, I first searched for the date of the most recent total solar eclipse that was visible from each city, then searched for the date when the next total eclipse for that city would take place.

But it should first be stressed that the nearly four-century wait is merely a statistical average. Indeed, over a much shorter span of time, the paths of different eclipses can sometimes crisscross over a specific place, so in some cases the wait might not be so long at all. In fact, a 40-mile stretch of the Atlantic coast of Angola, just north of Lobito, experienced a total solar eclipse on June 21, 2001, and was treated to another on Dec. 4, 2002, after less than 18 months!

On the other hand, as Meeus recently discovered, some spots on the Earth's surface may not see a total solar eclipse for 36 centuries ("  though this must be exceedingly rare," he notes).

On our list of 25 selected cities, how close would we come to the computed mean-frequency of nearly 400-years between total eclipses?

Here is the list:

A single asterisk (*) denotes that either the northern or southern limit of the moon's umbral shadow only grazes a specific city; only part of that metropolitan area will see a total eclipse while the other part sees a partial eclipse. A double asterisk (**) indicates a date when the now-defunct Julian calendar was in effect.

The average number of years between eclipses turned out to be nearly 534 years. Considering our relatively small survey of 25 cities, this is reasonably close to the once-in-almost four-century rule.

A botched opportunity

All of us who enjoy solar eclipses should be indebted to those astronomers who pioneered doing these extensive calculations; otherwise we would not know exactly where to position ourselves for the big event. Prussian astronomer Friedrich Bessel introduced a group of mathematical formulas in 1824 (now called "Besselian Elements") that greatly simplified the calculation of the position of the sun, moon and Earth.

Related: The World's 1st Televised Solar Eclipse

It is too bad that Bessel's procedures were not available in the late 18th century, when Samuel Williams, a professor at Harvard, led an expedition to Penobscot Bay, Maine, to observe the total solar eclipse of Oct. 27, 1780. As it turned out, this eclipse took place during the Revolutionary War and Penobscot Bay lay behind enemy lines. Fortunately, the British granted the expedition safe passage, citing the interest of science above political differences.

And yet in the end, it was all for naught.

Williams apparently made a fatal error in his computations (or used a poor map) and inadvertently positioned his men at Islesboro  outside the path of totality  likely finding this out with a heavy heart when the waning crescent of sunlight slid completely around the dark edge of the moon and started thickening!

WARNING: Never look directly at the sun during an eclipse with a telescope or your unaided eye; severe eye damage can result. (Scientists use special filters to safely view the sun.)

Editor's Note: If you snap an amazing picture of the July 2, 2019 total solar eclipse (opens in new tab), you can send photos, comments, and your name and location to managing editor Tariq Malik at spacephotos@space.com.

Joe Rao serves as an instructor and guest lecturer at New York's Hayden Planetarium. He writes about astronomy for Natural History magazine, the Farmer's Almanac and other publications, and he is also an on-camera meteorologist for News 12 Westchester, N.Y. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook and Google+. Original article on Space.com.
Over the past 25 years, the amount of space junk orbiting Earth has grown exponentially, and the problem is bound to get worse: Some experts claim the feared Kessler Syndrome, an unstoppable cascade of collisions, is becoming a reality.

The U.S. Space Surveillance Network currently tracks some 18,000 objects larger than 4 inches (10 centimeters), of which only 1,200 are intact, operational satellites. In addition to that, there are 750,000 so-called "flying bullets" about 0.4 inches (1 cm) in size and around 150 million fragments smaller than 1 millimeter.

International guidelines recommend that operators remove spacecraft from low-Earth orbit (LEO) within 25 years from the end of the craft's mission, but only 60 percent of missions actually do that, Holger Krag, the head of the European Space Agency's (ESA) Space Debris Office, said during the final presentation at the 7th European Conference on Space Debris. The conference took place in Darmstadt, Germany, between April 18 and April 21. [Space Junk Cleanup: 7 Wild Ways to Destroy Orbital Debris]

Even if everyone complied with the regulations, it still wouldn't be enough, experts say. According to Satomi Kawamoto, of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), more than 100 objects need to be removed from LEO at the rate of five per year to stop the proliferation of fragments resulting from in-orbit collisions and explosions.

Here are some of the debris-removal concepts presented at the 7th European Conference on Space Debris.

Artist's illustration of Hempsell Astronautics' proposed Necropolis space-junk cleanup system in Earth orbit. (Image credit: Hempsell Astronautics)

Cleaning up geostationary orbit: Necropolis and electrostatic tractor

British firm Hempsell Astronautics has proposed a system dubbed Necropolis that would collect defunct geostationary satellites and deliver them to a single spot in the so-called "graveyard orbit." This area is situated a few hundred kilometers above the roughly 22,000-mile-high (36,000 km) geostationary ring.

Necropolis would consist of two spacecraft: a Hunter, which collects other spacecraft and pushes them up away from the geostationary ring, and a Terminus, the final parking spot for the no-longer-needed satellites. Hempsell Astronautics said the strategy would be more sustainable than the current rather chaotic use of the graveyard orbit. The Hunter spacecraft would reuse technology developed for ESA's BepiColombo Mercury mission.

In another proposal, a team from the University of Colorado Boulder envisions pushing defunct spacecraft away from the crowded geostationary ring without even touching them. This concept would use a "pulsed electron gun," an intermittent electron beam of several tens of watts of electrical power.

Nets and tentacles for cubesat collection

Europe will soon launch its RemoveDEBRIS demonstrator mission to deorbit two experimental cubesats from the 250-mile (400 km) altitude using a net, a harpoon and a drag sail. A chaser satellite will release the experimental pieces of space junk, one of which will be captured by a 16.5-foot (5 meters) net tethered to the chaser. The harpoon system will be tested on a fixed target.

The chaser satellite will then use a drag sail to bring itself to a faster re-entry. It is expected to burn up in the atmosphere in 2018.

In the future, cubesats scattered around Earth orbit could be collected and disposed of by a spacecraft fitted with "shape memory alloy tentacles" developed by Louis Wei-yu Feng, a student at the University of Cape Town in South Africa. The tentacle hand, dubbed MEDUSA, is made of nitinol, a material that can switch from molten to solid state multiple times, giving the collector spacecraft countless chances to grasp an out-of-control tumbling cubesat.

Wei-yu Feng said that MEDUSA has a clear advantage over one-shot solutions such as harpoons or nets.

Self-propelling tethers to remove spent rocket stages

JAXA said it envisions using electrodynamic tethers to remove spent rocket stages from LEO. (Rocket upper stages account for 18 percent of all tracked objects in Earth orbit, experts have said.) JAXA's Kawamoto said that because of these objects' smooth and regular shapes compared to satellites, they represent an ideal target for early removal attempts.

Electrodynamic tethers generate magnetic drag, which is stronger than air drag and could take down a large piece of debris from orbit within a year, Kawamoto said. The conductive tether generates thrust as it interacts with the Earth's electromagnetic field and doesn't require an additional power source.

JAXA's experiment to test the technology earlier this year, however, didn't succeed; the tether failed to deploy properly from Japan's HTV-6 International Space Station resupply spaceship.

Large satellite hunter

ESA has said that what is really necessary is removing large defunct satellites from LEO, as these big bodies are the most likely to collide with other objects. And such collisions would generate a massive quantity of fragments that could then threaten all other spacecraft in orbit, ESA officials said. [Worst Space Debris Events of All Time]

But capturing an uncooperative object that might be tumbling uncontrollably is extremely challenging. In the worst-case scenario, the removal spacecraft could itself hit the mega junk.

ESA, however, said it aims to demonstrate that such a feat is feasible by launching a mission called e.Deorbit in 2023. The likeliest target of the e.Deorbit mission will be the 85-foot (26 m) Envisat satellite, which went silent in 2012.

Orbiting at less than 500 miles (800 km), Envisat would take more than 150 years to deorbit naturally. Throughout this period, the former remote-sensing satellite would force operators of hundreds of spacecraft in this congested region to perform regular avoidance maneuvers. If hit by an object of only 22lbs. (10 kilograms), Envisat would disintegrate into a cloud of dangerous space rubble, experts said.

E.Deorbit, the first mission of its kind, will use either a net or a robotic arm with a gripper to catch the satellite. Subsequently, e.Dorbit will use its own propulsion unit to steer the catch into the atmosphere, where both satellites will burn up.

Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook or Google+. Originally published on Space.com.
HOUSTON  The NASA Mission Control consoles that were used for the first moon landings are set to be brought back to life by a Kansas museum that restored the Apollo 13 spacecraft and conserved the recovered rocket engines that launched Apollo 11.

The Cosmosphere space museum in Hutchinson, Kansas announced its selection by NASA's Johnson Space Center (JSC) in Houston to restore the consoles to how they appeared at the height of their use during the Apollo moon missions. The Cosmosphere's SpaceWorks division will re-power the consoles so that their buttons and screens can be lit again as part of a $3.5 million restoration of the historic Mission Operations Control Room (MOCR) at NASA's Christopher C. Kraft, Jr. Mission Control Center.

"While the control consoles and monitors in the room are authentic, none of them work," said Jim Remar, president and chief operations officer of the Cosmosphere museum. "JSC turned to the Cosmosphere's fabrication, restoration and high-fidelity replica division to help them bring MOCR back to life." [NASA's 17 Apollo Moon Missions in Pictures]

The Cosmosphere has overseen some of the most notable spacecraft and space artifact restorations of the past few decades. In addition to its work on the Apollo 13 command module Odyssey, the museum also restored astronaut Gus Grissom's Liberty Bell 7 Mercury capsule after it was found and raised off the ocean floor in 1999.

More recently, the SpaceWorks division was entrusted with the conservation of the Apollo Saturn V F-1 rocket engines that were recovered off the seafloor by a private expedition led by Amazon CEO and Blue Origin founder Jeff Bezos.

Cosmosphere representatives joined NASA, Space Center Houston and Texas Historical Commission officials on April 18 for a meeting with the National Park Service, which has oversight of the restoration of the MOCR since designating it a national landmark in 1985. NASA continued to use the room to support space shuttle missions through 1992.

The restoration will return the MOCR and its related rooms to their appearance at the time of Apollo 11, the first moon landing in July 1969, though the consoles will configured to look as they did for the fourth lunar landing mission, Apollo 15, in July 1971.

"The room itself  the viewing room, the MOCR, what is shown on the screens, the visitor experience  that will all be Apollo 11," Remar explained in an interview. "That was the moment when we won the Space Race and man first reached the surface of the moon."

"For the consoles themselves, the flight controllers felt that Apollo 15 was the apex in technology for the early manned space program. They felt it was appropriate to restore the consoles to the Apollo 15 mission," Remar said. "So there will be two missions represented: the overall room will be restored to Apollo 11 and the consoles to Apollo 15."

Apollo 15 saw the first extended exploration of the moon, including the first use of a lunar roving vehicle (LRV). The consoles in Mission Control were upgraded to support the more ambitious mission, though the restored changes may not be readily apparent to those who visit the room.

"Really, to the general public, there probably won't be any discernible difference," said Remar. "But to the controllers there was, because that's when we went from flying the 'H' missions to the 'J' missions and started using the rover, so some of those experiments and new means of exploration changed the configuration of the components that were in the consoles. So while the general visitor probably will not know the difference, those who were involved will."

NASA, Cosmosphere, Space Center Houston and Texas Historical Commission representatives meet with officials from the National Park Service in the historic Mission Control room at NASAs Johnson Space Center in Houston on April 18, 2017. (Image credit: Cosmosphere)

If the National Park Service gives a "go" as expected next month, Remar said they hope to begin work in late May or early June. The Cosmosphere's conservators will assess the consoles where they are in Houston and then remove the components that need work to be shipped to Kansas.

"We will use as much original hardware as we can, but in cases where we want to light some buttons up or have a screen show some telemetry or data, we're not going to be restarting the old CRTs, we're going to put new monitors in there," described Remar. "But we'll catalog the old, original hardware, we'll document it, we'll clean the corrosion from it, preserve it and then put it in archival quality boxes and JSC will store that on site."

As for the consoles themselves, they will be cleaned and repaired, before they are dressed with artifacts to look as if the flight controllers had just left their stations.

"While we probably will not add any coffee stains or ashes from cigarettes  our objective is to clean the consoles and remove any type of dirt, grime, debris or corrosion  each of the consoles will be dressed with ash trays and coffee mugs, papers and things like that," said Remar, noting that the dressing will be handled by NASA and the architectural firm Stern and Bucek of Houston.

The Cosmosphere plans for the restoration of the consoles to be complete by the second half of 2018.

"It will be challenging, but it won't be as challenging as the F-1 engines or Liberty Bell 7," said Remar. "But in terms of historical importance, this has to rank right up there with one of the most important projects we've had the chance to work on. The room represents such a significant period in our history and to be involved with preserving it is quite an honor."

Follow collectSPACE.com Facebook and on Twitter at @collectSPACE. Copyright 2017 collectSPACE.com. All rights reserved.
The north pole of Saturn and its mysterious giant hexagon storm structure, as captured by the Cassini spacecraft on Dec. 2, 2016. Cassini was 619,000 miles (996,000 kilometers) from Saturn when the image was taken; each pixel covers 37 miles (60 km).

As Cassini wraps up its 13-year mission in Saturn's system, scientists are preparing for the spacecraft's final burst of observations in the never-before-explored region between the planet and its inner rings.

Cassini crossed Saturn's ring plane for the first time today (April 26). Next, after a series of 22 orbits and close flybys of the rings, the robotic probe will take a death dive into the planet's atmosphere on Sept. 15.

"We're going to have to say goodbye to this amazing mission," said Athena Coustenis, a Cassini co-investigator at the Paris Observatory in France. [Cassini's 'Grand Finale' Saturn Orbits Explained (Video)]

"I have another five months to get very emotional about it," Coustenis told reporters yesterday (April 25) during a news conference at the annual meeting of the European Geosciences Union (EGU) in Vienna. "In the meantime, we're going to have the opportunity to top off this wonderful mission with a lot of new measurements for the rings and for Saturn's interior."

The north pole of Saturn and its mysterious giant hexagon storm structure, as captured by the Cassini spacecraft on Dec. 2, 2016. Cassini was 619,000 miles (996,000 kilometers) from Saturn when the image was taken; each pixel covers 37 miles (60 km). (Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Space Science Institute)

The best views for last

Since 2004, the Cassini space probe has orbited Saturn, collecting photos and data that have revolutionized our understanding of the planet and its moons. (Image credit: by Karl Tate, Infographics Artist)

The final flybys will be a "dangerous moment for the mission," said Luciano Iess, a Cassini team member from La Sapienza University in Italy. The spacecraft will be moving at a speed of about 30 kilometers per second, or 67,000 mph (42,000 km/h), passing rocks and tiny particles as it grazes the ring planes. If those orbits are successful, scientists will have a chance to examine the material in Saturn's mostly water-ice rings in greater detail than ever before, which could help them determine the mass and age of the rings.

Cassini recently obtained some of the closest-ever images of the outer edges of Saturn's main rings. During the spacecraft's upcoming ring-skimming orbits, scientists anticipate that they'll get an even better look at strange features in the rings' structure, such as the clumps of ring particles known as "straw" and structures known as "propellers" that are thought to be produced by the gravitational pull of Saturn's moonlets and sometimes stretch several thousand miles long.

Cassini's final observations also promise to provide even better images of smaller moons  like ravioli-shaped Pan, ring-sculpting Daphnis and the flying-saucer-like Atlas  that orbit in the gaps between Saturn's rings, Coustenis said. She added that scientists will get views of Saturn's northern hemisphere in greater detail, which could offer new information on the planet's clouds and hazes at different altitudes, and observations of auroras could provide new insight into Saturn's magnetosphere.

Cassini's next five months could reveal new clues about the somewhat mysterious interior structure of Saturn, too.

"Magnetic field and gravity measurements are the only tools that are able to go deep, below the cloud layer," Iess told reporters at the news conference. "They tell us about the deep interior structure of the planet."

Measurements of Saturn's gravitational field could help scientists determine how much hydrogen and helium are in the outer layers of Saturn, as well as the quantities of heavy elements concentrated in the core, Iess added.

Past studies indicated that Saturn's magnetic field is weaker than expected and that, surprisingly, it's aligned with the planet's rotation. Scientists might be able to explain those unexpected findings if they can identify the sources of Saturn's magnetic field with measurements from Cassini's magnetometer.

Gravitational and magnetic measurements together could also determine the depth of Saturn's strong winds that whip at up to 500 mph (800 km/h) and produce the huge bands in the planet's atmosphere, Iess said.

Cassini's big breaks

Scientists at EGU reflected on the past 13 years of discoveries by Cassini, which is a collaboration among NASA, the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Italian Space Agency.

"Nothing that came out of this mission was really expected or imagined or modeled before," Coustenis said. "We had many surprises that actually led us to review our models, led us to rethink our whole concept of the outer solar system."

For example, because of Cassini data, scientists have had to revise their understanding of the habitable zone in the solar system, Coustenis said. While it was once believed that habitable bodies needed liquid surface water as on Earth, solar system objects such as the icy moons around Jupiter and Saturn  many of which appear to have subsurface oceans are now a new source of excitement. Recent findings based on Cassini's observations of Saturn's moons Titan and Enceladus "have proved to us that the habitable zone is actually not restricted to surface habitats; we could have liquid water under the surface," Coustenis said.

J. Hunter Waite, a scientist at the Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio, recently led a team of researchers in analyzing observations made by Cassini during an October 2015 dive through a geyser plume shooting out of Saturn's icy moon Enceladus. Their results, which were published earlier this month, suggested that life-sustaining chemical reactions could be occurring in Enceladus' subsurface ocean.

"We got water; we got organics; we got an energy source," Waite told reporters at the news conference. "This place is by all accounts a habitable ocean in the interior of Enceladus, and that's quite exciting."

But Waite told Space.com that a new mission with new instrumentation will be needed to really search for life.

There are two missions being prepared that could further explore the question of habitability in the subsurface oceans on icy bodies in the outer solar system: ESA's JUICE (Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer) mission, planned to launch in 2022, and NASA's Europa Clipper, planned to launch sometime in the 2020s, which will investigate Jupiter's icy moons Ganymede and Europa, respectively.

Regardless of what they learn from future missions, scientists will be trying to make sense of Cassini data long after the spacecraft's final plunge.

"I worked on the Voyager mission 10 years after the mission itself," Coustenis said. "You can imagine how long we're going to be working on the Cassini mission in the future."

Follow Megan Gannon @meganigannon, or Space.com @Spacedotcom. We're also on Facebook and Google+. Original article on Space.com.
Astronaut Peggy Whitson floats in the cupola on board the International Space Station, backdropped by the Earth below.

NASA's record-breaking astronaut Peggy Whitson isn't finished making firsts in space. And today, Whitson will make the first ultra-high-definition live video from the International Spaec Station and you can watch it live.

At 1:30 p.m. EDT (1530 GMT), Whitson will live stream the highest resolution video ever broadcast from space to the 2017 National Association of Broadcasters in Las Vegas. You can watch the webcast live here, courtesy of NASA and the NAB.

"During this event, Whitson will speak with Sam Blackman, chief executive officer and co-founder of AWS Elemental, via an ultra-high-definition (UHD) broadcast transmitted in 4K from the 2017 National Association of Broadcasters Show in Las Vegas," NASA officials wrote in an announcement. "The conversation with Whitson will take place as part of a panel called 'Reaching for the Stars: Connecting to the Future with NASA and Hollywood.' The panel will explore how advanced imaging and cloud technologies are taking scientific research and filmmaking to the next level, and will be moderated by Carolyn Giardina, technology editor for the Hollywood Reporter."

The panel will also include:

NASA astronaut Tracy Caldwell Dyson;

Rodney Grubbs, NASA Imagery Experts program manager;

Bernadette McDaid, head of development, virtual reality and augmented reality at Bau Entertainment;

Khawaja Shams, vice president of engineering for AWS Elemental;

Dave McQueeney, senior principal investigator for the IBM Watson Group.

Astronaut Peggy Whitson floats in the cupola on board the International Space Station, backdropped by the Earth below. (Image credit: NASA)

Whitson broke the U.S. record for the most time in space by an American astronaut (534 days and counting) and holds records for the most spacewalks ever by a female astronaut. She is the commander of the space station's Expedition 51 crew, and is the first woman ever to command the space station twice.

Email Tariq Malik at tmalik@space.com or follow him @tariqjmalik and Google+. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook and Google+. Original article on Space.com.
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Mohamed Samid Ould Brahim 24 April 2017

The confrontation highlights the Moroccan routine response towards self-determination and human rights activists in the occupied territory of Western Sahara.

Moroccan police forcibly broke up a pro-independence demonstration in El-Aaiun on April 15, beating dozens of activists. Saharawi demonstrators from all walks of life took to the streets to protest occupation and demonstrate solidarity with political prisoners languishing in Moroccan jails.

The protesters were responding to a call launched by local NGOs, with demonstrators chanting self-determination slogans and denouncing the plundering of Saharawi natural resources. Members from the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) were patrolling the city, but didnt intervene. Rumour has it there was a visiting American diplomatic delegation in town.

The demonstration was not an anomaly. Protest is a permanent feature of Saharawi life, taking place despite constant police siege and an embargo imposed on all activity advocating independence and the respect of Saharawi rights. Saharawis cling to peaceful demonstrations as a tool to raise awareness about their plight and the endless quest to bring justice to the people of Western Sahara.

Life under Moroccan occupation

My wife was badly hit and severely beaten up by the Moroccan police. They used severe violence against all demonstrators. The police were very violent, Saleh Zaygham, a former victim of enforced disappearance and the husband of leading resistance figure Mbarka Alina Baali, told an eyewitness. Its the same every week. The oppression is very high.

Many who helped organize the campaign predicted what was to come as they addressed observers before the protest. I have been arrested, imprisoned, beaten up and hit more than 50 times in the past years, since 1975, Ahmed Salem Fahim said. The police have broken my body but could not break my willThe police have broken my body but could not break my will. There are many secret police and plain clothes policemen surrounding us all the times. But we want to send a clear message to the Moroccan regime and to the whole world. We need to show the reality we are living in.

The protesters carried banners, proclaiming: Free all Saharawi political prisoners! No to violations of human rights! Others chanted, Morocco out! Down with Occupation: a free Western Sahara without Morocco!

Ive been brutalized and beaten countless times, said Bamba Lafqir, an activist who showed up during the peaceful demonstrations despite his old age. The elderly activist always comforts demonstrators who protest peacefully along Smara Avenue each week in protest at the lack of freedom of expression, self-determination, lack of opportunities, and the plundering of the resources, along with other rights guaranteed by international charts and conventions.

I have no hope at all of progress as a result of the annual Security Councils meetings and resolutions on Western Sahara. Security Council members do not know what it is like to live in an occupied country, he added.

The local authorities and the police tend to accuse protestors of being liars, mercenaries and ingrates who fail to recognize the benefits of Moroccan society, including free education and healthcare among other privileges they claim are bestowed on the Saharawis.

Saharawi media groups are not exempt. No one is spared if caught by enraged police seeking to disperse the resilient Saharawi crowds. Many cameras were confiscated from regular citizens who stood by to document the event using their cell phones. A young Saharawi media activist named Bousoula was caught filming. After the beating he endured, his camera was confiscated.

Roots of the Saharawi struggle

The confrontation highlights the regular way the Moroccan government deals with Sahrawis supporting self-determination in the occupied territory of Western Sahara. The conflict in Western Sahara was born in 1975 when Spain withdrew from this vast region inhabited by less than one million people. The former colonial power intended to cede land to Morocco and Mauritania, without taking into account the desire for independence of the Saharawi people.

The conflict in Western Sahara was born in 1975 The Polisario Front, which had already fought against the Spanish, turned against Morocco and Mauritania. Mauritania signed a ceasefire in 1979, but Morocco and the Polisario Front continued to fight until 1991. During that year, another ceasefire was signed, reinforced by a "sand wall" of more than 2,700 kilometres built by the Moroccan army, which still separates the positions held by Morocco (80 percent of Western Sahara) and positions held by the Polisario Front.

In 1991, following the ceasefire, the UN launched its Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO). As the name suggests, the mission was supposed to allow the rapid organization of a referendum in Western Sahara, while ensuring peace between the Polisario Front and Morocco. By the UN's own admission, this goal was a complete failure. Negotiations between Morocco, Algeria, Mauritania and the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) have barely evolved since 1991.

A fair and impartial referendum

Christopher Ross resignation as the UN special envoy was confirmed by the UN Secretariat in the latest draft report that the new UN Secretary General Antonio Gutteres presented to the Security Council earlier in April. The emissary in charge of resolving the conflict in Western Sahara apparently delivered his resignation in January. This underlines the failure of the UN to move the lines in this dispute, which has lasted for more than 40 years.

All Saharawi and international observers believe in one possibility: only a fair, impartial and transparent referendum would allow Saharawi voters to set the political direction for their country, Morocco has said it plans to offer no more than autonomy for the Saharawi, who have long struggled to embrace freedom and independence.

There is the possibility of some action this April, but we must understand that Morocco has strong allies, namely France , and will try to crush the Saharawis living under occupation if that would make it prolong the occupation years ahead to remain in power and keep its privileges, said field activist and campaigner Abdelkrim Mberkat, whose monthly stipend was cut off recently due to his activism and advocacy.

The UN should sanction Morocco so that Saharawi people can decide their futureThe UN should sanction Morocco so that Saharawi people can decide their future, he said. I hope the US will support the Saharawi people and not just watch them perish with the blessing of France. As Saharawis, we believe we are fighting France, and not just Morocco and its Gulf allies. He adds: We Saharawis know what to do but we cant do it alone because the Moroccan government has resources and weapons, and they are willing to use them  as we saw with the hiring of many lobbyists and the use of propaganda, Saharawi activist Lahcen Dalil said. We need the support of the international community.

Torture and human rights violations

Human rights violations in Western Sahara are a major issue in international reporting. The UN Committee Against Torture condemned Morocco last December for numerous violations of the Convention Against Torture concerning Naama Asfari, one of the 21 Sahrawi militants detained since 2010. Their appeal proceedings, which will resume on May 8 will once again throw a crude light on Moroccan practices in this vast territory as all prepare for the last phase of the trial of the Gdeim Izik groups of Saharawi political prisoners held captive since the brutal bloody dismantling of the protest camp, Gdeim Izik, in November 2010 on the outskirts of El-Aaiun city.

Long-time Saharawi campaigner and activist from Dakhla city Mohamed El-Baikam said: The international community should stress political freedom and insist that the government of Morocco respect the United Nations Covenant on Human Rights and honour the agreements it signed with the Polisario Front in 1991 under the auspices of the United Nations.

Freedom of expression, assembly and the media are vital for a fair referendumHow can there be a proper referendum without freedom of expression, without access to a free expression and a free press and assembly? They will never allow us to go public and debate the issues. He added: Our hearts bleed when we see how much harm they inflict on us, on our defenceless people, and it pains me when I see how plunder takes place, especially when it comes to the fisheries and the phosphate among other plundered resources.

Last summer, the Moroccan army was deployed to the Guergarat zone, an alleged buffer zone, to build a paved road - across its fortified sand wall that marks the border of the territory under its control - to facilitate traffic to sub-Saharan Africa, causing new tensions with the Polisario Front. Morocco was clearly violating the 1991 ceasefire, since at the time there was no road at that location. Morocco has also deployed patrols and set up a base in the area. Polisario brought its troops and established a base there, and even started monitoring traffic.

Enough is enough

The Moroccans were forced to retreat back a few weeks ago after the UN expressed its concern and demanded both parties ease the tension. The young Saharawi media activist Maiam Zafri, a member of the Association for the Monitoring of the Resources and for the Protection of the Environment (AMRPENWS) said: "Morocco has been breaching every single UN and Security resolution without being punished. We are all appalled! Saharawis have the feeling that we are becoming a toy in the hand of the powerful countries that use us for their own interests and according to their whims. Enough is enough!

It is time the whole world realized that patience is at its limits for the Saharawis and what they have endured for over four decades. It is time we listened to the voice of the Saharawis on both sides of the sand wall and appreciated their sacrifice and their resilience in waiting for the international community to enable them to enjoy the benefit of the right to self-determination.

It seems to be an endless quest for the Saharawis, and even though the Moroccan regime is making life unbearable for Saharawis, their will remains solid and unbreakable. (SPS)

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https://www.opendemocracy.net/arab-awakening/oppression-is-brutal-morocco-breaks-up-western-sahara-protest-ahead-of-un-talks
Madrid (Spain), April 26, 2017 (SPS) - Parliament of Galicia, Spain's northwest, reiterated Tuesday its commitment to the Saharawi cause through an official statement presented by its speaker, Miguel Angel Santalices.

In the motion of support, the Parliament of Galicia expresses its intention to join the movement of solidarity with Western Sahara, which has been demanding, for many years, a fair, lasting and mutually acceptable political solution, through a referendum of self-determination putting an end to Western Sahara conflict.

The Parliament of the autonomous community of Galicia mentioned, in the motion, the latest decision of the European Court of Justice which clearly underlined that Western Sahara territory is not part of Morocco.

It explains that Rabat has no sovereignty on the Saharawi territory and the trade agreement between the European Union (EU) and Morocco is not applicable to Western Sahara.

Galicia Parliament's speaker voiced concerns about the exploitation of Western Sahara's natural resources by European companies without the consent of the Saharawi people, dubbing it illegal.

He called on European, Spanish and Galician companies to abide by the international and European laws and stop all activities that are likely to favour the perpetuation of Moroccan occupation of Western Sahara. SPS

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New York, April 26, 2017 (SPS) - The Security Council, which met Tuesday to examine the US draft resolution on Western Sahara, has not reached consensus as first discussions revealed great divergences between the members.

The draft resolution aiming to boost negotiations between the Polisario Front and Morocco has been submitted in a first step to the group of friends of Western Sahara at the Security Council. The proposals mentioned in the draft resolution did not reach consensus among members, particularly the proposal to immediately withdraw the Polisario Front from Al Guergarat zone.

In the face of many members' refusal to pass a biased resolution, the US delegation at the UN Security Council has submitted this draft resolution to the rest of the UN Security Council members but negotiations remain tight before its adoption on Thursday.

Russia called the text unbalanced while Uruguay said it did not refer to the cause of Al Guergarat crisis, namely the violation by Morocco of the ceasefire agreement in this area monitored by the Minurso.

"Morocco and France requested Polisario Front's immediate and unconditional withdrawal from Al Guergarat area," Representative of the Polisario Front at the UN Ahmed Boukhari told APS.

As regards Al Guergarat, "the draft resolution had to tackle the cause and consequences of the crisis," said Boukhari.

"The violation of the ceasefire provisions was the cause of the crisis and jeopardizes the peace process in Western Sahara," he stated.

The Polisario Front suggests to the UN dispatching a technical committee to report on the ground the ceasefire violation but France and Morocco opposed to this proposal and tried to involve the Security Council in the legitimation of Rabat's actions.

Boukhari said the Polisario Front "will wait until the end of discussions on the draft resolution to publicly express its position on the whole peace process, including the situation in Western Sahara." SPS

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This is an unique sale in that both the ewes and hoggs are being sold with lambs at foot, giving the opportunity to demonstrate first hand their maternal genetics.

The Vorn flock sale on behalf of John Vaughan, features genetics from the UKs top Texel performance recorded flock, including progeny of the top five UK PR sires of and also the top two UK lambs of 2016, will take place at Carlisle on Saturday 13th May. In total, 40 lots will go under the hammer including 22 ewes with lambs at foot.

The sale will feature progeny from the top five UK PR sires of 2016:

Antur Wythaberyst (bred by Aberystwyth University pioneers of performance recording for the last 20 years): top index of 558 and second highest eye muscle EBV ever at +7.31mm

Hollyford Vroom Vroom: index 535 by Goldies Supreme with second highest gigot score

Vorn Whisky Mac: index 533 with highest ever lean weight EBV at +6.2kgs

Craig Farm Wizard: index 528 also by Goldies Supreme and the talking tup from Kelso 2016

Vorn WarOrse: index 516, highest ever eye muscle area and length measured. Top sire for 21 week weight at +20.21kgs.

Also, progeny of the top two UK lambs of 2016:

Vorn Ystwuth: idex 571 by Wythaberyst out of ET sister to WarOrse

Vorn Yardstick: highest ever index of 576 by WarOrse, long, lean and muscular. (His semen has already been used by two of New Zealands leading Texel breeders)

This is the first time that the Vorn Texel Annual Sale has been held in Northern England and John has made the decision to have the sale at Harrison & Hetheringtons Borderway Mart, in Carlisle. Its prime, central location is also ideal for producers from all over the UK to access, opening up a window of opportunity to purchase outstanding Texel genetics.

On being invited to host this prestigious annual sale, Scott Donaldson, Sales Director at Harrison & Hetherington commented: "We are delighted to have been invited to have the opportunity to sell what are undoubtedly a selection of some of the very best Texel genetics.

John has been breeding pedigree Texel sheep for almost 25 years and has worked extremely hard to improve his flock which is now the UKs number one Performance Recorded Flock.
The top price of 3,200 fell to a promising young dairy bull from the Moorhouse familys Aireburn herd in Bell Busk, while the supreme champion newly calven heifer came from the Fort familys Silmoor herd on Silsden Moor.

Brian and Judith Moorhouse, of Hesper Farm, Bell Busk, dominated the standalone show class for bulls with two classy ready for work entries. They led the way on price with their second prize bull, the home-bred Aireburn Saturn, a 12-month-old by the Genus sire, De-Su Navarro, out of Aireburn Fever Stephanie, who hails from three generations of cows rated Excellent. Saturn sold to Robert Metcalfe, of RD Metcalfe & Son, based at Grange Farm, Brearton, Otley, and will go to work on their commercial dairy herd.

While regularly among the prizes with their Skipton milkers, father and daughter, Edward and Georgie Fort, of the Silmoor pedigree herd, based at High Bracken Hill Farm on Silsden Moor, were winning their first-ever dairy title at the venue with their first prize newly calven heifer, Silmoor Medallion Susan, a December, 2014, home-bred by their own Medallion stock bull, himself a Picston Shottle son.

The dam is the Silmoor Moses Susan daughter, Silmoor Legend Susan, who gave more than 14.500 litres across two previous lactations and remains in the Forts 120-strong milk herd, being in-calf to the Cogent sire, DG Brody.

Mr Fort, who has been a club member since 1984 and judged Skiptons inaugural Yorkshire Holstein Club show and sale last August, was naturally delighted to return to the follow-up fixture and present the overall champion. Calved for 21 days and giving 27 litres, the victor made 1,800 when claimed by regular buyers Alf and Andrew Townsend, of Southfield, Burnley.

The Moorhouses - Brian has just taken over as president of the Yorkshire Holstein Club  were also responsible for the first prize bull, Aireburn Sharpe, who turns one-year-old next month and is another home-bred by the Genus dairy bull, Cookiecutter Harper, himself a son of De-Su Balisto and from the Cookiecutter cow family in Hudson Falls, New York.

From the prolific and long established Aireburn Scilla family, the red rosette winner sold for 2,000 to David and Dee Holmes, of Castley, Otley, and will take his place on their 140-strong Holmedale Holstein Friesian pedigree herd.

All three pedigree dairy bulls entered sold away well to average 2,100, with the third prize winner, Dalesbrad Sterling Silver, by Seagull Bay Silver, from inaugural Yorkshire Holstein Club show champions Alan and Susan Throup, who run the Dalebrad pedigree herd at Higher House Farm, Silsden Moor, making 1,110 when joining Duncan Robinson in Eldroth.

Back with the ladies, the Moorhouses were on the mark yet again with the second prize newly calven heifer and overall reserve champion, Aireburn Lineman Bowe, a March, 2015, daughter of the Semex sire, Comestar Lineman and the first of his Aireburn progeny to come to market.

She is by the Aireburn Blitz Bowe daughter, Aireburn Mammoth Bowe, who gave over 14,000 litres across two lactations. The Bowe line was first established in the Aireburn herd when the Moorhouses bought cows at Michael Hunters dispersal sale in Castley, Otley, quite a number of years ago.

The overall runner-up, 22 days calved and giving 29 litres, also topped the heifer section when selling for 1,950 to the Sowray brothers dairy farming family at Bowes Green Farm, Bishop Thornton.
Family-run Lancashire butchers are now buying primestock on a weekly basis at Skipton, among them show champions and prizewinners shown by farmers from both sides of the border who sell their cattle and lambs at the White Rose livestock hub on a Monday. And they often pay top whack to ensure they source the best meat that money can buy.

The emphasis for all is on traceability and quality. The butchers then work their magic to produce first-rate beef and lamb roasts, steaks, chops and all the other popular cuts. In fact, they all make use of the full carcase, keen to ensure that absolutely nothing goes to waste.

In turn, Skipton-bought beef and lamb is going down well with discerning butcher customers across the border, who these days increasingly want to know where the meat they eat actually comes from.

Countrystyle Meats Farm Shop, based on Wyresdale Road in Lancaster Leisure Park, first started buying primestock at Skipton last November and is now sourcing from the mart on virtually a weekly basis.

In fact, the shops owner Alan Beecroft, who regularly travels to Skipton to first view, then buy the cattle and lambs that catch his eye, was invited to judge the March prime cattle show and followed up by buying his chosen champion, shown by the Critchley farming family from Hutton, near Preston. Other prize winners regularly feature on Countrystyle Meats shopping list.

Mr Beecroft said:

While we continue to source meat from local farms in our neck of the woods, I am personally buying at Skipton more and more often. Theres plenty of choice and the quality is good. When it comes to cattle, we prefer prime heifers, while I am also now buying in new season Spring lambs in increasing numbers. The fact is that our customers like what I buy from Skipton and the meat is selling well.

Ill continue to support the mart 100% because I do believe in the fair trade it provides. I am also keen to support local farmers from both sides of the border and a lot of them are following me down to Skipton. If they are getting, for example, an extra 20p per kilo it can make a real difference to them. It all adds up.

A lifelong butcher, Mr Beecroft, who previously owned and ran a butchers shop in Clitheroe, established Countrysyle Meats Farm Shop over a decade ago. It has since gone from strength to strength, with a new on-site restaurant a recent addition to the business, which attracts customers from across the Ribble Valley.

Customers at Hamlets Butchers in Garstang have also developed a taste for Skipton-bought beef and lamb, and owner Tim Hamlet late last year bought the supreme champion prime lambs at the marts annual high profile festive primestock shows.

They came from Fox Farms in Withgill, near Clitheroe, and were so well received by customers at the Church Street shop that Hamlets returned at the opening 2017 show in January to snap up a second champion pen, which came from another Lancashire farmer, Grindletons James Towler. Other prime cattle and lamb purchases have followed on a regular basis.

We know what will be coming up for sale at the mart and thats good for us. Its all about having the right goods. Its all good stuff and we only want the best, said farmers son Mr Hamlet, who established his shop in 2005. As well as the meat side of the business, Hamlets is also renowned for its home-made pies.
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STAMFORD  Michael Rinaldi knows what it is like to go against the grain and get splinters.

The former Stamford High School assistant principal who tried to persuade the district to investigate possible teacher misconduct  only to be transferred out of the school and effectively demoted  then took up a related cause: separation agreements.

The use of the agreements, a practice known as passing the trash, involves allowing a school to unload a teacher accused of inappropriate treatment of a child in exchange for pay, benefits and letters of recommendation so they can work in

other districts.

I had no idea that stuff like this even went on, Rinaldi said. I was infuriated.

Rinaldi, who was named assistant principal at Rippowam Middle School three years ago, began speaking out against separation agreements and contacting legislators. It worked  in 2016, Connecticut became one of a few states to pass legislation prohibiting passing the trash.

His efforts, combined with decades of dedication to Stamford Public Schools, were cited as some of the factors behind the Board of Educations decision this week to name him the next principal of Westhill High School, his alma mater and the citys largest high school.

The Stamford native, who starts in his new position on July 1, will replace retiring longtime Principal Camille Figluizzi.

The appointment comes two years after a controversial Board of Education episode in which Rinaldi was one of two finalists to replace then-SHS Principal Donna Valentine, who was arrested and charged in 2014 with failing to report a sexual relationship between a teacher and student.

It was 2015, and then-Superintendent Winifred Hamilton recommended two candidates for principal, Raymond Manka and Rinaldi, who had attempted in 2011 to report how Valentine mishandled a different case in which a teacher was suspected of inappropriately touching a student.

The board named itself an ad-hoc search committee, interviewed both candidates and hired Manka, a decision that was announced in a turbulent meeting where several parents questioned the process and accused the panel of punishing Rinaldi for his role in the 2011 case.

New beginning

On Tuesday, however, the vote was unanimous and without controversy.

Back then, he was a voice crying in the wilderness, trying to implore the board to pay attention to what he felt was an important issue, board member David Mannis said about Rinaldis work fighting against separation agreements. His persistence and obvious sincerity helped motivate this board to get involved on that issue.

The school board revised its own policy months before the states passing the trash ban went into effect last year.

Im 100 percent confident that these practices are a thing of the past, Rinaldi said Wednesday. Its been very clear to me for many months that our new Board of Education and our new superintendent put students safety above everything else and are performing their duties in a very ethical manner.

Although separation agreements are now banned in Connecticut, the issue continues to make headlines as new sexual abuse allegations come to light. After Choate Rosemary Hall in Wallingford announced this month 12 former teachers have been accused of sexual misconduct against students, schools across the region began investigating similar complaints against two of those educators.

Quietly moving the accused teachers to other districts was a big problem everywhere, said Rinaldi, who in his nearly three decades working in the city schools has worked in every education level, including Rogers International and Dolan Middle schools.

Student volunteer

Rinaldi decided he wanted to become an educator while still a student at Westhill, where he had been volunteering in special education classes.

Teacher Mary Ellen White said Rinaldi would take on a variety of tasks, from showing a student how to tie his shoes to teaching them how to swim.

He really got to love the kids, and thats what he wanted to do with his life, said White, a special-education teacher at WHS for more than 40 years.

Hes worked really hard for it and Im really glad he got the appointment, she said.

Rinaldi credited White and Diane Blackwell, a retired physical education teacher, for helping him find his calling.

It changed my life, he said. Westhill is where I discovered my passion for this work. I would not be a teacher today if not for the fact that I had the opportunity to work with special-needs students as a teenager.

Board member Betsy Allyn, who met Rinaldi when her daughter attended Rippowam, praised him and Principal Jason Martin for recent improvements to that school.

I was lucky enough to witness Mr. Rinaldi and Mr. Martin come in and quickly take administrative control and really guide that school to where it is today, she said .

noliveira@stamfordadvocate.

com, 203-964-2265, @olivnelson
After a driverless shuttle got into a "fender bender" with a delivery truck in Las Vegas, federal regulators are withholding permission for UW-Madison researchers to offer the public rides in the same kind of vehicles this weekend.
L loyds Banking Group today hired the first black person to be appointed as a High Court judge to investigate its handling of the scandal at the HBOS Reading branch.

That fraud devastated scores of firms, as bankers took fees from struggling businesses to spend on holidays, hookers and drugs.

Lloyds said Dame Linda Dobbs will look into whether this scandal was investigated properly by top brass at HBOS and Lloyds after its takeover of the former Halifax building society.

This independent review will cover the eight years from early 2009 to the criminal trial in January this year which saw six bankers jailed.

Lloyds finally set aside 100 million in compensation for the victims after Professor Russel Griggs was appointed to decide on redress. Today it said it aims to start making payments, which could average 1 million per victim, by the end of May.

Nikki Turner, one of the anti-HBOS campaigners, said: The appointment of Dame Linda Dobbs, as with the appointment of Professor Griggs, was made by Lloyds Banking Group without consulting the victims or their representatives, so the idea that they are independent is preposterous.

The terms of the review appear to exclude any actions by HBOS management prior to the sale to Lloyds and so would miss important parts of the cover-up.

"The timeframe, though on the face of it more rapid than other redress offers by banks, should be seen against the background of more than a decade of denial by the bank.
T hey're unlikely sisters in arms, Ivanka Trump and Angela Merkel. But the turbulent rapids of global politics have just brought them together in the wholemeal surroundings of the G20 womens economics forum in Berlin. The setting was one of those women-in-the-workforce events  a mixture of high-end mingling and platform statements of the bleeding obvious.

The First Daughter discussed feminism and happily defined herself as such, defended Dads record on treating women well in his business and edged around his less civilised views of the mating game. Mrs Merkel looked about as engaged in all this as the warhorse of European politics with an election imminent could manage, while discussing female opportunities. Indeed, Ivanka, a millennial who can use the phrase equalities of all genders without sounding self-conscious, is more at home with the language of boardroom feminism than her host. She speaks a lukewarm ministry feminism  the languages of subsidies and tax breaks.

Yes, East Germany has produced Europes ultimate Powerfrau, but Merkelism has never had much overt truck with textbook empowerment of third-wave feminist campaigning.

Ivanka strode out, facing down boos and hisses in full designer fig, tumbling blonde locks and flowing floral frock  the style of the Mar-a-Lago Camelot. Merkel remained firmly encased in her workaday red jacket.

The First Daughter jokes about not being used to the role. In effect, though, she is part of a steely praetorian guard, taking the flak for dads decisions and dialling down the many irritations he unleashes. The decision by Angela Merkel to appear next to Ivanka and the IMFs Christine Lagarde is a sign that while the leaders of Germany and the US have chilly dealings, Merkel recognises the importance of having a hotline to the White House and thus showing respect for the new dynasty.

The mood towards Trump America has changed in the wake of the air strikes on Assads air bases in Syria and as the North Korean stand-off heats up. Leaders can make clear that they do not share Trumps anti-liberal views, but the world is too interconnected and too volatile to treat the Trumps to a big freeze for long. Theresa Mays early invitation to the most difficult President the transatlantic relationship has had to handle in living memory, looks more justified, as others from Berlin to Beijing open channels.

The change of heart in the German government about how to deal with the Trumps is also driven by what is happening across the border in France. While Europes chancelleries breathe a sigh of relief at the polling advance of the reliably globalist Emmanuel Macron, they cannot simply wish the fifth of French voters backing Marine Le Pen out of existence. Even if Macron sees off his far-Right rival, the battle for the big idea of economic liberalism and personal liberty needs to be fought.

So should Mrs Merkel have shared that stage with the Trump offspring? The Berlin hecklers shouted No. But as we approach the 100-day marker for the Trump presidency, I sense that liberal opponents know that disapproval alone will not defeat his ideas in the long run. Merkel, in her canny way, has signalled that she knows that  and female soft-power is her new weapon of choice.

Anne McElvoy is Senior Editor at The Economist and co-hosted the Indivisible show with NPR on Trumps first 100 days in power
S heryl Sandbergs new book, Option B: Facing Adversity, Building Resilience and Finding Joy, has its tragic origins in the death of her husband, Dave Goldberg, at the age of 47. Broadening the story of her own bereavement and experience as the suddenly widowed mother of two young children, the Facebook boss offers a manual for those facing pain, struggle and apparently insuperable grief. As I read, I kept thinking of the Labour Party.

It is not so many years since the Tories wondered whether they would ever be able to defeat the ruthless political machine headed by Tony Blair. Now, a decade after his resignation as Prime Minister, Labour confronts electoral disaster with no apparent sense of how to minimise its losses or to begin the business of recovery after polling day. It is a pitiful sight.

Yesterday, Sir Keir Starmer, the shadow Brexit secretary, sought to bring order to his partys opaque proposals for Britains departure from the European Union. The content of his speech was not inherently absurd: it is perfectly reasonable, for example, to suggest that a guarantee of citizenship to EU nationals in the UK on day one would be an amicable way to launch the forthcoming Brexit negotiations.

Sir Keir is right, too, that some neo-Thatcherite Tories see the Great Repeal Bill as an opportunity for radical deregulation and abolition of workplace protections. It makes sense for Labour to be the party that promises to defend these rights.

Though his plan lacks detail, it is a significant step forward from Labours ridiculous strategy of equidistance, a doomed attempt to please both Remain and Leave voters. But look at the calendar: there are only six weeks to go until polling day. Does anyone seriously think this is sufficient time for the partys new message on Brexit to get through to voters already burdened by information overload?

Worse, the plan inspired immediate confusion, contravening as it did the commitment of Jeremy Corbyn and Diane Abbott, the shadow home secretary, to continued freedom of movement for EU citizens. Reports last night that the shadow Cabinet had reached a truce on the question only drew attention to the division that had preceded the ceasefire. A supposed government-in-waiting should not be at odds over such a fundamental policy so close to a general election.

In practice, Sir Keir could have delivered the 21st-century equivalent of the Gettysburg Address and still fallen short. His speech delighted the Tories precisely because it forced those paying attention to imagine life with Corbyn in No 10. As plausible a figure as Starmer undoubtedly is, he would still be taking his instructions from a man who wants to keep Britains costly nuclear deterrent but would not use it; who seems to believe there is a magical money tree to fund public services; who could barely contain his admiration for Fidel Castro; who has turned a once mighty election-winning force into a pointlessly huge, Left-wing political club.

Every time Theresa May utters the words strong and stable leadership, she is not only seeking the voters endorsement but inviting them to consider the alternative. All elections are personal but few have hinged so completely and ruthlessly upon the deficiencies of the principal challenger.

As Corbyn flounders towards the precipice, Blair  a three-time election winner  strives to reframe this contest entirely as, in effect, a second Brexit referendum. Though he insisted in yesterdays Guardian that he was not urging tactical voting and that I hope people will vote Labour, as I will, he was no less clear on the BBCs World This Weekend that Britains prospective departure from the EU is bigger than party allegiance in this particular election. Asked whether this statement of priority was a call for voters to back the Liberal Democrats, he answered: What Im advocating may mean that, it may mean Labour, it may mean people vote Tory.

The former Prime Minister is, of course, quite correct that the composition of the new Parliament will make a considerable difference to the reception of Mays progress reports on her talks with the EU. If the hard Brexiteers have their own Commons majority, the political pressure on the PM to pursue compromise with Brussels will be negligible. She will indeed have a blank cheque.

None of which will comfort Corbyn in the slightest. Blairs all but explicit premise is that Labour has already lost the election and that voters should look beyond June 8 to greater questions about the nations destiny that cross party lines.

While the former PM urges the country to rally behind a cross-party alliance, three pro-Remain Conservative MPs  Nicky Morgan, Anna Soubry and Dominic Grieve  have distanced themselves from any campaign to unseat Tory Brexiteers. Do such nuances matter to busy voters? Perhaps not. But the accumulating impression is of Tory unity and Labour division; of a governing party determined to get on with the job, and an Opposition torn to pieces by weak leadership, antiquated ideology and a conspicuous lack of ordered strategy.

Roy Hattersley is right. As he told the BBC yesterday: The situation in the Labour Party is far worse than it was in 1983. But he is also right that it represents too strong an idea to be defeated completely. The need for a Left-of-centre movement that represents an electable alternative to the Conservatives will be no less acute on the morning of June 9 than it has ever been.

Those who will be entrusted to sift through the wreckage should start preparing now: this will involve much more than the routine beauty contest that precedes a formal leadership contest. Labour will have to drill deep into its failures, extract the unpalatable lessons and learn afresh that a partys mission is not simply to please itself. To adapt Sheryl Sandbergs language, the time is fast approaching for Option B.
S treet food and music fest Last Days of Shoreditch returns to the capital in May, and this time theres an avocado bar and added sand.

The revamped and renamed Last Days of Shoreditch Riviera will run every Thursday, Friday and Saturday throughout the summer, bringing cocktails, street food, resident DJs and karaoke to its site near Old Street roundabout.

It will come complete with its own own urban beach overlooked by palm trees and decking, plus cocktail and craft beer bars.

Food will include burgers from Nanny Bills alongside Londons first dedicated avocado bar from newcomer Belli Freschi. It will offer the brunch favourite in plentiful guises along with some baked pasta dishes. And, yes, avocado bars are already proving to be a thing in New York, so dont expect this to be Londons last.

XOYO DJs will be in residence every Saturday daytime, while a music line-up will include Maribou State, Stuart Patterson, Phil Mison and The Dr Orders.

Should you prefer to make your own musical mark, there will be a pop-up Lucky Voice karaoke bar as well as built-in escape room adventure. It might be trickier than usual after a few cocktails.

Highlights from 2017's summer street food markets 1 /10 Highlights from 2017's summer street food markets Model Market The Farang kitchen A pink iced bun from Fatties A Bucket List burger at KERB Lemlem Kitchens Afro tacos Petares beef brisket El Pabellon Chin Chin Labs ice cream Mini Bao Fab five: Mini Bao at BAO Fitzrovia

Last Days of Shoreditch Riviera launches on May 25 and will be open every Thursday from 511.30pm, Friday from 5pm until midnight and Saturday from 6pm until midnight.

Entry will be free on Thursdays and Fridays, and after 9pm on Saturdays, with tickets priced around 10 for some line-ups earlier on Saturdays.

Visit lastdaysofshoreditch.co.uk.
L ondon is resourceful. With space and time in high demand, its wise do more with a lot less  and since were never more resourceful than when were hungry, culture vultures are always circling for food with benefits.

As a result, the citys galleries, theatres and concert halls are upping their gastronomic game for the peckish public. If music be the food of love, play on, but there had better be a seasonal asparagus dish or a craft beer to wash it down with.

This is a food city, so to do something designed to entertain and delight people without food just seems silly, says Jordan Gross, co-director of Oval Space, the Hackney events spot that hosts everything from yoga mornings to House music nights.

Oval Space is currently renovating its cafe, focusing on a lunch menu with seasonal dishes such as rabbit, rhubarb and drop scones from 6 to 10, and by bringing in chefs Sam Hodges and Dan Murray, graduates of St JOHN and Ottolenghi respectively, Goss hopes to take their evenings to the level of St JOHN, Bocca di Lupoand The Clove Club. Think dinner for 100 people on long tables in the main space, with dancing before and/or after at one of its on-point events such as Secretsundaze.

New theme: Spiritlands Deez Nuts rum cocktail

Goss is just one early-adopter. Andrew Lloyd Webber invited Brixtons Naughty Piglets into Victorias Other Palace Theatre last year. When he first contacted us I thought he wanted us to be in one of his musicals, says co-owner Margaux Sharratt, a sommelier who runs the restaurants with her husband and chef Joe. We open at 5.15pm every afternoon to please the theatre crowd. We get a lot of them.

At Franks Cafe in Peckham, which reopens on May 19, youll come for beers, or the views of London, but stay for multi-storey Bold Tendencies art gallery below (or at least leave that way). At the Design Museum in Kensington, Quo Vadiss Jeremy Lee, Shaun Hill of Michelin-starred The Walnut Tree and Masterchef Professionals finalist Marianne Lumb have hosted pop-ups.

Across town at Spiritland, which opened in Kings Cross last September, a cafe has been built around what creative director Patrick Clayton-Malone calls the best sound system in the world, and it has hosted food and music nights with Jarvis Cocker and Joe Mackie, Bill Nighy and Nick Hornby, and Hot Chip.

Music lovers obviously love food, says Clayton-Malone, but traditionally the two dont mix well. When people have done it before food is either a novelty factor or an afterthought  and usually, when youve paired the two, it feels like the food suffers.

Instead, with the help of chef Owen Kenworthy, formerly head chef at Columbia Roads Brawn, the menu at Spiritland is a New York deli via Middle Eastern theme, with salt beef sandwiches, chicken soup, small plates of smoked aubergine and grilled flatbread, tomato salads and crispy potatoes and slaw.

The artists themselves are placing higher demands on the food served at venues. The Garage, Islingtons much-loved gig venue, which has hosted the Arctic Monkeys, Oasis, Muse and the Red Hot Chili Peppers, has just finished giving itself an overhaul, with coffee, food and craft beer  because artists wouldnt play because of how the venue looks and how it has been treated, according to Ed Lilo, one of the venues heads of programming.

It serves Bauhaus Coffee, which is roasted locally, and craft beers from breweries such as Two Roads, Tiny Rebel, Magic Rock and Stone Brewing Co. Theres a blue sherbert cocktail served in a lightbulb too and a Bloody Mary that comes in a can, in a reference to Andy Warhols famous Campbells soup.

Goss says London is following Berlins lead, pointing to super-clubs such as Kater Holzig, which has a roof restaurant, and the defunct Cookies, which had cult vegetarian restaurant Cookies Cream attached. Lining your stomach for a night out probably involves carbohydrates and nothing complicated  but people are becoming more discerning with that kind of thing, says Goss. When it comes to culture, its food for thought, and vice-versa.
I f your hungover Sundays often involve trudging in the cold and rain to pick up a Big Mac at your local McDonalds, prepare to save yourself some serious hassle: the fast food chain has announced it is finally launching a delivery service in the capital.

McDonalds has long hinted at the launch of a click-and-deliver service in the UK - and now The Telegraph reports that the service will be trialled in June across the country.

UK chief executive Paul Pomroy has said that the trial should be "up and running in the UK in just over a month's time.

Pomroy says that, instead of running its own delivery operation, the company will partner with an external company such as Uber Eats or Deliveroo to make sure your order arrives in lightening-fast time.

The news comes after McDonalds recently rolled out a new app which allows customers to save menu preferences and order their favourite foods when they visit a chain.

On arrival, they can check in with their smartphone at a digital scanner and have their order delivered to their table.

Last month, while announcing growth plans, the company hinted that the UK, US, France, Germany and Canada would be the next countries to get on-demand french fries.

The burger chain also already runs delivery services in China and Singapore.

London's best burgers 1 /5 London's best burgers 30burgermain2070.jpg Coming right up: one of Shake Shacks smokeshack burgers AN23254248atmosphere_tray-b.jpg Tray bake: more Shake Shack burgers AN23861731BUN.jpg Hot hirata: an Asian steamed bun of the sort Flesh and Buns and Rock Lobsta will offer AN23247970Roasted salmon bu.jpg Fillet o' fish: The Happenstance's roasted teriyaki salmon bun

In a statement released at the time, the company said: "One of the most significant disruptions in the restaurant business today is the rapid increase in delivery. Through technology, delivery has changed the way customers order, pay, track and receive food and provide feedback.

"Coupled with the explosive growth in third-party delivery companies, the landscape has created an exceptional opportunity for growth. Because of our extraordinary footprint, McDonald's is uniquely positioned to become the global leader in delivery."

Big Macs direct to your doorstep? Prepare yourself, Londoners.
I f you always felt like an icy cold beer helped you to unwind after a long day in the office, a new exercise trend is here to help you to take your inner calm to the next level.

Beer yoga is being touted as the next big international fitness craze, combining traditional yoga poses with the art of chugging back a bottle of lager.

Think: holding your beer to the heavens in a tree pose before moving to take a sip in a halfway lift.

The idea started over a year ago in Germany at a hip Berlin yoga studio, where locals went mad for the idea of stretching during their drinking sessions.

The classes are run by Jhula and Emily, yogis who first saw the idea taking place at Burning Man festival.

Germany's BierYoga A.K.A BeerYoga touts itself as the "marriage of two great lovesbeer and yoga. Both are centuries-old therapies for mind, body and soul," according to its website.

Best yoga Instagrammers - in pictures 1 /14 Best yoga Instagrammers - in pictures Click through to discover 10 essential Instagram accounts for any yoga-lover Instagram/@steffywhiteyoga Adam Husler @adamhusler Teaches at Equinox, Yotopia, Stretch, Hot Yoga Society, KX, Yogahaven, Indaba, Tripspace



Though its not necessarily what I teach in my classes, naturally, people love to see the more flamboyant poses in cool settings. But beware trying to copy these poses: dont get drawn in by the aesthetics and focus on the integrity and alignment of the pose, not the prettiness! Sarah Highfield @sarahhighfield Teaches at Bodyism, Form Studios



Its not too difficult to photograph the poses but I do need to warm up before the deeper stretches. I dont have a dedicated photographer  its pretty much anyone who is with me at the time, so usually my friends or boyfriend. Natasha Sherikhora @soluckysogreen Teaches private classes



I love seeing people from all over the world enjoying yoga on Instagram, regardless of their experience or body type. I get ideas and inspiration while teaching and I try to capture all facets of yoga in my photos  its grace, beauty, fun and challenges. 5. Naomi Absalom @naomiabsalom Teaches at Triyoga, Indaba Yoga, Union Station Yoga



I dont plan what I post at all; I just post what I feel like, when I feel like it. I like that Im in charge of what I say and how I communicate  its very much my voice. Zarouhi Grumbar @yogawithzaz Teaches at iLumi Power Yoga, Yoga West



I have made real friends through the Instagram yoga community. One friend travelled from Sweden so that we could meet and go to a yoga retreat together. At the end of my personal practice, or after teaching, I may set up my iPhone and simply take whatever poses I feel my body needs or what I want to express at that time. Calli Popham @calliyoga Teaches at Stretch



My shots are done by me on my iPhone timer or by friends and some are from professional shoots. Unless its a professional shoot the light is always natural light. I tend to take them in the studio after Ive taught or if I am somewhere particularly beautiful I might get inspired to do something upside down  it tends to be quite spontaneous. Nell Clough @danielle5freedomsyoga Teaches at Third Space, Fitmibody, Alex Fitness



A quick browse of Instagram and Im always itching to get back on my mat (it also makes me want to book lots of holidays). Its not all about crazy handstands or arm balances, although its good to be encouraged to safely develop your practice with more difficult poses. Steffy White @steffywhiteyoga Teaches at Frame Shoreditch



My top tip is to press the brighten button. I dont have someone walking around with me taking photos on a proper camera. Just me, randoms on the street and sometimes my boyfriend  nothing too fancy! My favourite pose at the moment is hanging out in caterpillar pose. Katarina Rayburn @katarinarayburnyoga Teaches at Frame, Dragonfly Yoga Studio, The Power Yoga Company



I enjoy looking at poses on Instagram as it gives insight into variations that I may not have discovered so I am inspired to try and explore new poses and transitions within my practice. Charlotte Wellfare @charyogi Teaches at The Refinery, Shoreditch House, Frame, More Yoga



The best Instagram pictures, in my opinion, are a balance of amazing yoga poses but also some fun and not-so-serious pictures to capture who you really are in life.

But its not just a hipster fad. "BeerYoga is fun but it's no joke," founder and yogi Jhula writes. "We take the philosophies of yoga and pair it with the pleasure of beer-drinking to reach your highest level of consciousness."

Now the fitness class is gaining traction internationally - having caught the attention of yoga-mad Australians.

Classes are now popping up in Sydney, with students performing 'beer salutations' while casually balancing bottles of beer on their heads.

Sadly, theres no news yet as to when the trend will be coming to London, but if you cant wait until then - perhaps you should raid the fridge before you next yoga YouTube session.
A new study explores the phenomenon of "stealthing"  the practice of non-consensually removing a condom during sex  giving a name to an act many people have experienced as extremely violating, but may not have had the words to articulate or explain. The study argues that stealthing is an act of gender-based violence, and it likely violates several civil and criminal laws.

The study, by Alexandra Brodsky for the Columbia Journal of Gender and Law, is an important addition to the literature and conversation about how we define sexual assault, sexual violence, and rape, both colloquially and legally. She interviews victims of stealthing, while also researching the online communities and spaces that advocate for the practice. Unsurprisingly, these communities consist of men  both gay and straight  who believe they have a right to "spread their seed," and who "root their support [for stealthing] in an ideology of male supremacy in which violence is a mans natural right, Brodsky told The Huffington Post.

For victims of stealthing, they may experience many of the same traumatic effects that other victims of sexual violence do. But because stealthing is not clearly defined as sexual assault, they may feel confused as to why they're feeling this way. Not having the language to explain what happened can also make it harder to seek support for the trauma.

It is important to be clear that non-consensual condom removal is sexual assault: it forces people into a sexual situation that they were not expecting and did not agree to. In fact, a man in Switzerland was recently convicted of rape for this very act. Wikileaks' Julian Assange was also accused by multiple women of tampering with or non-consensually removing a condom during sex, and UK officials determined there was probable cause for him to be extradited to Sweden to face rape charges.

On top of the shame, confusion, and trauma that victims of stealthing must deal with, they also face all of the potential consequences of unprotected sex, like pregnancy and STIs. One victim in the study called the act of stealthing rape-adjacent. Adding to the feelings of shame and confusion can be the fact that the offence was perpetrated by someone the victim had begun having consensual sex with, so the violation occurs in a situation where some level of trust has been established. This is consistent with the statistics regarding rape in general; the majority of rapes (7 in 10, according to RAINN) are perpetrated by someone known to the victim.

In the sexual and domestic violence fields, advocates already have a name for this kind of violence: reproductive coercion. The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (ACOG) defines reproductive coercion as "behaviour [that] includes explicit attempts to impregnate a partner against her will, control outcomes of pregnancy, coerce a partner to have unprotected sex, and interfere with contraceptive methods." This kind of violence often happens within abusive relationships and is another way that abusive partners attempt to gain control over their victims.

The challenge with this kind of sexual violence, however, is how difficult it can be to prosecute, should a victim choose to use the criminal justice system to seek retribution. This is for many of the same reasons that the majority of rapes are not prosecuted  the element of he said, she said makes the burden of proof impossibly high in many cases  but also because there is no clear legal statute that addresses the act of stealth condom removal.

In the Assange case (in which he maintains his innocence), "A lot comes down to what can be proved in court, however," Dr. Sinead Ring of the University of Kent told Broadly. "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. But a jury would have to determine that he didn't have a reasonable belief in consent and just went ahead and did it anyway."

This is why, in the study, Brodsky concludes that a new statute could be the best course of action. This would not only help victims pursue criminal charges if they choose to, but the clear language can help people understand what happened to them and hopefully receive support in the aftermath of the violation. 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,'" Brodsky says.

If you have experienced sexual violence of any kind, please visit Rape Crisis or call 0808 802 9999
T heres nothing worse than going through a tough break-up, especially when you didn't want the relationship to end.

While its tempting to lie in bed for days or cry over the details with friends and family, a new study claims that the best way to start the healing process is to put on a brave face and pretend to be okay.

According to the University of Colorado, the placebo effect of pretending to be over your ex in public to save face can trick your mind into thinking that you actually are okay - making the heartbreak period much more bearable.

The research, which was recently published in the Journal of Neuroscience, studied 40 people who had all experienced an 'unwanted romantic break-up' in the past six months.

The dumpees were asked to provide a photo of their ex partner and a photo of a friend of the same sex.

The participants were then shown images of their ex and asked to recall their breakup, while hooked up to a functional magnetic resonance imagining (fMRI) machine.

Alongside showing the volunteers pictures of their ex flames, the scientists also held up images of their friends while subjecting them to physical pain in the form of hot stimulus on their arm.

Participants were then asked to rate how they felt on a scale while their brain activity was monitored.

9 break up signs you should know 1 /12 9 break up signs you should know Youre arguing all the time You try and try, but you keep fighting over the same things. Or one big thing. Either way, you never resolve it so the arguing continues. If you cant get past your problems, then maybe its time to part ways before things get worse. Copyright (c) 2015 Rex Features. No use without permission. You dont want to make sacrifices Compromise is a major part of being in a relationship, but if youre growing resentful about the amount of time, effort and money youre putting into a relationship, chances are youre not invested in the long-haul. If a night out with friends consistently takes priority over spending the weekend at your partners parents house, it might be a sign that youre yearning for your independence. Copyright (c) 2015 Rex Features. No use without permission. You dont make time for each other anymore In the early stages of the relationship youd message each other all the time. Now you can barely be bothered to text them back, let alone spare some time for a call. If youve reached the point where youre actively ignoring their attempts to contact you, its time to have the talk. Copyright (c) 2013 Rex Features. No use without permission. The reasons to stay together are trivial Hes financially stable. Shes good at cooking. These might be nice additions to a relationship, but they shouldnt be the reason why you're still together. The same applies to the I'm scared I wont meet anyone else excuse. Copyright (c) 2016 Rex Features. No use without permission. Everything your partner does bothers you Remember how you used to find their strange laugh endearing? Or his stubborn nature cute? Now you they just drive to despair. Copyright (c) 2015 Rex Features. No use without permission. Youve stopped having sex Theres no normal to the amount of sex you should be having, but theres a difference between cooling down after the initial honeymoon period, and cooling off all together. If youve swapped orgasms for a DVD box set of Downton Abbey, it might be time to reassess. Copyright (c) 2013 Rex Features. No use without permission. You want different things Kids. Jobs. Mortgages. These are big decisions to make as a couple that will only work if both of your lives are heading towards the same goal. Perhaps you want to travel for a year, or take an opportunity abroad? Before you go any further, make sure youre both on the same path. Otherwise, it might mean its time to move on. Copyright (c) 2015 Rex Features. No use without permission. The people closest to you express concern Youre friends, family and co-workers have an objective view of your relationship. If several people sound the alarm about how your relationship is negatively affecting you, its time to listen up. Copyright (c) 2015 Rex Features. No use without permission. Youre thinking about what else might be out there It used to be that you wanted to spend every night and waking moment together, but now youre daydreaming about bachelorhood, romanticising past relationships or even making contact with old flames. Either way, you already have one foot out of the door. Copyright (c) 2016 Rex Features. No use without permission.

The scientists found that different regions of the brain lit up as they alternated the stimulus, suggesting that emotional and physical pain are experienced completely differently - and that the former is 'neurochemically real'.

The researchers then gave each participant a nasal spray. Half of the group were told that it was a powerful analgesic effective in reducing emotional pain, while the rest were told it was just a saline solution.

After repeating the exercise, the placebo group said that they felt both less physical and emotional pain. Their brain also responded differently when seeing the photo of their ex, after they believed they'd ingested the helpful nasal spray.

Author Leonie Koban said: 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. In our study, we found a placebo can have quite strong effects on reducing the intensity of social pain.

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 Doing anything that you believe will help you feel better will probably help you feel better.

So next time you feel like putting on Adele and crying into your old WhatsApp messages, perhaps its time to put on a brave face, make plans with your friends and take yourself out for the day.
A man has died after being knocked down by a car in a hit-and-run in east London.

The 59-year-old was struck by a vehicle while walking along Mansell Street in Aldgate on Tuesday night.

Emergency services were scrambled to the scene just before 11.30pm and paramedics rushed him to hospital, police said.

Despite the efforts of the medics, he died in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

Emergency services rushed to the scene just before 11.30pm on Tuesday night / Tower Hamlets MPS

The driver of the car, thought to be a silver or grey BMW 1-series, did not stop at the scene.

In statement, the Metropolitan Police said: Officers are appealing for anyone who has seen, or has information about, a car like this with extensive damage to its bonnet and windscreen, to contact them.

They are also keen to hear from anyone who witnesses the collision, or who has any information about it.

Anyone that can assist police is asked to call the Serious Collision Investigation Unit on 020 8597 4874, or contact police via 101 or by tweeting @MetCC.

To give information anonymously call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or visit crimestoppers-uk.org.
P olice have arrested a man after a teenage cyclist was allegedly hacked to death in south London by a machete-wielding gang.

The 17-year-old student, named locally as Mohammed but known as Little Mo, was stabbed to death on a Battersea estate on Sunday after being chased by a group armed with machetes.

Witnesses described how he was attacked by the masked gang of youths who left him sprawled on a bonnet of a car, calling for help.

He was heard screaming: "Help me, I'm dying."

The teenager was rushed to hospital after being found on Ingrave Street at 1.25am but was pronounced dead around 90 minutes later.

Cordon: Police in Battersea after the teenager was stabbed to death / NIGEL HOWARD

Detectives investigating the case now said they have arrested a 19-year-old man on suspicion of murder. He was detained by police at an address in Wandsworth on Wednesday morning.

The Met said their enquiries are continuing.

Mohammed is the fourth teenager to be murdered in London in April and the eighth this year.

Forensic officers combing the York Road estate found the boy's bike and a blood-soaked car from the scene.

Murder probe: Police guard the crime scene / Nigel Howard

According to residents living nearby, the gang - who were reportedly wearing balaclavas - jumped out of a car and began chasing Mohammed as he rode his bike.

Since Saturday, five people - including Mohammed - have been killed in the capital.

On Saturday, 42-year-old Damien McLaughlin was stabbed to death in Enfield by a group of men believed to be wearing ski-masks. The following night a 60-year-old man was killed in a knife attack in Bow Common Lane, Mile End.

On Tuesday night, another man was killed in Wandsworth - the fourth person to be killed in the capital's streets in as many days.

The man, who is in his 20s, collapsed in the street outside Wandsworth Preparatory School.

And last week 19-year-old Jordan Wright was found slumped on a street suffering with knife injuries. He was pronounced dead a few hours later.

The killings come as figures from the Met Police show a 24 per cent rise in knife crime in London last year. Knife attacks had risen by a fifth, year-on-year figures revealed.

Since the five murders over the weekend, police have made a string of arrests and charges.

The Met charged two men, aged 17 and 18, in connection with the murder of Damien McLaughlin, 42, in Enfield.

In connection with Tuesday night's murder in Wandsworth, a 30-year-old man and 29-year-old woman were arrested in the early hours of Wednesday morning.
A student accused of plotting to blow up a Tube train with a homemade ball bearings bomb posed for a picture next to an image of the mastermind of the 2015 Isis-inspired terrorist attacks in Paris, the Old Bailey heard today.

Damon Smith, 20, allegedly planned to kill and maim London Underground passengers with an improvised explosive device he left in an Adidas rucksack on the floor of a Jubilee Line train, it is said.

The homemade device, rigged with a 2 Tesco clock as a timer, was allegedly packed with ball bearings as shrapnel to cause added devastation.

It failed to detonate, the court heard, but if successful would have gone off while passengers were being evacuated from the train.

Police found a shredded bomb recipe at Smith's Rotherhithe home in the aftermath of the incident, jurors heard, as well as an alleged shopping list of ingredients ending with the words: "Keep this a secret between me and Allah".

However Smith claims his homemade device was merely a smoke bomb, which he left on the train in October last year "for fun" as a prank he hoped would make the news.

Jonathan Rees QC, prosecuting, said Smith had "a keen interest in guns and other weapons" as well as an interest in "extreme violence".

'Tube plot' suspect: Damon Smith / Twitter

He said anti-terror police found, during a raid on Smith's grandparents' home in Devon, an iPad containing a picture of Smith standing in front of a television screen showing a photograph of Abdelhamid Abaaoud, the Brussels-born Islamic terrorist, who is alleged to have masterminded the attacks in Paris in November 2015.

Abaaoud, who was killed in the aftermath of the terrorist atrocities in the French capital, is said to have planned the ISIS-inspired gun and bomb rampage that left 129 people dead.

They also found pictures of Abaaoud and other Islamic extremists on a laptop at the home Smith was sharing with his mother in Rotherhithe.

The computer had been used to search for the ISIS propaganda magazine Dabiq around six weeks before the alleged bomb plot, it is said.

Cordoned off: The scene inside North Greenwich station / Daniel O'Mahony

Smith, who was in the first year of a computer sciences degree at London Metropolitan University, had moved to London with his mother shortly before carrying out the alleged bomb plot, on October 20 last year, on the eastbound Jubilee train between Southwark and London Bridge.

He was seen on CCTV placing batteries in to the clock on his improvised bomb while still on the train, it is claimed, before leaving the rucksack on the floor as he got off at London Bridge.

A passenger found the rucksack and handed it to the driver, who initially believed it was only lost property. He continued on his journey but alerted the authorities when he realised it was a possible bomb after spotting wires protruding from the back of a clock.

Mr Rees said the bomb was timed to detonate just before 11am, telling jurors: "Had the device worked, it would have gone off while passengers were being ordered off the platform."

Smith went to a branch of Starbucks after the incident, before continuing to university. Later that evening, he looked online for news of the bomb incident, the court heard.

The prosecution say that the defendant had built an improvised explosive device which he intended would explode and endanger the lives of those travelling on that tube train or, at the very least, cause serious damage to the train itself, said Mr Rees.

Anti terror police found a photo of Smith standing in front of an image of Abdelhamid Abaaoud, the court heard

You will hear that the body of the device that contained the explosive substance also contained a quantity of ball bearings, which the prosecution allege had been included to act as shrapnel so as to increase the destructive effect of the device.

The defendant denies that was his intention. While he accepts building a device and leaving it on the tube train, it is his case that this was all a prank and he had no intention of harming anyone or causing serious damage to property.

In the course of his police interview that followed his arrest, he said that he had built a device which when activated was intended only to produce smoke, so in essence a smoke bomb.

"He said that he had added the ball bearings because he wanted to make it look like a real bomb so that the train would be stopped and it would be reported on the news.

He told jurors they will have to decide whether Smith wanted to carry out a genuine bomb attack or if the incident was just a hoax.

In police interview, Smith, who has autism, said he was raised a Christian but believed Islam was more true because the Koran had predicted scientific developments like fingerprinting. He also said he sometimes prayed in the mornings and read the Koran.

Mr Rees said police found a BB gun, a knife in a sheath, and knuckleduster at Smith's home, as well as a blank-firing self-loading pistol with a YouTube video of him firing the imitation weapon.

Detectives also found a picture of Smith posing with a gun and wearing a headscarf, the court heard.

It is said Smith had printed off bomb making instructions from Al Qaeda magazine Inspire, titled Make a Bomb in the Kitchen of your Mom.

The document had been shredded by the time police searched his home, the court heard, but it was pieced together by a forensic scientist, revealing handmade annotations in green ink.

They also found a torn-up shopping list of ingredients for the bomb, the court heard, as well as a deleted list on an iPad including a 2 Tesco clock, ball bearings labelled as shrapnel.

Mr Rees said the iPad list ended with the words: And keep this a secret between me and Allah #InspireTheBelievers.

Smith, of Abbeyfield Road, South Bermondsey, denies having an explosive substance with intent to endanger life or cause serious injury. He has pleaded guilty to perpetrating a bomb hoax.

The trial continues.
A pervert who exposed himself to commuters at train and tube stations across London has been jailed for 21 months.

Justin McCarthy, 37, was reported to police after he was spotted exposing himself and touching himself  at stations between February and March this year.

He would board the trains and sit near a woman before beginning to touch himself inappropriately, British Transport Police (BTP) said.

The incidents took place at Brent Cross Underground, Oxford Circus Underground, Watford Junction, Morden Underground, Clapham South Underground and Waterloo Underground.

McCarthy, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to six counts of outraging public decency and six counts of breaching a criminal behaviour orders.

He was sentenced at Highbury and Islington Magistrates Court on Tuesday, March 28.

McCarthy was sentenced in March / British Transport Police

Following his sentencing, people who saw him on trains have come out to speak their encounters with McCarthy on the train.

One woman took a photo of the man and sent it to officers on the Overground line, who then sent it to BTP.

She said: I had been met by a friend after work at Highbury and Islington station where we got the Overground train to Dalston Kingsland.

We were both chatting and were sat next to each other when my friend noticed that a man sitting opposite her had his hands down his pants and was touching himself.

She pulled her phone out as she felt uncomfortable to tell me whilst the man was touching himself.

I felt extremely angry and uncomfortable. Thankfully there were no children on the train at the time, but I thought that this man should not have been subjecting people to this and he should not be allowed to get away with it.

McCarthy was also in breach of a suspended sentence and has served 16 weeks imprisonment.

BTP investigating officer PC George James said: This result is a good example of our stance on those committing any form of unwanted sexual behaviour on the rail network.

"Thankfully all the women reported McCarthys behaviour to police and he was eventually arrested and charged for the offences.
A revolting pervert who sexually assaulted six women on the Tube has been jailed.

Saiful Islam, 27, of no fixed abode, was sentenced to two years in prison at Blackfriars Crown Court on Tuesday after pleading guilty to six counts of sexual assault.

Islam sexually assaulted the women on trains on the London Underground between 2012 and 2017, police said.

He was arrested in January this year when police seized DNA evidence from the clothing of five of the women.

The women gave statements to police describing how "disgusted" and "violated" they felt by Islam's behaviour.

Investigating officer, Det Con Allan McTaggart, said: They were upset, angry, shocked  these women were simply travelling on the railway when they were subject to a revolting attack by Saiful Islam.

I am extremely pleased that he is now behind bars where he cannot do this to any more women."

The incidents happened on the westbound Central line at Liverpool Street station in August 2012; on the northbound Northern line from London Bridge in August 2012; on an eastbound Central line train from Holborn in September 2012; on the westbound Piccadilly line from Holborn in December 2016 against two women; and on the westbound Piccadilly line from Holborn in January 2017.

Islam was also ordered to sign the Violent and Sex Offender Register for ten years.

If you have experienced unwanted sexual behaviour on the railway network, report it by calling 0800 40 50 40 or texting 61016.
A man has been arrested on suspicion of murder after a carpenter was stabbed to death in a "brutal" attack in Battersea.

Malachi Brooks, 21, was ambushed as he made his way home in the early hours of the morning after spending an evening at a friends house.

The incident happened just yards from the private Thomass School, where Prince George is due to start in September.

A 21-year-old man was arrested in Tooting on Wednesday morning on suspicion of murder, Scotland Yard said.

He remains custody at a south London police station.

Police and paramedics raced to the scene in Surrey Lane at about 1.10am on Tuesday, March 28 and found a Mr Brooks suffering stab injuries.

They battled to save him but he was pronounced dead at the scene at 1.55am.

Detective Inspector Tony Lynes, who is leading the investigation, said: "This was a brutal attack on a young man.

The investigation continues and we continue to appeal 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."

His next of kin have been informed and formal identification has taken place.

A post-mortem gave the cause of death as a stab wound to the heart.

Any witnesses, or anyone with any information, are asked to call the incident room on 020 8721 4868. Police can also be contacted via Twitter @MetCC.

To give information anonymously contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or visit crimestoppers-uk.org.
A man has died after an explosion at a home in north London followed a stand-off with bailiffs and police.

Wilton Stirling, 56, died in hospital four days after suffering serious burns in the explosion at the town house in Finsbury Park.

More than 70 firefighters were called to the property on Stapleton Hall Road as huge flames ripped through the building last Wednesday, and neighbouring houses were evacuated.

The dramatic scenes unfolded when bailiffs attended the basement property and a dispute broke out with Mr Stirling, who was said to be wielding a weapon.

Aftermath of fire in Finsbury Park

Police officers were called to the scene and they attempted to communicate with him. However, he ran inside and a short while later an explosion came from within. Detectives believe an accelerant was poured around the property.

Mr Stirling was rushed to hospital and later transferred to a specialist burns unit, where he died on Sunday.

Five police officers were also injured in the explosion, with injuries including burns and a broken wrist. They were all taken to a north London hospital for treatment but have since been released.

Detectives from Haringey CID are continuing to investigate the incident and the cause of the explosion. It is not being treated as terrorism-related and no other people are being sought.

Paramedics were called to the scene at around midday

One witness told the Standard: When the bailiffs came the man chased them around with an axe and knife.

"The police were called and came to try and calm him down.

He ran into the basement and the police were trying to talk him round. That's when the explosion happened.

An Air Ambulance was scrambled to the scene / LAS

A Met spokesman said the Independent Complaints Commission would be made aware of the incident.

They said: As is routine, this investigation had been referred to the Directorate of Professional Standards and in turn it the Independent Complaints Commission has been informed.

The leafy north London street was been engulfed in smoke / LAS

The spokesman added: Police were called at around 11:50hrs on Wednesday, 19 April, to reports of a man armed with a weapon in Stapleton Hall Road N4.

A 56-year-old man who was involved in an ongoing housing dispute retreated into the property upon the arrival of officers.

At this early stage it is believed that an accelerant was poured within the property. Officers attempted to communicate with the man but a short time later there was an explosion inside the address.

A post-mortem examination will take place in due course.
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A teenager has been arrested after a woman was allegedly raped at knifepoint in a horrific daylight attack in a south-east London park.

The 40-year-old victim was strolling through Sutcliffe Park in Kidbrooke when she was threatened with a knife and raped, police say.

Detectives arrested a 15-year-old boy on Tuesday on suspicion of rape, robbery and possession of an offensive weapon.

He remains in custody at a police station in south London.

An investigation was launched after the ordeal that took place just before 2.15pm last Wednesday.

The victim was rushed to hospital but has since been discharged and is now being supported by specialist officers.

A Scotland Yard spokesman said: Detectives from the Sexual Offences, Exploitation & Child Abuse Command are investigating.

The victim's handbag - described as white with long handles/straps - was also stolen. Detectives continue to appeal for information and witnesses.

Any witnesses or anyone with information about the attack is urged to contact police in Greenwich via 101, or by tweeting @MetCC.

To give information anonymously call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or visit the crimestoppers-uk.org website.
T wo friends could face jail for their part in the 42 million hacking attack on website TalkTalk.

The two men today pleaded guilty to charges relating to the massive security breach in October 2015, which saw thousands of customers information stolen.

Matthew Hanley, 22, and Connor Allsopp, 20, both from Tamworth in Staffordshire, admitted charges on Wednesday.

Hanley pleaded guilty to hacking into the website of the telecommunications giant between October 18 and 22 2015.

He also passed on data for hacking to another man and gave his friend Allsopp a spreadsheet containing the personal and financial details of a TalkTalk customer for the use in fraud.

At an earlier hearing, his friend Allsopp, of Coronation Street, admitted supplying a TalkTalk customer's details for fraud and as well as files for hacking.

Judge Michael Topolski QC ordered reports for both defendants and adjourned sentencing until May 31.

In November last year, a 17-year-old youth was handed a 12-month rehabilitation order after he admitted sparking off the TalkTalk hacking when he posted details of a chink in the firm's online security.

Even though he did not gain from it, the youth paved the way for others to exploit the weakness for money by accessing the data of 160,000 people.

The teenager found the vulnerability in the TalkTalk website using "legitimate software" and shared details of this online.

The TalkTalk website was targeted more than 14,000 times after the boy exposed the vulnerability.

The cyber attack saw thousands of customers' details available to hackers. (Shutterstock ) / Shutterstock

The firm said the fallout from the cyber attack in October 2015 cost it 42 million and the personal data of nearly 160,000 people was accessed.

The teenager told magistrates at Norwich Youth Court that he was "just showing off to my mates".

Detectives identified Hanley as a suspect in the early stages of their investigation and he was arrested on October 30 2015, Scotland Yard said.

Officers seized electrical equipment from his home but found they had been wiped or the data encrypted.

But when they looked at his social media accounts, detectives discovered Hanley had discussed hacking into TalkTalk's website and getting rid of incriminating evidence.

Hanley, of Devonshire Drive, denied other charges relating to hacking into Nasa, the National Climatic Data Centre and another 23 websites including Spotify, Telstra, the RAC and The Eton Collection which were ordered to lie on file.

DCI Andy Gould, from the Met's Falcon Cyber Crime Unit, said: "Hanley hacked into TalkTalk's website in order to steal their customers' data and looked to sell it on to other criminals and fraudsters who would then go on to use that data for other criminal purposes.

"Hanley thought that he was being smart and covering his tracks by wiping his hard drives and encrypting his data. But what our investigation shows is that no matter how hard criminals try to conceal their activity, they will leave some kind of trail behind.

"This investigation has been painstaking and the work our detectives have done to trace and identify those involved has combined cutting-edge digital forensic techniques with old-fashioned detective work that has led to the conviction of several of those involved, and the investigation continues."


A young man collapsed and died outside a prep school in the heart of Londons nappy valley after being stabbed in the neck, witnesses said.

The man in his 20s is the fourth person to have been killed by knives in London in as many days during a week of bloodshed on the capitals streets.

Neighbours said an argument broke out between two groups hanging around in cars near Wandsworth Common, before two men chased their target and lunged at him with a blade at 7pm last night.

One was heard to scream Ill show you what will happen before plunging the knife into the victims throat and then fleeing on foot, barging horrified bystanders out of the way.

Emergency services: An ambulance at the scene of the stabbing / NIGEL HOWARD

An au pair who lives with a local family led efforts by passers-by to give the man first aid after he collapsed in the street outside 13,000-a-year Wandsworth Preparatory School.

Paramedics from the London air ambulance, which landed on Wandsworth Common, pronounced him dead at the scene 30 minutes later.

A neighbour told how his 24-year-old Australian live-in nanny desperately fought to save the young man who died in her arms.

The 45-year-old said: She saw the argument break out, there was lots of shouting and fronting up between the groups.

She didnt see the knife, it was so quick, but the man collapsed in a pool of blood. She stepped in to stop the bleeding and try CPR, she couldnt just stand there.

Police cordon: the scene in Wandsworth after the stabbing / NIGEL HOWARD

She came back home shaking and covered in blood which gave the kids a fright.

Shes distraught that she couldnt save him, she had to coordinate a lot of people in a chaotic situation whilst calling the ambulance.

It looked like he had been stabbed in the neck, his skin had gone so pale, he died in her arms.

The father-of-two said the murder is shocking in a traditionally quiet residential area where family homes fetch up to 4million. Members of a local knitting circle had been attending their weekly meeting in the church next door.

He said: Its unnerving and completely unexpected to happen right on your front door step. Its normally absolutely silent around here. It goes to show murders can happen anywhere these days.

Rebecca Slack, a former professional cyclist who has competed against four-time Olympic gold winner Laura Trott, lives nearby with her husband and three children.

Air ambulance: The helicopter landed near the scene after the stabbing in Wandsworth

She said: Its awful and it happened right outside the primary school. My kids always sit on that corner and play with their phones because there is a Pokemon gym there but thank God they were inside.

They were excited by the helicopter but cant really register whats happened yet. My friend was knocked over by one of the men running away.

A Met spokesman said: Detectives are investigating the death of a man in Wandsworth.

Police were called at 7pm to a man stabbed in Melody Road near the junction with Allfarthing Lane.

The victim - a man aged in his 20s - was pronounced dead at the scene at 7.30pm.

Officers believe they know his identity, but await formal identification and confirmation that next of kin have been informed.

There has been no arrest at this early stage.

The murder comes days after Mohammed Hasan, 17, was hacked to death by a machete-wielding gang less than a mile away in a Battersea estate. The Met said it was too soon to make any link between the two deaths.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
A French woman died in a London hospital after her baby son was delivered in an emergency caesarean operation, an inquest heard.

Estelle Deleplanque, 30, a pharmacist, was seven months pregnant and suffering from a form of pre-eclampsia known as Hellp Syndrome, West London coroners court was told.

Doctors at Hillingdon hospital found she had dangerously low levels of platelets, which help the blood to clot, after she was rushed in by ambulance on January 1, 2015, during a New Year visit to relatives in London. The normal level is between 150-400 million per millilitre of blood but she had only 44. She died three hours after her son Hector, now two, was delivered.

The inquest heard that the hospital was running out of emergency supplies of platelets because of the New Year holidays. Anaesthetist Dr Emma Caseley said she was worried Ms Deleplanque might have a life-threatening bleed during the caesarean and told a laboratory technician to obtain more plateletsfrom a blood bank. But she added that Ms Deleplanque had enough platelets at the end.

Ms Deleplanque was said to have thought doctors were over- reacting when they told her she was seriously ill and begged them to let her go home. Dr Caseley said: I wanted her to understand that we were not making a fuss for no reason. The inquest continues.
G atwicks north terminal was found to have the worst airport lounge in Britain, a consumer magazine investigation has found.

Reviewers found that the floor was grubby and the facilities were basic at the My Lounge in Gatwick. They said they were left "wishing we'd stuck to the seating outside".

The Which? investigation into the facilities in UK airports found that the average score given to the 17 lounges assessed was just 2.6 out of five.

My Lounge in Gatwick, which costs 18 if paid in advance, received the lowest score of just 1.5.

Gatwick's north terminal was found to have the worst airport lounge in Britain / Getty Images

An overview of the report read: "The decor was often low-rent rather than ritzy, and the buffets were basic.

"And, having paid an average of 25 to enter, the consensus was that you would need to eat and drink an awful lot to get your money's worth."

Reviewers added that the Gatwick lounges vegetable chilli on offer "didn't look especially appetising" and there were not enough easy chairs or sockets for laptops.

Numerous lounges fared only slightly better, with scores of two out of five, including Edinburgh Aspire, Heathrow Skyteam T4, Heathrow Aspire T5, Manchester Escape T1 and T2.

The findings were not all doom and gloom for Gatwick though, as the No1 lounge at the south terminal earned the highest score of 3.5 out of five.

With an advance fee of 30, it was found to be "classy and comfortable" and "worth paying the little extra for.

A spokeswoman for No1 Lounges Ltd, which operates My Lounge at Gatwick's north terminal, said: "We take hygiene extremely seriously.

We believe the review must have taken place last year at a time when the lounge was particularly busy, due to us accommodating the airline moves programme at Gatwick Airport.

"Our satisfaction scores for My Lounge are now significantly higher.

"Regarding food choice, we are about to launch our summer menu which includes a more comprehensive offering, including a wider selection of sweet and savoury options, including additional hot choices and a pancake machine. We are also introducing a make-your-own cocktail station."
H olidaymakers were slapped with an astonishing 33,000 worth of parking fines after leaving their cars with firms at Heathrow Airport.

Horrified drivers returned from their travels to find they had been hit with several 60 fines after valeting firms moved their cars to council pay-and-display spaces.

Some 275 vehicles in total were left in two council car parks over the Easter weekend in West Drayton  which is about 15 minutes from the airport.

Some cars in the Hillingdon Council-run car parks had been hit with up to five tickets at once while parked in the area.

Cars were seen to be slapped with multiple fixed penalty notices / Facebook/Sarah Harvey

Shocked resident Sarah Harvey visited one of the car parks and shared photos of dozens of vehicles with the fixed penalty notices attacked to windscreens.

She wrote on Facebook: I looked inside a few cars and saw some tickets on the seat that clearly say Terminal 2!!

It looks like People are being ripped off by the airport parking.

Both the local council and Heathrow Airport have launched investigations into the bizarre incident that left drivers angered with their unexpected fines.

Companies offering meet-and-greet services meet customers at the airport then take their vehicle to a secure parking facility before they are returned when the owner gets back from their trip.

Hillingdon Council and Heathrow airport both launched investigations into the incident after it emerged / Facebook/Sarah Harvey

Many also had Heathrow "short stay" parking vouchers inside them, which is the area where meet and greet firms pick up their customers' cars.

David and Julia O'Neill, from Lichfield, found out their car had been issued with a parking ticket after returning from a trip to Vietnam.

Ms ONeill told the BBC the couple were "horrified to find out where their vehicle was parked, having been told it would be left in "a secure car park".

She said: "We'll just wait and see now if the council get in touch about our parking ticket.

In a statement, Hillingdon Council said it was "aware of reports that some vehicles were parked in the car parks" which had not been left by the vehicle owners.

A spokesman added: "Our trading standards team has launched an investigation and will be contacting the people who have received the parking tickets in due course.

A Heathrow spokesperson said the airport was working with "police and the local community to investigate this matter further".
A n east London borough which produces the most household waste in the capital has released a heart-warming video starring local schoolchildren in a bid to tackle the problem.

The average household in Barking and Dagenham produces one tonne of waste each year, 40 per cent more than the rest of London.

The council is hoping to cut down that waste by six per cent a year by 2020, which would free up an estimated 2 million to spend elsewhere.

As part of the Slim your bin campaign, children from two primary schools were asked what they would spend the extra cash on.

The charming schoolkids came up with clever and funny ways of spending the money / LBBD

Their hilarious and cheeky answers range from five Lamborghinis to a hospital donation. One young girl states: I would probably pay people to make me the president of America.

A cheeky lad claims: I would buy nothing because all my sisters want my money, they would just come and steal it.

Another, seemingly exhausted by the demands of school work, admits: I would buy a hotel to have a break of all the work Ive done.

The kids' suggestions ranged from Lamborghinis to hospital donations / LBBD

It ends with a charming girl, who says she would use the money to take the boy sat next to her to a theme park for the day.

The short film features children from St Valence Primary School in Dagenham and St Margarets Primary School in Barking.

Councillor Lynda Rice, Cabinet Member for Environment and Street Scene, said: This video is a fun way of highlighting a serious issue.

If we reduce our waste we could save council taxpayers up to 2 million by 2020  thats a real incentive in these tough financial times for councils.

The figure is based on the reduction in the amount of landfill taxes and disposal costs.
R ogue landlords will be named and shamed by a new online database set up to protect Londons two million private renters.

They will be able to check whether prospective landlords and letting agents have been previously prosecuted for housing offences before they move into a property.

They will also be able to report suspected rogue landlords and agents whose accommodation and service falls below acceptable legal standards.

The New York City-style database, to be published on the Mayors website, will enable councils across the capital to easily share information on enforcement and investigations and act as a deterrent.

Initially the scheme will be developed with six councils  Newham, Brent, Camden, Southwark, Kingston and Sutton  but others are expected to join after the launch this autumn.

Town hall enforcement teams will be able to access detailed information about actions taken against dishonest landlords and agents.

In 2013, Newham became the first council to be granted borough-wide licensing powers for rented properties and it has since prosecuted more than 1,000 criminal landlords, banning 28 from operating.

It comes as Sadiq Khan announced plans for a new Homes for Londoners property portal on the City Hall website which aims to bring together in one place details of affordable homes to rent or buy.

He said: I refuse to stand by as thousands of Londoners suffer sky-high rents and horrendous living conditions in a city they call home.

Ive seen first hand the abysmal conditions that some of Londons private renters are forced to endure as a result of rogue landlords.

Seb Klier, of the Generation Rent pressure group, said: This new initiative will empower renters by allowing them to check if a landlord has committed a recent housing offence, and it will put the capitals worst offenders on red alert, letting them know that if they mistreat their tenants, they will be exposed.

Earlier this month local authorities were given extra powers by the Government to crack down on rogue landlords, including the ability to issue fines of up to 30,000.

High demand as a result of the housing crisis means some landlords exploit tenants by putting them in cramped and often unsafe homes.

One raid by council officers in Brent last year found 31 migrants in a four-bedroom house, and a recent survey found six out of ten private renters in London endure problems such as leaks, pest infestations or poor heating.
A tycoon has vowed to never stop fighting to protect his home after winning a High Court block on his neighbours plans for a super-basement in the heart of Mayfair.

Stelio Stefanou OBE, 63, objected to plans for a three-storey excavation to include a kitchen, cinema, gym, and two-storey swimming pool beneath a listed building in Charles Street.

Planners at Westminster City Council gave the go-ahead for the work in August last year, but Mr Justice Gilbart yesterday overturned the decision, saying officials had not taken sufficient account of their own policy on super-basements.

The judge said the huge development beneath the three-storey 18th-century terraced house, which has been Grade II listed since 1969, would cause a great deal of upheaval and lengthy building and excavation works.

Mr Stefanou, whose 50 million house next door was once home to the Duke of Clarence before he became King William IV in 1830, said: Its a massive relief, were pleased the judge has seen sense.

These historical buildings need to be protected. Weve no idea how this development was even allowed in the first place. It would have been so disruptive.

Going to judicial review was a big risk but there was no other option, I will not stop fighting to save my house.

The businessman and philanthropist said his 260-year-old home had suffered damage from previous subterranean developments nearby.

He added: This was a lovely little community, but things like this break it up. You dont need to dig three floors underground to use a house. It is an enormous worry for us.

The judge said the council had made a very straightforward error of law when considering plans by specialist conservation architects Feilden and Mawson and submitted for planning permission by Cunningham Management Limited.

Because a basement extension had already been allowed in 2011, the council believed it only had to consider additional work being planned. But the judge said it should have considered the whole scheme against its policy on basements.

The council was bound to have regard to it, he said, quashing the planning permission and the listed building consent.

Plans for a 24 million mega basement in the grounds of Kensington Palace near the home of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have been criticised by locals. Historic Royal Palaces is seeking permission from Kensington and Chelsea council for a 50 million, two-storey-deep basement next to Grade I listed Queen Annes Orangery to house staff. More than a dozen objections have already been submitted.
Z ac Goldsmith has been reselected to stand as the Conservative MP for Richmond Park in the election despite his resignation just last year.

He will prepare to mount a comeback as a Tory MP after winning the selection contest outright in the first round after taking on Laura Farris and Luke Parker.

Mr Goldsmith resigned in October in protest over the Government's decision to back a third runway at Heathrow Airport.

At the time he described the Tories' decision to back the runway as catastrophic and said it would be a milestone around this Governments neck for years.

Candidate: Zac Goldsmith and wife Alice / Dave Benett

Mr Goldsmith said that he would stand by his promise to his constituents and allow them to vote in another candidate.

After resigning, he ran as an independent in the December by-election - in which there was no Conservative nominee - but was beaten by Liberal Democrat Sarah Olney.

Richmond Park by-election 2016 - In pictures 1 /21 Richmond Park by-election 2016 - In pictures Liberal Democrat candidate Sarah Olney reacts as she is declared the winner of the Richmond Park by-election Getty Images Zac Goldsmith looks dejected as he listens to newly-elected Liberal Democrat MP Sarah Olney speaking PA Liberal Democrat candidate Sarah Olney with her husband Ben and party supporters celebrate after winning the Richmond Park by-election Yui Mok/PA Zac Goldsmith speaking after being defeated Yui Mok/PA Ballot papers are tipped on to a bench in front of count staff during the Richmond Park by-election count at Richmond Upon Thames College Lucy Young A counter sorts ballot papers at the Richmond Park by-election count at Richmond Upon Thames College Chris J Ratcliffe/Getty Images Liberal Democrat candidate Sarah Olney delivers her winning speech PA Liberal Democrat candidate Sarah Olney and her husband Ben celebrate after winning the Richmond Park by-election Yui Mok/PA Zac Goldsmith arrives at the Richmond Park by-election for the result Yui Mok/PA Liberal Democrat candidate for Richmond Park Sarah Olney arrives in the count hall in Richmond Justin Tallis/AFP/Getty Images Zac Goldsmith (left) looks down as the result is announced Yui Mok/PA Zac Goldsmith speaks after being defeated in a by-election he triggered himself Yui Mok/PA Zac Goldsmith's mother Lady Annabel Goldsmith (3rd left) consoles a dejected supporter, as his wife Alice Rothschild (left) listens to him speak Yui Mok/PA Newly elected Liberal Democrat MP for Richmond Park Sarah Olney listens to Independent candidate Zac Goldsmith Justin Tallis/AFP/Getty Images Zac Goldsmith shakes hands with the winner of the Richmond Park by-election, newly-elected Liberal Democrat MP Sarah Olney Yui Mok/PA Zac Goldsmith leaving Richmond upon Thames College after defeat Yui Mok/PA

Now, despite no apparent change in the Governments stance on the third runway, he will take on Ms Olney again on June 8 as the Conservative candidate.

Constituency chairman Georgina Butler said: "We are delighted that Zac Goldsmith has been reselected as the Conservative candidate for Richmond Park and North Kingston in the forthcoming General Election, and we look forward to having him back again as our representative in Parliament.

Victorious: Liberal Democrat candidate Sarah Olney reacts whilst being announced as the winner of the Richmond Park by-election / Getty Images

"After a resounding victory in the 2015 General Election, his absence from Parliament since last December has been a disappointment.

"He is widely regarded the best MP that Richmond Park and North Kingston has ever had, and we need him back to represent our residents effectively.

Zac Goldsmith on Heathrow airport decision

"Far from being a hardened Brexiteer as his opponents have painted him, he will fight for the best deal for Britain.

"He has led on guaranteeing the rights of EU citizens in the UK, and is a champion of strong protection for the environment.

"He will also continue to lead the fight against Heathrow expansion, an issue which continues to concern our residents."

The by-election defeat marked the second setback for Mr Goldsmith within months, after he lost to Sadiq Khan in the 2016 London mayoral election.

That campaign was criticised, even within the Tory Party, for its negative messaging and focus on Mr Khan's Muslim background.

Lib Dem chief whip Tom Brake said: "By standing as a Conservative after resigning over Heathrow, Zac Goldsmith has just lost his last shred of credibility.

Dejected: Zac Goldsmith after the by-election result was announced / PA

"People in Richmond Park voted resoundingly against a hard Brexit and against Heathrow expansion, both backed by Zac Goldsmith's Conservative Party. Instead they voted for the Liberal Democrat Sarah Olney.

"Zac Goldsmith couldn't stand on a Conservative platform last time, so what's changed?

Interview with Lib Dem leader Tim Farron following Richmond Park by election win

"As a Conservative he will be standing on a clear pro-Brexit, pro-Heathrow manifesto. The people of Richmond Park have already told him what they think of that.

"Sarah Olney beat him once, she will beat him again."
T heresa May has said Jeremy Corbyn is simply not up to the job of Prime Minister as she accused him of weaknesses on national security.

Mrs May and the Labour leader squared off in their final Prime Ministers Questions clash ahead of the general election on June 8.

Following a question about security from the Conservatives Richard Drax, the PM taunted Mr Corbyn for refusing to commit to striking against terrorism and over his position on immigration and the nuclear deterrent.

Mrs May said: Again at the weekend, we saw the right honourable gentleman refusing to say he would strike against terrorism, refusing to commit to our nuclear deterrent and refusing to keep control of our borders.

Keeping our country safe is our first duty as the Prime Minister. The right honourable gentleman is simply not up to the job.

Mr Corbyn responded by asking a string of questions from members of the public who were concerned about low wages, house prices, school spending and the NHS under the Conservative government.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn speaks in the final PMQs before the general election / Sky News

The PM noted that Mr Corbyn had not answered her points on security before defending the governments record and repeatedly saying the Conservatives offered a strong and stable leadership.

She claimed a win for Labour would mean a "chaotic Brexit" but Mr Corbyn said the Tories were "strong against the weak and weak against the strong".

Mrs May also took a swipe at shadow home secretary Diane Abbott as she escalated her attack on Mr Corbyn and said that even his own supporters know hes not fit to run the country.

She said: This week, the Shadow Home Secretary has been campaigning in her own personal way, she has directed her supporters, her followers to a website called I like Corbyn but, it says, How will he pay for all this? But Ive heard he wants to increase taxes. But Ive heard hes a terrorist sympathiser. But his attitudes about defence worry me.

They are right to be worried, unable to defend our country, determine to raise taxes on ordinary workers, no plans to manage our economy. Even his own supporters know hes not fit to run this country.

The website is backed by Corbyn supporters and aimed at assuaging voters' fears over his credibility as a future Prime Minister.

In response, Mr Corbyn returned to a question he had asked the PM about the NHS and attacked the Governments record on the health service.

He said: The NHS has not got the money it needs, the Prime Minister knows that, she knows that waiting times and waiting lists are up. She knows that theres a crises in almost every A&E department. Maybe, she could go to a hospital and allow the staff to ask a few questions.

Parliament will be dissolved on Wednesday which will fire the starting gun on just over a month of intensive campaigning ahead of the snap poll.
A Labour peer has condemned the Tories for a shocking and disgusting administrative error that delayed refugee children from being welcomed into the UK.

Lord Dubs, who came to the UK as a refugee from the Nazis, accused the Government of under-counting the number of places available for unaccompanied child refugees in an administrative error.

And he said that, as a result, 130 refugee children had to wait longer before coming into the country.

Ministers faced a furious backlash in February when they announced 350 minors would arrive from Europe through the Dubs scheme - well below the 3,000 campaigners had called for.

Delayed: A child refugee carries a sign during a demonstration / AFP/Getty Images

The Home Office has now announced the total number of children resettled under the programme - officially Section 67 of the Immigration Act 2016 - will rise to 480.

Lord Dubs told the Press Association: "I'm delighted for the sake of those 130 children but shocked and disgusted that the Government has made such a mess of this.

"I don't like the way they're doing it just before the election - the Government should be ashamed of themselves."

Petition: Lord Dubs delivering petition calling on government to reconsider its decision to end the 'Dubs' scheme (February 2017) / Getty Images

The figure is being increased after officials discovered scores of offers to provide support for youngsters from local councils were mistakenly missed off.

Lord Dubs added: "We have told them for a long time that local authorities have offered more places, they have known for ages and have only announced it now, right before the election.

"They have been told by us and by local authorities that some are willing to offer more places and they wouldn't listen."

Child refugee: Adapting to UK life after Calais Jungle camp

When he announced the 350 figure in February, Immigration Minister Robert Goodwill said it was reached following consultation with local authorities.

In a new statement to the House of Commons on Wednesday, he said: "The Government has very recently become aware that, due to an administrative error as part of collating the figures, one region pledged 130 places which were not accounted for in setting the specified number.

"In order to ensure the specified number of children to be transferred is a true reflection of the responses to that consultation, I am today announcing that, in accordance with Section 67 of the Immigration Act, the Government is increasing the specified number from 350 to 480.

"As outlined in my original statement, the specified number includes over 200 children already transferred from France as part of the Calais camp clearance."

He added the number does not include children transferred to the UK under the Dublin Regulation covering family reunion cases.

Refugees leaving the Calais Jungle 1 /13 Refugees leaving the Calais Jungle Refugees surge through a barrier at the camp in Calais Jeremy Selwyn There were chaotic scenes today as thousands of people began to leave the camp Jeremy Selwyn Huge queues formed - it came after violent clashes overnight between riot police and migrants Jeremy Selwyn Work to flatten the camp was due to begin today Jeremy Selwyn The refugees were told to leave the camp or face arrest and possible deportation Jeremy Selwyn Desite chaotic scenes, the refugees were said to be resigned to their fate Jeremy Selwyn The camps residents were today being processed before being bussed to temporary accommodation centres Jeremy Selwyn More than 1,200 police and officials were deployed as the operation to clear the Jungle started Jeremy Selwyn Todays first wave of departures were voluntary Jeremy Selwyn Camp residents, mostly men and male teenagers, gradually streamed out carrying belongings in suitcases and bin bags Jeremy Selwyn

The minister said the Government remains fully committed to the implementation of its commitment under Section 67, which was introduced following a campaign spearheaded by Lord Dubs.

Mr Goodwill also stressed no eligible child has been refused transfer to the UK as a result of the error.

Home Office officials have met with counterparts in Europe to plan future transfers.

Stephen Hale, chief executive of the charity Refugee Action, described the increase as a "welcome but modest step forward".

He added: "There are far more vulnerable refugee children in Europe in need of protection."


A ctivist Owen Jones has issued a rallying cry for Labour supporters to join him in Tooting this weekend as rivals bid to target London mayor Sadiq Khans former seat.

The left-wing journalist has organised a Keep Tooting Labour event with current MP Rosena Allin-Khan, who took over the seat from the mayor after winning the by-election in June last year.

Dr Allin-Khan held the south London seat for Labour after Mr Khan stood down following his victory in the City Hall race in May.

The A&E doctor increased Labours majority to 6,357 over the Conservatives, up from the 2,842 secured by her predecessor in the general election in 2015.

Labour's Rosena Allin-Khan speaks after winning the Tooting by-election at Wandsworth Town Hall / Anthony Devlin/PA Wire

But she faces a strong challenge from the Conservative candidate and local businessman Dan Watkins, who is set to contest the seat for the third time on June 8. He came second to Dr Allin-Khan in the by-election and to Mr Khan in the 2015 poll.

Your help has never been more important. Tooting is on a knife edge, Mr Jones said in a statement on the events Facebook page.

Dr Rosena Allin-Khan is seen here posing for a selfie with Sadiq Khan, whose City Hall victory sparked the by-election. / Alex Lentati

The Tories are coming for it. If the Tories win seats like Tooting, it'll be a landslide victory across Britain. Only you can help turn it around.

The Labour MP, Dr Rosena Allin-Khan, is a fantastic, inspiring candidate. Tooting-born and a junior doctor, she's the sort of MP Labour desperately need.

Let her get back to Parliament to finish what she started 10 months ago.

Businessman: Conservative Party candidate Dan Watkins / Twitter

He urged supporters to join him and Dr Allin-Khan for the biggest campaign day Tooting has ever had starting from 11am outside Tooting Broadway station.

More than 1,000 people have expressed an interest in attending.

Mr Jones added: Your help could not be more crucial. It could help decide the future of the country."
S cotland Yard has launched a fresh investigation into allegations of electoral fraud and malpractice in Tower Hamlets.

Lutfur Rahman, the disgraced former mayor of the east London borough, was forced to step down after he was found guilty of a litany of corrupt and illegal practises.

Despite this, Mr Rahman has faced no criminal prosecution.

Scotland Yard said it recognises "concerns have been raised" about the previous police investigations into criminal allegations of electoral fraud in relation to the boroughs 2014 Mayoral Election.

It has also asked the City of London Police to launch an independent review into its investigation into criminal allegations surrounding grant funding in relation to the Tower Hamlets Communities, Localities and Culture Youth Project.

Scotland Yard said it recognises "concerns have been raised" about the allegations

Police received 164 complaints of election malpractice in Tower Hamlets in and around the election in May 2014.

This led to two people being cautioned and a person being charged with a candidate nomination offence.

Another six people received verbal or written warnings about their conduct.

Police said they have carried out an internal analysis of these investigations and have launched "a new operation to examine, and where required, investigate the criminal allegations".

It comes after a London Assembly committee earlier this year said police made "major failings" when investigating allegations of electoral fraud and malpractice in the election.

Steve O'Connell, chairman of the London Assembly's Police and Crime Committee, said there was "widespread concern" that the force had not brought charges.

He also said a bundle of 27 files sent to the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) was not reviewed by police, and that there were missed opportunities to gather witness statements.

Scotland Yard said a team of specialist investigators will review the files arising from the Election Court which were sent to the DPP.

They want to see whether those files contain anything that changes the previous advice from the Crown Prosecution Service, changes the decisions made by the police or needs further investigation.

The investigation team will also review evidence regarding electoral fraud and malpractice and any new investigations into criminal offences.

Anti-fraud campaigner Andy Erlam said: "I welcome the fresh investigation. There can be no cover-up. Industrial-scale financial fraud at the town hall is now in the spotlight."

It comes after figures revealed in January that almost half of election fraud claims since 2012 related to Tower Hamlets.
A widow who was born in the Netherlands but has lived in the UK for half a century fears being deported because she has not kept paperwork showing she was here legally.

Elly Wright, from Epsom, said her case highlights concerns about the post-Brexit future for elderly European Union citizens settled in the UK.

Mrs Wright, who was married to a British serviceman and worked her whole life in the NHS, said many old documents were thrown out to clear space when they adapted the house for her late second husband.

She said HMRC officials told her she only needed to keep the paperwork for seven years.

It never occurred to me at the age of 75 that I would have to prove my right to live here. I stopped working 24 years ago, I just dont have those papers, Mrs Wright told the Guardian.

The leave vote came as a tremendous shock to me. I woke up at 4am on the 24th of June and thought to just quickly see the result of the referendum and then go back to sleep.

I can honestly say that I have hardly had a good nights sleep since. I wake up after two or three hours sleep, actively worrying about where to find proof of my 50 years of life and work in Britain, and even if I were to get PR [permanent residency], for how long would that keep me safe?

She added: I identify more with the UK than the Netherlands. However, I still have a Dutch passport. It never occurred to me that at the age of 75 and having lived here for 50 years, being Dutch could one day make me the other.

Labour has said it would guarantee the rights of EU citizens living in the UK on day one of taking power.

Sir Keir Starmer's Brexit speech

Shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer said: EU nationals do not just contribute to our society: they are our society. And they should not be used as bargaining chips.

"So on day one of a Labour government we will immediately guarantee that all EU nationals currently living in the UK will see no change in their legal status as a result of Brexit, and we will seek reciprocal rights for UK citizens in the EU.

Prime Minister Theresa May has said the UK "cannot possibly" remain part of the single market as it would mean "not leaving the EU at all", while leaders across the bloc have warned that Britain cannot enjoy the benefits without agreeing to the rules, such as freedom of movement.
C elebrity chef Heston Blumenthal is finally set to divorce his wife after 28 years of marriage.

The Michelin star chef, 52, is seeking a divorce on the grounds that the marriage has irretrievably broken down having split from his wife Zanna in 2011.

Mr Blumenthal moved out of their luxurious Buckinghamshire home six years ago and went on to date American cookery book author Suzanne Pirret, 51.

He has recently been seen with French real-estate broker Stephanie Gouveia.

It followed a self-confessed crisis in which Mr Blumenthal claimed he questioned most aspects of his life.

He is seeking a decree nisi with Zanna, real name Susannah, with the pair having reportedly settled their finances and business arrangements.

Their petition is one of the cases to be heard at the Central Family Court in London on Wednesday.

Mr Blumenthal and his wife have three teenage children together, with the pair having sold their house to start the chefs famous The Fat Duck restaurant.

It went on to be awarded three Michelin stars and was named the best restaurant in the world.
A husband accused of killing his wife was charged with murder after police said data downloaded from her fitness tracker contradicted his version of events.

Richard Dabate, 40, claimed a man who sounded like actor Vin Diesel had broken into his home, tied him up and shot his wife Connie dead.

But police said her Fitbit device tells a different story of the events that lead to her death on December 23, 2015.

Officers found 39-year-old Connie Dabate dead at the couples home in Connecticut.

Police said the woman's Fitbit device showed her last moments were more than an hour after Mr Dabate said she died

Mr Dabate was charged this month with murder, tampering with physical evidence and making false statements about her death.

Police said he initially told them he had just returned home at around 9am after dropping off his two sons when he was attacked by a home intruder.

According to an arrest warrant, he claimed the perpetrator was a "tall, obese man" with a deep voice like actor Vin Diesel's and wearing "camouflage and a mask.

But data found on a Fitbit that Mrs Dabate had worn for an exercise class on the morning of her death shows she did not take her last movements until 10.05am - more than an hour after her husband claimed to watch her die.

Mr Dabates next trial date is scheduled for 28 April.

Fitbit devices measure data including number of steps walked and heart rate, and are used by people to track their exercise levels.
A merica has started to install a controversial anti-missile defence system in South Korea as President Donald Trump today summoned every US senator to the White House to attend a special briefing on North Korea.

It came as Kim Jong-uns regime released images of what it claimed was the biggest live-fire military drill in the countrys history.

The South announced key parts of the Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense system, or THAAD, had been deployed as tensions - and military assets -continued to build in the region.

The USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier is also heading toward the peninsula for a joint exercise with South Korea.

The images were revealed as America started to install a controversial anti-missile defence system in South Korea

North Korea conducted artillery drills yesterday to mark the 85th anniversary of the founding of its million-strong Korean Peoples Army.

State media said the communist leader personally observed the exercises, which involved the firing of more than 300 large-caliber artillery pieces and included submarine torpedo-attacks on mock enemy warships.

The moves to set up THAAD within this year have angered not only North Korea, but also China, the country that the Trump administration hopes to work with to rid the North of nuclear weapons.

China, which has grown increasingly frustrated with its ally Pyongyang, and Russia see the systems powerful radars as a security threat.

North Korea conducted artillery drills yesterday

Along with sending US military assets to the region in a show of force, President Donald Trump has called on China to exert economic pressure on its ally.

China today launched a new aircraft carrier increasing its own military presence. The unnamed ship is the countrys second aircraft carrier, after the Liaoning, and the first to be made domestically.

A line-up of heavy military hardware purportedly part of the country's biggest ever military drill

Trump administration officials were due to brief the entire US Senate today. A rapid tempo of North Korean weapons testing in the past year has pushed Kim Jong Uns authoritarian nation closer to developing a nuclear-tipped missile that could reach the U.S. mainland.

Republican Senator Lindsey Graham said Mr Trump will not allow North Korea to develop nuclear missiles that could reach the US mainland. He said the North should not underestimate the presidents resolve.

North Korea routinely accuses the United States of readying for an invasion, and threatens pre-emptive strikes to stop it.

An unnamed North Korean Foreign Ministry spokesman said the US administrations policy to maximize pressure on North Korea was little short of lighting the fuse of total war, the state news agency reported.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson will chair a special meeting of the UN Security Council on Friday.
N early a quarter of Donald Trump's tweets have contained unproven or disputed claims since he became president, according to a new study.

Researchers looked at whether statements made in tweets from the president's @realDonaldTrump account could either be backed up by publicly-available evidence, or had been disputed by other news outlets.

The Press Association study found that 108 of 447 tweets sent since he took office contained claims that were questionable - a total of 24.2 per cent.

They appeared to peak around the middle of February, a month in which a series of damaging reports emerged relating to Mr Trumps team's alleged communications with Russia during the election campaign.

In that month, the president tweeted 37 disputable claims - including 12 in the week of security adviser Michael Flynn's resignation over suggestions he covered up talks with Kremlin officials.

Of those, six appeared to directly defend his team's conduct in the Russia scandal, while five specifically contained the phrase "fake news".

"This Russian connection non-sense is merely an attempt to cover-up the many mistakes made in Hillary Clinton's losing campaign," he tweeted on February 15, just hours after Mr Flynn's departure.

He added two days later: "The Democrats had to come up with a story as to why they lost the election, and so badly (306), so they made up a story - RUSSIA. Fake news!"

Donald Trump - In pictures 1 /112 Donald Trump - In pictures President Donald Trump takes the oath of office as his wife Melania Trump holds the bible and his son Barron Trump looks on, on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol on January 20, 2017 in Washington, DC Getty Images Acceptance speech Republican president-elect Donald Trump gives a thumbs up to the crowd during his acceptance speech at his election night event at the New York Hilton Midtown in the early morning hours of 9 November 2016 in New York Getty Images Little Trump Donald Trump pictured when he was 4 years old Donald J Trump/Instagram The Trump Princess Donald Trump waves to reporters in 1988 with his first wife Ivana as they board their yacht 'The Trump Princess' in New York AP Donald Trump stands next to one of his three Sikorsky helicopters at New York Port Authority's West 30 Street Heliport in 1988 Out on the town Trump and his first wife Ivana arrive at a social engagement in New York in December 1989 AFP/Getty Images Surviving at the top Trump followed up his successful book The Art of the Deal with Surviving At The Top in 1990 Random House Meeting the King of Pop With Michael Jackson in 1990 FilmMagic Taking a break with Miss Universe contestants Donald Trump meets Miss Universe contestants during a break in rehearsals in the Imperial Ballroom at Atlantis, Paradise Island, Bahamas in 1990 Miss Universe Organization via AP Genie of the lamp Donald Trump stands next to a genie lamp in 1990 as the lights of his Trump Taj Mahal Casino Resort mark its grand opening in Atlantic City AP Marla's wedding day Donald and Marla Trump at their wedding in 1993 AP Donald Trump with daughter Ivanka at a Harley Davidson Cafe Event, New York City on 9 October 1993 Rex Features New arival Marla and Donald Trump leave St. Mary's Hospital in West Palm Beach, Florida with their newborn baby girl, Tiffany on 14 October 1993 AP Behind the lens Donald Trump takes a picture of Bridget Marks in 1993 after interviewing her for Playboy magazine's 40th anniversary playmate in New York AFP/Getty Images Top Trump New York real estate giant Donald Trump poses in his Trump Tower office on a giant letter "T" on 08 May 1996 AFP/Getty Images New love interest Donald Trump and Melania arrive for VH1's Divas Live concert at the Beacon Theater in New York City on 13 April 1999 Getty Images Toasting in the New Year Donald Trump and Melania toast the new year during Trump's gala bash in 2000 The Sun-Sentinel/AP Wax work A wax replica of Donald Trump stands ready to be put on display at Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum, New York City in 2000 Madame Tussaud's/Getty Images Rebuild call Donald Trump talks in 2005 to reporters where he presented a proposal that the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center be rebuilt in New York Reuters Cracking prformance Amy Poehler, Tracy Morgan, Donald Trump, Seth Myers, Maya Rudolph perform on Saturday Night Live in 2002 Rex Features 'How To Get Rich' Donald Trump poses with a copy of his new book 'How To Get Rich' during a book signing on 24 March 2004 at Barnes and Noble in Lincoln Center in New York Getty Images Donald Trump and his daughter Ivanka (left) and girlfriend Melania Knauss (right) attend the "Dangerous Liaisons: Fashion and Furniture in the 18th Century" Costume Institute benefit gala on April 26, 2004 at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, in New York City Getty Images Fired up figure Donald Trump poses with the new Donald Trump 12-inch talking doll 29 September 2004 at the Toys "R" Us store in New York City Getty Images Olympic flame Donald Trump carries the Olympic flame during Day 15 of the Athens 2004 Olympic Torch Relay on 19 June 19, 2004 in New York Getty Images Donald Trump on The Celebrity Apprentice (2005) Rex Features Anyone for golf? Donald Trump gestures as he arrives at the Old Course in St Andrews where he was meeting with the media to answer questions regarding Trump International Golf Links on 28 April 2005 in St Andrews, Scotland Getty Images Hollywod star Donald Trump, billionaire developer and producer of NBC's "The Apprentice," with his wife, Melania, and their son, Barron, pose for a photo after he was given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Los Angeles in 2007 AP In the Highlands U.S. property mogul Donald Trump gestures during a media event on the sand dunes of the Menie estate, the site for Trump's proposed golf resort, near Aberdeen, north east Scotland on 27 May 2010 Reuters Donald Trump plays a round of golf after the opening of the The Trump International Golf Links Course in Scotland in 2012 Getty Images Family time Donald Trump, Barron Trump and Melania Trump attends Trump Invitational Grand Prix Mar-a-Lago Club at The Mar-a-Largo Club on 04 January 2015 in Palm Beach, Florida Getty Images Officially in the running U.S. Republican presidential candidate, real estate mogul and TV personality Donald Trump poses with his family after formally announcing his campaign for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination during an event at Trump Tower in New York on 16 June 2015 Reuters Love, life and laughter Donald Trump sits with his wife Melania Trump while appearing at an NBC Town Hall at the Today Show on 21 April 2016 in New York City. Getty Images Thumbs up Donald Trump speaks on the last day of the Republican National Convention on 21 July 2016, in Cleveland, AFP/Getty Images Don't cry for me ... Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump holds babies at a campaign rally in Colorado Springs, Colorado on 29 July 2016 Reuters Donald Trump eating KFC on his private jet in August 2016 Is this really the Oval Office? Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump views a replica of the Oval Office on a tour of the Gerald Ford Presidential Museum in Grand Rapids, Michigan on 30 September 2016 Reuters Women for Trump Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump kisses a "Women for Trump" placard during a rally at the Lakeland Linder Regional Airport in Lakeland, Florida on 12 October 2016 AFP/Getty Images In debate Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton speak during the second presidential debate at Washington University in St. Louis, America on 09 October 2016 AP Love your country The future is orange: Republican U.S. presidential nominee Donald Trump hugs a U.S. flag on 24 October 2016 Reuters U.S. President-elect U.S. President-elect Donald Trump speaks at his election night rally in Manhattan, New York, U.S. on 09 November 2016 Reuters 60 Minutes Donald Trump and wife Melania being interviewed on 13 November 2016 by Lesley Stahl on 60 Minutes 60 Minutes/CBS At The Whiie House US President Barack Obama and President-elect Donald Trump meet in the Oval Office of the White House on 10 November 2016 EPA Kiss-story Republican president-elect Donald Trump embraces his wife Melania Trump during his election night event at the New York Hilton Midtown in the early morning hours of 09 November 2016 in New York Getty Images Person of the Year U.S. President-elect Donald Trump poses on the cover of Time Magazine after being named its person of the year, in a picture provided by the publication in New York on 7 December 2016 Time Magazine Meeting Kanye U.S. President-elect Donald Trump and musician Kanye West pose for media at Trump Tower in Manhattan, New York on 13 December 2016 Reuters First Press Conference President-elect Donald Trump stands with his son Eric Trump (left) daughter Ivanka and son Donald Trump Jr. (right) on 11 January 2017 Reuters US President-elect Donald Trump and Vice President-elect Mike Pence take part in a wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington,Virginia 19 on January 2017 AFP/Getty Images Big shoes to fill: US President-elect Donald Trump and his wife Melania arrive to attend an inauguration concert at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington on 19 January 2017 AFP/Getty Images President-elect Donald Trump and his wife Melania arrive for a VIP reception and dinner with donors in Washington on 19 January 2017 AP British Prime Minister Theresa May and U.S. President Donald Trump walk along The Colonnade of the West Wing at The White House on January 27, 2017 in Washington, DC Getty Images Pope Francis walks along with US President Donald Trump and US First Lady Melania Trump during a private audience at the Vatican in May 2017 AFP/Getty Images US President Donald Trump inspects border wall prototypes in March 2018 AFP/Getty Images Prime Minister Theresa May and U.S. President Donald Trump walk to a joint news conference at Chequers in July 2018 Reuters US President Donald Trump takes the hand of Prime Minister Theresa May as they enter Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire in July 2018 PA A six-meter high cartoon baby blimp of US President Donald Trump is set to fly as a protest against his visit July 2018 AP Activists inflate a giant balloon depicting US President Donald Trump as an orange baby during a demonstration against Trump's visit to the UK in Parliament Square, London July 2018 AFP/Getty Images Donald Trump with The Queen in July 2018 AP German Chancellor Angela Merkel deliberates with US president Donald Trump on the sidelines of the official agenda on the second day of the G7 summit on June 9, 2018 in Charlevoix, Canada Getty Images President Donald Trump meets North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on Sentosa Island in Singapore on 12 June 2018 Evan Vucci/AP U.S. President Donald Trump meets with Russia's President Vladimir Putin in Helsinki, Finland in July 2018 Reuters US President Donald Trump meets with rapper Kanye West in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC on 18th October 2018 AFP/Getty Images Donald Trump and Kim Kardashian posed for a photograph together at the White House meeting Donald Trump/Twitter A White House staff member reaches for the microphone held by CNN's Jim Acosta as he questions U.S. President Donald Trump during a news conference in November 2018 Reuters President Donald Trump looks over tables of fast food for the the college football playoff champion Clemson Tigers in the State Dining Room of the White House in January 2019 Reuters US President Donald Trump (L) shakes hands with North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un following a meeting at the Sofitel Legend Metropole hotel in Hanoi on February 27, 2019 AFP/Getty Images Donald Trump (left) with Nigel Farage when they met met face-to-face on 2nd March 2019 PA/White House President Donald Trump smiles at Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, right, after signing a proclamation in the Diplomatic Reception Room at the White House in Washington, Monday, March 25, 2019 AP US President Donald Trump (L) First Lady Melania Trump (C) and Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe' Akie Abe (R) watch a sumo battle during the Summer Grand Sumo Tournament in Tokyo on May 26, 2019 AFP/Getty Images President Donald Trump gestures after receiving a prayer at McLean Bible Church on 2nd June 2019 AP US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump make their way to board Air Force One on 2nd June 2019 AFP/Getty Images Donald and Melania Trump arrive at Stansted Airport on 3rd June 2019 AP President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin are pictured ahead a meeting in Helsinki on July 16, 2018 AFP/Getty Images Swedish environmental activist Greta Thunberg watches as Donald Trump enters the United Nations to speak with reporters on September 23, 2019 Reuters Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson shakes hands with U.S. President Donald Trump during a welcoming ceremony at the NATO leaders summit in Watford on December 4, 2019 Reuters President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2020, in Milwauke AP US president Donald Trump delivers a speech at the Congres center during the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos, on January 21, 2020 AFP via Getty Images US President Donald Trump speaks during the first presidential debate at Case Western Reserve University and Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, Ohio AFP via Getty Images A car with US President Trump drives past supporters in a motorcade outside of Walter Reed Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland AFP via Getty Images U.S. President Donald Trump works in the Presidential Suite while receiving treatment after testing positive for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland via Reuters U.S. President Donald Trump participates in a phone call with Vice President Mike Pence, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley October 4, 2020, in his conference room at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland. Not shown in the photo also in the room on the call is Chief of Staff Mark Meadows Reuters Donald Trump walks out of hospital after receiving treatment for Covid-19 AP Mr Trump boards Marine One to return to the White House after receiving treatment for coronavirus AP Donald Trump stands on the Truman Balcony after returning to the White House from hospital Getty Images U.S. President Donald Trump removes his mask upon return to the White House from Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on October 05, 2020 in Washington Getty Images

At the start of April, amid further pressure over the Russia allegations, there were 13 questionable claims in Mr Trump's tweets - the highest week of his presidency.

All but two of these related either to Russia or to unproven allegations of surveillance against the president and his team.

Another peak came as President Trump tweeted unfounded claims that he had his "wires tapped" by predecessor Barack Obama in the run-up to the election.

In a string of four tweets sent in the early hours of March 4, Mr Trump made the claims which he later disowned - telling a press conference two weeks later that he was merely quoting a "very talented" Fox News reporter, Andrew Napolitano.

Mr Napolitano had cited three unnamed sources claiming that the surveillance had been carried about by British intelligence agency GCHQ, at the request of President Obama.

Fox later said it had "no evidence of any kind" that President Trump had been subject to such surveillance.

The only week during which the analysis found no questionable claims was between April 8 and 14 - the seven days following his decision to launch air strikes on a Syrian air base in retaliation for a chemical gas attack that had been launched there by the country's government.
F rench police today arrested 10 people in connection with the supply of weapons to the attackers who killed 17 people at Charlie Hebdo magazine and a kosher store in January 2015.

The Paris prosecutors office said it was part of an investigation into the firearms used by Amedy Coulibaly.

He killed four people in a hostage-taking at the Hypercacher market in eastern Paris and a policewoman in another incident before dying in a shootout with police.

Coulibaly was an accomplice of brothers Cherif and Said Kouachi who shot and killed 12 at Charlie Hebdos Paris office and were also killed in a shootout.
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A US clothing line has been mocked on social media for selling a pair of heavily distressed muddy jeans for 350.

Luxury department store Nordstrom is advertising the jeans on its website, saying that the bizarre styling shows you're not afraid to get down and dirty".

But many people have taken to social media to mock the companys new design.

Eric Lee Huffman posted: Nordstrom has jeans with fake mud for $425. What's next? An entire wardrobe that looks like we survived a tiger attack?

Ben Mode tweeted: I will call it the I-ran-out-of-toilet-paper look.

The jeans were made by fashion company PRPS, which also offers a "mud denim jacket".

They are on sale in America for a sizable $425, 351.70 in the UK, and while the the social media storm has only just erupted the jeans appear to have been on sale for some time.

Some Twitter and Facebook users have began jokingly asking the US company if it will buy their own muddy clothes for extortionate funds.

But some people however have jumped to the defence of the retailer.

Catherine posted: So what? There's much bigger issues to focus on than Nordstrom's idea of fashion.

Last month Nordstrom advertised jeans with "knee windows" on its website for 74.
A shley Graham made an unexpectedly bold entrance at the star studded TIME 100 gala.

Graham, 29, nearly took a tumble as she made her way onto the red carpet after appearing to trip on her own dress.

Graham was left open mouthed in shock as one of her high heels caught the back of her clothing and caused her to stumble forward.

Clearly unfazed by the mishap, she laughed it off before putting on an affectionate display with her husband Justin Ervin.

Going, going: Ashley Graham styles out her tumble / Erik Pendzich/Rex

Graham  who has been praised for advocating body confidence  landed a top spot on TIMEs 100 Most Influential People List.

Tyra Banks said she was beyond proud of Graham, in an essay penned ahead of Tuesday nights glamorous event.

I am beyond proud, in admiration and in awe of your power and influence over so many people's self-worth, she wrote.

Angela Weiss/AFP/Getty Images

It is time for everyone to bow down to the fashion industry's  no, make that beauty's  new queen.

British talent Riz Ahmed  who was one of five cover stars for the magazines annual influential issue  was in attendance and looked dapper in a brown suit which he teamed with a black shirt and tie.

Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda paid tribute to the Rogue One actor, who he praised for quietly pursuing every passion and opportunity as an actor, rapper and activist.

Justin Lane/EPA

To know him is to be inspired, engaged and ready to create alongside him, he wrote. The year 2016 was when all the seeds he planted bore glorious fruit, and here's the best part: he's just getting started.

Ahmed was joined at the event, held at the Lincoln Centre in New York City, by Trevor Noah, who made sure to grab a selfie with the actor.

Fellow honourees in attendance included Viola Davis, Sarah Paulson, Leslie Jones and Margot Robbie, who dazzled in a white floor length gown.

Blake Lively was all smiles as she worked the red carpet with her husband Ryan Reynolds, while John Legend flew solo without his wife Chrissy Teigen.

The night saw performances by Legend and Demi Lovato, with powerful speeches by Davis and Ava DuVernay
J ames Purefoy says actors have a responsibility to give honest depictions of vile characters  and not be swayed by their own vanity.

The British star, 52, plays villainous Baron Saloka in John Stephensons forthcoming film Interlude In Prague, co-starring Samantha Barks and Morfydd Clark.

It follows a young Mozart, played by Aneurin Barnard, as he spends a few turbulent months in Prague before writing Don Giovanni.

He befriends morally bankrupt aristocrat Saloka, who becomes a murderous sexual predator.

Purefoy, who starred as serial killer Joe Carroll in TV series The Following, described vanity as the biggest stumbling block for an actor.

Mask of evil: James Purefoy as villainous Baron Saloka in Interlude In Prague

Were all vain to a certain degree and not just actors. But we have a responsibility to try as hard as we can to push that vanity aside and be as brutally honest as we possibly can be.

Purefoy added: Whats really important is that you dont shy away from the grotesqueness of that behaviour. Ive seen actors who do that and I go, Thats not honest, youve kept a little part there that makes you seem attractive.

And I didnt do that, I dont want to do that because I dont believe it, I think its a lie, he said.

He felt that a particularly nasty rape scene in the film was an opportunity to show what the endgame might be for abusers.

I didnt shy away from it, he said. I wanted to show it for what it really is, which is grotesque and terrifying and appalling  and that that behaviour is the endgame for the way those very strong powerful men abuse women on a daily basis in the workplace, for example. I think it is the logical conclusion of that.

Purefoy added: Baron Saloka is a serial abuser of women, hes a man who is enormously powerful in his world. I wanted to explore what its like to be a man who is at the top of the tree in terms of status and abuse women because of that status. We live in the world right now where were seeing an awful lot of that.

If you just simply hold a mirror up to nature, then the audience are able to see it for what it is, rather than the spin which we are endlessly given by those men.

Interlude In Prague is in UK cinemas on May 25 and on DVD and Digital HD from May 29.

Carnaby International presents astonishing Mozart drama, Interlude in Prague, arriving in cinemas nationwide from 25th May.

For tickets to the red carpet premiere in Londons Leicester Square on 11th May, please visit www.bit.ly/iiprague and click on Brians VIP.
H es battled dinosaurs and saved the world from total annihilation by aliens, but Jeff Goldblum has swapped all that to serve up sausage sandwiches.

The US actor, 64, was pictured randomly handing out the savoury snacks from a pop-up food truck called Chef Goldblums Jazzy Snags in Sydney, Australia.

Fans flocked to the truck to catch a glimpse of Goldblum as he put his service skills to the test before posing for selfies.

The actor remained tight-lipped about why he was serving up the snacks  but hinted that it is tied in to an upcoming project.

Roll up: Jeff Goldblum serves up savoury snacks / Paul Miller via Reuters/AAP

According to Australias Daily Telegraph, he said: Ive got to do some work.

I was doing the Thor movie on the Gold Coast some time ago but now Im doing a project that I have to be secretive about but there is some thematic tie-in to this.

He continued cryptically: Im doing a little research for some work that Im going to do in my chosen profession.

Something to shout about: The US actor drums up interest in his sausage snack / Paul Miller/EPA

I like food, Im very interested in food, but youll have to wait.

The stunt came hours after it was revealed that Goldblum will reportedly reprise his role as mathematician Dr Ian Malcolm in the forthcoming Jurassic World sequel.

Jurassic World - Trailer 2

Goldblum first starred in Jurassic Park in 1993, before reprising his role again in the 1997 sequel, The Lost World: Jurassic Park.

He revealed last year that he wasnt approached to star in 2015s Jurassic World, but praised the cast and crew for producing a spectacular film.

If I never did any more, Id be entirely nourished and happy and fulfilled from having done these, he said.

Theyre doing spectacularly well without me.

Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard are returning for the sequel which is slated for release in June 2018.
P aris Jackson has channelled icon Marilyn Monroe in a glamorous photoshoot.

The 19-year-old has signed up to agency IMG Models, but in an interview with Vanity Fair hinted that she could follow her late father, Michael Jackson, into music.

The teenager said she can sing and play a few instruments, but I havent yet felt the need to make a career out of it. Well see.

As a child, she harboured ambitions of becoming an astronaut, a vet and then a nurse.

In the spotlight: Paris Jackson does her best Marilyn impression(photographed exclusively for Vanity Fair by Jean-Baptiste Mondino ) / photographed exclusively for Vanity Fair by Jean-Baptiste Mondino

She told the magazine: "I guess the recurring theme was that I wanted to make a difference.

She said that like her father, who died aged 50 in 2009, she is comfortable in front of the camera, although she warned:

Read the full interview with Paris Jackson in Vanity Fair / Vanity Fair

I think its important to show our youth that one shouldnt compare anothers highlight reel to their own behind the scenes.

Read the full interview with Paris Jackson in this month's Vanity Fair, out this Friday.
W elsh actor Aneurin Barnard steps into the shoes of Mozart for a brand new film based on the musicians early life.

In the brand new trailer, Barnard stars as the musical genius as he spends a few turbulent months in the bohemian capital before writing his masterpiece Don Giovanni.

Directed by John Stephenson, the forthcoming film follows Mozart as he strikes up a friendship with the self-obsessed aristocrat Baron Saloka, played by James Purefoy.

Samantha Barks and Morfydd Clark co-star in the new drama, which descends into a tale of brutality and murder.

In character: Morfydd Clark, Samantha Barks and Aneurin Barnard / PR HANDOUT

Speaking about his role as a sexual predator in the film, Purefoy told the Standard: I didnt shy away from it.

Baron Saloka is a serial abuser of women, hes a man who is enormously powerful in his world. I wanted to explore what its like to be a man who is at the top of the tree in terms of status and abuse women because of that status. We live in the world right now where were seeing an awful lot of that.

Interlude In Prague is in UK cinemas on May 25 and on DVD and Digital HD from May 29.

Carnaby International presents astonishing Mozart drama, Interlude in Prague, arriving in cinemas nationwide from 25th May.

For tickets to the red carpet premiere in Londons Leicester Square on 11th May, please visit www.bit.ly/iiprague and click on Brians VIP.
H e has examined the worlds most exotic flora and fauna but Sir David Attenborough says Londoners are lucky to have the gift of nature on their doorsteps.

The Life On Earth presenter, 90, took a stroll from his home in south-west London to Richmond Park to make a new film warning Londoners to tread lightly in their green spaces to ensure they survive for future generations.

In it, he says: Richmond Park is Londons own special national nature reserve but it belongs to everybody. Visitors have been coming here for centuries from all over the country and indeed beyond, but now its receiving some five-and-a-half million visitors a year and steps have to be taken to protect it.

If we leave nothing behind and take nothing away, if in fact we tread lightly, Richmond Park will remain a paradise for us and our children and our grandchildren to enjoy for many centuries to come.

Grazing: A deer pokes it's head out of the grass in Richmond Park

The film, which has been shot on a voluntary basis by award-winning natural history filmmakers  including Bafta and Emmy-winner Gavin Thurston  is being shown exclusively on London Live at 7pm today.

Sir David, whose programmes range from 1979s Life On Earth to the forthcoming Blue Planet II, recently flew to the US, Switzerland, New Zealand and Australia for new films.

Let battle commence: Two beetles fight on a log

He has lived in Richmond for six decades and made the 20-minute film for the Friends of Richmond Park, of which he is a patron.

Sir David Attenborough - In pictures 1 /45 Sir David Attenborough - In pictures PA Best of the best Sir David Attenborough in 2015 PA BAFTA winner 2011 Sir David Attenborough with the Specialist Factual award at the Philips British Academy Television Awards at the Grosvenor House in 2011 PA Big Butterfly Butterfly Conservation President Sir David Attenborough with a south east Asian Great Mormon Butterfly on his nose, as he launched the Big Butterfly count at the London Zoo in Regent's Park, London in 2012. The broadcaster and naturalist will turn 90 on May 8 PA Family Sir David Attenborough (left) with his wife Jane Oriel and older brother and film actor Richard Attenborough at St. Anne's Church, Kew Green in 1950 PA Look what I brought home ... Sir David Attenborough holding his son Robert in 1955, whilst looking at an animal called a coatimundi, brought home from the combined London Zoo - BBC expedition to British Guiana PA Super furry animals Sir David Attenborough with six-year-old Michael Webb of Kingsbury pets a Capybara after Sir David had lectured to children on the 'Zoological Expedition to British Guiana' at the Royal Geographical Society in Kensington, London in 1956 PA Cover your ears Sir David Attenborough with his three-year-old daughter Susan, as they cover their ears while sulphur-crested cockatoo Georgie lets out a piercing shriek in 1957 PA Royal visit Prince Charles with his sister Princess Anne meeting Sir David Attenborough and Cocky, the cockatoo brought back from his last Zoo Quest expedition, at the BBC Television Studios in Lime Grove, London in 1958 PA In the land of Television Mr. Michael Peacock, Controller of BBC 1, Mr. Huw Wheldon, Controller of Television Programmes and Sir David Attenborough, Controller of BBC 2, at the BBC Television Centre, White City in 1965 PA Medal of honour 1966: Sir David Attenborough receiving the Zoological Society of London's silver medal from the president, the Duke of Edinburgh, at the annual general meeting in London PA Award winning Sir David Attenborough winner of the 1970 Desmond Davis Award presented by HRH Princess Anne in 1971 Rex Features Park life Sir David Attenborough In Richmond Park in 1980 Daily Mail Watch the Birdie Sir David Attenborough in 1980 Associated News Monkey business Sir David Attenborough in 1982 Rex Features Nature experts Johnny Morris, Sir David Attenborough, Desmond Morris and Sir Peter Scott in 1982 PA Investiture Sir David Attenborough after being knighted by the Queen at an Sir David Attenborough after being knighted by the Queen at an investiture at Buckingham Palace, London, with his wife Jane (right) and daughter Susan at Buckingham Palace, London, with his wife Jane (right) and daughter Susan in 1985 PA Sharing a giggle Richard and David Attenborough in 2001 RexRex Features Watch the Meerkat Sir David Attenborough with meerkat on shoulder being filmed for BBC series Life of Mammals in 2002 Rex Features Honorary degree Sir David Attenborough receiving an honorary degree at Oxford Brookes University in 2003 Rex Features Relaxing at home Sir David Attenborough relaxing at his home in 2004 Rex Features Exceptional acheivements Queen Elizabeth II presenting Sir David Attenborough with the Insignia of the Order of Merit, a personal award from the Queen recognising exceptional achievements in the advancement of arts, learning, literature and science in 2005 PA Opening up Michael Parkinson interviews Sir David Attenborough in 2007 Rex Features Sign here please Sir! Sir David Attenborough meeting fans and signing copies of his new book, Life Stories, at the Natural History Museum, London in 2009 PA The Darwin Centre Prince William (left) and Sir David Attenborough at the opening of The Darwin Centre at The Natural History Museum, London in 2009 PA Doulbe take Sir David Attenborough poses with a floral sculpture of himself outside the gates at Kew Gardens in 2012 Rex Princely visit Duke of Cambridge with Sir David Attenborough at King's College London in 2015 PA Radio (Times) Star Radio Times editor Ben Preston (left) presenting Sir David Attenborough with his induction into the Radio Times' inaugural Hall of Fame at the Radio Times Festival at the Green at Hampton Court Palace in 2015 PA Royal welcome Catherine Duchess of Cambridge meeting Helen Mirren, as Sir David Attenborough looks on at a reception for the Dramatic Arts, Buckingham Palace in 2014 Rex Chat show laughs Sir David Attenborough during filming of the Graham Norton Show PA Naturalist Sir David Attenborough giving evidence to the House of Commons Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee PA Sir David Attenborough with Pat Cash on day eleven of the Wimbledon Championships PA Sir David Attenborough making a surprise appearance at Glastonbury PA Sir David Attenborough in Iceland ahead of BBC's new natural history series Seven Worlds, One Planet. BBC

He said: I come in from wherever by air and you look out bleary-eyed when youve been travelling all night and suddenly you see this great expanse of green of which Richmond Park is the heart and you think what a great place to live and you realise how lucky you are.

The film includes a guide for visitors to the 17th-century royal park, warning them to not to take anything from the park including fallen wood, which can provide homes for insects, to stay on paths and tracks and to not light fires or barbecues.

Sir David said: The film sends a message about how first of all people should appreciate this wonderful gift which is unparalleled, no other great city has a place like this, and what they should do when they get there.

Richmond Park: National Nature Reserve airs on London Live at 7pm
The High Plains Science Adventures Camp is seeking children who love science, wildlife and the great outdoors for a fun-filled week this June.

Now in its eighth year, the camp is presented by Children and Nature in Our Parks (CNP). This years theme, Wacky, Wooly & Weird Wildlife, will provide participants the opportunity to learn about local wildlife while hiking through natural habitats, exploring ecosystems in western Nebraska, conducting wildlife surveys and having adventures outdoors.

We will be covering everything from the past to the present and look to where wildlife is going in the future, said Amanda Filipi, Education Specialist, Wildcat Hills Nature Center.

Campers will participate in guided wildlife hikes and field trips to surrounding parks in the Panhandle. They will also complete wildlife data collection with professional biologists and guest speakers. A favorite part of former campers is the overnight stay, this year taking place at the Wildcat Hills Nature Center.

Its good to get outdoors and get to know professional biologists in the area, said Ashley Hansen, wildlife education assistant, Bird Conservancy of the Rockies. They (campers) may discover a career path they havent thought of before.

Children participating in the program will get hands-on experience looking at wildlife, habitats and how scientists view wildlife.

At the Scotts Bluff Monument, well be discussing the past and what people may have come across as they were coming along the trails in wagon trains, said Lesley Gaunt, park ranger at the Scotts Bluff National Monument.

Gaunt is looking forward to seeing another year of students who find something that ignites a passion in the students. A normal, two-hour visit isnt enough time to work with students, but in a week or even a day, she can work with them to learn more.

After a few days, they get comfortable enough to ask questions and get involved, Gaunt said.

Hansen said the camp gives students the chance to see a different view of scientists.

Ask a 10-year old what a scientist looks like and they will answer with lab coats and beakers, Hansen said. This is a cool way to show them they can work outside as well.

The camp will be held Monday June 12 through Wednesday June 14 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Thursday June 15 from 8 a.m. to overnight with a Friday dismissal of 2 p.m. A parents program will be presented at 1 p.m. on Friday June 16.

Camp begins at the Wildcat Hills Nature Center on Monday. Tuesday campers will visit the Scotts Bluff National Monument with speakers from Agate Fossil Beds National Monument. On Wednesday, the camp will spend the day at Riverside Discovery Center. Thursday will be held at several locations as there will be a search in some of the larger areas for everything from flowers to insects to big horn sheep.

The week ends with a fun overnight stay at the nature center where campers will conduct nocturnal animal studies and search for owls and bats.

The camp is also seeking mentors ages 16 and over to help facilitate teamwork and provide a leadership role to the children in the camp.

The High Plains Science Adventures Camp is open to children ages 9-12 and costs $175 per child. Scholarships are available for children qualifying for free-reduced lunches through their schools.

Registration deadline is May 20. Registration packets for the High Plains Science Adventures Camp are available at the Wildcat Hills Nature Center or one may be requested through email by contacting Amanda Filipi at amanda.filipi@nebraska.gov or 308-436-3777.
SCOTTSBLUFFFor years, rural areas across Nebraska have faced the prospect of having jobs to be filled, but not enough housing to meet workers needs. That challenge could soon change with help from recently passed legislation.

LB 518, the Rural Workforce Housing Investment Act, transfers $7 million from the Affordable Housing Trust Fund to make grants available to non-profit development groups in areas with demonstrated housing needs. Low employment and the ability to complete projects within two years are also qualifying criteria to receive grant funding.

Western Nebraska Economic Development (WNED) recently commissioned a study of housing needs in Scotts Bluff, Morrill and Kimball Counties, along with the towns in them. The community planning firm of Hanna:Keelan will present its findings on Thursday, May 4 at 6 p.m. at the Gering Civic Center.

This will kick off our implementation phase, said WNED board chair Michelle Coolidge. We want area developers, contractors, lenders, real estate agents, housing authority personnel and anyone else involved in housing in the region to attend.

The meeting will provide an overview of what type of housing shortages exist in the region. Attendees will also discuss possible solutions to increase the available housing stock so businesses can grow their workforces.

According to Coolidge, a shortage of housing rehabilitation often comes down to a lack of state qualified contractors.

A lot of our homes in the region are of an age where they may need asbestos or lead paint abatement, she said. There are a limited number of contractors locally that have those state and federal certifications. Those added costs could make a rehab project unaffordable.

Starr Lehl, business development consultant with the Nebraska Department of Economic Development, said more housing is essential to bring more workers to a community.

Several companies have tried to attract workers to the area, Lehl said. Workers said they liked the area and liked the job, but were unable to find adequate housing.

She added the legislation will be especially helpful in developing market rate housing. That area takes in potential home buyers who dont qualify for affordable housing based on income, but are unable to secure mortgages due to other factors, such as student loan debt.

Market rate housing is where the need appears to be now, Lehl said. I think thats a really good sign for the economy in our area.

Lehl said rental housing is pretty much nonexistent in many communities. And what housing is available is often in need of updating and rehabilitation.

LB 518 guidelines state that priority will be given to communities that have demonstrated an ongoing need for housing through a housing study, a low unemployment rate, difficulty filling vacancies, a demonstrated commitment to growing their housing markets and potential projects that could be ready for occupancy within two years.

Lehl added that WNED is in a prime position to receive state funding because of the groups completed housing study. The area also has a low unemployment rate and has difficulty filling job vacancies due to a housing shortage.

Gering City Council member Pam ONeal, Gerings board member for WNED, agreed the timing is perfect to take advantage of needed funding for more housing projects.

I think attendance at the groups May 4 meeting is important to discuss solutions, she said. The study shows a need for single family homes and also affordable housing for the 55-75 age groups.

The maximum amount that can be awarded to any one non-profit development group is $1 million over a two-year period and no more than $2 million through fiscal year 2020-2021. Eligible applicants must also provide one-to-one matching funds to be considered for a grant.
A Scottsbluff man is accused of leading police on a high-speed pursuit early Wednesday morning.

Miguel Tirado Police, 32, is scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday on charges of flight to avoid arrest, willful reckless driving and driving under suspension.

Around 12:15 a.m., an officer spotted the driver of a PT Cruiser speeding on U Street in Gering, according to court documents. The driver continued at a high rate of speed onto 17th Street, U Street, and then Five Rocks Road. At times, the pursuit exceeded 100 miles per hour, according to scanner traffic.

The driver stopped and fled on foot on M Street. Authorities detained Tirado initially, but he was released because he wasnt identified as the driver.

Several hours later, police made contact with the vehicle's at a Gering residence and Tirado came to the home while officers were there. He was placed under arrest.
Discussion on tax reform is underway in the Legislature. Last week, senators started debate on LB461, the 2017 Nebraska Taxpayer Reform Act. The discussion on the floor was thoughtful with many senators voicing support for dealing with Nebraskas high tax problem. This bill would make the most significant changes to our states property and income tax system in a generation by changing how we value ag land for taxation purposes and cutting income taxes for working families and Main Street businesses. If you want to see tax relief this year, contact your senator. You can find their information at www.NebraskaLegislature.gov.

As the Legislature began consideration of this proposal, there was a significant focus on what the proposal does to relieve high ag land property taxes. Right now, ag producers across the state are feeling the impact of high property taxes and low commodity prices. LB461 proposes to move assessments for ag land from a market-based system to an income-potential approach, helping valuations to better reflect the income of Nebraskas ag producers. This is major structural change that would have reduced total ag land property valuations by 12 percent statewide if it had been in effect in 2017. If levies had stayed the same, this would have resulted in $147 million of property tax relief for Nebraska farmers and ranchers in 2017.

This builds on the work the Legislature and I have done the last two years on property taxes. Working with senators in 2015, we increased the property tax credit relief fund by over 45 percent, and returned over $400 million in direct property tax relief to taxpayers. In 2016, we added an additional $40 million over two years directly targeted at ag property taxpayers, and provided incentives for responsible budgeting by our school districts. Late last year, the Revenue Department issued guidance on how to identify property sales that distort market information used for tax purposes.

Some special interest groups have argued that LB461 should not include any income tax relief. I believe that doing both property tax and income tax reform is key to bringing together urban and rural senators in the Legislature. Right now, you can see the urban and rural divide playing out. Some urban interests want farmers and ranchers to give up tax breaks the Legislature has granted them in the past. Others believe the Legislature should solely focus on property tax relief without doing anything on income tax to help Main Street.

While this bill is not everything that urban or rural senators may want, it contains reforms that are key to growing Nebraska. Right now, USA Today ranks us fifth highest in the nation for property taxes, and the Tax Foundation ranks Nebraska 14th highest in the nation for income tax collections per capita. The 2017 Nebraska Taxpayer Reform Act will not only put more money back into the pockets of working Nebraskans and small businesses, but it will also make Nebraska more globally competitive. It is important that urban and rural policymakers come together and do whats best for the whole state.

In the coming days, senators will have a choice when they vote on LB461. When it comes down to it, a vote on tax reform will separate taxpayer advocates versus lobbyists. Lobbyists and special interests will try to block tax reform because they want to spend more of your money. Getting tax reform done wont be easy. If you want to see tax relief this year, call your senator and let them know. They need to hear from you right away. You can find all their contact information at www.NebraskaLegislature.gov. As always, I hope that youll contact me with your concerns. You can reach my office by emailing pete.ricketts@nebraska.gov or calling 402-471-2244.

Discussion on tax reform is underway in the Legislature. Last week, senators started debate on LB461, the 2017 Nebraska Taxpayer Reform Act. The discussion on the floor was thoughtful with many senators voicing support for dealing with Nebraskas high tax problem. This bill would make the most significant changes to our states property and income tax system in a generation by changing how we value ag land for taxation purposes and cutting income taxes for working families and Main Street businesses. If you want to see tax relief this year, contact your senator. You can find their information at www.NebraskaLegislature.gov.

As the Legislature began consideration of this proposal, there was a significant focus on what the proposal does to relieve high ag land property taxes. Right now, ag producers across the state are feeling the impact of high property taxes and low commodity prices. LB461 proposes to move assessments for ag land from a market-based system to an income-potential approach, helping valuations to better reflect the income of Nebraskas ag producers. This is major structural change that would have reduced total ag land property valuations by 12 percent statewide if it had been in effect in 2017. If levies had stayed the same, this would have resulted in $147 million of property tax relief for Nebraska farmers and ranchers in 2017.

This builds on the work the Legislature and I have done the last two years on property taxes. Working with senators in 2015, we increased the property tax credit relief fund by over 45 percent, and returned over $400 million in direct property tax relief to taxpayers. In 2016, we added an additional $40 million over two years directly targeted at ag property taxpayers, and provided incentives for responsible budgeting by our school districts. Late last year, the Revenue Department issued guidance on how to identify property sales that distort market information used for tax purposes.

Some special interest groups have argued that LB461 should not include any income tax relief. I believe that doing both property tax and income tax reform is key to bringing together urban and rural senators in the Legislature. Right now, you can see the urban and rural divide playing out. Some urban interests want farmers and ranchers to give up tax breaks the Legislature has granted them in the past. Others believe the Legislature should solely focus on property tax relief without doing anything on income tax to help Main Street.

While this bill is not everything that urban or rural senators may want, it contains reforms that are key to growing Nebraska. Right now, USA Today ranks us fifth highest in the nation for property taxes, and the Tax Foundation ranks Nebraska 14th highest in the nation for income tax collections per capita. The 2017 Nebraska Taxpayer Reform Act will not only put more money back into the pockets of working Nebraskans and small businesses, but it will also make Nebraska more globally competitive. It is important that urban and rural policymakers come together and do whats best for the whole state.

In the coming days, senators will have a choice when they vote on LB461. When it comes down to it, a vote on tax reform will separate taxpayer advocates versus lobbyists. Lobbyists and special interests will try to block tax reform because they want to spend more of your money. Getting tax reform done wont be easy. If you want to see tax relief this year, call your senator and let them know. They need to hear from you right away. You can find all their contact information at www.NebraskaLegislature.gov. As always, I hope that youll contact me with your concerns. You can reach my office by emailing pete.ricketts@nebraska.gov or calling 402-471-2244.
One issue most Americans agree on is the importance of investing in our infrastructure. Significant repairs are needed to keep our country strong and competitive.

In Nebraska, we know infrastructure is crucial to connecting rural communities. U.S. News & World Report included Nebraska in its April 2017 10 Best States for Infrastructure ranking, but there is still a lot of work to do.

President Trump made infrastructure one of his top priorities on the campaign trail, and for good reason. According to the American Society of Civil Engineers, an additional $2 trillion in investment will be needed by 2025 to get our countrys infrastructure to a state of good repair.

During his address to Congress in late February, President Trump reiterated his support for revitalizing Americas infrastructure. Crumbling infrastructure will be replaced with new roads, bridges, tunnels, airports and railways gleaming across our very, very beautiful land, he said.

In discussions on infrastructure, the President has pointed out the need for better negotiations to ensure we do not simply sink more money into the same number of projects. We also must prevent any infrastructure package from expanding unrelated programs or permanently growing the federal government. We saw this problem in full force in President Obamas stimulus package  in the end, only around three percent went to infrastructure.

As the White House works with Congress to make President Trumps revitalization vision a reality, irrigation infrastructure must be part of the conversation. Today, 55.3 million acres are irrigated in the U.S. using shared systems of canals and pipelines which are part of our nations broader water management infrastructure. Through irrigation, we can produce higher yields using less land, while also improving crop quality.

Producers, especially in the west, rely on irrigation to meet the ever-growing demand for food. Unfortunately, irrigation infrastructure has lagged behind other technological advancements in the industry.

At the Farm Bill listening sessions I hosted in Scottsbluff and Aurora this week, concerns were raised about the state of irrigation infrastructure in Nebraska and around the country. President Trumps commitment presents an opportunity to modernize our outdated irrigation infrastructure and increase our global competitiveness in agriculture. I am currently circulating a letter among my House colleagues to send to the President requesting irrigation projects be included in his infrastructure plan.

Since the release of President Trumps initial budget proposal, I have also heard numerous concerns about the future of the Essential Air Service (EAS). Access to reliable air service is vital for rural travelers and businesses. Though the Presidents budget is presented as a guideline, budgeting decisions lie with the legislative branch. I am committed to ensuring no final budget disproportionally impacts rural areas.

Last year, Congress included my legislation to help small airports in the FAA reauthorization bill, which shows an understanding of the need to support rural commercial air service. Senator Deb Fischer also provided crucial leadership in the Senate on these issues. Rather than ending the EAS program, we should examine potential reforms to ensure travelers are being well-served and taxpayer dollars are being spent as effectively as possible.

There is extensive work to be done to ensure our infrastructure can meet the modern needs of our country. I am optimistic about the opportunities to bring Americans together around fulfilling this important function of government.
For a time Wednesday morning at the Alliant Energy Center, surrounded by hundreds of young people, Caleb Wojtalewicz felt like he was at his job in Stevens Point. He was asked to troubleshoot an electrical problem with a front-end loader.

It could be caused by a lot of different things, but Ill go through it all and figure it out, said Wojtalewicz, who was among more than 1,500 middle school, high school and technical college students competing in the 44th annual SkillsUSA Wisconsin state leadership and skills conference. The competition offers students opportunities to showcase for potential future employers an assortment of skills from welding and vehicle engine repair to robotics and engineering.

Wojtalewicz, who graduates next month with an associates degree in diesel technology from Northeast Wisconsin Technical College in Sturgeon Bay, isnt worried about future employment because he knows his field is in high demand. The Department of Labor estimates there are more than 260,000 people working in this field now and it will grow steadily the next several years, eventually employing more than 290,000 by 2024.

Rob Durham, human resources director for Milwaukee-based Lakeside International Trucks and one of the dozens of volunteer advisers at the event, is encouraged these hundreds of students are considering careers in skilled trades.

The skilled trades are a challenge to get people interested in, Durham said. The service we provide is a critical component to our economy, and we need people who can maintain vehicles.

Dealing with the nations aging and shrinking workforce has been an issue for decades. Employers across all industries are using a barrage of strategies to address the problem, including partnering with organizations like SkillsUSA to reach young people and get them thinking about these types of careers.

Brent Kindred, state director for SkillsUSA Wisconsin, said participation in the state chapter has grown from 1,165 when he took over in 2006 to 2,541 today, which is the largest number to date. Participation in the states chapter has been well over 2,000 annually the past five years and has steadily grown as teachers and advisers to the program have been more active in directing students to sign up, he said.

Our schools are forming partnerships with businesses in their communities, and those relations lead to getting more people involved and informed about what were trying to do, Kindred said. A lot of industries believe in what we do. Whether its welding of information technology, were all about getting more highly skilled workers.

Standing out

While Wojtalewicz has been working toward his technical degree, he also has been employed by Kyle Kluck Trucking & Excavating in Stevens Point.

Wojtalewicz, who also was tested on his welding skills, got involved with SkillsUSA at the encouragement of one of his teachers. He didnt qualify for the competition last year but tried again and earned eligibility this year.

If you do well here, its something you can add to your resume because it says you made it (to the competition) and youre one of the best from your school, Wojtalewicz said. That can open more doors for you down the road.

Its something Durham looks for on resumes submitted by engine technicians. Lakeside International Trucks, which has seven other locations including Madison, has been involved with SkillsUSA for 15 years.

Being involved in the SkillsUSA competition gives Durham and other businesses a look at whether students are learning what they need in school to enter the workforce.

Being a diesel tech isnt just about being comfortable getting greasy, we need to know someone has problem-solving skills and has the aptitude to get the job done, Durham said. Its also an opportunity to observe how to enhance curriculums at the K-12 and technical college levels to ensure students are learning the most current skills.

In many industries, needs and regulations change all the time, so its good for (businesses) to be involved so we can ensure students are prepared, Durham said.

SkillsUSA, which began in 1965 as the Vocational Industrial Clubs of America, has more than 18,000 chapters around the country with with more than 335,000 students and advisers.

The organizations goal has always been to ensure that students are learning and have the skills sought by employers.

Employers always are seeking skilled workers and we are grooming the workers they want, Kindred said, noting that while technologies may change, many skills endure. Something that never goes out of style is leadership skills.

Help from volunteers

Volunteer advisers, some of whom are business professionals, often work with program participants to help them overcome fears of public speaking, provide advice on how to work in teams to complete tasks and help develop problem-solving skills.

George Laubmeier of Richland Center, who was introduced to SkillsUSA as a high school student in 1990, credited the program for helping him develop leadership skills and boost his self-confidence.

As a business owner, I have to be able to walk into a company and meet with a CEO or whomever is managing the daily operations and comfortably tell that person what I can do to help them better manage their business, Laubmeier said. Thats not an easy thing to do, but I feel SkillsUSA gave me the skills and confidence to do it on a daily basis.

He has volunteered for the organization at the state and national levels since graduating from high school in 1994.

The organization is all about helping the next generation of (workers) become better workers and ensuring they have the skills to further their careers, Laubmeier said. Thats what it did for me and I feel it would be wrong of me to not give back.

If you do well here, its something you can add to your resume because it says you made it (to the competition) and youre one of the best from your school. That can open more doors for you down the road. Caleb Wojtalewicz
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Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies Liviu Dragnea proposed on Wednesday, in Parliament's plenary session, a consultation between all the political parties to establish the essential landmarks that Romania must follow in front of the particular challenges that occur at the European Union level.

"I take advantage of this solemn moment to make a sincere call to the entire political class to start a collected, unresentful and unprejudiced consultation between all the parties, among all the decision-makers in this country, with the support of the Romanian Academy, to establish together the essential milestones Romania must follow in front of the specific challenges that are taking place at the European Union level and not only. Let us learn from the wisdom of the Great Union's forefathers, whose anniversary next year we are heralding with today's event and stand united. Let us be Romanians," Dragnea said, at the festive sitting of Parliament celebrating the "Iasi - Capital of the Kingdom of Romania 1916-1918 and City of the Great Union" Centenary.

He added that, apart from the fact that parliamentarians are in adverse political camps, have different opinions, are always in a political competition and are mutually challenged, they are all Romanian citizens.

"Beyond all the things that divide us, sometimes in seemingly irreconcilable positions, there is something that unites us, there is something that keeps us together, something we all find and this is simply called: Romania. For some, declaring today that you are a patriot and that you love your country is exaggerated and sometimes even outrageous. If we look back in history, at this nation's hardest times, what united us and kept us close was patriotism and love of one's country. That is why it is good to have such events in which we celebrate the crucial moments in Romania's history, such as the one for which we have organized this meeting today," underscored the Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies.

agerpres.
The Ministry of Justice (MJ) organizes a public debate on Wednesday regarding the draft law on the amendment of the Criminal Code and the Criminal Procedure Code, reads a press release on the website of this ministry.

The draft law for amending and supplementing the Criminal Code and the Criminal Procedure Code, which is submitted to public debate by the MJ, does not provide for a minimum damage limit for the crime of abuse in office.

According to the draft published on the MJ website, paragraph 1 of the Article 297 of the Criminal Code states that "the action of the public servant who, while exercising their professional responsibilities, fails to implement an act or implements it faultily, by infringing a law, a Government Ordinance or a Government Emergency Ordinance, thus causing damage or violating the legitimate rights or interests of a natural or legal entity, shall be punishable by no less than 2 and no more than 7 years of imprisonment and the ban from exercising the right to hold a public office."

The text is thus in agreement with a Constitutional Court's decision, the current phrase "wrongly exercises" is replaced by the phrase "implements it faultily, by infringing a law, a Government Ordinance or Government Emergency Ordinance," the rest of the provisions remaining unchanged.

The draft also amends the first paragraph of Article 301 of the Criminal Code on Conflict of Interest, replacing the phrase "commercial relations", declared unconstitutional, with the phrase "relations specific to professionals".

Amendments are also made to the article of the Criminal Code regarding the enhanced confiscation, in the sense of transposing into law a European Directive on the freezing and confiscation of the crimes' tools and products committed in the European Union.

The draft also brings in line some articles of the Criminal Code concerning corruption and in office offenses committed by persons other than civil servants, as well as road traffic offenses with the Constitutional Court decisions. The provisions of the Criminal Procedure Code, Law 304/2004 on judicial organisation and Law 253/2013 on the execution of punishments, of the educational measures and other non-custodial measures ordered by the judicial bodies during the criminal trial are also modified for the same reasons.

The proposals, suggestions and opinions with a recommendation value related to the draft piece of legislation under debate may be submitted in writing to the MJ by post or by email. Moreover, two public debates will be held on April 26 and May 15.

agerpres.
Jones Dairy Farm will celebrate the first anniversary of the opening of the Jones Market in Fort Atkinson.

The event, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday at 601 Jones St., will include food, demonstrations, giveaways and live music.

In 2016, Jones, known for its breakfast sausages, opened a 2,600-square-foot market that was three times the size of the former Jones Retail Store at the same location.

The market offers fresh brats, Italian sausage and sausage meatballs in addition to the entire Jones product line like dry-aged bacon and naturally smoked hams, and specialty food items from around Wisconsin.

The market also offers freshly brewed Ancora Coffee, Cedar Crest Ice Cream, a dairy bar window to serve bicyclists on the nearby Glacial River Trail and homemade soups and breakfast sandwiches.

The store also includes historical displays about the Jones family that settled in the area in the 1830s and founded the company in 1889.

Saturday's celebration will include a cookbook signing and pictures with Philip Jones, the sixth-generation president of the company; a ham carving demonstration; brats and wieners cooked by chef Shaun Edwards; and a pottery demonstration.
The developers behind a plan to turn the Shell gas station at the corner of Delmar and Skinker boulevards into offices and retail now have the power of eminent domain to advance their efforts to acquire the property.

Pace Properties plans a $26 million, three-story building in the city's portion of the Delmar Loop with about 50,000 square feet of offices and 15,000 square feet of retail.

It already won approval from the city for $4.4 million in tax increment financing assistance back in January. It already has a contract for the land.

But it has yet to nail down an agreement with the long-term leaseholder, international convenience store operator Circle K, based in Texas.

The developers asked the St. Louis Land Clearance for Redevelopment Authority to give them eminent domain authority as they continues to negotiate with the company.

Negotiations were going well, but "took a turn for the worse," said Rob Sherwood, Pace's director of acquisitions. Since then, Pace and Circle K have reached an "agreement in concept," but it isn't yet signed, he said.

Circle K is aware Pace is seeking eminent domain authority, Sherwood said, which is one of the reasons negotiations have gotten back on track.

"It's very, very important we finish the process of getting eminent domain through LCRA," he said.

He added that the neighborhood and businesses are behind the project and called the existing gas station "something of a nuisance. A lot of police calls."

The LCRA board ultimately granted the authority on a 2-1 vote. Board member Kennard Jones opposed the measure.

Editor's Note: This story was updated with additional developer comments that Pace has an unsigned, agreement in concept with Circle K.
The days of offering 10 years of tax abatement to anyone who wanted to rehab a house in the strengthening Forest Park Southeast Neighborhood may be numbered.

That was the indication Tuesday from the citys Land Clearance for Redevelopment Authority, which vets requests for the property tax breaks.

Two requests were before the board Tuesday. One, a house rehab on Oakland Avenue, sought just five years of property tax abatement. Another, a proposal for a new home on Gibson Avenue, wanted 10 years.

The LCRA board has previously discussed whether its time to reduce from 10 years the length of abatement offered in the neighborhood,which seems to be turning around with new projects by the day.

Its starting to change, and were starting to ratchet down, said Michael Griffin, a St. Louis Development Corp. staff member who reviews abatement requests.

But ultimately, reducing the amount will require agreement from Park Central Development, the community development corporation that reviews development proposals in the neighborhood, and the areas alderman, Joe Roddy.

Another plan for a new house sought 10-year property tax abatement for a 2-story house with a 2-car garage and a basement apartment. The developer anticipates a sale price of $466,000.

Board members questioned why the higher abatement was being sought.

Brent Crittenden, chief executive of design and development firm UIC, which is building the new home, said Park Central supported the request because the home would be built on a slope and bring the land into compliance with the form-based development code governing the area. A prior owner had wanted to keep the lot open in violation of the code.

But Crittenden said he and other builders knew abatement policies were changing in the area.

We have gotten direction from Alderman Roddy and Park Central that the abatement was going to be changed to five-year this year, he said.

LCRA Chair Chris Goodson indicated its too soon yet to take away abatement altogether.

Those blocks are starting to come alive but theres still kind of a hit or miss, he said.

In other development action, the board of the citys Enhanced Enterprise Zone, which offers incentives for development that brings jobs to certain areas, granted 10 years of tax abatement to the owners of 2101 Chouteau Avenue in Downtown West.

Charleville Vineyard, Winery and Microbrewery is expanding there from Ste. Genevieve, Mo., with Charleville Brewing Co. & Restaurant. After the $2.7 million renovation, the microbrewery is expected to employ 30 to 40 people.

Charleville is partnering with Paul and Wendy Hamilton, owners of Eleven Eleven Mississippi, Vin de Set, PW Pizza and 21st Street Brewers Bar.
Updated at 1:04 p.m.

April truly is the cruelest month, at least when it comes to public relations disasters for United Airlines.

In the airline's latest high-profile calamity, a giant 10-month-old rabbit  which could have grown to a record-setting size  was found dead after traveling on a United Airlines flight from the United Kingdom to Chicago O'Hare International Airport.

Simon, a male Continental Giant rabbit, was an offspring of Darius, who holds the Guinness World Record for longest rabbit.

Annette Edwards, a former model who lives and breeds Continental Giant rabbits in Worcestershire, England, said Simon was on his way to a new home in the United States and had been declared "in good physical condition" and fit to travel by a veterinarian the day he left.

On April 19, Simon first traveled from Edwards' countryside home to London Heathrow International Airport.

"He had that exam three hours before he left me to go to Heathrow," Edwards told The Washington Post in a phone interview. "He then got to Heathrow, apparently, and he was fine. In Chicago he had to board to go to another flight  and that's when I believe they found him dead."

United Airlines confirmed in an email to The Washington Post that Simon had died, writing: "The rabbit has passed away, but the details surrounding that are being reviewed."

In a statement, United added: "We were saddened to hear this news. The safety and well-being of all the animals that travel with us is of the utmost importance to United Airlines and our PetSafe team. We have been in contact with our customer and have offered assistance. We are reviewing this matter."

Edwards told The Post that she has shipped about a dozen rabbits internationally in the past without any problems, on carriers including United.

"Any other bunnies I've sent to the U.S. have been fine," she said Wednesday. "I've been doing it for quite a few years. I don't sell unless it's to the right person, because these animals are not like normal rabbits. They're more like dogs, so you have to have the right facilities for them. They can't go into a rabbit hutch."

Edwards said she was at first hesitant to sell Simon at all, intending to keep the black-haired, blue-eyed rabbit as a pet. Simon's father, Darius, is 4 feet 4 inches long from the tip of his nose to the back of the toes on his hind legs; the gray rabbit took over the Guinness record from his mother.

Edwards said she isn't sure why her rabbits grow so large but credits the "very, very laid-back atmosphere" in the English countryside.

At only 10 months old, Simon already measured 3 feet 5 inches long, and Edwards believed he may have been on track to break his father's record.

"Now that's very big for a bunny of 10 months, and they grow 'til they're 18 months old," Edwards said. "So he could have took over his dad, who knows?"

Darius' offspring sell for close to $400 each, Edwards said.

An American man had contacted Edwards through her website, where she maintains photos of Darius, who has become something of a celebrity.

The man had inquired about buying Simon, Edwards said, and finally convinced her after promising the rabbit would be going to a loving home.

"I did say I was keeping Simon," Edwards said. "But we found a lovely man. He was going to be a pet. He was going to be much-loved."

It was through the buyer, not United Airlines, that Edwards said she first found out that Simon had died.

"He rang me because he had a phone call and was on his way to pick up," she said. "He said, 'I don't know if you've heard the news,' but he obviously was very upset, just like we all are."

Edwards, who declined to identify the buyer, said she is waiting to hear more details from United about what happened.

Last year, United Airlines transported 109,149 animals and reported 2.11 "incidents"  including death, injury or loss  for every 10,000 animals transported, according to the Transportation Department's Air Travel Consumer Report. The average rate of death, injury or loss among all airlines last year was 0.92 incidents per 10,000 animals transported. In total, 27 animals died while being transported on United flights between January 2015 and February 2017, according to the department.

Simon's death comes not long after viral videos captured a passenger being forcibly removed from a United Airlines flight. The incident this month triggered a public-relations crisis for United, which initially defended itself by stating that the passenger, David Dao, had "refused to leave the aircraft voluntarily."

United chief executive Oscar Munoz, who in March received the 2017 Communicator of the Year award from PRWeek magazine, was blasted for a subsequent tone-deaf statement, in which he apologized "for having to reaccommodate these customers." Though Munoz would eventually issue a deeper apology two days later, by then the damage to the airline's brand was palpable. United stock prices had fallen and the incident had made the airline the butt of numerous memes online.

Chicago Department of Aviation officers used "minimal but necessary force" when they dragged Dao off United Express Flight 3411 on April 9, according to an incident report released this week.

Dao, a doctor from Kentucky, suffered a concussion, a broken nose and other injuries. He also lost two of his teeth, according to his attorney, Thomas Demetrio.

Demetrio has said his client will "probably" sue the airline.

_____________________

Our earlier story, from Reuters, posted at 5:19 a.m.

LONDON  A 3-foot giant rabbit has died on a United Airlines flight from London, prompting a review at the Chicago-based airline which faced a global backlash this month over its treatment of a passenger who was dragged from his seat.

The 10-month old rabbit named Simon, who was tipped to become one of the world's largest rabbits, was traveling to O'Hare in Chicago from Britain after a celebrity owner purchased him.

He was healthy before the flight, according to the rabbit's breeder.

"Simon had a vets check-up three hours before the flight and was fit as a fiddle," breeder Annette Edwards told The Sun newspaper. "Something very strange has happened and I want to know what."

The Continental Giant breed rabbit died in the cargo section of a Boeing 767 after leaving Heathrow, she said.

"Ive sent rabbits all around the world and nothing like this has happened before," Edwards, a former Playboy model, was quoted as saying. "The client who bought Simon is very famous. Hes upset."

United said it was saddened by the news of Simon's death.

"We were saddened to hear this news," said United spokesman Kevin Johnston in an emailed response. "We have been in contact with our customer and have offered assistance. We are reviewing this matter."

"The safety and wellbeing of all the animals that travel with us is of the utmost importance to United Airlines and our PetSafe team," the United spokesman said.

Earlier this month, a United passenger, Dr. David Dao, was dragged from his seat off a parked plane at O'Hare International Airport bound for Louisville, Ky., to make room for crew members.

Video recorded by other passengers showed Dao, a 69-year-old doctor, being dragged down the aisle with blood on his face after refusing to give up his seat on a flight from Chicago to Louisville, Ky., on April 9.
State officials are offering financial help to Wisconsin dairy farms in desperate need of customers and for processors already oversaturated with milk to absorb more.

Gov. Scott Walker, who on Tuesday also weighed in on the international trade tension at the root of the crisis, announced that the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority will temporarily loosen the rules on a revolving capital loan program for dairy farmers and milk processors.

Its not a long-term solution, state officials say, but it provides another resource for Wisconsins dairy farms affected by Grassland Dairy Products Inc., of Greenwood, which informed 67 dairy farms earlier this month, most from Wisconsin and some from Minnesota, it no longer would accept their milk after May 1.

Its a way of enhancing their working capital and its a better way to get (dairy farmers) through a cash-flow situation when theyre running short on working capital, said Dan Smith, administrator for agricultural development at the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection.

The move also gives the states dairy processors a low-cost financial resource to help them invest in additional storage, which would allow them to process more milk, Smith said.

(Processors) have a need for working capital to help them manage costs for storage, distribution and inventory control, he said. What weve noticed as weve been working through this problem is that (milk) inventory is full and we need a way to encourage processors to take on more milk.

Boost processing capacity

The state has been assisted by dairy farmers unaffected by the Grassland decision and industry groups, including the Dairy Girls Network, around the state to find processors to take more milk.

At least 39 dairy farmers who sold to Grassland still were in search of buyers on Tuesday, Smith said. A total of 19 of the affected dairy farms have found new buyers, including eight whose milk will be taken on by Mullins Cheese.

Smith said processors are reluctant to take on more milk but a WHEDA loan can mediate the risk to processors of adding inventory space to increase production.

This would allow us to go back to those farms and take that milk, he said.

The changes to the WHEDA program boost loan guarantees to 80 percent up to $200,000 for eligible dairy farmers, while qualified processors can access an 80 percent loan guarantee up to $750,000. This change is effective through Aug. 1.

Grasslands decision earlier this month was driven by recent Canadian action that created a new set or class of dairy products and new prices for ultra-filtered milk, a processed, high-protein ingredient typically used in cheese production. The new pricing structure made the cost of U.S. ultra-filtered milk higher for Canadian processors, encouraging Canadian processors to buy it domestically.

Ultra-filtered milk exports to Canada represented about $150 million in annual business to American dairy processors, with Grassland commanding about two thirds, or $100 million, of that business. Farms in New York and Minnesota also were affected by the change. Margaret Hart, a spokeswoman for the Minnesota Department of Agriculture said Tuesday that Grassland has since agreed to continue buying milk from all the Minnesota farms affected.

The affected farms in Wisconsin ranged in size from 12 cows to 3,200 cows. Tim Prosser, a Columbus dairy farmer who was dropped by Grassland, said Tuesday that he and his father might have to shut down their business and sell their 100 cows if they cant find a new customer by May 1.

Even if we keep feeding the cows and milking them, it still costs us money, Prosser said. If we have to turn around and dump the milk, wed be looking at a $35,000 loss every month.

Trump: We will not

stand for this

Before announcing the loan program changes, Walker praised President Donald Trump for hitting back at Canada by imposing steep import duties on Canadian lumber.

Walker said he spoke with Trump Monday and Tuesday about the dairy crisis.

It was great to talk to you this morning, Walker told Trump on Twitter after the conversation. Thanks for supporting WI dairy farmers!!!

Trump referenced the crisis on Twitter hours after his administration announced the tariffs: Canada has made business for our dairy farmers in Wisconsin and other border states very difficult. We will not stand for this. Watch!

State Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald, also a Republican, said he hopes the changes will encourage processors to make investments to accommodate more milk but noted they wont immediately help farmers wholl have nowhere to send their milk starting Monday.

 The Associated Press contributed to this report.
The growing need to bolster cybersecurity is so great that jobs in the industry are becoming hard to fill.

Metro St. Louis has 3,813 unfilled cybersecurity jobs, according to a supply and demand heat map on the website cyberseek.org.

Nationally, the number measures in the hundreds of thousands and is projected to grow to 1.8 million by 2022, according to Jason Carter, board president of the Midwest Cyber Center, a nonprofit group run out of Scott Air Force Base.

The organization, called MC for short, announced a partnership Tuesday with the St. Louis Agency on Training and Employment (SLATE) that seeks to chip away at the shortage through an apprenticeship program.

The paid, 18-month program will pair individuals with area businesses looking to address cybersecurity issues. Apprentices will work about 32 hours per week at the businesses and spend some time receiving training and instruction from MC.

The apprenticeships are open to anyone 18 or older with a high school degree or GED.

Its exciting for me to sit here and think about the impact this can have on our region, said Tony Bryan, executive director of MC. The number of apprenticeships will depend on how many businesses get involved, he said.

Candidates will complete the program with two industry certifications, and potentially with job offers. Officials at Tuesdays announcement cited strong demand for cybersecurity from hospitals such as BJC HealthCare and government entities such as Scott Air Force Base and the soon-to-be-relocated National Geospatial Intelligence Agency, or NGA.

With Scott, with NGA coming ... do we have people in this region who can do the work that these places need to do? said Michael Holmes, executive director for SLATE. His agency will process applications and fund MCs apprentice training.

Applications for the program open Monday and apprenticeships could start as early as June, Bryan said.
Franklin Templeton star bond-fund manager Michael Hasenstab called U.S. Treasuries one of the world's biggest financial bubbles, saying investors seeking safety in the securities face the prospect of significant losses as yields rise.

Treasuries fell for a fifth day Tuesday as yields climbed above 2.30 percent, testing a key support level. Hasenstab, who manages the $40 billion Templeton Global Bond Fund, cited a variety of factors behind his bearish wager, from higher consumer prices brought on by a hot U.S. job market, to a Federal Reserve he sees as behind the curve, to the retreat of foreign buyers. It's a major trade he's held onto since at least 2015, even as yields tumbled to record lows last year.

Buying Treasuries is "like walking on a lake in April," Hasenstab said in a Bloomberg TV interview. "It's still frozen, but eventually it's going to crack. "

Things seemed to be working out for bond bears like Hasenstab following Donald Trump's election in November. Trump's win helped fuel the reflation trade, with expectations of fiscal stimulus and stronger growth driving a surge in yields. Yet the wager began to sour in March as signs of delays to key legislation and surging geopolitical risks abroad drove investors back to haven assets.

Yields have rebounded this week after Trump promised to deliver long-awaited details on his tax-reform proposal, which may include slashing the corporate tax rate to 15 percent. Some of the haven demand that's been keeping Treasuries supported is dissipating, after results from the first round of French elections pointed to pro-growth centrist Emmanuel Macron becoming the country's next president.

"The reality is going to set in that it isn't necessarily a safe-haven asset, because there's a tremendous amount of principal risk when you're buying Treasuries at 2.5 percent," Hasenstab said. He's particularly bearish on 10- and 30-year Treasuries, where yields declined to record lows last year.

 Benchmark 10-year yields rose six basis points to 2.33 percent as of 4:31 p.m. New York time. While the yield has rebounded from a record-low 1.32 percent in July 2016, it has fallen from the 2.6 percent level reached last month, a threshold some market veterans say could signal the start of a persistent rise in yields.

 Treasuries are also under pressure amid indications that Trump is relenting on his demand that Congress immediately start funding a border wall, potentially averting a government shutdown; a shutdown would benefit the market by casting doubt on administration's ability to pass tax reform and/or fiscal stimulus, strategists say

 Area between 2.30 percent and 2.322 percent on the 10-year is acting as strong support level, independent strategist Marty Mitchell wrote Tuesday.

Bloomberg's Alix Steel and Edward Bolingbroke contributed.
Because of the increasing prevalence of syphilis in the St. Louis region and an alarming number of babies born last year with the sexually transmitted disease, city and county health officials are recommending all pregnant women get screened for the disease late in pregnancy and at delivery.

Across the state, zero to three babies are born a year with congenital syphilis, officials say. But last year, 10 babies were born with the disease. Six were in the urban areas of Kansas City and St. Louis.

The results are devastating, explained Dr. Hilary Reno, infectious disease expert at Washington University School of Medicine. Nearly 40 percent of exposed babies are stillborn, and other outcomes include blindness, deafness and bone deformities.

The number is small, but the consequences of congenital syphilis are so severe, and the test is readily available and easy, Reno said. Any case of congenital syphilis should have been prevented.

Missouri law already requires syphilis testing with a blood test for all pregnant women in the first trimester. Because women who remain sexually active during pregnancy can still contract the disease, local health officials are recommending testing again during the third trimester and at delivery.

Treatment involves one to three shots of penicillin. Those with penicillin allergies should be desensitized.

Between 2012 and 2016 in the city and county, Reno said, rates for early syphilis (within a year of infection, when the disease is most infectious) rose 86 percent  from 11.8 to 22 per 100,000 people. While most syphilis cases involve men, the number of women contracting it is increasing.

Rates have also increased nationwide. Cases of congenital syphilis rose 39 percent between 2012 and 2014, federal data show.

Early symptoms include a sore at the site of sexual contact that is not painful. The sore usually gets better, then a rash appears on the palms, soles and sometimes the trunk. The rash also goes away on its own. Because of these mild symptoms in the early and infectious stages, many people dont get tested.

We are concerned we are going to miss women and not treat them early enough in pregnancy if we dont do this universal testing, Reno said.
A Dane County jury deliberated for about four hours Tuesday before finding a Madison man guilty of the 2015 strangulation and asphyxiation homicide of another man at his West Side apartment.

Dennis B. Hassel, 57, was convicted Tuesday night of first-degree intentional homicide for the April 2015 death of Larry Ewing, 76, whose body was found face-down on the floor of his Sheboygan Avenue apartment, his hands each resting in a bowl of liquid that smelled like bleach.

Hassel now faces a mandatory life prison sentence. Under state law, he could be made eligible for release from prison on extended supervision after serving 20 years, but given Hassel has prior felony convictions, including second-degree sexual assault, Dane County Circuit Judge Ellen Berz could make him ineligible for extended supervision.

Berz set sentencing for June 22, after a presentence investigation by the state Department of Corrections. She declined a motion by Hassels lawyers to set aside the verdict, finding there was more than enough evidence to support Hassels guilt.

Prosecutors wrapped up their case against Hassel Tuesday morning after about a week of testimony. Hassels lawyers presented three brief witnesses, followed by one additional short prosecution witness, and the two sides presented closing arguments afterward.

The trial was originally scheduled to last two weeks, and wrap up on Friday.

In closing arguments, Deputy District Attorney Matthew Moeser hammered at the data from a GPS monitor Hassel wore as part of his supervision, following his release from prison about eight months before Ewing was murdered. Hassel lived in a state Department of Corrections halfway house on Odana Road that kept close tabs on his trips away from the facility.

Moeser told the jury that the data, overlaid on different maps, showed Hassel spending more than an hour at Ewings apartment building the morning of April 15, 2015, making other stops that day, and then returning to the building in the afternoon. Hassel briefly returned the next day as well, he said.

Moeser said theres no evidence Hassel knew anyone else in that building, and said when he went there, Hassel told DOC that he was going to the Red Cross, which is near the building where Ewing lived, to give blood or apply for jobs. Neither was true, Moeser said.

In the time following his arrest on April 22, 2015, Moeser said, Hassel continually lied about his involvement in Ewings death, or even that he had been to Ewings apartment building, in taped jail conversations played for the jury.

Ewing was manually strangled and asphyxiated, and he had several broken ribs, as though he had been choked, suffocated and squeezed, Moeser said.

Moeser told jurors that Hassel removed jewelry from Ewings hands and then placed his hands in bleach to remove any sign of his own DNA.

GPS records of Hassels movements were backed, Moeser said, by video surveillance that showed him at the locations where GPS put him  at Ricks Olde Gold on Williamson Street and the HyVee grocery store on Whitney Way, for example.

But state Assistant Public Defender Jon Helland questioned how much jurors could rely on the GPS data, given the states resistance to testing for accuracy the equipment that Hassel wore.

This is a crazy case, Helland said, because we have no idea what happened. We are left with the state trying to come up with their version of the story.

He said its not known when Ewing died, because his body wasnt found by a neighbor until April 18, 2015, and two copies of the Wisconsin State Journal, which Ewing subscribed to, from April 17 and April 18, were outside Ewings door. The April 16 edition was found inside the apartment.

Helland said Ewing lived a double life, far different from the life in which he went to church and lunched with elderly women. Someone from his other life was responsible for Ewings death, Helland told the jury, but not Hassel. Some things about the prosecutions case didnt make sense, Helland said, creating reasonable doubt that Hassel was Ewings killer.

For one thing, Helland said, if Hassel had snagged jewelry from Ewings hands, then pawned it for a few dollars, why would he have left behind other, more valuable jewelry, cash and electronics in Ewings apartment? There were plenty of other men in Ewings life, the life he kept secret, Helland said, and any one of them could also have killed Ewing.

Larry had a secret life, Helland said. Dont hold Dennis responsible for that secret life.

Moeser put it a different way. Ewing, a retired state worker, was a kind and giving person, Moeser said, and unfortunately in many ways that may have been his downfall.
ST. LOUIS  Missouri Department of Corrections employees streamed Netflix movies on state computers, used personal cellphones on duty and skipped security checks at a facility while an offender there hanged himself and lay dead in a cell for 10 hours.

Surveillance footage captured it all, offering evidence that workers werent checking on the man even while filling out a log claiming they had.

The findings are revealed in a department investigation into the Oct. 24 discovery of David Garceau at the St. Louis Community Release Center, 1621 North First Street. Paramedics pronounced him dead at 5:27 a.m. that day, but he died several hours before.

The 550-bed facility is run by the Division of Probation and Parole. It serves as a halfway house for offenders who dont have a home plan after prison. Some residents are granted day passes to pursue job leads around town.

Garceau, 41, who struggled with mental illness and drug addiction, was being held in the Administrative Segregation Unit, which is like timeout for adults.

The department investigation found inconsistencies in staff assignments and other mishaps in the unit leading up to Garceaus death and the time before his body was found, according to an abridged portion of an inspector generals report.

That report was completed Jan. 31 and obtained last week by the Post-Dispatch through an open records request.

The departments director, Anne Precythe, declined through a spokesman to comment Tuesday about the case. The Post-Dispatch was asked to submit questions in writing, which were not answered.

Earlier this year, Precythe said in a news release that she was particularly concerned about the circumstances of the incident and vowed to take action swiftly against responsible staff.

St. Louis police also investigated the case. No criminal charges were filed, and the case is inactive.

The Department of Corrections investigation included a review of 54 hours of internal surveillance video and the performance of at least 31 employees, spanning all three shifts. In essence, the report found the facility was asleep at the wheel.

Video recorded between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. on Oct. 23 shows Garceau testing different ways to tie and secure a brown bed sheet to a bed frame. A guard in the area during that time later told an investigator that he did his job admirably as an employee that afternoon.

But surveillance video indicated that he lied about doing three security checks between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. The video also indicated the guard had been watching something on a computer screen that wasnt live video footage of Garceaus cell.

A review of internet usage of the computer during the guards nine-hour shift found 254 pages of detailed internet access and 2 hours and 22 minutes of media streaming and access to electronic social networks.

The guard couldnt be reached for comment.

Another guard in the area working from 4 p.m. to midnight performed in a similar fashion.

By then, Garceau, who was in a camera cell, was trying to harm himself.

At 7:12 p.m., Garceau can be seen as he sat backwards on the lower bunk bed and then laid down on the bunk, the report states. In the dark cell movement can be seen on the bottom bunk until approximately 7:29 p.m. when all movement appears to have ceased inside the cell. From the video recordings 7:29 p.m. appears to be the time of death for Offender Garceau.

Skipping security checks

The 24-year-old guard on duty nearby at that time later told an investigator that she made security checks at 7 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Video does not support that claim.

Officials showed her a photograph of her on a cellphone that night. A review of computer usage during her eight-hour shift found 418 pages of detailed internet access, including Twitter, Amazon, Facebook, LinkedIn and streaming media for 4 hours, 54 minutes.

The guard had previously been reprimanded for reporting to work with facial piercings and driving a state vehicle erratically and too quickly. She resigned in December, according the report.

The former guard declined to comment to the Post-Dispatch through an email exchange from out of the country.

LaTasha Poole, 33, was part of the overnight shift in Administrative Segregation. She said in an interview with the Post-Dispatch that it was her first night working in the area, and she lacked proper training.

According to surveillance video, she didnt do security checks. She was accused of surfing the internet and watching the movie Blue Streak on Netflix. She told an investigator that it seemed to be OK to use the computer in this manner because she watched the movie with her immediate supervisor.

The supervisor initially told an investigator that he hadnt been in Administrative Segregation at that time and didnt know about the movie. Surveillance video showed otherwise. He was fired in January for discipline issues.

Making breakfast rounds, Poole was the one who finally found Garceau in his cell. She told investigators that she called out for him and banged on his cell door, without response.

Poole said she had worked at the facility for a little over a month. She said she was paid $28,000 a year. During her brief tenure, she said shed done CPR on an offender and found needles and synthetic marijuana, or K-2.

It smelled sweet, but you can never catch them because they have lookouts at the door, she said.

Garceau had been caught with suspected K-2, though its unclear if thats why he was in Administrative Segregation.

Widespread problems

Family members said Garceau used to be married and had his own siding business. But he struggled with addiction and mental illness. While he was homeless, he racked up an arson and burglary conviction.

He was released from prison in September and stayed with his father near Lake of the Ozarks until he intentionally cut himself. He was treated for the wound, then sent to a hospital in West Plains, Mo., to be treated for mental illness.

From there, he went to the Release Center on Oct. 18. According to the investigative report, Garceau was prescribed eight medications. There was no record that he received his medications Oct. 20, 21 or 22.

The report  which cited broader problems with protocols related to medicine  said Garceau was given medication Oct. 23 at 8:15 a.m., 2 p.m. and 7 p.m., right before he hanged himself.

Poole said she had no idea that Garceau was supposed to take medications.

Maybe nobody would have been watching TV that night if we knew that there was somebody who was suicidal, she said. Lets check this guy every 30 minutes. We would have found this guys body sooner and maybe could have revived him.

When you are dealing with people on medication, thats something you dont want to mess with, she added.

Poole was one of 10 people who were fired from the facility between January and March.

John Young, the recent superintendent of the Release Center, had just come back to work Oct. 24, after seven weeks away from the job.

He told investigators that he wasnt aware there were widespread issues with staff not doing security checks or falsifying checks, nor complaints about training.

But he was aware of a parole officer from the facility being disciplined for completing a false report and lying during the investigation of the death of a different offender. Von Eugene Nebbitt, 32, was found unresponsive in his bunk Aug. 20 and died two days later in a hospital of apparent opiate and ethanol intoxication. He also had mental health issues and no home plan, according to state records.

On Jan. 5, Demarko Flowers, 22, another Release Center resident, was found unresponsive. He was taken to a hospital, where he died from a probable overdose from fentanyl, hydrocodone and heroin.

Young, the superintendent, declined to comment, other than to say he is retiring soon after more than 28 years with the Department of Corrections.
JEFFERSON CITY  The Missouri Supreme Court issued on Wednesday an order to execute Marcellus Williams, the man who fatally stabbed former Post-Dispatch reporter Lisha Gayle at her University City home in 1998.

Williams is scheduled to die by lethal injection on Aug. 22.

Williams killed Gayle while burglarizing her home in the gated Ames Place neighborhood of University City. She was 42 years old.

He was convicted in 2001, when St. Louis County Circuit Judge Emmett M. OBrien sentenced Williams to death.

Williams was initially scheduled to die in January 2015, but the states highest court stayed his execution after his attorneys argued he was entitled to further DNA testing.

Gayle was a Post-Dispatch reporter from 1981-92. She left the paper to do volunteer social work with children and the poor.
Wisconsins Republican members of Congress were mostly tight-lipped Wednesday after GOP President Donald Trump released the outline of a sweeping plan to overhaul the tax code, in part by slashing corporate tax rates.

Only House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Janesville, offered measured praise for the plan, which also would end the estate tax and cut personal income taxes.

It was not immediately clear how the plan would be financed without dramatically swelling the federal deficit. Trumps U.S. Treasury Secretary, Steve Mnuchin, predicted it would trigger economic growth that would create new tax revenue.

The office of Sen. Ron Johnson, R- Oshkosh, issued a statement that alluded to the plans lack of detail, saying, Johnson will review the administrations proposal as more details become available.

Sen. Johnson agrees with the administration that our tax code desperately needs to be simplified, the statement added.

Wisconsin congressional Republicans  Reps. Sean Duffy of Wausau, Mike Gallagher of Green Bay, Glenn Grothman of Glenbeulah and Jim Sensenbrenner of Menomonee Falls  didnt address Trumps tax plan in response to Wisconsin State Journal inquiries Wednesday.

Wisconsin Democratic lawmakers, including Rep. Mark Pocan, D-Black Earth, blasted the plan as a giveaway to corporations and the very wealthy.

The proposal cuts taxes for powerful special interests while sticking our children and grandchildren with the bill, said Rep. Ron Kind, D-La Crosse.

Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Madison, joined with other Democratic senators Wednesday to call for imposing the Buffett Rule, named for billionaire Warren Buffett. It would require all taxpayers earning more than $2 million a year to be subject to at least a 30 percent effective federal tax rate.
ST. LOUIS  Ida Lester, 87, a resident at the House at Westminster Place senior apartments in the Central West End is facing eviction over the tiniest and peskiest of issues currently plaguing homes for the elderly: bedbugs.

Shes lived in her apartment for about a decade. Prior to that she lived down the street in an apartment in the same mixed-income housing complex originally constructed by McCormack Baron Salazar nearly three decades ago. It was constructed with the help of a package of federal low-interest grants and tax credits so middle- and working-class residents could live together.

Her son Theoda Lester said shes never had a lot of money, but shes been happy living there in affordable housing. Its a pretty block with lots of trees and well-kept buildings, with shopping nearby at Lindell Plaza.

Every month since Ida Lester lived in the low-income senior apartments she has paid her rent  now through auto-pay directly out of the same account that receives her Social Security benefit. Her current rent is $594 a month, court records show.

But if her new landlord has its way, she will be thrown out of her home.

In its court complaint, Broad Management Group is asking Lester to pay double the rent and double their claim of an estimated $368 in damages. Records show House at Westminster Place was sold by McCormack Baron last June to Broad Management Group, a real estate investment and management firm based outside of New York City.

In a brief filed to the court, Lesters attorney said the facility demanded $800 to exterminate the bedbugs, which demonstrated a breach of an implied warranty of habitability on the part of the landlord.

According to Lesters son, problems started in December when bedbugs were discovered in numerous apartments on the first floor of the senior apartment building. The owners of the complex paid to have a heat treatment done by exterminators to the affected apartments and areas, he said.

Theoda Lester said the first treatment didnt get rid of all of the bedbugs in his mothers apartment. The complex management then told the residents they would have to pay for a second visit by exterminators. Theoda Lester said his mother was told it would cost her $800.

The son said the exterminators showed up at her apartment unannounced in late February, and his mother refused to let them in because she did not have the money to pay for it.

Now, House at Westminster Place is moving to formally evict Ida Lester.

Growing problem

Bedbug infestations are increasingly common in facilities for the elderly.

According to recent statistics gathered by the pest control industry, nearly 60 percent of exterminators have found bedbugs in nursing homes  up from 43 percent two years earlier.

More than 35 percent of exterminators have also reported finding them in hospitals, and infestations in physician offices rose from 26 percent to 33 percent in a recent two-year period.

The health vulnerability of nursing home, assisted living and senior living residents makes pest control more difficult because these facilities typically shy away from using chemical pesticides. Senior homes are also problematic because many personal effects, such as photographs and photo albums as well as furniture brought into the building, can harbor bedbugs.

But advocates for those in affordable housing and senior housing say eviction should not be the final resort when it involves something as difficult to control as bedbugs.

She wants to stay

Ida Lester was told in March that she needed to vacate her small apartment, not long after her son said he complained to the local alderman and a ward committeeman.

Lester, now partly blind and dependent on a walker, hasnt budged. A court hearing is set for May 4.

Supporters, including the Organization for Black Struggle, said her treatment was unfair and she was being scapegoated as a cause of the bedbugs, even though they were found in multiple places in the building.

Kathryn Davis, a lawyer from the firm representing the complex in the eviction case, said she would not get into details on a pending case.

We do feel the landlord is trying to act in the best interest of all the tenants, she said.

Amy Diemer, managing attorney at St. Francis Catholic Legal Assistance ministry, said a volunteer attorney at her group is representing Lester.

Its our position and our clients position that she is not the source of the bedbugs and should not have to be paying for the treatment, Diemer said.

Federal housing laws do allow landlords who accept government subsidies for affordable housing to ask for extermination costs when the tenants are found to be the direct cause. But there are typically contingency and maintenance funds to be used by senior complexes when tenants dont have the money.

Lesters son said his mother is not a hoarder bringing in bedbugs. The complex has given him no proof that she caused the problem, he said, and his mother does not want to move.

This is where she wants to stay. She doesnt want to go anywhere else, he said. There are a number of people whove lived there whove passed away. Like my mom, this is where they wanted to finish out their days.
America is schizophrenic when it comes to rules. We celebrate the rule of law, rightly so, as a founding principle of our nation. Respect for the law has been essential to Americas survival because it sets an orderly process to hold all accountable according to whats supposed to be a universal standard. Whether its applied uniformly is debatable, but the standard itself is not.

At the same time, we celebrate rebels, outlaws and rule-breakers. Films such as Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, The Shawshank Redemption, Dirty Dozen and Bonnie and Clyde didnt become classics because their protagonists were sweethearts who bowed to authority and followed the straight and narrow path.

Todays tea party conservatives emulate the celebrants of the 1773 Boston Tea Party who defied British authority and risked severe punishment to challenge taxation without representation. America is now a free nation of over-caffeinated coffee drinkers largely because of the rebellion inspired by Boston.

Modern liberals herald the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and his willingness to be beaten and bloodied by police in the Deep South to defend equal rights for blacks.

Those who engage in civil disobedience proceed with the full knowledge that, rightly or wrongly, they are likely to face punishment for defying the law. Thats what makes their courage so admirable.

State Rep. Bruce Franks, D-St. Louis, was a proud participant in the Ferguson protests and defends the obstruction of interstate highways and other disruptions as necessary to shake people out of their lethargy.

As long as its not making everybody else uncomfortable, its OK to protest. But the moment when youre making everybody uncomfortable, or you dont necessarily see the measurable outcome of said protest, then its unlawful or its against whats right, he complained, according to Missourinet.

He and other protesters seem to want it both ways. They want to advance their cause with showy acts of defiance yet react with outrage at the police response when their civil disobedience turns into outright criminality.

If Franks takes issue with how society sets the dividing line between lawful and unlawful then, as the newest St. Louis state representative, where would he draw it? Because once you rationalize violating the law in the name of your cause, the skys the limit.

Consider the chaotic escalation after the August 2014 shooting death of Michael Brown in Ferguson:

 A peaceful street protest turned into acts of wanton looting and vandalism that included the torching of a QuikTrip gas station and convenience store.

 In November 2014, St. Louis Countys decision not to indict officer Darren Wilson for Browns death prompted additional rioting. Dozens of buildings and businesses were burned or vandalized. Gunfire was rampant.

 Amid still-simmering racial tensions in December 2014, a 32-year-old Bosnian man was beaten to death with a hammer in St. Louis. Four teenagers were arrested.

 More violence erupted in March 2015. Two officers were shot.

 On the first anniversary of Browns death, violence resumed. On the second, during a nighttime march, a protester ventured onto a darkened road and was hit by a car. Gunfire erupted.

The pattern suggests that, once a few individuals decide to escalate protest from the realm of civil disobedience to something more impactful, chaos and tragedy can quickly ensue. People take their cues from each other. Once an atmosphere of disorder prevails, the law becomes meaningless. Innocent shop owners absorb the financial brunt of vandalism. People get killed.

One Missouri legislator thinks the answer is to dramatically stiffen laws related to participating in an organized protest on thoroughfares, including interstate highways, by establishing potential penalties of up to seven years in prison.

That is ridiculous overkill, reflective of the naivete of its sponsor, Republican state Rep. Nick Marshall, whose suburban Kansas City district probably hasnt experienced an organized street protest in decades.

That said, the other side makes the equally ridiculous argument that highway-blocking protests are protected by the First Amendment.

This goes beyond having a chilling effect on free speech, it puts a freeze on it, James Harrington, a civil rights attorney in Texas, told USA Today, referring to a national movement to duplicate Marshalls bill.

Under that rationale, any punishment or attempt to remove protesters violates free-speech rights. Where, then, do we draw the line?

And since the protesters are so adamant about protecting free speech, would they defend religious conservatives right to block highways to protest LGBT rights or to block access to abortion clinics?

The violence and threats that accompanied Berkeley speaking engagements by conservatives Ann Coulter and Milo Yiannopoulos speak volumes about the radical lefts definition of free speech. They want the right to protest only what their political agenda calls for. They demand total flexibility to declare whats permissible and whats not, depending on their list of circumstances.

And if the chaos they foment causes inconvenience or makes the rest of us uncomfortable, well, thats our problem.

This column has been corrected: The teenagers who attacked a 32-year-old Bosnian man in December 2014 were of multiple races and ethnicities.
The chief justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court is blaming tough talk by critics for diminishing the courts reputation with the public.

Chief Justice Pat Roggensack faults the press, advocacy groups, former judges, lawmakers and some of her colleagues for caustic language she says is undermining the institutional legitimacy of our courts.

Speech has consequences, Roggensack said during a lecture at Marquette Law School last month. She cited examples of critics calling the court a political machine thats rigged and corrupt.

Roggensack is right that words matter. And we respect her call for more civility, both on and off the bench. This is, after all, the same high court in which former Justice David Prosser put his hands around the neck of a fellow justice during an argument in 2011.

But Roggensack ignores the biggest reason her court has lost so much respect: Nasty and expensive statewide judicial elections are tarnishing the reputations of the candidates and the high court they seek to join. Most candidates run attack ads against their opponents while courting special-interest money and support.

Making matters worse, the high court refused last week to insulate itself from the conflicts of interest large campaign donations pose. A lot of those donors eventually come before the court seeking favorable decisions.

Thats why 54 retired judges petitioned the court recently to adopt clear rules on when justices should recuse themselves from cases. The retired judges suggested a $10,000 donation to a Supreme Court campaign should require a justice to step away from any case involving the donor. Smaller thresholds would exist for appellate, circuit and municipal judges.

The appearance of partiality that large campaign donations cause strikes at the heart of the judicial function, which depends on the publics respect for its judgments, the groups petition correctly noted.

A majority on Roggensacks conservative-leaning Supreme Court last week refused to even hold a public hearing on the issue. Justice Daniel Kelly said adopting the rules would tell judges throughout the state that their personal judgment cant be trusted.

Thats caustic and inappropriate, he contended.

What the rules would really do is tell judges across Wisconsin that the state has high standards for integrity and fairness. A strong recusal requirement also would take away some of the incentive special interests have for showering judicial campaigns with money.

To her credit, Roggensack recently urged lawmakers not to put the states judicial watchdog panel under the control of the high court, as Gov. Scott Walker proposed. Doing so would create conflicts of interest, the chief justice correctly noted.

Roggensack should similarly acknowledge that large campaign donations pose obvious conflicts, and she should rein in the most glaring examples. That would do a lot more to improve the courts reputation than complaining about negative comments in the newspaper.
What has happened to our powers of discernment and our ability to see these people for what they are, which is that they care nothing for us?
Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Syed Khurshid Shah has on Wednesday said that government will leave all the culprits and sacrifice any lower ranked official in Dawn leaks case.

Syed Khurshid Shah said while wile talking to media that the state was dragged in streets and enemy was helped by leaking information.

The opposition leader further said that he will not let the opposition divide in the campaign against government and claimed that all opposition parties will be united.

Khurshid Shah declared Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan a wise politicians and hoped that all differences with PTI will be sorted out through dialogues.

Shah also condemned the baton charge on farmers at wheat centers in Punjab, and declared the policies of government anti-farmers.
Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua on Wednesday has rejected Indian High Commissions plea seeking consular access to Kulbhushan Jadhav who was sentenced to death by Pakistani military court for spying.

Sources told that Indian High Commissioner in Islamabad Gautam Bambawale filed the plea which was instantly dismissed by Pakistan. Tehmina Janjua said that Jadhav was caught red-handed during espionage for RAW and that he had also confessed to the charges.

Pakistan has denied Indias request for consular access to 46-year-old Jadhav over a dozen times as on April 14, Bambawale had met with the Janjua, showing concern about the fate of Jadhav.

On April 11, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa had confirmed death sentence of Jadhav who was tried through Field General Court Martial (FGCM) under Pakistan Army Act (PAA).

He was tried under section 59 of Pakistan Army Act (PAA) 1952 and Section III of official Secret Act of 1923.

FGCM found Kulbushan SudhirYadhav guilty of all the charges. He confessed before a Magistrate and the Court that he was tasked by RAW to plan, coordinate and organize espionage and sabotage activities aiming to destabilize and wage war against Pakistan by impeding the efforts of Law Enforcement Agencies for restoring peace in Balochistan and Karachi.

Jadhav alias Hussein Mubarak Patel was arrested on March 3, 2016 through a Counter Intelligence Operation from Mashkel, Balochistan.

In March last year, authorities released a video in which the Indian spy confessed to New Delhis alleged involvement in terrorist activities in Balochistan. He revealed that he had been directing various activities in Karachi and Balochistan "at the behest of RAW", the Indian intelligence agency, and that he was still with the Indian Navy.
According to ISPR during the meeting the two Army Chiefs matters of mutual interest were discussed with particular reference to enhancing military cooperation in the field of training and counter terrorism domain.

Later the Italian delegation was given a detailed briefing on operational and training activities of Pakistan Army. The visiting dignitary acknowledged and appreciated ongoing Operation Radd-ul-Fasaad for elimination of terrorism from Pakistan and gains made so far.

Earlier, on arrival at GHQ, ISPR said, the Italian Chief of Army Staff laid floral wreath at Yadgar-e-Shuhada. A smartly turned out contingent of Pakistan Army presented the guard of honour to the visiting dignitary.
State Minister for Information Maryam Aurangzeb said that the opponents were disappointed with Panama case verdict, adding that propaganda on differences note is contempt of court, while she urged Imran Khan to stop weeping after every report.

Talking to media after addressing the ceremony in Islamabad, Maryam Aurangzeb said that Opposition specter over Panama and Dawn Leaks is regrettable, adding that JIT and national institutions are being made controversial.

Talking regarding Dawn Leaks report, Maryam Aurangzeb said that there should be spread positivity when it is the matter of Pakistan, but giving a news report through media sources is highly regrettable. She said that the opponents attempted to connect Dawn Leaks matter with Maryam Nawaz, adding that those leveling allegation on Maryam Nawaz should apologize over their allegations.

While criticizing Imran Khan and Asif Zardari, Maryam Aurangzeb said that weeping after every report is benchmark of Imran Khan, while calling Zardari, she said that how can the one filling his pockets during his regime is demanding resignation of Prime Minister.

Aurangzeb continued that now the tradition of allegations must end. Earlier addressing the ceremony, Maryam Aurangzeb said that with the exchange of culture and education, the people of Pakistan are coming closer.

She said that CPEC is the gift for the region by Prime Minister, one region, one highway vision will develop trade.
Police were involved in low speed pursuit following the theft of a tractor from a rural property in Paengaroa overnight.

The vehicle was reported stolen from a Te Tumu Road property by its owner, who is also believed to have been involved in the pursuit of the pilfered red Massey Fergusson tractor.

Police were called at 7pm to reports of a tractor stolen on Te Tumu Road, says a spokesperson.

The tractor has been located and police are speaking to the driver to establish what has happened and why the vehicle has been taken.

However, the plot thickens as the spokesperson says no arrests were made.
Race Relations Commissioner Susan Devoy says Winston Peters needs to "focus on what is relevant" after the New Zealand First leader raised questions about work visa analysis carried out by two NZ Herald reporters.

Peters labelled the Heralds findings rubbish and highlighted the Asian ethnicity of the journalists involved - actions which lead to ACTs David Seymour calling him an old fashioned racist yesterday.

Now, Dame Susan has urged Peters to stick to what is relevant, while the NZ Herald moved to defend their coverage of work visas and the top five source countries for work visas last year.

We suggest Winston Peters focuses on what journalists write, not their ethnicity or race, said Dame Susan.

Debate facts. Agree to disagree. But a journalists ethnicity is not relevant.

We are better than this.

New Zealanders can debate immigration and other issues without attacking someone because of their ethnicity.

Peters called the analysis propaganda" and "completely wrong - words that prompted a quick response from the Herald in defence of their reporters, Lincoln Tan and Harkanwal Singh, as well as the data used.

Herald editor Murray Kirkness said: "Winston Peters statement - and in particular his aspersions on our journalists and their work - comes straight from the Donald Trump playbook.

"His reference to New Zealand Herald propaganda written by two Asian immigrant reporters is a new low in political rhetoric in this election year. We condemn his comments.

"For the record, the article and interactive is accurate and presented in proper context using official Statistics NZ data.

"Peters would best be advised to try to grasp the complexity of the issues, and make a useful contribution to the immigration debate, rather than playing the race card or taking a wildly desperate swing at the media."

-Newsie
Scientists will be knocking on doors in Edgecumbe next week seeking to survey the damage done to buildings from the recent flooding.

The scientists, from NIWA and GNS Science, plan to use the information to better understand how flooding damages buildings and infrastructure.

Project leader and NIWA hazards analyst Ryan Paulik says the team will be in Edgecumbe from May 1 to record the high water marks inside buildings, along with details about what the building is made from and how it has been constructed.

They also want to survey the degree of damage to things such as joinery and lining and house contents.

The survey data will be examined for patterns that can help estimate the degree of damage related to the flood depth or flow speed. This information can then be used to estimate future flood damage for different sizes of flood across the country.

"We are trying to build a relationship between the damage observed, the type of building and how it was constructed," says Ryan.

"The information is vital for improving our knowledge and is used to support better land use planning and emergency management."

He says one of the most distinctive aspects of this flood was the structural damage to homes caused by fast-moving and particularly deep water, something rarely seen in New Zealand flood events.

The scientists will also collect information on damage to roads, electricity and water supply, storm water and wastewater infrastructure. They are also investigating the breach of the stopbank in more detail to try to determine what caused it.

Another aim of the survey is to find out about the warnings people received before the flood, and how they responded to them in the lead up to the stopbank breach. This information will help improve warnings in the future.

At least 450 buildings in Edgecumbe have been exposed to floodwater according to Riskscape  a joint NIWA and GNS Science tool for analysing potential economic and human impacts and losses from natural hazards. This includes 234 residential properties, 15 non-residential and 200 outbuildings or other buildings.

The information gathered from the survey will help improve and expand Riskscapes capabilities and will be applicable across New Zealand. In particular contributing to regional risk assessment.

The survey area includes State Highway 2, College Road, Rata Avenue, Puriri Crescent, Hinau Place, Matipo Place, Titoki Place and Tawhara Place.

The survey does not ask for any personal details and all information will be kept confidential with only general trends will be reported on.

A report summarising the findings of this survey will be made available to the district and regional council and at www.riskscape.org.nz
EAST SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- A man drove 51 mph through a school zone Monday, didn't stop for a deputy and was found with heroin, the Onondaga County Sheriff's Office said.

About 1:20 p.m. a deputy saw a Chevrolet pickup-truck speeding through a school zone on Old Court Street. The pickup was going 51 mph in the 20 mph zone, the sheriff's office said.

When the deputy tried to stop the pickup, the driver kept going, the sheriff's office said, heading north on Old Court Street where he failed to stop for a stop sign at Route 298. The driver eventually stopped.

The sheriff's office said that the driver, identified as Jamie Wilkins, had appeared to be trying to conceal something. He is accused of having 16 packets of heroin.

Wilkins, 47, of Liverpool, was charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance. He was also ticketed for speeding in a school zone and for failing to stop for a stop sign.

At the time of the stop the deputy was assigned to "No Empty Chair," a teen driving campaign funded by the Governor's Traffic Safety Committee.

The campaign takes its name from its goal: to prevent high school students from being killed in crashes and missing graduation and other special events. Monday was the first day of the campaign and targeted speeding in school zones.

Tuesday focused on seat belts and child restraints. Wednesday will include cell phone use and texting while driving. Thursday and Friday will target safe stop and underage drinking and driving, respectively.
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HERKIMER, N.Y. -- A Massachusetts man has been charged with sodomizing a 3-year-old Herkimer County girl he was babysitting then distributing photos of the abuse over the internet.

Micheal McCann, 30, of Haverhill, Mass., was charged Monday with sexual exploitation of a child after state troopers and FBI agents tracked child pornography to his username on a website for people interested in bondage, domination and sado-masochism, according to an affidavit from FBI Special Agent David Frehulfer.

An undercover FBI task force agent operating out of Little Rock, Ark., began communicating in January with McCann over the website, the affidavit said. McCann admitted in the online chat on April 16 that he'd taken "good pics" of a child that day, the affidavit said.

Two days later, McCann sent the undercover agent a photo of himself with a sexually explicit photo of a 3-year-old girl, the affidavit said. McCann told the agent that he was babysitting the girl for the weekend, the agent wrote.

The girl's mother confirmed to investigators that McCann was allowed to babysit the child, the affidavit said.

When investigators executed a search warrant of McCann's home and vehicle, he admitted that he'd distributed the sexually explicit photo of the girl, the affidavit said.
Syracuse, NY -- Robert Neulander went to his murder trial in his wife's 2012 death with noted Syracuse defense lawyer Edward Z. Menkin.

Neulander, 65, once a prominent obstetrician-gynecologist, was convicted by jury and sentenced to 20 years to life.

He next hired New York City lawyer Gerald Shargel to argue his first appeal.

Shargel, known for his defense of crime bosses and politicians, was unable to convince local Judge Thomas J. Miller to overturn the verdict in a trial he presided over.

For the next round of appeals, Neulander has turned to another high-powered NYC lawyer, Alexandra Shapiro.

Shapiro and Shargel worked together on an appeal late last year directly related to Miller's refusal to set aside the jury's verdict.

Alexandra Shapiro

And now, Shapiro is taking over Neulander's overall appeal of his conviction in the September 2012 death of his wife, Leslie, in their DeWitt mansion. Neulander was convicted of killing her and trying to cover it up as a slip-and-fall in the shower.

If you count another NYC lawyer Neulander hired to help pick his jury, Josh Dubin, this will be the fourth lawyer he's paid for his defense.

The two appeals in Neulander's case have now been combined and Shapiro will argue on Neulander's behalf in October before a five-judge panel in Rochester.

Shapiro is perhaps best-known for winning appeals on behalf of white-collar bankers and brokers involved in tax fraud and insider trading cases.

But the former president of the New York Council of Defense Lawyers also prosecuted violent gangsters as an assistant U.S. attorney. And she touts her expertise in "securities law, public corruption, tax fraud, criminal law, and intellectual property."

She's a former clerk of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and argued an insider-trading case before the Supreme Court. Shapiro is a partner in the Shapiro Arato law firm on Fifth Avenue at 42nd Street in Manhattan.

A 79-page brief filed by Shapiro last week reiterates several arguments made by Shargel previously. Among those allegations:

Onondaga County District Attorney William Fitzpatrick committed misconduct by offering his own opinion, twisting trial testimony and acting as an unsworn witness (

Menkin failed to provide an adequate defense by not objecting to Fitzpatrick's antics, by not calling witnesses who could have helped Neulander's case and by failing to cross-examine certain experts on their testimony, among other perceived problems.

One of the jurors, Johnna Lorraine, was

The only totally new argument made in the appeal is that there simply wasn't enough evidence to convict Neulander of murder. While an appeals court is loathe to second-guess a jury, it can vacate a conviction if there was "legally insufficient" evidence to support the verdict.

In other words, there is a legal standard of proof that must be met under law to convict someone: in this case, that Neulander intended to kill his wife and killed her. If that burden wasn't met, the jury's verdict can be overturned.

Shapiro delves into the trial testimony to argue that there simply wasn't enough proof that this was anything other than a slip-and-fall.

The only other major distinction between Shargel's arguments and Shapiro's is that Shapiro not only criticizes the lawyers involved in the case, but also argues that Miller's rulings should be overturned -- most notably, the one upholding the jury's verdict.

DA Fitzpatrick will now have a chance to respond to Shapiro's arguments in writing. They will then argue before the court in person sometime in October. No date has been set.

Neulander remains in an Elmira prison pending his appeal.
Rt_31_Verona.png

A 16-year-old Oneida County boy was seriously injured when he was hit by an Amtrak passenger train Wednesday morning near the Route 31 overpass in the town of Verona.

(Google image)

VERONA, NY - A 16-year-old Oneida County was seriously injured when he was hit by an Amtrak passenger train Wednesday morning in the town of Verona, police said.

Alec J. Comfort 16, of Verona called 911 saying he'd been hit by a train at about 9:30 a.m. today, according to Oneida County Sheriff's Office deputies.

Police said he had been hit in the train right of way directly underneath the State Route 31 overpass. Comfort was located on the south side of the tracks, and was treated at the scene by Verona fire department personnel.

Deputies said Comfort was taken by ambulance to St. Elizabeth's Hospital and then transferred to a Syracuse hospital with serious leg and foot injuries.

Amtrak officials reported the train's emergency braking system was engaged at the time.

None of the 85 passengers were injured.

The section of tracks was closed to traffic for about an hour while officials investigated. CSX police, Amtrak police and New York State Police assisted at the scene.

The investigation into the incident continues.
UTICA, NY - The owner of a Utica liquor store has been charged with 22 felonies in connection with sales tax evasion, according to the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance.

Manuel D. Mendez, 61, of 202 King S., Utica, was arrested by investigators with the tax department's criminal investigations division. Mendez owns James Street Liquor at 208 James St.

Mendez is charged with second-degree grand larceny, nine counts of third-degree criminal tax fraud, one count of fourth-degree criminal tax fraud and 11 counts of first-degree offering a false instrument for filing.

The defendant allegedly collected more than $70,000 in sales tax from customers from 2013 through 2015, but failed to remit those funds to the state as required by law, the department said.

Mendez pleaded not guilty in court and was released on his own recognizance. His next court appearance is May 19. If convicted, he could face up to 15 years in jail.
Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. -- The U.S. Air Force launched an unarmed intercontinental ballistic missile from California today as part of a test.

The Minuteman III missile test occurred just after midnight at Vandenberg Air Force Base near Lompoc, California, about 150 miles from Los Angeles. The missile carried a nonexplosive payload that recorded flight data, according to the Los Angeles Times.

The weapon traveled 4,200 miles to a test range in the Marshall Islands of the Pacific Ocean, the Times said.

Col. Chris Moss, commander of the 30th Space Wing at Vandenberg, called the test "an important demonstration of our nation's nuclear deterrent capability," according to the Times. The Minuteman III missile has been in service for 60 years, but has been upgraded with improved targeting and accuracy systems.

The Nuclear Age Peace Foundation released a statement criticizing the timing of the test as tensions between the United States and North Korean remain high, according to sfgate.com.

The North's nuclear program and associated missile tests have been concerns for years, but worries have increased as the country draws closer to development of a nuclear missile that could hit the U.S. mainland.

"When it comes to missile testing, the U.S. is operating with a clear double standard," David Krieger, president of the peace foundation, said in the group's statement, according to sfgate.com. "It views its own tests as justified and useful, while it views the tests of North Korea as threatening and destabilizing."

Krieger called for diplomacy.

"Threats, whether in the form of tweets, nuclear-capable aircraft carrier groups, or nuclear-capable missile launches, only increase the dangers to us all," he said, according to sfgate.com.

Moss, the Space Wing commander, said missile tests like the one today are "vital to validating the effectiveness and readiness of our operational nuclear systems," sfgate.com said. He also said the success of such tests is critical.

Contact Kevin Tampone anytime: Email | Twitter | Google + | 315-454-2112


Pope Francis addressed attendees of the annual TED Conference

in Vancouver, Canada, delivering an 18-minute TED Talk in

Italian via a video recorded privately in Vatican City.

It was the

first time Pope Francis has addressed an international

conference.

TED International Curator Bruno Giussani introduced Francis by

describing him as a "moral leader recognized well beyond the confines

of the Catholic Church-a figure of hope, of change, of compassion, of

clarity in this complicated and confusing world."

In his talk, now available on TED.com, Pope Francis:

-- Observed that we live in a time when "many of us seem to believe

that a happy future is something impossible to achieve." Such

concerns, he warned, must be "taken very seriously," but said "they

are not invincible: they can be overcome when we do not lock our door

to the outside world."

-- Described how togetherness is central to creating a future we all

want to live in, reminding listeners that "we all need each other,

that none of us is an island, an autonomous and independent 'I',

separated from the other, and that we can only build the future if we

stand together without excluding anyone." He added: "We have so much

to do, and we must do it together."

-- Suggested it would be wonderful "if the growth of scientific and

technological innovation would coincide with more equality and social

inclusion! How wonderful would it be if, while we discover far away

planets, we could also rediscover the needs of the brother, or the

sister, orbiting around us!"

-- Issued an unmistakable message to the world's powerful: "Allow me

to say it loud and clear: the more powerful you are, the more your

actions will have an impact on people, the more you are responsible to

become humble. If you don't, your power will ruin you and you will

ruin the other."

-- Articulated his vision of a world, where more and more people come

to embrace tenderness, which he described as putting ourselves "on the

same level as the other," to see, to listen, to hear them. Life, he

said, "flows through our relations with others."

In addition to the 1,800 conference attendees in Vancouver, Pope Francis's TED Talk audience also included several

thousands of people watching remotely from cinema theaters around the

world through the TED Cinema Experience.

The video address is now available on TED.com, subtitled in more than twenty languages.
Marissa Mayer's time as CEO of Yahoo is rapidly coming to an end. After nearly half a decade at the helm, Mayer will almost certainly part ways with the Internet pioneer when its sale to Verizon is completed in the coming months.

Despite largely failing to turn the company around, Mayer will walk away from the endeavor with enough cash to leave her children's children a healthy inheritance.

According to a report from The New York Times, Mayer's Yahoo stock, stock options and restricted stock units earned during her time at Yahoo are valued at a whopping $186 million based on Monday's share value of $48.15. That amount does not include Mayer's salary and bonuses earned over the past five years, nor does it include the value of Yahoo stock she has already sold.

The information comes from documents sent to shareholders regarding the Verizon deal.

It's worth noting that this is not the value of her golden parachute (severance) package (that has previously been valued at more than $23 million).

Mayer last month said she would also be foregoing her annual bonus and equity grant for 2017, instead electing that they be redistributed to the company's employees. The move was seen as a gesture of goodwill in light of the two massive security breaches that recently came to light.

According to calculations based on various filings, Mayer will have pocketed well north of $200 million for her time at Yahoo - a realization that may rub some the wrong way given the current landscape and chatter around wealth inequality.
By now everyone is familiar with Samsung's exploding Galaxy Note 7s. Losses from the fiasco were estimated to be in the billions. Now ABC News reports that a Wisconsin woman has suffered second-degree burns from her Fitbit Flex 2 when it exploded on her wrist.

According to Fitbit's website, the Flex 2 is a wearable fitness tracker that is worn like a bracelet. It tracks your activity, and even your sleep then sends notifications and data to an app on your mobile device. The battery can go for five days without needing to be recharged, and it is intended to be worn 24/7, including while swimming or bathing since it is waterproof.

Dina Mitchell claims that the device burst into flames while she was reading. She had only owned the device for two weeks.

In an email to ABC, Mitchell explained, "I was literally just sitting and reading when my Fitbit exploded. It was either defective or really mad I was sitting still so long... I don't know. Either way, It burned the heck out of my arm."

Although she removed the Fitbit tracker immediately, it still burned her bad enough that her doctor had to remove melted bits of the device from her arm.

Dina contacted Fitbit about the incident, and they offered to replace her device. It is unknown if she took them up on their offer.

The company voiced concern over the incident. It is investigating the situation and issued a statement to ABC News.

"We are extremely concerned about Ms. Mitchell's report regarding her Flex 2 and take it very seriously, as the health and safety of our customers is our top priority. We are not aware of any other complaints of this nature and see no reason for people to stop wearing their Flex 2."

Fitbit also promised to keep the public apprised of anything it finds in its investigation. Hopefully, for its sake, this is an isolated occurrence, but expect hoax incidents to spring up looking to make a quick buck.

Images by ABC News
Less than two weeks after the incident, Facebook is still feeling the heat after a man uploaded a video of himself murdering an elderly shopper and spoke about it on Facebook Live. Now, the livestreaming section of the social media site has been used to broadcast another atrocity: a Thai man killing his 11-month-old daughter.

20-year-old Wuttisan Wongtalay filmed himself tying a rope to daughter Natalie's neck before dropping her from the rooftop of a deserted building in the seaside town of Phuket, according to Reuters.

The two clips remained on the site for around 24 hours, before being taken down at around 5 p.m. Bangkok time yesterday. The first video had been viewed 112,000 times, while the second had 258,000 views. Both clips were also uploaded to YouTube, but the site took them down within 15 minutes of being notified, writes The Guardian.

"This is an appalling incident and our hearts go out to the family of the victim," a Singapore-based Facebook spokesman said in an email. "There is absolutely no place for content of this kind on Facebook and it has now been removed."

Wongtalay committed suicide after murdering his daughter, though it wasn't broadcast. Police found his body next to Natalie. Thai officers say he was paranoid about "his wife leaving him and not loving him." Jiranuch Triratana, who had lived with Wongtalay for over a year, said their relationship had gone well at first, but he started to become violent and sometimes hit her 5-year-old son from an earlier marriage.

Thailand's ministry of digital economy contacted Facebook and asked it to remove the videos following a request from police.

Ministry spokesman Somsak Khaosuwan said: "We will not be able to press charges against Facebook, because Facebook is the service provider and they acted according to their protocol when we sent our request. They co-operated very well."

Coming so soon after Steve Stevens incident has led local police to question whether this was a copycat act. "It could be influenced by behavior from abroad, most recently in Cleveland," said deputy police spokesperson Kissana Phathanacharoen.

The incident comes just after Mark Zuckerberg promised to improve Facebook's reporting process during the F8 developer conference. The CEO said he had "a lot of work to do" after it was discovered the Stevens clip remained up for two hours despite notifications from users.
The European Court of Justice has ruled that selling streaming boxes pre-loaded with software specifically configured to facilitate access to pirated content is illegal. The case specifically involved Dutch anti-piracy group BREIN and local online store Filmspeler.nl, but is expected to have far-reaching repercussions across the EU for businesses selling piracy-enabled set top boxes.

Filmspeler is one of many services selling Android-based set-top boxes equipped with software like Kodi. While Kodi is a neutral open-source platform that isn't ilegal by itself, many add-ons are publicly available from third parties to deliver pirated sports, TV and movie streams.

Filmspeler owner Jack Frederik Wullems had argued that it had no involvement in the development of such add-ons and that they were already publicly available. However, the court found that Wullems knowingly added infringing add-ons to Kodi devices, with hyperlinks to content published by known 'pirate' sites, and further advertised the players as ways to watch content without paying.

Furthermore it said that "it cannot be disputed that the multimedia player is supplied with a view to making a profit" by offering direct access to protected works without the consent of the copyright holders.

The Filmspeler case will now head back to the Dutch court where the lawsuit was originally filed for a definitive ruling. This is expected to set a precedent for other European courts and have an immediate effect on pending cases involving the sale of pirate boxes and illicit streaming.
A building in the Netherlands has some uncommon decorations worthy of the 21st century  instead of gargoyles, why not emoji cast in concrete?

Emoji have become ubiquitous nowadays, and there's a slew of emoji apps, keyboards, sticker packs, and what-not. Well, now they're on buildings too.

Emoji Architecture

Architect Changiz Tehrani thinks that emoji are among the most representative icons of the 21st century, so he decided to decorate a building in Dutch city Amersfoort using emoji cast in concrete.

"In classical architecture they used heads of the king or whatever, and they put that on the facade," Tehrani tells The Verge. "So we were thinking, what can we use as an ornament so when you look at this building in 10 or 20 years you can say 'hey this is from that year!'"

Emoji won the race, and instead of gargoyles, kings, or other symbols, they now decorate the unique building. The facade has 22 emoji in total, decorating one side of the building.

Although combining architecture with emoji might seem striking, it actually has quite a subtle effect, and the concrete faces blend in. The building has white concrete beams, grid lines, and decorative emoji at the intersections. The side with the emoji faces a town square housing a 150-year-old oak. The building itself houses various shops at the ground floor and flats above, and the emojis lend it a unique, fresh look. The iconic digital symbols aim to memorialize contemporary society in the modern era, when emojis are making up their own language. Making More Than A Boring Building Tehrani works at the Dutch firm Attika Architekten and highlights that emojis are all the rave right now, and the building is full of young people. There's also a school and a library in the square, and the students have lunch and pictures there. "They like it," adds Tehrani. "And with our architecture we always like to put in small details that makes the project a little bit more than a boring building." Each emoji is different, and Tehrani took the design from WhatsApp's template then converted it into a 3D model. The 3D emoji models then made their way to a construction company part of the project, which made molds for each emoji and cast them all in concrete. While there are a slew of available emojis from fruits to animals, cars, hands, and everything in between, the building only features emoji faces because they're the most recognizable and expressive. The building was ready in 2015 and commercial occupation started in the summer of 2016, but official images only surfaced last month. According to Tehrani, the emoji building stirred positive reactions. Lastly, the architect highlights the futility of aspiring to architectural immortality and instead he prefers basking in the "truly contemporary." Even if emojis will no longer be in use a decade from now, they will still serve as symbols of today, capturing the current age and trends. What do you think of this unique building sporting emoji decorations? Let us know in the comments section below.

 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
People chasing the northern lights have discovered a new feature recently  a ribbon of purple light which scientists call Steve  and nobody knew what it was or how it had occurred. ESA's swarm magnetic field mission has now met Steve and is helping get a better understanding of it.

Since an amateur group of Alberta sky watchers started documenting the unusual atmospheric phenomenon that sometimes occurs in northern lights, astronomers have taken notice of Steve's existence.

Meet Steve: Satellite Data Describes The Purple Ribbon

Auroras are undeniable proof of our planet's electrical connectivity to the Sun. The better we understand the phenomenon of auroras in general, the more easily we could describe Earth's magnetic field, along with the atomic particles that stream from the Sun as solar wind.

During a recent Swarm science meeting in Canada, Professor Eric Donovan from the University of Calgary explained why this highly photogenic phenomenon couldn't have occurred two decades in the past, back when people had started studying the aurora.

Steve appears as a long, breathtaking purple streak that occasionally shows itself in the middle of an aurora.

Chris Ratzlaff, a professional photographer, is also the administrator of a Facebook group called "Alberta Aurora Watchers," a place with roughly 8,000 members. According to Ratzlaff, Steve was first believed to be a proton arc, which turned out to be an incorrect hypothesis, as such a phenomenon wouldn't be visible to the human eye.

"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," noted Donovan.

Data from the electric field instrument showed some obvious changes, which could help better understand the phenomenon at hand. As the temperature approximately 200 miles above our planet's surface jumped by 5,500 degrees Fahrenheit, the data showed a wide ribbon gas, which is approximately 15.5 miles in diameter.

Steve seems to be approximately 10 to 20 degrees in latitude closer to the equator compared to the normal overhead location of the aurora, and its position implies that it could be overhead at latitudes comparable to Calgary, Canada. The phenomenon has the visual form of a narrow, elongated arc over the sky, aligned East-West and that expands for hundreds or even thousands of miles.

Steve's color is purple. While it may seem faint, it can be photographed with five to 10-second exposure, and it can last for over 20 minutes.

Satellite Tools Provide Real-Time Data About The Auroras

While the phenomenon is not uncommon, scientific tools have never captured it before. The community of amateur observers is the one that alerted the scientific community, which is something that hardly could have happened in the past, when people lacked the tools to observe such phenomena.

Now that it has been spotted, details from Swarm and a series of other tools will work on establishing the source of this beautiful occurrence.

Among the tools that can monitor Steve's evolution is Aurorasaurus, a crowd-funded project that shows a map of the auroras in occurring in the world  in real-time view. This way, a wide array of people, from observers to scientists, can track down the phenomenon and find out more data about its whereabouts.

 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Wikipedia cofounder Jimmy Wales is waging a war against fake news with a new online publication called Wikitribune, financed by a crowdfunding campaign.

Fake news are among the most frustrating issues of our day, and they seem to persist despite notable efforts to counter them. The Wikitribune project will rely on a team of professional journalists and a community of readers to create and publish quality news stories.

The crowdfunding campaign for Wikitribune is launching today, and the online publication will focus on various topics of interest, ranging from technology matters to specialists science, U.S. politics, and more.

Wikitribune Dedication To Facts

According to Wales, Wikitribune will be dedicated to facts and will clearly list the sources for each story so that readers know where the news comes from. Journalists will also share various materials, including audio recordings and transcripts of interviews.

"Wikitribune is news by the people and for the people," says Wales.

Talking to The Verge, Wales further explains that such a project has been on his mind for quite some time now, but it became more pressing in light of the post-Brexit and post-Donald Trump news frenzy.

"There's a feeling things have gone wrong," Wales tells The Verge. "The quality of media has declined in many areas  not all areas  and there's a real desire by the public for something more serious and more reliable."

Journalists Wanted

For starters, Wikitribune is seeking to hire 10 professional journalists to work together with community members who will help copyedit and fact-check articles. Any reader will be able to suggest potential edits to a story, but a staff member or a trusted Wikitribune volunteer will have to approve those edits before they go live.

Wikitribune will be ad-free and will not feature any paywalls to limit access. Wales highlights that struggling to get noticed online has taken a toll on the quality of news, but offering an ad-free experience means that Wikitribune will not rely on clicks to survive and suck up to advertisers.

Wikitribune Subscriptions And Perks

Interested customers will be able to sign up for a monthly subscription to Wikitribune that will cost roughly $c. By getting a paid subscription, readers will have influence on what news the site covers, suggesting topics they want to read more about. Such suggestions could refer either to specialist coverage or local news, provided there are enough funds to find a reporter in a specific area.

According to Wales, this model will have no bearing on the site's neutrality, as all news stories will go through the same standards of transparency and fact checking. Wales is confident that quality speaks for itself, and word of mouth will play an important role, so Wikitribune will not need social media optimization. He further points out that Wikipedia is among the most popular sites in the world, and it has never paid anything for advertising.

For now, the first step for Wikitribune is to raise funds and hire professional journalists. The site will cover English news at first, but Wales believes it could quickly expand to cover other languages as well, such as German.

The main goal, however, remains to promote good quality journalism to combat fake news.

 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
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Visit us at the new www.wklawbusiness.com for all legal, business and health care products and services from Wolters Kluwer Law & Business

CCH UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE  04/26/17

Oregon amends its UI rules regarding corporate elections

Oregon has amended its Employment Department rules as follows:

Corporate elections. The Department will notify a corporation, in writing, whether an election meets the statutory requirements, as well as the effective date of the election. The notice approving or denying the election will be mailed to the corporation's last known address as shown in its records.

If the statutory requirements are met, the election not to provide coverage will continue until revoked or canceled.

Once the election is approved, the corporation must notify the Department in writing of any changes to ownership within 30 days of the change occurring.

An election not to provide coverage will be revoked if there is a change in ownership that causes the corporate officers to no longer meet the requirements of the law. The election will be revoked effective on the date of the change regardless of when the Department was notified of the change. If the election is revoked, the Department will mail a notice of revocation to the corporation's last known address as shown in its records.

The corporation may cancel an election at any time by notifying the Department in writing, and the cancellation will be effective in the quarter filed unless a later date is specified in the cancellation notice. If the corporation chooses to cancel the election, then it will not be granted another exclusion for a minimum of two completed calendar years from the effective date of the cancellation.

Notices of denial and notices of revocation become final 20 calendar days after the notice is mailed unless within such time the corporation files a request for a hearing. A request for hearing on the denial of a corporation's election must be in writing and submitted by the employer or the employer's agent.
The last surviving male of the northern white rhino species is named Sudan and has joined Tinder on April 25 in hopes of becoming "the most eligible bachelor in the world."

This is the title of the public awareness campaign aiming to raise the $9 million necessary for saving northern white rhinos from extinction.

Like any other Tinder user, Sudan is looking for love and has now put his trust in global exposure to make his cause heard and hopefully help his species win the race against time.

Perhaps the most endearing profile ever made on a dating app, Sudan's Tinder account stemmed from eager conservation efforts trying to prevent northern white rhinos from completely dying out.

'Most Eligible Bachelor' Conservation Campaign

According to a Fauna and Flora International (FFI) news release, the campaign to save northern white rhinos was launched by Tinder in partnership with Ol Pejeta Conservancy, which houses the male rhinoceros.

Humans were responsible for the steep decline in the numbers of the northern whites; this is our chance at redemption. #mosteligiblebachelor pic.twitter.com/yPL14K3NC2  Ol Pejeta (@OlPejeta) April 25, 2017

"The plight that currently faces the northern white rhinos is a signal to the impact that humankind is having on many thousands of other species across the planet," said Richard Vigne, CEO of Ol Pejeta Conservancy. The ultimate goal of this endeavor is "to reintroduce a viable population of northern white rhino back into the wild, which is where their true value will be realized," noted Vigne.

To accomplish this, Ol Pejeta Conservancy is hoping to raise enough money to fund Assisted Reproductive Techniques (ART) currently researched by a consortium of institutions in the United States, Germany, and Japan.

"Once perfected, this technology, in particular in vitro fertilization (IVF), will aid to achieve successful pregnancies to gradually build up a viable herd of northern white rhinos," shows the FFI news release.

The research aims to establish a herd of 10 specimens through a five-year process of IVF and represents conservationists' last resort to save the species, after all previous attempts to breed northern white rhinos failed.

If this feat ends in success, it will constitute a premiere in the artificial reproduction of rhinos. Upon hitting the "Like" button on Sudan's Tinder profile, people will be directed to the Ol Pejeta Conservancy website, where they can make donations to support the northern white rhino cause. Yesterday afternoon, the web page was temporarily down due to the large number of people trying to access it.

Overwhelming traffic has caused our site some issues but you can still donate to #mosteligiblebachelor More here: https://t.co/BbeyvLpSTd pic.twitter.com/nXq8twLDQf  Ol Pejeta (@OlPejeta) April 25, 2017

"We partnered with Ol Pejeta conservancy to give the most eligible bachelor in the world a chance to meet his match," said Matt David, head of Tinder's communications and marketing department, who added that the company is confident that Sudan's profile will be visible on the app in 190 countries and more than 40 languages.

The Last Remaining Male White Rhino On Earth

In his Tinder profile, Sudan is described as "one of a kind"  and that's no exaggeration. He is in fact the last male white rhino on the entire planet.

"I perform well under pressure. I like to eat grass and chill in the mud," reads Sudan's Tinder profile, mentioning the eligible bachelor is 6 feet tall and weighs 5,000 pounds.

Sudan spends his days at the Ol Pejeta Conservancy, protected by armed guards, and enjoying the company of two females of his species, Najin and Fatu.

A series of challenges that include old age have kept these northern white rhinos from breeding naturally. Nevertheless, conservationists are weighing the option of crossing the species with Southern white rhinos. Although a distinct subspecies, they could provide around 17,000 potential female suitors for Sudan.

The death of Suni, the other fertile male of the species in 2014 left Sudan, the only remaining male that can guarantee the proliferation of northern white rhinos. However, time is of the essence and all efforts must be made to ensure the species' survival while the rhino, aged 43, is still alive to fulfill his task.

"To win this run against time it is very crucial to find major funds as quickly as possible," said Steven Seet, spokesperson for the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, which is part of the consortium.

In 1960, there were more than 2,000 northern white rhinos living in the wild, according to World Wide Fund for Nature. By 1984, their numbers were decimated to just 15 due to poaching, since the rhinos' ivory horns were sold for big money in Asia.

 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
A new family tree of dogs that represents 161 breeds helps shed more light on the evolutionary history of man's best friend. Analysis also traces what could be the living descendants of an ancient canine that was domesticated in the New World before Christopher Columbus's arrival.

In a new study, scientists looked at the DNA of 1,346 dogs to produce one of the most diverse maps that trace the relationship between dog breeds. It reveals the types of dog that people crossed to produce modern breeds.

The genetic map showed that dogs that were bred for similar functions do not necessarily have the same origins. The analysis likewise suggests of the living breeds that have descended from an ancient type of dog that may have arrived in America thousands of years before the historical discovery of Christopher Columbus of the New World.

New World Dogs

Scientists have earlier reported archeological evidence of domestic dogs that arrived in America as early as when people crossed the Bering land bridge that linked Alaska and Siberia. The so-called New World dogs, however, disappeared when dogs from Asia and Europe arrived.

Researchers have attempted to look for the genetic legacy of these ancient dogs in the genomes of modern American breeds but up until now found little evidence. The new study offers the first living evidence of the ancient New World dog in modern breeds.

The new canine family tree revealed that two South American breeds, the xoloitzcuintli and the Peruvian hairless dog, are clustered together, suggesting that these animals may share genes not present in any of the other breeds involved in the analysis.

Study researcher Heidi Parker, from the National Human Genome Research Institute in Bethesda, Maryland, think that these genes may have originated from dogs that were already in the Americas before Columbus's arrival.

"What we noticed is that there are groups of American dogs that separated somewhat from the European breeds," Parker said. "We've been looking for some kind of signature of the New World Dog, and these dogs have New World Dogs hidden in their genome."

Diversification Of Dogs

The clades showed dogs with similar traits. Boxers, Boston terriers, and bulldogs, which were all bred for their strength, are found in one clade. Herders such as corgis and sheepdogs fall into another clade, and another clade consists of hunters such as spaniels and retrievers.

Researchers of the study think that dog breeds went through two major periods of diversification. The first occurred thousands of years ago when dogs were selected for their skills, and the second, which happened a few hundred years ago, bred the animals for their physical traits.

"Combining genetic distance, migration, and genome-wide haplotype sharing analyses, we uncover geographic patterns of development and independent origins of common traits," researchers wrote in their study. "Our analyses reveal the hybrid history of breeds and elucidate the effects of immigration, revealing for the first time a suggestion of New World dog within some modern breeds."

The research was published in the journal Cell Report on April 25.

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Uber announced at the Uber Elevate Summit that it is planning to demonstrate a network of flying cars in Dallas-Fort Worth and Dubai by 2020.

Similar to how Uber dispatches drivers and their cars, the company will not be manufacturing the flying cars, which will be vertical take-off and landing, or VTOL, vehicles. Rather, it will lead the formation of the network that will utilize them as a transportation option.

Uber Elevate Details Unfold

Uber has higlighted its aggressive plan in targeting a 2020 demonstration of its network of flying cars at the ongoing Uber Elevate summit in Dallas, Texas.

Uber first outlines its vision of a network of flying cars in a white paper last fall. The company then hired Mark Moore, a NASA aircraft engineer, to work on the Uber Elevate initiative.

"I can't think of another company in a stronger position to be the leader for this new ecosystem and make the urban electric VTOL market real," Moore said.

Uber's announcement of a 2020 demonstration goal has now largely increased the possibility that VTOL vehicles will soon be used for commercial transportation. To achieve the feat, the company has established partnerships with well-known aeronautics firms and emerging VTOL companies.

The manufacturing partners for Uber Elevate include Aurora Flight Sciences, Embraer, Bell Helicopter, Mooney, and Pipistrel Aircraft. Uber has also started talks with NASA and the National Air Traffic Control Association for issues on airspace management.

Uber has also started working with the Dubai Road and Transport Authority, which has provided necessary funds to study the routes that the VTOL vehicles will take in the city and how much the service will charge.

Startup ChargePoint, meanwhile, has been tapped to develop the infrastructure that the flying cars network will utilize, including the special chargers that the VTOL vehicles will use.

The Advantages Of Uber Elevate

The Uber Elevate project will provide an alternative means of transportation for customers who might be looking to bypass congested roads.

The VTOL vehicles, true to their name, will be capable of landing and taking off vertically, which means that there will be no need for a runway to get them in flight. Once customers enter a VTOL vehicle, they will be transported to their destination without having to experience the heavy traffic that characterize most major thoroughfares.

The on-demand airborne ride-hailing service will be able to cut 30-minute trips on land to just around five minutes, saving customers a lot of time from their daily commute.

The electric VTOL vehicles will also be more environment-friendly compared to gasoline-powered counterparts. The ability for rapid battery charging would be crucial to allow the flying cars to accommodate as many customers as possible, and it is up to ChargePoint to design, develop, and manufacture the necessary technology.

Uber Flying Cars By 2020: Possible?

Uber's plan is to demonstrate its network of flying cars at the 2020 World Expo in Dubai, and in Dallas at around the same time.

The burden of meeting the target, however, is not on Uber, but rather on the manufacturing partners for the VTOL vehicles. While flying cars used to be a futuristic idea, these companies are now tasked with creating these vehicles within three years.

Of course, the initiative still hinges on whether Uber will be able to escape from the myriad of controversy that currently surrounds the company.

 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Google's co-founder Sergey Brin may be secretly building an airship, which is shaped like a zeppelin. According to anonymous sources, the project is reportedly underway in Hangar 2 of NASA's Ames Research Center.

Bloomberg shared the news of the massive airship being in development and reported that the airship in question is not an Alphabet project. It is not yet known whether the mysterious airship would be used for business purposes in the near future.

Secret Airship In The Works

Brin is known to be fascinated by airships and this interest grew when he visited Ames in Mountain View California. His interest grew further when he saw pictures of the USS Macon airship, which was housed at Ames during the 1930's. Bloomberg's sources claim that Brin started building the purported airship almost three years ago.

However, it is not clear what the billionaire would do with the airships once it is ready. It could be used for some business venture, or may be used purely for personal purposes.

The Google co-founder is said to have appointed Alan Weston, who is the former director of programs for NASA, to oversee the airship project. The zeppelin-like aircraft has a metallic frame and engineers are working to build the entire body. When quizzed by Bloomberg on the project, Brin opted to stay silent.

"Sorry, I don't have anything to say about this topic right now," Brin wrote in an email to Bloomberg.

In 2015, Google's unit Planetary Ventures acquired the Ames Research Center from NASA and secretly started working on the airship.

The Airship's Purpose?

While many posit that Brin is building the airship for private use, another school of thought is that it would improve existing cargo hauling capabilities.

"New airship technologies have the promise to reduce the cost of moving things per ton-mile by up to an order of magnitude," Weston had shared during a radio interview in 2013.

This suggests that the airship may indeed be used to create a fuel efficient cargo delivery method.

Bloomberg tried to reach Weston for comment regarding his involvement in building the supposed airship, but he remained unavailable for comment.

Airships may sound like old technology in this day and age of advanced robotics and autonomous vehicles. However, if they help reduce fuel costs for the purpose of cargo transportation, then they could prove useful to the industrial sector.

Larry Page, the other founder of Google, is reportedly supporting two initiatives that were trying to create flying cars. It appears, Brin too has hopped onto the bandwagon.

 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Beleaguered engineer Anthony Levandowski can plead the Fifth Amendment, but it cannot keep Uber from holding on to documents pertinent to the case.

The U.S. Court of Appeals compelled Uber to hand over a privilege log with details regarding Levandowski's legal setup with Uber. Levandowski earlier invoked the Fifth Amendment during the case proceedings, citing that handing over the documents will incriminate him.

Waymo and Uber are locked in a legal battle over self-driving car technology. The dispute took a turn earlier this month when stolen files were found on an Uber employee's computer.

Court Denies Levandowski's Appeal

In a decision released by the U.S. Court of Appeals, presiding Judge William H. Alsup denied Levandowski's petition to prevent Uber from handing over an unredacted privilege log, pleading the Fifth Amendment. But the court disagreed with Levandowski.

"Mr. Levandowski argues that he is entitled to relief under the Fifth Amendment because production of the unredacted privilege log could potentially incriminate him," the U.S. Court of Appeals wrote in the four-page decision.

The order said Levandowski failed to persuade the Court of Appeals that the district court erred in its judgment. The United States District Court for the Northern District of California earlier ruled that Uber produce the privilege log.

"Mr. Levandowski has therefore failed to establish that he has a 'clear and indisputable' right to the issuance of a writ of mandamus," the decision wrote.

A writ of mandamus is an "order that is issued from a court of superior jurisdiction that commands an inferior tribunal, corporation, Municipal Corporation, or individual to perform, or refrain from performing, a particular act, the performance or omission of which is required by law as an obligation." In this case, Levandowski argues that the district court cannot issue the decision ordering Uber to release the unredacted documents.

The appeals court also argued that the order for the document release was directed to Uber, not Levandowski. The decision will compel Uber to produce a due diligence report that the district court earlier scheduled.

Waymo And Uber Legal Battle Heats Up

The legal dispute started in February when Waymo, the self-driving unit of Google, sued Uber. Levandowski, a former engineer at Waymo who developed some of the key technologies for Waymo's self-driving car, allegedly illegally downloaded 14,000 files containing Waymo's trade secrets (the U.S. Court of Appeals acknowledged this in its decision).

Levandowski then resigned from Google and built his own self-driving vehicle startup, Otto Trucking. Uber purchased Otto on August 2016 for $680 million. Waymo alleges that Uber purchased Levandowski's company to acquire the stolen technology.

 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Hyderabad: The State government has issued orders sanctioning 105 new posts in the Police Department. The new posts include 62 DSPs, 18 Additional Superintendents of Police, two Superintendents of Police and 23 non-cadre Superintendents of Police ranks. The new posts were sanctioned following the creation of new police commissionerates, sub-divisions, circle offices and police stations after the reorganisation of the State into 31 districts.
The Republican Party snatched three seats in the U.S. House of Representatives this Tuesday in Florida, so far in the hands of the Democratic Party, becoming the first to change political... | Read More
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Louisiana civil engineers gave state roads a "D" and bridges a "D-plus," and the leader of the review Wednesday called the state's infrastructure embarrassing.

"We are here because, for the last five years, Louisiana has ignored the signs and failed to take the necessary steps to reverse the course," said Kam Movassaghi, executive director of the study. "Frankly, it is embarrassing," he said.

Movassaghi is former secretary for the state Department of Transportation and Development in the early 2000s.

The group, the Louisiana Section of the American Society of Civil Engineers, released its "report card" on roads, bridges, aviation, dams and seven other areas.

The grades are mostly unchanged since the same group issued a similar report in 2012, and the earlier study sparked little response from the Legislature.

"There is no plan," Movassaghi told reporters. "We are piecemealing it. There is no plan to address the state's infrastructure needs."

The study released Wednesday came in the midst of a legislative session where there are proposals to boost the state gasoline tax to finance road, bridge and other improvements.

A panel named by Gov. John Bel Edwards recommended a $700 million increase in annual transportation spending, mostly through a gas tax hike.

Backers are expected to use the study to help muster support for additional spending.

Major gasoline tax hike bill expected Tuesday; here's what happens next A Baton Rouge lawmaker plans to file a bill Tuesday that would increase the state gasoline t

However, none of the key bills have gotten hearings in the first three weeks of the session, which ends on June 8.

In addition, any tax hike requires the support of two thirds of the state House and Senate, always a huge political hurdle.

Legislative leader: Restore public confidence, then debate gas tax hikes In a new twist, a legislative leader said Thursday steps are needed to restore voter confide

The report gave Louisiana's roads, bridges and other infrastructure an overall grade of "D-plus."

"A grade of D-plus means the system does not provide the intended service and is at risk of failure," Movassaghi said.

The state faces a $13 billion backlog of road and bridge needs.

Another $10.6 billion list includes a wide range of improvements, including a new bridge across the Mississippi River in Baton Rouge.

"We have not invested the way we should have for infrastructure," said DOTD Secretary Shawn Wilson, who attended the press conference.

The report said road spending is inadequate to ensure federal matching dollars and to finance maintenance and improvements.

It said 13 percent of bridges are structurally deficient (problems that require attention) and 44 percent are functionally obsolete (fail to meet current safety standards).

The report was done by 50 volunteer civil engineers, who spent 18 months analyzing and grading 11 infrastructure areas.

The road and bridge grades are the same as those given five years ago.

Other areas include coastal problems, D-plus; aviation, C; dams, C-plus; drinking water, D-minus; levees, C and ports, C-minus.

Engineers who did the report said the low grade for drinking water applies to deteriorating water systems, not the quality of the water.

The state branch of the American Society of Civil Engineers has more than 2,000 members statewide.

It was founded in 1914.
In a reversal from previous years, a state House committee Wednesday voted 6-5 to ban the paddling of public school students in Louisiana.

Under current rules, that decision is left to local school districts.

At least 38 of Louisiana's 69 school systems allow corporal punishment, according to Scott Richard, executive director of the Louisiana School Boards Association.

The measure, House Bill 497, narrowly passed the House Education Committee and next faces a vote in the full House.

Rep. Barbara Norton, D-Shreveport, sponsor of the bill, said paddling amounts to child abuse.

Norton said studies show the same students are punished year after year, and others said black students are often the target.

"It is not working," Norton said. "It didn't work yesterday. It is not working today."

The ban, if it wins final legislative approval, would represent something of a sea change in Louisiana, where paddling has long been part of the school culture, especially in rural districts.

Paddling was used about 3,000 times statewide in the most recent reporting period, state officials said.

However, Norton's bill faces an uncertain future in the Louisiana House.

Opponents are expected to argue that educators closest to the students should make the final call on discipline.

The committee vote overshadowed earlier action, when the panel easily endorsed a bill that would ban the use of corporal punishment for students with disabilities.

That plan, House Bill 79, is part of Gov. John Bel Edwards' public schools agenda and now faces a vote, and likely approval, in the full House.

The House Education Committee, which then had a different makeup, rejected similar bills by Norton in 2009 and 2010.

The outright ban on paddling was backed by Kate Mehok, CEO of Crescent City Schools, which operates three charter schools in Orleans Parish.

"I feel very strongly that the state should take a stand that we should not be paddling our children in schools," Mehok told the committee. "It just seems so wrong for me on different levels."

Richard said the Louisiana School Boards Association believes local school districts should have the final call, which is current law.

"At the end of the day this has traditionally been a local decision between the parent and the school staff," he said. "We would like to see it stay that way."

Richard said 16 school districts ban paddling. Policies for the others are unclear, he said.

Caroline Roemer, executive director of the Louisiana Association of Public Charter Schools, said a survey of some of her schools showed a 50-50 split on corporal punishment.

Where they agree, Roemer said, is that the decision should be made by local educators.

Rep. Joesph Bouie, D-New Orleans, said 31 states ban corporal punishment while Louisiana and 18 others allow it.

House Committee Chairwoman Nancy Landry, R-Lafayette, said she has concerns on how corporal punished is doled out, including whether female students are disciplined by other females. "They are paddling them on their bottoms, right? It is a touchy subject," Landry said.

Richard said that, while he could not recall specific policies, he said "common sense would prevail" in such cases and any discipline includes two administrators  one to paddle, one to witness.

Officials said some districts that allow paddling first contact parents or guardians before any punishment is done.

Officials also said the days when students were forced to "drop their drawers" before being paddled are gone.

Voting "yes" on the Norton bill were Reps. Bouie; Landry; Jeffrey Hall, D-Alexandria; Stephanie Hilferty, R-Metairie; Ed Price, D-Gonzales; and Patrica Smith, D-Baton Rouge.

Voting "no" on the proposal were Reps. Beryl Amedee, R-Houma; Reid Falconer, R-Mandeville; Scott Simon, R-Abita Springs; Polly Thomas, R-Metairie; and Julie Emerson, R-Carencro.

The ban on corporal punishment for students with disabilities sparked no disagreement.

HB79, by Rep. Franklin Foil, R-Baton Rouge, would make it illegal to administer the discipline to students with autism, intellectual disability, students with a traumatic brain injury and others. "We have a population that is our most vulnerable," Foil told the committee.

About 16 percent of all students who were given corporal punishment had disabilities during the 2015-16 school year, according to figures compiled by the Southern Poverty Law Center.
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1 a day is the amount most families living in the African country of Gambia have to survive on. And thats how much Madeline Penfold, 24, a photographer from Prestwich, is trying to live on for a whole month.

Shes on a mission to raise 10,000 to renovate the Erenjang nursery school in Kotu in The Gambia after a visit with her friend Hannah Carrington in 2013 left her moved by the conditions of poverty families are faced with.

Madeleine, who is also the manager of Salford-based Foundry Film Studios, said: I was only there for two weeks but I had never felt so much love, warmth and acceptance. When I first met Fatima, aged five, we had a special bond and when I learned her family couldnt afford to put her through school I immediately agreed to help pay the 60 a year for her education.

They deserve the best possible start in life, and education is everything. We have the power to change this so why shouldnt we?

The money raised by Madeleine through her 1 a day for 30 days challenge will go towards getting two teachers qualified, installing electricity in the school, installing working toilets and a new septic tank, rebuilding a shelter from the sun in hot seasons and rain in stormy seasons, installing a new school floor, buying new school equipment, extending and fixing the roof to stop flooding in the classroom and helping children with their school fees.

The Gambia is one of the poorest and smallest nations in the world, with well over a third of its population forced to survive below the UN Poverty line. Many survive on the equivalent of 1 a day or less  hence Madelines decision to live on 1 a day for the whole of April.

Its been a hard challenge so far, said Madeleine, and I still have five days to go, but its nothing compared to the conditions Hannah and I saw on our visit and what we are both passionate about helping to change.

At the start of each week I take my 7 for that week and buy oats, bananas, rice, carrots, kale, broccoli, apples, tinned chopped tomatoes, tinned kidney beans, stock cubes, salt, onions, sweet potatoes and fresh tomatoes  all from value and discount ranges. I have oats and banana every morning and a rice and veg meal for tea, plus sweet potato and tomato if I get hungry.

My main challenges have been the lack of energy. Also working in a studio constantly being surrounded by food is hard. Social situations are hard too. I cant eat or drink anything or do anything that I would normally do really. So many social situations, if not all, are centered around spending money, which really makes you think. I cycle to work each morning so Im not spending money on travel either.

It was particularly difficult over the Easter weekend  living on 4 with no family meals or chocolate was particularly tough, but every time I start to find it hard I just remind myself of the good the 10,000 for the Erenjang nursery project will do and that keeps me going.

To donate click here.
For years, the Orleans Parish District Attorneys Office has taken a stern approach to skittish witnesses, warning in written notices with the word "subpoena" at the top that failing to talk could mean fines or even jail time.

On Wednesday, prosecutors announced they are dropping the ominous heading on those notices, acknowledging that the DA's Office does not have the authority to issue subpoenas by itself.

Critics, including the Orleans Public Defenders, had assailed the notices as misleading.

The DA's Office will now send a request called a notice to appear instead.

I have today again gone out and said this is the only acceptable notice to appear that we will be sending to people, First Assistant District Attorney Graymond Martin said.

Prosecutors and defense attorneys alike have the right to try to speak with witnesses in pending criminal cases. But in general, only a court order can force witnesses to appear to talk.

Martin said prosecutors have used what is known within the office as a district attorney subpoena for years. Various versions of the document have been used at different times, including the one titled subpoena, he said. That title is now being discarded in favor of the less forceful notice to appear.

Its an assertive invitation for you to come and talk to us, Martin said.

The old "subpoenas" also invoked article 66 of the Louisiana Code of Criminal Procedure, which allows prosecutors to obtain a subpoena to force a witness to be questioned. But that requires a judge's order. The new notice discards the legal reference.

The change comes as defense attorneys have placed the DA subpoena practice under increasing scrutiny. Colin Reingold, the special litigation director for the Orleans Public Defenders, said his office was exploring whether to take legal action over it.

It gave people receiving the subpoena the false impression that these were judicially sanctioned, Reingold said. We certainly cant send people subpoenas asking them to come to the Public Defenders Office, and the District Attorneys Office doesnt have that right either.

Reingold said the new notice to appear document improves on the old subpoena document. But he still thinks that it should be phrased as a request instead.

I still think it could be misconstrued as mandatory, he said. "I am concerned that a lay person will not be aware that an order to appear issued by (District Attorney Leon) Cannizzaro does not carry the force of law."

Martin said he did not know how often the old notices were sent to witnesses because there was no formal system of keeping a record of them. They were issued by individual prosecutors who decided on their own whether to place them in case files, he said.

Reingold said public defenders only found out about the documents when a witness told his office one had been received.

The "DA subpoenas" were only one of a variety of tactics that prosecutors use to entice or force witnesses to tell their tales. Cannizzaro has ordered his prosecutors to take aggressive steps to make sure cases can go to trial.

"Our obligation is to the community at large, not necessarily to the victims or the witnesses," said Assistant District Attorney Chris Bowman, a spokesman for the office. "We want to make the process both for victims and witnesses as user-friendly as possible, but we are not going to allow them to determine the future of the case."

Earlier this month, the nonprofit group Court Watch NOLA detailed how the DA's Office obtained at least 30 court warrants to arrest "material witnesses" and victims so as to force them to testify. In one case, a woman who had accused a man of rape was placed in jail for eight days.

Martin said that in a city full of squeamish witnesses, hard-nosed tactics are necessary.

Its an unpleasant business. We try to be as nice as we can, to as many people as we can  but there comes a time when the public safety demands that citizens step up and participate in the process, he said.
FILE PHOTO-New Orleans, La. Mayor Mitch Landrieu, center, flanked by Providence, R.I. Mayor Jorge Elorza, left, and Austin, Texas Mayor Steve Adler, accompanied by members of the U.S. Conference of Mayors leadership, speaks to reporters outside the Justice Department in Washington, Tuesday, April 25, 2017, following a meeting with Attorney General Jeff Sessions. Today the president of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, Mayor Landrieu, lead a boycott of a planned meeting at the White House with President Donald Trump over the Justice Department's ramped up pressure on so-called sanctuary cities. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
Newly released police documents claim that Dr David Dao, the passenger who was shown being dragged off a United Airlines flight on April 9 in widely shared videos, behaved violently toward the officers removing him. His lawyer dismissed this account as "utter nonsense."

The phone videos taken by other passengers set off waves of criticism and multiple statements from the airline, each more apologetic than the last.

The police reports were released on Monday afternoon in response to a freedom of information request filed by The New York Times and other news organisations.

The releases included audio of the original call to the Chicago Department of Aviation police, personnel reports about the officers and an incident report that appeared to blame Dao for his own injuries.
In August and September sitting weeks, Virgin flights will depart Perth on Thursday and Sunday at 12.35pm and arrive in Canberra at 6.25pm.

Travel time from Canberra will be the same as Qantas at four hours and 40 minutes flying Boeing 737-800 aircraft with 176 seats.

Virgin Australia is about to change way we travel domestic once again.

Virgin is offering one-way direct economy fares online starting at $359 compared with $388 for Qantas.

Virgin Australia will introduce twice-weekly services between Perth and Canberra in parliamentary sitting weeks from August.

They will depart Canberra at 7pm and arrive in Perth at 9.40pm.

Tickets for 2017 are on sale now and 2018 flights will be available after the parliamentary sitting calendar is released.

Virgin also offers direct flights from Canberra to Adelaide, Brisbane, the Gold Coast, Melbourne and Sydney.

It's understood that Virgin will monitor passenger numbers and consider additional services based on demand.

A spokesman for Canberra Airport welcomed Virgin's new services.
The shenanigans surrounding the Senate seat once held by Family First's Bob Day exposes on so many levels what is wrong with Australia's parliamentary system  and in this case it has nothing to do with ideology or policy preferences.

Mr Day simply should never have been allowed to run for re-election last July, as the High Court found. His candidacy breached the constitution because he had an indirect financial interest through links to the company that leased his electorate office to the Commonwealth.

Lucy Gichuhi, who will take the Senate spot vacated by Bob Day, will sit as an independent.

The situation existed before the election and the federal government had known from 2014, yet it kept accepting his vote. And that is without even considering the then senator Day's conflicts of interest when he voted on legislation that helped him as a property developer.

The replacement for Mr Day, decided via a recount, is Kenya-born lawyer Lucy Gichuhi. She has been in Australia for 19 years and will start her term on budget day.
Andrew Laming. We've stopped the boats so we are safe

Our land is girt by sea

Those fake news Manus Island tales

Will not get through to me

My mansion and investment homes

Give me a nice tax break

With all the real estate I buy

The more that I will make. In joyful strains then let us sing

Advance Australia Fair Margaret Grove Abbotsford Did Andrew Laming have something like this in mind?

We dig our soil to export coal

We also sell our beef,

We're fearsome foes and loyal bros

And once we had a reef.

For those who've come across the seas,

We've no room here for you,

We've closed the gates

To all but mates

To Advance Australia Fair.

In joyful strains then let us sing,

Advance Australia Fair. Alan Marel North Curl Curl We tell those blokes who want to make their future in Australia:

"You must not beat your women here, or change their genitalia,

Our sheilas all have equal rights, don't treat them with disdain,

and by the way, don't deal in ice or traffic in cocaine."

Remember our First Peoples and Advance Australia Fair! Some women wear bikinis here while others wear the burqa,

But find employment, quit the dole, or you'll be called a shirker.

Be gay or straight, just be a mate, or LGBTQ 

We once were male or female, now we haven't got a clue.

Remember now, you have to vote. Advance Australia Fair! Doug Walker Baulkham Hills

Andrew Laming has suggested a new verse in our national anthem be penned, reflecting "Australians' larrikinism, resilience and sense of reward for effort". An unbeatable contender for such a stanza would be the words penned by the late sainted and deeply mourned satirist John Clarke in his masterwork: "We don't know how lucky we are"(Worth a view on YouTube). Although this was written to be sung by Fred Dagg, the New Zealand fictional character created by Clarke, I hope our Anzac siblings would be happy for it to be deployed on both sides of the ditch. Sid Williams Strathfield With perhaps the exception of the Internationale and the Marseilles I find national anthems dull, jingoistic and cliched. Given that the vast majority of Australians don't know the second verse of Advance Australia Fair, rather than add a third verse to reflect Australian values it would be far more representative if, like the Spanish, we adopted an anthem that has no words at all. John Bailey Canterbury I agree with Andrew Laming. How can a line such as "For those who've come across the seas, we've boundless plains to share" possibly reflect contemporary Australian values? As to a sense of reward for effort, might I suggest including the phrase "wealth for toil"?Perhaps Mr Laming can spend his many long parliamentary recesses learning the words of the current anthem before he contemplates writing another.

Philip Cooney Wentworth Falls Never mind a new verse, how about a new song? Just google Peter Dawson singing "Song of Australia" to know what our anthem should really be. Don Firth Wooli WestConnex plans for busy area reveal epic stupidity Wednesday morning I joined local residents at another protest against the WestConnex, this one at Euston Road Alexandria where an entrance and exit road for the tollway is being constructed that will spew tens of thousands of vehicles into the narrow already congested streets of the inner city.

One wonders not only at the epic stupidity of forcing that many cars into an already over-trafficked area, but how it is that public money can be used to build a major road less than two metres from bedrooms containing children? To add insult to injury the morning's removal of trees, way before the time the space will be needed for the road, appears to demonstrate the wilful contempt the publicly owned Sydney Motorway Corporation has for residents. Yes, there were tears. If this road is such a good idea, Premier [Gladys] Berejiklian must at the least order the resumption [by the government] of the residential buildings along Euston Road, and for the residents to be paid fair market value for their homes. A better alternative of course would be to simply stop this mess and build rail lines and take jobs to greater western Sydney. Now that would be building a better city. Colin Hesse Marrickville PM's sabre-rattling bodes ill for nation Malcolm Turnbull chose Anzac Day, a day of remembrance of sacrifice, to flag to the US administration his willingness to "consider" requests for further military involvements by Australia ("PM warns of 'long-term' deployment", April 26). This follows his recent proclamations regarding Syria and North Korea with similar intent. The mindset is disturbing.

The PM's sabre-rattling is a well-worn path of a desperate leader seeking the cloak of nationalism to boost his support. Nothing could be considered more worrying than a leader walking us into wars. Rod Milliken Greenwell Point If the Parliament decides to send forces overseas again, the first batch to go should be the politicians themselves. Then we could wait and see how they get on before deciding whether to send more troops away. I don't think we'd become too involved with many scraps overseas. Ron Field Bermagui What's with this "hand on heart" stunt that Turnbull is doing!? It comes out of the same bag of phoney gestures as George W. Bush's, now mandatory, lapel-badge flags  and his shameful invention of the "moment" of silence to replace the minute of silence which had historically been our (small enough) sacrifice to victims.

And what's with all the flags festooning everything? If you are interested in maintaining Australian values then surely reticence was among the most attractive. John Weiley Camperdown Moaning about Mona Vale traffic An artist's impression of the suburb, where up to 3400 houses would be built.

Rob Stokes, member for Pittwater and NSW Planning Minister, must live in a parallel universe if he thinks 9000 more people can be housed "sustainably" in Ingleside anytime soon ("Housing plan gets red light from transport department", April 26). Either that, or he never commutes during peak hour. My husband regularly takes over an hour driving 30 kilometres to the city from Mona Vale leaving at 6.15am and that's on a good day without any traffic. Despite catching a bus at 7.10am for a 22-kilometre journey, my children are often late for school at 8.15am. Even if Mona Vale Road is upgraded to two lanes, planning history has shown that it will not take long for increased traffic to again cause congestion and lengthy delays. Rob Stokes has forgotten that his first responsibility is to his existing constituents in Pittwater  to improve their lives rather than compound their problems. Yes, there is a lot of land around Ingleside that could be developed for housing one day but certainly not until we have better road, public transport, local jobs and schools. Thankfully someone from Transport for NSW is aware of the problems and has applied the brakes to this ill-conceived plan. Perhaps they should be the member for Pittwater. Rebecca Clarke Mona Vale True Australian values

What a wonderful piece regarding Captain Feng. ("From Shanghai to Baghdad: Captain Feng's Anzac Journey", April 26). Not only was it a wonderful story because of his ethnicity but even more pertinent to all of us is that he put aside an obviously high-flying career where he could earn big money to join the Defence forces to protect the way of life that we all enjoy. Captain Feng clearly had instilled in him a culture of duty and selflessness which we honour in our veterans but which aren't always evident in our modern society. Thank you Captain Feng for your service to your country and for demonstrating what true Australian values are. Bill Higgins Cammeray Most Australians would also be unaware that we were not fighting for Australian values in 1914. We were fighting for the British Empire because Queen Victoria's offspring had been married off to various European royalty, and two minor royals had been assassinated in Sarajevo  a place most Australians had never heard of. Jan Carroll Potts Point Sugar's demonisation fair

Christopher Woodley (Letters, April 26) is right that the evidence demonising saturated fat, when nutritional science was in its infancy, was thin on the ground because there were apparent exceptions such as the "French paradox", the Maasai diet and the Eskimo diet . However , there are no exceptions to the rule that communities that increase their consumption of sugary drinks experience an epidemic of obesity. One reason is that sugar is not simply another form of calories. It is an appetite stimulant for all calories. Patrick Bradley Wollongong Value of Leunig's view Since the days of opposition to the war in Vietnam, and even before that, Australia has been blessed with brilliant cartoonists, whose drawings really are worth 1000 words. They can say in one cartoon what doesn't seem politically permissible to publish in words.I want to personally thank Petty, Leunig, Le Lievre, Letch, Moir and Wilcox for maintaining my sanity in these times when half-truths, false facts, known unknowns or statements out of Canberra clutter up large sections of the print media. Roseanne Bonney Leichhardt

We all know what Leunig's getting at; however Prime Minister Turnbull has a treacherous path to tread in dealing with the Trump administration to ensure Australia's best interests are served. Added to which, in demonising the USA, we should perhaps temper our criticism by recalling that American men and women died in their hundreds of thousands saving us from Japanese fascism. On this occasion Leunig's very considerable talent could have been put to better use. Peter Thomas Rose Bay Marks on the scale of irreverence David Andrew (Letters, April 26), is being wished "Happy Anzac Day" any more irreverent than being wished a "Merry Christmas"? Peter Procopis Burradoo

Falling foul of the bullies The very same conservatives who bemoan "political correctness" and the supposed death of free speech are bullying Yassmin Abdel-Magied and the ABC for her rhetorical flourish on Anzac Day ("Yassmin Abdel-Magied courts controversy with Anzac Day Facebook post", smh.com.au April 26). The most worrying political correctness in this country is the myth that Anzac Day is apolitical, and the taboo around calling out Australia's dark past and its dark present. Stephen Wilson Five Dock It seems that if a white Anglo-Saxon Newscorp cartoonist mocks Indigenous parents, it is just part of free speech. However, if a Muslim part-time ABC journalist asks us to also remember the poor wretches languishing on Manus and Nauru on Anzac Day, she deserves to be severely castigated and even deported.The hypocrisy is mind-boggling. Jerry Stiel Lilyfield

Merger sees Cory First The obvious name for the newly merged party is Cory First ("Cory Bernardi's Australian Conservatives to merge with Family First", smh.com.au, April 26). Laurence Pearson Castlecrag Trump mark II? Are we being warmed up to the idea that Ivanka Trump will be the next candidate for the US Republican party?
Scientists in Australia are examining the possibility of enlarging and brightening the clouds around the Great Barrier Reef to save it from bleaching.

Making the low-lying clouds off the north-east coast larger and more reflective could cool the waters below and help to stem the widespread coral bleaching that is occurring with growing intensity across vast swathes of the 2400-kilometre reserve.

Coral bleaching in the Great Barrier Reef in 2016 was the worst on record. Credit:James Cook University

Daniel Harrison, a postdoctoral research associate at the University of Sydney, said preliminary testing indicated that cloud brightening was a "plausible" solution.

"If you're in a hot sunny day and a cloud comes across overhead, you can feel right away there's quite a lot less heat coming through," he told ABC News.
Fears about rising energy prices have driven consumers and businesses to install solar panels at the fastest rate in at least a decade, lifting total national capacity to the equivalent of powering a city the size of Melbourne.

New figures from the Australian Photovoltaic Institute show the country has passed 6 gigawatts of solar capacity as of the end of March, or enough to supply about 1.3 million households.

"There's been just a huge surge recently on the back of the energy concerns earlier in the year," Renate Egan, chair of the institute, told Fairfax Media.

Total capacity could top 7 gigawatts within a year with a host of solar farms and a rise in companies turning to solar driving the extra demand. That level would be the equivalent of about 1.5 million households' supply, or about Sydney's size.
Poor Girt. The most cutting - and possibly most accurate - comment that's been made about the old thing is that Australia is in danger of falling off to sleep while singing the words, which barely anyone knows anyway.

That was the judgment of a former National Party senator from Queensland, Sandy Macdonald, who found himself bored and embarrassed as he listened to a military band struggling to give life to old Girt on the shores of Gallipoli on Anzac Day, 2001.

It was time Australia got itself a new national anthem, MacDonald told Parliament when he returned, to little avail.

Since Coalition MP Andrew Laming suggested the national anthem get new lyrics that reflect our values and "jocular sense of humour", the internet has been atwitter about how we could improve the old Girt.
"Glug, glug, glug" - that's the sound a sinking battleship makes, according to Paul Keating, who deployed the sound effect to devastating effect on Wednesday to underline his argument that the United States could not expect to dominate China in the South China Sea.

"I always say to these American admirals that every great battleship went down in the first week at sea in the Second World War," the former prime minister told the Lowy Institute in Sydney.

"Just like these American carriers are going to be going down when the nasty fight starts. And I said to this [admiral] they all sound the same you know ... glug, glug, glug"', he added, to slightly startled laughter from an audience dominated by foreign policy wonks.

Mr Keating was launching a book, Fear of Abandonment, written by his former foreign policy adviser and one-time head of the Office of National Assessments, Allan Gyngell.
Christopher Pyne derided it as Cory Bernardi's third party in three months.

Barnaby Joyce described it is as "not a good start" because the replacement for Bob Day has decided (understandably) to sit as an independent for now rather than as one of Bernardi's Australian Conservatives.

The twitchy eagerness by two of the Coalition's most prominent frontbenchers to dismiss Bernardi's incorporation of the old Family First party, was itself quite telling. They are worried all right.

Tony Abbott said the last thing anybody needed was more small parties on the right.
The name Anna Wintour conjures an image of the archetypal editrix, poised on the front row, bob perfectly intact, Prada-clad, with bug-eyed sunglasses shielding any flicker of emotion. Beneath the glossy veneer, though, Wintour - who has been editor-in-chief of US Vogue for 29 years - is, almost unarguably, the most powerful person in fashion. In fact, in the latest issue of The Business of Fashion's print magazine, she is hailed as "President Wintour".

In a new interview with the publication - a must-read for fashion industry insiders - Wintour has spoken candidly for the first time about Trump, Theresa May and being at the vanguard of change.

Anna Wintour attends the Jean Paul Gaultier show as part of Paris Fashion Week. Credit:Getty Images

"We decided that we wanted this issue to focus on everything that's happening in the US as we reached the end of the first 100 days of what might be the most controversial presidency in living memory," says BoF founder, CEO and editor-in-chief Imran Amed, who interviewed Wintour at her office in One World Trade Centre. "So after we decided that, the question came of who could speak authoritatively across a number of issues about the US and we couldn't think of anyone more fitting than Anna Wintour."

In the run-up to last November's election, US Vogue took the unprecedented move of officially endorsing a presidential candidate, offering Hillary Clinton their backing. Wintour has long been a prominent supporter of the Democrats and was even rumoured to have been in the running for an ambassadorial role at one stage.
This week, the world caught up with the goss on French presidential candidate Emmanuel Macron and his wife of 10 years, Brigitte. In typical fashion, the "news" that the 39-year-old centrist married a woman 24 years his senior has scandalised the British tabloids. That the pair also happened to first meet when she was his high school drama teacher has only added fuel to the gossip fire, and there are plenty of juicy quotes to be dug up about their romance to fulfil readers' appetite for titillation.

Leaving aside the understandable queasiness over teacher-student relationships (although the pair has been careful to emphasise that he pursued her and they didn't get together until later, when Macron was an adult), the discourse has followed a sad and sexist pattern that says much about our expectations that politicians and their spouses stay in their traditional gendered lanes, or risk losing favour with the public.

In a sarcastic agony-aunt column, The Daily Mail's Jan Moir advised Macron to avoid taking his wife with him on official business, or else risk being seen as "a mummy's boy with a wife who is 25 years older than him". She pointed to two female leaders, Theresa May and Angela Merkel, who obviously don't take their husbands with them because doing so would signify a threat to their authority.
The young man was breathless, distressed and in pain when he presented at the emergency department of Royal Prince Alfred Hospital.

He had been in treatment for bone cancer and though his condition had not significantly improved, he expected it would soon turn around with immunotherapy.

More than 70 per cent of Australians say they would prefer to die at home.

Nobody told him how close he stood to the void.

By the time palliative care director Maria Cigolini met him in emergency, he was gasping for life.
High-profile independent MP Cathy McGowan says the Turnbull government is disrespecting its own public servants with plans to move departments to regional Australia, warning decentralisation will fail without proper planning and consultation.

The regional Victorian MP accused the National Party of making policy on the run with the push, announced last week by deputy leader Fiona Nash and requiring departments and agencies to justify their continued presence in Canberra or face moves to regional cities.

Independent MP Cathy McGowan is the only crossbench MP left guaranteeing supply and confidence. Credit:Meredith O'Shea

She will push for a parliamentary inquiry into the plan next month.

Ms McGowan, who defeated Liberal frontbencher Sophie Mirabella to win the seat of Indi in 2013, said she was a strong supporter of decentralisation of government and wanted future moves to follow the success of the Albury-Wodonga Development Corporation in the 1970s and 1980s.
Senior Islamic State recruiter Mohammed Ali Baryalei begged a Sydney man to send thousands of dollars to him in Syria, saying he was strapped for cash and struggling.

However, Omarjan Azari said that he couldn't find anyone to make the money transfers because everyone was "buckling" under heavy surveillance.

Mohammed Ali Baryalei suggested using a child to transfer money to him in Syria.

Mr Azari, 24, is on trial in the NSW Supreme Court for committing an act in preparation for, or planning, a terrorist act in a telephone conversation with Baryalei at 9.03pm on September 15, 2014.

In the call, Baryalei told him to kill a random Australian, drape the Islamic State flag on them and film it.
Traffic was banked up for 17 kilometres on the M7 at Prestons following a crash between a truck and two vans during Wednesday morning's peak.

The 47-year-old truck driver was trapped in his vehicle following the crash, which occurred on the south-bound lanes of the M7, near the M5 interchange, just before 7am.

Police said the circumstances of how the three vehicles collided were not yet clear.

The Transport Management Centre said two of three south-bound lanes on the M7 were closed as emergency services arrived and freed the trapped driver.
A regular trip out on the water has turned to tragedy for two elderly fishing buddies on the central Queensland coast.

The bodies of Jack McGlynn, 89, and long-time church friend Mavis Simons, 90, were found north of Bundaberg after they went missing from an early morning fishing trip on Monday.

The pair set out off in a tinnie at Baffle Creek but Mr McGlynn's body was found on Monday afternoon by another angler, while a helicopter search located Ms Simons on Tuesday morning after their upturned boat was spotted.

Queensland Police Inspector Patrick Swindells said Ms Simons' body was found washed out on the tide at nearby Rules Beach.
The public will be left guessing about the full details of shocking allegations of mistreatment of young people in Queensland's youth detention centres.

The Queensland government released the Independent Review of Youth Detention report on Wednesday into allegations of shocking treatment of young inmates dating back to 2013 and a 17-year-old in an adult facility.

Large parts of the report, including names, numbers of beds and photographs, were redacted. Credit:Felicity Caldwell

But hundreds of pages have been redacted.

Those include the numbers of people in youth detention, six chapters detailing specific cases, the physical size of the Brisbane Youth Detention Centre and the numbers of beds in units.
One Nation has lost yet another candidate for the next Queensland election, with former policeman Mark Ellis announcing he is no longer standing.

Mr Ellis, who was endorsed to contest the seat of Macalister, announced his withdrawal on his Facebook page on Wednesday.

Former policeman Mark Ellis has withdrawn his candidacy for One Nation. Credit:Facebook

Citing abuse and threats to his family, Mr Ellis decried his targeting by the "leftie media" and "pathetic haters".

He also blamed his decision to quit on a former employee's decision to go to the media with threatening messages allegedly sent by Mr Ellis.
A museum can be a showcase for just about anything, it seems. The Museum of Ice Cream will take you through a fantasy world of sprinkles and gooey chocolate topping. Visitors to the Museum of Sex in New York City meander through the artifacts of erotic life and history.

Do you want to unburden yourself of the pain of a broken heart? You can, the Museum of Broken Relationships suggests, by visiting its curated collections in Los Angeles or Zagreb, Croatia, of mementos donated anonymously by people who share similar feelings of love gone bad.

The Rejuvenique mask, which was invented to function as a facial toning system. Credit:Sofie Lindberg

Now, for people interested in why some gadgets have ended up on the garbage heap of product history, Samuel West, an organisational psychologist, has created the Museum of Failure.

The museum will open in Helsingborg, Sweden, on June 7 with a curated collection of more than 60 products that, the museum website says, can provide insight into the "risky business of innovation." Nine objects from the museum are on tour, stopping in Miami, Berlin and Amsterdam.
Collector sea urchins have an amazing defence mechanism, scientists have found. Credit:Southern Cross University She said that people who regularly handle these urchins report being bitten. They are a seafood delicacy in many countries, including Japan, so fishermen - and marine biologists - are particularly susceptible. The pedicellariae head of a collector sea urchin with its 'jaws' open and teeth revealed. Credit:Southern Cross University "When you're working with the animals you get a lot of pedicellariae on your hands. We've all been bitten at some stage," Ms Sheppard-Brennand said.

"When they do bite you, if feels like a bee sting or a bull-ant bite. It burns and the area swells up. You get a hive and sometimes the area can ache for 24 hours." In the ocean, she said you are more likely to be injured by the spines on the urchins when you step on them. The species in this research, which is published in the June edition of The American Naturalist, is a common tropical and sub-tropical species. "It is not often found off the coast of Sydney," Ms Sheppard-Brennand said. "But it is common in the waters further north, such as around the National Marine Science Centre at Coffs Harbour." The urchins have hundreds to thousands of these detachable jaws charged and ready to deploy.

Ms Sheppard-Brennand said they are unlikely to release them all at once. "We have observed them releasing hundreds at a time," she said. "Even then, they are in such high density - hundreds or even thousands on a single urchin - that they retain an arsenal while they are regenerating." In similar species it takes 50 to 60 days to regrow the venomous jaws. University of Sydney Professor of Marine and Developmental Biology Maria Byrne, who was not involved in the study, said collector urchins would also cover themselves with bits of shell, rubble and even plastic.



"It is thought that the cover acts as a camouflage so that fishes don't see them, but if they are hassled by a fish they have their defence in the battery of toxic pedicellaria," she said. Ms Sheppard-Brennand's supervisor is Associate Professor Symon Dworjanyn from the National Marine Science Centre in Coffs Harbour.

He said that this surprising discovery might explain why this species of sea urchin is often seen on the open sea floor while others tend to hid in rocks or are nocturnal. The urchin's venom is non-lethal even to the fish and lobsters that hunt the urchins. Rather, it helps act as a deterrent to pursuit. "When they release the cloud of pedicellariae into the water, something is released with it that acts as a deterrent to pursuit," Ms Sheppard-Brennand said. She said in conjunction with other defences this helps them to evade predators. And are they tasty?
The tech world just witnessed a robbery. The heist was so brazen you kind of had to admire it, even if it was pulled off with all the grace of a petrol station stickup.

Facebook barged into Snapchat's happy California mansion, took a solid inventory of the goods, then lifted the crown jewels. First a version of Stories, the fun slideshow format that Snapchat created, appeared last year on Instagram, owned by Facebook. Then Snapchat's features made their way to WhatsApp and Messenger, Facebook's chat apps. Recently they got Facebook's main app and the heist was complete.

On April 18, the leader of the Facebook crew, Mark Zuckerberg, put on a conference to show off his loot. But he went further: He unveiled a vision of augmented reality in which digital objects and effects are overlaid on images of the real world which could undercut Snapchat's mission to become the camera company for the next generation.

His speech had a lot of corny jokes, but that was just Zuckerberg's way of hiding the shiv. In reality it was a performance that made plain Zuckerberg's ruthlessness as a businessman. It also shows that he understands Facebook's most important assets. Zuckerberg realised early on that the most important thing in his business was not necessarily creating the best new features. It does not matter who invents digital moustaches. What matters is owning the biggest and most engaged network. And because he has the network, he always wins.
A crime kingpin wounded in a drive-by shooting as he left a mosque in Melbourne last week had parted ways with a bikie gang just days earlier.

Underworld sources say Mohammed Oueida, 41, left the Comancheros shortly before he was ambushed and shot in the stomach as he left lunchtime prayers at a mosque in Coburg.

Oueida  a major drug trafficker before his arrest in 2011  was a senior member of the club.

Some sources said he left on good terms with national president Mick Murray, but others say he was kicked out because his wealth and influence had inflamed tensions with other members.
Underworld figure Mick Gatto has used his formidable negotiating powers to settle a $15 million tax bill by paying less than $4 million.

Mick Gatto leaves court in a Rolls Royce. Credit:Jason South

Mr Gatto is believed to have settled his five-year fight with the tax office for a fraction of the original assessment that claimed he had concealed wealth in the names of family members.

The Australian Taxation Office has accepted a settlement worth about a quarter of the total value of his bill, sources say.
Allegedly illegally stored fireworks were seen exploding in a shed fire in a fringe suburb of Ballarat in the early hours of the morning.

The shed fire in Delacombe started around 1am. Residents reported hearing explosions, the sounds of fireworks and smoke in calls to Triple Zero, CFA Operating officer Kade Dowie said.

The fire took about half an hour to bring under control. Firefighters saw fireworks explode from the shed, he said.

"There were explosions which at the time were believed to be fireworks coming from inside the shed," Operating Officer Dowie said.

He said the fire was made more dangerous by the fireworks and by an LPG can stored in the 30 x 15 metre shed.

Police are now treating the fire as suspicious.

The Courier reports people as far away as Wendouree and Golden Point called 000 after hearing thunderous noises.



Seven fire trucks took about three hours to put the fire out.
Good morning, we're over the worst of the week's weather but there is still bucketloads of cloud juice about, with a rather icy top of 15. Those strong southwesterlies have backed off but you'll definitely need a few extra layers, preferably waterproof.

On the office-blanket front, we're off the scale - both our nanna-blankie owners have opted for winter coats. This is not a drill. Stay dry and safe out there.

Here's what the weather is doing right now

Here's what's in store for the rest of the day
Melburnians face more commuter chaos on the way home as the city mops up after a torrential downpour on Wednesday.

Burnley train station has re-opened after it was flooded on Wednesday morning, but a severe weather warning is still in place for most of Victoria, as a cold front sweeps across the state.

Hail hit Melbourne's south-east suburbs on Wednesday afternoon, particularly Toorak. There were also reports of hail in Brighton, Alphington and Pakenham throughout the day.

Wednesday was the coldest day in Melbourne so far this year, the weather bureau said.
When Andrew Lemon moved to Eltham in 1982, Labor was promising to finally do away with a proposed freeway that had threatened to bulldoze through the area for two decades.

John Cain jnr became premier that year, and Labor sold off some of the freeway reserve in the area. Houses now stand on it.

"People said, 'That's it, there won't be a freeway here now'," said Dr Lemon, a historian.

Labor has different plans now: on Wednesday, Premier Daniel Andrews promised $100 million to plan the North East Link, a tollway to link the Metropolitan Ring Road in Greensborough to either the Eastern Freeway in Bulleen or EastLink.
The Old Swan Brewery development was an "opportunity missed" and severely damaged Indigenous relations in WA.

The 'What We Thought Would Kill Us' project undertaken by the Committee for Perth examines some of Perth's most controversial developments, including the Bell Tower and Hillarys Boat Harbor.

The area has ties to sacred Aboriginal beliefs.

The latest edition in the series examined the Old Swan Brewery, and described the development of the site as a "low point" in relations with the Whadjuk Noongar community.

Committee for Perth chief executive officer Marion Fulker told Radio 6PR the project did not recognise or seek to protect the significance of the Goonininup site, and the Brewery "fell short" in establishing itself as a heritage, commercial or economic powerhouse.
A Perth woman has been rushed to hospital with multiple fractures after being pinned against a stationary car while inspecting the damage from a prang she had just been involved in.

A police spokeswoman said the 29-year-old Bassendean woman was driving a Mazda 3 Hatch around 7.50am on Wednesday morning when it collided with a Ford ute being driven by a 67-year-old Salter Point man.

The crash scene in Bassendean. Credit:Nine News Perth

The incident occurred on Hardy Road in Bassendean.

"The ute was attempting to reverse into a driveway, with the Mazda travelling behind," she said.
Chobani, a US yoghurt company, has filed a lawsuit against Alex Jones, the high-profile conspiracy theorist and the host of a popular right-wing radio show, for posting what it called false news reports about the company and its owner.

The suit, filed on Monday in district court in Twin Falls County, Idaho, named Jones and the media companies InfoWars and Free Speech Systems as defendants. It called "false" and "defamatory" several reports that appeared on InfoWars alleging that the company's factory in Idaho, which employs refugees, was connected to a 2016 child sexual assault and a rise in tuberculosis cases.

The reports were published April 11 on InfoWars.com and on "The Alex Jones Channel" on YouTube. They were promoted on Twitter under the headline "Idaho yoghurt Maker Caught Importing Migrant Rapists," and were spread widely online.

The founder of Chobani, Hamdi Ulukaya, a Turkish immigrant of Kurdish descent, has been the target of right wing threats by people who accuse him of employing too many refugees in his factories, which began as a yoghurt business in upstate New York and then expanded to Twin Falls, a city of about 46,500 south of Boise.
Donald Trump's attempts to prevent citizens of six predominantly Muslim nations from entering the US is helping the cause of extremists, former British prime minister David Cameron has declared.

Mr Cameron, speaking at the World Travel & Tourism Council global summit in Bangkok, named Islamist terrorism as the major challenge facing the world, including the tourism industry which employs nearly one in 10 people around the globe.

Former British prime minister David Cameron. Credit:Getty Images

In the lead up to last year's US election, Mr Cameron labelled Mr Trump's policy to ban Muslims entering America as "divisive, stupid and wrong".

On Wednesday, he said the challenge was to show the overwhelming majority of Muslims that the West was on its side in the battle against extremism and that banning people from a country that the West was trying to help was "not the act of a friend".
London: The UK is being urged to join the multilateral trade agreements being abandoned by US President Donald Trump and Australia's High Commissioner in London, Alexander Downer says Australia would have no objection to Britain joining the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal.

Leading figures on global trade addressing the 2017 Prosperity conference in Westminster, said the UK should focus on joining existing trade agreements when Britain leaves the EU, expected by March 31, 2019.

Signatories to the TPP include Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam. Since this 2015 photo the US has backed out.

The conference coincided with reports from Washington that the US may withdraw from North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) altogether, instead of revising the current deal between Canada, Mexico and the United States.

President Trump has already said the US will quit the Trade Pacific Partnership (TPP) of which Australia is a member.
Yet like so many of Trump's promises, it seems to be fading when confronted with the cruel realities of governing:

Washington: When he ran for president, Donald Trump made building a wall along the entirety of our southern border - and making Mexico pay for it - the emotional centrepiece of his campaign. A bunch of nerds with "facts" and "arguments" might have pointed out all the ways it was nearly impossible, but that was no match for the visceral thrill Trump's supporters got when they chanted "Build the wall! Build the wall!"

I'm sure there are many in Trump's hard core of supporters who will hold fast to their faith in the president and tell themselves that their beloved wall will get built eventually. This was the single most important promise Trump made, the one that distinguished him from his primary opponents, animated his supporters, drew out people who hadn't voted in years, and defined the kind of president he was supposed to be and the America he was supposed to create.

And it's never going to happen.

It is simply impossible to overstate the symbolic importance both the wall and the idea that Mexico would pay for it had in 2016. Everything about Trump was embodied within it: the xenophobia, the vision of a world of threats and danger, the belief that complex problems have easy solutions, and most of all, the desire to stand tall and humiliate others, which was so critical to voters who felt beaten down and humiliated themselves. That's why the preposterous notion that Mexico would pay for the wall was so critical: not because we need Mexico's money, but because forcing them to pay would be an act of dominance, making them kneel before us, open up their wallets, and pay us for their own abasement.

Whenever a Mexican official would say that of course they weren't going to pay for a wall, Trump would tell his crowds, "The wall just got ten feet higher!" And oh, would they cheer, thrilled beyond measure at the idea of punishing Mexico for its insolence and showing them who the boss is. Yes, the wall was about fear and hatred of immigrants, but more than anything it was a vision of empowerment.

But just look what Trump has been reduced to now:
Trip to the Lofoten Islands in a Volkswagen VW T6 California Camper +VIDEO

By Lars Hoenkhaus

QUICK CAR REVIEW





LOFOTEN ISLANDS, Norway - April 25, 2017: With the VW T6 California you can just take a break and, if you wish, also comfortably stay on the spot without booking a hotel or building a tent. With Volkswagen, I travel to the Lofoten in the north of Norway in the VW T6 California. I want to check how comfortable the new VW T6 California while we are touring on the islands at winter temperatures.

The new California is available in two trim levels  Beach and Ocean  and with a choice of three 2.0-litre engines ranging in power from 102 to 204 PS. All are EU6 compliant and feature BlueMotion Technology modifications. A 4MOTION four-wheel drive version is also offered in conjunction with the 150 PS or range-topping 204 PS powerplant.

Entry to the California range starts with the Beach model which offers up to seven seats and sleeping space for four. The bench-seat easily folds to convert to a two-berth bed across the width of the vehicle, while a manual pop-up roof gives access to a further double bed. A fold-out table and chairs are cleverly stored in the sliding door and tailgate, while an integrated awning makes for a comfortable and practical camping experience. The Beach is available with a 2.0-litre 102 PS TDI engine with a five-speed manual gearbox, and a 2.0-litre TDI 150 PS with a six-speed manual or seven-speed DSG transmission.

The California Ocean replaces the SE model from the previous generation, with prices starting from 47,840 (RRP OTR inc VAT). Customers can choose from two engines with either 150 or 204 PS and six-speed manual or seven-speed DSG gearboxes. 4MOTION four-wheel drive variants mean the ultimate ?home from home can go further and wider afield. The Ocean also adds an electro-hydraulic pop-up roof with lighting, plus a kitchenette with two rings, a fridge and sink.

The new generation California adds a host of safety, comfort and convenience features. These include a Driver Alert System, Brake Assist and an Automatic Post-Collision Braking System, as well as the option to add innovations such as Adaptive Cruise Control, Front Assist and City Emergency Braking for safer and more relaxed cruising. In the cabin the California gains a new ?premium dashboard (optional on Beach) with wide centre console and car-like feel, plus the latest infotainment system, DAB digital radio, Bluetooth and new multi-function display. A new cupholder as well as new fabrics, leathers and plastics enhance the ambience inside.
Monday 05 September, 2016 Reliable information reaching Biafra writers desk has it that the life of Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indi...
Back in the 1980s, when I started writing and thinking seriously about beer, it went without saying that the best, most interesting brews came from Europe. Germany, Great Britain, and Belgium dominated the industry and my conversations with other beer geeks. (There were just a few dozen of us at the time.)

American craft brewers soon began mimicking those foreign beers, producing pale ales, pilsners, stouts, tripels and dubbels, bocks, and forerunners of what would become best-seller, IPA. The beers werent exactly the same as the ones from the old country, but they were good and they were fresh. And they only got better and better.

But for a long time, nobody would give our nascent craft beer scene any respect. (Lovers of American beer were truly the Rodney Dangerfield of the booze world.) It was damn irritating that even though we were drinking these good, flavorful brews, Europeans still thought that U.S. was just producing light beer. Id explain over and over and over again that the industry had evolved, but my conversations with foreign friends usually went nowhere.

Fortunately, that started to change when Garrett Oliver, who has been the brewmaster at the Brooklyn Brewery since 1994, did more than just talk about this new generation of American beer. He went to England and made beer with an English brewer. Our first collaboration (and supposedly the first collaboration brewing of any sort in the modern era), he told me recently, was with Brakspear at their original brewery at Henley-upon-Thames. I think that was 1996.

Olivers collaboration was the first step in the rebuilding of American beers reputation in Europe. While it took a good 20 years, American craft beers are now sought across Europe. (The wave of acquisitions of craft breweries by larger corporations has certainly opened up distribution channels that few of the small guys could have ever dreamed about obtaining.) Whats even more impressive is that Californias Stone Brewing actually built a brewery in Berlin last year. And not to be outdone, Oliver has collaborated on one in Stockholm, that is making new beers inspired by local tastes.

And partnerships between U.S. brewers and their continental colleagues are getting fairly common. But this time around the Europeans are as excited about them as their American counterparts. The American brewers are also no longer always the student and the recipes arent always traditional.

For example, to celebrate its 150th anniversary, old-school Wisconsin brewer Leinenkugels is working on a beer with centuries-old Hofbrau in Munich. After some discussion and test batches, they wound up creating a classic German Marzen amber (a throwback Oktoberfest type of beer) but instead of using traditional European hops, the team went with a combination of American hops.

We wanted to use all German malts, the brands fifth-generation president Dick Leinenkugel explained. It really delivers that elusive crisp malty dryness. But both Hofbrau and Leinie have very popular Oktoberfest beers, and we wanted to differentiate it from both. So, we used all American hops. That set it apart.

Its an amazing development that these historic European brands are willing to use an ingredient from the U.S. Bill Covaleski, co-founder of Victory Brewing in Downingtown, Pennsylvania, has a simple explanation. I hate to take any magic out of this but what happened over there is what happened here: American hops. They have caused a sensation on all continents now.

Covaleski introduced me to Katharina Kurz, one of the founders of Berlin craft brewery BRLO, and she had some great insights on what European brewers can learn from America. For her, and for many Berliners, its variety. German beer got boring, she told me. The baseline quality was always amazing, which is why it took so long to discover craft. But it became a commodity. We take huge inspiration from the American market; not just beer styles, but how to do brewpubs and the whole culture.

Like many other European craft brewers, Kurz is all about American beers. So, has the student now surpassed the teacher? Are American craft brewers now making the best beer in the world?

Oliver tosses cold beer on that idea. Anyone who believes that American beer is the best in the world needs to get out more, he says. What we do have is open-mindedness and creativity, both as brewers and as customers. This stage where other brewers are copying us is, I hope, only a phase. Frankly, it bores me. Im proud that weve contributed something. But I want to see a flowering of native styles; throughout Europe, China, Japan, and Brazil. One of these days, maybe American brewers will be brewing Brazilian-style IPA. Wouldnt that be cool?
GULU, Uganda  Peter Kidega didnt know the man at the end of his rifle. Only that someone had to die. The rebels told me I was to kill this man, Kidega says. If I refused, they would kill me. At the time, Kidega was 19 years old.

Both Kidega and the man were hostages of the Lords Resistance Army (LRA). Both had been kidnapped from Agago district in northern Uganda. But only one would die that day in 2003.

The man became too tired to journey on into the bush. The rebels tied the victims hands behind his back. Kidega then pulled the trigger, ending a mans life for the first time. I was fearing as much as him, Kidega says.

Armed with fear, the Lords Resistance Army transformed another abductee into a killer, and cemented an allegiance.

Kidegas loyalty would endure 14 years, until October last year, when he escaped the LRA under the cloak of darkness and surrendered in the Central African Republic (CAR). It is very difficult in the bush because of the rain and sometimes you find no food, Kidega told The Daily Beast in Gulu, northern Uganda. He returned to his homeland in January.

Michael Omona soon followed. The 35-year-old is one of the latest rebels to return to northern Uganda after 23 years with the LRA. The rebels snatched him from his home in 1994, aged 12. He trained as a soldier then moved up the ranks to work directly with the LRAs infamous leader Joseph Kony as his signaler or communicator. Omona would send and receive messages for the warlord across the LRAs network of guerrilla fighters. But he feared Kony would soon murder him. Omona says the warlord slaughtered his own wives and children. I am nothing to Joseph Kony, Omona says. If he could kill even his own children, how about me?

Michael Omona and Peter Kidegas defections are another blow to Konys embattled Ugandan-born rebel army. A force that has dwindled from some 2000 fighters to fewer than 100, according to the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM).

The LRA began in the late 1980s and terrorized northern Uganda for about two decades, notoriously kidnapping tens of thousands of children to be fighters, sex slaves or porters, and murdering and maiming civilians. The LRAs leader Joseph Kony became known around the world after the highly successful Kony 2012 campaign video. The self-proclaimed prophet claimed to be fighting to overthrow the Ugandan government and rule by a distorted version of the Ten Commandments.

A military offensive drove the LRA out of Uganda more than a decade ago. Its fighters scattered across the densely jungled and lawless areas between the Central African Republic (CAR), South Sudan, Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The LRA has since carried out smaller-scale attacks, which reached a six-year high in the first half of 2016, according to monitoring groups.

But now a decades-long hunt for Joseph Kony and his LRA is winding down.

Uganda began withdrawing its 1500 troops from the Central African Republic last week. Our mission was to neutralize the LRA, says Brig. Richard Karemire, the Uganda Peoples Defence Force spokesman. [Kony] no longer poses a security threat to Ugandaand northern Uganda in particular, he says.

On Wednesday, the United States began withdrawing its troops from the region, six years after the Obama administration deployed about 100 U.S military advisers to give training, intelligence, and logistical support to the Ugandan-led African Union Regional Task Force hunting Kony and his top commanders. The mission has cost the Department of Defense about $780 million since 2011, according to AFRICOM.

A U.S. withdrawal was foreshadowed earlier this year, when President Donald Trumps transition team questioned whether huge cash outlays were worthwhile for a rebel group that had never attacked American interests, and was no longer considered a threat.

In the past five years, the U.S.-supported African Union task force has helped remove four of the LRAs top five commanders wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC), according to AFRICOM. Three have been killed, one on Konys orders. The fourth, Dominic Ongwen, surrendered in 2014. He is currently on trial at The Hague on 70 charges, including murder, torture, and sexual slavery.

But there is one remaining from the five, the most wanted among them: Joseph Kony himself. And American and Ugandan forces are leaving empty handed.

Kony has been slinking between jungle hideouts in Sudans Darfur region and around central Africa, according to his ex-signaler Michael Omona. Hes ever moving, not settled in one place, Omona says. Thats the reason why its very hard to find the guy.

Kony is believed to have sought haven in Kafia Kingi, an enclave bordering Sudan and South Sudan hundreds of miles from U.S and Ugandan bases in central Africa.

Kafia Kingi is controlled by the Sudanese government, [which is] not friendly to U.S and UPDF, says researcher Paul Ronan, from the monitoring and aid group Invisible Children, which made the original Kony 2012 film. In 2013, Invisible Children co-produced a report alleging Sudan was sheltering Kony and the LRA in the area. UPDF has conducted operations there several times in the past, but they've never been able to sustain operations there, Ronan says.

Finding Kony has also been challenging because the warlord doesnt use technology that can be tracked. He wont even let technology near him, according to Omona. You use the technology and just deliver the message or information to him, he says.

While Konys Lords Resistance Army has weakened over the decades, his resolve has not. Michael Omona says his former master doesn't believe his military power has waned and remains committed to fighting for the Ten Commandments as he reads them. He talks a lot about how to rule the nation, how to rule the world, Omona says.

The withdrawal of American and Ugandan forces leaves a collection of troops from the Central African Republic, South Sudan and the Democratic Republic alone in the hunt for the warlord. They are too weak and otherwise preoccupied, says Ronan. And the UN peacekeeping missions in those countries simply don't have the right troops or incentives to pursue the LRA.

The U.S said last Thursday it would continue working with those countries with training and exercises to avoid an LRA comeback. But former LRA fighters believe Kony will capitalize on a security vacuum left by American and Ugandan troops withdrawing.

If there are no soldiers there, they are going to attack, says Peter Kidega.

Konys ex-signaler, Michael Omona, says the withdrawal will give Kony time to revive his guerrilla army and attack more people. Thats why these people should not leave the operations, they should continue until Kony is found, Omona says.

If Kony does rebuild, thousands of lives are at risk in central Africa. In places like Obo in the Central African Republic, locals say a U.S. and Ugandan military presence has brought relative security to the town and attacks have declined.

I am very scared about security, says Clementine Zaningba from Obo. The LRA abducted members of her family, who havent returned to this day. When they leave Obo then I will leave Obo as well, Zaningba says. I cannot live in peace out here with my children, she says.

Obo resident Marie Francine Nangbouka also believes they are in greater danger now and is considering leaving her home. Her cousin was robbed and cut into pieces by the rebels in 2015. Nangbouka says the U.S and Ugandan military have not only provided protection from the LRA, but other armed groups in the region. Im begging... for [the military] to stay in the region, she says. Its thanks to them that we have peace, she says. Nangbouka, like others, believes Kony will never be found now.

But one of Konys most recently surrendered fighters is confident the warlord can be captured. Like those who defected before him, Peter Kidega wants to help hunt down his former leader. After more than a decade killing, capturing and looting in the bush, Kidega is trying to make sense of life after war, to carve out a future amid a troubled past.

I want to go and fight Kony because he wasted my time a lot in the bush. Kidega says. I am going to find him.
He was so much more than game over, man!

As Marine combat technician Private Hudson in James Camerons 1986 sci-fi blockbuster Aliens, Bill Paxton spun scene-stealing cinematic gold out of comically masculine bravado and wild-eyed panicthe latter captured in his most iconic line: Game over, man!

The line took on newer, sadder tones when the beloved character actor passed away suddenly in February from complications following surgery.

Paxton was enormously versatilehe played emotionally complicated leading men in Big Love, One False Move, and A Simple Plan as indelibly as he played goofy sleazeballs (True Lies), comic-book villains (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.), and bullies with unfortunate buzz cuts (Weird Science).

He proved a gifted, if underrated director (go watch Frailty right now) and the only actor apart from Aliens costar Lance Henriksen to have the honor of being killed onscreen by an Alien, a Predator, and a Terminatoras his fans love to recall.

But its Hudson and his endearing, voice-breaking meltdowns most everyone remembers first. (Mostly.) Its not hard to fathom why: As Paxton himself acknowledged, He was the most relatable to audiences because he was deathly afraid, as most of us would be. I mean, for every Ripley [Sigourney Weaver] or Hicks [Michael Biehn], there are a million Hudsons.

April 26 marks the second-ever Alien Day (a date chosen for LV-426, the monster-infested moon where Alien and Aliens take place)a day as apt as any to pay tribute to the magic of Paxtons performance.

Michael Biehn (who played level-headed Corporal Hicks), Jenette Goldstein (tough-as-nails Private Vasquez), Carrie Henn (little Rebecca Newt Jordan, her colonys sole survivor), Paul Reiser (corporate slimeball Carter Burke) and super-producer Gale Anne Hurd (Aliens, Terminator) offered us their favorite memories of Paxton and Aliens to mark the occasion.

Weve arranged their tributes below as a mini-oral history of Paxtons impact on Aliens and his costars. Hurd sums it up best: Hes irreplaceable.

He made going to work fun

HURD: My memories of Bill go back to when he was a carpenter on Battle Beyond the Stars. I was the assistant production manager for Roger Corman and Jim Cameron was the art director. And Bill was a carpenter. So my first memory of Bill was him pounding nails and cracking everybody up. I mean, wed be working at three or four in the morning and he would be the one who kept all our spirits up. He was that person on and off set.

BIEHN: We first met on Lords of Discipline [in 1983]. Bill at that time was like a horse that hadnt been broken yet, as far as acting goes. He was credited as Wild Bill Paxton. He had the energy and the fun and the desire and the passion, and I mean in spades.  But I kind of put the reins on him. I didnt want him stealing all my scenes. (Laughs) He was pretty good at that. He was like a firecracker.

GOLDSTEIN: He was so, so excited to be on this film [Aliens]. I mean, he was like that with every role. We were all young and it was this big American film, the sequel to Alien, which wed all seenand we got to be Army men!

HENN: You always knew when Bill was on set. He made going to work fun. He would always stop by my table on set when we were in between takes. I often had coloring, clay or other art activities to keep me occupied. Bill would join us and color, or create something fun with the clay.

From ultimate badass to game over, man!

GOLDSTEIN: Hudson and Vasquez were like each others foils. They were the inverse of each other. Everything that he just blurted out, she felt but kept in.

REISER: Bill had this odd, unique mixture of can-do bravado and a really self-deprecating sense of humor about his perceived limitations. And its kind of what came out in the role of Hudson in Aliens. He was this big, macho guy like, Were gonna kick their asses! Then hes the first guy to go, Oh man, were dead, were dead!

HURD: Jim wrote the role of Hudson specifically for him. And there was no question of just how amazing Bill would be in the role. Things like game over, man!all of that was their collaboration in creating a character who was the voice of the audience. Were all gonna die, were all gonna die! It was important to have that pressure valve of humor to release the tension so that you could build it up again, which is a secret in horror films. That kind of character can be so larger-than-life and so memorable that you cannot imagine the movie without him. And thats Bill.

A friend to alleven the slimy corporate guy

REISER: I was in a weird position, cause all the [actors playing Marines] had been there for a couple of weeks in a kind of boot camp, then I came in as the knucklehead corporate guy. So I was sort of organically a bit excluded. But he was the bridge. He was the guy who made sure, Hey man, lets all have lunch together, or lets all hang out. There was a lovely Southern hospitality about him. He just got along with everybody. He really liked people.

GOLDSTEIN: This was my very first film. Id gone to drama school and been trained as a theater actor. I didnt know what a master shot was or a back-to-one, any of those things. And the first shot was the Marines approaching the atmosphere processing station as they start to walk into that weird hive. I was just terrified.  But Bill said, Dont worry about it. Stick with me. Youll just learn while you earn. (Laughs)

HENN: My favorite moment on set with Bill was in the Med Lab. The scene was very detailed, and was a little daunting. There were a lot of different elements to remember. I felt relieved that Bill was filming the scene with me. He knew I was a little nervous of everything, and worried I wouldnt do what I was supposed to do. He quietly told me not to worry, that he would help me. He also kept saying, Dont worry Newt, Hudson is to the rescue.

GOLDSTEIN: Youd think, oh, hes just a good ol boy from Texas. But one of the things that really impressed me, and I asked him like, God, how do you remember everybodys name on the set, of the crew? His dad was this wonderful salesman. And he was like, Thats what I learned, you learn every single persons name and you dont forget it.

HURD: Everyone he met became an instant friend. There were no strangers in Bill Paxtons life.

Aliens and the romance of a lifetime

HURD: He was [shooting Aliens] in London when he met his wife, Louise. As I recall, it was on a bus or at a bus stop. And they were together ever since. He was the kind of guy that when he made a commitment, it was for life.

BIEHN: We were hanging out one night off-set and Bill said, Look at that girl. And I said, yeah, or whatever. Theres lots of beautiful women in London. But he bolted up. And I dont know what he said to her or what he did, but he got her telephone number. When I look back at friends and people that I know, its one of the more romantic stories. You see a girl, you chase her, you jump on the bus, you get her number, and you end up being married to her for 35 years.

Were on an express elevator to hell, going down!

BIEHN: We heard that they were screening Aliens for the press but we couldnt go over there. Wed only seen it in pieces, Jim hadnt shown it to us yet. So Bill and I snuck up to the projection booth and watched the movie. And as soon as the credits ended, he stood up and shot his fists in the air like, Ahh! Were on a roller coaster to hell, man! We both knew [the movie would be big], but he really knew.

How do I get out of this chickenshit outfit?

GOLDSTEIN: Mad magazine did a whole Aliens spread [when the film came out] and Bill was so excited: Oh my God, Im gonna finally be in Mad magazine! So we went down to a newsstand right across from Canters Deli in L.A., got a copy and sat down at the counter with our Matzo ball soup or whatever. We were opening it up really fast to see ourselves and Im drawn with a beard or something, I forget what it was. And hes drawn with a chicken head. He was like, I finally make it into Mad magazine and they dont draw me! I thought that was so funny.

Keeping the Aliens family together, 30 years later

HENN: Many of us have discussed how nice its been to see so much of each other in the last few years. We refer to it as being like a family reunion. We might not see each other for a while, but always pick up right where we left off.

REISER: Three summers ago [at Calgary Comic Expos Aliens cast reunion] everybody said, Oh, lets get together after this! Suddenly, Bill goes, I got a restaurant. And he called a restaurant and got em open and got the kitchen to stay up late and cook for everybody. It comes time to leave and everybody starts putting some money on the table. And Bill goes, I got it. And he picks up the check for 30 people. That was sort of him in a nutshell.  He didnt make a big deal of it. We went to pay and they said, Oh, Mr. Paxtons already taken care of the check.

HENN: Many of the cast members were in Houston for a 30th reunion at Comicpalooza. One evening we all went out to dinner  On the way to that dinner we all took a taxi. The taxi driver was asking us if we were there for a convention [and] if we were there for the sci-fi one or the musician one. Bill didnt skip a beat and told him we were there for the musician one. The driver asked a few questions [and] told us that most of the cast of Aliens was attending the sci-fi convention. Bill was asking him questions about which actors, and how long had it been since the film had come out. It was hard for us to keep a straight face during the whole conversation.

REISER: Most of us were under 30 [during filming], so it was literally a lifetime ago. Yet we all fell into place and picked up the conversation. We had all gotten married and had kids in the interim so there was a lot to catch up on.  I miss very much the idea that we could spend more time together.

Theres no one who can replace him

BIEHN: Theres never gonna be anybody like him again.  I wrote on my little thing [at Paxtons memorial], You made me laugh for 35 years and today you make me cry. I didnt know that he was going in for any kind of surgery. He didnt tell me. So it was really, stunningly sad. I always kind of thought of him as my little brother. I just kind of walked in circles around my house that day.

GOLDSTEIN: One of the last conversations I had with him, he was talking about how he had all these projects to direct. He was gonna start doing Training Day. He was going on and on about how he was excited to get these different projects to go.  I had seen him like four months before [his death] and I wasnt aware that there was this heart problem. I woke up, listened to NPR, and was like, What? Just complete disbelief. And shock.

HURD: He made everything that he was in better because of his performance. And inspired everyone around him with not only his talent, but his work ethic, and because of what a wonderful presence he was on and off set. Theres no one who can replace him. Hes irreplaceable.

HENN: We all feel very grateful to have had the opportunity to see so much of Bill the last few years. They are wonderful and fun memories that I will never forget.
In its years-long culture war with billionaire investor George Soros, Alex Jones InfoWars has a natural new target: yogurt.

Yogurt giant Chobani sued Jones on Monday when articles on InfoWars, Jones conspiracy-mongering website, claimed the company imported migrant rapists and increased tuberculosis cases in Idaho after the company hired refugees.

Jones was quick to tie the lawsuit to Soros, a frequent boogeyman on InfoWars whom the host called a sack of demons, the spawn of Hell, and a boat of foul spirits just this week.

That makes Chobani the 183rd organization InfoWars and Jones have tied to Sorosjust this year.

InfoWars points to a recent picture and email chain with both Soros and Chobani founder Hamdi Ulukaya as proof that Soros is bankrolling the lawsuit, but Soros is not listed anywhere in the court documents.

I have been sued by the Islamic owner of the largest maker of yogurt in the world, Chobani, said Jones, in a video initially titled George Soros Backed Islamic Yogurt Maker Sues Alex Jones.

Whats incredible about this is this guy is from Turkey, he moved here in the mid-90s. Hes buddies with Bill Clinton, George Soros. They worked together to bring refugees into the country. Thats mainstream news. A lot of the newspapers in Idaho and other places have been reporting that there have been reported rapes and people pleading guilty to it.

The country prosecutor in Twin Falls, Idaho, where Chobani accepted refugees to work in its plant, said the alleged rape reported by InfoWars simply didnt happen as the website reported it.

There was no gang rape, no knife attack, and we did not charge anybody with rape because no rape occurred, Twin Falls County prosecutor Grant Loebs told The New York Times.

Still, in InfoWars quest to tie Soros to news stories from Idaho to Chechnya, Chobani is not alone.

InfoWars has accused at least 182 non-yogurt entities, 12 individuals, and countless protesters of being linked to or funded by Soros since January 1 of this year. Thats 1.7 new accusations per day since the start of 2017.

Jones and his writers have accused Soros and his progressive nonprofit Open Society Foundations of funding federal judge James Robart for blocking President Donald Trumps ban on travelers from Muslim-majority countries, while simultaneously underwriting 61 other organizations to fuel unrest in Macedonia. Despite Forbes estimating Soros net worth at $25.2 billion, Jones at one point said the liberal billionaire doles out $50 billion per year to causes like overthrowing Ukraine.

Jones personally accused The Daily Beast and BuzzFeed of being funded by Soros in a YouTube video on Monday.

Soros doesnt want to put his name on it, said Jones. He already funds David Brock and Media Matters. He already funds The Daily Beast, people who have investigative reporters following us around, digging up made-up dirt. Fiction writers. And BuzzFeed, all of the rest of them.

Both The Daily Beast and BuzzFeed have reporters, Ben Hartman and Charlie Warzel, providing daily coverage of Jones ongoing, 10-day custody trial in Austin.

Neither company is funded by George Soros.

I can only confirm that we are part of a far-reaching global conspiracy, but further comment would violate its most basic rules, a spokesman for BuzzFeed News, Matt Mittenthal, told The Daily Beast.

Jones did not respond to a request for comment.

InfoWars also accused Soros of backing efforts to destroy Roger Stone Jr. Jones also accused Soros of funding Google, a company worth more than $600 billion, in order to stop [French presidential candidate Marine] Le Pen.

Last week in Jones custody trial, the InfoWars host claimed on the stand that Soros is responsible for making marijuanawhich he smokes once a year to monitor its strengthtoo strong to smoke and that Soros is using it to brain damage people.

Last month, an InfoWars writer claimed that the Alaska band Portugal. The Man. is a pro-Soros rock band because a fictional newspaper called Info Wars is burned in one of its videos.

Neither Portugal. The Man. nor marijuana is included on the below list of entities and individuals InfoWars has said is linked to George Soros since the beginning of 2017.

***

Google (to stop Marine Le Pen from being elected president of France)New America Foundation (to demand a military overthrow of Donald Trump)Paul RyanLindsey GrahamJohn McCainMarco RubioJeb BushHillary ClintonThe Electronic Frontier Foundation ($72 million to control internet, censor InfoWars.com)Center for Democracy & Technology (to control internet, censor InfoWars.com)New America Foundation (to control internet, censor InfoWars.com)Fight for the Future (to control internet, censor InfoWars.com)Stanford Law professor Barbara van SchewickMarvin Ammori, founder and lawyer at the Ammori GroupDirector of Harvards Berkman & Klein Center Yochai BenklerPublic Knowledge (the nonprofit)Citizen Engagement LabAmerican Civil Liberties Union (for Net Neutrality to control the Internet)Judge James Robart (who blocked Trumps travel ban executive order)American National Endowment for Democracy (to control Europes left and stop anti-EU populism)SYRIZA (to control Europes left and stop anti-EU populism)Five Star in Italy (to control Europes left and stop anti-EU populism)Platform for Citizens Oriented Politics (to fuel unrest in Macedonia)Journalists for Human Rights (to fuel unrest in Macedonia)LGBT Support Center (in Macedonia)58 other Macedonian organizationsThe White Helmets (to stage what he said is a false flag chemical attack in Syria)Planned Parenthood (for the Womens March)National Resource Defense CouncilMoveOn.orgNational Action Network (for the Womens March)American Civil Liberties Union (for the Womens March)Center for Constitutional Rights (for the Womens March)Amnesty International (for the Womens March)Human Rights Watch (for the Womens March)49 other march partners associated with the Womens MarchDay Without a Woman protest organizers ($246 Million)Meetup.comSenate Majority PAC (through his son, Alexander Soros)Harry Reid (through Alexander Soros)Free Press (the nonprofit)22 Hungarian nonprofits (to bring down the Hungarian government, according to RT)Association Carta di Roma (to hide ethnicity of migrants who committ [sic] crimes)National Immigration Law Center (part of a coordinated PR effort stop the travel ban)American Civil Liberties Union (part of a coordinated PR effort stop the travel ban)Urban Justice Center (part of a coordinated PR effort stop the travel ban)Travel ban protesters at JFK Airport (part of a coordinated PR effort stop the travel ban)Indivisible (the nonprofit)Organizing for ActionThe Emergent FundBlack Lives MatterCentral European UniversityDemocratic attorneys general filing anti-Trump lawsuitsPriorities USA Action super PAC (to stop Voter ID)David BrockMedia Matters for AmericaAlliance for Global Justice (to organize the violent shut down of the Milo Yiannopoulos event at the University of California)Humanity for ProgressAmerican-Islamic RelationsSouthern Poverty Law CenterThe recounts in Wisconsin, Michigan, and PennsylvaniaChechen jihadisTurkey (the country)BuzzFeedThe Daily Beast
It seems like only yesterday Melania Trump was being ridiculed for borrowing remarks from her predecessor, Michelle Obama, while Ivanka Trump was being touted as the calm, classy yin to her fathers never calm, not so classy yang. But what a difference 100 days can make. While Ivanka Trump and her business ventures have become yet another ethical distraction in an administration plagued by them, Melania Trump has emerged aswell, a surprisingly calm, classy counterbalance to her husband and those he surrounds himself with, including her stepdaughter.

It wasnt supposed to be this way. During the presidential campaign the commonly held media wisdom was that while Melania Trump would be First Lady in name, Ivanka would really be the most important woman in Trumps White House orbit.

But as outrage grows over reports that Ivanka received two patents for her clothing line in China following dinner with that countrys president, Melania is enjoying one of her best weeks to date. Not only was she credited with making her husband act more presidential when she nudged him in an apparent effort to remind him to place his hand on his heart during the national anthem, but she received a front-page apology from a leading news site for unflattering rumors published about her during the presidential election. The apology marks a full-circle moment, because the treatment she faced during the campaign was the beginning of Melania Trump emerging as a more sympathetic figure than her stepdaughter, who just days ago was met with boos while defending her father on an international womens panel.

When nude photos of the First Lady were published last year, plenty of women who abhor her husband leapt to her defense. Many argued that efforts to make the photos a campaign issue were a form of sexism and slut-shaming and have no place in American politics. While a candidates sex life, including photos, can become a legitimate issue for voters, the reason Mrs. Trump engendered sympathy was in part that she never chose to run for office. In fact, what became painfully apparent on the campaign trail was that if given the choice she would probably run as far as humanly possible from the spotlight and the obsessive quest for power that consumes most Trumps. In other words, shes the polar opposite of Ivanka.

Women are often criticized for ambition in a way that men never are. So let me say this for the record: Ivanka Trump is ambitious. That is not a legitimate reason to critique her. But there are legitimate reasons.

The most obvious is that she wants to enjoy the power and privilege her last name bestows upon her, without bearing blame for her fathers words or policies. While she told CBS News Gayle King that privately she disagrees with her father on certain issues, so far there has been little evidence that this has translated into tangible benefits for those affected by his policies. For instance, with her familys money and connections, she could easily spearhead efforts to fund low-cost or no-cost birth control access nationwide.

Doing so would mean that women affected by Planned Parenthood closures, or potential cuts to the Affordable Care Act, wouldnt have to worry about one of the most important issues impacting both womens health and economic inequality. (Not to mention a reproductive policy issue that enjoys bipartisan support.) But there doesnt seem to be a lot of room for such efforts when youre busy protecting the Ivanka Trump brand which is in trouble, despite a sales bump credited to Trump advisor Kellyanne Conway.

The nationwide boycotts of Ivanka products, counter-boycotts by Trump supporters, and fallout from Conways efforts to help her brand, prove how much Ivanka Inc. has emerged as a symbol of everything everyone feels about her father, and with good reason. Her girl-power speech at the Republican National Convention signaled to women that it was safe to vote for a man who raised a daughter like her. The message was essentially, Im a down-to-Earth mom just like you! Of course, she isnt. She has lived a life of immense privilege, which is probably why she was oblivious to the fact that there were women affiliated with her companies who didnt enjoy some of the pro-women policies she was touting on behalf of her father.

But there she was, making the case to women while decked out in an outfit from her line an outfit that was priced reasonably enough to further her Im just like you schtick. The dress sold out, which was probably the whole point when she decided to wear it. Her family-centric instagram posts reinforced her our familys just like yoursonly a bit better looking and a lot richer narrative. But when she posted a photo dressed in a ball gown while the nation raged over her fathers controversial executive order targeting those from Muslim countries, the moment epitomized what irritates many about Ivanka Trump. The only thing worse than being out of touch is being out of touch when youve spent so much time and effort pretending to be relatable.

During the campaign, relatable wasnt a word that sprang to mind when it came to Melania Trump. She was dismissed as a cliche; a model turned trophy wife and worse. After a photo of her descending her husbands jet with her coat tossed glamorously over her shoulders appeared, I remember a discussion in which her wardrobe was likened to that of a character from Dynasty. While Michelle Obama was credited with making First Lady fashion accessible to the average voter who could purchase one of her J. Crew sweaters, most women will never be able to afford anything Melania owns. And yet that doesnt seem to bother anyone. She is winning fans, with approval ratings far higher than her husbands.

Perhaps its because decked out in her designer duds its obvious she is being herself, wearing clothes she likes and looks great in, not something some political consultant told her to wear to appear relatable. Privately plenty of liberal women I know have begun peppering conversations with variations of I cant stand her husband, but shes a beautiful woman, has great style and seems nice. Those whove crossed paths with her speak of her kindness and lack of airs and lack of social climbing tendencies, which is so often assumed in those who marry well, not to mention her intelligence. (Yes, I know some of you just rolled your eyes. To which my response is, how many languages do you speak?)

While Ivanka originally engendered sympathy because, after all, you cant help who your father is, she can help what she chooses to do with the power that comes with being his daughter. So far, shes chosen to sell shoes, and sell an image of faux perfection on social media. But when most of us see images of Melania Trump with her husband, how could we not be sympathetic? I dont think anyone looks at her and sees a woman with a perfect life. Instead, she looks like a woman trying to do what most of us are at the moment: survive her husbands presidency as best we can.
Since 1891 a monument celebrating white terrorism has proudly stood in the heart of New Orleans, yet this week the city of New Orleans finally removed the Battle of Liberty Place monument. The monument celebrates an attempt by the white supremacist terrorist group the White League to overthrow the government during Reconstruction, and return the city to being ruled by white oppression. Some residents of the city decried its removal and parroted the ludicrous History Not Hate rhetoric, and this only serves as a continuation of the pro-Confederacy propaganda movement the South has waged since the end of Reconstruction. As a society, we can no longer tolerate succumbing to this toxicity.

On Sept. 14, 1874, the White League stormed the New Orleans police station in an attempted coup detat to remove the governor of New Orleans, Republican William Kellogg, and replace him with John McEnery, who had been his unsuccessful Democratic challenger in the 1872 election. The White League defeated the citys integrated police department, and took control of the city for a couple of days before President Ulysses S. Grant sent down federal troops to reclaim the city. The White League quickly surrendered the city upon the arrival of federal troops, and the Battle of Liberty Place monument exists to remember the 100 White League members who died in the battle. That is to say, it exists to celebrate those who died in a failed coup with the explicit purpose of returning Louisiana to a white dominated society.

The White League, formed in 1874, was one of the last white terrorist groups that sprang up during Reconstruction. The Ku Klux Klan started in 1865 upon the completion of the war. The White League was founded by Christopher Columbus Nash, a former Confederate soldier who was a prisoner of war during the Civil War. On April 13, 1873, Nash led a white militia in the Colfax Massacre that killed approximately 150 freed blacks. The massacre erupted following white fury at the election of Kellogg to the governorship in 1872. This battle is one of the single biggest massacres of Reconstruction. Soon thereafter Nash formed the White League.

Having solely in view the maintenance of our hereditary civilization and Christianity menaced by a stupid Africanization, we appeal to men of our race, of whatever language or nationality, to unite with us against that supreme danger, read the platform of the White League.

Despite their clear racist and terroristic foundations, they represented a more palatable form of terror than the KKK. The White League was more mainstream than the KKK. This brand of terror had become normalized over the previous decade. The White League openly collaborated with the KKK, Southern Democratic politicians, and white business owners who facilitated the Redeemers movement to terrorize freed blacks and Union sympathizers to swing elections in favor of the Democratic Party.

President Grant was so alarmed by the threat to democracy that the White League posed that he wrote about them in his 1874 State of the Union Address: White Leagues and other societies were formed; large quantities of arms and ammunition were imported and distributed to these organizations; military drills, with menacing demonstrations, were held, and with all these murders enough were committed to spread terror among those whose political action was to be suppressed, if possible, by these intolerant and criminal proceedings.

Yet upon the end of Reconstruction the intolerant and criminal proceedings Grant described became not only tolerated, but celebrated. The era of Redemption occurred after Reconstruction ended in 1877 and the Southern states began a concerted campaign to disseminate a racist, whitewashed retelling of history that much of America still subscribes to today. The film Birth of a Nation spread this propaganda nationwide, and separate but equal, Jim Crow and black codes had become the norm in the South as they attempted to renormalize the oppressive reality of the pre-Civil War South.

In New Orleans, a monument to Robert E. Lee was completed in 1884, and the Battle of Liberty Place monument arrived in 1891. In the early 1900s, Confederate President Jefferson Davis received a monument in 1911, and soon thereafter the Little Napoleon P.G.T. Beauregards monument was completed in 1915. For over a century New Orleans celebrated and normalized intolerant and criminal white supremacy and the erosion of our democratic fabric, yet now all four of these monuments are slated for removal.

In 1932, a plaque was added at the foot of the statue describing that the purpose of the battle was for the overthrow of carpetbag government, ousting the usurpers and that the national election of November 1876 [that ended Reconstruction] recognized white supremacy in the South and gave us our state.

Since the fall of Reconstruction as before, American society has largely chosen to turn a blind eye toward the reimagining of American history along a skewed, and seemingly polite, white oppressive narrative. We hear people utter absurd statements like, Slaves and slave-owners got along peacefully before the Civil War. A defender of the Battle of Liberty Place monument even claimed that his ancestor who died in the battle wasnt a racist because he did not own slaves.

And all this isnt as ancient as you might think. The Southern Mount Rushmore in Stone Mountain, Georgia, that depicts Robert E. Lee, Jefferson Davis, and Stonewall Jackson was completed not in 1912 or 1922, but in 1972at the location of the founding of the second iteration of the Ku Klux Klan in 1915. The Daughters of the Confederacy had been dreaming about this monument since roughly 1912, and construction on the stone carving had been started in 1923, but largely remained unfinished for decades. Then, the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s facilitated a renewed interest in repainting Georgias skyline in the image of Confederate heroes. And now all of America can visit this Southern Mount Rushmore, conveniently located at 1000 Robert E. Lee Blvd.

Throughout the late 1800s and 1900s buildings, roads, schools, parks, and more have been named after treasonous Confederates to palatably normalize their terror. Children have been named after Confederate leaders, and even today Ive had people ask me if Attorney General Jefferson Beauregard Sessions III might have been named after Jefferson Davis. Considering that Jeff Sessions Sr. was born in 1860 at the cusp of the Civil War, and the reverence the South still holds for the Confederacy, this question may not be farfetched. And we may need to ask if he was also named after the Little Napoleon Beauregard too.

The pervasiveness of Southern oppression can creep into any aspect of American life, and historically, any form of tolerance for white racial oppression has facilitated the further spreading of white terror and a distorted, whitewashed retelling of American history. New Orleans decision to remove these monuments and celebrate the rich diversity that has always existed in the city is a step in the right direction. Hopefully, more municipalities will follow suit and free our society from the shackles of Americas pro-Confederate propaganda.
Mark Cuban, Shark Tank billionaire, investor in 150 companies, impresario, and dedicated tech-aficionado, hates it when people tell him he toes an ideological line. Sometimes he just laughs, sometimes he rolls his eyesand he almost always corrects that assertion. I think for myself! he told Tucker Carlson last week while on his show. Im not a liberal. The way Cuban processes politics, personal interests, and personalities of political candidates is not unlike a swath of Americans on both sides of the political aisle.

This is the kind of view many Americans held when they elected Donald Trump for president, and likely still do. The difference between them and Mark Cuban is that theyre still happy with the president. The maverick Mavericks owner, and many who think like him, arent, never were, and likely never will be.

On CNNs New Day last Friday, Cuban told anchors Chris Cuomo and Alisyn Camerota about a conversation with a friend of his, who described Trump as political chemotherapy, a poisonous cure to an ailing political culture. His friend voted for Trump hoping he would change the political system much like chemotherapy changes cancer. Cuban said, If thats the way youre evaluating Donald Trump, hes doing a phenomenal job.

I asked Cuban Friday, via his Cyberdust app, about the political chemotherapy comment that made several headlines. He corrected this. I didnt say I agreed with the political chemotherapy idea, he told me. Rather that people voted for him to be disruptive. People voted for him knowing the cure was as bad as the disease.

Indeed, on New Day, Cuban gave Trump a C- for his first 100 days, citing his signing a bevy of executive orders he didnt understand and failing to pass a health care bill to replace the ACA legislation, a signature promise of the Trump campaign. Gallup reports Trumps job approval in his first quarter is, at 41 percent, the lowest of any modern president by 14 points.

Yet, like the mass of Americans who cast their ballot for Trump, Cuban holds many ideas that conservatives traditionally embrace. Conservatism for economics is fine. Taxes and smaller government can still do well, Cuban told me, with one caveatthe elephant in the room: Unless they pass Trumpcare. If that happens they [Republicans] lose in 2018. Cuban, unlike most conservatives, believes some kind of socialized medicine should be implemented, though he admits Obamacare is flawed and needs to be fixed. He shared his own ideas for correcting the system on his blog.

Still, Cuban is a fan of Ayn Rands economic philosophies, cant stand the SEC, and thinks the best government is a small, efficient government that stays out of an entrepreneurs way (for the most part). So why didnt he shill for Trump? Why did he show up to one of the presidential debates as a guest of Hillary Clinton to the chagrin of conservatives everywhere?

It all came down to personality and qualifications. Trump is an idiot, Cuban told me, and its not the first time hes told me that. Despite Cubans business interests that drive strains of conservative thinking, he still lobbied for Clinton because he believed she would make the better president. Cuban repeated, [Trump] is an idiot. Ill support a ham sandwich over an idiot. I pushed back and reminded Cuban in terms of business and investments, Clinton advocated for policies that would increase regulations and taxestwo things he hates.

Cuban responded, I can fight attempts to regulate. I can lobby whatever. I cant fight stupidity. I cant stop a moron that didnt think it prudent to read about the relationship between China and the DPRK. Or might drop bombs that causes a war because it was harder to figure out than he thought. We can change tax law. We cant change stupid.

Like many Americans, Cuban isnt all Democrat or all Republicanhe cherry-picks from both sides of the political aisle. And like Cuban, a swath of voters thought Clinton the better candidate. Unlike him, another swath of voters thought Trump would make an ideal leader of a movement for which disgusted voters have long yearned, not despite his lack of qualifications but because of them.

As Cuban said on New Day, Some people say [Trump] started a movement; I think the movement found him. This explains why Trump won more Democrat ic counties than anyone predicted, because they were tired of voting for politicians who do the same thing repeatedly. They, too, seem to believe theres a disease in this country and Trump might be the curewhether holistic or poisonous, that remains to be seen.

While this dichotomy in Cuban is unpredictable and even disheartening for conservatives who agree with so many of his Randian ideas, Cuban isnt a traitor because he never swore allegiance to conservatism in the first place. Like many Americans today, Cuban doesnt have a deep political ideology that guides himjust sharp observations, pragmatic solutions, and a laser-focus on business, the economy, and investing. When conservativesand liberalshear him advocate for smaller, more efficient, government, declaim against the SEC and lobby for fewer regulations, they hope for a deeper ideology that drives those ideas. But that is his ideology. Everything else is extraneous.

Many Americans think the same way, which is, as Twitter likes to say, How we got Trump. Will he be as disruptive as voters on both sides of the political aisle hoped? His voters likely think he is but Cuban remains nonplussed: I dont think he has been. If thats the case, its hard to see a scenario where the billionaire on Shark Tank who has long sparred with the billionaire in the White House becomes satisfied with what Trump does in office. Unless of course Trump starts to fix stupid.
ROMEIt wasnt exactly your usual TED talk with the narrator moving suavely around a carpeted stage, a radio mic poised at his cheek. Instead, in what was Pope Franciss first TED talk, the pontiff stared into a fixed camera in a very Italian ornate chair in front of a not-so-neatly-arranged book shelf that looked entirely like it might have come from IKEA.

Good evening, he said, as his talk beamed to the surprised audience in Vancouver who had not expected to hear the perorations of a pontiff. Or good morning, Im not sure what time it is there.

The theme of TED2017 is The Future is You, which touches on favorite themes for Francis. He used the opportunity to warn that commercialism and products should not rule the development of technology, which could be used to make peoples lives better, not replace the human touch. And to warn politicians not to get punch drunk on power.

He first compared himself to the many migrants and refugees of today, explaining that he was also the son of Italian immigrants to Argentina and wondering if he could have ended up like so many who are now living in the margins.

I often find myself wondering: Why them and not me? I, myself, was born in a family of migrants; my father, my grandparents, like many other Italians, left for Argentina and met the fate of those who are left with nothing. I could have very well ended up among today's discarded people, he said. And that's why I always ask myself, deep in my heart: Why them and not me?.

He then moved on to the importance of the development of new technology. How wonderful would it be if the growth of scientific and technological innovation would come along with more equality and social inclusion, he said. How wonderful would it be, while we discover faraway planets, to rediscover the needs of the brothers and sisters orbiting around us.

Francis then embraced one of his favorite themes: changing the culture of waste. Only by educating people to a true solidarity will we be able to overcome the culture of waste, which doesn't concern only food and goods but, first and foremost, the people who are cast aside by our techno-economic systems which, without even realizing it, are now putting products at their core, instead of people.

Midway through his 18-minute talk, he introduced another favorite theme: hope. To Christians, the future does have a name, and its name is Hope. Feeling hopeful does not mean to be optimistically naive and ignore the tragedy humanity is facing, he said. Hope is a humble, hidden seed of life that, with time, will develop into a large tree. It is like some invisible yeast that allows the whole dough to grow, that brings flavor to all aspects of life.

A single individual is enough for hope to exist, and that individual can be you. And then there will be another you, and another you, and it turns into an us. And so, does hope begin when we have an us? No. Hope began with one you. When there is an us, there begins a revolution.

Francis, who will be taking a lightening-speed trip to Egypt on Friday, considered by a many a very dangerous trip, then ended with remarks he hoped the world leaders would take to heart. He wasnt specific, but his listeners in Vancouverand around the globecould make their own inferences.

Please, allow me to say it loud and clear: the more powerful you are, the more your actions will have an impact on people, the more responsible you are to act humbly. If you dont, your power will ruin you, and you will ruin the other, said Pope Francis.

There is a saying in Argentina: Power is like drinking gin on an empty stomach. You feel dizzy, you get drunk, you lose your balance, and you will end up hurting yourself and those around you, if you dont connect your power with humility and tenderness.

The future of humankind isn't exclusively in the hands of politicians, of great leaders, of big companies. Yes, they do hold an enormous responsibility. But the future is, most of all, in the hands of those people who recognize the other as a you and themselves as part of an us. We all need each other.
Over the last 100 days, one thing has become indisputably clear: More than any other member of President Donald Trumps Cabinet, Attorney General Jeff Sessions is the keeper of the flame.

He unflinchingly advances the presidents ideological priorities and frequently appears in conservative media to tout that work. He may be better at keeping Trumps campaign promises than the president is himself. Like Eric Holder before him, hes the ideological lodestar to the presidenta true believers true believer.

In the last 100 days, everyone else has disappointed. House Speaker Paul Ryan couldnt get his House conference to repeal Obamacare. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley exchanged friendly fire on the Sunday shows over what exactly the administration wanted to do in Syria. Gary Cohn, Jared Kushner, Steve Mnuchin, and the rest of the Goldman gang have undercut Trumps populist bona fides and reportedly muscled out the White Houses most ideological senior staff. Mike Flynn got axed, K.T. McFarland got shipped to Singapore, and Betsy DeVoswell, shes trying.

But as bedlam has unfolded at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave., six blocks east in a quiet office on the fifth floor of the imposing Robert F. Kennedy Department of Justice Building, Sessions has busily kept Trumps campaign promises for him. The attorney general is prioritizing immigration prosecutions, delighting police unions, perusing the border to warn would-be undocumented immigrants to stay away, and rolling back the Justice Departments litigation against voter-ID laws.

He generated extraordinary opposition from the moment his nomination was announced, with Democrats and civil-rights activists ripping into his stances on immigration, policing, and voting rights. A back-bench Democratic congressman recently called him a racist and a liar, and one of his Senate colleagues, Cory Booker, took the unprecedented step of testifying against him at his confirmation hearing. None of that has slowed Sessions.

I think hes one of the most successful individuals in Washington right now, said John Ashcroft, George W. Bushs first attorney general. Its an agenda which he helped shape in the campaign and its an agenda with which hes very comfortable.

Sessions has demonstrated a high comfort level with making sweeping changes, and fast. He reversed the previous administrations decision to stop contracting with private prisons, he directed every U.S. Attorneys office to make someone responsible for overseeing prosecutions of immigration offenses, and directed those offices to focus on going after people who illegally re-enter the U.S. after being deported. He sent more than two dozen immigration judges to the border to speed up deportations, and he moved quickly to hire dozens more. Hes also threatened to cut federal grant funding to cities like New York and Chicago that block their law-enforcement officers from fully cooperating with the feds on immigration enforcement, sending a shiver of fear through city mayors and managers.

Sessionss most ardent opponents and devoted supporters agree on one thing: Hes incredibly predictable. Through his decades in public life, hes never flinched in his opposition to illegal immigration, his skepticism about the Justice Departments use of court orders to push for police reform, and his support for tough-on-crime drug enforcement.

Hes been a very consistent voice in opposition to any number of civil-rights issues, said Sherrilyn Ifill, the president of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund. No one can say that they didnt know who he was.

Theres a heightened consciousness about what he represents, about this administration and where it stands on civil rights, and as a result we have calls like never before, support like we havent seen in a very long time, she added. We are inundated with offers of people saying, How can I help?

On policing in particular, Sessions is poised to undercut much of President Obamas legacy. During Obamas presidency, the Civil Rights Division of the Justice Department investigated a host of police departments for civil-rights violations and then negotiated court-enforced agreementscalled consent decreeswith them. Civil-rights advocates cheered that effort as the only way the federal government could effectively pressure troubled departments to embrace reform.

But many conservatives and police unions said the agreements were meddlesome federal overreach and only served to discourage police officers. Sessions shares those concerns and has ordered staff to review all current and pending consent decrees with an eye to making changes that could boost officer morale. Civil-rights advocates have ripped Sessionss decision.

He is picking and choosing which laws he intends to enforce, said Ifill. The impact is that those of us who do this work are stepping up and having to expend our resources to fill in and stand strong where the DOJ has failed to enforce civil-rights laws.

Ashcroft, however, praised Sessionss move.

I think one of the big challenges for the country right now is what has been the prior administrations disrespect for the rule of law and, as a result, disrespect for law-enforcement officials, he said. And the idea that weve had law-enforcement officials whose lives have been taken in ambush attacksand nearly a couple dozen of them in the last yearis a terrible outcome when you consider what the rule of law means, not only for their personal safety but to the idea of liberty in America.

Sessions has criticized the federal judge who blocked Trumps travel ban, iterated and reiterated and re-reiterated that all undocumented immigrantsDREAMer or notare subject to deportation, and become one of the Trump Cabinets most visible faces in conservative media. Hes appeared several times on Fox News (twice with Tucker Carlson, the new center of its prime-time lineup) and called in to a bevy of conservative talk radio showsHugh Hewitt, Laura Ingraham, Mark Levin, Lars Larson, Howie Carr, you name it.

Whether its on purpose or not, Sessions is becoming the White Houses de facto emissary to its base. And the base is happy. Mark Krikorian, who heads the immigration restrictionist think tank Center for Immigration Studies, told The Daily Beast hes delighted with Sessionss time at Justice thus far.

Sessions is Trumps Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval, he said. If Sessions ever gets to the point where he says, Look, I cant work for this administration anymore, then its all over for Trump.

Im certain that Sessions will do the right thing, Krikorian added. I dont have to hope about that.

Sessions could face some of the thorniest challenges confronting an attorney general in recent memorynamely, policing the Trump White House, where some aides appear to treat ethics rules with reckless abandon.

Im a partisan, said Matt Miller, a spokesman for Eric Holder during his time as attorney general. But this is not a partisan statement: The people in this White House are going to do a lot more legally questionable things than happened in other White Houses. Theyre just sloppy and inexperienced, and in some ways, I think, morally compromised. Your Seb Gorkas of the world are not your typical White House employees.

Sessions has already recused himself from anything related to investigations of connections between members of the Russian government and Trump campaign officials during the electiona recusal that came after The Washington Post reported that he didnt disclose to the Senate Judiciary Committee that he himself had met with the Russian ambassador.

That didnt appear to slow Sessions down. Instead, hes moved with inexorable efficiency to advance Trumps agenda. While Congress dithers and Cabinet secretaries argue among themselves, the attorney general has used his extraordinary power as the nations chief law enforcement officer to start dismantling Obamas signature endeavorsimpervious, thus far, to extraordinary levels of outside criticism.

The dogs may bark, Ashcroft said, but the caravan moves on.
President Donald Trump is the worst client in the world.

Yet again, this time in a case involving his threat to withhold funding from so-called sanctuary cities, Trumps careless out-of-court statements have come to bite him in the behind, just as they did in the travel ban cases. You can almost hear his lawyers sigh with exasperation.

And yet, following the judges injunction against the sanctuary cities order, finding it overbroad and likely unconstitutional, Trump issued yet more outrageous statements, more lies, and more of a record for what would be the presidents ultimate court case: his impeachment trial.

Ironically, the core of the district court ruling is something conservatives should love: a defense of federalism. Sanctuary cities is a broad term, but it basically refers to cities where local law enforcement doesnt ask criminal suspects about immigration status and doesnt routinely share such information with the federal government. Thats a local law enforcement decision, not the federal governments business. Thats federalism, which conservatives are supposed to like.

Moreover, District Judge William Orrick ruled, federal funding must be allocated on the basis of relevant criteria. You cant withhold housing grants, for example, because of an immigration enforcement issue. Thats not what housing grants are about.

But it was Trumps unforced errors that really swung the decision. The governments lawyers said the funds affected were small, but Trump said they were huge. The lawyers said it was just a mild allocation of funding, but Trump said it was punishment. The lawyers said that the order was narrowly focused on the sharing of information, but Trump said it was a broad weapon against cities not complying with the law.

In other words, Trumps tweets sunk his case.

And yet, he went right back at it. As if to reassure those of us worried that Trumps incompetence might not protect us from his malevolence, the ruling was greeted by another tweetstorm filled with usefully outrageous claims.

At 6:20 a.m. today, he went off:

This is false: the ruling was from a district court, not the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. Indeed, the Ninth Circuit, which Trump just insulted, will be the next court to hear the appeal of the order. Trump just pilloried the judges hes going to be standing in front of next week.

Lets also not pass over the president of the United States calling a federal court ruling ridiculous. No matter how many times Trump does this, its not normal. No president has treated the judiciary with this level of disrespect, not since Andrew Jackson dared the Supreme Court to enforce its own decisions. Our democracy is not a reality show. When you lose, your opponent isnt ridiculous. Indeed, in this case, your opponent is democracy itself, whether you like the outcome or not.

Minutes later, Trump tweeted out more lies and outrages:

Wrong. First, the case was brought within the Ninth Circuit (again, at a district court, not the appellate court) because the City of San Francisco was the plaintiff. There is no other circuit in which this case could have been tried.

Second, everyone engages in judge shopping when possible, including Trump himself, in his countless lawsuits over the years. Its what smart lawyers do. Even if this were court shopping, which it is not, to suggest that this is somehow improper is outrageous.

Not as outrageous, though, as delegitimizing the entire ninth federal circuit. Once again, Trump seems not to understand or agree with the basic tenets of American democracy. You just cant do this. You just cant insult an entire federal circuit and imply that its decisions (which, again this ruling is not among) are illegitimate or less than fully valid.

This kind of outrageous disrespect for the rule of law is evidence of Trumps unfitness for office, whether he means it or not. Indeed, what is the opposite of a messy system: a tidy one in which the ruler always gets his way?

Even more disturbing, though, is that Trumps cavalier attitude appears to be spreading like herpes. Reince Priebus, who is supposed to represent the not-insane faction within the White House, called the ruling another example of how the Ninth Circuit went bananas.

Shame on you, Mr. Priebus. Your boss doesnt know any betterbut you do. If this were an ordinary White House, youd be asked to resign for making a comment like that.

Oh, and then there are those messy facts. As reported by the New York Times, actually the Supreme Courts overturn rate for Ninth Circuit decisions is only slightly above average: 79%, compared with a 70% average for all the circuit courts. If that seems high, its because that figure only refers to cases that the Supreme Court chose to hearnot all petitions that were filed. Most appellate decisions are never reviewed at all.

In other words, its a bogus statistic.

Lawyers know about clients like this: ignoramouses who cant keep their big mouths shut, and open them wide enough to put their feet inside. If Trump would just STFU, judges would have to take the governments lawyers at their wordthat the sanctuary order is modest, that its not meant to be punitive, that its a mere allocation of existing resources, and that Trump is someone worthy of the respect due his office.

Yet the president is unable to discipline himself. The consequences are already dire for our democracy: this is a miserable state of affairs, with the United States reduced to a kind of banana republic led by an erratic strongman. But they could also be serious for Trump himself.

Given Republican Party politics, its extremely unlikely that President Trump will ever face impeachmentnot until after the 2018 congressional elections, anyway. But if he does, his statements ridiculing judges and lying about details large and small (Wiretapping! Three million illegal votes!) will come back to haunt him. They will all be Exhibit A in the case against Trumps ability to preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution.

We may never get there, but if an impeachment trial ever does take place, Trumps tantrums against the federal judiciary may tweet him right out of office.
The U.S. Navy has deployed one of its most powerful submarines to South Korea in a naked display of military might. The USS Michigans arrival significantly escalates the Trump administrations confrontation with North Korea over Pyongyangs nuclear-weapons program.

Michigan pulled into Busan, a large port city in southern South Korea, on Tuesday for what the Navy described as a routine visit during a regularly scheduled deployment to the Western Pacific. But the subs arrival in South Korea is no coincidence.

An Ohio-class guided-missile submarine, the 560-foot-long Michigan carries as many as 154 Tomahawk cruise missiles plus a mini-sub for transporting Navy SEAL commando teams ashore.

To put that into perspective, Trumps April 6 missile strike on Syrias Sharyat air baseretaliation for the Syrian regimes use of chemical weaponsinvolved just 59 Tomahawks.

Michigan possesses unprecedented strike and special-operation mission capabilities from a stealthy, clandestine platform, according to the Navy.

The Navy has just four guided-missile submarines, only one or two of which are normally available for combat. Sending Michigan to South Korea is big deal. That the Navy announced the subs arrival in an official press release is equally significantthe sailing branch doesnt normally comment on the comings and goings of its elusive submarines.

The beauty of submarine operations is that only our team knows where they are, and that keeps the enemy guessing, Eric Wertheim, an independent naval analyst and author of Combat Fleets of the World, told The Daily Beast.

In other words, the Trump administration wanted the Michigan to be on hand as the crisis on the Korean Peninsula worsens. And it wanted Pyongyang, and the world, to know that Michigan was hanging around.

By announcing her presence in the region, our government is likely sending a message of strength, which when combined with the other military assets in the region is probably aimed at both our potential adversary and our allies as a demonstration of American resolve, Wertheim said.

North Korea, which already possesses a small number of atomic warheads, tested an apparently nuclear-capable ballistic missile on April 15. The missile blew up almost immediately, the U.S. Defense Department noted.

But the test failure hasnt defused tensions. Having declared in mid-March that Americas policy of strategic patience with North Korea has ended, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson was scheduled Wednesday, along with Defense Secretary James Mattis, to brief the U.S. Senate on President Donald Trumps plan to deal with North Korea.

The Trump administration is apparently trying to achieve decisive results on the Korean Peninsula before South Koreas May 9 election. Voters will elect a successor to former President Park Geun-hye, who was removed from office in early March amid corruption allegations and a bizarre scandal involving a shamanistic cult.

The frontrunners for the next president are all left-leaning and have advocated a softer approach to Pyongyang.

In other words, if Trump plans to pre-emptively attack North Koreaan act that, to be clear, could plunge the world into wide-ranging, catastrophic warfarethen he probably needs to do so before May 9. After that date, South Korea could become a far less hospitable place for the Michigan and the thousands of U.S. troops who are permanently based in the country.

For their part, South Koreans are unimpressed by the Michigans visit and Trumps saber-rattling. The submarines arrival is minor news on the website of one of the more hawkish dailies, Robert Kelly, a professor at Busan National Universityyes, that Robert Kellytold The Daily Beast.

It has been made reference to on TV, Kelly said of the submarine. But not that much.

Despite the Trump administrations rhetoric and Michigans high-profile deployment, South Koreans dont expect war between the United States and North Korea, Kelly said. South Koreans have been living with this threat for a long time. They are pretty sanguine about it.

If Trump does choose to strike North Korea, Michigan would probably need help. The submarines Tomahawk cruise missiles could inflict heavy damage on North Korean airfields and any exposed military installations. But Pyongyang has concealed many of its most important facilities, including nuclear sites, in tunnels hundreds of feet underground.

To destroy those, the U.S. Air Force developed the worlds biggest non-nuclear bomb.
All of a sudden, comedian Anthony Atamanuik is a very busy man. So busy, in fact, that during our phone conversation Tuesday morning, he asks to call me back so he can duck into the writers room meeting for The Daily Show, where he will be making an appearance as President Donald Trump later in the evening.

Atamanuik, hardly a household name, is getting a lot more attention these days before his new late-night program, The President Show, premieres on Comedy Central this Thursday night. Two days shy of President Trumps 100th day in office, this expert Trump impersonator already has his own talk show.

Less than two months ago, Atamanuik was little more than a punchline for another, more famous Trump impersonator, Saturday Night Lives Alec Baldwin, who complained to Jimmy Kimmel about some guy whos on the internet lobbying to play Trump at the White House Correspondents Dinner. After Baldwin mouthed fuck him to Kimmels delight, Atamanuik, who appeared alongside the actor on 30 Rock, decided to take a page out of Trumps playbook and tweet his response. He thought the whole thing was in good fununtil Baldwin blocked him.

Speaking about the strained relationship now, Atamanuik attempts to play peacemaker with Baldwin, while at the same time throwing in some subtle criticisms that highlight the differences between what he is trying to do with Trump and what Baldwin has been doing on SNL. I think that repeating what somebody else does or says verbatim is not satire, it is in fact, parroting, he notes at one point.

But while Baldwin is trying to move away from the Trump-dominated era of his career, Atamanuik is just getting started. I mean, when I was younger I wasnt like, I cant wait to be a presidential impersonatorI stumbled into that, he says of the strange path he has taken to hosting his own late-night show. Now he just has to hope President Trump continues to act in a way that is worthy of weekly satire.

Below is our edited and condensed conversation.

How have preparations for the first show been going?

Very good. We did a couple of test shows last week and got a lot of our ducks in a row then. So, I feel quite cautiously optimistic about the show.

You tape on the same day that the show will air so youre kind of at the whim of what Trump does or says that day, huh?

Yes, well be able to be contemporary. But the show is sort of a mix. Its a late-night show with news elements and an immersive quality in the fact that Trump is hosting it. So theres a lot of layers of the show. Our advantage is, because were taping during the day were airing, we can update our material day-of. But what we try to do is also to write evergreen pieces that are more an analysis of Trumps personality, the meta ideas of whats going on in the White House. I think thats something that no ones really been able to do.

I think a lot of people have experienced some challenges satirizing a figure who is already so over the top. How do you push past that and avoid the trap of just repeating his words?

Well, I think I have a pretty good track record of doing that. Ive been doing this for over a year and a half now and we had quite a successful tour, the Trump vs. Bernie tour with James Adomian and myself. I think thats what actually set us apart from a lot of other satirists and probably got me to where I am now. I think its a false statement, this whole how do you satirize Trump thing is one of the most annoying that I think I encounternot your question but that idea. Ronald Reagan was a daffy, wrinkled, senile buffoon and people were able to satirize him for eight years, very effectively. Not as effective that hes now lionized as some Kennedy of the right, which is insane. I would argue that a lot of it is about taking what [Trump] does and taking it to its ultimate end or taking an element of his perspective and playing out that perspective. I think satire is most effective when its done both in the spirit of sending the person up and also creating a new character around him. For instance, I think Charlie Chaplin did that really successfully in The Great Dictatorand Im not making a comparison between Trump and Hitler, Im just using it as an examplethat was able to really effectively satirize him by taking his identity and robbing him of his archetype and repurposing it for his own uses. And I think that repeating what somebody else does or says verbatim is not satire, it is in fact, parroting.

As you said, youve been doing this for a while. So how did you feel when Trump won? Were there any mixed emotions there based on what it might do for your career?

No. None. No mixed emotions. It was abject disappointment and I dont think I did anything for two weeks after the election. Not because I was depressed or surprised, I was actually not surprised, I was disappointed in what exactly I thought was going to happen. And then mostly I was calibrating my career to figure out whether I needed to do this or how I would do it. And because of an idea I had about this show during the summer and the fall and synthesizing that with Adam Pally, whos one of our executive producers and Pete Grosz [who plays Mike Pence on the show] and Jason Ross, who are our other executive producers, we were able to come up with an idea that was worthy of doing almost as an act of comedic activism.

At some point you auditioned to play Trump on SNL, right? When did that happen?

I auditioned last April and I got to screen test on the stage, which was a lot of fun and a huge honor and I think I did a pretty good job from reports from other friends of mine there, so I was very happy about that. You know, I have a lot of friends who work on that show. Chris Kelly, the head writer, is a good friend of mine, Bobby Moynihan is a good friend of mine, Vanessa Bayer, so theres a lot of wonderful people who work over there and they make an obviously funny, iconic show. But I think I landed all right.

It seemed appropriate enough that two Trumps got into a bit of a Twitter feud not too long ago, with Alec Baldwin. What did you think when you saw his Kimmel appearance when he was kind of alluding to you?

You know, I worked with Alec on 30 Rock and I always really liked him. And he actually saw me perform some improv while we were working on the show and was very complimentary. When I saw him on Kimmel, I thought that he was messing around. I thought he was doing some harsh ribbing and so I figured since hes on Twitter and Im on Twitter, I wrote him. And thats why I put the hashtag #workfriends, it alluded to the idea that we worked together. I was thanking him for the mouthed f you that he directed my way because I thought we were all sort of playing around. And I dont really know whats in his head, youd have to ask him that, but he blocked me, so I dont know.

Twitters such a strange place and there were people who would write things that were nasty to Alec from October on when he got cast [on SNL]. And if I caught it, I would write, lay off Alec, leave him alone; would always try to make sure, when I saw them, to say something. But also on Twitter, as you know, you get so many things in a day and often Ill be part of a tweet and Ill like it, so I dont know if maybe he perceived that I was goading it or encouraging it. Its not the case at all, because I have a lot of respect for him. I mean, he was in Beetlejuice, Hunt for Red October, Running with Scissors, hes an incredible actor. And he was an incredible actor on 30 Rock; I learned a lot from him when I worked there. So Im sad that theres a distance or problem there, or whatever, but I dont really know. You never really know. But it wasnt like we were the best of friends, so what can I tell you?

I want to talk a little bit about your Trump impression and how it developed. Do you feel like it has evolved over time?

Yeah, I feel like when I first did it, I improvised it in 2015 at an improv show at UCB. And, its funny, I feel like theres always these Horatio Alger stories where people tell these tales of the sky opening up and just in one moment they knew what they were doing and it was miraculous. But thats sort of a fictitious telling of how somebody develops something. I did it, it was probably good enough that it was funny, and they wanted me to do a show. And then as I did it I think I learned on the job. I started to observe him more and watch his rallies more and started to try to perfect the body and try to perfect the face. I would stand in front of the mirror and try to roll my jaw like he does. Its not an impression; its an acting job. [You have to] take him on as a character, figure out who he is, and I think the blend where its comedic is that you have to make him your own. Its my version of Trump. Dana Carvey does that really well. He made [George H.W.] Bush, but he says things Bush doesnt say. I dont think Bush ever said not gonna do it. You develop them, you learn them and once you learn them you break the mold with them and figure out how to interpret them through the character. So its vastly evolved.

So this weekend is the White House Correspondents Dinner, but as we know, Trump is skipping it. Any chance youre going to show up there as Trump?

No, theres no chance. Its so funny, Im getting used to this level of attention. Im so used to making snarky tweets at Trump that when he said he wasnt going to do it, I just thought it was funny to say, Ill fill in for you. I didnt really consider it at that moment as a lobbying move. And then when @midnight was like, lets run with this, I thought it was funny. I thought it was a funny thing in my life that this was actually happening. People dont always perceive that. When somethings happening to you, its very surreal, when youre doing this type of work and it propels you to this place. And I think that, for me, Im in my own little world, living my life the way Ive lived it for 17 years in New York. Im writing stuff on Twitter, not really considering the ramifications. And when it sort of blew up into this, Lets make Anthony Trump again, I thought it was funny. I thought, well, hell, if they asked me to do it I would consider it. Of course, if someone asked me, I would go, Yeah, sure. But the impact is really to do it with the president in the room, right? It would diminish the impact to do it and hes not there. Its like that rule of: dont talk shit about the person without them being in the room. Its one thing when Im performing, because thats part of my job as a performer. But if were going to do a thing where I talk smack about the guy at a place where he should be, I feel like he should be there to hear the smack.

Well I think the most surreal thing would be if you can get Trump to tweet about you. So what would the ideal Trump response to The President Show be?

[Laughs] I mean, the ideal one would be for him to just tweet, Watch The President Show on Comedy Central, Thursday nights at 11:30 after The Daily Show. That would be the best tweet he could do, would be just a straight-up promotion.

Too bad he only does that for Fox News.

Yeah, he does that for Fox, maybe hell do that for me. My guess is that if he does tweet about it, it will be something along the lines of, Failing Comedy Central does poor job. Its an interesting thingand this is not in any way a dig on Alec [Baldwin][Trump] has been bagging on him, right? So I always wonder, will he bag on me too? Or would he actually, to upset Alec more, would he be like, this is actually a pretty good impression? You never know how he works. Or would he then start saying Alec is better than this guy because this guy stinks? So I dont know. I feel like hes moved away, somewhat, from tweeting about comedy and stuff on TV. He doesnt really do any SNL tweets lately, so it will be interesting what he says. But Im presuming it will be somewhere along the lines of sad! or unfunny, something to that degree.

Well that would be a badge of honor if it happens.

Oh, absolutely. If I get a tweet from Trump, it will be quite a fun thing.
1

Federal Judge Blocks Trump Sanctuary City Order

NOT FOR NOW
Kolkata, Apr 25 (IBNS): According to a Nasscom-Zinnov report released last year, India is expected to have over 10,500 startups by 2020. They are forecast to account for over 2.1 lakh jobs in the market.

However, where do the opportunities and challenges lie for startups? Many of Indias new-age companies have seen rocky times over the last one year or so with funding becoming scarce. Now, things are set to change.



StartFed, which was started last year with the aim of empowering and validating the startup ecosystem in the eastern region, will work with startups to address pain points and ease them.

After four months of continuous research and case study analysis, StartFed has figured out the basic troubles for startups in this region. To address these, the organisation, in association with The Bengal Chamber of Commerce & Industry, has organised its second official event, Start-Up Opportunities and Challenges, on 25th April.

Kallol Datta, Founder of StartFed, says he has a master plan to bring clarity in the ecosystem. We have planned a series of events with the objective of enlightening entrepreneurs, which would help them to map out their basic trouble zones. We have already started working with the neighbouring states of Odisha, Bihar and Jharkhand. Our objective is to take startups from the germination stage to acceleration, and help them to know the various facilities they can get from the government side.

Datta also said that StartFed now has started accepting memberships. Startups can take this opportunity, as well as mentors can join the organisation as special members, too. Not only that, all service providers - whoever helps business to grow - can join in.

This is how StartFed plans to reach out to the ecosystem and validate it for better entrepreneurial future of this region.

Sometimes, budding entrepreneurs do not find the right information, and this can hamper their business processes. StartFed will try to help them find and navigate the appropriate knowledge, and guide them in their business journey, said Datta.



Dignitaries from the Government of India, Odisha, Bihar, West Bengal and also senior-level representatives from IIT-Kharagpur, IIM-Calcutta, IIEST, MSME-DI will be in attendance at the programme, along with more than 150 startup entrepreneurs. These delegates will interact with startups and answer their queries.

The Chief Guest of the programme is Laxmi Narayan Gupta, Principal Secretary, MSME Department, Government of Odisha, who will explain the initiative they have taken to encourage startups in Odisha.

Not only government-level initiative, he will also emphasise on the private initiative to harness the startup ecosystem.
Inveralmond unveils EPA and new appearance

Inveralmond, the Perthshire-based beer brand, has launched a new product and unveiled its new look, as the brand celebrate its 20th anniversary.

Known for producing craft beer in the heart of Scotland, Inveralmond has added EPA, an Edinburgh Pale Ale, to its portfolio. It has also relaunched bestsellers Ossian and Lia Fail, while revealing a cohesive new look for all of its beers, and committed to a tripling of its brewing capacity in Perth.

Inveralmond claims that the beer style Edinburgh Pale Ale was the first truly global beer. A forerunner to IPA, its says it paved the way for British beer around the world. The EPA features Munich malt and Goldings hops.

EPA will be joined in May by Daracha, a ruby ale brewed with Amber malts and roast barley, to create Inveralmond's new core range. A host of seasonal brews will be added throughout the year.

The brewery is undergoing a 750,000 refit and expansion to accommodate brewing of both Inveralmond and Innis & Gunn beers. Inveralmond became part of the Innis & Gunn family a year ago. The upgrade to the facility will mean 150% more capacity at the Perth site from next month (May) and a tripling of capacity by next year. It includes a barrel ageing hall, additional fermentation and processing vessels and new filtration technology.

Glasgow agency Freytag Anderson came up with the redesign of Inveralmond's new beers. The look of the core range beers are inspired by vintage railway posters. Artwork for the beer labels and pump clips was specially commissioned for Inveralmond by Isle of Skye based artist Peter McDermott. Freytag Anderson also evolved the Inveralmond's Celtic knot logo, while the bottle has been elongated and also lightweighted to improve its environmental credentials.

At a launch last night at Innis & Gunn's new Beer Kitchen in Glasgow, Inveralmond founder and chief executive Fergus Clark said he was excited about taking the brewery forward after 20 successful years in the beer business.

Clark says: "We're excited about our brand revamp and the new beers we're working on. It's fitting that the first launch to roll out of our new-look brewery, and the first new Inveralmond branded beer in a while, is an EPA. Edinburgh Pale Ale paved the way for British beer around the world, and we see the Inveralmond brand as having paved the way in the craft beer movement in Scotland and beyond."

Dougal Gunn Sharp, master brewer and founder of Innis & Gunn says: "A year on from our acquisition, we're delighted at where we're headed, both with the upgrades to the Perth plant and Inveralmond's new look and products. The Innis & Gunn and Inveralmond brands are all about pushing boundaries in terms of taste. We love to experiment with flavour and it's great to see the fruits of our labour start to hit the shelves. We're passionate about innovation in craft beer, and we look forward to that continuing."

26 April 2017 - Sam Coyne The Drinks Report, news editor
Brett Giroir, who currently serves as president and CEO of biopharmaceutical company ViraCyte and as an adjunct professor at the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, would serve as assistant secretary of health for the department. Giroir was one of four individuals named in an announcement Friday of Trumps intended nominations for four key jobs in his administration.

A federal website says the assistant secretary for health leads development of HHS-wide public health policy recommendations, oversees 12 core public health offices  including the Office of the Surgeon General  and 11 advisory committees.

Giroir, former vice chancellor for strategic initiatives for the Texas A&M University System, took over the HSC in October 2013. His tenure ended less than two years later after an ultimatum from Texas A&M President Michael Young to resign or face termination. Giroir opted to resign in June 2015.

He told The Eagle at the time that the ultimatum came as a surprise.

Giroir had said he was told he was being let go so the university could find a candidate who would attract more research funding from the National Institutes of Health and coordinate more interdisciplinary work.

In 2014, Giroir was appointed by then-Gov. Rick Perry to lead the Task Force on Infectious Disease Preparedness and Response, which was formed in the wake of the countrys first diagnosis of the Ebola virus in Dallas.

Giroir already has some experience with his potential new department. While with the HSC, he also served as principal investigator for A&Ms Center for Innovation in Advanced Development and Manufacturing, a public-private partnership with HHS designed to enhance the nations emergency preparedness against emerging infectious diseases, including pandemic influenza, and chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear threats.

Before his time with A&M, Giroir served as the director of the defense science office at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency and as chief medical officer at Childrens Health in Dallas.

Giroir isnt the only former A&M official Trump has shown an interest in. As president-elect, Trump met with former A&M president Elsa Murano at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, about the secretary of agriculture position. His ultimate pick for the job, former Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue, was confirmed by the Senate on Monday.
Brazos County Commissioners on Tuesday approved a year-long agreement between the county and the Brazos Valley Museum of Natural History that will allow the public and schoolchildren to tour the historic dogtrot cabin and nearby replica buildings in Boonville Heritage Park.

"It's an example of living history, so you can go in the cabin and see exactly how those kinds of cabins were furnished," said Deborah Cowman, the museum's executive director.

Boonville Heritage Park -- located at 2421 Boonville Road in Bryan -- only contained the historic Boonville Cemetery several years ago, but now is home to replicas of a smokehouse, courthouse and Masonic lodge, all built to mimic historic buildings from the town that was the first county seat of Brazos County. The Turner-Peters Cabin, a 19th-century dogtrot home was also relocated and reconstructed.

"It's really a wonderful way to learn about our local Texas history," said Cowman.

Members of the public can call and request private tours, which will cost $3.50 per person. For this season, school tours will be provided free of charge, but may come at a cost in the future. The museum will open the buildings to the public on weekends, so those interested in local history can walk through them and see pieces of history that Cowman described as having "great historical resonance in this community."

Demonstrators and actors will be at the park for special events and occasions, giving the public an opportunity to see Boonville's history come to life.

Cowman said she thought schoolchildren would benefit from breaking away from computer screens to see history in person.

"I do think it's important for kids, especially when so much is digital, for them to actually come to a real cabin and see real artifacts, not just an image on a screen," said Cowman. "I think that's really important for getting a real understanding and sense of who we are."

The museum's executive director said everyone, not just students, could benefit from seeing the Boonville buildings and artifacts.

"It's hard to have a good, clear sense of where we're going as a community if you don't know how we got to this point," she said. "Our history is part of our personal identity and who we are."

After unanimously voting to approve the agreement on Tuesday morning, County Judge Duane Peters expressed excitement in the opportunity for the county's schoolchildren to learn more about local history.

"We're looking forward to having our students out there," he said.

Cowman said she hopes the buildings will be open to the public this weekend. For more information, visit the Boonville Heritage Park or Brazos Valley Museum of Natural History Facebook pages.
Kolkata, Apr 26 (IBNS): StartFed, a not-for-profit organisation with the support of the Bengal Chamber of Commerce, organised a panel discussion where several aspirant entrepreneurs were present, with an aim to enhance the start up ecosystem in the Eastern part of the country, on Tuesday.

StartFed, which is more like a chamber of commerce has been set up to provide a range of assistance to all aspiring entrepreneurs and help them for their start up ventures in Eastern India.

The organisation is playing a middle role between several aspects of an entrepreneurship ecosystem like small startups, serial entrepreneurs, unicorns, mentors, accelerators, seed funds, angel investors to help the all those who are aiming to start up.

Kallol Dutta, founder of StartFed, explained various factors that impedes the growth of startup culture in this part of the country compared to other states.

"West Bengal is no dearth of ideas and talents but it lacks proper ecosystem. Entrepreneurs are not aware about the facilities and funds provided by the government for starting up," Dutta said.

He even highlighted the current situation where the start ups have lower access to the mentor and this is where the StartFed is playing a major role by linking them.

Terming the StartFed as an "awareness programme", Dutta favoured disruptive ideas as the most important way to succeed in the entrepreneurship and not by "copying others".

Suman Mukhopadhyaya, Consultant (Entrepreneurship) Department of Industry, Commerce and Enterprises (IC&E) from West Bengal government, spoke about various ways the state government is trying to help the startups for their success.

"We have created startupbengal.in website where all information are given regarding the facilities, incentives for incubators and available bankers" Mukhopadhyaya said.

Speaking about the efforts taken by the government of WB to create start up ecosystem, Mukhopadhyaya said: "We have organised Egiye Bangla television show to celebrate entrepreneurship as well as mentors network. We need more mentors."

However, he expressed displeasure on the kind of ideas the aspiring entrepreneurs are coming up with and suggested for better innovations.

Representative from the government of Bihar, Ravindra Prasad, spoke about several facilities which are offered by them for the start ups.

He highlighted the financial assistance offered by the Bihar government to the incubators along with 15% incentive for people belonging to Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe, disabled persons and women.

L N Gupta of Odisha government informed that start ups registered in any part of the country can work in this neighboring state, provided that it employs 50% of the workforce from Odisha.

Lending support to aspirant entrepreneurs verbally, Gupta stressed on hard work and knowledge regarding the customer's need are key to success in start ups.

Aastha Grover from the central government who was also present at the meet, mentioned some of the benefits provided to the start ups which includes hand holding legal support, funding or incentive, funds of funds and several others.

(Reporting by Souvik Ghosh)


Addressing the survivors who shared their -- at times graphic -- accounts of being sexually assaulted, Brazos County Deputy Robert James said their bravery in speaking out shows true strength.

"I start my day locked in a room with about 15 people that I arrested the night before," he told a crowd gathered at the Best Western Premier in Bryan on Tuesday night. "I'm not nervous doing that, but I'm nervous up here ... people like this gentleman and these ladies who spoke, they are the strong ones -- makes my job worthwhile."

James is one of several professionals who won awards at the Sexual Assault Resource Center's second "Shining for Survivors" banquet Tuesday night. Between the presentation of awards for the SARC first responder, investigator, medical professional, advocate and community partner of the year, a few sexual assault survivors spoke out about the stigmatization they faced and the people such as James who helped in the healing process.

One survivor who went only by her first name, Jackie, said in the event of sexual assault, the first responder plays a vital role. For her, the role of first responder extends beyond law enforcement and medical personnel to the victim's family and friends.

She recounted the time when she was sexually abused as a fourth grader by a school security guard. Alone and terrified that the man would come back, she ran after a car, begging the driver to help her.

Seeing Jackie screaming in the street, the driver of the car, a mother of a senior of the school, got out of the vehicle and offered support that would play a vital role in how she perceived the situation.

"She hugged me and she just kept repeating, 'You are OK'... Immediately, she validated what happened to me," Jackie said.

The willingness to comfort a victim is one of the reasons Steve Grace, who is with the Robertson County District Attorney's Office, won investigator of the year.

In announcing the awards, various sexual assault survivors read excerpts from the winners' nominations. Excerpts from Grace's nomination recounted a time when he established a patient trust with a young victim of sexual assault.

"He would ask permission as he proceeded with his questioning, even though he did not have to," read the nomination excerpt. "His intentional requests helped him further trust with this young lady -- days later she would call him and offer additional information that would [secure] a conviction."

Other winners were Meghan Martin, a nurse at Baylor Scott & White Hospital, who won the medical professional of the year and Achu Byju, a victim advocate at Texas A&M who was named advocate of the year. The community partner award went to the Texas A&M College of Nursing.

The Ed Frank Visionary Award went to Angie Bates, a crime victim liaison for the Robertson County Sheriff's Office.

"I just hope that we can all help people in those really low points in life, and help them get to those high points in their life," Bates told the crowd at the banquet when accepting her award. "Let them know that they can be survivors."

In addition to recognizing first responders, the event draws attention -- and organizers hope funds -- to the resources available through SARC, such as the 24-hour crisis hotline, counseling services and advocate accompaniments to the hospital, law enforcement agencies and court hearings.

Martha Garcia Opersteny, SARC executive director, said the center has gone from 32 volunteer advocates to more than 70 in the past year. Their over 11,000 hours of volunteer work in 2016 enabled the center to serve 553 survivors in the Brazos Valley.

She added that SARC has taken more than 700 calls, accompanied survivors more than 100 times and provided counseling to more than 200 survivors.

Opersteny said people use the resource center when they come to terms with their need for help.

"Everyone has a different point in life when they chose to heal," she said.

For one survivor who helped close the event with a talk on empowerment, healing began decades after she was bound for three days and repeatedly raped.

She said for years she tried to keep her trauma to herself, but did not truly begin to heal until she had the chance to participate in group counseling through SARC.

"I'm not just existing one day at a time, I'm living," she said, later adding, "this is my time, this is my life, and I'm going to enjoy it."
Jennifer Stratton said her third-grade son has been on the honor roll for the last three quarters but is anxious his progress could be erased if he does poorly on standardized tests.

She testified Tuesday before the House Public Education Committee to support House Bill 1333, which would scale back the number of required standardized tests and reduce its importance in rating schools and districts.

HB 1333 is one of several this session aimed at limiting the high stakes of standardized testing across the state.

The House is expected to soon hear a bill that would radically change the proposed A-F accountability system to be more palatable to educators, who do not want their ratings tied to the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) exams. And the Senate could pass a bill as soon as this week allowing students who fail required exams to graduate by submitting alternative coursework to a committee of teachers and administrators.

HB 1333, proposed by Rep. Jason Isaac, R-Dripping Springs, would slash the number of required state tests from 22 to 17, allow districts to choose their own test providers with state oversight, reduce the weight of the state STAAR exam when rating schools and districts, and allow districts to use national exams as alternative tests with federal approval. It would also disallow using student test scores to evaluate teachers.

"Students and educators are stressed  and rightfully so  preparing," Isaac said Tuesday. "Taking the 22 exams required by state law steals valuable time from the children we are preparing to become the next leaders of our state and nation."

Monty Exter, who represents the Association of Texas Professional Educators, said he supported most of the components of Isaac's bill  but not the provision that would let districts across the state use different tests.

Standardized tests are useful to compare data between different districts, especially when it comes to disadvantaged groups of students, he said.

Texas Aspires, a nonpartisan group that lobbies for increased testing and stricter accountability for schools, organized a few parents and teachers to testify against Isaac's bill.

Stefanie Garcia, a teacher in Keller ISD, said her students failed the STAAR exam because they had not absorbed the content and were not on track to move up a grade level. "Before, no one noticed that they could not really read and write," she said.

Weakening the system that holds educators and schools accountable for student learning would mean more students would slip through the cracks, she said. "Because that failure actually mattered, now they are ready to graduate," she said.

Molly Weiner, director of policy for Texas Aspires, argued Isaac's bill would cut out standardized tests in subjects that are important for measuring student growth. "For the system to work, we need objective comparative data and it must be weighted heavily in our accountability system," she said.

A State Board of Education survey in 2016 showed parents, teachers, students and business leaders agree state test results should not be tied to high school graduation or promotion to the next grade level. Instead, they want test scores to be used to see where specific students need more support.
January 8, 1959 - April 22, 2017

Carl Henry B. Dunn, 58, of Nacogdoches, was called to his eternal home on Saturday, April 22, 2017 in Nacogdoches, TX. He was at home, surrounded by those who loved him and had cared for him.

Carl Henry B. Dunn was born in Bryan, TX on January 8, 1959 to Carl Cole Dunn and Dorothy Avis Ellis Dunn. He met and married Deborah Byrum on March 26, 1994. Henry and Debbie moved to Greeneville, TN where he completed his B.B.A. in Management from East Tennessee State University in Johnson City, TN. Their precious children Laura Elizabeth and Matthew Ryan were born while in Tennessee. Henry and Debbie returned to Texas in 2002, taking up residence in Nacogdoches. Henry completed his M.B.A. at Stephen F. Austin State University and began work as a lecturer in the Department of Business Communication and Legal Studies.

Growing up Henry enjoyed hunting and fishing and that love of outdoors carried throughout his adult life. When Matthew became a Cub Scout, Henry became the Cub Scout Den Leader of Pack 103. He continued in scouts to become Assistant Scoutmaster of Troop 103, was on the BSA Naconiche District Committee as District Training Chair and earned his Wood Badge. Henry was a member of First Baptist Church of Nacogdoches and was also a Master Mason and Member of Adam Royder Lodge #778 AF&AM in Wellborn, TX., of which he was Past Master. He also received his 25 year Masonic Pin.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Dorothy and Carl Dunn and an infant brother.

Henry is survived by his beloved children, Laura Elizabeth and Matthew Ryan, and their mother, Deborah Dunn, all of Nacogdoches. He is also survived by his sister, Telva Kesler, of Bryan, TX.

Pallbearers include Wes Quitta, Steve Robbins, Greg Williams, Randy Coe, David Whitton, and Fred Maddox. Honorary pallbearers are Courtney Allen and Ron Szabo.

Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday, April 28, at Laird Funeral Home in Nacogdoches. Funeral services will be at 2 p.m., Saturday, April 29, at Laird Funeral Home in the chapel with Pastor Emeritus Dr. Allen Reed officiating. Masonic graveside services will follow at Sunset Memorial Park Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering at First Baptist Church of Nacogdoches, Texas.

To convey condolences or to sign an online register, please visit www.lairdfh.net.
March 8, 1947 - April 20, 2017

Jennifer Kaye "Jenny" Tice was born in Beaumont, Texas, on March 8, 1947, to Leo and Ruth Leoffler and died April 20, 2017, at 70 years of age. Jenny grew up in Beaumont and attended Lamar University, graduating with a teaching degree. She loved children and teaching and the response was mutual. She was very clever and excellent in perceiving the needs of each child.

Jenny married Clifford Tice in Houston in July 1976. During their life together, she lived in Bahrain, Singapore, New York City, and Tarrytown, N.Y., as well as Houston, San Antonio, College Station, and Bryan, Texas.

Jenny enjoyed travelling, entertaining, and the opera. A master of needlecrafts and sewing, she was seldom without a projectmost of which benefited her family, friends, and church. Her kindnesses, her smile and wit will be missed by all who loved her.

Cliff Tice wants to thank the many people who have given their prayers and the care givers, family and friends, who supported Jenny's twoyear battle with cancer.Funeral services will be 4:00 p.m., Saturday, April 29, 2017, at St. Andrews Episcopal Church in Bryan. A reception will be following the service at the Church. Services are in the care of Callaway-Jones Funeral and Cremation Centers of Bryan College Station.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to St. Andrews ECW. Express condolences at CallawayJones.com
By BILL HAMMOND

Special to The Eagle

Many Americans who voted for President Donald Trump were looking for him to make America great again.

Trump has told us time and again that he's going to bring jobs back to America and ensure that trade with other nations is fair -- all in an effort to strengthen our economy. While the administration has promised trade and tax reform, there have been complaints recently that Trump is taking too long to share the White House's new plan. Meanwhile, House Republicans are proposing a ridiculous consumer tax that will harm not only small businesses, but Texas's economy.

This disastrous Border Adjustment Tax (BAT) is a 20 percent tax on product imports, while exports would not be taxed. The BAT is a major component of the House GOP's plan, attempting to raise $1 trillion over the next 10 years. That money will come directly from consumers' wallets through increased prices on everyday goods and will be catastrophic to U.S. consumers and the economy, however. In other words, it is a national sales tax that consumers will pay almost every time they use their credit cards at the store or the pump.

It's not just the small businesses, including retailers and grocery stores, that are going to suffer -- but the larger stores that middle and lower-class Americans rely on for their livelihoods. For instance, Target, which has almost 2,000 stores across America and employs more than 340,000 people, could see its tax rate rise by 75 percent -- which means that consumers could see a significant price hike on everything from food to clothes. Target CEO Brian Cornell said that he doesn't want to see prices "go up 15, 20, 25 percent for families buying clothes for their kids, school supplies, basic staples."

America had $2.7 trillion in imports of both goods and services in 2016. While Texas imports from many different countries, we have an especially strong reliance on cross-border trade with Mexico.

According to Census Bureau figures, 33 percent of U.S. imports from Mexico flow through Texas, and 37 percent of U.S. exports to Mexico come from Texas.

In 2015, Texas alone imported $84 billion from Mexico. If we had implemented the Border Adjustment Tax then, Texas businesses and consumers would have paid an additional $16.8 billion for goods and services on top of the $84 billion.

Some of these goods, such as mangoes and tequila, are singular items that we import and will be taxed the additional 20 percent, which will be passed onto consumers.

Other goods are a part of complex and integrated supply chains -- which means the import tax on singular goods could be compounded as some raw material components cross the border multiple times during the manufacturing process. Each time the material crosses the border into the U.S., it could be taxed 20 percent. This means for some goods that rely on complex supply chains, such as cars, we could see the price rise drastically -- up to $2,500 more according to some experts.

While there will be obvious consequences from the Border Adjustment Tax, including Texas job loss and increased prices for consumer goods, there are some more serious implications as well.

The Border Adjustment Tax is almost sure to ignite a trade war with Mexico. Not only could Mexico retaliate by taxing U.S. exports, but the U.S. potentially could be found in violation of World Trade Organization rules. According to the Peterson Institute for International Economics, the World Trade Organization could reward our trading partners with up to $385 billion in retaliatory tariffs against the U.S.

President Trump promised to make America better -- and Congress followed suit. If policymakers implement this national sales tax, they will be harming the American economy and this rare opportunity for pro-growth tax reform.

Instead of the Border Adjustment Tax, policymakers should accompany tax cuts with reductions in federal spending rather than increases in other taxes.

House Republicans need to take a step back to look at the very real consequences for their constituents Border Adjustment Tax a border adjustment tax surely means shuttered storefronts, higher unemployment rates and families cutting back on their already limited spending.

 Bill Hammond is CEO of Austin-based public affairs and business advisory firm Bill Hammond & Associates. He formerly represented east Dallas in the Texas House of Representatives and was a Texas Workforce Commissioner. He was president of Texas Association of Business from 1998 to 2016.
New Delhi, Apr 26 (IBNS): GE Healthcare and the USAID-supported project 'PAHAL' (Partnerships for Affordable Health Access & Longevity) on Wednesday announced their strategic partnership to address the healthcare needs of underserved communities in India.

Terri Bresenham, President and CEO of GE Healthcares Sustainable Healthcare Solutions, and L. M. Singh, Project Director, PAHAL, signed a Memorandum of Understanding in the presence of Xerses Sidhwa, Director, Health, USAID/India.

Project PAHAL, implemented by IPE Global with assistance from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), responds to the Government of Indias priorities of reducing morbidity and mortality among women and children in the underserved urban communities by leveraging private markets and community engagement to promote healthy behaviour change, improve access to affordable primary healthcare, and reduce out-of-pocket expenses.

The partnership launch will utilize transformational medical technology, solutions and services to meet the needs of Indias urban poor, and forms a part of Project PAHAL.

Speaking at the launch, L. M. Singh, Project Director, PAHAL, said: Private sector led social enterprises provide a huge untapped opportunity to address healthcare needs of the urban poor. Pahal in a short period has built partnerships that provide a platform to serve healthcare needs of over 20 million urban poor in several high priority states of India, in line with National health policy and priorities. We will provide catalytic support to innovative business models which will make health care patient centric with improved access at reduced cost. Our partnership with GE Healthcare is a significant milestone in this journey as it complements our efforts that aim to provide world class quality health solutions for the most deserving at affordable prices, with a particular focus on the health of women and children."

GE Healthcare is delighted to partner with IPE Global on project PAHAL in creating a sustainable model that will address the healthcare need gap among urban poor in India, said Milan Rao, President & CEO, GE Healthcare, South Asia and Managing Director, Wipro GE Healthcare. Decades of understanding the Indian market and years of investment in innovation has led to our Affordable Care Portfolio which is geared towards addressing some of the toughest healthcare challenges in India and globally, including lowering maternal and infant mortality. Affordability, portability, durability and ease of use of these technologies ensures that we are able to drive access to quality healthcare in a significant way, said Singh.

Elaborating on USAIDs global health programs and their strategic priorities of building sustainable and resilient health systems across the globe, Xerses Sidhwa, Director, Health, USAID/India, said: USAID aims to develop sustainable health solutions through facilitating strategic partnerships such as this one between GE Healthcare and PAHAL. USAID has a track record of facilitating these types of partnerships and has assisted with the development of the social franchising model of Merrygold clinics in Uttar Pradesh. This has resulted in 700 private clinics currently and will expand to 3,000 clinics over the next four years through PAHALs support. These clinics are able to reach more women and children among the urban poor who are the most vulnerable.

Project PAHAL and GE Healthcare through this partnership will strengthen the network of private healthcare business by increasing access to need based solutions that enhances and strengthens the service offerings, revenue, sustainability to meet the health impact. Both the teams have been assessing and building the solutions for network of private hospitals in Rajasthan and will expand to other states including Assam, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Haryana, Delhi, Telangana, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Uttarakhand and West Bengal.


What is the Texas Senate saying to the federal government?

Gov. Greg Abbott has proclaimed the importance of calling for a constitutional convention, a project supported by the dark money of the Koch brothers. One proclaimed purpose is passing a constitutional amendment requiring a balanced federal budget just like the state of Texas.

The Texas Senate passed the governor's resolution for a convention. The Senate also passed its budget plan for Texas. As required by law, it is balanced -- through the dishonest but legal maneuver of spending $2.5 billion but delaying its payment until the next legislative session. In contrast, the Texas House, which seems to take its constitutional responsibilities more seriously, proposes using $2.4 billion from the Rainy Day Fund.

Neither body appears ready to rationalize the unnecessarily complex state business tax code or raise the gas tax to pay for needed transportation maintenance. Both proposed budgets will hamstring the state's future economic growth by shortchanging K-12 education (university funding too, but that is another kettle of fish). Nonetheless, the House budget is more honest and it has started the long road of modernizing the bureaucratic challenge of funding public education.

What does it imply about the Texas Senate that it favors imposing a balanced budget on the federal government but happily employs a maneuver to evade its own responsibility to balance the Texas budget? That national politicians will be more serious about balancing income and expenditures? Or that such maneuvers also will occur?

If the former, then why can't we get such people to run for the Texas Legislature? If the latter, then should we assume cynicism about democracy will increase?

JONATHAN COOPERSMITH

College Station

College Station must restore its Unified Development Ordinance

While grateful to the property owner of 704 Gilchrist for withdrawing the replat application which has generated intense discussion across the city, the more than 1,000 people who signed the online and paper protect College Hills petition remain concerned about protecting our children, our homes, and our neighborhoods.

Protecting our children and homes has essentially been put on hold. We hope a future purchaser will have plans for the Gilchrist properties that align with the unique characteristics of this historic neighborhood that have attracted homeowners away from areas further south because of its tranquil nature, proximity to Texas A&M, and other unique features. Protecting our neighborhoods remains a concern, however, not just for the people who signed the petition, but for all residents of College Station. This is because the purpose and spirit of the Unified Development Ordinance mandating lot sizes and setbacks for Neighborhood Conservation areas across the city was violated by the interpretation considered for the Gilchrist replat.

City staff and officials on the city council and Planning and Zoning Commission have been provided with documentation to prove that the ordinance language implemented in 2012 to protect neighborhoods has been reinterpreted in 2017 to strip these neighborhoods of the very protections intended for them when the comprehensive plan was implemented.

Eastgate and Southgate neighborhood leaders thank city officials who have listened to and understand our concerns and who are working to resolve this situation. The goal is to return the ordinance to its intended meaning: the historic interpretation passed unanimously in 2012 by both P&Z and city council.

We hope those who sit in the seats of power will have the courage to use their authority to right this unintentional wrong.

SUZANNE DROLESKY

College Station
James Thornton, CEO of ClientEarth, said: "We are preparing our response to the government's application. This is a public health issue and not a political issue. Urgent action is required to protect people's health from the illegal and poisonous air that we are forced to breathe in the UK.

"This is a matter for the court to decide once the government has made its arguments because it is the government which has not met, and instead seeks to extend the court's deadline for the clean air plan, to clean up our air."

Why the reluctance to publish?

The government is currently failing to comply with its own pollution laws, which give efecct to the EU's Air Quality Directive. A total of 37 out of 43 regions of the UK are in breach of legal limits for nitrogen dioxide.

It has been suggested that the real reason for the refusal to publish its new plans is that they may bear heavily on the owners of the diesel cars that are responsible for much of the problem in highly polluted urban areas - for example by restricting the access of diesel cars to urban areas, or forcing the early scrappage of vehicles. This could cost the government votes.

Another fear could be the enormous cost or an early scrappage scheme to taxpayers. For example, to pay 1,000 per car to compensate diesel car owners to scrap 1 million cars would cost a cool 1 billion. A more ambitious scheme to scrap 5 million vehicles with a 2,000 payment would cost 10 billion.

Alternatively the plans may be so feeble as to be little more effective as the last ones - demonstrating the government's lack of concern for the premature deaths of tens of thousands of people every year - again, costing votes in the general election.

Figures obtained by Labour last week showed that more than 38 million people, almost 60% of the UK population, lived in areas where nitrogen dioxide concentrations were above legal limits. Children are especially vulnerable because exposure to the pollutant restricts lung growth causing long-term health problems.

How pollution reaches the heart and blood vessels

Around the world, air pollution is responsible for millions of deaths from heart attack and stroke each year. But how particles inhaled into the lungs can affect blood vessels and the heart has remained a mystery.

It is not currently possible to measure environmental nanoparticles in the blood. So, researchers from the University of Edinburgh, and the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment in the Netherlands, used a variety of specialist techniques to track the fate of harmless gold nanoparticles breathed in by volunteers.

They were able to show that these nanoparticles can migrate from the lungs and into the bloodstream within 24 hours after exposure and were still detectable in the blood three months later.

By looking at surgically removed plaques from people at high risk of stroke they were also able to find that the pollution nanoparticles accumulated in the fatty plaques that grow inside blood vessels and cause heart attacks and strokes.

Dr Nicholas Mills, Professor of Cardiology and a co-author of the work, said: "We have always suspected that nanoparticles in the air that we breathe could escape from the lungs and enter the body, but until now there was no proof. These findings are of wide importance for human health, and we must now focus our attention on reducing emissions and exposure to airborne nanoparticles."

'Government must put forward bold measures'

Cardiovascular disease - the main forms of which are coronary heart disease and stroke - accounts for 80% of all premature deaths from air pollution. The current findings add to a large body of evidence that inhaled particles can damage our heart and blood vessels in many different ways.

Professor Jeremy Pearson, Associate Medical Director at the British Heart Foundation, which part-funded the study, said: "There is no doubt that air pollution is a killer, and this study brings us a step closer to solving the mystery of how air pollution damages our cardiovascular health.

"More research is needed to pin down the mechanism and consolidate the evidence, but these results emphasise that we must do more to stop people dying needlessly from heart disease caused by air pollution. Crucially, individual avoidance of polluted areas is not a solution to the problem.

"Government must put forward bold measures to make all areas safe and protect the population from harm."

But nanoparticle risks don't stop with pollution!



The paper also makes it clear that ill-health from pollution is just one of the risks of environmental nanoparticles. "These findings have immediate relevance for the nanotechnology industry where a diverse range of engineered nanomaterials is being developed for an ever-increasing number of applications", the authors write.

"The fate of engineered nanoparticles and effect on health following exposure are largely unknown, especially in relation to the cardiovascular system.

"These studies use gold nanoparticles; a commonly used nanoparticle and one that is being developed for clinical therapeutics. However, the biokinetics we observe here for gold, may also extend to other nanomaterials including those with greater surface reactivity.

"Different classes of nanomaterials vary greatly in their ability to cause inflammation and cytotoxicity, thus it follows that there will be marked differences in their impact on health in both occupational settings and in the wider community exposed to nanomaterials.

"While data is still relatively sparse, a number of studies suggest that pulmonary exposure to a range of different inhaled nanoparticles may promote cardiovascular disease. A better understanding of how nanomaterials cross physiological barriers, and their fate thereafter, will be vital to allow for a safe-by-design approach for new nanomaterials."

Oliver Tickell is contributing editor at The Ecologist.

The paper: 'Inhaled Nanoparticles Accumulate at Sites of Vascular Disease' by Mark R. Miller et al is published in ACS Nano DOI:10.1021/acsnano.6b08551.

Petition to UK government: 'Release your air pollution plan!'

The authors acknowledge funding from the British Heart Foundation, the Colt Foundation, the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructures and Environment and the U.K. Department of Health.
All the government units currently protecting Brazil's uncontacted tribes from invasion by loggers and ranchers could be withdrawn, according to information leaked to Survival International.

The move would constitute the biggest threat to uncontacted Amazon tribes for a generation.

Agents from FUNAI, the country's indigenous affairs department, perform a vital role in protecting uncontacted territories from loggers, ranchers, miners and other invaders.

Some teams are already being withdrawn, and further withdrawals are planned for the near future. Thousands of invaders are likely to rush into the territories once protection is removed.

Indigenous activist Sonia Guajajara said: "By cutting down the FUNAI budget, the government is declaring the extinction of indigenous people."

Brazil's 'coup' government appears bent on genocide

There are estimated to be over 100 uncontacted tribes in Brazil, well over two-thirds of the global population of uncontacted people. Many of them live in indigenous territories, which total over 54.3 million hectares of protected rainforest, an area about the size of France.

These territories are guarded by just 19 dedicated FUNAI teams. It is possible that all 19 teams could be eliminated from the Brazilian state budget, despite the fact that money spent maintaining these teams is equal to the average salaries and benefits paid to just two Brazilian congressmen per year.

The proposals are the latest in a long list of actions from the Temer government, which came to power in 2016 after the impeachment of Dilma Rousseff in what has been described as an "blatant political coup" that could have catastrophic consequences for indigenous peoples.

Paulo Marubo, an indigenous man from the Javari Valley in Brazil's Amazon said: "If the protection teams are withdrawn, it will be like before, when many Indians were massacred and died as a result of disease ... If the loggers come here, they will want to contact the uncontacted, they will spread diseases and even kill them."

Campaigners have suggested that the government's close ties to Brazil's powerful ranching and agribusiness lobbies - which consider indigenous territories to be a barrier to their own expansion - could be part of the reason for the proposals.

Protests this week to defy unelected government's plans

Major indigenous protests are taking place this week in Brasilia against government proposals to water down protection for indigenous rights.
As offers of development funding from China and Japan pour in, Canada also wants a bigger piece of the Philippine growth story as its export credit agency Export Development Canada (EDC) seeks more opportunities to fund infrastructure projects and other key industries.

In an e-mail interview with the Inquirer, EDC regional vice president for Asia international business development William Brown said EDC was anticipating more Canadian businesses wanting to invest and sell more products to the Philippines as Canadian exporters and investors seek opportunities in emerging markets.

The domestic sectors that EDC is most bullish about include food processing, clean technology, pulp and paper, information and communications technology and aerospace-related industries.

EDC also expects to play a bigger role in the countrys infrastructure sector given President Dutertes ambition to bring the Philippines to a golden age of infrastructure.

EDCs funding is disbursed according to customer needs and opportunities for trade between Canada and the Philippines. EDC can be a valuable resource to Philippine corporations in the infrastructure sector by providing financing and introducing them to leading Canadian infrastructure companies, Brown said.

Rail, clean technology and power are all key industries that EDC and Canada can contribute to in the Philippines. We also have in-depth experience in financing PPP (public-private partnership) projects. This will augur well with the Presidents agenda in bringing more private capital to support infrastructure development in the Philippines using the PPP model, he said.

As funding from Asian economic giants like China and Japan flow more abundantly to the Philippines, Brown said EDCbeing one of the most progressive export credit agencieshad many competitive advantages compared to other financiers.

EDCs strong capital position means that it can handle transactions of all sizes, from the very large to the small, for companies in support of transactions involving Canadian supply or services. We also like to partner with other commercial banks on their syndicated financing facilities to grow the reach of our support, Brown said.

Brown said that apart from offering innovative and reliable financing, what would set EDC apart from other financiers was that it could serve as a supply-chain talent scout. This unique EDC key value proposition means that EDC helps companies in the Philippines reduce costs and increase efficiency and innovation by introducing them to Canadian companies with the exact capabilities they need or want. Canadian companies are renowned for their world-class technology and services, which is an attractive feature for foreign buyers, he said.

EDC recently opened a branch in Singapore to function as its financing hub in Asia. Brown said this meant that EDC could now bring its global-scale financing business closer to projects and companies in Southeast Asia and the Philippines by processing transactions in real Asia time, eliminating the previous 12-hour delay to connect back to the financing teams in Canada.

EDCs financing is now offered more quickly and effectively, which will significantly benefit both Canadian companies operating in the Philippines as well as Philippine companies seeking financing, he said.

As an export credit agency, EDC focuses on providing financial services to companies that buy from Canadian companies or those that have Canadian supply and services in their corporate value chain. Funds from EDC can be used for capital expenditure or project finance requirements, either through bilateral or syndicated corporate facilities.

EDC has been present in Southeast Asia for a long time through a representative office in Singapore since 2007. EDC also recently opened a representative office in Jakarta, Indonesia, to complement EDCs other representative offices in Asia: Mumbai, Delhi, Shanghai and Beijing.
The Pediatric Center for Therapeutic Services in Rocky Mount will hold a Family Fun Extravaganza on Saturday, April 29, to celebrate its move to a new facility.

The center serves 2 and 3-year-old children with a range of disabilities including autism, developmental disabilities, speech impairment, cerebral palsy and Down syndrome.

A Fun Day and open house are planned at its new facility at 139 East Court Street from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Parents, children and families are invited to meet the staff of the center and learn more information about the programs it offers.

The event will include a bounce house, face painting, food, crafts and more.

The center is a part of Virginia Autism and Behavior Consultings (VABC) network of professionals providing individual therapeutic services for families with small children with special needs.

It has been open since 2015 in Franklin County and provides patient-centered early childhood therapeutic services with a focus on goal setting, early intervention and reporting. Staff at the center assists with communication, educational, gross motor and daily living skills.

The centers curriculum collaborates with that of Franklin County public schools.

The center also offers after-school therapies as well as in-home services.

Funding options include private insurance, government funding for students that qualify and private pay.

For more information, call (540) 404-1189, or visit www.va-abc.com.
ROCKY MOUNT - Weve all heard the scam before. A person calls your home line or cell phone, claiming that a bill hasnt been paid or that you owe back taxes. This time, however, the call may appear to be from someone you know.

Scammers in the Southside area are using a practice known as spoofing, where hackers can change their Caller I.D. number by adjusting different parts of code. In one reported case, the number showed up as a legitimate Virginia State Police Area Office. State Police officials said in the last two weeks, they received calls from two local residents and one person from New York, all claiming that the State Police office in Chatham was calling them. The scammers cloned the offices main number, (434)-432-7287, to help convince people that its a legitimate call. Another called pretending to be from the DMV, with a Caller I.D. number that supported their claim.

But that doesnt mean all of these con artists are hackers. There are several networks, law enforcement officials say, which act almost like a regular business. The would-be con artist creates an account, logs in and just gives their own number, as well as a telephone or cell number they want to show up on the call. The service then bridges the two together, through an internet-based system.

One example of this is a scam reported back in February, where the callers pretended to be officials with the IRS. One individual reported to State Police that she sent the caller $2,000 in gift cards, in order to pay off her bill. In another part of the state, the Fredricksburg Police Department reported in 2016 that a 72-year-old resident was scammed out of more than $12,000.

These scammers, who normally use fake names, know some personal information about the people they call, material that VSP officials believe is pulled off the internet, possibly from social media sites. To prevent information like this from being seen by strangers, officials urge residents to limit whos able to view your profiles on sites like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. On all three sites, you can go into the settings and adjust who is able to see your posts. The options range from public to friends or friends except.., which allows you to block specific people from seeing them.

In a statement, VSP Public Relations Director Corinne Geller offered a few other ways to prevent people from falling victim to any type of scam.

First, never give out personal information such as account numbers, Social Security numbers, mothers maiden names, passwords or other identifying information in response to unexpected calls or if you are at all suspicious.

Second, if you get an inquiry from someone who says they represent a company or a government agency seeking personal information, hang up and call the phone number on your account statement, in the phone book or on the companys or government agencys website to verify the authenticity of the request.

Third, use caution if you are being pressured for information immediately.

Finally, if you have a voice mail account with your phone service, be sure to set a password for it. Some voicemail services are preset to allow access if you call in from your own phone number. A hacker could spoof your home phone number and gain access to your voice mail if you do not set a password.
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 ...
Kolkata, Apr 26 (IBNS): Creambell, one of Indiaas fastest growing ice cream brand, launched its aChockerza brand of products in Kolkata recently.

Creambells range of ice creams includes Sacch Mucch range, Ice cream Cakes, Fantasia range of Cones, etc.

The company will invest Rs 150 crores over the coming years to enhance presence and popularize the brand in the state, it said in a release.

The company also said that a state of the art plant will be operation from May, 2017 in Asansol, West Bengal.

Creambell has wholly owned three state-of-the-art production facilities in Baddi, Kosi and Goa.

The company also said that with major interests in the Africa dairy market, Creambell is in the process of introducing its ice cream brand gradually in countries such as Kenya, Zambia Mozambique and Tanzania



Images by Avishek Mitra/IBNS
Kolkata, Apr 26 (IBNS): The United Nations Global Compact kicked off its two-day event on Wednesday, bringing together over 300 leaders from business, finance, civil society, government and the UN in New Delhi for its regional flagship event Making Global Goals Local Business - India.

With less than 5,000 days left to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the event aims to mobilize responsible business actions, drive breakthrough innovation and create new market opportunities that advance the Global Goals.



The SDGs provide a global plan of action for people, planet and prosperity  a plan of action with a universal set of goals and targets that empowers us all to deliver the world that we want. said Lise Kingo, CEO and Executive Director of the UN Global Compact.

Every year, as part of our Making Global Goals Local Business movement, we host a flagship regional event. This year, we are in New Delhi because India is the land of opportunity for sustainable development: If India delivers on the Global Goals we will be halfway towards the 2030 Agenda, Kingo said.



To enable business around the world to take action on the SDGs, the UN Global Compact launched two important initiatives on the first day of the event.

The new Global Opportunity Explorer aims to be the worlds largest digital platform connects business leaders, entrepreneurs and investors with new partners, projects, markets and talents to deliver on the SDGs. Through a newBlueprint for SDG Leadership, the UN Global Compact will guide businesses on how to take concrete leadership action on each of the SDGs.



In the opening plenary, Indias Minister of State for Finance, Santosh Kumar Gangwar, said I congratulate the UN Global Compact for organizing this dedicated program on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in India" he continued, "The Indian government has taken bold initiatives in the last three years so as to translate our commitment to SGDs, and our visionary leader Narendra Modi is working tirelessly to achieve SDGs by 2030 in a big way....Making Global Goals Local Business is a strategy to engage business on the 2030 SDG agenda to develop innovative business models and help achieve the SDGs."



Kamal Singh, Executive Director of UN Global Compact Network India said, We are extremely honored to bring a global platform to India to showcase local businesses and innovations around SDGs. With the launch of this 2-day event, we have set a mission of providing a blueprint for forward-thinking. This gives Indian businesses an opportunity to succeed in implementing Global Goals and innovate the SDGs in the local context.



On Thursday at the forum, the UN Global Compact will outline the breakthrough innovation and systemic solutions needed to meet the Global Goals by 2030 and will launch the 2017 series of the Global Compact SDG Pioneers campaign at the closing plenary. Additionally, the Business and Sustainable Development Commission will release its Better Business Better World - India country report highlighting how the SDGs offer a compelling growth strategy for the private sector in India
The warmth and easy candour exuded by author Amrita Mukherjee belie the extreme emotions expressed in her book found out IBNS correspondent Tanushree Sen during her candid interview of the journalist-turned-author. Mukherjee's second book aMuseum of Memoriesa, a collection of thirteen short stories, was recently launched in Kolkata.

So, you were a journalist first, and then you switched to writing. How and what made you take such a decision?

I actually always wanted to write. But being a journalist is an extremely busy life. I happened to be in Dubai. I had my son at that time and I simply wanted to take a break. So one fine day, I quit my job and that was when I realised that it was the best time to start my writing journey. Except my husband, who was extremely supportive, most people could not believe what I was setting out to do. And thats how my first novel Exit Interview happened. I was extremely lucky too, because I sent it to Rupa [Publishers] and they picked it up. I never needed to send it to anyone else. Fortunately, Ive never had publisher issues, even for Museum of Memories.

How has the journey been like so far as a writer?

It has been fantastic. You know, it is an extremely fulfilling moment, especially when people come up to you and tell you that they picked up your book and how much they liked it.



Yes, we saw that today. Everyone has such good things to say about it!

Yes, as I said, that is what makes it so fulfilling. As a journalist, you collect so many stories, out which many cannot be printed in the newspaper or made into a feature. But that is when they take the form of fiction in a book. Even my first book was about the journey of a journalist, in a fictional form and now, even Museum of Memories is about several collated stories, from my experiences of being a journalist as well as stories from friends.



So, was that the thought process or reason behind this book? To write what normally wouldnt be printed or even published?

Yes. It was. All the stories of the book are extremely bold, and the whole idea was to express that.



So tell me about the writing process for Museum of Memories. How much time did it take?

It took approximately a year. I was in the process of shifting from Dubai to Calcutta, and it was an extremely difficult time. At night, I would stay up and keep writing. A lot of ideas kept flooding in, of different stories and I had to jot them down.



Out of the thirteen stories in Museum of Memories, which one took the maximum effort and was the most challenging, yet your favourite one?

For me, Museum of Memories was an extremely cathartic experience, especially because it also helped me deal with my brothers death. But my favourite story would have to be the most simple, yet most challenging one, the last story- To cut a long story short. Its a love story, but I had to make it very different.



But in a world where social media is ruling everything, do you feel that reading has taken a backseat?

See, I believe that those who want to read, will read, irrespective of everything. Reading and books will never go out of fashion. Even in my times, there were always a group of friends who never read, and a group of friends who would always read madly. And its still like that. Its a habit that will never change I have realised.



An author I interviewed a few days back said that one of the most challenging aspects of being an author is to pick up from where one has left off and to keep at the process. Did you face a similar situation?

Oh yes! Completely! When I was writing my first novel, my son was just ten months old. And I would often be in the middle of an intense scene or plot, and I would suddenly have to rush to change his nappy. By the time I came back, I had already lost the thread and I would have to start all over again and think, and very often, be unsatisfied with what I had written. It was quite difficult. Even now, when people ask me that do I sit in a very quiet place and write away, I tell them that it is not so at all. In most cases, the TV is blaring, my son is screaming next to me. It has become such a case that now I cannot write without my sons presence around. Because I started writing after he was born, he is extremely important for my writing process.



And whats your take on the title of the book?

Museum of Memories is based on the first story, but every story in the book is based on a memory. Thats why the title.



Finally, whats next?

Im writing Prosenjits biography. Im already halfway through that.
U.S. Rep. Miller-Meeks beats Bohannan in Iowa's 1st District race

The Associated Press called the race for Miller-Meeks just after 11 p.m. on Tuesday.
Lucknow, Apr 26 (IBNS) : Yogi Adityanath Government has cancelled 15 public holidays marking the birth or death anniversaries of eminent personalities, reports said.

Taking the decision on Tuesday, the state Cabinet said rather than allowing the people to enjoy holidays, students will now be taught about these occasions through various programmes.

Earlier on B R Ambedkar's birth anniversary, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had expressed his concern over the shrinking academic session due to increased holidays.

Mr. Adityanath had in his address on the occasion of B. R. Ambedkars 126th birth anniversary here expressed concern over the shrinking academic session due to increased holidays.

There should be no holidays in schools on birth anniversaries of great personalities. Instead, a special two- hour programme should be held to teach students about them," he had said.

The holidays cancelled include the birth anniversaries of former Prime Minister Chandrashekhar (April 17), Maharishi Kashyap and Maharshi Nishadraj Jayanti (April 5), Hazrat Ajmeri Garib Nawaj Urs (April 26), Maharana Pratap Jayanti (May 9) and the death anniversary of Ambedkar (December 6), introduced by the previous Samajwadi Party Government.
Canada continues to trail blaze when it comes to legal marijuana, with national legalization on the table in 2017 and even Snoop Dogg traveling north of the border to partner with an Ontario-based marijuana company.

Now, Canada also has the first Exchange Traded Fund (ETF) available on a major stock market.

The Horizons Medical Marijuana Life Sciences ETF (HMMJ) began trading this month on the Toronto Stock Exchange. A passive fund, it seeks to mirror the performance of the Solactive's North American Medical Marijuana Index.

"It's rare that investors get an opportunity to invest in what is essentially an entirely new sector of stocks, Steve Hawkins, president and co-chief executive officer of Horizons, said in a news release.

Related: Survey Finds Cannabis Users Are Educated, Fit, Sociable and Surprisingly Republican

Investors certainly responded. The HMMJ price increased each day for its first four days on the market.

Marijuana bioengineering

The Toronto-based Horizons is the first ETF manager to offer investors direct exposure to medical marijuana stocks in North America. These include companies that are working on bioengineering and production of marijuana.

The ETF includes 16 companies as of March. The biggest percentage  10 percent  is held in each of the following companies:

Scotts Miracle-Gro Company

GW Pharmaceuticals

Canopy Growth Corporation

nsys Therapeutics, Inc.

Aurora Cannabis Inc.

Aphria Inc.

At Horizons, we take pride in our innovation, so we're very happy that for the first time, investors will be able to access a low-cost, diversified portfolio of companies that are directly involved in the rapidly growing medical marijuana industry, said Hawkins.

The Horizons ETF has accumulated $28.7 million in assets, according to Market Watch.

More to come.

The Horizons ETF is focused solely on medical marijuana and does not include companies that engage in the legal recreational marijuana industry. Another planned ETF, the Emerging AgroSphere ETF, also will focus on only on companies that engage in medical marijuana production.

The reason for that is simple: marijuana remains illegal in the United States and Canada at the federal level. However, that could change this year in Canada, where Primate Minster Justin Trudeau is expected to introduce legislation making marijuana legal across the nation.

Related: Here's How April 20 Became the 420 of Global Cannabis Significance

That legislation is expected as early as this week and will likely make cannabis legal in Canada beginning in July 2018. Doing so fulfills a promise made by Trudeau during his campaign for primate minister.

A similar view is held by voters at the state level in the United States, where eight states have legalized recreational marijuana and more than half have legalized medical marijuana. However, some members of President Donald Trumps administration have warned that the federal government may crack down on the legal marijuana industry, although its unclear what they might mean.

To stay up to date on the latest marijuana related news make sure to like dispensaries.com on Facebook

Related:

First Cannabis ETF Hits Market and Rises Sharply in Initial Trading

Survey Finds Cannabis Users Are Educated, Fit, Sociable and Surprisingly Republican

It's Lit! Cannabis Trends and the Pitfalls of 'Potrepreneurship.'



Copyright 2017 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved
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NORWALK  Tiffany Piedrahita is deep in focus, staring at the nearly completed painting in front of her.

She is just a sophomore at Norwalk High School, but the art piece indicates experience beyond her years.

I love art because you get to find a way to be creative, and you can understand a lot about the world and take that with you to the future, Piedrahita said.

Piedrahita returned to Norwalk High School this semester after a short stint at a high school in Florida. She was relieved to return, largely because of the robust arts program at Norwalk High. In Florida, she had only one or two art courses to choose from. At NHS, she has more than a dozen in subject areas ranging from music, painting and photography to printmaking, sculpture and digital and video animation.

But the extensive access to the arts is not just a staple at Norwalk High. The entire public school district has been recognized for its high participation rate  higher than the state average  in arts programming across its 19 schools.

The state awards points based on a variety of programming criteria, and the Norwalk Public School District has earned 86 percent of the possible points in the Arts Access category. The access rate of 52 percent tops the state average of 47 percent.

Michael Conner, chief academic officer for Norwalk Public Schools, said this success can be attributed to one of the main goals among administrators  preserving the arts and music programs in Norwalk schools.

More Information Indicator Index/ Rate Target Points Earned Max Points % Points Earned State Avg Index/Rate Arts Access 51.6% 60% 43.0 50 86.0% 47.5% See More Collapse

That is one of our strong points that we have here in Norwalk, Conner said. The arts will survive. Cuts havent even been in the discussion at the district level or the school level. Were not just looking at it from an academic context.

Developmentally, its about really broadening the student experience and having experiences that go beyond school by including other types of activities that students might be exposed to, he said. Having that strategy around building cultural capital is really important to the district.

Conner said the arts programming begins in the first years of elementary school where students are given a choice of participating in band, strings or chorus, as well as opportunities in the physical arts. Students continue in that trajectory through high school, whether they attend Brien McMahon or Norwalk High School.

I think having that continuous trajectory is one of the rationales to why we have such successful programs at both (high) schools, Conner said.

Even with the success of the district, including numerous awards earned by its students, there is still progress to be made, Conner said. A committee of 15 is working on redesigning the music program district wide, stating with general music at the elementary level. Another committee is working to integrate the national arts standards into the Norwalk curriculum.

One of the people approaching that task head on is NHS Art Department Chairwoman Patricia OConnor, who, upon entering the role eight years ago, immediately set forth in expanding arts programming.

One of the things Ive focused on is growth, OConnor said. More variety, more courses. I would next to add a graphic design course.

OConnor said there are roughly 600 available seats in art courses at Norwalk High School. While all the classes, distributed among five teachers at the school, are filled, there are another 200 students who would like to be enrolled in the arts. And thats not including music courses, OConnor said.

OConnor and Conner agreed the success of the arts programs  and the continuous student interest in the arts  is driven by community support and engagement in art.

I think theres a heavy concentration of visual learners in Norwalk and they have a strong value and vision for strong arts programs, OConnor said.Arts really are supported by the Board of Education, administrators and parents.

There is tremendous community support for the arts here in Norwalk which is terrific, Conner said. The arts should be encouraged nationally. Whether it be Norwalk or outside of Norwalk, I think that if we provide a well-rounded curriculum to our students, they will excel.

kkrasselt@scni.com; 203-354-1021; @kaitlynkrasselt
NORWALK  General Growth Properties request to drop a hotel from The SoNo Collection found supporters and detractors during the public participation portion of Tuesday evenings Common Council meeting at City Hall.

More than a half-dozen residents urged the council to advance the revamped plan. Several argued against it. Still others gave their conditioned support.

Please make sure that GGP keeps their promise with Article 21, said Brenda Penn-Williams, referring to a clause within the development agreement to hire local people when building the mall. Article 21 is where 10 percent of the total value of the cost of the project (is) performed by Norwalk-based businesses.

Penn-Williams earlier expressed her disapproval that housing is not part of The SoNo Collection after residents of development site off West Avenue and Interstate 95 were displaced 20 years ago through eminent domain.

Her call for GGP to abide by its development agreement obligations and hire local residents was reflective of a number of speakers hopes that the mall development will benefit South Norwalk if done correctly.

Under Article 21 of the Land Disposition Agreement governing The SoNo Collection, GGP must prioritize Norwalk-based and other lower Fairfield County based Disadvantaged Business Enterprises for bidding on and performing work during the construction of the project.

Priority must be given to persons living in the three highest-poverty rate zip codes in the city, followed by Norwalk residents in general, followed by Fairfield County residents, followed by Connecticut residents.

More Information Construction Impacts 1,745 construction jobs $34.3 million in tax revenues Ongoing Impacts $26.6 million in annual sales and personnel income tax revenues $45.7 million in local property taxes over 15 years 2,485 full-time jobs Source: General Growth Properties See More Collapse

The Rev. Ray Dancy of Macedonia Church at 39 West Ave., adjacent to the mall development site, expressed his support for the project. He noted that GGP has agreed to pay the city $3.5 million for approval to drop the 152-room hotel from the plan.

These funds, as I understand it, would become part of a newly formed community development fund used by the city for a broad mixes in the South Norwalk area, Dancy said.

Dancy expressed hope that the money would be used for housing, community-oriented facilities, cultural programs for young people, and similar initiatives.

Rilling said Wednesday that he and council leaders arrived at the $3.5 million payment figure during discussions with GGP representatives.

It was kind of thrown back and forth as how can we use that money in the most effective way for the benefit of the community, Rilling said.

On Tuesday evening, council members voted 12-1 to advance GGPs request to remove the hotel.

The Chicago-based developer now deems the hotel, as well as housing or offices, as economically infeasible third uses. For years, the city and many residents have expected a mixed-use development on the dozen-acre site.

Councilman Richard J. Bonenfant, an at-large Republican, voted against advancing the hotel removal. He found a pattern of developers re-working agreements to their favor.

Rilling, after the meeting, acknowledged that he questioned the mall as a candidate in 2013 but said he since has changed his mind after learning more about it.

I started looking at the numbers and the tax revenue and the people that would be coming into Norwalk to patronize our businesses and the jobs that it would create during construction, and the fact that if we didnt move forward with the mall that that would be vacant for decades, Rilling said. So all those things considered made it clear to me that this was in the best interest of the community.
WESTPORT  With a bus driver strike looming, students may need to find other means of getting to school Thursday.

If Westport Public School bus drivers do not come to a collective bargaining agreement with their employer, Dattco, buses will stop service  with the exception of special education students  as early as Thursday, April 27.

Superintendent Colleen Palmer advised the school community of the possible strike in an email sent Tuesday. She wrote that if the strike ensues, schools will be open, but all before and after school activities will be canceled.

She also asked parents to arrange a way for their children to get to school. If students do not have transportation arranged, there are a limited numbers of buses to transport such students to school, Palmer wrote. Palmer urged parents to bring their kids to school 30 minutes early on Thursday.

Thomas Wilkinson president of United Food & Commercial Workers Union 371, the union that represents the school bus workers employed by Dattco, said Wednesday morning that no deal has been reached, but he remains positive a strike can be avoided.

No strike has been authorized by the union and or the membership. In all fairness to both sides, were still negotiating, still talking and still trying to strike a deal, Wilkinson said. Workers have the right to strike, but our goal is to avoid any strike and negotiations have not broken down.

He wouldnt comment on the issues of disagreement at the negotiating table. Before a strike can go into effect, the union members must vote on the contract.

More negotiations are scheduled and if a tentative agreement is reached the members have to vote to accept or reject the contract. If the contract is rejected, then well make a decision, but it has to be based on membership approval, Wilkinson said.

There are serious needs of the workers and we are going to do the best we can to attain that goal, he added.

Jennifer Johnson, a parent with two children in the schools, is concerned about the safety of the students if they have to bike to school. As a parent, Im nervous looking at our different options from carpooling in the neighborhood to getting out the bikes and whether or not its safe to bike to school. Were all figuring out our options.

PTA Council Co-president Candace Banks said, Westport, unfortunately, isnt a particularly walkable district. We already have backups along Long Lots Road and North Avenue which are already pretty intense. Its not going to be fun classes are going to start late.

If a strike is averted before 12:01 a.m. on April 27, the schools will notify the community through email and will leave a message on SNO-LINE at 203-341-1766.

If the strike takes place past 6 a.m., the schools will let the community know through phone, email and text about making arrangements for students to be picked up from school.

Should the strike continue past one day, the district will determine whether or not schools will be open in subsequent days.

@chrismmarquette; cmarquette@bcnnew.com
The Grand Island City Council held the first public meeting related to Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds at its meeting Tuesday night, and voted 9-0 to approve a request to accept the development of the 2017-18 action plan for CDBG activities. Councilwoman Michelle Fitzke was absent from Tuesdays meeting.

The Community Development Block Grant is a funding source from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. According to the meeting agenda, the city has received $348,927 in CDBG funds for fiscal 2017. Funds for the next fiscal year will become available on Oct. 1.

Charley Falmlen, community development administrator, said the city receives an allocation of the grants every year. An action plan is created once the allocations are received, and a consolidated plan, a really big, overarching view of how to spend these funds, is created every three to five years.

The consolidated plan has priorities, with the top two being increasing quality and affordable housing options, and cultivating small and emerging businesses. Falmlen said the priorities were prioritized based on information gathered through community needs assessments.

Some prospective projects the city is looking at implementing with these CDBG funds include the installation of Americans with Disabilities Act-accessible equipment at Lions Club Park and the continuation of the Small Business Rental Assistance Program through Railside. The majority of funds are expected to go to the former at a cost of more than $200,000.

Councilman Mitch Nickerson praised the work that has already been done at Lions Club Park with CDBG funds. He said he has a friend who lives across the street from the park who updates him on its progress. Nickerson added he likes the look of the park and that it is getting to have good use

Every time I drive by there, its always busy, he said. Its really great.

Councilwoman Linna Dee Donaldson asked Falmlen if the proposed $200,000 in 2017-18 CDBG funds will be used to complete the work being done at Lions Club Park. Falmlen responded she hopes work will be completed with the funds.

Chris Rosacker, board member of the Downtown Business Improvement District, told the City Council the Small Business Rental Assistance Program through Railside has been a great positive and a useful tool for downtown. He said the program has been instrumental in attracting businesses downtown.

Rosacker added Kinkaider Brewing Co. was the first applicant and recipient of funds through the program and that the BID has three other applicants coming forward.

For the record

In other action, the city council:

 Voted 8-1 to approve collection of various assessment liens. Nickerson voted no.

 Voted 8-1 to approve an amendment to the Sterling Estates Eighth Subdivision agreement to allow for additional parking on the property. Councilman Mike Paulick voted against the amendment.
The second Hall County Vietnam War Veteran Hero Flight will depart early Sunday morning on an Allegiant chartered airplane out of Central Nebraska Regional Airport.

Eighty-two veterans, their escorts and support volunteers will spend the better part of three days on a journey of discovery. They will visit the magnificent war memorials in Washington, D.C., dedicated to generations of veterans who dutifully served and sacrificed for their country and the cause of freedom.

The tour will include a City Light Night Tour, the Washington, Lincoln and Jefferson memorials, the National Cathedral, lunch at the officers club at Fort Myer and a tour of the Caisson Stables. The group will attend a banquet in their honor featuring Ret. Maj. Gen. Galen Jackman.

Jackman, a Gering native, has generously given of his time to address Hall Countys visiting veterans over the past six years. He is an inspiring speaker with a long and distinguished military career that includes an assignment as the first commanding general of the Joint Force Headquarters National Capital Region.

The highlight of each Hero Flight trip is the solemn and moving Laying of the Wreath ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery. Four Hall County veterans have been selected to participate in the ceremony.

The Hall County Hero Flight Association has raised funds for this Washington trip with the generosity of area residents and businesses. The association operates completely with volunteer help and most of the food products and advertising donated by area businesses so there is very little overhead.

The Vietnam War era veterans were reluctant at first to sign up for the Hero Flight program, with many saying that they didnt feel deserving or that they would wait until after their fellow veterans had the chance to go. The first Vietnam War veteran flight last spring returned to Grand Island to a welcome home that was more than 40 years overdue.

The trip and the homecoming filled a void for the veterans, who were never properly thanked or appreciated for the great sacrifice they made. They simply did what was asked of them by their country. Their journey took them full circle from a troubled time and wounds that remained hidden over the passage of time to a place of peace, healing, honor and bonding that can only be understood by those who have walked the same path.

We encourage the community to come out to the airport next Tuesday afternoon to give a Hall County welcome to our returning Vietnam War veterans. A brief program will be presented at 4:30 p.m., with the flight scheduled to arrive soon after. Airport officials have arranged for additional parking.
Fetterman, Oz race too close to call. The latest in PA Senate race.

Pennsylvania voters decided between John Fetterman and Mehmet Oz in the pivotal Senate race. But it could be days before they learn who won.
Guwahati, Apr 26 (IBNS): Security forces apprehended a militant of NSCN (K) from Arunachal Pradeshas Tirap district on Tuesday evening, officials said on Wednesday.

Kohima based Defence PRO Colonel Chiranjeet Konwer said that based on intelligence input, Assam Rifles troops launched an operation at Khonsa town in Tirap district and nabbed the militant.

The nabbed militant was identified as Wanglam Pansa alias Alam and security personnel recovered a pistol, ammunition in possession from him.

He was terrorizing and extorting money from Khonsa Town. During interrogation he revealed that he was tasked by an NSCN (K) cadre to carry out extortion from government departments of Khonsa Town, the Defence PRO said.

Security forces has been carrying out aggressive operations in the South Arunachal Pradesh and this apprehension has struck a blow to the extortion activities being carried out by the underground cadres of the group in the area.

(Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath)
Patna, Apr 26 (TheBiharPost/IBNS): Jan Aadhikar Party chief and parliamentarian Pappu Yadav has sought for a CBI probe into all the decisions taken by RJD chief Lalu Prasad in his capacity as the railway minister.

Prasad served as the 34th railway minister from May 23, 2004 to May 25, 2009 during the UPA-I government which Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had headed.

Yadav who represents Madhepura seat in the parliament on Wednesday met senior officials at the Rail Bhawan in New Delhi and submitted a memorandum addressed to railway minister Suresh Prabhu.

During his (Lalu Prasads) tenure as the railway minister, apparently a large-scale corruption in railway took place in matter of awarding railway contracts, auction of railways properties and allotment of schemes, Yadav alleged in his memorandum, seeking a CBI inquiry into these misdeeds.

He alleged the RJD chief earned benami properties worth billions during his tenure as railway minister in lieu of granting benefits to contractors and others related to railway projects.

Yadav was elected on RJD ticket from Madhepura seat during the last 2014 LS polls but was expelled from the party after he rebelled against the party leadership.



(thebiharpost.com)


The Edwardsville District 7 Board of Education approved the addition of two new courses at Edwardsville High School during Monday night's general board meeting. The courses, one of which had been developed in 2007 but put on hold due to the district's lack of funds, will be available to EHS students for the 2017-18 school year.

Edwardsville District 7 Superintendent Lynda Andre again thanked the public for passing Prop E and noted that the announcement of these two courses was a direct result of the referendum passing, which now allowed the district to move forward with long overdue curriculum, technology and school security improvements. This historic vote allows Edwardsville School District 7 to implement its plan to ensure the district's ongoing financial stability and academic excellence, she said.

The two courses to be added are Anatomy & Physiology in the science department and Advanced Placement (AP) U.S. History in the social studies department. Both courses will be available to EHS juniors and seniors.

Cathy Wright, District 7's Director of Curriculum and Instruction, explained that the new Anatomy & Physiology course examines the terminology, structure, function and interdependence of the human body systems. It includes a study of the cells, chemistry, tissues, skeletal, muscular, nervous and endocrine systems, she said. It is a year-long course that is expected to accommodate two sections of students.

The addition of this course adds a biology-based course choice for juniors and seniors who are interested in biology or pursuing a career in a medical field.

Materials for the course, which include new textbooks that have an e-version, lab materials and consumables, have been selected. The total approximate cost for the course materials is $14,520 and will be provided through District 7 funding.

Wright further explained that the other new course, AP U.S. History, was a study of 1491 to the present and was a course designed to provide the same level of content and instruction that students would face in a freshman-level college survey class. The AP U.S. History classes use a college-level textbook as the foundation for the course, she pointed out.

Students with an interest in social sciences will have an opportunity to deepen their knowledge of U.S. History, Wright added. Students will develop historical thinking skills, craft arguments using historical evidence and think conceptually about U.S. History.

As a result of taking this course, students may elect to take the College Board AP Exam, which may award college credit, depending on college or university policy.

Materials for the AP U.S. History course have not yet been selected but a textbook is currently under review. The course will cost District 7 approximately $8,480 which will include the purchasing of primary source documents and AP exam study materials.

EHS will offer two sections of this class for the 2017-18 year.

Wright emphasized that this course was under development in 2007 as a part of the K-12 social science curriculum study that could not be implemented as a result of funding shortfalls and the elimination of the Illinois Textbook Loan Program in FY 2010. We've been waiting very patiently to be able to add this course, she said. We take great pride in District 7 in our AP courses. There are 14 AP courses offered currently with approximately 457 students enrolled to date. This will add one more AP course to our program.

Communication with parents and students regarding these new courses will begin this week and enrollment for both will close May 16.

Wright ended her presentation by announcing that during the May 8 board meeting, the administration is planning to present an overview of Phase 1 of the academic, technology and school security updates planned for the 2017-18 school year.

In other board action, the board approved a custodial and maintenance supplies bid for 2017-18 in the amount of $119,408.48 as well as two memorandums of understanding between the district and the city of Edwardsville for the continuation of the crossing guard program at Lincoln Middle School and the SRO program within the district.
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Linkedin M. Taufiqurrahman (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, April 26, 2017

It was a great comeback story that people will continue to talk about in the years to come. It was also a Shakespearian revenge story worthy of its own stage play. For those on the losing side, it resembles a Greek tragedy from which it will take compunction and soul-searching before everyone involved is able to pick up the pieces and move on.

Only nine months after President Joko Jokowi Widodo dismissed him as the culture and education minister, Anies Baswedan is now the governor-elect of Jakarta, a victory with political significance that should not be underestimated.

If Jokowi thought back then that removing Anies from his Cabinet could prevent him from aiming for the ultimate prize, running as a candidate in a future presidential election, the decision turned out to have brought him closer to the goal instead.
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Linkedin Veeramalla Anjaiah (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, April 26, 2017

After a five decade long journey, unity and solidarity remain a challenge for the dynamic 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). A key reason for this is the South China Sea (SCS) conundrum, which has become the single biggest threat to ASEAN unity, peace and stability.

ASEAN formed a community under three pillars: ASEAN Political-Security Community (APSC), the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) and the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (ASCC). But a community without unity and little solidarity among its members is useless.

Outside powers can easily exploit any holes in ASEAN to divide its members on key issues such as the SCS, maritime security and freedom of navigation.

This week, ASEAN leaders have a golden opportunity to lay a historic foundation for political unity when they meet in Manila for the 30th ASEAN Summit.

The current ASEAN chair, the Philippines, and its popular leader President Rodrigo Duterte, have a moral obligation to cement ASEAN unity, promote solidarity and push forward the much needed Code of Conduct (COC) in the SCS.

President Duterte has selected the theme Partnering for Change, Engaging the World for the Philippines ASEAN chairmanship. The title reflects his 2016 election campaign slogan, Change is Coming.

Duterte must bring change to ASEAN, while maintaining the groupings central role in regional affairs. Though the new president is new to ASEAN politics, the Philippines have twice hosted ASEAN Summits in 1987 in Manila and in 2007 in Cebu.

So far, Duterte looks to be moving in the right direction. Since taking office in June 2016, Duterte has visited all nine countries and met with their leaders, including Chinas close ally Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, with the mission of hearing their views on ASEANs future.

We will pursue initiatives and enhance cooperation with global partners to ensure that ASEAN citizens live in peace, stability, security and growth, all the while maintaining ASEANs centrality, unity and solidarity for all time. The Philippines is ready and willing to steer and guide the association, Duterte said in his acceptance speech of the ASEAN chairmanship in September 2016.

Given the fast changing geopolitical landscape and power balance of the region, especially given the rise of China, it is imperative for ASEAN to engage major global powers to maintain regional peace and security. But ASEAN must be in the driving seat.

Therefore it is crucial to forge internal unity while engaging with global powers outside of ASEAN.

ASEAN leaders must jointly make a strong point that all disputes in the SCS must be solved peacefully based on international law, especially the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

Individually, Indonesia, the de facto leader of ASEAN, has called for a rules-based mechanism to solve maritime disputes, with Vietnam, the second biggest claimant in the SCS, concurring and calling on all claimants to show self-restraint. The Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei, the United States, Japan, Australia, India and European Union have all repeated the same tune.

Unfortunately, China claims more than 80 percent of the 3.5 million square kilometres SCS maritime area, based on its controversial nine-dashed line, and is reluctant to follow international law, including UNCLOS, to solve its disputes with Vietnam, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, Brunei Darussalam and even Indonesia.

Beijing claims that it has indisputable sovereignty over most of the SCS area. It used force against Vietnam to occupy disputed Paracel Islands in 1974 and has recently built several artificial islands in the SCS, where it has installed radars and advanced weaponry. Beijings activities in the SCS pose a major threat to the marine environment and peace and security in ASEAN region.

In a landmark ruling in July 2016, the Hague-based international tribunal, the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA), rejected outright the historical legitimacy of Chinas nine-dash line because China is a signatory to the UNCLOS and therefore must respect international maritime rules and regulations. It said clearly that Chinas claims on SCS had no legal basis.

But China rejected the Hague ruling.

President Duterte must include the PCA ruling in the agenda at the ASEAN Summit in Manila as well as at the 31st ASEAN Summit and Related Meetings in Clark, also in the Philippines, later this year.

After all it was the Philippines which sought international arbitration over Pamatag shoal (Scarborough Shoal) in the West Philippine Sea (the name in the Philippines for the South China Sea) after it was occupied by China in 2012.

The major responsibility of Duterte as ASEAN chair is to oversee the early conclusion of the much awaited COC, which will hopefully bring peace and stability to the region. For China, signing the COC will be an opportunity to earn considerable international respect while helping to reduce tension in the region.

There will be no winners, according to Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang, in any armed conflict over disputes in the SCS, only losers. Therefore ASEAN desperately needs to institute conflict prevention measures such as the COC.

Furthermore, a united ASEAN is not a threat to Chinas interests in the SCS. A peaceful and stable ASEAN region has emerged with China as the groups biggest trading partner and main source of tourists and investment.

Finally, as the largest country in ASEAN, Indonesia has a significant responsibility to work with Duterte and other ASEAN leaders to ensure ASEAN unity and solidarity. Indonesian President Joko Jokowi Widodo wants the SCS issue resolved peacefully in compliance with international rules.

Jokowi will hold a bilateral meeting with Duterte on April 28 to discuss both ASEAN matters as well as bilateral issues in Manila.

For sure both Jokowi and Duterte, and all ASEAN leaders, will be keen to ensure the region celebrates the groupings 50th anniversary, which falls this August, as a united ASEAN family.

***

The author is a staff writer at The Jakarta Post.

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Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official stance of The Jakarta Post.
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Linkedin EDITORIAL (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, April 26, 2017

To politicians popularity matters, which is why many of them seek out social media platforms to enlarge their support base and reach out to a larger audience when it comes to introducing policies or receiving feedback. President Joko Jokowi Widodo is a world leader whose penchant for social media use has earned him national and international fame. The latest report from Burson Marsteller on World Leaders on Instagram ranks Jokowi in fourth place after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, US President Donald Trump and Pope Francis.

Jokowi seems to know his strengths very well and how he can maximize them via social media.

Known for his simplicity, he has uploaded video blogs, or vlogs, about activities that common people do, such as getting a hair-cut at a barbershop, welcoming his newborn goats or taking on his youngest son in an armwrestling duel. The vlogs remind people of Jokowis popular campaign tagline Jokowi is us, a tagline that helped him win the presidency.
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, April 26, 2017 16:16 2022 a291276806121264c0bd211cdeafac95 1 Art & Culture Europe-on-Screen,festival,#festival,movies,#movies Free

Eleven works by some of Europe's most prominent filmmakers will be featured during the open air screening section of the 2017 Europe on Screen festival.

"All the films [in this section] will have Bahasa Indonesia subtitles," the festival's director Orlow Seunke told the press at a conference in Central Jakarta on Tuesday.

The scheduled films include A Little Chaos, April and the Extraordinary World, Ballerina, Blood Father, London Has Fallen, My Life as Zucchini, Now You See Me 2, Paddington, The New Adventures of Aladdin, The Visitors Bastille Day, and Under the Shadow.

From May 6 to 14, the free-entry open air screenings will be held every night at the Dutch cultural institute Erasmus Huis building's parking area in Kuningan, South Jakarta as well as for four nights at the Bintaro Jaya Xchange shopping mall in Tangerang, Banten and six days at the Gandaria City shopping mall, South Jakarta.

Read also: Studio Ghibli movies to be screen in 17 cities across Indonesia

"We will offer popular European movies that have been screened in Indonesian cinemas or those we consider suitable for the open air screenings," said Orlow as quoted by kompas.com.

In addition to the open air screenings, the festival will also feature other categories, namely the Xtra section (18 films), Discovery (23 films), Documentary (16 films) and Retro (six films). Screenings will be held in five other Indonesian cities from May 5 to 14, including Bandung, Denpasar, Medan, Surabaya and Yogyakarta. (kes)
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Linkedin Michael Liedtke (Associated Press) San Francisco, United States  Wed, April 26, 2017 10:19 2023 a291276806121264c0bd211cdeae5b1f 2 Science & Tech Google,#Google,fake-news,#FakeNews,hoax,#Hoax,search-engine Free

Google has sprinkled some new ingredients into its search engine in an effort to prevent bogus information and offensive suggestions from souring its results.

The changes have been in the works for four months, but Google hadn't publicly discussed most of them until now. The announcement in a blog post Tuesday reflects Google's confidence in a new screening system designed to reduce the chances that its influential search engine will highlight untrue stories about people and events, a phenomenon commonly referred to as "fake news."

"It's not a problem that is going to go all the way to zero, but we now think we can stay a step ahead of things," said Ben Gomes, Google's vice president of engineering for search.

CORRECTING AUTOCOMPLETE

Besides taking steps to block fake news from appearing in its search results, Google also has reprogrammed a popular feature that automatically tries to predict what a person is looking for as a search request as being typed. The tool, called "autocomplete," has been overhauled to omit derogatory suggestions, such as "are women evil," or recommendations that promote violence.

Google also adding a feedback option that will enable users to complain about objectionable autocomplete suggestions so a human can review the wording.

Facebook, where fake news stories and other hoaxes have widely circulated on its social network, also has been trying to stem the tide of misleading information by working with The Associated Press and other news organizations to review suspect stories and set the record straight when warranted. Facebook also has provided its nearly 2 billion users ways to identify posts believed to contain false information, something that Google is now allowing users of its search engine to do for some of the news snippets featured in its results.

Read also: Ending fake news, journalism's nemesis

WHY GOOGLE CARES

Google began attacking fake news in late December after several embarrassing examples of misleading information appeared near the top of its search engine. Among other things, Google's search engine pointed to a website that incorrectly reported then President-elect Donald Trump had won the popular vote in the U.S. election , that President Barack Obama was planning a coup and that the Holocaust never occurred during World War II.

Only about 0.25 percent of Google's search results were being polluted with falsehoods, Gomes said. But that was still enough to threaten the integrity of a search engine that processes billions of search requests per day largely because it is widely regarded as the internet's most authoritative source of information.

"They have a lot riding on this, reputation wise," said Lucy Dalglish, who has been tracking the flow of false information as dean of the University of Maryland's journalism department. "If your whole business model is based turning up the best search results, but those results turn up stuff that is total crap, where does that get you?"

To address the problem, Google began revising the closely guarded algorithms that generate its search with the help of 10,000 people who rate the quality and reliability of the recommendations during tests. Google also rewrote its 140-page book of rating guidelines that help the quality-control evaluators make their assessments.

GOOGLE AS REFEREE

Fighting fake news can be tricky because in some cases what is viewed as being blatantly misleading by one person might be interpreted as being mostly true by another. If Google, Facebook or other companies trying to block false information err in their judgment calls, they risk being accused of censorship or playing favorites.

But doing nothing to combat fake news would probably have caused even bigger headaches.

If too much misleading information appears in Google's search results, the damage could go beyond harm to its reputation for reliability. It could also spook risk-averse advertisers, who don't want their brands tied to content that can't be trusted, said Larry Chiagouris, a marketing professor at Pace University in New York.

"Fake news is careening out of control in some people's eyes, so advertisers are getting very skittish about it," Chiagouris said. "Anything Google can do to show it is trying to put a lid on it and prevent it from getting out of hand, it will be seen as a good thing."

Although it also sells ads on its other services and independently owned websites, Google still makes most of its money from the marketing links posted alongside its search results. Google says its new approach isn't meant to placate advertisers.
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Linkedin Rebecca Greenfield (Bloomberg)  Wed, April 26, 2017 17:28 2022 a291276806121264c0bd211cdeb02e25 2 Lifestyle work,workers,working-hours,work-schedule,office,#workers,#workplace Free

Six months after her baby was born, Amanda Sanchez still couldn't imagine returning full-time to her job in marketing at Adobe's Lehi, Utah, offices. Her family's finances depended on itbut 40 hours a week away from her baby? "You become so attached, its so hard to think of being away for an hour at a time," she said. She hoped to return to work with a more flexible schedule, working from home at least a few days a week, but she hadn't discussed it with her manager before going on leave. She figured she'd push for it once she got back. "If it wasn't going to be offered, Id look elsewhere for it, because it was important for me," she said.

Luckily for her, while she was on leave, Adobe Systems Inc. had begun piloting a new program that lets any U.S. employee returning from at least three months' leave work a non-traditional schedule at full pay for at least four months, once they're back. Under the program, employees such as Sanchez don't have to stress about asking for a flexible arrangementor the guilt or stigma that might bring. That's because all returning employees must meet with their managers and with HR to discuss the possibility.

Read also: How the six-hour workday actually saves money

"I'm a very guilt-prone person as it is," said Sanchez, who is now working from home two days a week. "It's hard to have a conversation asking for more, when you feel like you've already taken so much."

Many women drop out of the workforce after maternity leave because the rigid 9-to-5 schedule interferes with child care. An entire industry of services such as the Mom Project, which matches mothers with flexible work, promises the flexibility they want. And researchers have argued that less conventional work hours could close the gender pay gap.

But if new parents don't take the flexibility that's available, none of that matters.

Despite the growing popularity of alternative work arrangements and the proliferation of employers offering them to new parents, many people still feel stigmatized for even asking about their options. A survey by the Family and Work Institute found that two out of five people worry about using the flexibility their employers offer, fearing it could jeopardize their jobs. (People also fear taking paid family leave in the first place, a major Pew survey found recently.)

Read also: The biggest time suck at the office might be your computer

As a result, employees either decline to take advantage of flexible schedules or else hack their own. A 2015 case study of an unnamed, high-profile consulting firm found that rather than ask for formalizing flexible schedules, men at the firm simply made their own schedules without telling their bosses or coworkers. (Women, by contrast, didn't feel as comfortable bending the rules to their needs.) Less surreptitiously, people at some companies might take one day of parental leave each week, over a period of months, to work a reduced schedule without losing out on pay.

Alternative schedules are "still not seen as the normal way that people work," said Ellen Galinsky, the president of the Family and Work Institute. Many companies, she said, have found that regular conversations with a third party or a manager can help employees adjust back to full-time work from extended leave. "Weve made a big transition in the workforce, from people saying, 'If you can't manage it, don't come back,' to 'This is a normal transition, and its a hard transition, and we'll try to help you with it.'"

Adobe's program to ease that transition officially launched in February and, coupled with its generous parental leave policy, could help it retain employeesespecially women. The company says that after it expanded paid parental leave in 2015 (to 26 weeks for new birth mothers and four weeks for secondary caregivers) its attrition rate for women went from a little above the industry average to below it. Adobe declined to share the numbers.

Read also: Swedish six-hour workday runs into trouble: Its too costly

Dan Berthiaume, Adobe's director of corporate communications, had an employee, Carly Listman, coming back from maternity leave this month. About three weeks ahead of time, he got a call from human resources reminding him of the company's new program, plus an email with a template to help managers have conversations about flexibility.

Listman returned last week. The next day, she and Berthiaume sat down to discuss her options. She has yet to decide what arrangement will work best for her. "I assumed I had just gotten six monthsit's time to get back to work," she said. "Then I see this, and its another 120 days of flexible schedule. I was shocked knowing that this was available when I got back."

Previously, any Adobe employee returning from leave had to approach their manager about their options. Often, they never would.

"You've maybe gone to a house party before, and there are hors d'oeuvres on the table, but the host never says you should try some. Should I take it, or should I not?" said Berthiaume. "Without that extra level of awareness, you could still have employees who are like, 'Well, should I do it?' This is the host being clear about whats available to you."
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Linkedin Benett Marcus (Bloomberg)  Wed, April 26, 2017 17:05 2022 a291276806121264c0bd211cdeafde13 2 Food Singapore,Atlas-bar,Gin,alcohol,#alcohol,bar,#bar Free

For visitors to Singapore, a trip to the Long Bar at Raffles Hotel is a rite of passage, where you can perch on a padded stool and sip a cerise-colored Singapore Sling in the 130-year-old building named after the countrys founder.

But theres a new kid in town. Atlas, housed in what locals affectionately call the Batman Building, due to its similarities to Gotham Citys Wayne Tower, bills itself as having the worlds largest collection of gin. Its owner, Vicky Hwang, thinks that after a two-year renovation, the 7,400 square foot Art Deco space will be able to rival Raffles thanks to an extensive menu of 1,011 bottles and counting.

The drinks menu at Atlas is currently a work in progress but already stretches to 60 pages, and thats without tasting notes. (The bar hopes it will be finished in May.) Inside, you can find Ki No Bi Kyoto Dry Gin, produced at Japans first dedicated gin distillery in the south of Kyoto using Japanese botanicals such as sansho leaf, kinome sprout and yuzu peel. If you prefer more of a dry style, go for the Forest Dry Gin Quersus, a classic Belgian gin aged in a former Montrachet white wine barrel that imparts notes of pear, lavender and baking spice.

Jason Williams, Atlass master of gin, describes the collection as one of the worlds largest, most diverse and thoughtfully curated physical collections of quality gins. They include Pollination Gin, which is made at the Dyfi Distillery in mid-Wales using botanicals foraged from the Unesco-recognized Dygi Biosphere Reserve. Another, called Gin La Republica - Andina, is a Bolivian gin distilled at 4,000 meters above sea level that uses Andean ingredients such as ulupica, huacataya, quirquina and khoa.

Read also: Newly opened Hooters Jakarta boasts family-friendly sports bar concept

A bartender prepares a drink at Atlas.(Bloomberg/Franz Navarrete)

One factor common to all the bottles in the collection is strength. Every one is at least 40% ABV, according to Williams. Gin is better when its stronger. You get those botanicals like perfume.

The best of the collection is displayed in the three-story-tall gin tower with carved wooden columns and glass shelving that serves as the centerpiece of the room.

In the venues previous incarnation, the tower was a wine refrigerator. When a customer selected a bottle from the upper reaches, a wine angel bartender would don a pair of wings before being whisked to the top with a pulley system, where she would pluck it from its shelf. At the time, it was incredible. Twelve years later, it was a bit gimmicky, said Hwang.

With a Little Help From Our Friends

Bertha's Revenge, Sipsmith and Four Pillars. Just a fraction of the extensive gin collection at Atlas.(Bloomberg/Franz Navarrete)

Getting your hands on more than 1,000 of the worlds most distinctive gins isnt easy. After drawing up an extensive inventory of the worlds best bottles, the tough part was sourcing them. While many distillers were happy to submit a bottle for the collection, others were harder to come by, so Atlas came up with a novel solutionemploy a barren of gin mules (yes, the collective noun for mules is barren), friends and family around the globe, to bring them into the country.

Whenever someone was coming to Singapore, if there was a bottle we needed, we would let them know, and they would buy the bottle and mule it back for us, Hwang said. We had all these gin mules all over the world.

Read also: Return of the cheese man

Sitting Comfortably

Vicky Hwang sits at the Atlas bar after two years of renovations.(Bloomberg/Franz Navarrete)

While sourcing the bars plush furnishings, Hwang flew to Spain so she could sit on a chair and and personally test whether its stuffing was comfortable enough for guests.

She jokingly describes herself as a nightmare client for design firm Hassell, who worked with Hwang throughout the refurbishment. It got to the point where I would take a picture, Id be like, I want this seat, and the carpet needs to be more like this. The lobby makeover was a major overhaul, with just the walls and ceiling remaining intact.

Hwang wont say how much it cost to renovate, or what the bars profit expectations are. She reveals only that the bar pays rent, like any other tenant. Diane Aw, head of retail services at Singapore real estate company Colliers International, estimates that the space would rent for about $74,000 (US$52,700) a month, taking into account location, its Art Deco grandeur, and the limited number of bar operators with the capacity to fit out such a space.

The Non-Gin Option

Shipwreck Champagne, preserved on the seabed by the dark, cold water for 75 years.(Bloomberg/Franz Navarrete)

If your idea of a good drink involves sipping on a glass of bubbly that spent 75 years on the seabed, you can do that at Atlas thanks to a selection of rare champagne bottles straight from the private collection of Hwangs Uncle George.

Among them? Shipwreck champagne. The story goes that 4,400 bottles of 1907 Charles Heidsieck and Co. champagne were being transported to Russias Tsar Nicholas II when the Swedish freighter Jonkoping was sunk by a German U-boat.

In 1997, salvage crews recovered some 2,000 bottles from the seabed, where the contents had been preserved at a perfect pressure by the dark, ice-cold water. Its actually the same champagne that they drank on the Titanic, Hwang explains.

Read also: These are the worlds 50 best restaurants

Grandfathers Watching You

A small portrait of CS Hwang watches over proceedings at the bar.(Bloomberg/Franz Navarrete)

Propped up on a shelf behind the bar is the ever-watchful portrait of Hwangs late grandfather, property magnate CS Hwang, founder of the Chyau Fwu Group. Today the family-run empire includes one of Hong Kongs largest housing estates and developments in China and Europe.

Despite the modest size of the portrait, the late tycoons presence looms large in Parkview Square where Atlas is housed  it was his last major building project before his death in 2004, aged 78. His legacy was very much in the forefront of Vicky Hwangs mind when it came to tearing up the original lobby bar. They took all the furniture out, and then they started breaking the marble, and I literally had a panic attack, Hwang recalls. I was like, Oh my god, thats my grandfathers marble. If I mess this up theyre all going to kill me.

A floral display sits in front of the bar.(Bloomberg/Franz Navarrete)

The bar's signature Atlas martini.(Bloomberg/Franz Navarrete)
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, April 26, 2017 15:16 2022 a291276806121264c0bd211cdeaf743d 1 Business 7-Eleven,sold,business-declining,SMI,CPRI Free

Retail operator PT Modern Sevel Indonesia (MSI) plans to sell its 7-Eleven convenience stores for Rp 1 trillion (US$75.24 million) to PT Charoen Pokphand Restu Indonesia (CPRI), a business entity of PT Charoen Pokphand Indonesia (CPI).

According to information from the Indonesian Stocks Exchange (IDX) published on April 21, the transaction agreement was made on April 19.

Under the deal, CPRI agrees to take over the business activities of MSI  mini-restaurants (resto) and convenience stores  as well as assets that use the franchise system, tempo.co reported on Wednesday.

The transaction, which is scheduled for June 30, is worth Rp 1 trillion, pending approval from various parties including the Trade Ministry and Financial Service Authority (OJK), shareholders, board of commissioners and 7-Eleven Inc., the owner of the brand, CPI president director Tjiu Thomas Effendy wrote in his letter to IDXs registration director.

MSI and CPRI have settled various issues related to the planned transaction, said Tjiu.

The 7-Eleven chain of convenience stores and mini restaurants are popular among young people as most of the outlets remain open for 24 hours. However, sales have been on the decline as most customer come to enjoy the stores free Internet and chat with their friends.

Other local retailers like Alfa Mart and Indomart have also opened mini resto in their outlets in recent months. (bbn)
Guwahati, Apr 26 (IBNS) : The Vigilance and Anti Corruption (V&AC) of Assam police on Wednesday raided the office of the CID, following directive by Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal.

The Assam CM ordered the V&AC to initiate probe against some CID officials following the allegations made by a contractor Dipul Barman, who was recently arrested by the CID in connection with the multi-crore rupees scam in Assam agriculture department.

He reportedly said that some CID officials had taken bribes from several officials of agriculture department and contractors to cover up the multi-crore rupees scam.

The sleuths of V&AC had conducted search operation at the CID office in Guwahati for several hours and seized several files, incriminating documents.

ADGP of V&AC YK Gautam said the investigating agency has conducted a probe against some CID officials who have allegedly taken bribes and trying to cover up the agriculture scam worth of Rs 700 crore.

Following the Assam CMs directive, we have taken the matter very seriously and those will found guilty, they will be punished as per law, the top Assam cop said.

CID had registered a case in connection with the multi-crore rupees scam few years back, but the investigating agency had arrested nine persons including five government officials in this year.

(Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath)
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Linkedin Callistasia Anggun Wijaya (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, April 26 2017

The hundreds of flower boquets decorating City Hall sent by Basuki Ahok Tjahaja Purnamas supporters in commiseration for his election loss might not be enough to cheer up the outgoing governor as he was forced to sit through another hearing of his blasphemy trial on Tuesday morning.

The hearing got off to a rocky start after a group of people held up proceedings by chanting Allahu Akbar! Allahu Akbar! directly after presiding judge Dwiarso Budi Santiarto asked Ahok to read out his final defense statement.

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Islamic-based Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) chairman Sohibul Iman said the victory of presumptive Jakarta governor-elect Anies Baswedan and his running mate, Sandiaga Uno, gives momentum to Muslims to raise their dignity in the political sphere.

"I take lessons from Jakarta gubernatorial election. Following the victory of Anies-Sandiaga, I visited several regions [and I see] that Muslims perceive the victory as an event, which has raised their dignity," Sohibul said as quoted by kompas.com on Wednesday.

Sohibul, whose PKS allied with the Gerindra Party to back Anies-Sandiaga in the Jakarta gubernatorial election, said the pair's victory was inseparable from the Indonesian Muslims who united to give their support to the candidates.

(Read also: Anies-Sandi to form community of former Jakarta leaders)

According to the politician, Muslims in civil-society organizations and political parties have united ever since claims emerged alleging that Jakarta Governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama may have committed blasphemy against Islam.

With the rise of Islamic pride in politics, Sohibul asked the nation's political party elites to understand and prioritize accommodating the aspirations of Muslims.

Separately, Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) consultative board chairman Din Syamsuddin said Muslims should be independent in politics, considering Indonesia is a Muslim-majority nation.

"Defending the interests of Muslims means defending the interests of Indonesian citizens [...] We hope there is a solution for political parties to defend Muslims" Din said.

Judges presiding over Ahok's trial are set to announce their verdict on May 9. Prosecutors have scrapped the blasphemy charges, and are now only pursuing an accusation of defamation against Islamic ulemas. (afr)
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Linkedin Haeril Halim (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, April 26, 2017 20:52 2022 a291276806121264c0bd211cdeb06f79 1 National BLBI-case,megawati-soekarnoputri,IBRA,Jokowi,President-Jokowi,BDNI,KPK Free

President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo shrugged off suggestions saying that the ongoing investigation into the 2002 Bank Indonesia liquidity support (BLBI) case could implicate former president Megawati Soekarnoputri, who is also the chairwoman of his Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P).

On Tuesday, the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) announced that it had named former Indonesian Bank Restructuring Agency (IBRA) chairman Syafruddin Arsyad Temenggung a suspect. Syafruddin, who was appointed Indonesian Bank Restructuring Agency (IBRA) chairman in 2002 when Megawati was president, issued a letter for Sjamsul Nursalim, the owner of Bank Dagang Nasional Indonesia (BDNI), freeing him from the obligation to pay Rp 3.7 trillion (US$277.8 million) in BLBI debt.

(Read also: President Jokowi urged to give political support to KPK in revealing BLBI grand corruption)

Syafruddins decision was based on Megawati's instruction in December 2002, regulating the release and discharge letters, freeing recipients of the funds of the obligation to fully pay the debts.

"It's different. The most important thing is to distinguish what is a policy and what is the implementation," Jokowi said when asked by journalists about the case on Wednesday.

"Presidential decisions, presidential regulations and presidential instructions are all policies, intended to solve problems. What happened at the implementation level is different. You may need to ask the KPK [about the case]," Jokowi added.

Syafruddin is the first official to be named a suspect in the case.

Sjamsuls BDNI received Rp 28 trillion of the BLBI fund and was obligated to return Rp 4.8 trillion, but Syafruddin decided that the bank should only pay Rp 1.1 trillion. (bbs)
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Linkedin Grace D. Amianti and Stefani Ribka (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, April 26, 2017 08:00 2023 a291276806121264c0bd211cdead84f7 2 Business money-changer,#MoneyChanger Free

Attractive exchange rates and a long list of currency options are the main reasons why travelers pick particular money changers to sell or buy foreign bills.

However, with the increasingly popular use of foreign currencies to support extraordinary crimes such as graft, drug distribution and terrorism, Indonesian authorities now want customers of money-exchange outlets to keep an additional rule in mind: Carry out your transactions in licensed outlets only.

As a lucrative business that is relatively easy to start, money changers have mushroomed at tourist spots and trade centers across the archipelago. Such outlets even offer better exchange rates than banks, making them popular among travelers and customers seeking quick services.

Bank Indonesia (BI) and the National Police, however, have claimed that there has been an upward trend in money laundering activities involving unauthorized money changers.

Drug kingpin Pony Tjandra, who was sentenced to 20 years in prison in February, for example, was known to have exchanged Rp 3.6 trillion (US$270 million) in cash into various foreign currencies at eight money changers in North Sumatra, Riau Islands and Jakarta throughout 2015. None of the money changers were aware of the origin of the money.

With support from the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (PPATK) and the National Narcotics Agency (BNN), the central bank instructed unauthorized non-bank money changers to apply for an operational license during a transition period between Oct. 6 last year and April 7 this year.

To apply for such a license, a money changer outlet must be registered as a legal business entity with a minimum capital of Rp 250 million for those located in Jakarta, Bandung, Batam and Denpasar. Outside those locations, a money changer is required to have a minimum capital of Rp 100 million.

As the transition period ends, the central bank and law enforcers have now started to crack down on illegal money changers that fail to comply with the regulations.

Those who have met the assigned conditions have expressed support for the governments efforts to reshape the market.

It will protect us from being accessories to crime, Hardi Darmawan, the owner of PT Valas Asia Perkasa in Pasar Baru, Central Jakarta, told The Jakarta Post recently.

(Read also: EDITORIAL: Shady money changers)

The 59-year-old man started his money-changing business in 1985 as an extension to his jewelry shop. After several years operating without a proper license, Hadi finally obtained one in 1992.

Apart from curbing the spread of extraordinary crimes, the new rules are also aimed at protecting the rights of customers in a country known as a center for counterfeit money. BI reported that local authorities confiscated 320,000 pieces of counterfeit money throughout last year.

Despite efforts to promote licensed money-changers, customers often choose outlets merely because of their proximity, said Nuke Leli, a branch manager at registered money changer PT Binavalasindo Dollar Asia in Melawai, a popular shopping district in South Jakarta.

Most of our customers do not ask whether we are legal or not, she said.

Money-changers have become a profitable alternative business for small-scale entrepreneurs and the number of such companies has increased over the past few years to 1,069 head offices and more than 800 branches, BI data shows.

BI data also reveals that total transactions at money changers nationwide increased to Rp 257.4 trillion last year from Rp 146.2 trillion recorded in 2012.

Meanwhile, the National Police have identified almost 200 money-changer outlets operating without a proper license. These businesses have been put under supervision. Around a dozen have applied for licenses, while 95 others have been labeled illegal and are facing forced closure.

These 95 outlets disguise their operations with other businesses such as travel agencies, jewelry and souvenir shops, car rental agencies and massage parlors, said National Police director for special and economic crimes Brig. Gen. Agung Setya.
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Linkedin Prima Wirayani (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, April 26 2017

State-owned lender Bank Mandiri expects to see a positive business trend for the rest of the year after recording a slight improvement in the first quarter.

Its directors were all smiles during a press conference in Jakarta on Tuesday as they announced the first-quarters results, which show signs of recovery.

The bank increased its outstanding loans by 14.2 percent year-on-year to Rp 656.2 trillion (US$49.35 billion) in the January to March period, higher than the 11 percent to 13 percent target set for 2017.

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Linkedin Grace D. Amianti and Stefani Ribka (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, April 26 2017

Attractive exchange rates and a long list of currency options are the main reasons why travelers pick particular money changers to sell or buy foreign bills.

However, with the increasingly popular use of foreign currencies to support extraordinary crimes such as graft, drug distribution and terrorism, Indonesian authorities now want customers of money-exchange outlets to keep an additional rule in mind: Carry out your transactions in licensed outlets only.

As a lucrative business that is relatively easy to start, money changers have mushroomed at tourist spots and trade centers across the archipelago. Such outlets even offer better exchange rates than banks, making them popular among travelers and customers seeking quick services.

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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, April 26, 2017 16:05 2022 a291276806121264c0bd211cdeafa163 1 National BPBD,Ponorogo,landslide,landslides,East-Java,#landslide,#landslides,disaster,disaster-mitigation,disaster-victims Free

A search and rescue team from the Ponorogo Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD) has recovered the body of a fifth victim of a landslide that hit Banaran village, Ponorogo regency, East Java, on April 2.

BPBD Ponorogos logistics and emergency affairs division head, Setya Budiono, said the fifth victim, reportedly an adult male, was found on Monday when the agencys team and volunteers was working to normalize the Tangkil River, which was clogged with mud.

The body was found at around 2:45 p.m. local time when the BPBD team and Indonesia Amateur Radio Organization [Orari] volunteers hosed mud from the river, Budi said as quoted by Antara on Tuesday.

The body was discovered two days after BPBD Ponorogo announced the end of the state of emergency in Banaran village, which had been extended for one week.

Most BPBD elements, disaster response team members and volunteers had been withdrawn but several personnel were taking turns to clear the Tangkil River.

Together with local residents, the team removed the body from the river. It was later taken to the mortuary at Dr Hardjono Regional General Hospital, Ponorogo, for identification, said Budi, adding that the body remained unidentified.

During the search operation after the landslide hit Banaran village the bodies of four people reported missing were recovered by the joint team. They were named as Iwan Danang Suwandi, 27, Katemi, 70, Sumaryono, 25, and Sunadi, 47. (hol/ebf)
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Linkedin Marguerite Afra Sapiie (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, April 26, 2017 20:09 2022 a291276806121264c0bd211cdeb05d6c 1 National DPRD,Jokowi,Wiranto,adeksi,nawacita Free

A senior minister has called on members of Regional Legislative Councils (DPRD) across the country to commit to realizing President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's priority to develop Indonesia from its outer areas.

This goal, which is one of Jokowi's "Nawacita" (nine key programs), will only be achieved if regional legislators are able to push regional leaders to prioritize policies that promote the improvement of people's welfare, Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Wiranto said.

"DPRD members represent the people's interests and are responsible for people's aspirations on matters that should be addressed by regional leaders. Remember, legislators exist because of the people," Wiranto said in his speech at the second national working meeting (Rakernas) of the Indonesia City Council Association (Adeksi) in Bali, as quoted in a statement released by his office on Wednesday.

(Read also: Aqua culture touted to lift outer islands from poverty)

The event was held to allow members of city councils across Indonesia to coordinate to optimize their support of national and regional development.

The minister further reiterated that DPRD members should be humble because legislators were elected only to serve the people. (bbs)

Topics : DPRD Jokowi Wiranto adeksi nawacita
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Linkedin Fedina S. Sundaryani (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, April 26 2017

The government expects to persuade vehicle owners to switch to gas as a fuel by establishing hundreds of new compressed natural gas (CNG) stations across the country.

The Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry has recently issued Ministerial Decree No. 25/2017 on the acceleration of gas fuel for transportation, which is the basis for the ministrys plan to construct an additional 221 CNG stations and mandates the installation of CNG dispensers at 150 conventional filling stations in Java by 2020.

At the moment, there are only 68 CNG stations, 46 of which were constructed using state funds.

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Linkedin (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, April 26 2017

The Jakarta Education Agency is looking to build more state schools for students with disabilities (SLBNs) in East and West Jakarta to reach the target of providing one in every district in Jakarta.

We plan to add more SLBNs in 2018, as the schools do not currently exist in many places, Jakarta Education Agency deputy head Bowo Irianto said on Tuesday.

Currently, there are only eight SLBNs in the city. Bowo said the administration was looking for land as well as teachers for the state schools. There is one site in East Jakarta and another one in West Jakarta that are ready, he said as quoted by beritajakarta.com.

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Guwahati, Apr 26 (IBNS) : After a gap of almost 12 years, the tripartite talks between the All Assam Studentsa Union, Government of India and Government of Assam at the Home Ministerial level was held at North Block here on Wednesday in the presence of Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and representatives of All Assam Studentsa Union.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh while taking part in the discussion assured the AASU representatives that the spirit of Assam Accord would not be allowed to get diluted at any cost.

The Union Minister, who has been closely monitoring the implementation of the Accord, stated that the Government of India and the Government of Assam are committed to a flawless NRC updation exercise in Assam and to provide Constitutional and economic safeguards to the indigenous people.



He also stated that AASU representatives can contact him any time to discuss issues pertaining to the Assam Accord.



Singh further informed that a committee with representatives from Government of India, Government of Assam and AASU will be formed to ensure time bound implementation of all clauses of the Accord.



All issues raised by AASU will be discussed in detail and implemented in a time bound manner. We are also mulling the option for second line of defense along the border for strengthening border security and checking infiltration. Besides, erection of fencing along Indo-Bangla border has already begun, Singh said.



The Union Home Minister also stated that construction work of Bogibeel Bridge would be completed within Dec 2017.



Terming the talks as meaningful, Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said: "We have started a meaningful and good beginning to the implementation of Assam Accord."

Todays talks have ended on a positive note, as we have discussed in detail clause-wise time bound implementation of the Accord for providing constitutional and economic safeguards to the people of Assam, Sonowal said.

The Chief Minister further informed that in the coming days political and official level engagements will continue for implementation of all clauses of the Accord within a stipulated time frame.

AASU Adviser Samujjal Bhattacharyya, while terming the outcome as positive, thanked Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal for their initiatives to hold the talks after a long hiatus.

Bhattacharyya said that all 60 proposals placed by AASU for clause-wise implementation of the Accord were discussed threadbare in the talks.

The AASU Adviser also said that they have raised the issue of raising of a Special Task Force at district and state levels for detection of illegal immigrants.

A bilateral agreement between Governments of India and Bangladesh for deportation of the illegal immigrants was also suggested by AASU in the discussions, Bhattacharyya said.

He also disclosed that the next tripartite talks would be held after two months to speed up the momentum of the whole process.

The tripartite talks which lasted for nearly 45 minutes discussed threadbare clause wise time bound implementation of Assam Accord particularly Clauses 6 and 7 pertaining to Constitutional safeguards to indigenous people and economic safeguards.

It also discussed the process of NRC updation exercise to weed out the names of illegal immigrants, complete sealing of the porous border on a war footing including riverine areas to prevent influx of illegal immigrants once and for all.

Revival of Ashok Paper Mill, tackling the recurrent flood and erosion problem, protection of the riverine island Majuli from the fury of the Brahmaputra, revamping the Brahmaputra Board, setting up of new institutions were some of the other issues that came up during the discussions.

While Union Home Secretary Rajeev Meharshi and Joint Secretary (North East), MHA Satyendra Garg represented the Government of India, the Government of Assam by State Industry Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary, Media Adviser to Chief Minister Hrishikesh Goswami, Legal Adviser to Chief Minister Shantanu Bharali, Chief Secretary VK Pipersenia, Principal Secretary, Home Hemanta Narzary, Commissioner and Secretary, Home LS Changsan and Resident Commissioner Rwitticka Kalita, the AASU was represented by Adviser Samujjal Bhattacharyya, President Dipanka Nath, General Secretary Lorinjyoti Gogoi and educationist Basanta Deka.

(Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath)
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Linkedin Marguerite Afra Sapiie (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, April 26, 2017 22:49 2022 a291276806121264c0bd211cdeb0890c 1 National HRW,Human-Rights-Watch,violence,violence-againts-journalists Free

Rights group Human Rights Watch (HRW) has called on the Indonesian government to adopt bolder steps to ensure the dismissal and prosecution of security officials implicated in violence against journalists.

HRW deputy Asia director Phelim Kine specifically called UNESCO director-general Irina Bokova to publicly address the increase in assaults against journalists during the commemoration of the 2017 World Press Freedom Day next week.

UNESCO has chosen Jakarta to host its annual World Press Freedom Day commemoration on May 3 and thus it should use the occasion to urge President Joko Jokowi Widodo to take more decisive action in response to the issue, Kine said.

World Press Freedom Day should be a time to celebrate the role journalists play in society, but in Indonesia the focus too often is on reporters fears, Kine said.

The Indonesian government should reverse the dangerous deterioration of freedom of the press in the country and prosecute security force personnel who physically assault journalists.

The Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI) revealed the number of violence against journalists cases increased to 78 incidents in 2016, including attacks by security forces, from 42 in 2015 and 40 in 2014. Only a few of attackers in those 78 incidents were properly brought to justice.

Investigations by the HRW found that the abuse included destruction of journalists' equipment, harassment, intimidation, threats and assault. Theses acts typically occurred in provincial capitals and smaller cities, but less commonly in Jakarta, where journalists are more aware of their rights. (ebf)
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Linkedin Moses Ompusunggu (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, April 26, 2017 19:10 2022 a291276806121264c0bd211cdeb05a3d 1 National ecotourism,national-park,conservation,#NationalPark,#Conservation,Ujung-Kulon-National-Park,tourism,EnvironmentConservation,Environment-and-Forestry-Ministry,environment Free

Ecotourism in Indonesia could flourish more if the operation of conservation areas like national parks is managed by the private sector, a top researcher said on Wednesday.

University of Indonesia professor of conservation biology Jatna Supriatna, who chairs the universitys Research Center for Climate Change, said privatizing the management of national parks was an ideal move to make national parks profit centers like in foreign countries, notably in the United States.

In Indonesia, conservation areas are not prepared to serve as profit centers for the state. Ideally, the government should act merely as a regulator, while the development of national parks should be managed by the private sector, Jatna said in a public lecture.

In Ujung Kulon National Park in Banten, a home to the near-extinct Javanese rhinoceros, a lack of adequate infrastructure such as roads has prevented tourists from visiting the site. Jatna said the situation would change if the government could give business players a chance to manage conservation areas because this would lead to their improvement, which would eventually attract more tourists.

Generating profit does not always lead to destruction. It has been globally agreed that national parks could serve as sources of profit for the state, Jatna added.

A 2011 government regulation allows public-private partnerships for managing conservation areas. In 2016, the Environment and Forestry Ministry signed an agreement with timber company APRIL to manage the newly launched Zamrud National Park in Riau, but it was eventually canceled because of what the ministry called an indication of infringement, Antara reported. (ebf)
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Linkedin Anton Hermansyah (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, April 26, 2017 15:50 2022 a291276806121264c0bd211cdeaf8b24 2 Business Inacraft,craft,marketing Free

President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo has said the craft industry needs a marketing boost in order to lure global buyers.

Based on his own experience as a former furniture exporter, Jokowi noted that foreign buyers were unfamiliar with a lot of local craft products.

"We have quality crafts, but quality alone is not enough, Jokowi said in his opening remark at the 2017 International Handicraft Trade Fair (Inacraft) on Wednesday at the Jakarta Convention Center.

Foreign buyers have difficulty obtaining Indonesian products. I used to participate in Inacraft in the early 2000s, so I know that promotion is our challenge," he added.

(Read also: Handicraft industry must read global trends: VP)

The world craft market in 2016 slipped 2.11 percent year-on-year (yoy) to US$48.6 billion, according to Trade Ministry data.

Contrary to the international downward trend, Indonesias craft exports increased 1.35 percent yoy to $685.26 million, representing 1.41 percent of the global craft market.

The President suggested that to gain a competitive edge, Indonesian craft makers should pay attention to three aspects, namely product specification, pricing and timely delivery. He also emphasized that good packaging was a way to attract buyers.

"Please package your products as attractively as possible so that buyers will fall in love with them at first sight," Jokowi said. (lnd)

Topics : Inacraft craft marketing
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Linkedin Haeril Halim (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, April 26 2017

The discovery of an Indonesian passport by local authorities during a recent terrorism crackdown in the southern Philippines has raised concerns about intensifying coordination between Indonesian militants and the Abu Sayyaf group, the leading pro-Islamic State (IS) group in the region.

With resources to guard border areas limited, militants can easily enter Abu Sayyafs territory in the Philippines.

Directorate General of Immigration spokesperson Agung Sampurno told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday that for years Indonesian militants and foreign fighters from the Philippines have traveled back and forth between the two countries using traditional sea routes due to a lack of personnel guarding waters in northern Sulawesi, which borders the Philippines.

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Linkedin Haeril Halim (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, April 26, 2017 08:30 2023 a291276806121264c0bd211cdeade75c 2 National MilitantGroups,#PhilippineRebels Free

The discovery of an Indonesian passport by local authorities during a recent terrorism crackdown in the southern Philippines has raised concerns about intensifying coordination between Indonesian militants and the Abu Sayyaf group, the leading pro-Islamic State (IS) group in the region.

With resources to guard border areas limited, militants can easily enter Abu Sayyafs territory in the Philippines.

Directorate General of Immigration spokesperson Agung Sampurno told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday that for years Indonesian militants and foreign fighters from the Philippines have traveled back and forth between the two countries using traditional sea routes due to a lack of personnel guarding waters in northern Sulawesi, which borders the Philippines.

The immigration office has two border check points  one in Miangas and another on Marore Island in North Sulawesi  that are used by local people in the region as entry points to Balut and Tibanban islands in the southern Philippines.

However, Agung said, the checkpoints could not effectively prevent Indonesian militants entering the Philippines as locals can visit their relatives in Mindanau, in the southern Philippines, with only a border pass and not a passport.

In this Wednesday, Aug. 31, 2016 photo released by Presidential Photographers Division, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, right, salutes the portrait of one of 15 soldiers killed in Monday's gunbattle with Muslim Abu Sayyaf militants during his visit to Western Mindanao Command in Zamboanga city in southern Philippines. Abu Sayyaf extremists killed 15 Philippine Army soldiers in fierce fighting Monday in the country's restive southern island of Jolo, dealing the government its largest single-day combat loss under President Duterte, who ordered the militants to be crushed for their brutality. (Presidential Photographers Division via AP)/Rey Baniquet)

Historically, Mindanau was part of the Tidore Sultanate in the Maluku Islands located in the eastern part of Indonesia. They [foreign fighters] used the two hubs to enter Indonesia and it is already public knowledge that they went to Poso [in Central Sulawesi to join the East Indonesia Mujahidin terrorist group]. They also smuggle weapons via these hubs, Agung told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday.

Agung said the Directorate General of Immigration had dispatched a team to Davao to identify the Indonesian passport found by military officers during a military campaign to bombard Abu Sayyaf and Maute terrorist groups in Piagapo town in the southern Philippines that reportedly killed 30 terrorists on Saturday morning.

Philippine authorities told Reuters they believe Indonesian and Malaysian militants might have been with the groups.

It is difficult to access the area because it is heavily guarded by the military. We will coordinate with local police and military officials to identify the owner of the passport, Agung said.

National Terrorism Agency (BNPT) prevention division head Hamidin said the southern Philippines had been used by IS to gather militants from Southeast Asian countries, including Indonesia, to carry out terrorist training.

Aside from Indonesia, there are fighters from Malaysia, Bangladesh and other countries in Southeast Asia attending training in the southern Philippines, Hamidin told the Post.

The designation of the southern Philippines as an IS stronghold in Southeast Asia came after the Abu Sayyaf terrorist group pledged allegiance to IS.

Hamidin added that it was difficult to track the exact number of Indonesian jihadists attending training in the southern Philippines because they cross the border illegally.

The official said the free visa policy among ASEAN country members had provided a way for fighters in the region to freely enter the Philippines without any disruption. All activities of IS-related groups in Southeast Asia are centered in the southern Philippines, Hamidin said.

Earlier, the National Police said local terrorist groups in Indonesia were planning to build a military camp in Halmahera, North Maluku, due to its close proximity to the southern Philippines.

Experts said local militants chose Halmahera because it was a remote area reachable only by boat and was easier for them to access small islands in the southern Philippines where they would carry out military training with other foreign fighters in the region.
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Linkedin Nurul Fitri Ramadhani (The Jakarta Post) Cirebon  Wed, April 26, 2017 10:07 2023 a291276806121264c0bd211cdeae38ea 1 National female,clerics,#FemaleCleric Free

The first National Congress of Female Muslim Clerics (Ulema) marked the conclusion of its opening session on Tuesday with the reading of a pledge by seven female clerics representing seven regions across the country.

The three-day congress is expected to come up with recommendations on Thursday, its final day, on the roles female Muslim clerics can play in tackling womens issues, according to an organizer of the event.

Congress organizer Ninik Rahayu said Tuesdays pledge aimed to show that the recommendations would be based on not only Quran and Hadist as the main reference of Islamic teachings, but also on the Indonesian constitution as the countrys highest legal text, as well as international legal references.

(Read also: Role of women seen as vital to resisting Islamic extremism)

Several well-known figures attended Tuesdays closing, held at the Kebon Jambu Islamic boarding school in Cirebon, West Java, including Netty Prasetyani, the wife of West Java Governor Ahmad Heryawan; Cirebon Regent Sunjaya Purwadi Sastra; and chairwoman of the Nahdlatul Ulamas womens wing Fatayat, Anggia Ermarini.

I hope the results of the congress will be able to push Muslim women to be better educators for children and help reduce the number of sexual violence against women, Netty said. (dan)
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Linkedin Anton Hermansyah (The Jakarta Post) Purwakarta, West Java  Wed, April 26, 2017 10:56 2023 a291276806121264c0bd211cdeae6413 1 Business Cabinet-reshuffle,Jokowi,denial Free

President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo has denied rumors about a cabinet reshuffle sparked by results of the recent Jakarta gubernatorial election and the Presidents own remarks on a possible change of ministers.

"There is no reshuffle today, next week or this month," Jokowi said after attending a groundbreaking ceremony of Al-Hikamussalafiyah Islamic boarding school in Purwakarta, West Java on Tuesday.

The National Mandate Party (PAN) is believed to support the winning candidates of Jakartas gubernatorial election, Anies Baswedan-Sandiaga Uno.

Although the National Awakening Party (PKB) and the United Development Party (PPP) officially supported Jokowis allies, Basuki Ahok Tjahaja Purnama and Djarot Saiful Hidayat, many politicians in the lower levels had declared their support for Anies-Sandiaga.

Previously, speaking about the governments target regarding land certification, the President said that if his ministers failed to meet his demands, they should know the consequences.

Jokowi said he evaluates his ministers every week, stressing that there was no problem with his ministers.

The President also denied that he would give Basuki a ministerial position.

Pak Ahok is still Jakarta governor until October," he said. (bbn)
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Linkedin Marguerite Afra Sapiie (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, April 26, 2017 20:45 2022 a291276806121264c0bd211cdeb06f6d 1 National Komnas-HAM,#KomnasHAM,#UNESCO Free

The National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) signed a memorandum of understanding with UNESCO on Wednesday to kick off cooperation to promote linkages between the sustainable development goals (SDGs) and human rights in Indonesia.

In the memorandum, both parties agreed that human rights provide insights and guidance for tackling the complex and multidimensional goals of the 2030 agenda, while the SDGs can serve as a tangible, results-oriented instrument for the realization of human rights.

Komnas HAM commissioner Roichatul Aswidah, who represented the state rights body's chairman Nur Kholis, said the only way to achieve the SDGs was to insert a human rights-based approach into national development planning, in particular non-discrimination and equality principles.

"The SDGs are an instrument to fulfill our human rights obligations, such as achieving gender parity and equality for all, including marginal and disabled people. The SDGs are a way for us to empower citizens," Roichatul said on Wednesday.

UNESCO Jakarta's head of social and human science Irakli Khodeli said Indonesia's focus on the SDGs, as reflected in nations development priorities, such as eliminating poverty, reducing inequality, and promoting strong institutions and climate action, had direct relevance to the countrys human rights obligations.

"We are preparing ourselves for the world of 2030, the world of 9 billion people, living together under mounting pressures on resources and the ecosystem. We must address these challenges in a human-centered way, putting human rights front and center," Khodeli said.
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Linkedin Safrin La Batu (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, April 26, 2017 07:00 2023 a291276806121264c0bd211cdead5b16 2 Business KPK,#KPK,BLBI-case Free

In early 2014, then Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) chairman Abraham Samad initiated a probe into alleged irregularities surrounding the disbursement of Bank Indonesia liquidity support (BLBI). Later that year, Abraham indicated that the KPK would summon former president Megawati Soekarnoputri for the case.

Abraham was removed from his post in February 2015, following a standoff between the KPK and police, following the formers decision to name Megawatis former aide Insp. Gen. Budi Gunawan as a graft suspect. The case went nowhere after Abrahams dismissal.

On Tuesday, the new leadership of the KPK pressed ahead with the probe by naming former chairman of the Indonesian Bank Restructuring Agency (IBRA) Syafruddin Arsyad Temenggung a suspect in the BLBI case. Syafruddin was chairman of the IBRA under Megawatis administration.

Syafruddin is the first official to be named a suspect in the case after three years of investigation looking into past documents and questioning a number of former ministers in Megawatis administration.

Syafruddin, who was appointed IBRA chairman in 2002, issued a letter for Sjamsul Nursalim, the owner of Bank Dagang Nasional Indonesia (BDNI), freeing him from the obligation to pay Rp 3.7 trillion in debt owed to the government, which disbursed the fund under the Bank Indonesia Liquidity Scheme (BLBI).

Syafruddins decision was based on a presidential decision issued by Megawati in December 2002, regulating the release and discharge letters, freeing recipients of the funds from the obligation to fully pay the debts.

Sjamsuls BDNI received Rp 28 trillion of the BLBI fund and was obligated to return Rp 4.8 trillion, but Syafruddin decided that the bank should only pay Rp 1.1 trillion.

The KPK has found two pieces of evidence and therefore moves to name Syafruddin a suspect in the case, KPK deputy chairman Basaria Panjaitan told reporters.

(Read also: KPK asked to probe unresolved BLBI cases)

During the 1997-1998 Asian financial crisis, the government, through the central bank, provided liquidity support of Rp 144.5 trillion to assist 48 commercial banks in coping with massive runs during the monetary crisis, but 95 percent of the money was eventually embezzled.

The Attorney Generals Office (AGO) has launched a probe into Sjamsul for allegedly misusing the fund but decided to drop the case in 2008.

In 2014, the KPK decided to probe the issuance of a release and discharge letter for Sjamsul and found indications that the decision could have been the result of collusion between Sjamsul and Syafruddin.

There are a total of 21 debtors, including Sjamsul, who received the release and discharge recommendation from the IBRA.

According to data from Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW), the 21 debtors include Hendra Liem of Budi International Bank, the Ning King of Dana Hutama Bank, Sudwikatmono of Bank Subentra and Bank Surya, Ibrahim Risjad of the Bank Risjad Salim International, Soedono Salim of Bank Central Asia (BCA), Siti Hardijanti Rukmana of Yakin Makmur Bank, Hashim Djojohadikusumo of Papan Sejahtera bank and Nirwan Bakrie of Nusa Nasional bank.

Sjamsul, who is also known as the owner of tire giant Gajah Tunggal and coal miner Bukit Baiduri Energi, is currently in Singapore and the KPK has urged Sjamsul to return to the country for a possible questioning.

When asked if KPK investigators would summon Megawati for questioning, Basaria declined to give a comment.

The policy was not part of a corruption scandal because corruption happens only when those who issue the policy, or those close to them, benefit, Basaria said.

On Friday, the KPK questioned Kwik Kian Gie, who was the finance minister between 1999 and 2000.

KPK spokesman Febri Diansyah said the KPK questioned several individuals as part of its effort to expand its investigation into the BLBI case, which was important to the public.

Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) political analyst Siti Zuhro said the decision to name a suspect in the BLBI case could be politically motivated as it was an old case, just like the electronic identity (e-ID) case, which involved officials and politicians from the era of former president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

Now the KPK has to prove they are neutral and show that as law enforcers they are non-partisan and independent, she said.

Members of the House of Representatives Commission III of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) Trimedya Pandjaitan said that the party continued to believe in the independence of the antigraft body.

We respect the legal process carried out by the KPK as long as it is conducted for law enforcement purposes, he said.

Release and discharge

May 2002: Then chairman of Indonesian Bank Restructuring Agency (IBRA) Syafruddin Arsyad Temenggung proposes to KKSK (Financial System Stability Committee) to restructure debt owed by businessman Sjamsul Nursalim worth Rp 4.8 trillion.

December 2002: Then president Megawati Soekarnoputri issues a presidential decree (Inpres) that regulates the release and discharge letters, freeing recipients of the funds from the obligation to fully pay the debts.

April 2004: Syafruddin gives the all clear to Sjamsul, relieving him of the obligation to pay his debt to IBRA.
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Linkedin Ganug Nugroho Adi (The Jakarta Post) Wonogiri, Central Java  Wed, April 26, 2017 19:01 2022 a291276806121264c0bd211cdeb05877 1 National drought,Wonogiri,dry-season,environment Free

Dry season has begun to hit areas across Java.

About 15,000 residents of eight villages in the southern area of Wonogiri regency in Central Java have reportedly been suffering from severe drought for the last several weeks. As a result, villagers have had to collectively pay between Rp 70,000 (US$5.3) and Rp 100,000 for a 6,000-liter tank of water.

Rain has been extremely rare lately. Farmers have been hit the hardest. They need up to two tanks of water for a week, Waluyo, 39, a resident of Johunut village in Paranggupito district said on Wednesday.

Wells, ponds and water springs, which were villagers source of water, are reportedly going dry.

(Read also: Bali's water question)

Villagers who cannot afford to buy water have had to walk for kilometers to find other sources of water.

There are ponds and rivers not far away that are still watered but the flow is very little. It could take half an hour to fill up a 10-liter bucket. We dont have other options, said 57-year-old Sunarni.

Paranggupito district official Dwi Hartono said almost half of the residents in the district began to order water tanks about a month ago.

Some residents have big water tubs to catch rainwater. Since there is no more rain, they buy tank water to fill up the tubs, Dwi said.

Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD) Wonogiri head Bambang Haryanto said the agency had prepared 70 6,000-liter water tanks to be deployed to five villages in Paranggupito. (bbs)
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Guwahati, Apr 26 (IBNS): The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday arrested three officials of Nagaland government for allegedly providing government fund to outlawed NSCN (K).

According to the reports, the arrested government officials were involved as collector of NSCN (K).



The sleuths of NIA arrested state Social Welfare department joint director Tulula Pongen, Land resources department joint director Alienba Pangjung Jamir and UDA K Lashito Sheqi.



A top official of NIA said that, they officer have been allegedly charged large scale of extortion and collected illegal tax from the various government departments, organizations on behalf of the banned outfit group.



They were also provided government money to NSCN (K). The three government officials were arrested on the basis of their alleged involvement in paying huge money to several outlawed groups including NSCN (K), NSCN (R), NNC, the top NIA official said.



The sleuths of NIA seized huge quantity of demand letters, payment receipts from government department offices.



On the other hand, the arrested government officials were appeared before the special NIA court in Dimapur and the court sent Jamir and Sheqi to five-day police remand while Pongen sent to hospital for treatment as she was reported sick.



(Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath)
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Linkedin (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, April 26 2017

President Joko Jokowi Widodo continues to use social media to communicate with the public in the digital era, inviting members of the younger generations to participate in the countrys development.

Social media is an effective tool to communicate with the people. Now I am using video blogs [vlogs] to talk with young Indonesians in a question and answer format, Jokowi said on the sidelines of a working visit to Purwakarta, West Java, on Tuesday.

Jokowi said that for democracy, which requires giving people room to participate in the countrys development, communication was key, adding that he made the vlog spontaneously after meeting people on the ground while carrying out his duties.

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Linkedin (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, April 26 2017

The National Police have said they are investigating an incident in which police officers fired rubber bullets at PT Freeport Indonesia workers during a rally in Timika, Papua, last week.

We have sent a team to look into whether the officers followed the proper procedures, particularly those regarding the use of firearms, National Police spokesperson Boy Rafli Amar told reporters on Tuesday.

Six Freeport workers  Andri Santoso, Sakarias, Puguh Prihandono, Wibowo, Faisal and Zainal Abidin  reportedly suffered injuries from the shots. They claim that they were shot by the police while staging a rally in front of the Timika District Court. The protesters were demanding the release of a fellow worker, Sudira, who is currently standing trial for embezzlement.

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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, April 26, 2017 19:47 2022 a291276806121264c0bd211cdeb05cbc 1 City drug-smuggling,arrest Free

An alleged Nigerian drug smuggler was shot dead after resisting arrest in Tanah Tinggi, Central Jakarta on Wednesday.

Jakarta Police Chief Insp. Gen. M. Iriawan said the police shot Douglas Hope Onyebuchi, aka Kabaka, who was a suspect in a drug smuggling case in Kelapa Gading, North Jakarta.

The police, Iriawan said, coordinated with the Directorate General of Customs and Excise to track Onyebuchi and his Indonesian wife Yani Andriani, after being suspected of smuggling a package containing two kilograms of methamphetamine from Guangzhou, China.

Some drugs were shipped from Guangzhou, disguised in pairs of sandals. We later followed the shipment to Jl. Cengkir Raya in Kelapa Gading, said Iriawan.

The police said Andriani was seen watching the package be placed inside one of the rooms in the dorm house. We watched her for two days until we concluded that she was a suspect.

The police proceeded to arrest Andriani. Further investigations led police to another location on Jl. Maladewa in Tanah Tinggi, where Kabaka was hiding.

During his arrest, he fought back and tried to grab one of the officers guns. Therefore, we had no choice but to take him down, he said. (dea)
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Linkedin Anton Hermansyah (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, April 26, 2017 10:49 2023 a291276806121264c0bd211cdeae6398 1 National Jokowi,#CabinetReshuffle Free

President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo has denied rumors of a cabinet reshuffle following the results of Jakartas gubernatorial election.

"No, today no reshuffle, next week no, this month no," Jokowi said after the groundbreaking of Al-Hikamussalafiyah Islamic boarding school in Purwakarta, West Java, on Tuesday.

The election led to a loss for incumbent Governor Basuki Ahok Tjahaja Purnama and Deputy Governor Djarot Saiful Hidayat. The winning pair, Anies Baswedan and Sandiaga Uno, are backed by political parties from the governments opposing coalition.

Political analysts predicted that Jokowi would conduct a third reshuffle that may give Basuki a ministerial position in the cabinet.

"Pak Ahok is still the Jakarta governor until October," Jokowi said when asked whether Basuki would be assigned as a minister.

He added that an evaluation on serving ministers is conducted every week and he currently found no problems with their performance.

(Read also: Jokowi may reshuffle Cabinet: Researcher)

The president also responded to a question about American investigative journalist Allan Nairn who has written a story alleging active and retired military generals are plotting a coup to overthrow him.

"Who wrote that? Then you should ask Allan Nairn. Why ask me? Ask the writer," Jokowi said. (dan)
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, April 26, 2017 14:59 2022 a291276806121264c0bd211cdeaf6370 1 City Rizieq-Shihab,scandal,Firza-Husein Free

Jakarta Police have scheduled the questioning of the wife of Islam Defenders Front (FPI) leader Rizieq Shihab in the ongoing investigation into a steamy WhatsApp conversation that allegedly took place between the firebrand preacher and Firza Husein, a treason suspect.

We will question [Rizieqs wife, Syarifah] to ask whether Firza has always been present during pengajian [Islamic learning forum], Jakarta Police spokesperson Sr. Comr. Argo Yuwono announced on Tuesday.

The police summoned three people, namely Syarifah, a friend of Firza named Emma and FPI Jakarta chapter leader Muchsin Alatas for questioning on Tuesday. However, none of them turned up.

They had other things to attend to. Investigators will reschedule the questioning, Argo said.

The case sparked controversy when an intimate WhatsApp exchange containing nude photos of a woman believed to be Firza that she purportedly sent to Rizieq went viral on the internet.

Firza allegedly confided in Emma in a recorded phone conversation about the stress of having a complicated love affair with Rizieq, while Muchsin was reportedly instructed to get rid of Rizieqs phone. (fac)
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Linkedin Safrin La Batu (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, April 26, 2017 18:43 2022 a291276806121264c0bd211cdeb04dd6 1 National BLBI-case,#BLBICase Free

Activists at the Indonesian Forum for Budget Transparency (Fitra) on Wednesday urged President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo to give political support to the anti-graft body, the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), as it investigates alleged irregularities surrounding the disbursement of Bank Indonesia liquidity support (BLBI) to monetarily affected banks almost two decades ago.

During the 1997-1998 Asian financial crisis, the government, via the central bank, provided liquidity support of Rp 144.5 trillion to assist 48 commercial banks cope with massive runs during the monetary crisis. However, 95 percent of that money was eventually embezzled.

"This case is very big, therefore [the KPK] should expect a more intense attack," Fitra deputy chairman Apung Widadi said at a press conference, adding that the attack could come from either politicians or corporations that felt threatened by the KPKs move to investigate the case.

The KPK on Tuesday named Syafruddin Arsyad Temenggung as the first suspect in the BLBI case, which allegedly caused over Rp 138 trillion (US$10.3 billion) in state losses.

(Read also: KPK goes all in on BLBI case)

The former chairman of the Indonesian Bank Restructuring Agency (IBRA) is accused of issuing a debt settlement letter to the ailing Bank Dagang Nasional Indonesia (BDNI) owner Sjamsul Nursalim, freeing him from the obligation to pay Rp 3.7 trillion in debt owed to the government, which disbursed the fund under the BLBI scheme.

Syafruddin's decision was based on Megawati Soekarnoputris assessment in December 2002, regulating the "release and discharge" letters, which freed recipients of the funds from the obligation to fully pay the debts. (dan)
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, April 26, 2017 12:49 2023 a291276806121264c0bd211cdeaef18f 1 City manggarai,Soekarno-Hatta-airport-railway,Soekarno-Hatta-airport-train,KAI Free

State-owned railway operator PT Kereta Api Indonesia (KAI) has announced it will demolish 11 homes in Manggarai, South Jakarta, on Wednesday to make way for the Soekarno-Hatta International Airport train.

"[The demolition] will be conducted this noon," said PT KAI operation region 1 spokesperson Suprapto on Wednesday as quoted by kompas.com.

PT KAI sent three warning letters to people living in the homes, with the latest sent Wednesday. In the third letter, PT KAI told squatters to vacant their homes by Tuesday midnight at the latest.

Responding to the plan, the squatters reportedly put up barricades to close off Jl. Sahardjo 1, where the homes are located. They also put up a banner reading "Rumah dan Tanah Kami Bukan Milik PT KAI" (Our houses and land are not the property of PT KAI).

The residents claim to be the legitimate owners of the land as their families had lived there for decades.

However, they acknowledged that they lacked land deeds to support their claim. (kuk)
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Linkedin Nurul Fitri Ramadhani and Ati Nurbaiti (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, April 26, 2017 07:30 2023 a291276806121264c0bd211cdead6d3d 2 National Women,Islam,#Islam Free

The role of women in negotiating with and educating communities on peaceful Islamic teachings has proven to have had some effect in stemming the influence of violent extremist groups and healing affected communities, speakers at an international seminar said on Tuesday.

Several female clerics, scholars and activists from Muslim-majority countries, including Nigeria, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Indonesia, shared their experiences in the one-day discussion on female ulema. The discussion was part of the first congress of female ulema, which officially opened in the evening at the Kebon Jambu Al-Islamy boarding school.

In Nigeria, a country that is threatened by the Islamic militants Boko Haram, female ulema have started to get directly involved in education in a bid to spread tolerant Islamic teachings, the scholar Rafatu Abdulhamid said.

Muslim women can play better roles than men in teaching and education. We can teach people and children that Islam is not what Boko Haram adopts, that Islam is tolerant and upholds peace, Abdulhamid told The Jakarta Post after the discussion at the Syekh Nurjadi Islamic Institute.

Many of the female Muslim scholars, ulema and activists, she said, established educational programs for women and children about moderate Islamic teachings. Many also provided psychological support and trauma healing for female survivors of Islamic radicalism, including former followers of Boko Haram.

The counseling and education programs are crucial to healing communities that stigmatize girls and women who have been abducted, raped and impregnated, she said.

Can [the mothers] throw their children into the dustbin? Abdulhamid asked rhetorically.

Abdulhamid said radical Islamism, particularly in Nigeria, was caused by ignorance and the misuse of Islamic knowledge. People are made to believe that causing violence or killing is an act of worship, she said.

Women are abducted and molested arbitrarily. Many women were forced to join the group instead of becoming the next victim, she said.

Woman driver of double-decker city tour bus wears kebaya traditional attire during the Kartini Day of women emancipation that falls every April 21. (Warta Kota/Angga Bhagya Nugraha)

Afghanistan Ambassador to Indonesia Roya Rahmani said Muslim women could introduce a narrative of dynamic Muslims. She said Muslim women should be recognized as good negotiators because they could embrace people more effectively and tenderly than men.

From Pakistan, Bashra Qadeem shared her experiences promoting respect for different faiths and cultures in high schools in Peshawar, where communities often see teenage boys recruited into becoming suicide bombers.

Through a very subtle approach, Qadeem and her fellow activists communicate with mothers who have lost their sons to extremism and who have even stitched suicide jackets and promoted martyrdom.

Through dialogue, in which the mothers are eventually convinced that such martyrdom is wrong and not Islamic, the women could become agents of change, Qadeem said, and stop seeking out nephews and other teenage boys to be suicide bombers.

Speakers said the challenge was that even for women that were highly knowledgeable about Islam, too few were recognized as being on par with male ulema.

In Aceh, for example, Indonesias only province authorized to adopt sharia, the concept of female ulema still faces resistance, said researcher Eka Srimulyani.

Malaysian activist Zainah Anwar said the journey toward an Islam that upholds equality and justice remains a long and challenging one.

But for us, there is no choice. We dont want to emigrate. We must stay and fight for the country we want to live in, Anwar said.
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Linkedin (The Jakarta Post)  Thu, April 27 2017

The Indonesian proverb air susu dibalas air tuba (to cherish a viper in ones bosom) expresses the frustration if not anger felt by many French people against terrorists, job thieves and trouble makers, whom they feel they warmly welcomed to resettle in their country after losing freedom in their native lands.

However, while such widespread resentment of perceived scapegoats and widespread disappointment in their politically corrupt and less-than-competent leaders is indeed understandable, it is Frances national and geopolitical interests that voters will bear in mind when choosing their next president.

France is too important and too great to fall into the trap of the dangerously narrow-minded ambitions of certain politicians.

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Linkedin (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Thu, April 27 2017

Musician Kevin Aprillio says he has just sold his Ferrari and house in order to build another house in Kemang, South Jakarta, as he wants to reach a new milestone in his life  get married.

Yup, I just sold my Ferrari for a house in Kemang, he said as quoted by kapanlagi.com during an event called In Out Clothing at the Yesterday Backyard Cafe in Cipete on Tuesday.

Kevin says it was hard to let go of his supercar, but he believes he has made a wise decision in terms of financial investment. The new house in Kemang, he says, will have four floors.

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Guwahati, Apr 26 (IBNS): The Assam Police on Wednesday arrested three government officials including a Block Development Officer (BDO) with huge cash in lower Assamas Baksa district.

According to the reports, Baksa police recovered Rs 3.80 lakh from a vehicle bearing registration number of AS-01-AZ-2853 in which the government officials of Barama development block were travelling.

The police also arrested BDO of Barama development block Radhika Ranjan Sheel and two junior engineers of the block named Phatik Haloi and Amalesh Nath.

A top police official said that, the officials carried the amount in the vehicle and it is suspected to be public money.

Verification process of the seizure cash and interrogation is going on, the top police official said.

(Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath)
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Linkedin Anton Hermansyah (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Thu, April 27 2017

Indonesia, home to 1,128 ethnic tribes, is the heart of Asian cultural crafts. However, a lot must be done as the country only grabbed a 1.41 percent share of the global craft market last year.

Karen, 62, an Australian, acknowledged that Indonesian crafts offered fresh designs every year and high-quality items. Attending the 2017 Inacraft fair in Jakarta, at which 1,395 Indonesian crafters display their products, she was impressed by the designs coming from various regions.

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Linkedin Tama Salim (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, April 26, 2017 09:00 2023 a291276806121264c0bd211cdeadfc47 2 SE Asia Philippines,Trade Free

President Joko Jokowi Widodo is expected to try and fortify maritime security cooperation with the Philippines during bilateral talks this week, ahead of the launch of a lucrative trade route that aims to boost connectivity along the borders of the neighboring countries.

Jokowi will embark on a state visit to the Philippines on April 28 and will meet with Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte in Manila for bilateral talks on subjects ranging from connectivity and border delineation issues to maritime security.

The main focus [of the visit] is to increase connectivity between the two nations in order to spur economic growth and prosperity, whether bilaterally or regionally, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Arrmanatha Nasir said during a weekly press briefing on Tuesday.

(Read also: New ro-ro route expected to boost Indonesia, Philippines trade)

Other than Jokowis usual focus on deepening economic cooperation, there will also be an emphasis on maritime security between the two countries, Arrmanatha said. However, he did not elaborate any further on his statement.

Both countries have had to deal with a string of kidnappings for ransom of late, with many of the crimes taking place in the Sulu Sea on the northwestern side of Mindanao Island.

There is currently a trilateral maritime security cooperation framework between Indonesia, the Philippines and Malaysia, but it is nowhere near as solid as the existing Malacca Straits coordinated patrols agreement between Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand.

In the bilateral meeting, Jokowi and Duterte will witness the signing of two agreements, one of which is a Joint Declaration on the establishment of sea connectivity between the port cities Davao and General Santos in the Philippines and Bitung in North Sulawesi.

The launch of the new shipping route will increase trade between the two nations, the spokesman said, adding that another memorandum of understanding would focus on cooperation in the field of agriculture.

The Davao-General SantosBitung route for roll-on/roll-off (Ro-Ro) vessels will be officiated by Jokowi and Duterte in Davao City on April 30 as part of a series of meetings and events under the banner of the 30th ASEAN Summit in Manila this year.

The route connects a number of priority infrastructure projects under the Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) initiative  a cooperation framework that aims to close the development gap among nations in the regions east.

It is also one of the priorities within the ASEAN Ro-Ro Network initiative, which aims to improve connectivity in sea channels among Southeast Asian nations by halving shipping times in the new trade corridor.

At present, it takes three to five weeks to ship goods from Bitung to Davao, as traders are forced to make a stopover in Manila before shipping to Indonesian port cities like Makassar, Surabaya or Jakarta.

Meanwhile, the new Ro-Ro route is expected to expedite shipment to around 36 hours excluding port stay, the ministrys director for Asia-Pacific and African intraregional cooperation, Benyamin Carnadi, said.

Border talks and cooperation to thwart transnational organized crime such as drug trafficking and terrorism will also be among the issues that both leaders will raise during their meeting, Arrmanatha added. The ministry is currently waiting for the House of Representatives to finalize the ratification of a 2014 border agreement with the Philippines to settle the issue of overlapping exclusive economic zones in the Mindanao and Sulawesi seas.

Topics : Philippines Trade
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, April 26, 2017 09:01 2023 a291276806121264c0bd211cdeae00e7 1 News Sabang,tourism,#tourism,aceh,festival,#festival,Sabang-Marine-Festival,Sail-Sabang Free

In a bid to increase tourism, Sabang, home to Indonesia's zero-kilometer marker, has plans in store to promote its many attractions to a global audience.

On Sunday, the Acehnese city closed the five-day Sabang Marine Festival (SMF). Held by the Free Trade Seaport Area Development (BPKS), the event aimed to attract yachters from around the world. At least 23 yachts are reported to have flocked to the festival from as far away as the United Kingdom, United States, the Netherlands, Australia, New Zealand, France, South Africa, Thailand and Germany.

"We have already set next year's target at attracting 100 yachts," said the festival's chairman Fauzi Umar as quoted by Antara news agency. "In addition to SMF, we will also hold Sail Sabang 2017."

Read also: Sabang Marine Festival (SMF) III officially opened

The third installment of SMF featured many events, including art and cultural performances, traditional competitions, Tour de Sabang and music performances by local artists. The city's Marina Port, situated within Lhok Weng and Iboh, was also introduced at the festival.

Home to Indonesia's zero-kilometer marker, Sabang is blessed with breathtaking underwater scenery that has attracted many domestic and foreign visitors to come dive and snorkle. (vod/kes)
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, April 26, 2017 14:20 2022 a291276806121264c0bd211cdeaf4b2e 1 News Tourism-Ministry-Pesona-Indonesia,tourism-ministry-wonderful-Indonesia,Arief-Yahya,tourism-promotion,tourism,#tourism Free

Tourism Minister Arief Yahya is one of the guests at this years World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) Global Summit held in Bangkok, Thailand, from April 26 to 27.

Speaking at the ministerial dialogue in front of travel and tourism chief executives, Arief discussed how President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo has turned the tourism industry as one of the countrys leading sectors and is very supportive of tourism development in 10 "New Bali" destinations.

Read also: Ministry wants travel agencies to create 'New Bali' package tours

Infrastructure development at three destinations from the prioritized tourism list, namely Lake Toba, Borobudur Temple and Mandalika, is being supported financially by the World Bank, Arief said.

The government also implemented a free-visa policy to make it easier for foreign tourists to visit Indonesia.

We currently have 169 countries in our free-visa list [] In the first year after the implementation of the policy, the number of foreign tourists increased up to 20 percent, Arief added.

These efforts are part of the ministrys goal to double the number of tourist arrivals from 9.3 million in 2014 to 20 million in 2019. (kes)
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, April 26, 2017 16:17 2022 a291276806121264c0bd211cdeafaffe 1 News Tourism-Ministry-Pesona-Indonesia,tourism-ministry-wonderful-Indonesia,Islam,mosque,Tasikmalaya,tourism,#tourism Free

Many people flocked to the grand mosque in Tasikmalaya, West Java, for dzikir (chants in praise of God) to celebrate Isra Miraj (Ascension Day of Prophet Muhammad) on Monday.

The event was attended by thousands of people, including employees of the Tasikmalaya administration, prominent Muslim figures and those hailing from Jakarta, Palembang and Madura.

Read also: Kampong Naga: The village that knows its limits

The event was part of the Tourism Ministrys efforts to promote religious tourism in the city, as Tasikmalaya is known as one of the most religious cities in Indonesia.

The ministry is also promoting the Wali Songo (nine propagators of Islam on Java) pilgrimage, as well as places like Banten province, Ambarawa market town and Rembang regency. (kes)
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Linkedin Kim Da-sol (The Korea Herald/Asia News Network)  Wed, April 26, 2017 09:33 2023 a291276806121264c0bd211cdeae2258 2 News Seoul,South-Korea,#SouthKorea,park,travel,#travel,Seoullo-7017,sky-park Free

Modeled after New Yorks iconic High Line, Seouls soon-to-open elevated park will bring visual and spatial respite to busy city life, with a stretch of greenery, cafes and street markets, the city government said Tuesday.

Opening part of the Seoullo 7017 on Tuesday, ahead of the official opening in May, Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon on Tuesday described the urban sky park as a place where nature and humans can live side by side.

(The launch of Seoullo 7017) will not only restore the overpass, but become a catalyst for the revival and regeneration of neighboring regions through the high number of visitors, Seoul Mayor Park said.

The pedestrian-friendly park will stretch for about a kilometer and link seven surrounding areas including Seoul Station and Namdaemun Market to 12 pedestrian walkways.

Touted as a rival to New Yorks High Line Park, the city government said it will feature over 24,085 plants representing 228 species of trees, shrubs and flowers found in and outside Korea.

Complementing the plants will be cafes, street markets, flower shops and performance stages, the city said.

Officials said the park will provide not only a stretch of greenery, but also a botanical education, allowing citizens to have a closer look at the labeled plants arranged in alphabetical order.

Read also: Korea to issue e-visas for Southeast Asians to tackle THAAD fallout

The project began four years ago to make use of an old overpass that once served as a major road connecting western and central Seoul. Public calls for its removal had mounted after a safety assessment classified the outdated overpass as dangerous in 2006.

The 70 in the name Seoullo 7017 refers to the year 1970 when the Seoul Station flyover was constructed, while 17 is a reference to the number of walkways connected to it and the year 2017 when its construction is to be completed.

Putting safety as a top priority, about 40 percent of the 59 billion won ($52 million) of construction cost was put into securing the earthquake-proof structure, the city said.

The elevated urban park was constructed to stand up to a magnitude 6.5 earthquake, and to allow over 50,000 people to walk on the park at once, said Seoul City official Kim Kwon-ki.

A total of 29 surveillance cameras will be installed around the park to enhance security for citizens, he added.

The official opening of the Seoullo 7017 is slated for May 20. The lighting ceremony and the celebration chorus will begin at 7 p.m.

A variety of events involving citizen participation will take place at Seoullo 7017 and continue until June 18, the city said.

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
State Sen. Daniel Squadron did not get very far yesterday with his proposal to prevent Rivington House-like disasters from striking other communities. The Republican head of the Senate Health committee rejected, at least for now, his legislation to make nursing home closures more transparent.

Squadron first announced his Rivington Act last September. At the time, he said the legislation would require the State Department of Health to ensure local community needs can adequately be met before approving any closure. The bill would require the state to produce a public closure report, to reject any closure plan if community health needs cannot be met and to consider recommendations from local stakeholders. Rivington House was, of course, sold to luxury condo developers after the de Blasio administration lifted deed restrictions.

In a very brief hearing yesterday, Sen. Kemp Hannon, chair of the health committee, said of the bill, I dont think its anywhere near shape to possibly become law I would recommend a no vote, but if Senator Squadron is going to pursue (the legislation), and hes not a shy one about pursuing, you may see this bill again. Hannon did not spell out any of his specific concerns. The committee voted down the measure 11-5.

In a statement after the hearing, Squadron said:

The Rivington Act helps ensure community voice and community health, but today the Health Committee chose to disregard both (The legislation) is based on a simple concept  communities should have a voice in healthcare in the community. That didnt happen at Rivington House, and unfortunately, was blocked by the Senate Majority today. The Chair committed to taking up this issue this session  I stand ready to work with him on his concerns and ensure Senate action this year.

Assemblywoman Yuh-Line Niou, who has partnered with Squadron to push the bill, said,

It is appalling that Republicans in the Senate Health Committee put partisan politics ahead of transparency and the need for local community involvement when considering the closure of nursing homes As the main Assembly sponsor for the Rivington Act, I vow to continue pushing to shed light around nursing home closures and work to ensure that community input is incorporated into this important decision making process. Communities across New York State were short-changed by the Senate committees decision today to postpone a decision on this bill, particularly the Lower East Side in my district, but I encourage everyone to stay involved and continue pushing for the Rivington Act.

Meliisa Aase, executive director of University Settlement, added:

It is important for New Yorkers to learn every possible lesson from the devastating loss of Rivington House In our community there is now only one skilled, residential nursing facilities left, with a five year waiting list. Had the impending deed restriction removals, evacuation of patients, and sale of Rivington House for luxury housing development been transparent to our community, we would have clearly raised our voices in opposition and demonstrated the dire need for the full and affordable continuum of care for the elderly, ill, or disabled members of our community. We wont stop fighting for the return of Rivington House, and in the meantime we are grateful to Senator Squadron and Assembly Member Niou for their tireless pursuit of remedies and protections for the future.

Aase is one of the leaders of a local coalition, Neighbors to Save Rivington House, which has been pushing for the return of the health care facility to the Lower East Side community. Mayor de Blasio has said there is no legal means of making that happen. Sen. Squadron has challenged the mayor to explain more fully why the city could not pursue legal action against the former or current owners of the building.
Kolkata, Apr 26 (IBNS): The Border Security Force (BSF) on Wednesday detected a nearly 80-metre-long tunnel along the India-Bangladesh border at Aruagach village, very close to Fatepur Border Observation Post (BOP), under Chopra Police Station limits in North Dinajpur district of West Bengal, officials said.



According to reports, based on locals' accounts, officials of BSF's 139 Bn and local police carried out a search operation at the area and found the tunnel underneath international border.

After preliminary investigation, senior BSF officials said that the tunnel might have been dug for cattle smuggling.

"We believe this tunnel was being built under the fence by cattle smugglers to minimise the risk of detection by our guards," DIG of BSF, Devi Sharan Singh, told IBNS.

"Following the tunnel unearthing, massive searches are being carried out by our force along the 4,096 km border shared with Bangladesh," Singh added.

However, BSF and North Dinajpur district police have started investigation into the case while no suspect has been held so far.

North Dinajpur SP, Amit Kumar Bharat Rathore, told IBNS: "The BSF has lodged a complaint mentioning that it has found a tunnel, which is nearly 100 metres long and having a diameter of 18x12 inches, on the International Border at Aruagach village."

"Based on the complaint, lodged by BSF, district police have started probe into the matter," Rathore further said.

(Reporting by Deepayan Sinha)
Kolkata, Apr 26 (IBNS): Lashing out at all opponents of the country, national President of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Amit Shah, said that the saffron party is the only political party with internal democracy and ideology presently, while addressing host of intellectuals, according to media reports on Wednesday.

Shah said that election for all posts of BJP takes place in every three years and no one can remain President for more than two terms, highlighting the internal democracy of the party.

Digging at Congress and Trinamool Congress, Shah said: "No one can predict who is the next President of BJP but everyone knows who is the next President of Congress or TMC."

He even gave much importance to the internal democracy of the party as an important element to bring about a change, be it in the state or the country.

With a sharp attack on BJP's perennial political opponent Congress, Shah emphasised on the presence of ideology in the party much more than any other parties of the nation.

"During the Independence movement, all parties joined Congress to gain freedom for the country, so Congress never had their own ideology. The Communist party had ideology but they had been rejected across the country and also in this state. However, BJP never compromised on their ideology till the present moment," he added.

Shah linked ideology with democracy by saying that political parties devoid of ideologies do not approve parliamentary system of democracy.

He even claimed BJP as the only party to stake power in the politics of India in the present scenario.

Referring to the performances of the previous governments in India, the BJP President said: "The country has witnessed three types of governments which were ruled by Congress, the Communists and the regional forces but the time has come to have BJP government everywhere after 70 years of Independence."

Shah highlighted several schemes and developmental works made by the Modi government since coming to power in the central government in 2014.

Start Up India, Stand Up India, Swachh Bharat Abhiyan were recounted by the party President as the contributions of the BJP government at the Centre.

"BJP ruled states have seen so much development that we are have been voted to power for consecutive terms, be it in Gujarat or Rajhasthan or any other state," he added.

BJP President Amit Shah earlier said on Wednesday that his party will aim at clinching highest number of seats in the Lok Sabha polls in Bengal in 2019.

"The BJP is aiming at winning highest number of seats in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls," Shah said at Chief Minister's constituency Bhawanipur.

Attacking West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Shah said: "Politics of violence and appeasement by Mamata banerjee's TMC cannot stop the surge of BJP in West Bengal."
When the Guardians of the Galaxy first made their cinematic debut in 2014, no-one (bar hardcore comic fans) knew what to expect from a superhero movie featuring a talking raccoon and a big tree.

As a result, the film took us by surprise in the best way - giving us fun, likeable characters, endlessly quotable one-liners and the catchiest soundtrack in recent film history.

Following that level of cultural phenomena and popularity is no easy feat, but with Vol. 2, James Gunn gives us a hugely enjoyable intergalactic romp that will have you laughing, crying and singing along almost as much as the first film.

If Vol. 1 was the Guardians' Avenger-type origin story, then Vol. 2 is like Age of Ultron - only much better. Following their formation, we join the rag-tag group of misfits in the midst of a seemingly heroic mission, employed by a race of vain, sexy gold people known as the Sovereign.

Ever the dysfunctional family - complete with a Baby Groot in tow - the group soon find themselves at odds with each other, before suddenly being swept into the mysterious world-building charms of Ego (Kurt Russell), who, as it turns out, is the long-absent celestial father of Chris Pratt's Star Lord.

Though expectations for this film will undoubtedly be very, very high, let me assure you that there is certainly a lot to love about this second venture. One of the most alluring things about the first film is the chemistry between the central five Guardians and the way they bounced off each other in their interpersonal relationships. Gunn manages to maintain that chemistry with a script that is rich with wacky one-liners and progressive character development. What's more is that he also succeeds in adding new or existing characters to the central group, with a lot of ease and humour.

Dave Batista's Drax threatens to steal almost every scene he is in and is hilarious (and briefly touching) in his interactions with Ego's naive ward, Mantis, who proves to be just as much of an oddball. Baby Groot - the undeniable star of the show - is also intensely captivating - inspiring laughs, tears and an inordinate amount of "awwwww"ing from his gestures alone. (If you liked his dance moves at the end of the first film, just wait for the opening title sequence of the sequel).

The central theme throughout the film is about family and within several interpersonal exchanges, we explore the histories and motivations of several characters. Peter's daddy issues take centreframe within the plot as he becomes entranced by the huge possibilities that Ego teaches him. At the same time, his former captor/father figure, Yondu, also returns to the fray, revealing more about his backstory as a disgraced ravager.

It's a real pleasure to see Michael Rooker's Yondu play a bigger part in this film, bringing as much heart and humour as he does magical arrow-fuelled violence. Similarly, Kurt Russell is perfect as Ego, echoing the same inate sense of cool as Pratt, but with a much harder, more ambiguous edge. As well as this, the film also explores tensions between sisters/nemeses, Gamora and Nebula and competitive brotherly figures, Peter and Rocket. To add a studio-required element of romance, the film also slowly picks at the sexual tension between Peter and Gamora (which thanks to another sultry song and dance number from the soundtrack just about borders on interesting).

Though the interactions between characters are enjoyable, the overall plot is somewhat held back by the presence of The Sovereign, and their High Priestess, Ayesha. Though they are useful for setting up the story at the beginning of the film, every subsequent scene in which we return to their foiled plotting feels long-winded. Despite being sexy and golden, they seem like very straightforward secondary antagonists, that are nowhere near as interesting as the other potential villains like Nebula and the ravagers.

As is to be expected with a film like this, the visual effects of the film are largely very good - so good in fact, that the flashback scene with Peter's mum and a young Kurt Russell is actually a little bit unnerving. The soundtrack is also good, retaining a similar eclectic mix of rock and soul anthems to explode things to. Is it as iconic as the first mixtape? No. But it will still have you toe-tapping in your seat.

With a strong string of one-liners and cultural references and another round of excellent performances, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, still has all the hallmarks of a crowd pleaser. Though the story lags a little behind its predecessor, it's still great fun to be back in the Guardians' company.

Oh, and it should hardly need saying at this point in the MCU, but stay til the end of the credits. Five post-credit scenes of varying intrigue and humour await you.

Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 2 is set to arrive in UK cinemas on Friday 28th April through Walt Disney Studios.
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Abu Dhabi, Apr 26 (IBNS): As part of its 10th anniversary of flying to Sydney, its first Australian destination, Etihad Airways, on Wednesday announced that all 14 weekly flights on the popular Abu Dhabi a Sydney route will be operated with its flagship A380 aircraft, effective October 29.

The current daily A380 Sydney flights will be joined by a second daily superjumbo service, upgraded from a 328-seat Boeing 777-300ER, a company release said.



Featuring the worlds first three-room suite on a commercial airliner  The Residence  the additional deployment of the 496-seat double decker aircraft means one of Australias largest cities will join London and New York as an all-A380 operation.

Introduced on the Sydney route two years ago, the A380 accommodates up to two guests in The Residence, which features a living room, bedroom and shower, together with nine First Apartments, 70 Business Studios and 415 Economy Smart Seats.

Business and leisure travellers to and from Abu Dhabi, the airlines operational hub, will enjoy increased capacity.

The carrier will meet growing demand from the UAE and connecting cities across the Gulf region, Middle East and Europe, the release said.



The Sydney  London Heathrow route, via Abu Dhabi, will also offer guests all-A380 service in both directions.

Etihad Airways three daily London Heathrow flights are operated with an A380. Beginning June 1, the second daily New York service will be upgraded to the superjumbo.



Peter Baumgartner, Etihad Airways Chief Executive Officer, said: Sydney is one of our busiest and best performing long-haul routes where we have experienced increased demand, particularly in our premium cabins, since the launch 10 years ago. By introducing the A380 on the second daily flight, we are able to ensure our flagship product is on all of the Sydney services each week. The upgrade of this service will help fulfil growing demand, benefiting travellers to and from Abu Dhabi, and across Etihad Airways global network.
New York, Apr 26(Just Earth News): The United Nations development agency is teaming up with ofo, a China-based bike sharing platform, to raise public awareness about climate change, it was announced on Tuesday.

This is an innovative partnership which will make real strides towards protecting our precious environment, said Michael ONeill, UN Assistant Secretary-General and Director of External Relations at the UN Development Programme (UNDP).

Ofo, which is recognized by yellow bicycles in China, Singapore and the United States, will also donate its income on the 17th of the month to celebrate the universally approved 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The SDGs are a to-do list to wipe out poverty, fight inequality and tackle climate change by 2030.

The funding will be used to provide financial support to innovative projects that address urban environmental challenges, according to a press release.

The includes creating campaign messages about how each and every person can reduce CO2 emissions.

UNDP and ofo have also said that they will establish a scholarship program for environment research and start-ups offering green products and technologies.

In addition, ofo will share abandoned bikes with children in rural areas to improve their access to education.

Photo: UNDP/Freya Moralesofo

Source: www.justearthnews.com
New York, Apr 26(Just Earth News): The political process in South Sudan is not dead but requires significant resuscitation, the head of the United Nations peacekeeping mission in the crisis-torn country told the Security Council on Tuesday.

Regrettably, no party has shown interest in reviving the Peace Agreement, said David Shearer, the Secretary-Generals Special Representative and the head of UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), referring to the August 2015 accord between the countrys warring sides.

Despite the peace agreement, South Sudan slipped back into conflict due to renewed clashes between rival forces  the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) loyal to President Salva Kiir and the SPLA in Opposition backing former First Vice-President Riek Machar.

Shearer explained that unlike this time last year, where the conflict was construed on a bipolar basis, on Tuesday the opposition has splintered, making it necessary for UN peacebuilding efforts to be more widely cast than previously.

He told the 15-member Council that, virtually no part of the country is immune from conflict. Yet, there has been no concerted effort by any party to adhere to a ceasefire. Instead, we are seeing an intensification of the conflict over the past month.

Shearer said that in some of the violence, Government forces have responded to attacks by opposition forces, notably in Wau and the Equatorias. In others, in contrast, Government-led operations such as those in Upper Nile and Jonglei appeared more strategic in focus and were aimed at taking opposition-held areas.

He stressed that the UNMISS will work together with partners on opportunities to forge a viable solution to end the hostilities.

Despite what appears to be attempts by the parties to achieve victory through military means, a political solution is the only way forward for South Sudan, Shearer said, noting that military offensives are fracturing groups and intensifying ethnic divisions to a degree that will hinder reconciliation.

To revive the political process, the international community must speak with one voice, he stated, urging the Security Council, the African Union, and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) to unite in dealing with the parties.

Since his appointment as Secretary-Generals Special Representative three months ago, he has travelled to all 10 of UNMISS main field offices.

He said that UNMISS directly protects over 220,000 displaced civilians in six different locations across the country, and the 12,000 UN blue helmets and 2,000 UN police officers are vital to protect civilians more than ever.

Roadblocks and denial of flight safety assurances severely restricts UNMISS ability to promptly reach key locations, but peacekeepers dispatched by troop-contributing countries are bravely trying to overcome many challenges, he said.

Photo: IOM/Bannon

Source: www.justearthnews.com
Phuket, Apr 26 (IBNS): A Thai man murdered her daughter and later committed suicide, with the entire saga being recorded live on Facebook, reports said.

The incident took place on Monday at a deserted hotel in Phuket, Thailand.

Police said that the man hanged himself after hanging his daughter, following an argument with his wife.

The murder footage was available online for hours but was taken down following a request by the Thai Ministry of Digital Economy.

Reacting to the incident, a Facebook statement read, "This is an appalling incident and our hearts go out to the family of the victim. There is absolutely no place for content of this kind on Facebook and it has now been removed."

Earlier this year, a similar live footage led to the arrest of three men for gang-raping a woman in Uppsala, Sweden.

Over the years, Facebook Live has been used to stream death, rape, abuse and animal abuse, inviting backlash from social media users.

"We prioritise reports with serious safety implications for our community, and are working on making that review process go even faster," a Facebook executive's blog read following the live streaming of US killing.

The company had said that it is "constantly exploring ways that new technologies can help us make sure Facebook is a safe environment."
New York, Apr 27 (Just Earth News): The United Nations has appealed for $64.5 million to respond to the urgent needs of 731,000 people over the next six months in the KasaA region, the latest ahumanitarian hotspota in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

The Kasai crisis is an acute crisis of massive proportions in a country that is already going through one of the world's most relentlessly acute humanitarian emergencies, the Humanitarian Coordinator in DRC, Mamadou Diallo, said in Kinshasa.

We are facing a new challenge that requires additional resources to respond to the needs of thousands of displaced people and host families as our current capacities are being outstripped, he added.

According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), more than one million people are estimated to be currently displaced as the violence started in Kasai Central and rippled across neighboring Kasai, Kasai Oriental, Lomami and Sankuru provinces.

Currently some 40 national and international humanitarian organizations are working across the five provinces to respond to the crisis, which was borne out of armed clashes that erupted in August 2016 between the Congolese army and a local militia group.

The appeal launched on Wednesday will provide water, food, medicines and health services, basic household items, and provide protection services, among others, to minors, women who have suffered sexual violence, and other civilians who have been victim of violence.

In Kasai Central province alone, the current humanitarian needs are 400 per cent above what humanitarian actors had planned for earlier this year.

An effective response requires that new and fresh funding be allocated as humanitarian actors cannot afford to take away from their current operations in the eastern provinces to support the Kasai crisis, Diallo said.

More than four months into the year, the 2017 Humanitarian Response Plan only received $66 million, or less than 10 per cent of the overall $748 million appeal.

Photo: Joseph Mankamba/OCHA-DRC

Source: www.justearthnews.com
New York, Apr 27(Just Earth News): Even though billions of doses of vaccines for children across 100 countries around the world were supplied in 2016, millions of children a especially those in conflict zones a still miss out on life-saving inoculations, the United Nations Childrenas Fund (UNICEF) has warned.

All children, no matter where they live or what their circumstances are, have the right to survive and thrive, safe from deadly diseases, Robin Nandy, the Chief of Immunization at UNICEF, said in a news release.

Access to immunization has led to a dramatic decrease in deaths of children under the age of five from vaccine-preventable diseases, and has brought the world closer to eradicating deadly scourges like polio and measles but despite this progress, 1.5 million children still die from diseases which can be prevented by vaccines.

According to estimates, 19.4 million children around the world still miss out on full vaccinations every year.

Around two thirds of all unvaccinated children live in conflict-affected countries. Weak health systems, poverty and social inequities also mean that one in five children under the age of five is still not reached with life-saving vaccines.

On top of this, persisting inequality between rich and poor children further exasperate the problem.

In countries where 80 per cent of the worlds under-five child deaths occur, over half of the poorest children are not fully vaccinated. Globally, the poorest children are nearly twice as likely to die before the age of five as the richest.

In addition to children living in rural communities where access to services is limited, more and more children living in overcrowded cities and slum dwellings are also missing out on vital vaccinations, said Dr. Nandy.

Overcrowding, poverty, poor hygiene and sanitation, as well as inadequate nutrition and health care increase the risk of diseases such as pneumonia, diarrhoea and measles in these communities; diseases that are easily preventable with vaccines, he added.

Furthermore, given predictions that one in four people could be living in urban poor communities, mainly in Africa and Asia by 2030, the focus and investment of immunization services must be tailored to the specific needs of these communities and children, noted UNICEF.

This re-focusing of efforts is all the more important given that efforts in these communities would be crucial for the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Photo: UNICEF/Llaurado

Source: www.justearthnews.com
Tegra to stay on as ice arena consultant, no change to project cost

local
An opportunity for foodies and beer lovers to get lost in a world of food and drink from a hand-selected range of food trucks and breweries from around New Zealand.
Anees Bazmee's Mubarakan has an interesting ensemble cast and is all set to witness a number of firsts. For the first time ever, the 'Chacha-Bhatija' jodi, Anil Kapoor and nephew Arjun Kapoor have come together for a film, which has built excitement among the fans.

Arjun, who will play the role of a Sikh for the first time, has put in immense hard work to get into the skin of the character. The actor will be seen opposite Ileana D'Cruz and Athiya Shetty for the first time. The movie is expected to be an entertaining ride, as Arjun will be seen in the double role of Karanveer Singh and Charanveer Singh.

Although Bollywood friendships are rare and short-lived, they always become talk of the town. During the shoot of Mubarakan, Ileana and Athiya became besties.

The whole unit of Mubarakan was like one big happy family shooting in England but the strongest bond of all seems to be between Ileana and Athiya, sources said.

They hit it off when they shot together in Mumbai for Mubarakan. In London, they are inseparable the sources added.

The two girls were seen spending a lot of time together on their off days while exploring London to the core.

Mubarakan is slated to have its worldwide release on 28 July 2017.
Actor Kunal Kapoor, who will be seen in National Award-winning filmmaker Tigmanshu Dhulia's next Raag desh  Birth of a Nation says it has been an incredible movie-making experience.

"This has been such an incredible movie-making experience! And such a huge learning! Thank you. Tigmanshu Dhulia, Raag Desh," Kunal tweeted.

The film also stars Amit Sadh and Mohit Marwah.

On the work front, Kunal will be starring in a multilingual war drama Veeram, directed by Jayaraj.

The film is an adaptation of William Shakespeare's Macbeth, and is set in North Malabar region of the south. Since the story revolves around a warrior of that region, various action sequences are part of the film.
Ending uncertainty over the National Eligibility Test (NET), the University Grants Commission has decided that the CBSE will conduct the exam in July.

An official notification in this regard is likely to be released soon.

The NET is held twice a yearJuly and Decemberfor the grant of junior research fellowship and eligibility for assistant professorship in universities and colleges.

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) had last year approached the HRD Ministry expressing its inability to conduct the exam due to capacity crunch as it was overburdened with other tests such as the JEE-MAIN and NEET for under- graduate engineering and medical courses.

While the Ministry had not issued any guidelines in this regard, the CBSE has not yet issued a notification for the exam scheduled in July, which is usually out by April first week every year.

Scores of students had protested outside the UGC last week demanding that the uncertainty over the exam be cleared and a notification be issued.

The CBSE had approached the HRD Ministry expressing their inability. We recently had a meeting with HRD officials over the issue and it was decided that the board will conduct the exam in July without causing any delay, a senior UGC official said on the condition of anonymity.

The arrangement is likely to continue till the proposed National Testing Service (NTS) for conduct of all exams is set up by the government, he said.

The NET was conducted by the UGC till 2014 following which it was handed over to the CBSE.
Encouraged by the response from over 2,000 schools for books published by NCERT, the HRD ministry is planning to conduct a review of the council's capacity before considering making its books compulsory.

Union Human Resource Development Minister Prakash Javadekar had recently advised the schools to stick to books published by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) rather than those of private publishers, however, the same have not been made compulsory yet as shortage of books was reported by schools and parents.

In February, CBSE had created a link on its official website for raising online indent for NCERT textbooks.

This year there was a problem because parents were complaining about prices of books being highly priced. We appealed to all schools to register and give their intent. Over 2,000 schools have registered and we have supplied NCERT books in those 2,000 private schools, Javadekar told reporters on the sidelines of an event.

However, it can't be made compulsory at present. We will review the NCERT capacity and the improvement in its books and a decision in this regard will be taken within next two months, he added.
China has increased its economic pull in Pakistan over the past year, providing over $1.2 billion in loans to help the country stave off a possible currency crisis.

State-backed Chinese banks have come to Pakistan's rescue twice already  a $900 million loan in 2016 and $300 million in 2017, Samaa TV quoted officials as saying.

China's financial help shows the risky and unstable stocks of Pakistan's foreign currency that have been depleted in recent months as imports have increased while exports and inbound remittances have fallen.

It also demonstrates Beijing and Islamabad's close partnership as relations between Pakistan and the US dipped.

Beijing's investment in Pakistan under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor will reach $62 billion from $55 billion after China approved more projects in different sectors.

However, despite the expected benefits Pakistan will reap from the deal, CPEC infrastructure is poised to further deplete the foreign currency stocks, used to pay contractors and suppliers.

Figures from the State Bank of Pakistan revealed that the country's net reserves dropped to $17.1 billion in February from $18.9 billion in October 2016 and $25 billion several years ago.

According to the report, this has caused Pakistan to seek emergency loans from outside sources to pay off previous debts made in foreign currencies.

A brokerage house estimated that Pakistan is entitled to pay China up to $90 billion in three decades for the $50 billion worth of loan and investment portfolio Beijing rendered to the country.

"Average annual repayment of CPEC will be $3 billion. [However, in medium term] between fiscal year 2020-25, it will range between $2-$5.3 billion with average repayment of $3.7 billion," Saad Hashemy, an analyst from Topline Securities, said.
The European Union (EU) reportedly intended to exclude the financial services sector from a trade deal with Britain after Brexit, media reports said.

According to Brussels-based online newspaper EU observer on April 25, the bloc's new draft negotiating guidelines spelled out that any free trade deal that would allow the London continued access to EU markets would require that Britain continued to respect the EU's regulatory and supervisory standards.

An earlier version of the guidelines only said that future trade agreement should "not endanger financial stability in the Union and encompass safeguards against unfair competitive advantages", Xinhua news agency reported.

The change would serve a blow to British Prime Minister Theresa May, who has called an election for June 8. In a letter sent to the EU to notify of Britain's exit, she argued for an ambitious free trade agreement that covers financial services.

France, Germany and other countries are looking to attract financial companies once Britain leaves the single market with Brexit.

EU leaders, without May, are scheduled to gather in Brussels on Saturday to agree on Brussels' negotiation guidelines.

A new draft of guidelines will be discussed at a political level by European affairs ministers on April 27, before being endorsed in April 29's summit.
India and Sri Lanka Wednesday signed an MoU for cooperation in economic projects as Prime Minister Narendra Modi affirmed his governments continued support to the government in the island nation in realising its vision for a stable, peaceful and prosperous Lanka.

Mr Modi, who is scheduled to visit Lanka in the second week of May to inaugurate the UN Vesak Day (Buddha Day), Wednesday held wide-ranging talks with visiting Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe on bilateral issues and matters of mutual interest. Mr Wickremesinghe, who is on a five-day working visit, also held talks with External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Home Minister Rajnath Singh and other Indian leaders.

An official statement said the discussions between the two sides provided them an opportunity to review the progress in implementation of the decisions taken during various high level exchanges in the past two years or so, including the visit of Mr Modi to Colombo in March 2015 and the visits of the President and the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka to India since February 2015.

The two sides expressed their satisfaction at the progress in implementation of the outcomes of these exchanges, which further strengthened the historically close and friendly relations between the two countries. The Indian side reiterated Indias commitment to promoting prosperity in the neighbourhood.

The MoU for cooperation in economic projects signed today outlines the agenda for bilateral economic cooperation in the foreseeable future. Both sides expressed their commitment to ensuring that this mutually beneficial agenda was expeditiously implemented. They also expressed the hope for early conclusion of the ongoing negotiations on the Economic and Technology Cooperation Agreement.

Pointing out that India had welcomed Lanka co-sponsoring the Resolution "Promoting Reconciliation, Accountability and Human Rights in Sri Lanka at the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) last month, the Indian leadership expressed the earnest hope that recommendations on the reconciliation would be completed within the stipulated timeframe of two years.

The Indian interlocutors requested continued cooperation of the Lankan authorities for humanitarian treatment of Indian fishermen, without resorting to force under any circumstances. Both sides welcomed the meeting of the Joint Working Group on Fisheries held in Colombo earlier this month. The Indian side also informed the Lankan side of the measures taken by India to encourage the Indian fishermen concerned for adopting deep sea fishing.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Wednesday said that it will soon issue new Rs 10 and Rs 5 coins in circulation.

According to the RBI, the central government has minted new Rs 5 coins to commemorate the "150th Anniversary of Allahabad High Court" and Rs 10 coins on the occasion of "One Hundred Twenty-fifth Year of National Archives of India".

Besides, the Reserve Bank said that the existing Rs 5 and Rs 10 coins shall continue to be legal tender even after the issue of new coins.

The apex bank said that the reverse side of the Rs 5 coin shall bear the image depicting "Centre facade of Allahabad High Court Building emerging from the book".

"The year 1866-2016 in English numerals shall be written at the bottom of the image," the RBI said in a statement.

It said that Rs 10 coins' reverse side shall bear the image of "National Archives Building" in the centre.

"A logo of 125th Anniversary Celebration shall exist at the centre and above the image of 'National Archives Building'. The year 1916 and 2016 in international numerals shall be written respectively on left and right top of the image," the statement said.
With the World Trade Organisation ruling in Mexico's favour, allowing it to impose trade sanctions worth $163 million a year against the US, the Trump administration lost its first trade battle with the neighbouring nation.

The WTO on April 25 said that's how much money Mexico has lost from the US unfairly penalising Mexican tuna, CNN reported.

Mexico and the US have fought for years over tuna.

The US insists that any Mexican tuna sold in the US must be "dolphin safe", meaning dolphins were not killed by tuna fisherman, which was once common.

Mexico says its fisherman play by the rules. The US government disagrees. Now the trade body has slammed the US, ruling in Mexico's favour.

The timing, however coincidental, is sensitive. President Donald Trump wants to renegotiate Nafta, the free trade agreement between the US, Mexico and Canada.

Trump's administration took its first steps to crack down on trade with Canada on Monday night when the Commerce Department announced a 20 per cent tariff against Canadian softwood lumber.

A war of words between Canadian and American leaders has followed.

Trump's decision to go after Canada first with tariffs was particularly surprising given his harsh criticism of Mexico on the campaign trail. Now Trump has upset Canada and suffered a trade defeat from Mexico, CNN said.
As many as 38 of the 270 Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) candidates and 92 of the Congress forfeited their security deposits in the Delhi civic polls, State Election Commissioner (SEC) S.K. Srivastava disclosed on Wednesday.

Only five Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidates lost their deposits this time round. In 2012, 18 BJP contestants had lost their deposits, while the figure for the Congress was 26.

The security deposit is forfeited if a candidate fails to garner a minimum of 1/6th of the total number of valid votes.

In all, 1,790 candidates of the total 2,516 candidates in the fray lost their deposits in Sunday's municipal polls, votes for which were counted on Wednesday, the SEC said.

In all the three municipal corporations, the BJP candidates won by the highest margins. BJP's Sanjeev Kapoor left the AAP's Naveen Gupta behind by 9,332 votes in Krishna Nagar (East DMC) seat.

In Dwarka-B (South DMC) ward, BJP's Kamaljeet Sehrawat defeated the AAP's Sushma Bansal by 9,866 votes.

In Saraswati Vihar (NDMC), Neeraj Kumar of the BJP defeated the AAP's Desraj Aggarwal by 7,895 votes.

Anita Tanwar of the BJP won by two votes in Chattarpur (SDMC), while Gurjeet Kaur of the same party won by 58 seats in Bhajanpura (EDMC).

Seema Tahira of the Congress won by 259 votes from Bazar Sita Ram (North DMC).

Interestingly, as many as 49,235 voters opted for NOTA this time around, which worked out to 0.67 per cent of the total votes cast. Of these, 10,283 (0.58 per cent) were recorded in EDMC, 19,762 (0.74 per cent) in NDMC and 19,190 (0.71 per cent) in SDMC.

"This is quite a high number of NOTA. This means the voters were not happy with any of the candidates in the fray and they expressed their displeasure through NOTA," Srivastava observed.
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Alka Lamba on Wednesday offered to resign from all party posts taking the moral responsibility for the party's defeat in the municipal seats falling under her constituency.

"I offer to quit from all the party posts and MLA post taking the moral responsibility for the defeat of the party in all the three wards of my constituency," Lamba, who represents Chandni Chowk constituency in central Delhi tweeted.

She also said that she will keep on supporting her party's fight against corruption till it reaches its logical conclusion.

"We all know that in this kind of environment fight against justice and corruption is not easy. Even then this fight will continue till there is a change," she said in another tweet.

The AAP leader remarks came soon after its all three party candidates from Chandni Chowk lost in the civic polls.


Delhi Congress Chief Ajay Maken on Wednesday took moral responsibility for the party's defeat in the civic polls and announced he was resigning from his post.

"I will submit my resignation to the Congress President and Vice-President shortly," Maken told reporters.

The Congress was a distant third in the Delhi municipal corporation polls, after the BJP and the AAP.
AAP leader and Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Wednesday alleged widespread tampering of EVMs to favour the BJP and said there was "no reason" for the people of Delhi to favour the BJP.

Addressing the media after the BJP was set to sweep the MCD polls, Sisodia said that a little percentage of difference in favour of the BJP would have been acceptable, but "this difference is unbelievable".

"Without EVM tampering it is not possible."

He said the Bharatiya Janata Party, which had earlier raised questions on the reliability of the Electronic Voting Machines, "are now declaring that the EVMs cannot be tampered with".

He said the BJP did "research" on tampering of EVMs in 2009, but now they are winning based on tampering of voting machines.

Sisodia said the Election Commission should answer the technical questions raised on the EVMS.

The ruling AAP was a distant second to the BJP in the Delhi civic polls.
Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday appointed party leader Ashok Gehlot as in-charge of Gujarat, where assembly elections are due later this year.

Gehlot, a former Chief Minister of Rajasthan, replaces Gurudas Kamat as in-charge of the state.

A party release said that Gehlot as general secretary will be assisted by four secretaries  Rajeev Satav, Harshvardhan Sapkal, Varsha Gaikwad and Jeetu Patwari.

"Congress president Sonia Gandhi has assigned the task of looking after Gujarat affairs to a new AICC team," the release said.

Gujarat is the home state of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah.

The Congress is hoping to improve its prospects in Gujarat in the assembly polls. The party has lost successive assembly polls in the state.

Kamat has resigned all party posts, according to a statement.
Former Delhi Chief Minister and Congress leader Sheila Dikshit on Wednesday said the Congress did not campaign aggressively to win the civic polls and added that she had not been invited to campaign for party candidates.

"We are going through a bad time. Congress did not campaign in an aggressive way. It did not do what it should have done to win the Delhi civic polls," Dikshit told media persons here.

Asked why she did not campaign for Congress candidates, Dikshit said: "I was not invited for any of the campaign programmes. If I would have been informed I would have certainly done."

Her remarks came as counting trends showed the BJP was leading in 141 wards, while the AAP was at second spot, leading in 40 and the Congress in 28 wards.

On allegations by the AAP of tampering with the EVMs, Dikshit said: "Winners and losers have different versions to the problem. But in a case like this, the government and the Election Commission should come up with a solution."

She pointed to the Punjab elections, in which the Congress won, saying the party never raised any issue over the EVMs.

She also said the Congress will bounce back. "The Congress is going through a bad phase. The BJP also did for a long time. We will also come back. Congress' soul resides in India, people will understand."
A day after he was arrested by Delhi Police, the Tis Hazari court in Delhi sent AIADMK faction leader TTV Dhinakaran to 5-day police custody.

Dhinakaran, who on Saturday appeared before the Delhi crime branch police for questioning for the first time, was grilled for four days before being formally arrested. His aide Mallikarjuna was also sent to seven days police custody.

On Wednesday, a bail application moved by him was rejected by the Delhi court .

The Delhi Police had on Tuesday night arrested Dinakaran for allegedly attempting to bribe Election Commission officials through a middleman Sukesh Chandrasekar to get a favourable verdict in the party's two leaves symbol case.
The Government College, Nangal Chaudhary, in Haryana's Mahendergarh district will be named after Rashtriya Rifles officer Major Satish Dahiya, who was martyred in an encounter with militants in Kashmir early this year.

The college will be now known as Shaheed Major Satish Dahiya Government College, an official spokesman said today.

"Keeping the word given by Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar to the family of the martyr, the state government has decided to rename Government College, Nangal Chaudhary, as Shaheed Major Satish Dahiya Government College, with immediate effect," an official spokesman said here today.

Major Dahiya of 30 Rashtriya Rifles had laid down his life during a gunfight with militants at Kralgund in Kupwara, Jammu and Kashmir, on February 14, 2017.

The Chief Minister had during his meeting with Dahiya's family in his native village of Banihari of Mahendergarh district announced that Government College, Nangal Chaudhary, would be named after the martyr.


Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday congratulated the BJP for its victory in the civic polls and assured his party's support for Delhi's betterment.

"I congratulate (the) BJP on their victory in all three MCDs (municipal corporations of Delhi). My government looks forward to working with the MCDs for the betterment of Delhi," Kejriwal tweeted.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was set to sweep all three  east, south and north Delhi  civic corporations. It had so far won 143 seats and was leading in 31 seats.

The Aam Aadmi Party was a distant second having won 35 seats and leading in 16, while the Congress had won only 22 seats and was leading in 4.
The BJP on Wednesday moved towards a thumping victory in all the three municipal corporations in Delhi by winning over 160 seats, crossing its existing strength of 138 as it decimated the AAP and the Congress.

The saffron party may bag more seats as the counting of votes polled in around 35 wards of MCD is still underway. The party has crossed the halfway mark of the total number of seats.

According to latest trends, the Aam Aadmi Party finished second in the municipal polls with 39 seats, followed by the Congress with 26.

The BJP has bagged 57 seats in the North MCD. Though the Aam Aadmi Party managed to win 17, the Congress bagged 12 seats in NDMC.

In East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC), BJP got 42 seats while AAP and Congress won 10 and three wards respectively.

BJP managed to win 61 seats in South Delhi where AAP got 12 seats. Congress got 11 seats in the SDMC.

Counting of votes began at 8 AM today with the BJP gaining early leads in all the three municipal corporations  NDMC, SDMC and EDMC.

Meanwhile, the BJP dedicated its impending win to the slain CRPF personnel in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district and decided to refrain from any celebrations.

Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari said that every heart is filled with grief over Monday's killing of 25 CRPF men by Naxals in Sukma and the party will not celebrate the victory.

"But for the Sukma incident, we would be on the streets celebrating this massive victory. We dedicate this win in the feet of Sukma martyrs," he said.

The AAP's humiliating defeat plunged the party into a crisis even as its top leadership put up a brave front suggesting it was all expected due to tampering with EVMs, an allegation that has been rubbished by the Election Commission.

"EVM tampering is the bitter truth of the country's democracy. One can crack jokes on us initially, but fearing being made fun of, we cannot refrain from speaking the truth," Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia told reporters.

Meanwhile, DPCC chief Ajay Maken offered to resign from his post, accepting moral responsibility for the Congress' dismal performance in the civic polls.

"It is a reasonable revival of the Congress but I had hoped for something better than this. I had expected to perform a little better.

"So, as the president of Delhi Congress, I take moral responsibility and offer to resign from my post. I have decided to resign from my post," Maken said.
Haryana Health Minister Anil Vij on Wednesday advised the Aam Aadmi Party to swallow pills to digest its crushing defeat in the Delhi MCD polls.

The minister, known for his off-the-cuff remarks, said the AAP suffers from bouts of indigestion after every poll defeat.

The Election Commission, along with conducting the polls, should also distribute digestive tablet so that the party which loses the polls is able to digest the defeat, he tweeted.

After every polls, the AAP suffers from indigestion. After Punjab and Goa, now they are not able to digest the results of the Delhi Municipal Corporation elections, he said in another tweet.

The AAP was on Wednesday handed a severe drubbing in the Delhi MCD polls by the BJP, triggering charges of EVM manipulation from the Arvind Kejriwal-led party amid murmurs of dissent within its ranks.

The AAP's humiliating defeat plunged it into a crisis even as its top leadership put up a brave front suggesting it was all expected due to tampering with EVMs, an allegation that has been rubbished by the Election Commission.
The government on Wednesday appointed senior IPS officer Rajiv Rai Bhatnagar as new chief of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), two days after the force lost 25 men in a deadly Maoist attack in Sukma district of Chhattisgarh.

Bhatnagar, a 1983 batch officer of Uttar Pradesh cadre, was appointed to the post nearly two months after the retirement of previous incumbent K. Durga Prasad on February 28.

Additional Director General Sudeep Lakhtakia, a 1981 batch IPS officer, was handling additional charge as CRPF Director General.

Prasad headed the force as its chief for one year from March 1, 2016 to February 28, 2017.

Bhatnagar is currently serving as Director General of the Narcotics Control Bureau  an ADG rank post which has temporarily been upgraded to a Special Director General rank.
A record 1,000-metre-long ceremonial chadar was offered on Tuesday at the graves of Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan and his Empress Mumtaz Mahal on the 362nd Urs of the builder of the immortal memorial to love here.

While one end of the chadar was at the southern gate of the Taj Mahal, the other was at the original graves of the royal couple. Access to the original graves are only during the annual Urs while visitors to the 17th-century monument only get to see a replica.

The chadarposhi ceremony began on Tuesday afternoon after the Kul Sharif ritual. The first to offer the chadar were officials of the Archaeological Survey of India and the Central Industrial Security Force which guard the Taj complex.

The ceremony was organised by the Khuddam-e-roza headed by Tahiruddin Taahir.

Hindus and Muslims both joined the ceremonial procession.

Syed Munnawar Ali of the Urs committee said the "chadarposhi" ceremony represented peace and harmony in the world.

An estimated crowd of 40,000 faithful joined the ceremony. Entry to the monument was free on Tuesday.
Websites of Delhi University (DU), Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), Indian Institute of Technology -Delhi and some other educational and training institutions were hacked allegedly by some Pakistan-based groups on Tuesday.

The portals of DU, AMU, IIT-Delhi and IIT-BHU, when opened, did not show the usual information and were posted with messages and videos about alleged atrocities by Indian security forces in Jammu and Kashmir.

The hackers, who called themselves PHC, also posted some pro-Pakistani slogans on the websites, and said: "Nothing deleted or stolen. Just here to deliver my message to Indians."

The message asked Indians if they were aware of what their soldiers were doing in Kashmir. The hacked portals also had "Pakistan zindabad" slogans.

Websites of University of Kota, Army Institute of Management and Technology, Defence Institute of Advanced Technology, Board of Research in Nuclear Sciences, and National Aerospace Laboratories did not open or could not be reached.

When contacted, educational institutions said they were linked to Ernet India Server which hosted their websites.

Afsar Khan, former Registrar and a member of AMU website management team, told IANS that the website for admissions was hosted locally and was working fine.

"Ernet (Education and Research Network) India Server that hosts websites has been hacked. They are working on it and it will be restored within 3-4 hours. Our website for admissions, which is hosted locally, is working fine and we won't face any problem on that front," he said.

DU, in its statement, said the website of the university was inaccessible from outside the campus for some time "due to some problems in the domain name servers pointing incorrectly to another site".

"The problem was detected and immediately rectified by contacting ERNET, who has provided the domain name for University of Delhi," the statement said.

IIT-Delhi spokesperson Kalyan Bhattacharjee told IANS that there was nothing wrong with their server and it was Ernet that was hacked.

"Our server is intact. We are registered with the ERNET  under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology. They have a DNA server and has our addresses," he said.

"It is this address location that was tampered with by some external agency," Bhattacharjee said, adding that the ministry is investigating the matter.
The first Labour Day was celebrated on the 5 September, 1882, in the New York City, USA. The Labour Movement in the United States encouraged labourers across the world to organise movements, to form pressure groups and labour unions. In the honour of the millions of labourers who toil hard round the clock, each day, to make life better for other citizens, India celebrates this cause on the 1May every year.

With this inspiring side of labour, however, comes also the gruesome reality of child labour. This practice of forcing children below 14 to engage themselves in income-generating activities, started back in the 17th century, and still remains a deadly part of what constitutes our modern society. That they were not correctly educated, not conscious of their basic, human, lawful rights, were facts that made it easy for the inhuman manufacturers to exploit these little minds. But the injustice meted out to these children did not end there: the primary reason for their underage employment was their availability at cheap rates. This vile inequality on the children continued for several long decades until it came to be adjudged unacceptable both morally and legally. In 1924, the Geneva Declaration of the Right of Children Act came into existence, followed by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948. Today, India has the highest rates of child labour in the world, contributes to one-third of the labour requirements of Asia. This stands as the ground where the act of deadening innocent children is practised every day, increasingly, illegally, more than anywhere else on the globe. However, today fighting the wrongs of our country has become easier than ever before.

The declaration by the High Court of Punjab and Haryana in 2013, that a total ban should be levied on employment of children below the age of 14  whether in hazardous or non-hazardous industries  was perhaps the most significant of all steps taken in this war against Child Labour. Until and unless the people themselves understand the pressing importance of this issue and the right of children, of everybody, to education and healthy growth conditions, Child Labour can never entirely be eradicated from our country.

Coordinator, Class XI, Gokhale Memorial Girls School.
Actress Emma Watson says she is passionate about her "private identity" because she gets overwhelmed with attention.

Speaking to Interview Magazine, Watson asserted that growing up in the spotlight taught her the importance of separating her public persona from her private life, reports people.com.

Watson got famous thanks to her role as Hermione Granger in "Harry Potter" film series.

Watson said: "Daniel (Radcliffe), Rupert (Grint), and I were kids when we got cast in this fairy-tale series, and what happened to us was kind of a fantasy story in itself.

"So the story of my life has been of public interest, which is why I've been so passionate about having a private identity. When I step into a character, people have to be able to suspend their disbelief; they have to be able to divorce me from that girl. And not having everyone know every single intimate detail of my entire life is part of me trying to protect my ability to do my job well."

The 27-year-old added that she knows that she is "under a different microscope, a certain level of scrutiny" which she finds hard to deal with.

She said: "And sometimes the fear of doing things is overwhelming. I get incredibly overwhelmed, and sometimes feel hemmed in by that, afraid of that.

"But I know that if I live in that fear, then my life as an artist, as a human being, really, is over. Ultimately, it will silence me, and it will silence what is in me  which I have yet to explore and uncover."


Actor Chris Pratt says he refuses to take photos with fans because he wants them to enjoy the moment and not waste time by clicking pictures.

In an interview with Cigar Aficionado magazine, the 37- year-old actor says he also avoids being clicked because he has to be economical with his time.

I've always been a pretty deferential, go-with-the-flow guy. But now I have to be economical with my time. If I go out and want to do normal things, I have to be comfortable disappointing people. So, I just don't take pictures with people.

He further says, Because that's not about enjoying the moment; it's about stealing the moment to brag about later. So I say, 'Would you settle for a handshake?' And then they take the picture anyway.
Union Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu on Wednesday dismissed allegations of EVM tampering, saying that the ruling Aam Aadmi Party failed to understand the mood of the nation.

As the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) looked to sweep the Delhi civic polls, Naidu said people did not vote for the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) because it did not perform.

"These allegations are unsubstantial. BJP government was at the Centre even when the Delhi assembly elections took place (in 2015)," Naidu said.

"He (Arvind Kejriwal) was not ready to perform He did not want to work with the central government. He did not understand the mood of the nation. The mood of the nation is 'Modi'," Naidu said referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

AAP leader and Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia earlier on Wednesday alleged widespread tampering of EVMs to favour the BJP and said there was "no reason" for the people of Delhi to favour the BJP.

The ruling AAP was a distant second to the BJP in the Delhi civic polls.


By Press Trust of India: New York, Apr 26 (PTI) A grand jury in the US today indicted an India-born doctor and his wife along with another Indian-origin woman doctor in a first-of-its kind federal prosecution involving female genital mutilation of two minor girls.

Unless they work out a plea deal, the two doctors and the wife of one of the physicians are headed to trial now, Detroit Free Press reported.

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Fakhruddin Attar, 53, and his wife, Farida Attar, 50, both from Michigan state, were charged with conspiring to perform female genital mutilations (FGM) on minor girls out of Fakhruddin Attars medical clinic in Livonia. The Attars were arrested on April 21.

They were charged with helping another Indian-origin doctor Jumana Nagarwala, 44, of Michigan, perform FGM on minor girls.

According to the indictment handed up in US District Court, Jumana cut the genitals of two girls from Minnesota with the help of another doctor who let her use his Livonia clinic to carry out the procedure and helped coordinate the girls trip to Michigan, the report said.

The federal indictment alleged that the three persons tried to obstruct the investigation by telling other people to make false statement to authorities. The doctors are also accused of lying to investigators.

Nagarwala, Fakhruddin and Farida are believed to be the first people charged under federal US law, which criminalises FGM.

According to an online physician directory, Fakhruddin graduated from the Baroda Medical College in Gujarat, India in 1988.

The charges say that Nagarwala used to perform the medical procedure on minor girls at Burhani Medical Clinic (BMC) in Michigan that was owned and operated by Fakhruddin.

Fakhruddins wife was employed at BMC as an officer manager.

The compliant against the Attars said that the couple arranged and assisted in the female genital mutilation of minor females performed by Nagarwala. While they allowed their clinic to be used by Nagarwala to perform the procedures, Farida assisted Nagarwala during the female genital mutilation procedures.

Fakhruddin told federal agents this month that he has known Nagarwala and she occasionally saw patients at his clinic even though she was not employed there. He said Nagarwala only saw the patients at BMC when the clinic was closed and that Farida used to be present in the examining room while Nagarwala treated the minor girls.

The investigation revealed that several minor girls informed forensic personnel that Nagarwala had performed procedures on their genitals and one minor girl said Farida had been present when Nagarwala did the FGM procedures.

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According to the complaint, some of the minor victims travelled interstate to have the procedure performed. The complaint alleges that the FGM procedure was performed on girls who were approximately six to eight years old.

The number of girls under 18 at risk for FGM in the US has quadrupled since 1997. The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention estimates 513,000 women and girls are at risk of FGM in the US. FGM has been a crime under federal law since 1996 and is punishable by up to five years in prison, however FGM is not a crime in 26 US states, including Michigan.

The complaint filed against Nagarwala last week had said federal agents reviewed her telephone records and further investigation revealed that parents of two minor girls had travelled to Michigan.

The girls were later interviewed by a forensic expert and one of the girls said she was told she was coming to Detroit for a "special" girls trip, but after arriving at the hotel, she learned that she and the other girl had to go to the doctor because "our tummies hurt." The girls had been taken to Nagarwala, who performed the procedure on the girls.

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The World Health Organisation said female genital mutilation comprises all procedures that involve partial or total removal of the external female genitalia, or other injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons.

More than 200 million girls and women alive today have been cut in 30 countries in Africa, the Middle East and Asia where FGM is concentrated. WHO said FGM, which is mostly carried out on young girls between infancy and age 15, is a violation of the human rights of girls and women. PTI CPS CPS

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Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday assured a delegation of the All Assam Students' Union (AASU) that the spirit of the Assam Accord would not be allowed to get diluted at any cost and the government is committed to provide Constitutional and economic safeguards to the indigenous people of the state.

The Union Minister said this on Wednesday while taking part in tripartite talks between the AASU delegation, the Assam government and the Central government. He said the Central government has been closely monitoring the implementation of the historic Accord.

"The Government of India and the Government of Assam are committed to a flawless NRC updation exercise in Assam and to provide Constitutional and economic safeguards to the indigenous people," said Singh.

The tripartite talks at the Home Ministerial level is being held after a gap of almost 12 years. It was participated by the Union Home Minister, Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and representatives of All Assam Students' Union.

Singh said that a committee with representatives from the central government, Assam government and AASU will be formed to ensure time-bound implementation of all clauses of the Accord.

"All issues raised by AASU will be discussed in detail and implemented in a time-bound manner. We are also mulling the option for second line of defence along the border for strengthening border security and checking infiltration. Besides, erection of fencing along the Indo-Bangla border has already begun," Singh said. The Union Home Minister also said that construction work of the Bogibeel Bridge would be completed within December 2017.

"We have started a meaningful and good beginning to the implementation of Assam Accord. Today's talks have ended on a positive note, as we have discussed in detail clause-wise time bound implementation of the Accord for providing constitutional and economic safeguards to the people of Assam," Sonowal said after the meeting.

AASU Adviser Samujjal Bhattacharyya said that all 60 proposals placed by AASU for clause-wise implementation of the Accord were discussed threadbare in the talks. He said that they discussed the issue of raising of a Special Task Force at district and state levels for detection of illegal immigrants. "A bilateral agreement between Governments of India and Bangladesh for deportation of illegal immigrants was also suggested by AASU in the discussions," Bhattacharyya said.


In a surprise move, senior Congress leader and AICC General Secretary Gurudas Kamat has quit all posts in the party, according to a statement here on Wednesday.

"I had met Congress Vice president Rahul Gandhi last week on Wednesday and discussed to be relieved from all responsibilities," he said in a terse statement, hinting at retirement from active politics.

Kamat said he had requested Gandhi to relieve him from all responsibilities on February 3, the day Congress candidates were announced for the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation elections, and repeated his plea on February 21, the day of BMC polling.

"I thank Congress President Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi for the opportunity given to me to serve the party," he said without elaborating on the reasons for his decision.
India will help Armenia to build satellite and remote sensing data matters and train Armenian scientists as both the countries on Wednesday signed three agreements to boost bilateral cooperation.

The agreements were signed after Vice President Hamid Ansari held talks with the top leadership of Armenia including President Serzh Sargsyan, Prime Minister Karen Karapetyan and Foreign Minister Eduard Nalbandian.

The two sides stressed that there cannot be double speak on the issue of terrorism.

During the talks, Ansari stressed that there cannot be bad or good terrorism. The two sides acknowledged that there cannot be double standard on terrorism and the international community should speak in one voice against the menace.

Armenia stressed that how it had voluntarily supported India in international forums including the United Nations.

Briefing about the meetings, MEA Secretary (East) Preeti Saran said that the two countries are celebrating the 25th anniversary of their diplomatic ties and the Vice President's visit starts a new chapter in their relationship.

During the talks, the two sides identified connectivity as an important aspect of their relationship and agreed that there is need to enhance cooperation as far as direct flights between the two countries are concerned, Saran said.

They also agreed to liberalise the visa regime issue to improve people-to-people contact, she added.

Both the sides also agreed to enhance cooperation in the agricultural sector and a joint working group will meet soon to finalise the broader outline, she said.

They also agreed to enhance space cooperation in which satellite, remote sensing data matters, training of scientists are important aspects. India will help Armenia in this sector, she said.

The two countries also agreed to enhance cooperation in the broadcasting and film sector especially Bollywood.

"Armenia has invited Indian film industry to shoot films in their country. A team from Bollywood is expected to come Armenia to explore the possibility," Saran said.

Armenian president told Ansari that Bollywood films are popular in his country and his grand daughter was fond of Bollywood music.

India had helped Armenia in many fields including establishing a centre of excellence, Param super computer besides setting up a number of computer labs in schools. IT and machine making is an important area of thrust for both the sides and a possibility of a joint venture will be worked out, she said.

Ansari handed over an invitation from President Pranab Mukherjee to Armenian President Sargsyan to visit India.

Sargsyan accepted the invitation. Armenian Foreign Minister also invited his Indian counterpart Sushma Swaraj.

The Armenian President hosted a lunch in honour of Ansari.

Earlier, Ansari visited the Armenian genocide memorial and paid tribute to the victims with a minute of silence.

He visited the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute (AGMI), watched the displays and left a note in the guest book. He later planted a fir tree in the memory Alley.
India on Wednesday demanded consular access to Kulbhushan Jadhav who has been sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court for alleged spying.

This was conveyed by Indian High Commissioner in Islamabad Gautam Bambawale to Pakistan Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua during a meeting sought by him.

On April 19, a meeting between Bambawale and Janjua was rescheduled.

Pakistan has denied India's request for consular access to 46-year-old Jadhav over a dozen times in the last one year.

Pakistan Army has already rejected any chance of granting consular access to Jadhav who was sentenced to death for espionage and subversive activities.

On April 14, Bambawale had met with the Pakistani foreign secretary, showing increasing concern of India about the fate of Jadhav.

He told media after his meeting that he had asked for list of charges and authentic copy of verdict of military tribunal against Jadhav to launch appeal against his conviction.

He also said that India was seeking consular access on the basis on international law humanitarian grounds.

Pakistan Foreign Office has said that during the period of trial of Jadhav, due judicial process was followed and he was provided a lawyer in accordance with relevant laws and the Constitution of Pakistan.

Jadhav was awarded death sentence by the Field General Court Martial earlier this month, evoking a sharp reaction in India which warned Pakistan of consequences and damage to bilateral ties if the "pre-meditated murder" was carried out.

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.

However, India denied Pakistan's contention and maintained that Jadhav was kidnapped by the Pakistan authorities.

India had acknowledged that Jadhav had served with the navy but denied that he has any connection with the government.


In an apparent dig at the AAP, Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on Wednesday said BJP's impressive show in the MCD polls is a lesson for those crying foul over EVMs and asked it to respect people's mandate.

Minister of State for Minority Affairs Naqvi, without naming any of the opposition parties, also added that the saffron party's victory is a clean sweep against politics of anarchy and arrogance.

The Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP has been at the forefront of opposition parties complaining of EVMs tampering.

Lesson & message for 'EVM Vilaap Mandli'- Instead of blaming EVM, respect people's mandate & do introspection.

#DelhiMCDpolls-Clean sweep against politics of anarchy, arrogance. Results reflect people's passion for inclusive growth, good-governance, Naqvi tweeted.

From the results available until now, the ruling BJP is headed for a landslide victory, winning 160 of the total 270 wards which went to polls in the three municipal corporations.

The AAP, which made its civic polls debut, bagged 26 seats. The Congress was relegated to third position, winning 8 seats.
Indian High Commissioner to Pakistan Gautam Bambawale on Wednesday met Pakistan Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua in Islamabad and handed over a petition addressed to the Pakistan Government from Kulbhushan Jadhav's mother seeking the release of the former Indian Navy officer, who has been awarded death sentence by a military court in Pakistan.

Also handed over was an appeal by the mother to the Court of Appeal, on behalf of Jadhav, who continues to be in detention in Pakistan on concocted charges, government sources here said.

Jadhavs mother has requested the intervention of the Pakistan Government and expressed the desire to meet her son. Pakistan was also requested to facilitate visas for the mother and father of Jadhav, who has been charged with carrying out espionage activities.

Jadhavs parents wish to travel to Pakistan to meet him and also to personally file the petition and the appeal. They have applied for necessary visas with the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi, the sources added.

Bambawale also made a request for the 16th time for consular access to Jadhav. Appeal in Kulbhushan Jadhav case, filed by High Commissioner Gautam Bambawale with Pak Foreign Secretary in Islamabad today, the Indian High Commissioner tweeted.

This came a day after Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar had met Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit and made similar points.
Recreating history, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is a clear victor in the MCD elections yet again, winning over 140 wards. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is at second spot and the Congress third. Now, as Delhi is all set to celebrate the BJP's victory, mixed reactions from different political leaders are pouring in with some crediting Prime Minister Narendra Modi's policies for the BJP's win, while others blaming it on the EVM for their party's debacle.

Reactions from BJP leaders

Taking the lead, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to Twitter and praised people of Delhi for the victory.

Grateful to the people of Delhi for the faith in the BJP. I laud the hardwork of (Delhi BJP) team which made the resounding MCD win possible.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh credited PM Modi, BJP chief Amit Shah, Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari and all-party workers for the win and said, BJPs remarkable victory in MCD polls is reaffirmation of peoples faith in PMs leadership and Amit Shahs organisational skills. Congratulations to BJP karyakartas and Delhi BJP President Shri Manoj Tiwari on registering an emphatic victory in MCD polls.

BJP chief Amit Shah said the party's win in the Delhi civic polls was a vote in favour of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's three years in power and a vote against the 'negative politics' of the AAP.

MCD election results have pushed Modis victory chariot forward The results show negative politics wont work, Shah said.

Union minister and BJP leader Nitin Gadkari said, "Winning and losing is a part of democracy and one must accept mandate of the people with maturity."

BJP leader Subramanian Swamy suggested President's rule in Delhi and said a fresh election should be conducted to form new government. I think the President should dismiss the Delhi government and order fresh elections. AAPs support has evaporated. It was done in 1977; SC also upheld it.

Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari asked Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to resign and said, "Delhi CM Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal must resign. Delhi will be a hygienic, dirt and disease free city. The AAP has failed the people of Delhi and people are facing a lot of difficulties." He also said that the party has dedicated the victory to the slain CRPF jawans who were martyred in Sukma Maoist attack.

Reactions from Congress leaders

Former Delhi chief minister and Congress veteran Sheila Dikshit said that the party should have campaigned aggressively to challenge the BJP. "We are going through a bad time. Congress did not campaign in an aggressive way. It did not do what it should have done to win the Delhi civic polls," Dikshit said.

Taking responsibility of the party's defeat, senior Congress leader Ajay Maken offered to resign from their respective posts. "For one year I will not take up any post in the party and will work as a party worker," Maken said.

Reactions from AAP leaders

Delhi Rural Development Minister Gopal Rai blamed it on the faulty EVMs for the AAP's debacle.

"This is not a (Narendra) Modi wave, this is an EVM wave. This is the same wave that they (BJP) used in the Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Punjab polls," Rai said.

Senior AAP leader Manish Sisodia questioned the use of EVMs in the MCD elections 2017 and said, "BJP leaders had written books on EVM tampering, now same leaders are saying EVMs are fine."

AAP MLA Alka Lamba offered to quit from the post and said, "I offer to quit from all the party posts and MLA post, taking the moral responsibility for the defeat of the party in all the three wards of my constituency," Lamba tweeted.

Taking a dig at the Arvind Kejriwal government, activist Anna Hazare said, There was a difference between what was said and what was done.

The elections, which took place on Sunday for 270 of the total 272 wards of the three municipal corporations saw around 54 per cent voters turnout. Over 2,500 candidates contested the elections in North Delhi Municipal Corporation and South Delhi Municipal Corporation (104 seats each) and East Delhi Municipal Congress (64 seats).
The worsening security situation in Kashmir was discussed on Tuesday at a high-level meeting where Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti directed the forces to exercise restraint and advocated a "healing touch" towards "our own youth" caught in the cycle of violence.

She said youth engagement should be prioritized rather than viewing it as a routine law and order issue and asked the security agencies to improve interface with the public to allay people's apprehensions and misgivings about the system.

She was chairing a meeting of the Unified Command Headquarters, the multi-agency security body, here against the backdrop of spiralling protests and violence in the Kashmir valley over the last few weeks.

"The youth unfortunately caught in the cycle of violence are our own youth who ought to be won over with healing touch," Mehbooba said at the meeting attended by Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh and top officials of the state government, the army and the paramilitary forces.

"The Chief Minister directed the security agencies to exercise restraint while dealing with provocative situations," an official said.

She said that wherever restraint had been exercised, it had shown positive results on the ground for the government and helped in maintaining peace and order.

Advocating holding of counseling sessions for the youth, Mehbooba said it would not only help allay their apprehensions and misgivings about the system but would also give the security agencies a chance to reach out to people through community policing, the official said.

She said youth engagement should be prioritized rather than viewing it as a routine law and order issue and directed that care should be taken to avoid and minimize all collateral damage while conducting operations.

"She also directed that parents of the youth be taken into confidence as and when there is some complaint about any youth and in no way should the family be held accountable for the deeds of the said youth," they added.

Besides the Deputy Chief Minister, the meeting was attended by Chief Secretary B R Sharma, Financial Commissioner and Principal Secretary to Chief Minister B B Vyas, Principal Secretary, Home, R K Goyal, Director General of Police S P Vaid, GoC-in-C of Northern Command Lt Gen Devraj Anbu, Corps Commanders of various Army formations operating in the state; and Divisional Commissioners of Kashmir and Jammu.

Senior officers of CRPF and BSF were also present in the meeting.

Mehbooba had yesterday met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh in Delhi and emphasised the need for a dialogue with separatists to contain deterioration in the situation.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his visiting Sri Lankan counterpart Ranil Wickremesinghen met here on Wednesday to discuss bilateral issues and strengthen ties between the two neighbours..

"Held comprehensive talks with PM Ranil Wickremesinghe on ways to strengthen India-Sri Lanka ties for the benefit of our citizens," Modi tweeted after the meeting held at Hyderabad House.

Earlier in the day, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj too met the visiting dignitary.

Wickremesinghe arrived here on Tuesday on a five-day visit to India.

(With inputs from agencies)
Facebook has removed a horrific video clip that showed a man putting a noose around his 11-month-old baby daughters neck and hanging her from the roof of an abandoned building in Phuket, following an uproar.

"This is an appalling incident and our hearts go out to the family of the victim. There is absolutely no place for content of this kind on Facebook and it has now been removed," Facebook spokesperson said in an official statement on Wednesday.

Earlier in the day, the Public Health Ministry had urged the online giant to remove the video from the Internet.

The father committed suicide after the killing, but that act was not included in the Facebook Live broadcast.

Heartbroken family members were in tears yesterday as they retrieved the bodies of the man and his baby daughter for funeral ceremonies.

The clip, which lasted more than four minutes, shocked the public and left the family distraught.

Ministry spokesman Taweesin Visanuyothin, who also heads the Somdet Chaopraya Institute of Psychiatry, said earlier in the day that Facebook had to remove the clip immediately as it could cause depression and could prompt copycat suicides.

If his family members have no access to his Facebook account, Facebook must take action. Its Facebooks responsibility, he said.

He said he expected that the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission would raise the issue with Facebook and encourage it to introduce features that would help to prevent a repeat of such incidents.

In the United States there are monitoring programmes to link suicidal people to help hotlines, he said. We should have such features in Thailand too.

The Phuket tragedy involved a 21-year-old man who was apparently angry over his wife leaving him.

The father, whose name was withheld in accordance with the law, broadcast the tragic incident at about 5.45pm on Monday. The video remained online for approximately 24 hours.

The Facebook Live clip went viral and was drawn to the attention of the mother who rushed to seek help from police.

In the clip, the man was seen sitting with the baby girl on the rooftop of the multi-storey deserted building. He was seen looping plastic ties together and placing a noose around the neck of the infant, who is wearing only a diaper. He then dropped her down from the edge of the rooftop holding onto the plastic ties.

The baby is heard crying briefly before her father pulled her up and untied the knot. She is then heard crying briefly.

The mother said she had quarrelled with her husband because he suspected she had a relationship with another man. The woman said she left their house after he checked her phone and threatened to kill her at about 3am on Monday.

I accompanied my younger sister when she collected her things from his home and tried to settle the issue with him. But he said he needed to run some errands and took his daughter with him, said a male relative.

The relative said he had no idea what was going on until he saw the clip on Facebook.

The 21-year-old mother went to Thalang Police Station at about 6.30pm after learning about the clip.

Police searched the area for the deserted building that was shown on the video and eventually found it near a five-star hotel at Naithon Beach in tambon Choeng Thalay of Thalang district.

They found the father had hanged himself from a beam inside the building and the body of the baby girl was lying on the rooftop.

Phuket Governor Norapat Plodthong said social workers would provide counselling to the babys mother.

Facebook has previously admitted that broadcasts of murders and suicides have been an issue that it has taken steps to prevent.

In reference to a previous video clip of a murder in Cleveland that was uploaded to Facebook, co-founder Mark Zuckerberg said: We have a lot of work, and we will keep doing all we can to prevent tragedies like this from happening.

On April 16, a Cleveland man uploaded the video clip of him shooting and killing Robert Godwin Sr, a 74-year-old grandfather who was on his way home from an Easter meal with his family.

The News Broadcasting Council of Thailand yesterday released a statement to condemn media outlets that broadcast the baby killing and urged TV stations to uphold ethics in their coverage.

A TV station was strongly criticised on Facebook for replaying the clip of the babys murder. A popular Facebook page, DramaAddict, said although the station blurred the faces, the baby was heard crying.

(The Daily Star)
The flight -- AI 314 -- originating from Mumbai and moving to New Delhi for onwards journey abroad was scheduled to depart at 7.45 p.m.

By Indo-Asian News Service: An early evening Air India flight between Mumbai and New Delhi, which was scheduled to move to Hong Kong as well as Osaka in Japan was on Wednesday grounded for around four hours due to a technical glitch.

"The flight has been delayed due to a technical glitch. The flight will now depart at 11.45 p.m.," an AI official said.

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The flight -- AI 314 -- originating from Mumbai and moving to New Delhi for onwards journey abroad was scheduled to depart at 7.45 p.m.

"We were earlier told that there was a technical snag. Airline's officials have told us that it was a hydraulic failure and that the aircraft will be replaced," a passenger on the flight said.

Also read

Air India to launch direct Delhi-Washington flightShiv Sena MP Ravindra Gaikwad boards first Air India flight after ban

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Pakistan's Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua on Wednesday once again denied consular access to alleged Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav, sentenced to death by a military court on charges of espionage.

During a meeting with Janjua in Islamabad, Indian High Commissioner Gautam Bambawale requested that consular accessto Jadhav be granted, Radio Pakistan reported.

However, pointing out the legal aspects of the case, Janjua told Bambawale that Pakistan maintained its decision to deny consular access to Jadhav.

Janjua told Bambawale that "Jadhav was a serving Indian naval officer who was involved in terrorist activities in Pakistan and thus would not be given access".

This is the second time the Indian High Commissioner has called on Janjua since the death sentence was handed to Jadhav on April 10.

Jadhav, a former Indian naval officer, was arrested in Balochistan in March 2016. Pakistan has accused him of being a spy.

India has sought consular access 15 times but Pakistan has denied this every time.

Indian authorities say they have not been informed about the whereabouts of Jadhav and the condition he is in.
Government agency CAPART has recommended registration of 159 FIRs against various NGOs for alleged misappropriation or misuse of funds disbursed to them, it told the Supreme Court on Wednesday.

The Council for Advancement of People's Action and Rural Technology (CAPART), which works under the Ministry of Rural Development and disburses funds to voluntary organisations working in rural areas, said initially it had blacklisted 718 NGOs for not following the due process and not submitting their accounting details.

Subsequently it had removed 15 NGOs from the black-list after they complied with the accounting norms, it told a bench headed by Chief Justice J S Khehar.

The Supreme Court had on January 10 said public money cannot go unaccounted for and those misappropriating must be prosecuted.

Taking umbrage to the fact that no steps have been taken to evolve a regulatory mechanism even after the lapse of six years since a PIL was filed, the apex court had said the Centre and its departments were doling out crores of rupees to lakhs of NGOs, societies and voluntary organisations but were not aware of the repercussion of non-auditing.

The bench had also warned that "mere blacklisting" of these organisations would not suffice and civil and criminal action should be initiated by CAPART/other government departments for misappropriating public money received by them from various government departments.

CBI had in September 2015 informed the apex court that less than ten per cent of over 30 lakh NGOs functioning across the country had submitted their returns or balance sheets and other financial details to the authorities.

The apex court had expanded the scope of the PIL, filed in 2011 against Hind Swaraj Trust, run by anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare. The PIL had sought a probe into alleged embezzlement of funds.


External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Wednesday here called upon visiting Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.

"Visit of a special partner. Sri Lankan PM Wickremesinghe arrives in Delhi on April 25, meets EAM Sushma Swaraj today (Wednesday)," External Affairs Ministry spokesman Gopal Baglay tweeted.

Wickremesinghe later in the day will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The Sri Lankan Prime Minister is visiting India from April 25-29, ahead of Modi's scheduled visit to the island nation in May for the Vesak Day celebrations.

During the visit, both the countries will discuss the dispute over fishing activities in the Palk Bay and cooperation in the shipping and port sector.

Wickremesinghe in 2016 was on a three-day official visit to India to attend the opening plenary of the India Economic Summit.
As the results of the April 23 voting for the three municipal corporation elections poured in on Wednesday, the party supporters did not break into a rapturous celebration, as is the normal practice, due to the Monday killing of 25 CRPF men in Chhattisgarh.

However, it did not fail to take a dig at the AAP. A poster outside Delhi BJP office said 'Delhi vasiyo badhai, Kejriwal ki hesiyat batai' (congratualtions citizens of Delhi, put Kejriwal in place).

There were no bursting of crackers at the Delhi BJP office at Pandit Pant Marg since morning, or dancing to tune of drumbeats by party workers and supporters, or splashing of colour and distribution of sweets.

BJP leaders and workers paid floral tributes to the Central Reserve Police Force men killed in Maoist attack in Sukma. Union Ministers M. Venkaiah Naidu and Jitendra Singh were among those who came visiting.

Delhi BJP President Manoj Tiwari on Wednesday announced there would be no celebrations in view of the Chhattisgarh attack.

"We won't celebrate this victory and dedicate it to the CRPF personnel who lost their lives in the Sukma attack. We are with their families," Manoj Tiwari told reporters later.

The BJP won 181 of the 270 wards that polled on Sunday, way above the halfway mark to secure control of all the three Municipal Corporations of Delhi  North, South and East. The BJP won 64 of 103 wards in North, 70 of 104 in South and 47 of 63 in East.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) led by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal could manage wins in just 48 wards and the Congress was way behind with 30 seats.

"We have decided not to celebrate the victory. We want to dedicate this victory to the CRPF jawans," said Sunil Yadav, President of the Delhi unit of Bhartiya Janata Yuva Morcha.

Huge LCD screens were put up in makeshift tents where mediaperons and party workers were seated in groups, watching the counting trends.

Meanwhile, the AAP office at Rouse Avenue wore a deserted look as only a very few party volunteers could be seen there.

Barring national spokesperson Ashutosh, the party office saw no other AAP leader in the morning. There were no signs of preparations for any prospective celebrations either.

AAP top brass congregated at Kejriwal's house following the party's debacle in the civic polls, while the party office wore a desolate look.

Besides Kejriwal, other leaders present at his house included Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, Dileep Pandey, Gopal Rai, Sanjay Singh, Raghav Chadha and Deepak Bajpai.

Later, several AAP MLAs and ministers including Satyendar Jain, Kapil Mishra, Imran Hussain, Alka Lamba, Nitin Tyagi, Rajesh Gupta, Sanjeev Jha reached the CM's house and reviewed the poll results.

As poll results showed the AAP coming a distant second in the polls, Rai emerged from the house to tell the media that the BJP win was "due to EVM tampering".

Even at the Delhi Congress office, which a few hundred meters away from the AAP's, there were no top leaders except for some party volunteers.
India on Wednesday called for united global action in strongly resisting "opportunistic" efforts of some states to support terrorist groups by facilitating training, funding and providing safe havens to them.

Addressing an international security conference here, Defence Minister Arun Jaitley said terrorism is being "reinvented" in newer and even more dangerous manifestations and that the challenge must be dealt with effectively.

Without naming any country, he said terrorism will recoil on those who nurture it, adding distinctions are still sought to be made between good and bad terrorists, despite all the evidence and experience to the contrary.

The sixth Moscow conference on international security is attended by defence ministers of a large number of countries.

"We should also resolutely resist opportunistic efforts by some states to support terrorist proxies by training, funding or providing safe havens to such groups for their limited objectives," he said.

On the positive side, he said, the territory acquired by ISIS in the Middle East has begun to be effectively challenged by several countries.

"It is reassuring and should be taken to its logical conclusion. Cooperation between major powers in this effort can become a template for similar steps elsewhere," he said.

At the same time, he said even work is on to eliminate the breeding grounds of terrorism in the Middle East, the dangers of such elements returning to their home countries has become a major challenge.

"We need to encourage closer information exchanges and intelligence cooperation to address this threat," he said.

The defence minister said the scourge of terrorism remains the primary security challenge for all peaceful countries, asserting India will steadfastly partner all friendly countries confronted with the challenge of terrorism.

"We have successfully addressed this threat for over three decades. We will continue to strengthen ongoing cooperation in counter-terrorism with our partners," he said.
Robin Uthappa and skipper Gautam Gambhir struck unbeaten half-centuries to power Kolkata Knight Riders to the top of the standings with a comfortable seven-wicket win over Rising Pune Supergiant in an IPL match, here on Wednesday night.

Uthappa made 87 off 47 balls while Gambhir scored 62 off 46 balls as the duo stitched 158 runs off just 85 balls for the second wicket to power KKR to the comprehensive victory.

Chasing 183 for the win, KKR rode on Uthappa and Gambhir's brilliant knocks to overwhelm the target in 18.1 overs.

Earlier, Steven Smith led from the front with an unbeaten 51 to lift Rising Pune Supergiant to a challenging 182 for five.

Smith's half-century came off 37 balls with the help of four boundaries and a six.

Besides Smith, Ajinkya Rahane (46 off 41 balls), Rahul Tripathi (38 off 23), Mahendra Singh Dhoni (23 off 11) and Daniel Christian (16 off 6) also made useful contributions for the home team.

Left-arm chinaman bowler Kuldeep Yadav was the pick of the bowlers for KKR with figures of two for 31.


Queen of pop Madonna has criticised Blonde Ambition, which is an unauthorised biopic on her, saying only she could tell her story.

Nobody knows what I know and what I have seen, wrote Madonna on Instagram.

Only I can tell my story. Anyone else who tries is a charlatan and a fool. Looking for instant gratification without doing the work. This is a disease in our society, she continued.

Madonna's planned biopic is written by Elyse Hollander and became No. 1 screenplay on the 2016 Black List.

The project has landed on Universal, with Michael De Luca being set to produce.

There hasn't been any comment from Universal regarding Madonna's remarks, reported Ace Showbiz.

Set in early 1980s New York, the biopic follows Madonna Louise Ciccone who works on her first album and tries to deal with the business with dismissive attitude towards women.

It will also follow her burgeoning love life and her rise to fame.

Blonde Ambition is Hollander's debut script. Previously, Hollander worked as an assistant to Alejandro G. Inarritu when he made Birdman.
The Pakistan Supreme Court last week reached a halfway-house in the case against Nawaz Sharifs alleged involvement in the Panamagate scandal.

The verdict is neither here nor there. The countrys Prime Minister has not been disqualified. Yet any sense of satifaction has been tempered by the fact that the five-judge Bench has not awarded a clean chit either.

The differences within the court must have been sharp if the ratio of the split verdict ~ 3-2 ~ is any indication.

Of particular significance therefore are the two dissenting notes.

The two judges, who have ruled against Sharif, observed that he should be disqualified as he could no longer be considered honest and truthful (ameen and sadiq), whereas the other three were in favour of forming a Joint Investigation Team to take a call on whether or not the charges against the Prime Minister were true.

The sigh of relief stems from a not too comforting margin. On the surface, the judicial process is bound to be prologed further still with the court ordering the formation of a JIT to probe how the familys money was transferred to Qatar.

With the present Army Chief General Khamar Javed Bajwa, not as averse to the civilian establishment as some of his predecessors, notably the previous chief, Sharif can be reasonably sure that the Rawalpindi GHQ will not be anxious to rock the boat quite yet.

However, there is no sense of euphoria pending the findings of the JIT. A section of the judiciary is ranged against the Prime Minister as are a crosssection of parties ~ Imran Khans Pakistan Tehreeki-Insaf (PTI), the Jamaat-i-Islami (JI), the Watan Party and the All Pakistan Muslim League, which had framed the case as a campaign against corruption.

Once again the judiciary has emerged as an important factor in the power-play, in addition to the military and the Opposition.

The verdict has doubtless been a close call for the Prime Minister. Though he has not been given a clean chit, he has been saved from the ignominy of being disqualified.

Dismissal would have left his party (PML-N) in power, but would have led to another bout of instability in a season of modest growth, marginally improved security, and an uneasy truce between the civilian government and a powerful military.

The result of the JIT probe will be crucial for Sharif not least because of the scheduled elections next year.

The fact that the court is not convinced with the evidence garnered thus far hasnt really gone in Sharifs favour.

The Bench is unanimous on the point that it was not satisfied with regard to the money trail provided by the Sharif familys counsel and has ordered the formation of a JIT to investigate the business dealings abroad. It is a fraught respite.
The trend of minority parties gaining a majority in the Lok Sabha and the legislative assemblies began with the very inception of Indian democracy.

In the first General Election, Nehrus Congress received 43 per cent of the votes but had an overwhelming majority in the Lok Sabha and legislative assemblies.

Mavalankars diktat was that to be recognised as the Opposition would presuppose 10 per cent of the seats.

This was rooted in the anxiety to ensure a two-party system.

At that point of time, this was regarded as the inevitable consequence of following the first-past-the-post system as had happened in the USA, Britain, Australia, Canada and New Zealand.

However, Mavalankars optimism was not fulfilled. When the system of one-party dominance was challenged and gradually suffered erosion, a fragmented party system emerged.

This led to a quirky situation ~ even candidates with one per cent of the votes, won and became ministers.

The first phase of the decline of Congress domination led to a struggle for power between Congressmen and exCongressmen resulting in an unstable period of transition.

Ex Congressmen, pre-eminently VP Singh, Chandra Sekhar and Inder Gujral became Prime Ministers. After Rajiv Gandhis assassination, the Congress had to settle somewhat uneasily for the Narasimha Rao regime.

Facing the wrath of Sonia Gandhi who had propelled and supported opponents like Arjun Singh, it was a miracle that he completed his term despite having to lead a minority party in the Lok Sabha.

Sonias taking charge of the Congress energised the party but its weaknesses were clearly manifest.

The contrary position of the Congress in Pachmari, especially to go it alone, had emitted mixed signals to parties which otherwise would have been natural allies of the Congress.

The BJP is the only party that did not emerge out of the Congress. It suffered a humiliating defeat in the 1980 Lok Sabha elections when it secured only two seats and with all its stalwarts defeated.

The CPI-M and the breakaway faction of the Congress ~ Mamata Banerjees Trinamul ~ softened their stand vis-a-vis the BJP ending the latters isolation and it became an alternative to the Congress ideologically at a time when the party was grappling with the post-liberalised economy by abandoning the Nehruvian state-dominated socialistic pattern of the economy.

However, even at that time Vajpayees BJP was perceived as another variant of the Congress. It appeared that only a Congresslike system could work in India.

The Vajpayee regime with a weak Congress as opposition, emboldened the BJP leadership. It advanced the date of the 2004 elections as it was convinced of its victory.

The BJPs campaign of shining India and Advanis assertion that the BJP, like the Conservative Party in Britain, was the natural party of governance was believed to be the true recipe of success.

The 2004 election defeat was a shocker for the BJP and the exit of Vajpayee allowed a weak Congress to continue and win the next election also under the divided leadership of Sonia Gandhi and Manmohan Singh.

The latter lacked legitimacy as he was neither a seasoned politician; nor could he nurture a constituency of his own. Right through his years as the Prime Minister he was a Rajya Sabha member from Assam, and this ran counter to the convention that a Prime Minister should be a Member of the Lok Sabha.

From 2004 to 2014, Rahul was projected as a person waiting to take over the mantle of his party.

His abilities remained untested and the result was the partys humiliating defeat in 2014, securing only 19 per cent of the votes while the BJP won 31 per cent, 12 percentage points more than the Congress.

The factors that led to the debacle of the Congress were never seriously analysed. Apart from corruption and alleged policy paralysis, the Congress overplayed the card of identity politics.

Manmohan Singhs assertion that Muslims have the first claim to the nations resources neither helped the community economically nor did it help the party to consolidate its position politically.

The paradigm shift in Indian politics was more because of a rudderless Congress than to a resurgent BJP as a national alternative. Narendra Modi championed the cause of development and national identity.

In the recent Assembly elections in five states, attention was riveted to Uttar Pradesh because the state sends 80 members to the Lok Sabha and a victory in UP would mean a victory at the Centre. Shyama Prasad Mukherjees statement, India that is Bharat that is Uttar Pradesh, sums up its pivotal position.

The BJPs spectacular victory has thrown up the serious limitations of identity politics. Both Mayawatis BSP and Akhilesh Yadavs Samajwadi Party have oscillated in power with a core vote-share of 20 per cent each.

This had created an illusory biparty system in the state. The BJP had a vote-share of 42 per cent in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections and 40 per cent in the 2017 Assembly elections, a drop of 2 percentage points.

In the 2012 Assembly elections, the BJP had 16 per cent votes which has increased to 40 per cent in 2017. Identity politics has its inherent limitations and our political process is moving away from it.

Both the SP and BSP were partisan and oligarchic and not in tune with the aspirations and expectations of mainstream voters.

The support base of both the parties being limited, they could not meet the challenge of a larger well organised juggernaut, the BJP, with a larger issue-based perspective.

Akhileshs gamble of aligning with the Congress did not inspire confidence as the party in UP was busy retaining its pocket boroughs in Amethi and Rae Bareli.

Demonetisation and not fielding a single Muslim candidate was offset by BSP fielding a disproportionate share of Muslims which helped the BJP to consolidate its majoritarian base and placate many non Yadav OBCs who in a normal issueless election would have gone to the SP.

It is fairly certain that even if Narendra Modi had not carried out an aggressive campaign, the BJP victory was a certainty.

His campaign could have been more graceful had he avoided unnecessary references to the burning ghat and a burial ground and Harvard and hard work.

To secure a massive majority is an achievement but its consequences are uncertain. Rajiv Gandhi received 49 per cent of the votes in the 1984 national elections. In 2015, AAP secured more than 50 per cent votes in Delhi.

But within a year, the euphoria evaporated.

The biggest gain in the recently concluded elections is the phenomenal rise of undecided voters, who defying their group identities, voted according to their judgement.

The age of mature voting has arrived in India and all political leaders and parties are on notice. Perform or perish is the new reality.

The BJP has emerged as a pan-Indian party. The Congress is down but not out. It won Punjab on its own strength.

However, the further decline of the Congress is worrisome as this would weaken the foundations of our democracy.

A serious introspection is necessary for the Congress about its present dynastic leadership which has failed to deliver.

Ever since he took over as vice-president of the party, Rahul Gandhi has lost 17 elections.

Another matter of concern for our democratic process is the anxiety of the BJP to grab power by any means, as has happened in Goa and Manipur.

A strong and stable party system still eludes us.

The writer is former Professor, Department of Political Science, University of Delhi.
The BJP has finally succeeded in its more than three decade-old gameplan to find its feet in Manipur.

Already going great guns after the March Assembly election, the impression sought to be created now is that though it lacks the stamp of legitimacy ~ having won just 21 of the 60 assembly seats ~ its patched-up majority may even repeat the performance in 2022.

This is because it has dependable coalition partners like the four-member Naga Peoples Front.

Though not a pre-poll ally, it is part of the Democratic Alliance of the Nagaland government, which has some BJP members.

The other four-member team, the National Peoples Party, is pro-Centre.

The lone Trinamul Congress and Independent members were left with little choice but to be part of the team.

Two Congress MLAs have already switched their allegiance. People in general appear to have reposed their faith in the BJP (it claims to have enrolled as many as 400,000 new members over the last two years).

What they expect from the new government is salvation from two scourges ~ frequent indefinite economic blockades of the states two vital national highways and removal of the draconian Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, in force in the state since the end of 1979.

Ever since the saffron brigade foraged into Christian-dominated Nagaland, winning seven seats on debut in the 2003 assembly elections, albeit with the proxy support of the NSCN -IM, the strong feelings among tribals of the BJP being communal have all but disappeared.

On this basis, the hill tribes allegation that the Meitei-led government is communal does not stand scrutiny.

Since becoming a state in 1972, two Tangkhuls ~ Yangmasho Shaiza and Rishang Keishing ~ together ruled the state for 13 years and a Muslim chief minister was at the helm of affairs for three years.

New chief minister Thongombom Biren Singh, who some months before the election was a minister in the Congress government under Okram Ibobi Singh, has the difficult task of building bridges between the valley and the hills.

After NSCN -IM general secretary Th Muivah raised the demand for integration of all Naga-inhabited areas of contiguous three states, the traditional bonhomie between them has disappeared.

More so after the Ibobi government, in May 2010, prevented Muivah from entering Manipur to visit his native village of Somdal in Ukhrul.

Biren Singh did well by visiting Ukhrul where he was reportedly given a warm welcome by Tangkhuls.

Perhaps his government will contribute towards maintaining hill-valley camaraderie by allowing Muivah to visit his birthplace.

In fact, the Ibobi government was not against Muivahs visit as such; it merely feared upheavals if his supporters organised public meetings.
On a three day tour to West Bengal, the BJP president also slammed the Mamata Banerjee government for "appeasement" politics and alleged that the state administration had been communalised.

By Indrajit Kundu: On a day when the Bharatiya Janata Party swept the municipal elections in the capital, party chief Amit Shah slammed Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal over allegations of faulty electronic voting machines (EVMs).

"Let Kejriwal first tell the public how he won in Delhi in 2015 with these same EVMs when the BJP was at the centre in 2015," Shah told media persons in Kolkata.

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"UPA one and two had also won elections with the same EVMs. If EVM machines are faulty then how did they win earlier? I think they should accept the verdict with the right spirit," he added.

On his second day of a three day trip to West Bengal, the BJP chief reached Kolkata from north Bengal in a train on Wednesday morning. Later he met booth level party workers at chief minister Mamata Banerjee's Banwanipur constituency and went on a door-to-door campaign as part of BJP's massive outreach programme in Bengal.

Attacking the state government over a host of issues, Shah was particularly vocal about Mamata's "appeasement" politics. "The administration in Bengal has been communalised and that's why such (communal) incidents are taking place. If there was no appeasement this would not have be the case," Shah said in response to the spike in communal flare-ups in the state.

BJP president Amit Shah on three day visit to West Bengal. Photo: Subir Halder

On Mamata Banerjee's charge that the CBI was being used for political vendetta in the Narada case, Shah said that the charges against Trinamool leaders were based on evidence. "All their leaders have been clearly seen on tape accepting bribe, this is not an unsubstantiated allegation but one based on visible evidence. Nowadays, Mamata ji is suffering from BJP phobia. She can only see BJP in everything these days. In fact, it must be worrying for the Communists that she is only talking of the BJP all the time," quipped the BJP chief.

He also added that no one from the TMC were in touch with BJP in response to the Trinamool supremo's allegation that BJP was trying to break her party using central agencies.

On the issue of Gau Rakshaks, Shah said his party had given a clear message that no one should take law in their own hands. "Cases have been registered and people are being arrested," Shah claimed.

Responding to the criticism that Sukma attack proved demonetisation has had no impact on the Maoists, as claimed by the Modi government earlier, Shah said, "One can't judge the impact from just one incident. Naxalism has come down substantially across the country under the BJP rule, their morale has been broken."

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"Look who are questioning us...those under whose rule they (Naxals) grew strong. Left wing extremism gained prominence under the Congress regime," he said slamming the Congress and the Left.

Watch Video: MCD election 2017: Amit Shah credits PM Modi's leadership for BJP's victory in civic polls

Also Read:

MCD election result 2017: BJP's win is a vote in favour of Modi, says Amit Shah

Day after Sukma, BJP chief Amit Shah begins Mission Bengal from Naxalbari

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Asense of deja vu must be gripping BJP patriarch L K Advani.

His hopes of becoming the President of India have been dashed in much the same manner as he was robbed of his dream to be prime minister.

The Jain diaries and the hawala case snatched the PMs post from under his nose back in 1995.

Now the Supreme Court order reviving the Babri Masjid demolition case against him has ruled him out as a potential presidential candidate to succeed Pranab Mukherjee.

In fact, BJP circles are buzzing with comparisons between Narasimha Rao and Narendra Modi.

Rao used the Jain diaries and the hawala case to hound his opponents inside and outside his party.

Advani as president of a rising BJP then was one opponent he feared. For Modi, the SC order could not have come at a more opportune time.

In one go, the order has snuffed out two aspirants for the post of President, Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi.

The names of both were in circulation in BJP as well as opposition circles.

Advani was BJP president and the face of the Ram mandir campaign which put the saffron party on the national map.

He would surely have been its PM nominee in the 1996 election but for the hawala case filed against him the year before.

As questions rose, even within the RSS, about his integrity, Advani quit as BJP president in a fit of pique and announced Vajpayees name as the partys PM face for the election.

Although Advani was later acquitted in the case, it was too late. Vajpayee had caught the public imagination and went on to be PM.

Like the hawala case, the Babri Masjid blow has come on the eve of the presidential election, due in June this year.

BJP circles are wondering whether a jinx haunts Advani which trips him up just as he nears the pinnacle of his ambition.

Orchestrated drama

The ongoing drama in the AIADMK in Tamil Nadu appears to have been orchestrated with an eye on the upcoming election for the President of India.

The BJP-led NDA is short of an estimated 25,000 votes in the electoral college which will vote. A united AIADMK can make up the shortfall.

But to get the AIADMK on its side, the BJP first has to purge it of Sasikalas influence. Sasikala wants no truck with the BJP which she feels has been promoting former chief minister O Panneerselvam against her.

The first steps towards her marginalisation in the party have been taken with the investigation into bribery charges against Sasikalas nephew Dinakaran and the start of unity talks between rival factions of the AIADMK.

It seems deputy Lok Sabha Speaker and veteran AIADMK leader M Thambidurai is playing a significant role behind the scenes as an interlocutor between the BJP and the two factions of his party.

ust this week, he had another meeting with BJP president Amit Shah, say BJP sources. He is believed to be in touch with Shah on a regular basis.

The election for the President is due in June but the process will begin in May. The BJP would like to tie up the AIADMKs support before that.

There is talk that the AIADMK will be inducted into the NDA and one of its leaders may even be given a ministerial berth.

Looking ahead to 2019

Amit Shah is hyper active these days wooing potential friends and allies. He has set in motion the process of getting the AIADMK on the BJPs side, possibly into the NDA.

The timeline for this is before the June presidential election. But he seems to also be looking ahead at the 2019 polls simultaneously.

He has started talks with Mulayam Singhs younger brother Shivpal Yadav, say BJP sources. Shivpal has met Shah at least twice since the formation of the BJP government in UP.

He has also met chief minister Yogi Adityanath twice. BJP circles say Shah is exploring the possibility of getting Shivpal on his side before the 2019 polls.

The aim is to split the Yadav vote and spoil the party for the much talked about mahagathbandhan between Akhilesh Yadav, Mayawati and the Congress. Interestingly, the BJP is working on Akhileshs half brother Prateek and wife Aparna as well.

The young couple has met both Shah and Adityanath several times.

Adityanath also visited the gaushala they run in Lucknow and commended them on the steps they have taken to protect the cow. It looks like new alignments are taking shape for the 2019 Lok Sabha election which the Modi-Shah duo is determined to win at any cost.

Electoral tie-up

Meanwhile, on the other side, Mayawati and Akhilesh Yadav are in regular touch to discuss the possibility of an electoral tie-up.

The buzz in UP is that they will test out the viability of a mahagathbandhan in the bye-polls for the Gorakhpur and Phulpur Lok Sabha seats.

The seats will be vacated after Yogi Adityanath and Keshav Maurya resign from the Lok Sabha. They are the MPs from these constituencies.

They have been told to resign only after the presidential and vice presidential polls in June and July respectively.

This means the bye-polls will probably take place towards the end of the year, possibly with the assembly elections in Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat.

They will be a litmus test for a possible Mayawati-Akhilesh partnership.

Equally, they will be a litmus test for Amit Shah who is doing his best to thwart a Biharstyle mahagathbandhan in UP.
Children with obesity face four times the risk of developing Type-2 diabetes later, compared to children with a body mass index (BMI) in the normal range, warns a new study.

For the study, published in the Journal of the Endocrine Society, the researchers examined BMI measurements, diabetes diagnosis records, and other data for 369,362 children between the ages of 2 and 15.

They found that 654 children and teenagers were diagnosed with Type-2 diabetes between 1994 and 2013.

Children with higher BMI were found to have far greater risk of developing Type-2 diabetes than those with normal weight.

"A child with obesity faces a four-fold greater risk of being diagnosed with diabetes by the age of 25, than their counterpart who is of normal weight," said lead author of the study Ali Abbasi from King's College London.

In addition, the researchers found that the rate of children developing Type-2 diabetes increased from an average of six new cases per 100,000 children each year between 1994 and 1998, to an average of 33 new cases per 100,000 children each year, between 2009 and 2013.

"As the prevalence of obesity and being overweight has rapidly risen, an increasing number of children and young adults have been diagnosed with diabetes in the United Kingdom since the early 1990s," Abbasi said.

Researchers also found that 1,318 children were diagnosed with Type-1 diabetes during the same period. As expected, they found no association between obesity and the incidence of type 1 diabetes, which is linked to an underlying autoimmune disorder.

Criteria to determine obesity in this study was dependent on the child's age  obesity was classified as having a BMI in the top five per cent of the population for their age, as measured by a 1990 study of British children.
Adam Smith, the 18th century father of modern economics, said that the very motivation of the participants in a market  to seek their own gain  itself impels them to action that leads to better distribution of goods and prices for the consumer.

At a more mechanical level, the molecules of a gas, which are in constant and rapid motion, interact with other molecules when placed in a container.

These interactions are known to follow well-documented rules, particularly that the total energy of motion when one molecule bounces off another, remains constant.

One particle may hence end up with more energy than it started with, but only thanks to something given up by another particle.

The second particle is then likely, in the next encounter, to regain the energy lost.

The way the speeds of the molecules distribute themselves, finally, is that very few particles have high or low energy but a great many have a level of energy that falls in between.

This level of most common particle energy can be shown to be the one where there is the greatest number of different ways for the molecules, with various speeds of motion, to have the same total energy.

It could also be called the point of most equitable distribution of energy, given the dynamics of collisions and the conservation of total energy.

Victor M Yakovenko, Qin Liu and Scott Lawrence, of the Joint Quantum Institute, department of physics, at the University of Maryland, have drawn a parallel between the way molecules of a gas tend to share energy and the way incomes, energy use and CO2 emissions tend to be distributed among the populations of the world.

They reported their findings, some months ago, in the journal, Entropy.

The paper in is based on the US Information Administration International Energy Statistics, which show the historical and projected data, of energy use and emissions.

Although there is improvement in the efficiency of power generation, in terms of lesser emission, both power consumption and emission have been increasing, with rising population.

The paper notes that the energy consumption and population of developed countries have stabilised and it is the developing world, like China for energy, and India and others for population, which account for the global increase.

This trend, however, is the result of great energy inequality among countries. While the total consumption by developing countries is still less than other countries, the inequality becomes acute if population is taken into account and countries are characterised by consumption per capita.

To see if the gas laws could help in understanding economic activity, the researchers treated the money with an individual as equivalent to the speed of a molecule.

In transactions between individuals, like in collisions of molecules, there would be exchange and redistribution of money. The comparison is valid because the total money in a system, like the total energy in a gas, is conserved, or stays constant, for some time.

The proposition was that after allowing for the possibility of debt, which does not exist in molecules of a gas, money also distributes itself, with mathematical precision, in the same way as the speed of molecules.

In studies of actual distribution of money, to verify the notion, there is a difficulty of different currencies and purchasing power, in cross border comparison.

Studies were therefore made of the distribution of income in the US, UK, Australia, EU countries, Romania and others  the results are that the distribution of the number of persons in increasing income ranges, in most cases, over a group of 97 per cent of the population, is exactly like energy in the case of a gas.

For the comparison between countries, the differences in currency and purchasing power were not accounted for by taking the energy consumption per capita to represent physical living standards.

The studies used data of the World Resources Institute, of 130 countries from 1990 to 2005 and from the US Energy Information Administration, which covers 220 countries over 1980 to 2010.

In using energy consumption as a measure, the world-wide energy resources were considered as redistributable and as constant, as also the population of countries, at least for a time.

The proposition again, is that the proportion of persons with higher energy consumption should fall, as the level of energy consumed is raised, in the same way as the distribution of the molecules of a gas.

The data is found to strongly support the proposition and the current data shows a progression from highly unequal distribution in 1980 to more uniform, and closer to theory, distribution in 2010  a feature which the authors of the paper attribute to globalisation of the world economy. The distribution in 2010 is shown in figure 1, which plots the falling numbers of people who consume increasing levels of energy in the 220 countries studied.

The average energy consumption in the main countries of the world is also indicated. A revealing representation of the data is with the help of the so-called Lorenz curve (figure 2), which plots the fraction of energy consumption against fraction of the population at that level of consumption.

The curves for different years, 1980, 1990, 2000 and 2010 have been shown. A case where the numbers of consumers increase uniformly as we consider larger fractions of energy would be complete equality and this is the straight, diagonal line in the graph.

The other lines  the curves  indicate actual conditions, from 1990 to 2010, with the deviation from the ideal reducing every decade.

How far the Lorenz curve deviates from the ideal, diagonal, straight line indicates the level of inequity and is measured by a metric called the Gini coefficient  abbreviated as G  of the Lorenz curve.

One can see that G=0 is the diagonal itself, where everything is equal, and the opposite is G=1. The figure shows that the G value has been falling from 0.66 to 0.55, approaching the value of G=0.5, which is the equilibrium state of natural distribution, with large numbers of interactions and transactions, as in a volume of gas.

The fall from 0.66 to 0.55 indicates reducing inequality and is attributed to the globalisation of the economy in recent decades. The authors drew a parallel with temperature inequality and the tendency of nature to equalise temperature, which amounts to the dismantling of an element of order being the driving force in physical systems.

This can also be stated as the tendency to maximise disorder, and another word for the level of disorder is entropy.

The authors note that developed countries now have ageing populations and reducing consumption, including of energy, and stagnating growth.

But developing countries, China particularly, have become rising consumers of energy, per capita. And even this growth is slowing down and there is talk of an economic ice age, the paper noted.

While different causes have been suggested, the authors propose that the slowdown appears to be intrinsic and, in terms of thermodynamics, arises from falling inequality and increasing entropy.

On a brighter note, they ask if economic slowdown may bring in reduced carbon emissions and slow down climate change.

The progression from 1980 to 2010, however, only shows changes in distribution, not control of emissions.

While the parallel with thermodynamics helps with insight into the mechanisms at work, population control and using renewable energy sources may allow growth and economic activity without affecting the environment.

The writer can be contacted at [email protected]
Prolonged uncontrolled diabetes can cause damage to reproductive nerves, said doctors on April 25.

According to them, prolonged diabetes can lead to a condition where the nerves are unable to control the bladder.

"As the problems of diabetes increases, it damages the nerves of the reproductive system. Cases have shown that diabetes is causing Erectile Dysfunction among men. High levels of blood glucose, blood pressure and cholesterol, all clubbed together only aggravates the problem of getting a proper erection in men," said Kshitiz Murdia, a fertility expert based in Indira Infertility Clinic and Test Tube Baby Centre.

Murdia-who has received several such patients-says diabetes in men can lead to DNA damage in their sperm, and reduce the chances of live birth and even healthy, normal foetus.



Medical evidence has proved that diabetes is one of the emerging reasons for infertility among males and females. In both, Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes, the insulin-producing cells get damaged and cause health complications including infertility. Studies, including by All India Institute of Medical Sciences, say that nearly half of Indian men above the age of 40 suffering from erectile dysfunction are diabetic.

Amol Naik, Nagpur-based Consultant IVF specialist, said reducing consumption of alcohol and quitting smoking are some of the ways to reduce erectile dysfunction.

"Retarded ejaculation is also associated with certain psychological problems. It is advisable to seek proper clinical counselling, or psychosexual therapy to reduce this burden. Sugar intake also needs to be monitored among men, if they are addicted to sweets," said Naik.

"Proper consultation with doctors is a must and required tests should be performed almost every two months to know if diabetes has caused any other problems in the body," added Naik.
The producer of the blockbuster film Baahubali: The Conclusion has accused Emirates of rude and racist behaviour.

Shobu Yarlagadda, 46, took to Twitter last night where he described how the staff of the Dubai-based air carrier mistreated the team when they were on their way to Hyderabad after promoting the film in Dubai.

Flying to Hyderabad on @emirates EK526. Airline staff at gate B4 were very rude and harassed our team unnecessarily! Bad attitude and service! I think one of the @emirates staff was being racist I fly @emirates regularly and this is the first time I have come across this kind of attitude, wrote Shobu.

Shobu was accompanying director SS Rajamouli and actors Prabhas, Rana Dagubatti and Anushka Shetty for the promotion.
Girls creators Lena Dunham and Jenni Konner are bringing their weekly feminist newsletter, Lenny Letter, to life as a variety show.

The duo have announced six dates for the 'Lenny: America IRL' tour, which begins in St. Louis, Missouri on May 31, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

We really wanted to try to be a part of, in our own small way, healing the very big divide that exists in our country right now. We're trying to look beyond the coastal states and really think about connecting to women, to people, in the middle of the country, Dunham said.

It's political, but we're also trying to bring up issues that you can't really argue with. For example, a portion of our proceeds are going toward arts education organisations for girls in every city. People have a lot of really split opinions on social politics, but you basically have to be a mustache-twirling villain to have a problem with girls receiving arts education (sic).

The show  which will also tour in Chicago, Lexington, St. Paul, Des Moine and Milwaukee  will feature performances from comedians including Sasheer Zamata, Morgan Murphy, Charla Lauriston and Jacqueline Novak as well as writers

Jenny Zhang, Chloe Caldwell, Kaitlyn Greenidge and Rachel McKibben.

The duo are also planning to make a documentary series for HBO as well as a series of books.

And with the final series of Girls having just aired, the pair are looking forward to channelling their new-found free time into a new project.

Jenni added, It's been a very strange week. I'm not going to lie to you. But it's really nice after all these years of, you know, being pretty divisive, that the general consensus has been pretty positive, and that's made us feel really good.
Stand-up comedian Vir Das made his debut appearance on Late Night with Conan O'Brien to promote his Netflix show Abroad Understanding.

During his five-minute routine on the popular American talk show, Das took a jibe at Donald Trump, explaining how he is like an arranged marriage.

We didn't vote for this guy, now we got to live with him To you Americans, that's your president, to most Indians, that's a marriage, he said.

Taking to Twitter, the 37-year-old star shared his excitement with fans and posted a picture of him along with O'Brien.

A short man meets an incredibly tall one! I'm on @TeamCoco tonight on TBS! Tune in at 11/10c! #CONAN, Das captioned the photo.

O'Brien was not the only one Das had a chat with, as the multi-talented performer also met American voice actor and comedian Hank Azaria, who is best known for The Simpsons.

So I met apu and chief wiggum and as we know, they are both one of the funniest men out there! @HankAzaria @TeamCoco, he wrote alongside his photo with the actor.
Around 12,000 Bangladeshis are set to return from Saudi Arabia before June 30, after Riyadh set a deadline for illegal immigrants to leave the kingdom, a media report said.

The Bangladeshi nationals have received clearance from the Saudi government to leave the kingdom before Jun 30, bdnews24 said.

Those meeting the June 30 deadline will be spared under 'General Pardon' and can travel to Saudi Arabia legally again in the future.

But those failing to honour the deadline will face jail terms and fine, the daily said.

The Saudi government made the announcement on March 20.

Until Tuesday, 7,309 Bangladeshis collected the Out Pass (clearance letter) in Riyadh and 4,855 others in Jeddah, according to the Bangladesh embassy.

The Saudi authorities have formed a task force to filter out immigrants staying in the Gulf kingdom with an expired visa. Some new jails have also been set up.

The Saudi government expects at least one million illegal immigrants to leave the country during the 90-day drive.
A majority of the British public wants Prime Minister Theresa May to go head-to-head with her rivals in live TV debates during the election campaign, a poll report said on Wednesday.

According to the BMG Research survey, more than half of Britons want the live contests to go ahead.

It came after May's outright refusal to face other party leaders, The Independent reported.

Her rivals accused May of "running scared" and "ducking" responsibility to take part in democratic debate ahead of the June election that will prove crucial to Brexit.

They also renewed calls for broadcasters to go ahead with the debates and "empty chair" May if she continues to reject calls to take part.

When asked whether "leaders of the UK's major political parties" should participate in the debates, 54 per cent of respondents said "yes", 25 per cent replied "no" and 21 per cent said they did not know.

Among voters planning to back each of the major political parties, there were majorities wanting the debates to go ahead in almost all.

Only Conservative voters were more equivocal  but even there more believed they should happen, with 44 per cent calling for leaders to take part, and 40 per cent saying they should not.

Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron said: "This poll is welcome news and the Prime Minister needs to listen and agree to all the debates. The time for ducking them is over.

"I believe the British people deserve to see their potential leaders talking about the future of our country."

Arguing that TV channels have a "moral duty" to push ahead with the debates, he said: "I expect the broadcasters to do the right thing, don't let the Conservatives call the shots. If the Prime Minister won't attend, empty chair her."

Meanwhile, a Labour source said: "This shows what Labour have said all along  the public wants debates but the Prime Minister is running scared.

"With an NHS in crisis, school class sizes rising and working families set to be worse off to the tune of 1,400 pound a year, perhaps it shouldn't be a surprise that May doesn't want to defend her record in the front of the Great British public."

The ITV media has already said it will hold a leaders' debate with further details to be announced in due course, while Sky News is also considering its options.

Downing Street insiders have confirmed May's aides are in talks with the BBC, with a source telling The Independent that if anything is agreed it will not be the kind of debates that have taken place in previous years.

The source said: "We're not taking part in head-to-head debates on TV."

The events did take place in during the EU referendum and at 2010 and 2015 elections, though in 2015 David Cameron only took part in events where he faced questioning from an interviewer and a studio audience rather than from his rivals.

The BMG poll did have good news for the Prime Minister with 53 per cent of people supporting her call for an early election, while 23 per cent opposed it and 24 per cent did not know.

Respondents also appeared to accept her reasoning for calling for the election. Given a choice of a range of motivations, 30 per cent people said they thought her main drive for wanting a vote was "to strengthen her power to push Brexit laws through Parliament".

About 18 per cent said they thought it was because "the polls suggest a large win over Labour", while 17 per cent thought she called it to strengthen her hand in Brexit talk with Brussels.


A Chinese court has convicted an American businesswoman for spying, sentencing her to three-and-half years in prison and ordered her deportation.

Sandy Phan-Gillis, resident of Houston, Texas, has been in custody in China since March 2015 when she was detained during a business trip.

One of her lawyers, Shang Baojun said she pleaded guilty on Tuesday to espionage charges in a closed court hearing in the southern Chinese city of Nanning, CNN reported.

It wasn't immediately clear how much longer Phan-Gillis will remain in Chinese detention before she is deported.

Her husband, Jeff Gillis has been campaigning for her release, insisting that she is innocent.

Jeff Gillis has said in the past that he has documents that show his wife was in the US during the period in the 1990s when she is alleged to have spied for the American government in China.

Phan-Gillis may have chosen to plead guilty at her trial in order to try to secure an earlier release, according to the report.

"She's supposed to serve the sentence in China," her lawyer Shang said.

"But maybe there's a condition based on which she can be deported to the US before the imprisonment. We hope she can return to the US as soon as possible," he added.

China hasn't publicly released details of the allegations against her.

Shang said he wasn't permitted to reveal further information about the case without official approval.

The US government is in contact with the Chinese government at the "highest levels" about the case, a spokeswoman at the US embassy said.

Last year, the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention criticised China in relation to the case, saying it was not observing "international norms relating to the right to a fair trial and to liberty and security".
By India Today Web Desk: In a strong "personal message" to Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, old friend Mayank Gandhi has accused him of "manipulating" his supporters in order to become the Prime Minister in 2019 election, and asked him to choose between his "ego and the nation."

"Arvind, the unselfish hero who would never compromise, was dead. In his place was a politician who wanted to manipulate that support to fuel his ambition to become a PM in 2019," writes Gandhi, who was a member of the core committee in the India Against Corruption movement, and later a National Executive member of the AAP.

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"Personally, I have closely seen my friend, hero and someone as precious as you become so vicious and ugly because of hunger for power. I have now become afraid of power. That is why I did not join any group or party after you removed me from the primary membership of the party using the dirtiest and filthiest falsehood," he writes.

"The country needs heroes. Are you one? The battle is between your Ego and the nation. What will you choose?" Gandhi asks in the end.

Here's the complete letter:

Dear Arvind,

A defeat deals a body blow to arrogance and makes the mind ready to reflect. So, the timing is appropriate.

I am addressing you as your former friend and colleague who believes that AAP can still be salvaged and become the party for alternative politics. I am reaching out to you because my agony is not just mine; but of lakhs of volunteers, donors and supporters.

We have known each other since 2003, when I was part of Annaji fast-to-death in Mumbai for the RTI etc. You have been my hero first, friend next and politician later.

Let me address the hero first.

I remember how you convinced me to get out of my spiritual pursuit and lead the IAC movement in Maharashtra when we met in Nov 2011 in a conference hosted by Bhagwanji Raiyani in SP Jain Institute, Mumbai. In spite of my reluctance, you announced my name. I respected you too much to decline.

I remember in mid 2012, when we both were travelling in an auto in Aarey Colony that you told me to quit my job so that I could give full time to the Anna andolan. In spite of my precarious financial situation, I quit my job.

I remember we used to discuss idealism in politics till late in the night whenever you stayed with us. My daughter, who was part of those discussions, got inspired to become an IRS like you. So, not just me, my entire family believed in your ideals.

I remember that you sent Manish Sisodia to study the experiment that we, in Mumbai, were working on for a citizen consensus candidate for Juhu in 2009. We both were working on creating a model where political candidates could be elected without using money, muscle or divisive agenda i.e. without use of caste, communal, criminal or corrupt practices.

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That was exactly what AAP attempted in the 2013 and 2015 Delhi elections, successfully.

I remember how we used to speak for hours about how the personality or high command driven politics of India was destroying the nation- be it Cong or the BJP or the Thackerays or the Laloo, Mayavati and Mulayam. You hated that, then!

When I announced from the stage that you will remove the tubes if you were force fed during your Jantar Mantar fast, there were tears in my eyes along with many others in the audience.

When I came to meet you in Delhi during your fast for electricity your health and determination completely shook me up. You refused to compromise. You would rather break than bend. Millions like me admired you and were willing to even give up their lives for you. You were our hero. Where is that Arvind?

Like Anna, you were a symbol of the aspirations of an awakened nation. A symbol of the principles of Participation, Accountability, Transparency, Decentralization and Integrity. A symbol of the anger we all felt against the other parties that worked with the 4C (corruption, communalism, criminalization and casteism). AAP became a symbol of the fight of crores of our countrymen against the corrupt parties.

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In 2014 you resigned as CM of Delhi hoping that there would be immediate re-election and that AAP would sweep back to power on the back of 49 days of good, intense work. But BJP and Cong delayed the election and Modi swept to power in Parliament. To the worry of myself, Prashant Bhushan, Yogendra Yadav, Prithvi, Admiral Ramdas and others - you started pushing all senior members to agree to form government with the Congress. We refused. You were really furious with us. You were still my hero, but by now I was getting worried with the way you were operating.

Then the 2015 Delhi elections were announced. While you had around 5000 volunteers from Delhi working part-time with the candidates; I was part of the leadership of over 6000 volunteers from all over the country, campaigning full time for more than a month. The silent volunteers, the trusting donors, ardent supporters, tele-callers from Rural India to Global Indians contributed and even Yogendra Yadav who was our Chief Spokesperson contributed for AAP victory. What looked like a possible 15-20 seats to AAP suddenly became 67 seats.

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This is when you made THE classic mistake. You took the complete credit and felt that the support of the nation was for Arvind Kejriwal, the person. You assumed that you were the pied piper whom people were following, but in fact it was the music of a new political culture that had people enchanted.

Arvind, the unselfish hero who would never compromise, was dead. In his place was a politician who wanted to manipulate that support to fuel his ambition to become a PM in 2019. You and your coterie decided:

1. You will be CM but not take any portfolio and focus outside Delhi trying to create a mahagatbandhan to challenge the PM, with you as the face.

2. Use the MLAs and senior functionaries outside Delhi to try and win more states. The lack of governance in Delhi due to this fallout was to be blamed on the LG and Central Government.

3. Erase the difference between private and public money. Use public money for personal advertising, personal expenditure, fly First class, fight personal cases and whenever this gets questioned - point fingers at other parties.

4. Win at any cost! If Swaraj comes in the way - throw it away. If appeasement works - do it. If caste politics gets you the votes - embrace it. If too many questions are asked - remove the donation list. If money is required, sell seats. Power is more important than principles.

5. Project Kejriwal as a strong leader. Personally attack Modi at every instance so that you would appear like a daring contestant and be able to create a vote bank of anti-Modi votes.

6. To further look like a strong leader, remove anyone and everyone from the party that has a differing point of view. As Ashutosh told me - there should be one voice only in the party and anyone opposing should be dealt in a manner that would give a message that this party deals summarily with anyone who opposes the supremo.

As a part of the above strategy, you began by removing Yogendra and Prashant from the party with the worst possible humiliation.

When I was told that there was a gag order on informing the volunteers outside, I asked myself, "What would the real Arvind Kejriwal have done?" He would have listened to his conscience. So I did. I had to inform the lakhs of AAP volunteers about what happened in that crucial meeting, in spite of the gag order. I had the courage of conviction and was ready to be removed from the party. For me, Truth was non-negotiable.

You took time to remove me. And in spite of repeated requests to not punish the superb Maharashtra team to spite me, you threw out the entire Maharashtra AAP committees down to the lowest rung in Oct 2015. Can Modi or Sonia remove an entire State team with just an edict? We have outbeaten other parties with our arrogance and internal politicking. The other day, a young volunteer with tears in his eyes from rural Maharashtra asked me, "What is our fault?" What do I tell him, Arvind? Why was he removed?

Personally, I have closely seen my friend, hero and someone as precious as you become so vicious and ugly because of hunger for power. I have now become afraid of power. That is why I did not join any group or party after you removed me from the primary membership of the party using the dirtiest and filthiest falsehood.

I remember in one volunteer meeting in Santacruz where we had a public argument. You felt that we should not give any importance to volunteers, they were just tools. I publicly contradicted you saying that these were some of the finest humans who had sacrificed for the nation. They are NOT pawns to be used-and-thrown.

Look around you almost all of the original volunteers who had left everything to join for the principles have been removed, quit or are inactive.

In our scheme of things our volunteers were supposed to be the primary unit of the party so I ask on their behalf. How did you select Ashutosh, Ashish Khetan and others in the national team? Why has no internal election taken place? When is the donation list coming back on the website? Who is accountable for the loss in Punjab, Goa and now Delhi, were the volunteers asked or informed? The questions are innumerable but let us ask with these basic ones.

You took complete power by becoming convener as well as CM of Delhi. How much more power do you want before you start delivering alternative politics?

In your pursuit for power, you have betrayed my beloved nation. You have messed up the life of millions who followed you. They gave you complete power -made you convener and CM. Delhi gave you 67 seats just two years back. What more do you want? I do not know whether you know the reality or are living in denial - but are a very unpopular man in the country. If you do more drama, then it is going to get worse and we cannot afford that.

Dear Arvind, I have seen you turn 180 degrees from what you were. After your complete rejection in Punjab, Goa and now in Delhi, can I expect you to introspect and make another 180 degree turn? Abandon the agenda of wanting to be another BJP and Cong. We had come to fight them not become another version of them. Follow our original agenda that might get back the respect and credibility that you have completely lost with your foolish and vote bank oriented comments.

Get back credible and independent people in the core team. For now, forget your national ambitions and focus on governing Delhi well, that is your only chance of staying relevant. Stop dramas and blaming. We still need the principles; we still need to fight corrupts; we still need to fight against criminalization of politics. We still need to fight against caste and communal politics. The parties that use these tools are still around. Our AAP was formed to fight that. But, for that, AAP needs to transform.

Do you have the strength, integrity and love for the country to genuinely reboot? With all humility, can I request you to let go of your arrogance and ego for the good of the country? Remember nation first, party next and individuals last.

The country needs heroes. Are you one? The battle is between your Ego and the nation. What will you choose?

Love

Mayank

Also Read:

Delhi MCD Election Results 2017 LIVE updates: BJP retains all three civic bodies; EVMs rigged, says AAP

Whither Arvind Kejriwal's AAP? What MCD election results mean for Delhi's ruling party

Also Watch:

MCD election 2017: EVM tampering limited to AAP's performance?

--- ENDS ---
US President Donald Trump has the reaffirmed his commitment to build a wall along the Mexico border amid reports that his plan may be halted in order to avoid a government shutdown.

The wall is going to get built, by the way, Trump told reporters at the White House yesterday.

The comments came after reports that the Republican Party is having second thoughts about the wall as part of its strategy to avoid a government shutdown.

Trump's insistence on funding to start construction had jeopardised the spending bill.

Just in case anybody has any question,the wall is going to get built, and the wall is going to stop drugs, and it's going to stop a lot of people from coming in that shouldn't be here, and it's going to have a huge effect on human trafficking, which is a tremendous problem in this world, a problem that nobody talks about, but it's a problem that's probably worse than any time in the history of this world, he said.

He said the wall is going to get built, and his administration is setting record numbers in terms of stopping people and drugs from coming in the US which has gone down by 73-74 per cent.

Trump said that US Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly has told him the country definitely needs a wall.

I was just with him a little while ago, and he said we definitely, desperately need the wall.

And we're going to have the wall built. I don't know why people are talking. I watch these shows, and the pundits in the morning. They don't know what they're talking about. The wall gets built, 100 per cent, the president said.

The White House also insisted that there has been no change in the position when it comes to building the wall.

The president made it very clear his priorities have not changed. There will be a wall built. It's important to prevent human trafficking, gangs like MS-13 from coming into the country, the flow of illegal drugs, illegal immigration, White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said.

There is a national economic and safety issue by having a wall that ensures our country's safety, and there's plenty of planning that can be done in FY17. We're going to continue, our priorities are clear going into FY17, the remainder of budgeting for that. And we'll continue to ask for more in FY18, he said.
India is the biggest strategic opportunity for the US and the two countries should demonstrate mutual flexibility as well as ambition to reach a new level of cooperation, a former top Pentagon official has said.

I would say the biggest strategic opportunity is India, Kelly Magsamen, the former US principal deputy assistant secretary of defence for Asian and pacific security affairs told members of the powerful Senate Armed Services Committee during a Congressional hearing on Asia Pacific region.

The US and India increasingly share a common strategic outlook on the Asia Pacific, especially a mutual concern over Chinese military modernisation and adventurism, but the question here is, can we reach a new level of cooperation to place limits on Chinese ambition?

I believe it is possible, but only if the United States and India together persist in overcoming the suspicions of the past and build stronger habits of actual cooperation. And this is going to require the US and Indian systems, which are not naturally compatible, to demonstrate mutual flexibility as well as ambition, Magsamen said.

The strategic logic behind Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Act East' policy is highly compatible with that of the US rebalance.

But more importantly, we share common values as the world's two largest democracies and as well as a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship. In many ways, we are natural partners, she said.

Last year, then defence secretary Ashton Carter designated India a Major Defence Partner of the US, a status unique to India that allows the two countries to cooperate more closely in defence, trade and technology sharing.

I was pleased to see National Security Adviser LTG HR McMaster recently reaffirm the US-India Strategic Partnership and specifically our defence cooperation with India. It is essential that we sustain the momentum, Magsamen said.

For that to happen, leaderships have to drive it from the top lest both bureaucracies smother the chance of progress.

I found that we often stand in our own way. But India also has to demonstrate that it is prepared to let go of its old fears. The US does not seek an actual alliance, nor should we, but we do seek a meaningful partnership that benefits us too, she said.

Our strategic partnership will reach its value limits in the defence realm, if we cannot build practical habits of cooperation. For example, we need to operate and exercise more together and with others, facilitate more exchanges of our military personnel, and regularise our defence dialogues at every level, Magsamen added.
Islamophobic incidents involving US Customs and Border Protection officials have risen by about 1,000 per cent since President Donald Trump took office in January, a Muslim activist group said.

According to the Council on American-Islamic Relations on Tuesday, preliminary data collected from its branches across the US found that instances in which officials were accused of profiling Muslims accounted 23 per cent in 2017.

Of the 193 Customs and Border Protection (CBP) cases in 2017, at least 181 were reported after the January 27 Muslim travel ban. In the first three months of 2016, the group reported 17 cases, The Independent said.

"These are incidents which are reported to us and which we examine," Corey Saylor, director of CAIR's group that monitors Islamophobia, told The Independent.

"We look at these very carefully. Around 50 per cent, we reject."

Saylor said allegations of Islamophobia being levelled at border officials was nothing new.

He believed that Trump's election and the executive order was behind the spike in incidents. "I have no doubt in my mind that these things are connected."

In the aftermath of the travel ban, which have been halted by the courts, there were widespread reports of chaos at US airports, and people being turned away as they sought to board flights to the US at foreign airports.

Trump vowed during his election campaign that he would make it more difficult for people from certain countries to reach the US as party of tighter security, despite immigrants from countries such as Syria and Somalia already having to endure screening that can take several years.

Saylor said he appreciated the difficult job being faced by border officials, but asked that they did it without breaching the US constitution.

He cited testimony of a Customs and Border Protection official from a 2013 lawsuit, who said: "Look to the Muslim woman as an indicating factor. By the way she wears her hijab. If the hijab is a solid colour it indicates religiosity. If it's a patterned scarf, with colours, it's more likely that she is less religious."
Japanese Reconstruction Minister Masahiro Imamura resigned on Wednesday and was immediately replaced, one day after he made an offensive comment about the 2011 earthquake and tsunami, a media report said.

Imamura, 70, said at a meeting of the ruling Liberal Democrat Party (PLD) on Tuesday that it was fortunate that the disaster on March 11, 2011 struck the northeast of the country instead of Tokyo, Efe news reported.

During his speech, the Minister said that it was estimated that the disaster has caused losses in social infrastructure worth $226 billion.

He called that a limited impact that would have been much worse if the area of Japan's capital had been affected, according to local media at the meeting.

Imamura retracted his words shortly after his speech, but even Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was prompted to apologise, saying he considered the comment "extremely inappropriate" and "painful" for those affected by the disaster.

The new Minister of Reconstruction will be Masayoshi Yoshino, a native of Fukushima Prefecture and former Minister of Environment, according to Kyodo news agency.

The ministry was created in 2011 to deal with the reconstruction of the areas affected by the 2011 earthquake and tsunami, as well as to address issues related to the nuclear accident in Fukushima.
Nepal's main Opposition CPN-UML party has accused the government of using the new Constitution amendment bill to push the country towards political uncertainty.

The party said that it has decided to launch a stern protest to foil the government's attempt to amend the Constitution, the party said in a statement.

A meeting of the party's Standing Committee also decided to send a high-level team to the Election Commission to draw its attention towards the government's recent activities.

The CPN-UML said that the new Constitution amendment bill has been brought to push the nation towards further uncertainty and is against the spirit of Constitution and people's aspirations.

They said the new amendments will affect the scheduled elections and breach the election code of conduct.

The party said it has asked the government to immediately withdraw the bill and build minimum understanding with all other parties.

The coalition government led by Prachanda has recently brought a revised Constitution amendment bill so as to bring the agitating Madhesi parties on board the forthcoming local level elections in May.

Under the new bill, the government may form a federal commission to recommend it on the issues relating to the number of provinces and their boundaries.

Madhesis, mostly of Indian-origin, launched a prolonged agitation between September 2015 and February last year against the implementation of the new Constitution which they felt marginalised the Terai community.

They are demanding more representation and re-demarcation of state boundaries in the Constitution.


At least three men were sentenced to prison by a Swedish court for their involvement in a rape that was broadcast live on Facebook from an apartment in Uppsala, a media report said on Wednesday.

The court on Tuesday sentenced a 21-year-old man for two years and four months for rape and abetting rape, Xinhua news agency reported.

An 18-year-old was given one year jail term and a 24-year-old was sentenced for six months for serious slander and failing to report the rape.

The Uppsala District Court also determined that the woman was in a particularly vulnerable situation.

"She was so influenced by alcohol and drugs that she could not protect herself, and in a way the defendants must have understood. Despite this, two of them had sex with her," said Judge Nils Palbrant.

According to them, the woman consented to sex, but the judge said that did not matter.

The three convicted men pleaded not guilty. Stefan Wallin, who represented the 21-year-old, was surprised by the verdict.

"I think it is wrong and should be appealed. There was no proof that he committed a rape or that he abetted a rape. I have not spoken with my client but I am sure he will appeal," Wallin said.
President Donald Trump accused Canada of hurting milk producers in Wisconsin and other US states, warning that he will not continue to put up with such behaviour.

"Canada has made business for our dairy farmers in Wisconsin and other border states very difficult. We will not stand for this. Watch!" Trump tweeted on Teusday.

On Monday, the administration announced its decision to impose a 20 per cent tariff on lumber imports from Canada after claiming that it was unable to come to an agreement on the matter with the US northern neighbour, Efe news reported.

In an interview with The Wall Street Journal, US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said that Canada had been notified about Trump's decision and that the tariff will be applied retroactively.

The US lumber industry has complained for decades that Canada subsidizes its producers to be able to sell wood products at reduced prices in the US market.

The President's threat comes while the two nations are preparing to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement signed, along with Mexico, more than two decades ago.

NAFTA is a trade "disaster", Trump reiterated last week, returning to a theme that he pounded non-stop during the election campaign, namely that he will renegotiate a better deal for the US.

Up to now, Trump's harshest criticisms of NAFTA have focused on Mexico, but in the past few days the president has shifted his sights to accuse Canada of harming US farmers and milk producers.

Meanwhile, Trump is scheduled on Tuesday to sign an executive order instructing his team to review the policies and laws governing the agricultural sector with an eye toward doing away with rules that could "unnecessarily hinder economic growth in the agriculture sector".


The US said it is "deeply concerned" that Turkey conducted airstrikes in Syria and Iraq without "proper coordination" with Washington or the coalition forces, media reports said.

"We have expressed those concerns to the government of Turkey directly," State Department spokesman Mark Toner told a regular news briefing on Tuesday. "These air strikes were not approved by the coalition and led to the unfortunate loss of life of our partner forces in the fight against ISIS (the Islamic State) that includes members of the Kurdish Peshmerga."

The Turkish warplanes on Tuesday conducted airstrikes targeting the positions of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) in northern Iraq, killing at least five Iraqi Kurdish fighters and wounding ten others, Xinhua news agency cited local Kurdish media reports.

The Turkish jets, in the early hours of the day, hit the PKK positions in different areas in northwestern Iraq, but the Iraqi Kurdish fighters who were close to the PKK positions apparently were killed by mistake.

Meanwhile, the Turkish military said it has carried out airstrikes against suspected Kurdish rebel positions in northern Iraq and in northeastern Syria, in a bid to prevent militants from smuggling fighters and weapons into Turkey.

Toner also noted that the Iraqi government had expressed concerns with Turkey's airstrikes, stressing that "military action in Iraq should respect Iraqi sovereignty".

The PKK, which wages a separatist war against Turkey since 1984, is listed as a terrorist organisation by Turkey, the US and the European Union.


The Karnataka government has decided to cap all film ticket prices at Rs 200, and Baahubali 2 will be the first to implement this fee structure.

By Mayuresh Ganapatye, Rohini Swamy: Well, the Baahubali mania has caught on again, and if you are looking to watch the movie, you will definitely have a reason to rejoice as the Karnataka government has decided to cap the ticket pricing of all films in the state at Rs 200. Baahubali: The Conclusion will be the first film to implement the new ticket fee structure, according to the notification issued by the Chief Minister's Office.

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All those who have gone ahead and booked tickets in advance at a higher price need not fret, as all multiplexes have been asked to refund the excess money.

This move by Siddaramaiah, the Karnataka chief minister has been seen as a long-standing demand from the Kannada film industry to help the local film culture.

"By May, we will introduce a cap on all films that are screened in Karnataka. It will cost Rs 200 and it will help the industry greatly," said the Karnataka chief minister while addressing the film fraternity at the Kannada Film Awards in Bengaluru.

This is considered to be a step taken towards preserving Kannada culture and language. The multiplexes have been instructed to screen Kannada films during prime-time shows, i.e. from 1.30pm to 7.30pm.

This cap stands to greatly benefit the Kannada film industry. Even blockbuster Kannada films don't command ticket prices as high as films in other languages. Even a Bollywood film with only 50 per cent tickets sold will reap more profits than a full-house Kannada film. With the new ticket-pricing structure, more people are expected to watch films in multiplexes, especially Kannada films.

President of the Kannada Film Chamber of Commerce, Sara Govindu told India Today, "With this notification, we are hoping that more people will come to multiplexes, such as the middle class and upper middle class and watch our Kannada films. We will be able to generate a lot more revenue. Yes, it is true that Baahubali 2 will be the first film to face the new pricing, but the producers will make profits in other places. Our industry needs to be safeguarded."

The cap on the ticket price in multiplexes is following the Tamil Nadu model where the maximum price is Rs 120. In 2016, a change.org petition to the chief minister seeking a cap on multiplex ticket price received nearly 50,000 signatures.

Nitin Datar, President of the Cinema Owners and Exhibitors Association in Mumbai, however, feels that the decision taken by the Karnataka government is discriminatory.

"It's the decision of the Karnataka government, but if you ask me, there shouldn't be any restrictions on business or rates. In single screen cinemas, rates are lower than multiplexes. Theatre owners too have to incur a cost to run the cinema, including rent or lease as well as staff salary. If anyone wants to see a show at a lower rate, then they can go to single screens or watch morning shows on weekdays. Cinema owners recover money only on weekends as maximum crowds come during this period. Rates also depends on the films. If the film is a big budget one, then how will the producer make profits in such a short span of timeif this cap is applied?" Datar asked.

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According to the Karnataka Chalanachitra Academy, this move will generate an additional Rs 1000 crore to the industry.

ALSO READ: After Tollywood, will Baahubali 2 kick off SS Rajamouli's domination in Bollywood?

OPINION: Why SS Rajamouli's Baahubali 2 is by far the best in Indian cinema ALSO WATCH: Everything you wanted to know about India's most expensive film, Baahubali

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Baahubali producer Shobu Yarlagadda has accused the Emirates airlines of racism, say reports.

By Ashish Pandey: In an alleged case of racism, Baahubali producer Shobu Yarlagadda has accused that he and his team were harassed by Emirates staffers at Dubai airport.

Flying to Hyd on @emirates EK526. Airline staff at gate B4 were very rude n harassed our team unnecessarily! Bad attitude n service!- Shobu Yarlagadda (@Shobu_) April 25, 2017

Shobu took to his Twitter page to share the details.

.@emirates I think one of the @emirates staff was being racist.. I fly @emirates regularly n this is 1st time I have come across this kind of attitude- Shobu Yarlagadda (@Shobu_) April 25, 2017

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Recently, the Baahubali team including Rajamouli, Prabhas, Rana Anushka and Shobu were in Dubai to promote their much-anticipated Baahubali: The Conclusion. When the team headed back to Hyderabad, Shobu alleed that his team faced unfair treatment by one of the Emirates staff.

The producer of the film, Shobu Yarlagadda tweeted about the incident from the airport saying that one of the Emirates staff was being racist. He was surprised since he flew Emirates regularly came across this kind of attitude for the first time.

Baahubali 2 is scheduled to release in Telugu, Malayalam, Tamil and Hindi on April 28, and currently the final leg of promotion is underway.

Made on a budget of Rs 250 crore, the film also stars Tamannaah, Ramya Krishnan and Sathyaraj in pivotal roles.

LSO READ: Baahubali 2 new posters | Amarendra Baahubali, Devasena look majestic

ALSO READ: 2.0 vs Baahubali 2 | Rajamouli's film will rake in Rs 1000 cr

ALSO READ: How Baahubali's themes are tied to SS Rajamouli's entire filmography

ALSO WATCH: The Sword of Baahubali- SS Rajamouli, Raja Koduri share their VR experience

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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 ...
Mushfiqur Rahman alias Jeni was a student at the computer science department of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology's (BUET) .

By Sahidul Hasan Khokon: Bangladesh's Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) claimed to have detained a key member of banned terror outfit Jammat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh's (JMB) 'Sarwar-Tamim' faction.

Mushfiqur Rahman alias Mushfiq alias Jeni was detained from the Uttara area of Dhaka today morning.

According to police, Mushfiqur Rahman alias Jeni is the group's bomb expert. "Jeni is an expert on IEDs (improvised explosive device) in JMB's Sarwar-Tamim group," said additional SP Mohiuddin Faruqui.

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HERE IS ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW: A huge cache of IEDs and remote-controlled machines were recovered from Jeni's possession, additional SP Mohiuddin Faruqui said. According to Rapid Action Battalion, Jeni was a student at Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology's (BUET) computer science department. Jeni, however, dropped out of college after getting involved in terror activities. His father is a civil engineer. JMB members Wali Zaman and 'Anwar', who were earlier arrested in connection with a case of alleged violence, were Jeni's classmates, RAB said. Officer Mohiuddin Faruqui said Mushfiqur Rahman alias Jeni will be produced before a court soon. According to Rapid Action Battalion, the Sarwar-Tamim faction of the JMB is responsible for the recent militant activities in Bangladesh.

ALSO READ:

Bangladesh: Militant outfit JMB's top commander killed in gunbattle with police in Bogra district

Bangladesh: 5 militants of JMB's Sarwar-Tamim faction detained in Dhaka

Fake currency racket: NIA arrests JMB operative from Indo-Bangla border

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Introduction

An event which happened nearly 64 years ago, continues to be cited as a visual observation, of an anomalous object, which is supported by a movie film.



At about noon, on 23 August 1953, a Mr T. P. Dury, his wife and young son, observed an unusual object in the sky over Port Moresby, New Guinea. Mr Drury used his movie camera to capture images of the object. Claims have been made that the film returned to Mr Drury had some footage of the object missing. By Keith Basterfield & Paul Dean

ufos-documenting-the-evidence

4-22-17

Technical Note









The intention of section 1 of this paper, is to provide a chronological account, of items about the incident, in the form of direct text quotes, or summaries where items are exceedingly long. Although the chronology is lengthy, it does provide a detailed account of what Australian government Departments, civilian UFO researchers, and other interested parties, have documented about the incident.In any set of documents, there are inevitable errors. In some cases, the main witness is said to be T. C. Drury; C. T. Drury or T. P. Drury. T. P. Drury is in fact correct. The date of the incident is actually 23 August 1953. However, it is sometimes said to have been 24 August 1953; 23 August 1957; Christmas 1953, or 23 August 1954. The location in at least one document, is said to have been Darwin, although it actually occurred in Port Moresby. The time is generally stated as 12 noon, but in at least once instance is shown as 11 am. There are other inconsistences, which the alert reader will detect.There are numerous references to the Drury incident, in other UFO magazines; books, and on the internet. However, none of these provide any information, not already provided below, so these have not been cited.Due to the passage of time, many of the individuals mentioned in this paper are no longer alive. The authors advise the reader, that have not re-interviewed any witnesses to the sighting, given the age of the event. Instead, they feel that there is far more value to utilising the text of sources close to the date of the event. The authors also disclose that they have not been able to view any of the colour film, or any first generation still photographs copied from the film. However, they do cite the opinions of individuals who have done so.
No Bihar ministers went to the Patna airport when the bodies of six jawans martyred in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district were brought to be sent to their respective homes.

By Rohit Kumar Singh: Not a single minister from Nitish Kumar's Bihar government turned up at the Patna airport on Tuesday evening, when the bodies of six jawans martyred in Chattisgarh's Sukma district were brought to be sent to their respective homes.

CM Nitish and his deputy, Tejaswi Yadav, didn't go to the airport and pay tribute to the jawans, despite being just a 100 meters away.

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They were attending the 8th Foundation Day function of the Bihar State Road Development Corporation.

As many as 25 brave hearts from the 74th battalion of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) were martyred in Chhattisgarh's Sukma on Monday after they were ambushed by Maoists. The bodies of the six jawans from Bihar were flown out of Raipur on Tuesday afternoon, and reached Patna in the evening.

Although the CM and his deputy didn't make it, Patna DM Sanjay Agarwal, SSP Manu Maharajm and JD(U) leader Shyam Rajak were in attendance to pay tribute to the jawans.

Union Minister and BJP MP from Patliputra Ram Kripal Yadav, and many other local BJP leaders and legislators were present at the airport on the occasion.

RAM KRIPAL YADAV SLAMS NITISH GOVERNMENT

Speaking to journalists, Yadav called the Bihar government's move of not sending a single minister to the airport, insensitive and unfortunate.

"I have heard that Nitish Kumar is attending a government function just few meters away from airport. This is extremely unfortunate", he said.

The Bihar government had earlier announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh each to the kin of the martyrs on Tuesday morning and burial with full state honours for the fallen jawans.

ALSO READ | CRPF, which lost its 25 jawans in Sukma Naxal attack, is without a full-time chief for almost two months now

ALSO READ | PM Modi on Sukma attack: Sacrifice of CRPF jawans will not go in vain

ALSO WATCH | Sukma attack: 'Wasn't afraid to lose my life', injured jawan recounts deadly ambush

--- ENDS ---
Sounds of bomb explosion have replaced the melodious Rabindra Sangeeth in West Bengal, BJP President Amit Shah said on Wednesday while meeting media persons. He criticised Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on the state of law and order in the state. "Bengal, the place for Rabindra Sangeet, sung at every nook and corner, is now the place for major bomb blasts, Shah said.

After winning UP, Uttarakhand, Manipur and coming to power in Goa, BJPs slogan is now "ebar Bangla or ab ki bar Bangla (now Bengal), he said. We will win most of the seats in Bengal in 2019 and we would come to power in 2021 assembly election in Bengal, Shah declared. Asked whether the target was realistic, Shah said, Leave that to me. Thats not your business, but mine. I will do that. Shah had sat on the ground and ate from a banana leaf at the house of a tribal family in Naxalbari. He said he had visited Naxalbari to show that he was against Maoists but not against tribals. He said that he went there to sell the agenda of development to the remotest part of India. Many would be visiting Naxalbari soon to pay tribute to the place where the first revolution after Independence took place.

Armed with numbers, Shah attacked Mamata. He said, "The previous left government had taken massive debt of Rs 1.9 lakh cr. This government has taken Rs 3.5 lakh cr. Can you imagine that one of five people in Bengal are below the poverty line? he asked. Shah pointed out that the state which made 25 per cent contribution to Indias GDP, now has only 4 per cent. The bank deposit was 18 per cent of the total in 1947. But today it has gone down to 4 per cent, he said. Bank credit has gone down, so has FDI in the state. Today the FDI in Bengal is less than 2 per cent, said Shah.

Shah demolished claims made by Mamata Banerjee and challenged her to prove that the stats he had given were wrong. He also disclosed how BJP government at the centre had assisted Bengal in the last three years. He said, Under the 13th Finance Commission during UPA rule, Bengal got little more than Rs 1.3 lakh crore. But under the 14th Finance Commission, West Bengal received almost Rs 3 lakh crore. Granting aides were Rs 20,000 crore. But now under our government, it is around Rs 35,000 crore. Revenue deficit grant was Rs 13,000 crore during UPA regime. Under our government it is around Rs 15,000 crore. In every field we have increased the allocation. But the Bengal government has failed to reap the benefit.

Shah blamed communalisation of governance for Bengal's mess. This Bengal government only understands one thingto appease a certain community. Its deadly, said he. Shah said he could never imagine Durga Puja and Sarswati Puja not being allowed in Bengal. For thousands of years, this has been the tradition of Bengal. But now even Saraswati Puja and Durga Puja are not held for appeasement! And the court has to interfere. Is this Bengal? he thundered.

He lost his cool when asked about the political plot to create Narada video. All of them are found taking money and you ask if it is fake? Why dont you go to them and seek their opinion? he replied, adding that the TMC was corrupt. Shah said BJP would work hard to form next government in Bengal. We will change all this. The golden Bangla would be brought back to its old shape, said he.

Shahs tour in North Bengal coincided with Mamatas trip to Bengal, where she addressed a rally organised by separatist Kamtapur Peoples party. Now, Mamata has decided to offset the Shah's grand plans by following his trip. Yes. The chief minister would meet the same people he visited. It would take hundreds of years for them to come to power in Bengal, said Trinamool Congress secretary general Partha Chatterjee.

Shah, however, did not reveal the grand plan BJP had for Bengal. He also refused to reveal who wanted to join the BJP. I can only say that no scam tainted TMC leader is in touch with us, Shah said.
Senior Congress leader and general secretary of All India Congress Committee Gurudas Kamat resigned from all party posts on Wednesday.

[File] Gurudas Kamat | PTI

His resignation came after the AICC announced that Ashok Gehlot, former chief minister of Rajasthan and general secretary of the AICC was appointed as party observer for Gujarat. Gehlot would be assisted by Rajiv Satav, MP and former AIYC President. The announcement was made by AICC general secretary Janardan Dwivedi in a press release.

Kamat, a former MP, has been the Gujarat state observer of Congress party for over four years. He had earlier expressed his displeasure in February over denial of tickets to a few of his supporters in the Mumbai Municipal elections.

After rumours of his resignation started doing the round on Thursday, Kamat took to Twitter and said that he had requested party president Sonia Gandhi and vice-president Rahul Gandhi on last Wednesday to relieve him of all the party responsibilities. He thanked Sonia and Rahul Gandhi for the opportunity given to serve the party. He also tweeted that he had asked the party president to relieve him twice in February.

Kamat had resigned from the party in June 2016 but senior Congress leaders had successfully persuaded him to withdraw his resignation in a week's time then. Ajit Sawant, former general secretary of MPCC and a Kamat supporter said, Very sadly, Kamat has been a very impulsive politician. He had resigned from the Union cabinet merely because his portfolio was changed. Such impulsive steps has damaged his reputation and party's image.

He added that Kamat had an excellent opportunity and a task in hand to handle upcoming assembly elections in Gujarat. He should have ideally proved himself by rising to the occasion. Sulking in isolation with defeated mindset is the worst thing for any politician, said Ratnakar Mahajan, Congress spokesperson.

Gehlot will now have the tough task to deliver in the upcoming Gujarat assembly elections due by the year end.
AIADMK (Amma) deputy general secretary T.T.V. Dhinakaran was arrested last night around 12.30 am by the Delhi Police for allegedly trying to bribe the Election Commission (EC) officials to retrieve the frozen 'two leaves' symbol and get it allotted for his faction of the party.

Dhinakaran was being questioned by the Crime Branch of the Delhi Police for the past four days at the Chanakyapuri crime branch office in the capital. The police also arrested Dhinakaran's close aide Mallikarjuna, alleged to have given him shelter even when the police was looking for him.

Mallikarjuna, along with his 53-year old friend, will be produced at the Tis Hazari court in Delhi at 2 pm on Wednesday.

Interestingly, the Tis Hazari court in the city on Tuesday had questioned the police on their lack of action against Dhinakaran and on why had he not been arrested yet.

Sources in the Delhi police said Dhinakaran accepted and confessed to have met alleged middleman Sukesh Chandrasekar, a habitual offender, who was the first to be picked by the Delhi crime branch police in the case.

However, sources close to Dhinakaran have denied the claims of the Delhi police. They said neither did Dhinakaran confess to meeting Chandrasekar nor did he pay the latter any money for bribing the EC officials.

"He denied the allegations against him," said a source close to him in the family.

It all began on April 16 when Chandrasekar was arrested by the Delhi police from a five-star hotel in South Delhi and seized Rs 1.3 crore, which he had in possession allegedly for bribing the EC officials, from his room.

He was then said to be Dhinakaran's 'middleman'. Subsequently, the Delhi crime branch summoned the AIADMK (Amma) leader to appear for the probe. He was apparently questioned for 37 hours and his secretary P. Janardhanam too, was made to appear for the enquiry. While Chandrasekar was also being questioned, all the three were made to separately appear for the enquiries.

Notably, Dhinakaran was facing a strong rebellion from the former chief minister O. Panneerselvam-led faction of the party, known as AIADMK(puratchi thalaivi amma). The OPS faction has been stoutly demanding for the removal of Dhinakaran and his jailed aunt V.K. Sasikala as deputy general secretary and general secretary of the party, respectively. The OPS faction looks to merge the party by evicting Sasikala and Dhinakaran, and then get back the frozen 'two leaves' symbol for the AIADMK.

The ruling party of Tamil Nadu has been courting controversies ever since the death of J Jayalalithaa on December 5. Soon after her death, the party, including OPS and other leaders, quickly promoted Jayalalithaa's close aide V.K. Sasikala as its general secretary.

However, in no time, the move backfired OPS, who was the then chief minister. He eventually resorted to revolting against the elevation of Sasikala, who wanted to take over the reins from the former.

OPS submitted his resignation and proceeded to Jayalalithaa's memorial to declare his rebellion. However, Sasikala was arrested in the DA case soon and has been lodged in the Bengaluru prison ever since. Soon, she appointed her nephew Dhinakaran as the party general secretary, inviting more protests from the OPS faction.

However, Dhinakaran's arrest, say party insiders, has now brought disrepute to the party as there are serious corruption charges against the Mannargudi family. The party members now want both Sasikala and Dhinakaran to be expelled from their posts.

Apparently, the arrest has led the OPS camp to push for a possible merger. Meanwhile, Sasikala banners has been removed from the party office to pave way for truce talks.

Interestingly, in a superstitious party like the AIADMK, it remains to be seen who would take up the top job after the arrest of its two leaders.
Always in news: Anandiben Patel, Gujarat's former chief minister, never ceases to be in the news. Mid last year, she took to social networking site to announce her resignation, citing age criterion. Soon thereafter, rumors did rounds that she could be made Governor of some state. She preferred not to reply.

Former Gujarat CM Anandiben Patel | PTI

Now, things have gone a step ahead. Even as the BJP is in the process of selecting presidential candidate, party leader Subramaniam Swamy on Tuesday tweeted that One of the best candidates for the President is former Gujarat CM Anandiben Patel. So what, if she is Gujarati? I am too Gujarat's son-in-law.

The BJP is silent and this time as well, person in the news has kept mum.

Well, but if Prime Minister Narendra Modi decides, nothing can stop his confidante Patel from becoming the President. Only one hitch is that BJP national president Amit Shah and Patel don't see eye to eye. Moreover, there were allegations that during Modi's tenure as chief minister, Patel's daughter Aanar's business partner was given away land at a throwaway price near the Gir National Park.

Gurudas Kamat out, Ashok Gehlot in: A few months ahead of assembly elections in Gujarat, the Congress leadership in New Delhi has changed party's in-charge for Gujarat. Party president Sonia Gandhi has appointed former Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot and under him four others to look after Gujarat affairs.

Congress leader Ashok Gehlot | PTI

The move is expected to bring in the much needed balance between the Gujarat leadership. Nothing seemed to be well with the party for quite some time. Kamat, who had been sulking over various issues dealing with the party's decisions in Maharashtra, had met opposition leader Shankersinh Vaghela in Gandhinagar recently.

Sources said that the party leadership was annoyed with Kamat as he gave statements about what transpired in the meeting. A group of MLAs had declared support for Vaghela and wanted that he be given a free hand during the upcoming polls.

Gehlot is not new for Gujarat. He has been the party's in-charge in the past. As Congress spokesperson Manish Doshi puts it, Gehlotji knows many persons by names in North Gujarat. The decision has been taken by the party high command and under his guidance the party will do good.

Yet another trip of PM to Gujarat: BJP national president Amit Shah at a recent meeting of party's state executive may well have asked party men to create such an atmosphere in the state that the PM does not need to come to Gujarat time and again but the prime minister's schedules have been worked out in such a manner that he would be in Gujarat every month for the next couple of months.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi | PTI

Narendra Modi had inaugurated a series of projects in Surat and Saurashtra regions. Now, on May 22, Modi would attend a meeting of African Development Bank's annual meet at Mahatma Mandir in Gandhinagar.

On May 23, he is slated to do the ground breaking ceremony of Kandla Coastal Economic Zone. He is also supposed to address a public meeting.

With the back to back visit of Modi and Shah to Gujarat, the BJP's rank and file are already in an election mode whereas the Congress still does not have a leader who can appeal different strata of the society.
India has asked Sri Lanka for humanitarian treatment of Indian fishermen who venture into the international waters. It has also asked the Sri Lankan authorities not to resort to force under any circumstances.

India's concerns were relayed to visiting Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe who met Prime Minister Narendra Modi here on Wednesday. Apart from discussing progress on various projects and agreements, the visiting dignitary reiterated invitation to Modi to visit Sri Lanka on Vesak Day, the Budhpoornima.

India is keen to strengthen its ties with Sri Lanka as China is making its presence felt in that country. Modi's visit on Vesak would help India use historical Buddhist linkages between the two countries for better ties in the neighbourhood.

Modi hosted a lunch for his counterpart. The two leaders discussed a range of bilateral issues and matters of mutual interest.

The discussions of the Indian leadership with the visiting dignitary provided both sides an opportunity to review the progress in implementation of the decisions taken during various high level exchanges in the past two years, including visit of the prime minister to Sri Lanka in March 2015 and the visits of the president and the prime minister of Sri Lanka to India since February 2015, an MEA spokesperson said.

Modi and Wickremesinghe welcomed the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding for Cooperation in Economic Projects, which outlines the agenda for bilateral economic cooperation in future.

Pointing out that India had welcomed Sri Lanka co-sponsoring the resolution "Promoting Reconciliation, Accountability and Human Rights in Sri Lanka at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) last month, the Indian leadership expressed the earnest hope that recommendations on the reconciliation would be completed within the stipulated timeframe of two years.
After 15 rejections for consular access to Kulbhushan Jadhav, the former Naval commander who has been sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court, India has made yet another appeal.

This time, India has changed its approach, and appealed on an emotional level. Indian high commissioner to Pakistan Gautam Bambawale met Pakistan foreign secretary and handed over a plea by Jadhav's mother to the federal government of Pakistan as well as a petition by her to the Court of Appeal. His mother has requested the federal government to allow a meeting of mother and son.

Bambawale also requested Pakistan to facilitate visas for Jadhav's mother and father, who wish to travel to Pakistan and meet him, as well as to personally meet the government officials and submit their requests for his release. India also made its 16 request for consular access to Jadhav.

Bambawale's meeting comes a day after Indian foreign secretary S. Jaishankar met Pakistani high commissioner to India Abdul Basit with a similar set of requests. India had earlier summoned deputy high commissioner of Pakistan to ask him how India should go ahead with filing the appeal against the death sentence. India doesn't not have too much time left, as the appeal had to be filed within 60 days of the sentence. He was sentenced on April 10.

India had earlier harshly criticised Pakistan for the sentence and called the military court a kangaroo court. However, as the Pakistan government stood by the judgment, India has changed its approach.
Microsoft founder Bill Gates pointed out that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was one of the first political leaders to broach the sensitive topic of open defecation frankly and publicly.

By India Today Web Desk: The co-founder of Microsoft Bill Gates is all praises for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Swachh Bharat mission and how it continues to change the lives of millions of people in India in his recent blog titled 'India is winning its war on human waste'.

"Nearly three years ago, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi made one of the boldest comments on public health that I have ever heard from an elected official," wrote Bill Gates in the blog posted on April 25 on his website www.gatesnotes.com.

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The world's sanitation problem is something the Microsoft co-founder has been deeply concerned about and has been working on. And that's precisely why the philanthropist is appreciative of the Indian Prime Minister and his initiative to put an end to open defecation and improve sanitation.

"The hard work is paying off. Today more than 30 percent of Indian villages have been declared free of open defecation, up from 8 percent in 2015," states Bill Gates.

Gates points out that Modi was one of the first political leaders who broached such a sensitive topic so frankly and so publicly and highlighted the importance of solving this huge problem during his first address to the nation on Independence Day.

If the problem were to be looked at through an economic lens, Gates points out, "Of the 1.7 million people worldwide who die from unsafe water, sanitation, and hygiene each year, more than 600,000 are in India. A quarter of young girls there drop out of school because there's no decent toilet available. When you factor in the deaths, sickness, and lost opportunity, poor sanitation costs India more than $106 billion a year."

Prime Minister Modi understood the gravity of the situation, says Bill Gates. "He put a spotlight on a subject that most of us would rather not even think about." That is why ' PM Modi backed up his words with actions'. And that's exactly what impressed Bill Gates he most.

The results are there to see, says Gates and adds "In 2014, when Clean India began, just 42 percent of Indians had access to proper sanitation. Today 63 percent do. And the government has a detailed plan to finish the job by October 2, 2019, the 150th anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi's birth."

In the blog, Bill Gates has also presented a short virtual-reality video titled 'Talking Toilets' on the government's 'amazing' undertaking on the sanitation issue.

Gates also cites a pilot project the government is working on with Google through which users in 11 cities could search online for the nearest public toilets, get directions, and read reviews by other users.

Bill Gates ends the blog by saying that the people of India are taking action to make it happen. "It is a great example for other countries and an inspiration for all of us who believe everyone deserves a chance at a healthy, productive life."

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Also Read:

Home Ministry cancels FCRA licence of NGO linked to Gates Foundation

Bill Gates tops Forbes richest list again, Mukesh Ambani leads India's 101 billionaire club

--- ENDS ---
Don't celebrate any victories out of respect for the CRPF jawans martyred in Sukma. That's the message the BJP, which is expected to win big in the MCD election 2017, gave its supporters ahead of counting day.

By India Today Web Desk: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has asked its supporters not to celebrate any victories out of respect for the 25 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) who were martyred in a Maoist ambush attack in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district on Monday.

The saffron party's appeal comes just ahead of the counting of votes in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) election, which the BJP is expect to win comfortably.

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The India Today-Axis My India exit poll predicted that the BJP would win as many as 202 to 220 of the 270 wards in which voting took place on Sunday.

The poll indicated that the BJP's main rivals, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Congress, would win 23 to 25 seats, and 19 to 31 seats, respectively.

There was more good news for the BJP on Monday, when Delhi University's Developing Countries Research Centre also predicted a landslide victory for party - led by Manoj Tiwari in the national capital - in all three Delhi corporations.

But after communist guerillas on Monday killed over two dozen CRPF bravehearts in Chhatisgarh, the BJP's cadre and followers may not celebrate if these predictions turn out to be accurate.

ALSO READ | CRPF, which lost its 25 jawans in Sukma Naxal attack, is without a full-time chief for almost two months now

ALSO READ | PM Modi on Sukma attack: Sacrifice of CRPF jawans will not go in vain

ALSO READ | MCD 2017 exit poll results: India Today-Axis My India predicts big win for BJP, massive setback for AAP, Congress

ALSO READ | MCD election 2017: After exit polls, Delhi University now predicts a BJP landslide

ALSO WATCH | Sukma attack: 'Wasn't afraid to lose my life', injured jawan recounts deadly ambush

--- ENDS ---
By India Today Web Desk: Ice creams are meant to be white, off-white, pink, purple, green. Basically, ice creams are meant to be anything but black.

Ice creams, especially soft-serve ice creams, just have that image that they belong in a fairytale. So, you can't possible imagine a princess in a fairytale gorging on a black cone and a black swirl, can you?

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Well, things are set to change now. Because black ice-cream swirls in ash-black cones are very much a reality. But forget all else, drop all your prejudices, and just look at this beauty:

Picture courtesy: Instagram/little.damage

Who wouldn't want to know what that tastes like!

Launched by the Little Damage Ice Cream Shop in Los Angeles, California, this ice cream has been taking social media by storm. And why wouldn't it, if it looks so pretty darn good with pretty much any flavour/colour you pair it with?

Picture courtesy: Instagram/little.damage

If you're wondering what flavour might this beautiful black beauty have, the answer is almond-charcoal.

So, if you're planning to visit California anytime soon, remember to have a scoop of this devilish dessert. If not, join us in praying that the trend hits India sooner than later.

Picture courtesy: Instagram/little.damage

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A spokesman for former President George H.W. Bush says the nations 41st president will remain in a Houston hospital for a few more days of observation while he recovers from a mild case of pneumonia.

Family spokesman Jim McGrath said Monday that the medical team at Houston Methodist Hospital hopes to discharge the 92-year-old Bush by the end of the week.

McGrath says Bush continues to be in good spirits and is resting comfortably at the hospital.

Bush was hospitalized April 14 for treatment of a persistent cough. Physicians say his pneumonia was treated and resolved. But he has been held while he regains his strength.

Bush served as president from 1989 to 1993. He spent 16 days in the hospital in January for treatment of pneumonia.

(AP)
U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley is urging the U.N. Security Council to impose an arms embargo and additional sanctions on South Sudan to pressure the parties to end the civil war in the worlds newest nation  but Russia and China remain opposed.

Haley warned the council on Tuesday that 5.5 million people  half of South Sudans population  face life-threatening hunger if nothing changes soon.

She said, We must not wait for more deaths, more displacement and more destruction before we have the courage to act.

But Russia and China said new sanctions wont end the conflict.

South Sudans civil war began in December 2013 and has grown more intense. U.N. envoy David Shearer told the council no party has shown interest in reviving a 2015 peace agreement.

(AP)
Prosecutors say an off-duty New York City police detective was under the influence of alcohol when he was involved in a fatal collision.

Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown said Wednesday that Neville Smith now faces charges that include vehicular manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide.

Twenty-two-year-old Vanessa Raghubar died Monday, a day after her car was rear-ended on the Van Wyck Expressway. Her sister also was badly injured.

Smiths attorney did not immediately respond to a comment request.

(AP)
The phone call came as Raymond Murray neared the bottom of his luck. His wife had died, his career had been ended by injuries, and struggling to get by on his disability check, he had scraped together just enough to pay a lawyer to avoid imminent foreclosure on his modest Brooklyn home.

The voice on the line offered a godsend: No more attorney fees, no more foreclosure, a lower monthly mortgage, and all this help for free.

Murray was soon picked up by a black Mercedes-Benz, off to meet the man on the phone. Not long after, he was back at the office again, property deed in hand and a ring of people around a conference room table, finalizing the supposed fix to keep him in the home he hoped to die in.

Eventually, the blessing Murray thought he had found was revealed as a curse. Amid unfulfilled promises, unreturned calls and unwelcome visitors at his door, the truth became clear: This aging immigrant, who thought hed realized an American dream, was scammed out of his home.

Around the U.S., deed theft has emerged as one of the most sophisticated and devastating frauds ever to menace homeowners. Foreclosure rescue scams that have stolen thousands of dollars from individual homeowners in the years since the housing collapse have been pushed by savvy perpetrators to their limit. They use lies to convince the desperate to sign over their title, then force them into homelessness or a years-long legal battle.

The scammers are no longer content with stealing $5,000. Now they want the whole house, said Dina Levy, who heads the Homeowner Protection Program in the New York attorney generals office, which has spread word about deed theft and prosecuted culprits.

Although there are no firm numbers on how many cases of deed theft have occurred, they have been reported around the U.S., particularly in markets that have rebounded from the housing crisis or in neighborhoods that are gentrifying.

Its growing, absolutely, said Kristen Clarke, who heads the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, a nonprofit that has researched foreclosure-related fraud. Were beginning to see these scammers operate in a far more bold way.

 In San Diego, federal prosecutors netted a guilty plea and a six-year prison sentence last year for a man who forged deeds on at least 15 homes, and then quickly sold them to the surprise of unwitting owners. The ringleader of what investigators called a tangled web of deceit netted about $2.2 million in the scheme. Buyers coaxed into purchasing the homes were left with worthless claims to titles.

 In Detroit, the Wayne County Register of Deeds is looking to expand its mortgage and deed fraud unit to deal with a crush of cases. The problem is so severe the office runs a round-the-clock property fraud hotline and has a marked deed-theft patrol car used by investigators following up on tips. Investors in Kuwait, Australia and the United Kingdom looking to capitalize on Detroits resurgence are among those who have been caught up in scams.

 In Indianapolis, Crystal Francis, an attorney with Indiana Legal Services, tells of deed theft cases sprinkled throughout the area in recent years, with elderly people the preferred targets. One woman victimized by a scam while in the throes of a liver problem and dialysis treatment was overcome with shame. She couldnt muster the strength for a protracted legal fight, choosing to simply walk away from her longtime home and move in with a friend. She was so discouraged, Francis said. She just concluded it was too much.

The problem has been gravest in New York, particularly the ever-pricier neighborhoods of Brooklyn. The New York sheriffs office has taken a lead on the cases and since 2014, the office has amassed more than 1,700 complaints, with hundreds under investigation, and some 32 arrests already tallied.

The cases can take investigators years to solve. Sheriff Joseph Fucito points to a graphic of a single case, a snare of lines representing the three partners at the center of the probe, and their ties to 110 different companies and 189 properties. In this case, like many others, Fucito said the perpetrators did a mix of above-board and fraudulent business through a series of limited-liability companies, leaving it to detectives to pinpoint victims.

Some of its legitimate, some of its not legitimate, and we have to pick through it, Fucito said. But all of it smells funny.

The sheriff ticks off the ways the thefts happen, from opportunists cobbling together documents on vacant properties to those transferring the home of an unwitting family member into their name, to fake housing assistance businesses that prey on those in financial crisis.

Cases in that final category are the hardest to prove, and the toughest to undo. Companies use misrepresentations to get a home signed over to them and often use licensed professionals to notarize and file legal documents.

You can just wake up, Fucito said, and it happened on a piece of paper.

___

Murray came to New York in 1989 from his native Guyana, and dove into long days at work  as a telephone technician sometimes chased by dogs, and later as a police traffic control agent dodging irate motorists. He and his wife Desrie, a teacher, lived in a relatives basement, then rented a home before saving enough to buy. It wasnt much  a two-story brick house with a white metal gate, on a quiet, tree-lined Brooklyn street  but he felt like he finally could see what hed been working for.

It was an American dream, the 67-year-old says.

After two on-the-job accidents, Murray was forced into retirement. Money became tighter, and the couple refinanced their mortgage for $388,000 in 2006 and took out another $21,800 loan a year later to stay afloat. After Murrays wife died suddenly of ovarian cancer in early 2009, the real financial pinch set in. He cut back on food, kept the house darkened and found other ways to scrimp.

I tried and I tried and I tried and I tried with my little savings, Murray said.

Before long, his savings were nearly gone and he was falling short on the mortgage, and in time, a default notice alerted him that he was being referred for foreclosure. Turning to an attorney to try to restructure his debt, he spent $5,000.

Then came that chance call in January 2014, from a man named Mario Alvarenga whose promises, Murray said, were exactly what he needed to hear. He was impressed by the black Mercedes that picked him up, by the politeness of the woman at the Homeowner Assistance Services office, and by the Alvarengas professionalism.

These people have class, he thought.

Murray left the office that day with a sense of hope he hadnt felt in years. He said Alvarenga told him his mortgage could be restructured to fit his income. It wouldnt even cost anything, so long as Murray fired his attorney.

Because of his poor credit, Murray said he was told, his home would need to go in the name of another company Alvarenga was tied to, Launch Development, for 90 days; then the loan modification would be finalized and the property could be put in the name of one of his children or, as hed remarried, his new wife.

When Murray returned to Alvarengas conference room, it was full of people  a man he was told was his new attorney, a real estate agent, a notary public and others. Murray, whose vision was blurred by cataracts, struggled to read stacks of documents presented for his signature  papers he said he was assured would keep him in his home.

After signing, Murray left that day awash in relief. That feeling was short-lived. Alvarenga phoned to tell him the loan modification wasnt approved, but pleaded for him to be patient. As Murray grew worried and suspicious, he tried several times to reach Alvarenga, each time turned away by a receptionist, he said.

Well, what do I have to do, call the FBI? he remembered saying. Something is funny.

It all climaxed with Murray finding a man on his property taking pictures and informing him the house now belonged to him. An eviction notice was soon posted on the door, ordering him to vacate.

The chilling realization dawned: They stole my home from me.

___

In many cases, a deed theft does not become evident to the homeowner until months or even years after it happened.

Francis, the Indiana lawyer, said some of her elderly clients became aware when strange mail started arriving in their box or when receiving an eviction notice. Deed theft victims are often older, or have some other perceived vulnerability, such as difficulty with English or a limited grasp of finances.

People will say things like, Im really stupid. Theyre embarrassed, Francis said. Having your trust broken is so harsh.

Sometimes, the fraud takes place entirely on paper. Bernard Youngblood, the register of deeds in Wayne County, Michigan, tells of a case in his office, when a man came to file a quitclaim deed transferring ownership on a property. A clerk recognized the address and went to a co-worker with a question.

Are you selling your house to that guy? she asked.

She wasnt. Youngblood said he faked a computer outage, leaving the would-be fraudster waiting at the counter. It bought enough time to get deputies to respond and make an arrest.

Today, Youngbloods office has an eight-person war room dedicated to fighting deed theft, with representatives of his office working alongside prosecutors and deputies. Theyve raised awareness for police more used to dealing with stolen purses or cars. They had never heard of stolen houses, he said.

Undoing deed theft damage can take herculean efforts. Linda Fisher, a law professor at Seton Hall University who runs a legal clinic that frequently litigates mortgage fraud cases, says deed theft typically takes two to three years to resolve. Her first case, she said, took eight years.

While cases are often complicated, they are winnable, said Amy Mix, an attorney with Legal Counsel for the Elderly, a Washington-based affiliate of AARP. Homes are frequently returned to their rightful owners. And since its often the only asset of any real value that they have, its a worthy fight, she said.

___

After finding the eviction notice on his door, Murray got help from attorneys at JASA Legal Services for the Elderly in Queens, who found a vast paper trail they believe was part of the ruse to make the transaction look legitimate. A real estate agent had even posted Murrays home on the multiple-listing service. (Property sold as is,' it said, in a listing detailing the brick construction, steam heat and $170,000 asking price.)

What Murray believed was a mortgage restructuring was actually a sale, meticulously documented in the paperwork, making the fight to undo it a legal challenge. A judge initially ruled against Murray on his eviction, but his attorneys got a stay of that order.

There is no resolution yet, but Murray has been allowed to remain in the house even as, on paper, he is no longer the owner.

Murray sees the whole ordeal as a battle between good and evil. When he received the call from one of his lawyers, Robert Seewald, telling him Alvarenga and others had been arrested and faced federal charges in the scheme, he says he felt as if he had seen an angel.

These defendants manipulated and took advantage of vulnerable people, then-U.S. attorney Preet Bharara said in announcing the charges.

In court papers, Alvarengas attorneys dismissed Murrays story, saying he had simply conspired a plan to live for free, for as long as possible. But Alvarenga later pleaded guilty to conspiracy. He awaits sentencing. Six others also face federal charges in the case, two of whom have pleaded guilty.

Jim Druker, one of Alvarengas attorneys, said, Mario is just a nice guy who got caught up in something, and that it went from overzealous salesmanship into the criminal arena.

Murrays lawyers are still fighting in court for the return of the title to his home. Meantime, he worries his neighbors will learn he was scammed and he says its hard to trust people now, after his bitter experience with those who targeted him.

They see that I was desperate, that I was in need, he said. But I can see justice coming.

(AP)
New York state is launching an outreach campaign to remind motorists to move over for emergency vehicles.

Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced the week-long effort Monday. Its intended to raise awareness of the states 2011 Move Over Law, which subjects drivers to fines and other penalties if they fail to slow down and move over for police cars, firetrucks, ambulances and highway maintenance and construction vehicles.

As part of the campaign, the state will place signs about the law at Thruway service areas. On Friday, Thruway employees and members of the state police will hand out flyers to Thruway travelers about the need to move over for emergency workers.

Law enforcement will also step up its enforcement of the law throughout the week.

(AP)
The 20-year-old spacecraft which explored Saturn's moons and found evidences of oceans and life on them is going for a 'grand finale' crashing into Saturn. Here are interesting things to know about the spacecraft.

An artist's rendition of what Cassini's crash into Saturn will look like. NASA/JPL-Caltech

By Mohak Gupta: The Cassini is heading to a place where no ship has gone before. On Wednesday, it will perform a series of dives into space between Saturn and its rings.

The dives or the maneuver is a series of 22 orbits. These dives will place Cassini closer to the surface of Saturn before it finally crashes into it.

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This will mark the end of Cassini's sojourn and is called spacecraft's "grand finale".

SHORT INTRODUCTION TO CASSINI

Cassini was launched in October 1997 by NASA in collaboration with with the European Space Agency. It was launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida, US.

The Cassini spacecraft which will be crashing into Saturn's environment was named after the 17th-century astronomer Giovanni Cassini.

The 20-year-old spacecraft was made when even Harry Potter wasn't published in the United States.

WHAT WAS IT UPTO

Over its last 13 years in orbit, spacecraft Cassini has had an amazing run exploring and studying Saturn and its moons.

Cassini has been revolving around Saturn's hazy moon Titan and recently, it had its close brush with Titan.

When Cassini and Huygens explored Titan, it revealed many interesting earth-like geographic features.

It discovered great lakes of liquid gas on the moon's surface. The liquid gas can outweigh all the oil and gas reserves on mother earth.

Cassini has also found evidence of an underground ocean on Saturn's sixth largest moon - Enceladus.

Earlier in April, NASA announced that Cassini had found more evidence that the ocean underneath Enceladus could contain life.

Over its last 13 years in orbit, Cassini has had an amazing run studying Saturn and its moons.

THE GRAND FINALE

Cassini is on a path of collision. And before it collides and vanishes forever, it will finally be able to take the measurements that will help in the calculations to find out the mass of the rings, when it is in the inner rings of Saturn.

In the inner rings of Saturn, Cassini will be able to take fresh measurements facilitating a better understanding of the total mass of Saturn's rings.

NASA already knows the mass of Saturn plus its rings. Getting closer to the planet will allow Cassini to take its mass without factoring in the rings, according to a Vox report.

This new information will help the scientists to better understand how the rings were formed. This might further help to understand how all the planets were formed from rings of the material which is around the sun.

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On Wednesday, Cassini begins a maneuver that is unprecedented in the history of spaceflight.

It's adjusting its trajectory to bring it inside the 1,500-mile-wide gap between Saturn and its rings for 22 orbits.

via GIPHY

The 22 orbits will bring the spacecraft Cassini close to debris and rocks of Saturn's atmosphere which could take it offline.

via GIPHY

DEATH OF THE SPACECRAFT

On coming September 15, Cassini will crash into Saturn with all its fuel burnt. Well, it comes with a potential glitch.

If Cassini doesn't crash into Saturn's atmosphere, there is a risk of potential contamination of one of Saturn's moons with Cassini's debris and microbes from earth which it carries.

"The spacecraft is now on a ballistic path. Even if we were to forgo future small course adjustments using thrusters, we would still enter Saturn's atmosphere on September 15 no matter what," Earl Maize, a Cassini project manager, said in a press statement.

Not surprised since anything we do on earth, has a bad side to it. What do you expect from humans anyway?

But on the glorious side, as it will descend into Saturn's atmosphere, "several of the instruments will be on," including the mass spectrometer, Preston Dyches, a NASA spokesperson, says.

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This instrument essentially can "sniff" the atmosphere and determine the chemical compounds it's composed of.

On April 12, days before it made its final flyby of Titan, Cassini captured an incredible image of earth glimmering through Saturn's rings, serving as a gentle reminder of how far it's come since the beginning of its journey.

NASA

The Cassini has completed its final and fateful Titan flyby and now is beginning its final set of 22 orbits around the ringed planet.

NASA

Watch: A new narrated, 360-degree animated video gives viewers a sense of what it might be like to fly alongside Cassini as it makes one of its Grand Finale dives.

--- ENDS ---
A relative of two Iranian-American citizens imprisoned in Iran says their health is failing rapidly due to inhumane conditions and is urging U.S. President Donald Trump to take personal responsibility for their lives.

Siamak Namazi and his father, Baquer Namazi, were sentenced to 10-year prison terms last year for collusion with an enemy state  the United States. Babak Namazi has been working behind the scenes since then, seeking the release of his father and brother.

Their supporters deny the charges and say the two are being held as leverage on the U.S. Their supporters went public with their campaign Tuesday, appealing to Trump and formally asking the U.N. Working Group on Arbitrary Detention for urgent action to secure their release.

Babak Namazi and Jared Genser of the Washington-based Freedom Now human rights group said Trump should assume responsibility for the two imprisoned dual citizens.

Namazi said he is counting on the president to take personal responsibility for his relatives lives. Genser cited Trump as declaring this doesnt happen if Im president after the Namazi convictions in October and said the U.S. president now needs to be good to his word and do whatever is necessary to secure their release.

The Namazi family fled Iran after the 1979 Islamic Revolution, but appears to have kept business ties in Iran. Siamak Namazis arrest in late 2015 followed criticism by hardliners over his advocacy for improved Iran-U.S. ties.

His 80-year old father is a former UNICEF representative who served as governor of Irans oil-rich Khuzestan province under the U.S.-backed shah, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. He was arrested after traveling to Iran, apparently in efforts seeking his sons release.

Both Namazis appear to be ensnared by hard-liners within Irans security services who oppose the moderate administration of President Hassan Rouhani and the nuclear deal it struck with world powers.

Dual nationals in detention have been used as bargaining chips in negotiations with the West, and Genser said U.S. officials in Vienna planned to bring up the case later in the day in what is the first U.S.-Iran meeting on the nuclear deal since Trump took office.

Babak Namazi said both his father and brother are in Tehrans notorious Evin prison, out of reach for Irans judiciary and under control of the Revolutionary Guard.

He told reporters his brother sleeps on the concrete floor of a dark, humid cell, mostly in solitary confinement; he has been physically tortured, beaten and subjected to psychological torture and has lost 12 kilograms (over 26 pounds).

He feels that he has nothing left to live for and (is considering) the taking of matters in his own hands, Namazi said.

He said that his father is completely cut off from his doctor despite serious health problems following triple bypass surgery and needing medication for various other ailments,

While doctors in Iran refused to disclose his condition after several hospital visits, we know from his own rapidly expanding list of self-observed symptoms including severe weight loss, dizziness, exhaustion, confusion, lightheadedness and shortness of breath, that time is not on his side, Babak Namazi said.

Other detained dual nationals include Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, a British-Iranian woman sentenced to five years in prison on allegations of planning the soft toppling of Irans government. Robin Shahini, an Iranian-American, is serving 18 years in prison for collaboration with a hostile government.

Yet to be tried on various charges are Iranian-American art gallery manager Karan Vafadari, held along with his Iranian wife, and Iranian-Canadian national Abdolrasoul Dorri Esfahani, who helped negotiate the nuclear deal for Iran.

Still missing is former FBI agent Robert Levinson, who vanished in Iran in 2007 while on an unauthorized CIA mission.

(AP)
Australias prime minister said Tuesday he is looking forward to meeting soon with U.S. President Donald Trump, three months after their heated telephone conversation over an Obama-era refugee deal.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull was speaking to reporters at the al-Minhad air base in the United Arab Emirates after meeting in Afghanistan with Defense Secretary James Mattis and greeting Australian troops in the Middle East ahead of Veterans Day commemorations on Tuesday.

Turnbull met in Sydney over the weekend with Vice President Mike Pence, whose visit was intended to smooth over any lingering hard feelings after the prime ministers contentious phone call with Trump on Jan. 28 over a refugee resettlement deal struck by the previous Obama administration.

Turnbull said Tuesday he will announce his Trump visit very shortly. The meeting will take place in New York, according to media reports.

Weve had very good meetings with Vice President Pence and the Defense Secretary James Mattis just in the last few days. I look forward to continuing those discussions with President Trump and will do so at an early opportunity, Turnbull told reporters.

Australia is unhappy with Trumps decision to pull the United States out of the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership trade pact.

Under the refugee resettlement agreement, the United States will take up to 1,250 refugees that Australia houses in detention camps on the Pacific island nations of Nauru and Papua New Guinea. Trump, who campaigned on tough-on-immigration policies, was enraged by the agreement, prompting a tense phone call with Turnbull and an angry tweet in which the president dubbed the deal dumb.

White House spokesman Sean Spicers subsequent mispronunciation of Turnbulls name as Trumbull did not help matters.

The fallout has left relations between the U.S. and Australia at their lowest point since the Vietnam War, when Australias then-Prime Minister Gough Whitlam criticized a series of bombings authorized by then-President Richard Nixon.

Turnbull on Tuesday left open the possibility of Australia increasing its military contribution in Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan.

He also announced an additional 110 million Australian dollars ($83 million) over three years in humanitarian and stabilization assistance for Iraq.

(AP)
Israels Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon reacted harshly to a letter by Palestinian terrorist Marwan Barghouti which was distributed to the members of the Security Council. In his letter, Barghouti compared himself to Nelson Mandela and described the Israeli legal system as judicial apartheid.

Barghouti is a terrorist and a murderer, said Ambassador Danon. His actions glorify death and bloodshed are no different than those of ISIS which seeks to spread its hateful ideology throughout the world using terror, the Ambassador continued.

Barghouti also wrote in his letter that for fifty years Israel, as the occupying power, arrested hundreds of thousands of Palestinians, denied them their basic rights and used violence against them. The letter was written to parliamentarians around the world and distributed to the Security Council members as part of Barghoutis efforts to lead the Palestinian security prisoners strike.

Last Thursday, during a meeting of the Security Council, Ambassador Danon clashed with the Palestinians representative to the UN. At the meeting, Ambassadors Danon held up a photo of one of Barghoutis victims and explained that, this was Yoela Chen, a mother of two. Glorifying terrorists like Barghouti not only distances us from peace, but dishonors the memories of the innocent victims.

Photo: Ambassador Danon in the Security Council last Thursday (credit: UN Photo/Rick Bajornas)

(YWN World Headquarters  NYC)
Assemblyman Dov Hikind (D-Brooklyn) had high praise for Adele Fasano, Port Director at Newark Liberty Airport, who successfully implemented a number of important changes that Hikind requested. The requests followed horror stories from Hikinds constituents regarding their treatment at the hands of customs and border patrol agents. Complaints included the refusal to allow an elderly Holocaust survivor to sit during questioning as well as callous disregard for religious items, which agents dumped on the floor despite protests. Assemblyman Hikind met with Fasano and her team to discuss the complaints.

Following Fasanos assurance that all of the complaints would be investigated, Fasano wrote, We are pleased to report that with the additional information you provided, we have taken positive steps to ensure our officers treat the public with the utmost professionalism and respect with regard to their religious, cultural and ethnic backgrounds. CBP will also ensure that additional work surfaces and seating are available in the locations when we conduct these examinations.

Constituents complained of being mistreated, I advocated for them, and Port Director Fasano took swift and effective action, said Hikind. That is what I call excellent leadership. Port Director Fasano has made certain that her officers and agents abide by their own rules regarding treating individuals with dignity and respect regardless of what they are being questioned for.

In evidence of Port Director Fasanos leadership, my staff was advised by a constituent, who was recently on her way to Israel, of a questioning procedure she experienced. This traveler was escorted into a private room and asked to sit comfortably at a table while being questioned. Everyone was professional and the procedure took no longer than necessary.

Assemblyman Hikind has promised to continue monitoring the situation and asks New Yorkers to contact him if additional problems are encountered.

(YWN Headquarters  NYC)
A terrorist was shot and killed in an attempted stabbing attack at an entrance to Shechem on Tuesday afternoon 29 Nissan. Bchasdei Hashem there were no injuries among any intended victims.

The attempted attack occurred at a checkpoint but Bchasdei Hashem, Golani Brigade soldiers responded quickly. The attempted attack occurred near the IDF regional command center, about 100 meters from IDF Base 3.

(YWN  Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
While the courts have ordered the removal of the controversial ammonia tank in Haifa, a tank many feel poses a danger to the entire northern area, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has intervened in an effort to save jobs.

The Haifa Administrative Court last month ordered the tank emptied and removed, basing the ruling on an ominous report from Prof. Ehud Keinan of Technion University. The deadline set by the court is June 1, 2017.

The professor warns the tank poses a danger to the area, citing an earthquake or a Hizbullah rocket attack, which could lead to many deaths RL, stating casualties could run in the tens of thousands.

The prime minister is consulting with Environmental Ministry experts towards evaluating options other than shutting down the tank as ordered by the court. A Channel 2 News reports states the prime minister has a personal relationship with the owner of the tank, Mr. Jules Trump, who is not related to the current US president.

A statement released by the Prime Ministers Office denies anything to do with Mr. Netanyahus relationship with Mr. Trump, citing the two have not been in touch for over a year. The media statement insists the prime minister is concerned with the loss of jobs and nothing else is motivating his actions.

(YWN  Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
JetBlues first-quarter profit sank 59 percent from a year ago as fuel costs and other expenses rose and the airline made less revenue from every seat flown.

But the airlines earnings still beat Wall Street expectations and its shares rose more than 4 percent Tuesday morning.

The carrier said revenue for every seat flown one mile, a figure that is closely watched in the airline business, fell 5 percent from a year ago. CEO and President Robin Hayes said the company took quick actions to improve those numbers, which he said were below its expectations. In the second quarter, JetBlue said it expects revenue for every seat flown one mile to rise between 3 percent and 6 percent from the same period the year before.

JetBlue reported net income of $85 million, or 25 cents per share, in the three months ending March 31, compared with $207 million, or 61 cents per share, in the same period a year before.

Its earnings per share just topped Wall Street expectations of 24 cents per share, according to Zacks Investment Research.

Revenue slipped less than 1 percent to $1.6 billion, missing Wall Street forecasts for $1.62 billion, according to Zacks.

Costs rose 15 percent to $1.46 billion, as expenses for fuel and related taxes grew 50 percent.

Shares of JetBlue Airways Corp. rose 94 cents to $22.69 in morning trading Tuesday.

(AP)
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday canceled a meeting with the visiting German foreign minister over the latters plans to sit down with Israeli rights groups, sparking a rare diplomatic feud with one of Israels closest and most important allies.

The last-minute cancellation cast a cloud over a visit that had been meant to draw attention to years of friendship between the two countries and coincided with Israels annual Holocaust memorial day.

An Israeli official said Netanyahu was upset that German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel was meeting with Breaking the Silence, a whistleblower group critical of Israeli military actions in the West Bank. The Israeli official spoke on condition of anonymity pending a formal announcement.

At a news conference with Israels president, Gabriel made no mention of Netanyahus snub. But earlier, he had said it would be regrettable if Netanyahu canceled their planned talks in Jerusalem.

It would be regrettable if there were a cancellation, he told Germanys ZDF television. But its not as though it would be a catastrophe for me. I have been in this country so often and have a lot of friends, and it wouldnt change my relationship with Israel.

You cant get a proper and comprehensive picture in any country on Earth if you only meet in government offices, added Gabriel. I cant imagine that we would not do such things in the future just to get government appointments.

Gabriel has been Germanys foreign minister since January and its vice chancellor since 2013. This is his first visit to Israel in the new job.

(AP)
Rabbi Moshe Dovid Robinson  English Principal, Rabbi Tzvi Mordechai Feldheim  Rosh Mesivta, Rabbi Avrohom Feldheim  Menahel

In a move that put a new mosad firmly on the map, the founders of Mesivta Kesser Torah of Baltimore, have signed a rental lease with Etz Chaim Center, Baltimores flagship outreach organization. The beautiful, spacious facility, home to Etz Chaim Centers many learning and outreach programs, will now, in addition, host a promising new mesivta that is poised to take its place alongside Baltimores other flourishing mosdos haTorah.

In welcoming Mesivta Kesser Torah to Baltimore, Rabbi Shlomo Porter, president and dean of Etz Chaim, said, We are delighted with our wonderful partnership with this new yeshiva. We welcome the opportunity to provide a warm, comfortable setting that will enhance the students ability to shteig. We couldnt wish for better neighbors.'

The lease-signing followed weeks of interviewing and farhering applicants from Baltimore and nearby communities. With close to 20 high caliber students enrolled to the ninth grade for the 5778 school year, the new mesivta is confident of a strong start.

Rabbi Chaim Schwartz of Baltimore cited his confidence in the mesivtas directors, Rabbi Tzvi Mordechai Feldheim and his son, Rabbi Avrohom Feldheim, as the defining factor in his decision to enroll his son.

This father-and- son team combines vision, experience and talent, remarked Rabbi Schwartz. In terms of chinuch, they represent the very best of two leading approaches; Rabbi Tzvi Mordechai Feldheims time-honored derech halimud and the innovative, creative methods of his son, Rabbi Avrohom Feldheim. Judging from the phenomenal energy and commitment they are investing in this endeavor, they will bezras Hashem see much brocha.

The senior Rabbi Feldheim made his mark as a master mechanech in the past two decades he served as menahel and 9 th grade rebbe at Yeshivas Toras Chaim of Denver. His son has served as rebbe and mashgiach for the past five years at the Mechina of South Florida, where he designs his own professional, highly visual teaching materials that target a wide range of student needs.

As co-founders of Mesivta Kesser Torah, father and son envision the new mosad filling a strong need in the Baltimore community and beyond, and have received encouragement from local rabbonim.

The citys yeshivos will be graduating about 150 8 th graders at the end of the school year, notes Rabbi Avrohom Feldheim. More and more boys are looking for a local yeshiva in which to continue their studies, as opposed to going to yeshivas out of town. There is simply not enough room for all of them in the local mosdos.

Asked how the idea for Mesivta Kesser Torah first germinated, Rabbi Feldheim recalls being approached, on a visit to Baltimore to visit family, by fathers of 8 th graders who asked him about the possibility of starting a new high school in town. The parents were looking for a mesivta that would offer the warmth and individual attention not always available in the larger mosdos and would accommodate a wider range of students.

That is how the concept of Mesivta Kesser Torah first took root, recalls Rabbi Feldheim.

The goal of the Mesivta Kesser Torah, says Rabbi Tzvi Mordechai Feldheim, is to mold young men into wholesome bnei Torah who have a love for Yiddishkeit and learning, and take pride in their identity. The yeshiva will cater to students who will thrive best in a warm, nurturing atmosphere with a close rebbe-talmid relationship.

Our aim is to find the unique balance in this atmosphere that will build on each bochurs strengths, develop his abilities and his personality, and promote his success, he said.

He notes that many bochurim entering 9 th grade are faced with a sharp transition when it comes to learning Gemara. A certain percent are equipped to navigate the Gemara with Rashi and Tosfos but for many, theres a serious gap between their level of proficiency and what theyre expected to know on entering mesivta.

The curriculum weve worked out is designed to ease the transition from 8 th to 9 th grades, he explained. The overall, long-range goal, of course, is to equip each and every bochur to enter the Beis Medrash of his choice upon graduation.

A perusal of the Curriculum Guide for Mesivta Kesser Torah reveals a meticulously crafted formula for reaching this goal. The Guide contains a cogent outline of the objectives in Gemara instruction at every grade level, as well as a system for evaluating each stage of a bochurs development and identifying potential lapses or deficits. The Guide is eloquent testimony to a consummate mechanech at the helm of this mosad who will allow no student to be left behind.

Mesivta Kesser Torah bochurim will have the benefit of a full yeshiva schedule even as they enjoy the advantages of residing at home, Rabbis Feldheim note, with parental and community involvement playing an important role in the yeshivas success.

The mesivta boasts a fully accredited secular studies department under the leadership of Rabbi Moshe Dovid Robinson, an enthusiastic and talented educator who holds a Masters in Education. Graduates will be empowered with the skills to succeed in todays world.

As a veteran mechanech whose harbotzas Torah, in addition to the decades spent teaching talmidim, includes many hundreds of shiruim disseminated over Torah Communication Network, Rabbi Tzvi Mordechai Feldheim stresses the critical ingredient of a strong sevivah in the building of a successful in-town mosad.

Sevivah is a powerful force in shaping a person. We count on that in helping a bochur to mature into a ben Torah who wants a kesher with the Ribono Shel Olam. The geshmackeit in learning the intensity the kavana in tefilah are all a part it. But ultimately, the goal is to instill the chaishek to hold the Ribono Shel Olams hand wherever life takes him That is our dream.
Two U.S. F-35 fighter jets arrived on Tuesday in NATO member Estonia to take part in the military alliances drills as the aircraft saw their first operational deployment in continental Europe.

The planes with stealth technology to avoid detection by radar landed at the Amari air base from a base in Britain.

Air Marshal Stuart Evans of NATOs Allied Air Command said the F-35s will be the fundamentals in the military alliances capabilities to defend the air sovereignty of its members.

If you look at the challenges to our security environment, our ability to dominate the air environment, this aircraft is one of the fundamentals as we go forward into the future to face any potential security challenges, Evans told The Associated Press.

The F-35 deployed to Europe are permanently stationed at an U.S. air base in Utah and are part of the Pentagons most expensive weapons program, estimated to cost around $400 billion.

One of the U.S. Air Force pilots of the F-35 planes was Lt. Col. George Watkins, who was impressed with aircrafts performance.

The F-35s are amazing, said Watkins, who has flown the plane for around two years now. It takes our capability to a whole new level of technology. Just the stealth capability alone is really amazing for the pilot because it increases our survivability and allows us to go where other planes cant go.

He said the plane conducted one airborne refueling session from the accompanying KC-35 tanker plane during the three-hour flight en route from Lakenheath in eastern England to the Baltic country.

Earlier this month, the U.S. Air Force deployed a fleet of F-35s, its newest and most powerful fighters, to Britain to reassure U.S. allies in the face of Russian aggression.

U.S.A.F. said the F-35s will remain a period of time in Estonia to conduct air drills with NATO aircraft in the region in a realistic training environment.

(AP)
The new conventionally powered carrier has a displacement of 50,000 tonnes and will be able to operate China's Shenyang J-15 fighter jets.

China's first domestically built aircraft carrier is seen during its launching ceremony in Dalian, Liaoning province, China, April 26, 2017. REUTERS/Stringer

By Reuters: China on Wednesday launched its first domestically built aircraft carrier, which will join an existing one bought second-hand, amid rising tensions over North Korea and worries about Beijing's assertiveness in the South China Sea.

State media has quoted military experts as saying the carrier, designed in China and built in the northeast port of Dalian, is not expected to enter service until 2020, as it will take time to fully kit out and arm.

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The launch had been well-flagged as foreign military analysts and Chinese media have for months published satellite images, photographs and news stories about the second carrier's development. China confirmed its existence in late 2015.

The carrier's hull is fully constructed, the official Xinhua news agency said, adding that the propulsion, power and other main systems are in place.

LAUNCH OF THE SHIP

The ship's launch "shows our country's indigenous aircraft carrier design and construction has achieved major step by step results," Xinhua said.

State television showed the carrier, its deck lined in red flags, being pushed by tug boats into its berth.

Fan Changlong, a vice chairman of China's powerful Central Military Commission, presided over the launch ceremony, Xinhua said, during which a bottle of champagne was broken on the bow.

The launch follows China's celebration on Sunday of the 68th birthday of the founding of the Chinese navy, and comes amid renewed tensions between North Korea and the United States over Pyongyang's nuclear and missile programmes.

CHINA'S AIRCRAFT CARRIER PROGRAMME

Little is known about China's aircraft carrier programme, which is a state secret.

But the government has said the carrier's design draws on experiences from the country's first aircraft carrier, the Liaoning, bought from Ukraine in 1998 and refitted in China.

The new conventionally powered carrier has a displacement of 50,000 tonnes and will be able to operate China's Shenyang J-15 fighter jets.

China's navy has been taking an increasingly prominent role in recent months, with a rising star admiral taking command, its first aircraft carrier sailing around self-ruled Taiwan and new Chinese warships popping up in far-flung places.

CLAIMS OVER SOUTH CHINA SEA

China claims almost all the South China Sea, believed to have huge deposits of oil and gas, through which about $5 trillion in ship-borne trade passes every year, and has been building up military facilities like runways on the islands it controls.

Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam also have claims.

Self-ruled Taiwan, claimed by Beijing as its own, has said China is actually building two new aircraft carriers, but China has not officially confirmed the existence of another carrier.

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Chinese state media has quoted experts as saying that the country needs at least six carriers, and a network of bases around the world to support their operations, though the government has been coy about suggestions it wants a global military presence to match the United States.

The Liaoning has taken part in military exercises, including in the South China Sea and more recently near Taiwan, but is expected to serve more as a training vessel than having an actual combat role.

The People's Liberation Army Navy significantly lags the United States, which operates 10 aircraft carriers.

Also Read:

Islam, Quran, Saddam, Jihad, Medina... China bans dozens of Muslim baby names

China slams 'obstinate' India, says Dalai Lama's Arunachal visit will 'escalate' border tensions

--- ENDS ---
It is with sadness, fond memories, and a profound sense of gratitude to him that I inform you of the Petira (passing) of Rabbi Nisson Wolpin zl. Reb Nisson served Klall Yisroel (the Jewish people) in many roles over his rich and meaningful life, but is known best for his role as the Editor of Agudath Israels Jewish Observer.

Reb Nisson was brilliant, humble, dedicated, and was an outstanding mentor and role model, when I began writing publicly in 1996. He had a gift for making me feel like he was helping me with my essays, not rewriting my imperfect drafts. It was never about him; in todays educational vernacular, he was a guide on the side, rather than, a sage on the stage. In fact, before he started editing my first piece, he asked me for Mechila (forgiveness) in advance and said, Reb Yankie, to a writer, someone who edits your work is about as popular as someone who criticizes your child to you. I hope our relationship survives this.

My first piece in The Jewish Observer, An Ounce of Prevention, was about teens-at-risk, a topic that was not discussed in polite company twenty years ago. Reb Nissan recognized the importance of airing this sensitive subject in the pages of Agudath Israels publication, and patiently taught a thirty-six-year-old rookie how to soften the edges of the passion that drove the piece, so that the essay would generate constructive light and not destructive flames.

He had a great, dry sense of humor, and I actually began looking forward to his sage critique of my writing, which continued over the years that I wrote in The Jewish Observer. Our paths have not crossed much over the past few years, but I am deeply grateful that I had the opportunity to thank him personally on several occasions for the profound impact he had on my life personally and professionally.

One of the essays I submitted to The Jewish Observer went back and forth between us much more than usual during the editing process. After this had been going on for a while, Rabbi Wolpin called me and said, Reb Yankie, you are never really done editing. But there does comes a time when you just stop.

Reb Nissan; you were never done serving Hashem and his people over your lifetime. But Hashem, in His infinite wisdom decided it was time for you to stop in this world and continue in the World to Come.

May your memory be for a blessing.
Agudath Israel of America was plunged into darkness last night by the sad news of the petirah of Rabbi Nisson Wolpin, zl, the longtime editor of The Jewish Observer. Under Rabbi Wolpins editorship, the periodical helped guide generations of faithful Jews by providing timely, literate and important essays, observations and commentary for over nearly 40 years, from 1970 until 2008.

Rabbi Wolpin was recruited for the The Jewish Observers editorship by the legendary Agudath Israel leader Rabbi Moshe Sherer, zl, and its founding chairman Dr. Ernest L. Bodenheimer zl. Rabbi Wolpin worked tirelessly over those decades, consulting constantly with the Observers respected editorial board  which, over the years, included such luminaries as Rabbi Sherer, zl, along with Rabbi Abba Brudny, Rabbi Joseph Elias zl, Reb Yosef Friedenson, zl, Rabbi Yisroel Meir Kirzner, Rabbi Nosson Scherman and Professor Aaron Twerski.

The JO quickly became the flagship publication of the Torah world, and thousands of Jewish families awaited its arrival each month to read the guidance of Gedolei Klal Yisrael, and the thoughts of its many accomplished writers. Under Rabbi Wolpins discerning and demanding eye, the periodical became the archetype of Torah-hashkafa married to excellent writing. That remained the magazines standard over the nearly 400 issues it published.

Rabbi Wolpin was also an eminent presence at dozens of Agudath Israel national conventions, where he was frequently a speaker. In 2009, he accepted. on behalf of the JO, Agudath Israels Hagaon Rav Aharon Kotler Memorial Award for distinguished service to Torah.

He later moved to Eretz Yisroel and has been sorely missed by all his American colleagues, friends and countless admirers since. Now, though, he is missed by us all in a much more profound way.

The wealth of Torah ideas and ideals he shared with Klal Yisroel over the years is no doubt a powerful zechus for his neshama. May those ideas and ideals, along with our cherished memories of him, be a merit for us all.

(YWN World Headquarters  NYC)
New York City Council candidate Mel Wymore today condemned Thomas Lopez-Pierre, a bigot and anti-semite who is running as a Democrat in the district adjacent to Wymores. Mel was in attendance at the Three Parks Independent Democratic Club meeting on April 12th, at which Lopez-Pierre spoke as part of a candidate forum.

Said Mel, Im speaking up because hate against any group threatens all of us. This is a critical moment. According to the Anti-Defamation League, anti-semitic harassment rose by over a third last year. This year there have been 150 bomb threats to Jewish community centers and schools. Stoking that racism is not just wrong, its dangerous.

I recently attended a Democratic meeting at which Thomas Lopez-Pierre spoke. As a Democrat, I have an obligation to stand up to bigots who claim to stand for our values. I was gratified that everyone in attendance utterly rejected his virulent anti-semitism. It is unconscionable that someone running for public office, purporting to be a representative of the people, could so profanely degrade an entire segment of our community. Now more than ever, its important for each and every one of us to stand against hate.

(YWN Desk  NYC)
The Lod District Court on Wednesday morning 30 Nissan released HaPeles Editor Nati Grossman to house arrest, overruling the decision of the lower court which ordered him held in jail for an additional week.

The district court also ordered the release of the newspapers CEO Shmulik Elyashiv and manager Avraham Trager.

Grossmans attorney Yair Golan told the court there is no reason to fear his client will attempt to interfere with the investigation since police have not satisfied their burden of proof to present this fear before the court.

The court also realized Grossman does not present a threat to public safety and since he does not have a criminal past, there is no justification for not permitting his release, albeit to house arrest.

(YWN  Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
Leading House conservatives are saying good things about a plan to revive the GOP health care bill. But an influential GOP House moderate is opposing the proposal, leaving party leaders to assess whether the idea could help one of President Donald Trumps premier but most problematic priorities spring back to life.

Republican lawmakers were meeting Wednesday to consider how to rescue the GOP drive to repeal much of President Barack Obamas health care law.

That salvage effort comes as bipartisan bargainers edge toward agreement on a separate $1 trillion budget bill that would prevent a partial federal shutdown this Saturday. While erasing Obamas statute is solidly opposed by Democrats, the budget measure will need support from both parties because GOP conservatives often oppose spending legislation.

Leaders of both parties cited budget progress Tuesday after Trump signaled he was abandoning his demand that the measure include money for his proposed border wall with Mexico, an idea strongly opposed by Democrats and many Republicans.

Were pleased hes backing off, said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.

With Trumps 100th day in office coming Saturday, a White House looking for achievements had pressured GOP leaders to try pushing health care legislation through the House this week. That seems unlikely now because an effort to sell the plan to rank-and-filed Republicans will likely take time. House leaders say they will hold a vote when they know they can win.

This week, next week, we dont know, White House chief of staff Reince Priebus said Tuesday. Progress is being made and were feeling good about that process as of now.

To gain support for the bill, bargainers from the GOPs conservative and moderate camps have proposed letting states get federal waivers to ignore coverage requirements that Obamas statute has imposed on insurers. These include an obligation that they charge seriously ill and healthy customers the same premiums and that they cover specified services like maternity care.

Leaders of the conservative House Freedom Caucus met Tuesday to consider the suggested changes. They were crafted by Rep. Mark Meadows, R-N.C., that caucus leader, and Rep. Tom MacArthur, R-N.J., a leader of the moderate House Tuesday Group, with the backing of Vice President Mike Pence, Republicans say.

The plan has real merits worthy of consideration for all the Freedom Caucus folks, said Meadows, whose group has roughly three dozen members.

Generally speaking, theres a lot of optimism, Meadows said.

Another influential conservative and Freedom Caucus member, Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, said the plan was a positive. He and Meadows were among the conservatives who opposed the initial version of the bill last month  as did many moderates  forcing House leaders to withdraw it before a planned vote, in a mortifying retreat.

But moderate leader Rep. Charlie Dent, R-Pa., said the changes ignored his concerns that the health care bill would cut too deeply into the Medicaid program for the poor and leave many people unable to afford coverage. Dent is another leader of the Tuesday Group and is considered a good gauge of the views of many of its roughly 50 members.

Same concerns, and this didnt really address them, said Dent, who like Jordan said hed not yet seen legislative details.

Under the proposed revisions, states could not obtain exemptions to Obamas requirements that insurers offer coverage to everyone and that family policies cover grown children up to age 26. States getting waivers so insurers could charge higher prices to people with illnesses would have to have high-risk pools, or government-subsidized funds to help those consumers cover costs.

Critics say allowing insurers to boost premiums on the ill means insurers can charge them exorbitant premiums, effectively making such coverage unaffordable. They also say high-risk pools have a history of being underfunded.

Reflecting the pressure on Republicans to pass a health overhaul, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., said that failing to do so is the GOPs fault.

That was the No. 1 issue in my campaign, said McCain, who was re-elected last fall. And when I dont get it replaced, if its not replaced, then it reflects on my campaign.

But an ABC News-Washington Post poll showed that the public wasnt on board. Sixty-one percent said Obamas law should be retained and fixed, with just 37 percent favoring repeal.

In the separate budget bill, Trump seemed poised to procure about $15 billion to boost the military. Aided by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., Democrats were pushing to extend health benefits for 22,000 retired Appalachian coal miners and their families whose medical coverage is set to expire at the end of April.

Another potential stumbling block to the budget bill also seemed to be fading.

Trump has threatened to scuttle payments the government makes to insurers under Obamas law that help low-income people afford coverage, a move strongly opposed by Democrats. Both Schumer and White House officials flashed conciliatory signals on that dispute as well.

(AP)
Israel and the White House are in preliminary discussions about a visit to Israel by U.S. President Donald Trump as early as next month, an Israeli government official said on Wednesday.

A Trump visit would mark an early personal engagement by the new Republican president in efforts to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met Trump in the White House in February, one of the first foreign leaders to do so after the wealthy businessman took office in January, and has spoken of positive change in U.S. Middle East policy after years of friction with Trumps Democratic predecessor, Barack Obama.

There are preliminary contacts between the (Israeli) Foreign Ministry and the White House and there is a 70 percent chance that a (Trump) presidential visit will happen, the Israeli official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because a trip had not been finalized.

A senior U.S. administration official said last week a stop in Saudi Arabia might be added.

(AP)
Based on a complaint filed by Parthiban, who alleged that Anbazagan blackmailed him for money saying that if he does not pay Rs 2 lakh, defamatory news would be published in his magazine.

By Pramod Madhav: Anbazagan, a senior journalist residing in Poonamalli, left his home for a walk around 8.30am in the morning and didn't return on time to leave for work. His family members grew concerned as Anbazagan is known stick to a time table and they were unable to reach him on phone. Fearing for his life, a complaint was registered with the police.

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After hours of searching for Anbazagan, it was discovered that he was nabbed by police belonging to Alandur limit, Coimbatore. Based on a complaint filed by Parthiban, an assistant engineer from Alandur, who alleged that Anbazagan blackmailed him for money saying that if he does not pay Rs 2 lakh, defamatory news would be published in his magazine, which has triggered the 'nabbing'.

Upon further investigation, it was discovered that Anbazagan has recently published an article in his magazine carrying interviews of government officials speaking about how corruption flourished in Municipal Administration Minister SP Velumani's department. Anbazagan had alleged that Parthiban uses 'honey trapping' technique to persuade the minister into signing transfers and also claims huge sum were paid as bribe for it.

In that article, Anbazagan broadly explained an interaction with Tambaram Municipal commissioner Mathivanan and how the official used money and cinema 'support artists' to finish his job especially with minister SP Velumani. As per his family, Parthiban became upset with Anbazagan's article and has attempted to take revenge on him.

On 25th April, Anbazagan has written a 4 pages letter to CBI director, Alok Kumar Verma explaining about the various levels of corruption within the municipal administration and the officials involved in it along with the minister SP Velumani's name and a strong allegation that the minister was charging 10% from the funds allocated to commissioner and engineer of the concerned local body.

Alandur police have charged Anbazagan with attempt to release false news and distributing it, propagating false news and threaten to murder under Sections 501, 502, 505 and 506. The news of secretly nabbing a journalist by the cops came as a surprise to other journalists in Tamil Nadu who questioned the action of the police.

Also read:

The Rs 95 crore scandal: Why Election Commission cancelled bypoll in Jayalalithaa's RK Nagar constituency

WATCH THE VIDEO:

--- ENDS ---
By Press Trust of India: Mumbai, Apr 26 (PTI) Within weeks of India taking Cyprus off its tax blacklist with retrospective effect from November 2013, President Nicos Anastasiades of the island nation today called for more bilateral trade and co-operation with it.

The Cypriot president arrived in Mumbai late last night along with his delegation of ministers and business leaders, kick-starting his five-day visit to the country.

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He is slated to meet President Pranab Mukherjee and Prime Minister Narendra Modi later this week in New Delhi.

"Following the Double Tax Avoidance Treaty that the two countries entered last November and the removal of Cyprus from the list of notified jurisdictional area, we will strengthen economic and commercial cooperation," Anastasiades said at an event here.

"We will sign bilateral agreements and memoranda of understanding in areas of merchant shipping, air services, agriculture, education and culture," he added.

India had blacklisted Cyprus in 2013 for not sharing tax information earlier. Following the tax treaty, the capital gains tax will be applicable on sale of shares on investments made after April 1, 2017 bringing Cyprus at par with Mauritius in terms of tax treatment.

This has provided big relief to the investors and Indian companies which have raised capital from Cyprus investors.

Cyprus is the eighth largest investor in the country, having pumped in over USD 9 billion between 2000-2016, the president pointed out.

India and Cyprus conduct bilateral trade worth USD 80 million annually.

During his Delhi visit, the Cyprus president is scheduled to address a business forum and deliver a talk at Observer Research Foundation (ORF) also.

On Friday morning, he will be given a ceremonial guard of honour at Rashtrapati Bhavan followed by laying of wreath by him at Mahatma Gandhis Samadhi, Rajghat.

This is the first visit to India, of President Anastasiades, who had substantive meetings with Modi on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York in September 2015.

India can help Cyprus in its quest for reunification as it has close ties with Turkey, Anastasiades had said ahead of his maiden India visit. PTI DSK DK RAX

--- ENDS ---
Text messages sent by banks to customers are being intercepted by fraudsters, we can reveal.

In the ruse, scammers are hijacking customers' mobile phones and diverting all calls and texts to their own handset.

The crooks then use information in these messages to steal vast sums from account holders. Victims are left in the dark until they realise their accounts have been emptied.

The shocking findings come as part of a major Money Mail and This is Money investigation into fraud on Santander accounts. They call into question whether it is safe for Santander and other banks to use text messages to confirm payments.

Threat: Scammers are hijacking customers' mobile phones and diverting all calls and texts to their own handset

Over the past month we have told how Santander is fobbing off fraud victims who have lost their life savings this way.

Typically, fraudsters have been able to transfer money out of customers' accounts by hacking into their online banking or taking control of their computers to obtain passcodes required to authorise payments.

In most cases, the bank blamed customers for handing over codes, sent by text to their registered mobile phones. But we have found crooks are getting hold of the codes without customers' knowledge.

Once they have diverted texts to their own phones, criminals hack into their victims' computers or accounts to make transactions.

Santander continues to insist it is safe to use texts to confirm payments are genuine. It says other banks are being hit by exactly the same type of scam.

Yet in the U.S., the financial regulators have warned text messages are not secure enough.

And most of Britain's big banks, including HSBC, Barclays and NatWest, use safer methods of authorising payments.

HOW THE MOBILE SCAM WORKS The fraudsters begin by gathering as much information as possible on victims 1 Fraudsters gather as much information as possible on victims. They intercept post, hack emails or buy data on the black market. They stalk victims online, checking their Facebook page for details such as their first school, pets name and favourite football team. They may look on genealogy websites to find the victims mothers maiden name. In many cases they phone the victim posing as a reputable company, such as BT or the bank itself, and extract further information. 2 With this data, the criminals pose as the customer and call their mobile phone company saying their handset has been lost or stolen. They use the details they have gleaned to get through the firms security checks and ask for all calls to be diverted to a new phone. Some hack into your mobile phone account online, known as sim-swapping. The sim card is the tiny electronic chip you insert into your handset. It links your handset to your phone number and network provider as well as all the information that identifies you as a customer. You can buy these chips for as little as 1 from newsagents and supermarkets. 3 The victim will no longer be able to make or receive calls and texts. They may not notice or think its just a signal problem. 4 Gang members hack into the customers online banking and request huge transfers out of the account. In Santanders case, the bank sends a text message to the customers mobile phone containing a unique passcode. 5 This text is sent to the criminals handset and they enter it into the customers online banking to confirm payments are genuine. If the banks system flags the large payments as suspicious, it may call the customers mobile, but it will be the fraudster who answers. They will pretend to be the victim and insist that payments are pushed through. The victim may know nothing about the scam until they go online and see the account is empty.

Additional checks, such as having to enter additional passwords or putting a debit card into a hand-held card reader, are carried out.

However, Santander is among a small number of banks, such as Lloyds, Halifax, Tesco Bank, TSB and Metro Bank, which rely on phone calls and texts to check online payments are genuine.

There have been reports suggesting a Halifax customer has had their mobile hijacked.

Martin Alderson, chief executive of Codified Security, which tests mobile app security, says: 'Text messages are not secure and should not be used by banks to confirm payments. The UK should follow the lead of the U.S. government in warning of these risks.'

Ann Dunn, 62, from London, lost 22,300 when fraudsters raided her account. The money was a redundancy payment, which was meant to tide her over until she could draw her pension. But for months Santander blamed Ann and refused a refund.

She'd had a fake text message saying there was suspicious activity on her account.

When she called the number in the text, the crook claimed to be from Santander's fraud team and tricked her into letting him access her laptop remotely.

He was able to use the EE website to get all her calls and texts sent to his handset. He used the One Time Passcodes Santander sent in texts to empty her account.

The bank sent letters insisting Ann was at fault, but repaid the cash after she called Money Mail.

EE says as part of its fraud prevention checks it sent Ann a PIN to complete the swap.

'I'm normally a strong person, but I've lost all my self-esteem,' says Ann. Santander says it has apologised to her.

David and Margaret Farnworth, aged 66 and 67, had 19,500 drained from their Santander accounts after criminals intercepted the bank's text messages.

The fraudsters called Tesco Mobile, the couple's phone provider, posing as Margaret.

Once they have diverted texts to their own phones, criminals hack into their victims' computers or accounts to make transactions

After 13 attempts to get through security, they had all calls and texts diverted to a new phone. Even after the fraud came to light, Tesco billed Margaret for the gangs' calls.

The couple, from East Lancashire, also received threatening phone calls from the gang.

They were visiting Holland when fraudsters struck. They lost mobile signal, but thought it was an issue with calling from abroad.

David, a retired food standards consultant, says: 'I've been to the police, but they're not interested.'

Santander issued a refund within 24 hours.

A Tesco spokeswoman says: 'Further steps have been introduced to our security procedure to prevent incidents of this kind.'

Money Mail has heard from other Santander fraud victims who say they did not enter the text message codes.

A spokesman for the bank says: 'Santander does not rely solely on SMS messages for fraud prevention. If a customer is a victim of sim-swap fraud, we refund the money lost in accordance with payment services regulations.

'Santander sees similar levels of fraud to the rest of the industry. We invest not only in processes and systems to detect and prevent fraud, but also in education programmes to help customers understand the importance of protecting and maintaining the confidentiality of their data.'

A Halifax spokeswoman says: 'We have sophisticated methods in place to check for sim-swapping and call forwarding, and work with network providers on this.'

l.milner@dailymail.co.uk

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW EACH WEEK: LISTEN TO THE THIS IS MONEY PODCAST - ON ITUNES, ON ACAST AND ON AUDIOBOOM
Nick Jeffery's wide smile slips. He leans forward and narrows his eyes. 'I am totally, totally hell-bent on fixing these problems,' he says.

It's the first time the Vodafone UK chief executive has agreed to explain publicly what went wrong at the telecoms giant last year, when millions of customers were let down by shoddy customer service.

And it's clear he's not taking the meeting lightly. I've come to Vodafone's enormous headquarters in Newbury, Berkshire, to present dozens of your complaints to the man in charge.

Vodafone boss Nick Jeffery has pledged to fix its customer service problems

For more than a year, Money Mail has been inundated with letters from customers unable to get even the simplest of problems resolved.

Many of you have been left out of pocket after billing errors and then, when you've complained, spent hours on the phone without the issue being fixed.

The office campus spans some 30 acres, including seven car parks and even a lake.

By the main entrance are two small, fake flames made from strips of orange material blown by small fans. Inside there is a red Formula One car on display, and written on the walls are the words '#wecare'.

As we head into a meeting room, Mr Jeffery explains the flames were put up to celebrate Vodafone's plan to hire 2,100 customer service staff in centres around the country.

'We're investing 4 billion in the network and improving customer service  and hopefully you'll feel from me that I'm super committed and energetic in seeing this through,' he says, bringing his fist down hard on the table.

It's reassuring for customers, many of whom are tied into phone contracts and feel powerless as the firm bungles their bills and complaints.

NICK JEFFERY, 49 Home life: He lives in North Hampshire with his wife and three children. Favourite film: Withnail And I. Education: Gained an economics degree from the University of Warwick. Daily routine: He gets up at 6.30am, goes to the gym and then eats a full English breakfast. The first thing he does at work  he's usually based in Newbury or London  is read customers' emails. He then either visits call centres or sits in meetings. 'The best thing about my job is that there is no pattern.'

Mr Jeffery, who has been at Vodafone for 13 years and was previously in charge of growing the international business arm, knows customers' patience is wearing thin.

His appointment as chief executive came last September, around the time the firm was fined 4.6 million by the telecoms regulator for its treatment of those hit by a computer glitch. And he inherited quite a job.

Call-centre staff felt handicapped by their computer screens, which did not give them clear advice on how to help customers. The automated call system was 'old and complex'; customers would spend half an hour pushing buttons only to be cut off.

Many of the texts, emails and letters sent out to customers were not always clear and often impersonal, he acknowledges.

At the time, Vodafone didn't have a senior customer service team based in the UK. These vital staff were scattered elsewhere around the world. This meant that when customers tried to escalate a complaint  because it was a serious issue or hadn't been dealt with properly  it routinely fell through the cracks.

So the first move Mr Jeffery made was to set up a team of around 65 senior staff in Stoke. He says that by the end of this year, 50 per cent of all of the firm's customer service staff will be in the UK, increasing to around 80 per cent by the end of 2018.

Mr Jeffery also admits that in the past there have been instances where staff 'didn't know what they were talking about' and have given out incorrect information.

'From here on out in Vodafone that is not acceptable,' he says.

Call-centre staff felt handicapped by their computer screens, which did not give them clear advice on how to help customers (picture posed by models)

Staff needed extra training. And new employees will now have to train for eight weeks before they can speak to customers.

It's a cagey interview  Mr Jeffery seems torn between apologising for past mistakes and insisting that new measures will help Vodafone improve.

But, he says: 'You can feel the energy coming back into the system now customers feel they've been listened to  especially in the past couple of months.'

He's ordered more than 1,000 improvements to customer service systems in six months, including updating the computer screens and replacing the phone system for the first time in 15 years.

Around 2,700 texts, emails and letters sent out by Vodafone have also been rewritten so they are easier to understand.

Mr Jeffery believes these changes are making a difference. Complaints are down 50 per cent, he says, jabbing his finger at numerous graphs with lines slanting downwards.

'We get 350,000 calls a week from consumers and of those, 4,000 are raising an issue or want to understand something better, and about 500 have a complaint,' he says. 'Of those, 65 per cent are solved within 24 hours and around 95 per cent of the remainder are solved within three days.'

When I point to the stack of complaints I've brought with me, his face falls.

'I apologise to anyone who has a complaint that's not been dealt with. This really matters to us. We are going to fix this.'

So is there a secret to getting your gripes sorted faster?

Mr Jeffery tells me he reads every customer complaint sent to his personal email account  currently around ten to 15 a day  and ensures they are dealt with swiftly.

The address, in case you are wondering, is nick.jeffery@vodafone.com. Do let us know how you get on.

v.bischoff@dailymail.co.uk
When it comes to your home or car insurance, there is absolutely no reward for loyalty. The firms that flog this vital cover don't even understand the meaning of the word.

It took years of campaigning by Money Mail just to get insurers to print last year's premium on the renewal forms they post to you each year.

This simple act of honesty, finally introduced this month, means it should be clear when your price has been hiked.

Clever cover: Don't accept your insurance company's renewal offer without shopping around and checking how much you could save

But that's only scratching the surface of a total swindle. The figure on your renewal notice won't seem that shocking.

For instance, annual car premiums average 462  up from 429 a year ago, according to the Association of British Insurers.

That's a rise of 33 in a year, which, annoying as it is, wouldn't make me leap with rage.

Most of us have so little spare time, we shrug and sign on the dotted line rather than find out if we could do better elsewhere.

But over time, these 'small' price hikes add up. At 33 a year, your premium would almost double in a decade.

I suspect millions of people who haven't switched for a while are paying 800 or more for policies that should cost nearer 300.

Privately, bosses of the banks and insurers that are selling this cover admit the market is totally, utterly broken.

They claim competition is so strong on price comparison websites that they have to charge their long-standing policyholders higher rates to afford the cheap deals they use to lure in new customers.

That means two things: they will try to whack you every year without even trying to justify it; and the rip-off is getting worse.

When you hear insurance executives bleating about stealth taxes, bogus whiplash claims and soaring repair bills, you can bet they are preparing the ground for big price hikes this year.

It's high time this nasty practice was stopped, and the first step is exposing the insurers most guilty of taking you for a ride.

So next time your car or home cover comes up for renewal, shop around. When you know how much you can save, write to me by email at d.hyde@dailymail.co.uk or by post at 2 Derry Street, London W8 5TT.

With your help, we might convince one or two insurance bosses to promise to keep prices low for all customers, every year. Now that really would be worth our loyalty.

Duty U-turn

Your voice has been heard on the disastrous plan for a new death tax.

Many of you wrote to MPs and Money Mail enraged by measures to increase probate fees from 215 to as much as to 20,000.

For weeks, we called on the Government to perform a U-turn  and at last it has obliged.

MPs say the Government realised policy was causing a stink and wanted the chance to review it. The forthcoming election proved the perfect excuse.

Now let's hope ministers finally see sense and ditch the idiotic idea entirely.

Fone farce

No wonder they've had so many customer service problems at Vodafone. When we tried to arrange an interview with chief executive Nick Jeffery to discuss this very matter, we went back and forth for months. Why?

Finally all became clear. Vodafone's spokesman had become convinced we'd asked to see the company's call centre in Stoke rather than talk to the top dog.

Vodafone often gets the wrong end of the stick, as its customers will testify. Many have had to battle for months to get the simplest of complaints resolved.

Luckily, the suave Mr Jeffery sounded serious when he said he was 'hell-bent' on resolving the service nightmare for customers.

Do email him at nick.jeffery@vodafone.com if you keep having troubles. If he receives as many emails about dodgy Vodafone service as our letters editor, Tony Hazell, does, he is less likely to take his foot off the gas.

d.hyde@dailymail.co.uk
Pay rise: Centrica boss Iain Conn

Apple-cheeked Centrica boss Iain Conn, 54, reacts crossly to government plans to cap household energy bills, which he says could 'absolutely' make the British Gas owner loss-making.

He tells Radio 4: 'I believe there are people at the heart of this government who just don't believe in the free market.' Maybe so.

But Centrica's decision to award Conn a recent 1million pay rise, taking his annual package to 4.2million, hardly helps his argument.

Did French luxury goods tycoon Bernard Arnault feel more comfortable making yesterday's 10billion acquisition of Christian Dior now French Presidential candidate Emmanuel Macron is through to the first round of voting?

The Louis Vuitton boss, 68, now worth 39billion, has been quietly supportive of the former Rothschild banker's candidacy.

Macron's cougar crone wife Brigitte has been allowed to borrow Louis Vuitton garments throughout the campaign.

Investment bank Cantor Fitzgerald has reportedly agreed to pay Barack Obama 312,000 to speak at its health care conference in September, a move that will provoke accusations of hypocrisy.

The President liked to distance himself from Wall Street, remarking, somewhat crassly, in 2009: 'I did not run for office to be helping out a bunch of fat-cat bankers.' The Obamas have already bagged 46million for their memoirs.

Bank of England officials will be delighted cadaverous Treasury Select Committee chairman Andrew Tyrie, 60, is standing down at the election.

How they would dread Tyrie's beaky face bearing down on them at hearings, probing with his meticulous precision.

Shouldn't Jacob Rees-Mogg now replace him as chairman? His gentle needling of manque governor Mark Carney this past year has made for terrific sport.

Re Carney, the governor welcomed Princess Anne to Threadneedle Street this week for a reception for charity Carers Trust, of which she is president.

The Prince of Wales received a guided tour of the Bank in December at Carney's invitation. Incidentally, Canada hasn't allowed citizens to receive honours from foreign governments since 1919.

Will someone tactfully warn the Palace that Carney is applying for UK citizenship?
By Press Trust of India: maker with time to 200 m doses

Mumbai, Apr 25 (PTI) Serum Institute of India, which today acquired a defunct injectable polio vaccine unit in the Czech Republic for 72 million euros, said it expects to shift 15-20 per cent of its production overseas over the next three years with this deal.

"Today we make 1.2 billion units/doses of vaccines annually. Only around 2 per cent of this is done overseas now. With the acquisition of the Florida-based Nanotherapeutics Czech unit, we hope to take this to around 15-20 per cent over the next three years," Serum Institute chief executive Adar C Poonawalla told PTI from his Pune headquarters.

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"This acquisition will add to our injectable polio capacity by four times to a total of 200 million doses by 2019, which is four-times the present capacity, and making us the largest injectable (not oral) polio vaccine manufacturer in the world by 2019 when we will be able to restart production," Poonawalla added.

"We will re-design and re-licence the companys 40- acre facility outside of Prague to produce injectable vaccines at a cost of euro 40 million," he said.

With this, Serum Institutes injectable polio vaccine manufacturing capacity will rise to 200 million dosages, while that of the closest competitor then will have a capacity of about 100 million dosages, he added.

Todays acquisition is the second overseas buyout for Serum Institute since June 2012 when it bought Bilthoven Biologicals in The Netherlands for euro 70 million. Bilthoven was government-owned bioengineering and pharmaceutical firm.

Serum Institute faced stiff competition from a number of MNCs to take over the business, it is learnt, he said but did not name of rival bidders.

The acquisition of the Bohumil plant of Florida-based Nanotherapeutics for 72 million euros is historic for the Rs 4,000-crore company, he said, adding this acquisition catapults his company to be the largest injectable polio vaccine maker in the world with over 200 million doses annually.

The Bohumil plant, spanning around 40 acres is an hours drive from the Czech Republic capital of Prague, has been defunct for the past couple of years and employs around 50 people now. It was once owned by the flu vaccine maker Baxter, he added.

Poonawalla said Serum Institute will invest additional 30-40 million euros to make the plant functional, which on completion will make his company the largest injectable polio vaccine maker in the world.

Nanotherapeutics is a Florida-based biopharmaceutical maker producing single-use, multi-purpose-multi-product, biosafety containment level 3 capable drug and vaccines.

He said they have already paid 45 million for the plant and the rest will be paid in tranches over the next one year, taking the overall investment into the Czech plant at around 110 million euros.

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Poonawalla said even in the Holland plant that they bought in 2012, the company has invested in 160 million additionally and hired close to 25 people more to take the total headcount to 400 now. Similarly, Serum Institute will hire around 150 more for the Czech plant as well, he added.

When asked about his revenue break-up, Poonawalla said of the Rs 4,000-crore annual revenue as much as 80 per cent come from exports to 147 countries.

To expand the domestic capacity, he will be investing Rs 50 crore into a new facility in Pune, Poonawalla added.

Serum Institute, set up in 1966, is the worlds largest manufacturer of vaccines in terms of dosage and immunobiological drugs and currently employs over 5,000.

Serum Institute makes polio vaccine as well as diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, Hib, BCG, r-Hepatitis B, Measles, Mumps and Rubella vaccines. It is estimated that about 65 per cent of the children in the world receive at least one vaccine manufactured by Serum Institute.

The company with a revenue of over Rs 4,000 crore has been growing at a compounded annual growth rate of over 30 per cent in the last five years with a profit margins are over 25 per cent. PTI BEN NRB

--- ENDS ---

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The Financial Conduct Authority estimates Coutts received around 15 complaints per 1,000 accounts

The Queens banker Coutts & Co was Britains most complained about bank last year. The Financial Conduct Authority estimates the bank received around 15 complaints per 1,000 accounts. Since Coutts account holders are required to have around 500,000 in spare cash, its possible they feel entitled to a better class of service from their lender than most.

Lloyds Banking Groups appointment of retired High Court judge Dame Linda Dobbs, 66, to conduct a review into its toxic HBOS branch in Reading, will further enrage shareholders. What will Dame Lindas expertise be costing them, I wonder? When she prepared a report on disgraced BBC broadcaster Stuart Hall last year, she and co-author Dame Janet Smith shared fees of 724,000, if thats any guide.

Star fund manager Terry Smith, 63, who recently moved to Mauritius to escape the noise of the UK investment sector, was back in the City yesterday for Frostrow Capitals spring investment seminar. He appeared uncharacteristically chirpy and relaxed as well as sporting a deep mahogany suntan. The paradise islands warm weather, sandy beaches and friendly 15 per cent tax rate is clearly doing wonders for the old cockney pugilist.

Oddball ex-Goldman Sachs banker Steve Mnuchin's US Treasury team is enhanced by the arrival of former Blackrock executive Craig Phillips as an adviser. The Wall Street Journal describes Phillips, 62, as a brilliant financier and a volatile boss prone to dressing down subordinates with expletive-laced tongue-lashings. At Blackrock, colleagues says his blunt criticism would reduce quivering staff to tears. Sounds a proper charmer, doesnt he?

Finally, my apologies to BBC economics editor Kamal Ahmed, whom I accused of passing off comments Philip Hammond made at a round table interview with journalists as though theyd been made to him personally. Kamal assures me the quotes used in his piece were from an interview he obtained with the Chancellor afterwards. I also erroneously put his age at 50. He is 49. Over my description of him as a snazzy boulevardier, however, I stand resolute.

Have you any gossip for our City diary? Email: mrdeedes@dailymail.co.uk
Who are the fund managers you rate highly?

Chances are youll probably list the likes of Neil Woodford, Terry Smith and Nick Train, alongside a few names now retired like Anthony Bolton.

Now give me the name of a female fund manager? Struggling? Thats not because there arent any good female fund managers out there, in fact many top performing funds are run by women.

But it is a well-established fact that when it comes to investment management, the female fund manager is a rare breed.

Maike Currie, investment director at Fidelity International, picked five of the best female fund managers for This is Money

Research from Morningstar looking at 26,000 funds across 56 countries found that just one in five funds globally has a woman at the helm.

In the UK, just 13% of fund managers are women, with the so-called fairer sex much more likely to become doctors, lawyers or accountants than investment managers.

Does it matter if a woman or man runs your money?

Arguably, the only thing that matters is that they deliver the performance you would expect from an active manager.

But there is a bigger issue here. Women make up half of the population. Often theyre the main caregiver, which means theyre the ones teaching children about money.

Many women manage the family purse strings, and increasingly, women are the main breadwinners. Most importantly, women live for longer than men, so investing should matter to them.

Having a more equal mix of lads and ladies running money not only provides role models for young boys and girls, it avoids group think, improves risk management and provides the big picture thinking required of successful fund management.

Of course, choosing funds should be based on analysis, research and a solid track record that spans rising and falling markets, regardless of the managers gender.

But if you are looking to get exposure to a region or asset class, here are five female fund managers with experience and a solid track record to boot.

Even if you dont invest in their funds, at the very least youll have a few female names to add to your list of potential candidates.

1. UK: Julie Dean

Sanditon's Julie Dean

Its early days for the TM Sanditon UK fund, launched in June 2015. But not for its manager - Julie Dean. A veteran in the space, Julie has been managing money since the late 1990s, working with the likes of Nick Train.

She made a name for herself managing the Cazenove (now Schroders) UK Opportunities Fund.

Dean left Schroders to help start up boutique fund house, Sanditon and now manages a much smaller fund which still needs to establish a longer term track record.

This manager is a keen proponent of business cycle investing, choosing companies based on the economic cycle of recession, recovery, expansion and slowdown.

2. US: Jenny Jones

Schroder US Mid Cap manager Jenny Jones

Jenny Jones, manager of the Schroder US Mid Cap Fund doesnt invest in the well-trodden US company names like Apple, Microsoft and Amazon. Instead, she looks lower down the company size ladder.

As head of Schroders US small and mid-cap equity teams, she believes that some of the best investment ideas are generated in the medium sized part of the market because there are fewer research analysts and investors eyeballing these companies.

This means less trading, causing stock prices to diverge from their underlying worth and creating compelling opportunities.

She typically buys three types of stocks: mispriced growers, steady eddies and turnaround opportunities.

3. Europe: Stephanie Butcher

Invesco Perpetual 's Stephanie Butcher

Investors have tended to shun Europe given stagnant growth, sluggish company profits and deflation fears.

But not Stephanie Butcher, manager of the Invesco Perpetual European Equity Income Fund.

She believes Europes prospects are improving and is a market offering rich pickings for income hungry investors.

Butcher has managed the fund for the past six years and looking at the funds five-year performance it sits among the top five funds in its sector of more than 100 funds.

4. Japan: Sarah Whitley

Baillie Gifford's Japan expert Sarah Whitley

Japan is a notoriously difficult market to invest in.

Despite boasting some of the largest global companies, it can often show the volatility of a far smaller market, with an economy that has battled fundamental weakness for years.

Many investors question whether the sun will ever rise for Japanese market.

Sarah Whitley of the Baillie Gifford Japanese fund believes Japans difference is its trump card, making it an important counterpart to other markets within investors portfolios.

Its two biggest export markets are the US and Asia, meaning it is less exposed to Europe and the UK and offers diversification from these markets.

Whitley is the boss of Baillie Giffords Japan equities team and has been managing the fund for almost ten years now, which ranks as a top performer in its sector.

5. Bonds: Jenna Barnard

Henderson's Jenna Barnard is a bond investor

Jenna Barnard joined Henderson in 2002 as a credit analyst. Two years later she had progressed to a credit portfolio manager. Today she is co-head of Strategic Fixed Income at the company.

The Henderson Preference & Bond Fund is a strategic bond fund and just one of five funds managed by Barnard and co-manager John Pattullo.

The funds objective is to provide a quarterly income payment by investing in mixture of different bonds.

Unsurprisingly, the average investor in this fund is in their mid-seventies and for these people income is key.

Barnard is a boffin on bonds and stresses that as bond investor her focus is on income but she also aims to preserve capital for her investors.

Maike Currie is Investment Director at Fidelity International and the author of The Search for Income  an investors guide to income-paying investments. The views expressed are her own. @MaikeCurrie
My wife and I bought 400 worth of travellers cheques from Thomas Cook in 2006. We cashed some in 2007, 2008 and 2010, leaving us with one 100 cheque each.

Since then, we have used cash or cards, keeping our travellers cheques as an emergency standby.

In 2014, my wife had an operation and suffered health problems, which made us accept the chance of any future foreign holiday was remote.

I tried to cash our cheques at Thomas Cook, but they told me they were no longer redeemable there and I should post them to Travelex. Then Travelex directed me to American Express.

I wrote to them enclosing the cheques. We have moved house, but arranged for mail to be redirected. We also changed bank, but money sent to us should be transferred.

I wrote to the company secretary of American Express UK on December 28, but have not had a response.

C. S., Suffolk.

Grounded: One reader wants to cash in some old travellers cheques but all the firms involved seem to be passing the buck

Travellers cheques have been around since 1772 and Thomas Cook launched its own version in 1874.

They were once essential to any holiday abroad, but have fallen out of fashion as more convenient, often cheaper, alternatives, such as credit and debit cards, have become more popular.

Nevertheless, you can still buy and redeem American Express travellers cheques at the Post Office. And they never expire.

An American Express spokesman has apologised for the inconvenience you faced. The company has arranged for a refund of your 200 plus a 50 goodwill gesture.

Anyone else who wishes to redeem old AE travellers cheques can find the most convenient place at aetc locator.com.

YOU HAVE YOUR SAY Fit a call blocker to your home phone. Mine only lets through people whose numbers I key into it. Everyone else is forced to leave a message. I havent had an unprompted sales call in years. G. W., Bedworth, Warks. There's a lot of advice about what you should say to people who you think are out to con you. Why enter into a dialogue of any description? As soon as its clear youre talking to a crook, end the call. Or, if you want to be polite, say no, thank you and hang up. C. L., Scunthorpe, Lincs. The problem is most people are just too nice. In other cultures, its acceptable to distrust someone who calls you out of the blue. Be hard, strong and even arrogant with cold callers. B. B., Newport. Conmen dont just operate over the phone or online. There are still people who knock on your door offering to repoint your chimney or resurface your drive. Usually they claim they just happened to be in the area. Never get involved with these people  itll cost you in the long run. M. S., Dunstable, Beds. People need to learn that when things sound too good to be true, its highly likely that they are. C. H., Newcastle. My father has dementia, but we cant stop him answering the phone. Hes been targeted by salespeople persuading him to sign up to monthly magazines. Im worried he could get tricked into something more serious. L. S., London. My number is registered with the Telephone Preference Service so I dont receive unsolicited calls. If one does slip through the net, I ask why they are calling as its illegal for firms to call people signed up to this service. Usually they hang up right away. D. A., Cheshire.

I am trustee to a charity, Hope To Ghana. A close friend returned to Ghana from the UK and undertakes a number of tasks for the charity.

While here he opened an account with Barclays. We put money into this and he withdraws at a cashpoint in Ghana.

But he has been struggling for nearly 18 months to get a new cashpoint card. His English is weak when faced with call centre staff. I have his authority to speak to the bank, but was bounced all over the place.

It wants proof again of who he is and where he lives. He has twice gone to his bank in Ghana with his passport for it to write to Barclays to confirm his ID.

Barclays even gave him a 100 goodwill payment  but he cant access it without a card!

I worked in banking for 33 years and find this treatment of a customer despicable.

M. L., by email.

I can imagine your frustration. You are giving your time for a charity yet Barclays appears to be putting obstacles in your way.

It says its bound by legal and regulatory obligations under the know your customer rules.

It says it wrote to your friend in Ghana in September 2015 seeking certified copies of documents that would confirm his identity.

Examples include a driving licence, passport, identity card or bank statement. Barclays does not have operations there, so they need to be certified by a local bank, notary or solicitor.

Barclays says your friend provided copies of the documents in November 2016, but they were not certified. It wrote again warning the card would be blocked in December if it did not receive a reply. The block was put in place at the end of January.

Barclays is writing again requesting your friend provide the certified documents.

I appreciate this is time- consuming and costly, but Barclays says UK regulations mean its hands are tied. Perhaps explain to your friend the photocopies need to be certified versions.

STRAIGHT TO THE POINT In 2003, my wife and I took out a lifetime mortgage with Norwich Union to borrow 32,000 on equity release. I asked if I could have more cash, but was refused. Could you offer me some advice? B. P., Norfolk. Equity release can be complicated and your best bet is to speak to an expert financial adviser. Try Key Retirement on 0808 252 9170 (the number is free), visit equityreleasecouncil.com/member-directory or call 0844 669 7085 for a list of other advisers. *** Our British Airways flight was cancelled last September because of strikes. BA has offered compensation in air miles or credit for future flights. Is the airline not obliged to pay us in cash? D. C., Sussex. Not if the reason for cancellation is classed as an exceptional circumstance. BA insists industrial action falls under this category. It says vouchers are all it will offer. *** My mother gifted her home to me some years ago, but continued to live in it rent-free. I understand that for inheritance tax purposes the property will still be seen as part of her estate. At what point will I be subject to capital gains tax? S. B., via email. There is normally no inheritance tax to pay if a person gives away a property and lives for another seven years. But because your mother continues to live there and doesnt pay the going rent, you are right the house will be treated as part of her estate for inheritance tax purposes. You will not have to pay capital gains tax until you sell the property or give it away to someone else. You will then have to pay CGT on any increase in value since the date it was transferred into your name. *** I have shares in Commonwealth Bank of Australia, but I dont know how to sell them. Its difficult to find a broker who will deal in overseas shares. R. R., via email. Look on your share certificate for the company registrars details. They may be able to help you sell the shares or find you a broker. Stockbroker Charles Stanley says it will be able to help you. Call 020 7739 8200.

My insurer LV= wrote on July 28 last year claiming my vehicle had been involved in an incident two weeks previously.

Since then I have made eight calls to the company, but have not received a written response.

In the last call, it implied an engineers report indicated a mark on my car corresponded with damage to a third-party vehicle. But those marks were six years old.

At the time of the alleged incident, my vehicle was in a car park. I have written to the manager of the claims department, the senior manager and the managing director  the last two by registered post. Ive not had the courtesy of a reply.

B. B., Plymouth.

When you write to a managing director and no one bothers to reply, it suggests they are disorganised, rude or do not care two hoots for customer service.

LV= has now looked at your case in detail and apologises for not responding to your letters.

It has spoken to employees responsible for dealing with your complaint to ensure something like this does not happen again.

After a full review of the evidence, LV= has decided it made the wrong decision in settling the claim. It has now closed the claim and details have been removed from your records.

It has apologised to you and, after a further push from me, has offered you 50 for the poor service you received.

Your letter has convinced me of one thing. If you get a bump or scratch on your car, photograph it with a copy of that days Daily Mail beside it, so you have evidence of when it happened if someone later comes along with a claim for a separate incident.

If you already have knocks or bumps, take pictures right now!
American vultures are set to stage a hostile takeover of Dulux and abandon promises to save jobs after a 22.5billion bid was publicly rebuffed.

At a fiery annual general meeting in Amsterdam yesterday, Dulux owners Akzo Nobel fought off attempts by major shareholders to begin talks with American rival PPG.

But its bold battle to fend off attempts to oust chairman Antony Burgmans and hold an extraordinary general meeting could end in court.

Paint fight: Dulux owners Akzo Nobel have fought off attempts by major shareholders to begin talks with American rival PPG

Activist investors claim Akzo Nobel does not have the right to refuse to hold an EGM, and they prepared to put their case to Dutch judges.

Meanwhile, PPG said it would launch a hostile bid for Akzo, which employs around 3,300 at its Dulux factories in Slough and the East Midlands, if bosses continued to reject its advances. It said it would ditch promises, which included protecting UK jobs.

Yesterday, to applause from employees and small shareholders, boss Tom Buchner, said that the business could be strong as a standalone company and would stand by its employees, many of whom protested the takeover bid outside the meeting.

But while his pleas were backed by a majority of the roughly 300 Akzo shareholders gathered at the packed assembly room, many of whom were former workers and life-long investors, the big-name stakeholders continued to push for a deal.

In tense scenes, the firm rejected shareholder requests to call an extraordinary general meeting to oust Burgmans.

Shareholders, led by rebel US vulture fund Elliott Advisors, had called for Burgmans to be removed after the firm rebuffed two 18.1billion and 19.3billion bids from PPG last month.

It claimed that under Dutch law shareholders representing more than 10 per cent of the stake had a right to call the meeting.

But Akzo dismissed the vulture fund saying Dutch law does not give shareholders a right to call EGMs, only to request them.

Akzo blasted Elliott's request as 'irresponsible, disproportionate, damaging and not in the best interests of the company'.

Elliott, which won the support of five other shareholders to call the EGM, slammed the paint maker's response during questioning yesterday, asking: 'What's so irresponsible and what's so damaging about allowing shareholders to have a vote?'

Other key shareholders also dished out criticism.

Daniel Summerfield, investor at USS Investment Management, said he was 'disappointed and surprised' by the firm's approach to the request for an EGM.

VEB, a Dutch shareholder group, also questioned why Akzo had so far failed to properly engage with PPG.

But one shareholder and employee said: 'Elliot has contributed nothing to our company or Akzo Nobel. They behave not as a responsible shareholder behaves but like a trader whose sole purpose is to earn as much money in a few months.'
Fashion statement: Bernard Arnault has bought Christian Dior for 10bn

France's richest man is taking full control of Christian Dior in a deal worth 10billion.

Billionaire Bernard Arnault, whose family owns fashion giant LVMH, has announced he was buying the 26 per cent of the high-end fashion house he did not already own.

The 69-year-old will sell Christian Dior Couture to LVMH for 5.5billion, re-uniting the 70-year-old fashion label  where Pierre Cardin and Yves Saint Laurent once worked  with Dior perfumes, which LVMH has owned since the 1960s.

Arnault is chief executive of LVMH, which was formed from the 1987 merger of Louis Vuitton with Champagne and cognac producer Moet Hennessy.
Virgin Money said its credit card balance grew by 200m in the first quarter to 2.7bn

More than 2.2million a day was piled on to Virgin Money credit cards in the last three months as the industry was accused of fuelling a debt binge.

The challenger bank said its credit card balance grew by 200million in the first quarter to 2.7billion, as it set its sights on reaching 3billion by the end of the year.

Chief executive Jayne-Anne Gadhia said Virgin Money worked hard to make sure customers who took out credit cards with the bank could manage their debt.

But banks have been under intense scrutiny from the Bank of England which has warned about a surge in risky lending.

In the UK 3.3million people are in persistent debt, and the latest figures have revealed credit card debt hit a record 67.3billion in February  an annual growth rate of 9.3 per cent.

It prompted the Financial Conduct Authority to unveil proposals that would force lenders to help customers struggling with debt.

Gadhia said Virgin Money had already tightened its lending criteria for its credit card business, requiring borrowers to have 750 of disposable income at the end of the month.

But it is among the firms to offer attractive deals such as 41 months interest free on balance transfers  although Gadhia said just 18 per cent of customers took this deal.

And of the people who applied for a credit card, just 42 per cent were approved.

James Daley, managing director of debt campaign group Fairer Finance, said: 'The level of borrowing in the short term credit market, particularly in credit cards, is a ticking time bomb.

Going into the credit crunch in the last recession credit card borrowing was at these kinds of dangerous levels.'

Peter Tutton, head of policy at StepChange Debt Charity, said: 'As credit card borrowing has been growing strongly, we are particularly concerned that what are supposed to be short-term lending products become long-term problems in too many cases.'

Shares closed yesterday up 0.7 per cent or 2.2p to 325.3p.
Tough time: Marissa Mayer is due to step down as Yahoo boss

The chief executive of troubled Yahoo could walk away with more than 170million  despite failing to turn around the internet pioneer.

Marissa Mayer is due to step down from the role she has held since July 2012 when Yahoo's 3.7billion sale to Verizon goes through.

The 41-year-old's 4.5m shares in the company were yesterday worth around 169million, while she is also in line for a cash severance payment of around 3million.

Yahoo's shares have risen around 153 per cent since 2012, from around $15 to around $48, but Mayer's time at the top has been problematic.

She was stripped of her bonus last year after the company admitted at least 500m accounts had been hacked in 2014 in the world's biggest cyber breach.

The former Google executive was hired to turn around the once-dominant company after it was overtaken by Google and Facebook as an internet search engine.

But activist investors led by Starboard Value LP lost faith in Mayer as the business struggled, and forced the sale to Verizon, which shareholders will vote on in June.
Amec Foster Wheeler has been hit by the collapse in the oil price since 2014

Losses have doubled at Amec Foster Wheeler as it prepares to be taken over by a bigger rival.

The oil and gas industry services group posted a larger-than-expected annual pre-tax loss of 542million, compared to 205million in 2015.

The London-based firm has been hit by the collapse in the oil price since 2014, which has seen billions of pounds divested from the oil industry.

Trading profits in its oil, gas and chemicals division have fallen by 32 per cent since 2014 (254million to 170million); in mining by 39.6 per cent (48million to 29million); and environment and infrastructure by 58 per cent (67million to 28million).

Dividends will be suspended until Amec is generating sustainable free cash flow, bosses said yesterday.

In March Amec's board agreed to a 2.2billion takeover by Aberdeen-based rival Wood Group.

Chairman John Connolly said the takeover  which shareholders will vote on in June  would 'add to the standalone prospects of the company'.
Scott Forbes took advantage of a recent spike in the property website's share price to sell 4.2million worth of shares.

He sold 100,000 at 4263.6p each, reducing his stake in the site to 0.2 per cent, or 219,300 shares.

Forbes joined Rightmove's board in July 2005 and is also chairman of renewable heating firm Innasol Group and media company Ascential.

In 2007, he sold 7million of shares to buy a house in Kensington, London.

Shares in Rightmove have returned 8.5 per cent so far this year.
Brickmaker Ibstock was one of the days biggest losers after its largest shareholder sold their 25 per cent stake for more than 200 million.

The Leicester-based construction firm edged down 2.4 per cent, or 5.4p, to 220.5p, after private equity firm Bain Capital declared that it wanted out.

Despite initially planning to offload about half its shares, held through subsidiary Diamond, Bain decided to fully exit Ibstock following strong investor demand.

Brickmaker Ibstock was one of the days biggest losers after its largest shareholder sold their 25 per cent stake for more than 200 million

The sale raised more than 218 million after the 101.6 million shares were quickly snapped up by institutional investors at 215p each.

Bain declined to comment last night, but it comes after the firm sold 10 per cent of its stake in Ibstock for 70.9 million in September.

The FTSE 100 edged up 0.2 per cent, or 13.08 points, to 7288.72 as strong earnings updates from Standard Chartered (up 4 per cent) and Croda International (up 3.8 per cent) helped to offset losses in healthcare stocks.

Nanotechnology firm Oxford Instruments was by far the biggest winner in the FTSE Small Cap index after offloading its industrial analysis business for 80 million.

Oxford, which provides technology and systems for industry and research, sold the arm to software firm Hitachi, with the deal expected to complete next year.

STOCK WATCH: Mariana Resources Mariana Resources advanced more than 60 per cent after announcing it will be bought for more than 84 per cent of its market value. The South America-focused gold miner will be bought for almost 167 million by precious metal financier Sandstorm Gold, which already owns a 7.6 per cent stake. Mariana shareholders will receive 28.8p in cash and 0.3 of a Sandstorm share for each Mariana share sold. Shares rose 61.3 per cent, or 36.5p, hitting a five-year high of 96p.

Shares reached their highest level since July 2015, rising 11.8 per cent, or 100p, to 947.5p.

Russian gold miner Petropavlovsk was also among the days winners after returning to profit last year following heavy losses in 2015. Its 2016 profit stood at 26.7 million, compared to a loss of 231.6 million in 2015, although revenue fell to 420.9 million from 467 million. Investor confidence was also buoyed by the firms claim it can cut debt to 467 million from 475 million by the end of the year. Shares jumped 3.7 per cent, or 0.27p, to 7.57p.

Property developer U And I Group, on the other hand, had a nightmare as it became the latest firm to be hit by Brexit.

Shares fell as the company revealed that development and trading gains for the year until February 28 were down to 35 million from 51.1 the previous year.

Likewise, profit fell to 0.4 million from 25.8 million as the company struggled to generate interest in its portfolio of regeneration projects across London, Manchester and Dublin.

Chief executive Matthew Weiner said it was hit by a slowdown in activity following last years referendum, which raised questions around valuations in the housing market. After a large initial drop, U And I finished down 1.8 per cent, or 3.5p, at 189p.

Back-office software firm EG Solutions rose despite chief executive Elizabeth Gooch offloading a large chunk of shares for the third time in a month. Gooch sold 410,000 shares worth 250,000 as part of an agreement with shareholders to reduce her stake to improve the availability of the companys cash and assets.

She still has more than 4 million shares, equal to a 17.8 per cent stake.

Earlier in April she sold just over 793,000 shares worth 484,000. At the end of March she sold a 49,800 stake as the firm announced a 2.1 million contract with a leading global bank. Shares rose 1.5 per cent, or 1p, to 66.5p.

Big data specialist Rosslyn Data Technologies saw 4.3 million wiped off its value after it announced that it will fund its 2.6 million acquisition of software firm Integritie with a share placing.

The tech firm plans to raise around 4.5 million by placing 100 million shares at 4.5p each. The cash raised will be used to develop Rosslyns existing product range.

Rosslyns shares sank 27 per cent, or 2.12p, to 5.75p.
The BJP is hoping for a hat-trick as the results for the crucial Delhi MCD election are announced today.

By India Today Web Desk: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) which has been ruling the civic bodies of Delhi for the last ten years appears set for a hat-trick as counting for the crucial Delhi MCD election continues. The saffron party is also quite confident of cashing in on the Modi wave as it is leading in all the three-North, South and East Delhi Municipal Corporations. MCD Election 2017: Full Coverage

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According to early counting trends, BJP is leading in 184 wards, the Congress in 40 and the AAP in 37 wards in the Delhi civic polls.

The party was leading in 31 wards while Congress and AAP on 6 and 1 wards respectively in North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) in the beginning of counting. The civic body has a total of 104 wards.

In South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC), BJP was ahead of rivals in 29 of the 44 wards for which initial trends were available by 8.40 AM. SDMC too has 104 wards. The Congress was leading in 8 wards while AAP in 6 wards, respectively.

BJP has also maintained lead in counting of votes for East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC) wards. The total number of wards in EDMC is 64.

The exit poll have also predicted the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to continue its rule over Delhi's three civic bodies, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has claimed big win in its internal survey. On the other hand, the Congress and other smaller parties are looking to grab a handsome vote share.

The poll has predicted a landslide victory for the ruling BJP. Numbers predict that BJP is likely to bag around 202-220 seats while AAP will win anywhere between 23-25 seats while the Congress a mere 19-31 seats.

In 2012 MCD polls, BJP had won 138 seats while the Congress had bagged 77 seats. BJP had then won a majority in the north and east and was the largest party in MCD south.

BJP leader Vijay Goel has infact dared the AAP and said if the Axis My India poll predictions are right then AAP supremo Kejriwal should step down.

AAP'S BATTLE FOR PRESTIGE

The Aam Aadmi Party's prestige is at stake now as almost all exit polls predicted Kejriwal's party to suffer a humiliating defeat and the ruling Bharatiya Janta Party receiving an overwhelming victory in the 2017 MCD polls.

Meanwhile, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has warned of another movement if the predictions come true.

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Kejriwal continued his anti-EVM tirade and even questioned the Delhi election commission over reports of the malfunctioning of voting machines during the civic bodies elections held on April 23.

ALSO READ | MCD Election Results 2017: Who will win Delhi's dangal?

MCD election: Has Arvind Kejriwal already conceded defeat? AAP convener talks of confrontation ahead of counting

Sukma attack: Don't celebrate any victories, BJP tells supporters ahead of MCD vote counting

MCD 2017 exit poll results: BJP poised to sweep Delhi municipal election, predicts India Today-Axis My India

--- ENDS ---
Chicken king Ranjit Boparan has bought a 29.9 per cent stake in butcher Crawshaw for 5.1 million

MEAL DEAL Chicken king and Birmingham's first self-made billionaire Ranjit Boparan, who owns the 2 Sisters Food Group, has bought a 29.9 per cent stake in butcher Crawshaw for 5.1 million.

PENSION PULLOUT Savers have now withdrawn more than 10 billion since pension freedom rules changed in April 2015, HMRC figures show.

GOING UP Plane maker Boeing boasted a 19 per cent profit rise in the first three months of the year.

TAPE MEASURES All traders conversations should be recorded to prevent illegal behaviour, according to new Bank of England rules.

JUPITER RISING Investors ploughed more than 1.3 billion into fund manager Jupiter during the first three months of 2017.

HBOS SCANDAL Retired High Court judge Dame Linda Dobbs is to investigate claims of a cover-up over the HBOS fraud, in which bankers destroyed businesses and spent the assets on luxuries.

CASH PLEA Lender Credit Suisse is seeking 3.1 billion from investors to shore up its financial position.

HOT PROPERTY Demand for commercial property is growing as investors bet on the UKs prosperity, according to a survey by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors.

GAS SALE Mining giant BHP Billiton said it might sell some of its US shale gas assets as it focuses on oil.

WASTE BURNER Power station operator Drax has bought two US biomass pellet plants for 26.4 million.

TOP SPOT Engineering group Assystem has appointed Sylvie Houliere Mayca as its second woman on its executive committee.

JOB SWAP Paul McDade, the incoming boss of Tullow Oil has defended the companys plans to appoint outgoing chief executive Aidan Heavey as chairman.

HEAVY METAL Miner Antofagasta saw gold production fall 41.5 per cent this quarter while copper fell 16.4 per cent, compared to the previous quarter.

OIL WELL UK-focused oil and gas producer IGas said revenues climbed to 30.5 million last year and losses narrowed to 32.9 million. It produced an average of 2,355 barrels of oil per day in 2016 and expects that to rise to 2,500 this year.

HOME HELP Homeware manufacturer Portmeirion has appointed Mike Raybould as finance director.
Take note: Only new 5 notes will be taken on the High Street from May 6

Shoppers have just nine days to spend old paper 5 notes before they become worthless on the High Street.

From Saturday, May 6, you will not be able to use them in shops, cafes and restaurants.

Banks, building societies or post offices will usually exchange them for you after this date.

If they refuse, the notes can still be exchanged with the Bank of England in London by post or in person.

This is because all Bank of England notes retain their face value indefinitely.

Polymer 5 notes featuring former prime minister Winston Churchill were introduced last September.

A new polymer 10 note will be issued this September and a 20 note by 2020.

The 50 paper note was issued in 2011 and there are no plans to replace it.
The BJP has retained all the three civic bodies of Delhi as results of MCD elections 2017 continue to pour in. The AAP has blamed EVMs for its poor show. Stay tuned for the latest updates.

Exit polls have shown BJP will win an overwhelming majority in Delhi MCD polls.

By India Today Web Desk: Delhiites have voted for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in MCD elections 2017 while rejecting both the Aam Aadmi Party and Congress. Infact, the BJP, riding high on its success in Uttar Pradesh Assembly election, pushed both the main opposition to second and third spots respectively by a huge margin.

As per the trends/results available for 270 seats, the BJP won 183, Congress 36 and the AAP 41. Others took 10 wards of the three civic bodies.

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MCD ELECTIONS 2017: FULL COVERAGE

While the BJP called the win a proof of PM Narendra Modi's popularity, Delhi's ruling AAP repeated its 'rigged EVM' charge. The Congress, which performed way better than 2015 Assembly elections, humbly accepted the mandate. Taking responsibility of party's defeat Delhi Congress chief Ajay Maken has offered to resign from his post.

WATCH: So Sorry: Aaj khush toh bahut hoge tum

AS IT HAPPENED:

2:25 pm: PC Chacko offers to resign as Congress Delhi in charge

2:05 pm: Grateful to the people of Delhi for the faith in BJP. I laud the hardwork of team @BJP4Delhi which made the resounding MCD win possible, tweets Prime Minister Narendra Modi

Grateful to the people of Delhi for the faith in BJP. I laud the hardwork of team @BJP4Delhi which made the resounding MCD win possible.- Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 26, 2017

2:04 pm: AAP is doing exactly opposite of what it promised. Unfortunate that people of Delhi have rejected it in the MCD elections: Anna Hazare

1:01 pm: We dedicate this win to CRPF jawans who lost their lives in Sukma attack: Manoj Tiwari, Delhi BJP chief

12:51 pm: Think the President should dismiss the Delhi government and order fresh elections. It was done in 1977, and the Supreme Court had upheld the decision. Support for AAP has evaporated: BJP's Subramanian Swamy

12:25 pm: AAP MLA Alka Lamba offers to quit owning responsibility for party's poor show in MCD elections

11:47 am: Results have been below our expectations. I take the responsibility and resign from the post of Delhi Congress president . Won't take any other post in the party for at least a year: Ajay Maken

MCD election results 2017: Full list of winning candidates

11:46 am: Delhi Congress chief Ajay Maken takes responsibility of party's poor show in MCD elections, resigns from his post

Election Commission ko EVM pe jaanch karni chahiye. While if we can't trust EVM, we must trust EC: Ajay Maken pic.twitter.com/TLc29VJDWZ- ANI (@ANI_news) April 26, 2017

11:41 am: The results also indicate that people of Delhi have reject politics of negativity: Amit Shah

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11:40 am: Thank the people of Delhi for such an overwhelming support. The win in Delhi MCD polls shows PM Narendra Modi's acceptability to the masses: BJP president Amit Shah

11:37 am: Such huge win not possible without rigging of EVMs: Manish Sisodia on BJP's win in MCD elections

11:34 am: The rout of AAP in MCD, 2 years after spectacular win in Assembly elections, despite poor performance of BJP in MCD, shows abysmal performance of AAP government: Prashant Bhushan

11:25 am: Results/Trends of 270 seats - BJP 180 | Congress 35 | AAP 45 | Others 10

11:00 am: Arvind Kejriwal has been defeated because of his arrogance. He abused, accused everyone: Sambit Patra of BJP

11:00 am: Geeta Rawat of AAP wins Vinod Nagar ward by 151 votes

10:50 am: Winning and losing is a part of democracy, one must accept mandate of the people with maturity: Union minister Nitin Gadkari on MCD elections 2017 results

10:42 am: Hacking EVMs next to impossible. The results of MCD elections are in tune with the mood of people of Delhi: Yogendra Yadav of Swaraj India

10:41 am: Poster put up outside BJP headquarters in Delhi dedicating MCD elections win to CRPF jawans killed in Sukma Naxal attack.

Poster put up outside BJP HQ dedicating MCD win to CRPF jawans who lost their lives in #sukmaattack #DelhiMCDElections2017 pic.twitter.com/vpTePAclNM- ANI (@ANI_news) April 26, 2017

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10:40 am: The government, Election Commission should work to clear all doubts over EVMs: Sheila Dikshit

10:35 am: We needed an aggressive campaign. I didn't campaign in the MCD elections 2017 because the party never asked me to do so: Former Delhi CM Sheila Dikshit

10:30 am: AAP rejects MCD elections 2017 verdict. There is EVM wave, not Modi wave, says Delhi's ruling party

10:22 am: Results: Sunita (BJP) wins from Karmpura; Vipin Malhotra (BJP) wins from Moti Nagar; Beena Virmani (BJP) takes Ramesh Nagar seat

10:18 am: Election Commission has ordered recounting in Daryaganj after Congress challenged BJP candidate's win by a thin margin.

10:15 am: Whither Arvind Kejriwal's AAP? What MCD election results mean for Delhi's ruling party

10:14 am: BJP only viable option available to voter today and that is why people have given BJP mandate at every level. I thank voters of Delhi: Jitendra Singh, Union minister

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10:12 am: Arvind Kejriwal should stop playing the victim card now: BJP's Shazia Ilmi

10:11 am: Yeh Modi lehar nahi hai, EVM lehar hai (This is not a Modi wave but an EVM wave): AAP's Gopal Rai

Yeh Modi lehar nahi hai, EVM lehar hai :Gopal Rai, Delhi minister on #DelhiMCDElections2017 pic.twitter.com/IzIjaNk1Ww- ANI (@ANI_news) April 26, 2017

10:02 am: Trends/Results of all 270 seats now available. BJP ahead 183 seats, Congress 35, AAP 39, Others 13

10:00 am: BJP's Parmajit Singh Rana wins from Rajender Nagar

9:56 am: BJP's Ritu Oberoi wins from Mahavir Nagar with over 5000 votes

9:48 am: People of Delhi wants fresh Assembly polls. Kejriwal should start working for people instead of playing the blame game. He should resign now: Manoj Tiwari

9:46 am: Credit goes to PM Narendra Modiji for BJP's super show in MCD elections. We won't celebrate our win in respect of our Sukma martyrs: Manoj Tiwari, Delhi BJP tells India Today

9:45 am: BJP wins from Janakpuri West by 1347 votes and Janakpuri South by 5362 votes.

9:37 am: MCD election results: BJP takes sweet revenge from Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP

9:35 am: BJP's Sushma Mishra wins Sonia Vihar seat

9:15 am: Mamta Dhama of BJP wins Madhu Vihar seat by 9154 votes.

9:10 am: Results announced by Election Commission so far - East (30)- BJP 21, Congress 5, AAP 2, BSP 1; South(71)- BJP 44, AAP 13, Congress 9; North (62) - BJP 41, AAP 11, Congress 1, Independent 1

9:02 am: BJP ahead on 187 seats, Congress 42, AAP 37, Others 6

9:00 am: Trends for all 270 seats where voting was held on April 23 now available and the BJP headed for a two-third majority

8:55 am: Deputy CM Manish Sisodia, Gopal Rai reach Arvind Kejriwal's residence

8:54 am: Trends look in tune with what I saw during campaigning. People have faith in policies of BJP and leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi: Dr Harsh Vardhan

8:50 am: Bharatiya Janata Party headed to a clear majority in all the three municipal corporations of Delhi.

8:40 am: East Delhi - BJP 39, Congress 13, AAP 8, Others 2

8:40 am: North Delhi - BJP 62, Congress 22, AAP 11, Others 3

8:39 am: South Delhi - BJP 54, Congress 18, AAP 7, Others 1

8:35 am: BJP hits 100-mark, leading on 127 seats. Congress ahead on 45, Aam Aadmi Party on 22.

8:26 am: Bharatiya Janata Party widens lead over Congress, AAP, ahead on 98 seats. Congress leading on 23 and AAP on 14.

8:20 am: BJP seems to be running away towards a comprehensive win. BJP ahead on 58 seats, Congress 17 and AAP on 10. Others are ahead on 10 seats.

8:19 am: In East Delhi: BJP ahead on 6 seats, Congress 1, AAP 1

8:17 am: In South Delhi: BJP 10, Congress 1, AAP 3

8:16 am: In North Delhi: BJP - 11, Congress 4, AAP 2

8:14 am: BJP leading on 21 seats, Congress on 4, AAP ahead on 5.

8:10 am: BJP ahead on 7 seats, Congress on one.

8:05 am: Initial trends have started pouring in. BJP ahead on 2 seats.

AAP office wears a deserted look. (Photo: IndiaToday.in)

8:00 am: Counting of votes for Delhi MCD polls begins.

7:35 am: BJP will win with overwhelming majority. Instead of raising questions over EVMs, Kejriwal should work for the people of Delhi: Manoj Tiwari, Delhi BJP chief

BJP Delhi chief Manoj Tiwari offers prayers ahead of counting of votes for #DelhiMcdElection2017 pic.twitter.com/KQXtvauaYq- ANI (@ANI_news) April 26, 2017

7:25 am: BJP has asked its supporters not to celebrate if the party wins MCD elections in view of the Sukma Naxal attack in which 25 CRPF jawans were killed on Monday.

7:15 am: Counting of 6 wards(ward 55 to 60) will take place at ITI, Nizamuddin. Ward 55- Daryaganj, Ward 56- Sidharth Nagar, Ward 57- Lajpat Nagar, Ward 58- Kasturba Nagar, Ward 59- Andrews Ganj, Ward 60- Koyla Mubarkpur

Zakir Nagar counting centre. (Photo: IndiaToday.in)

7:10 am: Municipal elections to two wards in Delhi were postponed due to the death of candidates. The two wards are Maujpur in East Delhi and Sarai Pipal in North Delhi.

7:05: am: The Delhi municipal polls saw a voter turnout of 53.58 per cent.

7:01 am: As many as 71,39,994 votes were polled on April 23 in a contest that had the BJP, the Congress and the AAP engaged in a fierce battle.

7:00 am: Polling was held in 270 of the 272 wards of the three municipal corporations. ALSO READ | MCD 2017 exit poll results: BJP poised to sweep Delhi municipal election, predicts India Today-Axis My India

MCD election 2017: Voting concludes, 53.58 per cent overall turnout

--- ENDS ---
As doctors, we have seen the devastating effect of malaria on children, families and communities. We have heartbreaking memories of patients lost to this preventable disease. But we are now witnessing a new history.



On April 25, Zambia launched a national elimination strategy. We are aggressively pursuing the goal of a malaria-free country by 2021. Because we are building on an effort that dramatically reduced the disease, we expect our intense investment and commitment to show substantial progress as soon as 2018.



Zambias ambitious approach, zambitious as we call it here, comes from impatience with business as usual. In the past, it was common for clinic beds to be full of people suffering from malaria. Yet now in many places, this is not the case. How did this happen?

Simply put, it was steadfast political will backed by strong and united partners. We embody this strategy: Ministry of Health leadership combined with support from the Global Fund to Fight Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria, the United States Presidents Malaria Initiative, Path (through its malaria control and elimination partnership in Africa programme), the World Bank and other partners. Add to that growing evidence about what is needed and what works, including near real-time data on the local malaria situation.



Zambia has a history of not settling for the status quo. We were the first country to adopt artemisinin-based combination therapies, the treatment that replaced chloroquine. We are the only African country to have done five national malaria surveys to measure progress. And Zambia commits more domestic funding to malaria than any other country in the region.

Thankfully, we are not alone. Zambia sits on the northern edge of the Elimination 8, a coalition of eight Southern African countries committed to malaria elimination by 2020.



Some of the worst malaria on the planet is on our northern border and we were not expected to achieve elimination until 2030.

But we decided to try new approaches to shorten the timeline. A decade ago, most countries used only localised strategies. Zambia decided to take malaria control interventions nationwide.

Many said the health system could not handle it. But we succeeded. Now we are again choosing the bold path. We are convinced that we can reach national elimination with smart application of our tools, including accelerators that quickly lower transmission by tracking down and killing the malaria parasite.



One of the most promising accelerators is malaria mass drug administration (MDA). A short-term intervention, MDA is designed to clear malaria infections out of entire communities. It is especially useful at reducing the asymptomatic reservoir of the disease  malaria parasites that linger in people who do not show any symptoms, yet can still spread the disease if they are bitten by a mosquito.

MDA was tried before, but was never fully successful because there was no follow-up plan.

Zambia decided to see if MDA could be effective when combined with modern diagnostic tests, new malaria drugs, improved local surveillance systems and, most importantly, national and community commitment. Our MDA study was a serious intervention on a grand scale. More than 150 000 people in Southern Province were treated during the malaria MDA trial in 2015 and 2016.

The result: in two years, an 87 per cent reduction in cases in the study area and a 97 per cent reduction in facility-reported malaria deaths.



By the end of the study more than half of the 60 health facility areas had no malaria infections. Most promising of all, we saw a 93 per cent reduction in malaria in children in Southern Province. Accelerators such as MDA are one time-bound component in the elimination toolbox. Once transmission is reduced to low levels, trained community health workers step in to identify and treat any remaining or imported infections. More than 2 500 such workers were chosen by their communities to conduct malaria surveillance at the household level. Each month they relay information into the national database using mobile phones, helping us determine where to target our resources.



Every day is a fight against the malaria parasite and its mosquito vector, and progress represents lives saved and lives freed from disease  Zambians who are healthy to plant crops, mine copper, pursue studies and advance beyond the status quo. Success in Zambia will serve all of our neighbours, providing them with further protection. The region must recognise this historic opportunity and increase its commitment. Our dramatic success against malaria may cause government and donor purse strings to tighten in the belief that malaria is no longer a problem. But any step back runs the risk of resurgence. Zambias national elimination must be part of a regional elimination, which is a critical component of global eradication.
Sir,



When the current year ends and you see that you have failed to attain your ambitions, you wait prayerfully hoping the next year would be much better than the dying one already. We are looking forward to many things in 2018, growing economy, new prime minister and the elections.



As we are looking forward to 2018, fear is hovering like a sinister bird too. The elections are drawing closer and closer. If one ponders, they wonder if their relatives will be targeted for rituals. And some have started to disappear and appear mutilated and dead. This is not the only fear; the uncertainty whether my daughter, or neighbours son will return from school, or they will be abducted, murdered and used to gear up for the upcoming elections. Swaziland what has eroded humanity and compassion so much?



I am also wondering if South Africa has attained the junk status, what is going to happen to our ailing Lilangeni? It is intriguing perhaps that after so many years since independence, we are still dependants. I want to say we entrusted our economy in the wrong people; people who want to enrich themselves. They draw big salaries from government, yet the country isnt going forward.



Enough about my whining; the big boss said he was ready for another term in office. I would be very sad if the prime minister could garner another term of office. He should go home; it is time for him to enjoy the hefty perks he has given himself while in office. Please, the guy has worked for the country and himself diligently and we are grateful. There is no man ever who has achieved what the prime minister has achieved in the kingdom. I liked the way he captained the ship during Waya Waya.



Swaziland cant afford to be a one mans show; we really need another captain. This country will never go forward because of corruption, nepotism and greed. It is really undesirable to be a Swazi; that is why I dont believe that the EBC is relevant. It is one way of misusing our resources. I dont believe that Swazis in South Africa would like to be subjects of Swaziland.

We need change; only a few people are enjoying the resources of our beautiful country. If we want to move forward Swaziland should re-align herself.



One can only wait and hope that Swazis will wake up and re-embrace Somhlolos dream. And we can also hope that the brutal ritual killings will be a nightmare of the past in these coming elections.



E S Ndwandwe
MANZINI  Private Investigator (PI) Hunter Shongwe claims he is assisting the Oliveira family in the businessmans kidnapping case and has even travelled to South Africa as part of his investigations.



During an interview yesterday Shongwe said he travelled to Sandton, South Africa in search of kidnapped businessman Almor Oliveira and to also meet some people whom he suspect may have information regarding the case which linked neighbouring Mozambique as well.



Even though Shongwe shared some of his findings, they cannot be repeated due to their sensitive nature and that none of the family members wished to correlate Shongwes findings.

However, Shongwe expressed belief that the businessman was still alive wherever he was being kept.



The people who are behind this seem to be very powerful. I have to do my best to handle it properly, Shongwe added.

Today marks 11 days since the businessman was kidnapped and there has been no any official positive updates regarding the case, save to say its being thoroughly investigated.



The businessman was kidnapped last Sunday morning while at one of his warehouses, situated at the Industrial Sites, in Matsapha.

The family through the businessmans personal assistant, Nonhlanhla Shongwe yesterday said they still had hopes that he would return home alive.



From the day the reward was released, the family has not received any calls on his whereabouts. There is still no good news, however, we are still standing strong, praying and hoping for his safe return, Shongwe said yesterday morning.




SITEKI  If prisoners were part of the Kings Birthday celebrations in Siteki, they would have been the ones to express their joy more than anyone present.



However, their relatives and loved ones did it on their behalf after His Majesty King Mswati III proclaimed Royal Pardon.

As a country that is guided by the principle of mercy and forgiveness, the well behaving people who are currently kept at His Majestys Correctional facilities deserve mercy and forgiveness, the King said when addressing the thousands of people who had attended his birthday celebrations.



He said inmates who were remorseful of their actions will have their sentences reduced.

Further details of the Royal Pardon will be availed in due course.



As we are gathered here today, some of our brothers and sisters are incarcerated for the mistakes they did in the past. We, therefore, wish to bring bright smiles to them and their family members and their loved ones. After due consideration, it pleases us to announce a Royal Pardon to grant release of some offenders.



The details of those who will receive the Royal Pardon will be communicated through the appropriate instrument, the King said.

The Monarch implored the nation to welcome the fellow citizens back into society and help them rebuild their lives positively for the benefit of the communities and the country at large.



As he said that the attendees shouted Bayethe! Wena Waphakathi.
MEHLWABOVU  Two members of the Umbutfo Swaziland Defence Force (USDF) died yesterday morning when their truck overturned along the notorious Mehlwabovu Hill.



Sources disclosed that one of the deceased USDF members was a well-known member of the royal family.

However, the army did not release the names of the deceased because their relatives were yet to be notified.



Meanwhile, Ludzidzini Acting Governor Timothy Velabo Mtetwa could only confirm that he knew the deceased as a relative but had not been informed about the tragic news. So, he preferred to distance himself from the issue until he received proper confirmation himself.

It is alleged the soldiers were on routine patrol when the truck they were travelling in overturned after the vehicle experienced a suspected brake failure. The truck was reportedly travelling down the hill when the driver lost control of the vehicle at around 7am, resulting in the deadly accident.



The road was temporarily closed as rescue personnel cleared the scene.

The accident also attracted several onlookers, including other motorists.

There were three occupants in the truck who were travelling from Mbangweni Army Barracks, according to the USDF.

The driver, who survived the crash, was rescued almost immediately and was conveyed to hospital in a stable condition, according to the people who were first to arrive at the accident scene.

The two others were pronounced dead on the scene.
White House officials today were to release broad outlines of a tax overhaul that would provide massive tax cuts to businesses big and small. The top tax rate for individuals would drop by a few percentage points, from 39.6 per cent to the "mid-30s", according to an official with knowledge of the plan.

By AP: President Donald Trump is proposing "the biggest tax cut" ever even as the government struggles with mounting debt, in an effort to fulfil promises of bringing jobs and prosperity to the middle class.

White House officials today were to release broad outlines of a tax overhaul that would provide massive tax cuts to businesses big and small. The top tax rate for individuals would drop by a few percentage points, from 39.6 per cent to the "mid-30s", according to an official with knowledge of the plan.

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Small business owners would see their top tax rate go from 39.6 per cent to 15 per cent, said the official, who was not authorised to publicly discuss the proposal before the White House announcement and spoke on condition of anonymity.

Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, in a this morning speech, said the proposed overhaul would amount to "the biggest tax cut" and the "largest tax reform" in US history.

White House officials already have said the top corporate tax rate would be reduced from 35 per cent to 15 per cent.

WHAT WILL THE PLAN INCLUDE

The plan will also include child-care benefits, a cause promoted by Trump's daughter Ivanka.

Trump sent his team to Capitol Hill yesterday evening to discuss his plan with Republican leaders.

"They went into some suggestions that are mere suggestions and we'll go from there," said GOP Senator Orrin Hatch of Utah, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee.

The White House's presentation will be "pretty broad in the principles," said Marc Short, Trump's director of legislative affairs.

In the coming weeks, Trump will solicit more ideas on how to improve it, Short said. The specifics should start to come this summer.

Short said the administration did not want to set a firm timeline, after demanding a quick House vote on a health care bill and watching it fail.

But, Short added, "I don't see this sliding into 2018."

REPUBLICANS OPEN TO TRUMP's TAX PLAN

Republicans, who slammed the growing national debt under President Barack Obama, have said they are open to Trump's tax plan, even though it could add trillions of dollars to the deficit over the next decade.

Echoing the White House, Republicans argue the cuts would spur economic growth, reducing or even eliminating any drop in tax revenue.

"I'm not convinced that cutting taxes is necessarily going to blow a hole in the deficit," Hatch said.

"I actually believe it could stimulate the economy and get the economy moving," Hatch added. "Now, whether 15 per cent is the right figure or not, that's a matter to be determined."

The argument that tax cuts pay for themselves has been debunked by economists from across the political spectrum.

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Also read | 1000% rise in Muslim profiling by US Customs officials since Trump took office: Muslim group

Also read | Major action by Trump administration on H1-B visa would worry India: CEA

ALSO WATCH VIDEO

--- ENDS ---
By Press Trust of India: Reykjavik, Apr 26 (PTI) Indian Grand Master Harika Dronavalli eked out a hard-fought draw against higher-rated Mustafa Yilmaz of Turkey in round eight of the Rejkjavik Open chess tournament here. Harika, who had a glorious opportunity to break into the top five in the points table could not breach the Turkish Grand Masters defence and with time running out both the players decided to call it a day and share the spoils. "It was a very complicated game from the beginning. Even though I got into good positions, I took a lot more time than Mustafa and was down on time from the early stages," Harika said. "I had managed to get into position with my pawn up at the end but left my king a little open. I offered a draw even though I was in a better position and my opponent agreed. I have no regrets as I played an interesting game," she added. At the end of days play, the World No. 11 Indian has now five wins, two draws and a loss to her credit. With a total of six points from a possible eight points, she is now sitting on 15th on the leaderboard and is just half point adrift from the table topper. She will now take on the Dutch Grand Master Erwin LAmi in her next round encounter. PTI ATK ATK

--- ENDS ---

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Turkey\s military outposts on the border with Syria came under fire from Kurdish militia across the frontier, the army said on Wednesday, a day after Turkish warplanes bombed groups in northeastern Syria and Iraq affiliated to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK).

Four outposts of the Turkish army along the Syria border were attacked on Wednesday with artillery and mortar shells, the army said.

Three of the attacks were carried out from territory held by the U.S.-backed Kurdish YPG militia, while the other originated from a region under the control of the Syrian government. There were no casualties but minor material damage.

YPG spokesman Redur Xelil said there was heavy Turkish artillery fire across the border into Syria on Wednesday. The shelling hit near Darbasiya, a town in a Kurdish-controlled part of northeast Syria.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights war monitor reported clashes between Kurdish fighters and Turkish forces along the border near Darbasiya.

Tensions in the area escalated after Turkish warplanes struck Kurdish targets in Iraq\s Sinjar region and northeast Syria, killing about 70 inside the two neighboring states, according to a Turkish military statement.

The air strikes in Syria targeted the YPG, a key component of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which are backed by the United States and have been closing in on the Islamic State bastion of Raqqa.

The Turkish raids showed the challenges facing U.S.-led attempts to defeat Islamic State in Syria and tension between NATO allies Washington and Ankara over Kurdish combatants who have been crucial in driving back the jihadists.

Ankara sees the YPG as a hostile force and an extension of the outlawed PKK, which has waged a three-decade insurgency against the Turkish state and is considered a terrorist group by Turkey, the United States and the European Union.

On Wednesday, Turkish warplanes continued cross-border raids, striking Kurdish militant targets in northern Iraq and killed six militants, the army said.

Turkey\s strikes drew criticism from the United States and Russia. Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, who has long said Ankara would not allow Iraq\s Sinjar to become a PKK base, said all partners were informed ahead of the operation.

The Turkish military gave the U.S.-led coalition against Islamic State less than an hour of advance notice, a U.S. coalition spokesman said on Wednesday, describing it as inadequate time to ensure the safety of forces on the ground.

"That\s not enough time and this wasnot coordination as you would expect from a partner and an ally in the fight against ISIS," U.S. Air Force Colonel John Dorrian told a Pentagon teleconference.

Turkish foreign ministry spokesman Huseyin Muftuoglu said the partners were informed through both military and diplomatic channels.

The Combined Air Operations Center in Qatar, responsible for providing command and air control in regions including Iraq and Syria, was also informed in advance, Muftuoglu said.

The Russian foreign ministry said Turkey\s had violated the fundamental principles of intergovernmental relations.

SOURCE: REUTERS
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GLENS FALLS -- The New Resistance USA will host a forum on health care at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 10, at the Crandall Library, Community Room.

The program -- Healthcare in America: What's at Stake? -- will address questions surrounding the future of health insurance and care with a panel that will include:
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GRANVILLE - State Police are searching for two teens, believed to be boyfriend and girlfriend, who have run away.

Jeremy J. Burch, 17, and Isabell V. Winchell, 15, have been missing since Monday. They are believed to have fled the area in a Black 2004 Volvo V70 registered with New York license plates GKC7804, police said. But there is a possibility that the license plates may have been switched. Police believe the two might be headed for North Carolina.
BRUNSWICK - A pick-up truck driver was injured Tuesday afternoon when he crashed into a dump truck on Grange Road in Brunswick, New York State police said.

At 1:20 p.m., a pick-up driver was heading southbound in the northbound lane, said Sgt. Scott Dauphinais. A car driving northbound was able to swerve out of the way but a dump truck, coming over the crest of the hill crashed with the pickup.
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ALBANY  When her appointment as Gov. Andrew Cuomo's new chief of staff was announced Tuesday, much was made of Maria Comella's years of work for New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie.

Less well known: She's no stranger to the Capital Region.

Comella grew up in Loudonville and graduated from Shaker High School in 1999. Her first experience in politics was as a teenage intern in Gov. George Pataki's administration.

"I sat outside Zenia Mucha's office," said Comella in an interview, referring to Pataki's formidable communications chief. "It was so long ago that I remember a big part of my job was cutting out clips from hard copies of the newspaper."

She attended George Washington University before embarking on a career that has included work on President George W. Bush's 2004 re-election campaign, as well as the 2008 presidential bids of former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani and U.S. Sen. John McCain.

Her mother, Ann Comella, was in her first term as a Republican Albany County legislator when she was killed in a January 2007 car accident. Her father, Joseph, worked in retail and financial planning.

Maria Comella attributed her interest in politics to her parents. "We were really that family that discussed politics around the kitchen table and watched '60 Minutes' every Sunday night," she said.

Comella, who lives in New York City, said she looked at her new job as "a really great opportunity to work for the state where I was raised."

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Referring to her own extensive resume working with GOP politicians, she praised Cuomo: "It's rare to find a politician who'll listen to all kinds of different opinions to get things done."

She began working for Christie in his 2009 gubernatorial run, and helped spearhead his short-lived 2016 presidential campaign.

Comella said she remains proud of her work for Christie, who is winding up his second and final term this year with record-low poll numbers due in no small measure to the aftermath of the BridgeGate scandal.

"It's the natural arc of politics that there are going to be times of great popularity" as well as less successful periods," she said.
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A 41-year-old Mountain View man was facing charges after he allegedly picked a fight with a 5-foot-tall, 300-pound security robot.

The robot, named K5, has no arms, so it wasn't a fair fight. In fact, K5 can't really defend itself, unless you count occasionally spinning in a circle and whistling as a defensive skill.

The Knightscope droid was knocked down on its back  or maybe its front, it's hard to tell due to K5's nose-cone physique  while patrolling the parking lot near Terra Bella and Linda Vista Avenue, according to ABC7 News.

Police identified the robot assailant as Jason Sylvain, who they said was drunk. Sylvain is accused of prowling and public intoxication.

Knightscope said the robot suffered only scratches in last week's incident and is now back on the job. The company told ABC7 that "it's a testament to the technology that police caught the aggressor and booked in him jail."

An overgrown R2D2 look-alike, the K5 is designed to alert security guards to disturbances and detect known shoplifters with its camera, which evidently captured the assault. They are rented out to companies for about $7 an hour.

A K5 unit made headlines in July when it ran over a 16-month toddler, hurting his leg and foot, at the Stanford Shopping Mall.
As I struggle for a diplomatic way to bring up that time when the internet was mean to her, Anne Hathaway graciously intervenes.

"Go ahead, say it," she said, laughing.

So I press on, citing the relevance of her strange-by-design new movie "Colossal." A monster appears, the world gawks, and Hathaway's character is forced to consider strange parallels between the creature and herself (I'm revealing no more here than you can see in the movie poster).

Does it remind her of anything?

More Information At a glance "Colossal" Stars: Anne Hathaway, Jason Sudeikis, Austin Stowell Director: Nacho Vigalondo Opens: Friday See More Collapse

"I don't see how it could not," she said. "And not just because of my own experience. We're all going through this (online hostility) thing, figuring it out together. I've learned how to deal with it, and it doesn't bother me that much now. I worry more about someone who's 13 and getting beat up on social media, and being asked to understand it."

It was just after she won an Oscar for "Les Miserables" that online Hathaway antipathy became a trending-now hobby for trolls. She read some of it and was blindsided and bit confused  in part because she didn't recognize the "creature" under attack.

Who knows what gets under a troll's pajamas, but Hathaway had a quick rise, enviable success, and a too-perfect image informed by her "Princess Diaries" movies. Hathaway, though, has done all kinds of things on screen  she was a great Catwoman, a memorable apprentice to Meryl Streep in "The Devil Wears Prada," and a human train wreck in "Rachel Getting Married," a role with similarities to her latest.

In "Colossal" (opening Friday), she's Gloria, a young woman with a drinking problem who loses her job and her boyfriend (Dan Stevens), goes back home, where she starts waitressing  and drinking  in a bar run by an old friend (Jason Sudeikis). As Gloria upends things in her hometown, a monster does the same to Seoul, South Korea, and "Colossal" has far-out fun pondering the coincidence.

For Hathaway, "Colossal" is completely different  just what she was looking for.

"I'm not trying to bite the hand that feeds me. I've done very well by Hollywood norms, but you never want to do to too much of any one thing. I sent out a request to my team: If you run across anything weird, can I please read it? I got back the script for 'Colossal' with a note on it that said: 'Well, this is definitely weird.' "

So weird that nobody was putting up money to make it. Writer-director Nacho Vigalondo was  best-case scenario  contemplating a Spanish-language production in Madrid. With Hathaway attached, everything changed (she's listed as executive producer). Sudeikis and Stevens were hired, an effects budget materialized.

She likes being in a position to make her own breaks.

"I'm at this age where, if you are a woman in Hollywood, you are supposed to start getting scared about your career. And I just wanted to go the opposite way," she said. "After all the blessings I have had, I need to take risks, or I would not be offering the proper creative thank you to everything that has made me feel secure in my career."

And so, "Colossal"  a movie that exists outside any known genre.

"This one feels so personal to me. It lives in the world of the dark and the silly, and that for me feels so true to a majority of the experiences in my life, and you can't always find a way to get that into your work," she said. "This was magical."

Hathaway, now mother to a young son was pregnant when she made "Colossal."

"It really did resonate with me," she said." You take a hard look at your life and your habits. You worry about how much of that is going to be grist for their mill. Gloria has lived a self-centered life, and she realizes her actions have consequences in ways she has not seen, and she has to confront that aspect of herself."

She thinks Gloria will resonate with a lot of viewers  her Godzilla-like alter-ego aside.

"She has her own set of problems, but she's also feeling what everybody feels today. There are so many stresses and pressures. Everything's a problem," Hathaway said. "Gloria just gets kind of capsized by all that pressure, and tries to kind of right herself. I know I've felt that way in my life."
OPENING FRIDAY

THE CIRCLE: Emma Watson, Tom Hanks and John Boyega star in this adaptation of Dave Eggers' novel about a young woman who gets her dream job at a huge tech company only to discover a secret and sinister agenda. (PG-13 for a sexual situation, brief strong language and some thematic elements including drug use) http://thecircle.movie

COLOSSAL: An alcoholic woman (Anne Hathaway) discovers that severe catastrophic events  AKA: a giant reptilian monster terrorizing South Korea  are somehow connected to the mental breakdown from which she's suffering in this sci-fi/action/comedy hybrid. Jason Sudeikis and Dan Stevens co-star. (R for language) http://sheiscolossal.com

GRADUATION: Romanian director Cristian Mungiu's ("4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days") latest is a searing drama about a father driven to extremes in order to protect his daughter's future. (R for some langauge) http://www.bacalaureat2016.com

HOW TO BE A LATIN LOVER: Finding himself dumped after 25 years of marriage, a man (Mexican star Eugenio Derbez) who made a career of seducing rich older women must move in with his estranged sister. Co-stars Salma Hayek and Rob Lowe. (PG-13 for crude humor, sexual references and gestures, and for brief nudity) https://www.facebook.com/HowtobeaLatinLover

THEIR FINEST: Gemma Arterton, Sam Claflin and Bill Nighy star in this historical comedy-drama about British propaganda filmmakers working on a production during the London Blitz. (R for some language and a scene of sexuality) http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcfilms/film/their_finest

YOUR NAME.: The Japanese anime film written and directed by Makoto Shinkai, based on his novel, tells the story of a high school girl in rural Japan and a high school boy in Tokyo who swap bodies. (PG for thematic elements, suggestive content, brief language, and smoking) https://www.funimationfilms.com/movie/yourname/ *Previously had a limited run

OPENING WEDNESDAY

I AM HEATH LEDGER: A feature-length documentary celebrating the life of the late Oscar-winning actor through the lens of his own camera as he films and often performs in his own personal journey. (NR) https://www.iamheathledger.com
Hoosick Falls

A law firm hired by Hoosick Falls to negotiate with two companies blamed for polluting water supplies billed the village tens of thousands of dollars to provide public relations advice and to serve as the gatekeeper for numerous Freedom of Information Law requests filed by news organizations.

More than 50 pages of invoices detailing the work of the Glens Falls law firm, FitzGerald Morris Baker Firth, were turned over to the Times Union late Monday in response to a formal request for the records that was filed by the newspaper in early January. Mayor Rob Allen released the records after the village board voted unanimously Monday night to terminate its contract with the law firm  in part, he said, because of information that was revealed in the billing statements.

Allen's decision to release the invoices came a week after the law firm  through the village  turned over less than half of its billing statements to the newspaper and with dozens of entries blacked out. The village's response, prepared by the law firm, said the blacked-out information was "attorney-client privileged information."

The information blacked-out in the invoices, when compared with the documents released by the village this week, indicates the law firm concealed details of its work that an open-government expert said should have been made public, including the firm's work vetting and responding to Times Union FOIL requests. The blacked-out entries also included details of the firm's involvement last month in helping John R. Patterson Jr., the village's longtime attorney, answer questions from the Times Union about his law firm's acquisition by the Glens Falls firm.

"I don't think a single redaction was consistent with law," said Robert J. Freeman, executive director of the state Committee on Open Government, after reviewing a sample of both sets of documents. "If something is included that reflects legal strategy, or legal opinion, or attorney-client privilege then yes, redactions could be made. There's nothing here in my view that would warrant redaction."

USE THE SLIDER TO VIEW A SAMPLE PAGE OF THE INVOICES

In another instance, the law firm redacted a reference to its contact with the village's treasurer in January 2016 on the same day the Times Union requested a copy of its retainer agreement with the village. At the time, the retainer agreement had not been signed or authorized by the village board. In the invoice initially provided last week, the reference to "retainer letter" was blacked out.

The invoices were apparently never provided to the village board until after Allen requested copies of them earlier this month when he was sworn into office for his first term. Allen succeeded David Borge, who did not seek re-election as mayor. Normally, municipal boards will receive statements for contract agreements on a monthly basis.

The invoices painstakingly detail the firm's work for the village  often at a rate of up to $350 an hour  over the past 17 months. The work has left the village with an unpaid legal tab of more than $450,000. The attorneys' work included writing speeches for Borge and also vetting his public testimony and "talking points" to reporters and the public. The bills also confirm it was the law firm's decision to retain a public relations firm, Behan Communications, to provide behind-the-scenes advice to the mayor and help with developing a timeline on the village's website.

The firm billed for mileage, meals and, at times, hotel stays when it attended village board meetings, the records show.

The invoices also laid bare that the village and its attorneys initiated settlement discussions with Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics  the company whose manufacturing plants are blamed for much of the water pollution  within a week of the Glens Falls firm beginning its work for the village in November 2015.

There is no indication, however, that the law firm consulted outside experts early in the negotiations to analyze whether the village should have filed a lawsuit against Saint-Gobain or Honeywell International, which was drawn into the case because it acquired a company that previously owned the McCaffrey Street manufacturing plant that's a focus of the water contamination. The billing documents do not indicate whether the decision to enter settlement talks was the basis of legal advice or a directive from the village board or Borge, who stated publicly on multiple occasions that he wanted to work with Saint-Gobain as part of a mutual effort to clean up the community's contaminated water supplies.

The lengthy negotiations, which included input from the state departments of Health and Environmental Conservation, fell apart two months ago when the village board, facing intense public criticism, voted to indefinitely table the draft settlement agreement with Saint-Gobain and Honeywell. The agreement was made public in December and touted by Borge and other village leaders as a way for the small community to recoup its out-of-pocket expenses in dealing with the toxic pollution, including what was then more than $310,000 in legal fees. But the $850,000 settlement brought public outcry, and the companies and village responded with a retooled deal in January that increased the one-time payment to $1.04 million.

But the intense public criticism intensified, including from U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, with many of the concerns centered on a portion of the agreement that prohibited the village from bringing future claims against Saint-Gobain or Honeywell related to pollution of the village's existing well field. The invoices indicate that portion of the settlement was something Saint-Gobain requested as early as December 2015, about a month into the negotiations.

On Dec. 24 of that year, John D. Aspland, a managing partner with the law firm, listed an entry in the invoices that day saying he was working on the settlement to prepare "the language SG (Saint-Gobain) wants as release language and sent to Selective Insurance (the village's insurer) for review and approval."

It was not until April 2016, five months into the ongoing negotiations, that the invoices reveal the law firm conducted research on the health risks associated with elevated levels of the toxic chemical perfluorooctanoic acid, or PFOA, that was found in the village water system in 2014 by Michael Hickey, a former village trustee whose father died of cancer.

That month, an entry in the billing records indicates an associate for the Glens Falls firm, at a rate of $190 an hour, "conducted research into probable link of C8 (PFOA) to cancer."

In a statement to the Times Union, Aspland defended his firm's work in the case.

"Our firm provided the Village Board with informed and prudent legal advice and conscientious service," he said. "At all times we were guided by the client's wishes and we scrupulously followed their direction. Third parties who choose now to second guess our approach do so without benefit of the facts, context, realities or circumstances with which we dealt and completely without responsibility for the consequences of their words."

Throughout the last 17 months, the invoices indicate that at times the law firm conducted research about the potential for municipalities to recoup money from corporate polluters such as DuPont, which previously manufactured PFOA and has paid tens of millions of dollars to settle personal-injury lawsuits and claims for pollution of water supplies.

In February, as public pressure intensified for the village board to revoke the settlement agreement  Borge was the only village board member to vote in favor of the deal  the invoices show the law firm researched cases where municipalities had filed lawsuits against corporate polluters and lost. The firm also investigated the settlement terms and legal costs of a multi-million dollar deal between General Electric Co. and the town of Halfmoon, which filed a federal lawsuit 10 years ago alleging the company's PCB pollution of the Hudson River had destroyed the community's water supply.

The law firm concealed its research on the Halfmoon deal in the documents it turned over to the Times Union last week. The invoices do not disclose why the research was done or that David Engel, an environmental attorney who represented Halfmoon in the GE case, is also the attorney for Healthy Hoosick Water, a grassroots citizens group that has urged the village to reject the settlement.

In that role, Engel has been a harsh critic of the village's legal representation and strategy in negotiating with the companies.

blyons@timesunion.com  518-454-5547  @brendan_lyonstu
New homes could cost buyers an extra $1,000 or more as the result of an escalating trade fight between the United States and Canada.

New tariffs on Canadian softwood lumber were announced Monday by the U.S. Commerce Department in a retaliatory move that follows months of fighting between the two countries over dairy exports and other trade issues.

The new tariffs on softwood lumber from Canada could reach 24 percent, and came as no surprise to businesses and trade groups that had in recent months seen prices rise by as much as 26 percent as they anticipated the squabble would remain unresolved.

Canada's share of the American lumber market has hovered between 26 and 32 percent.

"The market has anticipated this was going to happen, and for that reason they started to raise prices months ago," said Ashley Ranslow, manager of government affairs for the Northeastern Retail Lumber Association, an East Greenbush-based group representing 385 members in New York and 1,150 members across the Northeast.

Still, she said, the uncertainty will be costly for lumber dealers and construction companies that struggle to turn a profit on lumber sales, with even bigger losses looming for companies already locked into price agreements with customers.

"When you quote a job, you do it months in advance," she said. "Somebody has got to eat the cost, so it becomes very problematic when you don't know what's going on."

"We need stability and predictability in pricing, and without an agreement we just don't have that," she said.

The National Association of Home Builders estimated the new policy will increase the price of Canadian lumber by 6.4 percent, or about $1,236 in additional costs for an average new single-family home. Further, the group wrote in a response to comments from Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, the policy could result in the loss of more than $500 million in U.S. wages and salaries, $350 million in taxes and $8,200 American jobs.

"Lumber prices have already jumped 22 percent since the beginning of the year, largely in anticipation of new tariffs, adding nearly $3,600 to the price of a new single-family home," NAHB wrote in a statement Tuesday. "Clearly, protectionist measures to prop up domestic lumber producers at the expense of millions of U.S. home buyers and lumber users is not the way to resolve the U.S.-Canada trade dispute or boost the U.S. economy."

Canadian Trade Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne told Reuters Tuesday that his country was already exploring Chinese lumber markets in a bid to diversity exports.

The trade dispute arose as Canada moved to limit the ability of American farmers to sell ultra-filtered milk across the border. This month  and as Wisconsin and New York dairy farmers start to feel the economic pinch of the policy  a bipartisan cast of lawmakers from the two states urged intervention from Trump, who has made no secret of his disdain for the North Atlantic Free Trade Agreement. Speaking last week in Kenosha, Wis., Trump vowed to "stand up for our dairy farmers" and "call Canada" and say "what happened?"

For New Yorkers, any movement on NAFTA could have profound effects. New York exports to Canada totaled $12.6 billion while imports across the border totaled $17.7 billion, according to the most recent Canadian government figures.

The tariffs received bipartisan support from lawmakers in states affected by Canada's subsidized lumber industry.

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Ron Wyden, Oregon, ranking Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee, praised the move as an "announcement sends the message that help is on the way" for his constituents who have been hit especially hard by Canada's lumber policies. Democratic Minnesota Sens. Amy Klobuchar and Al Franken, called the move "welcome relief" for their state.

On Tuesday, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he'd "deal firmly and reasonably with the U.S." and "emphasize that the U.S. and Canada have a deep and strong relationship."

"Standing up for Canada's interests is what my job is, whether it's softwood or software," Trudeau said. It's a precarious position for Trudeau and Canada, for which American exports account for about 20 percent of gross domestic product.

But Canada seems unlikely to budge on its milk policy, which top officials have said were enacted only after the U.S. Department of Agriculture allowed American farmers to flood international markets with excess milk.

Last week, a spokeswoman for the trade group Dairy Farmers of Canada accused U.S. lawmakers of using "alternative facts" to scapegoat Canada for American milk woes.

"No matter how one views the situation, exports to a comparatively small Canadian market  one that is already filled with Canadian milk  are a drop in the bucket that will not solve the problems currently impacting the U.S. dairy industry," the group said earlier this year. "It is wrong to use Canada as a scapegoat for the situation in the United States."

rdownen@timesunion.com  518-454-5018  @RobertDownenTU
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Watervliet

At about two stories up in the cab of a 400,000-pound locomotive, engineer Eric Brindle has seen odd things along the tracks, among them, how some people seem willing to enter the path of his moving train.

The native of Laurens, Otsego County, has worked the rails for decades, and now routinely makes the Albany-to-Montreal run for Canadian Pacific Railway. On Tuesday, he was operating a two-engine rig for an exercise by local law enforcement to remind drivers and pedestrians of safety rules.

Brindle made several trips between Watervliet and Waterford, passing through nearly 30 road crossings, some of which had police cruisers stationed nearby. A railroad police officer rode in the cab to watch for anyone foolhardy or distracted enough to drive or walk into the path of a train rolling along at 20 mph. At that speed, it would take the train a half-mile or more to stop.

Part of the route took the train over the Cohoes trestle, which is about 40 feet above the Mohawk River. "I sometimes see people on the trestle, fishing," Brindle said. The structure has no safety areas to step into to avoid the train, he said. "Sometimes kids will jump off into the river ... seems like it is the summertime thing to do."

No such reckless behavior by pedestrians or drivers was on display Tuesday during the exercise, which involved State Police, Waterford Police, and the Albany and Saratoga County Sheriff's offices. The event was part of a nationwide campaign by the not-for-profit Operation Lifesaver, said Evan Eisenhandler, a retired rail worker who is executive director of the New York program. He said the worst rail crossing accident that he saw in New York was in Rouses Point, near Plattsburgh in Clinton County.

There, three young men who were returning to Plattsburgh failed to see a train at a marked crossing, and drove into the side of it. The three men were killed.

Operation Lifesaver began in 1972 following a spate of train/car collisions at crossings in Idaho. The program aimed at reducing what was then 12,000 such collisions a year. Last year, there were slightly more than 2,000, which killed 215 people. Another 500 people were killed while trespassing elsewhere on railroad tracks.

New York ranks relatively high in rail safety for its crossings. Last year, three people were killed and six people were injured. The most dangerous states are California (52 dead, 50 injured), Texas (22 dead, 82 injured) and Illinois (22 dead, 43 injured).

"We need to raise awareness of this issue," said Saratoga County District Attorney Karen Heggen. She said she received reports that trespassers are using rail crossings and tracks to record videos for later release on social media.

Sign up for The Knick  Get the latest news and features with our afternoon newsletter.

"For this kind of thing, the charge is only trespassing, which is only a violation," Heggen said.

Lt. Daniel Bates, who heads the State Police collision reconstruction unit, said troopers held a train/vehicle crash training recently at the Seneca Army Depot in the Finger Lakes region. There, officials used part of the depot rail network to repeatedly smash an engine into a vehicle to gain insight into damage patterns.

"When a train hits a car, it is like a car running over a soda can" Bates said.

bnearing@timesunion.com  518-454-5094
In a 2015 interview with NPR, Eilen Jewell talked about a half-wild horse her family keeps on land they own in what she described as a ghost town near her hometown of Boise, Idaho. The horse, name of Pyro, will walk up to strangers but those who attempt petting it risk getting a bite for their troubles. "I often feel that tug-of-war myself between my mustang and my tame side," Jewell used. She left Boise to go to college in Santa Fe, N.M., where, Wikipedia says, she started busking, a practice she continued during a stopover in Southern California. During her perambulations, she began releasing albums that drew critical praise for her lyrical and vocal stylings, starting with "Boundary County" in 2006. While living in Boston, she told NPR, she had an epiphany when a Loretta Lynn song came on the radio while she was working at a coffeehouse: She needed to go back home. She did so and the return provided fodder for her most-recent album, 2015's "Sundown Over Ghost Town"  the titular town being the ghost town where her family has a plot, not Boise. For a sample of her Western sound, check out "My Hometown" from the "Sundown" album. Then saddle up and go see a musician with some horsepower  just mind your hands lest you get bit.

 Joe Stalvey
Missing: One sea creature, known for her distinctive long neck and propensity for Scottish lakes, last seen eight months ago. Anyone with leads instructed to alert the Official Loch Ness Monster Sightings Register.

One of cryptozoology's most famous icons is missing, according to "worried" members of the society that tracks Loch Ness Monster sightings.

"It's quite unusual for this length of time to pass with no sightings at all," Official Loch Ness Monster Sightings Register keeper Gary Campbell told The Scotsman. "We're quite worried that there has been an eight-month gap since the last sighting. This is especially so when you consider that pretty much everyone will have access to a camera phone to take video and pictures."

Nessie, who was seen eight times in 2016, has gone silent since August 21 with nary a peep out of her native waters. Campbell, who has recorded Nessie appearances for 20 years, reports she's been seen over 1,000 times in that time period  and it's not like her to stay hidden for so long.

"We're really hoping that with the longer evening light that comes with summer and the fact that the Highlands seems to be booming with tourists that someone will see something soon," Campbell told The Scotsman.

He also asked that Nessie lovers keep an eye on the Loch Ness webcam, the source of several of last year's sightings.

The first reported sighting of the Loch Ness Monster was in the sixth century A.D., although the legend gained traction in the 20th century when the famous photo (seen above) was taken. She is believed to live deep in the waters of Loch Ness, perhaps in a hidden cave, making occasional sojourns to the surface.

Multiple expeditions have tried using sonar and satellite tracking to locate Nessie, but she remains well-concealed, possibly in a different space-time continuum.
Community members came together Tuesday to recognize local organizations who strive to create safe and inclusive spaces in Titusville. Above, walkers cross over North Washington Street to speak up for inclusivity at their next stop. Ten organizations participated, and were designated as doing so by displaying teal balloons, teal candles in windows, and Stand Up Together Titusville signage in storefronts.
[April 26, 2017] Flinn Foundation Selects 32nd Class of Flinn Scholars from Arizona's Top Students

Twenty of Arizona's highest-achieving high-school seniors have been awarded the 2017 Flinn Scholarship, a highly competitive merit-based award for undergraduate study at an Arizona public university. The Flinn Scholarship, supported by the Phoenix-based Flinn Foundation and the universities, covers the cost of tuition and room and board at one of the state's three public universities, provides funding for at least two study-abroad experiences and an off-campus internship, and offers other benefits. The scholarship is valued at more than $115,000. The 32nd class of Flinn Scholars represents 17 different high schools across the Phoenix and Tucson metro areas, and in small towns in northern, southern, central and western Arizona. "The Foundation is once again inspired by the dynamic student leaders who make up the new class of Flinn Scholars," said Jack B. Jewett, Flinn Foundation president and CEO. "These talented and successful students, a diverse group from rural and urban areas of Arizona, are ready for an extraordinary education and college experience at our state's universities." The 2017 Flinn Scholars include two each from Arcadia High School in Phoenix and Hamilton High School in Chandler. Scholars also attend Ganado High School on the Navajo Nation, Mohave High School in Bullhead City along the Colorado River, Benson High School in southeastern Arizona and Eloy in central Arizona. Prescott and Cottonwood students are also part of the new Scholars class, along with a home-schooled student from Cave Creek. Five high schools are celebrating their first Flinn Scholar: Desert View High School in Tucson, Tri-City College Prep in Prescott, Santa Cruz Valley Union High School in Eloy, Liberty High School in Poria and Mohave High School in Bullhead City.



This year marks the second time a home-schooled student has been awarded the Flinn Scholarship, and includes the first Scholar for Benson High School and Ganado High School since 1991 and 1992, respectively. The Scholars have a wide range of majors and interests they plan to pursue in the fall, including biomedical engineering, astrophysics, journalism, economics, mathematics, neuroscience, business, urban planning, anthropology, physics, aerospace engineering and computer science.

"This class of incoming Scholars is a remarkable group of students with diverse talents and ambitions," said Anne Lassen, Flinn Scholars Program director. "Not only do they excel academically, but they also invest their time in leadership roles and service projects within their community. We look forward to the contributions they will make to the state and its universities in the years ahead." There will be about 80 current Flinn Scholars studying at Arizona State University, Northern Arizona University and University of Arizona in the fall. More than 500 Scholar alumni have graduated from the universities since the program's inception more than three decades ago. The Flinn Scholars Program received more than 750 applications from high school seniors for this year's scholarship, translating to an award rate of 2.6 percent. The scholarship benefits, beyond covering eight semesters of tuition and room and board, include: A three-week summer seminar in China for the full class following the freshman year, and at least one additional study-abroad experience;

Funded participation in the Professional-Leadership Internship Program, exclusively for Flinn Scholars, at an Arizona company or organization;

Mentorship from top faculty and exposure to local and world leaders, including Arizona's leading business, civic and academic minds;

Fellowship in a community of about 80 current and more than 500 alumni Scholars;

Membership in a university honors college or program, with small classes, guest lectures and research experiences;

Intellectual, cultural and social activities developed for Scholars by both the Flinn Foundation and the universities. The typical Flinn Scholar achieves at least a 3.5 grade-point average, a top-5 percent class rank, a score of 1360 on the SAT or 29 on the ACT, and participation and demonstrated leadership in extracurricular activities. The Flinn Scholars Program is operated by the Flinn Foundation Scholarship Program LLC and supported by the Flinn Foundation, a Phoenix-based private, nonprofit, grantmaking organization. The Foundation, founded in 1965 by the late Dr. Robert and Irene Flinn, also supports the advancement of Arizona's bioscience sector, arts and culture, and the Arizona Center for Civic Leadership. Additional information about the Flinn Scholars Program can be found at www.flinnscholars.org For more information: 2017 Flinn Scholars Photos of the 2017 Flinn Scholars are available upon request. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170426006244/en/

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[April 26, 2017]

Top Echelon Contracting Celebrates 25th Anniversary

CANTON, Ohio, April 26, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Top Echelon Contracting, started April 8, 1992, is celebrating its 25th year in business. The company has placed over 16,000 contractors nationwide since its establishment.



Top Echelon Contracting (TEC) is a back-office solution for recruiters who offer contract staffing to their clients. By providing legal, financial, and administrative services, TEC acts as the W-2 employer of record for contract employees. The company aims to save recruiters time, increase their profits, and eliminate headaches.

During this time, the company would like to thank each recruiter who has used the back-office services. Top Echelon attributes its significnt growth to its loyal and growing customer base.







When I look back over the past 25 years, the number one thing that stands out to me is the character, heart, integrity, and hard work of so many recruiters that Ive had the pleasure of working with, says Debbie Fledderjohann, President of Top Echelon Contracting.

For a quarter of a century, the company has withstood changes in the economy, technology, demographics, and politics.

Since its establishment, Top Echelon Contracting has simplified contract staffing for recruiters in all 50 states. Top Echelon Contracting continues working toward placing more contractors and providing the same great contract staffing services recruiters know and trust.

Top Echelon Contracting, located in Canton, Ohio, helps recruiters make more placements. Top Echelon offers recruiting software, a recruiting network for split placements, and a back-office contract staffing solution. For more information about Top Echelon, visit www.topechelon.com or call 888-627-3678. Top Echelon is a subsidiary of Patriot Software Company.



Contact: Top Echelon, LLC Michele Bossart, Marketing Manager 877-968-7147 ext. 182 [email protected]
[April 26, 2017] Duo World Inc. Begins Trading Under the Symbol DUUO

HENDERSON, Nev., April 26, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Duo World Inc. (OTC Pink:DUUO), announced today that it has been approved for trading under the symbol DUUO. The Company is one of the leading providers of enterprise solutions for the Asia Pacific region. Through the companys API driven Cloud Communication, Subscriber Management and Billing Solution, Data Visualization Tool and more, it has secured a significant market share in the industry, managing millions of subscribers.

Mr. Muhunthan Canagasooryam, CEO and Chairman of Duo World Inc., shared, Our entire management team and employees have worked very hard over the past year to prepare and engage to go public in the United States. With our new listing we hope to expand our core business, look at synergistic anti-dilutive acquisitions and create liquidity for our investors. We look forward to continue to update the public of our ongoing activities. About Duo World Inc. Duo World Inc., having its headquarters in Nevada, United States, and its software development center in Colombo, Sri Lanka, has been catering to the companies in the space of Customer Life Cycle Management, Customer Care, Billing, Business Intelligence and Contact Center Management solutions across the globe. Driven by innovation Duo World Inc. has favored the enterprises in many ways, including efficiency, cost reduction, revenue optimization and continuous value addition to their product or service offerings. With the ever-evolving technology and innovation, Duo World Inc.s CEO Mr. Muhunthan Canagasooryam foresaw a revolutionary idea to provide solutions for different business domains hosted on cloud, on premise or a hybrid model ofthe two providing ultimate flexibility and a wider scope for the businesses in various industries. The idea came into reality when DuoWorld Inc. took a step forward by launching its flagship products into the market. It included FaceTone, an API driven Cloud Communication and Collaboration Platform, CloudCharge, a cloud based Subscriber Management and Billing Solution, DigIn, a cloud based Business Intelligence and Data Visualization Tool and Smoothflow, a cloud based workflow designing tool.



Learn more about Duo World at www.duoworld.com. Safe Harbor Statement:

This release contains forward-looking statements that are based upon current expectations or beliefs, as well as a number of assumptions about future events. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements and the assumptions upon which they are based are reasonable, we can give no assurance or guarantee that such expectations and assumptions will prove to have been correct. Forward-looking statements are generally identifiable by the use of words like "may," "will," "should," "could," "expect," "anticipate," "estimate," "believe," "intend," or "project" or the negative of these words or other variations on these words or comparable terminology. The reader is cautioned not to put undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, as these statements are subject to numerous factors and uncertainties, including but not limited to: adverse economic conditions, competition, adverse federal, state and local government regulation, international governmental regulation, inadequate capital, inability to carry out research, development and commercialization plans, loss or retirement of key executives and other specific risks. To the extent that statements in this press release are not strictly historical, including statements as to revenue projections, business strategy, outlook, objectives, future milestones, plans, intentions, goals, future financial conditions, events conditioned on stockholder or other approval, or otherwise as to future events, such statements are forward-looking, and are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The forward-looking statements contained in this release are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the statements made. Readers are advised to review our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission that can be accessed over the Internet at the SEC's website located at http://www.sec.gov. Contact: Investor Relations Stanley Wunderlich Consulting for Strategic Growth 1 Ltd. Tel: 800-625-2236 Email: [email protected] www.launchpadir.net Duo World Inc. 170 S Green Valley Parkway Suite 300 Henderson, Nevada 89012 Tel: 870-505-6540 Email: [email protected] Website: www.duoworld.com

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[April 26, 2017] Daniel Morgan Graduate School Chair Ronald Marks to Speak at Spirit of Innovation Summit

WASHINGTON, April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Ronald Marks, Professor and Chair of the Intelligence Program at the Daniel Morgan Graduate School, is presenting today at the Conrad Foundation's Spirit of Innovation Summit on his life and career as a U.S. Intelligence Officer. The Spirit of Innovation Summit will take place Wednesday, April 26 through Saturday, April 29 at the NASA Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The Summit honors finalists from the Conrad Spirit of Innovation Challenge, an annual competition that brings together young innovators and entrepreneurs to develop tangible solutions in the areas of aerospace, cybersecurity, energy, and health. "The Summit brings together an array of experts in the cybersecurity and government industries, so to be asked to talk about my background in intelligence and technology is truly a great honor," said Marks. "As a software executive, I am looking forward to guiding discussions on how to develop innovative, 21st-century technologies that advance our cyber processes in both the business and intelligence communities." At the Summit, Marks will speak on his 33-year career in the U.S. national security community. A former CIA official, Marks was a clandestine service officer and a Senate Liaison for five different CIA Directors. He joined the Daniel Morgan Graduate School of National Security in 2016 as the Chair of the Inteligence Program and Professor of Intelligence Studies.



Prior to joining the Daniel Morgan Graduate School, Marks was President of Intelligence Enterprises, a management-consulting group focusing on the national security marketplace. He was also the Director of Battelle Memorial Institute's Cyber Doctrine Program where he created a doctrine that frames the uses and limits of America's cyber activities. Marks currently serves on the Board of Directors at The George Washington University Center for Cyber and Homeland Security and has been a Standing Committee Member of the Center for Strategic & International Studies' Transnational Threats Initiative for the past 20 years. A well-respected thought-leader in the intelligence and cybersecurity community, Marks has appeared on NBC Nightly News and MSNBC, among countless other radio programs and talk shows. His remarks on various intelligence and security matters have been published in The Washington Times, Christian Science Monitor and The National Journal.

Marks is also the author of Spying in America in the Post 9/11 World: Domestic Threat and the Need for Change, a book that questions the legalities of U.S. domestic intelligence collection in the age of the Internet. "Daniel Morgan Graduate School has given me a tremendous opportunity to pass along my experience to those just embarking on their careers in the intelligence field," Marks said. "I appreciate the chance to represent the school at such a respected event as Daniel Morgan continues to gain prominence on a national stage." Marks earned his Bachelors in Business Administration and Economics from Lewis & Clark College and his Master in Economics from the University of Oregon. 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. To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/daniel-morgan-graduate-school-chair-ronald-marks-to-speak-at-spirit-of-innovation-summit-300446233.html SOURCE Daniel Morgan Graduate School

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[April 26, 2017] Alliance Memory Introduces New 1Gb High-Speed CMOS DDR SDRAM in 128M x 8 Configuration

SAN CARLOS, Calif., April 26, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Alliance Memory today introduced a new 1Gb high-speed CMOS double data rate synchronous DRAM (DDR SDRAM) in the 66-pin TSOP II package. Offered in an industrial temperature range from -40C to +85C, the AS4C128M8D1-6TIN features a hard-to-find internal configuration of four banks of 32M word x 8 bits.

With a clock frequency up to 166 MHz for fast data transfer rates, the device released today provides a reliable drop-in, pin-to-pin compatible replacement for a number of similar solutions in industrial, medical, communications, and military products requiring high memory bandwidth. The DDR SDRAM operates from a single +2.5V (0.2V) power supply, features a power down mode to lower power consumption, and offers a data mask for write control. The AS4C128M8D1-6TIN supports sequential and interleave burst types with read or write burst lengths of 2, 4, or 8. Operating the devices four banks in an interleaved fashion allows random access operation to occur at a higher rate than standard DRAMs, while a sequential and gapless daa rate is possible depending on burst length, CAS latency, and speed grade. An auto pre-charge function provides a self-timed row pre-charge initiated at the end of the burst sequence. Easy-to-use refresh functions include auto- or self-refresh.



Alliance Memory offers an extensive lineup of DDR SDRAMs featuring densities of 64Mb, 128Mb, 256Mb, 512Mb, and 1Gb. For the companys customers, these devices eliminate costly redesigns by providing long-term support for products that have been end-of-lifed (EOLed) by other suppliers. Samples and production quantities of the AS4C128M8D1-6TIN are available now, with lead times of four to eight weeks.

About Alliance Memory Inc.

Alliance Memory is a worldwide provider of critical and hard-to-find DRAM and SRAM memory ICs for the communications, computing, consumer electronics, medical, automotive, and industrial markets. The companys product range includes DRAMs and SRAMs with commercial, industrial, and automotive operating temperature ranges and densities from 64Kb to 8Gb. Privately held, Alliance Memory maintains headquarters in San Carlos, California, and regional offices in Europe, Asia, and South America. More information about Alliance Memory is available online at www.alliancememory.com. Editor resources: Link to product image:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/alliancememory/albums/72157680398043812 Link to detailed product info:

http://www.alliancememory.com/datasheets/AS4C128M8D1.asp Agency Contact:

Bob Decker

Redpines

+1 415 409 0233

[email protected] Alliance Memory Contact:

TJ Mueller

Vice President of Marketing

+1 650 610-6802

[email protected]

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[April 26, 2017] Beckon and the Campbell Soup Company to Present a Case Study in Agile Marketing at the 2017 MarTech Conference

SAN MATEO, Calif., April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Beckon, The Source of Truth for Marketing and performance analytics partner to many of the world's biggest brands, will be speaking at the 2017 MarTech USA conference taking place at the Hilton San Francisco Union Square. Jennifer Zeszut, Chief Customer Officer and Co-Founder of Beckon, and Marci Raible, Vice President, Global Media & Marketing Services with the Campbell Soup Company, will discuss Campbell's journey to becoming a data-driven marketing organization. The duo will share examples, challenges and lessons drawn from Campbell's experience opening up marketing data to the wider team, along with best practices for changing the way marketing teams think about and work with data. Beckon will be exhibiting at the event, demonstrating its marketing intelligence software at booth No. 914. If you are a member of the media and interested in attending the conference or making an appointment to speak with a Beckon executive, please contact Casey Bush at [email protected]. Session Details What

Beckon and the Campbell Soup Company Speak at 2017 MarTech San Francisco



When

Thursday, May 11, 2017

4:25 p.m. to 4:45 p.m. Where

Hilton San Francisco Union Square

333 O'Farrell Street

San Francisco, CA 94102

Why

When marketers democratize reporting and analytics, putting data-driven decision-making in the hands of more people, one-third of the marketing team jumps for joy, one-third is apprehensive but open, and the remaining third is scared to death. How much data do you share? What do you keep close to the vest? Do you fully democratize analytics or create analytical templates that serve as guardrails for users? How do you roll out the new capabilities? How can leaders encourage data-informed experimentation? Martech professionals must find ways to offer freedom within a framework. Campbell's and Beckon tackle these questions and more as they present best practices for democratizing marketing data, including: How to make a case for change.

The data is wired up  now what? Tips for rollout.

The essential question: what to centralize and decentralize.

The role of a "playbook for insights" and how to put one in place.

New and emerging roles within the brand based on this new call for transparency.

How to demonstrate and communicate data-driven success across the organization to encourage support and adoption. To join the conversation, follow Beckon on Twitter at @BeckonInc or visit the Beckon blog. About Beckon

Beckon is The Source of Truth for Marketingenterprise software that delivers clean, trusted data and real-time marketing intelligence for agile decisions at the speed and scale of modern marketing. The first platform to combine data best practices with marketing best practices, Beckon provides automated data management, total visibility into cross-channel marketing performance, integrated campaign planning, omnichannel analytics, real-time dashboards and scorecards, and marketing KPIs right out of the box for fast time to value. Beckon is for marketers who want to bring order to messy data, see what's working across it all, spend wisely, maximize ROI and tell the story of marketing's impact on the business. Contact

Casey Bush

Director of Marketing

[email protected] To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/beckon-and-the-campbell-soup-company-to-present-a-case-study-in-agile-marketing-at-the-2017-martech-conference-300445707.html SOURCE Beckon

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[April 26, 2017] FICS Hosts 31st Annual Users' Conference

Financial Industry Computer Systems, Inc. (FICS), a leading mortgage loan origination software, residential servicing software and commercial servicing software provider, recently hosted its 31st Annual Users' Conference in Dallas. The April conference had nearly 300 lenders, servicers, and other industry partners attending. FICS' customers enjoyed live demonstrations of new product features and enhancements, one-on-one hands on training, educational sessions surrounding regulatory changes affecting the industry and user-centric panels and workshops. These opportunities provided lenders and servicers insight to major industry challenges, including HMDA reform and Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac Investor Reporting changes. Dawn Gibbs, CEO and chairman of the board for FICS, kicked off the 31st conference on Wednesday night by welcoming FICS customers and recounting significant software developments at FICS. "I've often heard people speak of the 'power of threes.' In the beginning, we developd three mortgage solutions, all of which have been written three times in three different languages over the past thirty years. We have also developed and continue to support fourteen ancillary systems to fulfill various functional purposes from mortgage accounting, APIs, to web applications," Gibbs said. "All of our achievements would not be possible if it weren't for our talented team of employees, who are well-trained, determined, and most importantly, dedicated to you -- our customers."



FICS takes great pride in maintaining strong relationships with its customers. "After more than 10 years using FICS software, my relationship with FICS remains the strongest I have with any vendor I've ever worked with," said Theresa Smith, Commercial Lending Operations Manager for Desert Schools Federal Credit Union. "At the annual Users' Conference, FICS asks us what changes we'd like to see in the software systems. Then they implement the most requested changes in future system updates. I appreciate that my input and feedback are reflected in technology updates throughout the year." Last year, FICS worked with Tennessee Housing Development Agency (THDA) to convert more than 2,000 loans to Mortgage Servicer. Robert Kirtz, Business Analyst for THDA, said, "The conversion experience was definitely a positive one as we were able to convert our accounts in about two months with very few problems and start the process of not only underwriting, but also servicing loans-adding further value to the residents of Tennessee. We'll also be converting a larger portfolio later this year, and we look forward to the continued help and involvement from FICS' conversion support staff."

In her keynote speech, Susan Graham, President and COO of FICS, elaborated on how FICS' software and delivery channels have evolved to provide a more flexible and modernized loan process. "Online services are critical to a successful mortgage operation," said Graham. "According to a 2016 survey by Zillow Group, more than 50 percent of all home buyers already apply for their mortgage online. On average, 80% of millennials use mobile devices or apps to help with the home buying process. To help our customers meet consumer demands and work more efficiently, we have been enhancing our online tools. We look forward to continuing to build the innovative tools our customers need to navigate the constantly changing regulatory environment and adapt to the needs of the new generation of borrowers." The 2018 Users' Conference will be held April 4-6th in Dallas. About FICS

Founded in 1983 and headquartered in Dallas, Texas, Financial Industry Computer Systems, Inc. (FICS), specializes in providing flexible, comprehensive residential and commercial technology solutions to the mortgage industry. FICS' systems are designed to operate on Microsoft (News - Alert) Windows platforms with the most recent solutions written using .NET Framework that include a rich Windows Presentation Foundation user interface and multi-tiered shareable services. The company also provides innovative document management and web-based capabilities in its full suite of products. Additional information about FICS is available via the company's website at www.FICS.com. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170426005883/en/

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[April 26, 2017] Unit4 Partners with SpendRight to Provide Industry Leading and Comprehensive Offering for Off-Highway Machinery Dealerships

NADITA Conference -- Unit4, a fast growing leader in enterprise applications for service organizations, today announced a partnership with SpendRight, a procurement and supply chain consulting company with decades of experience working with off-highway machinery dealerships, specifically in finance, procurement, and project management. For over 25 years, Unit4 has been the financial management software of choice for Caterpillar dealers worldwide, and this partnership solidifies SpendRight and Unit4's relationship to provide best-in-class support for implementing enterprise finance and procurement systems for equipment manufacturing facilities and dealerships in the off-highway manufacturing space. With over forty years of experience working with manufacturing facilities, SpendRight's founders have helped dealerships around the world to streamline financing and purchasing procedures through training, support, and best-practice implementation of enterprise systems, including Unit4 Financials. SpendRight has led numerous teams and projects in cost reduction and spend analysis initiatives and has helped its clients to save tens of millions of dollars through the strategic overhaul of risk, project and supplier management processes, including alignment with ERP implementations. SpendRight President Jennifer Albright is an industry leading consultant who served on the procurement advisory council for North American CAT dealers for over a decade and continues to advise CAT dealers on software implementation and best practice processes. "As a long-time partner to CAT delerships looking to streamline their financing and purchasing procedures, we've worked extensively with their preferred solution provider, Unit4, to develop customer-specific solutions," said Jennifer Albright. "I am thrilled to solidify our long-term relationship with Unit4 in an official partnership, and look forward to collaborating closely with Unit4 on cost reduction and spend analysis initiatives that improve my client's businesses - and their bottom line."



SpendRight brings the following expertise to customers implementing Unit4 Financials in the off-highway machinery space: Process re-engineering services for best practice implementation, including strategy development, supplier categorization, cross-functional process mapping and gap analysis, metric development, and change management procedures

During implementation of Unit4, SpendRight provides data cleansing, catalog creation, configuration design support, supplier readiness, and system testing

Continued support for departmental set-up, cutover execution, and key user training, including training materials and tools

Best-in-class expertise from leading specialists in the CAT dealer space for procurement and spend analysis "For decades, Unit4 Financials has provided the industry-leading accounting solution dealers need to succeed, including a top performing architecture and ease of integration with operational systems," says Jim Millard, Vice President Sales and Strategic Alliances at Unit4 North America. "Through our partnership with SpendRight, we will be able to offer best-in-class software solutions for our customers in the off-highway space, as well as consultation from leading experts in the space."

This announcement comes during the 2017 North American Dealer Information Technology Association (NADITA) Conference, which gathers Caterpillar Dealer technology leaders and personnel from around the world to discuss the latest industry trends. The event is currently being held at the ARIA Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, April 24-27. Stop by Unit4's booth at the event, booth number 47, for more information about this partnership and Unit4 ERP software. About Unit4

Unit4 is a leading provider of enterprise applications empowering people in service organizations. Unit4 delivers ERP, industry-focused and best-in-class applications. Thousands of organizations from industries including professional services, education, public sector, non-profit, real estate, wholesale, and financial services benefit from Unit4 solutions. Unit4 is in business for people. Unit4 operates on a global scale with more than 4,200 employees worldwide offering our customers a global support model. For more information, please visit the website at www.unit4.com/us/, follow us on Twitter (News - Alert) @Unit4_NA, or visit our LinkedIn page. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170426005894/en/

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[April 26, 2017] Benu Networks Celebrates Earth Day with Eco-Friendly Activities

BILLERICA, Mass., April 26, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Benu Networks, a leading provider of innovative virtual network solutions that enable service providers to rapidly create and deliver next generation IP services, today announced the company will partner with the Lowell Parks & Conservation Trust (LP&CT) to host an educational session for all tenants within the Concord Road Corporate Center. In addition, Benu Networks employees will volunteer their time to assist with LP&CTs fish monitoring program.

On Thursday, April 27th, as part of its Earth Day celebration, Benu Networks will host the following activities: Benu Networks will host an educational session featuring the Lowell Parks & Conservation Trust. LP&CT will present on the Concord River, the efforts underway to protect this local watershed, and the various ways people can help with this important initiative. Open to all tenants within the Concord Road Corporate Center campus, the session will take place from 11AM to 11:30AM in the cafeteria at 300 Concord Road, Billerica, MA.

In the afternoon, Benu Networks employees will help monitor the recovery of te river herring population that have been migrating up the Concord River in the highest numbers seen in over twenty years. Employees will help count river herring adults going upstream, make written observational comments, and monitor underwater video footage.



About The Lowell Parks & Conservation Trust

The Lowell Parks & Conservation Trust (LP&CT) is a private, non-profit land trust located in Lowell, Massachusetts. LP&CT was founded in 1990 by residents with a vision to protect the natural resources upon which the city of Lowell was built. LP&CT provides conservation leadership and programs which focus on four major areas: land protection, stewardship, environmental education, and special places. http://lowelllandtrust.org

About Benu Networks

Benu Networks carrier-class Virtual Service Edge (VSE) software platform enables the rapid creation and delivery of next generation IP services over a converged infrastructure, and empowers service providers to increase revenue, expand market leadership, and meet the dynamic needs of their business, residential and mobile customers. For more information, please visit the Benu Networks website: www.benunetworks.com and follow us on Twitter @benunets. For Benu Networks, please contact: Kelly Friedland Director of Marketing 781-640-4864 [email protected]

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By Press Trust of India: deepen

New Delhi, Apr 25 (PTI) In the backdrop of the Naxalite attack on security forces in Chhattisgarhs Sukma, Israel today emphasised on deepening cooperation with India to combat "terrorism", as it conveyed condolences to the government.

Daniel Carmon, Israels envoy to India, said there is a "new battlefield, an asymmetric warfare" which the security forces have to face.

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"Terrorism is one of the challenges India and Israel face. It is an opportunity to reconvene our condolences to what happened in Chhattisgarh, but there are different facets to this.

"Every life lost due to the terrible attacks by terrorists is really very, very sad and also brings us to be more engaged in fighting terrorism," Carmon said, adding that the two countries signed an agreement on Homeland Security and Anti-Terrorism agreement in 2014.

He was delivering a lecture on India-Israel- Enduring Partnership at the Nehru Memorial Museum here.

Twenty-five CRPF personnel were killed in a Naxalite attack in Chhattisgarhs Sukma district yesterday.

"Very saddened and concerned. We have conveyed our condolences to the Indian government," Carmon later told reporters.

He rued that there is no unanimity on the definition of the word terrorism.

He said security forces have to maintain a balance between human rights and the governments obligation towards ensuring its peoples security.

"There is a fine line between how do we as governments, armies, paramilitaries, police forces or security forces maintain the very high important values of human rights which are predominant in the policies of democracies and how do we safeguard our citizens, which is the most important obligation of government and security forces," Carmon said.

He also attacked Iran for "encouraging terrorism".

The Israeli envoy said the upcoming visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the Jewish nation has "enormous" significance.

He said earlier there were problems of "visibility" in the ties between the two countries, but with the new dispensation in New Delhi there has been a change.

"Things have evolved. It took an effort and now we are at a stage where an Indian President visits Israel and an Israeli President (Reuven Rivlin) visits India for eight consecutive days," Carmon said.

Rivlin visited India in February last year while Indian President Pranab Mukherjee visited Israel in October 2015.

Carmon said also Israel is looking for a "strategic partnership" in the field of water during Modis visit.

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The Israeli envoy said the Jewish community has never suffered from any persecution or racism in India.

India has a very small population of Jews, with a majority of them residing in Mumbai and Pune. PTI PR BSA

--- ENDS ---
[April 26, 2017] This trail of "Breadcrumb(s)" leads to Restaurant Success

7shifts Adds Breadcrumb POS Integration TORONTO, April 26, 2017 /CNW/ - 7shifts today announced a new integration with Breadcrumb POS by Upserve as a partner in the Upserve Marketplace. The integration between 7shifts and Breadcrumb POS means U.S. customers can create quicker and more accurate schedules. "Giving our customers access to the data in their restaurants, and the ability to turn those insights into profit, is key to the success of their business, as well as ours," said Jordan Boesch, founder and CEO of 7shifts. "This is the reason that our team is always looking to partner with the best POS systems in the industry, and we are thrilled to be integrating with Breadcrumb POS to help our customers turn their data into action." 7shifts is the most intuitive employee scheduling and communication app for the restaurant industry. Managers of single or multi-location restaurants use 7shifts to reduce the time it takes to schedule staff from several hours down to just a few minutes each month. The app also helps food service managers reduce labor costs with more effective shift strategies and streamline communications with their workforce. How the integrated solution works This integration syncs an establishment's real-time sales data from their Breadcrumb POS into 7shifs and displays it in the schedule creator. Once synced, the sales data can be used to track a restaurant's actual labor costs, and can also be used to forecast future sales and used to determine future scheduling needs. To celebrate the launch of the new integration, 7shifts is offering a special two-month free trial to any restaurateur that signs up through the Upserve Marketplace.



"Restaurants want connected systems and connected dots. Bringing together Breadcrumb POS and 7shifts not only makes life easier but gives them a leg up with richer insights," said Dave Hoffman, Vice President of Business Development at Upserve. "We're thrilled to have 7shifts as a partner in the Upserve Marketplace, which is unifying restaurant technologies across the industry." Upserve, the industry's only full-service Restaurant Management Platform, puts everything the restaurant needs in one place including payments processing, point of sale and in-depth restaurant analytics. The company launched Upserve Marketplace so restaurant owners and operators have a one-stop-shop for every aspect of running their business, connecting more than a dozen apps  spanning categories like accounting, inventory management, gift cards, data sercurity and more  directly with the Upserve platform. Restaurants interested in the Upserve Marketplace, and technology partners interested in integrating, can learn more at upserve.com/marketplace.

About 7shifts With offices in Toronto and Saskatoon, 7shifts is a leader in employee scheduling software designed specifically for restaurants, cafes, bars, and other foodservice operations. 7shifts tools empower restaurateurs to save time on staff scheduling, reduce labor costs and streamline team communications. 7shifts offers a 28-day free trial and a no-contract subscription. Additional information is available at www.7shifts.com. About Upserve Upserve puts everything restaurateurs need to know in one place, providing real-time guidance to unlock the power of their menu, workforce and guest habits. One of the largest and fastest-growing companies in the restaurant technology space, thousands of restaurants use Upserve to process over $11 billion in annual sales, manage relationships with more than 32 million active diners, and crunch the numbers on 23 million meals per month. Founded in 2009, Upserve is backed by First Round Capital, Shasta Ventures, Index Ventures, Pritzker Group and Greylock Partners, among others. Upserve is headquartered in Providence with additional offices in San Francisco and New York City. SOURCE 7shifts

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[April 26, 2017] NETSUITE ANNOUNCES ONEWORLD FOR NORDICS-HEADQUARTERED COMPANIES

LAS VEGAS, April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- SUITEWORLD 2017 -- Oracle NetSuite Global Business Unit (GBU), one of the industry's leading provider of cloud financials / ERP, HR and omnichannel commerce software suites, today announced NetSuite OneWorld for Nordics-headquartered businesses. NetSuite OneWorld is now localized for Nordics-based businesses. With over 730 subsidiaries and legal entities of global companies already running businesses in Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland, the new localized OneWorld offering will bring more global cloud ERP capabilities for the region. Nordic companies will benefit from the combination of NetSuite's increased product investment and Oracle's localization capabilities. "NetSuite's commitment to the Nordic region was a compelling factor in our decision to go with NetSuite OneWorld," said Tomi Holmberg, Director Sales Operations at Napa Ltd., a Helsinki-based company providing software solutions and services for the maritime industry. "We're eager to learn more on the new and existing features of NetSuite to further improve our internal end-to-end process. I'm looking forward to meeting NetSuite professional personnel as well as other NetSuite users from different companies to have fruitful discussions on how we can utilize this great system to its full extent." "NetSuite is already providing Nordic businesses with one of the industry's leading cloud ERP and these country-specific capabilities are a signal of our continued commitment to the success of companies headquartered in the region and across Europe," said Craig Sullivan, Group Vice President of Product Development for NetSuite. "NetSuite OneWorld delivers the local tax, currency and accounting support to help Nordic companies continue to drive growth, expand and prepare for whatever comes next." NetSuite OneWorld, a Game-Changer for Nordic Businesses NetSuite OneWorld provides a unified and cloud-based suite of software that is flexible enough to meet the needs of diverse business models, legal structures and geographies. NetSuite OneWorld supports 190 currencies, 20 languages, automated tax calculation and reporting in more than 100 countries, and customer transactions in more than 200 countries. Further, NetSuite OneWorld delivers omnichannel commerce capabilities to enable both B2B and B2C businesses to move from siloed online, in-store and call center shopping channels to an integrated commerce solution. Connecting ecommerce to order management, inventory, merchandising, marketing, financials and customer service gives NetSuite users the seamless brand experience needed to exceed customer expectations across the business. NetSuite OneWorld for Nordics-Headquartered Companies Delivers: Multi-subsidiary management. NetSuite OneWorld's support for businesses with multiple subsidiaries, business units and legal entities, provides eal-time access to subsidiary and parent operational data through detailed reports that can drill down to specific country-level data.



Global currency and accounting. NetSuite OneWorld offers easy configuration to support International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), local Generally Accepted Accounting Practices (GAAP) and legal requirements, flexible revenue recognition rules, depreciation and costing methods to help meet local norms and support for more than 190 currencies, including the ISO standard currencies with automated feeds to maintain exchange rates between currencies from a choice of providers. Comprehensive tax compliance. By providing triangulation reporting for business engagements that span three countries, Intracommunity Sales and Purchase reporting, Intrastat declarations and Tax Audit File generation in various formats, including SAF-T, NetSuite OneWorld bridges the gap between traditional ERP and external tax engines and provides seamless access to key data required to satisfy those tax authorities.

Country-specific indirect tax support. NetSuite OneWorld supports the Nordics' indirect VAT reports, including Skatt (DK), Skatteverket (SE), VERO Skatt (FI) and Skatteetaten (NO), along with other regional and global variants of Value-Added Tax, Sales Tax and Withholding Tax. It can be easily configured to calculate, track and report on the indirect tax obligations of businesses regardless of country, which can materially simplify tax management, tax compliance, filing, and audit accountability. Within the EU, NetSuite Global Tax also handles triangulation reporting requirements for business engagements that span three countries or more. It also supports Mini-One-Stop-Shop (MOSS) tax calculation and reporting obligations for companies delivering electronic services to European customers. Local bank and payment support. NetSuite OneWorld offers a highly configurable payment solution with more than 90 predefined bank formats and a payment partner program that offers strong coverage for credit card, debit card and alternative payment methods in the region. Local language support. NetSuite OneWorld supports 20 languages including Danish, Swedish, Finnish and Norwegian for the Nordics. Further, NetSuite OneWorld enables businesses to trade with customers, suppliers and partners anywhere in the world in the language of their choice while meeting local compliance standards and cultural expectations through easily customizable forms. Cloud-based architecture. NetSuite OneWorld frees businesses from the hassles and expenses of managing on-premise software and associated hardware with a system able to be available anywhere at any time with an internet connection with mobile access from iPhone and Android devices with optimized screens to enable on-the-move executives and field staff. Robust development platform. The SuiteCloud development platform enables businesses in the region to customize the software to their specific needs and integrate with third-party applications. NetSuite's SuiteCloud Development Network provides a vibrant partner ecosystem that has strong regional and vertical industry partners with domain expertise and knowledge. For Nordics-Headquartered Companies, NetSuite OneWorld can deliver country-specific features and functionality such as: Global currency and accounting

Country-specific indirect tax support

Local language support in Danish, Swedish, Finnish and Norwegian

Robust development platform with a vibrant partner ecosystem that has strong regional and vertical industry partners with domain expertise and local knowledge such Staria Oyj and Accountor Enterprise. For Denmark-Headquartered Companies, NetSuite OneWorld can deliver country-specific features and functionality such as: Global currency and accounting

Country-specific indirect tax support

Flexible reporting engine that provides country-specific reporting

Local bank and payment support

Local language support

Robust development platform For Sweden-Headquartered Companies, NetSuite OneWorld can deliver country-specific features and functionality such as: Global currency and accounting

Country-specific indirect tax support

Local language support

Flexible reporting engine that supports country-specific reporting

SIE compliance and local payment processing for Bankgiro, Plusgiro, and SEPA

Swedish invoice layout

Robust development platform For Norway-Headquartered Companies, NetSuite OneWorld can deliver country-specific features and functionality such as: Global currency and accounting

Country-specific indirect tax support

Local language support

Flexible reporting engine that supports country-specific reporting

Robust development platform For Finland-Headquartered Companies, NetSuite OneWorld can deliver country-specific features and functionality such as: Global currency and accounting

Country-specific indirect tax support

Local language support

FAS reporting

Payroll integration

E-invoicing / Finnish invoice layout

Banking integration including Finnish invoice numbering and SEPA payment format

Robust development platform About Oracle NetSuite Global Business Unit

Oracle NetSuite Global Business Unit pioneered the Cloud Computing revolution in 1998, establishing the world's first company dedicated to delivering business applications over the internet. Today, Oracle NetSuite Global Business Unit provides a suite of cloud-based financials / Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), HR and omnichannel commerce software that runs the business of companies in more than 100 countries. For more information, please visit www.netsuite.com. Follow Oracle NetSuite Global Business Unit's Cloud blog, Facebook page and @NetSuite Twitter handle for real-time updates. About Oracle

Oracle offers a comprehensive and fully integrated stack of cloud applications and platform services. For more information about Oracle (NYSE:ORCL), visit www.oracle.com. Trademarks

Oracle and Java are registered trademarks of Oracle and/or its affiliates. Other names may be trademarks of their respective owners. To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/netsuite-announces-oneworld-for-nordics-headquartered-companies-300444768.html SOURCE Oracle NetSuite Global Business Unit

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[April 26, 2017] A Majority of IT Leaders Believe Trump Administration's Executive Order to Reform H-1B Visas Makes Skilled Talent Less Available, More Costly

Just days after the Trump administration issued an executive order to reform the current H-1B visa program toward a goal of reducing American reliance on skilled foreign labor, many senior IT executives expressed concerns of its impending impact. According to a Harvey Nash Pulse Report released today, almost two-thirds (63 percent) of companies with 50+ developers believe the current H-1B visa program as is has been successful in meeting their needs to access highly skilled IT talent. However, 61 percent of U.S. IT leaders with large development teams say the proposed changes will make skilled IT talent less available. Moreover, 68 percent of companies with 50+ developers report these proposed reforms will also increase the cost to hire skilled IT talent. Despite the potential challenges the executive order will bring, two-thirds (66 percent) of all respondents will not delay plans for product development and 61 percent will not stop investing in innovation as companies must strive to remain globally competitive. While there is clear agreement on the effectiveness of the current program to meet U.S. companies' needs for skilled IT talent, leaders are split on whether the current program hurts American IT workers (50 percent say yes, 50 percent say no). Despite mixed feelings on this point from businesses, domestic talent could benefit from H-1B restrictions. With a shrinking IT talent pool, U.S. workers are likely to experience higher wages for in-demand development positions. "The short-term effects of the proposed H-1B visa program changes are that employer csts will increase and more jobs will be shipped offshore," said Harvey Nash USA President and CEO Bob Miano. "Domestic supply of IT talent can't change overnight - that takes years, and only if there is an increase of STEM graduates. U.S. companies will, over time, see an increasing demand vying for a fixed supply of talent. The results are that costs will go up, talent will stay in their home countries, and the U.S. will be less competitive on the world stage."



While agreeing there is potential negative impact of these H-1B visa reforms to their organizations, IT leaders will explore alternative strategies to source labor: Fifty-nine (59) percent of companies with 50 or more developers will consider offshoring as a solution.

Close to half (49 percent) of those same companies will increase the acquisition of direct hires over IT contractors, compared to just 35 percent of firms with smaller development teams. Harvey Nash's Pulse (News - Alert) Report on the impact of proposed reforms to the H-1B visa program utilizes data from an online survey of IT business leaders. A total of 174 responses were received from U.S. IT leaders working in more than 20 different industry sectors. For the full survey findings, click here.

About Harvey Nash Inc. Harvey Nash Inc. is the U.S. division of the Harvey Nash Group, a global professional recruitment firm and IT outsourcing service provider traded on the London Stock Exchange since 1997. Harvey Nash has helped over half the world's leading companies recruit, source and manage the highly skilled talent they need to succeed in an increasingly competitive, global and technology driven world. With 7,000 experts in 43 offices across Europe, Asia and North America, Harvey Nash has the reach and resources of a global organization, and it fosters a culture of innovation and agility that empowers all employees across the world to respond to constantly changing client needs. Harvey Nash works with clients, both big and small, to deliver a portfolio of services: IT recruitment, IT outsourcing/offshoring and executive search. To learn more, please visit www.harveynashusa.com. Follow us: www.twitter.com/harveynashusa and www.facebook.com/harveynashusa. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170426006093/en/

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[April 26, 2017] AKQA's Walk With Yeshi Honoured in Fast Company's World Changing Ideas

Walk With Yeshi, the experience designed by AKQA to draw attention to the global water crisis, launched in partnership with Lokai and Charity: Water, has been honoured in Fast Company's World Changing Ideas issue. This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170426006275/en/ AKQA's Walk With Yeshi honoured in Fast Company's World Changing Ideas (Graphic: Business Wire) Using Facebook (News - Alert) Messenger, Walk With Yeshi incorporates artificial intelligence and a conersational, multimedia interface to invite individuals to participate in a young Ethiopian woman's story. Yeshi, the main character, represents the millions of young women in Northern Africa who walk for hours each day just to collect water. There, roughly half of the population lack access to clean drinking water and as much as 80% of illnesses are linked to poor water and sanitation conditions.



To help their community, young women like Yeshi confront the arid heat, carrying a jerry can that contains three gallons of water when full. Simulating the hardship experienced on the journey, Walk With Yeshi is a two and a half hour experience that makes use of media sharing, geolocation, and personal storytelling capabilities together with Stripe integration to raise funds. "When addressing humanitarian problems, it's easy to fall into the predictable formula of shock and despair," said Ajaz Ahmed, AKQA's CEO. "Walk With Yeshi overcomes this by creating a human connection, bringing empathy and understanding to the water crisis in a more real way. Walk With Yeshi demonstrates the power of storytelling through software; how art and science can be applied to the non-profit sector to achieve remarkable results."

Almost 100 water wells have since been funded from the Walk with Yeshi initiative and Lokai's supporting product campaign. In addition to the Fast Company World Changing Ideas recognition, Walk With Yeshi won Gold by VentureBeat as the best of 34,000 branded chatbots that were launched in 2016. Fast Company's first-ever World Changing Ideas drew more than one thousand entries. Walk With Yeshi made it through to the final round of judging as an honouree, and was featured in the April 2017 issue of the magazine. About AKQA A recognised pioneer, AKQA is the global brand experience studio inspired by the imaginative application of art and science www.akqa.com View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170426006275/en/

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[April 26, 2017]

Intacct Named One of the Best Places to Work for 2017

SAN JOSE, Calif., April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Intacct, the innovation and customer satisfaction leader in cloud ERP software, continues to be recognized as an outstanding workplace. The Silicon Valley Business Journal and the San Francisco Business Times has announced that Intacct has been honored as one of the "Best Places to Work in the Bay Area" for 2017.

Inclusion on the list was decided based on voluntary employee feedback received from an independent questionnaire. The survey covered such topics as: overall work culture, personal growth, morale, compensation, workplace satisfaction, and managerial effectiveness.

"Intacct remains committed to providing employees an engaging, empowering workplace where their individual skill sets are developed. This priority permeates everything Intacct does across all of our teams," said Marc Linden, CFO of Intacct. "We see each Intacct employee as an important member of our organization and it is our hope that each person we hire values working with such an outstanding group of colleagues. We are looking forward to growing this incredible team as Intacct continues to accelerate its momentum into the future."

Intacct has been honored on numerous occasions throughout the past several years with top workplace awards including:







About Intacct

Intacct is the innovation and customer satisfaction leader in cloud ERP software. Bringing cloud computing to finance and accounting, Intacct's innovative and award-winning applications are the preferred financial applications for AICPA business solutions. In use by organizations from startups to public companies, Intacct is designed to improve company performance and make finance more productive. Hundreds of leading CPA firms and Value Added Resellers also offer Intacct to their clients. The Intacct system includes accounting, cash management, purchasing, vendor management, financial consolidation, subscription billing, contract management, revenue recognition, project accounting, fund accounting, inventory management, and financial reporting applications, all delivered over the Internet via cloud computing.

Intacct is headquartered in San Jose, California. For more information, please visit www.intacct.com or call 877-437-7765. Connect with Intacct on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.

Intacct and the Intacct logo are trademarks of Intacct Corporation. All other company and product names mentioned herein may be trademarks of their respective owners.

To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/intacct-named-one-of-the-best-places-to-work-for-2017-300446438.html

SOURCE Intacct
[April 26, 2017] FCC Chairman Ajit Pai Begins to Free the Internet From Burdensome Overregulation

Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) praised Federal Communications Commission (FCC (News - Alert)) Chairman Ajit Pai today after his announcement of a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) that is intended to reconsider the imposition of an outdated regulatory regime on the internet. On February 26, 2015, acting on a directive from President Obama, then-FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler (News - Alert) rammed through the Open Internet Order to establish "net neutrality." The order reclassified internet service providers (ISPs) under Title II of the 1934 Communications Act, which allowed the agency to regulate ISPs as if they were antique, rotary-dialed phone companies, and led to less investment and innovation.



CAGW President Tom Schatz said, "Chairman Pai is taking an important step to free the internet from government control, bring high-speed internet to more Americans, boost competition, and create more jobs in both the construction and use of new networks. It will also restore the authority of the Federal Trade Commission to protect online privacy for the entire internet ecosystem. However, the best and most permanent solution to the so-called issue of net neutrality is for Congress to modernize telecommunications laws. We commend Chairman Pai for his open and transparent process to consider the reversal of these toxic Title II regulations, and look forward to expressing our views on behalf of our more than one million members and supporters during the comment period for the proposed rules once they are released." CAGW is the nation's largest nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating waste, fraud, abuse, and mismanagement in government.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170426006488/en/

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Election results: Check out results from various races across the state
By Press Trust of India: Moscow, Apr 26 (PTI) Defence Minister Arun Jaitley and his Russian counterpart Sergei Shoigu today discussed ways to expedite supply of military platforms by Russia to India as well as joint development of defence systems.

A range of other issues relating to defence cooperation between the two countries also figured in the meeting.

Jaitley, here to attend an international security conference, called the talks "very fruitful".

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"We have future plans to set up manufacturing units in India and these are subjects of discussion which came up in my bilateral meeting with the Defence Minister and I am sure with the level of engagement we have, this relationship will continue to grow," Jaitley told the media.

Russia has been Indias largest supplier of military systems and a number of co-development projects were being finalised by both the countries.

Earlier this month, Russian President Vladimir Putin had given the go ahead for setting up an Indo-Russian joint venture for production of 200 Kamov military helicopters for India under a USD 1 billion deal.

The issue is understood to have figured in the meeting between Jaitley and Shoigu.

Later this year, Indian and Russian armed forces will hold the INDRA tri-services joint military exercises in Russia.

"This would be a historic occasion as it will be the first time that India and Russia are taking part in joint exercises in such a format with each other or with any other country," said Jaitley while addressing the security conference.

Jaitley said India and Russia have taken steps to further strengthen the engagement between armed forces of the two countries.

"We will shortly negotiate a new armed forces training agreement," he said.

He said the Indo-Russia relationship goes far beyond just the ties between the governments.

"Russia has been a true and trusted friend of India, which is regarded so by the people of India and there has been a much greater cooperation at the level of defence.

"It is a cooperation which extends to Joint Military exercises, training cooperation and also with regard to supply of equipment which India purchases from Russia," Jaitley said.

Jaitley also met Brazilian Defence Minister Paul Belens Jungman Pinto and discussed issues relating to defence and security cooperation between the two countries. PTI MPB ASK AKJ ASK

--- ENDS ---
In an order, the Home Department has said that internet services in Kashmir valley shall not be transmitted for a period of one month or till further orders, officials said.

By Shuja-ul-Haq , Ashraf Wani: Jammu and Kashmir government has ordered suspension of internet services in the trouble-hit valley for a period of one month or till further orders.

In an order, the Home Department has directed all ISP's that "any message or class of messages to or from any persons or class of persons relating to any subject or any pictorial content through the following social networking sites shall not be transmitted in the Kashmir valley for a period of one month or till further orders.

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As per the government directive, social networking sites to be suspended include Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp, QQ, WeChat, Ozone, Tumblr, Google+, Baidu, Skype, Viber, Line, Snapchat, Pinterest, Telegram, Reditt, Snapfish, YouTube (Upload), Vine, Xanga and Flickr.

The state home department invoked powers conferred on it under Indian Telegraph Act and Information Technology Act to suspend the internet services, the officials said.

It was not immediately clear whether the order pertains to all internet services or just the mobile internet services, which are already suspended since April 17.

The mobile internet services in Kashmir were snapped last Monday following widespread student protests in the valley against alleged highhandedness of security forces.

The government has said that the continued misuse of social networking sites and instant messaging services are likely to be detrimental to the interests of peace and tranquility in the state.

The move has already been criticised by a lot of people who say that this is a blatant act by the government to block communication. Many who are involved in ecommerce and even tourism believe that trade is going to be impacted.

Official sources said that broadband internet services will continue working. Also, the order does not mention whether 2G service will be continued as it was permitted during the ban on 3G and 4G service.

3G and 4G mobile internet service was suspended earlier this month when widespread students' protests rocked the Valley after the Pulwama government college assault by forces in which 54 students were injured.

On April 9, the internet was suspended when by-polls were held for Srinagar parliament seat, and on April 13 when re-polls were held in 38 polling stations where no voting could be held due to protests and killings of 8 civilians in Budgam and Ganderbal districts.

Watch Video: Kashmir: Students clash with security forces in Srinagar's Lal Chowk

Also Read:

Kashmir: Government likely to ban social media in Valley

How Jammu and Kashmir police removed 90 per cent of 300 WhatsApp groups that guided stone pelters

--- ENDS ---

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By Press Trust of India: (Eds: This supersedes DEL24 slugged JK-INTERNET)

Srinagar, Apr 26 (PTI) Jammu and Kashmir government today banned 22 social networking sites and applications including Facebook, WhatsApp and Twitter in Kashmir on the ground that these were being misused by anti-national and anti-social elements to fan trouble.

The ban will be in place for a month or till further orders, whichever is earlier, said an order issued by Principal Secretary (Home) R K Goyal.

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"In the interest of maintenance of public order, the government hereby directs all internet service providers that any message or class of messages to or from a person or a class of persons relating to any subject or any pictorial content through the following social networking sites shall not be transmitted in Kashmir valley with immediate effect for a period of one month or till further orders, whichever is earlier," he said in the three-page order.

The sites and applications which will be inaccessible in the valley include Facebook, Twitter, Whatsapp, Wechat, QQ, Qzone, Google Plus, Skype, Line, Pinterest, Snapchat, Youtube, Vine and Flickr.

An earlier report said the government had suspended internet services in Kashmir for a month but this was not correct.

To the ban the social networking sites and Apps, Goyal invoked the powers conferred on Government under Indian Telegraph Act 1885 read with Indian Telegraph (Amendment) Rules 2007 to ban these sites and applications.

"On careful examination of all relevant factors, it is observed that the use of social media platforms, which are being misused by anti-national and anti-social elements by transmitting inflammatory messages in various forms are immediately required to be regulated/curbed," the order reads.

It said, "the anti-national and inimical elements largely succeed in transmitting unverified, objectionable and inflammatory material and content through the medium of these social networking sites."

It was being "felt that continued misuse of social networking sites and instant messaging services is likely to be detrimental to the interests of peace and tranquility in the state," the order said.

"It was also observed during law and order disturbances of 2016 in the Kashmir valley that anti-national and subversive elements extensively misused social media sites and instant messaging services for vitiating peace and instigating violence, which caused large scale damage to life and property," it added.

The move comes against the backdrop of repeated student protests in Kashmir, which the authorities believe are fanned through social media.

Some days back, a police official had said that 350 WhatsApp groups were being used to spread rumours in Kashmir and the government had cracked down, shutting 90 per cent of these groups.

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The mobile internet services were suspended in Kashmir on April 17, following widespread student protests in the valley against alleged highhandedness of security forces. PTI MIJ AKK

--- ENDS ---
Elton John has been forced to cancel an upcoming Las Vegas residency after he contracted a potentially deadly bacterial infection during a South American trip.

John was hosptalised in the UK after becoming violently ill during a return flight from Chile, but has since been released, and is expected to make a full recovery.

We regret to inform you that due to medical reasons, Elton John is forced to cancel his entire performance schedule for the upcoming April/May run of The Million Dollar Piano at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace, a statement released by manager reads.

Elton is also cancelling his scheduled performance for Bakersfield, California for Saturday May 6. During a recent, successful tour of South America, Elton contracted a harmful and unusual bacterial infection.

During his return flight home from Santiago, Chile he became violently ill. Upon returning to the UK, Eltons doctors admitted him to hospital, where he underwent immediate treatment to remove the infection.

After spending two nights in intensive care followed by an extended stay in hospital, Elton was released from hospital on Saturday, April 22 and is now comfortably resting at home per doctors advice.

Infections of this nature are rare and potentially deadly. Thankfully, Eltons medical team identified this quickly and treated it successfully. He is expected to make a full and complete recovery.

I am so fortunate to have the most incredible and loyal fans and apologise for disappointing them. I am extremely grateful to the medical team for their excellence in looking after me so well. said Elton.
An Overland Park police officer is being commended for how he reacted when a man pulled a gun on him Tuesday morning. Click here to watch the dramatic video A spokesman with the Overland Park Police Department said a midnight shift sergeant spotted a vehicle in the 10400 block of Marty around 12:45 a.m.
IN AN UNPRECEDENTED MOVE: JACKSON COUNTY PROSECUTOR "MEAN" JEAN PETERS BAKER STARTS FUNDRAISING FOR KANSAS CITY MOM WHOSE DAUGHTER WAS MURDERED!!!

Hello Friends and Family. I am Jean Peters Baker, a prosecutor who worked with many skillful lawyers, paralegals and victim advocates to see justice done. We now need your help. Please help this Kansas City mom, LaShonda Kane, who lost her 14 year old daughter. Her daughter, Alexis Kane, was tragically killed by 3 males in Kansas City. She is struggling to provide for her remaining children and to heal from this senseless and brutal crime. This Kansas City mom diligently works at a local school cafeteria and the 8th grade students want to help her. Please join me and these Pembroke kids in helping LaShonda Kane and her children. This money will help her and her children heal through counseling and just making ends meet.





I am working with GoFundMe to make sure donations go directly to LaShonda Kane.

You can also join us on Thursday, April 27 from 3-6PM at t'Loft on the Country Club Plaza to make a donation.

An important note from the best and brightest among our blog community focuses on an act of kindness and compassion from the Courthouse.Moreover . . .Take a look:#############You decide . . .
FIRST & EXCLUSIVE ON TKC!!!

COUNCILMAN QUINTON LUCAS REVEALS THE CITY HALL DEBATE ON SIDEWALK ORDINANCE REPAIR DUE DILIGENCE!!!

THIS IS AN EPIC BEHIND THE SCENES GLIMPSE INTO HOW LEGISLATION REALLY WORKS AT CITY HALL AMID THE EFFORTS OF COUNCILMAN LUCAS TO PROVIDE MORE TRANSPARENCY AND INSIGHT INTO THE PROCESS OF FIXING KANSAS CITY STREETS!!!

Councilman Lucas: "Staff, as happens too often, emailed us day of council meeting saying the item needed to be passed that day. We asked why they didn't give us the ordinance earlier with an opportunity to review since it's likely that none of my colleagues had actually read it. Therefore, we wanted it to have the opportunity for review by a council committee prior to passage in order to conduct our due diligence by actually reading legislation before we pass it."

Councilman Quinton Lucas: "The election was April 4th. Not sure why it took staff two weeks to provide us the ordinance and then it needed to be passed almost instantly without our review."

Councilman Lucas: "Generally, I think too many items of importance are presented for same day adoption or through committee advances and the public never has an option to be part of the discussion or know what's going on. I include in that assessment pieces of legislation, like this one, that I like. If it's a good ordinance that supports our promises, then why not let the public see what we are doing? Sunshine is the best disinfectant and staff should join us in that approach as well."

On Sunday our blog community sentthroughout Kansas City political circles withreporting on a big election promise initially unfulfilled.There was a great deal of confusion after the vote and today there will be an effort to work things out in committee.Even better . . .Moreover . . .Despite the surprising delay, it's encouraging thatworked to review this critical legislation rather than just sign off on it sight unseen:Best of all, in much the same way that. . . He isn't backing down from some important arguments on the topic of city staff (read: The City Manager's Office) rushing to win Council approval without much evaluation.Finally, on this cloudy day, an important moment of clarity that we hope inspires all of our City Hall elected officials:And so, with more time to review and along with an important moment of pause to bring the voting public into the discussion . . . Insiders believe the KCMO sidewalk repair ordinance should pass unanimously on Thursday so that badly needed repairs can begin as soon as possible.Developing . . .
The number of inbound tourists from China to Greece in the summer season of 2017 is expected to rise significantly, according to data. The projection is confirmed by a notable increase in tax free sales in Greece in the first 3-month period of 2017 compared to 2016.

A mere 150,000 Chinese tourists visited Greece last year, a number that is estimated to be much higher this year. Data released by Premiere Tax Free Greece show that visitors from China are choosing Greece as a destination, reoccupying first spot among the nationalities, as 31% of all Tax Free transactions was covered by Chinese in the first 3 months of 2017. Chinese national spend an average of 330 euros with a preference to jewellery and clothing.

Russia, FYROM and the US choose our country with great fervour and contribute to a 60% rise in profits via Tax Free transactions in Athens, Rhodes and Thessaloniki, said Aggeliki Kalogiannidou, marketing manager of Premiere Tax Free Greece. She went on to add that purchases were up by 109% for Chinese, 65% by Russians, 87% by Americans and 37% by FYROM and Israel, a 200% rise compared to the first 3-month term of 2016. Athens Tax Free is on top accounting for 52% of Tax Free transactions, while Thessaloniki came in second. It should be noted that two Chinese cultural exhibitions are scheduled to officially open on Thursday, April 27 in the framework of Sino-Hellenic cultural exchange year at the Byzantine and Christian Museum.

RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations , Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report
Medical tourism in Greece has significant prospects for further development, Athens Medical Group's CEO, Dr. Vassilis Apostolopoulos, said in an interview with the Athens Macedonian News Agency (ANA).

"Greece has multiple competitive advantages, which, if properly promoted to the international public, will support the development of medical tourism," Apostolopoulos underlined.

"Greek physicians are highly qualified, with European and international studies at distinguished foreign universities as well as with significant international experience. There are Greek healthcare providers with building and hospital facilities as well as with biomedical equipment that have nothing to envy from similar providers of well-known medical tourism destinations. At the same time, the quality of Greek providers is indisputable based on international certifications. Greece has a very strong brand name in the field of tourism, while at the same time we should not forget that it remains a very safe European destination, something that it is internationally appreciated," Apostolopoulos stated.

Apostolopoulos stressed that the extroversion of the Athens Medical Group, both by direct investments abroad - especially in Romania - and by investing and intensifying its efforts in the field of medical tourism, was the key pillar of the group's strategy during the crisis. "In 2012 when the state set the foundations for the development of medical tourism in Greece, we actively participated in this effort," he noted.

It is estimated that in the coming years, 3-4 pct of the world's population will seek medical care abroad. From this enormous percentage, our country must benefit if it wants to upgrade its image and reverse the negative trend. Despite any external difficulties, the Athens Medical Group is content with the increasing flow of foreign patients requesting its services, he said adding that "we seek to significantly boost the sector in the coming years."

Medical tourism is a national effort and, although in this field we are pioneers, we stress the importance of creating a national brand, which today does not exist. This requests the cooperation of the state, the local government and the creation of synergies that can promote the country's infrastructure.

There are a lot of difficulties, he noted, such as the inflexibility of the state and the 24 pct VAT compared to zero VAT in competitive countries. "It is also important to understand that actions in this sector are of long-lasting success and performance, and unfortunately in Greece most of the people look for results in the short-term," he stressed.

Read more here.

RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations , Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report
Al Maraya Decor, one of the leading interior decorating companies in Bahrain, is showcasing its newly-launched readymade furniture range at Gulf Interiors exhibition, thus marking its entry into this segment.



The company also manufactures furniture locally at its workshop in Hamala in the kingdom, said its top official on the sidelines of Gulf Interiors, the Northern Gulf's established annual showcase for luxury interiors, design and furniture, which opened in Bahrain on April 25.



Gulf Interiors takes place in conjunction with two other major events - Gulf Construction Expo and Gulf Property Show - providing the biggest integrated B2B (business to business) and B2C (business to commerce) showcase for construction, interiors and property sectors in the region.



Al Maraya Decor said the readymade furniture is being imported from Turkey and China, and the collection is available in all the three categories: home, office and outdoor.



"The idea is to keep pace with the tight delivery schedules for our customers," remarked Aslam A R Qureshi, managing director, Al Maraya Decor.



The company, he stated, has also opened a new showroom in Sitra through its sister company Al Qasser Upholstery & Curtains.



This is in addition to its existing showroom, located in Mahooz, which showcases the companys new collection of blinds, in addition to its extensive product range of curtains, furniture, wallpaper, carpets and other products.



The products are being imported from Korea and are targeted at both the residential as well as commercial markets of Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.



With an experience of over 30 years in the field of interior designing, Al Maraya Decor has also expanded into production of shaded, awnings and canopies.

The exhibition run until Thursday (April 27) at the Bahrain International Exhibition and Convention Centre.-TradeArabia News Service
ITGs Selway to SEC?

Could ITGs Jamie Selway be the next Director and head of The Division of Trading and Markets at the Securities and Exchange Commission?

Quite possibly.

According to several media reports including the Financial Times and Reuters, Selway, currently head of execution services at agency brokerage ITG, is a front runner to head the Trading and Markets division at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Reuters reported, citing three sources familiar with the matter.

Selway declined to comment and it is not clear when a final decision or announcement will be made. The sources asked for anonymity because they were not authorized to speak with the media.

Selway is scheduled to speak at the SIFMA Market Structure conference in New York City today.

A spokesman for incoming SEC Chairman Jay Clayton said Clayton is focused on his confirmation in the Senate right now and would comment further.

Selways pedigree as an expert on equity market structure, is well known throughout Wall Street. Selway co-founded broker White Cap Trading in 2003 and was on the board of directors at exchange operator Bats Global Markets from 2008 to 2015. He has also been a contributor for Traders Magazine.

For more information on related topics, visit the following channels:
These new age vamps are as vicious as the older ones, but without over-the-top look.

By Shweta Keshri: Gone are the days, when Komolika and Ramola Sikand entered our drawing rooms through the television sets, with the weirdest of background scores and over-the-top make-up. It's the era to be sly and not scream it out with your looks. Our new age on-screen vamps know how to do their job subtly without being over-dramatic.

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Here are five television vamps who are not larger than life and yet make the protagonist's life difficult:

1. Ishwari Dixit from Kuch Rang Pyar Ke Aise Bhi

Supriya Pilgaonkar as Ishwari Dixit in Kuch Rang Pyar Ke Aise Bhi.

Kuch Rang Pyar Ke Aise Bhi's Ishwari Dixit (played by Supriya Pilgaonkar) is the best example of a mother-in-law who knows how to do her job without being caught in the act. She has always been an over-possessive mother, who would have never got her son Dev (played by Shaheer Sheikh) married, if he wouldn't have selected Sonakshi (Erica fernandes) for himself. But the son's happiness was short-lived, as she was successful in creating differences between the couple and getting them separated.

Also read: Shaheer Sheikh taking too many offs from Kuch Rang Pyar Ke Aise Bhi shoot? This is what co-star Erica Fernandes has to say

2. Kaanta Chachi from Zindagi Ki Mehak

Kaanta Chachi in a still from Zindagi Ki Mehak. Kaanta Chachi in a still from Zindagi Ki Mehak.

Kaanta Chachi has emerged as the biggest villain for Mehak (Samiksha Jaiswal) and Shaurya's (Karan Vohra) love life. She is not clad in heavy jewellery or designer saris but she is as simple as a middle-aged middle-class woman can look. Yet, she planned out her kidnapping drama to keep Mehak away from Shaurya and also got him arrested. She emotionally blackmailed Mehak to keep her away from Shaurya . Now that Shaurya is genuinely trying to be a nice person and wants to woo Mehak back, Kaanta chachi has become the biggest kaanta (i.e. thorn in Hindi) of their lives.

3. Nisha from Woh Apna Sa

Ridhi Dogra as Nisha in Woh Apna Sa. Picture courtesy: Instagram/iridhidogra

Woh Apna Sa's Nisha (played by Ridhi Dogra) is one of the most fine-looking vamps in the recent times. She's is the ideal bahu in front of her in-laws, but her real colours come out in front of her ailing father-in-law and husband. She can even go to the extent of harming herself to get her things done. Scheming, plotting and also maintaining miss goody two shoes image is her forte.

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4. Rano from Kasam Tere Pyar Ki

Vibha Chibber as Rano in Kasam. Picture courtesy: colorstv.com

Rishi's mother Rano's (played by Vibha Chibber) dislike for Tanu is so strong that she can go to any extent to keep her son away from her. From shifting to America to getting Rano drugged, she has used all the tricks to keep the lovers away but their love always seems to find a way.

5. Sandhya from Ek Shringaar Swabhiman

Suchitra Pillai as Sandhya in Swabhiman. Picture courtesy: colorstv.com

Sandhya (played by Suchitra Pillai) is the perfect example of evil in the garb of angel. The Chuahan family is indebted and thankful to Sandhya for taking care of their house and the children, especially Karan (played by Samridh Bawa). But they aren't aware that she is creating a rift in the family and is also the reason behind Karan's skin allergy that she never wants to be cured.

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Upgrade your travel experience and explore underrated European towns that look too good to be true. Even though Europe is bombarded with tourists every year, there are still many well-kept secrets that are lying in wait for you to discover.

One example? Laussane, Switzerland. This timeless old city has been thriving beautifully for hundreds of years, it even dates back to Roman times. But Lausanne is an immortal city, kept young with its beautiful culture, student population, and locals who don't want to let go of the old ways however how much the world is growing up.

It's a short train ride from its popular neighbor, Geneva, according to The Independent, and is the perfect destination for travelers who want to see and experience old cultures mixed with the new. It's located midway along the crescent-shaped Lac Leman, and is a downhill-flowing city towards the shores of Lake Geneva.

For accommodation, guests have a variety of choices depending on their budget, the Telegraph reports. from The Royal Savoy, Lausanne's latest luxury hotel, to Hotel Swiss Wine, a budget-friendly hotel that is wine-themed and offers daily tastings of ultimate Swiss wines.

Stroll around the city and you'll find that 17th-century houses still dot Lausanne. You can start your leisurely walk at the Cite, a hilltop refuge that is highly prosperous during the Middle Ages, and is the oldest part of the city.

For culinary delights, don't hold back and make sure to try Lausanne's irresistible treats. Try stopping for lunch at the city's oldest restaurant, Pinte Besson, which started operating in 1740. Here, traditional foods abound the menu, such as the sinfully good yet unhealthy rosti with Vaudoise smoked sausage.

For city attractions, make sure not to miss the Olympic Museum. Lausanne dubs itself as the Olympic Capital of the world, and the museum is an exciting place to explore complete with interactive multimedia exhibits, three floors' worth of permanent displays, personal stories of famed Olympic athletes throughout the times, and much more. If you're getting hungry, fill your bearings at TOM Cafe.

There are still tons of activities Lausanne has to offer. If you're culturally-deprived, travel-hungry, or simply wants to get out and explore the world, make sure to include Lausanne, Switzerland on your bucket list.

See Now: The U.S. had the highest number of Most Wanted properties, dominating the Hotels.com Loved By Guests Awards 2018
For animal lovers, traveling with pets makes the whole experience a lot more memorable, but because of the usual extensive paperwork and other hassling forms needed to be filled out before traveling everywhere with your beloved pet, it's best to just let them stay at home. Although some parts of the world are not that strict in terms of animal travel, some popular destinations are.

Iceland is one country that is extra vigilant when it comes to foreign animals. On Monday, a Swiss woman traveling by ferry from Denmark to Iceland was caught by police in Hofn, South East Iceland, trying to smuggle her cat in an RV, according to Travel and Leisure. Because of the illegal entry of her cat, it was taken away from the woman and was put down at a local vet office.

It might seem harsh to everyone, as what kind of risk an innocent cat can do that it needs to be put down? But actually, strong protective measures are enforced in Iceland pertaining to animal travel, as the country is trying to protect its delicate ecosystem. Several animal diseases, such as rabies, are not yet detected in the country, therefore the extraif somewhatharsh vigilance enforced by police.

Iceland Magazine reported that this is actually not the first time a cat was put down for being smuggled in the country. In August 2003, a French couple was also caught hiding their cat in their RV onboard the ferry Norrona, as such, it was confiscated by the local police and was put down at the vet.

It actually became quite the issue as a violent altercation ensued between the local authorities and the French couple when they learned what's going to happen to their beloved pet. In the end, they were fined extensively because of their crimes and the French guy suffered a broken rib in the process.

The Swiss woman was clearly devastated, but again, Icelandic authorities warn their tourists about the consequences of illegally smuggling pets in their country. She was also fined extensively by the police.

See Now: The U.S. had the highest number of Most Wanted properties, dominating the Hotels.com Loved By Guests Awards 2018
India's request for consular access to 46-year-old Jadhav has been denied over a dozen times in the last one year by Pakistan.

By India Today Web Desk: Pakistan has denied India's request for consular access to Kulbhushan Jadhav for the 16th time today. Jadhav has been sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court allegedly for spying

Jadhav's mother Avanti Sudhir Jadhav has filed an appeal (in the Pakistan court of appeals) against the death sentence given to her son. The appeal has been filed under section 133(B) of the Pakistan Army act.

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This was conveyed by Indian High Commissioner in Islamabad Gautam Bambawale to Pakistan Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua during a meeting sought by him.

A meeting between Bambawale and Janjua was rescheduled on April 19.

India's request for consular access to 46-year-old Jadhav has been denied over a dozen times in the last one year by Pakistan.

Any chance of granting consular access to Jadhav who was sentenced to death for espionage and subversive activities has already been rejected by Pakistan Army.

BAMBAWALE'S MEETING WITH PAKISTAN FOREIGN SECRETARY

Bambawale had met with the Pakistan foreign secretary, showing increasing concern of India about the fate of Jadhav, on April 14.

He asked for list of charges and authentic copy of verdict of military tribunal against Jadhav to launch appeal against his conviction, Bambawale said after the meeting.

India was seeking consular access on the basis of international law humanitarian grounds, added Bambawale.

Pakistan Foreign Office has said that during the period of trial of Jadhav, due judicial process was followed and he was provided a lawyer in accordance with relevant laws and the Constitution of Pakistan.

KULBHUSHAN JADHAV'S DEATH SENTENCE

Jadhav was awarded death sentence by the Field General Court Martial earlier this month, evoking a sharp reaction in India which warned Pakistan of consequences and damage to bilateral ties if the "pre-meditated murder" was carried out.

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.

However, India denied Pakistans contention and maintained that Jadhav was kidnapped by the Pakistan authorities.

India had acknowledged that Jadhav had served with the navy but denied that he has any connection with the government.

(With inputs from PTI)

Also Read:

Kulbhushan Jadhav's mother files appeal in Pakistan court against his death sentence

Hackers take down 30 Pakistan government websites to avenge Kulbhushan Jadhav

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Hope for Kulbhushan Jadhav: India to ask for defence lawyer in Pakistan

Also Watch:

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Search News Archive : Fast Travel News Promotion Via Search, Social Media + Email Follow Us On : DUETTO TO PROVIDE REVENUE STRATEGY SOLUTIONS FOR FIRST CENTRAL HOTEL SUITES, DUBAI Industry: Travel PR

London, April 25, 2017  Duetto, the market leader in hotel profit optimization technology, announced today that it will implement its cloud-based Revenue Strategy application, GameChanger, and Revenue Intelligence solution, ScoreBoard, for First Central Hotel Suites, a leading hotel in the heart of Dubai.



(TRAVPR.COM) UAE - April 26th, 2017 - Agreement for Cloud-Based Price Optimization and Revenue Intelligence Solutions at 500-Room Property in the Heart of Dubai, Marks Duettos Entrance in the Middle East



London, April 25, 2017  Duetto, the market leader in hotel profit optimization technology, announced today that it will implement its cloud-based Revenue Strategy application, GameChanger, and Revenue Intelligence solution, ScoreBoard, for First Central Hotel Suites, a leading hotel in the heart of Dubai. Under the agreement, Duetto will provide the property with unprecedented market intelligence, the benefits of Open Pricing, and the ability to fully optimize revenue and easily analyze property performance. The partnership is Duettos first in the vibrant Dubai hospitality market and in the Middle East.



We are very happy to announce this partnership with First Central Hotel Suites, said Duetto CEO Patrick Bosworth. Our GameChanger application will help First Central scale quickly by implementing a Revenue Strategy with optimal pricing and distribution management. ScoreBoard adds the ability to understand property performance and make more efficient operational decisions. We are excited to partner with First Central Hotel Suites, as we continue our expansion in key markets around the world.



By adopting Open Pricing, the core element of Duettos GameChanger application, the property will now be able yield rates more rapidly and with greater flexibility, drawing on web shopping regrets and denials data to better measure price sensitivity and forecast unconstrained demand. Duettos recent integration with the Protel Air PMS will help First Central maximize its use of GameChanger, ScoreBoard and the hotels full tech stack.



First Central Hotel Suites provides not only a superior guest experience, but also the benefits of the latest in technology for its customers, partners and associates said Mariano Faz, head of asset management at The First Group, which owns the hotel. We are in a very competitive market, and Duetto brings us the benefits of Open Pricing and the ability to forecast demand, better understand our customers and build direct bookings.



Ammar Kanaan, group general manager for Central Hotels, and Wael El Behi, First Central Hotel Suites general manager, added: We are pleased to be working with Duetto, which brings an altogether new and innovative approach to Revenue Strategy. We look forward to a great working relationship in the years ahead.



Duetto partners with many of the leading hotels and brands around the world. More than 1,500 hotels and casinos in more than 60 countries have partnered to use Duettos applications, including GameChanger and ScoreBoard.



About Duetto

Duetto delivers the most powerful Revenue Strategy solutions to the worlds leading hotels and casinos, allowing them to better manage pricing, revenue and business-mix decisions with superior, actionable data.



The unique combination of hospitality experience and technology leadership enables Duetto to provide new insights on pricing and demand as a true cloud-based software-as-a-service. With Revenue Strategy and Revenue Intelligence applications that address the challenges of todays hospitality industry, Duetto helps hotels and casinos optimize profits and guest loyalty.



Thanks to rapid marketplace adoption, Duetto is expanding in key markets throughout the Americas, Europe and Asia. More than 1,500 hotel and casino properties in more than 60 countries have partnered to use Duettos Revenue Strategy and Revenue Intelligence applications.



About First Central Hotel Suites



First Central Hotel Suites is centrally located in Dubai, and equipped with 524 modern apartments that boast contemporary finishes and an enticing cozy ambiance, providing every guest the ultimate comfort and respite.



The hotel offers a wide range of leisure and business amenities including a business centre, a travel desk, a serene rooftop pool, a well-equipped gym and recreational facilities.



For media contact:

Hina Bakht

Vice President

MPJ (Marketing Pro-Junction)

Mob: +971 50 697 5146

Email: h.bakht@mpj-pr.com

http://www.mpj-pr.com ### Please contact the person or company listed above for information regarding the content of this press release. TravPR.com are not the issuers of this press release and are not responsible for the accuracy of the content. Share Release :



CONTACT INFORMATION Name: Hina Bakht Company: Marketing Pro-Junction Phone: +971506975146 Email: pressrelease@mpj-pr.com Web: PRESS RELEASE TAGS
Blue Ocean Academy, UAE, the largest knowledge empowerment enterprise in UAE, has received the Golden Globe Tigers Award 2017.



(TRAVPR.COM) DUBAI - April 26th, 2017 -

Dubai, UAE  April 25, 2017 Blue Ocean Academy, UAE, the largest knowledge empowerment enterprise in UAE, has received the Golden Globe Tigers Award 2017.

Blue Ocean Academy, an ISO 9001: 2008 certified firm, is a training and consultancy services provider offering educational programs that bridge the gap between infrastructure and knowledge, by equipping qualified individuals with innovative skills, and thus rendering them competent enough in the competitive business environment.

Blue Ocean Academy works on the principle- Professionals need to be trained to become experts. This vision has enabled the academy to aid thousands of professionals from diverse fields in their career upliftment.

Its surpassingly excellent reputation stems from its 18 years of proven profile, world-wide network of certified trainers, multinational partners, 40,000 global alumni, 30 employees, and international affiliations.

Its world class corporate courses and international certification courses are conducted in Abu Dhabi, Al Khobar, Algeria, Riyadh, Iran, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, Tanzania, Dubai, Jeddah, Sri Lanka, KSA, and India.

Blue Ocean Academy proudly announced the addition of one more feather to it colorful cap. On April 24, this year, it bagged the Golden Globe Tigers Award 2017. The award was granted during a ceremony conducted in Pullman City Centre Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. This proud milestone of the Blue Ocean Academy was given to it for being the "Best Training Initiative in Logistics and Supply Chain 2017 (Excellence in Training and Development) in the Middle East.

Dr. Sathya Menon, the Blue Ocean Academys Academic Director received the prestigious award which acknowledged his exclusive contribution to the field of logistics training in the Middle East. This PhD holder had completely transformed the aspect of logistics and supply chain training in Dubai and Middle East.

He stated "Global awards are an endorsement of Blue Ocean's presence as market leaders in the international training industry particularly logistics. The Golden Globe Tigers Award 2017....vindicates Blue Ocean stand as a world class professional education enterprise ..."

Blue Ocean Academys courses sharpen their delegates skills, and gain them a global recognition in multi-cultural work environments; and thus make a favorable difference in their professional life by widening their horizons.

Contact:

Blue Ocean Academy,

P.O. Box 116687,

Office No. 210,

Al Shafar Building,

Trade Centre Road,

Opposite Spinneys,

Dubai, U.A.E.

Mobile: +971  4  396 18 18

Phone: +971  4  396 39 68

Email: info@blueoceanacademy.com

###


Search News Archive : Fast Travel News Promotion Via Search, Social Media + Email Follow Us On : HMH  HOSPITALITY MANAGEMENT HOLDING CONTINUES EXPANSION IN SUDAN WITH EWA PORT SUDAN HOTEL & APARTMENTS OPENING IN Q4 2017 Industry: Travel PR

Mr Ferghal Purcell, COO of HMH, said, With three well-established hotels in operation we are strongly positioned in Sudan and well-placed to contribute to the growth of the local hospitality and tourism industry. We have got a strong portfolio of brands and are delighted to consolidate and build on our strategic cooperation with our business associates in the countr



(TRAVPR.COM) UAE - April 26th, 2017 - Consolidating its presence in Sudan, HMH  Hospitality Management Holding announced at Arabian Travel Market today its further expansion in the country with the completion of EWA Port Sudan Hotel & Apartments by Q4 2017. It is the groups fourth hotel in Sudan where it has been operating since 2009 and symbolizes the companys firm commitment to support the development of tourism infrastructure in the country.



Mr Ferghal Purcell, COO of HMH, said, With three well-established hotels in operation we are strongly positioned in Sudan and well-placed to contribute to the growth of the local hospitality and tourism industry. We have got a strong portfolio of brands and are delighted to consolidate and build on our strategic cooperation with our business associates in the country. Scheduled to open in October 2017, EWA Port Sudan Hotel & Apartments is owned by Social Security Investment Authority. It is superbly located merely 30-minute drive from Port Sudan New International Airport in Port Area. Featuring 84 keys, the hotel has been designed to offer guests fabulous meeting, dining and leisure facilities.



There is a considerable shortage of hotels in Sudan, particularly outside the capital Khartoum, with many key tourist attractions completely lacking suitable accommodation. HMH is among the few reputable hospitality groups present in the country and has in operation Coral Khartoum Hotel, Coral Port Sudan and EWA Khartoum Hotel & Apartments.



Earlier this year, after nearly two decades United States lifted trade sanctions against Sudan. This historic development will allow the country to not only trade extensively but also attract the much-needed investment into its economy thus giving a tremendous boost to business and leisure tourism which in turn will support the development of quality hotels.



Benefiting from the increasing number of flight connections largely due to the expansion of low-cost carriers in the region, inbound and outbound tourism to and from the Middle East in Sudan has grown tremendously recently. The government of Sudan has pledged significant funds to boost the countrys tourism industry.



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 Bahi 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

http://www.mpj-pr.com ### Please contact the person or company listed above for information regarding the content of this press release. TravPR.com are not the issuers of this press release and are not responsible for the accuracy of the content. Share Release :



CONTACT INFORMATION Name: Hina Bakht Company: Marketing Pro-Junction Phone: +971506975146 Email: pressrelease@mpj-pr.com Web: PRESS RELEASE TAGS


Search News Archive : Fast Travel News Promotion Via Search, Social Media + Email Follow Us On : CENTRAL HOTELS APPOINTS BARISTAS CORNER AS EXCLUSIVE COFFEE PARTNERS AT ALL ITS UPCOMING HOTELS Industry: Travel PR

Baristas Corner is a concept brought to life by a passionate Emirati entrepreneur who clearly understands and appreciates a handcrafted cup of fine coffee. Mr. Mohamed Hassan Alshamsi, Founder and CEO of Baristas Corner, said, We are delighted to partner with Central Hotels who have several projects in development.



(TRAVPR.COM) UAE - April 26th, 2017 - Central Hotels has entered into a strategic partnership with Baristas Corner as its exclusive supplier of all coffee related products at all its upcoming hotels. Mr Ammar Kanaan, General Manager of Central Hotels, announced today at the Arabian Travel Market, We are pleased to appoint Baristas Corner as our coffee partners across the network of our stunning hotels which will provide all coffee related services. We believe, it is extremely important to get the coffee right as there is nothing like a fresh cup of coffee to get you going through your day. Baristas Corner offers specialty, premium coffee and we are confident they will deliver the finest quality to meet the expectations of our guests who come from different parts of the world.



Baristas Corner is a concept brought to life by a passionate Emirati entrepreneur who clearly understands and appreciates a handcrafted cup of fine coffee. Mr. Mohamed Hassan Alshamsi, Founder and CEO of Baristas Corner, said, We are delighted to partner with Central Hotels who have several projects in development. We import specialty, handpicked coffee beans from reputable sources across the globe, to provide our clients rich premium blends and single origins. At Baristas Corner we also offer a complete spectrum of related services from machines, grinders, brewing tools and manpower amongst others. Our aim is not to be the largest or most lavish coffee company in the market. However, we want to provide our clients the finest and most intimate coffee experience.



As part of the agreement with Central Hotels, during the first phase Baristas Corner will fully supply all related coffee services at the 284-keys Bay Central Hotel located at The Burj Khalifa district as well as the 208-keys Central Hotel in The Palm. Both properties are in the 4-stars category and are scheduled to open in 2017. It will subsequently roll out Baristas Corner to other Central Hotels projects under development.



Mr Ammar Kanaan, General Manager of Central Hotels, stressed, Our aim with Central Hotels has been to provide local know-how with modern comforts, creating value for our guests and associates. Though we have just begun our foray into hospitality we have seen a terrific response from both our guests as well as developers. Hence, we deem it necessary to provide the very best in terms of product, quality, and service to our customers and coffee is an extremely important element of our business.



Visit Central Hotels stand #HC1212 at Arabian Travel Market in Sheikh Saeed Hall, Dubai World Trade Centre from 24  27 April, 2017.



About Central Hotels



Central Hotels has very quickly established itself as a reputed hotel management group in the UAE with its flagship property First Central Hotel Suites located in Barsha Heights (TECOM) near Sheikh Zayed Road. Featuring 524 apartments equipped with top-notch facilities, it offers travelers the best of Arabian hospitality in the heart of Dubai. Building up on this amazing success, the brand is now poised to expand its footprint in the GCC targeting Saudi Arabia and the UAE as the primary markets for growth.



For more information about First Central Hotel Suites visit www.firstcentraldubai.com



For media contact:

Hina Bakht

Vice President

MPJ (Marketing Pro-Junction)

Mob: +971 50 6975146

Email: h.bakht@mpj-pr.com

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CONTACT INFORMATION Name: Hina Bakht Company: Marketing Pro-Junction Phone: +971506975146 Email: pressrelease@mpj-pr.com Web: PRESS RELEASE TAGS
Latest Feature will Offer Visual Discovery and Planning Tools for Travelers



NEW YORK, NY (April 25, 2017) Jetsetter, the in-the-know travel platform dedicated to providing incredible hotel deals, insightful content and gorgeous travel imagery to help plan your next great getaway, today announced the unveiling of its newest feature, Wanderlists. The site will continue to offer an array of exclusive deals, from under-the-radar city stays to high-end beach resorts, and now travelers can take the traditional vacation planning experience to a new level with visually enhanced planning tools.

As consumers expand their travel bucket lists, Jetsetter has revolutionized the planning experience, enabling its members to build inspirational photo collections with Wanderlists. Members can now bring the visualization of their vacation to life by searching through thousands of curated, high resolution photos - from gorgeous beaches along the Amalfi Coast, to the landscapes of Patagonia - save them to their Wanderlist, share their lists with friends, and even book exactly what they saved in their Wanderlist through Jetsetter.com.

Jetsetter has long been known for sharing beautiful, sleek photography that has inspired millions of people to travel the world. Now, were taking their inspiration to the next level, said Eytan Seidman, General Manager of Jetsetter. Imagine getting ready to plan your trip of a lifetime. With Wanderlists, you can curate a visual itinerary of every beach, restaurant, city landmark, museum and more that you want to visit - from Bora Bora and Santorini to Australia and Bangkok. Its really making the planning experience easier, and a lot more enjoyable.

Since the websites soft launch, Jetsetter members have created over 100,000 Wanderlists to plan their most special trips including honeymoons, babymoons, anniversaries, birthday celebrations and more. In the coming weeks, Jetsetter will be adding tools that allow members to collaborate on their Wanderlists with others, and the site will also allow hoteliers, DMOs and social media influencers to upload their imagery directly to the Jetsetter platform. Furthermore, as a part of the relaunch, Jetsetter will be hosting a competition, giving away $1,500 to a lucky traveler who builds the best public Wanderlist representing their dream vacation.

In addition to aspiring travelers across the globe, Wanderlists have also been shared by Instagram influencers, as well as iconic brands including Martha Stewart Weddings and Zola who are inspiring travelers from across the globe to book their next getaway. Jetsetters parent company, TripAdvisor, also used Wanderlist to showcase destinations and hotels from the 2017 Travelers Choice Awards.

To create a Wanderlist or to enter into the competition, please visit www.jetsetter.com.

About Jetsetter

Jetsetter is your most well-traveled friend, the one with great taste and inside connections, who you call when you need advice on where to go, where to stay, and what to do when you get there. We travel. Theres nothing wed rather do with our spare time, and were guessing you feel the same. But its a wide, wide world, and working out where to go and where to stay can really eat into that precious time. Thats why we founded Jetsetter. Were here to give you insider access, expert knowledge, and exclusive deals on the worlds greatest hotels and travel experiences. We are discerning curators, which means we only recommend places we love and would visit again. Everything else we leave out.

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Mamata Banerjee has slammed BJP chief Amit Shah who is on a three-day tour of West Bengal. She slammed the BJP for their dubious propaganda.

By Indrajit Kundu: On Wednesday, BJP president Amit Shah, who is on a three day tour of West Bengal made a scathing attack on the Mamata Banerjee government alleging that the state was lagging behind in most development parameters under her rule. Reeling out statistics of the quantum of central grants given to the state, Shah dismissed Banerjee's claims of centre's negligence.

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While West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who is touring north Bengal on an official visit slammed the BJP for malicious propaganda, her finance minister Amit Mitra has come out with a point-by-point rebuttal of the BJP presidents claims.

Here's what Amit Shah claimed and how the Trinamool Congress countered BJP's allegations:

Amit Shah, BJP: We thought after end of Left rule, development will begin in Bengal. But we have been disappointed in the last six years.

Amit Mitra, TMC: They are comparing a government of six years with 34 years of Left rule. They are like seasonal birds, coming and going, so they cannot see the development. During the first five years of this government, State plan expenditure has increased from Rs 14,615 crore to Rs 54,069 crore. Capital expenditure has also increased by seven times. State revenues have doubled.

Amit Shah, BJP: Share of Bengal in GDP growth was 25 per cent during independence. Now it is four per cent.

Amit Mitra, TMC: GDP of Bengal has more than doubled from nearly Rs 4.61 lakh crore in 2010-11 to Rs 9.20 lakh crore in 2015-16.

Amit Shah, BJP: Bengal had a debt of Rs 1.9 lakh crore when Left was voted out. It has become Rs 3 lakh crore now.

Amit Mitra, TMC: Of the Rs 1,13,000 crore increase in the state's debt stock during the past five years, around Rs 94,000 crore went into debt servicing of the debt left behind by the previous Left Front Government. In fact, Bengal's debt-GSDP ratio has improved from 41 per cent to 32.58 per cent.

Amit Shah, BJP: Power production in Bengal is not at par with national average.

Amit Mitra, TMC: Bengal is one of the few power surplus states in the country. By June, 2017, 100 per cent rural electrification will be achieved, the first State in India to do so.

Amit Shah, BJP: Agriculture growth has slowed down in Bengal.

Amit Mitra, TMC: Bengal has won Krishi Karman award five years in a row from Government of India for excellence in agriculture, since 2011.

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Amit Shah, BJP: TMC promoted appeasement politics. There was a ruckus because of it.

Amit Mitra, TMC: Kanyashree, Yuvashree, Sabuj Shree, Sabuj Sathi, Gatidhara, Geetanjali, Khadya Sathi, Baitarani, Samabyathi, Samarthan - these schemes are for all. Government of Bengal works for all. Our reforms in e-governance, financial matters and in other areas of public service delivery have benefited all sections of the society.

Amit Shah, BJP: Bengal government failed to curb FICN, made it a laughing stock by opposing demonetisation.

Amit Mitra, TMC: After demonetisation, Amit Shah and his party claimed notebandi has eliminated fake notes in the country. Everyone knows what the truth is.

Amit Shah, BJP: Industries shutting down, bomb making factories booming.

Amit Mitra, TMC: Industry growth - India 7 per cent and Bengal 10 per cent. Furthermore, 40 per cent investment proposals received at Bengal Global Business Summit are in process of fructification. (figure for same in Gujarat is 2-3 per cent). These facts speak for themselves and falsehood stands exposed.

Also Read:

Amit Shah to start BJP's expansion drive from Naxalbari, West Bengal

Didi vs Modi: Mamata Banerjee renames Central government schemes, BJP leader calls her Babur

Also Watch: MCD election 2017: BJP chief Amit Shah questions Kejriwal on EVM tampering row

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Dilip Pandey quit apparently owning moral responsibility for AAP's poor show in the MCD elections.

By India Today Web Desk: The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) election results have taken a toll on both Congress and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). On the day the results were announced, AAP's Delhi convener Dilip Pandey resigned from his post.

Dilip Pandey quit apparently owning moral responsibility for AAP's poor show in the MCD elections.

Earlier, Delhi Congress unit president Ajay Maken also announced his resignation in the wake of the MCD election results.

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AAP won just 48 out of the 270 seats, while Congress stood third bagging 29 seats. BJP romped home with a whopping 182 seats.

AAP WAS CONFIDENT OF WINNING MCD POLLS

AAP, which rules Delhi Assembly with a brute majority, was confident of winning the MCD elections. It was AAP's debut MCD polls and it fared miserably.

AAP's defeat in MCD elections comes on the heels of its humiliating defeat in the recently-held Punjab and Goa Assembly polls.

Instead of owning defeat in the two states, AAP convener and Delhi Chief Minister had blamed EVMs and the Election Commission. He had also expressed fear that EVMs would be tampered with in the MCD elections.

However, Dilip Pandey's resignation seems to have indicated that AAP has admitted the defeat in MCD polls and has decided to abandon negative politics.

Kejriwal himself, in a tweet, congratulated BJP and assured of cooperation.

Also read | Let Kejriwal and Congress explain how they won earlier elections with same EVMs, says Amit Shah

Also read | MCD election result 2017: Can the Aam Aadmi Party be dismissed by the Centre? Nope.

ALSO WATCH VIDEO

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Aam Aadmi Party's rout in 2017 MCD elections has sparked speculation that the Centre can now dismiss the AAP government in Delhi.

By Vishakha Saxena: If veteran Bhartiya Janata Party leader Subramanian Swamy has his way, the Aam Aadmi Party government in Delhi will be dismissed in lieu of fresh elections after its dismal performance in the 2017 MCD elections.

Speaking to ANI, Swamy said on Wednesday, "Think the President should dismiss Delhi government and order fresh elections. AAP support has evaporated. It was done in 1977, SC also upheld it."

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Except, of course, it doesn't really work like that.

WHAT HISTORY TEACHES US

Swamy is referring to the Janata Party government's decision to dismiss nine Congress governments in 1977, even though they had stable majority in the Assembly. Their grounds for the dismissal was that they had lost the people's mandate. The case was carried to the Supreme Court as the State of Rajasthan vs Union of India, and the top court upheld the dismissals. A seven-judge bench dismissed Rajasthan's petition on several preliminary grounds, including refusal to get involved in the hubbub of political questions.

Think President should dismiss Delhi Govt & order fresh elections.AAP support has evaporated. It was done in 1977,SC also upheld it:S Swamy pic.twitter.com/smj4KEtbtS- ANI (@ANI_news) April 26, 2017

In 1980, when Indira Gandhi returned as Prime Minister,she retaliated by dismissing Janata Party governmentsin several states. Her move went unchallenged in the courts too.

The random political dismissals prompted various judicial reviews of the law on the imposition of President's Rule -- Article 356 of the Constitution. A major breakthrough came in 1994, in the S.R. Bommai v. Union of India case.

A nine-judge bench made clear the circumstances under which Article 356 could be used to dismiss state governments. According to the judgement, Article 356 could now be implemented only for a breakdown of constitutional machinery, and not just an ordinary breakdown of law and order. The court also made it clear that President was required to act on objective evidence.

Another important rule defined by the court held that a State Assembly could not be dissolved without Parliament's approval, i.e., a floor test.

Going by these rules, it's highly unlikely for the Aam Aadmi Party government in Delhi to be dismissed simply because of failture in elections.

It is also pertinent to note, the BJP will likely steer clear of such a move, since it will only gain sympathy for the Aam Aadmi Party.

BUT THERE ARE THE OTHER THREATS

While 2015's solid 66-seat mandate protects the Aam Aadmi Party government in Delhi from a summary dismissal by the Centre, there are other threats looming on its head.

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Aam Aadmi Party's founding member Shanti Bhushan believes the party is not too far from being dismissed. Bhushan, a founding member of Swaraj India -- the alternative party floated by ousted AAP leaders like Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan -- said assembly polls will be held in Delhi this year.

"Mark my words," he said, speaking at the Swaraj India convention. Bhushan said Centre holds the power to dismiss the state governments citing "unconstitutional work." Bhushan was referring to the recent Shunglu panel report that accussed the AAP government in Delhi of "gross abuse of power".

The panel -- set up by former Delhi LG Najeeb Jung last year -- questioned the appointment of Satyendra Jain's daughter Soumya Jain as an adviser to Mission Director, Delhi State Health Mission. Several other appointments, and accommodations allotted to AAP and its members were questioned by the panel.

facing the prospect of disqualification, allegedly for holding office of profit. Just last month, the Election Commission had reserved its order in the case, and it is expected to give a ruling in the case soon. To make matters worse, 21 Aam Aadmi Party MLAs are currently, allegedly for holding office of profit. Just last month, the Election Commission had reserved its order in the case, and it is expected to give a ruling in the case soon.

If EC rules in favour of disqualification of the 21 MLAs, it will force a mini-election in Delhi. This is the only real threat facing AAP at the moment, as seeing the party's current run in elections, a pre-term election could possibly spell doom for the once-celebrated party.

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The only other threat to the AAP government in Delhi would be if two-thirds of its MLAs, i.e. 44 MLAs, desert the party, which too is a highly unlikely event.

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Ajay Maken said he would continue as a dedicated Congress worker but would not take any party positions for the next one year.

By India Today Web Desk: With the Congress losing the municipal corporation elections in Delhi, Ajay Maken today resigned as the Delhi Congress chief.

He said he would continue as a dedicated Congress worker but would not take any party positions for the next one year.

Responding to Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit's statement that she was not asked by the Congress to campaign for the MCD election, Ajay Maken said, "For the last one year, Sheila Dikshit and Sandeep Dikshit have been attacking me but I have never said anything".

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Ajay Maken chose to stay away from controversy and instead called Sheila Dikshit his "mentor".

While congratulating the BJP for winning the Delhi MCD election, Ajay Maken said the party has to now deliver on its promises.

Like Aam Aadmi Party leaders, Ajay Maken also said that the "Election Commission should check electronic voting machines (EVMs)".

MCD Election 2017: Full coverage

LOSING POPULAR FACES TO BJP

In the run-up to the MCD election, the Congress saw some of the popular faces joining the BJP.

Former Delhi minister Arvinder Singh Lovely, who was with the Congress for more than 30 years, left the party just days ahead of the MCD election. He blamed the Congress leadership, particularly Ajay Maken, for sidelining him.

Along with Ajay Maken, Delhi Youth Congress president Amit Malik also joined the BJP after he was reportedly denied ticket by the Congress.

Sheila Dikshit blamed the leadership's inability to reach out to everyone for people leaving the party. "The current Delhi Congress chief is not able to reach out to leaders as is needed and that is a reason for people leaving," Dikshit said.

ALSO READ:

MCD election results 2017: Full list of winning candidates

MCD polls: More trouble for Congress as Sheila Dikshit refuses to campaign for party

MCD polls: Top Congress leader heard questioning Rahul Gandhi's choices in audio clip, denies voice is his

ALSO WATCH

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Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 25

A 76-year-old man riding an Activa scooter died after a speeding truck hit the scooter at the Sector 45/46/49/50 light point today. The victim, who was waiting for the traffic light to turn green, was dragged for several metres by the truck.

Sources said the victim had been identified as Parmanand Sharma (76), who had retired as the Deputy Registrar (Judicial) from the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

The victim, a resident of Sector 49, had gone to the dispensary in Sector 46 for a check-up and was returning home when the accident took place. The victim had halted at the red light when the truck came from the rear side and hit the scooter.

The injured was rushed to the Government Medical College and Hospital, Sector 32, where doctors declared him brought dead. The police said the truck was being driven by Bhag Singh, a resident of Panchkula.

The police have registered a case against the truck driver at the Sector 49 police station. The driver was arrested and later released on bail. The truck has been impounded by the police.
S.N.M Abdi

THE new train and bus services between Kolkata and Dhaka, via Khulna, flagged off during Sheikh Hasina's recent visit are small change compared to the vast, untapped potential for cross-border transportation in South Asia and its periphery. Seamless connectivity in one of the world's most densely populated and volatile regions  dominated by India, Pakistan and China  is a hostage to trust deficit among the three warring nuclear-armed states.

Today, India would give its right arm to clinch rail-road connectivity with Afghanistan through Pakistan. In 1947, an India-Afghanistan frontier existed but Pakistan's illegal occupation of a big chunk of Jammu and Kashmir wiped it off the sub-continental map. If we can somehow recapture territory that is rightfully ours, then an India-Afghanistan border will once again become a ground reality. At present, we have no option but to request Islamabad to throw open its roads to cars, buses and trucks from India. Our bilateral relations are so strained that Pakistan keeps stonewalling our overtures for an overland transit route to Afghanistan. On record, Pakistan cites technical issues and inter-ministerial delays but its real concern is security-related. Islamabad's logic seems to be that why grant India a passage to Afghanistan when New Delhi's real objective is neither trade nor tourism but to open a new theatre for covert war against Pakistan.

If Pakistan is so distrustful and paranoid, New Delhi is even more wary of Chinese intentions in eastern and North-Eastern India. We have been systematically undermining the proposed Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar (BCIM) highway from Kunming to Kolkata via Mandalay, Chittagong, Dhaka and Silchar in Assam, promoted by a Track II group to boost tourism and trade. China considers it an offshoot of its rapidly expanding One Belt One Road (OBOR) initiative. India fears that the BCIM highway will not only facilitate espionage and subversion by China  which Atal Bihari Vajpayee cited as the reason for India's 1998 nuclear tests in his written explanation to Bill Clinton  but also flood India with Chinese goods worsening the trade imbalance. As India-China ties worsened over our Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) bid, Beijing's soft corner for Masood Azhar and pursuit of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and our patronage of Taiwan and the Dalai Lama, there was a suggestion from Nirupama Rao, no less, that India should test China's real intentions by exploring the possibility of reviving the old land route between Lhasa and Kolkata, via Nathu La in Sikkim, and air connectivity between Urumqi, the capital of Xinjiang province, and New Delhi. Rao spoke two months ago but South Block ignored her advice, revealing India's phobia about developing communication and connectivity with China.

As Pakistan dug its heels in over granting India access to Afghanistan, the Narendra Modi government inked the BBIN (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal) Motor Vehicle Agreement for Regulation of Passenger, Personal and Cargo Vehicular Traffic. India gloated over BBIN proclaiming that sub-regional cooperation is the answer to Pakistan's intransigence and validation of Modi's strategy of SAARC  minus-one by integrating SAARC countries, leaving out Pakistan. But India's joy proved to be short-lived. Bhutan pulled out of BBIN, citing environmental concerns over lakhs of cars, buses and trucks polluting its pristine, rarefied atmosphere. Thimphu, in all probability, acted on Beijing's instructions to embarrass New Delhi for opposing China's OBOR plan, particularly BCIM and CPEC. India's repeated entreaties haven't melted Bhutan's heart so far, indicating China's growing clout in the secluded Himalayan nation which we think is in our zone of influence.

Frankly, does it behove a country of India's size and military might shuddering at the thought of Chinese trains running from Lhasa to Kathmandu in our backyard? We also get panicky over reports of Chinese railheads in Tibet in close proximity of Arunachal Pradesh. The nervousness is not a new trait of the Modi era. We were equally shaky during the Congress rule. On the one hand, we try to sabotage BCIM and oppose the full-scale revival of the old Silk Route through Nathula, but on the other we hanker after connectivity between India, Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan envisioned in the yet-to-be-implemented BBIN pact. We talk in hushed whispers about the security threat China poses but openly say that six-lane roads between China and India via Bangladesh, Myanmar or Thailand will destroy our industry and economy. True, last year India's trade deficit with China climbed to $46.5 billion in bilateral trade of nearly $71 billion. Won't Indian businessmen flood Bangladesh and Nepal markets with their goods when the BBIN pact becomes operational?

Even without BBIN, India has been singularly lucky in cajoling Bangladesh into granting transit facilities through its territory  dramatically shrinking the distance and cost of transportation between our mainland and far-flung North-Eastern states. Besides roadways, India makes full use of Bangladesh's railways and waterways, including sea ports. India's penetration is in stark contrast with facilities given to Bangladesh. A day after Hasina and Modi pressed buttons to inaugurate new train and bus services, Muhammad Azizul Haque, a retired Bangladeshi ambassador complained in Dhaka's Daily Star that although Nepal and Bhutan are in close proximity of Bangladesh, India hasn't granted them transit rights through its territory.

India's good fortunes vis-a-vis Bangladesh apart, seamless connectivity in South Asia is still a distant dream. The biggest players like India, Pakistan and China  which enjoys observer status at SAARC  have a lot at stake. If they really want frontiers to dissolve for trade, tourism and people-to-people contact, they must sit across a table, air their worst fears and extract iron-clad guarantees of good behaviour before lowering guard. As a faster rate of growth is non-negotiable for developing nations, neighbours must stop trying to get the better of one another.

The year 2017 witnessed the first-ever freight train from China to Britain and back pushing the frontiers of connectivity in today's world. South Asia too is working on a container train on the Dhaka-Kolkata-Delhi-Islamabad route which will be later extended to Tehran and Istanbul. Let's see if Bangladesh, India and Pakistan can pull it off.

The writer, a Kolkata-based senior journalist , is former Deputy Editor of Outlook.
KC Singh

AS the first phase of the French presidential elections approached on April 23, Europe held its breath as the elimination of candidates favouring the European Union would have sounded its death knell. The EU stood injured after Britain moved its application under Article 50 for severance. Emmanuel Macrons success lifted European markets and spirits as electoral modelling indicated he should in the second and final round be able to beat his only rival, the right-wing Marine Le Pen, on May 7.

Twelve days later, an election will be held to elect the President of Iran, again in two phases, unless one candidate polls a clear majority. A month later, Britain goes to the polls. Someone on social media wittily remarked that in April, PM May announced elections in June.

In an interconnected world, all these events will impact India, directly or indirectly. The nation, meanwhile  after BJPs UP victory  is preoccupied with cow protection vigilantism, Kashmir valley, Jharkhand Maoist shooting of CRPF men and the Delhi MC election results. The President of Nepal and Prime Ministers of Malaysia, Australia and Bangladesh were here, but hardly evoked more than casual interest. Perhaps like Trump, even Indians are saying India First and the world has no place in their cosmology of human destiny.

However, international issues on Indian television, and thus by implication of concern to viewers, were the extradition proceedings against Vijay Mallya in the UK and the restrictions by the US and Australia on visas for software techies. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley was in the US and raised the H-1B visa with the US Commerce Secretary. These two issues, and the elections in Europe and Iran, need a closer look.

The Mallya extradition proceedings had governments defenders claiming victory even before a verdict, while detractors queried why he was allowed to flee. India has not had great success at extraditing fugitives from the UK. Besides, the need for dual criminality, i.e. the acts being recognised as crimes in both countries and punishable for more than one year, a number of exceptions are built into British law and practice. For instance, the Naval War Room leak accused, Ravi Shankaran, has successfully pleaded that the Indian judicial process is tortuously slow and extradition was being sought in 2014 when the trial had not even commenced since 2006. An Italian request was turned down by a British magistrate because the jails in Italy were overcrowded. Perhaps the most damaging will be the treatment of Subroto Roy of Sahara by the Supreme Court, jailing him for running contempt in a matter of civil nature.

Thus congratulations are premature. Moreover, the Indian agencies will have to prove money-laundering and fraud. Bad business decision-making and risky borrowing is not necessarily fraud and cheating. Also Mallyas lawyers will, no doubt, enquire why similar treatment is not being meted out to high-net worth loan defaulters choking the banking system. The government may thus be seen on a Mallya witch-hunt, in line with its black money crusade, for public consumption. That would undermine bona fides of the extradition request.

The French election result is important as France has over the years become a major defence equipment supplier to balance Indian overdependence on Russia in the past and the US now. France and Germany are the core of the EU, which can emerge as a pole in a future world order, only if it remains united. India does not want a new bipolar order dominated by the US and China. A Marine Le Pen presidency promises the demise of EU, social and economic upheaval domestically as populism overtakes prudence and iconoclasm trumps reform. Macron by comparison is a centrist-reformist, who will work with existing institutions, including the EU.

The Iranian presidential elections are always an interplay of selection, exercised by the Guardians Council to shortlist desirable candidates, and popular will, as thereafter people are free to choose. The barring of Ahmadinejad, a former President and one-time favourite of the Supreme Leader, indicates Iran does not want a maverick when US President Donald Trump is threatening to overturn the nuclear deal that P5+1 struck with Iran. The popularity of sitting President Hassan Rouhani would be tested as among others he faces a popular conservative Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, presently mayor of Teheran, like Ahmadinejad was before his election in 2005. He is also a former deputy commander of the Basij, a paramilitary force used to control public protests or enforce social edicts, and head of the IRGC air force. Unless Trump tones down his Iran rhetoric, Iranian conservative forces may rally behind Ghalibaf.

India-Iran ties have been testy, despite public incantations of bonhomie. PM Narendra Modis planned visit to Israel would only increase Iranian wariness. Iran has been silent over the Kulbhushan Jhadav episode about which it must know more if the abduction indeed was from within Iran, as India is alleging. The much-hyped Chabahar project is more or less on the backburner as Iran cogitates linking it to the CPEC. That would negate the very purpose of India helping develop it as a counter-weight to the Chinese control of Gwadar. Rouhani continuing would be a sign of Iran sensing stability in relations with the US. Otherwise, Ghalibaf may be the Iranian answer to US aggressiveness. A paranoid Iran, distracted by its battles against Sunni forces and their Western allies, will be more difficult to engage.

All diplomacy is a factor of domestic politics. With the Hindutva agenda on the ascendant, confrontational approach to Kashmir and testing of Chinese redlines, Indian diplomacy is in uncharted waters. Pankaj Misra in Age of Anger recalls history to explain the rise and success of Modi as fantasy of a strongman who will heal old injuries and achieve closure by forcing the world to recognise Indian power and glory. As Nehru discovered with China in 1962, hope is not a policy and myth-making not a strategy. Greatness of India needs more than an extradition of one fugitive or some relief on H-1B visas. It needs for the ideological battle between Gandhi and Savarkar to be settled amicably. Whether Modi can do that or not will determine his and Indias place in history.

The writer is a former Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, April 26

The Delhi Congress Committee (DPPC) president, Ajay Maken, today resigned from his post, accepting moral responsibility for his party's dismal performance in the civic polls.

Maken announced resignation during the election trends showing the Congress registering a win in eight seats and leading in 26 seats. Maken said he will not take up any post in the party for a year and perform his duty as an ordinary worker.

"It is a reasonable revival of the Congress, but I had hoped for something better than this. So, as the president of DPCC I take moral responsibility and have decided to resign from my post," he said.

"We have fought the election on positive issues. We are satisfied that we raised reasonable issues in the election. I was given a free hand during my two-year tenure as Delhi Congress president in organisational appointments," he said.

A DPCC official said Maken has submitted his resignation, but it has not yet been accepted by the high command.

Dikshit blames it on local leaders

Former Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit said her party did not campaign aggressively enough to win the civic polls. However, she exonerated the party high command and put the onus of the loss on the local leaders.

She said despite being elected thrice in a row to be the Chief Minister, she was not invited to campaign for the party candidates for the municipal polls.

"The Congress did not campaign in an aggressive way," Dikshit told mediapersons.
London, April 26

A British Sikh barrister has received the prestigious Order of the British Empire (OBE) from Prince William for his services to the community at London's Buckingham Palace.

Jasvir Singh, the founding chair of City Sikhs, received Officer of the Most Excellent OBE from Prince William, the second in line to the British throne who often steps in for Queen Elizabeth II at investiture ceremonies where such medals are officially conferred.

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"It was a humbling experience. I met many inspiring people, including scientists, artists, Paralympians, and various members of the Armed Forces and the Police, and found out about their remarkable achievements," Singh said in a statement after the ceremony last week.

"I also spoke to Prince William and commended him for the work he and his brother, Prince Harry, are doing to help remove the stigma of mental health problems," he added.

Other British Sikhs at the investiture ceremony included Brinder Singh Mahon, who received the OBE for services to education, and Detective Sergeant Sarbjit Kaur from Merseyside Police, who received an MBE for services to policing.

The honours had been announced in the official UK government Gazette as part of the annual New Year's honours list.

City Sikhs is among a number of Sikh organisations in Britain and claims a membership of 6,000 members. It says it is involved with several important projects, including the 'Grand Trunk Project' which is led by the 'Faiths Forum for London' and is looking to foster better relationships between communities of South Asian heritage in towns and cities throughout the country.

The OBE is an award granted by the government of the UK and awarded, typically in person, by the current king or queen of the nation to individuals who have performed excellent work in arts, sciences, public services and charitable efforts.  PTI
NITI Aayogs three-year action plan talks of taxing farm income. This is not the only hare-brained idea from the countrys top-level think-tank which seems to care more about putting more cash in the government coffers than the welfare of the people. Its latest move does not factor in the cost and difficulties involved in the farm tax collection, litigation over income-expenditure mismatch claims and putting a large, already harried section at the mercy of tax officials, accountants and lawyers. Given the sweeping powers lately vested in tax officials, the dreaded Inspector raj would extend to the agriculture sector also. Realising the political damage the NITI Aayog proposal can do, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley intervened fast on Wednesday to nix the idea in the bud. He went a step further and clarified that as per the constitutional allocation of powers, the central government has no jurisdiction to impose tax on agricultural income. That should rest the matter.

Of course the Centre needs to expand the tax base. This can be done by cutting and lowering tax rates apart from monitoring ostentatious expenditure. Then certain policy wrinkles need to be straightened out. The Centre and states provide subsidies  free power, water and urea etc  to farmers regardless of their income, and at the same time NITI Aayog suggests a tax on them. Why not deny subsidies to well-off farmers, which is far easier to do? Instead of unleashing tax officials on the farmer community it is easier to identify and nab those evading taxes by showing taxable income as farm income. It is not that farmers do not pay taxes at present. According to a noted agro-economist, Controls on exports and stock limits which suppress farm gate prices are actually implicit taxes on Indias peasantry.

The more a government expands the more taxes it would entail on people. Politicians increasingly offer freebies for votes and resort to more taxes to keep promises. Modis, Badals and Captains populist politics costs money. Rather than the spirit of promised reforms, government role and state interference in the citizens day-to-day life is alarmingly increasing.
Chandigarh, April 26

The Government College, Nangal Chaudhary, in Mahendergarh district will be named after Rashtriya Rifles officer Major Satish Dahiya, who was killed in an encounter with militants in Kashmir early this year.

The college will be now known as Shaheed Major Satish Dahiya Government College, an official spokesman said on Wednesday.

Keeping the word given by Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar to the family of the martyr, the state government has decided to rename Government College, Nangal Chaudhary, as Shaheed Major Satish Dahiya Government College, with immediate effect, an official spokesman said here today.

Major Dahiya of 30 Rashtriya Rifles had laid down his life during a gunfight with militants at Kralgund in Kupwara, Jammu and Kashmir, on February 14, 2017.

The Chief Minister had during his meeting with Dahiyas family in his native village of Banihari of Mahendergarh district announced that Government College, Nangal Chaudhary, would be named after the martyr.  PTI
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 26

Haryanas former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda has expressed suspicion that the state of Haryana had belatedly collated material in an attempt to justify the constitution of the Justice SN Dhingra Commission.

In his response to an affidavit earlier submitted on behalf of the State of Haryana before the Punjab and Haryana High Court, Hooda has claimed that the material was then inserted in a separate file cover. Hooda added that he also strongly suspected that the material was never part of the original record and was neither considered by the Chief Minister and nor by the Council of Ministers.

He added the affidavit filed on behalf of the state did not address the precise issue that was put to it by the High Court. It was deliberately vague and misleading.

The state has already claimed that the decision was bona fide and honest based on the objective material, which was examined, read, perused and understood for the purpose of formation of opinion that there existed an important issue involving a definite matter of public importance.

The decision on May 13, 2015, was taken by me after a careful examination of the objective material and upon being fully satisfied that the appointment of an independent commission of inquiry, whose report can be considered by the state government, was necessary, it was added.

The High Court had earlier asked the Haryana Government to file an affidavit on the material which led to the constitution of the Dhingra commission for looking into land deals in Gurgaon including those of Congress president Sonia Gandhis son-in-law Robert Vadra.

Appearing on Hoodas behalf, former Union Minister and senior advocate Kapil Sibal argued that except a memorandum received from the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD), there was nothing with the state government which could form the basis for constituting the panel. The Haryana Advocate-General, on the other hand, argued that the panel was formed after following the due legal process.
BJP president Amit Shah has declared the 2017 MCD election win 'a vote in favour of Prime Minister Narendra Modi'.

Bharatiya Janata Party heading towards a landslide victory in the 2017 MCD elections. (File Photo)

By India Today Web Desk: With the Bharatiya Janata Party heading towards a landslide victory in the 2017 MCD elections, party president Amit Shah has declared the party's win 'a vote in favour of Prime Minister Narendra Modi'.

Addressing the media after initial trends showed a clear majority for the BJP, Shah said,

"The people of Delhi have showed that negative kind of politics will not win and only positive politics will win. This is a vote in favour of Modiji's three years in power."

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Shah also thanked Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari and party workers for the win.

BJP's victory in Delhi civic polls comes after the party won convincingly in the Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Goa and Manipur assembly polls.

Early trends have shown the BJP leading in more than 180 out of the 270 seats. The party has retained all the three civic bodies of Delhi.

The Aam Aadmi Party, meanwhile, has blamed Electronic Voting Machines for its poor show.

(With inputs from IANS)

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Bhanu P Lohumi

Tribune News Service

Shimla, April 26

A cleanliness mania of sorts has gripped the state capital Shimla ahead of the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the state capital Shimla tomorrow. BJP leaders wielding brooms and sweeping the streets and roads is a common site here.

The Swachh Bharat Mission was launched by the Prime minister on October 2, 2014. BJP leaders have now joined the mission, showing their concern for cleanliness on the eve of the Prime Ministers visit. The Facebook is full of photographs of BJP leaders and workers carrying brooms, cleaning streets and posing for photographs. This has bemused the locals who are mocking at this tamasha.

The cleanliness drive is confined only to selected locations and places and huge nallah below Combermere bridge on the Mall Road in the heart of the city is full of garbage. It has not caught the eye of BJP workers and no attempt was made to clean the nallah which becomes a fertile ground for mosquitoes during summers.

The BJP leaders, who have taken to broom to clean the roads, can be seen carrying party flags but in most of the cases the cleanliness drive is symbolic, aimed only at publicity.

Making fun of BJPs cleanliness drive, the local residents say that the focus of the drive was more on the areas which are already clean. Hill slopes and nallahs, which have become garbage dumps, have been left untouched.

If the BJP leaders were so serious about the Swachh Abhiyan started by the Prime Minister and adopted it as part of a lifestyle, the need for carrying brooms would not have arisen, said Rakesh Kumar, a residentof Kaithu.

The BJP leaders including Union Minister J P Nadda, former Chief Minister P K Dhumal, state president Satpal Singh Satti, party chief spokesperson Rajiv Bindal wielded brooms turning a blind eye at the Nallah at the Lift in the heart of the town, which is full of polythene and garbage. In fact, the focus of the cleanliness drive has been the Mall Road and other main roads, said shopkeeper Varun Sood.

The BJP will also hold a roadshow from the Central Telegraph Office to the Ridge. Barricades have been erected on the Mall road, the route of Prime Ministers motorcade. BJP leaders said it would depend on the Prime Minister whether he would travel in an open jeep and greet the people lining up along the road to welcome him.

As many as 68 eminent persons owing their loyalty to different political organizations today joined the BJP along with their supporters in the presence of state BJP president Satpal Singh Satti.

The BJYM took out an impressive rally during the day to create awareness and invite people for the rally.

Drive or photo-op?

The Facebook is full of photographs of BJP leaders and workers carrying brooms, cleaning streets and posing for photographs. This has bemused the locals who are mocking at this 'tamasha'.

The BJP leaders, who have taken to broom to clean the roads, can be seen carrying party flags but in most of the cases the cleanliness drive is symbolic, aimed only at publicity.

Confined to select locations

A huge nullah below the Combermere bridge on the Mall Road in the heart of the city is full of garbage. It has not caught the eye of BJP workers and no attempt was made to clean the nullah which becomes a fertile ground for mosquito breeding.
Pratibha Chauhan

Tribune News Service

Shimla, April 26

Even as Madhu Sood, a former Mayor of the Shimla Municipal Corporation, and two former councillors, today joined the BJP, speculation was rife about some other Congress leaders, including MLAs, deserting the party.

Though the top brass of the state BJP leadership has been claiming that some Congress legislators are keen to join the party, speculation is mounting that two senior ministers in the Virbahdra regime and one Chief Parliamentary Secretary have met BJP national president Amit Shah.

The speculation in political circles again gained ground as some Congress leaders from Shimla and Sunni joined the BJP. Although, Madhu Sood, a former Mayor of the Shimla MC had fared very badly in the last MC polls where she secured the third position in the direct election to the post of Mayor, after the CPM and BJP candidates, the BJP is terming this the beginning of the exodus from the Congress sinking ship.

Two former MC Councillors  Sanjay Sharma and Kanwaljeet Singh  and Sunni Zila Parishad Member Girdhari Lal also joined the BJP today.

There is no question of any Congress ministers or MLAs joining the BJP. This is simply a propaganda strategy to create an impression that they are on the upswing, remarked Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu, Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee president.

Even as top brass of the BJP, including former Chief Minister PK Dhumal, state BJP president Satpal Singh Satti and local MLA Suresh Bhardwaj, remained engaged in ensuring the success of the Modi rally, scheduled to be held on the Ridge tomorrow, Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh spent the day inaugurating some of the completed projects and laying foundation stones of some new projects in the capital city.

The same routine was followed by the Mayor and Deputy Mayor of the CPM with an eye on the elections of the Shimla Municipal Corporation elections due next month.

The elections to the Shimla MC is being viewed with keen interest as they could be a precursor to the finale, the Assembly polls a little over six months away. Moreover, the Congress has always maintained their hold over the prestigious Shimla MC polls and retaining its hold on the local body would be imperative for the ruling party.

For the BJP it is a complete desperation situation, where they wouldnt want anything going wrong for them, as the party is on all time high across the country.

A convincing win in the Shimla MC will consolidate the partys position as the party is hoping to wrest power from the Congress in Himachal.
Tribune News Service

Shimla, April 26

As BJP leaders and workers slogged hard to give an impressive show at Prime Minister Narendra Modis rally, the Congress today demanded that he must announce a special financial package for the hill state and give nod for some pending railway projects, including the Manali-Leh rail line.

Congress president Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu said the people, who had ensured the victory of the BJP in all four Lok Sabha seats, were pinning their hopes on Modi. The kind of mandate that the people gave to the BJP in the last elections it is but natural for people to expect some big announcements, he remarked.

Sukhu said the Prime Minister must announce grants for the pending Pathankot-Manali-Leh rail line as it was important not just from the defence point of view but would help boost industry and tourism. The promises that the PM had made while he campaigned in Himachal must be fulfilled and this includes enhancement of import duty to protect Himachali apples from stiff competition, he remarked.

He said the people belonging to the Hatti community from the Trans Giri area in Sirmour were awaiting granting of ST status to the area as this would help them keep pace socially and economically with other parts of the state.

The Congress chief, while stating that the people of Himachal would love to have the PM amidst them, pointed out that the flights are only being resumed and not inaugurated. This cannot be termed as inauguration of flights as the Jubbarhatti airport has always had flights except for the last over four years, he remarked putting the record right.
Shimla, April 26

Elaborate security arrangements have been made for Prime Minister Narendra Modis one-day visit to the city on Thursday.

He will launch UDAN (Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik), a regional air connectivity scheme, under which the fares of flights will be capped at Rs 2,500 per seat per hour.

Barricades have been erected on Mall Road, but it is not yet clear whether the prime minister would hold a road show or not.

Modi will also inaugurate the Hydro Engineering College.

It is being set up by the government in collaboration with public enterprises like National Thermal Power Corporation Limited (NTPC) and NHPC at Bandla district, party sources said.

Union Health and Family Welfare Minister JP Nadda along with former Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister PK Dhumal visited Jubberhatti airport and enquired about the arrangements, they said.

Nadda said the launch of UDAN and resumption of Air India flights from Shimla airport after a gap of five years would boost tourism and allied activities in the state.

Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) workers today took out a massive bike rally in the town to create awareness about the PMs visit.  PTI
Ravinder Sood

Palampur, April 26

Amisha and Kashish, daughters of CRPF ASI Sanjay Kumar who was killed in a Maoist ambush in Sukma district of Chhattisgarh on Monday, have appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to launch a massive operation to kill the Maoists.

They said there should not be any soft corner for them for the sake of votes. It was the second Naxal attack in just over one-and-a-half month in the district. The last attack took place on March 11, when 12 jawans were killed, but no operation was launched to kill them. They held the Chhattisgarh Government responsible which was misusing the CRPF for their own interests.

What makes the security forces operating in the Maoist hotbed of Bastar so vulnerable to the Naxal attack? Why do the Maoists succeed in killing our jawans?The government should tell the people, said both daughters of the martyrs when a Tribune team visited the family in Nagri village today.

They said Modi should think. Despite having sophisticated weapons and training, each attack by the extremists leaves dozens of children and their mothers orphans and widows.

Both daughters said the repeated attack by the Naxals had exposed the failures of the government of India and Chhattigarh.

They disclosed that till date, out of 56-km road, where the CRPF company of his father was deputed to protect the road company, only 16 km had been completed and it took the lives of 128 CRPF jawans.
Rifat Mohidin

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, April 26

The state government today ordered one-month ban on 22 social media sites, mobile phone messengers and video-uploading sites in the Valley, which the security agencies believe are fuelling the protests.

The state Home Department in an order banned Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp, QQ, WeChat, Qzone, Tumblr, Google+, Baidu, Skype, Viber, Line, Snapchat, Pinterest, Telegram, Reddit, Snapfish, Youtube, Vine, Xanga, Buzznet and Flickr.

The violation of the order shall be dealt with in accordance with the relevant provisions of law, the government warned in the order, signed by RK Goyal, Principal Secretary to Government, Home Department.

It is for the first time that the state government has banned social media in the Kashmir valley even as blanket shutdown of the Internet has remained a frequent feature in the region. The ban has been ordered in the backdrop of a series of protests in the region, mostly lead by youth, particularly students, in their teens and early twenties.

Security officials believe that the protests, which are becoming difficult to control, are partly fuelled by social media.

In the recent months, demonstrators had live-streamed protests which further fuelled the anger of public following which government had suspended Internet services twice this month, including during the run-up to parliamentary bypoll on April 9.

The state government said over a period of time, a progressively increasing trend had been witnessed in regard to inimical misuse of social media  by elements inimical to public order and tranquillity.

It has further been observed that such elements are transmitting objectionable contents to spread disaffection among public at large in the Kashmir valley against the state administration and security forces, the order read. It also cites the 2016 unrest and said social media was extensively misused during the disturbances.

The ban has come at a time when the state government is grappling with recurring bouts of protests which appear to be spreading in scale and intensity.

The state government had last week shut down the high-speed Internet services in the Kashmir valley following protests by students across all colleges and universities of the region.

The protests by students have continued in colleges despite government closing down higher education institutions for almost a week.

The fresh protests by students were held in colleges and higher secondary schools in Pulwama, Shopian, Kulgam, Bijbehara and Ganderbal districts, where students attempted to take out a march but were intercepted by the police leading to clashes at several places.

26 hurt as students, forces clash again

Srinagar: Twentysix people were injured during the clashes between students and security forces in Kashmir on Wednesday. Students of higher secondary schools and colleges protested in Srinagar, Pulwama, Pampore, Shopian, Kulgam, Ganderbal and Bandipora against the alleged high-handedness of the security forces during the Pulwama incident on April 15, a police officer said. In Srinagar, the protests were held in the Shalimar and Soura areas. The officer said 26 people were hurt in the clashes.  PTI

Internet ban will affect economy: Farooq

Srinagar: National Conference president Farooq Abdullah on Wednesday said the communication blockade ordered by the PDP-BJP government would play havoc with the states economy and in turn render thousands of youth unemployed. This will in turn lead to an increase in unemployment as the private sector, especially the tourism sector, will be severely hit, he said.  TNS
Rifat Mohidin

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, April 26

The J&K Government has ordered the suspension of social media networks in the trouble-torn Kashmir valley for a period of one month as a measure to prevent law and order problems.

In an order issued on Wednesday, the Home Department has directed all Internet Service Providers that any message or class of messages to or from any person or class of persons relating to any subject or any pictorial content through the following social networking sites shall not be transmitted in the Kashmir valley, with immediate effect, the order reads.

The social networking sites that have been banned are Facebook, Twitter, Whatsapp, QQ, WeChat, Ozone, Tumblr, Google+, Baidu, Skype, Viber, Line, Snapchat, Pinterest, Telegram and Reditt.

After the spread of recent student protests, the government last Monday banned the 3G and 4G internet services in the Valley.

The ban on social networking sites has come at a time when the protests by students refuse to die down.
Kolkata, April 26

BJP president Amit Shah today said his party would deliberate upon Chief Minister Mehbooba Muftis proposal for counselling youths caught in the vortex of violence in the state.

Mehboobaji has given a press statement. Our partys team which deals with the policies on Kashmir will sit together and discuss the issue, Shah said during a press conference here, while referring to the CMs proposal to counsel youths.

Asked about his partys stand on the issue, Shah said: The team, after discussing the issue, will come to me and then we will take a decision, he said.

The worsening security situation in Kashmir was discussed at a high-level meeting in Srinagar on Tuesday. At the meeting, Mehbooba directed the forces to exercise restraint and advocated a healing touch towards our own youth caught in the cycle of violence.

Advocating counselling sessions for youth, Mehbooba said it would not only help allay their fears and misgivings about the system, but would also give the security agencies a chance to reach out to people through community policing.

Chairing a meeting of the Unified Headquarters on Tuesday, Mehbooba said youth engagement should be prioritised rather than viewing it as a routine law and order problem and said care should be taken to avoid and minimise all collateral damages while conducting security operations.

Speaking on the Maoist attack at Sukma in Chhattisgarh on Monday that claimed the lives of 26 CRPF personnel, Shah said: Violence can be answered with development only. The BJP believes in Sabka Sath, Sabka vikas.

As far as the Naxals and Maoists are concerned, the BJP-ruled state governments and the Central government will take strict steps to bring them to book, the BJP president said.

Asked if the Central governments premise that demonetisation would help curb terrorism and Naxalite activities had taken a hit following the recent attack in Sukma, Shah said: One incident does not go on to prove that a policy is wrong. The morale of the Naxalites is very low and they are a broken lot now.

Ultra-left extremism flourished during the Congress rule. The BJP-led government at the Centre and in various states has broken their backs, he said.  PTI
Crown on her head, dreams in her eyes and all of a teen! Noida girl Srishti Kaur was crowned Miss Teen Universe 2017, beating as many as 25 contestants from around the world for the title. The beauty pageant was held at Managua, the capital of Central American country Nicaragua. The other two finalists were Ary Trava from Mexico and Samantha Pierre from Canada.

Srishti also won an award for the best national costume, which featured a peacock  the Indian national bird. The six-year-old beauty pageant for teens aged 15 to 19 is held by the Miss Universe Organisation and hence is considered quite prestigious. Pageant contestants came mostly from Latin America and the Caribbean, though two came from Africa and one from Europe. A student of Lotus Valley International in Noida, Srishti is currently pursuing further studies at London School of Fashion. Earlier this year, Kaur had won the title of Miss Teen Tiara International, beating 29 other participants. TNS
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, April 26

Three members of a family, including a child, were asphyxiated after a fire broke out at a cotton-spinning mill, Parasnath Wools, situated in Industrial Area, A Extension, early this morning. More than 25 fire engines took six hours to put out the flames. The cause of the fire was stated to be a short-circuit. The factory was running on a rented place.

The deceased have been identified as Man Bahadur (45), his son Kishan (19), and granddaughter Babita (5). His wife Seema (40) is undergoing treatment at Civil Hospital. They are all natives of Nepal.

The incident occurred at 1 am. One of the labourers woke up to answer natures call. He noticed smoke billowing out of the manufacturing room where the machinery was kept. He raised the alarm. By the time the labourer switched on the water pump, the fire and smoke had engulfed the entire factory premises. The labourer tried to douse the flames with six fire extinguishers kept at the factory, but in vain.

At least 20 labourers were sleeping on the factory premises. Four members of a family were sleeping on the first floor while eight each on the ground and third floor. The fire did not reach the third floor and all eight labourers sleeping there were rescued. The labourers on the ground floor also escaped to safety. However, four members of a family, who were sleeping on the first floor, fell unconscious due to asphyxiation.

The labourers, along with firefighters, broke a metal window to rescue the labourers stuck on the first and second floor. Since the fire had engulfed the entire factory premises, it took us around an hour to break the metal window to rescue people. Four members of a family rescued from the first floor were rushed to the nearby hospital where the doctors declared three of them dead on arrival. The fourth member, a woman, was shifted to Civil Hospital. People rescued from the third floor were safe as there was no yarn or cotton stocked there, ADFO Rajinder Sharma told Ludhiana Tribune.

Sharma said there was no fire safety arrangements at the factory due to which the fire could not be controlled at the first stage. He said a notice would be issued to the factory owner and required action taken by the department.
"I am sure we will win. I have no doubt about it," said Manoj Tiwari.

By India Today Web Desk: Ahead of the MCD election results, Bharatiya Janata Party's Delhi chief Manoj Tiwari today said that he was confident that his party will have a sweeping victory.

"I am sure we will win. I have no doubt about it," said the BJP leader.

Tiwari added that the BJP would make Delhi a clean city and free it from all kinds of diseases after the party wins the municipal elections.

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Earlier, the BJP has asked its supporters not to celebrate any victories out of respect for the 25 CRPF jawans who were martyred in a Maoist ambush attack in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district on Monday.

The saffron party's appeal comes just ahead of the counting of votes in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) election, which the BJP is expect to win comfortably.

On Sunday, the municipal elections saw around 54 per cent voter turnout. Elections in two wards were cancelled after the death of two candidates.

Also read:

Delhi MCD Election Results 2017 LIVE: Counting of votes to begin shortly

MCD election: Has Kejriwal already conceded defeat? AAP convener talks of confrontation ahead of counting today

MCD election 2017: After exit polls, Delhi University now predicts a BJP landslide

WATCH VIDEO | Rajouri Garden bypoll: BJP surging ahead; people have no faith in AAP, says Manoj Tiwari

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Facing 70 cases

The 55-year-old gangster was deported to India after his arrest in Bali in October 2015On the run for 27 years, he was once a close aide of fugitive terrorist Dawood IbrahimHe is facing trial in over 70 cases of murder, extortion and drug smuggling in Delhi and Mumbai

New Delhi, April 25

A special court today awarded seven-year jail term to gangster Chhota Rajan and three retired public servants in a fake passport case.

Special Judge Virender Kumar Goyal awarded the sentence to Rajan and others for offences including forgery of valuable security under the IPC, which entail a maximum punishment of life imprisonment.

The other persons who have been convicted are 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 yesterday after the verdict was announced.

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 grounds that a district court here could also hear the matter.

During pendency of the plea, the high court had ordered a stay on pronouncement of verdict in the case by trial court. However, the high court later rejected the plea. PTI
New Delhi, April 26

Senior AAP leaders, including Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, on Wednesday went to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's residence as early counting trends showed the ruling party far behind in the civic polls.

Sisodia among other leaders reached Kejriwal's Civil Lines residence here as counting trends for the Delhi Municipal Corporation polls showed the Aam Aadmi Party trailing at second spot, behind the Bharatiya Janata Party.

(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)

AAP leaders has alleged widespread tampering of EVMs to favour the BJP.

IANS
Shubhadeep Choudhury

Tribune News Service

Kolkata, April 26

The BJPs plan to challenge Mamata Banerjee in her backyard turned out to be a success with the meeting addressed by Amit Shah on Wednesday in Bhawanipore assembly constituency of the Chief Minister attracting good response.

The booth-level meeting addressed by Shah at the Chetla Lock Gate area under Bhawanipore saw the presence of a good crowd whose spontaneity was evident as they cheered Shah each time he made a major point in the course of the speech delivered by him at the meeting.

Mamata Banerjee believes in appeasement, Shah said, hinting at the charge against Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of extending various favours to Muslims. Shah added that BJP on the other hand believes in development for everyone across the board.

Shah claimed that under the Trinamool Congress government, corruption, atrocities and violence had become rampant in West Bengal. However, by resorting to dirty politics, Banerjee is only paving the way for blossoming of the lotus (BJPs symbol) in Bengal, Shah said.

It is the duty of the BJP to liberate Bengal from the curses of corruption, violence and atrocities, Shah said and appealed to the crowd to vote for the BJP when Lok Sabha elections are held in 2019.

When Modijis chariot, vanquishing various foes on its way, reaches Bengal in 2019, the BJP functionaries here will ensure that BJP secures the biggest victory from West Bengal, Shah said.

Young Manas Mandal, a college student who is president of BJPs booth no. 269 (under which the Lock Gate area falls), stood beside Shah as he spoke. Union minister of state for heavy industries Babul Supriyo, BJP Rajya Sabha member Roopa Ganguly, West Bengal BJP president Dilip Ghosh were among those present with Shah.

After the meeting, Shah and his party colleagues from the state unit, walked down to the Railway Sliding Slum close by and visited some houses and ate fruits and sweets offered to him by the residents.

Earlier in the day, Shah addressed a press conference at the Press Club here. There, he said action was being taken against cow vigilantes and the party would not allow anyone to take the law into their own hands.

Asked whether the BJP would ban cow slaughter if it came to power in West Bengal, Shah said this issue would be decided by the elected government.

Shah landed in Siliguri yesterday kicking-off BJPs expansion drive from West Bengal. He is slated to leave Kolkata tomorrow and go to Orissa and from there to Telengana, Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

Thus, he will visit five states in a span of 15 days.

He will spend three days in each of these states in a bid to strengthen the party in these areas where the party has been weak traditionally.
New Delhi, April 25

The Delhi University is now planning to teach its English literature students "how to write Facebook posts".

The university had recently proposed adding bestselling author Chetan Bhagat's debut novel "Five Point Someone" as a "General Elective" paper for students of honours courses other than English, a choice that drew sharp reactions on the social media.

(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)

The university wants Facebook posts writing to be part of a course on "academic writing" with a core committee for the Choice Based Credit System (CBCS) in the university's English department recommending the same.

The department has sent a proposal detailing the recommendations to all the colleges teaching the honors course in literature studies and has sought feedback.

"Writing does not necessarily mean writing heavyweight non-fiction books or highly dramatised fiction. It also includes writing generic but important content properly such as that for blog posts, cover letters or for that matter Facebook posts," a senior official of the English department said.

"The proposed components will be part of the Skill Enhancement Courses (SEC). The final framework will be decided after receiving feedback from colleges, the deadline for which is May 1. The approved draft will then be placed before the Academic and Executive Council for the final nod," she added. PTI
New Delhi, April 26

India on Wednesday handed over to Pakistan an appeal by the mother of retired Indian Navy officer Kulbhushan Jadhav, sentenced to death by a military court, to the appellate court, initiating a process to get his conviction overturned.

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The appeal on behalf of Jadhav was given to Pakistans Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua by Indian High Commissioner Gautam Bambawale, who also handed over a petition by Jadhavs mother seeking the Pakistan governments intervention for his release and expressing the desire to meet him.

Bambawale, who met Janjua, also made a fresh request for consular access to Jadhav, the External Affairs Ministry said in press release here. This is the 16th request for access.

Also handed over was an appeal by the mother to the Court of Appeal, on behalf of Jadhav, who continues to be in detention in Pakistan on concocted charges, the ministry said.

In the petition, Jadhavs mother has made a request for the intervention of Federal Government of Pakistan for his release and expressed the desire to meet him, it said.

As per the appeal system in Pakistan, a death row convict has to move an appellate court within 40 days of pronouncement of the verdict.

Pakistan was also requested to facilitate visas for the mother and father of Jadhav. They wish to travel to Pakistan to meet him and also to personally file the petition and the appeal. They have applied for necessary visa with the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi, the ministry added.

It is the second time that Bambawale has met Janjua in connection with the naval officers case.

On April 14, Bambawale had met with the Pakistan Foreign Secretary and expressed Indias concern regarding the whereabouts and health condition of Jadhav.

He had told media after his meeting that he had asked for a list of charges and an authentic copy of the verdict of the military tribunal against the retired officer to launch an appeal process against his conviction.

Jadhav was given death sentence by the Field General Court Martial earlier this month, evoking a sharp reaction in India which warned Pakistan of consequences and damage to bilateral ties if the pre-meditated murder was carried out.  PTI
Simran Sodhi

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, April 26

Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, who arrived in the capital yesterday on a four-day visit, today met Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Both the leaders discussed many of the bilateral issues, including that of fishermen and taking forward the proposed Economic and Technology Cooperative Agreement (ETCA).

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Significantly, the press release issued by the Ministry of External Affairs said India welcomed Sri Lanka co-sponsoring the Resolution Promoting Reconciliation, Accountability and Human Rights in Sri Lanka at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) last month. Also that India expressed the earnest hope that recommendations on the reconciliation would be completed within the stipulated timeframe of two years.

The Tamil issue and the alleged human rights violations by the Sri Lankan Armed Forces at the end of the conflict with the LTTE in late 2009 has been raised at various international human rights forums. India, privately, has also pushed Sri Lanka to implement the promise of the devolution of political power to the Tamils. But successive governments in Colombo have been slow on the move.

The two leaders today also welcomed the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding for Cooperation in Economic Projects, which outlines the agenda for bilateral economic cooperation in the foreseeable future. The MoU was signed after the meeting between Modi and Wickremesinghe today.

PM Modi is scheduled to travel to Colombo in the middle of next month to participate in the Vesak Day celebrations.
Sukma (Chhattisgarh), April 25

The Naxalite attack in which 25 CRPF personnel were killed in Chhattisgarh's Sukma on Monday was reportedly organised by the military battalion of Naxals Company No. 1.

"The 74th CRPF Battalion was on a Road Opening Party (ROP) duty to guard the road and an under-construction bridge when the ambush took place," CRPF Deputy Inspector General DP Upadhyay said.

Ninety CRPF jawans were part of the ROP when they were attacked. "Few villagers and their houses were used as a shield by the Naxals to attack the CRPF personnel," Upadhyay said.

"They launched the attack from three sides. The retaliatory fire went on for about one to two hours in which at least three Naxalites and 25 of our CRPF jawans were killed and six were injured. Their sacrifice will not go waste. We will teach them a lesson," he said.

"The body of Havildar M Padmanabhan, who was thought to be missing, was recovered later," Bastar IG Vivekanand Sinha said.

"It was a U-shaped ambush. And out of the 700-750 Maoists who attacked, many were women," he added.

Meanwhile, earlier in the day, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said the government had taken as a challenge the killing of CRPF personnel and vowed that no one will be spared.

He said the Centre and state government would work together to ensure that the perpetrators were brought to book.

Rajnath, who paid tribute to the jawans along with his deputy Hansraj Ahir and Chief Minister Raman Singh, said this cowardly and unfortunate act exposed desperation and frustration.

"It is a cold-blooded murder by the extremists. The central and state governments will work together and take action in this regard," Rajnath told a joint press briefing with the Chief Minister.

The Chhattisgarh CM has called for concrete strategy to counter such attacks, while expressing grief over the death of jawans. "It's high time we need to adopt some strategies to counter such attacks. I offer my condolence to the families of the deceased," he said.  ANI
Yash Goyal

Jaipur, April 26

The Rajasthan Legislative Assembly on Wednesday suspended by voice vote 14 Opposition MLAs for one year for indiscipline and misbehaviour, but later reduced suspension of 12 Congress legislators to a day.

After the Congress members tendered an apology, the House passed another motion reducing the suspension of 12 party legislators from one year to one day. While the House kept its decision of suspension of BSP legislator and Independent MLA for one year unless they apologise in the Speaker's chamber.

Earlier, Chief Whip KL Gurjar moved the motion of their suspension, which was passed by voice vote. Speaker Kailash Meghwal announced their suspension and asked the Assembly marshal to ensure that none of the MLAs be restricted from entry.

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The suspended MLAs are Congress MLAs Govind Singh Dotasar, Dheeraj Gurjar, Ghanshyam Mehar, Sukhram Vishnoi, Mewaram Jain, Shravan Kumar, Ramesh Meena, Ashok Chandana, Bhajanlal, Shankar, Shankuntala Rawat, Heeralal and Rajendra Yadav; BSP MLA Manoj Nangiyal, and Independent MLA Hanuman Beniwal.

Later, Leader of Opposition Rameshwar Dudi, and senior Congress leader P Singh, who were earlier taken out by marshals on the directions of the Speaker, returned saying it was a move to kill democracy and the members should be brought back but the Speaker ruled it out.

Before passing of the suspension motion and after witnessing three adjournments since Question Hour, the Speaker expressed shock over the misconduct and indiscipline by the Opposition Congress members saying it would be an insult to call them MLAs as they had created unruly scenes in the well of the House and near his chair.

He said, After the Uttar Pradesh elections in which the BJP was victorious, the Dholpur bypoll, and the Delhi MCD results on Wednesday, the (Congress) has lost confidence. MLAs have turned hurdangi (rioters or vandalists) and it would not be allowed any more. The Opposition has taken benefit of my leniency. I apologise to the ruling party as I have protected the Opposition on certain issues. The public has punished the Congress at all levels and thrown its politics into the bin.

NPP MLA KL Meena and Independent MLA Raj Kumar Sharma tried to intervene, but the Speaker told them to sit down.

As the Speaker did not accede to the request of Leader of Opposition Dudi, and Singh to review the suspension decision, the remaining Congress members staged a walkout.

On a question about the PM Awaas Yojana raised by Congress members, when Dotasar was not allowed to raise his supplementary question, Congress members created uproar, moved to the well of the House, created a nuisance with the assembly reporters and staff sitting on the central table, and shouted anti-government slogans.

The Speaker told the marshals to remove them, except the Leader of Opposition, from the House, which led to three adjournments in a row.
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 26

Expressing concern over the future of students of Gian Sagar (Banur) and Chintpurni medical colleges, Punjab CM Capt Amarinder Singh today directed the Education Department to find ways and means to ensure that they did not lose a year.

The instructions came during a review meeting of the Departments of Medical Education and Research and Health and Family Welfare. The CM said since the ongoing court case could take long, a way must be found to compensate the students for the loss of study hours. He asked the Vice Chancellor of Baba Farid University of Health Sciences (BFUHS) to hold a special exam for Gian Sagar students so that their careers were not jeopardised.

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The Chief Minister was told that inspections by the department indicated violation of the Medical Council of India norms and the Faridkot university had initiated the process to disaffiliate Gian Sagar Medical College and the Department of Medical Education and Research to de-recognise it.

The Chief Minister stressed the need to help Chintpurni students complete their studies through special measures.

He directed the Minister for Medical Education and Health to issue a show-cause notice to the college where classes have not been held for some time now. The college has been told by the Medical Council of India not to take students for the next two sessions.

The meeting was attended by Health and Family Welfare Minister Brahm Mohindra, Chief Secretary Karan Avtar Singh, Secretary Medical Education and Research Vikas Partap, Principal Secretary Health and Family Welfare Anjali Bhawra, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Tejveer Singh, Vice Chancellor Dr Raj Bahadur and Director Medical Education and Research Dr Sujata Sharma.
Not just the Aam Aadmi Party, other political parties have also asked if electronic voting machines are tamper-proof.

By India Today Web Desk: As the Bhartiya Janata Party looks set to continue its rule at the Delhi municipal corporations, electronic voting machines (EVMs) once again find themselves on the losing side.

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Gopal Rai dismissed the BJP win in the municipal corporations, and said "Ye BJP ki nahi, EVM ki lahar hai (This is not a BJP but an EVM wave)".

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A day ago, AAP chief and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, possibly sensing defeat, warned of a "movement" if exit poll predictions come true.

Arvind Kejriwal reportedly said "Eent se eent baja dunga. If such results come true then it proves that manipulations have happened, like in Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Pune, Mumbai, Bhind and Dholpur".

The exit poll predictions of a BJP win in Delhi MCD election have come true, and with this the questions on tamperability of EVMs are likely to get more pointed.

MCD Election 2017: Full coverage

LOSING FAITH IN EVMs

Even as the Election Commission has thrown open a challenge to all political parties to hack an electronic voting machine (EVM)--the hackathon is likely to be held in the first week of May--it is not just the Aam Aadmi Party but many others who have pointed fingers at EVMs.

At least 16 Opposition parties, led by the Congress, recently met Election Commission officials and said that they have completely lost faith in EVMs and demanded that paper ballots be used for upcoming polls.

In the wake of allegations of tampering of EVMs, the Election Commission had announced that more advanced M3 machines would replace nearly nine lakh existing electronic voting machines ahead of the 2019 General Election. These M3 machines reportedly stop working when tampered with.

Yet, such steps by the Election Commission may not suffice to save the EVMs from facing allegations of tamperability.

ARE PAPER BALLOTS A SOLUTION?

Several states are scheduled to hold election before 2019. This includes Gujarat, and Congress-ruled Karnataka and Himachal Pradesh.

At the recently concluded Budget session in Parliament, Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad, while raising the issue of EVM tampering, demanded that Assembly election in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh be conducted with paper ballots.

In Uttar Pradesh, for instance, the state election commission has urged the Election Commission to let it hold the upcoming election for the urban local bodies using paper ballots if it could not provide electronic voting machines in "good working condition".

The recently concluded Assembly election in Uttar Pradesh, which saw the BJP forming the government in the state after 15 years, also had its share of controversy over EVMs with Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati alleging that the machines were tampered with.

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Like always, electronic voting machines found themselves on the losing side in Uttar Pradesh too.

ALSO READ:

Delhi MCD Election Results 2017 LIVE updates: BJP retains all three civic bodies; EVMs rigged, says AAP

MCD election: Has Arvind Kejriwal already conceded defeat? AAP convener talks of confrontation ahead of counting

Whither Arvind Kejriwal's AAP? What MCD election results mean for Delhi's ruling party

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Satya Prakash

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, April 26

The Supreme Court on Wednesday asked the NDA government to examine the feasibility of having a legislation to regulate functioning of over 32 lakh non-government organisations (NGOs), their funding and to take to task the defaulting ones.

After examining a set of guidelines prepared by the government, a bench headed by Chief Justice of India JS Khehar said the existing or proposed guidelines were not sufficient to deal with unaccountable NGOs getting grants from government agencies for decades.

The government had proposed that all NGOs receiving or desirous of receiving government funds have to mandatorily register themselves with the Niti Aayog or an agency notified by the Centre for registration and accreditation. It had submitted draft norms for their registration, accreditation, release of funds, monitoring, auditing of accounts, disciplinary procedures and dispute resolution.

In future, all funds to NGOs/VOs (voluntary organisations) should be released through the Public Funds Management Systems (PFMS), the Centre had said in its guidelines prescribing a three-tier monitoring of NGOs.

You cannot expect Niti Aayog to start registering NGOs, keep a tab and take action. Its just not possible, the bench said expressing surprise over yearly disbursal of Rs 950 crore to NGOs.

You cannot allow public funds to go waste. There is no assessment to what happened to all that money given to them (NGOs), it commented.

The bench didnt find the draft guidelines good enough to be accepted. We are not happy with the guidelines. You must crystallise them. Those (NGOs) which are clear are clear. If not then blacklist and prosecute them, it told the Centre.

The bench  which is seized of a PIL seeking proper guidelines to regulate over 32 lakh NGOs, many of which are not properly audited -- said the law should not only provide for enforceable consequences but also prescribe civil and criminal action.

The court suggestion came after CAPART  a registered body under the Ministry of Rural Development  said it had initiated criminal proceedings against 159 voluntary organisations (VOs) for misappropriation of funds.

The CAPART said initially it had blacklisted 718 NGOs for not following the due process and not submitting their accounting details. Later, 15 NGOs were removed from the blacklist after they complied with the accounting norms, it submitted.

However, CAPART admitted that its infrastructure was insufficient to take a meaningful action in respect of money released to NGOs.

Position placed on record by CAPART does not reveal the entire factual position since it is only one of the 76 ministries/agencies distributing funds, the court noted.

The top court had on January 10 ordered the government to devise a proper mechanism to stop misuse of government funds given to NGOs and subject them to auditing.

On the earlier occasion when we had passed the order we did not rightly perceive the magnitude of the funds involved and task contemplated, it noted.

Petitioner ML Sharma had alleged that 80 per cent of the NGOs received foreign funds and there are 30 lakh NGOs in the country and there was no legal framework to properly regulate them. Unless some mechanism is put in place centrally, nothing can be done.

Haryana and Punjab accounted for over 1 lakh and 84,752 NGOs, respectively. Many other states had much more NGOs. According to a report filed by the CBI, Maharashtra (5.18 lakh), Uttar Pradesh (5.48 lakh), Kerala (3.69 lakh), West Bengal (2.34 lakh), Tamil Nadu (1.55 lakh), Andhra Pradesh (2.92 lakh) and Madhya Pradesh (1.36 lakh) had much greater number of NGOs.
Tribune News Service

Kasauli, April 26

Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi and other dignitaries today paid their last respects to Shobha Nehru, wife of former US Ambassador BK Nehru, who passed away on Tuesday.

A large number of locals too bid adieu to the grand old lady who, they said, had a special bond with Kasauli and would be remembered for her warmth and poise.

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Rahul, who would specially come to Kasauli to meet his great grandmother, was one of the pallbearers.

An ambulance of the Indian Army carried the body to the Mashobra crematorium at 10 am. The deceaseds eldest son Ashok Nehru lit the pyre amid chanting of mantras. His brother Aditya Nehru and caretaker Sanjeev also participated in the last rites.

Besides the deceaseds daughter-in-law Malti and grandchildren, Justice (retd) SS Sodhi, President, The Tribune Trust, his wife Bonny Sodhi, Brig Deepak Sharma, Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment DR Shandil, Pradesh Congress Committee president Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu, tehsildar Keshav Ram and Additional SP Manmohan Singh were among those who attended the cremation.

From The Tribune Trust

The Tribune Trust mourns the passing away of Mrs Shobha Nehru, wife of the late BK Nehru, a former President of the Trust. She was decency, grace and intelligence personified, and was a great source of inspiration and confidence to Nehru Sahib. During and after BK Nehru Sahibs life, her advice and insight was always available to The Tribune family. We recall that only recently the Trust had honoured her as The Tribunes oldest reader.

The Tribune Trust conveys its condolences to the Nehru family.
Moscow, April 26

India on Wednesday pitched for united global action in strongly resisting "opportunistic" efforts of some countries which are supporting, financing and providing safe havens to terror groups for "limited" objectives.

Addressing the Moscow Security Conference here, Defence Minister Arun Jaitley said terrorism is being "reinvented" in newer and even more dangerous manifestations and all major players must come together to deal with the challenge.

Seen as a reference to Pakistan, he said terrorism will "recoil" on those who nurture it, asserting that India will steadfastly partner all friendly countries which are confronted with the challenge of terror groups.

Jaitley also said India supports a greater role for Russia in international affairs as well as in "our shared neighbourhood" to effectively deal with major challenges.

The defence minister said cooperation among major powers to reclaim territories from ISIS in the Middle East can become a template for similar steps elsewhere. He, however, did not elaborate further.

In an oblique reference to China's growing assertiveness in the South China Sea, Jaitley said resurgence of territorial disputes in the maritime domain is a serious challenge, adding India is for ensuring rights of freedom of navigation and over-flight as well as unimpeded commerce.

Jaitley also came down hard on those who still seek to make distinctions between good and bad terrorists, despite all the evidence and experience to the contrary. He said manipulation of young minds by fundamentalist groups using new technologies and social media have a serious impact.

"We should also resolutely resist opportunistic efforts by some states to support terrorist proxies by training, funding or providing safe havens to such groups for their limited objectives," he said at the sixth Moscow conference on international security.

On the positive side, Jaitley said, the territory acquired by ISIS in the Middle East has begun to be effectively challenged by several countries.

"It is reassuring and should be taken to its logical conclusion. Cooperation between major powers in this effort can become a template for similar steps elsewhere," he said.

At the same time, he said even work is on to eliminate the breeding grounds of terrorism in the Middle East, the dangers of such elements returning to their home countries has become a major challenge.

"We need to encourage closer information exchanges and intelligence cooperation to address this threat," he said.

Referring to the situation in Afghanistan, Jaitley said a policy of zero tolerance towards violence and terrorism and continued efforts to consolidate the capacity of the Afghan government to deal with violence are essential.

The minister said the scourge of terrorism remains the primary security challenge for all peaceful countries.

"We have successfully addressed this threat for over three decades. We will continue to strengthen ongoing cooperation in counter-terrorism with our partners," he said.

Talking about maritime issues, he said maritime territorial disputes are particularly complex and need to be managed effectively, lest they undermine the regional order as well as structures and processes that help maintain peace and stability.

He said there is a need to ensure continued prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region.

"India believes that the rights of freedom of navigation and over-flight as well as unimpeded commerce should be ensured. These are vital to India's own economic engagement with the Indo-Pacific region," he said.

In the course of his address, Jaitley also referred to the terror attack in St Petersburg and said the global nature of this menace and the need for a coherent and sustained international response to it is now widely acknowledged.

Fourteen people were killed when a blast ripped through a train carriage on the St Petersburg metro early this month.

"The manipulation of young minds by fundamentalist groups using new technologies and social media has already caused long-term damage to our societies. One manifestation of this is the recent string of lone-wolf attacks in many countries," he said.

The minister also talked about escalation of tensions in the Korean peninsula saying it is a matter of concern.

"The linkages between proliferation in that region with the deterioration of India's own security environment is widely known. Addressing the current situation should acknowledge this aspect," he said.

Jaitley also spoke about non-traditional threats to security and said effective management of cyber-space has emerged as a key national security challenge for many countries.

On situation in Afghanistan, he said it continues to be challenging.

"Facile assessments that imply there is a choice between the evil forces at play in that country are endangering the gains made by the brave Afghan people with the support of the international community over the past decade and more," he said.

He said India believes that a secure, stable and peaceful Afghanistan is achievable with the continued commitment of the international community.

"India has provided assistance and support to the friendly people of Afghanistan. We will continue to do as much as we can. We also look forward to working in tandem with all parties that share similar objectives in Afghanistan," he said.  PTI
Anirudh Gupta

Ferozepur, April 26

It is 8.17am, and about 25 tractor-trailers and bullock carts are queued up near border pillar number 195 along the India-Pakistan border in Dona Telu Mal village. Farmers are waiting under the scorching sun for their turn to get past the high-security BSF fencing gate.

Before they go further, the farmers are not only frisked by gun-toting BSF sentinels, but also their agricultural equipment are thoroughly scanned by sniffer dogs. Women are also frisked by special BSF women volunteers. Even ID cards are checked.

After being sure, the BSF sleuths give green signal and let the farmers go past the fencing gate. On other side of gate, the farmers have to wait for hours, again. This time, for their turn to cross the Sutlej on the wooden bera to reach their fields. The entire process takes at least three to four hours. There are three private beras, for which local farmers have contributed; the government has provided only one. Even BSF troops use beras to transport their vehicles.

As soon as the clock strikes four, the BSF kisan guard signals them to stop the work. It is time to retreat to their homes irrespective of the fact that the work has been completed or not. These border farmers get only four to five hours to tend to their fields. Time for farming is insufficient, many farmers rue.

This is not their only concern. The fear of their tractor-trolleys, harvesting machines and other equipment getting drowned in the river occupies their mind. And rampant attacks by wild boars and frequent attempts by the land mafia to usurp their land add to their concerns.

Jaswant Lal, who jointly owns around 60 acres along with his five brothers, is upset over the plight of farmers in Dona Telu Mal, Gandhu Khichia, Mabboke, Bhambha Hazi, Rahela Hazi villages. He, however, has not lost hope. He demands the barbed wire fencing should be relocated further towards the zero line. Even the burden on BSF troops will be reduced, he adds.

Around 5,000 acres of fertile agricultural land is situated between the fencing and the zero line. We have been standing here since 5am. Only one gate is opened and the rest are closed. It will be almost 11am when we will reach our fields, says Anokh Singh, another farmer.

Karan Singh, secretary, Border Farmers Union, says that many a times, the tractor-trolleys or combines get drowned during transportation. Its a huge risk, he says and adds that the state government should construct a bridge. Even a pontoon bridge will serve the purpose. At least, the machinery could be transported to the fields safely.

Another worry is the rising input costs. The rent of a harvesting combine is between Rs 1,300 and Rs 1,500 here. In other parts of the state, the charges are less, says Gurdeep Singh of Bhambha Hazi village.

All our pleas fall on deaf ears, says Jagdish Singh, waiting of his turn at fencing gate. Last year, the Centre had announced Rs150-crore compensation for us. It is still awaited, he adds.
Amritsar, April 26

In a suspected case of political murder, an Akali sarpanch has been beaten to death allegedly by a group of Congress workers in Cheath Kalan village of Attari assembly constituency, police said on Wednesday.

An FIR has been registered against four persons, Chattiwind SHO, Amarjit Singh said.

According to police, the victim, Gurpinder Singh Laali engaged in a verbal duel with the suspects last evening which later turned into a scuffle.

Laali fainted during the clash and was rushed to a hospital where he died, Singh said.

Efforts are on to trace the suspects, he said.

Meanwhile, former Punjab Deputy Chief Minister and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal today condemned the killing of the Akali sarpanch.

He said in a statement issued in Chandigarh that the death of Laali was the result of the vendetta unleashed by the Congress-led state government on Akali workers.

If the local police had swung into action, a young life could have been saved, he said.

Badal further alleged that the Congress cadre had been given a free hand to indulge in such vendetta against Akalis even as the government espoused innocence on the issue.

Stating that the SAD would not sit back and let the Congress workers indulge in goonda raj, the Akali leader asked the party district presidents to hold dharnas and protests against such instances.

He added that the party would help the victims of such vendetta by taking up their cases in court.  PTI
Rajmeet Singh

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 26

Well-heeled forest mafia is spreading its wings across Punjab, especially in Chandigarhs periphery  threatening the ecologically-fragile Shivalik Hills.

Even as the Capt Amarinder Singh government is taking measures to check mining, transport and cable mafia, chopping of trees is going on unchecked under the patronage of revenue and forest officials.

Despite Forest and Wildlife Preservation Minister Sadhu Singh Dharamsot issuing strict guidelines, the illegal felling of khair trees is going on in the forest areas of Siswan and Mirzapur villages, located along the road connecting Kurali with Baddi in Himachal Pradesh.

On the pretext of clearing the land that has been de-listed from the provisions of the Punjab Land Preservation Act (PLPA), 1900, a large-scale felling has been going on for the last few days in the thick forest area abutting the Siswan check dam.

Fresh signs of felling of khair and other trees and chopping these into pieces for smuggling were evident on Wednesday. Strangely, the field-level forest officials  the guard, forester, range officer  have seemingly been unable to enforce the rule of law.

Admitting that it was a serious matter, the Forest Minister said the forest officer concerned would have to explain the incidents. He pointed out that he had taken a serious note of a similar case from the forest area of Talwara in Hoshiarpur.

Forest Department officials said since large chunks of forest land abuts the common village land in 38 villages in the Majri block on the outskirts of Chandigarh, plundering of forest area is going unabated.
Saurabh Malik

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 25

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has called for an affidavit listing details of the money the new trustees are willing to invest for the rehabilitation of Gian Sagar Medical College.

It should also be disclosed in the affidavit as to how the deficiency pointed out by the university and the state shall be removed, Justice Rakesh Kumar Jain ruled.

He also directed the filing of the affidavit by the next date of hearing on May 1.

As hearing in the case resumed, senior advocate Anmol Rattan Sidhu told the Bench on behalf of the college that the earlier trustees had resigned and new ones had been inducted, who were managing the affairs of the college.

The new trustees were ready and willing to invest the required amount for the smooth functioning of the college after settling the previous liabilities, including the salaries of the teaching and non-teaching staff, Sidhu added. Advocate General Atul Nanda suggested that an affidavit may be asked from the trustees to disclose who the new ones were.

The developments took place on a petition filed by Raghav Mittal and other students through their counsel, Puneet Gupta.

He contended that the classes had not been held since February 1 due to the ongoing tussle between the management, the teaching staff and the paramedical staff.

The state too had failed to take action or intervene in the matter despite the repeated written requests, he added. Alternatively, directions were sought to the state to discharge its obligation and take all steps for taking over the college.
Tribune News Service

Amritsar, April 26

A Khalsa College student allegedly committed suicide on Wednesday by hanging himself in his hostel room following which a large number of students blocked the main GT road in the evening.

The deceased was identified as Harpreet Singh, a student of B.Sc agriculture final year.

He was reportedly not allowed to attend the practical exams due to low attendance.

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The protesting students alleged that the college authorities did not listen to his grievances.

The practical exams started today.
Deepkamal Kaur

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, April 25

The flagship scheme of the previous Akali-BJP government, Sewa Kendras, is proving a burden on the state exchequer.

The government has signed an agreement for gap funding with BLS E-Solutions, which is running the centres. It has reportedly paid over Rs85 crore to the company to make up for the revenue gap incurred during November 2016 to March this year.

The government had initially invested around Rs250 crore for providing space, non-technical infrastructure and gensets to each of the 1750 rural and 424 urban unified service delivery centres.

The company, which invested on technical equipment, besides bearing the running costs, generates revenue from facilitation charges levied on various categories of applicants.

But the arrangement is proving to be a white elephant, forcing the Congress government to review the same. Besides adding new services, the government intends to dismantle the RTS Commission and make financial commissioners as second appellate authority after the deputy commissioners.

Even as the company claims that the number of applicants has increased since last month, the government has paid Rs15 crore as gap funding for March alone. Abhinav Trikha, Special Secretary, Governance Reforms, has confirmed the same.

Data available with the district e-governance department in Jalandhar shows that there are many centres, especially in rural areas, which are not getting more than one applicant on a single day. The same is true for some centres in city areas too. A Sewa Kendra in New Rajan Nagar near Leather Complex here received only 48 applications in March.

Nikhil Gupta, CEO, BLS E-solutions, tried to play down the issue, saying: We collected nearly Rs2.25 crore in November when we took over, but now it has increased to Rs4 crore. Since the viability gap is decreasing, the government has to pay a lesser amount. The number of applications across state touched 5.3 lakh last month and we expect it to go higher this month. We intend to get permission to add two more services to 77 already being offered.

Abhinav Trikha said: From May 1, passport application and BSNL landline bill payment will be added. Within 15 days, we will add more services such as PAN card application and a few concerning local bodies work. The arms licence service which is currently with single type-1 centres too may be handed over to the Sewa Kendras. We intend to increase the footfall in these centres to reduce the revenue gap.
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 25

The Punjab Government today issued a notice to the management of Gian Sagar Medical College and Hospital, Banur, asking it to show cause why its essentiality certificate should not be withdrawn.

After getting the nod from Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh, the Secretary, Medical Education and Research, today gave seven days to the management of the Gian Sagar Education and Charitable Trust to file its reply, failing which the permission to run the college would be withdrawn.

Sources in the CMs Office said the Health Department had been asked to act tough against the college management, even as there were reports that BJP leader Swaran Salaria, Chairman, Chintpurni Medical College and Hospital, Pathankot, had taken over the management of the Gian Sagar Trust.

Health Minister Brahm Mohindra said, The government is concerned about the future of 1,500 students.

The Principal and other senior officials of the college had put in their papers yesterday in protest against the move to hand over of the college to a private firm.

The notice mentions that the managing trustee, Harsatinder Pal Singh, failed to clear the pending dues, including salaries and government liabilities, by March 31.

PNB takes symbolic possession of college

Patiala: Punjab National Bank (PNB) has issued a public notice, saying that it has taken symbolic possession of the college property as the management has failed to repay its loan to the tune of over Rs 45.17 crore. The notice, displayed on the gate of Gian Sagar Medical College and Hospital, mentions that the bank had issued a notice to the college management on April 17, 2016, for clearing its dues within 60 days, but the latter did not respond or bother to repay the amount. TNS

154 protesters in judicial remand

Patiala: The Rajpura court released 28 of the 182 protesting investors of the Pearls Group who were detained by the police last night. The remaining 154 protesters were remanded in judicial custody in Patiala and Nabha jails. They are demanding the attachment of college property to the RM Lodha panel and selling it off to refund their money. Meanwhile, the students of Gian Sagar Dental College started a protest on Tuesday, demanding the resumption of their classes. TNS

Varsity serves disaffiliation notice

Faridkot: Baba Farid University of Health Sciences (BFUHS) on Tuesday issued a show-cause notice to Gian Sagar Medical College and Hospital, warning of disaffiliation. The notice has been served after an inspection by BFUHS found that there were very few clinical classes in the colleges for the past six months due to paucity of patients/clinical material in the hospital, resulting in suspension of classes and practicals of MBBS, MD and MS students, said Dr Raj Bahadur, Vice-Chancellor, BFUHS. TNS
Early trends in the MCD election result 2017 are showing a landslide victory for the Bharatiya Janata Party.

By Vishakha Saxena: Counting has begun for results in the 2017 MCD election and early trends are predicting a landslide victory for the BJP. At 9:30 am, the Bharatiya Janata Party was leading in 185 out of 270 seats in the 3 municipal corporations.

BJP has registered its first victories in Daryaganj, Sonia Vihar and Madhu Vihar, and is currently leading in all three civic bodies -- North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC), South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) and East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC).

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This will be Bharatiya Janata Party's fourth consecutive victory in MCD polls.

According to experts, BJP's strong position is "proof" that Delhiites are voting for development, instead of distractions like the EVM controversy.

The Bharatiya Janata Party's landslide victory is a marked improvement from its performance in 2012. It's interesting to note here that the BJP has managed to retain the Municipal Corporation of Delhi for nearly 10 years now, but 2017 has been its best performance in these years.

Back in 2012, BJP had won 138 of the total of 272 seats. Congress came a close second with 77 seats and other parties held the rest of the 57 seats. Saying 'Delhi is one', the party, unlike Congress, had decided to release a common, single manifesto for all the three corporations.

In its manifesto, the Bharatiya Janata Party had promised to provide social security cards for the unorganised sector including rickshaw pullers, drivers, vendors and daily wage workers to enable them to have access to facilities such as insurance, medical care and education.

It had also promised to construct more than 100 underground multi-level and eco-friendly parking lots, Rs 5,000 for all girl students on reaching Class V, construction of recreation centres for senior citizens in all community centres, and reclamation of the three landfill sites, among other things.

The BJP win came on the back of its promise of a more transparent and accountable MCD system, especially since the Congress was embroiled in corruption scandals. Bharatiya Janata Party's win was a blow to the then chief minister Sheila Dikshit (of the Congress) who had been ruling the Capital for nearly 14 consecutive years.

In fact, the trifurcation of MCD into NDMC, SDMC and EDMC was seen as Dikshit's bid to weaken BJP's hold in civic polls.

Slide here to see how the BJP has strengthened its hold over the MCD since 2012:

--- ENDS ---
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 25

Failing to get patients at government-run de-addiction and rehabilitation centres, the state is planning to hand over the centres to private players.

The government had spent around Rs100 crore on constructing 33 de-addiction and around 20 rehabilitation centres a couple of years ago.

Sources said the government was concerned about the lesser number of patients coming to the centres in spite of widespread problem of drug addiction.

A report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India had pointed out several problems plaguing the centres. Subsequently, Health Minister Brahm Mohindra had pulled up his department. Now, the department is planning to run the centres on the public-private partnership (PPP) mode.

Several possibilities are under discussion to bring in private players  one option is to rope in NGOs such as Red Cross and another is to hand over the centres to private hospitals, the sources said.

Dr HS Bali, Director, Health Services, confirmed that discussion on the fate de-addiction centres was in progress. The final decision is yet to be taken, he said.

He further said the government was planning to rename drug de-addiction centres as Navjeevan Centres and rehabilitation centres as Navnirman Centres. We got feedback that some patients dont want to come for treatment because they dont want to get associated with word de-addiction. So, the government is going to rename the centres, he said.

After coming under fire for widespread drug problem, the then SAD-BJP government had spent Rs 27 crore on 33 de-addiction centres and Rs62 crore on rehabilitation centres a couple of years ago.

In 2016, 8,533 patients were treated at the 33 centres across the state. This number has came down this year. Besides Rs61.89 crore that went into constructing the centres, Rs2 crore was spent on infrastructure, Rs44 lakh on medicine supply and Rs3.2 crore on salaries of employees.
IN the High Court of Madras two judges have differed as regards the punishment of an individual who purchased a labourer for Rs. 10 and resold him to a third party. One authority holds the view that the transaction is supported by local custom but the other considers that the matter comes within section 370 of the I.P.C. and has to be leniently dealt with in view of the local custom. The question has been referred to a third judge, but apart from this extraordinary incident, it is well to invite public attention to the necessity of holding a thorough examination of the prevalence of labour oppression in various forms and degrees from the Himalayas to the Cape Comorin.
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, April 26

Uttarakhand Industries Minister Prakash Pant on Monday assured a delegation of Chinese businessmen of providing a conducive investment opportunity in the states industrial hub of Sitarganj.

The 10-member delegation from the Luoyang Chambers of Commerce, which is on a visit to Uttarakhand, has shown an interest in investing in Uttarakhand. After a trip to Sitarganj on Sunday, the members met Prakash Pant on Monday.
Ajay Banerjee

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, April 26

China on Wednesday morning launched its domestically built sea-borne aircraft carrier which looks identical to its existing carrier, the Liaoning, purchased from Ukraine, albeit has notable enhancements in on-board radars and number of on-deck fighter jets.

(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)

The launch at sea was celebrated with much fanfare, Chinese media has reported. New Delhi and Tokyo have their eyes looking at the newest entrant, to what is militarily known as the Asian carrier race. The new warship will be commissioned in 2020 as three years will be needed for its internal fitting, integration of fighter jets and sea trials.

India is set to commission its indigenously made carrier, the INS Vikrant, in 2018 and has an operational carrier the INS Vikramaditya.

Named type 001-A, Beijings newest entrant comes five years after commissioning its first aircraft carrier, the Liaoning. Chinas domestically built carrier is similar in size and design to the Liaoning. It uses a STOBAR (Short Take-Off But Arrested Recovery) system for the launch and recovery of fighter jets from its deck.

The control tower of the new warship is 10 per cent smaller than that of the Liaoning; and it will displace roughly 70,000 tons. The warship will carry the advanced Type 346A S-band AESA radar system and some 30-32 fighter jets, in addition to helicopters. It is powered by conventional power.

Chinas first aircraft carrier, the Liaoning, was bought as an incomplete Soviet vessel, the Varyag. It was towed to China and refitted, and it carried out its first deep sea movement in December 2016.

With Wednesdays development, India, Japan and China now have a flat-deck that can carry fighter jets, which can further hit target at sea or land. As of now, India is the leader with 50 years of experience in operating sea-borne aircraft carriers while Japan, for the first time since World War-II, has made flat-deck warships but doesnt call them aircraft carriers.

A race between India and China to secure resources such as oil, minerals, natural gas and coal will be backed by keeping sea lanes open.

The third dimension is Japan. Following the end of World War-II and defeat of the Imperial Japan Navy, the Japanese Constitution in 1945 banned the making of aircraft carriers, but recently lifted it.

In March 2015, Japan commissioned the 24,000-tonne flat-deck called Izumo for carrying 14 helicopters. It can easily carry and operate the vertical takeoff F-35B joint strike fighters being developed by the US.

Meanwhile, the US adds the fourth dimension with its super carriers of USS Nimitz class  each weighing over 1 lakh tonnes and nuclear powered  in Asian waters. President Barack Obama had announced in 2011 the rebalance of US naval assets that would entail stationing 60 per cent of its sea-going fleet in Asia-Pacific.
Washington, April 26

US President Donald Trump has the reaffirmed his commitment to build a wall along the Mexico border amid reports that his plan may be halted in order to avoid a government shutdown.

The wall is going to get built, by the way, Trump told reporters at the White House yesterday.

The comments came after reports that the Republican Party is having second thoughts about the wall as part of its strategy to avoid a government shutdown.

Trumps insistence on funding to start construction had jeopardised the spending bill.

Just in case anybody has any question, the wall is going to get built, and the wall is going to stop drugs, and its going to stop a lot of people from coming in that shouldnt be here, and its going to have a huge effect on human trafficking, which is a tremendous problem in this world, a problem that nobody talks about, but its a problem thats probably worse than any time in the history of this world, he said.

He said the wall is going to get built, and his administration is setting record numbers in terms of stopping people and drugs from coming in the US which has gone down by 73-74 per cent.

Trump said that US Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly has told him the country definitely needs a wall.

I was just with him a little while ago, and he said we definitely, desperately need the wall. And were going to have the wall built. I dont know why people are talking. I watch these shows, and the pundits in the morning. They dont know what theyre talking about. The wall gets built, 100 per cent, the president said.

The White House also insisted that there has been no change in the position when it comes to building the wall.

The president made it very clear his priorities have not changed. There will be a wall built. Its important to prevent human trafficking, gangs like MS-13 from coming into the country, the flow of illegal drugs, illegal immigration, White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said.

There is a national economic and safety issue by having a wall that ensures our countrys safety, and theres plenty of planning that can be done in FY17. Were going to continue, our priorities are clear going into FY17, the remainder of budgeting for that. And well continue to ask for more in FY18, he said.  PTI
Washington, April 26

US President Donald Trump held talks with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau amid deteriorating relationship between the neighbour countries over lumber and dairy trade issues.

The White House described Tuesdays telephonic conversation between the two leaders as very amicable.

The two leaders discussed the dairy trade in Wisconsin, New York State, and various other places. They also discussed lumber coming into the United States. It was a very amicable call, it said in a statement.

The conversation comes a day after the US Department of Commerce determined the need to impose countervailing duties of roughly USD 1 billion on Canadian softwood lumber exports to the US.

This is not our idea of a properly functioning Free Trade Agreement, US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said, while describing it as as a bad week for the US-Canada relationship.

Earlier in the day, Trump exuded confidence that the move would not result in a trade war with Canada.

No. They have a tremendous surplus with the United States. Whenever they have a surplus, I have no fear, he told reporters.

By the way, virtually every country has a surplus with the United States. We have massive trade deficits. So when were the country with the deficits, we have no fear, Trump said in response to a question.

During a White House news conference, Ross alleged that Canadian provinces subsidise lumber, which is used in housing construction in America.

The (Canadian) provinces subsidise the cutting down of lumberthe technical term being stumpageand then that lets them charge a subsidised low price when the product hits the US border. We have determined preliminarily that those problems, while they vary from one province to another, in some cases are as high as roughly 25 per cent, and on average are around 20 per cent. So theyre quite material items, he said.

Ross said the preliminary decision that was put out imposes those countervailing duties on softwood lumber from Canada.

Those duties will be collected and they will be collected on a retroactive basis, going back 90 days, because it is 90 days ago that the Canadians were put on notice about this being an inappropriate process, he said.

He said there is roughly USD 15 billion worth of softwood lumber used in houses in the US and about 31.5 per cent of that comes from the Canadians.

So thats roughly USD 5 billion a year. A 20 per cent tariff on that is essentially a billion dollars a year. And the retrospective 90-day feature adds another USD 250 million to that on a one-time basis, Ross explained.

Terming Canada as a close and important ally, he said it is generally a good neighbour but that does not mean they (Canada) dont have to play by the rules.

The commerce secretary did not rule out that there would be no impact of this trade ruling.

Well, everything relates to everything else when youre trying to negotiate, so I cant say theres no impact. But what we have tried to do was to clear the air and get this dispute out of the way before the big NAFTA talks went on.

That was not possible to achieve, and thats why we went ahead and released the findings. Theres a feeling in the dairy industry that Canadians are a little bit abrupt in the action that they took the week before, Ross said.

The problem with dairy isnt that theyre dumping dairy products in the US. The problem is the reverse, theyre prohibiting US dairy producers from selling their products in Canada, as a practical matter, and were looking into whether there are measures we can do to try to correct that, he said.  PTI
Led by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, AAP stood second with 48 seats while Congress finished last with only 30 seats in its kitty out of 270 wards.

By India Today Web Desk: Scoring a hat-trick in the Delhi MCD election, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) today rode on a Modi wave to sweep the capital's three civic bodies with a thumping majority and dealt a severe blow to the AAP (Aam Aadmi Party) and Congress.

The BJP won 181 of the 270 wards that went to polls on Sunday to secure control of all the three Municipal Corporations of Delhi - North, South and East.

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In North, the BJP won 64 of 103 wards, 70 of 104 in South and 47 of 63 in East and retained its 10-year hold on the capital's three civic bodies.

TEN THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT MCD ELECTION RESULTS: Led by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal AAP stood second with 48 seats while Congress finished last with only 30 seats in its kitty. The BJP credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the victory in MCD which came close on the heels of the party's successes in the Assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Goa and Manipur. Party president Amit Shah said the win in Delhi MCD polls shows PM Narendra Modi's acceptability to the masses. AAP alleged that the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) were rigged to help the saffron party win. "Without rigging, such a massive win is not possible," Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said, reiterating the accusations the party has been raising since AAP's defeat in the Punjab and Goa Assembly polls. Kejriwal however steered clear of blaming EVMs for the defeat and promised all cooperation to the civic bodies. "I congratulate BJP on their victory in all 3 MCDs. My govt looks forward to working wid MCDs for the betterment of Delhi (sic)," Kejriwal tweeted. AAP's Lok Sabha MP from Punjab, Bhagwant Mann, held the party's leadership responsible for defeat in the state Assembly election and even said the party functions like a "mohalla cricket team". AAP MLA Alka Lamba, who represents Chandni Chowk in the Delhi Assembly, offered to quit on moral grounds for the party's defeat in the seats falling under her constituency. AAP's Delhi convener Dilip Pandey also resigned from his post. Congress leader Ajay Maken was clearly disheartened by the drubbing in the polls and even announced that he was resigning as Delhi Congress president. He owned up moral responsibility for the defeat and said he will not take up any other post in the party for at least a year. PC Chacko also offered to resign as Congress' Delhi in-charge. Former Delhi Chief Minister and Congress leader Sheila Dikshit was also critical of the party. She said the Congress did not campaign aggressively to win the civic polls and added that she had not been invited to campaign for party candidates. The results however came with a silver lining for the Congress as its vote share increased from a dismal 8 per cent in 2015 to 21 per cent this year. Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari called for Kejriwal's resignation as Delhi CM, saying "the people of Delhi have exercised their right to recall" by voting against the AAP, which rode to power more than two years ago, winning 67 of the 70 legislative seats in the Delhi Assembly polls.

Also read:

MCD election results 2017: Riding high on Modi wave, BJP delivers a crushing blow to Kejriwal's AAP

Let Kejriwal, Congress explain how they won earlier elections with same EVMs: Amit Shah

Also watch:

MCD election 2017: Will it be 'Kejriwal vs Manoj Tiwari' in next Delhi polls?

--- ENDS ---
Arvind Kejriwal, who entered politics with a 'mission', seems to have lost the connect with the masses. The MCD results indicate that he has failed the litmus test. So, what went wrong for AAP and Kejriwal?

By Nivedita Dash: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) suffered a humiliating defeat in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) elections just a couple of years after it recorded an emphatic win in Asssembly elections in 2015 relegating established parties like the Congress and the BJP.

Even before the MCD results were announced, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had 'warned' of another movement if BJP wins the civic body elections in Delhi. After the loss of face in recent Assembly elections, Kejriwal had raised the issue of faulty EVMs. His party has repeated the charge that the Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) were rigged to favour the BJP.

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Arvind Kejriwal, who entered politics with a 'mission', seems to have lost the connect with the masses. The MCD results indicate that he has failed the litmus test. So, what went wrong for AAP and Kejriwal?

1. Made his politics Kejriwal vs Modi

Arvind Kejriwal decided to battle out an individual rather than address the real issues. He drew his battlelines against Prime Minister Narendra Modi forgetting that he can never match the 'Modi charisma' which grew stronger after BJP's super performance in Uttar Pradesh. He blamed the Centre for everything wrong in Delhi, be it the appointment of Lieutenant Governor or the matters pertaining to power of chief minister. Even for issues like outbreak of dengue and chikunguniya, he blamed the Centre.

2. Pushed into Punjab and Goa without consolidating in Delhi

Second major miscalculation Arvind Kejriwal did was that he ventured into new regions without having a strong hold in the old one. Arvind Kejriwal was elected as Delhi chief minister and without looking at the state issues, he tried to venture into national politics. Kejriwal's Goa and Punjab dream suffered a huge setback as people rejected the Aam Aadmi Party in the February-March Assembly elections.

3. Battle with Lieutenant Governor created negative image of constant confrontation

Thirdly, his constant confrontation with former Delhi Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung didn't go down well with the people of Delhi. In fact, Kejriwal's ploy of playing the victim card again and again actually irritated people who voted for him. It all started when Najeeb Jung said that he was not obliged to route files through CMO after Kejriwal's order to send files related to police, public order and land through him. In retaliation, Kejriwal instructed officials not to 'bother' the L-G with all the files. They also locked horns over the appointment of MK Meena as Delhi Police Joint Commissioner. The two also confronted over appointment of IAS officer Alka Diwan, Swati Maliwal as Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chairperson and many others. The battle turned ugly when Jung set up a panel to probe over 400 files related to decisions taken by Delhi government, although, Kejriwal called it illegal.

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4. MLAs seem to have lost people connect, face credibility crisis

Credibility has always been an issue with the Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP. Time and again, AAP ministers were embroiled in controversies. From Delhi Health Minister Satyendra Jain to MLA Sandeep Kumar, many of party leaders and ministers found themselves surrounded with controversies which eventually turned against the party. MLAs like Amanatullah Khan, Naresh Yadav, Prakash Jarwal, Dinesh Mohaniya, Jagdeep Singh, Mahindra Yadav, Akhilesh Pati Tripathi, Somnath Bharti, Surinder Singh, Jitender Singh Tomar, Alka Lamba, Manoj Kumar, Asim Ahmed Khan, Rajesh Rishi are facing cases against them. He even had fallouts with party colleagues like Kumar Vishwas. While AAP leader Somnath Bharti was involved in a ugly spat with his wife, Satyendra Jain was accused in a Hawala case.

5. Failed to create mass campaign on key civic issues like sanitation

Cleanliness and sanitation were the two agendas that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) put on top during its campaign ahead of 2015 Assembly elections. The party had then made tall promises of getting Delhi rid of filth. After registering a historic win (67 out of 70 seats) in 2015 Assembly elections, first thing that Kerjiwal did was to offer Delhi residents free water and subsidised electricity, a move aimed at winning support rather than addressing real concerns of people. The AAP had also promised to construct over 2 lakh toilets. However, the party has failed to keep this promise even after two years of coming to power. The government is yet to come out with a strategy over how to deal with the massive garbage that the city produces daily. In its MCD elections manifesto, the AAP, in an attempt to woo the city's sanitation workers, promised free protective gears like masks and gloves and a fixed deposit of Rs 50,000 to their girl child. Yes, Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal has announced regularisation of some 30,000-40,000 contractual sanitation workers but it would not be naive to say that he has lost connect with the masses.

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ALSO READ

Whither Arvind Kejriwal's AAP? What MCD election results mean for Delhi's ruling party

MCD election results: BJP takes sweet revenge from Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP

MCD election results 2017: BJP leading in all three civic bodies, neck-and-neck fight between Congress, AAP

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MCD election 2017: Confident of BJP's victory in civic polls, says BJP Delhi chief

WATCH: Not Modi wave, this is EVM wave, says AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal for party's defeat

Also Watch: MCD election 2017: EVM tampering limited to AAP's performance?

--- ENDS ---
The Oklahoma Turnpike Authority awarded a $27.1 million contract on Tuesday to Sherwood Construction to kick off the widening of the Turner Turnpike to six lanes between the Bristow area and Tulsa.

The project involves about three miles of work between mile marker 210, near the Kellyville exit, and mile marker 207.3, near the service plaza for westbound traffic.

Construction is scheduled to start Aug. 8, said Jack Damrill, OTA spokesman.

The Turner Turnpike expansion is part of the Oklahoma Turnpike Authoritys $935 million Driving Forward initiative, financed with bonds that will be repaid through higher turnpike fees. The fees were raised in March and are scheduled to increase again in 2018 and 2019.

In addition to the Turner Turnpike improvements, the Driving Forward initiative includes work on the Gilcrease Expressway extension, the Muskogee Turnpike, the H.E. Bailey Turnpike, the Kilpatrick Turnpike and a new Oklahoma City-area turnpike.

In conjunction with the Turner Turnpike work, the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority on June 1 will permanently close the Heyburn Service Plaza, which serves westbound traffic, Damrill said.

The property will be used as a staging area for construction on the turnpike, Damrill said.

Over the next two months we are going to let two or three more contracts, so by the time summers done well have about 10 to 11 miles that will have been  approved for construction, Damrill said.

The entire widening project will involve about 22 miles of the highway from just east of Bristow to just west of Sapulpa.

Work will include extra-wide shoulders, lighting in the middle of the highway and the ability to expand the road at a later date for a truck-only traffic lane.

Itll look just like the Creek Turnpike in the expansion area between Memorial (Drive) and U.S. Highway 75, Damrill said.

The Turner Turnpike expansion is expected to take about 3 years, Damrill said.

In other business, the OTA approved an $8.9 million design contract with Garver Engineering for the new Gilcrease Turnpike between Interstate 44 and U.S. 412.

The city of Tulsa had completed about 30 percent of the design work before the OTA took over the extension project under an agreement with the city.

Also, the OTA approved new business rules that could affect some PikePass users who travel turnpikes in north Texas and Kansas.

Under the policy effective May 13, account holders with a negative account balance will no longer be able to use the PikePass on turnpikes in north Texas and Kansas.

In the past, the OTA would pay the toll and then bill the PikePass holder.
OKLAHOMA CITY  A bill that could lead to the use of property tax revenue to fund police, firefighters and jails has hit a wall in the state Senate.

Sen. David Holt, R-Oklahoma City, sought permission from Appropriations Chairwoman Kim David, R-Porter, to restore title so House Bill 1374 could be voted on in the Senate and move to Gov. Mary Fallins desk if approved by the upper chamber.

Holt is the measures Senate author.

Without such a move, passage in the Senate would send the bill to a conference committee and need several other votes before proceeding.

David did not grant permission to restore title. She did not return calls seeking comment. Attempts to speak to David in her office were unsuccessful.

Right now, I think it will probably wait until next year, said Rep. Weldon Watson, R-Tulsa, the House author. We have got a lot of stuff on our plate right now. This is an issue that we can pick up next year.

The measure would let cities ask voters to create public safety districts, which then would levy an annual assessment of no greater than 5 mills. The increased property tax revenue could be used to purchase public safety equipment, to pay salaries and benefits of city employees who provide law enforcement or fire protection, and to fund jails.

A millage is an assessment in dollars per 1,000 of assessed value. The owner of a $150,000 home in Tulsa County could expect to pay $82.50 more a year under an additional 5 mills.

The assessment would not apply to property zoned for agriculture or industrial use.

Even though agriculture is exempt, the Oklahoma Farm Bureau strongly opposes the measure.

John Collison, Oklahoma Farm Bureau vice president of public policy, said while agricultural land may be exempt, that could change in future years.

He said property taxes always go to buying property, not salaries.

He said there is concern that schools might want come to lawmakers seeking to use property taxes for salaries.

On social media, the Farm Bureau is telling followers that cities are coming after YOUR property taxes! Tell your senator to vote #NoOnHB1374.

The measure was also opposed by Senate President Pro Tem Mike Schulz, R-Altus, for a number of reasons. Schulz believes property taxes are regressive, said Aaron Cooper, a Schulz spokesman. The Senate leader also believes the bill would open the door for more annexation by local governments in search of new sources of ad valorem, Cooper said.

Schulz, a farmer, used to work for the Farm Bureau. His prior employment has no bearing on his position on the bill, Cooper said.

The city of Tulsa and the Oklahoma Municipal League supported the measure.

We are disappointed certain members of the Senate leadership had concerns, especially a time when cities are looking for new and innovative ways to fund core government functions, said Michael Junk, city of Tulsa deputy mayor. This legislation would have given communities the flexibility and freedom to prioritize the necessary services our citizens need and demand.

Legislators have to make difficult decisions; we recognize that. We look forward to revisiting this topic next session.

The bill was a priority for the Oklahoma Municipal League, said Missy Dean, director of government relations.

We are disappointed that this bill will not go forward, Dean said. Cities are overly dependent on sales tax for overall operations. This was an option to allow city councils to send to a vote of the people another revenue source to fund fire, police and jails.
Correction

This story originally used the incorrect last name for city of Tulsa spokeswoman Michelle Brooks. The story has been corrected.

Signs warning of restricted use at Helmerich Park sparked a rendition of This Land is Our Land by about 40 protesters at a proposed development site Tuesday.

The demonstrators focused on the recent placement of signs declaring Authorized uses only at the site but continued a broad-strokes effort against development on the 8.8 acres of Helmerich Park that abuts 71st Street and Riverside Parkway.

City of Tulsa spokeswoman Michelle Brooks said the purpose of the signs is to show that the area is no longer park land and is owned by the Tulsa Public Facilities Authority with no city park use  the result of a split Tulsa City Council vote in March.

The sole use of those 8.8 acres for Tulsa residents  if authorized by the facilities authority  is volleyball, Brooks said.

The planned development on the tract features an open-air restaurant facing the Arkansas river and several retail stores, including an anchor tenant thought to be sporting-goods dealer REI.

In addition to singing Woody Guthries most famous tune, protesters hoisted their own signs while shouting outbursts such as Land stealing! and booing city leaders.

Dont let these illegal, dumb signs impede your park, said Herb Beattie, a city resident who has fought the proposed development both in court and in multiple public protests.

Beattie also complained that no city officials attended the groups protest to explain the signs.

The city wants us out of here, but they wont join us to talk about it, Beattie said.

Former Mayor Terry Young, who alongside Beattie has fought the development plans, said the biggest issue he had with the citys signs is the surprise at their appearance and lack of communication about what they entailed.

The people have never abandoned this park, so it can never be declared so, Young said.

The restricted-use signs do not apply to the River Parks trail that runs alongside the 8.8 acres, and residents may continue to use it. A sign previously placed at the trails was removed Monday.

The limitations apply only to the acreage that was abandoned for park use, Brooks said.

All of the green space and public park space of more than 50 acres is open at Helmerich Park, Brooks said. The 57 acres immediately south of that (8.8 acre) tract is park land.

Laura Reiman attended the protest with her 4-year-old daughter, Ella, saying she felt the citys signs and changes to restrictions seemed to be poorly communicated. The city is supposed to protect the land, Reiman said. Its shifting it from being a public venue  free to everyone  to restricting the use.
Delhiites have voted for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in MCD elections 2017 while rejecting both the Aam Aadmi Party and Congress.

By India Today Web Desk: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday expressed his gratitude towards the people of Delhi for ensuring Bharatiya Janata Party's resounding victory in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi polls.

"Grateful to the people of Delhi for the faith in BJP. I laud the hardwork of team @BJP4Delhi which made the resounding MCD win possible," he tweeted.

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Prime Minister's tweet came as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) recorded a significant victory in polls to all the three municipal corporations of Delhi.

Delhiites have voted for the BJP in MCD elections 2017 while rejecting both the Aam Aadmi Party and Congress.

In fact, the BJP, riding high on its success in Uttar Pradesh Assembly election, pushed both the main opposition to second and third spots respectively by a huge margin.

As per the trends/results available for 270 seats, the BJP won 181, Congress 31 and the AAP 46. Others took 12 wards of the three civic bodies.

While the BJP called the win a proof of PM Narendra Modi's popularity, Delhi's ruling AAP repeated its 'rigged EVM' charge.

The Congress, which performed way better than 2015 Assembly elections, humbly accepted the mandate. Taking responsibility of party's defeat Delhi Congress chief Ajay Maken has offered to resign from his post.

Also Read:

Delhi MCD Election Results 2017 LIVE updates: BJP retains all 3 civic bodies; EVMs rigged, says AAP; Maken quits

MCD poll results: Ex-AAP leader Mayank Gandhi slams Arvind Kejriwal in scathing open letter

Also Watch:

Delhi civic poll 2017: BJP to retain MCD for third consecutive time

--- ENDS ---
WAGONER  A body found in Osage County last weekend is the man who was shot Friday in Wagoner, officials confirmed Wednesday.

Wagoner Police Chief Bob Haley said the body has been identified as Daniel Potts, who reportedly was shot during an altercation inside a Wagoner residence.

Wagoner County First Assistant District Attorney Jack Thorp said a first-degree murder charge has been filed against Joshua Daniel Blaylock, who was arrested Saturday in Turley.

Wagoner police received a call about 3 p.m. Friday from a female who reported that someone had been shot at 904 N.W. 3rd Street.

According to the witness, Blaylock shot Potts in the head and then dragged his limp body to his pickup truck and fled.

Haley said Blaylock panicked after the shooting.

He was trying to get away from where he was, Haley said. From what was described to us, yes, he was dead  before Blaylock took him to Osage, a community on Lake Keystone.

Acting on a tip after media reports of the shooting, Blaylocks truck was located the next afternoon north of Tulsa, Haley said. Information from someone close to Blaylock then helped authorities locate him, according to an arrest affidavit.

Blaylock was apprehended by U.S. Marshals and Wagoner police in Turley later that night, near where his truck was located.

Haley told the Wagoner County American Tribune on Sunday that authorities went to Osage and exhumed a body after obtaining information from Blaylock during questioning.

After the interview, Joshua took us to the area by Keystone, the affidavit says. Once at the location, Joshua then walked us to where he buried Danny.

Haley did not go into detail about the source of the altercation between Blaylock and Potts.

I think we know what this was about, but we are still documenting and putting this all together for the DAs office, Haley said.

Blaylock is being held in the Wagoner County Jail without bond. He is scheduled to appear Tuesday before Wagoner County Associate District Judge Dennis Shook.
Update 4:10 p.m.: The National Weather service said a second tornado touched down about 3 miles southwest of Adair in Mayes County. Its preliminary rating was an EF1.

A third tornado was also reported about a mile northeast of Holdenville in Hughes County, forecasters said. That tornado blew air-conditioners and an awning off a Walmart store.

The Mayes County tornadoes uprooted many large trees.

No injuries were reported with any of the tornadoes.

Update 2:30 p.m.: A National Weather Service survey team found evidence of at least one tornado in Mayes County from Tuesday night's storms. The tornado had a preliminary rating of EF1. It touched down about 6 miles southwest of Adair.

Update 8:45 a.m. Wednesday: The National Weather Service in Tulsa issued a flood warning until Thursday evening for Neosho River and Spring River in Ottawa County. Meteorologists predict minor flooding of the Neosho River near Commerce, Oklahoma and the Spring River near Quapaw, Oklahoma.

The Neosho River is expected to rise 2 feet above its flood stage, 15 feet, throughout Wednesday morning. The Spring River is expect to rise about a half foot above its flood stage, 20 feet, according to the weather service.

Update 6:15 a.m. Wednesday: The Tulsa area received about three-fourths of an inch to 1 1/4 inches of rain overnight, with northern parts of the county experiencing more rainfall than southern parts.

The National Weather Service in Tulsa will dispatch a team Wednesday to Mayes County to determine if a tornadao caused storm damage late Tuesday night in the Adair, Oklahoma, a weather service meteorologist said.

The majority of eastern Oklahoma remains at an enhanced risk of severe and heavy rain for Friday and Saturday, with the potential of up to 6 inches of rainfall through Saturday morning, according to the weather service.

Update 5:30 a.m. Wednesday: Severe weather remains a risk Wednesday for eastern Oklahoma, particularly in southeast Oklahoma.

Areas of southeast Oklahoma and western Arkansas may experience an additional 1 to 2 inches of rainfall Wednesday as warm air from the southwest moves in ahead of a cold front, according to the National Weather Service in Tulsa.

A severe thunderstorm watch remains in affect for those areas until 1 p.m. Wednesday. The National Weather Service predicts possibilities of hail, wind gusts up to 70 miles per hour and a risk of tornadoes.

A flash flood watch remains in effect until early Wednesday afternoon for the the region.

Updated 11 p.m. Tuesday: The Public Service Company of Oklahoma's online outage map shows 567 customer outages in Tulsa as a severe storm moves through. The majority  448  are in an area bounded by East 31st and 41st Streets and South Riverside Drive and Peoria Avenue.

10:35 p.m.: The National Weather Service in Tulsa issued a flash flood watch until 1 p.m. Wednesday for much of eastern Oklahoma.

The NWS warns that multiple clusters of thunderstorms with heavy rainfall will spread across a large portion of eastern Oklahoma overnight. Amounts of 1 to 3 inches are likely, with up to 5 inches possible.

Oklahoma counties included in the watch are: Tulsa, Adair, Cherokee, Craig, Creek, Delaware, Haskell, Latimer, Le Flore, Mays, McIntosh, Muskogee, Nowata, Okfuskee, Okmulgee, Ottawa, Pittsburg, Rogers, Sequoyah, Wagoner and Washington.

5:59 p.m.: A severe thunderstorm watch for Tulsa and surrounding counties until 2 a.m. has been issued by the Storm Prediction Center in Norman.

"Primary severe threats are very large hail and damaging wind gusts. A tornado or two is also possible ...," the center said.

Residents in northeast Oklahoma may experience another bout of severe storms Tuesday evening.

The National Weather Service in Tulsa predicts the severe weather, including wind gusts up to 70 mph and large hail, will move into the area starting about 7 p.m. north of the Interstate 44 corridor.

The weather is predicted to move through eastern Oklahoma until about 3 a.m. The Storm Prediction Center in Norman said northeastern Oklahoma and southwest Kansas are at an "enhanced" risk for severe thunderstorms.

"Once storms form, they will likely quickly become strong or severe, with the potential for large hail or severe wind gusts," meteorologists state in the weather outlook.

Meteorologists predict the line of storms will weaken overnight. Severe weather may persist in southeast Oklahoma through Wednesday.

The weather service predicts more significant severe and heavy rain to return Friday and Saturday. The heavy rainfall, ranging from 2 to 6 inches, is expected to be accompanied by large hail, damaging winds and possible tornadoes, according to the weather service.

The overnight Tuesday storms are predicted to carry a limited risk of flash flooding. The severe weather predicted for Friday and Saturday carry a higher risk of flash and river flooding.

Tuesday's overnight low is expected to be 55 degrees, according to the weather service.

More rain is possible Thursday night, Friday night and Saturday, forecasters said.
Om Bahadur and Krishna Bahadur from Nepal were working as security guards at the Kodanad estate that had been used by Jayalalithaa as a recreational center until her death.

By Pramod Madhav: A major twist has been unraveled in the murder mystery of Om Bahadur, a security guard who was murdered on April 23. Police suspect Krishna Bahadur, the other security guard who was admitted to the hospital with injuries.

Om Bahadur and Krishna Bahadur from Nepal were working as security guards at the Kodanad estate that had been used by Jayalalithaa as a recreational center until her death.

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On Monday morning, Om Bahadur was found dead near the premises of the estate and Krishna Bahadur severely injured.

When the police arrived at the estate, Krishna Bahadur told them that a group of 10 men arrived in a car and attacked them, killing Om Bahadur. The police also found evidence of a break-in, as a few windows were broken, and began investigating the case as theft related.

The police began searching for missing items and documents, but as their search expanded, they found a pair of partly burnt gloves, which upon further analysis revealed Krishna Bahadur's fingerprints.

Krishna Bahadur initially denied the fact that the gloves belonged to him but later accepted. After investigation, police claim that Krishna Bahadur, killed Om Bahadur wearing the gloves and tried to burn them later.

The police detained Krishna Bahadur in Kothagiri hospital where he is being treated for his wounds, and are currently questioning him.

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It is not a secret that Oklahoma has challenges when it comes to healthcare. The United Health Foundation, for instance, ranks Oklahoma as the sixth least healthy state in the nation. Their report cites the limited availability of primary care physicians (like family doctors) as one of Oklahomas chief obstacles to better health.

As the report suggests, Oklahomans often struggle to get the medical care they need, sometimes having to drive long distances for routine checkups. In fact, 64 of Oklahomas 77 counties are currently classified as areas with a shortage of primary care physicians.

Many people are familiar with the states rural doctor shortage. Less are familiar, however, with a glaring -- and happy! -- exception to this rule: doctors of optometry from across the nation are practically lining up for the chance to practice in Oklahoma.

Hollywood may consider us flyover country, but the best and brightest optometric physicians have for years considered Oklahoma to be a destination state to practice vision care. As a result, we are home to hundreds of optometric physicians with offices in almost all of Oklahomas 77 counties, meaning patients rarely must travel long distances for vision care.

This influx of top-rated eye doctors is possible because of great education and training programs, friendly rules and regulations, and strong professional trade representation.

Tahlequah, for instance, has the premier destination for eye doctors in-training in the country, Northeastern State Universitys Oklahoma College of Optometry.

Our Legislature has wisely given Oklahomas optometric physicians the latitude they need to provide full-service medical treatment to their patients. Eye doctors in Oklahoma perform cutting-edge procedures like laser eye surgery, and some even perform home visits, eliminating the need to travel long distances for care.

State rules and regulations have been enforced by a specialized Board of Examiners governing Optometry, rather than by a consolidated medical board that has no experience in eye care.

Perhaps most importantly, the regulatory bar governing quality of care has been set extremely high. Unlike in some states, optometry in Oklahoma is practiced only in medical settings rather than big box stores like Walmart. Optometric physicians love this emphasis on medicine, rather than retail sales, and have responded by moving en masse to practice in Oklahoma.

Unfortunately, all of that could change. A front group for Walmart, Oklahomans for Consumer Freedom, has filed an initiative petition attempting to water down our Constitution to put optometry in big box stores. Out-of-state companies like Walmart would make the delivery of medical care in Oklahoma just another product to be picked up next to the tire shop or the frozen food aisle.

If these out-of-state corporations are successful, the laws governing eye health in Oklahoma wont be about medicine or patient safety; they will be about the corporate bottom line. We can expect quality of care to deteriorate, as Oklahoma will no longer be a destination-state for optometric physicians excited about the states commitment to putting patients first.

Unlike Walmarts proposed changes, our current laws governing optometry protect a tradition of excellence that demands the best for both patients and doctors. I am proud of that tradition, and thankful that Oklahomans have continued to support vision health in Oklahoma by setting a high bar for quality of care.

Moving forward, the Oklahoma Association of Optometric Physicians will continue to resist Walmarts effort to break one of the few functioning health care delivery systems in our state.

Joel Robison is executive director of the Oklahoma Association of Optometric Physicians.
On Monday SBS screens a one-off doco Simon Reeves Colombia, travelling to Cartagena, Medellin and rural areas of Latin America.

Simon Reeve is on a journey around Colombia, one of the most spectacular countries in the

world, which for 50 years has been gripped by a brutal civil war.

Starting his journey on the tropical Rosario islands, Simon explores the murky history of Colombias drugs barons, visiting the nearby port city of Cartagena, where a historic peace deal was signed by the government and the guerrilla army FARC, bringing an end to the long war.

Despite the formidable challenges, Simon finds hope for the future in the notorious city of Medellin  once home to Pablo Escobars notorious cartel. Simon meets the former Mayor to find out how the city has been transformed from the most dangerous city on earth to one of Colombias liveliest and most creative.

Finally, Simons journey takes him to the most rural areas of Colombia, where he meets the farmers battling for a different future  one not fuelled by the global demand for drugs. They are seeking support from the government to stop farming coca, the plant form of cocaine, and to grow legal crops. With land ownership, poverty and drugs at the heart of Colombias problems, it is in the countryside that the countrys future will be decided.

Monday, 1 May at 8.30pm on SBS.
A Hindu man took his last journey to the crematorium on his Muslim neighbours' shoulders as they chanted 'Hari Bol' through the way and performed his last rites.

By India Today Web Desk: While those living and breathing continue to fight over religion, a death in West Bengal's Malda district has proved that communal harmony still exists in India.

A group of Muslim men in village Sheikhpura, Manikchak, saw to it that every single Hindu ritual was followed during the last rites of 33-year-old Biswajit Rajak.

Biswajit had been suffering from chronic liver cancer for the past two, but failed to seek proper treatment due to the lack of money. While his own brother refused to step up, Biswajit's neighbours came forward to help him, pooling in money to send him to Kolkata for treatment.

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Unfortunately, his cancer was too far gone by the time he seeked help. The SSKM hospital in Kolkata, where he was taken to, advised him to go to Mumbai for further treatment, which Biswajit was too poor to afford.

"We had collected money from people in the village and sent Biswajit to Kolkata for treatment. But doctors there asked us to take him to Mumbai. We didn't get time to collect money for that," Mohammed Iyasin, a member of the village panchayat, told Anandabazar Patrika.

After around a week in SSKM hospital, Biswajit was brought back to his village, where he breathed his last on Monday. He is survived by his ailing parents, wife and three young daughters.

For his funeral, his Muslim neighbours made sure that all the Hindu rituals where taken care of in his funeral.

MUSLIM FRIENDS SHOULDERED BISWAJIT'S BODY

In the village where Biswajit lived, his and his brother's are the only Hindu households amid a Muslim neighbourhood.

In time for his funeral, when his family could barely make ends meet, these Muslim neighbours stepped in to take care of all the expenses and responsibilites.

On Tuesday morning, four of his neighbours -- Haji Makluseddin, Haji Malek, Shekh Kaesul and Abul Kalam Azad -- carried his body on their shoulders for over 6 km to the village's crematorium.

Through the way, as per Bengali Hindu traditions, the pallbearers chanted 'Hari Bol'.

"I had neither the money nor the manpower to take my son to the crematorium. I don't know what would have happened if the villagers didn't come forward for the last rites of my son," an HT report quotes Biswajit's father, Nagen Rajak.

"With all that is going on in the country in the name of religion, what happened in Sheikhpura village [during Biswajit's funeral] will show light to the entire nation," Gour Chandra Mondal, a member of Malda Zilla Parishad, told Anandabazar Patrika.

|| Read more on FYI ||

Shattering gender stereotypes: Here comes West Bengal's first legally married transgender bride

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Gajraj's gundaraj: Elephant breaks railway crossing barriers in West Bengal

Bengal's Bonbibi, a god worshipped by both Hindus and Muslims

Eureka! Class 10 student from West Bengal generates electricity from carbon dioxide

Happy Bengali New Year: Where did Poila Boishakh and the Bengali calendar come from?

|| Watch more ||

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New US mockumentary Trial and Error gets a launch this Sunday following the My Kitchen Rules finale, before settling into double episodes on Wednesdays.

The series stars Nicholas DAgosto as a lawyer defending a Professor on murder charges, played by John Lithgow.

This premiered in the US last month.

In the spirit of true crime documentaries, this outrageous fish-out-of-water comedy features bright-eyed New York lawyer Josh Segal (Nicholas DAgosto), who heads to a tiny Southern town for his first big case. His mission? To defend an eccentric rollercizing poetry professor (John Lithgow) accused of the bizarre murder of his beloved wife. Settling into his makeshift office behind a taxidermy shop and meeting his quirky team of local misfits, Josh suspects that winning his first big case will not be easy, especially when his client is always making himself look guilty.

10:15pm Sunday, continues 9:50pm Wednesday on Seven.
Foxtel dominated the Drama wins at the Logie Awards on Sunday but the production dramas on Picnic at Hanging Rock are at risk of upstaging the storyline, following recent events.

The FremantleMedia production is now onto its third producer following the resignation of Ewan Burnett.

The well-regarded Burnett joined the production in January, replacing Antonia Barnard, but resigned earlier this month.

It follows industry furore last year when the Australian Directors Guild challenged a decision to hire Canadian Director Larysa Kondracki over local talent. The backlash is understood to have angered Foxtel, before parties resolved by adding a third director alongside Kondracki and Aussie Michael Rymer.

FremantleMedia denied there were rumblings on set, with a spokesperson telling TV Tonight, Producer Antonia Barnard established the production and the key creative team before having to leave for personal reasons.

Ewan Burnett stepped in to the role to kick-start production and now FMAs Head of Production  Drama, Brett Popplewell, will grow his existing responsibilities with Picnic At Hanging Rock and assume the role of Producer.

Brett was previously the Line Producer of Wentworth.

The series, which features Lola Bessis, Yael Stone, Anna McGahan, Sibylla Budd, Dony Hany & Marcus Graham, is due to air later this year.
Australian-born writer Chris Bearde, best known for creating The Gong Show & The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour, has died aged 80.

Bearde, brother of actress Robina Bearde, grew up in Sydney, launching his career hosting a 1950s kids show. In the early 1960s, he landed a writing gig at CTV in Canada, creating Canadas first late-night political satire Front and Centre and Nightcap.

Deadline notes he moved to Hollywood in the mid 60s and worked on variety specials including Where the Girls Are and Romp!! before co-writing Elvis, an early example of the unplugged that MTV would later popularise.

Bearde became a senior writer on Rowan & Martins Laugh-In and shared the writing Emmy in 1968. He left the show after its second season, working on specials for Dinah Shore and Andy Williams, before creating and producing The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour.

Other credits included the sitcom Thats My Mama, The Hudson Brothers Razzle Dazzle Show and Bill Cosbys Cos variety program before creating The Gong Show. The talent show premiered in 1976 and was revived in 1988 and 2008.

In the mid-2000s, Bearde moved to Las Vegas and opened Chris Beardes International Comedy Hall of Fame. He also launched the Chris Bearde School of Comedy in Sin City before relocating it to Los Angeles.
By Press Trust of India: (Eds: Updating with fresh inputs)

New Delhi, Apr 26 (PTI) The National Eligibility Test (NET), a qualifying exam for recruitment of college and university teachers, may not be conducted twice a year as the CBSE has proposed that it should be made an annual exercise.

Also, the University Grants Commission (UGC) has ended the uncertainty over the July edition of the exam and has decided that the CBSE will continue to conduct it even as the board had earlier expressed its inability to do so.

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According to sources, the proposal, which is at a very nascent stage, is being considered keeping in mind the resources required to conduct the exam as well as the number of candidates appearing for it.

"While conducting the exam once a year will make candidates more serious about it, resources can also be utilised judiciously as holding a national-level exam is a massive exercise. However, the idea is at a very nascent stage," a source said.

"The CBSE has proposed the idea keeping in mind that only 17 per cent of the registered candidates take the exam and only four per cent of them clear it," the source added.

At present, NET is held twice a year -- in July and December -- for the grant of junior research fellowship. Also, it is a qualifying exam for recruitment of assistant professors in universities and colleges.

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) had last year approached the HRD Ministry expressing its inability to conduct the exam due to capacity crunch as it was overburdened with other tests such as the JEE-MAIN and NEET for under- graduate engineering and medical courses.

While the ministry had not issued any guidelines in this regard, the CBSE is still to issue a notification for the exam scheduled in July, which is usually out by April first week.

Scores of students had protested outside the UGC last week demanding that the uncertainty over the exam be cleared and a notification be issued.

"The CBSE had approached the HRD Ministry expressing their inability. We had a meeting with HRD officials over the issue recently and it was decided that the board will conduct the exam in July without any delay," a senior UGC official said.

"The arrangement is likely to continue till the proposed National Testing Service (NTS) is set up by the government for the conduct of all exams," he said.

NET was conducted by the UGC till 2014 following which the job was handed over to the CBSE. PTI GJS GVS

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Over the last month or so, we have seen a wealth of new games announced. While they are all quite spectacular in their own right, none of them come as highly anticipated as Grand Theft Auto V. GTA V has to be the most talked about game of the year and RockStar is doing a good job at keeping the anticipation levels high.

This morning, RockStar Games released a new trailer video of actual in-game footage that takes us on a more in-depth look at the reimagined San Andreas. We learn more about the game's three leading characters, which are all playable on-the-fly during gameplay. This means that you can switch to each of the three during missions to provide new vantage points to shoot from, or even to handle different parts of the mission such as flying the escape helicopter while the other two characters hang onto a rope.

The video also shows off old and new features such as the ability to deeply customize vehicles in customization shops, a playable stock market system, investing in and selling real estate, and even playing a round of golf. Traditional features such as getting a tattoo, buying clothing, and flying planes also make a comeback for what is almost guaranteed to be the most thrilling GTA ever.
A senior Home Ministry official said foliage penetration radar is the need of the hour and the government was looking for its procurement as early as possible.

By India Today Web Desk: After 25 CRPF (Central Reserved Police Force) men were killed in a Naxal ambush in Sukma, the government will soon arm security forces with advanced aerial surveillance equipment like foliage penetration radar, besides bullet and mine protected vehicles to fight Naxals.

Maoists operate from thick forests in Chhattisgarh and other affected areas, making it difficult for the security forces to track their movements.

HERE ARE THE DETAILS: Security forces often face difficulties in gathering intelligence through unmanned aerial vehicles which can't penetrate upto ground level in forest area where the Maoists operate. However, a foliage penetration radar could get ground movements of the Naxals as the machine can click pictures even through densely forested areas. A senior Home Ministry official said foliage penetration radar is the need of the hour and the government was looking for its procurement as early as possible. The official said only a few companies produce foliage penetration radars globally and hence a move has to be initiated to scout for such manufacturers as early as possible. The move comes following the killing of 25 CRPF personnel in a dense forest in Sukma district in Chhattisgarh by Naxals on Monday. The Centre tonight said it was in the process of procuring nearly 250 bullet and mine protected vehicles for use by the security forces engaged in anti-Naxal operations in Chhattisgarh. It also said 45,000 central paramilitary personnel and 20,000 state policemen were deployed in Bastar region, which saw maximum Naxal violence in Chhattisgarh. As many as 58 mine-protected vehicles are available in Chhattisgarh to the paramilitary forces and 30 are under process for procurement through the Ordnance Factories Board. 42 bullet-proof vehicles are also available and 210 bullet-protected vehicles are under process for procurement. As compared to an average of 30 Naxals killed every year, 135 Maoists were neutralised in 2016 which is three times the number of police personnel killed. Even this year, 32 Naxals have been killed so far which is more than the average annual killings of Naxals before 2015.

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Also read:

After Sukma attack, CRPF gets new director general to fight Naxal menace

Naxal attack on CRPF jawans in Sukma: All you need to know

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22 year old Siwema Gyslaine Irambona studying for her diploma in social work at Jesuit Refugee Services online university in Dzaleka refugee camp in Malawi.  UNHCR/Tina Ghelli

Dzaleka refugee camp, Malawi - The life of 22 year old Siwema Gyslaine Irambona mirrors the past two decades of the history of the Great Lakes Region, one of people fleeing unrest and violence running back and forth across the borders of neighbouring countries, seeking protection and solace in camps. Families have returned home only to have to flee again a few years later, a new cycle of refugee flight to protection starting afresh. Irambona was born in a refugee camp near Uvira in the Democratic Republic of Congo in 1996. Her parents fled from their home province of Cibitoke in Burundi when fighting became intense.

Before she was two years old, she became an orphan when the refugee camp was attacked and both her parents were killed. She was taken in by her uncle who raised her as one of his own. He himself had grown up in Rwanda as a refugee and had married a Rwandan. Her adoptive parents had four children of their own plus four of her other cousins that they took in when their parents also died. After continually being harassed because of their mixed background, the uncle decided to leave Burundi and find a more peaceful place to live.

They fled to Tanzania but as camps were being closed there, they continued on to Malawi, ending up in Dzaleka refugee camp in 2009.

As a teenager arriving in a new place, Irambona didnt understand why they had to move so often but she did her best to try to fit in in her new environment. She threw herself into her studies at the secondary school in the camp, graduating in the top of her class in 2012. She desperately wanted to further her education and thanks to the Jesuit Refugee Services (JRS) programme in the camp, Jesuit Commons: Higher Education in the Margins (JC:HEM) which offers tertiary education to students.

She completed two of the Community Service Learning Tracks, offered by the programme, including the Performing Arts Track and Community Health Track. Each track is a nine month course that consists of six months of classroom training and three months of practical training in the Dzaleka community.

Meanwhile, her uncle and his family were accepted and resettled to Australia, departing in mid 2016.

Irambona and her four cousins, Innocent 22, Vestine 21, Emmanuel 18, and Eduard 15, were left to start their young adult lives on their own. Luckily, around that time she was accepted into the JC: HEM online university diploma course in the camp to study social work.

I feel good when Im doing work in the community. So many people helped me when I came to the camp as a refuge. I am who I am now because of them and I want to help other people too, says Irambona.

She also started working as a volunteer interpreter for UNHCR in August 2016 which gives her a small stipend every month to help support herself and her cousins.

Siwema Gislaine Irambona, 22, translating for UNHCR staff in Dzaleka refugee camp.  UNHCR/Dorothy Kachitsa

Working as an interpreter is also extremely rewarding, says Irambona. I live in a community of so many different people who dont know English but because of my upbringing I can speak Swahili, Kirundi/Kinyarwanda, Chichewa (Malawis local language) and English. I am proud that I can help UNHCR officials and the refugees in my community to understand each other.

Studying and working part time helps keep her focused on her goals despite the challenges she faces in the camp.

The worse part of being a refugee is not having enough clothes or food. My cousins are also in school so I am the main bread winner. My cousin Vestine and I are constantly pushing away men who try to take advantage of us. We pray to God a lot and that comforts us.

Young people in the camp are constantly at risk and without many possibilities to advance they have to really be strong to move forward with their lives. With only enough funding to provide basic lifesaving assistance in the camp, it is hard to invest in education programs and training and thats why we are so grateful for the JRS programme,says Monique Ekoko, UNHCR Representative in Malawi. Engaging young people like Siwema in educational and other opportunities really helps.

I love studying at the online university. It would of course be much better if I could be in a class directly like a normal university student but I am so happy with this opportunity. My wish is to finish my studies. I would love to be able to get a PhD someday. I want to become somebody who has enough skills so that I can help others. I would love to work for UNHCR, says Irambona.

Irambona was recently selected to be one of the refugee ambassadors to help launch the Connectivity for Refugees project in Dzaleka camp.

With this project, she hopes not only to be able to connect with her uncle in Australia but also to be able to use the resources of the internet to help her as she continues with her studies.

I know I can be someone someday if Im given the opportunity, she adds.

Dzaleka refugee camp is located some 70 km from Lilongwe and currently hosts about some 28,000 refugees and asylum seekers, mainly from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi, Rwanda, Somalia and Ethiopia.

See here how to help refugees like Siwema.
KABUL, Afghanistan - The United Nations Assistant High Commissioner for Protection, Mr. Volker Turk, during his visit to Afghanistan, urged the international community and the Government to ensure that the immediate and longer term needs of returnees, internally displaced people and affected communities are given the necessary attention and support to address the need of these populations comprehensively.

The surge in returns last year, with more than 370,000 registered Afghan refugees and a similar number of undocumented arriving, has placed an additional strain on already overstretched services and resources in the country. According to UNHCRs return monitoring, access to basic services, land and employment are major concerns, in addition to security.

In the past decade, Afghanistan has also seen increased internal displacement due to the ongoing conflict. 2016 saw an estimated 660,500 new conflict-induced Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs). An estimated 1.3 million IDPs remain in a protracted situation, needing both continuous humanitarian assistance and efforts to find sustainable solutions including through access to shelter and livelihood.

Mr Turk acknowledged the challenges the country faces in absorbing large numbers of returnees in 2016. He emphasized that it is key that returns to Afghanistan take place based on a free and informed choice, are voluntary, gradual and respect the principles of safety and dignity. The challenges that Afghanistan faces today are enormous.

The Chief Executive of Afghanistan and other senior government officials reaffirmed the Government's strong engagement, through the adoption of National Priority Programmes, and the Citizens Charter in particular, to resolve the displacement challenges and pursue sustainable reintegration efforts to assist returning Afghan refugees and IDPs.

We very much welcome that refugees who have returned and IDPs are now fully included in national development programmes. A lot of work lies ahead to ensure that these commitments are translated into concrete realities on the ground at all levels. said Mr. Turk.

The UNHCR delegation met with Afghan refugees who had returned and internally displaced people, the Chief Executive, the Minister for Refugees and Repatriation, the Deputy Ministers for Foreign Affairs and Finance, the UN Country Team, the diplomatic community and NGO partners as well as representatives of the civil society.

The Delegation will also travel to Pakistan to continue the discussion on the impact of the displacement in the region. About two million registered Afghan refugees are still living in the Islamic Republics of Iran and Pakistan. In addition, it is estimated that an equal number of undocumented Afghans with similar protection and reintegration needs continue to reside in these two countries.

I have the deepest admiration for the people of Afghanistan, many of whom have experienced displacement often multiple times in their lifetime. It is humbling to see how strong they are in facing this predicament and it is upon all of us that the women and girls, boys and men of Afghanistan have a much brighter future ahead, concluded Mr. Turk.
The incident was reported from Government Degree College Pulwama, about 40 km from Srinagar.

By Ashraf Wani: Students in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district today raised Pakistani flag inside college premises and also clashed with police and security forces.

The incident was reported from Government Degree College Pulwama, about 40 km from Srinagar.

Situation is tense as six students and three policemen are injured in clashes.

Students have been protesting against the April 15 incident in Pulwama town in which over 50 students were injured in fighting with security forces after objecting to the setting up of a security post outside the college.

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Students in Shopian also protested and pelted stones on police.

Also read:

Kashmir: Students turn stone-pelters against police, dozens injured in clashes

J-K: Clashes erupt between students, security forces in Pulwama over police checkpost, many injured

Also watch:

Kashmir: Students clash with security forces in Srinagar's Lal Chowk

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During his speech at the University of Chicago, former president Barack Obama didn't mention Donald Trump even once. However, the stark contrast between the two leaders is very obvious. Obama promised to help the youth get more involved and active in public service and politics.

His appearance in the University of Chicago on Monday was the first time Obama re-emerged to the public life in his post-presidency, The Guardian reported. What he will do in his political afterlife is a big issue to the US citizens, especially his supporters. But during his talk in Chicago, which is his adopted hometown, he finally gave an answer to this question.

He said that he has been thinking of how to still serve the public after leaving the White House on 20, January, as University Herald reported. There are a lot of various issues he is passionate about that he wants to work on. But he said that one thing he would really focus on is to prepare the next generation of leaders to take on the responsibility of changing the world for the better.

Donald Trump's 100th day as President of the United States is on Saturday. And in his first three months in office, the difference between Trump and Obama is very striking, CNN reported. Trump's administration is very dramatic, and the president is much convicted in what he believes is right. He is straight to the point, like a businessman eyeing for a close.

During this stage, public polls show that he is less popular than Obama, but it doesn't necessarily mean one leadership is better than the other. The psychology of the voting mass says that one of the major defining factors why Donald Trump won as the POTUS is because people are usually looking for drastic change after experiencing the leadership of a prior president. One can see the contrasts beginning with the brilliant but scandalous Bill Clinton to steadfast George W. Bush, to a young dynamic political leader Obama, and now with a political newbie and businessman Donald Trump.
Although Nintendo officially discontinued the NES Classic Edition mini-console, but for at least one day, the device will be on sale at Best Buy stores in the U.S. The NES Classic Edition will have limited quantities, so game enthusiasts who want to grab the mini-console should be there early.

Best Buy made it known on its Twitter account that the company will be offering limited stocks of the NES Classic Edition console. The limited stocks of the classic console are available only for purchase through the Best Buy stores and not online. Best Buy is also giving discounts on NES Classic Edition accessories, The Verge reported.

Best Buy announced that the NES Classic Edition consoles will be sold on a first come first serve basis. Some of the Best Buy stores are going to have a ticketing process, which the multinational retailer will distribute before their doors will open. Several of these Best Buy stores are located in New York City. However, Best Buy didn't provide how many stocks of the NES Classic Edition are available.

Best Buy will be selling one NES Classic Edition per customer only. Nintendo released the NES Classic Edition console last year at $60 and the device became a surprise hit for the Japanese tech giant. Nonetheless, the classic console is currently being sold on eBay for more than $200, which is three to four times the regular price, USA Today report.

Meanwhile, the weekly flyer of Best Buy listed the Nintendo Switch as being available in stores on April 28. Since the Nintendo Switch was launched, the availability of Nintendo's latest gaming system on April 28 coincides with the release of the biggest Switch game, "Mario Kart 8 Deluxe" racing game. In spite of that, the Japanese tech company claimed that the Nintendo Switch supply will eventually catch up to the demand, Game Spot reported.

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Newly discovered ant has been named after legendary rock band Radiohead. As long as the South American ant species continue to live, entomologists will know the name of this musical group. The scientific name of the ant is now "Sericomyrmex radioheadi," which was discovered during a study on the sericomyrmex genus of South and Central America.

Radiohead's new description is published in "Zookeys," IFL Science reported. Smithsonian graduate student Ana Jesovnik said they named the ant after Radiohead to honor the band. Another more important reason is that they want to acknowledge the band's effort to raise awareness on climate-change and other conservation efforts.

The Radiohead ant inhabits the trees located in the lush Venezuelan Amazon. These ants farm fungi as their major food. Fungal agriculture can be traced back 30 million years ago, while the Sericomyrmex genus has only been around for 4 million years. This genus evolved rapidly, making it hard for scientists to tell each species apart.

More research is needed to categorize the different species of the Serucimyrmex genus, which are all considered part of the radioheadi so far. The researchers hope they will have enough time and resources for further study to identify new species and name each for every member of Radiohead.

Female Sericomyrmex radioheadi have crystal-like layer with white color that are not present in any other species of ant in the world. The use of this feature hasn't been discovered yet, but it is believed to protect it from parasites.

Now the question is what has the band done for ants that they are named after the Sericomyrmex radioheadi? In their song "Fitter Happier," which is the thought provoking centerpiece of "OK Computer," the band paid tribute to ants, SPIN reported. The lyrics in that track included no killing moths and not putting ants in boiling water.
The Texas A&M University Awards Dante Ang, the President, Executive Editor, and Chief Executive Officer of The Manila Times as one of its six distinguished alumni. The Manila Times is the fourth largest and oldest existing newspaper in the Philippines.

Foremost, the Texas A&M University is the state's first public institution of higher education and research. All in all, it has turned many students into today's successful men and women since 1890. For 127 years, the school has only given the "Distinguished Alumnus Award" to 146 people.

According to The Manila Times website, Ang received the recognition on Sunday morning (Manila time). The ceremony happened as part of the Alumni Awards Gala at the Commerce campus' Raybum Student Center. Ang is currently 48 years old.

Per the same source, he started his inherited passion for news writing at this University. His father, Dr. Dante Arevalo Ang, publisher of the obsolete Filipino broadsheet "Kabayan", introduced writing to the younger Ang.

The awardee chose Texas A&M mainly because of its Journalism program. A natural newsman at heart, Ang was named as the editor of the university newspaper "The East Texan". He also became an editor at the college magazine called "The Special".

For the record, he graduated in 1990 and got his first job as a reporter for the Tulsa Tribune in Oklahoma. During this time, he covered state and local politics until 1992. After that, Ang became the Vice-President for Marketing at the Bell Publishing Corp. In it, he pioneered the distribution outlets in Rome for "Diwalian", which is basically a monthly publication for overseas Filipino workers.

In 1993, Ang returned to the Philippines and eventually took a job in "Kabayan" as public relations consultant. His family then acquired Philippine's first English broadsheet, The Manila Times, roughly two decades after. Humble as he is, Ang said in an interview that he cannot take full credit because the award was the result of a team effort.

On another note, Kcentv reported that Texas A&M is now working to make solar panels cost effective for cities and businesses. The university installed $700,000 electron microscope to study alternative materials for solar panels. Typically, panels convert 12 to 18 percent of the sun's energy into electricity. Well, this only proves that Texas A&M is truly an elite university.
The Association of California School Administrators has named Trudy Tuttle Arriaga as Professor of Education of the Year. The California Lutheran University faculty member is the Distinguished Educator in Residence who will receive the state award on Nov. 3 at the ACSA annual leadership Summit in San Jose.

After retiring as superintended of the Ventura Unified School District, she joined Cal Lutheran's faculty as a full time staff teacher after serving as an adjunct for nine years. For 14 years, Arriaga served as the district's first female superintendent.

She teaches in the university's new Institute for Executive Leadership in Education certificate program for administrators, master's and doctoral programs. The former superintendent and Ventura resident has taught at the university level for more than two decades.

Michael Hillis, dean of Cal Lutheran's School of Education said Arriaga is one of the strongest educators he has come across in many years in education. Hillis added how Arriaga draws students in the program and provides them with relevant and provocative instruction. She cares deeply about how the students develop through experience, he added.

In 2015, Arriaga co-wrote "Opening Doors: An Implementation Template for Cultural Proficiency" with Randall P. Lindsey. She has travelled across the country to help school districts improve student engagement and achievement.

In 2013, she was named as State Administrator of the Year by the California Association for Bilingual Education. ACSA presented her with the Marcus Foster Memorial Award for Administrator Excellence, Cal Lutheran reported.

In 2015, she was awarded Woman of the Year for the 37th Assembly District and 19th Senate District. She was Ventura's Citizen of the Year in 2012.

She earned her bachelor's degree from San Diego State University, master's degree in educational administration and supervision from California State University, Northridge and doctorate in educational policy, planning and administration from the University of Southern California.

Cal Lutheran's Graduate School of Education has helped more than 8,000 teachers, counselors, administrators, principals and superintendents for careers in K-12 and university systems. They offer multiple master's degree, doctoral and credential programs in Oxnard, Santa Maria, Thousand Oaks, Woodland Hills and online.
Conservative speaker Ann Coulter plan to speak on UC Berkeley's Sproul Plaza on Thursday. She is expected to bring her own security for her afternoon appearance, but campus officials fear that won't be sufficient.

Despite campus officials urging her to reschedule for a later date due to security concerns, Coulter is determined to speak at Berkeley. On Tuesday, UC Berkeley spokesman Dan Mogulof said that they will do what they can in the short amount of time to provide safety and security to students, other members of the campus community, the public and if needed Ms. Coulter.

Mogulof added that they could not bar Coulter from speaking in Sproul Plaza as it has a historic significance for UC. Aside from it being one of the campus entrances it was also the birthplace of the Free Speech Movement in 1964. Sproul Plaza is open to the public, SF Gate reported.

The Hill reported UC Berkeley's chancellor Nicholas Dirks said the school is worried about not being able to screen attendees for weapons.

Coulter was originally invited to speak Thursday by the Berkeley College Republicans. UC officials said they could not ensure the safety of those attending and offered to reschedule on May 2. Coulter refused as the proposed date would be a "Dead Week" where students would be studying for finals.

Sponsors of the speech, Berkeley College Republicans and Young America's Foundation sued the University of California on Monday over the cancellation. Young America's Foundation backed out of the event on Tuesday and said UC Berkeley failed to meet the demands after refusing to provide a proper venue for six weeks.

It was not immediately clear exactly when Coulter plans to show up but despite the cancellation she said through her social media posts that she would still speak at UC Berkeley. The students and staff at UC Berkeley opposed to Coulter's appearance. They said Tuesday that they planned to hold a demonstration on Thursday at 5 p.m. Students affiliated with the International Socialist Organization and labor groups said they plan to rally Thursday afternoon regardless of Coulter's plans.
On Tuesday, University of Illinois announced that actor Nick Offerman will deliver the college's commencement address for 2017. For weeks of building excitement and a month of speculation, the university's highly anticipated announcement was made in a video posted to its Facebook and Twitter pages.

The video post featured Offerman, a University of Illinois alumnus, addressing students directly. The actor, author and woodworker, graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in theatre from the university in 1993. In the video he mentioned about speaking at the commencement this year 2017 and thanked the University for having him.

The U.S. News reported Offerman is best known for his role as Ron Swanson on "Parks and Recreation." He has visited the school several times in the recent years. He was recently on campus on April 1 for the "Whiskey, Wood & Barbecue" fundraising event that included a raffle of items from his Offerman Woodshop.

In 2013, Offerman brought his "American Ham Tour" to the university to benefit the Japan House in honor of his mentor, Professor Shozo Sato. Offerman traveled with Sato to Japan as part of Sato's Kabuki troupe.

Chancellor Robert Jones said Offerman's success as an actor and having a lifelong mentor during his stay in the Illinois theatre group serves as an example of the power of a U. of I. education that can help shape the lives of students and help them find their place in the world. He added that Offerman, a native of Minooka, Illinois, has maintained close ties with the school and has done it all with a sense of humor, which makes them proud to have him as speaker.

There were speculations that President Barack Obama would be the commencement speaker after the university officially invited him in March. Many on social media expressed excitement over Offerman's video appearance on Tuesday. There were hundreds of responses from students and alumni looking forward to the event.

NBC Chicago reported, the University of Illinois will hold the commencement on Saturday, May 13, and the ceremony will be streamed live from the Memorial Stadium.
Researchers at the University of Edinburgh discover signs of a potentially cataclysmic event that happened in 11,000 B.C. that could have altered the future of mankind. Apparently, the drastic incident has changed Earth's climate for hu'' 2ndreds of years, sending humans into a mini ice age. It was a frightening comet strike.

According to MAA Journal, the catastrophe occurred during the period known as the Younger Dryas. This era has been well documented because of various "cooling evidence". Nonetheless, scientists have been theorizing and debating on the cause of such freezing times. The University of Edinburgh experts managed to answer that question, thanks to the stone carvings left by ancient people.

These carvings are remarkably preserved and seem to have been sculpted to document a huge tragedy that devastated the land. In it, figures of dead animals and headless human bodies are shown. Tests show that the drawings were made around the time of the Younger Dryas, suggesting that the "thousand-year" cold snap was caused by the same catastrophe - the comet strike.

Per BGR, the evidence was found at one of the oldest and most important temples on Earth. Well, another 10, 000 years from now, the future generation may easily figure out what life was during this time because of immediately available signs from social media sites. However, for the current generation to learn about life in 11,000 B.C. is obviously more challenging.

The Younger Dryas is believed to have pushed ancient men and women to work together out of necessity, resulting to the start of modern agriculture. Now, researchers claim that the "necessity" came from the comet tragedy. Therefore, this apocalyptic event paved the way for the birth of modern civilization. While the findings are not yet final, the timing of the events matches well to the point that any chance that they are not related is an unbelievable coincidence.
Brexit has sparked concerns about the future of higher education in the United Kingdom. There are worries that it would lead to a "damaging brain drain" of university staff.

Experts have previously warned the Members of Parliament (MPs) over the negative effects that a "hard Brexit" could have over the U.K.'s best industries, including education. John Latham, vice-chancellor of Coventry University, also implied that this would change the way people would view the U.K. University of Cambridge's EU Law professor, Catherine Barnard, explained that Brexit would turn the lives of EU higher education staff in the nation upside down.

Moreover, the exit would most likely lead to the cutting off of the flow of excellent people to Britain. Oxford Brookes University's vice-chancellor, Alistair Fitt, said that this may be the "biggest disaster for the university sector" in recent years.

According to BBC, a report from MPs urged higher education institutions that university staff from EU countries should be guaranteed a right to stay and work in the country. This is part of the efforts to prevent a brain drain in the education sector.

They also want international students to be taken out of migration figures. Urgent steps are expected to be taken to end the uncertainty surrounding the future status of EU academics.

Education select committee chairman Neil Carmichael noted that Brexit could risk damaging the "international competitiveness" of universities. One in about six academic staff in the U.K. is from EU countries, which makes up about 16 percent of the workforce in this sector, Mirror reported.

The report urged the committee to give EU academics their right to work and stay unilaterally before the end of the year. This is if there is no reciprocal deal with other EU countries.

Carmichael added that the U.K. is one of the world leaders in terms of higher education. However, Brexit will definitely risk the long-term success of British universities and colleges.
By Press Trust of India: Baharampore(WB), Apr 26 (PTI) The police has seized a haul of arms and ammunition in Murshidabad district and arrested five persons in this connection, a senior police officer said today.

The police arrested a man from Sagardighi area of the district yesterday and seized some firearms from his possession, Superintendent of Police, Mukesh said.

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On the basis of the information provided by the arrested man, the police raided some places in Khargram, Kandi and Lalbagh area of the district yesterday and seized 50 rounds of ammunition, 24 firearms including rifles and revolvers, the SP said.

The police also arrested four more persons, the SP added. PTI COR RG LNS

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Yale-National University of Singapore (NUS) College, the controversial Southeast Asian branch of the Ivy League institution, has become stricter than its mother school in terms of admissions. Last year, Yale accepted only 6.27 percent of applicants but NUS took only 5 percent.

Yale-NUS recently announced its 2016 acceptance rate for the current freshmen class at 5 percent. The branch campus has become more selective than Yale University.

In student newspaper Yale Daily News, it was reported that Laura Severin, director of admissions and financial aid for the Singapore-based college, was the one who shared the admissions data for the class of 2020. It was noted that Singaporeans continue to make up the majority of the pool of students in the class.

Students from the United States, India and China make up the three most common nationalities for the school's international cohort. The announcement came nearly a year after students were admitted as the school prepares to release decisions for prospective students - those who applied in the college's second and final admissions round for this year.

In an Aug. 2016 press release, Yale-NUS confirmed that the class of 2020 is composed of over 200 students from 40 countries. With this, the college's student body has increased to over 700 students from 53 countries through six continents.

According to Quartz, the decrease in the acceptance rate of Yale's Singaporean campus is important to understand because it shows that the efforts of Western universities in opening branch campuses around the world, especially in Asia, appears to be lucrative in terms of brand growth. However, it may also prove to be unethical for prestigious higher education institutions to set up a campus in another country, attract students with their brand but offer a less-than-stellar quality of teaching.

Reuters previously reported that Yale has been criticized for building a liberal arts college at restrictive Singapore. It was said that the college would be hindered by the authoritarian government, especially with its heavy restrictions on public speech and assembly.
Sydney Stewart, an undergraduate student at Oklahoma State University, has received a Fulbright Scholarship award. Stewart will go to Germany to conduct a research this coming school year. For one thing, Fulbright awardees serve as ambassadors for the United States while working with famous research advisers and learning about other people and their culture.

According to Fulbright, the scholarship award is an American program of competitive grants for international exchange of students, scholars, teachers, scientists, and artists. It was founded by US Senator J. William Fulbright in 1946. The selected students will have the chance to study and conduct research abroad.

Now, students from outside of America can do the same and be assigned to the US. Basically, he Fulbright scholarship increases the mutual understanding between various countries through the exchange of knowledge. It is one of the most prestigious awards on Earth.

Going back, per Altus Times, Stewart is a product of the Life School Red Oak in Texas. She is set to complete her degree in animal science (pre-veterinary) with minor in microbiology at the Oklahoma State University this May. Meanwhile, Stewart will join a diversified group of experts from the Institute of Animal Science in Bonn, Germany. Together, they will evaluate pig health and biosecurity measures.

Apparently, Germany is now the world's largest producer of pigs and other pork products Stewart shared that they will study "modern" antibiotic-free disease control and prevention system on "commercial" German farms. She and her team will later identify the strengths and weaknesses of each system. In this process, people may be able to develop viable and cost-effective drug models on US farms.

Moreover, the experts plan to use bacterial samples taken from the pigs. The health and performance of the animals will also be observed, to determine if pigs are more susceptible to particular infection or disease-causing viruses. Stewart's family is actually known for being major icons in the US agricultural industry. Lastly, the Fulbright Scholarship is funded by a yearly congressional appropriation to the US Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.
Captain Paul Watson said that leisure boating strains the ocean environment. Watson, for the record, has been spearheading activities to save the ocean through his non-profit organization known as the Sea Shepherd. Now, he claims that noise pollution might be an "overlooked" problem for marine creatures.

According to NauticExpo, Captain Paul Watson explained that the "sounds of ships and motorboats" invade the sea. As sound travels for long distances in water, propeller noise eventually "interferes with the communication of whales, dolphins, tortoises, and various fishes. If communication is broken, navigation will not work properly.

Thus, a lot of whales have been found dead on shores. Sometimes, these creatures get separated from their group and later find themselves stuck on the beach. Not only that, the confusion brought about by ships and boats often result to a deadly propeller strike.

On the other hand, there are types of fishes and marine animals that are very sensitive when breeding. With this in mind, close encounters with yachts, jet skis, and canoes may potentially interfere with the birthing process. Sadly, the worst case scenario is the death of the offspring.

Watson added that collisions kill thousands of "slow-moving" sea creatures every year. The most common victims include whales, turtles, and manatees. For one thing, Sea Shepherd claims that humans can help save these brilliant animals by limiting speed and avoiding breeding areas as much as possible.

Meanwhile, anchors and anchor chains usually damage the seabed and the coral reefs. Also, while tourism is good for the economy, the government should see to it that nature is not disturbed. To better illustrate, the most beautiful places are the most visited too so extra precautions are needed.

Per WDEF, researchers found that almost 15 percent of humpback whales in the Gulf of Maine (near Massachusetts) had injuries due to "at least" one vessel strike. The study was published in the journal "Marine Mammal Science" last March. Because of the shocking findings, experts believe that people have been "underestimating" the effects of shipping and leisure boating to the ocean.

Between 1978 and 2011, 25 out of 108 reported whale collisions occurred off Alaska. All of these resulted in the animal's death, per a 2012 report in the journal "Marine Biology". Conservation groups like the Sea Shepherd are now doing extra efforts to educate people on ways to minimize the collisions and noise pollution.
Actor John Lithgow will be honored with the 2017 Harvard Arts Medal Thursday during the 25th anniversary of Arts First. This annual spring festival is founded by the comedic and dramatic actor as free performances events. Before the event, he inspired Harvard students through an interview.

Harvard President Drew Faust will honor Lithgow with the award at the Loeb Drama Center, Harvard Gazette reported. He starred in "The World According to Garp," "Dexter," "Third Rock From the Sun," and "The Crown" as Winston Churchill. In the taped interview, Lithgow talked about how he started into acting, his life before theater, and his affection for Harvard.

After his critically acclaimed performance in the Golden Globe-winning series "The Crown," the 71-year-old actor will go back to comedy with "Trial & Error," Stuff reported. He will play the South Carolina poetry professor Larry Henderson, who is a guy who loves roller-skating, and was arrested for allegations of killing his wife. It's a funny series that somehow is a spoof of crime documentaries.

Lithgow is now the 24th recipient of the prestigious Harvard Arts Medal. His acting range gained him the nickname, "actor's actor." As a magna cum laude graduate at Harvard, he said the most active and creative years of his life were during his undergraduate years. Lithgow has accumulated countless credits and accolades worldwide.

His performance as transgender Roberta Muldoon in "The World According to Garp" gained him an Academy Award nomination, as well as best supporting actor nominations from New York Film Critics Circle and Los Angeles Film Critics Association. He also won the 1973 Tony Award for his performance in "The Changing Room." He started his successful TV career in 1996 starring in "3rd Rock from the Sun" as the alien Dr. Dick Solomon, which made him won two Screen Actors Guild Awards and a Golden Globe.
Mexico and the US have fought for years over tuna.

By Indo-Asian News Service: With the World Trade Organisation (WTO) ruling in Mexico's favour, allowing it to impose trade sanctions worth $163 million a year against the US, the Trump administration lost its first trade battle with the neighbouring nation.

According to reports, the WTO on Tuesday said that's how much money Mexico has lost from the US unfairly penalising Mexican tuna.

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Mexico and the US have fought for years over tuna.

The US insists that any Mexican tuna sold in the US must be 'dolphin safe', meaning dolphins were not killed by tuna fisherman, which was once common.

Mexico says its fisherman play by the rules. The US government disagrees.

Now, the trade body has slammed the US, ruling in Mexico's favour.

The timing, however coincidental, is sensitive. President Donald Trump wants to renegotiate Nafta, the free trade agreement between the US, Mexico and Canada.

Trump's administration took its first steps to crack down on trade with Canada on Monday night when the Commerce Department announced a 20 per cent tariff against Canadian softwood lumber.

A war of words between Canadian and American leaders has followed.

Trump's decision to go after Canada first with tariffs was particularly surprising given his harsh criticism of Mexico on the campaign trail. Now Trump has upset Canada and suffered a trade defeat from Mexico, according to reports.

Also Read:

America first: Trump signs order that discourages hiring of Indian IT workers

US President Donald Trump, Democrats, Republicans all unpopular, suggest polls

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A speculative office development situated on Union Street in the centre of Aberdeen, on the former Capitol Cinema site, offering spectacular, column-free, panoramic views of the city. The project encompasses the restoration and redevelopment of the B listed, original art deco cinema building. This is sensitively integrated into the new 10 storey office development behind, providing an entrance and reception. The link between the aolda and anewa elements is via escalators to reduce the visual impact and overshadowing effect the office building might have potentially had on Union Street.



The project recently won the British Council for Officeas 2017 award for Best Commercial Workplace in the Scottish Region and is now home to several blue chip occupiers such as PwC.




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By Press Trust of India: London, Apr 26 (PTI) A giant rabbit, destined to be the worlds biggest bunny, died mysteriously on a United Airlines flight to the US, the latest in a slew of public relations nightmares faced by the beleaguered American airline recently.

Three-foot Simon died in the cargo section of a Boeing 767 after flying out of Heathrow to a new celebrity owner in the US, The Sun reported.

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Simon was expected to outgrow his father Darius, whose length of 4ft 4 inches made him the worlds biggest bunny.

"He was as fit as a fiddle. Ive sent rabbits around the world before and nothing like this happened," Simons breeder Annette Edwards was quoted as saying.

Edwards said Simon was healthy when placed in the cargo hold. But Simon was found dead after the Boeing 767-300 landed at Chicagos OHare International Airport.

"Something very strange has happened and I want to know what. Ive sent rabbits all around the world and nothing like this has happened before," Edwards said.

"The client who bought Simon is very famous. Hes upset," she said.

Simon, a continental giant rabbit, was 10-months-old. Continental giants cost 5,000 pounds a year to keep. Edwards rabbits are hired out at 500 pounds a time.

United Airlines said, "We are reviewing this matter".

An airport source was quoted as saying that the news of Simons demise sparked panic among United Airlines staff.

"After the viral video, no-one wanted responsibility for killing what was to be the worlds biggest rabbit," the source said, referring to the controversy United Airlines was embroiled in after a passenger was forcibly removed from plane earlier this month.

United recently made headlines and remains under scrutiny following its treatment to the Vietnamese-American passenger, David Dao, who was physically dragged off an "overbooked" flight when he refused to give up his seat for United crew members on a flight from Chicago to Louisville.

Just days after the incident, it emerged that a bride and groom headed for their wedding were booted from a United Airlines flight here after they relocated to empty seats three rows up without permission.

Also, Karen Shiboleth, a 24-year-old Columbia graduate, sued the United Airlines this week for being forced out of her business class seat and escorted to the rear of the plane without an explanation. PTI ASK AKJ ASK

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Patryk Babiracki, an associate professor in the Department of History at The University of Texas at Arlington, was awarded a Humboldt Fellowship for Experienced Researchers from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation.

Babiracki joined the College of Liberal Arts in 2009 and his work focuses on the history of the International Trade Fair in Poznan, a key city in Western Poland, during the Cold War.

Patryk Babiracki, an associate professor in the Department of History at The University of Texas at Arlington.

The fellowship, based at the Berlin Center for Cold War, will extend over 18 months beginning in September 2017, to be preceded by four months of German language training also sponsored by the Humboldt Foundation.

Babiracki plans to develop a monograph dedicated to the history of the International Trade Fair in Poznan during the Cold War. The fair was one of only a few sites behind the Iron Curtain where people from around the globe met regularly to advertise their industrial and consumer products, to sign contracts for import and export of various goods, and to fight the Cold War.

This past year, I benefitted from a UTA Research Enhancement Program grant to carry out some archival research in U.S., British, Polish, French and Russian archives, Babiracki said. The Humboldt fellowship will help me to understand the role that the East- and West-German governments and institutions played in the shaping the dynamics of the fair and of the Cold War.

Specifically, the study examines the Poznan fair between 1945 and 1989 as a battleground in the war of conflicting ideologies, cultures and socioeconomic systems, fought by government officials, businessmen, designers and spies. It aims to understand the impact of the annual international interactions at the fair on the largely isolated world behind the Iron Curtain and on the outcomes of the Cold War.

The challenge of this kind of research is the sometimes complicated logistics of tracking down documents in archives across the world coupled with the sensitivity of the archival material that concerns such recent past, Babiracki said. But the rewards of discovering newly declassified documents from East European archives and being able to shape a conversation on issues that concern our past and our present can be also tremendously rewarding.

Babiracki's most recent book examined the Soviet Unions efforts to build a postwar Eastern European empire through culture.

According to Babiracki, the Cold War brings together several issues that are fascinating, challenging and also helpful to understanding our times. One such question focuses on how states worked to resolve international tensions across cultural boundaries and conflicting interests. Another issue central to the Cold War and contemporary concerns is the role played by modern culture and mass media in international power struggles.

Being part of an R-1 Research University, I could not be more delighted that Dr. Babiracki was awarded the Humboldt Fellowship to enrich his already extensive research on the Cold War, said Elisabeth Cawthon, interim dean of the College of Liberal Arts. We are confident that his inquiries in Germany will contribute positively to the Department of History when he returns to campus.

Every year, the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation enables more than 2,000 researchers from all over the world to spend time researching in Germany. The Foundation maintains a network of well over 27,000 Humboldtians from all disciplines in more than 140 countries worldwide  including 54 Nobel Prize winners.

Babiracki has received a number of previous fellowships for his research:

Volkswagen Foundation / Andrew W. Mellon Post-doctoral Fellowship, Zentrum fur Zeithistorische Forschung, Potsdam

Title VIII Research Scholarship, the Kennan Institute, Woodrow Wilson Center, Washington, D.C.

Junior Research Fellowship, Institute for Advanced Studies, Central European University, Budapest, 2012-13

Jozef Tischner Visiting Research Fellowship, Institut fur die Wissenschaften vom Menschen (IWM), Vienna, July-December, 2010 (accepted August-December)

About The University of Texas at Arlington

The University of Texas at Arlington is a Carnegie Research-1 highest research activity institution. With a projected global enrollment of close to 57,000 in AY 2016-17, UTA is the largest institution in The University of Texas System. Guided by its Strategic Plan Bold Solutions | Global Impact, UTA fosters interdisciplinary research within four broad themes: health and the human condition, sustainable urban communities, global environmental impact, and data-driven discovery. UTA was recently cited by U.S. News & World Report as having the second lowest average student debt among U.S. universities. U.S. News & World Report also ranks UTA fifth in the nation for undergraduate diversity. The University is a Hispanic-Serving Institution and is ranked as the top four-year college in Texas for veterans on Military Times 2017 Best for Vets list.
Life after transplant: Patients now more likely to live  and live well

DALLAS  April 26, 2017  If not for a heart transplant, Drew Wilson would have been dead last fall.

Instead, the 67-year-old Garland man spent September driving a Jaguar through the English countryside with his wife Bonnie  a trip he won for being one of the British automakers most knowledgeable parts department employees. The couple loved the vacation, which included a banquet at Shakespeares Globe Theatre, a tour of Windsor Castle, and tickets to The Phantom of the Opera.

Drew and Bonnie Wilson

Just being alive is pretty good, said Mr. Wilson, whose dream trip never would have happened without the lifesaving heart transplant he received in 2010 at UT Southwestern Medical Center.

Since the worlds first successful human organ transplant  a kidney  in 1954, post-transplant survival rates in cases such as Mr. Wilsons have soared.

In the early days, for a patient to live a year was considered a success, said Dr. Malcolm MacConmara, an Assistant Professor of Surgery at UT Southwestern who specializes in liver and kidney transplants. Today, patients can expect their new kidney to survive at least 10 to 15 years, or longer, he said.

Almost all  99 percent  of Americans receiving a kidney from a living donor survive at least a year now, according to the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS), the nonprofit organization that manages the countrys organ transplant system. More than 91 percent live at least five years. At 10 years, 71 percent are alive.

For other transplant types, survival rates are somewhat lower. Five-year survival rates are 76 percent, 73 percent, and 56 percent for heart, liver, and lung recipients, respectively, according to UNOS.

Building transplant expertise

Since the Medical Centers first transplant in 1964, UT Southwestern surgeons have completed more than 1,800 kidney, heart, lung, and liver transplants. UT Southwesterns first procedure also was the first kidney transplant in North Texas. The Medical Center ranks among the top 10 transplant centers in the nation in the number of lung transplant cases annually, with 77 in 2016.

Kidney transplants today rank second only to lung transplants in the number of such procedures done at UT Southwestern, with 49 performed in 2016.

In heart transplants, UTSWs 3-year survival rates exceed the national average, according to the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients, which provides statistics on organ procurement and transplantation. More than 600 heart transplants have been completed at UTSW since that program began in 1988.

The liver transplant program  UTSWs newest  has grown to more than 250 transplants completed since its founding in 2007. It also outpaces the national 3-year patient survival rate.

A new lease on life

Many transplant patients dont just survive  they thrive.

Crystal Thomas, who received a kidney transplant in 2013 at UT Southwestern, has since given birth to two daughters. Mrs. Thomas, her husband, and the girls  ages 7 weeks and almost 2 years old  now live in Seattle.

Without the transplant, the Fort Worth native said she would not have been able to endure a pregnancy. Being a mom is the best job ever, and Im so glad that I was able to have a transplant and have two healthy babies.

Crystal Thomas and her children, Landry and Lily

It makes me so grateful for my kidney donor, she said, adding that she named her firstborn after the girl who died and donated the organ.

Four months after Nicole Romine, of Justin, Texas, gave birth to her son in 2014, she developed acute liver failure and was put on a fast track for a transplant at UTSW. The then-25-year-old was nauseous, and her skin and eyes had turned yellow. She was told her immune system was attacking her liver.

While waiting for a donated liver, her condition became dire.

I was actually hours away from being put on life support because I was so weak. I would probably have died soon after that, Mrs. Romine said.

I almost wasnt there for my son. Its hard for me to think about.

Today, Mrs. Romine said shes healthier than ever. Shes 60 pounds lighter, eats more healthfully, and takes regular walks with her firstborn, Aaron, in his stroller.

Liver cases often critical

Liver transplants like Mrs. Romines are complicated procedures, said Dr. Jorge Marrero, Professor of Internal Medicine and Medical Director of Liver Transplantation at UT Southwestern. Its a big operation. Once the liver starts to fail, the bloods ability to clot declines, among other problems. Its really hard to manage.

With a failing liver, there are no alternatives  no dialysis as for kidney patients.

Nicole Romine and her son, Aaron

Once the liver starts to fail, its transplant or death, said Dr. Marrero, who added that for the past 20 years, UT Southwestern has led a multisite effort funded by the National Institutes of Health to study acute liver failure.

That transplant-or-death situation is one of the reasons liver transplants rank second in number behind kidney transplants in the U.S. and Puerto Rico (not counting multiple organ procedures)  6,728 in 2014 compared with more than 17,000 kidney transplants, according to UNOS.

However, for patients lucky enough to get a donated liver in time, organ rejection is not as big of a concern, so they need less of the immune system-suppressing drugs that can create side effects, said Dr. Marrero.

In fact, the liver is so accommodating to transplantation that it can increase or decrease in size to fit the space in its recipients body. It can even regenerate new cells to replace damaged ones, he said.

Kidney dialysis no more

While getting a kidney transplant isnt usually a matter of life or death  since treatment with dialysis takes over a failing kidneys job by cleansing the blood  a transplant can extend and improve life.

Dialysis is quite tiring, especially for the long-term dialysis patients, said Dr. MacConmara. The patient typically spends three to four hours, three days a week, hooked up to a dialysis machine.

Ryan Havens

Ryan Havens, a 25-year-old from Dallas, remembers those days. Before his 2015 transplant, performed by Dr. MacConmara, he went three times a week for treatments.

It sucked. It was just draining, said Mr. Havens, who still has raised, knotty vessels in his left forearm from where the dialysis machine was attached. Id do dialysis and Id just lay down and go to sleep because I was so tired.

The experience changed the course of Mr. Havens life. Before the transplant, he was studying to become a software engineer. Today, he is training to be a nurse, and hopes to eventually specialize as an audiologist.

I have a personal connection to it, he said of his nursing classwork. I just feel a lot more motivated.

The transplant also brought Mr. Havens closer to his dad, who donated the kidney.

Transplanted lung challenges

Lung transplant patients have the lowest 5- and 10-year survival rates, according to UNOS. The lungs are a very difficult organ to transplant because theyre exposed to the environment constantly as we breathe, explained Dr. Steves Ring, Professor of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery. Dr. Ring developed the heart transplant program at UT Southwestern in 1988, then the lung transplant program two years later.

Lung patients also must take higher doses of immunosuppressant drugs, which make them more susceptible to infections, he said.

Still, lung recipients are the transplant patients who report the greatest increase in health-related quality of life six months after transplant, according to a 2007 study published in Transplantation Reviews. Theyre not having to carry oxygen around with them, explained Dr. Ring.

Dr. Lynn Huffman examines Jonathan Mahony at a post-transplant checkup.

Jonathan Mahony, 43, who received two new lungs at UT Southwestern in April 2016, is doing very well. Before his transplant, the Kansas man had spent eight years growing progressively more disabled due to pulmonary hypertension, or high blood pressure in the pulmonary arteries that carry blood from the heart to the lungs.

As his condition worsened, Mr. Mahonys Kansas doctors suggested he go to UT Southwestern for a lung transplant.

A sales director with an MBA, Mr. Mahony traveled the world before his illness  in fact, he first noticed his problem when he developed shortness of breath and swelling in his legs on the way back from India.

But it wasnt the traveling he missed during his long illness.

The father of three young children regrets that he wasnt there much for his youngest, an 8-year-old daughter.

A friend asked Mr. Mahony and his wife if they plan to take a trip now that he is better. I said, No, we just want to do things with the kids. 

Mr. Mahony said he is forever grateful to the nurses, doctors, and physical, occupational, and speech therapists who worked to help him recover. Without them, he said, I would not be in a position to live the life we always dreamed about as a family.

A stronger focus on family is one of the common threads running through transplant stories.

A heart for his family

Ralph Thornton

Ralph Thornton, a 72-year-old semi-retired financial consultant in Dallas, received a heart transplant on Jan. 9, 1989, at UT Southwesterns former St. Paul University Hospital, which has since been replaced by William P. Clements Jr. University Hospital. His surgeon was Dr. Ring, who had set up the heart transplant program only the year before.

With the extra 28 years of life he has been given so far, Mr. Thornton saw his daughter graduate from UT Austin and earn a law degree from New York University. His son graduated from Texas Tech University and became an electrical engineer. He has four grandchildren, ages 2 to 13.

The biggest highlight has been being in a happy marriage, said Mr. Thornton, who remarried in 1995 after his first marriage collapsed. I had been working too much and not spending enough time with the family  just focusing on the wrong thing, he said.

I thank God that I got a second chance. I really hadnt done real well with the first chance.

Now, Mr. Thornton said, I think my heart will go to the end.

About UT Southwestern Medical Center

UT Southwestern, one of the premier academic medical centers in the nation, integrates pioneering biomedical research with exceptional clinical care and education. The institutions faculty has received six Nobel Prizes, and includes 22 members of the National Academy of Sciences, 18 members of the National Academy of Medicine, and 14 Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigators. The faculty of more than 2,700 is responsible for groundbreaking medical advances and is committed to translating science-driven research quickly to new clinical treatments. UT Southwestern physicians provide care in about 80 specialties to more than 100,000 hospitalized patients, 600,000 emergency room cases, and oversee approximately 2.2 million outpatient visits a year.

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Media Contact: Carol Marie Cropper

214-648-3404

carol.cropper@utsouthwestern.edu

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Nanoparticle vaccine shows potential as immunotherapy to fight multiple cancer types

UTSW researchers who developed a nanoparticle vaccine for cancer immunotherapy include (l-r) Drs. Min Luo, Jinming Gao, Zhijian James Chen, Zhaohui Wang, and Hua Wang.

DALLAS  April 24, 2017  Researchers from UT Southwestern Medical Center have developed a first-of-its-kind nanoparticle vaccine immunotherapy that targets several different cancer types.

The nanovaccine consists of tumor antigens  tumor proteins that can be recognized by the immune system  inside a synthetic polymer nanoparticle. Nanoparticle vaccines deliver minuscule particulates that stimulate the immune system to mount an immune response. The goal is to help peoples own bodies fight cancer.

What is unique about our design is the simplicity of the single-polymer composition that can precisely deliver tumor antigens to immune cells while stimulating innate immunity. These actions result in safe and robust production of tumor-specific T cells that kill cancer cells, said Dr. Jinming Gao, a Professor of Pharmacology and Otolaryngology in UT Southwesterns Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center.

A study outlining this research, published online today in Nature Nanotechnology, reported that the nanovaccine had anti-tumor efficacy in multiple tumor types in mice.

The research was a collaboration between the laboratories of study senior authors Dr. Gao and Dr. Zhijian James Chen, Professor of Molecular Biology and Director of the Center for Inflammation Research. The Center was established in 2015 to study how the body senses infection and to develop approaches to exploit this knowledge to create new treatments for infection, immune disorders, and autoimmunity.

Laser light can be seen scattered by nanoparticles in a solution of the UTSW-developed nanovaccine.

Typical vaccines require immune cells to pick up tumor antigens in a depot system and then travel to the lymphoid organs for T cell activation, Dr. Gao said. Instead, nanoparticle vaccines can travel directly to the bodys lymph nodes to activate tumor-specific immune responses.

For nanoparticle vaccines to work, they must deliver antigens to proper cellular compartments within specialized immune cells called antigen-presenting cells and stimulate innate immunity, said Dr. Chen, also a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator and holder of the George L. MacGregor Distinguished Chair in Biomedical Science. Our nanovaccine did all of those things.

In this case, the experimental UTSW nanovaccine works by activating an adaptor protein called STING, which in turn stimulates the bodys immune defense system to ward off cancer.

The scientists examined a variety of tumor models in mice: melanoma, colorectal cancer, and HPV-related cancers of the cervix, head, neck, and anogenital regions. In most cases, the nanovaccine slowed tumor growth and extended the animals lives.

Other vaccine technologies have been used in cancer immunotherapy. However, they are usually complex  consisting of live bacteria or multiplex biological stimulants, Dr. Gao said. This complexity can make production costly and, in some cases, lead to immune-related toxicities in patients.

With the emergence of new nanotechnology tools and increased understanding of polymeric drug delivery, Dr. Gao said, the field of nanoparticle vaccines has grown and attracted intense interest from academia and industry in the past decade.

Recent advances in understanding innate and adaptive immunity have also led to more collaborations between immunologists and nanotechnologists, said Dr. Chen. These partnerships are critical in propelling the rapid development of new generations of nanovaccines.

The investigative team is now working with physicians at UT Southwestern to explore clinical testing of the STING-activating nanovaccines for a variety of cancer indications. Combining nanovaccines with radiation or other immunotherapy strategies such as checkpoint inhibition can further augment their anti-tumor effectiveness.

Study lead authors from UT Southwestern were Dr. Min Luo, research scientist; Dr. Hua Wang, Instructor of Molecular Biology; and Dr. Zhaohui Wang, postdoctoral fellow. Other UTSW researchers involved included graduate students Yang Li, Chensu Wang, Haocheng Cai, and Mingjian Du; Dr. Gang Huang, Instructor of Pharmacology and in the Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center; Dr. Xiang Chen, research specialist; Dr. Zhigang Lu, Instructor of Physiology; Dr. Matthew Porembka, Assistant Professor of Surgery and a Dedman Family Scholar in Clinical Care; Dr. Jayanthi Lea, Associate Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology and holder of the Patricia Duniven Fletcher Distinguished Professorship in Gynecological Oncology; Dr. Arthur Frankel, Professor of Internal Medicine and in the Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center; and Dr. Yang-Xin Fu, Professor of Pathology and Immunology, and holder of the Mary Nell and Ralph B. Rogers Professorship in Immunology.

Their work was supported by the National Institutes of Health, the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas, a UTSW Small Animal Imaging Resource grant and a Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center support grant.

The Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center is the only NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center in North Texas and one of just 47 NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers in the nation. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center includes 13 major cancer care programs. In addition, the Centers education and training programs support and develop the next generation of cancer researchers and clinicians. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center is among only 30 U.S. cancer research centers to be designated by the NCI as a National Clinical Trials Network Lead Academic Participating Site.

About UT Southwestern Medical Center

UT Southwestern, one of the premier academic medical centers in the nation, integrates pioneering biomedical research with exceptional clinical care and education. The institutions faculty has received six Nobel Prizes, and includes 22 members of the National Academy of Sciences, 18 members of the National Academy of Medicine, and 14 Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigators. The faculty of more than 2,700 is responsible for groundbreaking medical advances and is committed to translating science-driven research quickly to new clinical treatments. UT Southwestern physicians provide care in about 80 specialties to more than 100,000 hospitalized patients, 600,000 emergency room cases, and oversee approximately 2.2 million outpatient visits a year.

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Media Contact: Lori Sundeen Soderbergh

214-648-3404

lori.soderbergh@utsouthwestern.edu

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Obesity amplifies genetic risk of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease

Dr. Jonathan Cohen and Dr. Helen Hobbs

DALLAS  April 25, 2017  An international study based at UT Southwestern Medical Center revealed a striking genetic-environmental interaction: Obesity significantly amplifies the effects of three gene variants that increase risk of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) by different metabolic pathways.

NAFLD, which in its most serious form can lead to chronic liver disease (cirrhosis) and liver cancer, is a growing problem associated with the obesity epidemic. Despite intense study, the relationship between obesity and NAFLD had remained unresolved.

Of the three gene variants, or alleles, examined in this study, the strongest genetic-environmental interactions were found in the PNPLA3 gene variant, the first genetic cause of NAFLD ever identified. That variant was identified in The Dallas Heart Study, a longitudinal, multiethnic, population-based study directed by Dr. Helen Hobbs, co-senior author of the Nature Genetics study published online this week. Her scientific partner, Dr. Jonathan Cohen, a Professor of Internal Medicine, also is a senior author. The studys first author is Dr. Stefan Stender, a postdoctoral researcher from Copenhagen University Hospital working in the Department of Molecular Genetics and the Eugene McDermott Center for Human Growth and Development.

While all obese individuals who have fatty liver disease would benefit from weight loss, our data suggest that those who have the risk allele in PNPLA3 are likely to benefit more, said Dr. Hobbs, Director of the McDermott Center, a Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) Investigator, and a Professor of Internal Medicine and Molecular Genetics.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) describes NAFLD as one of the most common causes of liver disease in the United States. It estimates that 30 to 40 percent of U.S. adults have simple fatty liver, a buildup of fat in the liver without significant inflammation or cell damage. An estimated 3 to 12 percent of adults in the U.S. have a more serious form of NAFLD, called nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), a buildup of liver fat with inflammation and cell damage that can lead to cirrhosis and is associated with liver cancer.

Looking first at the accumulation of fat in the liver, the researchers found that the prevalence of fat buildup ranged from 9 percent in lean individuals who did not have a PNPLA3 risk allele to 84 percent in obese individuals with two copies of the risk allele  one from each parent. In lean individuals, the risk alleles had a detectable but modest effect on liver fat accumulation.

If you are thin, then you are unlikely to have excess fat in your liver even if you have the PNPLA3 risk alleles, said Dr. Cohen, who has appointments in the Center for Human Nutrition and the McDermott Center and who holds the C. Vincent Prothro Distinguished Chair in Human Nutrition Research. On the other hand, if you are obese and lack the variant, then there is a good chance that you wont have excess fat in your liver.

But if you are obese and do have the variant  particularly if you have two copies of the variant  you are very likely to have excess fat in your liver, he said, adding that these findings may help resolve some puzzling aspects of the relationship between obesity and fatty liver disease.

It was very clear from our initial studies that these genetic variations did not affect body fat content, so at first it appeared that the genes effect was independent of obesity, Dr. Cohen said. The relationship between the PNPLA3 variant, obesity, and fatty liver disease represents a classic example of a gene-environment interaction.

This gene-environment interaction also results in those individuals who have the PNPLA3 risk allele and are obese developing inflammation and fibrosis, two later stages of NAFLD, the researchers report.

The Dallas Heart Study and the Dallas Biobank Study contained too few patients with end-stage liver disease (cirrhosis) to examine gene-environment interactions. Therefore, the researchers turned to data from a large cohort study in Copenhagen that included 384 subjects with cirrhosis. The risk of having cirrhosis among those with two copies of the risk allele who were very obese (defined as body mass index above 35) increased 5.8 times compared with those who were obese but lacked risk alleles.

The findings indicate that the interaction between obesity and genetics appears to promote chronic liver disease (cirrhosis) as well as the accumulation of fat in the liver, the researchers write. Similar effects were reported for the other two genes. The researchers noted that the three gene variants act via three different metabolic pathways.

The risk alleles of the three strongest NAFLD risk variants confer only moderate risk in lean individuals but are major risk factors in people with higher BMIs, suggesting that genetic screening would be especially valuable in this subgroup, the researchers reported.

Dr. Hobbs is a member of the National Academy of Sciences and last year was selected with Dr. Cohen for the Passano Award. Dr. Hobbs other honors include the Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences. At UT Southwestern, she holds the Eugene McDermott Distinguished Chair for the Study of Human Growth and Development; the Philip OBryan Montgomery, Jr., M.D. Distinguished Chair in Developmental Biology; and the 1995 Dallas Heart Ball Chair in Cardiology Research.

Researchers from the Copenhagen General Population Study, The Copenhagen City Heart Study, Copenhagen University Hospital, and the Frederiksberg Hospital in Denmark also participated in the study.

The study received support from the NIH, the HHMI, and the Danish Council for Independent Research, Medical Sciences. The Copenhagen cohort received support from the Danish Council for Independent Research, the Research Fund at Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital, Chief Physician Johan Boserup and Lise Boserups Fund, Ingeborg and Leo Dannins Grant, Henry Hansen and Wifes Grant, and a grant from the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.

About UT Southwestern Medical Center

UT Southwestern, one of the premier academic medical centers in the nation, integrates pioneering biomedical research with exceptional clinical care and education. The institutions faculty has received six Nobel Prizes, and includes 22 members of the National Academy of Sciences, 18 members of the National Academy of Medicine, and 14 Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigators. The faculty of more than 2,700 is responsible for groundbreaking medical advances and is committed to translating science-driven research quickly to new clinical treatments. UT Southwestern physicians provide care in about 80 specialties to more than 100,000 hospitalized patients, 600,000 emergency room cases, and oversee approximately 2.2 million outpatient visits a year.

###

Media Contact: Deborah Wormser

214-648-3404

deborah.wormser@utsouthwestern.edu

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Robin Cole Chosen to Speak at UWs Nursing Convocation Ceremony

Robin S. Cole

Robin S. Cole, a University of Wyoming Master of Science nurse educator candidate, has been chosen by her classmates to be the speaker at the Nursing Convocation ceremony Friday, May 12, 2-4 p.m., in the Arts and Sciences auditorium.

"I was very surprised to be nominated by my peers to speak at graduation," Cole says. "It is an honor to speak to such a dedicated group of nurse leaders and their families."

Cole, from Green River, plans to address the graduating nursing students with a talk focused on leadership in the nursing profession.

"Nursing is a profession that requires lifelong learning, and graduates of our M.S. program serve in a variety of educational roles at colleges and health care organizations such as hospitals, says Mary Burman, dean of the Fay W. Whitney School of Nursing. So, we are really excited to have Robin Cole as our speaker to talk about her experiences as a learner as well as an educator in nursing."

Though Cole was born in Craig, Colo., she is a Wyoming girl at heart.

"Craig was the closest hospital," Cole explains. "I lived in Baggs up until age 5. Then, my family moved to Cody. I lived there for four years, and then we moved to Green River. I would consider Green River my hometown, since I grew up and graduated high school there. I am a Wyoming girl at heart. I will never leave."

Cole received her associate degree in nursing from Western Wyoming Community College and her bachelors degree in nursing from UW. Most of her nursing career has been spent in Evanston, where she lived for the past seven years prior to moving to Cheyenne last August.

Cole says she decided to come back to school for her Master of Science in nursing because she knew she wanted to teach nursing.

"I have always jumped at the opportunity to precept students and new nurses, she says. My nursing instructors had such a lasting impression on me, and I knew I wanted to have a similar impact on others."

During graduate school, Cole says she has experienced a transition from clinical to the classroom.

"During my first year of school, I lived in Evanston and had a full-time job as a registered nurse in obstetrics at Evanston Regional Hospital, she says. I also had a part-time job as adjunct nursing faculty for Western Wyoming Community College, and a PRN job (from the Latin pro re nata, meaning when necessary) as a post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) registered nurse at a surgical center."

Last August, Cole, her husband and two young boys moved to Cheyenne, where she has been teaching at Laramie County Community College (LCCC) on the nursing faculty.

After graduation, I plan to continue to work at LCCC and grow as an educator. I look forward to their new curriculum change with ReNEW (Revolutionizing Nursing Education in Wyoming)."
Renowned Hindu saint Mahant Nrityagopal Das, who is also the chairman of the Ram Janmabhoomi Shrine Board, said that this is the most opportune time for building the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, as both the Central and the state govts have great souls like PM Modi and CM Yogi Adityanath at the helm.

By Siraj Qureshi: With the BJP scoring victories after victories in elections all over India, not just the party and the VHP, but even the Hindu ascetics and saints are now demanding that the government should build the Ram Temple in Ayodhya now.

Talking to India Today, renowned Hindu saint Mahant Nrityagopal Das, who is also the chairman of the Ram Janmabhoomi Shrine Board, said that this is the most opportune time for building the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, as both the Central and the state governments have great souls like PM Narendra Modi and CM Yogi Adityanath at the helm. If the Central and UP governments together failed to build the temple now, this opportunity could be lost for a long time.

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Das said that all over India, the Ram bhakts are in power at present. Even the Supreme Court of India has suggested that the Ram Temple dispute should be resolved through mutual talks between Hindus and Muslims. Muslims themselves have agreed to the construction of the temple and are bringing bricks and mortar for the construction of the temple in Ayodhya. No other time could be as auspicious as this time.

He said that the Babri structure had been demolished by the Ram bhakts in sheer 'bhakti' towards their Lord Ram. The leaders whose name is being taken in this demolition case, were at Hanumanbagh at that time, holding a panchayat. At that time, the kar sevaks had been asked to go and throw a fistful of dirt at the structure. However, the kar sevaks said that they had not come to collect fistfuls of dirt, but to do something else, and then the mob attacked the structure.

Voicing the Muslims' sentiments on this issue, Muslim leader Haji Jameeluddin told India Today that this matter is currently being heard by the Supreme Court of India and the Muslims of India believed in the rule of law in this country. Whatever decision the Supreme Court takes, the Muslims will agree to it.

Jameet-ul-Quresh president Mohd. Shareef Kale said that the way the Hindu mahants are talking about building the temple in Ayodhya when the matter was still pending in the Supreme Court, indicated that they did not believe in the law of land and wanted to impose their own will over the Muslims.

He said that the Modi and Yogi governments are not above the law of this country and the duo should instruct their party workers to maintain restraint and not give any inflammatory statements regarding this most sensitive issue.

Senior citizen Rama Shanker Sharma said that this is a matter connected to the religious sentiments of both the Hindu and Muslim communities and the two communities should sort it out between themselves instead of waiting for the Supreme Court to deliver an analytical judgment that does not take the religious sentiments into concern. He said that most of the intellectual Muslims also wish to resolve this issue by mutual talks, but political interests are not letting saner minds prevail on this matter.

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Also read:

In Yogi Adityanath's UP, Muslims put out banners to build Ram temple

Vishwa Hindu Parishad plans saffron congress over Babri

--- ENDS ---
UW SBDC Webinar to Help Small Businesses Work with Big Agencies

Small companies seeking financing to develop an innovative technology need to understand the types of projects big agencies are interested in funding -- and what the playing field looks like.

A Wyoming Small Business Development (SBDC) webinar, titled Big 5 Agencies in SBIR/STTR and How to Work with Them, is scheduled Tuesday, May 2, 2-3 p.m., and will provide small businesses with information about the kinds of projects these agencies are interested in funding. The Big Five agencies include the departments of Defense and Energy, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, National Science Foundation and National Institutes of Health. The USDA also will be discussed because that agency is a good target for many Wyoming companies.

The SBDC is a partnership among the University of Wyoming, the Wyoming Business Council and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). The SBDC focuses on educating small-business owners and potential owners on how to successfully start and operate small businesses. The SBDCs main office is located at UW.

The federal Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs fund innovative research and development projects implemented by small businesses. They focus on supporting important new ideas with good potential for commercialization. While 11 federal agencies provide SBIR funding, the largest five account for almost all of the $2.2 billion in funding available annually, and only those five fund STTR awards.

Mark Henry, of Grow Emerging Companies LLC, will present the webinar. He has 37 years of SBIR/STTR experience, having worked on more than 3,000 proposals. Known as the Vince Lombardi of the SBIR program, he has worked with Wyoming companies for nearly two decades.

There is no registration fee for this webinar, but participants must register at www.wyomingsbdc.org to obtain the link to the program. Recordings of the webinar will be available for registered participants unable to join at that time.

Reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities will be made, if requested at least two weeks in advance. For more information, call Kelly Haigler Cornish at (307) 766-2904.

The Wyoming SBDC Network is a business advising group of the Wyoming SBDC, Procurement Technical Assistance Center, Market Research Center and SBIR/STTR Initiative. The networks mission is to help Wyoming entrepreneurs succeed. Advising and most market research activities are free of charge to Wyoming residents.

The SBDC is funded, in part, through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. SBA. Additional support is provided by the Wyoming Business Council and UW.

For more information, go to www.wyomingsbdc.org or call 1-800-348-5194.
By Press Trust of India: Hyderabad, Apr 26 (PTI) President Pranab Mukherjee today said reinvigorating higher education in India as well as in other parts of the world had become a major challenge, especially in public institutions.

He said rising cost of learning and market-driven fast track skill acquisition were some of the factors which created a challenge before such institutions.

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The president was addressing the first convocation of the English and Foreign Languages University (EFLU) here.

"Today, sustaining and reinvigorating higher education in India as well as in other parts of the world has become a major challenge, especially so in public institutions. Challenges exist for such institutions, both from outside and inside. At least four distinct factors impinge from outside as well as inside on the administration of an institution of higher learning.

"According to me, these factors are- escalation of costs of learning; narrow pragmatics, i.e. market-oriented fast track skill acquisition as the sole goal of learning; the allure of invasive dominant communication systems depleting attention span and corrosion of trust," he said.

Any institutions future is dependent on enabling the faculty, students and the staff to overcome cynicism, he said.

"Cynicism is an easy alibi to evade responsibility...One way of achieving this (overcoming cynicism) is making everyone a stakeholder in collaborative institution building," he said.

"Wherever the Buddha traversed - seeds of knowledge sprouted and flourished even as Nalanda, after Takshashila, held the beacon of light very high for over a millennium across lands and seas and welcomed drifting seekers of knowledge and provided them a lasting resting place," Mukherjee said.

Invoking the Upanishads, the president said,"Sarve jana sukhino bhavantu (may all people be happy) should be the driving impulse of any conception of education in any period or place.

"It is important to recall that the singular feature of vidya dana (gifting learning) that this country has extended on a planetary scale was aimed at attaining happiness for everyone," he added.

Speaking about Brahma Kumaris, the president said the organisation has been doing a commendable job as far as spreading kindness and harmony among people was concerned.

"No doubt we want economic growth, we want technological development, we want scientific pursuit of knowledge. But at the end, everything comes to a point that we want to have happiness...happiness of the people...happiness of the mankind," Mukherjee said.

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The president left for Delhi in the evening. Governor ESL Narasimhan and Telangana Chief Minister K Chandasekhar Rao went to see him off. PTI VVK GDK NP SRY

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In order to allow Nitish's cavalcade to pass through, the vehicles carrying the bodies of martyrs were held inside the airport for a few minutes.

By Rohit Kumar Singh: The bodies of five jawans from Bihar, martyred in the Naxal attack in Chhattisgarh's Sukma on April 24, arrived at Patna airport at around 7 pm on Tuesday.

In the adjacent building of Bihar State Road Development Corporation, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Tejaswi Yadav were attending the 8th Foundation Day event of the corporation.

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In order to allow Nitish's cavalcade to pass through, the vehicles carrying the bodies of martyrs were held inside the airport for a few minutes.

The vehicles left the airport only after Nitish's cavalcade left.

However, the moment the vehicles started coming out from the exit gate of the airport, Nitish Kumar's cavalcade from the adjacent building also came out as the event got over there.

PATNA DM, SSP PAID TRIBUTES TO MARTYRS

After Patna DM and SSP paid tributes to the martyrs at the airport, the bodies were dispatched in various vehicles to Bhojpur, Darbhanga, Sheikhpura, Danapur and Vaishali.

A total of 25 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) jawans in Chhattisgarh's densely forested area of Sukma were killed in an ambush by Naxals on Monday afternoon.

The CRPF soldiers killed were deployed there to provide security for the road construction work in the region.

Also read | MP CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan fails to attend Sukma martyr's cremation; family waited for 3 hours

Also read | Bihar: CM Nitish Kumar, Tejaswi Yadav don't go to pay tribute to Sukma martyrs, despite being 100 metres away from airport

Also read | Sukma attack: Don't celebrate any victories, BJP tells supporters

Watch the video here:

Also read:

Sukma Naxal attack: Rajnath says government to review strategy, CRPF DG says no tactical failure

Sukma attack: Don't celebrate any victories, BJP tells supporters ahead of MCD vote counting

From Dantewada 2010 to Sukma 2017: How the Naxal attack narrative has not changed in 7 years

--- ENDS ---
Alitalia's liquidity expected to run out in April 2017 without emergency funding, leaving its fleet grounded AFP/ALBERTO PIZZOLI

Almost 90 per cent of its 12,500 employees participated in a vote and more than half those taking part opposed the deal.

The government had warned that there was no alternative to the plan, which called for 1,700 job losses and an eight-percent salary cut. 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 call in special administrators to prepare a possible takeover or liquidation.

The company is de facto controlled by Etihad Airways, which acquired a 49-per cent stake when it saved Alitalia from bankruptcy in 2014.

The pressure to find a solution has been intense, with Alitalia's cash expected to run out this month unless the carrier finds emergency funding, leaving its fleet grounded.

Etihad and 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 Apr 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.
Illustration photo

Accordingly, the plan aims to mobilize resources for biological industry development, renew mechanisms and policies, take advantages of international cooperation and assistance, facilitate businesses to invest and produce items from the biological industry to make it become a crucial economic-technical sector, promoting economic development, serving for social security, protecting the sustainable development and ensuring national security and defense.

It aims to increase the number of businesses operating in the industry by 20% by 2025 and 50% by 2030 and raising the contribution of the industry to the GDP to 5% by 2025 and 7% by 2030.

Businesses operating in the biological industry will be encouraged to make products in the three main sectors of agriculture-forestry- aquaculture, pharmacy and environmental protection.
Though the company was officially established in 1892 with the merger of Thomson-Houston Electric and Edison General Electric, before that, the name General Electric had been widely known with products that set the foundation for modern life.

In 1879, the first filament light bulb created by the founder of Edison General Electric  Thomas Alva Edison started being produced commercially. A year later, electric fans followed, considered the first product of GE. Afterwards, products after products, ranging from household appliances, vehicles to jet engines and turbines were launched, bearing the name of GE. In 2013, GE successfully developed Predix, the first operating system of the Industrial Internet, expected to process 12 terabytes in 2020.

Thanks to its innovations, for multiple times GE has been named among the World's Most Innovative Companies by Fast Company. This year, GE ranked 7th in the list of World's Most Admired Companies by Fortune. With its contributions to the global community, GE has also named among the Worlds Most Ethical Companies by Ethisphere for 11 years.

The effort does not stop here. Founder Thomas Alva Edison still inspires more than 300,000 employees of GE in 180 countries to continue innovating. GE is investing heavily into GE Additive and GE Digital, which, using digitalisation, are creating breakthroughs in industries by increasing efficiency, reducing cost, fuel and material and emissions.

GE is also working to inspire all developers in the world through the Fastworks programme, and encourage exchange of expertise and talent among different fields and markets through the GE Store.
(L-R) First Daughter and Advisor to the US President Ivanka Trump, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Christine Lagarde and German Chancellor Angela Merkel share a laugh at the start of a panel discussion at the W20 women's empowerment summit in Berlin. (Odd ANDERSEN/AFP)

Sitting on a G20 panel with female leaders including German Chancellor Angela Merkel and IMF chief Christine Lagarde, Donald Trump's daughter caused the audience to bristle when she praised "my father's advocacy" and his role as "a tremendous champion of supporting families and enabling them to thrive".

The panel moderator, a finance journalist, interjected, saying: "Some attitudes toward women your father has publicly displayed ... might leave one questioning whether he is such an empowerer for women."

"I've certainly heard the criticism from the media and that's been perpetuated," replied the 35-year-old Ivanka about her father, who faced public outrage during the campaign over a 2005 video in which he was heard making degrading remarks about women.

"I think the thousands of women who have worked with and for my father for decades, when he was in the private sector, are testament to his belief and solid conviction in the potential of women and their ability to do the job as well as any man."

TRUMP 'ENABLED ME TO THRIVE'

Ivanka, a former model who started her own fashion line, has worked for her billionaire-father's company and now has an office in the White House.

She said her father "encouraged me and enabled me to thrive". "I grew up in a house where there were no barriers to what I could accomplish beyond my own perseverance and my own tenacity ... There was no difference for me and my brothers."

President Trump meanwhile tweeted he was "proud" of Ivanka for "her leadership on these important issues".

Merkel is seen to be cultivating a good relationship with Ivanka as a key communication channel with the Trump presidency, given that Berlin and Washington have differed on issues from refugees, to NATO defence spending to Germany's trade surplus.

News magazine Der Spiegel saw the meeting as "a summit of the two women who are supposed to moderate Donald Trump - if that is even possible".

It said "the hopes of the free world rest on the two women because they supposedly have the power to influence the man who looks down on women".

'A VERITABLE COUP'

The Sueddeutsche Zeitung daily said that for Merkel to "have lured Ivanka is a veritable coup for the chancellor", adding that "it would be difficult to find a more important and influential representative".

Ivanka has been accused in the United States of benefiting from nepotism, and was ridiculed on the "Saturday Night Live" comedy show for being "complicit" in promoting Trump's divisive policies.

Undeterred, she has spoken out on women's empowerment, most recently in a Financial Times op-ed article co-written with World Bank president Jim Yong Kim.

They said only 55 per cent of women participate in the paid labour force worldwide and called for better training, improved access to finance and legal changes.

On the panel on Tuesday, however, Ivanka immediately faced a tough opening question from the moderator, Miriam Meckel, editor-in-chief of business weekly WirtschaftsWoche.

Asked whether she was in Berlin to represent her father, the American people, or her business, Ivanka replied: "Certainly not the latter ... I am rather unfamiliar with this role as well, it is quite new to me.

"It's been a little under 100 days but it's just been a remarkable and incredible journey. You know as an entrepreneur and as an individual prior to this, in the private sector, I care very much about empowering women in the workplace."

Ivanka Trump also visited electronics giant Siemens for a tour of its technical academy and Berlin's Holocaust memorial.

A demonstration against Ivanka's visit was scheduled outside a gala dinner Tuesday.

Kathleen Brown, of the protest group Coalition Berlin, charged that Ivanka's clothing line is produced in "sweatshops" with mainly female garment workers in China, Vietnam and Bangladesh.

"How can Ivanka Trump talk of women's 'empowerment' at the same time President Trump has blocked funding for international reproductive care? Ivanka's silence on life-and-death matters for women is deafening."
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan was busy inaugurating a gurukul in the state capital Bhopal while the martyr's last rights were delayed by over three hours.

By Hemender Sharma: Gangteera, the village of Sukma Martyr Narayan Prasad Sonkar in district Rewa of Madhya Pradesh, witnessed high drama on Wednesday as family members and villagers refused to perform the last rights till state Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan arrived to pay respects on behalf of the people of the state.

Chouhan, however, was busy inaugurating a gurukul in the state capital Bhopal while the martyr's last rights were delayed by over three hours. Sukma martyr's family protested against the chief Minister's absence during cremation.

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The family members also demanded that a road connecting their house to the main village be built under the Pradhanmantri Grameen Sadak Yojna and be named after Narayan Prasad Sonkar who died while fighting Naxals in Sukma.

Also the villagers demanded Rs 50 lakh compensation for the family along with a government job for one of the two sons of Sonkar.

The district administration along with the local MP assured the villagers that all their demands would be immediately looked into but the protestors refused to budge and insisted that the chief minister visits the village.

The district administration eventually was forced to send a message to the chief minister's office in Bhopal. The CM's office sent industries minister Rajendra Shukla as its emissary and after much persuasion and a delay of over three hours the last rights could be performed.

Rajendra Shukla, while talking to India Today, said that he had spoken to the family members and convinced them that all their demands would be taken to the chief minister who has already promised to look into them.

Sonkar's body was brought to Rewa on Tuesday in a helicopter from where it was taken to his ancestral village Gangteera for the last rites.

Madhya Pradesh minister Rajendra Shukla, Rewa MP Janardhan Mishra, district collector Rahul Jain and SP Sanjay Kumar were among those who paid tributes to the jawan.

Also Read:

Sukma attack martyrs' bodies made to wait at Patna airport to let Bihar CM's cavalcade pass

Sukma Naxal attack: Rajnath says government to review strategy, CRPF DG says no tactical failure

Sukma attack: Don't celebrate any victories, BJP tells supporters ahead of MCD vote counting

From Dantewada 2010 to Sukma 2017: How the Naxal attack narrative has not changed in 7 years

--- ENDS ---
Christian Dior Couture is 'one of the most iconic brands worldwide,' says LVMH. (Photo: AFP/Joel Saget)

LVMH, which already owns Christian Dior perfumes, said in a statement it had now agreed to buy Christian Dior Couture - the leatherware, Haute Couture, ready-to-wear, jewellery and shoes businesses - for 6.5 billion (US$7.0 billion).

The announcement sent LVMH shares soaring on the Paris stock exchange, where they jumped by around three percent in a generally flat market.

At the same time, the Arnault family who own 74 per cent of the holding company, Christian Dior SA, would "demonstrate their commitment" by acquiring the remaining 26 per cent, LVMH said.

That would streamline the current shareholder structure and help unlock synergies, LVMH finance chief Jean-Jacques Guiony told a telephone news conference.

Set up 70 years ago, Christian Dior Couture "is one of the most iconic brands worldwide", LVMH said. It sells its range of goods "almost exclusively" in 198 luxury boutiques around the world.

Sales have doubled over the past five years and, last year, revenues amounted to more than 2 billion, while underlying or operating profit totalled 270 million.

At present, Christian Dior Couture is wholly owned by Christian Dior SA. By making it a wholly-owned subsidiary, LVMH would be able to unlock its "high growth potential," it said.

The deal "will allow LVMH to incorporate one of the most emblematic brands worldwide. It will allow for the regrouping of Christian Dior Couture and Parfums Christian Dior brands," the statement continued.

'SOURCE OF GROWTH'

"On the strength of its history and favorable prospects, Christian Dior Couture will be a source of growth for LVMH," it said.

"The development of Christian Dior Couture will be notably supported over the coming years by a new creative momentum and significant investments already completed, notably in America, China and Japan."

In its part of the two-fold deal, the Arnault Family Group would launch a public takeover offer to purchase the shares in Christian Dior SA it did not already own.

The bid will take the form of a cash offer of 172 per share, plus 0.192 shares in Hermes International, valuing the each share at 260, the statement said.

That represented a premium of 14.7 per cent over the closing share price on Monday and a premium of 18.6 per cent over the average share price during the past month.

The boards of directors of Christian Dior and LVMH were "unanimously favourable" to the plans, LVMH said.

"This project represents an important milestone for the group," said LVMH chief executive Bernard Arnault.

"The corresponding transactions will allow the simplification of the structures, long requested by the market, and the strengthening of LVMH's Fashion and Leather Goods division. They illustrate the commitment of my family group and emphasize its confidence in the long-term perspectives of LVMH and its brands."

Analysts also hailed the long-awaited deal.

"We see a number of positives," said Exane BNP Paribas analyst, Luca Solca. "It adds a strong brand to the LVMH portfolio at a reasonable valuation and on an accretive basis and it reduces the risk of LVMH potentially buying 'trophy assets'" which would dilute returns on capital, the expert said.

"The operation is being viewed positively by the markets," because it will increase the theoretical value of the share, Daniel Larrouturou of Diamant Bleu Gestion told AFP.
MPI Minister Nguyen Chi Dungs visit addressed many bilateral co-operative fields

During the visit, the Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI) chief travelled to Hokkaido, Aichi, and Tokyo to meet with some of Japans top government officials and business executives.

At Dungs first stop, Hokkaido, he received a warm welcome from the local business community and the provinces top leaders before meeting with Governor Harumi Takahashi. The two officials discussed commitments to deepening ties in potential fields, particularly agriculture, high-tech, seafood, and tourism projects.

They also discussed a proposal to encourage the relevant authorities in each country to study the feasibility of opening direct flights from Sapporo to several destinations within Vietnam.

Dung and Takahashi also discussed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between MPI and Hokkaido, to further strengthen economic co-operation between the two sides. The MoU is expected to be completed and ready for signing during a visit to Vietnam by Hokkaido officials slated for August 2017.

At Dungs next stop, in Aichi prefecture, he spoke with local leaders about offering favourable conditions to encourage the various industries and businesses based in the region to scale up their investments in Vietnam. Aichis Governor Hideaki Omura praised MPIs efforts in opening the Aichi Desk within MPI. Currently about 140 investment projects across Vietnam have come from Aichi-based businesses.

During his Tokyo stop, Dung met with the heads of Japanese ministries of Foreign Affairs, Economy, Trade and Industry; and Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism. Dung also met with top executives from many organisations including the Japan International Cooperation Agency, the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), and Keidanren.

Dung said that both countries need to further strengthen economic co-operation to be commensurate with the comprehensive strategic partnership relations the two countries have committed to. The Vietnamese government greatly values the Japanese governments effective support through its various official development assistance (ODA) projects, which have not only helped Vietnam improve its infrastructure, but also contributed to boosting the nations socio-economic development.

However, in the future, it is important for us to bolster ODA usage efficiency and accelerate capital disbursement to avoid cost overruns, Dung said.

In a meeting at the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) headquarters, president of the Japan-Vietnam Friendship Parliamentary Alliance and LDP General Secretary Toshihiro Nikai said that Vietnam-Japan relations had entered an unprecedented development phase. He hopes to deepen bilateral trade and investment co-operation between the two nations.

Throughout the visit, Dung not only dedicated a large part of his time to attending business forums in Aichi and Tokyo, but also visited a number of the larger firms that have invested big in Vietnam.

Dung and Minister of Industry and Trade Tran Tuan Anh met with Toyota executives to discuss the growth of the auto industry in recent years, and consider long-term co-operation strategies on how to accelerate growth for supporting industries in Vietnam.

One particular focus was on parts manufacturing, and how to further enable local firms to actively participate in Toyotas broader global supply chain in the future.

In a working session with the head of Japans Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, Dung encouraged Japan to continue supporting Vietnam in executing big transport infrastructure projects through ODA programmes, and also called on Japanese investors to partake in these projects to help Vietnam achieve fast, sustainable growth.

The two ministers also discussed important upcoming projects, including the billion-dollar Long Thanh International Airport, the high-speed railway, the North-South expressway, and the proposed underground trade centre in Ho Chi Minh City.

Speaking with the Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Dung noted Vietnam also welcomes investment from small- and medium-sized businesses, particularly those in the production of spare parts for automobiles, motorbikes, and industrial and agricultural machinery.

During his visit to Japan, Dung also met with representatives from many Japanese governmental agencies to talk about activities surrounding preparations for Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phucs official visit to Japan later this year. In the prospective visits framework, MPI will be co-operating with JETRO to host the largest-ever investment promotion conference in Japan, which is expected to attract around 1,000 Japanese businesses and 200 Vietnamese firms.
The MPI-compiled SME law will help startups acquire training and capital Photo: Le Toan

The National Assembly Standing Committee last week discussed the latest draft Law on Supporting Small- and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs), with priority given to private startup enterprises in Vietnam.

Under the draft, compiled by the Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI) and expected to be adopted in mid-June, the enterprises and funds specified are both local and foreign-invested.

According to the drafts Article 16, private startup enterprises will be given assorted incentives in terms of high-tech transfer, participation in incubators, intensive training in product development, mobilisation of investment capital from startup funds, and intellectual property consultancy.

They will also receive support in information and communications, trade promotion, commercial applications for research, and technological developments. Furthermore, the government will refinance their loan lending rates via credit organisations.

Also under the draft, the National Assembly will allow the establishment of private startup investment funds. These funds refer to those that are established via legal capital contributions of investors, with the aim to invest in private startup enterprises, organisations, and individuals.

Private startup investment funds are allowed to conduct investment via the contribution of capital to establishing or purchasing a stake in startup enterprises. However, the funds capital must not exceed 50 per cent of the enterprises charter capital, reads Article 4 of the draft law.

The government will detail the establishment, organisation, and management of private investment funds for innovative companies, as well as procedures for capital and profit transfer by these investors in and out of Vietnam.

According to MPI, many localities and investors have established investment funds for young businesses, from which they see great development potential.

For example, Japans Mizuho Financial Group reportedly plans to set up a 28 billion ($252 million) fund this summer, to invest in SMEs within the Southeast Asian region.

The fund will target firms in nations like Vietnam, Indonesia, and Malaysia. About 1 billion ($9.18 million) will likely be invested in each firm. Mizuho also envisions the fund being used to support joint ventures between Japanese firms and international businesses.

In another case, leading Vietnamese tech firm CMC Corporation recently launched a startup fund: the CMC Innovation Fund (CIF), worth VND50 billion ($2.27 million). CIF will be investing in early-stage firms with a focus on the fields of security, cloud computing, the Internet of Things, robotics, big data, and artificial intelligence. CMC will earmark 10 per cent of its annual profits for this fund. CIF will look to support both CMCs projects and those from outside entities.

Other private investment funds have also bought into Vietnamese startups. In 2015, the Vietnamese restaurant rating and location website Lozi Vietnam received millions of dollars in funding from Singapore-based Golden Gate Ventures and Japans DesignOne Japan Inc.

In March 2016, local tech firm FPT and investment group Dragon Capital inked a co-operation deal on the establishment of a fund named Vietnam Innovative Startup Accelerator (VIISA), to finance startups in Vietnam.

VIISA is an open-ended fund which trains and invests in startups in the sectors of information technology, mobile technology, internet applications, and finance.

Currently, it is estimated that more than 20 foreign venture capital firms have expanded to Vietnam, where nearly 2,000 startups are in operation.
Sweet success

KIDO Corporation (HoSE: KDC) has just completed the sale of 11.2 million stocksapproximately 20 per cent of the chartered capital of its subsidiary Kido Frozen Food JSC (KDF)at the price of $2.3 per share. The ordered quantity is reported to be 3.5 times as much as the offered one. Right after the IPO (March 31), KDF stocks were bought and sold on the free market at the price of $2.65 per stock.

KDCs investment in KDF is emblematic of a successful M&A for both involved parties. In 2003, KDC acquired the entire ice cream production facility and brand of the producer and seller of Walls ice cream, Unilever Bestfood Vietnam (currently Unilever Vietnam), which later became KDF, for a total of $20 million.

After 14 years in operation, KDC has achieved impressive progress with KDFs ice cream brands. As of the end of 2016, KDF accounted for one third of the Vietnamese ice cream market. In 2016, it earned $61.7 million in revenue, $6.3 million in profit after tax (respectively 85 per cent and 31 per cent higher than in 2015). In 2017, KDF expects to increase revenue by 30 per cent.

With the price of $2.3 per stock, KDFs value by market capitalisation is estimated to be $130 million.

Experts predict that KDC would rake in a considerable profit from the sale of its 20 per cent stake in KDF. On the stock market, KDCs price has increased by 30 per cent compared to the end of 2016.

In the last few years, KDC has been greatly active in M&A transactions in the food industry, especially after earning big from selling its confectionery factory in Binh Duong Province. For instance, in 2014, KDC bought a 24 per cent stake of Vietnam Vegetable Oils Industry Corporation (Vocarimex  UpCOM: VOC).

At the end of 2016, KDC publicly bid for stocks of Vegetable Oils Tuong An JSC (HoSE: TAC), raising its stake in the company to 65 per cent. On January 20, 2017, after securing approval from VOCs annual general shareholders meeting, KDC raised its stakes in VOC to 51 per cent without a takeover bid. Through its intensive M&A transactions, KDC now has the entire domestic oil market in its grasp.

The cases of KDC-KDF, KDC-TAC, and KDC-VOC are not rare examples of effective M&A which helped the acquired company improve its finances, expand market share, and contribute to the development of the parent company. Both parties have benefited from the M&A and complemented each other for success.

Masan Group has also been intensively pursuing M&A transactions. On March 31, 2016, Masan possessed, both directly and indirectly, 45 subsidiaries and 6 associated companies. Masans total investment in its associated companies was about $538.7 million.

Some of Masans featured M&A in recent years include Vinh Hao Mineral Water (April 2013), VinaCafe Bien Hoa (October 2011), International Agriculture Nutrition JSC (Anco) (May 2015), Vietnam-French Cattle Feed JSC (Proconco) (May 2015), Cholimex (November 2014), and Vissan JSC (June 2016).

As a seller, Masan holds a record of the most valuable M&A with the sale of its stakes in Masan Consumer to Thai giant Singha Beer at the price of $1.1 billion in 2015. Recently, Masan also received a substantial investment of $250 million from KKR Foundation to accelerate the completion of its meat supply chain (3F: Feed-Farm-Food).

Its knack for M&A strategy has maintained Masans high development rate for many years. In 2016, the parent companys after-tax profit reached $123.6 million, 89 per cent higher than that of 2015 and six times as much as that of 2013.

The above examples show that M&A is clearly a golden key for enterprises to seek for rapid and effective development, especially when their existing business lines no longer have much growth momentum, as M&A expands enterprises market share and network and help companies join a new segment quickly.

Bitter failure

Not every M&A results in sweet success like KDCs or Masans. Several transactions have left investors with the bitterness of loss. Tan Lien Phat Construction Investment Corporations acquisition of Truong Thanh Furniture Corporation (TTF) is a typical example of an M&A gone sour.

After a successful negotiation of its debt restructuring in 2013, TTFs financial results started improving in 2014 with continuously rising stock prices. In mid-May 2016, Tan Lien Phat spent $79.5 million on 72 million TTF shares, approximately 49.9 per cent of TTFs chartered capital. Also, with agreement from TTFs annual general shareholders meeting, Tan Lien Phat provided TTF with a $53.1-million loan under the condition that its holding in TTF would increase to 70 per cent.

While investors expected that the active involvement of the strategic shareholder Tan Lien Phat would push TTFs finances to soar, just 2 months afterwards, Tan Lien Phat suddenly brought public inaccuracies worth up to millions of dollars in TTFs receivables and inventories. From that point on, TTF suffered from dozens of financial problems, leading to a loss of $56.1 million in 2016, which resulted in an accumulated loss of 98 per cent of the chartered capitaland pushing the company to the edge of delisting. On the stock market, TTFs stock dove into a free fall.

After several incidents and arguments, Tan Lien Phat has divested almost the entirety of its capital in TTF.

Another defective M&A was Saisan Stock Companys acquisition of 48.2 per cent of An Pha Petrol JSC (ASP) in 2014. For the year of acquisition, ASP net profit was only $44,000; in 2015, it lost $441,000. In 2016, ASPs profit turned positive but it came mostly from its sale of assets. ASPs stock price on the market was 50 per cent lower than at the time Saisan bought in.

ASPs 2016 annual general shareholders meeting agreed on expanding the maximum rate of ownership for foreign investors to 100 per cent, yet the company has showed no signs of putting the agreement into action. Saisan also failed to move forward with the initial plan to increase its holding to control ASP.

According to experts, there are several reasons for failure after M&A, including misunderstandings between both parties, disagreements in management and differences in corporate culture

For stock investors, an enterprise being acquired or merged is going drive up stock prices, mainly due to the expectations that the acquirer is trying to gather the stocks. Many investors found the winning ticket in the M&A lottery, but no fewer of them came away with losses.

In the end of 2014, Global Emerging Markets (GEM), a $3.4 billion alternative investment group that manages a diverse set of investment vehicles focused on emerging markets, signed agreements to invest in several enterprises in Vietnam like FLC, HHS, DLG, HAG, HQC, among others. This event had led to a streak of increase in the VN-Index and many big transactions of these stocks. However, soon afterwards, most of GEMs commitments sank into oblivion, forcing investors to sell these stocks to cut down on their losses. Up to now, this case remains a key lesson for investors wishing to surf the M&A waves.

M&A is a long-term game for affluent investors. Many M&A deals have been advertised conspicuously, yet failed eventually for many reasons.
US President Donald Trump welcomes truckers and CEOs to the White House to discuss healthcare, an issue he says was more complicated than he realized AFP/JIM WATSON

While the new US president has shown a capacity to change both his tone and his positions, Trump has struggled to convey a clearly articulated worldview.

As the symbolic milestone of his 100th day in power, which falls on Saturday, draws near, a cold, hard reality is setting in for the billionaire businessman who promised Americans he would "win, win, win" for them.

At this stage of his presidency Donald Trump is the least popular US leader in modern history (even if his core supporters still fully support him).

The 70-year-old Trump, whose election victory unleashed a political shockwave around the world, is still clinging to the take-no-prisoners, unpredictable, impulsive style that made him a property mogul and reality TV star.

But the onetime anti-establishment candidate who promised to "drain the swamp" in Washington appears to have recognized - with a mix of naivete and craftiness - that he has one of the most difficult jobs in the world.

In just his first few weeks in office Trump suffered some crippling blows - the federal courts halted his proposed travel ban, and Congress failed to move ahead on health care reform.

"Nobody knew that health care could be so complicated," Trump said during his efforts to see Obamacare - his Democratic predecessor's signature domestic policy achievement - repealed and replaced.

"After listening for 10 minutes, I realized it's not so easy," Trump said after talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping about North Korea.

TWEETS-A-PLENTY

The demands and constraints of the Oval Office - where every word uttered counts - are quite different from the daily stump speeches Trump made on the campaign trail.

Who to turn to for advice? Whose advice to heed? What kind of relationship to build with Congress, even when it's nominally controlled by one's own party? How much latitude to afford the usually powerful State and Defense Departments?

All of his predecessors have said it: moving into the mansion at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue is a shock to the system.

"There's just something about this job as president every president faces - you know, that you think one thing going in and then the pressures of the job or the realities of the world, you know, are different than you thought," George W Bush said recently.

Aside from his unwavering penchant for morning tweetstorms, often influenced by the ebb and flow of headlines on Fox News, Trump has changed.

In the choice of his teams as well as in some negotiations, a sort of "presidentialization" seems to be unfolding - albeit haltingly.

Trump, who was elevated to the highest office in the United States with no prior political, diplomatic or military experience, says his ever-evolving approach works.

"I do change and I am flexible, and I'm proud of that flexibility," Trump said, shortly before authorizing air strikes against the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad over what Washington says was a sarin attack on civilians.

On China, Russia and NATO, his about-faces have - to some extent - reassured some Americans, and some of Washington's allies.

"When a president moves from being so wrong to being so right on such important questions, the sensible response is not to carp but to celebrate, however cautiously," The Washington Post said in an editorial, reminding readers of the harsh, dark tone of Trump's inaugural address.

But his approach also includes risks.

From Syria to North Korea, what is the risk of dragging the United States into a military conflict with an unpredictable outcome, a situation Trump warned against on the campaign trail?

How would the Republican president react if a major terror attack were to happen on US soil, as it did on 9/11?

'TRUMPISM'?

Both style and substance reveal that Donald J Trump is an American president like no other before him.

In a rather disconcerting interview given to Time magazine in March, in which Trump defended his controversial, far-fetched or just plain false statements one by one, he said: "What am I going to tell you? I tend to be right."

More than three months after taking office, many of his detractors still deem the profile written by author Philip Roth for The New Yorker in late January to be a just one.

He wrote of a president "ignorant of government, of history, of science, of philosophy, of art, incapable of expressing or recognizing subtlety or nuance... and wielding a vocabulary of 77 words."

Trump's numerous policy pivots and resets also raise questions about the very definition of his fluid brand of "Trumpism" - which revolves around his ubiquitous "America First" slogan, a seemingly simple idea that is nevertheless tough to explain.

The internal squabbles within the Trump White House have not helped the president move forward with articulating his long-term vision.

Within a group that includes the ultra-conservative Steve Bannon, one thing stands out: the prime positioning of his family, especially daughter Ivanka and son-in-law Jared Kushner.

The successful nomination of conservative federal judge Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court stands as the major success of the first 100 days of the 45th president of the United States.

All too aware that he doesn't have much to show for those days, Trump lashed out with a tweet decrying the "ridiculous standard of the first 100 days" - one that his team has repeatedly said was vital.

Trump, who regularly talks about possibly running for re-election, has more than 1,300 days ahead of him until his first term ends.
1. Objectives: Promoting national image, Vietnamese businesses and trademarks; boosting export of products in which Vietnam has advantages to Laos and Thai north-eastern areas; establishing distribution network and increasing the number of investment projects in Laos;

2. Scope: 300 booths measuring nine square meters each in which 150 booths will be for Vietnamese companies (around 100 businesses) and the remainder for the Lao counterparts;

3. Time: November 25-29, 2010;

4. Venue: Lao International Exhibition and Convention Center (Lao ITECC), Vientiane City, Laos;

5. Content: Agro-forestry-fisheries products and processed food; garment and fashion; electrical-electronic industries; industrial machinery and equipment, construction and building materials; wooden furniture and fine handicrafts; consumer goods; pharmaceutical products; medical equipment; investment, tourism and trade services; 6. Participants: Businesses from assorted economic sectors operating under the law and trade promotion organizations (trade promotion centers in provinces, municipalities, under ministries/departments, and business associations);

7. Selection criteria: Businesses producing competitive items that are compatible to the Lao market requirements; the people taking part in the trip must have the ability to take part in an international trade fair;

8. Expenses:

a) The State will finance the booth lease fee, the fee for decorating the Vietnamese pavilion area and all related expenses for export promotion;

b) Based on the production sector, the State will pay the lease fee for at most four booths/each business;

c) Businesses must incur the following expenses: The fee for making entrance/exist formalities, food, drink, travel and accommodations; goods related expenses. Besides, if they impinge on the organizing committee regulations, they must pay additional charges;

d) Each business must pay a deposit of VND4 million/one booth right after sending a registration record The account for deposit transfer: The Vietnam Trade Promotion Agency, account number: 001.1.00.028621.2 at the Transaction Bureau of the Bank for Foreign Trade of Vietnam; If a business was chosen to take part in the trade fair, however, it later sends a document to Vietrade to cancel the participation after October 22, 2010 it will loose the deposit. This money will be used by Vietrade to cover relevant state expenses;

9. Obligations: Businesses taking part in the trade fair must:

- Completing registration records, financial obligations and seriously observing the regulations of the Vietnamese group's organizing committee;

- Businesses must send a summary report to Vietrade within a month after the fair ending;

10. Registration records:

- A business registration certificate;

- An application form;

- A company profile;

- A list of staff who will take part in the fair;

- An application for information disclosure in the fair catalogue;

- An explanation why it wants a special booth;

- Any product presentation or promotion programs;

Note: Businesses must send one floppy disc to ngokhacbao@vietrade.gov.vn (including one enterprise logo and two product photos to be shown in the fair's catalogue).

11. Deadline for registration:

October 15, 2010. As the booths are limited in number, not all registered businesses will be selected. Vietrade will later inform the name of chosen businesses.

Interested businesses must send records to:

Export Promotion Center, Vietnam Trade Promotion Agency Floor 5, 20 Ly Thuong Kiet, Hanoi

Tel: 0439364792 +84439364792 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting +84439364792 end_of_the_skype_highlighting fax: 04 39369491

Contact: Mr. Ho Ngoc Quan; Mobile: 098 306 9998 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting

Mr. Ngo Khac Bao; Mobile: 091 555 4177 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting Email: ngokhacbao@vietrade.gov.vn
CRPF has been fighting 'red terror' without a head after its Director General Durga Prasad had retired in February this year.

By India Today Web Desk: Days after the Sukma attack which took the lives of 25 CRPF jawans, the government today appointed a new director general for the Central Reserved Police Force. The lead anti-Naxal operations force of the country was headless for about two months.

Rajiv Rai Bhatnagar, a 1983 batch IPS officer, has been appointed as the new DG of CRPF by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).

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CRPF has been fighting 'red terror' without a full-time chief after its Director General Durga Prasad had retired in February this year.

The force of 2 lakh personnel was manned by officiating DG Sudeep Lakhtakiya since then.

The country's largest paramilitary force has lost 37 personnel in line of duty in two major ambushes during the period including this week's attack in Chhattisgarh's Sukma.

Questions have been raised from various quarters over appointing of a full-time chief for CRPF.

The MHA is still awaiting a report of Bheji ambush in which 12 soldiers of CRPF were martyred by Naxalites. The Ministry had asked CRPF to do an analysis of the incident and submit its report to them.

Also read:

Battling Naxalite attacks, CRPF remains headless for 2 months

Naxal attack on CRPF jawans in Sukma: All you need to know

--- ENDS ---
A research project Restoring Cham Cultural Property and Communities after Conflict aims to get answer and explains the harm caused to Cham communities by the destruction of its cultural property followed Khmer Rouge genocide and how should the law respond to that harm?The research project, which is underway between Documentation Center of Cambodia (DC-Cam) and researchers from Queens University and Cambridge University, is funded by a development grant from the United Kingdom Research Council.In March 2017, the research team travelled around Cambodia and conducted interviews with Cham communities in Phnom Penh, Kandal province, Kampong Chhnang, and Kampong Cham. Below is a photo gallery of the research project.
A set of ancient Angkorian gold jewelry that found its way to a London art dealership will be returned to Cambodia after the government intervened to stop a planned sale.

According to a statement from the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts, the jewelry was listed by the Jonathan Tucker Antonia Tozer Asian Art dealership in its online catalog of Asian art.

The ministry petitioned the dealership in November to return the artifacts.

Cambodia has provided concrete testimony to prove that the artifact jewellery belongs to Cambodia, is jewellery designed in the Khmer style and that only Cambodia has this style and it was taken out of the country illegally, the statement says.

During decades of war, Cambodia lost countless priceless historical artifacts to looters and smugglers who targeted ancient sites. Many of the items they took ended up with foreign art traders, although it is not clear when the jewelry set in question was taken from the kingdom.

The set includes a crown, necklace, earrings, armbands, a belt and chest ornament, and will be returned with the assistance of the UK government, according to ministry spokesman Thai Norak Satya.



Norak Satya said the recovery was an act of encouragement in the fight against the illicit trade in antiquities.

Phoeung Sakona, culture minister, said the return of the artifacts would help to heal old wounds and encouraged other dealerships to follow suit.

Sambo Manara, a history professor at the Royal University of Phnom Penh, said the return of looted artifacts to Cambodia would help to preserve Khmer heritage.

Our ancestors left us a heritage that the world started to pay attention to. What we have obtained recently tells the world about the real value of Cambodias great men and ancient ancestors, he said.

Jonathan Tucker, joint owner of the dealership, did not immediately respond to an interview request.

In recent years, Cambodia has successfully ensured the return of several ancient statues from the United States.
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An Albanian family now living in the U.S. was invited to Washington by a Jewish congregation to be honored for an act of bravery by one of its ancestors, who helped rescue Jews persecuted by Nazis during World War II. As Ilir Ikonomi reports, Jewish leaders believe such courageous actions have special meaning in todays world.
Musician David Byrne, known for his work with the 1980s pop band Talking Heads, wrote an urgent blog post this month. "I just got back from a rally at City Hall," he said, referring to a New York City rally to support arts funding. "I spoke very briefly, making the economic and social argument that arts funding benefits the economy and creates jobs way in excess of the amount invested."

Byrne and others at the rally were protesting a budget request by the White House for Congress to eliminate funding for the National Endowment for the Arts, as well as the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

While the Trump administration has said little beyond the budget proposal itself, conservative commentator George Will and others have made the case. Will wrote in The Washington Post last month that the arts mainly benefit the wealthy, and that the wealthy will support the arts regardless of federal help.

In addition, he said NEA funding, which goes to all 435 congressional districts in the United States, supports projects he does not consider art. The NEA, he said, "defines art democratically and circularly. Art is anything done by anyone calling himself or herself an artist, and an artist is anyone who produces art."

The prospect of losing their funding is forcing arts organizations to pull out all the stops to show what good the arts do, beyond the fancy doors of museums and music auditoriums. And they question what good it would do to eliminate agencies whose spending combined makes up less than 1 percent of the national budget.

Byrne, the pop musician, said in his blog post: "Investment in the arts doesn't cost us money  it MAKES us money!"

Attracting funds

The NEA says its budget appropriation for 2016 was $147.9 million, about .004 percent of the federal budget. It says its contributions to local arts institutions resulted in the leveraging of up to $9 million in private and other public funds.

Brad Erickson of Theatre Bay Area, a group representing 300 theater companies in the San Francisco area, clarified the issue in comments to The San Francisco Chronicle last month: "Nobody is getting enough from the NEA to keep the lights on and the rent paid. An NEA grant attracts other money. A dollar from the NEA attracts another $8 in private and local funding."

The advocacy group Americans for the Arts studies the economic growth that the arts foster in the communities they serve. The group reported that in 2014, arts and culture represented 4.2 percent of the nation's gross domestic product  a larger share, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, than transportation, tourism or construction.

Further, the NEA says 40 percent of the funding it doles out goes to organizations and activities in high-poverty neighborhoods, where arts education can matter the most.

Wolford McCue, president and CEO of the Arts Community Alliance in Dallas, told VOA that studies have found how important arts activities can be to an individual education.

"Young adults who have been engaged with the arts graduate from high school, junior college and college at a significantly higher rate than those not engaged in the arts," he said. "Significantly more are gainfully employed, pay taxes, vote and volunteer in their community."

Controversial content

One argument against arts funding persists from the 1980s, when NEA funding went to a venue hosting an art show of provocative photographs by Robert Mapplethorpe  an artist whose name is now synonymous with controversy. His sexually charged work set off a nationwide debate about obscenity and the role of public funding.

Those who defended Mapplethorpe's work said he was entitled to free speech. Critics said federal dollars should not be used to support work that some people find obscene.

And that, some arts activists say, may be at the root of the issue. While the arts may look like an extravagance to some, others say shutting off arts funding amounts to stifling speech.

PEN, a writers organization focused on free speech, is circulating an online petition advocating for the NEA and its sister organizations. "Eliminating these vital agencies would lessen America's stature as a haven for free thinkers and a global leader in humanity's shared quest for knowledge," it says.

Support in France

A group of French filmmakers also has rallied in support of keeping U.S. federal arts funding alive, saying defunding the NEA is "muffling diversity" because art enables people on the margins of society to tell their stories.

And in an op-ed piece in The New York Times last month, Eve Ewing, a sociologist at the University of Chicago, said, "Artists play a distinctive role in challenging authoritarianism. Art creates pathways for subversion, for political understanding and solidarity among coalition builders.

"Art teaches us that lives other than our own have value."
Ten of the worlds leading human rights organizations, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, have chosen three human rights defenders from Cambodia, El Salvador and Egypt as this years finalists for the prestigious Martin Ennals Award.

The three finalists were selected from a field of some 50 human rights defenders. Director of the Martin Ennals Foundation, Michael Khambatta, says the city of Geneva, which will host the award ceremony on October 10, provides project funding of $12,000 for each of the finalists.

The prize money itself is 30,000 francs for the laureate and 10,000 for the finalists , said Khambatta. "The idea is not really to give a lot of money. The idea is really to give them credibility, recognition and hopefully protection through widespread publicity.

Khambatta tells VOA each finalist is at serious risks from their respective governments and others who oppose the work they do to promote human rights. He says a group of five Human Rights Defenders from Cambodia called Free the 5-KH has been held in pre-trial detention for more than a year.

Which seems to be in violation of any of the justifications that would, normally one would have for pre-trial detention These are people who are being basically detained for their human rights work, and this is having a chilling effect on human rights defenders throughout Cambodia, said Khambatta.

Khambatta says a second finalist, Karla Avelar, a transgender woman in El Salvador, has been imprisoned, attacked and nearly killed on several occasions for defending and promoting the human rights of LGBTI people.

He says the third finalist, Mohamed Zaree, a legal scholar from Egypt, has been subject to death threats for his work as director for the Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies. He says Zaree, despite the risks, continues to battle human rights violations, which have become worse following the Egyptian revolution in 2011.
President Donald Trump and Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross on Tuesday said they did not fear a trade war with Canada after American punitive action on lumber and milk.

"They have a tremendous surplus with the United States," Trump said, adding "people don't realize Canada's been very rough on the United States. ... They've outsmarted our politicians for many years."

Trump added that he wanted "a very big tax" on Canadian lumber and timber.

He made the comments at a meeting with American farmers where he signed an executive order aimed at helping agriculture and rural areas.

Trump also talked to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau Tuesday. Trudeau "refuted the baseless allegations by the U.S. Department of Commerce and the decision to impose unfair duties," according to a summary of the call released by Trudeau's office.

"The prime minister stressed that the government of Canada will vigorously defend the interests of the Canadian softwood industry, as we have successfully done in all past lumber disputes with the U.S.," the statement said.

The White House later issued its own brief, three-sentence readout of the call, which it called "very amicable."

The Canadian dollar fell to a 14-month low against the greenback after the United States imposed preliminary tariffs averaging 20 percent  more than $1 billion of countervailing duties  on imported Canadian softwood.

Earlier in the day, Trump vowed moves to protect the American dairy industry.

On Tuesday morning, he tweeted: "Canada has made business for our dairy farmers in Wisconsin and other border states very difficult. We will not stand for this. Watch!"

Against NAFTA

Trump, since his time campaigning for the presidency, has voiced his strong displeasure with the 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), but until now he has vented most of his ire southward, toward Mexico.

Ross, speaking to reporters on the White House podium, would not explicitly characterize the actions on lumber and dairy as the opening shots on renegotiating NAFTA, but he did say: "Everything relates to everything else when you're trying to negotiate."

He described Canada as "generally a good neighbor," asserting that its allegedly unfair trade practices regarding lumber and dairy were not very neighborly.

Asked on Tuesday in Kitchener, Ontario, about the U.S. trade actions and the fate of NAFTA, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau replied, "Standing up for Canada is my job, whether it's softwood or software."

Trudeau added, "Any two countries are going to have issues that will be irritants to the relationship and, quite frankly, having a good, constructive, working relationship allows us to work through those irritants."

Some other Canadians were less diplomatic in their reactions.

"In Canada, the perception is that we're always very nice," said Unifor President Jerry Dias, representing forestry workers across the country. "But we can't get trampled by this guy [Trump]."

'Ignore, do not engage'

The majority of Canadians, including the prime minister and his colleagues, "understand that President Trump is prone to making ill-informed, off-the-cuff and arbitrary comments about a host of domestic and foreign policy issues," Donald Abelson, the chairman of the political science department at the University of Western Ontario in London, told VOA.

"Canada will likely respond to Trump's Tuesday tweet in a manner similar to how a competent parent responds to a child's temper tantrum  ignore, do not engage," added Abelson, who is also director of the school's Canada-U.S. Institute.

Other Canadians displayed wry humor  a traditional reaction to irritations from south of the border (at least since the last U.S. invasion during the War of 1812), considering the asymmetry of power.

The president's messages prompted immediate puns on Canadian social media, with tweets referencing "sacred cows" and calling the American trade action on dairy "udderly stupid" and "cheesy," Sparkle Hayter, veteran Canadian journalist and author, told VOA.

The dairy dispute goes back decades. Currently, there is an overproduction of milk, according to dairy farmers on both sides of the border.

The U.S.-Canada lumber squabble is rooted in a couple of centuries of history.

In response to the proposed tariff on softwood lumber, "Canada to strike back by charging duties on exported Cdn actors," tweeted the account of 22 Minutes, a satirical news program on national public broadcaster CBC.

Cows are No. 1

The Twitter account also noted the U.S. president "tweeted about Canadian dairy industry first thing this morning, so on his list of priorities: 1. Canadian Cows. 2. North Korea."

Trump's attention on Canada comes amid indications he is pivoting away  at least temporarily  from the southern border and his quest to quickly fund his border wall with Mexico.

"We have plenty of time" to complete the wall during his first term, Trump assured reporters Tuesday afternoon.

The presidential desire for border protection might find a better reception to the north, considering the comments from some Canadians.

"Some [in Canada] would like to separate from the U.S., like literally," by digging a two-mile moat at the border "and filling it with beavers and mosquitoes," quipped Hayter from her home province of Alberta.

But many Canadians see themselves confronting a cross-border creature bigger than a beaver.

"Sleeping with an elephant" is how the late Pierre Trudeau, the current Canadian prime minister's father, once characterized relations with the United States, "affected by every twitch and grunt."
China has released new restrictions on the naming of children in the far western and mostly Muslim region of Xinjiang, banning ethnic minority Uighur parents from naming their newborns "Muhammad" or names that authorities say have extremely religious meanings.



The move is the latest in sweeping controls instituted in Xinjiang that authorities say are aimed at keeping the spread of religious extremism in check.



Analysts, however, say the hardline approach towards Muslims is not only fueling opposition in Xinjiang, but also stirring ethnic hatred nationwide.

Tainted identity

Local governments recently rolled out a list of banned ethnic minority names that forbids dozens of religious names, such as Jihad, Medina and even Yultuzay, a reference to the star and moon symbol of the Islamic faith.

All in all, nearly 30 names have been banned according to documents provided to VOA by overseas Uighur activists. According to the regulations and accounts of the new rules circulating online, individuals who violate the restrictions will be denied a hukou, or household registration, which grants citizens access to social benefits, health care and education in China.

Complaints among Uighurs are growing and the ban is but the latest restriction.

Michael Clarke, an associate professor at Australian National Universitys National Security College, told VOA in an emailed reply that through the ban and other earlier measures to enhance surveillance of Uighurs, China is seeking to determine which aspects of the Uighur identity will be considered acceptable. And that is making the party-state the arbiter of what he called acceptable "Uighur-ness."

Such policies actively contribute to the further alienation of many Uighurs from Han Chinese and provides fertile ground for the Islamic radicalism that the CCP [Chinese Communist Party] fears in Xinjiang.

Xinjiang is home to more than 10 million Uighurs, a largely Muslim Turkic-speaking ethnic minority.

And all this, he said, acts to construct elements of Uighur identity, such as the practice of Islam, as potentially deviant and dangerous to the security in China.

Rising resentment

On April 1, a new set of rules was implemented along with the ban. Those rules also prohibit so-called "abnormal" beards, the wearing of veils in public places and the refusal to watch state television.

All this time, weve [received] lots of complaints directly or indirectly. The situation has gotten worse particularly in the regions south, such as Kashgar, Hotan and Aksu, said Dilxat Raxit, a spokesman for the Germany-headquartered World Uyghur Congress.

The resentment there has been indirectly substantiated, which is [a] quite worrying [sign]," he said. "Im afraid that it may trigger even more radical resistance from Uighurs, who find it too much to bear, if the condition continues."

The rights activist urged authorities in China to stop suppressing traditional and normal Uighur culture and religious belief in the name of combating Islamic extremists, whom China blames for terrorist attacks and separatist movements.

He said Chinas repressive controls are the real cause of violence and unrest in Xinjiang.

China has strongly denied of any abuses there and insisted the legal, cultural and religious rights Uighurs are fully protected.

Social stigma

Still, following years of Chinas forceful attempts to integrate Xinjiang and crackdown on Islamic extremists, the social stigma attached to Uighurs is growing a divide and misunderstanding, said Chang Chung-fu, an associate professor of National Chengchi Universitys ethnology department in Taipei.

Ive seen quite a lot of acts of stigmatizing people in Xinjiang and Uighurs. Many generalize conclusions such as people in Xinjiang are violent terrorists or you Uighurs are foolish religious followers, Chang said.

I find the spread of such [misleading] sentiment an adverse impact on the Mainlands pursuit of so-called Chinese dreams or peaceful rise, he added.

And perhaps that is why there has been a prevailing stream of nationalistic response to the rules on Weibo, Chinas Twitter-like microblogging platform. On social media, most voiced their support for the regulations and even urged the central government to roll out the Xinjiang-oriented anti-Muslim extremist campaign nationwide to areas including Ningxia, Qinghai and even Shaanxi.

In China, the state has to be put before any ethnic groups, a Weibo user wrote in late March, calling Islamic extremists malignant tumors, which should be removed to revive the Han Chinese culture.

Only a few users questioned the campaigns legitimacy, with one arguing that the rules infringe on peoples freedom of speech and is thus unconstitutional.
The president's desire to cut refugees is also costing U.S. jobs.

A reduction in refugee resettlement that began after an executive order by President Donald Trump in late January has led to at least 300 layoffs in the U.S. nonprofit sector and more than 500 positions abroad, according to data collected by VOA. In some cases, the jobs slashed were held by resettled refugees.

A review of news releases, media reports, and information obtained from a survey sent by VOA to the nine primary resettlement agencies shows that seven of those organizations contracted by the government to coordinate refugees' first months and years of living in the United States have had layoffs at their headquarters and local offices around the country, or at affiliate and partner organizations.

VOA documented more than 300 part-time and full-time positions cut in the United States, including:

Sources: World Relief; Church World Service (CWS); Exodus; Catholic Charities of Tennessee; Community Refugee and Immigration Services; Catholic Charities-San Antonio; US Together; Catholic Charities of Southeast Michigan; Refugee Empowerment Center in Omaha; Catholic Charities in Cleveland

Additional organizations reported cutting employees' hours and not filling vacancies to trim budgets.

"Our budget as a refugee resettlement agency was heavily dependent on the government funding and the suspension and reduction of U.S. admissions for 2017 as well as [the] same dim prospect for 2018 has caused a huge negative impact on agencies like ours," Aklilu Adeye, Executive Director of the Ethiopian Community Association of Chicago, told VOA in an email. The organization recently cut five positions.

The tally is not exhaustive: Two of the nine primary resettlement organizations  Episcopal Migration Ministries and International Rescue Committee  did not respond to VOA's request for information or make that figure otherwise public; the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops  historically one of the most active resettlement agencies  declined to provide data or comment about layoffs.

After the first executive order in January that would have stopped refugee arrivals for four months and cut the overall number for the fiscal year to 50,000, Sister Donna Markham, President and CEO of Catholic Charities USA, said that the program's suspension would affect about 700 employees of Catholic Charities agencies nationwide, "with layoffs expected for nearly all of the workers."

"If we're talking about American jobs, this is laying off people in these public-private partnerships," she told the National Catholic Reporter in February.

Overseas, Church World Service has laid off almost all 600 staff members at its Resettlement Support Center Africa, which coordinates with the State Department under a separate part of the refugee process from U.S.-based affiliates: 484 in Kenya, 27 in South Africa, and 19 in Tanzania.

"The decision to reduce our staff was a direct result of these executive orders, which sabotage our ability to offer vital services, support and counsel to families seeking to rebuild their lives in safety," CWS President and CEO Reverend John L. McCullough said in a statement in March.

The contracts between the government and the nonprofit organizations  some of which have resettled refugees for decades  are based per capita on how many refugees are resettled by the agencies. They receive about $900 for each refugee to cover the administrative costs of helping the newcomers in their first 90 days in the country, from picking them up at the airport, setting up their first home and enrolling children in school, to hosting English classes and advising on job searches. Another $1,125 goes directly to each refugee for initial costs of setting up their lives in the United States, such as rent and furniture.

Fewer arrivals mean less funding, and that jeopardizes jobs  including some held by refugees themselves, who often are hired to interpret for members of their community or find other positions in the resettlement field.

In some cases, the nonprofit organizations are planning to receive thousands fewer refugees than anticipated by the end of the fiscal year.

From high hopes to layoffs

The fiscal year started with a surge ordered by then-President Barack Obama: The United States would take 110,000 refugees  more than it had in decades.

But those plans came to a screeching halt in late January, when one of Trump's initial executive orders trimmed that number to 50,000; a revised order in March upheld the president's call for that 55 percent reduction.

Despite federal lawsuits and injunctions rolling back those orders, the president maintains broad power over the ultimate number of refugees that will be allowed into the country. Trump has repeatedly expressed interest in significantly lower arrivals, leaning on what he says is a lack of confidence in the screening process for admitted refugees  although refugees are among the most rigorously vetted immigrants to the U.S.

Many resettlement organizations signed amicus briefs in support of lawsuits that challenged the refugee-related executive order, stating in one case that "faith-based refugee organizations' ability to maintain operations and services moving forward has been devastated."

The nonprofits have tried to rally financial support from the public in recent months, but several indicated in phone and email interviews that donations would not make up for any reduction in funding from the government.

The government's Office of Refugee Resettlement operated on a budget of $1.67 billion in fiscal year 2016. That includes more than services for refugee resettlement, however. The bureau handles other programs, such as anti-trafficking efforts, and unaccompanied children. ORR asked for $2.18 billion for FY2017.

Refugee admissions in flux

So far this fiscal year, the U.S. has resettled about 42,000 refugees, but there has been no final word from the executive branch about how many more will be allowed in. The administration could halt the process abruptly at 50,000. At the current rate of arrivals  800 to 900 individuals a week  that cap would be reached around the end of June or early July. (Last year, the country admitted 84,995.)

Fluctuations in the weekly refugee arrival numbers since Trump's inauguration Jan. 20 reflect a system rattled by uncertainty, though in recent weeks that number has stabilized to align with a State Department comment to Huffington Post, indicating a goal of about 900 arrivals a week.

Trump promised to dramatically change not only the number of refugees admitted but the composition of where they come from and what religions they are, initially pledging to block Syrians and increase the number of Christians. However, the demographics remain nearly identical to those from before Trump took office.

A VOA analysis of refugee arrival data from Oct. 1 to Jan. 20  the part of the fiscal year under Obama  compared with data from the beginning of Trump's term until the end of March, shows the top 10 origin countries remain the same (DRC, Syria, Somalia, Burma, Iraq, Ukraine, Bhutan, Iran, Eritrea and Afghanistan). At the beginning of the fiscal year, about 48 percent of arriving refugees were Muslim. That figure is now 46 percent. Forty-three percent were Christian, which remained the same under Trump.

Lavinia Limon, head of USCRI, emphasizes that while U.S. refugee policy may leave some people out of work now, she believes the greater toll is on refugees awaiting resettlement. Even as the United States reduces its intake, the need for finding permanent new home-countries for some refugees remains the same.

"USCRI has been around for 104 years, and we have seen a lot of different politicians and politics surrounding the issues related to refugees and immigrants come and go," Limon said. "I believe the focus needs to be on those thousands of refugees who will not be rescued and who will continue to suffer and might lose their lives because of politics in their homeland and politics in America.

"Whatever financial strain we may experience pales in comparison to their plights," she added.
It will take two-three days to repair the damaged hovercraft.

By Akshaya Nath: A hovercraft, that belonged to the Coast Guard in Rameswaram, was damaged after it met with an accident during patrolling.

The incident took place near Olaikuda seashore area where the hovercraft reportedly hit a rock.

A hovercraft is a hybrid vessel that can travel on land and water. It is specifically used for patrolling along the international borders.

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"It will take two to three days to repair the damages in the hovercraft. Experts from Visakhapatnam have to be present while the repair work is on," said Senthil, a leader of the fishing community in the region.

With the hovercraft out of action, patrolling will take a hit in the next few days. "Just three days ago, smuggling of drugs and red sandalwood were reported from the region," said Senthil.

An investigation into the incident is on and further details are awaited.

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A central leader and ex-spokesman for the Pakistani Taliban, Ehsanullah Ehsan, has alleged Afghan security forces and their intelligence agency, NDS, together with the Indian spy agency are supporting cross-border terrorist attacks against Pakistan.

The militant leader in a video confessional statement released by the Pakistan Army, said he was also participating in anti-state activities from sanctuaries on the Afghan side of the border and surrendered himself "voluntarily" to Pakistan army.

There was no immediate reaction from the Afghan government and Indian officials to the allegation leveled by Ehsan against them, though both Kabul and New Delhi have previously denied Islamabad's allegations of funding terrorist attacks on Pakistani soil.

When Pakistani security forces unleashed counter-militancy operations in the border region of North Waziristan (in June, 2014), Ehsan said militants fled to neighboring Afghanistan where they established contacts with the Afghan intelligence agency, NDS (National Directorate of Security), and through them with operatives of the Indian spy agency, RAW (Research and Analysis Wing).

They supported them (Pakistani Taliban), funded them, and even assigned possible targets [for attacks in Pakistan], Eshan asserted, adding that anti-Pakistan militants have established their special committees in Afghanistan for maintaining contacts with the NDS.

He went on to allege that the Afghan spy agency also issued national identification cards, called tazkira, to members of the Pakistani Taliban to facilitate their infiltration into Pakistan to undertake subversive activities in the country.

A Pakistan military spokesman announced last week that Ehsan surrendered himself to security forces but would not say where and how they got hold of the militant leader.

Pakistani officials have described his arrest/surrender as a major success in counter terrorism operations and hope information gleaned from Ehsan will help further degrade Pakistani Taliban's activities in the country.

Before surrendering to authorities, Ehsan was mainly acting as spokesman for the Jamaat-ul-Ahrar faction of the Pakistan Taliban.

He claimed responsibility on behalf of his group for a number of deadly attacks in Pakistan, including an Easter suicide bombing of a crowded park in Lahore that killed killed at least 70 people, including Christians and Muslims.

It was not clear from the video whether Ehsan was speaking under duress.

The United States last year designated Jamaat-ul-Ahrar as a terrorist group for claiming responsibility for attacking a U.S. diplomatic mission in northwestern Pakistan.
Ten trucks carrying much-needed food for Burundi are back in Rwanda's capital after authorities denied entry at the border, citing security concerns.

The World Food Program in Burundi says the trucks, carrying 300 tons of beans to feed Congolese refugees and other WFP recipients, were stopped at the border last Friday and returned Tuesday to the Rwandan capital, Kigali.

Police spokesman Pierre Nkurikiye defended the decision to deny entry, saying Rwanda has been the source of crime and "insecurity" for Burundi since 2015.

"If today, there are objects or people coming from the same area, we must take every necessary measure to protect the population," he told VOA's Central Africa Service.

Burundi has been in turmoil since President Pierre Nkurunziza ran for and won a controversial third term in 2015. Low crop yields and high food prices have made hundreds of thousands dependent on international food aid.

The head of WFP in Burundi, Nicole Jacquet, says the hardship prompted the agency to buy food in Rwanda, where more goods could be purchased at lower cost.

She told VOA that if Burundian officials will not let food enter the country through Rwanda, the trucks will have to drive south and enter through Tanzania. She said the detour will cost the agency $35,000.

"This is a huge amount of money," she said. "Our objective is to spend less money and provide more goods to the beneficiaries."

Jacquet said WFP is seeking clarification from Burundian officials on whether the route through Rwanda is permanently closed.

"If we have to buy less food, with higher costs, we penalize beneficiaries who are the most vulnerable people in Burundi at this moment," she said.
Hong Kong police have arrested two disqualified pro-independence lawmakers over their attempts to barge into the legislature last year in a dispute over their oaths.

Authorities arrested Sixtus Leung and Yau Wai-ching on Wednesday morning.

They were questioned at a police station for several hours before being released on bail. They told reporters they were charged with unlawful assembly and attempted forcible entry.

The two young activists angered Hong Kong's Beijing-backed government when they used their swearing-in ceremony in October to stage an apparent protest against China's Communist leaders.

Their attempts to enter the legislature during subsequent sessions to take their oaths properly descended into chaos when they were barred from the chamber and later disqualified from office by a court ruling.
Indias plans to invest in a strategic port in Sri Lanka as a counterbalance to Chinas massive infrastructure investments in the Indian Ocean island country got a push Wednesday as Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe visited New Delhi.

Chinas development of the key Hambantota port in Sri Lanka, which is a gateway to crucial shipping lanes, has raised concerns in New Delhi about Beijings widening naval influence in its neighborhood.

In New Delhi, India and Sri Lanka signed a memorandum of understanding on economic cooperation and expressed commitment to its implementation. Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Gopal Baglay, tweeted that it signaled deepening economic collaboration.

The specific deal to develop the World War II oil storage facility in the eastern port of Trincomalee, South Asias deepest natural harbor, is expected to be signed next month when Modi visits Colombo.

Although Indias planned investment in energy infrastructure in Trincomalee will be far more modest compared to Beijings ambitious Hambantota project, analysts say it will enable New Delhi to secure a foothold and ensure that no other country uses the harbor for military purposes.

While Colombo has assured India that Hambantota will be used only for commercial activity, its potential use as a naval base worries New Delhi. Those worries have intensified since a Chinese submarine docked briefly in Colombo port in 2014.

India has long fretted about Chinas expanding foothold in the Indian Ocean region through infrastructure projects in countries such as Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Bangladesh.

We find that India is now getting more and more strategically encircled by economic infrastructure projects, according to Vijay Sakhuja, Director of the National Maritime Foundation in New Delhi.

Besides Hambantota port in Sri Lanka, he points to Chinas building of Gwadar port in Pakistan. Warning that these projects, built to facilitate trade, also have a strategic element, he says, We should not be surprised by frequent PLA [Peoples Liberation Army] navy presence in the Indian Ocean, particularly in Gwadar, which will cause some discomfort to the naval planners in New Delhi.

For Sri Lanka, Indias planned investment in the energy project in Trincomalee will help counterbalance the massive infrastructure deals signed with China by the former government of Mahinda Rajapaksa, who had leaned heavily toward Beijing.

The spin off of that [project] is balancing what is perceived as predominant Chinese influence as far as the economy is concerned, said Paikiasothy Saravanumuttu at the Center for Policy Alternatives in Colombo.

The new government is trying to move away from the heavy dependance on Beijing for foreign investment. During a recent visit to Tokyo, Prime Minister Wickremesinghe sought Japanese investment for the Colombo and Trincomalee ports.


Israel and the White House are in preliminary discussions about a visit to Israel by U.S. President Donald Trump as early as next month, an Israeli government official said on Wednesday.

A Trump visit would mark an early personal engagement by the new Republican president in efforts to resolve the intractable Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met Trump in the White House in February, one of the first foreign leaders to do so after the wealthy businessman took office in January, and has spoken of positive change in U.S. Middle East policy after years of friction with Trump's Democratic predecessor, Barack Obama.

"There are preliminary contacts between the (Israeli) Foreign Ministry and the White House and there is a 70 percent chance that a (Trump) presidential visit will happen," the Israeli official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because a trip had not been finalized.

Trump has said he intends to pursue efforts to achieve Israeli-Palestinian peace. The last round of talks between the two adversaries collapsed in 2014. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is due to see Trump in Washington on May 3.

Praising U.S. policy since Trump entered the White House, Netanyahu has cited in particular a U.S. missile strike in Syria on April 6 in retaliation for what Washington charged was a Syrian government chemical weapons attack in a rebel-held area that killed scores of civilians. Damascus denied responsibility.

Netanyahu had an often tense relationship with Obama over the 2015 U.S.-backed Iran nuclear deal and Israeli settlement building on occupied land that Palestinians want for a state.

His vision for a two-state resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict unfulfilled, Obama came to Israel twice in his eight years as president - in 2013 and last September for the funeral of Israeli elder statesman Shimon Peres.

Trump, who appeared to surprise Netanyahu at their White House meeting by urging him to curb settlements, is due to make his first overseas visit as president, to Europe in May.

A senior U.S. administration official said last week a stop in Saudi Arabia might be added.
Scientists have developed a compound that both cured and prevented malaria in animals. They say the experimental drug even is effective against resistant strains of the mosquito-borne parasite.

If the experimental treatment pans out in humans, it could be a huge breakthrough in the treatment and prevention of malaria, a disease that strikes an estimated 200 million people each year.

The parasitic illness is responsible for about 425,000 deaths annually, most of them children in sub-Saharan Africa.

Scientists found the compound, called MMV048, blocks the parasite across its multiple life stages, interrupting the infection cycle and potentially curing the disease in humans.

Watch: Scientists Report Progress on Malaria Treatment Tests

'Exciting profile

Kelly Chibale is a professor of organic chemistry at the University of Cape Town in South Africa and director of the Cape Town Drug Discovery and Development Center. He is senior author of a study describing the work in the journal Science Translational Medicine.

In animal trials, Chibale said MMV048 cured 100 percent of mice that were infected with malaria.

It was shown to wipe out an infection in three days, said Chibale, adding, Overall, it presents an exciting profile in terms of the potential to contribute to malaria eradication.

And, MMV048 completely protected monkeys that received a dose of the compound. Researchers were unable to infect them, according to Chibale, who said he hopes the experimental drug has the same effect in humans.

Its present in the body in the blood already," he explained, "so even when you get bitten by a mosquito, the parasites that initially end up in the blood they will find the drug already waiting for them and theyll be killed off before they increase in population.

In the animal studies, Chibale said the compound lasted for at least eight days in the bloodstream, acting as a shield against infection.

Not a vaccine

Chibale is quick to caution that the compound is not a vaccine, which stimulates the immune system to afford long-lasting protection against a pathogen. Development of a vaccine against malaria has been a difficult and frustrating process.

Instead, Chilabe said, MMV048 targets a protein that the parasite needs to protect itself from the immune system.

The parasites are destroyed in the liver, said Chilabe, the first place they travel after someone is bitten by an infected mosquito.

The parasites are thus prevented from migrating into the bloodstream where they infiltrate red cells by the thousands, maturing into a form that can be transmitted back to mosquitoes.

Chibale said MMV048 appears to be effective against parasites that have become resistant to existing drugs.

But he said the drug, in all likelihood, would have to be used as part of drug cocktail with existing anti-malarials to prevent the development of drug resistance.

Early clinical trials show that the compound is safe in healthy humans.

The next stage of clinical trials  to begin testing MMV048s effectiveness in humans infected with malaria  is likely to begin later this year. Human trials will determine the drugs proper dose and how often it needs to be given to protect against malaria.
Just weeks after a public relations nightmare for United Airlines, there could be another headache for the company.

The airline is investigating the death of a giant rabbit that appears to have died in the cargo hold on a trans-Atlantic flight from England to the United States.

The owner of the rabbit, breeder Annette Edwards of England, told the Associated Press that the rabbit had been checked by a veterinarian prior to the flight from London's Heathrow to Chicagos OHare Airport.

The nearly meter-long rabbit named Simon was purchased by an unnamed celebrity she said, adding that he had a chance to become the biggest rabbit ever.

Something very strange has happened and I want to know what. Ive sent rabbits all around the world and nothing like this has happened before," Edwards told the Sun newspaper.

In a statement, United said it was saddened and that it had been in touch with Edwards.

The safety and wellbeing of all the animals that travel with us is of the utmost importance to United Airlines and our PetSafe team, the statement read.

Edwards said United was going to look at CCTV footage to try to determine what might have happened to the rabbit, which was not yet a year old.

Simon is a breed of rabbit called the continental giant, and his father was well over a meter in length.

The death of the rabbit comes just weeks after United faced a customer service nightmare when a video went viral of a passenger being forcibly removed from an overbooked flight, causing visible injuries.
The tribal region in northwest Pakistan has experienced an escalation in militant activities in the first quarter of 2017, a report by a Pakistani research center says.

FATA Research Center, a non-governmental group in Islamabad, reported a spike of 72 percent in activities by militants and Pakistani security forces in the semiautonomous tribal region, also called the Federally Administered Tribal Area (FATA) during the past three months.

According to the report, 119 violent attacks were documented from January to March as compared to 69 attacks in the last quarter of 2016.

Last year, Pakistan witnessed a considerable drop in terror attacks and violence. The country saw a 30 percent decline in militant attacks and a 28 percent decline in resultant deaths, according to statistics by the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies.

The 38-page report released in recent days is based on data collected on terrorism and counterterrorism activities. It includes statistics on militant attacks as well as military counterterror measures by the government, including drone strikes and search operations in the tribal region.

Civilians have been a primary target of the surge in militant attacks, as 54 percent of the attacks were launched against the civilians in FATA, the report said.

Between January-March 2017, a total of 57 terrorist attacks were carried out by various terrorist outfits, out of which 31 targeted civilians while 24 were aimed against security personnel, the report said.

Counterterror operations on rise

The report also noted an increase in counterterrorism operations by the government, saying the ratio of counterterrorism offensives remained high in comparison to the terrorist attacks during the reporting period.

The Pakistani military launched a large-scale operation against militant groups in the tribal region in 2014. The operation displaced millions of people from the region.

According to the report, militant groups used improvised explosive devices (IEDs) to carry out most of the attacks, On 27 occasions, terrorists opted for IED attacks, which accounts for around 47 percent of the total terrorist attacks during the quarter.

Pakistan witnessed a series of suicide attacks following a Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, an offshoot of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), vow in February to target government interests.

Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, the TTP offshoot, is responsible for this surge, Irfan Uddin, a security expert report told VOAs Urdu Service.

A roadside bomb on Tuesday killed at least 14 people and wounded nine others in the Kurram Agency of the tribal region.

A Pakistani Taliban-affiliate militant group took credit for the bombing, saying it was aimed at members of the minority Shiite Muslim community and government workers carrying out a census in the area.

Pakistan has come under frequent criticism from U.S. officials for its inability to curb homegrown militancy and extremism in the county.

Abdul Qayyum, a lawmaker and leader of the ruling Muslim League party, told VOA the government is aware of the surge in terrorism in FATA and is taking measures to stop it.
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte is showing signs of gaining an upper hand in his 10-month fight against a violent, ISIS-sympathetic Muslim rebel group, which rattled the country this month with plans for an attack in a tourist zone far from their base.

Duterte has been able to throttle elements of the Abu Sayyaf, a group known for taking foreign tourists hostages and beheading some who cannot pay ransom, analysts say. His alliance with the head of another Muslim rebel group is expected to help contain Abu Sayyaf following failed efforts by past presidents.

Duterte showing military strength

Abu Sayyafs clash this month with troops on the Philippine island of Bohol shows the rebels are struggling to find kidnap victims in their normal strongholds along the Sulu Sea, said Eduardo Araral, an associate professor at the National University of Singapores public policy school.

I think (Duterte) has really made up his mind he has to deal with Abu Sayyaf militarily, Araral said. My sense is that the foray of Abu Sayyaf in the island of Bohol is a reflection of the pressure that the military is doing now in their traditional lairs in the Sulu-Tawi Tawi area.

Abu Sayyaf rebels struggling

I think theyre running out of hostages to catch, he said. There are no longer ships passing through the area. In other words, theyre running out of business. Thats why theyre thinking to go outside their lairs.

Abu Sayyaf is widely regarded among Filipinos as a bandit group that kidnaps tourists for a living. The group, which has pledged sympathy to the Islamic State, normally operates in the southwestern Philippines where locals, including officials, help it in exchange for a cut of the proceeds.

The group beheaded a Philippine soldier this month, a German tourist in February and two Canadian tourists last year.

Government making inroads against the rebels

But this month national police detained an officer with links with the Abu Sayyaf Group, the presidential website said Tuesday.

The April 11 battle killed six terrorists, three soldiers, one police officer and a civilian. Abu Sayyaf was suspected of planning an attack on the island, which is popular with foreign divers. After that clash, troops killed seven more Abu Sayyaf affiliates in gun battles on the same island, Philippine media reported.

Duterte vowed in August to wipe out Abu Sayyaf. Although he later floated the idea of negotiating with the group, he has stepped up the armed conflict by targeting places where Abu Sayyaf's estimated 400 core members are most likely to be found, observers say.

Theyre very specific with the areas. Its not like the whole island of Mindanao, said Rhona Canoy, president of an international school and part of a political family in the southwestern city Cagayan de Oro. They know where they are going.

Duterte praises his troops

Dutertes spokesman praised the attack in Bohol and pronounced the island safe for an Association of Southeast Asian Nation (ASEAN) summit this week among the leaders of 10 countries.

The Palace commends the timely action of our military and police that thwarted the evil plans of some armed lawless elements to sow fear and terror in the province of Bohol, spokesman Ernesto Abella said on the presidential website.

Filipinos are weary of the rebel wars

Filipinos nationwide support an armed solution as soon as possible, as in yesterday, said Ramon Casiple, executive director of the Philippine advocacy group Institute for Political and Electoral Reform. But he said not everyone living in the far southwest, a region known as Moro and a hotbed for multiple Muslim rebel groups, take the same view.

If youre talking about the Moro in the south, there is a much more nuanced support, he said. As long as Abu Sayyaf is plundering the country, including the Moro countryside, then there is support for the government at this time, there is no doubt about it. But I dont think they would want the civil population to be victims.

Duterte also uses negotiation

A deal between Duterte and Nur Misuari, leader of the Muslim rebel group Moro National Liberation Front, may help stifle Abu Sayyaf, Araral said.

Misuari, suspected of a deadly attack on the southern port city Zamboanga in 2013, may be able to avoid prosecution in exchange for not protecting Abu Sayyaf, he said.

Because Abu Sayyaf operates in the jungles of numerous islands with a fast-changing membership, past presidents have found it hard to squelch the group over its 26-year-history.

Those people are like cockroaches, Canoy said. As far as exterminating is concerned, I dont think thats going to happen, but (Duterte's campaign) is going to make an impact.
Brazilian military police in front of Congress hurled tear gas Tuesday at thousands of indigenous protesters, who responded by throwing spears and shooting arrows as a peaceful demonstration turned into chaos.

There were no reports of any injuries on either side.

Police said protesters got too close to a large fountain of water on the esplanade in front of Congress in Brasilia, Brazil's capital.

"The Indians did not comply with the agreement they made with police" about the boundaries of the protest, a police statement said. "They were threatening to invade Congress."

Demonstrators denied that, saying police were just looking for an excuse to remove them. They said that police had agreed the protesters could come close to the fountain and that the march was peaceful.

"Unfortunately, the brute force of the police caused this," said Kleber Karipuna, a protester who came to Brasilia from the northern state of Amapa. "It's natural that 3,000 Indians are going to respond" with spears and arrows.

Protesters said at least four people were arrested in the clash. Police did not provide details.

Brazil, Latin America's largest nation, is home to numerous tribes, many of which live in the Amazon region. Clashes with ranchers, logging companies and other businesses operating near or on their lands are common. However, indigenous leaders say the violence has gotten worse in the last year amid Brazil's economic crisis.

They have called for a campout in front of Congress all week to lodge a long list of complaints. They say the government of President Michel Temer is working to roll back protections in various parts of the Amazon and allowing ranchers and other big-money interests to steal their lands.
Islamophobic incidents involving US Customs and Border Protection officials have risen by about 1,000 per cent since Donald Trump's election.

By Indo-Asian News Service: Islamophobic incidents involving US Customs and Border Protection officials have risen by about 1,000 per cent since President Donald Trump took office in January, a Muslim activist group said on Tuesday.

According to the Council on American-Islamic Relations, preliminary data collected from its branches across the US found that instances in which officials were accused of profiling Muslims accounted 23 per cent in 2017.

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Of the 193 Customs and Border Protection (CBP) cases in 2017, at least 181 were reported after the January 27 Muslim travel ban. In the first three months of 2016, the group reported 17 cases, according to a report in The Independent.

"These are incidents which are reported to us and which we examine," Corey Saylor, director of CAIR's group that monitors Islamophobia, told The Independent.

"We look at these very carefully. Around 50 per cent, we reject," he said.

Saylor said allegations of Islamophobia being levelled at border officials was nothing new.

He believed that Trump's election and the executive order was behind the spike in incidents. "I have no doubt in my mind that these things are connected," he said.

In the aftermath of the travel ban, which has been halted by the courts, there were widespread reports of chaos at US airports, and people being turned away as they sought to board flights to the US at foreign airports.

Trump vowed during his election campaign that he would make it more difficult for people from certain countries to reach the US as part of tighter security, despite immigrants from countries such as Syria and Somalia already having to endure screening that can take several years.

Saylor said he appreciated the difficult job being faced by border officials, but asked that they did it without breaching the US constitution.

He cited testimony of a Customs and Border Protection official from a 2013 lawsuit, who said: "Look to the Muslim woman as an indicating factor. By the way she wears her hijab. If the hijab is a solid colour it indicates religiosity. If it's a patterned scarf, with colours, it's more likely that she is less religious."

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Pope Francis' visit to Egypt, due to begin Friday, comes at a time of historic troubles for Christians in both Egypt and the rest of the Middle East. It will be just the second visit by a Roman Catholic pontiff to the Arab world's most populous country, following a ground-breaking trip by Pope John Paul II to Cairo in 2000.

The papal visit follows two bloody terror attacks targeting Coptic churches in Egypt's second largest city of Alexandria and the Nile Delta town of Tanta earlier this month, on Palm Sunday. More than 40 people were killed and dozens injured when suicide bombers blew themselves up as worshipers gathered to pray. Christian residents of the northern Sinai town of El Arish were also targeted recently by militants in gruesome killings that prompted most Christian families to leave the area.



Egyptian editor and publisher Hisham Kassem said Pope Francis' visit, which was scheduled before the recent suicide bombings, takes place at a moment when "Christians are facing the brunt of terror attacks and their security in the country is in jeopardy."

Given the climate of sporadic attacks by militants, both in the Middle East and elsewhere, Egyptian police and intelligence services appeared to clamp down on security in areas of Cairo where Pope Francis is expected to visit.

Parked vehicles were removed from most main streets and boulevards in Cairo's leafy residential suburb of Zamalek, where the papal nuncio's offices are located. Tough security measures were also implemented around Cairo International Airport and near Al Azhar University, where the pope is planning to take part in an interfaith dialogue meeting.

Pope Francis is due to pay a courtesy call on Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi, before meeting with the head of Egypt's Coptic Orthodox Church, Pope Tawadros II, to express solidarity over the recent spate of terror attacks on the Coptic community.

Both Francis and Tawadros will then take part in an interfaith meeting hosted by Egypt's Grand Imam, Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb, at the country's venerable seat of Islamic jurisprudence, al Azhar University. The Orthodox Patriarch of Constantinople, Bartholomew, is also expected to attend the gathering.

A papal spokesman told Italian media that Pope Francis would not be using an armored vehicle, due to concerns that it would prevent him from being able to meet with ordinary people. Pope John Paul II was almost killed by a would-be assassin's bullet in Rome in 1981.

Father Rafic Greiche, spokesman for the Catholic branch of Egypt's main Coptic Orthodox church, told local media that Egyptian Christians were "expecting a message of peace and solidarity (as well as) a message of hope" from Pope Francis' visit. Egypt has the largest Christian minority of any Arab country. Christians are said to make up 10% of the country's 90-million people.

Egyptian political sociologist Said Sadek said the papal visit will "benefit Christians, as well as the government," since it "will show the world that Egypt is stable," thus "giving a boost to the tourism sector." He doubts the visit will have any appreciable effect on terrorism, though, since "terrorists," he jokes, "will continue to be terrorists."

Both Egyptian President Sissi and Prime Minister Sherif Ismail accused regional countries of being behind recent terrorist attacks in the country, although they stopped short of naming those countries. Arab media, however, reported that the so-called Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the suicide bombings against Coptic churches on its website.

It is not clear who actually belongs to the group, although Egyptian media reported several years ago that leaders of an Egyptian terrorist group which then called itself "Ansar Beit al Maqdis" (i.e. "partisans of the holy city (Jerusalem)") pledged allegiance to Islamic State in Iraq and Syria.

"The bottom line," argues publisher Hisham Kassem, "is that the Copts will continue to be subjected to terror attacks, if the [Egyptian] security services don't get their act together." But, he stresses, [Egyptian leaders] "should start naming those countries which they think are behind the terror attacks." "Such attacks are almost an act of war," he says, "and should be [regarded as such]."
What is the controversy surrounding North Korea?

Washington and Pyongyang have moved closer to the brink of conflict over the growing nuclear threat on the Korean Peninsula.

Since North Korea conducted its fourth nuclear test in January 2016, neither Washington nor Pyongyang seem willing to make any conciliatory gestures. Under former President Barack Obama, the U.S. rallied international support for increased sanctions against the North Korean government.

Pyongyang responded by accelerating nuclear and ballistic missile tests.

Earlier this month at a massive military parade in Pyongyang, North Korea showed off what appeared to be new forms of ballistic missile technology, which it hopes will soon be capable of delivering a nuclear warhead to the continental United States.

President Donald Trump has further increased pressure by emphasizing possible military strikes to prevent North Korea from developing an intercontinental ballistic missile capable of striking the U.S. mainland.

What is the United States doing to address escalating tensions on the Korean Peninsula?

Trump and U.S. officials have repeatedly said all options remain "on the table" to deal with further North Korean provocations.

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," Trump said recently. "People have put blindfolds on for decades, and now it's time to solve the problem."

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.

Which countries are involved?

Trump has had discussions with the leaders of Japan, China and Germany about the threat posed by North Korea.

A phone call this week 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.

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. In their conversation Sunday, 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.

In addition, the U.S. and China are launching four rounds of talks, as Trump heads to China later this year in a visit aimed at strengthening cooperation to reduce tensions in the Korean Peninsula.

What is being done to address the nuclear problem in North Korea?

The United Nations slapped economic sanctions on North Korea for its nuclear and ballistic missile programs and is now considering tougher measures, including a global ban on Air Koryo, the country's state-run airline, to punish North Korea for its continuing weapons tests.

During his visit to the North Korean border earlier this month, Vice President Mike Pence announced that Washington's strategy of so-called "strategic patience" is over with the North.

The U.S. and its allies for decades have tried variations of that strategy without much success. North Korea's authoritarian leaders have continued to conduct nuclear and missile tests, seeing the programs as crucial to their survival.

This week, Pence said the U.S. is not interested in talks or minor concessions from the North, and all options, including a military strike, are on the table.

That is a change in tone for Trump, who during the presidential campaign said he was open to talking with North Korea, and would even invite Kim Jong Un, the country's young leader, to the U.S. for negotiations.

What is the desired endgame?

The Trump administration has repeatedly expressed its displeasure with what it calls North Korea's "belligerence" and "provocations" in the region and vowed to defend U.S. ally South Korea.

Coordinating efforts to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula and addressing the threat posed by North Korea's missile and nuclear programs are chief among U.S. interests in this confrontation.

The administration has described its policy toward North Korea as one of "maximum pressure and engagement." The policy heavily emphasizes the use of economic pressure from China in an effort to bring the country's nuclear program to an end, though the administration has released few other details.

How would North Korea respond to a U.S. strike on its nuclear program?

While North Korea doesn't possess the capability to prevent a U.S. strike on its nuclear program, it could easily retaliate and inflict significant damage on nearby nations, according to a recent report from Stratfor, a private intelligence firm.

Upon engagement, North Korea's immediate reaction would most likely be to start barraging Seoul with artillery fire, the report said, resulting in at least a partial destruction of the city.

North Korea's artillery capabilities are limited, though, by technical failures and practical issues. About a quarter of its shells and rockets failed to detonate on target in past artillery skirmishes with South Korea, and poorly trained artillery crews wouldn't be able to keep up the rate of fire needed to perform a successful barrage campaign, the report added.

The North also possesses more than 1,000 ballistic missiles capable of reaching Seoul and targets much further away, including U.S. military positions in Japan. The most significant threat from the North's ballistic capabilities comes from its ability to fasten nuclear warheads on the missiles. A single nuclear strike on the South would likely result in massive casualties and destruction.
The U.S. Senate has confirmed Rod Rosenstein, a 52-year-old career prosecutor, as the next deputy attorney general, effectively putting him in charge of the Russia hacking investigations.

Rosensteins nomination was confirmed with a vote of 94-6 on Tuesday. The six Senators voting against Rosenstein were all Democrats.

As the No. 2 Justice Department official, Rosenstein will be in charge of the department's day-to-day operations and oversee the investigations of Russian meddling in U.S. elections. Attorney General Jeff sessions last month recused himself following reports of undisclosed contacts with the Russian ambassador to Washington.

During his confirmation hearing in the Senate Judiciary Committee last month, Rosenstein sidestepped questions on whether he too should recuse himself from the Russia probes and instead appoint a special prosecutor.

"I'm simply not in a position to answer that," he said.

But Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said on Monday that Rosenstein had agreed to appoint a special prosecutor to lead the investigations should there be a need for one.

With respect to the executive branch investigation into ties between the Trump campaign and Russia, Mr. Rosenstein committed to me he would appoint a special counsel to conduct that investigation if one is required," Schumer said on the Senate floor.

Rosenstein's career spans a 14-year stint in senior positions at the Justice Department and nearly 12 years as the top federal prosecutor for the state of Maryland.

In 2005, he was nominated by former President George W. Bush to serve as the U.S. attorney for the District of Maryland, and he went on to become the longest-serving U.S. attorney.

Rosenstein led the investigation into former vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff James Cartwright's leaking of classified information to journalists. Cartwright pleaded guilty last year, but was pardoned by former President Barack Obama.

Rachel Brand, Trumps pick for Associate Attorney General, the Justice Departments No. 3 official, has yet to be confirmed.
A South African pact with Russia's Rosatom to build nuclear reactors was deemed unlawful by a High Court on Wednesday, casting fresh doubt over the country's energy plans.

Operator of Africa's only nuclear power station, Eskom wants to add 9,600 megawatts (MW) of nuclear capacity  equivalent to up to 10 nuclear reactors  to help wean the economy off of polluting coal in what could one of the world's biggest nuclear contracts in decades.

South Africa and Russia signed an Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) in 2014 that sealed a cooperation pact between state-owned nuclear group Rosatom and state-owned utility Eskom.

Judge Lee Bozalek said any request for information to kickstart the procurement process was set aside as was the cooperation pact. The deal had included a favorable tax regime for Russia and placed heavy financial obligations on South Africa, Bozalek said.

"Seen as a whole, the Russian IGA stands well outside the category of a broad nuclear cooperation agreement, and at the very least, sets the parties well on their way to a binding, exclusive agreement in relation to the procurement of new reactor plants from that particular country," Bozalek said.

The Southern African Faith Communities Environment Institute (SAFCEI) and Earthlife Africa-Johannesburg had jointly filed the court application to stop the nuclear program.

"There are no more secret deals and everything has to be done in the open," said SAFCEI spokeswoman Liz McDaid.

It was not immediately clear whether the government would appeal the ruling. The Department of Energy declined to comment.

The government has downplayed the agreement with Russia, saying it was not a final contract and that an open tender process would still be conducted.

The head of South African nuclear state agency Necsa said last year that Rosatom is not the frontrunner and that the tender would be open to all bidders.

Eskom Chief Nuclear Officer Dave Nicholls said: "We haven't been through the judgement yet so we can't comment."

Rosatom officials in Moscow were not available for immediate comment.

An official at Rosatom's regional office in Johannesburg said the company "could not comment on legal disputes between South African entities that do not directly involve us."

Nuclear option

After the 2011 nuclear disaster in Fukushima led many countries to cut back nuclear programs, South Africa is one of the few still considering a major new reactor project and the tender is eagerly awaited by manufacturers from South Korea, France, the United States and China.



With U.S. firm Westinghouse in Chapter 11 proceedings and France's Areva being restructured, Rosatom's two main competitors are hamstrung by financial difficulties, boosting the Russian firm's chances.

China has little experience building reactors abroad and Korea's KEPCO has only one major foreign reactor contract, in the United Arab Emirates.

France, which built South Africa's two existing reactors, is keen to stay in the race and utility EDF - which is taking over Areva's reactor manufacturing unit - said last month it would respond to the South Africa's "request for information."



With Eskom set to decommission 34 gigawatts of coal-fired power generation over the next 20 years and a lack of large-scale hydro or natural gas plans, nuclear is the best alternative, Eskom's Nicholls said in an opinion piece in the Sunday Times.

Some economists, however, have questioned whether the country's ailing economy can afford a nuclear building program they estimate could cost around 1 trillion rand ($76 billion).

Rating agencies S&P Global and Fitch downgraded South Africa's credit to junk this month over the firing of finance minister Pravin Gordhan, saying the move risked changes to government policy.

Some pundits say Gordhan was axed partly because he resisted pressured by a faction allied to President Jacob Zuma, which criticised Gordhan's plans to block spending on nuclear expansion.

New Finance Minister Malusi Gigaba has said nuclear expansion will only be pursued if it is affordable.

"This is most probably just another bump in the road and nothing is going to derail the nuclear program," said Travis Hough, business unit leader for energy & environment at consultancy Frost & Sullivan Africa.
President Donald Trump "has no intention" of releasing his tax returns to the public, Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin said Wednesday, asserting Americans have "plenty of information" about the president's financial matters.

For decades, presidents have released their tax returns. But Trump has so far refused, suggesting he would share the tax documents only after the Internal Revenue Service completes an "audit" of them. He's never disclosed proof of an audit.

Mnuchin appeared to close the door completely Wednesday.

"The president has no intention. The president has released plenty of information and I think has given more financial disclosure than anybody else. I think the American population has plenty of information," he said, inaccurately characterizing the president's disclosures.

The comment came as the secretary briefed reporters on the president's new proposal to overhaul taxes. Democrats have sought to use the tax debate to pressure Trump to release his returns, arguing the information is necessary to evaluate how Trump's tax proposals would affect his personal wealth and his business' bottom line.

Mnuchin declined to comment on how Trump would benefit from his proposals. He and other administration officials left the room as reporters shouted questions about how the plan would affect the Trump family.

Trump, a billionaire, owns a global real estate, marketing and property management company, which at the start of his presidency he placed in a trust that he can revoke at any time. His daughter and son-in-law, White House advisers, are also holding onto significant business assets. And Trump's adult sons run his Trump Organization.

Trump officials have offered varying explanations for why the president does not disclosure his returns.

White House senior counselor Kellyanne Conway said in a television interview in January that the fact that he won the election without putting out the information shows that "people didn't care" about it.

Trump's sons Eric and Donald Trump Jr. have made similar points in various interviews.

There's evidence the president has been thinking about the issue in recent weeks. He asked his friend and Las Vegas business partner Phil Ruffin, a fellow billionaire, whether he should put out the returns, Ruffin said.

"I advised him not to," Ruffin said. "It's a waste of time, and he'll spend years explaining them and never get to accomplishing any of his goals."

Ruffin said he told the president that Democrats would hire "armies of accountants" to pore over the documents and "make an issue out of any and everything."

Even with Mnuchin's seemingly definitive answer, the issue of Trump's tax returns isn't likely to go away. Democrats have threatened to hold up his tax proposals until they see the returns.

Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden, a Democrat from Oregon, called Trump's tax plan "unprincipled"  and one that "will result in cuts for the one percent, conflicts for the president, crippling debt for America and crumbs for the working people."

Democrats also have been pushing for a vote on a bill that would require the president and all major-party nominees to publicly disclose their previous three years of tax returns with the Office of Government Ethics or the Federal Election Commission.

The Democrats have initiated a petition process that would lead to a House vote if they can get a majority of lawmakers to sign it  an unlikely prospect, but one that gives Democrats a chance to highlight which Republicans declined to help with their effort.
A grand jury indicted two doctors and a third person Wednesday in an alleged scheme to perform genital mutilation on two girls from Minnesota at a Detroit-area clinic.

Dr. Jumana Nagarwala, Dr. Fakhruddin Attar and Attar's wife, Farida, were charged with female genital mutilation, conspiracy and other crimes.

The federal indictment alleged the trio tried to obstruct the investigation by telling other people to make false statement to authorities. The doctors were also accused of lying to investigators.

Genital mutilation, also known as female circumcision or cutting, has been condemned by the United Nations and outlawed in the United States. But the practice is common for girls in parts of Asia, Africa and the Middle East.

"This brutal practice is conducted on girls for one reason: to control them as women. FGM will not be tolerated in the United States," said Dan Lemisch, the acting U.S. attorney in Detroit.

Nagarwala is charged with performing genital mutilation on the two 7-year-old girls in February at a suburban Detroit clinic owned by Dr. Attar.

Nagarwala's attorney, Shannon Smith, denied the allegation last week, saying the doctor was performing a religious custom that didn't involve cutting. Smith declined to comment on the indictment, which replaces criminal complaints that led to the arrest of the three suspects this month.

The Attars have been in custody since last week. They were due in court Wednesday for a bond hearing, but the hearing was rescheduled for May 3.

Outside the courthouse, defense attorney Mary Chartier said Dr. Attar was not in the examination room with Nagarwala and the girls.

"What happened at the clinic was not FGM. ... I believe they are being persecuted for their religious beliefs, and I do not make that allegation lightly,'' Chartier said.

Farida Attar's attorney, Matt Newburg, declined to comment.

The Attars, Nagarwala and the Minnesota girls' families belong to a Muslim sect called Dawoodi Bohra, which is concentrated in India.
Turkish authorities say they have arrested more than 1,000 people and suspended 9,100 policemen in an accelerated crackdown on alleged supporters of cleric Fethullah Gulen.

The government blames the exiled cleric for orchestrating last year's failed military coup against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Officials said Wednesday 1,009 "secret imams" who infiltrated the police and other state-run agencies were arrested. More than 9,100 police personnel suspected of being Gulen backers were suspended.

"In Turkey, there was an attempted coup with a goal of toppling the government and destroying the state," Erdogan told the Reuters News Agency. "We are trying to cleanse members of FETO inside the armed forces, inside the judiciary, and inside the police," he said using the government's acronym for the Gulen group.

Turkey has arrested or fired more than 160,000 alleged coup organizers and participants since last July.

Gulen, who lives in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, denies playing any part in the coup. The State Department has balked at Turkey's demand for his extradition, citing a lack of concrete evidence.

The latest arrests come a little more than a week after Turkish voters narrowly approved a referendum to expand Erdogan's presidential powers and weaken parliament  a move the opposition says could destroy Turkish democracy and secular traditions.

Supporters say it will bring stability to Turkey after years of political uncertainty that came with power-sharing coalition governments.
U.S. military officials are slamming Turkish airstrikes against Kurdish targets in northern Syria, saying Turkeys actions on Tuesday jeopardized both the fight against the Islamic State terror group and the well-being of U.S. forces on the ground.

U.S. Col. John Dorrian, a spokesman for Operation Inherent Resolve, on Wednesday called Turkeys efforts to inform and coordinate with the coalition inadequate, telling Pentagon reporters via video conference it was not coordination you would expect from a partner and ally.

"There was less than an hour of notification time before the strikes were conducted. That's not enough time," Dorrian said from Baghdad.

We didnt have exact fidelity on where the strikes would occur and not an enormous amount of time to have our forces react, he said, adding U.S. forces in Syria were less than 10 kilometers (six miles) from the target zone.

Dorrian also criticized Turkey for the impact the strikes had on efforts to defeat and destroy Islamic State in Syria, an effort which has relied heavily on Kurdish forces fighting under the umbrella of the Syrian Democratic Forces, or SDF.

They killed a significant number of Peshmerga fighters, he said. These are fighters that have been very important in our fight against ISIS.

The U.S. military spokesman refused to say how many Peshmerga fighters died in the strikes, but monitors from the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said at least 28 people were killed and about another 20 others were injured.

It was the second day in a row that a U.S. official has criticized Turkeys actions.

On Tuesday, State Department spokesman Mark Toner said the Turkish airstrikes were not approved by the coalition and led to the unfortunate loss of life of our partner forces."

Despite the criticism, the Turkish military launched a new round of airstrikes Wednesday, targeting what it described as Kurdish militants with the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) in northern Iraq.

Turkey, the United States and the European Union have designated the PKK as a terrorist organization.

A spokesman for Turkeys foreign ministry also defended the airstrikes, saying the U.S., the coalition and Russia were all duly informed though both military and diplomatic channels.

Turkey will continue to support the coalitions efforts to eliminate the Daesh terrorist organization, spokesman Huseyin Muftuoglu said, using the Arabic acronym for IS. It will also continue its fight against terrorism of all kinds in line with its inherent right of self-defense."

Protests erupt

At the site of Tuesdays airstrikes, in the Syrian city of al-Hasakah, Kurdish fighters and local residents protested the Turkish raids.



Marwan Qamishlo, a member of YPG, told VOA that the strikes hit a local radio station, a media center, several communication towers and some military posts, killing an undetermined number of fighters on Qarachogh Mountain.



It was 2 a.m. when Turkish planes started shelling our media headquarters, Qamishlo said. I dont know how many planes were there, but they were all over the sky. Tens of bombs were dropped on us for about an hour and a half.



Communication complex



Kurdish fighters said the location was initially used to broadcast TV and radio programs to Syrian Kurdish cities and some Yazidi areas on the Iraqi border. VOA footage taken hours after the airstrikes shows the complex in rubble.



Helicopters containing a contingent of U.S. military arrived at the site later on Tuesday to assess the damage. U.S. commanders accompanied the YPG forces on a tour of the damage but refused to speak to the media.



A YPG commander who requested anonymity told VOA that YPG leaders have come under a lot of pressure from Turkish airstrikes and told the Americans that they may not be able continue to fight IS in Raqqa if the U.S. is not going protect them and their families from future attacks.



It remains unclear what, if any, impact the airstrikes will have on long-range U.S. efforts to coordinate an attack on the Islamic State stronghold at Raqqa with forces that include Kurdish fighters from several separate Kurdish factions.



One anti-jihadist faction, the Kurdish militia known as the People's Protection Units (YPG), makes up the backbone of a coalition backed by both the United States and Russia.



That coalition, a loosely knit alliance known as the Syrian Democratic Forces, is closing in on the Islamic State de facto capital of Raqqa in northern Syria, and analysts say a major anti-jihadist assault on the city is likely later this year.



Kino Gabriel is a spokesman of the Syriac Military Council, a Christian militia that fights IS in Syria and falls under the umbrella of the Syrian Democratic Forces.

"The Erdogan-led government in Turkey hates to see the Syriac, Kurds, Arabs, and Turkmen (living) in harmony in a democratic community," Gabriel said in a statement. "They claimed that they attacked the PKK in Syria, which is totally a false statement; what they attacked was our brothers in the YPG and our common project with them that believe(s) in freedom, democracy and pluralism.
This month saw hundreds of Ugandan shop owners march in Kampala against Chinese traders. Local merchants and some city officials want foreigners barred from petty commerce. The government has promised to address the long standing tensions.

Inexpensive Chinese goods are common in the markets of downtown Kampala, where locals operate small businesses selling the imported merchandise. But it has also become increasingly common for Chinese in Uganda to set up shops selling the same items, only cheaper.

Local shop owner Everest Kayondo, the Kampala Capital City Traders Association chairman, says it is time the government barred foreigners from petty trade.

If your manufacturer who has been selling to you establishes a shop in your home country and is doing both retail and wholesale, you will be ruled out of business. Number two, China is also having a policy of giving tax rebates to their nationals. Once they export, the Chinese will be entitled to a tax rebate, which will make their goods a lot cheaper than their Ugandan counterparts, Kayondo said.

Uganda has seen sporadic protests on this issue since 2009. Some Chinese have since been deported for working in the country illegally.

But local traders say that is not enough. Last week, they took to Kampala streets blowing whistles and carrying placards with slogans like Leave our markets. Government officials were able to talk the traders out of holding a three-day strike.

There is no law in Uganda prohibiting foreigners with work permits from engaging in petty trade. But Ugandan traders complain about foreigners, especially Chinese nationals, who they say come into the country claiming to be large-scale investors, but set up small businesses without proper registration.

Within or outside the law?

VOA spoke to Chinas ambassador to Uganda, Zheng Zhu Qiang, who insisted the traders are not breaking any laws.

Chinese businessmen are within the legal bordering and no one violates the law, but there is phenomenon because someone is not happy. I think we should resolve this issue by law. And another thing is that, as far as I know, if you import tiles from China, there is tax. It is groundless to say that Chinese traders do not pay tax, Zheng said.



Uganda State Minister for Investment and Privatization at the Ministry of Finance, Evelyn Anite, says the ministry is looking into the issue.

It is not anywhere in our policy that we want foreigners to come and trade in the country. We want these foreigners to come and invest in our country as investors. And that is why we are working on our investment policy. And when we license an investor we do not want them to end [up] downtown. And for us to even give you an investment license, we want to see that you are having a bank guarantee from a reputable bank in your country or from Uganda of not less than $250,000.

According to Ministry of Trade statistics, China is Ugandas second largest source of imports, after India, and second largest source of foreign direct investment, a total of $9.8 billion since 1993 according to the Uganda Investment Authority.

Most of this money has been through loans for construction of major infrastructure projects such as the hydropower dams and the Entebbe express highway.
Lawmakers from both the Senate and the House of Representatives received extraordinary classified briefings by the administration Wednesday.



Those attending were able to ask questions of the president's national security team and learn about the broad range of options to remove this threat from North Korea, which a senior administration official also described as very grave posed by the brutal and unpredictable Kim Jong Un regime.



All 100 senators gathered at mid-afternoon in an auditorium of the Executive Office Building, adjacent to the White House, for the briefing led by Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Joseph Dunford.

President Donald Trump also was in attendance for a brief time, calling it a very important event.





It was a sobering briefing in which it was clear just how much thought and planning is going into planning military options if called for, and a diplomatic strategy that strike me as clear eyed and well proportioned to the threat, Democratic Senator Chris Coons, a member of the Foreign Relations Committee, told reporters afterward.



Before the briefers subsequently headed to Capitol Hill for a similar discussion, to which all the 431 current House members were invited, a joint statement issued by Tillerson and Coats warned that we remain prepared to defend ourselves and our allies if diplomacy fails to de-escalate North Korea's pursuit of weapons of mass destruction.

Sought briefing

Senate Republican Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said North Korea's unpredictability prompted him to ask the president to brief the full Senate.

(He) has made clear that a North Korea that is armed with a nuclear missile, a capability they have yet to test, is unacceptable to us and threatens our vital national security interests, McConnell said in remarks on the Senate floor.

The chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Republican John McCain, made similar remarks, describing a nuclear capable North Korea as a threat of historic proportions.

I think the situation in one respect is as dangerous as the Cuban missile crisis was, he told VOA's Serbian Service. But there's also another aspect to this, and that is that China can restrain North Korea. In other words, this is not just a question of confrontation between the United States and North Korea. The Chinese can controland do controlthe economy of North Korea. President Trump has established a relationship with the Chinese leader, and so one can at least know that that option is there.

Later Wednesday afternoon, Vice President Mike Pence, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Secretary of Defense Secretary Mattis provided the full House of Representatives with a briefing for more than an hour.

We have to take some concerted action, House Foreign Affairs Chairman Ed Royce, a Republican from California, told reporters afterwards.



Royce said his committee will move to discuss options in the weeks ahead, including the need for financial sanctions against North Korea.



If there is a diplomatic path, it runs through China, said Rep. Adam Schiff, the ranking Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee. We need to impress on China that we need to take steps to protect ourselves and our allies in the absence of more vigorous action from China to reign in their neighbor.



Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said Thursday that China wants to work with all relevant parties, including the U.S., in order to bring about a peaceful resolution. But he added that China has consistently implemented United Nations Security Council sanctions imposed against North Korea, and that it does so out of international obligation and not pressure from another nation.

Schiff said the Trump administration's briefers were thorough and thoughtful in addressing questions from members of Congress. But he asked for a careful approach from the White House moving forward.



I would advise the administration to be very careful about any miscalculation  we are dealing with an erratic regime, a young, inexperienced leader who murders members of his own family and I think the best approach for the administration to bring maximum pressure to bear diplomatically on China as well as North Korea but otherwise to walk softly and carry a big stick, Schiff said.



There's tremendous confidence in the administration officials in key positions. They knew what they were talking about, they were coordinated, and did a great job, said Rep. Mac Thornberry, a Republican from Texas.

Thornberry, the head of the House Armed Services Committee, said the briefing showed the key role Congress can play in fully funding the U.S. military.



A key part of this has to be a credible military deterrent. We can do our part in Congress by making sure the militaries funded for the rest of this year have an adequate funding for next year. So all of this works hand in glove it's important to have economic, diplomatic pressure, but you have to have a credible military deterrent in order to achieve the results, he added.

USS Carl Vinson

Meanwhile, a U.S. Navy strike force, led by the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson, is approaching the east coast of the Korean peninsula. A Navy nuclear submarine armed with guided missiles, the USS Michigan, also has made a call to the port of Busan in South Korea, as an additional show of force to North Korea.

Trump and U.S. officials have repeatedly said all options remain on the table to deal with further North Korean provocations.

Watch: US Lawmakers Briefed on North Korean Threat



A long-awaited U.S. missile defense system will be operational in South Korea within a matter of days to help protect the country from a possible strike by North Korea.

The commander of U.S. forces in the Pacific region gave the assurance on the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense System, also known as THAAD, Wednesday during an appearance before the House Armed Services Committee.

It will be operational in the coming days and able to better defend South Korea, Pacific Command Commander Adm. Harry Harris told U.S. lawmakers, warning the threat from Pyongyang is not limited to the Korean Peninsula.

With every test, Kim Jong Un moves closer to his stated goal of a preemptive nuclear strike capability against American cities, the admiral added.



He also urged lawmakers to consider placing additional missile defense systems in Hawaii.



China reiterated Thursday it is "resolutely opposed" to the THAAD deployment, saying it harms stability in the region.

Fresh warning

In a repeat of often-heard rhetoric, North Korea's foreign ministry issued a fresh warning that "in case a war breaks out on the peninsula, the U.S. will be held wholly accountable for causing trouble after bringing lots of strategic assets and special warfare means."



North Korea's official news agency, KCNA, characterized current joint drills between the U.S. and South Korean navies as a prelude to an invasion.

Trump has said 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.

Im reasonably optimistic now that China is having an influence  working in the right direction, Admiral Harris said. And I believe Kim Jong Un has noticed that there's a change afoot with regard to China.

Still, Harris cautioned, It's early days.
The Tis Hazari court in Delhi has granted 5-day police custody to TTV Dinakaran in the AIADMK symbol alleged bribery case, a day after he was arrested.

By India Today Web Desk: Delhi's Tis Hazari court has granted 5-day police custody to TTV Dinakaran in the AIADMK symbol alleged bribery case.

Dinakaran was arrested last night on charges of attempting to bribe Election Commission officials to get a favourable order in petition for the 'two leaves' symbol, DCP (Crime) Madhur Verma said.

Dinakaran was arrested for arranging money from undisclosed sources and getting money transferred through illegal channels from Chennai-Delhi, Verma added.

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The police said that they had enough evidence against Dinakaran in the case.

More details are awaited.

Also read | TTV Dinakaran confesses to meeting middleman in EC bribery case, assumed he was high court judge

Also read | AIADMK merger done deal? OPS party chief, EPS to continue as CM; camps wait for Dinakaran's arrest

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--- ENDS ---
Thousands of North Korean artillery shells raining down on Seoul. Hundreds of tons of high explosives detonating in the densely populated South Korean capital. Missile strikes as far away as Japan and the U.S. territory of Guam.

These are just some of the possible consequences U.S. and South Korean military planners must take into account as they consider a pre-emptive strike to halt Pyongyang's steady advances toward developing an offensive nuclear capability.

U.S. President Donald Trump's administration has repeatedly said it is finished with its predecessor's policy of strategic patience toward North Korea, suggesting the possibility of military action to prevent the North from developing a nuclear tipped intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) that could reach the U.S. mainland.

Adding military muscle to the rhetoric, a U.S. submarine designed to carry 150 Tomahawk cruise missiles entered a South Korean port on Tuesday. The USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier group is also heading to the region and conducting naval exercises with Japan and South Korea. And the United States this week began to move part of the THAAD missile defense system to its deployment site 250 kilometers south of Seoul.

Rain of fire

But analysts say there are high risks associated with any U.S. first strike. A surgical U.S. missile strike to take out one or multiple nuclear or missile sites would likely not be sufficient to destroy or degrade North Koreas nuclear and ballistic missile arsenals, which are reportedly in numerous fortified underground sites across the country.

But a U.S. preventive strike would almost certainly trigger an immediate North Korean retaliation against South Korea.

It might involve artillery attacks on Seoul or elsewhere along the demilitarized zone [DMZ.] It might involve covert operations, but they have several levels of escalation to go before they get to nuclear or even chemical weapons, said John Schilling, a missile technology specialist with 38 North, a North Korea monitoring website run by Johns Hopkins University's School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) in Washington.

North Korea has more than 21,000 artillery weapons, positioned mostly along the inter-Korean border, that could put in jeopardy the lives of 25 million people that live in and around Seoul, the South Korean capital located 56 kilometers south of the border.

An assessment of North Korean military capabilities by Strafor, an intelligence analysis organization in Texas, notes the North's artillery arsenal includes 300mm multiple rocket launcher systems that can rain fire across Seoul and beyond. A single volley, a Strafor report said, could deliver more than 350 metric tons of explosives across the South Korean capital, roughly the same amount of ordnance dropped by 11 B-52 bombers.

Nuclear missiles

North Korea has more than one thousand ballistic missiles that could strike across South Korea, Japan and possibly as far away as U.S. military bases in Guam.

While the North has not yet demonstrated it can successfully mount a miniaturized nuclear warhead on a missile, U.S. and South Korean officials have said they believe Pyongyang has a nuclear Nodong missile that can fire a one ton warhead a distance of up to two thousand kilometers, which would put all of South Korea, most of Japan and parts of Russia and China in range.

I think the majority of people now believe they can put a warhead on top of a missile that can hit targets in Northeast Asia. But when you get to the much longer range they need, such as hitting the United States, I think, we dont know for sure. But most people would believe that it is a work in progress, said Joel Wit, the co-founder of 38 North and a senior fellow at the U.S.-Korea Institute at SAIS.

In addition to the 10 to 20 nuclear warheads North Korea is believed to have, its missiles could also be armed with deadly chemical weapons from suspected stockpiles of sarin nerve gas.

A Nodong is a single stage liquid fuel rocket based on scud missiles developed by the former Soviet Union. Some of North Koreas most recent tests were solid fuel Musudan missiles that have an estimated maximum range of three thousand kilometers, which could potentially reach targets in Japan and as far away as U.S. military bases in Guam. If left unchecked, analysts say, North Korea is on track to develop an ICBM by 2020 that could reach the U.S. mainland. Pyongyang is also developing a submarine launch ballistic missile (SLBM) capability.

The more than 28,000 U.S. forces in Korea and 50,000 troops in Japan would also be possible targets for any North Korea retaliatory strikes.

Analysts say any North Korean counter strike would draw a quick response from the United States, South Korea and Japan that could further escalate the conflict, draw in China, and lead to a second Korean war.

Youmi Kim contributed to this report
Venezuelan security forces fired scores of tear gas volleys and turned water cannons on rock-throwing protesters on a bridge in Caracas on Wednesday as the death toll from this month's anti-government unrest hit at least 29.

A 20-year-old male demonstrator died in those latest clashes in the capital after being hit by a gas canister, said officials of the eastern Chacaco district.

Government authorities also announced two new fatalities from clashes earlier this week: a 22-year-old who received various gunshot wounds at a protest in Valencia city, and a 28-year-old government supporter shot in the stomach in Tachira state.

The wave of protests since early April against socialist President Nicolas Maduro have sparked Venezuela's worst violence since 2014. Demonstrators want elections to end the socialists' two-decade rule, but the South American nation's brutal economic crisis is also fueling anger.

"I want everything to end: the hunger, the murders, the corruption, all the ills we are suffering. We have to stay in the street until there is change. We are the majority," said student Ricardo Ropero, 20, at a march in Caracas.

Red-shirted supporters of Maduro, the 54-year-old former bus driver who succeeded Hugo Chavez in 2013, also rallied on the streets of the capital, punching their fists in the air and denouncing opposition "terrorists."

Maduro says his foes are seeking a violent coup, with U.S. connivance, like a short-lived 2002 putsch against Chavez.

Battle on bridge

Amid another day of nationwide opposition rallies, the worst trouble in Caracas on Wednesday occurred when National Guard troops and police blocked off a highway where several thousand demonstrators were marching downtown.

On a bridge in east Caracas, they fired dozens of tear gas canisters, which masked youths picked up to hurl back at them or into a nearby trash-strewn river.

Traffic once again ground to a standstill as the zone resounded to the familiar sounds of the near-daily clashes. When water cannons were turned on the marchers, they fell back and skirmishes spread to surrounding streets through the afternoon.

Opposition leaders accuse Maduro of seizing dictatorial powers and unleashing repression on peaceful protesters, but the opposition's ranks do include groups of youths who hunt for trouble, hurling Molotov cocktails or burning property.

As well as wanting a general election, Maduro's opponents are demanding the release of jailed activists, humanitarian aid to help offset shortages of food and medicine, and autonomy for the opposition-led legislature.

More than 1,500 people have been arrested during the protests this month, with 800 still detained, according to rights group Penal Forum.

Maduro narrowly won election in 2013 against opposition leader Henrique Capriles, but the economic crisis has battered his public approval ratings since then.

The latest data from pollster Datanalisis, cited by a client, showed Maduro's popularity edged up a couple of points to 24.1 percent in March, possibly due to the impact of subsidized food distribution bags known as CLAPs.

He has called for local state elections, postponed from 2016, to be held soon, but has shown no sign of supporting an early presidential election. The opposition now has majority support and the ruling Socialists would likely lose any vote.
Reporters Without Borders said Wednesday that globally media freedom has never been so threatened, as it released its annual press freedom index.

The media rights group pointed in particular to democratic countries as places where press freedoms declined during the past year.

In sickening statements, Draconian laws, conflicts of interest, and even the use of physical violence, democratic governments are trampling on a freedom that should, in principle, be one of their leading performance indicators.

The report said the reductions in press freedoms are most pronounced in places where the authoritarian strongman model has triumphed, such as Poland, Hungary and Turkey.

Watch: Global Press Freedom at Tipping Point, Report Warns

The rate at which democracies are approaching the tipping point is alarming for all those who understand that, if media freedom is not secure, then none of the other freedoms can be guaranteed, RSF Secretary-General Christophe Deloire said.

Most countries show decline

Overall, 62 percent of countries measured showed a decline in press freedom in the 2017 index.

Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark and the Netherlands ranked as the countries with the highest degree of freedom for journalists.

North Korea ranked last, with Reporters Without Borders saying the country continues to keep its population in ignorance and terror.Also at the bottom of the list, just ahead of North Korea, were Eritrea, Turkmenistan, Syria and China.

Those countries that most improved their scores since the 2016 index were Laos, Pakistan, Sweden, Burma and the Philippines.The biggest decliners were Saudi Arabia, Ethiopia, Maldives and Uzbekistan.

Trump rhetoric criticized

The report faulted U.S. President Donald Trump and the rhetoric he used since launching his campaign for office, which has frequently targeted media organizations and declaring their stories fake.

The hate speech used by the new boss in the White House and his accusations of lying also helped to disinhibit attacks on the media almost everywhere in the world, including in democratic countries.

The United States ranked 43rd on the index, down two spots from 2016.Britain, which decided in a referendum last year to leave the European Union, ranked 40th.

Donald Trumps rise to power in the United States and the Brexit campaign in the United Kingdom were marked by high-profile media bashing, a highly toxic anti-media discourse that drove the world into a new era of post-truth, disinformation, and fake news.

The report said the Middle East and North Africa region continues to be the most dangerous for journalists to work, with Eastern Europe and Central Asia close behind.
Zambia's opposition leader Hakainde Hichilema has been behind bars for two weeks.

He will remain there as a judge in Magistrate's Court said Wednesday he did not have the power to rule on a defense motion to drop the charge of treason. Zambia does not allow bail for treason cases.

The spokesman for Hichilema's UPND party, Charles Kakoma, told VOA Wednesday the defense has filed another application to dispute the treason charge before another magistrate court. Those proceedings were adjourned until Thursday.

Amnesty International has criticized the case as political persecution through prosecution and called for Hichilema's immediate release.

We also can see that the state is struggling to formulate the treason charge, given the continued changes in the structure of the treason charges, said Deprose Muchena, Amnesty International's Regional Director for Southern Africa. So I am not calling for the president to intervene in any kind of thing. I am just calling for charges to be dropped because there are no bases to sustain the charges.

Interference of president's motorcade

In the charge sheet before the court Wednesday, the prosecution said the treason charge stems from an incident on April 8 in which Hichilema's motorcade failed to give way to the president's. The prosecution accuses Hichilema and five members of his staff of collaborating with 60 others in obstructing President Edgar Lungu's motorcade in a way that could cause harm or death to the president.

Hichilema's United Party for National Development has rejected the charge.

This is the second time the opposition leader has been arrested since disputed elections in August. Hichilema refused to recognize Lungu as the winner.

His detention this month has caused political tensions to climb again. Several incidents of public buildings being set alight have been reported.

A matter for the courts

Some have called for Lungu to release Hichilema, but presidential spokesman Amos Chanda told VOA's Daybreak Africa Wednesday that is a matter for the courts.

The position of the president remains the same, Chanda said. That he respects the due process of the law and that his intervention in any court matter is only possible once the due process of the law is complete.

If convicted on treason charges, Hichilema faces a minimum jail term of 15 years. The maximum sentence is the death penalty.
Let's Learn English (Tieng Anh co ban) la mot khoa hoc tieng Anh moi. Cac giao vien day tieng Anh-My a soan thao khoa hoc nay cho nhung nguoi moi bat au. Khoa hoc se keo dai trong 52 tuan.

Moi tuan se co mot bai hoc moi bang video cho thay cuoc song cua gioi tre My. Bai hoc giup trau doi ky nang noi, viet va tu vung.

Ngoai ra cung se co cac bai thuc hanh co the in ra, bang anh gia va ke hoach hoc tap cho ca nhan va giao vien day tieng Anh. Chung toi khuyen khich cac ban theo doi cac bai hoc hang tuan va chia se su tien bo cua ban voi chung toi qua phan y kien va email.

Tom luoc (Summary)

Anna has been wanting to go back to school for a long time. In this lesson, we go to class with her at Georgetown University, where she is getting ready to give a report in her class. Did she understand the directions?

Anna a luon muon i hoc tro lai rat lau roi. Trong bai hoc nay, chung ta se cung theo chan co toi lop hoc tai truong ai hoc Georgetown noi ma co se co mot bai bao cao truoc lop. Nhung co co hieu uoc phuong huong cua lop hoc khong nhi?

Noi (Speaking)

In this video, learn how to say the new words. Then learn about the present perfect continuous verb tense.

Cach phat am (Pronunciation)

This video teaches about how the word "for" is pronounced quickly in sentences using the present perfect continuous and a time phrase.

Phan oi thoai (Conversation)

Anna: Hello, and welcome to Georgetown University in Washington, D.C.! I am going back to school! Georgetown is the oldest Catholic and Jesuit university in the United States. The Jesuits are a religious order known worldwide for their many colleges and universities. Students have been studying here since 1792!

Sarah: Hey, are you finished with your report?

Taylor: Almost. I have been writing and re-writing since last night! The subject is really interesting to me.

Sarah: Me too! I have been studying this topic* for a long time.

Anna: Am I late?

Sarah: Youre a little late. But dont worry. The professor isnt here yet.

Anna: How long has the class been waiting?

Taylor: Weve only been waiting for about 10 minutes.

Anna: Oh good. Oh, no! I forgot my pencil sharpener. Excuse me, do you have a pencil sharpener I can borrow?

Taylor: No, sorry.

Anna: Oh wait. I found my extra one! Whew, that was close.

Anna: So, how long have you been studying at Georgetown?

Andrew: Ive been studying here since 2015.

Anna: Awesome. You know, I've been wanting to go back to school for a long time. So, here I am!

Andrew: Well, you picked a great school. Ive been really happy here.

Anna: Awesome. See, Ive been working for several years now. So, going back to school makes me a little nervous.

Randall: Dont be nervous. Just pay attention and do your best!

Anna: That is great advice. You know, I have been paying attention. But sometimes I still feel like I dont understand. Like last week 

Anna: Whats that?

Jada: This is my draft.

Anna: What draft?

Jada: The professor told us to bring our drafts.

Anna: I think she said giraffe.

Jada: No. She didnt.

Anna: Here comes the professor.

Dr. Jones: Hello class! Sorry I'm late, but the snow storm made getting here really difficult. I see youve been waiting very patiently. So, lets get started! Who wants to give their talk first?

Anna: Oh! Oh! Please, please pick me.

Dr. Jones: Anna?

Anna: Who me? Sure. Thanks.

Anna: Here is my report on Violins in the City.

Anna: People have been looking for a solution to the problem of violins in the city. I say stop! Stop! They are not the problem! In fact, violins are part of the solution!

Anna: Violins create beautiful music that can fill a city with hope.

Dr. Jones: Anna 

Anna: If we put a violin in the hands of every child 

Dr. Jones: Anna! The topic is Violence in the city. Violence. Not violins.

Anna: Until next time Like I was saying, many people are saying that violence in the city is a problem. A very big problem.

* topic = subject Thanks to Georgetown University for allowing us to film on their historic campus. And a special thanks to the Georgetown students and staff who appeared in this episode: Andrew Debraggio, Sarah Mucha, Taylor Soergel, Jada Bullen, and Randall-Grace Johnson.

Viet (Writing)

In this lesson, Anna goes back to school. Did you ever take a special training course or classes? What did you learn? If you have not gone back to study, do you want to study something? Tell us about it. Write to us by email or in the Comments section.

Click on the image below to download the Activity Sheet and practice using the present perfect continuous tense and monitoring what you hear. Please note, our activity sheets now can be completed on the computer.

Sach luoc hoc tap (Learning Strategy)

Learning Strategies are the thoughts and actions that help make learning easier or more effective.

The learning strategy for this lesson is Monitor. This strategy is what we use when we are speaking, and we want to know if our listeners understand what we say. We also monitor while we are listening, to check on whether we understand what we hear.

In this lesson, Anna goes back to school. She misunderstands the professor, and gives her report on the wrong topic. As she is speaking, she looks at her classmates. Their faces show they are confused. Anna should be monitoring here, to see that the other students cannot understand why she is talking about violins. After the professor corrects her, she begins talking about the topic of violence.

What do you do to monitor when you are speaking in English? Write to us about it in the Comments section or send us an email. Teachers, see the Lesson Plan for more details on teaching this strategy.

Bai kiem tra (Quiz)

Listen to short videos and test your listening skills with this quiz.

Quiz - Lesson 50: Back to School Start the Quiz to find out Start Quiz

______________________________________________________________

Tu ngu moi (New Words)

Catholic - adj. of or relating to the Roman Catholic Church

class - n. a group of students who meet regularly to be taught a subject or activity

draft - n. a version of something (such as a report) that you make before you make the final version

confused - adj. unable to understand or think clearly

giraffe - n. a very tall African animal that has an extremely long neck and legs

Jesuit - n. a man who is a member of a religious group called the Roman Catholic Society of Jesus

order - n. a religious organization whose members usually live together and promise to follow special rules and traditions

patient - adj. able to remain calm and not become annoyed when waiting for a long time

pay attention - phrase to listen to, watch, or consider something or someone very carefully

pencil - n. an instrument used for writing and drawing that has a hard outer part and a black or colored center part

professor - n. a teacher especially of the highest rank at a college or university

religious - adj. believing in a god or a group of gods and following the rules of a religion

report - n. a written or spoken description of a situation or event

sharpener - n. a tool or machine that makes something sharp

since - prep. in the time after (a specified time or event in the past) orfrom (a point in the past) until the present time

solution - n. something that is used or done to deal with and end a problem

study - v. to learn about something by reading, memorizing facts or attending school

understand - v. to know the meaning of something

violence - n. the use of physical force to harm someone or to damage property

violin - n. a musical instrument that has four strings and that you play with a bow

______________________________________________________________
Seventy-five percent of respondents to an informal survey on VOA Studio 7 Twitter say all opposition parties should join an alliance being crafted by former Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and two other leaders ahead of the 2018 general elections.

At least 15 percent of the respondents opposed such moves while 10 percent said they were not sure about what the remaining opposition parties should do.

At least 40 people voted in the informal survey, which does not necessarily reflect the views of the general population in Zimbabwe. About 412 VOA Studio 7 Twitter followers viewed the survey question though most of them did not vote.

Tsvangirais MDC-T recently signed Memorandum of Understandings with former Vice President Joice Mujuru of the National Peoples Party, and Professor Welshman Ncube, a leader of the other faction of the Movement for Democratic Change.

The three parties pledged to work together in the forthcoming general elections, vowing to remove President Robert Mugabes government from power in the polls.

Tsvangirai, Ncube and Mujuru will soon start working on the modalities of the alliance, including the formation of a coalition designed to field a single candidate in the 2018 presidential election and selection of candidates for both the parliamentary and local government elections.
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off the first low cost flight from Shimla to Delhi under the ambitious UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik) scheme. UDAN aims to provide air connectivity to smaller cities of the country.

By India Today Web Desk: After much wait, the first UDAN flight took off from Shimla today after being flagged off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.The flight will be operated by Alliance Air, the regional arm of Air India. PM Narendra Modi handed over boarding passes to some of passengers travelling via the first UDAN flight at the Shimla airport.

Tomorrow PM @narendramodi will flag off the first UDAN flight under the Regional Connectivity Scheme, on Shimla-Delhi sector.- PMO India (@PMOIndia) April 26, 2017

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Senior officials of the aviation ministry, Air India and Airports Authority of India were present at the Shimla airport the inaugural flight. The first UDAN flight, under the Regional Connectivity Scheme, will be operated on the Shimla-New Delhi route by its subsidiary Alliance Air.

Air India yesterday opened bookings for the first launch flight from Shimla to Delhi with all inclusive fares starting at Rs2,036.

THE GREAT 'UDAN'

The UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik) scheme seeks to make flying more affordable for the common people, holding a plan to connect over 45 unserved and under-served airports.

Under UDAN, 50 per cent of the seats on each flight would have a cap of Rs 2,500 per seat/hour. The government has also extended subsidy in the form of viability gap funding to the operators flying on these routes.

List of cities to be covered in UDAN scheme List of cities to be covered in UDAN scheme

The scheme was launched to "make air travel accessible to citizens in regionally important cities," and has been described as "a first-of-its-kind scheme globally to stimulate regional connectivity through a market-based mechanism."

Report have it the first flight today will not be flying at full capacity on its 70-seater ATR airplane because of payload restrictions related to the short Shimla airfield.

|| Read more ||

Udan scheme: Now you can fly to these 43 cities, see the full list here

UDAN scheme to fly hour-long flights capped at Rs 2,500 to smaller cities

Trujet launches flights on 3 new routes under `UDAN scheme

AI opens booking for Shimla-New Delhi flight under UDAN scheme

|| Watch more ||

--- ENDS ---
Bruce Willis.

Unbreakable, M. Night Shyamalans low-key superhero movie from 2000 that Vulture called the best superhero movie since Blade, came out way before big-budget sci-fi and fantasy were the norm, and it helped the young director generate an enthusiastic following. The ending also left room for a sequel that never came, but after 17 years on the back burner, Bruce Williss unbreakable man David Dunn is coming back in Glass. It will be the second collaboration between Shyamalan and Blumhouse/Universal, a pairing that money men were surely eager to sign off on after the directors R-rated January surprise Split made almost $275 million worldwide. The twist king shared the news himself in a string of tweets this morning, and if you were a fan of Unbreakable and Split, his big reveal read like a fan-casting announcement.

Its taken 17 years but I can finally answer the #1 question I get, Are you making a f#&@ing sequel to Unbreakable or what?  M. Night Shyamalan (@MNightShyamalan) April 26, 2017

My new film is the sequel to #Unbreakable AND #Split. It was always my dream to have both films collide in this third film.  M. Night Shyamalan (@MNightShyamalan) April 26, 2017

The iconic Bruce Willis returns as David Dunn  M. Night Shyamalan (@MNightShyamalan) April 26, 2017

The incomparable @SamuelLJackson will return as Elijah Price/Mr. Glass  M. Night Shyamalan (@MNightShyamalan) April 26, 2017

The virtuoso #JamesMcAvoy returns as Kevin Wendell Crumb, Patricia, Dennis, Hedwig, Barry, Jade, Orwell, The Beast, Heinrich, Norma, Pol-  M. Night Shyamalan (@MNightShyamalan) April 26, 2017

And the prodigy, @AnyaTaylorJoy will return as Casey Cooke  M. Night Shyamalan (@MNightShyamalan) April 26, 2017

Im reteaming with my partners @jason_blum and @Universalpics for this crazy comic book thriller.  M. Night Shyamalan (@MNightShyamalan) April 26, 2017

And the film is called GLASS  M. Night Shyamalan (@MNightShyamalan) April 26, 2017

Universal Pictures will release #Glass on January 18, 2019 all over the world. Hows that for not keeping a secret!  M. Night Shyamalan (@MNightShyamalan) April 26, 2017

Seventeen years ago, spinning up a sequel was not foregone conclusion for a successful film, but were all just a bunch of Marvel girls in a Marvel world now, and Shyamalan has two decades worth of Philadelphia stories that could possibly be linked together with a little bit of clever retconning. Ever since Wide Awake in 1998, every Earth-bound Shyamalan movie has been set in Pennsylvania, usually within Philadelphia. Split continued this tradition, and (spoiler time!) at the end of that movie, David Dunn is the last person we see, tying his early hit to his most recent one.

To refresh, James McAvoys Beast character has gone into the wind after a killing spree, and when we see Dunn hes watching a news report about the dead teen girls left in his wake. We dont know what the humble Philly man has been up to over all these years  maybe hes been fighting crime on the DL, or maybe hes gone fully dormant and lived the life of an ordinary working-class father. Either way, the Beast is a villain he knows hes uniquely qualified to take on, and Dunn isnt going to take little girls getting ripped apart in his damn backyard. Perhaps, too, Beast will find his way to Elijah Price (Samuel L. Jackson), and the two will become a united villainous front targeting all the normals of the world that they loathe so much. In any event, it looks like our questions will be answered just about two years to the day after the release of Split.
Whats the truth? Photo: Mike Coppola/Getty Images

Madonna is the subject of a biopic about her earliest days that was recently picked up by Universal (its not a Desperately Seeking Susan reboot, sorry) and, like many a star with an unauthorized retelling of their life story on the way, shes perturbed by the thought of it. Shortly after the announcement that Universal had acquired Elyse Hollanders No. 1 Black List script about the pop icon, Blonde Ambition, Madonna shaded the project in an emoji-filled Instagram: Nobody knows what I know and what I have seen. Only I can tell my story. Anyone else who tries is a charlatan and a fool. Looking for instant gratification without doing the work. She has now further ripped the supposed charlatan with a since-deleted Instagram post in which she fact-checks the first page of Hollanders script, giving it the zero-star review of lies and exploitation. Only there are two issues with Madonnas gripes: For one, the lies in question are not even Hollanders words  theyre Madonnas. Theyre also the facts verbatim as Madonna spoke them on live national television.



Madonna nervosissima com o script na mao, o icone ta sedento por justica te cuida Universal pic.twitter.com/F9df7MCvxe  MadonnaBR  (@madonnabr_) April 26, 2017

Madonna circled one particular passage, which Hollander quoted from Madonnas very famous 1984 debut appearance on Dick Clarks American Bandstand, saying its inaccurate. The quote has Madonna saying she was born in Detroit and dropped out of high school when, really, Madonna was born in Bay City, Michigan, graduated high school, and went on to attend the University of Michigan. Why would Universal Studios want to make a movie about me based on a script that is all lies?? Madonna wrote in her caption. Except if there are lies in that quote, it appears the liar is Madonna. (Though she wouldnt be the first up-and-comer to twist her story.) You can watch the interview for yourself, preserved on the great big truth-teller that is YouTube.

Either way, Madonna will not be had. Lies have no legs!! she wrote in a separate post next to several snake emoji directed at Hollander, Universal, and the films producer Brett Ratner. Because no one, not even Madonna, can set her origin story straight.


Photo: Spencer Platt/Getty Images

For more than four decades, the Metropolitan Museum of Art has suggested a $25 donation for adults to gain entrance to the museum  but museumgoers could always attend for free or give any amount they chose. But under a proposed plan reportedly being weighed by the museums leaders and city officials, that fee might soon be mandatory for tourists. According to the New York Times, the Met has conducted confidential conversations with the city to decide if the nations largest museum should charge admission, and if so, how that fee will be applied. Because the Met is taxpayer supported  the city owns the museums Fifth Avenue building  both the Met Board and Mayor Bill de Blasio would have to agree on the terms of the admission fee, according to the Times.



The Met is in a precarious financial and administrative position, with a $15 million deficit and the recent resignation of its director. A mandatory admission fee could offset some of the museums $332 million annual operating costs, but the change could also mean the museum would lose the public money it gets from the city, according to the Times. Theres also the question of how the museum will define a visitors tourist status: 63 percent of the Mets 7 million annual visitors come from outside New York state, the Times reports, and its unclear if the proposed fee would apply to those who live outside of New York City or those who live outside of New York state, and how residency would be determined at the museums front desk. The Mets conversations are further complicated by a now-settled lawsuit brought against the museum, which prompted the Met to alter the language on its signage to call the $25 admission charge suggested rather than recommended. All that is to say: Alert your visiting grandparents now  the Met might not be free the next time they visit.
Shai Avivi. Photo: Courtesy of Oscilloscope Laboratories

The loss of ones child  the most devastating event in this world  has rarely been depicted as strangely as in the Israeli film One Week and a Day. A terrible pall hangs over the movie, but the bereaved father, Eyal Spivak (Shai Avivi), has the emotional (im)maturity of Larry David in Curb Your Enthusiasm. And given that his countrymen are not, as a rule, models of forbearance, his culture exacerbates his assholery. The upshot is a squirm comedy set astride a grave  and somehow more moving for its protagonists inability to grieve the way sane people are supposed to.

The one week refers to the time that Spivak and his wife, Vicky (Jenya Dodina), sit shiva, the traditional period of Jewish mourning, while the day is when the Spivaks have to carry on, for better and worse. The film opens in the shivas last hour, during which Spivak enthusiastically beats the tar out of a poor little kid in Ping-Pong and then hides in the bushes to avoid his tardy next-door neighbors, the Zoolers, whom he despises for their absence during his late sons illness. He and Vicky greet the couple frostily, accept their cucumber salad (Spivak to the Zoolers: I dont eat cucumbers), and head for a graveside service. Or Vicky does. When Spivak leaps out of the car after declaring his intention to stay home to foil obituary-savvy robbers, Vicky stares ahead in stunned disbelief. So does the audience.

I know people who felt guilty every time they laughed, confused by their own responses, which is just how writer-director Asaph Polonsky must have wanted it. Suffering doesnt always ennoble, and death has no allegiance to genre  which is why the rituals surrounding it are vital, to channel chaotic emotions. The comedy in One Week and a Day comes from confusion, ineptitude, and alienation. It comes from peoples defenses being way, way down. It doesnt cheapen the tragedy. It grounds it, sometimes in the mud. Spivak and Zooler are names of clowns, especially when spat out in disgust, as when the final k in Spivak is hit contemptuously hard and the oo of Zooler is drawn out in a sneer: Zoooooler, as in, Newwwwman. But clowns also cry.

Consider the scene in which Spivak sneaks into his sons old hospice room in search of a blanket he left behind and disturbs its current occupant, a bald young man whos plainly on his way out but manages to point feebly at a drawer  where Spivak finds his sons unused bag of medical marijuana and tries to slip it into his pants.

Polonsky lingers on the pitiful attempts of Spivak (a drug neophyte) to roll a joint, which include wrapping the paper around a gummy worm. And when Spivak resorts to phoning his hated neighbors stoner son (Tomer Kapon), a 20-something sushi-restaurant delivery boy, the unlikely pair find common ground fast, a bit like Walter and Jesse in Breaking Bad. One Week and a Day teeters on hilarity with one mitigating factor: As Spivak spends more and more time with the amiable slacker, you begin to see that its his foggy attempt to remain a father. His son, Ronnie, was 25.

The point, of course, is that Spivak and Vicky cant return so smoothly to their lives. Both are in a daze, their motions mechanical, their minds on neither the past nor the future but some twilit intermingling of both. Avivi and Dodina are a beautifully matched mismatch. Dodina does wonders with deadpan, her Vicky shaking her head at her husbands latest bit of childishness, too impatient to calm him down, too weary to scold him. And she has at least a bit of his pushiness, brazening her way into her old classroom (shes an elementary-school teacher) while the substitute stands flustered.

One Week and a Day has a late hospice sequence thats borderline offensive, a Patch Adamslike mix of high jinks and uplift. Okay, scratch that, it doesnt approach the ickiness of that Robin Williams vehicle. But it edges in that direction. The bad taste is swiftly dispelled by the brilliant emotional climax. Spivak forgot to reserve the two grave sites beside his sons and, when he finds theyve been taken, flings away the temporary marker on one of them in a rage. Then he wanders into the memorial service for that plots future inhabitant, whose older brother speaks with devastating eloquence about his sisters graceful stoicism as her treatment options dwindled. Like many of us, Spivak finds a pathway to his own grief by listening to someone elses story. As the funeral procession approaches the womans grave, Spivak frantically zigzags among the gravestones to find the marker he tossed away, a newly enlightened fool trying vainly to forestall an injury to someone else and affirm his connection to the world.

*This article appears in the April 17, 2017, issue of New York Magazine.
Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker.

Good news for Aquaman: Disney released its updated schedule of opening weekends for its next 15 blockbusters, and the water-loving superhero wont have to compete with a Star Wars movie. Episode IX, due May 24, 2019, will return to the series summer-release schedule, against Robert Downey Jr.s Dr. Dolittle movie. (Force Awakens and Rogue One both had fall/winter openings for the first time in series history, while the Han Solo spin-off will first bring Star Wars back to the summer when it debuts May 25, 2018.) This means winter 2019 movies  including Aquaman (December 18), Fantastic Beasts 2 (November 16)  wont have to worry about losing out to Kylo Ren & Co. Instead, theyll go up against Frozen 2, which Disney is planning for release on November 27, 2019.

The live-action Lion King will now open July 19, 2019, according to Disneys release, taking the weekend previously planned for Indiana Jones 5. See the full list of updated Disney release dates below.
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Amanda Brugel as Rita, Elisabeth Moss as Offred. Photo: George Kraychyk/Hulu

The TV adaptation of The Handmaids Tale has finally brought Margaret Atwoods tale of near-future totalitarianism to the small screen, and while the first three episodes of the Hulu series remain largely faithful to the original novel, there are some key differences. If youre curious how the show departs from the book, read on. Spoilers follow, of course.

The Setting

The book: Published in 1985, Atwoods novel imagined a near-future America, specifically set in Cambridge, Massachusetts. There are numerous references to the 70s and Offred describes seeing graffiti that references the 80s, but the main narrative offers no other firm dates. The novels epilogue takes place in the year 2195, when the Twelfth Symposium on Gileadean Studies discusses and debates the veracity of Offreds story.

The show: Also set in what appears to be Cambridge, but in the present day or a time very close to it. (In one scene, Offred makes a reference to Uber.)

Offreds Real Name

The book: Atwood never reveals Offreds actual name, though there has long been a theory that it might be June, one of the names she lists when she is talking about how during their indoctrination at the Red Center, she and the other Handmaids-to-be exchanged names from bed to bed: Alma. Janine. Dolores. Moira. June. All of the other names show up as characters in the book, leading to the speculation that June is Offreds true identity.

The show: At the end of the first episode, Offred reveals her secret, forbidden name via inner monologue, and it is indeed June.

Racial Diversity

The book: Gilead is overtly racist as well as sexist. Were told that black people  who are called the children of Ham, after one of Noahs sons who is often construed as black  were removed from society and resettled in the National Homelands, an undisclosed place somewhere in the Midwest. We dont really know what that means, but as all of history has proven, minorities getting rounded up and carted away certainly doesnt lead to anything good. Rita, one of the domestic workers known as a Martha, is described as having brown arms, but its not clear what race she is. Its equally unclear whether Gilead allows nonwhite people to work as servants. Jewish people are given more status, since they are considered Sons of Jacob per their role in the Bible, and have the option to convert or emigrate to Israel.

The show: Several significant characters are nonwhite. Junes husband Luke (O-T Fagbenle) and her friend Moira (Samira Wiley) are black, and several of the other Handmaids are also women of color. Offreds daughter is biracial, rather than having the pale hair described in the book. Although all the wives and high-ranking men weve met so far are white, the white supremacy that exists in Gilead still permits black and brown women to bear the children of powerful white men, implying that they would adopt and accept children who are biracial.

The Commander

The book: We know that the Commander  the high-ranking man to whom Offred is assigned to bear children  is named Fred because of the Handmaid name she is given, but we never find out his last name. (The epilogue speculates that he might be a man named Frederick Waterford.) After he and Offred play Scrabble, he asks her to kiss him and is sad when she does not do it as if you meant it.

The show: The Commander is indeed named Waterford. However, his appearance is different. In the novel, were told that he is an older man with silver hair and a mustache who looks like a midwestern bank president. Joseph Fiennes is many things, but he is not a man who looks like a paunchy, middle-aged financier from Wyoming. Their first Scrabble liaison is entirely chaste.

Serena Joy

The book: The Commanders wife described as blond, with a face that is too big and a nose that is too small, and she sometimes wears a veil. She, too, is older like the Commander, and Offred comments that she has arthritis.

The show: Actress Yvonne Strahovski is blond, but definitely a young and very attractive woman rather than an older one. (This is a consistent theme in the casting.) Her version of Serena Joy does not wear a veil, but rather dresses in relatively conventional ways in comparison to the Handmaids.

Ofglen

The book: Shes described as a little plump with brown hair, and she does not say that she is gay or had a wife. Offred doesnt tell Ofglen when the Commander wants to see her in private; instead, Ofglen somehow knows through her connections in the rebellion and asks her to find out more. Although she does disappear suddenly one day, Offred is never interrogated about it, and the new Ofglen reveals that her predecessor killed herself when she saw the van coming for her. Theres no way to know, of course, if this is true.

The show: Shes played by Alexis Bledel, so shes not plump at all. She reveals to Offred that she had a wife and daughter in the time before Gilead. Offred tells her about the Commander wanting to see her in secret, and also asks her to find out more about him. In the second episode, we learn that Ofglen was arrested not for her participation in the rebellion, but for her relationship with a Martha. She is charged with gender treachery and ultimately pardoned because of her fertility. Instead, she is forced to undergo female circumcision to remove her unnatural desires.

Janine/Ofwarren

The book: She is not particularly rebellious at the Red Center and does not lose her eye; rather, she is a bit of a suck-up and the Aunts even ask her to inform on the other girls. In the book, it is Moira who causes trouble, faking appendicitis and then attempting to seduce the soldiers en route to the hospital to escape, for which she ends up having her feet beaten with frayed steel rods.

The show: When Janine rebels against the Aunts at the Red Center, they remove her right eye as punishment, per the biblical passage about how if your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out.

Nick

The book: Nick is not just the Commanders driver but one of the Guardians, or soldiers of the Gilead regime. He is white, though tanned, with a French face, lean and whimsical. He takes a risk by winking at Offred, who suspects he might be an Eye spying for the government. When Nick later approaches her with an invitation from the Commander, he kisses her  and later, Serena Joy arranges secret trysts between him and Offred to improve her chances of pregnancy.

The show: Nick is mostly referred to as the Commanders driver, though Offred calls him by his first name when the Eyes arrive to interrogate her. He appears to be nonwhite (the actor who plays him, Max Minghella, is of Chinese descent) and he tells Offred to be careful when she flirts with him. Though Nick appears to care for Offred  in the third episode, it is implied that he alerts Serena Joy to the Eyes interrogation  they have no relationship to speak of.

The Technology

The book: Atwood wrote her novel in the early- to mid-80s, back when credit cards and computerization was relatively new, and so the terminology imagined for digital technology is a bit retro-futuristic: banks are Compubanks, bank and credit-card accounts are Compucounts. Basically, everything digital is compu-, much like the e- prefix that got attached to everything electronic in the 90s.

The show: Because it is set in the present day (or near-present day), everything digital is referred to simply as what it is. Banks are banks and credit cards are credit cards.

The Protests

The book: Offred didnt attend any of the protests or marches that took place after womens rights were taken away by the Gilead regime. As she puts it, Luke said it would be futile and I had to think about my family, him and her.

The show: After women lose their right to have money and hold jobs, both June and Moira attend a protest that becomes violent, with soldiers firing into the crowds and many people killed in the streets.

The Child Abduction

The book: Offred describes her 11-month-old daughter being briefly abducted from her, stolen from a shopping cart at the market. When she screams, the woman is stopped and detained until the police come.

The show: Junes daughter Hannah is abducted shortly after birth, taken after a woman assaults and possibly kills a nurse at the hospital. The kidnapper is stopped by the police before she can take the baby from the building.

The Salvaging

The book: The womens salvaging, as it is called, takes place in Harvard Yard and initially features the hanging of Handmaids and a wife who have committed unspecified crimes. When a man condemned for supposedly raping a Handmaid is brought out, it is Ofglen who attacks him quickly and brutally. Ofglen later tells Offred that he was with the rebellion and she wanted to put him out of his misery.

The show: When the salvaging begins, it is Offred who lands the first blow. She attacks the man brutally, perhaps as a catharsis for all the trauma she has experienced.
Jim James of My Morning Jacket at the American Dreams festival. Photo: Emily Wilson

Las Vegas has never been a particularly twee-friendly place  for one thing, its often just too hot to get around on a fixie  but now its home to the McSweeneys-founded literary magazine The Believer, and this past weekend Dave Eggers, Carrie Brownstein, and Miranda July came for a festival called American Dreams, to celebrate the publications arrival at its newly adopted home.

The Believer, of course, was founded 14 years ago in San Francisco as an organ of the new sincerity. It was bought by and will now come out under the auspices of the Black Mountain Institute (named after the famous, now-defunct mid-century avant-garde college from North Carolina) at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Itll be a magazine of poetry, art, stories about fighting HIV in Tijuana, and interviews with Agnes Varda in a town whose few publications seem largely preoccupied with nightclubs and speculation about the Raiders.

The Believer, a bimonthly with about 5,600 subscribers, was founded in 2003 by Vendela Vida, Ed Park, and Heidi Julavits; Vida recently said that it by design, takes few ads and has always been breakeven at best, which is why the deal to go under the wing of the Black Mountain Institute last month makes so much sense.

The festivals headline event was a Saturday afternoon reading and talk with Brownstein, July, and Eggers at an outdoor venue ringed by a casino, a motel, and a parking garage. It used to be that the only books associated with Las Vegas were ones like How to Win at Blackjack, BMI executive director and new Believer editor-in-chief Joshua Wolf Shenk told the crowd before Brownstein and Eggers were introduced (by woman with Bettie bangs and guy with ponytail, respectively). Brownsteins reading was a perfect fit for the town: a tale of going to a mall to see the star of her favorite soap opera, Days of Our Lives, and winning the lavender lace crop top worn by Cher in a workout video. (Brownstein no longer has said top, which is unfortunate because she could have just run over to Caesars Palace, where Cher is doing a residency, and return it in one internet-breaking awkward moment.)

There wasnt enough shade: At one point, July looked down at her sandals and muttered, I should have put sunblock on my feet.

How different is Las Vegas from Portland, Oregon? Brownstein said, I could do Portlandia here, but it would all have to be at that one coffee shop  The crowd laughed, knowing exactly which coffee shop: the one with macadamia-nut lattes and artisanal locks on the handcrafted bathroom doors, across the street from the independent bookstore with the pet bunny and the bird-chirp soundtrack, down the block from the all-vinyl record store whose T-shirts bear the motto, This town sucks. (This is Vegass twee district.) However, Brownstein did grasp something about the essential nature of the city when she pointed out, Las Vegas is a good place to cry alone in your car.

Miranda July. Photo: Emily Wilson

Miranda Julys performance involved reading the anonymous sexual fantasies of women in the audience, which she had solicited via email a week before. The results were oddly dispiriting  one expects decadent kink from the women of Sin City, but most fantasies seemed to arise more from loneliness than lust. The audience remained silent, gazing at July rather than look around and risk locking eyes with the woman who masturbates because her husband is cheating on her. At the adjacent motel, a gentleman in a purple rayon shirt and old-school fade strolled out onto the balcony with a glass of wine and took in the show with an affable smile. However, he returned to his room when July began her second reading  a bestiality story rejected by Playboy.

A few hours later, everyone reassembled for an after-party at the Bunkhouse, an indoor-outdoor venue downtown. On a stage beneath a light-strung tree, Jim James of My Morning Jacket performed songs by Simon & Garfunkel and Woody Guthrie, shades on and blondish hair blown black like some ersatz, earnest Dude. Listeners lolled on picnic tables and the hulks of demobilized vintage pickup trucks; in one corner, an Airstream trailer peddled vintage clothes and ashtrays; across the way, a stand served up tacos.

Women flipped their bangs out of their eyes and discussed whether Dave had talked over Carrie too much, while guys with salt-and-pepper crew cuts clutched beers and got a little teary over Jamess rendition of Funny How Time Slips Away.

Another after-party took place at the Jackie Gaughan suite at the El Cortez, which remains unchanged since the eponymous casino owner lived there. Gaughans decorating taste could be described as Liberace meets Scarface: mirrors and brass everywhere. Even the electrical outlets are upholstered, and the bathroom is completely done in pink marble, down to the ten-pound toilet seat, with every tap and handle a gilded swan.

There, a half-dozen people flopped on the eight-foot sofas, drank cans of Tecate and glasses of Riesling, and talked about future stories, future plans. The lights were dimmed, the furniture moved, Rihannas workworkwork came on, and Miranda July began dancing, sunburned foot notwithstanding. When Prince came on, even more joined in, as Dave Eggers goaded everyone into a Soul Trainstyle dance line  although this group didnt so much drop it like its hot as put it down like its quite warm. The cool kids of Vegas may have enjoyed a night with the Brooklyn and San Francisco sensibility elites, but there are advantages to Vegas. After all, as Shenk pointed out, Unlike Portland or Austin, you dont have to keep Las Vegas weird.
By Press Trust of India: Lucknow, Apr 26 (PTI) Dos and donts have been issued for the UP Police on anti-Romeo squads, with the new police chief making it clear that those indulging in rowdy behaviour need not be arrested and instead their guardians be called and briefed.

DGP Sulkhan Singh also said that stern action should be taken against vigilantes indulging in violence or creating anarchy by taking the law in their hands in the name of cow protection or other issues.

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The DGP, who held an important meeting with senior police officials of the state, issued necessary directives to all the district level officials through video conferencing last night, a police spokesman said today.

"Directives have been issued to all the SSPs/SPs to prepare standing orders for the anti-Romeo squads clearly indicating the dos and donts," the spokesman said. "The SSPs/SPs have been asked to personally brief the squad that they do not have to investigate any issue and act only against the rowdy elements," he said, adding those found indulging in such behaviour need not be arrested and instead their guardians be called and briefed. They have also been asked to record the action taken by them, he said. Anti-romeo squads have been in the news for all the wrong reasons in Uttar Pradesh with police accused of harassing innocent couples.

The DGP gave clear instructions during the video conferencing last night to take stern action against vigilantes indulging in violence or creating anarchy by taking law in their hands in the name of Gau Raksha (cow protection) or other issues, the spokesman said. Asking the police force to actively check law and order, he said no new tradition of protest should be allowed nor road blockade be allowed on any matter. They have been asked to take help of peoples representatives and labour union leaders for the purpose of maintaining peace and order. He also issued directives on maintaining traffic movement, taking action against encroachers and implementing road discipline besides lodging of FIRs, proper behaviour with public, presence in staff in offices among others. PTI SAB SMI DV

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About 20 members of the 'Nat' community have adopted the Hindu religion in UP's Faizabad district. Surendra Kumar, the head of the group, said their elders converted to Islam about 25 years ago "due to unavoidable circumstances."

By Rajat Rai: About 20 members of the 'Nat' community adopted the Hindu religion in UP's Faizabad district.

Though there were speculations that it was a forced conversion, the members of the community justified their decision by providing facts. These people belong to the Makahari village of the neighbouring Ambedkarnagar district and according to them they were having some social issues.

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"About 25 years ago, our elders converted to Islam (from Hinduism) due to unavoidable circumstances. We were facing a lot of problems from both the groups and so we decided to turn back", Surendra Kumar, the head of the group said.

'NOT AT ALL A FORCED CONVERSION'

"I was in touch with Kailash Chandra Srivastava (of the RSS) and he helped us," he added.

"This is not at all a forced conversion. There are about 50 more waiting and we want to assure them of all kind of assistance and support in living a free and fear-free life", Srivastava said.

A proper Janeu and Mundan ceremony was performed at the Arya Samaj Temple near the Kotwali police station after which they were given new names, he added.

Police reached the spot, but were turned down.

ALSO READ | Kidnapping, forced marriage: Pakistan's Hindu women hope for protection in new law

ALSO READ | From the magazine: The coming of a Hindu state

ALSO READ | American evangelist's Bengaluru event cancelled after fringe groups accuse her of flouting visa rules, trying to convert

ALSO WATCH | American evangelist's Bengaluru event cancelled after fringe groups accuse her of flouting visa rules, trying to convert

--- ENDS ---
By Press Trust of India: Americas interests

From Lalit K Jha

Washington, Apr 25 (PTI) Expressing concern over Chinas "increasingly assertive" behaviour in the Asia Pacific region, top US Senators and experts today said Washington should be clear that its cooperation with Beijing on North Korea will not be at the expense of Americas interests in the region.

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"I welcome the Trump administrations outreach to China on the issue of North Korea. But as these discussions continue, the US should be clear that while we earnestly seek Chinas cooperation on North Korea, we do not seek such cooperation at the expense of our vital interests," said Senator John McCain.

"We must not and will not bargain over our alliances with Japan and South Korea. As its behaviour toward South Korea indicates over the last several years, China has acted less like a responsible stakeholder of the rules-based order in the region and more like a bully.

"Its rapid military modernisation, provocations in the East China Sea and continued militarisation activities in the South China Sea signal an increasingly assertive pattern of behaviour," alleged McCain, Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee at a Congressional hearing, during which he was joined by several other lawmakers and eminent experts echoing the same sentiments.

McCain rued that despite efforts to rebalance the Asia- Pacific, US policy has failed to adapt to the scale and velocity of Chinas challenge to the rules-based order.

"And that failure has called into question the credibility of Americas security commitments in the region. The new administration has an important opportunity to chart a different and better course," he said.

Ranking Member Senator Jack Reed wanted to know how the US will balance its military presence with economic engagement to counter the narrative that China is the economic partner of choice? "And most important, how will it balance cooperation and competition with China, especially given the important of Chinas cooperation initiatives ranging from North Korea to terrorism?" he asked.

Ashley Tellis from the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace said as the US thinks China as a strategic competitor, it is important not to think of China as merely a regional power, but increasingly as a global challenge to the United States.

"China is already a great power in Pacific Asia. It is increasingly active militarily in the Indian Ocean. It is seeking facilities in the Mediterranean and along the African coasts.

"Within a couple of decades, the size of Chinese naval capabilities will begin to rival those of our own and it is likely that China will begin to maintain a presence, both in the Atlantic and in the Arctic Oceans as well. So we have got to think of China in a new way, not just simply as an Asian power, but as a global power," Tellis said.

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Victor Cha, senior adviser and Korea Chair at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies said Beijing is unlikely to let off on the economic pressure on South Korea over the THAAD defence system for at least another one or two financial quarters.

"This will hurt South Korean businesses and tourism even more, but it should also spark serious strategic thinking in the US and South Korea about reducing the Republic Of Koreas economic dependence on China.

"Given the energy revolution in the US and the removal of export restrictions, the two allies should think seriously about new bilateral energy partnerships that could reduce South Korean energy dependence on China and the Middle East," Cha said.

Aaron Friedberg, professor at Princeton University noted that China is behaving more assertively, both because its leaders want to seize the opportunities presented to them by what they see as a more favourable external situation and because they feel the need to bolster their legitimacy.

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"And to rally domestic support by courting controlled confrontations with others whom they can present as hostile foreign forces, including Japan and the US.

"If in the 20th century, the US tried to make the world safe for democracy, in the 21st, China is trying to make the world safe for authoritarianism, or at least its trying to make Asia safe for continued communist party rule of China. They are using and trying to coordinate all the instruments of policy to achieve these ends," Friedberg said.

He said Chinas actions arent limited to pursuing its claims and trying to extend its zone of effective control in the maritime domain. Along its land frontiers, Beijing has also unveiled a hugely ambitious set of infrastructure development plans. The so-called one belt one road initiative, which aims to transform the economic and strategic geography of much of Eurasia.

"Chinas leaders have begun to articulate their vision for a new Eurasian order, a system of infrastructure networks, regional free trade areas, new rules written in Beijing and mechanisms for political consultation, all with China at the centre and the US pushed the periphery, if not out of the region altogether.

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"In this vision, US alliances would either be dissolved or drained of their significance, maritime democracies would be divided from one another and relatively weak, and China, meanwhile, would be surrounded on the continent by friendly and subservient authoritarian regimes," Friedberg said.

Chinas strategic intent is to chip away at decades of American security and economic primacy in Asia, said Kelly Magsamen, the former US principal deputy assistant secretary of Defence for Asian and Pacific Security Affairs.

"And some are going to get squeamish over the idea of US China great competition, great power of competition. But to ignore the fact that China is already in competition with us - excuse me, would be tantamount to strategic malpractice.

"I do not mean to suggest that we should enter a new Cold War in China, nor can we cast aside areas of cooperation that benefit our interests. But we need to be clear eyed about our long-term interests in preserving the American position and that should be our North star. To do so, the US needs to invest in our comparative strengths and by extension, our credibility," Magsamen added. PTI LKJ CPS

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The first and likely only candidate forum ahead of the May 6 Waco City Council election drew only 17 people Monday, the first day of early voting.

But the forum, organized by the fledgling China Spring Neighborhood Association, gave residents in that area a rare chance to make their voices heard.

District 5 Councilman Jim Holmes and his challenger, Deanna Leach, chatted informally with residents about development issues, roads, city services and even the need for a grocery store in one of Wacos fastest-growing reaches.

Speaking at the China Spring Independent School District school board chambers, the candidates both pledged to be advocates for quality development, public safety and parkland in the area.

Ive seen how much of an explosion of growth yall have had, said Leach, a craniosacral therapist. I understand your growing pains. I support growth, but I think we should keep the authenticity of neighborhoods. I think we should support the right formula for developers to provide green space so we keep it as a neighborhood, not just as a bunch of houses.

Leach said she also would like to see bike lanes in the area to complement the widening of China Spring Highway, now underway.

China Spring, a longstanding unincorporated community, lies partly within Waco city limits, where most of its growth has occurred. City planners say they expect the area within the city limits to grow from 5,200 residents in the 2010 Census to about 8,400 by 2020.

Police response times

Holmes, an investment banker appointed by the council last year to fill the former council seat of newly elected Mayor Kyle Deaver, said he wants to see infrastructure and public safety service levels improved in the area. Holmes said a recent presentation by Police Chief Ryan Holt shows that police response times to China Spring were about 14 minutes, compared to six minutes in the heart of town.

I think thats unacceptable, he said, adding that he supports Holts request for 20 more officers during the next two years.

One attendee asked the candidates what they would do to champion a grocery store to the China Spring area.

Holmes said he would be willing to take a contingent of China Spring residents to meet with regional officials of H-E-B and possibly Brookshire Brothers.

Holmes said his investment company has owned supermarkets in the past, and he knows them to be low-margin businesses that are very careful about large capital investments.

He said H-E-B ultimately may build on land it owns at 19th Street and Lake Shore Drive, or it may go farther out to the China Spring population center.

I dont have any inside information, he said. All I know is that we need a grocery store out here.

Leach said Brookshire Brothers, which has stores in McGregor, Lorena and Robinson, might be more willing to serve a population of China Springs size. But she said it doesnt hurt to lobby both chains.

Youre just going to have to ding on them to say, We really need this to happen,  she said.

Development concerns

Several questioners raised concerns about planning and development in the area, with some denouncing greedy developers and poor construction quality that jeopardizes the future reputation of China Spring.

Holmes said he wasnt going to call out any developers for greed, but he said he has stood with homeowners who are trying to protect the character of their neighborhood. He said he sided with neighbors in opposing a rezoning in Bosqueville that would have allowed a 216-unit apartment on a tract that was a mixture of commercial and residential zoning. The rezoning failed, leaving the developer to say he would still build 216 units but include 60 rental houses.

What citizens wanted was better density in there, he said.

Holmes said he also supports a proposed ordinance requiring developers to set aside land for parks and open space or set aside money for parkland offsite.

Leach said the new neighborhood association is a great way for the China Spring neighborhood to have more influence at City Hall.

I know its been difficult to go from a rural community to this much growth, she said. You really have to make friends with the planning department.
Waco Independent School District officials are pushing for an almost $1 million expansion of the Greater Waco Advanced Health Care Academy to help meet dual credit requirements and to offer more dual credit programs by next summer.

GWAHCAs science labs are insufficient for some of the districts dual credit courses offered under a partnership with McLennan Community College, but remodeling a gym at the GWAHCA campus now used as storage space would change that, area superintendent Rick Hartley said.

Hartley is overseeing a proposal to convert the gym into two modern science labs, one at a cost of $678,380 and the other at a cost of $278,000, according to district documents. If the school board approves the work in May, the labs could be up and running by February or March, school officials said.

The health care academy is at the former Viking Hills Elementary School campus in West Waco.

When we put GWAHCA in, the idea was to build a CNA (certified nursing assistant) program for students  not just ours but in other districts, Hartley said. Over time, weve seen new opportunities wed like to provide for our students. . . . But the lab structure, the physical labs (in place now), wont meet the requirements for these dual credit classes.

Too much traveling

The district could send students to MCC labs, but the logistics would be complicated and take up too much of the students day, he said.

Without the two science labs, students enrolled in GWAHCA dual credit courses would travel from their designated school to GWAHCA, then to MCC for the dual credit course, back to GWAHCA and then to their home campus again, Hartley said. If they ride the bus to school in the morning and catch a bus ride home, that would be six bus rides in a day, Hartley said.

GWAHCA serves Waco High School, University High School and 11 other school districts within the area, Greater Waco Academies director Dale McCall said.

Based on projections from the number of students who have enrolled for next year, the program is likely to grow to 300 students, up from the 200 it is serving this year, McCall said. GWAHCAs anatomy and physiology labs are already tight and are not functional enough for dual credit courses.

As a high school doing dual credit, you have to offer the same experiences and the same teaching level as any college would, McCall said. You have to cover the same course learning outcomes. Any two-year college has a course outcome set by the coordinating board. If I dont have everything thats exactly like MCC has, thats OK as long as I can bring the same experience to the student teachingwise and knowledgewise. We try to replicate it how we can.

Currently, GWAHCA collaborates with local hospitals and business partners to offer a standard and an advanced certified nursing assistant program, pathophysiology, anatomy and physiology, world health research and two health science practicum courses. If the school expands, GWAHCA could add a microbiology course and others in the future, McCall said.

The renovations also would open the door for more instructors and professors to come to the GWAHCA campus and save the district on transportation expenses, Hartley said. Right now, GWAHCA has only one instructor who comes to the campus, McCall said.

The addition of college-level labs at GWAHCA would open the door for students from across McLennan County to enroll in dual credit science courses that will later help them apply for admission to a number of Allied Health programs at MCC or transfer with the students to colleges and universities across Texas, MCC dual credit program director Londa Carriveau said.

That is exactly what the program is trying to build, McCall said.

The next thing in the sequence for GWAHCA right now is to get the labs ready for dual credit that will go hand in hand with the advanced academics, and we can move the students forward into wherever they want to go to, McCall said.

The endorsement plan of Allied Health shows a student could get an associates degree, 60 hours of college, when they graduate high school at the same time.
Marlins police chief is resigning, though the reasons for the move remain unclear.

Damien Eaglin submitted his letter of resignation to the city council Monday. He stated he enjoyed the honor of serving Marlin residents as police chief since December 2015. Eaglins official end date is unclear.

At this time in my life, I have other endeavors and goals that are pointing me in a different direction. Please do understand, Eaglin stated in his resignation letter. If at a later date, the opportunity presents itself for me to be of assistance, I will do so with no hesitation.

Eaglin took over the position one month after Chief Darrell Allen died from a gunshot wound he suffered while working off-duty security at a bar in Temple.

Eaglin has since faced scrutiny over incidents involving the department throughout 2016 and early 2017, according to multiple media outlets.

Marlin City Manager Alan Grindstaff said Eaglin told him and Marlins mayor in person Friday of his plans to resign.

It surprised me a little bit, because his father has health problems in Houston and that is his principal reason for resigning, Grindstaff said. He wants to take care of family matters. That is why it only surprised me a little bit, because he had taken some time off for family matters.

The city will be advertising the position for the new chief soon, but the search could take two to three months, Grindstaff said.

A Marlin police officer was arrested in January, accused of stealing firearms, and Eaglin said at the time several pieces were reported missing from the departments armory.

The Texas Law Enforcement Support Office was pulling support from the department after the January arrest, and that the Department of Public Safety seized about 10 handguns and 10 assault rifles, local broadcast station KWTX Channel 10 reported in late March.

The job that he did, I dont know a lot about it, said Grindstaff, who started in February. He was just running the department and was doing the best job that he could at his job for the city. We didnt have anything major that happened that I would have to worry about it, so he did well.

Local media outlets also reported Tuesday that Eaglin said he was stepping down because of a hostile work environment he had been enduring since he took the chief position. The city council evaluated complaints about Eaglins job performance in the fall, but no action was taken.

At the time, Eaglin alleged the complaints were the result of his decision not to hire Marlin Independent School District Superintendent Michael Seabolt as a reserve officer, which led to a vendetta against him by Seabolt, KWTX reported Tuesday. Seabolt has since disputed Eaglins account.

KXXV News Channel 25 had a similar report, stating Eaglin chose to resign because of a complaint Seabolt filed with the state about the same situation.

Multiple attempts to reach Eaglin on Tuesday were unsuccessful. But Seabolt said he was aware of what other outlets had reported and offered clarification about the situation Tuesday evening. Seabolt said he had filed a report, not a complaint, about a violation of state law to the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement in February 2016.

He hired me and another officer: gave us badges, a uniform and put us on patrol, Seabolt said. I appeared in front of hundreds at community events.

What Eaglin didnt do was fill out and submit the proper hiring paperwork required by the state to the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement, Seabolt said.

I didnt file a complaint because he didnt hire me, Seabolt said. That would be ridiculous.

Seabolt said he has had nothing to do with the situation since filing the report more than a year ago and was only doing his job as a certified peace officer.

Seabolt is a 2006 graduate of the East Texas Police Academy, according to his TCOLE employment record. Seabolt has also worked as an officer with three law enforcement agencies, according to his service history. He and Eaglin had a decent friendship until the events in February 2016, and he wishes Eaglin well in his next endeavor, Seabolt said.

I had a legal obligation after a period of time, and Im still a licensed peace officer to this day. I dont cover up for anything, Seabolt said.

Tribune-Herald staff writer Kristin Hoppa contributed to this story.
Charlie married Courtenay Skeete Armstrong in 1953 and moved to Dimmitt, TX where he owned and managed several farms in the area. He farmed until the mid 1970's at which time he moved to Ruidoso, NM where he sold antiques and worked for the City of Ruidoso. He married Virginia Sheets in Ruidoso and eventually retired and moved to Waco, TX. Charlie was a pilot and loved to fly. He also restored several antique tractors. He enjoyed his time spent in retirement as a member of the antique tractor club and the airplane club. Charlie was an active member of First Presbyterian Church in Waco, where he was always in attendance at the early service. He also enjoyed a special relationship with the fellow members of his Sunday School class. Charlie was a humble man who had many talents. Of his many accomplishments, he was the most proud of his family and loved each of them unconditionally.
President Trump had hoped to celebrate his 100-day mark by boasting of his success in obliterating his loser predecessors signature domestic accomplishment  and in replacing it with something that delivers more and better health care for less money. Instead, one of his chief 100-day accomplishments may be that hes in the process of making Obamacare more popular.

A new Post-ABC News poll finds that 61 percent of Americans now favor keeping and improving the Affordable Care Act, while only 37 percent favor repealing and replacing it. Crucially, it also finds that huge majorities reject ideas at the core of the latest version of the GOP replacement that Trump is championing.

Only 33 percent support allowing states to decide whether to require insurers to cover Essential Health Benefits (EHBs), such as doctors visits and emergency room visits, while 62 percent say it should be required in all states (as the ACA does). And only 26 percent support allowing states to decide whether insurers are banned from jacking up prices for people with pre-existing conditions, compared with 70 percent who say it should be required in all states. Both of these state-waiver provisions are in the latest GOP plan.

Whats even more striking, though, is that many voters who backed Trump are rejecting the GOP solutions. Trump voters are split on the Essential Health Benefits provision, with 45 percent saying all states should require them and 49 percent saying states should decide. Trump voters are also split on the ban on insurers hiking premiums on pre-existing conditions: 51 percent of Trump voters support that ban, while 45 percent favor allowing states to decide (as Trumpcare would do). Republican respondents say this by a striking 55-39.

While Trump voters do overwhelmingly favor repeal-and-replace in the abstract, there is not much support among them for the ideas at the core of the concrete replacement Trump is championing. This suggests that a key piece of conventional wisdom about this debate  that Trump will badly disappoint his base if this plan doesnt go through  perhaps deserves more skepticism.

The new poll also shows that Trumps bluster about sabotaging the ACA to force Democrats to the table is a nonstarter with the public, including with his supporters. Americans overall say that during this debate, Trump and Republicans should make the law work as well as possible by 79 percent, while 13 percent want to make the current law fail as soon as possible. Even Trump voters say this, 58-28.

One of the big stories of the 2017 health care debate has been this: When voters were finally presented with a choice between the unpopular ACA and a massively regressive GOP alternative that would slash spending and regulations and roll back the ACAs historic coverage expansion for the poor and sick, they decided they preferred the former and rejected the latter. Perhaps because of this, a nontrivial number of moderate GOP lawmakers appear privately OK with the ACAs general spending and regulatory architecture, though they cant say it that way out loud.

To be sure, the future of the ACA exchanges is hardly assured, and its still possible that the GOP could succeed in repealing and replacing the law. Trump and Republicans continue to try to push a solution that includes the above deregulatory provisions to win over conservatives. But the unpopularity of those provisions suggests that continuing down this path invites a backlash in the 2018 elections.

Trump strongly suggested during the campaign that he represented an ideological break from Speaker Paul Ryan and House Republicans when it comes to governments role in covering poor and sick people. He then embraced Ryans plan because it turned out (shockingly) that he just wanted the win of crushing Obamcare, with zero concern for the details or human toll the Ryan replacement would impose on millions. The public has rejected the wildly regressive Ryan vision and this route forward only carries further political peril.

Trump does, of course, have another option: He can drop repeal, revert to his promise of ideological heterodoxy and make a deal with Democrats to improve the ACA. This might plausibly make him more popular.
There was an impressive turnout for the March for Science this past weekend, with people in some 600 cities participating. Lots of speeches were delivered about the importance of science and, of course, the need for more funding, especially government funding.

But even with all those speeches, its likely that certain issues important to science were never mentioned. Did you hear a speaker suggest ?

Science advances when people are free to challenge the received wisdom. Nearly all scientists would agree that science is a learning process and that theories  even widely accepted theories  should be open to testing and revision, or rejection, if proven erroneous.

However, many of the March of Science speakers harbor a big reservation to that sentiment: You are free to challenge accepted theories unless its one of their pet theories.

As The Daily Caller quotes one of the most ubiquitous, self-promoting scientists, Bill Nye, who played a big role in the march: And I will say, much as I love CNN, youre doing a disservice by having one climate-change skeptic and not 97 or 98 scientists or engineers concerned about climate change. Thats because Nye erroneously believes that 97 percent of scientists share his views about climate change.

That attitude isnt new. It has often raised its ugly head over the centuries. Witness many of the past scientists who were persecuted for their contrarian ideas  until they became accepted. Science must stay free of politics. Though March for Science organizers tried to hide their political affinities, many speakers and attendees made their left-leaning priorities quite clear.

Politico helpfully published a list of what it thought were the 21 best signs at the D.C. rally. One of them said: Powered by science, strengthened by diversity. You can bet diversity wasnt referring to different views. Someone in a Santa Claus costume held a sign saying, My workshop is melting. And another sign said, Defiance 4 science. Yet another drolly read Society should worry when Geeks have to demonstrate. Another with a picture of Earth read: Defend, not defund.

Yet a certain reality must be acknowledged: Scientists want to further their research, politicians want to further their careers and those politicians sometimes use willing scientists to achieve their political goals.

One of the most ubiquitous themes on March of Science signs and speeches was the need to keep or increase government funding. The good news is that scientific research and development reached an all-time high in 2015, $499 billion from all sources, according to the National Science Foundation.

The better news, from a market perspective, is that the private sectors share of science funding is growing while the governments share is declining. Of the $499 billion, the federally sponsored share fell to a record low of 23 percent (or $113 billion) while the business sectors share rose to a record high of 69 percent (or $355 billion). But many of the marchers dont share that perspective because they want evermore taxpayer-funded support.

While the government can and has funded science impartially, it has increasingly funded projects with political, rather than scientific, benefits. Scientists should be aware that the government funding comes with strings  lots of them. Thats the only string theory the politicians understand.
Flores & his foes

The recently published editorial by the Trib board concerning Earth Day contained inaccuracies that must be addressed. The board noted that Rep. Bill Flores is not a climate science denier and that the Waco Friends of Peace/Climate erred in a recent protest by insisting that he does deny the science.

First, our press release sent to the Trib, and to at least one member of the board, clearly stated that Flores has written on his website that climate changes may occur but that he completely disregards the urgency of the issue and the reality that climate change is occurring now.

Second, if the Trib had sent reporters to the protest, they would have seen that our huge primary banner proclaimed Flores/Trump: Climate Inaction Kills, a statement different than claiming Flores is a complete denier.

Further, I suggest the Trib look deeper into the reality of Flores position, as we have done. In his America Next document on the website, he champions all forms of fossil fuels, including coal, opposes emission regulations and claims renewable energy is not yet economically competitive with fossil fuels  an absolutely false statement. There are already some 12 countries or regions and nine cities greater than 90 percent powered by renewable energy.

If the United States and the world were to follow the policies prescribed by Flores, the result would be environmental devastation. The worlds climate scientist community and 195 nations of the Paris Agreement recognize that we must rapidly transition now from fossil fuels to renewables by 2050 to avoid impacts of climate change incompatible with human civilization as we know it.

Thus, we are not environmental extremists spoiling for a fight. Instead, based on the rock-solid climate science, we are protesting those politicians who espouse policies that will threaten the future of our planet.

And although under pressure Flores now uses the term climate change, he ignores the impacts we observe right now, such as sea-level rise, continuous new high temperature records, constant melting of the major ice sheets and the ongoing sixth mass extinction. And most critical, he rejects the rapid transition to renewable energy science demands we must undertake.

Alan D. Northcutt, M.D., Waco

EDITORS NOTE: Our editorials champion science in addressing pressing environmental and ecological issues while lambasting those who misrepresent facts and one another. Flores has repeatedly acknowledged climate change, even as Waco Friends of Peace/Climate in the past has categorized him as a climate-change denier (for instance, its 2016 banner Defeat Climate Denier Flores). And while Mr. Northcutt is correct that the group banner last week proclaimed Flores/Trump: Climate Inaction Kills, we also saw signs at this anti-Flores rally reading Rep. Flores/Climate Denial Endangers Everyone and Climate Denial Kills.
Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price said in a prepared statement that she is thrilled her city is part of the Elevate initiative.

Being in the North Texas region, which encourages innovation and responsible businesses to thrive, we trust that this will be a beneficial choice for the development of the Elevate project, she said.

Fast Company reported that Uber is portraying Elevate as a cheap alternative to building new roads and expanding public transit but noted that Rawlings maintains Dallas has to provide as many transportation options as possible.

Anytime theres innovation in the marketplace, I dont think anybody truly knows the results of these things, or the costs, Rawlings told Fast Company. Weve got to be multimodal  theres no question  in this city.

Dallas currently is in the middle of several transportation-related fights over the city's future. Rawlings has been a strong advocate of a controversial high-speed bullet train that could whisk passengers from his city to Houston in 90 minutes. That project, which is being developed by a private firm, is the target of several bills moving through the Texas Legislature this session, though none that could fatally disrupt ongoing development of the rail line have passed either chamber so far.

Rawlings is also among champions of a controversial toll road that would be built within the Trinity River floodplain next to a planned urban park, a project that could indirectly delay planning on how to rebuild, renovate or tear down other downtown Dallas highways.

Meanwhile, the mayor has opposed calls to divert some sales tax revenue from public transit to help shore up a multibillion dollar shortfall in the citys police and firefighter pension fund, which is facing a financial crisis that threatens to raise property taxes, slash city services or prompt an exodus of first responders.

Fast Company first reported the Elevate initiative and said "a hodgepodge of local, state, and federal agencies all have to get on board" for the project to take off in the United States but that Uber could face a smoother path in Dubai, its other partner city.

Its a monarchy, so they have the ability to move very quickly with things that they get behind strategically, says Jeff Holden, Ubers chief product officer, told Fast Company. The certification of machinery and the approach to getting the aircraft through could be a much faster path [than in the U.S.].
WAHOO  U.S. Sen. Ben Sasses April 21 constituent services event at the Wahoo Public Library was a bit of a let-down for some of the less than 10 that attended.

Pre-publicity of the mobile office stated a constituent services representative would be on hand to offer guidance and aid to Nebraskans who require help navigating Washingtons federal bureaucracy.

Nancy Meyer of Cedar Bluffs said the mobile office did no such thing.

Meyer and her husband, Alan Meyer, came ready to discuss a number of topics that included the federal budget, healthcare, the Environmental Protection Agency and Sasses voting record.

Jim Kuester, director of military and veterans affairs for Sasse, was the representative that took information from those in attendance.

Kuester said he could do two things: take comments from constituents to the senator and take concerns from constituents regarding the navigation of federal agencies to those in Sasses office

that could aid them.

Meyer said she wanted something that was more of a conversation piece in Wahoo and that overall, she wanted more communication and representation from Sasses office.

Kuester fielded some questions about his specific department, but said he was not able to answer all questions about the various topics.

Kuester said he would relay constituent information to the correct parties.

But Meyer said she voiced concerns at last years mo-

bile office set up in Wahoo and did not hear back from anyone regarding their concerns.

Meyer also said she would like more dialogue in general.

Alan Meyer said senators and politicians are being inundated with questions and concerns since the new administration began, but that they need to step up their game.

They should make the extra efforts to outreach to their constituents. Theres a lot of dissatisfied people, Alan Meyer said.
By Press Trust of India: From Lalit K Jha

Washington, Apr 26 (PTI) Donald Trump has suffered a setback as a federal judge blocked his administrations executive order on denying funding to sanctuary cities harbouring illegal immigrants, saying the President is exceeding his constitutional authority.

The US District Judge William Orrick blocked the government from enforcing a key portion of Trumps January executive order on immigration, which ordered the Department of Homeland Security and Justice Department to block cities who do not cooperate with federal immigration enforcement from receiving federal funds.

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Orrick in his ruling yesterday said the president was "exceeding his constitutional authority" by trying to punish local governments that refuse to cooperate with his immigration policies.

The White House in a reply to order said that: "Given the nationwide scope of the order, and its apparent constitutional flaws, a nationwide injunction is appropriate," Orrick said in his order, which will remain in effect unless it is overturned by a higher court.

"Sanctuary cities, like San Francisco, block their jails from turning over criminal aliens to Federal authorities for deportation. These cities are engaged in the dangerous and unlawful nullification of Federal law in an attempt to erase our borders," the White House said in a statement.

"Once again, a single district judge -- this time in San Francisco -- has ignored Federal immigration law to set a new immigration policy for the entire country," it said.

It also said the ruling is a gift to the criminal gang and cartel element in our country, empowering the worst kind of human trafficking and sex trafficking, and putting thousands of innocent lives at risk.

The White House also warned that it will pursue all legal remedies to the sanctuary city threat that imperils its citizens, and continue its to ramp up enforcement to remove the criminal and gang element from the country.

However, political experts said this ruling dealt a serious blow to the Trump Administration.

San Francisco Attorney Dennis Herrera applauded the courts order in sanctuary cities.

"The court found the Trump administrations arguments were not legally plausible, and the court sided with us on every substantive issue. I hope this president learns from his litany of mistakes. His first 100 days have been a disaster. I hope for all of our sakes that he can turn it around," he said in a statement.

"Because San Francisco took this president to court, weve been able to protect billions of dollars that fund lifesaving programs across this country," Herrera said. PTI LKJ AJR AKJ AJR

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By Press Trust of India: From Deepak Ranjan

Warsaw, Apr 26 (PTI) Vice President Hamid Ansari today arrived in Poland on the second leg of his two nation trip, during which he will hold talks with the countrys top leadership.

Ansari was received by Irena Lichnerowicz Augustyn, Director of diplomatic protocol at the airport.

Over the next two days, he will meet the Polish president and the prime minister, who will host a banquet in the vice presidents honour. He will also meet the speaker of the Senate.

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The 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.

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.

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.

Before reaching Poland, Ansari was in Armenia till April 26. PTI DR CPS

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By Press Trust of India: From Deepak Ranjan

Warsaw, Apr 26 (PTI) Vice President Hamid Ansari today arrived here in Poland on the second leg of his two nation trip, during which he will hold talks with the countrys top leadership on key issues including Indias NSG membership.

Ansari was received by Irena Lichnerowicz Augustyn, Director of diplomatic protocol at the Warsaw Airport and given ceremonial welcome.

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Over the next two days, he will meet the Polish president and the prime minister, who will host a banquet in the vice presidents honour. He will also meet the speaker of the Senate.

Ansari will inaugurate a business seminar. He will deliver a lecture at the University of Warsaw and inaugurate the Indian Embassy Chancery cum Residential Complex.

"This is befitting that the Embassy is being inaugurated by Vice President on its 60th anniversary of establishment of our embassy in Warsaw," an MEA official has said.

The Ambassador of India will host a reception in the honour of the vice president where he is expected to meet the Indian community and friends of India in Poland.

The 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.

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.

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 USD 600 million.

"As Polish business looks for market and opportunities beyond Europe, India is a natural partner. Our trade has gone 25 per cent in just one year," the official had said.

Before reaching Poland, Ansari visited Armenia and held talks with the countrys top leadership. PTI DR CPS

--- ENDS ---
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Citizenship applicants will need to demonstrate a higher level of English proficiency if the governments proposed changes to the Australian citizenship test go ahead.

Applicants will be required to reach the equivalent of Band 6 proficiency of the International English Language Testing System (IELTS).

Is g'day acceptable English?

To achieve Band 6, applicants must correctly answer 30 out of 40 questions in the reading paper, 23 out of 40 in the listening paper, and the writing paper rewards language used accurately and appropriately. If a candidates writing has frequent inaccuracies in grammar and spelling, they cannot achieve Band 6.

Success in IELTS requires proficiency in both the English language, and also understanding how to take - and pass - a test. The proposed changes will then make it harder for people with fragmented educational backgrounds to become citizens, such as many refugees.
A Turnbull government MP has called for the addition of a new verse to the national anthem outlining Australian values.

Andrew Laming, the Liberal member for the Brisbane seat of Bowman, suggested the lyrics should reflect Australians' larrikinism, resilience and sense of reward for effort.

"I think that the only way national anthems can distinguish themselves is through their values, and I do feel our current second verse has pretty much the same message as the first verse," Mr Laming told Fairfax Media on Tuesday.

The first verse was primarily about the beauty of the land, while the second verse dealt with people coming from overseas and "how much space we have", he said.
Breakaway senator Cory Bernardi says he will pursue mergers with other conservative parties and seek more defections from the Liberal Party after Family First folded its operations into his nascent Australian Conservatives party.

Family First, a socially and economically conservative party launched in 2001, will no longer exist from Wednesday and its two South Australian MPs will switch to serve under the Australian Conservatives banner.

The merger will give Senator Bernardi access to Family First's party infrastructure - including mailing lists - but will not boost his party's representation in the Senate.

While welcoming the merger, Family First senator-elect Lucy Gichuhi said she planned to serve as an independent rather than join forces with Senator Bernardi.
President Donald Trump's daughter and White House advisor Ivanka Trump elicited groans and laughter on Tuesday from some members of the audience at a conference in Germany after she defended her father's attitude and record on women, calling him a "tremendous champion" of families.

An entrepreneur, Ms Trump, 35, was in Berlin to represent the United States at a G20-related conference known as W20 on female business leaders and economic empowerment.

Speaking on a panel that included Angela Merkel, the chancellor of Germany, and Christine Lagarde, the managing director of the International Monetary Fund, Ms Trump was asked about her role in the White House and President Trump's previous comments about treating women disrespectfully.

Her father was famously caught on tape during the filming of an episode of Access Hollywood bragging that as a famous person, he could "do anything" he wanted to a woman, including grabbing them by their genitals, and has repeatedly called prominent women disparaging names like "dogs".
An international fugitive who stole almost half a million dollars during an ATM cracking spree in NSW will face extradition to Europe over his role in a deadly people smuggling operation.

The dramatic and movie-script like life of Aniello Vinciguerra was revealed earlier this year as the 37-year-old was awaiting sentence for a string of sophisticated thefts.

Aniello Vinciguerra is walked through Darwin Airport by two police officers after his arrest in December, 2014.

Within days of arriving in Australia on a fake Italian passport in 2014, the father-of-three joined a group of Albanian men in breaking open ATMs.

The Albanians - Simon Sheu, George Nika and Marsel Boka - had already stolen thousands of dollars from ATMs in other states before Vinciguerra joined their spree in September, 2014.
Washington: Before Donald Trump won the election in November we were warned: He is a Russian stooge. He is a fascist. He will upend the protocols and traditions that make governing possible. This is not normal.

Now that we are approaching the 100-day mark, it's worth noting that the president is defying the expectations of his resistance. And while there is plenty to oppose in Trump's young presidency, he is neither the Siberian Candidate nor the second coming of Mussolini.

Let's start with Russia. The FBI is still investigating whether and how his campaign may have colluded with Moscow's efforts to influence the presidential election. And yet in terms of actual policy, Trump has settled on a much tougher line with Russia than how he campaigned or in his first few weeks.

In the first month of Trump's presidency, there were legitimate concerns he would attempt a grand bargain with Russia. He boasted that it was an asset that Russian president Vladimir Putin liked him. And he went out of his way to spare Putin from the harsh criticism he reserved for just about everyone else.
Gary Cohn, director of the US National Economic Council, alongside Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin. Credit:Bloomberg The White House plan would eliminate the alternative-minimum tax and the estate tax, provisions that raise billions of dollars each year but have long been the target of Republicans seeking to rip up the tax code. Mr Cohn, speaking of the AMT, said "we don't think that people should have to do their taxes twice," and added that the estate tax unfairly prevented farmers and others from passing along their businesses to the next generation. In order to offset some of the cost of the lower rates, Trump administration officials said they were proposing to eliminate virtually all tax deductions that Americans claim, provisions that they argued primarily benefited wealthier Americans. Mr Cohn said they would preserve tax breaks that incentivise home ownership, retirement savings, and charitable giving. But almost all others would be jettisoned. Mnuchin had pledged "no absolute tax cut for the upper class." Credit:AP This includes the tax deduction people can claim for the state and local taxes they pay each calendar year. These taxes can be particularly high in states with higher income taxes, such as California and New York.

"It's not the federal government's job to be subsidising the states," Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin told reporters at the briefing with Mr Cohn. "It's the state's independent decision as to do what they want to tax." Some of the White House's tax changes would benefit the wealthy, such as the elimination of the estate tax, while other changes would benefit the middle class and lower-income Americans. For businesses, Mr Trump's proposal would lower the corporate tax rate from 35 per cent to 15 per cent, and it would also allow smaller businesses, structured in such a way that they are affected by the individual tax rate, to also use the 15 per cent threshold. There are millions of these businesses, known as "S Corporations," and they are often small, family-owned firms. But they can also include large law firms and lobbying shops. Mr Mnuchin said special protections would be put in place to ensure that the 15 per cent rate isn't taken advantage of by the wealthiest earners, though he didn't say how the White House would do this. The White House is also proposing a one-time tax "holiday" to incentivise companies to bring several trillion dollars currently being held in other countries back into the United States. They didn't specify what that tax rate would be, saying its currently part of negotiations on Capitol Hill, but they believed providing this incentive would bring money back for investment and hiring.

"We expect that trillions of dollars will come back on shore and will be reinvested here in the United States, for capital goods and job creation," Mr Mnuchin said. This process is called "repatriation." It's controversial, because critics allege the money is brought back and then paid out in dividends to shareholders, not used for hiring. But Democrats and Republicans have both been open to the idea of a tax holiday. The Obama administration proposed using one to bring money back into the United States that could be used for new infrastructure projects, for example. A key part of Mr Trump's tax plan during the campaign was to levy a tax or tariff against companies that move overseas and then try to sell their products back to American consumers. Mr Cohn and Mr Mnuchin said they were still looking at alternatives on how to structure this idea, and it was not an element of the plan rolled out on Wednesday. They said they found a plan embraced by House Republican leaders - known as a border adjustment tax - to be unworkable in its current form, but they are going to work with key lawmakers to see if adjustments can be made, Mr Mnuchin said. He also said White House officials were hopeful that their plan could win support from Democrats, but he said they were willing to forge ahead without them if necessary. They could use a special budget process known as reconciliation to pass the changes through the Senate with a simple majority vote, though this would be very difficult given how sharp they are planning to cut taxes. Mr Mnuchin also said their goal was to make permanent changes to the tax code, but they would consider a shorter-term change if necessary to win political support. "This is what's important to get the American economy going," Mr Mnuchin said. "So I hope [Democrats] don't stand in the way. And I hope we see many Democrats who cross the aisle and support this. Having said that, if they don't, we are prepared to look at the reconciliation process."

The White House's proposal bypassed a plan from House Republicans, led by Speaker Paul D. Ryan, that would have offset broad reduction in rates with a change in the way imports and exports are taxed, a proposal known as a "border adjustment tax." Ahead of the announcement, some Democrats were skeptical. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said members of his party would scrutinise the details, but he predicted the package could amount to major tax breaks for the wealthiest Americans and for businesses like those formerly run by President Trump. "That's not tax reform," Mr Schumer said on the Senate floor. "That's just a tax giveaway to the very, very wealthy that will explode the deficit." Speaking Wednesday morning on Capitol Hill, Mr Ryan called Trump's framework "a critical step forward in this effort." "We've been briefed on what they are going to do and it is basically along exactly the same lines we want to go," Mr Ryan said. "So we see this as progress being made, showing that we are moving and getting on the same page. We see this as a good thing."

Mr Trump's tax plan does have an advantage over Mr Ryan's and other plans, including those supported by some Democrats, that aim to be make up the forgone revenue. While there is broad bipartisan support for plans that both cut rates but make up for it with the elimination of certain tax breaks or reductions in spending, coalitions have frequently fallen apart over where those savings should come from. Many public programs and exemptions and deductions in the tax system have broad popular support, or are defended by powerful interests. The trouble Mr Trump has is that while his administration says the tax cuts will over time pay for themselves, Congress's nonpartisan budgetary referees at the Joint Committee on Taxation won't work off that same assumption. Because of the rules of the Senate, legislation that would result in more borrowing over the long term would be vulnerable to a Democratic filibuster, requiring 60 senators to advance the legislation. Republicans hold just 52 seats in the chamber, and absent those 60 votes, Mr Trump and his fellow Republicans would only be able to pass cuts that would last for 10 years. Loading After that time, the tax cuts would expire unless Congress takes action, setting up another fight over taxes.
West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee announced a compensation of Rs 2 lakhs to each of the deceased's family.

By Manogya Loiwal : Three people were killed and several injured after a jetty wrecked in Hooghly district of West Bengal on Wednesday.

Sources said that while several people survived by swimming towards the bank of the river, three of them died and many others were injured.

Those who could not swim lost their lives in the high tide. Three dead bodies were recovered and 20 others have been hospitalized.

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Questions are being raised on why the jetty and boat services were not alerted about the high tide during certain hours of the day.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced a compensation of Rs 2 lakhs to each of the deceased's family.

Also read:

Didi vs Modi: Mamata Banerjee renames Central government schemes, BJP leader calls her Babur

Amit Shah to start BJP's expansion drive from Naxalbari, West Bengal

Day after Sukma, BJP chief Amit Shah begins Mission Bengal from Naxalbari

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Beirut: The United States has expressed "deep concern" over air strikes by Turey and says they were not authorised by the US-led coalition fighting Islamic State.

The Turkish planes bombed Kurdish fighters in Iraq's Sinjar region and northeast Syria on Tuesday, killing at least 20 in a campaign against groups linked to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party.

"We have expressed those concerns with the government of Turkey directly. These air strikes were not approved by the coalition and led to the unfortunate loss of life of our partner forces in the fight against" Islamic State, State Department spokesman Mark Toner said in a conference call with reporters.

A Turkish military statement said around 70 militants were killed in Tuesday's operations inside the two neighbouring states.
ISIS militants were planning to attack local tribesmen near Hawija in Iraq but before the Iraqi army could kill them, a herd of wild boars mauled them to death.

By India Today Web Desk: A herd of wild boars mauled a group of ISIS militants in Iraq and killed 3 of them while the extremists hid in an ambush.

According to the locals, the militants were hiding very close to Hamrin mountains near Kirkuk. The herd of wild boars not only killed 3 militants, they also injured 5 militants severely.

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According to Sheikh Anwar al-Assi, a chief of the local Ubaid tribe and supervisor of anti-ISIS forces, the group was aiming to attack a band of local tribesmen who left for the nearby mountains after the town of Hawija was seized by the militants.

"It is likely their movement disturbed a herd of wild pigs, which inhabit the area as well as the nearby cornfields," he said.

Also read: Photographer dropped his camera to rescue children as war in Syria continued to kill them

The extremists executed 25 people who tried running away from Hawija and were planning to kill more but were killed by the boars.

Hawija is just 100 miles from Mosul, a city in Iraq which is on its way to liberation and is fighting a brutal battle against ISIS.

"We know that a massacre took place in Hawija district through our sources, this will not be ISIS's last massacre against citizens.", al-Assi told The Times.

Looks like Iraq is in a dire need of a wild boar army.

Also watch: ISIS target to attack Imam Bara, Shia shrines in Uttar Pradesh

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Fireworks to Launch WSU Social Science Building Renovation

April 26, 2017

OGDEN, Utah  The community is invited to join Weber State University for fireworks and fanfare to mark the renovation kickoff of its Social Science building, May 9 at 4 p.m. on the buildings east side.

The massive Social Science renovation is scheduled to begin immediately, and the building will reopen for classes January 2019. The old structure will be stripped down to its reinforced concrete frame and foundation. A structural analysis determined that keeping the bones of the building would save about $50 to $60 per square foot, or $5 million to $6 million overall, while also reducing the environmental impact of manufacturing and installing new steel and concrete.

We've done the architectural renderings, and we will make this a phenomenal building with dynamic windows that let in the light and have a spectacular view looking out over the Great Salt Lake to the west, said Mark Halverson, associate vice president for Facilities & Campus Planning. We will create a real showstopper building in the front of campus.

The building will be renamed Lindquist Hall to honor that familys name. John E. Lindquist, president of Lindquist Mortuaries and Great Western Insurance, has gifted $5 million to help the dream become reality.

In 2016, the Utah Legislature permitted Weber State to begin the design process. In 2017, it allocated $14 million for construction, with the intent of another $15,940,000 in 2018 to complete the renovation. During construction, classes will be moved to various buildings around campus, but primarily the old Science Lab building, which will be demolished afterward.

After more than four decades of dutifully serving our students, its time for our Social Science building to make way for Lindquist Hall, said Charles A. Wight, WSU president. The renovated structure will provide great learning opportunities at Weber State for years to come.

The Social Science building has been a landmark at Weber State for 45 years. The heavily used building houses all 12 departments and programs in the College of Social & Behavioral Sciences, including archaeology, history, political science, psychology and the Olene S. Walker Institute of Politics & Public Service.

The college has 2,645 majors and provides many general education courses. Few Weber State students have graduated without taking at least one class in the building.

We estimate that on a typical school day, about 4,500 students come in and out of the building for their classes, said Frank Harrold, Social & Behavioral Sciences dean. That doesn't count those who come to study, to meet with professors, to meet with clubs or to do research. So it's a very heavily used building, and it shows. The mechanical systems are just about at the end of their useful life. We have significant problems with all of them  heating, ventilation and air-conditioning.

In addition, the building lacks adequate fire suppression and detection and does not meet current seismic standards. Its difficult to navigate, with steep stairs, narrow halls and one small elevator for four floors. Students complain about rust-colored water, lack of study space and inadequate support for modern technology. The problems are especially difficult for courses that require science labs such as criminal justice and neuroscience.

The renovation will address all those issues. In addition, by incorporating an existing breezeway, Lindquist Hall will have an additional 13,000 square feet, which will allow for collaboration and meeting spaces.

Winston Churchill is credited with this quote, We shape our buildings and then our buildings shape us, Harrold said. The new Lindquist Hall will both increase the quality of the educational experience and will promote interdisciplinary collaboration that's increasingly part of higher education. Exciting discoveries are happening at the boundaries between disciplines, and I think the new building will make that easy.

Building Facts

Renovated Square Footage: 119,350

Cost: $35 million

Architect: GSBS Architects

Contractor: Big-D Construction

Visit weber.edu/wsutoday for more news about Weber State University.

For high-resolution photos, visit the following links:

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By West Kentucky Star Staff Apr. 26, 2017 | 11:04 AM | GRAVES COUNTY, KY

Two Graves County men are charged with raping and sodomizing a young girl.

Graves County Sheriff Dewayne Redmon said the two men were arrested Tuesday night after an investigation into the sexual assault of an 11-year-old girl. Deputies responded to a call of theft of a cell phone and during that investigation, they were made aware of illegal sexual contact between the girl and 18-year-old Dynique T. Powell and 18-year-old Zachary Suiter, both of Mayfield.

Both men were apprehended and lodged in the Graves County Jail. Suiter faces two counts of 1st degree sodomy, victim under 12 years old and three counts of 1st degree rape, victim under 12 years old. Powell is charged with three counts of 1st degree rape, victim under 12 years old, 1st degree sodomy, victim under 12 years old, unlawful transaction with a minor and possession of illegal controlled substance.

Investigators said more arrests and charges are possible.
The incumbent and a Paducah attorney win their way to the bench
By West Kentucky Star Staff Apr. 26, 2017 | 07:03 AM | MAYFIELD, KY

A Mayfield man was arrested Tuesday on drug and gun charges.

According to the Mayfield Police Department, officers responded to the area of Fairview Baptist Church Tuesday morning about a possibly armed man threatening to assault people. When police arrived, they found 34-year-old Deeric King of Mayfield behind a home on West Water Street.

Police detained King, who was found in possession of a loaded gun and a bag of a white powdery substance believed to be cocaine. He was arrested on charges of possession of a handgun by a convicted felon, trafficking in cocaine and being a fugitive from justice.

He was lodged in the Graves County Jail.
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Director Thom Southerland's track record since taking over at Charing Cross Theatre last year has been pretty darn good. Revivals of established musicals - Titanic, Ragtime, Death Takes a Holiday - have played to his strengths: big casts on a small stage singing numbers with expansive hearts and strong messages. Here he tries that trick again, this time with a brand new musical, but unfortunately it trips up his winning streak.

In the main it's the source material which lets him down, despite Sebastien Lancrenon and Jean-Baptiste Saudray's musical having an intriguing story at its heart. Louis Braille was the man who, you guessed it, invented the system of raised dots which correspond to our alphabet and enable blind people to read. The main problem with The Braille Legacy is that they set up the story and almost finish it in the first half, so that in the second everything is quickly bundled up for the ending. It's as if the writers got bored. The final facts in Braille's life are spoken in short summaries out to the audience by the cast. The tale feels awkwardly truncated.

Set in Paris in the mid to late 1800s, we meet our hero in a poverty-stricken school for blind children. He's brainy and his studies are by turns encouraged and suppressed by the two men in charge of the school. Doctor Pignier (Jerome Pradon) believes the blind children should be treated as well as other people, whereas Monsieur Dufau sees them as a means to and end: medical test subjects to help discover a cure for blindness. Over the course of the plot the young Braille battles on with his new alphabet despite some very dark goings-on in the school.

It should have all the trappings of a juicy, morality tale musical, but instead the songs are florid and overblown, and the piece isn't helped by some painful over-acting. There are one or two good songs - I loved the simplicity of "The Vow"  sung by Braille's friend Gabriel (a strong Jason Broderick)  and some of the young cast are very good. Jack Wolfe makes his professional debut as Louis Braille and he has a remarkable voice. Pradon  a veteran musical theatre actor  gives a Les Mis-esque performance, slightly too big for this stage, but he sings his songs winningly.

Tim Shortall's set is a cumbersome hulk in the middle of the stage  a tall tower block of Parisian rooms placed on a revolve pushed by members of the cast. It crowds the action making the staging  usually Southerland's strong point  too complicated. Perhaps he was trying to inject the piece with movement in order to make up for the static nature of the script. Ranjit Bolt's translation  including some dubious rhymes - is occasionally wince-inducing.

In truth, the first half of this show isn't all bad. It clips along, features some nice songs and one or two strong turns. But the arc of the story is crushed by bad plotting, and the tendency to err on the side of bombastic overstatement drowns the piece. If only the writers had had the vision to spot that a little earlier.

The Braille Legacy runs at Charing Cross Theatre until 24 June.
LOCAL GROUP TO HOLD "LIVELY PUBLIC TOWN HALL MEETING" WITHOUT MARK MEADOWS MAY 13 AT JACKSON PARK

ALREADY BEING TARGETED BY DEMOCRATS AND LEFT-LEANING GROUPS FROM INSIDE--AND OUTSIDE--THE DISTRICT WELL IN ADVANCE OF THE 2018 ELECTIONS

As he rises in prominence and influence among conservative Republicans in the U.S. House, and continues to win in landslide re-elections with well over 60 per cent of the vote, Western North Carolina Congressman Mark Meadows is being increasingly targeted by Democrats and left-leaning and "progressive" groups and organizations inside---and outside---the region.

Asheville Democrat and progressive Matt Coffay has launched his campaign for Meadow's 11th District House seat in the 2018 general election.

And a local group called "Hendersonville Indivisible" plans an event, or what they're calling a "town hall', at a shelter in Jackson Park on May 13th.

In an press release this week, the group said their forum "will feature speakers on healthcare, immigration and the environment. It will also howcase residents who will share their personal experiences dealing with these issues."

The press rease went on to say, "While Meadows appears on Washington-based news programs, attends local fundraisers, and visits with private businesses and media outlets, he hasn't responded to requests with the people he is supposed to represent: the constituents of North Carolinass 11th Congressional District."

Remaining silent and staying away from our district isnt acceptable. As Mark Meadows constituents, we deserve the chance to hear from our congressman, but he isnt listening, says Jennifer Jenkins, Hendersonville Indivisibles Group Leader.

If Mark Meadows wont arrange a town hall, well do it for him. We believe it is

important to provide this forum to ensure our democracy functions the way its

supposed to. Its just unfortunate our own Congressman doesnt believe in those

same principles of transparency, accountability, and responsibility.

The press release gives the following information:

Who: Residents of North Carolinas 11th Congressional District

When: Sat., May 13,, 2017, 10:00 am EDT

Where: Jackson Park, Shelter #1, Hendersonville, NC

What: A Lively Public Town Hall Meeting Full of Energy, Information and

Questions for Congressman Mark Meadows
Not that it was ever actually on the cards, but it looks like you can go ahead a nip any prospect of Andre-Pierre Gignac joining PSG in the bud right now.

Gignac is currently one goal shy of his half-century for Mexican side Tigres (in just 86 appearances), who he joined after spending five years banging them in for his hometown club, Olympique Marseille.

Indeed, the 31-year-old striker was born and raised in Martigues, just northwest of Marseille, and as such harbours something of a ingrained loathing for the Parisians and their hoity-toity ways.

Asked by Life & Style whether hed contemplate a summer switch to PSG if the money was right, Gignacs reponse was what you might call unambiguous:

I hate Paris Saint-Germain. Id rather die than sign with them. If PSG offered me 10 times more money, I would not go there.

Just to ram the point home, Gignac went on to describe just how much he enjoyed PSGs recent dramatic Champions League demise at the hands of Barcelona.

Youve got no idea how I shouted at Barcas sixth goal in the Champions League. I screamed, ran, everything. My wife was even a little scared!

So thats a no then, yes?
Political scientists are often asked to predict the outcome of upcoming elections. Its important to note that I am at the mercy of the polls which are guesses themselves. Pollsters have the unenviable task of anticipating how people will vote and how that will impact the districts electorate. This has
Insurance Back Seguros el Roble chooses the FRISS solution to fight insurance fraud

Seguros el Roble announced that it has selected FRISS, in cooperation with MUNICH Re, to provide a fraud detection platform for claims, aiming to fight fraud in a more structured and effective way.



Seguros el Roble is the largest private insurance company in Central America and is the first insurer in Latin America to use FRISS for automated fraud detection in the claims process. The company has a strong innovative and progressive mindset and is ready to embrace the digital transformation in the industry. Hermann GIRON DELERY, General Manager, Seguros el Roble says: ''We are aware of the impact fraud and risk evaluation has on the lifetime value of customers as well as future fraudulent claims. We believe the implementation of the FRISS solution adds an important element in the evolution of our efforts to reduce fraud and increase client satisfaction by fast track service of our genuine and trustworthy customers.''



In motor insurance, a market share of 34.5% has given Seguros el Roble the economies of scale that allows business solutions to be effective. GIRON continues: ''MUNICH Re's selection of FRISS as a strategic partner for automated fraud detection and prevention was an important factor in our consideration of the FRISS solution. We are convinced that the use of FRISS technology in addition to smart underwriting will present significant benefits for our company results.''



Fraud awareness in Latin America



FRISS is European market leader with 100+ implementations and is fully focused on fraud, risk and compliance for non-life insurers worldwide. FRISS is pleased to expand its presence in Latin America by supporting Seguros el Roble in its combat against fraud. Jeroen Morrenhof (CEO, FRISS) underlines this: "We are very proud to welcome el Roble as first mover in Latin America and thank them for their trust in FRISS as a partner in supporting honest insurance worldwide." The close cooperation between FRISS and MUNICH Re is creating strong awareness in the region. Morrenhof: "We expect a fast growth in the adaption of real-time risk and fraud detection in Latin America and are glad to enable insurers in these important developments to increase profitability and more honest insurance."



Cooperation FRISS and MUNICH Re



FRISS and MUNICH Re have joined forces in order to better support insurance companies regarding their fraud and risk approach for both the underwriting and claims process. By working together insurers will benefit from both the leading position and experienced support from MUNICH Re combined with the specialized risk and fraud expertise (solutions) from FRISS.



MUNICH Re's Head of Client Management for the Caribbean, Mexico and Central America, Frank Buchsteiner says: "Within the MUNICH Re Group we have experience with FRISS as provider for automated fraud detection. Their solution has convinced us to enter a partnership with them for Latin America, Spain and Portugal in order to support our clients in reducing their combined ratio and in increasing the efficiency of their internal claims handling processes. We believe that El Roble is the ideal first client to implement FRISS because of its openness towards innovative technologies and because El Roble recognizes the importance and advantages of an automated fraud detection tool. We are looking forward to accompanying El Roble in the implementation of FRISS and on its way to reduce the number of fraudulent claims."



---



About Seguros el Roble



Seguros el Roble is the leading private insurer in Central America. Underwriting Life, Non-Life and Surety policies in Guatemala, and in Honduras through sister company, Seguros del Pais. In 2016 the insurance and surety operations underwrote over US$ 260 million in premiums in the Central American Region, with market leadership in all the insurance segments it operates. Seguros el Roble is part of Banco Industrial Financial Group, which offers Banking, Insurance, Credit Cards and other financial services in Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Panama, and Bahamas, as well as a number of remittance offices in the United States of America.



About FRISS | fraud, risk & compliance



FRISS has 100% dedication to fraud, risk and compliance for non-life insurance companies worldwide. FRISS helps insurers to achieve profitable portfolio growth and improve their perception in the market as a trustworthy insurer. FRISS is a ready-to-use business solution and improves the insurers' loss ratios by identifying high risks and fraud at quotes, underwriting and claim handling across all private and commercial lines. The FRISS Score enables better decisions since it indicates the risk for each quotation, policy or claim. FRISS is European market leader with 100+ implementations in over 17 countries.



www.friss.eu



About MUNICH Re



MUNICH Re stands for exceptional solution-based expertise, consistent risk management, financial stability and client proximity. This is how MUNICH Re creates value for clients, shareholders and staff. In the financial year 2016, the Group - which combines primary insurance and reinsurance under one roof - achieved a profit of 2.6bn. It operates in all lines of insurance, with over 43,000 employees throughout the world. With premium income of around 28bn from reinsurance alone, it is one of the world's leading reinsurers. Especially when clients require solutions for complex risks, MUNICH Re is a much sought-after risk carrier. Its primary insurance operations are concentrated mainly in the ERGO Insurance Group, one of the leading insurance groups in Germany and Europe. ERGO is represented in over 30 countries worldwide and offers a comprehensive range of insurances, provision products and services. In 2016, ERGO posted premium income of 16.0bn. MUNICH Re's global investments (excluding insurance-related investments) amounting to 219bn are managed by MEAG, which also makes its competence available to private and institutional investors outside the Group.





Author: Daniela GHETU on 26.04.2017





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You know youre getting the short end of the stick as a worker, but you dont really know why, says Joe Tarulli, a Staten Island Verizon tech whos put in 17 years with the company. They make it seem like these rich people are just lucky they got the right chances, and these poor old working folks, nothing ever goes right for them. No! These corporations are doing it on purpose.

Last spring, Tarulli and 39,000 Verizon workers were forced out on a 49-day strike to fend off outsourcing and other concessions demanded by the company, even as it raked in billions in profits. Democratic primary candidate Bernie Sanders walked the picket line with them to draw media attention to their battle against corporate greed. But in the general election, Tarulli says many of his coworkers went on to vote for Donald Trump, who spoke to the anger that had motivated them to strike in the first place. Trumps a great communicator, says Tarulli. For a long time people felt ignored, even by their own unions, because these companies take advantage of them so badly.

Trumps win highlighted a rank and file that feels alienated from politics as usual. While most major unions backed Hillary Clinton, 43 percent of voters in union households cast their ballots for Trump. The swing in votes was less a bump for Trump (who outperformed Mitt Romney by 3 points in union households) than a shortfall for Clinton (7 points below Obama in 2012)and thats not counting those who simply stayed home.

I did believe in him trying to get more jobs back to the United States, says Trump voter Jack Findley of Chattanooga, Tenn. Findley worked for four years on a Volkswagen assembly line, backing the unsuccessful union drive at the plant in 2014 before an injury put him out of commission. He has two kids, ages 4 and 7, and worries as he watches power companies and retailers in his area shut down. When my kids get old enough, I dont know where theyre going to be working, he says.

Its difficult to fathom that workers who risked their livelihoods to take on a corporate behemoth like Verizon, or back a long-shot union campaign at Volkswagen, went on to vote for a poster child of corporate greed. But after decades of bipartisan fervor for privatization, budget cuts and so-called free trade deals, many workers are disillusioned with both parties.

Lets be honestone party is directly against us, and one party helps us every now and then, says Scott Hoffman, president of the American Postal Workers Union (APWU) Boston Metro Area Local. I think so many union members, and union leadership for that matter, strayed this time because they felt that when they did put people in, the effort didnt come back.

From the outset of election season, labor should have been better in touch with this sentiment than anyone; its members were canaries in the coal mines that Trump has sworn to reopen. In January 2016, for example, the group Working America warned that the candidates fiery denunciations of free-trade agreements were winning over white union members in the Rust Belt. Yet just a handful of national unionsincluding APWU, the Communication Workers of America (CWA) and National Nurses Unitedwere willing to throw in their lots with Sanders campaign, which channeled the anger and despair of working people toward the real culprit, corporate America.

The lesson of 2016 is clear for labor: Working-class people are angry at the degree of American inequality, desperate for an explanation of how we got here and ready to take drastic action, if presented to them. Whether they opt for Trump and Steve Bannons racism or take to the streets against the 1% depends largely on how unions decide to fight back.
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 26/04/2017 (2023 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Physics geeks rejoice. Albert Einstein has his own drama series.

Everyone else? Pay attention, because you may learn something.

Einstein gets the biopic treatment in Genius, National Geographics first scripted drama. In 10, hour-long episodes, which premiered Tuesday, the beautifully shot and written series goes beyond what you already know  the scientific brilliance, the hair, those inspirational refrigerator-magnet quotations  for a personal look at one of the 20th centurys greatest minds.

Dusan Martincek / National Geographic Geoffrey Rush as Albert Einstein and Emily Watson as Elsa Einstein in Genius, premiering April 25.

Genius tracks Einstein (played in his later years by Geoffrey Rush) from his teenage years in 1890s Germany to the scientific breakthroughs that made him a global superstar to the final phase of his life teaching in the United States at Princeton.

In this telling, there are two constants in Einsteins life: hes always at odds with authority (professors, science luminaries, the Nazi Party, J. Edgar Hoover) and hes always cheating on the women in his life.

Genius looks and feels more like an epic feature film than something youd expect to find on a network once known for its nature specials and global-minded documentaries.

The cinematic presentation, however, makes sense, given that Genius was co-produced by Ron Howard and Brian Grazer and that Howard directs the first episode. Shot in Prague, the scenery of Europe is lush.

Genius attempts to break down physics concepts for laypeople and clueless television critics with colourful explanations that liken complex equations to ballroom dancing, lovers tooling down wooded lanes on bicycles or a colourful fireball speeding through space.

But this is a human drama, so even if the questions Einstein poses (Time is not absolute. Is it the same everywhere in the universe? What is time?) hurt your brain, its comforting to see that the obsessively curious physicist pretty much alienates everyone else in Genius as well.

Except, of course, the ladies. Who knew E = mc2 could be so sexy? (More on that later.)

Genius begins in Einsteins teen years (played as a young man by newcomer Johnny Flynn). Here hes portrayed as a wildly inquisitive student who challenges the dull conformity of his professors. They teach by repetition and rote, which to Einstein is like nails on a chalkboard.

He quits school in Germany, infuriating his manufacturer father, and makes his way to Switzerland, where hes accepted into Zurich Polytechnic, but only on the second try.

There he meets one of the schools few female students, Mileva Maric (Samantha Colley). He is entranced with her because shes the only woman hes ever met who can debate relativity theories one minute and make love the next, among piles of books and notes.

When she becomes pregnant, Einstein is forced to join the bourgeoisie he so despises, marrying Maric and earning a living as a commonplace patent clerk. Still, he woos the scientific establishment by publishing breakthrough papers, and making friends and enemies with other leading physicists such as Philipp Lenard (Michael McElhatton).

Einstein has children with Maric before divorcing her and marrying his first cousin, Elsa (Emily Watson), with whom he was having an affair. The multi-tasking Einstein will continually cheat on her, too, all while coming up with the theory of relativity.

Rush is a wonderful quirky, distracted and self-centred Einstein. Even as an older man, his sense of curiosity is astounding. Hes so driven by the incessant need to question that he neglects most everyone else in his life.

Dusan Martincek / National Geographic Geoffrey Rush portrays Albert Einstein in the National Geographic miniseries, Genius, premiering April 25.

For a man who knows everything about the universe, one mistress says, you know nothing about people.

As the younger Einstein, Flynn is less charismatic and convincing, but he does get across the pompous egotism that comes with being the smartest guy in the Western Hemisphere.

Genius takes place during a golden period of scientific discovery and offers a whos who of brilliant minds: Marie and Pierre Curie, Wilhelm Roentgen, Carl Jung and Werner Heisenberg. Another historical marker during Einsteins lifetime is the sharp rise of anti-Semitism prior to the Second World War. Here, it is documented in brutal though sometimes generically familiar scenes. Genius follows Einstein as he leaves Europe for the United States in 1933 while Adolf Hitler gains power.

The great unsolved mystery of Genius is why so many women cant help but throw themselves at the number-crunching physicist. The series hardly portrays him as a bookish recluse, but that alone does not the cad make.

His complicated love life, however, does make for great comedic moments.

When he says to his mistress that he wants her to come live with him, she reminds him that he has a wife. He insists they can make it work. She disagrees.

Perhaps triangular geometry is not as simple as Id like it to be, he mutters.

For non-geniuses, this joyful-to-watch series will answer every question you never had about space and time relativity.

 Los Angeles Times
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 26/04/2017 (2023 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

In the end, the room burst with applause: Winkler city council voted unanimously Tuesday night to approve a zoning application for the Pembina Valleys first mosque.

Ive never been at a council meeting where theres been such applause, Mayor Martin Harder said.

A standing-room-only crowd of more than 100 people packed the meeting, Harder said.

KARINA CARDONA PHOTO Signs from last night's meeting.

A handful of people raised concerns about the Muslim communitys application for a conditional-use permit to hold religious assemblies.

But the majority of people were non-Muslims showing support for the Muslim community. One woman held a sign that said Vote Yes. People also turned out from neighbouring communities Altona, Morden and Carman to show support.

Harder set parameters at the start of the meeting explaining that it was not a discussion about religion and what people believe, but a legal procedure about a groups fundamental right to gather.

Muslim speakers answered questions from the audience and assured people their religious assemblies do not, in any way, support radicalism.

The mayor and council did a good job of setting the tone and making it a respectful discussion, said Osaed Khan, president of the Manitoba Islamic Association, who attended the meeting.

Khan, who grew up in Altona, remembered his family having to drive to Winnipeg for religious ceremonies at a mosque. Its nice to have a closer hub for these rural places, he said.

The Muslim prayer centre is in a rented building. Khan did not know whether or when the community might build its own mosque. That takes time. Theres no interest and no need right now, he said.

Winkler has a population of about 13,000. About 175 Muslims live in the Pembina Valley area, community members say.

RUTH BONNEVILLE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES Winkler Mayor Martin Harder

Harder said it has been a while since hed seen such a large crowd at a council meeting.

We usually get one or two people out, maybe nobody, except for media, he said.

bill.redekop@freepress.mb.ca
* 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.
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 26/04/2017 (2023 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries confirmed Tuesday it has a deal to sell the downtown Medical Arts Building, but its not revealing the name of the buyer.

Respecting the confidentiality provisions of the agreement, at this time we are not able to disclose any details regarding the sale or the buyer, Andrea Kowal, MLLs director of corporate affairs, said in an email.

The only details Kowal did disclose are that the sale is unconditional, its expected to close in late June and that it includes the 15-storey office tower, the 385-stall parkade and the surface parking lot on the north side of the tower facing onto Graham Avenue.

RUTH BONNEVILLE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS files Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries purchased the Medical Arts building in September 2015 for $7.9 million with the intention of spending about $74 million to renovate and expand it.

Although MLL isnt saying who the buyer is, local real estate industry sources said Monday it is Toronto-based Timbercreek Asset Management Inc. and that the firm plans to convert the tower into an apartment complex.

They said converting the building to another use makes sense because, with its high vacancy rate and small floor plate, it no longer works as an office building.

MLLs asking price was $16 million, which is nearly twice the $7.9 million it paid when it acquired the properties in September 2015. The corporation planned to spend $74 million to renovate and expand the tower, retaining a portion of the revamped space for its newly amalgamated headquarters and leasing out the rest.

It had reportedly spent about $2.4 million on planning when, in January of this year, the MLLs new Tory-appointed board of directors scrapped the project. MLL chairwoman Polly Craik said the new board felt the corporation should stick to its core business and not become property developers and landlords.

Ugo Bizzarri, Timbercreeks co-founder and managing director of portfolio management and investments, could not be reached Tuesday for comment.

The president and CEO of Winnipegs downtown development agency  CentreVenture Development Corp.  said she hasnt heard what the new owner plans to do with the properties. But converting an underutilized office building into new housing would be great for the area, she added.

Although more than 2,600 new residential units have been built or announced for the downtown since 2005, Angela Mathieson said there can never be too much housing in the area.

Its really the key to the success of any vibrant downtown  as much population density as you can possibly manage.

She said rental apartments would also be a good fit for that part of the downtown.

Its got great access to transit, obviously, through the Graham Transit Mall. And its close to the University of Winnipeg and rental housing is something that supports students, as well.

Downtown Winnipeg Business Improvement Zone CEO Stefano Grande agreed more apartments would be welcomed.

Grande said BIZ officials are also hoping the new owner retains some retail space in the tower and builds a new retail development on the surface parking lot.

Theres a very strong and growing pedestrian activity along Graham Avenue, and what were hearing from the business community it that theyd like to see more storefronts along the Graham (transit) mall, he added.

He said the fact a buyer was found so quickly speaks volumes about the downtown and the impact the $400-million True North Square office/retail/residential/hotel development on Graham Avenue is having on the area.

People are starting to see the vision. People are starting to see property values escalate, which leads to being able to actually undertake construction and renovations. So its very, very positive.

murray.mcneill@freepress.mb.ca
The Special Rapporteur has denounced, condemned, and vehemently denied the news item. I am appalled by this fabricated and malicious news story which is clearly aimed at compromising my integrity and independence, both of which are recognized internationally, said Ms. Jahangir. She continued, Anyone who has a substantive disagreement with a Special Rapporteurs assessment can always express their doubts. However, it is unacceptable for mandate holders to be subjected to defamation campaigns when discharging their duties, which are established by the United Nations Human Rights Council.

The campaigns of vilification will not put her on the defensive, nor compromise her independence in reporting the challenges faced by Iranians with regard to their rights, dignity and freedoms, the Special Rapporteur said. These accusations unfortunately reinforce the assessment I made in my first report to the UN Human Rights Council about the climate of fear which exists in Iran, where similar methods are used to silence those expressing dissenting opinions, she added.

In September 2016, Ms. Jahangir who resides in Pakistan, was designated as the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran by the Human Rights Council. Ms. Jahangir was elected President of the Supreme Court Bar Association of Pakistan, as well as Chairperson of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan. She is recognized both nationally and internationally for her contribution to the cause of human rights, and is the recipient of major human rights awards. She had done extensive work for womens rights, protection of religious minorities, and for the elimination of bonded labour. She is a former Special Rapporteur on summary executions, and on freedom of religion.

The Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council is the largest body of independent experts in the UN Human Rights system, and the Special Rapporteurs and Working Groups are part of Special Procedures. It is the general name of the Councils independent fact-finding and monitoring mechanisms, and addresses both country specific situations and thematic issues all across the world. Special Procedures experts are not UN staff and do not receive a salary for their work. They work on a voluntary basis. They are independent from any government or organization and serve in their individual capacity.
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 26/04/2017 (2023 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The world is heating up  and much more quickly than expected, a recent Arctic research report states.

Arctic temperatures are rising faster than the global average, the Snow, Water, Ice and Permafrost in the Arctic assessment states.

The report, released Tuesday at a conference in the United States, is compiled from a team of international researchers examining different aspects of the Arctic. Some of those key contributors include skilled professors from Winnipeg.

Dr. David Barber, a professor at the University of Manitoba specializing in Arctic sea ice and one of the authors of the report, said the changes in Arctic temperatures appear to be affecting the climate and weather patterns right down to the Equator.

Were still trying to figure out how exactly these processes work, Barber said.

Barber travels into the field for some of his research but is also able to use facilities at the University of Manitoba for his experiments.

The university is home to the Sea-ice Environmental Research Facility, an outdoor complex with a seawater pool and a moveable roof that allows researchers to study the growth and melting of sea ice in controlled conditions. Its the first facility of its kind in Canada.

Theres many different ways we study these kinds of things, anywhere from in our laboratories on the U of M campus through to field stations around the Arctic, Barber said.

Its this type of research that has contributed to the report, and it suggests there are issues that need to be addressed.

The report notes the impacts of Arctic changes reach beyond the Arctic and suggests the warming trends are set to continue for decades.

The Arctic as we know it is being replaced by a warmer, wetter and more variable environment, it states. This transformation has profound implications for people, resources and ecosystems worldwide.

The report warns the process of rising temperature is locked into the climate system and the world will continue to see changes through the middle of the current century. The rising temperatures are expected to cause the populations of Arctic wildlife to decline and cause the sea level to rise, among other impacts.

Theres an urgency, an immediacy to what were doing, Barber said.

Its a wakeup call to the fact that we do have an existing problem and if we dont do something to get our greenhouse gas emissions down, our problems are going to get substantially worse after we get into the latter half of this century.

Barber said its very difficult to predict exactly how things will turn out if people dont take action soon.

matthew.olson@freepress.mb.ca
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 25/04/2017 (2024 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A Manitoba woman has been fined $10,000 for stealing another womans identity so she could work as a nurse and get access to drugs.

In a recent decision from the College of Registered Nurses of Manitoba, Sasheen Guest  also known as Tia Smith  was found guilty of professional misconduct for posing as a registered nurse while her own registration was suspended.

Guest, who was also found guilty of the criminal offence of personation with the intent to gain advantage, had a substance abuse problem that led to her suspension as a registered nurse after a college investigation that began in November 2013 and ended in July 2014.

While her own registration was under investigation for suspected opiate addiction, she took on the identity of Tia Smith, who she knew was a registered nurse. She changed her name and got a registered nursing job as Smith, working five nursing shifts between July 20 and July 25, 2014. One of her employers complained to the college, noting her speech was slurred and she seemed out of place at work. During those shifts, she made mistakes with medication and didnt properly fill out patients charts. A significant amount of narcotics were missing after her shifts, the college said in its decision.

Guest was charged after the college reported the allegations to police in September 2014. She pleaded guilty to the criminal offences and was sentenced in May 2015 to a four-month conditional sentence and 18 months of probation. Her guilty plea triggered the professional misconduct disciplinary process, which began last year. Guest didnt show up to the hearing dates.

Her nursing registration has been cancelled in addition to the $10,000 fine.
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 26/04/2017 (2023 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Shouting Care not cuts! and Put patients first! about 500 members of the Manitoba Nurses Union and other labour supporters voiced their displeasure Wednesday with the provincial governments plan to eliminate three city hospital emergency rooms.

ER nurses and intensive care nurses are some of the workers most affected by the proposed changes announced earlier this month by the province and the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority.

The noon-hour rally in front of the Manitoba Legislative Building was the largest and most boisterous protest yet against the hospital reorganization plan.

Hundreds of members of the Manitoba Nurses Union and other labour supporters rallied at the Manitoba Legislative Building on Wednesday. (Jen Doerksen / Winnipeg Free Press)

MNU president Sandi Mowat said her message to Premier Brian Pallister is dont balance the provinces books on the backs of patients.

The closure of the ERs at Concordia Hospital, eliminating urgent care from Misericordias mandate and converting the ERs at Seven Oaks and Victoria hospitals to urgent care facilities threaten patient care, she said.

Call it what it is, these are frontline service cuts. Youve broken your promise and nurses wont stand for it, she said, referring to the premier.

Members of the MNU were joined by representatives of several other unions and labour organizations, including the Manitoba Government and General Employees Union, the Canadian Union of Public Employees, Unifor, the Manitoba Association of Health Care Professionals and the Manitoba Teachers Society.

Mowat said afterward it is difficult to say how many nursing positions will be eliminated due to the cuts. Emergency rooms and intensive care units at Health Sciences Centre, St. Boniface Hospital and Grace Hospital will have to be beefed up to make up for the elimination of services elsewhere.

The WRHA expects to save more than $30 million from the hospital reorganization plan in the coming year.

Concordia Hospitals ER is to close entirely and will not be replaced by an urgent care centre. The MNU fears the 57 ER nurses at Concordia wont be able to find ER jobs elsewhere. Neither will the ICU nurses at the hospital.

The noon-hour rally in front of the Manitoba Legislative Building was the largest and most boisterous protest yet against the hospital reorganization plan. (Jen Doerksen / Winnipeg Free Press)

The MNU has not met with the WRHA since the April 7 hospital reorganization announcement, Mowat said.

Theyve committed to share information as it becomes available. The last I heard they were still working on the operational plan, she said.

Meanwhile, MNU members have been working without a contract since March 31. No contract talks have yet been scheduled, Mowat said.

larry.kusch@freepress.mb.ca
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 26/04/2017 (2023 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Manitoba is more vulnerable to the costs of flood and fire than the province has been for a long time, Premier Brian Pallister declared Wednesday.

Pallister told the first session of his annual estimates hearing the former NDP government raided the provinces rainy day fund almost dry in an effort to avoid making its deficits look even worse.

They raided the fiscal stabilization account to the point it hasnt been so low in 15 years, Pallister said. Were more vulnerable than weve been for a good long time.

Floodwaters from the rising Assiniboine River cover First Street North in Brandon during the summer flood of 2014. (Tim Smith/Brandon Sun files)

Most of the two-plus hours of the first session pitted Pallister against NDP finance critic James Allum over the governments decision not to release its so-called value for money audits from KPMG on the health-care system and Manitobas finances.

Echoing question periods of recent weeks, the two sparred, with far more time for repetition of both questions and responses that did not address the questions.

Pallister and Health Minister Kelvin Goertzen have refused to release more than a four-page summary on the basis the information is proprietary and belongs to KPMG.

Allum repeatedly demanded Pallister say Wednesday precisely where in its contract with KPMG the information does not belong to the government.

Finally, Allum even raised doubts a report exists.

Did KPMG actually produce a report? Allum challenged Pallister.

Pallister accused Allum of being facetious and scoffed he had no idea where the New Democrat was going with his question. I frankly dont care, Pallister said with considerable scorn.

Allum pointed out Pallister has told the media he took the KPMG fiscal performance report to his vacation home in Costa Rica, where the premier insists he continues to be working on goivernment business.

Does he normally take proprietary information owned by someone else to a foreign country? Allum said.

Pallister retorted, Of course I read the report. I find it useful  it was produced for cabinet.

Said Allum: Not only will he not provide an answer, he wont provide an explanation. I cant tell you how disappointed I am and how disappointed Manitobans are when he refuses to answer a direct question.

The premier fired back with a litany of 17 years of NDP deficits and untendered contracts.

What Im committed to are better results, the premier said.

In one snippet of information, Pallister said he expects to call the Point Douglas byelection for some time in mid-July, after a 28-day campaign.

The longtime NDP stronghold is vacant after Kevin Chief gave up his seat early in the year to go into the private sector.

nick.martin@freepress.mb.ca
Opinion

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 25/04/2017 (2024 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

One legal expert compares the Facebook firestorm swirling around a Manitoba homicide on the weekend to incidents in the U.S. that have been tried in the court of social media long before they land in court.

Two teenage girls have been charged with second-degree murder in the death of Serena McKay, 19, on Sagkeeng First Nation.

Earlier this month, Steve Stephens announced a plan to commit murder before fatally shooting a man in Cleveland. He posted the video on Facebook, sparking a manhunt that ended when he killed himself.

AP

In Sagkeeng, Facebook swirled with condemnation in the wake of a brutal video showing the Saturday beating of a young woman, alleged to be McKay, and screen shots of incriminating instant messages between the alleged suspects.

The rush to judgment is probably inevitable, so maybe its a good thing the wheels of justice grind slowly, said Bryan Schwartz, a University of Manitoba expert in aboriginal law, human rights, business and trade law. He has gained a reputation for his insight on privacy in the Internet age.

Time passes between the incident and the time any trial takes place. That can have a dampening effect on anybodys initial impressions, Schwartz said Tuesday.

Schwartz was quick to point out theres an rich element of irony in arguing for a slow pace of justice.

Right now, of course, one of the controversies in the criminal justice system of Canada is the Supreme Court of Canada is insistent we limit the time between the crime and the trial. We have a lot of trouble in practice doing that, he said.

Investigations and reviews by police, crown attorneys and defence lawyers lengthen the time between a criminal act and its eventual deliberation, Schwartz said, as does jury selection.

With a very serious offence, there are processes that take place between the time everybodys very agitated and the time (a case goes to trial), he said. The point of our whole judicial system is to put distance between the time we make up our minds emotionally and the time we actually make a judicial decision. The system is put in place and maintained to create that kind of deliberation rather than rushing to conclusions.

But Schwartz cautioned against anyone thinking social-media firestorms can be neutralized entirely by the judicial process.

There are safeguards in the system to keep people from rushing to judgment, but that doesnt mean theres going to be no impact, he said.

Theres consequences to being vilified in the media. You could lose your job, your standing in the community. Your friends could abandon you. You could become a pariah.

Try and get your reputation back after being turned into a villain in the media, fairly or unfairly.

Another U of M law professor called the practice of posting violent videos really sickening.

It does appear to be something that is part of peoples social-media world, to advertise what they are doing no matter how horrible it is. Theyre playing to their peer group, Rick Linden said.

Linden said he doesnt believe posting criminal acts on social media prevents people from being tried fairly by the justice system.

It might create legal problems, but if you do these things in full public view, I dont think it will do anything to disqualify people from being able to be on a jury, Linden said.

Facebook  where many of the violent videos both locally and internationally have been posted and shared  bears some responsibility, Linden said.

Facebook allows it to be transmitted. Facebook is going to have to respond to weed things like this out, Linden said.

Such posts are a symptom of something much deeper, said the woman who alerted police to McKays remains, which were found Sunday.

She said there is a deep layer of distrust of police in Sagkeeng and people may fear for their own safety if theyre seen speaking with authorities. The posts dont just play to peer groups  theyre also a way to get the news about an incident out without talking directly to police, she said.

The RCMP and the authorities have to realize, too, a lot of people are afraid to come forward to them. Im sorry they have that relationship with the community. This is why the media storm is ahead of them, said the woman who called police to the scene Sunday evening.

alexandra.paul@freepress.mb.ca

kevin.rollason@freepress.mb.ca
Opinion

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 26/04/2017 (2023 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

As prime minister, Theresa May has been at pains  rhetorically, at least  to stress her commitment to keeping the United Kingdom together.

In her inaugural public appearance on the steps of Downing Street last July, in the wake of the Brexit campaign that left the kingdoms various nations bitterly divided, the newly minted prime minister declared that preserving the three-centuries-old union is very important to her.

A few months later, at the Conservative Party conference, May doubled down on her commitment to unionism.

Chris Radburn / The Associated Press Files U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May delivers a stump speech at Netherton Conservative Club in Dudley, the West Midlands, England, during the election campaign on Saturday.

I will never allow divisive nationalists to undermine the precious union between the four nations of our United Kingdom, she promised.

Stirring stuff. But for all the rousing rhetoric, Mays actions suggest a rather more ambivalent attitude to the U.K. and the threat of its demise. The latest signal that her priorities, in reality, lie elsewhere: her recent decision to call a general election.

Viewed from London  or even Berlin or Washington  the British prime ministers move makes cold, calculating sense. The Conservatives enjoy vertiginous poll leads over a divided Labour Party. Mays majority is slim. Now is the time  in the words of the Daily Mail  to crush those who oppose Brexit.

But viewed from Edinburgh or Belfast  both capitals of regions (Scotland and Northern Ireland, respectively) that voted to remain in Europe  the decision looks very different. The general election will take place at a time of almost unprecedented constitutional tumult on the fringes of an increasingly attenuated union.

Last month, Scotlands nationalist-controlled parliament voted to demand the powers to hold a second independence referendum. The British prime minister has, so far, demurred, saying there was no mandate and such a vote would be destabilizing ahead of Brexit.

That logic  somewhat strained to begin with  will be much harder to sustain in the wake of Mays decision to call her own vote. And it will become even harder still after June 8  the scheduled date for the election  if, as expected, the pro-independence Scottish National Party (SNP) once more wins the vast majority of Scotlands seats in Westminster.

The situation in Northern Ireland is even more fraught. The once restive region is now relatively peaceful, but its government collapsed this year amid much rancour and recrimination over a botched green energy-related scheme. The prospect of an imminent reinstatement is slim. The largest parties, the Democratic Unionists and Sinn Fein, must form a coalition under Northern Irelands power-sharing arrangement, but talks between the two have been at loggerheads since Marchs snap elections.

The March elections produced a record vote for Irish nationalist parties  a sign of rising anger at the prospect of the province being dragged unwillingly out of the European Union. For the first time since the foundation of the state almost a century ago, unionists  those who favour remaining within the U.K.  no longer enjoy a majority.

The general election campaign in Northern Ireland will almost inevitably reopen contentious debates about identity and the past, making post-election compromise in Belfast even more difficult, if not downright impossible. Meanwhile, Northern Ireland will almost certainly begin the process of leaving the EU  with all the uncertainty around trade and the Irish border that it entails  without a functioning government.

For all her talk of the special union in office, May has displayed a remarkable tin ear for the differing demands of the U.K.s constituent parts. Unlike her predecessor, David Cameron  whose patrician unionism was arguably outdated but sincerely held  the current Tory leader appears out of touch with the regions.

It was noted, for instance, that the prime minister did not even visit Belfast during her most recent Brexit tour. In Scotland, Mays interventions have often managed to fan the nationalist flames. During a visit to Glasgow in March, for instance, with talk of independence in the air, May took the opportunity to declare that she would fight against further decentralization within the U.K.  that is, she would make sure, post-Brexit, that no powers went from Brussels to Edinburgh. Within days, SNP leader and First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced her intention to hold a second independence referendum.

In Scotland, the election will be fought on the independence question; there seems little doubt that the nationalists, who won all but three of Scotlands 59 constituencies in national parliament in 2015, will once again take a commanding majority in the regions Westminster delegation.

The Northern Irish vote will also revolve around constitutional questions, with unionists looking to reassert supremacy after their recent bruising election results. Indeed, this election looks likely to confirm what has become increasingly clear for some time: there is no such thing as British politics anymore, only regional versions. The main British parties  the Conservatives, Labour and Liberal Democrats  hold just a single seat each in Scotland and none in Northern Ireland. This is unlikely to change come June.

The official title of the party May leads is the Conservative and Unionist Party. If she is to retain the second part of that title, the prime minister will need to show more than just rhetorical commitment to the union, and soon. Otherwise, she could easily find herself going down in history as the Tory leader who delivered a massive Conservative election victory  one that helped precipitate the end of the U.K. as we know it.

Peter Geoghegan is editor of Political Insight magazine and a journalist based in Glasgow.
Opinion

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 26/04/2017 (2023 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Who are we to judge?

For starters, we are voters, who cast our ballots with the tacit understanding that those we elect will act honourably in the execution of their duties.

We are also citizens, governed by laws that are passed by our elected representatives and implemented by a court system whose appointed judges must adhere to the highest ethical and legal standards.

Adrian Wyld / The Canadian Press FILES Manitoba Court of Queens Bench Judge Vic Toews

These are fundamental matters of faith and trust. And when that trust is violated, we are most definitely in a position to judge.

However, in light of events this week, a second similarly worded but distinctly different question arises:

Whom are we to judge?

An investigation by federal ethics commissioner Mary Dawson found that Manitoba Court of Queens Bench Judge Vic Toews twice violated the federal Conflict of Interest Act by working as a consultant for two Manitoba First Nations immediately after leaving federal politics in 2013. Former cabinet ministers are prohibited from working for any entity that has business with the federal government.

Ms. Dawsons report prompted a complaint to the Canadian Judicial Council (CJC), which triggered an official investigation into Mr. Toews conduct. Chief Justice Glenn Joyal of Manitoba Court of Queens Bench has declared that Mr. Toews will remain a sitting judge while the CJC conducts its review.

Whom are we to judge? In this case, the behaviour and judgment of both Mr. Toews and Chief Justice Joyal deserve intense public scrutiny.

It is not entirely clear why Chief Justice Joyal deferred to the CJC. The events in Ms. Dawsons report occurred before Mr. Toews was a judge.

More worrisome is the fact Chief Justice Joyals response to Mr. Toews predicament is at odds with his action in the case of former Queens Bench justice Lori Douglas, who was the subject of a CJC investigation in 2010 after nude photos of her were published online.

She stepped down from her role as as a sitting judge in September 2010 while under the supervision of then-chief justice Marc Monnin, after the existence of the photos was first made public.

It is not clear why the chief justice did not similarly reduce Mr. Toews duties pending the results of this CJC review. While it could be argued that Ms. Douglas was guilty of poor personal judgment, she committed no crime and there was never any suggestion she could not fairly adjudicate cases.

In Mr. Toews case, the former federal cabinet minister has been found guilty of breaking an important federal law. Although there are no specific penalties prescribed by that law, surely it has some bearing on Mr. Toews ability to serve as a judge.

Chief Justice Joyal is in a precarious situation in this matter; he was first appointed as a provincial court judge in 1998 by Mr. Toews, then Manitobas justice minister. When he was appointed to the Court of Queens Bench, Mr. Toews was Manitobas senior cabinet minister. Given that shared history, it may be wise that others be involved in passing judgment on Mr. Toews judicial future.

Whether the CJC considers the conflict-of-interest findings sufficiently egregious to disqualify Mr. Toews from his position on the bench remains to be seen.

But until that decision arrives, it seems inappropriate that Manitobas chief justice would, through inaction, apply such an apparently forgiving standard.
President Donald Trump's former national security adviser did not properly disclose payments from Russia and may have broken the law, House Oversight Chairman Jason Chaffetz and ranking Democrat Elijah Cummings said Tuesday after reviewing Michael Flynn's application for a security clearance.
After several deadly attacks and years of delays, the MEK abandoned Camp Liberty in Iraq, with help from the Obama administration. Perhaps as many as 3,000 lives were saved.

Tehran criticized the relocation of MEK members to the Albanian capital, as well as Senator McCains recent visit. The visit was described by the Iranian Foreign Ministry as part of a wrong policy and obscene conduct, and as a mistake that the U.S. government will pay for.

Senator McCains visit points out two important steps with policy implications.

 First, the measures that the Obama administration and former Secretary of State John Kerry took to safeguard the Iranian resistance.

 Second, the Trump administrations steps to compel the Iranian regime to play a less destructive role in the region and the world at large.

In an article for The Hill, Dr. Majid Sadeghpour, political director of the Organization of Iranian American Communities (OIACUS), writes, These two developments go hand-in-hand. The relocation of the residents of Camp Liberty ultimately succeeded in providing them with a stable base of activity from which they are able to continue their political fight against the Iranian theocracy. They have now joined the tens of thousands of other Iranian expatriates who remain committed activists for the cause of democracy in Iran. Instead of the nuclear deal with Iran, President Obamas Iran policy legacy may indeed ultimately be remembered by its efforts to ensure MEK members safety.

Indeed, President Trump declared the nuclear agreement to be one of the worst deals ever negotiated. U.S. policy toward Iran has undergone a shift that Senator McCain and other congressional supporters of the Iranian resistance are eager to embrace.

President Trump issued a warning to Tehran over its missile tests and has ordered the State Department to review a possible terrorist designation for Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC). The House and Senate have both moved to expand sanctions on Iran.

Critics of these efforts worry that any assertive policy will drastically increase the risk of war. However, Dr. Sadeghpour says, Lets be clear: Iran poses no serious military threat to the U.S. An Iranian military parade soon after McCains visit to Tirana is ample evidence of the paucity of Iranian capabilities. A prominent feature was the unveiling of an Iranian-made stealth fighter, which did not take flight, likely because it is not capable of doing so. The Qaher F-313 has been widely dismissed by military analysts as an Iranian hoax and consistent with Irans tradition of gluing decorations to outmoded military equipment or non-functioning models to demonstrate advanced technology. He says further, that this was another reminder that economic sanctions work and that the Obama administration shouldnt have given them up for anything less than a transformative shift in Tehrans priorities. The Trump administration has shown itself more willing to utilize sanctions to diminish the influence of the IRGC and challenge Irans domestic repression and regional meddling.

Military action is not the only tool available to the U.S., McCains trip and the increased political strength of the Iranian Resistance highlights another option.

Given the suffocating and oppressive political environment within Iran, Dr. Sadeghpour writes, the people of Iran, who are overwhelmingly opposed to the ruling theocracy, stand ready to overthrow the existing regime as soon as its repressive apparatus is sufficiently weakened.

Armed conflict is therefore neither necessary nor prudent for the U.S. A policy based on economic sanctions will diminish the wealth and power of the IRGC and the Iranian regime, and will also bolster the resources and capabilities of resistance activists and dissidents inside Iran.
WASHINGTON  Foreign leaders and local interlocutors, aka 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.
We always got along with our neighbors to the north until Canada said it didnt want our milk. In these parts, thems fightin words.

We in Americas Dairyland arent so prideful as to think all our exports are winners. We were happy to give the world Leinenkugels, but remain apologetic about Milwaukees Best. But still, we will be gosh-darned if anyone is going to tell us our milk isnt welcome.

Canada has changed its dairy policies, making it hard for outside processors to sell their milk there. This left Wisconsin processors with nowhere to send their milk, although Canada seems to have suggested where they can shove it.

Now that Canadian policy makes it tough for U.S. farmers to sell the ultra-filtered milk used in cheese, producers in Wisconsin and other states will have nowhere to send a commodity with a limited shelf life. They face the prospect of dumping it, losing out on their sales, and justifiably crying over spilled milk.

American farm leaders are having a cow over this assault on their bread-and-butter product. They say Canada is setting a nationalist policy that makes it cheaper for processors to buy Canadian-made ingredients, undercutting foreign competitors.

Canada counters that America is to blame for producing too much milk. (As if thats even possible, Wisconsinites say.) Canadians also might also point out that Wisconsin knows all about setting rules that hamstring the competition. But only if the Canucks were feeling a little saucy after finishing a six-pack of imported Leinies.

You see, Lambeau Field isnt the only venue where cheeseheads like to cultivate a home-field advantage. An Ohio dairy has sued the state of Wisconsin over its ban on the sale of ungraded butter. Minerva Dairy argues the ban is an anti-competitive restriction that protects Wisconsin dairies while blocking sales from other states. Perhaps, when Canada changed its dairy policy, it was merely pulling a Wisconsin.

Because its located outside Wisconsin, Minerva cant easily have its artisanal butter graded by state inspectors. The company says it would have to spend $2,000 a day to have Wisconsin inspectors flown in, and only the Koch brothers have that kind of money to throw around.

Wisconsins legal trouble started in February, when the state began enforcing a law requiring grading of butter. Residents who enjoy Kerrygold Irish butter have sued the state over the change. Any claims that the state is trying to protect consumers, as opposed to the interests of its powerful dairy industry, are more full of holes than Swiss.

Cheeseheads getting their Irish up over butter is hardly new. The sale of colored margarine was banned here until the 1960s, as Wisconsin dairies wanted customers to know they werent getting the real thing. This year, Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin introduced a bill in the U.S. Senate that would ensure consumers know when theyre buying dairy substitutes. Its designed to crack down on companies that label their products as milk, cheese, and yogurt when theyre made of soy. We here in Americas Dairyland want everyone to know when theyre settling for second-best. This is the same reason we think Canada should keep using our milk in its cheese.

We also think the dairy market should be open to competition, with the cream rising to the top. That is, unless we spot anyone trying to bring in butter, colored oleo or anything else that might be better than what Wisconsin can put on the table. Well be gosh-darned if well let that happen.
Jennifer Warmke, a Beaver Dam High School graduate is being awarded the U.S. Small Business Administration 2017 Seattle District Small Business Advocate of the Year.

Warmke currently is an emergency preparedness coordinator at the city of Bothell. Previously, she worked in emergency management in Dodge County before leaving for Seattle.

According to the news release, the SBA Small Business Advocate Award is awarded to those who advocate and promote small business beyond the call of their professional duties and responsibilities.

July 22 of last year, a structure fire broke out in downtown Bothell. The Bothell Mall, a small retail mall which housed approximately 22 businesses, was destroyed in the fire and several more adjacent businesses were affected by the water damage during the firefighting efforts.

Two days after the fire response, Warmke was in touch with Congresswoman Suzan DelBenes office, Gov. Jay Inslees office, King County, Snohomish County and others to ensure the area was officially declared a disaster so business owners could qualify for SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loans.

SBA disaster recovery loans are a powerful tool to help small businesses and communities recover in the wake of a disaster, SBA Seattle District Director Kerrie Hurd said. Jennifer has gone above and beyond in her role as emergency preparedness coordinator to help these business owners gain access to the SBA disaster recovery loans.

Less than a week after the fire, Warmke organized a block party to support the employees and owners of the affected businesses. This event was a success in raising funds to help those affected and to help the community rally around the people who suffered significant losses.

Warmke was asked to lead the citys Business Assistance and Recovery Team to assist downtown merchants with the post-fire issues. In this role, she personally worked with the affected businesses to help them complete the physical and economic loss paperwork, which was well beyond the scope of her normal duties.

Its quite the honor to be awarded, Warmke said. I think its important that you go the extra mile and help people, even if its just being a shoulder to cry on.
RANDOLPH  Accepting the job of director of business services for the Randolph School District nearly two years ago sent Ryan Cashman back to school in several ways.

Cashman graduated from Randolph High School in 2006.

I get to work with people who taught me, Cashman said. I still call a lot of them by their last names.

After his high school graduation, Cashman earned a degree in business administration from UW-LaCrosse, then returned to Randolph and spent five years working as a loan officer at Markesan State Bank.

School board president Keith Medema said the board had a candidate pool that included some people with experience in schools and some with financial backgrounds, but not in a school setting.

Two years ago we had huge shoes to fill as Carrie Hintze accepted a position in Waupun, said Medema. If we went the route of someone less experienced, we knew that we would have to commit time for growth and education for that individual.

Cashman said Hintze is his neighbor, and she let him know about the job opening left by her departure.

It sounded like something I would be interested in, Cashman said. I was looking for a change.

Medema said Cashmans ties to the district as a graduate and living in the community were a huge draw for the school board, but what really stood out about Cashman is his drive and integrity.

Ryan has picked things up quickly, Medema said. He began classes and invested many hours to understanding the nuts and bolts of things. In a short amount of time Ryan has already presented many options to saving the district money and investing in appropriate areas. He is developing a vision for Randolph to continue thriving as a school.

Cashman is enrolled at UW-Whitewater, in a graduate program for school finance.

District administrator Kevin Knudson called Cashman a hardworking and intelligent individual who burned the midnight candle to learn everything he needed to do his job.

No disrespect to the business world he came from, but school finance is a very difficult system and can be hard to learn said district administrator Kevin Knudson. I believe it was a risk for Ryan and the school district, but looking back two years ago, the risk was well worth it.

Cashman said he had a huge learning curve, as schools use a whole different accounting system than he used in banking.

You were so many different hats, Cashman said. In a smaller district you are doing a little bit of a lot of different things. Its definitely not a 40-hour a week job.

He said he was fortunate to have direction from Baird and the Wisconsin Association of School Business Officials.

They gave me a lot of tools, Cashman said. And the board and Kevin were really supportive of me. I had a lot of support to get me through that first year.

Cashman also credits the administrative team of Mary Douma, Laura Patzlsberger and Tricia Rataczak for their help.

Its a good group and its a good district, Cashman said. Randolph is fortunate that we are in a really good financial spot. Were positively aided and have a new school.

Cashman said working in Randolph feels like family.

I always thought I should have been a teacher, he said.

His mother Amy Vredeveld works as a second grade teacher at Randolph Elementary/Middle School and Cashmans wife, who once worked for the Randolph School District as an aide, now teaches in Mayville.

It is early in his career but Ryan is already making his mark as a leader in our district, Medema said. It is a perfect fit to see a product of our school system now helping to lead that same district.

I hope I can be here for a while, Cashman said.
The Columbus Public Librarys Book Club for Adults will meet Monday, May 8, from 7 to 8 p.m. to discuss Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger.

A gothic ghost story and tale of sibling rivalry begins with the death of Elspeth Noblin, who bequeaths her London flat bordering on historic Highgate Cemetery to the twin daughters of her long-estranged twin sister in Chicago.

The 20-year-old girls move to Elspeths flat, where they become involved with their living neighbors: Martin, a composer of crossword puzzles who suffers from crippling OCD, and Robert, Elspeths elusive lover, a scholar of the cemetery.

They also discover that much is still alive in Highgate, including  perhaps  their aunt.
Those with loved ones needing memory care will soon have another option close to home.

Pine Villa, a new memory care residence on The Pines campus in Prairie du Sac, is slated to open in early June, according to campus administrator Deb Pete.

The new residence will replace the existing residence wing, which has been serving the community for the past 20 years. It will feature 18 private studio apartments with private baths and large gathering spaces throughout the facility. It will also provide unique programming and security as well as 24-hour registered nurse involvement and specialized staff training developed with the Alzheimers and Dementia Alliance of Wisconsin, according to a press release.

Elderspan president David Griffin, the management company for Pine Villa, said the new facility is the result of a sharp increase in the need for specialized services for the elderly that are struggling with forms of dementia.

We have been providing specialized memory care on the campus for the past 15 years, but over the past five to 10 years have realized demand is increasing, Griffin said. We felt we needed additional units and people are desiring larger studios for their loved ones and more common space.

Griffin said The Pines currently has 14 studios in a wing on the campus, but the new facility will feature a total of 18 studios, more common areas, a larger dining room, living rooms and an activity room. There are many more spaces for families to socialize and interact with loved ones that the old building didnt have, Griffin said. He said it will also provide newer security features on doors.

Deb Pete, campus administrator for The Pines said she is excited about the progress that has been made on the new building.

A lot of people have been calling and saying its really needed in the community because there arent a lot of options, she said. Its large, open and light  wonderful for memory care, she said.

Pete said people struggle, trying to keep elderly in their homes for as long as possible. They are looking for guidance whether it be us or with someone else, she said. Its exciting to be able to help.

The plan is to move current memory care residents into the building first to give the residents and staff time to adjust to their new surroundings. There is no set plan for the current wing housing memory care residents, Pete said.

Two open houses are planned in June once the facility is open.
Here are some questions about the upcoming transition to the new Columbia County buildings alongside the Portage Canal  some of them posed by county department heads at Tuesdays session.

How will the move to the new buildings affect business hours at county offices? Will there be times when the offices wont be open due to the move?

That remains to be worked out. According to Supervisor Kirk Konkel of Portage, chairman of the County Boards Ad Hoc Building Committee, the moving company  which the committee is expected to select on May 5  is likely to have different rates for different moving times, with the daytime moves typically the least expensive. Each department head, he said, would have to work with the mover to determine whether, or for how long, a particular office can afford to be closed for moving. If an office is moved over a weekend, it would likely entail little or no disruption of public office hours.

Where would people park when they visit the new Administration Building?

There will be a paved parking lot just east of the Administration Building, with the spaces closest to the main entrance (on the buildings northeast side) reserved for visitors. County employees will be expected to park in the more distant spots, or at Market Square.

Is every employee getting all brand-new furniture and equipment in the new building?

No. While many will have new desks, their old chairs, desktop computers and other equipment, such as floor mats, will likely come to the building with the employees. They will not, however, have to bring their phones from the old office to the new office.

Will the county have surplus office furniture or equipment for sale due to the move?

Probably. The plan calls for storing excess chairs and other equipment for a little while, until its clear that every department has all the furniture and equipment that is needed in the new building. After that, some surplus items may be sold, and others are likely to be discarded if theyre past their useful life. Department heads are being asked to identify their surplus equipment and make a note as to what parts work adequately and what parts dont work. Anything thats sold will likely be offered through an auction service, rather than being sold directly.

Can employees or visitors smoke in the new county buildings?

No  not inside the building, not just outside the doors, not on the grounds, not even in the parking lot. Furthermore, said Corporation Counsel Joseph Ruf, the prohibition extends to the use of smokeless tobacco and the consumption of any substance by electronic cigarettes (vaping).

Will the phone numbers for county departments remain the same after the move?

For the most part, yes, according to Management Information Services Director John Hartman. Some individual employees will have new numbers, but in most cases, the numbers now listed as the main number for each department will not change after the move. County Clerk Susan Moll said the countys directory is being updated now, and the most current version is, and always will be, the online version.

Can county employees post whatever they want to on the corridor walls, or on the walls inside department offices?

Ruf noted that there are rules governing posted materials in the courthouse and annex now, which have not always been strictly enforced. Thats going to change in the new buildings. Although employees that have bulletin boards may use them, taping or tacking anything to a wall in the new building will rarely, if ever, be allowed.

While the court-related offices are temporarily located in the new HHS Building, will the walkway over the Portage Canal, which connects the two buildings, be open routinely?

Probably not. As a temporary courthouse, the HHS Building is subject to security requirements that limit access to certain areas.

Will there be a dedication ceremony, ribbon-cutting or open house to give the public a chance to look at the new Administration Building?

No  not until the courthouse remodeling is done, and all Health and Human Services employees are moved from 2652 Murphy Road to the new canal-side building in the spring or summer of 2018. However, the new Administration Building is expected to be fully open for business by early June.
State officials are offering financial help to Wisconsin dairy farms in desperate need of customers and for processors already over saturated with milk to absorb more.

Gov. Scott Walker, who on Tuesday also weighed in on the international trade tension at the root of the crisis, announced that the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority will temporarily loosen the rules on a revolving capital loan program for dairy farmers and milk processors.

Its not a long-term solution, state officials say, but it provides another resource for Wisconsins dairy farms affected by Grassland Dairy Products Inc., of Greenwood, which informed 67 dairy farms earlier this month, most from Wisconsin and some from Minnesota, it no longer would accept their milk after Monday

Its a way of enhancing their working capital and its a better way to get (dairy farmers) through a cash flow situation when theyre running short on working capital, said Dan Smith, administrator for agricultural development at the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection.

Smith said around 15 more farms have found buyers or have promising leads. If those deals go through, that means 20 to 25 of the 58 farms dropped by Grassland Dairy will still need to find other buyers by Monday or risk going out of business.

The loan change gives the states dairy processors a low-cost financial resource to help them invest in additional storage, which would allow them to process more milk, Smith said.

(Processors) have a need for working capital to help them manage costs for storage, distribution and inventory control, he said. What weve noticed as weve been working through this problem is that (milk) inventory is full and we need a way to encourage processors to take on more milk.

The state has been assisted by dairy farmers unaffected by the Grassland decision and industry groups, including the Dairy Girls Network, around the state to find processors to take more milk.

At least 39 dairy farmers who sold to Grassland still were in search of buyers on Tuesday, Smith said. A total of 19 of the affected dairy farms have found new buyers.

The changes to the WHEDA program boost loan guarantees to 80 percent up to $200,000 for eligible dairy farmers, while qualified processors can access an 80 percent loan guarantee up to $750,000. This change is effective through Aug. 1.

Grasslands decision earlier this month was driven by recent Canadian action that created a new set or class of dairy products and new prices for ultra-filtered milk, a processed, high-protein ingredient typically used in cheese production. The new pricing structure made the cost of U.S. ultra-filtered milk higher for Canadian processors, encouraging Canadian processors to buy it domestically.

Ultra-filtered milk exports to Canada represented about $150 million in annual business to American dairy processors, with Grassland commanding about two thirds, or $100 million, of that business. Farms in New York and Minnesota also were affected by the change. Margaret Hart, a spokeswoman for the Minnesota Department of Agriculture said Tuesday Grassland has since agreed to continue buying milk from all the Minnesota farms affected.

The affected farms in Wisconsin ranged in size from 12 cows to 3,200 cows. Tim Prosser, a Columbus dairy farmer who was dropped by Grassland, said Tuesday that he and his father might have to shut down their business and sell their 100 cows if they cant find a new customer by Monday.

Even if we keep feeding the cows and milking them, it still costs us money, Prosser said.

If we have to turn around and dump the milk, wed be looking at a $35,000 loss every month.

Before announcing the loan program changes, Walker praised President Donald Trump for hitting back at Canada by imposing tariffs averaging 20 percent on softwood lumber entering the United States from Canada.

Wisconsin had about 135,000 jobs in the overall forest products industry, including wood and paper, in the mid-2000s, said Henry Schienebeck, executive director of the Great Lakes Timber Professional Association, based in Rhinelander, Wisconsin. Its just getting back to 62,000 jobs now, he added.

Loggers that supply Wisconsins mostly smaller sawmills should benefit from the tariffs, Schienebeck said. He also said much of the pine that Wisconsin loggers cut gets trucked out of state to larger Potlatch Corp. sawmills in Bemidji, Minnesota, and Gwinn, Michigan, that should benefit as well.
Anybody who has ever moved, whether cross-country or across town, knows the anxiety and excitement of starting over in a new place.

About 115 Columbia County employees are already experiencing the thrills of an imminent move, as well as the chores and aggravations of packing up. In the next few weeks, the experience will intensify.

Department heads and supervisors who chair County Board departmental governing committees gathered Tuesday to get some logistical details about the imminent move from the courthouse and annex to the new Administration and Health and Human Services buildings.

Supervisor Kirk Konkel of Portage, chairman of the County Boards Ad Hoc Building Committee, said moving day will be on or about May 24 for employees who are moving to the three-story Administration Building on the Portage Canals northwest side. For court-related employees who will temporarily occupy the new two-story Health and Human Services Building on the canals southeast side, June 22 is expected to be the day when moving will start.

But the timing isnt certain, nor will it necessarily be the same for every affected department.

Until a mover his hired  something thats expected to happen next week  no one knows how much of the move will take place during the business day, in the evening or over a weekend or two.

Generally, the plan will go something like this:

The Building and Grounds and Management Information Services departments will move to the Administration Building first, to set up the offices, install phones and otherwise prepare the other offices for occupancy.

Once that initial preparation is done, the first departments to move will be those that will occupy the Administration Buildings first floor, including the County Clerk, Treasurer, Register of Deeds and Veterans Service offices.

The second-floor offices of the Administration Building will be occupied next. Those include Land and Water Conservation, University of Wisconsin-Extension, Planning and Zoning and Land Information.

The third-floor offices  including Accounting, Corporation Counsel and Human Resources  will be moved in last. By Memorial Day weekend (May 26-29), or maybe a little later, the Administration Building should be fully occupied, Konkel said.

Starting in June, said County Clerk Susan Moll, most county meetings now held in the Courthouse or Annex will be held in the new Administration Building. That includes, in all likelihood, the annual budget planning meeting for department heads and committee leaders scheduled for June 27.

For County Board committee meetings, the new Administration Building includes three rooms on the first floor, with varying capacities and moveable walls that allow two or more rooms to be combined for sessions that are expected to be crowded.

County Board Chairman Vern Gove said public meetings will, almost without exception, be held in the first-floor meeting rooms, with departmental conference rooms reserved for non-public meetings of one or more departments.

The move of court-related offices to the new HHS Building will start about a month after the Administration Building move, on or about June 22.

Because the courthouse at 400 DeWitt St. is going to be gutted, to be remodeled for court-related use only, the court-related offices  Columbia County Circuit Court, Clerk of Courts, District Attorney, Register in Probate and Child Support  will be temporarily housed in the HHS building. Konkel said the move should be completed by July 10, and the remodeling of the courthouse is expected to be done by April 2018.

County Treasurer Deborah Raimer said her office has been getting ready for the move for about six months.

Mostly, the current preparations entail scanning some paper documents into electronic form, to minimize the amount of paper that will have to be moved to the new building.

Building and Grounds Director Cory Wiegel said a substantial quantity of outdated documents has already been collected for shredding, and there is likely much more to come.

We dont want to pay to move stuff that youre going to throw away anyway, he said.

Gove noted that many of the moving logistics, and the routine for day-to-day business in the new building, will need to be worked out.

But county employees, he said, seem excited by the prospect of moving into their new offices.

Im really happy that the County Board approved the buildings as we have them now, he said. None of us has gone through this before, but it will work out.
Last year, parliament decided against becoming a party to the intensifying Saudi-Iranian conflict in the Middle East, particularly in Yemen. Pakistan has attempted to maintain ties with both Saudi Arabia and Iran, but this is will be difficult now.

Islamabad appointed Raheel Sharif, the countrys former army chief, as head of the 39-member Saudi-led military coalition. According to those in Riyadh, the Muslim nations coalition was formed to fight terrorism in the region. Experts call it primarily an anti-Iran grouping. Tehran is not part of the coalition.

The Associated Press reported that Pakistans government officials confirmed that Raheel Sharif had left for Riyadh on Friday to take take on his part in the military alliance, following Islamabad endorsing his leadership officially. The authorities claim that under Sharifs command, the coalition wont take any action against Muslim countries.

Sattar Khan, correspondent for Deutsche Welle (DW), wrote in an article that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharifs government has begun a diplomatic initiative to allay Tehrans concerns following Raheel Sharifs controversial appointment. But the efforts are unlikely to yield results.

Aman Memon, former professor at the Allama Iqbal Open University in Islamabad, told Khan, Saudi Arabia and Iran do not trust each other. Also, Riyadh does not want Islamabad to be neutral in the conflict; it wants its full support. In this scenario, how can Pakistans diplomatic drive be successful?

Riyadh formally requested that Pakistan provide planes, warships, and soldiers to support the Arab coalition in fighting Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen in 2015, but the countrys lawmakers voted to remain neutral. In a televised speech, PM Sharif later stated that in case of an aggression against Saudi Arabia, Pakistan would take Riyadhs side.

Khan writes, Saudi Arabia, which is one of Pakistans biggest financers, was unhappy with Islamabads reluctance to join the coalition against Yemens Shiite rebels. The Arab kingdom has been involved in a two-year-long campaign of airstrikes against Houthi rebels, who have taken over swathes of territory in Saudi Arabias southern neighborhood, raising concerns in Riyadh about a potential Shiite uprising in the kingdom. Saudi Arabia also fears that Iran is working to increase its influence in the region.

Pakistans economic dependence on Saudi Arabia is a reason behind Pakistans support for Riyadh and Raheel Sharifs appointment, say experts. Pakistan has troops in Saudi Arabia in an assisting role, they say. However, with Sharif taking charge of the alliance, the troops could be directly involved in the battle.

The U.S. backs the Arab countries coalition. While over the past few years Islamabad has drifted away from Washington, analysts say that both countries have many common strategic interests in the region. As well, the Pakistani military heavily depends on the U.S. funding.

Sabir Karbalai, an Islamabad-based analyst, told Khan, Recently, a US official visited Saudi Arabia and expressed his countrys support to the Saudi alliance. He also lampooned Iran. So the objectives of this grouping are pretty clear. Karbalai added that Islamabad should have remained neutral in the Saudi-Iranian power struggle.

Islamabad and Tehran have had a tense relationship for many years. There are border conflicts, and Tehran is not pleased with Islamabads alleged support to various Sunni militant groups.

In an attempt to convince Pakistani authorities to remain neutral in the Middle Eastern conflicts, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani visited Pakistan in March last year. Iran knows the limitations of its ties with Pakistan, but analysts say it wants to maintain normal relations with Islamabad.

Michael Kugelman, a South Asia expert at the Washington-based Woodrow Wilson Center for Scholars said, Pakistan remains solidly allied with Saudi Arabia, regardless of how intense the outreach may be from Tehran. There are decades of close military cooperation that are not about to be undone.

Farhan Hanif Siddiqui, an International Relations expert at the Quaid-i-Azam University, believes that Pakistan needs to assure Iran that the Saudi alliance is not against any country. It is vital for Pakistan to convince Iran that the Saudi-led alliance is only against al Qaeda and the so-called Islamic State. If Tehran continues to believe that the Saudi coalition is targeting the regimes in Iraq and Syria, Pakistans diplomatic efforts will be in vain, he said.

Pakistanss intelligentsia and civil society are concerned over Raheel Sharifs role in the Saudi alliance and Islamabads direct involvement in the conflict.Pakistan should not get involved in the Saudi Arabia-Iran regional rivalry, Mosharraf Zaidi, a former USAID consultant and Islamabad-based foreign policy expert, said. We must not forget that Riyadh and Tehran have their own interests, therefore the Pakistani government, too, should do what is best for the country. It must keep good relations with both Saudi Arabia and Iran,  he added.

Sunni-Shiite tension will increase, as analysts believe that the Sunni militant groups will feel further emboldened by the fact that the ex-army chief now heads the Saudi-led alliance.

The sectarian strife in Pakistan has been ongoing for some time now, with militant Islamist groups unleashing terror on the minority Shiite groups in many parts of the country. Most of these outfits, including the Taliban, take inspiration from the hard-line Saudi-Wahabi Islamic ideology, writes Khan.

Siegfried O. Wolf, an expert at the University of Heidelbergs South Asia Institute, said For Pakistans Islamic fundamentalists, the country is already a Sunni Wall against Shiite Iran. He added, The policy of containing the Shiite influence in the region was seriously affected after the collapse of the Sunni Taliban regime in Afghanistan in 2001 and the subsequent overthrow of Saddam Husseins government in Iraq. These events created a power vacuum which is now being increasingly filled by Tehran. Saudi Arabia does not want to see the rise of Iran and will continue to do anything to ensure Sunni dominance.
REEDSBURGPatients and family members who visit the emergency room at Reedsburg Area Medical Center might see some new faces, but they can rest easy knowing they are in exceptional hands. RAMC recently introduced a partnership with Madison Emergency Physicians, a group of providers who specialize in emergency medicine.

We work with the ER departments of several hospitals in the south-central Wisconsin area, said Dr. Aaron Ray of MEP. We bring an area of expertise that is often hard to come by in smaller hospitals.

Because emergency medicine is the only thing they do, patients can be sure they are getting the best quality care from the MEP group. RAMC has a group of 12-14 emergency medicine doctors rotating in the ER.

Our providers are skilled at identifying the nuances of different conditions, Ray said. We want to be good stewards of healthcare. This means MEP providers are particularly good at discerning when patients require additional testing or need to be admitted and when that is not necessary.

We are also vigilant when it comes to narcotic prescriptions, Ray said. We dont want to worsen a situation that is already bad.

RAMCs partnership with MEP began in early April, and Ray reports a positive reception from staff, RAMC providers and community.

Whenever we come in to a new hospital, it does make for a pretty big change, he said. But we always see positive reception from the nursing staff and ultimately the patients themselves. The feedback so far at Reedsburg has been particularly encouraging.

Carmen Mihlbauer-Luther, director of critical care at RAMC, agreed. Staff has found the new group to be very professional and attentive to the needs of the patient, she said. They are also very helpful to staff and want to help them grow by encouraging our nursing professionals to ask questions and are planning regular education topics as well.

Ray said Reedsburg is a special place to come to work, thanks to the sense of ownership staff has in the hospital.

When your whole family goes to this facility for care, its more than just a place where you work, he said. Theres a sense of pride among the people here. It makes a difference to how you feel about working here. It makes you want to deliver your best for the staff, the patients, and their families.
Steampunk apparently is alive and well in downtown Wisconsin Dells  even if hardly anyone knows it yet or, in many cases, even knows what the word means.

Steampunk refers to the creative style that combines Victorian-era historical elements with more modern and sometimes fantastical visual fare  think: Wild Fun Zone, the downtown Dells indoor arcade that features gigantic creatures crawling above and over its buildings once-stately, turn-of-the-20th-Century facade.

The downtown Dells ubiquitous visual mix of old, new and odd throughout the facades that line Broadway  from the H.H. Bennett Studio to Ripleys Believe It or Not and from Nigs Bar to more than one jutting tour boat bow  makes the area a study in steampunk.

In fact, the style is so prevalent  if not necessarily intentional  that it could be the needed ingredient to give the downtown area a unifying theme and perhaps transform the into a destination within a destination.

So said Corena and Kevin Ricks recently during a presentation making the case for steampunk at a Dells Business Improvement District (BID) committee meeting.

The Ricks, who own and operate Ripleys, Wizard Quest and several other downtown businesses, told the assembled committee it could be a style that we feel will connect everything (downtown) and give us a theme.

Its something in which you can combine different eras and it makes sense, Kevin Ricks said. We already have a unique downtown.

Steampunk punctuates our history in a unique way, Corena Ricks said. Theres no other town in the U.S. with that theme.

Such a theme would allow the downtown area to maintain its already-eclectic mix of historic facades and modern attractions, the Ricks said.

The railroad bridge is steampunk; the Duchess tourboat is steampunk, Kevin Ricks said. So many elements already exist here.

The Ricks recent presentation to the BID committee comes on the heels of the recent unveiling, by the Dells River Arts District committee, of the numerous artistic and creative yet historic possibilities downtown, and the couple believes that most if not all of those possibilities would fit into a steampunk-themed downtown.

All the theme needs to pop, the Ricks said, are a few visually creative elements  such as steampunk-themed mosaics or murals, both of which already have been proposed for downtown  to tie it all together.

You can get a lot of punch with small changes, he said. You could go so far or so little. Either way, youre going to get an effect.

The predominant reaction to the Ricks proposal by the gathered BID committee members present was positive.

I think its fantastic  its genius, said Original Wisconsin Ducks General Manager Dan Gavinski.

I love it, said Alderman and Showboat owner Jesse DeFosse. I think it makes a lot of sense.

With the BID committee members intrigued by their lesson in steampunk basics, the Ricks indicated their intent to keep spreading the word about its possibilities, starting with the Dells River Arts District committee, the relatively new city panel charged with overseeing the development of the art in the aforementioned district.
The nuclear agreement with Iran is currently under review as of April 19, per American President Trumps orders, agencies have been asked to figure out whether suspending sanctions is in Americas interest.

In a post on Twitter, Trump previously said, Iran was on its last legs and ready to collapse until the US came along and gave it a life-line in the form of the Iran Deal: $150 billion.

James Mattis, US Secretary of Defense, while in Riyadh also on April 19, said that theyve all seen Irans bad behavior and path in Lebanon, Syria, Bahrain and Yemen, and it must be dealt with at some point.

On April 15, Mike Pompeo, CIA chief, warned rogue states such as Iran face tougher military action from America under Donald Trump.

William Roebuck, US Ambassador to Bahrain, stated last Thursday that due to Irans support of terrorism and agents that seek to destabilize countries, there are concerns about the Joint Comprehensive Action Plan. Roebuck added that it is believed that if Iran gets nuclear weapons, confrontation with it will be more difficult. According to Roebuck, in a conversation, Saudi King Salman and US President Donald Trump voiced the importance of strictly executing the joint comprehensive action program with Iran and addressing the latters activity that destabilizes regional countries. Roebuck added that President Trump and his team clarified where the US stands in terms of Irans behavior.

In an article by Sawsan Al Shaer for Al Arabiya, she writes, The battle is right here, in Arab countries and its against Irans agents. Replicating Hezbollahs model in Iraq and Yemen and the attempts to replicate this model in Bahrain is what we must confront and uproot.

It may take a lot of time to see results of sanctions on Iran because Iran has other resources to fund its agents.The resources is the money collected by Arab Shiites, estimated to be around $95 billion, and according to Al Shaer, this money is under Khameneis control. Economic sanctions may not effectively diminish the power of agents which pose the worst threats against us in the region.

Al Shaer writes, Whats important is to be very clear and decisive, whether we have the US support of not. We must uproot the terrorism of ISIS, the Houthis and the Popular Mobilization. We must be clearer in terms of the idea that GCC countries will not be lenient towards those who support Irans agents regardless of the nature of their work, be it political, media-related or religious. These are the fronts from which Iran fights us and we must direct our efforts towards confronting this. She adds, We must focus on these wings and follow their tracks all the way to the key Iranian agents that prepare them and support them to harm our countries stability and security. We will not rest until we eliminate Irans agents and deprive them of all their weapons, whether theyre civilian or military weapons, and hold them accountable after they betrayed their vows and sold their homeland. We must make it clear that theres no political wing and a military wing as theyre all the same.

Theres no difference between those who carry arms and those who support men who take up arms, Al Shaer writes, This is what American officials must comprehend: We do not need to open a front with Iran. Imposing economic sanctions on Iran will not restrain Irans agents and their activity. The battle is right here, in our Arab countries and its against Irans agents. Replicating Hezbollahs model in Iraq and Yemen and the attempts to replicate this model in Bahrain is what we must confront and uproot.
Back to the future of mining

Theres still gold in them thar hills

When the mine dumps that dot Gautengs landscape from east to west are gone  reprocessed to extract more gold  then what? The material will be moved to one huge site, freeing up land for development, and the company that owns that material, DRDGold, will need a new way to wring even more value out of it.

Wits, jobs and South Africa go where the minerals go. Its been that way for 120 years. So its vital to know how to get at the minerals in future, especially as ore grades fall.

The School of Chemical and Metallurgical Engineering has formed a partnership with DRDGold to develop the technology that will be required to recover gold from the mega-dump 20 years from now.

The company has committed R1,2-million a year for five years to fund one PhD and four MSc students and to buy the equipment necessary to research this area. As the only company in South Africa that processes surface material, and one that has no underground mining operations, DRDGold needs this technology to sustain an existence that dates back to 1895. It has 700-million tons of material containing a resource of about 12-million ounces of gold: enough to keep it going for a while.

Professor Marek Dworzanowski says the new approach to extracting this gold will be a radical departure from the past. It wont use cyanide and the type of equipment used will be different.

There are no intellectual property restrictions on the research results, partly because there is no real competition between gold mining companies in this field.

Prof Dworzanowski, who worked in the mining industry until recently, will be supervising the postgraduate students along with hydrometallurgist Prof Selo Ndlovu. He hopes that the research funding partnership with DRDGold will be the first of many of its kind, enabling Wits to train more postgraduates and helping the industry to find cost-effective solutions.

* Wits academics are also involved in debates about broader mining issues, as this article by Dr Fola Adeleke (PhD 2014) in The Conversation indicates.
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The officials who spoke to the cover up include Hossein Dehghan, Defense Minister, Abbas Araghchi, deputy Foreign Minister, who served as point man on nuclear negotiations team, and Mohsen Rezai, former commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards and the secretary of the Expediency Council.

On April 21, at a press conference in Washington, D.C., the Iranian Resistance disclosed that there is a new, secret facility associated with nuclear project in Plan 6 at Parchin military site.

Defense Minister and IRGC Brigadier General, Hossein Dehghan, said on April 23, Certainly, this sinister plot of Mojahedin will fail and the conscious and revolutionary people of Iran has never accepted and will never accept humiliation and threats, and in line with playing its regional and global role and strengthening self-defense and deterrence will not rest for a moment.

On April 22, Araghchi, the regimes main negotiator for the nuclear deal, said that the IAEA Director Generals visit to Parchin and his report on the lack of possible military dimensions to Irans nuclear program led to the closure of the fake file of PMD and caused a scandal for its claimants.

The Americans would better not go down with Mojahedin rotten rope  No new measure has taken place in Parchin and past measures to build war equipment and to strengthen defense capability go on, said Abolfazl Hassan Beigi, vice chairman of the Committee of Defense and Foreign Affairs.

Amid all of these statements, no one has invited the IAEA inspectors to visit the newly disclosed site.

A report in December, 2015 stressed, The Agencys overall assessment is that a range of activities relevant to the development of a nuclear explosive device were conducted in Iran prior to the end of 2003 as a coordinated effort, and some activities took place after 2003.

The IAEA inspectors must do an unrestricted inspection of the new site in Parchin, stresses the Iranian Resistance, and the sites related to SPND, as well. Interviews with key individuals of the nuclear bomb making program must be accomplished. A delay will only allow further secretive work, and provide time for the elimination of evidence.
Healthcare Trust of America, Inc. (NYSE: HTA) is the largest dedicated owner and operator of MOBs in the United States, comprising approximately 25.1 million square feet of GLA, with $7.4 billion invested primarily in MOBs. HTA provides real estate infrastructure for the integrated delivery of healthcare services in highly-desirable locations. Investments are targeted to build critical mass in 20 to 25 leading gateway markets that generally have leading university and medical institutions, which translates to superior demographics, high-quality graduates, intellectual talent and job growth. The strategic markets HTA invests in support a strong, long-term demand for quality medical office space. HTA utilizes an integrated asset management platform consisting of on-site leasing, property management, engineering and building services, and development capabilities to create complete, state of the art facilities in each market. This drives efficiencies, strong tenant and health system relationships, and strategic partnerships that result in high levels of tenant retention, rental growth and long-term value creation. Headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona, HTA has developed a national brand with dedicated relationships at the local level. Founded in 2006 and listed on the New York Stock Exchange in 2012, HTA has produced attractive returns for its stockholders that have outperformed the US REIT index.
Ameriprise Financial, Inc., through its subsidiaries, provides various financial products and services to individual and institutional clients in the United States and internationally. It operates through four segments: Advice & Wealth Management, Asset Management, Retirement & Protection Solutions, and Corporate & Other. The Advice & Wealth Management segment provides financial planning and advice; brokerage products and services for retail and institutional clients; discretionary and non-discretionary investment advisory accounts; mutual funds; insurance and annuities products; cash management and banking products; and face-amount certificates. The Asset Management segment offers investment management and advice, and investment products to retail, high net worth, and institutional clients through unaffiliated third-party financial institutions and institutional sales force. This segment products also include U.S. mutual funds and their non-U.S. equivalents, exchange-traded funds, variable product funds underlying insurance, and annuity separate accounts; and institutional asset management products, such as traditional asset classes, separately managed accounts, individually managed accounts, collateralized loan obligations, hedge funds, collective funds, and property and infrastructure funds. The Retirement & Protection Solutions segment provides variable annuity products to individual clients, as well as life and DI insurance products to retail clients. The company was formerly known as American Express Financial Corporation and changed its name to Ameriprise Financial, Inc. in September 2005. Ameriprise Financial, Inc. was founded in 1894 and is headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
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BT Group plc provides communications services worldwide. Its Consumer segment sells telephones, baby monitors, and Wi-Fi extenders through high street retailers, online BT Shop, and Website BT.com; and offers home phone, copper and fiber broadband, TV, and mobile services in various packages. The company's EE segment offers 2G, 3G, and 4G mobile network services; broadband, fixed-voice, and TV services; and postpaid and prepaid plans, and emergency services network. This segment also sells 4G mobile phones, tablets, connected devices, and mobile broadband devices from various manufacturers. Its Business and Public Sector segment provides fixed voice, mobility, fiber and connectivity, and networked IT services to retailers, utilities, public sector, healthcare, sports, construction, finance, and educational sectors. The company's Global Services segment offers business communications and ICT services comprising BT Connect, BT Security, BT One, BT Contact, BT Compute, BT Advise, and BT for financial markets. This segment serves approximately 5,500 customers in 180 countries. Its Wholesale and Ventures segment enables communications providers and other organizations to provide fixed or mobile phone services. Its ventures provide mass-market services, such as directory enquiries and payphones; and enterprise services comprising BT Fleet and BT Redcare. This segment also provides broadband and Ethernet, voice, hosted communication, mobile virtual network operator, managed solutions, machine-to-machine, roaming, and media services. The company's Openreach segment engages in the provision of services over the local access network; and installation and maintenance of fiber and copper communications networks that connect homes and businesses. The company was formerly known as Newgate Telecommunications Limited and changed its name to BT Group plc in September 2001. BT Group plc was incorporated in 2001 and is headquartered in London, the United Kingdom.
The following companies are subsidiares of American International Group: AGC Life Insurance Company, AIG APAC HOLDINGS PTE. LTD., AIG Aerospace Insurance Services Inc., AIG Asia Pacific Insurance Pte. Ltd., AIG Asset Management (Europe) Limited, AIG Asset Management (U.S.) LLC, AIG Assurance Company, AIG Australia Limited, AIG Brazil Holding I LLC, AIG CIS Investments LLC, AIG Canada Holdings Inc., AIG Capital Corporation, AIG Capital Services Inc., AIG Claims Inc., AIG Credit Management LLC, AIG Egypt Insurance Company S.A.E., AIG Employee Services Inc., AIG Europe Holdings S.a.r.l, AIG Europe S.A., AIG Federal Savings Bank, AIG Financial Products Corp., AIG General Insurance Co. Ltd., AIG Global Asset Management Holdings Corp., AIG Global Operations Inc., AIG Global Real Estate Investment Corp., AIG Global Reinsurance Operations, AIG Holdings Europe Limited, AIG Insurance (Thailand) Public Company Limited, AIG Insurance Company China Limited, AIG Insurance Company JSC, AIG Insurance Company of Canada, AIG Insurance Company-Puerto Rico, AIG Insurance Hong Kong Limited, AIG Insurance Management Services Inc., AIG Insurance New Zealand Limited, AIG International Holdings GmbH, AIG Investments UK Limited, AIG Israel Insurance Company Ltd, AIG Japan Holdings Kabushiki Kaisha, AIG Kenya Insurance Company Limited, AIG Korea Inc., AIG Latin America I.I., AIG Latin America Investments S.L., AIG Lebanon SAL, AIG Life Holdings Inc., AIG Life Limited, AIG Life South Africa Limited, AIG Life of Bermuda Ltd., AIG MEA Holdings Limited, AIG MEA Limited, AIG Malaysia Insurance Berhad, AIG Markets Inc., AIG Matched Funding Corp., AIG PC Global Services Inc., AIG Philippines Insurance Inc., AIG Property Casualty Company, AIG Property Casualty Inc., AIG Property Casualty International LLC, AIG Property Casualty U.S. Inc., AIG Re-Takaful (L) Berhad, AIG Resseguros Brasil S.A., AIG Seguros Brasil S.A., AIG Seguros Mexico S.A. de C.V., AIG South Africa Limited, AIG Specialty Insurance Company, AIG Technologies Inc., AIG Travel Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd., AIG Travel Assist Inc., AIG Travel Assist Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., AIG Travel EMEA Limited, AIG Travel Inc., AIG Uganda Limited, AIG Vietnam Insurance Company Limited, AIG WarrantyGuard Inc., AIG-FP Pinestead Holdings Corp., AIG-Metropolitana Cia. de Seguros y Reaseguros S.A., AIGGRE Europe Real Estate Fund I GP S.a r.l., AIGGRE Europe Real Estate Fund II GP S.a r.l., AIGGRE U.S. Real Estate Fund I GP LLC, AIGGRE U.S. Real Estate Fund II GP LLC, AIGGRE U.S. Real Estate Fund III GP LP, AIGGRE U.S. Real Estate Fund IV GP LLC, AIU Insurance Company, AM Holdings LLC, Ageas Protect, AlphaCat Managers Ltd., American General Corporation, American General Life Insurance Company, American Home Assurance Co. Ltd., American Home Assurance Company, American International Group UK Limited, American International Realty LLC, American International Reinsurance Company Ltd., American International Underwriters del Ecuador-Holding S.A. en Liquidacion S.A., Arthur J. Glatfelter Agency Inc., Blackboard Insurance Company, Blackboard Specialty Insurance Company, Blackboard U.S. Holdings Inc., C.A. de Seguros American International, Commerce and Industry Insurance Company, Crop Risk Services Inc., Eaglestone Reinsurance Company, Ellipse, Franklin Life Insurance Company, Fuji Fire and Marine, Glatfelter Insurance Group, Glatfelter Underwriting Services Inc., Globe and Rutgers Insurance Group, Grand Isle SAC Limited, Granite State Insurance Company, Illinois National Insurance Co., Inversiones Segucasai C.A., Johannesburg Insurance Holdings (Proprietary) Limited, Laya Healthcare Limited, Lexington Insurance Company, Lexington Specialty Insurance Agency Inc., National Union Fire Insurance Company of Pittsburgh Pa., National Union Fire Insurance Company of Vermont, New Hampshire Insurance Company, PCG 2019 Corporate Member Limited, PT AIG Insurance Indonesia, Pine Street Real Estate Holdings Corp., Risk Specialists Companies Insurance Agency Inc., SAFG Capital LLC, SAFG Retirement Services Inc., Service Net Warranty LLC, Stratford Insurance Company, SunAmerica Asset Management LLC, Talbot Holdings Ltd., Talbot Underwriting Holdings Ltd., Talbot Underwriting Ltd., The Insurance Company of the State of Pennsylvania, The United States Life Insurance Company in the City of New York, The Variable Annuity Life Insurance Company, Travel Guard, Travel Guard Group Canada Inc./Groupe Garde Voyage du Canada Inc., Travel Guard Group Inc., Tudor Insurance Company, VALIC Financial Advisors Inc., Valic Retirement Services Company, Validus Holdings, Validus Holdings (UK) Ltd., Validus Holdings Ltd., Validus Reinsurance (Switzerland) Ltd, Validus Reinsurance Ltd., Validus Ventures Ltd., Volunteer Firemen's Insurance Services Inc., and Western World Insurance Company.

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The following companies are subsidiares of Ingersoll Rand: 13125882 Canada Inc., 211 E. Russell Road LLC, 4458664 Canada Inc., ACCUDYNE INDUSTRIES ASIA PTE. LTD., ACCUDYNE INDUSTRIES BORROWER S.C.A., ACCUDYNE INDUSTRIES INDIA PRIVATE LIMITED, ACCUDYNE INDUSTRIES LLC, ACCUDYNE INDUSTRIES MIDDLE EAST FZE, ACCUDYNE INDUSTRIES SERVICES LIMITED, ASTRUM IT GmbH, Accudyne Industries Acquisition S.A r.l, Accudyne Industries Canada Inc., Accudyne Industries S.A r.l., Air Dimensions, Air Dimensions Inc., Albin Pump SAS, BOC Edwards Global Low pressure Air business, CISA S.p.A., Cameron-Centrifugal Compression, Comercial Ingersoll-Rand (Chile) Limitada, Comingersoll-Comercio E Industria De Equipamentos S.A., CompAir, CompAir (Hankook) Korea Co. Ltd., CompAir Acquisition (No. 2) Ltd., CompAir Acquisition Ltd., CompAir BroomWade Ltd., CompAir Finance Ltd., CompAir GmbH, CompAir Holdings Limited, CompAir International Trading (Shanghai) Co Ltd, CompAir Korea Ltd, CompAir South Africa (SA) (Pty) Ltd., Consolidated Distribution Holdings Ltd., DV Systems Inc., Dosatron International SAS, Emco Wheaton Gmbh, Emco Wheaton USA Inc, Enza Air Proprietary Limited, FlexEnergy Holdings LLC, Frigoblock Grosskopf Gmbh, GD Aria Holdings Limited, GD Aria Holdings Limited, GD Aria Investments Limited, GD First (UK) Ltd, GD German Holdings GmbH, GD German Holdings I Gmbh, GD German Holdings II GmbH, GD German Investments GmbH, GD Global Holdings II Inc., GD Global Holdings Inc., GD Global Holdings UK II Ltd., GD Global Ventures I B.V., GD Global Ventures II B.V., GD Global Ventures III B.V., GD Industrial Products Malaysia SDN. BHD., GD Investment KY, GD UK Finance Ltd., GPS Industries, Gardner Denver (Thailand) Co. Ltd., Gardner Denver Austria GmbH, Gardner Denver Bad Neustadt Real Estate GmbH & Co KG, Gardner Denver Belgium NV, Gardner Denver Brasil Industria E Comercio de Maquinas Ltda., Gardner Denver CZ + SK sro, Gardner Denver Canada Corp (Canada), Gardner Denver Cyprus Investments II Limited, Gardner Denver Cyprus Investments Limited, Gardner Denver Deutschland GmbH, Gardner Denver Engineered Products India Private Limited, Gardner Denver FZE, Gardner Denver Finance II LLC, Gardner Denver Finance Inc & Co KG, Gardner Denver France SAS, Gardner Denver Group Svcs Ltd, Gardner Denver Holdings Limited, Gardner Denver Hong Kong Investments Limited, Gardner Denver Hong Kong Ltd, Gardner Denver Iberica SL, Gardner Denver Inc., Gardner Denver Industries Ltd., Gardner Denver Industries Pty Ltd., Gardner Denver International Inc., Gardner Denver International Ltd., Gardner Denver Investments Inc., Gardner Denver Italy Holdings S.r.L., Gardner Denver Japan Ltd., Gardner Denver Kirchhain Real Estate GmbH & Co KG, Gardner Denver Korea Ltd., Gardner Denver Ltd., Gardner Denver Machinery (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Gardner Denver Nash Brasil Industria E Comercio De Bombas Ltda, Gardner Denver Nash LLC, Gardner Denver Nash Machinery Ltd., Gardner Denver Nederland BV, Gardner Denver Nederland Investments B.V., Gardner Denver Oy, Gardner Denver Polska Sp z.o.o., Gardner Denver Pte. Ltd., Gardner Denver S.r.l., Gardner Denver Schopfheim GmbH, Gardner Denver Schopfheim Real Estate GmbH & Co KG, Gardner Denver Schweiz AG, Gardner Denver Slovakia s.r.o., Gardner Denver Sweden AB, Gardner Denver Taiwan Ltd., Gardner Denver Thomas GmbH (f/k/a ILMVAC GmbH), Gardner Denver Thomas Inc., Gardner Denver Thomas Pneumatic Systems (Wuxi) Co. Ltd., Gardner Denver Thomas Real Estate GmbH & Co KG, Garo Dott. Ing. Roberto Gabbioneta S.r.l., Ghh-Rand Schraubenkompressoren Gmbh, HASKEL EUROPE LTD., HASKEL HOLDINGS UK LIMITED, HASKEL INTERNATIONAL LLC, Hamworthy Belliss & Morcom, Haskel France SAS, Haskel Sistemas de Fluidos Espana S.R.L., Hibon Inc., Highspeed Newco LLC, Hingerose Limited, ILMVAC (UK) Ltd., ILS Innovative Labor Systeme, ILS Inovative Laborsysteme GmbH, INGERSOLL RAND ITS JAPAN LTD., INGERSOLL-RAND (CHANG ZHOU) TOOLS CO. LTD., INGERSOLL-RAND (CHINA) INDUSTRIAL EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURING CO. LTD., INGERSOLL-RAND CHINA LLC, INGERSOLL-RAND COMERCIO E SERVICOS DE MAQUINAS E EQUIPAMENTOS INDUSTRIAIS LTDA., INGERSOLL-RAND DE PUERTO RICO INC., INGERSOLL-RAND INDUSTRIAL COMPANY B.V., INGERSOLL-RAND INDUSTRIAL SP. Z O.O., INGERSOLL-RAND INDUSTRIAL U.S. INC., INGERSOLL-RAND PHILIPPINES INC., INGERSOLL-RAND SPAIN S.A., INGERSOLL-RAND U.S. HOLDCO INC., IR HPS Holdco. Inc., ITO Emniyet, Ingersoll Rand Cyprus Investments Ltd., Ingersoll Rand Finance LLC, Ingersoll Rand Global Investments LLC, Ingersoll Rand Global Ventures LLC, Ingersoll Rand Hong Kong Investments Limited, Ingersoll Rand Inc., Ingersoll Rand Investments (SG) Pte. Ltd., Ingersoll Rand Investments B.V., Ingersoll Rand Schweiz Investments Gmbh, Ingersoll Rand Technology R&D (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Ingersoll-Rand (Australia) Ltd., Ingersoll-Rand (China) Investment Company Limited, Ingersoll-Rand (Guilin) Tools Company Limited, Ingersoll-Rand (Hong Kong) Holding Company Limited, Ingersoll-Rand (India) Limited, Ingersoll-Rand Ab, Ingersoll-Rand Air Solutions Hibon Sarl, Ingersoll-Rand Beteiligungs Und Grundstucksverwaltungs Gmbh, Ingersoll-Rand Colombia S.A.S., Ingersoll-Rand Company Limited (Uk), Ingersoll-Rand Company South Africa (Pty) Limited, Ingersoll-Rand Cz S.R.O., Ingersoll-Rand De Mexico S.A. De C.V., Ingersoll-Rand Equipements De Production S.A.S., Ingersoll-Rand Holdings Limited, Ingersoll-Rand Industrial Ireland Limited, Ingersoll-Rand International (India) Private Limited, Ingersoll-Rand International Holding Llc, Ingersoll-Rand Italia S.R.L., Ingersoll-Rand Italiana Manufacturing S.R.L., Ingersoll-Rand Korea Holding Llc, Ingersoll-Rand Korea Limited, Ingersoll-Rand Lux Investments II S.A R.I., Ingersoll-Rand Lux Investments S.A R.L., Ingersoll-Rand Luxembourg Industrial Company S.A R.L., Ingersoll-Rand Machinery (Shanghai) Company Limited, Ingersoll-Rand Malaysia Co. Sdn. Bhd., Ingersoll-Rand S.A. De C.V., Ingersoll-Rand Services And Trading Limited Liability Company, Ingersoll-Rand Services Company, Ingersoll-Rand Services Limited, Ingersoll-Rand Singapore Enterprises Pte. Ltd., Ingersoll-Rand South East Asia (Pte.) Ltd., Ingersoll-Rand Superay Holdings Limited, Ingersoll-Rand Technical And Services S.A.R.L., Ingersoll-Rand Technologies And Services Private Limited, Ingersoll-Rand Technology R&D (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Ingersoll-Rand Tool Holdings Limited, Ingersoll-Rand Trading Gmbh, Ingersoll-Rand Vietnam Company Limited, Instrum Rand JSC, Interflex Datensysteme, Ir Canada Holdings Ulc, Ir Canada Sales & Service Ulc, Ir France Sas, Kryptonite corp, Lawrence Factor Inc., LeROI, LeRoi International Inc, MILTON ROY (HONG KONG) LIMITED, MILTON ROY (UK) LIMITED, MILTON ROY EUROPA B.V., MILTON ROY EUROPE SAS, MILTON ROY INDUSTRIAL (SHANGHAI) CO. LTD., MILTON ROY LLC, MILTON ROY US PURCHASER INC., MP Pumps Inc., Maximum AG Technologies Inc., Maximus Solutions, Mb Air Systems Limited, Nash Elmo, Officina Meccaniche Industriali Srl, Oina VV, Oina VV Aktiebolag, Plurifilter D.O.O., Pt Ingersoll-Rand Indonesia, Robuschi, Runtech Systems, Runtech Systems (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Runtech Systems Inc., Runtech Systems OY, SEEPEX, Seepex (M) SDN, Seepex Australia Pty Ltd, Seepex Beteiligungs-Gesellschaft mit Beschrankter Haftung, Seepex France S.a.r.l., Seepex GmbH, Seepex Inc., Seepex India Private Ltd., Seepex Italia SRL, Seepex Japan Co. Ltd., Seepex Nordic A/S, Seepex OOO, Seepex Pumps (Shanghia) Co. Ltd., Seepex UK Ltd., Shanghai CompAir Compressors Co Ltd, Shanghai Compressors & Blowers Ltd., Shanghai Ingersoll-Rand Compressor Limited, Shenzhen Bocom System Engineering Co., Superay, Syltone, TIWR Real Estate GmbH & Co. KG, Tamrotor Marine Comp AS Norway, Tecno Matic Europe s.r.o., Thomas Industries Inc., Trane Technologies, Tri-Continent Scientific Inc., Vacuum and Blower Systems division, Welch Vacuum Equipment (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Zaxe Technologies Inc., Zeks Compressed Air Solutions Llc, Zinsser Analytic, Zinsser Analytik GmbH, Zinsser NA Inc., and crayon interface.

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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.
The University of Wolverhampton recently celebrated a 30 year partnership with Yunnan Agricultural University (YAU) in China.

YAU is a key University in Yunnan Province, which specialises in teaching, research and covers multiple subjects, including biology, soil science, animal husbandry, water resources and hydropower as well agricultural engineering, management of agricultural economy and humanities and social science. It has 25,000 students and over 100 international students.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed between the two Universities in 1987 who have since been working in partnership to share resources in teaching and research as well as introducing a student exchange programme.




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France, UK join forces in nuclear skills

26 April 2017

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Institut National des Sciences et Techniques Nucleaires (INSTN) and the National Skills Academy for Nuclear (NSAN) have announced they will work together to boost "long-standing Franco-British nuclear industry relations". Their cooperation will include development of a "quality standard" for skills provision and training that will enable them to design education programs, organise exchanges between students and lecturers and implement new, innovative teaching tools.

The signing of the agreement by Llewellyn and Correa, witnessed by Ion and Davies (Image: NSAN)

Their commitment was outlined in an agreement signed at the French Residence in London yesterday by INSTN Director Phillipe Correa and NSAN CEO Jean Llewellyn, in the presence of NSAN Honorary President Dame Sue Ion and NSAN Chairman Robert Davies.

Correa said the agreement "highlights the strength" of Franco-British cooperation, particularly in nuclear energy. Llewellyn added that, as the UK "moves to action Brexit", it is "vital that our relationship with Europe is strengthened through collaborations such as this".

The quality standard the institutes aim to create will be recognised by a kitemark of quality, they said, with a further joint kitemark to be developed for use by professional associates of both organisations.

Ion stressed the importance of formally recognising and identifying the organisations' shared quality standards through a "professional hallmark of quality".

The benefits of the bilateral agreement could prove to be far-reaching, said Correa, who described signing of the agreement as "a brick that can pave the way" for further cooperation between the nuclear industries of France and the UK.

Ion highlighted the potential for "further collaborative international projects" since both organisations will look to facilitate enhanced links with other education and training bodies in the two countries.

INSTN noted the "international recognition" it enjoys as an International Atomic Energy Agency collaborating centre' for education and training in the nuclear sector. This, together with NSAN's role in the UK, means the new partnership represents "a major and concrete asset" for the development of nuclear skills and competences in the two countries, the French institute said.

Established in 1956, INSTN is a public higher education institution administered by the French Atomic energy and Alternative Energies Commission. NSAN is a UK member organisation that aims to improve the performance of companies in the nuclear industry through facilitating collaboration and action on skills development. It was created in 2007.

Researched and written

by World Nuclear News

Related topics
South African court sets aside nuclear plans

26 April 2017

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South Africa's Western Cape High Court has set aside two ministerial determinations underpinning the country's nuclear procurement plans, ruling them unlawful and unconstitutional. The court has also declared the same to be the case of intergovernmental agreements, including that between South Africa and Russia.

Today's written ruling by Judge Lee Bosalek, with the concurrence of Judge Elizabeth Baartman, was in response to challenges by Earthlife Africa and the Southern African Faith Communities' Environmental Institute to two determinations made by the Minister of Energy. The first determination - that South Africa required 9600 MWe of new nuclear capacity, and that this should be procured by the country's Department of Energy - was signed in December 2013 but not gazetted by the South African government until December 2015. The second determination, issued in December 2016, was similar to the first but identified South African utility Eskom as the procurer of the nuclear power plants.

Kubayi becomes energy minister



South African President Jacob Zuma on 31 March appointed Mmamoloko "Nkhensani" Kubayi as minister of energy as part of a cabinet reshuffle. Zuma said he had decided to make changes to the country's National Executive to "improve efficiency and effectiveness."

The judges ruled that the failure to include a public participation process rendered the National Energy Regulator of South Africa's (Nersa) approval of both determinations procedurally unfair and in breach of national regulatory legislation. They also questioned the "inordinate delay" in the gazetting of the 2013 determination - which renders it effective - and the failure of the energy minister at the time to reconsult with Nersa to ensure its earlier approval remained valid.

The High Court ruled that an intergovernmental nuclear cooperation agreement between South Africa and Russia, signed by the energy minister at the time, Tina Joemat-Petterson, and the then Rosatom director-general Sergey Kirienko in 2014 - before the gazetting of the first determination - was unconstitutional and unlawful, and should be set aside. It also ruled that intergovernmental agreements signed with the USA in 1994 and South Korea in 2010 should be set aside, as the energy minister's decision not to table before parliament until 2015 rendered them unlawful and unconstitutional.

South Africa's Integrated Resource Plan for 2010-2030 calls for construction of 9600 MWe of new nuclear capacity - supplying 23% of the country's electricity - with the first reactor to come online by 2023. In December 2015, following Joemat-Petterson's decision to designate it to undertake the procurement, Eskom issued a request for information to companies interested in participating in the program. By February, the some 27 companies including China's SNPTC, France's EDF, Russia's Rusatom Overseas and South Korea's Kepco, had said the intended to respond to the request. The High Court has now ruled that the request for information must now be set aside.

An Eskom spokesman told World Nuclear News: "Eskom notes the Western Cape High Court judgment on nuclear. We'll study the ruling and if need be, Eskom will make comments thereafter."

Researched and written

by World Nuclear News

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The American passport is one of the world's most accepted passports, with the many countries offering US citizens a visa-free entry. In todays global village, it often takes minutes to acquire a visa over the internet. However, some countries are difficult for Americans to visit. These countries have a variety of obstacles that range from extravagant visa fees, institutional corruption, security, language barriers, uncertainty, and bureaucracy among other reasons. Most countries that frustrate entry of US citizens share common traits such as difference in ideology, security, and religious beliefs. Tourists are usually encouraged to counter check with their embassies and heed government advice before visiting these countries.

5. Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia has world-class historical and religious attractions, but is very strict on aspects of culture, especially in regards to women. If you are a woman under the age of 30, you are required to be accompanied by your husband, father, brother or another male relative after proof of relation. For a person to visit this country, a visa and a letter from a local male sponsor are needed which can take several months of preparation. An American tourist will most likely be denied a tourist visa since revenue from tourism is minuscule compared to oil revenue. The US government also warns its citizens against possible attacks from terrorist groups operating in the country. If a traveler's passport indicates they have previously visited Israel, the individual could be shunned from entering the country until the Israeli visa or stamp doesnt remain on their passport.

4. Angola

Traveling to Angola can be difficult due to stringent requirements. The government prefers that American visitors purchase a visa at extravagant rates, have an invitation letter written in Portuguese, have yellow fever vaccination certificates and make non-refundable hotel reservations. Visitors are also not assured of the actual hotel reservations. After several requirements are met, it is common for a passport to come back with no visa, explanation, or refund. There are few flights from the US to Angola, and a visitor will most likely be stranded if they do not speak Portuguese or any of the local languages.

3. Somalia

The US government has strict warnings in place for its citizens who wish to visit Somalia. Apart from aid workers, journalists, and expatriates, the government discourages tourism to the country on account of it being home to some of the most lethal terrorists, pirates, and anti-American campaigners on the planet. Somalia is among the least visited countries on earth due to the insecurity and infrastructure. To visit Somalia, travelers need a local sponsor as well as a letter of invitation.

2. Russia

Political and ideological differences between the US and Russia can be identified in the visa applications. Americans must make lengthy visa applications 90 days in advance to access Russia, one of the most powerful countries on the planet. During the application, US citizens must declare all the countries they have visited within the previous decade and list all the causes they support. Visitors also need an invitation letter and a local sponsor. US state Department encourages people to countercheck with Russian speakers to ensure that the visa reflects the correct details to help in admittance.

1. Chad

The US government has travel restrictions to Chad due to the high number of terrorist activities and sympathizers to groups such as Boko Haram, ISIL, Al-Qaeda, and other small bandit groups who have kidnapped American citizens in the past. For Americans to visit Chad, they must apply for visas well in advance, have a letter of invitation from a local host or sponsor, and a yellow fever vaccination certificate. Chad also has a small number of hotels, most of which may not be up to the standards of global tourism.
Porpoises are a group of aquatic marine mammals belonging to the family Phocoenidae. Six species of porpoises inhabit the worlds oceans today including the worlds most threatened cetacean, the vaquita. Here is a list of these six species and a description of their distribution and characteristic features.

6. Finless Porpoise

The Indo-Pacific finless porpoise (Neophocaena phocaenoides) is one of six species of porpoises alive today. These porpoises live off the coast of East China, as well as in the Yellow Sea around the Korean Peninsula. A small population of this porpoise species also lives in the freshwater habitat at the Yangtze Rivers mouth near Shanghai. In their range, the porpoises remain in shallow waters with a depth of up to 50 meters. They prefer mangrove swamps, estuaries, and soft or sandy beds as their habitat.

There are two subspecies of the finless porpoise. This includes the N. p. phocaenoides which range from Taiwan to the Persian Gulf, and the N. p. sunameri which range from Taiwan to the East China Sea and southern Japan. The porpoise is named so since it is the only porpoise that lacks a true dorsal fin. A thick skin-covered low ridge occupies the place of the dorsal fin. The forehead of this porpoise is steeper than that of the others. These animals grow up to about 2.27 meters in length and weigh around 72 kg. The adults of this species usually have a uniform light gray color.

The finless porpoises are opportunistic feeders that feed on fish, cephalopods, crustaceans, etc. They are also reported to ingest vegetative material such as leaves, rice, etc. when living in mangrove, river or estuary habitats. The animals usually are found in small groups of 3 to 6 but larger groups of about 50 have also been detected. The porpoises breed between late spring and early summer with a gestation period of about 10 to 11 months. Males are sexually mature at 4 to 6 years of age and females take longer, usually 6 to 9 years.

The finless porpoise is classified as "vulnerable" by the IUCN. Although there are no well-established estimates of their population, some surveys have indicated that the current population is only a fraction of the historic one.

5. Harbor Porpoise

The harbor porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) is the porpoise most encountered by whale watchers as it prefers to live near coastal areas and river estuaries. These animals also venture far away from the sea along the river course. Several subspecies of this porpoise are known to exist in distinct geographical locations. The harbor porpoise lives in the coastal waters of the Black Sea, North Pacific, and the North Atlantic. These marine mammals prefer subarctic to temperate waters.

The harbor porpoise is smaller than most other porpoise species and weighs around 53 kg. They are about 4.6 to 6.2 feet long. The animals have a poorly demarcated beak and have dark gray back, flippers, and fins. The sides are a lighter, speckled gray and their underside is white.

Harbor porpoises feed on squids, crustaceans, and small pelagic schooling fish. It usually feeds close to the sea bottom in shallow waters. The animals are generally solitary foragers but do occasionally hunt in packs. The social life of this species is not well documented and they are usually regarded as solitary. Females are sexually mature by 3 to 4 years of age and have a gestation period of about 10 to 11 months. Births are common during late spring and summer.

Although sufficient data is not present regarding the conservation status of the harbor porpoise, it is possible that these species might suffer massive population decline in the future due to climate change, overfishing, pollution, etc. The porpoises have also been traditionally hunted for food and blubber but currently are not commercially hunted. Hunting for food in Greenland continues to happen.

4. Vaquita

The vaquita (Phocoena sinus) is the rarest of the six species of porpoise and is endemic to the northern sections of the Gulf of California. It is also unfortunately regarded as the most threatened cetacean in the world and is listed as "critically endangered" by the IUCN. As of 2016, only about 30 vaquitas remained. The species will possibly be extinct soon with bycatch from the illegal gillnet fishery considered the main culprit behind the demise of this porpoise species.

Vaquitas are the smallest of all cetaceans and have a stocky built. The dark rings around their eyes, lip patches, and a line extending from the mouth to the dorsal fins are the distinguishing features of this species. The dorsal surface is dark gray while the undersides are white. Females are about 55.4 inches in size while males are slightly shorter. The animals use high-pitched sounds to communicate and echolocate. These animals are highly evasive in nature and surface to breathe, only to quickly disappear. They are less social than other porpoises and tend to live alone except when calving.

The vaquitas are non-selective feeders and feed on crustaceans, small fish, squids, octopuses, etc. They live for about 20 years if ideal conditions exist. They sexually mature between 3 and 6 years. The reproduction occurs during late spring and early summer with gestation period being 10 to 11 months.

3. Spectacled Porpoise

The spectacled porpoise (Phocoena dioptrica) as the name suggests, are distinguished by the characteristic dark ring around their eyes. The animal has a small head and no beak. The undersides of the porpoise are white and the upper surface is black in color. There is also a white stripe on the tails upper surface. Males grow up to 2.2 meters in length and females are a little smaller than the males.

The spectacled porpoise feeds on fish, squid, octopus, shrimp, mollusks, and other crustaceans. They live in groups of between 1 to 25. They are active swimmers and tend to avoid boats.

The spectacled porpoise is found in the low Antarctic and cool sub-Antarctic waters and have a circumpolar distribution. They live in the Atlantic, South Pacific, and the southern Indian Ocean. The porpoises tend to live near the coast and are rarely seen in the open sea. Little is known about the population and distribution of this species and is thus listed as "data deficient". However, it is possible that the species might have an unfavorable conservation status and need international co-operation to ensure its continued survival.

2. Burmeister's Porpoise

Burmeister's porpoise (Phocoena spinipinnis) is a porpoise species that is endemic to the coasts of South America. The species is named after Hermann Burmeister who first described it. The range of the Burmeister's porpoise is quite widespread, stretching from the coastal waters of the Pacific in Peru to the Atlantic coast of southern Brazil. The animals usually live close to land and are rarely sighted more than 50 km from the coast. The Burmeister's porpoises are typically dark gray in color and are about 150 cm long and weigh around 50 to 75 kg. The dorsal fin of the porpoise has an unusual shape and is triangular rather than curved. It also points backward rather than pointing upwards. The porpoises are shy and elusive creatures and usually live alone. They feed on several species of pelagic fish such as mackerel, anchovies, and hake.

The biggest threat the Burmeister's porpoise faces is accidental capture in fishing nets which is common in Chile, Peru, and Uruguay. In Peru, nearly 2,000 individuals are caught in this manner each year. The porpoises are also deliberately harpooned to be used as shark bait or for food.

1. Dall's porpoise

A pod of Dall's porpoises.

The Dall's porpoise (Phocoenoides dalli) is found only in the North Pacific Ocean and is named after W. H. Dall, an American naturalist. The Dalls porpoise has a unique appearance that easily distinguishes it from other cetacean species. The animal has a stocky built with a small head. The body color ranges between dark gray to black and it has white patches on the belly and flank. These animals grow up to about 7.5 feet and weigh between 130 and 220 kg.

The Dalls porpoise inhabits cold waters that are over 590 feet deep and prefer to stay close to deep-water canyons or in deep coastal waters in its range. The species feed on small fishes and cephalopods. They are highly active swimmers and can swim at 55 km/h, nearly as fast as the killer whale. The Dalls porpoises live in small groups of 2 to 12 individuals, but can gather in hundreds around a food source. The males of this species guard the female to ensure that he will sire her calf. Babies are born most often during the summer after a 10 to 11 month gestation period. The life-span of the species is about 22 years. Currently, thousands of Dalls porpoises are dying each year as by-catch in fishing nets. The use of harpoon fishing by Japanese hunters is also a serious threat to their survival.
Tourism In Brazil

Tourism is a critical component of the economy in Brazil, contributing $6.6 billion in revenue from international tourists in 2012. Brazil ranks number 3 in the Americas in terms of being an attractive place to open a business in the tourism industry. In fact, the travel and tourism industry is responsible for creating 7% of the employment opportunities here. It is the second most popular tourist destination in South America and has sustained consistent growth in the number of international tourists it receives every year. This country received 5.6 million visitors in 2012. Foreign arrivals grew in 2016 by 4.8% in response to the Olympics Games. This article takes a closer look at where those tourists come from and where they go within the country.

Tourist Destinations In Brazil

Brazil offers tourists a wide range of activities, ranging from ecotourism to beaches and cities to historic tours. The most popular cities with international travelers are: Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, Foz do Iguacu, Florianopolis, and Salvador. For those tourists who are looking for an adventure in nature, Brazil also offers tours to the Amazon Rainforest, the Pantanal tropical wetland area, and beautiful beaches in Rio de Janeiro and Santa Catarina. This country is also home to a number of World Heritage Sites, including several historic city centers, the Discovery Coast Atlantic Forest Reserves, and Iguazu National Park.

Top Source Countries For Tourists To Brazil

Although Brazil is the third most competitive location in the Americas for the travel and tourism industry, it only ranks number 28 in the world. In addition to its very popular tourist attractions, Brazil also has some issues that have yet to be resolved like underdeveloped infrastructure and high crime rates. Another problem for this country is that Brazilians have begun traveling outside of the country more often, spending more money internationally than foreign tourists spend inside the country. This results in a negative net foreign exchange for Brazil.

Argentina

The majority of international tourists visiting Brazil are from Argentina. In 2012, Argentinians made up 29.4% of all tourists found in Brazil. Their numbers increased in 2014, when a total of 1,743,930 individuals from Argentina visited Brazil. Argentina and Brazil are both members of Mercosur (the Southern Common Market) and the Andean Community, both trade blocs and customs unions designed to unite South America. Citizens of member countries are permitted to travel to other member countries without a visa, which may help encourage tourism.

United States

The United States is the second largest source of international tourists to Brazil. In 2012, 586.463 US citizens spent their vacations in this South American country, representing approximately 10.3% of total arrivals. This number increased to 656,801 in 2014.

Chile

Chile, another South American country and member of the Andean Community, is the third largest source of foreign tourists to Brazil. Much like the previously mentioned countries, the number of individuals visiting from Chile is also on the rise. In 2012, Chileans made up 4.4% of total arrivals to Brazil, around 250,586. That number increased to 336,950 in 2014.

This is just a look at the top 3 source countries of tourists to Brazil. The chart published below offers a more detailed look at which countries are most interested in traveling to Brazil.
Wild boar (illustration)

By: Emily Lewis WorldWideWeirdNews.com

(Scroll down for video) The free world got unexpected help in the fight against the violent ISIS terrorist group.

A group of ISIS members who were preparing an attack in Iraq, were attacked by the wild pigs and were killed.

The members of ISIS in al-Rashad, were called to the area in order to attack forces that were loyal to the government.

As they were preparing the attack and moving toward the government forces, the animals went on the attack and killed three members.

Five additional ISIS members were injured by the pigs. As an act of revenge, the remaining ISIS members got rid of all the pigs.

The incident unfolded on Sunday. Experts believe that the movement of the ISIS members disturbed the pigs living in the area.

The animals became fearful and attacked them.
The Alternative for Germany (AfD) moved further to the right at its election congress in Cologne last weekend. The AfD was originally founded in 2013 as an anti-Euro party, embracing national-conservative and neoliberal values. It has now completed its transformation into a far-right, ethno-nationalist organisation.

The change in direction was initiated two years ago, when Frauke Petry replaced AfD founder Bernd Lucke, a Hamburg-based economist, as the partys leader. At the time, Petry worked closely with Alexander Gauland and Bjorn Hocke, the party leaders in Brandenburg and Thuringia, representing the right-nationalist and the folkish wing of the party. Now, Gauland and Hocke have sidelined Petry.

A motion on the future, prepared by Petry, was bluntly rejected. The conference removed it from the agenda without discussion. Petry had sought to limit the most blatant forms of neo-Nazi agitation by leading party members and to prepare the AfD for future participation in government.

In February, at Petrys initiative, the party executive initiated expulsion proceedings against Hocke, who had created a public scandal with a speech attacking the commemoration of the victims of Nazi crimes. He called the Holocaust Memorial in Berlin a monument of disgrace. He went on to charge that the allied powers in World War II, in their bombing German cities, had sought to rob us of our collective identity and to eradicate us root and branch. The procedure to expel Hocke has now come to a halt, and he is once again playing a leading role in the party.

The same applies to Jens Maier, a leading candidate of the AfD in Saxony in the federal election this autumn. Mayer also faced expulsion after, in typical neo-Nazi fashion, he deplored Germanys cult of guilt and warned against the production of mixed races, which obliterate national identities. Maier went so far as to express understanding for the Norwegian fascist mass murderer Anders Breivik.

Frauke Petry remains party chair; a new election is scheduled at the AfDs regular congress in the autumn. She has, however, been sidelined. The congress selected Gaulandthe main figure behind the campaign against Petryand Alice Weidel as its leading candidates for the Bundestag election this autumn.

The 76-year-old Gauland, a co-founder of the AfD in 2013, had been a functionary in the ultra-conservative CDU in the state of Hesse for 40 years. At the Cologne congress, he demonstrated his far-right orientation with the slogan We are proud to be Germans. He added, We want to keep the land we inherited from our mothers and fathers. For someone who was born in 1941, in the middle of the war, as the son of a lieutenant-colonel in the Nazi regimes police, his statement speaks for itself.

Alice Weidel is 38 and an economist who has worked for Goldman Sachs and Allianz Global Investors Europe. She worked in China for six years and is now a company consultant for start-ups.

As a lesbian mother living with her female partner and a child, Weidel appears not to fit into the AfDs preference for the classic family of father, mother and children as a life model and role model, and its recognition of natural differences between the sexes, as the partys election programme states. Her choice, however, is undoubtedly a nod towards wealthy middle class layers who are shifting to the right as the social crisis intensifies.

Weidel won the support of delegates with her tirade against immigrants in general and Muslims in particular. She said: Today in our country we have to protect Christian festivals with police, machine guns and barriers to stop trucks. She accused the government of pursuing a completely uncontrolled and irresponsible immigration policy.

Opposition to Muslims and immigration and outright xenophobia form the core of the 68-page election programme adopted by the party congress. In proto-Nazi style, the programme section headed Asylum needs borders employs demographic statistics according to which the population of Africa will grow from 1.2 to 2.4 billion by 2050, while Europes population will fall from 590 to 540 million. To further the self-preservation of our state and people, the AfD demands a series of measures to stop immigration and increase the German birth rate.

Two years ago, Hockes racist drivel on European and African strategies for reproduction had created a scandal. He contrasted the life-enhancing African type of proliferation to the European placeholder type. Now, similar racist nostrums are anchored in the partys programme.

Also, the programmes section on internal security, advocating a massive rearmament of the police and a drastic tightening of criminal lawin particular, juvenile lawis justified with xenophobic arguments.

The foreign policy section of the AfD programme calls for a strict orientation towards German interests. It strongly recalls Trumps America First policy and has an unmistakable imperialist tone, reminiscent of the German Imperial and Nazi eras. Among other things, it calls for the defence of German economic interests to the same extent that other countries defend their interests, as well as access to raw materials and the freedom of trade routes.

The programme rejects the Euro and calls for the replacement of the European Union by a Europe of sovereign states. The programme describes the US as the most important German alliance partner, but also notes that the increasing focus of the US on the Pacific and East Asian region requires an autonomous German security strategy. The programme also calls for easing of tensions with Russia and the termination of the sanctions policy against Moscow.

Regarding international military interventions, the programme states: We must support the stability of states in the interests of our security, not in the name of democracy and morality. To this end, the AfD is committed to massive military rearmament. It calls for the return of the armed forces to a state of readiness and for the reintroduction of conscription to be achieved by the rebuilding of homeland security forces or a militia system based on the Swiss model.

The programme also calls for the use of the Bundeswehr inside Germanyfor civil-military cooperation and round-the-clock fast reaction forces. It is no coincidence that some leading AfD politicians are former army officers.

The AfD rejects an inheritance tax and advocates a strict ceiling on state debt, which excludes tax increases. In the Social Policy section, however, it has departed from its former neoliberal programme and calls for a number of social reforms, in particular for families and retireesexcluding immigrants. The AfD is evidently seeking to emulate the French National Front in order to lure impoverished layers of the population into its grasp.

The founding and evolution of the AfD cannot be understood in isolation from the policies of all the other parties. Four years after its foundation, the AfD sits in 11 out of 16 state parliaments and is currently polling at around 10 percent for this autumns federal electioni.e., ahead of the Left Party, the Greens and the FDP. At the same time, it is moving ever further to the right.

Many of the demands in the AfD programmethe mass deportation of refugees, the call for a German guiding culture, the return of militarism, domestic rearmamentare now official policy. They are supported more or less openly, not only by the government partiesthe CDU, CSU and SPDbut also by the Greens and the Left Party. All of these parties are reacting to growing social tensions and increasing international conflicts by turning to the right. As at the beginning of the last century, the only answer the ruling class has to the global crisis of capitalism is war and dictatorship.

The AfD has taken this policy to its ultimate conclusion and, in doing so, openly appeals to the most reactionary traditions in German history. In pursuing this path, it can rely on the right-wing policies of the other political parties as well as on the ideological shift to the right taking place at universities.

In the course of the demonstrations against the AfD congress in Cologne, the Socialist Equality Party and IYSSE distributed a leaflet dealing with the suppression of freedom of speech and thought at Humboldt University in Berlin. The university administration is seeking to suppress criticism of right-wing professors, such as the historian Jorg Baberowski and the political scientist Herfried Munkler. Both men have developed a new historical narrative aimed at playing down the historic crimes of German imperialism and justifying the return of German militarism.

Baberowski has come to the defence of Hitler and agitates against refugees. The leaflet warned: The defence of Baberowski by the university administration and the media has direct political implications. Far-right AfD ideologues such as Bjorn Hocke, who links to Baberowski on his Facebook page, and Jens Maier...are given a boost. This has been confirmed by the party congress.

The AfDs new strong man, Alexander Gauland, is directly relying on Munkler. In 2015, he praised Munklers book Macht in der Mitte (Power in the Centre), which calls for Germany to be the hegemon and disciplinarian of Europe.
Six residents of Flint, Michigan were arrested at an April 20 town hall meeting held by the citys Democratic mayor, Karen Weaver, and state officials. The residents, who include longtime opponents of the poisoning of the citys water and the political cover-up that followed, were handcuffed and dragged off by heavily armed police for exercising their freedom of speech.

According to the ABC-TV affiliate, the residents, who include Tony Palladeno Jr., his wife Leah and local activist Abel Delgado, were held in Flint City lockup overnight and released on Friday, April 21. The Flint police department told the local media outlet they will request the prosecutors office to file the following charges: disorderly conduct, assaulting a police officer, interfering with police and disruptive behavior.

Armed police in bulletproof vests had a heavy presence at the meeting, which was allegedly called to allow resident to air their feedback, questions and concerns after the mayors announcement of a new water plan. Many residents questioned the selection of venue, the House of Prayer Missionary Church, rather than a public space, given that this was supposed to be a free and open discussion.

The arrest of a protester at the Flint Town Hall

The event opened with a provocation by Flint Chief of Police Tim Johnson, who told the audience of over 100 that no disruptions or profanity would be tolerated and that since it was a house of God, all males had to remove their hats. I just want to make sure this meeting goes off the way its supposed to and that everybodys respecting everyone, Johnson declared. Please dont be in here trying to disrupt this meeting, because if you do, Im going to escort you out and Im only going to take you to the back door and then youre going to jail. Im not going to play with nobody tonight.

During the event, several residents expressed the view that the meeting should not have been held in a church, evoking applause. One person, who was recording the proceedings on his cell phone, shouted, I cant wear a hat, but you can wear a pistol? He was quickly escorted out of the meeting and arrested.

Aaron Kottke of the group Flint Rising told the World Socialist Web Site that he witnessed the abusive police action. People were told they had to take their hats off to enter the church. People were arrested for no reason. There was a heavily militarized police force there which was not necessary.

Kottke said that when he saw people being arrested he went outside to witness it. People were being arrested for nothing. They were not being disruptive. And the people who were arrested outside were arrested just for being there.

The arrest of Tony Palladeno

This included another resident who was apparently arrested for videoing the arrest of Palladeno on her cell phone.

A video from a local NBC news station showed an argument in the church vestibule between police and Palladeno. A representative of the church pointed to Palladeno and directed the police to get him out of here, adding, This is my church.

The mayor issued a statement Friday defending the police action, claiming it was necessary to make sure the meeting was productive.

At the march and rally held to mark the third anniversary of the citys ill-fated switch over to the polluted Flint River, Palladeno told the World Socialist Web Site, Im still feeling it. Its not right. It was a setup.

A woman recording an arrest is arrested herself

Palladeno was visibly upset explaining the arrests of his wife and the others. She was the one that was slammed, he said, adding, I cant say anything more due to instructions from his attorney.

When asked about his First Amendment rights, Palladeno said the mayor opposed this. That was taken from us the minute they put us in a church. It should have never happened that way.

As of this writing it has not been reported whether the prosecutors office has filed charges against the six. An earlier report by the ABC-TVs local affiliate said no charges had yet been filed.

A civil rights attorney contacted by the WSWS said, If they have not issued any charges its because they know what they did was illegal. You cant arrest someone for not taking their hat off in church or not speaking properly. By arresting them, the city was sending a message that they will use force to silence opposition.
With funding for the federal government set to expire at 12:01 a.m. Saturday, a largely stage-managed conflict between the Trump administration and congressional Democrats over a bill to avert a government shutdown is being used by the Democratic Party as a smokescreen to obscure its support for stepped-up attacks on immigrants and a large increase in military spending.

At issue is an omnibus spending bill to keep the government running through September 30, the end of the current fiscal year. The Democratic leadership rejected an earlier demand by the White House that the measure include $1 billion as a down payment on President Donald Trumps border wall between the US and Mexico, pledging to block a funding extension and allow large parts of the federal government to shut down unless the border wall allocation was removed. Although the Republicans control both houses of Congress, they need at least eight Democratic votes to overcome a filibuster in the Senate.

Democratic leaders are portraying their stance on money for the border wall in the budget negotiations as opposition to the administrations war on immigrants. It is nothing of the kind. It is a cynical maneuver meant to conceal their support for the further militarization of the US-Mexico border.

At a meeting Monday afternoon with reporters from right-wing media outlets, Trump indicated that he would be willing to withdraw a specific proposal for money to begin building the wall in order to obtain passage of a funding bill and avert a shutdown. This followed suggestions by White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus on Sundays Meet the Press interview program that the White House was open to dropping spending for the wall from the measure being negotiated as long as it included additional money for border security.

We expect a massive increase in military spending. We expect money for border security in this bill, he told moderator Chuck Todd. He was already aware that the Democrats were prepared to meet these demands.

On Sunday, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi declared that the Democrats would not approve a penny for the border wall, which she called immoral, expensive, unwise. At the same time, however, she and Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer were assuring the Republicans that they would deliver the votes to include in the budget measure hundreds of millions of dollars for border security as well as tens of billions in additional funding for the Pentagon.

On Sunday morning, the day before Congress reassembled after a two-week recess, the Democrats submitted to the Republicans a compromise spending plan, including the new money for the border, minus specific funding for the wall. At the same time, the Democrats called for assurances from the White House that it would not, as threatened, terminate government subsidies paid to insurance companies to keep down premiums and other costs for consumers who buy health coverage on the Obamacare exchanges. Their proposal also included an extension of health benefits for coal miners set to expire on Saturday and an expansion of Medicaid benefits to people in Puerto Rico.

In a speech on the Senate floor, Schumer attacked the plan for a border wall, while declaring that a combination of new technology and increased border policing would be a much more effective way to secure the border. He particularly boosted the idea of deploying drones to stop undocumented workers from crossing into the US.

On Tuesday afternoon, the Republican congressional leadership offered a revised funding bill that stripped out spending on the border wall but included money to repair existing fencing and install new surveillance technology.

The fact that the wall is now off the tableAmericans should breathe a sigh of relief, Schumer declared.

The Wall Street Journal editorial on Tuesday acidly mocked the political theater that dominates the budget talks, writing, [S]eemingly all of Washington is promising high drama and an epic budget battle. Dont fall for the hype. A more accurate term for this weeks scuffle is Freuds shutdown, because the stakes arent much higher than the narcissism of small differences.

The newspaper noted that the Democrats had backed spending $40 billion to militarize the border in the Obama administrations failed immigration bill of 2013.

The Washington Post reported that plans were in place, should the two parties fail to agree on an omnibus spending bill by Friday, to quickly pass in both the House and Senate a short-term continuing resolution to keep the government running until the details had been finalized.
Nearly 23,000 retired coal miners and their spouses will be cut off health insurance on May 1 unless Congress passes a stop gap measure to shore up the United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) Health and Retirement Funds.

Many of the retirees have worked decades and have debilitating diseases such as black lung and emphysema, which are contracted from breathing coal dust. Others were hurt in crippling accidents and only receive a pittance in disability benefits. The retirees and disabled miners are too young to receive government-funded Medicare benefits.

Donald Trump won the election in mining states like West Virginia, Kentucky, Pennsylvania and Ohio, in part because of promises made to bring back coal and stand up for the miners. Since taking office he has rolled back pollution controls and other government regulations to boost corporate profits while remaining silent on the impending disaster facing tens of thousands of miners and their families.

About 16,000 of those facing an imminent cutoff worked at St. Louis-based Peabody Energy, the worlds largest private-sector coal company, and its spin-off Patriot Coal. These companies and others deliberately used the bankruptcy courts to escape paying into the UMWA funds. Peabody filed for bankruptcy in 2016, while Patriot filed for insolvency protection in 2012 and again in 2015. Other miners affected by the benefit cuts worked for Walter Energy or Alpha, both of which declared bankruptcy.

The funds were set to run out of money last winter and miners were sent letters informing them their health coverage would stop in December. At that time, Congress agreed to a four-month extension. Money for the 22,600 miners will run out by the end of this month.

Retired coal miners from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area spoke to the World Socialist Web Site about the hardships retirees face. I worked 22 years, Edwin explained, But I came out when a roof fell and messed up my leg. After that I couldnt work anymore, so I retired.

His mine had changed ownership numerous times, he said. It went from Ellsworth to Bethlehem Mines, to Beth Energy, to 84 Mining. Then Consol came in and they shut it down. These companies dont want to give up anything. If you take health benefits from retirees and widows out here and in West Virginia, people will have nothing to live on. You take that away where are they going to go?

Its wrong to do that to people. They dont know you once youre out of the mines. These companies just say youre a numberand that hurts.

They try to kick you off insurance, continued Russell, who had 10 years at the same mine. They try to kick you off everything they possibly can. They are grimy, thats the only way I can put that. Miners put into it [the retirement fund], so why shouldnt they keep getting it out?

Speaking of the history of struggle among coal miners, Edwin explained, My sister was a union rep and she was awesome. She used to go out there and lay down in front of trucks trying to move coal during strikes. She had a family, but she would lay down there and go to jail. She was something. You dont really have anybody fighting like that now, Russell added.

If you dont stay together, you cant win anything, Edwin concluded.

Opposed to any serious struggle, the United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) has called on miners to prostrate themselves before Congress and appeal to the corporate-controlled politicians to protect benefits, which were won only through the bitterest class battles against the coal companies and the government.

UMWA President Cecil Roberts has called on retirees to urge Congress to pass the Coal Miners Protection Act, which would transfer funds from the Abandoned Mine Lands Reclamation Fund to the Multiemployer Health Benefit Plan and the 1974 United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) Pension Plan. Even if the measure were passed it would do nothing to protect pension funds, which could face insolvency by the end of the year. Moreover, the deal could include higher out-of-pocket costs or benefit reductions for current or future retirees.

The Coal Miners Protection Act (House Resolution 179) introduced in January by West Virginia Republican Congressman David McKinley and now in committee, prohibits the pension plan from making certain changes to benefits during any year in which a transfer is received, but does not preclude pension cuts in any other year. It would also relieve companies with UMWA contracts of the obligation to pay unassigned beneficiaries premiums or backstop premiums if transfers under SMCRA (Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977) are less than the amount required to be transferred.

The bill, which is being pushed by several Democrats with close ties to the mining industry, including West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin III, would bail out the coal bosses and their servants in the UMWA.

Health care and pensions were never granted to miners by the coal operators. In 1946, 400,000 miners struck--as part of the massive post-war strike wave involving 4.6 million workers in some 5,000 walkoutsand defied President Trumans threat to draft strikers into the military and order them back to work. A deal signed between UMWA leader John L. Lewis and US Secretary of the Interior Julius Krug established a royalty system that compelled the operators to pay a fee on every ton of coal the miners extracted.

From its inception in 1947, however, the new system was riddled with contradictions. Because the arrangement was based on the tonnage of coal produced, not the number of workers, the UMWA cleared the way for mass layoffs in the 1950s through the introduction of new mining technology.

Over the next several decades, the funds were undermined by the coal companies demands for waivers, the growth of non-union coal production, the wave of corporate bankruptcies and finally the plummet in coal production. In the name of making US coal producers more competitive against their foreign rivals, the UMWA signed one sweetheart deal after another.

To overcome the militant resistance of the miners, former union president and now AFL-CIO chief Richard Trumka and current UMWA President Roberts deliberately betrayed strikes against A.T. Massey, Pittston, Peabody and others in the 1980s and 1990s. By the 2000s, tens of thousands of miners had lost their jobs, and conditions had been thrown back decadeswith deadly disasters at Sago and Upper Big Branch mines and a spike in the deadliest forms of black lung disease.

The solvency of the funds was further undermined by the 2008 financial crash and the collapse in the global demand for coal. US coal production peaked in 2011 reaching nearly 1.1 billion tons, largely based on growing international demand for coal and steel. The slowdown in Chinawhere nearly two million coal miners and steelworkers are losing their jobsand around the world drastically reduced demand. In 2016, total US coal production had fallen to just 728 million tons with exports of just 60 million tons. The drop in the price of natural gaswhich power plants now use more than coalworsened the situation further.

As part of Patriot Coals bankruptcy restructuring, the UMWA negotiated a Voluntary Employees Beneficiary Association (VEBA) in place of the company's standard payment into the union-controlled funds. While the arrangement provided union bureaucrats with lucrative posts managing the VEBA, Patriot Coal and Peabody later used the bankruptcy courts to renege on their commitments to pay $400 million into the new scheme.

As far as the coal operators, congressmen and UMWA executives are concerned, miners are simply living too long after retirement. They are determined to solve the pension and health care crisis by reducing benefits and killing off workers sooner.

If miners and their supporters are to defend their hard-fought benefits they must reach out to the tens of millions of other workers facing similar attacks, including truck drivers, teachers and other public and private sector workers, to build a powerful industrial and political counter-offensive against big business, Trump and both corporate-controlled parties.

If the social rights of workers, including the right to health care and a comfortable retirement, are to take precedence over private profit and the squandering of trillions on war, workers must fight for the nationalization of the mining and energy industry as part of the socialist transformation of the economy.
The IYSSE and the Socialist Equality Party (SGP) distributed thousands of copies of the leaflet "The Defence of Historical Truth and the Fight against the Alternative for Germany (AfD)" on Saturday in Cologne during demonstrations against the far-right AfDs party conference. Almost half the slightly more than 10,000 protest participants took a copy, with many reading it immediately and discussing with IYSSE and SGP members.

The leaflet reports the events at Berlins Humboldt University, where the university administration is trying to suppress criticism of right-wing professors. The Humboldt University Presidium has declared criticism of Eastern Europe historian Jorg Baberowski to be "unacceptable" and threatened critics with criminal action after a Cologne court ruled that Baberowski may be described as a right-wing radical.

The protests against the AfD, which moved even further to the right at its party congress, were accompanied by a massive police mobilisation. Four thousand police officers in combat fatigues were deployed to protect the party congress and to intimidate the demonstrators. The police imposed an overflight ban. In addition to special task forces and water cannon, detention centres for "troublemakers" were established in the neighbouring cities of Bruhl and Bonn, in case the jail cells in Cologne proved insufficient.

Supported by police forces from all over North Rhine Westphalia and nationwide, this was the largest operation in the history of the Cologne police. Before the demonstration, Cologne police president Jurgen Mathies had warned against riots and declared, "We are very worried." The protests, however, were all peaceful.

The SGP/IYSSE leaflet drew a direct link between the growth of the AfD and "the increase in militarism, the beefing up of police weaponry and the surveillance apparatus and the inhuman refugee policy of the European Union." "The ruling class is aware that the return to militarism and great power politics faces overwhelming opposition in face of the experience of two world wars. That is why they have to rewrite history and whitewash the crimes of German imperialism," it reads.

It is this context that the leaflet presented the events at Humboldt University. It cited numerous statements by Baberowski, who trivialises National Socialism (Nazism) and the war of extermination in the East. For example, in February 2014, he had told leading news weekly Der Spiegel that "Hitler was no psychopath, and he wasnt vicious," and defended the Nazi apologist Ernst Nolte. This relativization of the crimes of Nazism goes hand in hand with statements against refugees and the support for war and violence.

Criticism of such positions, which are no different than those of the AfD, is now to be banned according to the decree of Humboldt University President Sabine Kunst. Kunst is a Social Democratic Party (SPD) politician, like North-Rhine Westphalias state premier Hannelore Kraft, who appeared in Cologne as a speaker against the AfD. This only underscores the fact that the SPD, which has adopted large parts of the anti-immigrant and law-and-order programme of the AfD, is not seriously opposed to this far-right party. Kraft was simply concerned with winning votes for the state elections on May 14th.

The mostly young demonstrators expressed their disgust with the politics of the AfD. Many carried homemade banners and posters that advocated tolerance, equality, human dignity and solidarity, and against racism, xenophobia, and anti-refugee sentiments.

Most were horrified when they read what Baberowski had said and wrote, and outraged that criticism of these views was considered "unacceptable." "Crass," "That shouldn't happen," "unbelievable" were some of the first reactions. Some asked, "You are speaking about a university here in Germany, in Berlin?" Above all, Baberowski's statement that Hitler was not vicious appalled many people. They regarded it as a scandal that criticism of this should be suppressed.

A young man from Yugoslavia who had come mainly to protect his younger sister said: "She was recently surrounded after a demonstration against the Nazis, and I will take care of her." He also wanted to protest against the machinations of the big banks, he said. "When you look at them, you get an impression of who is responsible for poverty and injustice." He said they were also responsible for the rise of right-wing parties.

After reading the leaflet, he said that he had not heard about what was happening at Humboldt University before. "It is unbelievable that someone can say something like this and he is defended for it."

Yannik, a 21-year-old student from Bremen, knew of Baberowski: "I followed the discussion with Bremen University AStA (Student Union)." The professor was trying to prevent criticism by the AStA, he said. "We don't need to talk for long about Baberowski. It's clear he is a right-winger."

When he was told that IYSSE members were being prevented from distributing leaflets at the HU, he said, "Banning flyers but at the same time calling for a debate [as Kunst does] does not work at all."

Merlin read the SGP / IYSSE leaflet through and said, "It's really bad that criticism of Baberowski is being suppressed." He was very concerned about these developments, "The movement against such points of view must grow faster than the development of the right wing."

An elderly couple remembered their own youth: "In the 1980s, it would not have been possible to defend someone who relativises the Holocaust. But to use the freedom of knowledge as an argument, we know about it. This was the way the historical crimes of the Nazis were defended in the Historikerstreit [historians dispute between Nolte and other historians in the mid-1980s] by the falsifiers of these crimes."

Maximiliane is just finishing her high school and is looking for a place at university. She said, "It's nonsense that such a person is allowed to teach." In order to find out more about the issues involved, she bought the book "Scholarship or War Propaganda?", which deals with the positions of Baberowski and other professors and the background of the conflict at Humboldt University.

Many demonstrators expressed their support for the work of the SGP and the IYSSE and wished it continued success.
We are publishing here the text of a lecture delivered on Saturday, April 22 by Joseph Kishore, national secretary of the Socialist Equality Party (US). This is the fourth in a series of five international online lectures being presented by the International Committee of the Fourth International to mark the centenary of the 1917 Russian Revolution.

Background to February: Russias Combined and Uneven Development and the Theory of Permanent Revolution

The events of February 1917 in Russia marked the beginning of revolutionary convulsions that changed the course of history. On February 22, the eve of the revolution, Nicholas II was still the Emperor and Autocrat of All Russia. A week later, the seemingly invincible Romanov Dynasty, which had ruled Russia for more than 300 years, was overthrown, replaced by the unstable dual power of the bourgeois Provisional Government and the Soviet of Workers and Soldiers Deputies. This was the framework of the political conflicts that developed over the next eight months, leading up to the conquest of power by the working class, under the leadership of the Bolshevik Party.

In beginning our examination of the revolution of 1917, we must again review the way in which the Russian Question was understood and analyzed by the revolutionary movement, for only in this context is it possible to understand the political and social conflicts that developed during the momentous events of 1917.

The basic principle of Marxism is that social revolutionthat is, the process of replacing one ruling class with anothertakes place only when the development of the productive forces is no longer possible within the framework of the existing relations of production. Scientific socialism is rooted, not in Utopian fantasies, but in the objective contradictions of capitalism, and, bound up with them, the social interests of the working class. As we consider the world situation today, it is clear that the capitalist nation-state system has become an enormous barrier to the further development of production and the future of humanity itself.

However, Marxism began to take root in Russia under conditions where the level of social and economic development considered necessary for a socialist movementin particular, the predominance of capitalist property relations and a mass working classwas very low. Even at the beginning of the 20th century, the peasantry still comprised 85 percent of the population, for the most part toiling in ignorance and poverty. Despite the formal emancipation of the serfs in 1861, land ownership was dominated by the large landlords. Old feudal relations, which had been abolished in Western Europe in the great bourgeois revolutions of the 17th and 18th centuries, remained. Politically, the tsarist aristocracy dominated the country, and there were no real mechanisms of the democratic and parliamentary forms of rule that existed in Western Europe and the United States. This meant that the immediate tasks facing the revolutionary movement in Russia were bourgeois-democratic in character.

The father of Russian Marxism, Georgi Plekhanov, was the first to recognize that the working class of Russia, despite its relatively small size in comparison to the peasantry, would be the decisive revolutionary force in the democratic revolution. The revolutionary movement in Russia will triumph only as a workers movement or it will never triumph at all, he proclaimed at the founding congress of the Second International in 1889. His conception was that of a revolution in two stages, in which the working class would play the leading role in the democratic revolution, but power would necessarily be transferred in some manner to the bourgeoisie, allowing for a more or less extended period of capitalist development before the working class was strong enough to take power itself.

Comrades North and Volkov note in their important essay on Plekhanov published late last year, Plekhanovs outstanding role as a political thinker lay in the fact that he foresaw the decisive role of the working class long before it emerged as a mass social group occupying a specific place in economic and political life, and under conditions in which capitalism in Russia had taken only its first steps. [1] Indeed, this basic and far-sighted conception lay at the foundation of the subsequent development of the entire Marxist movement in Russia.

Spontaneity and Consciousness in the February Revolution

The subsequent steps of Russian capitalism, however, raised critical issues of perspective that exposed the weaknesses and consequences of Plekhanovs two-stage conception. The 1905 revolution, as we saw in the lecture by Comrade Fred Williams, not only demonstrated the enormous social power of the working class, but also, and bound up with this, the counter-revolutionary role of the bourgeoisie. In 1905, Plekhanov, now associated with the Menshevik faction of the Russian Social Democratic Labor Party, wrote that the revolution was bourgeois in character, which meant that it did not signify the undermining of capitalism, but rather would clear the ground, for the first time and in a real way, for a broad and rapid, European, and not Asiatic, development of capitalism making possible for the first time the rule of the bourgeoisie as a class. [2]

But how would it be possible to transfer power to a class that did not want it, was terrified of the classthe working classthat was the main driving force in the revolution itself? For the working class, the logic of this perspective meant that it had to refrain from advancing its own interests for fear of frightening the bourgeoisie and driving it into the camp of reaction. As we will see, this program and perspective would be developed by the Mensheviks, along with the Socialist Revolutionary Party, following the February Revolution.

The perspective of Lenin, the leader of the Bolsheviks, was very different. The Russian Revolution was to be a bourgeois-democratic revolution, but the fundamental tasks of this revolution would and could not be carried out by the bourgeoisie or in alliance with the bourgeoisie. The most important of these tasks was the liquidation of feudal relations in the countryside. In Russia, however, the bourgeoisie was unwilling and unable to carry out this task. In response to Plekhanovs statement in 1905 that it was necessary to be careful not to repel the non-proletarian parties by tactless actions, Lenin replied that the liberals and landlords will forgive you millions of tactless acts but will not forgive you a summons to take away the land. [3]

Lenin advanced instead a program of overthrowing the tsarist aristocracy though a democratic dictatorship of the proletariat and the peasantry, with the term dictatorship used in the Marxist sense of state power. The working class would take power in alliance with the peasantry and implement the most radical democratic measures. However, this revolution would not and could not transcend the framework of capitalist property relations. Social Democracy has consistently stressed the bourgeois nature of the impending revolution in Russia, he wrote in 1905, and insisted on a clear line of demarcation between the democratic minimum program and the socialist maximum program Objectively, he added, the historical course of events has now posed before the Russian proletariat precisely the task of carrying through the democratic bourgeois revolution; this task confronts the people as a whole, the entire mass of the petty bourgeoisie and the peasantry; without such a revolution the more or less extensive development of an independent class organization for the socialist revolution is unthinkable. [4]

Trotskys theory of permanent revolution rejected the two-stage theory of Plekhanov as well as the democratic dictatorship of the proletariat and the peasantry proposed by Lenin.

Trotsky recognized that the basic tasks of the bourgeois-democratic revolution had yet to be completed. The unevenness of capitalist development was expressed in the relative backwardness of Russian economy and society. However, into this backwardness, class relations of a highly advanced character had been introduced, as a result of the interaction of the Russian economy with the world economy. Rather than an organic growth of capitalism that involved the development of a broad layer of petty bourgeois and small craftsmen, Trotsky wrote in 1906, Capital intruded from the West with the direct co-operation of absolutism, and in a short period converted a number of old archaic towns into centers of trade and industry, and even created, in a short time, commercial and industrial towns in places that previously had been absolutely uninhabited. [5]

Trotsky later referred to this phenomenon as the law of combined developmenta drawing together of the different stages of the journey, a combining of the separate steps, an amalgam of archaic with more contemporary forms. [6]

This combined and uneven character of Russian development determined the social physiognomy and political orientation of different classes. The speed and concentration of industrialization imparted to the class struggle a particularly explosive character.

As for the bourgeoisie, it was thoroughly dependent on foreign capital and therefore European imperialism. The severity of the class struggle meant that the Russian liberal bourgeoisie was perpetually terrified that the development of a revolutionary movement against the tsar would spark a working-class movement against private ownership. It was thus constantly fleeing into the arms of the tsar and seeking an alliance with the landed aristocracy.

This phenomenon could already be seen in Europe, in somewhat different form, during the revolutions of 1848. The revolutionary movements in Hungary, Germany and Austria in the middle of the 19th century were characterized by a high level of working class struggle, and the bourgeoisie, fearing this revolution, allied with reaction. No struggle can be successful, the German revolutionary Ferdinand Lassalle wrote to Marx in 1849, if social questions enter into it only as a sort of hazy element, and remain in the background, and if it is carried on under the banner of national regeneration or bourgeois republicanism. [7] It was in their 1850 report to the Central Authority of the Communist League that Marx and Engels first used the phrase Revolution in Permanence!, to refer to working class opposition to the hypocritical phrases of the democratic petty bourgeoisie that preaches general unity and reconciliation  in which the definite demands of the proletariat must not be brought forward for the sake of beloved peace. [8]

The level of class conflict in Russia a half century later was far greater, and the revolutionary appetite of the bourgeoisie far less, than in 1848 in Europe, let alone in 1789 at the time of the great French Revolution. The overthrow of the tsar and the resolution of the democratic tasks fell to the working class of Russia, which, Trotsky emphasized, would play the leading role in the revolution, leading behind it the peasant masses.

In opposition to Lenin, Trotsky insisted that once the working class took power, it could not constrain itself to purely bourgeois tasks, but would be compelled to make inroads into capitalist property relations, to begin introducing socialism. Having taken state power, what program would the working class implement? Even if it were to establish a state in alliance with the peasantry, how would the party of the working class respond to unemployment and food shortages, or to strikes by workers or lockouts by employers? Writing in 1909, he criticized Lenin for believing that the contradiction between the proletariats class interests and objective conditions [i.e., the backwardness of Russia] will be resolved by the proletariat imposing a political limitation upon itself by exercising a class asceticism.

Whereas the Mensheviks, proceeding from the abstract notion that our revolution is a bourgeois revolution, arrive at the idea that the proletariat must adapt all its tactics to the behavior of the liberal bourgeoisie in order to ensure the transfer of state power to that bourgeoisie, the Bolsheviks proceed from an equally abstract notiondemocratic dictatorship, not socialist dictatorshipand arrive at the idea of a proletariat in possession of state power imposing a bourgeois-democratic limitation upon itself. It is true that the difference between them in this matter is very considerable: while the anti-revolutionary aspects of Menshevism have already become fully apparent, those of Bolshevism are likely to become a serious threat only in the event of victory. [9]

The revolution in Russia could only be led by the working class, and, having taken power, the working class would be compelled to introduce measures of a socialist character. This was one sense in which the revolution would be permanent.

But how was this possible in backward Russia? How could the most advanced forms of social relations be introduced in a country that was so economically underdeveloped, comprised of the most part of peasants? The key to resolving this dilemma lay in understanding Russia and the Russian Revolution not as an isolated, national event, but as a component part of an international revolution.

In the midst of the 1905 Revolution, Trotsky wrote:

Binding all countries together with its mode of production and its commerce, capitalism has converted the whole world into a single economic and political organism. This immediately gives the events now unfolding an international character, and opens up a wide horizon. The political emancipation of Russia led by the working class will raise that class to a height as yet unknown in history, will transfer to it colossal power and resources, and will make it the initiator of the liquidation of world capitalism, for which history has created all the objective conditions [10]

The passage of twelve years between 1905 and the outbreak of the February Revolution only confirmed Trotskys analysis. On the bloody battlefields of Europe, the fate of workers of every country was bound together. The Great War, the colossal breakdown of the nation-state system, also marked the end of all national programs. It placed on the order of the day the socialist reorganization of world economy. This was another sense in which the revolution had to be permanent. Writing in the midst of the mass international slaughter, Trotsky explained:

A national bourgeois revolution in Russia is impossible because of the absence of a genuinely revolutionary bourgeois democracy. The time for national revolutions is past, in Europe anyway, and so is the time for national wars. There is a deep inner connection between the two. We are living in the era of imperialism, which means not only a system of colonial expansion but also a very distinctive type of domestic regime. It is no longer a matter of a bourgeois nation opposing an old regime, but of the proletariat opposing the bourgeois nation. [11]

This perspective provided the essential strategic foundation of the Bolshevik Party between April and October, but not before an internal struggle led by Lenin, to which I will return later in this lecture.

Five Days

It is within this perhaps extended introduction that we examine the events of February 1917 and the Russian Revolution as a whole. Russias development during the year, and, indeed, the subsequent nationalist and Stalinist degeneration of the Soviet Union, provided powerful confirmation in different forms of the correctness of Trotskys theory of permanent revolution.

While more information has been uncovered by historians over the past 80 years, and there are a number of valuable works on the February Revolution, the best account of the Russian Revolution as a whole remains Trotskys History of the Russian Revolution. If the main consequence of this lecture is to encourage more people to read this book, I would consider it a success.

The most immediate fact about the February Revolution, as with the revolution of 1905, is that its principal motive force was the working class, and particularly the working class of Petrograd.

Even prior to February 23, the class struggle in Russia had been escalating under the impact of the war and desperate economic conditions. While the number of striking workers had fallen from 1.3 million in January-July 1914, just prior to the outbreak of the war, to under 10,000 from August-December of that year, it rose to more than 500,000 in 1915 and nearly 1 million in 1916. In the weeks leading up to the February Revolution, the number of strikes expanded rapidly, including 186,000 workers participating in a strike to mark the anniversary of the 1905 Bloody Sunday massacre, and the lockout of 25,000 workers at the Putilov factory, the largest factory in Petrograd, on February 22. The strikes were becoming increasingly political in character, demanding an end to the monarchy and an end to war.

The revolution itself began with the eruption of protests and walkouts by workers in the heavily industrialized Vyborg District, where the Bolshevik Party had a principal base of support.

On February 23, International Womens Day (March 8 in the western calendar), women textile workers in the Vyborg District, fed up with long work hours, the unending war, food shortages and bread lines, met in the morning and walked off the job. They appealed to their fellow workers in neighboring factories, which included large metal working plants, to join them. [12]

One worker in the New Lessner Factory, a machine construction plant in the Vyborg District, and one of the largest factories in Petrograd at the time, described what followed: Womens voices were heard in the alley onto which the windows of our department opened, shouting Down with the war! Down with the high cost of living! Down with hunger! Bread for the workers Throngs of militant women workers filled the alley. Those who spotted us began waving their arms and yelling Come out! Stop work! Snowballs pelted the windows. We decided to join the demonstration. [13]

Though the policy of the Bolshevik Party central leadership at the time was not to call for strike action, the Vyborg Committee met and decided to support the strike. Similar decisions were taken at other factories, involving workers associated with the Menshevik and Socialist Revolutionary parties, as well as the Bolsheviks. More than 100,000 workers, or about a third of the industrial workforce, were on strike by the end of the day.

The next day, February 24, a Friday, the strike expanded to encompass half of all industrial workers, more than 200,000, and began to expand beyond the Vyborg District. The gigantic factories, the centers of industrial production, including war production, became the centers of revolutionary activity and agitation. This day also saw the beginning of confrontations with the police. The military, however, had not yet been ordered to shoot at protesters, and there were initial signs of fraternization between workers and soldiers.

On the third day, Saturday, February 25, the strike expanded and became practically general. Nearly 250,000 workers participated. The police played a leading role in suppressing strikes and demonstrations. A conflict began between the soldiers of the city and the police. In one incident, Cossack soldiers not only refused to assist police in breaking up a demonstration, but attacked the police and killed their commander.

Tsar Nicholas II ordered Khabalov, the commander of the Petrograd military district, to take more drastic action to suppress a rebellion that could endanger the war effort. I order you to bring all these disorders in the Capital to a halt as of tomorrow. These cannot be permitted in this difficult time of war with Germany and Austria. Khabalov responded with an order forbidding gatherings in the street. Arrests were made in the evening, including of five members of the Petrograd Committee of the Bolsheviks, with direct guidance of the Bolsheviks falling to the Vyborg organization.

The fourth day was Sunday, February 26, and the factories were closed. Yet demonstrations continued, and Khabalov followed Nicholas orders with bloody violence. Mobilizing more reliable military units, including the training squads composed of non-commissioned officers, he ordered troops to fire into the crowds. Hundreds were killed, thousands wounded.

In the evening of the 26th, a momentous event occurred that would foreshadow what was to happen the next day. The Pavlovsky regiment of the Imperial Guard revolted, angered at the firing on workers by their own training squad.

On the morning of the 27th, the soldiers revolt began with a mutiny of the Volynsky regiment. They fired on and killed their commander, who had ordered them to shoot workers the previous day. The mutineers went out to nearby regiments and encouraged revolt. One by one the separate barracks joined the revolution. Attempts by the Tsars commanders to assemble loyal troops failed. The workers insurrection expanded. Government buildings were taken over and political prisoners liberated.

Who led the February Revolution? There was no centralized political party directing events. The Mensheviks and Socialist Revolutionaries neither anticipated nor wanted a working-class revolution. During the February events, leading members of these organizations were in the Duma, pleading with the bourgeois parties to take action lest the situation develop out of control.

The Mezhraiontsy (Interdistrict Group)with which Trotsky, exiled in New York, was associatedissued a leaflet on the second day of the revolution, calling for a democratic republic, socialism, an end to war and the creation of a provisional revolutionary government. However, it did not have the same mass base as the Bolsheviks did, particularly in Vyborg.

Lower-level Bolshevik Party organizations played a significant role, particularly the Vyborg District Committee. However, the partys central leadership was perpetually behind events, and the leadership in the city was under constant pressure by worker-activists within Bolshevik Party to respond more aggressively, to issue leaflets, to call for a general strike and insurrection. During the February events, most of the Bolshevik leadership itself was in exile, including Lenin, who was in Switzerland, from where he did not return until April.

This does not, however, mean that the revolution was purely spontaneous, a mystic theory that Trotsky notes fell in most opportunely with the minds not only of all those gentlemen who had yesterday been peacefully governing, judging, convicting, defending, trading, or commanding, and today were hastening to make up to the revolution, but also of many professional politicians and former revolutionists, who having slept through the revolution wished to think that in this they were not different from all the rest. [14]

There were workers who led it. They were workers who had been trained and educated through years of socialist propaganda, and through the bitter experiences of 1905. They had gone through the strike wave of 1912-1914, which threatened revolution prior to the outbreak of war. They saw the spinelessness of the liberals. Some may have been influenced or cowed at the time of the outbreak of war by the nationalist upsurge, but they had seen what the war had done.

Many of these workers would have been strongly influenced by the Bolshevik Party, which was growing in prominence before the outbreak of war. The revolution was led, as Trotsky wrote, by conscious and tempered workers educated for the most part by the party of Lenin. However, this leadership by itself proved sufficient to guarantee the victory of the insurrection, but it was not adequate to transfer immediately into the hands of the proletarian vanguard the leadership of the revolution. [15]

Dual Power

The working class and soldiers of Petrograd had made the revolution, but they were not able to take political power. Instead, a complex and unstable dual power regime emerged, which would exist until the October Revolution.

On the 27th of February, with the tsar still in power, the Duma representatives gathered to discuss how to contain the situation and tame the revolution. They decided to form a Provisional Committee of the Members of the Duma, which issued a statement declaring it found itself compelled  to take into its own hands the restoration of the State and Public order.

Contrary to its own subsequent mythologizing, the liberal bourgeoisie, represented by the main parties in the Duma, played no revolutionary role. It was terrified of the masses, seeking some way to preserve autocratic rule, with or without Tsar Nicholas II. Paul Milyukov, leader of the bourgeois Constitutional Democratic Party (Kadets) later acknowledged, We did not want this revolution. We did not wish particularly that it would come at the time of the war. We struggled desperately so that this would not happen. [16]

However, when their efforts to pressure the Tsar to form a new government failed, and as it became clear that the masses would not accept it, the bourgeoisies representatives turned to the military high command to force his abdication. Discussions had already taken place, before the revolution, between the military and the leaders of the bourgeois parties about the formation of a new government, even the deposing of Nicholas II, to create better conditions for prosecuting the war. The Allied imperialist powers had indicated some support for such efforts as well.

Without the support of the military, the Tsar abdicated on March 2, transferring power to his brother, the Grand Duke Mikhail Alexandrovich. The Provisional Government was formed the same day, headed by Prince Lvov, with the intention that it would serve under the new tsar. But Mikhail himself abdicated, fearing for his head. The Romanov Dynasty was abolished, despite the best intentions of the bourgeois representatives that led the new government.

On the same day that the Duma Committee was formed in the Tauride Palace, February 27, and in the same building, another governing body was established, which enjoyed the support of the masses of workers and soldiers, the Soviet of Workers Deputies, later the Soviet of Workers and Soldiers Deputies. Some 250 workers, soldiers and socialist intellectuals participated in its first meeting. The Mensheviks and Socialist Revolutionaries, a petty bourgeois party with a base in the peasantry, dominated the leadership of the early Soviet.

The phenomenon of dual power was not unique to the Russian Revolution. The existence of two governing institutions had occurred in previous revolutions, as one class was replacing another. Such a situation can only resolve itself in civil war. The dual power regime that emerged after the February Revolution was peculiar, however, in that the leaders of the Soviets, which commanded the support of the workers and soldiersthe driving force of the revolutionworked consciously and deliberately to turn power over to the bourgeois Provisional Government. The essential class conflict that was concealed in the relationship between the two bodies was to emerge directly only when the Bolsheviks won control of the Soviet several months later.

Masses of workers and soldiers did not look to the Duma for leadership, but to the Soviet. The parties that headed the Soviet, however, did not want power and were unwilling to take measures that would address the workers and soldiers demands. The basic democratic and social aspirations of the workers and soldiers who led the revolution collided with the interests of the bourgeoisie, but their representatives in the Soviet insisted that the bourgeoisie must rule.

This paradox found expression in different forms. First, there was the issue of power itself and the recognition of the Provisional Government. Immediately after Tsar Nicholas abdication, the leaders of the Executive Committee of the Soviet met with the representatives of the Duma to discuss the conditions in which the Soviet would support the new government. Their conditions did not include any of the basic demands of the workers and soldiersincluding an end to war, a republic, land, or the eight-hour day. They only had one demand, freedom of agitation. That is, they were willing and, indeed, eager to hand power to the bourgeoisie so long as the bourgeoisie agreed not to arrest them.

Second, and closely related to the issue of power, was that of the armingor disarmingof the workers and the workers militia. During the revolution, the most militant workers, again concentrated in the Vyborg District, had taken the initiative to form militias. The Soviet recognized this established fact by seeking to organize the militias under its own authority, while the Duma Committee set up militias of its own. This created the conditions for a possible armed conflict between the two militias, that is, civil war.

As one historian of the February Revolution notes, Already on February 28 the Soviet Executive Committee made clear its intention to cooperate with the Duma Committee in solving this conflict by sacrificing the independence of the workers militias. [17] It worked to unify the two militias, that is, to disarm the workers and subordinate the workers militias to the governing authority of the bourgeoisie, consecrated in Executive Committee decisions on March 1 and March 7.

Third, was the return of workers to the factories. The Executive Committee initially designated March 5 as the date for resuming work, with no change in the conditions of labor in the plants. They rejected workers demands for an eight-hour day on the grounds that this would scare off the bourgeoisie.

Workers, however, took matters into their own hands, with many in the major industrial plants leaving work en masse after eight hours. The Manufacturers Association ended up reluctantly accepting the eight-hour day as a matter of necessity, with one of the bourgeois publicists explaining: Unfortunately for the Mensheviks, the Bolsheviks had already by means of terror compelled the Manufacturers Association to agree to an immediate introduction of the eight-hour day. [18]

Fourth, relations within the army. The Duma representatives attempted to regain control over the military, ordering soldiers to submit to the discipline of their officers and surrender their arms, which the Soviet leaders supported. The soldiers, however, rejected these efforts, pressuring the Petrograd Soviet to pass on March 1 Order No. 1. It instructed soldiers not to obey any orders from the Duma Committee that contradicted those of the Soviet. It also instructed soldiers to seize control of weapons and to elect committees in each regiment.

Order No. 1 was passed when the top leaders of the Mensheviks and SRs were not present. Later, they attempted to reverse it by passing Order No. 2, limiting its application to Petrograd. This effort at reinforcing relations within the military failed, however, and the revolution encouraged an already developing virtual civil war within the military, between the soldiers and their officers.

Finally, and most importantly, was the overriding matter of the war itself. For the bourgeoisie, the banner was war to complete victory. After ignoring the issue of the war for two weeks, the Executive Committee passed a resolution on March 14, a manifesto to the peoples of the world, containing many pacifist phrases but pledging that, We will firmly defend our own liberty from all reactionary attempts from within, as well as from without. The Russian revolution will not retreat before the bayonets of conquerors, and will not allow itself to be crushed by foreign military force.

In other words, the war would continue. The resolution was hailed by British imperialism and the bourgeois parties in Russia.

Sukhanov, a member of the Executive Committee who had participated in the Zimmerwald antiwar conference in 1915, later wrote candidly in his memoirs,

It was evident that the bourgeoisie could have nothing in common with a movement that undermined the idea of war to complete victory. It saw, or at least spoke of, any such movement as simply the result of German provocation. It was clear then a priori that if a bourgeois Government and the adherence of the bourgeoisie to the revolution were to be counted on, it was temporarily necessary to shelve the slogans against the war, to furl for a time the banner of Zimmerwald, which had become the banner of the Russian, and especially of the Petersburg, proletariat. [19]

Lars Lih and the new historical falsification

The events of February and early March marked the first stage in the unfolding revolution. The next stage had to be prepared by sharply clarifying the political tasks posed by the new situation. Both Lenin in Switzerland and Trotsky in New York responded, with incredible precision, in analyzing what had just transpired. Trotsky, in an article published in Novy Mir on March 6 (O.S.), wrote that an open conflict between the forces of the revolution, headed by the urban proletariat, and the anti-revolutionary liberal bourgeoisie, temporarily in power, is absolutely inevitable. [20]

On March 3, Lenin cabled instructions to Russia: Our tacticscomplete distrust. No support for the Provisional Government. Distrust Kerensky above all. Arm the proletariat as the only guarantee. In his first Letter from Afar, written on March 7, Lenin wrote that he who says that the workers must support the new government in the interests of the struggle against tsarist reaction is a traitor to the workers, a traitor to the cause of the proletariat, to the cause of peace and freedom. For actually, precisely this new government is already bound hand and foot by imperialist capital, by the imperial policy of war and plunder [21]

This perspective was developed in Lenins further Letters from Afar, in which he outlined a program calling for the transfer of power to the Soviets, an immediate end to the war, confiscation of the landed estates by the peasantry, workers control of production and the beginning of the transition to socialism.

Lenins positions provoked a major political conflict within the Bolshevik Party in March and April of 1917, in which he fought for a political line that had been associated with Trotsky. In doing so, Lenin had to do battle with sections of the Bolshevik Party, in particular a right-wing faction associated with Kamenev, Stalin and Muranov, who had returned to Petrograd in mid-March and taken over editorial responsibilities for Pravda, seeking to orient the party toward support for the Provisional Government and the war.

In this struggle, Lenin had powerful allies within the Bolshevik Party itself, particularly its working-class base. As historian Alexander Rabinowitch notes, as early as March 1, the Vyborg District Committee of the party had adopted a resolution calling for the immediate seizure of power by the workers and the abolition of the Dumas Provisional Committee.

The Bureau of the Central Committee, headed by Shliapnikov, adopted a resolution declaring that the Provisional Government was a representative of the grand bourgeoisie and big landowners and that it was necessary to initiate a struggle for the creation of the Provisional Revolutionary Government. When this resolution was brought before the Petersburg Committee of the party, however, it was rejected, in favor of a resolution stating that the Bolshevik Party does not oppose the Provisional Government as long as its policies are consistent with the interests of the people, a formula that mirrored that of the Mensheviks. [22]

This history has been the subject of relentless falsification by the Stalinists, as part of a general effort to remove Trotsky, and the significance of the theory of permanent revolution, from history and to justify their own nationalist and opportunist politics. For serious historians, however, the basic political dynamic of the Russian Revolution has been clearthe contradictory character of dual power, the relationship between the Soviets and the Provisional Government, the significance of the divisions within the Bolshevik Party, the impact of Lenins return in April.

We are seeing now a renewed campaign of historical falsification, of an essentially neo-Stalinist character. One prominent example is the historian Lars Lih, who has been heavily promoted by the International Socialist Organization and its publication arm, Haymarket. Indeed, this very afternoon Lih participated in a panel with ISO member Todd Chretien at the Historical Materialism conference in New York, on the subject of the divisions within the Bolshevik Party in March.

In a number of recent articles, Lih argues that there were no fundamental differences within the Bolshevik Party in the months that followed the February Revolution, that there was a seamless continuity between the February and October Revolutions, that dual power is not a useful category in understanding the period between the two revolutions, and, incredibly, that the Russian Revolution had nothing to do with socialism.

Lihs essay Fully Armed: Kamenev and Pravda in March 1917, published in 2014, is devoted to arguing that the line of Stalin and Kamenev in March fully prepared the Bolsheviks for the conquest of power in October. [23] In constructing his narrative, Lih cites only one of the editorials published in Pravda after Kamenev, Muranov and Stalin returned from exile on March 15. That editorial, which was unsigned but attributed to Kamenev, states, Just as we energetically support [the new Provisional Government] in the complete liquidation of the old regime and the monarchy, in the implementation of freedoms, etc., we will just as energetically criticize each failure of the Provisional Government to act on its declared intentions, each deviation from decisive struggle, each attempt to tie the hands of the people or to put out the raging revolutionary fire.

The editorial is in direct conflict with Lenins Letter from Afar, which characterized anyone who called for support for the new government in its struggle against the old regime a traitor to the cause of the proletariat. Indeed, when Pravda later published this letter, the only Letter from Afar that was published, the editors removed several passages, including this one. They clearly understood the significance of what Lenin was writing.

Lih dismisses the obvious interpretation of Kamenevs article as the product of inattentive readers, who have simply not read the entire editorial. The editorial later states, according to Lihs translation, that the paths of the democratic forces and of the Provisional Government will divergethat when the bourgeoisie comes to its senses, it will inevitably attempt to halt the revolutionary movement and not permit it to develop to the point of satisfying the essential needs of the proletariat and the peasantry.  This full satisfaction of their demands is possible only when full and complete power is in their own hands.

This is in fact a thoroughly Menshevik argument. Currently, the Provisional Governmentthat is, the bourgeoisieis carrying out revolutionary actions. They should be supported in doing so. In typically opportunist fashion, the revolutionary tasks are postponed to some indefinite future. It is an argument to justify support for the Provisional Government.

Lih supplements Kamenevs statement with his own explanation.

The great mass of soldiers and workers, newly awakened to political life, still trusted the new Provisional Government and its seemingly excellent anti-tsarist credentials. This trust was not just based on a deluded burst of revolutionary good feeling, as we usually describe the situation with more than a little condescension. The fact of the matter is that in this slice of time, the Provisional Government was actually carrying out revolutionary measures: dismantling the tsarist police apparatus, releasing political prisoners, setting up guarantees of basic political freedoms, laying the groundwork for national elections, and so forth.

A clash would come, and only then would it be necessary to oppose the Provisional Government, which happened several months later. Thus Kamenevs line, according to Lih, took the Bolsheviks all the way to October.

This analysis is false from beginning to end. The new government did not have seemingly excellent anti-tsarist credentials. It had sought to preserve the autocracy at all costs. The masses of workers and soldiers did not look to the Provisional Government to carry out revolutionary measures, but rather to the Soviet, led by political parties that were trying to encourage support for the Provisional Government. For Lenin and for Trotsky, the task was to sharpen the political differentiation, to encourage absolute distrust in the government and in figures like Kerensky, not to counsel illusions that the government would carry out democratic reforms and end the war.

In making his claims, Lih completely ignores the most fundamental issue involved in the conflict within the Bolshevik Party in March: that of war. He ignores the many editorials and articles that appeared in March, in which Kamenev and Stalin adopted a defencist position on the war, corresponding to their support for the Provisional Government.

A March 15 editorial written by Kamenev, under the headline Without Secret Diplomacy! is a thoroughly Menshevik document. The war continues, the Great Russian Revolution has not stopped it, it begins. And no one nourishes hopes that it will end tomorrow or the day after. Russias soldiers, peasants, and workers, who went to war at the call of the overthrown tsar and who shed their blood under his banners, have freed themselves, and the tsarist banners have been replaced by the red banners of the revolution.

That is, the war has become a war of revolutionary liberation, led by the Provisional Governmentthe same line promoted by the Mensheviks and Socialist Revolutionaries. Kamenev wrote, When army faces army, the most absurd policy would be to propose that one of them lay down its arms and return to its homes. This policy would not be a policy of peace, but a policy of enslavement, a policy which a free people would indignantly reject. No, it would firmly stand at its post, answering bullet with bullet and shell with shell. This is imperative.

Demonstrating abject prostration before the Allied imperialist powers, he continued,

Russia is bound by alliances with England, France and other countries. It cannot act in questions of peace apart from them. But this only means that revolutionary Russia, which has freed itself from the tsarist yoke, must directly and openly turn to its allies with a proposal to review the question of opening peace negotiations Our slogan is not the disorganization of the revolutionary army and the army that is becoming more revolutionary; nor is it the empty slogan: Down with war. Our slogan is: pressure on the Provisional Government in order to compel it to openly, before the entire worldwide democracy, and immediately attempt to induce all the warring countries to immediately open negotiations about a way to end the world war. Until then, everyone should remain at his post. [24]

It concludes with a warm greeting to the appeal of the Soviet, drawn up by Sukhanov, to which I referred earlier.

Kamenevs pro-war position was repeated by Stalin, despite the subsequent falsifications by the Stalinist bureaucracy. In Stalins article on March 16, The War, he rejects the slogan Down with the war!, asserting instead that The workers, soldiers and peasants must arrange meetings and demonstrations and demand that the Provisional Government shall come out openly and publicly in an effort to induce all the belligerent powers to start peace negotiations immediately, on the basis of recognition of the right of nations to self-determination. [25]

Bring pressure to bear on the Provisional Government, to force this bourgeois government to end the war, this government comprised and led by organizations and individuals who had been the most fervent supporters of the war throughout its bloody course.

One need only compare such statements with the writings of Lenin to see the vast political gulf. It is absolutely impermissible, Lenin wrote on March 9, to conceal from ourselves and from the people that this government wants to continue the imperialist war, that it is an agent of British capital, that it wants to restore the monarchy and strengthen the rule of the landlords and capitalists. And later, on March 12, he said: To urge the Guchkov-Milyukov government to conclude a speedy, honest, democratic and good neighborly peace is like the good village priest urging the landlords and the merchants to walk in the way of God, to love their neighbors and to turn the other cheek. [26]

Lihs defense of Kamenevand by implication Stalinis supplemented by another position, elaborated in a report he delivered last month at the University of Michigan, that it is impossible to say that the revolution in February was bourgeois democratic and the revolution in October socialist. This is a myth promoted by, among others, Trotsky and his followers, who have used it to suggest that prior to Lenins return to Russia, Stalin and Kamenev intended to go no further than a bourgeois-democratic revolution, while Lenin called for a socialist revolution in his April Theses.

All of 1917 should instead be understood as an anti-bourgeois democratic revolution. Lih asserts that the aim of a socialist revolution was not part of the Bolshevik message throughout 1917. [27]

In all of his arguments, Lih relies on the ignorance of his readers. The assertion that the Bolsheviks did not advance a socialist program is disproven by an analysis of party documents, including the April Conference that followed Lenins return. The editors of Pravda were under no illusions about the significance of Lenins proposals. They wrote on April 8, after the publication of Lenins April Theses, As for the general scheme of Comrade Lenin, it seems to us unacceptable in that it starts from the assumption that the bourgeois-democratic revolution is ended, and counts upon an immediate transformation of this revolution into a socialist revolution. [28]

In The Impending Catastrophe and How to Combat It, written in September 1917, in the section titled: Can We Go Forward If We Fear To Advance To Socialism?, Lenin argues against the Mensheviks and Socialist Revolutionaries, who claim that the revolution is purely bourgeois democratic and that it cannot implement socialist policies.

Lenin states:

It is impossible to stand still in history in general, and in war-time in particular. We must either advance or retreat. It is impossible in twentieth-century Russia, which has won a republic and a democracy in a revolutionary way, to go forward without advancing towards socialism, without taking steps toward it (steps conditioned and determined by the level of technology and culture: large-scale machine production cannot be introduced in peasant agriculture nor abolished in the sugar industry)  The dialectics of history is such that the war, by extraordinarily expediting the transformation of monopoly capitalism into state-monopoly capitalism, has thereby extraordinarily advanced mankind toward socialism. [29]

While I cannot address the issue in detail in this lecture, this last quote points to the conditions that brought Lenin and Trotsky together theoretically and programmatically. The imperialist war had exposed the contradictions of capitalism as a world system, and revealed the interconnection of the fate of the working class as an international class. It was not a question of a national bourgeois-democratic revolution, but, to refer back to the quote from the end of Comrade Nicks lecture, of turning the imperialist war into a civil war of the oppressed against the oppressors for the attainment of socialism.

The falsifications of Lih confirm, once again, that the history of the Russian Revolution is of enormous contemporary significance. So many times in the history of the 20th century, the revolutionary upheavals of the working class have been subordinated, particularly through the treachery of Stalinism, to the bourgeoisie. In China in 1927, in Spain in the 1930s, in India and Indochina in the 1940s, throughout Europe after the war, Indonesia in the 1960s, in Chile and Latin America in the 1970s, in Iran in 1979, through to Egypt in 2011.

Today, as we enter a new period of war and revolution, the parties of the upper middle class are doing everything they can to block the development of an independent movement of the working class for socialism.

What made the Russian Revolution so unique was the existence of a revolutionary leadership, headed by Lenin and Trotsky, that guided the revolutionary uprising of the working class to its necessary conclusion, the conquest of state power. The next stage in this struggle, Lenins return to Russia and the April Theses, is the subject of the next lecture.

Notes:

[1] Georgi Valentinovich Plekhanov (18561918): His Place in the History of Marxism, by David North and Vladimir Volkov, World Socialist Web Site, December 5, 2016.

[2] Quoted in Three Conceptions of the Russian Revolution, Leon Trotsky, 1939.

[3] Ibid.

[4] The Revolutionary-Democratic Dictatorship of the Proletariat and the Peasantry, V.I. Lenin, Collected Works, Vol. 8, Progress Publishers, 1965, pp. 294-98.

[5] Results and Prospects, Leon Trotsky, Chapter II: The Towns and Capital, Leon Trotsky, 1906.

[6] History of the Russian Revolution, Leon Trotsky, Pluto Press, 1977, p.27.

[7] Quoted in Results and Prospects, Leon Trotsky, Chapter III: 1789-1848-1905.

[8] Address to the Central Committee of the Communist League, Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, March 1850.

[9] Our Differences, in 1905, Vintage Books, 1971, pp. 315-17.

[10] Introduction to Ferdinand Lassalles Speech to the Jury, quoted in Results and Prospects, Chapter IX: Europe and Revolution.

[11] The Struggle for Power, in 1905, Ibid., p. 322.

[12] All dates in the account of the February Revolution and after are given in the Old Style Julian calendar.

[13] Quoted in The Russian Revolution, 1917, Rex. A. Wade, Cambridge University Press, 2017, p. 29.

[14] History of the Russian Revolution, Leon Trotsky, p. 161.

[15] Ibid., p. 171

[16] Quoted in The February Revolution: Petrograd, 1917, Tsuyoshi Hasegawa, University of Washington Press, 1989, p. 227.

[17] The Formation of the Militia in the February Revolution: An Aspect of the Origins of Dual Power, Tsuyoshi Hasegawa, Slavic Review, Vol 32, No 2, June 1973, pp. 303-22.

[18] Quoted in The History of the Russian Revolution, Trotsky, Ibid., p. 258.

[19] The Russian Revolution 1917: A Personal Record, N. N. Sukhanov, Princeton University Press, 1984, p. 12.

[20] The Growing Conflict, L. Trotsky (tr. Fred Williams).

[21] Lenin, Collected Works, Vol . 23, Progress Publishers, 1964, p. 292 and p. 305.

[22] Prelude to Revolution: The Petrograd Bolsheviks and the July 1917 Uprising, Alexander Rabinowitch, Indiana University Press, 1991, p. 3435.

[23] Fully Armed: Kamenev and Pravda in March 1917, Lars T. Lih, The NEP Era: Soviet Russia 1921-1928, 8 (2014), pp. 55-68.

[24] Pravda, Wednesday, 15 [28] March 1917. (Translated by Fred Williams from the Russian).

[25] Pravda, Thursday, 16 [29] March 1914, published in Stalin Works, Vol. 3, March-October, 1917.

[26] From Lenins second and fourth Letters from Afar, Collected Works, Vol. 23, Ibid., p. 315 and p. 336.

[27] Lih made these arguments in a report delivered at the University of Michigan Ann Arbor conference, Revolutionary Longings, March 2017.

[28] Quoted in Trotsky, History of the Russian Revolution, Ibid., pp. 326-27.

[29] Lenin, Collected Works , Vol. 25, Ibid.
French President Francois Hollande invited both candidates in the May 7 presidential runoffneo-fascist candidate Marine Le Pen and Emmanuel Macron, the candidate now backed by Hollandes own Socialist Party (PS)to the commemoration yesterday of slain policeman Xavier Jugele. Jugele was shot on April 20 by a gunman whom French authorities claimed was linked to the Islamic State (IS) militia on Champs-Elysees Avenue in Paris.

The significance of Hollandes gesture is clear. He already invited Le Pen to the Elysee twice after terror attacks in 2015, ostensibly to promote national unity, including with the National Front (FN), which descends from the fascist forces that ruled France under the Nazi Occupation. Particularly now that Le Pen has reached the second round, and could conceivably win the presidency on May 7, Hollande is determined to delegitimize opposition to Le Pens FN.

The last time the FN was in the second round, when PS candidate Lionel Jospin was eliminated in 2002 and Marines father Jean-Marie advanced, millions of people went into the streets to protest. Fifteen years later, police assaulted an antifascist protest on Sunday night as the results of the first round of the elections were released. Now Hollande is treating both Le Pen and Macron as legitimate contenders for the presidency of the Republic.

Addressing the two candidates as those who will have to decide tomorrow, Hollande called on Le Pen and Macron to continue building the massive police-state apparatus that has emerged under the state of emergency Hollande imposed starting in 2015. He asked that they provide the necessary budgetary resources to recruit the indispensable staff to protect our fellow citizens, asking for constancy, perseverance, and coherence in our efforts, rather than boasting and sudden changes.

Hollandes appeal to a neo-fascist to strengthen the security services was politically sinister, above all as there is virtually no doubt that these services were implicated in Jugele's murder. The deceased gunman, Karim Cheurfi, had been condemned to 15 years in prison for shooting and nearly killing two policemen in 2001, but was later released on appeal. After he was arrested in February for saying that he was trying to obtain weapons to murder policemen, French intelligence began closely monitoring him due to his Internet ties to IS.

There is no innocent explanation for the fact that such a man could amass an arsenal of firearms and combat knives and use this arsenal to murder a policeman. The loyalty of the security services to the FN is well known. Given that Jean-Luc Melenchon was rising in the polls before the elections based on growing antiwar sentiment among youth after the US strikes on Syria, it is legitimate to ask whether the shooting was allowed to occur so the resulting security hysteria would swing the election to Le Pen.

Le Pen went from Jugeles commemoration to the studios of TF1 television, where she gave a long and bellicose interview on her campaign. She called for protectionism, the abandonment of the euro currency and the return of the French franc, and a doubling of French military spending.

Financing such a massive increase in military spending would require devastating attacks on social programs. Le Pen said the army has been cut to the bone They use obsolete equipment, sometimes they must pay for their own equipment; its undignified and dangerous for the security of the French people and our armed forces. She pledged to raise the defense budget to two percent of GDP by next year, and 3 percent by the end of her first term in 2022, if she were elected.

The right-wing austerity policies of the PS and what passes for the French left have allowed the FN to posture as the sole opposition tendency, based on reactionary protectionist and anti-immigrant rhetoric. In the first round, the FN was the leading party in 216 of Frances 566 electoral districts. While it lost in major urban areas, it won by decisive margins across large areas of devastated industrial heartlands of the North, Picardy, and Lorraine, as well as in Champagne and along Frances Mediterranean coast.

The FN won by smaller margins in broad areas of France where it had virtually no presence a decade ago, including Alsace, Burgundy, the central Loire Valley and eastern Normandy. It is expected that the FN could now win over 100 seats in the National Assembly in the June legislative elections.

At the same time, in an indication of broad leftward movement of workers and young people, Melenchon won nearly 20 percent of the vote, including almost one-third of voters under the age of 24. Melenchon is popularly identified as a left-wing opposition to the PS. Melenchons role, however, has been to channel opposition back into the political establishment. In a cynical effort to cover for an endorsement of Macron, Melenchon announced on Tuesday that he was launching a consultation of supporters to determine whether his Unsubmissive France movement should formally back Macron against Le Pen.

Hollandes invitation to Le Pen and Macron yesterday points to the ties that emerged between the PS and the FN during his presidency, as the entire ruling elite responded to growing opposition to PS and European Union (EU) policies of austerity and war by shifting far to the right. As his poll ratings collapsed, Hollande used the FN as a political base for his government. He invited Le Pen to the Elysee twice in 2015, as the PS prepared to impose a state of emergency suspending democratic rights that it then used to violently repress protests against the PSs regressive labor law.

The PS also tried to inscribe in the French Constitution the principle of deprivation of nationality, the legal basis for the outlawing of French Resistance leaders and the deportation of the Jews to death camps during the Occupation. In taking these and other right-wing measures, the PS not only sought to legitimize the FN as part of the political mainstream, but discredited itself among masses of workers.

As a consequence, the PS has suffered a historic defeat, and received barely 6 percent in Sundays vote.

The FN can posture as Frances leading oppositional, anti-system party principally due to the role of the various organizations that broke from Trotskyism in France. As mass protests erupted against the FNs presence in the second round 15 years ago, the International Committee of the Fourth International (ICFI) called for an active boycott of the second round. This was aimed at preparing the working class to fight back against the militarist and austerity policies that Jean-Marie Le Pens opponent, Jacques Chirac, went on to implement.

These partiesWorkers Struggle (LO), the Revolutionary Communist League (LCR, today's New Anti-capitalist Party, NPA), and the Workers Party (PT, now the Independent Democratic Workers Party)rejected this call. They had received three million votes. Yet they were hostile to building a mass Trotskyist party in the working class against Jospin and the PS. They aligned themselves with the PSs call for a vote for Chirac, thus handing the mantle of political opposition to the FN.

The 2017 election results expose the disastrous and deeply reactionary consequences of these decisions. The FN is now a major contender for power in the bourgeois establishment.

The mass opposition in the working class to austerity, war and dictatorship that drove millions into the streets in 2002 has not gone away, however. With millions unemployed, including 25 percent of youth, class tensions are in fact far more explosive than in 2002. Opposition in the working class cannot find legitimate expression through middle-class parties like the NPA, however, which endorsed an Hollande vote in 2012, support the Syrian war, and are still tied to the decaying PS via a thousand threads.

The urgent task is to build the Parti de l'egalite socialiste, the French section of the ICFI, as the revolutionary political leadership in the working class. It is not a matter of supporting one or another faction of the ruling class, but of politically mobilizing the working class, the vast majority of the population, against war, dictatorship, unemployment and inequality. This requires the fight to unify workers throughout Europe and internationally in a common fight against the capitalist system.
Emmanuel Macrons victory in the first round of Frances presidential election has unleashed a veritable wave of celebration among the German ruling class.

Shortly after the first projections on Sunday evening, which showed Macron slightly ahead of the second-placed candidate, the neo-fascist Marine Le Pen of the National Front, the German governments spokesman wrote on Twitter, Good that Emmanuel Macron was successful with his course of a stronger EU+social market economy. All the best for the coming two weeks.

The chairman of Germanys parliamentary foreign affairs committee, Norbert Rotgen (Christian Democrats), enthused on the Phoenix television channel, I think it cannot get better for Germany and Europe. I believe that we can now be hopeful that Macron will be president.

Foreign Minister and Vice Chancellor, the Social Democrat Sigmar Gabriel, declared during his three-day visit to the Middle East, Of course I am happy that Emmanuel Macron led in the election. He had the strongest result of all candidates and will now go into the second round and I am sure he will be the new French president. He would do everything personally to continue to support Macron. He would be an excellent president, but was also an incredibly friendly person and a good friend.

The so-called opposition parties also popped the champagne corks. Green Party chairman Cem Ozdemir praised Macron on Twitter by commenting, Merci, la France! Thank you #France! Best of luck to Emmanuel Macron! Onwards to the second round! The chairman of the free market Free Democrats (FDP), Christian Lindner, wrote, A signal for Europe, a signal of renewal. Emmanuel Macron also gives Germany courage.

And the Left Party, which supported the left nationalist Jean-Luc Melenchon in the first round, is now urging a Macron victory, even though they are aware that this would mean a further deterioration of living standards for the working class. The Left Party co-chair Bernd Riexinger wrote on Twitter, Bitter: #Macron deserves support because he is up against #lePen, but his demands continue the previous misery unaltered.

The media and politicians are publicly justifying their support for Macron by citing their alleged opposition to nationalism and racism. As Gabriel explained, he was happy about the result because Macron would certainly overcome right-wing extremism and right-wing populism, and the anti-Europeans in the second round.

Who does the German Foreign Minister think he is kidding? In reality, the outgoing Socialist Party government under Francois Hollande, to which Macron belonged until 2016, adopted the FNs policies step by step. After the Paris terrorist attacks of November 2015, Hollande invited le Pen to the Elysee Palace and imposed a state of emergency under which basic democratic rights were suspended. The PS subsequently pursued the goal of establishing in the French constitution a provision for revoking citizenship, a legal measure which provided the basis for the persecution of the leaders of the Resistance under the Vichy regime and the transportation of Jews to death camps.

The establishment parties in Germany are playing a similar role in rehabilitating right-wing extremist politics. They are equally responsible for the rise of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) in two senses. Firstly, they have created the miserable social conditions which drive many workers to desperation and enable right-wing demagogues to exploit them. Secondly, under conditions of deepening social and political crisis in Europe, they ever more openly encourage xenophobia and nationalism so as to divide the working class and stabilise their own rule.

Why is Macron being applauded in Berlin as a progressive saviour and crowned the victor before the second round on 7 May has even taken place?

For one thing, Macron, a former Rothschild banker and economic minister under outgoing French President Hollande, is the most explicit advocate of the interests of European finance capital and demands an intensification of the austerity policies in France called for by Berlin and Brussels throughout Europe.

Significantly, the German Dax stock exchange reached a record high on Monday of 12.398. Stefan Kreuzkamp, chief investment strategist for Deutsche Asset Management, enthused, Following this result I would say, Vive la France! Europe lives on. And European stocks.

The second reason is the declared goal of Germanys ruling elite of dominating the EU from Berlin in order to play the role of a global power. We will only have influence if we jointly, Germany and France in particular, make Europe a genuine actor in the world, stated German President and former Social Democrat Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier just days before the first round of the election, in an interview with French newspaper Sud Ouest .

As an advocate for the EU and European militarism, Macron is an ally in these megalomaniac plans. Under conditions of the United States new orientation, a united Europe becomes even more important, Steinmeier noted, referring to the aggressive America first policies of Donald Trump. If the unification of Europe fails, as nationalist and populist parties want in France, we will not be players but the pawns of other powers, he warned.

But above all, the ruling class fears a revolutionary movement of the working class. In its last edition, the German weekly Der Spiegel focused on the question of whether the countrys [France] institutions have been manoeuvred into a pre-revolutionary situation due to the incapability of officeholders. Whether what is today still called a state is already reminiscent of the world of kings, of the rotten Ancien Regime prior to the French Revolution.

The bourgeoisies position must indeed be desperateit is relying on Macron, although he is one of the incapable officeholders who has manoeuvred France into a pre-revolutionary situation!

Contrary to what the Left Party would like to make people believe, there is no lesser evil for the French working class in the second round of the election. French workers confront two candidates both of whom stand for war and major social attacks. While Macron, at least for now, supports the transformation of the EU into a German-dominated military union which will prepare for trade war and war with the US and Russia, le Pen stands for the division of Europe into hostile nation-states, which would also ultimately mean war.

The only way to combat the relapse into barbarism is the unification of Europe on a socialist basis. In France, this requires the building of the Parti de legalite Socialiste (PES), the French section of the International Committee of the Fourth International (ICFI).
A recent report published by the National Bureau of Economic Research reveals that life expectancy is on the rise, but only for the wealthy. In 1980, a man in the highest quintile could expect to live five years longer than a man in the lowest quintile. As the inequality gap grows continually wider each day, so does the difference in life expectancy, which is up to a 12.7-year difference in 2014.

The richest quintile in the US today can expect to live seven years longer than their parents generation, while the poorest quintile is living six months less on average than the previous generation. From 1980 to 2010, the difference in what the rich versus the poor can expect in government benefits upon retirement has increased from $103,000 to $173,000.

Ronald Lee, professor of demography and economics at University of California Berkeley, co-chaired the study and spoke to the World Socialist Web Site on some of the findings. If you hold everything else constant, the change amounts to about $150,000 per person over their lifetime. Think about the benefits a person gets from the government after 50. They get Social Security, they get Medicare, Medicaid, and other thingsdisability, perhaps, and so on, Lee said. The longer you live, the more benefits you receive. So when poorer people live quite a lot shorter lives than the richer people, it also means theyre getting less in benefits.

Sections of the population with less money end up paying more overall into the Social Security system from which they do not ultimately benefit, due to their shorter life span. The report states that our key finding is that changing the mortality and health regime from that of the 1930 to the 1960 cohort causes the gap between average lifetime benefits received by men in the highest and lowest quintiles to widen by about $130,000. The change arises from the impact of mortality on benefits and not on taxes.

The study is about this growing gap between socioeconomic status, and its extremely fundamentally important, but the most important question is, why does this occur and what can be done? These are really quite terrible differences, Lee said. The systems have become a lot less progressive over the years, based on this inequality. And thats an important and useful point, but not as important as the main question.

One of the more striking conclusions from the data shows that the life expectancy disparity between blacks and whites is shrinking. While one would assume it is due to an increase in the life expectancy for blacks, it is actually the inverse. Poor whites have been living shorter lives, reducing the gap between the races living at the same levels of poverty.

I couldnt believe it. I actually didnt believe it at first, Lee said on the shocking statistics, but it turns out its true. The [life expectancy] gap between blacks and whites had been shrinking for 20 years or so.

The opioid epidemic, as a result of the deindustrialization of large parts of the Midwest and South, has had a huge impact on the life expectancy of working class whites. Additionally, poor access to health care and increasing costs of medications, coupled with cuts to health care coverage, have resulted in the decreased life expectancy rates. I dont think we should reduce Social Security, especially for the people at the bottom. We dont call for policy changes in the report, but what the report points to is the necessity for policymakers to be aware of and sensitive to this issue of fairness across income levels, Lee said.

One of the problems, if you want to call it that, of Social Security and Medicaid funding, to some degree, is that people are living longer. But to the extent that thats the problem, in reality it just is not currently sustainable. And if you look at one of the key articles that was published years ago, the gains in life expectancy have all been accruing at the top half of the income distribution, and almost none at the bottom half.

The report also states: Simulations assume that Social Security and Medicare benefits will continue to be paid in the future, even though the trust funds from which these benefits are projected to be exhausted.  Assuming that benefits will be paid as written under current law is the approach used by the Congressional Budget Office in its long-term budget projections and seems more in accordance with Congressional intent than assuming an abrupt cut in benefits in the future when the trust funds run out.

While Trump claimed during his campaign for president that he would not cut Social Security benefits, Budget Director Mick Mulvaney has told news outlets that he is working on persuading Trump to adopt entitlement reforms that would cut funding to Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security and disability money.
While demanding that North Korea halt its nuclear and missile testsand threatening military attack if it does notthe Trump administration will today test launch a nuclear-capable intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) from California across the Pacific, in a menacing show of force.

According to Air Force Global Strike Command, the operation will test the weapons effectiveness, accuracy and readiness. In the context of the mounting US military pressure on North Korea and its neighbour China, it is an unmistakeable threat of American preparedness to use nuclear-armed ICBMs.

Missile launches were essential to verify the status of our national nuclear force and to demonstrate our national nuclear capabilities, Colonel Chris Moss, the Vandenberg Air Force Base 30th Space Wing commander said.

For all the political and media hysteria about the danger presented by North Koreas small and primitive nuclear and missile capacity, the provocatively-timed US test again underscores where the real risk of nuclear war residesin Washington and the Pentagons unmatched arsenal of thousands of nuclear warheads.

No target was specified for todays exercise, but an earlier US missile test, launched from a North Dakota base in February, travelled 6,760 kilometres to a test range at Kwajalein Atoll, part of the Marshall Islands in the northwestern Pacific.

The Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site in the Marshall Islands is just one of the scores of US military bases throughout the Pacific, Japan and South Korea, as well as fleets of warships and submarines, from which devastating attacks on North Korea could be mounted.

On the same day as the missile test, President Donald Trump will hold a rare and suddenly announced White House briefing on the North Korean situation with all 100 members of the US Senate. Adding to the ominous atmosphere, the briefing will be delivered by the top four US war-related officials: Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, National Intelligence Director Dan Coats and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman General Joseph Dunford. (see: Trump summons the Senate to the White House)

In another sign of war preparations, Trump had a publicised dinner on Monday night with two key foreign policy hawksSenators John McCain and Lindsey Graham. No information was released on what they discussed, but Graham tweeted the next day: Donald Trump is NOT going to let the nutjob in North Korea develop a missilewith a nuclear weapon on topthat can hit the US. The nutjob was an insulting reference to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

As these developments unfolded, Washington was encircling the Korean Peninsula with nuclear-capable warships conducting war games with Japanese and South Korean naval vessels.

The USS Wayne E. Meyer, a destroyer, began exercises yesterday with a South Korean destroyer in the Yellow Sea, west of Korea. Another destroyer, the USS Fitzgerald conducted drills with a Japanese destroyer in the Sea of Japan, also known as the East Sea, east of Korea.

The US Seventh Fleet said both exercises demonstrate the US Navys inherent flexibility to combine with allied naval forces in response to a broad range of situations.

In further chilling displays, the USS Michigan, a guided-missile submarine, docked in the South Korean port of Busan and the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier task force, accompanied by Japanese ships, is due to arrive in the waters off the Korean Peninsula to stage a combined operation with the South Korean navy.

Despite incessant claims by the political elites and corporate media that North Korea was poised to conduct its sixth nuclear test yesterday, the countrys 85th anniversary of its army, Pyongyang reportedly only conducted live-fire artillery drills near Wonsan on the east coast.

On Monday Trump summoned ambassadors from the 15 UN Security Council members, including China and Russia, to demand they impose further crippling sanctions on North Korea, featuring an oil embargo, transport bans and punitive measures against Chinese banks allegedly doing business in North Korea. This was despite evidence, such as soaring oil prices in North Korea, that China is already severely constricting supplies.

Trump delivered what amounted to an ultimatum, declaring that North Korea was a real threat to the world and a big world problem that we have to finally solve.

Publicly, the Trump administration is holding out the prospect of applying enough pressure on China to compel North Korea to abandon its missile and nuclear programs. But Beijing is sending increasingly alarmed signals that it has very limited influence over the Pyongyang regime.

An editorial yesterday in the state-controlled Global Times warned that convincing Pyongyang to cease its nuclear activities was not as easy as saying abracadabra. The game of chicken between Washington and Pyongyang could quickly get out of control with terrible consequences that no side will be able to stop. It described the situation as puzzle filled with bombs and declared: Pyongyang must not strike a match and detonate it.

This was not the first time that Beijing has voiced dismay at the danger of a military conflagration that would have a severely damaging impact on Chinas geo-strategic interests.

Two days earlier, a Global Times editorial openly criticised North Korea, and said Pyongyang was making a mistake if it thought that Beijing considered it a sentinel and on guard duty for China. The editorial declared that North Koreas nuclear program was jeopardising Chinas major national interests and preventing Pyongyang from developing nuclear weapons was already Beijings priority in Northeast Asia.

Chinas leaders obviously understand that their country, not just its erstwhile ally North Korea, is Washingtons target. A US assault on the Korean Peninsula could not only lead to the destabilising collapse of North Korea, near one of Chinas major industrial regions, but install a US-backed regime on Chinas border, as the US sought to during the 1950-53 Korean War.

The fact that China is in the firing line was highlighted yesterday by testimony at a US Senate Armed Forces Committee hearing on the Asia-Pacific region. Carnegie Endowment for International Peace senior fellow Ashley Tellis described North Korea as a near-term challenge, whereas the challenges emanating from China are long term, enduring and aimed fundamentally at decoupling the United States from its Asian partners.

These comments again point to the underlying driving force behind the Korean crisis. Not just in North East Asia but around the world, the ruling US capitalist class is intent on using Americas military might to offset its economic decline and block China, or any other potential rival, from challenging the global hegemony it established through victory over Germany and Japan in World War II.
In a move without precedent in American history, President Donald Trump has invited the entire Senate to the White House to be briefed at a closed-door meeting on potential military action against North Korea. The event is a clear departure from traditional constitutional norms, with ominous implications.

It is not unusual for members of the executive branch, including military and intelligence officials, to brief members of Congress in closed-door sessions. But the constitutional doctrine of separation of powers between three coequal branches of governmentexecutive, legislative and judicialdictates that the executive present itself before the elected representatives of the people, not the other way around.

When President Franklin D. Roosevelt sought a declaration of War against Japan on December 8, 1941, he delivered a speech to Congress, leading to a congressional declaration of war the same day. Today, 76 years later, it is the Senate that is coming to the White House, to be briefed by the military brass about plans to launch a war that will proceed with or without its authorization.

The session will take place Wednesday afternoon in the auditorium of the Eisenhower Office Building, adjacent to the White House, which will be temporarily transformed into a sensitive compartmented information facility. The senators will not be allowed to bring phones or have their staffs with them.

They will be addressed by high-level military and intelligence officials, including Defense Secretary James Mattis, a former four-star general; General Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; and Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, the former head of ExxonMobil, will also be present.

While Trumps presence has not been announced, the Washington Post wrote: Congressional staffers suggested that the briefings proximity to Trump would make it easy for him to drop by and perhaps take over the briefing.

Trumps summoning of the Senate to the White House is of a piece with other moves by the administration to outfit the office of the president with trappings associated with authoritarianism and dictatorial rule. At Trumps inauguration, White House officials requested that tanks and other armored vehicles parade through Washington. During the inaugural address, a group of soldiers lined up behind the new president, in direct view of the main camera, before apparently being ordered to disperse. This extraordinary and unprecedented intrusion of the military into the swearing in of the incoming president has never been explained.

What Wednesdays White House meeting symbolizes above all is the power of the military over the entire state apparatus. This is the outcome of more than a quarter century of unending war, accompanied by an immense growth in the power and political influence of the military. Today, decisions of the gravest consequenceincluding military action that could start a world warare made by a cabal of conspirators in the ruling class and the military high command.

There is no longer even a pretense of public debate or congressional oversight and control. The so-called deep state operates behind the backs of the people with utter disregard for the deeply felt antiwar sentiment of the working class and youth.

Trumps summoning of the Senate to the White House comes amidst a buildup of military tensions in the Pacific, centered on North Korea. The administration has for weeks threatened to carry out a preemptive strike against the impoverished country, ostensibly to prevent it from building nuclear-armed missiles capable of reaching the United States. The power to make major decisionslike the dropping of the Massive Ordnance Air Blast bomb on Afghanistan earlier this monthhas been turned over to military officials.

There is no peace faction within the ruling establishment. The aggressive and belligerent foreign policy moves by the Trump administration have been welcomed by both Democrats and Republicans. The first two months of the Trump presidency were dominated by a hysterical campaign, led by the Democrats, to portray Trump as a Russian poodle. When Trump carried out a cruise missile attack against Syria, Russias ally, it was universally acclaimed, with Democrats demanding even more aggressive regime-change operations.

Not a single senator has as yet indicated opposition to the closed-door meeting at the White House, let alone announced that he or she will refuse to attend.

Unending war and extreme social inequality have fatally undermined bourgeois-democratic forms in the United States. The Trump administration, with its open contempt for democratic rights and its authoritarian methods, is the outcome of a decades-long decay of American democracy. Congress itself is staffed with wealthy and corrupt stooges of corporate interests and the military/intelligence apparatus, and that goes for both parties.

The media serves as a conduit for state propaganda. Dissent is denounced as fake news and information warfare by foreign enemies.

The notion that Congress has the responsibility to exercise a check on war powers has disappeared. Beginning with the Korean War in 1950, US presidents have carried out dozens of military interventions without a declaration of war by Congress, as stipulated in the Constitution.

The War Powers Act, passed in 1973, requiring congressional authorization for any military action lasting more than 60 days, has repeatedly been breached in practice. It was openly flouted by the Obama administration in its 2011 air war against Libya.

Todays meeting is not an exercise in congressional oversight, but rather a summoning of political representatives of the ruling class to receive their marching orders from the military brass. It is symptomatic of the collapse of democratic forms of rule and the accelerating drive to dictatorship.
Socialist Alternatives Marxism 2017 conference, held in Melbourne from April 13-16, represented a milestone in the partys integration into the imperialist war drive of the United States and its allies, including Australia, against Russia and China.

The event was attended by a heterogeneous crowd of several hundred peoplemainly university students and what comprises the Melbourne middle-class left milieuattracted to Socialist Alternatives protest and identity politics. Over four days, more than 90 sessions were held on an eclectic array of topics, with no unified political analysis, aimed at attracting the largest number of people with multiple and divergent political interests and outlooks.

The conference was held against the backdrop of a qualitative escalation in the 25-year global war drive by the United States, backed by Canberra, aimed at offsetting its historic economic decline with military might. The eruption of US imperialism is now bringing the world to the brink of nuclear war. On April 6, the Trump administration launched cruise missile strikes against the Russian-backed Syrian government, dramatically heightening the danger of a clash between US and Russian military forces. In Asia, it has raised tensions to fever pitch by threatening pre-emptive war on North Korea, an ally of China. On April 13, the day of Socialist Alternatives opening session, Washington dropped the largest non-nuclear bomb in history on Afghanistan, in a clear warning to its rivals everywhere.

In the face of these events, the gathering issued a full-throated defence of US imperialism and explicitly denounced any fight to build an anti-war movement of the working class.

Speaking at one of the final and most well-attended panel sessions, entitled Syria, the left and imperialism, Corey Oakley, editor of Socialist Alternatives Redflag web site and magazine, summed up the organisations perspective: In 2003, in the Iraq War, the last major war involving Australia, we had covers on our magazine which said smash American imperialism. That was Socialist Alternatives line. That was the line of most of the left. The main thing was, America is an imperialist power that is seeking to dominate the Middle East, [and] it needs to be stopped 

Today, Oakley asserted, the situation is very different. He bemoaned the fact that on the broader left, theres still very much a mentality that the United States is in all circumstances the main enemy, and not to be trusted. This, he insisted was a facile and childish position.

The implication was clear: for Oakley and Socialist Alternative, US imperialism is not the main enemy, and it is to be trusted. This emerged most sharply when Oakley spoke on Syria, where the United States has been engaged in a six-year-long campaign to overthrow the government of Bashar al-Assad through the funding, arming and training of right-wing Islamist forces by the CIA and regional states such as the Saudi monarchy and Turkey. Socialist Alternative fraudulently presents this proxy war operation, which is aimed at removing a key ally of Russia and Iran in the Middle East, as a progressive revolution.

Oakley denounced as nutjobs and conspiracy theorists anyone who did not accept the Trump administrations allegations that Assads regime had used chemical weapons in an attack on April 4claims regurgitated by the international media without any evidence. These claims are nothing but a new version of the lies about weapons of mass destruction that prepared the 2003 invasion of Iraq and the regime change operation against Saddam Hussein. The Assad government, which had largely routed the US-backed rebel forces, had no reason to deploy such a weapon, knowing that it could be used to justify a direct military intervention. The US proxy forces, however, had every reason to carry out such an attack.

Oakley declared that any questioning of the State Departments assertions was a despicable position and a slap in the face to the people of Syria  It reflects something about the left. Theres a whole living-in-2003 kind of mentality. In 2003, with the weapons of mass destruction, it wasnt like [only] some people on the left had a suspicion that there werent WMD in Iraq. Everyone knew  The United Nations said there wasnt weapons of mass destruction! Today, however, the imperialist governments of the world insist that Assad used chemical weapons, and the international media repeat and magnify their pronouncements. Therefore, Socialist Alternative has no doubt that this is what happened. If the US State Department and the New York Times say it is true, then it must be!

Oakley denounced what he called the refusal from the left in the west internationally  to support the Syrian revolution, singling out the Stop the War Coalition (STWC) in Britain. The STWC has opposed British bombing in Syria, not from the standpoint of genuine opposition to imperialist war, but in line with a wing of the British ruling class that advocates distancing itself from Washington in favour of a more independent foreign policy. It has fraudulently called for the building of an anti-war movement, which it is seeking to channel behind the dead-end of the British Labour Party and its leader Jeremy Corbyn.

Oakleys statements were an attack on STWC from the right. He declared that even nominal opposition to imperialist war today is illegitimate. The idea, he said, that what socialists should do in the situation of imperialist conflict, is build an anti-war movement, is completely at odds with the history of the socialist movement. In 1914, [Vladimir] Lenin did not say at the outbreak of WWI, we need to build an anti-war movement. What he said was [that] the war exposes the truth about capitalism, and the working class of all countries needs to unite against their rulers, rise up, and overthrow them.

Oakleys extraordinary comment turns reality on its head. Lenins perspective was based on the assessment that the fight against the first imperialist world war was not distinct from, but inseparably connected to, the revolutionary overthrow of world capitalismthe objective source of war. This is the perspective advanced today only by the International Committee of the Fourth International, which publishes the World Socialist Web Site.

Everything that Socialist Alternative says and writes on Syrian and world politics is aimed at providing a pseudo-left cover for the claim by US imperialismrepeated by the entire political and media establishmentthat its actions are a defensive response to Russian intrigues and Chinese expansionism.

In December last year, Oakley penned an article in Redflag attacking the slogan of the great German revolutionary Karl Liebknecht used during WWI: The main enemy is at home. For Socialist Alternative, the main enemy is not in Canberra or in Washingtonbut in Damascus, Tehran, Moscow and Beijing.

That is why it characterises both Russia and China, and even Iran, as imperialist powers. This claimwhich rips these countries out of their entire historical development and relation to the world capitalist economyis aimed at politically delegitimizing any struggle by the working class against American imperialisms efforts to assert its domination over the entire globe and, as part of that agenda, to subvert and carve up Russia and China. Oakley declared that in Syria, the left has to oppose the imperialism of the US, of the Russians, of the Chinese, as well as the aggressive acts of the smaller powers including the Saudis in Yemen, the Iranians in Syria, and so on.

Oakleys session, which was hastily announced on the second last day of the conference, had the character of an attempt by the organisation to provide theoretical legitimacy to Socialist Alternatives pro-imperialist position on Syria. It followed a report two days earlier by Michael Karadjis, a member of Socialist Alliance, in a session entitled, A burning country: Syria, resistance and revolution.

Karadjis has a particularly long and filthy record of promoting imperialist interventions under the banner of human rights. In 1999, he defended the US-backed Kosovo Liberation Army and its heroin trafficking operations during the imperialist bombing of Yugoslavia, and was a cheerleader for Australias neo-colonial intervention into East Timor the same year. Like Socialist Alternative he has been a virulent supporter of the right-wing Islamist terror groups in Syria and Libya. In July 2013, for example, he published an article defending the actions of a rebel commander in Syria shown on videotape eating the organs from a corpse, labelling this only minor cannibalism. He later penned an article, published in Redflag s December 7, 2015 print edition, hailing the shooting down of a Russian jet by Turkey, a member of NATO, in November, 2015 as a small victory for humanity.

Karadjiss blog is filled with such political depravities. An April 7 posting in response to Trumps missile attack on Syria stated: From the point of view of supporters of Syrian revolution, and of liberation of humanity in general, can I ask in all honesty, what is the big deal? He made clear he effectively supported this criminal act, declaring that at least this particular bombing hit the most appropriate target to date.

Central to Karadjis presentation was his attack on the US government for not sufficiently targeting the Assad regime (even characterising Syria as imperialist) or providing the proxy forces with advanced anti-aircraft weaponry to shoot down Russian and Syrian planes.

Socialist Alternative attempts to demarcate between what it calls the democratic revolutionaries in Syria, gathered under the so-called Free Syrian Army (FSA), from Islamist organisations such as the Al Nusra Front. In reality, the FSA publicly calls for US imperialist intervention in Syria, and French president Francois Hollande has publicly stated that France has been funding it since at least 2013.

Karadjis, however, openly admits that large sections of the FSA are part of Al Nusra. Many rebels in the FSA  joined the jihadist outfits, precisely because they had better arms. They did so without believing their ideology, he stated. Karadjis also declared his solidarity with the Al Qaeda linked forces: These are reactionary outfits, but their base, a lot of the ordinary people in them, are not necessarily reactionary. They need the money, they need the arms, they dont get them, but the jihadists had better arms.

This is a justification for supporting extreme right-wing and fascistic movements. Echoing Karadjis comments, Mick Armstrong, a longstanding theoretician of Socialist Alternative, declared that these reactionary outfits should be supported because no genuine revolution starts out as this pure thing, that exactly agrees with all the ideology [and] all the attitudes of socialists.

Socialist Alternatives line-up with imperialism and its extreme right-wing agents is not a political aberration. The World Socialist Web Site defines this organisationas well as its international counter-parts such as the International Socialist Organisation in America and the Left Party in Germanyas the pseudo-left. They represent privileged layers of the affluent middle class who are pro-imperialist and deeply hostile to the working class. In the last 25 years, these layers have grown wealthier, as global stock markets have sharply risen, and shifted even further to the right, dropping even their nominal opposition to imperialism in line with their material interests.

Speaking for all of them in August, 2012, Corey Oakley declared that it was time to put an end to knee-jerk anti-imperialism. Socialist Alternatives latest conference demonstrates the full import of this statement. As the United States, backed by Australia, lurches ever more dangerously towards a catastrophic war against Russia and China, Socialist Alternative is advancing the arguments to line the working class up behind Australian and US imperialism. The urgent task of building an international socialist, anti-war movement of the working class requires the political exposure of this, and every other pseudo-left organisation.
This is the first in a series of articles on the recent San Francisco International Film Festival, held April 5-19.

The 2017 San Francisco International Film Festival screened some 180 films from 50 countries or so.

We have previously seen and written about a number of the interesting ones, including Lady Macbeth (William Oldroyd, UK), Ma Rosa (Brillante Mendoza, Philippines), Park (Sofia Exarchou, Greece) and The Unknown Girl (the Dardenne brothers, Belgium).

Sincere filmmakers are at work in various parts of the world, even if they are functioning at present with limited ideological and historical resources.

Muhi: Generally Temporary (Rina Castelnouvo-Hollander, Tamir Elterman), about a Palestinian child stuck in an Israeli hospital, is a product of such sincerity, along with The Stopover (Delphine and Muriel Coulin), about French soldiers returning from Afghanistan, and Marie Curie (Marie Noelle), about the Nobel Prize-winning physicist and chemist.

Duet (Navid Danesh), from Iran, is a work about personal relations whose intensity and somber mood hints at something broader. From Thailand, By the Time It Gets Dark (Anocha Suwichakornpong) makes elliptical and disturbing references to government repression in the 1970s.

The 60th San Francisco film festival presented the great Soviet film, The Man with a Movie Camera (1929), directed by Dziga Vertov, to the successful accompaniment of a live band, Devotchka. Vertovs delirious, exhilarating film is one of the finest cinematic products of the Soviet constructivist-futurist impulse and one of the most vibrant expressions of the social and cultural possibilities that the October Revolution opened up.

Remarkably, and tellingly, no reference was made in either the festival catalogue or the introduction to The Man with a Movie Camera at the April 13 screening to the centenary of the Revolution. Whether that results from political timidity or from historical obliviousness, or some combination thereof, is difficult to say.

A significant passivity, a wait-and-see attitude, continues to weigh heavily on a good portion of the worlds artistic cinema. We still encounter a good number of sympathetic, amusing, mildly intriguing films, often, but not always, devoted to the life and times of sections of the middle class. There is something both at second hand and secondary about these films. They tell interesting but not the most interesting stories.

Examples of this sort of work at the most recent festival included Everything Else (Natalia Almada, Mexico), Family Life (Cristian Jimenez, Alicia Scherson) and The Future Perfect (Nele Wohlatz), both from Chile, Donkeyote (Chico Pereira, Spain), Heaven Sent (Wissam Charaf, Lebanon) and A Date for Mad Mary (Darren Thornton, Ireland)all intelligent films, and all slight.

Something far more serious and traumatic, and disruptive, goes largely untreated: the conditions of the millions whose existence is being turned upside down by the current global economic and political turmoil.

Associated with that passivity at times is a non-committal stance toward big events and social questions. Certain filmmakers spend a good deal of energy avoiding what is most important and obvious at the center of their films and at the center of contemporary life. Often the longer the films running time, the less substance and cohesion it has. Keeping the camera running is always possible, in fact it is easy to do, but making sense of social processes is much more difficult.

Such thoughts, for instance, come to mind in regard to Cristi Puius Sieranevada, from Romania, and Albert Serras The Death of Louis XIV (although, to be fair, the latter film is only two hours long).

Puius film, some three hours in length, takes place largely in a single Bucharest apartment where relatives are gathered to memorialize the recently deceased family patriarch. Various issues arise, infidelities, drug problems, terrorism (the film takes place a few days after the Charlie Hebdo attack in Paris in January 2015) and conspiracy theories, the Stalinist (Communist) experience in Romania, etc. Disputes and jealousies inevitably erupt.

Despite its intimidating length and physical constraints, Sieranevada (mysterious title!) remains relatively amusing and unpretentious. A number of moments and relationships ring true. However, at the end of 173 minutes one has no real sense of what Puiu makes of Romanian history and present-day society. He has not genuinely stuck his neck out, although he no doubt thinks he has. Terrible crimes were committed on Romanian soil in the 20th century, fascistic movements are on the rise again, the region remains a powder-keg, and, if the truth be told, Puiu has very little to say about it. One suspects he is largely overwhelmed.

Serras The Death of Louis XIV, with veteran French actor Jean-Pierre Leaud as the monarch painfully dying in Versailles in 1715, after a reign of 72 years, is a film that makes more claims for itself and thus fails more dramatically. We witness the king dealing with doctors and government ministers, his followers and mistresses, his hunting dogs, all to no great effect. Kings die too, and suffer, and experience humiliation while they die. We know that. But kings also live, and the life of Louis XIV is far more interesting to us than his final moments. Serras work is well done, but who cares very much about any of it?

The Death of Louis XIV deserves to be grouped alongside Steven Soderberghs Che (2008, a four-hour film) and other such efforts for its thoroughly non-committal and evasive stance.

It cannot be accidental that Serra expresses admiration for Andy Warhol, one of the pioneers in making artistic and intellectual vacuousness into a positive program.

Serras newest film was originally planned as a museum performance: The original project already had Jean-Pierre Leaud in it. He had to perform the death of Louis XIV over the course of 15 days. Visitors could see him perform and the idea was to film the whole thing. When the project fell through, the story stayed with me and we still had some budget left, so four years later I took it in hand again with the same idea at the core: the death of Louis XIV in a single location, mainly his bedroom, and condensing the 15-day span to an hour and a half in a conventional fictional narrative.

Why would anyone want to watch such a thing over 15 days? This is the Emperors New Clothes syndrome once more. The critics celebrate Serras Louis XIV, and almost no one asks the most elementary questions: Why this well-staged silliness? What does it all add up to? How much does he understand about French history, about the 18th century, about the coming revolution?

Filmmakers like Puiu and Serra, and Soderbergh, suffer from an objective historical problem, coming of age in the 1980s and 1990s and beyond, when the consequences of the political turn to the right by a generation of erstwhile radicals and the ideological impact of the claims about the end of socialism and the end of history were making themselves felt.

One of the most intense and serious films in San Francisco was I Called Him Morgan(now in movie theaters in the US), a documentary by Swedish director Kasper Collin about jazz trumpeter Lee Morgan and his common-law wife, Helen.

Helen shot Lee Morgan on a bitter winter night in February 1972 at a jazz club on Manhattans Lower East Side. Morgan was only 33 years old.

Collins film effectively traces out the events and experiences that led to that tragic episode.

A host of major figures speak to Collin about the Morgans, about music, about the 1950s and 1960s, including musicians Wayne Shorter, Bennie Maupin, Billy Harper, Larry Ridley, Albert Tootie Heath, Jymie Merritt and Paul Best, many of them still haunted by Morgans death. The filmmaker tracks down Larry Reni Thomas, a writer and music teacher, who interviewed Helen Morgan just before her death in 1996. That tape recorded conversation provides one of the documentarys central and clarifying focal points.

Lee Morgan broke into jazz at an early age. He joined the Dizzy Gillespie Big Band at 18, before playing on several Hank Mobley records and on John Coltranes Blue Train (1957). He eventually recorded 25 albums with Blue Note Records. Morgan toured with Art Blakeys Jazz Messengers for several years, until drug problems proved his undoing.

Helen More, born in rural North Carolina, had a harsh early life. She had kids at 13 and 14, and then took off for big cities. First Wilmington, and later, New York. She was renowned for her hospitality and her cooking. Almost 15 years older than Lee Morgan, she took care of him when he was down and out on drugs (so down and out he pawned his coat and only pair of shoes), and helped him clean up.

Once Lee was back on his feet, and with some degree of success apparently within his grasp, he began spending time with other women. In the midst of a terrible snowstorm, Helen came down from the Bronx, where they lived, and stopped in at Slugs Saloon, on East 3rd Street. She had had enough of pain and rejection in her life, and shot the trumpeter in the middle of the club. He apparently died because the road conditions slowed down the ambulance, which took 45 minutes to reach him.

Its a sad story. Collin tells it intelligently and carefully, with almost no missteps. Perhaps coming from Sweden makes him sensitive to the effect of cold weather, but his evocation of a frozen New York night, especially through images of snow falling toward a black, bleak Manhattan, is extremely effective.

There are no missteps, but there are no great leaps forward either. The epoch in American life and the social milieu raise all sorts of questions the filmmaker studiously ignores.

Collin previously made a documentary about another jazz figure who died tragically, My Name is Albert Ayler (2006). He obviously takes great care with his films. He writes, The edit spanned a three-year period with around one year accumulative actual editing time with planned breaks at specific junctures for complementary shooting. The film required a long editing process and I was lucky enough to work with some incredible editors on the film: Hanna Lejonqvist, Eva Hillstrom and Dino Jonsater.

I learned from my previous long-term film project  that there are no short cuts in making a film like this. And as this film is also based on music and specific archive material, I wanted to work as organically as possible and you need time to do that.

To be continued.
The South Korean presidential elections on May 9 are taking place amid mounting US threats of war against North Korea. All the candidates are vying to demonstrate their pro-US credentials. None offer a means for preventing war or a progressive solution to the political and economic crises gripping the country.

On Sunday evening, a third debate between the five major contenders dealt with foreign policy, national security and political reforms. Much of the focus was on front-runner Moon Jae-in of the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) and his stance on North Korea.

Before the debate, the conservative candidates, Hong Jun-pyo of the Liberty Korea Party (LKP) and Yu Seung-min of the Bareun Party, engaged in red-baiting, accusing Moon of being a leftist and supporter of North Korea. Yu attacked the DPK candidate over claims that the Noh Moo-hyun administration, which Moon served as chief of staff, consulted with Pyongyang before abstaining on a 2007 UN human rights resolution on North Korea.

On Friday, Song Min-soon, who served as foreign minister under Noh, released a document he claimed backed up this assertion. Moon responded during Sundays debate that the governments decision to abstain was made prior to consultations with Pyongyang.

In contrast to the conservative administration of impeached President Park Geun-Hye, Moon has stated he intends to return to the Sunshine Policy first implemented under Kim Dae-jung. This policy was designed to exploit the North Korean working class as a source of cheap labor for South Korean businesses.

During the 2012 election, Moon suggested that the now-shuttered Kaesong Complex in North Korea near the South Korean border should be expanded into a broader free trade zone and include parts of Incheon and Haeju. However, it seems unlikely a Moon administration could carry out such plans given the threat of war hanging over the Korean Peninsula.

Moreover, Moon is quickly discarding previous attempts to tap into anti-war sentiment as he shifts to the right to fend off conservative criticism. He is promising to build up the military while appealing to Korean nationalism, and has sought to allay concerns in Washington by continually calling for a strong US-South Korea alliance.

We must first closely coordinate with our ally, the United States, Moon stressed during the second candidates debate last week. We must also ensure that our point of view is conveyed sufficiently in the process.

On Sunday, Moon said: I will never allow any military provocations by North Korea. I will prevent war based on thorough crisis management and a strong Korea-US alliance. I will put a priority on securing military capabilities to curb the Norths nuclear and missile threats.

These military plans include the early deployment of the Kill Chain, a system designed to launch pre-emptive attacks on North Korea, and the Korean Air and Missile Defense (KAMD) shield, similar to the USs Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery currently being deployed to South Korea amid widespread protests.

Moon has abandoned attempts to posture as an opponent of THAAD, describing it on April 11 as a card in dealing with Pyongyang. It was just one idea for responding to the North Korean nuclear issue, and its a weapon for defensive purposes, he said, adding: If North Korea continues engaging in provocations like a sixth nuclear test and advancing its nuclear capabilities, the THAAD deployment may be unavoidable.

There is nothing defensive about THAAD. It is bound up with Washingtons war plans against China and Russia. Since 1988, the US has been working to develop and dispatch THAAD batteries to the region, including the X-band radar system. Beijing is concerned that the latter will be used to spy deep into its territory. In the event of a pre-emptive attack on China, US anti-missile systems would knock out any retaliation Beijing managed to launch.

The next closest candidate behind Moon is the other liberal, Ahn Cheol-soo of the Peoples Party. Moon leads his challenger by approximately 10 percent in current polls. Ahn and his party broke from the DPKs predecessor early last year and represent a more openly right-wing faction of the Democrats. Ahn has similarly called for the expansion of South Korean military forces.

All the candidates have stressed support for putting more pressure on China, lending support to US claims that Beijing is responsible for the threat of war on the Korean Peninsula. Yu Seung-min, who along with his Bareun Party has been deeply critical of Beijing, stated during the second debate: China must pressure North Korea much more strongly, including the ban on imports of coal and cutting off oil supplies to Pyongyang. Ahn Cheol-soo declared: By taking a lukewarm stance, China enabled North Korea to go on with its aggression.

Sim Sang-jeong of the minor Justice Party is running to try to convince workers and young people that a progressive alternative exists within the political establishment, based on nationalism and identity politics. Her role is to discredit Hong Jun-pyo, the only significant conservative challenger to Moon or Ahn. Sim played a similar role while running for president in 2012 before dropping out in Moons favor.

Sim has denounced Hong for involvement in a sexual assault when he was in university. Hong admitted in a 2005 essay that as a student he procured an aphrodisiac powder for a friend who mixed the substance into a womans beer.

I cannot recognize a candidate as a rival who was an accomplice in a sex crime, Sim stated during the debate. It would be natural for Hong to resign in consideration of the shame felt by the people and national prestige.

The Justice Party candidate is using the scandal to avoid challenging any of her opponents on more fundamental political issues, particularly Moon, whom Sim is politically assisting.

Amid rising fears and anxiety at the danger of conflict with North Korea, none of the anti-war sentiment widespread in South Korea finds expression in these candidates or in the media.
The remains of one of the chief architects of the 1936 fascist uprising in Spain, General Jose Sanjurjo (1872-1936), were reinterred with full military honours in the Regular Heroes Cemetery in the North African enclave of Melilla.

It was revealed last week that the reburial, which took place in March, was supervised by the Ministry of Defence of the Popular Party (PP) government and attended by high-level political and military officials.

Sanjurjo, in association with Generals Francisco Franco, Emilio Mola and Gonzalo Queipo de Llano, organised the Nationalist uprising on July 17, 1936, which started the Spanish Civil War. He rose to prominence in Spains colonial wars in Cuba (1896) and Morocco (1909-1927), which were characterised by brutal repression of the native populations, including the use of mustard gas, rape, pillage and mass killings.

These same methods were used during the Civil War against the Spanish population, making clear the inextricable connection between war abroad and class exploitation at homebetween imperialism and capitalism.

Sanjurjo became an expert coup plotter after the Spanish Republic was proclaimed in April 1931. The first failed attempt, popularly labelled the Sanjurjada, took place in Seville in 1932.

Forced into exile in Portugal, Sanjurjo once again set about planning a coup to overthrow the democratically elected Popular Front government in 1936. He became one of the coups chief architects, and his house became the centre for daily meetings with military officials, aristocrats, bankers, fascists and other reactionary forces. Destined to be the leader of the rebel military government after the coup, Sanjurjo died two days after the uprising was launched in an airplane accident.

His remains stayed in Lisbon until the end of the Civil War in 1939, after which they were transferred and placed in the Monument to the Fallen in Pamplonaa mausoleum glorifying the generals and soldiers who died in the fight against the Republic.

Last November, following the decision of the Pamplona local councilcontrolled by the pseudo-left and pro-Basque separatist party EH Bilduto abide by the 2007 Law of Historical Memory prohibiting monuments and other public displays glorifying the military uprising, the remains of Sanjurjo and Mola were exhumed from the mausoleum.

Sanjurjos reburial with military honours only came to light because the little known publication, Siempre padelante (Always Forward), published by far-right forces in Navarre, included his obituary in its latest bulletin. It stated that his remains once they left Navarre, on Thursday March 23 2017, received the highest military honours according to his rank and found rest in Melilla.

The fascist publication concluded, Sanjurjo continues to be respected, despite everything and the inexplicable silence of the good side.

Enrique Delgado investigated further and revealed on his blog El Alminar de Melilla that Sanjurjos reinterment was classified as a state secret and that his remains were led and guarded until they reached Melilla by a delegation of high ranking officers of the Ministry of Defence.

The ceremony was held in the hall of the Regular Heroes Cemetery, presided over by all the civil and military authorities of Melilla, and the citys cultural nomenclatura knew about it.

The affair demonstrates once again that sections of the army and the political establishment have never renounced their fascist past. While the army, the Church and the PP call on the victims of fascism to forget and move on, they secretly glorify and pay homage to the fascist coup plotters.

The PP has repeatedly claimed there is no money to exhume the 114,000 missing victims of Franco, most of whom lie in the 2,200 mass graves that still exist from the Civil War, a figure that puts Spain second only to Cambodia in terms of victims whose remains have disappeared. Since 2013, the budget for the Law of Historical Memory has been slashed to zero euros.

In contrast, the PP government has provided money to repatriate from Russia remains of members of the Blue Division, a unit of Spanish volunteers that served in the German army during Hitlers extermination campaign on the Eastern Front in the Second World War. It has funded the Spanish Biographical Dictionary published by the Royal History Academy, in which fascist terror is systematically omitted even though it was an established policy of Francos forces.

Last year, the Ministry of Defences Spanish Centre for National Defence Studies (Centro de Estudios para la Defensa NacionalCESEDEN) invited historian Stanley Payne to give a lecture to a select audience of military officers, policemen, PP officials, right-wing journalists and historians, in which he legitimised the 1936 coup.

Amid an unprecedented economic and political crisismass unemployment, wage cuts and redundancies, and one corruption scandal after another exposing the links between the political establishment and big businessthe post-Franco order built upon the premise of forgetting the past is unravelling. The two-party system has collapsed and, after almost a year in which Spain was unable to form a government, the country is ruled by an unstable minority PP government, which relies on the support of the opposition Socialist Party (PSOE) for its continued existence.

In response to the growing social opposition, the PP and the army are intensifying their efforts to rehabilitate Francoism and legitimise its methods. This is a warning that the ruling elite will use the same methods it used in 1936 against the working class to defend capitalist order.

The PSOE has said the military reburial is intolerable and announced it will raise a battery of questions in parliament. Basque EH-Bildu, which authorised the reinternment, has requested that Defence Minister Dolores de Cospedal explain in detail the participation of military authorities in the ceremony. The pseudo-left Podemos has declared its indignation, repulsion and condemnation and called for truth, justice and reparation for all the victims of 1936, with the conviction that as long as we do not have justice we will never reach full democracy.

The real concern and aim of these parties is to ensure that anti-military sentiment and political indignation in the population does not erupt as a result of such naked pro-fascist displays. Behind rhetorical declarations of outrage, since its founding in 2014 Podemos has attempted to prove its trustworthiness in matters of defence and security to the ruling elitecreating branches within the army, entering into talks with military associations to hear their demands, and defending Spains membership in NATO. Its current shadow minister in parliament is General Julio Rodriguez, who led the Spanish army in the US-led war in Libya in 2011.
An overwhelming 96.3 percent of the 6,310 members of the Writers Guild of America who cast ballots have voted to authorize the WGA to carry out a strike against the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP). The WGA could call a strike as early as May 2, when the current labor agreement covering 12,000 Guild members on the West and East Coasts expires.

The union released the results of the weeklong voting on the eve of resuming negotiations with the AMPTP, which has remained steadfast in its determination to exact more concessions from writers.

Support for the strike is even higher than the last time a vote was cast in 2007, when 90 percent of almost 6,000 writers voted to walk out. Writers fought a determined battle for three months but the struggle ended with a February 2008 capitulation by the WGA, which accepted various loopholes that allowed the film and TV producers to prosper at the expense of writers.

As one veteran writer told the World Socialist Web Site, As reported, overwhelming approval of a strike authorization vote. The context: soaring company profits from scripted programming across all platforms, while writers compensation plummets.

One of the principal issues in the current struggle is the writers health care plan. In the 21st century, while corporations increase their wealth to unprecedented levels, writers are relying on depleted funds for this basic need. The predicted deficit of the union-controlled health fund is $135.5 million through 2020.

The AMPTP announced it would contribute $45 million, while the writers must pay additional contributions in the amount of $10 million. Worse yet, the $45 million offered by AMPTP would come from a wage diversion, meaning it would come from the insulting annual wage increases offered by the corporations. There is no mention about how the remaining $80 million shortfall would be paid.

The WGA has quickly sought to accommodate the dictates of the major corporations by offering $5 million from the writers pockets, while union officials fulminate about the unprecedented profits the producers are reaping. In addition, the distance between the shamefully low two percent wage increase offered by AMPTP and the three percent demanded by the WGA is nominal at best and can no doubt be offset through negotiations, leaving writers income at a historic low in the face of fast-increasing living and health care costs.

The pension plan is currently considered healthy. Despite the enormous uncertainties of financial markets, the WGA has dropped its demand that AMPTP contribute an infusion to reinforce the future stability of the fund.

Episodic fees are also part of the dispute, but once again the difference between the WGA and the AMPTP comes down to respectively a three-week fee amortization formula versus a 2.6 coefficient. A similar situation pertains to writers holds and exclusivity, where the difference is coming down to whether writers earning well above $200,000 a year would have the option of being released from exclusivity under certain conditions.

Under the present exclusivity terms, a writer is bound to a studio and can be restricted to working for half a year or less while they wait to see if their showand their contractwill be renewed. During this hiatus writers are not paid and are not allowed to staff another show, write a pilot or produce one, or even write a feature because the studios strictly enforce their exclusive rights over the writer.

On the question of Pay TV residuals, the WGA has already dropped its initial demand, which was simply to match the better formula of the Directors Guild of America (DGA). Now, the differences between the union and the corporations are reduced to a few percentage points. The WGA is also demanding that the minimums for cable and SVOD (Streaming or Subscription Video on Demand) be raised closer to the network minimums.

The 2008 agreement set the stage for the current crisis: despite a record $51 billion in profits claimed by the major companies last year and a doubling of those profits in the last decade, writers have suffered a steady income decline. It is reported that in 2015-16 the average salary for TV writers-producers dropped by 23 percent.

Additionally, the development of new media, especially Internet streaming, has translated into a reduction of creative fees and residuals when compared with traditional broadcast. This trend, common to music, film and visual arts, is the result of a corporate strategy that exploits new technology for the extraction of a higher share of surplus value, leaving writers and creative professionals with crumbs.

For example, SVOD is the fastest growing method of content distribution. Global revenues went from $6 billion in 2013 to nearly $14 billion last year.

Writers are being denied access to the wealth they produce. To add insult to injury, corporate executives are boasting about soaring profits to their rich investors and shareholders.

Comcast CEO Brian Roberts declared, we will have three of the most profitable years in the 100-year history of Universal Pictures, last year being the single most profitable year in their history. Roberts net worth is estimated by Forbes to be $1.73 billion.

Similarly, Leslie Moonves, CEO of CBS, boasted, our profits have gone up considerably. All these technology initiatives that supposedly were going to hurt us have actually helped us. SVOD has helped us. DVR has helped us Moonves received a pay package of $69.6 million last year.

The decline of writers income is affected by a number of factors: shorter seasons, writers exclusivity agreements, low residuals on reruns and different tiers of script fees on growing industry areas.

In 2008, when the WGA shut down the previous strike, Variety boasted that the money to be made through the hard-fought new-media residuals is not exactly eye-popping. It anticipated that a television writer will earn about $1,400-$1,600 a year for each streamed episode on which he is the credited writerwhile some showrunners may have lost as much as six figures from unproduced episodes.

Similarly, the Economist noted that the WGA made other concessions too: they for instance dropped their demand for a higher share of money from DVDs. They also gave up trying to get reality television and animation covered by union terms. That is important: being able to fill holes with reality shows protected the media companies financially during the strike.

The negotiations so far make it clear the WGA is preparing another deal that will accommodate the rapacious needs of corporations. The 2007-2008 struggle should serve as a lesson. Considering the relentless campaign by the media establishment warning that a possible strike would cause billions of dollars in losses, it is quite possible that the strike, should it even happen, will be used as no more than a negotiating chip before the struggle is called off.

If a struggle is to be waged the initiative must be taken up by writers themselves. This means rejecting the bankrupt strategy of the WGA and other unions, including their craven support for the Democratic Party and the capitalist profit system, and appealing to the broadest sections of the working class to wage a common fight to defend the social rights to health care, pensions and a secure and good-paying job.
BLOOMINGTON -- The wet spring weather may be keeping most Illinois corn farmers out of the fields lately, but it shouldn't keep them from gathering a water sample while tile lines are running.

IL Corn backed water testing sites are up and running across the state offering free, confidential nitrate testing for anyone that brings in a sample. The results represent just a snapshot in time of the nitrate concentration. If an estimate of water volume flow is also available, the data can be interpreted to indicate a total nitrogen loss from the drained acreage.

"We're really encouraging our members and all corn farmers to bring in at least one water sample to be tested," said Justin Durdan, Illinois Corn Growers Association (ICGA) President. "It's difficult to establish a strategy for nutrient management on your farm if you don't have any idea where you're starting."

ICGA supports voluntary best management practices (BMPs) to limit nutrient loss from corn farms. Those BMPs can come from a suite of choices including spring nitrogen application including a post-plant application, cover crops, constructed wetlands, or bioreactors, to name a few.

"We know that each farm has individual circumstances and that the farmer is the person that's best situated to make the strategy for that ground," Durdan said. "What works for one person in one area probably won't work the same for someone else, but what we do know at ICGA is that every corn acre needs at least one BMP in order for us to meet the expectations of the Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy."

"Water testing at one of the sites around Illinois is a good start to figuring out your on-farm strategy to prevent nutrient loss," Durdan added.

A complete list of the IL Corn supported water testing sites is available on the ICGA website at www.ilcorn.org/nutrientstrategy. There is no cost for the testing. The results are not recorded and remain confidential. The testing program is for farm water including water coming from tile lines and other water drainage mechanisms, ponds, and streams. It is not intended for well water or drinking water sources.

A water sample should be in a volume of at least eight ounces and taken in a clean container, free of any residual chemicals or detergents. Collect the water sample as close to testing time as possible, or at least within 48 hours, and refrigerated until testing time. Samples may be frozen and thawed ahead of testing day to accommodate schedules or when the tile is running. A complete set of sample collection instructions and a flow calculator can be found on the Illinois Council on Best Management Practices website at www.illinoiscbmp.org/water-testing.

Illinois Corn Growers Association is a state based organization that represents the interests of corn farmers in Illinois, maintaining a high profile on issues in Washington, DC, and Springfield. They aim to create and maintain opportunities for Illinois corn farmers to capture more value for their product. In order to fulfill this mission, the organization conducts governmental affairs activities at all levels, market development projects, and educational and member service programs. For further information regarding their work and involvement, visit their website www.ilcorn.org.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (The News Service of Florida) - Even as rumors of a last-minute spending deal circulated in the Capitol, the House Appropriations Committee voted Tuesday morning to move forward with a bare-bones budget in an attempt to avoid a special legislative session --- or at least the blame for one.

The panel voted along party lines, 19-10, to approve an $82.1 billion "standard operating budget" (PCB APC 17-06). The measure would essentially carry over current state spending levels, with some increases for critical areas like public education and Medicaid funding, to the budget year that begins July 1.

The plan has virtually no chance of becoming law; Senate leaders have already slammed the House's approach as "ineffectual."

House Republicans said the unusual maneuver, coming just a week before lawmakers must agree on a budget or move into legislative overtime, could help avoid a special or extended session. The regular session is scheduled to end May 5, but lawmakers would need to have a budget done by May 2 because of a constitutionally required cooling off period.

"It's really the safety valve," said House Appropriations Chairman Carlos Trujillo, R-Miami. "Could we get a budget done in the next 10 days? Possibly. But if we don't, this is our safety valve."

But Democrats blasted the proposal as a sham. Rep. Jared Moskowitz, D-Coral Springs, called the plan "just strategy and posturing." Most of the Democrats who spoke on the bill rattled off a list of projects serving needy Floridians that would be pared from the budget in a drive to remove all one-time spending.

They also echoed the attacks of Senate Republicans, who have compared the House's new plan to the budget gymnastics of Congress.

"This is House leadership trying to turn Tallahassee into Washington, D.C., where we kick our problems down the road because we don't have the will to solve them. ... By passing this budget, we are essentially admitting that we have wasted the taxpayers' time and money on two months of grandiose speeches and posturing with nothing to show for it," said House Minority Leader Janet Cruz, D-Tampa.

Republicans responded by saying they were doing the best they could as time ran short on the session and that they intentionally avoided trying to discern which projects were worthy of inclusion in a last-ditch budget meant to keep the lights on.

"I'm sorry if your personal pet projects are getting cut in this, but that is not a compelling state interest, and it is not something that the constituents of the state of Florida need to participate in," said Rep. Jason Brodeur, R-Sanford.

All the while, rumors were swirling that House Speaker Richard Corcoran, R-Land O' Lakes, and Senate President Joe Negron, R-Stuart, were closing in on an agreement on the broad outlines of a budget deal. Join House-Senate negotiating committees would later fill in the details.

In what some took as a sign that the real budget action might be elsewhere, the top aide to the House Appropriations Committee didn't attend the meeting Tuesday morning. Trujillo told reporters she was in her office.

But during remarks to the committee, Trujillo seemed to criticize where negotiations were going over the weekend, before talks stalled and the House announced it would move forward with the plan approved Tuesday.

"The one thing that we will not do, and I think all of us will agree, is bankrupt the state," Trujillo said. "And I can tell you, some of the negotiations, that's exactly where we're heading. ... I can tell you the budget that we were negotiating would ruin the state."

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Trujillo said he didn't know exactly where the negotiations between Corcoran and Negron stood. The next step for the new budget would be a decision by the House Rules & Policy Committee to put it before the full House; that panel was scheduled to meet Tuesday evening.

As for whether a final budget deal could be completed in a week if Corcoran and Negron reached an agreement on the outlines later Tuesday, Trujillo said time was tight.

"We do (have time) but it would be a very, very, very expedited calendar," he said.
GADSDEN COUNTY, Fla. (WTXL) - Gadsden County voters cast their ballots in several local races Tuesday. Seats were up for grabs in Havana, Midway and Quincy.

According to the Supervisor of Elections Office, the district four seat in Midway went to Samuel Stevens. He earned 53 votes, beating out challengers Sharon Peters and James Robinson.

And a close race for the district one seat in Quincy: Keith Dowdell edged out Ronterious Green by just 15 votes.

For the town of Havana Council Member group one: Cathy Johnson received 292 votes and John Thro gained 195 votes and for Havana council member group two: Decorkus Allen got 263 votes and Karen Bass received 230 votes.

And, finally, for the City of Quincy district five seat Daniel McMillian garnered 256 votes to Donny Young's 182 votes.
YAKIMA, Wash.  A replacement tax levy in the Toppenish School District and a restructuring of the Granger School Board to create an at-large 
SPRINGFIELD -- A Coles County man was sentenced to six years in prison for his conviction for a federal methamphetamine distribution offense.

Timothy D. Whitmore received the sentence for methamphetamine and related materials with plans to sell the drug on Dec. 11, 2015.

Whitmore, 36, whose most recent address on record is on Teeter Street in Oakland, pleaded guilty in October to a charge in a federal indictment.

The federal prosecution led to the dismissal of state drug charges in Coles County, including a charge in connection with the same incident.

According to information Illinois State Police issued at the time of the incident, Whitmore was located and arrested in Hindsboro after fleeing from police.

The arrest reportedly came about four hours after he reportedly fled from officers with the East Central Illinois Task Force drug investigation unit who tried to arrest him in Charleston.

Whitmore will also spend four years on parole once he's released from the Federal Bureau of Prisons.

At sentencing, U.S. District Judge Sue Myerscough reviewed a report on a presentence investigation into Whitmore's criminal record, cooperation with authorities and other factors that determine the sentencing range for federal convictions.

The judge also based the sentence on recommendations from Assistant U.S. Attorney Crystal Correa and defense attorney Jon Gray Noll.

The Coles County charges against Whitmore were dismissed in May. In addition to being accused of delivering methamphetamine, the county charges also alleged possession of morphine in August 2015.

Two Charleston residents were also charged with providing police with false information about Whitmore's whereabouts while officers were search for him. Both later pleaded guilty and were sentenced to probation.
With an annual budget of about $ 2 billion and 16,000 employees, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is the world's largest humanitarian organization. Some 85 percent of its budget is financed by States, the rest by international organizations and private donations.

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More than 12,000 Red Cross personnel (I will use the expression "Red Cross" instead of "International Committee of the Red Cross") operate in the field in 80 countries, and deliver essential assistance to millions of people affected by conflicts and disasters. They come to them with food, clothing and medical assistance, while risking life and even losing life. In Syria, Somalia, Ukraine, Haiti and other areas of war, hunger and conflict.

The Red Cross has been in Israel since 1948 and expanded its presence to the disputed territories in 1967. Nevertheless, "We still have to explain to the Israeli public who we are, what we're looking for here and what are our principles," said Jacques De Maio, the head of the Red Cross delegation to Israel and the Palestinian Authority.

Jacques De Maio (Photo: EPA)

A native of Switzerland, 53 years old, articulate and thoughtful, fluent in many languages, De Maio has gained personal experience in Red Cross relief and rescue operations in the most repressive and dangerous places around the globe: Afghanistan, Rwanda, Uganda, Somalia, Kuwait, Latin America and more.

"The most complicated thing," he said in a rare interview, "is to preserve the basic principles of the Red Cross, neutrality and not take a stand in situations where each side believes that morality and justice are on their side and requires us, the Red Cross, to identify with them and condemn the other.

"How can you, I was and am asked, relate with the same compassion to the aggressor and the aggressed? To the terrorist and the one fighting terrorism? And I reply: We are extending help to people, wherever they are, who are in need of our assistance. Most of our work is done quietly, without advertising, sometimes in secret, and with the sole aim to protect the natural rights of the human beings. Not doing politics. The fending off of politics and political manipulations is consuming too much of our time and resources."

As an example of an attempt at political influence, De Maio points to the Red Cross's response to two of the claims that are being made against Israel: That it is an apartheid state and that it carries out "extrajudicial killings."

"In contrast to the security systems in many countries, including Western ones, Israel allows us rapid access to senior military, prison and other security services," he said. "We have a productive, efficient and professional dialogue with them. We checked with them the question of the shooting of perpetrators of terror attacks, and we came to the unequivocal conclusion that there are no shoot to kill orders of suspects by IDF, as some political elements tried to convince us. Rules of engagement have not changed, and became even stricter. True, there are wrong decisions of individual soldiers and there are many instances of outrageous behavior at checkpoints, sometimes against the explicit instruction. We did not hesitate to report this to the IDF and we usually receive a substantive response. So that we rejected the accusation, and immediately there were those who claimed that we were whitewashing IDF war crimes and serving the Zionists."

And what about the claim that Israel is an apartheid state?

The Red Cross was very familiar with the regime that prevailed in South Africa during the apartheid period, and we are responding to all those who raise their claim of apartheid against Israel: No, there is no apartheid here, no regime of superiority of race, of denial of basic human rights to a group of people because of their alleged racial inferiority. There is a bloody national conflict, whose most prominent and tragic characteristic is its continuation over the years, decades-long, and there is a state of occupation. Not apartheid.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) differs from the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, which is a federation of national Red Cross, Red Crescent (in Muslim countries) and also MDA, whose relations with the Red Cross and Red Crescent Federation were regulated only in 2005 upon its acceptance as a full member. The ICRC, on the other hand, is a non-profit corporation registered in Switzerland. As the date of its birth, the Committee notes the founding meeting of the humanitarian activists in Geneva in mid-February 1863. A year and a half later, the European governments adopted the first Geneva Convention, which mainly extends assistance to war casualties and prisoners of war. The idea was conceived by Henri Dunant, a tragic figure of a tireless human rights activist who had become heavily indebted and ended his life as a homeless beggar. Today, the Red Cross is managed by a board of directors composed entirely of Swiss public figures.

Choose the good

On the eve of Holocaust Remembrance Day, there is room for mentioning the terrible helplessness of the Red Cross against the Holocaust. "The greatest failure in the history of the ICRC," the Red Cross's official history notes, "happened during the Holocaust ... The organization failed to save Jews from the German extermination machine, was unaware of the horrors, did not expose them and did not prevent them."

In a founding speech in April 2015, the President of the International Red Cross, Peter Maurer, said: "Tragically, the leaders of the Red Cross were at the time (of the Holocaust) with those who stood by ... The leaders of the organization have failed immensely with their total misunderstanding of the murderous nature of the Nazi regime. That is why the Red Cross looked on (during the Holocaust) with no acts and no voice. The humanitarian organization failed because it lost its moral compass."

The Red Cross did not have accessnor did it make much of an effort to get itto the killing grounds in Germany, Poland, Ukraine, Lithuania, Latvia and Russia. The organization's effortslimited to begin withto save Jews in Romania and Hungary in 1943-1944 had minimal success.

Toward the end of the war and afterwards, and in the wars that have taken place since then, the Red Cross has played a central role in the exchange of POWs, locating missing persons and family reunification.

At the end of the 1940s, the Red Cross's mandate for the protection of civilians during wartime and occupation was extended as a result of the Fourth Geneva Convention and comprehensive international humanitarian legislation.

Israel is a signatory to the Geneva Conventions. Although the Israeli governments has refused since 1967 to apply the Fourth Convention to the territories of the West Bank and Gaza on the grounds that they are not "occupied territories," the Israeli legal system treats these areas and what is done there based on the principles of that convention.

Today, the Israeli branch of the Red Crossincluding in the territorieshas about 360 employees, both Israelis and foreigners, and a budget of $55 million a year. The Red Cross, De Maio said, takes care of more than 7,000 prisoners and security prisoners, meets privately with their representatives, and critically examines their conditions of detention, which must "be in accordance with international rules." They organize and fund relatives' visits of Palestinians imprisoned in Israeli jails and in the territories, help the victims of shelling in Gaza (and are ready to help the victims of the shelling in Israel as well, De Maio stressed), and "look closely at the humanitarian damages of the settlements," when there are any.

"The Red Cross does not intend to tell Israelis where to live, it is their political decision," De Maio said. "But if this is accompanied by ongoing humanitarian damages to Palestinian residents, it is our duty to alert about it."

The recent hunger strike of Palestinian prisoners has put the local Red Cross delegation to organizational, practical and PR test. To the question "What can the Red Cross do when a hunger strike breaks out?" The following official answer is given: "The ICRC does not judge whether hunger strikes are justified or legitimate as a means of protest, nor does it participate in the negotiations between the authorities and the detainees regarding the hunger strike. It urges the detention authorities and the detainee himself to find a solution and at the same time strives to ensure that the rights of the hunger strikers and their physical and mental integrity are respected, including the choice to continue or abandon the hunger strike and that they are provided, with their consent, with appropriate attitude and treatment."

It is evident that De Maio has a strong will to prove the absence of any bias, to avoid any deviation from the universal principles. He repeatedly emphasized the ICRC's "exceptional" access to "commanders, decisions, facilities and events" in the IDF and IPS. He praised the deepening internalization, as he puts it, of the principles of international humanitarian law in the "Israeli side."

On the other hand, the Red Cross is trying to influence radical Islamic organizations to adopt, if only partially, humanitarian law. To this end, after Operation Protective Edge, it organized workshops on the rules of war for groups of Hamas membersbut not very successfully, according to a New York Times reporter who was allowed to attend one of them. Recently, the Red Cross held a conference on the same subject at the Islamic University in Gaza, where "important clerics, some from afar via Skype, explained that there is no contradiction between Islam and the Geneva Conventions."

Nevertheless, there is no moral equivalence between terrorism and the fight against terrorism.

"Every one of us at the Red Cross has his own moral judgment. In my capacity, I read reports about prisoners in different parts of the world, about what they did, and I was horrified when I had to ask to treat them humanely. But that is the essence of my job. Even despicable murderers are entitled to be treated according to the Geneva Convention and humanitarian law. Otherwise, what is the moral difference between them and us? With an organization like ISIS, whose worldview is based on killing people, we have no dialogue and no ties, but we will also be willing to talk with people from ISIS to save lives."

"The Red Cross has no obsession with Israel" De Maio stressed. "In a clear voice, I do not hesitate to reject the comparisons and parallels made between the situation here and Somalia, Sudan, Yemen or countless of other hot spots around the globe. However, we will not just give you permission for the continued control of another people, and we will not agree to serve as a scapegoat. Not yours, not of the Palestinians, nor of anyone else. We do not work for countries, we do not work for regimes, we work for humans."

I asked De Maio what he had learned during his years of work with the International Red Cross, in his missions to dark corners of the world. "I learned to not rush to judge people," he answered after some reflection. "I learned how easily decent people can become the most despicableand how many are the silent heroes of humanity. Ordinary people who refuse to sign orders that could legitimize oppression, killing, exile, discrimination. In their refusal, they are exposed to persecution and torture."

"The quiet acceptance of evil," said De Maio, "is what allows evil to rule. No one is immune to it. The choice to do good or at least to refrain from doing evil is yours, mine, ours."
A new show set to open at the end of the month in the Kiev Theater tells the story of John Demjanjuk, known as Ivan the Terrible, who was convicted of helping to murder Jews in the Sobibor death camp.

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The sign on the front of the theater was hung on Monday, on Israel's Holocaust Remembrance Day, under the caption Holocaust Cabaret. As a result of the subsequent upheaval, the directors of the theater removed the sign and the Ukrainian authorities are considering barring the actors from entering the country.

The Kiev Theater

The theater is located opposite a synagogue in the Ukrainian capital. The Chief Rabbi of Ukraine, Moshe Azman, strongly condemned the show: "To see this disgrace hanging in the center of Kiev yesterday, on Holocaust Remembrance Day, in the city where Babi Yar is located and in front of the central synagogue."

"In addition, tickets are sold for a Friday show. Who needs this provocation? I don't know, but I'm announcing that we in the Jewish community will do everything to get this provocation out of the way."

John Demjanjuk (Photo: Reuters)

MK Yoel Razvozov (Yesh Atid) plans to address the Jewish Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman, for his immediate intervention to cancel the show and remove the sign. "This is provocation. From watching scenes from the play, there is no doubt that this is an anti-Semitic play, even if it is satire," said Razvozov.

Demjanjuk was sentenced to death in a trial in Israel, but he was acquitted bythe Supreme Court. In 2011, he was convicted in a German court and sentenced to five years in prison until he passed away in 2012 at the age of 91.

(Translated and edited by N. Elias)
Fox News reported Wednesday that an Iranian Revolutionary Guards battle ship was approaching a US Navy's destroyer in the Persian Gulf at high speed eventually forcing the Americans to deviate from their course.

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Two US officials told Fox News that the Iranian ship, whose personnel were manning firing positions, approached to within a kilometer of the American destroyer Mahan. The Americans fired warning flares, blared warning sirens, and even manned the firing positions, and eventually strayed to avoid collision.

US destroyer Mahan (Photo: Reuters)

About four months ago, an American destroyer was involved in a similar incident in the Strait of Hormuz and fired three warning shots after Iranian ships did not adhere to the warnings and continued to approach them.

"Such high-speed approaches and manning of the firing positions, despite warnings from the destroyer, are clearly provocative behavior," one of the officials said of the Iranians. The Iranian ship did not fire warning shots.

According to the US military, Iranian ships were involved in 35 incidents of "unprofessional" behavior last year a 50 percent leap from the previous year.

(Translated and edited by N. Elias)
After his meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was cancelled over his planned meeting with left-wing NGOs, German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel decided to hold a low-key meeting with Breaking the Silence and B'Tselem representatives without media coverage.

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Gabriel ignored an ultimatum from Netanyahu, who called on him not to meet with the representatives of the NGOs, leading the prime minister to cancel their planned meeting at the last minute.

Gabriel also refused to answer a phone call from Netanyahu after their meeting was cancelled, and did not comment on his meeting with the NGOs.

German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel (Photo: EPA)

"Our message is the same message we said in the Security Council, the message we are telling the Israeli public and we will not stop sayingthe occupation must end and cannot be hidden, not from Israelis and not from the world," said B'Tselem Executive Director Hagai El-Ad. "This is the truth and these are the facts, and it is not clear to us what the prime minister is afraid of."

Yuli Novak, former Executive Director of Breaking the Silence, hosted a Meretz event in Tel Aviv attended by MK Tamar Zandberg and Meretz Governing Assembly President, Uri Zaki.

"The last 48 hours have managed to surprise even me," Novak said. "It's so crazy that a prime minister behaves so unreasonably by any standard. A bull in a diplomatic china shop is a compliment to Netanyahu's conduct, and that's certainly not what is expected of an experienced politician."

President Rivlin meeting with Gabriel (Photo: Mark Neiman/GPO)

The German news site Spiegel called the cancellation of the meeting "diplomatic humiliation" and attempted to analyze why Netanyahu took the step he did.

Spiegel noted that Gabriel has met with Netanyahu several times in the past and despite differences in opinion, the meetings were always conducted in a pleasant atmospherethe two even smoked cigars together.

Earlier Monday, in a meeting with Israeli press, Gabriel said, "It is just inconceivable. If we would invite Netanyahu to Germany and he would want to meet with NGOs that are critical of the government and we would say 'if you do that, we'll cancel your meeting,' people would say we were crazy."

Gabriel estimated that he was caught in an internal Israeli conflict, but Spiegel noted that the cancellation was possibility revenge after Chancellor Angela Merkel canceled a scheduled intergovernmental meeting, explaining the scheduling difficulties.

The German foreign minister himself refused to comment on this speculation.

Gabriel meeting with Palestinian Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah

Gabriel is known as a critical politician who is not afraid of confrontation and tends to prefer honesty to diplomatic delicacy.

On a visit to Iran following the signing of the Iranian nuclear deal, Gabriel criticized Tehran for its role in the Syrian Civil War and the humanitarian crisis there. Making matters worse, he also called on the Islamic republic to recognize Israel's right to exist, saying, "Only then there may be normal relations between Iran and Germany."

Although he was considered a senior partner in Merkel's unity government, he has not hesitated to criticize her sharply.

Gabriel is remembered in Germany as someone who came out publicly against his own fathera convicted Nazi and severed ties with him.

(Translated and edited by Fred Goldberg)
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said on Tuesday that the one-kilometer buffer zone defense project on the Gaza border is not enough to prevent smuggling.

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"We found tunnels that are three kilometers long and 35 meters deep. These are tunnels that can transport vehicles and not just people," al-Sisi said at a youth conference in Ismailia.

Smuggling tunnel uncovered in Rafah (Photo: AP)

The Egyptian president arrived at the conference for the third time in his attempt to talk to the younger generation and shed light on Egypt's struggle against smuggling tunnels from Gaza to Sinai.

Al-Sisi also pointed out that despite the Egyptian army's efforts, the problem is still ongoing and authorities "require more cooperation" from residents.

The Egyptian president further promised to pay compensation to Egyptian Rafah residents who were evacuated as a result construction on the security buffer zone, which resulted in many losing their homes.

Another interesting issue to which al-Sisi was asked during the conference was his candidacy for the Egyptian presidential elections scheduled for 2018.

In recent months, there have been reports of initiatives to extend his term without elections, but the president attempted to squash rumors, saying, "I call upon the citizens of Egypt to participate en masse in the next presidential elections. If Egyptians don't want me, I will not remain in office for one second. In this situation, may God give Egyptians the best and most appropriate (leader)."
The Environmental Protection Ministry said Wednesday that the foul stench that engulfed central Israel the previous evening came from piles of manure not properly covered on agricultural ground in the Hof HaSharon Regional Council area.

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The ministry said it would investigate the incident and then take the appropriate enforcement measures.

Many Israelis in the Sharon plains, the Ono Valley and the Greater Tel Aviv areabetween Kfar Saba to the north and Ness Ziona to the southcomplained on Tuesday evening of acrid odor in the air.

The culprit: Manure on farmland in the Sharon area (Photo: Environmental Protection Ministry)

The Environmental Protection Ministry said hundreds of complaints were received of the odious smell at municipal call centers.

"The stench is so potent it's hard to breathe," said a Herzliya resident.

"You could feel the stink with every breath," another Herzliya resident said.

Benny from Ramat HaSharon elaborated, saying "I got home around 7:30pm and I could already hear all of the neighbors coughing. It's a terrible smell of sewer and feces. There is no way to describe it."

Amin Brensi, a senior official in the Environmental Protection Ministry's Agricultural Environment Department, said the stench came from farmland near moshav Bnei Zion and was carried by strong winds.

"It's fertilization season," Brensi said, "There are a lot of flies out here and it's hard to be outside because of all of the flies."

Yaniv Green, the head of the central district in the ministry's green police, told Ynet that the putrid smell will remain in the air for about three more weeks.

"We're talking about manure from a chicken coop that came from Ein HaHoresh to fertilize the land being prepared for planting," Green explained, saying the manure is now in the process of being covered to mitigate the stench.

He stressed, meanwhile, that at present, the stench posed no health risk. "At the moment, this is mostly just smell. We took a sample from the manure and we're going to check it for pathogens in the lab."







Raanan Ben-Zur, Nadav PaPo, Itay Blumenthal and Alexandra Lukash contributed to this report.
If you arrive to the hospital with a family member and are informed that your loved one will be hospitalized under enhanced care conditions, do not be fooled into thinking they will be receiving better care. It would be reasonable to assume that the matter is quite on the contrary, as "enhanced treatment" is an Israeli invention that means the beds in the regular wards are placed a little bit closer to the nurses' station. If your loved one was placed there, it's probably because there is no room for him or her in the ICU, where they should be.

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Hospitals in Israel face a severe shortage of beds in intensive care units. Having no choice, they put high-risk patients in regular wards. This could cost patients their lives, as while intensive care units have two nurses for each patient, the regular wards have a nurse for every 30 patients, and the number of doctors is much smaller as well.

The medical staff in the regular departments also lacks the required training possessed by the ICU. For example, regular departments are not allowed to give adrenalin, which is a drug that may save lives in the event of cardiac arrest.

In addition, the regular departments are not equipped with life-saving machines that can be found in intensive care, such as dialysis machines or devices for treating shock, and there is no equipment for continuous monitoring of patients. "These are critical things that patients who are hospitalized in the enhanced units do not receive," warn the resident physicians, who for the first time are exposing the problem and its hefty toll.

"Every day we have to make fateful decisions about who to let in and who to take out," said Dr. Sharon, a resident surgeon at a hospital in the Shfela region. "The patients' families are not aware of what stands behind these decisions. They have no idea that their loved ones had been placed in 'enhanced care' since there is no bed for them in ICU, and that the so called enhanced care may risk their lives. They are in deep distress and the system is exploiting that. There are many problems in the health care system, but the intensive care issue must be resolved as soon as possible."

"We had an 81-year-old patient with cerebral hemorrhage and we tried transferring him to intensive care but there was no room," he added. "We appealed to nearby hospitals, but they were also full, so we put him in an internal ward with no chances of recovery. Had he been placed in intensive care, he would have at least had a chance.

"In another case, a 75-year-old woman treated with blood thinners came in with a head injury, and according to medical protocol, she was supposed to be in intensive care. But in the absence of room she was hospitalized in the enhanced unit. The problem is that the staff is not equipped to deal with such a patient. They're not trained in diagnosing neurological symptoms The patient deteriorated and they weren't even aware of that. Fortunately, I had visited her every half hour, and early in the morning, I saw that her level of consciousness was deteriorating and in need of immediate surgery. She was a hair's breadth away from death."

Dr. Amichai, another resident in an internal department at a hospital in the north, experiences the same issues every day: "About two weeks ago, a 46-year-old man came to us in a state of shock due to a heart condition. If the problem is not addressed immediately, the patient's chance of survival is very low. Because there was no room for him in intensive care, he was transferred to our internal department. The problem is that such a patient must be constantly monitored, receive medications that we are not allowed to administer, and perform an echocardiogram, which we do not have access to.

"When I saw this patient, I went pale. He was like a ticking bomb. Only after many hours did I find a place for him in intensive care, and that was only because they took someone else out of there. Eventually, this patient was out of danger, but it was a matter of luck. If I hadn't insisted, this guy would no longer be alive."

Dr. Yifat, a surgical resident in a large hospital in the center of the country, revealed what everyone in the medical community knows about these issues. "If an adult, over the age of 80, comes in with co-morbidities, he is likely to be hospitalized in a 'small-time' intensive care unit. They tell us not to waste a bed on him. We know he needs intensive care, but we understand that we have to prioritizeand in most cases, we are told to give up on someone who has a lower chance of recovery. We are not bad people, but we have no choice."

But it is not only the patients in need of intensive care who pay the price for this 'invention.' Patients in the regular wards to which ICU patients are admitted are also paying the price as their treatment is impaired. "I, as a doctor, know that I have patients in the enhanced care beds, in whom I have to invest much more time, and that's at the expense of other patients who are in serious condition," explained Dr. Yifat.

If that's not enough, the patients in the 'enhanced care' are patients who have been exposed to more antibiotics and are therefore carriers of resistant bacteria, which they transmit to patients in the internal and surgical departments.

The Ministry of Health said in response: "Intensive care beds are beds intended for the most intensive and monitored treatment of patients requiring this, both in general and specialized intensive care units (cardiac, respiratory, neurosurgical, etc.). That said, there are additional beds that provide enhanced treatment, which is adapted to patients, such as recovery wards, intermediate units, and enhanced care."

(Translated and edited by N. Elias)
CHARLESTON -- Coles County's drug court program recently passed a certification process the state now requires.

The approval followed a "very lengthy check list" of reviews of the program now needed for any specialty court that provides "intense" services, county Court Services Director Pam Kelly said.

The state certification means the program that's been in place since 2004 can continue to try to help participants with substance abuse issues, Kelly said.

She explained that, without the certification, drug case defendants could no longer be sentenced to drug court.

"We wouldn't have kept going like were going," she said. "We probably would have had to absorb it into a normal caseload."

Drug court requires weekly court appearances along with treatment and frequent supervision. It can lead to a drug charge being dismissed if the participant completes the program successfully.

Kelly said the county was notified on April 5 that the Illinois Supreme Court approved the certification.

The county applied for certification to the Administrative Office of Illinois Courts in September, two months before the deadline, to meet the requirement the state put in place in 2015, she said.

The state review process included a site visit to "watch your drug court in action," which took place in November, Kelly said.

Part of that was observing the drug court judge to see if the judge was "really engaging" with participants and "not just lecturing," she said.

County Circuit Judge Brien O'Brien is currently the drug court judge and said he uses a different approach for the program.

Instead of sitting at the courtroom bench in his judge's robes, O'Brien said he uses a podium at floor level while wearing his business suit to try to build rapport with the participants.

"I approach it like I'm having a conversation," he said. "They know I'm trying to be supportive of them."

O'Brien also credited the Court Services Offices, which oversees programs such as probation in addition to drug court, for its work on the certification.

"I thought it was a very thorough process," he said. "It wasn't like rubber stamping."

Kelly said the reviewers also met with members of the county's drug court committee, which makes reports on participants' progress and recommendations on their cases.

The committee consists of the drug court judge, representatives of substance abuse and mental health treatment, the probation office drug court officer and its program coordinator, along with a law enforcement representative.

Kelly said there was also a review of policies and procedures that led to some minor changes in the program. The certification is for three years, she said.
The Israeli embassy in Berlin held its weekly diplomatic meeting on Tuesday at the villa in which the notorious 1942 Wannsee Conference took place during which plans were drawn up for the annihilation of European Jewry.

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At that conference, which was chaired by the staunch Nazi leader Reinhard Heydrich, 14 senior representatives of the SS, the Nazi Party, and various government ministries gathered. The theme of the conference was The Final Solution to the Jewish Problem. Historical research has uncovered that the decision to implement the Final Solution had already been reached, and that the discussion at Wannsee was only intended to coordinate ways of implementation.

As part of the preparation for the conference, Adolf Eichmann compiled a list detailing how many Jews were in various European countries, which he presented to all participants.

(Photo: Ruti Zonetz, Israeli Embassy in Berlin)

January of this year marked 75 years since the conference, and as part of Israel's Holocaust Martyrs' and Heroes' Remembrance Day events, the Israeli embassy decided to hold its symbolic weekly meeting in the same place as the conference.

It was moderated by Avi Nir, an Israeli delegate in Berlin, who opened the meeting with the following remarks: "It is a great, special and exciting privilege to sit here, as the official representatives of the State of Israel in Germany, in the specific room where people, much like us, convened and made an inconceivable decisionto terminate an entire people, to systematically exterminate, to completely destroy without a trace."

(Photo: Ruti Zonetz, Israeli Embassy in Berlin)

The diplomats present at the meeting noted the inconceivable incongruity between the pastoral scenery outside the villa and what happened in that exact same room.

Consul Liora Givon said she felt like she came full circle by sitting "in this eerie room, where that meeting was held, in which Eichmann participated. My father, Raphael Siddur, a journalist and translator, was one of the people who translated the Eichmann trial in Israel and reported it to the world. Today, I live five minutes from where my grandparents lived in Berlin, and opposite the building that served as Eichmann's headquarters."

(Photo: Ruti Zonetz, Israeli Embassy in Berlin)

Dr. Christian Yash, director of the Wannsee villa memorial site, added: "We are in a period that brings many changes to Europe, and we hope that these will not be harmful changes. Where we are, we are trying to serve as a bridge to the past, in order to lead to an understanding of what once was."

The locally operating study center holds seminars for German diplomats, for the German Ministry of Justice and even for German hair designers' schools presenting the guidelines of haircuts during the Third Reich. After the meeting, the embassy staff toured the site.
A Chicago-based Palestinian convicted terrorist with a decades-old record of bombings in Israel pleaded guilty Tuesday to concealing those convictions when she applied for US citizenship.

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Rasmea Odeh, 69, will be deported to Jordan or another country in the months ahead.

Supporters traveled to Detroit from Chicago to pack the courtroom, and many were in tears later on the courthouse steps.

Rasmea Odeh outside the court (Photo: AP)

Odeh was convicted at trial in 2014 and sentenced to 18 months in prison, but the verdict was overturned. A second trial was planned in Detroit, the city where she went through the citizenship process in 2004, before she decided to accept a plea deal.

But even with the plea agreement, Odeh found it impossible to say the word "guilty" when repeatedly asked by US District Judge Gershwin Drain. He gave up and accepted her reply that she had admitted her crime in the court document.

"I signed this," Odeh said.

Protestors outside the court (Photo: AP)

She won't spend any time in prison and will wait for US immigration officials to tell her when she must leave the country. The deportation won't happen until after she appears in court in August.

"The United States will never be a safe haven for individuals seeking to distance themselves from their pasts," said Steve Francis, special agent in charge of Homeland Security investigations in Detroit.

In 1970, Odeh was convicted of two bombings in Israel, including one that killed two young men at a supermarket in Jerusalem. She insists she was tortured into confessing. She was sentenced to life in prison but was released in 1979 as part of a prisoner swap with the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine.

With family in Michigan, she applied for a US visa in 1994, but didn't disclose her criminal record. She also didn't disclose it when she applied for citizenship in 2004. Her record would have disqualified her from entering the US.

Photo: AP

In the plea agreement with prosecutors, Odeh said she made the false statements "intentionally and not as a result of any mistake, post-traumatic stress disorder or any other psychological issue or condition or for any innocent reason."

In Chicago, Odeh has worked as associate director of the Arab American Action Network, which provides social services and education. She is widely respected for her work with immigrants, especially Arab women.

Hatem Abudayyeh, director of the organization, told Odeh's allies outside the courthouse that she's guilty only of "dedicating over 50 years of her life to the liberation of Palestine."

Before the guilty plea, a Detroit-area man held a sign outside to honor Leon Kanner and Eddie Joffe, the victims of the 1969 supermarket bombing.

"I'm out here for the families," Dan Cutler, 65, said.
Brussels took upon itself the Snakes and Ladders task of building a common European position on the issue of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict by pushing in the last five years for a hands-on approach designed to ensure a return on the European political and economic investment in the region.

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This policy of differentiation, in Brussels jargon, reflects the European Unions self-professed determination to take any action to preserve the two-state solution on the ground by making a distinction in its bilateral agreements with Israel between Green Line Israel and Palestinian territories. So far, the policy has yielded two sets of EU Guidelines, on Israeli participation to Horizon 2020 in July 2013 and on indication of origin of products, respectively EU labeling of settlement products, in November 2015.

Doves in Israel, and around the world, anticipated that the EUs new policy would expose the allegedly pro-Palestinian grassroots movement for what it is, an umbrella of organizations and individuals that deliberately question the legitimacy of the State of Israel and that represent a hotbed for anti-Semitism.

European political leadership should not allow their policy to be abused by BDS activists operating under the pretext of freedom of speech and association (Photo: Shutterstock)

There was hope that once there was a clear EU policy distinction between the State of Israel and its settlements in the territories, the voices calling for a boycott of Israel would change their tune and start lobbying Brussels to instead begin exerting its economic leverage to foster a vibrant Palestinian civil society and an accountable Palestinian political leadership.

Instead, the EUs policy is becoming the thin end of the wedge that BDS activists use to access EU institutions, employing Trojan horse tactics that seek nothing less than a complete severance of economic, cultural, scientific ties with Israel.

High Representative Federica Mogherini has repeatedly reassured Prime Minister Netanyahu of the EUs opposition of boycotts against Israel. And in all other bilateral forums, committees and subcommittees with Israel, EU officials are all singing from the same sheet: The policy of differentiation does not constitute a boycott of the State of Israel, but merely an implementation of existing EU legislation.

I could question the good will and intention of the EU diplomats, who selectively isolate one of the core issues of the conflict, as if it exists in a vacuum, or the zealous use of existing EU legislation for a still in progress European foreign policy. It is not the purpose of this piece, however.

I would like to draw attention to the fact that the line between diplomatic pressure put on the government of Israel on the issue of settlements and a fully-fledged boycott of the Israel is getting more and more blurred as BDS activists are offered shelter under the EUs freedom of speech. Europe cannot afford itself to go down that path, regardless of the stalemate in the peace process.

There should be a matter of urgency ensuring that the newest mutation of anti-Semitism, as the United Kingdoms former Chief Rabbi Jonathan Sacks rightfully calls itthe boycott movementdoes not infiltrate EU legislation or European Parliament reports, now that the EU has set in place a policy that seeks to address the challenges the settlements bring to the peace process.

BDS leader Omar Barghouti is frequently invited to address members of the European Parliament, the Delegation for relations for Palestine (DPAL), and other forums, and offered the public space to openly call for the boycott of Israeli products, academic exchanges and other types of sanctions.

His crude tactic of trying to make the occupation unbearable comes at the cost of demonizing and entire population and infringing on their civil liberties by seeking their isolation in trade, cultural exchanges, academic cooperation and security.

Mirroring the institutions impulse for a continued, full and effective implementation of EU legislation, one cannot but wonder why does EU shy away from substantiating its rejection of BDS. This position has been articulated on multiple occasions, including in MEP Martina Andersons answer on the question of the legitimacy of the BDS movement: The EU rejects the BDS campaign attempts to isolate Israel and is opposed to any boycott of Israel.

Similarly, European Council President Donald Tusk, in his first visit to Israel in August 2015, ahead of the publication of EU guidelines on labelling, reassured Prime Minister Netanyahu that we have to avoid words like boycott because for sure this is not the intention of Europe. No country in Europe wants to boycott Israel.

Concrete action needs to be taken by Brussels. The EUs guidelines on the eligibility of Israeli entities participation to Horizon 2020 from July 2013 did not dissuade BDS activists who are lobbying members of the European Parliament from continuing to question, three years later, the participation and allocation of funds to the Israel Ministry of Public Security through LAW-TRAIN, an EU-funded project on drug trafficking.

Similarly, another European legislator addressing the European Commission on its Patronage of WATEC Italy 2016, questions the participation in the fair of Mekorot, Israels national water company. Furthermore, an entire political group finds it balanced to call for an end to all cooperation between Israel and the European Defence Agency, and to allow no funding to Israeli entities through Horizon 2020.

Unmistakably, Europe is going through a period of social disorder marked by disenchantment with mainstream politics, and one does not need further proof following Sundays results in the French presidential elections.

As such, for the sake of preventing further scapegoating tendencies and radicalization, I would like to make the following recommendations:

Allocate resources and establish a task force within the European Commission that would monitor and investigate the impact of BDS on the European communities, possibly under Commissioner Vera Jurova (Justice, Consumers and Gender Equality); Issue a notice to all member states, asking them to monitor the activities of BDS supporters and take further legal action in line with the Council Framework decision from November 2008 that racism and xenophobia are direct violations of the principles of liberty, democracy, respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, and rule of law and to take measures to punish the following intentional conduct: Publicly inciting to violence or hatred directed against a group of persons or a member of such a group defined by race, color, religion descent or ethnic origin; Prevent EU taxpayers money to fund any entity that calls for the boycott of the State of Israel; Issue a notice on BDS supporters access to the EU institutions and a disclaimer for any organizations or entities that call for a boycott of Israel.



European political leadership, as well as EU policy makers, should indeed take further action in order to protect the viability of the two-state solution. They should not allow, under any circumstances, their policy to be misused and ultimately abused by BDS activists operating under the pretext of freedom of speech and association.

The above recommendations would ensure that the EUs stated aim of getting a meaningful return on its investment would encounter many more ladders than snakes going forward.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met Wednesday with bereaved families of Foreign Ministry employees who were murdered in the course of their service.

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Netanyahu said that the power of Israel prevented many terrorist attacks around the world. "Terrorists hold a zealous view that undermines the very right of our state to exist. Threats of attacks against Israeli targets abroad still exist," said the prime minister during an annual memorial ceremony held at the Foreign Ministry's ceremony hall in Jerusalem.

(Photo: Eli Mendelbaum)

Since the establishment of the State of Israel, 16 people have been murdered in its Foreign Service, including emissaries, office workers, security officers and family members.

"This is a tangible symbol of our sovereignty, which draws the ire of those who seek our destruction," Netanyahu said of Israel's Foreign Service. "Therefore, they seek to undermine it in contradiction to the norms that have existed since the ancient world, in which diplomats and ambassadors were immune from fatal attacks."

Netanyahu spoke of Israel's technological and military fortitude: "We have learned, over the years, to repel these attacks, and our security forces are investing tremendous effort in dealing with them. Our actions are saving lives. They are keeping people safe Israel has prevented many terrorist attacks in embassies around the world, but in spite it all, we have incurred heartbreaking tragedies and this wall in front of which we gather every year is evidence of that."

(Photo: Eli Mendelbaum)

The prime minister also said that the fight against terrorism is global and Israel was and always will be at the forefront of this battle. "Many countries have internalized that this epidemic will not skip them and that they have to stand shoulder to shoulder against the forces of terror  there are very few countries left with which we don't have political ties."

As for the bereaved families, Netanyahu said: "I know that for you, the families, the pain of loss is infinite, there is no end to it, and you have to live with it for the rest of your lives. We will remember the fallen and fulfill their wishesto ensure the future, security, peace and prosperity of our beloved country."
Only about 20,000 people live in Ma'alot, yet on Tuesday another violent murder shook the small northern city for the third time in just 18 months.

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Much like the other two murder victims, Tuesday's victim an immigrant from the former Soviet Union, and just like in those two cases, he was found dead in his apartment.

The scene of Rijov's murder (Photo: Avihu Shapira)

The victim, 51-years-old Alexander Rijov, who was a disabled person, immigrated to Israel in 1999. Police estimated that he was murdered during the night between Monday and Tuesday. His body was found in the morning by his ex-wife.

Rijov's ex-wife arrived at his apartment on Monday night, but since it was locked and no one answered, she left. When she returned in the morning, the door was no longer locked, and when she let herself in she saw the body, mutilated by severe violence, while the walls of the apartment were covered in blood.

Alexander Rijov

Meir Zohar, a neighbor of the deceased as well as of Luba Cagnovaone of the other victims who was murdered last Junesaid that the neighbors are scared for their lives. "Most of the bars you see on the windows here were added after the murders," he said, pointing to the nearby buildings' prison-like windows. "People are scared, and it's not stopping."

Cagnova, 68, who immigrated to Israel in 1992 and lived alone in her apartment, was also found brutally murdered in her apartment.

In a nearby street, 92-year-old Semyon Violen, who emigrated from Ukraine and lived in Ma'alot since the 90s, was found murdered in his apartment in October of 2015.

"I took my dog out for a walk and I saw (bloody) footprints on the stairs. My dog also stated acting agitated," said Luba Kibirev, Violen's neighbor. "I spoke to another neighbor who said he heard at night what sounded like a violent struggle."

Kibirev tried to call for Violen and knocked on his door, but he didn't answer. She decided to call the police, who found him dead in his apartment; his head was bashed multiple times by a sharp object.

The police have yet to solve any of these murders. At the request of the police, the court has issued a gag order on the details of the investigation.

Due to the proximity in the location of the murder and the similarities of the time of their deaths, their ages, their countries of origin, the places where their bodies were found and, above all, the violent nature of the murders, the police is now searching for a link between the cases.
Israel gave a one-year work visa to a Human Rights Watch researcher on Wednesday after initially denying him a permit and accusing the organization of engaging in "Palestinian propaganda," the group said.

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The decision in February to deny Omar Shakir a work permit was criticized by the United States.

Shakir, a US citizen, received the visa on arrival at Tel Aviv's Ben-Gurion airport and he will take up his position as the New York-based rights group's Israel and Palestinian director.

"We welcome this opportunity to work in Israel and Palestine alongside vigorous national human rights organizations," Iain Levine, executive deputy director for program at Human Rights Watch, said in a statement on the group's website.

"Israeli authorities do not always agree with our findings, but, in facilitating the ability of our staff to carry out our research and documentation, they have taken an important step to safeguard the principle of transparency and demonstrate their openness to criticism."

Foreign Ministry spokesman Emmanuel Nahshon said in February that the decision to deny Shakir a work permit stemmed from HRW's work "at the service of Palestinian propaganda."

Omar Shakir (Human Rights Watch via AP)

But he also said the application may be reconsidered if an appeal was lodged, and Shakir was allowed to enter Israel on a tourist visa on March 6 for a 10-day stay. Final approval for a one-year permit was given on April 20, HRW said.

The US State Department said after Shakir was banned that it strongly disagreed with Israel's characterization of the group, which it considers a credible human rights organization.

In its statement, HRW said it has had regular access to Israel and the West Bank for nearly three decades, with staff and offices in Jerusalem, Ramallah, and Gaza for much of this period. It said that since 2008, Israel has refused it access to Gaza, which is run by Hamas Islamists, except for one visit in 2016.
The National Cyber Authority (NCA) has blocked a massive cyber attack on Israeli businesses and infrastructure in recent days, the authority said on Wednesday.

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In a press release, the authority said that there have been recent indications of attempts to mount a large-scale cyber attack in an effort to hurt the Israeli economy.

National Cyber Authority (Photo: TPS)

According to the authority, the attacker posed online as a legitimate organization, sending emails in the name of that organization while simultaneously trying to attack about 210 other organizations, government ministries, public bodies, and private individuals. He also falsified security certificates.

"We are positive that we have succeeded in thwarting the attack very well," said Alberto (Deto) Hasson, CERT director in the NCA. "We've carried out a serious investigation over the past weekend. We know with very high certainty who was attacked and how."

Hasson further added that "this was a massive attack, one of the largest we have witnessed. Its intention was to take control of companies' computers. Once that happens, whoever controls it can do as he pleases."

In response to the attack, the NCA said it will publish instructions for individuals, businesses, and government ministries to protect themselves against technology attacks.

In addition, the NCA is taking further action to include publishing recommendations for the private sector, which will be available on the NCAs home page.
Soldiers for the Golani Brigade's 51st Battalion thwarted a second attack in two days carried by cousins outside the Samaria Territorial Brigade's base on Wednesday.

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The two cousins from the Balata camp near Nablus ran towards IDF troops stationed in the square outside the base while wielding a knife in the early afternoon of Wednesday and Tuesday.

The soldiers shot and neutralized both terrorists, who were both taken to the Beilinson Hospital at the Rabin Medical Center in Petah Tikva in serious condition.

In both instances, no one was hurt on the Israeli side.

Knife used by the assailant in Wednesday's attack

Earlier Wednesday, IDF soldiers arrested a 24-year-old Palestinian woman at the Gilbert Junction in Hebron who approached them while brandishing a knife. She confessed in her questioning to planning to carry out a stabbing attack.
Former defense minister Moshe Ya'alon attacked on Wednesday the Israeli government as corrupt and extremepledging to challenge it in the next election.

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Ya'alon told foreign reporters that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government "didn't demonstrate its responsibility" and had undermined the country's democratic values.

Moshe Ya'alon

Ya'alon, who now heads a new political movement, said the extremist culture of "generating hatred for short-term political benefits" posed a greater challenge to Israel than Islamic militants.

The former IDF chief was forced to resign last year after Netanyahu expanded his coalition government and offered the defense post to Avigdor Lieberman, a firebrand leader of the hard-line nationalist Yisrael Beytenu party.

Netanyahu and Ya'alon had been at odds following a series of disagreements between political hard-liners and military leaders, with Ya'alon backing the military.
The Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum has launched an effort to find "unique but dispersed" Holocaust documents and other related material included in the institution's vast archives.

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The library and museum located in FDR's hometown of Hyde Park, New York, announced the launching of the Henry Morgenthau, Jr. Holocaust Collections: A Curatorial Project on Monday, Israel's Holocaust Remembrance Day.

Among those attending the ceremony were Morgenthau's son, former Manhattan District Attorney Robert Morgenthau, and Robin Vrba, wife of Auschwitz escape and Holocaust chronicler, Rudolf Vrba. Henry Morgenthau was Roosevelt's treasury secretary and a leading advocate for the creation of the War Refugee Board during World War II.

Henry Morgenthau, Jr. Holocaust Collections launch ceremony (Photo: AP)

The library project will begin by exploring three of its major collections: the Morgenthau papers, the records of the War Refugee Board, and the Vrba papers.

Officials at the nation's first presidential library, located 70 miles (113 kilometers) north of New York City, said that by building on existing digital resources it will provide better access to the Holocaust-related records in its archives. The various collections will be available on the library's website, www.fdrlibrary.org

The FDR Presidential Library is home to more than 400 manuscript collections that document the Roosevelt administration from 1933-45, including records on various refugee groups fleeing Nazi persecution and the Roosevelt administration's responses. Some of the collections have yet to be digitized.

Newly added to the collection are the Rudolph Vrba Papers. Born in what was then Czechoslovakia, Vrba was 19 in 1944 when he and fellow inmate Alfred Wetzler escaped from the Nazi death camp at Auschwitz-Birkenau in German-occupied Poland.

The report they co-wrote on the camp's gas chambers and other mass murder operations were some of the earliest firsthand indications of the Nazi plan to exterminate Europe's Jewish populations.

"Rudi had a great admiration for Franklin D. Roosevelt and the United States resolve and action to defeat Nazism," Robin Vrba said at the ceremony. "I know he would be proud that all this work is housed in the FDR Library and will be available to researchers online."
A new conservation and research center was opened by the US Holocaust Memorial Museum on Monday, coinciding with the annual Holocaust Remembrance Day.

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In it, a visitor might come across some small and unassuming artifacts, such as a wicker doll chair donated by Louise Lawrence-Israels. It was a modest toy, but it meant the world herA gift for her second birthday, it was the only toy she possessed during the approximately three years she spent hiding from the Nazis in Amsterdam, just five blocks from the house where Anne Frank wrote in her diary.

Clothing worn in a work camp by an uncle and nephew who where saved by being on Schindler's List (Photo: AP)

"It was a big thing for me to actually give the chair, because it was a significant thing," said Lawrence-Israels, 75, one of about two dozen Holocaust survivors who attended the center's opening. "A lot of people can look at it and see how it was for a little child in hiding."

The chair is one of thousands of artifacts housed in the Museum's new center.

Louise's toy chair (Photo: AP)

The David and Fela Shapell Family Collections, Conservation and Research Center, located in the suburbs of the nation's capital, is a state-of-the-art facility with 103,000 square feet (9,570 sq. meters) for documents and artifacts, with room for expansion.

The center houses thousands of items in eight climate-controlled vaults in a building designed to withstand tornadoes and hurricanes. Its collection includes everyday objects, from children's toys and clothes to sewing machines used in concentration camps.

Photo: AP

Travis Roxlau, director of collections services, said center officials have spent 25 years gathering the items.

"We collect stories, and all of the objects that go along with those stories, because as the surviving generation passes on, these are going to be the objects that are left to help us tell the history of the Holocaust," Roxlau said.

The opening ceremony (Photo: AP)

Survivors say the center's holdings are critical to preserving the reality of the Holocaust.

"I think the most important thing is to make sure that the memory of the Holocaust isn't forgotten," said Alfred Munzer, 75, who donated a silver teething ring that went with him at the age of nine months when he was put into hiding with a Dutch-Indonesian family in the Netherlands in 1942. He also donated two small photographs of him that his mother kept hidden while she was confined in concentration camps.

Munzer, of Washington, DC, said the center and its artifacts will serve "as a lesson to the world as to where hate can lead to."

Photo: AP

Lawrence-Israels, of Bethesda, Maryland, noted that she and other Holocaust survivors are "not going to be here forever, and once we're not here anymore the museum and this institution will speak for us."

"This is the only evidence that we leave behind, and with the climate today it's important that people see that this was real," Lawrence-Israels said.

Scholars and researchers will have access to materials in the facility. A reading room is scheduled to open in the next year. The museum also is in the process of making documents and images available online.
Jared Kushner and Raz Steinmetznephew of the Israeli billionaire Beny Steinmetzpurportedly share ownership of 15 buildings in downtown Manhattan worth over $150 million and several other lucrative arrangements, according to a report by financial media company Bloomberg.

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The partnership and holdings are leading some to cry foul over a possible conflict of interest for Kushner, who has recently come into a significant amount of political power after being made a top advisor to US President Donald Trump. One of Kushner's new roles also includes attempting to solve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Trump (L) and Kushner (Photo: Reuters)

Kushner's associate, Raz, is a member of the Steinmetz family, whose interests and holdings include diamond-mining, engineering and real estate.



Raz's uncle, Beny Steinmetz, has been the subject of an international investigation into bribery over the activities of one of his companies, BSG Resources, which secured mining rights in Guinea by allegedly bribing government officials.

Steinmetz has maintained his innocence.

Beny Steinmetz (Photo: Ido Erez)

According to Bloomberg, Steinmetz and Kushner's companies have been in business since at least 2012 and are engaged in a number of joint ventures including the aforementioned Manhattan properties, investing in Trump Bay Street tower in Jersey City and a partnership between Kushner Cos. and Gaia, an investment firm owned by Raz Steinmetz.

The report highlights a dubious relationship between Gaia and Bank Hapoalim, which is not only Israel's largest bank but also one of Kushner Cos. lenders.

Bloomberg highlights this problematic relationshipthat of a senior US government advisor (with personal ties to the president) with business ties to one of the wealthiest families in a foreign nation the US is intimately involved withas being indicative of weak US federal disclosure rules.

According to the Bloomberg report, real-estate investors can remain anonymous through shell companies, allowing businesses, individuals and foreign officials the opportunity to curry favor secretly with the administration through a real-estate investment.

The scant information available about personal and financial ties involving Kushner comes at a conspicuous time with many wondering whether or not Kushner can in fact, remain impartial given the breadth of his new role(s).
Israel and the United States are currently discussing a potential visit by US President Donald Trump to the Jewish nation in late May.

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Israeli representatives and a US envoy will meet on Thursday to begin talks the subject.

Trump and Netanyahu's meeting at the White House (Photo: AP)

The White House has shown great interest in having Trump visit Israel, which will be his first official visit as president.

When Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited Trump in the White House in February, he invited the new president to Israel, noting the importance of doing so at the start of his term in office, unlike former President Barack Obama who passed over Israel during his first visit to the Middle Eastsomething which drew much criticism at the time.
BERLIN - German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Wednesday it was "regrettable" that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denied her foreign minister a meeting after the diplomat held talks with rights groups.

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Merkel's spokesman said that talks with non-governmental organizations were common during foreign travel and should not set off a rift between allies.

"The chancellor finds it regrettable that a meeting between Foreign Minister (Sigmar) Gabriel and Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Netanyahu did not take place," he told reporters at a regular government briefing.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel (Photo: MCT)

"It should not be problematic for foreign visitors to meet with critical representatives of civil society."

Netanyahu called off the planned meeting Tuesday with Gabriel after the German diplomat decided to go ahead with talks with Israeli rights groups Breaking The Silence and BTselem, saying he won't see visiting diplomats who meet groups "that slander (Israeli) soldiers and seek to put our soldiers on trial as war criminals."

Netanyahu's rare move marked an affront against one of Israel's closest international partners.

Due to its historical responsibility as the perpetrator of the Holocaust that killed six million Jews, Germany has not only been a staunch ally of Israel but has also been cautious about openly criticizing the Jewish state.

But Netanyahu has irked Berlin by pressing on with settlement building in the Palestinian territories despite repeated warnings from world powers that it would harm any prospects of peace.

Merkel had already in February postponed annual bilateral consultations after her government questioned Israel's commitment to a two-state solution in the Middle East.
The German government has criticized the detention of more than 1,000 people in Turkey as part of the probe into last year's coup attempt.

A Foreign Ministry spokesman says that Germany believes the failed coup needs to be fully investigated "but the measures must adhere to the rule of law."

Sebastian Fischer told reporters in Berlin that "we don't believe arresting 1,000 people so long after the putsch is really proportionate."

Turkish police launched simultaneous operations across the country, detaining people with suspected links to US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen.

Relations between Berlin and Ankara have worsened in recent years amid a number of spats, including the arrest of German-Turkish journalist Deniz Yucel in Istanbul.
The Syrian government has condemned a Turkish attack on US-backed Kurdish fighters in northern Syria.

The Foreign Ministry said Wednesday that the airstrikes the day before violated international law and infringed on Syrian sovereignty. It called on the UN to condemn the attack.

The Syrian Democratic Forces, which controls large swathes of Syria's border with Turkey, says 20 of its fighters were killed in the air raids. No Syrian government forces were targeted in the attack.

The SDF and the Syrian government have largely avoided confrontation over the course of the complex civil war. The SDF is the most effective ground force battling the Islamic State group in Syria.

Turkey says it targeted fighters affiliated with an outlawed Kurdish group waging an insurgency inside Turkey.
Serious signs of disagreement were exposed Wednesday between Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and his Saudi counterpart Adel al-Jubeir after Lavrov stated that Russia did not consider Hezbollah a terrorist group or Iran a dangerous influence.

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During a press conference held by the two in Moscow, the Saudi Minister called for an end to Iran's involvement in the Syrian civil war, adding that Hezbollah has no place in Syriaor anywhere else.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov (R) and his Saudi counterpart Adel al-Jubeir (Photo: EPA)

Responding to the comments, Lavrov reminded al-Jubeir of the Kremlin's stance on the matter. As far as the presence of Iran and Hezbollah in Syria is concerned, you know well we do not consider Hezbollah a terrorist organization, he said. We proceed from the understanding that both, just as Russias aerospace group, are in Syria at the invitation of the countrys legitimate government.

We know Saudi Arabias stance and it is clear that our approaches to this are not identical, to put it mildly. But we are unanimous that a settlement of the Syrian crisis requires the involvement of all Syrian parties without any exceptions, and of all foreign actors that can exercise influence on the internal parties," said Lavrov, adding "except for the terrorist organizations declared as such by the UN Security Council, of course.

Besides, within the framework of the Astana process Iran, alongside Turkey and Russia, is one of the three guarantors of ceasefire, which is of crucial importance at this stage, Lavrov said.

Photo: AFP

The Saudi Minister accused Russia of continually violating the ceasefire in the war-torn country, admantly declaring that "the Syrian regime must pay the price of the chemical attack, and must prove that it has no chemical weapons."

Al-Jubeir's statement was made following France's Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault statement that there is "no doubt" that Sarin gas was used in the Idlib chemical attack

The Saudi minister added that Hezbollah is acting all across the Middle East on behalf of Iran. "We are working to put an end to Iran and Hezbollah's involvement in the region," he stated frankly.

"Bashar al-Assad has no place in Syria's future, and Hezbollah has no place anywhere in the world," al-Jubeir added.

Photo: Reuters

Despite the differences of opinion, the Saudi Minister expressed optimism about the peace talks in Kazakhstan, noting that Saudi Arabia and Russia agree to "respect countries' sovereignty" and even praising Russia's stance on the Palestinian issue.

(Translated & edited by Lior Mor)
Ahead of an extraordinary White House briefing for senators, South Korea on Wednesday started installing key parts of a contentious US defense system against missiles from North Korea. And America's Pacific commander said any North Korean missile fired at US forces would be destroyed.

"If it flies, it will die," Adm. Harry Harris Jr., told Congress.

South Korea's trumpeting of progress in setting up the Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense system, or THAAD, comes as high-powered US military vessels converge on the Korean Peninsula and as a combative North Korea signals possible nuclear and missile testing.
A delegation of 25 American officials is set to arrive in Israel on Thursday to lay the groundwork ahead of next month's unconfirmed visit to Israel by US President Donald Trump.

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The delegation will arrive for a first meeting at the Foreign Ministry to coordinate the details of the visit, after which they will hold meetings at the President's Residence and the Prime Minister's Office.

Delegation members will also tour and examine several locations which could be included in the presidents itinerary upon his arrival.

President Trump, Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner (Photo: AFP)

Trump's planned visit to the Middle East will be part of his efforts to relaunch peace efforts in the region. The American president is reportedly considering holding a summit in Washington, inviting moderate Arab leaders, the Israelis and the Palestinians.

While the visit has not yet been officially confirmed, moves to bring it to fruition are already in their advanced stages.

The visit would carry particular significance for Israel since it would make it among the first on Trumps destination list since entering the White House. Moreover, it could also be the first state he visits in a wider tour of the Middle East.

He is expected to arrive with his daughter Ivanka and her husband Jared Kushner, but question marks remain over whether he will be joined by First Lady Melania Trump.

Trump is scheduled to participate in a NATO summit in Brussels on May 25, making it likely that his visit to Israel will take place shortly before or thereafter.

Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Trump in Washington (Photo: AP)

However, the estimated time for Trump's visit coincides with two key dates in Israel which could affect the visit and potentially mean that it will be held off until June. The first date is May 24, on which Israel will celebrate Jerusalem Day marking the 50th year since the citys reunification in the 1967 Six-Day War.

The second date which could lead to its postponement is the festival of Shavuot, which falls on May 31.

The definition of the occasionstate or workwill bear significance on its character, with the former meaning that President Reuven Rivlin will be the official host, and the latter meaning that Prime Minister Netanyahu will host Trump. In the event that President Trump does ask to address the Knesset, the visit will have to be defined as a state visit.

Moreover, while a state visit would require that Trump take a tour of Yad Vashem, Israels Holocaust memorial museum in Jerusalem, it is likely that he will be asked to visit the museum regardless of how it is defined.
IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot spoke at the national flag laying ceremony at the military cemetery at Mt. Herzl in Jerusalem on Wednesday, telling attendees that "The greatness of the people of Israel is their ability to transcend the pain and sorrow, to remember the past and to work for the future."

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"IDF soldiers and commanders will continue to act in light of the legacy that the fallen have left us, a legacy of love of land and a deep sense of purpose," he continued. "We will hold our heads up high and vow to continue the mission for which our best sons and daughters fell: the promise of our existence as a free people in its own land."

Gadi Eisenkot, Minister Bennett, Elisha Weisel and Miriam Naor speak at the March of the Livi

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Eisenkot also noted that he had just returned from the March of the Living trip in Poland, "with Holocaust survivors, those wounded in the IDF, parents who lost their most precious possessions, and soldiers and commanders."

Describing what he had seen during the trip, he reflected on his visit. "Before us we saw the green landscape of Poland, We stood united and with our heads held high in the Auschwitz-Birkenau extermination camp, as we said the Kaddish in memory of the six million Jews who were murdered and buried in the land of Europe, without a name, identity and a status that would perpetuate their identity.

IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot

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"Today I stand here, on the land of Mount Herzl in Jerusalem, the legacy of our people's rebirth in our land, with the founders and defenders of the state buried around us, from the forefathers of the nation who established the pillars of the state, to our parents and grandfathers, and including our brothers in arms who sacrificed their lives as soldiers and commanders in the Haganah. For every person there is a name, each one has an identity."

He added that "the few days that separate standing on the earth of Auschwitz and standing on the soil of Jerusalem, that stand between the mass graves of the Jews of Europe and the cemeteries in Israel, represents the process that our people went through, from being at the mercy of others to an independent people defending their country."

Turning to the bereaved families, Eisenkot warned them of the pain they would suffer as they visited the graves of those they had lost while stressing that every effort would be made to ensure that missing IDF soldiers, and those who fell without a place of burial would be returned to Israel.

"In a few days you will feel pain as you visit the graves of your loved ones, light a memorial candle and remember those who once were, but will never be again. I know that words cannot fill the void left after their departure. Today, we also remember the missing IDF soldiers and fallen soldiers whose burial place is unknown. We will not rest until we return everyone to our borders."
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Syrian activists say airstrikes have struck a camp for the displaced in the northern rebel-held Idlib province, killing at least 10.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says women and children were among those killed in Wednesday's airstrikes on the rural village of Maarata.

The Syrian Civil Defense, volunteer first responders, say they pulled a number of people from the rubble following the strikes, which caused extensive damage to temporary shelters. A video of the rescue operation shows a wailing child after she was hauled from the rubble, with blood covering her face.
The Yemeni government has proposed to the United Nations that it monitors the rebel-held port of Hodeidah to ensure that no arms are smuggled through it, the prime minister said on Wednesday.

A Saudi-led military coalition backing the internationally-recognised government in its war against the Houthi rebels has been preparing an assault on Hodeidah.

UN officials and a Russian deputy foreign minister on Tuesday warned against any attack on the Red Sea port, the aid lifeline for a country where millions of people are in desperate need of food to avert famine. The alliance maintains a near-blockade of Yemen's ports, including Hodeidah, where most cranes have been destroyed by coalition air strikes.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife Sarah met Wednesday in Jerusalem with widows and orphans of fallen IDF soldiers for a fourth consecutive year as part of an initiative launched by the IDF Widows and Orphans Organization.

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As part of the initiative, each orphan delivered a brief memorial speech about his or her father and presented a souvenir left behind by him.

One of the souvenirs presented was by Noam Israel Moreno, the son of Lt. Col. Emmanuel Yehuda Moreno, who was killed in the Second Lebanon War, which was a book "Shmirat Halashon" (Guarding of the Tongue) written by the Chofetz Chaim, a 19th century prolific writer of Jewish literature and law and a renowned scholar of Judaism.

Prime Minister Netanyahu and Sara Netanyahu with an orphan (Photo: Kobi Gideon/GPO)

Noam told listeners that his father always carried the book everywhere he went in his pocket.

After reading from the book, Netanyahu exclaimed: "Defamation against us and our soldiers. The book on 'Laws of Lashon Hara' I would give to several people inside and outside the country."

In Jewish tradition and in Hebrew, the term Lashon Haraliterally meaning the evil tongue refers to gossip and the tarnishing of a persons reputation.

Netanyahus comments appear to have been a slight against German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel and left-wing organizations in Israel, such as Breaking the Silence and BTselem, which criticize the IDFs conduct in the West Bank and deliver lectures around the world documenting alleged, and oftentimes unverified, abuses and crimes committed by IDF soldiers.

Photo: Kobi Gideon/GPO

On Tuesday, Netanyahu decided not to meet with Gabriel following the latters insistence on meeting with both groups during his visit to the area. Speaking later that evening, Netanyahu delivered a statement to the press saying that My policy is clear. I wont meet with diplomats that visit Israel and then meet with organizations who slander IDF soldiers and insist on putting our soldiers on trial as war criminals. These same diplomats would never think of doing that in the USA, or Britain or any other place.

The meeting with the orphans and widows was also attended, among others, by Adele Banita-Bennett and her children, Natan (4) and Shulamit (2), who survived Corporal Aaron Bennett after he was killed in a terror stabbing attack in the Old City of Jerusalem in October 2015.

Sarah Netanyahu, told the children: "Every child knows that he has lost a great father, a heroic father, whom he will always remember in his heart."
A Minnesota woman who admitted sending $850 to the militant group al-Shabab in Somalia has been sentenced to five years' probation.

Forty-three-year-old Amina Mohamud Esse pleaded guilty in 2014 to conspiracy to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization.

She faced up to 15 years in prison, but prosecutors sought probation because she cooperated. That included testifying against two women in a Virginia case who each got more than a decade in prison for supporting al-Shabab. Esse told the judge she made a mistake and cooperated to correct it.
Ten Iranian border guards were killed by Sunni militants in a cross-border attack on the frontier with Pakistan on Wednesday, Tasnim news agency reported.

The militant group called Jaish al Adl, or the Army of Justice, has claimed responsibility, the report said.

"10 border guards of Mirjaveh county in Sistan and Baluchestan Province were martyred in an ambush by the terrorists in the Pakistani border's zero-point," Tasnim said.
Immigration authorities are detaining a gay Russian man infected with HIV who was seeking US asylum in California.

Denis Davydov has been held in an immigration detention facility in Miami for more than a month after a trip to the US Virgin Islands. Customs officers clearing passengers out of St. Thomas took the 30-year-old man into custody on suspicion he overstayed his visa, despite his pending asylum case.

Davydov lives in San Jose, California. His attorney Aaron Morris said Wednesday that he has no criminal record, and poses no danger to the public. Morris leads Immigration Equality, a New York-based group that advocates for LGBT immigrants.
As almost any public school board member or superintendent can tell you, many of our states citizens are screaming for property tax reform while also being fully supportive of adequately funding our public schools.

According to a poll conducted by Reform for Nebraskas Future, 77 percent of respondents indicated they were supportive of property tax reform. The vast majority of our elected officials at the state level even campaigned on the promise of property tax reform, and for good reason.

 Nebraska K-12 schools receive 49 percent of their funding from local property taxes while the national average is 29 percent. (U.S. Census Bureau, Public Education Finance, 2016  Based on 2014 Survey Data.)

 Nebraska K-12 schools receive 33 percent of their funding from state sources while the national average is 47 percent. (U.S. Census Bureau, Public Education Finance, 2016  Based on 2014 Survey Data.)

 Nebraska ranks 49th in the country in the percentage of K-12 funding that comes from the state. (U.S. Census Bureau, Public Education Finance Report, June, 2016 https://www2.census.gov/govs/school/14f33pub.pdf)

The school funding formula, TEEOSA, which was implemented back in 1990, has only been fully funded two or three times over the past 15 or 16 years. In most instances, due to increasing needs, the TEEOSA calculation comes out more expensive than the state wants to allocate, so in order for the state to balance its budget, it underfunds schools and forces us to make up the difference with local property taxes. Thats how this current system works.

Some folks like to blame spending as the culprit for high property taxes but its really a funding issue. Many of the school districts most reliant on local property taxes, like York, have an annual average spending increase of less than 1.6 percent over the past eight years. Yorks state equalization aid has plummeted from $3.7 million to $225,000 in that same span as land valuations increased.

We have a school funding problem, folks.

Our state senators must decide soon whether they want to represent their constituents, the 77 percent of Nebraskans that are calling for property tax reform, or if they will succumb to a few very wealthy and powerful people instead. How our state senators handle various bills down the stretch will show us who they truly care about.

Mike Lucas

 Superintendent of York Public Schools

 President of STANCE (Schools Taking Action for Nebraska Childrens Education)

 Member of Nebraskans United for Property Tax Reform and Education

 402-366-6491
Last week the legislature debated two tax reform proposals, LB640 and LB461.

I support both pieces of legislation and see LB640 as the first bill to advance from the Revenue Committee in quite some time that can provide significant property tax relief for Nebraskans. If this bill does not pass, most likely no bill will pass with significant property tax relief this year. The bill did not move forward when debated, but it remains on General File and its possible it could move forward this year.

Alternatively, other proposals have suggested the solution is to raise sales taxes on hard working Nebraska families, using that revenue to reduce property taxes. I, along with the Governor, do not support this alternative and will support the Governor should that proposal move forward. The Governor has committed to veto a sales tax increase if placed on his desk, and I would uphold a veto.

The major tax reform bill being debated is LB 461. I have had constituents indicate that LB 461 is not the ideal tax reform package, as it does not provide the level of property tax relief they feel is needed, and because it includes an income tax relief component. In order to move any tax relief packages forward, however, we need to build a coalition of State Senators who have a variety of perspectives and interests represented in their constituencies. Urban State Senators tend to hear from their constituents in urban areas the importance of income tax relief, and rural State Senators hear from their areas that property tax relief is paramount. A package that includes components of each has the best chance of advancing and I support working collaboratively on both of these issues to move forward a reform package. Lowering both property and income taxes is good for the State and creates a climate for economic growth and prosperity.

The Nebraska Chamber of Commerce and Industry supports LB461, stating that Nebraskas reliance on income taxes has grown too large, as 60 percent of state revenue comes from income taxes. Taxes in Nebraska are high and we have been paying too much for far too long. This bill will provide tax relief for all Nebraska taxpayers, while not shifting the tax burden from one group of citizens to another. LB461 encourages business expansion and retention, and assists in recruiting qualified workers for our growing state. It also protects agriculture at a time when ag property taxes are too high and commodity prices are too low. Simply, LB461 helps working families keep more of their hard-earned money.

LB461 is the most comprehensive tax relief package that the legislature has seen is several years. Amongst other things, LB461 collapses the number of income tax brackets in Nebraska from four to three, reduces the top tax bracket starting at $29,830 per year from 6.84 percent to 5.99 percent, and gives more tax credits to low-income families by increasing the Earned Income Tax Credit by 20 percent.

For agricultural land taxes, LB461 caps aggregate ag land valuation growth at 3.5 percent annually, changes ag land valuation from market-based to income potential-based, and reduces ag land property taxes by 12 percent statewide.

Opponents are concerned whether the state will be the next Kansas and wont have the revenue to pay for core government functions such as education, criminal justice and road maintenance. However, through the use of revenue triggers, LB461 is designed to prevent tax cuts from taking place unless ample revenue is also available to fund government services. If state revenue is not projected to grow by the required amounts, the tax cuts will not take effect that year.

LB461 will attract companies and create jobs, help farmers and manufacturers, and protects K-12 education by investing about $30 million annually into the state aid formula and adding equalization aid to about 40 additional school districts. It is time for the legislature to enact tax reform and make this great state even better. If you have additional ideas on how we can fix our tax system, please contact me and share them. Were always open to ideas on how we can provide tax relief to all areas of our state.

As always, if we can be of assistance to you in any way, please do not hesitate to contact my office. My door is open and I have made it a goal to be accessible to the constituents of our district. Please stop by any time. My e-mail address is mkolterman@leg.ne.gov, and the office phone number is 402-471-2756. David and Katie are always available to assist you with your needs. If I am not immediately available, please do not hesitate to work with them to address any issues that you may need assistance. Please continue to follow me on Facebook at Kolterman for Legislature and on Twitter at @KoltermanforLegislature.
YORK  A bond reduction was denied for a man accused of stabbing another person.

Devon Keezer, 27, of York appeared in York County District Court this week to ask for the reduction, along with his attorney, Kevin Schlender.

Keezer has already pleaded not guilty to four criminal counts.

The case began in January when the York County Sheriffs Department, Waco and York rescue units were dispatched to the home of Sean Hoffman, 40, in the rural Waco area. Hoffman was found with stab wounds and was eventually taken by helicopter to a Lincoln hospital.

The next day, Keezer, was arrested, based on information provided by Hoffman and two witnesses.

Investigators allege that Keezer stabbed Hoffman several times and left the scene.

If Keezer is convicted, he could be facing up to 124 years in prison.

This week, Schlender told the court that bond remains at $50,000, 10 percent and they would like it be lowered.

We have plea negotiations underway in this case and my client has been in jail since Jan. 10, Schlender said. Hes anticipating a jail sentence and he would like to get out before he goes so he can wrap some things up.

York County Attorney Candace Bottorf argued against the reduction saying Keezers crime was serious and violent, he has an issue with methamphetamine. She also said reducing Keezers bond would pose a threat to the public.

Judge Stecker denied the request and Keezer was taken back to jail.
YORK  Erica Jenkins, a convicted killer who is already serving 80-100 years in prison, was brought to the York County Court Wednesday afternoon for a preliminary hearing in a case where she is accused of brutally beating another inmate at the Nebraska Center for Women.

Earlier, she had refused transport for her first court appearance in the matter, but she cooperated with the transfer on Wednesday.

She has been charged with assault by a confined person with a weapon and use of a deadly weapon to commit a felony.

The first count is a Class 2A felony that carries a possible maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and the second count is a Class 2 felony that carries a possible maximum sentence of 50 years in prison, upon conviction.

Jenkins is accused of attacking Christine Bordeaux, 42, who is an inmate at NCW and was Jenkins cellmate at the time of the alleged beating. Bordeux helped law enforcement authorities convict Jenkins of the crimes for which she is now incarcerated.

The 27-year-old Jenkins is the sister of infamous killer, Nikko Jenkins. She was convicted in the killing of Curtis Bradford in which her brother shot Bradford after luring him out on the pretense of the trio committing a robbery. Testimony in that case included that Erica Jenkins yelled at her brother for taking my first kill.

Besides the murder conviction, Jenkins is also serving 40-60 years on two counts of robbery in the Aug. 11, 2013, deaths of Juan Uribe-Pena and Jorge Cajiga-Ruiz (the murders of which were committed by her brother).

Jenkins has also been convicted in the past of assault on a law enforcement officer and two counts of assault on a health care worker.

In this most recent case, it is alleged that Jenkins beat Bordeaux with a padlock in a sock while a co-defendant, a fellow inmate named Priscilla P. Fields, 33, allegedly held Bordeaux down, as well as kicked her.

Judge Linda Caster-Senff presided over preliminary hearings for both inmates on Wednesday.

A special prosecutor has been appointed to this case, which is George Welch, an assistant Attorney General with the state of Nebraska.

The case was investigated by Benny Noordhoek, a certified law enforcement investigator employed by the Nebraska Department of Corrections. Noordhoek was the only witness during the preliminary hearings.

He told the court that Ms. Jenkins was upset with Bordeaux because she testified against her and her brother, Nikko, and Jenkins had asked her to change her story, to say she had lied.

Upon that statement by Noordhoek, Jenkins told her attorney, Christopher Johnson, thats bull***t.

Noordhoek testified that surveillance video recorded shortly before the assault showed Fields and Jenkins talking in a commons area and then entering Jenkins cell, where Bordeaux was allegedly beaten. He also testified that initially, Bordeaux told prison staff that she had sustained her injuries by falling. He, however, said she changed her story while being transported to York General Hospital, saying Jenkins and Fields had attacked her.

Noordhoek also testified that Bordeauxs injuries were consistent with a beating with a padlock, saying she had a concussion, a broken nasal bone, a broken finger, a broken arm and contusions.

Judge Senff bound both cases over to District Court. Both inmates are scheduled for arraignment on May 22, at 10 a.m.

As Jenkins was being led out of the courtroom, she turned to members of the press and said, This is clearly a publicity stunt. This is all false. It's a publicity stunt.
Aaron Carter, the singer-rapper who began performing as a child and had hit albums starting in his teen years, was found dead at his home in Southern California. He was 34. Representatives for Carters family confirmed the singers death Saturday. They did not provide any immediate further comment. A sheriff's official says deputies responding to reports of a medical emergency found a person deceased at the home in Lancaster. Aaron Carter, the younger brother of Nick Carter of the Backstreet Boys, performed as an opening act for Britney Spears as well as his brothers boy band, and appeared on the familys reality series, House of Carters.
VILLANOVA, Pa.  The Rev. Peter M. Donohue, OSA, PhD, Villanova University president, announced that Michael R. Bloomberg, founder of Bloomberg L.P., three-term mayor of New York City, entrepreneur and philanthropist, will address the Class of 2017 as the Universitys commencement speaker. Bloomberg will also receive the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa. The Universitys 174th commencement will be held Friday, May 19, at 4 p.m. in the Villanova Stadium.

In addition, honorary degrees will be awarded to: Anne Welsh McNulty, co-founder and managing partner of JBK Partners, a Villanova alumna and a former trustee whose gift to the University established the Anne Welsh McNulty Institute for Women's Leadership; the Rev. Wally Kasuboski, OFM, a Capuchin missionary priest who has spent almost 30 years working to improve infrastructure and access to clean water in rural Panama; and Irwin Medway, a Villanova student since 1993, World War II veteran and Purple Heart recipient.

Commencement Speaker and Honorary Degree Recipient:

Michael R. Bloomberg is an entrepreneur and philanthropist who served as mayor of New York City for three terms from 2002 to 2013. The technology startup he launched in 1981 to provide real-time data and analysis to the financial services industry has grown into a global company, Bloomberg L.P., that now employs more than 19,000 people in 73 countries. He led the company for 20 years before entering public service full time. Since leaving City Hall, he has resumed leadership of Bloomberg L.P.

Bloomberg was elected mayor of New York City less than two months after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. Under his leadership, the city rebounded faster and stronger than expected. His administration raised high school graduation rates by 40 percent, cut crime by a third, reduced the citys carbon footprint by nearly 20 percent, and increased life expectancy by three years. His economic policies, which supported entrepreneurs, small businesses and emerging industries, such as technology and bioscience, helped to create a record number of jobs.

Throughout his career, Bloomberg has been strongly committed to philanthropy. His foundation, Bloomberg Philanthropies, employs a unique, data-driven approach to its five main areas of focus: public health, education, the environment, the arts and government innovation.

Bloomberg also leads a number of bipartisan coalitions that are taking action on urgent national and international issues, including climate change, illegal guns, immigration reform and infrastructure investment. He has served as the UN Secretary-Generals Special Envoy for Cities and Climate Change, and in 2016 he was named the World Health Organizations Global Ambassador for Noncommunicable Diseases.

Bloomberg graduated from Johns Hopkins University and Harvard Business School.

Honorary Degree Recipients :

Anne Welsh McNulty is the co-founder and managing partner of JBK Partners, with an investment management business and a private philanthropic foundation focused on leadership development and social change. Before starting JBK Partners, she was a managing director of Goldman Sachs and a senior executive of the Goldman Sachs Hedge Fund Strategies Group. McNulty will receive the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa.

McNulty has deep ties to Villanova, where she, her father, her uncle and all five of her siblings attended. The valedictorian of the Class of 1975 and an editor of The Villanovan, she served as a member of Villanovas Board of Trustees from 2006 to 2015. McNulty also spurred the creation of an Institute for Womens Leadership at Villanova that will launch in October 2017, fostering womens advancement as leaders through innovative research, education programs, advocacy and community-building.

McNulty and her late husband, John, met at Cardinal OHara High School in Springfield, Pa., and began a 37-year partnership, supporting each others careers and raising three children. Since his untimely death in 2005, McNulty has greatly expanded the mission she began with John to enable young people to grow as high-impact leaders. Under her leadership, the McNulty Foundation has established several initiatives in Johns name to support individuals who strive to make a difference in the world, most notably the John P. McNulty Prize, which honors global leaders solving some of the worlds most intractable challenges.

As a woman who has broken barriers herself, McNulty advocates for increasing the presence of women in leadership in every sector. In addition to the creation of the Anne Welsh McNulty Institute for Womens Leadership at Villanova, the McNulty Scholars programs at Hunter College and St. Josephs University propel young women toward leadership roles in fields related to math and science.

McNulty serves on the Board of Trustees of the Aspen Institute and on the Board of Overseers of the Wharton School. She is also a member of the Advisory Council for the Harvard Kennedy Schools Mossavar-Rahmani Center, a member of the boards of the Child Mind Institute in New York and the National Museum of American Jewish History in Philadelphia, and a trustee of the Naples Winter Wine Festival, which benefits childrens charities in Collier County, Fla. McNulty earned her MBA from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, where the newly named McNulty Leadership Program is pushing the boundaries in the field of leadership and teamwork education.

The Rev. Walter Wally Kasuboski, OFM, is a Capuchin missionary priest who directs a number of infrastructure and social development projects for the poor and disenfranchised in Panama. Father Wally, as he is known in the United States, or Padre Pablo, as he is known in Panama, has worked as a missionary priest in the rural Alto Bayano region of Panama for the past 28 years. He serves as an advocate for impoverished communities, spearheading a vast array of projects that have helped improve the regions access to clean water, education, health and infrastructure. Father Wally will receive the degree of Doctor of Humanities, honoris causa.

Father Wallys work shares a personal connection with Villanova. For the past 25 years, Villanova Engineering students and faculty have traveled to Panama to assist on numerous projects related to his mission. Father Wally serves as an inspiration for how one can live out his or her faith. He demonstrates the principles of Catholic Social Teaching by living in solidarity with the communities in which he works and by fighting for the lives and dignity of the people who live there. Father Wally strives to protect the poor and vulnerable by working tirelessly to secure clean water, education and opportunities for them. Some of his notable accomplishments include bringing potable water to approximately 5,000 people in 14 villages with the largest rural water system in Panama; building schools, churches and chapels; and constructing bridges and roads across the region.

Father Wally earned a degree in theology from the St. Francis School of Pastoral Ministry in Milwaukee, Wis. He went on to earn a law degree from the Antioch School of Law in Washington, D.C., and was ordained a Capuchin priest in 1974. In his early years of ministry, Father Wally served in Nicaragua and on US Indian reservations; acted as the bishops vicar for Spanish-speaking people in the Diocese of Saginaw, Mich.; assisted migrants and lobbied for approval of the Panama Canal Treaty in Washington, D.C.; and served as pastor for an Ojibwa parish in Michigans Upper Peninsula.

For his humanitarian efforts, Father Wally has received numerous recognitions and awards. These include the Distinguished American Award, given to American citizens who live in Panama and positively impact image of the US to Panamanians; the Vasco Nunez de Balboa Award, the most prestigious award a civilian can be given in Panama; and the 2016 Hero of Panama Award.

Irwin Medway has been a student at Villanova University since 1993. He has taken at least one or two courses at Villanova every semester for the past 24 years. Medway, who will turn 94 in September, enrolled at Villanova in the 1990s as part of the Senior Citizen Personal Enrichment Program, which allows adults 65 or older to take courses for personal enrichment, instead of for credit. During his years as a Villanova student, he has not earned a degree, but he has tirelessly pursued his passion for learning. In honor of Villanovas 175th anniversary, the University will bestow the degree of Doctor of Humanities, honoris cause, upon Medwayone of Villanovas longest-running students.

Medways collegiate story began while he was served in the US Army. Through the Army Specialized Training Programa military training program instituted by the Army during World War II to meet wartime demands for junior officers and soldiers with technical skillshe was able to take college classes, first at St. Bonaventure University and later at Rutgers University. However, he was reassigned to combat before he could finish his studies. For his service during World War II, Medway received the Purple Heart, a Bronze Star and five other awards for combat and infantry service. After he was discharged from the military, Medway had the opportunity to either finish a degree with the assistance of the GI Bill or go to work. Ultimately, he chose to go to work.

In the years that followed, Medway tried to continue his studies. He took night classes at Syracuse University, where he was relocated for his job, but he never completed his degree. After retiring from his marketing job at Columbia Records in 1982, he started a new job. Several years later, Medway decided to begin taking classes at Villanova, and he hasnt stopped since.

Medway estimates that he has been taught by more than 40 professors during his time at Villanova, including Father Donohue, then a professor in the Theatre Department and now Villanova president. Each semester, Medway spends a great deal of time investigating and selecting the classes he takes. He tries to only take classes that allow him to bring his wife of 72 years, Corrine (Chickie), to and from her job.
Washington: Islamophobic incidents involving US Customs and Border Protection officials have risen by about 1,000 per cent since President Donald Trump took office in January, a Muslim activist group said.



According to the Council on American-Islamic Relations on Tuesday, preliminary data collected from its branches across the US found that instances in which officials were accused of profiling Muslims accounted 23 per cent in 2017.



Of the 193 Customs and Border Protection (CBP) cases in 2017, at least 181 were reported after the January 27 Muslim travel ban. In the first three months of 2016, the group reported 17 cases, The Independent said.



"These are incidents which are reported to us and which we examine," Corey Saylor, director of CAIR's group that monitors Islamophobia, told The Independent.



"We look at these very carefully. Around 50 per cent, we reject."



Saylor said allegations of Islamophobia being levelled at border officials was nothing new.



He believed that Trump's election and the executive order was behind the spike in incidents. "I have no doubt in my mind that these things are connected."



In the aftermath of the travel ban, which have been halted by the courts, there were widespread reports of chaos at US airports, and people being turned away as they sought to board flights to the US at foreign airports.



Trump vowed during his election campaign that he would make it more difficult for people from certain countries to reach the US as party of tighter security, despite immigrants from countries such as Syria and Somalia already having to endure screening that can take several years.



Saylor said he appreciated the difficult job being faced by border officials, but asked that they did it without breaching the US constitution.



He cited testimony of a Customs and Border Protection official from a 2013 lawsuit, who said: "Look to the Muslim woman as an indicating factor. By the way she wears her hijab. If the hijab is a solid colour it indicates religiosity. If it's a patterned scarf, with colours, it's more likely that she is less religious."
Patna: The family of CRPF trooper Abhay Kumar, who was killed in an ambush by Maoists in Sukma district of Chhattisgarh, on Wednesday refused to accept Rs 5 lakh as compensation announced by the Bihar government.

Abhay Kumar was one of the six CRPF troopers from Bihar who were killed in the Maoist attack on Monday. All of them were cremated in their villages with state honours on Wednesday, a day after their bodies arrived here.

"We have refused to accept the cheque of Rs 5 lakh as compensation announced by the Bihar government. Is this amount an honour or humiliation for someone who sacrificed his life fighting against enemy of the country," a close relative of the trooper said.

Other members of Abhay's family said the state government has been providing a compensation of Rs 4 lakh to the families of those killed in road accidents and after consuming spurious liquor.

"What kind of compensation is it for a martyr," they asked.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh each for the families of the deceased CRPF troopers.

Last year, the wife of a soldier who was killed in the Uri terror attack refused to accept Rs 5 lakh as compensation announced by the state government.
Vipul Vivek/IndiaSpend/IANS

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.
Rakesh Dubbudu/IndiaSpend/IANS

The government has sought custody of liquor baron Vijay Mallya from the UK, but Indias success rate at extradition has been no more than 36 per cent over 15 years, according to a report by Factly.in, a data journalism portal. This means India managed one extradition of every three sought.



While 62 fugitives have been extradited to India from a foreign country between 2002 and 2016, 110 fugitives are yet to be extradited though a formal request has been made by India, according to an answer to the Lok Sabha on December 6, 2016, Factly reported.



Mallya was arrested by the Scotland Yard -- and released on bail -- on April 18, 2017, in connection with an extradition request filed by India on February 8, 2017. The UK government has sent the request to the concerned court, and the arrest marks the beginning of the extradition process.



Mallya is wanted in several cases related to economic offences in India. The now-defunct Kingfisher Airlines that he set up owes over Rs 9,000 crore ($1.5 billion) to state-owned and private banks, it has been widely reported.



There were 16 extradition requests pending with UK as of July 2016, according to an answer to the Lok Sabha. Only one fugitive has been extradited from the UK -- Samirbhai Vinubhai Patel, an Indian citizen, for murder; the extradition came in October 2016, 23 years after India`s extradition treaty with the UK came into force in 1993.



The highest extraditions happened from the UAE (18), followed by the US (9). While four each were extradited from Canada and Thailand, three have been extradited from Germany and South Africa.



India has extradition treaties with 47 countries, among them Afghanistan, Australia, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belgium, Bhutan, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Egypt, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Iran, Israel, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Malaysia, Mauritius, Mexico, Nepal, the Netherlands, Oman, the Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, the Ukraine, Uzbekistan and Vietnam.



India also has extradition arrangements with nine countries -- Croatia, Fiji, Italy, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Sri Lanka, Singapore, Sweden and Tanzania.



What is the process of extradition?



A request for extradition can be initiated against a fugitive criminal who is formally accused of, charged with or convicted of an extradition offence. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) takes up extradition requests with the concerned foreign countries when a request for extradition is received from the relevant law enforcement agencies in India.



All extradition requests should be supported by documents and information as prescribed by the MEA guidelines. It has to be noted that each extradition request is different and the request is dependent on the specific treaty/agreement signed with a country. The offence should also be defined in the list of the extradition offences.



What are the offences defined in the extradition treaty with UK?



The extradition treaty signed in 1993 with the UK defines the scope of the extradition offence as one which is punishable by law for a term of imprisonment of at least one year. The treaty does not classify political offences as extradition offences but it provides an exhaustive list of offences that will not be treated as a political offence.



Most fugitives extradited in 2005



The most (8) fugitives were extradited in 2005 followed by seven each in 2003 and 2004. Six fugitives were extradited in 2015 during the rule of the current government.



Most people extradited for murder & terrorism-related offences



Out of the 62 fugitives extradited since 2002, 14 were for murder-related offences and 10 for offences related to criminal conspiracy.



As many as nine fugitives were extradited for terrorism-related offences, including three from the UAE, in relation to the 1993 Mumbai bomb blasts.
New Delhi: Messaging app WhatsApp is working on solutions to enable businesses to use its platform to connect with consumers and India will play a "crucial role" for the product, a company official said on Wednesday.

Last year, the Facebook-owned company had said WhatsApp will test tools that allow users to communicate with businesses and organisations like banks and airlines through its platform.

While WhatsApp does not intend to introduce any third- party ads, it is looking at ways to monetise the platform and working with businesses could be a step in that direction.

WhatsApp remains free for consumers.

"... We are definitely in building the product phase. So, what you will see over the year is different tests, both for small and large businesses, and figuring out what's a good experience for these businesses on WhatsApp," WhatsApp spokesperson Matt Steinfeld said.

He further said: "India is going to play a crucial role in that."

India is the biggest market for WhatsApp. Of its over one billion users, about 200 million are here. In India, it competes with the likes of Hike and SnapChat.

Facebook, on its part, has a strong focus on bringing businesses to its platform as well. Over five million businesses globally actively advertise on Facebook.

WhatsApp has been working on introducing features to enhance engagement on the platform. It had recently launched a story feature to allow users to express their thoughts using pictures and animations.

WhatsApp is also attempting to foray into digital payment services, with India as a test bed. The company is looking to hire a digital transactions head for the country.

In February, WhatsApp co-founder Brian Acton had met IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad to discuss ways in which WhatsApp could contribute to India's vision for digital commerce.

"We listen very carefully to feedback from people across India and how to better serve them. India is obviously our largest country and it's going to be one of the most important markets," Steinfeld pointed out.

He added that the company is keen to understand how it can contribute more to the vision of Digital India.

Following the government's move to recall old notes of Rs 500 and 1,000 in November last year, there has been a massive growth in digital transaction volumes in India, including credit and debit cards, mobile banking and m-wallets and UPI.
New Delhi: While the Aam Admi Party (AAP) leadership appears keen to blame the EVMs for the party's loss in the MCD elections, Delhi minister Kapil Mishra has accepted the fact that people did not vote for the party.

Mishra said, People have not voted for us, it's a fact.

Accepting that there may be some problems with the party's approach and connect with the people, Mishra said, The party will have to introspect on the reasons behind the defeat.

The minister did touch upon the EVM issue but not in the aggressive manner in which his Cabinet colleagues Manish Sisodia and Gopal Rai raised the issue, earlier in the day.

Mishra said the issue of EVMs should also be looked into to ensure that they are tamper-proof.

Clearly, Mishra appeared willing to accept that the AAP may have lost popular mandate in Delhi at the moment.

He also revealed that he had personally called up Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari to congratulate him for the victory in the MCD polls.

Earlier in the day, Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia, Minister and AAP leader Gopal Rai and party leader Ashutosh alleged that the EVMs were "bugged and programmed".

Rai said: "This is not a Modi lahar (wave), this is an EVM wave. This is the same wave that they (BJP) used in the Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Punjab polls."

"We will do self-assessment after the results are out. But every citizen has to see how they can save the nation and their rights to vote," said Rai.

Stating that democracy in the country is dependent on tampered EVMs, Rai said the BJP wanted to remain in power by hook or by crook.

AAP leader Ashutosh blamed the tampering of EVMs for the party`s defeat.

He pointed to some of his government`s achievements and said the BJP-led municipal corporations had done nothing in the past 10 years.

"Why would a voter choose BJP... there`s not a single achievement that the BJP can point out while it ruled the MCD," Ashutosh said.

"No matter which button one presses, the vote goes in BJP`s favour," Ashutosh alleged.

"This clearly shows that democracy is in danger... EVMs had been tampered with, we have seen many examples till date," he added.

The AAP has alleged tampering of the Electronic Voting Machines and had demanded a paper trail proof of the voting, which was turned down by the courts.

(With IANS inputs)
New Delhi: It seems all is not well within the Congress party. With trends indicating a clear mandate for the resurgent Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Delhi Municipal Elections, former Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit on Wednesday said that her party did not campaign aggressively to win the civic polls.

Unhappy with the Congress' style of election campaign in the crucial MCD polls, Dikshit, who ruled Delhi for 15 years said, "Congress did not campaign in an aggressive way. It did not do what it should have done to win the Delhi civic polls."

The Congress veteran said she was not invited to campaign for the MCD elections.

When asked to comment on Aam Aadmi Party allegations of EVMs tampering in the civic polls, Dikshit said, "Winners and losers have different versions to the problem. But in a case like this, the government and the Election Commission should come up with a solution."

Dikshit admitted that the Congress was going through a bad phase. However, she expressed confidence in the grand old party to bounce back.

Former Delhi Congress president Arvinder Singh Lovely, who recently joined teh BJP, alst week had hit out at his one-time mentor and former chief minister Sheila Dikshit, dubbing her as a "burden" on the Congress.

"Sheila Dikshit is completely dissociated from the Congress campaign for MCD polls and has turned out to be a burden, while I chose to join the BJP that has been holding soldiers' interests high," Lovely said at a press conference.
New Delhi: The BJP's victory sweep in the civic polls saw most Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) ministers fail to ensure victory for the AAP candidates in their own constituencies.

Riding on the 'Modi wave', the BJP won 181 of the 270 wards that went to the polls to storm to power in the three municipal corporations for third term in a row. The AAP with just 48 wards came a distant second with the Congress ending up third, bagging just 30 seats.

The BJP won 64 of 103 wards in North Delhi Municipal Corporation, 70 of 104 in South Delhi Municipal Corporation and 47 of 63 in East Delhi Municipal Corporation.

Barring Food & Supplies Minister Imran Hussain, four of the AAP ministers, including Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, conceded ground in their own constituencies to the BJP.

Of the four wards in Sisodia's constituency Patparganj, the AAP could win only one with the rest all going to the BJP.

State Labour Minister Gopal Rai suffered a similar fate with BJP winning three of the four wards in his constituency Babarpur.

Tourism Minister Kapil Mishra, who has five wards in his constituency Karawal Nagar, saw only two of AAP candidates winning with the BJP bagging the rest three.

The worst sufferer was Health Minister Satyendar Jain in whose constituency Shakur Basti, all the three AAP candidates bit the dust.

Minister Hussain turned out to be the saving grace for the AAP with two of three wards in his constituency Ballimaran going to his party with the third won by Congress.

Hussain could save his constituency as it consists largely of Muslims.

AAP MLA from Chandi Chowk Alka Lamba too suffered the ignominy of seeing her party candidates losing all the three wards in her constituency.

Owning up moral responsibility for the defeat, she offered to quit from all party posts. While the others ministers have not said anything on the defeat, Sisodia alleged that Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) were rigged in favour of the BJP.

"Without rigging, such a massive win is not possible," Sisodia said, reiterating the accusations the party has been raising since AAP's defeat in the Punjab and Goa assembly polls.

Putting up a brave face and accepting defeat, Kejriwal congratulated the BJP for its victory.

Kejriwal who has been up in arms against the Election Commission as well as the BJP over EVM tampering, however, remained silent on the issue.

While the AAP has continued to blame EVM tampering for its electoral debacle, social activist Anna Hazare blamed his former protege Kejriwal's "quest for power" for the crushing defeat.

"People gave him a mandate and he got an opportunity to turn Delhi into a model state for the entire country to replicate. But power is bad. Once you sit in the chair, you lose your power of thinking," said Hazare.

"Instead of working for Delhi, he started thinking about capturing power in Punjab and Goa. There was no need for him to hurry. But he was in a hurry and people realised that it is power in his mind and not society or the country," said Hazare and also dismissed allegations of EVM tampering.
Wednesday, April 26, 2017 National Pundits Weighing In On NM Guv Race As Another Candidate Announcement Nears And In The War Room With PED And APS Jeff Apodaca The national pundits are starting to take their first look at next year's gubernatorial races and not unexpectedly one of them--



Democrats believe this is one of their best pickup opportunities anywhere in the country. Republicans recently lost the state Legislature, Clinton carried the state easily, and the state economy has been struggling.



It appears



Las Cruces Dem state Senator Joe Cervantes has said he is running but has yet to formally announce. Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham announced last year.



We don't see AG Balderas or Santa Fe Mayor Gonzales as highly likely to get in the Dem Guv race but if Gonzales wins his battle to impose a soda tax at a May election, he may be encouraged to make a go of it.



Supporters of NM Dem Party Chair Debra Haaland are saying she would be the first Native American woman elected to the US House of Representatives, if she were to succeed Grisham in the ABQ congressional seat next year. Haaland's term as chair ends in a matter of days and soon after she is expected to make her congressional candidacy official.



In the campaign for ABQ mayor, backers of Republican businessman Ricardo Chaves are expressing a high level of confidence that he will qualify for the Oct. 3 ballot by submitting 3,000 petition signatures from registered city voters. Friday is the last day to turn in the signatures to the city clerk. If Chaves, 80, does make the ballot he may be the oldest candidate for mayor or city council to ever do so. He has salted his late-starting campaign kitty with $300,000 of personal funds.



WAR ROOM



In the ongoing war between the state Public Education Department (PED) and ABQ Public Schools, PED claims:



APS schools are not producing results. Compared to other schools, APS graduation rate is below average while our state is at an all-time high; their school grades are dropping while the rest of the state increases; and students are at a lower achievement while statewide more students are on grade level in reading, math and science.



APS administrator Kizito Wijenje



While APS works diligently to increase the achievement rates of all its 85,000 students, one has to understand that the APS school and student portfolio ranges widely and across the entire microcosm of the NM socio-economical spectrum. APS achievement rates are taken as an average of the whole (as they should be). However, comparing this average to school districts (Los Alamos, Rio Rancho, et al) that do not have the diversity of the Albuquerque area is simplistic and deceptive.



APS also provides a variety of services for special ed students. 53% of the highest need students are served in APS, which has 29% of all the students in the state. New Mexicans statewide rely on and take advantage of by moving their needy students here.APS does this within its allocated budget and with no special dispensation from the state



SANTA FE SCENE



From a reader email on your government at work. Or not:



Good afternoon, Due to budgetary concerns, the 1st Annual State Purchasing Conference is being postponed. We apologize for the inconvenience. We look forward to rescheduling this important conference at a future date. Thank you for your understanding. Regards, Lawrence Maxwell, State Purchasing Agent



Reader Alan Schwartz writes:



Joe, I don't know if you have noticed but the online version of the ABQ Journal no longer appears to allow reader comments on articles or opinion pages.



We have noticed that, Alan, and often found incisive reader comments on the news articles. Was it cost savings or some other reason for dropping the comment boards that have been a staple for years? We'll let you know what we hear.



This is the home of New Mexico politics.







Interested in reaching New Mexico's most informed audience? Advertise here.



( c)NM POLITICS WITH JOE MONAHAN 2017 The national pundits are starting to take their first look at next year's gubernatorial races and not unexpectedly one of them-- "Inside Elections" --ranks New Mexico as lean Democrat":It appears Jeff Apodaca , ABQ businessman and son of former Gov. Jerry Apodaca, will be the next hopeful to jump in. He is excepted to formally announce his candidacy for the Dem nomination in early May. Apodaca is known as a centrist but he has hired political consultant Alan Packman who has handled mostly progressive Dems.Las Cruces Dem state Senator Joe Cervantes has said he is running but has yet to formally announce. Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham announced last year.We don't see AG Balderas or Santa Fe Mayor Gonzales as highly likely to get in the Dem Guv race but if Gonzales wins his battle to impose a soda tax at a May election, he may be encouraged to make a go of it.Supporters of NM Dem Party Chair Debra Haaland are saying she would be the first Native American woman elected to the US House of Representatives, if she were to succeed Grisham in the ABQ congressional seat next year. Haaland's term as chair ends in a matter of days and soon after she is expected to make her congressional candidacy official.In the campaign for ABQ mayor, backers of Republican businessman Ricardo Chaves are expressing a high level of confidence that he will qualify for the Oct. 3 ballot by submitting 3,000 petition signatures from registered city voters. Friday is the last day to turn in the signatures to the city clerk. If Chaves, 80, does make the ballot he may be the oldest candidate for mayor or city council to ever do so. He has salted his late-starting campaign kitty with $300,000 of personal funds.In the ongoing war between the state Public Education Department (PED) and ABQ Public Schools, PED claims:APS administrator Kizito Wijenje responds From a reader email on your government at work. Or not:Reader Alan Schwartz writes:We have noticed that, Alan, and often found incisive reader comments on the news articles. Was it cost savings or some other reason for dropping the comment boards that have been a staple for years? We'll let you know what we hear.This is the home of New Mexico politics. E-mail your news and comments. (jmonahan@ix.netcom.com) Links HOME

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New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday retained the three municipal corporations in the national capital for the third term in a row, handing a humiliating defeat to the Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Congress.

After handing over an embarrassing defeat to AAP, the BJP has put the final nail in the coffin with a brand new poster on Delhi roads.

Twitterati are going gaga over the poster, with some calling it as 'Poster of the Day'.

Here is the BJP's poster which is being circulated widely on social media:

Earlier this month, the Delhi BJP had approached the Election Commission over its MLA Vijender Gupta being depicted in a "distorted and villainous" way by the Aam Admi Party in its election poster.

The poster, seen in many parts of the city, carried photos of both Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Leader of Opposition Gupta and asked voters as to who they would prefer to hold the reins of the municipal corporations.

Gupta had demanded the Election Commission get the posters removed and take action against the AAP.
New Delhi: With Congress badly trailing in the keenly-contested municipal corporation elections in the national capital, its Delhi unit chief Ajay Maken resigned from his post on Wednesday, taking moral responsibility for his party's electoral debacle.

As Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee chief, I take moral responsibility for Congress' defeat in the MCD polls. I have decided to resign from my post, '' Ajay Maken said.

For at least one year, I won't accept any post in the party and will work as an ordinary worker, he added.

Maken also thanked his party leadership for showing faith in his leadership and giving him full freedom in the distribution of tickets for Delhi MCD polls.

I will submit my resignation to Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and party vice president Rahul Gandhi today, he added.

Maken, however, expressed satisfaction that his party ''made a reasonable comeback'' in the MCD polls.

Though we have improved our performance, I had hoped to do better in Delhi MCD Election 2017, he said.

Reactions from Maken came shortly after results showed BJP emerging as a clear winner in the crucial civic body polls, elections for which were held on April 23.
Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday congratulated BJP for retaining the three municipal corporations in the national capital for the third term in a row.

"I congratulate BJP on their victory in all three MCDs. My government looks forward to working with MCDs for the betterment of Delhi," the Aam Aadmi Party leader tweeted.

I congratulate BJP on their victory in all 3 MCDs. My govt looks forward to working wid MCDs for the betterment of Delhi  Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) April 26, 2017

The BJP handed a humiliating defeat to the AAP and the Congress and swept the municipal corporation elections.



While the BJP credited its continued electoral success to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the AAP reiterated its allegations that EVMs were rigged in favour of the BJP - an accusation it has been levelling since its defeat in Punjab and Goa assembly polls.

The Congress drubbing saw its Delhi unit Chief Ajay Maken announcing his resignation from the post owning up moral responsibility for the defeat, while veteran party leader and former Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit put the onus of defeat squarely on local leaders.



The AAP's defeat comes more than two years after the Delhi Assembly elections where it humiliated the BJP, winning 67 of the 70 Delhi assembly polls.

(With IANS inputs)
The MCD election results 2017 are out. And it's a favour of the BJP. The victory is massive and spectacular given the fact that the BJP beat a 10-year anti-incumbency to emerge as the winner.

However, the biggest takeaway from MCD election results is the loss of face for Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. From having won 67 of the 70 assembly seats in Delhi in 2015 to being reduced to a poor second position in the municipal polls, the results clearly indicates that the people of the city-state have lost faith in his leadership and the brand of politics he pursues.

MCD election Results 2017 - LIVE

The Aam Aadmi Party's poor show in the recently concluded assembly polls in Punjab and Goa should have acted as a sounding bell on the mood of the nation but Arvind Kejriwal chose to ignore the warning and they continued to indulge in negative campaigning.

Shocked by AAP's loss in Punjab, Kejriwal had raised questions on the EVMs and suggested that they may have been compromised. The results indicate that the people of Delhi have not believed his claim. And, more shockingly, the AAP in its first comment on the poll results, has once again the BJP has won by manipulating the EVMs.

"It's an EVM wave, not Modi wave," said party leader Gopal Rai.

South Delhi Municipal Election Results 2017 - LIVE

And days before voting, he had warned the people against voting for the BJP. He had, shockingly, said that if people vote of the BJP they themselves will be responsible if their children contract dengue.

North Delhi Municipal Election Results -LIVE

Later, he even warned of launching a "movement" if the MCD poll results go against AAP.

The confrontatist approach adopted by Kejriwal may have worked during his days as an activist but he is now the CM and people judge him by the work done by his government. However, the point appears to have missed him altogether.

East Delhi Municipal Election Results 2017 - LIVE

Kejriwal should now understand that he can't continue to portray himself as the wronged guy, who is fighting against the powerful when he himself is now the Chief Minister of a state.

India has moved ahead of the Lokpal days, it's time he also moves ahead and understands the new reality. Sticking his head in the sand, like an Ostrich, rather than confront uncomfortable facts, won't be of any help now.

And, for once, he should look within rather than blaming others.
New Delhi: In a major breach of data across the globe, 1.1 billion identities were exposed by cyber criminals in 2016, as per a report by Symantec. The number is almost double that compared in 2015.

The number of data breach incidents, however, declined from 1,211 in 2015 to 1,209 in 2016, the report by security solutions firm Symantec said.

While the US had a lion's share of the number of breaches (1,023), India ranked fifth in the tally with eight breaches.

Cyber criminals are adapting to various methods to distribute traditional malware to users via new ways like social media. Also, with mobile phones becoming more prevalent, they are devising more attacks on phones than computers.

In the last eight years, such data breaches have led to more than 7.1 billion identities being exposed.

The report cautioned that the number of incidents reported in the US could be high, owing to the strict legal requirements around reporting data breaches.

"Data breaches are often under-reported in territories where there are no legal requirements in place," Tarun Kaura, Symantec Director (Solution Product Management) Asia Pacific and Japan, said.

The size and scale of these attacks are also on the rise.

In 2016, there were 15 breaches that saw over 10 million identities being compromised. This number stood at 13 in 2015.

The year also saw ransomware continue to escalate as a global problem and a lucrative business for criminals with 36 per cent increase in ransomware attacks worldwide.

Symantec found 64 per cent of American ransomware victims are willing to pay a ransom, compared to 34 per cent globally.

Also, the average ransom demanded spiked 266 per cent to an average of USD 1,077 per victim, up from USD 294 in the previous year.

India ranked second highest in the Asia Pacific region and fifth globally as the region most affected by ransomware, as per the report.

With PTI Inputs
New Delhi: Microsoft founder and billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates has lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his 'Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan' (Clean India Mission).

On the on his gatesnotes.com blog, Gates wrote, Nearly three years ago, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi made one of the boldest comments on public health that I have ever heard from an elected official. It's still having a big impact today.

I cant think of another time when a national leader has broached such a sensitive topic so frankly and so publicly. Even better, Modi backed up his words with actions. Two months after that speech, he launched a campaign called Clean India (Swachh Bharat in Hindi), which now includes ending open defecation nationwide by 2019, installing 75 million toilets throughout the country75 million!and making sure that no untreated waste is dumped into the environment, he added.

Gates also tweeted:

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Indian Prime Minister <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi">@narendramodi</a> put a spotlight on a subject that most of us would rather not even think about: <a href="https://t.co/oUX40Igi6G">https://t.co/oUX40Igi6G</a> <a href="https://t.co/mJnCwhbo4U">pic.twitter.com/mJnCwhbo4U</a></p> Bill Gates (@BillGates) <a href="https://twitter.com/BillGates/status/856925040641757184">April 25, 2017</a></blockquote>

<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

The Microsoft founder, during his visit to India last year had also lauding PM Modi's demonetisation decision.

"The Prime Minister's bold move to demonetise high-value denominations and replace with new notes with high security features is an important step to deflate India?s shadow economy," Gates had said.

He had also added that India "has all the pieces in place for a compelling vision for digital financial inclusion. Aadhaar will convert a cumbersome, paper-based account opening process into a 30-second, all-digital system.

The SBM was officially launched on October 2, 2014 by Modi himslef. It aims universal sanitation and open defecation eradication by 2019, on the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.

It is coordinated by the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation (MDWS) with two Sub-Missions, the Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin) and the Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban).

Modi had also nominated 27 prominent personalities from various walks of life for promoting his pet programme. The list includes Amitabh Bachchan, Ramdev and Sachin Tendulkar among others.
New Delhi: A day after NITI Aayog member Bibek Debroy made a strong case for taxing agriculture income, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said that the government has no plans to impose any tax on agricultural income.

"I categorically state that the Central government has no plan to impose any tax on agriculture income," Jaitley said in a tweet, clarifying that the Centre has no constitutional authority to tax agricultural income.

A ministry of finance tweet said:

FM @arunjaitley : I categorically state that the Central Government has no plan to impose any tax on agriculture income .  Ministry of Finance (@FinMinIndia) April 26, 2017

As per the constitutional allocation of powers, the central government has no jurisdiction to impose tax on agricultural income, the tweet further said.

FM @arunjaitley :As per the Constitutional Allocation of Powers, the Central Govt has no jurisdiction to impose tax on agricultural income.  Ministry of Finance (@FinMinIndia) April 26, 2017

Debroy had said on Tuesday that taxes should be imposed on agricultural income above a certain threshold in order to expand the tax base.

"On expanding the base on the personal income tax side, other than elimination of exemptions, is to also tax rural sector, including agriculture income above certain threshold," Debroy said.

The NITI Aayog in a statement on Wednesday said that Debroy`s suggestion is neither the view of the Aayog "nor is such a recommendation made anywhere in the Draft Action Agenda document as circulated to the Governing Council at the meeting on 23rd April 2017."

"NITI Aayog notes that the views on taxing farm income expressed by Member Bibek Debroy were personal and not those of the Aayog," it added.

NITI Aayog Vice-Chairman Arvind Panagariya, who was present at the press conference, however refrained from answering questions on taxation of agriculture income.

In May 2016, the Prime Minister's Office had advised the NITI Aayog to prepare documents on 15-Year Vision, Seven-Year Strategy and Three-Year Action Agenda.

With Agency Inputs
New Delhi: The government has said that the tax rate on services under the new goods and services tax (GST) regime under two slabs.

A report in the Live Mint said that finance minister Arun Jaitley is likely to limit the tax rate on services at 12 and and 18 percent.

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.
New Delhi: This is no bluff. Like most of the guys, Sudan, the world's last male white northern rhino has joined Tinder dating app after facing extinction threat.

Seeing the animal's deperation for a mate, Ol Pejeta conservancy has teamed up with dating app Tinder to raise awareness of how Sudans species is facing extinction.

Conservationists hope that Sudan will help raise enough money for $9milion fertility treatment - as all attempts to get him to mate have failed.

Sudans keepers fear he may be killed before they can raise the money needed for his treatment but if its a success - we may see more of these beasts walking the African plains for years to come.

Watch video:
Brussels: The EU launched legal action against Hungary on Wednesday over a law that could shut a university founded by US billionaire George Soros, the European Commission said.

"We have decided to take legal action on the higher education law by sending a letter of formal notice to the Hungarian government," EU vice president Valdis Dombrovskis told a news conference.
Research on the physician assistant (PA) profession is at a crossroads of developmentsuccessful as an innovation but unsure of new directions. The PA arose out of ideas that another set of skilled hands could improve the delivery of physician services. The evidence is that PAs may be functioning beyond expectations. Questions of how PAs function is observed through multiple approaches of research: sociological, economic, historical, educational, anthropological, organizational, and health services research. On the occasion of the PA profession's 50th anniversary, the question arises as to what PA research has shown the world, and where it might be heading.

When the PA profession first developed, little was known about this vocation. After PAs gained initial credibility, historical documents emerged suggesting that prototype PAs were abundant in the world with different names, origins, and functions. As of 2017, PAs are found in a number of countries and their documentation is slowly accumulating.1

This study is an attempt to offer some context of PA-focused research spanning the first half-century of the profession and how various investigations may have contributed to the understanding of what PAs are and what they do. A bibliographical search on the literature found more than 6,000 titles specific to PAs or health professionals comparable to PAs. This field was narrowed to about 700 studies that contributed to advancing the benefits of PAs to the societies they occupy. Three eras emerged naturally that tend to illustrate the marked evolution of research (Table 1).

TABLE 1.: Historical research eras in the PA profession

THE EARLY YEARS: 1960S TO EARLY 1980S

The early years of PA research are characterized by defining a construct (that is, PAs) more than providing evidence. Early writers theorized whether there should be PAs, identifying that such an assistant was needed, and suggesting various names, even before there were US PAs.2 The notion of using health practitioners who were not physicians to provide medical services was not new. Amos Johnson, MD, a solo practitioner in Garland, N.C., had an assistant, Henry Lee Buddy Treadwell, whom he trained and occasionally left alone to manage his medical practice.3 (See PA prototypethe legacy of Buddy Treadwell in the March issue of JAAPA.) Other PA prototypes included the assistant medical officer in Micronesia, Fiji, and Papua, New Guinea; the apothecary in Ceylon; the public health worker in Ethiopia; the clinical assistant in Kenya; the barefoot doctor in China; the practicante in Puerto Rico; the rural nurse in Cuba; the officier de sante in France; and the feldsher in Eastern Europe. All had been clinicians in use before the contemporary PA emerged (Table 2). In the United States, one proposal was the term assistant medical officer to describe a type of healthcare worker almost identical to today's PA.4,5

TABLE 2.: Types of health professionals in various countries

PAs were introduced in the United States in the mid-1960s.6 That three prominent academic physicians introduced the US PA almost simultaneously and equidistant across the continent in three highly respected academic medical centers is curious, yet there is no evidence they knew each other.7 This historical event occurred initially at Duke University in Durham, N.C. From the onset, interest in PA activity was almost immediate, both to satisfy that PAs could be what the early creators envisioned, and to capture what many thought was a historical achievement.8-17 In the same decade, Henry Silver, MD, and Loretta Ford, RN, introduced the child health associate in Colorado and Richard A. Smith, MD, MPH, the MEDEX health professional in Washington State.18,19 A handful of colleges and universities soon followed with their own PA programs. Interestingly, these programs never aligned with each other.20,21 But, as each program developed, they produced research documents that serve to anchor the history.22-29

A great deal of health services research was performed during the 1970s and 1980s examining the effect of introducing PAs into medical practices. Sometimes these were case control studies and sometimes the investigators compared the productivity of small practices before and after introducing a PA.30 The Bureau of Health Professions in the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare (now the Department of Health and Human Services) underwrote much of this research. After a decade, more than 60 research publications revealed that PAs were well accepted, safe, and effective practitioners in medical care delivery. Studies also showed that patient acceptance of the PA role was high and that most PAs worked in general medical care practices in medically needy areas.31-36

Many of the seminal evaluations of PA use were performed in ambulatory care practices and in health maintenance organizations (HMOs). In such settings, PA clinical performance was impressive. Their productivity (number of patient visits) approached and sometimes exceeded that of family medicine physicians. PA productivity rates in a large group model HMO showed that the physician/PA substitutability ratio, a measure of overall clinical efficiency, was 76%.31,37,38 A review of the literature examining the issue of delegation in the 1970s identified 10 studies that used office visits as an output measure (Table 3). In the aggregate, the range of delegation (also known as task transfer) was broad, 6% to 99%, with considerable overlap even within a single setting or time of observation.31-36,38,39

TABLE 3.: Delegation of office visits to PAs: Summary of observations from 1971 to 1978

By the end of the first decade of PA implementation, experience and empirical research indicated that US medicine's adoption of PAs had been generally positive. PAs were responsive to the public and the medical mandate to work in generalist and specialist care roles in medically underserved areas. They were gaining recognition as being competent, effective, and clinically versatile healthcare providers after major health research studies revealed their clinical effectiveness.40 Research began to appear on PAs, their behaviors, and their comparisons to physicians. Experiments involving hypotheses and manipulation of variables began to drive the research. The critics became fewer in number.

Questions of economy and value have been paramount to the profession: Are PAs cost-effective? Do they provide high-quality care? Many of the findings undertaken in the early days of the PA profession were intended to answer those questions.40 Out of this and other work came reports that PAs are competent, provide physician-comparable healthcare services at lower cost, and in some instances are superior to physicians in some areas of quality.41 Although PA cost-effectiveness in this early period was never considered conclusive in all clinical practice settings, substantial empirical research confirmed that PAs are cost-effective in most settings.42-44 The most significant statement about this era is that it is highly unlikely PAs would have been employed if they were not cost-effective.

Evidence indicates that the organizational setting is closely related to the productivity and possible cost benefits of PA use. Scheffler documented that PAs employed in institutional settings were more productive than those in private practice and saw more patients in the same period of time.45 Record's seminal work noted correlations among productivity, delegation of tasks, and organizational size; she and her collaborators proposed that personnel economies of scale and cost savings incentives were the likely explanations for their observations in HMOs.37 By 1980, Record had predicted that PAs could skillfully assume at least 84% of all ambulatory medical care services in the United States; her findings were published in the book Staffing Primary Care in the 1990s.37

RETRENCHMENT AND DIVERSIFICATION: 1980S TO 2005

By the late 1970s, the profession was reaching a point of stabilization around the advocated concept of a primary care model and a minimum of training defined by accreditation standards that were sponsored by the American Medical Association.46 Just when PA development was underway, an influential event occurredthe 1980 release of the Graduate Medical Education National Advisory Committee (GMENAC) report predicted physician surpluses, which resulted in a substantial retrenchment in the training of all health professionals.47,48 The healthcare workforce cutback was so extreme that it was not unusual to hear discussions as to whether PAs would be necessary. Following the release of the GMENAC report and until the early 1990s, PA program enrollment was flat, graduating about 1,200 PAs annually, and only a few new PA programs were established.49,50

This phase of PA research concentrated on describing the spread of the profession into other specialties, its activity throughout the healthcare workforce, its educational processes, and its use. As an extension of the early research that documented the role, value, and acceptance of PAs in a variety of clinical settings, PA educators, researchers, and supporting organizations turned to the task of describing the profession and its educational system. During this period, many of the early studies on PA acceptance were small-scale local projects. The defining characteristic of this phase was the success in establishing generalizable large-scale surveys of a national scope that were performed regularly, thus documenting the profession and its changes over time.

When the First Annual Report on Physician Assistant Educational Programs in the United States, 1984-85, was published by the Association of Physician Assistant Programs (APAP), it was the initial detailed description of the education landscape.50 Later, a summary of the report was published in the Journal of Medical Education.51 With minor revisions, a Report on Physician Assistant Educational Programs in the United States has been undertaken annually, creating a rich trove of trend data for scholars and educators.51,52

Although the annual census of PAs could be estimated from those who passed the Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam (PANCE), researchers had no way to determine how many of those PAs were in clinical practice or what they did. The first effort to collect data on this population was the 1981 publication of the 1978 APAP national survey of PAs undertaken by Henry Perry.53 In 1990, the American Academy of PAs (AAPA) piloted its first national survey of all PAs, administered to AAPA members from 1991 through 1994. Beginning in 1995, the AAPA Census was mailed to all individuals eligible to practice as PAs, and summary results of these data from 1996 onward are publically available.54

In this post-GMENAC retrenchment phase, a 1986 publication from Congress' Office of Technology Assessment (OTA) concluded that the contributions of PAs, NPs, and certified nurse-midwives (CNMs) were competent and substantial, and recommended that the professions be expanded by providing funding for their services.41 Although perhaps overly optimistic in its conclusions, the OTA report was welcome news to a profession that had been experiencing relatively stagnant growth and worrying if it was irrelevant.55 Additionally, data published from a large HMO in 1986 again validated positive physician attitudes about PAs (Figure 1).56

FIGURE 1.: 56 Comparison of physician attitudes toward use of NPs and PAs

PA educators performed studies to address specific questions important to the profession's viability. Denis Oliver and Reginald Carter analyzed the 1981 APAP national survey of PAs, and published articles describing PA salaries and documenting discrepancies in PA salaries by sex.57-59 At the time, PA educators were collecting students' experiences following graduation, which anecdotally described the contribution of PAs to the healthcare delivery system.53 This was self-serving evidence that the educational processes were appropriate.19,60 Some research was published addressing specific questions of educational effectiveness, but typically these efforts were one-program studies with limited generalizability. One survey studied the attitudes of supervising physicians, physicians in family practice residency training, and sophomore medical students about the need for PAs, the quality of PA training, and the specific services each of these groups felt could be best provided by a PA; another compared the performance of medical students and PA students in interdisciplinary courses.61

Starting in the mid-1990s, the number of PA programs and the number of students enrolled and graduated increased dramatically. This was at first in response to increasing demand for PAs due to early healthcare reforms and the emergence of the managed care funding model that readily employed PAs. Later the demand was in response to restrictions on medical resident work hours and the need to back fill house officer (resident) shortages with PAs.62 PA educational programs also began a rapid transformation from conferring a certificate or undergraduate degree to the graduate level award of a master's degree. The resulting large influx of graduating cohorts possessing an entry-level master's degree changed the size and demographics of the profession in a relatively short time. However, despite this transformation and a substantial increase in the number of PAs and PA faculty with graduate degrees, the proportion of PA faculty who have performed any scholarly activity has remained constant at about one-third.63,64 PANCE scores, the only easily obtainable outcome measurement all US PA graduates have in common, have been studied by many to determine whether program characteristics or student characteristics affect scores or pass rates. McDowell and colleagues studied the correlation between PANCE scores and program variables.65 Hooker and colleagues investigated a 5-year aggregate of PANCE scores for correlation of performance to individual or program characteristics, and Asprey and colleagues looked at three PANCE cohorts 5 years apart to see whether changes in program characteristics, individual characteristics, or the granting of a master's degree were correlated with PANCE scores or pass rates.66-68

Until 2000, most PAs had practiced in outpatient settings, as PAs were not commonly used in hospitals. This was due to a general lack of reimbursement for inpatient PA services. The exception was in postgraduate education programs where PAs were often used as house officers.69 The passage of HR 2015, the Balanced Budget Act of 1997, provided payment for PA (as well as NP and CNM) services at 85% of the physician rate in all settings.70 This created a funding stream for inpatient PA practice, resulting in increasing opportunities in medical specialties. New PA graduates choosing primary care jobs fell from 62% in 1996 to 34% in 2003, perhaps due in part to this new revenue stream for specialty practices.70 The increased number of new PA graduates expanding throughout the healthcare delivery system, estimated to total 4,475 in 2004, also raised concern about the effect of PAs on medical liability and malpractice litigation.71,72 Several studies were published that documented that the legal risk of using PAs was relatively low.73,74 However, as PAs increased in number and populated a greater proportion of healthcare delivery clinicians, the remaining unanswered question at the start of the new millennium was an old familiar one: What financial value do PAs contribute to the healthcare team?

CONTRIBUTION TO HEALTH SERVICES: 2005 TO PRESENT

For many, the work to date had provided convincing evidence that the PA model was changing the environment of medicine. PAs were seen as an innovation in medical care delivery where shortages in underserved populations could be readily addressed.75 Perhaps there were simply enough PAs in the workforce to expose sufficient numbers of patients to a positive experience. With time, perhaps a critical mass effect was reached, making it clear that the profession was a permanent part of the healthcare landscape. Or perhaps PAs had entered a new era in healthcare delivery that medicine was a shared occupation. At the same time, the cost of healthcare was rising at an unsustainable rate in the United States and something was needed to address this problem.76 Despite outspending all other countries, the United States had care that was not as good as that in comparable nations.77 With the aging US population and increases in the prevalence of chronic illnesses, policy makers had serious concerns about the health of the healthcare system.78 Managed care had ended, and policy makers were debating how to redesign a system to address these trends. More people needed access to care, quality needed to improve, and costs needed to go downthus the Triple Aim was born.76 With these goals in mind, health delivery being restructured, and projected physician shortages, team-based care was the phrase on everyone's lips. Likely it was a combination of those influences, but many sounded the call for greater reliance on PAs.79-82

This call for greater reliance of PAs in team-based care delivery moved past the policy question that asked whether US healthcare should include PAs. A new era of research questions began, asking how PAs should be best used. This new era of research can be categorized as

clinical role delineation, particularly in a team setting

outcomes associated with PA care delivery

evaluations of the supply versus demand for PAs.

Multiple specialties in internal medicine and surgery developed team models that used PAs to address specific delivery issues. In an attempt to shorten ED length of stay, one urban medical center developed a discharge facilitator team with a physician, PA, and nurse to identify low-acuity patients who could be rapidly treated, resulting in a 35% shorter length of stay.83 To reduce 30-day readmission rates, another group found significant improvement using a PA home care program for patients recovering from cardiac surgery.84 A study at an academic cancer center described the development of a PA in infectious diseases to work on a multidisciplinary cancer team.85 Another evaluated the effect of including PAs or NPs in cardiology clinics. This study found that clinics with two or more PAs or NPs did at least as good, if not better at delivering guideline-recommended heart failure care than did physician-only clinics.86 At the same time, some studies did not provide sufficient information about the team design to allow for replication of the model. In particular, it was often unclear if the PA was strictly dedicated to the tasks described, or if part of the position included other clinical duties.

At the same time, PA role delineation studies were undertaken in a variety of specialties. For example, a study using the American Academy of Dermatology practice profile survey in 2006 identified that the 29% of participating practices employed PAs (23%) or NPs (10%), or both (6%) with most clinics using PAs or NPs to see medical dermatology patients while the physician was engaged in surgical and cosmetic dermatology.87 A case study of PAs and NPs in pediatric neurosurgery qualitatively described clinical, quality improvement, research, and teaching activities as well as scope of practice.88 Multiple studies involved surveying PAs in a given specialty to determine which clinical activities were performed.89-92 Other studies used large national data sets, such as the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey, to identify types of services provided by PAs and NPs.93

One of the comprehensive role delineation analyses was a national, mixed-methods study of PAs in rheumatology. The study found that these specialized PAs worked in a range of practice types, treated a full range of rheumatology conditions, performed a variety of services, and often participated in research.94 Given the expansion of PAs into specialties, role delineation studies are critical and surprisingly absent from the literature. To understand the role of a PA in a given setting is to outline the range of tasks and competencies. More importantly, roles are defined by the division of labor between a PA and the other clinicians on the immediate team. Only one study to date has described roles, in primary care, in this manner.95

The number of studies evaluating the outcomes associated with PA practice is growing and more critical questions are emerging. Quality of care continues to be evaluated in various specialties and settings. Several studies demonstrated that enjoining PAs on hospitalists' services resulted in quality outcomes (such as length of stay, inpatient mortality, rehospitalization rates, and cost of service) that were at least as good as or better than teams including physician residents.96-98 Critical care studies also demonstrated that patients on services with PAs had similar mortality as patients on services with house officers.99 A particularly notable study demonstrated that PAs, NPs, and physicians provide similar amounts of low-value health services.100 Cost and efficiency studies are remarkable in consistently showing value added when a PA is introduced to the service. One Medicare study of patients who saw PAs for a large portion of their office visits had fewer visits per year, suggesting that PAs are less likely to refer than physicians.101 Several studies suggested that PAs could help healthcare organizations achieve cost savings.102,103 However, even within a specialty, PAs can perform a variety of roles that improve the throughput of patient care.104 Only one study compared the effectiveness of different roles in a specialty or setting.105

Quality of care and patterns of practice are emerging as important linked services when patient level outcomes and service use is examined. When undertaken in primary care settings just in this decade, the indicators are statistically indistinguishable from physicians and in some instances better.106

THE FUTURE

The PA profession continues to evolve, resulting in a greater need for research to improve understanding of how PAs fit into the healthcare landscape. Are they valued due to their reduced labor cost or is there some synergy effect that improves with team-based care? To address the growing array of societal questions, one strategy is for the profession to develop academically, and specifically develop a sufficient cadre of skilled researchers.107 Understanding the effects of PAs on any healthcare system requires measurement, development, team-based role definitions, and outcomes research. Better measures can be developed for concepts key to PA practice including autonomy and interdependence. Roles, in all medical and surgical specialties, need to be conceptually and operationally defined in relation to other team member roles, and evaluated on the organization and patient levels. Finally, studies must evaluate a variety of roles and multiple key outcomes simultaneously and longitudinally to truly understand how PA practice affects patients, providers, and organizations. Such studies require significant resources and advanced methodologieswhich means if PAs want to study themselves, they will need research training and mentorship.

CONCLUSION

In the first half-century, research about PAs has reflected the context of the country. The profession was born in the 1960s, a complex time in US history when many people believed that social problems could be solved with enough effort and talent, and that in the end healthcare would be advanced. Such pursuit of social engineering created the PA profession and pushed it forward. Scientists examining many aspects of the nascent PA profession in the first era concluded that PAs were useful. The second era determined that PAs served society well. Entering the new millennium, the outcomes and contributions of the previous eras functioned as foundations for more refined and granular examination. The past generates the general direction but the scholars arising from within and outside the profession define where the profession is heading in terms of usefulness. In the next era, the focus needs to be on role delineation research in a wide range of specialties, critical team and organizational research, education processes, and outcomes of care including access, quality and cost of care, and workforce supply and demand. PA scholars are needed to be key players in asking and answering these questions. To do so requires the profession to invest in developing researchers. The future of PA research will be what the PA profession, collectively, makes it.
Somme: French presidential frontrunner Emmanuel Macron headed to rival Marine Le Pen`s stronghold on Wednesday to try to win over voters after facing criticism he was not taking the fight to the far-right leader.

Le Pen, 48, was first out of the blocks after the first round of voting on Sunday, hitting the campaign trail and accusing the pro-EU centrist Macron of representing "runaway globalisation" and lacking love for his country.

The 39-year-old ex-banker met with representatives of workers from a Whirlpool domestic appliance factory in Amiens, northwest of Paris, that is threatened with outsourcing to Poland. He is to hold a rally in Arras, a city in the northern rustbelt where Le Pen topped the first round of voting.

Macron`s visit to Amiens, his hometown, comes as a Harris Interactive poll showed 52 percent of the French believe the pro-EU Macron botched the start of campaigning for the May 7 run-off in France`s presidential vote.

After winning Sunday`s contest with 24.1 percent to Le Pen`s 21.3 percent, he gave an exuberant victory speech followed by a high-profile celebration at Paris bistro La Rotonde bistro, drawing criticism even from his own side.

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."

President Francois Hollande appeared on Tuesday to admonish his former economy minister for not taking the fight to Le Pen immediately after the first round.

Macron shot back Tuesday, saying: "I will continue to fight for two weeks... I will defend the progressive camp to the end."Since securing her berth in the run-off, 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 would determine the shape of a future Macron government.

Le Pen will hold a rally in the Riviera city of Nice on Wednesday, a bastion of France`s right that was targeted by a jihadist-inspired truck attack that killed 86 people in July.

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.

Still, polls suggest that Macron will trounce Le Pen in the run-off 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.

A key factor in the race is which candidate the supporters of Communist-backed Jean-Luc Melenchon, who finished in fourth place with 19.58 percent on Sunday, will back in the run-off.

Melenchon faced criticism after he failed to urge people who voted for him to get behind Macron in the run-off as part of the so-called "republican front", the decades-old French tactic of closing ranks to block the far-right.

Melenchon`s France Insoumise (Unbowed France) movement is holding a consultation on which candidate to back in the second round, but his spokesman Alexis Corbiere said the eliminated candidate would not express his own preference.

Corbiere however told French TV channel LCI earlier Wednesday that "for us the National Front is a danger" and urged viewers to not give "a single vote to the National Front."

Le Pen said Monday she was quitting temporarily as head of her National Front (FN) 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.
Istanbul: Turkey on Wednesday detained over 1,000 alleged supporters of US-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, the biggest crackdown since President Recep Tayyip Erdogan`s victory in a referendum on ramping up his powers.

The dawn raids across the country came just a week after Erdogan narrowly won public blessing for the controversial changes to the constitution to create a presidential system.

They are the latest indication Turkey intends no let-up in the fight against its perceived enemies after the referendum, with fighter jets Tuesday pounding Kurdish militant targets in Iraq and northern Syria.

A total of 1,009 suspects have so far been detained in raids in 72 provinces across the country, the official Anadolu news agency quoted Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu as saying.

Turkish authorities blame Gulen for masterminding the July failed military coup that aimed to oust Erdogan from power but he denies the charges.

Some 8,500 police officers were involved in the nationwide operation, Anadolu reported, adding that arrest warrants had been issued for 390 suspects in Istanbul alone.

Indicating that the numbers detained were set to rise, Soylu said the raids were continuing.

"It is an important step for the Turkish Republic," he added.

The `Yes` camp won 51.41 percent of the vote in the April 16 referendum but opponents claim the result would have been reversed in a fair poll.

Analysts have said that in the wake of the poll Erdogan faces a choice between confrontation and reconciliation with the nation deeply divided.

Turkey accuses the Hizmet (Service) movement Gulen leads of being a "terror organisation" although the group insists it is a peaceful organisation promoting moderate Islam.

The government has repeatedly asked the United States to extradite Gulen, who has been living in exile there since 1999.

Some 47,000 people have already been arrested in Turkey under a nine-month state of emergency in place since the coup bid, a crackdown whose magnitude has raised alarm in the West.

The Turkish parliament just ahead of the referendum extended the state of emergency by another three months to July 19.The Hurriyet newspaper reported that arrest warrants had been issued against a total of 7,000 suspects in all over Turkey, citing unidentified sources.

It said the simultaneous raids across the country were carried out in cooperation between police and the National Intelligence Organisation (MIT).

The suspects are so-called "secret imams" of Gulen suspected of infiltrating themselves into the police or other state institutions, it reported.

Erdogan has repeated said he will wipe out the "virus" of Gulen from state institutions after the failed coup.

The vast operation targeted big cities like Istanbul as well as Izmir in western Turkey and Konya in the Anatolian heartland.

Prime Minister Binali Yildirim had hinted in a television interview this month that a new anti-Gulen crackdown has been in the pipeline.

"The network of its relationships has not been solved so far," he said, adding that new evidence would provide the government with the opportunity in the fight against what Ankara calls "FETO" (Fethullah Terror Organisation).

"Things will take a different course. The details will be clear in the coming days."Analysts have said Erdogan after the poll can choose between new confrontation or reconciliation with the West but in the last days tensions have risen further.

The day earlier, Turkish warplanes killed more than two dozen Kurdish fighters Tuesday in strikes in Syria and Iraq, angering the United States.

Turkey said it had carried out the strikes against "terrorist havens", vowing to continue acting against groups it links to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers` Party (PKK).

In northeast Syria, strikes targeted the Kurdish People`s Protection Units (YPG) -- who are leading the offensive against the Islamic State stronghold Raqa.

The US State Department said it was "deeply concerned" the strikes were conducted "without proper coordination either with the United States or the broader global coalition" against IS.

Meanwhile the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe
Islamabad: Indian High Commissioner in Islamabad Gautam Bambawale, Wednesday, met Pakistan Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua to officially file an appeal against the death sentence given to Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav for alleged spying.

We have filed an appeal and we want that Kulbhushan Jadhav is released at the earliest, Bambawale told reporters after the meeting.

As per Pakistani law, an appeal had to be filed within 40 days of the sentencing. Jadhav was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court for alleged spying on April 10. The appeal has been filed under Pak Army Act Section 133(B) - Court of Appeals.

During his meeting the Pakistan Foreign Secretary, Bambawale also demanded consular access to Kulbhushan Jadhav.

Pakistan has denied Indias request for consular access to 46-year-old Jadhav over a dozen times in the last one year.

Pakistan Army has already rejected any chance of granting consular access to Jadhav who was sentenced to death for espionage and subversive activities.

During his previous meeting with Januja - on April 14  Bambawale had asked for the list of charges and authentic copy of verdict of military tribunal against Jadhav to launch an appeal against his conviction.

He also said that India was seeking consular access on the basis on international law humanitarian grounds.

Pakistan Foreign Office has said that during the period of the trial of Jadhav, the due judicial process was followed and he was provided with a lawyer in accordance with relevant laws and the Constitution of Pakistan.

Jadhav was awarded death sentence by the Field General Court Martial earlier this month, evoking a sharp reaction in India which warned Pakistan of consequences and damage to bilateral ties if the "pre-meditated murder" was carried out.

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.

However, India denied Pakistans contention and maintained that Jadhav was kidnapped by the Pakistan authorities.

India had acknowledged that Jadhav had served with the navy but denied that he has any connection with the government.

With agency in
New Delhi: The results of Joint Entrance Examination (Main) 2017, JEE Main 2017 will be released on April 27 (Thursday).

Also Read: JEE Main Result 2017 declared

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) will upload the results on the official website jeemain.nic.in and cbseresults.nic.in

The CBSE on April 18 released the Joint Entrance Examination (Main) 2017 scanned images of OMR answer sheets of the candidates with their recorded responses and answer keys.

How to check JEE Main 2017 results:

-Visit the official website

-Click on the link JEE Main 2017 Results

- Enter application number, date of birth and name

- Click on submit

- Your results will be displayed on the screen. Take a print out and save for future reference.

The JEE scores form the basis of admission into NITs, IIITs, other centrally funded technical Institutions.

Candidates who clear the JEE Main examination are eligible to sit for the JEE advanced for admission in IITs.
Delhi: Pakistan has once again reportedly turned down consular access to Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav who has been sentenced to death by a military court.

Indian High Commissioner Gautam Bambawale met Pakistan's Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua and made a fresh request for consular access to Jadhav, the external affairs ministry said in press release in New Delhi.

This was the 16th request for access.

However, Pakistani media reported that Janjua turned down Bambawale's demand saying, "access under (bilateral) agreement is meant for prisoners and not for spies."

Pakistan has rejected India's request for consular access to Jadhav 15 times.

Pakistan Army had also previously ruled out granting India consular access to Jadhav, who was sentenced to death for "espionage and subversive activities".

Pakistan Army had also previously ruled out granting India consular access to Jadhav, who was sentenced to death for "espionage and subversive activities".

At the same time, India today handed over to Pakistan an appeal by the mother of retired Indian Navy officer, initiating a process to get his conviction overturned.

Janjua was also given by Bambawale a petition by Jadhav's mother seeking the Pakistan government's intervention for his release and expressing the desire to meet him.

It is the second time that Bambawale has met Janjua in connection with the naval officer's case.

As per the appeal system in Pakistan, a death row convict has to move an appellate court within 40 days of the pronouncement of the verdict.

"Pakistan was also requested to facilitate visas for the mother and father of Jadhav. They wish to travel to Pakistan to meet him and also to personally file the petition and the appeal. They have applied for necessary visa with the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi," the ministry added, as per PTI.

On April 14, Bambawale had met with the Pakistan foreign secretary and expressed India's concern regarding the whereabouts and health condition of Jadhav.

He had told the media that after his meeting that he had asked for a list of charges and an authentic copy of the verdict of the military tribunal against the retired officer to launch an appeal process against his conviction.

Jadhav was given death sentence by the Field General Court Martial earlier this month, evoking a sharp reaction in India which warned Pakistan of consequences and damage to bilateral ties if the "pre-meditated murder" was carried out.

(With PTI inputs)
New Delhi: External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Wednesday here called upon visiting Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.



"Visit of a special partner. Sri Lankan PM Wickremesinghe arrives in Delhi on April 25, meets EAM Sushma Swaraj today (Wednesday)," External Affairs Ministry spokesman Gopal Baglay tweeted.



Wickremesinghe later in the day will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi.



The Sri Lankan Prime Minister is visiting India from April 25-29, ahead of Modi`s scheduled visit to the island nation in May for the Vesak Day celebrations.



During the visit, both the countries will discuss the dispute over fishing activities in the Palk Bay and cooperation in the shipping and port sector.



Wickremesinghe in 2016 was on a three-day official visit to India to attend the opening plenary of the India Economic Summit.


New Delhi: Telecos will continue to face difficulties in fiscal 2018 while the customers will be in for some more delight owing to the continuation of unbelievable offers being brought out by Reliance Jio, as per a newspaper report.



An Economic Times report said that Jio will continue with its sharp discounts and complimentary services for the next 12-18 months in a bid to garner about 15% of Indias wireless subscribers.

Quoting a Morgan Stanley report, ET said the tactic would lead to pressure on the average revenue per user (ARPU) of incumbent operators.

ARPU for Bharti Airtel, Idea Cellular and Vodafone India has been effectively capped at about Rs 300, thanks to Jios current offers, it added.

Jio plans to double its network size by adding 1 lakh additional mobile sites in coming months.

The company launched its 4G service commercially on September 5, 2016 for free and crossed 50 million subscribers in just 83 days, and 100 million in 170 days, adding at an average rate of 6 lakh subscribers per day.

The company started charging for mobile services from April 1 where it is also offering a scheme, Jio Prime'.

Jio subscribers opting for Jio Prime are required to pay one-time plan fee of Rs 99 and then choose monthly rental plan starting 303. The company introduced another plan with monthly rental starting Rs 309 for Jio Prime members.

Two of the top three telcos are set to "bleed" due to intense competition triggered after the launch of Reliance Jio, a Crisil report has said.

Since its launch last September offering free services for almost six months, Jio is estimated to have cornered 55 percent of total data consumption, while the overall data traffic has grown five times in the last one year, it said.
New Delhi: Google has paid tribute to NASAs Cassini Spacecraft entering the "Grand Finale" of Saturn mission with a special doodle.

Cassini`s series of swoops between Saturn and its rings are part of the spacecraft`s dramatic "Grand Finale," a daring set of orbits offering Earthlings an unprecedented look at the second largest planet in our solar system.

"By plunging into this fascinating frontier, Cassini will help scientists learn more about the origins, mass, and age of Saturn`s rings, as well as the mysteries of the gas giant`s interior. And of course there will be breathtaking additions to Cassini`s already stunning photo gallery," Google said in a statement.

In the animated Doodle by Nate Swinehart, Cassini is personified as an interstellar photographer who takes selfies before and during the dive between Saturn and its rings.

Cassini, launched in 1997, is a joint endeavour of NASA, the European Space Agency (ESA), and the Italian space agency (ASI). It arrived at Saturn in 2004.

During its time at Saturn, Cassini has made numerous dramatic discoveries, including a global ocean that showed indications of hydrothermal activity within the icy moon Enceladus, and liquid methane seas on its moon Titan.

Now 20 years since launching from Earth, and after 13 years orbiting the ringed planet, Cassini is running low on fuel.

In 2010, NASA decided to end the mission with a purposeful plunge into Saturn in 2017.

Using expertise gained over the mission`s many years, Cassini engineers designed a flight plan that will maximise the scientific value of sending the spacecraft toward its fateful plunge into the planet on September 15.

When Cassini makes its final plunge into Saturn`s atmosphere on September 15, it will send data from several instruments -- most notably, data on the atmosphere`s composition -- until its signal is lost, NASA said.

With Agency Inputs
New Delhi: The Centre plans to procure advanced aerial surveillance equipment, including foliage penetration radar, to monitor the activities of Naxals who operate in thick forests in Chhattisgarh and other areas, in the wake of the killing of 25 CRPF men.

The foliage penetration radar is the need of the hour and the government was looking for its procurement as early as possible, a senior Home Ministry official said.

The move comes following the killing of 25 CRPF personnel in a dense forest in Sukma district in Chhattisgarh by Naxals on Monday.

Security forces often face difficulties in gathering intelligence through unmanned aerial vehicles which could not penetrate upto ground level in forest area where the Maoists operate.

However, a foliage penetration radar could get ground movements of the Naxals as the machine can click pictures even through densely forested areas.

The official said only a few companies produce foliage penetration radars globally and hence a move has to be initiated to scout for such manufacturers as early as possible.
Mumbai: Retail loans grew at a healthy 17.7 percent in 2016, but there was an increase in dud loans in the segment which has become a focus area for the lenders amid difficulties to grow corporate books, says a report.

"Consumer lending remains robust with originations and portfolio growing at 17.7 per cent in 2016 over 2015. Secured products, mainly property and gold loans, are growing the fastest," Shahid Charania, credit information company Equifax managing director for emerging markets said in a report today.

The overall retail loans increased 17.7 per cent to Rs 40.25 trillion as of end December 2016.

Delinquency rates in the segment, which was labelled as a safe-haven amid asset quality woes in the corporate lending segment, grew to 2.10 per cent in 2016 from 1.52 per cent in 2015. But the report noted a 0.06 per cent fall in the dud loan ratio in the last quarter of the year.

The late improvement in retail NPAs was driven by improvement in portfolios of auto and agri loans at public sector banks and non-bank finance companies, the report said.

It can be noted that every bank is focussing on retail due to a huge slowdown in corporate credit pick-up as private investments struggle to pick-up. The last time credit grew lower than this was in fiscal 1954 when it inched up at 1.7 per cent, according to the Reserve Bank data.

Official data pointed to a 64 year low in overall credit growth at paltry 5.1 per cent for fiscal 2017.

A surge in property and gold loans drove the secured segment to grow the fastest at 18.7 per cent in the December quarter over the same period last year.

Half of the over Rs 40 trillion of receivables are with state-run banks, with mortgage and agri loans contributing to 51 per cent of them, it said.
New Delhi: The ugly spat between popular faces on Indian television Sunil Grover and Kapil Sharma is now old news. There has been no reconciliation between the two so far. Kapil, on one hand, is busy making headlines for some reason or the other related to his show and upcoming film 'Firangi' whereas Sunil, on the other hand, is busy with his stage shows.

Interestingly, Sunil has gained more popularity post the much talked about the fight with Kapil, especially on social media. Now, Shraddha Kapoor and Arjun Kapoor starrer 'Half Girlfriend' is ready to hit the screens on May 19, 2017, and the promotions have kicked off already.

Recently, Shraddha took to Twitter and shared a hilarious meme which has gone viral on the social media. It has the lead actress of the film uttering 'I can be your half girlfriend' and Sunil as Dr Mashoor Gulati says, 'Aisa Kaun Karta Hai Bhai'.

Replying to Shraddha's post, Sunil wrote on Twitter: Ha ha Just saw. Well..as a doctor I feel this half girlfriend is going to get housefull. Ya..!

Ha ha Just saw. Well..as a doctor I feel this half girlfriend is going to get housefull. Ya..! https://t.co/Tlb3634pNV  Sunil Grover (@WhoSunilGrover) April 25, 2017

Their Twitter exchange is too cool to be missed this morning!
Jaipur: High drama was witnessed in the Rajasthan Assembly on Wednesday where 14 opposition MLAs were barred for an year on the ground of indiscipline but the suspension of 12 Congress members in this group was later reduced to a day following an apology.

A dozen Congress MLAs, including the party's deputy whip Govind Singh Dotasara, a BSP legislator and an independent were suspended for an year after a proposal moved by the ruling side chief whip Kalu Lal Gurjar was passed by voice vote.

However, after senior party leader Pradyuman Singh tendered an apology on behalf of his colleagues, the suspension period of the 12 Congress members was reduced to one day.

Gurjar, moved a revised proposal which too was passed.

Speaker Kailash Meghwal said that a decision on the suspension of the remaining two MLAs ? independent Hanuman Beniwal and BSP's Manoj Nyangli will be taken later when they tender their apologies.

On the concluding day of the three-day special session convened to pass the state GST bill 2017, there were unruly scenes and uproar as the opposition members protested the Speaker's decision to not allow Dotasara to ask a supplementary during the Question Hour.

After over ten minutes of the uproar, during which the opposition members rushed to the Well of the House, Meghwal adjourned proceedings for an hour.

He also had to call in marshals who lifted and pushed the protesting MLAs out of the House.

After this, the house saw two more adjournments of half an hour each.

When the House reassembled, the Speaker expressed his anger at the Opposition members' behaviour and said indiscipline will not be tolerated.

Gurjar, then moved a proposal to suspend 14 opposition MLAs from the house for an year over indiscipline. The proposal was passed by voice vote.

Congress deputy whip Dotasara, and MLAs Dheeraj Gurjar, Ghanshyam, Ashok Chandna, Sukhram, Ramesh Meena, Shrawan Kumar, Bhajan Lal, Mewaram, Heeralal, Shakuntala Rawat, Rajendra Singh, BSP's Nyangli and independent Beniwal were suspended.

NPP MLA Kirori Meena opposed the move but the Speaker did not allow him to speak.

Following the unprecedented suspension, leader of opposition Rameshwar Dudi and other congress MLAs entered the House and protested but the Speaker did not budge.

Senior Congress MLA Pradyuman Singh then discussed the issue with Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje, Speaker Meghwal and other ministers to reach a consensus.

During the debate on the state GST bill in the House, Singh an apology on behalf of the party and requested the Speaker to consider his plea.

Chief Minister Raje and Parliamentary affairs minister Rajendra Rathore also urged the Speaker to reduce the suspension of 12 Congress MLAs following which Gurjar moved a revised proposal.

According to the revised proposal the suspension of 12 Congress MLAs would be for a day. It was passed by a voice vote.

The speaker said that the decision on the remaining two suspended MLAs will be taken later.
New Delhi: Reports about a mysterious object captured flying past the International Space Station (ISS) on NASAs live feed is doing the rounds on the internet.

Conspiracy theorist Scott C Waring, editor of ufosightingsdaily.com, shared the footage uploaded by NASA online. Check out the video below!

According to Waring, the large object spotted in NASA footage was an UFO which appeared at the ISS on April 19, 2017, and was coming closer to the space station before fading away.

Space experts say the large cylindrical object was 'partially cloaked' to make it look transparent', making them to believe it could be an alien spacecraft.

It is said that in the past, Mr Waring and other UFO experts have spotted scores of these translucent UFOs in the ISS footage. But they say there has been a major cover up by NASA to deny the existence of alien lif.

The latest UFO claim has been rejected by some experts who said the transparent objects which appear on camera are relfected light from part of the ISS itself, or lens flares - created by sunlight hitting the camera.
New Delhi: NASA's Cassini spacecraft is making its first dive through the narrow gap between Saturn and its rings on Wednesday, April 26, 2017, beginning its final set of 22 orbits around the ringed planet.

As Cassini enters its final phase called the 'Grand Finale' on Saturn mission, Google is celebrating the 20-year journey of the spacecraft with a doodle on its homepage.

Google doodle features an animated version of the Cassini spacecraft taking images of the Saturn as it passes through its rings.

Because that gap is a region no spacecraft has ever explored, Cassini will use its dish-shaped high-gain antenna - 13 feet or 4 meters across - as a protective shield while passing through the ring plane, as per NASA.

Although no particles larger than smoke particles are expected, the precautionary measure is being taken on the first dive.

The Cassini team will use data collected by one of the spacecrafts science instruments (the Radio and Plasma Wave Subsystem, or RPWS) to ascertain the size and density of ring particles in the gap in advance of future dives.

As a result of its antenna-forward orientation, the spacecraft will be out of contact with Earth during the dive, adds NASA.

As Cassini plunges past Saturn, the spacecraft will collect rich and valuable information far beyond the missions original plan, including measuring Saturns gravitational and magnetic fields, determining ring mass, sampling the atmosphere and ionosphere, and making the last views of Enceladus.

The earliest time Cassini will make radio contact with Earth is scheduled at 12:05 a.m. PDT (3:05 a.m. EDT) on April 27. Images and other data are expected to begin flowing in shortly after communication is established.

Cassini made its 127th and final close approach to Saturn's moon Titan on April 21. The spacecraft passed at an altitude of about 608 miles (979 kilometers) above the surface of Saturn's moon on April 21 at 11:08 p.m. PDT (2:08 a.m. EDT on April 22).

The spacecrfat has transmitted close-up images of Saturn's rings and clouds from its last encounter with Titan to the Earth.

Cassini, which has been circling the Saturn planet for 13 years, is expected to culminate its journey on September 15 this year.
New Delhi: Human settlement on moon could soon be a possibility.

China is in talks with the European Space Agency (ESA) about making a village on the moon and the idea could soon materialize.

As per a report published in The Washington Post, the secretary general for Chinas space agency, Tian Yulong, disclosed this to a Chinese state media.

The report further mentions that ESA has described its Moon Village as a potential international launching pad for future missions to Mars.

China has ramped up its space program since its first manned spaceflight in 2003, more than 42 years after a Soviet cosmonaut became the first to reach orbit.

China this month launched an unmanned spacecraft on a mission to dock with its currently unoccupied space station. It plans to launch the first mission to the far side of the moon next year.
New Delhi: Delhi Police on Wednesday sought seven-day custody for AIADMK (Amma) leader TTV Dhinakaran in 'two leaves' symbol bribery case.

While arguing before the court for Dinakaran's custody, the police said it wants to take AIADMK (Amma) leader to Chennai, Kochi and Bengaluru for further leads in the case.

Dinakaran moved a bail application before Tis Hazari Court in Delhi today.

Dinakaran, a nephew of jailed AIADMK party chief VK Sasikala, is accused of attempting to bribe an Election Commission official for retaining the party's poll symbol of "two-leaves" for his faction.

Dhinakaran was on Tuesday called for questioning at 5 pm at the Crime Branch Inter State Cell office in Chanakyapuri and was arrested around midnight.

Special Judge Poonam Chaudhary on Tuesday asked the Crime Branch of the Delhi Police why it is not taking any action against Dinakaran.

The court posed the questions while extending the police custody of middleman Sukesh Chandrasekhar till April 28. Chandrasekhar was presented before the court after his eight-day police custody expired on Tuesday.

Dinakaran's longtime friend Mallikarjuna has also been arrested after being quizzed for the second day on the trot. Mallikarjuna had been accompanying Dhinakaran everywhere ever since Sukesh Chandrsekar, the middleman in the EC bribery case.

Chandrasekar was arrested from a south Delhi hotel on the night of April 16 allegedly with Rs 1.3 crore that was meant for bribing poll panel officials.

Chandrasekar reportedly told the police he was Dinakaran's "middleman" and was asked to pay the money to the officials for allotting the 'two leaves' party symbol to Dinakaran's faction of the AIADMK.
Lucknow: Samajwadi Party leader and former Uttar Pradesh minister Gayatri Prajapati, who was arrested in connection with a case of an alleged sexual assault of a minor girl, was released from the district jail in Lucknow on Wednesday

Prajapati was yesterday granted bail by a Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) court in connection with the case.Two associates of Prajapati were also given bail.

The court asked them to furnish two sureties of Rs one lakh each and a personal bond of same amount as a condition of bail.

Prajapati was arrested on March 15 from the Aashiyana area in Lucknow by the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF).

The Samajwadi Party leader, who was also accused of allegedly raping the girl`s mother, evaded his arrest for nearly a month before he was arrested.

Earlier in February, a police complaint had been filed against the former minister and six others in the case following the Supreme Court`s order.The Uttar Pradesh Police had also filed a non-bailable warrant against the former minister and six others for the same.
Kolkata: At least three persons died and 13 others were still missing after a temporary jetty on the Hooghly river collapsed in Hooghly district of west Bengal on Wednesday, the police said.

"Three people died by drowning after a temporary jetty at Telinipara Ghat in Hooghly district's Bhadreswar was wrecked by the high tide and collapsed into the river. Thirteen people are still missing," Hooghly Superintendent of Police Sukesh Jain told IANS over the phone.

According to the police, passengers waiting to cross over to North 24 Parganas district's Shyamnagar on the other side fell into the river as the wooden structure collapsed.

The locals present at the riverbank managed to save some of the passengers from drowning before the disaster management team and rescue team of the state police rushed to the spot.

"We have managed to save nearly 30-35 people so far. The central disaster management team, water police and fire brigade personnel are still running the rescue operation," the officer said.

"Among the rescued passengers eight were admitted to the hospital. But all of them are stable now," he added.
Paris: France has said it has evidence that the Syrian air force dropped bombs containing nerve agent sarin on a rebel-held town earlier this month that killed 89 people.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault on Wednesday said that samples taken from scene in Khan Sheikhoun town bore the "signature" of sarin produced by Syria's government, BBC reported.

"We have definite sources that the procedure used to make the sarin sampled is typical of the methods developed in Syrian laboratories," he said.

"This method bears the signature of the regime, and that is what has allowed us to establish its responsibility in this attack."

French laboratories had stored samples taken from other chemical attacks in Syria and so were able to compare them, the Foreign Minister said.

A tweet posed by the French Foreign Ministry said: "There's no doubt that sarin was used. There is also no doubt about the responsibility of the Syrian regime."

International chemical weapons inspectors from the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) said last week they had found "incontrovertible" evidence that sarin, or a similar substance, was used in the April 4 attack on Khan Sheikhoun, but did not apportion responsibility.

British scientists too had found that sarin or a similar chemical was used in the attack, having tested samples smuggled from the site.

However, Damascus denied it had anything to do with the Khan Sheikhoun attack, instead blaming "terrorist" groups.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad insisted the government never used chemical weapons and that it turned over all of its stocks in 2013, after it was blamed for a sarin attack on rebel-held suburbs of Damascus that left hundreds dead.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, a key Syrian ally, had suggested that the attack was carried out by "forces" trying to frame Assad's regime.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Wednesday that Russia would not change its position regarding the Khan Sheikhoun attack in light of the French assessment.

"The Kremlin and President Putin still believe that conducting an impartial international investigation is the only way to find out the truth," state-run TASS quoted Peskov as saying.

The French Foreign Ministry said its independent investigation, was declassified so it could be shared with the world.

Analysis by French experts of samples from the April 4 attack site and the blood of one of the victims confirmed the use of Sarin, the report said.

Those samples were compared with samples from an attack on the northern Syrian town of Saraqeb in April 2013, in which three grenades containing sarin were dropped by a helicopter, one of which failed to explode, it said.

Scientists established the presence of the same chemical compounds in samples taken from Saraqeb and from Khan Sheikhoun, the French Foreign Ministry said.

The report also described the claim that rebel forces in the area had sarin as "not credible".
Beijing: A Chinese court has sentenced an American woman to three and a half years in prison and deportation on espionage charges, a US-based rights group said Wednesday, although details about her fate remain unclear.

Sandy Phan-Gillis was detained in March 2015 at the Macau border after visiting mainland China with a trade delegation from the Texas oil capital Houston.

She was accused of espionage and stealing state secrets for allegedly passing intelligence to a third party, according to previous reports from the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (WGAD) that cited unnamed government sources.

Nanning Intermediate People`s Court in the southern province of Guangxi issued the sentence Tuesday, but the American`s next steps will not become clear until a written judgement is released at an unknown future date, Dui Hua Foundation director John Kamm told AFP.

Phan-Gillis was currently being held in a detention centre, not a prison, and did not plan to appeal, he said.

Kamm said "adjusted for time spent in residential surveillance in a designated location, she has already served more than half her sentence, and is accordingly eligible for parole as well as medical parole, commutation and immediate deportation".

"I am hopeful she will be reunited with her family soon," he added.

A US Embassy spokeswoman in Beijing said Wednesday her trial was closed to the public and a request to have a consular officer attend had been refused. A US consular representative had been allowed to attend the public announcement of the verdict.

The spokeswoman said the US government "remained concerned" about the case and was in contact with the "highest levels" of the Chinese government about it.

Last year, WGAD denounced China`s handling of the case, saying it had not observed "international norms relating to the right to a fair trial and to liberty and security".

Violations by Chinese authorities were of "such gravity as to give the deprivation of liberty of Ms Phan-Gillis an arbitrary character", it noted in its report, released last July.

Phan-Gillis was held for six months at a secret location and later at a detention centre in Guangxi, where she was initially put in solitary confinement, WGAD said.

Her husband, Jeff Gillis, has campaigned for her freedom, including a website "savesandy.org"

Phan-Gillis has family origins in southern China but was born in Vietnam, the website says, leaving the country in the late 1970s as part of the exodus of "boat people" who fled Communist rule.
Beirut: The toll in Turkish air raids on Kurdish positions in northeastern Syria rose to 28 killed, a monitor said Wednesday, a day after Ankara said it had targeted "terrorist havens" near its border.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said most of those killed were members of the Kurdish People`s Protection Units (YPG), which is battling the Islamic State group in northern Syria.

Observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman said 19 others were wounded in the Tuesday raids on a media centre and other buildings in Al-Malikiyah, a town in Hasakeh province.

YPG spokesman Redur Khalil on Tuesday said 20 fighters were killed and 18 wounded in the Turkish strikes, which the United States said were carried out without the knowledge of a Washington-led international coalition fighting IS in Syria and neighbouring Iraq.

Abdel Rahman said a female Kurdish fighter was among the dead.

Turkey, which backs Syrian rebel groups and which launched a ground operation in northern Syria last year, vowed to continue acting against groups it links to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers` Party (PKK).

It also killed six Kurdish peshmerga fighters in northern Iraq on Tuesday in an apparent accident.

The strikes underlined the complexities of the battlefields in Iraq and Syria, where twin US-backed offensives are seeking to dislodge IS from its last major urban strongholds.

They could also exacerbate tensions between Ankara and its NATO ally Washington, which sees the Kurds as instrumental in the fight against IS.
Columbia: Stung by his second major setback on immigration, President Donald Trump on Wednesday slammed as "ridiculous" a court order blocking his attempt to deny cities harboring undocumented immigrants billions in federal funding.

Judge William Orrick of San Francisco`s federal district court on Tuesday issued a preliminary injunction barring any attempt to implement Trump`s January 25 executive order.

While confusing Orrick`s court with the higher-level ninth circuit appeals court also based in San Francisco, Trump made clear he was ready to fight the decision.

"First the Ninth Circuit rules against the ban & now it hits again on sanctuary cities - both ridiculous rulings. See you in the Supreme Court!" Trump tweeted.

Earlier, a White House statement branded the ruling, a new setback to Trump`s promised crackdown on illegal immigrants, as "a gift to the criminal gang and cartel element in our country, empowering human trafficking and sex trafficking."

It was the second major legal blow to Trump`s pledge to sharply tighten government immigration policy.

In February, the Ninth Circuit ruled against the White House order to suspend immigration from seven mostly-Muslim countries as well as all refugees.

The court ruled that the order was in effect a ban on Muslims, violating the US constitution`s guarantee of religious freedom.

Orrick also ruled that Trump`s January 25 order to deny federal funds to sanctuary cities violated the Constitution.

"The Constitution vests the spending powers in Congress, not the president, so the order cannot constitutionally place new conditions on federal funds," he said.

"Federal funding that bears no meaningful relationship to immigration enforcement cannot be threatened merely because a jurisdiction chooses an immigration enforcement strategy of which the president disapproves," Orrick said.

His decision could affect more than 300 cities and counties that have denounced Trump`s order.

But the White House said in a vitriolic statement late Tuesday, that "the rule of law suffered another blow, as an unelected judge unilaterally rewrote immigration policy".

It called Orrick`s ruling, in a case that focused on San Francisco itself and Santa Clara County, home to Silicon Valley and San Jose, as "one more example of egregious overreach" by a single judge that "undermines faith in our legal system."

"San Francisco, and cities like it, are putting the well-being of criminal aliens before the safety of our citizens, and those city officials who authored these policies have the blood of dead Americans on their hands."

Orrick noted that the Justice department`s lawyers weakly argued the case, implicitly recognizing that Trump did not have autocratic powers over disbursing federal funds to cities which often heavily depend on them for their budgets.

Trump`s promise of appeal could land the case in the Ninth Circuit court, viewed as one of the more liberal venues in the federal court system and so a more risky court for the government to lodge a challenge.

The ruling did not end the government`s battle against sanctuary cities and counties. Attorney general Jeff Sessions has repeatedly blasted those jurisdictions for not aiding in the government`s promise to expel a large part of the 11.3 million undocumented immigrants in the country.

Mayors say the government is unreasonably demanding they divert public safety and law enforcement manpower to immigration roundups that often affect law-abiding people in the country for decades.

Orrick, however, also ruled in support of Sessions`s narrower threat last week to withhold Justice department grant funds to cities that do not cooperate with the government`s immigration crackdown.
Moscow: Russia`s FSB security service said Wednesday it had foiled an attack by supporters of the Islamic State group on the far eastern island of Sakhalin, an oil and gas hub.

The FSB said in a statement it had detained two alleged IS supporters on Sakhalin who were planning "to commit a high-profile terrorist attack in a crowded place," RIA Novosti news agency reported.

Sakhalin island is located in the Pacific Ocean north of Japan and its rich oil and gas fields have drawn billions of dollars of investment from Russian gas giant Gazprom, Shell and others.

The security service said house searches of those detained on Sakhalin had found a homemade explosive device and cell phones with instructions on how to make bombs on them.

The FSB said one of the men detained was a "citizen of one of the Central Asian republics" -- meaning the five ex-Soviet majority-Muslim "stans" Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan -- while the other is a Russian citizen.

The detentions come as Russia has focused on the threat from jihadists originating from ex-Soviet Central Asia following this month`s attack on Saint Petersburg metro that killed 15 and has been blamed on a suicide bomber born in Kyrgyzstan.

They also come after IS claimed responsibility for an attack on the FSB office in the Russian far eastern city of Khabarovsk last week that killed two.

However, authorities denied any link to the jihadists and said the assailant, a 17-year-old ethnic Russian who was shot dead, had ties to neo-Nazis.


Dubai: A recent Saudi government and security shake-up aims to strengthen King Salman`s increasingly powerful son against a royal rival and to bolster ties with Washington, analysts and diplomats say.

Royal decrees at the weekend saw a number of allies of Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman moved into key positions and another son of the king named as ambassador to Washington.

The goal, a foreign diplomat told AFP, is "to strengthen MBS (Mohammed bin Salman) and the Salman branch" of the al-Saud family which has ruled Saudi Arabia since the country`s founding.

Mohammed bin Salman, 31, has risen to prominence since he was named deputy crown prince two years ago, a few months after his father took the throne following the death of King Abdullah.

The king`s nephew Mohammed bin Nayef, now 57, was at the same time named crown prince and is the heir apparent.

Reports of rivalry between the two have spread since, with the bearded Mohammed bin Salman seen in the ascendant.



He already serves as defence minister, head of Saudi Arabia`s main economic policy coordinating body and chairman of a council overseeing state oil giant Aramco.

One of the weekend decrees saw the creation of a new National Security Centre linked with the royal court.Details of how the new centre will operate have yet to emerge, but the foreign diplomat said its creation reflects "competition" for succession between Mohammed bin Salman and Mohammed bin Nayef, who is interior minister and heads an existing body, the Political and Security Council.

Another decree also named a new national security advisor, Mohammed bin Salih Alghfaili, who foreign diplomats say will play a lead role on the council.

He too is linked with Mohammed bin Salman and the new arrangement shows that the crown prince "is losing his power," a second foreign diplomat said.

Both diplomats declined to be named because of the sensitivity of royal leadership matters.

Another decree named Major General Ahmed Assiri, who the diplomats said is also a loyalist of the defence minister, as deputy chief of the General Intelligence Presidency.

Peter Salisbury, a research fellow at London`s Chatham House, told AFP that the various moves appear "a lot like Mohammed bin Salman has taken another step towards consolidating his control over the security services".

Security matters are especially important to Mohammed bin Nayef, who made his name and won wide respect abroad for having led Saudi efforts against Al-Qaeda and other jihadists.

Analysts and diplomats said other moves made at the weekend appeared aimed not only at boosting King Salman`s branch among the thousands-strong royal family but at continuing to improve ties with longtime ally Washington.

King Salman named another son, Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, as state minister for energy affairs, and one more, Prince Khaled bin Salman, as ambassador to Washington.The new ambassador Prince Khaled, believed to be younger than 30, is a former fighter pilot who flew missions as part of the US-led coalition bombing the Islamic State group in Syria and Iraq.

Another change saw Fahad bin Turki, a former head of the Saudi special forces, promoted to lieutenant general to head the army.

These appointments appear to involve people "well-placed... to build relationships with senior military and administration officials in the US," Salisbury said.

Ties between Riyadh and Washington became increasingly frayed during the administration of president Barack Obama.

Riyadh has found a more favourable ear in the Washington of President Donald Trump, who has echoed Saudi concerns about Iranian influence in the region.

Mohammed bin Salman met Trump in Washington last month, a visit followed last week by US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis`s trip to Riyadh.

Key for Riyadh will be US support for the Saudi-led coalition that for two years has been fighting in support of Yemen`s government against rebels supported by Iran, Saudi Arabia`s regional rival.

The United States has backed the coalition with intelligence, weapons, and aerial refuelling for its warplanes, but Obama`s government in December blocked the transfer of precision-guided bombs because of concerns over civilian casualties.

Under Obama, "things were really bad" between the two countries, the second diplomat said.

Saudi officials realised that "they cannot survive on their own" and must depend on American security support, he said.
Ankara: Turkey has issued detention warrants for 3,224 people over suspected links to US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, news channels NTV and CNN Turk reported on Wednesday, in one of the largest operations in months against the network which Turkey blames for a failed July coup.

More than 1,000 of those had already been detained, NTV said.

Turkey`s interior minister said earlier that the operation targeted the network`s structure in the police force.
Chinas food industry is modernizing at its fastest pace ever, using more technology to scale up and meet higher standards, according to Alex Zhang, cofounder and management partner of Beijing Hosen Investment Management (Hosen Capital). And he should know; Hosen has invested over $300 million in food and agribusiness-related companies that are either directly located in China or are directly involved in meeting Chinese demand since launching its first funds in 2010.

Last month, Hosen Capital closed its third and largest fund on $440 million, with investment from institutions across the US, Europe, the Middle East and Asia.

Fund III will continue to invest in the supply chain and in food companies  it prefers value-added processing companies to primary agriculture producers  but will put a greater emphasis on investing in deals where it can take a controlling stake in a business. Previously it focused a little more on growth capital investments.

This change is strategy is due to where Zhang and his colleagues see the food industry going over the next few years.

The whole industry is modernizing at a speed we havent seen in Chinese food industry history, and if we follow a similar pattern to how the US food industry evolved in the past, we are now at the stage that we will see more and more sector consolidation. We will see more trade sales and large Chinese food companies will continue to go global, said Zhang.

Our food industry will evolve in a similar fashion to our internet industry where four of the worlds top 10 companies are Chinese; we will probably see something similar in 10 years time in the food industry.

We are naturally evolving with the space to have a mixed investment strategy across growth capital and control deals, he added.

Zhang has reason for such a bullish take on where the Chinese food industry is going; food consumption in China still represents 25% of household expenditure as the single biggest purchase. The Chinese population is three times bigger than the US and food prices are generally higher in China because it doesnt have the agricultural base of nations like the US.

The cost of pork production in China, for example, is about 50% higher than in the US, because around 60%-70% of the cost is animal feed. The US is a very efficient producer of corn and soy so already has an advantage there. This creates an environment of opportunity for investment and growth, said Zhang.

Zhang also expects Hosen Capital to become more hands-on with its portfolio companies in Fund III on strategy, operational improvements and M&A; an important tool for industry positioning.

Hosen Capital has and will invest in technology companies, and Zhang believes its particularly important on the digital side to improve the traceability of food and the communication between farmers, suppliers, and distributors.

There should be a data infrastructure to support mechanization and to make sure we have the right information flowing from the farm to the plate, but this will require some basic infrastructural upgrades in China.

On the biotechnology front, Zhang is already seeing gene-editing tools being used and is interested in any technologies that can make protein production more efficient such as new animal vaccines or improved breeding tools.

And there is potential for products that reduce or eliminate the use of synthetic pesticides and fertilizers.

The Chinese government has passed policies regarding the use of pesticide and fertilizer to ensure producers pay a higher price if they have a negative environmental impact.

The trend of technology adoption and environmental sustainability in China is very clear and quickly progressing, said Zhang. How quickly it will reach its goals we dont know although I think we will see a very different picture in five years time; I just hope a country like Brazil will not repeat the same mistakes that China did. Technology companies in Hosen Capitals portfolio include SunHY, a manufacturer of biological enzymes, ACSM, a farm management software company, and Xinjiang Huili Irrigation Technology.

New Hope Group, the largest agricultural conglomerate in China, was the first LP in Hosen Capital, joined by JD.com. DealStreetAsia reports that Mitsui & Co, Singapores state investment fund Temasek Holdings, the International Finance Corporation, Archer Daniels Midland are also among the founding investors of Hosen Capital.

Are you innovating in China or for China? Get in touch! Media@AgFunderNews.com
YEREVAN, APRIL 26, ARMENPRESS. The Defense Ministry of Artsakh Republic told Armenpress the Azerbaijani forces made over 55 ceasefire violations across the Artsakh-Azerbaijan line of contact.

The Ministry issued an announcement which says: On April 25 and overnight April 26 the Azerbaijani side violated the ceasefire regime over 55 times by firing more than 650 shots from various caliber small arms at the Armenian positions in the Artsakh-Azerbaijan line of contact.

The Defense Army forces of Artsakh are in full control of the situation in the frontline and continue confidently fulfilling their military tasks.
YEREVAN, APRIL 26, ARMENPRESS. French presidential candidate Marine Le Pen announced that she isnt Europes opponent.

I am not Europes opponent. Id like to state this clearly. I feel European, well of course first of all French, but also European, Le Pen told TF1, who has passed to the second round of the election.

During her April 18 interview to TF TV, Le Pen demanded the EU flag to be removed from the hall.

She said the EU has done quite bad things to our country and our people.
YEREVAN, APRIL 13, ARMENPRESS. For already three years, the National Song and Dance subject has been introduced in several schools of Armenia.

Students are very excited to learn the songs and dances after its introduction.

School kids of the Abovyan elementary school even say they would love for the subject to be taught from earlier grades, than the current 5th.

Most of all we like the Ejmiatsin and Yarkhushta dances. We even teach people who dont know how to dance, the 6th graders said.

Gayane Avagyan, a teacher of the same school who specializes in national song and dance, says initially the children, who are still unfamiliar with culture, often refuse to dance. However after being introduced to the songs and dances, they start to dance with great enthusiasm.

Speaking on issues during the school process, the teacher said most of them are technical. The lack of textbooks is the main issue.

I would like for the book and recording issue to be solved in the future. The materials are copies, and it isnt affordable for the children. If the child sees that the subject doesnt have a book, he begins to treat it differently, she said.

The pilot program for the National Song and Dance subject was introduced for the 5-7 grades in 2014, including 8 schools in Yerevan and 2 schools in the provinces. The program aimed at strengthening national values in children from an early age.

Deputy minister of education and science Manuk Mkrtchyan told ARMENPRESS currently the program is introduces in 117 schools of Yerevan and provinces.
YEREVAN, APRIL 26, ARMENPRESS. Immediately after receiving an information on the sale of Azerbaijani apples in one of the yard shops of Yerevan, the State Service for Food Safety (SSFS) launched large-scale inspections in the market to reveal whether Azerbaijani apples are sold in the Armenian market, the State Service for Food Safety told Armenpress.

As a result of the inspections, the SSFS inspectors recorded sale of Azerbaijani apples in several fresh fruit and vegetables sales points. They immediately banned the sale of the apples and tasked to eliminate them.

The SSFS provided this information with photos attached to the relative bodies aimed at finding the importer by the principle of traceability, taking into account the fact no cargo of Azerbaijani origin, including an apple, has been imported to Armenia through the border check points. As a result of the state border control, in the period from April 1 to 25, apples were imported to Armenia from Poland, Russia, Ukraine, Georgia and Italy: there had not been any applies of Azerbaijani origin in the mentioned cargo.

Given that the Azerbaijani applies didnt pass border control and the Service cannot guarantee their safety, the consumers are urged to refrain from buying these products and in case of witnessing such cases to report to the SSFS by calling the hotline number 010 206040.
YEREVAN, APRIL 26, ARMENPRESS. Armenias defense minister appointed Sona Gharibyan as his chief advisor, the defense ministry told ARMENPRESS.

Gharibyan, 48, was born in Yerevan and graduated the state university of architecture.

1995-1998 she worked in the Armenias Association of Banks as the chief accountant.

1998-2008 Gharibyan was the head of the 2st department of financial supervision in the Central Bank of Armenia.

From 2008 to 2014 she served as head of the financial supervision department of the finance ministry.

Under the Presidents order she was granted the 2nd class state counselor rank of civil service.

Since 2011, she is a member of the Board of Trustees of Petrosyan elementary school.

Gharibyan is a member of the ruling partys Council.

Since 2015, she is a member of the council of the Control Chamber.

In November of 2016, she was appointed as a council member of the Control Chamber with another six year term.

Gharibyan is married and has two daughters.
YEREVAN, APRIL 26, ARMENPRESS. Minister of Economic Development and Investments Suren Karayan on April 26 held a meeting with an investor from Kuwait Charles Hyder who is interested in Armenias construction, in particular, the road construction field, the Ministry told Armenpress.

The Minister discussed with Charles Hyder the investments necessary for the construction of North-South corridor, the possible ways of for its implementation and proposed to discuss the cooperation prospects with the Minister of Transport, Communication and Information Technologies.

The Kuwaiti investor expressed his interest on new programs in energy field in Armenia. He expressed his support to his partners for inviting him Armenia in order to carry out investments in various sectors.

In his turn, Minister Karayan said: I suggest you to visit the Ministrys investmentprojects.am website which provides sufficient information on Armenias investment environment and the existing investment programs. We are ready to discuss with you and your partners every program in-detail.

Charles Hyder thanked for the productive discussion and said: I am happy to see your Governments policy in the investment field. The positive changes in investment environment are obvious. Armenia really has a great potential to attract foreign investments.
YEREVAN, APRIL 26, ARMENPRESS. Eduard Sharmazanov - Deputy Speaker of Armenias Parliament, Head of Armenia-Czech Republic parliamentary friendship group, held a phone conversation with Robin Bohnisch, Head of the Czech Republic-Armenia friendship group of the Chamber of Deputies (Lower House of the Czech Parliament), press service of the Parliament told Armenpress.

Deputy Speaker Sharmazanov highly appreciated the adoption of resolution by the Czech Parliaments Chamber of Deputies on recognizing and condemning the Armenian Genocide, stating that this is one more step towards the international recognition and condemnation of genocides. Sharmazanov attached a special importance to Robin Bohnischs contribution, as an author of the resolution, in the adoption of the document and expressed his gratitude to all MPs of the Czech Parliament. By this step the Czech Republic reaffirmed its commitment to the democratic values and human rights protection. Your decision was another step towards the victory of light over darkness, Sharmazanov said.

During the phone talk, the Deputy Speaker also condemned Turkeys denialist policy, adding that Turkey till now hasnt changed its signature, it continues to deny the Armenian Genocide and doesnt want to confront the history.

The gravest crime, that happened more than 100 years ago, has no time limit and it is possible to prevent the new genocides against humanity thanks to its recognition and condemnation, Eduard Sharmazanov said.
PRAGUE, APRIL 26, ARMENPRESS. Armenias Ambassador to the Czech Republic and Slovakia Tigran Seyranyan expressed gratitude to the Czech President Milos Zeman, the Czech parliamentarians and civil society representatives for the consistent efforts over the recognition and condemnation of the Armenian Genocide.

Armenpress presents the Ambassadors comment on the Czech Parliaments April 25 decision over the Armenian Genocide:

Of course, this is a result of long-term and patient work. Till now attempts were made to put the issue on the agenda of the Chamber of Deputies, such as in summer 2016 and recently on April 4. In the last time 11 votes were lacking for the draft resolution to be put up to voting. There were many serious hindering factors. Nevertheless, this time, by the initiative of social-democratic MP, Head of the Czech Republic-Armenia parliamentary friendship group Robin Bohnisch, the draft, prepared by him, was put up to voting. 107 Deputies took part in the voting, with 104 votes in favor, and 3 abstained. The Deputies, who voted in favor of the draft, represent all 8 factions of the Chamber of Deputies of the Czech Parliament.

I express my deepest gratitude to the Czech President Milos Zeman, all our Czech friends, the parliamentarians and civil society representatives, the Armenian MPs who actively contributed to the adoption of this historical document. I want to specifically highlight the role of the Armenian community of the Czech Republic which with it consistent steps, hard and honest work gained the respect and appreciation in this perfect country in a short period of time which made it recognizable, and its voice heard for the authorities. I want to thank them for the cooperation.

By adopting this resolution which condemns the genocidal acts committed against the Jews, Gypsies, Slavs and other people, the Czech Parliament reaffirmed its commitment to high values of democracy and human rights.

I want to state that the Armenian Genocide is mentioned separately in the resolution.
YEREVAN, APRIL 26, ARMENPRESS. Indias Vice President Mohammad Hamid Ansari commented on the probability of his countrys recognition of the Armenian Genocide.

During a meeting with students and lecturers of the Yerevan State University, one of the students asked the Vice President whether his visit to Armenia might change something in terms of India recognizing the Armenian Genocide.

You know, this is a part of history, which no one can be proud of. There cant be two opinions regarding the killings of people, be it in this region, in another region, in various parts of Asia, Africa or in South America. We must adopt common values. This is written in the UN 1945 Charter, and we are obliged to adopt these values, Ansari said.

According to the Indian VP, there is no contradiction, and cant be, that what is bad  must be considered bad.
YEREVAN, APRIL 26, ARMENPRESS. Indias vice president Mohammad Hamid Ansari highlights the teaching of Hindi in Armenia and Armenian in India in terms of deepening cultural ties between the two countries.

During a meeting in the Yerevan State University, a student asked the Indian VP to what extent he attaches significance to teaching of Armenian language in India and Hindi in Armenia from the point of view of deepening cultural ties. The student asked the question in Hindi.

We attach importance to it, and we already take steps in that direction. It is proved by the fact that you asked your question in the official language of India, he said.

The VP was glad to note that many Indian citizens who study in Armenian universities are able to quickly learn the Armenian language.
YEREVAN, APRIL 26, ARMENPRESS. 3 weeks later after the terror attack in the St. Petersburg metro, Katiba Al Imam Shamil group connected to Al-Qaeda claimed responsibility for the attack.

The statement of Katiba Al Imam Shamil group was released by various media outlets, firstly it appeared in al-Andalusi, then in Agence Nouakchott Info. Meanwhile, Al-Qaeda issues statements on terror attacks committed in the Western countries, including Russia through Al-Sahab media.

As for major violent terror attacks (St. Petersburg terror attack was among them), Al-Qaeda must have immediately issued a statement and everywhere. However, this didnt happen, moreover, the statement dates April 18. In other words, the statement was prepared 15 days later after the terror attack and was issued a week later. Given Al-Qaedas operative work, the abovementioned creates much more questions.

Katiba Al Imam Shamil structure is unknown to experts, and it is not ruled out that, as some Islamic extremist circles state, if there is no one who will claim a responsibility for the terror attack, a Katiba Al Imam Shamil structure can be established that will assume responsibility for the abovementioned violent terrorist act.

The ongoing realities in the Islamic extremist domain suggest us that claiming the responsibility for the terror attack became formal, and today we deal with individuals rather than structures who decide themselves and carry out such violent acts. These terrorists are linked with heads of Islamic extremist structures, they are not guided in the actions.

Expert on Arabic studies Sargis Grigoryan
YEREVAN, APRIL 26, ARMENPRESS. President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan held a meeting on April 26 with Herbert Salber, EU special representative for the South Caucasus and the crisis in Georgia, the Presidents Office told ARMENPRESS.

The President congratulated Herbert Salbert on the extension of his mission by the EU Council and wished success.

Serzh Sargsyan mentioned Armenia highlights the EU special representatives work, the main goal of which is forming an atmosphere of trust between the sides for the peaceful settlement of the NK conflict, which can best benefit and contribute to the efforts of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs aimed at the peaceful solution of the conflict.

The sides discussed the Armenia-EU relations, the April 2 parliamentary election and the upcoming works of the new to-be-formed government and the ongoing reforms in various branches, as well as the possibilities of advancing the NK conflict settlement process.

The EU special representative congratulated on the successful parliamentary election in Armenia, emphasizing that by this election, Armenia took a serious step forward, both in terms of strengthening stability and democracy in the country, while in the direction of solving several issues, according to Herbert Salber, works can be done.

Herbert Salber was also pleased to note the recent results in the Armenia-EU relations, mentioning the Presidents February 2017 Brussels visit, where the Armenia-EU Comprehensive and expanded partnership deal negotiations were announced to be completed, and on March 21 the agreement was initialed in Yerevan.

The President thanked for the congratulations and greatly highlighted the significant EU assistance in the preparation stage of the election, which had its impact on holding the election in line with international standards.

The sides discussed the opportunities for progress in the NK conflict settlement process, the current issues and concerns, and issues related to the EU commitment in the peaceful settlement of the conflict and paths for possible assistance.

The EU special representative reassured that the EU is interested and desires to contribute to the solution of the conflict within its opportunities, by assisting the efforts of OSCE Minsk Group co-chairing countries.
YEREVAN, APRIL 26, ARMENPRESS. Already a significant progress has been achieved over the memorandum of understanding on Promotion of IT, informatisation, telecommunication and innovative sectors signed between Armenias Ministry of Transport, Communication and Information Technologies and Technology and Science Dynamics (TSD) company on February 24, the Ministry told Armenpress.

Within the frames of ASTC (Armenian Science & Technology Center) program, representative offices were opened in 4 countries  the US, France, Belgium and Bolivia.

On May 21-28 the first official delegation from Bolivia will arrive in Armenia. The delegation representatives will hold meetings with Armenian partners aimed at signing memorandums.

Meetings will also be held with the TSD company representatives aimed at discussing the issue of importing Armenian mobile phones and tablets, as well as with a number of IT companies aimed at signing contracts over import of products and discussing new cooperation initiatives.

It is more than a month the TSD company hires volunteers as future workers for organizing the ASTC program. They participate in trainings several times a week. There are already two groups comprised of 30 specialists from which the relevant specialists will be selected. They will work in Armenia and abroad.

The ASTC program is expected to be introduced in 17 countries.








YEREVAN, APRIL 26, ARMENPRESS. An explosion at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in 1986 spread a radioactive cloud over large parts of the Soviet Union, now the territories of Belarus, Ukraine and the Russian Federation. Nearly 8.4 million people in the three countries were exposed to the radiation, the UN website reported.

In 1990 the General Assembly adopted resolution 45/190, calling for international cooperation to address and mitigate the consequences at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. That was the start of the United Nations' involvement in the Chernobyl recovery.

An Inter-Agency Task Force was established to coordinate the Chernobyl co-operation. In 1991 the UN created the Chernobyl Trust Fund - currently under the management of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). Since 1986, the UN family of organizations and major NGOs have launched more than 230 different research and assistance projects in the fields of health, nuclear safety, rehabilitation, environment, production of clean foods and information.

In 2002 the United Nations announced a shift in the Chernobyl strategy, with a new focus on a long-term developmental approach.

UNDP and its regional offices in the three affected countries took the lead in the implementation of the new strategy. There is still a great deal of work that needs to be done in the affected region. To provide support to international, national and public programmes targeted at the sustainable development of these territories, in 2009 UN launched the International Chernobyl Research and Information Network (ICRIN).

On 8 December 2016 the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution designating 26 April as International Chernobyl Disaster Remembrance Day. The General Assembly recognized that, three decades after the Chernobyl disaster, the still-persistent serious long-term consequences thereof, as well as the continuing related needs of the affected communities and territories, and invited all Member States, relevant agencies of the United Nations system and other international organizations, as well as civil society, to observe the day.
NEW YORK  As she waited for Wednesday's news conference to begin at Lincoln Center, in front of a Lied Center for Performing Arts backdrop, Stella Abrera stole a moment to watch a video.

On her iPhone screen, Abrera, a principal dancer with the American Ballet Theatre, was at center stage, performing a pivotal piece in The Golden Cockerel  the seduction of the czar by the Queen of Shemakha. She was studying her movements, she said, in advance of an atypical rehearsal day.

Later, she would be rehearsing a demanding collection of dances, trying to get the movements down to a world-class level of precision that her dancing partner, Cory Stearns, measured in golf terms  the two strokes that separate the talented and skilled from the true pros.

The American Ballet Theatre, once the home of Mikhail Baryshnikov and now the company that features famed, trailblazing African-American dancer Misty Copeland, prides itself on performing at a level of excellence that can be recognized by those who adore ballet and first-time audience members alike, artistic director Kevin McKenzie said. In 2018, Lincoln residents will get the chance to see for themselves in a rare performance that will bring the 90-dancer company to the Lied Center, along with one of the worlds top orchestras, the Grammy-winning St. Louis Symphony.

Together they will present a collection of performances, the centerpiece being Igor Stravinskys 1910 adaptation of the Russian folklore story The Firebird. With modern revisioning by acclaimed choreographer Alexi Ratmansky, The Firebird will feature Copeland dancing the lead Feb. 16 and principal dancer Isabella Boylston as the Firebird on Feb. 17. The ballet company and the St. Louis Symphony will also present Serenade after Platos Symposium, as well as pas de deux of Black Swan and White Swan from the classic Swan Lake.

The combination of musicians and dancers won't be replicated anywhere in 2018, if ever.

We rarely collaborate with world-class orchestras, McKenzie said. And when one puts unexpected energies together, one gets unexpected results.

For the Lied, its a big deal  so big that the announcement came in New York City, where Lied Executive Director Bill Stephan said the performance qualifies as a moonshot on the Lieds wishlist.

When the Lied Center was first created, the vision was we were going to bring the greatest artists of the world to Nebraska, Stephan said. And Woody Varner, who was the university president at the time, the head of the foundation right at the early part of the Lied Center construction, he said, Were going to bring the Bolshoi Ballet. And everybody laughed at him. Then a few years later, we had the stars of the Bolshoi Ballet, which wasnt the whole Bolshoi ballet, but some representatives. But now, over a quarter of a century later, were bringing the equivalent to the people of Nebraska, with a live symphony.

"So I knew if Woody was around, hed be saying this is the vision. This is what the people of Nebraska deserve and what makes us distinctive as a community.

Mayor Chris Beutler spoke of the value in bringing an array of cultural experiences, including this one, to Lincoln, and to university students (and potential young professionals) in particular. Stephan said 2,000 UNL students will have a first-come opportunity to view one of the performances for $4.

The American Ballet Theatre puts on free performances specifically for children, said Stearns, who is cast as the controlling Kaschei in The Firebird. But college students getting into a show for $4? That never happens, he said.

And several performers with the American Ballet Theatre and the St. Louis Symphony will be in residency in Lincoln for a week before the performances, serving as guest instructors for performing arts students majoring in those disciplines.

The grand-scale event will come to Lincoln thanks in part to a sizable gift from the Glenn Korff estate, and Stephan announced a community-wide challenge to build an endowment fund to help bring future "moonshots" to the Lied. The Korff estate has donated $500,000 to that fund, and Stephan said the goal is to match that with donations.

February's performances mark the closest thing to a homecoming show for the Kansas City-born Copeland. Her childhood shaped by poverty and abuse, Copeland first took up ballet late for a dancer, at 13. The physically demanding art brought her peace.

Copeland, a prodigy who spent part of her childhood sharing motel floor space with her five siblings, ascended to the peak of her profession. And when she was promoted to principal dancer, ballet once again crossed over into mainstream culture. She has her own Barbie, her own Under Armour clothing line.

McKenzie said that when he named her a principal dancer, he knew itd be big. But not so big, he said, that hers would become a household name. Ballet's last household name, he said, was a Russian one.

Shes American-born, bred, trained  and shes ours, McKenzie said.

When I first came into the ballet world, I didnt feel any limits, which is interesting, because there are so many limits for black women, Copeland said this month in a conversation with actress Sally Field published in the New York Times. Growing up the way I did, struggling for day-to-day survival. ... That made me such an introvert and so nervous about life. But when I came to ballet, at 13, it was the first time I felt calm and protected and beautiful.

Boylstons ascent began in Sun Valley, Idaho, where she began dancing when she was 3. She moved to Colorado to train with the Boulder Ballet and then began taking the public bus to Denver to perform there. She first joined the American Ballet Theatre Studio Company in 2005 and, after leading and featured roles in Giselle and Don Quixote, was promoted to principal dancer in 2014.

The two will present Ratmanskys current interpretation of The Firebird, which New York Times critic Alastair Macauley raved about last year. Following a 2016 performance of the updated classic, Macauley wrote that Copeland and the cast rose to the occasion and that Ratmanskys iteration featured enthrallingly suspenseful storytelling as well.

Tickets for the collaboration will first be available to those who purchase season tickets for the upcoming Lied Center season, which will be announced May 4. Season tickets will go on sale May 11.
YEREVAN, APRIL 26, ARMENPRESS. The meeting of Foreign Ministers of Armenia, Russia and Azerbaijan will focus on easing the border tension, political scientist Narek Galstyan told Armenpress.

After the April War of 2016 Russia took the role of an active mediator. The main negotiation issue was the installation of trust mechanisms, what Armenia has been talking about for years. I think now the meeting will be focused on those issues. Moreover, I think that there will a certain discussion on easing the tension in the border, he said.

Narek Galstyan stated that there will not be any significant progress in the negotiation process. There is no expectation that the Azerbaijani side will refuse from its previous approaches. According to him, even if agreements are reached at the meeting, there is no guarantee that Azerbaijan will be consistent.

In fact, there are no grounds to demand serious things from Armenia. Armenia fulfills its obligations, even does more, but Azerbaijan doesnt implement the main agreements. The vivid evidence is the April four-day war, Galstyan said.

On April 28 Armenian, Russian and Azerbaijani FMs will meet in Moscow to discuss issues related to the Nagorno Karabkah conflict settlement. The meeting will be held at the invitation of Russian FM Sergey Lavrov.
YEREVAN, APRIL 26, ARMENPRESS. U.S. Democrat Senator for New Jersey Bob Menendez submitted to the Congress a bipartisan bill on April 24, suggesting recognizing the Armenian Genocide.

Armenpress reports the bill suggests guaranteeing that the foreign policy of the USA will reflect a relevant understanding towards human rights issues, crimes against humanity, ethnic cleanings, and genocides with the example of the Armenian Genocide documented by the USA.

The co-authors of the bill are senators Ted Cruz and Tom Udall.

102 years after the tragedy that took place in the Ottoman Empire, we must name it by its real name  genocide. I think that our continues incapability to do that step creates room in the modern world for barbarism. Therefore, I call on my senator colleges to put an end to this shameful reality. This bill clearly defines that we will always respect the memory of those innocent Armenian men, women and children who have been killed or deported from their fatherland, and will always remember this as a lesson which will always counteract any form of crime against humanity, Bob Menendez said.

ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian thanked senator Menendez and his colleges for submitting the bill. It goes without saying that for Armenian-Turkish reconciliation its first of all necessary that Turkey recognizes facts and the consequences of the Armenian Genocide, Hamparian said.
YEREVAN, APRIL 26, ARMENPRESS. The delegation led by Armenian Defense Minister Vigen Sargsyan left for Russia on April 26 to participate in the 6th Moscow conference on international security.

As Armenpress was informed from the press service of the MoD Armenia, global and regional challenges, particularly terrorism and the tensions in the Korean peninsula are the main topics of the conference that has already become a tradition. Other issues such as extremism and terrorism in the Middle East or informational security are discussed on separate platforms.

In the sidelines of the conference Defense Minister Vigen Sargsyan held a number of bilateral meetings with his foreign counterparts. Particularly, Vigen Sargsyan had a meeting with Iran's Minister of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics Hossein Dehghani during which issues of bilateral interest were discussed. A reference was made also to the Nagorno Karabakh conflict. The Defense Ministers of Armenia and Iran once again stressed that the conflict has no military settlement.

On the same day the Armenian Defense Minister met with his Serbian counterpart Zoran orevic. Emphasizing the common features of the Armenian and Serb people, the sides expressed conviction that its a wonderful precondition for deepening Armenian-Serbian relations. It was particularly mentioned that there is a great potential for cooperation in military-technical, scientific, military-medical, military educational and other directions. The joint peacekeeping mission was mentioned as an example of productive cooperation. The Defense Ministers of Armenia and Serbia agreed to activate interactions making discussions over bilateral partnership more subjective.
NORTH HOLLYWOOD, Calif.Doc Johnson is headed to the 2017 AdultEx Show, which takes place April 26-28 at Royal Pines Resort on the Gold Coast in Queensland.

The company will be showcasing a range of their newest product lines, including their Kink by Doc Johnson collection, a range of new silicone vibrators from iVibe Select, some fresh additions to the OptiMale line, and new in-store marketing support for multiple collections.

AdultEx is the best B2B show in the hemisphere, and we are very much looking forward to showcasing our latest products and collections at the 2017 show," said Doc Johnsons Vice President of Sales and Marketing Scott Watkins. Were particularly excited to debut our signature Kink by Doc Johnson collection to the Australian market, as the line has been doing incredibly well both internationally and domestically. Every round of product launches from Kink has surpassed our projections in terms of initial orders, and sales have not slowed down since we first started shipping.

Also to be showcased at the 2017 AdultEx show is Main Squeeze, Doc Johnson's new line of hard-case, performer-branded masturbators.

Chad Braverman, Doc Johnsons COO and CCO said, Main Squeeze offers customers a slam-dunk combination: masturbators molded from our most popular female stars, in uniquely functional hard case designs. The seven strokers, molded directly from each performer, are made with distinctly textured UltraSkyn, and the squeeze plate allows the user to control the pressure. Users can also combine their favorite stroker with the suction cup accessory that swivels and bends for custom positioning. Given the star power behind this line, as well as the products functionality and incredible price point, we anticipate that this collection will be a huge hit.

In addition to the companys latest products being showcased at AdultEx 2017, Doc Johnson is also nominated for five AdultEx Awards this year, including Manufacturer of The Year; Best Fetish/Alternate Product Range: Kink by Doc Johnson; Best Marketing: Kink by Doc Johnson; Best Product Range: iVibe; and Best New Product Range: Kink by Doc Johnson.

For more, visit DocJohnson.com.
Adding to the controversy surrounding hyper-sensitive, Nazi-affiliated medal wearing "deputy assistant" to Orange Julius, Sebastian Gorka is now a credible claim he faked his PhD.

Gorka has unsuccessfully attempted to assuage fears that he is a yet another Nazi enthusiast in the Trump Administration. Now, suspicions have arisen that he has faked his degree. Andrew Reynolds, a professor of politican science at the University of North Carolina did some digging.

It looks bad for Gorka.

Via Andrew Reynold's website at UNC:

Gorka is Hungarian-English. He gained an American passport in 2012. His nationalist parents fled to London from Budapest in 1956. His dissertation  Content and End-State-based Alteration in the Practice of Political Violence since the End of the Cold War: the difference between the terrorism of the Cold War and the terrorism of al Qaeda: the rise of the "transcendental terrorist" was apparently granted in 2007 by Corvinus University of Budapest. The tract is long on Islamaphobia and the unsubstantiated claims of the polemicist but short on theory, evidence or academic rigor. Corvinus is not an institution with a profile, so I looked: sadly it doesn't even make the top 1,000 in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings.

Even Gorka's attendance poses a mystery. When exactly was he a graduate student at the university? Did he take classes? Did he receive any training in Islam or Islamic studies? His CV notes that he left Hungary in 2004 to work for the US Defense Department in Germany and then in 2008 relocated to the US. There is no evidence that he ever returned to live and study in Budapest.

The dissertation is online and includes the 'evaluations' of three referees who each presented a page of generalized comments  completely at odds with the detailed substantive and methodological evaluations that I've seen at every Ph.D defence I've been on over the last twenty years.

Two of the three referees did not even have a Ph.D. One was the US Defense Attache at the American Embassy in Budapest at the time, while the other was employed at the UK's Defence Academy and just had a BA from Manchester University awarded in 1969. This 'neutral' examiner had published a book in Hungary with Gorka three years previously. While graduate students sometimes collaborate with their advisors the independent external examiners must have no nepotistic ties with the candidate. More important, a basic principle of assessing educational achievement is that your examiners have at least the degree level of the degree they are awarding. Undergraduates do not award Ph.Ds. In Gorka's case the only examiner who lists a doctorate was Gyorgy Schopflin  an extreme right wing Hungarian Member of the European Parliament who recently advocated putting pigs heads on a fence on the Hungarian border to keep out Muslims. I have been told that Schopflin was a family friend. Both Schopflin and Gorka's father fled from Budapest to London in the 1950s and both moved in exile right-wing nationalist circles.

If that is true, we are left in sum with a degree that was awarded in absence  on the basis of a dissertation without basic political science methodological underpinnings  and apparently from an examining committee of two of Gorka's diplomat friends, with only BA degrees; along with an old family friend, Schopflin.

In sum, Gorka's Ph.D is about as legitimate as if he had been awarded it by Trump University. Facts matter, but so does the gathering, synthesizing and creation of knowledge that is what we call 'education.' If you fake a Ph.D you are faking your credentials. He delivers provable untruths to the American public but is believed by many because he presents himself as an esteemed scholar of Islam. Gorka would never have got away with such hutzpah in the UK. Experience and scholarship work in harness to produce answers to questions. When you have neither experience nor training you are likely to not merely get the answers wrong, but not even have an inkling of which questions to ask.
Rumble

The sweet and spicy Korean style sauce with gochujang is the key to the taste! A salad made with boiled sliced pork that has less amount of fat, crispy vegetables, fluffy tofu, and a Korean-style sauce made with gochujang. The tangy spiciness holding the meat and vegetables is addictively delicious. Even when you have no appetite or are on a diet, this is a great dish that allows you to eat plenty of meat and vegetables. you can enjoy meat and vegetables even if you are on a diet! =============================================================  YouTube : https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDvCGAygv511zlEkVAWQfbA  Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/hungrycookingstudio/ =============================================================  Ingredients (for 2~3) Pork belly shabu-shabu thin slice  150~200g Silken (soft) tofu...half pack Sunny lettuce ... 1/3 Cucumber ... 1/2~1 Avocado  1/2~1 Green onions Shredded chili pepper Cherry tomatoes... 2~3 Potato starch salt sake Sauce Soy sauce... 2 tbsp Sesame oil... 1 tbsp Gochujang  2 tbsp Sugar... 1 tbsp Vinegar... 2 tbsp Garlic ... 4 La-Yu (chili oil) Sesame  Cooking Recipe  Cut the tip of the sunny lettuce core and soak it in water for about 10 to 15 minutes.  Prepare hot water to boil the pork  Grate the garlic and mix the ingredients for the sauce Add mashing the sesame seeds with your fingers at the end  take the lettuce leaves as much as used and wash them with the other vegetables.  hand cut the lettuce into bite-sized pieces and drain well. Peel the cucumber, cut it in half lengthwise, remove the seeds, and thinly slice diagonally Slice the avocado and cut the cherry tomatoes into quarters Cut the tofu into appropriate sizes Finely chop green onion  When the water boils, add salt and sake, then sprinkle potato starch on the pork slices and lightly rinse with water, then put them in the boiling water one by one and boil while loosening.  put vegetables, tofu, and pork on a plate, sprinkle dressing on top, and top with green onion and shredded chili peppe.  Cooking tips You can omit the potato starch, but if you sprinkle the pork with potato starch, the pork will have a smooth and soft texture, and will remain soft even when cold. to drain the lettuce, wrap it in kitchen paper and putting it in a plastic bag or between the colander and the bowl and shaking it, so you don't have to use a spinner Please adjust the amount of garlic to your liking. for topping, Kaiware (daikon sprouts) is also good instead of green onion if you have
Democracy Watch is calling for an investigation into whether former justice minister Peter MacKay broke federal conflict-of-interest rules by appointing friends and colleagues as judges  including Vic Toews, now a judge in Manitoba  but the group wants someone other than ethics commissioner Mary Dawson to conduct the investigation.

The national advocacy organization says it filed a complaint with Dawson's office on Monday regarding MacKay's appointments, which were made while he was justice minister and attorney general in Stephen Harper's Conservative government from 2013 to 2015.

One of the appointees named was Toews, a former cabinet colleague who retired from politics in July 2013. He was named a justice of the Manitoba Court of Queen's Bench in March 2014.

Toews is now facing a review of his conduct by the Canadian Judicial Council, the body that oversees federally appointed judges in the country, after Dawson ruled on Friday that he violated conflict-of-interest rules by doing consulting work for two Manitoba First Nations within months of leaving office.

Dawson said that contravened rules that prevent former ministers from consulting or lobbying on issues which they dealt with while in office.

The judicial council told The Canadian Press that 80 per cent of its investigations are concluded within three to six months, although some  including those that involve full public hearings  can take much longer.

The review is initially done by a single member of the council's judicial conduct committee, who can either dismiss the complaint, recommend remedial measures such as counselling or training, or forward it to a review panel.

The panel, in turn, can dismiss the complaint, recommend remedial measures or order a full inquiry which is open to the public.

'Political friends'

While there are no penalties or sanctions for violating ethics or conflict of interest rules, Dawson's report has critics  including Democracy Watch  and ethics experts demanding Toews's removal from the bench.

Story continues

Democracy Watch co-founder Duff Conacher argued that MacKay should have recused himself from being part of appointment-related decisions related to his friends, including "political friends" such as Toews.

"Defining 'friends' to include political friends does not mean that ministers would be prevented from appointing any member of the ruling party to any government position," Conacher wrote in his letter to Dawson.

"It does, however, mean that ministers would be prevented from appointing former cabinet colleagues and other significant party members and supporters."

In 2015, a spokesperson for MacKay's office told CBC News that the minister of justice only appoints those who are recommended following assessments by committees.

Meanwhile, Conacher is calling on Dawson to recuse herself from ruling on Democracy Watch's complaint, arguing that she's in a conflict of interest because the Liberal government did not consult opposition leaders before renewing her contract in December.

"It would be outrageous if someone filed a lawsuit against a former Conservative cabinet minister and then Prime Minister [Justin] Trudeau chose the judge to rule on the lawsuit and handed the judge a six-month contract worth $100,000," Conacher said in a news release.

"It is equally outrageous for an ethics complaint against a former Conservative cabinet minister to be ruled on by an ethics commissioner chosen by and serving at the pleasure of Liberal Prime Minister Trudeau."

Conacher also questioned Dawson's record on enforcing the federal Conflict of Interest Act, saying she's issued only 25 public rulings between 2007 and 2015  another 149 rulings were secret  and created loopholes in the legislation.

Instead, the organization wants a "substitute decision-maker" to rule on its complaint, as well as an independent commission to conduct a "public, non-partisan merit-based search" for the next ethics commissioner and commissioner of lobbying.

Reached for comment by CBC News, a spokesperson for Dawson's office would only confirm that it's received a letter from Democracy Watch.
Gov. Pete Ricketts on Wednesday signed into law a bill providing that physicians may notify parents of hospice care that would be available for unborn babies following the diagnosis of a lethal fetal anomaly.

The bill (LB506), introduced by Sen. Joni Albrecht of Thurston, "reaffirms the importance of family and life," Ricketts said at a signing ceremony attended by advocates who oppose the option of abortion.

"Any parent going through the heartbreaking situation of being told that your child is not expected to live should receive information on the compassionate care available to them," the governor said.

Hospice support allows families to "embrace whatever life the baby may have," Albrecht said.

The bill refers to "perinatal hospice care," directing services at the period nearest to and following birth.

Physicians would be able to provide parents with information compiled by the state's Department of Health and Human Services pertaining to available hospice care.

"Whether it is for days, hours or even only minutes, every parent deserves the opportunity to meet their child," Nebraska Family Alliance policy director Nate Grasz said.

"It's bills like this that show being pro-life is to recognize dignity of life in mothers, fathers and children alike," said Jeff Kanger of the Nebraska Catholic Conference.

Ricketts also signed a bill (LB195) that requires health care facilities that perform mammograms to provide patients with notification of any discovery of dense breast tissue.

High breast density is a high-risk factor in the development of breast cancer.

Sen. Joni Craighead of Omaha said she introduced the bill in memory of Cheri Rauth of Omaha, who died of breast cancer a year ago.
WEDNESDAY, April 26, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- Drinking heavily over a short period of time can significantly boost the risk of an abnormal heart rhythm, even in healthy people, new German research suggests.

The finding stems from a study done at Munich's Oktoberfest, a long-standing Bavarian beer festival held every autumn. Over a 16-day period in 2015, researchers tracked the heart health and drinking patterns of a group of more than 3,000 men and women.

The investigators found that nearly a third of the group experienced an abnormal heart rhythm -- or "cardiac arrhythmia" -- at some point during the festival, a much higher percentage than usually seen among the general population.

What's more, investigators calculated that, for every additional gram of alcohol consumed per kilogram of blood (above zero), arrhythmia risk rose by 75 percent.

Study co-author Dr. Moritz Sinner, an assistant professor of medicine at University Hospital Munich, said that even though the phenomenon is well-known, the findings are "remarkable."

"For the first time we were able to demonstrate that alcohol has an immediate effect on the heart rhythm," he said.

He noted that this is the first study to track drinking and its impact on heart rhythms while participants were actually drinking, compared to other studies in which people try and recall their drinking behavior.

Sinner and his colleagues published their findings April 26 in the European Heart Journal.

Dr. Gregg Fonarow, director of the Ahmanson-UCLA Cardiomyopathy Center in Los Angeles, expressed little surprise at the findings.

"It is well-documented that alcohol consumption can increase the likelihood of having arrhythmias," he noted, adding that the phenomenon has actually given rise to a label -- "holiday heart syndrome."

According to the U.S. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, a cardiac arrhythmia is essentially an electrical disruption to the normal workings of the heart, in which the heart muscle beats excessively fast, too slow or irregularly. In most cases it is harmless, but it can interrupt the usual flow of blood, raising the risk for serious organ, brain and heart damage.

In the Oktoberfest study, the participants were on average 35 years old, and 30 percent were women.

Their drinking patterns varied, from total abstention to 3 grams of alcohol per kilogram of blood, which was the maximum permitted by the researchers and far exceeds the German legal driving limit of 0.5 grams of alcohol per kilogram of blood.

The researchers estimated that a person would have to consume roughly 6 to 10 quarts -- or liters -- of beer to reach the 3-gram maximum.

Smartphone-enabled electrocardiogram readings were repeatedly taken, alongside breathalyzer readings. The results were tracked in comparison to a community-based chronic alcohol cohort study done in Augsburg, Germany.

In the end, the team found evidence of arrhythmias in almost 31 percent of the Oktoberfest participants, much higher than the 1 to 4 percent prevalence typically seen in the population at large. Just over a quarter of the arrhythmias involved excessive heart-beating ("sinus tachycardia").

The researchers concluded that alcohol consumption was a clear "trigger" for an increased risk of heartbeat irregularities.

Still, Sinner acknowledged that the study did not examine whether any participants had any undiagnosed heart condition that could have elevated the risk.

In addition, the consequences for the Oktoberfest participants were "not immediately dramatic," he said.

Fonarow agreed, noting that the heart irregularities observed in the study "were generally minor, transient and without lasting consequence."

As for practical advice, both Sinner and Fonarow admitted that it can be difficult to pinpoint the exact amount of alcohol that might trigger arrhythmia risk.

"The exact amount of alcohol consumption needed to produce arrhythmias likely varies among individuals," said Fonarow.

But, he added, "alcohol can have these effects even in individuals who do not regularly drink alcohol."

More information

There's more information on cardiac arrhythmias at the U.S. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.
More than 30 men were arrested after a private party in the Bahadoran region of Isfahan, Iran was raided by the police, Iranian Railroad for Queer Refugees reported Thursday.



Their charges are sodomy, drinking alcohol and using psychedelic drugs and they face the death penalty if found guilty.





The men, between the ages of 16 and 30, the Canadian charity reports, were rounded up late April 13 amid gunshots and beatings from police, according to the Jerusalem Post.





"IRQR received several reports in last few days and were able to confirm that police attacked guests and physically beat them. Police detained them all at the Basij (Revolutionary Guard Militia) Station and then transferred them to Esfahan's Dastgerd Prison.



A few people managed to escape and we received reports that there were several heterosexual individuals among those arrested," IRQR reported.





IRQR also reported that those arrested were forced to name their LGBT friends to authorities. In Iran, homosexuality is punishable by death, according to the International Society for Human Rights.





IRQR reports that a special prosecutor has been named and that those arrested will be subjected to anal examination to prove the homosexuality charges.









In 2007, then-Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad infamously declared while at Columbia University that there were no gay people in Iran. In Iran, LGBT citizens are afforded very little, if any, civil rights. Presently, LGBT citizens cannot marry, cannot adopt, cannot serve openly in the military and are not protected from any discrimination, according to Equaldex.In 2007, then-Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad infamously declared while at Columbia University that there were no gay people in Iran.





European civil rights leaders are calling for the EU to step in.





"While the Islamic State throws gays from rooftops, the Islamic Republic hangs them. Iran's regime forces homosexuals to flee the country and the EU turns a blind eye," Stefan Schaden, an LGBT rights activist and spokesman for the European "Stop The Bomb campaign" said in an email to the Jerusalem Post. "The EU is, however, required in their dealings with third countries to comply with binding guidelines laid down in the Union's 'LGBTI [lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and/or intersex] Toolkit' to combat state violence against LGBTI persons. The EU must clearly step up its efforts in this regard and consider more human rights sanctions against the Iranian regime."





This incident comes on the heels of reports that in Chechnya, gay men are being rounded up, tortured and in some cases even killed.

 | Report an error, an omission, a typo; suggest a story or a new angle to an existing story; submit a piece, a comment; recommend a resource; contact the webmaster, contact us: deathpenaltynews@gmail.com



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Source: towleroad.com, April 26, 2017
Jack Harold Jones

Jack Harold Jones was put to death by the state of Arkansas Monday night by way of lethal injection.





Authorities began administering the execution drugs at 7:06 p.m. and Jones was pronounced dead at 7:20 p.m., according to the Arkansas Department of Correction.





Asked if he had any last words, Jones said the following:





"Well, I just want to let the James family and Lacey [know] how sorry I am. I can't believe I did something to her. I tried to be respectful from the time I took and become a better person. I hope I did better. I hope over time you could learn who I really am and I am not a monster. There was a reason why those things happened that day. I am so sorry Lacey, try to understand I love you like my child."





Jones also gave a written statement to his attorney to read:





"I want people to know that when I came to prison I made up my mind that I would be a better person when I left than when I came in. I had no doubt in my mind that I would make every effort to do this. I'd like to think that I've accomplished this. I made every effort to be a good person - I practiced Buddhism and studied physics. I met the right people and did the right things. There are no words that would fully express my remorse for the pain that I caused."





Jones, 52, was convicted and sentenced to death in the 1995 rape and murder of 34-year-old Mary Phillips at her accounting office in Bald Knob. He was also convicted of the attempted murder of Phillips' 11-year-old daughter Lacy.





Following the execution, Lacy told the media, "I'm glad it's done."





The Supreme Court of the United States denied two requests for a stay for Jones, allowing for the execution to proceed.





Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge released a statement following the execution:





"This evening, Lacey Phillips Manor and Darla Phillips Jones have seen justice for the brutal rape and murder of their mother, Mary Phillips. Mary was performing her job as a bookkeeper in Bald Knob on June 6, 1995, when she was strangled to death with a coffee pot cord while her 11-year-old daughter Lacey clung to life a few feet away after being choked and beaten. The Phillips family has waited far too long to see justice carried out, and I pray they find peace tonight."





Jones is the second Arkansas death row inmate to be executed in less than a week.





Jones becomes the 2nd condemned inmate to be put to death in Arkansas this year and the 29th overall since the state resumed capital punishment in

1990.





Jones becomes the 8th condemned inmate to be put to death this year in the USA and the 1450th overall since the nation resumed executions on January 17, 1977.





Arkansas death row inmate Marcel Williams executed





Marcel Williams Marcel Williams was the second death row inmate to be executed by the state of Arkansas Monday night. Marcel Williams was the second death row inmate to be executed by the state of Arkansas Monday night.





Williams was put to death by way of lethal injection. The drugs were administered at 10:16 p.m. and Williams was pronounced dead at 10:33 p.m.





Marcel Williams did not have any last words.





Williams was convicted of killing Stacy Rae Errickson, a 23-year-old mother of 2, in Jacksonville in 1994.





Errickson's family declined to comment immediately following the execution.





Williams becomes the 3rd condemned inmate to be put to death this year in Arkansas and the 30th overall since the state resumed capital punishment in 1990.





Williams becomes the 9th condemned inmate to be put to death this year in the USA and the 1451st overall since the nation resumed executions on January 17, 1977.

Arkansas executions: 'I was watching him breathe heavily and arch his back'

Arkansas on Monday carried out the first double execution in the US in 16 years. Jacob Rosenberg witnessed the murderer Marcel Williams being put to death





At 9.34pm we entered the execution chamber. I passed through a door with a large sign on its front showing two letters, EC, and took a seat among a few rows of chairs that faced four large rectangular windows. Some lights were on, but it was mostly dim. A black curtain was drawn behind the windows in front of us.





Behind that curtain, strapped to a gurney in an even smaller room, was Marcel Williams.





In Arkansas, we do not get to see the placement of the IV for lethal injection. So, from the time we entered until the curtain opened, I saw nothing. We just stared forward at those windows, waiting for them to reveal Williams, 46, who was sent to death row for the 1994 rape and killing of 22-year-old Stacy Errickson, whom he kidnapped from a gas station.





We had done this earlier in the night, when a last-minute stay had us waiting in the chamber for over an hour. During that time, we later learned, Williams had been strapped down on the gurney. Now, as then, with the stay lifted, I simply looked at the black curtain, knowing almost nothing about what was happening to the prisoner.





The curtain created a reflection of the room behind me, like a mirror. I could see other witnesses, and myself, fidget.





At 10.16pm, after 32 minutes of IV placement, the curtain opened.





Light from fluorescent bulbs cast a strange yellow glow in the room in front. Marcel Williamss eyes looked right up at the ceiling. He was on a gurney, tied down. His head was locked in place and the right side of his body was facing us, the viewers. He said no final words.





At this point, the first lethal injection drug  the controversial sedative midazolam, whose expiration date at the end of this month has prompted Arkansass unprecedented wave of judicial killings  was supposed to be administered. No one announced that a drug was being given . The process simply moved along. I watched and tried to follow.





His eyes began to droop and eventually closed (the right one lingered slightly open throughout). His breaths became deep and heavy. His back arched off the gurney as he sucked in air.





I could not count the number of times his body moved in such a way, rising off the gurney.





Procedure dictates that five minutes after the introduction of midazolam there should be no movements. But, at 10.21pm, Williams was still breathing heavily and moving. The man in the room checked his pulse and touched his eyes and said something. (The audio was cut off for us.)





At this point, it is likely another dose of midazolam was given. I cannot be sure it was administered. I was watching him breathe heavily and arch his back and then the breathing began to shallow out. By 10.24pm, Williams looked completely still.





 | Report an error, an omission, a typo; suggest a story or a new angle to an existing story; submit a piece, a comment; recommend a resource; contact the webmaster, contact us: deathpenaltynews@gmail.com



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Sources: KATV news & Rick Halperin, April 25, 2017Source: The Guardian, Jacob Rosenberg, April 25, 2017
Kenneth Williams

OZARK, Mo. (KSPR) - The family of a man from the Ozarks who was killed by an escaped murderer almost two decades ago said they do not want his killer to be executed.





"I believe justice has already been served. He hasn't been able to kill anyone else. Executing him is more of revenge," said Stacey Yaw, who was Michael Greenwoods wife.





Kenneth Williams is set to die on Thursday. He's one of eight inmates who Arkansas scheduled for execution by the end of the month before its supply of a key execution drug expires.





Four of the eight condemned men got judicial reprieves; three of them were put to death; only Williams is still set for execution.





Michael Greenwood of Springfield and his wife had just found out they were expecting twins when Williams escaped from an Arkansas prison. Williams led law enforcement officers on a chase in a stolen truck and crashed into Greenwood's work truck near Urbana, north of Buffalo, and killed Greenwood.





Now Greenwood's family asks for his killer's life to be spared.





"I miss him when I'm with my grandkids, I wish he was there to see them, too; little things they do, proud moments," Yaw said.





Greenwood's family feels his absence every day.





He was a great guy. He was a tough guy. He was a funny guy. He was a great guy," Yaw said.





They do not want anyone else to feel this pain, even Greenwood's killer.





"Sometimes the right thing is hard to do, but it is the best option," said Michael Greenwoods son, Joseph Greenwood.





That is why they ask for Kenneth Williams' life to be spared.





"Everyone can change and I definitely believe in second or even third chances, because it's what's right," said Joseph Greenwood.





For them that chance is making sure the killer gets to see his family one last time. The victims family just bought Williams daughter and granddaughter plane tickets; so, they could get here before the execution.





"It's just not right. It's just not right. She didn't do anything ever and now she is going to be a victim," Yaw said.





They are helping Williams' last wish come true for the sake of his daughter, Jasmine.





"If I was Jasmine, I would want somebody there for me. We are all humans, we are all here together, we have to be here for each other," said Kayla Greenwood, who is Michael Greenwoods daughter.





"We experience what she felt. She is getting ready to lose a father and me, my brother, and sister all lost a father. It sucks and we feel really bad for her. Even though he killed our father," said Joseph Greenwood.





This will be the first time that Williams has ever seen his granddaughter.





"At least that can be something good and beautiful that can come out of something so horrible," Kayla Greenwood said.





The Greenwood family invited us to drive along with them to meet Jasmine and her daughter on Wednesday.

 | Report an error, an omission, a typo; suggest a story or a new angle to an existing story; submit a piece, a comment; recommend a resource; contact the webmaster, contact us: deathpenaltynews@gmail.com



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Source: KSPR , Stephanie Garland, April 26, 2017
Military courts have sentenced 161 militants to death penalty since 2014 following Peshawar school attack





Another 4 militants, convicted by military courts for their involvement in terrorism, have been executed at a jail in northwestern Pakistan, an army spokesman said on Tuesday.





"Another 4 hardcore terrorists involved in committing heinous offenses relating to terrorism, including the killing of innocent civilians, attacking armed forces of Pakistan and law enforcement agencies have been executed at a jail in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa [northwestern province]," the spokesman said in a statement.





The executed convicts Rehman ud Din, Mushtaq Khan, Obaid ur Rehman, and Zafar Iqbal were members of the Pakistani Taliban coalition, Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).





Pakistan established controversial military courts to try "hardcore" militants following a deadly gun-and-bomb attack on an army-run school in Peshawar in December 2014, which claimed the lives of over 140 people, mostly students.





The military courts, which were given another 2-year extension by parliament last month, have sentenced 161 militants to the death penalty, 26 of whom have been executed.





Islamabad lifted a 6-year long de facto ban on capital punishment in 2014 following the Peshawar school attack.





According to official statistics, over 8,000 death row convicts are currently in jail.





 | Report an error, an omission, a typo; suggest a story or a new angle to an existing story; submit a piece, a comment; recommend a resource; contact the webmaster, contact us: deathpenaltynews@gmail.com



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Source: Anadolu Agency, April 25, 2017
LONDONHere in the UK the corporate tax rate is a flat 20 percent, and anyone with a small business incorporates to take advantage of it. Prime Minister Theresa May wants to lower that rate to 17 percent in 2020.

So President Trumps plans to lower the corporate tax and small business tax rates to 15 percent do not seem radical from this side of the Atlantic.

A 15 percent rate would bring the United States rate below the OECD average of 25 percent, making American firms more competitive. Lower rates would attract jobs back to America. During the campaign Mr. Trump called for a top individual income tax rate of 33 percent, down from a rate of over 40 percent on investment income. His new plan calls for individual rates of 10 percent, 25 percent, and 35 percent, and elimination of the estate tax and the alternative minimum tax.

These rates would change the status quo, under which firms have every incentive to keep profits abroad and little incentive to repatriate earnings, and individuals have less incentive to work and to invest.

House Speaker Ryan would reduce the corporate tax rate to 20 percent. Perhaps Ryan and Trump could compromise on 17 percentthe level that Britain might reach in 2020. And with Theresa May headed for a five-year term with a renewed majority, her 17 percent rate is within reach.

America used to be more business-friendly than Britain, but now has the highest corporate tax rate in the industrialized world at 35 percent. America does not want to copy Britains 20 percent value added tax, which raises the price of most UK products. But keeping up with the Brits, and the other countries, is becoming increasingly urgent.

The gap between American and foreign rates is widening, as foreign countries are lowering their rates as the U.S. rate stays the same. In order to raise U.S. levels of investment, the corporate tax rate should be reduced to the range of Trumps 15 percent to House Speaker Paul Ryans 20 percent.

Not only is the level of the U.S. corporate tax an outlier, but U.S. corporations are taxed on their worldwide incomea path taken by only 7 of the 34 Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development countries (including the U.S.). This places America at a competitive disadvantage.

Tax and fiscal reform should raise sustainable potential growth rather than provide a temporary boost. Trumps tax plan is important not because it is likely to present anything newit is not likely to differ in significant respects from his campaign planbut because it will signal to Congress that he is serious about reform.

Four percent GDP growth might be possible for some periods, but lifting sustainable potential growth anywhere close to three percent would be an enormous achievement. It would have a large and compounding effect on production, employment and wages and purchasing power, and it would raise living standards throughout the income distribution.

A global (or worldwide) tax system is uncompetitive with high tax rates because it imposes a high income tax rate on all profits, regardless of where they are earned. If an American company operates in the United States and Britain, its domestic affiliate pays U.S. taxes of 35 percent and its foreign affiliate pays U.S. taxes at 35 percent and UK taxes at 20 percent.

America allows companies to deduct the taxes paid to foreign governments from U.S. taxes owed to the Internal Revenue Service, but this means that corporations always pay the full U.S. rate and are unable to take advantage of low-tax jurisdictions.

In contrast, a territorial tax system, common to most of our competitors, taxes only the income earned domestically. Our American company operating in Britain and America would pay U.S. taxes on its domestic income and British taxes on its British income. In this way companies can take advantage of low-tax jurisdictions. Business decisions can be made more efficiently, since bringing profits back domestically will not result in those profits being taxed again  thus, capital can go where it is most needed.

No one knows how much of the $2.6 trillion of earnings US companies hold offshore would be repatriated with a lower U.S. tax, but even 10 percent to 25 percent would add to investment and employment.

President Trumps tax plan will show Congress that he is serious about tax reform. For support on lower rates, perhaps he could call Prime Minister Theresa May.

Diana Furchtgott-Roth is a senior fellow and director of Economics21 at the Manhattan Institute. Follow her on Twitter here.

Interested in real economic insights? Want to stay ahead of the competition? Each weekday morning, E21 delivers a short email that includes E21 exclusive commentaries and the latest market news and updates from Washington. Sign up for the E21 Morning Ebrief.
After many meetings and debates, the Chicago delegation succeeded in working with the New York United Federation of Teachers, Local 2 (UFT) to push the AFT to take stronger stands on charter school accountability and school closings  though many delegates from Chicago would have liked the language to have been even stronger.

Generally speaking, the New York delegation represented organizing charters as the best model for handling their role in reshaping unions, despite the fact that according to many reports few charter schools in New York have been organized as is the case in Chicago. This logic is the same touted by the Progressive Caucus of the AFT. The few that have been organized are a part of the UFT local though they have separate contracts negotiated with the help of UFT. The Chicago delegation reflection the mindset that allowing new charters to continue to proliferate while attempting to organize existing charters is an end game in which public schools and the union lose.



Jen Johnson, CTU, Local 1 in Substance


Proposed change to filling legislative vacancies

The Legislature advanced a bill (LB451) to second reading that would change how legislative vacancies are filled. Currently, if a vacancy occurs within 60 days of a general election, the vacancy would be filled in that election. A senator appointed during that period would serve until the new senator takes office.

Under the bill, the 60 day period would be expanded to be before February 1 of a year that has a general election.

The provisions for filling legislative vacancies also would apply to the University of Nebraskas Board of Regents.

Omaha Sen. Tony Vargas opposed the change, saying residents in the district should have a say in who represents them as soon as reasonably possible.

Murante said he and Vargas could work on a compromise amendment before the bill is debated again.

Coming Wednesday

The Legislature has a late night scheduled, with second reading on consent calendar (non-controversial) bills in the morning and more budget debate in the afternoon and into the evening.
DOE Approves Sabine Pass LNG Export Bid

Golden Pass Products LLC, co-owned by Qatar Petroleum and ExxonMobil, is now authorized to export LNG up to the equivalent of 2.21 billion cubic feet per day of natural gas to any non-FTA country not prohibited by U.S. law or policy from a terminal near Sabine Pass, Texas.

The U.S. Department of Energy announced April 25 that it has signed an order authorizing Golden Pass Products LLC to export domestically produced liquefied natural gas (LNG) to countries that do not have a free trade agreement with the United States. The company is authorized to export LNG up to the equivalent of 2.21 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) of natural gas to any non-FTA country not prohibited by U.S. law or policy from the Golden Pass Terminal near Sabine Pass, Texas -- a location that Energy Secretary Rick Perry, former governor of Texas, should know very well.

The move is part of making the United States a net exporter of natural gas; DOE said it has authorized a total of 19.2 Bcf/d of natural gas exports to non-FTA countries from planned facilities in Texas, Louisiana, Florida, Georgia, and Maryland. "These projects, if built, would position the United States to be the dominant LNG exporter in the world," it said.

"This announcement is another example of President Trump's leadership in making the United States an energy dominant force. This is not only good for our economy and American jobs but also assists other countries with their energy security," Perry said.

According to the DOE announcement, Golden Pass estimates the construction of its facility will provide 45,000 direct and indirect jobs over five years and the cumulative impact of construction and 25 years of operation will provide up to $2.4 billion in federal tax revenues and $1.2 billion in state tax revenues.

DOE's order followed what the department described as "an extensive review of the Golden Pass application." DOE determined that exports from Golden Pass, which is jointly owned by Qatar Petroleum (70 percent) and ExxonMobil (30 percent) for a period of 20 years are not inconsistent with the public interest.
Evangelicals most likely of any religious group to stand in opposition

As new and more effective human reproductive genetic technologies (RGTs) develop, people of faith are more likely to disapprove of these tools than nonreligious people, a new Rice University study found. Evangelical Christians are the most likely of any religious group to stand in opposition, the researchers found.

The study examined how religious and nonreligious people felt about RGTs that could reveal qualities of an unborn child, such as whether the child had a disease ("disease technologies"), and those that allowed parents to select qualities for a child, such as gender, hair color and eye color ("enhancement technologies"). It included a general population survey of more than 10,000 people and 270 qualitative interviews with individuals living in the Midwest and South from a variety of religious traditions.

Elaine Howard Ecklund, the Herbert S. Autrey Chair in Social Sciences at Rice and the study's lead author, found over the course of her research that feelings about the use of RGTs vary not only between religious and nonreligious persons but also among religious groups.

When asked about the use of RGTs to prevent disease, 23 percent of evangelicals said this technology was morally wrong, compared with 9 percent of Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhs and Jains and 8 percent of Jews. Only 4 percent of agnostics and atheists said this technology was "morally wrong."

Religious groups had a much stronger negative reaction about the morality of using RGTs to select qualities such as gender, hair color and eye color. Eighty percent of evangelicals said that this type of technology was morally wrong, compared with 66 percent of Jews and 57 percent of Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhs and Jains. Just over half - 55 percent - of agnostics and atheists said this type of technology was morally wrong.

"A large proportion of religious and nonreligious people feel morally uncomfortable with enhancement technologies," Ecklund said.

During her in-depth interviews with study participants, Ecklund found that the "Creator Schema," which emphasizes God's control and God's purposes and plans in human suffering, predominated among Evangelical Christians and at times mainline Protestants and Muslims. However, Jewish respondents expressed ambivalence toward disease RGTs and did not draw on the Creator Schema.

One young member of a nondenominational Evangelical Protestant church communicated a strong version of a Creator Schema by justifying opposition to RGTs.

"I believe God is in control, and that He's taking care of everything and (if) this child has a disease, then that's what God wants for this child," he said.

While the Creator Schema emphasizes God's role as creator and boundaries between God and humans, the "Co-Creator Schema" provides for human partnership with God in improving life. Another participant referenced this schema in his feelings on the use of RGTs to eliminate disease.

"If I could do something, then sure, yes, I would want to know," he said. He lamented that when people rejected this possibility and emphasized "just God's ability to heal and deliver ... then people die, because they neglect the physical responsibilities that God has given them."

"This participant's emphasis on the concept of 'responsibilities' that God gives people suggests that humans have a partner role with God in certain kinds of actions, in this case healing genetic disease," Ecklund said.

More than half of all groups surveyed - including nonreligious groups - disagreed with the use of enhancement RGTs, and many feared that enhancement RGTs might be used for "unwise ends," the authors said.

"They often opposed enhancement RGTs because they saw this as related to eugenics, fearing that people would actively select or preference embryos with certain characteristics," said study co-author Jared Peifer of Baruch College.

A participant from an evangelical congregation said of enhancement RGTs, "That's obviously going to the 'Brave New World' extreme of we're going to be our own gods and choose our own destiny. ... That goes back to another level. ... It reminds me of Nazi Germany, those things that - you want certain types - certain types of people in your society, you know I want my child to have this color or whatever."

However, the religious individuals who supported enhancement RGTs mostly did so by considering these technologies within the abilities that God provides to humans, thereby drawing on the Co-Creator Schema.

"None of this is really a problem for me because if it happens, I believe God provided the way for it to happen," said a participant from an African-American evangelical congregation.

Ecklund said that the study's findings suggest that moral sensitivity rather than moral reasoning is likely to be employed as a way of addressing issues that are technologically complex under conditions where there is a scarcity of good information with which to morally reason, as is the case with enhancement RGTs.

"As moral reasoning on the topic becomes organized, we expect moral sensitivity to become less noticeably apparent as individuals begin to draw more readily on established cultural beliefs," she said.

###

"Moral Schemas in Articulation and Intuition: How Religious People Evaluate Human Reproductive Genetic Technologies" appeared in a recent edition of Sociological Forum and was also co-authored by Virginia White of the University of Chicago and Esther Chan of Yale University.

The study was funded by The John Templeton Foundation and is available online at http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/socf.12330/pdf.

For more information, contact David Ruth, director of national media relations at Rice, at 713-348-6327 or david@rice.edu.

This news release can be found online at http://news.rice.edu/.

Follow Rice News and Media Relations via Twitter @RiceUNews.

Related Materials:

Elaine Howard Ecklund website: http://www.elainehowardecklund.com/

Ecklund bio: http://sociology.rice.edu/content.aspx?id=117

Rice University Department of Sociology: http://sociology.rice.edu/

Located on a 300-acre forested campus in Houston, Rice University is consistently ranked among the nation's top 20 universities by U.S. News & World Report. Rice has highly respected schools of Architecture, Business, Continuing Studies, Engineering, Humanities, Music, Natural Sciences and Social Sciences and is home to the Baker Institute for Public Policy. With 3,879 undergraduates and 2,861 graduate students, Rice's undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio is 6-to-1. Its residential college system builds close-knit communities and lifelong friendships, just one reason why Rice is ranked No. 1 for happiest students and for lots of race/class interaction by the Princeton Review. Rice is also rated as a best value among private universities by Kiplinger's Personal Finance. To read "What they're saying about Rice," go to http://tinyurl.com/RiceUniversityoverview.
A river ferry passes in front of the Canary Wharf business district at dusk in London, Britain December 11, 2016. REUTERS/Toby Melville

By Huw Jones

LONDON (Reuters) - Banks in Britain will start shifting some operations to Continental Europe reasonably soon to avoid disrupting links with customers after Brexit, Barclays (BARC.L) Chief Executive Jes Staley said on Wednesday.

Britain has opened formal divorce talks with the European Union though it is far from clear what levels of access businesses will have to EU markets following the country's departure, which is due in March 2019.

Staley said it would be hard to get full clarity on Britain's new trading terms in the time banks need to guarantee links to continental customers after Britain leaves.

"You will start to see movement in a reasonably short period of time," Staley told a conference, saying that obtaining a licence to trade on the continent and changing financial contracts to another jurisdiction takes a year to 18 months.

Quickly securing the residency status of European Union nationals in Britain was also critical, he said. Barclays has 3,000 EU nationals working in the country.

"Intellectual capital is perhaps the most important asset that London as a financial centre has," Staley said.

He was speaking after Britain's Brexit minister, David Davis, told the conference in London that the country's place in the world was being reshaped.

"Securing an agreement with the EU within the two-year period about our withdrawal and the shape of our future relationship will be challenging," Davis said.

HSBC (HSBA.L) Chairman Douglas Flint told the conference that banks were looking for clarity on whether there would be an implementation phase between Brexit and the start of new trading terms - and how long any such phase would be.

"It would be better to get a good deal in a reasonably short period of time, rather than a really excellent deal so far into the future that people will have triggered all their contingency plans," Flint said.

In Frankfurt, a Deutsche Bank (DBKGn.DE) executive said the bank was considering whether it needs to move thousands of staff to Frankfurt from London due to Brexit.

Story continues

"GET SOME SWAGGER"

Brexit has sparked jostling among continental financial centres for a slice of London's financial business.

The InterContinental Exchange (ICE.N) has been asked by several EU members, including France, the Netherlands and Germany, whether it would move its clearing operations to mainland Europe, Chief Executive Jeff Sprecher said.

Several EU policymakers want clearing of euro denominated transactions, which is now dominated by London, to be based within the euro zone after Britain leaves the bloc.

French Finance Minister Michel Sapin told the BBC that it was an issue of sovereignty and security, saying the majority of clearing houses could not remain in London following Brexit.

Sprecher said Britain, by far the biggest financial centre in the region, had a "strong hand" for negotiating new financial services trading terms with Brussels.

"The UK should have a bit of swagger and not worry so much about the details," he said.

Michael Spencer, CEO of trading platforms company NEX, said most customers had chosen to clear in London and forcing them to shift to mainland Europe would be "deeply bad" protectionism that both fragments markets and forces continental customers to trade in a smaller, less efficient market.

"The Europeans will effectively be penalising themselves. Europe will be worse off. London will be worse off," he said.

(Additional reporting by Kylie MacLellan; editing by David Clarke)
Bill Ackman

Hedge fund manager Bill Ackman has little to fear from a government investigation into Herbalife stock manipulation, legal experts say  at least based on what has been reported about the inquiry so far.

The investigation centers on Ackman's billion-dollar short of Herbalife with his hedge fund, Pershing Square. To be liable for stock manipulation, these experts say, prosecutors would have to prove not only that Herbalife's stock was illegally manipulated but also that Ackman and Pershing Square knew about the illegal acts and sanctioned them.

Looking back on how the US Attorney's Office in the Southern District of New York  the one Preet Bharara heads  has handled similar cases, legal experts say the path to Ackman, if there is one, will first go through outsourced consultants and lieutenants if it is to prove wrongdoing at Pershing Square. Bharara's prior investigations into other Wall Street power players, from now-jailed Galleon Group founder Raj Rajaratnam to Steve Cohen, another hedge fund executive who has paid a fine but did not admit criminal culpability in an insider-trading case, took a similar route.

A grand jury has subpoenaed people and documents related to Ackman's investment in an effort to determine whether to pursue a case. One of the people who received a subpoena from the grand jury in New York late last month was a Connecticut-based hairstylist named Israel Alvarez, the Hartford Courant reported, citing an unnamed attorney. According to the Courant, Alvarez said he could not discuss the matter.

Investigators are following a standard playbook in the Herbalife investigation, experts say. They are starting with the "little fish" with the aim of working their way up to the "big fish" at the top.

But so far there is no indication that the big fish, Ackman and his colleagues at Pershing, knew what some of the people hired by Pershing's consultants were doing, much less colluding with them.

Story continues

Ackman has loudly, repeatedly, vigorously proclaimed his innocence.

"Market manipulation is when someone intentionally makes false or misleading statements about a company for the purpose of driving down the stock or driving up the stock. I have made only truthful statements backed up by enormous research," Ackman told Bloomberg TV.

Ackman has also said he has had no contact with the FBI or anyone else involved in the examination of his bet against Herbalife, a multilevel marketer that sells nutritional shakes and supplements. Ackman believes the company operates as an illegal "pyramid scheme" that targets lower-income people. He's betting the stock goes to $0.

But what if Ackman is wrong about Herbalife? What if he made some statements that were inaccurate? What's the worst that could happen? Legal experts told us the following.

At the crux of an investigation into market manipulation is not just whether someone did something that illegally affected a stock's value, but whether anyone else  like a hedge fund manager  colluded with him or her to make that happen.

Details about the investigation remain murky, and a representative in the US Attorney's Office in the Southern District of New York would not comment.

Without proof or irrefutable testimony, it will be difficult to move forward with a market-manipulation case, experts say. However, looking back at Bharara's successful prosecution of Galleon Group founder Raj Rajaratnam, legal experts and sources see parallels between the insider-trading case and a market-manipulation investigation.

The worst-case scenario for Ackman and Pershing is much more than a headache, though Ackman is most likely prepared for this.

The attorneys of the Southern District of New York successfully pursued an insider-trading case against Rajaratnam and, separately, SAC Capital traders. A source said Bharara had displayed a tendency to work cases "up," offering less-senior employees deals in exchange for testimony.

Raj Rajaratnam

Ackman, for his part, recently hired a former US attorney who worked securities cases in New York. He already has half a dozen lawyers working at Pershing Square.

"It's not easy to make a market-manipulation case," said one lawyer who asked to remain anonymous and had previously battled Bharara in court. "You're inevitably going to have to have a witness."

Absent of that witness, there is little reason to expect that Ackman or Pershing even has anything to sweat.

In previous interviews, Ackman has said no current or former Pershing Square employee had been subpoenaed in relation to any ongoing investigation. It suggests that, if any government arm is looking into trades, an investigation is only in the early innings and unlikely to yield anything anytime soon, one legal source said.

Prosecutors combing through evidence chasing a market-manipulation case have their work cut out with them  particularly when it comes to short-sellers.

John Coffee, a professor at Columbia Law School, notes that while pump-and-dump schemes are more easily identified, prosecutors would have to prove Ackman (and not just a third party or employee) willfully aimed to artificially drive the price of Herbalife shares down.

"There has to be some evidence he tried to push the stock beneath what he thought it was worth," Coffee said.

Given that Ackman has repeatedly and publicly said Herbalife stock is headed to $0, that could prove difficult.

If a grand jury investigation does proceed, it will have to bring forth a charge against someone, anyone  especially if the inquiry really is aimed at Ackman.

Steve Cohen SAC Capital

If the investigation does not lead to criminal charges, it could still head to civil court after being handed off to the Securities and Exchange Commission. While the US Attorney's Office failed to put Steve Cohen behind bars, it did manage to put a serious dent in his abstract art budget, when the SEC later slapped him for a fine of about $1.8 billion.

One legal source privately chided the SEC for a perceived unwillingness to take a case that appeared to be anything less than "a slam dunk," but Coffee points out that the burden of proof is different when prosecuting a civil case.

"A civil case would be easier [to prove] than a criminal case," Coffee said.

The lawyer who spoke with Business Insider on background said that beginning the probe with a hairdresser signaled that the investigation was not a "top-down case" and instead aimed to flip witnesses against higher-value targets.

Business Insider reached out to Alvarez, the hairdresser, but he did not respond to requests for comment.

"This is the way Preet operates, but it's also the way a lot of prosecutors operate," the source said.

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Agriculture groups sounded a warning Wednesday after learning President Donald Trump was contemplating a first step toward the United States leaving the North American Free Trade Agreement.

This dangerous move could cost Nebraska farmers and ranchers more than $2.6 billion per year in agricultural exports. Such a loss couldnt come at a worse time as farm and ranch families already face significantly lower prices for virtually every agricultural commodity produced, Nebraska Farm Bureau President Steve Nelson said Wednesday in a prepared statement.

Mexico was Nebraskas largest export market in 2016, buying $1.46 billion worth of goods, and Canada was second at $1.21 billion, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Trump considered an executive action that would have notified Canada and Mexico he intends to begin a six-month process of withdrawal from the three-nation trade agreement, according to senior administration officials. The notification would not have required Trump to ultimately withdraw, but it was a required step if he were to eventually exit the 23-year-old trade pact.

However, later on Wednesday, Trump told Mexican and Canadian leaders that he would not terminate NAFTA as all three countries agreed to renegotiate the agreement.

Trump, who frequently criticized NAFTA during his campaign, was also expected to issue a separate order notifying Congress of his intent to renegotiate the free-trade agreement.

By signing an intent to renegotiate and an intent to withdraw, the White House can attempt to leverage new concessions from Mexico and Canada while still maintaining a credible threat to leave the agreement entirely.

Sen. Ben Sasse, a Nebraska Republican, called the prospect of leaving NAFTA and risking a trade war reckless.

"Scrapping NAFTA would be a disastrously bad idea. It would hurt American families at the checkout, and it would cripple American producers in the field and the office," Sasse said.

"Yes, there are places where our agreements could be modernized but here's the bottom line: trade lowers prices for American consumers and it expands markets for American goods."

Talk of leaving NAFTA also caused alarm among U.S. crop and meat producers.

Abandoning NAFTA and going back to pre-NAFTA tariffs would be financially devastating to U.S. pork producers. Tens of thousands of U.S. jobs dependent on those exports would be lost, said Ken Maschhoff, president of the National Pork Producers Council.

Mexico is the second-largest market for United States' pork, and Canada is number four. Even a short-term interruption in trade could have serious ramifications for pork producers.

"Were all for modernizing NAFTA, but we cannot support efforts that would undermine the livelihoods of Americas 60,000 pork producers, Maschhoff said.

National Corn Growers Association President Wesley Spurlock said the farmers who helped elect Trump are now calling on him to stay in NAFTA.

"Mexico is the top export market for corn. Canada is also a top market for corn and ethanol. With a farm economy that is already weak, losing access to these markets will be a huge blow that will be felt throughout the ag value chain, Spurlock said.

Exiting NAFTA would have been a major break from decades of U.S. trade policy, and it was unclear whether the proposed order was a serious threat to leave the pact or simply an effort to put the country's neighbors on notice that Trump intends to rewrite the rules of North American trade.

Even threatening to withdraw from NAFTA could heighten tensions with Mexico and Canada, close allies and trading partners.

Trump railed against Mexico repeatedly during his campaign, saying that its trade practices are ripping off U.S. workers and luring away U.S. jobs -- adding to tensions over Trump's proposed border wall and his remarks about Mexican immigrants.

In recent days, however, he has taken a harder line with Canada, blasting a recent change in the dairy pricing policy there. And Monday, the Commerce Department said it would begin charging a tariff on the import of softwood lumber from Canada into the United States, alleging Canada was improperly subsidizing its domestic timber firms.
The Bank of New York Mellon Corp. building at 1 Wall St. is seen in New York's financial district March 11, 2015. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid (UNITED STATES - Tags: BUSINESS) - RTR4SYFE

By Karen Freifeld and Nate Raymond

(Reuters) - Bank of New York Mellon Corp has agreed to pay $714 million to settle allegations that the bank overcharged pension funds and other clients for foreign exchange services, U.S. federal and state authorities said on Thursday.

Federal and New York state authorities, among others, had accused BNY Mellon of telling clients it would provide the best possible execution for their currency transactions, but instead giving them prices at or near the worst interbank rates during the trading day. Meantime, authorities said, BNY Mellon obtained better spot prices for itself and profited on the spread.

As part of the agreements settling lawsuits filed by New York and the United States, the bank accepted responsibility for the conduct, authorities said.

The world's No. 1 custody bank also agreed to terminate David Nichols, its head of products management, and other executives, Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said. The other executives were not identified.

"The bank repeatedly deceived its customers and is paying a heavy penalty for it," Bharara said in a statement.

BNY Mellon said that it resolved substantially all the foreign exchange-related actions pending as part of the $714 million, including by the U.S. Department of Labor, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and class action litigation.

We are pleased to put these legacy FX matters behind us," the company said.

BNY Mellon disclosed last month that it would take a $598 million charge as it tried to resolve the cases.

New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman's lawsuit, which began when a whistleblower filed a complaint in 2009, claimed that BNY Mellon earned $2 billion over ten years through the alleged deception. The U.S. complaint said the bank defrauded clients of hundreds of millions of dollars between 2000 and 2011.

In addition, the bank settled a class action suit partly led by two Ohio pension funds for $335 million pending court approval, said Ohio AG Mike Dewine, adding that the agreement had followed four years of "hard-fought" litigation.

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BNY Mellon will pay a penalty of $167.5 million to the United States. New York state will receive a further $167.5 million, nearly all of which will compensate victims of the misconduct, authorities said. The rest of the funds will be split between other agencies involved.

The settlement also resolves Justice Department claims against Nichols, 60, BNY Mellon's products management head.

As part of the agreement, Nichols admitted to knowing the bank did not disclose its pricing methodology to customers, who did not fully understand it, among other things.

Attorney Stephen Fishbein, who represents Nichols, declined to comment.

The cases include United States v. Bank of New York Mellon, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York, No. 11-06969, and People of the State of New York v. Bank of New York Mellon, New York State Supreme Court, New York County, No. 114735/2009.

(Reporting By Karen Freifeld and Nate Raymond in New York. Additional reporting by Jonathan Stempel.; Editing by Christian Plumb, Bernard Orr)
LONDON (Reuters) - Activist investor Edward Bramson has launched a fresh bid to shake up the management of Electra Private Equity (ELTA.L), the company said on Friday, less than a year after he lost a shareholder vote to join its board.

The board of Electra said it had received on Thursday a requisition for a general meeting from Bramson's Sherborne Investors (SIGB.L), where a resolution will be proposed seeking the appointment of two new board members.

Bramson, Electra's largest shareholder, has criticised the performance of Electra's management team and its decision to manage assets internally, and "considers a number of its portfolio companies to be undervalued as a result of operational deficiencies", Electra said in the statement.

Electra said it unanimously opposed the resolution to appoint Bramson and Ian Brindle to its board and remained convinced the interests of shareholders were best served by a board that is wholly independent of any shareholder.

Bramson had attempted to secure a seat on the board in October but was defeated in a shareholder vote in which only around 11 percent of independent Electra investors backed his proposals.

Sherborne had around 20 percent of Electra's shares at the time of the last vote but since then the New York-based investor, who has already succeeded in instigating improved shareholder returns at former quoted fund firm F&C Asset Management, has increased his stake to close to 30 percent.

"A departure from the wholly non-executive and independent board risks destabilising the current successful partnership between the Board and Electra Partners," Electra said in the statement, quoting a letter signed by Chairman Roger Yates which was sent to Bramson on Aug. 12.

"In our view this outweighs the argument that Sherborne should have Board representation simply because it is a large shareholder," the letter said.

Yates also said that Bramson had so far failed to explain how the fund could improve the performance of its portfolio companies, and the board refuted Bramson's claim that the company needed "an operating turnaround" either at the board level or within individual portfolio companies.

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Sherborne did not immediately respond to request for comment.

Analysts at Jefferies said they continued to have sympathy with the Board's opposition to the resolutions, given a lack of clarity over the direction the new directors would seek to take the trust.

"This uncertainty continues to weigh on Electra's discount, of currently 11 percent," the firm said in a note to clients.

Over 10 years, Electra has delivered a 210 percent total return to shareholders, compared with a 79 percent return for the FTSE All-share (.FTAS) and 184 percent for the FTSE 250 (.FTMC).

(Reporting by Emiliano Mellino and Sinead Cruise; editing by Simon Jessop)
* Scotiabank claiming damages of about $52.6 mln

* Not obligated to pay indebtedness, Cliffs told Scotiabank

* Cliffs shares fall as much as 7.2 pct (Adds comment from Scotiabank, analyst, shares)

By Anannya Pramanick and Shubhankar Chakravorty

March 19 (Reuters) - Canada's Bank of Nova Scotia sued Cliffs Natural Resources Inc, saying the U.S. iron ore miner had breached terms of a loan agreement when it filed for creditor protection for its Canadian operations.

Cliffs in January stopped production at its Bloom Lake mine in Quebec, where costs exceeded expectations, and started restructuring the Canadian operations after years of weak iron ore prices.

Cliffs' shares fell as much as 7.2 percent in morning trading on the New York Stock Exchange on Thursday.

The move to file for creditor protection in Canada accelerated Cliffs' payment obligations, Scotiabank said in a lawsuit filed in a U.S. District Court in Ohio on March 16.

Scotiabank is claiming damages of about $52.6 million.

In response to the bank's notices, Cliffs denied that it was obligated to repay the debt immediately, Scotiabank said in the lawsuit.

Andrew Chornenky, a spokesman for the bank told Reuters he would not comment on matters "that are before the courts."

Cliffs was not immediately available for comment.

The court's decision will determine whether Cliffs has to immediately pay back the loan made for equipment used in Bloom Lake.

"If a bankruptcy filing is an event of default under the terms of the contract, then they will be asked to pay," CRT Capital Group analyst Amer Tiwana said.

"If it's not, then they can continue to pay the monthly or quarterly payments they have to."

Cliffs had about $3 billion in debt outstanding as of Dec. 31 and $290.9 million in cash and cash equivalents.

Cliff shares were at their lowest in more than a decade. They had lost more than three-quarters of their value in the 12 months through Wednesday.

(Editing by Saumyadeb Chakrabarty and Joyjeet Das)
ATLANTA, GA--(Marketwired - Apr 12, 2017) - Dominovas Energy Corporation (OTCQB: DNRG) (the "Company") today announces that it has received from the Angolan Ministry of Energy and Water (MINEA) an invitation to secure the exclusive right to an 18MW hydroelectric project. The project will be located in northwestern Angola, and will produce over 150,000,000 kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity per year. This hydro project will represent an estimated US$90 million investment to Angola's energy sector. As current rates often can exceed US$.20/ per kWh in Angola, this project will begin to dilute the significantly overburdened energy cost.

Execution of the project will be directed by Vassilis Koutras, Dominovas Energy's Managing Director, Africa. The hydroelectric deployment will be facilitated using "Best In Class" EPC, suppliers and vendors that focus on hydroelectric power generation solutions with minimal impact to the environment and natural resources. The proprietary ORCAS (Ocean River Current Access Solutions) installation will utilize the most advanced, eco-friendly and effective hydro technologies available for sustainable power generation. The system enables on- and off-grid clean energy flexibility for the generation of electricity from river-based power generating systems.

It is anticipated that the deployment will complement an existing hydropower plant; a project that reflects several years of collaboration between Dominovas and government officials to explore much-needed clean, efficient, and reliable power solutions for Angola.

"Dominovas Energy's leadership remains committed to powering Africa. This project is yet another example of our commitment, and it is nice to have completed this phase in the negotiations with the government of Angola. The Dominovas team has been relentless in its efforts in Angola, to deliver this project. Long in the making, yes, but well worth the wait. I now look forward to the next set of steps in our process," says Koutras.

Next steps will include the completion of appropriate bankable feasibility studies, the negotiation of all off-take agreement terms and conditions, which will be supported by the requisite government guarantees which will cover Dominovas' investment in the power plant and attendant infrastructure.

"Angola and its leadership has long been at the table with Dominovas Energy in an effort to determine a precise solution that benefits both parties. I am honored our Company has been selected for this high-profile project, and I applaud the administration for its vision and unyielding determination to deliver continuous, reliable, and efficient electricity to its people. We do not take this selection lightly and look forward to moving to execution and implementation with each of the venerable, 'Best-In-Class' partners that will work with us to deliver this power plant," says Dominovas chairman and CEO Neal Allen.

The project will be funded by Dominovas' financing partner, Graecrest Energy Solutions and its partners, under a $1.2 billion financing agreement announced October 27, 2015. Further, the project construct is set by the Angola-mandated "FBOOT" program, which refers to a "Finance, Build, Own, Operate, and Transfer" model.

About Dominovas Energy Corporation (OTCQB: DNRG)

Founded in 2005, Dominovas Energy Corporation (DEC) is a publicly traded company, based in Nevada. With its operating headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, Dominovas Energy Corporation is a leading power solutions provider to emerging markets around the world. DEC seeks to deploy its proprietary RUBICON Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) technology, the ORCAS hydro systems and sourced clean coal technology for deployment in multi-megawatt power generation units worldwide. The worldwide need of clean and efficient production and distribution of is well documented. Dominovas Energy recognizes that worldwide, the markets offer immense potential for commercial development of energy resources. Dominovas Energy is aggressively moving to allocate its intellectual and financial capital forthwith, in order to strategically address this opportunity. By engaging throughout the world, Dominovas Energy is committed to creating shareholder value by not only generating guaranteed revenue streams, but also by increasing the value of "human and community capital." Devoted to core values by operating under the utmost of honesty and integrity in all its business transactions, Dominovas Energy is additionally dedicated to respecting the rights of all individuals, while acknowledging and respecting all cultures necessary to support the growth and development of the communities and countries in which it operates. The Company strongly believes that the impact of advanced "energy" technology can and will positively change the world, and Dominovas Energy is resolute in its mission to provide electricity where and when economically viable.

For more information, visit www.dominovasenergy.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release, as well as other statements made by Dominovas Energy Corporation (the "Company"), contain forward-looking statements that reflect, when made, the Company's current views with respect to current events and financial performance. Such forward-looking statements are subject to many risks, uncertainties and factors relating to the Company's operations and business environment, which may cause the actual results of the Company to be materially different from any future results. All statements that address future operating, financial or business performance or the Company's strategies or expectations are forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from these forward-looking statements as is applicable would be discussed under captions as follows: "Risk Factors" and "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" in the Company's filings as would be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission as required. New risks and uncertainties arise from time to time, and it is impossible for us to predict these events or how they may affect the Company. It should be remembered that the price of the ordinary shares and any income from them can go down as well as up. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events and/or otherwise, except as may be required by law.
By Sophie Sassard and Helena Soderpalm LONDON/STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - Mobile telecom equipment maker Ericsson faces a long and painful overhaul after shrinking markets, tough competition and restructuring costs pushed it to a quarterly operating loss on Tuesday. The Swedish company, which is seeking to reposition the business for growth under new chief executive Borje Ekholm, reported an operating loss of 12.3 billion Swedish crowns ($1.4 billion) as previously announced provisions, writedowns and restructuring costs pushed it deep into the red. That compared with a 3.5 billion crown profit in the same period last year and a mean forecast for a 12.0 billion crown loss in a Reuters poll of analysts. Ekholm wants to focus the business on lucrative core networks while restoring profitability in its IT & Cloud unit. It is also exploring partnerships or a sale of all or part of its media unit. Sales came in at 46.4 billion crowns, below the consensus forecast of 47.3 billion, while the gross margin was 13.9 percent versus the 17.9 percent seen by analysts. The company reiterated its guidance to at least double 2016 margins beyond 2018 through more aggressive cost-cutting. "What we see now is a need ... to intensify our efforts further on the cost side," Ekholm said on a call with analysts, adding that this would include streamlining its portfolio. Ericsson cut its total workforce by almost 5,000 last year to around 111,000 as part of a drive to improve profitability. Ekholm said he expected the steps he is taking to lead to significant profitability improvements as early as 2018. Critics question whether Ekholm, a veteran Ericsson board member, is best placed to turn the business around. They say a more varied, international management team at rival Nokia was key to its revival. Ericsson backers say the company has changed the guard, albeit internally, and is doing a good job of promoting a new generation of managers. INVESTOR SCEPTICISM Shares were down 3.2 percent at 1204 GMT, reflecting investor scepticism. UBS analysts expect 2017 EBIT to fall by more than 3 percent and the stock to decline by the same amount. "The only positive factor is networks' underlying margin of 12 percent," said Inge Heydorn, a fund manager at Sentat Asset Management, referring to the company's main business. "The rest is basically just more of the same, mainly a weak market," Heydorn said. Sentat does not have a position in Ericsson shares. Ericsson, backed by prominent Wallenberg family-backed Investor AB and Industrivarden, is under pressure to take greater advantage of the global surge in data traffic, enterprise networking and cloud computing. It has been hit by a drop in spending by telecoms firms, with demand for next-generation 5G technology still years away, and weak emerging markets. It also faces mounting competition from China's Huawei and Finland's Nokia. The company stunned investors in March by announcing $1.7 billion in provisions, writedowns and restructuring costs. The bulk of the provisions were related to "transformation projects" - operators needing to upgrade old systems - in Ericsson's IT & Cloud business, the company said. A second tech investor, with no stake in Ericsson, said weak performance at the other units, IT & Cloud and Media, showed the need to exit unprofitable businesses. Sector bankers scouting the market for possible partners or buyers for the media assets said they are having a hard time as the unit is small and not growing. A banker who worked for Ericsson in the past said the company overpaid for media acquisitions in 2012-13 and will hardly recoup its investment. Bankers said Media solutions - which provide consulting, systems integration and managed TV services - could appeal to large IT players such as France's Atos, while broadcast services could be sold to "bottom-fishing" private equity funds which have lower expectations of returns and tend to keep assets longer than traditional funds. Bankers ruled out any imminent takeover of Ericsson but said some rivals could take a look once the business stabilises. Speculation of a possible Ericsson-Cisco tie-up has been doing the rounds since the companies struck a strategic partnership two years ago. Ericsson said industry trends from 2016 were expected to continue in 2017. It has forecast the mobile infrastructure market to decline by 2-6 percent this year and stabilise after that. ($1 = 8.8115 Swedish crowns) (Additional reporting by Olof Swahnberg; Editing by Mark Potter and Adrian Croft)
Airbus Chief Executive Officer Thomas Enders attends the International Transport Forum (ITF) in Leipzig May 29, 2008. REUTERS/Johannes Eisele/File Photo

By Kirsti Knolle

VIENNA (Reuters) - Vienna prosecutors are investigating Airbus Chief Executive Thomas Enders for suspected fraud in connection with a $2 billion Eurofighter jet order by Austria more than a decade ago, the prosecutors' office said.

Correspondence reviewed by Reuters listed Enders as one of those accused in the investigation, and a spokeswoman for the Vienna prosecutors' office said that information was correct.

"I can confirm that," the spokeswoman, Nina Bussek, said on Wednesday when asked whether Enders was being investigated.

Airbus spokesman Martin Aguera declined to comment. Enders could not be reached for comment.

In February, Vienna prosecutors opened a criminal investigation after the defence ministry said it believed Airbus and Eurofighter misled decision-makers about the purchase price, deliverability and equipment of the 2003 warplane order.

A person close to Airbus, asking not to be named, said Enders had not been notified of any proceedings against him and had not so far been considered a witness in the investigation.

Enders and Airbus, which was called European Aeronautic, Defence and Space Company (EADS) at the time the fighter jet order was agreed, have repeatedly denied any wrongdoing.

Enders was head of EADS's defence division when the contract was signed. He took responsibility for combat aircraft a few months later.

The Eurofighter consortium, which comprises BAE Systems, Italy's Leonardo and Airbus, has also denied any wrongdoing.

Airbus shares shed gains after Reuters reported that Enders was being investigated, and fell as much as 1.1 percent. They were up 0.3 percent at 74.32 euros at 1440 GMT.

Austrian and German prosecutors have separately been investigating for years whether officials received bribes aimed at ensuring they chose Eurofighter jets over rival offers from Saab and Lockheed Martin.

Allegations surfaced almost immediately after the purchase was agreed that money was pocketed by politicians, civil servants and others via brokers for so-called offset deals accompanying the transaction.

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These deals, common in large arms purchases, are designed to provide work for local businesses in countries placing orders.

Austria's defence ministry has alleged Airbus and the Eurofighter consortium illegally charged nearly 10 percent of the purchase price of 1.96 billion euros for these side deals.

(Additional reporting by Victoria Bryan and Tim Hepher; Editing by Francois Murphy, Keith Weir and Mark Potter)
The General Electric logo is pictured on the General Electric offshore wind turbine plant in Montoir-de-Bretagne, near Saint-Nazaire, western France, November 21, 2016. REUTERS/Stephane Mahe (Reuters)

By Gram Slattery

SANTIAGO (Reuters) - General Electric Co <GE.N> is in talks with an independent energy producer to make a significant move into wind power in Chile, two people with knowledge of the process told Reuters, as the conglomerate expands its global renewable footprint.

GE is in talks to provide turbines for wind farms to be developed by Ireland's Mainstream Renewable Power throughout Chile, according to the sources, who requested anonymity as the matter is private.

The U.S. company would likely take an equity stake in the projects, which would be financed with a mixture of equity and debt, according to one source.

The sources did not say what percentage of the project would be funded by each party. The wind farms being set up would require a total investment of up to $1.6 billion, Mainstream has said.

Mainstream declined to comment, and GE said it did not comment on rumors or speculation as a matter of company policy.

Renewable energy is booming in Chile, which has a tiny hydrocarbon industry but abundant wind and sun. Last year, European renewables firms, including Mainstream, won big in a large auction to supply Chile with power for two decades, beginning in 2021.

There have been setbacks, such as delays in the construction of transmission lines and flagging demand from Chile's copper mines. Many of the auction winners are seeking deep-pocketed partners as they embark on project construction.

A partnership in Chile would mark the second such deal between Mainstream and GE. Last year, the two said they were teaming up for over $2 billion of investments in wind power in Vietnam, where GE would provide technology and a portion of the funding.

It would also come during a broader wind power push by GE. In October, the company said it will buy LM Wind Power, a maker of rotor blades used in wind turbines, for $1.65 billion.

Mainstream will build seven utility-scale wind farms to provide some 986 megawatts of power at a relatively low price of around $40 per megawatt-hour, according to the terms of the purchase agreement in last year's auction.

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The sources did not specify if the GE partnership would apply to all seven wind farms.

The deal would mark the first significant move into Chilean renewables by GE. The company has long provided services to power generators in Chile, and in April 2016, GE bought into traditional energy in the nation by acquiring 75 percent of a gas-fired power plant.

(Editing by Rosalba O'Brien and Jeffrey Benkoe)
Incumbent Lanny Boswell will face challenger Preston Harris in the race for the Lincoln Board of Education District 5 seat in the May 2 general election.

Boswell shared with the Journal Star his background and thoughts on education.

I grew up in northeast Nebraska, a little town called Allen. It has about 400 people. My folks still live there. I have one (younger) brother. Hes an attorney in Omaha.

My mother was a high school and home ec teacher and my father was a math teacher before he went into farming. My father, uncle and grandfather all served on the Allen School Board. ... My dad was on the school board when I was in high school, so we had lots of conversations at home around what was happening in school.

I think that certainly started my awareness of education as an important community function. My parents also volunteered a lot in the Allen community, so the notion of 'find a way to give back to your community' was instilled at a young age.

I was very much into math and science and spent a lot of time with the computer. When I was in junior high and early high school we had one computer and you had to schedule time on it so Id stay after school to work on it.

When I was in sixth grade my dad signed us both up for an adult education class. ... Apple basic programming.

I applied to Cal Tech (California Institute of Technology) and MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) and ended up at Cal Tech.

My freshman year I intended to be a computer science major but ... the design elements of electrical engineering appealed to me, so thats what I ended up majoring in.

I graduated in 1992 ... and ended up working for a company out of their Utah office. I designed telephone testing equipment. I did this very gradual transition, so by 1999 I was almost exclusively a Windows programmer.

I met Beth (his longtime partner) when I was living in Utah. She was living in Detroit. We met in a Star Trek chat room on America Online.

Spock (is my favorite character). I appreciate his sense of logic. Hes definitely a team player.

In 1994 I decided I wanted to be close to family so I moved back to Nebraska and picked Lincoln largely on the recommendation of my dad. He and mom both went to the university in Lincoln.

Beth and I volunteered in our kids schools. The first thing I did was membership chair for the Zeman PTO. I did a bulletin board, like a recruiting bulletin board ... and we doubled our membership.

My kids received an excellent education in the schools. My daughter, who has autism, has just developed and improved in the 12 years that shes been in the system. Very positive experience. Life-changing experience. It was largely the special education department at LPS that helped us get on the right track for helping her improve. And shes now an honor roll student at East.

The volunteering ramped up pretty significantly with the 2005 student housing task force (researching the 2006 LPS bond issue). A number of people said have you ever thought about running for the school board.

In 2009, I tossed my hat in the ring and had a really good race with Kevin Keller. Four years later when he decided he wasnt going to run he called and said you need to think about running again so in 2013 I did and here I am.

Public education is one of the most important things that we do as a community, preparing the next generation to be successful adults. I take my role as a parent very seriously, helping my children to be successful adults. And so with the volunteer experience that I had I felt like I could make a difference on the school board, that I could help guide the district in a positive direction.

The most important thing I want (voters) to know is that I am committed to the success of all students in LPS. To me what that means is that each individual student, we look to maximize their potential, and it means different things for different students.
Watch the video of 7 Simple Steps to a Patent for Your Big Idea on MoneyTalksNews.com.

Got an idea for a great invention rattling around in your brain? To ensure you have exclusive rights to your big idea for 20 years, youll need to get a patent.

However, the patent application process can be confusing and expensive. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has a webpage devoted to the patent process, but unless you speak government, it can be hard to wade through.

So, weve broken it down and simplified the steps for you.

Step 1: Know your options

There are three ways to file for a patent:

DIY patent applications in which you do everything yourself.

Third-party software that walks you through the process for a fee.

Patent attorneys who charge an arm and a leg but may be worth the cost.

If you want to go the DIY route, you can still get help. There are Patent and Trademark Resources Centers in virtually every state, and the staff at these centers can provide free guidance on the patent process. However, dont expect them to be able to answer legal questions or fill out an application on your behalf.

Third-party software can walk you through the process. Think of it as TurboTax for patents. They may ask you a series of questions, then fill in an application template and submit it electronically on your behalf. Nolo and LegalZoom are two websites offering this service for a fee.

Finally, there are the big guns: patent attorneys. These professionals arent cheap, but if you think your idea has big moneymaking potential, you may want to hire one. A patent attorney will make sure all the details are correct and reduce the chances of someone else sweeping in and stealing your idea on a technicality.

While an attorney can make the patent application process easy on your end, expect to pay thousands for their services.

That said, individuals meeting certain income and invention requirements may be eligible for a free attorney through the nationwide Patent Pro Bono Program.

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If you decide to use an attorney, you can skip down to Step 6. Your lawyer will handle it. For everyone else, keep reading.

Step 2: Search existing patents

Once you decide to go the DIY route or use a fill-in-the-blanks software program, your next step is to search existing patents to see if your idea is already taken.

You can search for existing patents on the USPTO website. Note that the office has a 38-minute tutorial on how to conduct a search. That may seem like a long time to spend on a tutorial, but its probably better than trying to decipher the search options and results on your own.

If you dont find a patent for your idea, move on to Step 3. But first, confirm that your idea is indeed patentable. Patentable items fall into these categories:

Process

Machine

Article of manufacture

Composition of matter

Improvement to any of the above

However, your patent idea must be nonobvious and useful, which means items with no discernible purpose arent eligible. You cant patent an abstract idea, work of art, law of nature or physical phenomenon.

Step 3: Decide whether to disclose your idea first

In the past, the first person to create an invention or come up with a patentable idea was entitled to the patent. All that was needed was for the applicant to provide documentation of the invention date, which could be as simple as jotting the idea and date in a notebook and having a witness sign the page.

That changed in 2011 with the passage of the America Invents Act. Under the new law, the patent now goes to the person who files first, unless someone else has already publicly disclosed the idea. In that case, the person who has published the idea has one year to file for a patent.

If you think someone else might jump on your idea, but youre not quite ready to file for a patent, you could publish your concept on a blog or elsewhere in the public square. Another option would be to file a provisional patent, which also gives you a year to turn your application into a final, nonprovisional one.

Step 4: Complete the patent application

Now we get down to the nitty-gritty of the process: Its time to fill out the paperwork and submit it for review.

This is where your patent attorney earns his or her keep, because there is no standard patent form.

At a minimum, a patent application must include:

A written description of the invention.

One or more claims. The claims are the meat of an application. They define, in technical terms, the details of an invention, such as how it is made and what it does. Its vital the claims be written correctly because theyre used to determine what part of an invention is legally protected should a patent be granted.

One or more drawings, if needed.

The more exact you are in your claims, the better you will protect your invention. Nolo.com has some sample claims for common objects so you can understand how they are structured. You can also view an example provisional patent at PatentFile.org.

Many applications include more information than the minimum requirements. They may include such items as an abstract, an oath from applicants attesting that they believe themselves to be the original inventor, and other literature.

When youre ready to file, send in your application through the mail or file electronically. There will also be a filing fee, which depends on the type of patent and your classification.

Then, its time to wait. It can take two to three years or more for the USPTO to review a nonprovisional patent application and make a final determination. A limited number of expedited applications are allowed each year as well.

Remember, if your application is for a provisional patent, you only have a year to finish the process and submit your nonprovisional application.

Step 5: File a request for reconsideration, if needed

More than 90 percent of patent applications are rejected initially, according to Inventorprise Inc. Common rejection reasons include:

More than one invention included on an application.

Invention is already subject to an existing patent.

Subject matter is nonpatentable.

Invention is obvious, making it nonpatentable.

Incorrect claims language.

If you receive a rejection, you can send a reply with corrections or clarifications and ask for a reconsideration. If that doesnt persuade the Patent Office to reverse its decision, you can file an appeal with the Patent Trial and Appeal Board.

Step 6: Pay government fees

Once you receive notice from the government that your patent application has been accepted, its time to pay up and send in the issue fee. (Heres a fee schedule.) If you havent already, youll also need to submit an oath or declaration that you believe yourself to be the original inventor of the item.

Step 7: Receive your patent

Whew! Youre done!

The patent will last for 20 years from the date its granted and allow you exclusive rights to manufacture and market your product. But dont forget to pay the required maintenance fees. They are due 3, 7 and 11 years after the patent is issued.

Have you applied for a patent before? Share your experience in the comments below or on our Facebook page.

This article was originally published on MoneyTalksNews.com as '7 Simple Steps to a Patent for Your Big Idea'.

More from Money Talks News
(Repeats with no changes)

By Alina Selyukh and Malathi Nayak

WASHINGTON/NEW YORK, March 18 (Reuters) - Trade associations representing large U.S. Internet service providers are expected to take the lead in suing the Federal Communications Commission over its new web traffic regulations, according to several people familiar with the plan.

U.S. telecom and cable firms have said they would challenge the FCC's latest "net neutrality" rules in court. But at least some companies, including Verizon Communications Inc, are currently not planning to bring individual lawsuits and instead aim to participate through trade groups, the sources said.

Such an approach would allow companies to streamline their litigation efforts and could help firms avoid drawing any fire individually, as Verizon did after it challenged the previous version of net neutrality rules on its own in 2010.

At least three trade groups are expected to file legal challenges: CTIA-The Wireless Association, the National Cable and Telecommunications Association and the broadband association USTelecom, the sources said. The three trade groups declined comment.

Other trade groups such as the American Cable Association and the National Association of Manufacturers are weighing whether to participate in litigation, representatives said.

"We believe there will be a lot of litigation, which will probably be led by industry associations," Verizon Chief Financial Officer Fran Shammo told Reuters this week.

The company is likely to hold back from filing an individual lawsuit, said an industry source familiar with Verizon's plan, citing the company's shared concerns with other members of trade associations.

T-Mobile, too, said on Wednesday it was not planning to get involved in lawsuits at this point. "We have not at all been vocal on the negative side of the camp and the folks that are talking about litigation," Chief Technology Officer Neville Ray said in an interview.

Internet service providers such as Verizon, AT&T and Comcast have decried the FCC's vote last month to regulate broadband as a "telecommunications service" similar to traditional telephone service, instead of a more lightly regulated "information service."

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Representatives of AT&T and Comcast declined comment on Wednesday.

CHALLENGE TO MERITS, PROCESS

The industry lawsuits are likely to challenge both the merits of broadband reclassification as well as the administrative process used to adopt it, according to two telecom lobbyists familiar with the discussions.

The first angle would likely involve an argument that the FCC overstepped its statutory authority and dramatically changed the way it regulates Internet service providers without adequate legal basis, the sources said.

The companies have argued that the FCC has unduly decided to treat Internet providers as "common carriers" bound by stricter oversight, after deciding against it years ago. The wireless carriers in particular say that the law has long exempted them from common carrier treatment.

The second argument would be that the FCC did not properly inform stakeholders and the public that it was seriously thinking about switching the classification and ignored some of the arguments the companies had presented during the rulemaking, the sources said.

FCC officials have said they fully expected court challenges and believe their rules are on much firmer legal ground than previous iterations that were rejected by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.

The FCC wrote the latest Internet rules after Verizon won its court case against prior rules in January 2014.

(Reporting by Alina Selyukh in Washington and Malathi Nayak in New York; Editing by Soyoung Kim, Peter Henderson and Cynthia Osterman)
U.S. National Economic Director Gary Cohn (L) and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin end their breifing after unveiling the Trump administration's tax reform proposal in the White House briefing room in Washington, U.S, April 26, 2017. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

By Amanda Becker and Ginger Gibson

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump unveiled a one-page plan on Wednesday proposing deep U.S. tax cuts, many for businesses, that would make the federal deficit balloon if enacted, drawing a cautious welcome from fiscal conservatives and financial markets.

While the proposed tax cuts would please those helped by them, such as multinational corporations and wealthy taxpayers, Trump's package fell far short of the kind of comprehensive tax reform that both parties in Washington have sought for years.

As his milestone 100th day in office on Saturday nears, Trump has been scrambling to show progress on his agenda. The tax plan, though meager in detail, matched up closely with the promises he made during his victorious 2016 election campaign.

Investors, who had been awaiting tax-plan details for months, largely shrugged off the news, with many saying it was still short on specifics and faced a long road to enactment. Wake me up when something actually gets signed into law, said Greg McBride, chief financial analyst at Bankrate.com in West Palm Beach, Florida

Only Congress can make major tax law changes, and Democrats immediately attacked the Republican president's plan as fiscally irresponsible.

"President Trumps tax plan is short on details and long on giveaways to big corporations and billionaires," said Nancy Pelosi, the top Democrat in the House of Representatives.

House Speaker Paul Ryan, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and the top Republicans on the congressional tax-writing committees welcomed the Trump proposals, while leaving space for details to change as legislation evolves.

The principles outlined by the Trump administration today will serve as critical guideposts" as Congress and the administration work on tax changes, they said in a statement.

U.S. stocks pared gains on Wednesday after the plan was unveiled. While Wall Street has been optimistic about the prospect of corporate tax cuts since Trump's election in November, the stocks rally has stalled lately because of a lack of clarity about Trump's policies and concern over his failure to push through a healthcare bill.

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The benchmark Dow Jones industrial average of blue-chip stocks (.DJI) on Wednesday closed down one-tenth of 1 percent.

Some analysts said investors were aware of the long road ahead before any tax bill is passed.

"We have a pretty good idea that he (Trump) is targeting lower corporate taxes, lower individual taxes and a simplification of the process, but all that is in an ideal world," said Andre Bakhos, managing director at Janlyn Capital in Bernardsville, New Jersey.

BUSINESS TAX RATE CUTS

In the plan, unveiled at the White House by Trump economic adviser Gary Cohn and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, Trump proposed cutting to 15 percent both the income tax rate paid by public corporations and that paid by "pass-through" businesses, including partnerships, S corporations and sole proprietorships.

The top corporate rate is now 35 percent, though few multinational companies pay it, thanks to loopholes that allow them to lower their effective tax rates. Despite this, corporations have pushed for a tax rate cut for many years, and Trump has obliged.

The top rate for pass-throughs, which account for most small businesses, is 39.6 percent, the same top rate paid by individuals. Unlike corporations, the profits of "pass-through" businesses flow directly onto their owners' tax returns.

In another concession to long-standing demands from corporate America, Trump called for bringing corporate profits being held offshore by multinationals into the country at a rate well below the current 35 percent rate now owed on "repatriated" earnings. He did not say what that rate would be, but said the administration was working with Congress on a low rate.

About $2.6 trillion in profits are being held tax-exempt abroad by U.S. multinationals under a rule that says they are only taxable if brought into the United States.

If enacted, the repatriation tax holiday would produce a one-time surge in government revenue. If it were dedicated to infrastructure spending, it could attract votes from Democrats.

The plan also urged adoption of a "territorial" corporate tax system that would largely exempt foreign profits of U.S.-based corporations from federal taxation.

Ryan expressed optimism about Trump's plan, even though it excluded a "border adjustment" tax on imports he has promoted. That idea was part of initiatives floated by House Republicans as a way to offset revenue losses resulting from steep tax cuts.

STATE, LOCAL TAX DEDUCTION TARGETED

For average U.S. taxpayers, Trump proposed help by doubling the standard deductions for individuals who do not itemize; simplifying tax returns by reducing the number of tax brackets to three from seven; and providing unspecified tax relief for families with child and dependent care expenses.

He also called for repealing inheritance taxes on estates and the alternative minimum tax, both measures that would help a handful of wealthy taxpayers.

Trump's laundry list of tax cuts would reduce revenues for the U.S. government, which is already running a deficit and deeply in debt. He offered few proposals to offset those losses.

Democrats and fiscal-hawk Republicans will be concerned about how much Trump's proposals would expand the deficit. To minimize that, Republicans will rely heavily on "dynamic scoring," an economic modeling method that attempts to predict economic growth and new tax revenues resulting from tax cuts.

Mnuchin said the revenue losses would also be offset by killing many tax loopholes. He said at a briefing that Trump's plan would kill most tax deductions, except those for charitable giving, retirement savings and mortgage interest.

Cohn said at the briefing that one deduction on Trump's chopping block is for state and local tax payments, which is estimated to cost the U.S. Treasury $96 billion this year. Ending it would raise about that much in revenue.

Such a move would hurt high-tax states, which tend to vote Democratic, such as New York and California, where the state and local tax deduction is a major item, said some tax analysts.

Like all of Trump's proposals, this one would face intense scrutiny in Congress.

The No. 2 Democrat in the Senate, Dick Durbin, attacked the tax proposal and the fact Trump, a wealthy New York real estate developer, had declined to make public his personal tax returns.

"President Trump should release his own tax returns if he wants to have any credibility in a debate about Americas tax code," Durbin said. Mnuchin said on Wednesday that Trump did not intend to release his tax returns.

(Additional reporting by Steve Holland, David Lawder, Doina Chiacu, Eric Walsh; Writing by Doina Chiacu and Frances Kerry; Editing by Kevin Drawbaugh, Jonathan Oatis and Peter Cooney)
By Lindsay Dunsmuir

WASHINGTON, March 19 (Reuters) - A U.S. federal judge tossed out a lawsuit brought by non-profit group Better Markets that sought to block a $13 billion settlement JPMorgan Chase & Co reached with the U.S. Justice Department over shoddy mortgage loans sold to investors before the financial crisis.

Judge Beryl A. Howell accepted a motion by the Justice Department filed last May to dismiss the lawsuit, which argued that the group founded in 2010 to advocate for tough Wall Street reforms lacked standing to sue. [ID: nL1N0O60PP]

"The plaintiff has failed to meet its burden to show it has suffered an injury in fact," Howell wrote in her opinion, filed on Wednesday in the District Court for the District of Columbia.

Better Markets sued the Justice Department last February, contending that the then-record settlement reached in November 2013 was "unlawful" and gave JPMorgan Chase & Co "blanket civil immunity" for its conduct without sufficient judicial review.

The Justice Department reached a wide-ranging deal with the largest U.S. bank that included a $2 billion civil penalty and a $4 billion consumer relief package.

Better Markets was seeking to have the court prevent the Justice Department from enforcing the settlement until a judge reviewed it.

JP Morgan Chase & Co declined comment. The Justice Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Better Markets Chief Executive Officer Dennis Kelleher said in a statement that the law allowing settlements remained deficient, not the advocacy group's lawsuit.

"Such backroom deals should not be allowed in a democracy worthy of its name. We will be carefully evaluating the court's opinion before determining our next steps," Kelleher said.

(Reporting by Lindsay Dunsmuir; Editing by Tom Brown)
A customer pushes his shopping cart during the Black Friday sales event on Thanksgiving Day at Target in Chicago, Illinois, U.S., November 24, 2016. REUTERS/Kamil Krzaczynski (Reuters)

By Nandita Bose

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Target Corp <TGT.N>, Wal-Mart Stores Inc <WMT.N> and other retailers are shelving considerations to move supply bases closer to the United States in the face of a possible border tax, banking instead on killing support for the tax idea in Congress.

President Donald Trump's push to impose a tax on imports, such as the 20 percent levy initiated by House Republicans, could raise U.S. consumer prices by as much as 25 percent, industry officials said. Last week, the President said he favored an 'import tax' that could be adjusted to reflect the country of origin's tax rate for U.S. products.

The decision by retailers to forestall supply chain investment in countries such as Bolivia and Romania to focus on lobbying Congress shows how Trump's ambitious agenda has instilled a new level of risk operating outside U.S. borders. But the vagueness around the tax proposals and whether they may ever be implemented means retail industry executives are still not willing to change their operating infrastructure.

The Retail Industry Leaders Association, which is leading the industry lobbying effort, has conducted 140 meetings with lawmakers since December, focusing on the costs of a new tax and encouraging lawmakers who oppose the tax.

Prospects for a quick passage of a tax bill took a hit last month when the Republican attempt to overhaul the national healthcare law failed to get a vote in the U.S. House of Representatives. Trump and Republican leaders have said they still intend to pass a healthcare reform law first, casting further doubt on when Congress may consider tax reform.

The border tax proposal likely will be "as messy as the healthcare bill," according to Brian Dodge, senior executive vice-president of public affairs for the retail lobby group.

Target, for one, thinks the industry's lobbying efforts are succeeding.

"We are working on educating lawmakers and President Trump hasn't embraced it yet, so we definitely think we are making progress," a senior company official at Target said on condition of anonymity.

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There is good reason for retailers to fight the tax idea. RBC Capital Markets forecast such a levy could reduce profits of six large U.S. retailers by as much as $13 billion in its first year, with Wal-Mart alone seeing its federal tax bill jump to $16.6 billion from $6.6 billion. For a graphic please click http://tmsnrt.rs/2oVlOPB

Best Buy Co Inc <BBY.N>, which relies heavily on electronics imports, could see its earnings completely wiped out, RBC warned. Best Buy declined to comment.

Firms with less exposure to overseas suppliers - ranging from off-price chains like TJX Cos <TJX.N> and Ross Stores <ROST.O> to cosmetics seller Ulta Beauty <ULTA.O> - would feel less impact than heavy importers like Wal-Mart, Target and Costco Wholesale Corp <COST.O>, analysts and consultants said.

TJX Companies and Ulta Beauty declined comment. Ross Stores and Costco did not respond to requests seeking comment.

Steve Osburn, director of supply chain for retail consultancy Kurt Salmon, said it is more cost effective to spend on lobbying than on supply chain relocation at this point. Retailers also have other investment needs, especially around winning consumers who want to shop from home.

"They are putting a lot of money in e-commerce initiatives to compete online so there are not a lot of funds to spare," he said.

One outlier is luxury handbag maker Rebecca Minkoff, which sells its own products and supplies other retailers, like Nordstrom Inc <JWN.N> and Amazon.com Inc <AMZN.O>.

The prospect of a U.S. border tax factored into its recent decision to supply U.S. customers from Europe as it mitigates logistics costs to supply to the United States, according to Uri Minkoff, the firm's founder and CEO. "The process has intensified in the past six months," said Minkoff.

WHERE THE SUPPLY CHAINS ARE

The decision to bank more on the lobby effort to kill support for the tax idea comes after retailers spent the last few months considering whether to move some of their production to supply bases like Bolivia, Brazil and other South American countries with low wage rates, as well as European countries like Hungary, Bulgaria and the Czech Republic, industry sources told Reuters.

A return to the United States was also a consideration, the sources said.

Shifting production from existing supply bases like China is costly, may involve intellectual property issues and disrupts long-term supply contracts, making it hard to plan and execute such moves, two industry sources said.

Consultants have told retailers they could mitigate shipping costs enough to offset any border tax, while avoiding the cost of moving production into the U.S, the sources said.

But so far they are not proceeding with major supply chain changes, according to retailers and industry consultants.

"Wal-Mart is not ready to spend money to deal with this," said a supply chain consultant who works with the retailer but requested anonymity for fear of disrupting the firm's relationship with Wal-Mart. Wal-Mart has reviewed its options with supply chain consultants, but has not yet commissioned a concrete contingency plan, sources with direct knowledge of the matter said. Wal-Mart declined comment.

Executives at smaller retailers and brands like Samsonite, Crate and Barrel and Steve Madden said there is little competitive impetus for action because they believe a border tax would hurt them and competitors equally.

Samsonite was studying reviving its U.S. manufacturing base, but is not close to taking action.

"Setting plans (based) on policy proposals that are yet to be implemented is not right," Samsonite Chief Executive Officer Ramesh Tainwala told Reuters. Minneapolis-based Target is limiting itself to conducting feasibility studies. "We just don't want to get ahead of ourselves and invest capital," the Target official said. Target declined comment.

(Editing by David Greising and Edward Tobin)
TEL AVIV, 26 APRIL 2017 - YPO, the world's premier chief executive leadership organization, today announced that Tel Aviv, Israel, will host InnovNation: the Israel Innovation Experience as a part of YPO Innovation Week 2017, the world's largest and most impactful global innovation initiative.

YPO Innovation Week 2017 features more than 50 events around the world, designed to bring together the world's most dynamic innovators for a rare chance to connect, challenge conventional thinking and gain actionable insights. Israel, known as "The Start-Up Nation," will host one of five Innovation Week signature events, showcasing technologists and start-up visionaries from a cross-section of Israeli industries, including defense, biotech, medical, food, agriculture and cybersecurity, with exclusive opportunities to experience the latest groundbreaking innovations from Israel.

At the three-day InnovNation: the Israel Innovation Experience event, YPO members will have the opportunity to meet Israel Prize winners, the Israeli Chief Scientist and government officials, high-profile venture capitalists and private investors. YPO members will be able to explore breakthroughs and best practices with some of the world's best-known innovators from the Technion Israel Institute of Technology, recently declared the fifth most innovative academic institute in the world.

Speakers at InnovNation include:

Erel Margalit, Labor Party Member of Knesset (Israel's Parliament)

Dr. Einat Wilf, former Israeli Knesset member, 8200 intelligence officer and foreign policy advisor to Shimon Peres

Gabby Czertok, a Co-Founder and General Manager of The Bridge in Israel, Coca-Cola's first commercialization program in the world, bringing innovative technology into corporations from the tech start-up community in Israel

Dame Shirley Porter, Founder of the Porter School of Environmental Studies (PSES) at the Tel Aviv University (TAU) formerly conservative leader of Westminster City Council and Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire

Other InnovNation speakers include Dr. Yehoshua Gleitman, Managing Partner of Platinum VC and former Director-General and Chief Scientist of the Israel Ministry of Industry and Trade; Gideon Ben Zvi, Venture Partner, Consumer Technologies at Aviv Venture Capital Ltd and Chairman, Wizcom Technologies; Nadav Zafrir, Co-founder and CEO of Team8, Israel's leading cybersecurity foundry; Liat Aaronson, Partner at Marker LLC, a leading venture capital and growth equity firm based in New York City and Herzliya, Israel.

"Every business leader needs to focus on innovation to grow and thrive," said Nirit Harel, Chair of the Board at Intergam Communications Ltd. and Chair of InnovNation:The Israel Innovation Experience. "YPO Innovation Week will provide hundreds of opportunities for YPO members to learn from each other and from the most well respected global innovators, disrupters and 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."

In early May, YPO Innovation Week 2017 will hold events in more than 30 countries around the world, including Tel Aviv, Israel; New York, New York; Melbourne, Australia, Silicon Valley, California; Hong Kong, China and more, all dedicated to driving innovation across a diverse range of industries. The week will feature idea jams, workshops, live-streamed panels, insider company tours, global conference calls, TED-style presentations and debates.

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.

# # #

press@ypo.org
Lincoln Public Schools officials floated questions about the district to 38,000 Lincoln residents over the past six months then culled the 3,800 responses down to five broad themes.

Those themes -- based on responses to open-ended questions seeking to find out what Lincoln wanted from its school district -- will be the basis of the next strategic plan.

Those include academic success, creating global citizens, support for students, support for educators and family and community partnerships.

The board will now take those themes and come up with five-year, as well as annual, strategic goals.

The board approved its first strategic plan in 2011, shortly after Steve Joel took over as superintendent. The board narrowed down broad themes to more concrete goals such as increasing the graduation rate, creating a technology plan and building a career academy.

This time, the district hired a consultant to help get more public input. They came up with five questions that asked how the community felt about the district, what it could do to improve and offer a world-class school district.

They created an online survey and asked staff, parent and community groups to fill them out. LPS staff and board members attended numerous public meetings and handed out surveys there and at four open houses.

LPS staff compiled the responses by subject and a committee comprised of staff and community members came up with the themes.

Christa Yoakum, a community organizer with Nebraska Appleseed who served on the committee, said she was impressed with LPSs efforts.

Its never good to move forward without the input of the people affected, she said. This was a huge commitment to doing that.

This is the largest qualitative study in which LPS Assessment Director Leslie Eastman said she's participated.

At Tuesdays board meeting, several proponents of dual language programs renewed requests to start one at LPS.

The proponents said they've continued to meet since they appealed to the board last year and participated in the strategic planning meetings.

Board President Don Mayhew said the board will consider dual language programs once the strategic plan is approved, adding that hes personally supportive of the idea.

The themes didn't directly address dual language programs but did include more specific suggestions -- everything from offering rigorous courses and expanding focus programs and internships, to promoting innovation, leadership and creativity. The surveys touched on the need for providing social, mental, emotional and physical health care, providing staff mentoring, hiring a diverse staff and expanding after-school programs.

The board members will hold another work session and meet one-on-one and hope to approve the plan in August.
French English

Very good operating performance

Revenue up 13% (3% excluding the impact of changes in fuel prices)

At the end of the first quarter of 2017 (from 1 January to 31 March), Albioma's consolidated revenue reached 98.8 million, representing a rise of 13% compared with the first quarter of 2016 (+3% excluding the impact of changes in fuel prices). Electricity production for the period (including Mauritius) was stable at 890 GWh, compared with 887 GWh in the first quarter of 2016. Availability of the plants in France and Mauritius amounted to 94.2% (91.4% in the first quarter of 2016).

Frederic Moyne, Chief Executive Officer, said:

"Our plants recorded good performances over this first quarter.

The work to bring our thermal biomass facilities in France into line with the IED Directive is well underway: we have already received the facilities of the ALG-B plant. Furthermore, the construction of the Galion 2 bagasse/biomass power plant in Martinique is ongoing and our commissioning schedule has been confirmed by the recent decision of the Administrative Court of Appeal in Bordeaux, which has fully approved the operating licence of this plant. On Reunion Island, assembly of the combustion turbine, which arrived on the Saint-Pierre site in February, is underway."

1st quarter 20171 1st quarter 20161 Change (%) France - Thermal Biomass 85.9 74.1 16% France - Solar Power2 10.4 10.3 1% Brazil 1.0 1.3 -23% Holding company, Anaerobic Digestion and Other 1.5 1.5 - Total 98.8 87.2 13%

1. Unaudited figures.

2. Including Spain and Italy.

France - Thermal Biomass: very good performances from the plants

Revenue for the Thermal Biomass business in France rose sharply by 16% compared with the first quarter of 2016, to 85.9 million, including a contribution of 9.0 million thanks to the change in fuel prices. Stripping out the impact of changes in fuel prices, revenue for the quarter rose by 4% compared with the first quarter of 2016, underpinned by the very good performances from the plants and the additional remuneration related to the fume treatment facilities for the ALG-B plant as part of the work to bring the facilities into line with the standards of the IED Directive.

The availability rate reached 91.6% in the first quarter of 2017, compared with 90.7% in the first quarter of the previous year, also reflecting the good management of the three annual maintenance outages over the period.

The duty rate at the Galion combustion turbine remained high at 28% compared with 30% in the first quarter of 2016.

Electricity produced by the thermal power plants reached 526 GWh, compared with 536 GWh in the first quarter of 2016.

France - Solar Power: stable performance

The performance of the Group's photovoltaic power plants was stable in the first quarter of 2017, recording revenue of 10.4 million, up slightly (1%) compared with the first quarter of 2016.

Production totalled 23 GWh in the first quarter of the year, the same level as in 2016.

Brazil: annual maintenance of the two plants during the period between sugar harvests

Albioma Rio Pardo Termoeletrica and Albioma Codora Energia carried out their annual maintenance under good conditions during the first three months of the year. In the absence of sufficient bagasse stocks, neither of the two plants was able to produce during the period. The business recorded revenue of 1 million over the period, compared with 1.3 million in the first quarter of 2016.

Mauritius: excellent plant performance

The plants in Mauritius turned in excellent performances during the first quarter of 2017, with an outstanding availability rate of 99.4% (compared with 93.2% in the first quarter of 2016) and production up sharply to 336 GWh (307 GWh in the first quarter of 2016), boosted by the significant rise in the duty rate of the facilities over the period.

Anaerobic digestion

Revenue was stable over the period, at 1.1 million. Electricity production amounted to 5 GWh in the first quarter of 2017, which is stable compared with the same period in 2016.

Confirmation of objectives

The Group confirms its 2017 guidance for EBITDA (130 to 138 million) and net income, Group share (30 to 35 million).

Next on the agenda: Annual General Meeting, 31 May 2017 at 3pm

About Albioma

Albioma is an independent energy producer and world leader in the conversion of biomass into a highly-effective source of energy, in collaboration with its agri-business partners. For more than 20 years, Albioma has operated power plants recovering bagasse, a fibrous by-product of sugar cane, replaced by coal outside the sugar cane harvest. Its unique expertise has enabled Albioma to establish itself as an indispensable partner in the sugar and ethanol industry in the French overseas territories and Mauritius. Albioma is now developing power plants using only biomass, which recover, in addition to bagasse, green waste and wood industry residue. The Group also operates a highly-efficient photovoltaic installation. In 2014, the Group, which already had a presence in mainland France, the French overseas territories and Mauritius, began operating in Brazil, the world's leading sugar cane producer.

For further information, please visit www.albioma.com

Investor contacts

Julien Gauthierjulien.gauthier@albioma.com+33 (0)1 47 76 67 00

Media contacts - LPM Strategic Communications

Luc Perinet-Marquetlperinet@lpm-corporate.com+33 (0)1 44 50 40 35

Albioma shares are listed on Euronext Paris (sub B) and eligible for the deferred settlement service (SRD) and PEA-PME plans.

ISIN FR0000060402 - Ticker: ABIO
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, April 26, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- VR Resources Ltd. (TSX.V:VRR) (FSE:5VR) the ("Company", or VR), is pleased to announce that the 2017 exploration program has begun at its wholly-owned Bonita Property located in northwestern Nevada. A two week field program now underway will include:



Geological mapping, prospecting and rock sampling;

Soil sampling: 150 to 200 samples to be collected on 7 lines 4 different target areas;

Repair and maintenance of local access roads, following winter season rains.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/bfd1eec0-a6a7-4357-81f0-849c3253703b



Bonita is a large property covering a number of historic copper, gold and iron showings (see satellite image on www.vrr.ca). The showings are unified by a single, district-scale hydrothermal system with a large, mappable alteration footprint covering the entire property within which copper sulfide and gold mineralization has been sampled by VR over an area of about 4x5 kms (see copper analyses from select grab samples on www.vrr.ca).



The current program is the continuation of 2 years of successive early stage surface exploration programs by VR at Bonita, commencing in 2014. A summary of previous exploration work is available at www.vrr.ca, and includes:



Compilation of regional geologic data, ASTER satellite data, and magnetic and gravity geophysical surveys;

Geological mapping, prospecting and rock sampling: 3 separate programs ; 109 rock samples ;

; ; High resolution helicopter-borne magnetic and radiometric survey over a 10x10 km area;

over a 10x10 km area; High resolution airborne hyperspectral survey over a 10x10 km area, including calibration by ground-based mineral mapping using a hand-held spectrometer;

over a 10x10 km area, including calibration by ground-based mineral mapping using a hand-held spectrometer; Soil sampling; 541 samples on 13 lines totalling 27 line-kms;

on 13 lines totalling 27 line-kms; Petrology (19 samples); Geochronology (2 samples);

Ground gravity survey : 5x5 km area, 200m symmetric grid, 924 stations;

: 5x5 km area, 200m symmetric grid, 924 stations; IP ground geophysical survey, 3 test lines completed.

The Company has outlined eight priority targets for drill testing porphyry-style copper-gold mineralization at Bonita based on the integration of a wide array of geological, geochemical and geophysical exploration data. The overall potential of the various targets within the Bonita hydrothermal system is underscored by the aerial extent of sulfide mineralization at surface, and the intensity and zonation of alteration.

The Company continues to develop plans for a first pass drill program to test several of the targets. In-person meetings are being held in Nevada during the current field program to secure:

A drill permit from the federal Bureau of Land Management, and; Bids for the planned summer drill program at Bonita from drill companies active in the region.

The Company looks forward to providing further updates as exploration continues at Bonita, including an IP geophysical survey planned for later in May.

About Bonita Property

The Bonita property is located in Humboldt County in northwestern Nevada, USA, approximately 200 km northeast of Reno, and 75 km northwest of the town of Winnemucca.

The Bonita property is large, consisting of one contiguous 6,735 acre block of 326 claims covering an area of approximately 5x7 kms (see satellite-based image at www.vrr.ca). The property was acquired by staking, and is owned 100% by VR, free and clear of any interests or royalties. There are no government-required exploration expenditures.

There is very good road access both to, and within, the Bonita property. A national railroad and state power line are approximately 20 kms to the south. Bonita is located in desert-like basin and range physiography, affording nearly year-round working conditions. Vegetation is sparse, and there are no towns or settlements near the property.

Technical information for this news release has been prepared in accordance with the Canadian regulatory requirements set out in National Instrument 43-101, and reviewed on behalf of the Company by Dr. Michael Gunning P.Geo., a non-independent Qualified Person.

About VR Resources

VR Resources Ltd. (VR) is a new listing in the junior exploration space (TSX.V:VRR) (Frankfurt:5VR). The diverse experience and proven track record of its Board in early-stage exploration and discovery is the foundation of VR. The Company is focused on discovering and delineating large deposits in the western United States. VR is the continuance of 4 years of active exploration in Nevada by a Vancouver-based private exploration company. VR is well financed for a two year exploration strategy already in-place, including first-pass drilling of its core asset, the Bonita Property. VR owns its exploration assets outright, and will evaluate new opportunities on an ongoing basis, whether by staking or acquisition.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS:

Michael Gunning

________________________

Michael Gunning, PhD, PGeo

President & CEO

For general information please use the following:

Website: www.vrr.ca

Email: info@vrr.ca

Phone: 604-262-1104

Renmark Financial Communications Inc.

Barry Mire, Account Manager for VR:

E-mail: bmire@renmarkfinancial.com

Tel.: (416) 644-2020 or (514) 939-3989

Website: www.renmarkfinancial.com



Forward Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements. 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. Forward looking statements in this release include but are not limited to references to a two-year exploration strategy; first-pass drilling of its core asset and the acquisition of new assets. Although the Company believes that the use of such statements is reasonable, 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. The Company cautions investors that any forward-looking statements by the Company are not guarantees of future performance, and that actual results may differ materially from those in forward-looking statements. Trading in the securities of the Company should be considered highly speculative. All of the Companys public disclosure filings may be accessed via www.sedar.com and readers are urged to review these materials.

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
SANTA MONICA, Calif., April 26, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Greenwood Hall, Inc. (OTCQB:ELRN), an education technology company that partners with colleges and universities to improve student engagement and outcomes, today announced the Company has been selected by the SC Technical College System (SCTCS) to provide comprehensive student lifecycle solutions to the 16-campus system on a statewide basis. The solutions will specifically enhance student access to critical student support services and assistance.



Research has found that a majority of students who drop out of college on a nationwide basis do so because they do not have access to adequate non-academic support services. By investing in solutions that help students remove non-academic obstacles, post-secondary institutions can improve graduation rates and student outcomes.

Working with individual SCTCS colleges, Greenwood Hall will offer best of breed support services in financial aid, enrollment support, retention, and technical help desk solutions to assist students with gaining better access to student services vital to student success while enhancing the overall student experience. The SCTCS-Greenwood Hall partnership will specifically support the statewide systems goals of making quality higher education opportunities available to all South Carolinians.

Greenwood Hall was selected, in part, due its proven track-record in enhancing student experience and service at six individual colleges in the system: Horry-Georgetown, Florence-Darlington, Greenville, Tri-County, Technical College of the Lowcountry, and Spartanburg Community College. Harold Hawley, vice president and chief financial officer for Horry-Georgetown Technical College, a Greenwood Hall education partner since 2012, said, "We needed a fundamentally different strategy for handling incoming calls, leveraging resources, and improving our service to students. The alliance with Greenwood Hall accomplished these goals and has forever re-shaped the way we do business. As a result of the partnership, our students are better served and that is what matters most."

Working with the individual SCTCS colleges, Greenwood Hall will offer schools best of breed support services in financial aid, enrollment support, retention, and technical help desk solutions to assist students with gaining better access to college services and helping improve the overall student experience.



Student success and retention are important measures for the SC Technical College System, said Dr. Hope Rivers, executive vice president of academic and student services for the System. We look forward to partnering with Greenwood Hall to enhance the student experience across our 16 colleges.

A great student experience is essential to student success and student retention, said Bill Bradfield, executive vice president of strategic partnerships at Greenwood Hall. Greenwood Hall has had partnerships with six of the sixteen SCTCS system schools dating to 2012. The great teams at each of the campuses have made the connection between great service and increased student success. With this expanded partnership, all the schools in the system can take advantage of our services so we can help them help their students through the entire student lifecycle.

About the SC Technical College System

Comprised of 16 colleges located strategically across the state and two internationally-renowned statewide programs  readySC and Apprenticeship Carolina  the SC Technical College System is dedicated to furthering economic and workforce development in South Carolina.

As the states largest higher education system, the SC Technical College System serves more than a quarter million South Carolinians each year and educates more of our states undergraduates than all the other public higher education institutions combined. Dedicated to making a quality higher education both accessible and affordable, the System plays a key role in educating and training South Carolinas workforce for the in-demand, high-skilled jobs of today and tomorrow. In addition, the Systems internationally-recognized statewide programs  readySC and Apprenticeship Carolina  work to attract new companies to the state as well as provide comprehensive workforce solutions to ensure they stay and grow here.

By making a quality higher education accessible, affordable and relevant to the people of South Carolina, the SC Technical College System is preparing our states workforce for the jobs of today and the careers of tomorrow.

About Greenwood Hall

Greenwood Hall is an education technology company that helps colleges and universities manage the student journey. Every Greenwood Hall solution is designed to increase revenue and improve student engagement as well as learning outcomes. Since 2006, Greenwood Hall has developed customized turnkey solutions that touch the entire student lifecycle  combining strategy, people, proven processes and robust technology to help schools effectively and efficiently improve student experience and student outcomes, as well as increase revenues and expand into new marketing channels, such as online learning. Greenwood Hall has served more than 60 education clients and over 75 degree programs.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements contained in this press release, including, but not limited to, predictions and projections that may be considered forward-looking statements under securities law, involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially, including, but not limited to, lack of consumer acceptance and demand for Greenwood Hall ("the Company," "our," "we") products and solution offerings developed with strategic partners, insufficient working capital to expand the Company's technology and engage in product marketing, intense competition from larger and more well-established companies, and other economic, competitive and technological factors involving the Company's operations, markets, services, products and prices, and other factors, as described in "Risk Factors" in our Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), as well as in our other filings with the SEC. In addition, actual results may differ as a result of additional risks and uncertainties of which we are currently unaware or which we do not currently view as material to our business. For these reasons, investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements we make speak only as of the date on which they are made. Greenwood Hall expressly disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking statements after the date hereof to conform such statements to actual results or to changes in our opinions or expectations, except as required by applicable law. If we do update or correct any forward-looking statements, investors should not conclude that we will make additional updates or corrections.
NEW YORK, April 26, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- AXIM Biotechnologies, Inc. (AXIM Biotech) (OTC:AXIM), a world leader in cannabinoid research and development, today announced that Lekhram Changoer, Chief Technology Officer of AXIM Biotech, will deliver keynote presentation at the upcoming ExcipientFest 2017, to be held from April 25-26, 2017 at The Rhode Island Convention Center (RICC) in Providence, RI.



Mr. Changoer will present on formulation challenges surrounding the pharmaceutical use of cannabinoids and AXIM's patented extraction and micro-encapsulation technologies, which preserve high THC integrity while enhancing API stability and bioavailability for pharmaceutical preparations.

Keynote presentation: Medical Marijuana: Improving Stability with Novel Delivery Method

Date and Time: 03:30 PM to 04:15 PM ET

Location: 5F RICC

ExcipientFest attracts pharmaceutical scientists from around the world to a two-day forum for the latest scientific developments. ExcipientFest features in-depth technical talks on Excipient Technology, New Drug Applications and Regulatory Issues from industrys top-pharmaceutical experts. For more information about this conference, please visit: http://www.excipientfest.com.

About AXIM

AXIM Biotechnologies, Inc. (OTC:AXIM) focuses on the research, development and production of cannabis-based pharmaceutical, nutraceutical and cosmetic products. Our flagship products include CanChew, a CBD-based controlled release chewing gum containing 10 mg of industrial hemp-derived CBD, CanChew Plus (50 mg of CBD) undergoing clinical trials in patients with IBS, MedChew Rx, a combination CBD/THC gum that is undergoing clinical trials for the treatment of pain and spasticity associated with multiple sclerosis and a number of other pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, cosmetic and consumer products in development. We prioritize the well-being of our customers while embracing a solid fiscal strategy and respect for the environment. For more information, please visit www.AXIMBiotech.com.



FORWARD-LOOKING DISCLAIMER

This press release may contain certain forward-looking statements and information, as defined within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and is subject to the Safe Harbor created by those sections. This material contains statements about expected future events and/or financial results that are forward-looking in nature and subject to risks and uncertainties. Such forward-looking statements by definition involve risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Axim Biotechnologies, Inc. to be materially different from the statements made herein.



LEGAL DISCLOSURE

AXIM Biotechnologies does not sell or distribute any products that are in violation of the United States Controlled Substances Act (US.CSA).
Fornebu, Norway - April 26, 2017: REC Silicon ASA (REC Silicon) will release its Q1 2017 results on Wednesday, May 3, 2017 at 07:00 a.m. Central European Time (CET).



A presentation of the results will be held at 08:00 a.m. CET at Hyres Hus Konferansesenter, Stortingsgaten 20, Oslo, Norway. The presentation will be in English.



A live webcast from the presentation can be accessed at www.recsilicon.com or with the following link: http://webtv.hegnar.no/presentation.php?webcastId=51530812



It will also be possible to listen to the presentation through a conference call. Please make sure to dial in 5-10 minutes prior to the scheduled start time on one of the following numbers:



Norway (Toll Free): 800 51084

Norway (Local): +47 2350 0296

UK (Toll Free): 0800 279 7204

UK (Local): +44 (0)330 336 9411

USA (Toll Free): 888 349 9618

USA (Local): + 1 719 325 2385

Other international: +44 (0)330 336 9411

Please provide confirmation code 5838812 and state your name, company and country of residence.



REC Silicon will host an analyst conference call later the same day at 3:00 p.m. CET. Please make sure to dial in at least 5-10 minutes ahead of time to complete your registration.



Norway (Toll Free): 800 51084

Norway (Local): +47 2350 0296

UK (Toll Free): 0800 279 7204

UK (Local): +44 (0)330 336 9412

USA (Toll Free): 888 882 8941

USA (Local): + 1 719 325 2346

Other international: +44 (0)330 336 9412

Please provide confirmation code 1438011 and state your name, company and country of residence.



For further information, please contact:

Christopher Bowes, Investor Relations

REC Silicon ASA

Phone: +1 509 793 8127

Email: chris.bowes@recsilicon.com



Nils O. Kjerstad

IR Contact Europe

Phone: +47 9135 6659

Email: nils.kjerstad@crux.no



About REC Silicon

REC Silicon is a leading producer of advanced silicon materials, delivering high-purity polysilicon and silicon gas to the solar and electronics industries worldwide. We combine 30 years of experience and proprietary technology with the needs of our customers, and annual production capacity of more than 20,000 MT of polysilicon from our two US-based manufacturing plants. Listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange (ticker: REC), the company is headquartered in Fornebu, Norway.

For more information, go to: www.recsilicon.com




- A Liberian man has become Deltas youngest pilot Captain

- This major American airline is one of the worlds largest

- He is only 31 years old

A man from Liberia, who is only 31 years old, has become the youngest pilot Captain at Delta, one of the worlds largest airlines.

Install TUKO App To Read News For FREE

Gamaliel Marcus Neyor went on to get a degree in Aviation Management, with a minor in Business, from Southeastern Oklahoma State University in the U.S.

READ ALSO: Malawi lands its first ever flight operated by ALL-FEMALE crew in Dar es Salaam (photos)

He credits this fact to be part of the reason to his precocious success in his piloting career. His father, Christopher Neyor, was former president of National Oil Company of Liberia (NOCAL).

Neyor graduated um laude in 2007. I chose aviation management because it allowed me to mix my first passion, aviation, with something else I was interested in, business, he said.

READ ALSO: Born mid-air! Flight cabin crew DELIVER baby 12,800 meters above the ground (photos)

Neyor has said he wants to give back to his country. I will return to Liberia and contribute to the development agenda, he insisted.

Nevertheless, this girl beat him with the age limit, becoming captain at a mere 26 years old!:

Have something to add to this article or suggestions? Send to news@tuko.co.ke

Source: Legit.ng
Lincoln Mayor Chris Beutler has endorsed Robert Selig and Zachary James, two of the three candidates for Airport Authority Board, in next weeks election.

Selig, who has a long career leading airports across the Midwest, was appointed to the board by the mayor in January. Selig, an Air Force veteran, grew up in Southeast Nebraska and moved back to Lincoln after retiring as CEO of the Capital Region International Airport in Lansing, Michigan.

Beutler praised Selig as the most qualified member in the boards history. Roberts 40 years of experience in executive level airport management is unparalleled. He has literally done it all, with experience in air service development, air cargo development, foreign-trade zones and industrial park expansion. These experiences are crucial to Lincolns future growth.

James is a legal assistant at the Mora James Law Office, a graduate of the University of Vermont, Lincolns Southeast Community College and Lincoln High. Born and raised in Lincoln, James is the first Latino in Lincolns history to be a nominee for public office, Beutler said.

Beutler says James brings a strong vision of the airports potential. Zachary is advocating for more public/private business partnerships in the Airports Enterprise Park area to bring in additional revenue. He is a vibrant, out-of-the-box thinker who will capture and utilize the insights of a younger market.

Beutler, a Democrat, seldom publicly endorses Airport Authority candidates, though the Democratic Party supports candidates who are Democrats even in nonpartisan races like the Airport Authority.

James is a registered Democrat. Selig is registered as an independent. The third candidate is Richard Nuernberger, a Republican.
It is the joy every parents or grandparents to witness the success of not just their children but their grandchildren. That way, they can be fulfilled that they have raised an amazing family.

Legit.ng gathered that a beautiful young South African has won the heart of many, as she suddenly became an internet sensation for sharing a loving picture with her grandmother.

READ ALSO: Pretty police officer ends her life after lover who promised her marriage jilted her

The lady whom according to her Instagram handle was identified as, Zikhona Wakashe (@zaarnaa) graduated on Wednesday, April 12, from Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU) and decided not just to celebrate her mother but her grandma as well.

Zikhona Wakashe kissing her grandma

Wakashe posted a picture of her with her grandma who was rocking her convocation gown and the caption: My grandma molded the woman I am today. I win, she wins. I graduate, she graduates. My R10, R10. I owe her a lot. I love her kakhulu. She said undifake kuFacebook well ndikufaile gogo wam.

See post below:

Not forgetting the woman who brought her into this world, this young lady also posted pictures of her with her mother saying: Second woman Id like to thank is my mom. The only woman on earth who give up all hers so I could have. I only realised now that I look like my mom. God Bless my Grandma and mom.

Wakashe with her grandma on her graduation day

See post below:

READ ALSO: Unemployed father of quintuplets get three-bedroom bungalow in Abuja

Grandma rocking her grandchild's convocation gown

Watch video of how corp members are putting smiles on the faces of people below:

So lovely!

Source: Legit.ng
- Demehl Thomas is the latest YouTube music superstar, except he is in prison

- His rap music, which he composes and records behind bars, has gone viral

- Ironically, he has been sentenced for making unauthorised recordings in jail

- He is also serving a seven-year sentence for aggravated burglary

A 26-year-old American rapper, who is reportedly serving a seven-year jail term for aggravated burglary, has become the new YouTube star after his rap music attracted over two million views.

The rapper, identified as Demehl Thomas a.k.a Remtrex (his stage name), has been using social media, especially Twitter and YouTube to promote his music, which he composes and records from behind bars.

He has been aggressively campaigning under his stage name Remtrex to gather views for his videos on social media.

READ ALSO: Buhari congratulates veteran journalist Tony Momoh on 78th birthday

Demehl Thomas

Ironically, Thomas had allegedly been convicted for making unauthorised music in jail. It is against the law to use a phone in prison, let alone record sound.

The use of mobile phones in prison is illegal and we have a zero tolerance approach to anyone found using one, says Serco spokesman.

But this doesnt seem to have stopped Remtrex from releasing his music.

READ ALSO: Police arrest two teenagers for allegedly killing their Chinese boss (photo)

Remtrex aka Demehl Thomas.

One of his latest hits is a one-minute video titled, Remtrex Freestyles Through Nokia in Jail. The viral track features footage of a phone along with his voice.

To avoid being caught again by the police, the rapper allegedly uses the old school Nokia phones rather than iPhones when recording his sound.

The talented convict is already serving nine months extra, on top of the initial seven years, for recording a rap video in prison without permission.

He is believed to be the first inmate to be charged under the 1952 Prison Act for making unauthorized recordings in prison.

READ ALSO: Manchester United lead race to sign Serge Aurier

Watch one of the videos composed and recorded by Remtrex behind bars :

Meanwhile, watch the video below:

Source: Legit.ng
Four youths have drowned in a well at Duk quarters in Pankshin town of Plateau on Wednesday, April 26.

According to an eye witness who spoke to NAN, Gonjir Goper, the victims - Tonzum Ngwalamba, Nentawe Leptak, Sati Tongleb and Ngompang Ngoshim  aged between 18 and 25, died while trying to push the nozzle of a water pumping machine into the well.

He said that the first victim was trying to push the nozzle when he fell into the well. Describing the incident as shocking and mysterious, Goper said:

READ ALSO: Man sells family house, dumps Congolese wife for Edo woman

The second victim jumped into the well to rescue the first but did not come out. These rescue efforts continued till the well swallowed the four of them within a very short while, he said.

One of the victims was a son of the owner of the well, one Mr Lamba.

Mr Saad Ibrahim, the Divisional Police Officer of the area, who confirmed the incident, said that the corpses of the victims had been removed from the well and deposited at the Pankshin General Hospital.

Chairman, Interim Management Committee of Pankshin local government, Mr Stephen Jings, equally expressed shock at the incident which he said was very unfortunate. He however urged parents of the victims to accept it as an act of God.

Source: Legit.ng
Apr 26, 2017 12:00 AM

Author: Office of Public Affairs

Big homes, bigger bank accounts, fancy cars, and oodles of fans -- it seems celebrities have it all. But celebrity doesnt protect from mental health problems. Many of todays biggest stars are sharing candid information about their battles with mental illness. Their stories and their courage to talk frankly about their conditions build healthy awareness of current treatments and the importance of loving support.

Here are ten celebrities who came forward with their struggles with mental illness.

1. Chrissy Teigen-postpartum depression

As a successful model, television host, and wife of multi-platinum recording artist John Legend, Teigen, a Utah native, went public in a candid essay published in the April 2017 issue of Glamour Magazine. I had everything I needed to be happy, she wrote. And yet, for much of the last year, I felt unhappy. What basically everyone around me--but me--knew up until December was this: I have postpartum depression. Teigen finished her essay explaining why she chose to speak up now. I want people to know it can happen to anybody, and I dont want people who have it to feel embarrassed or to feel alone.

2. Demi Lovato-bipolar disorder

Twenty-four-year old Lovato has been a public figure and performer since her teens. At eighteen, she came forward with her story of bullying, addiction, an eating disorder, cutting, and depression. During a television interview, Lovato explained that it was during her treatment for addiction and eating disorders that she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. During that time, Lovato learned coping skills and adopted ways to control and understand her emotions. For the first time in my life, I started to feel, she said. Currently, Lovato is the celebrity spokesperson for Be Vocal: Speak Up for Mental Health campaign.

3. Steve Young-social anxiety disorder

NFL-hall of famer and BYU graduate, Steve Young had a seemingly perfect life. But in his new book, QB: My Life Behind the Spiral, Young admits to suffering from anxiety disorder for much of his life. At its root is this desperation, like, I gotta make something happen, he said, in a television interview.

4. Donny Osmond-social anxiety disorder

Another local celebrity who suffers from social anxiety disorder, Donny Osmond has been battling social anxiety while performing since he was a child. It was in 1994 while performing in the lead role in Andrew Lloyd Webbers Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat that he realized he needed help. Since 2004, Osmond has been an honorary member of the Anxiety and Depression Association of America. I want to let people know that they are not alone and that help is available, he said.

5. Michael Phelps-ADHD

Michael Phelps is an American swimmer, who has won a record-breaking 19 Olympic medals during his swimming career. He also lives with attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder. For Phelps, a gangly, hyperactive child who was diagnosed with the condition aged nine, the swimming pool was a sanctuary, a place to burn off excess energy, writer Patrick Barkham says. The concept of role models can seem an overused cliche but the Olympians with ADHD may really inspire a generation of athletes who once would have been written off.

6. Dan Reynolds-clinical depression

Dan Reynolds may be living the dream as a member of the chart-topping band Imagine Dragons but despite commercial success and a rewarding musical career, Reynolds described himself as depressed as hell. Since 2012, Reynolds has been honest about his battle with depression. Thats a scary thing when you get everything that you could have wanted but yet you still feel an emptiness because, at that point, you think, Oh man, if this doesnt fill it, then I dont know where to look anymore. His new role as a husband and father has motivated him to make positive changes. That made me feel like I needed to reevaluate my life and find a deeper appreciation for it."

7. Leonardo DiCaprio-obsessive-compulsive disorder

The Oscar-winning star admitted he feels compelled to walk through doorways numerous times and step on sidewalk stains left by used chewing gum. But DiCaprio has managed to keep his OCD tendencies under control, saying, Im able to say at some point, OK, youre being ridiculous. Stop stepping on every gum stain you see. You dont need to do that.

8. Daniel Radcliffe-obsessive-compulsive disorder

The boy who made Harry Potter a household name at the age of ten has been struggling with OCD since he was five. According to writer Alexandra Daluisio, Dan decided to seek help when his anxiety prevented him from turning off a light for five minutes. Even at such a young age, Radcliffe knew something had to be done.

9. Lady Gaga-PTSD

Despite her success in both music and acting, Lady Gaga spoke openly in December 2016 about her struggles with post traumatic stress disorder. Gaga admitted in a 2014 interview that she is the victim of a rape that happened when she was 19 years old. My own trauma in my life has helped me to understand the trauma of others, she says.

10. Adele-postpartum depression

This Grammy award-winning artist opened up to Vanity Fair last year about her battles with postpartum depression following the birth of her son. I had really bad postpartum depression after I had my son, and it frightened me, she says. She admits she didnt take any medication for it, she also didnt talk to anyone about it. I was very reluctant, she said.
As of August 26th, 2021 Yahoo India will no longer be publishing content. Your Yahoo Account Mail and Search experiences will not be affected in any way and will operate as usual. We thank you for your support and readership. For more information on Yahoo India, please visit the FAQ
Traffic signals at about 40 of the city's intersections are equipped to flash yellow arrows, indicating you may turn after yielding to any oncoming traffic.

Some communities have apparently seen an increase in accidents after switching to the use of yellow flashing lights, because people were confused and didnt realize they needed to watch for oncoming cars.

That doesnt appear to be the case in Lincoln, where the city has been installing these signals for more than a year as they upgrade lights at intersections.

Police have not noticed an increase in crashes because of the new flashing yellow arrows, though this is based on general experience and not any rigorous look at the data.

A Facebook page -- Ban Flashing Yellow Lights in Lincoln -- has gotten little traffic, with fewer than 40 members. And several of the "friends" are people in the news business snooping around out of curiosity.

The Federal Highway Administration authorized use of yellow flashing arrows in 2009 after a study conducted by the National Cooperative Highway Research Program determined that drivers had fewer crashes at intersections with flashing yellow left-turn arrows than with traditional yield-on-green signal configurations.

Council candidate apology accepted

Brayden McLaughlin, a City Council candidate, has issued a formal apology to the Nebraska Chapter of the American Institute of Architects for implying that he provides architectural services.

The group's director, in a formal response, said it does not believe McLaughlin intended to misrepresent his services.

McLaughlin listed architecture as one of his areas of expertise at a public forum before the primary election, and he included architecture on the website for his company, Bridgewater Consulting.

Though some Democrats have said McLaughlin is posing as an architect, and claiming to be a licensed architect," a more neutral observation would be that he was careless in his language.

McLaughlin, who took some architecture classes in college, is not an architecture graduate nor a licensed architect.

Below is his response to a letter from AIA Nebraska.

Recently at a forum for Lincoln City Council candidates, I referred to the work my firm does as architectural services. I am an urban planner and my company, Bridgewater Consulting, does urban planning and design work. I am not a licensed architect, and I do not want the misuse of the word while answering a question to give that impression.

And here is the response from AIA Nebraska executive director Sara Kay.

We thank Brayden McLaughlin for clarifying his comments. We have no reason to believe Mr. McLaughlin intended to misrepresent his services, and we appreciate his willingness to address the issue.

Braatz gave away donations

Lou Braatz, who lost his City Council bid in the April primary, has given away his campaign donations to local nonprofits.

Braatz had $2,225 that he planned to use if he was one of the six candidates who moved on to the general election. Or "I was going to be able to write bigger checks to local nonprofits than I ever had" if he lost in the primary.

Braatz came in seventh.

So he set up an online poll and asked supporters to decide where to send the money. He wrote a $1,000 check to Friendship Home; a $750 check to the Lincoln Bike Kitchen, which came in second by one vote; and a $500 check to the Food Bank of Lincoln for their backpack program.

Some supporters suggested he should hang onto the money in case he decided to run again. But Braatz said he believes people should have to start over when they run for another seat.

Squires dumping Democrats

Maggie Mae Squires, candidate for City Council in next week's election, has announced she will drop her Democratic Party affiliation after the election and register as an independent.

Squires can't switch now, before the election, even though the race itself is nonpartisan.

Squires is upset with local Democratic leaders who head an independent group called Vote Local, Vote Lincoln. The group pulled its support of her because of her stand in support of legalizing cannabis.

The group, which includes Mayor Chris Beutler, City Councilwoman Jane Raybould and Rick Hoppe, the mayor's chief of staff, is encouraging voters to support two other Democrats.

They did not tell Squires they were withdrawing support for her for three weeks during the heart of the primary campaign. Squires was expecting their help during the primary.

Squires says, in her heart, she is an independent.
A district judge Wednesday sent an Iraqi man to prison for sexually abusing two young girls in Lincoln.

Tarik Mohammed, 44, denied the allegations that he sexually touched two sisters, one when she was 10 or 11, the other on her 14th birthday.

But a Lancaster County jury found him guilty of two counts of third-degree sexual assault of a child at trial in February.

It was a pattern of behavior that went unchecked for a very long time and caused great harm, District Judge Jodi Nelson said Wednesday before giving Mohammed six to 10 years in prison, at the top end of the 10-year max.

She called it a violation of trust at the highest level and not the kind of crime appropriate for probation.

At trial, one of the girls testified she was 10 or 11, in fifth grade, when he called her to a bedroom to read an email in English, then pulled her closer, took off her shirt and touched her. He covered her mouth with his hand, she said.

She didn't tell anyone until Oct. 31, 2015, when she started crying because she didn't want to go to his house and told an older sister he had touched her in bad ways.

That day, another of her sisters said he had touched her inappropriately, too, on her 14th birthday.

Police arrested Mohammed, and prosecutors charged him with two counts of third-degree sexual assault of a child, which led to a trial that started Feb. 6.

There, jurors heard from the two girls and two others who said Mohammed had raped them, one in Iraq, the other in Syria. Because it didn't happen here, he couldnt be charged on those allegations, but the judge ruled the jury could hear about them.
On 3-5 October 2017 Kyiv is going to host the Space and Future Forum to network international experts and youth, many of whom will also participate at the first CosmoHack in the world. Joinfo provides media coverage of the Forum, and some of its topics were already discussed ...
Europes largest low-cost air carrier Ryanair has reached an agreement with the management of Ukraines largest state-owned international airport Boryspil and Danylo Halytskyi International Airport Lviv regarding its flight schedule for the current year, Ukrainian Infrastructure Minister Volodymyr Omelyan said at a government meeting, Joinfo.com reports with reference to UNIAN.

I would like to inform everyone that yesterday Ryanair had successful talks with the management of Boryspil and Lviv airports. The position of both president and prime minister is the same; that is, we must introduce cheap air transportation for Ukrainians, Omelyan said. Earlier, head of Boryspil international airport Pavlo Ryabikin voiced the opinion that budget airlines should be attracted to Hostomel [Antonov International Airport], rather than Boryspil.

It should be recalled that on March 15, Europes largest low-cost air carrier Ryanair announced the launch of flights from Kyiv and Lviv starting October 30, 2017. However, due to the high demand for tickets, the airline announced the shift in the schedule for certain flights, in particular, from Lviv to Berlin, to earlier dates in September 2017. Ryanair then clarified that the flights would be performed from Kyiv, namely from Boryspil international airport, while the future flights from Kyiv international airport (Zhulyany) were considered as well. Later Ryabikin claimed that Boryspil International Airport had not yet signed a cooperation agreement with Ryanair.

Photo: Reuters.


Ronald Reagan

The value of a man should be seen in what he gives and not in what he is able to receive.

Albert Einstein

If you have an important point to make, don't try to be subtle or clever. Use a pile driver. Hit the point once. Then come back and hit it again. Then hit it a third time - a tremendous whack.

Winston Churchill





It isnt so much that liberals are ignorant. Its just that they know so many things that arent so.

With integrity nothing else counts; Without integrity nothing else counts.

Winston Churchill





Never be bullied into silence. Never allow yourself to be made a victim. Accept no one's definition of your life, but define yourself.

Harvey S. Firestone





It is inaccurate to say that I hate everything. I am strongly in favor of common sense, common honesty, and common decency. This makes me forever ineligible for public office. H. L. Menken



Referenda insure all have a voice in land use decisions.

U.S. Supreme Court

Listen carefully to first criticism of your work. Note just what it is about your work the critics don't like - then cultivate it. That's the only part of your work that's individual and worth keeping.

Jean Cocteau
Measles outbreaks could be first seen in anti-vaccine groups. Credit: Flickr/ Dave Haygarth

For some people the issue of vaccination isn't about facts, it's a matter of faith, and this unshakable belief has become an opportunity for health workers to prepare for potential outbreaks.

In 2015, a child died of diphtheria in Spain, while an 18-month-old toddler died of measles in Berlin, Germany.

Fears of the combined measles, mumps and rubella vaccine have remained since 1998 when Andrew Wakefield, a former British gastroenterologist, claimed it could cause autism.

Wakefield's research was later debunked as he was proven to have financial interests in other vaccine development while his methodology was not scientifically sound either. However, the seed was planted in the public sphere and its roots can still be seen today.

'Vaccination acceptance decreased tremendously (after Wakefield) and in England it resulted in an increase in measles cases, measles hospitalisation and measles deaths,' said Dr Jim van Steenbergen, an infectious disease control physician at the Dutch National Institute for Public Health and Environment. 'That is something that could happen again.'

It's common practice to plant roses on the outskirts of a vineyard because of their susceptibility to different diseases. If a rose gets a particular infection then a farmer can prepare his vineyard with the appropriate treatment. Researchers are taking a similar approach with anti-vaccine groups so they can prevent potential epidemics and protect society as a whole by monitoring them for disease outbreaks.

Reasons for not vaccinating vary from one group to the next. Some are sceptics, others can't afford it, such as Roma communities, and then there are those who have strict religious beliefs.

'If you are able to contact them, (you) can get important information (that can be used) as an early warning for disease and better understanding for other opinions or determinants for non-vaccination,' said Dr van Steenbergen, who is the project coordinator of E-COM@>EU, an EU-funded project aiming to help health professionals communicate the benefits of large-scale measures such as vaccination.

When it comes to other anti-vaccine issues, such as adverse side effects of vaccinating children too early, Dr van Steenbergen believes these groups often take an idea too far, and the most they should be worried about is some redness or swelling.

Other sceptics avoid vaccines because they believe big pharmaceutical companies are milking money from the public. Again, Dr van Steenbergen acknowledges how such ideas develop but doesn't doubt the effectiveness of the vaccines and thinks their concerns should be placed elsewhere.

'Money is an important driver for vaccine development, (rather than) public health. Sometimes, indeed, vaccines are developed because pharmaceutical companies have an impression they can create the market and the market is best in the rich industrialised world, not in the developing world where they are needed even more.'

Outbreaks

Members of the project are now visiting each EU Member State to show people new ways of managing outbreaks that involve anti-vaccine communities.

But changing how public health institutes deal with infectious diseases takes a lot of resources that these organisations generally don't have.

The outcome of the E-COM@EU project was a series of recommendations for healthcare agencies so they can prepare for a disease outbreak. However, as a result of the lack of resources at health agencies, E-COM@EU has already encountered difficulty in seeing their strategies being implemented on a national level.

Dr van Steenbergen believes public health institutes need to listen more to anti-vaccine groups to find solutions or, at least, compromises. However, another risk has emerged as the sceptical public have begun to persuade more doctors, midwives and nurses by asking pseudo-scientific questions that they can't answer.

The relationship most people have with their local doctor is still one of a trusted source for medical advice. The problem is that a small number of these trusted people are getting different ideas about vaccines.

'We learned a while ago that it's not the percentage of the (anti-vaccine) population that's the problem, it's the way they amplify their concerns,' said Dr Heidi Larson, an anthropologist from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine in the UK.

'(Doctors) are confronted with patients or parents that bring new questions and negative information and some are struggling to have answers and then start wondering themselves.'

Health professionals are generally not trained to deal with these confrontations. As Dr Larson explains 'they are armed with facts' without any kind of preparation in dealing with sceptics, which leaves them susceptible to being persuaded.

These doctors, such as Andrew Wakefield, end up having a stronger influence and their impact of echoing misinformation is therefore higher.

'We need to do a much better job in helping health professionals deal with difficult conversations,' said Dr Larson, who works on ADVANCE, an EU-funded project developing ways to better communicate vaccine benefits and support decision-making.

The project, funded by the Innovative Medicines Initiative, a collaboration between the EU and private drug companies, brings together industry, academics and national health institutes under the objective to maintain public confidence in vaccines, which according to Dr Larson is needed in Europe more than ever.

'In Europe, which has some of the best access to healthcare and the highest education in the world, the public is at the same time one of the most sceptical regions in the world when it comes to vaccine safety and that is a bit of a surprise.'

ADVANCE is developing a system that will rapidly provide the best available scientific evidence on vaccination benefits to help the public make the most well-informed decisions at the right time, and recently published a code of conduct for vaccine developers.
Autism Speaks today issued the first in a series of annual, in-depth reports on special topics in autism. Autism and Health: Advances in Understanding and Treating the Health Conditions that Frequently Accompany Autism gathers into one comprehensive report the most authoritative research and the latest guidelines on treatment and support of children and adults with autism spectrum disorder.

The last decade has brought tremendous advances in understanding and addressing the many physical and mental health conditions that often go hand-in-hand with autism. Those conditions include epilepsy, gastrointestinal distress (GI), sleep disturbances, eating and feeding challenges, attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), anxiety, depression, schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. These issues can extend across the life span.

While each new piece of high-quality research adds to our understanding of autism, it also adds to the complexity of developing the best practices to address the diverse needs of the autism community.

Health problems attributed to autism may instead be symptoms of a different condition - one that is treatable. For example:

-Children with autism are almost 8 times more likely than typical kids to have chronic GI distress. The report includes expert guidance on when to seek help for "picky eating," which could be a sign of GI problems.

-More than half of people with autism have sleep disturbances, which may contribute to daytime behavioral problems. A model parent-education program teaches autism-specific sleep guidelines.

-30 to 60 percent of people with autism have symptoms of ADHD. Research shows that personalized treatment with cognitive-behavioral techniques adapted for autism may help.

The special report's Facts and Figures Supplement provides data on prevalence, screening and diagnosis, the cost of services and treatment, adult needs, and funding for research, among other categories.

"We now know more about autism than ever before, but each new piece of research paints an even more complex picture of the disorder," said Thomas Frazier, PhD, Autism Speaks chief science officer. "For the first time, our report pulls together the most up-to-date research on autism, and presents it in easy-to-understand terms. We hope people with autism, parents, communities, and health care providers will use this information to make the best possible decisions for their particular needs and to enhance the quality of life, now and in the future."
A microscopic image of tumor tissue under the influence of TNF (left) and IFN-  (right). Red blood cells are pictured in a magenta color. TNF bursts the blood vessels and releases large amounts of blood cells, whereas IFN- lets vessels retreat. Credit: Christian Friese / MDC

Immunotherapy with T-cells offers great hope to people suffering from cancer. Some initial successes have already been made in treating blood cancer, but treating solid tumors remains a major challenge. The signaling molecule interferon gamma, which is produced by T-cells, plays a key role in the therapy. It cuts off the blood supply to tumors, as a new study in the journal Nature reveals.

The immune system is the body's most powerful weapon against diseases. So what if it were possible to use the immune system to fight cancer? For a long time now, researchers have been trying to do just that - for example, by employing a special kind of immune cell called T-cells. They are "special mobile forces" that - after undergoing training - patrol the body, and can seek out and kill cancer cells. This strategy has been successful in initial clinical trials - but mostly just in the treatment of cancers that do not form tumors, such as blood cancer.

Good at fighting blood cancer, but not so effective against solid tumors

Large solid tumors, on the other hand, sometimes pose big problems for T-cells. Though adept at targeting cancer cells swimming in the bloodstream, they have difficulty attacking compact tumors. The tumor weakens the aggressors through the delivery of inhibiting signals.

The scientists working with Dr. Thomas Kammertons, Prof. Thomas Blankenstein, Prof. Hans Schreiber and Christian Friese are searching for solutions with their research team at Charite - Universitatsmedizin Berlin, Max Delbruck Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), Berlin Institute of Health (BIH) and the Einstein Foundation.

In a study published in the journal Nature, they investigated how the signaling molecules of T-cells affect the immediate tumor environment, which includes the connective tissue as well as the blood vessels that supply the tumor.

T-cells produce not only tumor necrosis factor (TNF) but also the molecule interferon gamma (IFN-). Until now, however, there has been little understanding about how IFN- really works. "We knew that IFN- attacks cancer cells via the tumor microenvironment," says Kammertons. "We now wanted to find out exactly which cells are targeted by the signaling molecules."

A microscopic image of blood vessels of the same tumor, before (left) and after being under the influence of IFN- (right). Cells of the blood vessels are pictured in red. IFN- causes blood vessels to retreat. Credit: Christian Friese / MDC

Blood vessel regression is induced

The researchers generated genetically modified mice and used a clinically relevant cancer model. This included animals in which only blood vessel cells were susceptible to the signaling molecule.

In this mouse model IFN- pruned back the blood vessels in the tumors, thus shutting down the supply of oxygen and nutrients and killing the tumors. The researchers were able to observe this process microscopically in living mice in fine detail. They found that the blood vessel cells alone responded to the signaling molecule. When the researchers targeted other types of cells with IFN-, the tumors continued their growth.

These findings provided an explanation for the molecule's powerful properties, which were already well known. "IFN- is one of the most important weapons in the T-cells' arsenal," says Thomas Kammertons.

Thomas Blankenstein, lead investigator of the study, says: "The two together - IFN- and tumor necrosis factor - are a powerful team. TNF bursts tumor blood vessels, thus opening up the tissue, while IFN- cuts off the blood supply and keeps the tumor at bay over the long term."

Optimizing T-cell therapy

The study offered the researchers clues on how to improve T-cell therapy for solid cancer tumors. Thomas Blankenstein explains: "We want to understand exactly how T-cells target tumors. Destroying a tumor's infrastructure is probably more effective than killing individual cancer cells."

"Our findings are significant beyond tumor therapy," says Thomas Kammertons. "Interestingly, the mechanism used by IFN- to eliminate solid tumors resembles the physiological regression of blood vessels during development. It also disrupts wound healing."

"IFN- might also affect the formation of new blood vessels after strokes or heart attacks. That's why we want to find out more about the molecular processes behind all of this."

More information: Thomas Kammertoens et al, Tumour ischaemia by interferon- resembles physiological blood vessel regression, Nature (2017). Journal information: Nature Thomas Kammertoens et al, Tumour ischaemia by interferon- resembles physiological blood vessel regression,(2017). DOI: 10.1038/nature22311
A creative animation, developed as part of a collaboration between King's Improvement Science [KIS] and writer, artist, and facilitator Claire Collinson, is at the heart of a new campaign launched today by Tommy's charity, King's College London and the BabyCentre website to empower pregnant women to overcome fears about speaking to professionals about their health concerns.

Each day in the UK, 10 babies are stillborn and 152 babies are born preterm. A body of research led by Jane Sandall, professor of social science and women's health at King's College London, and lead of the CLAHRC's maternity and women's heath theme, has shown that women's knowledge about their own changing body is invaluable in contributing to safer pregnancies, but that they often struggle to voice their instincts and concerns.

The 'Always ask' campaign centres around two animations (a longer and shorter version) developed out of a project that builds on Professor Jane Sandall's research, which was led by Dr Nicola Mackintosh, formerly a King's Improvement Science fellow at King's College London (now at the University of Leicester). 'The Re-Assure' project brought together women, health professionals, a writer and a digital artist to create an animation that follows a pregnant woman through her pregnancy journey. It encourages pregnant women who are worried about their health, or their baby's health, to take their concerns seriously and ask for help.

Credit: King's College London

The film was developed with the help of 34 women who have previously experienced serious complications in pregnancy or birth. It was made with the support of a 10,000 grant from King's College London's Cultural Institute, and co-produced by the women, Nicola Mackintosh, KIS fellow James Harris, writer Claire Collison and animator Patrick Beirne. Professor Jane Sandall was also involved. Fifteen staff  midwives and obstetricians  from maternity services at Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust contributed.

Trusting your own instincts in pregnancy is an important theme of the 'Always ask' campaign. Pregnancy information often focuses on specific red flag signs and symptoms such as stomach pain or bleeding. Dr Nicola Mackintosh said, 'Our research has shown that many women who seek help for concerns about potential complications in pregnancy and the postnatal period, do not present with 'classic' warning signs and as a result, struggle to have their concerns taken seriously. The wider literature suggests that a change in attitude is often what is required, rather than just the provision of information about specific red flags.'

This is why the 'Always ask' campaign does not talk about specific symptoms; instead it encourages women to trust their instincts and 'look out for changes that don't feel right'. It also gives practical tips on appointments, getting listened to and being taken seriously.

The 'Always ask' campaign has been endorsed by the Royal College of Midwives, the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, and NHS England.
(HealthDay)A fatal case of propofol-induced acute necrotizing pancreatitis has been described in a case report published online April 10 in the Journal of Clinical Pharmacy and Therapeutics.

J. Csomor, M.D., from the 1st Medical Faculty Charles University and Central Military Hospital in the Czech Republic, and colleagues described the case of a 57-year-old woman admitted for total thyroidectomy for thyroid goiter, during which she received a single dose of propofol. After a cholecystectomy in 2006 she had an attack of mild biliary pancreatitis.

The researchers write that the thyroidectomy was performed without complications; however, the patient developed severe abdominal pain with nausea and vomiting at 12 to 15 hours after surgery. Acute pancreatitis was confirmed, without pathology in the biliary tract. The patient was transferred to the intensive care unit and was administered standard intensive therapy. The patient suffered from hemorrhagic shock on the 20th day of hospitalization, with evidence of a ruptured spleen. The patient died of progressive multiple organ failure and septic shock 90 days after admission to the hospital. A biliary form of acute pancreatitis was unlikely based on findings including normal repeated liver function tests and no dilation of the patient's intrahepatic biliary tract or common bile duct after endoscopic papillotomy. The researchers concluded that the acute pancreatitis was drug-induced.

"Acute pancreatitis as an adverse drug (propofol) reaction is extremely rare," the authors write. "In our case report, we have focused on this possible complication of propofol. It is possible that cases of drug-induced acute pancreatitis are under-recognized."

Copyright  2017 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Professor Kelly Chibale, the director of Africa's first integrated drug discovery and development center, H3D, at his laboratory at the University of Cape Town. Credit: Michael Hammond

A new paper published today in the prestigious journal Science Translational Medicine describes the discovery and biological profiling of an exciting new anti-malarial clinical drug candidate, MMV390048, effective against resistant strains of the malaria parasite, and across the entire parasite lifecycle, with the potential to cure and protect in a single dose. The research was conducted by the University of Cape Town (UCT)'s Drug Discovery and Development Centre, H3D, and Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV), in collaboration with a team of international researchers.

The paper is the first full disclosure of data demonstrating the antimalarial promise of MMV390048 (also known as MMV048), a compound discovered by an international team led by Professor Kelly Chibale at UCT and MMV.

"The ability of MMV048 to block all life cycle stages of the malaria parasite, offer protection against infection as well as potentially block transmission of the parasite from person to person suggests that this compound could contribute to the eradication of malaria, a disease that claims the lives of several hundred thousand people every year," said Professor Chibale, Founder and Director of H3D, founding Director of the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) Drug Discovery Research Unit at UCT, and senior author of the paper.

In 2014, MMV048 became the first new antimalarial medicine to enter phase I human studies in Africa. Today, preparations are being made to begin phase IIa human trials on this promising compound as a single-dose cure.

"This compound has enormous potential," said Dr David Reddy, MMV's CEO. "In addition to the exciting characteristics noted, it has the potential to be administered as a single dose, which could revolutionize the treatment of malaria. At MMV, we look forward to continuing our work in partnership with Professor Chibale and colleagues at UCT to pursue the development of this and future next-generation antimalarials."

The project has benefited from sustained funding from MMV, the South African Technology Innovation Agency (TIA) and Strategic Health Innovation Partnerships (SHIP) unit of the SAMRC. MMV's support has also been critical in helping H3D build and reinforce their scientific networks of drug discoverers and understand the compound's role in blocking the transmission of the malaria parasite.

Despite the positive impact of medication, indoor spraying with insecticides and the use of insecticide bed-nets, around 429,000 people died from malaria in 2015, mostly in Africa, according to the World Health Organisation's World Malaria Report.

The paper said resistance to treatment regimens still posed a threat and highlighted the importance of developing treatments containing new chemical classes with different modes of action.

More information: "Antimalarial efficacy of MMV390048, an inhibitor of Plasmodium phosphatidylinositol 4-kinase," Science Translational Medicine (2017). Journal information: Science Translational Medicine "Antimalarial efficacy of MMV390048, an inhibitor of Plasmodium phosphatidylinositol 4-kinase,"(2017). stm.sciencemag.org/lookup/doi/  scitranslmed.aad9735

Provided by University of Cape Town
SAN DIEGO -- The headline grabbed my attention: "Americans have become lazy and it's hurting the economy."

Lazy? Now there's a four-letter word you rarely hear Americans use to describe themselves.

People were furious years ago when George W. Bush correctly surmised that immigrants "do jobs that Americans won't do."

Anyway, how can Americans be lazy when everyone insists we're working harder than ever and spending less time with family?

Well, according to a recent article in CNN Money, laziness isn't just about not wanting to work. It's also about not taking risks, changing routines, switching jobs, starting businesses, going to school, getting training, picking up skills, moving around the country, expanding your network and getting out of your comfort zone.

In the industrial Midwest, unemployed factory workers don't want to relocate as much as they want the factory to reopen.

The generations of today -- including the baby boomers, Generation X and millennials -- don't always like to roll the dice as much as the World War II generation did. We prefer safe bets, and we like it when opportunities come to us on a silver platter. Even the definition of the American dream has changed. Wealth and materialism are out; safety and security are in.

Still, who would dare call Americans lazy?

Tyler Cowen is a professor of economics at George Mason University who believes that living through upheaval -- political, social, economic, etc. -- has caused Americans to hunger for safety, predictability and the status quo.

In his new book, "The Complacent Class: The Self-Defeating Quest for the American Dream," Cowen argues that we've overcorrected and gone too far toward trying to create perfect, insulated "bubble worlds" for ourselves and our kids. And now we're afraid to change anything, lest we burst the bubble.

Cowen insists that this habit of playing it safe is hurting the economy by keeping it flat and making it stagnant. He notes that economic growth is happening at a much slower pace than it was 30 or 40 years ago and that our rate of productivity is way down.

This national complacency isn't doing our politics any favors, either. Not only are Americans polarized and unable to have civilized conversations with people who hold different viewpoints, we're also cemented into our respective ideologies. We're slow to listen and quick to ascribe sinister motives in order to dismiss perspectives we disagree with.

Cowen also believes that our public schools are a casualty of this kind of laziness. Is a national mood of not trying hard enough driving down students' test scores? Teachers unions and school districts seem to be conspiring to loosen accountability standards and go easy on students -- which in turn takes pressure off the adults who are supposed to teach them.

This mindset even spills into childrearing, he says. Parents are afraid to let their children out of their sight, let alone allow them to play outside. Climbing trees is forbidden. So is riding bikes alone through town. You have to wonder where the inventors of tomorrow will come from, if the kids of today can't wander about and let their imaginations soar.

And finally, even technology -- which is supposed to make our lives easier and more efficient -- could be making this problem worse. As Cowen notes, many innovations are designed to do more so that we can do less. Whereas a couple decades ago you had to get in the car and drive to a video rental place, now you can order a movie with your remote without leaving the couch. Is it good or bad that life is getting easier?

So how do Americans snap out of our complacency daze -- and get back into the deep end of the pool? For one thing, Cowen says, we need to take more risks in our personal lives. The government also has to encourage more innovation.

Let's remember that the very idea of America started out as a crapshoot, an experiment that wasn't given much chance of succeeding by the powers of the 18th century -- England, France and Spain. Americans need to keep that spirit alive.

Luckily, as Cowen told CNN Money, there is still one group of people in America who understand the whole point of the place.

"Immigrants are the greatest risk-takers of all. They are the least complacent class," he said.

Americans often view immigrants as a threat. They ought to see them for what they are: part of their salvation.
Neurons from a spheroid resembling tissue in the lower forebrain migrated and fused to create cortex circuitry with neurons from a spheroid resembling tissue in the upper region. Credit: Sergiu Pasca, M.D., Stanford University

Peering into laboratory glassware, Stanford University School of Medicine researchers have watched stem-cell-derived nerve cells arising in a specific region of the human brain migrate into another brain region. This process recapitulates what's been believed to occur in a developing fetus, but has never previously been viewed in real time.

The investigators saw the migrating nerve cells, or neurons, hook up with other neurons in the target region to form functioning circuits characteristic of the cerebral cortex.

These observations showcase neuroscientists' newfound ability to monitor, assemble and manipulate so-called neural spheroids, generated from human induced pluripotent stem cells, to study the normal development of the human forebrain during late pregnancy.

"We've never been able to recapitulate these human-brain developmental events in a dish before," said the study's senior author, Sergiu Pasca, MD, assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences. "The process happens in the second half of pregnancy, so viewing it live is challenging. Our method lets us see the entire movie, not just snapshots."

The findings, and the techniques used to obtain them, carry potential for the personalized study of individuals' psychiatric disorders. In the study, to be published online April 26 in Nature, the scientists were able to attribute, for the first time, defects in neuronal migration to Timothy syndrome, a rare condition that predisposes people to autism, epilepsy and cardiac malfunction. Postdoctoral scholars Fikri Birey, PhD, Jimena Andersen, PhD, and Chris Makinson, PhD, share lead authorship.

The need for 3-D models

Culturing neurons in a lab dish is old hat. But the two-dimensional character of life lived atop a flat glass coverslip doesn't sit well with cells designed for three-dimensional existence. Neurons cultured in monolayers mature only partially, tend to die fairly quickly and interact suboptimally.

In a 2015 study, Pasca and his colleagues described their method for producing neural spheroids. Neural precursor cells generated from iPS cells are placed in culture dishes whose bottoms are coated to make it impossible for neurons to attach. The cells float freely in a nutrient-rich broth, ultimately developing into hundreds of almost perfectly round balls approaching 1/16 of an inch in diameter and consisting of over 1 million cells each. These neurons can live for up to two years, and they mature fully.

The spheroids created in the 2015 study recapitulated the human cerebral cortex's six-layer-thick architecture, and the neurons they contained were of the type that arise in and dominate the cerebral cortex. They're called glutamatergic neurons because they secrete the excitatory chemical glutamate.

But the cerebral cortex's glutamatergic neurons don't remain alone for long. During fetal development, they are eventually joined by neurons of another type that originate in a slightly deeper region of the developing forebrain. These neurons secrete a neuromodulatoryand usually inhibitorysubstance called GABA, so they're deemed GABAergic. It's known that GABAergic cells migrate from their region of origin to the cortex, where they interlace with its resident glutamatergic cells and with one another to form the circuitry responsible for the brain's most advanced cognitive activities. But no one had been able to watch this happen with human cells in a dish.

In the new study, the researchers separated their spheroids into two batches and coaxed them to become different regions of the human brain. They cultured one batch in a medium that induces cortexlike spheroids containing glutamatergic neurons. They placed the second batch in dishes whose broth steers the spheroids toward resembling the underlying brain region where GABAergic neurons originate.

Then, the investigators juxtaposed the two distinct types of spheroids. Within three days, the two spheroids fused, and GABAergic neurons from one spheroid began migrating into the glutamatergic-neuron-rich spheroid. Their migration pattern, the scientists noted, was halting: They would move toward the target spheroid for a little while, then stop for an extended period, then start up again in stuttering jumps.

On reaching their destination, the GABAergic travelers underwent a transformation, sprouting dendritesbranching, foliage-like "tails" that receive inputs from other neuronsand forming working connections with the glutamatergic neurons. Electrophysiological tests revealed that GABAergic and glutamatergic neurons were successfully forming circuits and signaling to one another.

Insight into Timothy syndrome

The scientists had access to tissue samples from patients with Timothy syndrome, an extremely rare and historically lethal condition caused by a mutation in the gene coding for a type of calcium channela protein containing a pore that responds to different voltage levels by opening or closing, respectively permitting or blocking the flow of calcium across otherwise impermeable membranes. Such calcium channels are essential to many cellular processes. Timothy syndrome patients' severe cardiac abnormalities once spelled ultra-short life expectancies, but now can be ameliorated with pacemakers. However, survivors usually have autism and frequently have epilepsy.

The investigators generated both types of neural spheroids from their Timothy-syndrome tissue samples, fused them and watched to see what would happen. What they saw was this: The GABAergic neurons, which seemed to develop normally, exhibited aberrant start-and-stop migration patterns. Their forward movements were more frequent, but far less efficient, than those of normal neurons.

The mutation behind Timothy syndrome increases the likelihood that the calcium channel for which it codes will let calcium ions flow through it. So, the researchers reasoned, a drug impeding the channel's activity might reverse the aberration. Indeed, two different drugs that block this type of calcium channel restored normal migratory activity to the Timothy-syndrome-derived GABAergic neurons.

Diverse variants in the same gene responsible for Timothy syndrome are associated with schizophrenia, other forms of autism spectrum disorder and bipolar disorder. Pasca said he suspects these variants may affect GABAergic neurons' integration with cortical glutamatergic neurons, resulting in a cognition-altering imbalance between excitation and inhibition in the cortex and laying the groundwork for these disorders.

"Our method of assembling and carefully characterizing neuronal circuits in a dish is opening up new windows through which we can view the normal development of the fetal human brain," said Pasca. "More importantly, it will help us see how this goes awry in individual patients."

Stanford's Office of Technology Licensing has filed for a patent on the intellectual property involving the generation of brain-region-specific neural spheroids and their assembly for studying development and disease.

More information: "Assembly of Functionally-Integrated Human Forebrain Spheroids" Nature (2017). "Assembly of Functionally-Integrated Human Forebrain Spheroids"(2017). nature.com/articles/doi:10.1038/nature22330 Related: Nature (2017). nature.com/articles/doi:10.1038/nature22047 Journal information: Nature

Provided by Stanford University Medical Center
(HealthDay)A new model can accurately predict pediatric patient hospitalization early in the emergency department encounter by using data commonly available in electronic medical records, according to a study published online April 25 in Pediatrics.

Yuval Barak-Corren, M.D., from Boston Children's Hospital, and colleagues retrospectively analyzed all visits to the Boston Children's Hospital emergency department from July 2014 through June 2015. Half of the data were used to derive a model for early prediction of hospitalizations, and half of the data were used for model validation.

Based on analysis of 59,033 patient visits (11,975 hospitalized cases and 47,058 discharged controls), the researchers found that using data available within the first 30 minutes after presentation, the model identified 73.4 percent of the hospitalizations with 90 percent specificity and 35.4 percent of hospitalizations with 99.5 percent specificity (area under the curve, 0.91). The emergency department could potentially save 5,917 hours per year, or 30 minutes per hospitalization, by applying this model in a real-time setting.

"Such early identification can be used to advance patient placement processes and shorten ED boarding times," conclude the authors.

Copyright  2017 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
A new study examining medical provider attitudes toward prescribing PrEP to prevent HIV found that those who already prescribe it do not see widespread increases in risky sexual behavior among their patients as a result. Also, providers do not consider such behavior change to be a reason to discontinue or limit PrEP.

The researchers believe adopting PrEP, which stands for pre-exposure prophylaxis, is essential to curbing the number of new HIV diagnoses. PrEP was approved for use in the U.S. in 2012, and public health experts consider it a breakthrough in HIV prevention. The World Health Organization has endorsed PrEP as a means to help halt the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

"If traditional methods of prevention like condoms were enough to adequately address the HIV epidemic, then we wouldn't see 40,000 people in the U.S. getting new diagnoses year after year," said Sarah Calabrese, lead author of the paper and assistant professor of clinical psychology at the George Washington University. "PrEP is a highly effective prevention option, and people deserve access to it. Our study found that providers who have already started prescribing PrEP can play a key role in improving access - not only by offering PrEP to their own patients but also by influencing their peers to overcome ideological hurdles around prescribing PrEP."

More than 1.2 million Americans are believed to be at a significant risk for contracting HIV and are eligible for PrEP, yet less than 100,000 of them have been prescribed the drug Truvada for PrEP (tenofovir disoproxil fumarate with emtricitabine), according to research presented at the 2016 International AIDS Conference. In the past, physicians have cited concerns that a prescription for PrEP might encourage patients to engage in more risky sexual behavior, such as decreasing use of condoms or increasing the number of sexual partners.

To better understand the attitudes and experiences of medical providers who prescribe PrEP, the researchers interviewed 18 U.S.-based healthcare providers with experience prescribing PrEP. The interviews yielded three general themes:

Providers believed their role was to support patients in making informed sexual health decisions

Providers perceived the protective benefit of PrEP to outweigh any increase in risky behavior by patients

Providers thought PrEP was unduly stigmatized by others within and beyond the healthcare community. The same negative judgments of patients and concerns about risky behavior aren't seen with other forms of prevention like statins used to lower cholesterol.

"As public awareness about PrEP increases and more at-risk individuals actively seek out PrEP from their healthcare providers, there is an urgent need to prepare providers to respond appropriately," the authors wrote in the paper. "This includes not only enhancing providers' comfort and competence prescribing PrEP or referring patients elsewhere for PrEP care but also educating providers about reacting to patient inquiries in a sensitive and professional way."

Dr. Calabrese noted this study targets "early adopting" providers, meaning they already have experience prescribing PrEP and have overcome concerns within their own clinical practice.

The paper, "Support your client at the space that they're in: Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) prescribers' perspectives on PrEP-related risk compensation," was published in the journal AIDS Patient Care and STDs this month.
Credit:  2017, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.

A growing number of preclinical studies in mice suggests that therapeutic gene delivery using recombinant adeno-associated viral vectors (rAAVs) can cause insertional mutagenesis and increase the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma. Despite the apparent safety of rAAV-mediated gene therapy in human clinical applications, the data emerging from some mouse studies emphasize the need to carefully reconsider the potential risk of genotoxicity, according to the authors of a provocative article published in Human Gene Therapy.

Randy Chandler and Charles Venditti, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health (Bethesda, MD) and Mark Sands, Washington University School of Medicine (St. Louis, MO), present a comprehensive overview of the published studies assessing rAAV gene delivery and hepatocellular carcinoma formation. In the article in Human Gene Therapy entitled "Recombinant Adeno-Associated Viral Integration and Genotoxicity: Insights from Animal Models," the authors review the published data that suggest a potential increased risk for genotoxicity related to rAAV. They discuss the need for additional studies to characterize rAAV integration and other proposed directions for future research.

"AAV is clearly the most promising vector for Human Gene Therapy applications, yet concerns remain regarding whether or not using it incurs some risk of causing cancer," says Editor-in-Chief Terence R. Flotte, MD, Celia and Isaac Haidak Professor of Medical Education and Dean, Provost, and Executive Deputy Chancellor, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA. "There is strong data on both sides of this issue and further research on this issue is essential."
USC researcher Greg Ver Steegs team is learning more about the effects of social connections and physical fitness among those who track their health with wearable tech. Credit: Photo/iStock

Social networks are key tools in the daily lives of most Americans: We use Twitter to get breaking news, LinkedIn to search for jobs and Facebook to connect with friends. But what if social networks could help you be more physically fit?

That's what Greg Ver Steeg and his research team started wondering when a 2007 study suggested that obesity might be contagious.

"If we can ask whether bad things like obesity can be contagious, can we ask the same questions about good traits, like physical fitness? Is it just a matter of designing the right social network and incentives?" asked Ver Steeg, a research assistant professor in the USC Viterbi School of Engineering's Information Sciences Institute and Department of Computer Science.

After partnering with Google and Evidation Health, a company that aims to quantify health outcomes using digital technology, Ver Steeg had the opportunity to delve deeper into the issue at the international World Wide Web Conference in Australia.

Finding Fitbit users

A study conducted by the team monitored more than 44,000 Fitbit users and found that people with larger and more active social networks have higher levels of physical activity: For each additional social tie, participants walked an average of 6.5 more steps.

Ver Steeg's role in the study was to help determine whether the correlations observed were also causal, or related. The results were mixedwhile the group found some evidence for a causal link, they couldn't rule out all other possible explanations. In particular, it was difficult to discount correlations related to the changing environment; for example, maybe good weather causes people to spend more time outside and get fitter as a result.

"It's especially complicated in this case because we're looking at human behavior, and there are so many factors that influence human behavior," Ver Steeg said.

His goal was to create a mathematical model that would rule out homophilythe idea that people who are active will tend to be friends with other active individualsas the main reason for the observed correlation.

The challenge is to rule out hidden variables that the study's authors could never measure or anticipate, which could theoretically cause two users to become friends and simultaneously impact their physical fitness. Ver Steeg uses the example of two participants joining a secret pie-eating club: It's something the researchers wouldn't think to ask about, but it could be an external factor influencing the correlation between friends and fitness level.

The study also looked at the relationship between social networks and physical activity in the context of chronic conditions. One of the key findings was that the increase in activity among those with larger social networks was even more significant for users with chronic diseases, specifically depression and diabetes. These users walked 36 additional steps for each new tie, compared with 6.5 steps for users overall.

"When you're burdened by a chronic condition, your social network may have an especially high influence on your behavior," said Luca Foschini, co-founder and chief data scientist at Evidation. Users with chronic diseases might have more overlap between online and offline friend groups.

Positive impact

The study can also help inform design choices for social features in mobile apps.

"A thing that you don't see much covered by research in behavior change is the importance of the user experience. How are people engaging with their friends? How is that interaction coded in the app?" Foschini said. "Those are the real drivers of behavior."

Collaborating with computer scientists such as Ver Steeg is one way Foschini hopes to turn results into technology that can positively impact people's health.

"When I started at USC, I got into machine learning, and the number of interesting problems that you can have an impact on immediately is huge," Ver Steeg said. "If you have the right set of mathematical tools, you can really have an impact right away."
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

Scientists have found that unstable chromosomes within lung tumours increases the risk of cancer returning after surgery, and have used this new knowledge to detect relapse long before standard testing. These are the first findings from the Cancer Research UK-funded TRACERx lung cancer study, published today (Wednesday) in the New England Journal of Medicine and Nature.

TRACERx is the first study to look at the evolution of cancer in real time and immense detail. Researchers followed patients all the way from diagnosis through to either disease relapse or cure after surgery, tracking and analysing how their cancer developed.

Professor Charles Swanton, lead researcher based at the Francis Crick Institute in London, said: "The TRACERx study is Cancer Research UK's single biggest investment in lung cancer, and for the first time we've revealed new insights into how tumours evolve and evade treatment, a leading cause of cancer death.

"We believe that this invaluable data generated during TRACERx will be seized upon by research teams across the world, helping us to answer more questions about lung cancer biology. We've only scraped the surface in terms of what is possible by looking at tumour evolution in such detail."

In one study published today in the New England Journal of Medicine, scientists analysed tumours from 100 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. They found that unstable chromosomes are the driving force behind genetic diversity within tumours.

They also showed that patients with a high proportion of unstable chromosomes in their tumour were more than four times more likely to have their cancer return, or die from their disease, within two years.

This is because genetically diverse tumours are more likely to evolve, spread and become drug resistant, making a patient's cancer much harder to treat.

Dr Mariam Jamal-Hanjani, lead author based at the UCL Cancer Institute, said: "Determining the relationship between diversity within tumours and patient survival is one of the primary goals of TRACERx, so to find evidence for this so early on in the study is really encouraging.

"We've also identified what causes lung cancer to advance, providing us with insight into the biological processes that shape the evolution of the disease."

Armed with this discovery, researchers conducted a second study, published today in Nature, to investigate whether this genetic diversity could be tracked clinically.

Using blood samples from 96 of the 100 patients, they demonstrated that the patchwork of genetic faults present in non-small cell lung cancer, could be monitored using bits of DNA in the blood that have broken off from a tumour (circulating tumour DNA).

They then analysed blood taken from 24 patients after surgery for NSCLC, and accurately identified more than 90 per cent of those destined to relapse - up to a year before clinical imaging could confirm the disease's return.

This finding opens up numerous opportunities for new drug trials in lung cancer to try to prevent relapse.

Monitoring benefit from chemotherapy after surgery is not currently possible as there are often no clinical signs of disease.

With this in mind, the team also compared circulating tumour DNA levels immediately before and after chemotherapy was given to patients following surgery.

When levels of tumour DNA in the blood were not reduced following chemotherapy, the disease returned, suggesting that at least part of the tumour had become resistant to treatment.

The results provide a new means to monitor treatment after surgery, and point to an avenue for new treatments to target parts of the tumour that are resistant to existing approaches.

Dr Christopher Abbosh, lead author on the circulating tumour DNA study, based at the UCL Cancer Institute, said: "In the future patients could be offered personalised treatments that target parts of the cancer responsible for relapse following surgery.

"Using circulating tumour DNA we can identify patients to treat even if they have no clinical signs of disease, and also monitor how well therapies are working.

"This represents new hope for combating lung cancer relapse following surgery, which occurs in up to half of all patients."

Professor Karen Vousden, Cancer Research UK's chief scientist, said: "Lung cancer causes more than one in five of all cancer deaths in the UK and survival has only improved fractionally in the last 40 years. Understanding these highly complex processes is enormously challenging and the contribution made by both of these studies is an important step in the right direction.

"These findings could also help us to identify how lung cancers respond to therapy, building a bigger picture of the disease and potentially pointing the way to developing new treatments and, crucially, saving more lives."

TRACERx involves the collaboration of more than 225 researchers and clinicians based at 19 centres across the country and is also supported by the Francis Crick Institute, UCL Cancer Institute, University College London Hospitals Biomedical Research Centre, The Royal Society, Achilles Therapeutics, illumina, Natera and Rosetrees Trust.

Sam Howard, Chief Executive of Rosetrees Trust, said: "Rosetrees Trust is delighted to have supported Professor Swanton and the TRACERx project from the outset. We always believed in the importance of this research, the team of outstanding researchers and its potential for human impact".
University of Illinois at Chicago researchers are conducting a study to determine whether binge drinking is related to cardiovascular disease in young adults who are not predisposed to the condition.

"Binge drinking or heavy episodic alcohol use is one of the most serious public health problems confronting American colleges," said Mariann Piano, professor and head of biobehavioral science in the College of Nursing. Piano and Shane Phillips, professor and associate head of physical therapy in the College of Applied Health Sciences, serve as co-investigators on a two-year grant funded by the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, one of the National Institutes of Health.

"More alarming is the pervasiveness and regularity of binge drinking episodes: one in five students report three or more binge drinking episodes in the prior two weeks," she said.

One hundred and fifty young adults between the ages of 18 and 30 will be divided equally into three categories: binge drinkers, defined as individuals consuming more than four to five drinks in a two-hour period; moderate alcohol usersfor men, drinking no more than seven drinks in a week and not drinking daily, and for women, drinking no more than four drinks in the same time period; and abstainers, who rarely drink if at all.

Participants will be further categorized into the three groups based on their answers to a questionnaire and whether or not they have a blood biomarker called phosphatidylethanol, or PEth, which was previously discovered by Piano and Phillips and is found to be significantly higher in binge drinkers compared to moderate alcohol consumers.

Participants will undergo an ultrasound examination, as well as provide tissue samples, so the researchers can accurately evaluate their blood pressure in the aorta. Participants will also perform several exercises to provide Piano and Phillips clues as to how exertion may lead to higher than normal blood pressure. This, Phillips said, could be an early indicator that binge drinkers may be susceptible to cardiovascular disease.

The researchers will also measure participants' arterial stiffness and pulse wave velocitythe rate at which the arterial pulse spreads throughout the circulatory system, a reflection of vascular aging.

"If the pulse wave velocity rises, it could be an indicator of an early risk for cardiovascular disease," she said.

Young adults today are health conscious about food and exercise, but not about drinking alcohol, Piano said.

"There's data to suggest that if you have bad drinking habits, they don't just stop in college," Piano said. "These kids are continuing to binge drink in their mid-20s and they haven't stopped. Binge drinking is the new arteriosclerotic behavior among today's youth."

The new $420,000 federal grant to fund the study follows previous studies conducted by Phillips and Piano, where they observed physically active binge drinkers whose blood pressure and cholesterol were normal yet they had changes to their blood vessels and cells within their cardiovascular system. But they didn't know why. The new grant will help answer that question.

"We're not against drinking, but it's teaching young people to be healthy consumers of alcohol," Piano said. "We want them to live to be healthy and happy."
Music revenue from the sale of physical media in South Africa declined by almost 29% between 2015 and 2016, the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) told MyBroadband.

In 2016, record companies in South Africa earned $17.5 million (R230 million), down from $24.6 million (R324 million) the year before.

Digital sales in the past year amounted to $14.7 million (R193 million), up from $13.1 million (R172 million) in 2015.

Streaming revenues in South Africa saw a 334.2% increase, from $1.877 million (R25 million) to $8.15 million (R107 million) year-on-year.

This helped offset declines in sales of physical media, as well as song and album downloads.

CDs still on top

According to IFPIs data, physical revenues made up 52% of the South African market in 2015, while digital accounted for 28%.

This changed in 2016, with physical sales decreasing to 39% of the market, while digital revenues  including downloads and streaming  made up 33%.

The South African market has been dominated for many years by physical sales, but they are declining rapidly, said Tracy Fraser, managing director of Warner Music South Africa.

Digital is growing exponentially and there is still a lot of growth to come as smartphone penetration increases in South Africa, she said.

Streaming is becoming very big for us, but its still in its infancy.

Apple Music is the largest streaming service in South Africa, with Google Play and Deezer close behind, said Fraser.

Now read: The massive rise of streaming music in South Africa
AMD recently released its new line-up of Ryzen desktop processors, which compete against Intels 7th-generation Kaby Lake chips.

Ryzen and Intel 7th-gen processors are priced at similar levels, while they have different strengths.

AMDs Ryzen processors boast an increased number of cores and superior multi-threaded performance, but fall short of Intels quad-core processors in terms of IPC and single-thread performance.

Due to their similar pricing and specifications, consumers can confidently decide to purchase either a Ryzen or Kaby Lake chip, depending on their individual use cases and choice of chipset.

With Ryzen CPUs in the local market for a few weeks now, MyBroadband spoke to South African hardware retailer Wootware about the popularity of AMDs new processors in South Africa.

Ryzens popularity

Wootwares Rory Magee said AMDs Ryzen 7 1700 octa-core processor is the most popular Ryzen desktop processor among local consumers.

Of the Ryzen 7 CPUs, the Ryzen 7 1700 has been the most popular by a fair margin, and this also seems to be the case internationally, said Magee.

Magee said the six-core Ryzen 5 1600 could quickly overtake the Ryzen 7 1700 in South Africa, though, due to its attractive value.

The Ryzen 5 1600 looks like a strong contender to become AMDs new most-popular CPU, given that it represents a compelling price-to-performance ratio, features six physical cores, and includes AMDs Wraith Cooler, he said.

Magee added that the popularity of AMDs Ryzen processors has been steadily increasing in South Africa, chipping away at the market share of Intels 6th and 7th-gen processors.

Theres been a significant uptake of AMDs Ryzen platform and processors, and thats just accounting for the Ryzen 7 range without taking the newly-released Ryzen 5 range into account, said Magee.

It seems likely that AMD will be taking a significant double-digit percentage share of new desktop CPU sales.
Gumtree South Africa recently unveiled a new logo, which is part of the companys ongoing and comprehensive redesign.

The move is part of a play by Gumtree to enhance its offering in South Africa, which includes helping users get their goods online faster.

MyBroadband spoke to Gumtree South Africas Director-GM Johan Nel and Business Unit GM from eBay Classifieds Group Ariel Meyer about the companys plans for the country, and which sectors of the second-hand economy were currently performing well.

Cars are very popular, and more than 1.9 million South Africans visit the category every single month, according to our analytics, said Nel.

We are also the first choice for renters looking for property, while electronics easily draws a million views a month.

While cars and rental properties were the best performers, and doing well, Nel stated that Gumtree was not a company which rests on its laurels.

Nel said Gumtree will go wherever the market, and our customers, require us to go, and was able to implement new ideas quickly.

Recent moves to satisfy its customers include the new Buy Now with Shepherd button in the electronics section of its site.

This effectively allows you to pay for an item and have it delivered safely via Shepherd (an escrow service) from the comfort of your desk  without ever meeting the seller, said Nel.

It has proven to be a very popular alternative for our users, and were keen to explore that further.

Another area where Gumtree is strong is recruitment, it said.

Recruitment is definitely a strength of ours, and weve launched ProTool for Jobs  a professional dashboard for recruiters  to make sourcing and managing applicants on Gumtree so much easier.

Opportunities in South Africa

In December 2016, eBay announced it would integrate search inventory listed on its platform with that of its subsidiaries in other markets  including Gumtree sites across the world.

While plans for eBay to collaborate more closely with Gumtree cannot be ruled out, there are no immediate plans to integrate, said Meyer.

Gumtree is a well-loved and well-established brand in South Africa. We are two distinct brands with different goals, but were both marketplaces designed for consumers, so there are plenty of opportunities to work together, said Meyer.

Meyer said there is room for the company to grow in South Africa, following increasing customer interest in the site over the past several years.

Looking back at the platform five years, the market was facing a numbers game  growing and expanding the customer base and achieving buy-in from skeptical and relatively non-participatory Internet users.

While growing our user base is still critically important, our focus for the past two years has been innovation and reinvention.

Meyer said consumers arent content with the buying or selling experience of yesterday, they want and expect immediate results and responses, change, and improvement.

This change has been a significant driver of vertical development for us, as estate agents and car dealerships realise that the status quo of waiting for feet through the door or leaflets in the postbox arent going to cut it.

He said businesses are joining forces with them in order to tap into the power of large audiences, searchability, instant communication, ease of customisation, and analytics.

Improving the ability of customers to search and access items was part of the motive behind redesigning Gumtrees website in March, which Meyer believes will also benefit sellers.

We believe that our users will start seeing more replies as weve invested heavily in lead generation, while the two-step intuitive posting process will enable customers to upload ads faster and easier, he said.

Tools such as trending ads and the ability to share ads with friends via instant messaging are also means of selling and buying faster than before, and the feedback weve gotten has been really positive.

Now read: Gumtree bans the sale of donkeys on its site
OMAHA  An Omaha man was charged with child abuse for the accidental shooting of a 4-year-old boy.

Court records say 27-year-old Jared Nichols also is charged with tampering with physical evidence. A court document says Nichols threw the handgun into a sewer after the shooting Sunday evening.

It's unclear who was holding the gun when it went off, striking the boy in a hand. A neighbor called 911 after the shooting, and the boy was taken to Nebraska Medicine for treatment.
Newspaper: Armenia law enforcement agencies operative intelligence teams to enter several officials houses

US State Department: Armenia, Azerbaijan FMs agreed to continue meetings, direct dialogue

Global South needs $2 trillion year to fight climate crisis

The Telegraph: Rishi Sunak to announce major natural gas deal with US after COP27 summit

U.S. officials secretly ask major banks to continue doing business with some Russian firms

19fortyfive: Is America tired of the war in Ukraine?

EU replaces pipeline Russian gas with imported Russian LNG

Kommersant: China split the 'unity' of the West

Expert estimates level of Azerbaijan's information attack on Armenia in September, comparing it to 44-day war

UK wants to work more with the U.S. on gas supplies

Donald Trump votes in Florida midterm elections

EU admits: It is impossible to set a ceiling on gas prices that will not affect contracts or security of supply

Most valuable metal of year is named

Mehr: Nikolai Patrushev arrives in Tehran

Turkish TV company confesses that Ankara and Israel were arming Azerbaijan against Armenia

Who is Baku threatening? Armenia's former deputy defense minister decodes Aliyev's statements

Army Commander-in-Chief: Even those who claim to be superpowers do not dare to attack Iran

Iran and Russia to build joint pipeline

India to continue buying Russian oil

Businessman Zhong Shanshan becomes richest man in China

Armenia and Poland emphasize OSCE role in promoting stability in South Caucasus

Banks are searched in Germany in case of money laundering by Russian businessman

Armenian President reacts to Aliyev's speech at League of Arab States summit

Armenia increases trade with EEU member states by $1.2 bln

Cavusoglu: Sweden and Finland have not yet fulfilled all Turkey's conditions

Oldest member of Rothschild dynasty die in Britain

Armenian National Security Council head and Polish Secretary of State discuss regional security issues

Stepantsminda-Lars highway faces restrictions

Kyiv realizes if China starts supplying ammunition to Russian troops it will be terrible

State Department: U.S. remains committed to supporting peace in South Caucasus region

Iran condemns thousand protesters and calls for retaliation against rest

Delegation from Israel visits Museum-Institute of the Armenian Genocide

Media: London is close to agreement with Washington on LNG supplies

Aliyev in fact confirms fact of Azerbaijani aggression against sovereign territory of Armenia

Toivo Klaar: Important meeting held in Washington between Armenia, Azerbaijan FMs

Aliyev switches from threatening Armenia to insulting foreign leaders

Karabakh ombudsman: Todays occupation does not change status of Shushi

Envoy briefs Kazakhstan human rights commissioner on consequences of Azerbaijan aggression against Armenia

Dollar, euro continue to rise in Armenia

U.S. Ambassador to UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield arrives in Kiev

EU partners welcome justice sector reforms in Armenia

Armenia government to have academic city project development working group

Rybar: Publication of Iranian film about 'skeletons' of Aliyev family is blow to positions of Aliyev family

Zelenskyy to attend G20 leaders' summit

Voting for midterm elections to Congress begins in U.S.

Russian MFA offers Tehran and Riyadh to mediate dialogue

Survey: Georgia residents say Armenia is their friend

Arman Yeghoyan to Poland colleague: Armenia needs support from European platforms

State Department official: American side is impressed by Armenia Police reforms

Anna Astvatsaturian Turcotte: I realized that this project is the right one

Heads of general staffs of CSTO countries armies to discuss military cooperation development

President: Climate change agenda continues to remain priority for Armenia despite challenges, security concerns

Armenia discusses issue of EEU citizens' stay in country for more than 180 days

Economy minister: 74% of Diaspora Armenians ready to invest in Armenia

Constitutional Court of Georgia revokes ban on pornography

158 people die in Philippines storm

Close to $7.5M allocated for Armenia scientific infrastructure, material, technical base modernization

Byblos Bank Armenia finances the construction of two major solar parks

Bloomberg: EU mechanism to provide Ukraine with $18 billion implies conditions

Turkey voices its full and unconditional support for Azerbaijan

Ombudsperson attends Armenia-EU Human Rights Dialogue session, presents facts recorded in her ad hoc reports

Israeli embassy congratulates Azerbaijan on 'Victory Day'

World gold prices going down

Ankara offers its storage capacity for Russian grain

Zelenskiy calls key conditions for talks with Russia

Bitcoin price goes down

Copper price goes down

World oil prices dropping

Blinken: Armenia and Azerbaijan are taking courageous steps to achieve peace

Newspaper: What changes expected in "Brussels package" of Armenia-Azerbaijan normalization talks?

13 billion cubic meters of natural gas found off Israel coast

State Security Service of Azerbaijan is scared by YouTube video about situation in Nakhichevan

Newspaper: There were serious problems in organizing Global Armenian Summit

MFA: Armenia, Azerbaijan FMs agree to expedite their negotiations

President: UAE is a responsible energy supplier as long as the world needs oil and gas

EU has serious concerns about US inflation reduction act

Head of IMF: The global surge in consumer prices may be close to the high point

Germany wants EU to resume trade talks with US as soon as possible

Pashinyan's closed meeting with MPs of ruling Civil Contract faction is over

Hungary will not support EU efforts to help Ukraine with joint funds

Greece to soon ban sale of spyware

U.S. military delegation arrives in Turkey

German industry calls for postponement of global minimum corporate tax

Podolyak: Ukraine has never refused to negotiate

Elon Musk calls on 'independent-minded' voters to vote for Republicans

Bezos Earth Fund pledges $1 billion by 2030 to protect carbon stocks and biodiversity

7 people killed in collision between truck and passenger bus in Turkey

Nikol Pashinyan holds closed meeting with members of ruling party faction

Qatar's foreign minister calls criticism of West 'arrogant' and 'racist'

Algeria officially applies to join BRICS group

Delegations headed by Armenian and Azerbaijani FMs meet in Washington

French Finance Minister calls on EU to oppose U.S.

Armenian President: Aliyev's statements about intentional destruction of mosques have nothing to do with reality

German MFA reports constructive talks in EU on new sanctions against Iran

Kazakhstani President Tokayev instructs to increase oil supplies bypassing Russia

President of Artsakh holds expanded working meeting

Armenian Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports to receive more than 250 billion drams in 2023

Borrell says EU is dependent on supplies from China

Armenia official: Peace treaty implies restoration of sovereign territory

Guterres thinks mankind is heading for climate hell
The European Friends of Armenia (EuFoA) organised a briefing on April 25 to assess the parliamentary elections held in Armenia on 2 April, and their consequences for the future of the Armenia-EU cooperation.

Heidi Hautala, Member of the European Parliament who led the EPs delegation which was an integral part of the International Electoral Obsdemoervation Mission (IEOM), was the speaker at this Briefing, which was moderated by Diogo Pinto, Director of EuFoA, and attended by more than 30 representatives of the European Parliament, the European Commission, diplomatic corps and international NGOs.

Mr Pinto thanked and welcomed the speaker and the participants, and reminded that these were the first elections held in Armenia following the constitutional amendments, approved in a referendum in December 2015, which reduced the powers of the President in favour of the Prime Minister and the Parliament, and changed the electoral system from a majoritarian to a largely proportional one, and that they took place just a couple of weeks after the initialling of the EU-Armenia Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement.

Ms Hautala, in her initial remarks, noted that the elections were preceded by an extremely constructive and inclusive process, which led to a new, consensual Electoral Code, and reminded that the EU contributed financially to the success of the elections, namely through the introduction of Voter Authentication Devices (VADs) and web cameras, which helped identifying voters and preventing multiple voting, impersonation and fraud, significantly increasing the overall transparency. Ms Hautala added that despite the fact that the elections were well administered and fundamental freedoms were generally respected, observers were confronted with credible information about vote-buying and pressure on civil servants and employees of private companies, exerted by various candidates from different parties.

During the interesting debate that followed, both the Central Election Commission and the Precinct Election Commissions were praised for the professional and transparent way in which their work was conducted; the public TV channel H1 was acknowledged for devoting equitable coverage to all contestants in its newscast; but concerns were expressed regarding the ownership and the independence of the media, and the causes and effects of the phenomenon of vote-buying.

In conclusion, and despite the shortcomings which need further investigation so they can be eradicated and overcome, these elections confirmed that Armenia is on the right track to consolidate itself as a strong democracy, where both the government and the opposition are able to learn from mistakes and integrate criticism. In this context, the EU should continue to encourage reforms and support Armenias sovereignty and independence, namely through assistance promoting the independence of the judiciary, transparency of the political process and good governance, but also training for journalists and continued empowerment of civil society.

Mr Pinto, speaking after the briefing, said: This was a successful event, and I am happy to see that it attracted the interest of so many people. We wish all the best to the recently elected members of the National Assembly of Armenia, and look forward to seeing a renewed cooperation with the EU. The signature of the new Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement, which we hope will happen soon, will add impetus to that.
Armenia is ranked 78th among 180 countries in the 2017 World Press Freedom Index published by Reporters Without Borders.

The print media are diverse and polarized, investigative journalism prospers on the Internet, but pluralism lags behind in the broadcast media, the report says.

However, according to the report, police violence against journalists continues and still goes unpunished. In July 2016, a dozen journalists were injured while covering the use of force to break up a demonstration.

In the crucial transition to digital TV, a future space for critical broadcasters will depend on the impartiality of the frequency bidding process. The Ilur.am news website and the Hraparak newspaper won an important legal victory in October 2015 when the constitutional court issued a ruling upholding the confidentiality of journalists sources.

As to the neighboring countries, Azerbaijan is ranked 162, Georgia  64, Iran  165 and Turkey  155.

Norway tops the list, while North Korea is the last.

The report says media freedom is under threat now more than ever. A total of 21 countries are now colored black on the press freedom map because the situation there is classified as very bad, and 51 are colored red; the situation in these countries is classified as bad. In all, the situation has worsened in nearly two thirds (62.2%) of the 180 countries in the Index. The 2017 World Press Freedom Index unveils woes and ills that are obstacles to media freedom throughout the world.
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YEREVAN.  Armenia welcomes the Czech Chamber of Deputies adoption of the resolution that recognizes and condemns Armenian Genocide and other crimes against humanity.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia, Edward Nalbandian, on Wednesday issued a statement in this connection.

The statement notes that this resolution, together with Czech President Milos Zemans statements condemning Armenian Genocide, is the Czech Republics valuable contribution to the noble cause of prevention of genocide and crimes against humanity.

As reported earlier, Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament of the Czech Republic on Tuesday adopted a resolution condemning the Armenian Genocide.

A total of 104 deputies voted for the resolution, which was introduced by MP Robin Bohnisch from the Czech Social Democratic Party.

I believe that it was the Czech Republics duty to officially recognize the Armenian Genocide, said Bohnisch. Yesterday marked the 102nd anniversary of the Genocide, and the adoption of such a resolution today is symbolic.

Members of the Czech Chamber of Deputies condemned the Armenian Genocide, and described it as a crime against humanity.
PACE adopted a resolution to protect refugee women from gender-based violence based on the report prepared by Gisela Wurm (Austria, SOC).

The document said that providing protection from gender-based violence to all women should be a priority, irrespective of their status. The responsibility to help and protect asylum-seeker and refugee women is not limited to cases of violence perpetrated in destination countries. They should receive adequate assistance to overcome the trauma they have experienced in their countries of origin or at times in transit.

Many refugee and asylum-seeker women and girls have been exposed to gender-based violence taking the form of coercion, forced prostitution, harassment, survival sex, sexual slavery or various forms of extortions. However, their protection from violence has not been considered a priority in the management of the refugee crisis, said the Assembly. According to parliamentarians, the gender dimension of the refugee crisis has been largely overlooked.

The parliamentarians called on Council of Europe member and observer States to sign and ratify without further delay, for the States which have not yet done so, the Council of Europe Conventions on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings. With regard to womens safety in transit and reception facilities, governments should ensure the presence of female social workers, interpreters, police officers and guards in these facilities, and create safe spaces in every transit and reception facility.
STEPANAKERT.  The Ministry of Culture and Youth Affairs of the Republic of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh Republic/NKR) has announced the launch of its new international project: Arts for Peace!

The artistic director of this project is Luca Ferrini  a well-known Italian pianist, conductor, and participant of the International Festival of Young Musicians TNJRE (in 2013 and 2015), the ministry informed Armenian News-NEWS.am. He expressed his readiness to contribute to cultural development in Artsakh, creation and strengthening of new cultural ties, and promoting peace through arts.

The project will be launched on Thursday at 5pm in Shushi town, with a joint concert by Ferrini, violinist Joze Kotar and clarinetist Crtomir Siskovic from Slovenia, and Belgian Armenian cellist Sevak Avanesyan.

And on Sunday at 6pm, young musicians from Artsakh will join the guests at the Palace of Culture and Youth of NKR. Works by classical and modern composers will be performed at the concert.

Within the framework of this project, violin and clarinet master classes will be given at Stepanakert Music College after Sayat Nova.
YEREVAN. - Aleppo Armenian Jacob Kazanjian has visited Armenia for the first time. ''It is very beautiful here. I like it here very much,'' he said with tears in his eyes.

The father of the famous businessman, President of Kazanjian Watches, Raffi Kazanjian, couldn't but shed a tear on seeing Mount Ararat from the height of the Armenian Genocide Memorial Complex for the first time.

''My ancestors are from Aintab. I was born and grew up in Aleppo. I only know that my ancestors arrived in Aleppo in 1921. My father was born there, while my mother was born on the way to emigrating from Aintab to Syria,'' Jacob Kazanjian said.

The fate of the Kazanjian family was again pre-destined: they fled from Aintab to Syria in 1921, and in 2017 they were forced to flee the war in Syria. ''In Syria we opened a business of watches: We have got offices, shops and houses there. This war interfered with us very much,'' Jacop Kazanjian says with a sorrow in his eyes.

In the early 20th century many Genocide survivors emigrated to the Middle East, particularly to Syria. The daughter of one of those families, Aida, was enthusiastic about watches since her early age as she was very well-aware of the legendary history and traditions of creating Swiss watches. The girl took such a great interest in watches that she dreamt of marrying a man engaged in watch industry and establishing a family business. This dream came true in 1975. Back in 1960, Aida's husband, Jacob Kazanjian, established his company dealing with sale of watches. With the time, their shop chain spread on the entire territory of Syria. Kazanjian Watches became one of the largest Syrian companies in the sphere of watch sale. The company dealt with the sale of watches of the most famous Swiss brands, as well as watch repair. In several years, the small family business Kazanjian Watches turned into the most famous and high-ranking brand in the sphere of watch industry both in Syria and other Middle East countries.

Jacob and Aida Kazanjian have two sons and a daughter. Their youngest son, Raffi Kazanjian, continues the work of his father, heading the family business. Since 2009 he has moved to his historical homeland Armenia, where he has opened a shop of brand watches Kazanjian Watches in the Marriott Hotel at the central Republican Square of Yerevan.
RACINE  A Racine man is facing charges after he allegedly ran from police, hid under a pickup truck and was found in possession of marijuana and a gun.

Keory Jones, 18, of the 1000 block of Center Street is facing a misdemeanor charge of obstructing an officer and felony charges of possession of THC, second and subsequent offense and felony charges of possession of a firearm by a felon.

According to the criminal complaint:

On Tuesday, police were in the 1700 block of Phillips Avenue to discuss an attempted homicide in the 400 block of North Memorial Drive that occurred earlier in the week. Jones, also known as a Dirty P gang member, was mentioned as being in the area when the shots were fired.

An officer approached Jones to talk and yelled Stop! Police! Jones ran southbound on Phillips Avenue away from police. An onlooker told police they saw Jones hiding underneath a vehicle parked in the 2000 block of Phillips Avenue, where Jones was found. Because police were unable to see his hands, additional officers arrived and Jones eventually came out from under the vehicle.

Jones was searched, and seven Baggies of marijuana and a .22 revolver were found. He was transported to the police station and interviewed. He said he had found the gun in the area of Sixth Street and Memorial Drive a couple of days earlier, and because he was a felon, knew he shouldnt have it. He said the marijuana was for personal use.

From a court appearance on Oct. 28, Jones was on bond. Conditions of bond were that Jones not engage in further criminal offenses, possess controlled substances or weapons. Because of the marijuana and firearm found on Jones Tuesday, he netted an additional five misdemeanor charges of bail jumping.

Jones next scheduled appearance is a preliminary hearing at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday at the Law Enforcement Center, 717 Wisconsin Ave.
In 2017, Armenia may afford some extra debt for long-term growth, Mr Hossein Samiei, Mission chief for Armenia at the International Monetary Fund, told Armenia News  NEWS.am at the IMF/World Bank Spring meetings in Washington DC.

The Extended Fund Facility program with the IMF, which disbursed SDR 82.21 million (or approximately $112 million), is ending in June. Armenia is considering requesting a new program in support of reform efforts. IMF is in the early stages of talks with the government on a new program, which, Mr Samiei said, the country can reasonably afford.

The country can also benefit from new borrowing from other international financial institutions and donors for capital spending, he said.

Earlier, the authorities tightened the fiscal rule of the planned budget for 2017, envisaging a large reduction in the budget deficit from 5.6% of GDP in 2016 down to 2.8%. In early 2016, economic activity had started to pick up, but later on, persistent external difficulties including continued low remittances and low copper prices had negative effects on the economy. Another concern was a decline in agriculture. This may rather have been a question of accuracy in reporting high crops in previous years, on which members of the new government made observations in late 2016.

As a result, while in 2016 authorities had projected the GDP to grow by more than 3%, it only grew by 0.2%.

But in the 1st quarter of 2017 economic activity and state revenues have been picking up, with extra budget entries equaling 0.2% - 0.3% GDP. This gives the authorities reasons to believe that for the whole year, revenues may overperform by 1 pp GDP, which is around 50 billion Armenian dram or, roughly, a bit above 100 million USD.

Additional capital spending in 2017 relative to the budget makes sense because it could help both short-term growth and future productive capacity. So in our view some additional borrowing to prevent cuts in foreign-financed capital spending can be justified. Infrastructure projects generate employment in the short term, while in later years they make a good basis for productivity growth.

That is why we think that even if the budget deficit in 2017 is somewhat above the target in order to allow for some high-quality concessionally-financed capital expenditure this will not be a problem if a sustainable medium-term fiscal path exists, Mr Samiei said.

Currently, the Fund advises Armenia to borrow with grant element of no less than 30%. So far, the country sticks to that rule, which means the total debt expenditures of the government are 30% less than they would have been if the money were borrowed from the market. Government debt to GDP ratio is now close to 50% (earlier estimates by the Ministry of Finance projected it at 56.8% GDP at the end of 2017), but concessionality of loans makes a discount to debt burden, bringing it down to 40%. This is part of the reason why the country still has a window to borrow.

At the same time, in the event of a revenue shortfall, authorities are preparing a contingency plan to cut non-essential current spending.

Weve met with the Minister of Finance of Armenia at these Spring meetings and discussed the questions of borrowing and revising the current rigid fiscal rule. We will send to Armenia a technical assistance mission in summer.

If the country chooses to revise and modernize the fiscal rule, it will be important to communicate to people that it is not simply about acquiring new debt, but about devising a rule that protects welfare and growth, while ensuring that sovereign debt remains strictly sustainable. This might not be easy, but we are there to collaborate and provide technical assistance, Mr Samiei concluded.
The Defense Ministry of Armenia is the most interested party in finding out the circumstances of the death of serviceman Karen Avetisyan, who was found dead in one of the military posts of Artsakh Tuesday.

Spokesperson for the Defense Ministry, Artsrun Hovhannisyan, told the aforementioned on Wednesday, referring to the publication of Armenian News NEWS.am, in which Avetisyan's aunt noted that she doesn't believe the thesis that he committed suicide.

''The Defense Ministry of the Republic of Armenia learnt from the website of Armenian News  NEWS.am about the reservations and lack of conficent of the late private Karen Avetisyan's aunt with respect to the investigative actions, specifically the forensic examination carried out in regard to the death of Karen Avetisyan.

The Defense Ministry mourns the loss of the serviceman and is most interested in conducting of impartial and fully-fledged investigation and ascertaining all the circumstances of the serviceman's death. We are also confident that in the presence of criminal elements, the investigative authorities will take all the measures to find out those guilty and hold them liable.

Although the concern presented in the aunt's comment doesn't correspond to the nature of discussions held by the Armed Forces of Armenia with the family members, the Defense Ministry of the Republic of Armenia is ready to provide any support to the family, if needed, in order to follow the investigative process and receive specialist and expert support considered trustworthy to the family,'' Hovhannisyan wrote on his Facebook page.

Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR) Defense Army serviceman Karen Avetisyan (born in 1998) on Tuesday sustained a fatal wound at a protection area of a military unit located in the northern direction of the Defense Army.

Investigation is underway to find out the details of the incident.
TOWN OF WATERFORD  Firefighters tackled an early Wednesday morning house fire that gutted a vacant home in the 28900 block of Elm Island Drive.

Tichigan Volunteer Fire Company Chief Dave Wagner arrived at about 5 a.m. and said he saw flames traveling up the side of the house. We had fire out of the east side of the house, Wagner said.

Tichigan, Waterford and Rochester fire crews arrived first and then mutual aid was called out for help from other area departments. A neighbor got up to go to the bathroom and spotted the fire and called us, Wagner said.

With no ready access to the Fox River, water tankers were brought in and crews used a Village of Waterford hydrant at Trailside Elementary School, 615 N. Milwaukee St., about a mile away, to get water to the scene.

There were some tougher spaces to get at due to the way the additions were put on, Wagner said. We had to get into some of the tighter spaces.

Its a total loss, Wagner said. It wasnt burned to the ground, but the inner space of it was gutted.

The fire, which caused significant damage to the house being prepared by the owner as a rental property, caused the siding on a neighbors house to start melting; however, firefighters were able to stop the fire from doing any further damage.

Fire investigators are now trying to determine what caused the blaze. It is undetermined where the fire started, Wagner said.
AQs Mali Affiliate Claims Attacks on MINUSMA and Chadian Forces, Displays Captured Vehicles, Weapons from Gourma-Rharous Operation
Baba Ghanouj, 1888 N. Humboldt Ave., has closed.

The restaurant, which specialized in fresh Mediterranean and Middle Eastern fare, opened two years ago. However, it seems a series of hardships made the closure inevitable.

In early February, the restaurant indicated on Facebook that it would be closed for maintenance through Feb. 19.

Later in the month, it posted another message to its Facebook followers, indicating it would be closed temporarily.

"We have lost our cook recently and we are having a hard time finding a good fit for our restaurant," the message stated.

It further updated its status, indicating the closure would be permanent, earlier this month.

The small counter-service restaurant is now for lease.
Summer is almost here, and that means more food trucks on the streets of Milwaukee. It also means more festivals bringing together trucks of all types.

Among the first food truck events of the summer is the first-ever Milwaukee Food Truck and Craft Beer Festival, which will be on Saturday, May 20.

The event, hosted by Food Truck Festivals of America (FTFA), will be held at the Waukesha Expo Center, 1000 Northview Rd. It takes place from noon to 6 p.m., with a VIP hour from 11 a.m. to noon.

Participating food trucks include Blue Cow Creperie, Dan Os Donuts, Meat on the Street, The Densons, Toast, The Rolling Cones, Soho Gourmet Cuisines, Sweet Perfections Bake Shoppe, Smokin Ls BBQ, Gypsy Soul Food and Faf Concessions. But trucks are being added to the roster daily.

Breweries will include Raised Grain Brewery, Leinenkugels, Henry Weinhard, Lakefront Brewing, Lake Louie, Great Lakes Brewing, Sprecher Brewing, Titletown Brewing, Wisconsin Brewing, Furthermore, Lombardi, North American Breweries and Hypothesis.

Both general admission and VIP tickets can be purchased online. General admission is $5 in advance or at the gate for $10. Children 12 and under are free. VIP tickets are $20 and include early access to the festival, one free dessert, a craft beer and a free FTFA branded koozie.

For more information, follow Food Truck Festivals of America on both Facebook and Twitter.
In celebration of May Day, a traditional holiday in Europe, three Milwaukee-area restaurants will host unique dinners featuring beer and wine from Luxembourg.

Dinners will be held May 1-3 at Story Hill BKC, Newport Shores and Pastiche Bistro and Wine Bar. Each will feature traditional European-style fare paired with Bofferding beer and wines from Domaines Vinsmoselle. Reservations are required.

The events are sponsored by Ansay International, a Port Washington-based company specializing in imports from Luxembourg.

May 1: Story Hill BKC

5100 W. Bluemound Rd.

(414) 539-4424

Guests can enjoy a variety of dishes served up at stations around the restaurant. Dishes include chiicon au gratin toast, duck bratwurst, capon spaetzle and assorted petit fours along with a variety of wines and beers. Cost is $60 for individuals, $100 for a couple.

May 2: Newport Shores

407 E. Jackson St., Port Washington

(262) 284-6838.

This seated dinner will feature bouneschlupp (traditional green bean soup) paired with Bofferding Pilsner followed by frell am reislechis with grompere kichelcher (fried trout in a Domaines Vinsmoselle Riesling cream sauce with potato pancakes) paired with Bofferding Extra Ale. Dessert will feature appelkuch with plum sauce, paired with Poll On Ice. Cost is $50 per person.

May 3: Pastiche Bistro and Wine Bar

411 E. Mason St.

(414) 225-3270.

Guests will be greeted with boudin blanc sausage and rhubarb walnut chutney on a pretzel crisp, paired with the Bofferding Pils. Dinner will include a duet of spring pea and potato soup shooters with local arugula, heirloom tomato and shaved parmesan, paired with the Bofferding Triple Ale; seared pork rib chop over grilled ramp risotto, asparagus and riesling pickled grapes, paired with the Bofferding Extra Ale. Dessert will be Bofferding fruit ale custard in pate brisee with Door County cherries and vanilla bean ice cream. Cost is $55 per person.
More ramen is on the way to the East Side. Yokohama is preparing for a mid-May opening at 1932 E. Kenilworth Pl. in the former home of Yield Bar.

And Yokohama aims to be not only a destination for ramen, but also a place where guests can experience a bit of Japanese culture.

The restaurant itself will feature two levels. On the first, there will be a small 12-seat bar where guests can order beer, wine, sake or craft cocktails. But there will also be a stage which accommodates non-stop karaoke, as well as a dining area with a sliding door that can be closed off for private events. On the upper level, there will be a larger dining area, which will seat about 60, along with a ramen bar where guests can enjoy their bowl of ramen as they might in Japan.

In good summer form, there will also be a 20-seat parklet where diners can enjoy their ramen al fresco.

Ramen will be the mainstay at the restaurant, and will include traditional shio, shoyu and tonkotsu varieties, along with a vegetarian ramen. There will also be tsukemen ramen, a Japanese variation on ramen where noodles are served separately with a bowl of flavorful broth for dipping.

A spicy ramen, Momofuker, will feature chicken stock, red miso, kimchi, nori and ajitama (egg) and will be served as hot as you can handle it.

In addition to ramen, there will be appetizers like edamame and lotus root chips, along with pork belly, chicken and vegetarian steamed buns. Burgers will be served up on house-made ramen buns. There will be also be foie gras stuffed chicken wings and Korean-style wings tossed with sweet or spicy soy dipping sauce.

From Japan to Milwaukee

Yokohama is owned and operated by Stand Eat Drink Hospitality, the owners of Bodegon, Hotel Madrid, Jakes Deli and Movida. Its a given that owners Aaron Gersonde and Andrei Mikhail have a knack for delivering experiences steeped in Spanish food and culture. But theyve also done their homework in preparation for bringing the Yokohama concept to Milwaukee. And that homework included a trip to Japan.

During his trip to Japan, Mikhail made the pilgrimage to Yokohama, a city often credited with being the location of the first Japanese ramen shop in 1910. While there, he visited the Shin-Yokohama Ramen Museum and the Cup-Noodles Museum. He also spent a solid 10 days eating ramen for breakfast, lunch, dinner and as a late-night snack.

Mikhail says the trip reflects one of the main goals for Stand Eat Drink restaurants: to offer guests an experience that either conjures beloved memories of places guests have traveled or creates a picture of places theyd like to go.

"For me," he says. "Japan was that sort of place. And after visiting, there were a million reasons I wanted to bring that back to Milwaukee."

Mikhail says noodles were the root of his interest.

"On the culinary side, Ive always been a fan of pasta," he says. "And as I got more and more into ramen, I found myself really obsessed with how the alkaline noodle acts and reacts, and how it responds to different treatments. Its everything from the yellow color of the noodles to its texture and flavor."

Ramen and more ramen

During his trip, he ate plenty of noodles. He visited Taishoken in the Shibuya-ku district of Tokyo. It's a restaurant where Kazuo Yamagishi, often called "The God of Ramen," invented an entirely new genre of the popular broth and noodle dish. Unlike its counterparts, tsukemen features (typically) cold noodles, which are dipped into highly flavored hot broth that Yamagishi augments with both sugar and vinegar.

"The story is that he would make it for himself to eat while he was working," notes Mikhail. "And after a while, the people who came to the restaurant urged him to put it on the menu."

"Another cool place," he goes on, "Was Rokurinsha. Its in the Tokyo train station, and they only serve tsukemen. Theres always a massive line there for lunch. So, I went there for breakfast one day. And I had the best bowl of ramen in my life there. It was a seafood broth served with soba noodles that were just so flavorful when dipped in the broth. It was amazing."

While he was in Tokyo, he also ate some of the spiciest ramen hes ever had at Kinkanbo, a restaurant which means "ogres iron club."

"Theyre known for having the spiciest ramen in Tokyo," says Mikhail. "And youve got to understand ... its hot and humid in Tokyo. And you go into these ramen shops, which have like 14 or 15 seats. And if its 100 degrees outside, its like 120 inside. So, I order my spicy ramen, and Im sitting there sweating bullets."

The experience was the inspiration behind Yokohamas Momofuker ramen, which might just have you sweating bullets if you order it spicy enough.

Another bucket list shop he visited was Tsuta, a nine-seat ramen shop in the unassuming Sugamo neighborhood of Tokyo thats become so popular theyve implemented a ticketing system to accommodate seating for guests.

"Up until 2017, it was the only Michelin Star rated ramen restaurant in the world," he says. "Its on this small street. And you have to go in the morning and line up to buy your ticket and then come back later to eat your ramen. It was crazy. And it was delicious."

Lost in karaoke-ville

Amid all the ramen-eating, Mikhail also managed to get lost in the middle of Tokyo, an experience which proved to be a happy accident.

"Im walking around and trying to situate myself," he says, "And I found myself in front of a karaoke bar  And when I say karaoke bar, I mean a tower that goes up like five floors. And I look and I see like 20 white business executive shirts looking out the window. And there are all these flashing disco lights behind them. Theyre looking at me, and Im looking at them. And theyre pounding on the windows like theyre having so much fun."

As it turns out, Mikhail had stumbled upon Karaoke Kan, the famed location for Bill Murray's singing session in the movie "Lost in Translation."

"Thats when we decided karaoke needed to be part of the concept," he noted with a chuckle.

Once open, Yokohama will serve up ramen and karaoke seven days a week from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m., with a distinct lunch menu, dinner menu and late night menu after 10 p.m.

You can follow Yokohama is on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Anyone who spends time in Milwaukee -- specifically the East Side -- becomes familiar with the neighborhoods unconventional characters, those folks who add exclamation points to the status quo.

Take Jim, for example. Hes the gray-haired gent who rides a bike from Bayshore to Downtown (and back) almost every day of his life. And anyone who went to UW-Milwaukee remembers the newspaper-collecting Ray or the wheelchair guy who knows where you went to high school.

Marco Buelow, who is just "Marco" to most, is another recognizable resident.

Perhaps youve seen Marco hanging his long-white-haired head out of a third story window in the Bradford Beach Club building, chatting away at Hooligans or strolling down Farwell Avenue with a VW-sized grin on his face.

In 1996, Marco moved into the massive space above the BBC, 2022 E. North Ave., where he works as a janitor. Its a good set-up for the quirky free spirit who speaks a language that gnomes or crystals might understand best.

"Im the mop man and broom boy on deck am I," he says, referring to his job at the BBC. "Every day and in every way I am the lighthouse keeper."

When OnMilwaukee.com photographer Whitney Teska visited Marcos 2,000-sq. ft. living space for a photo shoot, he said, "Thats the most amazing apartment Ive ever seen."

For the past decade, Marco has collected hoards of antiques from estate sales, all of which he says come from Milwaukee houses.

Every inch of his space -- with the exception of clear walking paths -- is filled with old cameras, tin signs, wagons (God, he loves wagons!), bells, shells, jars of buttons, jars of wine corks, macrame plant holders cradling healthy plants, old lamps, tiny pianos, owl figurines, glass bottles, vintage magazines, art supplies, hats, dish sets, statues, afghans, feathers, dolls, decks of cards, wind chimes, guitars, bird cages, brooms, bones, books, beads, crystals, skates, photographs and thousands, yes thousands, of other knick-knacks and memorabilia.

Despite the insanely high volume of predominantly vintage personal belongings, everything is particularly placed and organized, giving the space an impressive museum-like quality.

"This is a piece of all that is," says Marco. "A touchable treasury."

Additionally, Marco claims he has five trailers parked "nearby" with more paraphernalia.



Marco has a plethora of pet names for his living space. Besides "touchable treasury," he calls it a nest, a vibration, a "core of home and a tone," the core of care (or just the "COC"), The Art Ark, "Atmo" (short for "Atmosphere Studio Space"), a living library and "a piece of cake near the lake."

Conversing with Marco is, well, a trip. He is lively and talkative, jumping from subject to subject, and spontaneously erupting with a robust cackle. While talking, his arms wave wildly and he looks like a two-armed octopus.

Marcos attention to detail is impressive. Despite the thousands of artifacts in his abode, he frequently zeros in on something small like an intricate spiders web in the corner of a window pane or the striations in a single rock. He has dozens, maybe hundreds, of vintage coats hanging from the ceiling, but is magnetically drawn to one that he removes from the hanger and pets like a cherished hound.

Marco has a knack for words and storytelling. He tells snippets of stories, all strung together like mismatched tiki lights.

He describes a canopy that he believes covers the earth, then says that 2012 will include events that only occur once every 2 million years. Soon after, he gives a detailed account of his job as a lifeguard at Atwater Beach in Shorewood.

"I spent 8,000 hours on that beach, with thousands of kids. I wasnt going to let any of them drown. Nope. You wanna drown? Go to Bradford Beach!"



Marco also loves to take words apart. At one point, he says the word "people" then stops mid-sentence and says "People?! Did I just say people or peephole? YES! People are the peepholes to the world!"

Another time, Marco mentions Milwaukee musician Willy Porter, and then says his last name again, this time as "Porthole" instead of "Porter."

"Willy Port-hole. WILLY PORTHOLE!" he yells out, followed by his signature cackle.

Spending time with Marco naturally makes one wonder how he became so unique. Marco claims drugs have nothing to do with his personality and lifestyle, but admits to a period of "transformation" after a happy, suburban childhood and a frustrating young adulthood.

Born Jan. 8, 1948, Marco lived as a small child near Lake Winnebago with three brothers and a sister. Later, his family moved to Shorewood where he attended Shorewood High School and lettered in track and swimming.

Marco speaks fondly of his childhood, particularly his deceased mother and her commitment to his love for sports. One of his most precious possessions is a light fixture from the Shorewood High School ticket booth where his mother volunteered during his football games and track meets.

"It didnt matter how cold it was," he says evenly, dusting the fixture with his sleeve.

At first, its hard to decipher if Marco is more shtick than self, but over time, its evident that he's genuine. Just when youre about to write him off as an acid causality or a complete kook, he reminds you -- through steady eye contact or a linear story -- thats hes really right there with you.



Marco says that he attempted to live a conventional life. After graduating from UW-Milwaukee in 1971 with a degree in physical education, he taught gym at a school in Waukegan, Ill. During that era, Marco married and fathered a son.



"After three years, I couldnt feed the alligator anymore," he says. "There were teeth all around me."



To escape the "alligators," Marco moved back to Milwaukee, split up with his wife and opened a sub shop on Wisconsin Avenue called The Hungry Head.

"This was not a good time, but finally, I transferred out of an angry group of people to the art people. The life drawing and anatomy people. The good people," he says.

In the late 70s or early 80s, Marco started working as an art model and befriended the late Dick Bacon. He claims to have joined an informal group of artists he refers to as "The Art Squad," featuring photographer Francis Ford and musicians Robin Pluer, Paul Cebar and Jim Liban.

"These people did beautiful things inside their bodies and beautiful things for Milwaukee," he says.

Although Marco rarely sees his biological son, now 37, he nurtures lots of peoples "inner children."

"The inner-child sees the wow in all of this," he says. "This place is a play area to re-energize the inner-child."



Frequently, Marco invites newfound friends into his living space, from BBC drinkers to people he meets on the street. He says only one time did he have a bad experience with a stranger, and that was with a very drunk woman who found his apartment sacrilegious.

"She was on her knees, crying for Jesus," he says.

There are a lot of words one could use to describe Marco. He is gentle, entertaining and deeply interested in people, nature and forgotten possessions. But Marco describes himself best:



"Im a vibration of harmlessness with an open heart," he says.
The trees that shade, cool and feed people in California from Ventura County to the Mexican border are dying so fast that within a few years it's possible that the region will look, feel, sound and smell much less pleasant than it does now.

"We're witnessing a transition to a post-oasis landscape in Southern California," said Greg McPherson, a supervisory research forester with the U.S. Forest Service who has been studying what he and others call an unprecedented die-off of the trees in Southern California's parks, campuses and yards.

Botanists in recent years have documented insect and disease infestations in the region, devastating Griffith Park's sycamores and destroying more than 100,000 willows in San Diego County's Tijuana River Valley Regional Park, for example.

McPherson's is the first survey to quantify and assess the big picture.

It's not a pretty one.

His initial estimate is that just one particularly dangerous menace - the polyphagous shot hole borer beetle - could kill as many as 27 million trees in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties, including parts of the desert.

That's roughly 38 percent of the 71 million trees in the 4,244 square mile urban region with a population of about 20 million people.

And that insect is just one of the threats.

"Many of the trees we grow evolved in temperate climates and can't tolerate the stress of drought, water restrictions, higher salinity levels in recycled water, wind and new pests that arrive almost daily via global trade and tourism, local transportation systems, nurseries and the movement of infected firewood," he said.

If as many trees as projected die, the cost to remove and replace them could be about $36 billion, McPherson said.

But Southern Californians would face many other costs.

"Catastrophic loss of our canopy would have consequences for human health and well-being, property values, air-conditioning savings, carbon storage, the removal of pollutants from the air we breathe, and wildlife habitat," McPherson said.

Jerrold Turney, plant pathologist for Los Angeles County, likened the surge in urban tree mortality to "watching a train wreck in slow motion."

"It's heartbreaking," he said, "to see trees dying in such dramatic numbers in famously lush cities like Pasadena, Alhambra and Arcadia: sycamores, all the maples, olives, liquidambars, flower plums, myrtles, oleanders and oaks."

Mark Hoddle, director of the Center for Invasive Species Research at the University of California, Riverside, said the tree loss is "starting to cascade across the urban landscape."

"Without shade trees, water temperatures will rise and algae will bloom in riparian areas, for instance," Hoddle said. "As a result, fish, frog and native insect populations will diminish, along with the pleasure of hiking, because there'll be nothing to look at but dead boughs of trees.

"And there will be no miraculous recovery of these urban ecosystems after the beetles are done with them."

"Here's the sad news about sycamores," said Akif Eskalen, a plant pathologist at UC Riverside. "If we cannot control the shot hole borer, it will kill all the sycamores in California. And when they're done with sycamores, they'll move to other trees."

By 2012, pathologists knew that the shot hole borer was transmitting a fatal fungal disease to 19 species of trees in Southern California, he said. Since then, scientists have identified 30 additional host species.

"We expect the number of tree hosts to grow even higher over the next few years," Eskalen said. "And at this point, there's not much we can do about that."

Meanwhile, the relatively recent invasion of shot hole borers is only part of the crisis that scientists are trying to control.

In San Diego County, it was a cousin of the polyphagous beetle, the Kuroshio shot hole borer, that infested more than 144,000 willow trees in Tijuana River Valley Regional Park last year, officials said.

The gold-spotted oak borer has killed tens of thousands of drought-stressed oak trees while moving from San Diego County to Los Angeles County.

The aphid-size Asian citrus psyllid is transferring an incurable bacterial disease from tree to tree as it feeds on citrus leaves.

A flying insect known as the glassy-winged sharpshooter is spreading oleander leaf scorch, a bacterial disease that was first discovered in the Palm Springs area and has now spread throughout Southern California.

The 1 {-inch-long South American palm weevil poses a serious threat to palms throughout the Southwestern United States after turning up in 2016 in the neighborhoods just north of the Mexican border.

In Orange County's Holy Jim Canyon, "the word is plague," said Michael Milligan, chief of the local volunteer fire department. "Thousands of dead and still-standing alders look like pickup sticks propped up along the creek."

At Craig Regional Park in Fullerton, circular dirt patches are all that remain of dozens of venerable sycamores that had shaded a canyon where families came to picnic and even hold weddings.

Vanessa Fields of Brea and her friend Diane Swanson of Buena Park were stunned by the devastation they came upon during a lunch-hour stroll on a recent weekday.

"What the heck happened here?" Fields said. "Where's the gorgeous trees?"

That day, horticulture expert John Kabashima was checking up on one of the many stricken sycamores at that park.

Peering through a magnifying glass, he marveled at the persistence of polyphagous beetles fulfilling their complex life cycles.

The bugs are smaller than sesame seeds, but they bore by the thousands into the bark, and then line the tunnels with a species of fungi that disrupts the transport of water and nutrients from roots to leaves.

Within a few weeks, their larvae hatch, mature and mate to produce new generations in the tree.

"This pest is unusual in that it reproduces ... within the tree," he said. "As a result, it is extremely difficult to reach and treat."

Kabashima said state and federal officials have been slow to respond with organized campaigns to eradicate the pests that are ravaging the trees because urban forests don't support logging crews and regional economies.

"When it comes to invasive insects and disease, agriculture gets all the attention and money," Kabashima said. "Urban forests have been left out in the cold."

Many of the invasive insects and diseases ravaging Southern California arrived as stowaways on trees and plants installed during the housing boom after World War II. Unchecked by natural predators, their numbers exploded during the most severe drought on record.

Scientists say that an average of nine new insect species establish populations on the landscape each year, and three of those interlopers become significant pests.

Frank McDonough, botanist at the Los Angeles County Arboretum, suggested that urban forests are suffering partly because "so many of the trees we grow don't belong here and aren't sustainable without plentiful supplies of imported water."

"Historic photos of the region show coastal shrubs, oaks on the foothills and sycamores along streams and rivers," he said. "Yet, we planted way too many trees from areas that get two to three times as much rain as we do."

Liquidambar is one example. The species evolved in the Southeastern United States, and then developers and property owners planted it in Southern California after World War II. At the time, the trees seemed perfect: not too tall, with lustrous maple-like leaves that turn into a spectacular show of yellow, pink and red hues in the fall.

Decades later, leaf scorch, shot hole borers and drought are quickly adding liquidambar to the long list of trees whose days in Southern California appear to be numbered.

Andy Lipkis, founder of the nonprofit TreePeople, said Southern Californians are starting to pay attention to the crisis, recognizing just how indebted they are to the region's trees.

"Losing our trees would cost us a lot," he said, including "the accelerated loss of the California dream in neighborhoods throughout the region."

"Trees reduce heat and light intensity, protect water, rid the air of pollutants and instill a sense of peace by filling the landscape with the sights, smells and sounds of nature," Lipkis said.

2017 Los Angeles Times

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
First, do no harm: For a new gene to be "born," it must have the structure of an "uber gene," to avoid its protein product from accumulating and harming the cell. Credit: University of Arizona

New genes are more likely to appear on the stage of evolution in full-fledged form rather than gradually take shape through successive stages of "proto genes" that become more and more refined over generations. This is the surprising upshot from research led by Benjamin Wilson and Joanna Masel at the University of Arizona, published as an Advance Online Publication by the scientific journal Nature Ecology & Evolution on April 24.

Evolutionary biologists have long pored over the question of where new genes come from, which poses something of a chicken-and-egg problem. Conventional wisdom has it that new genesDNA sequences that code for a protein moleculeevolve from existing genes through duplication and divergence. This happens when DNA copying mechanisms accidentally leave behind an extra copy of a particular gene. Naturally occurring mutations subsequently introduce changes that alter the DNA sequence such that the new gene assumes a function previously not found in the organism's lineage.

Previous studies by other researchers suggested that new genes also emerge from non-coding DNA sequences, via primitive "proto-genes" that become refined over generations, resulting in an "adult," fully functional gene.

Masel and her team found the opposite to be more likely, based on the fact that non-coding DNA sequences are likely to give rise to highly ordered proteins. Proteins, which consist of amino acids chained together into so-called polypeptides, tend to fold into three-dimensional structures that range from simple to mindbogglingly complicated. And while "ordered" may sound like a good thing, Masel is quick to point out that a healthy dose of disorder is key to success when it comes to evolution coming up with new genes that serve as blueprints for new proteins.

For the study, the researchers compiled data on full-genome DNA sequences downloaded from yeast and mouse databases.

"We take all the known mouse genes and yeast genes and query them against everything that's ever been sequenced and see what they're related to," explains Masel, a professor in the Department of Ecology and Evolution and a member of the UA's BIO5 Institute, "and based on that, we assign each gene an age that tells us when it was born."

In the next step, the team used statistical analyses to create a model revealing the average degree of order that would be present in each gene's product.

"We found that the youngest genes are the least ordered of all, which is what you would expect to get if you birthed a gene," Masel says.

The key to a protein that can contribute a useful function for its organism while not harming it is a healthy mix between regions that are soluble because they consist of hydrophilic, or "water-loving," amino acids and stretches that are insoluble because of their hydrophobic, or "water-repelling," amino acids.

If a protein consists of too many water-loving amino acids, it will remain largely unfolded, floating around inside the cell as an unorganized chain incapable of performing biological tasks. If too much of its length is water-repelling, the amino acids will clump together, rendering the protein unusable, and even dangerous, because when such misfolded proteins bump into each other, they tend to stick to each other and accumulate.

"Now think about the most highly ordered proteins we knowamyloids," Masel says, referring to the infamous piles of proteins found in the brain of Alzheimer's patients. "Because of this, the first order of business for any prospective gene is: 'Do no harm. Do not misfold.'"

This has profound implications for the evolution of new genes from non-coding DNA sequences. Because such sequences are likely to give rise to highly ordered proteins, they are likely to be deleterious to the organism. In this scenario, any prospective new gene must start out as some kind of "super gene," in contrast to a "proto gene." Rather than making its debut in the gene pool as an unrefined gene that still bears many similarities to the non-coding DNA sequences it came from, the protein it encodes must start with a higher-than average degree of disorder to prove itself before evolution would allow it becoming a permanent member of the gene pool.

"Instead of gradually working up to having more hydrophilic regions, young genes work their way down from being more hydrophilic and disordered, to more hydrophobic regions," Masel says. "In other words, when it comes to structural disorder, a polypeptide has the highest chance of being born if it is 'extra gene-like,' rather than 'sort of gene-like.'"

The probability that a gene could arise from a random, non-coding sequencealso known as "junk DNA," on the other hand, used to be considered negligible, based on the premise that in the vast majority of cases, a random sequence does more harm than good. This may not be so, argues a second paper in the same issue by Rafik Neme, one of the co-authors of the study discussed here. Neme, currently a postdoctoral researcher at Columbia University Medical Center in New York, found the first experimental evidence that non-coding, "silent" stretches of DNA are anything but that.

"Until now, nobody knew whether a randomly sequence could immediately have any effect that would result in a function, or whether function was slowly acquired over time," Neme says. "It's similar to the idea of having a monkey typewriting at random, and expecting it to produce meaningful work."

Neme's experiments show that many sequences exhibit relevant activities immediately, some good and some bad. This, in turn, suggests a discrete transition between non-genes and genes and would favor certain kind of sequences and functions over others.

Based on their findings, Neme and Masel point out, the pool from which genes are born might be more conducive to birthing new genes than one might expect.

"In our scenario, a gene precursor would be a transcript that happened to be translated into a protein sometimes but has no function," she says. "These things come up in evolution all the time, and mutation will quickly destroy it unless that polypeptide provides the organism with some advantage. There either is an advantage that natural selection can act on, or there isn't, so we don't think the would-be genes stick around for very long."

This in turn suggests that gene birth is a sudden transition, rather than a gradual process involving many intermediate steps.

More information: Benjamin A. Wilson et al. Young genes are highly disordered as predicted by the preadaptation hypothesis of de novo gene birth, Nature Ecology & Evolution (2017). DOI: 10.1038/s41559-017-0146 Journal information: Nature Ecology & Evolution
RACINE  An estimated $60,000 damage resulted from a garage fire Tuesday afternoon on Center Street, city Fire Department officials said.

A garage behind the house at 1236 Center St. was fully engulfed in flames when firefighters were called after 1 p.m.. According to a press release, the garage had a car, two motorcycles and other equipment inside.

The fire spread to a nearby garage at 1230 Center St., damaging its roof, before it was extinguished. The fire caused $40,000 worth of structure damage and $25,000 worth of damage to the garages' contents.

No one was injured and none of the nearby houses were damaged.

The Racine Fire Department called for a heavy response of equipment and personnel to ensure the blaze didn't spread to nearby homes, a battalion chief at the scene said.

The Red Cross was contacted since the family of four at 1236 Center St. had its power shut off due to the fire.

The cause of the fire was still under investigation as of Tuesday afternoon.
The onset of a Sahelian storm. Credit: Francoise GUICHARD/Laurent KERGOAT/CNRS

The UK-based Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (CEH) has led an international team of scientists who reveal global warming is responsible for a tripling in the frequency of extreme West African Sahel storms observed in just the last 35 years.

Professor Christopher Taylor, a Meteorologist at CEH, and researchers from partner institutions including Universite? Grenoble Alpes in France, also suggest that climate change will see the Sahel experience many more instances of extreme rain in future.

Professor Taylor and the fellow scientists' findingspublished in the journal Naturenote that further strengthening of intense storms in the Sahel known as Mesoscale Convective Systems (MCSs) will increase the risk of more frequent and severe flooding and disease due to poor sanitation in West African cities. The findings will also this week be presented at the General Assembly of the European Geosciences Union at its meeting in Vienna, Austria.

The Sahelian storms are some of the most explosive storms in the world, containing clouds that can grow to a height of 16km above the ground. In 2009 a downpour of 263mm over several hours forced 150,000 residents of Ouagadougou, in Burkina Faso, to leave their homes. The study, which has analysed trends from 35 years of satellite observations across Africa, provides unique insight into how some of the most violent storms in the world are responding to rising global temperatures.

The onset of a Sahelian storm. Credit: Francoise GUICHARD/Laurent KERGOAT/CNRS

The research indicates that MCS intensification is linked to increasingly hot conditions in the Sahara desert resulting from man-made greenhouse gas emissions. Saharan warming affects storm intensity across the Sahel, a band of semi-arid land to the south of the desert which is home to some of the most vulnerable populations on the planet.

Professor Taylor, said, "Global warming is expected to produce more intense storms, but we were shocked to see the speed of the changes taking place in this region of Africa."

Co-author Professor Douglas Parker, Professor of Meteorology at the University of Leeds, UK, said, "African storms are highly organised meteorological engines, whose currents extract water from the air to produce torrential rain. We have seen these engines becoming more efficient over recent decades, with resulting increases in the frequency of hazardous events."

Case study - flooding in Burkina Faso

Dr Abdoulaye Diarra, Senior Researcher at the International Institute for Water and Environmental Engineering in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso:

"A total of 77 flood events have been recorded in Burkina Faso during the 31 year period from 1986 to 2016. The floods dynamic has increased in the Burkina from a frequency of 11 major events over 10 years (1.1 flood event/year) between1986 to 2005 to a frequency of 55 over 11 years (5 flood events/year) from 2006 to 2016.

"The damages are generally more important in the urban area where runoff is very important and watercourses are limited. The 2009 flood (1 September), focused in Ouagadougou, caused heavy damage in the capital. More than 50 percent of the city's territory, including the main hospital of the city, was flooded.

"In total eight people died, more than 250 houses and 670 classrooms were destroyed, the main water purification plants for the city were out of use and nearly 150,000 people were affected within and around Ouagadougou."

More information: Christopher M. Taylor et al, Frequency of extreme Sahelian storms tripled since 1982 in satellite observations, Nature (2017). DOI: 10.1038/nature22069 Journal information: Nature

Provided by Centre for Ecology & Hydrology
Members of the betatron X-ray team with the Titan Laser target chamber in the Laboratorys Jupiter Laser Facility, from left: Will Schumaker, Clement Goyon, Alison Saunders, Nuno Lemos, Jessica Shaw, Scott Andrews, Felicie Albert and Brad Pollock. Credit: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

A novel way to harness lasers and plasmas may give researchers new ways to explore outer space and to examine bugs, tumors and bones back on planet Earth.

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) physicist Felicie Albert led an international team pursuing this new regime in laser research, which was described in a Physical Review Letters (PRL) paper published online March 31.

Albert and the team spent more than two years experimenting with new ways to generate X-rays capable of probing the size, density, pressure and composition of highly transient states of matter, such as those found in the cores of planets and in fusion plasmas. Plasmas make up 99 percent of the known universe.

The researchers studied betatron X-ray radiation, emitted when electrons are accelerated to relativistic energies and wiggle in the plasma wave produced by the interaction of a short, intense laser pulse with a gas.

Traditionally, this source has been well studied for laser pulses with femtosecond (quadrillionth of a second)-long durations.To study betatron X-ray emission at the intensities and pulse durations relevant to larger-scale laser facilities, such as LLNL's Advanced Radiographic Capability (ARC) laser, the researchers conducted an experiment on the Titan Laser at the Laboratory's Jupiter Laser Facility. There they observed betatron X-ray radiation driven by much longer, picosecond-duration laser pulses.

The X-ray beam as seen through a thin filter. Credit: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

"For me a picosecond is forever," Albert joked. While picoseconds measure time in trillionths of a second, that's slow to a researcher who prefers even shorter laser pulses.

The experimental work shows that the new radiation source holds great promise for undertaking applications at international large-scale laser facilities, where it potentially could be used for X-ray radiography and phase contrast imaging of laser-driven shocks, absorption spectroscopy and opacity measurements.

Other LLNL colleagues include Nuno Lemos, Brad Pollock, Clement Goyon, Arthur Pak, Joseph Ralph and John Moody, along with collaborators from the University of California-Los Angeles, the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, the University of California-Berkeley and the University of Lisbon in Portugal.

Albert noted that the results did not reveal themselves immediately as in some experiments, and that it took the team a lot of analysis and hard work to uncover the new regime.

They note in their paper the wide variety of potential uses of the technology: Betatron X-ray radiation driven by short-pulse lasers has been used for biological and medical purposes, such as X-ray phase contrast imaging of insects and hard X-ray radiography of bone. Its unique properties also make it suitable for studying the dynamics of high-energy-density plasmas and warm dense matter - a state near solid densities - and temperatures found in the cores of giant planets like Jupiter and in inertial confinement fusion plasmas.

More information: F. Albert et al. Observation of Betatron X-Ray Radiation in a Self-Modulated Laser Wakefield Accelerator Driven with Picosecond Laser Pulses, Physical Review Letters (2017). DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.118.134801 Journal information: Physical Review Letters
Vintners in Argentina's Mendoza region must contend with natural hazards, including frequent earthquakes

Making wine is a tough job in most places, what with frost, hail, drought and bushfires to contend with.

But nowhere is the task bigger than in Argentina's Mendoza region, where vintners duel "the whole gamut of natural hazards"not least frequent earthquakes, according to research unveiled on Wednesday.

The region tops a new index of wine areas most targeted by Nature's wrath.

"We see that Mendoza in Argentina, which has earthquakes, hail, floods, the whole gamut of natural hazards... is number one," said James Daniell of the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology in Germany, who helped compile the new data.

Second and third were Georgia and Moldova, "countries that obviously have smaller GDPs but the percentage of their GDP due to wine is very, very high," he said.

Northwestern Slovenia came in at number four, and Japan's Yaraqui Valley took fifth place on the Global Wine Risk Index.

It was compiled by a team of geophysicists, geoscientists, meteorologists and economists using data on wine industry losses due to natural hazards going back to 1900.

A global risk index for wine regions. Credit: James Daniell / KIT

The atlas covers 110,000 wineries in 131 countries producing about 26 billion litres every year, said Daniell.

The industry is estimated to directly contribute $300 billion (275 billion euros) to the world economy annually.

But "it's a highly vulnerable industry," said Daniellwith about 10 percent of wine production lost to natural hazards every year at an estimated loss of $10 billion.

Over five years up to 2016, hail costs winemakers in France's famous Burgundy region as much as 50 percent of their crops, according to the research.

In 2010, Chile lost 125 million litres of wine to a monster quake.

Just last week, Switzerland, Austria, Germany and Hungary suffered frost that could claim 30 percentup to 60 percent in some partsof crops.

This is a frost risk map. Credit: Winerisk

It is hoped the new resource will help winegrowers be better prepared, learning from past trends. It makes no future projections.

If an area had had no hail for a few years in a row, for example, winemakers could use the historic data to calculate whether this was likely to be a mere blip in a region generally at elevated hail risk.

"This uses data going back from 1900 onwards. They can at least identify that they are at risk and... do something about it to mitigate it," said Daniel.

Measures could include covering valuable crops with anti-hail nets, tying up wine bottles to withstand the shock of an earthquake, using a "hail cannon", as Burgundy is doing, to seed clouds with stone-shrinking silver iodine, or taking out crop insurance.

The index will be updated annually, and made accessible via www.winerisk.org

 2017 AFP
Credit: Comaniciu Dan/Shutterstock.com

Without hardware, there is no science. From Hooke's microscope to the Hubble telescope, instruments are modern science's platforms for producing knowledge. But limited access to scientific tools impedes the progress and reach of science by restricting the type of people who can participate in research, favouring those who have access to well-resourced laboratories in industrial or academic institutions.

Scientists in developing countries, grassroots community organisations, and citizen scientists can struggle to obtain and maintain the equipment they require to answer their own research questions.

The result of this exclusion from participation is that scientific research becomes ever more elitist as a small number of people decide what the worthwhile and valid projects are. For example, the relative neglect of many tropical diseases and agricultural research on African subsistence crops demonstrates that local concerns in areas with limited scientific resources are often not sufficiently addressed by global science.

Likewise, public concerns and desire for transparency around technology can also be ignored. Research on fracking has received $137 million from the United States Department of Energy. But despite vocal concerns about water pollution, no affordable technologies have been developed for communities to use to monitor their own air or water, even though access to the relevant data from industry is difficult. Locking science inside ivory and industry towers restricts what it can look like.

Open hardware

The open science hardware movement challenges these norms with the goal of providing different futures for science, using hardware as a launching point. It argues that plans, protocols and material lists for scientific instruments should be shared, accessible and able to be replicated. The fact that a lot of modern scientific equipment is a consumer product that is patented, not supplied with full design information and difficult to repair also blocks creativity and customisation.

Members of CLEAR using hand tools to repair an open science hardware trawl (LADI trawl) for monitoring marine plastics. Credit: MEOPAR

For example, open source project Oceanography for Everyone recently crowdfunded an open conductivity, temperature and depth (CTD) instrument out of frustration with the lack of low-cost instrumentation available. CTD instruments are the workhorses of oceanography research, and usually cost thousands of dollars. Oceanography for Everyone's model achieves comparable data but costs US$300 to build, and the plans are public on GitHub. Think of OpenCTD like a really nice shirt. You could buy one for $40, or if you don't have enough money but you do have a sewing pattern and some time, you could purchase the fabric for $5 and make it yourself, and even customise it to your needs and tastes.

Lower cost is only one goal of open science hardware. CERN, the European Particle Physics Laboratory in Geneva, pioneered an Open Hardware License to enable large-scale, open collaboration on projects. One of these, White Rabbit, is an electronic controller for precise synchronisation of signals across vast distances. White Rabbit ensures that some of the world's largest particle accelerators are coordinated. But it's also freely available to anyone, and has found new uses in designing smart electricity grids.

Equality or equity?

Instruments such as OpenCTD and White Rabbit are built on the premise of equality, the idea that everyone should have access to scientific tools. Yet the ability to access such tools is only half the story: it doesn't address the acute disparities in who is creating science in the first place. And these are enormous. In 2015, The Guardian reported that Africa produces just 1.1% of global scientific knowledge. And recent data from UNESCO indicates that only 28% of researchers globally are women. Women do not represent 50% of scientists in a single country in the world.

Attempting to address this problem, several feminist laboratories create and use open science hardware. For example, the Civic Laboratory for Environmental Action Research (CLEAR) is a feminist marine pollution lab in Newfoundland, Canada. And the GynePunks are a group of bio-hackers at the forefront of DIY gynaecology, based in Barcelona.

These labs are not merely bringing more women and trans scientist-inventors into science-as-usual. They prioritise equity rather than equality, recognising that when people start from fundamentally different social, economic, educational and political positions, treating everyone the same does not overcome those differences. In doing so, they transform science in terms of how research priorities are chosen and articulated, what kinds of knowledge is considered valid, and, of course, how scientific tools are made and distributed.

Equality vs. Equity. Credit: Interaction Institute for Social Change/ Angus Maguire. CC BY 2.0

Beyond the lab

Particularly valuable work is being done by groups attempting to move science out of the lab and into places and frameworks where it would not usually occur.

For example, Public Lab is a US-based environmental science community founded by frustrated citizens on the Gulf Coast following the Deepwater Horizon oil disaster in 2010. Getting accurate, timely and public high resolution data about local damage was impossible due to flight restrictions over the spill area and satellites are too far away to provide the same level of detail. So citizen scientists stitched together photos from cheap cameras suspended from helium balloons. The tools are open and accessible, and the research is done by and for local people without science degrees.

Likewise, the work of Lifepatch, an Indonesian citizen initiative in art, science, and technology which uses low-cost methods and open tools such as webcam microscopes, is deeply rooted in Indonesian collective culture. The questions of basic, daily life and everyday needs have driven projects with local communities on river water quality, bio-recovery of soils altered by volcanic eruptions and safe fermentation practices in collaboration with local academics.

All of these projects demonstrate the value of science grounded in specific places, complex local traditions, ethics, contexts and research questions, rather than a universal science that works the same everywhere for everyone. We need to push science towards communal, bottom-up, and collaborative practices; away from territorial, proprietary, institutional, Western-dominated and individualistic practices.

This has significant implications for where science happens, who is involved, and as a result, the types of knowledge that can be produced. Open science hardware is about creating new futures for science.

This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.
US Secretary of Energy Rick Perry says the United States and China were making a real impact on reducing emissions, but questioned the actions of France and Germany

The United States should stay in the Paris climate accord but renegotiate it, Energy Secretary Rick Perry said Tuesday, alleging that some European countries were not doing enough to curb emissions.

A decision is expected by President Donald Trump next month on whether or not to stay in the landmark 2015 Paris Agreement limiting global carbon emissions, signed by 194 countries.

"I'm not going to say I'm going to go tell the president of the United States, 'Let's just walk away from the Paris accord'," Perry said during the Bloomberg New Energy Finance conference in New York.

"But what I am going to say is, I think we probably need to renegotiate it," he said.

"We need to sit down and they need to get serious about it," he said.

Perry offered no details about how he thought it should be renegotiated, but said said the United States and China were making a real impact on reducing emissions.

He then questioned the actions of France and Germany.

He gave no specifics on France, other than to say he gave French and German ministers a look that was meant to imply, "What are you all doing?" during a G-7 meeting in Rome earlier this month.

Germany, he went on, has made a decision to "get out of the nuclear business" and "double downto hear them tell iton renewables," he said.

"But the fact is their emissions have gone up because they are using more coal, and they are using coal that is, you know, not clean technologies," Perry added.

"My point is, don't sign an agreement and then expect us to stay in an agreement if you are not going to really participate and be a part of it."

Trump's 'open mind'

During his campaign for the US presidency, Trump vowed that he would scrap US participation in the Paris accord.

After his November 8 election, however, Trump has been evasive on the subject, at one point saying he had "an open mind."

His secretary of state, former ExxonMobil chief executive Rex Tillerson, told lawmakers at a confirmation hearing that the United States should stay in the agreement, which was reached after years of negotiations.

Although Trump cannot unilaterally dismantle the accord, he can initiate the process for a US exit from the agreement.

The United States is the world's biggest economy and the second largest emitter of carbon dioxide after China, and its exit would be a major blow to global efforts to combat climate change.

 2017 AFP
UCI physicist Jing Xia (right, with graduate student Alex Stern) calls the fiber-optic Sagnac interferometer he built the most sensitive magnetic microscope in the world. He compares it to a telescope that an ornithologist in Irvine could use to inspect the eye of a bird in New York. Credit: Steve Zylius / UCI

Physicists at the University of California, Irvine and elsewhere have fabricated new two-dimensional quantum materials with breakthrough electrical and magnetic attributes that could make them building blocks of future quantum computers and other advanced electronics.

In three separate studies appearing this month in Nature, Science Advances and Nature Materials, UCI researchers and colleagues from UC Berkeley, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Princeton University, Fudan University and the University of Maryland explored the physics behind the 2-D states of novel materials and determined they could push computers to new heights of speed and power.

The common threads running through the papers are that the research is conducted at extremely cold temperatures and that the signal carriers in all three studies are not electrons - as with traditional silicon-based technologies - but Dirac or Majorana fermions, particles without mass that move at nearly the speed of light.

"Finally, we can take exotic, high-end theories in physics and make something useful," said UCI associate professor of physics & astronomy Jing Xia, a corresponding author on two of the studies. "We're exploring the possibility of making topological quantum computers [currently theoretical] for the next 100 years."

One of the key challenges of such research is handling and analyzing miniscule material samples, just two atoms thick, several microns long and a few microns across. Xia's lab at UCI is equipped with a fiber-optic Sagnac interferometer microscope that he built. (The only other one in existence is at Stanford University, assembled by Xia when he was a graduate student there.) Calling it the most sensitive magnetic microscope in the world, Xia compares it to a telescope that an ornithologist in Irvine could use to inspect the eye of a bird in New York.

"This machine is the ideal measurement tool for these discoveries," said UCI graduate student Alex Stern, lead author on two of the papers. "It's the most accurate way to optically measure magnetism in a material."

In a study to be published April 24 in Nature, the researchers detail their observation - via the Sagnac interferometer - of magnetism in a microscopic flake of chromium germanium telluride. The compound, which they created, was viewed at minus 387 degrees Fahrenheit. CGT is a cousin of graphene, a superthin atomic carbon film. Since its discovery, graphene has been considered a potential replacement for silicon in next-generation computers and other devices because of the speed at which electronic signals skitter across its almost perfectly flat surface.

But there's a catch: Certain computer components, such as memory and storage systems, need to be made of materials that have both electronic and magnetic properties. Graphene has the former but not the latter. CGT has both.

His lab also used the Sagnac interferometer for a study published in Science Advances examining what happens at the precise moment bismuth and nickel are brought into contact with one another - again at a very low temperature (in this case, minus 452 degrees Fahrenheit). Xia said his team found at the interface between the two metals "an exotic superconductor that breaks time-reversal symmetry."

"Imagine you turn back the clock and a cup of red tea turns green. Wouldn't that make this tea very exotic? This is indeed exotic for superconductors," he said. "And it's the first time it's been observed in 2-D materials."

The signal carriers in this 2-D superconductor are Majorana fermions, which could be used for a braiding operation that theorists believe is vital to quantum computing.

"The issue now is to try to achieve this at normal temperatures," Xia said. The third study shows promise in overcoming that hurdle.

In 2012, Xia's lab delivered to the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency a radio-frequency oscillator built around samarium hexaboride. The substance is an insulator on the inside but allows signal-carrying current made of Dirac fermions to flow freely on its 2-D surface.

Using a special apparatus built in the Xia lab - also one of only two in the world - UCI researchers applied tensile strain to the samarium hexaboride sample and demonstrated in the Nature Materials study that they could stabilize the 2-D surface state at minus 27 degrees Fahrenheit.

"Believe it or not, that's hotter than some parts of Canada," Xia quipped. "This work is a big step toward developing future quantum computers at nearly room temperature."
Political donations can have immediate and measurable gains on issue day. Credit: University of Portsmouth

A firm's political donations can have a significant effect on initial public offering (IPO) underpricing, leading to immediate and measurable gains on issue day, according to new research from the University of Portsmouth.

The study, published in the Journal of Corporate Finance, found that if a prospective IPO firm in the United States spends an additional 10 per cent on political money contributions (PMC), IPO underpricing is reduced by 2.5 per cent. With a median of US$ 71,000, PMC comprise a surprisingly cost-effective strategy to combat the principal friction in the going-public process.

The research found that firms which increased spending on lobbying and politically action committees (PACs) had greater bargaining power in pricing negotiations with the lead underwriter. It also found there is less discord on the value of such offerings among aftermarket investors as politically connected firms' shares trade with less volatility. This supports the notion that access to the highest echelon of government, as a signaling mechanism, eases concerns on the liquidity or price level of new equities.

Lead author of the study Dr Konstantinos Kallias, Lecturer in the University's Portsmouth Business School, said: "Our findings have important implications for prospective issuers. We show how a firm's political donations, commonly associated with remote and indirect benefits, translate into an immediate and measurable gain on the IPO day. Firms which are less known to the market and vulnerable to underwriters' attempt to extract rents from underpricing could benefit substantially from PMC. Given the cash-scarcity prior to an IPO, our insight facilitates the efficient appropriation of an issuer's political budget."

The researchers have assembled a unique U.S. IPO database by manually searching firms in the archives of the U.S. Federal Election Commission and Center for Responsive Politics for PAC and lobbying contributions, respectively. The sample includes 1578 IPOs that were floated on the US exchanges from 1 January 1998 to 30 June 2013.

The analysis of the two routes to PMC: lobbying (which is uncapped and targets the legislative process rather than specific politicians) and PAC (which is capped at US$ 5,000 and organised for the purpose of raising and spending money to elect and defeat candidates) provided an unexpected result on the type of recipient candidates.

Dr Kallias said: "Our findings dispel the notion attaching special prestige to U.S. senators; supporting campaigns for the House of Representatives generates a stronger effect in terms of IPO underpricing. Splitting across party lines, we show that supporting a Democratic candidate results in the least underpricing.

"At an individual level, lengthy tenures of accomplishment and home state candidacies maximise the effect. In addition, the least underpriced IPOs are shown to have employed some blend of lobbying and PAC, whereby lobbying caters for the size factor by being uncapped and PAC for the personalised dimension by entering into candidates' coffers."

More information: Dimitrios Gounopoulos et al. Political money contributions of U.S. IPOs, Journal of Corporate Finance (2017). DOI: 10.1016/j.jcorpfin.2016.12.011
In the midst of ANZAC Day commemorations, a timely paper explores the role of digital technologies in how we think about war and peace.

Debate about how best to commemorate fallen soldiers is nothing new; the building of the Melbourne Shrine of Remembrance was itself a source of controversy at the time.

However, the introduction of digital technologies into memorial spaces has triggered a new phase in the ongoing discussion. What is the role of public war memorials, like the Shrine, in "teaching memory" and encouraging critical discussion about peace and war?

"With all sites of remembrance there is a tension and a need to strike a balance in the relationship between commemoration, education and tourism, as well as helping people to learn about sacrifice, war and peace-keeping," said Dr Steven Cooke, a researcher with Deakin University's Faculty of Arts and Education and Alfred Deakin Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation.

"However, interaction between the digital and the architecture of the Shrine as 'technologies of remembrance' has resulted in new ways to allow visitors to 'witness' and actively participate in the ongoing work of memory and creating spaces for critique."

Dr Cooke co-authored the paper, "Teaching Memory: digital interpretation at the Shrine of Remembrance, Melbourne," with the University of Melbourne's Professor Hannah Lewi.

The paper was presented this month at the University of Queensland's "digital cultural heritage: FUTURE VISIONS" conference and is part of an Australian Research Council citizen heritage project exploring sense of place and digital heritage.

Between 2001 and 2014, the Shrine of Remembrance was redeveloped with new exhibition spaces  the Galleries of Remembrance  which include interactive digital interpretation, and screen-based displays, as well as mobile apps to explore the Shrine and wider commemorative landscape.

Through analysis of interviews with developers and curators, briefing documents for the digital exhibits and arguments about commemoration and digital technologies, Dr Cooke's and Prof Lewi's paper examines the interaction between various "technologies of remembrance": the active participation of the material world in eliciting remembrance which includes the digital, but also the architectural spaces through which visitors engage with the digital.

"People tend to see architecture and the use of digital technologies as separate, and focus on digital interpretations but not look how the architecture, the internal geography of the building and the digital additions relate," Prof Lewi explained.

"You can see at the Shrine that the physical architecture of the monument, the new additions and the new digital content coalesce.

"They 'teach memory' but they also create a more sensory and evocative experience and by doing so create 'a witness' through a personal engagement with the past."

Dr Cooke, who spent three years as head of education and community programs at the Shrine prior to his role at Deakin, said the phrase "teaching memory" was coined by the Shrine as it sought to maintain relevance for new generations.

"'Teaching memory' is about using digital technology and installations to help younger generations engage with the commemorative landscape," Dr Cooke said.

"It's also about how the technology works with the existing Shrine architecture and spaces and its new additions."

Dr Cooke said the Shrine was conceived at the end of the First World War to commemorate the service and sacrifice of Australian servicemen and women, and to serve as a "surrogate grave" for those who were buried overseas.

It also served as a "warning on the hill" about what happens when differences between countries are not reconciled through peaceful means.

"The new additions with representations of trenches, of blood, of poppies are a confronting contrast to the classical Greek architecture and sculptural reliefs of the original Shrine. It's very much about the effects of war on bodies rather than a focus on triumphal space," Dr Cooke explained.

"The redevelopment has allowed visitors to use the architectural components of the building and the digital interpretation to engage in critical discussions about conflict and Australia's involvement in war.

"It's not just about commemoration, it's about what we learn from history and how we might make different decisions in the future."
It's one of the tech industry's biggest embarrassments. But for a handful of startups, Silicon Valley's lack of diversity is also a money-making machine.

Capitalizing on the pressure Bay Area tech companies face to hire and promote more women and people of color, a new class of startups has emerged peddling diversity-focused services. Some offer recruitment tools intended to find job candidates outside the pool of white male applicants tech companies usually turn to, or they sell software that helps companies analyze their diversity metrics and determine where they need to improve.

It's unclear to what extent these new technologies can solve Silicon Valley's diversity problem, but they're tapping into a potentially lucrative market. The annual diversity reports released by major tech firms have shown little improvement, despite the companies' promises to make their workplaces more inclusive.

"Diversity is both a big problem and opportunity," said Eric Kim, co-founder and managing partner of venture capital firm Goodwater Capital.

San Francisco-based recruiting startup Teamable, for example, says it recently helped Lyft diversify its engineering team. The percentage of Lyft engineers who belong to underrepresented groups has doubled since the ride-hailing company started using the service, Teamable co-founder and CEO Laura Bilazarian said.

These startups are addressing a clear need. Federal investigators earlier this month revealed they have accused Google of paying its female employees less than its male employees - a charge the company denies. And Uber in recent weeks has faced intense backlash over allegations that the company did nothing to stop sexual harassment against female employees. In its first diversity report, the ride-hailing company last month said women fill just 15 percent of its tech-related roles - and many Silicon Valley tech companies don't do much better.

Teamable, a 3-year-old startup that earlier this month said it brought in $5 million in its first fundraising round, uses technology to make employee referrals more inclusive. With their permission, Teamable's software mines employees' LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and other accounts, hunting for potential hires, and emails candidates who might be a good fit. The service is based on the idea that in-house referrals tend to lead to successful hires, but if a company already is full of white men, those employees are likely to refer more white men. Teamable attempts to bring forward candidates that might otherwise have been overlooked.

Software company Medallia says in the six months since it started using Teamable, the company has seen 700 referrals and made 63 hires - 23 percent of which were women or underrepresented minorities.

"Teamable became a great way to look at how we scale our employee referral program," said Mike Podobnik, Medallia's head of talent acquisition, "and quite frankly actually do something about hiring diverse candidates, which is a huge challenge."

Other Silicon Valley tech companies, including Facebook and Airbnb, use Jopwell - a recruiting platform that serves African-American, Latino and Native American job candidates. The 2-year-old startup is benefiting from the recent push in Silicon Valley to make diversity a priority, said co-founder and president Ryan Williams.

"That has been a major positive piece of momentum for our business," he said. "It was right around when we launched that companies were starting to disclose diversity numbers."

San Francisco-based Blendoor offers a similar service. The startup has a database of more than 10,000 job candidates - 68 percent of whom are women - and it offers their profiles to prospective employers without names or photos, removing the potential for unconscious bias.

PayScale, a startup that analyzes employee compensation data, last year introduced a new tool that makes it easy for employers to root out gender wage gaps in their company. Not only can employers see whether women are making less money than men with the same job titles, they also can see whether women hold disproportionately fewer high-paying titles.

PayScale's leadership team decided to add that feature after seeing tech companies struggling to analyze inequities in compensation. It can be difficult to spot real discrepancies in salary data - because of the need to control for legitimate differences such as years of experience and education - and many companies turn to expensive consultants to get those metrics, said Lydia Frank, vice president of content strategy at PayScale.

But none of these services alone can make Silicon Valley a more inclusive environment, Kim cautioned.

"I don't think a problem this big can be solved by a single-point solution," he said. "I think it's a good complement to other ways of solving the diversity gap, but we can't rely on it solely."

2017 The Mercury News (San Jose, Calif.)

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
The second-year law school students watched in amazement.

A woman gave testimony in a domestic violence hearing in Cobb County Superior Court. Instead of the subdued, tearful, intimidated stereotype of a domestic abuse victim, the woman seethed with fury, crying out.

She blew student preconceptions apart like a bomb.

After the hearing, Tiffany Roberts (J.D. '08), adjunct professor and deputy director of the National Institute for Teaching Ethics and Professionalism (NIFTEP), debriefed the Fundamentals of Law class, which she co-teaches with Clark D. Cunningham, W. Lee Burge Chair in Law and Ethics and director of NIFTEP.

Roberts asked a pointed question to the students, who had been watching the court proceedings as part of the class.

"This woman wasn't the meek stereotype most people expect to find in a case of domestic abuse. Did her defiance and anger make you think  even for an instant  that she may have caused, or even deserved, her domestic abuse?"

Roberts then asked an even tougher question.

"Could there possibly be internal bias at work in your judgment about her?"

In that moment, Roberts forced her class to stare into a deep, truthful mirror and confront an important and too often unexamined issue of the legal system: subconscious bias.

Professor Andrea Curcio, Roberts' colleague, makes the sensitive subject of personal bias a focus of her academic work.

"Understanding subconscious biases, their pervasiveness and their impact on perceptions, interactions and analyses, helps prepare lawyers to represent people from cultural and racial backgrounds different from their own and to address both individual and institutional injustice," Curcio said.

The bias blind spot

On close examination, a widespread and fundamental assumption of American life  that our justice system is truly just  threatens to fall apart. Bias runs like a jagged scar through the legal decision-making of the United States, from the nation's beginnings to present day.

For census-taking purposes, authors of the foundational document of our legal system, the U.S. Constitution, deemed slaves to be merely three-fifths of a human being. And 228 years later, in August 2016, a Department of Justice investigation in the aftermath of the Freddie Gray police shooting in Baltimore revealed official policies allowing unconstitutional stops, searches, arrests and other activity by that city's police department.

These examples of overt bias, institutionalized and unjust, are conspicuous  and notorious. Roberts and Curcio, however, choose to work at a personal level to raise awareness of how subconscious bias can affect client relationships, influence courtroom decisions and shape laws.

Why does it matter? By logic, when the legal system can address bias at its base, at the personal level, justice will more often prevail. Lawyers will become better advocates for their clients. Judges will uniquely consider each and every courtroom decision on its own merit. Prejudicial laws will appear less often on the books.

An utterly honest examination of personal bias or prejudice like the one Roberts' students conducted after their Cobb County court observation is key. But self-awareness means facing the truthful mirror, and what it reveals can be painful.

"The predominant discourse in law school and among lawyers is that lawyers are the ultimate rational thinkers. We train law students to 'think like lawyers,'" Curcio said. "Students often assume that thinking rationally, logically and analytically means they are able to set aside their existing biases."

Unfortunately, this faith in the supremacy of rational thinking can result in what researchers call a "bias blind spot," in which individuals see biases in others but believe that they are bias free.

Curcio and fellow researchers have conducted two surveys to examine subconscious bias among law students. One canvassed 125 incoming law students and 13 upper-level clinic students. A second was administered to 591 incoming and upper-level students at two separate schools. Curcio's paper discussing the survey results ("Addressing Barriers to Cultural Sensibility Learning: Lessons from Social Cognition Theory") appeared in the Nevada Law Journal in 2015.

"The survey results suggest many students believe lawyers are less susceptible than clients to having, or acting upon, stereotypes or biases," Curcio said.

Curcio's work powerfully suggests that some law students do not understand the pervasiveness of bias, in themselves or in other well-meaning people.

"Some students don't recognize that legal analytical training is unlikely to trump a lifetime of subconscious cognitive processes," Curcio said.

"And because they believe that they already understand and can recognize their biases, students may resist education aimed at helping them recognize how personal biases affect their interactions with clients and the legal system."

Stereotypes start early

Stereotypes form in the human consciousness at a very young age. Infants and toddlers begin to categorize people based on easily observable characteristics like skin color, gender, age, etc. Racial stereotypes can be embedded before children enter kindergarten. The social experiences that create those stereotypes "influence how people perceive and assess facts, attitudes, legal problems and legal processes," Curcio said.

Both Roberts and Curcio contend that no one  lawyer, tinker, tailor, spy, whoever  breezes through the world free of personal bias. Even well-meaning people can be shockingly biased in the ways subconscious prejudices color their perceptions and decisions.

Curcio's Nevada Law Journal paper gives a telling example.

It cites an experiment in which five partners from different law firms deliberately inserted grammatical, factual and analytical errors into a legal research memo about trade secrets in Internet start-ups. Then, 53 different law firm partners were asked to participate in a study on writing competencies of young attorneys and asked to edit the memo for errors and rate its overall quality. The partners received exactly the same memo. A cover page instructed that the memo was drafted by a male third-year associate who graduated from New York University School of Law. Half the partners editing the memo were told the associate was Caucasian; the other half were told the associate was African-American.

The identical memo averaged statistically significant lower overall ratings for the fictional African-American associate than the Caucasian. Partners found more errors and made more negative qualitative comments in the purportedly African-American memo for exactly the same work.

Social cognition theory to the rescue?

"I think everyone has biases," said Roberts, "but I don't think one's biases must translate into being oppressive or racist. If we are willing to examine our behavior, we can make sure our biases aren't causing harm to other people's lives."

Harm can show up with little fanfare. When a lawmaker allows bias to shape opinions, lasting injustice can appear in the legal code. When a judge sees an endless stream of faces from the same socio-economic background crowding a courtroom, it becomes easy to assume the next person on the docket is just like all the others. When a public defender stressed by caseloads impatiently waits a half hour for a late client, it might be easy to assume the client simply doesn't care. (But, Roberts pointed out, what if scraping together enough money for bus fare caused the delay?)

"The relationship of counsel to client is the foundational element of a successful legal relationship," Roberts said. "Bias can break down the relationship if we can't identify and manage it. If we don't trust a client, we won't be able to optimize our representation."

Subconscious bias sometimes doesn't even involve people.

Student Greg Mullin (J.D. '17) sees examples of what he calls "confirmation bias" in his studies of technology law.

"Many people have formed beliefs that data is private, devices are secure and technology is trustworthy," Mullin said. "Those beliefs may or may not be true."

He describes what happens when a user receives an anonymous email request to click a link and change a password.

"Confirmation bias means there is a risk you will immediately click the link because you interpret that email, which could be a 'phishing' scam, as conforming to your belief that emails are trustworthy," Mullin says. "In situations like this, confirmation bias can cause people to act outside of their best interests."

Mullin said the discussions about bias in Roberts' and several other of his classes will help him be more self-aware as a lawyer.

"I learned about types of biases and how unconscious bias can produce unwanted results within the legal system," he said. "That knowledge helped me to more easily identify and overcome biases and gave me another tool to use when advocating for a client."

That's progress. But Curcio thinks that law school training in rational thinking may provide students a false sense of competency when it comes to working in the real world.

"To focus on rational thinking as if there's an objective reality," she said, "does not serve us or our clients well."

Curcio favors teaching students the psychology and science that underlie biases in the hope that this will make students "more receptive to learning about, and confronting, their own stereotypes and biases."

When bias becomes personal

Roberts, a black woman, knows firsthand what happens when subconscious bias, or worse, enters the legal system.

Roberts' background commands respect. She has been teaching Fundamentals of Law, which integrates a clinical component letting students represent victims of domestic violence in protective order proceedings, at Georgia State since fall 2011. She started her professional career as a public defender in the Atlanta Judicial Circuit.

As a private attorney, Roberts handles tough felony and civil rights cases. Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed appointed her to represent a community organization on a panel that screened applicants for the 23rd chief of police for the city. She does community organizing on policing issues, and she represents many clients from poor neighborhoods and bad situations.

So what sometimes happens when this accomplished attorney shows up to represent a client?

"I've been to courtrooms in jurisdictions just outside of Atlanta where it's not assumed that I'm an attorney," Roberts said. "They assume I'm the defendant's girlfriend, and I'm told to 'go sit over there.'

"I've never seen that happen to a white person with a briefcase. It takes a different level of patience to deal with that on a consistent basis."

Roberts and Curcio share an understanding that so long as humans are imperfect, the legal system will be imperfect too.

But they also strongly believe that the one acceptable bias in law should be a bias toward better justice.
WATERFORD  Gateway Technical College hopes to start using the Village of Waterfords indoor fire training center in the fall for its Fire Medic program if the Gateway board approves a lease with the village.

Gateway and the village are currently drawing up a lease for the college to use the training center, a repurposed fire station at 122 N. Second St., Bill Whyte, Gateways senior vice president of operations, said Tuesday. The college will pay $1,500 per month, year round, he said.

Attorneys will still have to look over the lease and Whyte did not expect the lease to be ready for the Gateway board to consider by its next meeting, on May 11.

After the Gateway board does approve a lease with Waterford, it will be sent to the Wisconsin Technical College System Board for final approval. That likely will not happen until sometime in July, Whyte said earlier, because the WTCS board only meets every other month.

The Waterford training center would be Gateways third fire training center established in western Racine County in 15 years. In 2002, an outdoor training facility and burn building were established at the Kansasville fire station, 23730 Durand Ave. In 2010, Gateway opened the $1.5 million HERO Center, 380 McCanna Parkway, Burlington. The latter facility is used to teach many of Gateways fire service and emergency medical classes. Gateway leases space for both those entities.

The request for proposal specifications for the training center described a space that is comparable with a working fire station and located in the Gateways district, which encompasses Kenosha and Walworth counties and most of Racine County.

Whyte said the building is double bay and double depth, with doors at both ends, and can accommodate four firefighting vehicles. It also has an office area, break room and kitchen and is air conditioned. The building is being retrofitted to mimic interior conditions firefighters would encounter fighting a structure fire in a residence.

It really is a good facility, he said. Its set up to operate very efficiently.

Although the college will initially use the center for its Fire Medic program, Whyte expects other Gateway firefighting programs will also use it. We will look at ways to maximize the use of the facility, he said.

Just one response

An advisory committee at Gateway recommended hiring the Waterford Fire Department after the college issued a request for proposals to provide Gateway with an indoor fire training facility. Waterford was the only entity to respond to the RFP by the March 22 deadline.

Gateway had already been using Waterfords Fire Station No. 1 as a training facility before going to an RFP process. But state officials put a stop to that last summer because Gateway had not followed state rules; the WTCS penalized the college $5,100 in state aid because no lease agreement with Waterford had received WTCS Board approval. As a result, in August the college canceled a memo of understanding it had with the village for shared use of the station.

But college officials still saw the need for the training center, and in October Gateway put out an initial RFP with a deadline to respond before the end of that month. Although that request conformed with state rules, the short time frame for responses brought concerns from some members of the Racine County Fire Chiefs Association.

So, in December, Gateway reissued the RFP with a 90-day response period.
A Boston Dynamics Spot robotspeakers at the TED conference believe in the future intelligent machines will help humans look after the elderly

Intelligent machines of the future will help restore memory, mind your children, fetch your coffee and even care for aging parents.

It will all be part of a brave new world of the not-so-distant future, in which innovative smart machines, rather than being the undoing of peopleas some technophobes have long fearedactually enhance humans.

Many expert say technology will allow people to take on tasks they might only have dreamed of in the past.

"Super-intelligence should give us super-human abilities," said Tom Gruber, head of the team responsible for Apple's Siri digital assistant, during an on-stage talk at the prestigious TED Conference.

Smarter machines, smarter humans

"As machines get smarter, so do we," Gruber said.

"Artificial intelligence can enable partnerships where each human on the team is doing what they do best," he told the popular technology conference.

Gruber, a co-creator of Siri and artificial intelligence research at Apple, told of being drawn to the field three decades ago by the potential for technology to meet people's needs.

"I am happy to see that the idea of an intelligent personal assistant is mainstream," he said.

Now he has taken his innovative approach to smart machines, and is turning the thinking about the technology on its head.

"Instead of asking how smart we can make our machines, let's ask how smart our machines can make us," Gruber said.

Already smart technology is taking hold, with popular digital assistants like Apple's Siri, created Gruber.

South Korean giant Samsung created Bixby to break into a surging market for voice-activated virtual assistants, which includes Amazon's Alexa, Google's Assistant and Microsoft's Cortana.

Amazon appears to have impacted the sector the most with its connected speakers using Alexa. The service allows users a wide range of voice interactions for music, news, purchases and connects with smart home devices.

Remembering everything

Gruber envisions artificial intelligenceAIgetting even more personal, perhaps augmenting human memory.

"Human memory is famously flawedlike, where did the 1960s go and can I go there too?" Gruber quipped.

He spoke of a future in which artificial intelligence remembers everyone met during a lifetime and details of everything someone read, heard, said or did.

"From the tiniest clue it could help you retrieve anything you've seen or heard before," he said.

Tom Gruber, head of the team responsible for Apple's Siri digital assistant, says AI may one day augment human memory

"I believe AI will make personal memory enhancement a reality; I think it's inevitable."

Such memories would need to be private, with people choosing what to keep, and be kept absolutely secure, he maintained.

Surefooted robots

Boston Dynamics robotics company founder Marc Raibert was at TED with a four-legged SpotMini robot nimble enough to frolic amid the conference crowd.

He smiled but would not comment when asked by AFP about the potential to imbue program the gadget with the kind of artificial intelligence described by fellow speakers.

Raibert did, however, note that the robots are designed to be compatible with new "user interfaces."

Current virtual assistants have been described as a step into an era of controlling computers by speaking instead of typing or tapping screens.

"I think it won't be too long before we're using robots to take care of our parents, or help our children take care of us," Raibert said from the TED Talk.

The 'gorilla problem'

Not everyone at TED embraced the idea of a future in which machines are smarter and more capable than humans, however.

Stuart Russell, a University of California at Berkeley computer sciences professor, referred to the situation as the "gorilla problem" in that when smarter humans came along it boded ill for evolutionary ancestors.

"This queasy feeling that making something smarter than your own species is not a good idea," said Russell, co-author of the book Artificial Intelligence: A Modern Approach.

As an AI researcher he supported research in the technology.

However, he urged programming machines with robotic laws of behavior, in a shrewed spin on work of science fiction author Isaac Asimov.

He gave the example of a robot being told to simply fetch coffee.

A machine not constrained by proper principles might decide that accomplishing the task required it to defend against being shut down and remove all obstacles from its path by whatever means necessary.

Russell counseled robot principles including altruism, humility, and making a priority of human values.

"You are probably better off with a machine that is like this," Russell said.

"It is a first step in human compatibility with AI."

 2017 AFP
Dr Eyad Arabi, Research Associate in the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering. Credit: University of Bristol

Wireless communications is a technology that is used every day. Across society, there is a move away from using the internet on desktop computers and towards smartphones, tablets and laptops. Engineers at the University of Bristol have developed a novel radio frequency (RF) design tool that will speed up the design of tuneable wireless devices and will enable smartphones to roam internationally.

The research, in collaboration with the University of Sheffield, is addressing the simultaneous multi-band operation of wireless systems through the co-design of both hardware and software sub-systems. The paper, conducted as part of the EPSRC Frequency Agile RADio (FARAD) project, is published in IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques (T-MTT).

Wireless connected devices are now an integral part in people's work and social lives and it is playing a growing role in healthcare technologies. The advent of 5G will create further disruption or step change in everyone's use of wireless technology. Today smartphones are at the heart of this evolution as prices decrease and functionality improves, making them the first choice for internet access. Everyone wants their phone to offer higher data rates and work seamlessly throughout the world but because of the different frequency channels this isn't always possible.

Dr Eyad Arabi, Research Associate in the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, the lead author, said: "For smartphones to operate globally, phones need to tune or switch bands, ideally without compromising performance. Such frequency agility poses tough design challenges due to the increased complexity and physical size of the tuneable system. At Bristol, we have developed a novel radio frequency (RF) design methodology that will ensure the efficient design of tuneable wireless devices."

Mark Beach, Professor of Radio Systems Engineering in the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering: "For efficient RF design an understanding of the electrical dynamics of the tuneable components is essential. Bristol's new tool will allow the designer to visualise the tuning range or coverage of the tuneable components, speeding up the design of antennas, filters and amplifiers used in smartphones."

Dr Kevin Morris, Reader in Radio Frequency Engineering and Head of the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, added: "This work allows flexibility to be brought into the design process which will significantly increase the ability of future 5G amplifiers to work over multiple frequency ranges and lead to a single handset that could be used around the world."

More information: Eyad Arabi et al. Analytical Formulas for the Coverage of Tunable Matching Networks for Reconfigurable Applications, IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques (2017). DOI: 10.1109/TMTT.2017.2687902
Adonis vernalis disappeared from Halle in the 19th century. This species depends on nitrogen-poor soil. It is currently classified as endangered in Germany. Credit: Andre Kunzelmann / UFZ

All over the globe, the urbanisation of landscapes is increasing. 60% of the land surface which is expected to be urban by 2030 is currently not built on at all. How this will impact on biological diversity will only be apparent in retrospect. However, for most cities there have been systematic surveys of biological diversity, although only since the second half of the 20th century. Researchers at the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ) and the German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) have now revealed, on the basis of historical data, how plant diversity in the region of Halle an der Saale has changed in over 300 years of urbanisation, and have also made predictions about the future.

The researchers drew on lists of species published by botanists since the 17th century as well as data from herbaria. In the 1680s, for example, physician Christoph Knauth, who was interested in botany, recorded the plant species that occurred in the area of the modern city of Halle. Rather than limiting himself to plants of pharmaceutical interest, as was usual in the 17th century, he produced an almost complete list of species. His work Enumeratio Plantarum Circa Halam Saxonum Et In Eius Vicinia, Ad Trium Fere Milliarium Spatium, Sponte Provenientium was published in 1687. In the centuries that followed, during which the city's population increased more than tenfold, more than 20 botanists recorded the flora of Halle.

Using this comprehensive data, the team led by UFZ geoecologist Dr. Sonja Knapp were able to demonstrate that the number of plant species in Halle has risen considerably between the end of the 17th century and the beginning of the 21st  from 711 to 860 species. At the same time, however, the evolutionary diversity of plants has declined: native species from a wide range of plant families have died out regionally and been replaced by more closely related species. These include both common native species and non-native species introduced from other parts of the world. Overall, 4.7 billion years of evolutionary history have therefore been lost in the Halle region, so great is the loss of evolutionary diversity  calculated on the basis of plant pedigrees.

Fallopia japonica (Japanese knotweed), like the closely related Fallopia baldschuanica, has been found in Halle since the end of the 20th century. An introduced species in Germany, it grows well in warm, nitrogen-rich locations. Credit: Andre Kunzelmann / UFZ

As well as looking back over the past three centuries, the researchers looked ahead to the future. The team calculated how the current evolutionary diversity of Halle's flora would change if, firstly, the plants found in Halle listed on the Red List of endangered species disappeared and, secondly, the most common introduced species in Germany which are not yet found in Halle were to migrate there. "Evolutionary diversity will very probably continue to fall," says Dr. Marten Winter from iDiv, who participated in the study.

The evolutionary diversity of plants is considered to be an important foundation for the stability of ecosystems. It stimulates the diversity of other organisms and can increase biomass production. How many millions of years of evolutionary history would need to be lost to make an ecosystem unstable is however not yet known. Researchers are therefore appealing for the precautionary protection of biological diversity. As the loss of evolutionary diversity in Halle is primarily being driven by the loss of native species  including many species which depend on cool, nutrient-poor environments  Sonja Knapp and her colleagues are calling for more protection for these species and their habitats.

More information: Sonja Knapp et al. Increasing species richness but decreasing phylogenetic richness and divergence over a 320-year period of urbanization, Journal of Applied Ecology (2016). DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.12826 Journal information: Journal of Applied Ecology
Inventory needs to be managed and managed well, or you are going to get in recurring trouble, and lose your credibility and hard-earned conversions, whether 

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The Philippine military said Tuesday it had killed almost 40 militants loyal to the Islamic State group, including three Indonesians and a Malaysian, in a major land and air assault in the south. The foreigners were part of more than 160 fighters of the Maute group of militants who came under attack last weekend in Mindanao island, said national military chief General Eduardo Ano. "We inflicted about 37 enemy killed, 14 have been identified and 23 still unidentified, with three Indonesians and one Malaysian," he told reporters in Manila. It was unclear how he arrived at the death toll. Lieutenant Colonel Jo-ar Herrera, spokesman for the brigade which led the assault in the town of Piagapo in Lanao del Sur province, said soldiers had recovered only three bodies but informants and local residents had reported a far higher death toll among the extremists. He said soldiers had found foreign passports belonging to some of the dead but declined to give details. Ano said the foreigners were former members of the Southeast Asian militant group Jemaah Islamiyah, which carried out the 2002 bombings in the Indonesian holiday island of Bali. Jemaah Islamiyah has long had a presence in the southern Philippines and has trained locals in such skills as bomb-making. The military, using FA-50 jets, helicopter gunships, bomber planes and artillery, attacked and eventually captured the Maute camp which covered three to four hectares (seven to 10 acres). The Maute group has "IS aspirations" and was seeking to be recognised by the jihadist movement which has conquered swathes of Iraq and Syria, Herrera said. Soldiers found black IS flags at the camp along with improvised explosive devices, grenades, a laptop computer, cellphones and a camera used to create videos for recruitment, he said. Troops are still hunting for more than 100 members who fled to the hills, he added. The Maute group is just one of several Muslim armed bands in the strife-torn southern Philippines whose leaders have pledged allegiance to IS. The group has been linked to bombings and kidnappings and has launched several large-scale assaults on local communities.
By John Irish PARIS (Reuters) - French intelligence has concluded that forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad carried out a sarin nerve gas attack on April 4 in northern Syria and that Assad or members of his inner circle ordered the strike, a declassified report showed. The chemical weapons attack on the town of Khan Sheikhoun killed scores of people, according to a war monitor, Syrian opposition groups and Western countries. It prompted the United States to launch a cruise missile strike on a Syrian air base, its first deliberate assault on the Assad government in the six-year-old conflict. Assad has said in two media interviews since April 4 that the evidence of a poison gas attack was false and denied his government had ever used chemical weapons. The six-page French document, seen by Reuters, and drawn up by France's military and foreign intelligence services - said it reached its conclusion based on samples they had obtained from the impact strike on the ground and a blood sample from a victim. "We know, from a certain source, that the process of fabrication of the samples taken is typical of the method developed in Syrian laboratories," Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault told reporters after presenting the findings to the cabinet. "This method is the signature of the regime and it is what enables us to establish the responsibility of the attack. We know because we kept samples from previous attacks that we were able to use for comparison." Among the elements found in the samples were hexamine, a hallmark of sarin produced by the Syrian government, according to the report. It said the findings matched the results of samples obtained by French intelligence, including an unexploded grenade, from an attack in Saraqib on April 29, 2013, which Western powers have accused the Assad government of carrying out. "This production process is developed by Syria's Scientific Studies and Research Center (SSRC) for the regime," the report said. The United States on Monday blacklisted 271 employees belonging to the agency. Syria agreed in September 2013 to destroy its entire chemical weapons programme under a deal negotiated with the United States and Russia after hundreds of people were killed in a sarin gas attack in the outskirts of the capital, Damascus. The report said that based on its assessments, there were "serious doubts on the accuracy, completeness and sincerity of the dismantlement of Syria's chemical arsenal." SIX WARPLANE STRIKES The report, which lists some 140 suspected chemical attacks in Syria since 2012, also said intelligence services were aware of a Syrian government Sukhoi 22 warplane that had struck six times on Khan Sheikhoun on April 4 and that samples taken from the ground were consistent with an airborne projectile that had munitions loaded with sarin. "The French intelligence services consider that only Bashar al-Assad and some of his most influential entourage can give the order to use chemical weapons," the report said. It added that jihadist groups in the area in Idlib province did not have the capacity to develop and launch such an attack and that Islamic State was not in the region. Assad's assertion that the attack was fabricated was "not credible" given the mass flows of casualties in a short space of time arriving in Syrian and Turkish hospitals as well as the sheer quantity of social media posts and video showing people with neurotoxic symptoms, said the report. The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) said on April 19 that sarin or a similar banned toxin was used in the Khan Sheikhoun attack, but it is not mandated to assign blame. Russia, which backs Assad in the conflict that has killed hundreds of thousands and displaced millions, has said the gas was released by an air strike on a poison gas storage depot controlled by rebels. "The Kremlin thinks as before that the only way to restore the truth of what happened in Idlib is impartial international investigation. We regret that OPCW restrains so far from such an investigation," spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters when asked about the French report. A senior French diplomatic source said Paris had passed the report on to its partners and would continue to push for a probe. Moscow was attempting to discredit the OPCW, the source said: "There is a propaganda effort by Russia to say that the OPCW's work is not credible." (Reporting by John Irish; Editing by Andrew Callus, Pravin Char and Sonya Hepinstall)
By Shadia Nasralla LUXEMBOURG (Reuters) - When Mohamed al-Khalaf escaped from Syria and won asylum in Luxembourg last year, his wife and children stayed behind in Raqqa, the hub of Islamic State's so-called Caliphate. Khalaf applied for his family to join him, exercising a right to family life under European law. But first, Luxembourg officials said, they must see the family's passports and a document, certified by President Bashar al-Assad's administration, to prove Khalaf's wife Ghufran did not have a criminal record. For Khalaf, it was a Catch-22. "They need paperwork from the regime which is a party in the problematic situation which we, in the first place, are fleeing from," he said. Such requirements are increasingly common. Six years into Syria's war, tens of thousands of Syrian families trying to be reunited in Europe have seen requests stalled for want of documents that European governments need from the Assad government. Several families Reuters spoke to, including the Khalafs, said that to get the paperwork required, they resorted to chains of bribery culminating in Damascus. Under normal circumstances, every country requires those who seek entry to produce documents proving their identity. European officials today say they need the papers for security, and to curb people-smuggling. But refugees, especially those trapped in zones controlled by Islamic State, cannot always obtain government papers. In 2014, a report from the Red Cross and the European Council on Refugees and Exiles found that most European states require documentation that is hard for people from countries such as Syria to obtain. Since then, many countries have required more, not less, paperwork. States variously call for passports, birth and marriage certificates, proofs of guardianship, documents to prove people lived together, or fresh medical records. Some also expect legally certified translations. In Germany, which has received more Syrian asylum-seekers than any other European country, around 26,000 Syrian applications for family reunifications are not ready for a decision because of missing documents, Berlin says. A German court in December said Assad's cash-strapped government is probably benefiting from the documentary requirements. "Family reunification is a human right," said Ska Keller, Co-President of the Greens/EFA group in the European Parliament. "It pushes refugees into the hands of smugglers and on dangerous routes if member states curb their possibility to join their parents or children." "HUMAN FACTORS" Since the start of 2015, at least 89,000 Syrian family members have reached Germany, Sweden, Austria, Luxembourg and Belgium under rules that allow someone who has been given asylum to bring in spouses and young children. There is no solid data on how many asylum-seekers still want to be reunified in Europe, but increasingly, Syrians are given "subsidiary protection" rather than refugee status. This often limits or eliminates their right to bring in family. Even those who are eligible often have problems getting papers. This is what Kalaf found. Luxembourg asked for the Khalafs' exact family link to be proven, and a certified copy of a travel document, as well as a criminal record excerpt for Mohamed's wife. A spokesman for Luxembourg's Foreign Ministry said it accepts alternative solutions if documents are not available and takes "into account the human factors while still respecting the relevant pieces of legislation." Arnaud Ranzenberger, a Luxembourg lawyer who represented the Khalafs and dozens of family reunification cases, says he has seen systematic delays in every such case he has handled. "They ask for documents that are very difficult to provide and the file stays blocked as long as we don't provide the documentation," he said. While Khalaf was trying to get his wife out of Raqqa, jihadist officials there arrested her for lifting the hem of her dress on a wet sidewalk. Then they beat her for wearing perfume. He managed to get the family smuggled out through Turkey. The Khalafs were lucky. A Syrian friend in Amsterdam put Mohamed in touch with someone in Damascus  a so-called 'simsar' or fixer. For $90 sent by Western Union, he provided proof Mohamed's wife was not a criminal, and the family joined him in December. SUPPLY AND DEMAND Syrians escaping Raqqa have another way out: They can head to Damascus, in the hope of obtaining passports quickly enough to present at a Western embassy. In peacetime it was a six-hour drive from Raqqa to Damascus. By last year, the journey took five days, through land controlled by warring factions, bribing officials at checkpoints along the way. Another Syrian mother and her baby daughter who escaped Raqqa said this seemed their only option. Houriya al-Ahmad wanted to join her husband Younes in Austria, and was determined to travel legally. Officials in Vienna said the 22-year-old needed to prove her identity at the embassy in Beirut. But she did not have a passport. Austrian officials tried to help, offering the family DNA tests, an option the Red Cross says is used by about one in 10 applicants in Austria. The tests cost 200 euros each, which is repaid if the results are positive. The total cost for the Ahmads would be 600 euros. That was too much for the Ahmads, who did not know it could be refunded and decided Houriya's only chance was to go to Damascus. "Bullets flew over our heads," Houriya recalled of the stretch of road outside Aleppo. "I tried to avoid danger by running quickly, with Reem in my arms." The family applied for passports with the help of an old school friend. A normal Syrian passport cost 4,800 Syrian pounds ($9), said the friend, lawyer Malek al Wardi. Last year he charged the Ahmads the equivalent of $300 for two, he said, adding fees had gone up sharply. The government in Damascus did not respond to requests for comment, but its website now shows the fee for a passport issued at a consulate abroad has jumped to around $400. Austria's federal asylum office, which declined comment on specific cases, said it has no exact rules about which documents it requires. "We have to be able to check what kind of family ties we're dealing with and identity papers are an advantage in this," a spokeswoman said. Austria said its rules are in line with EU law. The Ahmads learned last month their application had been granted. PAPERCHASE The European Court of Human Rights has recommended states use "flexibility and humanity" when dealing with family reunification. Official guidelines say asylum applicants should be allowed to prove their identity in other ways including interviews, family photos and videos. "Applications from refugees cannot be rejected, or refused to be received or examined, for the sole reason of missing evidence," said Thomas Huddleston of the Migration Policy Group, a think tank funded mainly by EU. "This would be illegal under EU law." The European Commission also declined to comment on specific cases, referring to its family reunification directive. This says any application should include documentary evidence to prove applicants do not threaten public policy or security. The Commission also said states should take into account evidence other than documents. But some EU states have introduced more stringent documentary requirements. Cyprus recently started asking for original documents instead of copies, according to the Asylum Information Database (AIDA), which is funded by refugee NGOs and the European Union. Cyprus also requests that documents be officially translated into Greek or English by the Public Information Office of Cyprus. Hungarian authorities require all documents to bear an official stamp from the authorities that they are originals, as well as an official stamp from the Hungarian consulate. All documents have to be translated into English or Hungarian. Spain also asks for documentary proof the applicant and older relatives lived together in the country of origin and the family depended on the applicant. Belgium requires a medical certificate, and a fresh extract from the criminal record of the applicant's country of origin. Syrians in Europe who win permission to bring in family members can obtain special papers allowing people in. But these aren't easy to get hold of, as another family found. Hayat Elwees saved up from her $60-a-month job in a camp canteen in Jordan to pay $195 for basic identity documents so she and her eight children could join her husband in Austria in January 2016. Austria agreed to admit them, but the ID they held was not enough to board a plane. The Red Cross said it sent three emails to the Austrian ambassador in Amman seeking help with travel documents for the family, but got no reply. Vienna declined comment on the case. In the end, the family raised $3,600 in private loans to pay for passports from the Syrian embassy in Jordan. ($1 = 515.0000 Syrian pounds) ($1 = 0.9174 euros) (Additional reporting by Andrea Shalal in Berlin, Daniel Dickson in Stockholm, Robert-Jan Bartunek in Brussels, Stine Jacobsen in Copenhagen, Tuomas Forsell in Helsinki, Dasha Afanasieva in Ankara and Kinda Makieh in Damascus; Edited by Sara Ledwith)
WATERFORD  After more than a year of discussions, the Waterford Waterway Management District has finally scheduled a vote on the proposed winter drawdown of Tichigan Lake.

District Chair Barb Baron said for the cost of a permit with the state Department of Natural Resources they can tackle a weed problem that is getting worse every year.

The DNR has done studies; it (the drawdown) reduces the cost of the treatment of the plants, better known as weeds. It kills them off if you have a very cold winter. It allows people to pick up cans or rocks that theyre tripping over when they get into the water, Baron said.

The proposal, which is set to be voted on Thursday night, calls for the lake water level to come down about 4 inches a day starting in September until the level is decreased 4-5 feet.

That means when they open the dam, the water will go down about 15 to 20 feet out from the rocks (the shore), Baron said. Youll have to take your boat out early.

This level would be maintained over the winter and would be refilled in the spring. During the drawdown, more than 90 percent of the areas where invasive species have been identified would be exposed to the freezing and snow. This would kill the root systems so they do not return in subsequent seasons, according to the WWMD report.

When you have a lot of silt, its like having wet ground full of nutrition so it makes the weeds grow more, Baron said.

According to the 2016 Aquatic Plant Management Report, the lake has been experiencing increasing numbers of plants both native and invasive species since 2010; some of the 19 identified species include submerged, free-floating and floating-leaf aquatic plant species. Some officials said the problem started after a 2007 flood.

The debate

Town of Waterford resident Jason Dolphin, who lives on Riverside Road and works with an area landscaping business, said he wants leaders to support the plan.

They dump 200 to 500 gallons of chemicals in the waterway every year to kill the weeds; we need to come up with a better way, Dolphin said.

Yearly, about 85 acres of the 1,100-acre waterway is chemically treated, according to the WWMD.

Dolphin said he wouldnt mind losing some winter sport time to get the drawdown in if it means the lake will be clearer.

Were big waterskiers and we can barely get our boat in and out, the weeds are so bad, he said. The property values are decreasing because the weeds are getting so bad.

Village Trustee Don Houston agreed with Dolphin when he cast the only vote of support for the plan when it came before the Waterford Village Board at its Monday night meeting.

For the better part of the whole winter it will look like crap, there is no question about it, but to have waterway in the future you make some sacrifices, Houston said during the meeting.

Opposing view

Those in opposition, like Brent Hess, a resident of River Ridge Drive in the Village of Waterford, said the concept of the drawdown is flawed.

There are a whole row of seeds just waiting, so as soon as you fill the water back up those weeds are coming right back, Hess said. Then youve changed nothing.

Hess said the fish will follow the water level with the drawdown.

Theyre going to leave and are not going to come back, Hess said. Tichigan is one of the best and most diversified fisheries in the state.

On April 12, the Waterford Town Board voted to oppose the plan due to the impairment of uses of the waterway, economic impact to local businesses, diminished value of real estate, effect on fishing, and because the success would be considered minimal. The Southeastern Wisconsin Fox River Commission is also opposed.

Baron said shes open to what the district board decides when commissioners meet for a vote at 7 p.m. Thursday at the Waterford Town Hall, 415 N. Milwaukee St. The public is welcome to comment but may be limited to speaking 90 seconds each, Baron said.

There is a tremendous amount of opposition. There are a lot of hunters and fisherman who wont get to do their sports, Baron said. I dont think you can ignore it. You want your residents happy.

Dredging plan

The WWMD is still considering an estimated $12 million dredging plan, but that could be limited to the channels and some bays and is not expected to impact residents docks and shorelines.

Right now, the WWMD has three permits approved by the DNR related to dredging but they are waiting on an answer on a fourth permit application before they can start the bid process.
A squad of Mozambican forest rangers made their first arrest just minutes after arriving at a checkpoint near the northern port city of Pemba. Nicolau Moises, the forestry department chief in Cabo Delgado province, one of Mozambique's top timber-producing regions, quickly seized a truck piled high with freshly-cut bamboo stalks. The driver of the vehicle was accused of breaking an annual 90-day ban on logging -- just one tactic in Mozambique's battle against deforestation. That moratorium has been extended a further three months. Tropical forests cover more than half of the southern African country's landmass but China's insatiable appetite for rare types of wood to feed its furniture industry -- and an uncontrolled surge in logging -- means Mozambique is being stripped of its slow-growing tropical forests while some hardwood species are facing extinction. The London-based Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) estimated that in 2013, at least 93 percent of logging in Mozambique was illegal -- and that most of the illicit timber ended up sold in China. "For the past five years we have seen illegal logging increasing," Environment Minister Celso Correia told AFP. "It's been a big challenge for the country." - 'Limbs cut off' - Corruption, weak laws and ineffective institutions, coupled with inadequate resources to fight illicit logging, have left the country's forests unprotected. But Correia said intelligence-gathering has proven to be particularly important to the fight. "Our communities, our institutions are very vulnerable to corruption," he said. "It's really organised crime. So it's a different fight. It will not be normal institutions that will win this war." He estimates that illegal logging costs Mozambique more than half a billion dollars (around 460 million euros) a year. To tackle the crisis, the government has launched a slew of measures that include a ban on the export of all unprocessed logs and a five-year moratorium on the exploitation of vulnerable species. New logging permits will also not be issued until at least 2019. "There was no regulation in the past, but now we have managed some strong regulations," said the minister. "And we have increased our capacity of command and control on the field." But the work of policing the sprawling country's vast forests is "complicated," Moises said. "We don't have sufficient means, we don't have enough personnel" to deploy in the forests where the trees are sawn down. "It's like we have our limbs cut off." According to Correia, more than 120 timber companies were raided in March alone and at least 75 percent were found to be involved in illegal activities. At least 150,000 cubic metres (5.3 million cubic feet) of logs were seized during the sting operation. After making their first arrests, Moises and his team raided a Chinese-run timber export firm where hundreds of logs lay stacked, ready to be shipped eastward. But everything was found to be in order. "We are following the law and we never (export wood illegally)," said Rothschild Xu, a Chinese timber trader, who has been working in Pemba for five years. There are dozens of Chinese logging companies in Mozambique -- and some operate outside the law. China has been largely blamed for the deforestation in Mozambique since it began curtailing commercial logging in its own forests in the early 2000s. - 'Fighting for our lives' - Investigative journalist and government critic Erik Charas is not convinced the new laws will bring lasting change. He has also alleged that the reforms and anti-graft drive are a government ploy. "The government is not doing enough," Charas said, adding that "key, leading figures in government" are working with Chinese timber traders. Mozambique's wood processing industry however has embraced the new legislation. "I think this is a positive measure as the processing of wood locally will create more jobs locally," said Narciso Gabriel, the owner of a sawmill in Pemba, and president of the country's lumber association. "But obviously not everyone has the capacity to invest in wood processing, this is the big difficulty". Processed timber can fetch high prices. The government says exporting raw logs is "daylight robbery" because merchants buy a cubic metre for around $5 but resell it on the international market for $300. Despite these challenges, Correia remains confident the country will prevail in its fight against illegal logging. "We will win for sure, there is no 'plan B'. This is fighting for our lives and for future generations," he said.
A Nicaraguan woman who was burned to death in an exorcism that caused worldwide shock was starved and beaten in the week before her killing, witnesses told a court Wednesday. Evangelical pastor Juan Rocha and four followers are accused of murdering Vilma Trujillo, a 25-year-old mother of two, because they believed she was possessed by the devil. On the second day of their trial, which is being carried live on Nicaraguan television, Trujillo's relatives told the court how Rocha had his followers bound her, beat her, and refused her food, water and visitors. "He told us not to feel any love for her, because that was just the devil, that she had to be burned until only her head was left," the victim's cousin Roberto Trujillo told the court in the capital, Managua. "They wouldn't let me near her. Pastor Juan Rocha told us not to pay any attention to her because she was possessed by a demon," said her sister Marlene, who told the court of seeing Trujillo tied to a hammock. Trujillo was killed in a grisly week-long rite from February 15 to 21 in the isolated village of El Cortezal in northeastern Nicaragua. Witnesses said she was stripped naked and thrown on a pile of wood that was set alight. Rocha has reportedly denied that version, saying the woman herself leaped at the fire and was suspended aloft by a malign spirit in her. Trujillo's father said Rocha had forbidden him to see his daughter during the ritual. When he and her cousin went to get her in the small chapel where she was kept, they found her naked and horribly burned after five hours over the fire, they said. Trujillo died of her burns in a Managua hospital on February 28. Forensics expert Ricardo Larios told the court she had been subjected to temperatures of 400 degrees Celsius (752 Fahrenheit). A pastor associated with the Assemblies of God church, Rocha apparently holds huge sway in the small village where he preached. Residents have been reluctant to discuss the case. Rocha is accused alongside two brothers and two other suspects. The trial is set to resume on May 2.
Firebrand Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte is set to enjoy much-wanted foreign support for his deadly drug war when he hosts Southeast Asian leaders at a Manila summit this week, observers say. Duterte's unpredictable foreign policy is also expected to be in focus at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) event, with confusion surrounding his approach to Chinese expansionism in the South China Sea. It will be closely watched for how Duterte, who has shocked with curse-laden tirades against the United States and the United Nations, handles hosting his first major diplomatic event. "This will be a very interesting time. Everyone thinks he is a very charismatic leader, he speaks off the cuff," a Southeast Asian diplomat involved in the summit's preparations told AFP. The crackdown on drugs, which has claimed thousands of lives and led to warnings by rights groups about a possible crime against humanity, has been a defining theme of Duterte's first 10 months in power. Duterte has relentlessly railed against the mostly Western critics of his drug war, angrily demanding they respect him while in turn using abusive terms to describe them. Duterte hogged the headlines at another ASEAN leaders' summit in Laos last year when he called then US president Barack Obama, who was also attending, a "son of a whore" for criticising the drug war. - 'Rights abuse' - The mood will likely be far calmer in Manila for the two-day annual event starting Friday, with Duterte to enjoy drug war backing from most of his guests, according to observers. "I sadly expect Duterte will promote his drug war because he knows there will be no contrary words from the other ASEAN leaders," Phil Robertson, deputy director of Human Rights Watch's Asia division, told AFP. "The region is falling deeper into dictatorship, repression and rights abuse." Among the heads of undemocratic regimes who will convene in Manila are Thai military junta chief Prayut Chan-O-Cha and Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei, as well as the leaders of Laos and Vietnam. Cambodia's Hun Sen, a former Khmer Rouge cadre, and Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak, who has faced allegations of corruption and vote rigging, will also attend. Lauro Baja, a former Philippine foreign undersecretary and ambassador to the United Nations, agreed ASEAN leaders would back Duterte's drug war while in Manila, or at least keep any concerns to themselves. "I expect them to support the efforts of the Philippines to curb the drug menace, period. Without talking about how we achieve that," Baja told AFP. Baja said that, even if leaders did disapprove of Duterte's tactics, they would observe a long-standing ASEAN policy of non-interference in each others' affairs. - China confusion - Meanwhile, Duterte's contradictory statements on the Philippines' approach to its dispute with China over rival claims in the South China Sea will be under close scrutiny. Duterte rejected the policy of his predecessor, Benigno Aquino, who forcefully challenged Beijing through legal and diplomatic avenues including ASEAN events. Duterte adopted a more pragmatic approach, remaining mostly silent on Philippine concerns while seeking billions of dollars worth of Chinese trade and aid. But early this month Duterte announced he had ordered his troops to occupy vacant islands in the South China Sea. He also said he may go to one of the islands already occupied by the Philippines to plant a national flag. He and his aides later retracted the statements, as Duterte reverted to a more friendly tone towards China. "China is confused and the international community is intrigued," Renato de Castro, international studies professor at Manila's De La Salle University, told AFP. Nevertheless, Duterte has said he will not use ASEAN to pressure China. ASEAN and China are also working on a "framework" agreement for a code of conduct on the South China Sea, with Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei other claimants. The summit will take place under heavy security following a series of deadly clashes recently with Islamic militants in the central and southern Philippines. About 40,000 security forces have been assigned to guard the event, authorities said.
About a dozen police officers were seen outside the State Courts. (PHOTO: Safhras Khan)

*UPDATED at 8.15pm on 26 April 2017 to include police statement on item found.

A part of the Singapore State Courts was cordoned off on Wednesday (26 April) afternoon after a bullet-shaped object was discovered outside the building.

At about 3.30pm, an area around the size of a HDB flats master bedroom in front of the State Courts was cordoned off. Yahoo Singapore spotted about a dozen plainclothes and uniformed officers in the area.

One officer was seen taking photos of the area. An object was later removed from the scene and placed in an envelope.

The Singapore Police Force (SPF) said it received a call at 2.49pm that an item suspected to be ammunition had been found at 1 Havelock Square. Yahoo Singapore understands that the item is a bullet. The cordon was lifted at 4.10pm.

More Singapore stories:
Sri Lanka said Wednesday it was overturning a ban on adopting baby elephants, drawing sharp criticism from the animal protection lobby. Elephants are revered as holy in the mainly Buddhist nation, where the high-maintenance beasts have become a status symbol for the wealthy elite. The animals are also kept by temples for use in religious ceremonies, and the ban had led to worries there would not be enough tame elephants for Buddhist pageants. "Wildlife conservation is good but we also need to conserve our cultural pageants," said government spokesman Rajitha Senaratne after the cabinet overturned the ban on adoptions. Senaratne said the government decision had been motivated partly by overcrowding at Pinnawala, a 27 hectare (66-acre) coconut grove that was originally set up as an elephant orphanage and now also runs a successful breeding programme. He said strict conditions would be put in place to ensure the animals' welfare. Individuals would have to pay 10 million rupees ($66,000)for an elephant, although temples would get them for free. But Asian elephant expert Jayantha Jayewardene said the decision was "ill thought out and totally irresponsible" and accused the government of selling animals to raise revenue. He said the move could jeopardise baby elephants that were taken to Pinnawala after they were seized from wealthy Sri Lankans accused of keeping them illegally. Capturing wild elephants is illegal in Sri Lanka but there have been cases of young animals being taken from their parents to be sold on the black market. "We are very surprised by the decision to give back these elephants," Jayewardene told AFP. "It is a sad day for conservation." There has also been controversy over the separation of elephant calves whose parents are still alive. Earlier this month a group of wildlife enthusiasts went to court to stop an elephant calf, which was given to New Zealand during a visit by the then-prime minister John Key, from being taken away from its mother. Buddhist monk Malope Sobitha said six-year-old Nandi should not be separated from her parents, who were both still living at Pinnawala. Last year Sri Lanka unveiled tougher laws, including a ban on using young elephants for logging and other physical work, as part of a crackdown on cruelty to animals. Official records show there are about 200 domesticated elephants in Sri Lanka. The population in the wild is estimated at about 7,500.
Yale-NUS College - Popspoken

Guest written by Daryl Yang

Yale-NUS College has not been without its critics, having attracted criticism since its inception. I was thus not surprised to read the recent Quartz article by Amy Wang on our colleges low acceptance rate and surrounding controversies around our colleges short six-year journey. In this piece, I hope to first correct the factual inaccuracies that Wang made in her article before clarifying the oft-repeated myth that the liberal arts are at odds with Singapores supposedly conservative political culture.

The history of Yale-NUS College

It was unfortunate that Wang misunderstood the history behind Yale-NUS College. Unlike satellite campuses such as NYU Abu Dhabi or the University of Nottinghams branch campus in Malaysia, Yale-NUS College is not a branch campus of Yale University. Instead, the Charter of Yale-NUS College clearly states in its very first paragraph that Yale-NUS College is an autonomous college of the National University of Singapore.

This is a critical difference because Yale-NUS College is not a Yale export as Wang and like-minded critics may believe; we are our own project to engineer a new way of education to meet the demands of the new global environment. This is reflected by the time and effort invested by world-renowned academics from both Yale University, NUS and other institutions into developing our novel curriculum that brings together diverse intellectual traditions beyond the conventionally Western experience in the most prestigious universities.

Yale-NUS Professor Anju Paul described our peculiar endeavour best in a rousing speech she gave at the commencement for the Class of 2020 last year: We are not Yale in Asia, and we are not NUS-lite. We are more than comfortable in our liberal-arts-college-in-Singapore skin. In our difference and diversity, we find freedom and richness. In our intimacy, we find the opportunity to learn from one another.

Instagram Photo

In light of this ongoing pedagogical project that is Yale-NUS College, it is inevitable that there will be some who find that they prefer the road more travelled. It is no secret that we have classmates who transfer to other universities for more specialised or professional degrees but context is important. The article that Wang cited reported a 3% drop-out rate, which in absolute terms, is 10 people. To conclude that the Yale-NUS curriculum is superficial and fails to deliver based on such a small sample seems extraordinarily myopic. While I agree that there is always room to improve which the college recognises and has consistently sought to do, it seems unfortunately uncritical to take such criticisms at face value.

Story continues

In the first place, Yale-NUS College was never meant to be the solution and the answer; it is and will always remain an ongoing project that faculty, administration and students are constantly working together to make better. As the pioneering batch prepares to graduate at the end of this semester, I am sure that we must be doing something right as they head off to graduate school and meaningful careers ahead.

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Liberal arts in an illiberal state?

Wang cited an article regarding a defamation suit between the Prime Minister of Singapore and a blogger as proof of Singapores political conservatism. While it was slightly ironic that her article was published just two days after the March for Science took place across the US, I hope to clarify the sleepy illusion that the liberal arts cannot thrive in a supposedly authoritarian society like Singapore.

Three main criticisms were put forth by opponents of the Yale-NUS project with regard to Singapores human rights record in relation to LGBTQ rights, migrant workers rights and freedom of expression.

It is odd that such criticisms continue to fester despite the vibrant LGBTQ community that we have built at Yale-NUS College and beyond. I was President of The G Spot, our colleges gender and sexuality alliance. During my tenure, we also established the Inter-University LGBT Network together with student leaders from LGBTQ organisations across the various public universities in the country. While there remains challenges for us to overcome, such as the repeal of the colonial anti-sodomy law and media censorship of queer relationships, it may be a useful reminder that the modern history of Singapore is only about as long as that of the contemporary American gay rights movement. The Stonewall riots happened 4 years after Singapore gained independence from the British empire in 1965. Put in context, I am very proud and optimistic about the past and future progress of our queer movement.

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Our students have also done much with regard to migrant workers rights, having collaborated with the NUS Faculty of Law to organise an annual campaign while many students are actively involved with local and regional migrant rights organisations to advocate for and improve the treatment of migrant workers in Singapore. I am not sure what the spirit of the liberal arts is, if it is not the admirable values of social justice and community-mindedness that I see embodied in my peers and the very institution of Yale-NUS College.

The final criticism that the curtailment of free speech in Singapore is antithetical to the liberal arts is also a misguided one. Given that unfettered free speech has led to what many are calling the post-truth society today, it is questionable whether there should be absolute free speech that extends to false statements. Singapores courts have taken a different approach from the US in relation to the freedom of expression and are more willing to impose harsh punishments on such forms of free speech such as contempt and defamation.

Nonetheless, I agree that Singapore can do better in giving more space and freedom to civil society. Yet, there are many better examples of how this tension manifests in our college than Tan Pin Pins decision to not show her film To Singapore, With Love on our campus. Our college has been grappling with our existence as a liberal bubble, which was fluently analysed by Shawn Hoo here, and we will continue to grapple with these difficult questions, as we should in the spirit of the liberal arts.

Liberalising the il(liberal) arts

In Hoos article, he ended with the poignant imagery that kites have no need for designated parks. In the same way, the spirit of the liberal arts cannot be undermined simply by institutions or systems that seek to control or subjugate knowledge and human curiosity. To suggest that the liberal arts should be reserved only for already liberal societies seems strangely self-defeating and no more than chronological snobbery. A liberal education that avails itself only to those deemed worthy because they subscribe to certain liberal values is perhaps more illiberal than it likes to think itself to be.

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Ultimately, there are many valuable lessons and questions from our fledgling institution that American universities may find useful as they face the challenges of a Trump presidency. Indeed, a renowned local journalist has even gone further to share lessons that Americans may find useful in living in a less than completely liberal society. Rather than build walls to buttress ones own exceptionalism, it may be more crucial than before for those concerned about the future of the university and the future of liberal values to adopt a more liberal attitude towards what the rest of the world has to offer.

After all, as I once read in our philosophy class where we studied texts across the continents, Confucius said, Walking among three people, I find my teacher among them and choose that which is good in them and follow it, and that which is bad and change it.

Daryl Yang co-founded and currently serves as Executive Director of the Inter-University LGBT Network. Previously, Daryl was President of The G Spot, the Yale-NUS Gender & Sexuality Alliance, from 2014 to 2016. He is currently a third-year student pursuing a double degree in Law and Liberal Arts at Yale-NUS College and the NUS Faculty of Law.

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Images: Facebook / Yale-NUS College

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This article Yale-NUS Is Not A Failed School: How Liberal Arts Thrives In Conservative Singapore appeared first on Popspoken.
Despite secularism growing in America, with research showing there are around five million fewer Christians across the United States than there were in 2007, faith-based companies continue to thrive. In fact, a study conducted in 2013 indicated that entrepreneurs in the United States meditate more frequently than non-entrepreneurs. The United States has a rich history of business owners operating their companies in line with their religious beliefs. Some of the nations biggest and most popular brands, such as In-N-Out Burger, Forever 21 and Hobby Lobby, share a devotion to religious values.

That said, faith based companies are not without their challenges, which they have to overcome. Small Business Trends interviewed Patrick Galleher CEO of sweetFrog. Galleher acquired sweetFrog in 2015 and despite tough competition in the frozen yogurt market, Patrick Galleher and his team have helped build the brand into a household name, with 340 locations in 24 states in just two years. Galleher gave us some insight into how faith based companies can overcome their unique challenges. Here are his faith based business tips.

Faith Based Business Tips

Avoid Trying to Convert

Faith based business owners and members of staff may enjoy talking about their religious beliefs. Whilst openly sharing beliefs and the Gospel with others may be apparent in many faith based businesses, as Galleher told us, it is important for such organizations to try and avoid converting the beliefs of employees or customers, something sweetFrog has always strived to avoid.

Practice Inclusive Recruitment

Faith based businesses may be inclined to employ individuals of the same faith. However, employment discrimination on the basis of religion limits a companys hiring prospects. Galleher says sweetFrogs recruitment policies are centered on being inclusive, instead of discriminating based on a candidates religious status.

Give Equal Treatment of Employees

Employment law prohibits different treatment based on religion. sweetFrog also prides itself on ensuring all employees are treated equally, regardless of their religious beliefs. Respecting the opinions and mandates of others, by providing equal treatment to all employees, demonstrates a faith-based businesss commitment to a culture of inclusion.

Create a Positive Community

Companies, secular or religious, have a duty to strive to contribute to create a positive, happy community.

sweetFrog was founded on Christian principles and maintains a commitment to bring a positive attitude into the lives of communities by providing a family-friendly environment, where customers can enjoy frozen yogurt without having their religious beliefs scrutinized, judged or questioned.

Respect the Views of Others

Customers may be disapproving of a faith-based companys principles. By respecting all faiths and avoiding attempts to covert or judge customers, faith based businesses can cultivate a mutually respectful culture with their customers.

As Patrick Galleher said, by operating on a culture of inclusiveness, unhappy customers have never created any real problems.

Be Inclusive with Decision Making

Another challenge faith-based businesses may be faced with is related to decision making. For example, deciding what music to play in a store may be a specific decision-based challenge for organizations with strong religious principles.

Centering such decisions around community involvement can be an effective way to overcome certain decision making challenges. Asking customers what type of music, for example, they would like played in stores, makes decision making easy.

Be Respectful of the Sabbath

Many businesses operate on the Sabbath, the day the bible says: Gods people were told to rest on the seventh day of every week. Whether Sabbath is on Saturday or Sunday, deciding whether to operate on the Sabbath day is a challenge many modern faith based businesses are faced with.

The decision on whether or not to operate on Sabbath days ultimately falls into the hands of the employer, with the faith beliefs of others should be respected at all times.

Provide Time to Pray

Some religions require followers to pray at specific times throughout the day, which can be a challenge for many businesses. Acting compassionately by discussing prayer requirements with employees and allowing members of staff to pray at times that are both reasonable and practical for the business, will help create a sympathetic culture towards prayer.

Provide a Place to Pray

Faith based organizations may also be faced with the challenge of providing an appropriate, quiet place for staff to carry out their religious observance. Dedicating a specific area of the work premises as a place to pray will ensure all staff members have a quiet place built for worship throughout the day.

Support Fasting Staff

Faith based businesses may require extended periods of fasting, which could present its own set of challenges. Supporting staff through such periods, whilst avoiding placing unreasonable burdens on other non-fasting workers which may create conflict between members of staff, will help organizations and their workers get through periods of fasting smoothly and without problems.

Do you run or work for a faith-based business and have any experiences of challenges you have faced and overcome? If so, we would love to hear our readers experiences.
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...
Poverty  April 26, 2017  David Bush

Should the Left and labour support a demand for a Basic Income (BI)? This simple question has provoked a fervent and confusing debate. The discussion over BI touches on real political and economic anxieties. The attack on the social welfare state, the depreciating power of organized labour and an economy producing increasingly low-wage precarious jobs have led many to search for alternative mechanisms and policies to address these problems. It is no wonder that BI with its promise of streamlined access to minimal economic security has attracted many adherents on the Left.

Discussing BI with clarity is made difficult because of the sweeping scope and abstractness of the issue. Debates over BI necessarily involve an analysis of capitalism, the state, the nature of automation and theories of social change.

Another added difficulty in debating BI is that the policy has many different variants. Proponents of BI have been able to deflect criticism by creating a division between good BI and bad BI. Instead of a concrete debate about the economic and political aspects of BI, it is discussed as an ideal separated from the messy business of material reality. The strategy of those advocating BI centres on crafting policies in a vacuum and hoping governments enact them.

This romantic idealism has stymied serious analysis of the policy from the Left. Taking a step back and looking at the economic and political logic of BI, I hope to show that however well-meaning the policy is, it is economically flawed and a politically dangerous demand for the Left to adopt.

Costing BI

The three major forms of BI are: targeted, universal (UBI), and negative income tax. All of these have numerous permutations in regards to coverage, relation to other programs and the designated amount of money going to individuals. The targeted form, which is what is being rolled out in Finland and being proposed in Ontario looks to give designated low-income earners a single monthly cheque instead of them accessing social welfare provisions. UBI aims to give everyone a single monthly cheque regardless of their income. The negative income tax model essentially ensures everyone under a designated income amount is raised to that through a dispersal of cheques.

The first question we should ask is, what are the basic costs of these models? Looking at Ontario, Michal Rozworski has pointed out the cost of the universal model, even when set at a low rate, is exorbitant.

Giving every Ontarian even $15,000 annually would cost $207-billion, just over 25% of provincial GDP. Even limiting basic income to everyone over 15 years old would still come out to $172.5-billion. Increase the basic income amount and the cost rises in tandem. Even a $10,000 per person annual basic income would cost a bit more than what Ontario currently spends on everything else put together.

To implement a $15,000 basic income, while getting rid of welfare, but keeping things like education, healthcare and higher education, would still mean raising an additional $200-billion in revenues. Thats more than double the $91-billion Ontario is able to raise in taxes today.

Universal coverage, set at extremely low rates, even if other social welfare provisions are cut, still requires the raising of massive tax revenues. David MacDonald of the CCPA notes that even to universally distribute just a $1,000 cheque to Canadians per year, without cutting any social programs, would mean raising $29.2-billion a year in new revenue (roughly equivalent to 14 per cent of existing federal revenues), even after accounting for claw backs and tax backs of revenue. MacDonald notes this would achieve at best less than a 2 per cent reduction in the poverty rate in Canada, which he says would be quite wasteful when considering the amount of money spent.

The negative income tax model, which essentially is a targeted transfer of wealth to the poor, would also be highly expensive. To set the negative income line at $21,000 (if you are earning below that amount you would receive a cheque to boost you to that level), would require somewhere between $49-billion to $177-billion in new revenue depending on how many other social programs were left in place. But what if other social programs were cut, wouldnt this allow rates to be set higher?

The CCPA study, The Policy Makers Guide to Basic Income, answers that question conclusively, broadly speaking, cancelling existing income transfer programs in favour of a single basic income results either in dramatically higher levels of poverty, or ethically and politically unsupportable compromises where seniors are pushed into poverty to lift up adults and children.

The targeted model is more cost efficient, but the very nature of targeting small populations through means testing is little different than what already exists. More money in the hands of people who need social assistance, with less red tape, is undoubtedly a good thing. But the targeted BI model and small-scale experiments really do not make the case for wider adoption. There is no reason to think this is more efficient or politically possible than strengthening existing social programs.

The BI and the Logic of Capitalism

The goals for a left-wing version of BI are to eradicate or minimize poverty, to ensure consumer demand, redress inequality and to empower workers by providing a guaranteed minimum level of income for all citizens. The idea is to create a social policy, which allows workers to have the financial means to meet their basic needs without necessarily accessing the labour market. This would give workers more power and confidence to demand better pay and working conditions from employers. BI would ultimately give workers alternatives and autonomy, while also ensuring those, who for whatever reason are unable to work, can access the material means for a decent life.

Outside of the very real costing problem, the logic of BI falls short. Capitalism operates on the extraction of surplus labour from workers. Workers sell their potential to work on the labour market and employers put them to work, paying them a wage that is less than the value they produce with their labour. This surplus labour is ultimately the source of profits. Capitalism needs workers. Much of the history of capitalism centres around the creation of a working class that is more or less reliant on selling its labour power for a wage in order to live.

If workers in large enough numbers are able to sit outside of the labour market and sustain their basic needs, capitalism would cease to function. BI naively assumes that capitalists and the state would not respond politically and economically to the changing market condition of labour. The logic of capitalism would push capitalists to, at the very least, raise wages and increase prices on goods and services. The ultimate goal would be to compel workers back into the labour market, and make them dependent on selling their labour power in order to live. As Thom Workman and Geoffrey McCormack note:

The fact that workers  even those who are fond of their jobs  sell their labour power to employers out of necessity is the bottom-line reality that must be preserved through social policy. The cultivation of genuine alternatives for working people, perhaps in the form of alternative communities tied to the land (history abounds with such experiments) or in the form of legislation guaranteeing annual incomes which permit families to live modestly but with greater dignity, would have the effect of undermining capitalism by undermining its coercive labour supply.

Those advocating BI want to leave the basic mechanism and relationships of capitalism in place, but alter the dynamics of the labour market. Capitalists would still own business, property and control finance. The idea that capitalists or the state would simply allow workers to achieve BI at a rate that would meaningful alter the balance of class forces or mess with the central coercive function of the wage labour market is a fantasy.

More than simply costing too much, the economic vision of BI is incompatible with the logic of capitalism.

Politics and the State

The major political problem with BI is that it views that state as a neutral apparatus governing relations between workers and employers. The state is, when stripped down to its core essence, a reflection of the interests of the ruling class. The state relies on the smooth functioning of capitalism and its policies aim to achieve this (balancing the competing interests of capitalists and placating any possible rising working class movement). The state, its bureaucracy and the political class, have no real interest in upending capitalist social relations and the basic functioning of the labour market.

The capitalist state is used to push policies that facilitate the continual accumulation of profits by capitalists and foment stability (there are of course differences about how best to do this). A progressive version of BI runs counter to the basic objectives of the state.

Wages and the State

Faced with a period of systemic slow economic growth it is not hard to imagine that the state could adopt a version of BI that aims to subsidize low-wage work. Indeed, in places like the United States this is the defacto situation with Walmart workers surviving only by accessing food stamps. A modest BI, of say $10,000 (which would not be enough to empower workers to stay out of the labour market for long), would essentially be a top-up of wages for low-wage employers. It would be a weapon for employers to keep wages low, as they could argue there is no need to pay workers more because of BI. In this scenario why would employers not just pay the minimum wage if there was a BI top up?

BI as a wage subsidy for employers would have the effect of distancing workers labour from their wages. Instead of being paid directly for their work, part of the wage of workers would come from their own tax dollars in the form of BI. Workers are powerful because of their social location in relation to production. But having the state subsidize employers wages clouds the relationship between workers, employers and their profits. Instead of pushing against employers in relation to their profits, workers would have to formulate their demands in terms of a social wage. This would have the effect of obscuring class division, exploitation and capitalist social relations in society. A state subsidy of wages could easily disempower workers as a class relative to employers by blunting the class struggle and turning it into a technocratic argument over the level the state should subsidize employers wages.

Added to this very real possibility, is likelihood that the state would use BI to attack public sector unions. Workers who staff and administer social programs could easily loose their jobs if services were cut to make way for BI, which is why public sector unions like OPSEU oppose it. Other public sector workers would also face increasing pressure of concessions to wages and benefit as the state would scramble to minimize costs to pay for BI. Governments would likely pit public sector wages and benefits against BI for the public. If BI subsidized low-wage employers this would have the effect of putting added downward pressure on all unionized workers.

Political Struggle and BI

The debate over the social usefulness of BI is largely conducted in the realm of abstraction. Policy is dreamed up, calculated, and debated with next to no appreciation of how the political struggle could and would shape the proposed policy.

By subtracting the political from the equation of BI, its proponents treat the economy as a neutral object that can be simply rearranged. This approach engages in the worst kind of academic idealism that shuns any serious political analysis. As John Clarke notes:

Ive yet to see, quite bluntly, any serious attempt to assess what stands in the way of a progressive BI and what can be done to bring it into existence. It simply isnt enough to explain how just and fair a given model would be if it could be adopted. In order to credibly advance BI as the solution, there are some questions that must be settled.

As parts of the Left flirt with idyllic visions of BI, the right-wing is busy actually using the renewed interest to push their own political agenda. In Finland, the right-wing government is supporting BI, which is now in its testing phase, as a way to rollback the social welfare state and curb the power of trade unions.

In Ontario, the Liberal government is moving ahead with its BI pilot project. The pilot project would put a select group of low-income people on a BI. The Liberals have been using this idea to delay any meaningful action toward reducing poverty in the province. As Clarke argues:

If the concept is being advanced in Ontario by the very provincial government that has led the way in program reduction and austerity, it is not because they want to reverse the undermining of income support, the proliferation of precarious employment and the privatizing of public services but for the very opposite reason. They are looking with great interest at the possibility of using Basic Income as a stalking horse for their regressive social agenda and it will be the version that Bay Street has in mind that will win out over notions of progressive redistribution.

Rather than raising the rates for social assistance, increasing the minimum wage or spending more on social services the government is touting its BI experiment. The Liberals advocacy for BI also comes at the same time as the Changing Workplaces Review, a full-scale review of all labour law in the province. By propping up BI the Liberals are looking to stoke confusion and division amongst those pushing for paid sick days, a $15 minimum wage and stronger union rights. The Liberals are not alone in this effort.

In its effort to weaken labour laws, the Ontario Chamber of Commerce has made support for BI one of its key proposals in the Changing Workplace Review. This of course is not some noble gesture, BI in reality dovetails perfectly with its worldview.

BI is not just a left-wing idea, it has also long been advocated for by parts of the right-wing, such as Milton Friedman and Friedrich Hayek. The goal is to use BI to do away with the social welfare state. Instead of social programs, citizens are given minimum cheques by the state and then purchase their social needs on the market. BI will not be used to decommodify social relations, but used to desocialize state services.

Pushing Paper, Not Moving People

Many of BIs Left proponents are not just failing to challenge the right-wing versions of the policy, they are getting in bed with them. Rather than treat them as attacks on labour and the social welfare state, they are treating them as tentative first steps toward a better BI. Earlier this year, Guy Standing one of the main academic boosters of the BI, went to the World Economic Forum in Davos Switzerland to sell the idea to the worlds elites. He is also pushing the extreme right-wing Modi government in India to institute UBI. It is no wonder that Tory politicians like Hugh Segal, who is leading Ontarios Basic Income pilot project, have adopted Standings beyond left and right policy frame and analysis.

BI advocates are not aiming to build a social movement around these ideas, rather their goal is to persuade policy makers. The self-activity of workers in the process of achieving BI is at best reduced to voting for the issue during an election. BI is left to experts to calculate and implement. The problem is what is dreamed up in the laboratories of social policy is very far removed from the needs of workers. Instead of trying to create a political pole for the working class by empowering workers, unaccountable BI experts aim to substitute their visions for the voice of workers.

The version of BI that we are likely to get will reflect the balance of class forces. So when BI advocates focus on pushing policy papers rather than moving people it portends trouble. For this reason BI is not some sort of transitional demand which aims to push the envelope of what is possible under capitalism in order to build a working class movement to go further. Its wonkish approach to policy construction and appeal to experts fits seamlessly within the current political structures.

The very same forces that make it difficult to win improvements in current social programs, would not be magically abolished by the implementation of BI. In many ways BI presents more favourable conditions for employers and the government to attack social programs, as it is much easier to shape new social policy, than it is to rollback existing ones.

Beyond Basic Income

The political reality of BI is that the capitalist class will never support a version that will strengthen the hand of workers. All BI proposals imagine a capitalist class that will retain full control over businesses and property in society and not react when vast amounts of resources are given to workers.

Those BI supporters who acknowledge that existing proposals of BI are lackluster or even regressive, hold onto the idea a good BI is still worth fighting for. The problem with the division between real world BI proposals and ideal theories of a positive BI, is that the latter makes the former possible.

A progressive vision of BI speaks to the real desire to address the rise of precarious work, to make welfare less punitive, and to have justice for those who can never be part of the labour market.

We need to understand that BI is neither politically nor economically possible under capitalism. This is not to consign ourselves to defeat and inaction. Burying the idea of BI as a viable strategy to respond to inequalities and injustices of capitalism allows us to focus on strategies that can help us build the power we need to achieve economic justice and dignity for all. 
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.

He's abandoned several and failed to deliver quickly on others, stymied at times by a divided Republican Party and resistant federal judges. Of 10 promises that require Congress to act, none has been achieved and most have not been introduced.

"I've done more than any other president in the first 100 days," the president bragged in a recent interview with AP, even as he criticized the marker as an "artificial barrier."

In truth, his 100-day plan remains mostly a to-do list that will spill over well beyond Saturday, his 100th day.

Some of Trump's promises were obviously hyperbole to begin with. Don't hold your breath waiting for alleged Army deserter Bowe Bergdahl to be dropped out of an airplane without a parachute, as Trump vowed he'd do at many of his campaign rallies. China's leader got a fancy dinner, complete with "beautiful" chocolate cake at Mar-a-Lago this month, not the promised "McDonald's hamburger" and humble pie.

But many promises were meant to be taken seriously. Trump clearly owes his supporters a Mexico border wall, even if it doesn't end up being a foot taller than the Great Wall of China.

One page of his 100-day manifesto is devoted to legislation he would fight to pass in 100 days. None of it has been achieved.

The other page lists 18 executive actions and intentions he promised to pursue  many on Day One. He has followed through on fewer than a dozen, largely through the use of executive orders, and the White House is boasting that he will set a post-World War II record when he signs more this week.

That's a change in tune.

"We need people in Washington that don't go around signing executive orders because they can't get people into a room and get some kind of a deal that's negotiated," he declared in New Hampshire in March 2015. "We need people that know how to lead, and we don't have that. We have amateurs."

Efforts to provide affordable child care and paid maternity leave, to make college more affordable and to invest in urban areas have been all but forgotten. That's despite the advantage of a Republican-controlled Congress, which the White House failed to pull together behind Trump's first attempt to repeal and replace "Obamacare."

An AP reporter who followed Trump throughout the presidential campaign collected scores of promises he made along the way, from the consequential to the fanciful. Here are some of them, and his progress so far:

ENERGY and the ENVIRONMENT

Promise: Lift President Barack Obama's roadblocks on the Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines.

Done. Keystone XL is revived and construction of the Dakota Access is completed.

Promise: Lift restrictions on mining coal and drilling for oil and natural gas.

Done. Trump has unraveled a number of Obama-era restrictions and initiated a review of the Clean Power Plan, which aimed to restrict greenhouse gas emissions at coal-fired power plants.

Promise: Cancel payments to U.N. climate change programs and pull out of the Paris climate accord

Nope. Trump has yet to make a decision on Paris. His aides are torn.

ECONOMY and TRADE

Promise: Pass a tax overhaul. "Just think about what can be accomplished in the first 100 days of a Trump administration," he told his supporters again and again in the final weeks of the campaign. "We are going to have the biggest tax cut since Ronald Reagan." He promised a plan that would reduce rates dramatically both for corporations and the middle class.

Nowhere close. Trump has scrapped the tax plan he campaigned on, and his administration's new package is in its early stages, not only missing the first 100 days but likely to miss a new August deadline set by Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin. Some details may emerge this week.

Promise: Designate China a currency manipulator, setting the stage for possible trade penalties because "we're like the piggy bank that's being robbed. We can't continue to allow China to rape our country, and that's what they're doing."

Abandoned. Trump says he doesn't want to punish China when it is cooperating in a response to North Korean provocations. He also says China has stopped manipulating its currency for unfair trade advantage. But China was moving away from that behavior well before he took office. Also set aside: repeated vows to slap high tariffs on Chinese imports.

Promise: Announce his intention to renegotiate or withdraw from the North American Free Trade Agreement.

Backtracked, in essence. A draft of his administration's plan for NAFTA proposes only a mild rewrite. But in his AP interview, he threatened anew to terminate the deal if his goals are not met in a renegotiation.

Promise: Direct his commerce secretary and trade representative to identify all foreign trading abuses that unfairly hurt American workers.

Done. Trump has initiated plenty of studies over the past 100 days.

Promise: Slap a 35 percent tariff on goods from companies that ship production abroad. Force companies like Apple and Nabisco to make their products in the U.S.

Nope.

Promise: Embark on a massive $1 trillion effort to rebuild the country's infrastructure, including airports, roads and bridges.

Not yet.

SECURITY, DEFENSE and IMMIGRATION

Promise: Immediately suspend the Syrian refugee program.

Trump tried, but the first version of his travel ban was blocked by the courts. A revised version dropped references to Syrian refugees entirely. That was blocked, too. And he has yet to mention another campaign pledge: to deport Syrian refugees already settled in the U.S.

Promise: Inform his generals they have 30 days to submit a new plan for defeating the Islamic State group.

Trump did indeed order up a plan. It's unclear what it is since it has yet to be made public.

Promise: Suspend immigration from "terror-prone regions" where he says vetting is too difficult.

Trump's effort to bar immigration temporarily from some Muslim-majority countries has been stymied by courts.

Promise: Implement "extreme" immigration vetting techniques.

In progress. The Homeland Security Department is considering a number of measures, like asking for visitors' phone contacts and social media passwords.

Promise: Build an "impenetrable physical wall" along the length of the southern border, and make Mexico pay for it.

The government has been soliciting bids and test sections could be built as soon as this summer. Mexico is not paying for this work.

Promise: End federal funding to "sanctuary cities"  places where local officials are considered by Washington to be insufficiently cooperative in arresting or detaining people in the country illegally.

The Justice Department has threatened to do so, but there are legal limits.

Promise: Immediately deport the estimated 2 million "criminal aliens" living in the country, including gang members, in joint operations with local, state, and federal law enforcement.

Deportations have not increased. Arrests of people in the U.S. illegally are up and illegal border crossings are significantly down.

Promise: Cancel visas for foreign countries that won't take back criminals deported by the U.S.

There's been no discussion of this yet.

Promise: "Immediately terminate President Obama's two illegal executive amnesties," one of which allows young people brought into the country as children to stay and work.

Trump has made no effort to end the program, even though it would take a single phone call. In fact, he told AP these young people can "rest easy" and not fear deportation.

GOVERNMENT and the SWAMP

Promise: Ask agency and department heads to identify job-killing regulations for elimination.

Done.

Promise: Propose a constitutional amendment to impose term limits on all members of Congress.

Nope.

Promise: "Drain the swamp."

On his pledge to curb the power of special interests, Trump has so far used an executive order to prohibit political appointees from lobbying the government for five years after serving in his administration and to ban outgoing officials from representing foreign governments. But he's discontinuing the Obama-era practice of releasing White House visitor logs, restoring a shroud over what special interests are getting in his gates. He's also issued at least one waiver to his lobbying ban, allowing a White House budget adviser to go advocate for a business trade group

Promise: Impose a hiring freeze on federal employees, excluding military and public safety staffers.

This was one of Trump's first actions. But the freeze has since been lifted.

Promise: Require that two regulations be eliminated for each new one imposed.

Trump signed an order requiring agencies to identify two existing regulations for every new one imposed  though there is nothing in the order that requires the two to be eliminated.

FOREIGN AFFAIRS

Promise: End the strategy of nation-building and regime change.

Trump's foreign policy posture is still in its early stages, though he has already intervened in Syria and has escalated rhetoric against North Korea.

Promise: Move the U.S. Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem.

The administration says it is studying the issue.

Promise: Negotiate the release of all U.S. prisoners held in Iran, even before taking office. Renegotiate or leave the Iran nuclear deal.

No prisoners have been released. The administration is studying the nuclear deal and Trump told AP "it's possible" the U.S. will withdraw.

Promise: Create a safe zone in Syria for refugees, paid for by the Gulf states.

Not yet.

HEALTH CARE, COURTS and GUNS

Promise: "My first day in office, I'm going to ask Congress to put a bill on my desk getting rid of this disastrous law and replacing it with reforms that expand choice, freedom, affordability. You're going to have such great health care at a tiny fraction of the cost. It's going to be so easy."

The bill to replace "Obamacare" was pulled from Congress because it lacked enough support. He will try again with a revised plan.

Promise: Begin selecting a new Supreme Court judge to fill the court's vacancy.

Done. Trump nominated Neil Gorsuch and the Senate approved him.

Promise: Eliminate gun-free zones in schools and on military bases.

Nope.

REALLY?

Promise: "I promise I will never be in a bicycle race."

So far, so good. Trump's vow came after John Kerry, then secretary of state, broke his femur in May 2015 while riding a bicycle. He was not in a bicycle race.

Promise: Bar his generals from being interviewed on television.

Never mind that. Army Lt. Gen. H. R. McMaster, as Trump's national security adviser, recently appeared on a Sunday news show. Several senior military officers have done Pentagon news conferences in the past few months that are taped by the networks. Gen. John Nicholson, the top general in Afghanistan, appeared at a news conference Monday.

Promise: No time for play.

Most weekends as president, Trump has broken his pledge to avoid the golf course, after years of criticizing his predecessor for playing the game. "Because I'm going to be working for you, I'm not going to have time to go play golf," he told a Virginia rally in August. "Believe me."

Promise: "If I become president, we're gonna be saying Merry Christmas at every store. ... You can leave 'happy holidays' at the corner."

As president-elect over the holidays, he sent a "Merry Christmas" tweet. So did President Obama. And both sent Happy Hanukkah wishes.

Merry Christmas and a very, very, very , very Happy New Year to everyone!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 25, 2016

___

Associated Press writers Alicia A. Caldwell, Lolita C. Baldor and Julie Bykowicz contributed to this report.
Ladislav Basternak, known as a crony of several top Smer politicians and charged with not paying taxes and levies, filed a complaint concerning the decision of the investigator.

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The Special Prosecutors Office is still dealing with Basternaks case and the businessman has now filed a complaint against the decision of the National Criminal Agency (NAKA) investigator, the webnoviny.sk website wrote on April 25.

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The NAKA investigator charged Basternak on March 17, accusing him, as the statutory representative of the BL-202 company, of groundlessly claiming a VAT return amounting to 1,974,954.

Basternaks company wanted the VAT to be returned after he purchased seven flats worth more than 11.84 million for a mere 1.45 million in the Five Star Residence complex. The firm therefore allegedly received a tax advantage and unjustifiably claimed the repayment of excessive VAT to the tune of 1,732,287.

Police recorded that originally, the flats were bought by the Rent and Wash s.r.o. company, on March 8, 2012, for one euro; the purchase contract states these were unfurnished and unequipped flats. The purchase price also included a loan from the purchasing company to the original owner, Viliam G., of 1.2 million in 2011.

Rent and Wash s.r.o. then concluded a purchase contract on March 19, 2012 with the BL-202 company, for almost 12 million euros. According to the police, the claim that Basternak upgraded and then sold the flats as luxury properties, does not hold water, as he would have had only 11 days to renovate them.

BL-202 sold one of the flats, unfurnished, on May 4 for 170,000, according to the National Unit of the Financial Police. The company used the six remaining flats to repay the loan to Patrik Ziman, for the final price of 1.2 million , based on the agreement for settling liability. Ziman sold two of the six flats in August 2012 to an ordinary customer for 395,000, and the remaining four, on September 19, for 200,000.

Investigation and charges

Police started investigating the excessive VAT return in April 2016 when the investigator launched the criminal prosecution. He ruled on the charge based on the statements of several witnesses and documents from the tax office. Police also made searches of several houses and other spaces of the headquarters of the companies involved, as well as Basternak's own flat, webnoviny.sk wrote.

So far, Ladislav Basternak has still not been charged by the police in the second case, although a criminal prosecution for tax and levy reduction, concerning the construction of the Bratislava housing development Bonaparte, was launched in October 2016. The criminal complaint in this case was filed in May 2016 by the SaS MP Jozef Rajtar, who claims that the investor, the Real Forum Invest company, may have benefited from illegal skulduggery with the excessive VAT return. One of the statutory representatives of the company at that time was Basternak.

Prime Minister Robert Fico also rents a flat in the Bonaparte complex but opposition politicians claim he is paying an advantageous rent and this can be considered a form of corruption. Fico promised that he would move out of the flat if Basternak is charged, as his staying there would then become unacceptable. Fico also said  in March  that he is searching for a "final housing solution and he has several localities in mind.
Lubomir Rehak won the poll of the London-based magazine Diplomat. The Slovak ambassador to the United Kingdom, Rehak, became the European Diplomat of the Year on April 24.

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For me, winning the award means not only appreciation of my work, but of activities of the entire Slovak Embassy in London, ambassador Rehak commented, as quoted by the SITA newswire. I think that the award reflects positive evaluation of Slovakias presidency in the EU Council in the second half of 2016 which was especially difficult in London after the United Kingdom decided in the referendum to leave the EU.

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It was the ninth annual awards ceremony in ten categories based on votes of over 20,000-member diplomatic corps from more than 180 diplomatic missions based in London, the press department of the Slovak Foreign Ministry informed. The host of the event, BBC Diplomatic Correspondent James Landale, likened the winner of the Distinguished Contribution to Diplomacy in London award, to those pop-stars or politicians that everyone knows by their first name. The awards were bestowed according to different regions, and Lubomir Rehak became the 2017 TATA Diplomat of the Year from Europe, organisers wrote.

He was born in 1970 in Topolcany, started working at the Foreign Ministry beginning 1990s, and worked as diplomat in Moscow, Lisbon, Minsk, Brussels and Astana. In 2015, he was appointed the extraordinary and plenipotentiary ambassador at the Court of St Jamess, meaning effectively for the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
Taxi drivers plan a protest drive in Bratislava on April 26.

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The police have dismissed a criminal complaint submitted against the company, Uber Slovakia.

The motion presented to the General Prosecutors Office was submitted by the owner of a taxi service, Peter Fitos. The General Prosecutors Office sent it to the regional prosecutors office in Bratislava which then moved it to the city of Bratislava, as a transport authority entitled to discuss the administrative offences and also to the police department of the Stare Mesto borough via the district prosecutors office, the TASR newswire reported.

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The police officer charged to deal with the motion that concerned the unauthorised business, turned the complaint down on April 20, 2016. The decision became valid on May 20, 2016, said Michal Surek, spokesperson for the regional prosecutors office in Bratislava, as reported by TASR.

Taxi services have already been successful in a similar dispute in the Czech Republic. The media informed this month that Uber will stop its business in the town of Brno, following the ruling issued by the local court in favour of the Lido Taxi company and the city of Brno.

The dissatisfied taxi drivers are ready to protest in Bratislava against unauthorised drivers on April 26, TASR reported.
OLaNO wants Danko to step down as parliaments speaker after what they call an unprecedented measure.

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People who turn to opposition MPs with their petitions, complaints, or reports of, for instance, corruption, cannot be sure that their letters will not be read by others than their intended recipients.

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Opposition Ordinary People and Independent Personalities (OLaNO) MPs reported that the head of the Parliaments Office, Daniel Guspan, ordered the staff of the parliaments filing room to open all letters addressed to individual MPs if they are sent anonymously or from an ordinary member of the public. The rule has been effective as of April 7.

The Parliaments Office denied the accusations of violating letter privacy.

OLaNO MPs Igor Matovic, Jan Budaj, and Veronika Remisova told a press conference that they have received opened letters from April 10. They claim that they receive tens of letters every month from their voters and people who wish to report corruption suspicions. The letters are sometimes signed and sometimes sent anonymously. Matovic read sections of some of his letters that he received in April. Some of them were opened, with security measures as an explanation.

Matovic alleges that the measure was implemented following Dankos order.

Only Andrej Danko and nobody else is responsible for this control, Matovic told a press conference on April 25 in front of the parliament.

Protection or censorship?

Opposition MPs claim they have not been informed that their letters would be opened. The text of the order for the filing room, that Matovic shared with journalists at the press briefing, reads that the staff of the filing room should open letters that were sent anonymously or signed by a member of the public and if they find the opened letters contain obscene or defamatory language, they are instructed not to pass the letters on to the MPs. Instead, they should archive them for three months and then discard.

What happened here is not about the right of an MP to privacy but about the right of people who voted for us to be able to turn freely to their MP without anyone knowing about it, Matovic told journalists.

Dankos office however denies such accusations. The parliaments spokesperson, Zuzana Cizmarikova, in turn accused Matovic of manipulation and explained that they deal with the letters in line with the recommendations from the Interior Ministry and the Office for Protection of Constitutional Officials, she told the Sme daily. She insisted that it is a standard process, based on a directive from the Interior Ministry from November 2016.

Every letter that does not have a sender or is from the public may be suspicious, since we have had three contaminated deliveries recently, Cizmarikova told the daily and added that the staff of the filing room have clearances, are obliged to keep letter secrecy, and use protection when opening letters.

Guspan too argued the protection of MPs, when explaining why the filing room opens some letters. The Parliaments Office that he leads specified that over the past 14 days, they received 789 letters out of which 39 were opened, Sme reported.

As for the obscene and defamatory language in letters, she admitted they do not pass them on to the recipients but notify them that they have received such mail.

Parliaments Speaker has all his correspondence opened, both from the public and from legal persons, Cizmarikova noted for Sme, stressing that these are the rules and have not just been invented by Danko.

Opposition wants Danko out

The Interior Ministry in fact admitted that they have issued a directive for offices like the Presidents Office, the Governments Office, ministries, and the parliament. The ministry did specify the cases where a delivery is to be treated as suspicious: if it does not bear the name of the sender or the stamp of the post office where it was processed, or if it seems too heavy or seems to contain an unusual substance. It does advise the staff of the filing room to wear face masks and protective gloves when handling mail and also recommends that this be done by just one person.

The police did not specify anything about the content of the opened letters which would prevent them from being delivered to their final recipients - contrary to the rules implemented in the parliament, where defamatory language means the letter is not passed on to the recipient.

OLaNO wants to coordinate with the rest of the opposition and convene an extraordinary session to recall the parliaments speaker from his post over the issue. In their reactions to the news, opposition MPs were mostly supportive of the idea to recall Danko, and most of them condemned the opening of their letters as censorship or violation of their rights.

The MPs also told the press conference they are filing a criminal complaint for violating letter privacy, which is recognised as a basic constitutional right in the Slovak constitution.
The radio needs to pay 15,000 for failing to secure the impartiality of a talk show.

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The Council for Broadcasting and Retransmission (RVR) fined the broadcaster of Zilina-based Radio Frontinus for a talk show attended by Milan Mazurek, MP of the far-right Peoples Party  Our Slovakia (LSNS). It has to pay 15,000, the TASR newswire reported.

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The talk show was broadcast on October 2, 2016. The RVR claimed it was not impartial as Mazurek was the only guest. It disliked the one-sided opinions on solving Roma problems, and the system of prisons, pensions or redistribution of public money. The MP also commented on the activities of the coalition, the opposition, the general prosecutor and the non-governmental organisation People Against Racism.

The council received altogether eight complaints concerning the talk show.

The radio did not provide any opposition opinion, by which it failed to secure objectiveness and impartiality of the programme, said Lucia Jelcova, spokesperson for RVR, as quoted by TASR.

Moreover, RVR also sanctioned the radio with a notice of law violation for Mazureks offensive statements against Roma and Islamic migrants.

The decision is still not valid as it may be appealed by submitting a lawsuit to the respective regional court, TASR wrote.
The Transport Ministry will restore the operation of fast trains on the southern route as of June.

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The Transport Ministry first cancelled the competition to operate trains to Banska Bystrica, announced by the previous minister Jan Pociatek (Smer), and now have dismissed the idea completely.

Instead, the state wants to restore the express trains using the route between Bratislava, Zvolen and Kosice that were scrapped two years ago, the Sme daily reported.

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The direct trains will travel from Bratislava to Banska Bystrica and then via Lucenec to Kosice in turns, the ministry told Sme.

The express trains should be restored as of June, leaving Bratislava every two hours. They will either end in Banska Bystrica or continue to Kosice, according to information obtained by Sme.

The state-run passenger carrier ZSSK has not commented on the information.

The state scrapped the direct trains between Bratislava and Kosice that ran through Zvolen in December 2015. It substituted them with nine pairs of trains running directly between Bratislava and Banska Bystrica. Those who wanted to go to the east had to change trains in Zvolen.

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The concept of travelling via southern Slovakia changed two years ago due to the planned competition concerning the Bratislava-Banska Bystrica route, Rastislav Cenky of the Institute for Transport and Economy told Sme.

The ministry announced the competition in November 2015, but new minister Arpad Ersek (Most-Hid) scrapped it in February 2015. He claimed at the time the ministry would prepare a new one with different conditions. The ministry wanted to secure the comprehensive operation of trains in the area, which included not only long-distance trains, but also regional trains and buses.

The recent plans however indicate there will be no such competition at all, an expert addressed by Sme opined.

By restoring the trains on the southern route, Ersek wants to make use of the higher number of passengers travelling between Bratislava and Banska Bystrica, but also the higher share of passengers on the route connecting the capital with Roznava, Lucenec and Detva. However, it failed to specify how much the number of passengers increased, Sme reported.

Experts cast doubt on the potential mentioned by the ministry, with Cenky expecting that the trains to Kosice via Zvolen will become less attractive to people travelling to Banska Bystrica as they will have to change trains.

Moreover, the track in the south is not electrified, which causes an lower average speed, Sme wrote.
The restructuring process is complicated by one of the creditors.

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Creditors are expected to decide about the fate of the Humenne-based producer of synthetic fibres for the automotive industry, company Nexis Fibers. It struggles with high debts, generated by its previous owner, and has submitted a proposal to start a restructuring process.

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The situation, however, is complicated by the company Chemes, which belongs to the creditors and in whose building Nexis Fibers resides and from which it has utilities, the Hospodarske Noviny daily reported.

Nexis Fibers has submitted a plan according to which the restructuring plan should last five years. If the creditors committee approved it, Nexis would start repaying the debts to Chemes in the last three years of the process.

Chemes, however, introduced its own proposal which only counts three years for restructuring, as the original plan is unacceptable to them. Thus it also proposed the direct sale of the company, also in an international company, or the creation of a merged firm, Hospodarske Noviny reported.

Nexis Fibers however disagrees with the plans, the daily wrote.

Moreover, Slovak laws do not allow companies other than debtors to submit the restructuring proposals. Thus experts say the Chemes' proposal is irrelevant.

The company claimed in the past that if the creditors committee accepts the plan submitted by Nexis Fibers, it would stop supplying it with the energy necessary for production which will in fact mean the end of the fibres producer. Since it resides in the building of Chemes, it is impossible to find a new supplier, Hospodarske Noviny reported.

Nexis Fibers currently employs 400 people who would lose their jobs in the case of bankruptcy, as well as another 1,000 people working for its subcontractors. Chair of the board of directors of Chemes, Vladimir Skoupil, stressed that the original plan of Nexis Fibers may endanger also 1,500 jobs in the industrial Chemes park, the TASR newswire reported.
The inspection of the Public Procurement Office has not revealed any flaws, despite the criticism of former ministry employees.

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The Public Procurement Office (UVO) claims that the Foreign Affairs Ministry did not violate the law when organising events linked to the countrys six-month EU Council presidency.

It finished its inspection on April 12, the TASR newswire reported.

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UVO checked whether the ministry met conditions for using an exception from public procurement rules that applies to sub-limit orders and orders to procure goods and services linked to the EU Council presidency.

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It also focused on the process of signing agreements of cooperation by the ministry, without any law violation being revealed. This UVO issued a decision on March 20, halting the proceeding, TASR reported.

Meanwhile, several former employees of the Foreign Affairs Ministry criticised the practices linked particularly to the opening event of the Slovak presidency, but also the procurement of advertisement spots, films and videos. The ministry has rejected the accusations, TASR wrote.

The ethics watchdog, Transparency International Slovensko (TIS), which pointed to the dubious organisation together with ex-Foreign Affairs Ministry employee Zuzana Hlavkova, meanwhile claimed that the published decision has not disproven any of its suspicions concerning the orders linked to the presidency.

The published decision suggests that it pertains only to the procurement of the opening concert for the public Viva Europa that took place on July 2, 2017, organised by Viva Musica, TIS wrote in a press release. The only outcome this decision contains is that the Foreign Affairs Ministry was entitled to use the exception of the law on public procurement for the competitions linked to the Slovak EU Council presidency.

TIS stressed that the decision does not concern the competition to organise the event to introduce the presidency logo or the audiovisual services and video recordings to the opening concert for VIP guests, the press release reads.
The business sector claims that such a step would lead to speculation and slow the growth of wages.

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Part of the ruling coalition, the Slovak National Party (SNS) wants to oblige companies in Slovakia to pay out a 13th salary to their employees. They see this as a way of enabling employees to enjoy the country's sound economic growth, but economic analysts perceive the idea as a populist one.

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The business sector insists that stimulus such as the 13th salary should remain voluntary or it would lose its motivating effect. They also believe that although more than 70 percent of companies in Slovakia pay out some sort of a 13th salary, making this obligatory would result in speculation and hinder the growth of wages.

SNS chair Andrej Danko unveiled the idea at the partys congress in Sliac on April 8 saying that he wants to see Slovak citizens approaching their western counterparts in terms of salaries and benefits, as he does not see any meaning in the countrys membership of the EU without this.

Today SNS adopted a vision of a strong social-market economy where both employees and employers would be satisfied, said Danko as cited by the TASR newswire. The constitution declares that we have a social-market economy, and SNS is speaking about strengthening the social pillar.

Danko proposed that the 13th salary, i.e., usually the equivalent of one month's salary and paid in December around Christmas and also referred to as a Christmas bonus, could be exempt from income and payroll taxes. He would like to see the compulsory 13th salary for all employees working for a company for at least one year introduced during the current electoral term.

Im fully aware of the reaction of entrepreneurs, said Danko. Thats why this motivational part is there, even featuring the possibility of absolute tax exemption.

Prime Minister Robert Fico has described the idea of the 13th salary as inspiring while the third coalition party, Most-Hid would instead prefer a systemic solution in the form of a reduction in the compulsory sick leave insurance, for example.

The American Chamber of Commerce in the Slovak Republic considers this kind of proposal as a non- systemic measure. Members of the AmCham Employment and Social Affairs Committee believe such a proposal, if adopted, will create additional burden on doing business and, at the end of the day, it may not help the employees as intended.

It believes that the level of salary shall be subject to an agreement between the employer and its employee. 13th, and even 14th, salary is already used by many of our members as a motivational tool, if economic situation of the company allows such pay, and is very often part of collective labor agreements.

"We don't see any rational to change this by a law," wrote the chamber in its response.

13th salary yes, but not compulsory

The Business Alliance of Slovakia (PAS) conducted a survey among businesses to find out whether they pay out the 13th salary, and how they perceive the SNS proposal.

The survey showed that out of 177 participating companies, as much as 70.6 percent pay a complete (33.9 percent) or partial (36.7 percent) 13th salary.

The motivation for payment of the 13th salary is especially good economic results of companies, said Peter Kremsky, executive director of PAS, adding that more than one third of companies pay the 13th salaries only when they perform well. Another large group of companies rewards employees with the aim to motivate them to work better; eventually it seeks to draw new workers.

The survey showed that if the government introduced the compulsory 13th salary exempt of income and payroll taxes, more than one third of companies would halt ordinary increases in wages and would transfer them into annual benefits. Some companies would even reduce wages in order to accumulate money for the compulsory 13th salaries.

In case the 13th salary would be exempt from income and payroll taxes, but its payment would be not obligatory, almost 40 percent of companies would pay it at the current amount. Thus, employees would get more as they would also receive money normally paid to the state and insurance companies in the form of income and payroll taxes.

Another, very similar group of employers would speculate, said Kremsky, adding that they would try to maximise the portion of monthly salaries going into the 13th salary to save on income and payroll taxes. But this can be easily prevented by capping the 13th salary at the average monthly wage.

Exemption of the 13th salary from income and payroll taxes would inspire almost 5 percent of the respondents to pay it to their employees. Roughly 12 percent would not introduce it even afterwards.

More than half of the surveyed companies opined that making the 13th salary compulsory would harm the Slovak economy and see it as a populist proposal.

They especially complain about the loss of flexibility when rewarding their employees  they would no longer be able to appraise more quality work or exceptional results when all employees would obligatorily receive the 13th salary, said Kremsky.

PAS welcomes making the 13th salary exempt from income and payroll taxes, which however, should be capped at the average monthly wage for the previous year. But it does not recommend making the 13th salary obligatory because this way they would lose their motivating factor.

Exactly making them exempt from income and payroll taxes would be the best motivation for their payment and it would contribute to reduction of the financial burden on companies wage costs, said Kremsky. This may improve their possibilities for rewarding employees and improve their competitiveness in central Europe.

On the other hand, Radovan Durana, an economic analyst with the think tank INESS, believes that freeing the 13th salary from income and payroll taxes would only partially ease the impacts of this proposal.

It would help companies that already pay out the 13th salary but simultaneously put companies competing for labour at a disadvantage, said Durana as cited by the Sme daily.

Compulsory in Spain

When introducing the idea of the compulsory 13th salary, Danko cited Spain as a country where it is compulsory.

Its normal to receive a 13th or 13th salary in Austria or Portugal, said Danko as cited by TASR. This means that its an integrated part of salaries regularly paid to employees in June and December after they have carried out all their duties.

Durana responded that in Spain this measure deepened the crisis in the labour market and that this crisis has persisted until today.

The wage package cannot be blown up by a decision made by the government or parliament, said Durana as cited by the Sme daily. The fact that some countries use it does not mean that it is a wanted measure.

In several countries, the payment of the 13th or the 14th salaries is not mandatory in general, but based on collective agreements with local trade unions.

Usually, it is part of collective bargaining between the social partners, Markus Halt, the spokesperson of the Slovak-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SNOPK), told The Slovak Spectator. For this reason, the majority of employees in Germany receive a 13th salary. Nevertheless, its amount does not represent a complete monthly salary.

Furthermore, in the case of about 50 percent of those employees getting the bonus, it is less than 1,000, while the national monthly wage in Germany is approximately 2,700.

The chamber perceives this proposal as a financial burden for the Slovak economy when, based on the findings of the platy.sk website dedicated to remuneration in Slovakia, only 17 percent of employees received a 13th salary in 2016.

Companies already granting a 13th salary would benefit from the financial relief as they would not have to pay payroll taxes on it any longer, said Halt. Companies not paying out a 13th salary so far, however, would be burdened by rising labour costs.

In general, SNOPK does not support any state intervention in wage bargaining.

SNOPK considers this measure an interference in the freedom of wage bargaining, said Halt. It is the task of the social partners to negotiate the amount and coverage of salaries respectively, this may also happen between employer and employee individually.
STEAM

California, Pennsylvania, Vermont Schools Win filmMAKER Challenge

Digital Promise has selected winners for its filmMAKER Challenge, a competition supported by Chevron that encourages middle and high school students to learn about product design and filmmaking.

Through the challenge, students were invited to reinvent an everyday product into something more sustainable, beautiful or accessible, and create a short documentary about their experience, according to the announcement.

Digital Promise has chosen four winning teams from schools in California, Vermont and Pennsylvania to present the winning films and designs at the Bay Area Maker Faire in California, May 19-21, as well as the World Maker Faire New York, Sept. 23-24.

Rancho Minerva Middle School

Students at Rancho Minerva Middle School in Vista, CA designed an SD chip holder that assists the schools IT staff in loading software and deploying laptops to students faster.

In the teams video submission, Dewayne Cossey, director of information technology, said Rancho Minerva gets about 1,200 Chromebooks each year and IT manually configures each device using an SD chip. Originally, the design (see image right) used up a lot of space but was secure enough to hold the SD chip. Since Rancho Minerva does 3D printing, IT staff asked teachers and students to design a couple of prototypes.

The original case for the SD chip.

Nichole Santangelo, a design lab teacher, was tasked with figuring out how to take a decent design from Thingiverse, which didnt quite fit their purposes, and put it onto Tinkercad, an online 3D design and printing app the students use. With help from a teacher's assistant and students, Santangelo was able to provide three prototypes: a single one, a back-to-back one, and a 10-piece prototype. After receiving feedback from IT, another student, Mariah Campos, came up with a side-by-side prototype that was more efficient.

The winning design.

The design that really won out was this one where it is just two in tandem with each other in line, making it a lot easier for us to [configure] two Chromebooks at a time, said Sebastian Rossi, system support technician at Rancho Minerva, in the video.

Rancho Minerva IT staff ordered 40 prototypes of the device. Getting Chromebooks rolling is so much easier. It used to be such a hassle and a pain, and now its just plug and play.

To be able to share these types of solutions to speed up the process of Chromebook configuration in collaboration with our student design teams, we can really be the model between school district and IT and real world connections, Cossey said in the video.

Edmunds Middle School (Burlington, VT)

A group of students at Edmunds Middle School decided to design a prototype with real social impact. The students created an affordable, heat-tested mitten for the homeless population in Burlington.

In the teams video submission, students explain how they visited local stores and researched the best materials for creating their prototype. They tested different materials heat retention by putting them in snow and using Bluetooth temperature probes connected to iPads to collect data. They chose a combination of materials that tested at just 27 percent heat loss (compared to about 51 percent for all the materials), and the total cost per mitten came out to be $4.97.

South Fayette High School (McDonald, PA)

Two teams of students at South Fayette High School have been selected. The first launched Bag it Pro, an app that aims to improve the grocery shopping experience by saving customers time.

According to its short documentary, the team wanted to do more than scan barcodes and actually address customer complaints, like long lines at the checkout counter. Individuals can use the Bag it Pro app to look up product information, talk to supermarket staff and instantly checkout and pay for purchases.

After this experience, we all learn a lot about the product design process, a student narrator said in the video. We all came together as a team and used all of our different skillsets and perspectives to create an app that we truly believe will innovate toward a better future.

The second SFHS team designed a pill dispenser that uses a biometric lock and only dispenses the correct dosages when activated. The LockRx dispenser aims to combat the opioid addiction epidemic in the United States, according to the video entry.
When President Donald Trump came to Kenosha last week, he stressed the need to hire American and buy American. Here in Racine on the local level, local government should do the same.

That is not what happened when city officials recently decided to contract with a Milwaukee firm for an $80,000 communications contract.

According to city Development Director Amy Connolly, the Redevelopment Authority is entering into an $80,000 professional services contract with Branigan Communications, a PR firm in Milwaukees Historic Third Ward. Branigan will help the city implement a new communications strategy and create an upgraded website for the city to report on its developments.

Amy Connolly said she interviewed Racine firms for the project. But company representatives from Image Management, Corporate Imaging and Design Partners told The Journal Times they were not contacted by Connolly or the city about the project beforehand.

Its always a slap in the face when were working hard in Racine and the city government snubs us and basically assumes were not up to the challenge, said Alan Bagg, who owns Corporate Images, 417 Sixth St.

Connolly said she chose Branigan because of its significant development experience, which includes promotion of the BMO Harris Bradley Center in Milwaukee.

We need to do a better job of communicating with the public about what were doing with economic development, Connolly said. We wanted to hire the best candidate for the job and we felt that was Branigan.

If Branigan truly was the best company for the job and submitted the best proposal, we wouldnt object. But, the city didnt go out for bids on this proposal and didnt even reach out to three of the most prominent communication companies in the area.

According to the citys ordinance, the city is required to ask for bids for the purchase of materials, supplies and equipment for projects that exceed $25,000. But the city is not required to get bids for professional services such as the communications contract.

That should change and local companies should be given an opportunity to bid.

Taxpayer money should stay local when possible. These businesses owners who were snubbed are the same ones who pay into the city to keep our streets safe, clean and maintained. They are the same ones who shop in our grocery stores and walk our Downtown streets. The money they spend stays local.

Local government should hire Racine County and buy Racine County when possible.
Assessments

Maryland ED Awards Measured Progress 6-Year Contract for High School Assessments

The Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) has awarded Measured Progress a six-year contract for its Maryland High School Assessments (MHSA) in science and government.

Measured Progress comes to the project with extensive experience on high school tests and the new challenging science standards, according to a news release issued by the New Hampshire-based company. Its content specialists were among the first to write innovative assessment materials addressing the multiple dimensions of the standards, the company said.

eMetric, an industry expert and business partner of Measured Progress, will provide the online testing platform. eMetrics end-to-end iTester delivery system has been used in summative, interim/benchmark and formative assessments in numerous states and districts. Measured Progress and eMetric have a well established working relationship that has resulted in successful implementations for several statewide assessment contracts.

Educators across the state have played major roles in Marylands assessment programs. Under the new contract, they will continue to contribute their expertise, the company said. Measured Progress will facilitate extensive involvement of Maryland educators in item development and review, bias and sensitivity review, scoring rangefinding and other activities.

Were extremely pleased to be working with the Maryland State Department of Education on this program, said Martin Borg, president and CEO of Measured Progress, in a statement. Our philosophy and mission  to create meaningful assessment that supports student learning  are a great fit with Marylands

commitment to students. We look forward to a constructive and collaborative relationship.

To learn more about Measured Progress, visit the companys website.
The UAE, represented by the Ministry of Finance (MoF), is participating in the 2017 spring meetings for the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank Group (WBG) which will be held from April 21-23 in Washington DC.



Obaid Humaid Al Tayer, Minister of State for Financial Affairs, will head the UAE delegation which will include Mubarak Rashed Al Mansoori, UAE Central Bank Governor, Khalid Ali Al Bustani, Assistant Undersecretary of International Financial Relations Sector at MoF and a number of specialists in the Ministry and the Central Bank.



Al Tayer will also head the Arab Group at the International Monetary and Financial Committee (IMFC).



These meetings represent an interactive platform to discuss key topics and the latest developments on a regional and global level, as well as offer the opportunity to exchange expertise. The current changes in the global economy and the future of governments require joint international efforts to strengthen the economic growth, support the economic and investment development and build a stronger and more sustainable global economy for future generations, said Al Tayer.



Al Tayer and his accompanying delegation will participate in the Arab Group Meeting, the IMFC meetings, and the Undersecretaries of Ministers of Finance meeting.



During his participation in the annual meetings, Obaid Humaid Al Tayer will also meet with Christine Lagarde, managing director of the IMF, Dr Hazem Al Beblawi, executive director of the IMF and Dr Mirza Hasan, executive director of the Arab Group at WBG.



The agenda of the 2017 spring meetings includes the meeting of the IMFC, alongside a number of seminars will be held in addition to regional media briefings, press conferences and a range of activities which will focus on the global economy, international development and the global financial system.



The 2017 spring meetings of the IMF and WBG will gather Central Bank governors, ministers of finance and development, senior officials from private sector, and academics to discuss key international topics including global economic prospects, poverty eradication, economic development and aid effectiveness.  TradeArabia News Service
The Embassy of Philippines in association with Hilal Conferences Exhibitions (HCE), will host a conference on the Philippine Economic Outlook and Consumer Behaviour on April 25 at the Bahrain International Exhibition Centre.



Karen Remo, the editor-in-chief of The Filipino Times and managing director of New Perspective Media, will be speaking at the conference.



More and more investors are looking to pump in money into the Philippines, thanks to its stable economic growth buoyed by strong domestic demand and a nation-wide sentiment that real and fast reforms are happening now, observed Remo.



The Philippines has the fastest growing economy in South East Asia, explained Remo.



According to the World Economic Outlook, IMFs flagship publication released this month, the Philippines will grow 6.8 per cent this year. This is nearly twice the 3.5 per cent global GDP growth rate and three times the growth of advanced economies. The countrys growth is also higher than those of major emerging markets such as China (6.6 per cent), Vietnam (6.5 per cent), Indonesia (5.1 per cent) and Malaysia (4.5 per cent), she added.



In light of these economic achievements, the Filipino government has continued to pursue its commitment to increase investment aimed at boosting business from Filipino and foreign investors.



Recently during his visit to the Gulf region, President Rodrigo Duterte had witnessed the signing of $925 million worth of investments from Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Qatar. This is expected to create approximately 62,000 jobs.



Philippine Ambassador Alfonso Aver said: Bahrain and the Philippines have deep rooted historic bilateral ties. Our goal is to promote the exciting investment returns available in the Philippine real estate market to investors in the Middle East during Gulf Property Show."



"There are close to a million Bahrain and Saudi Arabia-based Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) who plan to buy properties in their homeland. The demand by Philippine nationals in the GCC is being supplemented by increasing investment from GCC nationals and expatriates from other countries living in the GCC," stated Aver.



Remo pointed out that Philippines has become an attractive investment destination for foreign investors.



"Along with this unprecedented economic growth is the continuous flourishing of the commercial and residential real estate market, giving high capital appreciation rate and rental yields," she stated.



New Perspective Media has handled various projects to promote leading Philippine property developers in the Middle East, including Ayala Land, Megaworld Corporation, Ortigas & Co., Greenfield Development Corporation, SMDC and DMCI Homes.



Remo, a recipient of Asian Women Leadership Awards and FWNs 100 Most Influential Filipinas in the World, will discuss Philippine Economic Growth and Forecast, Filipino Consumer Behaviour, Investment Opportunities, Real Estate and Property Industry in the Philippines, and the Law and Policy on Property Ownership in the Philippines.



"We see the conference as a major first step to provide an understanding and insight into the economy and consumer behaviour and trends. These are vital tools for anyone looking into the Philippine market," remarked Jubran Abdulrahman, the managing director of HCE.



"This is the first conference of its nature to take place in Bahrain promoting the Philippines and we are excited to have engaged the support of the Embassy of the Philippines in delivering this conference," he stated.



The Philippine Economic Outlook and Consumer Behaviour Conference will take place on April 25 from 2pm at the Bahrain International Exhibition Centre and will run alongside three major shows  Gulf Property Show, Gulf Interiors Exhibitions and Gulf Construction Expo. Attendance is free but requires prior booking. Interested attendees can pre-book with [email protected]TradeArabia News Service


Saudi Arabia's Capital Market Authority (CMA) has granted a licence to Citi, a financial services major, to provide services in the kingdom.



The business will be branded Citigroup Saudi Arabia and will provide a full range of investment banking, debt and equity capital markets, markets, and securities research capabilities to its local and international institutional clients.



"Saudi Arabia is a regional economic leader and a strategically important market for Citi. We are very proud of our long association with Saudi Arabia and are delighted at the opportunity to establish a presence in the kingdom, said Jim Cowles, Citis CEO for Europe Middle East and Africa.



Saudi Arabia has embarked on a profound economic transformation journey and we are excited and committed to contributing to this endeavor. We will strive to make a positive financial and social impact by providing Citis best in class resources and capabilities to our clients and stakeholders.



Citi has been present in the Arab world since 1955 and offers full scale corporate and investment banking services. Citi's institutional capabilities in the region include Treasury & Trade Solutions, Corporate & Investment Banking, Markets & Securities Services and Capital Markets Origination. - TradeArabia News Service
Emirates NBD (ENBD), a leading banking group in the region, has signed a premier partnership agreement with Expo 2020 Dubai to become its official banking partner.



The partnership agreement was signed by Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, chairman of the Expo 2020 Dubai Higher Committee, and Hesham Abdulla Al Qassim, vice chairman and managing director, Emirates NBD Group.



Emirates NBD will be the exclusive onsite banking partner, providing ATM machines and an onsite Bank of the Future where the UAE-based banking group will offer a variety of services to visitors, participants and organisers, such as merchant account operations, Islamic banking and foreign exchange services.



The partnership with Expo also marks a significant milestone in Emirates NBDs own path to growth. Formed in 2007 with the merger between Emirates Bank International (EBI) and the National Bank of Dubai (NBD), Emirates NBD has grown into a business that today has a brand value of Dh12.5 billion ($3.4 billion), and is recognised as a standard-bearer for banking and financial services across the region and internationally.



Reem Al Hashimy, UAE Minister of State for International Cooperation and Director General, Expo 2020 Dubai, said: The banking sector is changing at an incredible rate, from the boom in online, telephone and banking apps to the latest technology being used to enhance the branch experience.



Emirates NBD has been at the forefront of this transformation, as illustrated by its futuristic branch at Jumeirah Emirates Towers, part of Dubai Future Foundations prestigious Museum of the Future, where people can see firsthand how banking is evolving.



As such, the group will play a key role in ensuring that banking services at Expo 2020 Dubai are at the forefront of innovation, while meeting the needs of every customer.



Al Qassim said: As a home-grown bank of the UAE and a market leader in the countrys banking sector, we are truly honoured to be the official banking partner of a national initiative on the scale of Expo 2020 Dubai.



We recognise the value of collaboration across cultures in generating sustainable solutions to global problems, and are delighted to support Dubais Expo core vision of Connecting Minds; Creating the Future.



At Emirates NBD, we believe innovation is key to the countrys future growth, and we are committed to leveraging digital innovation and adopting smart technologies to create a superior banking experience for our customers. We believe Expo 2020 Dubai will be an opportunity to further demonstrate what the UAE is achieving in business innovation and global best practice.



With assets of close to Dh450 billion ($122.5 billion), the banks operations have grown outside of the UAE to include Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Singapore and the United Kingdom, as well as representative offices in India, China and Indonesia.



The bank is a significant employer with more than 10,000 people representing 70 nationalities, making Emirates NBD one of the largest and most culturally diversified employers in the UAE.



As a Premier Partner, Emirates NBD joins DP World, Emirates Airline, Etisalat, SAP and Siemens in the top tier of the Expo partnership programme.



Through its main theme, Connecting Minds, Creating the Future, Expo 2020 Dubai will provide a platform to encourage creativity, innovation and collaboration and the banks passion for innovation and unlocking opportunity is also aligned with Expo 2020 Dubais key themes of Opportunity, Mobility and Sustainability.



Emirates NBD has underlined this with its investment of Dh500 million ($136 million) over the next three years towards digital innovation and multichannel transformation of its processes, products and services.  TradeArabia News Service


Mashreq Bank, the oldest privately owned bank in the UAE, marked its 50 years in business with its senior executives planting 50 national trees in association with Goumbook, a top social enterprise promoting sustainability.



Abdul Aziz Al Ghurair, chief executive officer of Mashreq Bank, said: Celebrating our 50 year anniversary is a recognition of our history and achievements to date. As the oldest bank in the UAE, we have been here since the beginning, and have seen the country rapidly develop.



Similar to the UAEs own evolution, the development of Mashreq Bank has also been truly remarkable. To express our pride in being a homegrown bank, we are celebrating our 50 year anniversary by giving back to the community that has been supportive to enabling our success. With 50 years of success behind us, we are excited about the future and the important role we will continue to play in contributing to the development of the UAE.



Capable of growing in even the harshest desert climate, the Ghaf tree is the UAEs national tree and is a symbol of tolerance, sturdiness and stability. It doesnt require much water and is able to capture 35 kg of carbon dioxide a year. The Ghaf tree is reflective of Mashreq Banks own spirit, capabilities and potential to grow, even in uncertain economic times, a statement said.



Over the years, Mashreq Bank has remained committed to not only growing and strengthening its legacy, but contributing to community development through CSR initiatives, such as the Goumbook s Give a Ghaf Tree Planting Program.



The banks initiative also directly supports the UAEs Year of Giving, inaugurated by President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, by encouraging and motivating others to give back to the community.



Mashreq Banks branch network extends across the UAE, with one in every two households banking with Mashreq Bank. It also has 12 overseas offices in nine countries, including Europe, the US, Asia and Africa.  TradeArabia News Service
Bahrain's Ba2 credit rating with a negative outlook is supported by the country's high wealth levels, a diversified economy and the positive net international investment position, Moody's Investors Service said in a report.



However, the sovereign also faces credit constraints, including the sharp deterioration in government finances since 2009, a trend intensified by lower oil prices, explained the annual update "Government of Bahrain -- Ba2 negative: Annual Credit Analysis". The research is an update to the markets and does not constitute a rating action.



The negative outlook on the rating reflects heightened government and external liquidity risks and the government's so far slow and incremental response to lower oil revenues, the report said.



"The government's ability to continue managing its debt and deficit levels will determine the sovereign's rating trajectory in the coming years," said Steffen Dyck, a Moody's vice president -- senior credit officer and co-author of the report.



"In the absence of significant revenue and expenditure reforms, and given our expectation that oil prices will remain range-bound between $40-$60 per barrel over the coming years, Bahrain's fiscal deficits will stay wide and government debt will rise to 85 per cent of GDP by 2020."



Moody's expects Bahrain's growth performance to moderate in the coming years, on the back of stagnant oil and gas output and the expected negative impact on growth from fiscal consolidation.



As such, Moody's forecasts average real GDP growth of slightly more than 3 per cent in 2011 to 2020, which is broadly in line with Oman, but relatively lower than other GCC member countries, such as Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and the UAE.



In the absence of more aggressive measures, Moody's expects that Bahrain will continue to post large fiscal deficits over the coming years.



Following an already very wide deficit in 2015 - estimated at 18.4 per cent of GDP -- Moody's estimates that it narrowed only gradually to 16.5 per cent in 2016 and will remain sizable at 9.8 per cent in 2017.



The negative outlook could return to stable if there is evidence that a clear and credible fiscal and economic policy response is likely to stabilize government debt at levels below 80 per cent of GDP, and would be accompanied by a strengthening of fiscal and external buffers, the report said.  TradeArabia News Service
Dubai-based global real estate developer Limitless said infrastructure work at its mixed-use Downtown Jebel Ali (DJA) project has reached a major milestone, with deep utilities work complete on half of the the two-million-sq-m mixed-use project.



Located between Jafza and Techno Park, DJA is easily accessible from Dubai and Abu Dhabi.



Limitless has already delivered The Galleries at Downtown Jebel Ali, a fully operational, rapidly expanding business and retail community featuring state-of-the-art office facilities and retail outlets. Residential units are also under construction and due for completion in 2018.



Limitless said sewerage, storm water and water works have been completed at 50 per cent of the DJA project, with road works currently underway.



Deep utilities work is ongoing at the rest of the development, with anticipated completion this summer, it stated.



Under the Dh285-million ($78 million) contract, all infrastructure will be finished next year.



On its progress, Limitless chairman Ali Rashid Lootah said: "Downtown Jebel Ali is taking shape, with infrastructure work progressing well. We are well on our way to connecting service to all third party plots."



"DJAs strategic location, close to the Jebel Ali Free Zone and within easy reach of Abu Dhabi, Dubai World Central Airport, the Expo 2020 site and new attractions and theme parks, makes it a key area for growth and development," remarked Lootah.



"We look forward to working with the investors who share our vision for this unique master community," he added.



DJA stretches 11km along Dubais Sheikh Zayed Road. The project has more than 300 third party plots, on which investors are building a mixture of apartments, hotels, offices and retail developments.-TradeArabia News Service
Ithra Dubai, a real estate developer and asset manager, said work has started on two of its landmark projects in Dubai, UAE - One Zaabeel and Deira Enrichment Project.



A wholly-owned company of Investment Corporation of Dubai (ICD), Ithra Dubai was established to develop real estate projects that will serve Dubais diversity through enriching the citys offering and supporting the needs of its social fabric in all its threads.



Mohammed Ibrahim Al Shaibani, the chairman of Ithra Dubai and executive director and chief executive of ICD, said Ithra Dubai undertakes real estate development projects that enrich the economy and strengthen Dubais edge as a global powerhouse.



Its projects will add choice and opportunity to provide the diverse segments of Dubais society with solutions at a variety of price-points for their housing, hospitality, education and commercial or business needs, he stated.



Issam Galadari, the director and CEO said: "Ithra Dubai does not develop structures, but creates communities that thrive and prosper. We enrich the lives of city dwellers by helping them realise their dreams - those of making a home, expanding a business, or offering world-class education to their children."



"We aim to help shape a city that stands tall on the global arena; ultimately transforming the legacies of our past into landmarks of the future," he added.



Deira Enrichment Project aims to develop Deira, the vibrant cornerstone of Dubais trading legacy. The expansion of Deira towards the waterfront is a tribute to the tradition of trade in the country, said the top official.



The development will expand the Deira Suq to become the centerpiece of the district and will create a bustling hub of life that will add to the already rich tapestry woven by communities past and present. The area will boast a plethora of retail spaces, from shops to storage areas, he added.



It will also offer a strip of restaurants and retail stores along the creek which will create a bustling promenade - the first of its kind in Deira - besides a range of hotels, catering to business travellers and city dwellers.



As part of the wider Deira Enrichment Project, The Waterfront Market, opening this year, will enhance the fresh food shopping experience and create an environment for local fishermen, butchers, and vegetable and dry goods traders to grow and thrive.



One Zaabeel is another iconic project being developed by Ithra Dubai. A symbol of ambition, innovation and the pioneering spirit of Dubai, One Zaabeel is located in the Zaabeel district at the heart of the city, strategically positioned between the old and new business districts of Dubai.



It is a two-tower, high-rise mixed-use development incorporating luxury residences, a luxury and ultra-luxury hotel, serviced apartments, office spaces, retail podium (The Gallery), and the iconic Linx - a panoramic sky concourse that connects the two towers of One Zaabeel.



The worlds largest cantilever, floating an awe-inspiring 100 m above the ground will offer a choice of attractions, fine restaurants and lounges.-TradeArabia News Service
Exova Warringtonfire, a leading UK-based fire testing and fire engineering organisation, said it has signed up by top Asian architecture firm DP Architects (DPA) to provide fire engineering consultancy on residential and commercial projects in the new city of Lusail, Qatar.



DPA said it is designing plans for 60 plots of land on Commercial Boulevard in Lusail.



Comprising 30 residential plots of apartment buildings and hotels and 30 commercial plots, including restaurants, retail space, office buildings, cinemas, and medical and educational facilities, every plot will be a mid-rise building and will be uniquely designed.



As part of the deal, Exova Warringtonfire will review the design of each plot and provide fire engineering consultancy to DPA over a period of two years.



Working from the Dubai office, the team will use innovative computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modelling and demonstrate live fire scenarios in proposed designs to ascertain the safest, most efficient, and cost effective methods of smoke control and ventilation.



Toh Sze Chong, the director at DPA, pointed out that the Commercial Boulevard in Lusail City was a landmark project in Qatar.



"Exovas support for our design teams as our fire engineering consultant is crucial. Their expertise goes beyond advising fire engineering solutions to overcome fundamental design issues; they are also able to take further steps to help our teams with unconventional and workable fire engineering solutions in order to realize certain architectural design ideas," he noted.



Dermot Gallagher, senior fire engineer at Exova Warringtonfire, said: "The Commercial Boulevard project is an enormous undertaking and were happy to support DPA on the development of fire engineering strategies and solutions for its designs."



"We are proud of our existing relationship with DPA and know that our experience working on a variety of building types means that we will provide comprehensive guidance on meeting the regulatory requirements of each individual plot," he added.



Headquartered in Edinburgh, UK, Exova is one of the worlds leading laboratory-based testing groups. It operates 136 laboratories and offices in 33 countries and employs around 4,200 people throughout Europe, the Americas, the Middle East, Asia/Asia Pacific and Africa.-TradeArabia News Service
New and innovative products and services for the building and construction sector and a number of interesting real estate projects are drawing crowds to the 3G exhibitions which opened in Bahrain today.

Collectively known as the 3Gs, the exhibitions comprise the Gulf Construction Expo, 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).

Shaikh Khalid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa, Deputy Prime Minister, inaugurated the region's high-profile event in the presence of senior government officials and other big players of the construction, real estate and interiors industry, taking part in the three-day event.

After the inauguration, Shaikh Khalid toured the exhibition stands and appreciated the innovative products on display this year.

The northern Gulf's biggest exhibitions showcasing the very best in construction, interiors and real estate has now expanded to include an evening festival, said the event organisers Hilal Conferences & Exhibitions (HCE) of Bahrain.

As many as 140 local, regional and international exhibitors are taking part 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.

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 HCE.



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.



"We have already witnessed a 10 per cent increase in the number of visitors on the first day of the show, compared to last years figures, remarked Jubran Abdulrahman, managing director of Hilal Conferences and Exhibitions (HCE), the shows organiser.

The Gulf Property Show, where property worth billions of dollars are being showcased, has seen a 20 per cent growth and we anticipate several deals to be signed by the close of the show, he added.

Abdulrahman said this year's 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," he stated.



According to him, this year's 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.



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 till April 27 at the BIECC. Entrance is free.-TradeArabia News Service
Bahrain's parliament must work towards passing the new real estate regulatory law, which is vital to stabilise the real estate sector and regulate the professions affiliated with it, said Deputy Premier Shaikh Khalid bin Abdulla Al Khalifa.

He was speaking after inaugurating three of Northern Gulf's biggest expos showcasing the very best in construction, interiors and real estate - Gulf Construction Expo, Gulf Interiors and Gulf Property Show (together known as 3Gs) on Tuesday (April 25) at the Bahrain International Exhibition and Convention Centre.



His Royal Highness Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa had delegated Shaikh Khalid to inaugurate the events, said the event organiser Hilal Conferences and Exhibitions (HCE).



Stressing upon the economic, social and regulatory importance of the law and its future potential, Shaikh Khalid, said: We rely on the wisdom of MPs to quickly endorse the draft legislation and pass it to the Shura Council."

He paid tribute to HRH the Premier for patronising the annual 3Gs which he said, reflects his keenness on supporting the real estate sectors and other subsidiaries.



It is a good omen that the opening of the 3Gs coincides with the beginning of the parliamentary deliberations on the draft law, remarked Shaikh Khalid.



He expressed the hope that the new law, once endorsed and promulgated, would help stabilise the real estate sector and regulate the professions affiliated with it.



The bill which features more than 100 key articles was referred by the government to the legislative authority in May last year  two years after the law 28 of 2014 on real estate development was passed, stated the Deputy Premier.



Shaikh Khalid commended the 3Gs organisers, hailing the role of the private sector in boosting the specialised exhibition industry which turned Bahrain, along with its tourism potential, into an attractive regional and international destination.



"The partnership between the public and private sectors has paid off, yielding fruitful dividends whose windfall boosts development and consolidate citizens welfare," he stated.



The Deputy Premier welcomed the GCC, Arab and foreign exhibitors from 25 states, describing the 3Gs as a prime platform to showcase their innovative products and projects under the same roof to thousands of visitors.



The three-in-one event, he said, represent a key opportunity to showcase the potential of local and GCC markets in the construction, interior designs and properties sectors, which may pave the way to launching joint Made in the Gulf Projects.



HCE chairman Anwar M. Abdulrahman paid tribute to HRH the Premier for patronising the exhibitions, thanking the Deputy Premier who inaugurated the 2017 edition on behalf of the Premier.



He expressed delight at the Premiers auspices which, he said, reflects his keenness on supporting the private sector as it contributes to development and boost national economy.



HCE managing director Jubran Abdulrahman paying tribute to the Premiers patronage and said that the acknowledged reputation of the exhibition attracted a growing number of exhibitors and visitors year on year.



The 3Gs concept will provide an ideal marketing platform and an opportunity to communicate, interact and seal rewarding transactions in the sectors of construction, interior designs and properties, added Abdulrahman.

The 3G exhibition conclude on Thursday (April 27).-TradeArabia News Service
Honeywell, a global technology and manufacturing leader, unveiled its new home and building technology (HBT) solutions for the Middle East region at a key industry event held in Kuwait.



The Honeywell Home and Building Technologies Symposium saw over 250 representatives from government ministries, end-users, consultants and partners discuss the key issues of building efficiency, safety and productivity across the Middle East.



Honeywell HBT is a global business with more than 44,000 employees worldwide. It is a leader in the Internet of Things (IoT) and creates products, software and technologies found in more than 150 million homes and 10 million buildings worldwide.



The company helps homeowners stay connected and in control of their comfort, security and energy use.

Commercial building owners and occupants use these technologies to ensure their facilities are safe, energy efficient, sustainable and productive.



Honeywell said its advanced metering hardware and software solutions help electricity, gas and water providers supply customers and communities more efficiently.



The event was part of a regional roadshow where Honeywell hosted industry experts to discuss its connected offering as well as in-market specific factors such as regulations and regional country visions.



These factors significantly impact the deployment of technologies that help to solve real business challenges and make the regions buildings more green, safe and productive.



George Bou Mitri, the president of Honeywell Kuwait, Iraq, Jordan and Lebanon, said: "Kuwait has been making steady progress towards reaching its economic diversification and sustainability goals."



"With the announcement of the new Kuwait Vision 2035 earlier this year, a renewed focus has come about to realise a more green, safe and productive future for the country, and building efficiency is at the heart of this transformation," he stated.



The roadshow took place in line with the new Kuwait Vision 2035 unveiled at the start of 2017 outlining environment as a key pillar of focus in its economic development plan to transform the country.



Given that priority, Honeywell showcased its latest offerings and end-to-end developments in building automation and energy efficiency, security, connected homes, life safety solutions, and the IoT.



"Honeywell has proudly been in the Middle East for more than 60 years, and the roadshow provided us with the opportunity to highlight how our cutting-edge building automation, energy efficiency and life safety portfolio addressed the latest market needs and meets new, stricter safety regulations as introduced by regional governments," said Tony Nasr, business leader, Honeywell Security and Fire for Middle East, Turkey & Africa.



Stopping in Kuwait after visiting Oman and Dubai, the roadshow will next head to Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE this year.



Honeywell will also meet end users, consultants, partners and distributors across the region and demonstrate its capabilities for small and medium-sized businesses (SMB), enterprise and industrial infrastructure environments.



Honeywell technology is currently in use across a number of landmarks and high-profile projects in the Middle East, including at high-end hotels, iconic commercial buildings, major airports, universities, stadiums, and shopping malls.-TradeArabia News Service
Bahrains leading real estate development company Manara said it has received an overwhelming response for two of its residential projects - Wadi Al Riffa and Hasabi - launched at the Gulf Property Show in Manama.



Both projects - Hasabi, a sea view project, and Wadi Al Riffa, an affordably-priced property have been designed specifically to meet the demands of modern Bahraini families, and built as per the highest quality and environmental standards, it stated.



As a strategic sponsor, Manara, will be playing a key role at Gulf Property Show, the boutique showcase for the real estate and property development sectors in the Northern Gulf.



Dr Hasan Al Bastaki, the companys managing director, emphasized Manara's approach to continuously understand and fulfill the market needs in its residential projects that are aimed for young modern families.



Moreover, the company ensures alignment with modern design and construction standards to ensure social and economical sustainability as a motto to its developments, he stated.



According to him, the first project, Hasabi was designed in line with the most recent aesthetic and construction design standards.



"Manara was keen on ensuring the highest design, construction as well as environmental quality standards in the projects presented at the exhibition in accordance with the requirements sought by Bahraini families," he noted.



The multi-purpose Hasabi project boasts three- and four-bedroom residential units with sea views and each with a private jetty, in addition to commercial developments for sea-view restaurants and coffee shops to serve the needs of residents, in addition to beach facilities and residential buildings three and four floors high.



As for Wadi Al Riffa, the project set at affordable rates, will consist of 130 attached villas with varying sizes over land areas of 180 sq m and a total building space of 235 sq m, and some villas constructed on a larger land area.



"Wadi Al Riffa units are expected to launch its units for sale immediately after completion of the necessary permit approvals and other related formalities," explained Al Bastaki.



"The expected timeline for civil works from start to completion is likely to take up to 24 months," he stated.



These units have been designed to fulfill the requirements of modern Bahraini families who are beneficiaries of the social housing program 'Mazaya' offered by the Ministry of Housing in co-ordination with Al Eskan Bank," he added.



Manara said it was amongst the first to respond to the governments encouragement to public and private sector partnerships towards the end of 2013.



Al Salam Bank Bahrain, the parent company, has become an approved partner to provide suitable financing to its beneficiaries following a similar agreement with Eskan Bank, he added.



Lauding the expo, Dr Al Bastaki said the company was backing the Gulf Property Show for the fifth consecutive year as a strategic sponsor.



This comes as part of Manaras commitment to supporting all the activities that contribute to growing kingdoms real estate sector notwithstanding the recent government efforts that come through directives from the leadership to speed up the provision of residential opportunities for young families, he stated.



"The great interest witnessed at the Manara stand exemplifies the trust of its customers in the quality of its projects and the support of its real estate development initiatives," he added.-TradeArabia News Service
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


GEMS Education has announced the second edition of its Arab Innovation Centre for Education (AICE) Accelerator Programme which provides students a platform that helps build an ecosystem to promote, research and entrepreneurship.



The AICE Accelerator Programme provided select student-led start-ups with mentorship, training, a grant fund and an opportunity to pitch and network with regional business leaders and investors.



The programme culminated in a Demo Day where each team got 10 minutes to present their prototype to an esteemed panel of judges that consists of the regions leading investors, venture capital firms and entrepreneurs. Each team is paired with a mentor, who are accomplished individuals from various industries and the regional entrepreneurial ecosystem.



The Demo Day took place on today (April 25) in the Dubai Future Accelerators (DFA) facility in Emirates Tower.



Michael Gernon, senior vice president and global head of Innovation, Research and Development, GEMS Education, said: The AICE Accelerator Programme is a great opportunity and environment for GEMS students to be in. The programme will provide our students with a unique platform, offering them the right mix of critical thinking, commercial knowledge and entrepreneurial enthusiasm.



The teams earlier this year participated in a two-day bootcamp held at the Blended Learning Plaza in GEMS Wellington Silicon Oasis, where they participated in workshops on product development and growth, design thinking, leadership, branding, business planning and more, led by organisations such as Facebook, DTEC, TeachMeNow and Marya Leadership.



A total of 12 teams were shortlisted into the AICE Accelerator Programme from over 70 applications.



Additionally, finalists from the Global Innovation Challenge, run in partnership with California-based Singularity University - where students from around the world have created solutions to the worlds most pressing issues leveraging exponential technologies such as 3D printing and robotics, will were also be inducted at into the AICE Accelerator Programme.



This year, the AICE Accelerator Programme is in partnership with Generation Disrupt and TeachMeNow. TeachMeNow is an online tutoring platform that has provided USD 50 credit to each participating team and will be offering 10 free hours on its platform to the winner. Generation Disrupt runs fun innovation programs for kids and teens focused on making everyday objects better using technology and design thinking and had inducted several of the students into its course.



The finalists of the Global Innovation Challenge were shortlisted from over 160 projects being showcased at the GIC Expo (formerly called Maker Day) in February this year.



The awards ceremony will take place on May 8, during which the AICE winning team will be announced and given a cash prize of Dh10,000 ($2,720) and 12 months of continuous support from GEMS Education and its partners to develop their product further.- TradeArabia News Service
The 10th edition of the prestigious MIT Enterprise Forum (MITEF) for the Pan Arab Region kicked off in Bahrain today, with 74 semi-finalists from 11 Arab countries competing for cash prizes exceeding $160,000.



The semi-finalists include three teams representing Bahrain in each of the competitions three tracks: Startups, Social Entrepreneurship, and Ideas.



A press conference was held at Tamkeen headquarters at the Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry, attended by senior officials from MITEF, Tamkeen, Zain, and Community Jameel, who are strategic partners of the event.



Speaking at the event, Tamkeen acting director  marketing communications Dr Abdullah Alsada commented: As a constant enabler of the private sector, helping it to become the kingdoms key engine for economic growth, Tamkeen is proud to take this significant role in this years MIT competition, which is being hosted in the Kingdom of Bahrain and coincides with its 10th anniversary in the Arab region. Tamkeens support for the competition stems from its belief in its ability to inspire entrepreneurs to challenge themselves and develop and present their ideas in a competitive environment, leading them to further ambitions and expansion. It is also worth mentioning how proud Tamkeen is of the 3 Bahraini teams that made it to the finals."



Zain Bahrain general manager Mohammed Zainalabedin added: Zain is proud to support the Arab Startup Competition which fosters the spirit of entrepreneurship across the Arab region, and we are particularly proud to be hosting such a prestigious event in Bahrain for the first time ever. Zain is a firm believer in the power of innovation to drive economic and social progress, solve problems, and create exciting new possibilities, which is why we have nurtured the local entrepreneurial ecosystem for the past ten years, encouraging this countrys future thought leaders and ideas which hold the potential to potentially transform our region, and even the world.



The semi-finalists will undergo another round of training in Bahrain and present their work over the next three days to a jury that brings together some of the Arab worlds key investors and business people. In addition to the cash prizes, the winners will also benefit from advanced training sessions, personal mentorship and guidance and excellent networking opportunities. - TradeArabia News Service


Emrill, one of the UAEs leading facilities management companies, has been awarded a contract by Dubai Healthcare City (DHCC), the worlds largest healthcare free zone.



Under the new contract which extends until the end of 2019, Emrill will deliver integrated facilities management (IFM) services, including housekeeping and technical (mechanical, electrical and plumbing) as well as preventive maintenance in line with the free zones regulations.



The Emirati firm will also maintain DHCC-owned buildings and the free zones infrastructure.



DHCC said the contract, covering both DHCC free zone areas, was awarded to Emrill based on its market expertise and customer-focused approach.



The project's Phase One spread over a 4-million-sq-ft area at Oud Metha is dedicated to healthcare and medical education, while Phase Two, occupying a 19-million-sq-ft area in Al Jaddaf, overlooking the Ras Al Khor Wildlife Sanctuary and the widest stretch of the Dubai Water Canal, is focused on wellness.



Alex Davies, managing director of Emrills IFM business, said: "We are delighted to have been awarded this prestigious contract by Dubai Healthcare City. We are committed to delivering innovative technologies and ideas that extend far beyond the standard FM service."



While Emrill provides IFM services in common areas, DHCCs clinical and non-clinical partners have the responsibility for maintaining standards within their facilities.



"Identifying the healthcare sector as a significant growth area, Emrill has developed the specialist capability necessary to deliver world-class IFM services within the sector," he added.-TradeArabia News Service
The US State Department has approved a possible foreign military sale worth $1.06 billion to Iraq for pilot and maintenance training, contractor logistical support (CLS) for trainer aircraft, and base support, said a report.



The Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale on April 11, added the Iraq Business News report.



The principal contractor is Spartan College, Tulsa, Oklahoma. At this time, there are no known offset agreements proposed in connection with this potential sale, it said.



The Government of Iraq has requested a possible sale of pilot training; maintenance training; and contractor logistical services support for C-172, C-208, and T-6 aircraft for up to five years to include contractor aircraft modification; repair and spare parts; publications; aircraft ferry; and miscellaneous parts, along with training base operation support, base life support, security, construction, and other related elements of programme support.



The proposed sale will contribute to the foreign policy and national security of the US by helping to provide for a stable, sovereign, and democratic Iraq, capable of combating terrorism and protecting its people and sovereignty, the state department said.



Iraq currently owns 12 C-172, five C-208, and 15 T-6 training aircraft.



The training pipeline will allow the Iraqi Air Force to tailor pilot training for several US-origin operational aircraft.



The C-172s and T-6s are Iraqs training platforms for their mobility and fighter attack fleets. The C-208s are Iraqs platform of choice for training its Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) pilots.



The proposed sale of training and support services will improve the Iraqs ability to train its pilots and maintenance technicians. By training its own pilots and maintenance technicians in-country, Iraq will decrease its overseas training requirements, significantly reduce its training costs, and will enhance its ability to take over the sustainment of its aircraft.



Iraq will have no difficulty absorbing this support. In addition to its primary mission  pilot and maintenance training for Iraqi Air Force personnel  this proposed sale includes Contractor Logistical Support costs for the trainer aircraft, as well as possible future construction and base operation support costs.



The proposed sale of this training and support will not alter the basic military balance in the region.
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
GE has signed a landmark deal with Algerias Sonelgaz which aims to boost Algerias power sector, drive local industrial capacity building and digital industrial transformation.



GE is collaborating with Sonelgaz SPE, a subsidiary of Sonelgaz, in the landmark deal that highlights its Fleet360 total plant solutions capabilities, said a statement.



The largest services contract in GE Powers history, the agreement will lead the digital industrial transformation of Sonelgazs plants throughout Algeria and strengthen local industrial capabilities, it said.



The landmark collaboration includes long-term operations and maintenance (O&M) services for 10 Sonelgaz plants throughout the country that generate 11 GW of power, a capacity building system for energy efficiency that will deliver more than 420 MW of additional power with greater fuel efficiency, and the introduction of GEs digital solutions. Together, these capabilities will strengthen the operational efficiency and productivity of the plants. They will also help save up to $2 billion in gas that can be made available for sale in international markets.



The Algerian government and Sonelgaz have a clear vision for the future of the countrys power sector, Steve Bolze, president and CEO of GE Power said. The emphasis on building industrial capacity and the focus on the digital transformation of power plant assets are long-term investments in the future of the country. GE is honoured to strengthen our collaboration with Sonelgaz and help create a vibrant local ecosystem for the power sector that will help meet the needs of people and various industries across Algeria.



The agreement was signed by president and CEO of Sonelgaz SPE, Sabri Lezhari; and president and CEO of GE Northwest Africa, Touffik Fredj, in the presence of the Prime Minister of Algeria Abdelmalek Sellal; the Minister of Energy, Noureddine Boutarfa; the CEO of Sonelgaz, M Mustapha Guitouni; president and CEO of GE Power, Steve Bolze; president and CEO of GE Middle East, North Africa and Turkey, Nabil Habayeb; president and CEO of GEs Power Services business in the Middle East and Africa (MEA), Joseph Anis; General Manager Sales of GEs Power Services business in MEA, Adel Omrani and other high-level GE and government representatives.



The signing ceremony took place at the GE Algeria Turbines (GEAT) plant in Ain Yagout, a joint venture created in 2014 by GE and Sonelgaz, which will manufacture gas turbines and steam turbines for Sonelgazs power generation needs.



The Ain Yagout site in Batna, covering an area of 20 hectares, was chosen by both partners to house this industrial complex, which will annually be able to manufacture equipment with the capacity to generate up to 1.5 GW of power.



GEAT will employ between 300 and 350 people and its construction will create about 600 additional indirect jobs. It will also offer opportunities to develop a local supply chain. GEAT will draw on GE's globally recognized programs to train its workers, technicians, and engineers, and thus contribute to the development of local expertise and Algerian talent.



Activities began at GEAT a few months ago after Sonelgaz placed the first order of four gas turbines and two steam turbines. The equipment will be delivered between 2019 and 2020 and will be connected to the national grid by 2021.



The collaboration with Sonelgaz also includes one of the largest Industrial Internet software deals to date for GE Power. Sonelgaz has selected GEs Asset Performance Management and Operations Optimization software applications to monitor and analyze data drawn from thousands of sensors throughout its power plants. The software leverages advanced data analytics to predict and eliminate unplanned downtime, and improve power plant productivity. GEs software is built on Predix, a data platform purpose-designed for the scale and complexity of industrial data.



In a significant contribution to the Algerian economy, the new agreement will drive the development of a local supply chain with MEI, an affiliate of Sonelgaz, to manufacture spare parts for GEs turbines in Algeria. The Made in Algeria initiative will be a part of GEs international supply chain, and create up to 300 high technology engineering jobs for Algerians.



Furthermore, GE will work with Algerian Engineering Services Companys (ALGESCO) engineers to repair its 9FA gas turbine technology locally, creating more than 100 new engineering jobs and building a local center of excellence for turbine repairs. First established in 1993, ALGESCO is a joint venture of GE with Sonatrach and Sonelgaz. GE will also train up to 1,000 Sonelgaz field engineers and operators on industry best practices to strengthen their expertise and competitiveness, which will potentially enable Sonelgaz to collaborate with GE on future O&M projects in Africa.



This agreement builds on GEs long term presence in Algeria. In 2013, GE signed three major contracts to supply heavy-duty gas turbine and aeroderivative gas turbine technology for nine power plants throughout the country.  TradeArabia News Service


A gunman wielding an assault rifle on Thursday night killed a police officer on Pariss most iconic boulevard, the Champs-Elysees, a report said.



The gunman was shot dead by the police as he tried to flee on foot; two other police officers and a bystander were wounded, reported the New York Times.

The police quickly blocked access to the crowded thoroughfare, lined with restaurants and high-end stores, as a helicopter hovered overhead.



The attack set off panic and a scramble for shelter, and officers began searching for possible accomplices after the attack.



Near midnight, President Francois Hollande said in an address to the nation that the attack appeared to be an act of terrorism. The Islamic State claimed responsibility in a message posted on a jihadi channel, and the Paris prosecutor said he had opened a terrorism investigation.
A day after a lethal Taliban assault on an army base in northern Afghanistan, an official said on Saturday that at least 140 soldiers had been killed, making it the single deadliest known attack on an Afghan military base in the course of the long war.



The soldiers, most of them unarmed, were shot while eating lunch or emerging from a Friday Prayer service at the headquarters of the Afghan Armys 209th Corps in Balkh by assailants in military uniforms who entered after another attacker had detonated explosives at a check post. The Taliban claimed responsibility for the assault, reported The New York Times.



Today, there was even a shortage of coffins, said a senior official, Ibrahim Khairandish, a member of the provincial council in Balkh Province, where the attack occurred.



Citing information from army officials, Khairandish said 60 soldiers had also been wounded in the attack.



According to him, Taliban fighters dressed in military uniforms raided an army base in northern Afghanistan, raking it with gunfire in an hours-long attack that killed or injured more than 100 soldiers, said a report citing senior officials.



The attack started as soldiers were observing Friday prayers at Camp Shaheen near Mazar-e Sharif, the country's third-largest city, reported CNN citing senior Afghan military officials.

The Taliban released the names and a picture of 10 men who they said had taken part in the assault. All were dressed in Afghan military uniforms, down to helmets and kneepads, said the NY Times report.

A Taliban spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, said the assailants had been led inside the base by four soldiers who had long been working for the militants.



Dawlat Waziri, an Afghan Ministry of Defense spokesman, declined to give a more precise accounting of dead and injured but said one would be released later.



The uniformed attackers entered the base in vehicles and opened fire, Afghan army spokesman Abdul Qahar Araam said. The gunfire was followed by an explosion at one of the base's gates, it stated.



The attack lasted six hours. By the end, at least five attackers were killed, and one was arrested, Araam said.



Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has declared Sunday a national day of mourning in remembrance of the Afghan forces killed on the base. The national flag will be flown at half-staff in Afghanistan and its missions.



The base is the headquarters of the 209th Shaheen Corps in Balkh province.
A throng of up to 60 juveniles on Saturday mobbed a Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) train in Oakland, US, and stole a purse, duffel bag and five cellphones from passengers. At least two people were injured in the incident, said a report.



According to authorities all this happened in just 30 seconds, reported Los Angeles Times.



The youngsters were spotted by witnesses hastily jumping over fare gates before boarding a Dublin-bound train just after 9.20pm 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, the police said.



It all happened pretty quickly  it was about 30 seconds, BART spokeswoman Alicia Trost was quoted as saying in the LA Times.



After robbing passengers, police said, the juveniles ran into the surrounding neighbourhoods 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, reported LA TImes.



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, it added.
Verizon Communications has agreed to buy optical fiber from Corning over the next three years with a minimum purchase commitment of $1.05 billion as the top US wireless provider aims to improve its broadband network.



The agreement calls for Corning to provide and Verizon to purchase up to 20 million km (12.4 million miles) of optical fiber each year from 2018 through 2020.



Verizon has been reinventing its network architecture around a next-generation fiber platform that will support all of the companys businesses. This new architecture is designed to improve Verizons 4G LTE coverage, speed the deployment of 5G, and deliver high-speed broadband to homes and businesses of all sizes.



Roger Gurnani, Verizons chief information and technology architect, said: Cornings unique combination of capabilities delivers solutions that provide us with performance and cost advantages as we continue to expand our network coverage and capacity.



In an initial deployment, Verizon launched One Fiber in Boston in 2016 and plans to invest $300 million over six years to deploy it throughout the city.



Viju Menon, Verizons chief supply chain officer, said: Our plans identified a shortfall in fiber supply, and Verizon has been working with business teams to forecast demand and fill supply gaps with existing suppliers. Securing the required volume of optical fiber and hardware solutions with Corning will ensure we meet our planned rollout schedules.



Clark Kinlin, executive vice president, Corning Incorporated, said: We are pleased that Verizon recognizes the value of Cornings innovative solutions in deploying next-generation converged optical infrastructure, such as One Fiber, more quickly and cost effectively. Verizons purchase commitment supports necessary capacity investments across our manufacturing footprint.



Over the past several months, Corning has announced plans to expand capacity and to invest more than $250 million in its optical fiber, cable and solutions manufacturing facilities to help meet the demand of its global carrier and enterprise customers. Corning expects these capacity expansions to begin to come online in 2017 and become fully operational in 2018.  TradeArabia News Service
Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company (du) has posted revenues of Dh3.17 billion ($863 million) during the first quarter (Q1) of the year, compared to Dh3.08 billion of Q1 2016, marking an increase of 2.5 per cent.



Net profit before royalty decreased by 16.7 per cent to Dh851.2 million, compared with Dh1.02 billion during Q1 2016.



The number of mobile subscribers reached 8.35 million during the period, compared to 8.09 million during Q1 2016, an increase of 3.2 per cent.



Osman Sultan, Dus chief executive officer, said: Despite challenging market conditions, we made steady progress on the implementation of our strategy of customer experience improvement and digital transformation. Revenue grew at a steady pace, underpinned by an increase in our fixed line business, offsetting pressure on mobile revenue during the quarter. We continued our focus on identifying efficiencies during the quarter, which will enable us to deliver long-term value for our stakeholders.



With a growing mobile subscriber base of more than eight million, it is clear our customers appreciate the value of EITCs products and services. Data remains a core pillar of our business and the demand for connectivity continues to grow. With data usage showing few signs of slowing, the challenge for our company, as well as the entire telecoms industry, is how best to monetise these new forms of communication. At EITC, we believe that by embracing change and encouraging innovation we can meet the evolving needs of our customers, he added.



During the quarter, we announced our second brand, Virgin Mobile, to the public, cementing our reputation as a digital transformation partner of choice and a leading ICT solutions provider. The initial response has been overwhelmingly positive and we are truly excited about the opportunity Virgin Mobile presents in meeting the growing requirements of the fast-paced and dynamic country in which we operate.



Moving forward, we will continue to align our business with the UAEs Smart Government initiatives in accordance with Vision 2021. We remain firmly on track to capitalize and flourish in a truly digital future, one that makes the lives of our customers, and the wider society simpler, richer and ultimately happier, Sultan concluded.



The Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company (EITC) was founded in 2006 as the UAEs second licensed telecommunications provider. EITC has two telecommunications brands under its umbrella; du was launched in 2007 and serves nine million active subscribers and over 100,000 businesses throughout the UAE. EITC recently introduced its second brand Virgin Mobile in the market.



EITC is 39.5 per cent owned by Emirates Investment Authority, 19.75 per cent by Mubadala Development Company PJSC, 19.5 per cent by Emirates Communications and Technology LLC and the remaining by public shareholders. Listed on the Dubai Financial Market (DFM), the company trades under the name du.  TradeArabia News Service
Batelco, Bahrains leading digital solutions provider, has teamed up with Brinc, an ultra-hands-on Internet of Things (IoT) hardware accelerator, to launch its new operation in the Middle East, the Brinc-Batelco IOT Hub.



Brinc Menas Middle East operation will be located in Bahrain and it will offer programmes and services tailored for IoT hardware start-ups and entrepreneurs looking for speed, access and the know-how to build successful companies, said a statement.



The deal to establish the Brinc-Batelco IOT Hub was formalised during a signing ceremony held at Batelcos headquarters recently, with Batelco Bahrain CEO Eng Muna Al Hashemi and Brinc chief development officer and head of Brinc Mena, Yasin Aboudaoud signing the agreement.



This partnership is in line with Batelco Bahrains strategy of driving innovation and supporting the growth of the economy, especially in the telecommunications and technology sector, said Eng Al Hashemi.



It is important that the Kingdom of Bahrain builds a solid foundation for entrepreneurship providing the necessary expertise, knowledge and attitude to pursue new ideas. The Kingdom was ranked 28th among most networked nations in the world according to the 2016 WEF Networked Readiness Index and 70 percent of the ICT sector talent pool are nationals. Bahrain has the highest ICT development in the region as per the Global ICT Development Index ITU, which means that Bahrain offers an ideal testing ground for new technologies and ideas, she added.



Further commenting on this partnership, Batelco Bahrain chief marketing officer Mike Stanford said: Bahrain has a very strong pool of local talent that requires the opportunity to develop, grow and deliver innovative hardware based on the requirements of todays global technology marketplace.



We look forward to building on this partnership, which will be a birthing ground not only for local talent, but talent from across the Middle East who are yearning to revolutionize the industry by building innovative IoT hardware products for the global consumer market, he added.



Brinc Mena is planning to provide an unprecedented opportunity for start-ups in the region to access mentorship, product design and development guidance, manufacturing and exposure to regional and global investors and markets, all in one programme. On-site business, manufacturing and distribution experience will also be offered.



Brinc is thrilled to start its setup in the Kingdom of Bahrain which has demonstrated its commitment to developing a world-class environment where technology entrepreneurs can thrive and further develop the country as a regional centre of excellence, said Aboudaoud.



By joining forces with an innovative solution provider like Batelco, our goal is to eventually extend our offering of comprehensive programmes and services tailored for hardware start-ups as well as expertise and know-how of manufacturing in China to the growing numbers of hardware founders in the Middle East. By providing start-ups with access to prototyping resources typically only available in Asia, we aim to harvest regional talent and showcase the ability to connect technology growth with product development and manufacturing in China, he added.



To date, Brinc has supported hundreds of founders from around the world and invested in and supported more than 30 start-ups, with a portfolio that raised more than $18 million in follow along funding and has products stores around the world.



Brinc Mena at the Brinc-Batelco IOT Hub will be launched towards Q3 2017 and will be located in the Batelco Commercial Centre building in the heart of Manama, a growing technology innovation hub. - TradeArabia News Service






Bahrain News Agency acting director general Mohannad Suleiman Al Nuaimi survived the Champs Elysees, Paris, shooting on Thursday night, reported the Gulf Daily News, our sister publication, citing a source.



For further details, visit www.gdnonline.com
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
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.
Omans Ministry of Tourism has won a Gold Award in the Best Use of Social Media category at the recently held Mena Digital Award in Dubai, UAE.



The Award was received by Maitha Saif Al Mahrouqi, Undersecretary at the Ministry of Tourism on the sidelines of the Ministrys participation at the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) in Dubai.



The Experience Oman social media pages were launched by the Ministry of Tourism in September last year, on popular social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Google+ and YouTube.



Managed by Tbwa/Zeenah, the Ministrys digital marketing agency, the Experience Oman channels are available in multiple languages and have already seen great audience-interaction, courtesy their highly engaging content.



Launched with the aim to complement Oman Tourisms existing social media channels, which focus on the Ministrys activities, services and provide general information related to upcoming projects that will help achieve the Ministrys strategic goals -the Experience Oman pages update followers and travel enthusiasts on the different touristic marvels of the Sultanate.



Al Mahrouqi said: Social Media is fast growing in importance, and is playing a compelling role in promoting activities related to the tourism sector; we are hence constantly looking for new ways to innovate and offer travellers experiences that suit their requirements.



In keeping with the Ministrys 2040 vision of attracting more tourists, the Experience Oman pages focus on showcasing the Sultanates best experiences, as well as providing tourists with necessary information required to visit and experience them. The pages also aim to showcase the uniqueness of Omani culture and some of the Sultanates attractions and best kept secrets.  TradeArabia News Service
Brazils Minister of Agriculture, Livestock and Food Supply, Blairo Maggi, has announced plans to visit the UAE and Saudi Arabia to reassure the countries on the safety of Brazilian meat and poultry products.



The visit follows the Operation Carne Fraca (Operation Weak Flesh) organised by the Federal Police of Brazil to investigate some of the countrys largest meat processing companies and subsequent ban on the import of Brazilian meat and poultry products by some countries, said a statement.



The Minister will hold talks with his counterparts in these countries to reinforce Brazils reputation as a leading meat exporting country, it added.



Brazil is a primary exporter of meat and poultry products to the GCC, including the UAE and Saudi Arabia. According to statistics released by the Brazil Ministry of Industry, Foreign Trade and Services, the South American nation shipped nearly $1.3 billion worth of meat and poultry products to Saudi Arabia and $578 million to the UAE.



The two Arab countries have not imposed a blanket ban on imports. However, they have stopped purchasing from some of the 21 companies being probed  four in the Saudi Arabia and six in the UAE  because of unhealthy production practices.



Rubens Hannun, president of the Arab-Brazilian Chamber of Commerce, said: Brazil follows strict health and safety procedures in food production, including for meat which remains a major export despite the recent issue. The government has taken swift measures to rectify the situation, implement stronger safety and health protocols, and ensure more transparency to maintain the highest international food safety standards for all traded meat and poultry.

Minister Maggis visit to the KSA and the UAE is a strategic move to assure the premium quality of Brazilian products entering these markets which have continued to show their trust in Brazils meat industry, Hannun said.



Brazils Secretary for Agricultural Defense Luis Eduardo Rangel recently met Dr Koen Van Dyck, directorate general for health and food Safety (DG Sante) at the European Commission, to assure him that food quality and sanity controls are being upheld in the country.



Additionally, the World Trade Organization has stated that Brazil has assured its Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures of its continuous implementation of one of the worlds most frequently and stringently audited industry regulations, the statement added.  TradeArabia News Service


German pavilion, with double digit growth, will lead the international charge of 25 country pavilions at the Middle East and Africas largest automotive aftermarket trade show next month.



Taking place from May 7 to 9 at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre, Automechanika Dubai will feature 1,935 exhibitors from 57 countries, with approximately 90 per cent coming from outside of the UAE.



According to organiser Messe Frankfurt Middle East, more than 1,300 exhibitors will participate across 25 country pavilions, with Germany leading the way in both exhibitor numbers and exhibition space covered.



A total of 116 leading German aftermarket brands will occupy 6,000 sq m, a 15 per cent increase over the previous year, while 107 of these will be part of a government-backed German Pavilion spanning four of the shows six sections of Parts & Components; Electronics & Systems; Accessories & Customising; Tyres & Batteries; Car Wash, Care & Reconditioning; and Repair & Maintenance.



The biggest names in the aftermarket business will bring the reputed power, performance and precision of German engineering this year, spearheaded by the likes of Karcher, Liqui Moly, Mapco, Mahle, Mipa, Schaeffler, Weicon, and Wilhelm Schwenker, said a statement.



Mahle is one of the worlds leading international suppliers of original equipment to the automotive industry, with annual sales revenue of 11.5 billion and more than 170 production locations.



The powerhouses Aftermarket business unit will be out in force at Automechanika Dubai 2017, where it will shine the spotlight on its entire range of spare parts, from filters and engine parts to turbochargers, mechatronics and thermostats, as well as workshop equipment.



Liqui Moly is another leading German brand ubiquitous in service stations and auto workshops across the Middle East. The engine oil and additive producer has exhibited at Automechanika Dubai for several years, and has reaped the benefits of persevering in the vast Middle East market.



Elsewhere, Weicon is a long-standing exhibitor at Automechanika Dubai, and a producer of special adhesives, sealants, technical sprays and high-performance assembly pastes and greases for all industry applications.



The Muenster-headquartered company will showcase its range of adhesives and technical sprays that are widely used for automotive manufacturing, repair and maintenance.



Country pavilions joining Germany on the double-digit growth path at Automechanika Dubai 2017 include Netherlands, which has increased in size by 87 per cent; and Japan, which debuted at the show in 2016, and returns this year with a 32 per cent increase in size. Poland (13 per cent growth), and Morocco (12 per cent growth), also have impressive year-on-year growth.



Ahmed Pauwels, CEO of Messe Frankfurt Middle East, said: The Middle East and Africa continues to power ahead as a leading market for auto parts and services, and top global companies choose to increase their impact by building on the considerable networking and business development opportunities generated at Automechanika Dubai.



The strong German presence underlines the countrys leading position as a key provider of automotive parts, accessories and services and the good reputation that German brands enjoy across the world.



Other country pavilions at the 15th edition of Automechanika Dubai include Australia, Brazil, China, Egypt, France, Hong Kong, India, Iran, Italy, Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan, Singapore, Spain, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, UK, USA, and for the first time, Viet Nam.



Its global influence is underlined by the presence of 36 international trade associations, while 51 per cent of the 30,000-plus trade visitors are expected to come from outside of the UAE, the statement said. - TradeArabia News Service
Global cross-border M&A activity continued to dip as political turbulence and economic uncertainty become the new normal for dealmakers, while deal flow in the Middle East remained stable, according to a new report.



Baker McKenzie's Cross-Border M&A Index, which tracks quarterly deal activity using a baseline score of 100, decreased to 218 for Q1 2017, down 17 per cent from the prior quarter and 9 per cent from Q1 2016. In Q1 2017, cross-border M&A made up 49 per cent of all deal value and 35 per cent of all deal volume.

North America was a safe haven for deals in Q1 2017, and the US accounted for 94 per cent of inbound deal value in the region. The fallout from Brexit and a series of contentious election campaigns hit EU inbound M&A activity in Q1 2017, as EU targets accounted for only 17 per cent of cross regional deal value, compared to an average of 35 per cent since 2009.



The consumer sector led the way for deal value in Q1 2017 with 142 deals valued at $113.3 billion, while the technology sector led deal volume with 182 deals valued at $14.9 billion. Energy and utilities, and pharma were the second and third highest sectors in terms of value, contributing $51.4 billion and $49.1 billion respectively.



Cross-regional Middle East M&A activity



The Q1 2017 Middle East Index has remained fairly steady at 141.3, a slight dip on Q1 2016 figures (155.6), and the previous quarter (189.9), indicating that despite sustained political and economic uncertainty, the Middle East M&A market remains steadfast. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is yet again a dominant country for M&A in the region this quarter, coming out top for deal volume for both inbound and outbound activity.



"The UAE is one of the most dynamic Middle East economies for cross-regional M&A activity, as borne out by the deals in Q1 2017", said Will Seivewright, Corporate/M&A partner at Baker McKenzie Habib Al Mulla, based in the UAE.



"With projected GDP growth continuing to bring investors to the region, the outlook is very positive for the remainder of the year. We expect to see the consumer and technology sectors driving activity as demand and innovation in the region continue.



Zahi Younes, Corporate & Securities partner at Baker McKenzie's associated firm in Riyadh said: "It's a positive story for Saudi Arabia this quarter, with the nation leading the pack on both outbound and inbound deal value. As 2017 continues, we expect to see more deal activity from family businesses as second and third generation shareholders become more receptive to M&A activity as a means to develop their businesses".



Inbound Middle East M&A



Both the value and volume of cross-regional M&A deals targeting the Middle East slightly increased from the last quarter, rising from $2.66 billion to $2.96 billion, and shows a significant increase from Q1 2016 where we saw just $349 million raised for the same number of deals.



The US led by volume and value as the top bidder country for the quarter with two deals worth $2.86 billion, one of which was Tronox Limited's $2.21 billion acquisition of Saudi Arabia's The National Titanium Dioxide Company Ltd, resulting in the Chemicals & Materials sector being the stand out target industry for the quarter by value.



The UAE attracted the most interest from international investors by volume, with four deals across various sectors, whilst Saudi Arabia led by value, as a result of the Titanium Dioxide mega deal. The Energy & Utilities sector was the busiest of the quarter.



Outbound Middle East M&A



The value of outbound M&A from the Middle East in Q1 2017 has more than halved compared to Q4 2016. However, a year-on-year comparison shows that deal value has more than doubled from $1.13 billion in Q1 2016, to $ 5.21 billion in Q1 2017, despite a 50 per cent drop in deal volume.



The UAE drove deal volume from the region, with five deals across various sectors, whilst Saudi Arabia and Kuwait account for the main bulk of this quarter's deal value, investing S$3.9 billion and $1.2 billion respectively.



Energy & Utilities was the stand-out target industry by both volume and value, with six deals valued at $5.12 billion, including the mega US$3.9 billion acquiring of USA's Motiva Enterprises LLC by Saudi Arabian Oil Co.  TradeArabia News Service
As the rising tide of populism in the West erodes the foundations of the open market, the apparent retreat from globalisation may result in the GCCs capital markets gaining huge momentum for growth, said an industry expert.



Steen Jakobsen, chief economist of Saxo Bank, the online multi-asset trading and investment specialist, added that the lack of scientific theory and foresight in the feverish growth of populist ideology in the West could positively impact regional financial markets.



Framed by a romantic notion of reinstalling glories of the past, the current wave of populism in the USA and Western Europe has endured defining moments in the wake of events such as Brexit and the election of President Trump. Further evidence of anti-establishment forces growing to prominence in the West are evident in right-wing front-runner Marine Le Pen being widely tipped to win the first round of the French presidential elections this week (April 23).



Having predicted Trumps ascension months before his Presidential victory, Jakobsen believes the surge in populist politics is the biggest threat to global financial markets.



Today, markets are relatively open and fair for everyone to enter. This is one reason why Brexit Britain and Trumps America are now characterised by divisive social upheaval. The contrasting voices are striking. There are those calling for an economic vision that increases productivity, creates competition and openness, and improves access to education, and there are those favouring more protectionist policies, he said.



In the UK and across Europe, much of the anguish following the outcome of the British referendum is marked by concerns over the reversal of the open-market and open-border policies that enriched both the UK and its European Union (EU) partners.



With Prime Minister Theresa Mays Conservative government triggering the UKs final divorce agreement with the EU, trepidation over the UKs vote for autonomy and self-determination draws parallel to global concerns over the impact on markets caused by President Trumps economic policy, which many argue would have been more suited to the socio-economic climate of the 1950s and 1960s, according to Jakobsen.



As politics shaped by goals of national sovereignty continue to unfold, particularly in France where a Le Pen presidential victory could see the return of the French Franc and a French referendum on EU membership, the notion of the open market in Europe may soon face further challenges.



The tension is not restricted to Europe and the US either. Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loon recently stated in an interview with the BBC that it may become necessary to take sides between the US and China. Meanwhile, for the GCC region, Jakobsen maintains the uncertainty has created new opportunities for prosperity as regional markets wake-up to the worst-case scenario of nations divided by political turmoil, the closing of borders and a fragile open market.



While nations across the Gulf and wider Middle East would have to strike an uneasy political balance to remain an ally on both sides of the US - China coin, a world polarised along the lines of West versus East would ultimately see capital flowing inside small economic regions, creating a significant opportunity for the GCC debt market to gain huge momentum as the re-selling of capital to the US becomes less urgent, he said.



The GCC debt markets have an excess return relative to US treasuries, making it possible to have dollar exposure without any physical money actually being based in the US. With more dollar reserves being placed outside US borders, the GCC debt market could become very lucrative, not only for inter-GCC countries, but also for Asian and European investors.



The Middle Easts capital market has grown at an impressive rate over the past year and in order for the GCC region to monopolise the potential to create deeper capital markets, there should be a clear and transparent political vision for the region. If capital markets can be made deep enough to absorb all the net excess saving there is in the Middle East, instead of those excess savings going overseas, there should theoretically be a higher deposit base, which would attract higher levels of inward investment.



Jakobsen added that this opportunity for economic prosperity comes at a time when moves such as the UAEs implementation of bankruptcy laws and the Saudi Arabia bond issuance are seen as very strong signals to the rest of the world that the GCC region remains well and truly open for business.



If GCC countries continue to launch initiatives that bring its financial ecosystem in line with that of international players, together with its huge geographical advantage, the region will become increasingly influential in a world that is becoming more and more polarised, noted Jakobsen.  TradeArabia News Service
Saudi Arabias decision to reverse allowance cut is likely to boost overall consumption in the economy, as higher disposable income will benefit core consumption sectors i.e. retail and food sectors, a report said.



Notably these were the sectors which saw the steepest fall post announcement of allowance cut in September 2016, added the Saudi Economy Update from Al Rajhi Capital, a leading financial services provider in the kingdom.



Other sectors such as banks, especially the ones exposed to retail segment are also likely to benefit. The reversal of allowance cut also highlights improved confidence in the economy, which is positive for the broader market in general.



The allowance cut was previously announced when Brent was trading below $45/barrel but there is confidence that oil prices now are likely to remain steady at around $50/barrel or improve from hereon, the report noted.



The enabling factors for the reversal seem to be lower than expected deficit (by 50 per cent) in Q1 2017 due to increase in government revenue and reduction of expenses due to rationalization of government expenditure. Note that the kingdom ordered ministries and agencies to review unfinished infrastructure and other projects which led to SR17 billion ($4.5 billion) of savings, the update said.



Further, the Central Bank now expects the trade deficit to possibly move into a surplus in 2017.



Improving confidence in the economy



The reversal of allowance cut is positive for the economy as it points to higher confidence that the government will be able to meet/better the fiscal targets as mentioned in Fiscal Balance programme.



Notably, the total allowances constituted SR80 billion or around 25 per cent of total public salaries and allowances in 2015 while the savings in expenditure has already been 1/4th of the total allowances.



Impact on stocks



The decision is broadly positive for equities and is likely to boost consumption driven sectors such as retail, food etc. Retail, Consumer services, consumer durables, food and staple sectors had seen the steepest fall in the week post the decision to cut allowances (Sept 2016).



We believe these are the stocks that are likely to benefit from announcement. Even stocks in other sectors such as banking, construction etc. could see a boost due to higher overall confidence in Govt spending while export oriented sectors could also witness an uplift on increased likelihood of progressive subsidy cuts on feedstock being deferred, Al Rajhi Capital said in the report.  TradeArabia News Service
Y International (UK) Ltd, part of Abu Dhabi-based Lulu Group International, has won the Queens Award for Enterprise: International Trade 2017, the most prestigious award for business excellence in the UK.



The annual award is given to organisations for their extraordinary contributions in the field of economy, business and employment generation, based on the recommendation made by British Prime Minister Theresa May and approved by Queen Elizabeth on her birthday.



The award winners are subjected to stringent auditing processes and their performance scrutinised by over 30 top government agencies, before they are included in the roll of honour. The winners name has been published in the latest edition of UK Government Gazette, and very soon Queen Elizabeth will host a reception for the winners at Buckingham palace.



This award was established in the year 1966 to honour top companies for their exceptional contribution to the UK trade, industry and economy.



Yusuffali MA, chairman of Lulu Group said: I am extremely honoured and proud to hear the news about Y International UK being selected for the prestigious Queen's Award this year. This great recognition will surely help us further strengthen our plans to expand business interests in UK and continue with our innovations and contributions to the dynamic economy of UK.



Y International UK food processing plant was established in Birmingham in 2013 to source and process food products from UK to support the tremendous demand for high quality British products in the Lulu hypermarkets across the Middle East, India and Far East. It employs over 300 UK nationals.



We are in the process of setting up another world-class food processing plant in the 12.5 acres of land allotted by Birmingham City Council, to further boost our exports and cover bigger variety of products. The planned investment would be to the tune of 36 million ($46.12 million), added Yusuffali.



Lulu, ranked as the No.1 retailer in the Mena region and one of the top 50 fastest growing retailers in the world by Deloitte, was recently in the news for buying the iconic Scotland Yard building in London and for investing in the historic East India Company. The group turnover for the year 2016 was $6.9 billion, the company said. - TradeArabia News Service


E-City, a leading operator of a chain of world-class multi-brand electronics retail stores across the UAE, will introduce the latest in-store retail technologies across all its eight stores in the UAE.



The company has announced the installation of the newest in electronic shelf labels, and interactive screens -- all designed to give customers the ability to experience the future of electronics.



According to the company's senior executives, the new additions and fixtures in all their stores are one-of-a-kind and have been designed in compliance with set European standards.



The electronic shelf labels feature pricing information that can be controlled from a central system--which means that the price displayed on the shelf will always be the same as the price registered on the till. All eight stores will feature QR codes that have been developed to help customers in finding out more information on a product on the internet via their mobile phones.



Interactive screens strategically placed in different parts of the store also share important details on a featured product--pricing, comparison with other brands and current store promotions.



As part of our continuing move to attract more customers to our stores across the UAE, we have utilised the latest technologies with the key aim of giving customers a taste of the 'Future of Electronics,' said Dirk Raemdonck, marketing and retail development - manager, E-City.



The move reflects our understanding that if the right technology is used then we can change the way we work and the way we shop. We have surely come a long way from punching prices into the cash registers and using pricing guns to label a product. We are now tapping into newer technologies, which complements our core ethos--with every inch of E-City outlets utilising a design that aims to give customer's the benefit of convenience and a unique experience.



E-City is the electronics retail arm of Albatha Group, one of the largest conglomerates in UAE. The group is a Shariah-compliant organisation, comprising over 25 companies with over 7,000 employees spread across seven industry sectors including automotive, consumer, engineering, home products, real estate, healthcare, household and personal care. - TradeArabia News Service


The Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) will participate in the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) for the first time as part of the its strategy to reach out and welcome more visitors from the Middle East.



The 2017 edition of ATM, which will be held in Dubai from April 24  27 at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre, will provide an ideal platform for JNTO and its partners to directly engage with the Middle Easts travel professionals and provide them relevant information and contacts for them to confidently promote the destination to their clients seeking quality, welcoming, memorable and unique experiences.



The number of international visitors to Japan has been growing dramatically year on year. By participating in the Arabian Travel Market, JNTO hopes to create many mutually beneficial partnerships with the regions leading travel professionals and airlines, to encourage more visitors from the Middle East to experience the wonder, beauty and hospitality that only Japan can provide.



In just three years since 2013 the number of international visitors to Japan has more than doubled, resulting in over 24 million visitors travelling to Japan in 2016 compared to the 10.3 million experienced in 2013. 2016 marks the first time Japan has welcomed more than 20 million visitors in one year. Having achieved this milestone result, the target of welcoming 40 million visitors before the country hosts the Tokyo Olympic Games in 2020 seems an ever more realisable goal for the Japanese tourism industry.



When targeting Middle Eastern guests JNTO is keen to highlight the countrys unique heritage, modern pop culture, luxury experiences, tax free shopping and Japans traditional washoku cuisine - which has been designated as a Unesco Intangible Cultural Heritage.



In order to make Muslim and Middle Eastern guests as welcome and comfortable as possible, many hotel, hospitality and restaurant partners throughout Japan have made extensive efforts to learn the cultural and religious needs of Muslim guests, including making available various services and offerings that are Halal or Muslim-friendly.



All this information can be easily accessed through the dedicated Muslim Guide website at: http://muslimguide.jnto.go.jp/eng/.



Joining the JNTO Japan pavilion are representatives from the tourism related authorities of Hokkaido, the Kyoto Convention & Visitors Bureau, Hotel Granvia Kyoto, Japans Prince Hotels, Ayabex and J-Links, Japanese destination management companies.



Special promotional packages to Japan created in collaboration with Cathay Pacific, and made exclusively for travellers from the UAE, will also be launched at the Arabian Travel Market to further entice visitors with great holiday deals.



Tokyo-Mt. Fuji - Kyoto package includes return flights from Dubai with Cathay Pacific, a one way Bullet Train ride from Tokyo to Kyoto, three night accommodation with breakfast at each of Shinagawa Prince Hotels in Tokyo and Hotel Granvia Kyoto, Tokyo city tour, Mt. Fuji & Hakone tour, Kyoto city tours and airport transfers by English speaking drivers. The price starts at Dh9,950 ($2,708.4) per person with twin / double sharing basis, and subject to seasonal surcharges. These special packages including this will be available through local UAE travel agents and valid until the end of December 2017. - TradeArabia News Service
Mint Leaf of London Dubai has appointed William Fernandes as its new restaurant manager.



Having worked in the food and beverage industry in the Middle East since 2004, Fernandes has developed his leadership and team management skills with international brands including Tablez, along with homegrown outlets in Bahrain and the UAE.



In his new role as restaurant manager, Fernandes will oversee restaurant operations across the restaurant, bar and lounge areas,



He will be responsible for improving productivity, business development and administration of the Mint Leaf Group's internal policies and procedures.



Fernandes looks forward to contributing to staff development and training, streamlining operations across front of house, and increasing compliance with the Mint Leaf Groups strict hygiene and sustainability standards. - 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
Etihad Aviation Group today 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, 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.



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.



Kevin Knight, group strategy and planning officer, will 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.  TradeArabia News Service


Assila Hotel, Jeddahs new landmark hotel which opened last month, has appointed Harry Fernandes as the new general manager.



Fernandes is making his first appearance on behalf of the hotel at the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) being held at the Dubai International Exhibition and Convention Centre (DICEC) till April 27.



Speaking at the event, Fernandes said: The Arabian Travel Market is the biggest and most important event in the Middle East travel and tourism sector and therefore it is the ideal opportunity for us to showcase Assila Hotel to the global and regional travel industry, strengthen existing relationships and make new contacts.



Commenting on his new appointment, he said: I am delighted to take the helm as general manager of the splendid new Assila Hotel in the beautiful city of Jeddah. Assila is the first Rocco Forte hotel to open in the Middle East and I am very pleased to contribute my 14 years experience with Rocco Forte Hotels and Resorts to uphold the highest standards of excellence that have established Rocco Forte as one of the premier hotels brands in the world.



Fernandes takes over from Frank Heller who was appointed as Interim GM of Assila Hotel in June 2016 to oversee the pre-opening and initial opening period, while simultaneously retaining his position as General Manager of The Charles Hotel in Munich, Germany, a position he has held since August 2007 and to which he now returns.



Fernandes started his career with the international hotel group in 2004 when he was appointed rooms division manager at The Balmoral in Edinburgh, followed by promotion to resident manager of The Balmoral in 2005. He transferred to Browns Hotel in London in 2012, then in 2014 was seconded as resort manager of the Verdura in Sicily, after which he rejoined The Balmoral until November 2016 when he came to Jeddah as hotel manager of Assila.



Prior to his career with Rocco Forte Hotels, Fernandes held various roles in the front office of several London properties including the Hilton Park Lane and the Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park.



Assila Hotel occupies two towers in a prime central location on Tahlia Street, Jeddahs most fashionable business and luxury shopping area. The hotel offers 304 deluxe rooms and suites, ranging from a full city views with a glimpse of the Red Sea beyond, to the sumptuous Royal Suite which occupies 597m2 with private elevators.



Guests have a varied choice of restaurants and other food and beverage outlets each with a unique concept developed by Lydia Forte, Restaurant and Bar Development Manager of Rocco Forte Hotels and daughter of Sir Rocco Forte. The restaurant concepts range from traditional Arabic mezze to fine dining experiences with culinary delights represented from around the world.



For exercise, workouts and relaxation after a busy day, Assila Hotel offers a 25x5m rooftop pool, a gym with high-tech equipment, two squash courts, and a spa complete with saunas, steam rooms, experience showers and relaxation rooms, ensuring a complete Rocco Forte Spa experience in which guests can fully indulge in the tranquillity of the surroundings.



Superbly designed for business functions and social events, Assila Hotel offers a fully equipped business center, a range of meeting rooms in different sizes and all with natural lighting, world class conference facilities, and the magnificent Assila Ballroom that has a separate entrance from the side street, a pre-Function Lounge and a VIP/Bridal Lounge. The property includes 550 parking spaces along with a Valet Parking service.



Established by Sir Rocco Forte and his sister Olga Polizzi in 1996, Rocco Forte Hotels is a family of 11 individual hotels and resorts. All of the hotels are landmarks, both old and new, occupying magnificent buildings in exceptional locations. Led by a family who has been in hospitality for four generations, the hotels are united by their distinctive approach to service ensuring guests experience the best of the cities and surrounding areas. - TradeArabia News Service


Time Hotels Management has unveiled plans for a new four-star hotel in Dubais Al Barsha shopping district, which will aim for 80 per cent of team members to be female, led by general manager Ghada Mahgoub.



The announcement was made during a press conference at Arabian Travel Market, which is currently taking place at Dubai World Trade Centre.



The concept will provide career opportunities for more than 100 women, contributing towards goals set out by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to increase the presence of women in the workplace, said Time Hotels CEO Mohamed Awadalla.



Time Asma Hotel will feature 232-rooms over six floors, a gym, swimming pool, jacuzzi, four meeting rooms, a business centre and two restaurants, for both male and female guests.



Due to open in Q4 2017, plans are in place for two floors of the hotel to be reserved exclusively for female travellers, with dedicated services, including: dedicated room service, a female-only check-in counter, dedicated women-only guest relations, in-house baby-sitting services, in-room tablets highlighting all of the services offered for women such as bespoke beauty products, in-room beauty treatments, as well as enhanced amenities in each room.



The hotel will also offer options to book women-only taxis and female-dedicated parking spaces.



True to its name, the hotel will offer a truly unique experience for women, we want to make them feel special. And that message is also extended to our female staff, we want them to feel special as well, part of an exciting initiative advancing the case for more women in hospitality board rooms, added Awadalla.



The latest statistics clearly underpin Awadallas comments, showing women continue to be under-represented in the hospitality industry, especially in senior management positions.



We see almost equal numbers of male and female graduates leaving hospitality school, but fewer women enter in the hotel workforce, which shows the industry must do more to attract and support female professionals and their aspirations for career development, said Awadalla.



With a target of 80 per cent, women will be integral to the hotels recruitment and HR policies, led by TIME Asma Hotels first female GM, Ghada Mahgoub. Over the course of her 20-year career, Mahgoub has held senior positions in hotels in Cairo, Abu Dhabi, Fujairah, Ras Al Khamaih, Sharm El Sheikh and Dubai, leading teams across the reservations, events and rooms departments.



Time Asma Hotel will hold open recruitment for female employees, with training and development offered in-house to support the successful candidates in achieving their career goals, said Mahgoub.



And quite apart from the issues of gender, the concept has a commercially viable strategy. Globally, women make 80 per cent of all decisions concerning travel and spend more than $125 billion every year, with women aged between 40 and 60 representing the largest growth of any age bracket.



Unaccompanied female travel is also on the rise - Lonely Planet reported that 51 per cent of surveyed travellers plan to take a solo trip in 2017, with the number rising to 80% in Germany. Due to its reputation for personal safety, Dubai would naturally be a top choice.



Time Asma Hotel will also be ideally positioned to attract the growing number of female visitors to Dubai, whether travelling with their families, friends, or alone, said Mahgoub.



Time Asma Hotel is one of upcoming properties in the pipeline for Time Hotels in the Middle East, with new properties scheduled to open over the coming 10 months in Dubai, Ajman, Fujairah, Luxor, Riyadh, Jeddah and Doha.



Awadalla said: This is a very exciting chapter in Time Hotels history and we look forward to introducing a number of new destinations and concepts to the region over the coming months. - TradeArabia News Service
Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways, which owns a 49 per cent stake in Italy's Alitalia, has regretted the decision by Alitalia staff to reject a restructuring plan prosposed by the management.



James Hogan, president and chief executive of the Etihad Aviation Group, and vice chairman of Alitalia, said: We deeply regret the Alitalia staff vote outcome, which means that all parties will lose: Alitalias employees, its customers and its shareholders, and ultimately also Italy, for which Alitalia is an ambassador all over the world."



The restructuring plan aimed to cut jobs and salaries to resuce the loss-making airline.



Alitalias shareholders, including Etihad Airways, have provided vast amounts of financial and commercial support during the past three years. Jointly with the Italian shareholders, Etihad had reaffirmed its strong commitment and principal willingness to support the airline with a package worth nearly 2 billion in aggregate to help fund Alitalias new five-year business plan. A key condition to this commitment was that an agreed and concerted effort would be made by all interested parties, including the unions.



The preliminary agreement with unions that was made possible and supported by the union leaders, Alitalia management, the Italian Prime Minister and three government ministers would have helped secure Alitalias future. The rejection of this agreement in the staff ballot is deeply disappointing.



As a minority shareholder in Alitalia we support the boards decision today to convene a shareholders meeting on April 27, to start preparing the procedures provided by the law," the statement said.



The plan involved cutting 1,700 jobs among ground staff and trimming salaries among flight personnel by 8 percent in order to unlock additional financing and keep Alitalia in the air. - TradeArabia News Service
Celebrity Cruises Middle East has recognised the support of their industry partners by presenting today Appreciation Certificates to 15 travel industry partners from the Middle East at the special ceremony held at their stand in ATM, Dubai.



Celebrity Cruises Middle East also thanked TCA Abu Dhabi (Tourism & Culture Authority, Abu Dhabi), DTCM (Dubai Tourism & Commerce Marketing, Dubai) and Oman Tourism, Oman for their incredible contribution to the successful first season of Celebrity Constellation in the Arabian Gulf during winter 2016/17.



We are delighted to see the pace at which our modern luxury brand has been growing year on year. We started our dedicated representation for Celebrity Cruises in January 2015 and have more than doubled our business just in the second year of our representation. Our guest volume records an increase of 138 per cent compared to the previous year. This would not have been possible without the support of our industry partners. We take this opportunity to thank each one of our partners who supported us to reach this level, said Lakshmi Durai, chief executive officer, Travel Matrix, the Middle East representative of Celebrity Cruises.



We are honoured to show our appreciation for the outstanding co-operation and dedication received from the Tourism Boards in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Oman in support of Celebrity Constellations first winter gulf season, she added.



Celebrity Constellation, a 13 deck high 91,000 ton vessel with a capacity of 2,170 guests based on double occupancy, is returning to Arabian Gulf in November 2017 for her second winter season. The modern luxury ship will begin her season with a 10 night cruise within UAE and Oman and will be sailing four longer round trip itineraries from Abu Dhabi, UAE, following the ancient spice route to some of Indias most fascinating cities  Cochin, Mangalore, Goa and Mumbai  before returning via the popular destinations of Dubai, UAE and Muscat, Oman.



Celebrity Cruises will now be offering Halal meals onboard. In true recognition of the cultural needs of Middle Eastern guests, the luxury cruise line has made special efforts to introduce Halal meals in the main dining room. It can be pre-ordered for any sailings on all Celebrity cruise ships.



Celebrity Cruises recently launched their new class of ship Celebrity EdgeSM, whose dramatically expanded staterooms, ship-climbing Magic Carpet platform and stunning suites set a new standard for ship design. Designed completely in 3-D and featuring the work of A-list global architects and designers, the 2,918-guest Celebrity Edge aims to make discerning global travelers redefine how they experience the world and how intimate a vacation can be.



We are pleased to see the increasing interest for Celebrity Cruises in this market and it is a pleasure to thank all our partners and especially Travel Matrix, our representative in the Middle East of Celebrity Cruises for their dedicated contribution to our success, said Natalya Bentas, sales manager International Representatives, Europe, Middle East & Africa for Celebrity Cruises. With the introduction of our new Edge class ships, our guests will get to experience the most luxurious and sophisticated cruise vacation. The affluent Middle Eastern guests always look for premium holiday options and Celebrity Cruises serves to be the perfect fit for them, she added.



Celebrity Edge will homeport in Fort Lauderdale, FL., making her first sailing on December 16, 2018. Bookings are now open for the ships two seven-night itineraries  Eastern and Western Caribbean. Celebrity Edge will be joined by three sister ships in 2020, 2021 and 2022. - TradeArabia News Service


Swissotel, part of AccorHotels, world-leading travel & lifestyle group, today announced that it has entered into a franchise agreement with Bahrains International Investment Bank (IIB) and Al Shiddi International for the development of a new 218-room urban resort in Sarajevo, Bosnia.



Situated next to Bosnian Parliament, within the expansive mixed-use Sarajevo City Center project, consisting of a shopping mall and office tower with 30,000 daily visitors, Swissotel Sarajevo will enjoy a commanding downtown commercial and residential location, as a new landmark for Sarajevo, close to top attractions and Sarajevo International Airport.



The project, scheduled to open in early 2018, is being developed and operated by Al Shiddi International from Riyadh, one of the prominent investment companies in Saudi Arabia with an extensive portfolio of investments locally and globally featuring financial services, real estate, agriculture, manufacturing, industrial and retail.



As a co-investor, IIB is proud of its association with Al Shiddi Group and Accor Hotels, and to see the development this very positive project, said a statement.



This is an exciting new addition for the Swissotel brand and a perfect complement to our companys growing portfolio of city and resort destinations throughout Europe, said Duncan ORourke, COO Luxury Brands Europe for AccorHotels. In keeping with Swissotels brand promise of promoting quality in life, the resort will offer a very inspiring atmosphere which will be bolstered with local attributes authentic to the locale. To be pairing an unbelievable urban resort product with the growing organic paradise that Bosnian is becoming known for is nothing short of magic.



We are extremely pleased to be partnering with AccorHotels on this new Swissotel resort project and look forward to working with them to create a truly world-class property, said Sulaiman Al Shiddi for Al Shiddi International. Bosnia is a thriving holiday discovery destination popular with travelers from all over the world who are looking for the ultimate mix of relaxation, adventure and cultural flair; Swissotel will deliver against this and more. Furthermore, National Geographic has published special addition Western Balkan: Land of Discovery with Bosnia prominently featured as its centerpiece.



This agreement is a significant milestone in Sarajevo and will further strengthen the prospects for both business travel and the emerging tourism sector in Bosnia, added Subhi Benkhadra, CEO of International Investment Bank.



Interiors are designed by Scott Brownrigg Associates, a leading UK hotel design firm with extensive experience in high end hotel development across Europe, the hotel will offer scenic all-glass views of the downtown and mountains with stunning guestrooms featuring spacious bedrooms. Completing the guest experience will be a private executive club, three exquisite dining outlets, the brands signature Purovel Spa & Sport, and 500 sq m (5,300 sq ft) of indoor meeting space with function areas.



Surrounded by EU member Croatia, Bosnia is a country with a population of four million. It is one of the leading European new discovery vacation hotspots featuring an annual 20 per cent increase in tourist arrivals for the past five years. It has recently added several direct flights to the Gulf Cooperation Council countries as it hosts the world-famous Sarajevo Film Festival.



Bosnia is renowned for its beautiful natural parks, pristine forest, Ottoman architectural treasures, extended waterfalls and rapids, an Unesco Mostar Bridge site, and distinctive coffee culture.  TradeArabia News Service


Chipotle (CMG) topped analysts estimates on both top and bottom lines for the first-quarter. And, the company announced a delicious new development  dessert will be on the menu very soon.

During Tuesdays investor relations call, Chipotle CEO Steve Ells announced one of the desserts the company will begin testing at the end of the month.

Chipotle plans to offer bunuelos, a traditional Mexican dessert, comprised of fried tortilla strips with honey and cinnamon sugar thats served with caramel apple dipping sauce.

Mexican bunuelos, a traditional Mexican dessert (Source: Nosh on it)

Its simple to make and requires us to add just a few additional ingredients, Ells noted. Theyre delicious and complement our menu nicely.

On Tuesday, the Mexican fast food chain reported EPS of $1.60 on revenue of $1.07 billion topping Wall Street expectations. Analysts were expecting EPS of $1.27 on revenue of $1.05 billion. Shares spiked 5.5% on the report.

Comparable restaurant sales rose 17.8% vs. analysts forecast of 15.5% growth. Sales grew for the first time since its E. Coli crisis in 2015. Though the company first announced its vague plans to offer dessert options in October, investors and consumers were left wondering what to expect.

Ells emphasized that he is as optimistic as hes ever been given the positive quarter. The company did note, however, that they are currently undergoing an investigation into payment systems fraud from March 24 through April 18. But the company believes that unauthorized actions have been stopped. Executives did not provide further comment on the call.

Melody Hahm is a writer at Yahoo Finance, covering entrepreneurship, technology and real estate. Follow her on Twitter @melodyhahm.

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Last Mile Health

Before the Ebola virus ravaged West Africa, killing thousands and leaving entire towns reeling, it started small. The virus wound its way out of a rainforest-adjacent village in Guinea and spread through other rural areas in Liberia and Sierra Leone, going undetected for months. By the time the world realized what was happening, it was too late to stop the virus's spread.

It's hard to find outbreaks if people aren't actively looking for them. And in rural communities across the world, people lack access to healthcare workers who might be able to detect future Ebola outbreaks  or on a more regular basis, help diagnose and treat problems like pneumonia, malaria and diarrhea.

Dr. Raj Panjabi just won the $1 million TED Prize for an idea that could dramatically increase the number of paid community health workers around the world. The prize is given each year at the TED conference in Vancouver, Canada to make the recipient's "big wish" a reality.

Panjabi is a physician at Harvard Medical School and the co-founder and CEO of Last Mile Health, an organization that expands access to healthcare in remote areas through the hiring of professional community health workers. Panjabi tells Business Insider that he wants to "recruit and train the largest army of community health workers that's ever been known."

He calls his concept the Community Health Academy.

"I want to help countries where they're already working on this to do it at a higher quality and lower cost, to create and curate the best in digital education resources, and to [use] self-learning and online courses to recognize the next outbreak," he says.

All of these steps could reduce unnecessary deaths from treatable diseases and potentially prevent future pandemics, according to Panjabi.

Raj Prakash

Panjabi grew up in Monrovia, Liberia. He lived what he calls a normal childhood as a math and science geek, until civil war erupted when he was nine years old. The war sent hundreds of thousands of families fleeing, and Panjabi's family ended up moving to North Carolina.

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"I wanted to go back to see if I could contribute to serving those we left behind," he says. When Panjabi returned to Liberia in 2005, he discovered the country had the one of the biggest doctor shortages in the world, with just 51 doctors for four million people. The physicians available to see patients were clustered in urban areas, forcing many rural residents to travel over a day to get care.

That's why he started Last Mile Health in 2007  to bring healthcare to rural areas at a low cost by training paid community health workers to detect and treat diseases. "I believe no one should have to die in the 21st century from lack of access to a doctor or a clinic," he says.

Last Mile Health came into existence at the right time, technologically speaking, since smartphones have made it easier than ever to access medical knowledge without a degree or a lab.

Panjabi gives the example of a child with a shortness of breath. A healthcare worker could check to see if the child has a fever with a digital thermometer, count their breaths using the phone as a smartwatch, and come away knowing whether the child is likely to have pneumonia.

In the next year, Panjabi hopes to use his TED Prize money to set up online training courses for community health workers across the globe. He wants to start in countries with the most dire healthcare shortages (like Liberia).

Online education platform EdX has already committed to working with Last Mile Health on the project. The next step after that is to work with ministries of health in various countries to set up official certifications for trained health workers.

"If we can't understand the value they bring, their labor is undervalued. This would help countries measure training competencies," he says.

Ultimately, Panjabi believes community health work is both an economic and a national security issue. By hiring health workers, governments can create much-needed jobs in rural areas. And as the recent Ebola outbreak revealed, blind spots in rural healthcare lead to diseases that threaten people all over the world.

"You can't bomb Ebola," he says.

NOW WATCH: The heartbreaking reasons why humans havent eradicated this incurable disease





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By Kira Zavyalova and Igor Ilic MOSCOW/ZAGREB (Reuters) - Russia's largest bank Sberbank is considering selling 1.1 billion euros (920.1 million pounds) in loans it granted to indebted Croatian food and retail group Agrokor [AGROK.UL], Sberbank's First Deputy Chairman Maxim Poletayev said. "We are also considering a possibility of selling Agrokor's debt and are in talks with buyers on the international markets," Poletayev said in an interview with Reuters. Agrokor, Croatia's biggest private firm, piled up debts worth some 45 billion kuna ($6.42 billion), or six times its equity, during a rapid expansion in the region, according to the latest available official data from last September. Agrokor is the biggest employer in the Balkan region with some 60,000 staff. Poletayev said Sberbank, one of the biggest lenders to Agrokor, was ready to go to court to seek a suitable solution in restructuring the company's debt. More clarity on the extent of Agrokor's debt is expected by the end of June because all the creditors, including both banks and suppliers, have until June 10 to submit their claims. Agrokor's owner Ivica Todoric handed control of the company to the Croatian government earlier this month under an emergency law to handle a restructuring of the business. Before the law was introduced, Sberbank had provided Agrokor with 100 million euros in March and now wants to get senior loan status for that money, giving it a preferential claim in a restructuring. The possibility of providing new loans to Agrokor and future talks on bailing out the Balkan firm will depend on the status of that 100 million euro loan, Poletayev said. Poletayev said that Sberbank's loan had kept Agrokor operations afloat for two months, without which "the company would have gone bankrupt a month earlier." "That is why before providing extra finance we think it is appropriate to have a right for preferential claim on a 100 million euro loan provided by Sberbank," the banker said. Two weeks ago, Agrokor secured an initial cash injection worth 80 million euros from five local banks. Its crisis manager, Ante Ramljak, said that the company would identify how much money it needed to keep afloat this year before opening talks with new potential lenders. Agrokor has made a rough estimate that it will need up to 450 million euros this year. (Reporting by Kira Zavyalova in Moscow and Igor Ilic in Zagreb; writing by Andrey Ostroukh; editing by Susan Thomas and Jane Merriman)
LIMA (Reuters) - About 600 natives of Peru's Amazon region took control of a non-producing oil field operated by Canada's Pacific Exploration & Production Corp and demanded payment for use of the land, a representative of the protesters said on Tuesday. The field, oil lot 192 near the Ecuadorean border, has been idle since last year due to pipeline ruptures. Pacific Exploration & Production said a group of 30 indigenous people began the protest on Saturday. Wilmer Chavez, president of the Oriap indigenous organisation, told Reuters by telephone that the number of protesters had grown since then to 600. "We have to make them respect our territory," he said. In an email to Reuters, Pacific Exploration & Production said the field is near 19 indigenous communities, 18 of which have signed land use deals with the company. "No payment is due at this time," the email said. Chavez said two communities, Los Jardines and Alianza de Capahuari, have no agreements with the company and are demanding $308,000 as compensation for use of their lands. (Reporting by Marco Aquino; Editing by Lisa Shumaker)
11 hill districts to be connected via optical fibre this year: NT

State-owned Nepal Telecom (NT) has said that it will complete connecting 11 hill districts to its optical fibre network within a year. The phone giant began work to extend the 1,000-km fibre network in mid-March.
Patrick & John Collison, Stripe founders

An Irish employee at payments firm Stripe was denied entry to the US last week after visiting Somalia.

According to Stripe CEO Patrick Collison, who tweeted about the situation, the unnamed employee was interrogated because they had a Somalian stamp in their passport. We first spotted the story via The Register.

Collison tweeted the message that the employee had sent him about the incident.

The employee began their message by thanking Collison for his stance on US president Donald Trump's controversial travel ban. Collison had described the ban as "morally wrong."

The employee wrote: "At pre-clearance they decided to question and intimidate me  fun! They told me I had a 'common' name and it was a match ... and they wanted to see if I was the person they were looking for ... brought me to a tiny room ... told me there was a speaker and a camera, and there was a thermal sensor and they would be able to tell if I was hiding anything."

The employee said the border guards had taken fingerprints, and that the reason for the detention was because Somalia was on a travel ban list.

Collison commented: "Sentiment matters and any erosion to the US's reputation as the preeminent destination for high-potential people will be very costly."

It's worth noting that the Stripe employee was probably referencing tighter travel rules that were introduced after 9/11, and not Trump's later travel ban.

As it stands, if you live in the UK and Ireland, it's relatively easy to enter the US without a visa. But after 2011, if you also visited certain countries including Somalia, Libya, and Iran, you would need a full visa, even if you'd normally be entitled to easier entry.

According to the employee's own account, it appears they were denied entry to the US for falling foul of these requirements, and for having a "suspicious" name. The person said they had once worked for an NGO in Somalia in 2012.

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Here is Stripe CEO Patrick Collison's tweet:

Tweet Embed:

https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/856643646061371392

The US immigration policy changes are somewhat broader in scope than they might appear. Here's a Stripe employee and Irish citizen. pic.twitter.com/SCbl4QO7Zr

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SEE ALSO: North Korea unveiled new missiles during its huge military parade  here are 11 photos from inside the event
Four months after holding its parliamentary elections, the Former Yugoslavian Republic of Macedonia is still without a government. The social-democrats with the support of minor parties have a parliamentary majority but theyre being blocked from power by the right-wing former government. East and West have clashed over the result, with Moscow backing the former prime minister and the EU and the USA supporting the social-democrats. Macedonias president refuses to give government mandate to Social Democrats  Reuters https://t.co/DD1SrNJKnS Demian von Osten (@demianvonosten) March 2, 2017 The EU want to accelerate the integration process of the Balkan country in to the bloc and NATO. But since the vote Russias interest in the Balkan country has been increasing, according to President of the Social Democrats Party . He claimed that without sufficient action from the EU and USA, Russias hand in Macedonias affairs would be strengthened. The Russian influence can already be felt here, through the increased personnel presence and the statements from the Russian Federation Minister for Foreign Affairs, as well as through the activities of their Embassy in the country. A trend of falling support for the EU and NATO is noticeable among the citizens here. The percentage of the decline is very small, but nevertheless visible. I believe that if no additional measures are undertaken, in regard to the low interest of the EU and the USA in this region, the Russian Federation will have more space to impose its own interests. But the head of the Macedonian diplomacy played down suggestions of Russian interference. Nikola Popovski said: Russia can have its own interests, it is legitimate. But this question can be put forward to any of the current member states of the European Union too. It is not something that it is exclusive to our region or lets say candidate and potential candidate countries from the Balkan states. The Balkans has long attracted the attention of Russia on the one hand, and of the Western powers on the other. But current tensions between the EU and Russia inevitably reflect upon an already fragile Macedonia.
Kid eating ice cream in brompton bag

WikiMedia Commons

The portrayal of a heartbroken woman devouring a tub of ice cream under a duvet is a well-established television cliche  think Bridget Jones. Thats probably because its actually quite a common behavior: 38% of adults say that they eat more when stressed or sad.

You may be all too familiar with the scenario: youve had a particularly grueling day at work, or youre in the throes of a devastating breakup, and you reach for your favorite food for comfort. Scientists call this tendency emotional overeating, reacting to negative emotions such as stress or sadness, with the desire to eat highly palatable food. The problem is that it increases your risk of becoming overweight: regularly eating a large number of additional calories for reasons other than hunger will do your waistline no favors.

We know from previous research that a tendency to eat for comfort begins in early childhood, but we know very little about where this actually comes from, especially during the important formative years. To find out more, we recently conducted two studies of emotional overeating in children from the UK and Norway. In one study of British twins, we looked to see if this tendency is shaped more by our early environmental experiences, or genetic predisposition. In the other study of Norwegian children, we looked to see if parents play a role by offering food as a source of comfort to their young children.

Fixing the problem

It is useful to understand how our tendencies are shaped; this knowledge provides guidance about where to focus efforts to stop problem behavior from developing in the first place. A powerful method for understanding how genes and environments shape our traits is comparing identical and non-identical twin pairs.

Child taking sweets

Shutterstock/Qualivity

Identical twins share 100% of their genes, while non-identical twins share about half of their genes  the same proportion as regular siblings. But both types of twins are raised in the same environment and share similar experiences. For example, they are the same age and raised in the same home. Researchers can therefore compare how similar the two types of twins are to establish the extent to which genes and environments shape emotional overeating (or any other trait of interest).

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If identical pairs are more similar to each other in behaviors (such as emotional overeating) than non-identical twin pairs, this indicates that genes play a role. However, if both types of twins show equivalent similarity, it can be implied that the environmental experiences shared completely by twin pairs, such as upbringing, are more important in influencing behaviors.

To find out about the role of genes and environments in shaping emotional overeating in childhood we analyzed data from the Gemini study, a large study of over 2,400 British families with twins born in 2007. Parents rated their twins tendencies to emotionally overeat when they were toddlers (16 months), and again when they were five years old. Results showed that the most important influence on the tendency to comfort eat as a child was the environmental experiences shared by twins. Genes were unimportant.

Using food to soothe

Early environmental experiences that lead to comfort eating are likely to involve early feeding experiences. Many parents use food to soothe their childs distress  such as offering a favorite food for comfort when their child has hurt themselves. Researchers call this emotional feeding. But using food to soothe may inadvertently teach the child to apply the same tactics themselves when in distress.

A child who is repeatedly fed when he or she is upset or expresses negative emotions learns that eating helps to regulate emotions, and so might learn to comfort eat. To test this theory we studied parents emotional feeding and their childrens emotional overeating in nearly 1,000 families from Trondheim, Norway.

Parents rated their tendency to offer their children sweets or snacks to calm them down or cheer them up, as well as their childrens tendency to emotionally overeat. Parents answered these questions several times when their children were six, eight and ten years old.

Our analysis of the results showed that emotional feeding does encourage children to emotional overeating tendencies. Children whose parents often used food to soothe them displayed more emotional overeating as time went on.

The discovery that comfort eating in childhood is learned, not inherited, suggests that it can be prevented. We need to help parents find alternative strategies for comforting their distressed child, such as offering a favorite TV program or game, rather than a fizzy drink. Of course, the next stage of research would be to find the alternatives that work best.

Written by Moritz Herle, PhD candidate at the Department of Behavioural Science & Health, University College London, UCL; Alison Fildes, University Academic Fellow, University of Leeds; Clare Llewellyn, Lecturer in Behavioural Obesity Research, UCL; and Silje Steinsbekk, Associate professor, Norwegian University of Science and Technology.

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CONAKRY (Reuters) - Riots have paralysed a major bauxite mining hub in Guinea, Africa's top producer, as residents erected barricades and burnt tyres to protest against high pollution levels and power cuts, government and company officials said on Tuesday. The unrest broke out on Monday night in the city of Boke, home to mining companies Societe Miniere de Boke (SMB) and Companie Bauxite de Guinee (CBG) which each export around 15 million tonnes of the aluminium ore annually. "It's a problem with electricity that aggravated the situation. We are working on finding a solution to the problem," said Saadou Nimaga, secretary general at Guinea's Mines Ministry. A police source said anti-riot police had been sent to rein in the protests on Tuesday. Mining activity has fuelled tensions in cities such as Boke, where much of the population remains poor and unemployed despite Guinea's mineral riches. The West African nation possesses about a third of the world's bauxite reserves. A senior company official, who asked not to be named, said the riots had caused a slowdown of activities at CBG, which is 49 percent owned by the Guinean state and the remainder by Alcoa, Rio Tinto Alcan and Dadco. Representatives for SMB were not immediately available for comment. The company is owned by Chinese firms Winning Shipping Ltd and Shandong Weiqiao along with UMS International Ltd and Guinea. The Chinese firms did not respond to requests for comment. "It's nearly the whole city that has risen up against the pollution and power cuts," said another mining company official who asked not to be named because he was not authorised to speak to the press. Speaking in Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said the unrest had no direct connection to the operations of Chinese companies on the ground. China hopes the situation is appropriately resolved, he told a daily news briefing. (Reporting by Saliou Samb; Additional reporting by Ben Blanchard in Beijing; Writing by Nellie Peyton; Editing by Joe Bavier, David Evans and Christian Schmollinger)
By Michelle Nichols UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - The United States slammed South Sudan's President Salva Kiir on Tuesday for the African state's "man-made" famine and ongoing conflict, urging him to fulfill a month-old pledge of a unilateral truce by ordering his troops back to their barracks. "We must see a sign that progress is possible," U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley told a United Nations Security Council briefing on South Sudan. "We must see that ceasefire implemented." South Sudan descended into civil war in 2013 after Kiir fired his deputy, unleashing a conflict that has spawned armed factions often following ethnic lines. U.N. South Sudan envoy David Shearer told the Security Council, "The political process in South Sudan is not dead, however it requires significant resuscitation." The United Nations has warned of a possible genocide, millions have fled their homes, the oil-producing economy is in a tail-spin, crop harvests are devastated because of the worst drought in years and millions face famine. "The famine in South Sudan is man made. It is the result of ongoing conflict in that country. It is the result of an apparent campaign against the civilian population. It is the result of killing humanitarian workers," Haley said. She also blasted deadlock among Security Council members on how to deal with the civil war in the world's youngest state. Haley said Kiir and his government were benefiting from the council's division. She urged the council to impose further targeted sanctions and an arms embargo on South Sudan. "You're allowing President Kiir to continue to do what he's doing," she said. "If you truly care for the people of South Sudan then we must tell the South Sudanese government that we are not going to put up with this anymore." The 15-member Security Council failed in December to get nine votes to adopt a U.S.-drafted resolution to impose an arms embargo and further sanctions on South Sudan despite warnings by U.N. officials of a possible genocide. Eight council members, including Russia and China, abstained in the vote. Deputy Russian U.N. Ambassador Petr Ilichev told the council that it was unfair to lay all blame on Kiir's troops for the violence and that Moscow opposed additional sanctions. "Sound peace in South Sudan will not be brought about by a Security Council arms embargo, but rather by targeted measures to disarm civilians, as well as demobilize and reintegrate combatants," he said. (Reporting by Michelle Nichols; Editing by Toni Reinhold)
President Donald Trump has dampened fears of a military strike(AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

North Korea has said it wont stop nuclear tests while the US continues with what it perceives as acts of aggression.

In a retaliation to a White House statement outlining how the US will apply economic and diplomatic pressure on North Korea to dismantle its nuclear weapons programme, a Pyongyang official said the country would not be influenced by outside events.

As long as America continues its hostile acts of aggression, we will never stop nuclear and missile tests, Sok Chol Won, director of the Norths Institute of Human Rights at the Academy of Social Sciences, told CNN.

The nuclear test is an important part of our continued efforts to strengthen our nuclear forces.

The US stance, which appeared to signal a willingness to exhaust non-military options, was put forward in a statement following an unusual White House-hosted briefing for the entire Senate.

It described North Korea as an urgent national security threat and top foreign policy priority.

North Korea showed off its military might with a display of missiles at a parade (Rex)

North Korea showed off its military might with a display of missiles at a parade (Rex)

The United States seeks stability and the peaceful denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula. We remain open to negotiations towards that goal, it said in a joint statement by Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats

Although the statement emphasised diplomacy, Democratic Senator Christopher Coons told reporters after the White House briefing that military options were in advanced discussions.

It was a sobering briefing in which it was clear just how much thought and planning was going into preparing military options, if called for, and a diplomatic strategy that strikes me as clear-eyed and well proportioned, Coons said.

The unprecedented meeting in a building adjacent to the White House reflected the increased American alarm over North Koreas progress in developing a nuclear-tipped missile that could strike the US mainland. A flurry of military activity, by North Korea and the US and its partners on and around the divided Korean Peninsula, has added to the worlds sense of alert.

Story continues

While tensions have increased since Mr Trump took office, they have escalated dramatically in recent weeks as American and other intelligence agencies suggested the North was readying for a possible nuclear test. Although such an explosion has not yet occurred, Mr Trump has sent high-powered US military vessels and an aircraft carrier to the region in a show of force, while the North conducted large-scale, live-fire artillery drills, witnessed by national leader Kim Jong Un, earlier this week.

On Wednesday, South Korea started installing key parts of a contentious US missile defence system that also has sparked Chinese and Russian concerns.

Any air strike on North Korea by the US would have absolutely cataclysmic, disastrous consequences and cannot be ruled out, the former US ambassador to China has starkly warned.

Max Baucus, who served as the US ambassador to China under President Barack Obama, warned that it should not be categorically discounted that President Trump could order an air strike on the secretive merit state.

Speaking on BBC Radio 4s Today Programme, he said: After all President Trump ordered that strike on Syria, and hes a macho kind of guy, which makes all of us a bit nervous.

President Donald Trump has previously warned that he could take military action. (Picture: AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

But Im sure that the Pentagon and state department, all his advisers have explained to him that a missile strike initiated by the United States at this time would have absolutely cataclysmic, disastrous consequences and I think hes wise enough not to want to have that on his watch.

On Tuesday, North Korea conducted artillery drills on the same day that a US missile submarine arrived in South Korea.

It came as the Trump administration prepared a briefing for all 100 senators on the nuclear threat  delivered by Secretary of Defence James Mattis, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats and General Joseph Dunford.

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Describing the briefing, Mr Baucus said: During the roughly 40 years I served in Congress I never remember a meeting of 100 members going to the White House on a national security issue.

I can only surmise the president is trying to set the stage for action he may take later, that may be diplomatic action, it might be military. Its extraordinary, Im very surprised by this.

But despite the stark warning, Mr Baucus also claimed that strategic patience hadnt proved effective and said the US had been a bit too patient while Kim Jong-un builds up his nuke and his missiles and China hasnt done very much.

He added: It is proper to ramp up the pressure.
NATO flag flutters next to the U.S. Air Force F-35A Lightning II fighter in Amari air base, Estonia, April 25, 2017. REUTERS/Ints Kalnins

Thomson Reuters

Amari (Estonia) (AFP) - Two of the US Air Force's most advanced warplanes, F-35 stealth fighters, landed for the first time in Estonia on Tuesday for exercises in the small NATO state amid tensions with neighbouring Russia.

The move was seen by Estonian defence officials as a gesture underscoring Washington's commitment to its NATO partners.

Rhetoric by US President Donald Trump, who called NATO "obsolete" shortly before he took office, deeply rattled the alliance's easternmost members bordering Russia. Trump has since reversed much of his criticism.

"Using the most modern fighter jets of the United States in Europe guarantees the sovereignty of all NATO member states," Estonian Defence Minister Margus Tsahkna said quoted by the local Baltic News Service.

"We share the same values and are ready to protect the territory of NATO member states from any kind of possible aggression," he added, speaking at Estonia's Amari air base where the jets landed.

This picture taken on April 25, 2017 shows a US F-35A Lightning II aircraft at Amari Air Base, Estonia

 AFP RAIGO PAJULA

F-35s, devised to have radar-evasive abilities, are billed as the most advanced warplanes of their kind.

The US Air Force deployed the multi-role fighters to Europe earlier this month for joint exercises NATO partners.

"I think the role of the training deployments being run by the United States Air force is to demonstrate the unique capabilities of the F-35 as they start to integrate into European operations with all the NATO and European partners," Air Marshal Stuart Evans, deputy commander of NATOs Allied Air Command (AIRCOM), told AFP at the Amari base.

NATO is currently deploying four battalions for the first time to Poland and Baltic states Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania as tripwires against any Russian interference on its eastern flank, a region formerly under Moscow's control and spooked by its actions in Ukraine.

NOW WATCH: Former CIA director: 'The Russians feign sincerity better than anyone  I lost faith in their willingness to do the right thing'

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5 parties to thrash out contention

Five major parties including the main opposition CPN-UML, which has objected to being left out of the election rescheduling process, have agreed to move ahead by resolving the differences through dialogue.
SEOUL, South Korea  In a defiant bit of timing, South Korea announced Wednesday that key parts of a contentious U.S. missile defense system had been installed a day after rival North Korea showed off its military power.

The Souths trumpeting of progress on setting up the Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense system, or THAAD, comes as high-powered U.S. military assets converge on the Korean Peninsula and as a combative North Korea signals possible nuclear and missile testing.

North Korea conducted live-fire artillery drills on Tuesday, the 85th anniversary of the founding of its million-person strong Korean Peoples Army. On the same day, a U.S. guided-missile submarine docked in South Korea. And the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier is also headed toward the peninsula for a joint exercise with South Korea.

The moves to set up THAAD within this year have angered not only North Korea, but also China, the country that the Trump administration hopes to work with to rid the North of nuclear weapons. China, which has grown increasingly frustrated with its ally Pyongyang, and Russia see the systems powerful radars as a security threat.

South Korea said in a statement Wednesday that unspecified parts of THAAD were installed. The statement said that Seoul and Washington have been pushing to get THAAD quickly working to cope with North Koreas advancing nuclear and missile threats. According to Yonhap news agency, the parts include two or three launchers, intercept missiles and a radar.

About 8,000 police officers were mobilized, and the main road leading up to the site in the countrys southeast was blocked earlier Wednesday, Yonhap reported. About 200 residents and protesters rallied against THAAD in front of a local community center, some hurling plastic water bottles.

On Tuesday, North Korea conducted what it called its largest ever combined live-fire drills, near the east coast port city of Wonsan.

North Koreas official media reported Wednesday that leader Kim Jong Un personally observed the exercises, which involved the firing of more than 300 large-caliber artillery pieces and included submarine torpedo-attacks on mock enemy warships.

Along with sending U.S. military assets to the region in a show of force, President Donald Trump is leaning on China to exert economic pressure on its wayward ally. Chinese President Xi Jinping, who spoke to Trump on Monday, is urging restraint from both Pyongyang and Washington.

In Washington, top Trump administration officials are due to brief the entire U.S. Senate on Wednesday. A rapid tempo of North Korean weapons testing in the past year has pushed Kim Jong Uns authoritarian nation closer to developing a nuclear-tipped missile that could reach the U.S. mainland.

Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham voiced confidence that Trump wont allow North Korea to reach that point. Graham, a defense hawk who dined with Trump on Monday night, said the North should not underestimate the presidents resolve.

The USS Michigan, a nuclear-powered submarine, arrived Tuesday at the South Korean port of Busan for what was described as a routine visit to rest crew and load supplies. The U.S. 7th Fleet said two American destroyers were conducting simultaneous maritime exercises with naval ships from South Korea and Japan.

North Korea routinely accuses the United States of readying for an invasion, and threatens pre-emptive strikes to stop it. An unnamed North Korean Foreign Ministry spokesman said the U.S. administrations policy to maximize pressure on North Korea was little short of lighting the fuse of total war, the state news agency reported Tuesday.

The streets of Pyongyang, however, were quiet for Tuesdays anniversary, which was overshadowed by April 15 celebrations for the birthday of the nations late founder Kim Il Sung, and were marked by a missile test the following day.

The Trump administration is also upping the ante diplomatically.

On Friday, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson will chair a special meeting of the U.N. Security Council.

Tillerson will be very vocal about nations enforcing sanctions on North Korea, State Department spokesman Mark Toner said. Trump said Monday the council must be prepared to impose stronger sanctions.

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Associated Press writers Hyung-jin Kim and Kim Tong-Hyung in Seoul, South Korea, and Eric Talmadge in Pyongyang, North Korea, contributed to this report.
Raytheon Co. opened a new $5 million, 30,000-square-foot warehouse this week on the Navajo Nation in support of the companys nearby Dine manufacturing facility, where Raytheon makes electromechanical assemblies and other products for missiles.

The 95,000-square-foot Dine factory, in operation 25 years near the Navajo Agricultural Products Industrial Park south of Farmington, needed more warehouse space to store finished products. That includes parts and assemblies for the Tomahawk cruise missile, the Javelin weapon system and the Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile.

The new warehouse, financed by the Navajo Nation and leased to Raytheon, added about 70 new jobs to Raytheons Dine operations, including assembly line operators, engineers, supervisors and managers. That brings Raytheons total Dine workforce to more than 350, said Navajo Nation President Russell Begaye.

With a foundation of skilled Navajo technicians crafting the highest quality products, the 93-percent Navajo-staffed facility in Dine includes Navajo team members in all roles from operators, to engineers, to management, Begaye said in a statement.

A $200,000 Local Economic Development Act grant from the state Economic Development Department helped pay for the warehouse architectural design. Builders broke ground on the warehouse in late 2014.

Raytheon bills itself as the worlds largest missile manufacturer. The company reported $24 billion in sales in 2016. It employs about 63,000 people globally, with customers in more than 80 countries.
LITTLE ROCK, Ark.  Arkansas has executed three inmates in the past week using a sedative thats been the subject of multiple court challenges since it was first used by Florida in 2013. A look at midazolam and its role in U.S. executions:

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HOW DOCTORS USE IT

Midazolam is an anti-anxiety drug, similar to Valium or Ativan. It can be used to reduce anxiety before surgery and to sedate patients. Some states have used it in smaller doses to calm inmates before an execution under the brand name Versed.

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WHAT STATES ARE USING IT

Six states have used midazolam as the first step in either a two- or three-drug lethal injection: Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Ohio, Oklahoma and now Arkansas. States began using midazolam as an alternative after drugmakers began clamping down on the use of other products such as sodium thiopental or pentobarbital in lethal injections.

According to statistics from the Death Penalty Information Center, midazolam has been used in 23 of the 130 executions that have occurred since 2013, when Florida first used the drug to execute William Happ.

Arkansas supply of midazolam expires at the end of April. The states prison director has said Arkansas has no new supply of the drug readily available.

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HOW MIDAZOLAM HAS WORKED IN EXECUTIONS

In more than a dozen instances, midazolam executions have occurred with no apparent complications. But in a handful of lethal injections, clear problems emerged.

In Ohio, inmate Dennis McGuire repeatedly gasped and snorted over 26 minutes during his January 2014 lethal injection that used midazolam. Executions have been on hold in Ohio since then. About three months later in Oklahoma, inmate Clayton Lockett writhed and moaned on the gurney before state officials tried to halt the execution midway through it. He died anyway 43 minutes after the execution began, and an investigation later showed that his IV had been improperly placed in his groin.

And in Arizona in July 2014, Joseph Rudolph Wood gasped and snorted for more than 90 minutes after his execution began, prompting lawyers to file an emergency appeal with the U.S. Supreme Court demanding that it be stopped. Wood was pronounced dead one hour and 57 minutes after the execution started.

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WHAT COURTS HAVE SAID

The Lockett execution in Oklahoma prompted a review of midazolam by the U.S. Supreme Court, which upheld the protocol as constitutional in a 5-4 vote in June 2015.

Justice Samuel Alito said for a conservative majority that arguments the drug could not be used effectively in executions were speculative, and he dismissed problems in executions in Arizona and Oklahoma as having little probative value for present purposes.

In a dissent, Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote, Under the courts new rule, it would not matter whether the state intended to use midazolam or instead to have petitioners drawn and quartered, slowly tortured to death or actually burned at the stake.

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WHATS HAPPENING IN ARKANSAS

Arkansas has used midazolam in a far larger single dose than what was used in the problematic executions in Ohio, Oklahoma and Arizona.

Arkansas protocol calls for a 500-miligram megadose of midazolam. The execution policy used to put McGuire to death in Ohio called for 10 milligrams of midazolam. Lockett received 100 milligrams of the drug, while Wood received 15 doses of midazolam that were 50 milligrams each over the span of two hours.

On Monday night in Arkansas, attorneys suggested that Jack Jones execution appeared to be torturous and inhumane because Jones was moving his lips shortly after the drug was administered. Jones execution lasted 14 minutes, and state prison officials said Jones was talking to the prison director in the death chamber, not gulping for air as attorneys argued.

Arkansas plans to execute another inmate, Kenneth Williams, on Thursday night.

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Follow Jill Bleed on Twitter at www.twitter.com/jzbleed .
Their uncle was messing up their relationship and coming between the two brothers, court documents say. Killing him was supposed to be a brotherly bonding activity.

Now, Jacob and Liam Johnson are locked up in the Sandoval County jail after sheriffs deputies say they bludgeoned their uncle to death with a sledgehammer and dumped his body with some trash and debris in an arroyo in Rio Rancho, according to a criminal complaint filed in Sandoval County Magistrate Court.

A woman who was jogging with her dogs across from Mariposa  a luxury living subdivision in the far northwest reaches of Rio Rancho  noticed the body around 12:30 p.m. Friday and called 911.

Officers and sheriffs deputies arrived and found Donald Kalma, 35, dead in an arroyo east of Unser. A wood pallet and part of a wood fence were thrown on top of him, and his clothes had blood on them. A few feet down the road, authorities found a bloodied sledgehammer, according to the complaint.

Officers went to Kalmas home in El Llanito north of Bernalillo and found items that matched some of the trash and debris found with the body in Rio Rancho, according to the complaint.

When detectives interviewed Kalmas nephew, 20-year-old Jacob Johnson, he told authorities he and his brother, 18-year-old Liam Johnson, were upset that Kalma had caused disruptions in the two brothers relationship, according to the complaint.

He said they plotted on Thursday night to kill him.

Early the next morning, Jacob Johnson said, he hit Kalma in the back of the head with a sledgehammer, and the two brothers loaded him into a pickup truck and dumped his body in the Rio Rancho arroyo, according to the complaint.

Jacob Johnson told detectives that he was justified in killing his uncle because Kalma was coming between brothers, according to the complaint. He said he thought killing Kalma would be a bonding activity, according to the complaint.

Jacob Johnsons attorney, Robert Tangora, declined to comment.

Liam Johnsons attorney, Stephen Taylor, said he couldnt comment on specifics of the case because its still early and he is waiting for discovery and more evidence to come up during the process leading to trial.

Liam is only 18 years old. Thats really young, Taylor said. I would caution anyone who reads a criminal complaint. They cant form a conclusion of a case on a criminal complaint. There is so much more to that story.

He said he couldnt elaborate on what his clients defense will be.
SANTA FE  A motorcyclist who was rear-ended by an alleged drunk driver in Santa Fe over Easter weekend died Tuesday morning, according to Santa Fe police spokesman Greg Gurule.

Gurule said a vehicular homicide charge will now be filed in the case.

On April 15, Paul Padilla, 63, was airlifted to University of New Mexico Hospital after he was hit from behind by a car driven 22-year-old Paulo Vega-Mendoza on Airport Road near Camino Entrada around 5:45 p.m.

A police report says Padillas motorcycle rolled on top of him, causing severe injuries to his head and body. He died early Tuesday, Gurule said.

An officer who arrived at the scene saw a good Samaritan chasing a man, later identified as Vega-Mendoza, down Camino Jacobo. Police caught Vega-Mendoza when a fence he was trying to scale broke. Vega-Mendoza had an odor of alcohol coming from his breath, bloodshot eyes and slurred speech, the report says.

He was taken to the hospital for a blood draw after he refused to take field sobriety tests.

Vega-Mendoza, who does not have a previous criminal history in New Mexico, was originally charged with causing great bodily harm with a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol, leaving the scene of an accident with great bodily harm, failing to give immediate notice of an accident and criminal damage to property.

Police spokesman Greg Gurule said he will now be charged with vehicular homicide.

One witness told police that Vega-Mendoza was revving his engine and speeding before he hit Padilla. The bystander who chased Vega-Mendoza after he left the scene said Vega-Mendoza told him he would give him money to not say anything, the report says.

Vega-Mendoza spent one day in jail after his initial arrest and was released on a $50,000 unsecured bond, online court records show.
The University of California at Berkeley is bracing for massive protests in a public plaza on campus after learning that conservative commentator Ann Coulter plans to give a speech there Thursday afternoon.

Sproul Plaza, site of the iconic Free Speech Movement protests in the 1960s, is both symbolic and logistically challenging for the university. On an open campus, anyone can flock to the plaza.

If somebody brings weapons, theres no way to block off the site  or to screen them, Nicholas Dirks, UC-Berkeleys chancellor, said Tuesday. For an event inside, the university would have metal detectors and other ways to search for weapons. Officials know that some of the demonstrators, such as those known as Black Bloc, know how to penetrate the crowd and use it as a shield, Dirks said. In an open space you have almost no control over that, he said. The challenges are immense.

The state flagship university has become ground zero for an intense confrontation between the far left and the far right. Some protesters are trying to stop controversial speakers from appearing on campus, while others objecting that such actions violate their right to free speech. In February and twice more since then, masked extremists turned those protests over the boundary between free speech and hate speech into violent confrontations, with fires set, people hurt and hundreds of thousands of dollars of property damage.

The character of that attack on campus was unprecedented, Dirks said.

So was the response on Feb. 1: After the university went on lockdown and police urged university officials to cancel controversial writer Milo Yiannopoulos speech  which they did  President Donald Trump raised the threat of pulling federal funding from the public school.

But the cancellation of the Yiannopoulos event further galvanized activists on the far right, who viewed it as a call to arms and proof that conservatives around the country are being oppressed. And in recent weeks, rallies in the city of Berkeley have devolved into bloody street brawls. Left-wing activists have clashed with Trump supporters, and anarchists in black masks have squared off against self-proclaimed militia groups.

Coulter did not immediately respond to a request for comment on her planned appearance. On Monday she had retweeted a weather forecast with this comment: Nice day for an outdoor speech at Berkeley.

Berkeley College Republicans had invited Coulter to speak on campus Thursday, but university officials canceled the event because of safety concerns. The university then invited her to speak next week instead at an indoor location.

Coulter rejected that offer, and said she still planned to come to Berkeley on Thursday despite the universitys warnings against it. On Monday, student groups filed a lawsuit against university officials, complaining that the universitys decision was stifling free speech at the school, particularly for politically conservative students whose views are controversial on campus.

Pranav Jandhyala, who leads one of the two student groups that invited Coulter, said Tuesday that Coulter told him and other students that she plans to speak Thursday afternoon at Sproul Plaza.

Jandhyala said his student group has been trying frantically to find an off-campus venue for Thursday, and he said he shares the concerns of university officials that Coulters appearance at Sproul  and the protests and counter-protests it will likely spark  could grow violent. But he said that Coulter made clear in communication with him and other student organizers on Tuesday morning, that she intends to go through with her plan to appear at Sproul.

Were worried about it turning into a huge battle between her security and conservative militia and anti-fascists and others, Jandhyala said. To have that right in middle of Sproul doesnt bode well for the image of our school or the city. Were worried about violence and student safety and our own safety as well. Its a huge safety concern.

He said the exact timing of when it would happen is still unknown, but he expected about 4 p.m. She said she doesnt even know her full schedule on Thursday right now. Shes going to know Thursday morning and relay to us when she plans to come to Sproul, Jandhyala said.

When Jandhyalas group, a politically moderate group called Bridges USA, teamed up with Berkeleys College Republicans to invite Coulter to campus, the goal was to facilitate a dialogue about immigration. Its an issue that hits home for many of our students. Berkeley is a sanctuary city. We have many undocumented immigrant students. Thats why it seemed like a good issue to put on the table. UC-Berkeley can represent the liberal point of view very well. So what we were trying to do with Coulter was to bring in opposing view to have a dialogue about it.

While that was the original purpose, Jandhyala acknowledged that Coulter may have her own agenda now in coming to the campus. Her goal is testing the limits of speech and doing all she can to uphold this value and prove whats possible and not back down from free speech.

Her appearance outdoors at the plaza will likely make it hard for any dialogue or interaction with students, he said, and his group is trying to hold a separate event with her that would allow for conversation.

Dan Mogulof, a spokesman for the university, said the school does not talk about security arrangements in detail. But he said officials would take extraordinary steps to protect the campus, in coordination with local and regional law enforcement.

At UC-Berkeley, we dont have gates, Mogulof said. There are probably literally hundreds of ways come onto campus from the city. We dont have a drawbridge or moat. We are completely porous campus.
YUMA, Ariz.  An Arizona prisoner was convicted Tuesday of the gruesome killings of his best friend, the mans girlfriend and her four young children 12 years ago in what prosecutors called a crime motivated by money.

A jury found Preston Strong, 50, guilty of six counts of first-degree murder following a monthslong trial. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty, and the jury will begin considering Strongs eligibility Friday.

Prosecutors said Strong, who is already serving a life sentence for a separate slaying, spent hours killing 35-year-old Luis Rios, 29-year-old Adrienne Heredia and her four children, ages 6 to 13, in Yuma in 2005.

They said he suffocated Heredia and three of her children and fatally shot her youngest child and Rios. Police said the two oldest children were bound and strangled. A 9 year-old girl also had been strangled, and the 6-year-old was bound by electric cords, police said.

This crime required information and access to these victims, prosecutor Karolyn Kaczorowski said during closing statements. It required motives; it required a great deal of opportunity because, as youve seen and what we will discuss, is these murders happened over at least six hours worth of time. Thats a huge chunk of opportunity thats needed.

Prosecutors said Strong and Rios had been arguing over money and how much time he had been spending with Rios and her children. Prosecutor John Tate said Rios had given Strong thousands of dollars over the years but decided to cut him off at some point before the killings, leading to a fight between the friends.

Prosecutors also said fingerprint evidence was found on bags that were discovered near some of the victims while DNA evidence was on a nightstand and on the steering wheel of Rios car.

The defense said the evidence was flimsy and that Strongs DNA could have gotten on the familys items because he spent a lot of time with them. They cast doubt on two eyewitnesses who told police they had seen a Hispanic man leaving the crime scene. Strong is black.

Strongs attorneys said an ex-girlfriend mentioned she was with Strong during a time when police say he had to have been committing the killings.

It is a leap to say that because he had prints on a bag that hes guilty of murder. Thats a leap, attorney Ray Hanna said.

Strong is in prison for life in the 2007 killing of Satinder Gill, a Yuma physician who was strangled and bludgeoned in his home. Prosecutors said a large amount of money was stolen.
SANTA FE  Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg has made a $400,000 cash donation to the political committee supporting the proposed tax on sugary beverages in Santa Fe, bringing his investment in the effort to more than $1.13 million.

With Bloombergs help, the campaign in favor of a 2-cents-per-ounce tax on sugary drinks to fund early childhood education programs so far has outraised opponents of the tax despite contributions of cash and in-kind services totaling $1.15 million from the American Beverage Association to fight the ballot measure.

The latest campaign finance reports, filed Tuesday, show that Pre-K for Santa Fe, supporting the tax, has received about $1.47 million in cash and services. Better Way for Santa Fe & Pre-K, against the tax, reported raising about $1.34 million in cash and services so far.

With the huge sums flying around in the campaign, residents have been deluged with mailers, campaign phone calls, at-home visits and radio ads, as well at ads aired on Albuquerque television stations. The special election on the tax, called by the City Council, takes place next week, on May 2, and early voting is underway.

The financial statement filed Tuesday by Pre-K for Santa Fe says that Bloomberg  besides making his first cash donation  added to his total of in-kind contributions, which now amount to $734,000 over the course of the campaign. Bloomberg contributed nearly $250,000 worth of media, $138,000 in research, and more than $16,000 in consulting since the last reporting date on April 7.

The group also got a $40,000 cash donation from Voqal Usa Philanthropy of Boulder, Colo., where a soda tax will go into effect later this year. Organizers in the Land of Enchantment, an Albuquerque non-profit, contributed more than $87,500 in in-kind service for canvassing and printing costs.

Pre-K for Santa Fe said in a statement, We are grateful for the support of Michael Bloomberg for our effort to bring Pre-K to Santa Fes kids who cant afford it. Youve seen what were up against: an industry that will spend endless amounts of money to protect their profits. Bloombergs funding helps us get local voices out and ensure we are not drowned out.

Better Way for Santa Fe & Pre-K, opposing the tax, reported its latest cash donation of $180,000 from the American Beverage Association. The ABA has now contributed $980,000 in cash and $172,363 worth of in-kind contributions  for legal fees, consulting, and advertising. The ABA is Better Ways only cash contributor so far, but in a statement to the Journal the group touted local support.

Better Way for Santa Fe & Pre-K, a coalition of over hundred small businesses, community organizations, and local residents, continues to invest the resources necessary to educate voters on the negative impact of the beverage tax on working families and local businesses, how the tax would increase prices on everyday beverages, and on the pro-tax PACs questionable campaign tactics. the PAC said in a statement.

A smaller player in the election, Smart Progress New Mexico, appears raised about $13,000 to oppose the tax on sugary drinks.

Both sides are accusing the other of questionable campaign tactics, misrepresenting the facts, and outright lies.

Coca-Cola Bottling of Santa Fe gave Better Way $5,550 worth of in-kind services, which included employee time and printing signs, this reporting period. That brings its total contributions to the group to nearly $52,000 to date. Coca-Cola North America provided Better Way with another $1,438 worth of in-kind services, bringing its contributions to date to more than $26,000.

Better Way reported spending $376,051 during the reporting period, $298,000 with Waterfront Strategies of Washington, D.C for media. Other expenses included $35,000 with Blue Front Strategies for digital ads, and $25,649 with Blue Sky Media for print ads. Both companies are based in Washington D.C. Better Way now has $6,367 left in the bank.

Pre-K for Santa Fe reported spending about $236,000 in the last few weeks. Much of that, $192,340, went to Canal Partners, of Washington, D.C., for media buys. It also spent more than $22,000 with the Rodney, Dickason, Sloan, Atkin & Robb law firm of Albuquerque; $28,000 with Fairbank, Maslin, Maulin, Metz & Associations, of Oakland, Calif., for focus groups; about $23,800 with Stones Phones of Rancho Mirage, Calif., for phone program; roughly $17,900 with SWEL, of Albuquerque, for campaign management, printing, signs, email services and other materials; and roughly $14,400 with MAP, of Albuquerque, most of it for mailers. Pre-K for Santa Fe still has $115,500 cash on hand.
Annual drive for education begins today

Global Action Week for Education (GAWE), an international annual campaign led by the Global Campaign for Education, is organising a policy-level discussion about education in federalism and accountability of the state from Wednesday.
One person is in critical condition after being struck by a vehicle in the Northeast Heights Tuesday evening, according to an Albuquerque Police Department spokesman.

Officers were dispatched to the crash on Wyoming between Spain and Academy just after 7 p.m., Officer Tanner Tixier said. The pedestrian was transported to the University of New Mexico Hospital with severe injuries.

The initial investigation has indicated that the pedestrian crossed Wyoming from East to West against the crosswalk signal, he said. The driver was traveling North on Wyoming when the crash occurred.

Speed and alcohol on the part of the driver do not appear to be factors, Tixier said, adding that no charges are expected.

Northbound Wyoming was closed from Spain to Academy while officers investigated.


When youre the largest city in the second sunniest state in the country, capitalizing on solar energy makes good financial and environmental sense.

So kudos to U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich and City Councilors Pat Davis and Isaac Benton for promoting both.

On Saturday, the trio of Democrats announced plans to sell $25 million in renewable energy bonds to install solar panels on dozens of city buildings. That is supposed to not only reduce the citys sizable electric bills and provide renewable energy jobs, it tells the world that Albuquerque is serious about supporting renewable energy, especially solar energy.

Last year, the City Council unanimously passed a resolution calling for the city to derive 25 percent of its energy from solar by 2025. With $25 million worth of solar panels up and running, the city would be about halfway to that goal, Davis said.

According to a recent report by the Frontier Group and the Environment America Research and Policy Center, Albuquerque currently generates the ninth-most solar power of all the major cities in the country, and the fourth-most solar power per capita among cities on the same list.

Sanders Moore, director of the advocacy group Environment New Mexico, says the city currently gets 3 percent of its energy from solar. The message in those statistics is that were doing pretty well as a solar-friendly city, but we can do better.

If the City Council OKs issuing the bonds, we should be. And its important the city follow the lead of our utility companies by routinely sharing not only how much power its panels generate and how many jobs its project creates, but how much taxpayers pay for their governments power compared to the same months in prior years.

That will help ensure Albuquerque taxpayers can feel good about the $25 million investment from both an environmental and a fiscal standpoint.

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.
HOUSTON  An American woman detained during a business trip to China was convicted of spying and sentenced Tuesday to 3  years in prison, raising the possibility that she may be allowed to return home soon.

Phan Phan-Gillis has faced an uncertain fate since March 2015, when she disappeared from her group traveling in southern China. She was later accused of espionage, which carries a possible death sentence. A United Nations panel has said her detention violated international norms, and the U.S. has long pressed China to resolve the case fairly.

Her Chinese lawyer Shang Baojun told The Associated Press Wednesday that a deportation order has been issued, and that she should be released very soon. He said authorities dont usually inform the lawyer of the deportation date.

He said he couldnt give more details about the spying conviction because it is related to state secrets, but that the court should release its verdict within five days.

The U.S. State Department confirmed that she had been sentenced. While Phan-Gillis trial was closed to the public, a representative from the American Consulate in Guangzhou was allowed to attend the public announcement of the verdict against her, the State Department said.

The Chinese Embassy in Washington did not respond to a message about her case.

Phan-Gillis is of Chinese descent, but was born in Vietnam and is an American citizen who lived in Houston and worked as a business consultant. Known by friends as Sandy, she made numerous trips to China for business and as a volunteer to promote cultural and business exchanges.

She disappeared from the rest of her group during a trip in March 2015 to promote business opportunities in Houston. It took her husband, Jeff Gillis, almost two weeks to confirm through American consular officials that she had been detained by Chinese state security.

Chinas opaque legal system often provides little or no explanation for why someone is detained or punished. Jeff Gillis, who did not return a message Tuesday, said last year that he was told his wife was accused of conducting a spy mission in 1996, then trying to recruit new spies the following two years  allegations he called beyond ridiculous.

I have the passport that shows that she didnt even have a visa in 96, no entries or exits, he said. I have her pay stubs that show that she was not off on extended leave.

The San Francisco-based Dui Hua Foundation, which monitors human rights and legal issues in China, said Phan-Gillis was the first American citizen to be convicted of spying in a Chinese court since 1973. But Phan-Gillis 3 -year prison term is on the low end of sentences for espionage charges, according to Dui Huas research.

China sometimes releases foreigners as an apparent sign of goodwill. Last year it allowed Kevin Garratt, a Canadian citizen held for two years and accused of spying, to return home after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau mentioned Garratt to top officials in Beijing.

In Phan-Gillis case, John Kamm, founder of Dui Hua, credited the Trump administration and particularly Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, who visited Beijing last month. Kamm said he was told by people who were in the room that Tillerson pressed Phan-Gillis case in private meetings.

If U.S.-China relations were not going as well as they are right now, I think this outcome would have been different, Kamm said.

___

Associated Press writer Louise Watt in Beijing contributed to this report.
SANTA FE  Despite strenuous objections, Gov. Susana Martinezs administration is forging ahead with a plan to order unpaid furlough days for most rank-and-file state employees over the next two-plus months.

State Personnel Director Justin Najaka earlier this week requested a meeting with union officials about the furlough plan, a required first step under the states collective bargaining agreement.

In response, the director of one of New Mexicos large public employee unions asked Najaka on Tuesday to provide justification for furloughs, which havent been used as a cost-saving tool in the state since 2010.

We do not think it is remotely reasonable to call for such a significant meeting with one days notice for response, and schedule such a significant meeting without providing any information, said Connie Derr, executive director of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees union in New Mexico.

A meeting with leaders of another labor union that represents state employees, the Communications Workers of America Local 7076, has been scheduled for Thursday, a spokesman for the State Personnel Office confirmed.

Martinez, the states two-term Republican governor, last week directed Cabinet secretaries in her administration to come up with employee furlough plans.

Although the plans have not been rolled out, administration officials have previously indicated they are considering ordering most rank-and-file state workers to take at least five unpaid furlough days between now and June 30, which would save an estimated $8 million.

Such a move could mean temporary closures of state parks, museums and Motor Vehicle Division field offices around the state.

The governor doesnt want to furlough employees, but she has to leave everything on the table to solve our cash crisis, State Personnel Office spokesman Joseph Cueto said Tuesday.

However, top-ranking Democratic lawmakers and union leaders have questioned the need for furloughs, citing a recent state revenue tracking report that said the state was on track as of February to take in $55 million more than projected for the budget year that ends June 30.

Senate Finance Committee Chairman John Arthur Smith, D-Deming, said earlier this week that he felt very comfortable the state could get through the rest of the current budget year without furloughs.

The states collective bargaining agreement requires any state agencies considering furloughs or layoffs to notify and meet with union leaders before submitting a formal plan to the State Personnel Board for approval.

State personnel rules call for employees to be given at least 14 days notice before any unpaid furlough day, though the State Personnel Office director can waive the time limit.

The director can also approve agency furlough plans unilaterally  without the consent of the board  if an emergency is deemed to exist.
Heather Martin, aka MommyOFive, is screaming. Get your fing a  up here! she yells at Cody, her young son. Mike Martin  DaddyOFive to his family YouTube channels 750,000 subscribers  follows along behind with the camera as Cody runs upstairs. Soon, he is yelling, too: What the hell is that? There is ink all over the floor of Codys room. Cody begins to cry. I didnt do that, he says, his face turning red. I swear to God I didnt do that.

For three minutes, the parents scream and swear at Cody and his brother Alex, accusing them of spilling the ink. Suddenly, MommyOFive reveals a small bottle in her hand. She smiles and laughs. The ink was trick ink, she says, it will disappear from the floor. You just got owned! DaddyOFive says, pointing the camera in the face of his two children, who appear to be elementary school-aged. Its just a prank, bruh! As the Martin parents laugh, their two children remain sitting on the bed, faces still red from crying.

The video is difficult to watch; it feels wrong in your gut. Go deeper into DaddyOFives YouTube channel archives, and that gut feeling gets worse. DaddyoFive shoves Cody, who falls into a bookshelf. DaddyOFive screams at Cody for several minutes while older brother Jake taunts and tackles the much smaller child. DaddyOFive built enough of a fan base to make a living off his monetized YouTube channel, but to most onlookers, the videos he posted looked a lot like abuse. A psychologist who treats child abuse watched three of DaddyOFives videos at our request for this story. He said he was distressed and had trouble sitting through the videos forwarded.

There is little question in my mind that the three videos depict abusive behavior between parents and children as well as between siblings, John Caffaro, a distinguished professor at the California School of Professional Psychology and an expert in sibling abuse, said. The parents constant and intense ridicule, involving both words and actions that express contempt, and degradation, deprive the child victim of a sense of self worth.

YouTube, as a corporate entity, has stayed relatively quiet about the videos on DaddyOFives page. Some that were reported to the sites moderators were removed for violating the sites rules against harassment and bullying. Overall, though, the push to define the boundaries of acceptable content has instead come from within the community of individual YouTube creators and their audiences.

The more I dove into this channels history, the more concerned I became, Philip DeFranco, a well-known YouTuber, told his viewers in the first of three videos about DaddyOFive last week. He wasnt the first to raise concerns about DaddyOFive, but he was the first major YouTube personality to talk about the story. The online outrage ballooned from there.

Hundreds of thousands of people watched the ink prank on YouTube, and millions more watched videos about it from prominent YouTubers like DeFranco. The YouTube community soon rallied around a common mission: to save the kids, particularly Cody.

When you see a child in actual pain, dealing with actual anxiety thats been inflicted, its very simple to know whats been done there, YouTuber Steven Williams, who goes by Boogie, told me last week. There is no argument to be had whether these children deserve this. And the answer is simply, No. 

I look back to my childhood, and I think about how badly I wanted someone to intervene, Boogie added. Hes talked about his own abuse as a child on his channel.

YouTubers have reported the Martins to Child Protective Services and law enforcement in Maryland, where the couple currently lives. A spokeswoman for Baltimore County police said in a statement that the department been made aware of the videos and are currently checking into the situation to find out if any of the videos were created in Baltimore County. An investigation there is ongoing, and according to the Baltimore Sun, a similar one is underway in Frederick County, where the family now lives.

A petition asking Child Protective Services in Maryland to reinvestigate the Martins has more than 17,000 signatures. The story became even more complicated when a North Carolina woman, identifying herself as Martins ex and the biological mother of Cody and his sister Emma, came forward. A few dedicated YouTubers are now crowdsourcing funds to pay for her to see a lawyer.

Keemstar, a somewhat notorious YouTube personality who runs a channel called Drama Alert, was initially sympathetic to the Martins. But after he saw a video where the father instructs his son to slap his daughter Emma in the face, he changed his mind.

The fact that a parent would say to themselves, Its OK for me to film my son slap my daughter and put it up on the internet where shes crying?  he said in a short Twitter video. After I saw that clip today, those parents need to be in jail.

DaddyOFive deleted all of the content from his channel last Wednesday, except for one video: Family Destroyed Over False Aquisations, in which the parents claimed that the videos were fake, and the children are willing participants in the channel. The Martins implied that the family was the victim of a witch hunt by an angry YouTube mob.

But the Martins deleted that video Saturday and posted a second response, DaddyOFive Founders Issue Public Apology. It has visibly higher production values and a more apologetic tone. According to the Baltimore Sun, the family has now retained a crisis management and PR firm.

We realize we have made some terrible parenting decisions, and we just want to make things right, Heather Martin says in the video. She adds that the family is now in counseling together to understand what we did wrong in all this, she said. We just wanted our kids to be happy and we went about it in the wrong way.

The Martins did not respond to multiple interview requests from The Washington Post.

Faked or not, Caffaro said, behavior like what he saw in the DaddyOFive videos can have a real negative impact on a kid. The family is teaching their children that emotional and physical violence is a way to solve problems, he said. And besides, children are usually not capable of making the cognitive distinction between fake and real abusive behavior, even if the parents can.

YouTubers are experts at rallying the platforms passionate community around a cause or a perceived wrong. Last week, for instance, YouTube announced a series of changes to its restricted mode that appear to be a direct result of outrage among creators who noticed that the family-friendly content filter was hiding a ton of nonsexual LGBT content. Theyve also gone after extreme prank channels that have crossed a line in the past.

But DaddyOFive wasnt just another extreme prank channel, of which there are hundreds on YouTube. It was an extreme prank channel involving young kids, who regularly appeared in the videos as victims.

In this case, the weight of YouTubes attention has been placed on a single family, largely focused on the well-being of a single child. And Codys welfare is a more complicated problem for the YouTube outrage cycle to solve. Online outrage, even in its most genuine and worthy form, needs attention to thrive, like any information-based cycle. And a topic like DaddyoFive has a limited shelf-life on YouTube. The outrage that drove DaddyOFive off the platform probably wont last long enough to sustain its attention on the welfare of the children all the way through until the story has an ending.

I think a lot of people will say whats done is done, said Boogie, the popular YouTuber. But there needs to be people, once the internet mob moves on, who work for real lasting change for those people.

The solution to the DaddyOFive problem is more complicated than an angry mob that moves on with time. But the way the controversy began, Caffaro indicated, was a result of YouTubers doing the right thing. While a YouTube video really isnt enough to get a full picture of whats going on within a family, ones own emotional reactions (in a healthy and functional individual) to such stimuli can often be useful guideposts for determine an appropriate response, he said.

In other words, when deciding whether to report a YouTube video like DaddyOFives to moderators or authorities, its OK trust your gut.



DaddyOFive Founders Issue Public Apology:

https://youtu.be/WoYTdYRPPpw
Copyright  2017 Albuquerque Journal

The Albuquerque Police Department is taking the unusual step of using its official Facebook page to criticize local judges and the news media because, officials said, the police are too often blamed for crime in the city.

The department in recent months has started to use its online page, which is operated by the departments public information officers, as the primary means of communicating with the public and local media.

But some posts target specific actions by judges and the media, criticizing them and attracting hundreds of harsh comments from the public. In some cases, those comments have called for violence against judges or accused reporters of crimes.

APD says that unless a comment contains profanity, the department has no plans to delete it. In one post that has remained since February, a department Facebook follower wrote: I would most definitely punch this judge in the face. Another follower from earlier this month crowed: I hope the next victim is a member of the judges family.

APD spokeswoman Celina Espinoza said, We have to tell the whole story of whats happening in our community. There are a lot of fingers pointed at APD, APD, APD, crime rates, crime rates, statistics, statistics, data. What is the entire encompassing story behind all of those things?

Last week, Albuquerque Police Chief Gorden Eden seemed to echo that sentiment in a luncheon speech to the Greater Albuquerque Innkeepers Association. He said the department will try to raise awareness about the judges it thinks are soft on criminals.

I know it sounds like Im blaming it all on the judges, he said about crime in the city, because I am.

The talk covered security at the coming Gathering of Nations Powwow, but the chief digressed into other topics, including frustration with some judges and the media.

He said media coverage of police that is critical of officers is preventing him from fully staffing the department.

The Journal reviewed Facebook pages for other law enforcement agencies in the state  including the Bernalillo County Sheriffs Office and police departments in Farmington, Santa Fe and Las Cruces  and couldnt find a post that was critical of a judge or a news media outlet.

One of APDs posts that took aim at the media came after last weeks tragic collision involving a cruiser driven by an officer responding to a report of a violent crime in progress and a vehicle containing a mother and two children.

The department in a Facebook post accused KOB-TV of refusing to give investigators video of the crash it had obtained from a nearby business. KOB alerted police to the existence of the video, and the stations news director said she would have provided police with the video if they had asked her for it. APD has since taken the post down.

In another Facebook post, followers are offered a link to an APD news release that says police were frustrated with a local judges decision to release, without bond, a woman accused of a violent felony. Neither entry mentioned the judges seven-page explanation for doing so, which included that she was following the recommendation of Pretrial Services, the alleged victim and the Children, Youth and Families Department.

Espinoza acknowledged that the posts dont always include all the facts. But she said the media can dig further into the cases.

Thats the role of the media, Espinoza said. Thats why we put these things out there. Youll see that the public will research, that people will look into these cases, reporters at your outlet look into these cases and are able to determine more information and look into it further.

Espinoza said that because APD gets so much criticism for criminal justice issues in Albuquerque, the department will continue to highlight other parts of the system, such as judges.

After the Journal called City Hall late Friday afternoon to ask for Mayor Richard Berrys opinion of the departments Facebook posts, APD spokesman Fred Duran provided the Journal with a statement that said, In the midst of a tragic event this past week, our staff used social media in an editorial manner. This is not the highest and best use of social media and we understand that.

Court officials also declined to comment last week.

Video backlash

Early on the evening of April 17, an Albuquerque police officer driving north on Eubank in response to a 911 call collided with an SUV as it was turning east from Eubank onto Indian School.

Joel Anthony Suina, 6, later died, and his 9-year-old sister, Ariana, and mother, Antoinette, were injured. The officer suffered injuries to his leg and remained in the hospital late last week, according to police.

Jen French, an investigative reporter with KOB, obtained a video recording of the crash from a local business. She dropped it off at the news station and went to the hospital to work the story from there, said Michelle Donaldson, the news director.

Albuquerque police posted on Facebook later that night that KOB refused to provide Albuquerque police a copy of the video and that the station was irresponsible.

That post was then followed with more than a hundred comments, many of which said KOB and other local media were vermin and called for reporters to be charged with crimes.

Donaldson said her office received several threatening phone calls and messages after the Facebook post.

We live in this time right now where there is so much us vs. them when it comes to the media, she said. Its unfortunate people are at that point.

Donaldson said the station would have made law enforcement a copy of the video had officials asked for one. She said APD never asked the station for a copy of the surveillance video.

Espinoza said investigators approached Caleb James, another KOB reporter, at the scene of the accident and asked him for the video. But Donaldson said James didnt have it.

Police were able to get a copy, and they provided it to all the local media outlets.

Espinoza said police officials met with KOB last week and the department decided to take down the post. But she said the department stands by the message.

When we have an investigation that is of this standard, you have a family that is in dire condition, we have an officer that is in critical condition and we have an investigation that needs to be thoroughly put together, Espinoza said. There was a key piece of evidence that it seemed was more important to get out on TV as opposed to allowing investigators to view it and gather evidence from it. What is the role there?

Heath Haussamen, a board member of the Rio Grande Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists, said APDs comments about KOB were another example of an Albuquerque police trend of criticizing the media.

KOB obtained the video legitimately and had every right to use it, he said in a statement. The police department has a lot of gall to ask for what amounts to a favor from the media after consistently showing so much disrespect for our critical role in society and for the people were working to inform and educate. The video showed a crash involving a public employee that led to serious injuries. Broadcasting such a video is in the public interest.

He also said the SPJ chapter opposes the Police Departments use of social media as its main medium for distributing information and its practice of often refusing to answer reporters follow-up questions.

The APD is free to tweet and post whatever they like, but resorting to social media and bypassing journalists is a practice our chapter opposes because it cuts out the role of journalists  who are stand-ins for the public  to ask questions of powerful officials about policies, news etc., he said. (APDs use of Facebook is) propaganda, not transparency.

Bond controversy

Another recent APD Facebook post that generated public outcry involved an attempted murder charge against Violet Andrews, 43.

The post contained a link to the citys website that included details about the case and the judges decision. Court filings show the police left vital information about the charge out of their Facebook post and the online news release.

Andrews shot her husband, Robert Salinas, in the stomach at a Central Avenue motel in July last year. Both Andrews and Salinas said the shooting was unintentional, and she wasnt charged with a crime at the time.

But a detective last month interviewed the couples 6- and 9-year-old children. He reported the children said their parents were fighting and heard Andrews say, I hope this gun is loaded before they heard a gunshot, according to a criminal complaint.

Andrews was arrested earlier this month, and prosecutors moved to have her held without bail. A judge denied the request.

We have also learned she is trying to get her children back from CYFD custody, the Police Departments online news release said about the judges decision. This is not the person that we want on the streets of Albuquerque or to be around children. Detectives did an outstanding job with this investigation and show frustration when violent offenders like this are released from custody.

But Salinas, the victim, had filed an affidavit saying the shooting was an accident. He said he and Andrews have been in a relationship for 19 years and Andrews has been his primary caretaker since he was shot.

I depend on Violet for a large number of medical and daily life tasks, Salinas said in the affidavit.  Violet Andrews is not a danger to me and I am not afraid of her.

And Pretrial Services had recommended that Andrews be released on her own recognizance because she scored a zero when she was analyzed using a pretrial risk assessment instrument, which ranks defendants on a scale of zero to 15, with zero being the lowest risk.

CYFD records also show that the agency is planning to reunite the family. Andrews has been complying with CYFDs treatment plan, which includes weekly drug tests, according to District Judge Cindy Leos order denying detention for Andrews.

Max Pines, Andrews attorney, said Andrews clearly was a good candidate for conditions of release, as she has been living with and caring for the alleged victim for the past nine months.

I think (the case) is an abuse of power, he said.

Espinoza said Albuquerque police made the post about Andrews so that people will learn more about the case against her. She said the department is not trying to put political pressure on judges.

Thats a woman that shot her husband in front of their children, Espinoza said. The post is simply there so people can look further into these cases and find that information and make their decisions.

After the post, the departments Facebook followers misidentified the judge who made the decision and then started rallying for the wrong judge to be voted off the bench.

APD did not correct the misinformation.

In previous cases in which police have questioned judges decisions, APDs Facebook followers have made veiled threats against the judges.

Espinoza said the department will take down comments if people use profanity.

Because its a public page, if we start picking and choosing what goes up and what comes down and what is said and what isnt said  thats not the role of this page, Espinoza said. Its a public forum.

Journal business reporter Taylor Hood contributed to this report.
HOUSTON  Mayor Sylvester Turner is warning that up to 2,200 city workers would be laid off if Houstons pension-reform measures dont win approval from the Texas Legislature.

Turner was flanked by city leaders Wednesday at a news conference at which he urged state lawmakers to OK the reform plan.

The city is seeking to resolve a 15-year pension funding crisis thats contributed to recent credit downgrades and severe strains on the city budget.

Houston ended 2016 with a deficit for the first time in the history of the nations fourth-largest city.

Turner attributes the $95 million deficit to the continued growth of the citys pension obligations.

An audit late last year put pension underfunding in Houston at $7.7 billion, nearly double from 2014.
WASHINGTON  The status of two national monuments in New Mexico and dozens more nationwide came into question Wednesday after President Donald Trump said his administration would review them to determine whether the protected status is in the best interest of their surrounding communities.

Trump made the announcement at the U.S. Department of Interior moments before he signed an executive order directing Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke to scrutinize some national monuments designated under the Antiquities Act, which is more than 100 years-old. Trump said that in some cases the monuments, which are protected from development, amount to a massive land grab by the federal government.

The Antiquities Act does not give the federal government unlimited power to lock up millions of acres of land and water, and its time we end this abusive practice, Trump said at the signing ceremony, adding that he hoped to curb an egregious abuse of federal power.

The presidents order for a review applies to monuments created after 1996 that are over 100,000 acres. That includes the Rio Grande del Norte and Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks national monuments in New Mexico, as well as the newly created Bears Ears National Monument in Southeastern Utah. The Rio Grande del Norte and Organ Mountains monuments were set aside for protection by former President Barack Obama. The order requires Zinke to consult local governments and tribes as part of the review.

Neither the White House nor the Department of Interior produced a list of monument designations that are most likely to be adjusted or rescinded, but the controversial Bears Ears monument in Utah is widely believed to have triggered the review.

The land set-aside was one of Obamas final acts in office and angered the entire Utah congressional delegation, who viewed the monument as too expansive.

While some cheered Trumps announcement Wednesday as valid pushback against federal land grabs, the move sparked concern and even outrage among those who fear the Interior review could jeopardize monuments in New Mexico.

Sen. Tom Udall, a New Mexico Democrat, questioned whether it would be legal for Trump to rescind any federal monument status and he pledged to fight him every step of the way if the president attempts to do so.

This executive order is nothing more than a political move that will waste limited resources and unnecessarily add uncertainty for growing businesses and communities around these monuments, including two in New Mexico, Udall said.

I wont stand by if the Trump administration tries to open the door to selling them off to the highest bidder, New Mexicos senior senator added.

Rep. Steve Pearce, a Republican whose district includes the Organ Mountains-Desert Peak Monument, near Las Cruces, opposed its designation in 2014. At that time, he proposed setting aside a smaller portion of land in the rugged mountain range than the nearly half-million acres that was eventually designated.

Pearce said Wednesday that he supported Trumps review.

The Obama administration, and the administrations before it, repeatedly abused the Antiquities Act by creating expansive national monuments that blatantly disregarded input from local communities and governments that are directly affected by these designations, Pearce said. New Mexicans, and folks all across the nation, deserve to have access to federal lands for recreational use, hunting, grazing and the economic opportunity that comes with it.

We all share the common goal of preserving the beauty of our lands for generations to come, but responsible conservation efforts must consider input from surrounding communities and the local economies that are affected, he added.

Rep. Ben Ray Lujan, a northern New Mexico Democrat who represents the area including the Rio Grande del Norte National Monument, said the monument was created with widespread public input and support from the surrounding communities. He said any attempt to change it would amount to an assault on our nations historical, cultural and natural heritage.

The Rio Grande del Norte leaves a lasting impression on all those who visit and all those who benefit from the land  whether through recreation or ranching, Lujan said. More than that, national parks and public lands help define who we are as a nation.

After Mondays ceremony, Zinke issued a statement saying presidential monument designations have gotten out of control.

Historically, the Act calls for the President to designate the smallest area compatible with proper care and management of the objects to be protected,' Zinke said, noting that monuments used to comprise hundreds of acres, not hundreds of thousands of acres. Despite this clear directive, smallest area has become the exception and not the rule.

Sen. Martin Heinrich, a New Mexico Democrat who sits on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, worked to secure the recent monument designations in New Mexico. He said any effort to roll them back would be met with fierce resistance. Recent national polls have shown strong support for national parks and monuments.

New Mexicans livelihoods are rooted in our open spaces, Heinrich said. Any effort to wipe national monuments from the map should not be mistaken for the mainstream values of Westerners whose way of life depends on the regions land and water.

Meanwhile, New Mexico Land Commissioner Aubrey Dunn, a Republican, said Trumps executive order could disrupt a proposed land exchange between the New Mexico State Land Office and the Bureau of Land Management that would consolidate state and federal holdings within the 242,455-acre Rio Grande del Norte National Monument.

Dunn said the Land Office and the BLM have been negotiating a land exchange that would transfer about 41,000 acres of state-owned surface and mineral rights within the monument to the BLM. In turn, the Land Office would select about 78,000 acres of federal surface and mineral rights in surrounding counties that could be opened to economic development. The exchange would create a solid block of BLM land where there is now a checkerboard of state and federal holdings, and grazing opportunities have been reduced, Dunn said. A second part of the deal also would give the BLM 2,000 acres at the mouth of the remote Sabinoso Wilderness Area in San Miguel County, east of Las Vegas, N.M.

Dunn said a delay of 60 days or more could push the closing date for the swap past the end of his first term in office and jeopardize the deal. Dunn is seeking re-election in 2018.

I hope we will be able to move forward sooner than later, but I fear that if we dont finalize the exchange within the next couple of months, it wont get done, Dunn said.
HOUSTON  Texas highest criminal court Wednesday refused an appeal from an East Texas woman on death row for the slaying seven years ago of her developmentally disabled baby sitter.

The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals rejected 15 claims raised by Kimberly Cargill, 50, of Whitehouse, who was convicted in Smith County in 2012 of causing the asphyxiation of 39-year-old Cherry Walker.

Ten of the claims in Cargills appeal contended her trial lawyers were deficient for not presenting evidence that Walker died in June 2010 of an epilepsy-related seizure rather than homicidal violence. The court said three other claims were rejected because they should have been raised in an earlier appeal following her conviction and one was refused because it had been raised and rejected in that earlier appeal. The final claim argued attorneys handling the previous appeal were deficient for not arguing that an autopsy photo allowed into evidence was improper and prejudicial.

At her trial, prosecutors said Cargill was facing a child abuse investigation and that she had already lost custody of one of her two children. They argued she killed Walker to keep her from testifying at a custody hearing.

Walkers body was found on the side of a road in Smith County. It had been doused with lighter fluid and set on fire, and an autopsy determined that she was asphyxiated.

Cargill testified at her trial that Walker suffered a seizure while she was driving Walker home after a pleasant dinner at a restaurant, and that she panicked and didnt act rationally. She said she set Walkers body on fire to eliminate any of her own DNA that may have been on the victim.

Cargill is one of six women on death row in Texas. She does not yet have an execution date and still may file appeals in the federal courts.

In a second capital case, the appeals court upheld the conviction and death sentence of a Houston man condemned for fatally shooting a police officer and a bystander who tried to help the officer shot during a traffic stop after a chase on Christmas Eve 2012.

Attorneys for 25-year-old Harlem Lewis III raised 14 points of error from Lewis Harris County trial in 2014 for the killings of Cpl. Jimmy Norman, 53, an officer in the Houston enclave of Bellaire, and Terry Taylor, 66. The chase ended in the parking lot of Taylors auto repair shop in Houston.

Officers responding to the scene exchanged gunfire with Lewis and he ran off wounded before he was captured. He testified at his trial that his gun, which was stolen, went off and he didnt remember running away.

Attorneys unsuccessfully questioned in the appeal whether the evidence was sufficient to convict Lewis and result in a death sentence, argued that too many uniformed police officers were allowed to attend the trial as spectators, and contended jury instructions, prosecution jury arguments, victim impact evidence and evidence of Lewis criminal record were all improper.

In another Texas death row case Wednesday, a federal appeals court rejected an appeal from a 60-year-old prisoner condemned for helping a former suburban Houston police officer murder his wife more than 22 years ago.

The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals refused arguments from lawyers for Joseph Andrew Prystash that raised questions about jury selection and juror instructions and the propriety of evidence.

He was convicted of being the middleman in a plot orchestrated by former Missouri City police officer Robert Fratta to murder his wife, 34-year-old Farah Fratta, during a custody battle. She was found shot dead in her garage in 1994.

Evidence showed Fratta hired Prystash who then hired triggerman Howard Paul Guidry. Prystash was to get Frattas Jeep and Guidry was to receive $3,000.

All three men are on death row.
WASHINGTON  The Trump administration told lawmakers Wednesday it will apply economic and diplomatic pressure on North Korea to dismantle its nuclear weapons program, as an extraordinary White House briefing served to tamp down talk of military action against an unpredictable and increasingly dangerous U.S. adversary.

President Donald Trump welcomed Republican and Democratic senators before his secretary of state, defense secretary, top general and national intelligence director conducted a classified briefing. The same team also met with House members in the Capitol to outline the Norths escalating nuclear capabilities and U.S. response options to what they called an urgent national security threat.

After weeks of unusually blunt military threats, the joint statement by the agency chiefs said Trumps approach aims to pressure North Korea into dismantling its nuclear, ballistic missile and proliferation programs by tightening economic sanctions and pursuing diplomatic measures with our allies and regional partners. It made no specific mention of military options, though it said the U.S. would defend itself and friends.

The unprecedented meeting in a building adjacent to the White House reflected the increased American alarm over North Koreas progress in developing a nuclear-tipped missile that could strike the U.S. mainland. A flurry of military activity, by North Korea and the U.S. and its partners on and around the divided Korean Peninsula, has added to the worlds sense of alert.

While tensions have increased since Trump took office, theyve escalated dramatically in recent weeks as American and other intelligence agencies suggested the North was readying for a possible nuclear test. Although such an explosion hasnt yet occurred, Trump has sent high-powered U.S. military vessels and an aircraft carrier to the region in a show of force, while the North conducted large-scale, live-fire artillery drills, witnessed by national leader Kim Jong Un, earlier this week.

On Wednesday, South Korea started installing key parts of a contentious U.S. missile defense system that also has sparked Chinese and Russian concerns.

Americas Pacific forces commander, Adm. Harry Harris Jr., told Congress on Wednesday the system would be operational within days. He said any North Korean missile fired at U.S. forces would be destroyed.

If it flies, it will die, Harris said.

The Trump administration has said all options, including a military strike, are on the table. But the administrations statement after briefing senators  all 100 members were invited  outlined a similar approach to the Obama administrations focus on pressuring Pyongyang to return to long-stalled denuclearization talks. Trumps top national security advisers said they were open to negotiations with the North, though they gave no indication of when or under what circumstances.

The strategy hinges greatly on the cooperation of China, North Koreas main trading partner.

China is the key to this, said Republican Sen. John McCain of Arizona, who got a preview of Trumps message at a dinner with the president this week.

Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff of California agreed. I think the best approach for the administration is to bring the maximum pressure to bear diplomatically on China, as well as North Korea, but otherwise to walk softly and carry a big stick, he told reporters after attending the Capitol Hill briefing Wednesday.

Among the options are returning North Korea to the U.S. state sponsor of terrorism blacklist, which Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said last week was under consideration. His spokesman, Mark Toner, said Wednesday that another tactic is getting nations around the world to close down North Korean embassies and consulates, or suspending them from international organizations.

But sanctions will be the greatest tool at the Trump administrations disposal. Tillerson is chairing a U.N. Security Council meeting Friday designed to get nations to enforce existing penalties on North Korea and weigh new ones.

Testifying before the House Armed Services Committee, Harris said he expects North Korea to soon be able to develop a long-range missile capable of striking the United States, as Kim has promised. One of these days soon, he will succeed, Harris said.

North Koreas U.N. mission said Wednesday the nation would react to a total war with Washington by using nuclear weapons. It vowed victory in a death-defying struggle against the U.S. imperialists.

Trump, like presidents before him, faces difficult options. Sanctions havent forced Pyongyang to abandon its nuclear efforts, but a targeted U.S. attack to take out its weapons program risks a wider war along a heavily militarized border near where tens of millions of South Koreans live. The threat would extend to nearby Japan, another country North Korea regularly threatens.

China has urged restraint by both Pyongyang and Washington. In Berlin Wednesday, Foreign Minister Wang Yi said North Korea must suspend its nuclear activities, but on the other side, the large-scale military maneuvers in Korean waters should be halted. That was a reference to U.S. and South Korean war games.

China opposes the Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense system, or THAAD, being installed in South Korea, rejecting American assurances that it will only target North Korean missiles. Russia also sees the systems powerful radars as a security threat.

In Beijing, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said THAAD would upset the regions strategic balance. China will take necessary measures to defend our own interests, he promised.

___

Associated Press writers Foster Klug, Hyung-jin Kim and Kim Tong-Hyung in Seoul; Chris Bodeen in Beijing; Richard Lardner, Matthew Lee and Lolita C. Baldor in Washington, and Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations contributed to this report.
Can Afghan military turn the tide in Taliban fight?

US Defence Secretary James Mattis was filmed beside an open cargo door as he flew in to Kabul on Monday. It was a glamorous image, but he could scarcely have flown into the country on a less auspicious day.
Copyright  2017 Albuquerque Journal

The employment rate for New Mexicans of prime working age has had the biggest drop in the nation since 2007, according to a new study.

The Pew Charitable Trust study, released this month, looks at the change in employment among 25- to 54-year-olds from 2007 to 2016.

It shows that the decline in New Mexico amounted to more than 7 percentage points: from 79.1 percent employed in that age group in 2007 to 72 percent in 2016.

That means that for every 100 New Mexicans in the age group, about seven fewer held jobs by the end of 2016.

More recent data based on U.S. Census Bureau information show that figure dropped slightly more as of last month  to 71.7 percent.

The average for the U.S. as a whole was 79.9 percent in 2007 and 77.9 percent last year  a decline of 2 percentage points. Thats despite a national unemployment rate that has been steadily falling.

The top three states for prime-age employment were Michigan, with a positive 0.8 percentage point change in the employment rate, followed by Wisconsin and Indiana. After New Mexico, Nevada had the biggest drop in employment, followed by South Dakota.

While employment and unemployment rates are related, they measure somewhat different groups. The main reason prime-age employment nationwide was lower in 2016 than in 2007 was an increase in the share of people neither working nor looking for work  a group that is not counted in the unemployment rate.

New Mexicos ranking is not a surprise, considering the state still has not recovered from the recession, said Jim Peach, a New Mexico State University economist.

Its a general lack of economic progress for a decade, Peach said.

Pollster Brian Sanderoff said the states employment rate for all ages lags behind, so it doesnt surprise me that in that age group weve had a significant decline.

A drop in employment is among the economic conditions that are major drivers of state finances, the Pew study said.

Changes in employment rates among adults in their prime working years can affect both sides of a states budget ledger, the study said.

On the revenue side, employee paychecks generate individual income tax dollars and fuel consumer spending. That, in turn, produces tax revenue from sales and business income for state coffers.

On the state spending side, people without jobs often need more public services, such as Medicaid and other safety-net programs that increase costs borne by the state, the study said.

University of New Mexico economist Jeff Mitchell said that likely related to the loss of jobs and employment in the state is the net loss of 9,500 prime working-age adults from 2010 to 2015 who have left the state.

Because adults ages 25 to 54 are most likely to have families, New Mexico has had a 3 percent net loss of children ages 5 to 17 to other states, he said.

That loss is raising questions for the future of the labor force, Mitchell said.

The national decline in prime working-age adults is hard to explain, although economists generally agree that its partly due to structural changes brought on by the recession. For example, hundreds of thousands of jobs in manufacturing have been lost while technology has replaced jobs in a variety of sectors.

Hard-hit by the changes have been low-income men without college degrees. The number of prime-age men who are neither working nor looking for work has doubled since the 1970s, according to Atlantic magazine.

Peach said other reasons could be that those thrown out of work during the recession, which started in December 2007, might find it hard to get back into the labor force.

The longer the unemployment, the harder it is to find a new job, he said.

But, he added, Its something of a mystery at the national level.
The controversy over conservative commentator Ann Coulters planned appearance this week at the University of California, Berkeley took another turn Wednesday when she and her sponsors pulled out  even as campus police readied anyway for riot-like demonstrations.

Im so sorry for free speech (being) crushed by thugs, Coulter posted on Twitter in announcing that she had abandoned efforts to find a campus venue where she could speak Thursday.

Its sickening when a radical thuggish institution like Berkeley can so easily snuff out the cherished American right to free speech, she added.

Berkeley administrators and police countered that their first concern was safety in the face of increasingly violent demonstrations at the famously liberal university.

Coulter had been invited by two student groups to speak on immigration policy as a counterpoint to a Clinton administration adviser. The address became a campus-freedoms rallying point for conservative groups when administrators first canceled Coulters visit, then rescheduled it to an unpopular date.

But even without a high-profile headliner such as Coulter, UC Berkeley Police Capt. Alex Yao said, authorities expect extremists to arrive on campus to have violence against each other. He said students should expect a heavy police presence Thursday and a very, very low tolerance of violence.

Among those contemplating their own Berkeley events on Thursday were Proud Boys founder Gavin McInnes and Canadian alt-right blogger Lauren Southern, according to statements Southern made.

Administrators cited unspecified threats of violence in limiting Coulter to a daytime engagement off the main campus. The Berkeley campus and adjacent downtown has been the scene of three violent clashes since February between alt-right demonstrators and white nationalists on one side and anti-fascist and anarchist groups on the other.

Coulter had pledged to show up anyway, even contemplating an outdoor address. But she discarded that idea Wednesday in the face of continued threats, the universitys refusal to find her a building and the withdrawal of her sponsors.

The president of one student group, BridgeCal, said the escalating rhetoric surrounding what was intended as discourse contributed to the groups decision to rescind its invitation.

Ann herself is using this a little to her advantage  to engage in the test of free speech, said Pranav Jandhyala. He said he found Coulters recent public comments unnecessarily provocative.

We cant endorse an event like that, Jandhyala said.

The other student host, Berkeley College Republicans, also withdrew its invitation but said the issue always had been about free speech.

The group and Coulters well-funded financial sponsor, the Virginia-based Young Americas Foundation, filed a federal free speech lawsuit Monday accusing the university of using security concerns as a guise to censor conservative viewpoints. College Republicans President Troy Worden said he would pursue the litigation.

The fact that we couldnt even get a speaker on campus, thats our primary concern, he said.

The College Republicans in February sought to host right-wing provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos, but the event was canceled when hundreds of demonstrators swarmed the venue  including some in masks who tore down barricades and smashed windows.

The group also invited controversial writer David Horowitz to speak this month but withdrew the request, citing poor attendance expected at the time and location the university required.

The American Civil Liberties Union raised its own concerns Wednesday. National Legal Director David Cole said he was troubled by how threats of violence effectively silenced Coulter.

If the government gets to decide which speech counts as hate speech, the powers that be may later feel free to censor any speech they dont like, Cole said in a statement. For the future of our democracy, we must protect bigoted speech from government censorship.

On college campuses, that means that the best way to combat hateful speech is through counter-speech, vigorous and creative protest, and debate, not threats of violence or censorship.

UC Berkeley Chancellor Nicholas Dirks released a public statement that stressed the universitys commitment to free speech and attributed the risk of mayhem and free speech challenges to outside groups.

This is a university, not a battlefield, Dirks said. The strategies necessary to address these evolving threats are also evolving, but the simplistic view of some  that our police department can simply step in and stop violent confrontations whenever they occur  ignores reality.

Berkeley police have arrested 21 individuals and have warrants for an additional 11 suspected of being involved in the violent demonstrations in March and April, a spokesman said.

City Police Chief Andrew Greenwood said officers are dealing with combatants eager to fight, and any use of force might escalate the violence.

We are rightly expected to not get swept into the volatility of the crowd, he wrote in a report to the Berkeley City Council.

Coulter is still traveling to the San Francisco Bay Area. She is scheduled to appear Friday at a sold-out fundraiser for the Republican Party of Stanislaus County.

Organizer Janice Keating said the party chose Coulter because of her ability to draw a crowd. Demonstrations were not expected, Keating said, but were prepared as best we can be.

The organization has hired private security to bolster the efforts of the Modesto Police Department.



(Times staff writer Teresa Watanabe contributed to this report.)



2017 Los Angeles Times

Visit the Los Angeles Times at www.latimes.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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PHOTO (for help with images, contact 312-222-4194): CMP-BERKELEY-COULTER

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AT&T has announced its plans to unveil its 5G Evolution network in more cities by the end of the year, following the launch of the service in Austin, Texas this month and in Indianapolis, Indiana this summer. Some of the areas that will experience better speeds brought about by AT&Ts improved network are the cities of Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Nashville, and San Francisco. Once the 5G Evolution service launches in these areas, subscribers of AT&T should experience improved speeds of up to twice what they are currently experiencing on the wireless carrier. There is a caveat though, as subscribers need to buy the Samsung Galaxy S8 or the Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus units to take advantage of the improved service.

It is important to note that AT&T qualifies the term as 5G Evolution, and not 5G, with the carrier clarifying that at this point the wireless carrier is simply laying the foundation needed for 5G while the 5G standards are being finalized. This means that what AT&T is advertising is not true 5G and simply an improvement on the existing 4G LTE standards, with additional features like advanced carrier aggregation, 44 MIMO, and 256-QAM. These are features laid down by other carriers like T-Mobile several months ago, bringing network download speed increases of around 30% and uplink speed increases of 50%. T-Mobiles claimed download speeds of 400Mbps is similar to what AT&T has claimed in its earlier announcement regarding the theoretical maximum download speeds of its 5G Evolution network.

Regarding the true 5G, AT&T has been conducting tests to ensure proper and flawless deployment and commercialization of 5G. AT&T has partnered with numerous companies, like telecommunications suppliers and system providers to test 5G for its intended use cases. Last year, AT&T partnered with Ericsson and Intel for download speed testing in their testing laboratories in Austin, Texas wherein the group measured 14Gbps download speeds to a single user in the 30GHz band. The wireless carrier has also partnered with systems provider NI to design and manufacture a channel characterization tool that could characterize 5G signals accurately and quickly, paving the way for testing 5G signals in moving vehicles. Despite the fact that standards are not yet finalized, carriers are mobilizing to quickly commercialize 5G, with South Korean and Japanese carriers hoping to deploy 5G in select areas in time for the Winter and Summer Olympics a few years from now.

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A Tesla Model S owner going by the name of Matt Dyson managed to connect his vehicle to the Google Home, allowing him to issue commands to the vehicle using Googles smart speaker. Dyson recently shared details of his ambitious pet project to connect his car with the Google Home and also released his current code on GitHub and published a YouTube video demonstrating the solution, giving connected car enthusiasts a sneak preview of what the future might hold for all smart car owners.

Dyson has been gradually adding devices into his connected home setup for a long time, and one of the latest additions to his personal ecosystem was the Google Home smart speaker. Dyson writes on his blog how he immediately saw a need for connecting Googles smart speaker with his Tesla Model S, and so he began working on a custom application using Google Homes Assistant Action function which allows for the creation of custom apps designed to direct to a specific action or chain of commands using the API.ai. Voice recognition is handled by the Google Home and the commands themselves are interpreted by the API.ai which then parses variables from speech accordingly. A Python web server takes the request, gathers the data from the Tesla API, and returns the resulting text to the Google Home. Having said that, Dyson managed to create an application that allows two-way communication between the Tesla Model S and Google Home. The platform can be used to gain information regarding the vehicles status including its current range, charge levels, inside temperature, and the status of the door lock. The application can also be used to give the Tesla Model S certain voice commands via Google Home, including the ability to control the cars air conditioning system, open its charging port, enable, disable, or limit charging, and even control the horn the vehicle.

Dyson said that due to lacking permission to use the Tesla trademark, the application cannot be properly published through the Google Play Store, but setting up a third-party service as an alternative has been taken into consideration. In any case, it should be noted that the Google Home is not the only smart speaker to have been unofficially connected to the Tesla Model S, as another developer recently managed to connect the vehicle with the Amazon Echo smart speaker powered by the Alexa artificial intelligence (AI).
Internet search giant Google hit a hitch with its plans for a new campus in Germany. After a negative response from residents, Google has been denied initial planning permission for a Berlin start-up campus that would act as a pivot for local entrepreneurs. The intention was to build the seventh Google Campus in the world in the Kreuzberg district but a local district assembly council member Julian Schwarze confirmed the proposal had been turned down after concerns from local residents about changes to the character of the area and the transformation of the historical building that Google wants to use and build another floor on its top.

Googles planning permission was rejected despite support from City Mayor Michael Muller. The objections from local residents did not purely relate to the historic building though, as other concerns expressed were about noise issues, rent hikes, and pressures on local businesses. For example, one Coni Pfeiffer is concerned about rent increases that occur whenever large tech companies move into a district. Others pointed to the venture capital money that is available to Internet companies, something that local businesses lack. There has been a growing trend of Berlin district councils supporting anti-redevelopment initiatives. For instance, Gewobag is a property company owned by the city and is able to raise objections in major property transactions or purchase buildings that it believes should be protected from redevelopment.

Following the initial planning permission being denied, Google announced its intention to continue pursuing the project. In a statement on the matter provided to local media, the Mountain View-based tech giant said its eager to solve all differences it currently has with authorities. Google already has campuses in cities across the world including London, Madrid, Seoul, and Tel Aviv, and back in 2015, the firm made an initial proposal for a brand new Mountain View campus in California, close to the companys current Googleplex. In February, the company outlined revised plans for the new US campus development and was given the green light to go ahead with the project shortly after. An update on Googles expansion efforts is expected to follow shortly.
Patent litigation is both the bane and the saving grace of innovation these days, so news that Intertrust has teamed up with Google to create a PatentShield program to help save startups from patent trolls is welcome indeed. The program gives all partnering startups access to their patents for defense against patent litigation, and helps startups to plan out new intellectual properties so as to avoid any potential patent issues. The whole thing is bankrolled and managed by Intertrusts investment arm, and Google is on board to contribute patents for the communal portfolio. Despite their vast pockets, Google has not said anything about helping out financially with this venture.

While the primary mission of the whole endeavor is to help protect startup companies from patent trolling that could stifle innovation and drive them out of business, the operation cant exactly run on smiles; startups who want in have to fill out an application, pass some very strict criteria checks, and of course, pay up. The amount theyre asked to pay is relatively small, so Google and Intertrust dont really pull a profit. Rather, the fee, called an equity grant, is to help keep the program up and running, allowing Intertrust to pay their people and continue acquiring patents for the portfolio.

Its definitely worth noting that Intertrust is one of the best equipped companies around for a venture like this. Their patent portfolio is massive, and spans many different industries. Some of those patents were bought up from research startups or even Fortune 500 companies. Joined with the full might of Googles ever-growing patent portfolio, startups who choose to partner up with PatentShield can pursue just about any project worry-free, provided its not essentially blatant plagiarism. Strangely, companies who choose to partner up are not asked to contribute their own patents or even get their subsidiaries on board. Essentially, this means that a small one-time payment equates to a large portfolio of patents to use for legal purposes forever, and even the privilege to acquire new patents to use in your own development, all while not having to give up any of your own hard work for the good of the community.
According to four individuals who have inside knowledge of the project, Google co-founder Sergey Brin is building a massive airship in a hangar at the NASA Ames Research Center. The four insiders, who have discussed some details about the highly-secret project, say that Brin first became fascinated with airships when he began visiting Ames, which is located in Mountain View, California, near Alphabet Inc.s headquarters. After seeing old photographs of the USS Macon, a huge airship built by the US Navy and kept at the Ames Center, Googles co-founder decided to build his own craft.

There have been very few confirmed details about this project so far, although it is known that the hangars that are thought to house Brins project have been leased from NASA since 2015 as experimental laboratories, by a unit of Google called Planetary Ventures. The airship, according to the four insiders, looks like a Zeppelin, and there is currently a large metal substructure which takes up most of the room in one hangar. The former director of projects at NASA Ames, Alan Weston is said to be leading the project, although he has not confirmed this, or commented on the project so far. Weston has an interesting background, having once been an engineer on the US governments Strategic Defence Initiative, more commonly known as the Star Wars missile defense system before he went to work for NASA. Weston stated in a 2013 interview that he believes airships could be more efficient than planes at hauling cargo.

When he was recently asked about the airship project in an email, Brin replied, sorry, I dont have anything to say about this right now. It is currently unknown whether this is a purely personal project or whether it is related to a future Google company, although Sergey Brin is well-known to enjoy aeronautics and even jumped out of a plane wearing Google Glass to promote its launch. Googles other co-founder, Larry Page also has a keen interest in aeronautical projects  he is well-known for backing start-up companies looking to create flying cars. One of these companies, Kitty Hawk, recently released a video showcasing the abilities of their flying car for the first time.
Google Fibers longstanding expansion freeze seems to be coming to an end as the service is reportedly getting ready to roll out in Louisville, Kentucky. The Mountain View-based tech giant has allegedly chosen Louisville to have two unique privileges among Fiber-supported cities. First off, it will be the very first city to be set up using Googles new wireless infrastructure for gigabit internet service through Fiber. Secondly, Louisville will be the city that finally marks the continuation of the services expansion. While the possibility of another delay or cancellation hangs heavy over the whole affair, the new wireless technology should make it easier than ever to actually get the deployment off the ground, meaning that this is Louisvilles best chance yet to actually get Google Fiber.

Previously, Louisville had fought other broadband entities over the issue of their One Touch Make Ready ordinance, which sought to allow new players such as Google Fiber to take advantage of the groundwork laid by incumbents to help get their networks in place. Louisville had also set aside a number of buildings spread around the area for Google to base Fiber operations out of, but thanks to the new wireless infrastructure that Google will reportedly be using for its expansion to Louisville, those proposed Fiber Huts became unnecessary, though each one could have theoretically allowed Google to service 40,000 households.

Because of the One Touch Make Ready ruling, Louisville is a key battleground in the fight for a competitive environment in the broadband space. Success here could encourage other districts to enact similar laws, which would make it far easier for new players to jump into the broadband industry. The importance of this series of events to the future of competition in broadband is hard to overstate; many areas only have one or just a few providers to choose from, which consequently leads to price gouging and worse customer service, history has shown. The city of Louisville didnt have anything to say about the matter outlined above, while Google reportedly assured local authorities that its still adamant to launch the service in the city, though only time will tell whether the company finally succeeds in that endeavor.
The on-screen Home button of the Galaxy S8 and the Galaxy S8 Plus boasts an anti-burn-in measure thats meant to prevent OLED burn-in, the Dutch division of Samsung revealed on Tuesday. While responding to a question from a customer on Twitter, a representative of the South Korean consumer electronics manufacturer said that the Home button of its new pair of Android flagships gradually fades in and out when the Always-On Display (AOD) feature of the phone is enabled. Limited testing of the functionality performed by some users confirmed as much, seeing how the on-screen Home button is not only fading like described above but is also slightly changing its position on the screen over time, all with the goal of preventing burn-in.

This particular functionality was already featured in Samsungs range of Tizen-powered smartwatches like the Gear S3 Classic and the Gear S3 Frontier and it seems that the anti-burn-in measure that the company came up with is efficient as not a lot of owners of those devices have ever complained about such an anomaly. Given that state of affairs, Samsung will likely opt to implement this feature in its future flagship products that support AOD. One particular device thats expected to boast this functionality is the Galaxy Note 8 thats scheduled to be released in the second half of this year. The successor to the discontinued 2016 phablet will likely boast a screen thats somewhat bigger than the 6.2-inch QHD+ display panel featured on the Galaxy S8 Plus, but should otherwise be identical to the one present on the companys latest Android flagship.

Regarding the Galaxy S8 family, Samsungs new high-end phone lineup was officially released on Friday following a month-long marketing campaign thats still far from over. While Samsungs mobile division went through a troublesome final quarter of 2016 due to the Galaxy Note 7 fiasco, its now expected to make amends for that ordeal as both the Galaxy S8 and the Galaxy S8 Plus are predicted to break many sales records and outsell all other Android-powered competitors released this year. An update on the commercial performance of Samsungs new handsets should follow later this spring.
Famous comedian and television host Stephen Colbert launched a new ad for the Samsung Galaxy S8 as part of the Tuesday episode of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. The minute-long video that made its way to YouTube in the meantime features some attractive shots of Samsungs latest Android flagship but also doesnt fail to mock the Galaxy Note 7 debacle that resulted in the discontinuation of the companys 2016 phablet following numerous reports of units catching fire and exploding. The entire skit was designed as yet another dig at the Galaxy Note 7 and likely wasnt approved by the South Korean tech giant who already invested a massive amount of resources into marketing the quality assurance practices that were employed during the design and manufacturing of the Galaxy S8 lineup, assuring consumers that the new high-end Android phones are perfectly safe.

Colbert claims that Samsung designers put a lot of work into creating a device thats beautiful, powerful, and wont make customers fear their head [will] melt, all while showing a well-known scene from Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark. The entire skit aired during the latest episode of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert can be viewed beneath this writing. This isnt the first time that the 52-year-old made fun of the Galaxy Note 7 fiasco, as Colbert released another skit back in October that was parodying the return procedure for Samsungs defective phablet.

Given Colberts popularity, none of these parodies will likely help Samsungs efforts to move on from its last years misfortunes, though the Galaxy S8 and the Galaxy S8 Plus are still unlikely to suffer due to the fact that some comedians are parodying the latest addition to the Galaxy Note family. Having officially released last Friday following months of anticipation and dozens of leaks, Samsungs new pair of Android flagships has enjoyed an extremely positive response from both critics and consumers alike and is expected to become a massive commercial success that will significantly boost the companys revenue over the course of this year. An update on the commercial performance of the Galaxy S8 lineup is expected to follow in the coming months.
Catch those pirates

The theme of this years World Intellectual Property Day which falls on April 26 is Innovation-Improving Lives.
China seeks to cement globalization credentials at Silk Road summit

China says its Silk Road initiative is helping create "a new era of globalization" open to all, according to a draft communique for a summit next month on the project, as Beijing burnishes its free trade credentials amid protectionist forces elsewhere.
Countervailing duty on Nepali jute scrapped

The Indian government has scrapped countervailing duty (CVD) on Nepali jute products. Following repeated requests by the Nepal government, the southern neighbour agreed on April 20 to waive CVD on Nepali jute exports.
YEREVAN, APRIL 25, ARMENPRESS. Defense Army serviceman Karen Avetisyan, 1998, received fatal injury in unclear circumstances on April 25 in the northern direction of the front line.

As Armenpress was informed from the press service of the MoD Artsakh, investigation is underway to find out details.

The Defense Ministry of the Republic of Artsakh shares the grief of the loss and expresses solidarity with the family members, relatives and peer serviceman of the killed soldier, reads the statement issued by the Defense Army.
YEREVAN, APRIL 25, ARMENPRESS. Criminal case has been initiated against A. Janjughazyan for the murder of 21-year old Dmitry Yalpatev, Russian serviceman of 102 military base in Gyumri, on April 25 based on the evidences gathered by the Special Investigation Service of Armenia. A. Janjughazyan is arrested, the Investigative Committee of Armenia informed Armenpress.

The murder happened on April 22 at about 17:00 in Gyumris Dudkoy 4 near Argo market. The criminal stabbed Dmitry Yalpatev 8 times in the neck, shoulder and head who died as a result of the injuries.

The accused was interrogated and gave testimony about the incident.

The preliminary investigation shows the accused has some problems with mental health. Particularly, during his army service, in November 2016, he committed self-harming for several times and was taken to the v department of Yerevans military hospital, where partial insanity was diagnosed and he was recognized unfit for military service.

Preliminary investigation is underway.
SUV

Why did CR drop the Model S from 87 to 85 points ? As the industry adopts AEB systems on a larger scale than ever, the Model S still lacks automatic emergency braking. Autopilot may be the bees knees, but bearing in mind even a run-of-the-mill Corolla has AEB as standard, Tesla has no excuse whatsoever for the lack of this feature in the Model S sedan.Heres a quote from Jake Fisher, director of CRs auto test center in Colchester, Connecticut: When we purchased our latest test car, we were assured automatic emergency braking would be enabled by the end of 2016. Weve been waiting for this important safety feature, which is standard equipment on much cheaper cars. As a Tesla believer, I couldnt agree more that patience is NOT a virtue.People who dropped big bucks on a new Model S back in 2012 knew that it was a work-in-progress job. Almost five years later, its getting a lot harder to fathom why the Palo Alto-based automaker still treats is devoted customers as guinea pigs. Promising a thing but not delivering on time is, without a doubt, Teslas biggest problem for the time being.The 2-point downgrade sees the Model S drop from first to third in Consumer Reports luxury car ratings, behind the Lexus LS and BMW 7 Series . The Model Xs score also nosedived to 56 from 58, with the pure-electricnow finding itself in the company of lesser luxury utility vehicles.The publications change of heart didnt go unnoticed by Tesla , who said in an e-mailed statement that it expects automatic emergency braking to be included in a software update this Thursday, April 27.
SUV

In the 1990's, Honda became synonymous with the van thanks to the launch of the Odyssey. By the second generation, some of the production had been moved to Ontario, Guangzhou and the U.S. factory in Lincoln, Alabama.But now Honda Manufacturing of Alabama (HMA) is the sole production source of the Odyssey minivan, Pilot, and Ridgeline pickup truck, which was named 2017 North American Truck of the Year in Detroit. The Acura MDX luxury SUV and the V6 engines that power each vehicle are also made in this factory.The 2018 Odyssey is thus the fourth generation to be assembled in Alabama, but only the second that's developed and designed in America. The facility received a few upgrades to handle it, including a new process for the installation of acoustic spray foam in 14 locations within the body.In many ways, this is one of the most family-friendly cars on the market. For example, the middle row slides to the side, allowing for easy access to the third row even when a rear-facing child seat is installed.The 2018 Odyssey has something called Cabin Watch too. There's a camera in the middle of the cabin that films your kids and lets you see what they are doing on the infotainment screen. It's also light in infrared, so it works at night.The size is roughly the same as the older model, but the design department has upped its game with hidden door slide rails and a face similar to the CR-V. Under the hood is a 3.5-liter 280-horsepower V6 matched to either a 9-speed or a brand new Honda-developed 10-speed auto."This is a celebration for our entire Honda team of associates who have been committed to bringing an all-new, high tech, family-friendly Odyssey to our customers," said Jeff Tomko, president of HMA. "I congratulate all of our associates for their commitment to quality for this new vehicle, which ushers in a new level of features and functionality with the goal of creating new value for our customers."
SUV

In fact, the Gaydon-based company designed some of its most celebrated road and racing cars when it was on the brink of financial collapse. And even when things went bust, a helping hand got the automaker out of trouble, continuing a story started by Lionel Martin and Robert Bamford in 1913.Im a sucker for many Astons from the distant and not so distant past, including the Le Mans short chassis, DB4 GT Zagato, the original V8 Vantage, and full-on racers such as the DBR1 . But ever since Ford sold the British company to its current owners, Aston Martin flourished like a fair flower.Under the leadership of Dr. Andy Palmer, theres never been a period more fruitful for the automaker than these past years. And with the advent of the DB11, Aston Martin reiterated that its here to stay, and the sky is the limit.To this effect, the higher-ups decided that its high time to jump on the sport utility vehicle bandwagon. The firstfrom Aston Martin is called DBX. Slated to go into production in 2019 at St Athan , three super hangars formerly used by the RAF will be converted to support DBX production.To celebrate the transfer of ownership of the three South Wales-based super hangars, Aston Martin produced a film which stars 65 million worth of old and new vehicles. In fact, the cars are put through their paces under the same roof, with plenty of sideways action, a little bit of comedic relief, and James Bond nods on the sides. If you have six minutes to spare from your otherwise busy day, then do the right thing: Press play and enjoy the ride.
In the worst case possible, a traffic light may fail as you are entering the intersection where it is operational, and you end up in a crash caused by a defective light . The described instance is exceedingly rare, while running red lights is not that uncommon in the real world.Some local administrations have been accused of using red light fines as a cash cow that never stops working, especially since the times on the lamps can be adjusted.A recent article on Vice presented a curious case that focuses on a Swedish man who moved to the United States of America two decades ago.His wife got a ticket for running a red light in 2013, which made Mr. Jarlstrom curious about how things work with American traffic lights. He is an electronics engineer who lives in Beaverton, Oregon. About a year of research led him to discover that all traffic lights in most countries operated under a law from 1959.He figured out that the situation is not longer applicable to modern standards, and the system is possibly exploited to gain revenue. Instead of criticizing the state of Oregon, the Swede wrote an e-mail to the states engineering board. He told them that the yellow on the states traffic lights does not last as long as it should, and that people are at risk.Mats Jarlstrom claims that his wife was fined because she spent too much time in the intersection while waiting to make a left turn. The latter cannot be done until drivers from oncoming traffic pass, which takes some time. That amount of time was too short for a safe turn, which led to red light fines for many drivers.The most concerning fact about his discovery is that the paper written in 1959, currently used to determine the timing of the duration of yellow on a traffic light, is employed in many countries across the world. Needless to say, it is not an ideal situation.In an ironic twist of events, Mr. Jarlstrom was fined by the Oregon State Board of Examiners for Engineering and Land Surveying for his use of the title engineer without having a registration with the OSBEELS. His violation of the Oregon Revised Statute brought him a $500 fine , which he showed everyone in the media interested in the topic.Jarlstrom worked in his time, for free, and hopes that he will make a difference. The last surviving member of the authors of the original paper from 1959 pledged his support for the Swedish engineer.
We're looking at an S14 incarnation of the machine, albeit one that has been gifted with an S15 body. More importantly, the Nissan is animated by an LS3, with the mill allowing the driver to control no less than 730 ponies.With the S14.5 (this is how the owner of the car reportedly nicknamed his beast) having recently visited the city for the Top Marques Monaco event, the screaming nature of its V8 setup managed to make a resident lose his cool.After the NASCAR-like soundtrack was unleashed onto the Monaco streets, the man confronted the team handling the car and ended up calling the police.The outcome of the law enforcement moment is described by the YouTuber who brought the moment to our attention: " [The setup] makes this definitely the loudest thing I have ever heard. With effortless flames from the exhaust, it was unlike anything I have ever seen in Monaco. It later sparked outrage amongst a nearby resident, and the police were called. But all they did was wait to make sure of no more noise. The car was later winched onto its trailer,"Truth be told, noise limits exist for a reason and episodes such as the one seen here only bring a bad name for the car community altogether.So if, for instance, the Chevrolet engineers could take measures to ensure the C7 Corvette ZR1 prototype wasn't too loud for the Nurburgring, we expect private cars to follow the basic common sense rules.In fact, the said event has brought quite some trouble to the streets of Monaco, with many drivers deciding to cross the line, be it through hooning or deciding to remove their front license plates (required in the European Union). To get an idea of just how busy the local police forces were, we're inviting you to check out the second clip below.It seems that the team behind the Silvia also runs an 1,750 hp GT-R, with the Monaco trouble maker aura having spread to the R35.
To start with, the "base" car used for the render is one of the angriest machines on sale today, namely the 2018 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE. And, since we're looking at a rendering, the possibilities for playing with the proportions of the Chevy were endless.The pixels we see here come from Khyzyl Saleem , with the digital artist having held an Instagram live stream in the process of building this overly wild ZL1.Speaking of the 2018 Camaro ZL1 1LE , we'll remind you that the spiciest incarnation of the sixth-gen model has been recently spotted doing its thing on the Nurburgring.The 1LE package means that the machine is ready to set a muscle car record on the infamous German track.We showed you the track-savvy slab of GM flying on the Nordschleife last week and we'll remind you that the ZL1 1LE will do more than just become the quickest muscle animal on the Ring.Since the standard ZL1, if we may call the 650 hp brute so, can complete the task in 7:29.6, the 1LE goodies could allow the Chevy to beat a bunch of supercars, Ferrari 488 GTB included.In case you're wondering, the Prancing Horse isn't worried about this aspect. First of all, Maranello has traditionally avoided talking about Nurburgring lap times, making efforts to prevent its cars from being timed while playing the Nordschleife game.Secondly, the current Ring time of the 488, which sits at 7:21.63, was set by Sport Auto. The German publication is a respected Nurburgring authority and yet its times obviously can't math those set by factory drivers.Oh, and let's not forget that the Italian automaker could be working on a GTO incarnation of the 488, as we recently discussed
Dr. Valerie Busick McDaniel, the 48-year-old owner of a small animal hospital in Houston, leapt from her parents seventh-floor condominium to her death March 27 while awaiting trial for allegedly plotting the murders of her ex-husband and her boyfriends ex-girlfriend.

Inside her parents condominium, where Dr. McDaniel was living while free on bail, police reportedly found a note with the veterinarians final wishes and sealed letters addressed to her family.

According to The Montrose Veterinary Clinic website, Dr. McDaniel received her DVM degree from Texas A&M University in 1997 and had owned the clinic since 2000.

Dr. McDaniel and her boyfriend, 39-year-old Leon Jacob, were arrested in a sting March 10. Police say the couple had hired a third party to retain the services of a hit man to kill their former partners. The third party instead alerted police, who worked with the intended targets to stage their murders.

When an undercover police officer posing as the hit man showed Dr. McDaniel and Jacob photos of the fabricated murder scenes, they allegedly tried paying him $20,000. The couple was taken into custody, each charged with solicitation to commit capital murder. Dr. McDaniel was released on a $50,000 bond while Jacob remained in the Harris County, Texas, jail without bond.

Dr. McDaniel and her ex-husband had an 8-year-old daughter together. The ex-husband reportedly feared for his safety and was in the process of obtaining a protective order against Dr. McDaniel when she killed herself. They had been scheduled to appear in court the day after her death.

Police do not suspect foul play in Dr. McDaniels death.
The group of airport tenants who had filed an injunction to stop the Planes of Fame Chino Air Show from taking place in 2017 have withdrawn their request, according to Yanks Air Museum, one of the plaintiffs. The director of Yanks Air Museum, Christen Wright, in a press release said, We do not want others to be harmed, as we have been every year, by the unfair actions of Planes of Fame. We decided to drop the preliminary injunction for the sake of attendees and vendors. Steve Hinton, well-known air racer and Planes of Fame president, had promised prospective attendees their money would be refunded if an injunction shut down the event.

Last week, Judge Michael Sacks, who had been assigned to the case, removed himself from the matter at the request of the plaintiffs after disclosing to the parties that he had worked on airport matters in his prior job as assistant county counsel. Judge Sacks recusal resulted in the hearing date being pushed out to April 28, which left little time for a positive resolution before the May 6-7 airshow. Michael Thayer, president of Flying Tigers Aviation, one of the plaintiffs seeking the injunction, said, We were getting too close to the airshow. We tried to start conversations with Planes of Fame immediately after the 2016 airshow but they were unwilling to sit down and create a binding agreement. We were tired of having meetings where they would agree to a plan and then not keep their word. Even after filing suit, they made no effort to resolve this out of court.

The airport tenants suing to stop the show, Yanks Air Museum, Flying Tigers Aviation, Socal MRO, Zangeneh Aeronautics and AFT Center, say Planes of Fame intentionally blocked and obstructed their businesses during the week of the event in prior years. They have committed to seeking a speedy court date for their continued efforts to gain some degree of oversight for future shows.

Photo: Greg Goebel, Licensed under Creative Commons
Cross-border energy trade

With an installed regional capacity of 360,603MW, South Asia is gradually emerging as a fulcrum of electricity exchange and power trading.
26 April 2017 15:40 (UTC+04:00)

By Rashid Shirinov

This April marked the first anniversary of the clashes on the contact line in Nagorno-Karabakh, which were dubbed as a four-day war. Then, in response to the provocations of the Armenian army, the Azerbaijani armed forces inflicted powerful strikes at the positions of the aggressor country and liberated several settlements and important heights.

The Azerbaijani Defense Ministry announced that roughly 30 tanks, up to 15 armored guns and fortifications belonging to the Armenians were destroyed, 320 Armenian soldiers were killed and more than 500 servicemen of the enemy were wounded during the clashes.

The armed provocation showed that the aggressor country is not capable to withstand the power of Azerbaijani Army, and also revealed the poor state of the Armenian army. The state-level corruption in Armenia and horrifying thievery in the military sphere were named among the reasons for Armenias big losses.

Casualties during the escalation of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict in April 2016 were not only caused directly by warfare but also by low-quality fuel, equipment malfunctions, and insufficient ammunition in the Armenian army, said Artur Sakunts, head of the Helsinki Citizens Assembly Vanadzor office (HCAV).

A study by the HCAV earlier indicated that the loss of the Armenian side could be lesser if it werent for a shortage of ammunition, malfunctioning weapons and equipment.

After the publication of the study report, the Vanadzor-based human rights organization filed a crime report to the General Prosecutors office based on its findings; the office, however, has left the report without a response neither considering it nor dismissing it for lack of legitimate justifications.

Sakunts, addressing a press conference on April 26 said, HCAV does not intend to remove the matter from the public agenda.

We have filed an appeal again because we have to see whether they have actually investigated anything. By covering up these crimes the authorities are failing to fulfill their obligation to disclose and punish the violations of the right of people to life, he said.

We should center our attention not only on the March 1 [2008 post-election clashes] and October 27 [1999 Armenian parliament shooting] events but also the topic of military operations, because it showed the vulnerability [of the Armenian armed forces], the grave consequences of the corruption and the low quality management in the field of defense, Sakunts said.

The battles revealed the poor state of the Armenian army, where soldiers were left without elementary means of protection, including bullet-proof vests, helmets and night vision devices. Moreover, it turned out that most of the military equipment of the Armenian army was unusable as the armored vehicles had no fuel, ammunition was sold or lost, and money allocated for the personnel was embezzled.

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Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinovFollow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
26 April 2017 13:45 (UTC+04:00)

By Rashid Shirinov

Azerbaijan has once again called on international community to pay attention to the serious threat posed by the Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) using the same technology as the Chernobyl NPP.

The country, on the day of remembrance of the Chernobyl tragedy, expressing solidarity with those suffered from this tragedy in Belarus, Ukraine and Russia, reminds that the Metsamor NPP is a huge threat to the lives of millions of people in the region, Azerbaijani Foreign Ministrys Spokesman Hikmat Hajiyev said on April 26.

Hajiyev noted that the Metsamor NPP was constructed on the basis of the technology used for the Chernobyl NPP, which suffered a catastrophic nuclear accident in 1986.

Moreover, no significant overhaul has been carried out there since its construction in 1976. Besides, the NPP is located in the seismically active zone. Armenia doesnt have funds to maintain the station in line with the technical safety requirements, added Hajiyev.

A number of international experts have repeatedly urged that due to its deplorable state, the Armenian Metsamor NPP could repeat the fate of the Chernobyl NPP, thus threatening the lives of the Armenians and citizens of adjacent countries. The possible tragedy will also jeopardize the environmental state of the region, and its consequences will be felt in Europe and the Middle East.

Hajiyev reminded that the National Geographic publication named the Metsamor NPP the most dangerous of all existing nuclear power plants.

Armenia continues to operate the NPP that has exhausted all possible technical resources, thus demonstrating its irresponsible behavior to the world community, said Hajiyev.

The spokesman noted that instead of trying to draw lessons from the accident at the Chernobyl NPP, the Armenian leadership creates the preconditions for a nuclear catastrophe by its cynical approach, thus threatening the lives of millions of people living in the vast region of the Caspian, Black and Mediterranean seas.

Such a policy of Armenia is a gross violation of international law, said Hajiyev, further calling on international community and organizations to multiply efforts to stop the activity of the Metsamor NPP.

On April 26, 1986, the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine exploded, creating what has been described as the worst nuclear disaster the world has ever seen.

The accident caused the largest uncontrolled radioactive release into the environment ever recorded for any civilian operation, and large quantities of radioactive substances were released into the air for about 10 days. This caused serious social and economic disruption for large populations in Belarus, Russia and Ukraine.

Chernobyl is not a historical event in Ukraine but a living reality for an unquantifiable number of people. More than 3,500 people died, and more suffered illnesses, particularly cancers, because of exposure to high levels of radiation.

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Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov

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26 April 2017 17:12 (UTC+04:00)

By Rashid Shirinov

The Armenian history is based on myths, said Kamran Imanov, the Chairman of Azerbaijans Copyright Agency, Day.az reported.

He noted that the Armenians are prone to myth-making in the matters of misappropriation of Azerbaijans cultural traditions.

Such myths and lies as the Great Armenia, autochthony of the Armenians in the South Caucasus, great Armenian culture, Armenian origins of civilization and so called Armenian genocide really require a great talent, Imanov said.

He further stressed that the main goal of this mythology is to associate the stereotype of "the great land" with territorial claims to neighbors, add "naturalness" to the misappropriation of the cultural heritage of neighbors, and mention "facts" for self-justification and earn "legitimacy".

At last, exactly this mythology forms the worldview of Armenian figures politicians, scientists and population," Imanov said.

The Armenian historians have always shown excessive zeal in their attempts to justify Armenian myths. They have tried to distort the political map of the Caucasus region, create stories that do not correspond to historical reality, and make up fictional maps and spread them around the world.

Armenia constantly makes claims to the territories of neighboring countries, but its biggest claims are focused on Azerbaijan. Armenians for over two decades occupy the Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding regions of Azerbaijan. This makes up a fifth part of Azerbaijan's territory.

Despite the constant calls of the international society to free the Azerbaijani lands, including four UN Security Council resolutions, Armenia rejects withdrawing of its armed forces from Azerbaijans Nagorno-Karabakh and adjacent regions.

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Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov

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26 April 2017 16:00 (UTC+04:00)

By Sara Israfilbayova

Azerbaijans National Fund for Entrepreneurship Support (NFES), issuing easy loans to local entrepreneurs, has defined priority areas in the Tovuz region.

The Fund reported that it considers expedient to issue funds for projects on creation of enterprises for processing milk and dried fruits, large farms, modern livestock and potato complexes, greenhouse farms and intensive viticulture farms.

Entrepreneurs of Tovuz can submit their projects to the authorized credit institutions of the Fund, Day.az reports.

About 150 million manats will be issued for granting preferential loans to entrepreneurs in 2017.

The Fund, established in 1992, issues loans to entrepreneurs through authorized banks and non-bank lenders.

Allocation of funds by NFES is aimed at the mitigating of the impact of global economic crisis to the national economy and minimization of its dependence on the oil sector. The country takes steps in its bid to diversify the national economy and provide for the development of entrepreneurship in the country.

Development of non-oil sector is a priority in Azerbaijan, and the support provided to small and medium-sized enterprises increases the employment of the population, contributing to the opening of new jobs.

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26 April 2017 15:11 (UTC+04:00)

By Amina Nazarli

The 7th Caspian International Road Infrastructure and Public Transport Exhibition opened its doors for guests at Bakus Expo Center on April 26.

Road&Traffic 2017 to run until April 28 is taking place alongside with TransCaspian/Translogistica - the 16th Caspian International Transport, Transit and Logistics exhibition and CIBS - the 4th Caspian International Boat and Yacht Show.

Minister of Transport, Communications and High Technologies Ramin Guluzade, addressing the opening ceremony, stressed that Azerbaijan, playing the role of a bridge between East and West, is regarded as a key partner in important transit transportation.

Modern transport infrastructure created in Azerbaijan for transit transportation allows turning investments into income, said Guluzade.

He noted that the Azerbaijani president conducts a purposeful policy for the improvement and development of the countrys transport sector. Pivotal work carried out in air and land transportation sectors is the result of this policy and the volumes of cargo and passenger transportation increase as a result, added Guluzade.

The minister stressed the role of Baku International Sea Trade Port, the largest port in the Caspian Sea, and its Free Trade Zone in attracting investment in Azerbaijan.

Guluzade also expressed his confidence saying I believe that we will adequately implement the goals set before us.

The minister further hailed the yearly increasing interest in the exhibition. This year's exhibition, which displays the latest technologies and innovations, as usual, will contribute to building new cooperation and exchanging experience, he said.

The TransCaspian/Translogistica exhibition is part of a series of specialized transport and logistics exhibitions organized by ITE Group plc (UK), which includes TransRussia (Moscow), TransPoland (Warsaw), TransUzbekistan (Tashkent), TransUkraine (Kiev), and TransitKazakhstan (Almaty), a series of international BreakBulk exhibitions (Antwerp, Houston, Shanghai, Abu Dhabi, Kuala Lumpur) and others.

Executive Director of the company Iteca Caspian LLC Farid Mammadov, earlier talking to press said that the TransCaspian/Translogistica exhibition, which brings together key public transport authorities and commercial organizations engaged in the rail sector, maritime industry, aviation, commercial vehicles and transport & logistics services, is the leading transport event of the Caspian region.

This year, 88 companies from 14 countries, including Azerbaijan, Austria, Belarus, Lithuania, Russia, Turkey and others, are participating at the TransCaspian/Translogistica exhibition, he said.

New companies comprise 30% of the total number of participants. Among this years debutants are the RTC Group of Companies, ASFIL, Minsk Car Repair Plant and others.

Mammadov stressed that the exhibition displays a wide range of products and services that are related to the sphere of transport.

The 16th Caspian International Transport, Transit and Logistics exhibition TransCaspian/Translogistica 2017 is organized by the company Iteca Caspian with the support of the Ministry of Transport, Communications and High Technologies and TRACECA.

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Amina Nazarli is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @amina_nazarli



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26 April 2017 16:53 (UTC+04:00)

By Sara Israfilbayova

Azerbaijan Investment Company (AIC) and VPS Healthcare Company (UAE) are planning to lay the foundation of a joint pharmaceutical plant in the Pirallahi Industrial Park in summer 2017, Azerbaijans Deputy Economy Minister Sahil Babayev said on April 26.

The Abu-Dhabi based company signed a relevant MoU with Azerbaijan Investment Company on February 9, he reminded. The document envisages cooperation of the sides in the sphere of joint production of medicines, which will meet all international standards.

Babayev said representatives of the company held a meeting next month, where the details of joint production will be discussed.

VPS Healthcare has 20 specialized clinics, 13 hospitals and 100 health centers around the world. VPS Healthcare delivers its products to the countries of Asia, Europe, North and South America.

Azerbaijans pharmaceutical industry is taking a shape as several plants on medicine production will appear in the country in the near future.

The foundation of the pharmaceutical complex "Hayat Farm was laid in Pirallahi Industrial Park in November, 2016. This is a joint venture with a group of companies R-Pharm (Russian Federation), Vita-A LLC (Azerbaijan) and AIC.

The total preliminary investment in the project exceeds $70 million. The plant should be producing finished products by the end of 2019.

A groundbreaking ceremony for launching a joint pharmaceutical plant between Iran and Azerbaijan was held in January, 2017. The joint plant is to be operational in summer in 2018 and in the first stage it will produce 84 medicines.

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26 April 2017 16:41 (UTC+04:00)

By Amina Nazarli

Turkey, which has always taken leading positions among the foreign trade partners of Azerbaijan, invests in various spheres of the countrys economy.

The investments of Turkish businessmen in Azerbaijan exceeded $9 billion, Turkish Ambassador to Azerbaijan Erkan Ozoral said in his congratulatory message addressed to businessmen in connection with the Day of Entrepreneurs.

The ambassador noted that the level of Azerbaijan's investments in Turkey is expected to hit $17-20 billion as a result of SOCAR's activity.

"Businessmen and business associations thanks to the strong support they receive at the state level, have accelerated the strengthening of ties in the economic sphere through forming successful relations," the ambassador said.

Currently, about 2,600 Turkish companies operate in Azerbaijan. Turkish companies operate almost in all spheres of the economy: in the telecommunications, banking, insurance, transportation, food, textile sectors and in the field of construction equipment and furniture manufacturing

Trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Turkey amounted to $1.67 billion in January-September 2016, according to the State Customs Committee of Azerbaijan. The countries plan to bring the volume of trade turnover to the level of $15 billion in the coming years.

Azerbaijan invested $7.9 billion in the Turkish economy so far.

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Amina Nazarli is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @amina_nazarli



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26 April 2017 13:57 (UTC+04:00)

By Laman Ismayilova

A series of cultural events will be held in Baku as part of the 4th Islamic Solidarity Games to be hosted by the city on May 12-22.

The events are co-organized by Azerbaijan`s Culture and Tourism Ministry and the Heydar Aliyev Palace.

Azerbaijan`s State Dance Ensemble will premiere one-act ballet "Koroghlu" by Uzeyir Hajibeyov on May 20, Trend Life reported.

The storyline is based on a national epos, which is widespread in Azerbaijan, the Caucasus, Central Asia, Turkey, and Iran, about poor, abused villagers who rise up to defeat their unjust, oppressive khans and beys (landowners) in the 16-17th centuries. This plot matched perfectly with the Soviet ideology and Hajibeyov was awarded for the Koroglu opera with the Lenin Award in 1938, Stalin and People's Artist award in 1941.

Baku residents and its guests can also enjoy a concert "My Azerbaijan".

The artistic director and choreographer of the gala evening is the People's Artist of Russia, famous actor and choreographer Dikalu Muzakayev.

The concert program was first presented at the opening ceremony of the Baku Shopping Festival.

The gala evening will start at 19:00. Tickets prize is 10-40 AZN ($ 5-23). Tickets are available at all ticket offices of the city, the centers of ASAN Service as well as at website: http://iticket.az/

For more information, please contact:

(012) 441-21-31

(050) 332-36-30

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Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Lam_Ismayilova

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26 April 2017 11:40 (UTC+04:00)

By Trend

The OSCE is expected to monitor the border of Azerbaijan and Armenia on April 27, Azerbaijans Defense Ministry announced.

The monitoring will be held under the mandate of the OSCE chairperson-in-office personal representative in Azerbaijans Qazakh district.

On the Azerbaijani side, the monitoring will be held by field assistants of the OSCE chairperson-in-office personal representative Simon Tiller and Mikhail Olaru.

On the Armenian side, the monitoring will be carried out by field assistants of the OSCE chairperson-in-office personal representative Gennady Petrica and Martin Schuster.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.

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26 April 2017 17:30 (UTC+04:00)

By Rashid Shirinov

The EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus, Herbert Salber and Armenia's Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian have discussed the efforts of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs on creation of necessary conditions for promotion of a peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

During the meeting in Yerevan, the sides stressed the need to fulfill the agreements reached in Vienna and St. Petersburg meetings last year, and also discussed the upcoming Moscow meeting of the Azerbaijani and Armenian foreign ministers.

Following the meeting in St. Petersburg in June 2016, the Azerbaijani and Armenian Presidents confirmed in a joint statement the agreements reached during the previous Armenian-Azerbaijani summit in Vienna. These agreements are aimed at stabilizing the situation in the conflict zone and the creation of an atmosphere conducive to advancing the peace process.

Armenia captured Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding regions from Azerbaijan in a war that followed the Soviet breakup in 1991. More than 20,000 Azerbaijanis were killed and nearly 1 million were displaced as a result of the war.

Large-scale hostilities ended with a Russia-brokered ceasefire in 1994 but Armenia continued the occupation in defiance of four UN Security Council resolutions calling for immediate and unconditional withdrawal.

Peace talks mediated by Russia, France and the U.S. have produced no results so far.

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Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov

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Decision to increase local units rolled back

The government has decided to roll back its decision to increase local units.
26 April 2017 11:57 (UTC+04:00)

By Laman Ismayilova

The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and the problem of refugees and IDPs were the main topic of a meeting between Deputy Chairman of the State Committee for Refugees and IDPs, Fuad Huseynov and Member of the European Parliament, Group of the European People's Party (Christian Democrats) Vice-Chair Lara Comi in Baku.

Huseynov highlighted root causes of the conflict, its current state, refugee and IDP problem in the country, and the successful state policy towards tackling the problem, Azertac reported.

Huseynov said that the military aggression of the Armenian armed forces against Azerbaijan resulted in the occupation of 20 percent of Azerbaijani territories.

More than one million Azerbaijanis became refugees and IDPs. The UN Security Council adopted four resolutions demanding the immediate liberation of the occupied Azerbaijani territories, return of refugees and internally displaced persons to their homelands, he said.

He also praised friendly relations with the Government of Italy in various fields, and stressed the importance of arranging such visits and reciprocal visits for further development of bonds.

Comi, in turn, praised measures taken by Azerbaijan`s Government in improvement of life of IDP and refugees.

During her Baku visit, Comi also visited the Parliament of Azerbaijan.

She met with Speaker Ogtay Asadov, who expressed confidence that Comis visit will give an impetus to the development of bilateral relations between the European Parliament and Azerbaijan`s legislative authority, as well as between Italy and Azerbaijan, Azertac reported.

He hailed Azerbaijan-Italy ties, saying they reached the level of strategic partnership.

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26 April 2017 11:30 (UTC+04:00)

By Amina Nazarli

Azerbaijan`s Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov has met with Prime Minister of Lithuania Saulius Skvernelis as part of his official visit to Vilnius.

The sides discussed the current status of relations and prospects of cooperation between Azerbaijan and Lithuania, Azertac reported.

They put an emphasis on further development of economic-trade relations and in this context, reviewed the activity of Joint Intergovernmental Commission.

While noting that next meeting of the Commission will be held in the second half of this year, they exchanged their views on the agenda of the Commission. They stressed that there is wide potential to develop cooperation in the fields of agriculture, energy, transport, tourism, education and other spheres between the two countries.

Mammadyarov briefed Skvernelis about the transport projects launched with Azerbaijans initiative and participation, as well as North-South, East-West corridors and advantages of these routes in terms of efficiency and delivery.

The opportunities provided by North-South, East-West transport corridors were also underlined in the context of Lithuanias initiative on linking the Baltic, Black and Caspian Sea basins.

The FM also touched upon the negotiations process on the settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and reiterated that the conflict must be resolved on the basis of norms and principles of international law, the UN Security Council resolutions in the framework of territorial integrity and sovereignty of Azerbaijan within its internationally recognized borders.

Earlier, the Azerbaijani FM met with Seimas Deputy Speaker Gediminas Kirkilas and his Lithuanian counterpart Linas Linkevicius.

Also, Mammadyarov attended the opening of the Azerbaijani Auditorium at Vilnius University.

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26 April 2017 13:47 (UTC+04:00)

By Rashid Shirinov

The commander of the Turkish gendarmerie forces, Army General Yashar Guler has arrived in Azerbaijan, where the troops of the two countries will soon hold joint drills.

The general visited the Alley of Honors and paid tribute to the national leader of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev and prominent academician Zarifa Aliyeva on April 26.

Guler also visited the Alley of Martyrs and the monument for Turkish martyrs.

The general is expected to meet with Azerbaijans Interior Minister Ramil Usubov, Defense Minister Zakir Hasanov, chief of the State Border Service Elchin Guliyev and other officials.

During the meetings, the parties will discuss prospects of development of cooperation between various law enforcement agencies of Azerbaijan and Turkey.

The Armed Forces of Azerbaijan and Turkey will hold live-fire joint tactical exercises on May 1-5.

The joint exercises will involve armored vehicles, artillery systems and mortars, military and transport helicopters, as well as air defense units and anti-aircraft missile units equipped with modern defensive systems to protect groups from the air.

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Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov

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26 April 2017 11:43 (UTC+04:00)

By Kamila Aliyeva

Azerbaijans energy giant SOCAR has inaugurated a gas terminal and power plant built by ElectroGas Malta, partially owned by SOCAR Trading, in the city of Marsaxlokk, Malta.

The event was attended by a delegation led by SOCAR President Rovnag Abdullayev, Maltese Prime Minister Joseph Muscat and other officials.

SOCAR had created favorable conditions in Malta for a complete switch from fuel oil as a source of electricity generation through supplying natural gas in the form of LNG to the new power plant in Malta and the state-owned energy company Enemalta.

Firstly, Delimara-1 power station operating on fuel oil was decommissioned.

PM Muscat spoke about the work of ElectroGas Malta with support of its shareholders SOCAR Trading, Siemens PV, and GEM Holding, and stated that implemented measures allowed to reduce price of electricity by 25 percent and emissions into the atmosphere by 90 percent.

Abdullayev, in turn, expressed the gratitude to the government of Malta for creating favorable conditions for implementation of such a large-scale project.

He also mentioned the perspective plans of SOCAR for work in Malta.

In the framework of the event, Abdullayev held a number of meetings with Maltese officials.



In 2013, as part of the ElectroGas Malta consortium, SOCAR Trading won a tender issued by the Maltese Government for gasification of the island for electricity generation.

In partnership with Siemens and the local investment company GEM, SOCAR Trading coordinated a project worth over 500 mln EUR to build a new 210 MW power plant and LNG regasification terminal on the island.

The construction work was started in December 2014 and, initial batch of LNG was received in January 2017. SOCAR Trading is the exclusive LNG supplier to the project ElectroGas Malta is considered to supply electricity and natural gas to the state-owned energy company Enemalta for 18 years.

SOCAR Trading SA is the marketing arm of Azerbaijans state oil company SOCAR. The company , which this year commissioned the ambitious integrated LNG-to-power project in Malta, expects to agree deals for similar projects elsewhere in the world in the coming years.

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Kamila Aliyeva is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Kami_Aliyeva

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26 April 2017 16:58 (UTC+04:00)

By Gunay Camal

Saudi Arabia very much appreciates Azerbaijans contribution to the agreement to reduce oil production, which was reached in December 2016 in Vienna, said Saudi Arabias Minister of Energy, Industry and Mineral Resources Khalid Abdulaziz Al-Falih.

The minister made the remark at a meeting with Azerbaijans Energy Minister Natig Aliyev in Baku on April 26.

Al-Falih said that Azerbaijan is one of the countries that have fulfilled their obligations on oil output cut better than others. The minister emphasized that Azerbaijan reduced oil production to a greater extent than it undertook.

We have common values; Azerbaijan and Saudi Arabia are very pragmatic with regard to oil production in the long term. We want stability not only for producers, but also for oil consumers, added the minister.

In late 2016, OPEC members decided to cut oil production to stabilize the global oil market. 11 non-OPEC countries, including Azerbaijan, agreed to curtail oil output jointly by 558,000 barrels per day within the OPEC deal. The agreement was signed for the first half of 2017, with the possibility of extension.

The participation of Azerbaijan in joint oil production cuts is defined at 35,000 barrels per day. Prior to the landmark deal, the volume of production in the country was at the level of 37.72 million tons of oil, while daily output stood at 829,100 barrels.

The Saudi minister also offered the Azerbaijani side to jointly invest in third countries.

The offer was well perceived by Energy Minister Natig Aliyev, who stressed that Azerbaijan and Saudi Arabia have great potential.

Azerbaijans state oil company SOCAR can participate in the projects in Saudi Arabia, while in its turn Saudi Arabias Saudi Aramco company can take part in the projects in Azerbaijan, Aliyev said.

"We will continue to discuss the possibility of cooperation between SOCAR and Saudi Aramco in the projects in Azerbaijan and Saudi Arabia, as well as the possibility of joint activity in Turkey," Aliyev said.

"Following the meeting, we can prepare an agreement in which we will include all the issues and spheres that we want to develop, the minister said, adding that an intergovernmental agreement between Saudi Arabia and Azerbaijan can be signed in this regard.

Aliyev stressed that Azerbaijan has big plans for the development of production in the petrochemical industry, in particular polypropylene.

In this regard, Aliyev called Saudi Arabia for participating in the petrochemical projects.

SOCAR GPC, a gas processing and petrochemical complex of Azerbaijans state oil company SOCAR, will be commissioned in Garadagh, 15 km south of Baku in January-March 2022. The cost of the GPC project is approximately $4 billion.

As part of his visit to Baku, the Saudi minister already met with President Ilham Aliyev, who said that the visit will give new dynamics to the development of energy cooperation between the two countries.

He is also expected to meet with 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.

The visits to Bibiheybat and Sangachal were also included to the program.

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26 April 2017 18:02 (UTC+04:00)

By Kamila Aliyeva

The second SOCAR International Caspian and Central Asia Downstream Forum  Trading, Logistics, Refining, Petrochemicals continued its work on April 26.

First Deputy Head of the Gas Export Department of SOCAR, Nazim Samadzade, addressing todays session, said that annual production of marketable gas in Azerbaijan will reach 40 billion cubic meters by 2025.

Samadzade added that some 800 million cubic meters of Shahdeniz gas are exported to Georgia, while 6.6 billion cubic meters to Turkey and 1.5 billion cubic meters are consumed in the country.

He noted that Azerbaijans proved gas reserves make up 2.5 trillion cubic meters.

The major part of oil and gas produced in Azerbaijan, accounts for the ACG block of oil and gas fields and the Shah Deniz gas and condensate field developed by SOCAR jointly with foreign partners.

Samadzade, talking to reporters on the sidelines of the event, said that SOCAR can supply Georgia an additional three million cubic meters of gas per day.

"At present, SOCAR supplies seven million cubic meters of gas to Georgia daily. In 2016, as a result of repair works on the Hajigabul-Gazah-Gardabani gas pipeline, it was possible to increase the daily throughput capacity of the pipeline to 10 million cubic meters of gas, therefore, we are able to supply Georgia an additional three million cubic meters of gas a day, "he added.

Analyst of the Georgian Oil and Gas Corporation Liana Dzhervalidze, who also attended the event, stated that Georgia increased the purchase of Azerbaijani gas to 2.156 billion cubic meters in 2016.

Deliveries of social gas from Azerbaijan amounted to 1.4 billion cubic meters, the rest was commercial supplies.

In addition, 250 million cubic meters of gas were supplied to Georgia from Russia, including 185 million cubic meters as payment for the transit of Russian gas to Armenia and 66 million cubic meters of commercial gas.

Dzhervalidze recalled that Georgia has moved to a new system of mutual settlements with Gazprom Company for Russian gas transits since 2017. Some 50 percent of the transit will be paid by gas [10 percent of this amount will be transferred to Georgia as transit payments], and the remaining 50 percent will be paid in cash.

Dzhervalidze noted that Georgia will have the opportunity to purchase Russian commercial gas during periods of peak consumption if an emergency situation occurs, or if the volume of supplies from Azerbaijan is insufficient.

At the same time, according to the analyst, Georgia is not obligated to purchase certain volumes from Gazprom, which is beneficial for the country.

She reminded that Azerbaijan's state oil company SOCAR is the strategic gas supplier to Georgia saying that long-term contracts for gas supplies to Georgia were signed with SOCAR until 2028.

She also added that SOCAR Georgia Gas, a subsidiary of SOCAR, invested about $1 billion in Georgia within 10 years.

Head of the Project and Investment Development Department of SOCAR Trading (trading house of the Azerbaijani state-owned SOCAR) Togrul Kocharli, in his turn, informed about the launch of construction of an LNG regasification terminal in Cote d'Ivoire at the end of this year.

He added that the LNG complex was officially opened in Malta on April 24.

As part of this project, we built a regasification unit that converts liquefied gas back into natural gas, he added. We built a power plant with a capacity of 210 megawatt, which will allow meeting up to 40 percent of Maltas electricity demand."

Moreover, SOCAR Trading guaranteed the same price for gas and electricity during five years under a contract signed for a period of 18 years, Kocharli said.

Kocharli said that currently about a quarter of the world's energy needs account for natural gas and 10 percent - for liquefied gas.

"The LNG market began to grow especially after LNG was exported from the US and Australia," Kocharli added.

SOCAR Trading SA, which this year commissioned the ambitious integrated LNG-to-power project in Malta, expects to agree deals for similar projects elsewhere in the world in the coming years

Speaking at the event, Deputy General Director for Projects and Maintenance of Petkim Petrokimya Holding Bilal Guliyev said that the total investment of SOCAR in Turkey in 2018 will reach $18.1 billion.

"SOCAR intends to further develop its synergetic integrated business presence in Turkey," he added.

More than 150 delegates including managers of SOCARs units and members of Azerbaijani Parliament as well as high-level officials, industry leaders, analysts, trade and financial experts, top executives, managers and representatives from ministries and transnational oil&gas companies from Georgia, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine and other countries participate in the event. The three-day forum will feature eight plenary sessions.

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Kamila Aliyeva is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Kami_Aliyeva

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26 April 2017 13:23 (UTC+04:00)

By Kamila Aliyeva

Iranians residing abroad will cast their votes for May 19 presidential election at 279 polling stations in 103 countries, an Iranian official said.



Hassan Qashqavi, the head of Iranian delegation in charge of monitoring presidential election abroad, has said Iran will set the polling stations at its diplomatic missions abroad, Mehr news agency reported.



He also has expressed his concerns over the situation of Iranian voters residing in Canada as the two countries have cut diplomatic ties since 2012.



He further added that the negotiations with the Canadian government on casting the ballots have produced no results. According to the official, about 400,000 Iranian citizens reside in Canada.



Iran goes to the polls on May 19 to elect its president, in which moderate Rouhani backed by reformists seeks re-election against conservative rivals.

Iran's incumbent President Hassan Rouhani, acting first Vice President of Iran Es'haq Jahangiri, Mayor of Tehran Mohammad-Baqer Qalibaf, keeper of the mausoleum of Imam Ebrahim Raeesi, former Minister of Culture Mostafa Aqa-Mirsalim and former Minister of Industry Mostafa Hashemi-Taba have been approved to run for presidency.

Irans Guardian Council denied Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the former president of Iran, as a candidate for participation in the presidential elections.

On April 28, the candidates start campaigning until 24 hours before May 19, the voting date for the 12th presidential and 5th city and council elections.

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26 April 2017 13:39 (UTC+04:00)

By Kamila Aliyeva

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE)'s decision to reopen a political monitoring process against Turkey following the April 16 referendum on constitutional reform has drawn criticism from many politicians, who called it 'politically motivated' and 'unjust.'

This may potentially lead to deterioration of ties between Ankara and Brussels.

The PACE voted in favor of restarting its monitoring of Turkey's respect for fundamental freedoms, which concluded in 2004, with 113 of the assembly's lawmakers voting in favor, 45 against and 12 abstained.

The report called on Ankara to lift its state of emergency and release those arrested in the wake of the failed coup in July 2016 under its anti-terrorism laws.

Ankara immediately reacted to the decision, announcing that "such a decision leaves no choice to Turkey but to reconsider its relations with this institution."

Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus described PACE's decision as politicized and not corresponding to reality.

"Unfortunately, this decision is the result of a phased, racist, fascist, anti-Turkic, anti-Islamic, anti-Turkish campaign," Kurtulmus said.

Opposition Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) Chairman Devlet Bahceli also criticized the decision and said it is null and void for Turkey.

"The decision taken by political motivations is baseless and is null and void" Bahceli said, adding that he strongly condemns the "unacceptable" decision.

Turkish Minister for EU Affairs and Chief Negotiator Omer Celik named PACEs decision a historical mistake for both the Council of Europe and the PACE

"Turkey withdrew from monitoring in 2004 and has implemented a number of important reforms since then, after which this decision is erroneous and extremely unfair," Celik said in an interview with Anadolu news agency.

The Minister noted that he was extremely surprised by such a verdict since it was adopted at a meeting in which only half of the PACE MPs participated.

"The decision taken with respect to such a large state as Turkey, and with such number of participants, is extremely erroneous," he stressed.

Head of the Azerbaijani Delegation to PACE Samad Seyidov, who participated in the meeting, said this decision serves interests of the forces seeking the deepening of the crisis within the assembly.

He said Turkey is now facing a tough challenge, adding that we must support the country at this point. Seyidov said that a positive approach and support is what is much needed with respect to Turkey now, rather that its isolation or the return to the monitoring process.

He described the decision to restart the monitoring process as inadequate response to Turkeys readiness for cooperation. On the contrary, it is a punitive measure, Seyidov added.

The Council of Europe applies its monitoring scheme to all countries when they join, but this was the first time it has been reopened against any member of the body, infuriating the Ankara government.

Back in 2004, the EU informed Ankara that Turkey would have to exit the monitoring process, which has been in place since 1996, in order for it to fulfill the Copenhagen criteria, the standard of rules that decide if a country is eligible to join the EU.

Later, the monitoring process was lifted and in December the EU agreed to start full membership negotiations but talks which began in October 2005 made only little progress since then.

The EU lawmakers will debate relations with Turkey on April 26 and the bloc's foreign ministers will discuss the situation on April 28.

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Kamila Aliyeva is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Kami_Aliyeva

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26 April 2017 14:14 (UTC+04:00)

By Trend

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has apparently mocked US President Donald Trumps recent remarks on his approach to the nuclear deal.



Responding to Trumps remarks signaling that the US may ditch Irans nuclear deal with the world powers, Zarif said do not take his worlds too seriously, ISNA news agency reported.



Do not pay much attention to his words, Zarif told reporters on the sidelines of a cabinet meeting in Tehran April 26.



Earlier in an interview with AP, answering the question whether the US would stay in the deal with Iran, Trump said It's possible that we won't.



Iran and the world powers in 2015 reached the historic deal on the Islamic Republic's nuclear program, removing sanctions in exchange for curbing Tehrans nuclear program.

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26 April 2017 18:22 (UTC+04:00)

By Kamila Aliyeva

Iran Air President Farhad Parvaresh said that the first Boeing 777 will be delivered to Iran in April 2018, IRNA news agency reported.

Speaking about the contract for the purchase of aircrafts signed between Iran and the French-Italian company ATR [manufacturer of turboprop aircraft], Parvaresh said that 4 aircraft will be delivered within next three weeks.

The deal was first signed in February 2016 in Tehran following the commercial discussions held in Rome and Paris during visit of Iranian President Hassan Rouhani Akhoundi to those countries.

Iran has several private and public airline companies in operation, among which IranAir is the oldest one. The number of operational airports in the country is 46.

Since sanctions imposed on the Islamic Republic were lifted last year, Iran began to take steps to upgrade its air industry, revamp an aging airline fleet, equipment and airports.

Iran signed a $16.6 billion deal for 80 Boeing passenger jets on December 11, 2016. The deal between IranAir and U.S. plane maker Boeing includes 50 narrow-body 737 MAX aircraft and 30 long-haul 777s, split equally between the 777-300ER, which is badly in need of an order boost, and the 406-seat 777-9, which is under development.

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Kamila Aliyeva is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Kami_Aliyeva

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Two held with 40 kg hashish in Palpa

Police have arrested two women in possession of 40 kg hashish from Tansen Municipality-4 of Palpa district on Tuesday.




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
Earthquake displaced in Palpas Sukekot yet to receive housing aid

Forty-six earth-quake-affected families at Sukekot Village in Sahalkot, Palpa, have still not received the housing reconstruction aid.
Economy to grow at 23-yr-high of 6.9pc

The countrys economy is projected to expand at the fastest pace in over two decades in this fiscal year driven by a bumper agricultural output, sharp decline in number of protests and steady supply of electricity.
General Electric Co is in talks with an independent energy producer to make a significant move into wind power in Chile, two people with knowledge of the process told Reuters, as the conglomerate expands its global renewable footprint.

GE is in talks to provide turbines for wind farms to be developed by Ireland's Mainstream Renewable Power throughout Chile, according to the sources, who requested anonymity as the matter is private.

The U.S. company would likely take an equity stake in the projects, which would be financed with a mixture of equity and debt, according to one source.

The sources did not say what percentage of the project would be funded by each party. The wind farms being set up would require a total investment of up to $1.6 billion, Mainstream has said.

Mainstream declined to comment, and GE said it did not comment on rumors or speculation as a matter of company policy.

Renewable energy is booming in Chile, which has a tiny hydrocarbon industry but abundant wind and sun. Last year, European renewables firms, including Mainstream, won big in a large auction to supply Chile with power for two decades, beginning in 2021.

There have been setbacks, such as delays in the construction of transmission lines and flagging demand from Chile's copper mines. Many of the auction winners are seeking deep-pocketed partners as they embark on project construction.

A partnership in Chile would mark the second such deal between Mainstream and GE. Last year, the two said they were teaming up for over $2 billion of investments in wind power in Vietnam, where GE would provide technology and a portion of the funding.

It would also come during a broader wind power push by GE. In October, the company said it will buy LM Wind Power, a maker of rotor blades used in wind turbines, for $1.65 billion.

Mainstream will build seven utility-scale wind farms to provide some 986 megawatts of power at a relatively low price of around $40 per megawatt-hour, according to the terms of the purchase agreement in last year's auction.

The sources did not specify if the GE partnership would apply to all seven wind farms.

The deal would mark the first significant move into Chilean renewables by GE. The company has long provided services to power generators in Chile, and in April 2016, GE bought into traditional energy in the nation by acquiring 75% of a gas-fired power plant. (Reuters)

Source: www.businessworld.ie
Asperging the asparagus: Why the Church of England is being mercilessly mocked for its latest service of blessing

Yes, you read it right.

This story is not about asperges  the rite of sprinkling a congregations with Holy Water  but about asparagus.

As part of the British Asparagus Festival Worcester Cathedral has held a service of blessing for asparagus.

The story was picked up by the Telegraph. And the cathedral has had been gently  and not so gently  sprinkled with mirth and even some scorn ever since.

The Vale of Evesham, where the festival is taking place, is one of Britain's chief asparagus growing areas.

Not everyone is as harsh as Andrea Williams of Christian Concern, who told Christian Today: 'This is an absurd pantomime type scene that makes a mockery of Christian worship.'

Nor are they all as angry as influential conservative blogger Adrian Hilton, of the Archbishop Cranmer website, who writes: 'Did the Dean of Worcester Cathedral not pause to think for just one second how utterly, utterly absurd this would look? Really, words fail (though some must necessarily follow). A sacred procession down the Cathedral nave becomes an infantile pantomime as a block of asparagus is elevated and adored like the Blessed Host, and two men dressed up like Monty Python pay some sort of vacuous obsequious homage. What exactly do we have there? Crusader? St George?'

Kevin Holdsworth, provost of St Mary's Glasgow  recently at the centre of a row over a reading of the Quran  wrote a tongue-in-cheek response  10 thoughts on the blessing of asparagus. 'There can be no justification for blessing asparagus as asparagus is never mentioned positively in the bible. There is simply no biblical case for blessing asparagus. None at all. If God had wanted asparagus to be blessed, then surely Jesus would have blessed asparagus at the last supper,' he wrote.

Christians on Twitter also enjoyed the opportunity.

The Latin Mass Society joined in:

In the interests of Ecumenism... this story is definitely worth a mention. https://t.co/s00qzWPCfV  Latin Mass Society (@latinmassuk) April 26, 2017

Gerry Lynch wrote:

Well, I for one am all in favour of #asparagus blessing services. Incarnational religion at its best.  Gerry Lynch (@gerrylynch) April 26, 2017

Catholic Brit tweeted:

Benedictines were banished & libraries destroyed so Henry's church could one day use it to parade walking asparagus https://t.co/eM1EaN6uYU  CatholicBrit (@Englishpapist) April 26, 2017

Worcester Cathedral defended the service as in the long tradition of celebrating the abundance of God at times of harvest.

Precentor Michael Brierley told Christian Today: 'Asparagus-growing is a vital part of life in Worcestershire, and the county has hosted the British Asparagus Festival since 2006.

'When the festival organisers asked if a bundle of the new crop could be blessed in a service on St George's day, the first day of asparagus farming season, the cathedral was very happy to do this as a sign of the abundant provision and generosity of God.

'Offering to God the first-fruits of the harvest is deeply embedded in both biblical and English tradition, and offering the first-fruits of the wheat harvest has been recognised by the Church of England with formal liturgy since 2006.'
Catholic bishop retires early  at 71  so he can go out and evangelise the world

An elderly Italian bishop is retiring early in order to become an evangelist.

Bishop Gianfranco Todisco, 71, doesn't see his role as head of the Melfi-Rapolla-Venosa diocese in Basilicata, southern Italy, as fulfilling his evangelistic calling. So he is giving up the role to move overseas. His request to leave early, before the mandatory retirement age of 75, was granted by the Vatican last week.

Pope Francis praised Todisco and called him personally in December to ask if he still wanted to go after the bishop wrote to the Vatican about his decision last year, according to Crux Now.

Explaining his decision, Todisco told his parishioners: 'Someone might think that behind my desire to return to being a missionary there is another hidden motivation linked to difficulties, dissatisfaction or a desire for a "change of air".'

'It is none of that,' he wrote in a letter on the diocese website.

He said he had only accepted the post as bishop because he saw his 'superiors' decisions as the will of God' but has now decided to focus on his own calling as a missionary.

He told Pope Francis: 'I am ready to go anywhere you think I should be sent, even to the furthest and poorest parishes to the 'peripheries' of the church that you remind us not to neglect.'

It comes after the pontiff has repeatedly spoken about the need for a 'missionary church' that takes the Catholic message out around the world.

The Church's evangelism network is looking expand with new churches and communities in 'missionary' territories outside the traditional heartlands of Europe and America.
Christian expelled from university for saying homosexuality is sinful wins right to face High Court

A Christian teacher and former social work student has won the right to challenge the university that expelled him for opposing gay marriage in a post on Facebook.

Felix Ngole, a 38 year-old father of four from Cameroon, was asked to leave the University of Sheffield in early 2016, where he was in the second year of a Masters in social work.

University faculty said Ngole might have 'caused offence' by expressing support for Kim Davis, the Kentucky clerk jailed after refusing to issue same-sex marriage licences.

In comments on Facebook in September 2015 - not visible to anyone outside his circle of friends - Ngole quoted Leviticus in support of biblical teaching on marriage and sexual ethics, saying homosexuality was sinful.

Following a Faculty of Social Sciences 'fitness to practise' committee hearing, Ngole was told he had been 'excluded from further study on a programme leading to a professional qualification' and was 'no longer recognised as a university student'.

It was argued that he had 'transgressed boundaries which are not deemed appropriate for someone entering the social work profession'. His action would have an effect on his 'ability to carry out a role as a social worker,' the committee said.

Now Ngole has won the right to challenge his expulsion, according to Mail Online.

Deputy High Court Judge James Lewis said it could be ruled that the university's decision was inappropriate, and gave permission for Ngole to take his case to the High Court in London. Ngole can now mount a judicial review of the decision, and a judge will likely rule on the case after a trial in the autumn.

Ngole's case is supported by the Christian Legal Centre, part of the advocacy group Christian Concern.

Andrea Williams, chief executive of the Christian Legal Centre said: 'The university's treatment of Felix fundamentally violates its responsibilities under human rights legislation.

'The university has failed to protect his freedom of speech...and his freedom of religion.'

She added: 'Felix has worked with people who identify as homosexual, treating them with respect and kindness. What he shared on his Facebook page simply reflects biblical teaching on sexual behaviour.

'Unless he wins this case he will be forever barred from social work. Felix is entitled to express his views, especially ones shared by millions of people around the world.

'There is no evidence that Felix's views adversely impacted his work. Quite the contrary, he was a hard-working student who would be an asset to the profession. Sadly, this is yet another case of Christians being punished in the public arena, and of censorship of views.'

Ngole's advocate, Barrister Paul Diamond told Judge Lewis: 'This case is another case in a long list of cases where a Christian adherent has expressed the traditional view on sexual sin.

'It is submitted that such speech is disfavoured by the state and expressions of such viewpoints evince disproportionate sanction. It is the duty of the court to robustly protect British freedoms.'

Defending the university, Barrister Sarah Hannett said the problem was not Ngole's views but hopw they were expressed. She said Ngole 'posted comments on a publicly accessible Facebook page that were derogatory of lesbians, gay men and bisexuals.

'The views expressed are likely to undermine the trust and confidence that lesbian, gay and bisexual clients are entitled to have in his professional role as a social worker (and in the social work profession more widely).'

Ngole hopes to return to his degree if he is successful. The Christian Legal Centre say the case has important implications for Christians in wider society.

'I am excited,' Ngole said. 'This is not just about me.'
Is India losing Kashmir?

As India's most restive region stares down the abyss of what a commentator calls another "hot summer of violence", the doom-laden headline has returned with a vengeance: Is India losing Kashmir?
Christian philosopher Alvin Plantinga wins 1.1m Templeton Prize: 7 quotes from an intellectual giant

A prominent American Christian philosopher scholar who made belief in God in a serious option within academic philosophy has been awarded the prestigious 1.1 million Templeton Prize.

Alvin Plantinga, a giant of philosophy and apologetics over the past 50 years, was announced as the 2017 Templeton Prize Laureate yesterday.

'Sometimes ideas come along that revolutionise the way we think, and those who create such breakthrough discoveries are the people we honour with the Templeton Prize,' said Heather Templeton Dill, president of the John Templeton Foundation, which awards the Prize.

'Alvin Plantinga recognised that not only did religious belief not conflict with serious philosophical work, but that it could make crucial contributions to addressing perennial problems in philosophy.'

Plantinga, now retired at 84, said: 'I am honoured to receive the Templeton Prize. The field of philosophy has transformed over the course of my career. If my work played a role in this transformation, I would be very pleased.

'I hope the news of the Prize will encourage young philosophers, especially those who bring Christian and theistic perspectives to bear on their work, towards greater creativity, integrity, and boldness.'

The Templeton Prize honours those who have 'made an exceptional contribution to affirming life's spiritual dimension, whether through insight, discovery or practical works'. It was established in 1972 by the investor and philanthropist John Templeton, who wanted to credit those responsible for what he called 'marvellous new things going on in religion'.

Valued at 1.1 million, the prize is one of the world's largest awards granted to an individual.

A philosopher who nominated Plantinga for the prize explained the philosopher's legacy: 'Alvin Plantinga's intellectual discoveries have initiated novel inquiry into spiritual dimensions. His precise and carefully developed insights have opened up intellectual-spiritual space.

'In the 1950s there was not a single published defence of religious belief by a prominent philosopher; by the 1990s there were literally hundreds of books and articles... defending and developing the spiritual dimension. The difference between 1950 and 1990 is, quite simply, Alvin Plantinga.'

As a philosophy professor at Calvin College and the University of Notre Dame, and a lecturer at Oxford, Harvard and several other institutions, Plantinga's Christian influence on mainstream philosophy has long been celebrated within the Church.

He arguably settled the logical problem of evil, one of the most commonly asserted objections to Christian belief, in his landmark book God, Freedom and Evil in 1974. He has also made major contributions emphasising the compatibility of science and religious belief, and opened the door for religious, theistic convictions in the realms of reason and philosophy, where 'God' was previously thought unwelcome.

Here are seven quotes from the philosopher that give a glimpse of his legacy of thought.

1. 'Faith is not to be contrasted with knowledge: faith (at least in paradigmatic instances) is knowledge, knowledge of a certain special kind.'

2. 'There is superficial conflict but deep concord between science and theistic religion, but superficial concord and deep conflict between science and naturalism.'

3. 'Is it a fact that those who believe in a Heavenly Father do so because or partly because their earthly fathers were inadequate? I doubt it. If it is a fact, however, it is of psychological rather than theological interest. It may help us understand theists, but it tells us nothing at all about the truth of their belief; to that it is simply irrelevant.'

4. 'Suppose we concede that if I had been born of Muslim parents in Morocco rather than Christian parents in Michigan, my beliefs would be quite different. [But] the same goes for the pluralist...If the pluralist had been born in [Morocco] he probably wouldn't be a pluralist. Does it follow that...his pluralist beliefs are produced in him by an unreliable belief-producing process?'

5. 'But lack of evidence, if indeed evidence is lacking, is no grounds for atheism. No one thinks there is good evidence for the proposition that there are an even number of stars; but also, no one thinks the right conclusion to draw is that there are an uneven number of stars. The right conclusion would instead be agnosticism.'

6. 'If we don't know that there is such a person as God, we don't know the first thing (the most important thing) about ourselves, each other and our world. This is because the most important truths about us and them, is that we have been created by the Lord, and utterly depend upon him for our continued existence.'

7. 'In religious belief as elsewhere, we must take our chances, recognising that we could be wrong, dreadfully wrong. There are no guarantees; the religious life is a venture; foolish and debilitating error is a permanent possibility. (If we can be wrong, however, we can also be right.)'
Egyptian church bombings targeted Christian-Muslim unity, says Coptic Patriarch ahead of Pope Francis visit

The two church bombings that killed dozens in Egypt on Palm Sunday were aimed at targeting unity among Muslims and Christians in the most populous Arab nation, the Coptic Patriarch, Tawadros II said yesterday.

Tawadros was speaking ahead of the visit by Pope Francis to Egypt on Friday and referring to the suicide bombers from the so-called Islamic State group who attacked two churches in the cities of Tanta and Alexandria on April 9, killing 45 people.

The attacks 'were not aimed at Copts only but at the heart of Egypt... They aimed at breaking the unity of Egyptians,' Tawadros told a news conference in Kuwait City.

'Unity among Egyptians has existed for the past 14 centuries and these attacks will not affect the Egyptian people,' he said.

The comments come after Pope Francis issued a video message to the people of Egypt, saying that the war-torn world needs 'peace, love and mercy'.

The Pope's message came before he is scheduled to fly to Cairo for a two-day pastoral trip during which he will celebrate Mass, participate in a conference for peace, meet with clergy, encourage the small Egyptian Christian community in their faith and promote inter-religious dialogue in the predominantly Muslim nation.

One of the highlights of the visit will be a meeting between the Pope and Tawadros.

As The Tablet reports this week: 'The main focus of Francis' short trip will be dialogue and diplomacy, a moment where a global Christian leader travels to the cradle of civilisation and a city known as "the mother of the world."

'More than anything he says, the Pope's presence and appeals for peace in such an important Islamic country will provide a powerful counter-narrative to the idea that religions are the cause of violence or that Islam and Christianity are involved in a clash of civilisations.'

Because of the state of emergency in the country declared by President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi following the bombings, security will be extremely tight throughout the Pope's visit. But the Vatican has made it clear that the Pope will not use a bulletproof vehicle.

Copts, who make up about one tenth of Egypt's population of more than 92 million, appear to be increasingly targeted by Islamist terrorists.

In December, an ISIS suicide bomber struck a church in Cairo, killing 29 people.

Tawadros, on his first visit to Kuwait which is populated by a large Coptic community, was met by the Emir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad Al-Sabah and top officials.

Egyptian police last week arrested Ali Mahmoud Mohamed Hassan, one of 19 suspects whose names were made public by police after the Palm Sunday attacks.
Gay Church of England priest marries male model, 54 years younger than him

A ex-vicar married a Romanian male model 54 years younger than him on Tuesday in defiance of the Church of England's ban on same-sex marriage.

Philip Clements, 78, formerly parish priest in Eastry, Kent, married Florin Marin, 24, in a register office in Ramsgate, Kent Live reports.

'I've taken up many weddings, and I've almost gave up hope thinking I would be part of my own,' said Clements, who was a priest for 50 years.

'I never thought it would happen at my age. I've been a long time looking for you, Florin,' he said after the vows.

'And then I found you. Where have you been the last 78 years? Mostly non-existent.'

The pair met on a dating website after Clements kept his sexuality hidden until now.

The couple invited the local newspaper to the wedding to mark their stance against the Church's teachings. The CofE bars its clergy from taking or entering into gay marriages but they are allowed to be in a civil partnership, provided they vow to be celibate.

'As a priest, I want the church to think seriously about this issue and to change its teaching and rules to allow clergy as well as lay members of the church to marry someone of the same gender if that is how they feel,' Clements said.

'I think a lot of clergy must be with partners, or wanting to be with them, but they are stopped from being themselves by the rules of the church.'

He added: 'They mean well, they are good Christians. But they do not understand this aspect of human nature.'

The pair plan to move to Romania and begin a life there together.
German evangelical church apologises for role in Namibian genocide

The German evangelical church has issued an apology for its role in Namibian genocide at the start of the 20th century.

Bishop Petra Bosse-Huber, vice president of the Evangelical Church in Germany, said the move was long overdue. She pointed to priests being closely linked to troops that carried out the mass killings, considered the first genocide of the 20th century.

'Although no priest there called directly for annihilation, the relationship to colonial settlers and troops was so close there was no way they could have stood up to atrocities,' she told the Deutsche Welle news site.

'That's why we can only ask for forgiveness.'

Her intervention comes before the Lutheran World Federation holds its conference in Windhoek, the capital of Nambia, in May.

She admitted it had taken 'some convincing' to pursuade church leaders to issue the apology and said attempts at reconciliation and improved relations would continue.

But she ruled out the German church paying any reparations for its role because, she said, there is no historical evidence of culpability.

'If we were to consider reparations, it would make the honest reappraisal [of history] even more difficult,' she told Deutsche Welle.

Between 1904 and 1907 the German army in German South West Africa, now Namibia, oversaw the deaths of tens of thousands from the Herero and Nama tribes. It began in January 1904 when the Herero people rebelled against colonial rule and in retaliation were driven into the Namib Desert where most of them died of dehydration.

Later in Octoer the Nama people also rebelled only to suffer the same fate with the German army blocking them from leaving the desert.

The next faze of the genocide saw thousands of both Herero and Nama people imprisoned in concentration camps where the majority died of disease and exhaustion.

The killings were recognised by the United Nations in 1085 as an attempt to exterminate the Herero and Nama people groups and so were the first genocide of the 20th century. Between 24,000 and 100,000 Herero people are thought to have died and around 10,000 Nama.

Representatives from both people groups have filed law suits against the German government, demanding compensation after Berlin repeatedly refused to pay reparations.
Israel revives controversial plan for 10,000 new settlement homes in West Bank

Israel's Housing Ministry is reviving controversial plans for a new neighbourhood in Jerusalem that falls outside of the 1967 borders and inside the West Bank, according to the Israeli TV outlet Channel 10.

The 10,000-strong neighbourhood is reportedly planned for the site of the now defunct Atarot Airport, north of Jerusalem, and is aimed at providing housing for ultra-Orthodox Israelis.

The plan was drawn up several years ago by the Jerusalem municipality, but had been put on hold due to the strong opposition of the administration of the former US President Barack Obama, the Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported.

After Donald Trump's inauguration in January, however, Israel started advancing the plan again, and is set to make it public on Jerusalem Day in May, according to Channel 10.

Atarot Airport was abandoned at the beginning of the second intifada some 15 years ago over security fears. The airport is located next to the so-called separation barrier that winds through the West Bank.

Hundreds of thousands of Jewish settlers live in around 140 settlements deemed illegal under international law and by the UN because they were built on land Israel had occupied in the 1967 war.

Trump has asked the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu to 'hold off' from building further settlements, and the US President has said settlements are not 'a good thing for peace'. But Netanyahu has made it clear that settlements are not on the table in any negotiations about an agreement between Israel and the Palestinians.

On Monday morning, a 20-year-old female soldier was wounded in a suspected stabbing attack at the Qalandia checkpoint, north of Jerusalem in the West Bank.

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby will visit the region next month, but he will not visit any Israeli settlements.
Presbytery of Scottish Free Church completes 'thorough investigation' into minister who committed suicide after alleged affairs

The presbytery of a Scottish Free Church minister who committed suicide after allegedly being accused of a string of extra-marital affairs, has said his actions were contrary to those expected of a Christian minister.

The Rev Iain D Campbell, 53, committed suicide in January, allegedly after his wife Anne accused him of having affair with a number of other church members at the same time.

The alleged affairs go back as far as 2010.

The Free Church of Scotland issued a statement today following its investigation into Campbell's conduct.

'The Western Isles Presbytery has completed a thorough investigation into serious allegations about the conduct of the late Rev. Dr Iain D Campbell prior to his death,' Rev James Maciver, minister of Stornoway Free Church said.

'The Presbytery has now sadly concluded that elements of Dr Campbell's moral conduct were contrary to, and censurable by, the Word of God (Bible), and seriously inconsistent with that expected of a Christian minister.'

The statement added: 'Following the investigation, each local Kirk Session has carried out appropriate disciplinary action, according to guidelines laid down in the Practice of the Free Church of Scotland. Bearing in mind that the Church has a duty of care to all parties, this has been carried out in private.

'The Presbytery will continue to consider how to bring this sad episode to a conclusion and what we may learn from it.

'The last few weeks have been a deeply distressing time for all concerned. The Presbytery would appeal to everyone within the Free Church of Scotland for unity and prayerfulness. The Presbytery wishes to particularly remember Iain's wife, Anne, and the rest of the family. We urge the Church to pray for them, and for all those affected by recent tragic events, that God will provide comfort and healing for them.'

Campbell, a father of three children, was a former moderator of the Free Church General Assembly, and minister at Point Free Church on the Isle of Lewis. His funeral was held in January.

Free Church minister and Christian Today contributor David Robertson offered a pastoral reflection to news surrounding Campbell's passing earlier in March.
Shakespeare on religion: 8 quotes from the greatest English writer

William Shakespeare (1564-1616), the greatest poet and dramatist ever to write in English, was probably born on April 23, but was baptised on this day (April 26) at Holy Trinity Church, Stratford-upon-Avon.

It was a time of religious turmoil in England. Henry VIII had broken with Rome and established the Church of England in 1534. His son Edward VI was another Protestant, but died in 1553 at the age of only 16. His sister Mary, who ruled until 1558, sought to restore Catholicism and persecuted Protestants fiercly, earning the name 'Bloody Mary'. Under her sister Elizabeth I  another Protestant  relative harmony returned, though Catholics were feared and distrusted.

Shakespeare was christened into the Church of England, though many have speculated based on clues in his writings that he was secretly a Catholic.

We will probably never know, but what's clear is that his work is shot through with religious references and spiritual concerns. His characters take God seriously, and talk the language of belief. Here are nine quotes from Shakespeare on faith.

1. Ignorance is the curse of God; knowledge is the wing wherewith we fly to heaven (Henry VI, pt II).

2. Now, God be praised, that to believing souls /Gives light in darkness, comfort in despair (Henry VI, pt II).

3. However wickedness outstrips men, it has no wings to fly from God (Henry V).

4. God shall be my hope, my stay, my guide and lantern to my feet' (Henry V).

5. 'Tis mad idolatry/ To make the service greater than the god (Troilus and Cressida).

6. There are more things in Heaven and Earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy (Hamlet).

7. My words fly up, my thoughts remain below: /Words without thoughts never to heaven go (Hamlet).

8. The devil can cite Scripture for his purpose (The Merchant of Venice).
Tim Farron sacks Bradford candidate David Ward over alleged antisemitism

Tim Farron has sacked Lib Dem candidate David Ward over allegations of antisemitism after the party leader came under pressure at Prime Minister's Questions.

Ward, who had been selected to represent the party in Bradford East, caused outrage in 2013 by blaming 'the Jews' for atrocities against Palestinians. He also called Israel an 'apartheid state' and said 'Zionists' were 'losing the battle'.

Farron, an evangelical Christian, labelled the remarks 'deeply offensive, wrong and antisemitic' but until Wednesday afternoon had maintained party selection was not up to him.

The change in tack came after the Lib Dems were attacked on the issue by Theresa May and former communities secretary Eric Pickles in the final PMQs before the election.

In a statement later on Wednesday afternoon, Farron said: 'I believe in a politics that is open, tolerant and united.

'David Ward is unfit to represent the party and I have sacked him.'

It came after Pickles asked whether the Prime Minister 'shares my disgust that a former member of this house criticised by the home affairs select committee for antisemitism has been selected for Bradford East for the Liberal Democrats?'

May responded by saying people would be 'disappointed to see the Liberal Democrats readopt a candidate with a questionable record on antisemitism'.

It is the latest antisemitism scandal to have rocked the Lib Dems after their Luton South candidate, Ashuk Ahmed, was suspended on Tuesday over Facebook posts comparing Zionism to Nazis.

Joe Glasman from the Campaign Against Antisemitism attacked Farron for his failure to act sooner.

'Mr Farron deserves no credit for allowing the selection of such unsuitable candidates, then claiming to be powerless to intervene, then sacking them,' he said.

'They should never have been selected at all. We are thankful to others in the Party who have followed our lead in voicing opposition to these candidates and we are pleased that they no longer represent the Party.

'It is a great shame that Tim Farron only seems to act on antisemitism when enough people are watching.'

In a campaign rally in St Albans on Wednesday, speaking before the decision to suspend him Farron said: 'I am fully aware of the comments David Ward has made in the past and I find them deeply offensive, wrong and antisemitic.'

He went on: 'I think his decision to stand again, and the local party's decision to select him, is wrong and I disagree with it completely.

'I don't select our individual candidates and nor should I. But let me be clear, I won't tolerate antisemitism in my party. David Ward has been disciplined in the past and if he or anyone else makes antisemitic remarks in this campaign I will expect the party to act quickly and decisively, as we did when we suspended a candidate in Luton South yesterday.'
Trump condemns Holocaust deniers in speech aimed at rebuilding ties with Jewish community

Donald Trump has spoken out against Holocaust deniers as he sought to rebuild relations with the Jewish community following a series of damaging gaffes from him and his administration.

In a speech marking Holocaust Remembrance Day at the US Capitol, Trump addressed an audience that included Holocaust survivors as well as the Israeli ambassador Ron Dermer and the president's Jewish son-in-law Jared Kushner.

Trump said that millions of innocent people were imprisoned and executed by the Nazis. 'Yet, even today, there are those who want to forget the past,' he said. 'Worse still, there are even those filled with such hate, total hate, that they want to erase the Holocaust from history. Those who deny the Holocaust are an accomplice to this horrible evil. And we'll never be silent  we just won't  we will never, ever be silent in the face of evil again.'

The comments, which were met with applause, came after Trump was criticised after an official White House statement to commemorate International Holocaust Remembrance Day failed to mention Jews, his spokesman Sean Spicer claimed that unlike the Syrian president Bashar Assad, Hitler did not use chemical weapons against 'his own people' and Trump himself described far-right Marine Le Pen as the 'strongest' candidate in the French election.

Trump also highlighted recent incidents of antisemitism, including on university campuses. 'Even worse, it's been on display in the most sinister manner when terrorists attack Jewish communities, or when aggressors threaten Israel with total and complete destruction,' he added.

'This is my pledge to you: we will confront antisemitism. We will stamp out prejudice. We will condemn hatred. We will bear witness. And we will act. As president of the United States, I will always stand with the Jewish people  and I will always stand with our great friend and partner, the state of Israel.'

Characteristically, Trump also made unscripted remarks. 'You saw the organised attempt at the extermination of an entire people,' he said, adding: 'And great people, I must add.'

One of the Holocaust survivors present was Manny Mandel, a Lithuanian-born retired psychotherapist who spent part of his childhood in the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp. The 81-year-old said later: 'I'm not a supporter of the president but I must say I was very impressed by the delivery, by the composition and by the whole spirit of how he did. I think I've not been as impressed by him ever before today.'

Mandel added: 'I was very pleasantly surprised. I thought the man was on target. I thought the man said all the right things.'
With heritage reconstruction efforts stuttering, locals seize initiative for Kasthamandap rebuild

In light of the governments lethargic response to the rebuilding of heritage sites destroyed by the 2015 earthquake, locals launched a campaign to rebuild the iconic Kasthamandap through a community initiative that will prioritise the use of local resources and traditional building methods.
Two Aleppo Bishops abducted in 2013 'are still alive,' says Beirut Bishop

Two bishops of Aleppo abducted in 2013 in Syria are still alive, according to the Syriac Orthodox Bishop of Beirut, Daniel Kourie.

Kourie was speaking 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 Assyrian International News Agency (AINA) reported.

The commemoration, which comes on the first Sunday after Easter Day, coincided this year with the fourth anniversary of the abductions in Syria, on 22 April 2013, of the Syriac Orthodox and Greek Orthodox bishops of Aleppo, Youhanna Ibrahim and Boulos Yazigi, whose fates remain unknown.

Portraits of the two Bishops were displayed inside the cathedral and carried during the candle-lit procession that marked the anniversary of the apparitions.

As far as Kourie knew, he said, 'the two bishops are still alive [and] those who believe otherwise must give us evidence for their claim'.

Kourie called on the Lebanese authorities to make this case a national cause given its impact on interfaith coexistence and dialogue, according to AINA.

He also attacked 'religious and ethnic cleansing in Syria, Iraq and Egypt' and the states that support it.

The abducted Bishops were the most senior church officials to be targeted during Syria's bloody civil war, and they have not been heard of since they were reportedly taken at gunpoint.

The two men were seized as they returned from a humanitarian mission in neighbouring Turkey. Their driver, who was a deacon, was shot and killed in the attack.

Athens set up a crisis management team, sent an emissary to the Middle East, contacted governments across the region and used its considerable contacts with the Syrian opposition in a bid to shed light on the clerics' whereabouts, according to the Guardian.

Greece's prime minister, Antonis Samaras, appealed in 2013 for help to the Istanbul-based ecumenical patriarch, Bartholomew, spiritual leader of the world's Orthodox faithful.
World-changing faith: Seven leaders who won the prestigious Templeton Prize

Yesterday saw the announcement of the latest winner of the prestigious Templeton Prize, a 1.1m award that celebrates what its founder called 'marvellous new things going on in religion'.

Christian philosopher Alvin Plantinga was honoured for his work in transforming the field of academic philosophy, where 'God' was previously thought unwelcome.

Established in 1972, the prize honours those who have 'made an exceptional contribution to affirming life's spiritual dimension, whether through insight, discovery or practical works'. Its previous recipient include various icons of the past century, from various traditions and parts of the world. Here are seven of them.

Mother Teresa (1973)

The first winner of the award was the Roman Catholic nun who would one day be canonized as a saint. Mother Teresa of Calcutta was honoured, six years before receiving the Nobel Peace Prize, for her sacrificial witness and charity, devoting her life to serving the deprived children in Calcutta and across the world. She continues to be an inspiration to millions.

Brother Roger (1974)

Brother Roger founded the ecumenical monastic brotherhood known as Taize Community in France in 1940. He lived in service of the community's poor until he was murdered in 2005. 'Taize' lives on, with over 100,000 young people visiting every year. He once said: 'A simple prayer, is like a soft sighing, like a child's prayer, keeps us alert. Has not God revealed to those who are little, to Christ's poor, what the powerful of this world have so much trouble understanding?'

Billy Graham (1982)

There may be no one better known in the evangelical Christian world then Billy Graham. As the Templeton website writes: Graham 'took his message of Christianity into the electronic world of radio and television, invigorating an entire generation with a simple and poignant message of salvation'. Through his dynamic 'crusades' he shared the gospel message to many, bringing thousands to faith, and his evangelical style continues to influence the church today.

Alexander Solzhenitsyn (1983)

Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn was a Russian novelist who challenged Russian Communism and made piercing critique of the oppressive Soviet regime he lived under. He raised awareness of Soviet Gulags  inhuman forced labour camps. Templeton say that his writing 'renewed vitality in the Orthodox tradition and evidenced a profound spirituality'.

Kyung-Chik Han (1992)

Kyung-Chik Han was a pastor and church planter who founded the 60,000 member Young Nak Presbyterian Church in Seoul, South Korea. He survived political oppression, war and worked fervently for refugees and the poor as he oversaw vast church growth in his country.

The 14th Dalai Lama (2012)

Tenzin Gyatso is the 14th Dalai Lama, a Tibetan Buddhist spiritual leader and icon of the modern world. First enthroned in 1950, he has advocated non-violence and harmony and dialogue between different religions. He has also emphasised the power of compassion to address the world's crises.

Desmond Tutu (2013)

Desmond Tutu once wrote that there is 'no future without forgiveness'. The first black Archbishop of Cape Town, he led the way in opposing apartheid (racial segregation and discrimination) in South Africa, heading up the Truth and Reconciliation Commission when the violent apartheid ended, bringing about miraculous healing and restoration in the war-torn country. He has lived for racial unity, reconciliation and justice across the world, rooted in his deep Christian faith.
Last week, President Donald Trump nominated Ellie McCance-Katz for the newly created position of Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use. The Senate should confirm her without delay. Trump promised to drain the swamp in Washington, and as I document in my book, Insane Consequences: How the Mental Health Industry Fails the Mentally Ill, no agency needs draining more than the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), which McCance-Katz will oversee.

McCance-Katz knows SAMHSA well. She was formerly its chief medical officer, but the agencys anti-psychiatry, anti-treatment positions were so brazen that she did not renew her contract when it expired. Instead, she wrote a scathing expose of SAMHSA in Psychiatric Times: There is a perceptible hostility toward psychiatric medicine: a resistance to addressing the treatment needs of those with serious mental illness and a questioning by some at SAMHSA as to whether mental disorders even existfor example, is psychosis just a different way of thinking for some experiencing stress?

The orientation McCance-Katz describes here is increasingly common within a community of professionals that should know better. The glamorization of serious mental illness as a means of perceiving a deeper, more intense version of reality grew out of the 1960s anti-psychiatry movement. According to this school of thought, its abusive to impose our constructs of normal mental and emotional functioning even on seriously mentally ill people.

McCance-Katz correctly identifies the principal culprit in this thinking: SAMHSAs Center for Mental Health Services. CMHS chooses to focus on its own definition of recovery, which generally ignores the treatment of mental disorders, she says. Accordingly, her first step should be to replace Paolo del Vecchio, the current CMHS administrator, with an official committed to expanding the use of evidence-based practices that improve outcomes for people with serious mental illnessnot pop-psychology wellness programs for the general population. Del Vecchio is not a medical doctor or a psychologist: he has a degree in social work and is a self-identified mental- health consumer, trauma survivor, and person in recovery from addictions. In his official capacity, del Vecchio dangles the lure of $500 million in federal dollars to convince states to enlist mental-health consumers like himself as peer counselors, effectively replacing trained professionals. McCance-Katz properly condemns the suggestion that one can become a mental-health professional by virtue of having a mental illness.

Representative Tim Murphy (R., PA), a psychologist and advocate of improved care for the seriously mentally illand the legislator behind the creation of the position to which McCrance-Katz has been namedhas come out against her nomination. His reasoning is that she used to work at SAMHSA and is therefore part of the problem. But blaming McCance-Katz for the dysfunction at SAMHSA is like blaming Rep. Murphy for the dysfunction in Congress. Hes been part of the solution and so has she.

Those who support the SAMHSA status quoespecially administrators like del Vecchio and managers of programs serving those with less severe mental-health problemswill no doubt oppose McCance-Katzs appointment. For the seriously mentally ill, however, who have for years been shunned by SAMHSA and CMHS, President Trump has perhaps signaled the dawn of a new day.

Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images
A challenge by Friends of the Earth, RSPB and ClientEarth against the governments new environmental justice rules has been fast-tracked to the High Court.

The three charities launched the case after the UK government has introduced new rules which they say make it almost impossible to bring an environmental case in the public interest.

A High Court judge, Mr Justice Dove, fast-tracked the case because the rules are already having an impact. He also granted a total cost cap of 10,000 for the three charities combined.

ClientEarth, a charity formed by activist lawyers, said the new rules would have a massive chilling effect on cases brought to protect people and the environment.

The government was given 21 days, instead of the usual 35, to file its defence, the deadline of which falls on 11 May. ClientEarth, Friends of the Earth and the RSPB have seven days to reply, then a hearing date will be set. It is expect to take place in around six months' time.

James Thornton, ClientEarths chief executive, said: People must be able to go to court to defend their environment. The governments new rules cynically undermine this right. By fast-tracking our case and protecting us from debilitating legal costs, the judge has clearly signalled the importance of our challenge to the government.

These new rules are a disaster for the environment. Faced with the risk of almost unlimited costs, who would put their finances, maybe even their house, on the line? People and charities need financial certainty before they bring a case to protect people and the planet. After Brexit, this will become even more important, because the EU wont be able to hold our government to account.

ClientEarth says the rules, which came into force on 28 February, expose campaign groups to prohibitive costs.

This is because the new rules weaken financial protections for people bringing a case, meaning they face unspecified legal costs in return for going to court to protect the environment. Judges will be able to increase the costs cap at any stage, making it impossible to know how much a case will cost from the start.

The cost changes were also criticised by a UN committee, which said in a report that the government was not yet meeting its legal obligations on access to justice under the Aarhus convention.

A basic democratic right

William Rundle, lawyer for Friends of the Earth, said: It should be a basic democratic right that citizens can challenge their government when it is breaking the law. The governments new rules make this potentially so expensive, that it is very likely to price some people out of justice altogether. If defending the environment is more about your income than the strength of your arguments, communities will be powerless to stop bad decisions by public authorities from damaging nature.

Were pleased that the courts have recognised the importance of our case, and that the governments new rules will now be reviewed by a judge.

A spokesman from RSPB said: People must be able to challenge their government when they think it is breaking the law. This is a basic democratic right. The new rules intentionally undermine this right, potentially making it so expensive that most people will be priced out of justice altogether.

Faced with the risk of almost unlimited costs, who would put their finances, maybe even their house, on the line? Defending the environment should rely on the strength of your legal arguments, not the money in your pocket. Individuals, community groups and charities play a vital role in protecting the environment and they need financial certainty before taking a case to court. After leaving the EU, it will be even more important that people can use the UK courts to hold our government to account.

By fast-tracking our case and protecting us from debilitating legal costs, the judge has clearly signalled the importance of our challenge to the government.

New rules 'desirable'

The Ministry of Justice said that due to Purdah restrictions it was limited in its response to a request for comment. However it directed Civil Society to a written question asked by Kerry McCarthy, MP for Bristol East, on the "effect of the proposed changes to cost protections in environmental claims on (a) the number of environmental judicial review applications, (b) the proportion of successful environmental claims and (c) the UK's compliance with the Aarhus Convention and EU law."

Answering this, Minister of State Oliver Heald replied: "An impact assessment accompanied the governments response to the consultation on Costs Protection in Environmental Claims in England and Wales, published on 17 November 2016. A revised environmental costs protection regime will be introduced shortly. The new regime, which has been developed in the light of recent developments in case law, allows meritorious claims to be brought without prohibitive expense; it is clearly desirable to reduce the potential for unmeritorious claims".

A spokeswoman emphasised that Legal Aid remains available for these cases.
The Charity Commission has opened a statutory inquiry into a charity after almost 20,000 in cash was seized from a trustee who was stopped attempting to leave the country.

Leicester-based charity Aid for the Need and Oppressed (ANO) became a registered charity in 2013 and is a poverty relief organisation which has organised aid convoys to Syria.

One of its trustees was stopped by UK Ports Officers in December 2016 and 19,300 in cash belonging to the charity was seized.

The money is now subjected to a cash detention order and the charity submitted a serious incident report to the Charity Commission in January 2017.

The regulator then obtained copies of the charities bank statements, and identified a number of regulatory concerns which warrant further investigation.

The investigation will consider the financial controls at the charity, conduct of trustees and whether the charity has complied with charity law.

Earlier this year the Commission issued an alert strongly advising charities against the use of cash couriers.

Fundraising for Syria

ANOs accounts for the year ending March show the charity had an income of 78,000 and spent 61,000. At that time it had almost 28,000 held in a bank account.

The charitys website indicates that it is raising money for projects in Syria, Somaliland, Gaza, Togo and Benin as well as refugee support. It says its activity is rooted from our Islamic faith.

It says it has a "100 per cent donation policy", and uses the profits from its charity shop, and donations specifically for administration and gift aid to cover its running costs.

Civil Society Media is hosting its NGO Insight conference, which focuses on the practical aspects of running international NGOs, on 28 November 2017. For more information, and to book, click here
Trust for London and Unbound Philanthropy are hoping to raise and distributing 1m from independent funders by 2020 to support a new integration programme, with support from charities working in the area.

The programme was launched today by mayor of London Sadiq Khan and sees charitable funders Trust for London and Unbound Philanthropy set up the Citizenship and Integration Initiative, in partnership with City Hall pledging to match their investment.

Money raised will be used to fund a programme aiming to tackle social integration, including helping new migrants find a path to citizenship and getting existing London citizens more involved in democracy and the decisions that affect them.

Improve access to rights

It will help people to access their citizenship and residency rights, increase civic engagement and celebrate diversity and shared identities across the capital.

Experts from Migrants Organise, Citizens UK, Coram Childrens Legal Centre and Just for Kids Law will be seconded to City Hall to help shape the Mayors plans, and work towards the shared goal of making London a truly socially integrated city.

This model is inspired by similar initiatives in the USA, but it is the first time this has been applied to a project in the UK.

Whilst 640,000 Londoners became British citizens in the past 11 years, 54 per cent of Londoners born abroad dont hold a British passport.

Khan said an integral part of the programme will be to support the take up of British citizenship by Londoners from the EU and abroad.

There are also thousands young Londoners who have grown up in the capital but cannot access higher education or work because they have irregular migration status. The programme will seek to tackle this by supporting young Londoners to secure their legal rights to residence.

'Collaboration is key'

Bharat Mehta, Trust for London chief executive, said: Our capital is a place where millions of people from different walks of life rub along well together.

However, protecting it and bringing along those Londoners who currently feel left out, is a big job. We can get much further with tackling it with collaboration between charities and the public sector, each maintaining their independence, but drawing on each others strengths and resources.

That s why we have set up this new initiative and we hope it will help support one of the best things about London.

See in Charity Finance

Khan said: I want every Londoner to be able to actively participate in the life of our great city - this can only be possible when we overcome initial barriers like ensuring people can access their citizenship rights, can have their say in the decisions that affect them and feel like they have the opportunity to get to know their neighbour.

By joining forces with Trust for London, civil society organisations and independent funders, we can bring together our collective expertise and networks to achieve real change for Londoners and reach our shared goal of making London the most inclusive and open place in the world.
From an editors point of view, the process is simple: Assign a freelancer, get amazing photos that help tell a story, pay them, repeat. For freelance photojournalists, it is often a different story. Among the frustratingly common challenges they face range from sparse communication after landing assignments, to fishy wording in contracts, to fighting for payment.

As part of CJRs ongoing series on freelance journalists, we decided to flip the script a bit to focus on advice for assigning editors. Particularly, we asked the same 30 photojournalists interviewed for this piece what they wish editors were more aware of while working with freelancers.

TRENDING: 11 images that show how the Trump administration is failing at photography

Here are six takeaways editors need to know:

What goes into a days work goes beyond shooting photos.

Sign up for CJR 's daily email

Its easy to overlook all the behind-the-scenes work that goes into producing photography such as traveling and post-production work. Even if the assignment is simply to photograph a subject for a couple of hours, the full process can get pretty complex. Many of the photographers who spoke with CJR say they fear editors may be losing sight of this. You know an average day when you count travel, filing the work, and the fact that photographers get up for the good light and work past dark, [its a] very very demanding job, says Natalie Keyssar, whose work has appeared in Mashable and Mother Jones.

Particularly for those working outside the US in more dangerous locations, there are additional factors photojournalists must consider. Mexico-based photojournalist Prometeo Lucero tells CJR gunshots, tear gas, and rubber bullets are very real concerns for journalists working in the country. These concerns directly drive the larger frustration around rates and speed of payment. Lucero says he has received payment for work sometimes as late as six months to a year later. Most editors dont understand the problem of being freelance on payment, says Lucero, who has worked with Expansion, a CNN partner in Mexico, and Newsweek. They are paid on time so they may not feel the necessity for other people to be paid on time. Keyssar adds, Places that are trying to put up a slideshow that you almost got killed for and worked on for 3 years, for $1,500, which at the end of the day its just not a fair value of the work.

Photojournalists are journalists, too.

For many publications it is not uncommon for the focus to be first on the written story, while visuals get treated as an afterthought. While this is inevitably going to be the case for some stories (maybe even rightfully so), some photographers who spoke with CJR told us they wish editors would involve them in the process sooner. It may seem obvious, but photojournalists are journalists and should be treated as such. Being respected as a journalists and being respected as a primary storyteller of these stories is another thing thats a really big deal, says Keyssar. Getting photographers involved early on and having them collaborate and create the story alongside the writer can only enhance the end product and produce higher-quality journalism.

A photographers style may be a better fit for specific stories.

This takeaway comes with caveats: Deadlines, location, and other factors can make it difficult to always match up the best photographer with a specific project. Many photographers specialize in a type of photography and/or subject matter. As a result, matching a photographer with a story that covers their expertise can bring a uniquely critical eye to an assignment. Ike Edeani, whose clients include People magazine and The California Sunday Magazine, tells CJR the value of having varied perspectives in newsrooms should apply to freelance photographers as well. Edeani says the final product can be noticeably different depending on the photographers background.

Obviously, photographers should be treated with respect.

Its something we are taught from a young age, but between busy schedules and demanding deadlines, editors should not lose sight of treating all employees, including freelancers, with respect. The little things like returning calls from freelancers on assignment promptly can really make a difference. [Editors] need photographers almost as much as we need them, says Kholood Eid, who has shot for Reuters and The Denver Post. For many photographers, it comes down to wanting to feel like part of the teameven if they are only going to be working with an editor for a short time. Talking through story ideas, providing feedback, and establishing realistic expectations are aspects many photographers who spoke with CJR said they value in editorsand notably these requests are no different than what most staffers would expect.

Photojournalist doesnt mean jack-of-all visual trades.

In such a competitive industry, photojournalists want to deliver work thats memorable and leads to more calls and connections. Over the years, many photographers were encouraged to be flexible beyond just taking photos as a way to be more desirable in the market. While its cool if a photographer wants to immerse him or herself in video and other skills to enhance their work, this is not a requirement. I get that jack-of-all-trades, but like, Im still trying to be a photographer, says John Tully, a New Hampshire-based photographer who has worked with Rolling Stone and Inked. Theres a million ways to tell stories. I choose photography as an outlet. Photojournalists are often open to learning new skills, but they dont always have the time and money to invest in equipment and trainingunless an organization is willing to support them. As for those who advertise multiple skills, many say some editors expectations are unrealistic. Stories of editors sending photojournalists out on assignment and hoping they would get amazing photos and video in a couple of hours was a common scenario among the freelancers we spoke with. Monique Jaques, whos worked with National Geographic and Christian Science Monitor, says, It is hard doing two mediums at the same time. Its very difficult to do 100-percent on both things. I find myself missing things if Im doing two mediums at the same time.

There are a lot of really good photographers out there.

Its a common refrain around the industry that the 2016 election emphasized how much of a bubble we operate in. Many of the photographers who spoke with CJR said the field of freelance photography is no different in that mostly white men from large, coastal cities are called on for jobs. Edeani tells CJR even as a black man he feels men are sought after much more than women photographers. I still feel privileged as a man in the photo industry, so I think thats pretty remarkable that thats the case. There are so many incredibly talented female photographers out there, but it does feel like they have to do more to kind of achieve a certain base level ofnot even success, but work. Resources like Women Photograph, a collection of freelance women photographers available to contact for work (and where I found a number of photographers to interview) exists to help shift the scales.

In addition to race and gender, photojournalists who live outside of hotspot cities are also painfully aware of the seeming preference given to photographers in coastal areas like New York and Washington, DC. Tully, whos based in New Hampshire, tells CJR he got so many calls during the primaries he had to turn some offers down. After the primaries, however, he says the calls basically stopped. There is value in being an outsider going into a community for an extended period of time, says Tully. [But] theres also a value to [choosing photographers] that are kind of living in those areas and basically have to confront the people that they photograph or they meet on a daily basis.

Want to share your freelancing experience with CJR? We encourage you to email Carlett Spike at cspike@cjr.org.

Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today

Carlett Spike is a freelance writer and former CJR Delacorte Fellow. Follow her on Twitter @CarlettSpike.
SYRACUSE, N.Y.  Syracuse will host the 5th annual event called Welcoming Economies Convening this fall. The conference highlights the role of new Americans in economic-revitalization efforts.

The event involves more than 350 leaders from across the country who are committed to welcoming, retaining and empowering new Americans as valued contributors to regional economies, according to a news release that CenterState CEO issued April 20.

CenterState CEO and Welcoming Economies (WE) Global Network will host the gathering Oct. 23 through Oct. 25 at the Marriott Syracuse Downtown.

The Convening event builds on work being done by CenterState CEO to understand the impact new Americans have on metro Syracuses economy and how the community can harness its skills and talents to drive opportunities.

The highlight of the Welcoming Economies Convening will be a day-long, public conference featuring presentations by local and national leaders covering the topics that include workforce development, entrepreneurship and business, business engagement, neighborhood development, social cohesion and equity, and organizational capacity building.

Central New Yorks foreign-born community members impact the labor economy as business owners and entrepreneurs who provide job opportunities for other residents, Dominic Robinson, VP of economic inclusion at CenterState CEO, said in the release. Additionally, they often come with skills and knowledge to support regional businesses as employees. With the region battling population loss, and urban and rural blight, the influx of refugees and immigrants has helped to reduce rates of vacancy in the housing market creating a stabilizing effect. As the regions leading economic and business-development organization, CenterState CEO is excited to host the 2017 Convening and discuss ways to support and integrate refugees and immigrants to drive new economic prosperity.



CenterState CEO is an economic-development strategist, business-leadership organization, and chamber of commerce. It has nearly 2,000 member businesses across Central and Northern New York.

About the WE Global Network

The WE Global Network seeks to strengthen the work, maximize the impact, and sustain the efforts of local economic and community-development initiatives across the region that welcome, retain, and empower immigrant communities as valued contributors to the regions shared prosperity, according to the nonprofits website.

WE Global is a project of Decatur, Georgiabased Welcoming America in partnership with Detroit, Michiganbased Global Detroit.

The Welcoming Economies Global Network is a group of regional economic-development initiatives working to tap into the economic-development opportunities created by immigrants across a 10-state region, according to the CenterState CEO news release.

The states include New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Iowa, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, and Wisconsin.

Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com


this is the help I needed.



I solved the problem.



...and yes, you're right, I miss some Dispose, but this was just a short and fast sample to show my problem.

Anyhow I recognize that my code is not good code...



Thanks



When i try to build a project using MSBuil tools for VS2017 an error occurred Could not find required file 'setup.bin'



After upgrade to VS 2017 i got "Error An error occurred while signing: SignTool.exe not found." But only using MSbuild on the Visual Studio publish there's no problem.

I already checked folder "C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SDKs\Windows\v7.0A\Bin" and in fact there's no SignTool.exe present. But there was before installing VS2017, any ideas?







enter signtool, hit enter



then it is in the path variable.





That seems to do the trick, now the problem is with setup.bin file.



error MSB3147: Could not find required file 'setup.bin' in csproj folder



Hi,



I have an Application which runs fine and gives perfect results when the Application runs with right click and Run as Administrator option, but when I try to run the application a batch file or Scheduled task (even though I selected option of Run with highest privileges for Scheduled Task) still it runs as I am running without Admin Privileges.



Is there any way I can run the Application same as "Run as Administrator" and can schedule it as well. Tried different approaches nothing worked so far. Any help would be really grateful. As the application is not giving 100% results, people are thinking that Application is not working properly.



Any help can help me, thanks in advance.



I have few questions about it, the Application is actually calling SSIS Packages running good for some Packages but for some its not, Application executes the SSIS Packages but when the Package itself doesn't completes it fully. Because of this I am getting doubts like

Does SSIS Package which runs from within C# code, does it run with the same Privileges as then Windows logged in account or different account? If its different account what account it runs with? Thanks,



Abdul Aleem



"There is already enough hatred in the world lets spread love, compassion and affection."



-- modified 25-Apr-17 19:57pm.



Type thanglish in keyboard when display tamil letters in textbox







modified 20-Sep-20 21:01pm.







You can use services by either Google, or Microsoft and then write your own service that converts the words. Which is beyond the scope of these discussions. Both of these giants provide some good APIs that you can subscribe to,



Cloud Translation API - Dynamic Translation | Google Cloud Platform

Translator API - Microsoft Translator

The sh*t I complain about

It's like there ain't a cloud in the sky and it's raining out - Eminem

~! Firewall !~



Hi,



I want to get the current week of the month in string, like for example I want to check if this current week is the first week of the month, second week of the month like this is it last week of the month. Usually I am not having problem in finding if this week is first, second, third or even 4th but the problem is in finding which is the last week.



Any help is going to be greatly helpful - thanks in advance.



Thanks,



Abdul Aleem



"There is already enough hatred in the world lets spread love, compassion and affection."









Quote: like this is it last week of the month How? Isn't there going to be another week, or my April 21st, Friday calendar date is wrong?  there is another working week coming up, or maybe I'm a bit more sleepy and should take a nap.



Perhaps, the question itself is a bit unclear. As a suggestion, please review the following thread, datetime - Calculate week of month in .NET - Stack Overflow

The sh*t I complain about

It's like there ain't a cloud in the sky and it's raining out - Eminem

~! Firewall !~





Here it is. public static bool RunForTheDay(bool IsTheJobWeekly, bool IsTheJobMonthly, bool IsTheJobYearly, int WhatDayOfMonthJobRuns, int WhatWeekOfMonthJobRuns, int WhatMonthOfYearJobRuns, int WhatDayOfYearJobRuns, bool RunForTheDay, string strDayOfTheWeek) { bool retRunForTheDay = false; //string strDayOfTheWeek = DateTime.Now.ToString("dddd"); if (IsTheJobYearly) { if (WhatDayOfYearJobRuns > 0) { if (WhatDayOfYearJobRuns == DateTime.Now.DayOfYear) retRunForTheDay = true; } else if ((WhatMonthOfYearJobRuns > 0) && (WhatMonthOfYearJobRuns == DateTime.Now.Month)) { if ((WhatDayOfMonthJobRuns > 0) && (WhatDayOfMonthJobRuns == DateTime.Now.Day)) { retRunForTheDay = true; } else if (WhatWeekOfMonthJobRuns > 0) { int tempWeekOfTheMonth = GetWeekOfMonth(DateTime.Now); if ((tempWeekOfTheMonth == WhatWeekOfMonthJobRuns) && RunForTheDay) retRunForTheDay = true; } } } else if (IsTheJobMonthly) { if ((WhatDayOfMonthJobRuns > 0) && (WhatDayOfMonthJobRuns == DateTime.Now.Day)) { retRunForTheDay = true; } else if (WhatWeekOfMonthJobRuns > 0) { int tempWeekOfTheMonth = GetWeekOfMonth(DateTime.Now); if ((tempWeekOfTheMonth == WhatWeekOfMonthJobRuns) && RunForTheDay) retRunForTheDay = true; } } else { retRunForTheDay = RunForTheDay; } return retRunForTheDay; } public static int GetWeekOfMonth(DateTime date) { DateTime beginningOfMonth = new DateTime(date.Year, date.Month, 1); while (date.Date.AddDays(1).DayOfWeek != CultureInfo.CurrentCulture.DateTimeFormat.FirstDayOfWeek) date = date.AddDays(1); return (int)Math.Truncate((double)date.Subtract(beginningOfMonth).TotalDays / 7f) + 1; }

Thanks,



Abdul Aleem



"There is already enough hatred in the world lets spread love, compassion and affection."



I have a fairly simple VB.Net application which I wrote a few years ago to chart weather observations. It uses two DateTimePicker controls to specify the date/time range of the data to be charted and had been working fine, once I got a few initial minor bugs sorted out. I don't use it that often (perhaps once every 3-6 months), so I don't know when the behavior I am about to describe started. A couple of days ago, I ran the application, and, instead of defaulting to displaying the beginning and end of the most recent 24 hours for which data was available (e.g. 04/18/2017 12:23), both controls displayed only the delimiter characters (// : ). The values of the fields were apparently correct - choosing a data set and pressing the 'plot' button produced the expected plot of 24 hours' data - but the datetimepicker controls didn't 'work'.



Debugging with Visual Studio confirmed that the contents of all the variables were as expected, but the controls still looked (differently!) weird in the running program, although they looked as they should in design view. Running under Visual Studio, the controls sort of worked, but with an enormous amount of horizontal space (and no delimiters) between each subfield (month, day, year, minutes, seconds), so that only one or at most two subfields were in view at a time.



Has anyone seen anything like this and/or does anyone know what may be going on.







[edit]

I have looked at the code. It is a single Form Application and there is nothing even remotely related to the problematic DateTimePickers that should be going out of scope unless/until the Form is closed.

[/edit]



modified 19-Apr-17 11:01am.







Now I run .NET 4.6.1; HDMI monitors; Windows 8.1 / 10; no XP "themes"; new default "font families"; etc.



Most certainly I had to "tweak" my UI's moving forward.

"(I) am amazed to see myself here rather than there ... now rather than then".

 Blaise Pascal







If you had read the second paragraph in my original post, let alone the thread that Richard pointed to, you would have seen that almost the first thing I (and the OP in the other thread) did was to go back and rebuild the application, which (at least in my case) only uses standard, current, controls, and determine that the controls in the rebuilt application also showed the strange behavior.



This is not a "the application I created in 2005 doesn't run unchanged under Windows 10" issue.







You seem to imply you have lived with the same hardware and software all this time and "somehow" have now suddenly gone "nuts".



While pointing me to a C++ forum while your app is VB.NET.

"(I) am amazed to see myself here rather than there ... now rather than then".

 Blaise Pascal



very rare occasions when I have seen a problem with an old compiled application on a new system, this has always been corrected by rebuilding the application on/for the new system.



The C++ thread is at least arguably relevant because the apparently very similar problems that both threads describe is in a standard control which is part of the Framework, rather than in user code, strengthening (IMHO) the concern that the problem is one recently introduced into the Framework rather than 'user error'.







(You were not clear on what version of .NET you first developed on; or even what OS).



And any number of properties are "obsoleted" from one version to the next; and new ones introduced. I'm not convinced there may not be "some" impact somewhere.



It's those "cosmetic" changes (by the vendor) that bite you.

"(I) am amazed to see myself here rather than there ... now rather than then".

 Blaise Pascal


Naya Shakti to go to polls with SSFNs symbol

The Naya Shakti Nepal, led by former prime minister Baburam Bhattarai, is ready to use flame, the election symbol of the Upendra Yadav-headed Sanghiya Samajbadi Forum-Nepal, for the upcoming local level elections.
Sociedad Quimica y Minera de Chile S.A. produces and distributes specialty plant nutrients, iodine and its derivatives, lithium and its derivatives, potassium chloride and sulfate, industrial chemicals, and other products and services. The company offers specialty plant nutrients, including potassium nitrate, sodium nitrate, sodium potassium nitrate, specialty blends, and other specialty fertilizers. It also provides iodine and its derivatives for use in medical, pharmaceutical, agricultural, and industrial applications comprising x-ray contrast media, polarizing films for LCD and LED, antiseptics, biocides and disinfectants, pharmaceutical synthesis, electronics, pigments, and dye components. In addition, the company offers lithium carbonates for various applications that include electrochemical materials for batteries, frits for the ceramic and enamel industries, heat-resistant glass, air conditioning chemicals, continuous casting powder for steel extrusion, primary aluminum smelting process, pharmaceuticals, and lithium derivatives, as well as ingredient in manufacturing of gunpowder. Further, it supplies lithium hydroxide for the lubricating greases industry, as well as cathodes for batteries. Additionally, it offers potassium chloride and potassium sulfate for various crops, including corn, rice, sugar, soybean, and wheat; industrial chemicals, including sodium nitrate, potassium nitrate, potassium chloride, and solar salts; and other fertilizers and blends. The company operates in Chile, Latin America and the Caribbean, Europe, North America, Asia, and internationally. Sociedad Quimica y Minera de Chile S.A. was incorporated in 1968 and is headquartered in Santiago, Chile.
Remember being told to think outside the box? It used to be such a common phrase; asking you to forget the norm and imagine greater possibilities. Throw a curveball. No ideas a bad idea. Blue sky thinking.

When a group of college students visited CUNA Mutual Group earlier this month, it occurred to me just how obsolete the phrase has become.

Looking around, its been a long time since we settled on the norm. Innovation is everywhere. The app you just downloaded needs updating. The new phone you bought is great, but an even better version is just around the corner. You can refinance your mortgage with the push of a button  in the time it takes to order a coffee.

The pace of change is simply so rapid now, so unrelenting, that the only true constant is change itself.

But for credit unions and their partners  regulated institutions with complex, legacy processes  it can be a challenge to keep up. Large or small, we were built in the box.

CUNA Mutual Group is no different. For generations weve been a proud member of the credit union movement and a trusted provider to 95% of all credit unions in this country*. But the world we operated in yesterday is not the world our customers live in today.

Thats why Im proud to lead an organization that recognizes the only way to truly remain competitive, to provide continuing value to our customers long into the future, is to embrace innovation  by employing the innovators.

It was a privilege to have a group of talented students visit our Madison, WI, campus as finalists in the 2017 FOCUSS Idea Competition; a national contest CUNA Mutual Group has sponsored for two consecutive years.

The program challenges students from four historically black colleges and universities  and two Wisconsin colleges  to propose solutions to issues facing credit unions and their members.

This years participants were challenged to provide hypothetical product and marketing solutions to help the millions of U.S. households that are either financially unbanked or under-banked access safe and affordable credit.

And while each finalist received a cash prize, for CUNA Mutual Group the reward is much greater. Its an opportunity for us to work with and learn from a group of young, innovative thinkers. Each participant is given the opportunity to enter into our internship program  a program recently overhauled to ensure every placement offered is done so with the expectation of continued employment.

Our intern program is now a funnel for new, innovative and exciting talent. Its a process that strengthens our future as much as theirs.

Because it truly is exciting to see and hear from the next generation of credit union leaders: those who simply dont recall that the box ever existed.
Earlier this month, I was traveling to the Bank Social conference in Miami. Id known before I even left my house that morning to head to the airport that the weather was potentially going to be an issue. I had no idea how much.

Without getting into all the details (diverted flights, 10+ hours of delays), let me just say it wasnt my best travel day. I tried to keep my calm because it was weather related but the day was long and I never really knew what was going on as flights were rescheduled and gates were changed.

I started speaking to two other weary travelers who were at my gate. One was coming from Paris and the other from New York City. The three of us had all been traveling for over 12 hours. One of us had crossed an ocean, one of us (raising my hand here) was less than 200 miles from home. The thing that all of us agreed on? None of the issues would have been as frustrating if someone just communicated with us. We all had the airline app and access to the website on our devices. But even with all that technology, none of it was as useful or reassuring to us as a real, live person giving us an update. As we sat at our new gate, one of my long-suffering travel mates said Just pick up the microphone and tell us whats going on. All were asking for is a little communication.
Talking Points

- The Euro has so far failed to respond strongly to a report Tuesday suggesting the ECB is moving towards an eventual tapering of its monetary stimulus program.

- That could be about to change, with a more substantial rise in the currency now on the cards.

- Check out the DailyFX Economic Calendar and see what live coverage of key event risk impacting FX markets is scheduled for the week on the DailyFX Webinar Calendar.

Since its jump higher on the market-friendly result of Sundays French presidential election first round, the Euro has barely moved, and thats a surprise. As we reported here, a Reuters report Tuesday suggested that the European Central Bank is moving closer  albeit glacially slowly  towards withdrawing some of its monetary stimulus.

The surprise is that a tightening of monetary policy  known in the markets as a tapering of the ECBs stimulus program  should mean a firmer Euro, and the signs are that could yet be on the way. The first thing to watch out for is any communication tweaks from ECB President Mario Draghi in his press conference Thursday after the meeting of the ECB Governing Council in Frankfurt.

The chances of a policy change this week are effectively zero, but what Draghi could do is pave the way for a shift in the central banks forward guidance at the following meeting on June 8 in Tallinn, Estonia. The latest ECB staff macroeconomic projections for the Euro-Zone will also be published then, and the ECB is more likely to signal a shift in policy at meetings where those are published than those where they arent.

This does not mean an actual policy change is coming soon, and 2018 still seems more likely than 2017 but its still remarkable that the Euro has so far shown so little reaction when the tiniest of policy hints can often lead to sharp currency moves.

Chart: EUR/USD One-Hour Timeframe (April 21-26, 2017)

Chart by IG

The Euro has also been essentially stable against the British Pound, while a climb against the Japanese Yen has been largely a reflection of Yen weakness as a broadly optimistic market mood has lessened the attractions of haven currencies like Japans.

Note too that IG Client Sentiment data show that 69% of traders are currently net short, compared with 31% netlong and the ratio of traders short to long at 2.23 to 1. At DailyFX, we typically take a contrarian view to crowd sentiment, and the fact traders are netshort gives us a stronger EURUSD-bullish contrarian trading bias.

--- Written by Martin Essex, Analyst and Editor

To contact Martin, email him at martin.essex@ig.com

Follow Martin on Twitter @MartinSEssex

Why and how do we use IG Client Sentiment in trading? See our guide.

If youre looking for trading ideas, check out our trading guides; theyre free and updated for the second quarter of 2017.
Nepali Congress takes a dig at rival parties

The ruling Nepali Congress unveiled its election manifesto on Tuesday coming down heavily against the main opposition CPN-UML for propping up extremism, intolerance and aggression in national politics.
Newly formed RJP to change party name to avoid clash

The newly formed Rastriya Janata Party (RJP) has decided to change its name after it clashed with the name of another political party in the Election Commission (EC).
Pokhara begins search for new trekking trails

Efforts for finding new trekking trails have begun in Pokhara to boost touristsm and retain the increasing number of domestic tourists that visit.
RJPN accuses govt of dishonouring deal, warns of consequences

The Sanghiya Gathabandan comprising Madhes-based political parties on Wednesday warned of resorting to agitation in protest against the agreement between the ruling and opposition parties to not increase the number of local units immediately.
Telia has succeeded in divesting its 60% stake in the parent company of Tajikistans Tcell.

As part of its broader strategy of exiting the Eurasia region, the Nordic operator struck a deal in September 2016 to sell its holding in Central Asian Telecommunications Development, with the Aga Khan Fund for economic Development (AKFED) agreeing to acquire the stake. However, this agreement expired earlier this month after the Tajik anti-monopoly service missed the deadline to grant its approval for the deal.

Now, Telia has signed a new agreement, with AKFED acquiring the stake for $27.7 million. Given Telias dispute with Tajik authorities over a tax claim related to Telias revenues, the Nordic operator group has stressed that the sale transfers all tax liabilities to Tcell and its shareholder. It has also emphasised that it has cooperated with consultants to carry out all requisite background checks and due diligence related to the buyer.

The sale has allowed Telia to wind down its estimations for the fine it will receive over its business in Uzbekistan  a scandal which forms the background of its decision to pull out of Eurasia. Its dealings in the country are currently under investigation by Dutch, Swedish and US authorities, and Telia has stated that it now expects the settlement to be in the region of $1 billion, rather than the initially expected $1.45 billion.
Kosovo and Balkans-focussed marble quarrying and finishing company Fox Marble announced on Wednesday that it entered into a minimum 0.4m sales agreement with Simsekler Mermer Company, one of Turkey's largest natural stone groups, to supply its IIIirico Selene and Sivec marble product.

The AIM-traded firm said Simsekler owns nine marble quarries in Turkey as well as three factories and two showrooms and warehouses located in Ankara and Istanbul.

It said the agreement, which would see deliveries completed over 2017, marked the company's first significant customer and entry into Turkey and confirmed the board's international expansion strategy as it positioned itself as a leading marble quarrying, processing and distribution company in the region.

In light of the new agreement, the company increased its estimate for its order book for 31 December 2017 to 4.4m, which it expected to be recognised as revenue in the financial year to 31 December.

This new sales order marks our first move into the significant and potentially lucrative Turkish marble market, said Fox Marble CEO Chris Gilbert.

This new relationship with Simsekler, we believe, further underpins the commercial viability of our marble and we look forward to working with Simsekler during the course of 2017 and beyond as we anticipate receiving further material orders.

It is significant that Fox Marble is able to supply marble to a territory which is itself one of the major exporters of natural stone and a testament to the quality and colour of the marble within its quarries in Kosovo.
AIM-listed explorer Kodal Minerals  initial assay results have confirmed high-grade lithium mineralisation within the pegmatite intersections at its Bougouni project in Mali.

The results showed lithium mineralisation at new prospects, Sogola-Baoule and Boumou, within the pegmatite intersections.

Four of the five drill holes at Sogola-Baoule had significant mineralisation including, 9m at 1.84% lithium oxide from 186m, 11m at 1.65% lithium oxide from 131m, and 8m at 1.53% lithium oxide from 117m.

One of the six drill holes at Boumou had significant mineralisation including, 10m at 1.61% lithium oxide from 50m, and 6m at 1.45% lithium oxide from 106m.

Infill and extension drilling is nearing completion at the Ngouanala prospect to target extensions to the high-grade lithium mineralisation following intersections of up to 1.85% lithium oxide in the first phase of drilling.

The company is extending the drill programme and will move back to the Sogola-Baoule prospect to begin follow-up of these initial results.

Chief executive Bernard Aylward said: "These initial drilling results from the Boumou and Sogola-Baoule prospects are very exciting as they demonstrate the potential to define additional zones of high grade mineralisation which will complement the excellent grades and width of mineralisation previously intersected at the Ngoualana prospect.

We are now starting to identify the key areas for follow-up and definition drilling that will underpin the future development of the Bougouni lithium project. We are expecting to continue drilling for an extended period.

Meanwhile, Suay Chin International 4.3m investment in the Kodal announced in March is progressing well.

Suay Chin, which will see its holding in Kodal increase to 20%, has completed its due diligence procedures and the companies are now negotiating the final terms of the investment agreements.

The completion of the second stage placement will provide the company with finance to expand the exploration and definition work at Bougouni.

Shares in Kodal Minerals were up 3.19% to 0.307p at 1036 BST.
Africa-focussed agriculture and forestry company Obtala announced on Wednesday that it signed a letter of intent expressing the company's commitment to build sustainable and inclusive business in Tanzania through investment activities associated with the Grow Africa partnerships in Sub-Saharan Africa.

The AIM-traded firm said the Grow Africa partnership was founded jointly by the African Union, The New Partnership for Africa's Development and the World Economic Forum in 2011.

It said Grow Africa worked to increase private sector investment in agriculture, and accelerate the execution and impact of investment commitments.

Our commitment is to Grow Africa which is promoting multi-stakeholder collaboration to advance private sector investment aligned to the Government of Tanzania's agricultural development objectives, as well as the Government of Tanzania's commitment to promote a business enabling environment that provides confidence to both the domestic and international private sector to achieve these objectives, Obtalas board explained in a statement.

Obtala currently employed around 400 people and was actively seeking new partnerships to scale its operations through infrastructure upgrades, extension of its farms and development of agreements with surrounding farms.

Intense planning was reportedly underway for several major projects in Tanzania as the company transitioned towards meaningful production, and deployment of its substantial assets.

Addressing the issues of food security and nutrition, economic development and social impact, and environmental sustainability through waste reduction would be priority, Obtalas board claimed.

Under the letter of intent, Obtala conditionally committed to investing $10m over the coming five years in a new modular packhouse facility, housing of staff and training centres, scaling plantation based activities and the development of an outgrower programme, subject to sourcing of matched funding, grants, preferential loans and equity from donors, development finance institutions and impact investors.

To advance that commitment over the next 12 months, Obtala said it would take a number of actions, including investing in the first stage of a modular packhouse facility to meet increasing demand from local markets, Kenya and the Middle East.

It would also engage partners for co-financing the further expansion of the packhouse, development of the outgrower scheme, staff housing and training centres, as well as identify local and regional partners for technical assistance to identify and build capacity at local surrounding farms.

Obtala additionally committed to collaborate with local and international universities for the upskilling, training and development of farm managers and the development of a talent pipeline, to engage local organisations to deliver community engagement activities in health and nutrition, and to further develop national and international distribution networks.

Obtala intends to progress our projects in Tanzania with the collaboration and partnership of the Government of Tanzania, said chairman Miles Pelham.

The project is consistent with the investment priorities identified by the country-led Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme investment plans.

In particular, this project aims to contribute to Tanzania.

Pelham said the company welcomed the Government of Tanzania's intent to support the investment with mechanisms for coordination with private sector, farmers, and across government entities, that would be required for a sound and sustainable policy, regulatory, administrative and enabling environment.

We further welcome development partners to provide appropriate technical and financial support to accelerate implementation, helping to build policy and provide funding or grants, with the overall goal of facilitating private investment.

We at Obtala are committed to be part of the agricultural transformation of Tanzania and look forward to building a long and lasting relationship with the farmers, the government, the donors, the private sector, and other players in Tanzania.

Accordingly we are pleased to submit this letter of intent to support and accelerate the development of Tanzania's agriculture and to improve the lives of Tanzania's farmers and citizens.
Investors in security and surveillance system software developer Petards were gathering in Guildford, Surrey on Wednesday morning for the companys annual general meeting, with chairman Raschid Abdullah confirming a previously-flagged significant order.

The AIM-traded firm had been successful in securing a 4.3m order from Stadler Bussnang for the provision of Petards eyeTrain CCTV and Automatic Selective Door Opening Systems, Abdullah said.

Stadler was described by Petards as a quality Swiss-based global train builder and a new customer, which represented an excellent opportunity for Petards to develop internationally.

Investment in UK rolling stock is at record levels giving rise to significant opportunities for Petards, Abdullah said.

I am pleased to report we are presently in active negotiations with existing customers over new contracts.

He added that, whilst Petards defence business had been slow on order intake during the first quarter, indications were that there was further MOD, NATO and third party business in the pipeline.

The renewal last December of the three year MOD Systems Adaptive Counter Measures Dispensing Systems contract is anticipated to bring additional business throughout its duration.

The QRO acquisition, completed April 2016, together with its management team has integrated well into the group, Abdullah also explained.

[The] Petards Provida range of products in the Emergency Services division and QRO are both seeing increased enquiries from many police forces throughout the UK at the start of their financial year.

Petards entered 2017 with an order book of 20m, the chairman confirmed, and as at 31 March, it stood at 21m, of which 13m was scheduled for delivery by the end of the year.

The strength of the order book gives the board confidence of a good outcome for the year and I look forward to reporting further progress in the interim results in September.
Rockhopper Exploration 's shares rose more than 3% after it confirmed that the 2017 drilling campaign on the Abu Sennan Concession in Egypt had got underway.

The oil and company, which had interests in the North Falkland Basin and the Greater Mediterranean region, had a 22% working interest in the Abu Sennan Concession.

"Exploration well Al Jahraa SE-2X, situated on the recently awarded Abu Sennan-5 (Al Jahraa South East) Development Lease, was spudded on 25 April 2017 by the Operator Kuwait Energy as part of a two-well drilling campaign," said Rockhopper.

It said the well would target the Cretaceous Abu Roash-C reservoir in the fault block immediately to the south of the Al Jahraa South East discovery location.

"If successful, it could add over 20 mmbbls of STOIIP to the development lease," said Rockhopper, noting the well was seen taking roughly 40 days to drill and evaluate.

Following completion of the Al Jahraa SE-2X well, the rig would move to the Al Jahraa-9 location to drill a development well that would target the AR-C reservoir at a location deeper than the current deepest oil penetration at Al Jahraa-4.

"The aim will be to demonstrate the connection between the Al Jahraa and Al Jahraa South East fields through the oil leg," said Rockhopper.

"In addition, the operator has proposed two work-over operations during Q2 2017. The outcome of the above programme will inform partner discussions regarding appropriate activities in the second half of the year."

At 12:44 BST, shares in AIM-quoted Rockhopper were up 3.41% to 22.75p each.
One of Deutsche Bank's top executives has warned as many as 4,000 jobs at the lender could be at risk due to Britain's impending departure from the European Union.

The German company's chief regulatory officer Sylvie Matherat told the Frankfurt Main Finance conference on Wednesday that it was important for clients based in the European Union to be able to conduct business within the area.

Brexit talks have officially begun between the EU and the UK government in a process which is expected to take up to two years, as a host of financial institutions have stated their intentions to move certain operations out of the country.

Brexit talks have officially begun between the EU and the UK government

"For front office people if you want to deal with an EU client, you need to be based in the EU," Matherat told the conference in Frankfurt. "And we are speaking of 2,000 people - that's not a small number."

The compliance officer added that the final number of jobs at risk could total 4,000, as the bank attempts to safeguard associated risk management functions. Deutsche Bank currently employs 9,000 people in the UK, with 7,000 of those working in London.

"It means another 2000 people. Everybody needs clarity - and the sooner the better."

Earlier on Wednesday, Barclays CEO Jes Staley said that banks would soon begin the process of relocating jobs to the continent as a result of the fallout from Brexit.
The Trump administration is preparing an executive order to withdraw from the North American Free Trade Agreement.

According to Politico, which cited two White House officials, the order may be unveiled later this week or early next week.

In recent weeks, US president Donald Trump has increased his rhetoric a notch, against both Mexico and Canada.

Acting as a backdrop, Germany has also come under increased pressure from the US (and others) recently due to its elevated trade surplus.

As well, earlier in the week the US slapped new tariffs on softwood lumber from its northern neighbour.

Following news of those tariffs, Barclays Research told clients that any further such measures are likely to be specific and limited in nature, with wider action not expected until later in 2018.

"Taking such action does require some political capital. The administration currently has many political agendas, all of which need considerable support from Congress. Should the President take unilateral action that proves unpopular, support for the other legs of the administrations agenda could falter.

"We believe the administration will wait for this report and for appropriate political timing before implementing broad-based and substantive new tariffs. We continue to expect some form of new and restrictive trade policies around the end of 2017, similar to the timing we expect for tax cuts and a new budget," Barclays said.

According to Politico, the executive order may be a gambit in order to extract better terms from its neighbours, but it might easily snowball into the real thing.

The order was reportedly drafted by the head of Trump's National Trade Council, Peter Navarro, and his chief strategist, Steve Bannon.

As of 1744 GMT the US dollar was 2.13% higher against the Mexican peso to 19.26 but only 0.29% stronger versus the Canadian dollar to 1.3611.
RPP unveils manifesto for local level elections

The Rastriya Prajatantr Party (RPP) has unveiled its manifesto for the upcoming local level elections on Wednesday.
Allied Irish Banks has been hit with a 2.225m fine by the Irish Central Bank with the state-owned banks flotation on the London Stock Exchange just weeks away.

The fine has been imposed on the biggest bank in Ireland for breaches related to money laundering and tax evasion, with AIB admitting to the charges. The action relates to practices at the bank between 2010 and 2014.

According to a statement from the Central Bank, AIB did not "report suspicious transactions without delay" in account breaches which are suspected to have broken anti-money laundering as well as anti-terror financing laws.

At one time, the bank had a backlog of 4,200 alerts which it failed to report to Irish police service, the Gardai.

At one time the bank had a backlog of 4,200 alerts which it failed to report to Irish police service

Another Irish financial institution, Ulster Bank, was fined over 3m for similar offences last year.

"In particular, we expect that our retail banks, as gateways to the financial system, have in place exemplary anti-money laundering systems and controls," said Derville Rowland, director of enforcement at the Central Bank.

In a statement, AIB said that "a comprehensive risk mitigation program was put in place to resolve all of the issues," adding that it fully cooperated with the authorities during the investigation.

AIB plans to float 25% of its business in London some time between May and July, as it continues to recover from a government bailout in 2009.
Barclays CEO Jes Staley has said many international banks will begin the process of moving operations away from Britain "reasonably" soon due to concerns about Brexit.

Several global financial institutions have either announced plans or suggested a move towards the continent in order to maintain a base in the European Union, as the UK government prepares to negotiate the terms of its departure from the bloc.

Staley told a conference on Wednesday that banks are unlikely to wait to find out the outcome of the negotiations before taking action.

"You will start to see movement in a reasonably short period of time," Staley told the conference, according to Reuters.

A so-called "Hard Brexit" is almost certain to produce the loss of banks' passporting rights, which will discontinue the ability of institutions based in Britain to conduct business across the EU.

JPMorgan, HSBC and UBS are some of the financial giants that have indicated their intentions to relocate thousands of jobs away from their London hubs, with possible locations including the likes of Frankfurt, Paris and Dublin.
Electrical power generation company Drax Group has completed the acquisition of Louisiana Pellets for $35.4m, following a court hearing to approve the result of an auction.

The FTSE 250 company had participated in a bankruptcy auction on 30 March for the acquisition of both Louisiana Pellets and Texas Pellets.

It was successful in its bid for Louisiana Pellets, but the auction of Texas Pellets was postponed.

Louisiana Pellets is expected to provide additional biomass pellet capacity of 450,000 tonnes per year, as part of Drax's strategy to build a flexible supply chain capable of self-supplying 30% of production.

Its plant is expected to return to service by early 2018 following an upgrade.

Drax chief executive Dorothy Thompson said: "Louisiana Pellets marks another positive step in delivering the Drax Group strategy. The deal forms part of our plan to significantly increase our capability to manufacture high quality compressed wood pellets and increase self-supply to Drax Power Station.

"Upgrading half the Power Station to use sustainable wood pellets has resulted in Drax producing 16% of the UK's renewable electricity and with the right conditions we aim to do more."

Shares in Drax Group were flat at 304.50p at 1236 BST.
Fresnillo s gold production fell in the first quarter although silver increased and the miner said it remained on track to meet its full 2017 production guidance.

For the quarter ended 31 March, silver production rose 10.7% to 13.5m ounces (oz), including silverstream, compared to last year mainly due to the contribution of the first phase of the San Julian mine in Mexico.

However, gold production declined 3.3% compared to last year and down 17.1% compared to the previous quarter, to 222.3 koz, due to a one-off reduction of inventory levels at the Herradura mine last year and expected lower ore grades at the mine.

The FTSE 100 company maintained that it is on track to achieve its production guidance for the year of 58-61m oz of silver, including 4m oz of silverstream, and 870-900 koz of gold.

It said that the turnaround at the Fresnillo mine continued to show positive signs with improvements in the maintenance process and enhanced operative supervision resulting in an increase in silver production.

The mine experienced two consecutive quarters of increased ore grades and silver ounces produced and three consecutive quarters of increased ore throughput.

Chief executive Octavio Alvidrez said: "I am pleased to report a solid performance in the first quarter of the year.

"We continue to make good progress with our development projects. Construction of San Julian (phase II) continued with the commencement of initial tests and the project is on track to be commissioned at the end of the second quarter. The pyrites plant and second line of the dynamic leaching plant are also progressing as expected.
Glanbia is to sell a 60% stake in its Irish dairy business, to Glanbia Co-operative Society for 112m.

Glanbia Foods Ireland is currently 100% owned by Glanbia and is comprised of two business units, Glanbia Consumer Foods Ireland and Glanbia Agribusiness.

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As part of its restructuring plans, offshore drilling contractor Seadrill has agreed with Archer, an oil services company, and its lenders to cancel about $253m in financial guarantees provided by Seadrill in exchange for a cash payment of about $25m.

The Bermuda-based company said that it continues to be talks with Archer and its lenders to extinguish the remaining $25m worth of financial guarantees in exchange for another cash payment representing 10% of their face value.

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Shares in Crawshaw Group tumbled after the butcher announced it has entered into a supply chain partnership with 2 Sisters Food Group, one of Europe's largest meat and food producers.

The three year deal will see Crawshaw to buy fresh meat and other products from 2 Sisters. It will also provide immediate access to surplus fresh poultry to prevent unnecessary food waste.

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Shares in Rosslyn Data Technologies dived more than a quarter after it agree to conditionally acquire Integritie (UK) Ltd for total initial consideration of 2.588m, plus an earn-out and plans to raise up to 5m.

There was an earn-out of up to 750,000 based on revenue targets. The company was also raising a total of about 5m. This was via placings of 2.29m and 2.21m at 4.5p a share, plus an open offer of up to 500,000.

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Mariana Resources has agreed to merge with US based royalty company Sandstorm, which sees the AIM-listed explorer's shares valued at 109.71p and would see its shareholders own 19% of the enlarged group.

NYSE- and Toronto-listed Sandstorm and Mariana's directors agreed to recommended a share and cash acquisition of Mariana's shares by Sandstorm, which currently owns 7% of the company and warrants over around half that amount.

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Rockhopper Exploration's shares rose more than 3% after it confirmed that the 2017 drilling campaign on the Abu Sennan Concession in Egypt had got underway.

The oil and company, which had interests in the North Falkland Basin and the Greater Mediterranean region, had a 22% working interest in the Abu Sennan Concession.

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Luxury interior furnishings group Walker Greenbank posted a jump in full-year profit and upped its dividend on Wednesday.

In the year to the end of January 2017, sales were up 5.2% to 92.5m, with adjusted underlying pre-tax profit up 17% at 10.4m.

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Investors in security and surveillance system software developer Petards were gathering in Guildford, Surrey on Wednesday morning for the companys annual general meeting, with chairman Raschid Abdullah confirming a previously-flagged significant order.

The AIM-traded firm had been successful in securing a 4.3m order from Stadler Bussnang for the provision of Petards eyeTrain CCTV and Automatic Selective Door Opening Systems, Abdullah said.

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Kosovo and Balkans-focussed marble quarrying and finishing company Fox Marble announced on Wednesday that it entered into a minimum 0.4m sales agreement with Simsekler Mermer Company, one of Turkey's largest natural stone groups, to supply its IIIirico Selene and Sivec marble product.

The AIM-traded firm said Simsekler owns nine marble quarries in Turkey as well as three factories and two showrooms and warehouses located in Ankara and Istanbul.

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Shares in Nighthawk are down more than 2% as its gross and net production for the first three months of 2017 came in below that for the same period in 2016.

Output for January, February and March was 118,444 barrels, from 127,059 a year earlier. Net output was 83,710, from 104,012.

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Shares in Devro rose more than 4% after it said its expectations for 2017 remain unchanged.

The manufacturer of collagen products for the food industry said trading from 1 January to date was in line with directors' expectations.

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Shares in IGas Energy are up almost 3% after the company said it is is positioned strongly for the future after successfully completing its financial restructuring.

"We have a healthy balance sheet, supported by operating cashflow from our production assets, which will enable us to focus on delivering the significant potential of both our production and development assets and provide a solid foundation for the longer-term future of the company," said CEO Stephen Bowler.

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Property management, insurance and ancillary services provider HML Holdings announced an update on trading for the 12 months to 31 March on Wednesday, ahead of the expected release of its full year results in late June.

The AIM-traded company said that, during the 12 month period, it continued to execute its acquisitive growth strategy completing six acquisitions.

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Materials innovation and solid-state battery technology company Ilika announced the launch of its Stereax P180 product on Wednesday, extending the operating temperature range of the Stereax family of solid-state batteries.

The AIM-traded firm said it followed the launch of Stereax M250 solid-state battery in April 2016, which focussed on miniaturisation of the solid-state battery technology.

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Shares in Kefi Minerals are up almost 16% as it confirmed the company and the Ethiopia government had finalised the Tulu Kapi community resettlement plan.

"Tasks include property survey and data updates plus new lands site preparations," said Kefi in a statement.

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AIM-listed explorer Kodal Minerals initial assay results have confirmed high-grade lithium mineralisation within the pegmatite intersections at its Bougouni project in Mali.

The results showed lithium mineralisation at new prospects, Sogola-Baoule and Boumou, within the pegmatite intersections.

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Ukraine-focussed shopping centre developer and operator Arricano Real Estate posted its final results on Wednesday, with recurring revenues increasing by 13.3% year-on-year to $23.1m.

The AIM-traded company owns and operates five completed shopping centres comprising 147,800 square metres of gross leasable area, a 49.9% shareholding in Assofit and land for a further three sites under development.

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Shares in PCI-PAL surged on Wednesday after the contact centre solutions provider announced it had won a contract with an automotive repair company.

The AIM-listed company will provide its technology and services to help solve the customer's mandatory payment card industry requirement, initially in one country and for not less than three years.

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Online trading platform provider Plus500 reported a 9% drop in revenue for the three months to the end of March, as it announced a change of chairman.

Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation rose 25% to $45.8m, but revenue declined to $77.5m from $85.2m in the first quarter of last year.

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Soft drinks group Nichols cautioned on Wednesday that the UK soft drinks market will remain challenging this year, as it said full-year earnings are anticipated to be in line with market expectations.

In a statement ahead of its annual general meeting, the group said its trading performance for the first quarter of 2017 has been in line with management expectations. In the UK, the Vimto brand continues to outperform the market, with reported sales up 3.4% compared to the first quarter of last year. This compares favourably to the total soft drinks market growth of 1.2% in the same period.

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Shares in ULS Technology rose almost 9% after it flagged full-year results ahead of market expectations, with adjusted pre-tax profit up about 15% to 4.4m.

It also saw revenue ahead by about 8% to 22.3m.

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High technology solutions, information and services provider Oxford Instruments announced on Wednesday that it had agreed to sell its Industrial Analysis business to Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation (HHT) for a consideration of 80m on a cash and debt free basis.

The London-listed firm said HHT would acquire the companies, assets and liabilities that comprised the Industrial Analysis business.
BANGALORE  Visitors to Planet Textiles 2017 in Bangalore next month will get a chance to assess a range of upcycled wool fabrics derived from 100 per cent post-consumer textile waste, newly developed recycled cotton and polyester fabrics spun in India, as well as lite leather produced in ultra-modern tanneries located in the USA, Vietnam and China.

These will be just some of the products and technical solutions offered by a range of exhibitor companies at Planet Textiles who have qualified to show at the event and who will supplement the already impressive speaker line-up on 24th May at the JW Marriot Hotel in Bangalore, India.

Recently added speakers at the event include the AFIRM Group, where representative Elaine Gardiner from the Pentland Group will join a panel session on textile wet processing, and the International Finance Corporation-PaCT will give examples of successes on wastewater management solutions in Bangaldesh thanks to program manager, Mohan Seneviratne. Delegate places are still available here, but space is now becoming limited.

Its been confirmed that Geetanjali Woollens Pvt. Ltd., will be on hand to talk delegates through how the vertically integrated wool textile supplier produces a range of upcycled fabrics from 100 per cent post-consumer textile waste. "All the products are always made from 100 per cent post-consumer textiles without the use of dyes, chemicals and much less water, said Deepak Goel, Director, Geetanjali Woollens Pvt. Ltd., This provides our clients with a very good closed loop sustainable solution to promote for sustainable clothing collections.

In addition to wool fabrics, Anandi Enterprises will unveil its own Recca branded recycled cotton and polyester yarns and fabrics, wholly produced in its own vertical operation in India. The company says it already works closely with major brands such as C&A, Wal-Mart, H&M, Levi Strauss, Li & Fung, Marks & Spencer and Decathlon.

Also present with an exhibition table will be ISA TanTec, which was founded in 1995 as a German invested company and currently has three ultra-modern tanneries located in the USA, Vietnam and China. The company aims to make leather products in the most environmentally responsible way possible and says: approximately 27,300 tons of rainwater is collected by our lagoon per year, which is used for production and greenery by wind power, saving 5,189 kwh per year and reducing 4,006 kg CO 2 emissions.

Life Cycle Assessment

Visitors will also be able to hear about the World Apparel & Footwear Life Cycle Assessment Database from Quantis International which has a booth at Planet Textiles. The database aims to drive metrics-based sustainability in the global textile and fashion sectors by delivering robust data for environmental impact assessment and foot-printing.

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) data is important to understand the impacts of the apparel, footwear, and home textile products. WALDB is eager to provide this data so that we can learn how to create more sustainable products, and in turn transform the industry into a sustainable one, noted Betsy Blaisdell, Vice President, Higg Index, Sustainable Apparel Coalition.

Also welcoming Planet Textile delegates to its booth will be the new Fashion for Good Initiative. Launched in partnership with the C&A Foundation and a range of other industry stakeholders, Fashion for Good aims to change the apparel industry through innovation and funding new business models. This joint-industry initiative also has the support of C&A, the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute, The Ellen MacArthur Foundation, Kering, McDonough Innovation, IDH, ImpactHub, the Sustainable Trade Initiative, Plug and Play and the Sustainable Apparel Coalition.

These companies will be joined in the exhibition area of Planet Textiles by performance chemicals supplier Resil which supplies non-leaching, natural particulate silver based antimicrobials; international testing solutions provider TUV Rhineland; man-made cellulosic yarns and fabric supplier Aditya Birla and Ashoka, and NGO which has a global network of partners who implement system-changing solutions to human and environmental problems.

Find out more at: www.planet-textiles.com
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We reserve the right, in our sole discretion and at any time, to make changes to this Visitor Agreement and our other policies concerning the use of the Edmunds Automotive Network, including the Community Services. We also reserve the right, in our sole discretion and at any time, to waive or modify any of the terms of this Visitor Agreement as they apply to a specific item of VSC or as they apply to a specific Visitor, without affecting the application of these terms to any other VSC or Visitors. Changes will be effective when made and the updated Visitor Agreement or applicable policy is posted on the Edmunds Automotive Network; provided, however, that no such change shall be applicable to any dispute between you and us that arises prior to the time such change is effective. Accordingly, you should visit this Visitor Agreement periodically to review its provisions.

Registration on Edmunds

We require that, to use certain Community Services, you first register with us by providing to us an email address, a password and, in some instances, a username or screen name or other information. That information is referred to as your "Registration Information."

You agree not to register on behalf of another person or to impersonate any person or entity. You agree not to use a false email address or to otherwise deceive or mislead our Visitors or Moderators as to the origin or your VSC. You also agree not to choose a username or a screen name for the purposes of deceiving or misleading our Visitors and/or the Moderators as to your true identity (for example by impersonating any other real or fictitious person or entity), or that (i) suggests that you are a representative of an entity when you are not, (ii) incorporates a solicitation (e.g., yoursitedotcom, dealershipname, isellporsches), or (iii) includes any profanity or is offensive.

You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your password. You are responsible for all usage of and activity in the Community Services through your username and password, including use of your username and password by any third party. Your account is unique to you and may not be transferred to any third party. You should notify us of any known or suspected unauthorized use of your Registration Information.

Edmunds requires that a Visitor be not less than 13 years old in order to provide Registration Information. Edmunds also requires that a Visitor who provides Registration Information not be a resident of the European Union. Accordingly, by agreeing to be bound by this Visitor Agreement and providing Registration Information, you are representing to us that you meet these requirements.

Keeping Your Personal Information Private

Visitors should be aware that disclosure in the Community Services of your full name, street address or other personal information raises privacy concerns and may result in solicitations from third parties or unwanted communications. We disclaim any responsibility or liability arising from your disclosure of such personal information, or any other information, in the Community Services.

Violations of this Visitor Agreement

Any Visitor who violates this Visitor Agreement may be banned permanently from using some or all of the Community Services. If your registration is terminated or deactivated by us, you agree not to re-register and you acknowledge that your VSC may be deleted and/or your username may be given to another Visitor without notice to you.

Edmunds reserves and retains all rights and remedies provided by law or equity to redress any violation of this Visitor Agreement, as well as the right to take action to nullify, block or deny your ability to submit VSC. You understand that we may exercise this right in our sole discretion.

Permission to Access and Use the Edmunds Automotive Network

We grant you a limited license and permission to access and make personal use of the Edmunds Automotive Network and its content. This license does not include any resale or commercial use of the Edmunds Automotive Network or its content; any collection or use of any vehicle or other product or service listings, descriptions or prices; any collection or use of the editorial content or the content submitted by our Visitors; any derivative use of the Edmunds Automotive Network or its content; or any use of data mining, robots or similar data gathering, scraping or extraction tools or processes; and you agree not to do any of the foregoing.

Except as explicitly provided in this Visitor Agreement, you agree not to download, store in any form, distribute, transmit, display, reproduce, modify, create derivative works from, sell or otherwise exploit any portion of the Edmunds Automotive Network for any commercial purpose. You may display and occasionally print a single copy of pages of the Edmunds Automotive Network for your personal use, but you may not otherwise reproduce any content appearing on the Edmunds Automotive Network (other than your own VSC) without our prior written or emailed consent. Requests for permission to reproduce or distribute any content on the Edmunds Automotive Network should be sent to Permissions.

The downloading, reproduction, republication, retransmission or other use, as a stand-alone file, of the images marked as licensed from Getty Images or other third parties is prohibited.

Any violation of the forgoing may result in the termination of your license and permission to access and make use of the Edmunds Automotive Network.

The Community Services and Visitor-Submitted Content

License of Visitor-Submitted Content to Us

You agree that, by submitting any Visitor-Submitted Content to us, you are granting to us and our designees a non-exclusive, perpetual, irrevocable, fully assignable, sublicensable, fully paid up and royalty-free license to use that Visitor-Submitted Content, without restrictions of any kind and without any payment or other consideration of any kind, or any permission or notification, to you or any third party. This license shall include, without limitation, the irrevocable right to reproduce, publish, create derivative works from, combine with other works, modify, alter, adapt, edit, reformat, translate, distribute copies, display, perform, provide to third parties and sublicense that Visitor-Submitted Content, and all rights therein, in the name of Edmunds.com, Inc. or its designees throughout the universe in perpetuity in any and all media now or hereafter known.

This license provides us with the right to use any Visitor-Submitted Content for any purpose, including for advertising or other commercial use. These rights apply to your name, other personal information, photo, likeness and voice, if included in that Visitor-Submitted Content. If we publish your Visitor-Submitted Content or authorize or sublicense others to do so, your Visitor-Submitted Content may be edited for length or clarity or for any other reason (either before or after it is published), and it may be attributed to you by name and city (if provided to us) unless you expressly request that you remain anonymous. You waive any "moral rights" in your Visitor-Submitted Content.

You are also granting to us the non-exclusive right to seek to enjoin and/or obtain damages from any third party for the unauthorized use or reproduction of your Visitor-Submitted Content.

You represent and warrant that your Visitor-Submitted Content (i) is your original work, and (ii) does not violate and will not violate the rights of any third party or any local, state, national or foreign law, including any right of publicity, right of privacy or any other proprietary right.

Edmunds shall have the exclusive option to purchase from you and acquire all right, title and interest, including, without limitation, any copyrights and other intellectual property law in and to the VSC you submit, which rights shall include the right to apply for copyright registration for any or all of the VSC, and all rights therein, in the name of Edmunds.com, Inc. or its designees throughout the universe in perpetuity in any and all media now or hereafter known. The option shall be exercisable by us from the date you submit the VSC until two years from that date. If we exercise the option, you agree to accept payment in the amount of $1000 USD or value in kind at our discretion, and you agree to execute, acknowledge and deliver such other instruments consistent with an assignment of the intellectual property as may be reasonably necessary to carry out or effectuate the purposes or intent of the assignment of the VSC.

Management of Visitor-Submitted Content

We reserve the right in our sole discretion to review all VSC and to remove, or to decline to display, any VSC. However, we also reserve the right in our sole discretion to display any VSC that is submitted to us, or to decline to remove any VSC, even if it violates this Visitor Agreement.

While we have no obligation to do so, we do monitor certain Visitor-Submitted Content. However, since not all of the areas that are monitored are done so on a "real time" basis, you may see Visitor-Submitted Content that violates this Visitor Agreement before we do. Please report such items to our Moderators by using the Help link on every page or the "Report It" link (where available), or by clicking "Flag" in the Forums.

We do not make any promises as to what actions we will or will not take with respect to any VSC, and no such promises should be inferred from either this Visitor Agreement or any communication by us. VSC posted in the Forums may be revised or deleted during the four hours after it is posted, but may not be revised or deleted by the Visitor who posted it after that time. Dealer Ratings and Reviews may not be revised or deleted by Visitors, but a review may be supplemented by the Member who submitted it. You understand that the VSC of other Visitors is based on their individual opinions and experiences, which may vary significantly from one person to the next. We do not endorse or guarantee the accuracy of any VSC, and you agree that we are not responsible for the accuracy of any VSC and will not be liable for any damages incurred as a result of the submission or use thereof.

The Forums

Your email address included in your Forums profile will not be displayed, unless you change your profile settings to request that it be displayed.

We welcome all points of view on automotive matters. However, although interactions within the Forums occur in cyberspace, everyday manners apply. Please respect and interact with fellow Visitors as you would in any public arena. Civility and respect underlie the success of an on-line community; if you wish to take issue with the statements of other Visitors or the Moderators, please engage in healthy, mature debate and not immature behavior or name-calling. While we want to maintain an inviting environment for all Visitors, disruptive conduct, such as off-topic comments in a topic-oriented discussion, is not allowed. Neither is "spam" (e.g., posting your message in multiple places throughout the Forums).

The Forums are areas for the exchange of information and, in some areas, advice. Questions asked may be answered, but please do not attempt to take the conversation out of the Forums (such as by requesting that an answer be emailed). Such actions deprive other Visitors of the benefit of the Forums.

Other than the inclusion (at your election) of your email address, you may not submit VSC that contains personally identifiable information about any person or entity, such as telephone numbers or email addresses, including your own, or information that could result in an invasion of privacy or harassment of any person or entity. If you are describing, in the Forums, a transaction or dealing with an automobile dealership, you may include the dealership name and its location. However, please do not include in a Forums posting the telephone numbers, email addresses or other contact information of salespeople or any other individuals.

Including a link in your VSC to another website is permissible when appropriate in the context of answering a question posed by another Visitor, but not for the purpose of promoting other automotive communities or third-party products or services. The Moderators will remove any link they believe does not provide value to Visitors.

Profanity, Harassment and Other Inappropriate Conduct

You may not submit VSC that is indecent, profane (including masked profanity where symbols, initials, intentional misspellings or other characters are used to suggest profane language), obscene, pornographic, abusive, threatening, misleading, illegal or defamatory, or any material that interferes with the ability of others to enjoy the Community Services. We wish to maintain a family-friendly, "G-rated" environment. Please use this as your guideline when in doubt.

In addition, we do not tolerate a Visitor harassing, threatening or embarrassing other Visitors  including harassment or denigration based on age, gender, race, religion, national origin, sexual orientation or disability, marital status or veteran status  or the stalking of other Visitors. You agree not to engage in this behavior.

Illegal and Objectionable Activities

We do not allow the promotion of illegal conduct or activities or fraudulent schemes in the Forums. Specifically, you may not advocate illegal conduct, such as street racing, reckless driving or driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. You also agree to not engage in any illegal activity in connection with your participation in or use of the Forums.

Rights of Third Parties

You may not submit VSC that infringes in any manner on the copyright, trademark or intellectual property rights of any person or entity, or that contains any confidential or proprietary information of any person or entity, or that otherwise violates the legal rights of any person or entity. You may not use the Forums to display or distribute unauthorized copyrighted material, including articles, photos, videos, artwork, recordings, designs or computer programs (except for quotes of reasonable length from articles or similar materials).

We disclaim any responsibility or liability for copyrighted materials posted in the Forums. If you believe that your work has been copied in the Forums in a manner that constitutes copyright infringement, please follow the procedures set forth below under the caption "Copyright Complaints."

You agree that you will not use or reproduce any VSC of any other Visitor in any manner or in any media, including posting or republishing any VSC of another Visitor on any other website. (You may, however, occasionally reprint or post excerpts, not to exceed 50 words, from a single item of VSC of another Visitor if it is clear that the original and full item of VSC is available on the Edmunds Automotive Network.) You may also display a link to, or the address of, the page of the Edmunds Automotive Network on which any VSC appears.

Promotions and Solicitations

You agree that, except with our prior consent, you will not upload, post, email, transmit or otherwise use the Forums to make or distribute any unsolicited or unauthorized advertising, contests, sweepstakes, survey requests or promotional materials, to campaign for any political cause, or to implore Visitors to take actions that are intended to further a personal or commercial purpose.

You agree you will not use information supplied within the Forums to do any of the foregoing, by email or any other method. You agree not to gather public email addresses from Visitor profiles or harvest or collect other information about other Visitors from the Edmunds Automotive Network, including usernames, or use any of that information for the purpose of sending unsolicited bulk communications or for any other purpose. You may not use or provide to any person or entity, whether or not for a fee, any directory of or information regarding other Visitors.

Links included as a part of your signature line are never permitted and will be removed by the Moderators.

Dealer Ratings and Reviews

This Community Service provides you with an opportunity to describe your experience with a particular dealership and to comment on the experiences of other reviewers.

To facilitate the free flow of useful information about these businesses, we have established a number of "rules of the road" for posting a review or comment:

Your review should describe what your experience was like, with facts and not fluff. Stay on-topic. We do not publish reviews that do not provide information about the reviewer's personal experience. Reviews that do not provide sufficient detail concerning that experience may be rejected as unhelpful to our Visitors.

You may not submit a review of your experience if you have been offered any payment or other incentive to do so, or if you have a personal relationship with the owner or any of the employees of the dealership.

Your review must describe an experience that occurred within the past two years.

While we do permit you to include your description of and frank opinion about your experience, we do not permit "name-calling" or the use of profanity.

We do not permit the posting of ads or solicitations, HTML or links, or personal contact information (e.g., telephone numbers, email addresses) for you or others.

You may include the name of any salesperson or other individual with whom you dealt but  to reiterate  not his or her telephone number, email address or other contact information.

Please do not write in ALL CAPS.

A comment can be positive or negative, ask questions and/or provide supporting information.

Please note that, after a review is submitted, it may not be revised or deleted by you  and we will not do so if requested. However, you may add additional information concerning your experience by submitting an update.

While we ask that our Visitors not post reviews and comments that are defamatory or otherwise inaccurate, and that they refrain from offensive personal descriptions or incivility, we do not remove a review or comment in response to allegations that it contains defamatory language or inaccuracies, or because it may be offensive to some people.

We have a policy of not posting a review that we know, or have reason to believe, is not a genuine reflection of a consumer's experience at a dealership. However, we do not remove a review in response to an allegation that it is not genuine unless we are presented with persuasive extrinsic evidence.

We do not make any promises as to what actions we will or will not take with respect to any review or comment, and no such promises should be inferred from either this Visitor Agreement or any communication by us.

Dealers and their representatives have the ability to comment on the reviews of their businesses. However any person associated with the business, either personally or professionally, must disclose that relationship in his or her comment. If you represent a dealership, please visit our Dealer Resource Center and download our Information Sheet; it includes tips on how best to engage and benefit from our Dealer Ratings and Reviews.

It is a violation of this Visitor Agreement for you to (i) create, submit or post any review on behalf of another person, (ii) create, submit or post any review that is not a bona fide reflection of your actual experience, or (iii) advise or induce anyone else to create or submit, or to participate or assist anyone in the creation or posting of, any review that is not a bona fide reflection of the actual experience of the person submitting that review. Anyone who violates the foregoing prohibition will be subject to legal recourse by Edmunds, including claims for damages and/or for indemnification as provided below.

Vehicle Ratings and Reviews

This Community Service provides you with an opportunity to describe your experience with a particular vehicle and to comment on the experience of other reviewers. In an effort to provide Visitors with the most valuable consumer insight and information, we have established a number of "rules of the road" for posting a review or comment:

Please only write a review if you have had hands-on experience with the vehicle. Please limit your review to the facts and details of your experience driving the vehicle, and do not include facts or details about the dealership from which you may have purchased or leased the vehicle. (If you desire to describe your experience at the dealership, please submit a Dealer Review.)

You may not submit a vehicle review if you have been offered any payment or other incentive to do so. If you or a member of your household is associated with any automotive manufacturer, dealer or advertising agency for an automotive manufacturer or dealer, or with a supplier to the automotive industry, you are required to disclose that relationship in your review or comment.

Please do not use profanity in your review text.

We do not permit the posting of for-sale ads or solicitations, HTML or links, or personal contact information (e.g., telephone numbers, email addresses) for you or for others.

Please do not write in ALL CAPS.

A comment can be positive or negative, ask questions and/or provide supporting information.

Please note that, after a review is submitted, it may not be deleted by you and we will not do so if requested. However, you may edit or update a review by clicking the "update your review" button located beneath your review, or by following the instructions sent to you by email following publication of your review.

We do not make any promises as to what actions we will or will not take with respect to any review or comment, and no such promises should be inferred from either this Visitor Agreement or any communication by us.

Availability of Community Services

While we make reasonable efforts to ensure that the Community Services are available at all times, we do not guarantee that the Community Services will be uninterrupted or error-free, and we do not guarantee that Visitors will be able to access or use all the Community Services or all of their features at all times.

We may change, suspend or discontinue any or all Community Services, or any or all of their features, at any time. We may also impose limits on your access to or use of certain features of the Community Services, or restrict your access to any or all of the Community Services, in all cases without notice to you or liability to us.

Community Services Security; Violations of Law

You may not submit VSC that consists of or contains software viruses. Violations of system and network security are prohibited, and may result in criminal and civil liability. Examples of system and network security violations include the following:

Any automated use of the system;

Use of software that allows your account to stay logged on while you are not actively using your account; and

Unauthorized access to or use of data, systems or networks, including any attempt to probe, scan or test the vulnerability of a system or network or to breach security or authentication measures without the express authorization of the owner of the system or network.

We may investigate incidents involving such violations, any violations of this Visitor Agreement that may constitute or have the potential to constitute violations of law, and any activity by Visitors on the Edmunds Automotive Network that constitute or may constitute violations of law. You understand that we may report any such activity to, and cooperate with, law enforcement, with or without receipt by us of a subpoena or other legal process.

Ideas Submitted to Edmunds

From time to time, we provide opportunities for individuals to submit to us ideas and improvements related to the Edmunds Automotive Network and our other services and technology.

You agree that, by submitting your ideas and/or improvements: (i) your submission will automatically become the property of and owned by Edmunds; (ii) Edmunds may use or redistribute your submission and its contents for any purpose and in any way without any restrictions; (iii) Edmunds has no obligation by Edmunds to review any submission; (iv) Edmunds has no obligation by Edmunds to keep any submission confidential, and (v) Edmunds has no other obligation to you or contract with you, implied or otherwise, with respect to your ideas or improvements.

Electronic Communications

When you visit the Edmunds Automotive Network or send emails to us, you are communicating with us electronically. You consent to receive communications from us electronically. We may communicate with you by email or by posting notices on the Edmunds Automotive Network. You agree that all agreements, notices, disclosures and other communications that we provide to you electronically or that you provide to us electronically satisfy any legal requirement that such communications be in writing.

You also understand and agree that we may send you certain communications in connection with your use of the Community Services, such as service announcements and administrative messages, and that you will not be able to opt out of receiving those communications, and that we may send you copies of any periodic newsletters or similar informative communications we send to Visitors who have registered with us (but you will be able to opt out of receiving future issues at any time). Any communications sent to you personally concerning your participation in the Community Services or related matters are not intended to be made public, and you agree not to post those communications in the Community Services or elsewhere on the internet.

Liability and Warranty Disclaimers

ALL MATERIALS, INFORMATION, SOFTWARE, PRODUCTS AND SERVICES INCLUDED IN OR AVAILABLE THROUGH THE EDMUNDS AUTOMOTIVE NETWORK ARE PROVIDED "AS IS" AND "AS AVAILABLE" FOR YOUR USE. THE EDMUNDS AUTOMOTIVE NETWORK AND ALL MATERIALS, INFORMATION, SOFTWARE, PRODUCTS AND SERVICES INCLUDED IN OR AVAILABLE THROUGH THE EDMUNDS AUTOMOTIVE NETWORK ARE PROVIDED WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. WE AND THE OTHER ENTITIES FROM WHOM WE OBTAIN CONTENT DO NOT WARRANT THAT THE MATERIALS, INFORMATION (INCLUDING PRICES), SOFTWARE, PRODUCTS OR SERVICES INCLUDED IN OR AVAILABLE THROUGH THE EDMUNDS AUTOMOTIVE NETWORK ARE ACCURATE, RELIABLE OR CORRECT; THAT THE EDMUNDS AUTOMOTIVE NETWORK WILL BE AVAILABLE AT ANY PARTICULAR TIME OR LOCATION; THAT ANY DEFECTS OR ERRORS WILL BE CORRECTED; OR THAT THE EDMUNDS AUTOMOTIVE NETWORK IS FREE OF VIRUSES OR OTHER HARMFUL COMPONENTS. YOUR USE OF THE EDMUNDS AUTOMOTIVE NETWORK IS SOLELY AT YOUR OWN RISK. BECAUSE SOME JURISDICTIONS DO NOT PERMIT THE EXCLUSION OF CERTAIN WARRANTIES, THESE EXCLUSIONS MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU.

All prices, incentives and rebate information, and other information displayed on the Edmunds Automotive Network are gathered from sources and based on algorithms that are believed by us to be reliable (other than Visitor-Submitted Content, as to which we make no such representation), but we do not verify this information and no assurance can be given that this information is accurate, complete or current.

Furthermore, prices displayed on the Edmunds Automotive Network for vehicles advertised by dealers are sometimes calculated by us based on data and rules supplied to us by the dealers or by intermediaries who transmit data from the dealers to us. Neither we nor the dealers nor the intermediaries are responsible for any errors in such data or rules, or for any errors that may occur in the manner in which we apply such data and rules to determine the vehicle prices displayed. Before purchasing any vehicle or other products or services you read about on the Edmunds Automotive Network, you should confirm with the dealer or vendor any information (including the price and available incentives or rebates) that is important to your decision.

In addition, we can give no assurance that any advice, recommendation or guidance that we provide on the Edmunds Automotive Network, in press releases, in communications between our staff and third parties, or in any other medium, or that are provided by our Visitors through the Edmunds Automotive Network, is accurate, complete or current. We do not warrant the accuracy of, or assume (and you agree that Edmunds does not bear any) responsibility for any errors or omissions in the information, advice, recommendations or guidance provided by either our staff or our Visitors.

The Edmunds Automotive Network displays third-party advertising, promotions and marketing materials, some of which may be identified as for our "partners," and links to many websites not operated by us. This may include sites where you can obtain products and services such as new and used vehicles, vehicle financing, insurance, maintenance plans, roadside assistance plans, vehicle inspection services, and credit reporting/monitoring/application services. While we encourage you to visit such sites and review the opportunities those sites offer, Edmunds does not control, endorse or guarantee the content of any advertising, promotions or marketing materials we display to you, or any of the content found on the sites to which we link. We are not responsible for the claims made by third parties or for the products or services those third parties provide, and we do not guarantee or warrant the prices, terms, quality, reliability or performance of the products or services provided by those third parties. You agree that Edmunds is not responsible for any advertising, promotions or marketing materials that we display to you; or for any content, services or products on or provided through those sites; and that Edmunds will not be liable for any loss or damage of any kind arising from or incurred in connection with your reliance on any third-party advertising, promotions or marketing materials, or your use of third-party content, services or products. We do not co-sponsor, operate, endorse or guarantee any sweepstakes, contest, reward or similar offer that may be promoted from time to time by third parties or that may be accessible through links from the Edmunds Automotive Network.

On the Edmunds Automotive Network we collect personally identifiable information from individuals who authorize us to submit such information to one or more automobile dealers. As provided in our Privacy Statement, in some instances such information is also provided to other third parties. Those dealers and other third parties are not affiliated with Edmunds.com, Inc. We make no representation or warranty concerning, and we are not responsible for, any of the products or services those dealers or third parties provide, the manner in which those products or services are provided, or for any use made by those dealers or third parties of your personally identifiable information.

FCA US LLC ("FCA") provides certain data, information and images to Edmunds (the "FCA Information"). The FCA Information is provided by FCA "as is" and FCA makes no warranties, either expressed or implied, of any kind respecting the FCA Information, including, without limitation, implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose. The FCA Information is not warranted to be error- or virus-free. FCA is not liable for any damages in connection with the use of the FCA Information, including without limitation, any loss of profit, use, goodwill or any work stoppage, computer failure or malfunction, interruption of business, or any direct, indirect, special, exemplary, incidental or consequential damages in connection with, related to, or arising out of the use of the FCA Information.

Limitation of Liability

UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES SHALL WE OR ANY OF THE COMPANIES WITH WHICH WE DO BUSINESS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, PUNITIVE, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES THAT RESULT FROM THE USE OF, OR INABILITY TO USE, THE EDMUNDS AUTOMOTIVE NETWORK. THIS LIMITATION APPLIES WHETHER THE ALLEGED LIABILITY IS BASED ON CONTRACT, TORT, NEGLIGENCE, STRICT LIABILITY OR ANY OTHER LEGAL THEORY, EVEN IF WE HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES, AND EVEN UNDER CIRCUMSTANCES THAT CAUSE ANY EXCLUSIVE REMEDY UNDER THIS AGREEMENT TO FAIL OF ITS ESSENTIAL PURPOSE. BECAUSE SOME JURISDICTIONS DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, OUR LIABILITY IN SUCH JURISDICTIONS SHALL BE LIMITED TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW.

Indemnification

You agree that you will be responsible for any damages resulting from any violation of this Visitor Agreement. You further agree to indemnify and hold Edmunds.com, Inc., and its affiliates, officers, directors, agents and employees, harmless from any claim or demand, including reasonable attorneys' fees, made by any third party due to or arising out of your violation of this Visitor Agreement, or any breach of any representation made by you in this Visitor Agreement, or any violation of any law or the rights of any third party (including any right of publicity, right of privacy, intellectual property right, or any other proprietary right) that occurs in connection with your use of the Edmunds Automotive Network.

Copyright Complaints

We respect the intellectual property of others. If you believe that your work has been copied by us or by any third party on the Edmunds Automotive Network in a manner that constitutes copyright infringement, please provide our copyright agent the written information specified below. Please note that this procedure is exclusively for notifying us that your copyrighted material has been infringed:

An electronic or physical signature of the person authorized to act on behalf of the owner of the copyright interest;

A description of the copyrighted work that you claim has been infringed upon;

A description of where the material that you claim is infringing is located on the Edmunds Automotive Network, including the URL of the page on which it appears;

Your address, telephone number and email address;

A statement by you that you have a good-faith belief that the disputed use is not authorized by the copyright owner, its agent or the law; and

A statement by you, made under penalty of perjury, that the above information in your notice is accurate and that you are the copyright owner or authorized to act on the copyright owner's behalf.

Our Copyright Agent for notice of claims of copyright infringement on the Edmunds Automotive Network can be reached at:

Edmunds.com, Inc.

2401 Colorado Avenue

Santa Monica, CA 90404

Attention: Legal Department

Miscellaneous

Choice of Law and Forum; Attorneys' Fees

This Visitor Agreement, your use of the Edmunds Automotive Network and our products and services, and the rights of the parties shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware, excluding its conflicts of law rules. You agree that, unless expressly waived by us or we bring an action in a different jurisdiction, the exclusive jurisdiction for any claim or action arising out of or relating to this Visitor Agreement or your use of the Edmunds Automotive Network shall be in the state or federal courts located in the County of Los Angeles, State of California, and you further (i) agree and submit to the exercise of personal jurisdiction of such courts for the purpose of litigating any such claim or action, and (i) agree not to file or bring any claim or action in a different jurisdiction. You also agree that in the event of any action to enforce or interpret this Visitor Agreement, the prevailing party shall be entitled to collect its reasonable attorney fees.

Severability of Provisions

If any provision of this Visitor Agreement shall be deemed invalid, void or for any other reason unenforceable, that provision shall be deemed severable and shall not affect the validity and enforceability of the balance of this Visitor Agreement.

Notices

Any notices to the Edmunds Automotive Network should be sent to Edmunds.com, Inc., 2401 Colorado Avenue, Santa Monica, CA 90404, USA, Attention: Legal Department, sent via first class mail or overnight courier; or by email to GeneralCounsel@edmunds.com.
Students sue Berkeley amid Coulter row

Two student groups that plan to host conservative author Ann Coulter have sued the University of California at Berkeley, where she plans to speak.
The Trump administration's proposed plan for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency includes completely defunding several programs related to climate change, public health and pollution, according to an internal agency memo that was leaked to the media last month. An article in Chemical & Engineering News (C&EN), the weekly newsmagazine of the American Chemical Society, runs through the numbers.

Britt Erickson, Cheryl Hogue and Jessica Morrison of C&EN report that the administration is asking for $5.7 billion in fiscal 2018 funding for the EPA. This would be $2.6 billion less than the estimated $8.3 billion the agency could get this year if Congress extends a stopgap funding law that expires April 28. To achieve this cut, here are some examples of what the administration proposes for the chopping block: more than 4,000 jobs; the Integrated Risk Information System, which assesses the risks of toxic chemicals; research grants related to pollution prevention and lead poisoning prevention; all climate change-related projects; and regional cleanup programs including the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative and the Chesapeake Bay Program.

But how many and how much of the cuts might become reality remains uncertain. Whether the changes detailed in the memo will be incorporated in the administration's official 2018 budget plan is unclear. And, ultimately, Congress would have to go along with the proposal in order for the reductions to be implemented.

###

The article, "Trump EPA to shed chemical programs, grants," is freely available here.

The American Chemical Society is a nonprofit organization chartered by the U.S. Congress. ACS is the world's largest scientific society and a global leader in providing access to chemistry-related research through its multiple databases, peer-reviewed journals and scientific conferences. ACS does not conduct research, but publishes and publicizes peer-reviewed scientific studies. Its main offices are in Washington, D.C., and Columbus, Ohio.

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DALLAS, April 26, 2017 -- Drinking 32 ounces of a commercially available energy drink resulted in more profound changes in the heart's electrical activity and blood pressure than drinking 32 ounces of a control drink with the same amount of caffeine - 320 milligrams (mg), according to new research in Journal of the American Heart Association, the Open Access Journal of the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association.

While the U.S. Food and Drug Administration generally considers caffeine in doses of less than 400 mg as safe, energy drinks often consist of not only caffeine but proprietary energy blends. With more than 500 types of energy drinks on the market, there has been an increase in energy-drink-associated emergency room visits and deaths, prompting questions about their safety, researchers said.

"We decided to study energy drinks' potential heart health impact because previous research has shown 75 percent of the base's military personnel have consumed an energy drink. And nearly 15 percent of military personnel, in general, drink three cans a day when deployed, which is more than we studied here," said Emily A. Fletcher, Pharm.D., study author and deputy pharmacy flight commander from David Grant U.S.A.F. Medical Center at Travis Air Force Base in California.

Eighteen young participants were randomly divided into two groups. The first group received 32 ounces of a commercially-available energy drink (containing 108 g of sugar, 320 mg of caffeine, and various other compounds). The second group was given a control drink containing 320 mg of caffeine, 40 ml of lime juice and 140 ml of cherry syrup in carbonated water. After a six-day washout period, participants switched drinks.

Researchers measured the electrical activity of the volunteers' hearts by electrocardiogram. They also measured their peripheral and central blood pressures at the study's start and at one, two, four, six and 24 hours after drink consumption.

"Peripheral blood pressure is the measurement of the pressure in an outlying artery, typically an upper arm. Central blood pressure is the measurement of the pressure in the aorta near the heart," she said. "Blood pressures at each location are not always affected equally when a substance is introduced, such as medications. Central blood pressure is an emerging and potentially superior method to assess health outcomes related to elevated blood pressure."

They found that, when compared to the caffeine group, those in the energy drink group had a corrected QT interval 10-milliseconds higher at 2 hours.

"The QT interval is the measurement of the time it takes ventricles in the heart (the lower chambers) to repolarize, or prepare to generate a beat again. It's the pause from the end of the electrical impulse generating the heart to beat to the next impulse," Fletcher said. "If this time interval, which is measured in milliseconds, is either too short or too long, it can cause the heart to beat abnormally. The resulting arrhythmia can be life threatening."

To put the 10-millisecond difference in perspective, there are medications that affect the corrected QT interval by 6 milliseconds and have warnings about the effect on product labels, Fletcher said.

While both the energy drink and caffeine-only groups had similar increases in systolic blood pressure, systolic pressures in the caffeine group had almost returned to their original readings after six hours.

"On the other hand, those who consumed the energy drinks still had a mildly elevated blood pressure after six hours," Fletcher said. "This suggests that ingredients other than caffeine may have some blood pressure altering effects, but this needs further evaluation."

Based on this preliminary evidence in young, healthy adults, people who have high blood pressure, underlying cardiac conditions or other health issues might want to avoid or use caution when consuming energy drinks until more is known about their impact on heart health, Fletcher said.

"This is a small study and further studies are needed to confirm these results," Fletcher said.

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Co-authors are Carolyn S Lacey, M.D.; Melenie Aaron, B.S.; Mark Kolasa, M.D.; Andrew Occiano, Pharm.D.; and Sachin A Shah, Pharm.D. Author disclosures are on the manuscript.

The Clinical Investigations Facility at Travis Air Force Base, California funded this study.

Additional Resources:

Photos of energy drinks, high blood pressure, and blood pressure checks available on the right column of the release link http://newsroom.heart.org/news/energy-drinks-linked-to-more-heart-blood-pressure-changes-than-caffeinated-drinks-alone?preview=e99810acc54e7f6eca18f24796ae7caa

After April 26, view the manuscript online.

AHA Blood Pressure Site

Energy drinks may increase blood pressure, disturb heart rhythm

Poison control data show energy drinks and young kids don't mix

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Statements and conclusions of study authors published in American Heart Association scientific journals are solely those of the study authors and do not necessarily reflect the association's policy or position. The association makes no representation or guarantee as to their accuracy or reliability. The association receives funding primarily from individuals; foundations and corporations (including pharmaceutical, device manufacturers and other companies) also make donations and fund specific association programs and events. The association has strict policies to prevent these relationships from influencing the science content. Revenues from pharmaceutical and device corporations and health insurance providers are available at http://www.heart.org/corporatefunding.
NEW YORK (April 26, 2017) - Autism Speaks today issued the first in a series of annual, in-depth reports on special topics in autism. Autism and Health: Advances in Understanding and Treating the Health Conditions that Frequently Accompany Autism gathers into one comprehensive report the most authoritative research and the latest guidelines on treatment and support of children and adults with autism spectrum disorder.

The last decade has brought tremendous advances in understanding and addressing the many physical and mental health conditions that often go hand-in-hand with autism. Those conditions include epilepsy, gastrointestinal distress (GI), sleep disturbances, eating and feeding challenges, attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), anxiety, depression, schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. These issues can extend across the life span.

While each new piece of high-quality research adds to our understanding of autism, it also adds to the complexity of developing the best practices to address the diverse needs of the autism community.

Health problems attributed to autism may instead be symptoms of a different condition - one that is treatable. For example:

-Children with autism are almost 8 times more likely than typical kids to have chronic GI distress. The report includes expert guidance on when to seek help for "picky eating," which could be a sign of GI problems.

-More than half of people with autism have sleep disturbances, which may contribute to daytime behavioral problems. A model parent-education program teaches autism-specific sleep guidelines.

-30 to 60 percent of people with autism have symptoms of ADHD. Research shows that personalized treatment with cognitive-behavioral techniques adapted for autism may help.

The special report's Facts and Figures Supplement provides data on prevalence, screening and diagnosis, the cost of services and treatment, adult needs, and funding for research, among other categories.

"We now know more about autism than ever before, but each new piece of research paints an even more complex picture of the disorder," said Thomas Frazier, PhD, Autism Speaks chief science officer. "For the first time, our report pulls together the most up-to-date research on autism, and presents it in easy-to-understand terms. We hope people with autism, parents, communities, and health care providers will use this information to make the best possible decisions for their particular needs and to enhance the quality of life, now and in the future."

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Autism and Health: Advances in Understanding and Treating the Health Conditions that Frequently Accompany Autism is available at http://www.autismspeaks.org/specialreport.

About Autism

Autism, or autism spectrum disorder, refers to a broad range of conditions characterized by challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviors, speech and nonverbal communication. We now know that there is not one autism but many subtypes, and each person with autism can have unique strengths and challenges. Most are caused by a combination of genetic and environmental influences, and many are accompanied by medical issues such as GI disorders, seizures and sleep disturbances. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates 1 in 68 children is on the autism spectrum.

About Autism Speaks

Autism Speaks is dedicated to promoting solutions, across the spectrum and throughout the life span, for the needs of individuals with autism and their families. We do this through advocacy and support; increasing understanding and acceptance of autism spectrum disorder; and advancing research into causes and better interventions for autism spectrum disorder and related conditions. We empower people with autism and their families with resources, online tools and information covering the life span. Go to AutismSpeaks.org to learn more, donate or join a fundraising walk.
Newborn humpback whales 'whisper' to their mothers to avoid being overheard by killer whales, researchers have discovered. The recordings - the first obtained from tags directly attached to the whales - are published today in Functional Ecology.

Ecologists from Denmark and Australia used temporary tags on humpback mothers and their calves in Exmouth Gulf off western Australia to learn more about the first months of a humpback's life.

According to lead author Simone Videsen of Aarhus University: "We know next to nothing about the early life stages of whales in the wild, but they are crucial for the calves' survival during the long migration to their feeding grounds."

"This migration is very demanding for young calves. They travel 5,000 miles across open water in rough seas and with strong winds. Knowing more about their suckling will help us understand what could disrupt this critical behaviour, so we can target conservation efforts more effectively."

Humpbacks spend their summer in the food-rich waters of the Antarctic or Arctic, and in the winter migrate to the tropics to breed and mate. While in tropical waters such as Exmouth Gulf, calves must gain as much weight as possible to embark on their first, epic migration.

Together with colleagues from Murdoch University, Videsen tagged eight calves and two mothers. To capture the faint sounds of the calves, they used special tags developed by the University of St Andrews.

The tags attach to whales via suction cups and record sounds made and heard by whales, along with their movements, for up to 48 hours before detaching to float at the surface.

The study found that mothers and calves spend significant amounts of time nursing and resting. The recordings also revealed that newborn humpbacks communicate with their mothers using intimate grunts and squeaks - a far cry from the loud, haunting song of the male humpback whale.

The data tags showed that these quiet calls usually occurred while whales were swimming, suggesting they help mother and calf keep together in the murky waters of Exmouth Gulf. "We also heard a lot of rubbing sounds, like two balloons being rubbed together, which we think was the calf nudging its mother when it wants to nurse," says Videsen.

Such quiet communication helps reduce the risk of being overheard by killer whales nearby, she believes: "Killer whales hunt young humpback calves outside Exmouth Gulf, so by calling softly to its mother the calf is less likely to be heard by killer whales, and avoid attracting male humpbacks who want to mate with the nursing females."

The findings will help conserve this important humpback habitat and - crucially - ensure these nursery waters are kept as quiet as possible.

"From our research, we have learned that mother-calf pairs are likely to be sensitive to increases in ship noise. Because mother and calf communicate in whispers, shipping noise could easily mask these quiet calls."

There are two major humpback whale populations, one in the northern hemisphere and the other in the south. Both breed in the tropics during the winter and then migrate to the Arctic or Antarctic during the summer to feed.

Humpback whales are slow to reproduce. Pregnancy lasts for around one year and calves - which are 5 metres at birth - stay with their mothers until they are one year old. During their first weeks of life, calves can grow by up to one metre per month.

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Simone K. A. Videsen, Lars Bejder, Mark Johnson and Peter T. Madsen (2017). 'High suckling rates and acoustic crypsis of humpback whale neonates maximise potential for mother-calf energy transfer', doi: DOI 10.1111/1365-2435.12871, is published in Functional Ecology on 26 April 2017.

For more information contact Dr Simone Videsen, Aarhus University, mob: +45 28 89 82 04, email: simone.videsen@hotmail.com or Professor Peter Teglberg Madsen, mob: +45 51 77 87 71, email: peter.madsen@bios.au.dk

For copies of the paper, photographs and audio clips, contact Becky Allen, British Ecological Society Press Officer, mob: +44 (0)7949 804317, email: beckyallen@ntlworld.com
Contrary to popular perception, a new study by Boston University professor Christopher Salas- Wright finds that youth violence is declining--and at noteworthy rates.

Between 2002 and 2014, Salas-Wright and his colleagues found a 29% decrease in the relative proportion of young people involved in violence in the United States. The study, Trends in Fighting and Violence Among Adolescents in the United States: Evidence From the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 2002-2014 published in the American Journal of Public Health, also reveals a persistent pattern of racial and ethnic disparities in youth violence.

"There is often the sense that teenagers are out of control and that things are always getting worse," Salas-Wright said. "However, our study makes clear that, over the last 10 to 15 years, we have seen a meaningful decrease in the number of adolescents involved in fighting and violence."

Drawing from nationally representative data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, the study examines trends in violence (including fighting, group fighting, and attacks with intent to harm) among youth ages 12-17. Study findings indicate that among youth in general, violence is meaningfully down. Indeed, Salas-Wright and colleagues found that the prevalence of youth violence steadily dropped from a pinnacle of 33.6% in 2003 to a low of 23.7% in 2014.

Despite these encouraging findings, Salas-Wright is careful to note that disparities exist. Over the course of the study, African-American youth were consistently found to be most impacted by violent behavior followed by Hispanic and non-Hispanic white youth.

"Overall, these findings represent good news," Salas-Wright noted. "However, while violence decreased among youth from all racial and ethnic groups, we see clear evidence of that African- American and Hispanic youth continue to be disproportionately impacted by violence."

The study was co-authored by Erik Nelson of Indiana University, Michael Vaughn of Saint Louis University, Jennifer Reingle Gonzalez of University of Texas, and David Co?rdova of the University of Michigan.

The authors argue that, despite the standard assumptions about young people, findings from the present study are consistent with recent research on risk behavior among American youth. "

"While we are seeing noteworthy decreases in violence and other risky behaviors among youth, we shouldn't lose sight of the fact that these problems persist," Vaughn said. "There is still much work to be done."

Based on these findings, Salas-Wright and colleagues emphasize the importance of the continued development and dissemination of evidence-based programs and interventions designed to prevent not only violence but other problem behaviors among youth.

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About Boston University School of Social Work:

With roots dating back to 1918, Boston University School of Social Work's (BUSSW) mission is to develop dynamic and diverse social work practitioners, leaders, and scholars through rigorous teaching, innovative research, and transformative community engagement. BUSSW offers graduate programs in clinical and macro social work practice. For more information, visit bu.edu/ssw.

Founded in 1839, Boston University is an internationally recognized institution of higher education and research. With more than 33,000 students, it is the fourth-largest independent university in the United States. BU consists of 16 schools and colleges, along with a number of multi-disciplinary centers and institutes integral to the University's research and teaching mission. In 2012, BU joined the Association of American Universities, a consortium of 62 leading research universities in the United States and Canada.
New cogen installation on Yawkey roof will save $1.5 million a year and can heat and power the hospital's inpatient units for months if the electric grid goes down

Boston Medical Center is now generating much of its own electricity and heat through a natural gas-fired, 2 megawatt combined heat and power plant (CHP, or cogen), further enhancing BMC's standing as the most resilient and greenest hospital in Boston.

The cogen facility - about the size of a tractor trailer - will save BMC about $1.5 million in heat and energy costs annually. Traditional power plants, which release excess heat into the atmosphere, operate at about 35 percent efficiency. Cogen technology, which instead traps and reuses the heat, operates at 70 percent efficiency.

"BMC can make a strong case for being the greenest and most resilient hospital in Boston," said hospital CEO and President Kate Walsh. "For us, increasing efficiency and resiliency makes financial and operational sense. Cogen will save about $1.5 million in energy and heating costs, which are resources we can spend on patient care, instead of utility bills."

BMC is the only major teaching hospital in Massachusetts that currently has "black start" capability, meaning that if the electric grid goes down, the hospital can restart the cogen plant and heat and power its inpatient units on an "island" for months at a time, as long as it has a supply of natural gas. The cogen plant, which became operational this spring, is also located on the roof of the Yawkey Ambulatory Care Center, high above any potential floodwaters.

"We've learned lessons from Hurricane Katrina and Sandy, which devastated the health care infrastructure in their communities," said Bob Biggio, Senior Vice President for Facilities and Support Services. "Hospitals that had cogen were able to stay open and care for patients, while those without cogen were forced to evacuate. As the largest safety-net hospital and biggest trauma center in New England, we have an obligation to protect our patients in a natural disaster. Cogen gives us the ability to continue to care for the most vulnerable population in our city, even when the electric grid goes down."

The $15 million cogen plant was made possible by a $3.7 million grant from the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources' Community Clean Energy Resiliency Initiative. The Boston Public Health Commission partnered with BMC in securing the grant. In addition to powering and heating much of the hospital, the cogen facility will also serve as a backup power source for city and state emergency communications.

"Projects like Boston Medical Center's new combined heat and power plant are critical to ensuring that Massachusetts has a clean and reliable energy future," said Department of Energy Resources Commissioner Judith Judson. "We are proud to partner with BMC and the City of Boston to ensure that their facilities have the resiliency needed to provide the highest level of care to their patients regardless of extreme weather."

"Boston is the most energy-efficient city in the country, and it's through partners like BMC that we lead the way in environmental and resiliency goals," said Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh. "I congratulate BMC on this accomplishment, which makes their hospital and our city greener and safer."

Eversource provided BMC with financial incentives to bring cogen to the hospital campus. In the last four years, Eversource and BMC have partnered on more than 30 efficiency projects, achieving more than 8 million kilowatt hours in annual energy savings, or roughly 5 percent of the hospital's total electricity usage. The hospital has also avoided more than 5,600 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions each year through its comprehensive energy strategy with Eversource, which is the equivalent of removing 1,200 cars from the road.

"Boston Medical Center has truly gone above and beyond, implementing a significant number of measures to lower their energy use and drive down costs," said Jim Hunt, Senior Vice President of Regulatory Affairs & Chief Communications Officer at Eversource. "Those are savings that can go directly back into the incredible patient care the hospital provides every day to Boston and the surrounding area."

The cogen plant, manufactured by Caterpillar and designed by Engineered Solutions, will supply more than 41 percent of the hospital's electricity and has the capacity to meet 25 percent of peak electricity demand at any given time.

By reusing the trapped heat for hot water, humidification and room temperature, the hospital will lower costs by reducing its need for steam heat by an estimated 44,000 pounds annually. Cogen will also reduce electric grid consumption by more than 16 million kilowatt hours a year.

The hospital has taken other important steps toward resiliency: installing new generators on floors of patient care buildings; creating cross-building critical infrastructure connections, so when one patient building loses power, it can connect to the generator in an adjacent building; and programming elevators to stop short of the lower floors to maintain patient care in the event of a flood.

BMC, which was already cutting emissions by 50 percent as part of a clinical campus redesign, also announced a solar power purchase agreement last fall with MIT and the Post Office Square Redevelopment Corporation. The solar purchase is equivalent to 100 percent of BMC's projected electricity consumption, making BMC the greenest hospital in Boston and on pace to become the first carbon-neutral hospital in New England upon completion of the campus redesign in 2018.

Becker's Hospital Review has named BMC one of the 50 greenest hospitals in America, and this week, BMC received three prestigious awards from Practice Greenhealth, the Top 25 Environmental Excellence Award, the highest honor Practice Greenhealth bestows on hospitals, as well as the Greening the OR Recognition Award and the Circle of Excellence award in the energy category.

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See a video on BMC's cogen project here.
The UK-based Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (CEH) has led an international team of scientists who reveal global warming is responsible for a tripling in the frequency of extreme West African Sahel storms observed in just the last 35 years.

Professor Christopher Taylor, a Meteorologist at CEH, and researchers from partner institutions including Universite? Grenoble Alpes in France, also suggest that climate change will see the Sahel experience many more instances of extreme rain in future.

Professor Taylor and the fellow scientists' findings -- published in the journal Nature -- note that further strengthening of intense storms in the Sahel known as Mesoscale Convective Systems (MCSs) will increase the risk of more frequent and severe flooding and disease due to poor sanitation in West African cities. The findings will also this week be presented at the General Assembly of the European Geosciences Union at its meeting in Vienna, Austria.

The Sahelian storms are some of the most explosive storms in the world, containing clouds that can grow to a height of 16km above the ground. In 2009 a downpour of 263mm over several hours forced 150,000 residents of Ouagadougou, in Burkina Faso, to leave their homes. The study, which has analysed trends from 35 years of satellite observations across Africa, provides unique insight into how some of the most violent storms in the world are responding to rising global temperatures.

The research indicates that MCS intensification is linked to increasingly hot conditions in the Sahara desert resulting from man-made greenhouse gas emissions. Saharan warming affects storm intensity across the Sahel, a band of semi-arid land to the south of the desert which is home to some of the most vulnerable populations on the planet.

Professor Taylor, said, "Global warming is expected to produce more intense storms, but we were shocked to see the speed of the changes taking place in this region of Africa."

Co-author Professor Douglas Parker, Professor of Meteorology at the University of Leeds, UK, said, "African storms are highly organised meteorological engines, whose currents extract water from the air to produce torrential rain. We have seen these engines becoming more efficient over recent decades, with resulting increases in the frequency of hazardous events."

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The research was funded by the Department for International Development (DFID) Future Climate for Africa programme under the African Monsoon Multidisciplinary Analysis 2050 (AMMA 2050) project and the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC).

Other institutions involved in the research included the National Centre for Earth Observation, the University of Leeds as well as those from France: the Centre National de Recherches Me?te?orologiques, Universite? Grenoble Alpes, Universite? Paris Diderot and Sorbonne Universite?.

Notes to editors

Case study - flooding in Burkina Faso

Dr Abdoulaye Diarra, Senior Researcher at the International Institute for Water and Environmental Engineering in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso:

"A total of 77 flood events have been recorded in Burkina Faso during the 31 year period from 1986 to 2016. The floods dynamic has increased in the Burkina from a frequency of 11 major events over 10 years (1.1 flood event/year) between1986 to 2005 to a frequency of 55 over 11 years (5 flood events/year) from 2006 to 2016.

"The damages are generally more important in the urban area where runoff is very important and watercourses are limited. The 2009 flood (1 September), focused in Ouagadougou, caused heavy damage in the capital. More than 50 percent of the city's territory, including the main hospital of the city, was flooded.

"In total eight people died, more than 250 houses and 670 classrooms were destroyed, the main water purification plants for the city were out of use and nearly 150,000 people were affected within and around Ouagadougou."

Contact details

For interview requests and images contact Wayne Coles, Media Relations Officer, Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, UK, Mobile: +44 (0)7920 295384, Email: wcoles@ceh.ac.uk

Lead author, Professor Christopher Taylor, Meteorologist, Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, UK, Email: cmt@ceh.ac.uk

Co-author, Professor Douglas Parker, Professor of Meteorology at the University of Leeds, UK, telephone: +44 (0)113 343-6739, mobile: 07747 505811, Email: D.J.Parker@leeds.ac.uk

Paper reference

Christopher M. Taylor, Danijel Belusic, Francois Guichard, Douglas J. Parker, Theo Vischel, Oliver Brock, Philip P. Harris, Serge Janicot, Cornelia Klein, Geremy Panthou, 'Frequency of extreme Sahelian storms tripled since 1982 in satellite observations',' Nature, published online 1800 GMT/1400 US Eastern Time, 27 April 2017. DOI: 10.1038/nature22069

The paper will be available via this URL when the embargo ends: https://www.nature.com/articles/doi:10.1038/nature22069

The Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (CEH) is the UK's Centre of Excellence for integrated research in the land and freshwater ecosystems and their interaction with the atmosphere. CEH is part of the Natural Environment Research Council, employs more than 450 people at four major sites in England, Scotland and Wales, hosts over 150 PhD students, and has an overall budget of about 35m. CEH tackles complex environmental challenges to deliver practicable solutions so that future generations can benefit from a rich and healthy environment. You can follow the latest developments in CEH research via @CEHScienceNews on Twitter

The University of Leeds is one of the largest higher education institutions in the UK, with more than 31,000 students from 147 different countries, and a member of the Russell Group research-intensive universities. We are a top 10 university for research and impact power in the UK, according to the 2014 Research Excellence Framework, and positioned as one of the top 100 best universities in the world in the 2015 QS World University Rankings. We are The Times and The Sunday Times University of the Year 2017. http://www.leeds.ac.uk

The National Centre for Earth Observation (NCEO) is a distributed centre with over 80 scientists from UK institutions, led by Professor John Remedios at the University of Leicester. It provides NERC with national capability in Earth observation science and incorporates world-class capabilities in interpretive Earth observation to meet the needs of society through long-term core science and translation of knowledge and environmental data for government and business.

NCEO has world-class capabilities in processing and analysing the vast quantities of data generated by satellites, aircraft and ground-based instruments to monitor and understand global and regional environmental change.

For more information contact jan.fillingham@nceo.ac.uk, telephone 01183786728 /07872416466 https://www.nceo.ac.uk/
Supreme Court orders Nepal Police not to probe DIG Silwal

The Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered the government to stop probe into Deputy Inspector General of Police Nawaraj Silwal until a case on the Nepal Police chief appointment row is heard on May 2.
Scientists have found that unstable chromosomes within lung tumours increases the risk of cancer returning after surgery, and have used this new knowledge to detect relapse long before standard testing. These are the first findings from the Cancer Research UK-funded TRACERx* lung cancer study, published today (Wednesday) in the New England Journal of Medicine and Nature.

TRACERx is the first study to look at the evolution of cancer in real time and immense detail. Researchers followed patients all the way from diagnosis through to either disease relapse or cure after surgery, tracking and analysing how their cancer developed.

Professor Charles Swanton, lead researcher based at the Francis Crick Institute in London, said: "The TRACERx study is Cancer Research UK's single biggest investment in lung cancer, and for the first time we've revealed new insights into how tumours evolve and evade treatment, a leading cause of cancer death.

"We believe that this invaluable data generated during TRACERx will be seized upon by research teams across the world, helping us to answer more questions about lung cancer biology. We've only scraped the surface in terms of what is possible by looking at tumour evolution in such detail."

In one study published today in the New England Journal of Medicine,** scientists analysed tumours from 100 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. They found that unstable chromosomes are the driving force behind genetic diversity within tumours.***

They also showed that patients with a high proportion of unstable chromosomes in their tumour were more than four times more likely to have their cancer return, or die from their disease, within two years.

This is because genetically diverse tumours are more likely to evolve, spread and become drug resistant, making a patient's cancer much harder to treat.

Dr Mariam Jamal-Hanjani, lead author based at the UCL Cancer Institute, said: "Determining the relationship between diversity within tumours and patient survival is one of the primary goals of TRACERx, so to find evidence for this so early on in the study is really encouraging.

"We've also identified what causes lung cancer to advance, providing us with insight into the biological processes that shape the evolution of the disease."

Armed with this discovery, researchers conducted a second study, published today in Nature,**** to investigate whether this genetic diversity could be tracked clinically.

Using blood samples from 96 of the 100 patients, they demonstrated that the patchwork of genetic faults present in non-small cell lung cancer, could be monitored using bits of DNA in the blood that have broken off from a tumour (circulating tumour DNA).

They then analysed blood taken from 24 patients after surgery for NSCLC, and accurately identified more than 90 per cent of those destined to relapse - up to a year before clinical imaging could confirm the disease's return.

This finding opens up numerous opportunities for new drug trials in lung cancer to try to prevent relapse.

Monitoring benefit from chemotherapy after surgery is not currently possible as there are often no clinical signs of disease.

With this in mind, the team also compared circulating tumour DNA levels immediately before and after chemotherapy was given to patients following surgery.

When levels of tumour DNA in the blood were not reduced following chemotherapy, the disease returned, suggesting that at least part of the tumour had become resistant to treatment.

The results provide a new means to monitor treatment after surgery, and point to an avenue for new treatments to target parts of the tumour that are resistant to existing approaches.

Dr Christopher Abbosh, lead author on the circulating tumour DNA study, based at the UCL Cancer Institute, said: "In the future patients could be offered personalised treatments that target parts of the cancer responsible for relapse following surgery.

"Using circulating tumour DNA we can identify patients to treat even if they have no clinical signs of disease, and also monitor how well therapies are working.

"This represents new hope for combating lung cancer relapse following surgery, which occurs in up to half of all patients."

Professor Karen Vousden, Cancer Research UK's chief scientist, said: "Lung cancer causes more than one in five of all cancer deaths in the UK and survival has only improved fractionally in the last 40 years. Understanding these highly complex processes is enormously challenging and the contribution made by both of these studies is an important step in the right direction.

"These findings could also help us to identify how lung cancers respond to therapy, building a bigger picture of the disease and potentially pointing the way to developing new treatments and, crucially, saving more lives."

TRACERx involves the collaboration of more than 225 researchers and clinicians based at 19 centres***** across the country and is also supported by the Francis Crick Institute, UCL Cancer Institute, University College London Hospitals Biomedical Research Centre, The Royal Society, Achilles Therapeutics, illumina, Natera and Rosetrees Trust.

Sam Howard, Chief Executive of Rosetrees Trust, said: "Rosetrees Trust is delighted to have supported Professor Swanton and the TRACERx project from the outset. We always believed in the importance of this research, the team of outstanding researchers and its potential for human impact".

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For media enquiries contact Kathryn Ingham in the Cancer Research UK press office on 020 3469 5475 or, out of hours, on 07050 264 059.

Notes to editor:

For more information on liquid biopsies please see this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPKqtPcPvd4

*TRACERx is the single biggest investment in lung cancer research by Cancer Research UK - 14 million pounds. Taking place over nine years, the project aims to transform our understanding of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and take a practical step towards precision medicine. The study will uncover mechanisms of cancer evolution by analysing the intratumour heterogeneity in lung tumours from approximately 850 patients and tracking its evolutionary trajectory from diagnosis through to relapse.

**Jamal-Hanjani, M., Wilson, G.A., McGranahan, N., et al. TRACERx - Tracking Non-small Cell Lung Cancer Evolution. New England Journal of Medicine. DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa1616288

***Each time the cell divides, this instability increases, resulting in genetic chaos and enabling the tumour to evolve quickly.

****Abbosh, C., Birkbak, N, J., Wilson, G, A., et al. Phylogenetic ctDNA analysis depicts early stage lung cancer evolution. Nature. DOI: 10.1038/nature22364

***** Manchester, Birmingham, Leicester, Aberdeen, Cardiff, Barnet, Princess Alexandra and St Peter's hospitals all contributed to this first cohort of 100 patients.

About Cancer Research UK

Cancer Research UK is the world's leading cancer charity dedicated to saving lives through research.

Cancer Research UK's pioneering work into the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer has helped save millions of lives.

Cancer Research UK receives no government funding for its life-saving research. Every step it makes towards beating cancer relies on every pound donated.

Cancer Research UK has been at the heart of the progress that has already seen survival in the UK double in the last forty years.

Today, 2 in 4 people survive their cancer for at least 10 years. Cancer Research UK's ambition is to accelerate progress so that by 2034, 3 in 4 people will survive their cancer for at least 10 years.

Cancer Research UK supports research into all aspects of cancer through the work of over 4,000 scientists, doctors and nurses.

Together with its partners and supporters, Cancer Research UK's vision is to bring forward the day when all cancers are cured.

For further information about Cancer Research UK's work or to find out how to support the charity, please call 0300 123 1022 or visit http://www.cancerresearchuk.org. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook
Although studies suggest that inhaling certain scents may reduce stress in humans, aromatherapy is relatively unexplored in veterinary medicine. But new research presented today at the American Physiological Society (APS) annual meeting at Experimental Biology 2017 in Chicago raises the question of whether aromatherapy may be beneficial to horses as well.

Transporting competition horses from one location to another is often disturbing to the animals. The loud noises and confined spaces of a horse trailer and unfamiliar territory of a new venue may cause an increase in heart rate and levels of the stress hormone cortisol. Stress may also provoke unpredictable behaviors such as running and an unwillingness to perform. Stress reduction therapies are highly regulated among competition horses, which often rules out the use of sedatives and herbal treatments.

Albion College student Kylie Heitman observed eight horses across two trips in horse trailers. During each trip, the horses were individually hauled for 15 minutes. In one trial, the animals were exposed to an air diffusion of lavender oil during transport. In the other, the horses received a diffusion of distilled water. Heitman measured heart rate and blood cortisol levels before and after each animal's hauling. She found that cortisol levels were significantly lower when the horses were exposed to lavender. She also found a small, yet not statistically significant, decrease in the post-transport heart rate when the horses were exposed to lavender. The horses' heart rate increased slightly after spending time in the trailer without aromatherapy. These results warrant more study into lavender as another means for stress reduction in competition horses.

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Kylie Heitman, an undergraduate student at Albion College, will present "The Use of Equine Lavender Aromatherapy to Suppress Stress" in a poster session on Wednesday, April 26, from 12:30 to 2:15 p.m. CDT in the Skyline Ballroom of the McCormick Place Convention Center.

NOTE TO JOURNALISTS: To schedule an interview with a member of the research team, please contact the APS Communications Office or 301-634-7209. Find more research highlights in the APS Press Room.

About Experimental Biology 2017

Experimental Biology is an annual meeting comprised of more than 14,000 scientists and exhibitors from six sponsoring 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 United States and the world who represent dozens of scientific areas, from laboratory to translational to clinical research. http://www.experimentalbiology.org

About the American Physiological Society (APS)

Physiology is the study of how molecules, cells, tissues and organs function in health and disease. Established in 1887, the American Physiological Society (APS) was the first U.S. society in the biomedical sciences field. The Society represents more than 10,500 members and publishes 15 peer-reviewed journals with a worldwide readership.
Chicago (April 26, 2017) - In a new study, researchers demonstrate successful transplantation of fetal rat liver cells to an injured adult rat liver. The work is an important step toward using transplanted cells to treat liver failure, which currently requires an organ transplant.

Jennifer Sanders, PhD, assistant professor of pediatrics at Brown University, will present the new research at the American Society for Investigative Pathology annual meeting during the Experimental Biology 2017 meeting, to be held April 22-26 in Chicago.

"There are too few donor livers, so many people die of liver diseases such as hepatitis and cirrhosis without ever getting a transplant," said Sanders. "Understanding the behavior of fetal liver cells may lead to ways to select the best cells for transplantation into people whose livers are failing."

In the new study, the researcher removed liver cells from a rat fetus near the end of gestation and transplanted them into an injured adult rat liver. In the new liver, the transplanted cells multiplied for a long period and gave rise to new hepatocytes--the main cell type found in the liver -- as well as the cells that form the bile ducts and line the blood vessels. Adult rat liver cells cannot multiply and differentiate after transplantation.

"Most previous studies have used very immature fetal rat cells and have not attempted to characterize the cell population prior to transplantation," said Sanders. "We are using late-gestation fetal rat hepatocytes that can carry out many of the functions of adult liver cells, and we characterized the cells based on expression of markers on their surface."

To better understand how fetal and adult hepatocytes differ, the researchers examined proteins called histones that regulate DNA structure. They identified histone differences that may allow the fetal cells to grow and survive when transplanted into an injured adult liver.

"Our prior studies have shown that fetal rat hepatocyte proliferation, growth and gene-expression regulation are different than in adult rat hepatocytes," said Sanders. "This has led us to believe that maintenance of DNA structure is very important for the behavior of fetal rat hepatocytes and the ability of these cells to repopulate an injured adult liver."

In addition to this work's implications for cell-based liver therapies, better understanding of how DNA structure, gene expression and protein function are regulated together in the normal fetal liver cell could help scientists understand the events that lead to liver cancer.

As a next step, the researchers are working to determine how the adult liver environment affects transplanted fetal cells. They want to find out whether transplanted fetal cells differentiate in a way that makes them indistinguishable from normal adult hepatocytes.

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Jennifer Sanders will present this research during the Liver Regenerative Medicine minisympoisum at 8:30-11:30 a.m. Wednesday, April 26, in Room W181B, McCormick Place Convention Center (abstract). Contact the media team for more information or to obtain a free press pass to attend the meeting.

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 United States and the world who represent dozens of scientific areas, from laboratory to translational to clinical research. http://www.experimentalbiology.org #expbio

About the American Society for Investigative Pathology (ASIP)

ASIP is a society of biomedical scientists who investigate mechanisms of disease. Investigative pathology is an integrative discipline that links the presentation of disease in the whole organism to its fundamental cellular and molecular mechanisms. ASIP advocates for the practice of investigative pathology and fosters the professional career development and education of its members. http://www.asip.org

Find more news briefs and tipsheets at: https://www.eurekalert.org/meetings/eb/2017/newsroom
Suppressing production of the protein myostatin enhances muscle mass and leads to significant improvements in markers of heart and kidney health, according to a study conducted in mice. Joshua T. Butcher, PhD, a postdoctoral fellow at the Vascular Biology Center at Augusta University, will present the work at the American Physiological Society's annual meeting during the Experimental Biology 2017 meeting, to be held April 22-26 in Chicago.

The researchers zeroed in on myostatin because it is known as a powerful inhibitor of skeletal muscle growth, meaning that people with more myostatin have less muscle mass and people with less myostatin have more muscle mass. Studies suggest obese people produce more myostatin, which makes it harder to exercise and harder to build muscle mass.

"Given that exercise is one of the most effective interventions for obesity, this creates a cycle by which a person becomes trapped in obesity," Butcher said.

Obesity is linked with a range of factors that increase the risk of heart disease and diabetes, including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, insulin resistance and kidney damage. The researchers bred four groups of mice: lean and obese mice with uninhibited myostatin production and lean and obese mice that were unable to produce myostatin. As expected, mice that were unable to produce myostatin developed markedly higher muscle mass, though the obese mice remained obese even with more muscle. The obese mice that were unable to produce myostatin showed markers of cardiovascular and metabolic health that were on par with their lean counterparts and dramatically better than obese mice with uninhibited myostatin production.

"In our muscular obese mouse, despite full presentation of obesity, it appears that several of these key pathologies are prevented," Butcher said. "While much more research is needed, at this point myostatin appears to be a very promising pathway for protection against obesity-derived cardiometabolic dysfunction.

"Ultimately, the goal of our research would be to create a pill that mimics the effect of exercise and protects against obesity. A pill that inhibits myostatin could also have applications for muscle wasting diseases, such as cancer, muscle dystrophy and AIDS," he added.

Joshua Butcher will present this research at 12:45-3 p.m. Tuesday, April 25, in Hall F, McCormick Place Convention Center (poster E266 1011.7) (abstract). Contact the media team for more information or to obtain a free press pass to attend the meeting.

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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 Physiological Society (APS)

APS is a nonprofit organization devoted to fostering education, scientific research and dissemination of information in the physiological sciences. The Society was founded in 1887 and today represents more than 11,000 members and publishes 14 peer-reviewed journals. http://www.the-aps.org

Find more news briefs and tipsheets at: https://www.eurekalert.org/meetings/eb/2017/newsroom.
Insights into protein that links liver-injury progression and repair could lead to new treatments

Chicago (April 26, 2017) - Results from a new study show that after an acetaminophen overdose the p53 protein plays a key role in preventing the progression of liver damage and signaling the liver to repair itself. The findings could lead to new treatments for people who overdose on this popular pain reliever and fever reducer. Overdoses can lead to sudden liver failure and bring more than 50,000 people to emergency rooms in the U.S. every year.

Prachi Borude, a graduate student at the University of Kansas Medical Center and recipient of this year's American Society for Investigative Pathology (ASIP) Experimental Pathologist-in-Graduate Training Award, will present the new findings at the ASIP annual meeting during the Experimental Biology 2017 meeting, to be held April 22-26 in Chicago.

"Current treatment options for acetaminophen overdose are very few, and liver transplant is not feasible in all cases, so there is immediate need for new therapy," said Udayan Apte, associate professor at the University of Kansas Medical Center and leader of the research team. "Understanding the mechanisms that connect liver injury progression and liver regeneration could lead to new, more effective therapies for acetaminophen overdose."

Previous studies conducted by Apte's group and other scientists showed that liver regeneration after acetaminophen overdose is critical for survival. In the new study, the researchers examined the role of p53 protein--a tumor-suppressor protein that also helps regulate cell division and multiplication--in liver injury and repair after acetaminophen overdose.

The researchers administered acetaminophen to normal mice and mice deficient in p53. Compared with the normal mice, the p53-deficient mice showed significantly higher liver injury 24 hours after receiving acetaminophen. However, the p53-deficient mice also showed rapid liver regeneration. These findings show that activation of p53 is important for preventing progression of acetaminophen-induced injury while inhibition of p53 helps stimulate liver regeneration--and thus recovery--after acetaminophen overdose.

"Current therapy and other research examining acetaminophen overdose target the initial injury process, however most of the times patients come to emergency room at late stages," said Apte. "By focusing on later stages of injury and recovery, we have revealed the critical link to preventing injury progression and helping liver regeneration."

The researchers plan to confirm their findings with additional studies and want to move toward developing new therapies for acetaminophen overdose by identifying drugs that inhibit or activate p53.

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Prachi Borude will present this research during the Liver Regenerative Medicine minisymposium at 8:30-11:30 a.m. Wednesday, April 26, in Room W181B, McCormick Place Convention Center (abstract). Contact the media team for more information or to obtain a free press pass to attend the meeting.

About Experimental Biology 2017

Experimental Biology is an annual meeting comprised of more than 14,000 scientists and exhibitors from six host societies and multiple guest societies. With a mission to share the newest scientific concepts and research findings shaping clinical advances, the meeting offers an unparalleled opportunity for exchange among scientists from across the United States and the world who represent dozens of scientific areas, from laboratory to translational to clinical research. http://www.experimentalbiology.org #expbio

About the American Society for Investigative Pathology (ASIP)

ASIP is a society of biomedical scientists who investigate mechanisms of disease. Investigative pathology is an integrative discipline that links the presentation of disease in the whole organism to its fundamental cellular and molecular mechanisms. ASIP advocates for the practice of investigative pathology and fosters the professional career development and education of its members. http://www.asip.org

Find more news briefs and tipsheets at: https://www.eurekalert.org/meetings/eb/2017/newsroom
Researchers who studied beer drinkers at the Munich Octoberfest have found that the more alcohol consumed the higher was the likelihood of developing abnormal heart rhythms called cardiac arrhythmias.

The research, which is published today (Wednesday) in the European Heart Journal [1], is the first study to investigate the link between acute alcohol consumption and cardiac arrhythmias in a large number of people in a prospective fashion i.e. examining them as they were drinking, rather than asking them to remember at some point afterwards how much they had drunk, when, and for how long.

The findings are important because it is thought that arrhythmias can, in some circumstances, lead to atrial fibrillation, an irregular heart beat that can result in severe discomfort and, in the long run, more serious consequences such as heart failure and stroke. Heavy drinking over a short period of time (acute alcohol consumption) has been linked to "Holiday heart syndrome" in which people without any previous history of heart problems develop arrhythmias and sometimes atrial fibrillation, but the evidence for this has tended to come from small, retrospective studies.

Led by assistant professors of medicine, Stefan Brunner and Moritz Sinner, from the Department of Medicine I at the University Hospital Munich (Munich, Germany), researchers went to the 2015 Munich Octoberfest and enrolled 3,028 voluntary participants into the study over 16 days who had drunk various amounts of alcohol throughout the day, ranging from none to the maximum amount allowed by the study protocol of three grams of alcohol per kilogram of blood (3g/kg). The average age was 35 and 30% of the participants were female. The researchers carried out electrocardiogram (ECG) recordings using a portable, smart phone-based device to monitor the activity of the heart, and they used a handheld breathalyser to test the breath alcohol concentrations.

The prevalence of arrhythmias in the general population is estimated at between 1%-4%. In this study, the researchers found cardiac arrhythmias in 30.5% of the participants and 25.9% of these arrhythmias were sinus tachycardia, where the heart beats at a higher than normal rate. Breath alcohol concentrations were linked with a significantly increased risk of cardiac arrhythmias; for each one gram of alcohol per kilogram of blood above zero the likelihood of a cardiac arrhythmia increased by 75%.

Dr Brunner explained: "Three grams of alcohol per kilogram of blood reflects a very high alcohol intake, approaching the border of intoxication, and not many people can tolerate it. For comparison, the legal driving limit in Germany is set at 0.5g/kg. The amount of beer required to reach the level of 3g/kg depends on multiple factors, but as a rough guide, based on the investigators' experience in the study and considering the length of time of beer drinking, it would require at least six litres of beer in a slim, fasting, low alcohol-metabolising person, whereas larger people, after a meal and with faster alcohol metabolism, would require over ten litres of beer to reach such a level."

The researchers also looked at the effect of habitual, long-lasting (chronic) alcohol consumption in 4131 participants in a study called KORA S4 (Co-operative Health Research in the Region of Augsburg), recruited from the general population.

"These were typical of the general population; most were healthy and most were not heavy drinkers. For this study we quantified the average amount of alcohol consumed each day," said Dr Sinner.

In the KORA study, only 2.7% of participants had arrhythmias, of which 0.4% had sinus tachycardia. There was a small, but still significant, association between alcohol consumption and sinus tachycardia. The likelihood of having it increased by 3% per 1g alcohol consumed per day.

"We confirmed an association between sinus tachycardia and chronic alcohol consumption in the KORA study, but the size of the effect was remarkably smaller than with the acute alcohol consumption at the Octoberfest. However, these parallel results from KORA, in effect confirm our main findings from the Octoberfest," said Dr Sinner.

"The starting point for our study were the inconclusive reports on the 'Holiday heart syndrome'. This syndrome is defined by atrial fibrillation triggered by acute alcohol consumption. In our study, we were not able to directly demonstrate that atrial fibrillation occurs consecutive to alcohol consumption. However, we found very strong and robust associations with both sinus tachycardia and with disturbances in the naturally occurring variation in heart rate during the breathing cycle, known as respiratory sinus arrhythmia."

Respiratory sinus arrhythmia reflects an imbalance in the autonomic nervous system - the unconscious control system that regulates internal bodily functions such as heart beat and breathing.

"It is very well known that atrial fibrillation in a subset of patients develops when the patient has sinus tachycardia induced by autonomic imbalance," said Dr Sinner. "Our study was not able to prove the 'Holiday heart syndrome' prospectively, but it will help clinicians and researchers better understand the disordered physiology associated with the condition and we have laid the ground for further research on the subject."

Dr Brunner added: "Our research is continuing and several follow-up studies are under way. In particular, we plan to better quantify the autonomic imbalance induced by acute alcohol consumption, and to perform long-term ECG recording to see if atrial fibrillation or other sustained arrhythmias occur after acute alcohol consumption."

The researchers suspect that the arrhythmias they detected during the Octoberfest were temporary and once the participants had sobered up, their hearts would return to normal. However, they don't know this as they only conducted the ECGs once while people were drinking. However, the authors say that if a person has, for example, an already diseased heart, then the arrhythmia triggered by the alcohol could persist afterwards. "But this cannot be answered finally by our study and will require further research," concluded Dr Brunner.

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Notes:

[1] "Alcohol consumption, sinus tachycardia, and cardiac arrhythmias at the Munich Octoberfest: results from the Munich Beer Related Electrocardiogram Workup Study", by Stefan Brunner et al. European Heart Journal. doi:10.1093/eurheartj/ehx156
Being first in a new ecosystem provides major advantages for pioneering species, but the benefits may depend on just how competitive later-arriving species are. That is among the conclusions in a new study testing the importance of "first arrival" in controlling adaptive radiation of species, a hypothesis famously proposed for "Darwin's Finches," birds from the Galapagos Islands that were first brought to scientific attention by Darwin.

Researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology tested the importance of first arrival with bacterial species competing in a test tube. Using a bacterium that grows on plant leaves, they confirmed the importance of first arrival for promoting species diversification, and extended that hypothesis with some important caveats.

"We wanted to understand the role of species colonization history in regulating the interaction between the rapidly-evolving bacterium Pseudomonas fluorescens SBW-25 and competing species and how that affected P. fluorescens adaptive radiation in the ecosystem," said Jiaqi Tan, a research scientist in Georgia Tech's School of Biological Sciences. "The general pattern we find is that the earlier arrival of P. fluorescens allowed it to diversify to a greater extent. If the competing and diversifying species are very similar ecologically, we find a stronger effect of species colonization history on adaptive radiation."

The research is scheduled to be reported April 26th in the journal Evolution and was supported by the National Science Foundation. The study is believed to be the first rigorous experimental test of the role colonization history plays in adaptive radiation.

Evolutionary biologist David Lack studied a group of closely-related bird species known as Darwin's Finches, and popularized them in a book first published in 1947. Among his hypotheses was that the birds were successful in their adaptive radiation -- the evolutionary diversification of morphological, physiological and behavior traits -- because they were early colonizers of the islands. The finches filled the available ecological niches, taking advantage of the resources in ways that limited the ability of later-arriving birds to similarly establish themselves and diversify, he suggested.

"The bird species that arrived after the finches could only use the resources that the finches weren't using," Tan explained. "The other birds could not diversify because there weren't many resources left for them."

Tan and other researchers in the laboratory of Georgia Tech Professor Lin Jiang tested that hypothesis using P. fluorescens, which rapidly evolves into two general phenotypes differentiated by the ecological niches they adopt in static test tube microcosms. Within the two major phenotypes - -known as "fuzzy spreaders" and "wrinkly spreaders" - there are additional minor variations.

The researchers allowed the bacterium to colonize newly-established microcosms and diversify before introducing competing bacterial species. The six competitors, which varied in their niche and competitive fitness compared to P. fluorescens, were introduced individually and allowed to grow through multiple generations. Their success and level of diversification were measured by placing microcosm samples onto agar plates and counting the number of colonies from each species and sub-species.

The study also included the reverse of the earlier colonization history, allowing the competitor bacteria to establish themselves in microcosms before introducing the P. fluorescens. The competitors included a broad range of organisms common in the environment, some of them retrieved from a lake near the Georgia Tech campus.

The experiment allowed the scientists to extend the hypothesis that Lack advanced 70 years ago.

"If the diversifying species and the competing species are very similar, you can have a strong priority effect in which the first-arriving species can strongly impact the ability of the later species to diversify," said Jiang, a professor in Georgia Tech's School of Biological Sciences. "If the species are different enough, then the priority effect is weaker, so there would be less support for the first arrival hypothesis."

Adaptive radiation has important implications for new ecosystems, particularly with organisms that evolve rapidly. P. fluorescens produces as many as ten generations a day under the reported experimental conditions, which allowed the Georgia Tech scientists to study how they evolved over 120 generations -- changes that would have taken hundreds of years in finches.

The bacterial population studied in Jiang's lab included as many as 100 million organisms, far more than the number of birds on the Galapagos Islands. The asexual reproduction of the bacteria meant the mutation rate likely also differed from the birds. Still, Jiang and Tan believe their study offers insights into how different species interact in new environments based on historical advantages.

"From the perspective of evolutionary biology, scientists often focus only on the particular species that interest them," said Jiang, who studies community ecology. "We also need to think about the surrounding ecological context of the evolutionary process."

In future work Jiang hopes to study how the introduction of predators may combine with species competition to affect adaptive radiation. In addition to those already mentioned, the research team also included Georgia Tech Ph.D. student Xi Yang, who conducted the data analysis.

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This research was supported by the National Science Foundation under grants DEB-1257858 and DEB-1342754. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.
WASHINGTON (April 26, 2017)--A new study examining medical provider attitudes toward prescribing PrEP to prevent HIV found that those who already prescribe it do not see widespread increases in risky sexual behavior among their patients as a result. Also, providers do not consider such behavior change to be a reason to discontinue or limit PrEP.

The researchers believe adopting PrEP, which stands for pre-exposure prophylaxis, is essential to curbing the number of new HIV diagnoses. PrEP was approved for use in the U.S. in 2012, and public health experts consider it a breakthrough in HIV prevention. The World Health Organization has endorsed PrEP as a means to help halt the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

"If traditional methods of prevention like condoms were enough to adequately address the HIV epidemic, then we wouldn't see 40,000 people in the U.S. getting new diagnoses year after year," said Sarah Calabrese, lead author of the paper and assistant professor of clinical psychology at the George Washington University. "PrEP is a highly effective prevention option, and people deserve access to it. Our study found that providers who have already started prescribing PrEP can play a key role in improving access - not only by offering PrEP to their own patients but also by influencing their peers to overcome ideological hurdles around prescribing PrEP."

More than 1.2 million Americans are believed to be at a significant risk for contracting HIV and are eligible for PrEP, yet less than 100,000 of them have been prescribed the drug Truvada for PrEP (tenofovir disoproxil fumarate with emtricitabine), according to research presented at the 2016 International AIDS Conference. In the past, physicians have cited concerns that a prescription for PrEP might encourage patients to engage in more risky sexual behavior, such as decreasing use of condoms or increasing the number of sexual partners.

To better understand the attitudes and experiences of medical providers who prescribe PrEP, the researchers interviewed 18 U.S.-based healthcare providers with experience prescribing PrEP. The interviews yielded three general themes:

* Providers believed their role was to support patients in making informed sexual health decisions * Providers perceived the protective benefit of PrEP to outweigh any increase in risky behavior by patients * Providers thought PrEP was unduly stigmatized by others within and beyond the healthcare community. The same negative judgments of patients and concerns about risky behavior aren't seen with other forms of prevention like statins used to lower cholesterol.

"As public awareness about PrEP increases and more at-risk individuals actively seek out PrEP from their healthcare providers, there is an urgent need to prepare providers to respond appropriately," the authors wrote in the paper. "This includes not only enhancing providers' comfort and competence prescribing PrEP or referring patients elsewhere for PrEP care but also educating providers about reacting to patient inquiries in a sensitive and professional way."

Dr. Calabrese noted this study targets "early adopting" providers, meaning they already have experience prescribing PrEP and have overcome concerns within their own clinical practice.

The paper, "Support your client at the space that they're in: Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) prescribers' perspectives on PrEP-related risk compensation," was published in the journal AIDS Patient Care and STDs this month.

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MEDIA CONTACTS:

Emily Grebenstein: emgreb@gwu.edu, 202-994-3087

Jason Shevrin: jshevrin@gwu.edu, 202-994-5631
The Howard Hughes Medical Institute's (HHMI) Medical Research Fellows Program has selected 79 talented medical and veterinary students to conduct in-depth, mentored biomedical research. Fifty-three percent of the awardees are female, the greatest representation of women in the program to date. Starting this summer, each fellow will spend a year pursuing basic, translational, or applied biomedical research at one of 32 academic or nonprofit research institutions across the United States.

"The Med Fellows Program allows exceptional MD, DVM, and DDS students to effectively shift course and conduct rigorous research at top institutions throughout the country," says David Asai, senior director in science education at HHMI. "It's an extraordinary opportunity for future physicians, veterinarians, and dentists to explore the intersection of medicine and scientific discovery, and we hope that each student comes away further empowered to pursue a career as a physician-scientist."

Now, 28 years after the Med Fellows Program was first launched, it has helped more than 1,700 medical, veterinary, and dental students establish a foothold in the research world. In this year's group, 18% of the fellows are from minority groups typically underrepresented in the biomedical sciences, and seven fellows will continue their research for another year. Tolu Rosanwo, a second-year fellow and medical student at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, says the program is a gift, but for Rosanwo, it was a gift that left her wanting more.

"I couldn't leave just as my research was starting to show promise," she says. "I'm still intrigued by my initial question, and I want to see it through."

That initial question dates back to Rosanwo's childhood, growing up with two siblings with sickle cell anemia. Her curiosity about what caused them to be sick turned into a committed desire to understand and contribute to a treatment for the disorder. Now, in the laboratory of George Daley, Dean of Harvard Medical School and an alumnus of the HHMI Investigator Program, she's trying to tackle that question. "An important and profound place to be is in between science and patients," she says. "I want to be a physician whose patient care is informed by research, and vice versa."

Anna Cheng, a first-year fellow and current medical student at University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine, started dabbling in the scientific method as a high school student. Science had always interested her, but when her best friend and her godmother found themselves in a fight against cancer, Cheng decided to narrow her scientific focus.

"My best friend was diagnosed with leukemia and my godmother with ovarian cancer. I wanted to understand why - to figure it out," she says. "Yes, I was interested in cancer research, but I had personal factors that really drove me."

During her undergraduate studies at Duke University, Cheng continued to make time for lab research, fitting it in over summers and in between coursework. And though she valued the experiences, the fleeting glimpses of bench time only whet her appetite for more. The Med Fellows Program, she says, provided her the opportunity for more sustained exposure to research.

"I feel so fortunate, because now I get to pursue a project for an entire year," she says. After a thoughtful pause, she amends her statement. "But the program's experience isn't really just a year. It's something that will serve me well for the rest of my career."

The Med Fellows Program takes a multilevel mentoring approach to help incoming fellows get off to a strong start, make new connections, and access a network of support throughout their fellowship year. Various meetings bring the fellows together to connect with newly minted Med Fellow alumni, early-career faculty, and senior investigators to participate in seminars and learn from physician-scientists at various career stages. The most direct form of support comes from each fellow's mentor. Cathy Wu, an alumna from the early days of the Med Fellows Program and associate professor at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, will be mentoring her third med fellow this fall.

"The fellows are such a terrific bunch - they're brimming with enthusiasm, super smart, and eager to learn," Wu says. As someone who took great inspiration from her own mentors as a student in the program, Wu emphasizes that the mentor-mentee relationship is a crucial part in learning how to approach investigation.

"Part of the Med Fellows Program is getting a sense of the opportunities and resources available - having the latitude to explore and learn about the investigative process. When I was a fellow, the program helped me cement research as part of my medical career," she says. "I'm eager for these students to have their year, too."

In collaboration with HHMI, five partners - the American Society of Human Genetics, Burroughs Wellcome Fund, Citizens United for Research in Epilepsy, Foundation Fighting Blindness, and Parkinson's Foundation - will fund 8 of the 79 aspiring physician- and veterinarian- scientists, bringing the program's total investment to $3.4 million.

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The Howard Hughes Medical Institute plays an important role in advancing scientific research and education in the United States. Its scientists, located across the country and around the world, have made important discoveries that advance both human health and our fundamental understanding of biology. The Institute also aims to transform science education into a creative, interdisciplinary endeavor that reflects the excitement of real research. HHMI's headquarters are located in Chevy Chase, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C.
The findings, published today in The Lancet, show women fare worse than men at every stage of treatment, leading to the study's authors to call for urgent improvement in how the condition is managed in women.

The researchers, from Imperial College London and the University of Cambridge, found that women are less likely than men to be deemed suitable for keyhole surgery for the condition, which is associated with better outcomes. They are also more likely to be offered no surgical treatment at all. The findings are based on a review of international research into the condition, carried out since 2000.

An abdominal aortic aneurysm is caused by a weakening in the wall of the aorta, the body's largest blood vessel, which carries blood from the heart through the abdomen to the rest of the body. Degenerative changes in the aortic wall cause weakening and ballooning of the blood vessel, sometimes to more than three times its normal diameter, with a risk of a potentially life-threatening rupture.

Surgical repair for these aneurysms is offered only when the swelling is large enough to make the risk of rupture greater than the risks of the operation, with two types of surgery available.

Open surgery involves cutting into the abdomen and replacing all of the ballooning section of the aorta with a tube-like graft.

The second procedure, endovascular repair, is a minimally invasive 'keyhole' technique which involves inserting a tube-like graft through the leg artery into the swollen section of the aorta to reinforce the blood vessel's weakened wall. It is associated with better early outcomes than open surgery, but can only be offered when the aneurysm meets certain criteria, due to the shape and size of the grafts.

For some patients with large aneurysms, the risk of both of these options are deemed to outweigh the risk of rupture and no treatment is offered unless patient fitness can be improved.

The study, funded by the National Institute for Health Research, found that only a third of women were deemed suitable for keyhole surgery, compared with just over half of men. Less than a fifth of men were not offered surgery, compared with a third of women.

Mortality rates for women for the 30 days after keyhole surgery were 2.3 per cent compared with 1.4 per cent for men. For open surgery, this rose to 5.4 per cent for women and 2.8 per cent for men.

Women tend to develop aneurysms at an older age than men, and their aortas are smaller. Given the current technologies available, both of these factors can affect which type of surgery is deemed suitable, or whether surgery is an option at all. The researchers say that while these factors will form the basis of future research, age and physical fitness are not enough to account for the differences seen in mortality between men and women.

Professor Janet Powell, from Imperial's Department of Surgery & Cancer and who led the research, said: "Our findings show that despite overall improvement in mortality rates for this condition, there is a huge disparity between outcomes for men and women, which is not acceptable.

"The way abdominal aortic aneurysm is managed in women needs urgent improvement. We need to see if the devices used for keyhole surgery can be made more flexible to enable more women to be offered this option. We also need more grafts designed to fit women, who have smaller aortas, as all the grafts currently available have been designed for men."

In the UK, abdominal aortic aneurysm is more prevalent in men, with men over 65 regularly screened for the condition. The condition often has no symptoms and many women are only diagnosed when the aneurysm ruptures, at which point the likelihood of survival can be less than 20 per cent.

Professor Powell added: "Abdominal aortic aneurysm is still seen as mainly a male condition, and as a result, the way we manage the condition - from screening to diagnosis and treatment - has been developed with men in mind. Our study shows that this needs to change."

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'Morphological suitability for endovascular repair, non-intervention rates, and operative mortality in women and men assessed for intact abdominal aortic aneurysm repair: systematic reviews with meta-analysis' by Ulug, P et al, is published in The Lancet.
Missing Taiwanese couple found: man alive, woman dead

A Taiwanese couple was found 47 days after they went missing while trekking at Rubi Valley in Dhading district.
The ELO system, which most chess federations use today, ranks players by the results of their games. Although simple and efficient, it overlooks relevant criteria such as the quality of the moves players actually make. To overcome these limitations, Jean-Marc Alliot of the Institut de recherche en informatique de Toulouse (IRIT - CNRS/INP Toulouse/Universite Toulouse Paul Sabatier/Universite Toulouse Jean Jaures/Universite Toulouse Capitole) demonstrates a new system, published on 24 april 2017 in the ICGA Journal (International Computer Games Association) .

Since the 1970s, the system designed by the Hungarian, Arpad Elo, has been ranking chess players according to the result of their games. The best players have the highest ranking, and the difference in ELO points between two players predicts the probability of either player winning a given game. If players perform better or worse than predicted, they either gain or lose points accordingly. This method does not take into account the quality of the moves played during a game and is therefore unable to reliably rank players who have played at different periods. Jean-Marc Alliot suggests a direct ranking of players based on the quality of their actual moves.

His system computes the difference between the move actually played and the move that would have been selected by the best chess program to date, Stockfish. Running on the OSIRIM supercomputer1, this program executes almost perfect moves. Starting with those of Wilhelm Steinitz (1836-1900), all 26,000 games played since then by chess world champions have been processed in order to create a probabilistic model for each player. For each position, the model estimates the probability of making a mistake, and the magnitude of the mistake. These models can then be used to compute the win/draw/lose probability for any given match between two players. The predictions have proven not only to be extremely close to the actual results when players have played concrete games against one another, they also fare better than those based on ELO scores. The results demonstrate that the level of chess players has been steadily increasing. The current world champion, Magnus Carlsen, tops the list, while Bobby Fischer is third.

Under current conditions, this new ranking method cannot immediately replace the ELO system, which is easier to set up and implement. However, increases in computing power will make it possible to extend the new method to an ever-growing pool of players in the near future.

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In a preclinical study in mice and human cells, researchers report that selectively removing old or 'senescent' cells from joints could stop and even reverse the progression of osteoarthritis.

The findings, published April 24 in Nature Medicine, support growing evidence that senescent cells contribute to age-related diseases and demonstrate that using drug therapies to remove them from the joint not only reduces the development of post-traumatic osteoarthritis, but creates an environment for new cartilage to grow and repair joints.

Senescent cells accumulate in tissues as we age and are a normal part of wound healing and injury repair. They secrete important signals that call immune cells and other cell types into damaged tissue so they can clean up and rebuild. However, in articular joints such as the knee, and cartilage tissue in particular, these senescent cells often are not cleared from the area after injury. Their prolonged presence causes a cascade of events, which starts the development of osteoarthritis.

"Combine age-related increases in senescent cells, plus trauma, and it's a double whammy," says Jennifer Elisseeff, Ph.D., director of the translational tissue engineering center and Morton Goldberg Professor of Ophthalmology at the Johns Hopkins Wilmer Eye Institute.

The researchers took young mice and performed surgery on them, cutting their anterior cruciate ligaments (ACL) to mimic injury. The researchers then administered injections of an experimental drug named UBX0101, which was recently identified to kill senescent cells in laboratory studies.

Researchers injected UBX0101 into the mice's joints 14 days after trauma, when degradation was already starting, and observed that the presence of senescent cells was reduced by roughly 50 percent. In addition, the researchers monitored gene expression in treated mice and found that genes associated with reparative cartilage growth were activated in the joint after treatment.

Similar experiments were conducted in older mice, which showed some key differences from the treatment in younger mice. The older mice had thinner cartilage in the joint and increased pain levels before the experiment. After treatment with UBX0101 injections, the older mice exhibited reduced pain like their more youthful counterparts, but did not exhibit signs of cartilage regeneration.

To gauge the potential for UBX0101 to be translated to a human treatment, researchers tested the drug in cultures of human cartilage cells taken from donors with clinically severe osteoarthritis (i.e. patients who had undergone a total knee replacement surgery due to damage from osteoarthritis). Elisseeff's group then grew these cartilage cells into 3D structures in the lab. The 3D structures mimic how cartilage tissues grow in the body, Elisseeff explains. They then exposed these cells to UBX0101 for four days. The researchers observed that not only were the number of senescent cells dramatically reduced, but the tissue derived from these patients began forming new cartilage after the elimination of senescent cells.

"What was most striking about the results in human tissue is the fact that removal of senescent cells had a profound effect on tissue from very advanced osteoarthritis patients, suggesting that even patients with advanced disease could benefit," says Elisseeff.

Although the treatment appears promising, Elisseeff says one limitation in the current study is the short time that UBX101 remains in the joint. However, Unity Biotechnology, who co-developed UBX0101, is working on single-injection formulations. The researchers are hopeful that with further development, UBX0101 may one day offer a one-dose treatment for osteoarthritis. Elisseeff explains, "Because the drug targets and kills the senescent cells directly, once they are eliminated, patients will not need to return for frequent treatments."

Prior to this study, Johns Hopkins Technology Ventures (JHTV), the commercialization arm of The Johns Hopkins University, licensed intellectual property around the senescent cell technology to Unity Biotechnology Inc., a company aiming to develop therapeutics that address age-related diseases; both jointly own the patent.

"The promising results from this collaboration between Johns Hopkins and Unity showcase how industry and academia can work together to develop innovative therapies," says Neil Veloso, JHTV's executive director of technology transfer. "We are excited that the results from this collaboration may develop into a product that will positively impact people around the world."

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Other researchers involved in this study include: Ok Hee Jeon, Sona Rathod, Jae Wook Chung and Do Hun Kim from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine; Alain P. Vasserot, Yan Poon and Nathaniel David of Unity Biotechnology; Darren J. Baker and Jan M. Van Deursen of the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine; Judith Campisi of the Buck Institute for Research on Aging; Chaekyu Kim of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and the Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology; Remi-Martin Laberge of the Buck Institute for Research on Aging and Unity Biotechnology; and Marco Demaria of the Buck Institute for Research on Aging and the University Medical Center Groningen.

This research was supported by Unity Biotechnology, the Morton Goldberg professorship, the National Cancer Institute (R01CA96985, the Paul F. Glenn Foundation, a Fulbright scholarship from the Institute of International Education, and the Bloomberg-Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy.

Jennifer Elisseeff owns equity in Unity Biotechnology. Johns Hopkins University and Unity Biotechnology own intellectual property related to the research. Ok Hee Jeon, Chaekyu Kim and Jennifer Elisseeff are inventors of JHU intellectual property licensed to Unity. This arrangement has been reviewed and approved by The Johns Hopkins University in accordance with its conflict of interest policies.
WASHINGTON, D.C. April 26, 2017 - The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) today announced $800,000 in available funding to support distance education for students in remote geographic regions. Funding is made through a NIFA program that brings food and agricultural science education to United States insular areas.

"The next great food safety scientist could be a student in Micronesia," said NIFA Director Sonny Ramaswamy. "With NIFA investments in distance education, we are ensuring that students in the U.S. education system have access to high quality instruction in the food and agricultural sciences."

This request for applications covers the Distance Education Grants (DEG) for Institutions of Higher Education in Insular Areas. Funded projects will strengthen the capacity of higher education institutions in insular areas to carry out resident instruction, curriculum, and teaching programs in the food and agricultural sciences through distance education technology. The eight insular areas specified in this request for applications are: American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Federated States of Micronesia, Guam, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Republic of Palau, and the Virgin Islands of the United States.

The deadline for applications is June 16, 2017.

Applications may only be submitted by eligible institutions. See the request for applications for details.

Among recent projects, a University of Guam consortium project called CariPac developed online courses on agricultural sciences for students from the Caribbean to the Pacific. Palau

Community College is embarking on a comprehensive program to better engage students in agricultural science and STEM education through new technology and library resources, faculty professional development, and student internships.

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NIFA invests in and advances agricultural research, education, and extension and promotes transformative discoveries that solve societal challenges. NIFA support for the best and brightest scientists and extension personnel has resulted in user-inspired, groundbreaking discoveries that combat childhood obesity, improve and sustain rural economic growth, address water availability issues, increase food production, find new sources of energy, mitigate climate variability, and ensure food safety. To learn more about NIFA's impact on agricultural science, visit http://www.nifa.usda.gov/impacts, sign up for email updates or follow us on Twitter @USDA_NIFA, #NIFAimpacts.

USDA is an equal opportunity lender, provider, and employer.
From long, tapered jets to massive explosions of solar material and energy, eruptions on the sun come in many shapes and sizes. Since they erupt at such vastly different scales, jets and the massive clouds -- called coronal mass ejections, or CMEs -- were previously thought to be driven by different processes.

Scientists from Durham University in the United Kingdom and NASA now propose that a universal mechanism can explain the whole spectrum of solar eruptions. They used 3-D computer simulations to demonstrate that a variety of eruptions can theoretically be thought of as the same kind of event, only in different sizes and manifested in different ways. Their work is summarized in a paper published in Nature on April 26, 2017.

The study was motivated by high-resolution observations of filaments from NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory, or SDO, and the joint Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency/NASA Hinode satellite. Filaments are dark, serpentine structures that are suspended above the sun's surface and consist of dense, cold solar material. The onset of CME eruptions had long been known to be associated with filaments, but improved observations have recently shown that jets have similar filament-like structures before eruption too. So the scientists set out to see if they could get their computer simulations to link filaments to jet eruptions as well.

"In CMEs, filaments are large, and when they become unstable, they erupt," said Peter Wyper, a solar physicist at Durham University and the lead author of the study. "Recent observations have shown the same thing may be happening in smaller events such as coronal jets. Our theoretical model shows the jet can essentially be described as a mini-CME."

Solar scientists can use computer models like this to help round out their understanding of the observations they see through space telescopes. The models can be used to test different theories, essentially creating simulated experiments that cannot, of course, be performed on an actual star in real life.

The scientists call their proposed mechanism for how these filaments lead to eruptions the breakout model, for the way the stressed filament pushes relentlessly at -- and ultimately breaks through -- its magnetic restraints into space. They previously used this model to describe CMEs; in this study, the scientists adapted the model to smaller events and were able to reproduce jets in the computer simulations that match the SDO and Hinode observations. Such simulations provide additional confirmation to support the observations that first suggested coronal jets and CMEs are caused in the same way.

"The breakout model unifies our picture of what's going on at the sun," said Richard DeVore, a co-author of the study and solar physicist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. "Within a unified context, we can advance understanding of how these eruptions are started, how to predict them and how to better understand their consequences."

The key for understanding a solar eruption, according to Wyper, is recognizing how the filament system loses equilibrium, which triggers eruption. In the breakout model, the culprit is magnetic reconnection -- a process in which magnetic field lines come together and explosively realign into a new configuration.

In stable conditions, loops of magnetic field lines hold the filament down and suppress eruption. But the filament naturally wants to expand outward, which stresses its magnetic surroundings over time and eventually initiates magnetic reconnection. The process explosively releases the energy stored in the filament, which breaks out from the sun's surface and is ejected into space.

Exactly which kind of eruption occurs depends on the initial strength and configuration of the magnetic field lines containing the filament. In a CME, field lines form closed loops completely surrounding the filament, so a bubble-shaped cloud ultimately bursts from the sun. In jets, nearby fields lines stream freely from the surface into interplanetary space, so solar material from the filament flows out along those reconnected lines away from the sun.

"Now we have the possibility to explain a continuum of eruptions through the same process," Wyper said. "With this mechanism, we can understand the similarities between small jets and massive CMEs, and infer eruptions anywhere in between."

Confirming this theoretical mechanism will require high-resolution observations of the magnetic field and plasma flows in the solar atmosphere, especially around the sun's poles where many jets originate -- and that's data that currently are not available. For now, scientists look to upcoming missions such as NASA's Solar Probe Plus and the joint ESA (European Space Agency)/NASA Solar Orbiter, which will acquire novel measurements of the sun's atmosphere and magnetic fields emanating from solar eruptions.

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Rice University computer scientist Lydia Kavraki has received one of the most prestigious honors in her field, the Association for Computing Machinery's (ACM) Athena Lecturer Award.

Kavraki, the Noah Harding Professor of Computer Science and professor of bioengineering, was recognized for inventing randomized motion-planning algorithms in robotics and for the development of robotics-inspired methods for bioinformatics and biomedicine.

"I am deeply honored by this award," said Kavraki, who joined Rice's faculty in 1996. "It recognizes years of work done with my students and collaborators at Rice and around the globe. I am also delighted that ACM has chosen to name one of its top awards after Athena, the goddess of wisdom in ancient Greek mythology, who was a patron of human ingenuity and an astute adviser of heroes. It strikes a chord with me, as her picture was on the cover of my textbooks when I was growing up in Greece."

Given annually since 2006, the Athena Lecturer Award celebrates women researchers who have made fundamental contributions to computer science. The award carries a cash prize of $25,000 and the honoree is invited to give a lecture at a major ACM conference of her choice that will be recorded for the association's website.

"Planning the motion of objects in a three-dimensional space has been a central challenge in the robotics field for a long time," said ACM President Vicki Hanson. "Lydia Kavraki's Probabilistic Roadmap Method (PRM) has had a tremendous impact. It is now widely used in robotics applications in industry and is a foundational idea for numerous researchers in the field."

Though the award recognizes Kavraki's research, Hanson also lauded Kavraki's mentorship of younger colleagues, especially women. "Her career exemplifies the award's overarching goal of celebrating and supporting women in computing."

Kavraki earned her master's and doctoral degrees in computer science from Stanford and her bachelor's from the University of Crete. In her 1996 doctoral dissertation, she proposed the Probabilistic Roadmap Method, a technique to plan the motion of robots, which had been an enduring challenge in the field. The method has since become a fundamental tenet of motion planning in most robotics textbooks. Kavraki has expanded her methodologies for robot motion planning over the years and inspired the robotics community to consider problems that were largely thought unattainable. In addition, the open-source Open Motion Planning Library that she helped create has now been used in more than 30 different robotics systems worldwide.

Kavraki also was the first to recognize that the motion-planning techniques she was developing in robotics could be applied to great effect in both biology and medicine. Her algorithms for analyzing the motion, shape and flexibility of molecules have impacted computational biology, drug discovery and drug design, and her more recent work on structural methods to identify cross-reactivity hot spots in T cells has the potential to introduce safer immunotherapy treatments for cancer patients.

Kavraki also is collaborating with NASA on leading-edge motion-planning technology for Robonaut 2, a humanoid robotic assistant the space agency is expected to deploy later this year at the International Space Station and also use on future space missions.

Kavraki is a member of the National Academy of Medicine and a fellow of the ACM and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. Her numerous honors include the ACM's Grace Murray Hopper Award, the Anita Borg ABIE Technical Leadership Award and Rice's Presidential Award for Mentoring. MIT Technology Review has named Kavraki one of the World's Top 100 Innovators, and she's been chosen for Popular Science's list of 10 Brilliant Scientists.

ACM is the world's largest educational and scientific computing society. It unites computing educators, researchers and professionals to inspire dialogue, share resources and address the field's challenges. It also promotes standards, recognizes technical excellence and strengthens the computing profession's collective voice through strong leadership.

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ACM Athena Lecturer Award home page: http://awards.acm.org/athena/

Related stories from Rice:

Rice has role in new $250M robotics manufacturing institute -- Jan. 13, 2017

http://news.rice.edu/2017/01/13/rice-has-role-in-new-250m-robotics-manufacturing-institute-2/

Kavraki wins technical leadership award -- Sept. 1, 2015

http://news.rice.edu/2015/09/01/kavraki-wins-technical-leadership-award/

BioHouston honors Rice's Lydia Kavraki -- Nov. 15, 2012

http://news.rice.edu/2012/11/15/biohouston-honors-rices-lydia-kavraki/

Kavraki, Mikos elected to Institute of Medicine -- Oct. 15, 2012

http://news.rice.edu/2012/10/15/35755/

This release can be found online at news.rice.edu.

Follow Rice News and Media Relations on Twitter @RiceUNews.

Located on a 300-acre forested campus in Houston, Rice University is consistently ranked among the nation's top 20 universities by U.S. News & World Report. Rice has highly respected schools of Architecture, Business, Continuing Studies, Engineering, Humanities, Music, Natural Sciences and Social Sciences and is home to the Baker Institute for Public Policy. With 3,879 undergraduates and 2,861 graduate students, Rice's undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio is 6-to-1. Its residential college system builds close-knit communities and lifelong friendships, just one reason why Rice is ranked No. 1 for happiest students and for lots of race/class interaction by the Princeton Review. Rice is also rated as a best value among private universities by Kiplinger's Personal Finance. To read "What they're saying about Rice," go to http://tinyurl.com/RiceUniversityoverview.
Peering into laboratory glassware, Stanford University School of Medicine researchers have watched stem-cell-derived nerve cells arising in a specific region of the human brain migrate into another brain region. This process recapitulates what's been believed to occur in a developing fetus, but has never previously been viewed in real time.

The investigators saw the migrating nerve cells, or neurons, hook up with other neurons in the target region to form functioning circuits characteristic of the cerebral cortex.

These observations showcase neuroscientists' newfound ability to monitor, assemble and manipulate so-called neural spheroids, generated from human induced pluripotent stem cells, to study the normal development of the human forebrain during late pregnancy.

"We've never been able to recapitulate these human-brain developmental events in a dish before," said the study's senior author, Sergiu Pasca, MD, assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences. "The process happens in the second half of pregnancy, so viewing it live is challenging. Our method lets us see the entire movie, not just snapshots."

The findings, and the techniques used to obtain them, carry potential for the personalized study of individuals' psychiatric disorders. In the study, to be published online April 26 in Nature, the scientists were able to attribute, for the first time, defects in neuronal migration to Timothy syndrome, a rare condition that predisposes people to autism, epilepsy and cardiac malfunction. Postdoctoral scholars Fikri Birey, PhD, Jimena Andersen, PhD, and Chris Makinson, PhD, share lead authorship.

The need for 3-D models

Culturing neurons in a lab dish is old hat. But the two-dimensional character of life lived atop a flat glass coverslip doesn't sit well with cells designed for three-dimensional existence. Neurons cultured in monolayers mature only partially, tend to die fairly quickly and interact suboptimally.

In a 2015 study, Pasca and his colleagues described their method for producing neural spheroids. Neural precursor cells generated from iPS cells are placed in culture dishes whose bottoms are coated to make it impossible for neurons to attach. The cells float freely in a nutrient-rich broth, ultimately developing into hundreds of almost perfectly round balls approaching 1/16 of an inch in diameter and consisting of over 1 million cells each. These neurons can live for up to two years, and they mature fully.

The spheroids created in the 2015 study recapitulated the human cerebral cortex's six-layer-thick architecture, and the neurons they contained were of the type that arise in and dominate the cerebral cortex. They're called glutamatergic neurons because they secrete the excitatory chemical glutamate.

But the cerebral cortex's glutamatergic neurons don't remain alone for long. During fetal development, they are eventually joined by neurons of another type that originate in a slightly deeper region of the developing forebrain. These neurons secrete a neuromodulatory -- and usually inhibitory -- substance called GABA, so they're deemed GABAergic. It's known that GABAergic cells migrate from their region of origin to the cortex, where they interlace with its resident glutamatergic cells and with one another to form the circuitry responsible for the brain's most advanced cognitive activities. But no one had been able to watch this happen with human cells in a dish.

In the new study, the researchers separated their spheroids into two batches and coaxed them to become different regions of the human brain. They cultured one batch in a medium that induces cortexlike spheroids containing glutamatergic neurons. They placed the second batch in dishes whose broth steers the spheroids toward resembling the underlying brain region where GABAergic neurons originate.

Then, the investigators juxtaposed the two distinct types of spheroids. Within three days, the two spheroids fused, and GABAergic neurons from one spheroid began migrating into the glutamatergic-neuron-rich spheroid. Their migration pattern, the scientists noted, was halting: They would move toward the target spheroid for a little while, then stop for an extended period, then start up again in stuttering jumps.

On reaching their destination, the GABAergic travelers underwent a transformation, sprouting dendrites -- branching, foliage-like "tails" that receive inputs from other neurons -- and forming working connections with the glutamatergic neurons. Electrophysiological tests revealed that GABAergic and glutamatergic neurons were successfully forming circuits and signaling to one another.

Insight into Timothy syndrome

The scientists had access to tissue samples from patients with Timothy syndrome, an extremely rare and historically lethal condition caused by a mutation in the gene coding for a type of calcium channel -- a protein containing a pore that responds to different voltage levels by opening or closing, respectively permitting or blocking the flow of calcium across otherwise impermeable membranes. Such calcium channels are essential to many cellular processes. Timothy syndrome patients' severe cardiac abnormalities once spelled ultra-short life expectancies, but now can be ameliorated with pacemakers. However, survivors usually have autism and frequently have epilepsy.

The investigators generated both types of neural spheroids from their Timothy-syndrome tissue samples, fused them and watched to see what would happen. What they saw was this: The GABAergic neurons, which seemed to develop normally, exhibited aberrant start-and-stop migration patterns. Their forward movements were more frequent, but far less efficient, than those of normal neurons.

The mutation behind Timothy syndrome increases the likelihood that the calcium channel for which it codes will let calcium ions flow through it. So, the researchers reasoned, a drug impeding the channel's activity might reverse the aberration. Indeed, two different drugs that block this type of calcium channel restored normal migratory activity to the Timothy-syndrome-derived GABAergic neurons.

Diverse variants in the same gene responsible for Timothy syndrome are associated with schizophrenia, other forms of autism spectrum disorder and bipolar disorder. Pasca said he suspects these variants may affect GABAergic neurons' integration with cortical glutamatergic neurons, resulting in a cognition-altering imbalance between excitation and inhibition in the cortex and laying the groundwork for these disorders.

"Our method of assembling and carefully characterizing neuronal circuits in a dish is opening up new windows through which we can view the normal development of the fetal human brain," said Pasca. "More importantly, it will help us see how this goes awry in individual patients."

Stanford's Office of Technology Licensing has filed for a patent on the intellectual property involving the generation of brain-region-specific neural spheroids and their assembly for studying development and disease.

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Other Stanford study co-authors are postdoctoral scholars Saiful Islam, PhD, and Nina Huber, PhD; senior research scientists Nancy O'Rourke, PhD, and Wu Wei, PhD; high school lab intern Nicholas Thom; Lars Steinmetz, PhD, professor of genetics; Jonathan Bernstein, MD, PhD, associate professor of pediatrics; Joachim Hallmayer, MD, professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences; and John Huguenard, PhD, professor of neurology and of neurosurgery.

The study was funded by the National Institutes of Health (grants R01MH100900, R01MH100900, R01MH107800 and P01HG00020526), the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine, the MQ Foundation, the Donald E. and Delia B. Baxter Foundation, the Kwan Research Fund, the Stanford Child Research Health Institute, the Wishes for Elliot Foundation, a Walter V. and Idun Berry Postdoctoral Fellowship, the Stanford School of Medicine Dean's Office, the UC-San Francisco Program for Breakthrough Biomedical Research and the Sandler Foundation.

Stanford's Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and the Stanford Center for Sleep Sciences and Medicine also supported the work.

The Stanford University School of Medicine consistently ranks among the nation's top medical schools, integrating research, medical education, patient care and community service. For more news about the school, please visit http://med.stanford.edu/school.html. The medical school is part of Stanford Medicine, which includes Stanford Health Care and Stanford Children's Health. For information about all three, please visit http://med.stanford.edu.

Print media contact: Bruce Goldman at (650) 725-2106 (goldmanb@stanford.edu)

Broadcast media contact: Becky Bach at (650) 724-2454 (retrout@stanford.edu)
(Philadelphia, PA) - Scientists have long thought that calcium transport into mitochondria - the powerhouses of cells - is a key signal linking cardiac workload, or how hard the heart pumps, with energy production. Studies at the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University (LKSOM) and elsewhere have shown the importance of this pathway during stress, but they have also questioned the dogma that mitochondrial calcium exchange is necessary for normal cardiac function. Now, in a major breakthrough, LKSOM researchers show that the exit of calcium from mitochondria serves a critical role in heart function and may represent a powerful therapeutic approach to limit heart disease.

Using a newly developed mutant mouse model, researchers led by John W. Elrod, PhD, Assistant Professor in the Center for Translational Medicine at LKSOM, and senior investigator on the new study, demonstrate that a mitochondrial transporter encoded by the gene Slc8b1 (referred to as the mitochondrial sodium-calcium exchanger, or NCLX) is necessary for proper heart function. Without NCLX, animals suffer sudden death. The study, published online April 26 by the journal Nature, is the first to look at the necessity of mitochondrial calcium efflux in living animals.

Mitochondrial calcium exchange - the flow of calcium in and out of the energy-generating organelle - is fundamental to both cell death and pro-energetic signaling pathways. "We know from our previous work that the inhibition of calcium uptake results in a loss of stress response signaling in the heart," Dr. Elrod explained. "We found that mitochondrial calcium uptake was required for the heart to beat harder in response to stress and that excessive mitochondrial calcium uptake could trigger the death of heart cells. But those same animals had normal heart function in the absence of stress, suggesting the existence of a separate homeostatic, basal mechanism of calcium signaling."

To circumvent possible alternative mitochondrial calcium uptake pathways, Dr. Elrod and colleagues developed a conditional knockout mouse model, in which the NCLX gene was deleted after treatment with the drug tamoxifen, enabling mice to reach adulthood before the knockout was induced.

"By deleting NCLX, we were able to determine the necessity of mitochondrial calcium efflux," Dr. Elrod said.

When the gene was switched off in adult mice, the animals began to suddenly die from massive heart failure. Examination of cardiomyocytes from the animals revealed swollen and dysfunctional mitochondria, a sign of mitochondrial permeability transition pore (MPTP) activation, a mechanism known to be activated by calcium overload and to induce cell death. By genetically inhibiting MPTP activation, the researchers were able to rescue the NCLX knockout mice from death and prove the essential nature of mitochondrial calcium exchange in the heart.

Dr. Elrod and colleagues then explored the effects of augmenting NCLX expression in the mouse heart using genetic techniques. As anticipated, NCLX overexpression increased mitochondrial calcium efflux. It also prevented cell death in mice that suffered heart attacks and protected against the progression of heart failure by reducing reactive oxygen species production and limiting cardiomyocyte death and fibrosis (tissue stiffening).

"Targeting NCLX was effective in preventing cardiomyocyte death and maintaining heart function during the progression of heart failure," Dr. Elrod said. "Our findings suggest that mitochondrial calcium efflux is a promising therapeutic target, with the potential to lessen the severity of cardiac disease states."

Dr. Elrod plans to investigate NCLX activation further. Understanding its regulation at the molecular level could help identify additional mechanistic targets for the development of novel drug therapies.

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Other investigators contributing to the new study include Timothy S. Luongo, a student in the Elrod lab who has recently become a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Pennsylvania; Jonathan P. Lambert, Mary Nwokedi, Alyssa A. Lombardi, Santhanam Shanmughapriya, Devin Kolmetzky, Erhe Gao, and Muniswamy Madesh, Center for Translational Medicine, Department of Pharmacology,LKSOM; Xiongwen Chen, Polina Gross, and Steven R. Houser, Center for Cardiovascular Research, Department of Physiology, LKSOM; April C. Carpenter, Department of Health and Exercise Physiology, Ursinus College; Jop H. van Berlo, Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis; Emily Tsai, Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons, New York; and Jeffery D. Molkentin, Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Howard Hughes Medical Institute.

The research was supported in part by National Institutes of Health grants R01 HL123966, P01 DA037830 sub-8614 and American Heart Association grants 14SDG18910041, 15PRE25080299, 16PRE31030038, and 17PRE33460423.

About Temple Health

Temple University Health System (TUHS) is a $1.6 billion academic health system dedicated to providing access to quality patient care and supporting excellence in medical education and research. The Health System consists of Temple University Hospital (TUH), ranked among the "Best Hospitals" in the region by U.S. News & World Report; TUH-Episcopal Campus; TUH-Northeastern Campus; Fox Chase Cancer Center, an NCI-designated comprehensive cancer center; Jeanes Hospital, a community-based hospital offering medical, surgical and emergency services; Temple Transport Team, a ground and air-ambulance company; and Temple Physicians, Inc., a network of community-based specialty and primary-care physician practices. TUHS is affiliated with the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University.

The Lewis Katz School of Medicine (LKSOM), established in 1901, is one of the nation's leading medical schools. Each year, the School of Medicine educates approximately 840 medical students and 140 graduate students. Based on its level of funding from the National Institutes of Health, the Katz School of Medicine is the second-highest ranked medical school in Philadelphia and the third-highest in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. According to U.S. News & World Report, LKSOM is among the top 10 most applied-to medical schools in the nation.

Temple Health refers to the health, education and research activities carried out by the affiliates of Temple University Health System (TUHS) and by the Katz School of Medicine. TUHS neither provides nor controls the provision of health care. All health care is provided by its member organizations or independent health care providers affiliated with TUHS member organizations. Each TUHS member organization is owned and operated pursuant to its governing documents.
New genes are more likely to appear on the stage of evolution in full-fledged form rather than gradually take shape through successive stages of "proto genes" that become more and more refined over generations. This is the surprising upshot from research led by Benjamin Wilson and Joanna Masel at the University of Arizona, published as an Advance Online Publication by the scientific journal Nature Ecology & Evolution on April 24.

Evolutionary biologists have long pored over the question of where new genes come from, which poses something of a chicken-and-egg problem. Conventional wisdom has it that new genes -- DNA sequences that code for a protein molecule -- evolve from existing genes through duplication and divergence. This happens when DNA copying mechanisms accidentally leave behind an extra copy of a particular gene. Naturally occurring mutations subsequently introduce changes that alter the DNA sequence such that the new gene assumes a function previously not found in the organism's lineage.

Previous studies by other researchers suggested that new genes also emerge from non-coding DNA sequences, via primitive "proto-genes" that become refined over generations, resulting in an "adult," fully functional gene.

Masel and her team found the opposite to be more likely, based on the fact that non-coding DNA sequences are likely to give rise to highly ordered proteins. Proteins, which consist of amino acids chained together into so-called polypeptides, tend to fold into three-dimensional structures that range from simple to mindbogglingly complicated. And while "ordered" may sound like a good thing, Masel is quick to point out that a healthy dose of disorder is key to success when it comes to evolution coming up with new genes that serve as blueprints for new proteins.

For the study, the researchers compiled data on full-genome DNA sequences downloaded from yeast and mouse databases.

"We take all the known mouse genes and yeast genes and query them against everything that's ever been sequenced and see what they're related to," explains Masel, a professor in the Department of Ecology and Evolution and a member of the UA's BIO5 Institute, "and based on that, we assign each gene an age that tells us when it was born."

In the next step, the team used statistical analyses to create a model revealing the average degree of order that would be present in each gene's product.

"We found that the youngest genes are the least ordered of all, which is what you would expect to get if you birthed a gene," Masel says.

The key to a protein that can contribute a useful function for its organism while not harming it is a healthy mix between regions that are soluble because they consist of hydrophilic, or "water-loving," amino acids and stretches that are insoluble because of their hydrophobic, or "water-repelling," amino acids.

If a protein consists of too many water-loving amino acids, it will remain largely unfolded, floating around inside the cell as an unorganized chain incapable of performing biological tasks. If too much of its length is water-repelling, the amino acids will clump together, rendering the protein unusable, and even dangerous, because when such misfolded proteins bump into each other, they tend to stick to each other and accumulate.

"Now think about the most highly ordered proteins we know -- amyloids," Masel says, referring to the infamous piles of proteins found in the brain of Alzheimer's patients. "Because of this, the first order of business for any prospective gene is: 'Do no harm. Do not misfold.'"

This has profound implications for the evolution of new genes from non-coding DNA sequences. Because such sequences are likely to give rise to highly ordered proteins, they are likely to be deleterious to the organism. In this scenario, any prospective new gene must start out as some kind of "super gene," in contrast to a "proto gene." Rather than making its debut in the gene pool as an unrefined gene that still bears many similarities to the non-coding DNA sequences it came from, the protein it encodes must start with a higher-than average degree of disorder to prove itself before evolution would allow it becoming a permanent member of the gene pool.

"Instead of gradually working up to having more hydrophilic regions, young genes work their way down from being more hydrophilic and disordered, to more hydrophobic regions," Masel says. "In other words, when it comes to structural disorder, a polypeptide has the highest chance of being born if it is 'extra gene-like,' rather than 'sort of gene-like.'"

The probability that a gene could arise from a random, non-coding sequence -- also known as "junk DNA," on the other hand, used to be considered negligible, based on the premise that in the vast majority of cases, a random sequence does more harm than good. This may not be so, argues a second paper in the same issue by Rafik Neme, one of the co-authors of the study discussed here. Neme, currently a postdoctoral researcher at Columbia University Medical Center in New York, found the first experimental evidence that non-coding, "silent" stretches of DNA are anything but that.

"Until now, nobody knew whether a randomly sequence could immediately have any effect that would result in a function, or whether function was slowly acquired over time," Neme says. "It's similar to the idea of having a monkey typewriting at random, and expecting it to produce meaningful work."

Neme's experiments show that many sequences exhibit relevant activities immediately, some good and some bad. This, in turn, suggests a discrete transition between non-genes and genes and would favor certain kind of sequences and functions over others.

Based on their findings, Neme and Masel point out, the pool from which genes are born might be more conducive to birthing new genes than one might expect.

"In our scenario, a gene precursor would be a transcript that happened to be translated into a protein sometimes but has no function," she says. "These things come up in evolution all the time, and mutation will quickly destroy it unless that polypeptide provides the organism with some advantage. There either is an advantage that natural selection can act on, or there isn't, so we don't think the would-be genes stick around for very long."

This in turn suggests that gene birth is a sudden transition, rather than a gradual process involving many intermediate steps.

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In addition to Wilson, Neme and Masel, the paper was co-authored by Scott Foy, currently at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. Funding was provided by the John Templeton Foundation, the National Institutes of Health and the European Research Council.
Research could lead to better beer, single malt Scotch whiskey and provide tool for scientists to better understand other crops, including rice and wheat

RIVERSIDE, Calif. -- Looking for a better beer or single malt Scotch whiskey?

A team of researchers at the University of California, Riverside may have you covered. They are among a group of 77 scientists worldwide who have sequenced the complete genome of barley, a key ingredient in beer and single malt Scotch. The research, 10 years in the making, was just published in the journal Nature.

"This takes the level of completeness of the barley genome up a huge notch," said Timothy Close, a professor of genetics at UC Riverside. "It makes it much easier for researchers working with barley to be focused on attainable objectives, ranging from new variety development through breeding to mechanistic studies of genes."

The research will also aid scientists working with other "cereal crops," including rice, wheat, rye, maize, millet, sorghum, oats and even turfgrass, which like the other food crops, is in the grass family, Close said.

Barley has been used for more than 10,000 years as a staple food and for fermented beverages, and as animal feed.

It is found in breakfast cereals and all-purpose flour and helps bread rise. Malted barley gives beer color, body, protein to form a good head, and the natural sugars needed for fermentation. And single malt Scotch is made from only water and malted barley.

The report in Nature provides new insights into gene families that are key to the malting process. The barley genome sequence also enabled the identification of regions of the genome that have been vulnerable to genetic bottlenecking during domestication, knowledge that helps to guide breeders to optimize genetic diversity in their crop improvement efforts.

Ten years ago, the International Barley Genome Sequencing Consortium, which is led by Nils Stein of the Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research in Germany, set out to assemble a complete reference sequence of the barley genome.

This was a daunting task, as the barley genome is almost twice the size of the human genome and 80 percent of it is composed of highly repetitive sequences, which cannot be assigned accurately to specific positions in the genome without considerable extra effort.

Multiple novel strategies were used in this paper to circumvent this fundamental limitation. Major advances in sequencing technology, algorithmic design and computing made it possible. Still, this work kept teams around the world - in Germany, Australia, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom and the United State - occupied for a decade. This work provides knowledge of more than 39,000 barley genes.

Alcoholic beverages have been made from malted barley since the Stone Age, and some even consider this to be a major reason why humankind adopted plant cultivation, at least in the Fertile Crescent, where barley was domesticated.

During malting, amylase proteins are produced by germinated seeds to decompose energy-rich starch that is stored in dry grains, yielding simple sugars. These sugars then are available for fermentation by yeast to produce alcohol. The genome sequence revealed much more variability than was expected in the genes that encode the amylase enzymes.

Barley is grown throughout the world, with Russia, Germany, France, Canada, and Spain being among the top producers. In the United States, barley is mainly grown in the northwest. Idaho, Montana, and North Dakota are the leading producers.

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The Nature paper is called "A chromosome conformation capture ordered sequence of the barley genome."

In addition to Close, the following current and former UC Riverside researchers are co-authors of the paper: Maria Munoz?Amatriain, a project scientist and Steve Wanamaker, a programmer, both in the Department of Botany and Plant Sciences; Stefano Lonardi, a professor of computer science in the Bourns College of Engineering; and Rachid Ounit, who earned his Ph.D. earlier this year in computer science after working in Lonardi's lab.

The UC Riverside team's contributions were supported by grants from the National Science Foundation and the US Department of Agriculture, and annual support through the UC Riverside Agricultural Experiment Station.
Irvine, Calif. - Physicists at the University of California, Irvine and elsewhere have fabricated new two-dimensional quantum materials with breakthrough electrical and magnetic attributes that could make them building blocks of future quantum computers and other advanced electronics.

In three separate studies appearing this month in Nature, Science Advances and Nature Materials, UCI researchers and colleagues from UC Berkeley, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Princeton University, Fudan University and the University of Maryland explored the physics behind the 2-D states of novel materials and determined they could push computers to new heights of speed and power.

The common threads running through the papers are that the research is conducted at extremely cold temperatures and that the signal carriers in all three studies are not electrons - as with traditional silicon-based technologies - but Dirac or Majorana fermions, particles without mass that move at nearly the speed of light.

"Finally, we can take exotic, high-end theories in physics and make something useful," said UCI associate professor of physics & astronomy Jing Xia, a corresponding author on two of the studies. "We're exploring the possibility of making topological quantum computers [currently theoretical] for the next 100 years."

One of the key challenges of such research is handling and analyzing miniscule material samples, just two atoms thick, several microns long and a few microns across. Xia's lab at UCI is equipped with a fiber-optic Sagnac interferometer microscope that he built. (The only other one in existence is at Stanford University, assembled by Xia when he was a graduate student there.) Calling it the most sensitive magnetic microscope in the world, Xia compares it to a telescope that an ornithologist in Irvine could use to inspect the eye of a bird in New York.

"This machine is the ideal measurement tool for these discoveries," said UCI graduate student Alex Stern, lead author on two of the papers. "It's the most accurate way to optically measure magnetism in a material."

In a study to be published April 24 in Nature, the researchers detail their observation - via the Sagnac interferometer - of magnetism in a microscopic flake of chromium germanium telluride. The compound, which they created, was viewed at minus 387 degrees Fahrenheit. CGT is a cousin of graphene, a superthin atomic carbon film. Since its discovery, graphene has been considered a potential replacement for silicon in next-generation computers and other devices because of the speed at which electronic signals skitter across its almost perfectly flat surface.

But there's a catch: Certain computer components, such as memory and storage systems, need to be made of materials that have both electronic and magnetic properties. Graphene has the former but not the latter. CGT has both.

His lab also used the Sagnac interferometer for a study published in Science Advances examining what happens at the precise moment bismuth and nickel are brought into contact with one another - again at a very low temperature (in this case, minus 452 degrees Fahrenheit). Xia said his team found at the interface between the two metals "an exotic superconductor that breaks time-reversal symmetry."

"Imagine you turn back the clock and a cup of red tea turns green. Wouldn't that make this tea very exotic? This is indeed exotic for superconductors," he said. "And it's the first time it's been observed in 2-D materials."

The signal carriers in this 2-D superconductor are Majorana fermions, which could be used for a braiding operation that theorists believe is vital to quantum computing.

"The issue now is to try to achieve this at normal temperatures," Xia said. The third study shows promise in overcoming that hurdle.

In 2012, Xia's lab delivered to the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency a radio-frequency oscillator built around samarium hexaboride. The substance is an insulator on the inside but allows signal-carrying current made of Dirac fermions to flow freely on its 2-D surface.

Using a special apparatus built in the Xia lab - also one of only two in the world - UCI researchers applied tensile strain to the samarium hexaboride sample and demonstrated in the Nature Materials study that they could stabilize the 2-D surface state at minus 27 degrees Fahrenheit.

"Believe it or not, that's hotter than some parts of Canada," Xia quipped. "This work is a big step toward developing future quantum computers at nearly room temperature."

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Funding for UCI's involvement in the three studies was provided by the National Science Foundation. Additional support was furnished by the U.S. Department of Energy.

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.

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.
Top brass leaders discuss House impasse

Top leaders of ruling and opposition parties held a meeting at Parliament building in New Baneshwor, Kathmandu, on Wednesday to discuss ways to end the House impasse.
A study by researchers at the University of Kent is expected to help teachers identify specific reasons for different types of pupil withdrawal in the classroom

A study by researchers at the University of Kent is expected to help teachers identify specific reasons for different types of pupil withdrawal in the classroom.

The study, which was led by Stephen Earl from the University's School of Sport and Exercise Sciences, discovered that psychological pressure from teachers can contribute to disengagement amongst teenage pupils under 14. Active disengagement behaviours include talking and making noise, with daydreaming in class amongst the more passive disengagement behaviours.

It also discovered that although most teachers may pressurise pupils with the well-meaning intention of engaging them, it may have the opposite effect and actually promote disengagement. Such pressure includes threats of punishment or controlling language -- e.g. 'do this because I say so' -- without providing any explanation.

Other findings from the study, which was conducted across three secondary schools in Kent, include:

pupils who were made to feel incapable of being successful reported less energy in class and were rated as passively disengaged by teachers

pupils who felt forced to do activities in class were reported to disengage either actively or passively

The research is published in the journal Learning and Instruction as 'Autonomy and competence frustration in young adolescent classrooms: Different associations with active and passive disengagement' (Stephen R. Earl, Carla Meijen and Louis Passfield, University of Kent; Ian M. Taylor, Loughborough University).

For further information or interview requests contact Sandy Fleming at the University of Kent Press Office.

Tel: 01227 823581/01634 888879

Email: S.Fleming@kent.ac.uk

News releases can also be found at http://www.kent.ac.uk/news

University of Kent on Twitter: http://twitter.com/UniKent

Note to editors

Established in 1965, the University of Kent -- the UK's European university -- now has almost 20,000 students across campuses or study centres at Canterbury, Medway, Tonbridge, Brussels, Paris, Athens and Rome.

It has been ranked: 23rd in the Guardian University Guide 2017; 23rd in the Times and Sunday Times University Guide 2017; and 23rd in the Complete University Guide 2017.

In the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2015-16, Kent is in the top 10% of the world's leading universities for international outlook and 66th in its table of the most international universities in the world. The THE also ranked the University as 20th in its 'Table of Tables' 2016.

Kent is ranked 17th in the UK for research intensity (REF 2014). It has world-leading research in all subjects and 97% of its research is deemed by the REF to be of international quality.

In the National Student Survey 2016, Kent achieved the fourth highest score for overall student satisfaction, out of all publicly funded, multi-faculty universities. Along with the universities of East Anglia and Essex, Kent is a member of the Eastern Arc Research Consortium.

The University is worth 0.7 billion to the economy of the south east and supports more than 7,800 jobs in the region. Student off-campus spend contributes 293.3m and 2,532 full-time-equivalent jobs to those totals.

In 2014, Kent received its second Queen's Anniversary Prize for Higher and Further Education.

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MADISON, Wisconsin -- The adage "put your thinking caps on" might evoke visions of an elementary classroom, where a teacher has just admonished cherubic little learners about to embark on a particularly difficult academic adventure.

In today's high-stakes world, where we all need to think, learn or act quickly, the adage still rings true: Mastering a new task, skill or information often takes the right environment, mindset, sharp focus and lots of hard work, repetition and time.

Yet, in some time-sensitive or high-pressure situations, a big boost in learning ability and speed from that proverbial thinking cap would not only be welcome, but critical.

At the University of Wisconsin-Madison, biomedical engineer Justin Williams is leading an effort to do just that.

With up to $9.85 million in funding from the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), Williams and neuroscience experts from around the country will develop a low-cost, easy-to-use system -- think "learning goggles" -- that aims to accelerate learning by stimulating nerves in the head and neck to boost neural activity in the brain.

The system will be particularly useful for military personnel, whose safety and our national security depends on their ability to quickly master new skills or digest vast quantities of important information.

The concept is rooted in a promising new area of research, called targeted neuroplasticity training, in which activating peripheral nerves -- those outside of the brain and spinal cord -- can promote and strengthen connections of neurons in the brain.

Acupuncturists have known for centuries that the face and head are excellent places to stimulate peripheral nerves. For example, the auricular vagus nerve is located just below the skin and runs past the tragus -- the little flap on your outer ear -- and down through the neck.

Stimulating nerves such as the vagus can boost brain chemicals such as acetylcholine, dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine. During learning, those chemicals, known as neuromodulators, regulate changes in the connections between neurons in the brain -- and brain function improves.

In recent experiments, other researchers in the field demonstrated that stimulating the vagus nerve while an animal was learning a basic task dramatically increased the speed at which the animal learned the task.

"It seemed to work, whether it was a motor task, memory, auditory task or something else," says Williams, UW-Madison Vilas Distinguished Service Professor in Biomedical Engineering.

Williams is among the nation's leaders in neural interface technology research and optimization. In 2009, for example, Time magazine included him on its list of the year's 50 best inventions for developing a "thinking cap": a brain-computer interface that allows paralyzed or "locked-in" people to type and send a tweet using only their thoughts.

With the DARPA funding, he and his collaborators initially will leverage their combined expertise to develop ways to discover, measure, monitor and optimize the brain's response during targeted neuroplasticity training.

Ultimately, they hope to use that knowledge to eventually develop a noninvasive, user-friendly technology that simultaneously delivers a stimulus, monitors neural response and dramatically accelerates learning.

"Can we optimize the production of neurotransmitters at the right time and in the right place in the brain during a task to enhance learning?" asks Williams.

Beyond military applications, the technology also might be useful, in controlled environments, for people who have learning disorders or who are afflicted with diseases such as Alzheimer's.

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Williams' collaborators at UW-Madison include: Samuel Poore, professor of surgery; Zhenqiang (Jack) Ma, professor of electrical and computer engineering; and Aaron Suminski, senior scientist in neurological surgery and biomedical engineering. Collaborators from around the country include: David McCormick, professor of neuroscience and psychology at Yale University; Matthew McGinley, professor of neuroscience at Baylor College of Medicine; Robert Froemke, professor of otolaryngology and neuroscience and physiology at New York University; and Kendall Lee and Kip Ludwig, director and associate director, respectively, of the Mayo Clinic Neural Engineering Laboratory.

Renee Meiller, meiller@engr.wisc.edu, 608-262-2481
Oscar Alcoreza, a Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine student about to complete his second year, has been awarded a highly competitive Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) fellowship to devote a year to in-depth, mentored biomedical research at the Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute.

One of 79 selected medical and veterinary students, Alcorezas award was announced today (Wednesday, April 26) by the Howard Hughes Medical Institutes Medical Research Fellows Program.

The fellowship will enable Alcoreza to take a deep, yearlong dive into epilepsy research midway through the pursuit of his medical degree.

Alcoreza is intrigued by how trauma, strokes, infectious diseases, and other occurrences may cause healthy brains to become epileptic.

An increasingly large incidence of new onset epilepsy is a result of strokes, brain tumors, Alzheimer's disease, and may also be a long-term consequence for many soldiers suffering traumatic brain injury, according to Citizens United for Research in Epilepsy (CURE).

CURE supports a number of fellowship positions in the program for students who are conducting epilepsy-related research.

"A two-week latent period seems to take place in a mouse model of epilepsy between a pathology and the actual occurrence of epilepsy," Alcoreza said. "I am trying to figure out what happens in the transition from a healthy to an epileptic brain, and to see what we might do to intervene in the process."

Alcoreza will begin his fellowship this summer in the laboratory of mentor Harald Sontheimer, the director of the Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute Center for Glial Biology in Health, Disease, and Cancer. Sontheimer is also the executive director of the School of Neuroscience in the Virginia Tech College of Science.

"The HHMI fellowship allows the most promising medical students to completely immerse themselves in research for one year, with the objective that they may combine their future medical practices with academic research -- which truly positions them to think about cures for diseases and novel diagnostics," Sontheimer said. "Oscar is an incredibly talented student who came to medical school with a sincere interest in research. He is one of the rare students that HHMI is seeking because they are the future leaders of academic medicine."

The fellowship is a one-year award for full-time research, with a stipend of $32,000, a research allowance of $5,500, and a fellow's allowance of $5,500. Through its support of this initiative, CURE is interested in increasing the number of young investigators in the field of epilepsy research.

"This award to Oscar is indicative of his commitment making a difference in biomedical research that may impact the lives of more patients than would be possible from the practice of a single medical practitioner," said Michael Friedlander, Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine senior dean for research and executive director of the research institute. "It also recognizes the outstanding mentorship of Harald Sontheimer and the research environment and track record of the VTCRI. We are very proud of the many medical students at VTCSOM who have carried out original, hypothesis-driven research, in many cases publishing their work in top tier, peer-reviewed journals. Oscar will continue that tradition with the added prominence of being the recipient of a major national research award."

The HHMI Medical Fellows Program allows exceptional students to effectively shift course and conduct rigorous research at top institutions throughout the country, according to David Asai, senior director in science education at HHMI.

"It's an extraordinary opportunity for future physicians, veterinarians, and dentists to explore the intersection of medicine and scientific discovery, and we hope that each student comes away further empowered to pursue a career as a physician-scientist," Asai said.

From an early age, Alcoreza, the son of an engineer and a businesswoman, gravitated to math and science. He received his bachelor's degree in biology from William & Mary and went on to receive his master's degree from Boston University.

"Discovering new people and places, learning -- that's what I love," Alcoreza said. "But before now, I never had much exposure to neurology or neuroscience, and I am really enjoying it. There is so much we do not know about the brain, and I am grateful for the opportunity to further explore brain research."

At VTCRI, Alcoreza receives additional guidance from Susan Campbell, a research assistant professor who supervises students in the Sontheimer lab and works extensively with Alcoreza.

Campbell said many medical students may not want to interrupt their four-year path to a degree. But Alcoreza welcomes it.

"A good predicator for future success is someone's dedication and hard work, and Oscar has those qualities," Campbell said. "It takes a very special medical student to devote a year to laboratory-based research. He views this fellowship as additional medical training. He truly values it."

Alcoreza's fellowship is a feather in the cap for the school of medicine and the research institute, Sontheimer said.

"At places like Harvard, Yale, Stanford or Duke, people would celebrate, but an HHMI medical research fellowship wouldn't be unusual," he said. "For a relatively new medical school, it pays tribute to the excellent caliber of student they are attracting, the environment Virginia Tech is providing, and the research enterprise at VTCRI. In years to come, we will continue to be recognized for our students."

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COLUMBUS  Soil sample and testing supplies? Check. Building materials? Check. Hexbug?

What in the world is a hexbug? A hexbug is a microrobot that sixth- and seventh-grade students from Clear Fork Middle School in Morrow County used to complete the 4-H Ag Innovators Experience, the Healthy Soils C.S.I. (Carbon Soil Investigation) Challenge.

Ohio 4-H hosted the 2017 challenge kickoff in April at the Nationwide and Ohio Farm Bureau 4-H Center on the Ohio State University campus in Columbus. By the end of December, several thousand other students from Ohio, Michigan, Missouri, Illinois and Nebraska will have used a hexbug microrobot to complete the Healthy Soils C.S.I. Challenge, too.

The 4-H Ag Innovators Experience, sponsored by Monsanto Co. and the National 4-H Council, is designed for youth to learn about environmental and sustainability issues important to agriculture through hands-on activities, according to the 4-H Ag Innovators Experience website.

Different topics

Ohio 4-H has been the lead state for this program for the past four years, with the topic changing each year.

The motivation to starting the Ag Innovators program was to generate interest in agricultural careers among youth, said Patty House, a 4-H educator based in OSU Extensions Clark County office. Universities are not graduating enough students for the growing number of available agricultural careers.

This program focuses on a sustainable agriculture premise that would allow future agriculturalists to feed a billion more people. Helping with the event were 4-H members Koleson McCoy, Abigail Myers and Evan Callicoat, each one a high school student from Clark County, who were chosen by House to attend the Ag Innovators Experience training in Washington, D.C., in February.

Clark County 4-H alumnus and no-till farmer Andrew Armstrong also helped with the event as a farming specialist.

McCoy, Myers, Callicoat and Armstrong will be helping lead future Healthy Soils C.S.I. Challenges in Ohio over the course of this year. According to Callicoat, students go home from the challenge with a better understanding of STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) skills, such as the engineering design process and scientific testing.

The Healthy Soils Challenge consists of two parts: Part one includes student teams conducting various tests on a soil sample to determine if the soil is healthy, a practice many farmers do annually. Part two challenges teams to engineer a new and better way to plant crops while minimizing soil disturbance.

Teams are given the materials to design, build and test their own small-scale no-till planter that mimics the opening and closing process of no-till planters while minimizing equipment drag and reducing soil compaction.

We want to inspire kids to be creators of innovation and technology, not just users, House said. Many kids are very tech-savvy, but they are just using what others have created. We want to encourage kids to create their own things.

Program outreach

Each year, land-grant universities submit proposals for a challenge, and the winners proposal becomes the 4-H Ag Innovators Experience Challenge. This is the fourth consecutive year Ohio States proposal has been selected.

Bob Horton, Ohio 4-H STEM education specialist, along with House, were the creators of this years Ag Innovators Challenge. Horton and House have worked with this program the past four years. Soils was chosen as this years topic because soil is where it all begins, said Bill Bowers, one of the Monsanto representatives in attendance at the kickoff event.

Monsanto is really interested in soil health and production agriculture, and this program is a great launching pad to involve youth in a growing industry.

At a second event at the end of April, teens from 12 Ohio counties will come to the Nationwide and Ohio Farm Bureau 4-H Center to learn how to facilitate the Healthy Soils C.S.I. Challenge.

They will take what they learn back to their counties to share with other teen 4-H members and to teach at youth events across Ohio.

Reaching youth

Similar efforts will be undertaken in the five participating states with an estimated 6,000 youth reached overall.

We hope to reach 1,500 students in Ohio alone, House said. This program will engage youth at summer day camps, 4-H camps and after-school programs.

We want to encourage kids to look at all the career options in the agricultural industry, particularly in STEM areas.

Outreach for this program will reach far beyond the borders of the United States. A group of FFA students from Ohio will travel to Honduras this summer to teach the Healthy Soils C.S.I. Challenge in vocational schools there.

Adam Staley, FFA educator at Clear Fork High School, is one of the agriscience educators who has taken FFA students to Honduras the past three summers. When FFA students taught the Ag Innovators Experience Challenge there last summer, Staley said, groves of people came to the school to watch.

The 4-H Ag Innovators Experience, Healthy Soils C.S.I. Challenge materials will be available this fall for teachers and youth leaders interested in teaching this activity. The curriculum will also be available at: 4-h.org/get-involved/partners/monsanto/.

Appreciating soils

One of the most critical issues in agriculture, and also an issue that doesnt get the same amount of attention as something like water quality, is soil health, House said.

People dont realize that soil can be the answer to reversing climate change, she said. Its cool to get kids to think about this, especially because it is something that will affect them in their future.

The Healthy Soils Facilitator Guide provides a detailed overview of the Healthy Soils C.S.I. Challenge.

According to the guide, soil is a mixture of minerals, organic matter, living organisms, air and water  its not just dirt.

Soil quality is important because it helps sustain an ecosystem responsible for our food and fiber needs, environmental quality, and human health.

This becomes extremely important as agriculturalists continue to discuss how to feed the growing world while using good practices to protect the environment, House said.
The National Farming Unions (NFU) application for an emergency authorisation for neonicotinoid seed treatments is not looking hopeful as Government advisors think it should be refused.

Two applications for the use of Cruiser OSR and Modesto as neonicotinoid seed dressings on oilseed rape were considered by the UK Expert Committee on Pesticides (ECP).

The applications were created to control cabbage stem flea beetle (CSFB), which UK growers say has devastated rape crops since neonicotinoids were banned in 2013.

A recent survey of 400 arable farmers who all grow winter oilseed rape (OSR) reports that 8.3 per cent of the crop this year has failed, mainly because of CSFB.

Because of the risks and dangers to pollinators, the committee appeared to side with refusal of the application rather than acceptance.

They also said no data had been submitted to indicate that a moderate threshold constituted an emergency.

However, the committee noted that CSFB could cause economic damage.

'Great news for bees'

Friends of the Earths nature campaigner, Sandra Bell, said: Once again the NFUs attempt to bring banned bee harming pesticides back into our fields has been shown to be flawed.

Its certainly great news for bees that this application has been rejected. Now we need a permanent ban on all uses of these pesticides.

Farmers need support to find effective bee friendly ways to protect their crops, not the reintroduction of products that have been shown to harm essential pollinators and the other beneficial insects that help control pests.

This week, a study showed that the full cost to farmers of the neonicotinoid ban in 2016 was 18.4 million and resulted in almost 28,800ha of lost crop.

Defra ministers will announce their final decision on the application this week.
The future of UK food security is at risk unless the Government changes its approach to food and farming policies post-Brexit, according to a group of leading animal scientists and farmers.

The British Society of Animal Science (BSAS) says policy makers need to engage in a different kind of conversation about what will happen to UK farming and food production once the country leaves the European Union.

The scientists and farmers say that without embracing a fresh approach to food and farm policies, not only will food security be challenged, but the countrys rural landscapes and communities could be forced to change beyond recognition.

Speaking at the societys annual conference in Chester on Wednesday (26 April), BSAS President Professor Liam Sinclair will say that government needs to engage with all sectors of the industry to develop policies which are firmly focused on science, innovation and adding value to UK food production.

This includes clear and guaranteed support that the sector will be properly supported once the existing Common Agricultural Policy came to an end.

'Very different conversation'

We need to have a very different conversation about how UK agriculture will work outside the EU, Prof Sinclair will tell delegates.

If there isnt a substantial amount of applied research and knowledge transfer to allow the livestock industry to improve its efficiency and profitability then food security will be seriously challenged.

Whats more, without giving producers the support they need to survive and successfully develop their businesses outside the EU we risk being left with fewer animals, an altered landscape, and shattered rural economies.

UK Government urged to be 'fully aware' of the importance of the livestock industry

Coming out of the EU means the end of the CAP and single farm payments, and if we want to extend our global competitiveness and maintain our current standards of production, food quality and animal welfare, it is essential that Government develops well thought out, focused policies that are based on sound evidence and supported by targeted incentives.

This is a chance to join up thinking across government and the industry as a whole. It will be difficult to do, but its vital that it happens.

Long-term sustainability

To assist policy makers as they discuss the future of UK food and farming outside the EU, BSAS has produced a policy white paper which sets out five key areas in which they urge the Government to focus on to ensure the "long-term sustainability" of UK livestock production and research. These are:

 Additional government support must target applied research which drives innovation, has rapid impact and adds value

 Policies must improve competitiveness and be evidence based

 UK scientists must have access to European Research Funding

 The UK livestock workforce must have appropriate skills and training

 Support for livestock production and research underpin UK food security, biodiversity, tourism and the rural economy

Addressing the conference during a special session on the impacts of Brexit on UK animal science, Professor Sinclair will say: The food and drink industry is the largest manufacturing sector in the UK, and the role that the livestock sector plays within that in supporting the countrys economy and food security cannot be overlooked.

For that reason, it is essential that the challenges and opportunities posed by Brexit are properly addressed, and that everyone in the food and farming sectors - whether they are scientists, farmers, processors or anyone else in the economic cycle - are given the support they need.

'Major risk'

BSAS chief executive Bruce Beveridge said the UK Government needs to be fully aware of the importance of the livestock industry.

He said: We need to make sure that government is fully aware of the importance of the livestock industry to the UK economy when negotiating with the EU, setting up new trade deals or preparing domestic policy, adds BSAS chief executive Bruce Beveridge.

If they dont then there is a major risk to the UKs balance of trade, and potentially food security, tourism and employment.

We want a world leading, competitive and profitable food and farming sector that is supported and led by the latest research and development. We believe we can achieve that outside the EU, but we must make sure we have all the tools we need to do it.
An investigation has been launched after a farmer died in a huge gas explosion in Cambridgeshire.

The Health and Safety Executive is currently investigating the fatal blast after emergency services were called to reports of a loud blast at a workshop.

A man, who has not yet been named, was pronounced dead at the industrial premises in Puddock Road, Warboys.

A shocked member of staff at a nearby car valeting business, Warman Detailing, told Cambridge News: "The guy was a random farmer and he died because of a gas explosion.

"The poor guy had a gas explosion in his workshop and unfortunately he died. The guy happened to be working in his workshop - he was a nice chap."

A spokesman for fire investigators from Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service said the cause of the explosion was "accidental".

A police spokesman confirmed that there were no suspicious circumstances after officers were called to the scene in the outskirts of the village at 8.15am on Friday (April 21).

A Health and Safety Executive probe into the incident was launched after an investigation by Cambridgeshire Constabulary was completed on Friday.
The National Farmers' Union has held an event in Westminster to stress the importance of upland farming to MPs.

The NFU Uplands Forum had the chance to impress upon MPs the important role that farming in the uplands plays for Britains landscapes during an event held by the NFU in the Houses of Parliament last night.

The event saw the screening of Addicted to Sheep to an audience of MPs, with insights of upland farming both from NFU Uplands Forum Chairman Robin Milton and film producer Magali Pettier.

The film, shot on the Raby Estate in Upper Teesdale, County Durham, captures the farming familys dedicated round-the-clock care of their pedigree Swaledale sheep.

The event was sponsored by Helen Goodman MP (Labour, Bishop Auckland) and Peter Aldous MP (Conservative, Waveney).

'Living and working landscape'

After the event, NFU Uplands Forum Chairman Robin Milton said that the UK's upland areas are a "living and working landscape which has immense social, cultural and environmental value."

He said: Discussing this with MPs last night was a good opportunity for the NFU on behalf of its uplands members.

Its incredibly important that the role of upland farming in the creation and maintenance of unique and iconic upland landscapes is recognised by policy-makers. We were able to make this crystal clear to MPs.

I was able to stress how the uplands should be seen by Government as the natural capital assets they are and how appropriate policies will facilitate a sound economic future for them. 

Collaborative approach

Mr Milton said that with a collaborative approach involving policy-makers, the UK will be able to enhance the uplands contribution to public benefits as well as securing the ability to produce the "highest quality food from the finest landscapes."

In January this year, eighty people, including hill farmers and conservationists, gathered under the banner of the 'Uplands Alliance' to talk passionately about England's 'high value' upland areas.

The Alliance considered how to persuade the public and the Government to support continued and enhanced delivery of upland benefits in future Government policy and public funding.
Police are warning dog owners in Aberdeenshire to keep their animals under control after two sheep were killed.

Officers were called to the Bridge of Marnoch area near Huntly at around 7.30am on the 24th of April after a farmer was forced to shoot dead a pet dog.

A 25-year old man and woman have both been charged in connection with the incident and other previous occurrences.

PC Dean McHugh, from the local Community Policing Team, said: "Farmers are within their right to shoot dogs worrying sheep on their land as a last resort to prevent further injury.

"To lose sheep and unborn lambs has a significant impact on farmers and their livelihoods, but to lose a much-loved pet causes huge upset for dog owners as well.

"All it can take to avoid this distress is to keep dogs on leads or under control, and for owners to take the necessary steps to ensure animals cannot run loose.

"My advice to anyone walking and exercising their dogs in the countryside is to ensure that they are constantly under control and to avoid going into fields where livestock is grazing.

"It is your responsibility to know where your animal is and what they are doing. At worst, you could end up losing your pet and appearing in court.

"Anyone with concerns about livestock worrying can contact police on 101."

A report will be submitted to the Procurator Fiscal in relation to the two individuals who have been charged and the pair will appear in court at a later date.
Two-phase elections will go ahead at any cost: CEC

Chief Election Commissioner Ayodhee Prasad Yadav has said the two-phase elections will not be halted under any circumstances.
Farmers have highlighted the need for the Welsh Government to have good channels of communication with the farming community, in light of the UK leaving the EU.

Many farming businesses within Wales operate in very remote circumstances with poor access to IT and broadband connectivity.

Tenant Farmers Association (TFA) Cymru Chairman, Dennis Matheson, said those farmers without good broadband or connectivity should not miss out on important messages.

Mr Matheson said: It has become abundantly clear that the decision made last year by the previous Welsh Government administration to cease publication of the paper version of Gwlad, the Welsh Governments newsletter for farm and forestry businesses and all those involved in agriculture, was a major mistake.

This was a primary resource of information for many within the farming community who are now not able to access the online only content."

'Major negative effect'

Mr Matheson said farmers are upset about the Government abandoning paper communications.

All sectors of the rural community are unanimous that the decision to abandon the paper version of Gwlad has had a major negative effect on the dissemination of important information in a timely manner.

Farming organisations, such as TFA Cymru, do their best to ensure to pass on information but with a large proportion of farmers belonging to no organisation this is an unsatisfactory situation leaving many farmers with no idea about impending legislative changes until, only too often, it is too late."

TFA Cymru has urged the new Cabinet Secretary to reverse the decision of her predecessor and reinstate the paper version of Gwlad so that all farmers are kept informed of any new rules, regulations, schemes and policy initiatives which might affect their businesses.
Five things for farmers to watch out for in Autumn Statement
In this week's episode of Industry Focus: Energy , Motley Fool analysts Sean O'Reilly and Taylor Muckerman walk investors through what they need to know about the fracking process and about some of the best-established businesses in the industry. Find out how the new technology lets drillers access more oil, what steps frackers take to make the process cleaner, a few ways investors can get exposure to the space without buying directly into an exploration company, and more.

Fracking is where it's at for U.S. oil production, but it's more than a little complicated.

Also, the hosts look into the sudden seat change at Arconic (HWM 0.63%), where CEO Klaus Kleinfeld has been abruptly ousted from his position by investment-management company Elliott Management.

A full transcript follows the video.

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This video was recorded on April 20, 2017.

Sean O'Reilly: Welcome to Industry Focus, the podcast that dives into a different sector of the stock market every day. Today is Thursday, April 20, 2017, so we're talking about energy, materials, and industrials. I am your host, Sean O'Reilly, and to my left is Motley Fool Premium analyst and St. Louis Cardinals die-hard, Mr. Taylor Muckerman. What's up, Taylor?

Taylor Muckerman: Sporting my red today, got a sweep yesterday, first series win.

O'Reilly: You feeling good?

Muckerman: Better.

O'Reilly: Very good. I'm a Cleveland Indians fan. We're not going to talk about last year.

Muckerman: I would talk about last year. You lost in Game 7, but you still went to the World Series.

O'Reilly: How far did you guys get?

Muckerman: Oh, funny. That's why I'm saying, I would want to talk about last year if I was you.

O'Reilly: Thank you. If I were you? We need a couple of those editors from upstairs.

Muckerman: Yeah, hold up paper on the glass. "You said that wrong!"

O'Reilly: Use your commas! So, on today's show, we're going to walk our Foolish listeners through the fracking process. I know that sounds really attractive, doesn't it?

Muckerman: We use the word a lot, but we haven't ever really described it.

O'Reilly: That's true. And we'll, of course, mention a few interesting companies along the way, maybe some cool fracking sand companies.

Muckerman: If our listeners ask politely.

O'Reilly: We should have a chat sometime, "Tweet at us right now if you want ... "

Muckerman: We could. We do live chats with our members. We could do a live stream using Slido.

O'Reilly: Could we use Slido?

Muckerman: Yeah, you just have to throw a password over the podcast, and if people listen to it they get treated with the password.

O'Reilly: And, of course, the password, if you had to pick, would be Go Cardinals!, or something.

Muckerman: No, then people who don't listen every week wouldn't be able to figure it out.

O'Reilly: Yeah, OK. So we'll walk through the fracking process. But first, we have to briefly talk about what's going on with Arconic. Basically, this week, the sudden ouster of its CEO Klaus Kleinfeld. Arconic is the lightweight metals and engineering manufacturer. It's the successor --

Muckerman: Well, not successor, because Alcoa (AA) still exists.

O'Reilly: It spun off the original aluminum production operations, and this is the advanced stuff. So Alcoa took the name.

Muckerman: Alcoa kept the aluminum production, and they spun off the aluminum products division into Arconic.

O'Reilly: Yeah. It was interesting to me, because in every press release I've ever seen for this, or analysis, Arconic is not mentioned as a spinoff. It's just, "We're separating, and that's it."

Muckerman: Yeah, I guess maybe not a spinoff, technically.

O'Reilly: But bottom line, that's just semantics to this point. This happened about six months ago. The guy that steered Arconic through this process of becoming an individual company was, again, CEO Klaus Kleinfeld. Total surprise -- it was announced on April 17 that Kleinfeld has been forced out by investment manager Elliott Management. This is actually where it gets even weirder.

Arconic said that Mr. Kleinfeld's exit came after he sent an unauthorized letter to Elliott Management, that Arconic's board of directors said showed poor judgement. The company then said that Mr. Kleinfeld is stepping down by mutual agreement. I don't know what was in this letter. That sounds awesome. If somebody knows, tweet at me, I guess. Elliott said in a statement that the letter from Mr. Kleinfeld "read as a threat to intimidate or extort a senior officer of Elliott Management based on completely false insinuations, a threat that we took seriously and about which we immediately and privately informed the board." Whoa.

Muckerman: Yeah, I would believe them if they didn't already want him out of there for over a year. This is just their excuse.

O'Reilly: That's the final cap on this whole --

Muckerman: They were probably poking the bear for a year, and he finally woke up from hibernation.

O'Reilly: Arconic is going to have a shareholder meeting on May 16, and they had it on the docket to get him out. That letter, I want to know what's in that letter. That sounds insane, from a professional CEO of a large corporation.

Muckerman: Yeah. If you're a shareholder of Alcoa -- because he's been the CEO of Alcoa before the split -- he pushed back against the split in 2012 and 2013, when the price of commodities started to fall, eventually succumbing to investors' demands, and successfully overseeing the split and then taking control as the CEO of Arconic. He's a visionary. He has long-term visions for Arconic, not these near-term visions that Elliott Management has. If you look at his success at Alcoa and Arconic now as a businessman and a relationship man with their customers, Boeing was going to go all composites, they were going to completely eliminate the aluminum products that they used from Alcoa and now Arconic. He had the CEO come to their plant, they hashed it out, and they proved that they needed to remain an Arconic customer. And it's one of their biggest contracts. And then you see the CEOs of Airbus, on top of Boeing, United Technologies, and to [General Electric] Aviation all voicing their support for Klaus Kleinfeld. But Elliott Management, they have some ulterior motives, some short-term motives, I'm sure.

O'Reilly: This is not news, yeah.

Muckerman: The stock did pop a little bit, but all these reports you see about his track record in the market for Alcoa, all say, "Oh, this stock's done so poorly since he's been there!" But they never mention the fact that the price of aluminum has also done quite poorly since he was CEO.

O'Reilly: Right. Lemons out of lemonade. Last thing before we move on, what you were talking about, he's a visionary. When the split happened six months ago, I saw it mentioned in The Wall Street Journal, he had this big, long production video of the future, 60 years from now. And he's like, "We're going to build the future, these towers, with robots, we're going to build it all," and it's like, oh my gosh, this guy is thinking long-term.

Muckerman: Using Arconic's products. As Fools, we appreciate that, and as Fools, we don't appreciate, at least I don't appreciate, what happened. I'm going to keep my eye on him and see where he ends up. If he doesn't choose to retire, I think somebody is going to want him on their board, or in their C-suite. I'd be interested which company that is. Hopefully they're public so I can follow along.

O'Reilly: We've been doing this for a year and a half together. We've talked a lot about fracking. It's kind of all we talk about.

Muckerman: Well, it's what's disrupted the industry over the last decade or so, and it's what put American oil and natural gas back on the map.

O'Reilly: I have a good friend who's a petroleum geologist. I remember when he was in school 10 years ago, he gave a presentation about this, and I happened to be on campus. I was just passing through. He was talking about this and how revolutionary it was. He was talking about -- we're going to talk about it in a second -- drilling sideways and all this stuff. It was a big deal, and we hadn't been able to do that until recently. So, first and foremost, we need to clarify some terms. Fracking is actually what happens after a well is drilled. We've been drilling oil wells for over a hundred years.

Muckerman: The technology there has definitely improved, but it's not what fracking is.

O'Reilly: Have you ever been to Drake's Well, Pa.?

Muckerman: I haven't. That's the original, right?

O'Reilly: It's so anticlimatic.

Muckerman: Yeah, I'm sure. Kind of like the geyser in Yellowstone. Whatever, dude.

O'Reilly: The actual well drilling, which, again, going down, we can now go 360 degrees around. That immediately makes any given oil well more valuable. You used to just drill a hole and oil would come up, and that would be it.

Muckerman: And you would have to go straight down. But we're going up to 10,000, maybe even a little further down now.

O'Reilly: I saw this graphic, and they had Empire State Buildings down.

Muckerman: Yeah, multiple Empire State Buildings.

O'Reilly: Yeah, they had, like, five.

Muckerman: We can go over a mile horizontally once we're a couple miles below the surface. We're not just going straight horizontal anymore. We have directional drilling, where it's basically like a video game --

O'Reilly: Does the bit do any dances, like a shimmy-shimmy?

Muckerman: I imagine the movie Tremors, with that big monster eating its way through the ground, and choosing its path at will.

O'Reilly: Do you think they saw the movie and thought, "We need to do that"?

Muckerman: Yeah. I mean, it's not doing spirals. It has to have some sort of straight direction to it, because they have to have the casings and cement to fortify it. But yeah, we're not just going at a 90-degree angle anymore.

O'Reilly: Correct me, but, basically, when they're doing all these drills and the fracking, which we're going to touch upon in a second, a lot of what they do is to basically make sure the hole stays in place and together.

Muckerman: Yeah, a lot of pipe and a lot of cement go into this process. The first thousand or so feet, I don't know, it depends on the water level, but they have to protect them first and foremost.

O'Reilly: And that gets cased in cement.

Muckerman: It does. They lower the piping down, and before they drill any further, they force cement down the hole, and wraps around the pipe at the bottom, and then upfills, and once it's cemented then they can use the drill bit to drill back through the hardened cement, and then they can continue drilling down to the oil and natural gas. First and foremost, they're protecting the water level.

O'Reilly: So they're making a thousand-foot straw out of cement.

Muckerman: The whole thing is a straw, but that's the most heavily protected part of the straw.

O'Reilly: OK, and that's so things don't collapse --

Muckerman: Well, that and so we don't mess up the water table.

O'Reilly: Important also.

Muckerman: Yeah, so the oil and natural gas aren't seeping out into the water table through cracks in the casings. Basically, what you can imagine is, the top of this hole has the widest casing, and then they just put smaller and smaller casings down through, so it's kind of like a police baton when they snap it out.

O'Reilly: Right, or an inverted skyscraper. That's actually a good analogy, the baton. Respect. So, hydraulic fracturing is the use of -- this is what I got offline -- fluid and material to create and restore small fractures and rock formations. One that hopefully has oil and natural gas in it, of course.

Muckerman: Yes, you would hope. There's companies out there that help them arrive at that conclusion.

O'Reilly: Right. So, historically, you find these geologic formations, and we know the types of rock that usually have reservoirs of oil. That's easy.

Muckerman: Yeah, that's called conventional oil.

O'Reilly: Yeah, that's conventional oil, and it's easy. It's drilling a hole and There Will Be Blood.

Muckerman: Big basins, generally long-lasting wells.

O'Reilly: Right. That's what Saudi Arabia has with their Ghawar Field; that's what we're talking about here. This is going down there thousands of feet, and there's oil stuck between the tiniest of rocks. It's actually crazy to think about, that we're getting it out.

Muckerman: Yeah, it's thin layers that are separated by sediment and rock. So they drop a wire line into these drilled wells and send an electrical charge through this wire that then creates, like you said, a small explosion, and they do it over stages.

O'Reilly: Are you saying they're fracturing the rock, Taylor?

Muckerman: They are, they're fracturing the rock. Through the steel casing, and then through the rock, with pellets and things that diffuse reaction. They do it in stages. That's one reason why we're producing more oil now, because we're being able to tighten the spacing, so we can have more stages per well. They frack, they plug, they frack, they plug, they frack, they plug. Then, once they've fracked all the stages, they remove the plugs, and then they start the process of forcing the fluids and proppants down into the fractures.

O'Reilly: This is like putting a man on the moon. This is really complex.

Muckerman: Maybe even more complicated.

O'Reilly: You ever hear the computers they used for the first Apollo 11, the original Game Boy had more computing power than those computers.

Muckerman: Yeah, now you're just walking around with several of those in your pocket.

O'Reilly: Yeah. We've covered a lot of ground here. What companies --

Muckerman: Yeah, there's companies in every stage of this.

O'Reilly: If I have some acreage in the Delaware basin over there in West Texas, one, I'm obviously a millionaire, automatically. But do I sell the land to EOG Resources or Pioneer [Natural Resources] and call it a day? Or can I hire a company to just do the fracking for me?

Muckerman: EOG and the exploration and production companies aren't necessarily buying the land. Maybe sometimes they do, but they're leasing it. Then, as an acreage holder, you get lease payments, and you probably negotiate some royalties on top of that.

O'Reilly: So that's what I would do, theoretically.

Muckerman: Yeah, theoretically, yeah. We're not going to talk about the producers today, because those are some of the bigger names we mention all the time, because they're the folks that are most directly impacted by the price of oil. But yeah, you're calling companies, A, you can call a company that can do pretty much everything, which is going to be a Schlumberger, Halliburton, Baker Hughes, or Weatherford -- those are the ExxonMobil of the drilling and fracking world. They do everything.

O'Reilly: But they do not own or produce or sell the oil.

Muckerman: They don't. Maybe there's some kind of way that they can negotiate a contract with royalties, but no, for the most part, you're buying a stock in these companies because they're going to do the dirty work.

O'Reilly: And then they get a day rate, and that's it.

Muckerman: They get a day rate for the rigs, and then for all the equipment they use, and rental prices and things like that, yeah.

O'Reilly: So all along, they were giving oil companies a break on these day rates and stuff. But now, they're like, "All right, now that oil is up, we need to ... "

Muckerman: They have to eat, too. So you get them to provide some of the equipment to do the drilling, to do the fracking, to do the completing. And then once the oil starts flowing, they throw the wellhead on it, sometimes call it a Christmas tree because that's what it looks like when it's sitting on top of the well. Then, once the oil is producing --

O'Reilly: On to the next one.

Muckerman: They clean their hands with some of the orange automotive soap that really degreases everything, and then they move on to the next one. Another reason why we're producing and drilling so much more efficiently is because we have what we call pad drilling now, where they basically put some of these rigs on tracks, and without disassembling them like they used to have to do, they used to have to take apart the drilling rig every single time.

O'Reilly: I'm picturing a crane.

Muckerman: It's like a bulldozer or a tank. It's basically on a track. It's called pad drilling, where they can slide it over to the next well site. Disassembling these rigs was the bulk of the time these companies were spending on actual drilling.

O'Reilly: You can imagine it's complex.

Muckerman: Yeah, exactly. And if one bolt is wrong, you're screwed.

O'Reilly: Let's talk a bit about water and sand.

Muckerman: Water and sand make up about 98%-99% of what you're forcing down there, and then you have some chemical additives that are used for --

O'Reilly: Like slickwater solutions, whatever that is.

Muckerman: -- to reduce the growth of bacteria, which can be dangerous, releasing gases. It also provides a bit more of a fluid environment. Yeah, predominantly water and frack sand and some sort of proppant, depending on what kind of well you're drilling.

O'Reilly: There are companies like U.S. Silica and Hi-Crush Partners that literally just make the sand for these guys.

Muckerman: Yeah. U.S. Silica is not just sand. I don't even know if they do just strictly sand.

O'Reilly: Silica implies some kind of glass, too.

Muckerman: Yeah, they can actually create a very specific proppant for a specific well.

O'Reilly: Based upon the geologic properties that are downstairs.

Muckerman: Yeah. And a company like Core Labs can tell you what kind of proppant might work best, because they're a core and fluid analysis company that's used by pretty much everybody in the business.

O'Reilly: And you can send them a core to their lab and make them tell you stuff.

Muckerman: You can send it to them; they can come get it for you. We visited them a couple years ago, and they were telling us that companies even as big as Exxon and Chevron were outsourcing their core sample analysis to Core Labs because they did it so much better than everybody else. But they've been hurt recently because their future was very heavily reliant on deepwater, so once that comes around, maybe that's another company to look at. But you analyze the core sample, and then you can determine your water to sand, water to proppant chemical ratio that's specific for each individual well. Again, technology helping us produce more oil and natural gas per individual well.

O'Reilly: All this stuff, over the last five years, I assume they've been getting better at what we just described even in just the last five years and that's kind of what we're talking about with these companies lowering their cost of production even since 2012.

Muckerman: But you look at these companies using much more sand -- so, not only the companies you mentioned, but CARBO Ceramics as well, and a couple smaller ones, Fairmount Santrol Holdings and Emerge Energy Services, all companies you can look at on the proppant side of the business -- as these companies use more and more proppants, demand should drive the price up, as long as they don't create too much supply too soon.

O'Reilly: Right. Before we finish up here, what's the flushing stage? It's just using water to flush out the well when you're done?

Muckerman: Basically, yeah. Clean up on aisle oil. But a lot of these companies now, the wells aren't being cleaned out as quickly because they're going back and using carbon dioxide to go back in and try to force more oil out.

O'Reilly: And that's usually on really old wells, as I understand.

Muckerman: Yeah, really old wells. They're even going back and trying to fracture conventionally drilled wells --

O'Reilly: From 100 years ago, I hear, sometimes.

Muckerman: You're not getting nearly 100% of the oil and natural gas out of these wells. I would be surprised if some of these wells or even reaching 70% or 80%.

O'Reilly: The conventional wells?

Muckerman: Yeah. And fracking wells are leaving even more, percentage-wise, in the ground than conventional. You're going back and trying to use carbon dioxide, more water flowing through these, and refracking things in different stages after they've exhausted the conventional resource. There's a lot of activity going on -- not only those companies that we've mentioned, but National Oilwell Varco, huge equipment supplier. If you're looking at the drilling rigs, Nabors is the largest land drilling rig provider in the United States.

O'Reilly: Distribution NOW gets these guys all the parts that they need when things happen.

Muckerman: Helmerich & Payne is a very widely respected rig operator and rig manufacturer. Then, Patterson-UTI as well. Different stages. If you want the whole thing outside of the proppants, look at a Halliburton, Schlumberger, Baker Hughes, or Weatherford. If you want to get more specific, you can go proppants with the companies we mentioned -- U.S. Silica, Hi-Crush Partners, CARBO Ceramics, and those other smaller ones. Then, if you want the rig providers and operators, Helmerich & Payne, Patterson-UTI, and Nabors. They do other things, but that's the bread and butter of those three companies, the rig and drilling side of it.

O'Reilly: Cool. Thanks for your thoughts, Mr. Muckerman.

Muckerman: Yeah, I appreciate it. It's very important, it's going on all over the United States and the world, eventually, on the same scale that we have here.

O'Reilly: Watch out.

Muckerman: Yeah, you can definitely not invest in the exploration and production companies and still profit from fracking.

O'Reilly: Awesome, cool. That is it for us, folks. I want to remind our listeners that the Tech show is tomorrow. Tune in to get Dylan Lewis's thoughts. If you're a loyal listener and have questions or comments, we would love to hear from you. Just email us at [email protected]. If you want to hit Taylor and I up on Twitter, tweet at us @TMFEnergy. As always, people on this program may have interests in the stocks that they talk about, and The Motley Fool may have formal recommendations for or against those stocks, so don't buy or sell anything based solely on what you hear on this program. For Taylor Muckerman, I am Sean O'Reilly. Thanks for listening and Fool on!
Last summer, Gallup conducted a poll that revealed Americans' faith in key institutions continued "to lag below historical averages." While the confidence of the American public in a number of institutions, including organized religion, the military, and government entities, had dropped significantly in the last decade, no institution has fallen further than banks.

In June 2006, the same poll showed that 49% of Americans had "a great deal" or "quite a lot" of confidence in the nation's financial institutions. By last year, only 27% answered the same, a stunning drop of 22 percentage points. That's not to suggest this lack of faith in our nation's banks isn't deserved. Over the past decade banks have shelled out record amounts in fines and settlements after wronging their account holders in a variety of ways.

Here is a countdown of the nine largest bank settlements in history. Not coincidently, all were paid out in the past decade.

9. JPMorgan Chase & Co JPM 0.06% )

In February 2012, 49 states and the federal government reached an agreement, in what is now known as the National Mortgage Settlement, with the five largest banks in the country, including JPMorgan Chase. The settlement was the second largest civil suit settlement in U.S. history, only losing out to the Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement of 1988.

The five banks agreed to pay out a total of $26 billion in fines; $5.29 billion of which came from JPMorgan Chase. One of the primary offenses the banks were accused of was participating in the practice of robo-signing. While this term meant different things to different banks, the end result was the same: Documents were being signed and notarized prior to the financial crisis without any verification procedures in place for what was being attested to.

Something tells me this won't be the last bank that makes this list from this particular settlement.

8. Credit Suisse Group AG CS 1.46% )

Before he left office, President Obama's administration made a major push to resolve the final investigations persisting from the great recession. One of these final settlements was with Credit Suisse, which agreed to fork over $5.3 billion to finally resolve the investigations stemming from the selling of toxic debt prior to the financial crisis. About $2.48 billion of the settlement will be paid as a civil penalty and $2.1 billion will go toward consumer relief.

7. Wells Fargo & Co WFC 0.23% )

Wells Fargo's contribution to the $26 billion National Mortgage Settlement was just a shade more than JPMorgan's (see #9). Besides robo-signing, the banks in the settlement were accused of cutting corners on and even losing important mortgage paperwork. Every single state and the District of Columbia, with the exception of Oklahoma, participated in the lawsuit.

Will this be the last bank to make this list from this same settlement? Doubtful.

6. Deutsche Bank AG DB 0.92% )

In December 2016, Deutsche Bank agreed to cough up $7.2 billion for selling toxic assets in the lead up to the housing crash. As of last September, Deutsche Bank had set aside about $6.2 billion for legal costs. Not all of this will be paid as a fine to the U.S. Department of Justice, however, since about $4.1 billion will be directed toward loan modifications and consumer relief spread out over the next five years.

Will this massive fine cripple Germany's largest bank? Not likely. After the settlement was announced, Deutsche Bank announced in a memo to employees that it did not expect the news to affect the bank's credit rating or its operations in the U.S. At least one portfolio manager was bullish on the news, calling the hit to Deutsche Bank's capital "modest".

5. Bank of America Corp BAC 0.27% )

In 2008, Bank of America acquired Countrywide, the largest home lender in the United States prior to the financial crisis. In 2011, Bank of America agreed to shell out more than $8.5 billion to finally absolve Countrywide's sins in selling $174 billion worth of subprime mortgage-backed assets. Ouch!

4. BNP Paribas SA BNPQY 0.55% )

See, not all the banks made this list for misdeeds committed prior to the financial crisis. In 2015, this huge French bank pled guilty to violating the International Emergency Economic Powers Act and the Trading with the Enemy Act. Essentially the bank had violated the sanctions in place against Cuba, Iran, and Sudan from 2004 to 2012. To avoid U.S. authorities' suspicions it omitted information in wire transfers as funds from the sanctioned countries entered the U.S. financial system.

3. Bank of America: $11.8 billion

Bank of America paid out the most money from the 2012 National Mortgage Settlement -- a whopping $11.8 billion. Approximately $1 billion of this settlement was paid to the Federal Housing Authority to address charges that Bank of America's subsidiary, Countrywide Financial, conned the agency.

Besides this additional fine, Bank of America's principal mortgage deductions came in at $100,000 per mortgage while the other banks' same reductions only averaged $20,000.

Besides fines and principal reductions, much of the settlement went toward offering homeowners refinancing options.

2. JP Morgan Chase: $13 billion

In October 2013, JP Morgan reached this massive settlement with federal regulators. So, what exactly did JPMorgan do to deserve this? Well, it basically bought Bear Stearns and Washington Mutual at fire sale prices during the depths of the recession. Unfortunately for JPMorgan, it also took on all existing and future legal obligations of these two banks when it did so. Both Bear Stearns and Washington Mutual were heavily involved in bundling and reselling subprime mortgage securities to investors in the run-up to the financial crisis and, indeed, this is what practically caused the crisis. Two of the biggest investors in these securities were none other than Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

1. Bank of America: $16.65 billion

Who deserves the No. 1 spot more than Bank of America? This settlement marks its third entry in the top five and dwarfs all others on this list.

The enormous penalty was the largest settlement in United States history between a corporation and the U.S. government. The payment was levied against Bank of America for packaging mortgage-backed securities that were not nearly as financially sound as investors were led to believe. Many of these subprime mortgages were sold by Countrywide and Merrill Lynch before the two companies were acquired by Bank of America.

As for the settlement itself, $5 billion of it was a penalty under the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery and Enforcement Act (FIRREA). Another $7 billion was directed to relieve U.S. homeowners and borrowers victimized by the bank's misdeeds. At the time of the agreement, Attorney General Eric holder stated:
Ferraris SF70H boasts a feature quite revolutionary in terms of how it interprets the regulations regarding the cars mandatory side impact structures - and it has significant performance implications too...

Since 2014 the FIA has enforced very strict rules on the specification of these deformable structures, and on their positioning relative to the cars survival cell.

What Ferrari have done differently this year is rather than house the structures within the sidepods in the normal fashion, they have placed them inside their unusual aerodynamic fairings immediately in front of the sidepods. This allows the main body of the sidepods to be much shorter, moving them further back from the cars front axle, meaning less disturbance from the disrupted airflow generated by the front tyres. The drawing above shows how the fairing is attached over the crash structure.
Farmers and their representatives have slammed a trial of Argentinian beef cuts on fresh meat counters in six Tesco stores in Wales.

The South American meat was brought to the attention of NFU Cymru after several members raised concerns over the products, which travelled over 7,200 miles to reach the UK.

The decision from Tesco was totally contradictory to what the public wanted, said NFU Cymru vice-president John Davies.

See also: Hogan warns of UK-US bloodbath in future agri-trade talks

Where has the demand for this come from? he asked.

Mr Davies added: All recent surveys are saying the public wants to back British  they want shorter supply chains, not longer ones  this is simply not acceptable behaviour.

A Tesco spokesperson responded, saying that the trial was for popular restaurant products  Argentinian and Wagyu beef  and sat alongside its usual range on meat counters.

Tesco said: Were always looking to explore new food trends and trial new products and flavours with our customers, and are running a limited trial.

We are proud supporters of British and Irish beef, which continues to be available all year round on our fresh meat counters.

Beef imports

Argentinian beef imports made up just 0.13% of total UK beef imports in 2016, according to AHDB Beef and Lamb.

But the latest import figures for February 2017 show that UK imports of Argentine beef rose by 37% on the same month a year ago, at 44.3 tonnes; these were mainly for fresh, chilled, boneless cuts.

Imports of South American beef are highly competitive on the continent, despite imports being subject to EU tariffs of 20% and higher.

Post-Brexit trial?

Former National Beef Association director and Dorset beef and sheep farmer, John Hoskins, thought the trial was driven by Tesco looking at the viability of South American beef in the UK, in anticipation of post-Brexit trade deals.

I wouldnt be at all surprised if this was a test run for a new marketplace. When you hear Mr Tesco saying that he supports the British farmer, the words mean nothing?

Tesco should look to the home market first. If we cant supply it, then look abroad, Mr Hoskins said.

Weve got the land mass, we arent overstocked with beef cattle and if (Tesco) will pay a price that we can make a profit and reinvest, then they should support the British farmer first.




Haiti - Education : Ministry prepares for 2017 State exams





Jackson Pleteau, the Director of the Cabinet of the Minister of Education (Pierre Josue Agenor Cadet), assisted by Jean Nelson Pierre, the Administrative Coordinator in the Directorate General, chaired a working meeting around the State examinations, between the Directorates involved and the Examination Organizing Committee. Members of the Cabinet of the Minister and representatives of the West Departmental Directorate (DDO) also attended the meeting.



The validation of the candidates was amongst others at the center of the debates. It was agreed that the Departmental Directorates of Education should exercise more vigilant control over the lists of students authorized to take these examinations. The DC Jackson Pleteau asked the DDO to exercise stricter control over the heads of schools and in case fraud attempts were proved, to crack down on them.



The Director of Cabinet Pleteau, also stressed the need to organize good exams, in optimal conditions while fighting as much as possible against the cheaters.



Monitoring, will be strictly enforced this year. The task will be entrusted to the teachers or, failing that, to the students of the Teacher's Normal Schools or students of faculties of education science.



The Directorate of Secondary Education (DES) indicated that it was working tirelessly on the preparation of exam texts, stating that after the re-reading stage, the DES would move on to the editing phase of the exams text, this, from the first week of May so that everything is ready in time.



Calendar of State Examinations 2017 :

- Examinations of the 9th fundamental year: 3 to 5 July;

- Examinations of the Teacher's Normal Schools (ENI) and the Centers of Family Education (CEF): 3rd to 7th July;

- Examinations of the baccalaureat: July 10th to 13th;

- 2nd Special session for that that failed: from 21 to 24 August;

- Technical and Vocational Training Examinations (FTP): 31 July to 5 August.



See also :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-20377-haiti-notice-state-examinations-official-calendar-2017.html



HL/ HaitiLibre






















Haiti - DR : Seizure of more than 2,200 false documents in the hands of Haitians





During the last 9 months (August 2016 to April 2017), the Directorate General of Migration (DGM) in the Dominican Republic has seized 2,202 false or modified documents during national control operations, on the migration situation of foreigners (Haitians) living in Dominican territory.



Lieutenant General Maximo William Munoz Delgado, Director General of the DGM said that out of this number there were 1,478 false documents and 724 counterfeit identity documents (identity theft).



The 1,478 false documents included 1,239 cards of the National Regularization Plan of Foreigners (PNRE), 126 Haitian passports, 69 Dominican identity cards, 40 Dominican visas, 3 Dominican residences and 1 Dominican passport.



Regarding the 724 identity theft documents, DGM reported that they included: 459 PNRE cards, 241 Haitian passports, 15 Dominican Cedulas and 4 Haitian National Identity Card (CIN).



The DGM indicated that an investigation was being opened with other State Security agencies to identify those responsible for this false and falsifying network, which targets Haitians in an irregular situation.



SL/ HaitiLibre






















Haiti - News : Zapping...





Rosny Desroches for the Army

Following the announcement of the departure of the Minustah next October https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-20656-haiti-flash-bye-bye-the-minustah-hello-the-minujusth.html , Rosny Desroches, the Executive Director of the ISC declared "We need armed forces in the country to maintain public order and peace."



Mayor of PAP and Municipal Finance

On Monday at the Karibe Convention Center, Mayor of Port-au-Prince, Youri Chevry, accompanied by Mayors Kettyna Bellabe and Bernard Joseph, participated in the International Summit on Finance and the 2nd edition of Fin Tech, which was held under the theme "Financing Real Estate in Haiti". This day dedicated to Municipal Finance, among other things, allowed to share reflections on decentralization, sustainable Development Objectives (ODD), municipal finance and port infrastructures in communes.



300,000 jobs over 8 years, according to ADIH

Georges Sassine, President of the Association of Industries of Haiti (ADIH) affirmed that the textile assembly sector was booming in Haiti and that this sector is able to create thanks to the HOPE law (extended to 2025 https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-13699-haiti-economy-new-developments-on-the-renewal-of-the-hope-act.html ) more than 300,000 jobs over 8 years with annual revenues for Haiti, 6 billion US dollars. See also : https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-20641-haiti-economy-moise-hopes-the-creation-of-300-000-new-jobs-over-5-years.html



Minister of Education in Mexico

Following the opening by the Head of the Government of Mexico City, Miguel Mancera, of the Seminar on School Feeding in Latin America and the Caribbean (24-26 April); Pierre Josue Angenor Cadet, the Minister of National Education, spoke on the first panel to present Haiti's efforts in the area of school feeding. He supported the need for a reinforcement of the actions in progress for the benefit of Haitian pupils. The panel was coordinated by the Regional Director of the World Food Program (WFP) for Latin America and the Caribbean.



Towards the relaunch of the Tourist Office of Grand'Anse

On Monday, with a view to relaunching the activities of the Grand'Anse Tourist Office, dysfunctional for several months and to enhance the tourist potential of this Department, the Minister of Tourism met with the Senator of the Grand'Anse, Sorel Jacinthe.



Coordination of Actions in the South

On Monday, Fednel Monchery, the new Director General of the Ministry of the Interior and Territorial Communities, accompanied by his technical team, the Chief and the Cabinet Director of the Minister, met with representatives of international community organizations, around of heavy rains that caused flooding in the South, the weekend https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-20744-haiti-flash-heavy-rain-on-the-south-significant-damage-provisional-assessment.html The purpose of this meeting, which was held at the National Emergency Operations Center (COUN), was to assess the situation, identify the partial needs of the affected populations and harmonize mechanisms for coordinating response actions.



HL/ HaitiLibre


















Beijing : China has banned dozens of Islamic names like Saddam and Jihad for babies belonging to the restive Muslim-majority Xinjiang province, in a move that would prevent children from getting access to education and government benefits, a leading rights group said on Tuesday.

Xinjiang authorities have recently banned dozens of names with religious connotations common to Muslims around the world on the basis that they could exaggerate religious fervour, the Human Rights Watch (HRW) said.

Islam, Quran, Mecca, Jihad, Imam, Saddam, Hajj, and Medina are among dozens of baby names banned under ruling Chinese Communist Partys Naming Rules For Ethnic Minorities, an official was quoted as saying by Radio Free Asia.

Children with banned names will not be able to obtain a hukou, or household registration, essential for accessing public school and other social services, it said.

The new measures are part of Chinas fight against terrorism in this troubled region, home to 10 million Muslim Uyghur ethnic minority.

This is the latest in a slew of new regulations restricting religious freedom in the name of countering religious extremism, the HRW said.

Conflicts between the Uyghur and the Han, the majority ethnic group in China who also control the government, are common in Xinjiang.

A full list of names has not yet been published and it is unclear exactly what qualifies as a religious name, it said.

On April 1, Xinjiang authorities imposed new rules prohibiting the wearing of abnormal beards or veils in public places, and imposing punishments for refusing to watch state TV or radio programmes.

These policies are blatant violations of domestic and international protections on the rights to freedom of belief and expression, the HRW said.

Punishments also appear to be increasing for officials in Xinjiang who are deemed to be too lenient.

In January, the authorities imposed a serious warning on an official for complaining to his wife through a messaging app about government policies.

Source : TOI
New Delhi : A Pro-Pakistan group hacked the official websites of four prominent Indian institutesIndian Institute of Technology Delhi (IIT Delhi), IIT Varanasi, Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) and Delhi University (DU) and some lesser known institutions several times on Tuesday.

While all four educational institutes restored their websites initially, the hackers brought then down again and posted the pro-Pakistan, anti-India messages on these websites.

As of 9.15pm, IIT Varanasi and IIT Delhi websites were showing the hackers message. AMU and DU websites had been restored.

The hacker group code named Pakistan Haxors Crew  wrote abuses about Indian government and the Indian Armed forces on the landing pages of the websites. The hacker group said: Nothing deleted or stolen. Just here to deliver my message to Indians.

The Pakistan Haxors Crew also said the hack was in response to an Indian hacker hacking that countrys railways website.

Other websites which were hacked Tuesday are University of Kota; Army Institute of Management and Technology, Greater Noida; Defence Institute of Advanced Technology; Army Institute of Management, Kolkata; National Aerospace Laboratories and Board of Research in Nuclear Sciences (BRNS).

Greetings Government of India, and the people of India.  Do you know what your so-called heroes (soldiers) are doing in Kashmir? Do you know they are killing many innocent people in Kashmir? read the message displayed on the websites.

Officials at Delhi University said they were looking into the issue and the website will be restored soon.

IIT Delhi professor Sanjeev Sanghi said it has not lost any data due to the hacking. Sanghi said the ERNET DNS (domain name service) server for the IIT Delhi website was targeted because of which IIT Delhis website was showing those pro-Pakistan messages. Sanghi said IIT Delhi has already in touch with the government over the development.

The website was inaccessible from outside the campus for some time due to some problems in the domain name. Servers were pointing incorrectly to another site, said DU registrar Tarun Das. The problem was detected and immediately rectified by contacting ERNET, which has provided the domain name for University of Delhi, he added.

The AMU spokesperson said that the matter has been brought to their notice and their IT department is looking into the issue. IIT-BHU could not be reached immediately.

Source : Livemint
New Delhi : Intelligence agencies tracking cross-border terrorism have warned that Pakistan is now sending terror ideologues and preachers into Jammu and Kashmir to brainwash Kashmiri youths.

The move is indicative of a change in Pakistans strategy as it is relying more on these terror preachers than its foot soldiers to execute its nefarious anti-India plans.

These preachers, the intelligence agencies warn, have been given a single-line order to lure as many young men as they can, and persuade them to take up arms, according to a report published by DNA.

A recent review done by the intelligence agencies and the Army claimed that out of the 150 Pakistan-trained terrorists currently operating out of J&K, 40 to 50 have not fired a bullet in recent times.

These terrorists have become preachers with a mission to recruit and influence youngsters to take on security forces.

Abu Dujana, the commander of dreaded terror outfit Lashkar-e-Toiba, which is active in J&K, is among the Pakistani terrorists who are now preparing the next generation of local militants.

DNA also quoted sources as saying that these terror preachers are coaxing women and young girls to join the stone-pelting mobs.

They have realised being part of terror operations is too much of a risk. Instead, they are focusing on radicalising the youth and launching them into terror activities, the report quoted a security official as saying.

The recent trend of locals pelting stones at security forces is a result of Pakistans changed strategy, sources said.

In the last one year, at least 25 terrorists have managed to slip as mobs pelted stones at the forces while a gun-battle was on. Abu Dujana managed to escape twice in these incidents.

The preachers are telling their students to also target civilians, stated another official.

There have been three recent incidents when locals have been targeted.

The tactic has already led to an all time high in local terror recruitment. A recent review done by the army shows there are close to 250 local recruits and 150 Pakistani terrorists in Kashmir as of now.

Security agencies are alarmed by the sharp increase in the number of local as well as Pakistani terrorists. Before local Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani was killed in July last year, the tally stood at 91 locals and 60 Pakistanis.

Wanis killing triggered months of unrest in the state with frequent violent clashes between civilians and security forces.

Security forces have managed to kill 40 terrorists this year, gunning down 32 in the hinterland and eight at the LoC.

Source : Zee News
Hilton (NYSE: HLT) today announced it will hire an additional 20,000 veterans, spouses, dependents and caregivers by 2020. The company has already achieved 10,000 military hires in the United States since 2013, exceeding its initial goal two years ahead of schedule. Hiltons combined commitment is the largest in the hospitality industry, and one of the largest in the U.S. private sector.

 Military veterans and their families have made incredible sacrifices for our country, and we are strongly committed to ensuring they have great jobs when they return home from service, said Christopher J. Nassetta, president and CEO of Hilton.  Weve always felt strongly about this issue since our founder Conrad Hilton himself was a military veteran, and we are very proud of our veteran Team Members who have contributed so much to our company.

The expanded hiring commitment is part of Hiltons Operation: Opportunity program, which provides wide-ranging support to U.S. veterans and their families. The program is unique in its support for military families, offering flexible work opportunities and continuity of employment during long deployments and after location moves. Hilton is also partnering with the Elizabeth Dole Foundation to connect military caregivers with Hilton Reservations & Customer Care jobs that enable remote working. To date, Hilton has hired more than 1,000 military spouses and dependents  10 percent of all Operation: Opportunity hires.

 Our message to our veteran Team Members is simple: we value the leadership, integrity, teamwork and other skills you bring to the hospitality industry, and Hilton will do everything it can to support you in making a smooth transition to the civilian workforce, said Matt Schuyler, chief human resources officer at Hilton.

To position new hires for success, Hilton has developed extensive resources and support programs for veterans, including reserve pay benefits, tailored development resources, internship programs, on-the-job training, a dedicated Veteran Team Member Resource Group and special recognitions for veterans.

In addition to hiring veterans and their families, Hilton also donates Hilton Honors Points for veterans to redeem for free hotel stays while seeking jobs, trainings or certifications with Hilton or in any other industry. To date, Hilton has donated nearly 1.2 million Points to more than 1,100 veterans, allowing for more than 1,700 stays at Hilton properties.
Changing laws could result in increased reporting complexity Employers are all too familiar with the complexity of managing one set of federal healthcare compliance and reporting requirements. Now, imagine the burden of trying to follow, track, comply, and potentially administer a different set of requirements in every state where your business operates. With new powers granted to states and proposed changes to the Affordable Care Act (ACA), thats what the future may look like. Future changes to the ACA will most certainly impact both employers and employees. Employers may welcome the regulatory relief of a repeal. However, todays one set of federally-based regulations might give way to a combination of national and state-based regulations that could increase the administrative complexity of compliance exponentially. If major changes to the law are made, businesses that operate across state lines should be prepared for a wave of complicated state laws. Momentum is Gaining for State-based Regulations Many states are beginning to take ownership of healthcare into their own hands, looking at their role in supporting the health of their citizens in different ways. Already, 31 states have expanded Medicaid under the ACA, and, 16 have built their own state-based exchange marketplaces. Beginning January 1, 2017, Section 1332 of the ACA gives states a new way to take control of their healthcare ...
While advances in technology have improved the workplace by increasing productivity, these advances have also become a double-edged sword. Employees no longer need to be physically in their work location in order to send an email, attend a telephone conference or complete an assignment. All of these activities can be conducted remotely from smartphones, tablets or laptops. Since employees can easily communicate from all of these devices at any time or place, they are potentially working late in the evening or on weekends when they may be technically off the clock, working way beyond the typical or required hours for the work week. In the US this can expose to employers to various claims, including wage and hour violations and distracted driving lawsuits, not to mention overworked employees who are burned out, stressed and sleep-deprived. French Employees Gain Right to Disconnect Recognizing this conundrum for employees, France enacted a law that became effective January 1, 2017, that in principle gives employees the right to disconnect from work-related technology outside working hours. This right is not exactly defined in the law, but implies that employees are entitled to cease contact with work through computer-based technology outside of working hours, for example, by not reading or responding to work-related emails. This right is implemented through the negotiation and consultation at the level of ...
About Webcast

Last month, the U.S. House of Representatives, led by Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, proposed the American Health Care Act (AHCA). The AHCA was touted as the first major step towards the repeal and replacement of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) under the Trump presidency. Despite over 50 votes by the House to repeal the ACA during the Obama presidency and the campaign promises of President Trump and many Congressional Republicans, the AHCA was pulled from consideration just minutes before a scheduled vote. After several weeks of consideration and negotiations, and a push by President Trump for swift passage of the AHCA, the Republicans could not muster the votes necessary to pass the legislation in the House and move it to the U.S. Senate for its consideration.



Following the downfall (at least for now) of the AHCA, both President Trump and Speaker Ryan indicated that they would be moving on to other items on the Presidents agenda, such as tax reform and the construction of the border wall with Mexico. While this means that the ACA will not be repealed or modified in the immediate future, it appears likely that additional attempts will be made once Congressional Republicans have come to some consensus on a viable approach. In fact, President Trump tweeted that he expects the ACA to explode and that we will all get together and piece together a great healthcare plan for the people. However, as has become apparent, this is not likely to happen quickly or easily.



Despite the demise of the AHCA, President Trump has already taken some steps to weaken the ACA. On Day 1, President Trump signed an Executive Order concerning the ACA that suggested that changes in enforcement and implementation may be coming. While the Executive Order alludes to change, it left much to be desired in terms of what that change might entail, when it might take place, and how it might impact employers. All of this leaves employers with continuing uncertainty regarding their obligations under the ACA.



In this webcast, Attorney Aaron Pierce will review the actions that Congress and President Trump have taken in an effort to repeal and replace the ACA and modify its enforcement thus far, and will discuss what these actions might mean for employers in 2017 and beyond.



Mr. Pierce will also cover other employee benefits issues, such as:



The prospects for President Trumps campaign proposals regarding paid maternity leave, child care and executive compensation

How President Trumps regulatory reform directives might affect the regulation of other employee benefit arrangements, such as the fiduciary rules applicable to retirement plans

The impact of potential tax reform on employee benefits

By registering for this webcast you will receive email communications and notifications from the sponsor(s).
We work towards an equitable,

gender-just, self-reliant and

sustainable fisheries,

particularly in the small-scale,

artisanal sector

We work towards an equitable,

gender-just, self-reliant and

sustainable fisheries,

particularly in the small-scale,

artisanal sector

We work towards an equitable,

gender-just, self-reliant and

sustainable fisheries,

particularly in the small-scale,

artisanal sector

We work towards an equitable,

gender-just, self-reliant and

sustainable fisheries,

particularly in the small-scale,

artisanal sector
Burma Donors Cut Financial Support to Refugee Camp Workers

Residents walk in Mae La Oo refugee camp in Mae Hong Son Province, northern Thailand. / Saw Yan Naing / The Irrawaddy

MAE SARIANG, Thailand  Some 10,000 community workers in nine refugee camps on the Thai-Burma border will be affected by financial cuts as funding declines, according to sources from the refugee community and aid agencies.

The cuts were announced at a meeting held by the international humanitarian agency The Border Consortium (TBC) in Mae Sot last weekend.

The reduced stipend for camp community workers will begin in July, said Saw Tu Tu, a leader within the Karen Refugee Committee (KRC) who attended the meeting.

Saw Tu Tu told The Irrawaddy at his office in Mae Sariang, Thailand: They [TBC] will reduce human resources and financial support. They explained that support will be decreased because of a declining budget.

KRC staffers in nine refugee camp are among those who will be affected by the declining funding.

They said they will also reduce the number of KRC staffers, said Saw Tu Tu.

There are around 10,000 community workers in positions like camp committee leader, health worker, teacher, warehouse manager and security staff, all of whom receive monthly stipends from NGOs, according to TBC.

Among the 10,000 workers, TBC funds some 2,800 people who are responsible for implementing programs such as food distribution; nutrition programs; livelihood, shelter, and camp management; and overall coordination of camp committees.

Sally Thompson, executive director of TBC, said: Some elements of camp management are covered by specific donors, but most of the camp management administration and stipend costs are supported by general funds from donors and TBC is facing a decrease in funding from some of these donors.

As a result TBC is making cuts to some of its programs but also is in a continual process of downsizing as an organization and has reduced TBC staff in Thailand by 30 percent over the last 3 years, she added.

The TBC budget for camp management, camp administration, stipend workers and CBOs is approximately USD$1.7 million, but funding has not been secured to cover all of these needs and therefore it is necessary to make cuts, Sally Thompson added.

They [TBC] will reduce the community worker stipend by 30 perfect. So, if a worker received 1,000 baht per month before, they will receive only 700 baht per month in the future, said Saw Tu Tu of the KRC.

International governments and donors have been cutting funding for humanitarian assistance in refugee camps on the Thai-Burma border as Burmas peace process has gotten underway.

There are also preparations for a volunteer repatriation program being arranged by the Thai and Burmese governments along with INGOs such as the UN refugee agency, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and Thai foundation Mae Fah Luang.

Volunteer Repatriation Centers are in all of the camps, facilitating the repatriation process for the refugees who wish to return home to Burma.

There are more than 100,000 refugees living on the Thai-Burma who fled civil war in Burma.
Burma Fire in Century-Old Rathedaung Township Mosque Under Investigation

Muslim residents exit Zay Di Pyin mosque on Tuesday night. / Rakhine Gazette / Facebook

RANGOON  The 100-year-old Zay Di Pyin mosque in a rural area of northern Arakan States Rathedaung Township escaped extensive damage by a blaze on Tuesday night, a police official said.

Zay Di Pyin village, which is around 12 kilometers from Rathedaung town, is located in an area with a strong border police force presence. Around 80 homes in the 1,000-person community belong to Muslim families, said self-identifying Muslim Rohingya resident of Zay Di Pyin Al-Haj Zawhie Thra.

A fire broke out in the villages mosque, which is located near the market and a Buddhist monastery, at around 10 p.m. on Tuesday during a prayer session. Residents phoned the village administrator to report the incident immediately, but the village head was away, leaving Muslim community members to get the blaze under control themselvesBuddhist Arakanese villagers near the mosque also helped in the efforts, Zawhie Thra said.

While rumors have circulated online about the cause of the fire, both Zawhie Thra and Buddhist Arakanese resident Ko Maung Soe Win described the situation as having been misread by members the community, as the fires source remains unknown.

No one knows who did it. So, how can we assume who was behind this? Zawhie Thra said.

What Caused the Fire?

According to Rathedaung policewho spoke to The Irrawaddy on the condition of anonymitya report by the border guard police stated that the building itself did not suffer damage in the fire, but that 50,000 kyats worth of books and prayer mats were destroyed.

The border police reportedly also detained an imam from the mosque, and eight Muslim residents who were involved in putting out the fire, releasing them the following morning. Rathedaung police told The Irrawaddy that the border police suspected that the fire had started when the muezzinthe individual who calls Muslims to prayerhad left candles burning, which later fell and subsequently burned nearby objects.

Temporarily, the border police have opened the case under Article 285, [which concerns] negligence involving fire. They will conduct a further investigation into the relevant persons, said the Rathedaung official.

Article 285 of Burmas penal code states that anyone who causes a potentially life threatening fire can be punished with a maximum of three years prison and a fine.

Yet local Muslim sources told The Irrawaddy that the Zay Pyi Din mosque has been using solar power for light, rather than candles, and questioned the conclusions in the border police report.

One villager added that copies of the Holy Quran and other books are normally kept on shelves and tables, but that he had witnessed the burning texts piled on the prayer rugs, on the floor. The Irrawaddy could not independently verify this eyewitness statement.

Buddhist Arakanese resident of the village Ko Maung Soe Win said that the fire he saw was small and had not damaged the structure of the mosque, to his knowledge. He criticized other eyewitnesses for taking photos of the blaze rather than gathering water to put it out.

The border police allegedly confiscated the mobile phones of those who took photos inside of the mosque.

Zawhie Thra and Ko Maung Soe Win noted that Zay Di Pyin was spared the violence of riots that spread through several of the states townships in 2012. Yet, in November 2016, the mosque also caught fire, which reportedly started from within a wardrobe. Police have not identified a responsible party in the incident, and it remains a puzzle, said Zawhie Thra.

Local sources told The Irrawaddy that the situation in Zay Di Pyin has returned to that which it was before the fire broke out.

The Irrawaddy phoned the Presidents Office on Wednesday, as well as Arakan State government officials on Tuesday, but was unable to reach any of these authorities for comment on the incident.
Burma Magwe Chief Justice: Misuse of Public Funds Could Finish USDP

Small-scale oil production sites in Magwe Division. / The Irrawaddy

RANGOON  The chief justice of Magwe Division said the former ruling Union Solidarity and Development Partys (USDP) spending of a public fund was illegal and could lead to the partys cessation.

According to the Political Party Registration Law, you cant use any public property. It openly states that any mishandling of it must put an end to a party, the divisions chief justice U San Lin told the media on Tuesday.

He referred to the Union governments recent instruction to the previous divisional government led by U Phone Maw Shwe to return more than 3 billion kyats, including more than 1.7 billion kyats allegedly spent on the USDP when they were in power from 2011 to March 2015.

Chief Minister Dr. Aung Moe Nyo of Magwe Division told the reporters at the press conference that legal action against his predecessor would follow if missing regional development funds collected in taxes from small-scale oil producers under the previous government were not returned.

We will inform anyone involved in the case [to return the funds]. If they fail to follow the instructions, action will be taken according to the existing laws, he said.

The USDP spokesperson Dr. Nandar Hla Myint was not available for comment on Wednesday.

The Bureau of Special Investigations under the Ministry of Home Affairs launched an investigation and found that the missing funds amounted to 7.5 billion kyats.

The investigations findings were submitted to the Presidents Office earlier this month. The office then instructed the USDP to return more than 3 billion Kyats.

The chief minister said his regional government would order the return of the remaining 4 billion kyats and ask the Union government for help if needed.

The USDP was founded as a mass organization (Union Solidarity and Development Association) by the then military regime in 1993 to support its activities.

It was registered as a political party (USDP) in 2010 to contest in the general election, with most of the army generals donning civilian clothes to stand as USDP candidates.

Both at home and abroad, the election was widely seen as a rigged one and the USDP won the majority of the seats.

The party has never publicly disclosed their source of income or funding. During the election campaign in 2015, the then partys vice chairman, U Htay Oo, said most of the funding came from membership fees across the country.

We have evolved from a mass organization so that we have millions of members, he said.
Burma Police Arrest Student Protestors in Mandalay

Students of Sagaing Teacher Training College protest in front of the Department of Higher Education (Upper Burma) in Mandalay / Zaw Zaw / The Irrawaddy

MANDALAY  Four students protesting draconian rules at Sagaing Teacher Training College were arrested in front of the Department of Higher Education (Upper Burma) in Mandalay on Wednesday.

Student union members Ko Zaw Ye Htut, Ko Hnin Aung, Ko Kaung Zaw Hein, and Ko Ye Myo Swe were detained at Chanayethazan Townships No. 8 police station, an officer from the police station told The Irrawaddy on Wednesday.

We are currently questioning them [the students] and it is too early to say whether we will file a lawsuit against them under the Peaceful Assembly Act or not, he said.

During the protest, the students held placards urging the college to respect students freedom and human rights, to practice democracy, and to stop oppressing students.

Rules like not allowing mobile phones on the campus and strict timetables are like the rules in the army, not the rules of a college, said Ko Zaw Ye Htut during the protest.
News China Ready to Mediate Between Burma and Bangladesh over Arakan Refugees

Rohingya refugee workers carry bags of salt as they work in a processing yard in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh. / Mohammad Ponir Hossain / Reuters

DHAKA, Bangladesh  China offered on Tuesday to help tackle a diplomatic row between Bangladesh and Burma over the flight of minority Rohingyas, two Bangladesh foreign ministry officials said.

Around 69,000 Rohingyas have fled to Bangladesh to escape violence in northern Arakan State since October, straining relations between the two neighbors who each see the stateless Muslim minority as the other nations problem.

Chinese special envoy Sun Guoxiang, beginning a four-day trip to Bangladesh, urged Dhaka to resolve the row with Burma bilaterally, but also said Beijing stood ready to help in the matter, a foreign ministry official in Dhaka told Reuters.

Sun made the proposal during a meeting with Bangladesh Foreign Secretary Shahidul Haque, the official said. He declined to be named, saying he was not authorized to speak to the media.

The envoy told us at the meeting that they were ready to help if necessary, the official said. Another foreign ministry official confirmed the information but also asked not to be named, citing the sensitivity of the matter.

China has strong ties with both Burma and Bangladesh, helping in infrastructure development in both countries. Relations with the former have warmed further since Burma President U Htin Kyaw struck a deal in China on an oil pipeline between the neighbors after almost a decade of talks.

Beijing has established a strong presence in Bangladesh, building roads and power stations and supplying military hardware.

During the talks on Tuesday, Foreign Secretary Haque told Chinese envoy Sun that Bangladesh welcomed Chinese efforts to tackle its problems with Burma stemming from the influx of Rohingyas into Bangladesh, the officials said.

Dhaka has proposed that Sun travel to Coxs Bazar near the border with Burma to see the plight of the tens of thousands of people camped there. Chinas ambassador to Bangladesh, Ma Mingqiang, visited a Rohingya camp there in March.

Burma has faced growing international criticism over the latest eruption of violence against the Rohingyas. Burmas government has conceded some soldiers may have committed crimes but has rejected charges of ethnic cleansing.
Student Interns for Member of Scottish Parliament

Olivia Heffernan 18 in Scotland.

April 26, 2017

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. Political science and economics double major Olivia Heffernan 18 was determined to intern during her study abroad experience.

At IWUs study abroad fairs, Heffernan scoured programs combining internship opportunities with study abroad. On the recommendation of her advisor, Associate Professor of Political Science Kathleen Montgomery, Heffernan selected the Arcadia program in Scotland with the opportunity to intern with the Scottish Parliament.

I wanted an internship that was more than busy work and where I actually felt involved in the day-to-day business of my member of Parliament, said Heffernan.

This semester Heffernan interned for Oliver Mundell MSP (Member of the Scottish Parliament) for Dumfriesshire. Her responsibilities vary each day, an aspect she loves. She has drafted responses to constituents, organized and entered public opinion data, and attended surgeries, a uniquely British term for meetings with constituents.

Her program with the University of Edinburgh also requires a research project. Heffernan has prepared a detailed briefing on Policing 2026, an initiative from the Scottish Police Authority and Police Scotland to investigate emerging and projected needs over the next decade. Heffernan is researching the initiatives implications and challenges in the Dumfries and Galloway council area. Hopefully the briefing articulates the differing demands of policing for small, rural communities in Scotland, Heffernan said.

Heffernan said the courses she took in the first five weeks of her study abroad semester helped her gain a better understanding of Scotlands place in the United Kingdom, but working in the Parliament on a daily basis has provided true insight in political workings.

You really feel like you are watching politics happen right in front of you, especially with the continual changes happening in Scotland and the U.K., Heffernan observed. I dont think I would want to do this type of work for the rest of my life, but it would be hard to turn down a shorter-term job working in a politicians office just because of the insight you gain.

Heffernan said shes also learned the importance of writing highly informative, concise briefs. One of my teachers emphasized that for most of us, our future work wont be writing essays because theyre too time consuming to read, she said. Learning to write briefs will become a very valuable skill for the future.

As her internship draws to a close, Heffernan said returning to the United States will be a bit of a cultural adjustment. When I go back home, it will be hard to have conversations with people about Scottish politics because they dont have all the background information Ive gained from working here, said Heffernan, a native of Fisher, Ill. This internship offered the high level of involvement every intern is looking for.

By Reilly Kasprak 17
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By Aviva Chomsky | ( Tomdispatch.com ) |  

Ever since he rode a Trump Tower escalator into the presidential race in June 2015 and swore to build his great wall and stop Mexican rapists from entering the country, undocumented immigrants have been the focus of Donald Trumps ire. Now that hes in the Oval Office, the news has been grim. A drumbeat of frightening headlines and panicked social media posts have highlighted his incendiary language, his plans and executive orders when it comes to immigrants, and the early acts of the Border Patrol and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents when it comes to round-ups and deportations. The temperature has soared on the deportation debate, so if you think were in a completely unprecedented moment when it comes to immigration and immigrants, youre in good company.

Trump has repeatedly claimed that immigrants, especially undocumented ones, are flooding the United States, causing crime waves, and depleting social service budgets. Never mind that the number of such immigrants has been in steady decline since 2008, that immigrant crime rates are lower than citizen crime rates, that the undocumented have no access to most social welfare programs, and that crime figures, too, have generally been on the decline in recent years.

The media has played its own role in fanning the flames. Since Donald Trump entered the Oval Office, news reports have proliferated about rising raids, arrests, detentions, and deportations. These suggest that something new, terrifying, and distinctly Trumpian  something weve simply never seen before  is underway, including mass sweeps to deport individuals who would have been protected under the previous administration.

The numbers tell a different story. A Washington Post scare headline typically read: ICE Immigration Arrests of Noncriminals Double Under Trump. While accurate, it was nonetheless misleading. Non-criminal immigration arrests did indeed jump from 2,500 in the first three months of 2016 to 5,500 during the same period in 2017, while criminal arrests also rose, bringing the total to 21,000. Only 16,000 were arrested during the same months in 2016. The article, however, ignores the fact that 2016 was the all-time low year for arrests under President Obama. In the first three months of 2014, for example, 29,000 were arrested, far more than Trumps three-month record.

And even though arrests went up during Trumps first three months in office, deportations actually went down, mostly due to the fact that the number of immigrants crossing the border declined.

To those who have been following deportation politics in this country, Trumps policies, as they are now unfolding, have an eerie resonance. They seem to be growing directly out of policies first instituted in the presidencies of Bill Clinton and Barack Obama. True, President Obama liked to talk about our tradition of welcoming immigrants, while our new president has tossed such liberal humanitarian rhetoric in the garbage can, instead playing up a harsh nativism. Still, the fact is that two Democratic presidents laid the groundwork for Trumps developing policies.

It was, after all, President Clinton who oversaw the draconian Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigration Responsibility Act of 1996. It drastically increased all levels of immigration enforcement, expanding the Border Patrol, criminalizing numerous types of low-level immigration violations, and facilitating and expanding deportation procedures. (A similar emphasis on casting blame on individuals for structural and systemic problems was also at the heart of Clintons welfare reform of that same year.)

In many ways, Donald Trump is only reiterating, with more bombast, ideas and policies pioneered under Clinton, that then became a basic part of Barack Obamas approach to immigration. Those policies drew directly on racist tough-on-crime and anti-terrorism police tactics that also helped foment white racial fears.

Anecdotally speaking, there have already been numerous cases of detention and deportation that appear to go far beyond what was occurring in the Obama years. But a closer look at those cases and at the numbers suggests surprisingly more continuity than change. Both the mainstream media and social media have highlighted what appear to be extreme cases of the arrest of DACA (deferred action for childhood arrivals) youth, also known as Dreamers, as well as of individuals appearing for routine check-ins with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, or other arbitrary detentions and deportations. Most of these cases, however, have been far more in line with Obama-era policies than readers of such news might imagine. Then, too, low-priority immigrants were swept up surprisingly often in what the New York Times in 2014 called the net of deportation.

Obamas Legacy: A Three-Part System

At first glance, President Obamas legacy on immigration enforcement appears contradictory indeed. He claimed to be a humanitarian who sought to deport only felons, not families, while granting relief from deportation to hundreds of thousands of undocumented immigrants. At the same time, he was dubbed the deporter-in-chief for a reason. He oversaw historic rises in deportation rates.

To grasp the contradictory nature of his policies, its necessary to explore three geographically different policy realms when it comes to the undocumented: interior enforcement, border enforcement, and the Mexican Southern Border Program. In the area of interior enforcement, Obama created several protection and priority programs for undocumented immigrants already in the country that did indeed shield whole groups of people from deportation. Immigrant rights supporters who emphasize the humanitarian nature of what Obama did focus on such protections, while downplaying the two border prongs of his policies. Yet, though not much attended to, even the humanitarian programs incorporated a darker side, criminalizing and targeting those not eligible for them.

When it came to interior enforcement, President Obama called on ICE to exercise prosecutorial discretion. Immigrants who were parents, students, hard-working, had close family and community ties, or served in the military, he suggested, should be granted relief from deportation.

In the process, however, he offered a language of innocence versus criminality and the illusion that, when it came to immigrants, the notion of criminality was self-evident and universally agreed upon. By dividing them into felons versus families, he actually contributed to the criminalization of large groups of immigrants and so fed directly into Trumps future rhetoric. He also drew on Bill Clintons tough on crime policies in ways that linked the criminalization of people of color with the deportation of criminal immigrants (also overwhelmingly people of color).

As immigration scholars Alan Aja and Alejandra Marchevsky explain:

The criminalization of immigrants in part resulted from more aggressive policing of communities of color. In the 1980s and 90s, law enforcement agencies across the nation implemented broken windows and stop-and-frisk strategies, claiming that mass arrests for low-level offenses would prevent more serious crime. As the immigrants who lived in these communities fell victim to racialized policing and mass incarceration, the federal governments rosters of the criminal immigrant exploded.

Once criminalized, they then fell into a separate-and-unequal immigration enforcement system in which due process was eliminated and deportation, the ultimate draconian penalty, could be implemented regardless of the seriousness of the crime. Worse yet, the ever harsher over-policing of communities of color and the expansion of mass incarceration produced, Aja and Marchevsky point out, a reservoir of immigrants with criminal records, creating an endless chain of detentions and deportations.

As Michelle Alexander, author of The New Jim Crow, has made strikingly clear, all of this  the redefinition of minor crimes as felonies, the increasing pressure on those charged to plea bargain, and measures that then excluded felons from public housing, employment, welfare rolls, voting booths, and other aspects of society  relegated a significant number of black men to a permanent underclass. Undocumented immigrants were also caught in this web, with some special twists.

In the wake of Clintons 1996 immigration law, for instance, convictions of just about any sort, including the most minor crimes, became grounds for deportation  even retroactively. So a long-ago violation that resulted in probation and community service, or a small fine, now became evidence of an immigrants criminal status from which deportation naturally followed.

And there was another new catch-22 category as well: so-called immigration crimes. Those with a record of illegal reentry and those who engaged in what was termed immigration fraud were automatically re-categorized as criminals under President Obamas priority enforcement policy. Illegal reentry is, in fact, the most curious of crimes, since it distinguishes between those who succeed in entering the country without inspection on their first try and those who are caught and only succeed on a subsequent try. Immigration fraud, a broad category, includes common practices like using a false social security number in order to work.

Obamas interior deportation scheme relied heavily on this expansive notion of the criminality of the undocumented, who might otherwise have qualified as people trying to get by as best they could. Now, President Trump is extending that criminalization further by ruling that anybody convicted of, charged with, or even suspected of a crime constitutes a priority for deportation. In the process, hes expanded the concept of the criminal even as hes built directly on the Clinton-Obama legacy.

At the Border and Beyond

What earned President Obama the moniker of deporter-in-chief, however, was his policy towards border enforcement, since it was there that the number of deportees rose most sharply. This was in part because he prioritized recent border crossers for deportation; everyone, that is, who had crossed without authorization, which essentially meant everyone apprehended in the border region, was now criminalized. Under previous administrations, most of those caught there had been granted what was called voluntary departure. In other words, they were returned to the Mexican side of the border without legal sanction. During the Clinton and Bush administrations, more than a million people a year were returned to Mexico in this manner without being transformed into criminals and so were not included in the usual deportation figures.

In the Obama years, those apprehended at the border began to be formally charged and fingerprinted before being issued a deportation order. In this way, they were redefined as criminals, and if they were caught attempting a second border crossing, as criminal repeat immigration offenders. It also meant that formal deportations began to skyrocket, although the numbers crossing the border, those apprehended at the border, and those sent back to Mexico were all beginning to fall.

Soon enough, immigration crimes came to rival drug crimes in the federal court system. Obama became the deporter-in-chief not because he deported more people than previous administrations, but because he criminalized more of those he deported. This, then, was how he managed to protect many from deportation, while also racking up deportation statistics far beyond those of his predecessors. In fact, the situations of many of those caught at the border proved remarkably similar to those being granted prosecutorial discretion in the interior. They had family, including children, in the United States, or jobs and strong community ties, or had lived in the country for years. Because they had left and tried to return, however, they were redefined as criminals.

Finally, one aspect of immigration enforcement under the Obama administration generally goes unmentioned: the presidents role in pressuring Mexico into collaborating by arresting and deporting Central Americans heading north (including families and unaccompanied children) before they reached the border with the United States. In 2014, under growing pressure from Washington, the Mexican government implemented the Southern Border Program. While U.S. law was being repeatedly updated to provide humanitarian treatment to families and children apprehended at the border, when the Mexicans got to them first, they simply deported them.

In 2014, only 3% of the minors apprehended in the U.S. were deported; in Mexico, the figure was 77%, or 18,269. As one report summed up the situation: The United States is outsourcing its border enforcement to Mexico. As in the United States, so Mexicos increasing militarization and repression on its southern border did not actually slow the flow of migrants. It merely made the voyage far more dangerous, while giving ever more power to smugglers and gangs that now prey upon Central American migrants desperately trying to evade Mexican border controls.

Immigrants, Criminalization, and the Labor Market

Long before Donald Trump entered the Oval Office, this tough on crime approach to immigration fit into a broader pattern of the criminalization of people of color that fed the prison-industrial complex, made the U.S. the globes leading incarcerator, and encouraged the proliferation of private prisons. It helped justify the increasing militarization of the police in those years and the over-policing of communities of color. It also fed a national sense of insecurity that contributed to political passivity, disempowerment, and the kind of nativism that Trump has thrived on.

Criminalization plays a role as well in the countrys growing economic inequality. It justifies both high rates of unemployment and low wages among people of color, while warehousing those whose labor has become superfluous. And it plays a particular role when it comes to immigrants and the labor market.

Immigrants actually experience significantly higher labor force participation and lower unemployment rates than the native-born, making them an exception among people of color. However, they earn less ($681 week) than do native-born workers ($837 a week), according to Bureau of Labor Statistics figures for 2015. For employers in recent years, the criminalization of the already unstable status of immigrants (and their inability generally to access social services), makes them a uniquely exploitable and so desirable work force. They tend to be hired to do jobs so dismal, arduous, or dangerous that they fail to attract native-born workers. Anthropologist Nicholas de Genova has suggested that the very deportability of undocumented immigrants makes them desirable to such employers.

Meanwhile, the criminalization of people of color and of immigrants in particular lent a distinct helping hand to Donald Trump in his campaign for president, even as it helped the prison-industrial complex and the police justify ever-increasing budgets and employment.

The Trump administrations multipronged approach to immigration relies on and promotes the criminalization of immigrants. Whether halting the entry of refugees or persons with visas from particular countries, hiring thousands of new ICE and Border Patrol agents, promising to build a great, great wall, denying federal money to sanctuary cities, or publishing lists of crimes committed by immigrants, Trumps immigration policies follow in the footsteps but also intensify those of his predecessors and continue to create fear, justify exploitation, and rationalize authoritarianism.

Aviva Chomsky is professor of history and coordinator of Latin American studies at Salem State University in Massachusetts and a TomDispatch regular. Her most recent book is Undocumented: How Immigration Became Illegal.

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 Aviva Chomsky

Tomdispatch.com
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By Andrea Williams | (The Conversation) |  

The Syrian Civil War has been raging for six years. It has killed nearly half a million people and left over 12 million, about half of Syrias total population, without a home. A few weeks ago, a devastating chemical attack brought this conflict back into the center stage of global media.

Since infighting first erupted in March 2011, scholars, government officials, journalists and analysts have sought to explain it. Many have discussed the role of the Arab Spring, the attendant Arab Winter, Syrias government, sectarianism and the rise of the Islamic State.

From my perspective as a historian of the Middle East, these factors, while important, ignore a key part of the story  Syrias past.

A history of pluralism

On Nov. 11, 1918, French and British allies signed an armistice with Germany formally ending four years of devastating conflict. The following year, delegates from over 32 countries convened to negotiate the terms for peace.

For the Ottoman Empire, which had joined the losing side in the war, the relevant document was the Treaty of Sevres, signed in 1920, that drew on a secret wartime agreement between Britain and France to carve up the Middle East. The treaty reduced the Ottoman Empire to a fraction of its size and distributed much of its territory among the victorious allies.

This process led to the creation of Palestine, Jordan, Iraq, Syria and Lebanon as new states or mandates under European control. Britain claimed Palestine, Jordan and Iraq, while Syria went to France. A few years later, Turkish nationalists succeeded in establishing an independent Republic of Turkey, but Britain and France maintained other states in the Middle East through World War II.

At the time the French took control of Syria, the territory already had a cohesive identity as well as a deeply rooted tradition of religious pluralism. Since ancient times, the contemporary states of Syria, Lebanon, Jordan and Israel all have been referred to as Syrian lands.

By the sixth century, many of this regions inhabitants had adopted the Maronite faith, a form of eastern Christianity. In the following century, the Muslim leader Muawiya established Syria as the base of the powerful Umayyad caliphate and Islam came to have a stronghold in Syria.

Syrias religious fabric grew even richer during the next few hundred years. First, Muslim separatists established Shiism in opposition to the Sunni, or orthodox, version of Islam. Over time, Shii Islam also split into multiple belief systems. In Syria, most Shiites are members of the Alawite sect. The 11th century witnessed the birth of the Druze faith, which grew out of Islam but became a distinct religion incorporating elements of Christianity, Islam and mysticism. Prior to the French occupation, these groups lived side by side in relative peace.

The development of religious rifts

The French mandate received a hostile reception in Syria. Many of its inhabitants had supported the allied war effort  approximately 600,000 died in the years between 1915 to 1918. They hoped to be rewarded with independence.

From 1925 to 1927, Syrians of multiple faiths, ethnicities and political ideals united against French rule, in what came to be known as the Great Syrian Revolt. Although the rebellion was ultimately crushed, it showed the French that their colonial subjects could put their differences aside to face a common enemy.

In order to prevent the development of nationalist sentiment and opposition, the French deliberately pitted Syrias ethnic and religious groups against one another. They established separate states for each religious group: The Maronite Christians were given greater Lebanon, Alawites, the Alawite State on the coast of present-day Syria and the Druze  Jabal Druze, in southern Syria.

These groups were given authority over territory that was religiously heterogeneous. Greater Lebanon, for example, was designated as a Maronite Christian state, even though Maronites comprised only about 30 percent of the population.

The French also promoted sectarianism by periodically shifting borders and redistributing political support. First, around 1920, they divided Syria into the two separate states of Aleppo and Damascus. A few years later, they rejoined the Alawite State and Jabal Druze to the state of Syria. This frequent reshuffling ensured that their subjects would not have time to develop national loyalties.

Religious conflict in perspective

French tactics so divided Syrias constituents that only an iron fist could hold the country together. Following its independence in 1946, Syrian sectarianism filtered into politics and the military, triggering a series of military coups.

For the past 50 years, Syrias government has been dominated by members of the Alawite sect, who represent less than 10 percent of its population. Its last two presidents, Hafez al-Assad and his son Bashar al-Assad, both Alawites, have collectively reigned for 47 years. But these leaders have done little to ease internal discord.

The war has engaged multiple factions organized along religious lines. At the start of the Syrian Civil War, Syrias population was 74 percent Sunni Muslim, while Alawites and other Muslim minorities together constituted 13 percent. The remainder was 10 percent Christian and 3 percent Druze. By pitting groups against one another, the conflict is both reaffirming religious tensions and reshaping the religious landscape.

While Syrias future is not possible to see, it will likely be much less diverse. The Syrian Civil War drags on precisely because of how much is at stake: Each group is fighting for the very right to exist.

In this difficult time, Syria could learn a lot from its past.

Andrea Williams, Director, International Studies, Colorado State University

This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.



Related video added by Juan Cole:

ROME REPORTS in English: Ive never heard a Christian from Syria or Iraq speak of revenge, rather of forgiveness
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By Baher Kamal | (Inter Press Service) |  

ROME (IPS)  A perfect storm has engulfed the Middle East, and continues to threaten international peace and security.

Hardly anyone could sum up the Middle East explosive situation in so few, blunt words as just did Nickolay Mladenov, the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process.

In Mazrak, Yemen, a five year-old girl, diagnosed as malnourished, is given a pink wristband to wear to show she has not been getting enough to eat. Credit: UNHCR/Hugh Macleod.

Reporting to the UN Security Council on the dire situation across the Middle East region, marked by the largest refugee crisis since the Second World War, fractured societies, proliferation of non-State actors and unbelievable human suffering, Mladenov reiterated the need for a surge in diplomacy for peace to ease the suffering of innocent civilians.

The UN Special Coordinator also warned that the question of Palestine remained a potent symbol and a rallying cry, one that is easily misappropriated and exploited by extremist groups.

The question of Palestine remained a potent symbol and rallying cry, one that is easily misappropriated and exploited by extremist groups, UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process.

Let us not forget that behind the images of savagery [there] are the millions [struggling] every day not only for their own survival but for the true humane essence of their cultures and societies, he on 20 April 2017 told the Security Council.

Today, a perfect storm has engulfed the Middle East, and continues to threaten international peace and security, he said, noting that divisions within the region have opened the doors to foreign intervention and manipulation, breeding instability and sectarian strife.

Ending the occupation and realising a two-state solution will not solve all the regions problems, but as long as the conflict persists, it will continue to feed them.

Mladenov also informed the 15-member Security Council of sporadic violence that continued to claim lives and reported on Israels approval of the establishment of new settlements and declaration of State land in the occupied Palestinian territory.

On the Palestinian side, he noted multiple worrying developments that are further cementing the Gaza-West Bank divide and dangerously increasing the risk of escalation.

Turning to the wider region, Mladenov briefed the Security Council members on the on-going crisis in Syria that continues to be a massive burden for other countries and called on the international community to do more to stand in solidarity with Syrias neighbours.

Strong, Loud Alarm

The statement that Mr. Mladenov has just made should sound a strong, loud alarm, a retired Arab diplomat told IPS on condition of anonymity.

We should always have in mind that the United Nations envoys and special coordinators use to be extremely careful when choosing their wording, in particular when it comes to reporting to the UN Security Council. This is why his words should be taken really seriously, the diplomat emphasised.

Displaced families from Reyadeh and 1070 neighbourhoods take shelter at a kindergarten in western Aleppo city. Conditions are still extremely basic. Credit: UNICEF/Khuder Al-Issa

Displaced families from Reyadeh and 1070 neighbourhoods take shelter at a kindergarten in western Aleppo city. Conditions are still extremely basic. Credit: UNICEF/Khuder Al-Issa

According to this well-informed source, several Middle East analysts and even regional political leaders harbour mixed feeling and even confusion about what some consider as errant foreign policy of the current US administration.

What is anyway clear is that a new Middle East is now under construction. Such process will not be an easy one, in view of the growing trend to embark in new cold war between the US and Russia, the diplomat concluded.

Further in his briefing, the UN Special Coordinator spoke of the situation in Lebanon, Iraq and Yemen as well as of social exclusion and marginalisation that tend to provide fertile ground for the rise of violent extremism.

Recalling UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres call for a surge in diplomacy for peace, Mladenov urged UN Member States, especially through a united Security Council, to assume the leading role in resolving the crisis.

Multilateral approaches and cooperation are necessary to address interlinked conflicts, cross-border humanitarian impacts and violent extremism.

Grave Danger

Just one week earlier, the UN Special Envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, told the UN Security Council in the wake of yet another dire turn in the Syrian crisis, that the United States and the Russian Federation must find a way to work together to stabilise the situation and support the political process.

In his briefing on 12 April, de Mistura added that the previous weeks reported chemical weapons attack, the subsequent air strikes by the US and intensified fighting on the ground have put the fragile peace process is in grave danger.

A seven-year-old child stands in front of her damaged school in Idleb, Syria. October 2016. Credit: UNICEF

A seven-year-old child stands in front of her damaged school in Idleb, Syria. October 2016. Credit: UNICEF

This is a time for clear-thinking, strategy, imagination, cooperation, said de Mistura.

We must all resolve that the time has come where the intra-Syrian talks move beyond preparatory discussions and into the real heart of the matter, across all four baskets, to secure a meaningful negotiated transition package, he added.

Prior to the reported chemical attack in Khan Shaykhun area of Idlib, modest but incremental progress were made, the UN envoy noted, highlighting that though there no breakthroughs, there were also no breakdowns. The most recent round of talks, facilitated by the UN in Geneva, wrapped up three weeks ago.

However, the reported attack and subsequent events have placed the country between two paths: one leading more death, destruction and regional and international divisions; and the other of real de-escalation and ceasefire, added de Mistura.

The UN Special Envoy reiterated that there are no military solutions to the strife in the war-ravaged country.

You have heard it countless times, but I will say it again: there can only be a political solution to this bloody conflict [] regardless of what some say or believe, he expressed, noting that this is what Syrians from all walks of life also say and something that the Security Council had agreed upon.

So, let us use this moment of crisis  and it is a moment of crisis  as a watershed and an opportunity perhaps for a new level of seriousness in the search for a political solution.

Licensed from Inter Press Service
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By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) |  

US district judge William Orrick responded to a lawsuit by the county of San Francisco and by Santa Clara county against a Trump Executive Order conveyed to them by the Department of Justice, threatening to deny Federal funding to self-proclaimed sanctuary cities by striking down the DoJ. This is the third time a Trump policy connected to immigration has been struck down by lower courts on the grounds that it is unconstitutional, raising questions as to whether this administration has a grasp on the constitution.

The Trump administration acted with fury and called Orrick an unelected judge. Yes, but federal judges are appointed by the Federal government, which is . . . elected. And besides, the constitution doesnt change with each election.

The Trump administration argued that the Executive Order only reaffirms existing law. There are three Federal grants in the Department of Justice and Homeland Security that already have a rider requiring county compliance with immigration law. Only Santa Clara has one of these grants, to the tune of a million dollars a year.

Judge Orrick, however, did not accept the Trump administrations claim that the plaintiffs lack standing or that all the Executive Order did was to reinforce those three existing laws. He pointed out that the EO claimed to be able to block all Federal funds to the affected counties.

Not only did the EO say that, Orrick pointed out, but Trump and Attorney General Jeff Sessions both publicly made such claims:

And if there was doubt about the scope of the Order, the President and Attorney General have erased it with their public comments. The President has called it a weapon to use against jurisdictions that disagree with his preferred policies of immigration enforcement, and his press secretary has reiterated that the President intends to ensure that counties and other institutions that remain sanctuary cites dont get federal government funding in compliance with the executive order. The Attorney General has warned that jurisdictions that do not comply with Section 1373 would suffer withholding grants, termination of grants, and disbarment or ineligibility for future grants, and the claw back of any funds previously awarded. Section 9(a) is not reasonably susceptible to the new, narrow interpretation offered at the hearing. 

In other words, if Trump wants to keep trying to push unconstitutional executive orders, he has to at least pretend in public that they are constitutional. Orrick flatly dismissed the governments new interpretation of the order [as narrow] not legally plausible. But he noted that the government attorneys had more or less admitted that Trumps overly broad interpretation of his own EO would be unconstitutional.

Orrick points out that Congress decides on funding issues, not the executive, so that the president cant just wake up in the morning and put restrictions on Congressionally mandated funding.

In addition, Further, the Tenth Amendment requires that conditions on federal funds be unambiguous and timely made; that they bear some relation to the funds at issue; and that the total financial incentive not be coercive. Federal funding that bears no meaningful relationship to immigration enforcement cannot be threatened merely because a jurisdiction chooses an immigration enforcement strategy of which the President disapproves.

Trumps lawyers also argued that the counties did not have standing to sue, since nothing had actually yet been done to them.

Judge Orrick pointed out that the EO had caused budgetary uncertainty, since it threatened to deprive them of hundreds of millions of Federal dollars. Moreover, he said, the Trump EO caused them ongoing constitutional injuries. It violates the separation of powers doctrine and deprives them of their Fifth and Tenth Amendment rights.

He went even further and rejected the whole legal logic of Trumps demand that local jurisdictions that arrest undocumented persons hold them in jail so that ICE can come by and deport them.

He wrote, Several courts have held that it is a violation of the Fourth Amendment for local jurisdictions to hold suspected or actual removable aliens subject to civil detainer requests because civil detainer requests are often not supported by an individualized determination of probable cause that a crime has been committed.

Moreover, ICE does not reimburse local jurisdictions for the cost of keeping a Federal suspect locked up for a long time.

So the takeaway is that Trump attempted through his EO to make a coup. He tried to take spending decisions away from Congress, violating the separation of powers clause of the constitution. He also tried to throw out the Fifth Amendments guarantee of due process. And, he tried unilaterally to abrogate the Tenth Amendment, which says The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states respectively, or to the people.

Trump was attempting to hijack local government for Federal purposes, in the absence of even the slightest statutory guidance from the states.

It is frightening that this administration (it isnt just Trump) is perfectly OK with pissing all over the constitution to get what it wants.

For the moment, the courts are holding the line.

-

CBS in LA: Courts Hand Trump Another Setback In Dealing With Sanctuary Cities'
(All dollar figures are in US dollars unless otherwise indicated)

TORONTO, April 26, 2017 /CNW/ - New Gold Inc. ("New Gold") (TSX:NGD) (NYSE MKT:NGD) today announces its 2017 first quarter results and provides an update on the construction of the company's Rainy River project.

2017 FIRST QUARTER HIGHLIGHTS

Gold production of 89,327 ounces and copper production of 23.8 million pounds

Operating expense of $605 per gold ounce and $1.21 per copper pound

per gold ounce and per copper pound All-in sustaining costs (1) of $597 per ounce, including total cash costs (2) of $296 per ounce Lowest all-in sustaining costs since the introduction of the metric in 2012

of per ounce, including total cash costs of per ounce Lowering 2017 full-year all-in sustaining costs guidance to $760 to $800 per ounce from $825 to $865 per ounce

per ounce from per ounce Cash generated from operations of $77 million , a 25% increase compared to the first quarter

of 2016

, a 25% increase compared to the first quarter of 2016 Cash generated from operations before changes in non-cash operating working capital (3)

of $69 million , a 12% increase compared to the first quarter of 2016

of , a 12% increase compared to the first quarter of 2016 Net earnings of $38 million , or $0.07 per share

, or per share Adjusted net earnings (4) of $9 million , or $0.02 per share

of , or per share Rainy River project schedule and capital cost estimate remain in line with New Gold's updated plan announced on January 30, 2017 Rainy River project capital expenditures totalled $126 million during the quarter

project schedule and capital cost estimate remain in line with New Gold's updated plan announced on Enhanced financial flexibility with sale of El Morro stream and equity financing

March 31, 2017 cash and cash equivalents of $350 million

"As we indicated to our stakeholders at the beginning of this year, our priorities are: enhancing our financial flexibility, delivering operationally and executing on our updated Rainy River plan," stated Hannes Portmann, President and Chief Executive Officer. "I am very pleased to report that we have made significant progress in all three areas."

"During the first quarter, we increased our liquidity position by $230 million through our equity financing and the sale of our El Morro stream. At the same time, after a strong start to the year, we have lowered our cost guidance and increased our cash generation potential for the balance of the year. Finally, development activities at Rainy River were advanced with both the timeline and budget remaining consistent with our updated plan announced in late January," added Mr. Portmann.

2017 FIRST QUARTER OPERATIONAL RESULTS

New Gold's first quarter gold production of 89,327 ounces remained in line with 2016 as higher production from the company's Mesquite and Peak Mines partially offset planned lower production from New Afton and Cerro San Pedro. Cerro San Pedro's production decreased as the mine has now transitioned into residual leaching. Quarterly copper production decreased by 6% to 23.8 million pounds when compared to the first quarter of 2016. As expected, silver production of 0.3 million ounces was also below 2016 as Cerro San Pedro transitioned to residual leaching.

First quarter operating expense per gold ounce of $605 remained in line with 2016. The company delivered first quarter all-in sustaining costs of $597 per ounce, including total cash costs of $296 per ounce. All-in sustaining costs decreased by over $160 per ounce relative to the first quarter of 2016, resulting in a record low for the metric. The significant decrease in all-in sustaining costs relative to the prior-year quarter was attributable to a $58 per ounce decrease in total cash costs to $296 per ounce and a $103 per ounce, or $9 million, decrease in the company's consolidated sustaining costs, which include New Gold's cumulative sustaining capital, exploration, general and administrative, and amortization of reclamation expenditures.

With the company's strong operational start to 2017, New Gold reiterates its guidance for full-year gold production of 380,000 to 430,000 ounces. The company is particularly pleased to announce a reduction to full-year all-in sustaining costs. As indicated in late January, New Gold was actively evaluating cost savings opportunities to further enhance 2017 cash flow. Through a combination of the company's business improvement initiatives and capital deferrals, New Gold identified cost savings of approximately $15 million, or approximately $40 per ounce. In addition, the company has also fixed the price for 43.7 million pounds of the company's second half 2017 copper production at $2.73 per pound, which compares favourably to the company's guidance assumption of $2.50 per pound. The copper price benefit will provide an additional $10 million, or approximately $25 per ounce, towards 2017 cash flow. Combining the benefit of these initiatives positions New Gold to reduce its 2017 full-year all-in sustaining costs to $760 to $800 per ounce, representing a $65 per ounce reduction from the company's original guidance range of $825 to $865 per ounce.

Three months ended March 31 2017 2016 Operating information Gold (ounces): Produced 89,327 90,811 Sold 87,304 86,031 Copper (millions of pounds): Produced 23.8 25.4 Sold 23.0 25.3 Silver (millions of ounces): Produced 0.3 0.4 Sold 0.3 0.4 Revenue: Gold ($/ounce) 1,252 1,165 Copper ($/pound) 2.35 1.94 Silver ($/ounce) 16.89 14.47 Average realized price(5): Gold ($/ounce) 1,286 1,206 Copper ($/pound) 2.58 2.14 Silver ($/ounce) 17.51 14.72 Operating expense: Gold ($/ounce) 605 606 Copper ($/pound) 1.21 1.07 Silver ($/ounce) 8.23 7.39 Total cash costs ($/ounce) 296 354 All-in sustaining costs ($/ounce) 597 758

New Afton

Three months ended March 31 2017 2016 Operating information Gold (ounces): Produced 20,937 25,068 Sold 20,716 25,131 Copper (millions of pounds): Produced 20.5 22.4 Sold 19.9 22.0 Operating expense: Gold ($/ounce) 458 374 Copper ($/pound) 0.92 0.67 All-in sustaining costs ($/ounce) (505) (268) All-in sustaining costs on a co-product basis: Gold ($/ounce) 679 631 Copper ($/pound) 1.36 1.12

The decrease in gold production at New Afton relative to the first quarter of 2016 was due to an expected decrease in gold grade and gold recovery, partially offset by a 4% increase in mill throughput. Copper production was also lower than the prior-year quarter due to an expected decrease in copper grade.

First quarter operating expenses increased when compared to the prior-year quarter due to higher costs associated with processing more ore tonnes. All-in sustaining costs decreased as the benefit of increased by-product revenues and lower sustaining costs was only partially offset by the appreciation of the Canadian dollar relative to the U.S. dollar and the increase in operating expenses. By-product revenues benefitted from an increase in the realized copper price which more than offset lower copper sales volumes. New Afton's quarterly sustaining costs decreased by $2 million to $7 million when compared to the first quarter of 2016.

New Gold is pleased to reiterate New Afton's guidance for full-year gold production of 70,000 to 80,000 ounces and copper production of 85 to 95 million pounds. As a result of the cost savings initiatives solidified in the first quarter, and the benefit of the copper hedges relative to the company's guidance assumption, New Afton's full-year all-in sustaining cost guidance has been reduced to ($520) to ($480) per ounce, representing a $240 per ounce reduction from the company's original guidance range of ($280) to ($240) per ounce.

Mesquite

Three months ended March 31 2017 2016 Operating information Gold (ounces): Produced 30,403 27,371 Sold 29,153 24,929 Operating expense: Gold ($/ounce) 695 616 All-in sustaining costs ($/ounce) 765 1,101

The increase in gold production at Mesquite relative to the first quarter of 2016 was due to higher recoveries as total ore tonnes mined and placed included less transitional material than was mined in 2016.

First quarter operating expenses increased when compared to the prior-year quarter as no mining costs were capitalized in the first quarter of 2017. First quarter all-in sustaining costs decreased due to a $10 million, or $405 per ounce, decrease in sustaining costs primarily due to no capitalized waste stripping, which was only partially offset by the increase in operating costs.

New Gold is pleased to reiterate Mesquite's guidance for full-year gold production of 140,000 to 150,000 ounces and all-in sustaining costs of $805 to $845 per ounce.

Peak Mines

Three months ended March 31 2017 2016 Operating information Gold (ounces): Produced 28,347 19,596 Sold 27,391 17,149 Copper (millions of pounds): Produced 3.4 3.0 Sold 3.1 3.3 Operating expense: Gold ($/ounce) 596 870 Copper ($/pound) 1.22 1.53 All-in sustaining costs ($/ounce) 674 1,024

Peak Mines had a strong start to the year with first quarter gold production increasing by 45% relative to the first quarter of 2016. The significant increase in gold production was attributable to mining and processing of higher gold grade material. Quarterly copper production increased by 13% when compared to the first quarter of 2016 due to higher copper grade.

First quarter operating expenses decreased when compared to the prior-year quarter primarily due to higher gold sales volumes. All-in sustaining costs decreased during the quarter primarily as the benefit of higher gold sales volumes and increased by-product revenues were only partially offset by the appreciation of the Australian dollar relative to the U.S. dollar and a slight increase in sustaining costs.

New Gold is pleased to reiterate Peak Mines' guidance for full-year gold production of 85,000 to 95,000 ounces and copper production of approximately 15 million pounds. As a result of the cost savings initiatives solidified in the first quarter, Peak Mines' full-year all-in sustaining costs guidance has been reduced to $975 to $1,015 per ounce, representing an $85 per ounce reduction from the company's original guidance range of $1,060 to $1,100 per ounce.

Cerro San Pedro

Three months ended March 31 2017 2016 Operating information Gold (ounces): Produced 9,640 18,776 Sold 10,044 18,822 Silver (millions of ounces): Produced 0.2 0.3 Sold 0.2 0.3 Operating expense: Gold ($/ounce) 1,150 993 Silver ($/ounce) 15.84 12.38 All-in sustaining costs ($/ounce) 1,255 952

Cerro San Pedro finished active mining late in the second quarter of 2016 and has now transitioned to residual leaching. As a result, and consistent with expectations, the mine's first quarter gold and silver production decreased compared to the prior year. First quarter operating expenses and all-in sustaining costs increased when compared to the prior-year quarter due to lower gold sales volumes. As the company is drawing down leach pad inventory during the residual leach period, $403 per ounce of the reported all-in sustaining costs is related to cash expenditures that were incurred in prior periods.

New Gold is pleased to reiterate Cerro San Pedro's guidance for full-year gold production of 35,000 to 45,000 ounces and all-in sustaining costs of $1,090 to $1,130 per ounce.

2017 FIRST QUARTER FINANCIAL RESULTS

Three months ended March 31 (in millions of U.S. dollars,

except per share amounts) 2017 2016 Revenues $169.5 $154.5 Operating margin(6) 86.6 72.6 Net earnings 37.5 25.6 Net earnings per basic share 0.07 0.05 Adjusted net earnings (loss) 9.4 (1.5) Adjusted net earnings per share 0.02 nil Cash generated from operations 76.8 61.5 Cash generated from operations before changes in non-cash operating working capital 69.4 62.1

First quarter revenues increased by $15 million, or 10%, relative to the prior-year quarter, primarily due to higher metal prices. Relative to the first quarter of 2016, the average realized price increased by $80 per ounce of gold, or 7%, $0.44 per pound of copper, or 21%, and $2.79 per ounce of silver, or 19%. First quarter production and metal sales volumes were in line with the prior-year quarter.

New Gold's first quarter operating margin increased by $14 million relative to the prior-year quarter as a result of the $15 million increase in revenues and the company's operating expenses remaining consistent, despite the appreciation of the Canadian and Australian dollars relative to the U.S. dollar.

The company reported net earnings of $38 million, or $0.07 per share, in the first quarter of 2017 relative to net earnings of $26 million, or $0.05 per share, in the prior-year quarter. First quarter net earnings included a $33 million pre-tax gain on the disposal of the El Morro stream, a $6 million non-cash foreign exchange gain and a $14 million pre-tax loss on the revaluation of company's gold price option contracts.

New Gold had adjusted net earnings of $9 million, or $0.02 per share, in the first quarter of 2017 relative to an adjusted net loss of $2 million, in the prior-year quarter. Quarterly adjusted net earnings were positively impacted by the combination of the $15 million increase in revenues, a $4 million decrease in depreciation and depletion and a $3 million decrease in finance costs as more interest has been capitalized to Rainy River. These items were partially offset by an $8 million increase in adjusted income tax expense, a $1 million increase in operating expenses, and a $1 million increase in exploration, business development, and corporate general and administrative expenses.

The company's first quarter cash generated from operations before changes in non-cash operating working capital of $69 million was $7 million, or 12%, higher than the prior-year quarter as the impact of the higher operating margin was only partially offset by higher income taxes paid. Cash generated from operations in the first quarter of 2017 was $77 million relative to $62 million in the prior-year quarter. The significant working capital benefit during the first quarter of 2017 was due to the company collecting an outstanding concentrate receivable of $21 million at New Afton in January 2017.

FINANCIAL UPDATE

New Gold's cash and cash equivalents at March 31, 2017 were $350 million. The company also has a $400 million revolving credit facility, of which $100 million has been drawn and $123 million has been used to issue letters of credit for closure obligations at the company's producing mines and development projects, leaving $177 million undrawn. The company's pro forma liquidity totals $527 million (cash and undrawn credit facility) plus its expected free cash flow generation from its operating mines through the balance of 2017.

In 2016, New Gold entered into gold price option contracts covering 120,000 ounces of its first half 2017 production, with put options at a strike price of $1,300 per ounce and call options at a strike price of $1,400 per ounce. The company also fixed the price for 31.7 million pounds of the company's first half 2017 copper production at $2.52 per pound and fixed 43.7 million pounds of the company's second half 2017 copper production at $2.73 per pound. These initiatives increase the company's cash flow certainty during the remaining Rainy River development period.

At March 31, 2017, the face value of the company's long-term debt was $900 million (book value  $890 million). The components of the long-term debt include: $300 million of 7.00% face value senior unsecured notes due in April of 2020; $500 million of 6.25% face value senior unsecured notes due in November of 2022; and $100 million drawn from the revolving credit facility. The company currently has approximately 575 million shares outstanding.



PROJECTS UPDATE

Rainy River

Development activities at New Gold's Rainy River project, located in northwestern Ontario, continue to advance and the project is scheduled to transition from construction to operation in the third quarter of 2017. Both the project schedule and capital cost estimate remain in line with New Gold's updated plan announced on January 30, 2017.

RAINY RIVER  2017 FIRST QUARTER HIGHLIGHTS

Project spending during the first quarter totalled $126 million , with estimated remaining capital to achieve November commercial production of $389 million

, with estimated remaining capital to achieve November commercial production of million Mining rate during the quarter averaged over 110,000 tonnes per day

Overall earthworks approximately 70% complete

All key structural components of the process facilities complete

Installation of mechanical, piping, electrical and instrumentation in processing facilities approximately 85% complete

Primary crusher and conveyor system approximately 95% complete

Commissioning of the crusher commenced in March 2017 with first crush scheduled for early May 2017

UPCOMING KEY MILESTONES

Second Quarter 2017



Complete commissioning of crusher and complete first crush

Commence commissioning of ball and SAG mill

Energization of all site power lines

Third Quarter 2017



Dry and wet commissioning of the full process circuit

Complete tailings management area starter cell

First ore to mill and mine start-up

Mining activities at Rainy River progressed well during the first quarter. The company's mining rate during the quarter averaged over 110,000 tonnes per day, which was in line with New Gold's updated plan announced on January 30, 2017. The September start-up is based on an expectation that the mining rate will continue to increase to an average of approximately 120,000 tonnes per day, which includes both planned productivity gains and takes into consideration the impact of changing weather conditions through the spring and summer months. There are multiple catalysts for the planned productivity gains. As pit water management impacts productivity, particularly during the spring thaw, the commissioning of the water management pond will facilitate increased pit dewatering which, in turn, will provide greater access and improved mining conditions. As well, an additional construction rock source has been identified outside of the pit and closer to the tailings area, which is currently being brought online. Once fully operational, this will shorten the cycle time of rock material mined from the pit as it will primarily be delivered to the waste dump instead of the longer haul to the tailings area. These changes, as well as operational improvements in the mining and maintenance areas, underpin the planned increase in mining rate to 120,000 tonnes per day.

Overall earthworks are approximately 70% complete and tracking in line with New Gold's updated plan. Through March 31, 2017, over 800,000m3 of construction material has been placed at the tailings management starter cell. The starter cell is scheduled to be completed in August 2017. Construction of the water management pond is tracking in line with the company's updated plan and approval is expected in the coming days to pump up to 1.4 million cubic metres into the pond. Completion and energization of all site overhead power lines and completion of the tailings pipeline corridor is planned for the second quarter. Subsequent to the end of the quarter, approval was received to commence construction of the mine rock pond.

All of the key structural components of the process facilities have been completed and the setting of mechanical equipment and installation of piping, electrical and instrumentation services is well advanced. The primary crusher and conveyor system are approximately 95% complete. Commissioning of the crusher commenced in March 2017 with the first crush expected in early May 2017. Thereafter, the commissioning of the ball and SAG mills should start during the second quarter and be completed in August 2017. Finally, the refining portion of the circuit should be completed and ready to begin commissioning early in the third quarter. Dry and wet commissioning of the full process circuit is scheduled to be completed in August 2017, which should leave approximately one month before targeted first production for any required adjustments to the circuit.

The company continues to work towards obtaining an amendment to Schedule 2 of the Metal Mining Effluent Regulations, required to close two small creeks and deposit tailings. In recent discussions with senior officials from Environment and Climate Change Canada, New Gold was advised that public notification of the proposed amendment is expected to be published in the second quarter of 2017, with the final publication and adoption of the Schedule 2 amendment expected to occur in January 2018.

As previously disclosed, New Gold is presently constructing a starter tailings cell, located within the broader tailings management area, that does not require a Schedule 2 amendment. This will allow New Gold to commence operations prior to completion of the Schedule 2 amendment. Based on its location and scale, the starter cell would provide capacity for approximately six months of tailings.

In addition, New Gold is finalizing its evaluation of an approach to constructing the creek closures which incorporates sheet pile at the centre of the portion of the dam which will cover the creeks. The purpose of this approach is both to reduce the construction time after receipt of the Schedule 2 amendment, and, most importantly, to be able to complete the work regardless of the weather conditions. The approach is expected to require provincial and federal regulatory approvals.

During the quarter, infill drilling was completed to confirm the estimated grades of mineralization in the resource block model and upgrade confidence in the portion of the reserve expected to be mined during the first year of commercial production.

Project spending at Rainy River during the first quarter totalled $126 million. Based on a C$1.30/US$ exchange rate, the remaining capital cost from April 1, 2017 to the targeted November commercial production is estimated to be approximately $389 million. Capital spending levels are expected to ramp up in the second and third quarters as the project enters the final phase of construction and transitions to operation.

New Gold continues to look forward to the expected growth in the company's production and cash flow once Rainy River transitions into operation later this year. Rainy River has multiple important asset qualities including its great jurisdiction, significant annual production potential, long estimated reserve life and continued exploration potential.

Blackwater

Activities at the company's Blackwater project, located in south-central British Columbia, continued to focus on attaining the approval of the Environmental Assessment ("EA"). The coordinated Federal and Provincial EA technical review is in progress. Technical review comments have now been received from the Federal government, Provincial agencies and local Indigenous communities, and New Gold has responded to the review comments. The company continues to anticipate approval of the Blackwater EA in 2017.

Capital expenditures at Blackwater during the first quarter were $2 million.

El Morro

In February, the company sold its gold stream on the El Morro project to an affiliate of Goldcorp Inc. for $65 million cash.

WEBCAST AND CONFERENCE CALL

A webcast and conference call to discuss these results will be held on Thursday, April 27, 2017 at 9:00 a.m. Eastern time. Participants may listen to the webcast by registering on our website at www.newgold.com. You may also listen to the conference call by calling toll free 1-888-231-8191, or 1-647-427-7450 outside of the U.S. and Canada. A recorded playback of the conference call will be available until May 27, 2017 by calling toll free 1-855-859-2056, or 1-416-849-0833 outside of the U.S. and Canada, passcode 94771662. An archived webcast will also be available until July 27, 2017 at www.newgold.com.

ABOUT NEW GOLD INC.

New Gold is an intermediate gold mining company. The company has a portfolio of four producing assets and two significant development projects. The New Afton Mine in Canada, the Mesquite Mine in the United States, the Peak Mines in Australia and the Cerro San Pedro Mine in Mexico (which transitioned to residual leaching in 2016), provide the company with its current production base. In addition, New Gold owns 100% of the Rainy River and Blackwater projects located in Canada. New Gold's objective is to be the leading intermediate gold producer, focused on the environment and social responsibility. For further information on the company, please visit www.newgold.com.
Vancouver, British Columbia / TheNewswire / Centenera Mining Corporation (the "Company" or "Centenera") - (TSXV: CT, OTCQB: CTMIF), reports that detailed surface sampling has commenced at the Company's El Quemado lithium pegmatite project ("El Quemado" or the "Project") in Salta Province, northwest Argentina. An exploration team consisting of geologists and support staff recently mobilized to the Project area. The Company plans to complete detailed channel sampling, geological mapping, and orientation soil sampling within the target areas to fully evaluate the potential for lithium mineralization at El Quemado (Figure 1).

Details of Planned Work

Having previously confirmed lithium mineralization within the El Quemado pegmatites (see March 2, 2017 news release), the Company now intends to build on these findings by completing an extensive sampling program over all priority targets. Areas where pegmatites dikes are cropping out at surface have been identified using high-resolution satellite imagery and consolidated into four groups of targets called Santa Elena, El Penon, Tres Cumbres, and Las Pailas. During the next 4 to 6 weeks, the Company intends to fully assess all of the target areas.

Detailed surface sampling will be completed through both rock chip samples and core saw channel samples. Geological mapping will accompany all sampling work. Where outcropping pegmatites trend under cover, orientation soil sampling grids will be used to establish the applicability and potential effectiveness of this technique in identifying lithium mineralization in areas under cover. Additionally, mine tailings from the past producing Santa Elena mine, located within the Project area, will be sampled and measured for volume estimation as waste products from the historical tantalum and bismuth production may contain lithium.

Previous Work

The El Quemado area includes a former tantalum-bismuth producing mine site where lithium minerals were formally identified during an academic study in 2012. Centenera's initial sampling and assessment confirmed the existence of lithium mineralization within the pegmatites and was the first recorded confirmation of lithium mineralization occurring beyond the historical El Quemado pit. As part of its planned work program, the Company will seek to support its exploration hypothesis that the pegmatite district at El Quemado is geologically similar to tantalum-producing districts elsewhere in the world where, as a result of changes in commodity pricing, production has more recently switched to lithium instead of tantalum. Greenbushes in Australia is a good example of such a district where tantalum was produced from pegmatites until 2005, but production since then has been solely lithium.

A total of 13 surface samples were taken during the initial reconnaissance field campaign and outcrop samples returned lithium values ranging from below detection to a high of 0.94%. In total, three samples returned lithium values grading between 0.56% and 0.94%, with an additional five samples returning values grading between 0.24% and 0.42% lithium. Samples were collected as chip channel samples across outcropping pegmatite veins and previously reported sample results are set forth in Table 1.

Figure 1: Plan view of selected target areas within part of the El Quemado property. Inset maps provide a more detailed view and white lines highlight interpreted pegmatite veins, most of which will be evaluated by the current sampling program.





Table 1: Results of initial rock sampling (NR17-02) which demonstrated the existence of lithium mineralization within the El Quemado pegmatite district

Sample ID Channel Length (m) Lithium (%) 403409 1.5 0.94 403411 1.6 0.72 403413 1.5 0.56 403516 1.4 0.42 403514 1.1 0.40 403506 1.1 0.38 403515 0.3 0.32 403507 1.6 0.24 403414 2.0 0.16 403412 0.3 0.09 403416 10.0 0.03 403517 1.7 0.03 403401 0.4 0.00

El Quemado Project

The Project includes the historical El Quemado and Santa Elena small-scale tantalum-producing operations where Minera Anzotana Co. produced niobium-tantalum concentrates. Historical records indicate that tantalum-niobium oxide concentrate grades range from 7.16% to 53.85% (average 39.65%) tantalum and 3.7% to 69.14% (average 20.98%) niobium in 11 concentrate shipments. Despite historical production, no systematic modern exploration has taken place and the Property has never been drilled or been the subject of formal resource estimation, although historical estimates do exist in the literature. Most historical information dates from 1943, when the deposits were first exploited through to 1981. Pegmatites are reportedly 4 meters to 40 meters thick in the Santa Elena area, west of El Quemado.

The Company cautions that the grade of concentrates is derived from private mining company records that are historical in nature. Investors are further cautioned that a qualified person has not yet completed sufficient work to be able to verify the historical information, and therefore the information should not be relied upon. In addition, the Company is quoting historical concentrate grades, being the grade of mined material after processing and upgrading. The Company is not disclosing any historical resource or reserve estimate and further exploration will be required to assess the in-situ grade of the mineralized material and to assess the potential for the existence of a mineral resource.

A recent academic study of the El Quemado pegmatites (Marquez-Zavalia & Galliski 2012, Canadian Mineralogist) describes tantalum and bismuth minerals in the El Quemado system, which is interpreted to be a spodumene (lithium) subtype, rare element class granitic pegmatite. The 2012 study revealed systematic zoning; a. border zone; b. wall zone; c. outer intermediate zone; d. inner intermediate zone; e. core zone (Plate 1). Tantalum occurs throughout all zones while lithium is concentrated in the inner intermediate zone (d.). Outcrop is described as sparse in the area, with most of the pegmatites under shallow cover.

Historical production was focussed on tantalum, niobium and bismuth in the El Quemado area. This is a common situation in these types of pegmatite deposits where historical pricing and demand was more supportive of tantalum mining but where modern demand and economics now support lithium exploitation. The world's largest hard-rock lithium producer, located in the Greenbushes pegmatite belt (southwest Australia) was a former tantalum producing deposit from the 1940s where modern tantalum extraction commenced in the early 1990s before lithium was first produced in the mid-2000s.

About Pegmatites - Pegmatites are igneous rocks that form during the final stage of a magma's crystallization. To be called a pegmatite, a rock should be composed almost entirely of crystals that are at least one centimeter in diameter. Most pegmatites have a composition that is similar to granite with abundant quartz, feldspar and mica. Pegmatites can be sources of valuable minerals such as spodumene (lithium) that are rarely found in economic amounts in other types of rocks.

About Lithium - Lithium is produced from both brines and hard-rock sources (pegmatites). Estimates from 2015 put global lithium production from conventional hard-rock mining of lithium minerals as high as 44% (source: Macquarie Research 2016). Lithium pegmatites are a viable source of the metal because of their high concentration in ores relative to brines, and production from these deposits mitigates global concerns about dependence on supplies brine producers in Chile and Argentina. As a grade comparison, moderate to high brine grades of 400ppm lithium equate to 0.04% lithium, whereas initial sampling at the El Quemado Project has returned grades as high as 9,400ppm or 0.94% lithium. Chemical-grade lithium refers to spodumene that is converted to lithium carbonate or lithium hydroxide. Pegmatites can be a source of technical-grade lithium, where spodumene is used directly in the ceramics or glass industries without processing.

Qualified Person

Tyler Caswell, P.Geo., the Company's Exploration Manager and a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101, has reviewed the scientific and technical information that forms the basis for portions of this news release, and has approved the disclosure herein. Mr. Caswell is not independent of the Company, as he is an employee and holds incentive stock options.

About Centenera Mining Corporation

Centenera is a mineral resource company trading on the TSX Venture Exchange, under the symbol CT and on the OTCQB exchange under the symbol CTMIF. The Company is focused 100% on Argentina. The Company intends to focus its 2017 exploration activities on drill-testing its flagship Huachi copper-gold project (see news releases dated January 23 and March 6, 2017). The Company has made application for a drilling permit through the underlying owner and is awaiting approval to begin exploration.

Other assets, such as the El Quemado lithium pegmatite project in Salta Province are intended with be explored by the Company with the aim of proving project potential and attracting a joint venture partner or a project sale. The Company also intends to seek a joint venture partner for its Organullo gold project, which has approximately 8,000 meters of historical drilling and assay results. The Organullo project has a geological target range from 19.8 million tonnes grading at 0.94 g/t gold (600,000 ounces) to 31.6 million tonnes grading 0.92 g/t gold (940,000 ounces) using a 0.5 g/t gold cut-off-grade. It should be noted that these potential exploration target quantities and grades are conceptual in nature, that insufficient exploration and geological modelling has been done to define a mineral resource, and that it is uncertain if further exploration will result in the delineation of a mineral resource.

For more information on the Company's board of directors, management and assets, please refer to the Company's website at www.centeneramining.com.
TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - April 26, 2017) - Lundin Mining Corporation ("Lundin Mining" or the "Company") (TSX:LUN)(OMX:LUMI) is pleased to announce that today that it has filed an updated technical report for the Eagle Mine in Michigan, U.S.A. (the "Technical Report"). The Technical Report incorporates updates with respect to current Eagle Mine operations and the results of the Feasibility Study on the high-grade Eagle East nickel/copper mineralization, including an updated Mineral Resource estimate and a maiden Mineral Reserve estimate, as previously disclosed by the Company in its April 10, 2017 news release.

The Technical Report was prepared in accordance with the Canadian Securities Administrator's National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects, and is available for review under the Company's profile on SEDAR (www.sedar.com) and on the Company's website (www.lundingmining.com).

About Lundin Mining

Lundin Mining is a diversified Canadian base metals mining company with operations in Chile, the United States of America, Portugal, and Sweden, primarily producing copper, nickel and zinc. In addition, Lundin Mining holds an indirect 24 percent equity stake in the Freeport Cobalt Oy business, which includes a cobalt refinery located in Kokkola, Finland.
April 26, 2017 / TheNewswire / Vancouver, British Columbia; - LiCo Energy Metals Inc. ("the Company "or" LiCo") TSX-V: LIC; OTCQB: WCTXF is pleased to announce that Geodatos Geophysics of Santiago, Chile has now been contracted to conduct a detailed Transient Electromagnetic (TEM) geophysical survey as part of the Phase One lithium brine exploration program for the Purickuta Project located within the Salar de Atacama, Chile.

In this environment, a TEM survey can provide detailed information on the depth from surface and possible thickness of brine bearing aquifers. The best electrical conductance responses can therefore be used to target the best drilling locations. Drilling to depths of up to 350m will commence shortly thereafter or as soon as the requisite exploration permits have been issued. This will be followed by an engineering and hydrological study that includes 72hr flow testing, porosity measurements and calculation of aquifer potential. Project management has reached out to several drilling contractors for quotes and a supplier will be selected in the coming days.

The Company's management team has returned from a recent trip to Chile in order to advance the proposed Purickuta exploration program and to review additional lithium and cobalt mineral properties for potential acquisition.

"Salar de Atacama is famous for its lithium production and we look forward to seeing the results of our first test of the subsurface at the Purickuta Project. Our neighbors SQM and Albemarle are producing approximately 38% of the worlds lithium supply just 22 km south of our location within the salar. Several direct extraction technologies that don't involve using evaporation ponds are now being developed and would be an ideal fit for the Purickuta Project." commented Mr. Dwayne Melrose, Director and Head of the Technical Advisory Board of LiCo.

The Company holds an option to acquire up to a 60% interest in the Purickuta Exploitation concession (the "Property"). The technical content of this news release has been reviewed and approved by Alan Morris CPG and Qualified Person.

About LiCo Energy Metals: https://licoenergymetals.com/

LiCo Energy Metals Inc. is a well funded Canadian based exploration company who's primary listing is on the TSX Venture Exchange. The Company's focus is directed towards exploration for high value metals integral to the manufacture of lithium ion batteries.

Chile Purickuta Lithium Project:

The Purickuta Project is located within Salar de Atacama, a salt flat encompassing 3,000 km2, being about 100 km long, 80 km wide and home to approximately 37% of the worlds Lithium production. The salar possesses a very high grade of both Lithium (1,840mg/l) and Potassium (22,630mg/l and is close to power, labour, communications, transportation and other infrastructure. The property of 160 hectares is enveloped by a concession owned by Sociedad Quimica y Minera ("SQM") and lies, significantly, within a few kilometers of the property of CORFO (the Chilean Economic Development Agency) where its leases to both SQM and Albermarle's Rockwood Lithium Corp Together these two companies have combined production of over 62,000 tonnes of LCE (Lithium Carbonate Equivalent) annually making up 100% of Chile's current lithium output. The unique characteristics of Salar de Atacama make finished lithium carbonate easier and cheaper to produce than any of its peer group globally.

Purickuta is a smaller exploitation concession rather than a large exploration concession thereby accelerating the task of taking the project to production once a measured reserve can be established. Currently, the Chilean government retains ownership of lithium separate from other minerals and thus production can only proceed upon receipt of a special lithium operation contract know as a "CEOL". In the future, it will be necessary for LiCo and partner to negotiate a production contract with CORFO concurrently with completing any positive feasibility study. "Chile, which has one of the world's most plentiful supplies of lithium, is pushing ahead with new policies to develop those reserves". (Reuters Jan2, 2017).

Ontario Teledyne Cobalt Project:

The Company has an option to earn 100% ownership, subject to a royalty, in the Teledyne Project located near Cobalt. Ontario. The Property adjoins the south and west boundaries of claims that hosted the Agaunico Mine. From 1905 through to 1961, the Agaunico Mine produced a total of 4,350,000 lbs. of cobalt and 980,000 oz. of silver. A significant portion of the cobalt that was produced at the Agaunico Mine located along structures that extended southward onto property currently under option to LiCo Energy Metals.

Nevada Dixie Valley Lithium Project:

The Company has an option to acquire a 100% interest, subject to a 3% NSR, on a large lithium exploration project at the Humboldt Salt Marsh in Dixie Valley, Nevada. The geologic setting and presence of lithium in active geothermal fluids and surface salts in Dixie Valley match characteristics of producing lithium brine deposits at Clayton Valley, Nevada and in South America.

Nevada Black Rock Desert Lithium Project:

The Company has entered into an option agreement whereby the Company may earn an undivided 70% interest, subject to a 3% Net Smelter Return Royalty, in the Black Rock Desert Lithium Project that consists of 128 placer claims (2,560 acres/ 1,036 hectares) in southwest Black Rock Desert, Washoe County, Nevada.

The Company is planning an exploration programs for all its properties over the next several months.
Thae Yong-ho, a former North Korean diplomat who defected to South Korea, speaks during an interview with The Korea Times in Seoul, April 20. / Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul



By Kim Rahn

China is one of the key players in addressing the North Korea nuclear issue, but has not been active in doing so, according to Thae Yong-ho, former North Korean diplomat who defected to South Korea.

Despite some positive changes it has been showing since the summit between its President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Donald Trump, the international community is still doubtful about its seriousness in checking the North.

Thae says China must stop sending back North Koreans who fled from the impoverished nation and help the defectors move to the South. Without these efforts, it is hard to conclude that China is seriously working to resolve the nuclear issue, he said.

Regarding the U.S.' possible pre-emptive strike on the North, Thae said if the U.S. would really conduct such an attack, the strike should be one-time and powerful enough to collapse the North 100 percent, not leaving a single chance for it to strike back, because Kim would use nuclear weapons if any chance remains.

Thae also noted that North Korea needs to conduct a large-scale nuclear test to complete its nuclear development, but is hesitating out of fear of possible failure to control the test which will bring a nuclear catastrophe to the Korean Peninsula and the consequent fall of the Kim Jong-un regime.

About the possibility of North Korean residents rising up against the Kim regime, the former diplomat said nobody _ not even the regime's leaders _ knows when their discontent and anger at the regime will reach boiling point.

Thae, who has suffrage here and plans to cast his vote in the upcoming presidential election, advised political parties not to exploit the North Korea issue for victory in the election.



Q: What can South Korea do to influence China to seriously take part in sanctions against the North?

A: In terms of economic pressure, it is difficult to prove whether China is actively carrying out the sanctions because we don't know how much smuggling between the border is taking place and whether China is preventing it or not.

Provable pressure will be the North Korean defector issue. There are tens of thousands of defectors in the northeastern part of China, and we have to demand China directly send them to the South so they will not need to make a detour via Southeast Asia.

China has never accepted this demand but has caught defectors and sent them back to North Korea, although it is against international law, because China knows if people begin to move out of the North, it will soon lead to the regime's collapse as seen in East Germany and other Eastern European countries.



Q: Will Kim Jong-un really use nuclear weapons if the U.S. launches a pre-emptive strike?












By Eom Da-sol





Busan International Foreign School / Yonhap

As tensions between North Korea and the U.S. rise, a foreign school in Busan has warned students about a possible war on the Korean Peninsula.

Busan International Foreign School sent an email to its 500 expatriate students and their parents on April 24 explaining the situation with North Korea's nuclear and missile tests and what to do in case of an emergency, such as war.

The email said if foreign embassies request an evacuation of their citizens, the school will inform students and parents and cancel classes temporarily. It also said that parents would need to take their children home if the school bus was unavailable. If it was unsafe to return home, the school would provide students with food and water.

The school issued similar guidelines via email when the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster occurred in Japan in 2011.

The city's other foreign school in Haeundae-gu district also sent parents guidelines about war this month. A Japanese school in the city's Suyeong-gu district made parents aware of the tensions on the Korean Peninsula through email.
N. Korea's 'restraint' could pave way for peace



North Korea didn't conduct a nuclear test or launch an intercontinental ballistic missile Tuesday. The North instead carried out what appears to be its largest-ever firing drill to mark the 85th founding anniversary of its armed forces around the eastern port city of Wonsan. It is a relief that Pyongyang didn't unleash serious provocations in that it was all but impossible to figure out the consequences of these.



Repeated warnings from the international community that the North's sixth nuclear test would be intolerable might have had an effect. On Monday, U.S. President Donald Trump had separate phone talks with the leaders of China and Japan to show their strong resolve against the North's weapons of mass destruction.



China, the North's last remaining ally, adopted far stronger pressure tactics than before. In a phone conversation with Trump, Chinese President Xi Jinping urged ''restraint'' on North Korea, saying China opposes any behavior reneging on U.N. Security Council resolutions.



China mobilized its state-controlled media outlets to deter North Korea's provocations. The Global Times, in particular, drew attention by stating in an editorial that Beijing would oppose Washington's attack on the North's nuclear facilities only by diplomatic channels. This was taken as meaning that Beijing would condone Washington's pre-emptive strike as a result of Pyongyang's unwavering pursuit of its nuclear and missile programs. The newspaper also warned that should the North push for a sixth nuclear test, it would reduce oil supplies to the reclusive state.



There were no serious provocations by North Korea Tuesday, but it's too early to conclude that the North won't carry out a fresh nuclear test. Rather, the chances are that the rogue state may be waiting for U.S. troops and weapons deployed here for the ongoing Foal Eagle exercise to leave after it is wrapped up.



North Korea conducted two nuclear and eight missile tests last year. This year, there have been four North Korean missile launches. Against this backdrop, tension may well rise amid signs of a nuclear test.



Especially worrisome is that Trump is more aggressive about resolving the North Korean nuclear issue than his predecessors. Any decision by the new U.S. president to resort to military action would be disastrous.



What is hopeful though is that North Korea's ''restraint'' this time could pave the way for us to expect the ongoing crisis to be resolved through negotiations.



Now is certainly the time for Kim Jong-un, the North's young leader, to awaken to the stark reality facing his starving country. Kim is standing at a critical crossroads: Sticking to the delusion of being a nuclear state or opting for a realistic and rational compromise for survival. Needless to say, the dictator should choose the path of escaping his self-implosion, aware that he is confronted with completely different circumstances.








By Derek Simon

Horatio Luro, the dashing Argentinian trainer who saddled the great Northern Dancer, is credited with a phrase that has become a Triple Crown mantra over the years.

Dont squeeze the lemon dry, Luro said, referring to the fact that a fresh horse is needed to withstand the rigors of competing in the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes.

Yet, knowing when a horse is over the top (another cute racing phrase) is easier said than done. One quick and easy way that Ive found to identify stale runners (or horses likely to regress), is by examining their speed figures. In both the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes, it is a decidedly negative sign to show a vastly improved speed rating last time out. In fact, it is generally a no-no to show much variance at all.

In the last 25 years, no horse has won in (more)
Cardiac Insight, a company out of Kirkland, Washington, has been cleared by the FDA to introduce its CARDEA SOLO wearable electrocardiography (ECG) sensing device. The electronic component is inside an electrode patch that is stuck to the skin. The patient is outfitted with the device at the doctors office and sent home to live a normal routine. The CARDEA SOLO is water resistant, and so can be worn while showering. It weighs less than an ounce (about 25 grams) and is discretely worn under ones clothing. The device continuously records up to seven days of ECG data and if the patient feels any suspected symptoms related to an arrhythmia, a button can be pressed to make sure this event is reviewed later.

After the patient returns to the doctors office, the electronic component is removed from the patch and placed inside a reader that downloads all the recordings for immediate evaluation by a Cardiac Insight software package. The device can then be disposed of, as it is single use only. The software includes a number of signal processing algorithms that help to quickly track down errant beats and rhythms that may point to specific cardiac conditions.

Heres what the system analyzes, according to the product page:

Atrial Rhythms

Pauses

Premature Atrial Contractions (PACs  PAC burden)

Supraventricular Tachycardia (atrial runs)

Atrial Fibrillation (AF burden)

Tachycardia

Bradycardia Ventricular Rhythms

Premature Ventricular Contractions (PVCs  PVC burden)

Couplets, Triplets

Ventricular Tachycardia (ventricular runs)

Bigeminy

Trigeminy

Product page: Cardea SOLO

Via: Cardiac Insight
Seeing the wide smile on Dr. Basil Harris as he demonstrated his XPRIZE winning DxtER device last Friday at the Silicon Valley Comic Con in San Jose, California, it seemed almost natural that he and his team would win a five-year competition named after one of science fictions most iconic gadgets. His team was appropriately named Final Frontier Medical Devices, and he showed no restraint in sharing his admiration of Star Trek. And like many of the other nerds in the room (myself included), Dr. Harris looked excited and starstruck as he gave a demo of DxtER to Apple co-founder and tech legend Steve Wozniak, even blaming his steadily increasing heart rate readings on the Wozs presence.

But aside from being a Trekkie and an inventor, Dr. Harris is a practicing emergency physician just outside of Philadelphia, and much of the approach to DxtERs design and functionality he credits to his experiences in the ER. Fresh off the Qualcomm Tricorder XPRIZE awards ceremony in Los Angeles and his visit to the Bay Area, Dr. Harris shared more with us about DxTER, its future, and if well be carrying tricorders in our future.

Scott Jung, Medgadget: What motivated you to enter the competition?

Dr. Basil Harris: Being science fiction and Star Trek fans played a big part in getting interested in this project. It is just so cool to play even a little role in bringing the medical tricorder from Star Trek to life. But using this technology to advance the access to medical care is even cooler! These technologies are changing the future of medicine around the world. And in this new world of improved access to care, everyone wins!

Medgadget: What was your approach toward the design of DxtER?

Harris: DxtER is built for regular consumers and guides the user with a tablet computer on how to use the components from the medical kit. Our approach to designing DxtER is to focus on the needs of the user. Build boldly and to test our designs as much as possible. All the while, we remained open to change. We could not have built the final prototype without hitting a lot of dead-ends first.

Medgadget: What sets DxtER apart from the competition?

Harris: To achieve an accurate diagnosis, we first recreated the diagnostic process as performed by physicians in an actual medical encounter. Only after we had that built and validated with real medical data, did we start building hardware. Our fellow XPRIZErs built awesome systems, but we believe our focus on the AI first helped set us apart. We didnt get lost trying to figure out patterns in endless data because we knew what data was important and focused on obtaining just that we like to think that we targeted smart data rather than big data.

Medgadget: In the video on the XPRIZE website, you said that your device is more advanced than Star Treks tricorder?

Harris: In the TV series, the tricorder was used by the ships doctor to obtain vital signs and other information. The doctor would then interpret that information to come up with a diagnosis. In the Qualcomm Tricorder XPRIZE contest we had to do the same thing PLUS include the doctor into the device! The testers enrolled in the contest did not have any medical background and the data collected was analyzed automatically by the device.

Medgadget: Whats next for your device?

Harris: The contest and clinical testing at the University of California  San Diego (UCSD) were great, but now comes the hard work and clinical trials for the US FDA. We have tests ongoing at Main Line Health near Philadelphia and will spin up new tests at UCSD. Although Id love it to be sooner, realistically I hope the first production-grade components will be approved and available for use in about 2 to 3 years. The prize money and continued support from the XPRIZE Foundation will help get us the rest of the way.

Medgadget: Star Trek recently celebrated its 50th birthday. What do you envision the next 50 years of healthcare looking like?

Harris: Tricorders of all types for everyone personal in-home tricorders, public kiosk tricorders, emergency tricorders, rugged wilderness tricorders, space station and deep space tricorders, etc.!

Link: More about Final Frontier Medical Devices
by Ray Schultz , Columnist, April 25, 2017

The uproar about privacy is just not going away. And it starts with what to do about the problem. Take the rollback of proposed rules to govern data use by ISPs like Verizon and Comcast. With the Federal government abdicating, states are considering laws that would restrict the ISPs, according to Consumer Reports.

"More and more, states have taken the position that if Congress is not willing or able to enact strong privacy laws, their legislatures will no longer sit on their hands," says Chad Marlow, a lawyer at the American Civil Liberties Union, Consumer Reports writes.

Not that this will do much to reassure people. One thing is clear from a survey released today by Gigya: that consumers dont expect governments to protect them. Of 4,002 people polled in the U.S., the UK and the Republic of Ireland, 63% put the burden of protection on individuals, 19% on brands and only 18% on governments.

Nor do they feel that their new leaders will have much impact. Of the U.S. respondents, 26% feel their privacy is less secure with Donald Trump in the White House. But 32% feel it is more secure. In contrast, Prime Minister Theresa May makes 18% of her UK constituents feel less secure, and 17% more so.

The remainder in both countries sees no change at all.

But dont think consumers are sanguine. Over two-thirds  68%  say they do not trust consumer brands with their personal information. This lack of trust has profound implications for the relationship between consumers and brands, Gigya writes. And 69% are concerned about the IoT.

Granted, none of this reflects much of a shift in these sometimes contradictory survey findings.

Thirty-six percent report that there has been no change, while 33 percent believe brands privacy policies in general have become stronger., Gigya writes. Interestingly, 31 percent believe theyve become weaker. Of the total responses, 41 percent of U.K. respondents have seen no change and 32 percent report weaker policies, despite the European Unions General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) going into effect next year.

As for protecting their own privacy, consumers may not be up to the task. According to Gigya, poor password hygiene persists, with 70% using seven or fewer passwords across all their online accounts. The percentage is highest for Millennials  at 85%  and only 54% for baby boomers.

And yet, the respondents are quick to take action when they feel threatened. After a breach, 62 percent have changed their passwords, 32 percent have added a second factor of authentication, and 18 percent have closed an account, Gigya writes. In addition, 61 percent of respondents with Facebook accounts have taken advantage of the social networks privacy settings by updating their preferences.

Meanwhile, many U.S. states are stepping into the Federal breach, and are rushing to pass bills before their legislative terms expire, according to Consumer Reports

The answer for brands? Transparency, and setting and adhering to strong and easily understood privacy policies, Gigya continues. This is a good business proposition.

Brands like Facebook today employ a transparent approach to privacy that empowers consumers to control how much personal information they share and with whom, Gigya states. Since implementing this transparent approach approximately two years ago, Facebook has grown its monthly active users to 1.86 billion as of Q4 2016 (adding 467 million new users since the same time two years ago) and the company market capitalization has grown 167 percent during that same period to about $400 billion today. Facebooks proactive approach to privacy has clearly been a boon not only to their business but also to consumers, who have a clearer understanding of how their data is used on the social network.
by Wendy Davis @wendyndavis, April 26, 2017

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai today launched the process to repeal the 2015 net neutrality rules, which he claimed were hindering broadband deployment.

Speaking at the Newseum, Pai argued that the regulations depressed capital investment in broadband networks, which ultimately "kept countless consumers from getting better Internet access or getting access."

The net neutrality rules reclassified broadband as a utility service and imposed some common carrier rules on Internet service providers. The regulations include three "bright-line" prohibitions -- a ban on throttling or blocking content and on charging companies higher fees for prioritized delivery. The rules also include a "general conduct" standard that broadly prohibits Internet service providers from unreasonably impeding the ability of consumers and content providers to reach each other.

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Pai said Wednesday that he will propose repealing the decision to classify broadband providers as common carriers, as well as the general conduct standard. He also will propose seeking comment on the best way to enforce the "bright-line" prohibitions.

Pai intends to issue the complete text of the proposal by Thursday. He said the agency will vote during its May 18 meeting on whether to move forward by seeking comments from the public.

The FCC Chairman characterized the net neutrality rules as political, arguing that they resulted from former President Barack Obama's November 2014 public statement urging the agency to reclassify broadband as a "Title II" utility service.

"Nothing about the Internet was broken in 2015. Nothing about the law had changed," Pai said Wednesday afternoon in a speech delivered at the Newseum. "No, it was all about politics. Days after a disappointing 2014 midterm election, and in order to energize a dispirited base, the White House released an extraordinary YouTube video instructing the FCC to implement Title II regulations."

In fact, earlier in 2014, a federal appellate court invalidated the FCC's prior attempt to prohibit carriers from blocking or degrading content. That court ruled that the FCC had no authority to impose those types of regulations on companies without first classifying them as utility services.

Despite Pai's statement that the rules spurred a drop in capital investment, others have said that broadband investment has grown in the last two years. The advocacy group Free Press, which compiled statistics from stock reports, recently said that total capital expenditure spending by 13 carriers (including Comcast, Charter, AT&T and Verizon) increased in the two years following passage of the net neutrality rules.
The D.C. Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) claims it did not receive any notifications alerting them of asbestos or its removal to take place at the departments headquarters. It wasnt until officers showed up for work this week that a sign was posted to the front door saying asbestos removal was happening.

The asbestos was discovered in the Daly building in Acting Police Chief Peter Newshams office and in one other office on the fifth floor under the floor tiles.

The city claims the MPD was notified on March 23, but the Police Union has no record of this.

I dont know why that is the case [the Police Union not being made aware of the asbestos work] because we did notify the tenants, said Deputy Director for Facilities with the D.C. Department of General Services Spencer Davis.

Ive not received anything. Ive received probably a couple dozen emails with pictures of the front door of the building and the concerns that the officers and civilians have at this point, said Chairman of the Safety Committee for the D.C. Police Union Robert Underwood.

Holding a police officer position makes you more likely to be exposed to asbestos throughout the duration of your career and therefore you have a higher risk of developing mesothelioma cancer.

Washington D.C. has a lengthy history of renovation and construction making it a high-risk candidate for asbestos exposure. According to the Government Accountability Office, the low-paid workers who service HVAC and water lines underneath the buildings of Capitol Hill have been exposed to asbestos fibers for years.

Exempted from the same worker rights and protections granted to employees in almost all other industries, these workers, who report to the Architect of the Capitol, finally appealed directly to Congress and the media.

Their plight was finally acknowledged and some protections and compensation were provided, but for most, it was too little too late. Medical exams showed many having the lungs of old men.

Workers at the Washington Navy Yard were ironically exposed to asbestos from the protective equipment meant to prevent them from injury. Steel and iron workers would wear gloves, bibs, and coveralls, which were lined with asbestos that could become loose if their clothing was ripped or worn.

The Police Union may not have received the news of asbestos discovery and work before the sign was posted to the front door, but the city of D.C. believes all asbestos has been found and the rest of the MPD building is safe.
The following companies are subsidiares of Eli Lilly and: 1096401 B.C. Unlimited Liability Company, ARMO BioSciences Inc, ARMO Bioscience, Advanced Cardiovascular Systems, Alnara Pharmaceuticals, Alnara Pharmaceuticals Inc., Andean Technical Operations Center, Applied Molecular Evolution Inc., AurKa Pharma, Avid Radiopharmaceuticals, Avid Radiopharmaceuticals Inc., ChemGen, CoLucid Pharmaceuticals, CoLucid Pharmaceuticals Inc., Dermira, Devices for Vascular Intervention(DVI), Disarm Therapeutics, Dista Ilac Ticaret Ltd. Sti., Dista S.A., Dista-Produtos Quimicos & Farmaceuticos LDA, ELCO Dominicana SRL, ELCO Insurance Company Limited, ELCO Management Inc., ELCO for Trade and Marketing S.A.E., ELGO Insurance Company Limited, Elanco Animal Health Ireland Limited, Elanco Switzerland Holding Sarl, Eli Lilly (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., Eli Lilly (Philippines) Incorporated, Eli Lilly (S.A.) (Proprietary) Limited, Eli Lilly (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., Eli Lilly (Suisse) S.A., Eli Lilly Asia Inc., Eli Lilly Asia Pacific SSC Sdn Bhd, Eli Lilly Australia Pty. Limited, Eli Lilly B-H d.o.o., Eli Lilly Benelux S.A., Eli Lilly Bienes y Servicios S de RL de CV, Eli Lilly CR s.r.o., Eli Lilly Canada Inc., Eli Lilly Cork Limited, Eli Lilly Danmark A/S, Eli Lilly Egypt for Trading, Eli Lilly European Clinical Trial Services SA, Eli Lilly Export S.A., Eli Lilly Finance S.A., Eli Lilly Ges.m.b.H., Eli Lilly Group Limited, Eli Lilly Holdings Ltd., Eli Lilly Hrvatska d.o.o., Eli Lilly Interamerica Inc., Eli Lilly Interamerica Inc. y Compania Limitada, Eli Lilly International Corporation, Eli Lilly Ireland Holdings Limited, Eli Lilly Israel Ltd., Eli Lilly Italia S.p.A., Eli Lilly Japan K.K., Eli Lilly Kinsale Limited, Eli Lilly Nederland B.V., Eli Lilly Nigeria Ltd., Eli Lilly Norge A.S., Eli Lilly Pakistan (Pvt.) Ltd., Eli Lilly Polska Sp.z.o.o. (Ltd.), Eli Lilly Regional Operations GmbH, Eli Lilly Romania SRL, Eli Lilly S.A., Eli Lilly Saudi Arabia Limited, Eli Lilly Services Inc, Eli Lilly Services India Private Limited, Eli Lilly Slovakia s.r.o., Eli Lilly Sweden AB, Eli Lilly Vostok S.A. Geneva, Eli Lilly and Company, Eli Lilly and Company (India) Pvt. Ltd., Eli Lilly and Company (Ireland) Limited, Eli Lilly and Company (N.Z.) Limited, Eli Lilly and Company (Taiwan) Inc., Eli Lilly and Company Limited, Eli Lilly de Centro America S.A., Eli Lilly do Brasil Limitada, Eli Lilly farmacevtska druzba d.o.o., Eli Lilly y Compania de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Eli Lilly y Compania de Venezuela S.A., Glycostasis Inc, Greenfield-Produtos Farmaceuticos Lda., Heart Rhythm Technologies Inc, Hybritech, Hypnion, ICOS Corporation, ImClone GmbH, ImClone LLC, ImClone Systems Holdings Inc., ImClone Systems LLC, Imclone Systems, Irisfarma S.A., Ivy Animal Health, Kinsale Financial Services Unlimited Company, Lilly (Shanghai) Management Co. Ltd, Lilly Asia Ventures Fund I L.P., Lilly Asia Ventures Fund II L.P., Lilly Asian Ventures Fund III L.P., Lilly Cayman Holdings, Lilly China Research and Development Co. Ltd., Lilly Deutschland GmbH, Lilly France S.A.S., Lilly Global Nederland Holdings B.V., Lilly Global Services Inc., Lilly Holding GmbH, Lilly Holdings B.V., Lilly Hungaria KFT, Lilly Japan Financing G.K., Lilly Korea Ltd., Lilly Nederland Finance B.V., Lilly Nederland Finance B.V. - GCC, Lilly Nederland Holding B.V., Lilly Pharma Ltd., Lilly Portugal - Produtos Farmaceuticos Lda., Lilly S.A., Lilly Suzhou Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., Lilly Trading Co. LTD, Lilly USA LLC, Lilly Ventures Fund I LLC, Lilly del Caribe Inc., Lilly ilac ticaret limited sirketi, Lohmann Animal Health, Loxo Oncology, Lylly Centre for Clinical Pharmacology PTE. LTD., Novartis Animal Health, OY Eli Lilly Finland AB, Origin Medsystems, PT. Eli Lilly Indonesia, Pacific Biotech, Pharmaserve-Lilly S.A.C.I., Physio-Control, SGX Pharmaceuticals, SGX Pharmaceuticals Inc, Spaly Bioquimica S.A., UAB Eli Lilly Lietuva, Valquifarma S.A., and Vital Pharma Productos Farmaceuticos.

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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.
The following companies are subsidiares of Novartis: 1 A Pharma GmbH, Abadia Retuerta S.A, Admune Therapeutics, Advanced Accelerator Applications, Advanced Accelerator Applications, Advanced Accelerator Applications International SA, Advanced Accelerator Applications S.A., Advanced Accelerator Applications S.r.l., Advanced Accelerator Applications USA Inc., Aeropharm GmbH, Alcon, Alcon  Couvreur NV, Amblyotech, Amblyotech Inc., Arctos Medical, Arctos Medical AG, Australia Pty Ltd, Beijing Novartis Pharma Co. Ltd., BioMedical Research Co. Ltd., CELLforCURE, Cadent Therapeutics, Cadent Therapeutics Cambridge, Cellerys, Cellerys AG, CellforCure, Chiron Corporation, Ciba-Geigy Japan Limited, Co. Ltd, CoStim Pharmaceuticals, CoStim Pharmaceuticals Inc., Coalesce Product Development Limited, Corthera, Development Co. Ltd., EBEWE Pharma Ges.m.b.H Nfg. KG, Encore Vision, Endocyte, Endocyte Inc., Eon Labs Inc., Farmanova Saglik Hizmetleri Ltd, Fougera Pharmaceuticals, Fougera Pharmaceuticals Inc, Gyroscope Therapeutics, HEXAL AG, Hexal, IDB Holland BV, Iberica S.L.U., Ilaclari Sanayi ve Ticaret A.S, JSC Sandoz, Japat AG, Kedalion Therapeutics Inc., Lek Pharmaceuticals d.d., Lek S.A., Manufacturing Pte Ltd , Navigate BioPharma Services Inc, Neutec Pharma Limited, Novartis (Hellas) S.A.C.I., Novartis (Singapore) Pte Ltd, Novartis (Taiwan) Co. Ltd, Novartis (Thailand) Limited, Novartis Argentina S.A., Novartis Australia Pty Ltd, Novartis Austria GmbH, Novartis Biociencias S.A., Novartis Biosciences Peru S.A., Novartis Bioventures AG, Novartis Business Services GmbH, Novartis Capital Corporation, Novartis Chile S.A., Novartis Corporation, Novartis Corporation Sdn. Bhd., Novartis Deutschland GmbH, Novartis Ecuador S.A., Novartis Farma S.p.A., Novartis Farma  Produtos Farmaceuticos S.A., Novartis Farmaceutica S.A, Novartis Farmaceutica S.A. de C.V., Novartis Finance Corporation, Novartis Finance S.A., Novartis Finance Services Ltd, Novartis Finland Oy Espoo, Novartis Gene Therapies, Novartis Gene Therapies EU Limited, Novartis Gene Therapies Inc., Novartis Grimsby Limited, Novartis Groupe France S.A., Novartis Healthcare A/S, Novartis Healthcare Philippines Inc., Novartis Healthcare Private Limited, Novartis Holding AG, Novartis Hungary Healthcare Limited Liability Company, Novartis India Limited, Novartis Inflammasome Research, Novartis Integrated Services Limited, Novartis International AG, Novartis International Pharmaceutical Investment AG, Novartis Investment Ltd, Novartis Investments S.a r.l., Novartis Ireland Limited, Novartis Israel Ltd, Novartis Korea Ltd., Novartis Middle East FZE, Novartis Netherlands B.V., Novartis Neva LLC, Novartis New Zealand Ltd, Novartis Norge AS, Novartis Ophthalmics AG, Novartis Optogenetics Research Inc., Novartis Overseas Investments AG, Novartis Pharma (Logistics) Inc., Novartis Pharma (Pakistan) Limited, Novartis Pharma AG, Novartis Pharma B.V. , Novartis Pharma GmbH, Novartis Pharma GmbH, Novartis Pharma K.K., Novartis Pharma LLC, Novartis Pharma Maroc SA, Novartis Pharma NV, Novartis Pharma Produktions GmbH, Novartis Pharma S.A.E., Novartis Pharma S.A.S., Novartis Pharma Schweiz AG, Novartis Pharma Schweizerhalle AG, Novartis Pharma Services AG, Novartis Pharma Services Romania S.R.L., Novartis Pharma Stein AG, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Canada Inc., Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Limited, Novartis Pharmaceuticals UK Limited, Novartis Poland Sp. z o.o., Novartis Portugal S.G.P.S. Lda., Novartis Ringaskiddy Limited, Novartis Saglik Gida ve Tarim Urunleri Sanayi ve Ticaret A.S, Novartis Saudi Ltd., Novartis Securities Investment Ltd, Novartis Services Inc., Novartis Slovakia s.r.o., Novartis South Africa (Pty) Ltd, Novartis Sverige AB, Novartis UK Limited, Novartis US Foundation, Novartis Vaccines and Diagnostics Inc, Novartis Vietnam Company Limited, Novartis de Colombia S.A., Novartis de Venezuela S.A., Novartis s.r.o., Oriel Therapeutics Inc., PT. Novartis Indonesia, Protez Pharmaceuticals, Pte Ltd, Research Inc, Salutas Pharma GmbH, Sandoz A/S, Sandoz AG, Sandoz B.V., Sandoz Canada Inc., Sandoz Egypt Pharma S.A.E., Sandoz Farmaceutica S.A., Sandoz Farmaceutica Lda., Sandoz GmbH, Sandoz Hungary Limited Liability Company, Sandoz Ilac Sanayi ve Ticaret A.S., Sandoz Inc, Sandoz Industrial Products S.A, Sandoz International GmbH, Sandoz K.K., Sandoz Limited, Sandoz Manufacturing Inc., Sandoz NV, Sandoz Pharma K.K, Sandoz Pharmaceuticals AG, Sandoz Pharmaceuticals d.d., Sandoz Philippines Corporation, Sandoz Polska Sp. z o.o. , Sandoz Private Limited, Sandoz Pty Ltd, Sandoz S.A. de C.V, Sandoz S.A.S., Sandoz S.R.L., Sandoz S.p.A., Sandoz South Africa (Pty) Ltd, Sandoz Ukraine LLC, Sandoz d.o.o. farmaceutska industrija, Sandoz do Brasil Industria Farmaceutica Ltda, Sandoz s.r.o., Selexys Pharmaceuticals Corporation, Shanghai Novartis Trading Ltd., Societe par actions SANDOZ, Spinifex Pharmaceuticals, The Medicines Company, The Medicines Company, Triangle International Reinsurance Limited, Trinity River Insurance Co Ltd, Vedere Bio, Vedere Bio ll, Xiidra, Ziarco, and Ziarco Group Limited.

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The following companies are subsidiares of Rite Aid: 1515 West State Street Boise Idaho LLC, 1740 Associates LLC, 4042 Warrensville Center RoadWarrensville Ohio Inc., 5277 Associates Inc., 5600 Superior Properties Inc., Advance Benefits LLC, Apex Drug Stores Inc., Ascend Health Technology LLC, Bartell Drugs, Broadview and WallingsBroadview Heights Ohio Inc., Design Rx Holdings LLC, Design Rx LLC, Design Rxclusives LLC, Drug Palace Inc., EDC Drug Stores Inc., Eckerd Corporation, Edgehill Drugs, Elixir Holdings LLC, Elixir Insurance Company, Elixir Pharmacy LLC, Elixir Puerto Rico Inc., Elixir Rx Options LLC, Elixir Rx Solutions LLC, Elixir Rx Solutions LLC, Elixir Rx Solutions of Nevada LLC, Elixir Savings LLC, Envision Pharmaceutical, First Florida Insurers of Tampa LLC, GDF Inc., Genovese Drug Stores Inc., Gettysburg and Hoover-Dayton Ohio LLC, Grand River & Fenkell LLC, Harco, Harco Inc., Health Dialog, Health Dialog Services Corporation, Hunter Lane LLC, ILG  90 B Avenue Lake Oswego LLC, JCG Holdings USA Inc., JCG PJC USA LLC, K&B Alabama Corporation, K&B Incorporated, K&B Industries, K&B Louisiana Corporation, K&B Mississippi Corporation, K&B Services Incorporated, K&B Tennessee Corporation, K&B Texas Corporation, LMW  90B Avenue Lake Oswego Inc., Lakehurst and Broadway Corporation, Laker Software LLC, Maxi Drug Inc., Maxi Drug North Inc., Maxi Drug South L.P., Maxi Green Inc., Munson & Andrews LLC, Name Rite LLC, P.J.C. Distribution Inc., P.J.C. Realty Co. Inc., PCS Health Systems, PDS-1 Michigan Inc., PJC Lease Holdings Inc., PJC Manchester Realty LLC, PJC Peterborough Realty LLC, PJC Realty MA Inc., PJC Revere Realty LLC, PJC Special Realty Holdings Inc., PJC of Massachusetts Inc., PJC of Rhode Island Inc., PJC of Vermont Inc., Perry Distributors Inc., Perry Drug Stores Inc., RCMH LLC, RDS Detroit Inc., READs Inc., RediClinic, RediClinic Associates Inc., RediClinic LLC, RediClinic US LLC, RediClinic of DC LLC, RediClinic of DE LLC, RediClinic of Dallas Forth-Worth LLC, RediClinic of MD LLC, RediClinic of PA LLC, RediClinic of VA LLC, Richfield Road  Flint Michigan LLC, Rite Aid Drug Palace Inc., Rite Aid Hdqtrs. Corp., Rite Aid Hdqtrs. Funding Inc., Rite Aid Lease Management Company, Rite Aid Online Store Inc., Rite Aid Payroll Management Inc., Rite Aid Realty Corp., Rite Aid Rome Distribution Center Inc., Rite Aid Specialty Pharmacy LLC, Rite Aid Transport Inc., Rite Aid of Connecticut Inc., Rite Aid of Delaware Inc., Rite Aid of Georgia Inc., Rite Aid of Indiana Inc., Rite Aid of Kentucky Inc., Rite Aid of Maine Inc., Rite Aid of Maryland Inc., Rite Aid of Michigan Inc., Rite Aid of New Hampshire Inc., Rite Aid of New Jersey Inc., Rite Aid of New York Inc., Rite Aid of North Carolina Inc., Rite Aid of Ohio Inc., Rite Aid of Pennsylvania LLC, Rite Aid of South Carolina Inc., Rite Aid of Tennessee Inc., Rite Aid of Vermont Inc., Rite Aid of Virginia Inc., Rite Aid of Washington D.C. Inc., Rite Aid of West Virginia Inc., Rite Investments Corp., Rite Investments Corp. LLC, Rx Choice Inc., Rx Initiatives LLC, Rx USA Inc., The Bartell Drug Company, The Jean Coutu Group PJC USA Inc., The Lane Drug Company, Thrift Drug Inc., Thrifty Corporation, Thrifty PayLess Inc., and Tonic Procurement Solutions LLC.

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Skechers U.S.A., Inc. designs, develops, markets, and distributes footwear for men, women, and children; and performance footwear for men and women worldwide. The company operates through three segments: Domestic Wholesale, International Wholesale, and Direct-to-Consumer. It offers casual, casual athletic, sport athletic, trail, sandals, boots, and retro fashion footwear for men and women under the Skechers USA, Skechers Sport, Skechers Active, Modern Comfort, Skechers Street, Mark Nason, and BOBS brands; sneakers, casuals, boots, and sandals for boys and girls under the Skechers Mega-Craft, S-Lights, SKECH-AIR, Foamies, Twinkle Toes, Z-Strap, Skechers Stretch Fit, and Skechers Street brands; and technical footwear under the Skechers GOrun, Skechers GOwalk, Skechers GOtrain, Skechers GOtrail, and Skechers GO Golf brands. The company also provides men's and women's slip-resistant and safety-toe casuals, boots, hikers, and athletic shoes; and lifestyle apparel for men, women, and kids. As of December 31, 2021, it operated 4,306 company and third party owned Skechers stores. The company sells its products through department and specialty stores, athletic and independent retailers, boutiques, and online retailers; and through its e-commerce sites, concept stores, and factory and warehouse outlet stores. It also licenses its Skechers brand. Skechers U.S.A., Inc. was incorporated in 1992 and is headquartered in Manhattan Beach, California.
WABCO Holdings Inc., together with its subsidiaries, supplies electronic, mechanical, electro-mechanical, and aerodynamic products worldwide. The company engineers, develops, manufactures, and sells braking, stability, suspension, steering, transmission automation, and air management systems primarily for commercial vehicles. The company's products include pneumatic anti-lock braking systems, electronic braking systems, electronic stability control systems, brake controls, automated manual transmission systems, and air disc brakes; and various conventional mechanical products, such as actuators, air compressors, and air control valves for medium and heavy-duty trucks, buses, and trailers. It also offers pneumatic and hydraulic braking and control systems for off-highway vehicles; conventional braking systems; electronic and conventional air suspension systems; steering technologies; and vehicle electronic stability control and roll stability support products, and advanced driver assistance systems. In addition, the company supplies electronic suspension controls and vacuum pumps to the passenger car and SUV markets, as well as provides remanufacturing services. Further, it offers replacement parts, fleet management solutions, diagnostic tools, training, and other expert services for commercial vehicle aftermarket distributors and service partners, and fleet operators. The company sells its products primarily to truck and bus original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), trailer OEMs, and car manufacturers; and manufacturers of heavy duty and off-highway vehicles in agriculture, construction, mining, and other industries. WABCO Holdings Inc. was founded in 1869 and is headquartered in Brussels, Belgium.
Applied Industrial Technologies, Inc. distributes industrial motion, power, control, and automation technology solutions in North America, Australia, New Zealand, and Singapore. It operates through two segments, Service Center Based Distribution, and Fluid Power & Flow Control. The company distributes bearings, power transmission products, engineered fluid power components and systems, specialty flow control solutions, advanced automation products, industrial rubber products, linear motion components, automation solutions, tools, safety products, oilfield supplies, and other industrial and maintenance supplies; and motors, belting, drives, couplings, pumps, hydraulic and pneumatic components, filtration supplies, valves, fittings, process instrumentation, actuators, and hoses, filtration supplies, as well as other related supplies for general operational needs of customers' machinery and equipment. It also operates fabricated rubber shops and service field crews that install, modify, and repair conveyor belts and rubber linings, as well as offer hose assemblies. In addition, the company provides equipment repair and technical support services. It distributes industrial products through a network of service centers. The company serves various industries, including agriculture and food processing, cement, chemicals and petrochemicals, fabricated metals, forest products, industrial machinery and equipment, life sciences, mining, oil and gas, primary metals, technology, transportation, and utilities, as well as government entities. The company was formerly known as Bearings, Inc. and changed its to name to Applied Industrial Technologies, Inc. in 1997. The company was founded in 1923 and is headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio.
Teams must offer arbitration to ranked free agents by 11pm central time tonight if they hope to obtain compensation picks in the 2011 draft. Here's an explanation of how the process works.

Teams can choose to offer arbitration to their free agents after each season. If the player accepts, the team will get the player on a one-year deal at a figure determined by the arbitration process. Typically, players who accept arbitration get raises. If a player rejects arbitration, his former team gets nothing but compensation picks.

A player can either be classified as Type A, Type B, or nothing based on his stats from the previous two seasons in certain categories, depending on his position. For example, first basemen, outfielders and DHs are rated based on the following categories: plate appearances, average, on base percentage, homers, and RBI.

If a team signs a Type A free agent, they have to surrender a draft pick to that players former team. If the signing team placed in the bottom half of MLB teams, their first round draft pick is protected and they surrender a second round pick instead.

Sometimes, teams sign more than one Type A free agent who declined arbitration from his former team. In that case, one team gets a top compensation pick and other teams lose out. The team losing the highest-ranked free agent obtains the best pick the signing team can offer and other teams fall in line behind the team that loses the top-ranked player. In extreme cases, a team hoping to snag another club's first round pick can be stuck with their third rounder. The Blue Jays might have hoped to get a pick in the #15-20 range from another team for A.J. Burnett after the 2008 season, but since the Yankees had already signed C.C. Sabathia and Mark Teixeira, the Jays received the #104 overall pick from the Yankees.

Regardless of where Type A free agents sign, their teams obtain a supplementary round pick in the following years draft (plus the aforementioned pick from the team that signed the player).

A free agent can also be classified as a Type B based on his stats. Teams dont have to give picks up to sign Type B free agents, but teams that lose Type Bs obtain supplementary round picks in the next years draft.

Another rule to consider for Type As and Type Bs: the "losing" team receives draft pick compensation without offering arbitration if their free agent signs before the deadline for teams to offer arbitration to departing free agents (now November 23rd). For example, the Blue Jays didn't have to decide whether to offer John Buck arbitration; he signed early with the Marlins, so Toronto gets a supplementary rounder in 2011.

Theres also a third possibility  the free agent is not classified as Type A or B, and there is no draft pick compensation.

Over the years, many quality players have been drafted as the result of free agent compensation. Recent examples include Huston Street, Phil Hughes, Clay Buchholz and Colby Rasmus.

Last year, Rafael Betancourt, Carl Pavano and Rafael Soriano were the only ranked free agents to accept arbitration out of 23 offers. Today, 21 teams will decide whether to offer a total of 63 players arbitration. Click here to view Tim Dierkes' predictions and here to make a few of your own.

This post is a modified version of one Tim Dierkes wrote in July, 2008.
26.04.2017 LISTEN

Ghana's favourite wordsmith Strongman has urged fans to support their favorite artistes both in kind and in cash.

In the wake of dawn where most musicians have taken music as a full time job, the rapper took to his twitter to make this plea after making a poll asking the public if they would pay to see his concert or like to come for free.

The poll which ended in a 73% of the public voting to pay for his concert with the remaining going for the latter, the 'Oh Joo' crooner tweeted a screenshot of the results asking the 27% percent to have a change of heart as most artistes have taken this music business as a full time job.

He said,

Thanks to a lot to the 71%. This art of us is a full-time job and for us to survive, you guys need to help. #WateAnaa

The SarkCess Music signee who for a while hasn't released any works after signing assured fans that He was in the studio working hard to bring out the best of music for his fans.

He hinted that the new label is more centred on quality than quantity so instead of flooding them with songs,

He is working on songs that will make impact in the lives of people.
Gospel musician Diana Antwi Hamilton has donated items worth 1,000 to the Kumasi Children's Hospital in the Ashanti Regional.

The items donated include infrared thermometer, blood pressure monitors, disposable face mask, diapers and play toys for children.

Presenting the items, the gospel musicians said the donation formed part of her social responsibility to give back to society.

Diana Hamilton disclosed that her attention was drawn to the rise in maternal mortality, hence this kind gesture aimed at supporting the hospital in fighting the menace.

She, however, called on all Ghanaians to also play their part in ensuring that maternal mortality is eliminated from the country

The medical superintendent of the hospital, Dr Kofi Boah Hamilton, who received the donation on behalf of the facility, thanked her and called on other individuals to emulate the kind gesture.

He promised to keep the items safe and use them for their intended purpose to benefit the mothers and babies who visit the facility.

Dr Hamilton mentioned inadequate theatre wards and lack of logistics as some of the challenges facing the smooth delivery of their work at the facility.

She was subsequently given a certificate from the leadership of the hospital to show appreciation for her kind gesture.
Ghanaian actress and producer Ellen Kyei White has donated to children at Save Our Lives Orphanage Home in Anwiankwa in the Bekwai Municipality of Ashanti Region.

The items worth thousands of Ghana cedis was donated to the orphanage home last weekend by the beautiful actress which according to her in an interview with SeancityGh said forms part of her social responsibilities to the society.

"If I cast back my mind to where I come from and where I am now, the Lord has been good to me. My fans too have given me the needed support which is making me giving back to the society."

Ellen, producer of White's Movie Production is set to premiere her much talked about movie, 'The List' which features great artistes like, Lilwin, Bill Asamoah, Akrobeto, Kwaku Manu, just to mention a few on the 5th of May, 2017 at the Silver Bird Cinemas in Accra.
The Ghana Music Rights Organisation (GHAMRO) has called for adequate compensation for music rights owners in the country.

The body tasked to collect and distribute royalties on behalf of right owners noted that proper reward is the sure way to boost the morale of intellectual right owners.

This call was contained in a statement issued by GHAMRO as the world celebrates World Intellectual Property Day on Wednesday, April 26.

The music rights body believes that, per this years theme, which is Using intellectual property to encourage innovation and creativity, the right compensation will act as stimuli for various upcoming music right owners, to also replicate the creativity and innovation exhibited by their predecessors.

Read the full statement below:

The Ghana Music Rights Organization (GHAMRO) is happy to inform its members, commercial music users and the general public that today, April 26, marks World Intellectual Property day.

This years world theme is centred on using Intellectual Property to encourage innovation and creativity .

As part of commemorating the day, GHAMRO wishes to acknowledge the efforts of all right owners for their innovation and creativity, especially music right owners, including Authors, Composers and Publishers as we celebrate today.

GHAMRO believes that to achieve this years theme using intellectual property to encourage innovation and creativity, the music right owner will need to be adequately compensated for the use of his previous musical works.

This will not only boost the morale of the right owner, but, act as stimuli for various upcoming music right owners, to also replicate the creativity and innovation exhibited by their predecessors.

Against this backdrop, GHAMRO wishes to encourage all commercial music users in Ghana, including the Tele Communication Networks, Banks, Event organizers, Broadcasting houses, Offices, Hotels, and Restaurants etc. to pay for music played during working hours. This will generate the needed income in the form of royalties for onward remittance to the right owner.

Notice is hereby given to all commercial music users that it is a punishable offence under the Copyright Law of Ghana (2005) and its accompanied Legislative Instrument (1962) to use music in public without the requisite license from GHAMRO.

Story by Ghana | Myjoyonline.com | Ernest Dela Aglanu (Twitter: @delaXdela / Instagram: citizendela)
25.04.2017 LISTEN

By Kester Kenn Klomegah, Moscow Bureau Chief

Moscow, April 25, GNA - For nearly six decades, Ghana and Russia have had an excellent diplomatic relations and still looking to build a stronger economic cooperation. In this exclusive GNA interview, Ms. Shirley Ayorkor Botwe, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, explains to Kester Kenn Klomegah, the Moscow Bureau Chief, a number of significant corporate projects being undertaken by Russians as well as some aspects of the current economic cooperation between the two countries.

Q: Hon. Minister, how would you assess the current diplomatic relations between the Republic of Ghana and the Russian Federation?

A: Currently, Ghana and Russia have an excellent diplomatic relations, which has been developed over the years, precisely 59 years. Although, for a relationship lasting this long, one would have expected it to move past where it is now. In short, there is still room for improvement.

Q: Specifically, what is the level of economic cooperation between the two countries? And what are your priorities in the economic and business sphere?

A: Ghana and Russia are presently building stronger economic ties. Through the framework of the Ghana-Russia Permanent Joint Commission for Cooperation (PJCC), the two countries have pushed forward the agenda of fostering economic cooperation, first and foremost, in their relationship. Two sessions of the Ghana-Russia PJCC have been held already following the reactivation of the PJCC in 2013, with the last one taking place in Accra in September 2016.

The PJCC brings government officials and business leaders of the two countries together to discuss and forge cooperation on a wide range of issues of mutual interest to both nations such as Peaceful Use of Nuclear Energy, Immigration, Narcotics Control, Reciprocal Promotion and Protection of Investments, Agriculture, Fisheries and Aquaculture, Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters, Trade and Industry, Geology and Mineral Resources, Education and Science, Health, Transport, Housing, Information Communication Technology, and the Military.

Q: Russia is an Energy giant. Ghana has persistent energy problems. Do you think Russia can play a significant role in providing long-term solution and most probably support the proposed nation-wide industrialisation programme of the current government?

A: Certainly, Russia can play, and is being engaged to play, a significant role in the long-term generation of power in Ghana. Negotiations are progressing steadily between the Ministry of Energy of the Republic of Ghana and ROSATOM of the Russian Federation in the construction and operation of the first ever Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) in Ghana and West Africa, with Russian design power units 1000-1200 MW capacity, together with other affiliated nuclear projects. It is hoped that both sides would expedite the negotiations, come to early consensus and have the project take off in good time.

Ghana is open to all the support that it could get from its friends and development partners in the nation-building drive, particularly in the nation-wide industrialisation programme of 'one-district-one-factory' of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration. Ghana could benefit a lot from the rich experiences of Russia, which has advanced knowledge, in the area of industrialisation. In any case, getting the power generating project going will impact considerably on the programme since the role of electricity cannot be downplayed in any industrial development.

Q: Hon. Minister, what opportunities and incentives are currently available for foreign investors especially in the medium scale (size) businesses in Ghana? What is your special message for potential Russian investors here?

A: Ghana has one of the most attractive investment packages for foreign investors in Africa. Opportunities abound in nearly all the sectors of the Ghanaian economy, for instance in transportation, construction, real estate, banking, health, education, manufacturing, energy, agriculture and commerce, for every kind of foreign investor and on any scale, being large, medium or small.

The investment incentives include tax holidays right from the start of operation up to five, seven and 10 years depending on the type of investment. Five years for real estate investment, seven years for waste processing investment and 10 years for free-zone enterprise or development are few of the examples. Besides these attractions, there are investment guarantees, beginning with the constitutional guarantee, investment laws that guarantee 100% transfer of profits, dividends, etc., as well as negotiations of Bilateral Investment Promotion Treaties (BITs) and Double Taxation Agreements (DTAs).

The message to Russian investors is that Ghana is the gateway to West Africa and, therefore, the right place to invest in West Africa and Africa as a whole. With solid political stability and security, together with the very attractive investment package and easy accessibility to the entire West Africa market, not to mention the legendary Ghanaian hospitality, investing in Ghana is worthwhile and extremely profitable to all foreign investors. Thus, Russian investors should seize the opportunity to invest in Ghana for it is the right time and the right place to be in Africa.

Q: Ghana celebrated its 60th independence in March. In your opinion, what are the landmark achievements in the economy? How important are these achievements for attracting foreign business into the country?

A: Sixty years ago on 6th March, 1957, Ghana attained its independence from Great Britain. The country has had its share of ups and downs as expected of any growing nation or individual for that matter. The country has come a long way. A number of landmark achievements in the economy could be identified in most sectors - human resource development, telecommunication, services and infrastructure, among many others.

However, the prevailing stable political climate and security could not be overlooked. It is viewed to be the striking achievement of the nation at this point in time, out of which outstanding achievements could be attained in all the sectors of the country, be it the economy, health or education.

Q: Finally, Ghana and Russia will also mark their 60th year of establishment of diplomatic relations in 2018. How would you like to see the diplomatic relations developed in the next few years?

A: As stated earlier, as much as there exists a very good relations between Ghana and Russia, greater efforts need to be employed in fostering stronger economic ties. It is hoped that as Ghana and Russia commemorate 60 years of formal diplomatic relations, the level of economic cooperation between them would catch up with the well-developed bilateral political relations in the coming years. Emphasis should also be placed on developing 'people-to-people' relations, whereby the peoples of both countries would have better understanding of each other. Cultural cooperation, tourism, dissemination of information of each other's customs and practices should be emphasised in bringing the people together for their mutual benefit.

GNA
Paris (AFP) - Press freedom has never been as threatened as it is now, in the "new post-truth era of fake news" after the election of US President Donald Trump, Reporters Without Borders warned Wednesday.

Its annual World Press Freedom Index warned of the "highly toxic" media-bashing of Trump's election campaign and Britain's Brexit referendum.

The situation is at "a tipping point," it said bluntly.

Media freedom is being undermined by the rise in surveillance and of authoritarian strongmen across the globe, the watchdog said.

The US and Britain both slipped two places in the index to 43rd and 40th, according to the Paris-based monitoring group, known by its French initials RSF.

"Nothing seems to be checking" the erosion of liberty of the press in leading democracies, it said.

"Media freedom has never been so threatened."

Press Freedom rankings, Reporters Without Borders, 2017

Liberty of the press is in peril or in a "very serious situation" in 72 countries including Russia, India and China, it found.

"Attacks on the media have become commonplace and strongmen are on the rise. We have reached the age of post-truth, propaganda, and suppression of freedoms -- especially in democracies," the report said.

"Donald Trump's rise to power... and the Brexit campaign were marked by high-profile media-bashing, a highly toxic anti-media discourse that drove the world into a new era of post-truth, disinformation and fake news," it added.

Poland and Hungary came in for withering criticism in the report.

The nationalist government in Warsaw was accused of "turning public radio and TV stations into propaganda tools" and of trying to throttle independent newspapers.

Turkish jails

North Korea took bottom place in the latest World Press Freedom Index

"Media freedom has retreated wherever the authoritarian strongman model has triumphed," it warned.

Turkey "swung over into the authoritarian regime camp" after the failed coup against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in July, it said, adding bitterly that it "now distinguishes itself as the world's biggest prison for media professionals."

Seven places ahead of Turkey, "Vladimir Putin's Russia remains firmly entrenched in the bottom fifth of the index," in 148th place, it added.

"The rate at which democracies are approaching the tipping point is alarming for all those who understand that, if media freedom is not secure, then none of the other freedoms can be guaranteed," RSF Secretary-general Christophe Deloire said.

"Where will this downward spiral take us?" he asked.

The RSF index found that in the past year nearly two thirds of the countries had registered a deterioration in their situation, while the number of countries where the media freedom situation was "good" or "fairly good" fell by more than two percent.

North Korea 'least free'

Norway came out top of the index with the world's freest media.

It took over from neighbouring Finland which had held the title for six years.

At the other end of the scale, North Korea took bottom place from another repressive closed state, Eritrea, which has propped up the table for a decade.

North Korea continues to keep "its population in ignorance and terror," RSF said.

"Even listening to a foreign radio broadcast can lead to a spell in a concentration camp."

China, war-torn Syria -- the deadliest country for journalists -- and Turkmenistan complete the bottom five.

Italy showed the biggest improvement, rising 25 places to 52nd place thanks to the acquittal of journalists tried in the Vatileaks II case, which exposed scandal at the top of the Catholic Church.

Nicaragua registered the biggest fall of 17 places with the controversial re-election of President Daniel Ortega "marked by many cases of censorship, intimidation, harassment and arbitrary arrest," the RSF said.

Tanzania also saw a sharp decline. President John Magufuli "keeps tightening his grip on the media," RSF said.
26.04.2017 LISTEN

The Public Accounts Committee has directed the Bank of Ghana to immediately furnish it with details of proceeds from the country's export of bauxite in 2015.

The directive follows an allegation by the Effutu MP , Alexander Afenyo Markin at today's [Tuesday] Public Accounts Committee sitting, that the proceeds were not captured, insisting that information available to him suggests Ghana exported over 40,000 tonnes of bauxite in 2015.

Speaking during proceedings in Parliament on Tuesday, Afenyo Markin said: Now bauxite exported was not captured at all, but in the report we have only Maganese and I am saying that I know tonnes of bauxite that were exported within the period. As a matter of fact, Minerals Commission has given report to Parliament so I want to know why that is conspicuously absent.

Dr. Johnson P. Asiama

But the Second Deputy Governor of the Central Bank, Dr. Johnson Asiamah in response to claims by the MP, said the problem was not as a result of a lack of internal controls.

He attributed the challenge to Bank of Ghana's inability to offer the necessary information to auditors on the said transaction, which led to unnecessary delays.

I told them it is not about a lax in internal controls, it was a question of staff not giving out information quickly when the auditors were working and there were delays..

He added that it was not a question of it [transaction] not being recorded, it was a question of the fact that the bauxite sector had a 100 percent retention limit. 

Mr. Asiamah however indicated that, the Bank of Ghana intends putting together a report to explain factors that led to the development.



By: Marian Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana
26.04.2017 LISTEN

Historically, the Akans which constitute the largest ethnic group in Ghana migrated from ancient Bono-Takyiman: at the historical village called Bono Manso a suburb of Techiman traditional area. According to history, Nana Akumfi Ameyaw III who traces his ancestry to King Akumfi Ameyaw I (1328-63), under whose reign the Bono Kingdom with its capital at Bono Manso grew to become the most powerful kingdom of its time. Indeed oral tradition has it that nearly all the different groups of the Akans, including the Asantes, Fantes, Denkyiras, Akwamus and part of Ewes trace their origins to Bono after migrating from the North.

The people of Bono are an ethnic group of Takyiman who are Twi speaking people of the Akan group in Ghana, West Africa. The Bono territory is geographically situated between the savanna and forest zone of Ghana which makes it a prime central location for trade. Their oral history speaks to a people that migrated from place to place until they found a suitable place to build their empire. The word Bono means first born; the one created first. Their oral history informs us that the earliest ancestors emerged from a hole in the ground.

Techiman is the heart of the Bonokyempim clan; a group of Traditional Bono Ahafo Chiefs who eventually joined forces and fought for the creation of the Brong Ahafo Region from Ashanti Region on 4th April 1959 by the Brong Ahafo Region Act 18, 1959. The formation of the Bonokyempim clan was spearheaded by the then Paramount chief of Takyiman Traditional Area, Nana Kwaakye Ameyaw III.

Moreover, Techiman traditional area is blessed with rich cultural festivities celebrated among the chiefs and people of the traditional area. Notable among the festivals which are celebrated annually are Apoo and Yam festival. Techiman traditional area continues to enjoy peaceful socio-political atmosphere among the chiefs and people of the area.

Techiman is inarguably one of the busiest towns in Ghana; no doubt it is ballyhooed as one of the leading commercial towns in Ghana. Techiman is the home of the biggest Traditional market in West Africa. The trading activities of Techiman Market begin from Tuesday through to Friday every week in the year and attract traders from across West Africa; no wonder Techiman is popularly referred to as the Food Basket of Ghana. Techiman is one of the major economic towns in Ghana generating millions of Ghana cedis annually to the economic purse of the government of Ghana through the numerous economic activities taking place in the town. Due to the socio-economic structure of the town, the population of Techiman is highly cosmopolitan, comprising of people of divers ethnic, economic, and social-political background. Techiman currently has an estimated population of over two hundred and fifty thousand (250,000) people.

Techiman is currently one of the most preferred destinations for most businesses and industries. The town is currently the home of the Branches of most of the major commercial banks and other financial institutions in Ghana with others trouping in to establish their branches. Notable among these commercial banks are GCB Bank, NIB, Access Bank, Fidelity Bank, Barclays Bank, FnB Bank, Unibank, UMB Bank, ADB, Prudential Bank, GT Bank, Omni Bank, HFC Bank, GN Bank etc. Other financial institutions include Beige Capital, First Allied, Unicredit, Capital Bank, First Trust, and several other Rural Banks and Cooperative Credit Unions such as BACSOD, Abosomankotere Co-op Credit Union, Ebenezer Co-op Credit Union, Presby Co-op Credit Union, APOCON, Multi-Credit, Kintampo Rural Bank, Wamfie Rural Bank, Nsoatreman Rural Bank, among others.

Techiman is the home of one of the fastest growing Satellite campuses of Valley View University, the first Private University in Ghana. Valley View University Techiman campus has enjoyed massive patronage with over 3,000 student population pursuing both Regular and Sandwich Degree and Diploma programmes. Techiman is also the study center for University of Education Winneba Distance Education and University of Cape Coast Distance Education (CoDE). The town has several other Public and Private senior high schools and over one hundred and fifty (150) private basic schools.

Again, most businesses in Ghana are branching in Techiman because of the viable economic indicators of the town. Techiman is noted as one of the fasted growing towns in Ghana due to its strategic location. Some of the leading local business setups in Techiman includes P.Y. Fosu Company Ltd, ASPET-A Company Ltd, Ghana Nut Ltd, F-Zeiny Co Ltd, Diamono Co Ltd, D-Trident Ventures, etc and several Public and private Hospitals including Holy Family Hospital, Opoku Agyemang Hospital, Mount Olive Hospital, Valley View Adventist Hospital, etc.

Invariably, Techiman can also boast of several private radio stations making sure that businesses are properly commercialized through the airwaves and to also ensure that people within the Techiman Township are not denied of timely local and national information. Notable among the radio stations are: ASTA Fm, Classic Fm, Adepa Fm, Free Fm, Winners Fm, Agyinkwa Fm, Gaskia Fm, and Akina Fm. Indeed Techiman is the next best destination for investors and businesses that want to take advantage of a ready market to increase their profitability. Again, there are about 50 well-furnished Hotels and over 200 Guest houses and Motels available for housing visitors and travelers. Housing and road network in Techiman is one of the best in Ghana.

Geographically, Techiman lies at the centre of Ghana with a link road from Techiman to Kumasi to the south, Sunyani to the East, Wa to the West and Tamale to the North. Techiman shares boundary with Sunyani, Wenchi, Nkoranza, Akomadan and Kintampo. It is no doubt Techiman is considered by scholars and proponents for the relocation of the capital city of Ghana from Accra as the most strategic location.

The ancient Bono-Takyiman pride herself with a well-crafted appellation:

"Bono kyempim duoduakwa,

Odomankoma b adee, ab adee ben?

Ob Takyiman,

Takyiman firi hen ni?

Takyiman firi tete,

Takyiman kan, kan, kan."

To wit: Thousands of pioneers settlers who were settled anyhow;

When the Creator created things, what did he create first?

He created Takyiman

Where did Takyiman originate from?

Takyiman is ancient

Takyiman. the very, very, first.

Indeed, the story of Techiman needs to be told because the town holds the key to Ghanas Food security and a life-blood to her economic fortunes.

Story written by:

George K. Antwi

(SECRETARY)

Bono-Takyiman Youth and Associates for Development (BoTYAD)

[email protected]

(+233) 0244 016 046
The leading mobile telecommunication giant, MTN in collaboration with African Media and Malaria Research Network (AMMREN) has distributed Insecticide Treated Nets (ITNs) to pregnant women and nursing mothers as part of efforts to commemorate the 2017 World Malaria Day in Glefe, a suburb of Accra.

Speaking at the gathering of women in the community, the Manager of Sustainability and Social Impact at the Corporate Services Division, MTN, Rhoderlyn Entsua-Mensah said it is their hope that their contribution will go a long way to help in eradicating malaria and helping achieve the objectives of this years theme to End Malaria for Good.

She noted that they anticipated that these treated mosquito nets will be beneficial to the people of Glefe especially the women who are the most vulnerable in society.

Rhoderlyn Entsua-Mensah indicated that the community outreach is to amplify awareness about malaria, its devastating effects and how it can be prevented among the people of Glefe.

She stated that according to the National Malaria Control Programme, Malaria is a major cause of poverty and low productivity, accounting for about 32.5percent of all Out Patient Department attendance and 48.8percent of children under five years hospital admissions in the country.

It may interest you to know that malaria can kill in 24 hours so it is a very serious issue we are dealing with, she posited.

Rhoderlyn Entsua-Mensah intimated that it is heartwarming to know that commendable progress has been made towards the fight against malaria.

She noted that while we rejoice at such news we know that more work needs to be done for prevention is always better than cure adding that the Sustainable Development Goal to end malaria by 2030 calls for a concerted effort from everyone which MTN Ghana Foundation is happy to contribute its quota.

Mrs. Ellen Sam, AMMREN Board Chair and Malaria Focal Person, Police Hospital noted that the caliber of people who live in Glefe with so many challenges really need education and support to understand the issues and how they can take preventive steps to ensure that malaria infection and outbreak become a thing of the past.

According to her, to end malaria for good we need as a country to reach the deprived communities and in this years event they have taken the right steps to reach out to Glefe to sensitize them and also provide them with support.

Mrs. Ellen Sam emphasized that community engagement comes under five levels which start with outreach, consultation, collaboration, partnership and lastly shared leadership.

She intimated that today marks the beginning of their engagement with the community and therefore more engagement will be held with the community members in order to identify their real challenges and the remedies to deal with them.

AMMREN has welcomed the announcement by the World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa (WHO/AFRO) that Ghana, Kenya and Malawi will take part in a WHO-coordinated pilot implementation programme that will make the worlds first malaria vaccine available in selected areas beginning in 2018, she stressed.
26.04.2017 LISTEN

Is it 'resurrect' or 'bring back?'These two closely related word and phrasal verb really got me contemplating.The court edifice is right there.The human resource is conspicuously missing.The court is dysfunctionally hidden.Infact, the court is gone!So,in the situation,are we resurrecting or bringing back?My choice of "resurrect" in the title is thus intentionally couched.But you can also take it to mean "bring back."

Take note:district magistrate court as used in this article is the same as community tribunals as created by parliament in the mid-1993.In the newly created system by parliament,lower courts, consisting of circuit tribunals and community tribunals replaced circuit courts and district (magistrate) courts.

On that note,I like to begin by introducing cherished readers to West Gonja District.

West Gonja District is a cosmopolitan agrarian community of peace loving and culturally diverse people.It is one of the twenty-six (26) administrative districts in the northern region of Ghana.The district was established on the 23rd of December,1988 by PNDC L207.By legislative instrument (LI 1775), in 2004, Central Gonja District was carved out of the District.North Gonja was also carved out of the district in 2012 by LI 2069.Damongo is the capital of the district and also serve as the seat of the overload of the gonja Kingdom.

According to the 2010 Population and Housing Census(2010 PHC), the district has a total population of 41,180 (50.2% male and 49.8% female), thus,1.7% of the total population in the northern region.And a household population of 40,269 with 6,255 households.

There are twenty-two (22) ethnic groups in the district.The major groups in order of magnitude include:Gonja, Hanga,kamara,Dagomba,Tampulma,Frafra and Dagaaba.The main festivals of the district are Damba and fire festival (Jintigi).

Religiously,the district is made up of the following groups in their proportions:Islam (41.7%), Catholic (26.3%), pentecostal (8.0%), and traditional worshippers (5.4%).

The district has eighty-five (85) basic schools and second cycle institutions.Thus,34 kindergartens and nursery,33 primary schools,17 junior high schools,3 senior high schools,1 agricultural college and a nursing/health assistant training college.

The main economic activity of the district include farming,agro processing and trading in foodstuff.Infact,60.5% of the population are engaged in agriculture.Also,more than 6 out of 10 of the population(65.3%) of households in the district are into agriculture.Crop farming is the main agricultural activity(89.4%) of households engage in it.Livestock rearing accounts for (50.1%) and tree planting (0.5%).

There is high inter-ethnic marriages and peaceful co-existence-unity in diversity in the district.(See the 2010 PHC with focus on West Gonja District for more).

Noteworthy also is the fact that,the district used to credit itself with a magistrate court (community tribunal).But in plain language,the court has been moved to Bole,a sister community since 2015 for certain reasons.

It is widely speculated that one of such reasons is the undue traditional interference in the normal work of the court.(He is my uncle, he is my sisters brother's brother,he is my this, he is my that, so we can solve this matter at home by consulting our elders (traditional authorities); meanwhile the matter is criminal).

It is also rumored that the magistrate at the time complained of the lack of accommodation.Thus, the district could not provide accommodation for the magistrate.(not strictly confirmed). (Traditional interference + Lack of accommodation for magistrate=court moved to Bole).

Indeed,these speculations notwithstanding,it seem to fly in the face of every reason that a district like West Gonja is without a community tribunal for this while.Better a mouse in the pot than no meat at all (To have something,no matter how little or poor in quality, is better than to have nothing at all). And the situation seem normal.We are all silent willy-nilly.As the book of proverbs will make us understand,foundations are being destroyed,what can the righteous do?This is the outcry of the silent community.As a matter of fact,when the diseased is not cured of his disease,the diseased become deceased.Similarly,When the law in society is not resurrected,the society become lawless.Anarchy everywhere assume the order of the day.And no community has ever seen development without law and order.

Naked truth be told in bold words,the district obviously need a community tribunal to maintain civil and criminal order in order to propel development.With the district court,sanitation laws were fully implemented.I remember the gone days in Damongo where no one needed to tell you to clean your home and the surrounding.The sanitation officers (samasama) just needed to remind us of the now defunct Damongo district magistrate court and we were out there cleaning every corner of our communities.Are you now surprised that of the many toothless bye-laws by the West Gonja District Assembly against rosewood and charcoal burning,none was implemented?There is no institution of law to interpret and effectively enforce the laws.The many trees are gone and the remaining few are still going.

Undeniably,district courts handle cases that bother on the core of society:cases that affect social cohesion,family lives,land litigating,landlords and tenants, children's wellbeing, gender based violence,criminal cases,defilement,indecent assault inter alia.It is the face of the law.

In his "practice and procedure in the trial courts and tribunals of Ghana,"Justice Brobbey (JSC) states that, "the magistrate has been described as the face of the law,the rational for this being that most people have their first and sometimes the only brush with the law at the magistrate level and therefore tend to view the law as a whole from that experience."So, we can effectively engender public trust and confidence in the justice delivery system in Ghana through the district magistrate courts.

Some useful facts:

Indeed, the courts Act of 1993 (Act 459),section 39 establishes:(a) Circuit Courts;(b)District Courts;(c) Juvenile Courts;(d) the National House of Chiefs,Regional Houses of Chiefs,and every traditional council, in respect of the jurisdiction of any such or council to adjudicate; (e)Such other lower courts as parliament may by law establish.

Section 45-establishment of District Courts-

(1) There shall be in each District of the country such District Courts as the Chief Justice may determine.

(2) There shall be assigned to each District Court,a Magistrate who shall be appointed,subject to the approval of the president,by the Chief Justice on the advice of the judicial council.

(3) The Chief Justice shall specify the area of jurisdiction of each District Court.

Just to state that the traditional courts are important as well.But they are limited in jurisdiction to matters affecting only chieftaincy.They also complement the efforts of the superior and inferior courts by offering useful advice on customary matters.

(See section 47 and 48 of of the courts Act of 1993 (Act 459)-Jurisdiction of District courts,and section 51-General powers of District Court for more insights on the jurisdiction and general powers of community tribunals).

Just to touch on some of them,district courts intervene in matters relating to ownership,possession or occupation of land where the value does not exceed 50 million cedis;personal actions arising under contract or tort for the recovery of any liquidated sum when the amount claimed does not exceed 50 million cedis;in diverse and matrimonial cases or matters and actions for paternity and custody of children,succession to property of a deceased person;an offence punishable by a fine not exceeding 500 penalty units or imprisonment for a term not exceeding 2 years or both,abetment of or conspiracy in respect of any such offence;any other offence except an offence punishable by death or imprisonment for life or an act declared by any enactment to be first degree felony;in landlord and tenant cases;in ownership,possession,occupation and title to land cases;every Magistrate by general powers may administer oaths,take solemn affirmations and declarations,make such decrees and orders,issue such process and exercise such powers,judicial and ministerial in relation to or for administration of justice as are prescribed by any enactment,rule of court or District Court.So you see why West Gonja District is missing out badly!

It is well to note,just like the former president of U.S.A, Barack Obama rightly put it that,all we need as a people are strong institutions and not strong men.Our institutions are going and as young voices,we are duty called to rise up in one accord and stand for the community and posterity.Our law court must not go like that.We have the locus standi from the forgoing reasons to clamor for a resurrection or come back of our court .Let's make a strong case to that effect.Let's safe ourselves the travel expenses involved in seeking legal services elsewhere when such services could have been delivered at our doorsteps by community tribunals.It is called decentralisation.The vulnerable in society must be protected.We must have quick access to justice.Our society must develop pari passu irrespective of race, creed, colour,culture and other colourations.Our law court is our security and hope.It is the strength of the weak and the voice of the marginalised.Disorder in society must not be our order.Graft must not effectively become the law in our society.

And all who agree must join me to say,resurrect or bring back our court.

May the good lord bless us all.

The writer is a teacher by profession,a freelance journalist,youth advocate,blogger/writer and a student at the University of Ghana Business School pursuing Bachelor of Science in Administration with a major in Public Administration.

Read more of his works on ( ananpansah-ab.blogspot.com ).

By ANANPANSAH,B ABRAHAM(AB)

(The Village Writer)

0241129910/0200704844
Pressure group, Alliance for Accountable Governance (AFAG) has petitioned UKs Royal Institute of International Affairs not to confer the 2017 Chatam House award on the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission, Charlotte Osei.

According to AFAG, the EC boss faced too many lawsuits in the run-up to the 2016 elections and hence did not deserve the award.

The Electoral Commission was dragged to court a record 12 times under her leadership in less than 24 months. Mrs Charlotte Osei was on the wrong side of all significant court litigation prior to the election, including those she initiated (such as the correct interpretation of the Supreme Court ruling on ridding the voter roll of ineligible persons, grounds for disqualifying presidential aspirants). The impunity with which she acted on several occasions and her blatant disregard for Supreme Court rulings against her outfit makes her unfit and undeserving for your noble prize. the AFAG petition said.

The EC boss was nominated in April by the award committee for her role in ensuring a peaceful and transparent electoral process in Ghana in December 2016, further consolidating Ghanas 24-year long democratic journey.

Other dignitaries in contention for the award are Juan Manuel Santos, President of Colombia and Jens Stoltenberg, Secretary-General of NATO.

The Chatham House Prize is awarded to the person, persons or organization deemed to have made the most significant contribution to the improvement of international relations in the previous year.

But AFAG said Mrs Osei does not deserve the award because the 2016 elections was only successful because of external influences.

Read the full petition addressed to the president UKs Royal institute of international Affairs.

MRS CHARLOTTE OSEI, GHANAS ELECTORAL COMMISSIONER, UNFIT FOR CHATHAM HOUSE PRIZE

The Alliance for Accountable Governance (AFAG), Ghana, is a keen follower of your activities. We appreciate your mission to help build a sustainably secure, prosperous and just world. In Ghana, we are a civil society organisation, independent of the state, to ensure that we contribute to the proper functioning of our democracy and enlightening the Ghanaian public.

In October 2008, we were, as most Ghanaians, delighted that the Chatham House honoured President John Agyekum Kufuor with the Chatham House Prize. His achievements were quite obvious and celebrated across the globe.

However, AFAG, with much of the civil society community in Ghana, is alarmed following the news that Mrs Charlotte Osei has been shortlisted for the prestigious award in her short and unimpressive stay at the helm of Electoral Commission of Ghana. AFAG is a champion of democratic processes, supportive of any actor in the electoral space that deserves to be rewarded for their work but we have strong reservation on Mrs. Charlotte Osei.

We respectfully state our reservations as follows:

1. The Electoral Commission was dragged to court a record 12 times under her leadership in less than 24 months. Mrs Charlotte Osei was on the wrong side of all significant court litigation prior to the election, including those she initiated (such as the correct interpretation of the Supreme Court ruling on ridding the voter roll of ineligible persons, grounds for disqualifying presidential aspirants). The impunity with which she acted on several occasions and her blatant disregard for Supreme Court rulings against her outfit makes her unfit and undeserving for your noble prize.

2. Significant omissions in the provision of C1 94, leaving huge gaps in election transparency and independent poll results validation contrary to the recommendations contained in the Supreme Court on the 2012 presidential election petition. This had to be corrected through litigation. An example is the Electoral Commissions returning officers mandatory signature on the official poll results and party agent access to the same document.

3. Developments between the closing of the polls on December 7 and announcement of final election results on December 9, which brought the country to a state of apprehension and created needless tension, could have been completely avoided. This was caused by:

a. Delay in release of presidential polls on the grounds that the ECs IT department had been compromised;

b. Alleged over-voting in Ashanti Region that was ostensibly being investigated before official certification. This proved to be a delay tactic and false.

c. Putting out a blatantly wrong figure of 49 per cent as interim voter turnout for the presidential poll, which was later debunked.

4. Credible intelligence that the EC had set up two lines to transmit presidential election results (a super high-speed line and regular speed line) without disclosure to all the presidential contestants or their representatives on the Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC).

5. Enforcement of electoral rules by the EC and political party accountability remains weak. What is more worrying is her blatant refusal to take advice and consider opinions from stakeholders. As we know, Ghana is not a dictatorship to warrant dictatorial tendencies.

6. The EC did not have any plan towards setting up the National Collation Centre in a more spacious location on election day to accommodate many stakeholders. This made it difficult for many stakeholders to follow certified results as and when the EC received them.

7. The EC under Mrs Charlotte Osei failed to capture two sources of internally generated funds (IGF) in its 2017 budget estimates presented to Ghanas parliament in April 2017. This is a clear case of graft distasteful in all intents. These funds were from journalists (GHC10.00 as accreditation fee for Election 2016, something unknown in Ghanas election history. She further charged GHC5.00 for every application for a misplaced/lost voter ID card).

8. The European Union Observation Mission in its report on Ghanas 2016 election had this to say: The registration process for presidential candidates in the 2016 elections (under Mrs. Charlotte Osei) was problematic. The process was not sufficiently inclusive and the spirit of the law was not fully respected.

9. That Mrs Charlotte Osei has brought disunity into the seven-member Commission which does not augur well for the wellbeing and image of the Commission.

10. A report on 30th March 2017, from Ghanas Special Budget Committee of Parliament, had concluded that as a result of Mrs Charlotte Oseis leadership the Commissioners do not trust themselves. There is gross distrust amongst the seven-member Commission under her leadership, and that they are not on good terms with each other. (See www.starrfmonline.com/2017/03/30/ec). This was never the case under the former Chairman of the Commission.

11. The Electoral Commissions own in-house software had such a weak security protocol that in the word of Mrs Osei: We were forced to ignore the software and use manual collations. Clearly this is not the hallmark of an award-winning performance. If any actor to the electoral process had raised a concern in concert with other issues raised, it might have been unnerving for the nation, considering that, primarily, post-election activities are a key trigger to election violence.

12. Mrs Osei faulted profoundly when she refused to give access to the secured transmitted results, even as a read-only access. Many of the political party representatives found this behaviour unacceptable since it appears to be shrouded in secrecy and lacked transparency.

13. It is worth noting that Mrs Charlotte Oseis bizarre posture not to allow for a transparent process before the elections, led to some Ghanaian citizens registering their displeasure through peaceful demonstrations. One of such peaceful demonstrations turned violent when the police (allegedly on the instruction of powerful persons in the then government) visited brutal attacks on ordinary Ghanaian demonstrators, most especially on women who took part in the demonstration. During the course of the brutality, one gentleman lost an eye as a result of fired rubber bullets by the police. There is pictorial evidence available: http://www.myjoyonline.com/politics/2015/September-16th/photos-violence-mars-let-my-vote-count-demo.php

14. Finally, the EC had no instant social media update for which many Ghanaians who are on the move can rely on for trustworthy updates. So the reportage that such system was up and running should be disregarded and not counted as an achievement.

In conclusion, Mrs Charlotte Osei may have announced historic presidential election results on the 9th on December but the many issues surrounding her administration could have occasioned unfortunate and regrettable occurrences. She fought and misrepresented many meaningful suggestions towards the peaceful elections, which caused major embarrassment for her outfit.

The peaceful outcome of the 2016 general elections was the collective effort and tolerance the political parties had for each other and goodwill that Ghanaians have enjoyed since the birth of the 4th Republic in 1992.

We, respectfully, strongly implore your distinguished organisation to ponder your final consideration. It is time to ignore and punish public officials who act with complete disdain for the constitution and disregard court rulings but turn round to hypocritically and opportunistically seek honours they have not earned.

Yours faithfully,

DR NANA AYEW AFRIYIE

(CHAIRMAN)

HENRY ASANTE

(VICE CHAIRMAN)

ARNOLD BOATENG

(GENERAL SECRETARY)

CC: HE JOHN BENJAMIN,

BRITISH HIGH COMMISSIONER,

ACCRA GHANA

Story by Ghana | Myjoyonline.com
Three sitting Members of Parliament and a former MP have been cited by the British authorities for allegedly perpetrating visa fraud using their diplomatic passports.

The MPs are said to have used an unauthorised person (a goro boy) and their diplomatic passports to apply for visas for persons who travelled to the United Kingdom and did not return as stipulated by their visas.

They are, therefore, living in that country illegally.

The MPs cited are: Richard Acheampong, MP for Bia East in the Western Region, Joseph Benhazin Dahah, MP for Ntotroso in the Bono Ahafo region, Johnson Kwaku Adu, MP for Ahafo Ano South West, in the Ashanti Region and George Boakye, former MP for Asunafo South in the Bono Ahafo region.

A confidential letter addressed to the Speaker of Parliament, Prof. Aaron Mike Ocquaye, by the British High Commission detailed the instances of abuses by the MPs in question.

The British High Commission considers the actions [of the MPs] completely unacceptable. In some cases these behaviours may arguably be criminal in nature, the letter said.

It added that given what has transpired, the High Commission will "will henceforth only entertain and prioritise requests for visas from MPs, if they are made through the parliamentary protocol office who should verify that there is an official, parliamentary reason for the proposed visit."

The High Commission said the net effect of such visa fraud by a very few Honourable MPs as outlined in its letter is to raise the bar of suspicion against all such applicants, which is, of course, regrettable to the huge disadvantage of those very many MPs who do act honourably at all times.

Below is a copy of the letter,

Dear Mr Speaker.

The British High Commission (BHC) would like, in confidence, to bring the following matters to your attention, regarding the apparent involvement of three serving MPs and one former MP in visa fraud directly affecting the United Kingdom.

In doing so, we note the powerful words in your impressive inaugural address as Speaker, to the effect that, for Members of Parliament, holding a Diplomatic Passport is both a privilege and responsibility which should not be abused: and that those who abused that trust would be appropriately dealt with.

In that regard:

1. On 11/09/2012, the then Honourable and now former MP for Asunafo South George BOAKYE applied for visas for himself and his 37-year old daughter, Joyce BOAKYE to visit a friend in London for 17 days The visas were granted on 14/09/2012. On 17/01/2013 Joyce BOAKYE travelled to the UK with her Honourable father. Joyce BOAKYE did not leave the UK with her father, but remained until 06/01/2017. In other words, she finally returned to Ghana just this month, having been in the UK illegally for over three years, and only then at our strong urging of Mr Boakye to bring her back. Mr Boakye is highly unlikely to be issued any further visas to visit the UK in the next ten years for his role in facilitating his daughter's travel to the UK, including should he be re-elected to Parliament in a subsequent election.

2. On 27/11/2015 the Honourable MP for Bia East Richard ACHEAMPONG applied for a UK visa using Diplomatic Passport number DX001490. The Hon ACHEAMPONG stated in his application form that he would travel to the UK for a two week holiday with his wife" Esther TIWAA. On 10/12/2015 Mr ACHEAMPONG and Ms TIWAA were issued with UK visas. On 24/12/2015 Esther TIWAA travelled to the UK, but alone: the Hon ACHEAMPONG did not accompany her as both his and her visa applications said that he would. She has hot left the UK since that time, and is therefore now there illegally. The Hon ACHEAMPONG did not declare the illegal presence of his wife in the UK until he was challenged with the facts by us on 10/10/2016 He then repeatedly promised me personally that he would bring documentation to prove that Esther TIWAA was, indeed, his wife, but has consistently failed to do so Neither has he been prepared to share any useful information to help us track down Ms TIWAA's current whereabouts. Should Mr ACHEAMPONG now apply for another UK visa at any point up until 08/12/2025 his previous actions with regard to Esther TIWAA will weigh heavily against his application and he is likely to be refused.

3. On 06/04/2 016 , the Honourable MP for Ntotroso. Joseph Benhazin DAHAH applied for a UK visa using Diplomatic Passport number DX001459 to go on a two week holiday. The Hon DAHAH slated that he was travelling with his wife Gloria DANSU and his niece Beatrice MENSAH On 11/04/2016 the visas of the Hon DAHAH and Gloria DANSU were issued; the visa of his niece Beatrice MENSAH was refused. On 13/05/2016 the Hon DAHAH applied in another country for a visa to travel to the Republic of Ireland with his wife and daughter. The identity of his wife had changed from Gloria DANSU in the UK application to Ruyling APPAU in the Irish one. More significantly, a birth certificate was submitted showing that Beatrice MENSAH was now his daughter and not his niece as she had been described when applying to visit the UK. The Hon DAHAH's UK visa was cancelled and a 10-year UK visa ban has been imposed on him. He has been informed of this.

4. On 20/06/2016 the Honourable MP for Ahafo Ano South West, Johnson Kwaku ADU applied for visas for himself, his wife Grace YEBOAH and their 16-year old daughter Emmanuella ADU in order to visit London for a ten day holiday. The Hon ADU applied using Diplomatic Passport number DX002267; all three visas were granted on 07/07/2016. The family of three travelled to the UK on 25/07/2016. The Hon ADU left the UK just two days later on 27/07/2016 leaving behind his wife and child, if that indeed is what they are, who have not left the UK to date and are therefore now illegally resident there. This is in some ways the most serious of the cases outlined in this letter, given the possibility that Hon ADU knowingly facilitated the movement of a minor - who cannot currently be traced - into the United Kingdom. That has been noted with alarm by UK authorities.

The British High Commission considers the actions outlined above to be completely unacceptable. In some cases, these behaviours may arguably be criminal in nature. As already outlined, administrative measures have been taken to ensure that the Honourable members mentioned here will most likely not be granted visas for the UK within the next 10 years. I should add that the Party affiliation of these MPs is, in this context, irrelevant to us: we simply state the facts as we have discovered them.

We are continuing to investigate whether any other current or former MPs have engaged in similar behaviour and will inform you, if we discover any further such cases.

Furthermore, the British High Commission has information that points strongly to some of the aforementioned Honourable members having used the same unofficial visa agent (also known as aGoro boy) in their applications, specifically a gentleman called Appiah. We are sure that Mr Speaker shares our view that an institution as respected and vitally important as the Ghanaian Parliament should not be a location where unregistered visa agents approach Honourable Members and act as a conduit for them to participate in visa fraud. The British High Commission will happily cooperate fully with any parliamentary and law enforcement investigation into such agents operating in the vicinity of the Ghanaian Parliament.

Given what has transpired, the British High Commission would request the Ghanaian Parliament to be aware of the following:

a) we will henceforth only entertain and prioritise requests for visas from MPs, if they are made through the parliamentary protocol office who should verify that there is an official, parliamentary reason for the proposed visit;

b) however, MPs wishing to make private visits to the UK or to be accompanied on official visits by non-official relatives must apply online and through our Visa Application Centre at the Movenpick Hotel like any other applicant;

c) could you kindly confirm whether and why it is legitimate for ex-MPs to continue to possess and use diplomatic passports, in some cases for many years after they have ceased to be parliamentarians? In that regard, we would humbly like to ask, Mr Speaker, what procedures are in place to ensure that diplomatic passports are removed forthwith from all those 133 former Members who have just ceased to be MPs?

d) the net effect of such visa fraud by a very few Honourable MPs as outlined in this letter is to raise the bar of suspicion against all such applicants, which is of course regrettably to the huge disadvantage of those very many MPs who do act honourably at all times.

The British High Commission looks forward to a constructive relationship with yourself, your officers and the new Parliament in general and on specific issues, such as the work currently being sponsored by the Westminster Foundation for Democracy to bolster Parliament's research capacities. We hope, at the same time, that measures taken by us all collectively will prevent any repeat of the sort of cases described in this letter. We would warmly welcome your views on the issues raised in this letter, both in regards to the specific cases and generic issues.

I am copying this letter to your Protocol Office, and to the Executive Secretary and Chief-of-Staff to the His Excellency President; and to the Ministers-designate of Foreign Affairs and National Security. We are also circulating this letter widely to other Diplomatic Missions which issue visas in Ghana in the expectation that some of them will consider similar action to ourselves against the above-named individuals.

May I take this opportunity to repeat to you assurances of our very high regard for you and your office; and to wish you, Mr Speaker, every success in your new role. Please be assured of our commitment to collaborate with you, and through you with Parliament, wherever we can usefully be of assistance.

Signed,

Jon Benjamin

British High Commissioner

Story by Ghana | Myjoyonline.com
Unfortunately, the spate of unusual suicides has not abated but rather on the rise. In the past few days the statistics has been changing at a worrying rate, suggesting that nothing effectively has been done to arrest the aberration.

Until we reverse the trend, our country is at risk of becoming contaminated with the appetite for suicides  an infectious social challenge which should be stopped by all means at our disposal as a civilized people.

A society where people easily turn to suicide as a vent for their depressions and other mental challenges is a sick one which should be treated and exorcised of the condition.

Not doing anything about it by those entrusted with managing this department of health and related agencies should not be tolerated under any circumstances.

Peace Agbemefo, a female police officer stationed in the Garu Tempane District of the Upper East Region, is the latest statistics, and painfully still counting. Just when we thought that things have stabilized fresh incidence of suicides are reported and regrettably, women appear to be catching up with their opposite sex in the weird development.

Gone are the days when women were regarded as better managers of stress; no longer so as the records show that many of them have ended their lives through suicides, unable to cope with the conditions they find themselves in.

Before the police woman's story broke, a man had reportedly committed suicide in a church, making a bizarre spectacle and expectedly going virile on social media just a few days ago.

With no suicide note to explain what drove her into the spiritually inappropriate occurrence, people, especially social media activists, are left to make their own conjectures.

Peace, according to these persons, took the weird path because of a relationship challenge. She is said to have failed to contain the depression following what she suffered in the relationship and took suicide as an option. True or false  there definitely was a reason she could no longer live.

She was taken mentally ill and that is what many Ghanaians do not understand. Mental illness is like any other ailment requiring management by relevant experts. The constable was definitely showing signs of being worried but this did not attract the attention of anybody. Her superior officer, the District Commander, had he been observant, might have noticed something unusual about her and intervened.

We recall the Tema shooting incident by a Corporal who ended up killing himself following which a directive from the Police Administration directed Commanders to observe their subordinates with a view to taking appropriate actions to help those found to be suffering depression or any other mental condition.

We have had cause to discuss the suicide trend as have other Ghanaians who appreciate the import of the anomaly.

Our sociologists, clinical psychologists, teachers and other stakeholders must ponder over this challenge which needs addressing lest the appetite for it spreads further. With children not left out of the craze, are we not already at a point where it has spread like a cancer on a given organ?

It has continued and we have spoken; but is speaking about it without practical action all we can do as a people?

When we take it as a national conversation with individuals understanding the basics of psychology and to be able to tell when the danger signs are blinking and knowing what to do is an important first step towards arresting the spate of suicides which has bedeviled the country.
Officials of the Bank of Ghana (BoG) have exonerated the Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, of any wrongdoing in the $2.25 billion bond issued in April, 2017.

The Head of Financial Management Service at the BoG, Stephen Opattah, insists that no single individual can skew the issuance of bonds to favour one person or another.

He indicated that given the operations of the bond issue, it's practically impossible for anyone to predetermine who the investor will be.

Mr Stephen Opattah's comments, which were made before members of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament yesterday, followed allegation by the minority National Democratic Congress (NDC) in parliament that the Finance Minister had cooked the $2.25 billion bond for his friend and business partner, Trevor Trefgarne, who is a director of Franklyn Templeton  the company that bought 95% of the bond.

Member of Parliament (MP) for Effutu, Alex Afenyo Markins, had smuggled in the question on the $2.25 billion bond after his first attempt was shot down by the chairman of the PAC, James Klutse Avedzi.

He got the answers from both Stephen Opattah and the Second Deputy Governor, Johnson Asiamah.

In such a system you cannot predetermine who the investor will be, Opattah stressed.

Mr Johnson Asiamah insisted that it was impossible for a bond to be issued in secrecy.

According to him, in the beginning of every year, government announces its borrowing plans which are available for all investors and potential investors to bid for and can therefore not be a secret transaction.

The deputy governor explained that when the government goes for international bond, the monies are paid into the accounts of the international branches of the BoG  say New York branch or London branch.

According to him, when the money is paid in dollar denomination, it is not immediately surrendered to the main office so it could be counted as part of receipts of the bank until the government starts spending the money in cedis before it is seen as surrendered.

On the recent $2.25 billion domestic bond, he said that government had started spending the money so it is now surrendered and being paid in cedis.

Mr Asiamah gave the assurance that the foreign exchange rate would be stabilized this year because the macro is aligning very well and that could be seen in why the rate has virtually stabilized over the past month.

Foreign Receipts

Another issue that generated heat at yesterday's public sitting of the PAC was foreign receipts on the export of bauxite which were not captured in the Bank of Ghana's Statement of Foreign Exchange Receipts and Payments audited by the Auditor-General's office in 2015.

Mr Afenyo-Markin, who questioned why the receipts covering bauxite were omitted from the bank's statement, said at least he was aware that in the year under review, not less than 40,000 metric tonnes of bauxite was exported by the Ghana Bauxite Company, and therefore he found it strange that the receipts covering the exportation had not been captured by the Bank of Ghana.

The second deputy governor, Dr Johnson Asiamah, who led the BoG officials, said that it was not an intentional act and therefore must not be seen as an omission since the Ghana Bauxite Company is given 100% retention.

He said that the workings are based on certain concepts and that they would have to crosscheck and come back to brief the committee again and clarify why that was not included in the statement.

Dr Asiamah indicated that compilation of data at the bank is not all that easy and that every data presented to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for review is done meticulously to avoid any embarrassment and mistrust.

He noted that since the media were covering the sitting, he would not like to delve much into that and that officials would get back and find out what went wrong and prepare the bauxite receipts for the perusal of the committee.

The chairman of the committee, Mr James Klutse Avedzi, implored members to give the bank officials the benefit of the doubt and allow them to go and come back with a proper report on the bauxite receipts

Members of the committee also questioned why miscellaneous payments increased hugely from $366 million in 2014 to $550.4 million in 2015 and that there was the need for the bank to break down the expenditure on miscellaneous items.

Student Allowances

There were also some concerns raised by some members on the allowances paid to Ghanaian students abroad and sponsorship for staff of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs increasing from $12.7 million in 2014 to $22.4 million in 2015, but the deputy governor said the bank only pays when instructions are given to it by the ministries or government officials to do so.

He, however, explained that payments are not done all the time on wholesale basis.

He said that sometimes payments depend on the availability of money and the urgency of the matter.

In the BoG's statement on the receipts and payments, receipts on cocoa increased significantly from $376 million in June, 2015 to $3.9 billion in December, 2015.

Receipts on gold, however, dropped with total receipts decreasing from $238.8 million in January, 2015 to $205.8 million in June, 2015.

Total receipts by the bank in the first half of 2015 totalled $3.82 billion as against the projected figure of $5 billion.

An amount of $3 billion was received within the same period in 2014.

PAC will continue with its sitting today with officials of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture set to appear.

By Thomas Fosu Jnr
The suspect with the body wrapped in a piece of cloth

26.04.2017 LISTEN



A 31-year-old farmer, Abdul Salam, has been arrested by the Asankragwa police for purportedly killing his six-year-old son for alleged ritual purposes.

The incident reportedly occurred at Adidaase, near Amanso Amenfi in the Wassa Amenfi District of the Western Region yesterday.

According to eyewitness reports, the man allegedly cut off his sons head and legs to be sent to a spiritualist to help him (father) get more money.

Some of the residents explained that the mother reported to the elders of the farming community that her six-year-old boy had got missing.

The unit committee members in the area subsequently formed a search party to look for the little boy.

When the father, Abdul Salam, was confronted, he allegedly admitted killing his own son and removing some parts of the body for rituals.

Upon interrogation, Abdul Salam confessed that he murdered the little boy to sell the head and the legs for ritual purposes, one resident alleged.

DAILY GUIDE has gathered that Abdul Salam is currently in the custody of the Asankragwaa police pending further investigations.

From Emmanuel Opoku, Takoradi




Former President of Tanzania, Benjamin Mkapa, has congratulated the President of the Republic of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, on his election to the highest office of the land.

He urged the Ghanaian leader and the country to continue on the path of democracy, and be the 'star of Africa.'

Mr Benjamin Mkapa made this remark yesterday when he paid a courtesy call on President Akufo-Addo at the Flagstaff House on his way to deliver a lecture at the University of Development Studies in Tamale.

The last time we met, you were a prospective candidate, but you have finally made it. More importantly, you have made it in a peaceful, serene election; the results were unquestionable, which place you in a position of authority to lead your country, the former Tanzanian president said.

He also congratulated Ghanaians on the seriousness with which they undertook the civic responsibility of electing their leaders.

Continue, therefore, to be a shining example to the people of Africa.

The former Tanzanian leader noted that the current President of that country, John Magafuli, has focused on industrialization and the addition of value to raw materials. Additionally, agricultural development is a major preoccupation of his. I have learnt that agricultural development is a major preoccupation of yours, and I hope that you succeed, Mr Benjamin Mkapa declared.

President Akufo-Addo, on his part, thanked the former president for his visit, and for the collection of autographed books given to him in 2014 during his time as presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).

President Akufo-Addo told Mr Benjamin Mkapa that he had the privilege of meeting the new President of Tanzania at this year's AU Summit in Addis Ababa and discovered that we have very similar programmes. It is good for all of us that we have woken up to the realization that there is no future for us in being exporters of raw materials.

He continued, If we are going to give jobs to our people, we can only do so in a modern, industrialised economy. So that is very much the focus of what we are doing here in Ghana. We have a very ambitious programme. We have committed ourselves to establishing small and medium scale industries in each of the districts in our country over the next four years.

On agricultural development, the president told Benjamin Mkapa about the 'Planting for Food and Jobs' programme, launched in Goaso a week ago, which, he explained, would affect the lives of 200,000 farmers in the first year, with some 2.5 million farmers benefitting at the end of four years.

We are living in a country that has everything. We have the land, and yet we find ourselves importing plantain from Cote d'Ivoire and tomatoes from Cote d'Ivoire. We are saying to ourselves that within the next 24 months, all these things will be a thing of the past, he assured.

President Akufo-Addo stated, We continue to wish that Tanzania, like Ghana, continues down the path of orderly development, and that we will see countries which have living presidents like you who are still contributing to the lives of their people, once they are out of office. It is an inspiration for the rest of the continent, and it is an inspiration that people do not have to hang onto power for 30 to 40 years to be relevant.
ALLIANCE FOR Accountable Governance (AFAG) has appealed to Chatham House London to remove the name of Charlotte Osei, Chairperson of Ghana's Electoral Commission (EC), from the 2017 Chatham House list of nominees to be awarded by the Royal Institute of International Affairs of UK.

It has petitioned the British High Commission in Ghana to wade into the matter and block the EC boss from further competing for the award.

AFAG made the call yesterday at a press conference in Accra, saying emphatically that Ms. Osei, who organized Ghana's 2016 presidential and parliament elections, is unfit for the prestigious award.

Citing 14 reasons for protesting against Madam Osei's nomination which is expected to be presented at the end of this month in the UK, AFAG, which has had some issues with the EC boss since her appointment by former President Mahama, said the peace being enjoyed by Ghana after the 2016 general election could not be credited to her.

Key among the reasons cited by AFAG are: under Madam Osei's leadership, the EC was dragged to court 12 times in 2016; her refusal to comply with the Supreme Court's rulings and the high level of mistrust between her and other commissioners of the EC.

Clearly, this is not a hallmark of award-winning performance, said Henry Hanna Asante, Vice Chairman of AFAG, who addressed the media.

He indicated that the peaceful outcomes of the 2016 polls were as a result of the collective efforts of every Ghanaian and political parties to uphold peace and that the EC boss alone could not be credited for it.

In the view of AFAG, Madam Osei did a lot harm than good and most importantly, has no track record of good performance over the years and thus it would be unthinkable for a character like her to be given such a prestigious award which former President Kufuor won in 2008.

On April 3, 2017, Chatham House London published on its website nominees for the 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.

Madam Osei is competing with nominees like 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.

CENAB UK, a pro-New Patriotic Party (NPP) advocacy group based in the United Kingdom, had earlier equally registered its displeasure about the nomination of Ms Charlotte Osei, describing it as flawed and undeserving.

According to CENAB, 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.

BY Melvin Tarlue
The Paramount Chief of Prestea-Himan Traditional Area, Nana Ntaboah Prah IV, has told the Member of Parliament for the Prestea Huni-Valley Constituency in the Western Region, who is also the Deputy Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Babara Oteng Gyasi, not to be moved by threats from some of her constituents to vote her out of office in the next election, if her government proceeds to ban all forms of small scale mining.

The Chief has thus assured her that, the traditional counsel will support her to succeed in her fight against illegal mining.

Nana Prah believes the NPP government's resolve to sanitize the mining space is a commendable and worthy of support.

Some inhabitants in Babara Oteng Gyasi's constituency at Tarkwa Breman, threatened over the weekend to vote her out in the next election, if her government goes ahead to enforce the ban on all forms of illegal mining.

But speaking in an interview in Takoradi, Nana Ntaboah Prah IV, assured the MP not to be moved by the threats, since the traditional authority will support her to win her government's fight against the Galamsey menace.

He said I will encourage her [Madam Barbara Oteng Gyasi] that, these are some of the things she will encounter as a politician. I am a chief and we sometimes face similar opposition in some decisions. She shouldn't get worried We will support her to succeed. We want her to succeed as an MP because, the good that will come out of sanitizing the mining space, will benefit those of us in the constituency.



By: Obrempong Yaw Ampofo/citifmonline.com/Ghana
It will cost Ghana at least GH1.4 billion to restore about fifty percent of lands affected by illegal mining activities in the Western region.

This is the suggestion from some environmental analysts.

The attention by policy makers have intensified recently following the alarming rate of the devastating impacts of illegal mining activities on the environment.

The development has since resulted in a recent crackdown by the Lands and Natural Resources Ministry, on some illegal miners across the country.

An Environmental Superintendent, Jones Mantey tells Citi Business News the restoration cost could escalate in areas with grave destruction .

A number of factors went into the model before coming up with the 1.4 billion cedis cost. This could even be revised and go higher because of the provisional costs and because galamsey keeps on growing and because of the huge rates prices keep on changing, he said.

Mr. Mantey added, This 1.4 billion cedis is likely to go higher than what we are seeing. It is actually for earth works; before you can do restoration of land you need to do earth works, you need to impact the filling of pits, you need to seal some tunnels for the underground working, you need to do housekeeping you need to do a chemical study, and you need to look at a number of factors.

The comment follows a study on some eleven districts of the Western region which have been exposed to illegal mining activities.

The study which looked at the extent of damage on water, vegetation and land, also pointed out that three districts; Amenfi East, Tarkwa Nsuaem and Prestea Huni Valley have been worst hit by the illicit mining activities.

Meanwhile, the Sefwi Wiawso, Bibiani-Anhwiaso-Bekwai,Wassa East and and Nzema East Districts, were the four out of 11 MDAs least proliferated by galamsey operators.



By: Pius Amihere Eduku/citibusinessnews.com/Ghana
Afro Bilal Ghana, a multi-faceted company with global reputation, says it plans to make massive investments in Kumasi, the Ashanti regional capital.

The global giant said it would invest in the construction of modern bus terminals, multi-purpose housing units in Kumasi, among others.

Top officials of the company responsible for project management, consultancy and logistics and transportation paid a courtesy call on the Kumasi Mayor, Osei Assibey Antwi at his office on Friday.

They were Pakshit Bombwali, Executive Director, Afro Bilal Ghana and Maaz Ahsan, Head of Business Development, Bilal Holdings Limited.

They had fruitful talks with the Chief Executive of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA).

The Kumasi Mayor and other top officials of the KMA, including Michael Ataogye, Coordinating Director, Abraham Boadi, Presiding Member and Ing Nana Poku Agyeman, Urban Roads Director, led the delegation on a tour of the city to explore possible areas to invest.

They visited North Patase where a large tract of land had been earmarked for the construction of a modern bust terminal.

They also toured Adum where land would be developed into a multi-storey car park, and the Affordable Housing project at Asokore Mampong.

The Afro Bilal team was also led to Kumasi Airport where a large tract of land had been earmarked for the construction of the Kumasi Airport City Project.

The project would include hotels, shopping malls and banks, among other modern facilities.

Afro Bilal, whose main head office is located at Dubai in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), has been operating in Ghana since 2013.

The company during the past four years has been operating in Accra and Takoradi, where it has made positive impact.

Speaking to BUSINESS GUIDE, Mr. Maaz Ahsan said his outfit mainly operates in oil and gas, energy supply, cement manufacturing, offshore marine construction, mining and marine transportation, adding that his company wants to expand to Kumasi.

Ing Nana Poku Agyeman said virtually all roads in Kumasi, which were constructed in 1990, need new asphalt overlay, adding that the city needs interchanges.

FROM I.F. Joe Awuah Jnr., Kumasi


Osei Assibey Antwi (fourth from right) with the Afro Bilal Ghana team and some KMA officials

Ghana has recorded massive fiscal deficits for 49 years due to reckless public spending and mismanagement by successive governments.

This was made known in a book co-authored by about 35 economists from the University of Ghana, Legon on the country's economy over the last 60 years.

Titled: 'The Economy of Ghana Sixty Years After Independence' and co-edited by former Vice Chancellor of UG, Prof. Ernest Aryeetey and Ravi Kanbur, the seven-chapter book gives an informative perspective about Ghana's economy right from the Kwame Nkrumah era, paying particular attention to the mining, education, health, banking and finance, and agriculture subsectors.

Chapter Five of the book, which is under the heading Sixty Years of Fiscal Policy in Ghana: Outcomes and Lessons, provides an analytical overview of the fiscal policies that have characterized and shaped economic growth and development in post-independence period.

Fiscal slippages, according to the book, have been a common feature over the last 60 years, with the country managing hard to have fiscal surpluses for only 11 years.

They have been largely permanent and so persist, irrespective of how the economy is performing. Large deficits and slippages have been associated with expenditures and not revenue.

The nature and sources of the deficits, according to the authors, have not been growth promoting in post-independence Ghana.

In other words the returns to the deficits to finance our development have not been high enough to offset the cost of the deficits.

At independence there was a strong desire for rapid growth and development, Robert Darko Osei, a co-author of the book, said while reviewing its chapter five.

Government at the time invested massively to ensure that the growth and development objective was met, said Robert Darko Osei, a co-author of the book, who reviewed the fifth chapter of the book at the launch held on Monday in Accra.

Reading excerpts from the book, Mr. Darko Osei indicated that In 1954 we had a surplus of 14 percent but by 1965 we were recording a deficit of 6.4 percent.

Economic Tensions

According to Prof. Aryeetey, the 415-page book indicates clearly the tension between politics and economics in Ghana.

When this tension gets out of hand, we are bound to get disorder in the way government institutions work, he said.

He bemoaned the deliberate refusal of successive governments over the last 60 years to take advice from economists, saying Ghana has never been short of advice from good economists.

By Melvin Tarlue


Over 5,000 Senior High School (SHS) students from schools in the Greater Accra Region have benefited from Lexta Ghana Limited's 'Teen Care Campaign.'

The nationwide campaign by producers and suppliers of Yazz products and Hooch Foods was launched in February 2017 with the aim of visiting SHSs across the country to educate students on how to properly meet their hygiene needs.

In the Greater Accra Region, they visited schools such as St Mary's SHS, City Business Secondary School (CIBUSCO), Armed Forces Secondary Technical School, Presbyterian Boys' SHS (PRESEC, Legon) and Wesley Grammar School.

The students were educated on cervical cancer, feminine hygiene and oral care. There were also clean-up exercises in some of the schools.

Authorities from the beneficiary schools commended Lexta Ghana Limited for the initiative and called for more future collaborations.

Assistant Headmaster of the Armed Forces Secondary Technical School, Mr. Adama said: We are glad we opened our doors for this campaign to take place here, because both staff and students have been exposed to new knowledge on cervical cancer and menstrual hygiene. With these adolescents in our care during their stay in school, we need all the help we can get to mould them to become responsible in every aspect of their lives and so thank you to Lexta and the Medical Women Association of Ghana for this initiative.

Commenting on his contribution towards the campaign, a dentist at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Dr. Philip Bayitse said: The number of students who have never been to a dentist was not encouraging. Some had cavities but they were either scared to go and see a dentist or they did not know if anything could be done about it. That worries me because the implications can be very troubling.

On his part, Head of Sales and Marketing at Lexta Ghana Limited, Seth Ntiamoah-Asare, said that more schools will be roped in to spread the impact of the campaign far and wide.

Lexta 'Teen Care Campaign,' the company's flagship Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), is being organized in partnership with the Medical Women Association of Ghana (MWAG), led by President Dr Naa Sodzi-Tettey and Dr Sandra Crabbe, who are championing cervical cancer education and screening across the country.

The Lexta Teen Care Campaign's next stop is the Central Region, which begins in the second quarter of this year.

A business desk report






Damasak (Nigeria) (AFP) - Yagana Bukar's younger brothers Mohammed and Sadiq were among about 300 children kidnapped by Boko Haram from the town of Damasak in remote northeastern Nigeria nearly three years ago.

But unlike the global outrage and social media campaign that followed the abduction of 219 schoolgirls from Chibok, there were no protests for the children of Damasak.

Most of those rounded up in Damasak on November 24, 2014 were boys aged about 10. They were taken deep into the bush. Most have not been seen since.

The mass kidnapping was denied by the government at the time and even by locals, who said they feared incurring the wrath of politicians already grappling with the fall-out from Chibok.

Damasak is now one of the many neglected tragedies of the bloody eight-year insurgency that has killed at least 20,000 people, left millions homeless and caused a severe food shortage.

"When Boko Haram arrived they gathered all of the kids, they took them to one compound," said 20-year-old Bukar, wearing a blue gingham print hijab.

A member of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) screens women at the entrance of the town of Damasak in northeast Nigeria as thousands of people freed from Boko Haram insurgents return to their homes

"Boko Haram was ruling the town then, they didn't burn yet, they didn't kill," she told AFP, sitting on a green plastic prayer mat outside the mud house from where her brothers were snatched.

After a week under Boko Haram occupation, her family decided to follow many of those in the town who had fled into neighbouring Niger. She hasn't seen her two brothers since.

"I hope they come back safe," she said. Lost in a memory, her voice suddenly trailed off and she started to cry. "I miss them seriously. They are always with me."

Return to normal

A Nigerian soldier with a grenade launcher stands guard near the Yobe river between Nigeria and Niger, close to the town of Damasak where Boko Haram fighters abducted some 300 children in 2014. They remain missing today in one of the many neg;lected tragedies of the 8-year insurgency

Nigerian forces say they have no new information on the location of the kidnapped children of Damasak.

"If we have any information regarding that, we will work towards it," said Major Muhammed Kaigama, of 145 Battalion Nigerian Army stationed in the town.

Despite its unhappy past, Damasak, which was recaptured by Nigerian troops and regional allies in July last year, is being seen as a beacon of hope for the conflict-scarred northeast.

The road to the Borno state capital, Maiduguri, nearly 200 kilometres (125 miles) away was reopened in December last year after years of fierce battles with the jihadists.

One of the first aid helicopters arrived a month later.

Now the government is leading a reconstruction effort and aid agencies are distributing food and ramping up health services, including vaccinations against polio.

Signs of the conflict are everywhere: Boko Haram's black insignia is still visible, daubed on the walls of destroyed buildings lining the main street.

Yet, in many ways, life is returning to normal. A market has reopened where traders sell onions, pepper and baobab leaves for soup.

Children play with tyres in the streets. The first school is set to reopen next month.

The Yobe river that separates Nigeria from Niger, where thousands fled to safety from attacks by Boko Haram insurgents

In a house opposite the market, the family of Modu Mandama, a 50-year-old tailor who recently returned from Niger, celebrates the marriage of their daughter.

Factional fighting

Nigerian forces say the rift in Boko Haram between its long-time leader Abubakar Shekau and the Islamic State group-backed Abu Musab al-Barnawi could be why Damasak is enjoying peace.

"Predominantly it's the Al-Barnawi faction that is here," said Major Kaigama about Boko Haram's presence in the border region.

"Going by their ideology they believe in attacking the military but they have never been here," he added.

A Nigerian soldier patrols on the outskirts of Damasak in northeastern Nigeria as peace returns after years of trouble from Boko Haram insurgents

The heavy military presence and frequent patrols in a 30-kilometre radius around Damasak was a deterrent to attacks, he maintained.

Members of the civilian militia force helping with security share the same view.

"Those for Shekau, they kill and collect properties but for Barnawi they only kill soldiers," said Gudusu Kyari, 39, wearing a knife on his belt and carrying a metal whip in his right hand.

Whatever the reason for the peace, the people of Damasak say they are thankful they can now return to their homes -- or at least try to rebuild what's left of them.

Goni Modu Aji, a 50-year-old farmer, is back in the fields after spending two years in Niger.

His friend's adopted son, Baba Kaka, was seized when Boko Haram claimed the town in 2014 but managed to escape.

Now 14, the boy is one of the few children of Damasak to return home. Aji believes the focus on Chibok has been unfair.

"They only talked about Chibok," he said, looking across the river which separates Nigeria from Niger. "They didn't talk about other places."
The recent disruption of proceedings in a Kumasi High Court by some members of the Delta Force has been condemned by many Ghanaians and rightly so. The action taking place within the reign of an NPP Government is very embarrassing simply because the NPP and the President believe in the rule of law. For the NPP to disown the Force because it has misbehaved amounts to throwing the bath water away with the baby orto discontinue the use of cars and vehicles because they cause accidents and death''.The action of the Delta Force was unacceptable because the foundation of any democracy is the rule of law and the rule of law is exercised through the Courts and therefore an assault on the Court is an assault on the rule of law. However, the Delta Force being a human institution can be prevented from committing such blunders in future through a lot of corrective measures.Those calling for their disbandment are very naive and ignorant about the role these condemned elements played in achieving the freedom we now enjoy.

The NDC during its reign planned to entrench themselves in power through intimidation, bullying and terrorising Ghanaians of other political divide and all that the Police could do was to watch the events unfolding and in some cases refused to acknowledge that some events had taken place. The stoning of the President's residence just opposite the NIMA Police Station readily comes to mind. The claims by Hon. Collins Dauda's brother that he has killed so many people and threatened to kill more did not attract the Police action until the NDC was removed from office. In Talensi, when members of the NPP were brutalised in the presence of the Police, the Minister of Interior's justification of the incident was simplyviolence begat violence.In ATIWA, Miss Anita Desouza ran her Landcruiser through a crowd of NPP supporters inflicting serious injuries on many innocent citizens and roamed and still roams a free person without any prosecution. The Volta Region has always been a Republicon its own during elections and all kinds of unwarranted intimidation, harassment takes place against the NPP during elections in the full view of the Police but as usual no arrests are made. The current disturbance at Agbogbloshie is the continuation of unresolved problems that led to the slaughtering of some NPP members when the NDC took over power in 2008.

The list is inexhaustible and I don't have enough space to recount them all but I can conclude that the lawlessness which was allowed to permeate all political activities in the country demanded an appropriate response. Members of the NPP were demoralised and apathy had reared its ugly head in the Party. Our President at the time sought to encourage members of the Party to remain strong and steadfast and refuse to be intimidated and in the process remarked in pidgin language all die be die. The NDC and its communicators pounced on this statement and painted NPP and the President as being violent. Many Ghanaians including the Clergy and members of the Council of State condemned the President and demanded an apology from him. Ghanaians knew that these terror acts were being orchestrated to win political power at all cost and to maintain NDC dominance in all internal political activities but as usual many couldn't be bothered.

The sad thing about these happenings was that apart from inaction of the Security Services, they in some cases condoned and did not hide their open support for the NDC which also encouraged them to abuse their official positions with impunity. The leadership of the Military, Police and National Security was badly compromised to the extent that the leaders on serious security issues threatened the NPP rather than the suspected trouble makers. In fact, no political party felt safe with our security institutions except the NDC. The former CDS's statement and threat to deal ruthlessly with anyone who fomented trouble during the 2016 elections, was all meant for the NPP. I was among a high power delegation of the NPP that met the former IGP where the major concerns of the party were put to him and some of his senior officers but the unfolding events prior to the 2016 elections suggested that NPP could not rely on the state security institutions for its safety. The conduct of the Electoral Commission ably supported by its Public Relations Office (NDC), made the situation completely hopeless. It was the opinion of many Ghanaians that if the NPP lose the elections there was no way any political party could remove the NDC from power and the rot and destruction that had been nursed would continue unabated. In 2008 and 2012, Ghanaians voted for the NPP but the ballot was stolen and therefore to win 2016 elections, security was of paramount importance and the NPP had no choice but to set up its own security structures to meet the anticipated challenges.

So the emergence of the so called vigilante groups in the Ghanaian politics did not come as a matter of mischief but a necessity and act of self- defence and until the Security Services especially the Police demonstrate fairness in the conduct of its operations these forces will remain for a long time. The Force was needed to combat the threat and evil that had been created, defend the interest of the NPP, protect the ballot and votes of the electorate, restore confidence to the numerous supporters of the NPP who had been terrorised by NDC hoodlums and finally to restore democracy. The membership was voluntary and opened to all Ghanaians who love democracy, the rule of law, and more interestingly, the removal of the corrupt regime. So strong was the motivation that in all regions, the NPP did not find it difficult organising a force in each region to provide security for its activities. In Ashanti, emerged the Delta Forces, Brong Ahafo- Terminator, Central  Crocodile and 007, Eastern  Akanfo  Kwaebibirem, Greater Accra  Invincible, Northern  Kandaha, Upper East  Cyborg, Upper West  Terminator 2, Volta  Babies and Western  Mission Impossible. These are no secret organisations, no organograms exist and individual groups created their own names and identity.They are not armed, amorphous and the numbers fluctuate depending on the enthusiasm created within the region, the number of volunteers that make themselves available and the threat posed by the NDC.

Like all security organisations, whether formal or informal, discipline, determination and commitment are the benchmarks of their existence and conduct of operations. This article explains the circumstances and the formation of the groups but it must be EMPHASISED that the creation had no evil intentions and solely created to defend the interest of NPP and supporters since state security had been ineffective.The personnel have not undergone any formal training, but psyched themselves to deal with threats to the NPP and greatly helped in changing the course of Ghana's history. Even those with formal training in the Military and the Police are occasionally caught involved in some dastardly acts and I hope Ghanaians will forgive them notwithstanding the gravity of their conduct.

The NDC's major press conferences on the Delta Force are very myopic and clearly demonstrate that the Party is hallucinating and suffering from their electoral defeat in the 2016 elections. The Party should allow Prof. Kwesi Botchway and team to complete its work and establish why NDC was demolished in 2016 before it can dream of coming to power in 2020. My unsolicited advice is that finding the causes of NDC's defeat in 2016 alone will not be enough but also how they won 2008 and 2012 elections. If this is done, the great Professor will realise that NDC does not win elections but rigged them through gargantuan fraud which includes organising foreign nationals especially Togolese, Ivorians, and Burkinabes to vote for them. They also colluded with some members in the Electoral Commission to massage figures for undeserving candidates to win. Their claim of popularity at the grassroots levels is false and their rigging mentality should give way to some fair competition in our elections. NDC lost 2016 elections because they could not rig due to NPP's tight security and collation mechanisms.

Members of the force are true members of the NPP who volunteered to resist the intimidation and harassment of NDC's AZORKA boys and others and therefore disbanding them alone is out of the question. Truly they have justified their existence by protecting the ballot in all the regions and thus making it possible for the NPP to come to power. In Akan, it is said that when your child defecates on your lap, you do not chop it off but clean it. Whatever frustrations that triggered the misconduct would surely be addressed by the Party.

The world suffers a lot not because of the VIOLENCE of bad people but because of the SILENCE of good people (Napoleon).

By Brig-Gen (Rtd) J. Odei
Freddie Blay, Osei Assibey and Rashid Bawa in a group photograph with some of the inhabitants of Dagomba Line in Kumasi

Residents of Dagomba Line, a densely populated area in Kumasi inhabited by migrant youth from the three Northern regions of the country, hosted some august visitors on Friday.

The dignitaries were Freddie Blay, acting National Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Osei Assibey Antwi, Chief Executive of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) and Rashid Bawa, Ghana's High Commissioner to Nigeria, among others.

The timely visit, according to the Kumasi Mayor, was in furtherance of the Zongo Development Fund of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), which is geared towards massively developing deplorable Zongo communities.

The Mayor and his entourage toured the Dagomba Line to ascertain the living conditions of the people.

They also saw stagnant waters, garbage, which had been dumped into open drains and poorly constructed wooden structures which serve as homes for the people.

It would be extremely difficult for anyone to escape in the event of fire outbreak due to congestion at the place which has not been poorly connected to the national grid.

Addressing the people, Mr Osei Assibey expressed grave concern about the poor conditions in the area, pointing out that residents certainly would suffer serious health problems.

He said President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo introduced the Zongo Development Fund to improve Zongo communities across the country.

Hon. Osei Assibey urged the people to remain calm and law-abiding, adding that very soon the Zongo Development Fund would be rolled out to improve the lives of the people.

From I.F. Joe Awuah Jnr., Kumasi




AngloGold Ashanti (Iduapriem) Limited, a mining firm based in Tarkwa in the Western Region, has organized its annual career fair in partnership with the University of Mines and Technology UMaT), also in Tarkwa.

The fair, which was themed, 'Think smart and be innovative,' formed part of the mining company's 2016 strategic objectives.

The fair provided the platform for students of UMaT to display their projects which had made positive impact in their communities.

It also gave the opportunity to the students to exhibit their entrepreneurial skills.

The move was in line with the company's aims of ensuring that communities in which it operates benefit from its presence.

Stephen Asante Yamoah, Mining Manager of AngloGold Ashanti (Iduapriem) Limited, explained that the company collaborated with UMaT because it produces the needed human resources for the mining sector.

He noted that the company was committed to sustainable development in its host communities, particularly Tarkwa.

The company therefore placed emphasis on interventions that empower young people, especially in their education.

Human development and capacity building is what drives our core value that people are the business and the business are the people, the mining manager stressed.

He noted that the company caters well for the young employees and builds their capacities to be able to survive the challenges and current trend of doing business in the gold industry.

He added that the company has programmes for the development of human resources and institutions like UmaT.

Mr. Yamoah indicated that Iduapriem Mine has survived over the years despite many challenges facing the company.

The mining company has over the years tried to eliminate waste, especially related to cost, to enable it stay in business, he disclosed.

From Emmanuel Opoku, Tarkwa


Foreign minister Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey wants the law on diplomatic passports amended following a visa fraud scandal involving MPs.

She suggested an amendment could minimise abuse of the government travel facility to persons so prescribed by law.

The recommendation comes after three sitting MPs a former MP were cited by the UK High Commission for visa fraud.

In a petition to the Speaker of Parliament, the UK High Commissioner has recounted stories of an aleged visa fraud.

'The wife' of MP for Bia East Richard Acheampong has not returned to Ghana after he used his diplomatic passport to help Esther Tiwaa spend a stipulated 14 days in the UK on Christmas eve 2015.

MP for Ntotroso. Joseph Benhazin Dahah's UK visa was cancelled and a 10-year UK visa ban has been imposed on him after the identities of his wife and daughter were changed in their travel application.

MP for Ahafo Ano South West, Johnson Kwaku ADU used a Diplomatic passport to aid the travel of his wife and daughter for a 10-day stay in the UK. The two have not returned since July 2016, leading to a ban on his travel to the UK.

Explaining circumstances surrounding the issuing of diplomatic passports, the Foreign Minister referred to Section 6 of the Passport and Travel Certificate Act 1967 which sets out persons who may qualify for the travel document.

The section provides:

"(1) The Member responsible may issue a diplomatic passport to

"(a) any member of the Government of Ghana proceeding abroad on official Government business and the wife of such member who accompanies him on his journey;

"(b) any diplomatic representative of Ghana accredited to any other country or to any official international organization as head of mission, and any member of the diplomatic staff of such representative;

"(c) any consular officer of Ghana;

"(d) the wife and every member of the immediate family residing with him of any person referred to at

"(b) or (c) to whom a diplomatic passport is issued; and

"(e) the head of any delegation of Ghana attending an international conference or convention at which countries are officially represented.

"(f) any prominent citizen or high public official of Ghana, proceeding abroad who, in the opinion of Government, requires such passport for the purpose for which he is travelling abroad.

The element of discretion in the law creates room for abuse, she observed.

Although the MPs were granted diplomatic passports, the travel document was not used for any official purpose.

The minister said there is a need to 'clean up the system' lamenting that years of abuse has affected the respect accorded Diplomatic Passport holders.

She could not provide immediately the number of persons holding diplomatic passports. The minister said since a change in government, several former government officials have 'by and large' returned their passports.

She said the Ministry would soon send a list of diplomatic passport holders to immigration points at the airport. Anyone who is not on the list will not be accorded easy travel, she said.

She said she uses her diplomatic passport only for official state assignments.

Story by Ghana|myjoyonline.com|Edwin Appiah|[email protected]
Libreville (AFP) - US special forces on Wednesday began to pull out from Central Africa, ending a five-year hunt for brutal LRA warlord Joseph Kony, who is wanted for crimes against humanity.

The departure of the troops sent in to support an African Union regional force "will be completed a short while after it begins on April 26", Charles Prichard, spokesman for the US Africa Command (AFRICOM), told AFP.

"A small contingent of US military personnel will continue to work in the area to complete logistical tasks... such as removing equipment. Those tasks will be completed by September 2017," he added.

In late 2011, Washington deployed about 100 special forces to the Central African Republic to back up Ugandan soldiers tracking Kony, and 150 special forces airmen were added three years later.

One of Africa's longest-surviving rebel groups, the Lord's Resistance Army has terrorised parts of central Africa for 30 years.

Since being set up by Kony in 1987, it is accused of slaughtering more than 100,000 people and abducting 60,000 children who were forced to become sex slaves and soldiers.

After counting several thousand fighters a few years ago, it now has fewer than 100 dispersed across parts of the CAR, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sudan and South Sudan.

Last month AFRICOM said it would wrap up the operation, which has cost $600 million to $800 million, even though Kony remains at large.

LRA 'in survival mode'

U.S. Marine Corps General Thomas Waldhauser announced American troops would be pulled out from C. Africa after a more than five-year hunt for LRA warlord Joseph Kony

"The time has come to move forward because the organisation itself is really in a survival mode," said General Thomas Waldhauser, head of AFRICOM.

Ugandan troops began to withdraw on April 19, saying that the mission to neutralise the LRA had been "successfully achieved" and that Kony "no longer poses any significant threat".

A self-styled prophet, Kony launched his bloody rebellion in a bid to overthrow the Ugandan government and impose a regime based on his own version of the Ten Commandments.

He is wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague for war crimes and crimes against humanity, where one of his commanders, Dominic Ongwen, is currently on trial.

Analysts as well as residents of eastern CAR fear that the departure of US and Ugandan forces will leave a security vacuum, enabling the LRA to resurface.

Although there are UN peacekeeping forces from its MINUSCA mission in Central Africa, very few of them are present in the east of the country.

"This withdrawal will lead to a renewal of LRA attacks in the southeast," warned Thierry Vircoulon, a specialist on central Africa at the French institute for international relations IFRI.

But US spokesman Prichard said "AFRICOM remains committed to our partners in the region and will continue to work with them to find solutions to security challenges in the region."
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has named 212 persons to fill the Chief Executive position of the various Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDCEs) across the country.

This comes months after the President appointed the Chief Executives for the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA), Tamale Metropolitan Assembly (TMA), Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) and Sekondi/Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly.

The four Mayors of the largest cities in the country were approved unanimously by their Assembly Members.

Local Government Minister, Hajia Alima Mahama who made the disclosure appealed to supporters of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) to back the nominees.

Below is the list of nominees:



Story by Ghana | Myjoyonline.com
The West African Health Organization (WAHO) with support from the USAID is seeking potential public private partnership and investment in the health sector in West Africa.

With representatives from the ECOWAS region, the forum will also open deliberation on the development of a Strategic Framework for Public-private Partnership in Health within the ECOWAS region.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the five day forum in Accra, the Deputy Minister for Health, Tina Mensah said financing healthcare in Ghana is organized by public, private-self-financing, private-not-for-profit, and traditional systems.

She noted that private sector expertise and financing has become one of the new and innovative approaches in providing and financing public infrastructure and services giving the prevailing fiscal constraints.

Hon. Tina Mensah added that there have been significant milestones with regard to PPP arrangements and these include construction of health facilities, outsourcing non-clinical services including catering and cleaning services, arrangement with private laboratories, intramural practice, the provision of capital intensive equipment among others.

According to her, in developing a framework for the Public-Private Partnership in health within the ECOWAS region, let us take into consideration existing laws and regulations and ensure that these do not unnecessarily impede the harnessing of the full potential of the private sector in health care provision whilst at the same time ensuring the highest standards that will be at par with international standards.

The Director General of West African Health Organization (WAHO), Dr. Xavier Crespin said this project will focus on actively seeking potential private sector partners and prioritizing private sector investment to meet their common strategic objective of preparing for and responding to public health emergencies, current and emerging disease threats in West Africa.

He noted that this effort is important given the regions experiences during the recent Ebola outbreak which put the spotlight on the state of national health systems in the region.

Dr. Xavier added that the international community, both public and private sectors realized that greater investments are needed to strengthen health systems and to ensure the sustainability of health status gains in the region.

The WAHO Director General indicated that the objective of the Public-Private Partnership forum is to build a path for a sustainable and continuous collaboration between public and private sectors by encouraging private investments directly aligned with USAID/West Africas goal to promote sustainability and regional leadership in the health sector.

He emphasized that public-private partnerships in health can improve the quality of health service delivery and help countries achieve their Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in 2030.

Dr. Xavier intimated that the forum will establish a broad network of private sector partners with shared interests who will commit resources towards improving the health status of the people of West Africa.

According to him, WAHO has the political mandate and is well placed to take Public-Private Partnerships for health in the region to the next level as well as provide ECOWAS members states with guidance and support to create and sustain their own partnerships.

This forum provides a high level platform for members of both sectors to communicate, share views and form lasting partnerships for sustainable win-win results.

The Director of the Regional Health Office of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Rachel Cintron said the forum will take place in a form of plenary sessions with presentations from the public and private sectors as well as country sessions with stakeholders from the private sector on issues of interest to each country.

She stressed that each country delegation will share the experience of the country in the public-private partnership in health in a PowerPoint presentation.
ABIDJAN, April 25 (Reuters) - Ghana's Cocobod needs around $400 million in bridge financing from the central bank to cover its operations for the remainder of the cocoa season after its annual syndicated loan ran out early, the industry regulator's chief executive said on Tuesday.

Each September, Cocobod secures an international syndicated loan to finance licensed buyers who purchase cocoa from smallholders for export. It raised $1.8 billion for the 2016/17 season, but Cocobod's new chairman Hackman Owusu-Agyemang said in March the loan had been used up.

"We are looking for about $400 million now to finish with our operations. We're going to the central bank, the Bank of Ghana, to take out some cocoa bills," Cocobod CEO Joseph Boahen Aidoo told Reuters in an interview in Abidjan, Ivory Coast.

"This is a bridge financing arrangement. We should be able to pay it back before the next crop season."

The funding shortfall has added pressure on the government of Ghana, the world's number two cocoa producer, which is seeking to stabilise its finances under a three-year $918 million International Monetary Fund programme.

Aidoo said much of the missing loan money had gone to road construction contracts ahead of presidential elections last year which saw incumbent President John Dramani Mahama defeated by challenger Nana Akufo-Addo.

"A lot of money was committed to cocoa roads at the expense of other operations, and that is what has brought about the difficulty we are having now," he told Reuters.

"This was because it was the time of elections, and normally the president goes around promising roads."

Aidoo, who was appointed by President Akufo-Addo, said the previous Cocobod leadership had awarded more road contracts than the regulator could pay for and many remained unfinished.

Authorities in Ghana have launched an investigation into how the loan money was used, and Aidoo declined to say if he believed there had been any wrongdoing.

MORE COORDINATION

World cocoa prices have plunged by about a third since last year, with New York futures touching their lowest level in nearly a decade last week and the London market hitting a four-year low.

The price slump has already squeezed the government coffers of the world's biggest growers in West Africa, with Ghana alone missing out on around $1 billion in export revenues.

Representatives of cocoa producing nations meeting in Abidjan for an emergency meeting of the International Cocoa Organization have pledged to coordinate their production strategies to better control supply.

Aidoo said Ghana was already in direct talks with neighbouring Ivory Coast, the world's top producer, to increase collaboration.

"We are trying to harmonise how we do our systems for trading so we can use that to monitor the market and coordinate the sale of cocoa," he said.

The two nations together produce around 60 percent of the world's cocoa.

"There's no need for Ghana and Ivory Coast to have different systems. They need to use same system. Even pricing, we don't use the same pricing." (Reporting by Joe Bavier, editing by Louise Heavens and Susan Thomas)
Takoradi, April 26, GNA - Mr Fredrick Alipul, Chairman of the Accra Chamber of Commerce and Industry, has encouraged Ghanaian businesses to strategize and take advantage of opportunities available to promote domestic trade.

He said the promotion of domestic trade could lead to intra-Africa trade, which would boost businesses as well as sustain the economy.

Mr Alipul was speaking at the 2nd Edition of 'Business-Business' (B2B) networking meeting, organized by the Accra Chamber of Commerce and Industry for Western/Central Regional Chambers at Takoradi.

The meeting was on the theme, 'Promoting Ghana's Domestic Trade and Industry for the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Market'.

Business-Business networking is to among others provide opportunities for idea sharing, establish relationship towards partnership and joint ventures, networking among representatives of participating member firms, discuss business deals as well as to engage in domestic mutual trade.

Mr Alipul pointed out that most of the products that were consumed in the country were imported noting, that Ghanaian markets were being flooded with foreign products.

'We really need to strategize, there are a lot of potentials in the country, let us position ourselves to take advantage of the opportunities and challenges ahead,' he added.

Nana Dr. Appaigyei Dankawoso I, President of the Ghana National Chamber of Commerce and Industry in a speech read for him, pointed out that research has indicated the need for countries to participate in trade activities where they had absolute advantage.

He said promoting domestic industry and investment has been championed as an alternative source of growth for developing countries following the global economic crisis of 2008 where worldwide trade and demand rapidly decelerated.

'It thus points to the fact that developing nations should concentrate on growing domestic demand as well as promoting sustainable export-based economy,' he said.

He said Ghana had signed several trade agreements such as ECOWAS Trade Liberalization Scheme, Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) and the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA), noting that these agreements were geared towards promoting trade activities and meeting standard products requirements.

'It is therefore imperative for us to build our capacities and leverage on these trade initiatives towards establishing and increasing market shares both locally and internationally,' he added.

Nana Dankawoso said the idea of encouraging domestic trade among chamber members should be given the relevant economic, financial and trade related support.

'It is in this regard that the Ghana National Chamber of Commerce is engaged in strengthening the capacities of the Ghanaian private sector to be in a better position to produce and trade'.

Mrs Gifty Eugenia Kusi, Deputy Western Regional Minister, said for the country to develop, it was important for the private sector to be adequately resourced.

She lauded the Chamber for the business to business meeting and expressed the hope that this would go a long way to support trade within the country and beyond.

Mr. Stephan Miezan, Chairman of the Ghana National Chamber of Commerce, Sekondi-Takoradi branch, said the Chamber, was ever ready to promote domestic trade and investment in the country.

He said there was the need for the government to create the enabling environment for businesses to thrive and move the economy forward.

'As players in the industry, we need to network and be able to compete favourably and effectively on the ECOWAS and international markets'.

GNA

By Mildred Siabi-Mensah GNA
Bolgatanga, April 26, GNA - Ghana's labour Laws on maternity leave has been identified as a major hindrance to exclusive breast feeding in the West African state whose annual population growth is fast increasing.

In addition to this amendable law being a hiccup to the practice, another ignorantly diving impediment is the attitudes of some mothers who consider exclusive breastfeeding as threat to the very survival of babies.

Mrs Mary Azika, a Senior Midwife at the Bolgatanga Municipal Health Centre, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, explained that under normal circumstances a mother was expected to exclusively breastfeed her baby for six months, but she was given only three months maternity leave.

Section 57 (1 & 3-5) of the Labour Act 2003 (Act 651), guarantees only 12 weeks, approximately three months of maternity leave to breastfeeding mothers. A breastfeeding mother may be lucky to receive additional 14 days provided that such a mother underwent caesarean delivery during childbirth. This is contrary to the effective health promotion messages that advocate six months exclusive breastfeeding.

Mrs Azika further explained that the three months duration often affected nursing mothers to practice exclusive breastfeeding and condemned the practice where employers disallow breastfeeding mothers to carry their babies to the work place after the three months maternity leave expires.

This, she noted, often compelled most mothers to either break the protocol of exclusive breastfeeding for the six months period and resort to other feeding formulas or even express their breast milk for caretakers to feed their babies when they leave for work.

She indicated that the expressed milk from the mother meant to feed the baby could be contaminated and so should be avoided.

She mentioned instances where some mothers-in-law have disallowed mothers to exclusively breastfeed their babies as another major challenge confronting the practice of exclusive breastfeeding of babies.

Explaining some of the benefits derived from exclusive breastfeeding, Madam Azika, mentioned that the practice boosted the child's immune system for a very long time which prevents the baby from contracting infectious diseases.

Besides she explained that it enhanced the intelligent quotient (IQ) of the child, and was cheaper and the best natural milk which rarely contaminated like other food formulas.

'Breast milk promotes sensory and cognitive development, and protects the infant against infectious and chronic diseases. Exclusive breastfeeding reduces infant mortality due to common childhood illnesses such as diarrhoea or pneumonia, and quickens recovery during illness' she stressed.

She added that apart from exclusive breastfeeding contributing to the proper growth and wellbeing of the child it also contributed to the health and well-being of mothers, because it helped to space children, and reduced the risk of ovarian and breast cancers.

The Senior Midwife explained that Breast milk was the natural first food for babies and indicated that it provided all the energy and nutrients that the infant needed for the first month of life and continues to provide up to half or more of a child's nutritional needs during the second half of the first year, and up to one-third during the second year of life.

She explained further that exclusive breastfeeding for six months is the optimal way of feeding infants and noted that thereafter infants should receive complementary foods with continued breastfeeding for two years or beyond.

Whilst calling on the Government to review the maternity leave from the current three months upwards to six months, Madam Azika said men as heads of family who lead in the decision making process have a very vital role in promoting exclusive breastfeeding.

She indicated that they could do this by insisting that their wives exclusively breastfed their newborn babies instead of being forced by their mothers-in-law not to practice exclusive breastfeeding.

She called on Non-Governmental Organizations, traditional and religious leaders and the media to join forces with the Ghana Health Service to promote exclusive breastfeeding particularly at rural communities where most mothers are disallowed from practicing the concept

She disabused the minds of some mothers-in-law who would always insist that babies could not live without water and indicated that breast milk contained more water and good food nutrients that could keep babies healthy.

GNA

By Samuel Akapule, GNA
Kinshasa (AFP) - Twenty people died in ethnic clashes last week in the troubled central Kasai region of Democratic Republic of Congo, the United Nations said Wednesday.

The UN's DR Congo mission, MONUSCO, said in a statement that the clashes took place on April 19 east of the Kasai capital, Tshikapa, between members of the Lulua-Luba and Chowe-Pende communities, killing 20 Chowe-Pende people.

The Chowe-Pende consider themselves indigenous to the Kasai region and accuse the Lulua-Luba from the neighbouring Kasai region of supporting the Kamwina Nsapu militia.

The latter claim their authority from chief Kamwina Nsapu who was killed in the region in August 2016 by police after a rebellion against the Congolese authorities.

Kasai has since been shaken by violence between security forces and militias in which around 100 people died, including two UN experts -- American Michael Sharp and dual Swedish-Chilean national Zaida Catalan.

The Kamwina Nsapu rebellion has been accused by the UN of numerous atrocities and recruiting children.

The security forces, meanwhile, are blamed by the UN for making disproportionate use of force against militia armed mainly with sticks and stones.
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo says threats to vote him out in the 2020 election will not stop his governments anti-galamsey fight.

He said he will carry through his governments plan to save the countrys environment and water bodies that are being destroyed by illegal miners.

Speaking at the commissioning of an ICT Center at Suabe in the Eastern Regional town of Akyem Wenchi Wednesday, the President said he will not allow some citizens to endanger the lives of the entire population with their unlawful activities.

Mining along the water bodies cannot continue if we want to preserve nature and our water. It cannot continue, he said.

President Akufo-Addos comments come days after some illegal miners in Akwatia in the Eastern Region threatened to vote against him if he does not halt his anti-galamsey fight.

Related Article: Akufo-Addo will be out in 2020 if he stops galamsey - Akwatia illegal miners

The galamsey operators told Joy News governments clampdown on their activities will make them poor.

The miners said they depend on the mining to provide for their families.

A furious miner questioned the rationale behind the anti-galamsey fight especially when the President has promised to create jobs for the teeming unemployed youth.

Does the Lands Minister [John Peter Amewu] want us to sit home? He said, adding he has been without a job for more than eight years.

Now that our government is in power we want to make money but they want to stop us, he said.

The Small Scale Miners Association in Kumasi also said it intends to petition the Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II to talk to government to reconsider the galamsey crackdown.

Related Article: Galamseyers in Kumasi to petition Otumfuo over govt crackdown

At a meeting in Kumasi Tuesday the Association said the government is unfairly magnifying the effects of the activities of its members as though it is the biggest threat in the country.

It appealed to the government to help its members find an environmentally friendly ways to conduct their activities rather than stopping them.

But President Akufo-Addo has said his government is not against mining but those who are doing it unlawfully.

Illegal mining is what I am against, he stated, adding the Brim and Densu Rivers in the Region have been polluted by the illegal miners.

He said his government will not shy away from implementing policies that will foster the progress of the country.

Our ancestors left this land for us and if we are not able to develop it we should not destroy it, he said in Twi.

Listen to the full Audio below:



Story by Ghana | Myjoyonline.com
Irate youth in Savelugu-Nanton municipality of the Northern region are on rampage following the appointment of Hajia Ayishetu Seidu as the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE).

The youth burnt NPP bill boards to demonstrate their dissatisfaction with the choice of the president as his executive presence in the area.

The chaos is part of mixed reactions towards the release of 212 names for Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives.

'It is obvious that only one person can occupy that position' Local Government minister Hajia Alima told a press conference during the announcement of the nominations.

These are people with expertise,experience and temperament for the position" she said.

But ritualistic internal party opposition has been sparked once again with the news.

It had to take the intervention of the police to quell the disturbances in Savelugu-Nanton where the youth, some clad in the NPP T-shirts, protested.

But the youth have served notice, they will make the area ungovernable for President Akufo-Addo's representative if he does not immediately revoke the nomination of Hajia Ayishetu Seidu as MCE for the area.

In the Upper East region, NPP youth at Zebilla in the Bawku West district vandalized party and government properties last night.

It was in a preemptive attempt to prevail on the president not to consider Victoria Ayamba as the DCE. They preferred Patrick Ayaaba.

But the list released Wednesday has confirmed their worst fears. Victoria Ayamba is the president's choice. There is an uneasy calm in the area following the news.

Police are already investigating the disturbances which led to the destruction of properties at the offices of Non-Formal division, Youth Employment Agency, Social welfare, Community Development, Client office unit and others at the Bawku West district assembly.

The police say they have been given 10 names of NPP youth who are suspected to have been part of the disturbances.

Bawku West police commander, ASP Emmanuel Honi-Broni has told Joy News, although the names were given at a District Security Council meeting with party executives Wedsnesday morning, no arrests have been made.

Joy News' Upper East regional correspondent Albert Sore has also reported there's another looming protest at Sandema in the Builsa North district as angry NPP youth kick against the nomination of David Afoko the current party chairman as a DCE for the area.

The youth say the party chairman who is related to suspended NPP Chairman Paul Afoko worked against the party's chances during the 2016 elections.

The youth say David Afoko is just another version of his brother and point out that the part chair was publicly campaigning against for the party during the elections last December.

Expect more....

Story by Ghana|myjoyonline.com
26.04.2017 LISTEN

African interest groups in the climate change discourse have welcomed the progress made at the last United Nations climate negotiations in Marrakech, Morocco for developing the pathway for implementation of the Paris Agreement.

There is however a call on African non-state actors to enhance cooperation and partnerships with African governments and development partners to intensify national climate actions in the implementation of the Paris Agreement.

At COP22 in Marrakech, Morocco in 2016, countries of the world demonstrated commitment for shifting the focus from negotiation to implementation of the provisions of the Paris Agreement.

Due to this reality, COP22 focused on how to make Paris agreement work by setting up mechanisms and structures that would facilitate its implementation.

Dubbed COP of Action, the Marrakech Climate Change Conference affirmed the trajectory the global leaders seek to follow in the climate-constrained world when they launched the Marrakech partnership for global climate action, coming on the backdrop on rapid ratification which saw the Agreement coming into force earlier than anticipated.

The Pan African Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA) hosted a regional consultative forum on Post-Marrakech and the implementation of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change in Kampala, Uganda, from April 1922, 2017.

The consultation brought together participants from civil society, private sector, regional institutions such as United Nations Economic Commission for Africa and the Pan-African Parliament, youth and women representatives.

The participants underscored the remarkable effort of PACJA in the coordination of CSO climate change policy processes and interventions across Africa with focused reflection and coordinated review of the climate change conference  COP 22 Marrakech  outcome and Paris Agreement regime.

The forum upheld the continents conviction of moving from commitment to action with Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) demonstrated by ratifying the Paris Agreement and its subsequent entry into force.

Participants expressed deep concern about the continuous neglecting of adaptation needs of developing countries and inadequate levels of public climate finance, limited access to adaptation finance such demonstrated by the imbalance between financing of mitigation and adaptation within the Green Climate Fund.

Concerns were also raised about the interference by developed countries on the African-led process of operationalizing the Africa Renewable Energy Initiative.

The forum called upon the Pan-African Parliament to strengthen the work of the African Climate Change Legislative Initiative by supporting countries to develop and implement climate change legislations as part of action to enhance implementation of the Paris Agreement.

The meeting acknowledging the continued efforts to enhance the gender agenda within the climate change discourse and the championing of youth engagement.

Participants also acknowledged the continued partnership with the African Group of Negotiators, Africa Ministerial Committee on Environment (AMCEN), Committee of African Heads of State and Government on Climate Change (CAHOSCC) and United Nations Economic Commission for Africa.
Abuja (AFP) - Nigeria's president has missed the last two meetings of his cabinet, a senior minister said on Wednesday, in comments likely to fuel fresh speculation about the head of state's health.

Muhammadu Buhari, who spent two months on medical leave in London earlier this year, missed the meeting "because he asked that he be allowed to rest", said information minister Lai Mohammed.

Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, who stood in as acting president during 74-year-old Buhari's time in the British capital, chaired the meeting, Mohammed told reporters.

"He will be working from home. He has asked all his files to be taken to him in the house," he added.

The weekly cabinet meeting was last held before Easter on April 16 but again Buhari did not attend, although Mohammed stressed his absence was "nothing unusual".

Buhari's aides repeatedly insisted during his time in London that the president was "hale and hearty", countering rumours he was seriously ill and even dead.

But the former military ruler said on his return in early March he "couldn't recall being so sick" and referred to having to have "blood transfusions" and tests, without specifying his condition.

He also disclosed he may need to return to London within weeks for follow-up treatment.

He has appeared frail during the rare public appearances he has made since then.

Rumours about his health have dogged Buhari even before he came to power in May 2015. He rejected claims during the election that he was critically ill from prostate cancer.

He first travelled to London in June last year for what aides said was a persistent inner ear infection, returning in January for check-ups, according to his office.

The health of Nigeria's president is a sensitive issue. President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua died in office in 2010 from a long-standing, but previously undisclosed, kidney complaint.

His illness and treatment in hospital abroad saw months of political uncertainty.
Information Minister Mustapha Hamid has said government will introduce elections at the local government level to cure the outbreak of violent resistance against nominations to such posts by the president.

"Within this four years of Akufo-Addo's governance, we are going to make the necessary constitutional changes to allow for the election of DCEs directly by the people themselves, " he said.

True t the script of politics in Ghana, irate party supporters have violently kicked against some of the president's 212 nominees to represent him at the local levels.

In the Savelugu-Nanton municipality of the Northern region, youth burnt NPP billboard and tyres protesting the nomination of Hajia Ayishetu Seidu as the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE).

In an area like Zebilla in the Bawku West district, party supporters vandalized party and government properties a day before the release of the nominations.

They had hoped the president will not pick Victoria Ayamba as DCE as it had been rumoured. Their hopes were dashed.

The number of hotspots for violence could grow in the coming days with uneasy calm reported in Sandema in the Builsa North district and Mpohoor in the Western region.

Information minister Mustapha Hamid told Joy News, the police need not be told what to do about the violence.

"The police know what their mandate is...they are already empowered to deal ruthlessly with people who destroy public properties in the name of expressing disagreement over the appointment of a DCE".

But taking a governance view on the matter, he reiterated the party's 2016 campaign promise to have DCEs elected.

The move will be an introduction of a fourth layer of democracy in Ghana's governance following the election of Assembly men and women, MPs and a President.

Taking this promise into account, Mustapha Hamid said "hopefully, this is the last time these things will happen in our body politic whether NPP is in power or NDC is in power"

"When the vote is counted that one will never generate an uproar just as MPs never generate disagreement ....because everybody understands the will of the majority prevails so it will be applied to the DCE concept," the Minister said.

Story by Ghana|myjoyonline.com|Edwin Appiah|[email protected]
Calm has returned to Zebilla, the capital of the Bawku West District in the Upper East Region, after some angry youth believed to be supporters and members of the ruling New Patriotic Party in that district, had gone on rampage over the selection of the District Chief Executive nominee.

They vandalized items at the District Assembly building, the New Patriotic Party office and the residence of the Member of Parliament, Hon. Frank Adongo Fuseini who also doubles as the Upper East Deputy Regional Minister.

Bawku West District Commander of the Ghana Police Service, ASP Emmanuel Honi-Broni told theDaily Guide that, calm has returned to Zebilla and the situation is very well under the control of the Police, but has not arrested anyone yet.

He said Police has started investigating what led to the riot and subsequent destruction of public and private properties.

We have started asking questions and I am sure the right thing will be done, after the investigations. He added.

Apart from destroying properties belonging to the District Assembly, NPP Constituency Office and the Member of Parliament, they also blocked the Zebilla portion of the road Bolgatanga and Bawku road with lorry tyres and set them ablaze.

Some other youth were seen motor bikes and riding recklessly as they chanted 2020 NO FUSEINI, 2020 NO FUSEINI. Hon. Frank Fuseini Adongo is the Member of Parliament for the Zebilla Constituency.

They angry Youth claimed a woman cannot control the District in a way that would make the NPP win the seat again in 2020, alleging that Madam Victoria Ayamba, has not been loyal to the NPP and therefore will be a mistake if the President selected her as DCE for Bawku West.

They also alleged that, Madam Victoria Ayamba was secretly supporting the National Democratic Congress in the area and even supported them with motor bikes for their campaign in 2016.

They mentioned one Business Man and Assembly Member for the Teshie Electoral Area, Hon. Patrick Ayaaba as their preferred choice.

They claim Hon. Ayaaba sponsored the Party immensely in the district, to the extent of buying many motorbikes for Party Executives, Supporters and Polling Station Coordinators for the Party to reach out to all corners of the constituency, which resulted in the defeat of the NDC's Member of Parliament Hon. Cletus Avoka.

An Office at the District Assembly after the riot

The Bawku West District Assembly building



The NPP Constituency Office after the destruction by the Party Youth

Ebo Bruce-Quansah, Bolgatanga


All is not well in the Builsa North District in the Upper East Region as some youth of the New Patriotic Party have been demonstrating over the nomination of David Afoko, for the position of District Chief Executive.

The NPP Youth of the district, led by the Constituency Youth Organiser of the New Patriotic Party, Achewa Johnson, are not happy with the nominee, because in their view, David Afoko though the Constituency Chairman, he did not commit himself fully to the 2016 Campaign.

According to the Youth, David Afoko's name was not part of the final two aspirants that were taken to Accra for the selection and wonder how and who, smuggled David Afoko's name into the list and why he was selected over the two persons, Charles Abachisa and Alhassan Gariba.

They caused damage to some properties belonging to the New Patriotic Party in the area and threatened to do more, if the President does not change the nominee for the Builsa North District.

Their demonstration follows that of the NPP Youth in Bawku West on Tuesday April 25, over the nomination of Madam Victoria Ayamga, who the youth there said did not commit herself to the campaign and was rather supporting the NDC secretly.

More Districts in the Upper East Region are likely to record cases of this nature in the coming days, especially if the Assemblies do not arrange for quick confirmation ceremonies.

-Ebo Bruce-Quansah, Bolgatanga
Accra, April 26, GNA - Mr George Dame, Deputy Attorney General, says educational and research institutions in Ghana have failed to take advantage of copyright laws to patent their intellectual properties.

He said despite the creativity and innovative activities that emanated from tertiary and research institutions, none of them had taken advantage of the systems in place through the Ghana Intellectual Property Office, to register a patent for any invention.

He made the statement when he gave the keynote address at a ceremony to mark World Intellectual Property (IP) Day, organised by the Registrar-General's Department, in Collaboration with the Copyright Office in Accra on Wednesday, on the theme: 'Innovation- Improving lives'.

Mr Dame, who represented the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Madam Gloria Akuffo, said government, in order to remedy this, was in the process of facilitating the establishment of World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) Technology Innovation Support Centres (TISC) at tertiary and research institutions, to assist them in accessing information and patent databases to improve the quality of research for future protection exploitation.

He also noted that registration of industrial property rights by locals was also quite discouraging, considering the benefits that holders of such right stood to gain.

' a study has been carried out in 29 institutions to assess their readiness for the deployment of the TISCs,' he stated and challenged Ghanaian institutions to create more visibility for their innovations through protection and exploitation.

'Research work gathering dust on shelves should be a thing of the past; let your innovations improve lives,' he said.

Mr Dame also urged the business community also take advantage of the IP system and also foster more linkages between the industry, academia and research institutions.

In a statement read on his behalf by Mrs Grace Issahaque, Mr Francis Gurry, Director General of the WIPO said the celebration of this year's IP Day was an opportunity to think about how innovation were invented and the challenges associated with such innovation.

He said innovation lay at the heart of social and economic wellbeing of every country. 'Innovation and the technological advancement it represents make a significant contribution to economic growth and creates opportunities for new and better jobs,' he stated, adding the IP was a crucial part of the innovation system, providing a return for those who take the risks to introduce new products and services.

Professor George Obeng Adjei, Office of Research, Innovation and Development (ORID) at the University of Ghana, who launched the 'Ghana Tomorrow' technology competition, as part of the activities to mark the day, said it was aimed at tapping into the creativity and innovation of its students and young people to come up with technologies that address problems of industry.

'In the process, we expect to transfer these technologies at affordable cost while also aiming to use the opportunity to create jobs for our students and encourage some of our students to spin off their inventions to create jobs,' he stated, adding that the University expected to develop patents from this to boost its ranking in the international community.

He lauded the theme for the celebration, which focuses on key sectors including education, health, communication and agriculture, which he noted were very relevant to Ghana's development.

GNA

By Belinda Ayamgha, GNA
26.04.2017 LISTEN

Accra, April 26, GNA - Government on Wednesday announced the appointment of 212 Chief Executives for the Metropolitan Municipal and District Assemblies across the country.

President Akuffo-Addo has already nominated Chief Executive for the four Metropolitan Assemblies in Accra, Kumasi, Tamale and Secondi- Takoradi, who have been endorsed by their respective Assemblies and ushered into office.

In the Greater Accra, some of the nominees include Mr Daniel Alexander Nii-Noi Adumuah as the Chief Executive for Ada West, Dr Emmanuel Lamptey for Ga Central, while Madam Janet Tulasi Mensah for Ga East.

In the Western Region, John Koah was nominated for Bia West, while Wilson Arthur takes care of Mpohor/WASSA East.

In the Volta Region, Ella Boateng was nominated for South Dayi while Richard Collins Arku handles North Tongu.

Hajia Alima Mahama, the Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, at a press briefing said the appointment was done by the President in exercising his responsibilities under Article 2431 of the Constitution, which enjoins the President to appoint a District Chief Executive for every district with prior approval of not less than two thirds majority of members of the Assembly present and voting at the meeting.

Hajia Alima said President Akuffo-Addo carried out extensive consultation at the district, regional and national level before the appointment of the Chief Executives with approval of the members of the relevant Assemblies.

'The Chief Executives were capable members with expertise, experience and temperament to head the Assemblies and inspire a new era of rapid development in the country', she added.

She said the President was grateful to all who showed keen interest in the exercise and wished that those who were not named would appreciate that there were other positions they may be called upon to serve in the interest of the nation.

'This is the time for solidarity and focus on overcoming the challenges that confronts the country to build together the prosperous and a happy nation we desired'.

She said government as part of its expansion of local democracy would amend the constitution to provide for the direct election of MMDCEs, instead of appointment.

GNA

By Kodjo Adams, GNA
26.04.2017 LISTEN

Accra, April 26. GNA - Now Available Africa, a pan African advertising agency based in Ghana has held a press briefing in Accra aimed at striping aspirations out of smoking teenage girls in Ghana dubbed 'SKY Girls' movement.

The SKY Girls movement, which is a movement to motivate a confident and strong generation of young women is spearheaded by a UK-based consultancy agency, 'Good Business', and is funded by Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

In an interview with Ghana News Agency (GNA), Madam Ivy Aning, a strategist at Now Available Africa, said the agency had been appointed to create an exciting and impactful programme tailored to the needs and interest of teenage girls in Ghana.

'SKY is a programme about inspiring teenage girls to be true to their values and the core of who they are by supporting each other in various initiatives.

'This is a tobacco prevention campaign, which is aimed at allowing girls to have the opportunity to explore their passion points and give them the skills and support to say no when they are offered vices that are negative and had bad influence on their lives.

According to Madam Aning the focus would be on smoking since the fund from Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is targeted at global tobacco prevention campaign.

Benjamin Anyan, Creative Director, Now Available Africa emphasised that 'SKY Girls' was built within the girls' world.

'Sky girls connect online, on radio at hangouts and via the magazine to celebrate their shared values and interest, which support each other in being true to who they are.

'The no-smoking message is subtly embedded in the movement's valuesthat is what makes SKY Girls exciting and unique' he said.

The movement which has already been launched in three African countries including Botswana will officially be launched in Accra, Ghana with a massive concert on Saturday, 29th April, 2017 at the Aviation Social Centre at 13:00 pm.

GNA

By Emmanuel Asante Attakora, GNA
United Nations (United States) (AFP) - South Sudanese government forces on Wednesday launched an offensive on a town in the north, displacing civilians who may be headed toward the border with Sudan, the UN envoy said.

Some 50,000 people in Kodok in Upper Nile state, many of whom fled fighting six weeks ago in the town of Wau Shilluk, were at risk from the violence, said David Shearer, who also heads the UN mission in South Sudan.

"The conflict has widened rather than contracted over the past few weeks," Shearer told a news conference.

"As we speak, there is an ongoing operation by the SPLA (the government's Sudan People's Liberation Army) on the western side of the Nile... toward the town of Kodok. They are on the edge of Kodok," he said.

Civilians were fleeing Kodok and "possibly headed to the Sudanese border," he added.

The attack was the latest in an upsurge in fighting in South Sudan since the beginning of the year that has driven tens of thousands of civilians from their homes.

Shearer said that 60,000 people per month had been forced to flee across the border in the first three months of the year.

The UN Security Council on Tuesday discussed the worsening conflict in South Sudan, but members were divided on the way forward to rein in the warring sides.

The United States, backed by France and Britain, said an arms embargo and sanctions could put pressure on the parties to return to political talks, but China and Russia disagreed.

After gaining independence from Sudan in 2011, South Sudan descended into war in December 2013, leaving tens of thousands dead and more than 3.5 million people displaced.

In February, South Sudan and the United Nations formally declared a famine in parts of northern Unity State affecting 100,000 people, a disaster that UN officials said was "man-made" and could have been averted.
Monkey business is defined by Wiktionary as:

Wasting time, or effort, on some foolish project. An activity that is considered silly, or stupid, or time-wasting.

Yep, been there. Im guessing you have too. The question is: Just how often do you engage in monkey business? And is it of your own volition, or are you falling prey to it?

Let me hand you over to Mark Ford, who has some answers.

Are You a Victim of Monkey Business?

By Mark Ford

In his book Monkey Business, William Oncken describes this all-too-common  but easily fixed  problem that most managers run into:

Its 10 oclock Monday morning. You are walking down the hall on your way to your office. This morning, you are going to shut the door and get to work on a project of great importance  something youve been wanting to do for some time. You are feeling pumped, because you know that, by noon, you will have accomplished something very important for you and your business.

As you proceed down the hall, whom do you see at the other end coming in your direction but George When the two of you meet, he says, Good morning, boss. By the way, weve got a problem.

That remark stops you dead in your tracks. Youve never been known to walk away from a problem. Thats one of the reasons you were promoted to the management position you hold now. So you stand there transfixed as George disembowels the problem all over the floor in front of you. You listen as he goes through, in excruciating detail, the crisis that now confronts him.

Why are you listening? Because you had his job once, and therefore know you can solve his problems. In fact, you can probably solve his problems more easily than your own.

Solving Georges problems feels good. It gives you a sense of control and intelligence.

Plus, you have a humanitarian side to you. It gives you pleasure to make Georges problems disappear. And you feel that George will benefit from watching a genius (you) at work as a fringe benefit of his job.

As George talks, the problem begins to embroil you. You recognise in this problem the two characteristics common to all problems that people bring to you:

You know enough to get involved. You dont know enough to make the on-the-spot decision expected of you.

After what seems to be five or 10 minutes, you look at your watch and realise half an hour has gone by. You say to George, Tell you what, George. Im late for something. This is a very important problem, and weve only scratched the surface here. Id like to make a decision now, but I cant. Lets do this. Ill think it over, and Ill let you know later today.

That satisfies George, and the two of you part.

You proceed to your office and prepare to work on your big project. You get the preliminary stuff done, but you cant set your mind to the problem. You are preoccupied with Georges crisis. You make a quick phone call to George to clarify a particular point. You promise once again to get back to him. You try to get back to your project, but its difficult to get into it. You go back to Georges problem, because it is more irritating and also more resolvable.

The hours slip by. Suddenly, it is noon and youve done almost nothing on your own big, important project. George pops his head into the office. Got an answer for me, boss? he asks. You feel enormously agitated as you tell George, No. He looks disappointed. He shakes his finger at you mischievously and asks, What time shall I check back? You promise to have his answer by the end of the day.

No sooner has George closed the door than you get a call from Sally. She asks if you have returned the critique of her memo that you promised. You apologise profoundly and promise to get it right back to her. You search your office and find what you hoped was a two-page memo. Its an inch-thick bundle of single-spaced type. You settle in to your critique.

Then, your assistant interrupts you with a call. Its your boss. He wants you in his office immediately. You spend the rest of the afternoon talking to a group of investors hes entertaining in his office.

At five oclock, you go back to the office, weary and frustrated. There, sitting by your door, are George and Sally. They are smiling. You want to kill them. Im on it, you tell them as you trudge into your office. 40 minutes later, your secretary buzzes you to tell you that she is leaving but that George and Sally are still waiting for you. They seem annoyed, she tells you. Shall I tell them to come back on Monday morning?

You concede. You call your spouse and explain that youll be working late, and that youll be spending most of the weekend catching up. And thats what you do. You work until 11:00pm, at which point you go home and fall asleep. You dream of monkeys. You are perched high up in a tree, hugging a limb  and there are monkeys on your back. Dozens and dozens of monkeys. They are pulling your hair, tugging your shirt, trying to get you to fall off the limb and go crashing to the ground. You are hanging on for dear life.

The next day, you wake up and get yourself coffee. You switch on the computer and think about what you are doing.

Yesterday morning, you were all set to get to that important project. Just the thought of getting it done was giving you energy. But then you bumped into George and he told you his problem. You listened to him and promised to come up with a solution. When you walked away from George, he no longer had the problem. You did. By the end of the day, you had both Sallys and Georges problems on your back, but you could get to neither because your boss problem took precedence. You left the office having solved only one problem  your boss. Georges and Sallys problems were unsolved and delayed. And your own important project was postponedperhaps indefinitely.

To put it another way, by promising to give George and Sally advice on their problems, you accepted responsibility to take the next step. Thus, you temporarily (at least) shifted the burden of the solution from George and Sally to you. From their point of view, they gave their problems to you.

Oncken explains this process in terms of monkeys. He says that the monkey is the next thing that has to be done. When you first met George, he had a monkey on his back. 30 minutes later, that monkey was on your back.

And its not just George and Sally  its just about everybody who has a problem and has heard about how good you are at solving them. He may not be good at getting it done on time, they say to one another, but eventually he will get it done for you.

Promise yourself you wont let this happen to you. Today, make a resolution that youll carry no more monkeys on your back except those you put there yourselfor those your boss puts there.

*****

Thanks, Mark. Who knew monkey business could be so damaging? Ill think twice before assisting the Georges and Sallys in the office

Regards,

Michelle Hammond,

Director, Wealth Builders Club Australia

Editors Note: Mark has spent more than three decades dispensing wisdom like thisand now hes compiled it into the most comprehensive wealth-building program in existence

Its called the Wealth Builders Club. It includes everything from extra income blueprints (which have the potential to generate thousands of dollars per month) to investment strategies outside the stock market, plus several of Marks bestselling books. Click here to learn more.

From the Port Phillip Publishing Library

Special Report: Gigastocks The mainstream press is just starting to clock this phenomenon. But most of the resource-sector wonks havent grasped the FULL potential of whats unfolding. Specifically, they dont get the grand scale and potential of a development that occurred on 4 January, 2017. And what it could mean for three specific Australian stocks currently trading in obscurity[More]
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Day Celebration 2017 has ended in Makurdi, Benue state with the induction of 2 new Mi-35M attack helicopters.

The closing ceremony also witnessed the presentation of ceremonial colour to the newly established Special Operations Command (SOC) and the award of pilot wings to 6 NAF pilots. '

READ ALSO: Dasuki's only sin was serving under Jonathan - Col Umar blasts Buhari

The newly winged pilots comprised 2 from King Hussain Air College Jordan and 4 from International Helicopter Flying School, Enugu.

The closing ceremony also witnessed the presentation of ceremonial colour to the newly established Special Operations Command (SOC) and the award of pilot wings to 6 NAF pilots

The induction of newly acquired helicopter gunships will further enhance NAF operational effectiveness and capability in the fight against insurgency and other forms of criminalities in the country.

The modern Mi-35M attack helicopter has night capabilities in comparison to the earlier version and also has higher performance, more endurance and it is fitted with glass cockpit to enhance situational awareness during operations.

READ ALSO: Presidency begins search for new

The helicopter provides fire support on the battle field and increase mobility of surface forces. Additionally, its sighting and computing allow for the precise delivery of its ordinances thereby minimising the risk of collateral damage.

The helicopter provides fire support on the battle field and increase mobility of surface forces. Additionally, its sighting and computing allow for the precise delivery of its ordinances

The induction ceremony was performed by the President and Commander -in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Muhammadu Buhari who was represented by the Honourable Minister of Defence, Mansur Mohammad Dan-Ali.

Speaking during the ceremony, the President stated that the induction of the Mi-35M helicopters into the inventory of the NAF would add impetus to the combat efficiency of the Nigerian Armed Forces.

According to the President, the successes recorded so far against the Boko Haram terrorists (BHT) were made possible through training and acquisition of platforms and equipment for the Armed Forces and other security agencies.

The newly winged pilots comprised 2 from King Hussain Air College Jordan and 4 from International Helicopter Flying School, Enugu

Training and the recent acquisition of brand new platforms and other supporting equipment for our armed forces including other security agencies were also intensified.

"This was in practical fulfilment of my promise to re-professionalise and adequately equip our military so they could effectively discharge their constitutional responsibilities.

"The successes recorded so far have restored our pride and honour in the comity of nations. I urge you to consolidate on the gains of air power towards sustaining the peace and stability we have attained so far.

The induction of newly acquired helicopter gunships will further enhance NAF operational effectiveness and capability in the fight against insurgency and other forms of criminalities in the country

While delivering his welcome address, the Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar traced the history of the NAF from its humble beginning, to an air force that has become a force to be reckoned with not only in Africa but in the world.

The active participation of the NAF in various peace keeping operations especially the recent OPERATION RESTORE DEMOCARCY in Gambia which saw NAF as the only air force with combat deployment in the resolution of the Gambian political impasse was also emphasised.

Other activities during the closing ceremony were aerial and static display of various NAF platforms and hardware as well as a colourful ceremonial parade

The CAS praised the efforts of gallant officers and men who have paid the supreme price in the protection and preservation of the independence and sovereignty of Nigeria.

We equally salute the courage of our living officers, airmen/airwomen that have participated and are still participating in these conflict areas.

"It is important to note, in particular, that since the advent of the current administration, the NAF has recorded remarkable achievements in the area of capacity building and operational effectiveness.

"These achievements would have been unrealisable without the support and exemplary leadership of Mr President and the Commander-in-Chief.

The newly winged NAF pilots were Flying Officers Abubakar Dagash, Damilare Ibukun, David Dilimono, Abubakar Abdukadir, Godwin Ikechukwu and Pilot Officer Ejiofor Alu.

Other activities during the closing ceremony were aerial and static display of various NAF platforms and hardware as well as a colourful ceremonial parade.

In the video below, Legit.ng asks if Nigeria's first ever locally helicopter fly?

Watch the video:

Source: Legit.ng
What do you know about Ankara Fashion Styles? This is one of the traditional African styles that have become very fashionable. The streets of Lagos have made Ankara one of the worldwide trends in the fashion industry. Today Ankara patterns can be worn by men as well as women. However, this article will focus on men Ankara Styles. Check out the top 10 latest Ankara styles for guys in 2018!

What is Ankara Style?

As mentioned above, Ankara style is one of the native styles for male and female in Africa. It has become a hit fashion trend that has spread worldwide.. This African Fashion style can be seen on the catwalks all around the world. Countless superstars and big celebrities have been spotted wearing Ankara fashion styles` suits and dresses. You only need to check out fashion boutiques anywhere in Nigeria to choose your Ankara style.

If you are still confused on what Ankara is, just know this: Ankara is the word used to describe the printed fabric found in African and Nigerian native wears. Ankara style can not only be found in clothes but also accessories, jewelry, shoes and bags.

Ankara has been produced in Africa as a part of the traditional clothing. Nevertheless, with mainstream trends and variations of this style  it`s hard to define what Ankara is. Everyone in Africa tries to make their own versions of Ankara Style.

The emergence of Ankara prints showed up in the 1980s. That was the time when fabrics manufacturers in West Africa increased the production of Ankara clothes to meet the demand. Therefore, it made a crucial impact on the Nigerian and West African economy. This means that African prints became internationally recognized.

Latest Ankara Styles for men

READ ALSO: How to make Ankara earrings yourself?

Due to increasing popularity of Ankara styles for guys and girls  the textile industry in some parts of Nigeria is booming! This is another reason to buy authentic Ankara style in Nigeria!

It seems that African designers now have the tendency to mix Ankara style with some pieces of European classics. You can see traditional European Jackets made in Ankara Fashion. Another significant trend is practicality. Ankara is one of the Nigerian indigenous styles, so people in Nigeria will likely wear it on the streets of Lagos. Therefore, some minimalistic tendencies like Jacket and Shorts for everyday trips have become popular. Designers also play around with different varieties for Ankara shirts.

Top 20 Ankara styles for Men

Ankara Jacket and Shorts

Jacket and shorts are one of the most practical variations for Ankara Styles for guys. You can mix Ankara style shorts with monotone shirts or vice versa.

One of the trendiest colors for this season would be orange. Just take a close look at the combination of orange jacket and shorts above. You can wear this style of clothes for a beach outing.

Ankara Jacket and Pants Style

You can wear Ankara printed jackets and pants with a monotone t-shirt underneath. Black or white T-shirts are the most proper for this trend.

You can wear Ankara jacket and pants to official and business meetings to emphasize your authentic touch of African fashion.

Ankara Jackets

You can opt for Ankara shirts with a pair of simple trousers. This style is the best suited for long strolls in a park. If you want to impress your girlfriend  just wear plain trousers, monotone t-shirt and light scarf with Ankara Jacket. You will add some romantic touch in this way.

Ankara Trousers

Plain one color T-Shirt and Ankara trouses will make you look really trendy. If you want to enjoy a casual stroll with friends, these Ankara trends will inspire you.

Ankara Shirts

You can buy Ankara shirts in most boutiques in Nigeria.

It`s a simple solution if you want to add a special touch to your casual style. It will also emphasize your authentic style and taste in fashion.

Ties and Accessories

If you want to stand out at your office or you enjoy a smarter look, then consider adding an Ankara tie to your formal outfit. It`s one of the latest Ankara styles for guys! The simple detail will change your look enormously! You might want to get an Ankara belt or buttons.

How about a scarf? How would you look if you combine a pair of Ankara trousers and a scarf? Take a look at more native styles for guys!

What Ankara Style do you prefer? Ankara is one of the trendiest African style in the world. You should try one of the variants offered above!

READ ALSO: Ankara styles for men

Source: Legit.ng
Canada is one of the most fascinating countries in the world to visit. Thousands of people go to Canada every year to find a new life and new work. If you want to visit, work, study or stay permanently in Canada, you will find this article useful. Here is how to apply for Canada Visa from Nigeria!

Be aware that the procedure for applying for a Canadian Visa in Nigeria can take a long time. If you have an option to use Visa centers to help you with procurrinng a Canadian Visa  you should consider doing so. If you prefer to handle this task by yourself, then you need to follow the steps below:

How to get Canadian Visa from Nigeria?  Check your Eligibility first!

No matter which type of visa you want to get from the Canadian Embassy, you will need to meet these conditions:

Provide a valid International Passport; Be healthy (it may require providing your medical history, also if you have HIV and AIDS  you may receive negative answer to your visa application); You should provide documents you have ties in Nigeria. This include proof that you have a job, family, houses, businesses or assets. If you want to visit Canada for a short period, these assets will serve as proof that you will return to Nigeria; You should provide proof that you have enough money to stay in Canada; You should provide all required documents to a Visa Application Center.

How to Obtain Canadian Visa in Nigeria?  Required Documents!

Any visa request to Canada will require submitting several documents along with your application. Therefore, be patient about this and provide all required documentation with the correct and proven information. Remember that Canadian Embassy in Nigeria will deny your Visa application if you make a mistake or if they find out you are dishonest

You will certainly need two documents for any Canadian Visa.

- Application Form IMM5257

- Family Information Form IMM5645

Additional Documents to Submit with the Canadian Application

An invitation from a person or business representative that you will be meeting in Canada. It should include contact information, duration of your stay, purpose and dates of visit; A note of information about your trip. It should contain contacts, destinations, purposes of your trip, duration of stay, booked hotel addresses and provisional airline booking; Previous passports (it serves as evidence of your previous travel history); Payment for your Visa Processing Fee; Two passport photographs with your signature and date at the back. Your international passport should be older than six months. If other members of your family will also accompany you, then they you should also provide their own passport photos. On the back of the photos  do not forget to write their names and dates of birth.; Your original Nigerian passport and those beloging to anyone accompanying you. Nigeria should issue this passport. It should have at least six months validity period and contain two blank visa pages; You should also submit a photocopy of your bio-data page. It`s the page that shows your name, surname, date of birth, place of birth, photo, etc.; Evidence of invitation, hotel confirmation, registration to a seminar, trade show, science conference, etc.; Biometric fees; Proof of funds. You will need to submit evidence that you can cover your travel expenses. Acceptable proof of your payability may include a certificate bank statement of your account history for three previous months, proof of investments in your bank account or a list of sponsorship from the the person inviting you to Canada; Self-addressed return courier envelope to get your documents back.

Complete VFS Canada Form!

READ ALSO: American visa in Nigeria: Why you should stay away from US for the time being?

When you complete all necessary documents to get your Canadian Visa  you will also need to complete a VFS consent form. You should attach this form to your application documents! If you don`t complete the form  all your documents will be returned to you!

Visa Application Fee

You are required to pay Visa application fee if you want to travel to Canada. Your Visa fee will not be returned to you if the application is rejected. Just visit nearest Canada Visa Application Center to process your application fee and biometric fees. This center is located in 16, Billing Way, Oregun Industrial Area, Ikeja, Lagos. You are required to pay in cash only. Note, that you may be required to pay an additional $40 for service charge..

Submit, process and retrieve

Submit all the required documents to the Canada Visa Application Center. Visa Applications are accepted from 8 am to 3 pm from Monday to Friday.

You will need to wait up to 14 days to your application to be processed.

If your documents are accepted, then you will be required to submit your passport for the visa stamp. Note that you will need to pay $32 for the passport transmission. You will also be notified of when you will have your passport returned!

How to Apply for Canadian Student Visa in Nigeria?

If you want to study in Canada, then you have to meet following requirements:

You must have been accepted by a learning institution in Canada; You must have proof that you have enough money for your stay in Canada; You must prove that you can pay tuition fees; You must prove that you can pay living expenses for yourself or any family member traveling with you; You must prove that you can pay for transportation; You must have no criminal records and be a law-abiding citizen; You must be in sound health and be ready to complete any necessary medical examination; You may need to prove to an immigration officer that you pose no threat to Canada; You must prove to an immigration officer that you will leave Canada after your authorized stay.

Immigration to Canada!

How to Apply for Canadian Immigration from Nigeria? Nigerians can immigrate to Canada through the Skilled Workers Immigration Program. You should be competent in one of the countrys official language (English or French). This will show them that the applicants can be comfortable in the respective industries in the country.

Citizenship and Immigration: Canada is the only country that can consider your application for the Skilled Worker Immigration Program. Are you eligible for this program? It`s possible to apply if you are in Canada as an international student. You can also apply for this program if you have a job offer from Canada. Visit the Human Resources and Skills Development in Canada to verify your job category. Be sure to pass the assessment test online.

You will need to get the Permanent Resident Card for immigration application. Also, you will be required to show proof that you have at least $11115 in cash if you apply for immigration to Canada. The current application fee for immigration to Canada is $550.

Canada Visa Lottery in Nigeria - Is it real?

A widespread rumour that Canada is about to start their lottery program similar to USA lottery is untrue. There have been rumors that 16 countries could apply for the 'Canadian Lottery', Canada officials did not confirm such statement and do not announce any plans to launch this kind of lottery now or in the nearest future.

READ ALSO: anada visa lottery 2017/2018 in Nigeria - Is it a scam?

Find out if Thiery Henry is also 'Igwe' in the kitchen - on Legit.ng TV

Source: Legit.ng
- The former minister of aviation Osita Chidoka has given his reason for appearing at the Federal High Court in support of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) Nnamdi Kanu

- Chidoka said he was in court in support of Nnamdi Kanu because he belongs to a new generation of the Igbo people

- He also said the new generation of Ndigbo are fearless people

- He also drove the leader of the IPOB out of Kuje Prison on Friday, April 28

The former minister of aviation Osita Chidoka has given his reason for appearing at the Federal High Court in support of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) Nnamdi Kanu.

Chidoka while speaking to Legit.ng after the ruling on the bail application made by Kanu said he was in court because he belongs to a new generation of the Igbo people.

He also said the new generation of the Igbo people are a fearless people.

READ ALSO: BREAKING: Security agents bar Fani-Kayode from entering inside court to witness Nnamdi Kanus bail ruling

Chidoka said: "I belong to the new generation of Ndigbo the generation after the civil war and we are fearless."

He further told journalist at the court that Nigeria needs a new beginning that will launch it to the desired development.

The former minister said: "Our nation needs healing, our nation need new interpretation, a new beginning, and I believe that the direction the court took today is a direction that will lead us to starting the process of this healing."

He also drove the leader of the IPOB out of Kuje Prison on Friday, April 28

READ ALSO: BREAKING: Kanu rejects bail conditions, as lawyer says the resolution is expected in 48 hours

Legit.ng can report that Chidoka was in court with the Ekiti state governor Ayodele Fayose and another minister of aviation Femi Fani-Kayode.

The trio said they were in court to stand in solidarity with the IPOB leader who was granted bail by Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court in Abuja.

Nyako in her ruling ordered the release of Kanu upon perfection of his bail conditions which includes the provision of three sureties - one of whom would be a serving senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, a traditional ruler and a Jewish religious leader.

Chidoka said he was in court in support of Nnamdi Kanu because he belongs to a new generation of the Igbo people

The sureties, the court said, will provide N100 million each as Kanu's bail bond.

The IPOB is also not allowed to be in a gathering of more than 10 people and would not grant a press interview during the course of his trial.

READ ALSO: Biafra: Nnamdi Kanu's case is far from over, the bail terms cannot be met

Meanwhile, sources within the IPOB camp has said that Kanu has rejected the bail conditions.

The source said the IPOB leader rejected the conditions because his co-accused were denied bail.

He said Kanu believes his co-accused - David Nwawuisi, Benjamin Nwabugwu and Chidiebere Onwudiwe - were arrested because of him.

Watch this Legit.ng video of Nnamdi Kanu in court on Tuesday, April 25, below:

Source: Legit.ng
- Former president, Goodluck Jonathan, says his family is being hounded by the Buhari administration

- Jonathan suggests Buhari could still fight corruption using a different style

- The former president says a situation in which people go into exile for political reasons is not good

Former president, Goodluck Jonathan, has faulted President Muhammadu Buharis style of fighting corruption, saying it forces people to go into exile for political reasons.

READ ALSO: What these policemen were ALLEGEDLY caught doing is shameful (video)

Jonathan also said that his family is being hounded by the Buhari administration.

The former president, made his feelings known in a book, Against The Run of Play, written by the chairman of This Day editorial board, Mr. Olusegun Adeniyi, The Nation reports.

He said if every president decides to go in to dismantle what his predecessor did, society will never make progress.

Jonathan says he is sad about the way his family is being hounded by the present administration.

Jonathan suggested that Buhari could still fight corruption using a different style.

He said: I feel sad about the way my family is being hounded.

Society is like a building. You build it one block at a time. If every president decides to go in to dismantle what his predecessor did, society will never make progress. I expected President Buhari to correct whatever mistakes I may have made and then carry on from there.

But a situation in which people go into exile for political reasons is not good for us.

His style of fighting corruption is different from mine and since most Nigerians apparently prefer his style, it is okay. There are steps you take that will help in retrieving ill-gotten wealth and punish offenders while restoring confidence in the system. But there are also things you can do to damage the system.

However, the presidency has declined to react to the former presidents claim on the anti-graft crusade.

READ ALSO: Tunji Adeleke makes serious allegation concerning his dad's death

Legit.ng learnt that presidential spokesman, Femi Adesina, reacting to the issue said that he could not comment on the contents of a book he has not read.

Meanwhile, Jonathan also spoke on the conduct of the 2015 general election in his book.

He said he was disappointed in former chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Attahiru Jega over the handling of the 2015 general elections.

I felt really betrayed by the result coming from some northern states. Perhaps for ethnic purposes, even security agents colluded with the opposition to come up with spurious results against me. You saw the way the Inspector General of Police, a man I appointed, suddenly turned himself into the ADC to Buhari immediately after the election.

How could we have lost Ondo, Benue and Plateau states if our people were committed to the cause? If you examine the results, you will see a pattern: in places where ordinarily we were strong, our supporters did not show enough commitment to mobilise the voters.

What happened was very sad not for me as a person, but for our democracy.

Take, for instance, the PDP National Chairman, Alhaji Adamu Muazu. I believe he joined in the conspiracy against me. For reasons best known to him, he helped to sabotage the election in favour of the opposition," Jonathan noted.

In the video below, Legit.ng samples the opinion of some Nigerians on the whistle blowing policy of the federal government.

Source: Legit.ng
- Former president, Goodluck Jonathan, blames Barack Obama, David Cameron and French president Francois Hollande, for his defeat in the 2015 general elections

- Jonathan says he was betrayed by those he relied on to defeat Buhari

- The former president accuses the former chairman of INEC, Prof Attahiru Jega, of acting Americans script in the weeks preceding the elections

Former president, Goodluck Jonathan, has said foreign powers helped President Muhammadu Buhari emerge victorious in the 2015 general election.

Jonathan blamed his loss in the election on former United States president, Barack Obama, ex-British prime minister, David Cameron and French President Francois Hollande who he said aided President Muhammadu Buharis victory.

READ ALSO: These are the names of the 6 most honest policemen in Nigeria

Jonathan reminisced on his defeat in a new book, Against The Run of Play, which is authored by the chairman of This Day editorial board, Mr. Olusegun Adeniyi, The Nation reports.

The former president said he was betrayed by those he relied on to defeat Buhari.

Jonathan has accused the former chairman of INEC, Prof Attahiru Jega, of acting Americans script in the weeks preceding the elections.

He said: President Barack Obama and his officials made it very clear to me by their actions that they wanted a change of government in Nigeria and were ready to do anything to achieve that purpose. They even brought some naval ships into the Gulf of Guinea in the days preceding the election.

I got on well with Prime Minister David Cameron but at some point, I noticed that the Americans were putting pressure on him and he had to join them against me. But I didnt realise how far President Obama was prepared to go to remove me until France caved in to the pressure from America.

But weeks to the election, he had also joined the Americans in supporting the opposition against me.

On why Obama was against him, he said: "There was this blanket accusation that my body language was supporting corruption, a line invented by the opposition but which the media and civil society bought into and helped to project to the world. That was the same thing I kept hearing from the Americans without specific allegations.

He accused the former chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Attahiru Jega, of acting Americans script in the weeks preceding the elections.

I was disappointed by Jega because I still cannot understand what was propelling him to act the way he did in the weeks preceding the election.

As at the first week in February 2015 when about 40 per cent of Nigerians had not collected their Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs), Jega said INEC was ready to go ahead with the election. How could INEC have been ready to conduct an election in which millions of people will be disenfranchised?

Of course, the Americans were encouraging him to go ahead yet they would never do such thing in their own country. How could we have cynically disenfranchised about a third of our registered voters for no fault of theirs and still call that a credible election?

READ ALSO: How I collected N26m from Dasuki for Fani-Kayode - Police officer confesses in court

The interesting thing was that the opposition also supported the idea of going on with an election that was bound to end in confusion," he said.

Legit.ng learnt that Jonathan also insisted that it was right for his administration to have postponed the election based on security reasons.

When the military and security chiefs demanded for more time to deal with the insurgency, the reasons were genuine. As at February 2015, it would have been very difficult to vote in Gombe, Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states.

But the moment all the arms and ammunition that had been ordered finally arrived, the military was able to use them to degrade the capacity of Boko Haram.

Although the former president faulted the results of the 2015 presidential election, he said he conceded defeat to avoid bloodshed.

Go and check the results from Kano. The Presidential election and that of National Assembly happened on the same day and same time. The National Assembly result reflected that about 800,000 people voted but that of the presidential reflected a vote of about 1.8 million. I had reports of what happened but I decided that for such to be accepted, it meant that those who called themselves my supporters must have colluded. I was betrayed by the very people I relied on to win the election.

In 2011 when Buhari did not campaign anywhere and could not have won the election, there was a spontaneous violent reaction that led to the death of several innocent people, including Youth Corps members.

I asked myself: what would happen in a situation in which there was already internal and international conspiracy in his favour? I could not bear the thought of anybody dying, so I told myself I had only one option and that was to concede," Jonathan said.

Meanwhile, the former president has faulted President Muhammadu Buharis style of fighting corruption, saying it forces people to go into exile for political reasons.

Jonathan said that his family is being hounded by the Buhari administration.

He said if every president decides to go in to dismantle what his predecessor did, society will never make progress.

Jonathan suggested that Buhari could still fight corruption using a different style.

In the video below, Legit.ng asks Nigerians if they still drink Sprite and Fanta after reports emerged that the drinks could have serious health implications.

Source: Legit.ng
- The attack occurred at Muna Garage which has been attacked several times in Maidguri

- It is not yet clear what the number of casualties are

- The attack was carried out by two insurgent bombers

- For more reports on the war against Boko Haram, please visit: https://www.legit.ng/tag/boko-haram.html

Boko Haram bombers have attacked Maiduguri, the Borno state capital, in early morning explosions on Wednesday, April 26.

According to Sahara Reporters, the insurgents again hit Muna garage in the capital city of the northeastern state.

READ ALSO: Oba of Lagos publicly humiliates the Ooni of Ife

Premium Times reports that at least five people were killed after the bombers detonated their explosive devices at Muna Usmanti, Muna Garage and Muna Ethopia at around 4.00am.

Emergency agency workers clearing the scene of the attacks on Wednesday

At least 11 people were also injured in the explosions..

The report listed the dead as the four bombers and a member of security volunteer group, the Civilian Joint Task Force.

READ ALSO: Boko Haram cannot call Buhari an infidel  Jonathan

Four Boko Haram bombers and a Civilian JTF member died in Wednesday's blasts at Muna

National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) spokesperson for northeast Abdulkadir Ibrahim said response agencies responded promptly to the incident.

He said: We have since taken the injured persons to hospital for proper medical attention while the dead bodies have been deposited in the mortuary."

Legit.ng recalls that just on Monday, April 24 at least 10 people died from explosions in three separate attacks in Maiduguri.

Three civilians and a bomber were killed in Mainari Kanuri village, along Damboa/Biu Road, on the outskirts of Maiduguri.

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.

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.

Rescue workers busy at one of the scenes of the attacks.

Earlier on that day, at about 5.10am, three female bombers struck the city but were foiled by vigilante security officials.

Two of them 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.

The third managed to blow herself up in a massive just before being shot.

Watch this emotional Legit.ng TV video of child survivors of Boko Haram attacks telling their stories

Source: Legit.ng
- Inusa Saidu Biu, a police officer has promised to kill nothing less that 200 people if President Muhammadu Buhari dies while in office

- The police officer from Biu in Borno state made this threat via Facebook

- Inusa Saidu Biu is suspected to be a die-hard fan of the president

A police officer has lashed out on Facebook threatening Nigerians concerning the health status of President Muhammadu Buhari.

READ ALSO: EXCLUSIVE: How I want to be released - Nnamdi Kanu

According to Inusa Saidu Biu, a police officer from Biu, a local government area in southern Borno, some people are trying to kill the president.

Inusa Saidu Biu is suspected to be a die-hard fan of the president

He said: After they poisoned him,God did nort let him die. Buhari the cat with nine lives. Now, they want him to resign so that they will continue to steal our yam. No way! Youe enemy will die like mosquitoes before you, including those who are commenting negatively...if Buhari dies, I promise to kill 200 people.

READ ALSO: Reno Omokri speaks on Nnamdi Kanu's bail

The police officer says he would kill 200 people if the president dies

However, the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Moshood Jimoh, said the police headquarters was already aware of the post.

According to him, investigation had commenced with a view to know whether Biu was actually a policeman.

He said: We have seen the post and we are investigating it. Anybody can post anything on social media. We first need to ascertain if that man is a policeman, and the necessary procedure will be taken. A policeman should not make social comment on issues. We Are investigating and will make the findings public very soon.

Recall that Legit.ng had reported that the Ahmed Makarfi faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has described President Muhammadu Buhari as an elder statesman, who needs adequate rest and continuous medical attention.

The PDP faction made this known while reacting to the expulsion of Olalekan Adetayo, state house correspondent of The Punch, from the presidential villa in Abuja.

Recently, Legit.ng took to the streets of Lagos to ask Nigerians if President Buhari has truly taken the country out of recession. Here are their reactions.

Watch the video:

Source: Legit.ng
Boko Haram has claimed thousands of lives in Nigeria between 2009 till date but within 12 days, the Maitatsine uprising claimed 5,000 lives in the Northern part of the country.

The Maitatsine uprising was believed to be the forerunner of religious insurgency in the Northern part of Nigeria.

It was a period of sheer madness which was mixed with agonizing destruction as towns burned.

It witnessed untamed hordes of insurgents brandishing all sorts of primitive weapons like bows and arrows, dane guns, leopard skins to serve as bulletproof vests.

During this period, religious militants went from house to house in the state of Kano, looting, maiming, burning, assaulting women and killing as they wished.

It witnessed untamed hordes of insurgents brandishing all sorts of primitive weapons like bows and arrows, dane guns, leopard skins to serve as bulletproof vests

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Despite the savage nature of their weapons, the uprising inflicted a brutal and complete destruction of lives and properties.

Ironically, the founder of the Maitatsine sect, Alhaji Mohammed (Muhammadu) Marwa was not a Nigerian. He migrated from the town of Marwa (Maroua) in northern Cameroon to Kano state in 1945.

In Kano, he was known for his controversial teachings of the Quran. He claimed to be a prophet and he rejected the hadith and the sunnah and regarded the reading of any other book but the Koran as paganism.

Ironically, the founder of the Maitatsine sect, Alhaji Mohammed (Muhammadu) Marwa was not a Nigerian. He migrated from the town of Marwa (Maroua) in northern Cameroon to Kano state in 1945

Alhaji Mohammed Marwa who was later known as Maitatsine condemned the use of western things like radios, watches, bicycles, cars.

He even spoke against possession of more money than necessary and eventually rejected the prophethood of Mohammed before declaring himself an annabi (Hausa word for prophet).

Giving his radical teachings in Kano which has earned him a teeming followers, the British colonial authorities exiled him, but he returned to Kano shortly after independence

On his arrival back, he launched his own movement after Nigerias independence in 1960. His message was a straight forward one: rejection of established order.

He transformed himself to a terror that will turn Nigerian soil into blood stream. Gradually, he evolved into a three horned monster that gave birth to terror in Africas most populous nation.

Though, his family history was not much known, but he was said to be a polygamist who was also a loving and caring father and husband.

Information has it that he had a son named Tijani and his death was a turning point in the life of the man that would later turn Northern Nigeria to a bloody battle ground.

Tijani was said to have been killed while on an outing with his friends.

When the father saw the lifeless body of his son who was shot in an unclear circumstances, he was said to have cried in agony, saying: Oh the people of Kano, what have I done to you to deserve this?

He was said to have believed that the government was behind the death of his son and from that moment, the fate and death of thousands were sealed.

He became bitter and his wrath knew no bounds. And the tone of his preaching changed drastically. He became known for hate filled speeches against the Nigerian government and it was through this practice that he became known as Maitatsine.

He would reportedly say whoever uses wristwatches, radios or ride bicycles, - Allah ya tsine maka albarka! This means May God deprive you of His blessings!

This eventually earned him the nickname of Maitatsine from the Kano people.

Maitatsine simply means the one with curses  or the one who curses.

However, Nigerians and Muslims alike were shocked when the fiery preacher rejected the teachings of Islam and embraced his own form of Islam while condemning everything else.

To the surprise and fear of leaders in Kano, his scary teachings attracted followers of the jobless, labourers and loafers. And these set of people accepted his teachings, lapping into it like lost lambs in search of shepherds.

The Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi, (who incidentally was the grandfather of the present Emir of Kano) was shocked at Maitatsines audacity and was one of his most hated critics.

To be continued.

In the part 2 of this historical presentation, Legit.ng will bring you more serialized and simplified historical stories of the man who tried to alter the Quran and who ordered that Prophet Mohammads name should not be mentioned again in Kano.

The story has just started and it all led to deaths, destruction and birth of Islamic insurgency in Nigeria.

Source: Legit.ng
- The Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting is being presided over by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, following Buharis absence

- Immediately the meeting commenced, ministers who seemed surprised by the absence of the president were sighted curiously whispering

- Reasons for the presidents absence has not been officially ascertained as at press time

President Muhammadu Buhari is again missing at the meeting of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) currently holding at the Presidential Villa, Abuja on Wednesday, April 26.

The meeting is being presided over by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, following Buharis absence.

According to Daily Trust, the cabinet had awaited the president's arrival until the state house chief of protocols suddenly stepped in at 11.00am and whispered to Osinbajo.

READ ALSO: If Buhari dies, I will kill 200 people - Police officer promises to send Nigerians to early graves

A security officer had also stood anxiously behind the president's official seat in expectation of Buhari's attendance.

Ministers who seemed surprised by the absence of the president were sighted curiously whispering.

Osinbajo reportedly started the meeting few minutes after 11am with a call for the recitation of the national anthem as well as prayers by the ministers of education and health, Adamu Adamu and Isaac Adewole respectively.

Immediately the meeting commenced, ministers who seemed surprised by the absence of the president were sighted curiously whispering.

READ ALSO: US, UK, France helped Buhari defeat me  Jonathan

Reasons for the presidents absence has not been officially ascertained as at press time, as this will be making it the third time in a row that Buhari will be failing to show up at the meeting.

Legit.ng also learnt that the council chamber, venue of the meeting is also scanty with about 20 out of 36 Ministers equally absent.

Buharis health was the subject of discussion last week Wednesday, April, 19, when he was also absent at the same meeting, but the minister of information and culture, Lai Mohammed, said it was nothing to worry about.

Meanwhile, the acting secretary to the government of the federation, Dr Habibat Lawan, is in attendance, Vanguard reports.

Lawan became acting SGF following the suspension of Babachir David Lawal who is being investigated for alleged mismanagement of funds meant for the development of the northeast.

Recently, Legit.ng took to the streets of Lagos to ask Nigerians if President Buhari has truly taken the country out of recession. Here are their reactions.

Source: Legit.ng
The news that the Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akiolu disrespected the Ooni of Ife is one that will shock anyone familiar with the hierarchy of Yoruba kings in Yoruba land.

Although the ranking of Kings or Obas in Yoruba land has been a controversial subject, many agree that the Ooni of Ife is one of the most powerful rulers.

The snubbing of Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi by the Oba of Lagos is therefore a serious breach of the respect normally accorded the crown.

To answer the question, the Alake and Paramount Ruler of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo, revealed the top 5 paramount rulers in Yoruba land.

1. Ooni of Ife

Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi

The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi is the most powerful king in Yorubaland. The Alake says the Oni is the first of the five principal Obas in Yorubaland just like the Sultan is the highest ruler in northern Nigeria.

2. Alaafin of Oyo

The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi III

The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi III ranks second among the Obas in Yorubaland. The Oyo Dynasty dates back to the Old Oyo empire which recognises Alaafin as emperor.

3. Oba of Benin

Oba Ewuare II

While some say that the Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare II is the highest as he heads the Eweka dynasty of the great Benin Kingdom and that the Yoruba people descended from Benin.

However, the Alake ranks the Oba of Benin as third. Also, the title of Oba, used to mean king was first created by Oba Eweka 1, Benin's first Oba who ascended in 1180.

4. Alake of Egbaland

The Alake of Egbaland and his queen

The Alake of Egbaland, Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo III is ranked as the fourth paramount ruler in Yoruba land. He is the ruler of Egbaland in Ogun State. Egba consists of Egba Alake, Owu Kingdom, Oke-Ana and Gbagura.

5. Awujale of Ijebuland

Awujale of Ijebuland

The Awujale of Ijebuland, Sikiru Kayode Adetona is the least of the five principal Obas in Yorubaland. Ijebu kingdom dates back to pre-colonial period of 15th century.

Watch a video of the Ooni of Ife speaking with Legit.ng below:

Source: Legit.ng
- The minister of information and culture, Lai Mohammed, says President Buhari needs rest

- Lai Mohammed discloses that Buhari asked for all the files on his table be brought to him at his official residence at the presidential villa

- The minister says Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo would be meeting the president at his official residence later in the day

President Muhammadu Buhari will henceforth stop going to the office and will be working from his official residence at the presidential villa.

The minister of information and culture, Lai Mohammed, disclosed this new arrangement to journalist at the end of the meeting of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) on Wednesday, April 26, Vanguard reports.

Mohammed said that the president needed some rest and has asked that all the files on his table be brought to him at his official residence at the presidential villa, Abuja for treatment.

President Buhari was absent at the FEC meeting on Wednesday, April 26.

Legit.ng recalls that President Buhari was again missing at the meeting of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) which took place at the presidential villa, Abuja on Wednesday, April 26.

In his absence, the meeting was presided over by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.

Lai Mohammed said Buhari did not attend the weekly meeting of the Federal Executive Council because he was still resting at home, Punch reports.

The minister added that Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo would be meeting the president at his official residence later in the day.

Meanwhile, the Ahmed Makarfi faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has described President Muhammadu Buhari as an elder statesman, who needs adequate rest and continuous medical attention.

The PDP faction made this known while reacting to the expulsion of Olalekan Adetayo, state house correspondent of The Punch, from the presidential villa in Abuja.

Bashir Abubakar, chief security officer (CSO) to Buhari, had on Monday, April 24, that ordered Adetayo out of the villa for writing stories said to be uncomplimentary of the Buhari administration.

Before the reporter was expelled, he was questioned by the CSO on two reports  titled Seat of powers event centres going into extinction and Fresh anxiety in Aso Rock over Buharis poor health published on Saturday and Sunday respectively.

But hours later, President Muhammadu Buhari recalled The Punch reporter.

However, PDP has said that the development shows there is no synergy between the offices in the villa.

Spokesman of the Markafi group, Dayo Adeyeye, said any attempt to gag the media in whatever form, is an assault on the countrys democracy.

He also noted that that the PDP was aware of Buharis health challenges.

In the Legit.ng video below, watch reactions that trailed the bail condition granted to Nnamdi Kanu in court on, April 25.

Source: Legit.ng
1. Yes. Taxpayers are funding its operation; they should have a voice in the naming process.

2. Yes. The city should operate with a spirit of inclusivity. Residents will be responsive.

3. No. Public input can be problematic; rejection of suggestions can be divisive for residents.

4. No. Residents elect council members to make decisions on their behalf. No input is needed.

5. Unsure. Its hard to say whether public input would be more of a benefit or a hindrance.

Vote

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- A Russian company offers engraved gold-plated iPhones

- The devices display religious figures and prayers, both for Christians and Muslims

- They also cater to Russian patriots with a Putin-themed version

A Russian luxury company is offering a very select object for religious fans with lots of money to spend.

Caviar Phone has created a collection of gold-plated iPhone 7s, which were engraved with symbols and prayers, of both Muslim and Christian faiths, depending on the upscale client that wishes to purchase these unique pieces.

The Caviar Credo phones are impacting.

The Christian-themed phones, as well as Apple smartwatches, have been blessed by an Orthodox bishop. They depict prayers, crosses and holy icons, mainly oriented towards Orthodox styles.

READ ALSO: Historians consider possibility that Jesus had a brother named James

The company offers both phones and smartwatches with their unique designs.

Caviar Phone has already been offering their phones for a few years now, and their success has been noticeable.

Regarding the electronic devices for Muslim clientele, the company describes them as an exquisite gift for someone who is Muslim. It wordlessly speaks of the owners commitment to the laws of the Quran and reflects his lofty spiritual values of Islam.

READ ALSO: Flying car ready for pre-order this year after 10 years in making

The limited edition collection of religious luxury phones is called Credo, which means creed in Latin; and their prices range around USD 3,500. The company has created only 99 copies.

Watch the video with Adesua Etomi, Kemen, Klint Da Drunk, others wade into whistle blowing trend:

Source: Legit.ng
A Bridgeport homicide suspect has been arrested in Florida, according to the Bridgeport Police Department.

Douglas Rivas, 34, was wanted on an arrest warrant charging him with the murder of Cristobal Hernandez, who was shot and killed at the El Paraiso Restaurant at 1026 Madison Avenue on Sept. 29, 2016.

Bridgeport detectives had identified Rivas as a suspect the day after the shooting, but could not locate him. The US Marshals Violent Fugitive Task Force assisted in searching for Rivas, and on Tuesday he was taken into custody in Fellsmere, Fla., as a fugitive from justice.

The Bridgeport arrest warrant charges Rivas with murder, criminal possession of a firearm, and unlawful discharge of a weapon. Bridgeport police said that they expect Rivas to be extradited back to Connecticut soon.
OTTAWA  When previous American presidents have taken trade action against Canadian lumber, it has generally been considered relatively routine. The row between the two countries goes back decades.

But the Trump administration seized on the decision to slap tariffs on the industrys exports as a way to demonstrate the presidents tough-on-trade posture. By doing so, President Trump sets up potentially thorny negotiations over the North American Free Trade Agreement.

In discussing the tariffs, Commerce Secretary Wilbur L. Ross said Tuesday that Canada was generally a good neighbor but that it should play by the rules. Things like this, I dont regard as being a good neighbor, dumping lumber, he told reporters at the White House.

Mr. Ross explicitly linked lumber and Nafta in his comments, along with a dispute over American dairy exports. If Nafta were functioning properly, you wouldnt be having these kinds of very prickly, very unfortunate developments back to back, he said. So, in that sense, it shows that Nafta has not worked as well as it should.
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority discriminates against people with disabilities because of its widespread lack of elevators and electric lifts in the subway system, rendering it significantly more inaccessible than other cities with large public transportation systems, according to two lawsuits filed on Tuesday.

The plaintiffs, a group of disability organizations and disabled residents who brought the lawsuits as a class action in state and federal court, say that the citys subway system is one of the least accessible public transportation systems in the United States, with the lowest accessibility rate  24 percent  among the countrys 10 largest transit systems.

More than 75 percent of the citys 472 subway stations do not have elevators, lifts or other methods that make them accessible for people who use wheelchairs, mobility devices or are otherwise unable to use stairs. Of the approximately 112 stations that are designated as wheelchair-accessible, only 100 currently offer working elevator service for passengers traveling in different directions, the lawsuits charge. (The MTA said that 117 of its stations are accessible to people with disabilities.)

The lack of elevator service in the citys subway system has been a longstanding problem. Michelle A. Caiola, the litigation director for Disability Rights Advocates, which is representing the plaintiffs, said the legal challenge comes after many futile attempts to achieve a resolution with the transit agency.
Michael Flynn, President Trumps former national security adviser, was fired weeks ago, but his ties to Russia keep raising questions this White House wont answer and dark suspicions it cant seem to dispel.

Representative Jason Chaffetz, Republican chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, and Elijah Cummings, the committees top Democrat, got right to the point on Tuesday, saying Mr. Flynn may have broken the law by failing to disclose payments totaling over $65,000 in 2015 from companies linked to Russia. They included $45,000 received from Russian state television for a speech in Moscow; on the same trip, he attended the networks gala, sitting at the elbow of President Vladimir Putin. With his background, Mr. Flynn clearly knew that the failure to disclose payments on his security clearance forms could have disqualified him for a sensitive national security role.

Mr. Chaffetz also said Mr. Flynn, as a retired general and former director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, should have sought permission from the secretary of state and the secretary of the Army for his trip to Russia and for the payment. I see no evidence that he actually did that, Mr. Chaffetz said at a news conference on Capitol Hill.

Mr. Cummings said that the White House is stonewalling committee requests for documents related to Mr. Flynns hiring and firing, including records of his phone calls and correspondence. Mr. Chaffetz, amazingly, described the White House as cooperative. Sean Spicer, the White House press secretary, later called the committees records requests outlandish and ridiculous. Which can hardly be called cooperative.
That dangerous young man who calls himself Paul Poitier has grown up in the 27 years since he first set foot on a New York stage. All right, perhaps not grown up, since were still talking about a narcissistic con artist of adolescent fecklessness and zero self-knowledge. But theres no doubt that he has grown in stature and, in a paradoxical way, truthfulness.

This is because Paul Poitier (not his real name) has been embodied with tremulous, searching sensitivity by the screen actor Corey Hawkins in the earthbound revival of John Guares marvelous Six Degrees of Separation, which opened on Tuesday night at the Ethel Barrymore Theater, with the estimable Allison Janney and John Benjamin Hickey as Pauls plump society pigeons.

Equal parts radiance and shadow, Mr. Hawkins transforms a fatally mixed-up character into something close to a tragic hero. With this production, directed by Trip Cullman, Paul takes his place more fully as one of the great pretenders, or less-than-great Gatsbys, who populate Mr. Guares work  the ravenously aspirational outsiders in a culture that worships wealth and celebrity.

Mind you, one of the points of Six Degrees is that everybody feels like an outsider, including those in the V.I.P. rooms. In this uncannily empathetic satire from 1990, a well-heeled couple on the Upper East Side of Manhattan  Flan Kittredge (Mr. Hickey), an art dealer, and his wife, Ouisa (Ms. Janney)  come to realize just how tenuous their foothold on the good life is, when Paul stumbles into their world one night.
After a fractious period in the Capitol  cresting this month with Democrats filibuster of Mr. Trumps Supreme Court nominee, Justice Neil M. Gorsuch, and Republicans deployment of the so-called nuclear option to confirm him  members seemed modestly hopeful for a reset of sorts.

This is a good time to stabilize the government, said Senator Roy Blunt, Republican of Missouri and a member of the Appropriations Committee. And then whatever debates we didnt have in the next three days, we could have in the next three months or three years.

As lawmakers on Capitol Hill continued negotiations on Tuesday, White House and Senate staff members seemed to agree that the wall had been reduced to something like a metaphor for broad-based border security funding, which is all but certain to end up in a final spending package.

Senator Lindsey Graham, Republican of South Carolina, praised Mr. Trump for relenting.

Hes not going to overplay his hand, Mr. Graham said. Heres the challenge to the Democrats: Are you going to overplay your hand?

At the very least, Democrats seemed inclined to declare victory on the wall for now.

Mr. Schumer  whose caucus is delighting this week in pointing out areas in which Mr. Trump has fallen short of campaign promises as he approaches his 100th day in office  exulted on Tuesday in the walls near-term fate. For weeks, we have been making good progress in negotiating with our Republican colleagues, Mr. Schumer said. The presidents 11th-hour demand threatened to upend the progress. Were pleased hes backing off.

At the same time, Mr. Trump took care to avoid the appearance of acquiescence on the wall, eager to reinforce his long-term commitment. Dont let the fake media tell you that I have changed my position on the WALL, he wrote on Twitter on Tuesday morning. It will get built and help stop drugs, human trafficking, etc.
WASHINGTON  After moving last month against Barack Obamas efforts to limit fossil fuel exploration and combat climate change, President Trump will complete his effort to overturn environmental policy this week, signing two executive orders to expand offshore drilling and roll back conservation on public lands.

On Wednesday, Mr. Trump signed an executive order directing his interior secretary, Ryan Zinke, to review national monuments designated by previous presidents under the Antiquities Act of 1906, aiming to roll back the borders of protected lands and open them to drilling, mining and logging.

The president is then expected to follow up on Friday with another executive order aimed at opening up protected waters in the Atlantic and Arctic Oceans to offshore drilling. The order would direct Mr. Zinke to revisit an Obama administration plan that would have put those waters off limits to drilling through 2022. Fridays order is also expected to call for the lifting of a permanent ban on drilling in an area including many of those same waters  a measure Mr. Obama issued in December 2016 in a last-ditch effort to protect his environmental legacy from his drilling-enthusiast successor.

The moves  just before Mr. Trumps 100th day in office  would begin to fulfill a central campaign promise to unleash a wave of new oil and gas drilling and create thousands of jobs in energy.
President Trump plans to unveil a tax cut blueprint on Wednesday that would apply a vastly reduced, 15 percent business tax rate not only to corporations but also to companies that now pay taxes through the personal income tax code  from mom-and-pop businesses to his own real estate empire, according to several people briefed on the proposal.

The package would also increase the standard deduction for individuals, providing a modest cut for middle-income people and simplifying the process of filing tax returns, according to people briefed on its details. That proposal is opposed by home builders and real estate agents, who fear it would diminish the importance of the mortgage interest deduction. And it is likely to necessitate eliminating or curbing other popular deductions, a politically risky pursuit.

As of late Tuesday, the plan did not include Mr. Trumps promised $1 trillion infrastructure program, two of the people said, and it jettisoned a House Republican proposal to impose a substantial tax on imports, known as a border adjustment tax, which would have raised billions of dollars to help offset the cost of the cuts.

With that decision, Mr. Trump acceded to pressure from retailers and conservative advocacy groups, but the move could deepen the challenge of passing a broad tax overhaul in Congress, where concern about the swelling federal deficit runs high. His plan would put off the difficult part of a tax overhaul: closing loopholes and increasing other taxes to limit the impact of tax cuts on the budget deficit.
The scope of the presidents plan, as it has leaked out in recent days, has excited the markets even as it has worried fiscal hawks. If this feels like a familiar debate, it is because it has played out repeatedly in the past four decades as the dominant Republican orthodoxy shifted from deficit reduction to tax cuts.

Presidents Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush both cut taxes deeply on the promise of economic payoffs, putting aside concerns about deficits, which grew during their tenures. Mr. Trump at points during the campaign talked tough about deficits, promising not only to eliminate them but also to wipe out in just eight years the entire $19 trillion in national debt that has accumulated over the history of the United States  a pledge so wildly unrealistic that even he has since dropped it.

Indeed, since taking office, Mr. Trump has made no sustained effort to rein in deficit spending. In his first partial spending plan, called a skinny budget, he proposed $54 billion in cuts to domestic and foreign spending programs, some of them quite deep, to pay for $54 billion in additional military spending. That would leave the bottom line unchanged. In the current fiscal year, which started under former President Barack Obama, the government is spending $559 billion more than it is taking in through taxes, according to the Congressional Budget Office.

Inflation F.A.Q. Card 1 of 5 What is inflation? Inflation is a loss of purchasing power over time, meaning your dollar will not go as far tomorrow as it did today. It is typically expressed as the annual change in prices for everyday goods and services such as food, furniture, apparel, transportation and toys. What causes inflation? It can be the result of rising consumer demand. But inflation can also rise and fall based on developments that have little to do with economic conditions, such as limited oil production and supply chain problems. Is inflation bad? It depends on the circumstances. Fast price increases spell trouble, but moderate price gains can lead to higher wages and job growth. How does inflation affect the poor? Inflation can be especially hard to shoulder for poor households because they spend a bigger chunk of their budgets on necessities like food, housing and gas. Can inflation affect the stock market? Rapid inflation typically spells trouble for stocks. Financial assets in general have historically fared badly during inflation booms, while tangible assets like houses have held their value better.









Mr. Trumps plan reportedly will cut corporate tax rates to 15 percent from 35 percent, and cut taxes for small businesses and other firms that pay through personal income taxes as well. The administration has also promised tax breaks for middle-income Americans. And the plan may be paired with an expansive spending proposal to build new roads, bridges and other infrastructure.

Mr. Mnuchin argues that an ambitious tax cut would unleash businesses that now feel constrained by one of the highest corporate tax rates in the world. Corporations would be freed to build plants and create jobs in the United States instead of in foreign countries, and would bring home money that currently is sheltered overseas.
WASHINGTON  After all but endorsing the far-right presidential candidate in France last week, President Trump has been conspicuously silent since his fellow populist Marine Le Pen finished second in the voting on Sunday and put herself within striking distance of the Elysee Palace.

Mr. Trumps reticence can be attributed to any number of factors: the White Houses reluctance to inject itself further in a foreign election; the fact that Mr. Trump is more focused on trumpeting his achievements after 100 days in office; or simply that Mr. Trump likes winners, and Ms. Le Pen looks likely to lose the runoff in two weeks.

But there is a more fundamental reason the president would do well to keep his enthusiasm for Ms. Le Pen in check. Her victory would be an acute headache for Mr. Trump, especially since he has adopted more conventional positions on NATO, the European Union and the Middle East.

If you put America First next to France First, thats a recipe for the two countries going their own way, said Charles A. Kupchan, who was senior director for European affairs on the National Security Council during the Obama administration. It suggests that Le Pen would not be the partner that Trump believes she would be.
The artists behind these projects, frustrated by or even indifferent to the formal art world, often operate independently of galleries and museums, produce intangible or site-specific works that are not easily displayed, and embark on long-term undertakings that sometimes challenge what can be considered art.

Elements of social practice art are not new; artists have been producing highly participatory art since the Surrealists nearly a century ago, and such work still tends to cause a splash (think Marina Abramovics much-talked-about The Artist Is Present). But in more recent years, social practice art has slowly been gaining institutional recognition in North America and Europe, where museums and art foundations have begun encouraging more community-oriented art.

In 2005, the California College of the Arts in San Francisco started offering the first fine arts program with a concentration on social practice art, and the Guggenheim recently began a new social practice initiative. Amid much uproar, the prestigious Turner Prize was awarded in 2015 to Assemble, a British collective of architects who transform neglected public spaces through community engagement.

In China, critics and artists alike say that such art taps into both past and contemporary developments.

The sense of equality that was installed in our consciousness by socialist revolution had a huge impact on these artists. Social practice art has a socialist legacy, said Zheng Bo, an assistant professor at the City University of Hong Kong whose online gallery, A Wall, documents social practice art in the greater China region. But beginning in the 1990s, Chinese contemporary art went through an export-oriented era, addressed to a foreign audience. Now were going through a rebuilding of a local art language.
Im a big fan of Russian oligarchs paying more to get into the Met, he said.

Yet the possibility of distinguishing among visitors  and even of making the admission suggested for city residents but required for state residents  risks alienating tourists and New Yorkers alike, especially if people see the fee as a way for the Met to solve financial and governance missteps that have led to a budget deficit of about $15 million. Met leaders have resorted to cost-cutting moves, including trimming staff and reducing the number of annual exhibitions to about 40, from nearly 60; a fee would establish the kind of large and consistent revenue stream that private museums already enjoy.

Unlike several Manhattan museums that charge admission, the Met is considered a public museum: New York City owns its building and also gives the museum $26 million a year  the largest amount that the city provides to an arts institution. Still, the citys appropriation to the Met covers just about 8 percent of the museums $332 million annual operating costs.

The Mets current suggested adult admissions fee, $25, generated about $39 million in the fiscal year 2016, or 13 percent of the museums overall revenue. A mandatory fee would be likely to generate tens of millions of dollars more a year, providing a much-needed shot in the arm.

Should the Met earn these additional millions, the city might become more inclined to shift public money to other arts groups, a prospect that city officials are now considering as part of a new Cultural Plan, to be released soon. The city may view the Mets new income as a replacement for its public dollars, which could be risky if admission fees prove less reliable than annual city funding.

But the mayor said Wednesday that an admission fee would not necessarily jeopardize city support.

I dont think we have an assumption about city funding, Mr. de Blasio said. Its about them being able to sustain their operations long term and would actually mean they wouldnt need additional city funding, in theory. But no, the real issue is just to allow them to defray some of their costs in a way thats fair to city residents.
But critics, including a lawyer for Mr. Schlosss heirs in France, say the law is itself the problem. In countries like Britain and France, if a once-looted work appears at auction, the rightful owners or their heirs can intervene to try to block the sale, but not in Austria.

Austrias handling of Nazi-stolen art has come under scrutiny before. One high-profile case involved works stolen from the Czech art collector Ferdinand Bloch-Bauer. One of them, Gustav Klimts portrait of the collectors wife, Adele, ended up in an Austrian museum after the war.

Maria Altmann, one of the Bloch-Bauer heirs, sought to sue the Austrian government for its return and was prevented from doing so because she could not afford the cost of the filing fee. She had to take the case out of Austria, to the United States Supreme Court, to get the work back, a story that was made into the film Woman in Gold. (The painting is now at the Neue Museum in Manhattan.)

In an interview on Wednesday after the work was pulled, Antoine Comte, the lawyer for the Schloss heirs in France, said that if public pressure was the motivating factor, then it was a quite positive result.

Mr. Comte said the heirs believed that the Austrian system was flawed.

Maybe its not a legal problem in Austria, but its becoming a real moral problem for them, Mr. Comte said. Its time that Austria understand that these things cannot be admitted as being possible anymore today. Its appalling.
The opera star Renee Fleming and the violinist Joshua Bell  two musicians whose fame transcends classical music  will share the stage in Time, Creativity and the Cosmos, a multimedia spectacle to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the World Science Festival in New York.

The performance, on May 30 at Jazz at Lincoln Center, is among the more than 50 events in the festival, which runs from May 30 through June 4 and for the first time will stage events in Times Square.

Image Renee Fleming, who is to perform with Joshua Bell in Time, Creativity and the Cosmos at Jazz at Lincoln Center. Credit... Damon Winter/The New York Times

Time, Creativity and the Cosmos, narrated by Brian Greene, a physicist, the author of The Elegant Universe and a founder of the festival, is billed as a celebration of science and art examining our collective longing to transcend the boundaries of space and time.
Six weeks ahead of Bill Cosbys trial on sexual assault charges, one of his lawyers, Angela Agrusa, said in an interview released Wednesday that one focus of her defense will be to change the optics for a defendant who she said many people have already decided is guilty of abusing women.

That strategy seemed apparent when one of Mr. Cosbys daughters released a statement defending her father and Mr. Cosby himself gave a rare interview for an article that led with a depiction of his blindness.

He loves and respects women, Evin Cosby, 40, said of her father in a statement that she released to select media outlets. He is not abusive, violent or a rapist.

Andrew Wyatt, a spokesman for Mr. Cosby, denied that the defense had begun a coordinated public relations campaign in advance of jury selection next month. Its not one of those strategies, he said.
Welcome to Best of Late Night, a rundown that lets you sleep  and lets us get paid to watch comedy. What do you think of it? What else are you interested in? Let us know: thearts@nytimes.com.

Family Matters

The late-night hosts had a lot to say after Ivanka Trump was jeered in Germany for telling a conference on womens issues that her father was a tremendous champion of supporting families.

Today, Trump sent Ivanka to Berlin to participate in a womens conference, making her the first Trump to attend a womens conference that didnt include a swimsuit competition.  STEPHEN COLBERT In Germany, Ivanka Trump told a crowd that her father is a champion of supporting families, and she got booed. Ivanka said she was surprised; shes always been told to open with a joke.  CONAN OBRIEN

Ivanka spoke on a panel titled, Inspiring Women: Scaling Up Womens Entrepreneurship. And the Trump family has a long history of inspiring women  to march, to sue, to flee from a dressing room.  STEPHEN COLBERT

Trevor Noah Gets a Surprise Visitor
How fitting that the man often credited with saying a lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is still putting on its shoes most likely did not invent the phrase.

Commonly attributed to Mark Twain, that quotation instead appears to be a descendant of a line published centuries ago by the satirist Jonathan Swift. Variants emerged and mutated over time until a modern version of the saying was popularized by a Victorian-era preacher, according to Garson OToole, a researcher who, like Twain, prefers a pseudonym.

Seven years ago, Mr. OToole started Quote Investigator, a popular website where he traces the origins of well-known sayings. This month, he published Hemingway Didnt Say That: The Truth Behind Familiar Quotations, a book in which he collected and updated many of the posts from his site and offers new theories on how misquotations form.

When I started off, it was mysterious exactly where these misquotations were coming from, and it was interesting that sometimes you could find these clues that pointed to how they may have originated, said Mr. OToole, an alias for Gregory F. Sullivan, a former teacher and researcher in the Johns Hopkins computer science department who now spends his time writing.
ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE

By Elizabeth Strout

254 pages. Random House. $27.

Anyone whos ever experienced depression, even the tiniest mote, knows that theres great power in relief. Certainly Olive Kitteridge, the protagonist of Elizabeth Strouts Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of the same name, knew this. Pleasure is the absence of pain, Olive thought to herself at one point, recalling the words of a philosopher shed read in college. (She couldnt remember who. Epicurus.) She may as well have been speaking for any of Strouts characters. The things they carry are heavy. Not to suffer would be more than enough.

And oh, how the characters suffer in Strouts latest novel, Anything Is Possible! The title seems a mean joke, given the books army of hurting men and women, desperate for liberation from their wounds.

To describe the plot, to the extent that there even is one, is pointless. Like Olive Kitteridge, Anything Is Possible is really a necklace of short stories about people in a small town, studded with clues about whos connected to whom. (Strout was born to be an omniscient narrator, born to flit and swoop from one crooked perch to the next.)

It is most useful to think about Strouts work thematically. The same ideas continually preoccupy her, and her characters often behave in similar ways. They indulge in the petty comforts of gossip, their judgments disguised as concern, their desperation to reassure themselves of their luck  and virtue  disguised as pity. They throb with loneliness and fume with disappointment. (A lot of her characters are old, very old, and are bitter to discover where they have ended up.) Grown children defend parents who had done the indefensible, their mercy almost saintly in its bounty; or they do its opposite, clinging to righteous fury over parental infractions on a more human scale, driving their mothers wild with grief and remorse.
What would be in fashion: voice, experience, and showing rather than telling. So it is that workshops typically focus on strategies of the writing art that develop character, setting, time, description, theme, voice and, to a lesser extent, plot. Plot is usually seen by workshop writer-teachers, or teacher-writers, as the property of so-called genre writing: science fiction, crime, romance, young adult and screenplays  as if literary fiction were not also a genre.

As a young aspiring writer, I was troubled by how these workshops, aside from the art of writing, did not have anything to say about the matters that concerned me: politics, history, theory, philosophy, ideology. How does one write a poem, a short story or a novel that deals with any of these things? I did not realize at the time that such issues were often beyond the horizon of concern of the workshop because they threatened its very origins.

As an institution, the workshop reproduces its ideology, which pretends that Show, dont tell is universal when it is, in fact, the expression of a particular population, the white majority, typically at least middle-class and often, but not exclusively, male. The identity behind the workshops origins is invisible. Like all privileges, this identity is unmarked until it is thrown into relief against that which is marked, visible and outspoken, which is to say me and others like me.

We, the barbarians at the gate, the descendants of Caliban, the ones who have no choice but to speak in the language we have  we come bearing the experiences and ideas the workshop suppresses. We come from the Communist countries America bombed during the Cold War, or where it sponsored counter-Communist efforts. We come from the lands America occupied, invaded or colonized. We come as refugees and immigrants, documented and undocumented. We come from the ghettos, barrios, reservations and borders of America where there are no workshops. We come from the bedrooms and the kitchens of the American home, where we were supposed to stay, and stay silent. We come speaking languages other than English. We come from the margins, where English is broken. We come with financial aid and loans and families that do not understand what creative writing is. We come from communities we do not wish to renounce in the name of our individualism. We come wanting to do more than just sell our stories to white audiences. And we come with the desire not just to show, but to tell.

But what is that art that is also political, historical, theoretical, ideological and philosophical? How is it to be taught? It must be taught not only as an isolated craft or a set of techniques. It must be taught in relation to, or within, courses on history, politics, theory and philosophy, as well as ethnic studies, gender studies, queer studies and cultural studies.
 On one hand, China has been trying to ease fears of a U.S.-North Korean military confrontation. But on the other, its underscoring territorial ambitions that have set other regional players on edge, launching its first domestically built aircraft carrier.

China also protested as the U.S. military began installing a Thaad missile defense system in South Korea, where the deployment has become a contentious issue in the May 9 election to replace the ousted president.
1. The Trump administration shook up the nations economic base in two ways.

First, he proposed cutting taxes for businesses and most Americans, which Republicans saluted but one Democratic congressman called mathematically impossible. (Were parsing the details, but our Washington editors see it as an opening bid, not a final plan.)

Second, the president told the leaders of Mexico and Canada that he would not terminate the North American Free Trade Agreement for now, keeping in place what he once called the worst trade deal ever signed by the United States. Earlier, a senior official had said that Mr. Trump was likely to sign an executive order taking the first steps to withdraw from the pact.
Saving for college is daunting, as the sticker price for even state schools edges ever higher.

To help families get a rough idea of whether they are on track to meet their college savings goals, Fidelity Investments is promoting a rule of thumb: Multiply your childs age by $2,000 to get a back-of-the-napkin estimate of how much you should have saved at that point.

The number is based on a goal of saving half of the cost of four years at a public, in-state university, where the average cost in 2016  including tuition, room and board, and fees  was more than $20,000 annually, according to the College Board. It assumes that savings start when a child is born and that he or she will start college at age 18.

The guideline assumes that the funds are invested in a tax-advantaged account, like a state-sponsored 529 savings plan (no surprise: Fidelity manages several such plans), or a Coverdell education savings account, which also has tax benefits, but much lower annual contribution limits.

According to the rule, if your child is 2, you should have $4,000 saved; if he or she is 10, you should have $20,000 set aside.
LONDON  Credit Suisse said on Wednesday that it would raise $4 billion through a share sale, part of efforts by the bank to restructure and address longstanding capital concerns.

The move is a further step in attempts by Tidjane Thiam, the lenders chief executive, to shift its business model away from riskier, capital-intensive trading and banking. First-quarter earnings released on Wednesday appeared to validate the strategy, as the company returned to a profit.

The Swiss lender, which has large operations in London and in New York, has shrunk its investment bank and is placing greater emphasis on its wealth-management business, particularly in Asia and in other emerging markets.

Mr. Thiam, who joined Credit Suisse in 2015, announced plans in October of that year to raise $6.3 billion in capital and to reduce the banks costs by billions of dollars by the end of 2018. The company said at the time that it might need to raise as much as 11 billion Swiss francs, or about $11.1 billion, to complete its restructuring.
Its time to add Wells Fargos chairman, Stephen W. Sanger, to the list of firings over the creation of millions of fake accounts.

Just 56 percent of shareholders backed Mr. Sanger at the banks annual meeting on Tuesday. Thats a stinging rebuke for his failure as lead director. After 5,300 employees and the chief executive, John G. Stumpf, paid with their jobs, Mr. Sanger and other board members with lackluster support should go, too, to help the bank rehabilitate.

Much of the nearly three-hour gathering in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.  clear across the country from Wells Fargos San Francisco headquarters  felt like a full-blown airing of grievances. Investors, customers and employees past and present took turns denouncing executives and directors.

Complaints went beyond the opening of at least two million unwanted bank and credit-card accounts by staff members aiming for aggressive sales goals. Also garnering controversy were mortgage foreclosures, equal pay for women and the decision to finance the Dakota Access Pipeline amid protests from Native Americans.
On Wednesday nights show, Mr. Watters announced he would be taking a vacation, missing the next two nights of The Five, as well as his weekend show, Watters World, on Saturday.

Im going to be taking a vacation with my family, so Im not going to be here tomorrow and Friday, he said. But Ill be back on Monday, so try not to miss me too much.

The episode comes at a bad time for Fox News, the cable news giant that has been reeling from claims of sexual misconduct throughout the organization.

Mr. OReilly, one of Foxs biggest stars, was forced out last week after the revelation that the network and Mr. OReilly had spent $13 million on settlements with five women who accused him of sexual harassment or inappropriate behavior.

Its former chairman, Roger Ailes, was ousted last year two weeks after several women, including Gretchen Carlson, a former anchor, accused him of sexual harassment.

This month, two more women accused Mr. Ailes of harassment: Julie Roginsky, a current contributor, asserted that she faced retaliation for rebuffing Mr. Ailes sexual advances, and Alisyn Camerota, a former anchor, accused him of saying grossly inappropriate things to her when she asked for new opportunities at work.
Mr. Kors is being strategically drawn in, whether he likes it or not. (People are free to buy what they want, no matter the politics of a designer, after all.)

Yet in Berlin, at an occasion meant to promote, at least in part, female entrepreneurship, the dress was a surprising choice. Granted, Mr. Kors is an American designer, but he is both established and  to state the obvious  male. Its hard not to think that Ms. Trump missed an opportunity to practice what she preaches. (She did deplane in Germany wearing a skirt by Misha Nonoo, an up-and-coming name who ticks both the American and the female boxes, so Ms. Trump presumably was thinking about that on some level).

Further complicating the matter was the fact that when Ms. Trump was asked, What is your role, and who are you representing, your father as president of the United States, the American people or your business? she responded Certainly not the latter. Nevertheless, according to White House Wardrobe, a website that purports to be a Nonpartisan fashion lover following the style of #MelaniaTrump and #IvankaTrump, and recreating White House looks for less!, she appeared to be wearing shoes from the brand that bears her name, as well as jewelry from her now-defunct high jewelry collection.

Ms. Trumps office declined to confirm whether the accessories were, indeed, from her former brands, but White House Wardrobe posted photos on Instagram of similar items from both lines so that viewers could get the look, a development that underscores the continued difficulty Ms. Trump might have in extricating herself from her brand.

Although she has resigned her position with the company, placing her holdings in a trust, and although the jewelry brand has been discontinued, the fact that both lines were conceived to reflect her taste and her wardrobe means that whether or not she is wearing one of the brands, or just something that resembles it, her appearance acts as a promotional opportunity  intentional or not. She has been careful to wear big American brands (Oscar de la Renta, Carolina Herrera, Michael Kors) on major public occasions. But she was, and remains, the best model for the brand that bears her name, even without a formal relationship to the company. Given the label, its unavoidable.
An inexpensive generic drug that saves the lives of wounded soldiers and civilian car crash victims has now been shown to rescue women suffering hemorrhages in childbirth.

Postpartum hemorrhage, in which women bleed uncontrollably after childbirth, kills an estimated 100,000 women a year in poor and middle-income countries. The complication also forces doctors to perform emergency hysterectomies, especially when hospitals have too little blood on hand to provide transfusions.

In a major six-year trial involving over 20,000 women in 21 countries, researchers showed that tranexamic acid, a little-known blood-clotter invented in the 1950s, reduced maternal bleeding deaths by a third if it was given within three hours. It costs less than $2 a dose and does not require refrigeration.

The trial  known as Woman, short for World Maternal Antifibrinolytic  was led by doctors at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and paid for by the Wellcome Trust, Pfizer, Britains health department and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Results were published in The Lancet on Wednesday.
Note: Occasionally we partner with outside organizations who make especially good use of New York Times materials in their programming and curriculums. For example, this guest lesson on climate change was written by members of NASAs Goddard Institute for Space Studies; this one about navigating life online was created by a writer at Common Sense Media; and this one about espionage was written by the youth education director at the International Spy Museum.

Below, we feature a guest lesson plan created by the Global Nomads Group, an international organization that creates interactive educational programs  online platforms, video conferences, media and other learning materials  for students about global issues, to foster dialogue and understanding among the worlds youth. This lesson is designed to prepare students to participate in a live webcast on Wednesday, May 3, open to young people anywhere in the world who wish to participate.

_________

Background: As of December 2016, 4.8 million registered Syrian refugees had left their country. And 6.1 million more are internally displaced, which means they were forced to move within Syria. In other words, more than half of Syrias 22 million citizens have left their homes because of the civil war that started in 2011. Youth are particularly vulnerable. Many young Syrians lost their security, homes and access to education.

These numbers can make the conflict seem too big or overwhelming to fix. But behind the statistics, there are stories of real people trying to build new homes for their families. There are youth working to improve their situations and the smaller challenges they face every day.
My mother and I had a joke that whatever gene makes a baker skipped her generation. I think the closest she ever came to baking was spearing bright orange peanut-shaped marshmallows on a carving fork and toasting them over the stove. When I married  I was 19 and a college junior  the only culinary experience I could claim was burning down my parents kitchen seven years earlier, a misadventure involving frozen fries and boiling oil.

Marriage (and a budget constrained by student loans) made me a cook; my mother-in-law inadvertently made me a baker.

She was a funny, spirited woman who was guarded, cool and singularly unsentimental, except when she talked about her parents, both bakers by trade. Her expression would soften as she remembered the warm cinnamon buns that waited for her after school. Watching her mime the motions of spreading sweet butter on a freshly baked poppy-seed roll  every bit of the rolls surface had to be covered  was like hearing her declare: My family loved me!

Could baking really do that? If it could, I wanted to bake.

The galvanizing experience, the one that sent me into the kitchen, occurred the evening I dropped by my mother-in-laws house in Brooklyn. I found her whistling and making knishes, those potato pies Id have sworn only machines could produce. I barely had time to take off my coat before she pushed the dough toward me. Touch it, she said, Feel how silky it is  this is how it should feel.
Rei Kawakubo is a 74-year-old Japanese designer who has been making monochromatic, boiled, overstuffed, unraveling, surreal clothes since she began her label, Comme des Garcons, in 1969. In the 80s, an era of triangular fluorescent shoulders and moussed bangs, she sent widows weeds trailing down the runway. In the 90s, her clothes grew tumors that resembled bustles, blurring the lines between illness and beauty, what to look at and what to look away from. While her stores stock simple cotton poplin shirts as well as more challenging lumpen jackets and her runway shows present one-off sculptures, the through-line is a thoughtful rejection of should and a strong feeling of perhaps. The name of her label, which translates to Like the Boys, is a quiet, defiant shrug.

Over the decades, Kawakubo has returned to certain proportions and themes. A Peter Pan collar. An A-line skirt. A uniform. A cocoon. Her variations on these natural and childlike shapes present a distilled and dreamy version of dress. When I think of her clothes, my mind fishes up an image I saw over 20 years ago in a magazine: Two women stood in a dirt road. One wore a dress that struck me as utterly unflattering, until it didnt. Then it struck me as beautiful. Innocent. The shape of a dolls dress. The skirt hit midcalf, flat shoes, legs sturdy. In that moment, I understood the difference between being looked at and looking at yourself. Squarely and generously. The difference between sartorial safety and statement.

Kawakubos clothes dont move from day to evening. They dont flatter. They dont slim. They dont fit perfectly or offer comfort or reassurance. But then, given a beat, they do all of the above. They are not simply clothes: They are ideas. They are feelings. Kawakubo once said that her collections begin as nonverbal, abstract images inside of me.
I recently experienced the loss of a much-loved pet. I am looking into getting a new cat or cats. My dilemma is where: 1. A no-kill animal shelter; 2. A shelter that euthanizes animals if there are too many. Do I opt for the kill shelter  thereby saving lives? Or support the no-kill shelter? M. Watkin, Cobden, Ill.

In your view, its wrong to kill a cat humanely (as we say, rather oddly) if no one wants to have it as a pet. This is a topic on which there are strong and conflicting beliefs. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals is highly critical of no-kill policies, given the realities of our animal shelters: Warehousing animals in cages for long periods is cruel, the group says, and the attempt to find homes for these creatures is like bailing out a sinking ship with a teaspoon. PETA wants us to head off the problem by sterilizing more animals, thereby reducing the number of homeless ones. Groups like the Humane Society of the United States and the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals suggest, more diplomatically, that no kill is a noble aspiration but often imperfect in practice, as it results in warehousing and overcrowding. I myself have concluded that it can be O.K. to kill creatures that dont have projects as long as you dont cause them suffering. (Human beings, unlike other creatures, have lives theyre making whose interruption deprives them of something significant.) Thats why I am not a vegetarian but favor strong animal-welfare legislation for livestock. My aim, however, isnt to push you toward a particular position. On these issues, there is a range of arguments to reckon with. Id simply urge you to take the time to do so.

Given your current assumptions, Options 1 and 2 each have something to be said for them. Option 1 supports an organization that wont euthanize the animals it shelters. Option 2 means that you adopt an animal that could have been euthanized. (You might think youd also lessen the chance that other animals will be killed, but PETA has a point about that teaspoon.) Because adoption fees are meant to help cover the cost of the rescue, you could give the no-kill shelter money and take your cat or cats from a kill shelter, thus achieving both goals. But do keep your eye on the larger questions of animal welfare. A no-kill shelter may use the money unwisely and still cause animal deaths when fatal illnesses result from overcrowding. Be sure your issues with PETA, the H.S.U.S. or the A.S.P.C.A. survive research and consideration.

My mother recently remarried, and her new husband has a young daughter. My stepsister spends most of her time with her mother, but she spends some weekends and holidays with her dad and my mom. My mother was a decent parent (Im 22), but she has always been self-involved and insensitive. Whenever I spend time with her and my stepsister, I notice my mom acting in ways that were hurtful to me as a child. I feel I have some responsibility to protect this kid, but when I broach the topic, my mother gets very upset. Should I back off and commiserate with my stepsister when shes old enough? Or is there a way to talk about this to my mom that will let me help the child in a more immediate way? Name Withheld
Weinsteins critique of PrEP is a fringe view. According to Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases, support for PrEP among researchers and regulators is all but universal. Its having an extraordinarily positive impact, he says. Robert Grant, a professor of medicine at U.C.S.F. and a leading PrEP researcher, credits the treatment with a plummeting decline in H.I.V. transmission rates among white gay men in San Francisco.

Nevertheless, Weinstein is quoted regularly in articles about the treatment, and his noisy skepticism has reverberated across the internet. Some argue that Weinsteins grandstanding during public hearings delayed PrEPs approval by the C.D.C., and that his sowing of doubt about the medication is continuing to suppress its use, especially in black and Latino communities. What I find in my practice, Grant says, is that A.H.F.s propaganda does not impress or influence privileged groups of gay men. They can see right through it. But when I talk to some people of color who are clients in my clinics, I find theyve heard the A.H.F. message, and it gives them pause, it makes them concerned, it appeals to their sense that this isnt for them. Despite the C.D.C.s efforts, very few people, even now, are on PrEP; according to recent estimates, only about 100,000 people take it.

Weinsteins concerns about PrEP are in line with his other heterodox positions, which often cut against the sexual-liberationist doctrine embraced by other activists. Many issues that have been controversial in the gay community, he claims, like laws that make it illegal to intentionally infect a sexual partner with H.I.V., are no-brainers for ordinary voters. Some people are so extreme, he told me. Theres a group here in California that wants to reduce intentionally infecting somebody from a felony to a misdemeanor. Theres articles being written basically saying we should be proud to bareback  slang for condomless sex. In the hothouse environment of the gay community, that point of view is very popular, but it isnt in the community at large, and it isnt in the medical community either.

What motivates Weinstein to adopt such lonely views? Weinsteins fiercest critics have often searched for a financial motive, some even going so far as to suggest that he aims to profit from the spread of H.I.V. Those who know him personally dismiss this explanation. Phill Wilson, president of the Black AIDS Institute, first met Weinstein in 1980 when Wilson was dating Chris Brownlie. In fact, the first iteration of A.H.F. was founded in Wilsons living room. This is the mistake that people make when they think about Michael, Wilson told me. Whether what he does is good or bad, he does what he believes is in the best interests of people living with H.I.V. or at risk of infection. Weinstein was primarily driven by mission, Wilson said. Even Peter Staley concedes that point. I dont think its about the money for him, he told me, unsurprised to learn that in Weinsteins most recent annual report, he disclosed a comparatively humble salary of $400,000, low for directors of similarly sized nonprofits. The core of the business at A.H.F. is not something that has been scandalous, Staley says. It is an empire worth building. A.H.F.s problem is that once it created the largest AIDS empire on the planet, it started using that power for nefarious purposes: Michael Weinsteins twisted political views.

On paper, 2016 was Weinsteins best year ever. He opened six new pharmacies and one clinic in the United States and started new programs in Indonesia, Bolivia and Zimbabwe. But on the advocacy side, he suffered significant setbacks. In November, his drug-pricing initiative failed. So did his condoms-in-porn initiative, despite the fact that he had managed to pass a similar law in Los Angeles County in 2012. Most recently, on March 7, voters in the city of Los Angeles resoundingly rejected, by a 2-to-1 margin, his quixotic anti-density measure. The public, it seems, is not on board with Weinsteins agenda.



Even so, when I visited Weinstein at his office in February, he showed no sign of disappointment. Discussing recent losses, he wasnt merely philosophical; he was downright giddy. I had never been involved with a campaign, he said, referring to the drug-pricing initiative, where people were so enthusiastic about something that didnt win. (He would later use the same line with reporters when his anti-density ordinance went down in flames.) As we chatted, he sipped from a radioactive-looking bottle of apple-melon Isopure; he said he liked his chances for this November, when he would try again with a new drug-pricing initiative, this time in Ohio. The problem in California, he said, was that the drug companies had flooded the airwaves  total aerial bombardment, 3,500 gross rating points a week  but he doubted that kind of razzmatazz would work in flyover country. Midwesterners are kind of square-shouldered, common-sense people. Id think thered be a backlash if they dumped $80 million into Ohio.

If that referendum were to pass, Weinstein figured, then Big Pharmas citadel  the American market  would start to crack. Ohio would be copied by other states, and the V.A.s price for drugs would become the universal price, as even private insurers would demand to pay the new public rate. Billions would be shaved off pharmas bottom line, meaning the industry would no longer have the muscle to bully Congress into propping up its international patent regime. Drug prices would plummet across the world, AIDS medications would flow freely and the industrys lobbying operation would shrink so much that it could be drowned in a bathtub. This sequence of events seemed far-fetched, but Weinstein was nevertheless optimistic about the coming year, win or lose. His equanimity in the face of failure reminded me of something he once said to me about Prop. 60, the condoms-in-porn bill. It lost at the ballot box by an eight-point margin, but Weinstein found a reason to declare victory. Weve had more than 10,000 stories on condoms in porn, he boasted. Forget about porn: Thats a lot of free advertising for condoms.

Weinstein often consoles himself in moments of defeat by reaffirming his commitment to the long game. This is part of what makes him so frustrating to his critics: It is difficult, and sometimes impossible, to distinguish his cynical ploys from his ideological commitments. In his person, the will to power and the will to change the world seem to fuse. It wasnt simply that he cared more about fighting than about winning. Eventually, he believes, people will come around to his view. And if they dont, thats fine, too: A.H.F. will continue to thrive, even in a fallen world.
When religion makes headlines these days, its often for the worst sorts of reasons. Sacred, an understated documentary that begins a weeklong run Friday, May 5, at the Rubin Museum of Art in Chelsea, is a reminder that for millions of people of faith all over the world, religion is about small but significant moments of hope, affirmation and reflection.

The movie is directed by Thomas Lennon, who will lead discussions after the Rubin screenings, but it is actually a compilation of the work of dozens of filmmakers. They captured people from a wide array of religions going about the quiet business of belief: A baptism in Ethiopia, a mans pilgrimage to Ukraine, a Haitian womans visit to a waterfall said to aid in fertility.

The vignettes are full of optimism, but not exclusively, because faith has its challenges. Religiously, we take this Ebola crisis as, God is really angry with us, says a man who has been burying bodies during the outbreak in Sierra Leone a few years ago. (rubinmuseum.org)
Four hanging loins of lamb, beautifully marbled and weighing 10 pounds each, filled the windows of Akropolis Meat Market in Astoria, Queens, on a recent Saturday afternoon. Inside the long shop, more than 30 kinds of steak, chicken, pork and lamb were on offer behind a glass case, and multiple conversations in a mix of Greek and English made for a lively atmosphere. About a half-dozen butchers worked, all wearing white coats.

Manny Michelakis, a civil engineer from Whitestone, Queens, who was with his teenage son, Jason, chatted with the owner, John Gatzonis, 69, near the cash register. Although Mr. Michelakiss order was ready, he was in no rush to leave. A Saturday afternoon trip to the store to buy a weeks worth of meat for his family has been a part of his routine for the past 35 years.

John and the rest of the guys are my friends, so coming here is like a social hour, Mr. Michelakis said.
The New York Police Department  on a mission to put body cameras on all 23,000 of its patrol officers in two years  is poised to join one of the biggest experiments in modern policing. On Thursday, it will begin a court-ordered pilot program that will set the stage for the larger rollout.

The pilot program is designed to answer a persistent question about a novel technology that has been adopted by thousands of police agencies around the country: What effect do body cameras have on policing?

From big cities like Los Angeles to small towns like Hamden, Conn., New York lags other municipalities in equipping officers with body cameras. Still, the experiment in Americas largest Police Department is likely to resonate across the country, especially in jurisdictions still weighing whether to use the cameras or to tweak existing programs.

People look to New York as a leader, said Chuck Wexler, executive director of the Police Executive Research Forum, a law enforcement policy nonprofit. He pointed to the Police Departments widely adopted system for tracking and responding to crime, known as CompStat, and its counterterrorism efforts, which drew a visit from Belgiums interior minister after the deadly bombings in Brussels last year. You name it, New York has confronted it.
In 2014, the Council made New York one of the first cities to enact laws limiting cooperation with federal immigration enforcement officials in the detention of undocumented immigrants. The laws prohibited the Police and Correction Departments from holding inmates for release until the enforcement agency, known as ICE, could collect them. The two departments could hold detainees for ICE only after receiving a warrant from a judge, and only those who had committed a violent and serious crime within the previous five years.

Those policies were behind a recent war of words between the Trump administration and officials in New York City over its so-called sanctuary city status, with Attorney General Jeff Sessions asserting that New York was soft on crime. Mayor de Blasio and James P. ONeill, the police commissioner, forcefully rejected that idea, and the attorney general backpedaled.

On Wednesday, Lawrence Byrne, the Police Departments deputy commissioner for legal matters, said ICE had issued 182 detainer requests since the beginning of the year, compared with 72 requests in all of 2016. Despite the increase under the new administration, Mr. Byrne said the department had honored none of the requests.

Commissioner ONeill has been very clear that N.Y.P.D. does not do civil immigration enforcement, Mr. Byrne said, but he added that the commissioner was equally clear in saying, If you commit a crime, were going to find you.
This Week in Hate highlights hate crimes and harassment around the country since the election of President Trump.

Kanwal Khurana loved living in Cleveland. He and his wife had moved from the suburbs to an apartment in the city in December. Its beautiful, he said. You can see the whole downtown.

But less than two months later, Mr. Khurana and his wife had just parked their car across the street from the building when they heard someone say, go back to your own country. The next morning, they discovered that someone had slashed all four of their tires.

Mr. Khurana, 63, is retired from his job writing contracts for Cuyahoga County, and his wife is a homemaker. They help their son pay his tuition at Kent State. They have car insurance, but still had to come up with a $500 co-payment to have their car towed and repaired, plus the fee to rent a car in the meantime.
Claremont, Calif.  What kind of conservative is President Trump? He must be some kind of conservative, because for nearly 100 days and counting, liberals have poured on him the kind of vitriol they do not reserve for moderates or ideological nobodys. Inside the Beltway, some famous conservatives have joined in the sport but for the opposite reason, that Mr. Trump, they claim, is no conservative but a populist demagogue out to discredit and destroy their beloved movement.

In his three major public speeches so far  his remarks at the Republican National Convention, his Inaugural Address and his speech to a joint session of Congress  Mr. Trump did not mention conservatism at all. Even at the Conservative Political Action Conference, he claimed simply, and almost in passing, that his election was a victory for conservative values. What those were he did not specify, except to say that Americans believe in freedom, security and the rule of law and in standing up for America, American workers and the American flag.

These formulas are sufficiently broad to encourage both sides of the White House jostling between Stephen Bannon, the chief strategist, and Jared Kushner, Mr. Trumps son-in-law. Rather than focus on the infighting, we need to look at the presidents overall agenda and try to put it into a longer, and sharper, historical perspective. Granted, there has never been a president quite like Mr. Trump, but his positions are not as outre or as outrageous as they are often portrayed.

Mr. Trump remains the kind of conservative president whom one expects to say, proudly and often, the chief business of the American people is business. Although Calvin Coolidge said it first, Mr. Trump shows increasing signs of thinking along broadly Coolidgean lines, and of redirecting Republican policies toward the pre-New Deal, pre-Cold War party of William McKinley and Coolidge, with its roots in the party of Abraham Lincoln.
Even if you forget about the content of his actions  whether they strengthened or weakened the country  and focus only on how much he accomplished, its a poor beginning. His supporters deserve to be disappointed, and his opponents should be cheered by how unsuccessful his agenda has been so far.

Before now, the weakest starts probably belonged to Bill Clinton and to John F. Kennedy. Partly as a result, neither of them ended up being as consequential presidents as, say, Lyndon B. Johnson, Ronald Reagan or Barack Obama. And yet Trumps first 100 days have been vastly weaker than Clintons or Kennedys:

Trump has made no significant progress on any major legislation. His health care bill is a zombie. His border wall is stalled. Hes only now releasing basic principles of a tax plan. Even his executive order on immigration is tied up in the courts. By contrast, George W. Bush and Ronald Reagan had made substantial progress toward passing tax cuts, and Barack Obama had passed, among other things, a huge stimulus bill that also addressed education and climate policy.

Trump is far behind staffing his administration. Trump has made a mere 50 nominations to fill the top 553 positions of the executive branch, as of Friday. Thats right: He hasnt even nominated anyone for 90 percent of its top jobs. The average president since 1989 had nominated twice as many, according to the Partnership for Public Service.

Part of the reason is a lack of execution: The administration has been slow to make nominations. And part of the reason is who is being nominated: A disproportionate number of affluent investors and business executives with many potential conflicts of interest that require vetting. Either way, the effects are real. The executive branch cant push through the presidents priorities if it doesnt have his people in place.
To the Editor:

I read with great interest In Trying to Avoid Politics, Comey Shaped an Election (front page, April 23), not least because James Comey, as an assistant United States attorney for the Southern District of New York, was a junior colleague of mine, and later, as the United States attorney for the Southern District of New York, my boss.

I have no idea what Mr. Comeys thinking was in commenting last July on what he perceived to be Hillary Clintons carelessness in connection with her private email server or in publicly reopening his investigation of her shortly before the election based on what ultimately proved to be nothing of substance. What I can say is this: In both instances he violated every rule in the book governing the conduct of federal law enforcement officials and did so in a way that was partisan and that indubitably affected the outcome of the election.

During my nearly 37 years as a public prosecutor, I participated in numerous investigations of high-profile public figures. A number of those investigations resulted in no charges being brought, and in such cases we issued either no statement at all or a very brief statement to the effect that the investigation in question had yielded insufficient evidence to warrant the filing of charges.

Had I done what Mr. Comey had in the case of Mrs. Clinton, I would, unquestionably, have been subjected to discipline, up to and including being fired. The head of the F.B.I. is subject to the same rules as I was; he should be subject to the same discipline.
To the Editor:

Was the Pope Wrong to Compare Refugee Centers to Concentration Camps? (Op-Ed, nytimes.com, April 25) questioned the American Jewish Committees criticism of Pope Francis for his regrettable choice of words to describe the migrant crisis in Europe.

The admired religious leader spoke of concentration camps in Europe today, where migrants too often languish, having left war-torn or collapsing Arab countries and facing growing hurdles to resettlement in an increasingly unwelcoming continent.

As we have personally witnessed, living conditions in the camps can be extremely tough, especially for the most vulnerable populations, and the A.J.C. has consistently supported humanitarian aid efforts.

But to compare these conditions to those of concentration camps, which, since the Nazi era, have taken on a specific meaning of bestiality, enslavement and annihilation, is to dilute the meaning of language, do history a disservice and unfairly ascribe to democratic European countries an essentially Hitlerian approach to the issue.
The reforms being overturned had been undertaken after Washington pressed for them. In 2007, Mr. Pena Nietos predecessor, Felipe Calderon, sought American aid for his reckless, bloody and exorbitant war on drugs. Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama foolishly acquiesced, in exchange demanding changes in Mexicos justice system and providing funds for the changes.

Mr. Pena Nietos backtracking also includes seeking passage  long delayed by Congress  of an internal security law. In principle, it creates a legal framework for the militarys role in law enforcement, emphasizing drug trafficking and organized crime. But it also would allow a near state of siege in locales where the police have proved incapable of guaranteeing order. Many Mexican legal analysts say this could offer the military a blanket amnesty for human rights violations.

Under other circumstances, the United States could be a force for the rule of law, human rights and civilian control over the military in Mexico  for example, by rescinding a shameful decision last year, by President Obamas State Department, to certify that Mexico had made enough progress in human rights to receive new funding.

But what case could the Trump administration make to deter Mr. Pena Nieto from suppressing the judicial reforms? Many Mexicans would protest: Who are they, in Washington, to lecture us about due process or the presumption of innocence? Those people drafted the Homeland Security Departments new guidelines on expanded expedited removal and chargeable acts, with the explicit purpose of speeding up and increasing deportations of Mexicans.

This is the key issue. By recommending that expedited removal be extended to migrants detained anywhere in the United States (rather than just within 100 miles of the border) and to all who have been in the United States for up to two years (rather than two weeks), John F. Kelly, the Homeland Security secretary, proposes to eliminate due process for many undocumented migrants. Now the matter is in the courts, and it could take years for a definitive decision by the Supreme Court, which ruled in 2001 that individuals without papers were entitled to due process.

In the meantime, how can Washington press Mexico to maintain its reforms on due process, when the administration is fighting for the right to deport tens or hundreds of thousands of Mexicans without their day in court?

The same logic applies to the presumption of innocence. Washingtons new guidelines put at risk of immediate deportation any person whom a customs or border agent believes may have committed a chargeable act. The deportee need not have been charged, tried and sentenced, and the nature of the act would be irrelevant. Just being in the United States without authorization could provoke arrest, and in the absence of priorities for deportation, it is the easiest offense to invoke.
Residents recounted how police will conduct a sona, slang for mass interrogation in communities that often leads to harassment by the authorities. I was told in one slum by the Pasig River that more than 80 men were called out of their homes, lined up and arrested last September. One woman said that a few of those detained ended up dead. Another woman, whose brother was similarly killed, spoke on behalf of her sheepish husband standing behind her. A model citizen in the community, he serves as a volunteer firefighter, heads the local group that organizes an annual religious procession and had just before his arrest passed a police clearance that was required for new employment. To raise his $500 bail, his family sold their shanty, gave up their small business and moved in with his mother.

Such stories are now commonplace. The poor, whove always known justice least, now bear injustice most. While Mr. Duterte remains overwhelmingly popular, a recent poll showed that trust in him has risen among the upper classes but has dropped by 11 percentage points among the poorest, resulting in a seven-point drop overall.

In a slum in the north of Manila, residents told me about a dozen men from the same street who were arrested this year after a police raid failed to snag a targeted drug suspect. Women showed me documents issued by the courts or Public Attorneys Office, bearing labyrinthine legal phrases in English, a language they barely speak. To these citizens, the rotten justice system is the only place to which they can turn.

Human rights lawyers say such systemic injustice can be addressed only by reforming the judiciary, the penal system and the police together. But that network must first be challenged, to prove that its dysfunction results in grave consequences, and the only ones who can legally file cases are the abused parties, most of whom are too poor and too scared to do so.

That is steadily changing. Whistleblowers from among police and vigilantes are speaking out, while lawyers groups have been working on cases for victims of abuse or families of those killed. This year, a group of claimants won an injunction from the Supreme Court, which issued a restraining order against police officers alleged to have shot four men execution style. Yet the trial is a long way off, and these plaintiffs, and all others like them, receive no other protection from the government. They live in fear.

If not for concerned lawyers who advocate for them, the journalists who tell their stories and religious groups who offer sanctuary, these citizens, who mostly do not know their rights, would be facing the system entirely on their own. Theres an inspiring irony that the strength and courage most needed to challenge it all comes from the countrys most vulnerable.

These cases, often dismissed by Duterte supporters as isolated incidents or necessary growing pains, are actually vital to the reform this administration seeks. Without them, a public advocate told me, we can neither prove that abuse indeed stems from the system nor pinpoint what needs to be fixed. And given the current governments efforts to reinstate capital punishment and lower the age of criminal liability to 9 years old, fixing the Philippine justice system is more than ever a matter of life and death.

Despite his violent rhetoric and his coddling of police, the blame is not all Mr. Dutertes. No one person is culpable, just as no one person can fix it. What is supposed to be a precision instrument for ensuring law and order has become a weapon so blunt that most people cant trust it. The current embrace of violence, and all the justifications people make for it, are predicated on this. The system is so broken that many Filipinos think its just better to purge the dregs of society. Its a perverse hope  one that if were honest we can all understand, but one that if were responsible, we must ultimately reject.
SOFIA, Bulgaria  If you want to understand what is going on in Central Europe right now and why thousands of young people are on the streets of Budapest, Bucharest, Bratislava or Warsaw, the only thing you have to do is watch Kristof Deaks 25-minute movie Sing, the winner of this years Academy Award for best live-action short film.

The story takes place in Budapest in the early 1990s. Zsofi, a young girl, has just arrived in a new school, and she is excited by the opportunity to sing in its award-winning school choir. Erika, the music teacher, permits Zsofi to join but asks her to open her mouth without singing because she is not yet sufficiently skilled.

Zsofi agrees. But when her best friend learns of this deal, she confronts the teacher, who says that it was in everybodys interest that only the best sing; the choir is competing for a trip to Sweden. As it turns out, Zsofi is not the only choir member Erika has silenced. Allowing only a few, talented students to sing is the teachers winning strategy. However, Zsofi and her friends are not willing to be party to it. The day of the competition, all the students open their mouths without singing a note. They begin singing in earnest only when an ashamed Erika bolts from the stage.

Image Zsofia Szamosi in Kristof Deaks 25-minute movie Sing, the winner of this years Academy Award for best live-action short film. Credit... Shorts HD

In Hungary, Prime Minister Victor Orbans managed illiberal democracy, a style of governance that is increasingly popular throughout Central Europe, resembles Erikas school choir. Under these regimes, citizens regularly go to the ballot boxes, and the elections are free if not always fair, but it is the government that decides who has a right to voice his concerns. In the 1990s getting re-elected in the region was a rarity; in recent years governments rarely lose elections even as most citizens openly express dissatisfaction with the way they are ruled.
The first 100 days of Donald Trumps presidency have not been exactly what you could call successful, by the standards that one would normally use to judge such things. No significant legislation has passed Congress, and indeed it has become painfully clear that this White House has no real sense of what legislation it would even like to pass. There has been no political honeymoon: For this stage of an administration, Trump is the most unpopular president of modern times. Important areas of the executive branch are barely staffed or functioning, the White House is in a state of low-grade civil war, and the bungling, pratfalls, conflicts of interest, weak attempts at propaganda and brazen lying are all, well, not normal, as the self-styled resistance likes to say.

But it could be worse. Really, it could. Let me count the ways.

First, the economy is still O.K., still creating jobs and growing. Before Trumps election there were good reasons  in market data, not just media conventional wisdom  to expect that his ascent to the presidency would drag the stock market downward, and tug the job market down with it. The fact that this hasnt happened, that instead the Obama-era expansion has continued, means that the Trump administration has thus far cleared one (admittedly low) bar, and achieved a level of semi-competence that persuades investors to invest and consumers to keep spending and businesses to hire. Thats a good thing, it was not guaranteed, and we should hope it lasts.

Second, the administration has failed to push through Paul Ryans Obamacare replacement. Sure, this isnt good news for Trump on the usual presidential metrics, where big legislation counts as promises kept, points on the board, the building blocks of a legacy and so forth. But it is good news for the country, because the proposed Obamacare replacement was so flawed that its passage would have achieved little or nothing for the common good. And its quite possible to imagine that pattern repeating itself going forward: Good right-of-center legislation under Trump may be a pipe dream, but better no legislation at all than bad legislation, and with a Republican Party thats both internally divided and incompetent at policy making, Trumps inability to close the deal could save the country from a great many lousy bills.

Third, Trumps personnel choices have improved. For a time it looked as if his administration would have some reasonably competent people in its cabinet but that the White House itself, the zone of crucial decision making, would be reserved for cranks and cronies. But since the swift departure of Michael Flynn from the National Security Council, Trumps immediate circle of advisers has, well, normalized to a certain extent.
LOS ANGELES  If you go by the odds, Sierra Williams shouldnt be in college, let alone at a highly selective school like the University of Southern California.

Many kids in her low-income neighborhood here dont get to or through the 12th grade. Her single mother isnt college-educated. Neither are Sierras two brothers, one of whom is in prison. Her sister has only a two-year associate degree.

But when Sierra was in the sixth grade, teachers spotted her potential and enrolled her in the Neighborhood Academic Initiative, or N.A.I., a program through which U.S.C. prepares underprivileged kids who live relatively near its South Los Angeles campus for higher education. She repeatedly visited U.S.C., so she could envision herself in such an environment and reach for it. She took advanced classes. Her mother, like the parents or guardians of all students in the N.A.I., got counseling on turning college into a reality for her child.

Sierra, 20, just finished her junior year at U.S.C. An engineering major, shes already enrolled in a masters program. My end goal is to get my Ph.D., she told me when I met her recently. She wants to be a professor and, through her example as a black woman in engineering, correct the paucity of minorities in the field.
To the Editor:

Re Rattled by Trump Policies, Scientists Take to Streets (news article, April 23):

These marches focused on the consequences of the proposed large cuts in the budgets of federal agencies that support fundamental scientific research.

This research provides fundamental understanding of the processes that advance medical treatment, an example being the development of a vaccine against the Zika virus.

Such research leads to understanding of basic science and engineering at the atomic level, leading to technical innovation and invention, and inevitably drives growth of the economy.

Government support of basic research over the last 70 years has brought to this country the best minds from abroad. Thus, support of basic research in the biological, chemical and physical sciences is one of the best investments we can make.
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Prehistoric humans  perhaps Neanderthals or another lost species  occupied what is now California some 130,000 years ago, a team of scientists reported on Wednesday.

The bold and fiercely disputed claim, published in the journal Nature, is based on a study of mastodon bones discovered near San Diego. If the scientists are right, they would significantly alter our understanding of how humans spread around the planet.

The earliest widely accepted evidence of people in the Americas is less than 15,000 years old. Genetic studies strongly support the idea that those people were the ancestors of living Native Americans, arriving in North America from Asia.

If humans actually were in North America over 100,000 years earlier, they may not be related to any living group of people. Modern humans probably did not expand out of Africa until 50,000 to 80,000 years ago, recent genetic studies have shown.
WASHINGTON  The chairman of the Federal Communications Commission on Wednesday outlined a sweeping plan to loosen the governments oversight of high-speed internet providers, a rebuke of a landmark policy approved two years ago to ensure that all online content is treated the same by the companies that deliver broadband service to Americans.

The chairman, Ajit Pai, said high-speed internet service should no longer be treated like a public utility with strict rules, as it is now. The move would, in effect, largely leave the industry to police itself.

The plan is Mr. Pais most forceful action in his race to roll back rules that govern telecommunications, cable and broadcasting companies, which he says are harmful to business. But he is certain to face a contentious battle with the consumers and tech companies that rallied around the existing rules, which are meant to prevent broadband providers like AT&T and Comcast from giving special treatment to any streaming videos, news sites and other content.

Two years ago, I warned that we were making a serious mistake, Mr. Pai said at the Newseum in Washington, where he laid out the plan in a speech. Its basic economics. The more heavily you regulate something, the less of it youre likely to get.
How do New York Times journalists use technology in their jobs and in their personal lives? The Timess bureau chief in Beijing discussed the tech she is using.

As Beijing bureau chief, what is it like to try to get information online given Chinas Great Firewall, the system of filters and controls that can limit what people see on the internet there?

We live and die by the strength of virtual private networks, or VPNs. The Chinese government is always trying to disrupt VPNs.

Some work relatively well for a few months, then all of a sudden they slow down, a sign that the government has successfully interfered with them. As journalists, we feel frustrated by the instability of the internet, the overall slowness.
This is difficult to quantify. My subjective experience may not match yours (lots of people, for example, say they hate the new ranked feed). But for me, Instagrams many changes have made for a social network that feels more useful, interesting and fun than it was last year. Part of it is the new features themselves, but a bigger reason is the greater use that the features have inspired. Networks are better when more people use them more often; the more Ive used Instagram recently, the more stuff Ive seen from more people, and the more I want to use it some more.

Instagram has thus triggered an echo  it feels like Facebook. More precisely, it feels the way Facebook did from 2009 to 2012, when it silently crossed over from one of those tech things that some people sometimes did to one of those tech things that everyone you know does every day.

In some ways, this is not surprising. Instagram has been growing like crazy essentially since it went live in 2010, and under Facebook  which bought the company for $1 billion five years ago  it has had ample resources to keep that up. But with 700 million users, its in virtually uncharted territory.

There are bigger networks: Facebook has nearly two billion users a month, and two instant-messaging apps owned by Facebook, WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger, have grown past the one-billion-user mark. In China, WeChat also has more users.
The actors transformation happens gradually, in front of us, before the lights go down. As the audience settles in at the Theater at St. Clements, the performers pluck items of rich clothing from the bounty laid out onstage  a laced corset here, a gilt-edged ruff there  and piece by piece become inhabitants of Hamlets world, not ours.

Hamlet. A Version is a riff on Shakespeare with no tiresome sentinels on the battlements, spying the ghost of the recently dead king. A politically minded caper by the Russian writer and dissident Boris Akunin, known for his detective novels, it starts with a dissolute Hamlet exercising a little droit du seigneur, groping an alarmed Ophelia in plain sight of her father and brother.

At two acts and 100 minutes, there is little plumbing of Hamlets psyche in this exceedingly handsome, surface-skimming production by Irina Gachechiladze. To be or not to be, who cares? the Prince of Denmark (Matt Weiss) says, or said on Monday night, anyway; the line is not in Mr. Akunins script. In either case, this is a play about intrigue: amid palace dysfunction, a corpse-strewn power grab.
Between the World and Me, Ta-Nehisi Coatess award-winning book exploring racial injustice in America, will be brought to the Apollo stage next April.

Mr. Coatess fiery work  which made him the National Book Award winner and a Pulitzer Prize finalist  will be adapted into a multimedia performance, with excerpted monologues, video projections, and a score by the jazz musician Jason Moran. Portions of Mr. Coatess letters to his son would be read aloud, while narratives of his experiences at Howard University and in New York City could be performed by actors.

Kamilah Forbes, the Apollos executive producer, will direct the production. The coming Apollo season will be Ms. Forbess first full season in the role; she previously was the associate director of Raisin in the Sun on Broadway. And she has a personal connection to the book: She met Mr. Coates when they were both students at Howard, and appears in the book as Aunt Kamilah.
The day of a recent school shooting in San Bernardino, Calif., the superintendent of the local school district offered parents guidance on how to talk with their children about the incident, in which a teacher, an 8-year-old student and the gunman all died.

Be willing to listen to their story and be willing to listen to their story multiple times, the superintendent said. Reassure them that the danger that they faced has passed.

It was kind and sensible advice, and if I hadnt read it in a news story on my way home from seeing Church & State, an Off Broadway play that takes forceful exception to the pervasive gun violence in the United States, the words might not have struck me the way they did. As it was, I couldnt help thinking that the broader danger had not at all passed, and that theres no assuaging the generalized dread that courses through our culture with every fresh headline-grabbing slaughter, and in between.

I for one am tired of being afraid, a Southern senator says in the play, reversing his stance on gun control after a massacre at his childrens school.
Ann Coulter said Wednesday that she is canceling her planned speech at the University of California, Berkeley, because she had lost the backing of conservative groups that had initially sponsored her appearance.

Ms. Coulter, in a message to The New York Times, said, Its a sad day for free speech.

Despite insisting that she would go to Berkeley regardless  even after the university said it could not accommodate her on the date and time it had initially scheduled her because of threats of violence  Ms. Coulter said she did not see how she could go forward. The school said she could speak only at a later date and an earlier time of day, when there were likely to be fewer students on campus and less of a likelihood for violent outbreaks.

Late on Tuesday, the conservative group that was helping Ms. Coulter in her legal efforts to force Berkeley to host her, Young Americas Foundation, said it could no longer participate. Young Americas Foundation will not jeopardize the safety of its staff or students, the group said.

Without any support, Ms. Coulter said, she was left with little choice. Everyone who should believe in free speech fought against it or ran away, she said.
Neil Chase, executive editor of Bay Area News Group, which oversees the Times, said newspapers had not yet figured out how to counter slumping ad revenue. Nobody is happy about this, he said of the cuts. Im certainly not.

Since 2001, American newspapers have shed more than half of their work force. Evidence of the culling in California is everywhere:

 A labor survey found that newsrooms in the East Bay and South Bay shrank by more than a third in the last five years.

 With fewer than 500 newsroom employees, The Los Angeles Times is now less than half of what it was in 2000.

 According to a Pew survey in 2014, the number of newspaper reporters assigned to the statehouse, 24, had fallen by a third from a decade earlier.

Its been ugly, said Gabriel Kahn, a journalism professor at U.S.C.

There have been some bright spots. Nonprofit journalism start-ups have expanded in California over the past decade.

Among the entrants are Voice of OC, which produces investigative reporting in Orange County, and inewsource, which does the same in San Diego. Another, CALmatters, was formed in 2015 with the help of tech industry donors to stem the decline of reporting on state politics.

I just thought its crazy that in the state nobody knows who represents them in Sacramento, and the reason they dont is that theres no coverage, said Simone Coxe, a former public relations executive in Palo Alto who co-founded CALmatters.
An Ohio woman who was abducted and trapped in a pit in her neighbors shed was found early Wednesday after the authorities investigated reports of cries coming from the houses backyard, the police said.

The police in Blanchester, Ohio, a town that straddles two counties about an hours drive northeast of Cincinnati, said the womans mother reported her missing around midnight. Around 2 a.m., they said, there were reports of screams and cries coming from a home on Central Avenue.

Officers responded about two hours later, the Blanchester police chief, Scott Reinbolt, said at a news conference, and they found the woman trapped inside a pit in a shed in the houses backyard. The pit was covered by floorboards, which the abductor had weighed down with heavy objects to keep the woman from getting out, the police said.

The police identified the suspect as Dennis Dunn and said that he had been taken into custody and charged with one count of kidnapping. The woman was taken to a hospital.
WASHINGTON  The House Freedom Caucus, a group of hard-line conservatives who were instrumental in blocking President Trumps plan to repeal the Affordable Care Act last month, gave its approval Wednesday to a new, more conservative version, breathing new life into Republican efforts to replace President Barack Obamas health law.

Senior White House officials, led by Reince Priebus, the chief of staff, have relentlessly pressed Republicans to revive the health care push before Mr. Trumps hundred-day mark on Saturday, and with conservatives falling into line, the bill has a chance to get through the House, possibly as early as Friday.

It was not clear whether conservative support for the revised legislation would be matched by losses in the center, especially among Republicans representing districts won by Hillary Clinton. But the rest of the House Republican Conference was left with a stark choice: Reject the measure and take the blame previously left at the feet of conservatives for undermining a central goal of the administration, or give it the nod, please voters who want a repeal, and risk taking a potentially fatal hit in the next election for approving a measure expected to leave tens of millions of Americans without insurance.

Members went home and got an earful, said Representative Tom Cole, Republican of Oklahoma, saying that voters were wondering, Why cant you get something done? Mr. Cole said he was now cautiously optimistic that the measure could pass on the floor.
It was the summer of 2012, and Jared Kushner was headed downtown.

His familys real estate firm, the Kushner Companies, would spend about $190 million over the next few months on dozens of apartment buildings in tony Lower Manhattan neighborhoods including the East Village, the West Village and SoHo.

For much of the roughly $50 million in down payments, Mr. Kushner turned to an undisclosed overseas partner. Public records and shell companies shield the investors identity. But, it turns out, the money came from a member of Israels Steinmetz family, which built a fortune as one of the worlds leading diamond traders.

A Kushner Companies spokeswoman and several Steinmetz representatives say Raz Steinmetz, 53, was behind the deals. His uncle, and the familys most prominent figure, is the billionaire Beny Steinmetz, who is under scrutiny by law enforcement authorities in four countries. In the United States, federal prosecutors are investigating whether representatives of his firm bribed government officials in Guinea to secure a multibillion dollar mining concession. In Israel, Mr. Steinmetz was detained in December and questioned in a bribery and money laundering investigation. In Switzerland and Guinea, prosecutors have conducted similar inquiries.
Justice Sonia Sotomayor asked about the failure to disclose an embarrassing childhood nickname. Justice Elena Kagan said she was a little bit horrified to know that every time I lie about my weight it has those kinds of consequences.

Mr. Parker said the law applied to all false statements, even trivial ones.

Justice Stephen G. Breyer said it was rather surprising that the government of the United States thinks that the naturalization laws should be interpreted in a way that would throw into doubt the citizenship of vast percentages of all naturalized citizens.

Chief Justice Roberts added that the governments position would give prosecutors extraordinary power. If you take the position that not answering about the speeding ticket or the nickname is enough to subject that person to denaturalization, he said, the government will have the opportunity to denaturalize anyone they want.

The Trump administration has sought to strip the citizenship of a convicted terrorist, and President Trump has said that loss of citizenship may be a fit punishment for burning the American flag.

Wednesdays case concerned Divna Maslenjak, an ethnic Serb who said she had faced persecution in Bosnia. She was granted refugee status at least partly on that basis in 1999 and became a United States citizen in 2007.

Along the way, she apparently lied about her husband, saying she and her family had also feared retributions because he had avoided conscription by the Bosnian Serb military. In fact, he had served in a Bosnian Serb military unit, one that had been implicated in war crimes.

When this came to light, Ms. Maslenjak was charged with obtaining her citizenship illegally. She sought to argue that her lie was immaterial, but the trial judge told the jury that any lie, significant or not, was enough. Ms. Maslenjak was convicted, her citizenship was ordered revoked, and she and her husband were deported to Serbia.
WASHINGTON  President Trump vowed on Wednesday to challenge California jurisdictions all the way to the Supreme Court after a federal judge there stopped him from withholding funds to penalize them for shielding illegal immigrants.

Mr. Trump, who twice has been blocked by courts from imposing a temporary travel ban on visitors from select Muslim-majority countries, expressed frustration that once again a judge in a single district could thwart him from taking action. The judge who issued the latest ruling is in California, the same state as the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, which heard the previous cases.

First the Ninth Circuit rules against the ban & now it hits again on sanctuary cities-both ridiculous rulings, Mr. Trump wrote on Twitter. See you in the Supreme Court!

Asked by reporters later in the day whether he was surprised by the ruling, Mr. Trump said: Im never surprised by the Ninth Circuit. Well see them at the Supreme Court.
WASHINGTON  Here are the most important changes in the tax plan proposed Wednesday by President Trump.

Three Tax Brackets

The number of tax brackets for individuals is reduced from seven to three: 10 percent, 25 percent and 35 percent. That lowers the top rate by nearly 5 percentage points, easing the tax burdens on most Americans, including the rich. The Trump administration did not say where those brackets begin and end.

Double the Standard Deduction

Currently, individuals can deduct $6,350 and married couples can deduct $12,700 from their taxable income. Mr. Trumps plan would double the standard deduction. That is intended to put more money in the pockets of the average taxpayers who do not itemize their deductions. It has the added benefit of simplifying the preparation of tax returns for more people.

Repeal of A.M.T.

The alternative minimum tax makes it harder for very rich individuals to game the tax system and pay less tax. It is an aggravating tax for the well-to-do, what Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin called a complicated additional system of taxation. The provision cost Mr. Trump an additional $31 million in federal income taxes in 2005, and now he wants to kill it.
On Day 1, they were a mix of Trump faithful, Trump skeptics and Trump haters. Local party bosses and state senators, teachers and retirees, unionized and nonunion workers, talking about their hopes and dread as a brash untested leader strode into the worlds most consequential job.

Now, as President Trump approaches his 100th day in office, we wanted to circle back to some of the voters  most of them Trump supporters  we had spoken with around the start of his presidency about the issues that had driven their votes. Had Mr. Trump fulfilled his promises? Did his struggles and slack poll numbers disappoint them? Was he pleasing any of his detractors, or proving worse than they had feared?

Many of his biggest backers said they had no regrets. No matter how few legislative accomplishments Mr. Trump can list, no matter the problems facing the Wall, no matter if his Twitter posts make them wince, they praised his swagger, his executive orders and his Supreme Court appointment. Hitting it out of the ballpark, said Dianna Ploss, a former nurse in Massachusetts.

Others who opposed him then said they oppose him even more now. When I get up in the morning, I think, Well, what did Trump do now? said Diane Kirt, 64, of Reedsburg, Wis. But his critics have newfound energy and inspiration from protests that have propelled millions into the streets and nudged some to make first-time runs for public office.
Reverence for science has not been a conspicuous guiding spirit of the Trump administration, and forensic science is no exception. That was affirmed this month when Attorney General Jeff Sessions ended an advisory panel created under President Barack Obama to improve the reliability of crime-solving techniques like hair analysis, ballistics testing, bite-mark evidence, blood typing and shoe-print comparisons.

This panel, the National Commission on Forensic Science, was made up of scientists, judges and lawyers whose brief was to raise the standards of laboratory work in criminal cases. What will emerge in its place is not clear. But perhaps not surprisingly, prosecutors in the main applauded the Sessions decision, and defense lawyers fretted that the rights of their clients could be undermined.

The reality is that forensic science is not the infallible discipline that television shows like CSI may lead many viewers to believe. That point is underscored in this brief offering from Retro Report, a series of video documentaries re-exploring major news stories of the past. In real life, crime labs are not the exclusive domain of unerring Gil Grissoms and Dr. Quincys. Mistakes happen. And often enough, errors send innocent people to prison and even, in some instances, to death row.

The video focuses on hair analysis, a staple of forensic work for decades. The advent of DNA testing in the late 1980s showed that hair samples found at crime scenes did not necessarily match those of criminal suspects, no matter what lab technicians may have concluded. About 11 percent of the time, mitochondrial DNA said: No, that hair actually came from someone else, Max M. Houck, a former forensics expert for the Federal Bureau of Investigation, told Retro Report. It kind of shook us up.
LONDON  Call it the curse of OHare.

Less than three weeks after a passenger was dragged off a United Airlines flight at the Chicago airport, the carrier found itself facing another public relations fiasco on Wednesday after a three-foot-long rabbit died on a flight from Britain.

The continental giant rabbit, Simon, which was bound for OHare, had a veterinary checkup three hours before takeoff from Heathrow Airport near London and was fit as a fiddle, his breeder said. The animal was traveling to a buyer in the United States.

Continental giants are an ancient breed, descended, appropriately enough, from Flemish giants. They are known to be gentle, friendly and intelligent, as rabbits go. An enthusiasts website says the giant makes a fantastic house rabbit but that cables, wires, shoes, papers and anything important should be kept out of its way, as it will chew them to bits.

Simons death remained a mystery on Wednesday. Something very strange has happened, and I want to know what, the breeder, Annette Edwards, told the British tabloid The Sun.
The Munich Oktoberfest might seem an unlikely locale for a medical research project, but German scientists studied festivalgoers and found that moderate social drinking may lead to arrhythmias  irregular heart rhythms  in otherwise healthy people.

Using a hand-held breathalyzer, the researchers tested 3,028 men and women who had been drinking but were not legally impaired. They gave them EKGs to test heart function.

More than a quarter of the group had a condition called sinus tachycardia, marked by a resting heart rate of more than 100 beats per minute. About 1 to 2 percent of the general population have repeated episodes of tachycardia, which in some cases can pose risks.

They also found slightly increased, but not statistically significant, levels of other kinds of irregular heartbeats, including the heart palpitations of atrial fibrillation, a potentially serious condition. The arrhythmias increased with higher breath alcohol levels.
CUITO CUANAVALE, Angola  Domingos Luis, a 20-year-old farmer, has lived his entire life in a hamlet surrounded by land mines, their lurking threat a constant presence. He remembers the old man who was killed after stepping on an explosive while tending his crops. Wild pigs and deer still set off mines in the nearby bush.

I grew up with the fear that behind every bush there might be a mine, he said.

When he was a boy, the village elders told him where to go, where to move, how to move. But sticking to the strict confines went against a childs irrepressible desire to wander and explore.

His grandmother Diana Tchitumbo said she explained the dangers bluntly. If you go there, youll be killed and never come back. Dont go there again, she told him. And if he did, I beat him.
KABUL, Afghanistan  In another sign of a tough year ahead for President Ashraf Ghani of Afghanistan, supporters of his embattled vice president protested on Wednesday in a northern province against what they said was the marginalization of their faction in the government.

The vice president, the former warlord Gen. Abdul Rashid Dostum, remains under de facto house arrest because of a criminal case against him and his bodyguards who have been accused of abducting a political rival and torturing and raping him. But the case has hit a wall, and the vice president seems to be using a vulnerable moment for Mr. Ghani to settle it on the streets rather than the courts.

Officials close to Mr. Ghani say the president faces major challenges in the months ahead. Taliban militants and affiliates of the Islamic State have conducted a series of brutal attacks around the country recently, making it clear that they will further test Mr. Ghanis security forces in coming months.

Mr. Ghani also faces renewed political upheaval, having alienated many election-time allies. Adding to the political chaos is the imminent return to Kabul of Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, a longtime warlord and part of the insurgency with which Mr. Ghani signed a peace deal last fall.
WASHINGTON  The Pentagons top commander in the Pacific accepted full responsibility on Wednesday for a bewildering chain of events this month that mistakenly left the impression that the aircraft carrier Carl Vinson was rushing to confront an increasingly belligerent North Korea, when it was not.

Thats my fault for the confusion, the officer, Adm. Harry B. Harris Jr., told the House Armed Services Committee during a hearing on security challenges in the region. Ill take the hit for it.

Admiral Harris, the head of the Pacific Command, ordered the Carl Vinson and three other warships this month to cancel a port call to Australia and sail north from Singapore into the western Pacific. An ill-timed news release by the Navys Third Fleet created the impression that the carrier was headed north immediately, but in reality it was steaming south to join the Australian Navy in a secretive, truncated exercise in the Indian Ocean, 3,500 miles southwest of the Korean Peninsula.

Where I failed was to communicate that adequately to the press and the media, Admiral Harris said in response to a question from Representative Salud Carbajal, a California Democrat. That is all on me.
NEW DELHI  The government in Indias Jammu and Kashmir State ordered internet service providers in the restive Kashmir valley to block social networking services there on Wednesday, an unusually harsh measure to counteract escalating waves of protests and violence in the region.

In the order, the government notified internet service providers to block the transmission of messages on 22 social networking services, including Facebook, WhatsApp and Twitter, for a month, or until further orders were issued.

The move illuminated a government increasingly vexed by civilian protests, by a newly budding homegrown militancy in south Kashmir and by a series of video clips, distributed on social media, depicting confrontations between civilians and Indian security forces.

The order, signed by the principal secretary in the states Home Department, contended that social media was being used by anti-national and subversive elements for vitiating peace and tranquillity in the state.
SEOUL, South Korea  As the White House prepared to brief members of the Senate on North Korea on Wednesday, female activists from more than 40 countries, including North and South Korea, urged President Trump to defuse military tensions and start negotiating for peace to prevent war from erupting on the Korean Peninsula.

They said they feared that the rapidly escalating tensions on the peninsula, if left unchecked, could engulf the region in nuclear war.

We are united by our belief that diplomacy is the only way to resolve the nuclear crisis and threat of war now facing the Korean Peninsula, said their letter to Mr. Trump, dated Wednesday. Peace is the most powerful deterrent of all.

A copy of the letter, signed by hundreds of female leaders, was made available in advance. It was also being sent to several senators who visited the White House for the briefing, said Christine Ahn, international coordinator for Women Cross DMZ, a group of female peace activists that helped organize the letter campaign.
Our military remains stuck in a barbarian and medieval culture, said Lim Tae-hoon, director of the Military Human Rights Center. The investigators preyed upon gay soldiers vulnerability like a cat playing with a mouse.

Mr. Moon made the comment during a debate in which the issue of the militarys treatment of gays was raised. Under the conscript system, all eligible men are required to serve about two years.

But the Military Criminal Act outlaws sodomy and other unspecified disgraceful conduct between servicemen, whether or not there is mutual consent and whether or not that conduct takes place in or outside the military compounds. Those found to have violated the act face up to two years in prison.

The army declined to provide details of its investigation. It insisted that it was not cracking down on gay soldiers; instead it said that it was trying to root out sodomy and other homosexual activities, which right-wing Christian groups have called a growing blight on its readiness to fight North Koreas 1.2 million-strong military.

But in the past week, evidence has emerged to support the allegations by gay soldiers that investigators flouted the armys own regulations on how to treat gay service members by preying upon the soldiers fear of shame and abuse if they are outed in the military. Analysts and veterans said bullying, hazing and sexual violence were chronic problems.
SYDNEY, Australia  The post on Facebook this week may have seemed innocuous enough: Lest. We. Forget. (Manus, Nauru, Syria, Palestine...)

But it has led to furious criticism of Yassmin Abdel-Magied, the Muslim activist and television host who posted it  not just from Facebook users, but from Australian national news outlets and even a cabinet minister. The Daily Telegraph, a tabloid, called for Ms. Abdel-Magied to be fired on its front page Wednesday.

The anger over the Tuesday post  which referred to Australias widely condemned offshore detention centers for asylum seekers on the Pacific islands of Manus and Nauru  focused on its timing, on Anzac Day, a revered holiday that commemorates Australians who died in overseas wars. Many of Ms. Abdel-Magieds critics accused her of politicizing a day of remembrance.

But some Australian Muslim women saw more to it than that. They noted that while critics of Islam here often charge that it keeps women submissive, the response to Ms. Abdel-Magied  a 26-year-old feminist who founded an organization called Youth Without Borders  shows that a Muslim woman can also raise their ire by speaking out.
PARIS  Frances presidential contest moved on Wednesday to an unlikely arena: a tumble dryer factory in the countrys north where, if the far-right candidate, Marine Le Pen, did not quite humiliate her rival, Emmanuel Macron, she sure upstaged him.



Workers at the plant, run by Whirlpool in Mr. Macrons hometown, Amiens, have been striking to prevent the factory from closing. Far from being welcomed as a favored son, Mr. Macron was jeered and booed by a hostile crowd as tires burned, while Ms. Le Pen paid a surprise visit and was greeted with hugs and selfies as activists with her National Front party distributed croissants.

Their separate visits, covered live on French television, showed how Ms. Le Pens anti-globalization message resonates in regions struggling with factory closings and the loss of jobs, as well as the hostility that many workers feel for Mr. Macron, a centrist former investment banker who wants to loosen labor rules.

The contrasting styles, policy approaches and loyalties of the candidates, who face each other in a runoff election on May 7, were on full display in Amiens, sometimes painfully so.
LONDON  Hungarys leader issued a blistering attack against the American billionaire and philanthropist George Soros on Wednesday, after the European Union criticized a new Hungarian law that threatens to shut a university founded by Mr. Soros.

I know that the power, size and weight of Hungary is much smaller than that of the financial speculator, George Soros, who is now attacking Hungary, Prime Minister Viktor Orban told members of the European Parliament in Brussels, in a sarcastic but methodical speech. He called Mr. Soros an open enemy of the euro, a reference to the role currency speculation played in building Mr. Soross fortune.

It was an exceptional attack by a head of government against a private citizen, albeit a wealthy and powerful one. Mr. Soros has been a frequent target of criticism from right-wing news media organizations like Breitbart and Infowars, which deplore his affinity for Democratic and liberal causes. Supporters of Mr. Soros, who is 86, a native of Hungary and a Holocaust survivor, have detected a whiff of anti-Semitism in the attacks in the United States.

In 1991, after the fall of Communism, Mr. Soros founded Central European University, which is based in Budapest and accredited in Hungary and the United States. A law recently rushed through Hungarys Parliament would force the university to close if it did not open an American campus.
ISTANBUL  More than a thousand people, accused of being secret imams for an American-based cleric who the authorities have said was responsible for a failed coup in July, were detained in Turkey on Wednesday in the largest such sweep in months.

The civilian detainees are accused of directing police officers also loyal to the cleric, effectively creating a parallel leadership.

Over 9,100 police officers were suspended later in the day because of their alleged links to the movement, Anadolu Agency, a state-run news wire, reported on Wednesday night.

About 45,000 people have already been taken into custody since the coup attempt, but the raids on Wednesday represented the first widespread roundup of political opponents since a referendum on April 16 to expand the powers of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
The Iraqis do not have the luxury of conducting a siege: Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has told his generals that dragging out the Mosul operation, now in its seventh month, would work only to the advantage of the Islamic State, which many in the West call ISIS or ISIL, but the Iraqis call Daesh.

This was not the mission that American military commanders envisioned for the counterterrorism service when they established it after the United States invasion in 2003. The forces original mission was to conduct lightning raids against terrorists and insurgents.

The CTS has made enormous sacrifices since 2014, and many of the old hand are dead, killed in Anbar Province and elsewhere, said David M. Witty, a retired colonel with the United States Army Special Forces and former adviser to the counterterrorism service, known as CTS.

The militants basic strategy appears to be to focus much of their efforts on blunting the CTS attack, calculating that if they can stymie Iraqs most experienced fighting force, the Iraqi governments broader offensive will bog down. Now, the CTS is fighting on a southern front just to the west of Iraqs federal police and other Interior Ministry troops.
When the gullible and insouciant American public and the presstitutes who participate in the deceptions permitted the Deep State to get away with the fairy tale that a few Saudi Arabians under the direction of Osama bin Laden, but without the support of any government or intelligence agency, were able to outwit the entirety of the Western Alliance and Israel's Mossad and deliver the greatest humiliation in history to "the world's only superpower" by making the entirety of the US government dysfunctional on September 11, 2001, Washington learned that it could get away with anything, any illegal and treasonous act, any lie. The gullible Western populations would believe anything that they were told.

Not only insouciant Americans, but much of the world accepts any statement out of Washington as the truth despite the evidence. If Washington said it, Washington's vassals in Germany, France, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Netherlands, Belgium, and Japan assent to the obvious lie as if it were the obvious truth. So do the CIA purchased media of these vassal states, a collection of whores who prefer CIA subsidies to truth.

When Obama inherited the Deep State's agenda from George W. Bush, he set up Syria's Assad for regime change by repeating for many months that if Assad used chemical weapons in the "civil war" that Washington had sent ISIS to conduct, Assad would have crossed the "Red Line" that Obama had drawn and would, as the consequence, face an invasion by the US military, just as Iraq had been invaded based on Washington's lie about "weapons of mass destruction."

Having burnt this idea into the feeble minds of the Western populations, Obama then arranged for a chemical weapon to be exploded in Syria and blamed it on Assad. Thus, the Red Line had been crossed, the insouciant West was told, and America would now invade.

The UK prime minister, the usual piece of Washington-owned garbage, rushed to the support of the American invasion, promising British support. But the British Parliament voted NO. The MPs said that the UK was not going to support another American war crime justified by obvious lies. Only in Britain does democracy still have any teeth, as we saw a second time with the Brexit vote. All the rest of the West lives in vassalage and slavery.

The Russian government also took a firm stand, admitting that Russia stupidly trusted America in Libya, but no more. We, said the Russians, will ourselves remove any and all chemical weapons from Syria and turn them over to Western "civilization" to be destroyed, which the Russians did.

What did Western "civilization" do with the weapons? They gave some of them to ISIS. This gave Washington a second chance to accuse Assad of using chemical weapons "against his own people."

And so Washington has rolled out this hoax a second time. During a Syrian air force attack on an ISIS position, a chemical weapon exploded, or so it is alleged. Instantly Washington said that Assad had used "Sarin gas against his own people." Trump was shown photos of dead babies and stupidly ordered a US military strike against Syria.

This was the first time that Washington had engaged in an unambigious war crime without any cover. Trump had no UN resolution, not even one that could be stood on its head as in Libya. Trump had no NATO participation, no George W. Bush "coalition of the willing" to give cover to the war crime with the support of other governments.

There are no skirts for Trump to hid behind. He stupidly let himself be pushed into commiting an unambigious war crime. Now all his opponents--the Deep State, the military/security complex, the CIA, the Hillary Democrats, the warmonger Republicans--have the New White House Fool under their control. If Trump doesn't do as they want, they will impeach him for his war crime.

Meanwhile the risk of war with the Russian/Chinese/Iranian/Syrian alliance grows closer. The US shows every intention of provoking this war. Washington has imposed sanctions on 271 employees of Syria's Scientific Studies and Research Center for, in Washington's lying words, responsibility "for developing and producing non-conventional weapons and the means to deliver them."

In order to make this false charge stick, Washington prevented any investigation whatsoever into the facts of the alleged chemical weapon associated by Western propaganda, not by any known fact, with a Syrian air attack on ISIS. If Washington is so certain that Syria is responsible, why does Washington block an investigation? If Washington is right, an investigation would prove Washington's case. But as Washington is again lying through its teeth, an investigation would prove the contrary. And that is what Washington fears and is the reason Washington blocked an investigation.

Why do Western peoples believe the US government, a well proven liar, who blocks an investigation and asserts that everyone must believe Washington or else be put on a list of Russian agents?

Here is the lie, the raw propaganda, that the US government has no qualms about issuing: https://www.treasury.gov/ press-center/press-releases/ Pages/sm0056.aspx It comes from the US Department of the Treasury in which I once served honorably. But honor no longer exists in the US Treasury.

Are Western populations intelligent enough to understand that the only reason for Washington to block an investigation of the alleged use by Syria of a chemical weapon is that the facts clearly do not support Washington's lie? No, they are not.

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Trump

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The Lawless-loving corporatists have worked overtime to besmirch the word "regulation" (or law and order for corporations) and edify the word "deregulation," to help bring about their dream state of dismantled or weakened regulation.

Here is one little-mentioned ongoing disaster of non-regulation costing our country. The patsy FAA, for decades after the hijacking of planes to Castro's Cuba, refused to require the airlines to install toughened cockpit doors and stronger locks to prevent entry by terrorists bent on making the aircraft a destructive weapon. Why? Because the airlines objected to the mere $3000 cost per aircraft and, by its very nature, the FAA acquiesced.

Then came 9/11, followed by "mad dog" George W. Bush (and Dick Cheney, his handler) launching an all-out attack on Afghanistan, rather than leading a multilateral force to apprehend the backers of the attackers. Later, Bush's criminal war devastated the county and people of Iraq. Iraq is still convulsing violently today.

All for not regulating the airlines to protect their cockpits and pilots. Sure, the hijackers could still have hijacked the planes, but they could not have piloted them into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.

Government regulations have led to life-saving motor vehicle standards. They have required safer pharmaceuticals, improved the safety of mines, factories and other workplaces, and diminished the poisonous contaminants of air, water food and soil. According to the Center for Auto Safety, the federal programs for highway and vehicle safety have averted 3.5 million deaths in the US since 1966.

In an industrialized economy with corporations, hospitals and other commercial activities producing old and new hazards, regulations are needed to foresee and forestall many human casualties and damage to the natural world.

The role of sensible regulations has been all but ignored by Donald J. Trump in his regime's first 100 days of rage and rapacity. The Trump administration continues to take away basic protections that save both money and lives. With his cruel and monetized Republicans controlling Congress, he has eliminated 13 safeguards issued by the Obama administration.

Proudly, he and House Speaker Paul Ryan and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell have turned their backs on ensuring cleaner waterways, and making coal-polluted air less toxic, enforcing workplace protections and preserving our public lands. Disastrously for our country, Trump has joined forces with the Republicans in Congress to immobilize our government's research and action regarding accelerating climate change. Here he even is scaring big business, including the insurance industry.

The worst of Trump's egregious attacks on regulatory protections are coming out of his mindless Executive Orders (EO) to federal agencies. While many are of dubious legality -- they would require Congressional legislation -- his intent is clear: roll back major protections of Americans wherever they eat, breath, drink, work, drive and receive healthcare.

One EO requires agencies to repeal two regulations for every one they issue. Such an empty but dangerous gesture is mindless but emblematic of the prevaricating, boasting, failed gambling czar. The Trump administration's rejection of essential roles for government is stunning.

Trump would weaken the laws protecting your savings, investments and retirement security from what shredded them during the 2008-2009 Wall Street crash. No Wall Street bosses ever were jailed, so they're prone to keep speculating with your money and pocketing huge fees from your accounts in the process.

Trump is even putting off a Department of Labor rule requiring your investment advisers to put your interests ahead of their conflicting interests -- the so-called fiduciary rule. Trump -- who betrayed creditors, employees, investors and consumers alike during his business career -- readily knows what that accountability mechanism is all about.

When Trump's formal budget is announced next May, it will starve the already strained enforcement budgets of the health and safety regulatory agencies such as the FDA, EPA and OSHA. Trump even wants a sharp cut of the Centers for Disease Control's program to head off deadly global epidemics.

In addition, Trump has broken his campaign promises, surrounding himself with Wall Street insiders and intensifying Obama's belligerent and militaristic foreign policy around the globe. He is also demanding that Congress add fifty-two billion dollars more to the already bloated Pentagon budget, decried by many liberals and conservatives. Fifty-two billion dollars is far greater than all the combined federal regulatory budgets for the agencies that provide the health, safety and economic protections for Americans from costly corporate crimes, abuses and frauds.

The fallout of these ominous 100 days is not escaping millions of lawyers, accountants, physicians, engineers, scientists and teachers at all levels. And it isn't escaping those blue collar workers who rolled the dice and voted for Trump, despite his opposition to raising the minimum wage and fair labor standards.

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Who Let the Saudi Fox in the Hen House?

It's hard to sink to a greater depth of hypocrisy than voting Saudi Arabia onto a UN Commission charged with promoting women's equality and empowerment. And yet, on April 23rd, that is precisely what the UN Economic and Social Council did. Of the 54 countries on the Council, 47 of them agreed to add Saudi Arabia to a four-year term on the UN Commission on the Status of Women.

How did the US Ambassador to the UN and the democratic champions of Europe vote? The ballot was secret, and is it any wonder that the UN representatives refuse to reveal their votes? What is undeniable, however, is that the Saudis could not have received 47 votes without support from the Western democracies.

The Saudi regime is notorious for its abysmal treatment of women. Outside the home, women are forced to wear an abaya, a loose-fitting black cloak that conceals the shape of their bodies, and a hijab, or headscarf, to cover their hair. The fundamentalist dress code is enforced by zealous religious police who fine and beat women who dare to violate the code. Saudi Arabia is the only country in the world to ban women from driving, a practice that severely limits women's independence and autonomy.

Saudi Arabia is unquestionably the most gender-segregated society in the world. The government enforces sex segregation in virtually all workplaces except hospitals, and fines businesses that fail to comply. In food outlets, including US chains such as McDonalds or KFC, all lines and eating areas are separated to keep unrelated men and women apart. The men's section is usually the airy, front section, while the women and children are relegated to the back, shielded from public view. The majority of public buildings have separate entrances for men and women; some even ban women from entering.

The most oppressive aspect of life for Saudi women is the strict guardianship system. This system requires every female, from birth to death, to have a male guardian who controls her ability to travel, study, work, marry or even seek certain forms of medical attention.

Saudi women campaigning for women's rights denounced the addition of Saudi Arabia to the UN Commission. "Allowing this oppressive regime to join a commission designed to empower women makes me feel personally violated and invisible and it is demoralizing for us as activists," an anonymous Saudi woman seeking asylum in the United States told me. "It sends a message that for the international community, Saudi wealth and power are more important than women's lives."

Saudi Arabia is probably the worst country in the world to be put on a women's commission shaping global standards on gender equality, not only because of its treatment of Saudi women but also because the regime uses its oil wealth to export misogyny abroad. Saudi Arabia spreads its reactionary version of Islam through the thousands of mosques and schools it builds overseas, as well as through the funding of extremist groups like ISIS and Al Qaeda affiliates. Wherever Saudi influence appears around the world, women lose rights and autonomy.

For Saudi Arabia, a top U.S. ally, a position on the Women's Commission is a way to further whitewash its image and keep the organization from shining a spotlight on Saudi abuses. This was the same rationale for the regime to seek, and obtain, a seat on the UN Human Rights Council. While such positions may burnish the image of the Saudi regime, they tarnish the image of the UN itself, showing that money takes precedence over the principles of human rights and equality that the United Nations was created to uphold.

One can only imagine the suggestions the Saudi reps will come up with when addressing the UN Commission's mission to assess the challenges to gender equality. It is doubtful they will ever suggest that the Saudi regime itself, and its support from Western allies, is a global obstacle that women must struggle to overcome. So it is up to women everywhere to call for the Saudis to be kicked off the Commission so that it can be a space truly dedicated to the empowerment of women.

Medea Benjamin is the cofounder of the women's peace group CODEPINK and author of the book Kingdom of the Unjust: Behind the US-Saudi Connection
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Dear brothers and sisters of Ireland, your ambassador to the United States Anne Anderson spoke at the University of Virginia Tuesday afternoon.

After consulting one of your fine citizens named Barry Sweeney, I asked her this: "Since the U.S. government assures the Irish government that all U.S. military aircraft being refueled at Shannon are not on military operations and are not carrying weapons or munitions, and since the Irish government insists on this in order to comply with Ireland's traditional policy of neutrality, why does the Irish department of transportation almost daily approve civilian aircraft on contract to the U.S. military to carry armed U.S. troops on military operations, weapons, and munitions through Shannon Airport in clear breach of international laws on neutrality?"

Ambassador Anderson replied that the U.S. government at the "highest levels" had informed Ireland that it was in compliance with the law, and Ireland accepted that.

So, the highest level of the U.S. government says that black is white, and Ireland says "Whatever you say, master." I'm sorry, my friends, but with all due respect, my dog has a better relationship with me than you have with the United States.

We once had a former president named Richard Nixon who maintained that if a president does something it isn't illegal. Apparently, Anderson takes a Nixonian view of the Trump regime.

Now, I understand that most of you may disagree with Anderson's position, but she made very clear that she doesn't give a rat's rear what you think. During the course of her remarks she suggested that the ongoing French election and other recent elections were -- thank goodness! -- "containing the tide of populism." You, my brothers and sisters, are the populace. Are you properly contained?

I asked Anderson a follow up question. She had spoken in support of amnesty or some sort of better treatment for undocumented Irish immigrants in the United States. I asked her whether she realized that hatred of immigrants in the United States is fueled by all the warmaking, in which Shannon Airport and Ireland are complicit. I got a blank stare.

So I asked her whether Ireland couldn't help us out by being a model of peace. I got a look like she believed I just might have escaped from an asylum. She announced that she would be moving onto the next questioner. I'm sure John F. Kennedy, to whom she had devoted 90% of her remarks, would likewise have dodged such an inappropriate question.

Of course, Anderson had not mentioned Shannon Airport in her opening remarks at all, except to note that Saint JFK had taken off from there never to return. She took no pride in the Irish role in the endless wars that are ravaging the Middle East and threatening the earth. She preferred to pass over the whole subject in silence. But when asked about it, she simply said that anything the U.S. says is legal is legal, and left it at that.

Have yall heard some of the things that Donald Trump says are legal? If not, you're in for a real treat.

Those of us outside Ireland, and in particular those of us in the United States, have a pressing and urgent responsibility to lend all the support we can to our brothers and sisters in Ireland who are resisting U.S. wars.

Despite Ireland's officially neutral status and its claim to have not gone to war since its founding in 1922, Ireland allowed the United States to use Shannon Airport during the Gulf War and, as part of the so-called coalition of the willing, during the wars that began in 2001. Between 2002 and the present date, over 2.5 million U.S. troops have passed through Shannon Airport, along with many weapons, and CIA airplanes used to transfer prisoners to places of torture. Casement Aerodrome has also been used. And, despite not being a member of NATO, Ireland has sent troops to participate in the illegal war on Afghanistan.

Under Hague Convention V in force since 1910, and to which the United States has been a party from the start, and which under Article VI of the U.S. Constitution is part of the supreme law of the United States, "Belligerents are forbidden to move troops or convoys of either munitions of war or supplies across the territory of a neutral Power." Under the United Nations Convention Against Torture, to which both the United States and Ireland are parties, and which has been incorporated into very selectively enforced felonies in the U.S. Code since before George W. Bush left Texas for Washington, D.C., any complicity in torture must be investigated and prosecuted. Under both the U.N. Charter and the Kellogg-Briand Pact, to both of which the United States and Ireland have been parties since their creation, the war in Afghanistan and all the other U.S. wars since 2001 have been illegal.

The people of Ireland have a strong tradition of resisting imperialism, dating back even before the 1916 revolution of which this year is the centenary, and they aspire to representative or democratic government. In a 2007 poll, by 58% to 19% they opposed allowing the U.S. military to use Shannon Airport. In a 2013 poll, over 75% supported neutrality. In 2011, a new government of Ireland announced that it would support neutrality, but it did not. Instead it has continued to allow the U.S. military to keep planes and personnel at Shannon Airport, and to bring troops and weapons through on a regular basis, including over 20,000 troops already this year.

The United States military has no need for Shannon Airport. Its planes could reach other destinations without running out of fuel. One of the purposes of regularly using Shannon Airport, perhaps the main purpose, is very likely simply to keep Ireland within the coalition of the killing. On U.S. television, announcers thank "the troops" for watching this or that major sporting event from 175 countries. The U.S. military and its profiteers would hardly notice if that number dropped to 174, but their goal, perhaps their main purpose and driving objective, is to increase that number to 200. Total global dominance is the explicitly stated objective of the U.S. military. Once a nation is added to the list, all steps will be taken, by the State Department, by the military, by the CIA, and by any possible collaborators, to keep that nation on the list. The United States government fears an Ireland free of U.S. militarism more than we probably can imagine. The global peace movement should desire it more than we probably do, including for the example it would set to Scotland, Wales, England, and the rest of the world.

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Gingerbread Robot

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Been thinking of views as the French make their choice

Between a young minister and Madame Rolls-Royce,

Who squawks he wants not belle France to be first,

But stuffed with transients and Berlin till it's burst,

Which neat says it all about My-Country-Firsters:

Suckers for slogans, true brain-liverwursters.

Suckers are the Dems, now less party than part:

Of the guy on the bus who let out a fart,

And everyone knows and in word excuses,

But would like to whack and yell him abuses,

Like "How on earth could you blow that elec'?

To Hillary you caved and created this wreck!"

Been watching more caves-in before the Deep State;

Just ask the reporters who pushed RussiaGate,

Which slunk away sudden without laugh or tear,

The moment Trump launched those missiles at Syr',

Afraid MSM says Assad makes him quail,

Which proves even Don curves-of-learning can scale,

Been watching too as the Koreans scale quests,

And wondering but why of all hornets' nests,

They need to kick this one and make adults mad,

But maybe they're right: a nuke makes them bad,

And staves off Deep-State-types who flourish Big Macs,

And love turning countries into big fat Iraqs.

Been watching Iraq-types turn jihad hot shots,

Grab a few pistols and squeeze off pot shots

At cops and geezers in the name of the Proph',

Which done for money would be called a rip-off,

But serve to make interventions all right,

And smiley arms-makers to sleep a good night.

I've been watching the ol' cookie crumble,

And feeling the thunder of destiny rumble

Over terrorists, pols, sad loonies and Trumps,

Who pulling together make history's speed-bumps,

Sped over blithely by the mighty Deep State,

Who'll crash, burn and ask us to pay all the freight.
S

South Korean propaganda demonizing North Korea, seen here squeezing the puke out of South Korea....monsters!

The purpose of war propaganda is in the first instance to make the "enemy" look like monsters, sub-humans who deserve to be killed. The second use is to sustain and intensify the hatred which must be manufactured to make human beings able to kill strangers who have done them no wrong with perfect moral certainty.

Those who would start wars and commit mass murder, needless to say, are willing to tell lies (propaganda) to justify and execute their lust for death and destruction.

In recent months, two nations which have been targeted for "regime change",---Venezuela and North Korea (neither of which has invaded anyone), have seen hysterical headlines about mass starvation, proving, no doubt, that socialism never works and that the West (the US) must intervene (as in Libya) to prevent a humanitarian crisis, taking out the leaders and replacing them with leaders friendly to the US and its corporate interests, in order to "save the people" from starvation.

I will start with North Korea, where the media frequently claims the people are starving to death. This claim serves to rationalize the intention (if not for those pesky nukes which deter attack) regime change based on the same lie that was used to destroy the most developed and richest nation in Africa, Libya, where a "humanitarian crisis" was manufactured to justify a war which led, indeed, to a humanitarian crisis.

NORTH KOREA

On a regular basis, the media informs us that North Korea's people are starving to death. Here is Newsweek, complete with images of starving children: "

BY CRISTINA SILVA ON 3/23/17"

Here is Breitbart, Trump's favorite source of news:

Here is another from metro:

And here is the report by one of the most respected scholars on North Korea, debunking this propaganda lie, which I am calling Starvation Propaganda since several recent wars have been rationalized by "humanitarian crisis:"

"

"One of the most commonly cited cliches is that North Korea is a "destitute, starving country". Once upon a time, such a description was all too sadly correct: In the late 1990s, North Korea suffered a major famine that, according to the most recent research, led to between 500,000 and 600,000 deaths. However, starvation has long since ceased to be a fact of life in North Korea.

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"Two corrupt cops from the NYPD licensing division were plied with strippers, wined, dined and taken on lavish vacations to Mexico and the Bahamas," reports the New York Daily News. Why? Because in return for nice things, they were allegedly willing to "expedite" the process of applying for and receiving gun permits.

Left unmentioned in the story is the other why. Why would someone be willing to blow that kind of money on gun permits?

Simple: Because New York City's government requires such permits, then makes the process for getting them long (3-6 months), tedious (in addition to the application, up to nine pieces of paperwork and one or more "personal interviews"), expensive (a non-refundable application fee of $340, plus $87 for a fingerprint check) and, worst of all, discretionary. After rolling around in all that red tape, maybe the police bureaucrat "assisting" you doesn't like the way you look that day and it turns out you just wasted a bunch of time and money.

It's unsurprising that a secondary industry would spring up to make the application process easier (although obviously more expensive). It's equally unsurprising that people with more money than time would farm out their permit needs to that industry. And it's not surprising at all that that industry would, if necessary, resort to bribery to deliver the goods.

The US Constitution is crystal clear on the subject at hand: "[T]he right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed."

Legally conditioning exercise of that right on possession of a permit is most manifestly an infringement.

Additionally, leaving issuance of permits under the clearly unconstitutional scheme to the discretion of bureaucrats is a recipe for both tyranny and corruption.

Finally, as a practical matter, the permit scheme only wastes the time and money -- and places at risk the lives -- of those who choose to be "law-abiding." Criminals who want to carry guns don't apply for permits to do so. They're criminals, remember? They don't care if they're breaking laws, nor do they want their identities tied to the guns they use in the commission of their crimes.

It might be going a bit far to describe cops who "expedite" gun permits in return for cash bribes or favors as heroes. But they're not nearly as corrupt as the system they're accused of subverting. New York City needs to abandon its evil and unconstitutional "gun control" schemes.
This is a reprint from NewsBred.

Dear Sagarika

I read your edit in Times of India today (April 26, 2017). You must remember me for I used to sit next desk to you in Times of India in the 90s. You might as well be remembering K.Dutta, then sport head, who I remember for one particular evocation: "Its better we laugh amongst ourselves and correct our copy than be a laughing stock to the world."

Those at desk who ignore this wisdom and clear your copy without cuts aren't your friends. At best they are fools or at worst, fellow conspirators. They let hacks like you write on subjects about which you knew nothing; and know nothing. If there was a sensible hand on desk, you could've been saved this public shame. I also see a similar attempt by you in the past has been trashed by knowledgeables.

First, you start the piece as addressed to Liberal Hindus. I know there is another Hindu on your mind--the Internet Hindu which is a straight lift of the euphemism which presstitutes of the West reserve for Rajiv Malhotra. Don't tell me that you haven't heard of Rajiv or that Internet Hindu is your original.

You call upon these liberal Hindus (of your imagination!) to take on the "strident voices" who call for a "holy war" against other religions. Let me tell you no Hindu, yes No Hindu, liberal or illebral, want a "holy war" against other religions. If it was so, you would have heard the war-cry to change the name of "Allahabad" which continues to be one of the most pious holy places for Hindus. Or question the logic of "Lodhi Colony" or "Aurangzeb Road" given the "war" they carried out against Hindus and their temples. Why, even original "Kashi Viswanath Temple" in Varanasi was converted into a mosque and continues to be one to this day.

Hindus don't want Hindu first. They want India first. But this simple narrative escapes you, either out of ignorance or plain mischief.

You further state that Hinduism has been an amiable religion from time immemorial. WRONG. Hindus were a splendidly martial people. Wish you had read any of the accounts of Greek writers who accompanied Alexander in his invasion of India and declared that very few in the world could match the courage or fortitude of Hindu warriors. Hindus didn't turn amiable--only their spirit was crushed under the terrible yoke of British. It would be the fate of any people who are under foreign domination. Why even England suffered the same fate after Romans left them after four centuries of domination. England was poked, raided, looted by all and sundry in Rome's aftermath.

You then mention Akhlaq, Pehlu Khan, attacks on movie directors, meat-eaters, rationalists as a mark of "strident Hindus" which must be kept in check by liberal Hindus. May be this is your concept of "war" which is mentioned in an earlier para. By this definition, any issue of law and order must be placed at the doorstep of "Strident Hindus." If I may ask you, why Muzaffarnagar riots don't form a part of your description? Is it because the then government was headed by Akhilesh Yadav, a non-BJP government?

Why this concept of war doesn't include merciless hacking of BJP workers in Bengal and Kerala? Why is that calling Maa Durga as prostitute by Left-Liberals doesn't upset you? Why not a word when the Azaadi brigade keeps silence on soldiers or CRPF men being martyred? Why no reflection on Kashmiri Pandit exodus? But Akhlaq and Pehlu are Muslims and serve your purpose on communal lines. It's no different than the British Raj who divided India on communal lines. I can see such protagonists are still working overtime to break-up India.

You take your nonsense further by writing that Hindus never sought political power. Which history or religious books you have been reading Ma'am? Hindus have always believed that "shastra" and "shaastra" go together. That's why you see our gods, Ram, Krishna etc with a weapon in their hands. ALWAYS. It's not "Krishna, Ganpati are playful" as you mention. "Shaastra" can't be defended without "Shastra." Real Hindus know that. It's been an old ploy to keep Hindu placid and non-violent, that "Amaan ki Aaasha" nonsense, which Britishers made good use of--by also promoting Mahatama's Ahimsa---that served to keep their subjects docile. Please don't try this trick on us. Not Again.

You say that Hinduism survived because of its "inwardness" despite enjoying no political patronage. Again which history books have you been reading.? All these splendid temples came up without any political patronage? The trouble is you have been reading books which treat North India's history as the real Indian history. They had a motive in ignoring Pandyan, Chola, Chera, Satavahana, Pallava, Kadambas, Gangas and Chalukyas history. You are a spokesperson of the same divisive brand. It won't work. No longer, Ma'am.

There are other inane references--such as "Azaan" issue, social medi trolls--which turn your piece nothing better than a rambling. The "Azaan" issue was not just about one religion. Sonu Nigam had called for a similar restraint on all religious noises. Social media trolls, well but for them, presstitutes would still be up to their tricks. Now they are being questioned and their lies are being made public. Indeed, they are the copy-editors you must submit your copy henceforth.


Andrew Jackson Defends New Orleans in War of 1812

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One reason that some non-interventionists had hope that the Republican base was coming around on foreign policy was their widespread opposition to intervention in Syria following the alleged Ghouta chemical weapons attack by President Assad in 2013. We now know with near certainty that that attack was a Turkish false flag designed to drag the U.S. into the war on the side of the rebels, as non-interventionists insisted all along, but that is for another essay. The attack appeared to violate Obama's rhetorical "red line," and the U.S. seemed poised for war until Russian President Vladimir Putin intervened and saved President Obama's bacon.



What happened to prevent a U.S. attack at the diplomatic level is interesting, but on the ground in the U.S. there was widespread resistance on the part of the Republican base and consequently Republican office holders to support a U.S. attack on Syria. The main Republican and "conservative" voices supporting U.S. intervention in 2013 were the interventionist ideologues who reliably support military intervention such as Sen. Lindsey Graham, Sen. John McCain, and pundit Bill Kristol. Much to the chagrin of non-interventionists, especially those of us who thought Trump's America first rhetoric represented a real change in direction on foreign policy, the GOP base is all onboard with Trump's airstrikes. (86% for Trump's intervention vs. 22% for Obama's potential intervention.)



It would be easy to view this as rank partisanship, and surely some of it is, but Jarrett Stepman offers an additional explanation for this dichotomy in an article at The National Interest entitled "Trump's America 'First Policy' Will Woo Jacksonians." Stepman's explanation rings true to me and accords with observations about the GOP base that I have previously made myself (see here, here, and here), although Stepman seems supportive of the strike while I most certainly am not.

Stepman observes:

Most of the GOP base's attitude toward foreign policy is what political scientist Walter Russell Mead has called "Jacksonian," after America's seventh president, Andrew Jackson.

They do not believe that the United States should go out in the world seeking monsters to destroy, but instead they view America's international relations through the prism of what is specifically in our self-interest"

Jackson believed, as many Jacksonian voters understand today, that for the United States to maintain peace the country must be feared and respected. Jacksonians are generally proponents of using overwhelming force once they have calculated that the nation and its interests are threatened, and they demand that American "honor" be upheld in foreign relations.

Daniel Larison at The American Conservative objects to Stepman's framing because he argues that Trump's strike on Syria was not in our self-interest. I believe Larison is correct, but what is in play here is the GOP base's perception of our self-interests, not reality. Larison's objection is really less a criticism of Stepman's argument and more a recognition of the weaknesses and limitations of Jacksonianism vis-a-vis Jeffersonian non-intervention.

The problem with Jacksonianism from a non-interventionist perspective is that it can approach Jeffersonianism if it narrowly defines our interests and narrowly perceives threats, or it can approach Wilsonianism if it broadly defines our interests and broadly perceives threats. I do believe it is true that the average rank and file Republican voter is not an ideological Wilsonian, but they do over define our interests and over perceive threats and thus support interventions that are not in our real interests. They must broadly defines both these things in order to perceive a small far off country like Syria that has not attacked us as a threat or a vital interest.

American Jacksonians have this broad view because they have embraced decades of catechization that the U.S. must of necessity play a greatly outsized role on the world stage, so they see our interests and threats from their viewpoint of our necessary role, not from the view of actual real threats to the homeland. To put it another way, American Jacksonians have incorporated an element of Wilsonianism into their baseline assumptions. This often quickly comes out when you challenge them about the literal threat posed by whatever the bad foreign country of the day is.


NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden: 'I don't want to live in a society that does these sort of things' NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden: 'I don't want to live in a society that does these sort of things' Subscribe to the Guardian HERE: bitly.com/UvkFpD ...

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Edward Snowden

A few questions:

What does mean to be a good American today? Is it to be Conservative, liberal, believe in God, a churchgoer, flag waving "patriot", unapologetic for our wars, extol our military?

How about being a critical thinker? Is he, she to be associated with being a "fake news" reader, a Putin "apologist", disloyal, unpatriotic, a traitor?

There's a proliferation of American flags seemingly flying everywhere. There's knee jerk support for those in the military. Is this testament to being a good American?

How about those individuals and alternative news sites-such as this one-who attempt to see and report the reality as it is, refuse to look away, refuse to accept the "conventional wisdom", join the bandwagon, as in opposing Trump's missile attack against a supposed aggressor President Assad gassing his own people in Syria without proof, without an independent investigation and just accept "official" Washington and its handmaiden main stream media versions based merely on accusations and assumptions as if no proof is necessary. Are they good Americans?

What's become routine in America as well as its poodles in the EU is "official" and MSM versions of events go unchallenged except for alternative news sites. It's as if whatever "official" Washington, their European clients and their MSM enablers claim has to be the "truth". How can they all be lying? They all say the same thing. To challenge these versions would be ridiculous and foolish wouldn't it?

Yet the inconvenient truth is their versions are generally accepted in this country. Of course those who challenge the "official" versions of events have become vilified as un-American, un-patriotic haters of America, proponents of "fake" news, traitorous, deserving of condemnation and ridicule.

There are times it's like being in a parallel universe, connected to the other, yet separated and alienated from it.

Consider:

Edward Snowden acted out of conscience seeing the NSA's surveillance activities violated the Constitution and believed the American people needed to see this truth. His revelations exposed the NSA's illegality yet he's "officially" denounced as a traitor, violating the law rather than a whistleblower informing the public. In a poll two years ago by US NEWS [1] , 64% of Americans had a "negative image" of Snowden while 84% of Germans and Italians and 80% in France, Spain and the Netherlands had a favorable image of him. Interestingly in the same poll 56% of Americans 18-34 had a positive opinion of Snowden.

The same can be said for Bradley now Chelsea Manning, again out of conscience, who exposed the US military's murderous brutality in the Iraq war, particularly the scene of helicopter gunships firing and murdering civilians and Reuters correspondents caught on video then exposed by WikiLeaks.

Yet he was found guilty in a military court martial, sentenced to 35 years and incarcerated for the past 7 years in a military prison. His sentence was "commuted" by President Obama in January and she's to be released next month. Yet some Americans believe Obama commuting Manning's sentence was wrong and he should have served the full 35 years.

It's as if "things" have turned upside down and dystopia has taken over and become prevalent in America. Maybe not Orwell's "1984" though a peculiar American version where "official" lies are portrayed as the truth-think Colin Powell's charade at the UN in February 2003 purporting to show Saddam Hussein had WMD and justified the US invading Iraq in March of that year.

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Wealth, like oxygen, can get thinner at altitude. The distribution of riches in big Colombian cities, for example, has been a surprise to me. I dont mean economically. I mean topographically.

Basically, the higher you rise, the lower you rent.

Climb a hill in Los Angeles or Boston or even Birmingham, and houses get posher, lawns greener, gates more imposing. The wealthy live high on the hog, and high in the hills.

On a promontory in Bogota or Medellin, though, dwellings get smaller, poorer, bleaker. High in the nosebleed section, people live in shacks of cardboard or mismatched planks with a rusted tin roof held down by a few stones. In such poor barrios, the criminal networks of the notorious drug lord Pablo Escobar took root and spread, back in the day.

It happens elsewhere in Latin America. The favelas in the heights over Rio de Janeiro and slums in the peaks around Caracas, in Venezuela, have perpetuated poverty and incubated gangs for generations.

In some places, though, churches claim the high ground. Catholics who founded Colombian settlements often liked to build churches as close to heaven as they could.

They put one great shrine atop Monserrate, the mountain that dominates Bogotas city center. Built in the 1600s and dedicated to El Senor Caido, The Fallen Lord, Monserrate Sanctuary occupies a site previously sacred to the indigenous Muisca people. Another shrine, The Sanctuary of Our Lady of Guadalupe, tops a neighboring peak. It too symbolizes lofty aspirations and high hopes, two miles above sea level and 1,000 feet over downtown Bogota.

Another famous church tops a prominent hill in Cali, Colombias third-largest city. Adela and I made a visit to the Chapel of San Antonio last February. We approached on foot at twilight, the 2 million lights of Cali, one for each soul in the city, flickering on as we hiked narrow streets through the bohemian section.

We discovered One Way Pizza on a one-way street. Lured by a sound system playing R.E.M., we took outdoor seats with a view of the grounds of San Antonio Chapel, which welcomes thousands of tourists annually. Pablo, the proprietor, good with his English and better with hawking his kitchen, talked us into micheladas and then a smoking-hot pie with artichokes, olives, and mushrooms. A few locals joined us on the terracealways a good sign.

We studied the 270-year-old place of worship through pine trees that rose on the nearby hillside, our next and final ascent. After the meal, we picked our way along a stony path to the cobbled plaza fronting the chapel. Overbright flood lighting made it feel like a movie set, the crews busy making ready for a shoot.

San Antonio didnt look much different from a hundred other old churches in Colombia. It was stucco, some brick, old wood beams in walls and overhead, plain except for a few shiny metals on altars and crosses and such. But San Antonio has a special allure for Colombians  believers swear that San Antonio and the Holy Virgin will team up here to help a lovelorn soul find a mate. Think of it as a safe place for Catholics who mistrust online dating services.

However it works, it works. A happy crowd hung out on the early Saturday night we visited. Food vendors roasted ears of corn, and we saw kids blowing fat, wobbly soap bubbles with giant wands. Teen-agers laughed and flirted and chased each other around the plaza. Now and then a bell clanged somewhere below the mountaintop, counting vespers.

In Cali, after visitors put in their orders for good and faithful mates on the little holy hilltop, theres one more destination, one more experience. Salsa. The rumba.

Salsa? Rumba? Hold on, good reader. Before you abandon this Paste web page and scuttle off to find a glossary of Spanish terms, let me explain.

Salsa in Colombia is music, an Afro-Cuban dance of lively rhythms that entered the nation through Barranquilla or Cartagena, the major ports, then spread faster than a mosquito-borne fever through this lively nation. Cali is considered the capital of the kingdom of salsa.

As a side note, a salsa for dipping corn chips does not exist here. That substance is called aji picante, with an emphasis on the picante. Some aji recipes will Chernobyl your tongue. It will turn your precious organ of speech and taste to flopping red magma. Hours may be needed to recover an ability to speak, or stop weeping.

And rumba? Its a very important word in Colombia. Colombians go to the rumbeadero, and they irse de rumba all night. They may rumba to a DJ, a live band, or Spotify. But Colombians all rumba.

And why does the rumba matter? Because hips dont lie.

Adela and her girlfriends have confirmed, one after the other, that once a Colombian woman receives the heavenly gift of a boyfriend, through the graces of San Antonio or sheer luck, she takes him for a test drive.

Thats the rumba.

Its an audition for amor. If the caballero cant dance, then guess what? He probably cant do at least one other really, really important thing. Ill let you do the guessing.

On our Saturday night in Cali, Adela and I strolled down hand-in-hand from the heights of San Antonio Chapel and toward the salsa clubs. The rumba lay ahead.

We danced till the wee hours in crowded, hot, lively Zaperoco, one of the best-known salsa spots in Cali. The club smelled of cocktails and pheromones. The music climbed heights. The high and the low, the sinner and the saved, gringo and caleno, the riverside rich and the mountaintop mendicant  who knew the difference here? Who cared?

The rumba went on, and the world danced. Long after midnight, Adela and I made it back to our hotel soaking wet. It wasnt even raining.

Image: Anton Kudris, CC-BY

Charles McNair is Pastes Books editor emeritus. He served the magazine as writer, critic and editor from 2005-2015.
Calling the Clock with Nick Petrangelo Sponsored by KO Watches

April 26, 2017 PokerNews Staff

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PokerNews Sasha Salinger called the clock on Nick Petrangelo, giving him two minutes to answer as many questions as he can.

Bowling or golfing?

Golfing.

Scuba diving or sky diving?

Sky diving.

Have you been?

No.

But you want to?

I dont like the idea of scuba diving or being underwater.

Claustrophobic?

Easy answer.

Do you believe in aliens?

Very small percentage.

Next place on your travel bucket list?

Uh, bucket list? I dont really have a travel - or actually, I want to go to Sweden. I havent been there yet before, like Stockholm or something like that, Sweden, Norway, Finland, never been. Like to go.

Scandinavia, yeah?

Yeah [nods].

Go in the summer. Blondes, brunettes or red heads?

Brunette.

Yeah. Whats that guys name who just walked in front of the camera?

I have no idea.

Me either. Who would be the best roommate in poker?

Hm, best roommate in poker? Ive roomed with Jon Jaffe. Hes not so bad. Ill go with him.

Who would be the worst?

I dont know if I can answer that one. I dont know, I havent lived with many people

I mean, imagining?

I dont have an answer for that one, sorry.

I have like several, but I wont say anything. Last one: Do you have any tattoos or piercings?

No I dont actually.

When the clocks stops, time comes to life. Get your hands on a Knock Out -KO- watch right here.
The Vatican tribunal investigating allegations of sexual abuse against Archbishop Anthony Apuron will meet two of the former Guam Catholic leader's accusers in Hawaii next week.

Attorney David Lujan confirmed with The Guam Daily Post that his clients, Roland Sondia and Roy Quintanilla, have agreed to meet with Cardinal Raymond Leo Burke at a church in Hawaii on May 6. Burke is presiding over the church tribunal tasked with hearing the case against Apuron.

"We have reached a compromise," Lujan said on Tuesday.

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The attorney will not be allowed to be in the room, but can be outside while his clients testify.

"I'm satisfied that Roy and Roland will testify and stick to what Apuron did to each of them, respectively," he said.

The parties have been going back and forth since the tribunal was in Guam in February as part of the canonical trial for Apuron, who faces penal charges in connection with allegations that he sexually abused altar boys decades ago when he was a priest.

During the tribunal's Guam visit, Lujan objected to his clients' participation in the depositions as he was not allowed to be present and he wasn't clear on the canonical trial procedures and rules, and whether his clients' interests would be protected.

The attorney would not disclose details of the compromise but confirmed that his clients would participate this time around.

The "compromise" comes after two of Lujan's clients, Walter Denton and Doris Concepcion  on behalf of her late son, Joseph "Sonny" Quinata  met with the tribunal last month in Prescott, Arizona, to provide testimony on the allegations against Apuron.

Sondia, Quintanilla and Denton have raised allegations of childhood sex abuse at the hands of Apuron. The former leader of Guam's Catholic Church is currently off island "defending his innocence without distraction," said his attorney, Jacqueline Taitano-Terlaje.

The tribunal is anticipated to wrap up its investigation into Apuron by the summer.
Future Market Insights has announced the addition of the  Atomic Spectroscopy Market: Global Industry Analysis and Opportunity Assessment 2015 - 2025report to their offering.

Atomic Spectroscopy Market Trends

PR-Inside.com: 2017-04-26 08:33:31

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Study of electromagnetic radiations that is emitted or absorbed by atoms is known as atomic spectroscopy.When electrons are excited, they move from higher valence bond to lower valence bond and emit radiations (emission). However, a relaxed electron moves from lower valence bond to higher valence bond resulting in absorption of energy.Atomic spectroscopy market can be segmented as below based on technologies:X-ray Fluorescence SpectroscopyX-ray Diffraction SpectroscopyInductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectroscopy (ICP-MS)Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP) SpectroscopyAtomic Absorption SpectroscopyElemental AnalyzersAmong all aforementioned technologies, X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy market accounts for the largest share to the atomic spectroscopy market. This is due to the fact that they are efficient in analyzing solid samples precisely. Also, procedures performed via X-ray fluorescence are user-friendly in nature along with being cost efficient.Inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy (ICP-MS) market is expected to show the highest growth rate during the forecast period 2015 to 2025. This growth is attributed to revision in various regulations (chapter 231) of the U.S. Pharmacopeial Convention. The revised regulation mandates the utilization of inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy by pharmaceutical companies, which will propel the overall growth of inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy market.Request Report Sample@ http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-382 Atomic spectroscopy is utilized in various institutes (applications):Food and Beverage TestingPharmaceuticalIndustrial ChemistryEnvironmental TestingBiotechnologyAmong all these, application of atomic spectroscopy in pharmaceutical market accounts for the largest share of total market. This large market size is due to increased utilization of atomic spectroscopy in the various pharmaceutical activities such as drugs manufacturing.Their efficiency helps develop and manufacture drugs precisely, that increases the uptake of atomic spectroscopy while manufacturing drugs by pharmaceutical companies. Hence, atomic spectroscopy market is expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period 2015 to 2025.Stringent safety regulations regarding the drug safety, and food and beverage testing by regulatory authorities across the globe will drive the growth of atomic spectroscopy market at a high CAGR during the forecast period. Safety regulations will propel the demand for the utilization of atomic spectroscopy in industrial chemistry sector along with environmental testing since; it will help monitor the volume of metal in any sample. Likewise, increasing application of atomic spectroscopy in medical research and drug safety will also boost the growth of atomic spectroscopy market.However , lack of trained professionals for handling atomic spectroscopy devices and technology may restrain the growth of atomic spectroscopy market.Request For TOC@ http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-382 Domicile of large pharmaceutical and industrial chemistry companies in North America have supported the region to contribute the largest share of total atomic spectroscopy market. Also, stringent government regulations regarding safety of drugs, food and beverages has also supported the large market size in the region. Asia-Pacific is expected to foresee the highest CAGR during the forecast period 2015 to 2025. This is due to the fact that major players such as Agilent Technologies are intending to expand their business in the emerging nations like India and China, which will drive the growth of atomic spectroscopy market. The major players operating in the atomic spectroscopy market include Agilent Technologies, Aurora Biomed, Bruker Corporation, Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation, Shimadzu Corporation, GBC Scientific Equipment Pty Ltd., Thermo Fisher Scientific, PerkinElmer, Inc., Analytik Jena AG and Rigaku Corporation among other significant players.
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Heart Failure (HF) is a potentially life-threatening condition that weakens the heart muscle, reduces its ability to pump enough blood throughout the body. Even without a heart transplant, patients' lives can be extended and improved with the use of small, implantable devices called Cardiac Assist Devices.Cardiac Assist Devices (CAD) are type of mechanical pumps that work along with the heart to improve its pumping efficiency and maintain the optimum blood flow throughout the body. The devices are typically employed in patients suffering from End-Stage Congestive Heart Failure, where the chances of survival through oral medications alone become minimal. The scarcity of donor organs has led to the development of these devices.Globally, there are around 23 million cases of HF and around 5.8 million people in United States have HF. About half of the people who develop heart failure die within 5 years of diagnosis.Request For Report Sample@ http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-467 Cardiac Assist Devices Market: Drivers & RestraintsThe Cardiac Assist Devices market is driven by aging population, increasing prevalence of HF, high adaptation rates of these devices, and new technology innovations.Increasing rates of cardiovascular diseases and aging population has boosted the cardiac assist devices market globally. The shortage of donor hearts for transplantation is also leading to an increase in adoption of cardiac assist devices in patients with end-stage heart failure.Cardiac assist devices are also being used as a Bridge-To-Transplantation (BTT), Bridge-To-Recovery (BTR) or Destination Therapy (DT), depending on the requirement of the patient and the severity of the disease. Technological advancements that make the devices more efficient and minimally invasive are expected to further drive the demand for cardiac assist devices in the future.Presence of alternative treatment like heart transplantation, pacemaker and etc. and the few risk which are associated with the device implantation, such as development of blood clots, respiratory failure and device failure and other surgical complications such as bleeding, kidney failure, stroke and infection. Such complication are acting as a barrier in the adoption of such treatment and devices.Cardiac Assist Devices Market: SegmentationThe global market of cardiac assist devices is segmented into following types:Ventricular Assist Devices (VAD)Intra-Aortic Balloon Pumps (IABP)Total Artificial Heart (TAH)Further, Ventricular Assist Device (VAD) are segmented into the following types based on the defect and placement of the device.Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD)Right Ventricular Assist Device (RVAD)Bi-Ventricular Assist Device (Bi-VAD)External Ventricular Assist Device (VAD)Cardiac Assist Devices Market: OverviewWith rapid technological advancement and wide acceptance of cardiac surgery procedures among patients with heart problem, the global cardiac assist devices market is expected to exhibit a double-digit growth in the forecast period (2015-2025).With FDA approving SynCardia Systems Total Artificial Heart to conduct clinical studies on destination therapy, more and more end stage heart failure patient will be benefit from this nature of therapy and the market is expected to expand significantly in the forecast period.Cardiac Assist Devices Market: Region-wise OutlookDepending on geographic regions, global cardiac assist devices market is segmented into seven key regions: North America, South America, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, Asia Pacific, Japan, and Middle East & Africa.Visit For TOC@ http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-467 North America is the leading markets for cardiac assist devices with highest prevalent cases with heart failure, technological development, high patient awareness and reimbursement coverage for CAD implantation procedures. Europe is the second largest market followed by Asia Pacific and Japan.Cardiac Assist Devices Market: Key PlayersSome of the key market players in global cardiac assist devices market are Thoratec Corporation, MAQUET GmbH & Co., Teleflex Incorporated, Heart Ware International, Berlin Heart GmbH, ABIOMED and SynCardia Systems, Inc.
Future Market Insights has announced the addition of the Compact Power Equipment Rental Market: Global Industry Analysis and Opportunity Assessment 2014-2020" report to their offering.

PR-Inside.com: 2017-04-26 08:13:31

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Compact power equipment includes all tools required for lighter construction jobs. The equipment is small in size and used in developing products with more ease and convenience. These compact power tools are of several types, such as engine-driven power tools, electric power tools and pneumatic power tools. They are used for various operations, such as drilling, polishing, woodwork routing and screw driving.Compact tools are primarily used for construction related jobs. These tools are used at construction sites for activities like drilling, hammering, cutting, grinding, washing and blowing of the equipments. Compact power tools are light-weighted, small in size, easy to handle and transport. However, they are more complex to handle than the commonly used hand tools, requires skilled labour, and regular maintenance to avoid tool wear.Global compact power tools rental market is expected to grow at a steady rate, as the demand for power tools are on the rise in developing countries. Drivers responsible for the growth of power tools rental market include an increasing demand for fast accomplishment of projects and increasing infrastructural development activities at developing regions like Asia, where construction companies rent the tools from power tool companies as they cannot afford to invest in power equipment. The challenges ahead include continuous maintenance and high cost of equipment. Many a time, clients who borrow equipment from companies, damage the tools, which is also a major concern for the power tool rental market.Request Report Sample@ http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-116 Segmentation of compact power tools market is done on the basis of types and geography. Compact tools are of various types like electric power tools, engine-driven power tools and pneumatic power tools. Wherein electric power tool includes cordless tools, drilling & demolition, screw-fastening tools, direct fastening tools, cutting/sawing/grinding tools, dust extractors, glue and heat guns, high pressure washers and blowers . Key geographic segments for compact power tools market include North America, Latin America, Asia-Pacific and EMEA (Europe, the Middle East & Africa) region. Asia-Pacific is the most prominent region for compact power tools companies owing to increasing construction and infrastructural development activities in countries like India, Japan and China.Key trends in compact power tools market are an increasing competition from Chinese manufacturers as Chinese vendors are penetrating this market with their tools with competitive prices as compared to other vendors.Visit for TOC@ http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-116 Of the many players in the compact power tools market, Makita Corporation, Bosch, Stanley Black & Decker and Techtronic Industries are the dominant leaders. Other important players include Hilti Group, Panasonic Corporation, Emerson Electric Company, Snap-on Inc., etc. Mergers & acquisitions of key players provide opportunity to expand their product portfolio. In North America, Bosch acquired SPX Corporations Service Solution business which manufactures, develops and sells service equipment and repairs workshop accessories. In Europe, Techtronic Industries acquired Ryobis power tools business and Royal Appliance Manufacturing Company, a market leader in North America which develops, markets and assembles cleaning appliances such as vacuum cleaners for domestic as well as commercial use. Emerson Electronics decided to focus on acquisitions and divestitures in order to increase investment in technology and also have a strong focus to acquire the market in developing countries. This is also because of decreasing demands of their products in Europe and market saturation in the U.S. and China.The future of compact power equipment is very attractive due to an ever-increasing demand for compact power tools. Due to saturation of developed markets like Europe, the U.S. and China, players in this market are now moving their focus towards developing or emerging nations.
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Compression Therapy is a process of applying external pressure to the limbs or other parts of the body through which different chronic disease can be treated. Compression therapy is a very effective technique for disease indication such as, Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT), Venous Thrombolism (VTE), Varicose Veins, Lymphedema, Chronic and Diabetic Ulcers.A gradual pressure is being given to infected area or the veins which in turn increases the blood flow in the veins, increases the drainage of nocious substances, reduces pain and inflammation.A common myth prevailing among people is that compression bandages and clothes hinder the blood circulation but in reality these products are designed in such a way that when applied properly they assist in blood flow.The annual incidence of DVT is around 1 per 1000 people. As per Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), around 60,000-100,000 patients have DVT in United States.Request For Report Sample@ http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-496 Compression Therapy Market: Drivers and RestraintsCompression therapy market is driven by aging population, high incidence of disease indications, rising awareness among patients and ease of application and durability of the products.Other factors include regular product training to physicians that helps them to better understand the product and use of fancy garment to manufacture stockings and bandages.Lack of knowledge about the disease indication among patients and inadequate reimbursement for compression therapy products from government agencies in developed countries will slow down the market in the forecast period.Compression Therapy Market: SegmentationGlobal Compression Therapy Devices is further segmented into these following types:Static Compression TherapyCompression GarmentsUpper Compression GarmentsLower Compression GarmentsCompression BandagesAnti-Embolism StockingsDiabetic ShoesDiabetic Compression SocksDynamic Compression TherapySegmented Compression PumpsNon-Segmented Compression PumpsCompression SleevesCompression Therapy Market: OverviewWith the advancement of technology and increase incidence in disease population, compression therapy is gaining wide acceptance as a method of choice among patients. This market is expected to grow at a healthy CAGR in the forecast period (2015-2025).Advances in garments, textile technology, compression stockings, and bandages aimed at improving patient comfort are expected to drive the market in the forecast period.Compression Therapy Market: Region-wise OutlookDepending on geographic regions, global compression therapy market is segmented into seven key regions: North America, South America, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, Asia Pacific, Japan, and Middle East & Africa.In terms of geography, North America dominates the compression therapy market, followed by Europe. Growing aging population and increasing prevalence of diabetes are also supporting the growth of compression therapy market in this regions. India, China, and Japan are expected to be the fastest-growing markets for compression therapy in Asia.Visit For TOC@ http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-496 Compression Therapy Market: Key PlayersSome of the key players in compression therapy market are SIGVARIS, BSN medical GmbH, Covidien Plc. PAUL HARTMANN AG, 3M Co., ArjoHuntleigh, Thuasne SA, Smith & Nephew plc and medi GmbH & Co.
Future Market Insights has announced the addition of the Key Opinion Leader Management Market: Global Industry Analysis and Opportunity Assessment 2015-2025" report to their offering.

Digital X-Ray Equipment Market

PR-Inside.com: 2017-04-26 05:52:57

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Two-dimensional images produced by x-ray radiation is the practice of projectional radiography, also known as plain film radiography. Digital X-Ray equipment is utilized in medical imaging of human body. X-rays are ionizing radiations that possess the energy to penetrate human tissue. Digital x-rays interact with human tissues and generate diagnostic images. The human tissues are exposed to a beam of x-ray which is also known as primary beam. It passes through the body and gets absorbed by the human tissues. This process of absorption of the primary beam by human tissues is known as attenuation. Attenuation is the key function that results in formation of digital x-ray images through Digital x-ray equipment. The dense anatomy of the body such as the bones absorb more x-rays than the thin anatomy of the body. The primary x-ray beam after attenuation is known as remnant beam. The remnant beam is received by image receptor of the Digital x-ray equipment. The dense anatomy appears white while the thin anatomy appears black on radiographs produced by Digital x-ray equipment.Digital X-Ray Equipment Market: Drivers & RestraintsDigital x-ray uses x-ray to view the internal anatomy of the irregularly composed opaque tissues. The opaque tissues highly vary in their density and x-rays are the most efficient electromagnetic radiations that represent clear digital images through digital x-ray equipment. X-rays are safe radiations for the living tissues and digital x-ray images can be generated of every body organ. The digital x-ray equipment market is majorly driven by novel technological advancements, increasing healthcare expenditure, rise in ageing population and disease prevalence. The digital x-ray equipment market is also witnessing highly competitive scenario that has led to large number of improved digital x-ray equipment launches. Moreover, digital x-ray equipment are less expensive yet more efficient than other radiography equipment. Digital x-ray equipment provides quick healthcare delivery and improves workflow. The digital x-ray equipment has the limitation of in-depth imaging. The digital x-ray equipment is based on transmission of the x-ray beam and this exposes only the surfaces of the human anatomy under observation. The details of the human anatomy are not revealed by the digital x-ray equipment.Request For Report Sample@ http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-535 Digital X-Ray Equipment Market: SegmentationDigital x-ray equipment market is classified on the basis of product type and geography.Based on product type, the global Digital X-Ray Equipment market is segmented into the following:Digital Radiography (DR)Computed Radiography (CR)Retrofit Radiography SystemDigital X-Ray Equipment Market: OverviewDigital X-Ray Equipment is widely used in the imaging of all human body tissues and has become a part of routine checkup. Digital x-ray equipment deliver medical imaging in the standard safety radiation dose. Digital x-ray imaging is one of the most important pillars of medical imaging. The global Digital x-ray equipment market is expected to expand at an exceptional double digit CAGR during the forecast period 2015 to 2025.Digital X-Ray Equipment Market: Region-wise OutlookDepending on geographic regions, global Digital X-Ray Equipment market is segmented into seven key regions: North America, South America, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, Asia Pacific, Japan, and Middle East & Africa. Asia Pacific is expected to grow at a remarkable CAGR owing to the improving healthcare facilities and infrastructure. Also the expanding middle class population in the region is expected to add significant value to the digital x-ray equipment market. Moreover, the countries of New Zealand, Australia, India, China and Japan have ample potential and availability of advanced diagnostics and therapeutics. The APAC region also contributes favorably to the global medical tourism and further to the global digital x-ray equipment market.Visit For TOC@ http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-535 Digital X-Ray Equipment Market: Key PlayersSome of the key market players in global Digital X-Ray Equipment market are Siemens AG, Philips Healthcare, Canon USA Inc., Shimadzu Corporation, GE Healthcare, Varian Medical Systems, Agfa-Gevaert N.V. Healthcare, Hitachi Medical Corporation, Toshiba Medical Systems, Fuji Medical Systems and China Resources Holding Medical Equipment Company Limited. The competition in digital x-ray equipment market is majorly based on technological advances in digital x-ray equipment and the pricing of the digital x-ray equipment.
Future Market Insights has announced the addition of the Electronic Toll Collection Market: Global Industry Analysis and Opportunity Assessment 2014-2020" report to their offering.

PR-Inside.com: 2017-04-26 08:12:12

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Electronic toll collection system is an automated system, eliminating manual operations by toll payers and receivers. The global ETC market is expected to steer towards a strong double-digit growth rate in the coming five years (2015-2020). The primary drivers of the upcoming growth comprise the need to save travel time, cashless travel facility, the need to stop/minimize the traffic congestion and fast toll transaction. However, factors like high installation cost and a high dependence on government are hindering the growth of this market to some extent. The ETC market is expected to continue its rapid expansion to meet the surging demand for an improved, safe and secure infrastructure. The ETC system provides fast, efficient and cost-effective services. They have easy to operate buttons with a user-friendly design. They are also beneficial for traffic agencies and companies as these systems eliminate the need for multiple toll plazas, acting as a cost-saving factor for road operator agencies. Electronic toll collection systems have a positive impact on the environment as it reduces the amount of exhaust emitted from vehicles during start-up and stop at manual toll booths.The ETC market can be categorised into products, technologies, applications and geographies. Transponders, antennae, communication systems, treadles, inductive loops, scanning devices, weigh-in-motion devices, cameras and film storage devices are some of the major products of the system. An electronic toll collection system consists of various subsystems, such as automatic vehicle identification (AVI), automatic vehicle classification (AVC), back-office &integration and violation enforcement system (VES). These subsystems are useful for specific functions -AVI for vehicle identification, AVC for vehicle classification, toll collection transaction by integrating the back-office and payment system and VES to reduce unpaid tolls, by vehicle imaging.Request Report Sample@ http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-76 On the basis of technologies, the ETC market can be segmented into various categories, such as radio-frequency identification (RFID), dedicated short-range communications (DSRC), video analytics, global navigation satellite system (GNSS) and global positioning system (GPS).Currently RFID and DSRC are the leading technologies. On the other hand, the GNSS and GPS are expected to show a high growth rate in following five years (2015-2020).Based on applications, the ETC market can be categorized into segments like highway, urban and bridges. Undoubtedly, ETC systems have been installed majorly on highways, but installation in urban areas and on bridges has a bright future opportunity.Geographically, the ETC market can be segmented into North America, Latin America, Asia Pacific, Japan, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, and Middle East & Africa. Present market scenario represents a strong presence of ETC system in the US, Canada and Mexico in North America, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Philippines and Singapore in Asia Pacific, and the UK, Ireland, Portugal, France, Germany, Italy and Spain in Europe.Visit for TOC@ http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-76 Some of the key players in the ETC market are Honeywell International, Inc., Transurban, Transtoll Pty Ltd., Transcore Holdings, Inc., Toll Collect GmbH, TRMI Systems Integration, Sensor Dynamics, Xerox Corporation, 3M, Connect East, EFKON, SAIC, DENSO, Q-Free, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd., Perceptics, Thales Group and Kapsch TrafficCom AG. The ETC ecosystem participants offer a wide range of solutions, such as software services and system integration and toll system operations including maintenance, payment handling and revenue assurance. It is the future solution to alleviating traffic congestion problems.
PR-Inside.com: 2017-04-26 14:33:01

Presented at Charing Cross, Five-Year Clinical Data from Global ENGAGE Registry

Support Endurant II's Market-Leading Position Worldwide



DUBLIN and LONDON - April 26, 2017 - Medtronic plc (NYSE:MDT) today reported its Endurant II abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) stent graft system continues to demonstrate long-term durability and consistent outcomes in a real-world setting. The five-year ENGAGE global registry data were presented for the first time at the 2017 Charing Cross Symposium in London.



The ENGAGE registry evaluated more than 1,200 patients. The five-year data, which included imaging follow up from approximately 500 of these patients, showed a 97.8 percent freedom from aneurysm-related mortality (ARM) and a compelling 89.4 percent stable or decrease diameter AAA sac at five years. The data demonstrated an 84.3 percent freedom from secondary endovascular procedures.

"Out to five years, the ENGAGE data showed low ARM and secondary procedure rates. This further demonstrates both the benefit of the technique used with Endurant as well as the durability of the graft itself," said ENGAGE investigator Philippe Cuypers, M.D., Ph.D., vascular surgeon, Catharina Hospital in Eindhoven, The Netherlands, who presented the data. "The clinical rigor and scope of the ENGAGE registry has made it a valuable data set that represents the types of challenging anatomies physicians encounter in daily clinical practice."

ENGAGE represents the most robust post-market registry ever initiated in the study of endovascular aortic repair (EVAR) with 79 sites in 30 countries. The ENGAGE registry was initiated less than one year post CE Mark and has clinical follow up out to 10 years, further demonstrating the Medtronic commitment to long-term clinical excellence. The goal of ENGAGE remains to gather evidence in a real-world patient population, including patients with challenging anatomy who have historically been difficult to treat, and are associated with limited eligibility for endovascular repair and higher rates of secondary interventions. A rigorous monitoring protocol has resulted in a clinical follow-up compliance of more than 90 percent and imaging compliance of more than 75 percent at five years.



Data from ENGAGE Featured in Other Key Presentations at Charing Cross

The Endurant stent graft system was also featured in an additional presentation that showcases how the ENGAGE data are being used to inform clinician's treatment decisions following EVAR procedures. On Wednesday, April 26, 2017, Peter Holt, M.D., senior lecturer and honorary consultant in vascular surgery at St. George's University of London presented the design of the LEAR analysis, which aims to reduce long-term aortic risk using a modified clinical surveillance program that more accurately portrays reintervention risk.

As demonstrated in Prof. Hence Verhagen, M.D., Ph.D., presentation entitled "Safety Considerations with Hostile Neck 10-15mm," on April 26, 2017, Endurant continues to demonstrate durable results across a range of patient anatomies, including patients with more hostile aortic necks, which have historically been associated with limited eligibility for endovascular repair and higher rates of adverse events.

"Medtronic aims to increase access to treatment for patients with Aortic disease. This goal has been reinforced by our commitment to developing robust clinical programs - such as the ENGAGE registry - that help clinicians identify durable treatment options," said Daveen Chopra, vice president and general manager of the Aortic business in Medtronic's Cardiac and Vascular Group. "In fact, we are leveraging our strong Endurant stent graft data for a pilot risk-share program in the U.S. that has been designed to help decrease customer costs associated with secondary EVAR interventions."

In collaboration with leading clinicians, researchers and scientists worldwide, Medtronic offers the broadest range of innovative medical technology for the interventional and surgical treatment of cardiovascular disease and cardiac arrhythmias. The company strives to offer products and services that deliver clinical and economic value to healthcare consumers and providers around the world.

About the Endurant II/IIs Stent System

Selected for nearly one of every two endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repairs globally and more than 280,000 successful implants, the Endurant system received the CE (Conformite Europeenne) Mark in June 2008. U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval was received in December 2010. The Endurant stent graft system is approved outside of the U.S. for use in patients with AAA neck lengths >=10 mm and <=60 infra-renal angulation and >=15mm with <=75 infra-renal angulation. In the U.S., the Endurant stent graft system is indicated for necks >=10 mm and <=60 infra-renal angulation.

About Medtronic

Medtronic plc (www.medtronic.com), headquartered in Dublin, Ireland, is among the world's largest medical technology, services and solutions companies - alleviating pain, restoring health and extending life for millions of people around the world. Medtronic employs more than 88,000 people worldwide, serving physicians, hospitals and patients in approximately 160 countries. The company is focused on collaborating with stakeholders around the world to take healthcare Further, Together.

Any forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties such as those described in Medtronic's periodic reports on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Actual results may differ materially from anticipated results.

-end-





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: Medtronic plc via Globenewswire


PR-Inside.com: 2017-04-26 05:49:28

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616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite: www.futuremarketinsights.comAbhishek Budholiya+1-347-918-3531

Hearing implants are an option when conventional hearing aids no longer give enough benefit. Implants are designed for different types of hearing loss. They are surgically implanted devices which can give you the sensation of sound.Hearing loss can be caused by many different causes, some of which can be successfully treated with medicine or surgery, depending on the disease process. There are three types of Hearing loss: Conductive hearing loss, Sensorineural hearing loss and Mixed hearing loss.According to the WHO's estimates, there will be approximately 1.2 billion people in the world over the age of 60 by 2025. This marks a shift in population demographics, from a demographic majority of young people globally to a more balanced proportion of young and old. There are around 360 million people in the world with disabling hearing loss. Hearing loss is one of the six leading global disease burden. According to the Royal National Institute for Deaf People, the prevalence of hearing loss increases with age, affecting 42% of people over 50 and more than 70% of people over 70. Rising life expectancy is therefore likely to result in an increasing numbers of people living with hearing loss.Request For Report Sample@ http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-492 Hearing Implants Market: Drivers and RestraintsThe factors driving the market is the increase in the customization of hearing implant devices. Most of the leading hearing implant device manufacturers have been customizing their product lines to appeal more to consumers and as a result help them to stay ahead of the competition.Further, the major challenges faced by the market is the high cost of hearing implant devices. Various end-users do not have the budget to capitalize on expensive hearing implant device procedures.Hearing Implants Market: SegmentationHearing implants market is segmented on the basis of following types:Cochlear implantsMid-Ear ImplantsBone Anchored Hearing Aids (BAHA)Auditory Brainstem Implant (ABI)Hearing Implants Market: OverviewWith rapid technological advancement and wide acceptance of hearing implants procedures among patients with hearing problem, the global hearing implants market is expected to have a double digit growth in the forecast period (2015-2025).Hearing Implants Market: Region- Wise OutlookDepending on geographic regions, global Hearing implants market is segmented into seven key regions: North America (U.S., Canada), Latin America (Mexico. Brazil), Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia Pacific, Japan, Middle East and Africa (GCC, S. Africa, N. Africa)Visit For TOC@ http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-492 Europe holds the highest share in the global hearing implant market both in terms of revenue and volume. The introduction of latest products mostly takes place in the European market since majority of the key market players are located in this region. Continuous developments in healthcare infrastructure, greater incidence of deafness, and healthcare reforms are the key factors driving the Asia Pacific hearing implants market.Hearing Implants Market: Key PlayersSome of the key market players in Hearing implants market are Cochlear Limited, Sonova holding AG, Med-EL, and William Demant Holding A/S.
PR-Inside.com: 2017-04-26 05:54:26

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616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite: www.futuremarketinsights.comAbhishek Budholiya+1-347-918-3531

A catheter is a thin tube medical device which can be inserted into the human body during surgical procedures. This process is known as catheterization. A catheter is manufactured from medical grade materials. Catheters can be modified to treat various diseases ranging from cardiovascular, urological, neurovascular, ophthalmic to gastrointestinal. Catheters perform the functions of fluid drainage, fluid or gas administration and organ access for surgery in human body. An indwelling catheter is left inside the body, either temporarily or permanently while a permcath is inserted in the body permanently. A catheter is made up of polymers such as silicone, nylon, polyurethane, thermoplastic, elastomer, polyethylene terephthalate to name a few. These catheter polymers are inert and unreactive to human body and medical or surgical chemicals. Micro guide catheter has a hydrophilic coating designed with Glide Technology, a stainless steel braid and a gold marker.Micro Guide Catheters Market: Drivers & RestraintsMicro guide catheter is built to approach highly complex lesions in the human anatomy through the most difficult vessels, ducts or cavities. The stainless steel braid in Micro guide catheter improves the tensile strength and increases the reliability of the Micro guide catheter. This is an advantage of micro guide catheter over other conventional catheters. The Micro guide catheter lumen is tapered and intended to provide for enhanced guidewire control through the human body. The risk associated with catheter material and functioning can hamper the growth of micro guide catheter market. There have been instances in which the polymer of catheter has proven to be weak and got fractured. These fractures need to be rectified by additional surgery thereby losing patient compliance and increasing cost of surgery.Request For Report Sample@ http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-536 Micro Guide Catheters Market: SegmentationMicro Guide Catheters market is classified on the basis of type, therapeutic area and geography.Based on type, the global Micro Guide Catheters market is segmented into the following:Over-the-wire micro guide catheterFlow directed micro guide catheterBased on therapeutic area, the global Micro Guide Catheters market is segmented into the following:NeurovascularCardiovascularMicro Guide Catheters Market: OverviewMicro Guide Catheter is widely used in cardiovascular disease treatment. Cardiovascular catheters is the largest segment in global catheter market. Cardiovascular catheters hold approximately 40% share of the global catheter market. The micro guide catheter market is expected to witness bolstering demand owing to the venturing of catheter manufacturing companies into new launches of micro guide catheters. Also the micro guide catheter market possess ample potential due to the flexibility of micro guide catheter tips. Micro guide catheter tips are capable of reaching intricate anatomy to treat diseases such as uterine fibroids, arterial embolism, venal or pulmonary embolism, vascular malformations and hypervascularized tumors.Micro Guide Catheters Market: Region-wise OutlookDepending on geographic regions, global Micro Guide Catheters market is segmented into seven key regions: North America, South America, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, Asia Pacific, Japan, and Middle East & Africa. North America is the leading region in micro guide catheter market due to the high volumes of medical procedures conducted through catheterization. Also, the availability of established healthcare infrastructure, high contribution of healthcare to economy, patient compliance are the reasons for the high demand in North America for micro guide catheter. The constant healthcare sector improvements and the huge amount of population base represented by the Asia Pacific region is expected to drive the demand in Asia Pacific micro guide catheter market.Visit For TOC@ http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-536 Micro Guide Catheters Market: Key PlayersSome of the key market players in global Micro Guide Catheters market are LuMend Corporation, Terumo Europe N.V., Covidien AG, ASAHI INTECC Company Limited, Lake Region manufacturing Inc., Boston Scientific Corporation, Volcano Corporation, Micro Therapeutics Inc., Merit Medical Systems Inc. to name a few. The micro guide catheter manufacturing companies aim to gain US FDA and CE approvals for its micro guide catheters.
Future Market Insights has announced the addition of the Molecular Spectroscopy Market: Global Industry Analysis and Opportunity Assessment 2015 - 2025 report to their offering.

Molecular Spectroscopy Market Growth

PR-Inside.com: 2017-04-26 08:40:49

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# 570 Words

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Molecular spectroscopy is the qualitative and quantitative study of molecules by observing their interaction with variousfrequencies and energy. In other way, it is the study of absorption of light by molecules. It is analyzed by ultraviolet (UV) light, visible light and infrared radiations using an instrument called a spectrometer. Thermo Fisher Scientific,Agilent Technologies, Danaher Corporation, PerkinElmer, Inc., Shimadzu Corporation, JASCO International Co., Ltd. and Jeol Ltd. are some major players engaged in the development, manufacturing and marketing of instruments used in molecular spectroscopy study. Antaris II FT-NIR Analyzer, picoSpin 80 spectrometer (Thermo Fisher Scientific) and Cary 630 FTIR Spectrometer, 4300 Handheld FTIR (Agilent Technologies) are some prominent brands available in the market.The global market for molecular spectroscopy has been segmented as follows by technology type:Color Measurement SpectroscopyInfrared SpectroscopyNear-Infrared (NIR) SpectroscopyNuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) SpectroscopyRaman SpectroscopyUltraviolet Visible (UV-Vis) SpectroscopyRequest Report Sample@ http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-399 These technologies may be further segmented as well. For example, infrared spectroscopy may be segmented by the type of devices available on the market such as bench top IR spectroscopy, portable spectroscopy or terahertz IR spectroscopy. Similarly, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy may be categorized as continuous wave nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, fourier transform NMR and Solid-State NMR. Ultraviolet visible spectroscopy may be segmented as single-beam UV spectrometer, double-beam UV spectrometer and array based UV spectrometer.On the other hand, on the basis of application, the market has been segmented into:PharmaceuticalsBiotechnologyFood and Beverages TestingEnvironmental TestingResearch InstitutesGovernmental legislation that are compelling pharmaceutical companies to maintain very high quality of drugs and excipients during manufacturing and increasing concerns for food and beverages safety are some major factors driving the growth of molecular spectroscopy market.Governmental support by funding research related with molecular spectroscopy is also oneof the major factors driving the market growth worldwide.Technological developments in the area of molecular spectroscopy are also encouraging manufacturers to opt for this technology as it will give them competitive in terms of quality. On the other hand, high cost associated with acquiring molecular spectroscopy technology may hamper the market growth to some extent.Request For TOC@ http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-399 Geographically, the market for molecular spectroscopy has been segmented into four major regions, namely, North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Rest of the World (RoW). North America holds the largest regional market, followed by Europe. Federal governments investments to support research in the area of medical sciences are one of the reasons driving the market growth in the region. Presence of a large number of pharmaceutical manufacturing companies in the region also plays a key role in propelling the market growth. Europe represents the second largest market after North America. The market in Western European region which includes countries like Germany, France, Spain and United Kingdom is relatively mature than the markets of Eastern European region. Emerging economies of countries of Eastern region will help in driving the market growth in the region due to the significantly large contract manufacturing market.India and China in particular are expected to increase the number of companies offering contract manufacturing services to the western region. It is likely to result in growing demand for various molecular spectroscopy devices, and thus will help in driving the market growth in the region. In RoW region, Brazil, Mexico, Israel and Middle East countries are the potential markets for molecular spectroscopy.
Notice is given that the Annual General Meeting of Norsk Hydro ASA will be held at the company's office at Vker, Drammensveien 260, 0283 Oslo, on Wednesday 3 May 2017 at 2 p.m (CET).



The full notice, agenda and appendices are attached.



All relevant documents can be found on www.hydro.com/generalmeeting





Investor contact

Contact Stian Hasle

Cellular +47 97736022

E-mail Stian.Hasle@hydro.com
Future Market Insights has announced the addition of the Portable Medical Devices Market: Global Industry Analysis and Opportunity Assessment 2015 - 2025 report to their offering.

Portable Medical Devices Market Share

PR-Inside.com: 2017-04-26 08:52:20

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The portable medical devices market encompasses all healthcare associated diagnostic and therapeutic medical devices that are miniature in nature and can be easily transported from one location to another without any inconveniences. The market for portable devices has evolved greatly over the years particularly due to miniaturization of electronic components. Low power consumption technology has also greatly helped in developing portable technologies. As the world has begun shrinking due to increased connectivity, telemedicine, home-care and remote monitoring have become familiar terms with modern healthcare. Several factors led to the increasing need for portable devices, of which the major impact factors include increasing demand for diagnostics in remote areas of the world where a significant population continues to reside, increasing number of emergency medical services such as ambulances and helicopters that are required to be well equipped, military medicine for on-field applications and aging population that has begun to feel the pressure of moving to and fro from hospitals for simple diagnostic procedures. In a field like healthcare, the upcoming markets such as wearable medical devices and smart wearable sensors have culminated in the large revenue generation since the past several years which is expected to continue in the coming years as well.Several government initiatives to reduce the hospitalization time for patients has begun over the world and particularly in North America primarily enforced due to high healthcare expenditure that the government has had to endure. Re-hospitalization may be investigated by government to understand if there has been a shortfall from medical experts that led to re-hospitalization and may result in the medical expert being penalized along with the hospital. Thus portable medical devices will play a major role to reduce healthcare expenditure and increase space in hospitals by freeing beds for serious patients.Request Report Sample@ http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-404 The market can be perceived and segmented through various aspects such as the general medical application such as cardiovascular, urological, neurological etc. Pacemakers, defibrillators, heart rate monitors, electrocardiographs and dialyzers are some portable devices available today. Increased wireless capabilities with the help of networking technologies such as Bluetooth, LAN, and WAN have also led to a significant rise in the portable technologies market. This increase in connectivity and safety has led to the inception of new consumer markets of medical devices that do not require intensive training. Portable devices such as activity monitors and heart-rate monitors are increasingly popular with all ages of people and are also used in veterinary science. A large number of companies such as Nike, Adidas, BodyMedia, Lark Jawbone, Polar, Fitbit, Sketchers and Scosche have ventured and gained considerable success in this field.Larger diagnostic machines such as bone densitometers and blood pressure monitors became popular due to the use in remote areas for monitoring health of villagers and non-urban population due to low awareness.In contrast, urban areas such as cities have seen increasing demand for complex portable medical devices such as defibrillators for usage in offices, public areas such as parks and railway stations due to rising incidence of sudden cardiac arrest, heart attacks and other cardiovascular ailments. Companies manufacturing this automated external defibrillators and bone-densitometers include GE Healthcare, Hologic, Philips, Cooper Surgical, HeartSine, Sorin Group, Zoll Medical, PhysioControl, Schiller AG and Cardiac Science.Request For TOC@ http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-404 In terms of geography this market is distributed into four major regions of North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Rest of the World of which North America accounts for a significant portion mainly due to a large number of companies manufacturing portable medical devices and equipment. Along with this, a greater amount of marketing takes place in the region which increases the awareness. Europe is also a significant market for devices such as defibrillators, home monitoring and remote patient monitoring along with on-field medical devices. Asia-Pacific market is expected to rise tremendously in coming years due to increasing awareness, connectivity and availability of portable medical devices. This will be further supplemented by the downward trend of cost of these devices which will result in a greater affordability. Rest of the World region will soon follow suit with Asia-Pacific as emerging economies such as Brazil, Middle-East and North African countries are already exhibiting greater purchasing power of portable medical devices.
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: Connect Malaysia

Contact

Connect Malaysia

***@joeperri.com.au Connect Malaysia

End

-- Australian Furniture Association (AFA) CEO Ms Patrizia Torelli,Principal Mr Joe Perri andFounder Dr Tom Verghese have announced an alliance to assist AFA members to capitalise on the recent MOU signing with the(MFC).Commenting further, Ms Torelli said the signing of the MOU in Malaysia in March with the official representative body of Malaysian furniture industry represented a major milestone for the Australian Furniture Association. "We're very proud of the partnership we have cemented with Malaysia on behalf of our members as we see this as an immense opportunity for the industries of both countries"."As the principal advocate of the Australian furniture and furnishings industry, we are constantly seeking opportunities to assist our members through strategic alliances, programs and services that will enhance their prospects for success in overseas marketplaces. Hence the alliance with Connect Malaysia and Cultural Synergies to capitalise on both the MOU and Malaysia Australia Free Trade Agreement (MAFTA) that came into effect in January 2013".Ms Torelli continued, "The alliance with Connect Malaysia and Cultural Synergies is off to a flying start with promotion of theworkshop onThe workshop program has been developed and will be presented by Dr Verghese and will focus on providing practical information and advice on the various aspects of living and working in Malaysia, as well as conveying an understanding of the underlying elements that shape Malaysian culture inside and outside the workplace."The workshop program will comprise three core areas - Communication, Etiquette, and Organisational Hierarchy, and how to avoid misunderstandings with prospective business contacts and clients"Malaysia has been a top ten trading partner for Australia over many years, with the country's pro-business economy and MAFTA acting as a beacon attracting many entrepreneurs to venture north."Unfortunately for far too many Australian business owners, lack of understanding of local language, culture, customs and many other factors continue to scuttle prospects for success in overseas markets at the first P2P encounter," said Dr Verghese. "This need and desire to assist Australian SMEs was the motivation to develop theworkshop".Ms Torelli, Dr Verghese and Mr Perri confirmed that the AFA, Cultural Synergies and Connect Malaysia plan to follow the workshop with a long-term strategy and program of specialised roundtables, training courses and familiarisation/business matching initiatives.Theworkshop is also supported by, Malaysia's external trade agency. Theoffice at 432 St Kilda Road Melbourne will be the venue for the event.MATRADE Director Ms Noor Hayati said, "We are very excited about the workshop initiative and especially pleased to support programs that bring Malaysian and Australian businesses and entrepreneurs together to develop mutually beneficial commercial relationships""Malaysia is a smorgasbord of history and customs, each distinct in themselves but co-existing harmoniously, adjoining the Peninsular Malaysia to the states of Sabah and Sarawak on the Northern Part of Borneo. I am confident the workshop will give a clear understanding of Malaysia's diverse cultures and its importance for doing business successfully"was established in 2015 by Mr Perri as a boutique consultancy to assist Australian SMEs take advantage of commercial opportunities in Malaysia. Prior to commencing Connect Malaysia, Mr Perri was the president of the Australia Malaysia Business Council (AMBC) Victoria.Mr Perri is also the principal of PR and marketing communications consultancy Joe Perri & Associates.Malaysian-born Dr Tom Verghese, establishedin 1992 and is a leading authority in cultural intelligence, an internationally renowned expert, consultant author and main platform/workshop presenter on cross-cultural awareness.Dr Verghese is also the author of theand co-author of ''.: Mr. Joe PerriConnect MalaysiaMobile: +61 412 112 545Email: jperri@joeperri.com.au
Pharma CI Asia Conference & Exhibition sets the standard for CI discussion

End

-- A special keynote from Takeda Pharmaceuticals VP of Stragey Ana Cerdeira leads an accomplished agenda for the 2017 Pharma CI Asia Conference & Exhibition, held 13-14 July at the Hilton Singapore, Singapore. The event has a long-standing history in Asia for bringing together leading intelligence professionals to discuss the critical issues facing the industry in Asia and worldwide.The Pharma CI Conference is the best event in Asia that puts you at the table with many senior-level executives, giving you the opportunity to network, brainstorm, and discuss. This year furthers that immersive experience by offering new, deep-dive sessions that provide you with exceptional access to our roster of expert speakers.Agenda topics include: Building a Community of Insights HCP's Social Media Tracking in China CI Strategies in Niche Therapeutic Segments An Introduction to Competitive Intelligence and Strategy and more!View the agenda here: http://www.pharmaciconference.com/ Register by 9 June to take advantage of the Early Bird rate and secure the best possible price.For the last decade and going strong today, the Pharma CI Conference & Exhibition is the best and largest assembly of pharmaceutical competitive intelligence executives in the world!The Pharma CI Conference features the participation of the world's top companies, including: A. Menarini Asia-Pacific, Abbott, Astellas, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Daiichi Sankyo, Deallus Consulting, Harvest Moon Pharmaceuticals, Lifescience Dynamics Limited, Medtronic, Novartis, Roche, Sanofi China, Sanofi Genzyme, Shionogi, Takeda Pharmaceuticals, The Boston Consulting Group, UCB and more.To register to attend the conference, go to: http://www.pharmaciconference.com/To view the detailed agenda, go to: http://www.pharmaciconference.com/For more information, call +1-212-228-7974 or email info@pharmaciconference.com
Over the years, popularity of the iGaming businesses has grown all over the world.

By: Premiermanco.com

250 Logo

Contact

Premier Manco

***@premiermanco.com Premier Manco

End

-- Over the years, popularity of the iGaming businesses has grown all over the world. iGaming is the newest form of online betting system encompassing many benefits to the people and iGaming users. One of the great things about iGaming is its mechanism and operation which provides 100% clear and transparent results to the users. However, for the new iGaming startups, roads are never been easy as they need to surpass various obstacles to establish themselves in this highly competitive market.Premier Manco, is one of the fast growing iGaming business solutions in Malta are now providing the in-depth consultancy services to the iGaming Startups.Premier Manco is one of the leading companies based in Malta offering the iGaming payment solutions to the iGaming startups. Premier Manco has a team of some highly skilled and experienced iGaming professionals who have spent many years in the iGaming industry. They know each and everything about the industry and therefore able to provide the right input to the new iGaming start ups.Premier Manco is a boutique service provider founded to provide iGaming consulting to a variety of clients in the iGaming industry. They offer some reliable solutions to the clients who are new to the iGaming business. In last few years, there is seen a huge shift in the impetus of the iGaming business around the world. Not only there are huge number of new iGaming players were getting into the iGaming, but there are many who has taken iGaming as an entrepreneurship role. iGaming Mergers & Acquisitions iGaming Consulting International iGaming Restructuring Payment Solutions iGaming ERP SoftwareFor more information, please visit http://premiermanco.com/ Premier Manco is a boutique service provider offering traditional services such as corporate consulting, mergers & acquisitions, restructuring and payment solutions. What separates Premier Manco from typical consulting companies is our clearly defined niche in iGaming related consulting. Our clients include iGaming businesses, entrepreneurs and investors. With a wealth of experience and a sizeable network of contacts in the iGaming industry, Premier Manco is the preeminent presence in the iGaming industry.
End

-- A team of advocates from the Wisconsin Breast Cancer Coalition (WBCC) will share information with legislators on Thursday, April 27 to help ensure low-income women have access to breast cancer screening and treatment through the Wisconsin Well Woman Program (WWWP).About 18 women, from cities such as Milwaukee, Madison, Sun Prairie, Wausau, and Juda, will participate in the WBCC's annual State Advocacy Day at the Capitol in Madison. At the top of their list of priorities is asking legislators to press the Department of Health Services (DHS) for a transparent assessment of the new WWWP model's effectiveness.The WWWP was restructured in 2015, raising concerns at the WBCC and elsewhere about whether it would be able to meet the program's mandate. DHS has maintained that the large decrease in program enrollment between 2014 and the present resulted from women being diverted to healthcare through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and Badgercare.According to Hayley Young, WBCC Capitol Advocate, evidence backing the DHS claim has not been forthcoming. "We worry that lower-income women have been confused by the changes and by the healthcare upheaval on the national level, and they may be falling through the cracks. The WWWP can be a successful program, but we need to make sure that the women who the program was created for receive these vital services".In addition, the advocacy organization wants rules about provider participation to be reviewed. Current rules prohibit new providers from joining the program. This rule prevents new providers from entering the system to increase or improve access points for mammograms and treatment."We've heard from WWWP coordinators that access to the program continues to be a concern," said WBCC Executive Director Sandra Gines. "One way to improve things is to allow providers who might be able to fill gaps in accessibility to join. The rule seems arbitrary."The WBCC also maintains that Wisconsin needs to be proactive in preparing for increased use of the WWWP program, given the uncertainty of healthcare on the national level.The WWWP provides health screening services to low-income women with little or no health insurance coverage (up to 250% FPL). This includes mammograms and screenings for cervical cancer. As part of the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program through the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the WWWP receives federal funds as well as state funding. Women diagnosed through the program automatically qualify for Well Woman Medicaid so that they may begin treatment as soon as possible.Contact WBCC at (414) 063-2103 or wbcc@wibreastcancer.org with any questions.
Outlet Park Szczecin, owned by Echo Polska Properties, is the most popular outlet in Poland - in the first quarter of this year it was visited by 825,837 people  more than in case of other similar outlets. Average monthly footfall in Outlet Park Szczecin amounts to 290,000 customers.

Increasing...

[]
Vastint Romania and KRUK Romania have concluded a lease for 4,000 m of office space in the Timpuri Noi Square mixed use office park, in Bucharest. KRUK Romania leased these 4,000 m as a new location for its Bucharest Head Office. Besides Bucharest, more than 600 employees work in the

[]
BRUSSELS -- The European Commission has launched legal action against Hungary over a higher-education law that could lead to the closure of the Budapest-based Central European University (CEU).

The commission announced the move in a statement on April 26, hours before EU lawmakers sharply criticized visiting Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban in a heated European Parliament debate.

Former Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt, a senior European Parliament member, told Orban he had "violated every single one" of the EU's values and asked, "What is the next thing, burning books?"

The legal action and the pointed remarks from lawmakers underscored tensions between Brussels and Orban, who critics accuse of endangering fundamental rights and cozying up to Russia.

The European Commission statement said that the Hungarian Higher Education Law passed earlier in April was "not compatible with the fundamental internal-market freedoms" or with "the right of academic freedom."

The privately-run CEU, which was founded in 1991 by U.S. billionaire George Soros, has become a focal point of political debate in Hungary.

Orban has long accused Hungarian-born Soros of interfering in Hungary's internal affairs and has been placing restrictions on organizations connected to Soros.

"We have decided to take legal action on the higher education law by sending a letter formal notice to the Hungarian government on the basis of an in-depth legal assessment," European Commission Vice President Valdis Dombrovskis told a news conference in Brussels.



The Hungarian legislation was passed by parliament on April 4 and signed by President Janos Ader on April 10.

The measure requires foreign universities in Hungary to have a campus there and to provide similar courses in their country of origin.

The CEU, which has some 1,500 students from more than 100 countries, could be forced by the law to stop accepting students next year and shut its doors in 2021.

International Criticism

The Hungarian government's move has prompted international criticism and triggered a wave of large street protests in Hungary.

Orban's government has one month to respond to the commission's letter, which details Brussels' legal concerns.

The letter could be the first step in infringement proceedings -- a process undertaken by the commission to bring an end to the infringement of EU laws and ensure that they are correctly applied in EU member states.

"The commission will take its next steps in light of the answer received from the Hungarian government," Dombrovskis said.

The commission's announcement of legal action came just hours before Orban spoke at a plenary session of the European Parliament focusing on fundamental rights in Hungary.

Speaking in that debate, Orban criticized both the CEU and Soros -- calling Soros "an American financial speculator" who is "attacking Hungary" and has "destroyed the lives of millions of Europeans with his financial speculation."

Orban also called Soros "an open enemy of the euro" currency.

Orban did not comment on the legal action launched by the European Commission.

Several EU lawmakers harshly criticized Orban during the parliament debate.

Verhofstadt, the head of European Parliaments Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Group, accused Orban of haranguing NGOs, restricting the media, and attempting to shut down a university.

"You see enemies everywhere in Hungary, he said. In the media, in the energy sector, in NGOs, in the academic world. You signed up to the values of the [European] Union. You have violated every single one of them."

Verhofstadt added: What is the next thing, burning books?"

Orban only briefly mentioned the controversial Hungarian education law, calling it "a minor amendment" that concerns 28 foreign universities in Hungary.

He said the legislation will introduce "uniform rules applying to them," close loopholes, introduce transparency, and "end privileges that these foreign universities have enjoyed over European ones."

Orban concluded that it was his "job and duty to ensure that European and Hungarian universities enjoy a level playing field and are not at a disadvantage compared to non-EU universities, no matter how big and powerful their owner might be."

Even German Manfred Weber -- the head of the right-of-center European People's Party, which is the largest faction in the European Parliament and includes Orban's Fidesz party -- urged the Hungarian government to "take on board the [European] Commission's requests and implement them."

The United States has criticized the fast-track adoption of the law.

On March 31, before it was passed, the U.S. State Department said it was "concerned" about the proposed legislation and urged Budapest to "avoid taking any legislative action that would compromise CEU's operations or independence."

Overtures To Moscow

Orban, who rose to popularity in the early 1990s as an anti-Soviet politician, has been advocating closer ties with Russia.

He has met with President Vladimir Putin several times since coming to power in 2010. The last such meeting occurred when Putin visited Budapest in February.

A 2015 trip to Hungary by Putin was his first visit to an EU country after Russia's illegal annexation of Crimea in March 2014.



Orban has defended his overtures to Moscow, saying Hungary needs cheap energy from Russia. But critics say the Hungarian leader is increasingly inspired by Putin's authoritarian style of government.

The Hungarian government also has a draft bill in the works that would place restrictions on civic organizations that receive foreign support.

The bill resembles Russia's 2012 "foreign agent" law, which slaps that label on NGOs that receive funds from abroad and are deemed by the authorities to be involved in political activity.

With reporting by Rikard Jozwiak in Brussels
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.
Tajik President Emomali Rahmon held talks with the visiting commander of the United States Central Command, General Joseph Votel, on April 25.

Rahmon's office said they discussed "prospects for cooperation in the military and military-technical spheres" with an eye to bolstering "regional security and stability." The term "military-technical" usually refers to weapons sales and servicing.

Rahmon and Votel also discussed "effective proposals for broadening cooperation on strengthening the capabilities" of Tajik border forces on the long frontier with war-torn Afghanistan, the statement said. It did not give details.

The talks were held less than two months after Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Rahmon and said they agreed to "step up joint efforts to defend the Tajik-Afghan border, using the capacities of the Russian military base" in Tajikistan.

About 7,000 troops from Russias 201st Motor Rifle Division are stationed at three facilities that are considered part of a single Russian base in the Central Asian country.

The U.S. Central Command is responsible for U.S. military activities in the Middle East, the former Soviet republics of Central Asia, and Pakistan.


Ukraine's state power company says it has cut electricity supplies to the parts of the Luhansk region that are controlled by Russia-backed separatists, citing debts.

Vsevolod Kovalchuk, head of the power distributor Ukrenergo, said on Facebook on April 25 that "the power supply to territory in the Luhansk region that is temporarily not controlled [by the government] was completely halted" overnight.

Russia reacted angrily, claiming that the supply cuts were politically motivated and violated a peace deal for conflict-torn eastern Ukraine.

The war between Ukrainian government forces and the Russia-backed separatists, who hold parts of the Luhansk and Donetsk regions, has killed more than 9,900 people since April 2014.

Ukraine also cut gas supplies to separatist-held parts of the Luhansk region in 2015, also citing unpaid debts.

Kyiv has accused the area of accumulating 2.6 billion hryvnyas ($97.67 million) in unpaid electricity charges.

Ukraine imposed a trade blockade on the separatist-held areas in March.

With reporting by Reuters and Interfax
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has compared the April 26, 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster with the ongoing crisis in Ukraine's east, adding that "Russia is conducting an undeclared war against his country."

Poroshenko spoke at the defunct nuclear power plant, where he and Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka lamented the "unhealing wound" inflicted by the Soviet-era accident 31 years ago and commemorated its victims.

"We again have buried thousands of people. Again we have hundreds of thousands of displaced people," Poroshenko said, referring to the conflict with Russia-backed separatists that has killed more than 9,900 people in eastern Ukraine since 2014.

"I am confident that together, we will defeat that demon as well," he said.

Lukashenka voiced solidarity, saying that "Belarusians are and will always be your reliable friends" -- a tacit reassurance that while Belarus is Russia's ally, it is also wary of Moscow and does not support Russia's infringements on Ukraine's territorial integrity.

Reactor No. 4 at the power plant north of Kyiv, in then-Soviet Ukraine exploded at 1:23 a.m. on April 26, 1986, after a safety test went wrong.

About 30 people died in the immediate aftermath and thousands more are feared to have died in the years that followed from the effects of the disaster, which spread radiation across parts of Ukraine, Belarus, Russia, and large swaths of Europe.

PHOTO GALLERY: Russian Photographer Recalls Death, Beauty Inside Chernobyl's Fourth Reactor (Click To Open)

Photo Gallery: Russian Photographer Recalls Death, Beauty Inside Chernobyl's Fourth Reactor In 1990, photographer Viktoria Ivleva became the first journalist known to have entered the fourth block of the Chernobyl nuclear reactor in Soviet Ukraine, where a deadly explosion and fire on April 26, 1986, triggered the world's worst civilian nuclear accident and sent a radioactive cloud drifting across the Soviet Union and Europe. In an interview with RFE/RL's Belarus Service, Ivleva recalls how she managed to sneak into the destroyed reactor with the help of some scientists in 1990 and discusses the eerie ambience there. Share on Facebook

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The precise number of victims and extent of the damage remains the subject of debate, in part because the Soviet authorities took days to publicly acknowledge the disaster and kept information hidden.

Last year, the crumbling "sarcophagus" used to contain radiation from the smoldering reactor at the time was replaced with a 2.3-billion-dollar metal dome in a bid to stop future leaks. More than 200 tons of uranium remain buried inside.

Two years before the Soviet Union withdrew its troops from Afghanistan following a losing war of occupation, the Chernobyl disaster was in retrospect another sign of the weaknesses of the communist giant that collapsed in 1991.

Poroshenko called it "an unhealing wound that we live with as a people."

"Perhaps more than anyone else, the Chernobyl tragedy affected our Belarusian brothers," he said, referring to the fact that winds blew radiation northward into Belarus, where some its strongest effects were felt.

"Both Belarusians and Ukrainians know that the Chernobyl catastrophe knows no borders," Lukashenka said.

Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Hroysman paid tribute to the Chernobyl "liquidators" -- emergency workers, state employees, and others sent into clean up after the disaster with little or no preparation, protective gear, or information about the gruesome dangers they faced.

"Thank you to the heroes who, at the expense of their own lives and health, protected us from the horrible consequences of this tragedy," Hroysman wrote on Facebook.

Meanwhile, some 400 protesters marched in Minsk on April 26 to protest the construction of a nuclear power plant in the Ostrovets district of the western Hrodno region, RFE/RL's Belarus Service reported.

The first unit of the plant, being built in conjunction with Russia's Atomstroyexport, is due to be finished in 2019.

With reporting by AFP, Interfax, Unian, and Belta




Former White House national security adviser Michael Flynn probably broke the law by failing to get permission to be paid for a trip to Russia in 2015, the leaders of a U.S. House of Representatives committee have said.

Flynn, a retired army lieutenant general who was a top adviser to Donald Trump during the 2016 presidential election campaign, sat next to Russian President Vladimir Putin at dinner and spoke on a panel at a gala event sponsored by Russia's state-backed RT television, which paid Flynn at least $33,000 for the Moscow trip.

"That money needs to be recovered," Jason Chaffetz, the Republican chairman of the House Oversight Committee, told reporters in Washington.

"As a former military officer, you simply cannot take money from Russia, Turkey, or anybody else. And it appears as if he did take that money. It was inappropriate and there are repercussions for the violation of law," he said.

Moreover, "General Flynn had a duty and an obligation to seek and obtain permission to receive money from foreign governments," Chaffetz said. "It does not appear to us that that was ever sought, nor did he ever get that permission."

Flynn became Trump's first national security adviser in January. But he was forced out on February 13 after failing to disclose he had conversations with the Russian ambassador to the United States about U.S. sanctions on Moscow weeks before Trump took office, and later misled Vice President Mike Pence about those conversations.

Flynn is a subject of investigations by intelligence committees in the House and Senate, as well as the Federal Bureau of Investigation, all of which are probing broader allegations that Russia meddled in the 2016 U.S. election. Russia has denied the allegations.

Representative Elijah Cummings, the top Democrat on the House oversight panel, said it appeared Flynn also did not fully disclose the payments from Russia on his security-clearance application, as required. He said a failure to do so would be a felony.

Flynn's attorney said the retired general had briefed the spy agency he led until 2014, the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), before and after the Russia trip.

"He answered any questions that were posed by DIA concerning the trip during those briefings," Robert Kelner said.

The congressmen said they raised questions about Flynn's Russia trip after being briefed by officials of the DIA and reviewing classified documents the agency provided..

Chaffetz and Cummings said they planned to write to the comptroller of the U.S. Army and the Defense Department's inspector-general for a final determination as to whether Flynn broke the law and whether the government needs to pursue criminal charges and seek to recover the payments Flynn received.

Asked about the assertions that Flynn appeared to have violated the law, White House spokesman Sean Spicer told reporters, "That would be a question for him and law enforcement agencies."

Cummings also criticized the White House for refusing to turn over documents the committee requested about Flynn's foreign contacts during his three-week stint as national security adviser.

In response to a letter to White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus, an administration official told the committee that documents relating to those contacts likely contained classified and other sensitive information and could not be turned over.

"That is simply unacceptable," Cummings said.

Spicer said the White House officials viewed the request for Flynn's contacts with foreign officials as "outlandish."

With reporting by AP and Reuters
Gender may be the earliest identity and social category to emerge in development, research suggests, and acquiring knowledge about one's gender is considered a critical part of early childhood development. In one of the first examinations of early gender development among transgender preschoolers, a new study has found that these children were just as likely as nontransgender children to have preferences associated with their gender, and to have as strong and clear a sense of their gender identity.

The study was conducted by researchers at the University of Washington and is published in the journal Child Development.

"An increasing number of transgender children -- those who express a gender identity that is different from the sex they were born with -- are transitioning socially, which means they use pronouns, names, and clothing associated with their identified gender in everyday life," notes Anne A. Fast, a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Washington and the study's lead author. "In this study, we asked whether these children differed from their nontransgender peers on basic tasks related to gender development at an early age."

The study looked at three groups of children: 36 transgender 3- to 5-year-olds, 36 cisgender 3- to 5-year-olds (children whose gender identity and the sex they were assigned at birth are the same), and 24 siblings (also ages 3 to 5) of transgender or gender-nonconforming children. Children came from across the United States, primarily identified as female, were primarily White, and were from a range of economic backgrounds.

The researchers focused on the preschool years because this is when gender begins to strongly motivate children's preferences (e.g., for toys and clothing) and behavior, and when children's understanding of gender stability emerges. It is also the youngest age gender-nonconforming children make the social transition to present in everyday life as a member of their identified gender.

In the study, the researchers asked children to complete gender development tasks to gauge their understanding of gender constancy, their preferences regarding gender, and their beliefs about gender. Children were also asked what they feel like they are "on the inside," in their minds, thoughts, and feelings.

The transgender children did not differ from children of the same gender in the control group or the sibling group on preferences, behavior, stereotyping, and identity, the study found. For example, transgender girls (who were born as boys and identified and lived as girls at the time of the study) liked dolls and pink dresses, and preferred female friends as much as cisgender girls and sisters of transgender children.

However, researchers found differences among the groups in children's beliefs about the stability of gender. While children in the control and sibling groups tended to say that their gender as a baby and their gender as an adult matched their current gender, children in the transgender group tended to say that their gender as a baby was different than their current gender, but that their gender as an adult would be the same as their current gender. Considering stability of gender in others rather than in themselves, while children in all three groups tended to believe that most other people's gender in childhood remained stable through adulthood, transgender children and their siblings were less likely than children in the control group to believe that everyone's gender was stable. And they occasionally indicated that someone's gender could change between childhood and adulthood.

Given the small size of the study sample, the authors caution against generalizing from their results. However, they also note the importance of considering transgender children: "We are increasingly aware that there are individuals who identify early in development as a gender other than the one aligned with their sex at birth," notes Kristina R. Olson, associate professor of psychology at the University of Washington, the study's senior author. "Such children should be included in work on basic gender development to expand our knowledge of gender developmental experiences and strengthen theories of gender development."
Feeling down is a common side effect of being diagnosed with cancer. Anxiety, guilt, and distress often come hand-in-hand with diagnosis and treatment.

But a recent study by researchers from Concordia and the University of Toronto shows that these seemingly negative emotions can actually be good for patients.

Andree Castonguay, the study's lead author and a postdoctoral researcher in Concordia's Faculty of Arts and Science, says feelings of anger or guilt can inspire people to set new goals and engage in more moderate-to-vigorous exercise.

"That helps counteract the boost in the stress hormone cortisol, which those emotions also cause, and which can negatively disrupt the way the body functions," she adds.

The research, published in the journal Health Psychology, looked at recently diagnosed and treated breast cancer patients.

For the study, Castonguay and her co-authors, Concordia psychology professor Carsten Wrosch and University of Toronto kinesiology professor Catherine Sabiston, had 145 breast cancer survivors fill out a questionnaire to assess their emotions, capacity to engage in new goals and level of physical activity.

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The researchers also analyzed cortisol levels using saliva samples provided five times over the course of a year by the participants.

The team then conducted detailed analyses using a modelling technique that helped them predict the relationship between the women's negative feelings, commitment to new goals, physical activity and cortisol levels over time.

They found that participants' capacity for setting new goals, like starting to go for brisk walks, facilitated the beneficial effect of negative emotions on physical activity and prevented the adverse effects of increased cortisol, which can result in a host of health problems, including a weakened immune system.

"Our results underscore the complexity of the link between emotions and health," explains Wrosch, who is also a member of the Centre for Research in Human Development.

"Although negative emotions have a bad reputation and have been linked to disease, they are also 'designed' to produce adaptive behaviours."

In particular, he adds, emotions like guilt or anxiety may motivate people to change their health-compromising behaviours and engage in more exercise. "This may be particularly important among certain cancer survivors, since inactivity, weight problems or obesity can be common risk factors."

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Castonguay says that, although recent guidelines encourage breast cancer survivors to engage in healthy lifestyle behaviours, few survivors actually engage in the recommended levels.

"This includes 150 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity per week to reduce the risk of developing further health problems related to immune function, weight management and quality of life."

Based on their findings, the researchers conclude that certain negative emotions can play an important role in directing adaptive health behaviours among some cancer survivors and can contribute to long-term benefits on their physical health.

"The capacity to commit to and engage in new goals is an important resource for helping survivors meet activity recommendations and minimize the negative impact of bad moods on their biological functioning," Castonguay says.

She hopes that the study will encourage clinicians to identify cancer survivors who have difficulty selecting and commiting to new goals, and to work with them to help them follow through.
Scientists and physicians at University of California San Diego School of Medicine, working with colleagues at the U.S. Navy Medical Research Center -- Biological Defense Research Directorate (NMRC-BDRD), Texas A&M University, a San Diego-based biotech and elsewhere, have successfully used an experimental therapy involving bacteriophages -- viruses that target and consume specific strains of bacteria -- to treat a patient near death from a multidrug-resistant bacterium.

The therapeutic approach, which has been submitted to a peer-reviewed journal, is scheduled to be featured in an oral presentation at the Centennial Celebration of Bacteriophage Research at the Institute Pasteur in Paris by Biswajit Biswas, MD, one of the case study's co-authors and chief of the phage division in the Department ?Genomics and Bioinformatics at NMRC-BDRD. April 27 is Human Phage Therapy Day, designated to mark 100 years of clinical research launched by Felix d'Herelle, a French microbiologist at Institute Pasteur who is credited with co-discovering bacteriophages with British bacteriologist Frederick Twort.

Authors say the case study could be another catalyst to developing new remedies to the growing global threat of antimicrobial resistance, which the World Health Organization estimates will kill at least 50 million people per year by 2050. Based on the success of this case, in collaboration with NMRC, UC San Diego is exploring options for a new center to advance research and development of bacteriophage-based therapies.

"When it became clear that every antibiotic had failed, that Tom could die, we sought an emergency investigational new drug application from the FDA to try bacteriophages," said lead author Robert "Chip" Schooley, MD, professor of medicine, chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases in the UC San Diego School of Medicine and primary physician on the case.

"To our knowledge, he is the first patient in the United States with an overwhelming, systemic infection to be treated with this approach using intravenous bacteriophages. From being in a coma near death, he's recovered well enough to go back to work. Of course, this is just one patient, one case. We don't yet fully understand the potential -- and limitations -- of clinical bacteriophage therapy, but it's an unprecedented and remarkable story, and given the global health threat of multidrug-resistant organisms, one that we should pursue."

Infection on vacation

The story begins in late-2015. Tom Patterson, PhD, a 69-year-old professor in the Department of Psychiatry at UC San Diego School of Medicine, and his wife, Steffanie Strathdee, PhD, chief of the Division of Global Public Health in the Department of Medicine, were spending the Thanksgiving holiday in Egypt when Patterson became ill, wracked by abdominal pain, fever, nausea, vomiting and a racing heartbeat. Local doctors diagnosed pancreatitis -- inflammation of the pancreas -- but standard treatment didn't help.

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Patterson's condition worsened and he was medevacked to Frankfurt, Germany Dec. 3, 2015, where doctors discovered a pancreatic pseudocyst, a collection of fluid around the pancreas. The fluid was drained and the contents cultured. Patterson had become infected with a multidrug-resistant strain of Acinetobacter baumannii, an opportunistic and often deadly pathogen. The bacterium has proved particularly problematic in hospital settings and in the Middle East, with many injured veterans and soldiers returning to the U.S. with persistent infections.

Initially, the only antibiotics with any effect proved to be a combination of meropenem, tigecycline and colistin, a drug of last resort because it often causes kidney damage, among other side effects. Patterson's condition stabilized sufficiently for him to be airlifted Dec. 12, 2015, from Germany to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at Thornton Hospital at UC San Diego Health. Upon arrival, it was discovered that his bacterial isolate had become resistant to all of these antibiotics.

At Thornton Hospital, now part of Jacobs Medical Center, Patterson began to recover, moving from the ICU to a regular ward. But the day before scheduled discharge to a long-term acute care facility, an internal drain designed to localize his infection and keep it at bay slipped, spilling bacteria into his abdomen and bloodstream. Patterson immediately experienced septic shock. His heart began racing. He could not breathe. He became feverish and would subsequently fall into a coma that would last for most of the next two months. He was, in effect, dying.

"That's a period of my life I don't remember," recalled Patterson. "There was so much pain that it's almost beyond your ability to cope. I'm happy not to remember."

Strathdee, his wife, is no stranger to the terrors of disease. As an infectious disease epidemiologist and director of the UC San Diego Global Health Institute, she has worked around the world, from India to Afghanistan to Mexico, trying to lower HIV infection and mortality rates.

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"There came a point when he was getting weaker and weaker, and I didn't want to lose him. I wasn't ready to let him go and so I held his hand and said, 'Honey, they're doing everything they can and there's nothing that can kill this bug, so if you want to fight, you need to fight. Do you want me to find some alternative therapies? We can leave no stone unturned.'"

Tom recalled the moment: "I vaguely remember you saying, 'do you want me to try or not because it's going to be a tough time and it's not certain that it will work.' I remember squeezing your hand, but it was just a flash in the whole process."

Strathdee began doing research. A colleague mentioned a friend had traveled to Tblisi, Georgia to undergo "phage therapy" for a difficult condition and had been "miraculously cured." Strathdee had learned of bacteriophages while she was a student, but they were not part of mainstream medical doctrine. She turned to strangers in the phage research community and to her colleague Chip Schooley for help.

Bacteriophages are ubiquitous viruses, found wherever bacteria exist. It's estimated there are more than 1031 bacteriophages on the planet. That's ten million trillion trillion, more than every other organism on Earth, including bacteria, combined. Each is evolved to infect a specific bacterial host in order to replicate -- without affecting other cells in an organism.

The idea of using them therapeutically is not new. Described a century ago, phage therapy was popular in the 1920s and 1930s to treat multiple types of infections and conditions, but results were inconsistent and lacked scientific validation. The emergence of antibiotics in the 1940s pushed phage therapy aside, except in parts of Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union, where it remained a topic of active research.

With dwindling options, Strathdee, Schooley and colleagues went looking for help. They found many researchers willing to help. Three teams possessed suitable phages that were active against Patterson's particular bacterial infection: the Biological Defense Research Directorate of the NMRC in Frederick, MD; the Center for Phage Technology at Texas A&M University; and AmpliPhi, a San Diego-based biotech company specializing in bacteriophage-based therapies. A research team at San Diego State University, headed by microbial ecologist Forest Rowher, PhD, purified the phage samples for clinical use.

With emergency approval from the Food and Drug Administration, each source provided phage strains to UC San Diego doctors to treat Patterson, with no guarantee that any of the strains would actually work. "That's one of the remarkable things to come out of this whole experience," said Schooley, "the incredible and rapid collaboration among folks scattered around the world. It was a desperate time and people really stepped up."

Phage therapy is typically administered topically or orally. In Patterson's case, the phages were introduced through catheters into his abdominal cavity and intravenously to address a broader, systemic infection, which had not been done in the antibiotic era in the U.S. "That makes them more effective," said Schooley. "The action is at the interface of the patient and the organism."

With tweaking and adjustments -- his physicians were learning on the fly -- Patterson began to improve. He emerged from his coma within three days of the start of IV phage therapy. "Tom woke up, turned to his daughter and said, 'I love you'," recalled Schooley. Patterson was soon weaned off of the respirator and blood pressure drugs.

"As a treating doctor, it was a challenge," said Schooley. "Usually you know what the dosage should be, how often to treat. Improving vital signs is a good way to know that you're progressing, but when you're doing it for the first time, you don't have anything to compare it to.

"A lot was really worked out as we went along, combining previous literature, our own intuition about how these phages would circulate and work and advice from people who had been thinking about this for a long time."

Treatment details

By the time Patterson was airlifted to Thornton Hospital at UC San Diego Health, he was in dire straits. His abdomen had swelled, distended by the pseudocyst teeming with multi-drug resistant A. baumaunnii. His white blood cell count had soared -- a sign of rampant infection.

Doctors tried various combinations of antibiotics. He developed respiratory failure and hypotension that required ventilation and recurrent emergency treatment. He became increasingly delirious. When he lapsed into a coma in mid-January, he was essentially being kept alive on life support. Eventually Schooley said there were no antimicrobial agents left to try. Strathdee recalled colleagues wondering aloud if she was prepared for Tom to die.

She wasn't. Bacteriophage therapy began March 15, 2016, with a cocktail of four phages provided by Texas A&M and the San Diego-based biotech company AmpliPhi, pumped through catheters into the pseudocyst. If the treatment didn't kill him, Patterson's medical team planned to inject the Navy's phages intravenously, flooding his bloodstream to reach the infection raging throughout his body. As far as Patterson's doctors knew, such treatment had never been tried before.

On March 17, the Navy phages were injected intravenously. There were fears about endotoxins naturally produced by the phages. No one knew what to expect, but Patterson tolerated the treatment well -- indeed there were no adverse side effects -- and on March 19, he suddenly awoke and recognized his daughter.

"One of NMRC's goals with respect to bacteriophage science has been providing military members infected with multidrug-resistant organisms additional antimicrobial options so we were experienced and well-positioned to provide an effective phage cocktail for Dr. Patterson," said Theron Hamilton, PhD, head of Genomics and Bioinformatics at the Navy's Biological Defense Research Directorate. "Obviously, we are thrilled with the outcome and hope this case increases awareness of the possibility of applying phage therapy to tough cases like this one."

Subsequent treatment, however, would not be easy. The learning curve was steep and unmarked. There were bouts of sepsis -- a life-threatening complication caused by massive infection. Despite improvement, Patterson's condition remained precarious. Doctors discovered that the bacterium eventually developed resistance to the phages, what Schooley would characterize as "the recurring Darwinian dance," but the team compensated by continually tweaking treatment with new phage strains -- some that the NMRC had derived from sewage -- and antibiotics.

In early May, Patterson was taken off of antibiotics. After June 6, there was no evidence of A. baumannii in his body. He was discharged home August 12, 2016.

Post-treatment and beyond

Recovery has not been entirely smooth and steady. There have been setbacks unrelated to the phages. A formerly robust man, Patterson had been fed intravenously for months in the hospital and had lost 100 pounds, much of it muscle. He has required intense physical rehabilitation to regain strength and movement. "It's not like in the movies where you just wake up from a coma, look around and pop out of bed," Patterson said. "You discover that your body doesn't work right anymore." He said he could feel parts of his brain coming back alive.

Nonetheless, Patterson described the experience as miraculous. Even comatose, when he often wrestled with imagined demons, he recalled hearing and recognizing voices and realizing that beyond his darkness, there was life and hope.

And beyond him, he hopes his experience will translate into new treatments for others: "The phage therapy has really been a miracle for me, and for what it might mean that millions of people who may be cured from multidrug-resistant infections in the future. It's been sort of a privilege."

Schooley said Patterson was lucky. His wife was a trained scientist and determined to find a remedy -- and they both worked at UC San Diego School of Medicine: "He was fortunate to be in a place that had all of the resources and courage necessary to support him while this innovative therapy was developed, which was essentially a home brew cocktail of viruses to be given to a desperately ill individual. I think a lot of other places would have hesitated. I think the response that he had clinically has been very gratifying and speaks to the strength of a multidimensional medical center with all of the pieces you need."

Still, Schooley said any broad, future approved application of phage therapy faces fundamental challenges unlike past treatments. "What the FDA is used to saying is 'This is an antibiotic. We know what its structure is and how you can give it to multiple people.' With bacteriophage therapy, the FDA would be dealing with an approach in which doctors would have to develop phage cocktails for each patient tailored to their infecting organisms. It's the ultimate personalized medicine."

The good news, Schooley said, is that new molecular tools, robotics and other advances make personalized medicine possible in a way it wasn't 10 or 15 years ago. "Then, it would have been impossible to contemplate. There's still much research to be done, but I think there are going to be a lot of clinical applications where this approach may be very beneficial to patients."

More about bacteriophages

Derived from the Greek words meaning "bacteria eater," bacteriophages are ancient and abundant -- found on land, in water, within any form of life harboring their target. According to Rowher at San Diego State University and colleagues in their book Life in Our Phage World, phages cause a trillion trillion successful infections per second and destroy up to 40 percent of all bacterial cells in the ocean every day.

Thousands of varieties of phage exist, each evolved to infect only one type or a few types of bacteria. Like other viruses, they cannot replicate by themselves, but must commandeer the reproductive machinery of bacteria. To do so, they attach to a bacterium and insert their genetic material. Lytic phages then destroy the cell, splitting it open to release new viral particles to continue the process. As such, phages could be considered the only "drug"' capable of multiplying; when their job is done, they are excreted by the body.
Cancer is often able to craftily outwit the best techniques modern medicine has developed to treat it. In an attempt to understand and combat cancer's vaunted prowess, an unusual collaboration between physicists and a leading geneticist has cast new light on cancer as a biological phenomenon with very deep evolutionary roots.

Paul Davies, Ph.D., ASU Regents' Professor and Director of the Beyond Center for Fundamental Concepts in Science, and physicist Charles Lineweaver, Ph.D. of the Australian National University teamed up with geneticist Kimberly Bussey, Ph.D. and biophysicist Luis Cisneros, Ph.D. of NantOmics, LLC to trace the evolutionary history of cancer genes back to the dawn of multicellularity, over one billion years ago. Asking why these cancer genes evolved and what their functionality might be, the researchers hit on an astonishing link. Cancer cells deploy an ancient mechanism used by single-celled organisms to elevate their mutation rate in response to stress. This discovery explains one of the best-known hallmarks of cancer -- its high mutation rate, which contributes to the rapid evolution of drug resistance.

The research involves looking anew at the genetic control switches that allow complex life to flourish. Should such regulation become corrupted, cells may lose their cooperative properties and regress to the single-celled behavior common to much more ancient organisms. Such reversion to ancestral evolutionary traits is known as atavism.

Davies explains, "Lineweaver and I have long argued that cancer is a type of throwback to a more primitive ancestral form but we lacked the hard evidence. Now Kim Bussey and Luis Cisneros, with the help of students Adam Orr and Milica Milicavic, have painstakingly analyzed the evolutionary origins of a large collection of cancer genes and confirmed that one of cancer's most distinctive and troublesome hallmarks is indeed extremely ancient and deep-rooted. It has sweeping implications for therapy."

The new study, which appears April 25, 2017 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE, finds that mutational bursts surrounding double-stranded breaks in DNA are commonly seen in cancer. Further, such bursts are similar to those seen in single-celled organisms engaged in stress-induced mutation. In the case of cancer, the mutations appear to be spread across the genome, including older genes that are evolutionarily conserved and normally off limits to mutational events. The effect is to allow somatic cells to search ancient genome space for solutions to the stress-induced pressures they are experiencing.

As corresponding author Kimberly J. Bussey, Ph.D., Principal Scientist with NantOmics and Adjunct Faculty in the Department of Biomedical Informatics at Arizona State University, explains, a stress response that evolved to protect single-celled organisms from extinction may prove hazardous to a multicellular creature, should some event suddenly resuscitate it.

"If you're dealing with a unicellular organism and the population experiences some stress that it can't deal with using the current toolbox of responses, for the population to survive -- for the species to survive -- it has to evolve. When a somatic cell in a multicellular organism evolves, cancer can occur."

The results suggest that in cases of rapid resistance to therapy, the ability to generate regulated bursts of mutation may be at the core of this deadly disease. "On the clinical side, I think this is really going to make us rethink what we mean by curing cancer. Maybe the goal isn't curing but controlling," Bussey says. "If this is a burst response, maybe there is a level of therapy with which we can impact the viability of the tumor cells but not actually induce the stress response."

Such approaches have already made some inroads into clinical use. So-called metronomic therapy applies more frequent rounds of lower-dose treatment, while adaptive therapy seeks to pulse cancer treatments in order to stabilize rather than eradicate a tumor. These and other evolutionary approaches to treating cancer offer new hope in the war against a cunning and profoundly versatile foe.
Researchers are pursuing an innovative and unexpected new avenue in the quest to fight antibiotic resistance: synthetic mucus. By studying and replicating mucus' natural ability to control pathogenic bacteria, the scientists hope to find new methods for combating infections.

Katharina Ribbeck, professor of tissue engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, will present the work at the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology annual meeting during the Experimental Biology 2017 meeting, to be held April 22-26 in Chicago.

"I am so excited about mucus because I am convinced it can help us find new strategies for protecting us from infections, in particular those that relate to an overgrowth of harmful microbes," said Ribbeck. "My lab and others around the world have begun to engineer mucin-inspired polymers and [synthetic] mucus. We want to use these engineered polymers to control problematic pathogens inside and outside of the body and to stop the growing threat of antibiotic resistant microbes."

You might not think about it until you catch a cold, but mucus is everywhere in the human body. We produce about a gallon of mucus each day to sustain a protective coating on more than 2,000 square feet of internal surface area, including the entire digestive tract as well as the mouth, eyes, lungs, female reproductive tract and, of course, the nose.

Microbes are also incredibly prevalent on and within our bodies, and most of these trillions of microbes live inside the mucus that lines the digestive tract. Through her research into the functions of mucus, Ribbeck has elucidated how this slimy substance helps maintain a healthy balance between beneficial and potentially harmful microbes.

"Over millions of years, the mucus has evolved the ability to keep a number of these problematic pathogenic microbes in check, preventing them from causing damage," said Ribbeck. "But the mucus does not kill the microbes. Instead, it tames them."

In its new work, her team investigated how mucins, the sugar-coated molecules that form the mucus gel, influence the makeup of our internal microbial communities by constraining the formation of multicellular assemblies (also known as biofilms) by the microbes. As a case study, the scientists looked at the mucins that are found in saliva, called MUC5B. They grew two types of bacteria known to compete in the mouth: Streptococcus mutans, which forms cavities, and Streptococcus sanguinis, a bacterium associated with healthy oral conditions. They found that the harmful Streptococcus mutans bacteria quickly outgrew Streptococcus sanguinis when grown together outside of saliva or mucin-containing media. But grown in the presence of MUC5B (both in real saliva and in MUC5B-containing synthetic mucus), the two species tended to establish a more even balance, suggesting mucin could be instrumental in supporting greater bacterial diversity.

"We conclude from these findings that MUC5B may help prevent diseases such as dental caries [cavities] by reducing the potential that a single harmful species will dominate," said Ribbeck. As a next step, the team plans to continue to investigate the potential role of mucins in maintaining microbial diversity in other mucosal surfaces throughout the body.
In a new study, researchers demonstrate successful transplantation of fetal rat liver cells to an injured adult rat liver. The work is an important step toward using transplanted cells to treat liver failure, which currently requires an organ transplant.

Jennifer Sanders, PhD, assistant professor of pediatrics at Brown University, will present the new research at the American Society for Investigative Pathology annual meeting during the Experimental Biology 2017 meeting, to be held April 22-26 in Chicago.

"There are too few donor livers, so many people die of liver diseases such as hepatitis and cirrhosis without ever getting a transplant," said Sanders. "Understanding the behavior of fetal liver cells may lead to ways to select the best cells for transplantation into people whose livers are failing."

In the new study, the researcher removed liver cells from a rat fetus near the end of gestation and transplanted them into an injured adult rat liver. In the new liver, the transplanted cells multiplied for a long period and gave rise to new hepatocytes -- the main cell type found in the liver -- as well as the cells that form the bile ducts and line the blood vessels. Adult rat liver cells cannot multiply and differentiate after transplantation.

"Most previous studies have used very immature fetal rat cells and have not attempted to characterize the cell population prior to transplantation," said Sanders. "We are using late-gestation fetal rat hepatocytes that can carry out many of the functions of adult liver cells, and we characterized the cells based on expression of markers on their surface."

To better understand how fetal and adult hepatocytes differ, the researchers examined proteins called histones that regulate DNA structure. They identified histone differences that may allow the fetal cells to grow and survive when transplanted into an injured adult liver.

"Our prior studies have shown that fetal rat hepatocyte proliferation, growth and gene-expression regulation are different than in adult rat hepatocytes," said Sanders. "This has led us to believe that maintenance of DNA structure is very important for the behavior of fetal rat hepatocytes and the ability of these cells to repopulate an injured adult liver."

In addition to this work's implications for cell-based liver therapies, better understanding of how DNA structure, gene expression and protein function are regulated together in the normal fetal liver cell could help scientists understand the events that lead to liver cancer.

As a next step, the researchers are working to determine how the adult liver environment affects transplanted fetal cells. They want to find out whether transplanted fetal cells differentiate in a way that makes them indistinguishable from normal adult hepatocytes.
NASA's Cassini spacecraft is set to make its first dive through the narrow gap between Saturn and its rings on April 26, 2017.

Because that gap is a region no spacecraft has ever explored, Cassini will use its dish-shaped high-gain antenna (13 feet or 4 meters across) as a protective shield while passing through the ring plane. No particles larger than smoke particles are expected, but the precautionary measure is being taken on the first dive. The Cassini team will use data collected by one of the spacecraft's science instruments (the Radio and Plasma Wave Subsystem, or RPWS) to ascertain the size and density of ring particles in the gap in advance of future dives. As a result of its antenna-forward orientation, the spacecraft will be out of contact with Earth during the dive.

Below is a list of milestones expected to occur during the event, if all goes as planned:

-- 5 p.m. PDT (8 p.m. EDT) on April 25: Cassini is approaching Saturn over the planet's northern hemisphere in advance of its first of 22 planned dives through the gap between the planet and its rings.

-- 1:34 a.m. PDT (4:34 a.m. EDT) on April 26: As it passes from north to south over Saturn, Cassini begins a 14-minute turn to point its high-gain antenna into the direction of oncoming ring particles. In this orientation, the antenna acts as a protective shield for Cassini's instruments and engineering systems.

-- 2 a.m. PDT (5 a.m. EDT) on April 26: Cassini crosses the ring plane during its dive between the rings and Saturn. The spacecraft's science instruments are collecting data, but Cassini is not in contact with Earth at this time.

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-- No earlier than around midnight PDT on April 26 (3 a.m. EDT on April 27): Earth has its first opportunity to regain contact with Cassini as the giant, 230-foot (70-meter) Deep Space Network antenna at Goldstone, California, listens for the spacecraft's radio signal.

-- Likely no earlier than 12:30 a.m. PDT (3:30 a.m. EDT) on April 27: Images are scheduled to become available from the spacecraft.

As Cassini engineers monitor the status of the spacecraft, updates to these milestones will be added at:

http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/grandfinale-milestones

Updates will also be posted on social media at:

https://www.twitter.com/CassiniSaturn

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https://www.twitter.com/NASAJPL

More information about Cassini is at:

http://www.nasa.gov/cassini

http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov

The Cassini-Huygens mission is a cooperative project of NASA, ESA (European Space Agency) and the Italian Space Agency. JPL, a division of Caltech in Pasadena, California, manages the mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate. JPL designed, developed and assembled the Cassini orbiter.
From long, tapered jets to massive explosions of solar material and energy, eruptions on the sun come in many shapes and sizes. Since they erupt at such vastly different scales, jets and the massive clouds -- called coronal mass ejections, or CMEs -- were previously thought to be driven by different processes.

Scientists from Durham University in the United Kingdom and NASA now propose that a universal mechanism can explain the whole spectrum of solar eruptions. They used 3-D computer simulations to demonstrate that a variety of eruptions can theoretically be thought of as the same kind of event, only in different sizes and manifested in different ways. Their work is summarized in a paper published in Nature on April 26, 2017.

The study was motivated by high-resolution observations of filaments from NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory, or SDO, and the joint Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency/NASA Hinode satellite. Filaments are dark, serpentine structures that are suspended above the sun's surface and consist of dense, cold solar material. The onset of CME eruptions had long been known to be associated with filaments, but improved observations have recently shown that jets have similar filament-like structures before eruption too. So the scientists set out to see if they could get their computer simulations to link filaments to jet eruptions as well.

"In CMEs, filaments are large, and when they become unstable, they erupt," said Peter Wyper, a solar physicist at Durham University and the lead author of the study. "Recent observations have shown the same thing may be happening in smaller events such as coronal jets. Our theoretical model shows the jet can essentially be described as a mini-CME."

Solar scientists can use computer models like this to help round out their understanding of the observations they see through space telescopes. The models can be used to test different theories, essentially creating simulated experiments that cannot, of course, be performed on an actual star in real life.

The scientists call their proposed mechanism for how these filaments lead to eruptions the breakout model, for the way the stressed filament pushes relentlessly at -- and ultimately breaks through -- its magnetic restraints into space. They previously used this model to describe CMEs; in this study, the scientists adapted the model to smaller events and were able to reproduce jets in the computer simulations that match the SDO and Hinode observations. Such simulations provide additional confirmation to support the observations that first suggested coronal jets and CMEs are caused in the same way.

"The breakout model unifies our picture of what's going on at the sun," said Richard DeVore, a co-author of the study and solar physicist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. "Within a unified context, we can advance understanding of how these eruptions are started, how to predict them and how to better understand their consequences."

The key for understanding a solar eruption, according to Wyper, is recognizing how the filament system loses equilibrium, which triggers eruption. In the breakout model, the culprit is magnetic reconnection -- a process in which magnetic field lines come together and explosively realign into a new configuration.

In stable conditions, loops of magnetic field lines hold the filament down and suppress eruption. But the filament naturally wants to expand outward, which stresses its magnetic surroundings over time and eventually initiates magnetic reconnection. The process explosively releases the energy stored in the filament, which breaks out from the sun's surface and is ejected into space.

Exactly which kind of eruption occurs depends on the initial strength and configuration of the magnetic field lines containing the filament. In a CME, field lines form closed loops completely surrounding the filament, so a bubble-shaped cloud ultimately bursts from the sun. In jets, nearby fields lines stream freely from the surface into interplanetary space, so solar material from the filament flows out along those reconnected lines away from the sun.

"Now we have the possibility to explain a continuum of eruptions through the same process," Wyper said. "With this mechanism, we can understand the similarities between small jets and massive CMEs, and infer eruptions anywhere in between."

Confirming this theoretical mechanism will require high-resolution observations of the magnetic field and plasma flows in the solar atmosphere, especially around the sun's poles where many jets originate -- and that's data that currently are not available. For now, scientists look to upcoming missions such as NASA's Solar Probe Plus and the joint ESA (European Space Agency)/NASA Solar Orbiter, which will acquire novel measurements of the sun's atmosphere and magnetic fields emanating from solar eruptions.
Physicists at the University of California, Irvine and elsewhere have fabricated new two-dimensional quantum materials with breakthrough electrical and magnetic attributes that could make them building blocks of future quantum computers and other advanced electronics.

In three separate studies appearing this month in Nature, Science Advances and Nature Materials, UCI researchers and colleagues from UC Berkeley, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Princeton University, Fudan University and the University of Maryland explored the physics behind the 2-D states of novel materials and determined they could push computers to new heights of speed and power.

The common threads running through the papers are that the research is conducted at extremely cold temperatures and that the signal carriers in all three studies are not electrons -- as with traditional silicon-based technologies -- but Dirac or Majorana fermions, particles without mass that move at nearly the speed of light.

"Finally, we can take exotic, high-end theories in physics and make something useful," said UCI associate professor of physics & astronomy Jing Xia, a corresponding author on two of the studies. "We're exploring the possibility of making topological quantum computers [currently theoretical] for the next 100 years."

One of the key challenges of such research is handling and analyzing miniscule material samples, just two atoms thick, several microns long and a few microns across. Xia's lab at UCI is equipped with a fiber-optic Sagnac interferometer microscope that he built. (The only other one in existence is at Stanford University, assembled by Xia when he was a graduate student there.) Calling it the most sensitive magnetic microscope in the world, Xia compares it to a telescope that an ornithologist in Irvine could use to inspect the eye of a bird in New York.

"This machine is the ideal measurement tool for these discoveries," said UCI graduate student Alex Stern, lead author on two of the papers. "It's the most accurate way to optically measure magnetism in a material."

In a study to be published April 24 in Nature, the researchers detail their observation -- via the Sagnac interferometer -- of magnetism in a microscopic flake of chromium germanium telluride. The compound, which they created, was viewed at minus 387 degrees Fahrenheit. CGT is a cousin of graphene, a superthin atomic carbon film. Since its discovery, graphene has been considered a potential replacement for silicon in next-generation computers and other devices because of the speed at which electronic signals skitter across its almost perfectly flat surface.

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But there's a catch: Certain computer components, such as memory and storage systems, need to be made of materials that have both electronic and magnetic properties. Graphene has the former but not the latter. CGT has both.

His lab also used the Sagnac interferometer for a study published in Science Advances examining what happens at the precise moment bismuth and nickel are brought into contact with one another -- again at a very low temperature (in this case, minus 452 degrees Fahrenheit). Xia said his team found at the interface between the two metals "an exotic superconductor that breaks time-reversal symmetry."

"Imagine you turn back the clock and a cup of red tea turns green. Wouldn't that make this tea very exotic? This is indeed exotic for superconductors," he said. "And it's the first time it's been observed in 2-D materials."

The signal carriers in this 2-D superconductor are Majorana fermions, which could be used for a braiding operation that theorists believe is vital to quantum computing.

"The issue now is to try to achieve this at normal temperatures," Xia said. The third study shows promise in overcoming that hurdle.

In 2012, Xia's lab delivered to the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency a radio-frequency oscillator built around samarium hexaboride. The substance is an insulator on the inside but allows signal-carrying current made of Dirac fermions to flow freely on its 2-D surface.

Using a special apparatus built in the Xia lab -- also one of only two in the world -- UCI researchers applied tensile strain to the samarium hexaboride sample and demonstrated in the Nature Materials study that they could stabilize the 2-D surface state at minus 27 degrees Fahrenheit.

"Believe it or not, that's hotter than some parts of Canada," Xia quipped. "This work is a big step toward developing future quantum computers at nearly room temperature."
Peering into laboratory glassware, Stanford University School of Medicine researchers have watched stem-cell-derived nerve cells arising in a specific region of the human brain migrate into another brain region. This process recapitulates what's been believed to occur in a developing fetus, but has never previously been viewed in real time.

The investigators saw the migrating nerve cells, or neurons, hook up with other neurons in the target region to form functioning circuits characteristic of the cerebral cortex.

These observations showcase neuroscientists' newfound ability to monitor, assemble and manipulate so-called neural spheroids, generated from human induced pluripotent stem cells, to study the normal development of the human forebrain during late pregnancy.

"We've never been able to recapitulate these human-brain developmental events in a dish before," said the study's senior author, Sergiu Pasca, MD, assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences. "The process happens in the second half of pregnancy, so viewing it live is challenging. Our method lets us see the entire movie, not just snapshots."

The findings, and the techniques used to obtain them, carry potential for the personalized study of individuals' psychiatric disorders. In the study, to be published online April 26 in Nature, the scientists were able to attribute, for the first time, defects in neuronal migration to Timothy syndrome, a rare condition that predisposes people to autism, epilepsy and cardiac malfunction. Postdoctoral scholars Fikri Birey, PhD, Jimena Andersen, PhD, and Chris Makinson, PhD, share lead authorship.

The need for 3-D models

Culturing neurons in a lab dish is old hat. But the two-dimensional character of life lived atop a flat glass coverslip doesn't sit well with cells designed for three-dimensional existence. Neurons cultured in monolayers mature only partially, tend to die fairly quickly and interact suboptimally.

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In a 2015 study, Pasca and his colleagues described their method for producing neural spheroids. Neural precursor cells generated from iPS cells are placed in culture dishes whose bottoms are coated to make it impossible for neurons to attach. The cells float freely in a nutrient-rich broth, ultimately developing into hundreds of almost perfectly round balls approaching 1/16 of an inch in diameter and consisting of over 1 million cells each. These neurons can live for up to two years, and they mature fully.

The spheroids created in the 2015 study recapitulated the human cerebral cortex's six-layer-thick architecture, and the neurons they contained were of the type that arise in and dominate the cerebral cortex. They're called glutamatergic neurons because they secrete the excitatory chemical glutamate.

But the cerebral cortex's glutamatergic neurons don't remain alone for long. During fetal development, they are eventually joined by neurons of another type that originate in a slightly deeper region of the developing forebrain. These neurons secrete a neuromodulatory -- and usually inhibitory -- substance called GABA, so they're deemed GABAergic. It's known that GABAergic cells migrate from their region of origin to the cortex, where they interlace with its resident glutamatergic cells and with one another to form the circuitry responsible for the brain's most advanced cognitive activities. But no one had been able to watch this happen with human cells in a dish.

In the new study, the researchers separated their spheroids into two batches and coaxed them to become different regions of the human brain. They cultured one batch in a medium that induces cortexlike spheroids containing glutamatergic neurons. They placed the second batch in dishes whose broth steers the spheroids toward resembling the underlying brain region where GABAergic neurons originate.

Then, the investigators juxtaposed the two distinct types of spheroids. Within three days, the two spheroids fused, and GABAergic neurons from one spheroid began migrating into the glutamatergic-neuron-rich spheroid. Their migration pattern, the scientists noted, was halting: They would move toward the target spheroid for a little while, then stop for an extended period, then start up again in stuttering jumps.

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On reaching their destination, the GABAergic travelers underwent a transformation, sprouting dendrites -- branching, foliage-like "tails" that receive inputs from other neurons -- and forming working connections with the glutamatergic neurons. Electrophysiological tests revealed that GABAergic and glutamatergic neurons were successfully forming circuits and signaling to one another.

Insight into Timothy syndrome

The scientists had access to tissue samples from patients with Timothy syndrome, an extremely rare and historically lethal condition caused by a mutation in the gene coding for a type of calcium channel -- a protein containing a pore that responds to different voltage levels by opening or closing, respectively permitting or blocking the flow of calcium across otherwise impermeable membranes. Such calcium channels are essential to many cellular processes. Timothy syndrome patients' severe cardiac abnormalities once spelled ultra-short life expectancies, but now can be ameliorated with pacemakers. However, survivors usually have autism and frequently have epilepsy.

The investigators generated both types of neural spheroids from their Timothy-syndrome tissue samples, fused them and watched to see what would happen. What they saw was this: The GABAergic neurons, which seemed to develop normally, exhibited aberrant start-and-stop migration patterns. Their forward movements were more frequent, but far less efficient, than those of normal neurons.

The mutation behind Timothy syndrome increases the likelihood that the calcium channel for which it codes will let calcium ions flow through it. So, the researchers reasoned, a drug impeding the channel's activity might reverse the aberration. Indeed, two different drugs that block this type of calcium channel restored normal migratory activity to the Timothy-syndrome-derived GABAergic neurons.

Diverse variants in the same gene responsible for Timothy syndrome are associated with schizophrenia, other forms of autism spectrum disorder and bipolar disorder. Pasca said he suspects these variants may affect GABAergic neurons' integration with cortical glutamatergic neurons, resulting in a cognition-altering imbalance between excitation and inhibition in the cortex and laying the groundwork for these disorders.

"Our method of assembling and carefully characterizing neuronal circuits in a dish is opening up new windows through which we can view the normal development of the fetal human brain," said Pasca. "More importantly, it will help us see how this goes awry in individual patients."

Stanford's Office of Technology Licensing has filed for a patent on the intellectual property involving the generation of brain-region-specific neural spheroids and their assembly for studying development and disease.
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The U.S. Army has ordered another hundred AN/TPQ-53 artillery spotting radar systems, after having delayed that order until some problems with the first batch were diagnosed and fixed. Back in 2012 the army finally began replacing its older AN PQ-36/37 FireFinder artillery spotting radar with the new and improved AN/TPQ-53. While the new system was an improvement the army began getting more and more reports from users in combat zones of false positives (the radar showing something incoming when there wasnt anything) as well as difficulty distinguishing between artillery shells, rockets and mortar shells. There were also reports that the new system did not handle multiple incoming shells well, being unable to provide data on where it was all coming from. The army halted distribution after 38 of the new systems went into service and delayed production of another hundred until the problems could be fixed. A series of tests were conducted in 2015 to document the problems so the manufacturer could fix them. These fixes have been completed and verified by more tests so now manufacturing can continue.

Despite the problems the new system was seen as an improvement. Troops in Afghanistan continued to call the new version "FireFinder" or "counterfire radar" even though the new TPQ-53 is a visibly new and different looking system, each consisting of two trucks (one for the radar the other for the control center and backup generator). For the troops in Afghanistan the TPQ-53 was a success because the most common threat was individual mortar shells being fired at a base. The TPQ-53 was faster and more reliable at dealing with that.

The AN/TPQ-53 had been sent to Afghanistan for final testing in 2010. In early 2012 the army ordered 51 of the AN/TPQ-53 systems. Easier to use and repair, as well as more reliable than its predecessor (the AN/TPQ-36/37), the TPQ-53 could also scan all around (360 degrees), rather than just 90 degrees (as with the older system), and was faster as well. The army wants to buy at least 180 TPQ-53s, for about $9 million each. The older FireFinder is cheaper and still gets the job done. This is why some countries (like Iraq) want it. Many Iraqis have seen the older FireFinder in action. They know it works.

The older FireFinder (AN/TPQ-36/37) radar had to overcome a bad reputation it acquired when it first came to Iraq. That was often for failing to detect incoming mortar fire. These were problems that were fixed. FireFinder was developed in the 1970s, based on Vietnam experience with enemy mortar and rocket attacks but didn't get a real combat workout until after September 11, 2001.

Both the old and new FireFinders are radar systems which, when they spot an incoming shell, calculates where it came from and transmits the location to a nearby artillery unit, which then fires on where the mortar is (or was). This process takes 3-4 minutes (or less, for experienced troops). FireFinder worked as advertised but got little use until U.S. troops entered Iraq. After that FireFinder was very effective and heavily used. Too heavily used. There were not a lot of spare parts stockpiled for FireFinder and several hundred million dollars-worth had to be quickly ordered. The manufacturer also introduced some new components that were more reliable and easier to maintain.

There were still problems. Some FireFinders failed to catch incoming fire because the enemy was using tactics that fooled the radar. For example, in Iraq American bases were generally on higher ground than the mortars firing at them. Putting bases on the high ground enables you to watch more of the surrounding terrain. But FireFinder needs a line-of-sight to get a good fix on the firing weapon's position. If the mortar was too far below the radar, FireFinder could not accurately spot where the fire was coming from.

Another problem was that if the mortar was too close FireFinder was much less likely to quickly determine where the fire was coming from. So the enemy mortar teams got as close as they could before firing. This still made the mortar teams vulnerable to counterattack by coalition troops but not the immediate (in a few minutes) artillery fire that FireFinder can make happen under the right conditions.

At first, the army was going to halt further upgrades on FireFinder, which, after all, was developed back in the 1970s, and begin developing the TPQ-53, a new system that can better deal with the kinds of problems encountered in Iraq. But FireFinder had been so useful that new upgrades were pursued anyway, while work continued on the TPQ-53. The upgrades have also been made available to other users of FireFinder (including allies in the Middle East, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey). FireFinders are still doing most of the work out there, and TPQ-53 wont replace a significant number of them until the 2020s.
The US to ban laptops on flights from European airports

Recently, the United States government barred passengers en route to the US from several Mid-Eastern countries from carrying anything electronic gadget other than a smartphone into the cabin. Now it appears that there maybe an order that affects European nations. According to reports, President Trump is planning to ban laptops and other electronic gadgets from flights emanating from Europe.

Likely new Trump world order

The ban is allegedly in response to intelligence reporting attempts by terrorists to smuggle explosives onto the aircraft by disguising it as electronic gadgets  such as laptops. Passengers wishing to take these devices with them in the aircraft will have to stow them in the hold.

Gillian Christensen, a spokeswoman for the US Department of Homeland Security, said, Weve said we will continue to evaluate the threat environment and make determinations based on that assessment, but we have not made any decisions on expanding the current restrictions against large electronic devices in aircraft cabins from selected airports.

While the ban is far from coming into effect at this point, it is rumored that one of the countries that may be affected will be the UK. Although it was not certain that the ban would be extended to the UK, the US was considering doing so. said a source from the Whitehall.

Business Effect

If this does become a reality though, the effects will be more far fetched than just inconvenienced travelers. While its common knowledge many people prefer working on their laptops while in transit, it is also known that many companies offer to provide for business class seats for their traveling employees since they can work while still in transit. Considering the London  New York route is the busiest internationally, the number of people getting affected isnt insignificant.

While companies might reduce such trips or relegate the tickets to economy class, many airlines also earn revenue from accompanying services such as Wi-Fi. A ban on laptops will surely affect this alternative stream of revenue.
Associated Banc-Corp, a bank holding company, provides various banking and nonbanking products to individuals and businesses in Wisconsin, Illinois, and Minnesota. The company operates through three segments: Corporate and Commercial Specialty; Community, Consumer, and Business; and Risk Management and Shared Services. Its Corporate and Commercial Specialty segment offers lending solutions, including commercial loans and lines of credit, commercial real estate financing, construction loans, letters of credit, leasing, asset based lending, and loan syndications; deposit and cash management solutions, such as commercial checking and interest-bearing deposit products, cash vault and night depository services, liquidity solutions, payables and receivables solutions, and information services; specialized financial services such as interest rate risk management, foreign exchange solutions, and commodity hedging; fiduciary services such as administration of pension, profit-sharing and other employee benefit plans, fiduciary and corporate agency services, and institutional asset management; and investable funds solutions such as savings, money market deposit accounts, IRA accounts, CDs, fixed and variable annuities, full-service, discount and online investment brokerage; investment advisory services; and trust and investment management accounts. The company's Community, Consumer, and Business segment offers lending solutions, such as residential mortgages, home equity loans and lines of credit, personal and installment loans, auto loans, business loans, and business lines of credit; and deposit and transactional solutions such as checking, credit, debit and pre-paid cards, online banking and bill pay; and money transfer services. As of December 31, 2021, the company operated 215 banking branches. Associated Banc-Corp was founded in 1861 and is headquartered in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
Corning Incorporated engages in display technologies, optical communications, environmental technologies, specialty materials, and life sciences businesses worldwide. The company's Display Technologies segment offers glass substrates for liquid crystal displays and organic light-emitting diodes used in televisions, notebook computers, desktop monitors, tablets, and handheld devices. Its Optical Communications segment provides optical fibers and cables; and hardware and equipment products, including cable assemblies, fiber optic hardware and connectors, optical components and couplers, closures, network interface devices, and other accessories. This segment also offers its products to businesses, governments, and individuals. Its Specialty Materials segment manufactures products that provide material formulations for glass, glass ceramics, crystals, precision metrology instruments, software; as well as ultra-thin and ultra-flat glass wafers, substrates, tinted sunglasses, and radiation shielding products. This segment serves various industries, including mobile consumer electronics, semiconductor equipment optics and consumables; aerospace and defense optics; radiation shielding products, sunglasses, and telecommunications components. The company's Environmental Technologies segment offers ceramic substrates and filter products for emissions control in mobile, gasoline, and diesel applications. The company's Life Sciences segment offers laboratory products comprising consumables, such as plastic vessels, liquid handling plastics, specialty surfaces, cell culture media, and serum, as well as general labware and equipment under the Corning, Falcon, Pyrex, and Axygen brands. The company was formerly known as Corning Glass Works and changed its name to Corning Incorporated in April 1989. Corning Incorporated was founded in 1851 and is headquartered in Corning, New York.
First Horizon Corporation operates as the bank holding company for First Horizon Bank that provides various financial services. The company operates through three segments: Regional Banking, Specialty Banking, and Corporate. It offers general banking services for consumers, businesses, financial institutions, and governments. The company also underwrites bank-eligible securities and other fixed-income securities eligible for underwriting by financial subsidiaries; sells loans and derivatives; and offers advisory services. In addition, it offers various services, such as mortgage banking; title insurance and loan-closing; brokerage; correspondent banking; nationwide check clearing and remittance processing; trust, fiduciary, and agency; equipment finance; and investment and financial advisory services. Further, the company sells mutual fund and retail insurance products; and credit cards. It operates approximately 500 banking offices in 22 states under the First Horizon Bank brand; and 400 banking centers in 12 states under the FHN Financial brand in the United States. The company was formerly known as First Horizon National Corporation and changed its name to First Horizon Corporation in November 2020. First Horizon Corporation was founded in 1864 and is headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee.
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.
Last week, at the border of Somaliland, authorities caught traffickers just in time to save 10 lives.

CCF

Even though the United Arab Emirates (UAE) banned keeping wild animals as pets earlier this year, the illegal market is still functioning: 10 young cheetahs (nine cubs and one adolescent) were discovered in dark crates on their way to the Arabian Peninsula, where an estimated 300 cheetahs are smuggled to be sold each year.

CCF

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CCF

Three of the cubs were especially weak and thin, and rescuers from the Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF) and the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) are now rushing to save their lives.

CCF

"Because trafficked cubs are taken from their mothers often as young as 3 months old, they are rarely able to return to the wild," a CCF UK spokesperson told The Dodo. "This is because they aren't able to learn the vital skills they need to survive in the wild from their mothers."

CCF

The cubs are being cared for at an emergency shelter in Somaliland and the location is being kept secret for the cubs' safety. Right now the focus is to give them the medical attention they so sorely need.

CCF

"With a total population of just over 7,000 cheetahs remaining in the wild, the taking of even one cub is a threat to species' survival," Laurie Marker, founder and executive director of CCF, said.

But rescuers are also trying to secure a future for them. It's complicated because current laws don't let confiscated animals, like the 10 cheetahs, be transported across borders. In all likelihood, the cubs will need to be in the care of CCF for quite a long time.

The one larger, adolescent cheetah seized with the nine cubs | CCF

"Wild cheetah populations are in dire trouble, largely due to demand for cubs as exotic pets," Gail A'Brunzo, wildlife rescue manager at IFAW, said. "The cruelty of live animal trade is shocking and we are doing all we can to save these cubs."

CCF

CCF

For now, CCF is launching a major fundraising campaign to help with the care of the cubs. "IFAW has provided funding for 6 months of the cubs' emergency care - beyond that we don't yet have funding," the CCF UK spokesperson said. "We need to raise $17,500 to fund their emergency care for the near future. Our hope is for them to go into a sanctuary but we are still thinking short term - their situation at the moment is quite desperate and they will be in our care for the foreseeable future."

CCF

CCF
Melissa Davis already had a house full of pets and a teenager, but when she saw a video of Chevy and heard his story, she knew she had to do something to help him.

He was heartworm positive and had hair loss all over his face. His behavior notes from the shelter were all exemplary, and with his health conditions treated, Chevy was adopted in March 2016.

Unfortunately, this adoption didn't last, and volunteers from the Pet Resource Center recognized Chevy immediately when a video was shared of a stray bulldog at Pasco County Animal Services in Land o' Lakes, Florida.

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Chevy's adopters were contacted, but they never came to claim him. At this point, he was shaking in his shelter kennel and refused to even move. Chevy's video was extensively shared and was seen by Davis and by Bill Gray, director of Second Chance Friends, Inc. rescue. Gray agreed to pull Chevy, and Davis asked to foster him.

"I was nervous about taking Chevy into my home, as I have four older dogs and two cats, but something about him just spoke to me," Davis told The Dodo. "I had also recently lost another American bulldog that had come from Pasco County Animal Services, so there was some sentimental value in taking Chevy in as well."

Chevy was only meant to be a temporary member of Davis' family, but that changed quickly. "I did not need another permanent member for my canine family, but there was simply no way that I could let him go," she said. "He has never had an accident, chewed anything that he wasn't supposed to or caused a single issue in or outside of my home." Chevy's story is part of my Pit Bull Picture Project. The goal of the project is to show how goofy and lovable pit bulls can be to inspire more adoptions.

Chevy loved his photo shoot, not only for the treats and extra attention, but there was an unlimited amount of Justin's Peanut Butter on hand from their recent donation to the project. After he got a spoonful, the peanut butter really helped capture his expressions and bring out his personality.
The baby Galapagos tortoises were wrapped in what looked like cellophane or plastic tape. Then they were shoved inside a cardboard box, one on top of another. When authorities found them last week, the tortoises were on a bus to Lima, Peru, after they'd been smuggled out of the Galapagos Islands. If they hadn't been caught, the animals would have been put on a plane to Europe, and sold into the illegal pet trade.

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"They would have gone through a lot of suffering and cruelty for sure," DJ Schubert, a wildlife biologist with the Animal Welfare Institute (AWI), told The Dodo. "Their plight is consistent with the plight of hundreds of thousands - if not millions - of other live animals who are smuggled out of the wild every day." While it's not clear how long the tortoises were in captivity, Schubert believes that any length of time would have been incredibly stressful.

"They wouldn't have been fed or watered," Schubert said. "They can sustain some period of time without food or water, but they're not indestructible. I'm also sure there was fear." The plastic wrapping was probably used to keep the tortoises quiet, according to Schubert.

The tortoises wrapped in plastic | SERFOR

"I suspect that was to prevent them from moving about too much in the box, so they wouldn't make noise that might draw attention to the box," Schubert said. Unfortunately, two tortoises were already dead when wildlife officials found them, which is bad news for the species in general. While there are several different species of Galapagos tortoise, most of them are endangered - and three species are already extinct.

Officials cutting the plastic from the tortoises | SERFOR

"Every tortoise who calls Galapagos home is in trouble, and the fact that someone tried to abscond with 29 juvenile tortoises for the international pet trade is just outrageous," Schubert said. The good news is that the tortoises will be returned to the Galapagos Islands - in the meantime, they're being cared for at a Peruvian zoo. But other illegally trafficked animals aren't so lucky.
Hannah Shaw heard the kitten scream before she saw her. It wasn't a cry of pain, but one of terror. Shaw, the woman behind the kitten advocacy project Kitten Lady, had been vacationing in Peru with her boyfriend, cat photographer Andrew Marttila, and they'd just finished hiking through the Andes and touring Machu Picchu. The last thing they expected on the final day of their trip was to rescue a kitten. But when Shaw heard the kitten screaming as they wandered through a local neighborhood, she sprinted toward the sound.

The Great Went Photo

"I saw this little kid, who was maybe about 6 years old, running with a kitten in his hands," Shaw told The Dodo. "The kid wasn't being mean to the kitten - he was really excited, but he was squeezing her a lot. So I started to chase after him, and said, 'Hey, hey - let me try and help this kitten.'" And she was just the person to do so - Shaw spends most of her time fostering and feeding infant kittens as "Kitten Lady," although usually not while she's on vacation.

The Great Went Photo

The kitten was tiny and white-furred, and she was trembling. But once the kitten was in Shaw's arms, she started to calm down. "I think she recognized that we were helping her," Shaw said.

The Great Went Photo

But the kitten, whom they named Munay, was still in rough shape - she was skinny and malnourished, and her filthy fur was peppered with fleas. Incidentally, Shaw had been carrying around some cat food, and she offered some to the kitten, who immediately devoured it.

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The Great Went Photo

Speaking to the kids in broken Spanish, Shaw learned that Munay didn't have a mom, and that the kids had taken her from another area in town.

The Great Went Photo

"They didn't have a plan for her, and there was nowhere safe for her to go," Shaw said. Shaw wanted to help more, but she and Marttila were taking a train out of the area in 45 minutes and they weren't returning. In fact, they were flying back to the United States the next day. But Shaw couldn't just leave Munay there, so she did the only logical thing she could think of - take Munay with her.

The Great Went Photo

The next 48 hours were pure craziness for Shaw and Marttila. First, they had to smuggle Munay onto the train. Then they had to figure out how to get Munay onto their two flights, and get the kitten into the U.S.

Kitten Lady

The process of exporting a kitten out of Peru turned out to be fairly quick and easy. Once their train arrived in Cusco, they went to a local vet and got Munay the necessary vaccinations and health certificates for travel, and they successfully added Munay to their flights. But they were still incredibly nervous - especially about getting through customs in the U.S.

Kitten Lady

"We were just crossing our fingers, hoping we had done everything right," Shaw said. "We did everything that we knew to do, but there's just not a ton of great information out there about exactly what is needed about this specific situation, so we were kind of going into it, saying, 'We hope this will work. If it doesn't work, what do we do? Do we miss our flight?'"

Kitten Lady

Luck was on their side - and on Munay's. Shaw and Marttila got Munay onto the plane from Cusco to Lima, and then onto their international flight from Lima to Atlanta.

Kitten Lady

"She slept on my chest," Shaw said. "I'd wake up on the plane in the morning, and she would be asleep, rattling on my chest with purrs."

Kitten Lady

When Shaw and Marttila got Munay into the U.S., they were both incredibly relieved.

Kitten Lady

"I was in tears," Shaw said. "I was like, I can't believe we just did that - that's crazy." Now that she's safely in the United States, Munay will live with Shaw and Marttila until she's ready to be adopted.

Kitten Lady

"I was so happy to be able to put her on a couch, put her on a floor and let her run around and show her all the stuff we have here in our house," Shaw said. "We have the most tripped-out cat house ever. I think she had no idea what she was in for. So she has everything she wants now - she has every kind of toy, the best food."

Kitten Lady

Munay's health is also rapidly improving. "She's on the up-and-up now," Shaw said. "I'm weighing her every day to make sure she's gaining weight."

Kitten Lady
When Rainbow the homeless pit bull had puppies, she tried desperately to protect them from life on the streets. But only 48 hours after giving birth, a huge rain storm struck California, and Rainbow and her puppies were immediately in danger. Hope for Paws found out about the little family, and drove three and a half hours to try and help them. It was completely dark when the group of rescuers arrived, and it was hard to locate Rainbow and her puppies at first, hiding somewhere in a patch of thick bushes. "This is a crazy, crazy situation," Eldad Hagar, founder of Hope for Paws, said in a video about the rescue.

Hope for Paws

Eventually, though, they found them all huddled up together deep in the bushes, Rainbow trying as hard as she could to keep her babies warm. For the past several months, people in the area had been trying to rescue Rainbow, but she would always get scared and run away. Once she had puppies to protect, however, she seemed to realize that she needed help.

Hope for Paws

Hagar made some space and scooted through the bushes to reach Rainbow. She had plenty of room to run away, but instead, chose to face her fears and stay with her babies. Hagar spent some time getting to know Rainbow, feeding her and gaining her trust, before finally attempting to pick up the first baby.

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Hope for Paws

As soon as Hagar lifted Rainbow's baby away from her, she began licking the little puppy, as if she wanted to tell him it would be OK.

Hope for Paws

One by one, Hagar pulled each puppy out from under Rainbow ...

Hope for Paws

... and one by one, she kissed each one as she watched them go away.

Hope for Paws

Finally, when there was only one puppy left, Rainbow began to sit up, as if she knew that now that all her babies were safe, it was time for her to be rescued, too. Hagar gently pulled Rainbow out of the bushes, and loaded her into a cage so they could take her and her puppies out of the rain and away to safety.

Hope for Paws

Back in the car on the way to the vet, everyone was absolutely soaked, but so relieved that Rainbow and her puppies were finally safe. Due to the crazy storm, the power was out at the vet's office, so the rescuers had to work by the light of flashlights, getting the little family cleaned and checked out. Finally, Rainbow was able to settle in and take care of her eight puppies again. Rescuers named them Thunder, Breezy, Misty, Raindrop, Flash, Bolt, Stormy and Droplet.

Hope for Paws

Despite having run away from people for so long, Rainbow warmed up to her rescuers almost immediately, and became a giant lovebug of a dog who just wanted to make up for all the attention and love she'd been missing.

Hope for Paws

Rainbow and her puppies are now thriving together in foster care, and will soon be ready to go off and find their forever families. The puppies are growing bigger every day and Rainbow finally feels safe around people, and no one could have asked for a happier ending for this little family.

Hope for Paws
On last nights episode of The Late Show, host Stephen Colbert took a few minutes to riff on the new 20 per cent tariff that U.S. President Donald Trump imposed on Canadas softwood lumber.

Cold Mexico! The Great White North Korea! Colbert said, referring to Canada  now sworn enemy of the United States.

According to Colbert, the tension between Canada and the U.S. has never been higher, and softwood lumber tariffs are to blame.

As far as I know, this is the first time anyone has rejected Justin Trudeaus wood, Colbert joked.

The Late Show host also wasted no time taking a jab at the U.S. president, mock-announcing the tariffs in what can only be described as the best-worst impersonation of Trump.

Canadas Minister of Natural Resources Jim Carr, depicted as a beaver in a suit during a visual approximation of Canadas response, apparently disagrees strongly with the tariff.

Thems fightin words! Colbert said. Thats Canadian for f--- you, he translated for the cheering audience.

Now for those keeping score at home, Trump is now a friend of Putin and an enemy of poutine.

The Twitterverse reacted accordingly:

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FORT ALEXANDER, MAN.Two girls, ages 16 and 17, have been charged with second-degree murder in the death of a 19-year-old woman on the Sagkeeng First Nation.

Friends and members of the community have identified the victim as Serena McKay of Powerview, Man., and say a video of an attack on her has been circulating on social media.

RCMP have not confirmed the victims identity but say a 19-year-old from Powerview was last seen on Saturday and was reported missing the next day.

Later that day the Mounties got a call that a body had been found near a residence in Fort Alexander, 10 kilometres northwest.

RCMP said investigators were still on the scene, including the major crimes unit and forensic identification services.

A candlelight vigil for McKay will be held Thursday on the First Nation.

Everyone is welcome to attend, says the event page on Facebook. Gathering together to acknowledge a life lost too soon to violence.

One of the organizers of the vigil, Cheyenne Destiny, is calling for people to attend with a healing attitude.

The drums should be beat loud and the song should be sung loud . . . in her honour. So many people are affected by this, lets come together and heal, she says.

Stop hating! Yes, what these young kids did was horrible but justice will be served. It affects everyone and we need to stop the negativity.

Destiny also put out a plea for people to stop circulating the video of the attack.

Have respect for her family and friends, she says. That shouldnt be seen.

Tina Fontaine, the 15-year-old girl who went missing for a week in August 2014 before being found dead and became a face of the 1,200 missing and murdered indigenous women and girls in Canada, was a member of the Sagkeeng First Nation.

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CALGARYA woman who witnessed the hit-and-run death of a Calgary gas station worker in 2015 choked back tears Tuesday as she described the incident.

Joshua Cody Mitchell, 22, is on trial facing several charges including second-degree murder in an incident at a Centex gas station in June 2015.

Maryam Rashidi, who was 35, was trying to stop the driver from leaving without paying for $113 worth of gas and had climbed up on the hood of the truck.

Read more: A dangerous situation: testimony begins in Calgary gas-and-dash murder trial

Sherri White Vernon told court she heard screaming and the quick acceleration of a vehicle before she saw Rashidi on the hood, desperately trying to get a grip with her feet.

Her hands were on the hood of the truck where the wipers come down, said Vernon as she choked back tears.

Shes hanging on and I keep thinking hes got to stop. I remember her looking up and looking at the driver. The truck makes this really abrupt, right-hand turn like you see something on the highway and you dont want to hit it.

Her leg got caught in the wheel rim of the truck and it just pulled her down real quick ... She couldnt hold onto the hood anymore. It pulled her under the truck and kept going.

Gerry Parcells told court his vehicle was cut off by the truck. He saw Rashidi climb up on the hood and said she was holding on to a bug deflector. He said she wasnt able to hold on once the vehicle swerved and she fell to the ground.

At that point, he just drove over her, said Parcells.

Im pretty sure she was under the front and under the back tires. She was kind of under the truck and rolling when I seen her.

Rashidi died in hospital a few days later.

Rashidi and her husband, Ahmed Mourani Shallo, had emigrated from Iran a year earlier. Both got engineering jobs in Calgary, but when the Alberta economy started to decline, they were laid off.

Rashidi took a job at a Centex station and had only been working there for a couple of weeks.

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OTTAWAJust over 800 Canadians received medical help to end their lives during the first six months of a federal law that restricts medical assistance in dying to individuals who are already near death.

An interim report by the federal government shows there were 803 medically assisted deaths between last June 17, when the law was enacted, and the end of December.

An additional 167 assisted deaths occurred prior to last June in Quebec, which adopted its own law on medically assisted dying in December 2015.

The report says only a tiny fraction  0.4 per cent  of the assisted deaths involved individuals who self-administered a lethal drug; the vast majority sought the aid of a medical professional.

Roughly an equal number of men and women, with an average age of about 72, took advantage of the new law, which allows assisted dying only for individuals in an advanced state of irreversible decline from an incurable condition and for whom natural death is reasonably foreseeable.

The report does not specify how many requests for assisted death were rejected.

The most common underlying medical conditions which prompted individuals to receive assistance to end their lives were cancer (56.8 per cent), neurodegenerative diseases like amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (23.2 per cent) and circulatory-respiratory conditions (10.5 per cent).

About half the assisted deaths occurred in hospitals, while some 37 per cent took place in the home, six per cent in long-term care facilities and seven per cent elsewhere, according to the report released Wednesday.

Some 65 per cent of the assisted deaths were in large urban centres, 34 per cent in smaller communities.

The statistics are somewhat sketchy given that the report is based on information provided to the federal government by provincial and territorial governments, which are responsible for the delivery of health care and which use different reporting methods.

Nor do they include data from Yukon or Nunavut, due to privacy concerns arising from the small numbers of individuals in those territories who received an assisted death.

The federal government is in the process of developing national regulations for collecting and publicly reporting on information related to requests for and provision of medical assistance in dying. Those regulations are not expected to come into force until next year.

In the meantime, federal and provincial governments are collaborating to issue interim reports, of which Wednesdays is the first.

The scope of data currently available on medically assisted deaths is relatively limited, the report acknowledges.

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OTTAWAForeign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland is shooting back at Donald Trumps anti-Canadian trade rhetoric saying she will be tough and strong in fighting for Canadas economic interests with the U.S.

Freeland also says she is optimistic a new softwood lumber deal can reached, and that it will be a win for Canada and the United States.

Freeland says she has had discussions with U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross in recent days and some progress has been made, but theres no sign of a deal yet.

Trump has criticized Canadas lumber and dairy policies, saying the latter is a disgrace that is hurting U.S. dairy farmers.

Ross has said that lumber and dairy have erupted as irritants because they are not properly addressed in the North American Free Trade Agreement, which Trump has threatened to scrap if it cant be renegotiated.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he told Trump in a Tuesday phone call that the U.S. commerce department levelled baseless allegations when it imposed new, unfair duties on Canadian softwood this week.

Its good to treat people with respect, Freeland said today in a conference call from Berlin, where she was attending G20 meetings.

Having said that, I want to assure you, and I want to assure Canadians that I am absolutely firm and absolutely tough and strong.

Freeland says the U.S. is dependent on Canadian softwood because its own industry cant meet its domestic demand.

Lumber prices are high right now, and the reality is the United States needs our lumber, she said. Middle class Americans who want to buy a house need Canadian lumber to do that.

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OTTAWAHelp keep our borders safe, read a recent fundraising pitch from the federal Conservative party  a plea the official Opposition is linking directly to the increased flow of asylum seekers crossing illegally into Canada.

Since January, nearly 1,900 people have been intercepted by the RCMP crossing into Canada. Asylum numbers in general are on the rise, projected to be at historic levels by years end.

The Conservatives lost the last federal election in part because of a perception they were too tough on the worlds most vulnerable; the Liberals won it with a pledge to open Canadas doors.

Read more:

Illegal border crossings into Canada continue to rise

Trump, tighter air travel rules behind surge of refugees at Canada-U.S. border, experts say

Stop standing by on border crossers, Manitoba premier Brian Pallister tells federal minister

But the asylum seekers coming illegally into Canada have opened up a political can of worms and now both parties are rethinking their approach, each with a careful eye to how the politics of immigration played out in the U.S.

Since Justin Trudeau issued his open invitation on Twitter that Canadians will welcome you, our country has seen an influx of asylum seekers illegally crossing our border from a perfectly safe country  the United States, the letter said.

It is during times like this that Canada needs strong, transparent leadership that will enforce our laws and keep Canadians safe, it continued. Help us set the course for victory in 2019.

In the Populism Project, The Canadian Press is exploring the factors behind Donald Trumps upset U.S. election win, testing them against Canadas current economic, social and political climate to gauge the possibility of a similar kind of political upheaval.

Trump seized on immigration policy as a sure vote-getter in his campaign, framing the status quo as a physical and economic threat to America.

We have no country if we have no border, he said during one debate, and his early executive orders pausing immigration from seven majority Muslim countries and a halt to refugee resettlement were direct follow-ups on campaign promises.

Trudeaus #WelcometoCanada message, posted on Twitter in response to those orders, was a natural follow-through for Liberals.

In 2015 ... I made a conscious choice to try to draw people together, to work on allaying fears rather than highlighting them and exacerbating them, Trudeau said in an interview last week with Bloomberg.

I was up against a government that ran on snitch lines against Muslims, and head scarf bans and a fear-filled narrative that Canadians chose to reject for the large part because there was a positive, inclusive solutions-based alternative on offer.

Tory fundraising efforts suggest that fear-filled narrative is emerging anew.

Many Conservative leadership candidates are taking hard-line stances, promising to step up border enforcement and deportations or close legal loopholes that allow those crossing illegally to file for refugee status.

Among them is Kellie Leitch. She visited the border town of Emerson, Man., over the weekend where hundreds of people have been coming across since January, and promised to deport the newcomers if elected prime minister.

Emerson is in a riding thats been Tory blue for more than 15 years, so theres not much political risk there for the Liberals if theyre seen as being soft on border controls.

Political wisdom in Canada also holds that Liberal messages of inclusion and diversity will win far more support with immigrants clustered in the riding-rich cities of Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver than the tough Tory talk.

Then again, everyone expected Trumps promised Mexican border wall and depictions of Mexicans as bad hombres would surely cost him the entire Latino vote. Instead, national exit polls suggested he won about 30 per cent.

An online Ipsos poll for Reuters last month suggested nearly half of Canadians surveyed wanted action, and expressed dissatisfaction with how Trudeau is handling the file.

If that turns into sustained political pressure, the fault could rest with the government, suggested Lori Wilkinson, director of Immigration Research West at the University of Manitoba.

The Liberals arent countering the misinformation being spread by their opponents as much as they should be, she said, nor doing enough to explain how well the current system is actually working.

It frustrates me that we dont talk about things more openly, but maybe informing people doesnt help the vote machine, she said.

Fear is more the driver here.

Some inside government say privately they agree with the Conservatives, and believe many border crossers are being pulled into Canada by Brand Trudeau, not pushed from the U.S. by Trump, as others have alleged.

But whats vexing Liberals is what kind of policy response they could take to both protect the border and their brand. Its not just a question of appeasing those on the right, but also holding onto the support they received from the left.

NDP leadership candidate Niki Ashton has pulled on populist threads on the border crosser question, positioning Trudeaus refusal to help asylum seekers cross legally into Canada as pushing marginalized people further onto the sidelines.

Theres room for a policy response, said Michael Donnelly, a political science professor at the University of Toronto who earlier this year helped publish a study on Canadian attitudes toward immigration.

If they took a big policy response and they framed it in a welcoming-refugees and in a pro-integration sense . . . the chunk of the public that is ever going to consider voting for them is going to give them a pass.

The Liberals do see another immigration-related political risk on the horizon  how the 40,000 Syrian refugees theyve brought to the country will settle in.

The perception that Syrians are getting better access to jobs, education and housing than other immigrants or those born in Canada is a problem the government has already identified, including in their evaluation of the first wave of the Syrian refugee program.

Integration challenges were also a key theme in last years annual government survey on immigration, which came before the end of the first year in Canada for most Syrian refugees, during which they get financial help from Ottawa or their sponsors.

With lower education levels and facility with English than previous groups of refugees, as well as larger families and greater medical needs, there is concern the population will take longer to achieve success, fuelling more government criticism.

When Trudeau has spoken up in recent weeks about Canadas immigration policy, his answer has been shifting from a previous focus on the benefit of welcoming refugees to the importance of their outcomes.

That could be a pre-emptive strike, suggested Andrew Griffith, the former director of multiculturalism and citizenship for the federal government.

Good politicians tend to fine-tune their messaging as needed, Griffith said. This may be perceived as such.

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MONTREALIt was five decades ago that Montreal welcomed the world to Expo 67, an international exhibition and iconic event that saw millions of visitors flock to the city over six months.

The event would put Montreal on the map and is remembered fondly by those who attended as drawing them into a futuristic fantasy world and opening their eyes to people and places theyd never experienced before.

Some 60 countries were part of the exhibition, which included architectural and technological marvels as part of nearly 100 pavilions that made up the 1967 International and Universal Exposition under the theme Man and his World.

Yves Jasmin, the events director of advertising, information and public relations, said he believes Expo, which coincided with the countrys centennial, also had a positive national impact.

I think it made Canadians, who are usually modest in their attestation of themselves, suddenly realize we could do something international and really get (others) ears pricked up, Jasmin, now 95, said in an interview.

After an opening ceremony with dignitaries on April 27, 1967, the exhibition opened to the public the following morning. Just two days later, a million visitors had already made their way through the turnstiles.

On a symbolic level, Expo 67 projected an image of Canadian unity, an international perception that remains today, said Mohamed Reda Khomsi, an urban studies professor at Universite du Quebec a Montreal, who added that Quebecs unique status is also widely understood.

Not even the famous Vive le Quebec, Vive le Quebec libre! yelled from the balcony of city hall by then-French president Charles de Gaulle that July has distorted the perception, Khomsi added.

The lasting image is one of a successful event and the view of a great people and country capable of doing great things, he said.

The event ran until Oct. 29, counting nearly 50 million visits and exceeding the expectations of organizers. Jasmin credits the use of the Expo 67 passport  instead of tickets  which allowed people to come and go.

Among the visitors was Rick Rake, an ex-Montrealer who was just nine when Expo 67 opened. He recalled fond memories of fishing in the canals between the pavilions, eventually visiting all of them, opening his eyes to the world.

It was like a dreamland of some sort  to see these things Id never seen before, Rake said. I didnt know about India or Africa or the space exhibit at the U.S. pavilion. Id never seen anything like that before, so it was like entering a fantasy world.

Expo 67 would serve as a laboratory of sorts for multi-screen cinematographic projections and one of the results was the inauguration of IMAX technology at the Expo in Osaka, Japan, in 1970.

The Expo came as somewhat of a surprise  Montreal lost out to Moscow in the initial bidding and only in 1962 did the then-Soviet capital bow out, leaving Montreal and its colourful mayor Jean Drapeau to swoop in.

After some debate about where to house the event, it was decided that man-made islands on the St. Lawrence River between Montreal and its southern suburbs would be the site.

Ile-Sainte-Helene was reshaped and made larger and Ile-Notre Dame was forged in part from rubble dug out during construction of Montreals subway system.

The site, a popular spot today, was key, Jasmin said. He credited Drapeau as the main motor of the event with his grandiose view and no shortage of ideas.

Only a handful of structures have withstood the test of time: the Biosphere, the Habitat 67 residential complex, the Casino de Montreal building and Place des Nations, which hosted the opening and closing events.

The Habitat 67 complex, designed by Israeli-Canadian architect Moshe Safdie, is an integrated series of blocks of housing units near downtown Montreals waterfront, built for Expo and declared a historic site by Quebec in 2009.

The Habitat building is made up of 354 identical, prefabricated concrete forms. They are arranged and stacked in various combinations, up to 12 stories high. Habitat was the first building ever designed by Safdie  an extension of his thesis project.

Well, its my first baby and its still definitely my most famous building and most radical building, he told The Canadian Press.

So for me it has a very special place in my heart. It gave me so many opportunities. Not that it was easy, because I had many opportunities to do other Habitats in the few years after Expo but none of them got built.

Safdie still owns a unit in the building.

The other notable remnant is the former U.S. pavilion, home to Montreals Biosphere museum since 1995.

The geodesic steel structure  80 metres in diameter  was designed by American architect Richard Buckminster Fuller for Expo 67 and was one of the most visited places. The plastic covering burned away in a 1976 fire.

But to see this ball (still standing today) when arriving on Ile-Sainte-Helene, its superb, even without the plastic coating, said Roger La Roche, a retired environment professor who worked at a lunch counter during Expo near the former U.S. pavilion. Youre able to feel what we felt inside the pavilion.

Jasmin said the major goal was attracting Americans and that convincing them to visit meant finding credible voices to attract them.

People with a pedigree and a following south of the border like crooner Maurice Chevalier and Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin  the first human to travel in space  would lend their names to help promote it.

We had a series of stars like that  international stars well known in the U.S.  speaking on behalf of their countries saying, Mine will be at this international exhibition, Jasmin said.

For Jasmin, success is measured by the sheer numbers of those who attended.

We knew that we were selling Montreal by promoting Expo, but there were not two objectives, there was one: selling Expo, he said.

Jasmin said he invested a lot of time wooing media, recalling one senior editors comments to him about Expo. A normally curmudgeonly journalist had returned from an Expo junket with a glowing review, prompting his boss to come see for himself.

That guy is an example  he was amazed by the exhibition and he was amazed by Montreal, Jasmin said. He told me: We always took this city for granted and its charming and what have you, now we realize its a great story. It (Expo) promoted Montreal by itself.

There have been recent calls for Montreal to bid for another Expo.

But Rake, a retired newspaper editor who eventually relocated to British Columbia, isnt convinced another Expo would have the same impact, given that the latest inventions and technology are now just a click away.

I dont know that it would be the same, Rake said. It was the right time, the right moment ... its one of those parties you cant really ever recreate.

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HALIFAXThe shortage of doctors in Nova Scotia is worsening as a growing number of physicians near retirement, recruitment levels lag and health needs become more complex, a medical group warned Wednesday.

Nancy MacCready-Williams, CEO of Doctors Nova Scotia, told the legislatures public accounts committee there are 118 doctor vacancies throughout the province.

As well, 1,300 of the 2,400 physicians currently practising are over the age of 50, and 630 are over 60, suggesting the shortage will become more acute as doctors wrap up their careers.

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The last two years, its been more pronounced than weve seen in previous years, she said after speaking to the committee. We just know weve got an aging demographic in our physician population and they need to retire and we need to recruit behind them.

It wasnt clear whether those vacancies were in specific geographic areas or took in certain specialties.

She said the Physician Resource Plan, developed by her group and the province in 2012, stated the province needs to recruit 100 doctors a year for the next decade to deal with retirements and an aging population with increasingly complex medical needs. Half of those will need to be family physicians and the remainder specialists, MacCready-Williams said.

Later in the day, a government source familiar with the upcoming provincial budget, to be tabled Thursday, told The Canadian Press the fiscal document is expected to include $2.4 million in annual funding to hire an additional 50 doctors a year.

Dr. Jeanne Ferguson, a geriatric psychiatrist in Cape Breton, said the lack of doctors is being sharply felt at hospitals in the area, which is short vascular and thoracic surgeons, geriatricians and infectious disease specialists. She said the people seeking a psychiatrist have to wait up to 354 days in Sydney, compared to about 80 days in Halifax.

We are in huge trouble here and this has only gotten worse over the last two years  its gotten considerably worse, she said. Were having real difficulties managing on a day-to-day basis.

Ferguson said the emergency room at the Northside General Hospital in North Sydney operates only from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. most days, and closes sometimes on weekends when there are no doctors to work the shifts. She said doctors there are being encouraged to work at the Cape Breton Regional Hospital nearby in Sydney with the promise of higher salaries.

The resulting shift of patients to the larger regional hospital has resulted in overcrowding and delays, she said.

We have a new bed designation in our emergency room at the Regional  its called the bed by the ice machine, she said. So the last thing we need in Sydney is 10,000 more visits a year from North Sydney.

Eddie Orrell, the provincial politician who represents the Northside area, said he went to the Northside hospital on Saturday after experiencing chest pains. He found the emergency room closed and had to call an ambulance to take him to the Sydney hospital, where he said he joined a lineup of other ambulances waiting to get in.

I think the ultimate goal is to close the ER, the Progressive Conservative politician said.

The complaints come just days before Premier Stephen McNeil is expected to call a provincial election, in which health care will likely figure prominently for his majority Liberal government.

Asked about the growing physician shortage, McNeil said improving access is part of a long-term reorganization of the health-care system.

It is a massive shift in how were trying to change health-care delivery, he said. I dont think you can do that overnight.

However, Progressive Conservative Leader Jamie Baillie said the Liberals restructuring of regional health authorities into one entity has done little to save money and direct it to better patient care.

What really is reaching a crisis is access to family doctors for all Nova Scotians, he said. The premier and the minister of health should be directing the health authority to get doctors in communities that need them. That is not happening.

NDP Leader Gary Burrill said the premier must recognize the health-care system is in crisis.

We have 106,000 people without a family doctor, overcrowded or closed emergency rooms, wait times of two to three years for surgery, and the budget for seniors care cut by $8 million, he said in a statement.

If this isnt a crisis, Id like to know what it will take to make the premier pay attention.

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Pilots flying an ORNGE air ambulance helicopter which crashed in northern Ontario were assigned despite lacking enough recent experience and the proper safety systems at their disposal, the Crown argued Tuesday during the first day of a labour trial against ORNGE.

The flight killed all four people on board the helicopter: captain Don Filliter and co-pilot Jacques Dupuy, as well as flight paramedics Chris Snowball and Dustin Dagenais. They died May 31, 2013 shortly after taking off from Moosonee, Ont., headed to Attawapiskat.

ORNGE was charged the following year under the Canada Labour Code in connection with the crash for allegedly failing to provide safe working conditions.

The Crown, in attempting to prove eight counts of wrongdoing by the company, argues that despite warning, it assigned the pilots to one of its hardest pieces of work, on its most basic equipment  lacking many of the available systems to increase safety, without ensuring that either had enough recent experience or training in night instrument flight to do it safely.

The crash was predictable and preventable, said Crown lawyer Nicholas Devlin. ORNGE didnt manage the risk (on the flight) but in fact maximized the risk.

Malcolm MacLeod, who had been the base safety officer for ORNGE in Moosonee at the time of the incident was the lone witness called upon Tuesday. He testified that more than eight months before the crash, he expressed concern to colleagues about potential safety risks.

In a Sept. 11, 2012 email, MacLeod, a helicopter pilot since 1976, said he was concerned about new hires in Moosonee being scheduled to work night shifts despite little to no experience flying in the area. This was coupled with the challenging nature of such flights due to the pitch darkness that resulted from the lack of lights on the ground.

This seems to me to be a real safety concern, Macleod wrote to ORNGEs safety manager in Toronto and its director of flight operations.

I feel that safety is being jeopardized in an effort to make sure the slots are filled, he wrote. Gentlemen the holes in the Swiss cheese are beginning to line up.

MacLeod said the Swiss cheese metaphor was meant as a reference to the various risks inherent to operating a helicopter, which should be minimized.

When all the holes line up, then there is an accident, he told court.

Defence lawyer Brian Gover pointed out that by the time of the incident in May 2013, neither Filliter nor Dupuy were considered new hires anymore.

They were properly trained and well-experienced pilots, Gover said.

Filliter had flown more than 11,000 hours in his career as a helicopter pilot, including 860 hours by night. He joined ORNGE in March 2013 after an absence of more than two years and hadnt flown in Moosonee at night in the two months prior to the incident since he was hired.

Dupuy had been working for ORNGE for nine months and had almost no real world night flying experience at all according to the crown.

Devlin argued the pilots would have benefited from night vision goggles, which were not provided by ORNGE nor federally mandated according to industry regulations. The helicopter also lacked an autopilot system and was one of the oldest and most basic in the companys fleet, the crown alleged.

The Sikorsky model S-76A helicopter crashed less than two minutes after takeoff about 800 metres north of the tarmac where it took off from at Moosonee Airport.

Sitting in court along with half a dozen family members, John Snowball, father of one of the paramedics killed in the crash, said he felt immense anger.

I want somebody to say we were negligent and were accountable for what happened,  he said outside court. Thats what Im looking for is accountability so at least Ill feel closure on this. Its tough. Ive got so much anger its not even funny because this was all preventable.

Snowball said the past four years have been terrible.

People tell you it always gets better later but it doesnt, he said. It never gets better. It just eventually gets worse and worse.

The trial continues Wednesday in a Brampton court.

On Monday, the court is expected to hear arguments in favour of unsealing the cockpit audio recording and transcript from the minutes before the crash.

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Jamie-Lee Ball doesnt plan to quietly let her nightmarish five days in the hallways of the Brampton Civic Hospital fade from public attention.

The 25-year-old is taking her place at the vanguard of a new movement among patients, hoping to draw attention to hospital overcrowding across Canada.

Like others whove gone public to describe indignities suffered in crowded hospitals this year, Ball is becoming an activist  starting petitions, complaining to Ontarios patient ombudsman, and pressuring politicians for improvements.

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Its overwhelming the response Ive received, she said in a telephone interview. A lot of people are realizing they can share their stories, and their hard-earned tax dollars spent on the health system mean they should have the basic necessities.

Balls mother, Lori Leckie, says: We want to be the face of this issue.

Ball was among several recent cases to emerge offering frightening accounts of Canadian hospitals struggling to cope with the flow of patients, long waits in emergency, and makeshift hallway medicine.

She arrived at Bramptons ER with intense abdominal pain on March 25. She says she was only admitted after collapsing and screaming in pain on the waiting room floor, and ended up spending five days in corridors on a gurney, unable to eat or drink for days as she awaited tests to diagnose the cause of her internal bleeding.

She likened her sleepless nights to a war scene, as she lay alongside other groaning patients lined up in a corridor behind cloth screens.

People say they can relate to the experience and ... theyre grateful somebody has finally spoken up, she said.

Ontario Finance Minister Charles Sousa told The Canadian Press his provincial budget Thursday will contain funding to deal with overcrowded hospitals, saying: We dont want people to be in hallways.

In Halifax, Kim DArcy told her story on Tuesday of how her dying husband Jack Webb spent over six hours on a gurney in the ER hallway of the Halifax Infirmary on Jan. 28. The 68-year-old was also bumped from a private room by another patient and overheard staff saying If he stops breathing, dont resuscitate in a recovery room during the final five days of his life.

The problems occurred as the emergency department called special code census alerts on 23 out of 30 days in that month, indicating the hospitals ER was unsafe due to overcrowding.

Webbs case has provoked opposition calls for a public investigation, with Nova Scotias governing Liberals committing to an internal review.

Meanwhile, in Abbotsford, B.C., friends and family have complained of a hasty ER assessment after the death of 56-year-old Mary Louis Murphy.

Murphy visited the hospital on Jan. 30 complaining of chest pains and died later that night after receiving some morphine and being sent home, says 25-year-old Andrew Grimeau, who Murphy was in the process of adopting prior to her death.

In Ottawa, Dana Whitman said she went to the Queensway Carleton hospital in late February and spent four-and-a-half hours in a waiting room despite having a fever card given to chemotherapy patients who should be treated quickly when their immune system is depleted.

Like Ball, the 55-year-old has been in touch with the hospital ombudsman and is looking for change.

Were paying for this through our taxes and its not working very well, said the law clerk.

Emergency room overcrowding, referred to in the Romanow royal commission 14 years ago as the canary in the coal mine for Canadian health care, has been a see-saw battle for decades. It is viewed by researchers as a sign of an inability to move patients into the main hospital wards.

Dr. Howard Ovens, the chief medical strategy officer for the Sinai Health System in Toronto, said Ontario hospitals experienced a surge over the past winter due to the flu, prompting them to come up with alternative locations for patients, ranging from hallways to lounges.

When this was combined with spending restraint and the rising age profile of Canadian patients, pressure on hospitals grew intense, said Ovens, who is also the lead adviser to the Ontario Ministry of Health for emergency services.

If I had to guess, Id say its probably gotten a little worse over the last couple of years, said Ovens.

Weve probably had worse periods in the past, but its probably worse in the last year than the few years before.

In a 2011 paper, Ovens documented how Ontarios 130 emergency departments started to tackle the problem through targeted spending, timely performance data, and a system of financial incentives for hospitals.

Data from the Canadian Institute for Health Information indicates national ER wait times are just over three hours for about 90 per cent of patients  close to the target suggested by the Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians.

However, Ovens said hospitals are continuing to struggle to meet the national goal of being able to shift most patients from ER into an in-patient bed within eight hours.

Some physicians are arguing more can be done to create a culture of efficiency and shared responsibility in hospitals.

Dr. Grant Innes, an emergency physician at the University of Calgary, co-authored a paper which studied 29 Canadian hospitals and found that patients were spending an average of about 48,000 hours a year in ERs due to being blocked from entry into other wards.

He calculates this is only about 1.5 per cent of overall bed hours at the hospitals, prompting him to argue much of the problem may be solved if hospitals improve their management of existing beds.

In our system, accountability is vague ... If nobody is accountable to solve a problem, solutions are unlikely to appear, he says, adding that too many medical departments are content to shift their problems into other parts of the hospital.

Ovens calls for more financial incentives for Canadian hospitals that perform well in finding ways to move beds through their system.

In Brampton, Leckie calls the situation a humanitarian crisis, and argues that both Ottawa and the provinces need to move rapidly to address a very basic service for Canadians.

This is a matter of physical pain and emotional pain, she said.

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WASHINGTONAgain and again, President Donald Trump heard the calls for condemnation: after bomb threats were called into Jewish community centers, after tombstones were overturned and swastikas were spray-painted at Jewish cemeteries, and after some of his supporters cheered his election with Hitler salutes and cries of Hail Trump!

Trump sometimes ducked and dodged, seemingly allergic to saying anything that hinted at political correctness. When he did condemn anti-Semitism, he did so without the gusto that many listeners wanted to hear.

But on Tuesday, his 96th day in office, Trump answered these calls forcefully and unambiguously.

This is my pledge to you: We will confront anti-Semitism, Trump vowed. We will stamp out prejudice, we will condemn hatred, we will bear witness and we will act.

Speaking at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museums Days of Remembrance event  the event was held under the U.S. Capitols historic dome, which stands as testament to American democratic principles  Trump confronted the scourge of anti-Semitism more directly than at any other time in his political life.

In a resolute 15-minute speech before several hundred people, Trump paid tribute to Holocaust victims and survivors, and he vowed to protect Israel from terrorists or others seeking the states destruction. Using words including evil, slaughter and genocide, he promised to never forget the horrors of Nazi Germany, which he called historys darkest hour.

Those who deny the Holocaust are an accomplice to this horrible evil, and well never be silent; we just wont, Trump said. We will never, ever be silent in the face of evil again.

These were not Trumps first formal remarks about anti-Semitism. He opened his February speech to a joint session of Congress with one sentence condemning hate and evil in all of its very ugly forms.

But it was the first time Trump devoted a set of remarks to anti-Semitism, which has existed in the United States for generations but seems to have found new strength in the alt-right nationalist movement that mobilized behind Trumps candidacy  and, on social media, a powerful new voice. The movement seeks a whites-only state. Its adherents are known for espousing racist, anti-Semitic and sexist points of view.

Trumps campaign stumbled time and again over how to address, or even whether to condemn, anti-Semitism around the country, including by some of his supporters. Those struggles followed Trump into the White House, where aides have been criticized for minimizing the Nazi genocide of the Jewish people before and during the Second World War.

This month, White House press secretary Sean Spicer appeared to suggest that Syrian President Bashar Assad had committed more egregious attacks on his people than did Adolf Hitler, who oversaw the extermination of more than 6 million Jews in Europe. Spicer quickly and repeatedly apologized for his comments.

In addition, one of Trumps national security aides, Sebastian Gorka, has been dogged by his alleged connections to anti-Semitic, Nazi-affiliated groups in Hungary, where he once lived.

Peter Wehner, an adviser and speechwriter in George W. Bushs White House, commended Trump for speaking out Tuesday about anti-Semitism but lamented that it was such a long time coming.

During the campaign he didnt seem willing or inclined to distance himself from the ugliness of his supporters. Today he did, and thats a good thing, said Wehner, now a senior fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center.

He added: Thats what you need a president to do  to speak not just for the whole country, but to give voice to moral truths and to stand up for decency. It wasnt clear whether he would do it, but he did it.

White House officials said Trump decided himself that he wanted to speak at Tuesdays Days of Remembrance event, and he took personal ownership of the drafting of his remarks.

On all matters pertaining to Israel, Trump is influenced by senior adviser Jared Kushner, his son-in-law, who helped him write a well-regarded speech on Israel during the primary campaign and has been the administrations chief liaison to the Jewish community.

Several other senior aides, including Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, National Economic Council director Gary Cohn and senior policy adviser Stephen Miller, are Jewish and accompanied Trump to Tuesdays event at the Capitol.

Trump has sought to align his presidency with the interests of Israel and has cultivated a warm relationship with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

In his Tuesday remarks, Trump said, As president of the United States, I will always stand with the Jewish people, and I will always stand with our great friend and partner, the state of Israel.

Trumps posture won praise from Ron Dermer, Israels ambassador to the United States, who celebrated the U.S. missile strike on a Syrian airfield, which Trump authorized in retaliation for Assads chemical weapons attack in that countrys civil war.

That decision was a defiance of indifference, Dermer said. And if evil triumphs when good men do nothing, we should all seek to live in a world that defies indifference.

A number of Holocaust survivors were in the audience and lit candles on stage.

You witnessed evil, Trump told them. Many of you lost your entire family, everything and everyone you loved gone. You saw mothers and children led to mass slaughter. You saw the starvation and the torture. You saw the organized attempt at the extermination of an entire peopleand great people, I must add. You survived the ghettos, the concentration camps and the death camps, and you persevered to tell your stories.

Trump spoke at length about the legacy of Elie Wiesel, the Holocaust survivor and political activist who died last summer, saying he had the gentle spirit of an angel who lived through hell and whose courage still lights the path from darkness.

Trumps remarks drew praise from some Jewish leaders who criticized him for his silence of timidity at earlier junctures.

It deeply matters that President Trump used the power of his office to stand against anti-Semitism and hate and to honor the memory of the six million Jews and millions of others murdered in Europe, Jonathan Greenblatt, chief executive of the Anti-Defamation League, said in a statement. But this spirit should not be restricted to Holocaust Remembrance Day. We very much hope the president will continue to use his bully pulpit to speak out against anti-Semitism, bigotry, and hatred in all forms.

After the election, Greenblatt vocally opposed Trumps selection of Stephen Bannon as his chief strategist in the White House because Bannon once led Breitbart, a conservative news organization that the ADL considers the premier website of the alt-right, a loose-knit group of white nationalists and unabashed anti-Semites and racists.

Trump previously faced accusations of anti-Semitism, including last year when as a candidate he tweeted a controversial graphic attacking his Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton, that had been circulating online in anti-Semitic circles. It featured Clintons face next to a Star of David on top of piles of money.

Within two hours, the tweet was deleted, and the image was posted again with a circle instead of the star. But for days, Trump sparred with reporters and critics over the tweet, which he defended by insisting that the image was a sheriffs star rather than a Jewish symbol.

The president who addressed Holocaust survivors on Tuesday seemed to be a different man than the candidate who refused to apologize for retweeting an anti-Semitic image.

We must never, ever shrink away from telling the truth about evil in our time, Trump said. Evil is always seeking to wage war about the innocent and to destroy all that is good and beautiful about our common humanity, but evil can only thrive in darkness.

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BEIJINGThe Chinese government, further tightening its grip on Muslims in western China, has prohibited parents from choosing names such as Muhammad, Arafat and Jihad for their children.

Officials described the ban, introduced this month, as part of an effort to curb religious fervour in the western region of Xinjiang, home to more than 10 million Uyghurs, a mostly Muslim minority group.

The government considers Xinjiang a hotbed of Islamic extremism, violence and separatist thought. But many Uyghurs say the governments strict limits on worship and speech are responsible for tensions in the region.

The list of names, a copy of which was provided to the New York Times by Uyghur activists, is titled, List of Banned Ethnic Minority Names. It bans more than two dozen names, including Mujahid and Medina.

Security officials in Urumqi and other cities in Xinjiang confirmed the ban. Some said in interviews that if residents did not comply, they risked forfeiting critical benefits for their children, including education and health care.

Rights advocates said the ban showed the lengths to which the government would go to limit the civil liberties of Uyghurs in the name of fighting terrorism.

Chinas policies are increasingly hostile, said Dilxat Raxit, a spokesperson for the World Uyghur Congress, a group in Munich that advocates self-determination for Xinjiang. Uyghur people have to be cautious if they want to give their children names they are happy with and, at the same time, avoid punishment from the government.

Sophie Richardson, the China director of Human Rights Watch, said that choosing baby names should be a joyful, private discussion.

This is the latest absurd restriction that the Chinese government has imposed on people in Xinjiang, she wrote in an email.

To combat what officials describe as extremism in Xinjiang, the Chinese government has put in place a series of restrictions in recent years. Earlier this month, for example, security officials imposed bans on long beards and veils in public places.

This year, officials held large rallies of paramilitary and police forces as a show of force in Xinjiang. The region has struggled with clashes between residents and security officials as well as occasional acts of domestic terrorism.

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SAN FRANCISCOA federal judge has blocked any attempt by the Trump administration to withhold funding from sanctuary cities that do not co-operate with U.S. immigration officials, saying on Tuesday that the president has no authority to attach new conditions to federal spending.

U.S. District Judge William Orrick issued the preliminary injunction in two lawsuits  one brought by the city of San Francisco, the other by Santa Clara County  against an executive order targeting communities that protect immigrants from deportation.

The injunction will stay in place while the lawsuits work their way through court.

Read the latest news on U.S. President Donald Trump

The judge rejected the administrations argument that the executive order applies only to a relatively small pot of money and said President Donald Trump cannot set new conditions on spending approved by Congress.

Even if the president could do so, those conditions would have to be clearly related to the funds at issue and not coercive, as the executive order appears to be, Orrick said.

Federal funding that bears no meaningful relationship to immigration enforcement cannot be threatened merely because a jurisdiction chooses an immigration enforcement strategy of which the president disapproves, the judge said.

It was the third major setback for the administration on immigration policy.

The Justice Department had no immediate comment.

San Francisco City Attorney Dennis Herrera said the president was forced to back down.

This is why we have courts  to halt the overreach of a president and an attorney general who either dont understand the Constitution or chose to ignore it, he said in a statement.

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Herrera said Trump should stop using the death of a woman shot along a waterfront pier by a man who was in the country illegally to politicize the issue of sanctuary cities.

Kate Steinle was walking with her father in 2015 when Mexican national Juan Francisco Lopez-Sanchez picked up a loaded gun and fired it, killing her. He said the gun went off accidentally.

Lopez-Sanchez had been freed from a San Francisco jail despite a federal immigration request seeking his detainer for deportation. San Francisco routinely ignores such requests.

Trump blasted San Francisco and said Steinles death showed the need to secure the countrys borders.

A Justice Department attorney, Chad Readler, had defended the presidents executive order as an attempt to use his bully pulpit to encourage communities and states to comply with the law.

And he said the order applied to only three Justice Department and Homeland Security grants that would affect less than $1 million for Santa Clara County and possibly no money for San Francisco.

But the judge disagreed, saying the order was written broadly to reach all federal grants and potentially jeopardizes hundreds of millions of dollars in funding to San Francisco and Santa Clara.

He cited comments by the president and Attorney General Jeff Sessions as evidence that the order was intended to target a wide array of federal funding. And he said the president himself had called it a weapon to use against recalcitrant cities.

The government hasnt cut off any money yet or declared any communities to be sanctuary cities. But the Justice Department sent letters last week warning communities to prove they are in compliance. California was informed it could lose $18.2 million.

After President Donald Trump signed an executive order exploring cutting off funding to so-called sanctuary cities, mayors on both coasts of the U.S. say their cities will not be bullied.

Sanctuary cities is a loosely defined term for jurisdictions that dont comply with immigration authorities.

The Trump administration argued that the executive order applied narrowly to cities that forbid officials to report peoples immigration status to federal authorities. Orrick said it could also be construed to apply to cities that refuse to hold jail inmates for immigration authorities.

The Trump administration says that sanctuary cities allow dangerous criminals back on the street and that the order is needed to keep the country safe. San Francisco and other sanctuary cities say turning local police into immigration officers erodes the trust that is needed to get people to report crime.

The order has also led to lawsuits by Seattle; two Massachusetts cities, Lawrence and Chelsea; and a third San Francisco Bay Area government, the City of Richmond. The San Francisco and Santa Clara County lawsuits were the first to get a hearing before a judge.

On Tuesday, mayors from several cities threatened with the loss of federal grants emerged from a meeting with Sessions saying they remain confused about how to prove their police are in compliance with immigration policies.

The sanctuary city order was among a flurry of immigration measures Trump has signed since taking office in January, including a ban on travellers from seven Muslim-majority countries and a directive calling for a wall on the Mexican border.

A federal appeals court blocked the travel ban. The administration then revised it, but the new version also is stalled in court.

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TOKYOAs North Korea conducted live-fire drills Tuesday and South Korea, Japan and the United States carried out their own military exercises, the White House said there is still room for a diplomatic resolution.

The more that we can solve this diplomatically and continue to apply pressure on China and other countries to use the political and economic tools that they have to achieve a goal in stabilization in the region, but also to tamp down the threat that North Korea faces, I think that that is something that we all share, said White House press secretary Sean Spicer.

Spicer said the cordial meeting U.S. President Donald Trump had with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Florida this month was paying off dividends. He boasted that this presidents relationships that hes building with heads of government is clearly re-establishing Americas place in the world and getting results for the country.

In a defiant bit of timing, however, Seoul announced Wednesday it had installed key parts of a contentious U.S. missile defence system. The Souths trumpeting of progress on setting up the Terminal High-Altitude Area Defence system, or THAAD, comes as high-powered U.S. military assets converge on the Korean Peninsula.

One of the largest U.S. guided-missile submarines showed up in the South Korean port of Busan, presaging the imminent arrival in the region of a naval strike group led by an aircraft carrier.

And the U.S. navy said aircraft from a carrier strike group headed for the Korean Peninsula were conducting a joint exercise Wednesday with Japans Air Self Defence Forces in waters south of Japan.

It followed a two-day exercise with two Japanese destroyers as the USS Carl Vinson group passed through the Philippine Sea en route to the Koreas.

Kim Jong Uns regime marked the 85th anniversary of the founding of North Koreas army Tuesday with its typical bluster.

If the enemies dare opt for the military adventure despite our repeated warnings, our armed forces will wipe the strongholds of aggression off the surface of the Earth through powerful pre-emptive nuclear attacks, Defence Minister Pak Yong Sik said in a televised speech before a hall filled with the countrys top brass.

Analysts had been concerned that North Korea might seek to mark important dates this month, the birthday of the states founder was celebrated with a huge military parade on April 15, with a nuclear or ballistic missile test. North Korea did launch a missile on April 16, but it exploded within seconds.

But on the latest anniversary Tuesday, the North instead conducted large-scale live-fire drills near Wonsan on its east coast, South Koreas joint chiefs of staff said.

The Souths Yonhap News Agency reported that the exercises were North Koreas largest to date, involving some 300 or 400 pieces of artillery, but the joint chiefs did not confirm the number.

Analysts warned against reading too much into the exercises with conventional weaponry, noting that North Koreas annual winter training cycle culminates in big exercises every year around this time.

Still, North Korea remains defiant despite mounting pressure from the Trump administration and, increasingly, China to stop its missile program.

China has a very, very important role to play to persuade North Korea to give up its nuclear ambitions, Joseph Yun, the U.S. special representative for North Korea policy, told reporters in Tokyo.

Yun met with his South Korean and Japanese counterparts Tuesday in Tokyo, and Chinas main point man on North Korea was also in town, in a sign that diplomacy is not entirely dead.

We agreed that we will strongly warn that North Korea should stop further strategic provocations, said Kim Hong-kyun, South Koreas representative. But we will take strong punitive action that the North could not bear if it pushes ahead with one despite the warning.

In New York, the UN Security Council scheduled a special ministerial meeting for Friday to discuss further sanctions on the regime in Pyongyang.

But with increasingly provocative statements and actions coming from North Korea, the emphasis is on military deterrence.

A navy destroyer, the USS Wayne Meyer, began maritime exercises Tuesday with a South Korean destroyer in the Yellow Sea, west of the Korean Peninsula. Separately, another destroyer, the USS Fitzgerald, was conducting drills with a Japanese destroyer in the Sea of Japan, also known as the East Sea, east of the Korean Peninsula.

Both exercises demonstrate a shared commitment to security and stability in Northeast Asia, the U.S. 7th Fleet said in a statement, as well as the U.S. Navys inherent flexibility to combine with allied naval forces in response to a broad range of situations.

Earlier, the navy announced that the USS Michigan, an Ohio-class guided-missile submarine, had arrived in Busan for a regularly scheduled port visit.

On Wednesday, the White House will hold a briefing on the North Korea situation for all 100 U.S. senators.

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WASHINGTONLegislation set to be introduced in the Senate on Wednesday would bar airlines from involuntarily removing passengers once theyve boarded a flight and eliminate the caps on the compensation they can receive if they are bumped.

The goal the bills sponsors, Sens. Maggie Hassan and Brian Schatz say, is to prevent a repeat of an incident at Chicagos OHare International Airport in which a Kentucky man was forcibly removed from his flight when he refused to give up his seat to accommodate airline crew members.

The Transparency, Improvements, and Compensation to Keep Every Ticketholder Safe (TICKETS) Act also calls for the secretary of transportation to review ticket overselling practices and consider whether limits should be placed on the number of tickets an airline can sell for a flight.

The horrifying incident on United Flight 3411 made clear that we need stronger consumer protections for the flying public, Hassan said. This common-sense legislation will help prevent incidents like that from happening again and help ensure that travellers are treated with greater fairness and respect by the airlines industry. I look forward to working across the aisle to improve travelling conditions for the public.

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United Airlines says it will ensure crew members traveling on its planes will be booked at least one hour prior to departure ? before passengers have boarded.

Added Schatz: It should go without saying that unless there is a security threat or a safety risk, paying customers should not be forcibly removed from an airplane. But given what happened earlier this month, we need to take action. Our bill will make sure that no matter who you are, passengers are treated with basic respect and dignity.

Airlines, however, would still have the right to remove passengers from a flight if they present a security or health risk.

On Tuesday, Illinois Reps. Jan Schakowsky and Raja Krishnamoorthi introduced a bill that contains some of the same elements of the Hassan-Schatz measure. It too, would bar airlines from forcing passengers who have already checked-in and boarded their flight from being involuntarily removed.

The Senate bill would require airlines to be more upfront about their policies for handling situations in which a flight is overbooked. Such policies would have to be noted on a passengers flight itinerary and receipt. The legislation also would require airlines to post their policies publicly at each gate.

The measure also addresses the question of how airlines handle seating when they need to accommodate crew members. Under the bill, airline crew who need seats on flights would have to check in 60 minutes prior to departure. United already has changed its policies to require crew members to check in an hour before departure.

The Associated Press has obtained surveillance video and radio traffic from the incident on a United Airlines flight where a man was violently removed from a flight in Chicago earlier this month.

The bill already has won the endorsement of the consumer advocacy group Public Citizen.

The legislation introduced by Senators Hassan and Schatz is a timely and overdue step to reassert the rights and importance of the American consumer in the marketplace and in our democracy, said Lisa Gilbert, vice president of legislative affairs for the non-profit group.

The measure is co-sponsored by Sens. Ed Markey, Catherine Cortez-Masto, and Richard Blumenthal.

Under current DOT rules, airlines must first ask for volunteers when there are not enough seats on a flight. If travellers are involuntarily bumped they are, with some exceptions, entitled to compensation. It is up to the airlines, however, to determine the amount and form of that compensation. The amount a passenger can receive is capped at $1,350 under DOTs rules. The TICKETS Act would remove that limit.

Hassan and Schatz were among a group of lawmakers who demanded answers from United following the April 9, incident. The airline has not responded.

United CEO Oscar Munoz has promised that the results of an investigation into the matter will be released by the end of the month.

The House is expected to hold hearings into the incident.

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LONDONUnited Airlines is investigating the death of a giant rabbit on one its trans-Atlantic flights, adding to a growing list of customer complaints for the U.S. carrier.

Distraught breeder Annette Edwards told The Associated Press by phone Wednesday that a veterinarian checked Simon, a 10-month-old, 3-foot (meter)-long continental rabbit, shortly before the animal was put on a flight from Londons Heathrow airport to Chicagos OHare. Simon had been purchased by a celebrity whom Edwards did not identify.

Simon had his vet check just before getting on the plane, she said. He was fit as a fiddle.

The airline said it was saddened by the news and had been in contact with Edwards to offer assistance.

The safety and well-being of all the animals that travel with us is of the utmost importance to United Airlines and our PetSafe team, the airline said in a statement.

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Edwards said the airline was examining CCTV images to determine what happened to the rabbit. United declined to comment on the matter beyond its statement.

United Airlines says it will ensure crew members traveling on its planes will be booked at least one hour prior to departure ? before passengers have boarded.

United had the second-highest level of animal deaths and injuries of any U.S. airline last year, or 2.11 per 10,000 animals transported, according to U.S. Department of Transportation figures. Only Hawaiian Airlines was worse at 3.99, the result of three deaths among the 7,518 animals transported.

United reported nine deaths and 14 injuries for a total of 23 incidents, the highest figures for each category among U.S. carriers. The airline transported 109,149 animals last year, second only to Alaska Airlines with 112,281. Alaska reported two deaths and one injury.

United is already working to repair its image after a passenger who would not give up his seat on an overbooked flight was dragged forcibly from a plane at OHare Airport in Chicago.

Airport security officers removed David Dao, a 69-year-old from Kentucky, from the United Express flight. Images of his bloodied face were widely circulated on social media, forcing United CEO Oscar Munoz to apologize.

Two weeks earlier, United was criticized after a gate agent stopped two young girls from boarding a flight because they were wearing leggings. The airline said leggings violate the dress code of the United Pass program, a benefit for employees and their dependants, under which the girls were flying.

The airline said last week that Munoz would not automatically become chairman of the carriers parent company, United Continental Holdings, next year as originally planned.

Munoz was widely faulted for his early responses to the incident where the passenger was dragged off the plane. He first blamed the passenger but later apologized repeatedly for Uniteds handling of the situation.

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PARISEmmanuel Macron was booed and whistled by striking factory workers in his hometown of Amiens, northern France, after an ambush by his nationalist rival Marine Le Pen forced him into a confrontation with some of her hardcore supporters.

Le Pen made a surprise visit to the Whirlpool Corp. plant on the edge of Amiens while election front-runner Macron was meeting with union leaders from the plant in the centre of town. Le Pen told reporters on the picket line that Macrons decision to meet the workers representatives behind closed doors showed his contempt for their plight, forcing her rival to change his plans and engage with the demonstrators live on television.

With the black smoke of burning tires whipped up by a cold wind and cries of Marine! President! punctuating his remarks, Macron tried to mount a defence of the European trade regime in the factory parking lot as angry demonstrators crowded around.

When she tells you the solution is to turn back globalization, shes lying, Macron told the workers, his comments picked by the microphones of more than 100 reporters witnessing the clash. We cannot outlaw firing. We must fight to find a buyer.

The factory has become a focus of the free-trade debate at the heart of the French election campaign because 280 jobs will be cut next year when the company shifts production to Poland.

For Le Pen, its the perfect example of how European elitists like Macron are selling out French workers with their commitments to free trade. Macron argues that her plans to put up barriers to trade and withdraw from the euro would cost France jobs, and that the government has to work to help companies compete.

Jobs at Risk

Although the 39-year-old rookie in his first political campaign is the strong favourite to win the presidential runoff on May 7, he needs to regain the initiative after stumbling at the start of the week. A survey by Harris Interactive released Wednesday showed 61 per cent of voters thought Le Pen had started the final stretch of campaigning well and 52 per cent thought Macron had done badly.

Cecile Delpirou, the CFE-CGC unions representative at the plant, said staff at Whirlpool had been given no warning of Le Pens visit. After a meeting with Macron, she said that hed promised to keep a close eye on the situation but what she really wanted was talks with factory managers who are refusing to discuss the workers situation.

Macron accused the French media of trivializing the threat posed by Le Pen and warned that the mainstream alliance that has blocked her party in the past has broken down at a press conference in Amiens before he headed over to the factory.

If Madame Le Pen is elected, this company closes. And I can mention dozens like it, Macron told reporters, citing a nearby Procter & Gamble Co. plant which exports 90 per cent of what it produces. Le Pens project will fix nothing of the Whirlpool problem, nothing.

Amiens is part of the Somme region, where Le Pen led in the first round with 30.4 per cent of the vote. Macron got 21.7 per cent.

Centrist Emmanuel Macron will face far-right leader Marine Le Pen in a May 7 runoff following a defeat on Sunday for the two political groupings that have dominated French politics for 60 years.

I Dont Understand

Though polls suggest Macron should win the runoff by about 20 percentage points, the first-round vote also underlined that the electorate is splintered. Between Le Pen, who wants to shut borders, and Communist-backed Jean-Luc Melenchon, who called for punitive levels of taxation and a rewriting of European Union treaties, more than 40 per cent of voters opted for extremist candidates.

Chantal Flahaut, a 57-year-old assembly line worker on the Whirlpool picket line, said shes been striking on and off all week and shes so sick of the situation in France that she didnt even register to vote on Sunday. Her T-shirt said Whirlpool Manufactures Unemployment.

I am so disgusted, she said. Macron is in favour of big companies like ours. Stop giving aid to multinational billionaires and give us our money.

Macron spoke to the strikers for almost an hour, some still booing throughout, but many engaging with him, while France 2 televisions special correspondent broadcast behind the candidate from a temporary set theyd erected.

Patrice Sinoquet from the CFDT union, who met with Macron earlier in the day, said 90 per cent of his members will be voting for Le Pen.

Macron is the worst of free-market politics, said Clement Pons, a 32-year-old unemployed man waiting outside the town-center meeting. Hes a globalist who will kill the working class. He makes me want to throw up. I dont understand his ideas.

Divided Country

The sparring in Amiens shows the depth of the frustrations in many parts of France after years of economic underperformance and a wave of terrorist attacks that Le Pen has blamed on immigration.

Macrons campaign ran into trouble on Monday when he faced widespread criticism for hosting a dinner for his team after their first-round success. Critics said he was taking voters support for granted and the dinner had been inappropriate, while Le Pens team said it was further evidence that hes an out-of-touch elitist who doesnt understand the struggles of ordinary people.

Benjamin Griveaux, an aide on the Macron campaign, said Le Pen was focusing on political stunts rather than trying to address voters problems.

If this is about tweets and selfies, then she hasnt understood whats at stake, Griveaux said. Shes fuelling her political ambitions with misery and suffering. What has she proposed? Nothing. We are trying to deal with the issues.

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NEW YORKA startling new report asserts that the first known Americans arrived much, much earlier than scientists thought  more than 100,000 years ago  and maybe they were Neanderthals.

If true, the finding would far surpass the widely accepted date of about 15,000 years ago.

Researchers say a site in Southern California shows evidence of humanlike behaviour from about 130,000 years ago, when bones and teeth of an elephantlike mastodon were evidently smashed with rocks.

The earlier date means the bone-smashers were not necessarily members of our own species, Homo sapiens. The researchers speculate that these early Californians could have instead been species known only from fossils in Europe, Africa and Asia: Neanderthals, a little-known group called Denisovans, or another human forerunner named Homo erectus.

The very honest answer is, we dont know, said Steven Holen, lead author of the paper and director of the non-profit Center for American Paleolithic Research in Hot Springs, South Dakota. No remains of any individuals were found.

Whoever they were, they could have arrived by land or sea. They might have come from Asia via the Beringea land bridge that used to connect Siberia to Alaska, or maybe come across by watercraft along the Beringea coast or across open water to North America, before turning southward to California, Holen said in a telephone interview.

Holen and others present their evidence in a paper released Wednesday by the journal Nature. Not surprisingly, the report was met by skepticism from other experts who dont think there is enough proof.

The research dates back to the winter of 1992-3. The site was unearthed during a routine dig by researchers during a freeway expansion project in San Diego. Analysis of the find was delayed to assemble the right expertise, said Tom Demere, curator of paleontology at the San Diego Natural History Museum, another author of the paper.

The Nature analysis focuses on remains from a single mastodon, and five stones found nearby. The mastodons bones and teeth were evidently placed on two stones used as anvils and smashed with three stone hammers, to get at nutritious marrow and create raw material for tools.

Patterns of damage on the limb bones looked like what happened in experiments when elephant bones were smashed with rocks. And the bones and stones were found in two areas, each roughly centred on whats thought to be an anvil.

The stones measured about 20 centimetres to 30 centimetres long and weighed up to 14.5 kilograms. They werent handcrafted tools, Demere said. The users evidently found them and brought them to the site.

The excavation also found a mastodon tusk in a vertical position, extending down into older layers, which may indicate it had been jammed into the ground as a marker or to create a platform, Demere said.

The fate of the visitors is not clear. Maybe they died out without leaving any descendants, he said.

Experts not connected with the study provided a range of reactions.

If the results stand up to further scrutiny, this does indeed change everything we thought we knew, said Chris Stringer of the Natural History Museum in London. Neanderthals and Denisovans are the most likely identities of the visitors, he said.

But many of us will want to see supporting evidence of this ancient occupation from other sites, before we abandon the conventional model of a first arrival by modern humans within the last 15,000 years, he wrote in an email.

Erella Hovers of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and the Institute of Human Origins at Arizona State University in Tempe, who wrote a commentary accompanying the work, said in an email that the archeological interpretation seemed convincing. Some other experts said the age estimate appears sound.

But some were skeptical that the rocks were really used as tools. Vance Holliday of the University of Arizona in Tucson said the paper shows the bones could have been broken the way the authors assert, but they havent demonstrated thats the only way.

Richard Potts of the Smithsonian Institutions National Museum of Natural History, said he doesnt reject the papers claims outright, but he finds the evidence not yet solid. For one thing, the dig turned up no basic stone cutting tools or evidence of butchery or the use of fire, as one might expect from Homo sapiens or our close evolutionary relatives.

The lead author, Holen, told reporters Tuesday that he and co-authors were ready for such criticism.

We expected skepticism because of the extremely old age of this site, he said. I think we made a very good case.

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WASHINGTONThe Trump administration told lawmakers Wednesday it will apply economic and diplomatic pressure on North Korea to dismantle its nuclear weapons program, as an extraordinary White House briefing served to tamp down talk of military action against an unpredictable and increasingly dangerous U.S. adversary.

President Donald Trump welcomed Republican and Democratic senators before his secretary of state, defence secretary, top general and national intelligence director conducted a classified briefing. The same team also met with House members in the Capitol to outline the Norths escalating nuclear capabilities and U.S. response options to what they called an urgent national security threat.

After weeks of unusually blunt military threats, the joint statement by the agency chiefs said Trumps approach aims to pressure North Korea into dismantling its nuclear, ballistic missile and proliferation programs by tightening economic sanctions and pursuing diplomatic measures with our allies and regional partners. It made no specific mention of military options, though it said the U.S. would defend itself and friends.

The unprecedented meeting in a building adjacent to the White House reflected the increased American alarm over North Koreas progress in developing a nuclear-tipped missile that could strike the U.S. mainland. A flurry of military activity, by North Korea and the U.S. and its partners on and around the divided Korean Peninsula, has added to the worlds sense of alert.

While tensions have increased since Trump took office, theyve escalated dramatically in recent weeks as American and other intelligence agencies suggested the North was readying for a possible nuclear test. Although such an explosion hasnt yet occurred, Trump has sent high-powered U.S. military vessels and an aircraft carrier to the region in a show of force, while the North conducted large-scale, live-fire artillery drills, witnessed by national leader Kim Jong Un, earlier this week.

On Wednesday, South Korea started installing key parts of a contentious U.S. missile defence system that also has sparked Chinese and Russian concerns.

Americas Pacific forces commander, Adm. Harry Harris Jr., told Congress on Wednesday the system would be operational within days. He said any North Korean missile fired at U.S. forces would be destroyed.

If it flies, it will die, Harris said.

The Trump administration has said all options, including a military strike, are on the table. But the administrations statement after briefing senators  all 100 members were invited  outlined a similar approach to the Obama administrations focus on pressuring Pyongyang to return to long-stalled denuclearization talks. Trumps top national security advisers said they were open to negotiations with the North, though they gave no indication of when or under what circumstances.

The strategy hinges greatly on the co-operation of China, North Koreas main trading partner.

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China is the key to this, said Republican Sen. John McCain of Arizona, who got a preview of Trumps message at a dinner with the president this week.

Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff of California agreed. I think the best approach for the administration is to bring the maximum pressure to bear diplomatically on China, as well as North Korea, but otherwise to walk softly and carry a big stick, he told reporters after attending the Capitol Hill briefing Wednesday.

Among the options are returning North Korea to the U.S. state sponsor of terrorism blacklist, which Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said last week was under consideration. His spokesman, Mark Toner, said Wednesday that another tactic is getting nations around the world to close down North Korean embassies and consulates, or suspending them from international organizations.

But sanctions will be the greatest tool at the Trump administrations disposal. Tillerson is chairing a U.N. Security Council meeting Friday designed to get nations to enforce existing penalties on North Korea and weigh new ones.

Testifying before the House Armed Services Committee, Harris said he expects North Korea to soon be able to develop a long-range missile capable of striking the United States, as Kim has promised. One of these days soon, he will succeed, Harris said.

North Koreas U.N. mission said Wednesday the nation would react to a total war with Washington by using nuclear weapons. It vowed victory in a death-defying struggle against the U.S. imperialists.

Trump, like presidents before him, faces difficult options. Sanctions havent forced Pyongyang to abandon its nuclear efforts, but a targeted U.S. attack to take out its weapons program risks a wider war along a heavily militarized border near where tens of millions of South Koreans live. The threat would extend to nearby Japan, another country North Korea regularly threatens.

China has urged restraint by both Pyongyang and Washington. In Berlin Wednesday, Foreign Minister Wang Yi said North Korea must suspend its nuclear activities, but on the other side, the large-scale military manoeuvres in Korean waters should be halted. That was a reference to U.S. and South Korean war games.

China opposes the Terminal High-Altitude Area Defence system, or THAAD, being installed in South Korea, rejecting American assurances that it will only target North Korean missiles. Russia also sees the systems powerful radars as a security threat.

In Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said THAAD would upset the regions strategic balance. China will take necessary measures to defend our own interests, he promised.

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WASHINGTONMuch ado about nothing.

U.S. President Donald Trump announced Wednesday night that he has no immediate plans to terminate the North American Free Trade Agreement, ending a day of speculation that he might do just that.

Trump made the decision after speaking Wednesday afternoon with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto.

Read the latest news on U.S. President Donald Trump

Both conversations were pleasant and productive. President Trump agreed not to terminate NAFTA at this time and the leaders agreed to proceed swiftly, according to their required internal procedures, to enable the renegotiation of the NAFTA deal to the benefit of all three countries, the White House said in a statement. President Trump said, It is my privilege to bring NAFTA up to date through renegotiation.

The rumours were fuelled by reports in Politico and the New York Times that people in Trumps administration had drafted an executive order that would begin the process of taking the U.S. out of the agreement.

Bloomberg reported that some administration officials wanted him to make a dramatic move before the symbolically important 100th day of his administration, when the media would be assessing his early progress.

NAFTA cannot be immediately cancelled. The draft Trump order would have triggered a six-month notice period, after which the U.S. could have withdrawn or not withdrawn.

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In February, U.S. President Donald Trump said he wanted to add a second "F" for "Fair" to the NAFTA acronym and that he would like to speed up talks to either renegotiate or replace the deal.

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Re: Torontos art school students mostly white, from high-income families, study finds, April 24

Torontos art school students mostly white, from high-income families, study finds, April 24

As a graduate of one of the arts-based high schools in Toronto, I was not surprised by the data of Dr. Gaztambide-Fernandezs study that highlights a concern about their demographics. However, his suggestion that audition criteria and curricula are too narrow and exclusionary is inaccurate and misleading. The issue is an economic, not artistic, one.

The prime factor in a students admission to an arts-based school is their likelihood of success in the program  not their particular discipline. If the hip-hop dancer is skilled and passionate about art, the school would be excited to have them. The suggestion that they would be excluded because they dont practice a more traditional art form is nonsense. The arts are a meritocracy and practice inclusivity on that basis.

Feeder schools that provide the majority of the successful applicants to arts high schools tend to have strong arts programs. An almost certain prerequisite for that is a passionate advocate for the arts on staff (a principal, for example). Beyond that, a significant factor is the economic affluence of the school area.

As school board discretionary budgets have shrunk, either through decreased funding or rising teacher salaries, arts education funding has been gutted. In short, the government has shirked its responsibility to a broad arts education for everyone.

Lets not conclude artistic elitism or even racism is at fault, as Dr. Gaztambide-Fernandez suggests. More affluent schools tend to have stronger arts programs because parents, either through the public sector or supporting school councils, provide it. The solution lies in having fair and effective arts funding for everyone.

Scott Harrison, Toronto

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AT&T (T) - Get Free Report Chairman and CEO Randall Stephenson described the intersection of an increasingly bruising wireless market with a softer touch from Washington on taxes and regulation, in the company's first-quarter earnings call after the market close on Tuesday.

The Dallas-based telecom met Wall Street's expectations with earnings of 74 cents per share, but revenue of $39.4 billion came in lower than analysts' expectations of $40.53 billion. During the first three months of 2016, AT&T earned 72 cents a share on revenue of $40.5 billion. AT&T shares were down slightly in after-hours trading Tuesday to $39.75.

Increasing wireless competition with the introduction of unlimited plans has been a theme in first-quarter earnings call. AT&T lost 353,000 total consumer mobile subscribers, including 66,000 postpaid accounts.

"This has made an already competitive market even more so," Stephenson told investors, referring to unlimited plans. AT&T does better in markets where it can bundle wireless, broadband and pay-TV services, he added.

The industry may look back at this time as a moment when "the battle for network reach and capacity really began," he told investors.

While competition in wireless and video is tougher, AT&T described a lighter touch in Washington.

The telecom's purchase of Time Warner (TWX) is now before the Department of Justice, and AT&T suggested that the Federal Communications Commission will not review the deal because it does not involve a transfer of licenses. The deal values Time Warner's equity at $85.4 billion and, including debt, carries a $108.7 billion price tag.

Meanwhile, FCC Chairman Ajit Pai will discuss the future of Internet regulation in Washington on Wednesday. The Trump administration has taken a deregulatory stance and reports suggest that Pai will outline plans to terminate net neutrality rules, which span from prohibitions on blocking content to potential regulations on pricing Internet service.

"We do condtinue to support fundamental tenets of net neutrality," Stephenson said. AT&T has criticized regulations that would treat broadband like a utility. "We do continue to think it's illogical to regulate the Internet using rules put in place 83 years ago for the rotary dial telephone," Stephenson said.

AT&T also addressed tax policy.

Stephenson said that cutting the corporate tax rate to 25% to 27% is "probably inherently achievable." He noted that President Trump has pushed his team to get to a 15% rate.

"We would obviously stand up and cheer," he said, but noted such a move would be complicated, dealing with deficits to adjusting other taxes and working through changes in Washington.

"There is going to be a lot of thrashing on this," Stephenson predicted.

AT&T suggested that its spectrum position will enable it to compete in a tougher marketplace. The company is acquiring $910 million in spectrum from a government auction and is picking up more licenses with the pending purchase of Fiber Tower.

The telecom won a federal contract to develop a wireless broadband network for police, fire and emergency medical first responders. As part of the arrangement, the company will gain spectrum and can use excess capacity for its commercial service.

One of its spectrum bids has become more complicated, as a rival suitor is trying to bust up its $1.6 billion purchase of Straight Path (STRP) . AT&T has five days to consider making a higher bid and Stephenson said AT&T is weighing its options.
While luxury products are thriving, it's challenging selling soap and toilet paper.

Procter & Gamble's (PG) - Get Free Report mixed third fiscal quarter, reported Wednesday, was blamed on a "slowdown in market growth, continued geopolitical disruptions and foreign exchange challenges," the company's CEO, chairman and president David Taylor said in a statement.

"Against this backdrop, we delivered modest organic sales growth and double-digit Core EPS growth, and we increased the quarterly dividend for the 61st consecutive year," Taylor added. P&G's CFO Jon Moeller told TheStreet a big contributor to the sluggish results were delayed tax refunds. It's a factor that weighed on first quarter results at other consumer companies such as PepsiCo (PEP) - Get Free Report , Unilever (UL) - Get Free Report and Foot Locker (FL) - Get Free Report , too.

"It's a big deal for lower income consumers," Moeller said, adding that sales improved in March as tax checks started to hit accounts.

P&G reported net sales at $15.6 billion, a slide of 1% vs. the prior year, including a 2% negative impact from foreign exchange. Organic sales increased 1%, fueled a 1% increase in organic shipment volume. Pricing and mix were flat.

Shares of P&G dropped 1.1% to $89.00 in premarket trading Wednesday morning.

"Organic sales was weak, but likely somewhat expected given recent HPC reports," Wells Fargo analyst Bonnie Herzog wrote in a note. "We expect share reaction will depend on commentary surrounding the category/competitive environment."

With continued sluggish sales expected, P&G plans redouble its focus on "irresistibly superior" products. These moves are "required to prevent commoditization of our categories" and maintain market share in a low-growth environment, Moeller said on a call with analysts.

"Where we drive market growth, we almost inevitably build share," he said. "If we gain a small amount of share of a market that's stable or declining, that's a small victory. A large victory is driving market growth and capturing a disproportionate amount of that growth, and there's huge value creation in that. So these are not separate concepts. They augment each other. The sustainability of growth that occurs when we're driving market growth is much, much higher than if all the growth is simply coming from somebody else."

He cited P&G's 2014 entry into the adult incontinence category. "We had a very, very clear objective...that we communicated with our retail partners that our job was to grow that category," he said. "We basically doubled the growth rates in both the US and Western Europe as part of that launch and we're doing very well. We obviously built our share from 0 to meaningful. so the concepts aren't divorced."

To ensure that it's selling irresistibly superior products, P&G is also redeveloping its assessments of its products, moving to a holistic model including behavioral metrics. P&G's Tide Pod laundry detergents are a good "irresistible" example, with P&G holding an 80% share of the laundry pod category and the product leading Tide's growth.

Packaging and brand messaging should also be "irresistible," beginning with the "moment of truth" in stores, Moeller emphasized, in contrast to other HPC companies, which have de-emphasized packaging as more sales occur online, away from the shelves. Online sales accounted for 5% of P&G's total sales and grew 30% this quarter.

"There's a new momentum of truth in e-commerce," he explained. "There's the first moment of truth on the site, and the second moment of truth when you open that brown box and see what's inside it. That can be a delighter or a detractor, and we want it to be a delighter," with packaging as the primary determinant. And in "the 95% of the business that continues to be in bricks and mortars," packaging is a crucial way to attract, educate and maintain customers, he added.

P&G's e-commerce business is primarily focused in the United States, China, and northeast Asia, especially Korea, with China expected to be an even larger market going forward.

"U.S. development in e-commerce is very different by category, with some of the bulkier and heavier categories appealing to people online," like diapers, and "items where more specialized attention is seen as a benefit, like skincare." P&G claims it prefers to be agnostic with regard to channel.

"There has been a lot of talk about...what happens to big brands, businesses like P&G, in an e-commerce context, and is that good or bad," he said. "We believe it's good, that we can be very effective in an e-commerce world." P&G's aggregate market share is about the same online as it is offline, he added.

"People who prognosticate the demise of big brands in e-commerce refer to lower barriers to entry and to what I call the land of limitless assortment," which can both benefit and harm sales of P&G products. "A typical shopper exposes themselves to a smaller assortment online than they do offline," he noted. "When they go to the store they're exposed to whatever's there. Very few shoppers click through to the third or fourth page of the search. What typically shows up on the first page is the more popular offerings, the larger offerings. Then there are tools like subscriptions that allow us to increase the loyalty of those consumers to our brand. So there's many aspects of that environment that we see as advantages. But we also like our odds in brick and mortar environments."

Of P&G's five segments, only one, Grooming, reported a sales decrease; P&G blamed the 6% decline on price reductions of its Gillette razor and shave products as it loses market share to startups like Dollar Shave Club, which Unilever acquired for $1 billion last year.

"if you look at US shave care volume shares over the last twelve months, we're down 3.6%," but up 0.7% over the past month, Moeller said. "There's underlying progress" in improving P&G's share, even before P&G implements price reductions. "It should improve our volume share position and allow us to increase consumption, or at least remove a barrier to consumption," even if it decreases margins.

Moeller clarified on the call that irresistible superiority doesn't necessarily connote more expensive products. Rather, it occurs "across the pricing ladder."

"We need an irresistibly superior product and package at the three-bladed systems market," he said, using razors as an example of the irresistible superiority concept. "We need the same thing at the high end of the market. It's a very granular approach" targeting each consumer group.

Besides U.S. shave, Moeller said P&G's weakest offering is baby care in China.

"We don't have a competitive product, much less an irresistibly superior product" in that market, he said. "We have an entry that we're very excited about that will launch in that segment in August." The baby care product launch "is designed to combat" P&G's biggest problem in China, which is "that we're not premium enough."

The Cincinnati-based company has identified over $10 billion in cost savings opportunities.

P&G maintained its guidance for organic sales growth in the range of 2% to 3% for fiscal 2017, but conceded it's currently at the low end of that range. The company expects all-in sales to be down 1%.

Jim Cramer and the AAP team hold a position in PepsiCo for their Action Alerts PLUS Charitable Trust Portfolio. Want to be alerted before Cramer buys or sells PEP? Learn more now.
Chinese technology company Tencent Holdings (TCEHY) opened a data center in Silicon Valley, its first location in the United States, as the company makes good on its plans to increase its cloud computing capabilities.

Tencent joins Alibaba (BABA) - Get Free Report as the only two Chinese companies with a presence in the technology hub of Silicon Valley.

The Chinese market for cloud infrastructure as a service rose 68% to $1.47 billion in 2016. Alibaba controls 40% of that market with Microsoft (MSFT) - Get Free Report being the top foreign competitor with 5% of the market, according to the Wall Street Journal.
China Mobile (CHL) - Get Free Report, a Chinese state-owned telecommunication firm, has denied reports that it was interested in purchasing a majority stake in Singapore telco M1, Chinese financial news site AAstocks.com reports.

Last week top shareholders in M1, Malaysia's Axiata Group, Singapore Press Holdings and Keppel Telecommunications & Transportation, approached both China Mobile and private equity firms to try and offload their combined stake, according to Reuters.

Together they own 61% of the shares in M1.Had the deal come to fruition, it would have represented China Mobile's biggest ever overseas acquisition.

Shares of China Mobile were higher during mid-morning trading on Wednesday.

(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.)
Saudi officials say that they stopped a remote controlled boat laced with explosives from reaching a fuel terminal owned by Saudi Aramco, the world's largest oil company.

The Saudis blamed Houthis, a terrorist group, based in neighboring Yemen and are suspected of being aligned with Iran. Saudi Arabia is leading a coalition to combat the Houthis.

The interior ministry said that the boat was being tracked the moment it left a small Yemeni island and as it accelerated when it entered Saudi territorial waters.
Airbus (EADSY) - Get Free Report CEO Thomas Enders is under investigation by prosecutors in Vienna for suspected fraud in connection with a $2 billion Eurofighter aircraft ordered by Austria over a decade ago, Reuters reports.

Documents reviewed by Reuters noted Enders as one of those accused in the investigation, and a spokeswoman for the Vienna prosecutors' office said that information was correct.

"I can confirm that," the spokeswoman Nina Bussek told Reuters, while Airbus spokesman Martin Aguera declined to comment.

Shares of Airbus were lower during midday trading on Wednesday.

(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.)
Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross plans to announce a plan that will launch a probe into imported aluminum, CNBC reports.

Ross told the Wall Street Journal earlier today that the Trump administration was considering launching trade actions to protect the U.S. aluminum, semiconductor and shipbuilding industries, while at the same time ramping up free-trade talks with the EU, Japan, and the UK.

The New York Daily News reported earlier this week that President Trump could sign an executive order directing the Commerce Department to investigate whether foreign aluminum imports harm national security.

(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.)
Secretary of Energy Rick Perry criticized Europe for failing to live up its promise to battle climate change and called for the 2015 Paris Climate Change Agreement to be reworked. Germany responded to Perry's comments, calling a revamp of the accord "absurd."

"That is, in the first place absurd, and secondly from the U.S. point of view completely unnecessary," German environment ministry spokesman Michael Schroeren told Bloomberg. "The Paris accord is a dynamic accord. It allows signatory states much flexibility."

Perry had said that Germany and other European nations were "cheerleading" the Paris agreement, while allowing pollution in their nations to increase.

(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.)
Sure, Donald Trump's proposed tax cuts would be great for business, Jim Cramer told his Mad Money viewers Wednesday, but your portfolio will be just fine without them. That's because the driving force in the stock market remains earnings, and this week especially, positive earnings news seems to be appearing every 15 minutes.

As for those proposed tax cuts, Cramer said that Trump's plan to reduce corporate taxes from 36% to 15% seems big, but the average effective tax rate for most businesses is only 19%, so it's really not that big after all.

For a company like Walt Disney (DIS) - Get Free Report , a 15% tax rate would be a big deal, Cramer said. But Disney is already flush with cash, which means that the company would likely just return that extra cash to shareholders in the form of dividends and stock buybacks.

The real question is whether any of these tax proposals will pass Congress, a question that has Cramer skeptical. Fortunately, with earnings so strong, investors don't need to worry about the effects of tax cuts until we actually know what we're likely to get, and when we're likely to get them.

Meanwhile, over on Real Money, Cramer takes a close look at the types of companies that could benefit from a cut in the corporate tax rate and what they could do with that money. Get his insights with a free trial subscription to Real Money.

Executive Decision: Waste Management

For his "Executive Decision" segment, Cramer again spoke with Jim Fish, president and CEO of Waste Management (WM) - Get Free Report , which just posted earnings that included 14% earnings-per-share growth. Shares fell 2.6%.

Fish said that he doesn't understand the decline in his company's share price, especially after such a strong quarter. He said that Waste Management will be buying 150 more trucks this year than last year to help keep up with growth, and they expect the industrial economy to grow faster than the overall economy, which will be good for their business, especially their hazardous waste business.

When asked about their natural gas usage, Fish said that about 40% of Waste Management's fleet now runs on natural gas and that number increases every year. He said customers like the cleaner vehicles and the company saves on both fuel and maintenance costs.

Cramer said he remains a fan of Waste Management.

Bright Outlook for Oil Pipelines

A new era is dawning for the oil pipeline industry and there's one company that has the best assets and the best growth: Enbridge (ENB) - Get Free Report .

Enbridge currently operates 17,500 miles of pipeline and carries 68% of the southbound oil out of Canada into the U.S. The company is also acquiring Spectra Energy, a deal Cramer called "transformational" as it will give Enbridge $10 billion of future growth.

Cramer said it's no secret that President Trump is a fan of oil pipelines, after approving the Keystone XL project during his first days in office. With oil at $49 a barrel, there is a huge shortage of pipelines in our country, which makes Enbridge the prefect way to invest in oil without being beholden to the daily moves.

Investors shouldn't worry about Trump's recent tariffs on Canadian lumber, Cramer said, as pipelines use American steel and create American jobs.

The Real Reason Behind the Move

When a stock falls after it reports earnings, it doesn't always mean there's something wrong, Cramer told viewers. Case in point, Pepsico (PEP) - Get Free Report , Boeing (BA) - Get Free Report , Procter & Gamble (PG) - Get Free Report and Texas Instruments (TXN) - Get Free Report , all of which fell after they reported, but not for the reasons you might think.

Cramer said all four of these stocks fell for technical reasons, and that means they're now on sale and it's a great time to buy. PepsiCo simply ran up too far ahead of the quarter, Cramer said, while Boeing shares have been soaring every since the election in November. Procter reported nothing fabulous this quarter, but the company does have an activist investor that's sure to produce results.

Finally, there's Texas Instruments, a reliable company that, frankly, most investors find boring. But Cramer noted that not every company needs to be a sexy growth stock. In fact, every portfolio needs slow, reliable names like Texas Instruments.

So take the weakness in these four stocks as a gift, Cramer concluded, and start buying.

Lightning Round

In the Lightning Round, Cramer was bullish on Wingstop (WING) - Get Free Report , Sanofi (SNY) - Get Free Report , Micron Technology (MU) - Get Free Report , Apollo Global Management (APO) - Get Free Report , The Blackstone Group (BX) - Get Free Report and Nisource (NI) - Get Free Report .

Cramer was bearish on Buffalo Wild Wings (BWLD) and Energy Transfer Partners (ETP) .

Am I Diversified?

In the "Am I Diversified" segment, Cramer spoke with callers and responded to tweets sent via Twitter to @JimCramer to see if investors' portfolios have what it takes for today's markets. The first portfolio included Allergan (AGN) - Get Free Report , Twilio (TWLO) - Get Free Report , Cisco Systems (CSCO) - Get Free Report , Etsy (ETSY) - Get Free Report and Target (TGT) - Get Free Report .

Cramer said this portfolio can't have two tech plays and two retailers. He advised selling Twilio in favor of United Technologies (UTX) - Get Free Report and Etsy for McDonald's (MCD) - Get Free Report

The second portfolio's top holdings included Caterpillar (CAT) - Get Free Report , Deere & Co. (DE) - Get Free Report , Prospect Capital (PSEC) - Get Free Report , Realty Income (O) - Get Free Report and Chimera Investment (CIM) - Get Free Report .

Cramer said to get rid of Chimera and add UnitedHealth Group (UNH) - Get Free Report to be properly diversified.

The third portfolio had Goldman Sachs (GS) - Get Free Report , EOG Resources (EOG) - Get Free Report , Tesla (TSLA) - Get Free Report , Facebook (FB) - Get Free Report and Celgene (CELG) - Get Free Report as its top five stocks.

Cramer said this portfolio was exactly what he wants to see.

Cramer and the AAP team are bringing Nucor NUE out of the bullpen and into the portfolio. Find out what they are telling their investment club members about steel. Get a free trial subscription to Action Alerts PLUS.

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At the time of publication, Cramer's Action Alerts PLUS had a position in PEP, AGN and CSCO.
Kronos Worldwide, Inc. produces and markets titanium dioxide pigments (TiO2) in Europe, North America, the Asia Pacific, and internationally. The company produces TiO2 in two crystalline forms, rutile and anatase to impart whiteness, brightness, opacity, and durability for various products, including paints, coatings, plastics, paper, fibers, and ceramics, as well as for various specialty products, such as inks, foods, and cosmetics. It also produces ilmenite, a raw material used directly as a feedstock by sulfate-process TiO2 plants; iron-based chemicals, which are used as treatment and conditioning agents for industrial effluents and municipal wastewater, as well as in the manufacture of iron pigments, cement, and agricultural products; specialty chemicals for use in the formulation of pearlescent pigments, and production of electroceramic capacitors for cell phones and other electronic devices, as well as for use in pearlescent pigments, natural gas pipe, and other specialty applications. In addition, the company provides technical services for its products. It sells its products under the KRONOS brand through agents and distributors to paint, plastics, decorative laminate, and paper manufacturers. The company was founded in 1916 and is headquartered in Dallas, Texas. Kronos Worldwide, Inc. operates as a subsidiary of Valhi, Inc.
American Eagle Outfitters, Inc. operates as a specialty retailer that provides clothing, accessories, and personal care products under the American Eagle and Aerie brands. The company provides jeans, and specialty apparel and accessories for women and men; and intimates, apparel, activewear, and swim collections, as well as personal care products for women. It also offers graphic tees and other clothing products under the Tailgate brand name; and menswear products under the Todd Snyder New York brand name. As of January 29, 2022, the company operated 880 American Eagle stores, 244 Aerie brand stand-alone stores, and five Todd Snyder stores in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Hong Kong. It also ships to 81 countries through its Websites; and offers its merchandise at 260 locations operated by licensees in 28 countries, as well as provides products through its Websites ae.com, aerie.com, and toddsnyder.com. American Eagle Outfitters, Inc. was founded in 1977 and is headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Smart & Final Stores, Inc. operates as a food retailer in the United States. It operates in two segments, Smart & Final and Smart Foodservice. The company's stores offer fresh perishables and everyday grocery items, such as produce, meat and deli, dairy and cheese, grocery, and beverage products, as well as paper and packaging, and restaurant equipment and janitorial supplies. It also provides various private label products under the First Street, Sun Harvest, Simply Value, La Romanella, Montecito, Iris, and Ambiance brands. The company sells its products to household and business customers; restaurants; caterers; and various other foodservice businesses, such as food trucks and coffee houses through vendors and suppliers. As of December 30, 2018, it operated 326 grocery and foodservice stores, including 59 Smart & Final stores, 201 Smart & Final Extra! stores, and 66 Smart Foodservice Warehouse stores located in California, Oregon, Washington, Arizona, Nevada, Idaho, Montana, and Utah, as well as 15 stores in Northwestern Mexico operated through a joint venture. Smart & Final Stores, Inc. was founded in 1871 and is headquartered in Commerce, California.
The release of the unified agreement for value-added tax (VAT) for the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries by Saudi Arabia paves the way for the implementation of VAT in 2018, said an expert.

It also provides companies in Bahrain with a sufficiently detailed framework to start preparation for VAT in 2018, manage risks and capture optimisation opportunities, said Philippe Norre, head of indirect taxes at KPMG in Bahrain.

In principle, VAT will be levied on the supply of goods and services at a standard rate of 5 per cent. Certain supplies of goods and services are to be zero-rated or VAT exempt (not taxable but also with no right to recover VAT paid). Based on the Framework Agreement, each GCC member state (including Bahrain) will now need to issue its own domestic legislation to locally implement VAT.

Norre also anticipates that the government of Bahrain, having already prepared draft texts, will release its local law on VAT in time for implementation in 2018. This legislation will provide details on how Bahrain will interpret the GCC framework and deal with key matters where it has discretion.

These will include whether to treat certain supplies as zero-rated or VAT exempt. The local law will include details on the conditions for VAT deductions, VAT grouping, transactions assimilated with taxable supplies, record and reporting requirements and further definitions to enable a correct VAT treatment by companies of their supplies and overall business environment.

VAT will impact all businesses in Bahrain and outside Bahrain, either directly or indirectly. Today, companies need to think carefully about their procurement processes, operating models, customer and suppliers' alignment, legal structure and systems to be well prepared for this significant development that is set to change the business landscape. But the upcoming changes not only raise a need for risk management, they also allow companies to implement steps around cost, process and systems optimization", Norre added.

It is possible that VAT may increase the cost of doing business but revenues gained from VAT will be re-invested back into the economy and support long-term development. Bahrain has long been considered an attractive low-tax environment, especially for businesses looking to invest in the GCC region. Generally, the introduction of a broad based consumption tax at a low rate is not expected to deter investment into Bahrain, or the GCC region, he said.  TradeArabia News Service


Eskan Properties Company, which is 100 per cent owned by Bahrains Eskan Bank, is showcasing Danaat Al Lawzi, a major affordable housing project, at the Gulf Property Show, which opened in Bahrain today.

Located west of Hamad Town in the Northern Governorate with a total land area of 106,713 sq m, the development will consist of 303 villas, says Eyad D Obaid, general manager, Eskan Properties.

Danaat Al Lawzi residential project is likely to be completed in the second quarter of 2019. The project is part of 2,500 social units committed by the Ministry of Housing under the public-private partnership (PPP) model.

The project is being built for beneficiaries of Mazaya, the social housing finance scheme between the Ministry of Housing and Kuwait Finance House-Bahrain, whereby beneficiaries have the opportunity to own their dream home through a real estate finance facility subsidised by the Government of Bahrain, explains Obaid.

While the current market conditions are tough, there certainly is pent-up demand for affordable/social housing and accordingly these conditions present an opportunity to excel and play a role in the overall revival of the economy, he says.

The real estate sector is stable and good, which will have a positive effect on the economy and other sectors, he says.

Established in March 2007, Eskan Properties Company assists the Eskan Banks business divisions, subsidiaries and associates in developing social and affordable housing, community and commercial and touristic developments.

Its multidisciplinary expertise embraces the entire real estate value chain, with a range of services including project assessment, design management and planning, project development management, quantity surveying, sales and marketing, and property and facilities management.

The company's vision is to be recognised as a premier real estate development company, through innovation, financial discipline and above all, exceptionally talented people. Working closely in partnership with the private sector, it has developed a wide-ranging consultant network, which provides additional expertise such as feasibility studies, urban development, land assessment, architecture, design and construction.

Underlined by a proven track record of integrity and financial strength, Eskan provides a value-added advantage for today's demanding corporate and individual clients.

The company consistently identifies and aggressively pursues development opportunities in key geographic markets and areas, by which to build and strengthen its reputation as a respected real estate developer in Bahrain. To date, it has completed projects across Bahrain covering residential, commercial, retail, community projects and tourism developments.  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


The UAE economy will receive significant benefits as a result of putting up a national pavilion at Hannover Messe, according to Emirati industry leaders and economy officials.



The 70th edition of the Hannover Messe, which opened yesterday (April 24) will run till April 28.



Ali Al Ahmed, UAE Ambassador to Germany, said: "The UAEs participation in Hannover Messe, the largest industrial exhibition in the world, is a reflection of the strong historical strategic and trade relations with Germany.



The UAE is Germanys largest trading partner in the Middle East and North Africa region, with bilateral trade that amounted to 15.52 billion in 2015, equivalent to 30 per cent of the total regional trade with Germany.



Al Ahmed continued: Today, Germany is a leading country when it comes to the industrial sector, and Hannover Messe will serve as the best venue to learn about the recent developments in this sector from Germany and around the world. It will also showcase the booming progress being made in the UAEs industrial sector, in line the UAE Vision 2021."



Abdullah Al Saleh, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Economy, spoke of the importance of advancing bilateral and mutually beneficial trade agreements in pursuit of global socio-economic growth.



Hannover Messe provides a premier platform for promoting partnerships and new business models for the industrial sector of the future. The United Arab Emirates looks forward to the wealth of knowledge, advanced technologies and best industry practices awaiting its participants. We are also eager to strengthen existing affiliations with the industrial trade and form new ones that complement our growth strategy, he said.



The UAE cabinet recently announced a six-pillar plan to advance and lead the adoption of Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies. The plan includes close collaboration with the World Economic Forum in efforts to produce an advisory council solely committed to advancing revolutionary technologies on a world-wide scale.



Ali Majed Al Mansouri, chairman of the Department of Economic Development  Abu Dhabi, said: Hannover Messe is the worlds largest annual event for industrial technology and manufacturing, which represents a significant amount of national economic development as we move towards a diverse post-oil economy. The manufacturing sector accounts for roughly 13 per cent of our non-oil GDP, and is a rapidly growing field that will help boost our efforts to lead the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Our presence here this week will help cement the UAEs role in these exciting developments.



With some 6,500 exhibitors and 250,000 visitors, Hannover Messe is a unique platform raising awareness about some of the most cutting-edge industry manufacturers and business services in the UAE, including leading free zones.



The UAE Pavilion at Hannover Messe is organised and hosted by the UAE Ministry of Economy and the Department of Economic Development  Abu Dhabi, and representation this year consists of 15 organisations, from industry specific manufacturers to major economic and government entities.



Government entities exhibiting at the UAE Pavilion this year include the Environment Agency  Abu Dhabi, the Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce & Industry and Sharjah Chamber of Commerce & Industry. Other exhibitors include Strata, Abu Dhabi Ports, Emirates Global Aluminium, ZonesCorp, Dubai Multi Commodities Centre, as well as Dubai Airport Freezone, the Industrial Development Bureau and Abu Dhabi Business Centre. The countrys up-and-coming SMEs are represented by Control Contracting & Trading Company, EEKMASEC and Excellent Fire & Safety. -TradeArabia News Service
The UAE Space Agency has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Algerian Space Agency on a framework for collaboration in the peaceful use of space.



The MoU is in line with the UAE Space Agencys strategic plans to enhance collaboration with international stakeholders in the sector.



The MoU was signed at the Algerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs by Dr Mohamed Al Ahbabi, director general of the UAE Space Agency, and Dr Azzedine Oussedik, director general of the Algerian Space Agency. The signing was attended by Abdelkader Messahel, Algerian Minister for Maghreb, African Union and Arab League Affairs; Dr Khalifa Al Romaithi, chairman of the UAE Space Agency; and other senior representatives from both parties.



The MoU covers various aspects of the peaceful use of outer space, as well as collaboration in the fields of policy making, regulations, space science, technology, and human capital development in the space sector.



Dr Khalifa Al Romaithi, chairman of the UAE Space Agency, highlighted that the MoU is in line with the UAE Space Agencys efforts to develop stronger ties with various international stakeholders in the sector, with the aim of supporting the national space sector and assuring its development over the coming decades.



For his part, Dr Mohamed Al Ahbabi, director general of the agency, said the two parties are joined by mutual interest in space exploration, supported by various initiatives and programs. This collaboration, Al Ahbabi added, is bound to support these efforts, especially within the context of pan-Arab collaboration to revive the regions ancient position as a pioneer of space science.

The MoU is the second signed with an Arab space agency, after the singing of a similar document with the Bahraini National Space Science Agency last year. - TradeArabia News Service
Two Chinese power companies are set to study the environmental impact of a proposed coal-fired power project in Omans Duqm free zone in a bid to obtain environment clearance from the Sultanate, a report said.



State-owned Hebei Electric Power Design and Research and Ningxia Electric Power Design Institute are subsidiaries of the Power Construction Corporation of China, added the Times of Oman report.



After getting the clearances, the company plans to start work on the power project within six months, Lee Chee Khian, chief executive officer of Special Economic Zone Authority, Duqm, told the newspaper.



The power firms last week signed a land lease agreement with Oman Wanfang, which is managing 1,172 hectares of land for developing a major China-Oman industrial zone in Duqm.



The capital expenditure of the 300-MW project, which will have two power trains each with 150 megawatt capacity, is estimated at $406 million, added Khian.



He said that the power would be supplied to the industries coming up within the China Oman Industrial Zone in Duqm.



Khian said that the finance for the project will be arranged by Hebei Electric Power Design and Research and Ningxia Electric Power Design Institute  which are specialised in design and construction of power plants.
GE Power, a unit of General Electric, has signed its largest ever services deal with Algerian utility Sonelgaz that will lead to digital industrial transformation of Sonelgazs plants and one that will create hundreds of jobs.



The landmark deal includes long-term operations and maintenance (O&M) services for 10 Sonelgaz plants throughout the country that generate 11 GW of power, technology upgrades that will enhance energy efficiency to deliver more than 420 MW of additional power, and the introduction of GEs digital solutions.



Together, these capabilities will strengthen the operational efficiency and productivity of the plants. They will also help save up to $2 billion in gas that can be made available for sale in international markets.



The Algerian government and Sonelgaz have a clear vision for the future of the countrys power sector, Steve Bolze, president and CEO of GE Power said.



The emphasis on building industrial capacity and the focus on the digital transformation of power plant assets are long-term investments in the future of the country. GE is honoured to strengthen our collaboration with Sonelgaz and help create a vibrant local ecosystem for the power sector that will help meet the needs of people and various industries across Algeria.



The agreement was signed by president and CEO of Sonelgaz SPE, Sabri Lezhari; and president and CEO of GE Northwest Africa, Touffik Fredj, in the presence of the Prime Minister of Algeria, Abdelmalek Sellal and other dignitaries.



The signing ceremony took place at the GE Algeria Turbines (GEAT) plant in Ain Yagout, a joint venture created in 2014 by GE and Sonelgaz, which will manufacture gas turbines and steam turbines for Sonelgazs power generation needs.



Speaking at the occasion, Minister of Energy, Noureddine Boutarfa said, The governments top priority is to strengthen power generation in the country through a highly efficient, sustainable, and productive infrastructure.



The new GEAT facility, which manufactures high-end equipment for the power sector, and the development of the Maintenance Des Equipements Industriels (MEI) shop to manufacture spare parts are a strong value-add to the economy as they will boost our exports, enhance the efficiency of our power plants and create new jobs for Algerian youth.



Further, the digital transformation of the power plants will enable us to optimize the use of our natural resources, and in turn, create added value for the economy. GEs expertise in digital industrial technologies will contribute to enhancing the efficiency of the power sector, as well as the skills of Algerian professionals through knowledge sharing and hands-on training.



The agreement, which also highlights GEs Fleet360 total plant solutions capabilities, includes the second largest Industrial Internet software deal to date for GE Power. Sonelgaz has selected GEs Asset Performance Management and Operations Optimization software applications to monitor and analyze data drawn from thousands of sensors throughout its power plants.



The software leverages advanced data analytics to predict and eliminate unplanned downtime, and improve power plant productivity. GEs software is built on Predix, a data platform purpose-designed for the scale and complexity of industrial data.



Algeria is focused on building a diversified economy and strengthening the operational efficiency of its power sector and natural gas generation and distribution assets, said Mustapha Guitouni, president and CEO of Sonelgaz.



The opening of GEAT and the digital industrial transformation of our plants are significant steps forward in achieving our economic vision of industrial diversification, boosting productivity, and maximizing asset utilization. GEs advanced suite of digital technologies will help transform our power plants, build local talent, and strengthen the culture of localization.



Furthermore, GE will work with Algerian Engineering Services Companys (Algesco) engineers to repair its 9FA gas turbine technology locally and help create a local centre of excellence for turbine repairs. First established in 1993, Algesco is a joint venture of GE with Sonatrach and Sonelgaz. GE will also train Sonelgaz field engineers and operators on industry best practices to strengthen their expertise and competitiveness, which will potentially enable Sonelgaz to collaborate with GE on future O&M projects in Africa.



The new agreement will also drive the development of a local supply chain with MEI, an affiliate of Sonelgaz, to manufacture spare parts for GEs turbines in Algeria. GE will qualify MEI to manufacture spare parts as early as 2017, and it will become a part of its international supply chain.  TradeArabia News Service
British Airways, the UKs flagship carrier,has welcomed Robert Williams as the new head of sales  Asia Pacific and the Middle East.



Williams appointment comes on the back of the airlines recent global announcement to boost its customer experience by investing in increased excellence in premium cabins and more choice and quality across all cabins and on-the-ground services.



Based in Singapore and reporting directly into the airlines head of global sales in London, Williams' new role makes him responsible for managing the airlines growth and development across Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman and Qatar.

With over a decade of experience working with the British carrier, Williams' has built a wealth of experience by working across the airlines various divisions and markets. Previously, the UK national was regional commercial manager for South East Asia and, before that, the Alliance Implementation Manager, based at the airlines headquarters at Waterside in Heathrow. During this time, he led the commercial implementation of British Airways new joint business with Japan Airlines and helped to drive the synergies resulting from the partnership.



Prior to his time in Asia, Williams' was British Airways commercial manager for Belgium, Netherlands and Luxembourg.



A fully-trained cabin crew member, he continues to operate as part of the airlines iCSP fleet, flying approximately four times each year.



Before joining British Airways in 2007, Robert worked at APL, the transportation and container shipping company which is part of the Singapore-based NOL group. At APL, Robert held a variety of positions across Europe, including the UK and the Netherlands.



In his new role, Williams will drive the airlines regional operations, including the roll-out of new investments in products to improve customer experience, starting with the new First Wing at Terminal 5, which is already accessible for British Airways Kuwaiti customers flying in First Class to London Heathrow. - TradeArabia News Service
Hospitality Management Holding (HMH) announced at Arabian Travel Market today its further expansion in Sudan with the completion of EWA Port Sudan Hotel & Apartments by October 2017.



It is the groups fourth hotel in Sudan where it has been operating since 2009 and symbolises the companys firm commitment to support the development of tourism infrastructure in the country.



Ferghal Purcell, COO of HMH, said: With three well-established hotels in operation we are strongly positioned in Sudan and well-placed to contribute to the growth of the local hospitality and tourism industry. We have got a strong portfolio of brands and are delighted to consolidate and build on our strategic cooperation with our business associates in the country. Scheduled to open in October 2017, EWA Port Sudan Hotel & Apartments is owned by Social Security Investment Authority. It is superbly located merely 30-minute drive from Port Sudan New International Airport in Port Area. Featuring 84 keys, the hotel has been designed to offer guests fabulous meeting, dining and leisure facilities.



There is a considerable shortage of hotels in Sudan, particularly outside the capital Khartoum, with many key tourist attractions completely lacking suitable accommodation. HMH is among the few reputable hospitality groups present in the country and has in operation Coral Khartoum Hotel, Coral Port Sudan and EWA Khartoum Hotel & Apartments.



Earlier this year, after nearly two decades US lifted trade sanctions against Sudan. This historic development will allow the country to not only trade extensively but also attract the much-needed investment into its economy thus giving a tremendous boost to business and leisure tourism which in turn will support the development of quality hotels.



Benefiting from the increasing number of flight connections largely due to the expansion of low-cost carriers in the region, inbound and outbound tourism to and from the Middle East in Sudan has grown tremendously recently. The government of Sudan has pledged significant funds to boost the countrys tourism industry. - TradeArabia News Service


The move, which will be complete by October 2017, relocates the airlines' two operations from Terminal 8 and Terminal 4, respectively.

Alaska Airlines and Virgin America yesterday announce plans to move into Terminal 7 at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK). The move, which will be complete by October 2017, relocates the airlines' two operations from Terminal 8 and Terminal 4, respectively, and will offer guests a better airport experience while laying the groundwork for future growth at JFK.

"Our focus is on integrating Alaska Airlines and Virgin America operations at JFK to enable future growth while continuing to deliver low fares and award-winning service for guests," said Andrew Harrison, executive vice president and chief commercial officer at Alaska Airlines. "JFK is a key airport where guests connect to fly on our global partners to Europe and beyond. Having convenient connections and a streamlined operation are keys to delivering a positive guest experience."

Together, Alaska and Virgin America operate 14 flights a day to JFK from key West Coast international gateways including Seattle, Portland, Oregon, Los Angeles (LAX) and San Francisco. Alaska and Virgin America fly 28 nonstop flights from 10 destinations to New York City area airports, including Newark, where the two airlines are co-located in Terminal A.

The airlines will join Alaska Global Partners British Airways, Qantas and Icelandair in Terminal 7, providing guests convenient access to a combined 13 daily flights to top global destinations across Europe and Australia. Alaska allows Mileage Plan members to travel and earn miles to more than 900 destinations around the globe through a unique network of international partners, with many flying out of JFK.

Alaska recently announced it will build an airport lounge at JFK, which will open in early 2018. Additional enhancements to the Terminal 7 airport experience, funded by an investment from British Airways, will help increase the efficiency of TSA security screening and provide new concessions for guests within the terminal.

Steve Clark, Executive Vice President of British Airways, North America, said "We're excited to have Alaska Airlines and Virgin America join us at JFK Terminal 7. We are investing $65 million to modernize the terminal, offering enhanced food and retail concession experience as well as new seating areas near the gates for improved customer comfort. British Airways and Alaska Airlines have been frequent flyer program partners and we are delighted to have them co-locate at JFK and extend this partnership."

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The delegation of the North Atlantic Council led by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg will visit Ukraine in July 2017.

This decision was approved at a sitting of the NATO-Ukraine Commission on Tuesday, April 25, the Ukrainian governments press service reports.

Jens Stoltenberg said that the incident occurred with OSCE monitors in eastern Ukraine on 23 April showed that the security situation in Donbas deteriorated.

Allied ambassadors reiterated this message, stressing the importance of guaranteeing safety and freedom of movement for OSCE monitors. Allies also encouraged Ukraine to take reforms forward to strengthen its defense forces and democratic institutions, and tackle corruption.

The Secretary General also reaffirmed NATOs strong support for Ukraines sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Also, the Secretary General met with Ukraines Vice Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration, Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze, for discussions on Ukraines reform agenda. Minister Klympush-Tsintsadze briefed Allies on Ukraines reform efforts and annual implementation plans.

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The Ukrainian Agrarian Policy Ministry and the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs on April 24 signed an action plan for 2017-2018 in the agrarian sector.

The implementation of this bilateral action plan will be carried out in the scope of joint projects, Ukrainian Deputy Agrarian Policy and Food Minister Olha Trofimtseva stated, the ministrys press service reports.

According to her, the main areas of cooperation will be the development of family farms (livestock and potato farming), the improvement of the Ukrainian legislation in the sphere of veterinary and phytosanitary, the scientific and educational direction and the development of the processed food production.

In 2016, the commodity turnover of agricultural products between Ukraine and the Netherlands grew by $182.89 million, compared with 2015, and totaled $862.863 million.

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The new U.S. administration is interested in strengthening the presence of the American business in Ukraine.

Ukrainian Finance Minister Oleksandr Danylyuk posted this on his Facebook page.

"I met with U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross, the key person in the economic block of the new U.S. administration. We focused on attracting investments to Ukraine. Wilbur Ross built a career on the Wall Street, so he understands this topic very well and enjoys respect among the American businessmen. The new administration is interested in strengthening the presence of the American business in Ukraine," Danylyuk wrote.

According to him, the American investments are a common interest as they facilitate job creation, bring advanced technologies increasing the competitiveness of our economy and contribute to strengthening of political ties between the two countries.

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Belarus and Ukraine will be able to cope with the existing problems for the benefit of their peoples.

President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko said this during todays meeting with President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko, BelTA informs.

"Today we will discuss our future, how to make Belarusians and Ukrainians live better. We can do it. We will cope with the problems that we have now," Lukashenko noted.

As an example, the President of Belarus named successes in the development of trade and economic cooperation between the two countries. In particular, the trade turnover between the countries increased by 40% in the first months of 2017.

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First Deputy Minister of Information Policy of Ukraine Emine Dzheppar at the high-level meeting within the framework of the UN General Assembly speaks about Ukraine's achievements in the implementation of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

She wrote this on her Facebook page.

"Ukraine has concrete achievements in recognizing the Crimean Tatars as indigenous people and recognizing the right to self-determination, according to Article 3 of the Declaration. I said about the draft law on the status of the Crimean Tatars registered in the parliament, etc.," the official said.

According to Dzheppar, she also told about the role of the Russian Federation in repressions against the Crimean Tatars, ignoring by the Kremlin of the interim decision of the International Court of Justice against the Crimean Tatars and Mejlis.

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The History of Eurovision unique photo exhibition will open at the Gulliver shopping mall in Kyiv on April 27

The History of Eurovision photo exhibition will show the brightest moments of the contest for its more than 60-year history as well as the best Eurovision performances of Ukraine. The exhibition consists of 45 works and includes the photos that were not represented earlier, UA:Pershy reports.

As noted, the exhibition visitors will see the photos depicting the award ceremony in 1974 when the ABBA Swedish band became the winner of the song contest, the tears of joy of Celine Dion, the winner of the 33rd contest, the alterations of the main Eurovision prize, Ruslana's performance at the Eurovision 2004 in Istanbul and many others.

At the grand opening of the exhibition, which will begin at 13:00, one will be able to learn about many Eurovision secrets of the past and how Kyiv is getting ready to meet Eurovision this year.

The exhibition will operate until May 18.

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In Masidi village in north-east Namibia, there were previously no options for parents who wanted to send their children to a space dedicated to early childhood development. But soon after Vivian Ndungati had her first child, she decided to establish her own early childhood development centre, which has since gained overwhelming support from her community.



MASIDA VILLAGE, 25 April 2017  The year 2013 was a positive turning point for Vivian Ndungati from Masida village, in north-east Namibias Zambezi Region. At the age of 23, Vivian gave birth to her first child and soon discovered a passion for helping children get a good start in life.

Armed with nothing but her enthusiasm and an idea, Vivian used the shade of a huge leafy tree in the centre of the village as the location for an Early Childhood Development (ECD) centre. The opening of the centre was also an opportunity for her to get an income, as parents pay a monthly fee of N$20 (US$1.54) for each of their children to attend the centre.

The response from the community was amazing, says Vivian. This was the first time for an ECD centre to be set up in the village and the parents were supportive.

Before long, more than 89 children were entrusted in her care and the community helped set up a makeshift classroom of sticks and mud to protect children from the rain. This humble structure provided space for children who QAwould otherwise have no such foundation of care and development.
Acute ischaemic stroke in brain areas contributing to male sexual function may impair erectile function depending on the lesion site. This study intended to determine associations between stroke-related erectile dysfunction and cerebral ischaemic lesion sites using voxel-based lesion mapping. In 52 males (mean age 60.5  10.5 years) with first-ever ischaemic strokes, we assessed erectile function after and retrospectively 3 months prior to the stroke using scores of the 5-item International Index of Erectile Function-5 questionnaire. We assessed cardiovascular risk factors and determined clinical stroke severity and infarct volumes as well as total brain volume by neuroimaging. We calculated correlations between patient age, clinical stroke severity, infarct volumes as well as brain volumes and the difference between erectile dysfunction scores before and after stroke. Moreover, we compared patient age, prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors, clinical stroke severity, infarct volumes and brain volumes of patients with unchanged and deteriorated erectile function after stroke. The infarcts were manually outlined and transformed into stereotaxic space. We determined the lesion overlap and performed subtraction analyses of lesions. In a voxel-based lesion analysis, the difference between erectile dysfunction scores before and after stroke was correlated with the lesion site using t-test statistics. Finally, we conducted a region of interest-based multivariate linear regression analysis that was adjusted for potential confounding factors including patient age, clinical stroke severity, imaging modality, lesion size and brain volume. In 32 patients (61.5%) erectile dysfunction scores declined after the stroke and therefore had stroke-related erectile dysfunction. Deterioration of erectile dysfunction scores was not associated with patient age, clinical stroke severity, infarct volume, brain volume, and cardiovascular risk factors. The voxel-wise subtraction analysis showed associations between stroke-related erectile dysfunction and lesion sites in the right occipito-parietal cortex and thalamus, as well as in the left insula and adjacent temporo-parietal areas. Using voxel-wise t-test statistics, we showed associations between deterioration of erectile function and lesion sites in the right occipital and thalamic region, and the left parietal association area. The linear regression analysis showed that stroke-related erectile dysfunction remained associated with lesions of the right occipital and left parietal association areas after adjusting for confounding factors. In conclusion, our voxel-wise analysis indicates that deteriorating erectile function after stroke is associated with lesions in the right occipito-parietal and thalamic areas integrating visual and somatosensory information, as well as lesions in the left insular and adjacent parieto-temporal areas contributing to generating and mapping visceral arousal states.

Brain : a journal of neurology. 2017 Apr 18 [Epub ahead of print]

Klemens Winder, Frank Seifert, Martin Kohrmann, Carl Crodel, Stephan Kloska, Arnd Dorfler, Katharina M Hosl, Stefan Schwab, Max J Hilz

Department of Neurology, University Hospital of Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany., Department of Neuroradiology, University Hospital of Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany., Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Paracelsus Medical University, Nuremberg, Germany.

PubMed http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28430885
A U.S. submarine reaches South Korea as tensions mount on the peninsula. Australia and New Zealand honor war dead from a century of conflicts. Meet a Cambodian family that found a new life in the United States. A South Korean guitarist plays new dance music. Robots fight invasive marine species. Mixed reality teaches new dentists.
In Cameroon, lawyers for the Radio France International reporter sentenced to a decade behind bars late Monday already have filed an appeal to overturn his conviction on terrorism-related charges.



Ahmed Abba's defense lawyer Clement Nakong was at the military appeals court in Yaounde early this Tuesday morning to deposit the appeal.

Nakong says Ahmed Abba is innocent. He says they will continue to press for his freedom at the appeal court level. He says in addition to the 10-year jail sentence, Ahmed Abba was ordered to pay nearly $100,000 in court costs. The defense lawyer says they expect the appeals court to overturn Abbas conviction and cancel the fine.

Abba was arrested in northern Cameroon in July 2015 where he was reporting for the RFI Hausa service on the Boko Haram conflict.



The journalist was charged with complicity in terrorism and failing to denounce acts of terror. He also was accused of acting as an accomplice with two members of Boko Haram.



Testifying during the trial, Abba said he obtained the Boko Haram videos, photos and information found on his phone from YouTube, Facebook and other social media as part of his reporting.



After nearly two years in detention, Abba was found guilty by a military tribunal of two of the three charges. The military prosecutor initially had requested the death penalty, but last week he asked for life imprisonment.



On Monday, Judge Edou Mewoutou arrived at the sentencing hearing nine hours late. He did not give a reason for the delay.



Disappointment



In the courtroom was defense witness and head of the Africa news section of RFI, Yves Rocle.



He says they are totally disappointed with the ruling. He says they will appeal because no proof of guilt was presented. Rocle says they remain very optimistic Abba will be freed. He says an innocent man already has spent more than 21 months in prison.



Rocle said he believes there was external pressure on the judges in this case.



The prosecutor and the government commissioner present in court Monday declined VOAs requests for interviews.

Amnesty International says Abba was held incommunicado for three months in 2015 and tortured in a state facility.

The international human rights group says his case points to a larger trend  more than 1,000 people have been detained and held in inhumane conditions over alleged support for Boko Haram since the passage of Cameroon's 2014 anti-terror law. Responding to those accusations in July of last year, the government questioned Amnesty Internationals research methodology and accused the group of bias.
France said Wednesday its analysis of an April 4 chemical attack in northern Syria shows the Syrian government was responsible for deploying sarin against civilians.

The attack on the opposition-held town of Khan Sheikhoun killed more than 80 people, and prompted the United States to carry out retaliatory missile strikes on a Syrian airbase.

We know, from certain sources, that the process of fabrication of samples of sarin taken is typical of the method developed in Syrian laboratories, French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault said. This method is the signature of the regime and it is what enables us to establish its responsibility in this attack.

His comments accompanied the release of a declassified French report that further detailed how experts arrived at that conclusion.

The report says France obtained its own samples from the April 4 attack, which showed the presence of both sarin and a stabilizer known as hexamine. The experts had previously tested an unexploded grenade recovered from the site of a 2013 chemical attack, and found the same manufacturing process attributed to the Syrian government.

The report further said Islamic State and other militant groups were not known to possess sarin, and that theories the attack was staged by rebel fighters are not credible.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has rejected the allegation that his military was responsible for a chemical attack in Khan Sheikhoun. He told the French news agency AFP the incident was a "fabrication" to justify a U.S. military strike.

Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Wednesday the French report does not definitively prove who was to blame for the attack, and that the only way to establish the truth about what happened near Idlib is an impartial international investigation.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov also said Wednesday that the retaliatory U.S. airstrike hurts prospects for bringing a political resolution to the Syrian conflict, which has been going on since March 2011.
Hawaii's attorney general has a little civics lesson for U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions: Even the president isn't infallible.

Sessions made headlines recently when he mocked a Hawaii judge's decision that struck down the revised travel ban to the U.S. for citizens of six predominantly Muslim countries.

"I really am amazed that a judge sitting on an island in the Pacific can issue an order that stops the president of the United States from what appears to be clearly his statutory and constitutional power," Sessions said.

Hawaii Attorney General Douglas Chin, who argued the suit against Trump's executive order, called Sessions' statement "unfortunate."

"There's nothing amazing about the separation of powers and that we have three branches of government," Chin told VOA's Deewa service in a television interview from Hawaii.

"One of the things that we learn growing up in social studies is that the president is not the king," Chin said. "It's not unusual at all for a federal court to strike down something that the executive branch has decided on constitutional grounds."

Sessions' office later issued a statement praising Hawaii's beauty, but containing what Chin cited as another misstatement: that Hawaii Judge Derrick Watson was the only jurist who ruled against Trump's effort.

A Washington judge struck down Trump's original order, a Virginia judge joined Watson in ruling against the revision, and the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals sided with the judges.
Dating app Tinder is hit or miss for humans, but wildlife conservationists hope it might lead to love for the worlds last male northern white rhino.

The move is seen as a last-ditch effort to keep the species alive.

"I don't mean to be too forward, but the fate of the species literally depends on me," the rhino's profile says. "I perform well under pressure."

Sudan is 43 years old, weighs nearly 2,270 kilograms and lives in Kenya. And while he has two female companions, they are unable to mate due to age and other limitations.

The campaign to find love for Sudan, called Most Eligible Bachelor by the Kenyan Ol Pejeta Conservancy, which came up with the idea.

While its unclear if any potential mates can swipe right on Sudans profile, the group hopes the move will raise $9 million for research into breeding methods such as in vitro fertilization.

"We partnered with Ol Pejeta conservancy to give the most eligible bachelor in the world a chance to meet his match," said Matt David, the head of communications and marketing at Tinder in an interview with the Associated Press. "We are optimistic given Sudan's profile (it) will be seen on Tinder in 190 countries and over 40 languages."

Sudan and his two female friends -- 17-year-old Najin and 27-year-old Fatu -- live at the conservancy protected by 24-hour security.

"The plight that currently faces the northern white rhinos is a signal to the impact that humankind is having on many thousands of other species across the planet," Richard Vigne, the conservancy's chief executive officer, told AP. "Ultimately, the aim will be to reintroduce a viable population of northern white rhino back into the wild, which is where their true value will be realized."
Anita Shreves books are reliably engrossing literary page-turners, never formulaic  unless trouble and desire mixed with the vicissitudes of fortune can be called a formula. In almost 20 novels, including The Pilots Wife, Fortunes Rocks  and The Weight of Water, Shreve consistently creates complex characters and plots, often drawn from the historical record or obscure headlines. She hands her characters a seemingly insurmountable problem or dire situation and tests them with oppressive social mores, menacing evil, buried secrets or catastrophic events  frequently, all of the above. Then she tells their stories in unobtrusively elegant prose.

The Stars Are Fire, her new novel, is set in Maine during the real-life disaster of 1947 when a severe drought caused a series of massive fires that burned out of control for 10 days. In Acadia National Park, 10,000 acres went up in flames, along with most of the mansions on Bar Harbors Millionaires Row. Fishermen and the Coast Guard rescued thousands from the shoreline. Firefighters and evacuees were trapped behind a burning wall that cut through Kennebunkport. Sixteen people were killed, thousands left homeless.

In this story, when the fire arrives, Grace Holland and her neighbors head to the waters edge. Twenty-four years old, a mother of two young children and pregnant with a third  Grace holds her children in the frigid sea overnight as the flames send smoke and burning debris onto the beach. In the midst of crisis, she finds a strength she didnt know she had, but her losses are devastating, and she faces a precarious future.

[Review: Stella Bain, by Anita Shreve]

The scenes of the disaster, of the townspeople trying to save what they can, are tense and vivid. But Shreve is more interested in tragedys aftermath, when Grace is sorely challenged. Before the fire, In many ways, she thinks, her family is perfect. Two beautiful children . . . a husband who works hard at his job and doesnt resist chores at home. Grace is thankful for her seaside bungalow and her familys health. She asks for little and does not complain. Still, she fears hers will be a restricted life, that she will likely never have a job or even learn to drive a car. She is bravely resigned to days spent watching the fog roll in as the babies continue to arrive. In this existence, a new washing machine is a luxury, and a dollar has to stretch. Trouble in the bedroom is not to be mentioned.

Author Anita Shreve (Elena Seibert)

Like many of Shreves protagonists, Grace is filled with inchoate longing. She has untapped potential and a desire for romance but doesnt have the education or income to pursue her dreams. Her best friend, Rosie, seems to have a happier marriage, a brighter future, one that Grace envies as she hangs out the wash and steals away for five minutes peace with a cigarette on the beach. She tries to ignore the niggling sense of something wrong.

When the fires break out and destroy so much, they also leave room for new growth. Graces life suddenly holds out the promise of a fresh start. The question of whether she will prevail  or again be trapped into subservience  keeps the reader rooting for her. Shreve builds suspense with small details: a cloud of dust in the wind, a pervert lurking at the seashore, strange noises upstairs. Like every lone woman, Grace is in a constant state of alert, and Shreve is very good at keeping a low level of dread running through her pages.

Just when Grace appears to be gaining true independence, events conspire to spin her life in a dangerous direction, and she stands to lose the happiness and freedom shes worked so hard to gain. Shreve knows a great deal about the human ability to resist despair, and this novel, like many of her others, shows how hard work and compassion are  sometimes  rewarded. Its no spoiler to say that in The Stars Are Fire, stoicism, kindness and courage win the day over bitterness and cruelty.

Kate Manning is the author of the novels My Notorious Life and Whitegirl.
The unmanned NASA balloon, known as a super pressure balloon, lifted off from New Zealand on Tuesday. When fully inflated, the balloon is about the size of a sports stadium. (Bill Rodman/NASA via Reuters)

A stadium-size balloon began collecting data in the upper reaches of Earths atmosphere Wednesday, a crucial step in a NASA mission to study mysterious particles from deep space.

The balloon was launched Tuesday from Wanaka, New Zealand, after seven planned launches were canceled because of bad weather.

The unmanned balloon is nearly 19 million cubic feet large when fully inflated and is designed to circle the planet two or three times at an altitude of 110,000 feet. You can track its progress online at the projects website.

The instrument it carries should help scientists such as Angela Olinto, the missions lead investigator, learn more about particles of ultra-high energy that reach the atmosphere after traveling from beyond the galaxy.

The origin of these particles is a great mystery that wed like to solve, she said in a statement. Do they come from massive black holes at the center of galaxies? Tiny, fast-spinning stars? Or somewhere else?
Dear Heloise: I remember the wonderful recipe your mother had for her Peking Roast. Please reprint it. I lost my old cookbook that had it clipped out from the newspaper. Thank you.

A Reader in Massachusetts

Reader in Massachusetts: Oh, to lose a cookbook! Thats just plain awful! So many family recipes, some clipped from papers and magazines, many handwritten. This is my mothers (the original Heloise, 1919-1977) recipe from long ago. Its nice to know its still a favorite! Here you go:

Heloise peking roast

Use a 3- to 5-pound beef roast. Any cut, even the cheapest!

For the marinade: Use cutup garlic (slivers) and cutup onions. Some people who may not like garlic or onions can skip this step. Also use 1 cup of apple-cider, white or even red-wine vinegar.

When time to cook, you will need 2 cups brewed strong black coffee.

Use a sharp knife to cut slits into the roast, then insert slivers of garlic and onions, depending on your taste buds! Put the meat in a large zip-top bag or into a bowl, and slowly pour the vinegar over it. Add enough water to cover the meat. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate 24 to 48 hours. Turn the bag often, or baste the meat occasionally with the vinegar mixture.

Before cooking, drain the meat! Heat enough oil to cover the bottom of a heavy pot over medium-high heat (a cast-iron Dutch oven is good). Add the meat and brown until very dark on all sides. Pour the coffee over the meat and add enough water to cover the meat. Cover. Reduce heat and cook slowly for approximately 6 hours.

Check often, as you may need to add water to keep the meat covered. When the meat is tender, add salt and pepper to taste. Youll find this and other scrumptious family recipes in my All-Time Favorite Recipes pamphlet by going to my website, Heloise.com, to order it, or send a stamped (70 cents), self-addressed, business-size envelope, along with $5, to: Heloise/Recipes, P.O. Box 795001, San Antonio, TX 78279-5001. The best part of this roast? Some say its the next day, when you fix a roast beef sandwich! Try it yourself and see.

Dear Readers: Would you like to make a quick-and-easy cheesecake? Mix one average-size package of vanilla pudding according to the directions on the package. Add 1 (8-ounce) package of softened cream cheese and mix until well blended. Pour the mixture into a store-bought graham-cracker pie crust and refrigerate until set. You can use canned fruit pie filling to top. If watching calories, use water-packed cherries, low-calorie apple topping or fresh fruit! I drain the cherries, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar, mix and top the cheesecake.

Dear Heloise: When using a recipe card or clipping, I use a magnet to attach it to the hinge on a kitchen cabinet. Its easy to read.

James the Cook, Colorado Springs

Heloises column appears six days a week at washingtonpost.com/advice. Send a hint to Heloise , P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, Tex. 78279-5000, or email it to Heloise@Heloise.com.
Donald Trump is everything to Newt Gingrich.

Hes the grizzly bear in The Revenant,  he told HuffPost; a pirate willing to get things done outside the system he proclaimed to Fox News; and a shrewd businessman who likes to invest in winners because they make more money, he said to the New York Times. He resembles [Margaret] Thatcher much more than [Ronald] Reagan, channels Andrew Jackson and is the most divisive president since Lincoln.

Trump is also  perhaps most importantly to a man who has not held elected office since 1999 but who still wants to be in the mix  the reason Gingrichs phone keeps ringing off the hook, and why his speaking fees have gone through the roof.

At a time when everyone is trying to figure out whats going on in the mind and administration of our president, Gingrich has become one of the hottest dial-a-quotes around. Hes dished on palace intrigue in the pages of the Times, discussed Trumps 2020 reelection chances with George Stephanopoulos and talked presidential television habits with The Washington Post.

[Trump] is very attuned to the fact that cable networks have 24 hours a day that they need to fill, he told The Post. And if youre interesting, you are gold.

Naturally, Gingrich knows he, too, can help fill the void with his endless supply of ever-mixing metaphors. Which is why a reporter on deadline  looking for an on-the-record source to go with a dozen anonymous ones  can rely on him for a colorful quote about a White House that, depending on which day you reach him, feels like either an off-Broadway performance of a show that is now the number one hit on Broadway or the U.S. Navy, another corporate structure that is very hard on pirates.

I try to educate the press, Gingrich said in an interview for this article. Its one of my major jobs.

It is true that unlike plenty of quotable politicos, Gingrich does have an added benefit: he might actually know what hes talking about. He was an early adviser to Trump, and was once thought to be in the running to be his vice president (a former Trump staffer said Gingrich irked the candidate by publicly promoting himself for the job), and is still considered part of the Trumps kitchen cabinet of outside advisers.

Newt really is a strategic visionary, said Kellyanne Conway, senior adviser to the president. Many people in the White House call him a friend. He talks regularly, she said, with her, chief strategist Stephen K. Bannon, Chief of Staff Reince Priebus and senior adviser Jared Kushner. Hes known Vice President Pence a long time and has a handful of former staffers working in various departments in and around the White House.

It makes some sense to have him around. Before Trump took over the Republican Party, there was the Gingrich Revolution in 1994 (it may have blown up in his face by 1999, but, hey, thats five good years of experience before he resigned).

There just arent that many people who understand large-scale movements like Newt, said Rick Tyler, Gingrichs former spokesman.

My job is to be a problem solver, Gingrich said. It keeps me reasonably busy.

And while Gingrich may have initially wanted a role in the administration, life is pretty good for him on the outside. His speaking fees have reportedly gone up $15,000 per speech (for events west of Chicago, Politico reported, he is asking for $75,000 plus first-class travel for two). Hes writing a book due out in June called Understanding Trump. And he says he can be more candid in interviews than if he worked officially with the administration.

There is some virtue in being your own person, he said. It allows you to render independent judgment, to not have to say black is really green or red is really purple. When you are in the White House, any White House, you can get isolated from the larger world.

In practice, Gingrich rarely strays too far from the official line. Instead of saying everything is going great inside a White House that by many accounts has been tumultuous, he will say, I think things are going reasonably well. And when he goes too off message, as he did by saying Trump no longer wanted to drain the swamp, he will apologize for it.

(Washington Post Live)

I want to report that I made a big boo-boo, he said in a video late last December. I talked this morning with President-elect Donald Trump, and he reminded me he likes draining the swamp.

But perhaps the greatest benefit to not being part of the administration is . . . not being part of the administration. He takes little blame when things go south, and is happy to talk to the media about how they are greatly exaggerating the turmoil. He can have fun spinning like a pro: The presidents restlessness gives him a much better opportunity to do things most presidents dont do. And most importantly, hes not bogged down working endless hours in a cramped West Wing office.

Had he been, he and his wife, Callista, never would have taken the 23-day cruise to Antarctica they embarked upon earlier this year. It was the trip of a lifetime, he said, noting they spent eight days surrounded by thousands of penguins.

They do tend to smell bad, frankly, but not as bad as sea lions, said Gingrich, who fancies himself something of an amateur zoologist. After enough time you become a connoisseur of these things.

And no, thats not another political metaphor. Unless, of course, youre in need of one.


Jonathan Demme, director of films such as The Silence of the Lambs and Philadelphia, died Wednesday at age 73. (Sarah L. Voisin/The Washington Post)

If the storys worth telling, Ill tell it. And, arguably, everybodys story is worth telling.

That was Jonathan Demme speaking during an interview 10 years ago, as he prepared to be honored at the Charles Guggenheim Symposium at the Silverdocs film festival. As a nonfiction filmmaker every bit as attracted to Haitian culture and Middle East politics as music and spirituality, theres no doubt that Demme  who died Wednesday at the age of 73  possessed the energy, curiosity and humanism befitting Guggenheims legacy. As a director who swung regularly between the worlds of documentaries and narrative features, he embodied the best principles of each, which in turn nourished his work in both.

Its been great for me to do fiction on the one hand and nonfiction on the other, Demme told me in 2007, because the disciplines are so different. When Im filming reality, I wind up trying to fashion that reality in a dramatic or entertaining way, so I can grip the audience. When Im doing a fiction film, Im trying to make it feel as real as possible. So I feel its a healthy twin set of reference points for me.

As a filmmaker who cut his teeth working for the B-movie impresario Roger Corman, along with the likes of Martin Scorsese, John Sayles, Francis Ford Coppola and James Cameron, Demme stands athwart his peers, not only for his artistic accomplishments, but for the sheer breadth and depth of the genres in which he worked. Its difficult to imagine a filmmaker starting out today who could look forward to making movies as different in voice, subject matter and style  and yet as consistently good  as Melvin and Howard, Something Wild, Married to the Mob, Philadelphia and Rachel Getting Married. The films themselves were often as difficult to pin down as Demmes variegated career. Is Something Wild a comedy or creepy captivity narrative? Is Philadelphia a classic melodrama or bold, timely polemic? Is The Silence of the Lambs a taut psychological thriller or horror film? The correct answer to all these questions, of course, is Yes.

Demme won the Oscar in 1992 for The Silence of the Lambs (one of many for the film), which despite inspiring the dubious trend of injecting sadism into otherwise sophisticated suspense, stands to this day as the gold standard of the form. But he also made one of the greatest music documentaries of all time  Stop Making Sense, a concert film featuring Talking Heads  as well as an ambitious three-film project documenting the life and work of Neil Young. After Hurricane Katrina, he traveled to New Orleans to film people determined to get back to their homes, despite uncooperative authorities. He was particularly interested in Carolyn Parker, who was one of the last to leave her house during the storm, and who Demme said he wanted to film for the rest of my life. While filming documentaries, he said, You have this incredibly intimate relationship [with your subjects]. At a certain point you realize: I love him. I love her.

That love  for people, their environments, their struggles and the art form with which he explored them  informed every frame of Demmes films, whether they were nonfiction or fiction. And, it bears noting, most of the latter were written by other people. At a time when most filmmakers are either studio-controlled shepherds of intellectual-property vehicles, or adamantly independent auteurs, Demme might have been the last of the great journeyman directors, as comfortable with bringing his chops and compassion to bear on a weird screwball comedy as on a handsome, straight-ahead drama. If the screenplay is the founding document of every film, Demme evinced a remarkably consistent knack for knowing how to execute it, from casting the right actors to hiring the right cinematographers, designers and editors.

As difficult as it is to reproduce a career as varied as Demmes in a film world where directors are swiftly co-opted by self-limiting franchises, genre silos and pigeonholed personae, its even more challenging to imagine pursuing that career the way he did: simply by making movies that he himself wanted to see.

If I have a gift  and I think I do, because Ive gotten to make these films  its enthusiasm, he said in 2007. In anything I do, thats there. Ive got great enthusiasm for the subject at hand. And audiences were far richer for it.
The United States ranking for press freedom declined last year, driven in part by Donald Trumps attacks on the news media, which also triggered a decline in other democracies, an international media organization said Wednesday.

Reporters Without Borders, which compiles the World Press Freedom Index based on its assessment of the legal environment and government threats to journalists, ranked the United States 43rd out of 180 nations. It finished two spots lower than a year ago, ranking just behind Burkina Faso and just ahead of Comoros.

The election of the 45th president of the United States set off a witchhunt against journalists, the group said in an analysis of its data. Donald Trumps repeated diatribes against the Fourth Estate and its representatives  accusing them of being among the most dishonest human beings on earth and of deliberately spreading fake news  compromise a long U.S. tradition of defending freedom of expression.

It added that Trumps hate speech helped unleash attacks on the media almost everywhere in the world, including in countries with long democratic traditions, such as Britain, France and Italy.

Government officials have even applied direct political pressure on news organizations in places where it was rarely known, the Paris-based organization said. It cited Finland  ranked as the top nation for press freedom the past six years but third this year  for an incident last year in which Prime Minister Juha Sipila appeared to intervene with the countrys public broadcaster to suppress a story unfavorable to him.

Even in democracies, it said, the overall trend is towards adoption of legislation and provisions that threaten the essential conditions for a free press, such as government surveillance of journalists.

The annual index was formally presented Wednesday at an event sponsored by The Washington Post. It featured interviews and discussions with journalists from Canada, Turkey and Syria who have faced legal impediments or physical threats while reporting in their countries.

The top nations on the groups list were all in Northern Europe: Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark and the Netherlands. The worst-ranked were notoriously oppressive regimes such as North Korea, Eritrea, Turkmenistan, Syria and China.

In addition to faulting Trump, the group continued its criticism of his predecessor, President Barack Obama. It noted: It bears repeating that [Obama] left behind a flimsy legacy for press freedom and access to information. . . . The Obama administration waged a war on whistleblowers who leaked information about its activities, leading to the prosecution of more leakers than [every] previous administration combined.

It also cited an increase in prolonged searches of journalists at border crossings by U.S. officials and travel bans on foreign journalists after they covered revolutionary groups.

The United States has ranked as high as 17th on the press-freedom list but has generally fallen over the past 15 years.

The group noted that at least 10 journalists, including Amy Goodman, host of the Democracy Now! program, were arrested and threatened with prosecution while covering the Dakota Access Pipeline protests. Five others were arrested in New York and Louisiana while covering Black Lives Matter protests.

In countries without a strong democratic history, such as Poland, Turkey and Hungary, an authoritarian strongman model has emerged, according to the organization.

In sickening statements, draconian laws, conflicts of interest, and even the use of physical violence, democratic governments are trampling on press freedoms, it said.
A baby bald eagle hatched at 12:30 p.m. Wednesday March 15, 2017 in a nest at the D.C. police facility in Southwest Washington. (Courtesy of Tommy Lawrence/Earth Conservation Corps) (Tommy Lawrence/Earth Conservation Corps)

Names were announced here Tuesday for a baby bald eagle and five other rcently born animals, all living in the Washington region and all members of species whose survival remains a matter of concern.

The names, as befits the importance given to the six animals, were chosen by a process that enlisted public participation and carried symbolic significance.

In the case of the eaglet, born in a nest in the far reaches of Southwest Washington, the name honored an admired human quality.

The eaglet, which hatched 110 feet up in an oak near the D.C. police academy in March, was given the name Spirit.

It was the offspring of parents whose names are in the Pledge of Allegiance: Liberty and Justice.

An American Bald Eagle takes off from a tree at Kingston Point Park along the West shore of the Hudson River in Kingston, New York March 23, 2015. An eaglet hatched in the Pennsylvania wild was seen for the first time on Wednesday by thousands who watched live footage of the fuzzy fledgling from a camera monitoring a resurgence of bald eagles in the northeastern United States. Bald eagles, which live only in North America, were nearly wiped out over the past century due to hunting, habitat destruction and DDT chemical poisoning, which caused their eggs to crack prematurely. In the United States, there are currently about 10,000 nesting pairs of bald eagles, about a fifth of the number when the birds were adopted as the national symbol in 1782, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Picture taken March 23, 2015. REUTERS/Mike Segar (Mike Segar/Reuters)

Actor LeVar Burton announced the name, chosen by a process in which he said about 240 names were submitted and 10,000 people took part.

The Earth Conservation Corps said Spirit recognized the 25th anniversary of the organization, which has played a key role in the resurgence of eagles in the area.

Other candidates, also evoking the eagles role as the national symbol, were reported as Courage and Glory.

On the day of the eaglet announcement, the Smithsonian Institutions National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute revealed the names of five cheetah cubs.

Born in late March at the conservation biology institute in Front Royal, Va., the cubs are members of a species whose natural habitat is shrinking.

Taking note of recent conservation-themed observances, including Earth Day, the three female and two male cubs were named for pioneering conservationists, the Smithsonian said.

One was called Roosevelt after President Theodore Roosevelt.

FRONT ROYAL, VA: HANDOUT IMAGE: Two large litters of cheetahs were born at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute in Front Royal, Va. Happy, 3, gave birth to 5 cubs, and Miti, 7, gave birth to seven cubs, two of which died soon after. Forty-six cubs have been born at the facility since 2010. (Photo from Smithisonian's National Zoo) (Smithisonian's National Zoo/Smithisonian's National Zoo)

The others received the last names of Wangari Maathai; Dian Fossey; Margaret Murie, and Aldo Leopold.

Maathai, a Kenyan, won the Nobel Peace Prize, Fossey was famed for protecting gorillas, Murie has been called the grandmother of the conservation movement, and Leopold is often considered the father of wildlife ecology.
Several hundred District residents packed the D.C. Council chambers on Wednesday to debate a plan to impose strict new limits on ways property owners in the nations capital can profit from Airbnb and other home-sharing businesses.

A bill introduced by council member Kenyan R. McDuffie (D-Ward 5) would make it illegal for District property owners to post multiple addresses for short-term rent. It would also drastically curtail the number of days that a homeowner could rent an entire property  from an unlimited period to as few as 15 days in a single year. The bill would not restrict those who rent out a basement apartment or rooms within their primary residence.

The proposed legislation has placed Washington in the middle of similar fights roiling major cities nationwide. Explosive growth in online home-sharing sites has raised a variety of issues, including tax collection and whether short-term rentals inappropriately turn homes into de facto hotels and party venues.

In the District, the fight has been distilled to a question of whether home-sharing is exacerbating the citys affordable housing crisis, a debate that has prompted similar regulation in New York and San Francisco.

McDuffie, addressing the hundreds who turned out Wednesday, said he doesnt want to take away income from residents but rather root out those using Airbnb to convert properties into full-time rentals and in the process removing units from the market that might otherwise house low-income residents.

Council member Kenyan R. McDuffie (D-Ward 5). (Bill OLeary/The Washington Post)

[Council member introduces bill to restrict Airbnb, short-term rentals]

This unregulated business has had great impact on safety and affordability, McDuffie said. The city lacks a coherent scheme that allows bad actors to take units off the market.

Those who violate the proposed rules could be fined up to $1,000 for the first instance and up to $7,000 for subsequent violations.

The hearing came a day after D.C. Attorney General Karl A. Racine announced a lawsuit accusing a California company of turning units in four District apartment buildings into illegal short-term rentals on Airbnb, including two in rent-controlled buildings.

Claire Zippel, an analyst at the DC Fiscal Policy Institute, which advocates for greater funding for the poor, said Airbnb listings show that the problem is citywide and much larger than the four buildings identified in the lawsuit.

About 2,000 of Airbnbs 5,000 rentals listed in the District are full homes or apartments, indicating the property owners may not live at the addresses. A significant problem, Zippel said, considering that about 1,000 District families are in homeless shelters and overflow motel rooms.

Valerie Ervin of the Working Families Party, which organized scores of people to testify in favor of the bill, said Airbnb and other home-sharing sites are making it more lucrative for property owners to kick out low-rent tenants and conduct short-term rentals in Adams Morgan, Columbia Heights and other neighborhoods.

Make no mistake  when not regulated, sites like Airbnb are tools for gentrification, Ervin said.

But Airbnb, backed by one of the citys leading proponents of affordable housing, pushed back on that assertion.

The company released a study showing that its full-home rentals account for 2 percent of all housing units in the District and that 60 percent of those listings are rented part time for fewer than 90 days per year.

In an interview, Stephen Glaude, executive director of the Coalition for Nonprofit Housing & Economic Development, which partnered on the study, said there is potential for home-sharing to impact affordable housing prices, but at this time, its not happening.

Representatives of the hotel industry testified in favor of the bill, saying that Airbnb enjoys unfair advantages, including voluntary reporting of how much tax it owes, while hosts do not have to comply with laws required of hotels.

Hours of testimony by homeowners and questioning by council members also centered on whether the bill would infringe on the property rights of District residents.

Marc Gersen, a college student, said taking away the income he makes from Airbnb when he is on leave from school would severely affect his personal finances. He rattled off a list of others in similar circumstances.

Students and teachers, federal workers who get five weeks of vacation, a friend of mine is an IT consultant who travels every Monday through Thursday, he said. In D.C., people travel a lot, and this bill will restrict every District resident who may be away for more than 15 days.

District residents who have two homes said it would also unfairly target them.

Amy Rothberg, who owns a home in Georgetown, recounted how her business fell apart and her savings dried up during the economic downturn a decade ago. She moved out of her home and into a rental unit, renting out her home as a vacation property to earn more than half her income.

My business is not the cause of the problem, nor does it contribute to the problem, Rothberg said. Im a 66-year-old woman . . . and Im caught up in this area that youre not allowed to have a separate residence.

Council member Elissa Silverman (I-At Large) said that issue has been frequently raised by her constituents. Where do we draw lines . . . for an individual owner monetizing a personal asset? she asked. The question Ive repeatedly gotten is What about the starter home they bought and want to be able to keep as an investment for their family? 

Under McDuffies bill, such homeowners would fall into the commercial category and not be allowed to rent for more than 15 days a year.

Will Burns, Airbnbs director of public policy, testified that the company would support more-lenient rules, limiting property owners to three listings at one time and 180 days of rent per unit per year.

McDuffie repeatedly was at odds with residents about the need for stricter limits, at one point telling Lisa Shaw, who owns a four-unit apartment building in Southeast, that she was taking away three potential homes by renting the other units on Airbnb.

Shaw said she was sick of dealing with tenants on government vouchers and others who didnt pay their rent.

Its my property, she said. Its my right.
Police are investigating a report of possible fraud related to the countywide PTA in Montgomery County, Md. (iStock/iStock)

Police are investigating a report of possible fraud involving a former officer in the countywide council of PTAs in Marylands largest school system, authorities said Wednesday.

PTA leaders in Montgomery County say they believe $39,000 was improperly disbursed through the checking account of the PTA organization, called the Montgomery County Council of PTAs, or MCCPTA.

In a letter to members, the group wrote that since July 1, significant financial irregularities have occurred, including the apparent theft of a substantial sum, most likely by someone inside MCCPTA.

No one has been charged in the case, which is in the early stages of investigation, said Officer Rick Goodale, of the Montgomery County Police. Goodale did not identify a suspect.

PTA leaders say that in February and March, board members raised questions about financial reports for the volunteer-run organization.

Paul Geller, immediate past president, said he brought the case to police on April 10 after a review of financial documents revealed irregularities.

Based on a review of PTA financial documents, it appears the funds may have been diverted, Geller said in an interview, declining to provide details. Its being investigated, and were cooperating fully  fully  with police. Whatever they need, theyve got.

An independent three-member PTA audit team, which reviewed financial activities from July 1 to March 31, provided police with further documentation last week, said Lynne Harris, who was elected president of the group Tuesday night.

Harris said the audit team compared the treasurers records with banking records, among other things. They were meticulous, she said. What they believe they discovered was unauthorized disbursements that began as early as last summer.

PTA leaders said the immediate past treasurer of the organization resigned in late March. The Washington Post is not naming her because no charges have been filed. She did not respond to a phone call or email Wednesday.

The issue was discussed Tuesday night at an annual assembly of delegates that drew more than 150 people and included election of new officers. Many who attended reacted to a report of the audit teams findings with surprise, dismay and disappointment, according to several who were there.

The mood was generally one of concern, because the amount was large and some people were hearing about this for the first time, recalled one parent who declined to be named because of the sensitivity of the investigation.

The organization is committed to improving its financial safeguards to prevent anything similar from occurring in the future, Harris said. The county groups most recent yearly audit, done by an outside firm, showed no problems, she said.

Were going to be very transparent going forward, and were going to keep our members fully informed, she said.

Recommendations for tightening financial practices have been made by the PTA audit team, and the county is also working with the state PTA, she said.

The countywide organization represents PTAs in more than 190 of Montgomerys 204 schools. With an annual budget of roughly $80,000, the group has used its funds for advocacy, an arts festival, informational events and other programs.

[Buses ready: Montgomery parents, students and leaders head to Capitol to push for funding]

MCCPTA represents about 50,000 Montgomery parents, students, teachers and others who are PTA members. A dollar of each members annual dues goes to the countywide organization.

Harris said that, under PTA bylaws, the county organizations checks require more than one signature of designated signatories but that the requirement does not appear to be enforced by banks.

The county group has reported its problems to its bank and closed its old account. Its current funds, about $10,000, are in a new account. It is working with its insurance carrier to possibly recover the lost funds, Harris said.

Montgomery schools spokesman Derek Turner said that district officials are aware of the issue and believe that PTA leaders have taken appropriate steps to address it.

MCCPTA and all of our PTAs have been great partners throughout the year, and this doesnt change the value and importance of our relationship in supporting our schools and students, he said.

PTA leaders said they could not recall a similar incident involving the countywide organization.

In the 2006-07 school year, an Olney woman serving as PTA treasurer at Cashell Elementary School pleaded guilty to stealing $27,000, according to news reports.
President Trump signed an executive order Wednesday that requires Education Secretary Betsy DeVos to study whether and how the federal government has overstepped its legal authority in K-12 schools, a move he framed as part of a broader effort to shift power from Washington to states and local communities.

Previous administrations have wrongfully forced states and schools to comply with federal whims and dicate what our kids are taught, Trump said at the White House. But we know that local communities do it best and know it best.

The order does not invest DeVos with any new authority. She already has broad powers to revise or withdraw policies that her predecessors promulgated.

Rob Goad, a department official, said the order gives DeVos 300 days to conduct a review to identify any regulations or guidance related to K-12 schools that is inconsistent with federal law. The review will be led by a task force headed by Robert Eitel, a senior counselor to DeVos who previously worked for a for-profit college company.

The GOP has long been home to lawmakers who say that the federal government should not be involved in public education. But complaints of federal overreach intensified during President Barack Obamas administration as the department wielded billions of dollars in stimulus funds  and promises of relief from the No Child Left Behind law  to push states toward adopting new teacher evaluations and Common Core academic standards.

The bipartisan Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015 transferred much authority over public schools from the federal government to the states. Many on the right are looking for signs that Trump will do more to unwind the federal role in education.

[Trump seeks to slash Education Department but make big push for school choice]

Trumps order brings welcome attention to a much-overlooked problem of behavior that has festered through all administrations, said Jeanne Allen, a veteran of the Reagan administration who runs the D.C.-based Center for Education Reform, which advocates for vouchers, charter schools and other forms of choice.

Allen said shes hopeful that DeVos will get rid of the departments guidance to schools on a variety of issues. The secretary could do that without an executive order and without involvement from Congress, as she did in February when she withdrew controversial guidance to schools on accommodating transgender students.

Obamas Education Department was notably aggressive on civil rights, not only in directing schools to allow transgender students to use the bathrooms matching their gender identity but also in pushing for school-discipline revamps and in pressing colleges to overhaul their handling of sexual assault on campus.

Those efforts, coupled with the departments sometimes wide-ranging investigations into thousands of complaints of alleged discrimination against students nationwide, also led to complaints of federal overreach. Supporters of those moves on civil rights fear the Trump administrations campaign to shrink the federal role in education will translate into weaker protections for vulnerable students.

Adrienne Watson, a spokeswoman for the Democratic National Committee, said the order changes nothing. Trump isnt signing it to actually improve education for American students, she said. He is doing it to put a fake point on the board within his first 100 days because he cant pass an accomplishment of significance.
Former Maryland governor Martin OMalley (D) was deposed Wednesday by attorneys in a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the states 2011 redistricting process, which OMalley oversaw.

The lawyers deposed Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr. (D-Calvert) on Monday and House Speaker Michael E. Busch (D-Anne Arundel) last week.

Both lawmakers played key roles in the redistricting process. They and OMalley tried unsuccessfully to avoid turning over records and testifying in the lawsuit, citing legislative and executive privilege.

U.S. District Judge James K. Bredar ruled in January that the ability to discover evidence lies at the heart of this case and said the legislatures direct role in the redistricting process supports overcoming the legislative privilege.

The plaintiffs in the lawsuit, Benisek v. Lamone, allege that state officials redrew Marylands congressional districts based on party registration and voting histories, violating the First Amendment by making it difficult for people of a particular political persuasion to elect their preferred representative.

Specifically, they claim that Marylands 6th Congressional District was manipulated to unseat then-Rep. Roscoe G. Bartlett (R), a 10-term incumbent who lost to Democrat John Delaney in 2012.

The plaintiffs are asking a three-judge panel of the U.S. District Court in Maryland to prevent the state from enforcing its current congressional map.

Their attorneys say they expect a bench trial this summer and a decision by early fall, with the ruling potentially requiring the state to redraw voting boundaries before the 2018 primary elections.
Larry Hogan, then the governor-elect, left, hugs his father, former congressman Lawrence Hogan Sr., after beating Democrat Anthony Brown on election night. (Steve Ruark/Associated Press)

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R) plans to eulogize his father, Lawrence J. Hogan Sr., during a funeral Mass at St. Marys Catholic Church in Annapolis on Saturday morning.

Amelia Chasse, a spokeswoman for the governor, said the Mass for the former congressman and Prince Georges county executive will begin at 10:30 a.m.

The burial will be private and held in Frederick.

Hogan Sr., 88, died last week at Anne Arundel Medical Center from complications following a stroke.

While in Congress, he was the first Republican member of the U.S. House Judiciary Committee to call for President Richard M. Nixons impeachment in 1974.

He was the only Republican member of the Judiciary Committee to vote for all three articles of impeachment against Nixon.

The governor, who considered his father a mentor and political adviser, wrote his name in on the presidential ballot in November instead of voting for any of the nominated candidates.
Tech entrepreneur and Democrat Alec Ross, 45, is running to become governor of Maryland. (Courtesy of Alec Ross gubernatorial campaign)

Baltimore nonprofit founder, author and former Obama administration technology adviser Alec Ross on Wednesday became the first in what is expected to be a crowded field of Democrats to enter Marylands 2018 gubernatorial race.

The 45-year-old political newcomer declared his candidacy through social media and his campaign website, saying he will use what I know about entrepreneurship and innovation to open up high-paying jobs to Marylanders with and without a college degree.

At least eight other Democrats have said they are considering a 2018 run for governor, including Prince Georges County Executive Rushern Baker III, U.S. Rep. John Delaney, former Maryland attorney general Douglas F. Gansler, former NAACP executive director Benjamin Jealous, Baltimore County Executive Kevin B. Kamenetz, state Sen. Richard S. Madaleno Jr. (Montgomery), state Del. Maggie McIntosh (Baltimore) and lawyer James L. Shea.

The winner of the Democratic primary is expected to face Gov. Larry Hogan (R), who has said he will seek a second term.

Hogans approval rating soared to 71 percent in September, then dipped to 65 percent in March, with a growing number of voters saying they would prefer to see a Democrat in the governors mansion. Still, Hogan is well-known and well-liked around the state, and has raised millions of dollars more than any of his potential opponents.

Ross, who is married to a teacher and taught middle school for two years, criticized Hogan for supporting charter schools and voucher programs.

He said that if elected he would make bold, unprecedented investments in our kids, including computer-science and coding classes for all public-school children by the time theyre 10 years old.

Ross served as a technology policy adviser to Obamas first presidential campaign and then as tech czar for the U.S. State Department, and wrote The Industries of the Future, which spent time on the New York Times list of business bestsellers.

He graduated from Northwestern University in 1994 with a bachelors degree in history, then joined Teach for America, which assigned him to a tough middle school in Baltimore. His work there was detailed in a three-part series in the Baltimore Sun.

In 2002, Ross founded a nonprofit group that focused on providing low-income and underserved communities with access to high-speed Internet service. The organization has since become a multimillion-dollar corporation.

In his book, Ross predicted that five industries would dominate the global economy of the next several decades: robotics, cybersecurity, genomics, data analysis and digital currency.
MARYLAND

First responders honored after deaths

Prince Georges County at its annual luncheon celebrating its public safety employees honored a police officer and two firefighters who died in the line of duty last year.

Officer Jacai Colson was killed by friendly fire in a chaotic shooting outside a police station in March 2016. He was named Police Officer of the Year and awarded a Gold Medal of Valor.

A month later, in April 2016, firefighter John Skillet Ulmschneider was breaking down the door of a home during an emergency call when the homeowner mistook him for an intruder and shot and killed him. He received the Firefighter of the Year award and a Gold Medal of Valor.

And firefighter Chris Hill died in July of brain cancer, developed because of the occupational hazards of his work. He also received a Gold Medal of Valor.

 Lynh Bui

Accused killer can be retried, court rules

Marylands highest court has ruled that the accused killer of Phylicia Barnes can be tried for a third time, saying a Baltimore judge who acquitted him was totally without authority to act.

Michael M. Johnson, 33, has been free since January 2015, when Judge John Addison Howard ruled that prosecutors lacked evidence and dismissed second-degree murder charges.

But that ruling came after Howard had declared a mistrial, and in a unanimous opinion issued Wednesday, the state Court of Appeals found that Howard no longer had the ability to grant an acquittal.

Baltimore prosecutors have said they intend to try Johnson again in the 2010 killing of Barnes, a 16-year-old honors student from North Carolina who vanished from northwest Baltimore while visiting her half sister. The search gained national attention, and months later, her body was found floating in the Susquehanna River.

 Baltimore Sun

VIRGINIA

Teen charged in fatal Manassas shooting

A 16-year-old boy was arrested Tuesday in connection with a fatal shooting in Manassas this month, police said.

About 1:10 a.m. on April 17, officers responded to the 9000 block of Centreville Road after a report of shots fired, Manassas police said. They found 25-year-old Wilfredo Guardado-Huezo suffering from gunshot wounds. He died at a hospital.

On Monday about 11:30 p.m., a suspect in the shooting, a 16-year-old boy from Chantilly whose name was not released by police, was arrested and charged with first-degree murder, authorities said.

Denis Alexander Sanchez, 20, of Manassas was arrested in connection with the shooting this month.

 Justin Wm. Moyer
A 16-year-old boy was arrested Tuesday in connection with a fatal shooting in Manassas last month, police said.

[One man arrested after fatal shooting in Virginia]

At around 1:10 a.m. on April 17, officers responded to the 9000 block of Centreville Road for the report of shots fired, Manassas police said in a statement. They found 25-year-old Wilfredo Guardado-Huezo suffering from gunshot wounds, and he later died at a hospital, the statement said.

On Monday at around 11:30 p.m., a suspect in the shooting, a 16-year-old male from Chantilly whose name was not released by police, was arrested and charged with first-degree murder, authorities said. He was held without bond, according to police.

Another man, 20-year-old Denis Alexander Sanchez of Manassas, was arrested in connection with the shooting earlier this month.

Manassas police, who are working the case with the assistance of the Northern Virginia Regional Gang Task Force, asked anyone with information about the incident to contact them at 703-257-8092.
Members of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police go through a decontamination procedure in Vancouver, British Columbia, in June 2016 after intercepting a package containing approximately one kilogram (2.2 pounds) of the opioid carfentanil imported from China. (Royal Canadian Mounted Police via AP/AP)

A substance used to tranquilize elephants that is 100 times more potent than the drug that killed Prince is presenting a new and difficult challenge in the nationwide opioid epidemic.

The exotic and toxic sedative named carfentanil has been linked in recent weeks to fatal overdoses in Illinois, Colorado, Wisconsin and Minnesota.

We have never seen death like we do now, said Tom Synan, head of the Hamilton County Heroin Coalition in Ohio, which was among the first spots to discover a string of carfentanil deaths during a week in which the countys overdoses more than doubled.

On Monday, a Virginia man pleaded guilty in a drug distribution case after selling $100 of carfentanil-laced heroin to a 21-year-old found dead by her mother on the bathroom floor of their Fairfax County home.

Three cases in Anne Arundel and Frederick counties this month mark the first carfentanil-related fatalities in Maryland, alarming local health and law enforcement officials already in a state of emergency combating the opioid crisis.

Kristina Lutz, 21, died last year of an overdose in her Fairfax Station home. She had injected heroin laced with carfentinal, court records show. On Monday, the man who sold Lutz the drugs that killed her was convicted of drug distribution. (Family photo)

The difficult-to-detect substance is so powerful that an amount equivalent to a few grains of salt can be deadly. It requires more aggressive treatment than a typical opiate overdose to reverse. First responders are getting burned out answering back-to-back overdose calls rising because of carfentanil and other synthetic opioids, and they worry about falling ill after exposure while answering calls.

The drug is so new that some medical examiners dont have the tools to detect it in autopsies.

It shows how callous these drug dealers are, Synan said. It has no human use whatsoever, and theyre putting it out on the street and wreaking havoc.

[As opioid overdoses rise, police officers become counselors, doctors and social workers]

Hamilton County, which includes Cincinnati and nearly 50 law enforcement agencies, experienced an average of 50 to 70 reported overdoses a week in early 2016 and four or five deaths, Synan said. One month after law enforcement learned carfentanil had hit the county, overdoses skyrocketed, with about 175 to 200 calls in a single week in August. Four of those users died.

Often, people dont know drugs theyve purchased have been laced with an elephant sedative that is 10,000 times as powerful as morphine, leaving their families devastated.

Im desperate to get some stuff but I dont know anyone that I could buy from, 21-year-old Kristina Lutz texted a drug dealer Aug. 29, according to Fairfax County court documents. Any chance youd be able to help me out haha.

Lisa Lutz, left, kisses her daughter Kristina Lutz, on July 4, 1996 when Kristina was 21 months old. She had been adopted from a Russian orphanage. We tried to bring her to a safe environment and give her a good life, said Kristinas father, Jeffrey Lutz. (N/A/Family photo)

Hours later, Lutz stuck a needle in her arm with carfentanil-laced heroin and died at her familys home in Fairfax Station.

Her parents described Lutz as suffering from anxiety and depression while growing up, but they said she seemed happy recently and was looking forward to running in a race. Her parents said shed had a recent setback when her boss at a dog-boarding and day-care site died of cancer.

We tried to bring her to a safe environment and give her a good life, said Kristinas father, Jeffrey Lutz, who with his wife adopted their daughter from a Russian orphanage when she was 16 months old. Ultimately, because of the evils of these deadly drugs and somebody willing to sell it to her, we couldnt keep her safe.

Melvin Patterson, a spokesman for the Drug Enforcement Administration, said that carfentanil cases emerged in the early 2000s, but a U.S. resurgence started in mid-2016. In quick succession, spikes ravaged communities in Ohio, West Virginia, Kentucky and New Hampshire, prompting the agency to issue a warning in September about the crazy dangerous drug.

[Drugs are killing so many people in Ohio that cold-storage trailers are being used as morgues]

Police, EMS overwhelmed

In its intended use, a little carfentanil goes a long way.

All of the zookeepers and vets in the United States combined need only about 18 grams of carfentanil a year, about the weight of 18 artificial sweetener packets, Patterson said. If they dont need very much of it to use on an annual basis to tranquilize big, large animals, then we humans dont stand up at all, Patterson said.

Its unclear why there has been a recent resurgence in the drug, but typically, everything is about money, Patterson said. A small amount of carfentanil can infuse mass quantities of heroin, increasing profits.

About two milligrams of fentanyl  about what comes out with a single jiggle of a salt shaker  is considered lethal. Carfentanil is 100 times as strong. Carfentanil and fentanyl, the substance found in music legend Princes body when he died last year, has been manufactured mostly in China, Patterson said. But DEA officials hope a recent production ban in China will curb its prevalence.

Some people are looking for it because it is a higher high, said Lt. Ryan Frashure, a police spokesman for Anne Arundel, where fatal carfentanil overdoses occurred April 1 and April 12. And then you have those who dont know and take their normal dose and end up overdosing from their normal amount.

The resurgence of the drug challenges first responders.

Because the drug can be absorbed through the skin, police and lab workers need to take strict precautions against exposure, even from a puff escaping a bag being resealed, said Scott Maye, the chemistry program manager for the Virginia Department of Forensic Science.

Dogs can get a whiff of it, and it can be fatal, Maye said, adding that lab workers are offered masks and gloves and that testing equipment is stored in locked safes.

Many police departments have stopped testing for heroin at crime scenes because the possible presence of carfentanil makes it too risky.

The volume of carfentanil and fentanyl overdose calls is also overwhelming police and first responders, who are being diverted from other calls.

We on the front lines are struggling every day to keep people alive, said Synan, president of the Hamilton County Association of Chiefs of Police.

[After losing their parents to overdoses, three children confront Americas opioid epidemic]

Harsher sentences

In most cases, it can take months before authorities discover someone died of carfentanil.

Carfentanil is next to impossible to detect in toxicology tests, making it hard for authorities to identify quickly changing formulas and warn the public, said Rosie Hobron, Virginias forensic epidemiologist for the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.

It puts us behind a curve, Hobron said.

Because of its stealthy nature, she said, Virginia technically has no confirmed carfentanil deaths. In Lutzs case, the drugs in her bathroom tested positive for the animal tranquilizer, something her family didnt learn until eight months later.

To fight the spread of carfentanil, police have been cracking down on drug dealers. Last week, a judge sentenced an Ohio man to 18 years in federal prison for selling drugs that led to 26 carfentanil overdoses last year, prosecutors said.

On Monday, the man who sold Lutz the drugs that killed her was convicted.

Lisa Lutz said she will never forget finding her daughter on the floor of her bathroom, not far from her bedroom, carefully decorated with photographs and a whiteboard marked with reminders for the future: Be positive; spend more time with family.

She struggled in school but rode horses and worked at the kennel. She was hoping for a career involving animals, possibly at a therapeutic riding center where she had volunteered.

Now her family is trying to figure out their own future. Lutzs parents think their daughter turned to drugs to treat depression and other mental-health issues and want to speak out against the drug scourge.

She decided she was going to treat herself, treat the depression, and reached out to this guy, Lisa Lutz said. If he hadnt been there willing and able to sell this deadly drug to someone who was emotionally frail at the time, Im convinced she would be with us today.

Justin Jouvenal contributed to this report.
Homeland Security Secretary John F. Kelly on Wednesday unveiled a new effort to aid victims of crimes committed by undocumented immigrants, catapulting the Trump administration into another pitched battle over whether the president is deploying federal resources to demonize foreign-born residents who are in this country illegally.

Kelly said the Victims of Immigration Crime Engagement Office, or VOICE, will provide custody status, release dates and other information to victims, witnesses and their representatives. He said there is nothing but goodness in his intentions  a claim immigrant advocates disputed.

We are giving people who are victimized by illegal aliens for the first time a voice of their own, Kelly said, gesturing to crime victims gathered at Immigration and Customs Enforcements D.C. headquarters. Theyre casualties of crimes that should never have taken place because the people who victimized them should never have been here in our country.

President Trump called for the victims office in a January executive order. The launch came a day after a federal judge in San Francisco temporarily blocked another part of that same order, which tried to deny federal funds to cities that refuse to cooperate with immigration agents.

On Wednesday, advocates for immigrants signaled that they might file a lawsuit to block the victim office as well. They said they fear that the office will be an extension of Trumps anti-immigrant rhetoric on the campaign trail and could create the perception that immigrants disproportionately are public-safety threats, which could violate the equal protection clause of the Constitution.

Sabine Durden, right, of Mineral Spring, Ark., whose son Dominic Durden was killed in a traffic accident inviolving an undocumented immigrant, receives a hug from Barbara Gonzalez, second from right, VOICE Office acting assistant director. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)

This really isnt about helping victims, said Brent Wilkes, chief executive of the League of United Latin American Citizens, which is considering the lawsuit. Its really about trying to vilify the immigrant population in this country and using that to their political advantage.

Trumps executive order also called for quarterly reports on crime committed by undocumented immigrants, though it is unclear when the government will begin producing those reports. Advocates for immigrants say research has shown that immigrants are no more likely to commit crimes than people born in this country.

Separate from the political debate, some advocates and officials say the VOICE office could fill a troubling gap that emerges when ICE officers place criminals in immigration detention centers after they are released from prison.

Crime victims can track their assailants whereabouts while assailants are in state or federal prison. But once they have been put in immigration detention, far less information is publicly available. Victims often cannot tell when or whether their assailants are being released from immigration detention or deported.

Some are released in the United States because their homelands refuse to take them back. In some cases, they target their victims all over again. For example, Qian Wu, a Queens woman, was murdered in 2010 by a man she thought had been deported to China. Instead, he was released in the United States and returned to New York to stalk her.

ICE has a small and little-used victim notification system that, as of Wednesday, had 450 to 500 victims registered. The VOICE office will expand that system and automate it, allowing victims, witnesses and their lawyers to sign up to get phone, text or email messages when individuals are taken into custody, released or deported. There is a toll-free number where victims can get information and access to resources.

Officials said they would provide such information to all victims of crimes committed by undocumented immigrants, without inquiring about the victims immigration status.

The relatives of victims who attended the programs launch Wednesday also have appeared with Trump on the campaign trail.

They included Michelle Root, the Iowa mother of Sarah Root, a 21-year-old struck and killed last year, allegedly by a drunk driver in the United States illegally. Michelle Root said she struggled to get information from ICE about the suspect, Eswin Mejia of Honduras, who posted bail in his criminal case and disappeared.

Im elated that the VOICE has started, she said.

Mai Fernandez, executive director of the National Center for Victims of Crime, said she hoped the new program would treat victims equally, regardless of their legal status.

If youre a victim, youre a victim, said Fernandez.
Calvert County

These were among reports received by the Calvert County Sheriffs Office and the Maryland State Police. Anyone with information about these crimes is asked to call the Criminal Investigation Division at 410-535-2800 or 301-855-1194, the Crime Solvers line at 410-535-2880 or the state police Prince Frederick Barrack at 410-535-1400.

DUNKIRK AREA

THEFTS/BREAK-INS

Carter Ave., April 12. A bicycle was stolen.

LUSBY AREA

THEFTS/BREAK-INS

Dusty Hoof Rd., 5 p.m. April 12. A bicycle was stolen from a home.

PRINCE FREDERICK AREA

THEFTS/BREAK-INS

Route 2/4, 8 a.m.-noon, April 14. Property, including a box of turkey shot ammunition, was stolen from a vehicle parked at a business.

Charles County

These were among reports received by the Charles County Sheriffs Office and the Maryland State Police. For information, call 301-932-2222 or 301-870-3232. The website ccso.us has crime statistics and information on crime prevention programs.

REWARDS FOR INFORMATION

Crime Solvers will pay a reward for information leading to an arrest and indictment. The 24-hour hotline is 866-411-8477. Callers may remain anonymous.

WHITE PLAINS AREA

ROBBERIES

Crain Hwy., 4700 block, 5:07 a.m. April 18. Four armed people stole cigarettes and cash from a convenience store and shot a round into a display case and ceiling.

St. Marys County

These w ere among reports received by the St. Marys County Sheriffs Office and the Maryland State Police. For information, call 301-475-8008. To submit a tip, call Crime Solvers at 301-475-3333. The Leonardtown Barrack of the state police has an anonymous tip line at 301-475-2936.

GREAT MILLS AREA

THEFTS/BREAK-INS

Iverson Dr., April 20. Property was stolen from four vehicles.

LEONARDTOWN AREA

ASSAULTS

Leonardtown, April 17. During an argument inside a cell at a detention center, two men assaulted each other. A Centreville man, 24, and a Lexington Park man, 23, were charged with second-degree assault on a department of correction employee.

LEXINGTON PARK AREA

THEFTS/BREAK-INS

Mayfaire Lane, April 19. Property was stolen from a home.

Patuxent Rd., April 19. Property was stolen from a home.

MOTOR VEHICLE THEFTS

Valley Ct., April 19. A vehicle was stolen. The vehicle was found on fire in Dameron on St. Jeromes Neck Road.

DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY

Kent Dr., April 19. A vehicle was damaged.

LOVEVILLE AREA

THEFTS/BREAK-INS

Pit Way, April 19. Property was stolen from a vehicle.

MECHANICSVILLE AREA

THEFTS/BREAK-INS

New Market Rd., April 19. A home was forcibly entered; nothing appeared to have been stolen.
A new regionwide sales tax is the best way to raise the billions of dollars that Metro needs in coming years  and that area governments cant afford  according to a report released Wednesday by top local administrative and budget officials.

After studying the issue for more than a year, the group said a one-cent-per-dollar sales tax would generate enough money  $650 million annually  to keep the transit system safe and reliable. It also would yield enough extra money to pay for some expansion of the system, such as construction of a second tunnel under the Potomac River between Rosslyn and Foggy Bottom, which would eliminate one of Metros major bottlenecks.

The report lent support to calls from D.C. Mayor Muriel E. Bowser (D) and others for a broad-based sales tax to pay for new equipment and maintenance for the 40-year-old system.

[Read the panels report on Metro]

But it represented the views only of self-described technocrats, rather than of elected officials who will ultimately decide whether and how to find more money for Metro.

A regional sales tax would face major political challenges, by all accounts. Virginia officials, fearing resistance from the Republican-dominated General Assembly, urged that individual jurisdictions be allowed to decide for themselves how to raise the money to support Metro.

The tax plan was prepared by top county and municipal administrators and budget officers organized by the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments. It was presented at a COG board meeting and was referred to a Metro Strategy Group of elected officials, headed by Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Sharon Bulova (D), for a final recommendation.

The report said a sales tax has several advantages over alternatives such as a property tax  it would be easier to administer, would capture revenue from tourists and other nonresidents, and is used by other major transit systems throughout the country.

[Metro chief proposes new business model, $500 million a year in extra funding]

The budget officials also said that despite their initial skepticism, they agreed that Metros financial needs are so large and urgent that only a new dedicated tax will solve the problem. They set a challenging deadline of January 2019 for coming up with the additional money.

It is time to act for the good of the region, and establish dedicated funding to fill the major gap in funding needed for Metros capital and maintenance, said the 37-page report, titled Technical Panel Final Report on Metro.

After examining many different options, the Panel concluded that a dedicated sales tax is the best, most equitable revenue option, the report said.

The panels call for a dedicated funding source is consistent with a plan announced last week by Metro General Manager Paul J. Wiedefeld. But Wiedefeld did not recommend a specific tax, saying that was up to the regions elected officials and the public.

The COG report differs somewhat with Wiedefeld over how much additional money Metro needs over the next 10 years. It agreed with the general manager that the agency needs an additional $15.5 billion for capital investments in new rail cars, buses and other equipment. But the panel said Metro also needs an extra $1.3 billion over the period to pay for increased maintenance.

[Metros continued decline could cost region $1 billion in lost revenue]

In one of the reports principal findings, it said Metro faces a shortfall of $7.5 billion over the next 10 years between its needs and what the District, Maryland and Virginia are able to provide.

It said that unless a new source of revenue is found, local jurisdictions will have to slash budgets for schools, roads or other priorities.

We have no idea how to pay for [Metro] without massively cutting our other infrastructure needs, said District Chief Financial Officer Jeffrey S. DeWitt, who played a leading role in the panels work.

Legal and political realities will make it difficult to meet the January 2019 deadline for raising the money. The Virginia and Maryland legislatures must first give approval to suburban jurisdictions such as Fairfax, Montgomery and Prince Georges counties to increase taxes. Then the suburban governments must do so, and referendums may be required in some cases.

The D.C. Council has already voted to back a regionwide sales tax for Metro if the other jurisdictions do so.

The effort could easily get caught up in the desire of many elected officials and interest groups to press Metro to overhaul its governing structure and curb labor costs. The technical report does not address governance or labor issues, but Wiedefelds proposal urges several major concessions by unions to hold down costs.

The two money-generating proposals to receive the most attention in the region have been a regional sales tax and a tax on property near Metro stations. The panel also considered other options, including a general property tax, a gas tax, a value-added tax, a commuter tax and an income tax.

[Local governments alarmed as Metro says it needs an extra $1 billion a year]

The group concluded that a uniform, regional sales tax was best, partly because it would be easily understood by the public and easy to administer.

A dedicated sales tax also is a major source of funding for most other large transit systems in the nation, including those in New York, Chicago, Boston and San Francisco.

Theres no tax that does this perfectly, DeWitt said. The one thats used the most and the one that fits the most criteria is the sales tax.

But Northern Virginia officials are concerned that the states General Assembly will balk at endorsing a regionwide tax. State Sen. George L. Barker (D-Fairfax) said the report will hurt his efforts to persuade other Richmond lawmakers to support Metro, because they will think the choice of a sales tax is being imposed on them.

To a large extent, it does tie one hand behind my back and makes my job much more difficult, Barker said at the COG meeting.

Other Virginia officials also objected, saying a uniform sales tax would mean that Northern Virginia would contribute more to Metro than the other jurisdictions. Thats because of Northern Virginias large population and higher volume of sales to be taxed.

According to the report, with a uniform sales tax, Virginias share of the total revenue collected would be 51 percent, compared with 23 percent for the District and 26 percent for the Maryland suburbs.

Loudoun County Supervisor Matthew Letourneau (R-Dulles), who is COGs vice chairman, called that a major concern.

The COG report and District officials said that objection could be solved in the process of implementing the tax, perhaps by reducing some of Virginias other contributions to Metro.

These are all rough edges that can be buffed out, COG Executive Director Chuck Bean said.

The panel reiterated warnings made in an earlier, interim report about the cost of failing to provide Metro with adequate support.

With no additional funding, it said, rush-hour delays on Metro will continue indefinitely, at a cost of $153 million to $235 million annually. Failure to fund Metro also will increase safety risks, worsen traffic congestion and slow economic growth in the region, the report said.
Many of the units at Terrace Manor have been gutted without movement toward renovation. In October 2016, when this photo was taken, broken windows, open entries, mold, infestations and other issues were apparent. (Amanda Voisard/For The Washington Post)

Sanford Capital, the controversial landlord that has racked up thousands of housing code violations at its District apartments, has agreed to cede temporarily control of its troubled Terrace Manor property to a court-appointed receiver.

Attorneys for Sanford and the District struck a verbal receivership agreement Tuesday at a hearing in D.C. Superior Court as part of litigation brought by D.C. Attorney General Karl A. Racine (D) regarding substandard housing conditions at Terrace Manor, an 11-building complex at Savannah and 23rd streets SE.

The receiver is tasked with identifying and correcting a raft of problems at Terrace Manor, from broken heating systems to rodent infestation. Both the city and the company can object to the receivers list of repairs; the court will make a final determination. As part of the agreement, Sanford will bear the cost of the receiver and repairs.

The complex has to be inhabitable, D.C. Superior Court Judge John M. Mott said. So people can live their lives, use their units and not be at any risk.

Bethesda-based Sanford receives millions in city dollars in the form of rent subsidies for low-income residents at its 19 properties, which are concentrated in Wards 7 and 8.

Samantha Wright, left, and Monica Jackson peek into an open unit at Terrace Manor, which has been gutted to the beams. (Amanda Voisard/For The Washington Post)

[Tax dollars keep flowing to landlord D.C. is suing over housing conditions]

In a rare move, Racine filed a civil lawsuit in D.C. Superior Court in October, alleging that Sanfords pattern of neglect and failure to make repairs over a period of years have resulted in substandard housing conditions at Terrace Manor.

It is one of two lawsuits Racine filed against Sanford for failure to fix chronic problems.

Tuesdays agreement was a win for Racin, who said that when he filed the Terrace Manor suit, he also wanted Sanford to pay restitution to residents for rent they paid while the property was uninhabitable. Over time, residents have fled Terrace Manor, leaving it largely vacant now with about a dozen occupied units spread across eight of the 11 buildings.

With this receivership, we now dont have to rely on an unreliable Sanford Capital, Racine said Wednesday. He added that he hoped receivership has a deterrent impact on Sanford and other landlords with a pattern of disregard for the law.

We will bring suit, said Racine. A court will come in and take away their right to manage the property.

Nelson Cohen, an attorney for Aubrey Carter Nowell, a co-founder of Sanford, maintained that Terrace Manor met the requirements of the citys building code. It is our position that there are no violations, he told the court. That they have all been remedied.

An exchange during Tuesdays hearing suggested Sanford had hoped that by agreeing to receivership, the District would drop its demand for restitution.

The District is not willing to accept or settle other claims in this case in exchange for, so to speak, appointment of a receiver, said Jane Lewis, a lawyer from the attorney generals office.

Future hearings will address restitution payments.

The two sides agreed to the selection of Mark Albert, a bankruptcy attorney and partner at Stinson Leonard Street, as the receiver.

Nowell and his attorney declined a reporters request to comment.

The lawsuit is not the only action the city is taking against Sanford. Mayor Muriel E. Bowser (D) ordered inspections of 15 properties in Sanfords portfolio following reports of more than 100 citations for rampant violations of housing codes by The Washington Post and Washington City Paper earlier this year. Inspectors found more than 1,000 housing-code violations that carry the threat of $539,500 in fines.

[Bowser orders a review of all properties operated by Sanford]

Bowser is not unacquainted with Sanford. The company gave $3,000 to her 2014 campaign for mayor, and the wife of Nowells partner, Mary Strauss, gave an additional $753 to Bowsers bid, according to campaign finance reports.

Sanford tried unsuccessfully to escape receivership by filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection for Terrace Manor last month in federal court. At an April 11 hearing in D.C. Superior Court, Cohen argued that the D.C. court lacked jurisdiction under federal bankruptcy code to appoint a receiver.

But three days later, the U.S. Department of Justice unexpectedly responded with a motion that argued that Sanford should not be able to use bankruptcy as a tool to block the Districts request for receivership.

Bradley Jones, an attorney for the Office of United States Trustee  an agency within the Justice Department  argued that Sanford appears to have attempted to conceal the issues surrounding their housing code violations on their chapter 11 bankruptcy petition. His agency said D.C. Superior Court can appoint a receiver without violating bankruptcy code.

As part of the closed-door discussions between city attorneys and the defendants on Tuesday, Mott agreed to let Sanford seek approval of the receivership from the federal bankruptcy judge. Mott said that he planned to personally call the federal judge to discuss the receivership agreement and that he did not expect any opposition.

I expect this will get worked out very quickly. Were not talking about months from now. Were talking about days or a couple weeks maybe, Mott said.

Courtney is attached to The Posts investigative unit through a program at American University.
Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe said that he has encouraged his wife, Dorothy McAuliffe, to consider running for Congress and that she knows every issue inside and out. (Melina Mara/The Washington Post)

Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe has just one issue with his wifes potential run for Congress.

Its Congress.

The only thing Ive said [is], Dorothy, Im the biggest critic of Congress,  McAuliffe (D) said Wednesday. They do nothing.

Despite his dim view of the place, McAuliffe said he has encouraged his wife, Dorothy McAuliffe, to consider seeking the Northern Virginia seat held by Rep. Barbara Comstock (R).

I think she could be a spectacular member of Congress, the governor said in his first public comments on his wifes potential bid. I think it would be great.  She knows every issue inside and out.

McAuliffe made the remarks on WTOP radios Ask the Governor program one day after Dorothy McAuliffe told The Washington Post that she was very seriously considering a run.

[Dorothy McAuliffe, wife of Va. governor, is testing the waters for a congressional run]

The governor said his wife had not made a final decision and indicated that the couples children factored into the equation. Shes got to make that ultimate decision. Weve got five children, he said, noting that two of them are still at home.

At an event in Arlington later in the day, McAuliffe said of his wife: Shes a lawyer, so shes examining all the pros and cons.

Dorothy McAuliffe, who earned an undergraduate political science degree from Catholic University of America and a law degree from Georgetown University, practiced banking and securities law for several years, according to a biography posted on the states website.

In the radio interview, the governor was dismissive when asked if his familys close ties to Bill and Hillary Clinton  the former president and 2016 Democratic nominee for president  could be a drag on Dorothy McAuliffes prospects, given the anti-establishment mood in some corners of the party.

Bill and Hillary Clinton are our best friends, he said. I never, ever walk away from my friends.  They are my friends today, yesterday and forever. . This is about ideas, whos got the best ideas.

He added: I am proud of my relationship with the Clintons.

If she decides to run for office, Dorothy McAuliffe would join a crowded Democratic field in the 10th congressional district. Three candidates have filed the paperwork to raise money: state Sen. Jennifer T. Wexton, a former prosecutor from Loudoun County; Lindsey Davis Stover, a former administration official of former president Barack Obamas administration; and Dan Helmer, an Army veteran and strategic adviser at a consulting firm. Kimberly Adams, president of the Fairfax County Council of PTAs and past president of the Fairfax County teachers union, has also said she will run for the nomination.

Whoever wins the Democratic nomination will face a formidable candidate in Comstock, a former state delegate who won a second term in November even as Clinton carried her district by 10 points.

The governor, prohibited by the state constitution from serving back-to-back terms, leaves office on Jan. 13, 2018.

Patricia Sullivan contributed to this report.
Virginia women will be able to have their insurance provider cover a full year of birth-control pills at once under a bill signed Wednesday by Gov. Terry McAuliffe at an Arlington County clinic.

McAuliffe (D), surrounded by about a dozen elected officials and more than 50 womens rights advocates, said he was happy to sign what he called the first positive womens reproductive health measure to emerge from the legislature in his term.

Ive spent these years blocking and tackling, stopping the most insane anti-women legislation you can imagine, he said after the event at the Arlington County Stambaugh Human Services Center Clinic. This is why elections do matter.

The bill-signing had the feel of a campaign rally as the ebullient governor bounded into the packed room to a round of applause and joined a crowd of state and local elected officials at the dais. He was introduced by Lt. Gov. Ralph Northam (D), who hopes to succeed McAuliffe in the governors mansion in November.

McAuliffe touted the candidacy of Northam, who is battling former congressman Tom Perriello for the Democratic nomination, and gave a shout-out to Democrats in the House of Delegates, who helped sustain the record 111 vetoes he has issued during his term.

If I lost one Democrat in the House of Delegates, one single vote, I would have been overridden. They stood with me, McAuliffe said.

When the new law takes effect July 1, Virginia will join five other states  Oregon, California, Hawaii, Illinois and Vermont  and the District of Columbia in requiring insurance companies to cover 12 months of birth control at a time.

The legislation was sponsored by Del. Eileen Filler-Corn (D-Fairfax), who said it will help women avoid gaps in birth-control use. It passed both chambers in the Republican-controlled legislature with large bipartisan majorities.

Representatives for health insurers questioned whether the law was necessary, noting that current insurance policies allow people to get 90-day prescriptions and ask for automatic refills.

Advocates called the 12-month birth-control measure a common-sense measure that will make it easier for women to stay on the medication.

They cited studies that say having access to 12 months of birth-control pills could reduce the rate of unintended pregnancies by 30 percent and decrease by 46 percent the odds of having an abortion.

A similar bill failed to get out of committee in 2016. The difference this year was that Filler-Corn personally lobbied Republicans, said Tarina Keene, executive director of NARAL Pro-Choice Virginia.

In addition, womens advocates, accompanied by three physicians, talked with lawmakers who had opposed the bill a year earlier.

It just makes sense that women have consistent, reliable access to birth control so they can control their reproductive destiny, Keene said. Its much cheaper to supply a woman with a years worth of birth control than cover an unexpected childbirth.
Annie Peguero and her 19-month-old daughter, Autumn, at their home in Dumfries, Va. (Michael Chandler/The Washington Post)

Annie Peguero was trying to soothe her agitated 19-month-old baby in church on Sunday when she did what she often does  she nursed her. But her efforts to calm her daughter caused a stir in the sanctuary of Summit Church in Springfield.

A woman promptly asked the Dumfries mother to decamp to a private room, she said. Peguero declined and was later told that the church does not allow breast-feeding without a cover because it could make men, teenagers or new churchgoers uncomfortable, she said. One woman told her the sermon was being live-streamed and that she would not want Peguero to be seen breast-feeding.

The mother of two left her seat in the back of the church and fled, embarrassed and in shock. The next day, she posted her own livestream video on Facebook  with her baby, Autumn, at her breast  telling viewers what happened and urging women to stand up for breast-feeding.

I want you to know that breast-feeding is normal, she said.

It is also a legally protected right in Virginia, where the legislature passed a 2015 law that says women have a right to breast-feed anywhere they have a legal right to be.

(Facebook/TeamLiveLikeALion)

Now Peguero, and an attorney, are pressing church leaders to issue a statement and reverse their policy.

I feel like my rights as a mom have been violated, Peguero said.

Officials with the church did not immediately respond to requests for comment from The Washington Post. Attorney Rebecca Geller said on Wednesday that she got a call from executive pastor Tony Trayers after repeated calls to Summit Church and was told that the church was not aware of the law and would look into it. There is no exemption for religious institutions under the law.

[Judge tells breast-feeding mother, Maam, you need to cover up]

Peguero, a 42-year-old personal trainer and fitness and nutrition specialist, often posts live videos online with tips and advice about managing life with two young children. She talks about getting through the day when a spouse is deployed, drawing on her own experience as the wife of a Marine serving overseas.

The self-described hippie mama said she looked forward to breast-feeding long before she had children.

I knew it was the very best thing for my baby, she said. I wanted to give them that gift for as long as I could, and thats what I did.

Annie Peguero and her 19-month-old daughter, Autumn, at their home in Dumfries, Va. (Michael Chandler/The Washington Post)

She nursed her older daughter  now 4 years old  until she was 8 months pregnant with Autumn. In all that time, she never had a problem nursing in public, she said.

I have breast-fed in a few different countries. I have breast-fed all over the place, she said. No one has ever said anything to me.

Virginia was one of the last states to pass a law protecting a womans right to breast-feed in public.

Before passage, women in Virginia had the right to nurse their babies on state-owned property, but restaurants and other privately owned businesses that were open to the public could prohibit it.

Under identical bills brought by Del. David B. Albo (R-Fairfax) and Sen. Jennifer T. Wexton (D-Loudoun), mothers are permitted to breast-feed anywhere they are lawfully present. The measures cleared the Republican-controlled House and Senate without opposition and were signed into law by Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D).

Albo and Wexton were not familiar with the details of Pegueros case but said the law clearly gives women the right to breast-feed anywhere they are otherwise allowed to be.

Women dont really have a choice, Albo said. If you have a kid, and the kids hungry, you have to feed em.

Wexton said she brought her bill after hearing from a woman who had been told she could not nurse her baby in a hallway outside the childrens room at her gym. Employees said she could only breast-feed in the bathroom, Wexton said.

The fact is, women just want to feed their babies. Women are very discreet about their breast-feeding. . . . Its not in any way an indecent exposure situation, she said.

Geller, who advocated for the 2015 law, said she has seen other breast-feeding flare-ups since the law passed but that, usually, organizations are quick to reverse their policies when they learn about it.

She is stunned that the church has not followed suit, she said.

Breast-feeding is hard enough for moms alone, much less when you have barriers, Geller said. Why should she have to choose between feeding her child and being able to pray?

Peguero said she has only attended the nondenominational church a half-dozen times, but she found it at a critical moment in her life.

She went for the first time in January on her birthday, hours after she broadcast a live video on Facebook asking for help to find her birth mother.

After the service, a friend introduced her to the pastor who prayed with her about her search. It was beautiful, she said.

Soon afterward, she received a phone call from one of her birth mothers brothers, she said. She learned that her mother died in a car accident more than 20 years ago, but she is now in contact with her extended biological family, including 26 cousins.

She has returned to church since, often writing notes from the sermons in her leather-bound weekly planner so she can reflect on them later.

This is a church that has brought me so much clarity, she said. Its brought me back to my faith.

Now, she no longer feels welcome.

I can never go back there, she said.
Like many recent grads, after Maegan Samuel got her bachelors degree from Howard University in 2014, she held a series of temporary jobs  day care worker, secretary  before landing a permanent position a year ago working in operations for a D.C. nonprofit association of public health programs. Yet throughout this unsettled time, there has been one constant she could count on: her moms health insurance, which has covered her as a dependent all along.

Should you do the same? As graduation approaches for thousands of young adults this spring, sorting out your health insurance options may seem more daunting than any political economics problem you came up against at school. You may not think its a high priority, but remember: Even healthy young people wind up in the emergency room for all sorts of mishaps, and having health insurance will let you get preventive care, including contraceptives, without paying for it.

[Long-term birth control is the most reliable. So why do so few young women use it?]

With that in mind, do you stay on your parents plan like Samuel did, or is it better to sign up for insurance through your own job if its offered to you? If youve got a college health plan, should you switch to your parents plan when it ends or buy a plan on the health laws marketplace instead? What about Medicaid?

Before the Affordable Care Act, young people graduating from school typically had few options for health insurance, but its different now. The law allowed adult children to stay on their parents health insurance plans until they turned 26 and states to expand Medicaid coverage to individuals with incomes up to 138 percent of the federal poverty level (about $16,000). Since the law passed, the rate of uninsured people between the ages of 19 and 25 has declined by more than half, to 14.6 percent for the first nine months in 2016, according to the Centers for Disease Control And Preventions National Health Interview Survey.

If you have multiple health plan possibilities, how do you choose? Theres no single answer that works for everyone, but there are guidelines to keep in mind as you think about your options.

Take a look at your parents health insurance.

In 2015, 29 percent of people between the ages of 19 and 25 were covered as dependents on their parents job-based plan, according to a Commonwealth Fund analysis of data from the U.S. Census Bureaus Current Population Survey. It was the most common type of coverage for this age group.

Employer-sponsored plans are often more generous than an individual plan on the marketplace, with more comprehensive benefits and lower premiums and out-of-pocket costs. And parents can pass these benefits on.

In Samuels case, she stayed on her mothers plan even after she was offered coverage through her own job. Her mom was willing to pay the entire premium for the plan, leaving Samuel responsible only for copays and other out-of-pocket costs. Such parental subsidies can make all the difference.

Im trying to stabilize my finances, said Samuel, who lives in Silver Spring. I didnt want that money pulled out every month.

If you have health insurance through your college that will end when you graduate, you may qualify for a 60-day special enrollment period to sign up for new coverage, and you can enroll in Mom and Dads plan then if you like  even if youre married or dont live at home.

A key consideration: privacy. Its likely that the insurer will send the policyholder, in this case your parents, insurance notices describing any care you receive.

Compare coverage through your employer.

Seventeen percent of young adults were insured by their own employer in 2015.

Large employers often offer insurance plans, called PPOs, that let workers choose their own doctors and providers from the insurers network but also often allow them to seek care outside the network if the patient pays a larger share of the cost. A typical PPO plan offered by an employer with at least 500 employees paid for 87 percent of enrollees health care costs on average, according to data from benefits consultant Mercer. Compare that with the most popular silver-level plans sold on the ACAs online marketplaces, which pay 70 percent of costs.

One benefit of an employers plan over your parents: Buying your own plan may improve the odds that youll find doctors and hospitals nearby that are in your health plans provider network, said Erin Hemlin, director of training and education at Young Invincibles, an advocacy group for young adults.

If you do sign up for your own plan, you may get a break on your premium or a lower deductible for participating in the companys wellness program. Those perks typically arent available to people who are dependents on a policy, said Jay Savan, a partner at Mercer.

If employer coverage isnt an option, consider the state marketplace.

Twenty-two percent of young adults under 26 had marketplace coverage in 2015.

Marketplace plans must provide comprehensive coverage, including hospitalization, drugs and doctor visits. In addition, if your income is between 100 and 400 percent of the federal poverty level (about $12,000 to $48,000 for an individual) you could qualify for tax credits that will help cover the cost of premiums.

If you have a college health plan that ends when you graduate, you may qualify for a special enrollment period to sign up for a marketplace plan. But if youre uninsured or insured through your parents you probably cant buy a marketplace plan until the next open enrollment period in the fall.

A key consideration: If your parents claim you as a tax dependent, you cant claim the premium tax credit yourself, said Judith Solomon, vice president for health policy at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.

Unemployed? Uninsured? Consider Medicaid.

In 2015, 15 percent of people between age 19 and 25 were on Medicaid.

To date, the District and 31 states  including Maryland but not Virginia  have expanded Medicaid coverage to adults with incomes of about $16,000 or less.

If you dont have a job or earn very little and you live in one of these states, you may qualify for Medicaid, which provides comprehensive coverage, typically without a premium.

Unlike marketplace coverage, theres no open enrollment period for Medicaid. You can apply anytime through your state Medicaid agency, healthcare.gov or your state marketplace.

A key consideration: If your parents claim you as a dependent on their taxes, it could also affect your eligibility.

As for Samuel, her time as a dependent on her moms plan is drawing to an end. Shell turn 26 in September and will no longer qualify for coverage. At that time, she plans to sign up with her employers health insurance plan.

This column is produced by Kaiser Health News, an editorially independent news service that is a program of the Kaiser Family Foundation.
Weve already seen that repealing Obamacare is politically perilous. Now theres a new complication: It may also violate international law.

The United Nations has contacted the Trump administration as part of an investigation into whether repealing the Affordable Care Act without an adequate substitute for the millions who would lose health coverage would be a violation of several international conventions that bind the United States. It turns out that the notion that health care is a right is more than just a Democratic talking point.

A confidential, five-page urgent appeal from the Office of the U.N. High Commissioner on Human Rights in Geneva, sent to the Trump administration, cautions that the repeal of the Affordable Care Act could put the United States at odds with its international obligations. The Feb. 2 memo, which I obtained Tuesday, was sent to the State Department and expresses serious concern about the prospective loss of health coverage for almost 30 million people, which could violate the right to social security of the people in the United States.

The letter urges that all necessary interim measures be taken to prevent the alleged violations and asks that, if the allegations proved correct, there be adequate measure to prevent their occurrence as well as to guarantee the accountability of any person responsible.

[Read the memo from the Office of the U.N. High Commissioner on Human Rights]

(Daron Taylor/The Washington Post)

OHCHR requested that copies of the letter be shared with majority and minority leadership in both chambers of Congress and proposed that the wider public should be alerted to the potential implications of the above-mentioned allegations.

Apparently that didnt happen. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosis office and Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumers office said they didnt receive the letter, and officials in House Speaker Paul D. Ryans and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnells offices said Tuesday that they were unaware of it. The letter did make its way to the Department of Health and Human Services, where an employee leaked it to congressional Democratic leadership. A State Department spokesman said my inquiry was the first Im hearing of this.

A spokesman for the U.N.s human rights office in Geneva confirmed the authenticity of the letter, which was sent by Dainius Puras, a Lithuanian doctor who serves the United Nations under the absurdly long title Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health.

The spokesman, Xabier Celaya, said Puras cannot comment on his Obamacare inquiry until it becomes public at the next session of the Human Rights Council in June.

None of this, of course, will deter President Trump and congressional Republicans, who are again attempting to get a repeal bill through the House. They scoff at lectures from U.N. bureaucrats, particularly on domestic affairs, and the world body has no practical way to impose its will on Congress. Theres also a logical question: If repealing Obamacare violates international law, wasnt the country in violation before Obamacare? Puras addresses this by writing that the U.N. Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights notes that there is a strong presumption that retrogressive measures taken in relation to the right to health are not permissible.

Though of questionable legal value, the U.N. letter is at least a bit of moral support for those defending Obamacare. Those attempting to deny health care to tens of millions of Americans would hurt their own constituents in a way that falls short of the standards we hold for ourselves and other countries.

[The White House just ratcheted up its threat to destroy Obamacare, a Democratic aide says]

Specifically, Puras writes that Article 25 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights establishes everyones right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being, including food, medical care and necessary social services. He notes that Article 5(e) of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, ratified by the United States in 1994, calls on states to guarantee the right of everyone, including the rights to public health, medical care, social security and social services without regard to race or color.

The special rapporteur also cites Article 12 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, under which states have the core obligation to ensure the right of access to health facilities, goods and services on a non-discriminatory basis, especially for vulnerable or marginalized groups. The agreement was signed but not ratified by the United States, which is still obliged to refrain from acts that would defeat the covenants object or purpose, in conformity with Article 18 of the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties.

The Trump administration has shown its contempt for such considerations by failing to pass along the U.N. letter to congressional leaders. But you dont have to care about international law to know that the essence of the OHCHR criticism is true: Taking away health coverage from millions without an adequate replacement is abject cruelty.

Twitter: @Milbank

Read more from Dana Milbanks archive, follow him on Twitter or subscribe to his updates on Facebook.
Readers of Charles Lanes April 20 op-ed, The decline of mass incarceration, would get the impression that African Americans were to blame for the epidemic of mass incarceration of people of color documented in Michelle Alexanders book The New Jim Crow. Mr. Lane claimed that James Forman Jr.s book Locking Up Our Own: Crime and Punishment in Black America was a corrective to Ms. Alexanders book. In fact, as Mr. Forman said in his lecture at the University of Baltimore on April 17, he was extending Ms. Alexanders argument by pointing out the role of black leaders who took actions that had consequences they could not have anticipated. These leaders were double-crossed because of later actions by national leaders, especially Presidents Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton, and the Supreme Court.

One example Mr. Forman mentioned was the African American-controlled D.C. governments rejection of the legalization of marijuana in the 1970s. There was no way those leaders could have known that someone convicted of marijuana possession would later be denied federal student loans and permission to reside in subsidized housing, or suffer the many other consequences created by subsequent federal and state tough-on-crime laws.

Robert Goren, Baltimore
As Donald Trump approaches the 100-day marker of his first year in office, he has defined himself not as the Dealmaker in Chief but as the Backdown President.

What a deliciously strange irony that until Monday night he set the stage for a government shutdown over, of all things, his campaign centerpiece  The Wall.

Strange because Trump, who now calls the faux deadline ridiculous, promised so much by his 100th day. Delicious because everything Trump does is scrumptious, especially eating chocolate cake while launching real missiles.

And it was always clear to perennial observers of Washingtons sausage factory that the new presidents ambitions exceeded the pace and will of the nations political class. Todays Republican Party may control the executive and legislative branches, but its members are hardly trilling in harmony, thanks to the too-rare interference of mental clarity.

The wall may have bestirred the passions of Trumps base  recently represented at the White House by that classy trio Sarah Palin, Kid Rock and Ted Nugent, who managed a convincing imitation of cowpokes at the Ritz by mugging beneath a portrait of then-first lady Hillary Clinton  but its construction wasnt exactly a national mandate.

The only person to place this fantasy in proper perspective was former Mexican president Vicente Fox, whose succinctness was an elixir for the babble-weary. Clenching his teeth, he said, Im not going to pay for that [expletive] wall.

Next thing you know, Trump was asking Congress to include billions of dollars for the wall in an omnibus bill, which must be passed by Friday to keep the government running. He wanted $1.5 billion for this fiscal year, which runs until September, and an additional $2.6 billion in 2018. Democrats said no way, and some Republicans also balked.

After all, the whole premise of the big, beautiful wall, later amended to, perhaps, fencing in certain areas, was that Mexico would pay for it. So familiar was Trumps wall trope that during rallies, hed bait crowds with Whos going to pay for it?

Mexico!

This was fun for the crowds, but also rather absurd, some of us noted, repeatedly. The disconnect between the witty and the witless was that Trump fans took him seriously, not literally, while the media  silly gooses  took him literally but not seriously  as many have mentioned.

This is a clever observation, but its ludicrous to suggest that reporters shouldnt take literally a presidents or candidates words. Certainly other nations and leaders do.

Trump himself, however, seems to take his own words neither literally or seriously, as his backtrack record suggests. On Monday, he walked back his demand that wall funding be included in the bill, saying that he was open to delaying funding until September. No doubt, his White House aides reminded the president that un-funding the government doesnt usually work out well for the majority party.

During Jimmy Carters presidency, the government was shut down five times for brief periods, mostly over abortion-related issues. Ronald Reagan, who sauntered in and enjoyed credit for the release of the Iran hostages, was the right cowboy at the right time. In more recent memory, the 2013 shutdown, orchestrated by tea party Republicans and instigated by Sen. Ted Cruz, resulted in at least some midterm losses for the party. Notably, Republicans lost the governors seat in Virginia, where a sizable number of federal employees live.

Two years later, with a promise to drain the swamp and build a wall between the United States and its southern neighbor, Trump oozed down his escalator to capture the imaginations of both the unemployed and the corporate expats who failed them. Endowed with the panache of Howard Stern and the moral vigor of a man who boasts about grabbing women by their nethers, he convinced fewer people than voted for his opponent that he was the right clown for the right rodeo.

To each his own, I suppose.

As for the wall, Trumps campaign trope was repackaged awkwardly in a Sunday tweet as Eventually, but at a later date so we can get started early, Mexico will be paying, in some form. Hardly a rallying cry, but at least were spared another partisan war  for now.

Americans, meanwhile, have learned three lessons: The best things happen when the Backdown President retreats; we, not Mexico, will be the ones footing the bill for the wall, if ever it is built; and Trump, in just under 100 days, managed to bring the government close to crisis on a promise that was always a con.

Read more from Kathleen Parkers archive, follow her on Twitter or find her on Facebook.
WHEN THE Associated Press asked about accomplishments of his first 100 days, President Trump cited first of all the release of Aya Hijazi, a U.S. citizen who was unjustly imprisoned in Egypt for nearly three years. Ms. Hijazi was indeed an egregious example of an American persecuted by a nominal U.S. ally; by raising her case, Mr. Trump kept faith with his America First pledge. Ms. Hijazis return is to be celebrated. It does not, however, justify what so far has been Mr. Trumps unqualified public embrace of the most repressive regime in Egypts modern history.

The White House has portrayed the prisoner release as evidence that the administrations loud public support for Egyptian President Abdel Fatah al-Sissi enables a more quiet diplomacy that gets results. But the record of recent years does not support this thesis. Egypt has a history of imprisoning Americans and then releasing them as a favor to the U.S. administration of the day  whether or not it is publicly supportive. The current ruler, Mr. Sissi, freed U.S. citizen Mohamed Soltan in May 2015 after heavy lobbying by the Obama administration, which never invited the strongman to Washington. An earlier leader, Hosni Mubarak, released Egyptian American dissident Saad Eddin Ibrahim under pressure from President George W. Bush, who withheld U.S. aid to force the concession.

The military-backed rulers in Cairo dont offer these gestures because of White House red carpets. They do it to defuse criticism from Washington about the regimes horrific human rights record without relieving the systematic repression of Egyptians.

So it is in the case of Ms. Hijazi, who was arrested along with her husband and several others in May 2014, after they founded a nongovernmental organization to help street children in Cairo. The Sissi regime, which never produced evidence of wrongdoing by Ms. Hijazi, has not let up in its broader campaign against civil society groups with connections to the United States. It holds tens of thousands of other political prisoners, including thousands of secular liberals who campaigned to make Egypt a democracy. It continues to engage in practices such as forced disappearances, extrajudicial killings and torture  thousands of such cases were reported by human rights monitors last year alone.

Some rationalize these abuses as necessary for the Sissi regime to defeat domestic Islamists, including a branch of the Islamic State operating in the Sinai Peninsula. In fact, the regimes harsh tactics have polarized the country and promoted terrorist recruiting. By every available measure, violent Islamists have grown stronger since Mr. Sissi seized power in a July 2013 military coup.

Mr. Trumps friendliness toward Mr. Sissi will pay off if he can persuade the general to adopt desperately needed reforms in Egypt, such as rational counterinsurgency tactics in the Sinai, rather than mass repression, and the release from prison of secular opponents and Islamists who renounce violence. Scores of nongovernment groups like that founded by Ms. Hijazi remain under government attack. Mr. Trump was right to argue her case  but if Egypt is to get on the right track, he will need to push for more.
As President Trump nears the 100-day benchmark, its a good moment to examine the relationship that has evolved between the mercurial and inexperienced commander in chief and his unflappable defense secretary, Jim Mattis.

Its an unlikely partnership, but so far it mostly seems to work. Trump may have relatively few domestic-policy accomplishments to show after three months, but he can take credit for selecting a generally solid national-security team and for listening to its advice.

Traveling with Mattis last week in the Middle East, I had a chance to watch the delicate balancing act between a media-obsessed White House and a national-security leadership that mostly would be happy to stay out of the news.

During his meetings in Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Israel, Mattis focused on alliance issues. But the big running stories last week were about symbolic displays of U.S. military power by the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson, and by dropping a massive weapon in Afghanistan whose nickname, Mother of All Bombs, was catnip for journalists. Mattis struggled to adapt to this ever-shifting information space, and his messaging wasnt always clear.

Mattis is mildly eccentric by military standards, with his penchant for studying Roman philosophy in Latin and suggesting reading lists for his troops. But like every successful Marine and Army general, he is fundamentally a team player who moves with a group, rarely in isolation.

What that has meant in practice is that Mattis has bonded with Trumps other key foreign policy advisers: Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, national security adviser H.R. McMaster, Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly and CIA Director Mike Pompeo. This is a strong, self-confident group; theres little of the infighting that characterizes Trumps domestic advisers.

Mattiss closest link, interestingly, may be with Tillerson, the ExxonMobil chief-turned-diplomat. Mattis believes that U.S. foreign policy became overmilitarized in recent years and that a strong State Department voice is essential.

The national-security process worked well in the two-day planning and execution of a missile strike this month on a Syrian airfield. Within hours of the Syrian chemical weapons attack on its people, Mattis was framing options drawn from a list of contingency plans. The Pentagon prepared for the possibility that Russia would respond. Planners predicted an 85 percent success rate for the United States; it turned out to be closer to 95 percent.

One puzzle for Mattis these days is navigating a kaleidoscopic world at a time when the public (or, at least, the media) seeks monochromatic answers. Mattis noted in an interview during the trip that Tillerson had offered a nuanced explanation of Iranian actions (complying with the nuclear agreement but meddling in the region), but coverage had focused on the negative. Policymakers sometimes need to hold two contrary ideas in equipoise, he explained. Our world is not black and white.

An example of the interplay between diplomatic and military issues is the strategy for taking Raqqa, the Islamic States self-proclaimed capital in eastern Syria. Trump has claimed to have a secret plan for victory, but the actual policy debate remains complicated and unresolved. The U.S. Central Command recommended a quick move to capture Raqqa, led by a force commanded by Syrian Kurds. The problem is that Turkey regards these Kurdish fighters, known as the YPG, as a deadly threat  and on Tuesday even bombed two YPG camps.

While respecting Centcoms recommendations, and its sense of urgency, Mattis was persuaded by Tillerson and others to conduct a more careful review of policy. A quick hit on Raqqa that enraged Turkey might prove to be a tactical success but a strategic setback. The policy debate continues (though officials said Turkey would probably be warned against any more bombing of YPG positions).

What Mattis and the other former commanders bring to Trumps national-security table, perhaps paradoxically, is a wariness of overly hasty military commitments. In the debate about stopping North Koreas nuclear program, for example, Pentagon planners understand that the thriving metropolis of Seoul could become a gruesome, Stalingrad-like battlespace in an ill-planned conflict.

Discussing what he called the ghastly situation in Syria, Mattis voiced concern that we are seeing the re-primitivization of war, with use of chemical weapons and the bombing of children, hospitals, churches and other once-forbidden targets. Weve got to hold people accountable, he insisted.

But how? A hidden drama of these first 100 days has been the interaction between the foreign policy team and a White House thats just beginning to think about how to use U.S. power in a dangerous world.

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Ive written a million columns critical of Donald Trump, give or take. This one is in praise.

His campaign was a toxic stew of dog whistles to white nationalists and at times overt anti-Semitism. He continued during his first weeks in office to flirt with the racist fringe; his administration excised any mention of Jews from a statement on the Holocaust; he suggested that the rise in anti-Semitic threats and violence since his election might be a false-flag campaign orchestrated by Jews; he repeatedly hesitated to disavow anti-Semitism; and his spokesman perversely claimed that the Jews Adolf Hitler gassed werent his own people.

But give him credit for this: Trumps speech in the Capitol Rotunda this week for the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museums Yom Hashoah remembrance ceremony was spot-on. Some highlights:

The survivors in this hall, through their testimony, fulfill the righteous duty to never forget and engrave into the worlds memory the Nazi genocide of the Jewish people.

For the dead and the living we must bear witness. That is why we are here today, to remember and to bear witness, to make sure that humanity never, ever forgets.

The Nazis massacred 6 million Jews. Two out of every three Jews in Europe were murdered in the genocide. . . . Yet even today, there are those who want to forget the past. Worse still, there are even those filled with such hate, total hate, that they want to erase the Holocaust from history. Those who deny the Holocaust are an accomplice to this horrible evil.

Weve seen anti-Semitism on university campuses, in the public square and in threats against Jewish citizens. Even worse, its been on display in the most sinister manner when terrorists attack Jewish communities, or when aggressors threaten Israel with total and complete destruction. This is my pledge to you: We will confront anti-Semitism.

[Holocaust speech shows Trump may be growing up]

Yes, he was reading from a teleprompter a speech somebody wrote for him. His delivery was prosaic and he occasionally repeated a phrase he liked as if reading the speech for the first time, which perhaps he was. So what? At least he gave the speech.

I dont pretend to know whether Trump has changed in his heart. His campaign was so laced with bigotry toward African Americans, Latinos and immigrants that the anti-Semitism was just one outrage. But his Holocaust speech and similar words in a video and a White House statement in recent days suggest that Trump has the capacity to adjust. And thats welcome news.

His first 100 days have been a disaster: No health-care reform, no travel ban, a passel of unmet promises, international confusion, historically low support. He has resorted to creating a fake sense of momentum with executive orders  the kind of governing he and his allies decried when President Barack Obama did it.

But Trump has never been a man of consistent principles, and he has shown that hes willing to jettison his campaign program, changing his positions on China, trade, the debt, the influence of lobbyists and others. He has apparently backed down from his promise to build a wall, to avoid a government shutdown. I dont expect some broad transformation, but if hes moving even tentatively or temporarily in the right direction  in this case, shifting from his courtship of Steve Bannons alt-right nationalists  he should be encouraged.

The Hill absurdly criticized Trumps Holocaust remembrance proclamation for using similar wording to the Holocaust Museum website when it said, The Holocaust was the state-sponsored systematic persecution and attempted annihilation of European Jewry by the Nazi regime and its collaborators. The White House should be praised for echoing the museums description of the Shoah.

My friend Peter Beinart quibbled in the Atlantic with Trumps speech for failing to acknowledge that the Holocaust creates obligations to protect the dignity of all people, not just Jews. Thats true, but given Trumps history, he needed to make a full-throated acknowledgment of Jews suffering.

After a campaign that trafficked in the filth of anti-Semitism  tweeting an image showing a Star of David atop a pile of cash; retweeting messages from white supremacists; refusing to condemn anti-Semitic threats against Jewish journalists; granting access and interviews to white-nationalist outlets; and closing with an ad showing prominent Jews juxtaposed with warnings of an international banking conspiracy  Trump needed to speak clearly.

This week, he spoke. Today, we remember the 6 million Jewish men, women and children whose lives and dreams were stolen from this Earth, he said. . . . We remember the hatred and evil that sought to extinguish human life, dignity and freedom. And, crucially, he added: Today we mourn, we remember, we pray and we pledge: Never again.

Well said, Mr. President.

Twitter: @Milbank

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Julian Assange is editor of WikiLeaks.

Mike Pompeo, in his first speech as director of the CIA, chose to declare war on free speech rather than on the United States actual adversaries. He went after WikiLeaks, where I serve as editor, as a non-state hostile intelligence service. In Pompeos worldview, telling the truth about the administration can be a crime  as Attorney General Jeff Sessions quickly underscored when he described my arrest as a priority. News organizations reported that federal prosecutors are weighing whether to bring charges against members of WikiLeaks, possibly including conspiracy, theft of government property and violating the Espionage Act.

All this speech to stifle speech comes in reaction to the first publication in the start of WikiLeaks Vault 7 series. Vault 7 has begun publishing evidence of remarkable CIA incompetence and other shortcomings. This includes the agencys creation, at a cost of billions of taxpayer dollars, of an entire arsenal of cyber viruses and hacking programs  over which it promptly lost control and then tried to cover up the loss. These publications also revealed the CIAs efforts to infect the publics ubiquitous consumer products and automobiles with computer viruses.

When the director of the CIA, an unelected public servant, publicly demonizes a publisher such as WikiLeaks as a fraud, coward and enemy, it puts all journalists on notice, or should. Pompeos next talking point, unsupported by fact, that WikiLeaks is a non-state hostile intelligence service, is a dagger aimed at Americans constitutional right to receive honest information about their government. This accusation mirrors attempts throughout history by bureaucrats seeking, and failing, to criminalize speech that reveals their own failings.

President Theodore Roosevelt understood the danger of giving in to those foolish or traitorous persons who endeavor to make it a crime to tell the truth about the Administration when the Administration is guilty of incompetence or other shortcomings. Such endeavor is itself a crime against the nation, Roosevelt wrote. President Trump and his officials should heed that advice.

Words matter, and I assume that Pompeo meant his when he said, Julian Assange has no First Amendment freedoms. Hes sitting in an embassy in London. Hes not a U.S. citizen. As a legal matter, this statement is simply false. It underscores just how dangerous it is for an unelected official whose agencys work is rooted in lying and misdirection to be the sole arbiter of the truth and the interpreter of the Constitution.

Pompeo demonstrated a remarkable lack of irony when he suggested that WikiLeaks focus instead on the autocratic regimes in this world that actually suppress free speech and dissent  even as he called for a crackdown of such speech. In fact, Pompeo finds himself in the unsavory company of Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey (257,934 documents published by WikiLeaks); Bashar al-Assad of Syria (2.3 million documents); and the dictatorship in Saudi Arabia (122,609 documents), to name just a few who have tried and failed to censor WikiLeaks.

Pompeo was once a WikiLeaks fan. On July 24, then partisan politician Pompeo gloatingly tweeted: Need further proof that the fix was in from Pres. Obama on down? BUSTED: 19,252 Emails from DNC Leaked by WikiLeaks. Pompeo liked WikiLeaks when he perceived it was publishing material revealing the shortcomings of his political rivals. It was only when our publications touched Pompeos rice bowl that WikiLeaks became his target. Pompeo subsequently deleted the tweet, but he is learning that in the digital age, the truth is hard to hide. You dont get to love the truth one day and seek its suppression and the incarceration of its publisher the next.

As a candidate, Trump tweeted: Very little pick-up by dishonest media of incredible information provided by WikiLeaks. The president mentioned WikiLeaks 164 times during the last month of the election and gushed: I love WikiLeaks.

All democratic governments are managed by imperfect human beings. And autocracies are much worse  the benign dictator is a myth. These human beings, democratic and autocratic alike, make mistakes and commit crimes, and often serve themselves rather than their countries. They are the focus of WikiLeaks publications.

The Pompeo doctrine articulated in his speech ensnares all serious news and investigative human rights organizations, from ProPublica to Amnesty International to Human Rights Watch. The logic that WikiLeaks, or these organizations, are somehow intelligence agencies would be as absurd as the suggestion that the CIA is a media outlet. Both journalists and intelligence agencies cultivate and protect sources, collect information and write reports, but the similarities end there. The world cannot afford, and the Constitution does not permit, a muzzle placed on the work that transparency organizations do to inform the American and global public.

Fundamental issues of free speech and freedom of the press, and of the interplay between liberty and security, date to the Republics founding. Those who believe in persecution and suppression of the truth to achieve their parochial ends are inevitably forgotten by history. In a fair fight, as John Milton observed, the truth always wins.
Danielle Pletka is senior vice president for foreign and defense policy studies at the American Enterprise Institute.

The presidency of the United States is a mighty office, and the weight of it has shaped many men. The best among them have had the breadth of mind to set aside fixed tropes, face the world as it is and allow both the exigencies of leadership and the potential for America to do good to guide them. Others have been prisoners of their own dogma and bequeathed to their successors a world of trouble.

The question, then, is which man is Donald Trump?

On foreign policy, candidate Trump promised little ideology and plenty of anecdote-driven reactionism. Not enough jobs? Get em back. Terrible Iran deal? Tear it up. Allies free-riding on U.S. defense largesse? Send em a bill. Fighting unnecessary wars? Stop. Far from a doctrine, Trump offered a smorgasbord of retorts and one-liners that added up to what many worried would be a dangerous isolationist, protectionist era in U.S. politics.

But 100 days into his term, President Trump has been far more conventional than many dared hope. Many of his promises, from labeling China a currency manipulator to staying out of Syria to making nice with Russia, appear to be on hold  which should surprise no one.

[President Trumps first 100 days: In his words and ours]

Consider each recent president and contrast the candidate with the man in office: George H.W. Bush promised a more realist global posture than Ronald Reagan but ended up proclaiming a new world order. Bill Clinton rejected that, insisting it was the economy, stupid, but ended his tenure with his secretary of state arguing that the United States is the indispensable power. George W. Bush promised a more humble presidency but after 9/11 invaded Afghanistan and Iraq, inaugurating a far-from-humble freedom agenda to promote democracy in the Middle East. Barack Obama promised to end this war in Iraq and wrap up the conflict with the Taliban, but joined NATO in invading Libya, recommitted troops to Iraq after withdrawing them, continued the war in Afghanistan and sent Special Operations forces and others to Syria and Yemen.

In short, the foreign policy promises of presidential candidates are rarely gospel. The world has a way of upending even the best-laid campaign platforms. And so, despite telling Obama to stay the hell out of Syria, Trump blasted an air base used for a chemical weapons attack on Day 76 of his presidency. He has overturned Obamas non-policy of strategic patience with North Korea, recognizing that Pyongyang has used the past eight years to advance its nuclear and missile programs to the point of threatening the continental United States.

Trump has sent his secretary of state to tell Russian President Vladimir Putin to drop Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad, recommitted to NATO in the face of growing Russian predations, confirmed Iranian compliance with the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action and otherwise behaved like  dare we say it?  a normal president. And though Trump has stuck by his pledge to withdraw from the Trans-Pacific Partnership, he also indicated he will pursue bilateral trade agreements, a far cry from a reversion to Smoot-Hawley some feared.

Where Trump has neither flipped nor flopped is on his strident anti-refugee, anti-immigration posture. The president followed through on pledges to limit immigration from states of terrorism concern, to put in place extreme vetting and to ban refugees from Syria. While implementation of those executive orders is suspended pending litigation, the White House appears bent on staying true to that campaign promise. Similarly, Trump seems as uninterested as president as he was as a candidate in picking personal fights with foreign despots such as Russias Putin or Turkeys Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

[Trump has learned a lot. But hes neglecting a huge part of American leadership.]

So after nearly 100 days, what more do we know about Donald Trump, commander in chief? Is he settling into a more nuanced security policy, guided by the likes of Cabinet members Jim Mattis and Rex Tillerson and advisers Gary Cohn and H.R. McMaster? Or is this only a temporary blip before other factions in the White House pull the clearly mercurial, impulsive leader back to fulfilling his hyperbolic campaign agenda?

All we know now is what we see and dont see. What we have seen from Trump in his early days as president is a man who is owning his burdens, one who wants to rebuild the deterrent power of the United States, one who is shocked by the horrors of war and one who is game to push back on enemies. All to the good.

But what we dont see is a man who is game to threaten other leaders personal power, viz. Putin and Erdogan. Nor, most important, do we have a sense of his worldview or the policies that underpin his initial tactical steps. On national security, at least, it will be those policies, and not the occasional phone call or airstrike, that will make or break this president in the world.
Ron Wyden, a Democrat from Oregon, and Al Franken, a Democrat from Minnesota, are members of the U.S. Senate. Tom Wheeler was FCC chairman from 2013 to January.

For as long as the Internet has existed, it has been grounded on the principle of net neutrality  that what you read, see or watch online shouldnt be favored, blocked or slowed down based on where that content is coming from. Net neutrality means that cable companies cant reserve the fastest Internet speeds for the biggest companies and leave everyone else in the slow lane. Thats what ensures a website for a local pizza place in rural Oregon or Minnesota loads as quickly as the website for Pizza Hut or Dominos. Or why a social network built in a garage is available to the same people as Instagram or Twitter.

Thats why its so alarming to see that the Federal Communications Commission, a federal agency thats expected to help protect the Internet, is planning to roll back net neutrality rules.

In the past few months, President Trumps new FCC chairman, Ajit Pai, has already abandoned other important consumer protections: He backed out of a proposal to free people from having to rent expensive cable boxes, and he is trying to make it harder for low-income families to access affordable high-speed Internet. Its amazing that Trump, having promised to stand up to the powerful on behalf of ordinary Americans, now has an FCC that gives the powerful what they ask for  even if it hurts consumers.

So with powerful forces pushing to get rid of net neutrality  Comcast, AT&T, Verizon and other multibillion-dollar companies  its going to take Americans speaking up to protect the Internet that we depend on. In 2014, nearly 4 million Americans contacted the FCC, with an overwhelming majority sending a very simple message: protect net neutrality. And as a result of those efforts, we got policies put in place to do just that. But now those very policies are on the chopping block. Unless people fight back, these deep-pocketed corporations will upend how we get our news, watch our favorite shows, use social media or run our businesses.

Net neutrality is good for consumers, small businesses and rural America. It creates jobs, especially at small businesses. The software that runs agricultural tools, the point-of-sale operating systems in our restaurants, the newest idea from a dorm room or a garage  all function in an Internet ecosystem that is equal and wont allow Big Cable and others to prioritize one piece of Internet traffic over another.

Net neutrality also allows small businesses to compete against the largest, most profitable corporations. Heres just one example. In 2005, three guys set up shop above a pizzeria in a strip mall in San Mateo, Calif., where they launched the now-ubiquitous YouTube. Video-sharing websites were in their infancy, but these guys already faced competition from something called Google Video.

Because of net neutrality, YouTube was able to contend with Google on a level playing field. Internet service providers treated YouTubes videos the same as they did Googles, and Google couldnt pay the ISPs to gain an unfair advantage, like a fast lane into consumers homes. Well, it turned out that people liked YouTube a lot more than Google Video, so YouTube thrived. In fact, in 2006, Google bought YouTube for $1.65 billion.

Small businesses shouldnt have to outbid massive conglomerates just to get their product in front of consumers eyes. If net neutrality is gutted, only the biggest conglomerates will be able to pay for the fastest Internet speeds. In many ways, its our small, innovative, next-generation businesses that have the most to lose.

This isnt just about high-tech innovation, though. The Internet is absolutely critical for rural communities. Access to high-speed Internet in rural areas supports jobs and businesses, of course, but it also affects things such as education and health care. Now, because of the Internet, our rural areas are better-connected than ever. Yes, there are still huge access gaps, but those gaps will become impossible to fill if we dont protect the principles that have already made the Internet a driver of innovation and economic prosperity.

Big Cable and other opponents of net neutrality will try to argue that getting rid of these protections will somehow actually help consumers. Or theyll argue that you can have an open Internet without net neutrality. That defies evidence and common sense.

The best way to protect consumers and small businesses on the Internet is to preserve net neutrality. And the only way to preserve net neutrality is to join together to speak out and fight back against this latest attack on the open Internet.
Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. said Wednesday he had grave worries about prosecutorial abuse if even a minor lie in the application process means the government can later strip a naturalized immigrant of her citizenship.

As the issues of immigration and deportation take center stage under the Trump administration, Roberts and other Supreme Court justices seemed hesitant to give the government unfettered power to remove naturalized citizens from the country.

The case involved a Bosnian native, Divna Maslenjak, who was criminally prosecuted for lying on her application about her husbands military service. She was deported by the Obama administration, which held the broad view that any misrepresentation  whether relevant or not  was enough to give the government the right to consider revocation.

It is troublesome to give that extraordinary power, which, essentially, is unlimited power, at least in most cases, to the government, Roberts said. Because it would be easy in almost all cases to find some falsehood, the chief justice said, the government will have the opportunity to denaturalize anyone they want.

Roberts, who regularly warns about the discretionary power of prosecutors, and Justice Anthony M. Kennedy added a moment of drama to a lively hearing that was the Supreme Courts last scheduled oral argument of the term.

They were not persuaded by Justice Department lawyer Robert A. Parkers assertion that other safeguards are built into the system and that government lawyers had little reason to search through the millions of files of naturalized citizens to find trivial reasons to prosecute. Even denaturalization, Parker said, only returns a person to the status of lawful permanent resident and allows reapplication.

Kennedy, who had been largely quiet, reacted strongly to that.

It seems to me that your argument is demeaning the priceless value of citizenship, Kennedy told Parker, adding, Youre arguing for the government of the United States, talking about what citizenship is and ought to mean.

Parker replied that the government agreed citizenship is a priceless treasure. He added, One of the consequences of the priceless nature of citizenship is that Congress has surrounded it with a number of protections to ensure that the individuals seeking it square every corner and are absolutely and completely honest.

Maslenjak, the Bosnian woman at the center of the case, was granted refugee status in 1999 along with her family. She is an ethnic Serb and said she and her family faced persecution. She became a U.S. citizen in 2007. During her immigration hearing, she said her husband evaded conscription into the army. In fact, he had served in a Bosnian unit implicated in war crimes.

Divna Maslenjak was criminally prosecuted, and she and her husband were deported to Serbia, while their children remain in Ohio.

The issue in the case is whether the government must prove that Maslenjaks falsehoods were material to the granting of naturalization. Courts are split on whether that is necessary, or whether simply proving that a person lied is enough.

Christopher Landau, Maslenjaks lawyer, said stripping an American of citizenship is about the most grave thing government can do, and it should at least have to show that the false information is relevant.

Some justices noted that the statute does not specifically require that. It seems like, linguistically, we have to do some somersaults to get where you want to go, said Justice Neil M. Gorsuch, who testified during his recent confirmation hearings about sticking closely to the text of statutes.

And Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg said Maslenjaks misrepresentations appeared directly relevant to her application. She lied about what her husband was doing in Bosnia, Ginsburg said. Under what circumstances would that be immaterial?

Landau said he did not deny that this could be a very tough row to hoe if Maslenjak is given another trial. But he said the government should have to prove her lies were relevant.

In his turn before the court, Parker, the Justice Department lawyer, said that because naturalization is the highest privilege the United States can bestow upon on individual, Congress has required that individuals scrupulously comply with every rule governing the naturalization process.

Roberts, who had asked no questions of Landau, lay in wait.

The chief justice noted that question 22 on the naturalization form asked Have you ever committed, assisted in committing, or attempted to commit a crime or offense for which you were not arrested?

Roberts then confessed: Some time ago, outside the statute of limitations, I drove 60 miles an hour in a 55-mile-an-hour zone. There was laughter in the courtroom and more confessions followed.

Justice Elena Kagan said she was horrified she might be in trouble for each time shed lied about her weight. Justice Stephen G. Breyer, an Eagle Scout, said he may or may not have carried his Boy Scout knife into areas in which it was not allowed.

The point, Roberts said, is that if he was in an immigrants position and had answered no on question 22, 20 years after I was naturalized as a citizen, you can knock on my door and say, Guess what, youre not an American citizen after all. 

The case is Maslenjak v. United States.
President Trumps Cabinet secretaries are growing exasperated at how slowly the White House is moving to fill hundreds of top-tier posts, warning that the vacancies are hobbling efforts to oversee agency operations and promote the presidents agenda, according to administration officials, lawmakers and lobbyists.

The Senate has confirmed 26 of Trumps picks for his Cabinet and other top posts. But for 530 other vacant senior-level jobs requiring Senate confirmation, the president has advanced just 37 nominees, according to data tracked by The Washington Post and the nonpartisan Partnership for Public Services Center for Presidential Transition. These posts include the deputy secretaries and undersecretaries, chief financial officers, ambassadors, general counsels, and heads of smaller agencies who run the government day-to-day.

Thats less than half the nominees President Barack Obama had sent to the Senate by this point in his first term.

Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke, who has publicly expressed frustration with the process, has routinely peppered the White House Personnel Office for updates and called Trump directly to press for faster action on filling vacant jobs at the Interior Department, said two people familiar with his contacts, who like others spoke on the condition of anonymity for this report because of the sensitivity of hiring discussions.

[Track how many key positions Trump has filled so far]

Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke, shown at an April 3 briefing, has expressed frustration with the White Houses process for nominating people to fill senior positions at his agency. (Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post)

Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price aired his dismay at a recent breakfast meeting with his former congressional colleagues. Hes very frustrated, said a Republican House member who was there . He felt it was much more difficult to operate the department and provide the leadership level that you need to provide.

Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao has also become impatient, said a Republican lobbyist who is close to her. Chao has tapped an outside consultant to help her identify candidates for top jobs and shepherd them through the White House nomination process, an agency official confirmed.

In part, the delay in filling leadership posts is a result of a chaotic transition after Trump won the November election. Just days after his victory, Trump dumped New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) as transition director and jettisoned much of his work, replacing him with Vice President-elect Mike Pence.

But the nomination process has also been slowed by the unusual degree of scrutiny the White House is giving job candidates. Prospective nominees for senior posts and even some of the more junior ones must win approval from competing camps inside the White House, according to close Trump associates and Republican lobbyists.

Around the table for weekly hiring meetings are chief strategist Stephen K. Bannon, representing the populist wing; Chief of Staff Reince Priebus, leading the establishment Republican wing; White House Counsel Don McGahn; Pences chief of staff, Josh Pitcock; and Jared Kushner, the presidents son-in-law and senior adviser, representing a business-oriented faction, according to a lobbyist and several White House officials. For economic appointments, Gary Cohn, director of the National Economic Council, also sits in, as does the presidents daughter, Ivanka Trump, when a hiring decision piques her interest.

We make sure the people involved in hiring decisions dont have an objection, Priebus said. To get to that point, youve gone through a long process. If someone has a serious objection, unless it can be resolved, its probably not going to move forward.

[This Beltway insider is in charge of hiring for the Trump administration. Its taking a while.]





Barry Bennett, a former Trump campaign adviser who served as a communications director under President George W. Bush, said requiring so many White House figures to sign off on appointments can be unusually cumbersome.

There are big differences among them about the people theyre talking about putting in these positions, Bennett said. Of course, its going to take longer.

Max Stier, president and chief executive of the Partnership for Public Service, who stays in regular touch with White House officials, said the drawn-out hiring process is leaving Cabinet secretaries stuck in most instances.

In the interim, the secretaries are relying on civil servants in acting leadership roles, which can create an uneasy relationship given the Trump administrations aim of upending many traditional agency functions.

To accelerate the process of filling top posts at the Transportation Department, Chao has hired Edmund Moy to help identify candidates to staff her office and to head 10 agencies within her department. He is also guiding them through the White House nomination process. Chao worked closely with Moy when she was labor secretary under Bush and Moy was a White House personnel official responsible for hiring senior figures at the Labor Department and other agencies.

A Transportation Department spokeswoman said the department is about halfway toward filling its vacancies. Our focus remains on aligning a top-notch team to carry out the priorities of the department and the administration.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions faces perhaps a more daunting challenge at the Justice Department, which has openings for all 93 U.S. attorneys around the country and vacancies atop its divisions. When a reporter asked Sessions last week how he can pursue Trumps tough-on-crime agenda with so many vacancies, Sessions said, We really need to work hard at that.

The Interior Department, a more modest agency, may have far fewer top posts to fill, but with 16 senior jobs still empty, Zinke has been airing his frustration on the process. In remarks to journalists this month, as reported by E&E News, Zinke said: A lot of it  the executive branch is no different than any branch  is the frustration of the bureaucracy. . . . Were working with the White House every day to get the nominations out.

[Got a tip for The Post? Here are the reporters who cover federal agencies. ]

At the Education Department, Secretary Betsy DeVos has devised a strategy to compensate for her depleted senior ranks. She is leaning heavily on the staff of Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), a former education secretary who now chairs the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, a former top aide to the senator said. Alexanders aides are involved on behalf of the agency in working with state governments to put in place a new law that shifts much of the federal role in elementary and secondary education to the states.

The chairman is committed to providing any assistance the secretary requests, an aide to Alexander said. Offering this kind of assistance, the aide said, is standard practice for the committee.

DeVos had hoped to have her own staff in place to manage the major shifts the administration hopes to make in education. She had backed New Mexico Education Secretary Hanna Skandera for assistant secretary for elementary and secondary education, but the White House soured on her after some Senate Republicans raised concerns about her support for Common Core standards, according to a Republican familiar with the senators thinking.

DeVos had wanted to have a deputy by now. The name of Indiana businessman Allan Hubbard has surfaced as a possible deputy education secretary. Although he has yet to be nominated, Hubbard has already joined a team of Education Department officials meeting with potential candidates for other top agency posts, according to a Republican with knowledge of the discussions.

Across the government, there are posts for 16 deputy secretaries, but only two have been filled so far: Elaine Duke at the Department of Homeland Security and Rod Rosenstein, who was confirmed for a Justice post Tuesday. Trump has nominated four others, though one of them, Chicago Cubs co-owner Todd Ricketts, withdrew his name for consideration to be commerce deputy secretary last week, citing difficulties in complying with rules on avoiding financial conflicts.

Environmental Protection Agency chief Scott Pruitt has been pushing coal lobbyist Andrew Wheeler for his agencys No. 2 job, another Republican lobbyist said, but the White House has not signed off, almost two months after Wheelers name surfaced.

In the winter, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson picked Elliott Abrams, a national security veteran of the Reagan and George W. Bush administrations, to be his deputy secretary. Abrams said he met with Kushner and Trump but was told that Bannon vetoed the choice. Abrams had been critical of Trump during the election campaign.

And at the Pentagon, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis withdrew his top choice for undersecretary for policy in March after the White House told him it would not fight an expected battle for Senate confirmation for retired senior diplomat Anne Patterson. While the president has since named several candidates for senior defense positions, the policy post, arguably the most important person on the secretarys team, is still held by an acting career official.

Mattis has skirmished with the White House over other appointments as well and told colleagues he is frustrated by the delays, especially since he had insisted on being able to choose his team, according to current and former national security officials.

The screening of potential nominees for conflicts of interest arising from their business activities has contributed to the lengthy nomination process in some instances. White House officials said they have given preliminary approval to 250 job candidates who are now undergoing vetting by the FBI and the Office of Government Ethics before being nominated and sent to the Senate for confirmation.

Johnny DeStefano, who heads the White House Personnel Office, said he aims to ensure that the presidents key advisers have no objections before advancing the name of a prospective nominee.

Generally, we just have a discussion about each of the individuals, DeStefano said. Im there to represent all of the White House interests. The goal is that by the time [the decision] gets to the president, he understands that everybody is on the same page.

DeStefano defended the pace of nominations, saying that the White House is making sure we find, in as deliberative a fashion as we can, the right mix of folks . . . who have experience driving change, who understand what the problems are.

But Clay Johnson III, who led the White House personnel operation during Bushs first term, said that the hiring process during that administration was much more streamlined and that he routinely presented the president with two dozen names to approve each week. Although hires for senior jobs had to pass muster with Chief of Staff Andrew Card and political strategist Karl Rove, fewer White House officials had a veto over nominations.

People didnt automatically say, I have a say in this,  Johnson recalled.

Devlin Barrett, Emma Brown, Anne Gearan, Sari Horwitz, Thomas Gibbons-Neff, Missy Ryan and Lena Sun contributed to this report.
President Trump speaks at the Days of Remembrance event in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol on April 25. (Melina Mara/The Washington Post)

Again and again, President Trump heard the calls for condemnation  after bomb threats were called into Jewish community centers, after tombstones were overturned and swastikas were spray-painted at Jewish cemeteries, and after some of his supporters cheered his election with Hitler salutes and cries of Hail Trump!

Trump sometimes ducked and dodged, seemingly allergic to saying anything that hinted at political correctness. When he did condemn anti-Semitism, he did so without the gusto that many listeners wanted to hear.

But on Tuesday, his 96th day in office, Trump answered these calls forcefully and unambiguously.

This is my pledge to you: We will confront anti-Semitism, Trump vowed. We will stamp out prejudice, we will condemn hatred, we will bear witness and we will act.

Speaking at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museums Days of Remembrance event  held under the U.S. Capitols historic dome, which stands as testament to Americas democratic principles  Trump confronted the scourge of anti-Semitism more directly than at any other time in his political life.

President Trump attends the Days of Remembrance event in the Capitol Rotunda on April 25. (Melina Mara/The Washington Post)

In a 15-minute speech before several hundred people, Trump paid tribute to Holocaust victims and survivors, and he vowed to protect Israel from terrorists or others seeking the Jewish states destruction. Using words including evil, slaughter and genocide, he promised to never forget the horrors of Nazi Germany, which he called historys darkest hour.

Those who deny the Holocaust are an accomplice to this horrible evil, and well never be silent; we just wont, Trump said. We will never, ever be silent in the face of evil again.

These were not Trumps first formal remarks about anti-Semitism. He opened his February speech to a joint session of Congress with one sentence condemning hate and evil in all of its very ugly forms.

But it was the first time Trump devoted a set of remarks to anti-Semitism, which has existed in the United States for generations but seems to have found new strength in the alt-right movement that mobilized behind Trumps candidacy  and, on social media, a powerful new voice. The alt-right seeks a whites-only state. Its adherents are known for espousing racist, anti-Semitic and sexist points of view.

Trumps campaign stumbled time and again over how to address, or even whether to condemn, anti-Semitism around the country, including by some of his supporters. Those struggles followed Trump into the White House, where aides have been criticized for minimizing the Nazi genocide of the Jewish people before and during World War II.

This month, White House press secretary Sean Spicer appeared to suggest that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad had committed more egregious attacks on his people than did Adolf Hitler, who oversaw the extermination of more than 6 million Jews in Europe. Spicer quickly and repeatedly apologized for his comments.

In addition, one of Trumps national security aides, Sebastian Gorka, has been dogged by his alleged connections to anti-Semitic, Nazi-affiliated groups in Hungary, where he once lived.

Vice President Pence, left, White House senior adviser Jared Kushner and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin applaud President Trumps remarks at the National Days of Remembrance event at the U.S. Capitol on April 25. (Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP)

[Analysis: Were still living in Hitlers world]

Peter Wehner, an adviser and speechwriter in George W. Bushs White House, commended Trump for speaking out Tuesday about anti-Semitism but lamented that it was such a long time coming.

During the campaign he didnt seem willing or inclined to distance himself from the ugliness of his supporters. Today he did, and thats a good thing, said Wehner, now a senior fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center.

He added: Thats what you need a president to do  to speak not just for the whole country, but to give voice to moral truths and to stand up for decency. It wasnt clear whether he would do it, but he did it.

White House officials said that Trump decided himself that he wanted to speak at Tuesdays Days of Remembrance event, and he took personal ownership of the drafting of his remarks.

On all matters pertaining to Israel, Trump is influenced by senior adviser Jared Kushner, his son-in-law, who helped him write a well-regarded speech on Israel during the primary campaign and has been the administrations chief liaison to the Jewish community.

Several other senior aides, including Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, National Economic Council Director Gary Cohn and senior policy adviser Stephen Miller, are Jewish and accompanied Trump to Tuesdays event at the Capitol.

Trump has sought to align his presidency with the interests of Israel and has cultivated a warm relationship with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

In his Tuesday remarks, Trump said, As president of the United States, I will always stand with the Jewish people, and I will always stand with our great friend and partner, the state of Israel.

Trumps posture won praise from Ron Dermer, Israels ambassador to the United States, who celebrated the U.S. missile strike on a Syrian airfield, which Trump authorized in retaliation for Assads chemical weapons attack in that countrys civil war.

That decision was a defiance of indifference, Dermer said. And if evil triumphs when good men do nothing, we should all seek to live in a world that defies indifference.

A number of Holocaust survivors were in the audience and lit candles on stage.

You witnessed evil, Trump told them. Many of you lost your entire family, everything and everyone you loved gone. You saw mothers and children led to mass slaughter. You saw the starvation and the torture. You saw the organized attempt at the extermination of an entire people  and great people, I must add. You survived the ghettos, the concentration camps and the death camps, and you persevered to tell your stories.

Trump spoke at length about the legacy of Elie Wiesel, the Holocaust survivor and political activist who died last summer, saying that he had the gentle spirit of an angel who lived through hell and whose courage still lights the path from darkness.

Trumps remarks drew praise from some Jewish leaders who criticized him for his silence or timidity at earlier junctures.

It deeply matters that President Trump used the power of his office to stand against anti-Semitism and hate and to honor the memory of the six million Jews and millions of others murdered in Europe, Jonathan A. Greenblatt, chief executive of the Anti-Defamation League, said in a statement. But this spirit should not be restricted to Holocaust Remembrance Day. We very much hope the president will continue to use his bully pulpit to speak out against anti-Semitism, bigotry, and hatred in all forms.

After the election, Greenblatt vocally opposed Trumps selection of Stephen K. Bannon as his chief strategist in the White House because Bannon once led Breitbart, a conservative news organization that the ADL considers the premier website of the alt-right, a loose-knit group of white nationalists and unabashed anti-Semites and racists.

Trump previously faced accusations of anti-Semitism, including last year when as a candidate he tweeted a graphic attacking his Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton, that had been circulating online in anti-Semitic circles. It featured Clintons face next to a Star of David on top of piles of money.

Within two hours, the tweet was deleted, and the image was posted again with a circle instead of the star. But for days, Trump sparred with reporters and critics over the tweet, which he defended by insisting that the image was a sheriffs star rather than a Jewish symbol.

The president who addressed Holocaust survivors on Tuesday seemed to be a different man than the candidate who refused to apologize for retweeting an anti-Semitic image.

We must never, ever shrink away from telling the truth about evil in our time, Trump said. Evil is always seeking to wage war about the innocent and to destroy all that is good and beautiful about our common humanity, but evil can only thrive in darkness.
President Trump signs an executive order on reorganizing the executive branch on March 13, one of the accomplishments the White House cites from his first 100 days. (Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post)

The final frenzy at the White House began Monday, with a private reception for conservative news publications, a tariff on softwood lumber imports from Canada and the late-night debut of a website highlighting President Trumps First 100 Days achievements.

It continued Tuesday in the form of an executive order designed to help farmers and ranchers, an assurance that construction will begin soon on a wall along the nations southern border  The walls going to get built, the president said  and media briefings by senior administration officials who gave their takes on Trumps successes.

And by Wednesday, the White House plans to unveil its tax plan, which would cut the corporate tax rate drastically, to 15 percent.

Trump has called Saturdays 100-day marker  a remnant of President Franklin D. Roosevelts initial flurry of legislative action  an artificial construct, and he is not incorrect. Yet the kinetic energy emanating from the West Wing, which at times borders on frenetic, reveals a White House eager to cross the threshold with some tangible wins.

The whirlwind of activity this week seems aimed at demonstrating forward momentum from a young administration criticized for a lack of signature legislative achievements  a sense that doing something, anything, is better than the perception of stagnation.

The confirmation of Supreme Court Justice Neil M. Gorsuch is one of President Trumps signature achievements so far amid a series of setbacks. (Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post)

As the president himself quipped Tuesday afternoon, preparing to sign his latest executive order: Its a lot of words. I wont bother reading everything.

Trump is under considerable pressure, some of it self-imposed, to deliver. From funding construction of the border wall to spurring $1 trillion in infrastructure investments over the next decade, the president has implemented zero of the 10 major pieces of legislation he promised as a presidential candidate for his first 100 days in a contract with American voters.

Only one bill has been introduced in Congress  an ill-fated measure to scale back President Barack Obamas health-care law that culminated in an embarrassing defeat at the hands of Trumps own party. White House officials and several Republican lawmakers said Tuesday that they were nearing a deal to try again, though details were sparse.

[Everyone tunes in: Inside Trumps obsession with cable TV]

In many ways, Trump, more than any modern president before him, runs his White House like a television drama, believing that sometimes projecting an image of energy and progress is as important, if not more so, than the reality.

But Peter Wehner, a former official in the George W. Bush White House who is now a senior fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center, said no administration can bluff its way through four years.

You have to produce, Wehner said. Ultimately the achievements will matter. You can spin and you can sell and you can put things in bright neon lights, but when everything is said and done, presidents are judged on their results.

(The Washington Post)

The Trump White House has produced some accomplishments already, from regulatory rollbacks intended to promote economic growth to the successful installation of Justice Neil M. Gorsuch on the Supreme Court.

We see a president thats working at breakneck speed and somebody whos going as fast as he can in the confines of the law, running through that punch list of promises he made during the campaign, Reince Priebus, Trumps chief of staff, said Tuesday.

But on his largest promises  those boomed from campaign trail stages and enshrined in his voter contract  Trump has fallen short, a gap in signature legislative triumphs that has sent the president and his aides scrambling to notch victories, some of them more tenuous and less substantial than others.

Out of 60 promises from Trumps voter contract, The Washington Posts Fact Checker finds that five have been kept, five have been broken and 36 others have had no action at all. The remainder have either been launched or are in limbo.

Asked about Trumps failure to implement many of the key items in the contract, which he unveiled in October, Marc Short, the White House director for legislative affairs, said the administration had, in some ways, run up against the inherently slow-moving federal bureaucracy.

There are certain promises that you need to work with House and Senate leadership on, and its a process, Short said in a morning meeting with reporters. I think on the House side, obviously, the health-care legislation took longer than we would have wanted, but were excited as to where that stands today, and we think well get that completed.

Short said the administration was not backing down on its commitment to its early promises but added, Perhaps the timetable was ambitious.

[Opinion: Trump says his first 100 days have been a historic success. History disagrees.]

Still, in the run-up to the 100-day mark, the administration has become a whirling dervish of activity.

In a memo Tuesday that contained a number of factual inaccuracies  including a claim that Roosevelt signed only nine executive orders, rather than the actual 99, in his first 100 days  the White House boasted of the presidents historic accomplishment, citing the 13 Congressional Review Act resolutions, the 28 laws, and the 30 executive orders that Trump has implemented or passed.

The presidents team has also deployed Cabinet secretaries throughout the country to tout what they say are Trumps robust successes. And Saturday, the president will headline a 100-day political rally in Harrisburg, Pa.

But even as Trump sought to project strength, a federal judge in San Francisco delivered a new setback Tuesday, blocking the administrations plans to withhold federal funding from sanctuary cities, those that refuse to detain undocumented immigrants for deportation.

On Capitol Hill, Republicans largely defended the president, with some seeking to separate his domestic achievements from his foreign policy moves as they reflected on what Trump has and has not achieved so far.

Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), who had dinner with Trump on Monday night, said he was pleased with Trumps national security team and praised the cruise missile strikes the president launched in Syria. But he sized up Trumps domestic agenda differently. Obviously, its been stalled, McCain said.

However, McCain partially blamed members of the hard-line conservative House Freedom Caucus for thwarting the effort to overhaul Obamas Affordable Care Act last month, echoing a criticism Short had offered more gently earlier in the day.

Weve learned that the House Republican Party, to its credit, is enormously diverse in its opinions, but that also sometimes creates larger challenges in bringing them together on a big legislative issue, Short said, reflecting on lessons his legislative-affairs team had learned in the failed health-care effort.

Rep. Chris Collins (R-N.Y.), a Trump ally, faulted Congress for the presidents lack of domestic accomplishments.

[The Daily 202: Trump is caving on border wall funding after showing his base that he tried]

Congress has to pass bills for him to sign them into law, Collins said. If there is a frustration, its really aimed at Congress, not the president.

For congressional Democrats, who have waged a full-fledged war against much of the presidents agenda, there is some relief that he has not delivered on many of his promises, most notably his vow on the ACA, also known as Obamacare.

But Democrats are also trying to blame Trump for what he hasnt accomplished. They argue that while he campaigned on a populist platform, vowing to help average Americans, he has instead spearheaded efforts that benefit the wealthy at the expense of the working class.

In some ways, Trumps blustery two-step leading up to Saturday is simply the repackaging of a strategy he learned as a real estate developer  a technique he described in The Art of the Deal as truthful hyperbole. In the 1987 book, he chronicled creating an aura of success before hed actually achieved it  such as when he ordered his Atlantic City construction crews to dig up dirt on one side of a site to simply deposit it back on the other, in order to present a sense of progress.

But Warren Tompkins, a longtime Republican strategist based in South Carolina, said that at some point, voters will demand evidence of signature legislation.

Our problem is people voted to give us the keys to the bus, and weve forgotten how to drive, Tompkins said.

Amid Trumps struggles, even the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library felt emboldened this week. On Monday, the library posted a tweet noting the laws and executive orders President Carter had signed in his first 100 days, before ending with the most devastating statistic of all  Carters approval rating of 63 percent.

Trump, the least-popular new president in modern times, has an average approval rating currently hovering in the low 40s.
President Trump on Wednesday denounced as ridiculous a court ruling blocking his effort to withhold federal funds from cities and towns that refuse to cooperate with immigration authorities.



The decision Tuesday by a federal judge in San Francisco dealt another blow to the Trump administration even as it struggles to show progress on signature policies in its first 100 days.

It also brought another direct attack by the White House against a federal judge, whose ruling was derided in a White House statement as a gift to criminal gangs that puts thousands of innocent lives at risk.

In a series of tweets, Trump vowed that the White House was ready to bring the case to the Supreme Court and blasted the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit, which was part of legal decisions blocking Trumps travel restrictions on several Muslim-majority countries.

First the Ninth Circuit rules against the ban & now it hits again on sanctuary cities  both ridiculous rulings. See you in the Supreme Court! Trump wrote.

(The Washington Post)

U.S. District Judge William H. Orrick  who imposed a temporary nationwide injunction against Trumps Jan. 25 order  does not serve on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit, though those judges would review his decisions.

In an earlier statement, the White House took aim at Orrick, saying his ruling unilaterally rewrote immigration policy for our nation and claiming it will give legal cover to underworld networks including sex traffickers and human smuggling operations.

This case is yet one more example of egregious overreach by a single, unelected district judge, the White House statement said.

[When a judge quotes Sean Spicer, its not a good sign for the White House]

The White House noted that San Francisco, where Orrick has been on the federal bench since 2013, was the same sanctuary city where a local woman, Kate Steinle, was killed in 2015 by a gunshot allegedly fired by an undocumented Mexican man who had been deported five times.

San Francisco, and cities like it, are putting the well-being of criminal aliens before the safety of our citizens, and those city officials who authored these policies have the blood of dead Americans on their hands, said the White House statement issued late Tuesday.

In his decision, Orrick pointed to discrepancies in the administrations interpretation of the executive order, which broadly authorized the attorney general to withhold grant money from jurisdictions that do not cooperate with immigration officials on deportations and other enforcement actions.

Lordes Reboyoso carries a placard at a rally supporting sanctuary cities outside City Hall in San Francisco in January. (Jeff Chiu/AP)

At the same time, the judge said the Justice Department may hold back grant money that is awarded with immigration-related conditions, if those conditions are violated. The department responded to the ruling by saying it could essentially continue to operate as it had been.

The judges decision largely blocks the administration from doing things its lawyers said in court the agency would not do, such as strip health-care funding from cities and towns.

But the American Civil Liberties Union and other advocacy groups said the injunction offered a clear warning that Trumps order  the third issued by the president to be blocked, at least partially, in federal court  is illegal.

Once again, the courts have spoken to defend tolerance, diversity and inclusion from the illegal threats of the Trump administration, ACLU National Political Director Faiz Shakir said in a statement. Once again, Trump has overreached and lost.

In court, the governments lawyers suggested cities and towns were overreacting to the order because federal officials have not yet defined sanctuary cities or moved to withhold funding from them. But on television and in news conferences, the judge pointed out, the president and Attorney General Jeff Sessions have threatened to sanction such jurisdictions.

The result of this schizophrenic approach to the Order is that the Counties worst fears are not allayed and the Counties reasonably fear enforcement under the Order, the judge wrote. The threat of the Order and the uncertainty it is causing impermissibly interferes with the Counties ability to operate, to provide key services, to plan for the future, and to budget.

Trump says sanctuary cities put Americans at risk by refusing to hold immigrants who have been arrested or convicted of serious crimes until immigration agents can take them into custody and deport them.

Sanctuary cities officials counter that they do not have the legal authority to hold a person after a judge in a criminal case has ordered that person released. Holding people on immigration offenses is generally a civil process, rather than a criminal one.

White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus said Justice Department lawyers are reviewing legal options. Its the 9th Circuit going bananas, he told reporters Tuesday evening. The idea that an agency cant put in some reasonable restriction on how some of these monies are spent is going to be overturned eventually, and well win at the Supreme Court level at some point.
President Trump and his top national security advisers briefed congressional lawmakers Wednesday on what a senior aide called the very grave threat posed by North Korea, but they offered few details about the administrations strategy to pressure Pyongyang.

Administration officials emphasized in a pair of private briefings  one open to all senators and held at the White House complex and one for House members on Capitol Hill  that they were developing a range of economic, diplomatic and military measures in the wake of a series of provocations from North Korean dictator Kim Jong Uns regime.

Lawmakers said they came away convinced that the Trump administration recognized the urgency of the mounting tensions on the Korean Peninsula, where Pyongyang conducted a failed missile test last week and drew international condemnation for the launch.

But several members of Congress said the administration remained vague about its efforts to confront Pyongyang beyond tougher talk from Trump.

There was a definite degree of resolve that weve got a bad situation on our hands and theyre ratcheting up the importance of this, said one Republican senator, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to candidly discuss a private meeting. One of the things that I surmised from it was that as much as anything else, perhaps they wanted to prepare everybody for the fact that this could escalate quickly. Thats my own read on it.

(Bastien Inzaurralde,Alice Li,Dalton Bennett/The Washington Post)

Rep. Eliot L. Engel (N.Y.), the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, emphasized, however, that there was no talk from the administration about a preemptive strike on North Korea.

Among the options the administration is considering are additional economic sanctions on the North and attempts to further isolate the Kim regime in the international community. The Pentagon also is developing military options, officials said, after having already directed the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier strike group toward the peninsula in a show of force that has drawn rebukes from Pyongyang.

A senior administration official told reporters that a timeline had been developed to press North Korea, but he emphasized that the approach would be mainly events-driven, predicated on the Kim regimes actions.

Nothing is risk-free. This situation is not risk-free, said the senior official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to outline internal planning. He spoke as the briefing for the senators was underway at a secure location at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building next door to the White House.

But the team has done everything we can try to anticipate reactions [from North Korea] and mitigate the risk, the official said.

Trump has tried to reset the U.S. approach to North Korea, citing the failure of past administrations to rein in the rogue nations nuclear-weapons and ballistic-missile programs. The administration has said the era of strategic patience  isolating the regime economically and diplomatically in hopes of reengaging in diplomatic talks  is over, and Trump has promised that the United States would solve the North Korea problem unilaterally if necessary. The president also has directly pressed Chinese President Xi Jinping to exert more pressure on Kim.

But the Trump White House has not defined a policy that looks strikingly different from the approach of past administrations, lawmakers said.

Asked by reporters to speak more broadly about Trumps foreign policy doctrine, the senior administration official said the president weighs the risk of any action . . . but what hes also done in the first few weeks is weigh the risk of inaction.

Hes recognized theres a cost to inaction, the official said, citing Trumps decision to authorize a missile strike against Syrian President Bashar al-Assads forces over the use of chemical weapons in that nations civil war.

Trump offered to host the briefing for the senators at the White House as a courtesy after Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) requested that the full chamber hear directly from administration officials. The location at the White House was a first for such a large group, prompting some lawmakers to speculate the administration would disclose a major initiative.

Senators rode together to the White House on a large white bus, and they were instructed to leave their cellphones outside the auditorium, which had been configured as a secure briefing room to prevent electronic eavesdropping.

Although the briefing was sobering, it was not revelatory, some of the participants said.

There was very little, if anything new, said Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.). I remain mystified about why the entire Senate had to be taken over to the White House rather than conducting it here.

Trump and Vice President Pence briefly addressed the senators at the beginning of the meeting.

When they left, senators heard from Secretary of State Rex Tillerson; Defense Secretary Jim Mattis; Daniel Coats, the director of national intelligence; and Marine Corps Gen. Joseph F. Dunford Jr., chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

In a joint statement, Tillerson, Mattis and Coats called North Koreas pursuit of nuclear weapons an urgent national security threat and top foreign policy priority. They said Trumps approach aimed to tighten economic sanctions and pursue diplomatic measures with allies and partners.

The goal is to convince the regime to de-escalate and return to a path of dialogue toward peaceful denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, they said. We remain open to negotiations towards that goal. However we remain prepared to defend ourselves and our allies.

Several of the same national security aides later briefed the House members on Capitol Hill, although Trump did not attend that meeting.

The Republican senator who requested anonymity said the basic gist of it at the beginning was that were going to get more aggressive; weve waited and theyve continued to be bad actors. Weve reached a point where things are getting pretty dire and getting to the point where weve got to get more aggressive.

From then on, what we all wanted to know is: What does that mean? the senator added. What is it that we should be looking for as the trigger that something is about to happen and that wed end up taking some kind of kinetic action? Thats where things got a little elliptical.

Lawmakers who planned to push the administration to take intermediary steps  such as stiffening sanctions against China for its support of Pyongyang, or relabeling North Korea a state sponsor of terrorism  came away with no promises from the administration.

I have supported putting North Korea back as a state sponsor of terror, Sen. Cory Gardner (R-Colo.) said. But no indication yet from the administration.

House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Edward R. Royce (R-Calif.) came away from the briefing promising to file legislation that would increase sanctions against North Korea and its supporters to choke off some of the hard currency that this regime uses for its nuclear program. He said his proposal would focus on financial institutions, North Koreas shipping industry and slave labor crews that are sent to work abroad so the Kim regime can collect their wages.

Were going to move very quickly, Royce said.

Karoun Demirjian contributed to this report.
An influential group of House conservatives threw its support behind a new Republican plan to revise the Affordable Care Act, shifting political pressure onto GOP moderates to determine the efforts fate.

The House Freedom Caucus said the amendment negotiated by its chairman, Rep. Mark Meadows (R-N.C.), along with moderate Rep. Tom MacArthur (R-N.J.), would drive down health-care costs by allowing states to opt out of certain rules under Obamacare.

While the revised version still does not fully repeal Obamacare, we are prepared to support it to keep our promise to the American people to lower health-care costs, the Freedom Caucus said Wednesday in an unattributed statement.

The decision came as three conservative advocacy groups  the Club for Growth, FreedomWorks and Heritage Action for America  also declared support for the plan, adding to its momentum.

To be clear, this is not full repeal, Heritage Action chief executive Michael Needham said in a statement. The amendment does, however, represent important progress in what has been a disastrous process.

Attention now shifts to the moderate Tuesday Group, some of whose members will need to support the MacArthur amendment for it to pass.

Republican leadership can afford to lose only about 20 votes if most of the Freedom Caucus backs the measure. As of Wednesday afternoon, roughly 30 Republicans who are not members of the Freedom Caucus were either opposed or undecided.

Among them were Reps. Charlie Dent (Pa.), Jeff Denham (Calif.), Leonard Lance (N.J.), Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (Fla.) and Barbara Comstock (Va.), who have said they will not support the revised bill. Rep. Mike Coffman (Colo.), who supported the original bill, said he is now undecided. Rep. Carlos Curbelo (Fla.) said he wants a thorough analysis of the new measure before he decides.

[Even in Trumps base, his path forward on health care is awfully unpopular]

Dent, co-chair of the Tuesday Group, said most of the moderates who opposed the original GOP bill were not privy to MacArthurs negotiation and would vote no on his amendment.

He accused the Freedom Caucus, which thwarted Republicans first attempt to overhaul the health-care system under Trump, of trying to shirk responsibility for the effort. Its an exercise in blame-shifting, Dent said.

The MacArthur amendment would allow states to opt out of certain insurance reforms under the Affordable Care Act, including the requirement that health plans cover essential medical benefits and the ban on charging customers higher premiums if they have preexisting conditions.

(Bastien Inzaurralde,Alice Li,Dalton Bennett/The Washington Post)

The Club for Growth issued a thinly veiled threat against moderate Republicans who might vote against the amendment if it comes to the floor.

In an interview Wednesday, president David McIntosh said centrist Republicans skeptical of the bill are being smoked out now that conservative organizations and the Freedom Caucus have endorsed it. He said advocates of the bill are still gathering the votes.

AARP came out against the amendment Wednesday, placing additional pressure on moderates to oppose it. The group said it will inform its membership how lawmakers vote.

Even if the bill does pass the House, it faces a skeptical audience in the Senate.

Several Republicans from large states that accepted the ACAs Medicaid expansion previously opposed the House legislation for cutting that portion of the law, a move that would leave millions without health insurance. With only two votes to spare, those four Republicans could stop the legislation in its tracks in the upper chamber.

[The White House just ratcheted up its threat to destroy Obamacare, a Democratic aide says]

Matt House, a spokesman for Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) also said the Republicans latest plan would run afoul of Senate rules governing the reconciliation process, which protects legislation from filibuster.

But two GOP Senate aides familiar with the negotiations said they did not share the alarm Schumers team expressed.

The MacArthur-Meadows language has been reviewed in the Senate and we believe it would not endanger the privilege of the House bill should it be included, said one of the GOP Senate aides, who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

But the aide added a note of caution, saying that final determinations cannot be made until any new bill receives a score from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office and Democrats have a chance make their case to the Senate parliamentarian.

The revival of the Republican health-care effort is welcome news for the White House, particularly after last months defeat. But while Trump is eager to achieve as much as possible this week before Saturday marks the 100th day of his presidency, some in his party were wary of setting a deadline before reluctant members were ready to endorse the bill.

Well vote on it when we get the votes, House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.) told reporters at a news conference Wednesday.

What we see is progress being made, showing that were moving and getting on the same page, he said.

[House Freedom Caucus leaders back new health-care plan]

Momentum is building for the plan despite the revelation that, under its current language, members of Congress would be all but guaranteed to maintain health benefits that other Americans stand to lose.

That is because lawmakers obtain health insurance through a marketplace operated by the District of Columbia. The District is unlikely to seek a waiver to opt out of the ACAs coverage requirements, meaning members plans would be left intact, even if insurers in their home states are allowed to cut benefits.

Meadows assured lawmakers the issue would be addressed.

If you look at the text, it actually penalizes members of Congress and people in D.C., he said. But we understand the optics, and were working on that to make sure that it gets fixed.

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said the amendment makes Republicans plan even more cruel and costly for Americas families.

Families will be slammed with brutal premium increases, she said. Many would lose access to affordable health coverage entirely, on top of the 24 million hard-working Americans who would already lose insurance under the original TrumpCare language.

Paul Kane, Kelsey Snell and Jenna Portnoy contributed to this report.

Read more at PowerPost
Rep. Mike Conaway, R-Texas speaks on Capitol Hill in Washington. Conaway has been tapped to lead the House probe into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. (Carolyn Kaster/AP)

After a rocky start, the House Intelligence Committee is plowing full steam ahead on its Russia probe with new leadership, a new witness list and new plans for hearings.

Republicans and Democrats on the committee have agreed on a witness list that is dozens of names long and includes campaign and transition team surrogates of President Trump who volunteered to be interviewed, according to two panel Democrats. The volunteers who have come forward include former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort, former campaign advisers Carter Page and Roger Stone, and former national security adviser Michael Flynn.

Members have also overcome bitter discord that threatened to undermine the committee probe under the tenure of Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Calif.), who after being accused of coordinating with the White House handed over leadership of the investigation to Rep. K. Michael Conaway (R-Texas) earlier this month. Democrats on the committee are singing the praises of the conservative Conaway as very fair-minded and very cooperative, with one  Rep. Mike Quigley (D-Ill.)  even noting he had nothing negative at all to say about him.

But the bipartisan zeal is hitting a few snags with their Senate colleagues. Lawmakers are trying to iron out who will get first crack at key witnesses, such as former director of national intelligence James R. Clapper and former acting attorney general Sally Yates.

A Senate Judiciary subcommittee controlled by Lindsey O. Graham (R-S.C.) scheduled both Yates and Clapper to publicly testify on May 8. That leaves House lawmakers to scramble so they dont miss their chance to have maximum impact grilling them in open session in the future, or run into problems trying to schedule them for a second trip to Capitol Hill.

Were going to want to get through our entire witness list independent of what the Senate may do, Rep. Jim Himes (D-Conn.), a senior Intelligence Democrat said Wednesday, adding: The Judiciary Committee over there obviously has questionable jurisdiction over people like Clapper and [former CIA Director] John Brennan.

Himes said that House Intelligence was going back and forth with Grahams office about how can we do this in the most efficient manner possible  perhaps by holding a joint hearing, or splitting up the witness list. House Intelligence invited Yates, Clapper and Brennan to testify publicly after May 2, when FBI Director James B. Comey and NSA Director Adm. Mike Rogers are scheduled to give the panel a closed-door briefing.

But Graham said Wednesday that any such negotiations were news to me and that his committees process is moving forward. As for the jurisdictional concern, he noted that he had received a go-ahead from Senate Intelligence Committee Chair Richard Burr (R-N.C.) to invite Clapper, which was permission enough.

Having Yates, Clapper and Brennan speak publicly to House Intelligence is symbolically important to establishing Conaway as in charge after Nunes, whose tenure continued to sour when he canceled a public hearing at which the trio was scheduled to testify. Reinviting them was one the first moves Conaway made.

Conaway, who was once on the shortlist to become House Intelligence chairman instead of Nunes, has built a reputation as the GOPs cleanup guy when the party needs to put its house in order.

A decade ago, the House Republicans campaign arm tapped Conaway, a certified public accountant, to uncover an embezzlement scandal involving the organizations treasurer.

Mike did what Mike does: He takes care of problems, said Rep. Tom Cole (R-Okla.), who was the organizations chairman at the time.

He said Conaway would follow the same playbook with the Russia probe.

It will be professional, it will be transparent, everybody will have open input, and at the end of the day if theres anything there, well know what it was and hell be completely forthright and honest with whatever he finds, Cole said.

In 2013, Conaway became chairman of the House Ethics Committee, where his then-ranking Democrat Linda T. Sanchez (D-Calif.) also had a positive experience.

I always felt like I could trust him, that his purpose was to get through the work, and to do it thoroughly, well, and try to do it dispassionately, she said. I hope he brings that same perspective to run an investigation with respect to Russia.

Conaway himself is staying tight-lipped about the investigation, and promising to do most all of this together with ranking Democrat Adam B. Schiff (Calif.)

Praise for the Houses new panel chief comes at the same time that across the Capitol, some Democrats are coming down on the Senate Intelligence Committee for not moving fast enough on its Russia probe.

I think the Senate committee should move more quickly, its gone very slowly, Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) said this week.

Even Burr has expressed an interest in picking up the pace, after completing an opening round of over 20 interviews with intelligence analysts. He promised that by next week, the number of staffers working on the Russia probe will increase from seven to nine.

On Wednesday, the law firm Saul Ewing announced that one of those new investigators will be April Doss, the former associate general counsel for intelligence law for the NSA.

The unfortunate thing is we do a majority of our work behind closed doors, versus the public process that seems to go on the other side of the Hill, Burr said Tuesday. But were satisfied with our progress.

Read more at PowerPost
Reps. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) and Elijah Cummings (D-Md.), the two ranking members of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, said Tuesday that former national security adviser Michael T. Flynn may have broken the law by not disclosing foreign income. (Jim Lo Scalzo/European Pressphoto Agency)

The specter of Russian tampering with the 2016 elections continues to hang over Congress and President Trump, even during such a consequential week as this one.

The focus as Congress returned from a two-week recess was supposed to rest on meeting a Friday deadline to keep the federal government funded through the remainder of 2017. That grew more complicated as a dispute emerged about the amount, and type, of border security funding to include in a spending bill  and more complicated still after Trump announced that he would lay out on Wednesday what he wants in a broad overhaul of the tax code. Add to all that the House conservatives latest maneuvering to make progress on the still-lingering bid to repeal the 2010 Affordable Care Act.

But by early Tuesday, cameras and congressional reporters were assembled in a now-familiar spot in the lower levels of the Capitol Visitors Center: outside the secure location where the House conducts its most secretive work. Emerging from that room, the top Republican and Democrat on the House Oversight Committee declared that Trumps first pick for national security adviser, Michael T. Flynn, probably had violated the law by not disclosing foreign income for a speaking engagement in Russia and lobbying activities on behalf of Turkey before he briefly joined the administration earlier this year.

The bipartisan nature of the conclusion from two lawmakers, Reps. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) and Elijah E. Cummings (D-Md.), whose public sparring previously had been seen as its own Capitol Hill specialty, may have been bigger news than the crimes they accused Flynn of committing. Its also bad news for Trump, who cant seem to shake the accusations that he is suspiciously cozy with Russia.

[A sizable minority of Americans think that President Trumps campaign colluded with the Russians]

Then, across the Capitol, the Senate finally confirmed a new deputy attorney general, Rod J. Rosenstein, on an overwhelmingly bipartisan vote of 94 to 6. Rosensteins main duties will be day-to-day oversight of the Justice Department, but his highest profile assignment will be making the final calls on everything related to the counterintelligence investigation of Russian tampering in U.S. politics and any potential ties to the Trump campaign.

Thats because Attorney General Jeff Sessions, one of Trumps most prominent supporters in last years campaign, recused himself from any decision-making role in inquiries related to the 2016 election.

The only objectors were six liberals, several of whom are thought to be eyeing the 2020 Democratic presidential primary, who wanted Rosenstein to declare in his confirmation hearings that he would appoint a special prosecutor independent of the Justice Department.

Despite that concern, the overwhelming majority of senators think Rosenstein s background as a U.S. attorney from Baltimore, first appointed by the Republican George W. Bush White House and then endorsed by the Democratic Obama White House, will make him a perfect fit to shepherd this investigation to its proper conclusion.

He is a straight shooter, said Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.). He, as you say, is a prosecutors prosecutor, goes by the book. So, well see, thats the way hes conducted himself up to this point. Thats what hes done in Maryland, and I hope that is what hell do as deputy attorney general.

[This man could soon be handling Americas most politically charged investigation]

Van Hollen expressed reservations about entrusting the investigation to anyone Trump could fire at will, particularly in light of the dismissal earlier this year of Sally Yates as acting attorney general after she refused to defend the presidents ban on travel from several majority-Muslim nations.

But the reality is, Democrats probably did themselves no favors by slow-walking Rosensteins confirmation. Theres now a well-trusted adult overseeing the most politically sensitive investigation in the country, a public face other than that of FBI Director James B. Comey, whose decision to speak publicly about the inquiry of Democrat Hillary Clintons handling of classified information on a private email server as secretary of state while never publicly addressing the Trump investigation left much of the public perplexed.

No one is certain where the multiple investigations will lead. And the fervor of each revelation has died down a bit. Only a couple of the nearly 10 questions Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) took at his weekly news conference Tuesday related to the Russia probes.

[Flynn probably broke the law by not fully disclosing foreign payments, House Oversight leaders say]

But the issue is not going away anytime soon. It always seems to be lurking in the background.

Schumer and a few of his fellow Democrats decided this was the week to criticize Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Richard Burr (R-N.C.) for his handling of that panels review of Russian hacking of emails and other cyberattacks designed to tilt the election toward Trump. Schumer told reporters Tuesday that Burr was moving too slowly.

That criticism prompted Burr to reveal additional information about the inquiry, including the recent hiring of two additional investigators, up to nine from the seven he had announced last month  and triple the staffing that the committee had for its review of the 2012 attacks on U.S. facilities in Benghazi, Libya.

Burr said the committee had conducted 27 interviews with witnesses related to the Russia investigation, with another handful scheduled for the near future He dismissed criticism from Schumer and others as misguided.

Im only concerned with people that know whats going on. Were making progress, he said.

Yet the Russia inquiry is not limited to the Intelligence Committee. In between the Chaffetz-Cummings declaration of Flynns culpability and the Rosenstein confirmation, yet another panel has announced its next steps looking back at the 2016 campaign: On May 8, a subcommittee of the Senate Judiciary Committee will hear testimony from Yates and former director of national intelligence James R. Clapper Jr.

That subcommittee is headed by Sen. Lindsey O. Graham (R-S.C.), one of Trumps leading critics and a hawk on all matters related to Russia. Grahams announcement about his parallel look at Russia and the 2016 campaign came after a Monday night dinner at the White House with Trump, along with Grahams closest ally, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.).

McCain declined to talk about what the group discussed, but Graham, according to Politico, suggested that Trump expressed a healthy view of how trustworthy Russia is.

He wants to have as many allies as he can, but I think he understands Russia is somebody thats been less than helpful lately, Graham said.

Read more from Paul Kanes archive, follow him on Twitter or subscribe to his updates on Facebook.
Construction workers are painting over the Boko Haram graffiti. Plywood frames are rising in the place of homes destroyed by grenades and bombs. Thousands of refugees are returning. On the surface, this city once occupied by Islamist extremists is slowly returning to normal.

Except for one horrifying fact: Hundreds of children are missing.

Most of them were seized by Boko Haram in the fall of 2014. Months earlier, in April, the militants had carried off 276 schoolgirls from the town of Chibok, a kidnapping that became the subject of a global campaign known by the hashtag #BringBackOurGirls. But there has been little attention to the lost children of Damasak. Residents say they total more than 500. All but a handful are still unaccounted for.

In the ruins of the city, everyone seems to be missing a son or a daughter, a brother or a sister. Outside the mud walls of his roofless house, Aji Bakar holds a picture of his chubby-cheeked 9-year-old grandson, who was kidnapped from his classroom in September 2014.

Our senators and governors are negligent, he said. Why cant they find him?

Alhaji Aji Bukar, 65, speaks about the 2014 abduction of his grandson, Aji Bukar, 9, by Boko Haram in Damasak, Nigeria April 25. (Jane Hahn/for The Washington Post)

Fatima Kyari sits down next to Bakar. Her son, too, is missing.

When Boko Haram fled from Damasak, they took him, she says angrily.

Hearing that journalists are asking about the citys vanished children, more people join the circle, under the half shade of a thorny tree.

Yusuf Aisami lost his 12-year-old brother. Umara Yakami lost his 10-year-old son.

Some details about the mass kidnappings had trickled out in the months after they occurred. Human Rights Watch had reported in 2015 that at least 300 elementary school students had been seized in Damasak on Nov. 24, 2014, in what it called the largest documented school abduction by Boko Haram militants.

Many of the children had been held at the school by Boko Haram until March 2015, when a multinational military force converged on Damasak, part of a major offensive to defeat the guerrillas. The insurgents fled with the children  the last time they were seen.

Two years later, many residents have now returned from years living as refugees in neighboring Niger. Others had fled to remote villages in Nigeria. Some, like Bakar, spent time in the forest, living off wild fruit and running each time they heard Boko Haram fighters.





The residents have come back to find their houses burned and their shops looted. The Nigerian government, buoyed by a large international assistance package, has vowed to restore normalcy. But the least normal thing about Damasak  its hundreds of missing children  remains unresolved.

For now, we havent received any information about where they are, or if they are still alive, said Maj. Mohammed Kaigama, the deputy military commander in the city.

Residents have submitted the names of more than 500 missing children to local authorities, but the families have received different versions of that disappointing response.

After two years, parents of the missing children are desperate for information, but have received little more than rumors, Human Rights Watch said in a recent statement.

Meanwhile, the Chibok girls have been the focus of protracted negotiations, including a deal mediated by the Swiss government that led to the release of 21 of the students in October. President Muhammadu Buhari has pledged again and again to free the rest.

We really wonder about it  why those girls but not our children? Bakar asked.

Thousands of other Nigerians went missing over the past decade, as Boko Haram gained strength and territory across Nigerias northeast, particularly in the state of Borno, which is about the size of Belgium. Many of the kidnapped girls and women were forced into marriage with the fighters. Other young women mysteriously reappeared as suicide bombers years later. The boys sometimes became child soldiers. The men were often killed immediately.

Its only now, when cities such as Damasak are being restored, their residents pouring back, that the scale of Boko Harams ravages are becoming known, as people begin to tabulate the missing. Tuesday was the first time foreign journalists had visited the city of 105,000 people in at least two years.

It offered a glimpse of the surreal afterlife of Boko Harams occupation. A young boy, seemingly without relatives, stood petting a horse surrounded by decimated houses. A girl, no older than 10, had drawn a manic cityscape with a piece of charcoal on the wall of an abandoned building. When a man took a step toward her, she shuddered.

But the missing were Damasaks most dystopian feature. Families were removing the ashes and rubble from their homes, but there were now empty rooms, where children once slept. Many had gone to Zanna Mobarti Primary School. Others were studying the Koran in religious schools when they were abducted. Some extended families lost more than a dozen children.

Bakar pointed to a place next to a mud wall that once was home to his grandson, Ajimi Dala.

We dont know if well see him again, he said.

Read more

They were freed from Boko Harams rape camps. But their nightmare isnt over

They survived Boko Haram. Now millions in Nigeria face a new threat: starvation.

Nigerian military mistake kills at least 50 in attack on safe-haven town

Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world

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With a tense battle for the future of France underway ahead of a presidential runoff election next month, the far-right insurgent Marine Le Pen is pulling a page from the same improbable victory playbook as President Trump: encouraging her opponents to stay home.

Opinion polls suggest that Le Pens opponent, centrist newcomer Emmanuel Macron, holds a commanding lead ahead of the May 7 runoff, less because French voters believe in him than because they are frightened by Le Pens National Front, which has long been dogged by charges of anti-Semitism and Nazi sympathies.

But in a year when voters are storming the establishment bastions around the world, many mainstream French politicians are warning that Macrons campaign is dangerously complacent. Despite polls that show Macron sweeping up more than 60 percent of the vote, several post-election missteps have kept the door open to a Le Pen upset, analysts say  even as the path she must walk to the Elysee Palace is vanishingly thin.

[What you need to know about Emmanuel Macron and Marine Le Pen]

An election is combat, and its necessary to fight, Segolene Royal, a senior Socialist leader who has thrown her backing to Macron, told BFMTV.

(The Washington Post)

Macron, who was economy minister until August, is a 39-year-old former investment banker who has never held elected office. His unorthodox campaign platform mixes ideas from the left and right  but above all is a cheerful endorsement of the idea that a borderless, globalized world is the best way to ensure prosperity for Frances citizens.

But the political neophytes path to the doorstep of the presidency has been eased by the failures of his traditional party rivals. A corruption scandal downed center-right candidate Francois Fillon, who was otherwise considered a shoo-in. The incumbent president, Socialist Francois Hollande, is historically unpopular, destroying his partys chances of a second term.

Now Le Pens victory chances depend on disillusioned left-wing voters staying home, holding down the total voting pool enough for her to top 50 percent. With nearly half of French voters opting for anti-establishment candidates in Sundays first-round vote, there is a slender possibility it could happen, even if its unlikely.

An upset would have some of the echoes of Trumps victory. Far-left candidate Jean-Luc Melenchon, whose anti-globalization agenda had many shades of Sen. Bernie Sanderss campaign, has held back from calling on his supporters to vote for Macron to deny the far-right a victory.

[Marine Le Pen goes from fringe right-winger to major contender]

Le Pens campaign has seized on Melenchons wavering, pushing out a point-by-point comparison of their campaign positions, many of which share a skepticism of globalization and big business.

Many of Melenchons supporters resent the pressure to vote for Macron, saying that even if they loathe Le Pens attitude toward foreigners, her centrist opponent embodies all of the globalist, pro-business stances they detest.

What really bothers me the most is the amount of unanimity, said Antoine Hemon, 30, a PhD student in economics who worked on Melenchons campaign. As though it were a parlor reflex, saying you have to vote for Macron in order to build a rampart against Le Pen.

He said he was still making up his mind about how  or whether  to vote in the runoff.

On Sunday I was in favor of voting blank, casting an empty ballot as a protest against the system, he said. On Monday I was in favor of voting Macron. Now hes thinking about abstaining, he said, although if theres the slightest chance that the fascists come to power, he said, referring to Le Pen, hell probably reconsider.

Even if Macron wins, a narrow victory will sap his momentum going into June legislative elections and could make it difficult for him to enact his agenda. And if Frances unemployment remains stranded at 10 percent and economic growth stays disappointing, Le Pen could return stronger than ever in the next elections in 2022.

He will have to dramatize the election in the coming week, said Vincent Martigny, a professor of politics at Ecole Polytechnique, a university in a suburb of Paris. Its not about victory but the type of mandate he wins.

Le Pen has been delighted to exploit her opponents missteps. Her skills were on display Wednesday when she seized on a trip by Macron to his home town of Amiens, where workers at a Whirlpool clothes dryer factory have been picketing to protest plans to shutter the plant and move production to Poland. About 290 jobs will be lost, a prospect that has ignited a debate over globalization.

[The leading French presidential candidates Emmanuel Macron and Marine Le Pen, in their own words]

Macron met with a handful of representatives from labor unions in a stuffy, gray-walled conference room in the citys Chamber of Commerce, taking notes across the conference table and earnestly nodding at their concerns in front of rolling television cameras. It was a classic political set-piece intended to show his solemn dedication to solving workers problems.

But as the meeting was underway, Le Pen rolled up unannounced in a white passenger van to the striking workers encampment at the factory entrance and cheerfully set off a campaign explosion.

The fact that Macron isnt with the workers here today is a sign of contempt, Le Pen said, as she was thronged by dozens of strikers in front of a pile of burning tires. Im not currently eating petit fours with representatives who actually only represent themselves.

As she hugged appreciative workers one by one, she told them she heard their concerns and would fight for them against the forces of globalization. Some of them started to cry. French television networks aired the powerful split-screen drama, contrasting Le Pens earthy appeal with Macrons policy-wonk note taking. His campaign scrambled to add a stop at the factory, which he had not initially planned to visit.

Ms. Le Pen is playing politics and goes into parking lots and whips up the crowd, a testy Macron told reporters at the end of his meeting. I in turn withwill deal with things in depth.

Analysts said that Macrons weaknesses had been in sharp relief since Sunday.

Theyre completely unprepared for this very peculiar atmosphere between the rounds, said Charles Lichfield, an analyst at the Eurasia Group, a political risk consultancy. He has given Le Pen a 35 percent chance of winning on May 7, despite polling agencies analyses that turnout would need to be significantly lower in the second round in order for Le Pen to stand a chance of taking the election.

If turnout is lower in the second round, and there is more complacency on the far-left and the center-right because of these very reassuring polls, it is just about possible, Lichfield said.

Virgile Demoustier contributed to this report.

Read more:

Whoever wins Frances presidency will still face a big challenge: Governing

Macrons strong finish in the French election shows populist wave may be ebbing

French voters face choice between hope and fear in runoff for presidency

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So much divides the United States and Russia right now, and the list seems to get longer every day: Ukraine, Iran, Syria, North Korea.

But theres one way in which Russia and the United States are getting closer. Its how Russian officials are waging a war of words. Theyre using the language of American politics to do it.

Take fake news (feik nyus ), an expression that regularly appears in the denunciation by Russian officials of American and European news reports. There are plenty of ways to express fake in Russian  obman, falshivka, poddelka, utka  depending on whether youre talking about a hoax, a falsification, a counterfeit or a canard.

But none of those quite captures the modern phenomenon of an industry of made-up websites, tweets and other social media posts that are created by someone and distributed by bots, said Michele A. Berdy, who writes a column about the Russian language for the Moscow Times.

There was no word in Russian that meant that, so journalists started calling it feik,  Berdy said. Now Russian officialdom has picked it up, and is trying to claim it and redefine it as fake news about Russia by our enemies within and abroad. 

Igor Bagaev, who runs a blog that keeps track of Americanisms in Russian, said that recently borrowed and assimilated words come to Russian from Western-oriented people who know English, read English-language media and start throwing the terminology around.

He added: I think that the broad population has no idea what these words mean.

But that doesnt mean they dont encounter them. Meinstrim (mainstream) and nyusmeiker (newsmaker) often show up on the political talk shows that dominate afternoon and evening television.

[ This is what its like to be the token American journalist on Russian state TV ]

One show featured a discussion about how the American meinstrim media had it in for Russia and thus was trying to discredit President Trump. Eventually, the viewer would understand that the term applies to popular enemy TV channels such as CNN.

As Russia drifts further and further away from the liberal, Westernized society some of its leaders envisioned after the fall of the Soviet Union, Americanisms are often used to underscore that drift. Expressions of modern American sociopolitical jargon have embedded themselves in Russian official-speak.

The attempts to blame Russia, which the American political establishment has made and continues to make, are hypocritical, Maria Zakharova, a spokeswoman for the Russian Foreign Ministry, said in a recent statement. She used politichesky isteblishment, a favorite expression in Russian to disparage, as Moscow officialdom sees it, the people in U.S. ruling circles who are against a rapprochement between Russia and the United States.

Its not that there isnt a corresponding Russian expression. You can say rukovodyaschiye krugi  ruling circles  but it doesnt quite carry the same zing when talking about the United States.

And thats part of the reason these expressions make their way into Russian.

Consider Zakharovas reaction to a report alleging that Russia knew in advance about a deadly April 4 chemical attack that U.S. officials say was carried out by forces of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. It was, she said, based on feikovaya informatsiya   fake information. She may have had something there, because Secretary of State Rex Tillerson later acknowledged that Washington had no proof of Russian complicity.



[ Dont you look away from me! How a Russian diplomats tirade broke U.N. tradition ]

Then theres political correctness, a concept that Bagaev said many Russians would find foreign.

There are words that mean proper, appropriate, acceptable, polite and so on in Russian, just as there are in English. But the insinuation carried by the phrase political correctness  what happens when niceties of inclusiveness in language usage that are intended to eliminate social and ethnic name-calling get out of control  comes to Russian via the adopted phrase.

Last fall, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev made the semi-serious suggestion that ordering an Americano  the way Russians refer to coffee in a big mug that is not espresso and has no frothy milk  is politichesky nekorrektno (politically incorrect) in these dire times for U.S.-Russian relations. That led to the term Russiano, but it was short-lived. The popularity of the American government here may be at a post-Cold-War low, but Russians love their Americanos.

All languages borrow words from other languages  Americans may recognize agitprop, sputnik, babushka or cosmonaut. Russian, as the dominant language of a land located on major trade routes  a country that has expanded, been an empire, been invaded and, after the end of the Soviet Union, embraced the capitalist world  has been particularly open to foreign expressions.

Sometimes, borrowed words backfire. One that Medvedev likes to use, gadzhety  from gadgets, meaning smartphones and tablets and such  has been misinterpreted by some Russians as Gad-zhe ty. (You bastard!)

Which might not be an inappropriate thing to say to someone talking loudly into their gadget in a crowded movie theater.

Some foreign words embed themselves because they are simply easier. Why say elektronnaya vychislitelnaya mashina  literally electric counting machine  when you can just say kompyuter?

But what of praimeiriz, (primaries), daunshifting, (downshifting), sekond-hend (second hand) and messedzh (message)? Russian has perfectly fine words to say all these things. Why borrow them?

Medvedev could probably answer that with another one of his favorite borrowed words: Takoi seichas trend.

(Its a trend.)

Natalya Abbakumova contributed to this report.

Read more:

Its now illegal in Russia to share an image of Putin as a gay clown

A man is on trial in Russia for talking about yoga

Russia has gone crazy for Trump as Moscow savors Obamas departure

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Samples from a deadly sarin attack in Syria bear the signature of President Bashar al-Assads chemical weapons program and point to its use in other massacres, French officials said Wednesday.

The announcement marks the strongest evidence yet that Assads government was responsible for the daybreak attack on the northwestern Syrian town of Khan Sheikhoun earlier this month. At least 86 people were killed, many of them as they slept.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault announced the results of an independent French investigation into the April 4 attack on the town in Idlib province.

There is no doubt about the use of sarin, Ayrault said. The responsibility of the Syrian regime can no longer be doubted. Hours later, the French government released a dossier compiled by intelligence officials stating that sarin samples from the attack site showed that the nerve agent was produced according to the same manufacturing process used in an earlier attack attributed to Assads armed forces.

The discovery of sarin, a banned chemical agent, has been corroborated through independent tests by the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, as well as British and Turkish forensic scientists.

In this April 4 photo, Abdel Hameed Alyousef, 29, holds his twin babies, who were killed during a chemical attack in Khan Sheikhoun, Syria. (AP)

The nerve agent forces the nervous system into overdrive and can kill within minutes.

Although the Syrian government was supposed to have surrendered stocks to international inspectors in 2013, investigators and Western diplomats have long suspected that stockpiles were secretly withheld or that new batches were produced.

The French dossier, published online Wednesday, appeared to offer strong indications of the Assad governments long-denied involvement in other deadly attacks.

Images of children convulsing and foaming at the mouth after the Khan Sheikhoun attack stirred President Trump to launch the first American military action against Assads government, with the United States firing dozens of cruise missiles at an air base in central Syria from which the warplanes had departed.

[Assad decries arrogant aggression by U.S.]

There was no immediate response from Syria on the French report. But Assad has denied that his government has ever used chemical weapons against its own people. In the hours after the April 4 attack, it claimed the sarin emanated from a rebel-run chemical factory after it was bombed by the Syrian air force.

There is little known evidence to support that claim. On the morning of the attack, a network of civilian observers issued an alert as Syrian warplanes took off from the nearby Shayrat airfield and headed for Khan Sheikhoun.

As the aircraft circled in the sky, an observer radioed colleagues to warn of an imminent attack. Guys, tell people to wear masks, the observer said, according to a transcript. It has chemicals with it. I am sure of that.

Chemical-weapons experts say the Syrian government has used its supplies of toxic agents primarily to depopulate civilian areas and strike fear into those who remain there.

The pockets of residents left behind in Khan Sheikhoun have been subjected to repeated bombing raids since the April 4 attack. On Monday, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group said a missile killed seven people in the towns newly reopened market, scattering bodies and limbs among cartloads of spoiled fruit.

Experts and monitors said the French report also appeared to offer near-definitive proof of the Syrian governments involvement in an August 2013 sarin attack on the Damascus suburbs. Those strikes killed more than 1,000 people and pushed the Obama administration to the brink of military action against Assad.

The report identified the use of hexamine in Khan Sheikhoun, a chemical that it said was manufactured in the same way as samples found in an earlier attack in April 2013.

In the August 2013 attacks  the deadliest of Syrias war  chemical-weapons inspectors also found hexamine.

With France making a connection between those two attacks because of the presence of hexamine, it would stand to reason the same connection exists with the August 21st, 2013, sarin attacks, said Eliot Higgins, a Britain-based researcher who founded the investigative website Bellingcat.

[Opinion: Why would Assad use sarin with his forces winning? To terrify.]

Speaking to reporters Wednesday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Russias position on the attack is unchanged and that the only way to establish the truth about what happened near Idlib is an impartial international investigation.



In an interview with The Washington Post this week, a former head of Syrias chemical-weapons program said the orders to use sarin could only have come from the highest level.

The chain of responsibility is always clear, said Brig. Gen. Zaher al-Sakat, who served in the armys 5th Division until his defection in 2013.



The order to use a nerve agent has to come from the Presidential Palace, and in this case thats Assad, Sakat said. If its a lower-level chemical like chlorine, then field commanders can give the order. But for something like this, its Assad.

McAuley reported from Paris.

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A group of mayors who met with Attorney General Jeff Sessions Tuesday said the threat to strip federal funding from so-called sanctuary cities is unlikely to become reality since jurisdictions across the country appear to be following the law.

The mayors said Sessions indicated at the meeting that he considered sanctuary jurisdictions only those in violation of a vague federal statute requiring places not to block communication with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. They said their cities comply with the law, and they were unaware of any places that didnt.

If thats the definition of sanctuary city, said Providence, R.I., Mayor Jorge Elorza, then I dont think there are any sanctuary cities in the United States of America.

[Sessions takes step toward enforcing threat to strip funding from sanctuary cities]

The meeting comes just days after Sessions sent letters demanding that nine jurisdictions produce proof that they are communicating with federal authorities about undocumented immigrants or risk losing grant funding. The threat was greeted with outrage, particularly because the Justice Department accompanied it with a statement declaring many of the places were crumbling under the weight of illegal immigration and violent crime. The department singled out New York City in particular as being soft on crime. Sessions said Friday one jurisdiction already had formally replied.

The jurisdictions have said publicly they believe they are complying with federal law. And the local officials who met with Sessions Tuesday  including the mayor of New Orleans, whose city was among those asked to certify its compliance with federal law  said the attorney generals comments offered some measure of reassurance.

[New York officials blast Sessions for calling city soft on crime]

Sessions said in a statement that he was pleased that the mayors who met with us today assured us they want to be in compliance with the law. He said the vast majority of state and local jurisdictions are in compliance and want to work with federal law enforcement to keep their communities safe, though following the particular law on communication with Immigration and Customs Enforcement was the minimum the American people should expect.

We want all jurisdictions to enthusiastically support the laws of the United States that require the removal of criminal aliens, as many jurisdictions already do, Sessions said.

After the meeting, a federal judge in San Francisco blocked President Trumps order threatening to take federal funds from sanctuary cities, though he said Sessions was within his right to enforce existing grant conditions  as his letters sought to do.

But the judge restricted federal authorities from taking any steps beyond that  such as putting new conditions on money, or bullying locals into holding possible illegal immigrations for their federal counterparts  even though the Justice Department had argued it did not intend to.

There is no singular definition of a sanctuary jurisdiction, and the judge noted even the presidents order on the topic was ambiguous. Cities with police departments that dont ask people they encounter about immigration status, for example, could earn the label. So, too, could police departments that refuse to hold suspected illegal immigrants charged with other crimes when Immigration and Customs enforcement asks them to.

New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu said the group asked Sessions Tuesday: Give us clarity about what you think a sanctuary city is, which we dont have now. He and others said that while the answer was still somewhat vague, Justice Department officials indicated it was only those cities that do not comply with a federal law that bars places from blocking information sharing with Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Montgomery County Police Chief Tom Manger, president of the Major Cities Chiefs Association, said Justice Department officials said some practices that commonly earn cities the sanctuary label  such as telling police officers not to inquire about immigration status  would not violate the law and not jeopardize federal funding.

He said Montgomery County does just that, and has found it an effective way to fight crime.

Manger said Sessions seems to be improperly linking increases in homicides in some places to gang crime and immigration, when gangs are only responsible for a portion of the increase, and many are more are likely traceable to gangs whose members are U.S. citizens.

Theyre not the driver in the increase in homicides around this country, Manger said. The driver is mental illness, its addiction, its domestic, its drug related.

A sticking point in the talks with U.S. officials, Manger said, was to what extent cities have to cooperate when it comes to holding suspected illegal immigrants based on a request from Immigration and Customs Enforcement. As it stands now, all those arrested for local crimes have their fingerprints run through the FBI database. Whether the locals like it or not, the information is then sent to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, who often ask for the people to be held.

Not honoring a detainer request, the mayors said, would not seem to be a violation of federal law. And for local authorities, officials said, honoring them can present legal problems.

The question then gets to be constitutionally how long we can hold that individual without a warrant, Landrieu said.

The federal judge later said the presidents executive order could not force jurisdictions to hold suspected illegal immigrants for Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

A Justice Department inspector general report during the Obama administration found some places with policies that it said might violate the law; the Justice Department has said that report helped it determine which cities to target to certify their compliance. Some, though, have actually modified their policies since the report, including New Orleans.
President Trump attends the Holocaust Remembrance Day ceremony in the Capitol Rotunda on Tuesday. His comments marked his first substantive acknowledgment of the rise of anti-Semitism in the United States and elsewhere. (Melina Mara/The Washington Post)

When President Trump, in his inaugural address, declared that all nations have the right to put their own interests first and that the United States would not seek to impose our way of life on anyone, human rights advocates shuddered.

Trump has suggested that the United States and Russia are moral equals. He has said he might reinstitute torture as a counterterrorism tool and indicated that the slaughter of civilians by the Syrian regime was none of our business.

But this month, as his presidency approaches its 100-day mark, Trump appears to have had at least a partial change of heart.

He called Syrian President Bashar al-Assad barbaric for using chemical weapons against his own citizens and sent 59 cruise missiles to punish him. U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley used her turn at the rotating Security Council presidency to hold a meeting devoted to human rights. Trump intervened to get Egyptian President Abdel Fatah al-Sissi to free an unjustly imprisoned U.S. citizen, Aya Hijazi.

[Freed Egyptian American prisoner returns home after Trump intervention]

In a message to Congress last week, Trump said an administration review was underway to ensure that Russian perpetrators of human rights abuses are held accountable. And Tuesday, Trumps comments in remembrance of the Holocaust marked his first substantive acknowledgment of the rise of anti-Semitism in this country and beyond.

The human rights community is not convinced. Amnesty International is marking Trumps first 100 days with a list of 100 ways it says he threatens human rights and democracy, from immigration bans at home to funding cuts for aid programs and a failure to speak out on abuses by visiting leaders such as Sissi and Chinese President Xi Jinping. Human Rights Watch has a running blog noting similar stances.

The big caveat here is this is an unpredictable president with no core convictions, and so who the hell knows what kind of president hes going to be next week, much less over four years, said Tom Malinowski, who served as head of the State Departments human rights bureau under President Barack Obama. Thus far, he has repeatedly made it clear that, with the interesting exception of the Syria strike, he doesnt really have much interest in America as a force for good in the world.

While U.S. policy has been inconsistent and far from perfect, Malinowski and others maintain, in terms that might resonate with Trump, that promotion of rights and values is part of the American brand and has benefits for national security policy. Whatever complicated views the rest of the world has of the United States, the capacity and at least occasional willingness to stand up for principles imparts a certain kind of power.

Beyond the realpolitik of the Cold War, the first institutional establishment of human rights as a formal policy goal came with Jimmy Carter, who elevated the issue to a State Department bureau. Ronald Reagan, who began with a preference for pressing change in communist rather than friendly authoritarian governments, ended up pushing for reforms in countries such as South Korea and the Philippines.

Both presidents and their successors, including Obama, were frequently accused of hypocrisy as they chose the human rights battles they wanted to fight. But all at least gave speeches, and took occasional action, on behalf of universal values and democracy.

Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), who said he recently advocated for Hijazis release in his own talks with Sissi and was briefed on the latest negotiations, said that Trump handled it the way things like this should be handled.

The United States can sometimes lead with things, and do it publicly, [in ways] that are offensive to people and likely not get the kind of result that wed like, whereas working it quietly and making it a priority, but doing so in a way that is not a public embarrassment to the other party, thats the way they worked this, Corker said in an interview Thursday.

A former senior national security official in the George W. Bush administration agreed, as long as the private leverage is used effectively. You cannot crack down your way to stability. It will not work and ultimately will undermine you . . . thats what we have to be saying to these regimes, said the former official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to talk candidly about the new administration.

Maybe, he said, the Trump administration is doing that behind the scenes. But theyre pretty disoriented and disorganized. . . . I dont know at this point what theyre doing. And I think they dont know.

Critics point to Trump administration words and deeds that belie an interest in human rights. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson skipped a public appearance, mandatory for his predecessors, to present this years State Department human rights report and then informed Congress that the administration would lift all human rights conditions on arms shipments to Bahrain. That same report judged that Bahrain had engaged in politically motivated killing, restrictions on free expression, assembly, and association . . . arrests without warrants or charges and lengthy pretrial detentions  used especially in cases against opposition members and political or human rights activists.

Trump has never concealed his fondness for strongmen. He publicly praised the visiting Sissi as fantastic and among the closest U.S. friends, with no mention of the military coup that brought Sissi to power, the more than 1,000 alleged extrajudicial killings by the government, and the tens of thousands of political and civil-society prisoners in Egypt.

As much of the world  including his own State Department  questioned the validity of a Turkish referendum that gave vast new powers to authoritarian President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Trump called Erdogan personally to congratulate him on his victory.

A former senior Obama administration official acknowledged that any administration gets itself in trouble coming in thinking there are no trade-offs. But I think this administration seems to have gone to the other extreme, in deemphasizing human rights. I do think it costs us. Without being naive about it, the American example counts for something in the world, not just in terms of whats right or wrong, but in terms of our influence.

If the image is one in which we basically project that we dont care what authoritarian regimes do, the former official said, I think thats going to come at a cost for us.
An opposition activist clashes with riot police during a protest march in Caracas on April 26. (Ronaldo Schemidt/Agence France-Presse via Getty Images)

Faced with growing criticism from its neighbors over a slide toward authoritarian rule, Venezuela announced Wednesday it will quit the Organization of American States, the hemispheres oldest regional alliance.

The move comes after OAS member states voted Wednesday to convene an emergency meeting of their top diplomats to discuss the worsening humanitarian crisis and deadly political violence that have convulsed Venezuela all month. At least three people were killed in fresh protests Wednesday, including a 20-year-old student struck by a tear gas canister in Caracas.

Speaking on national television Wednesday evening, foreign minister Delcy Rodriguez said President Nicolas Maduro would give formal notice Thursday of Venezuelas plans to renounce its OAS membership. During the 24-month period it will take for the country to formally leave, Rodriguez said, her government will no longer participate in OAS activities or meetings with other nations trying to undermine the stability and peace of our country with the goal of promoting an invasion.

OAS general secretary Luis Almagro in recent months has become a fierce critic of Maduro, calling him a dictator guilty of widespread human rights violations. His concerns are backed by the Washington-based OASs largest member states: the United States, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Canada, Colombia and several others.

If Venezuela quits the OAS, which was founded in 1948, it would join its leftist ally Cuba, whose communist government was expelled in 1962, as the only non-OAS nation in the hemisphere. But Venezuelas opposition-controlled legislature may attempt to block it, and if Maduro is unseated in elections due to take place late next year, his successor could halt the process.

Opposition supporters attend a rally against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in Caracas as police respond with tear gas. (Christian Veron/Reuters)

Chris Sabatini, a Latin America expert at Columbia University, said Venezuelas withdrawal risks a major split in OAS if Nicaragua, Bolivia and other Maduro allies follow him in protest.

At that point, the body that had once represented the hemisphere would be fractured, Sabatini said, adding that none of the regions other international organizations has the same institutional heft as the OAS, including the CELAC bloc of states that excludes the United States and Canada.

Venezuela has asked for an emergency CELAC meeting, that, if boycotted by many other Latin America nations, could leave that international body crippled, as well, Sabatini noted, saying Venezuelas decision is a rejection of long-standing international rules and commitments that leaves it increasingly isolated.

On Wednesday, thousands of anti-Maduro protesters again seized control of the main highway through Venezuelas capital, but their march toward government buildings downtown was pushed back by police water cannons and stinging clouds of tear gas.

Although the standoff has played out the same way several times this month, opponents of Maduro insist they will continue to pressure his government through near-daily protests, sit-ins and other acts of civil disobedience.

As the government lashed out at foreign critics Wednesday, the blocked march underscored the degree to which the countrys political crisis has become a battle of attrition between Maduro and his reenergized opponents.

Caracas was crippled for another day as the government shut down subway and bus systems and choked off highway access to the capital in what appeared to be an attempt to limit the size of the protests.

1 of 34 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad  Photos: Venezuelas opposition clashes with police View Photos The countrys political crisis intensified after its supreme court curbed the powers of the opposition-controlled legislature, then reversed the rulings days later. Caption The countrys political crisis intensified after its supreme court curbed the powers of the opposition-controlled legislature, then reversed the rulings days later. April 19, 2017 Demonstrators clash with police during a rally against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, in Caracas. Venezuela braced for rival demonstrations for and against the president, whose push to tighten his grip on power has triggered waves of deadly unrest that have escalated the countrys political and economic crisis. Federico Parra/AFP/Getty Images Wait 1 second to continue.

Thousands marched against the government anyway, some ready with gas masks. By calling their supporters into the streets repeatedly, opposition leaders say they want to wear down security forces and push the government to meet their demands: new elections, the release of political prisoners, acceptance of international aid and a return to democratic rule.

Their ability to summon huge crowds also sends a message to Venezuelas armed forces, said political analyst Margarita Lopez Maya, because Maduro grows increasingly dependent on their loyalty as he weakens. Opposition leaders are appealing directly to Venezuelan soldiers, asking them to defy Maduros orders and force the government to give ground.

By putting thousands and thousands of people in the streets almost every day, theyre trying to keep the cost of supporting Maduro very high for the armed forces, Lopez Maya said. And the government is in a slide that looks irreversible.

[Government opponents appeal to Venezuelas military as chaos grows]

The unrest has left at least 29 dead this month, according to Venezuelan officials, including protesters, police, government supporters, alleged looters and several others who appeared to be bystanders.

The antigovernment surge was triggered by a perfunctory attempt by pro-Maduro judges last month to incapacitate Venezuelas legislative branch, which the opposition has controlled since it won a landslide victory in the 2015 elections.

The court mostly reversed the decision, but anger swelled again a few days later when the government barred opposition leader Henrique Capriles from running for office.

Venezuelas downward spiral has left food and medicine in short supply, but anger at the government in abundance. Maduro charges that his enemies are trying to sabotage the oil-rich countrys economic recovery and are paving the way for a foreign invasion.

They want to fill our country with hate, to push our country into violence, Maduro said Wednesday. He said he plans to announce a historic measure in the coming days but did not elaborate.



Miroff reported from Bogota, Colombia.

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The Turkish government this week deported foreigners working with Syrian refugees at a leading U.S.-based aid organization, part of what appears to be an ongoing crackdown on international humanitarian groups there.

The four foreigners  from Britain, Ireland, Indonesia and India  were among 15 employees of the International Medical Corps (IMC) detained since April 20 by Turkish police in Gaziantep, the southern Turkish city where many organizations aiding millions of Syrian refugees in Turkey are based. The other 11  all Syrians  remain in a detention camp, according to an IMC statement.

The actions came as President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, whose narrow victory in an April 16 referendum vastly expanding his powers has been questioned by political opponents and international election monitors, has continued to intensify a battle against perceived enemies at home and abroad.

The government on Wednesday detained more than 1,000 people suspected of backing a Turkish cleric blamed for a failed military coup last summer, adding to as many as 100,000 who have been detained or arrested since then.

Erdogan has also been engaged in skirmishes with the United States, including a Turkish airstrike Tuesday that killed as many as 20 U.S.-backed Kurdish fighters inside Syria. After the Trump administration accused the Turks of failing to consult on their air activities, Turkey said Wednesday that it had consulted with all relevant U.S. military and diplomatic agencies.

In response, the Pentagon said that Turkeys notification  less than an hour before the strikes  did not amount to consultation under agreements between the NATO allies. Turkey considers Syrian Kurds, who are in the vanguard of U.S. proxy forces on the ground against the Islamic State, to be terrorists.

The reason behind the crackdown on humanitarian groups was not clear. Since late last year, pro-government media in Turkey have published allegations against international organizations, saying that some are involved in abusing refugees, including turning children against their parents and stealing body parts. Turkey also objects to humanitarian assistance going to Kurds in Syria.

In early March, the government ordered Oregon-based Mercy Corps to shut down its operations there, ending a program that provided regular assistance both to hundreds of thousands of refugees and to civilians besieged inside Syria. Other, smaller aid groups have also been shut down, and many received indications their required annual registration may not be renewed.

The 15 IMC staff members have valid Turkish work permits, and the organization is registered with the Turkish government. Asked to appear to present their paperwork to Gaziantep police, they were then taken to a detention center there.

Rebecca Gustafson, senior communications adviser for the organization, said in a statement that IMC is working with the Turkish government to secure the release of those staff still detained as soon as possible, and we continue to support our team members and their families during this very difficult time.

IMC, with approximately 320 employees in Turkey, has been working with Syrian refugees there since 2012, providing primary medical care and mental health support, as well as job training and business workshops, among other forms of assistance.

Separately, Wednesdays mass arrests, part of a government purge of the states institutions, were among the largest in months. The government has accused a Turkish cleric, Fethullah Gulen, who lives in exile in Pennsylvania, of orchestrating the July coup attempt and has demanded his extradition. Gulen denies any role in the attempt.

The latest sweeps targeted secret imams suspected of being part of a Gulen network that infiltrated police forces, Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said. Later Wednesday, Turkeys national police agency said in a statement that more than 9,000 police personnel had been suspended from their jobs as part of the investigation into suspected Gulenists.

[In divided Turkey, president defends victory in referendum granting new powers]

The governments referendum platform relied in large part on the notion that the new powers would give Erdogan a freer hand to move against the states enemies, including Gulenists, the Islamic State and Kurdish militants affiliated with Turkeys Kurdistan Workers Party, or PKK.

The changes, which transform Turkeys government from a parliamentary to a presidential system, have been harshly criticized by Erdogans opponents, who say it cements his increasingly tight hold on power.

Fahim reported from Istanbul.

Read more:

What Erdogans narrow referendum victory means for Turkey

Hes 77, frail and lives in Pennsylvania. Turkey says hes a coup mastermind.

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In South America, there are ants capable of farming their own food that are known in the scientific community as Sericomyrmex, or "silky ants." Researchers from the Smithsonian recently discovered three new species of these fungus-eating insects, which differ from other Sericomyrmex because the female ants are covered in what Phys.org describes as a "white, crystal-like layer" with an as-of-yet unknown function. 

By Winston Cook-Wilson

In South America, there are ants capable of farming their own food that are known in the scientific community as Sericomyrmex, or silky ants. Researchers from the Smithsonian recently discovered three new species of these fungus-eating insects, which differ from other Sericomyrmex because the female ants are covered in what Phys.org describes as a white, crystal-like layer with an as-of-yet unknown function.

The scientists from the Smithsonians Ant Lab who discovered these soft and mysterious new critters, Ana Jesovnik and Ted R. Schultz, have dubbed one of the species Sericomyrmex radioheadi. The hilarious moniker, according to the scientists, is meant to both honor Radioheads music and acknowledge the conservation efforts of the band members, especially in raising climate-change awareness.

Radiohead most famously paid tribute to ants on OK Computers thought-provoking centerpiece Fitter Happier, in which the text-to-speech-bot narrator opines: Charity standing orders on Sundays, ring-road supermarket/No killing moths or putting boiling water on the ants.

[h/t Pitchfork]

This post Radiohead Just Got a New Species of Venezuelan Ants Named After Them first appeared on SPIN.
Paris (AFP) - Ten people, including a suspected arms dealer, are in custody as part of an investigation into a deadly 2015 attack on a Jewish supermarket in Paris, sources close to the probe said Wednesday.

Claude Hermant, who is awaiting trial in a separate arms trafficking case, and the other suspects have been rounded up since Monday, and there could be more arrests, the sources said.

Investigators are trying to piece together how France-based jihadist Amedy Coulibaly obtained the weapons used in the January 9, 2015 attack.

Coulibaly killed four people after taking shoppers hostage at the Jewish store. Elite police later shot him dead as they stormed the building.

He had killed a policewoman in the Montrouge suburb south of Paris the night before, when authorities think he may have initially been targeting a nearby Jewish school.

The attack was part of three days of terror in the French capital that began with the raid on the Charlie Hebdo satirical magazine offices that killed 12 people.

So far investigators know the weapons came from Slovakia and were made inoperable, then handled by a middleman in Belgium before being resold to the company of Hermant's girlfriend.

Hermant, who prosecutors say has links with far-right groups in northern France, and his girlfriend were questioned in December 2015 over the supermarket attack without being charged.

During questioning, Hermant denied remilitarising the weapons or any knowledge of an attack plot.
LONDON (Reuters) - Ten Iranian border guards were killed by Sunni militants in a cross-border attack on the frontier with Pakistan on Wednesday, Tasnim news agency reported. The militant group called Jaish al Adl, or the Army of Justice, has claimed responsibility, the report said. "10 border guards of Mirjaveh county in Sistan and Baluchestan Province were martyred in an ambush by the terrorists in the Pakistani border's zero-point," Tasnim said. In a statement carried on state media, the Iranian police said the guards have been killed by long-range guns and "the Pakistani government bears the ultimate responsibility of the attack." Sistan-Baluchestan province in southeastern Iran has long been plagued by unrest from both drug smuggling gangs and separatist militants. The population of the province is predominantly Sunni Muslim; the majority of Iranians are Shi'ites. Jaish al Adl is a Sunni militant group that has carried out several attacks before against Iranian security forces with the aim of highlighting what they say is discrimination against Sunni Muslims and the ethnic Baluch in the province. The group claimed responsibility for attacks that killed eight border guards in April 2015 and 14 border guards in October 2013. (Reporting by Bozorgmehr Sharafedin, editing by Larry King)
1. In grade school, Justin Trudeau was allegedly beaten up by Matthew Perry, who is now known for his role in the television show "Friends," and another student.

2. Trudeau was elected Canada's prime minister in October 2015 after becoming leader of the federal Liberal Party in 2013.

3. Trudeau's election marked the first time a father and son had both held the office of prime minister in Canada. Pierre Trudeau held the office of prime minister from 1968 to 1979 and from 1980 to1984.

4. Justin is married to Sophie Gregoire Trudeau, who is known in Canada for her career as a television reporter, and the couple has three children: Ella-Grace, Hadrien and Xavier.

5. Trudeau has openly claimed to be a feminist and has supported Canada's national bank featuring a woman on a new bill in 2018.

6. In November 2016, a Canadian newspaper revealed that the prime minister and senior cabinet members had raised money through private fundraisers where tickets had cost as much as $1,500, calling Trudeau's ethics into question.

7. Trudeau began his career as a teacher after graduating from the University of British Columbia's education program. He didn't transition into politics until 2008, when he was elected to Parliament.

8. In a recent visit to the United States, Trudeau and U.S. President Donald Trump announced the formation of the Canada-United States Council for Advancement of Women Entrepreneurs and Business Leaders. The program is "aimed at bolstering female workplace participation and removing barriers holding working women back."

9. Following Trump's initial immigration executive order, Trudeau announced that Canada would welcome the refugees turned away from the U.S. by the ban.

10. In support of LGBT rights, Trudeau has put his weight behind a bill that would broaden the Canadian Human Rights Act to protect individuals from discrimination based on gender identity and expression.

Stephen Mays is a multimedia editor for the News division at U.S. News & World Report. You can follow him on Twitter or reach him at smays@usnews.com.
Caracas (AFP) - An outbreak of violence between rival groups of inmates at a prison in eastern Venezuela has left 12 dead and 11 injured, the government said Wednesday.

A spokesman for the ministry of penitentiary affairs, who gave the toll of dead and wounded, said nine of those killed died of gunshot wounds.

The deadly clashes erupted early Tuesday in the eastern city of Barcelona at the Jose Antonio Anzoategui prison, considered one of the country's most violent.

The prison had been undergoing reforms aimed in part at disarming inmates, but "there are still arms there and there are prisoners who rebelled," the ministry spokesman said.

"At this moment, an investigation is still underway, and this Wednesday those responsible will be brought before the courts."

He declined to detail what caused the fighting.

A prisoner rights group said a power struggle took place within the gang that has de facto control over the prison.

"It was like a coup d'etat" against the gang's boss, who was killed in the fighting, said Carlos Nieto of the group Window on Freedom.

"The group that wanted to seize power were inmates who had been transferred from the General Penitentiary of Venezuela," some 350 kilometers (220 miles) to the west, he said.

The Venezuelan Observatory of Prisons, a non-governmental monitoring group, said 14 inmates were killed at the prison last year.

Estimates of the country's prison population range from nearly 55,000 to 88,000, many of them in overcrowded jails awaiting prosecution. The government provides no official figures on inmate populations.

The prison system has an official capacity of around 35,000 inmates.
From Popular Mechanics

A plan to boost the size of the U.S. Navy to 355 ships would take nearly twenty years and cost more than a hundred billion dollars a year. That's the verdict of the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), which released its findings on the subject yesterday. The CBO believes boosting the size of the Navy by less than fifty ships would be considerably more complicated, time-consuming, and expensive than it sounds.

Today, the U.S. Navy stands at a total of 275 so-called "battle force ships"-major combatant ships such as aircraft carriers, cruisers, destroyers, submarines, as well as tanker and ammunition ships. For years, the U.S. Navy has struggled to increase the size of the battle force to a minimum of 300 ships. The current plan, introduced in 2017, sets a minimum of 308 ships, but as ships are commissioned into the fleet and retired, that number will fluctuate. As a result, the CBO believes the Navy will hit that magic number in only 22 of the next 30 years.

Photo credit: Getty

President Donald Trump campaigned on the promise of a 350 ship Navy fleet. Shortly after the election, Navy officials went one step further and floated the idea of a 355 ship fleet, adding an additional aircraft carrier, 16 cruisers and destroyers, 18 attack submarines, 7 amphibious vessels, and 12 more logistics and support vessels.

Building a fleet is often a "three steps forward, two steps back" process. Older ships age out and retire even as new ships are commissioned into service. The march of technology,wear and tear on ships, and the natural corrosiveness of seawater guarantees that. The CBO believes that the earliest the U.S. Navy could reach its goal of 355 ships is 2035, or eighteen years from now.

The CBO believes the Navy would have to buy 329 ships over 30 years just to reach the 355 ship level. In other words, most of the ships operating today would be retired by the time the goal is achieved. The 355-ship plan would cost an additional $157 billion to $164 billion more than a 308-ship plan over 30 years.

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Photo credit: U.S. Navy photo by Ricky Thompson

A major factor in shipbuilding costs? Buying 10 new aircraft carriers over a 30 year period. The United States Navy currently has ten carriers, and will have eleven when the USS Ford is commissioned into service. To get to a goal of twelve, it would need to buy ten more carriers between 2018 and 2048, replacing nine out of ten of the older Nimitz-class carriers.

The CBO estimates the average cost of each ship at $2.3 billion. While the bulk of the fleet purchases are smaller combatants such as destroyers and submarines that cost about $1.8 billion each, more expensive ships such as the upcoming Columbia-class ballistic missile submarine and aircraft carriers skew the average upward. The study also assumes a new guided-missile cruiser to replace the aging Ticonderoga-class cruisers and a new fast frigate to replace the retired Oliver Hazard Perry ships.

The Navy has, on average during the past decade, purchased eight new ships a year. Under the 355 ship plan, that would increase to an average of 12 to 15 ships a year.

Shipbuilding isn't the only cost involved. Total operating costs for the 355 ship Navy would be $102 billion a year through 2047. This includes operations, maintenance, and personnel; the CBO estimates the new fleet will need an extra 19,000 active duty sailors.

Photo credit: U.S. Navy photo by Chief Mass Communication Specialist Christopher Delano

Everyone knew that building a bigger navy would cost more money, but the prospect of needing 18 years just to reach that point is a little daunting. For one thing, that exposes the entire program to more risk, as spending is spread out over potentially five different presidential administrations, each of which may have a different idea how to spend the nation's money. It also exposes the shipbuilding plan to the cyclical nature of the economy. The country will almost certainly have another economic recession during that time, which will have an effect on the federal budget. Finally, we may see potential adversaries, including China, build their fleets faster. The U.S. Navy needs a bigger fleet, but getting there isn't going to be easy.

Source: USNI News

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There are several studies that indicate men fall prey to substance abuse at higher rates than women. Research at Columbia and Yale found that a bigger surge of dopamine in men who drink makes them almost twice as likely to develop alcoholism as women who drink. According to a report by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, men are also more apt to experiment with all types of illicit drugs; however, it also states that women are just as likely as men to become addicted and more susceptible to craving and relapse.

The full picture is complicated, and one set of findings can't be viewed in isolation. Research also points to the fact that women are actually more vulnerable to addiction than their male counterparts. The following five reasons women are more prone to drug abuse are a good indication that the debate over addiction's discrimination between the genders is by no means resolved.

Higher rates of mental disorders in women. One in 3 Americans suffers from a mental illness -- but women suffer from disorders like depression and anxiety at significantly higher rates than men.

Research at Oxford found women are approximately 75 percent more likely than men to report a recent episode of depression and 60 percent more likely to report an anxiety disorder. The same study concluded that cumulatively, women are up to 40 percent more likely than men to develop a mental health condition.

Such findings are relevant because anxiety, depression and/or other mental illnesses often co-occur with substance abuse (as a form of self-medicating symptoms of an underlying disorder) -- so much so that treating "co-occurring disorders" is now an established norm in substance abuse treatment. In theory, women's greater vulnerability to mental illness also makes them more vulnerable to substance abuse.

[See: 8 Things You Didn't Know About Counseling.]

Greater susceptibility to the gateway drug marijuana. A 2014 study at Washington State University found that higher estrogen levels in female rats make them more responsive to the pain-relieving qualities of THC, the active ingredient in the gateway drug, cannabis, which in turn raises their susceptibility to the drug's negative effects. These include higher tolerance, anxiety, paranoia and addiction.

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Marijuana is already one of three leading "gateway drugs" known to open the door to other forms of drug use. Moreover, a continuing deregulation trend will only increase women's exposure to the drug's negative effects, leaving them at greater risk of drug addiction than men who experiment with pot.

More incidents of trauma, discrimination and stressful life experiences. Women experience trauma, discrimination and stressful life experiences (key risk factors for drug abuse) at higher rates than men. For instance, roughly half of all women will reportedly experience some form of trauma during their lifetime, which correlates with a higher proclivity for drug abuse. Women are also more likely to experience gender discrimination, which is linked to higher stress levels, and stress is also a significant predictor of substance abuse.

[See: 7 Health Risks of Binge Drinking You Can't Ignore.]

Higher levels of pain than men. Women report higher levels of pain than men, and higher levels of pain accord with greater susceptibility to opiate and prescription drug abuse in an addiction epidemic that is the worst yet on record. Scientists examining gender differences in pain discovered that women report more pain than men throughout their lifetime, and they also experience pain in more areas of the body, more often and for longer periods.

The American Society of Addiction Medicine reported that women are "more likely to have chronic pain, be prescribed prescription pain relievers, be given higher doses and use them for longer time periods than men." ASAM also adds that: "Women may become dependent on prescription pain relievers more quickly than men."

More severe drug dependence. According to researcher Lauren C. Balmert, lead author of a University of Pittsburgh study that traced an alarming climb in overdose rates among females in Pennsylvania, "women are more prone to having accelerated progression from first drug use to substance abuse and often enter into treatment programs with more severe dependence than men."

Nationally, a similar trend holds true: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that between the years 1999 and 2010, prescription drug-related overdoses among women skyrocketed by 400 percent, compared to an increase of 265 percent in men.

[See: 14 Ways Alcohol Affects the Aging Process.]

As research continues to evolve, it will hopefully arm us with the information we need to effectively address these sobering statistics and help women work toward a fulfilling life in recovery.

Robert Parkinson, MSW, is Director of Client Care at Beach House Center for Recovery, a drug and alcohol addiction rehabilitation center in Juno Beach, Florida. Robert is also an anger management counselor and widely recognized in South Florida for the anger management program he created, with its strong spirituality component.
The Trump administration is nearing its 100-day marker, a useful milestone for reflecting upon what the president has done and where he is going. There is certainly much to consider: President Donald Trump came to Washington pledging to break dramatically with American foreign policy as we have known it for decades, and his early presidency has been a whirlwind of activity, controversy, and chaos. So what do we know about foreign policy in the Trump era? There are six key takeaways so far.

1. Trumps America first instincts are real. On the campaign trail, Trump evinced marked hostility to U.S. alliances, free trade agreements, support for human rights and democracy overseas, and other longstanding features of American internationalism. Since taking office, he has shown that he meant at least some of what he said.

He gave an inaugural address that seemed ripped straight from the 1930s, and withdrew from the Trans-Pacific Partnership on day one. He berated or perplexed allies, from Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to German Chancellor Angela Merkel, and conveyed an unmistakable drop dead to the struggling European Union. He doubled down, at least initially, on fortifying the southern border with Mexico, and issued his infamous executive orders on refugees and immigration.

Some of these initiatives have floundered in practice, of course, while others the administration has subsequently walked back or modified. But we have seen that America First is not simply a meaningless slogan for Trump  it captures some of his most basic instincts about international affairs.

2. Radical change is hard to enact. Fortunately, the above is not the full story of Trumps first 100 days. Nearly every president starts by pledging fundamental change, and nearly every president eventually does a good deal of reversion to the mean. So it has been for Trump, whose foreign policy has already proven more normal than many observers expected.

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After a standoffish start, Trump has apparently learned to tolerate NATO, and he has affirmed U.S. alliances with Japan and South Korea amid a growing crisis with North Korea. He has taken a more moderate stance on North American Free Trade Agreement renegotiation and other trade issues than his campaign rhetoric augured, and he has not torn up the Iran nuclear deal or the One China policy. He has shelved, at least for a time, plans for a post-election rapprochement with Russian President Vladimir Putin. And most notably, Trump has pulled back from an incipient effort to make peace with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, sending 59 cruise missiles into Syria in response to Assads latest chemical weapons outrage.

There are various reasons why Trumps bark has proven worse than his bite. In some cases, such as reconciliation with Russia, radical change just proved too hard to make happen, given strong resistance from the bureaucracy, Congress, and Trumps own advisers. In other cases, the world got a vote  China simply refused to do business until Trump reaffirmed the One China policy. And in many cases, the president has had to confront the fact that the changes he had proposed simply did not make sense in light of even a rudimentary acquaintance with the facts.

One can thus be reassured that Trump is apparently learning  or horrified that he knew so little to begin with. But at least this most exceptional president has proven no exception to the rule that changes promised on the campaign trail almost always exceed those delivered from the Oval Office.

3. Looking tough is Trumps top priority  but it isnt a strategy. Trump has increased the pressure on a range of bad actors, from Iran to North Korea to Syria. There are good reasons to do so, for one can legitimately argue that President Barack Obama was too accommodating and timid in dealing with these threats to U.S. interests. The problem, though, is that so far Trump seems to have mastered the art of posturing  without necessarily determining how to get what he wants.

The administration has talked tough on Iran, but how will Trump confront Tehran in the Middle East while also preserving a nuclear deal that his advisers now concede is working? The administration has directed numerous coercive threats at North Korea, but whether it has a workable strategy for reining in Pyongyangs nuclear and missile programs remains to be seen. Similarly, the administration lobbed cruise missiles into Syria and demanded that Putin ditch Assad, but it still lacks the leverage necessary to coerce Moscow  or Damascus  to fundamentally change its policies. The Trump team has shown that looking tough is easy. it will soon learn that getting results is hard.

4. Turning the generals loose has both rewards and risks. Trump has announced that his top commanders have total authorization, and he has loosened the Obama-era strictures on military operations. Trump has approved more aggressive and riskier counterterrorism raids, he has permitted U.S. Central Command to delegate responsibility downward when it comes to calling in airstrikes against the Islamic State, and he has permitted his commanders in the field to employ powerful weapons  such as the Massive Ordnance Air Blast  without prior approval from Washington.

In some ways, this approach represents a healthy correction from the Obama years. Obamas White House was notorious for requiring top-level approval of essentially tactical decisions. In fast-moving campaigns, a more decentralized and flexible approach may pay dividends. But this approach also brings risks, as Trump has begun to discover.

Decentralizing control of airstrikes can enable a more aggressive counter-Islamic State campaign, but it can also lead to higher civilian casualties. Using cartoonishly large munitions like the MOAB can undercut  fairly or unfairly  the narrative that America uses unmatched precision in conducting air campaigns. Green-lighting aggressive counterterrorism raids can increase the risk that missions will go awry, as occurred in Yemen in late January. And in general, taking a hands-off approach to military matters can remove procedural safeguards that prevent mistakes. Here, as in so many things, moderation is a virtue. Whether Trump strikes the right balance between delegation and centralization remains to be seen.

5. Discipline is not the administrations strong suit. No one expected that this would be the case, of course, and National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster actually appears to doing a good job of bringing somewhat greater order to decision-making. But the administration is still struggling here. The profusion of mixed messages about U.S. policy toward Assad following the Syria airstrikes, for instance, led to a rhetorical muddle that raised more questions than it answered about what exactly Trump was trying to achieve.

More recently, there have been signs that presidential rhetoric continues to diverge from reality: Trump announced that an armada was headed toward North Korea, when it was on routine patrol thousands of miles away. These slips are not trivial  they undermine presidential credibility and perceptions of American competence. They also raise troubling questions about how well the administration will perform in a crisis  whether a showdown with North Korea, or something utterly unexpected.

6. The destination of Trumps foreign policy remains unknown. In a perfect world, the first 100 days would reveal precisely what Trumps foreign policy will ultimately be. But right now, not even the administration itself can answer this question.

Key policy questions remain unresolved. Will the administration withdraw from the Paris climate change accords? Will it live with Assad or seek his ouster? Key personnel matters, such as the fate of the firebrand White House Chief Strategist Steve Bannon, are still unsettled. First-order questions, such as what level of interest Trump will take in foreign policy, and how much pressure he will feel to deliver on at least some of his more radical campaign pledges, have not been conclusively resolved. Then, of course, there is the matter of what a world that has been relatively quiet to date will throw at Trump  and how a thin-skinned and easily rattled leader will respond.

We may have learned a fair amount about Trumps foreign policy so far, but the biggest takeaways, and perhaps the biggest surprises, are yet to come.

Photo credit: DREW ANGERER/Getty Images
(Reuters) - The American Civil Liberties Union along with a journalist, a professor and an activist on Tuesday filed a lawsuit against the Los Angeles Police Department, accusing the agency of violating California's open records law, local media reported.

The complaint claims the police department in the second largest city in the United States fails to comply with the California Public Records Act by not responding to requests for records within the time allotted by law and, in some cases, ignores requests altogether, the Los Angeles Times reported.

"Access to information about the conduct of government agencies is a fundamental and necessary right of every person in this state," said Adrienna Wong, attorney with the ACLU SoCal, in a statement. "The LAPDs stonewalling and disregard of legal requests denies the publics right to know."

The complaint asks the court to require the police department to follow the law and order it to track and report publicly its responses to public records requests for at least three years, the Los Angeles Times reported.

A LAPD spokesman said the department had no comment when reached by the Los Angeles Times on Tuesday.

California law requires governmental agencies like the Los Angeles Police Department to respond to requests and to say whether it will provide the information within 10 days of the inquiry.

Under some circumstances, the law gives agencies an additional 14 days to comply, the Times reported.

Once the agency determines the records can be made public, it is then required to give the requester an estimated date and time when it will comply and must release records "promptly," the paper reported.

The suit, filed in state court, outlines about a dozen instances when the department is accused of failing to respond to requests for records, including some made years ago, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Journalist Ali Winston, UCLA professor Kelly Lytle Hernandez and activist Shawn Nee joined the ACLU in the lawsuit.

The Los Angeles Times reported that its reporters have also experienced delays from the LAPD and recently the department has sent automatic replies that said the processing time for requests is six to eight weeks "due to limited staffing."

(Reporting by Brendan O'Brien in Milwaukee; Editing by Michael Perry)
BERLIN (Reuters) - Air passenger arrivals in the United States fell in the first quarter of the year, while arrivals in Canada and Mexico rose, according to data from travel analysis company ForwardKeys.

Travelers from the Middle East and Europe were possibly deterred by uncertainty over President Donald Trump's travel ban on citizens of six Muslim-majority nations, as well as the strong dollar, it said on Wednesday.

Long-haul arrivals in the U.S. dropped by 4.3 percent in the first quarter, ForwardKeys, which analyses 16 million flight booking transactions a day from major global reservation systems, said.

On Tuesday, Emirates airline signaled that its U.S. expansion plans were on hold until demand recovers from a slowdown that the airline has blamed on Trump's travel restrictions.

Meanwhile, Canada and Mexico both saw arrivals increase 6.1 percent in the first quarter and bookings for arrival in the second quarter are up 15.7 and 19.8 percent, driven by bookings from the Netherlands, China, Britain and Germany.

Forward bookings to the United States for travel in the second quarter of the year are 3.7 percent ahead of last year, due to the later Easter holiday period this year, the travel analysis company said.

Visitors from Asia and the Americas are returning to Europe, after a dip following a string of attacks in France, Belgium and Germany, starting with Paris in November 2015, ForwardKeys said. Compared with two years ago, arrivals in the first quarter rose 5.2 percent and forward bookings are up 11.2 percent for the second quarter.

European carriers such as Lufthansa and Air France-KLM had felt the effects of the downturn in demand from Asia and the U.S last year. Both are due to report first-quarter results over the next couple of weeks.

"This overview reveals the resilience of the travel industry globally. People are finding alternative new destinations, and they are returning to others, previously blighted by dreadful events," ForwardKeys Chief Executive Olivier Jager said in a statement.

(Reporting by Victoria Bryan; editing by Susan Thomas)
Paris (AFP) - Austrian prosecutors are investigating Airbus chief Tom Enders as part of a fraud and corruption probe into a 2003 Eurofighter deal, the aircraft maker said Wednesday.

"The Vienna prosecutor informed us this afternoon for the first time that all individuals on an Austrian financial crimes unit list are under investigation. That list includes Tom Enders," an Airbus spokesman said in a written statement to AFP.

"As we have always said, we believe these accusations to be totally unfounded," he said.

In February, Austria sued Airbus over a 2003 Eurofighter deal that was long alleged to have been highly shady, seeking up to 1.1 billion euros ($1.2 billion) in damages.

Austria's defence ministry said at the time that the lawsuit accused Airbus and the Eurofighter consortium of deliberately hoodwinking Vienna over the two-billion-euro order.

At the time Enders was head of the defence division of EADS, which became the Airbus Group in 2014.

The Eurofighter Typhoon is a major prestige product for the European defence industry, with 475 aircraft delivered so far to Germany, Britain, Italy and Spain, as well as to Austria and Saudi Arabia.

The four founding nations in the consortium -- Germany, Spain, Britain and Italy - all use the planes in their own air forces. Other contracts have been signed with Oman and Kuwait.

As well as Airbus Defence and Space, representing Germany and Spain, the consortium includes British group BAE Systems and Italian firm Leonardo. The total supply chain employs some 100,000 people.

Austria in 2003 signed up to 18 of the aircraft, which then dropped to 15 because of budgetary constraints.

Negotiations had begun in 2000, stirring unease in the neutral Alpine country -- it is not in NATO -- and allegations started to swirl about kickbacks to politicians and others.

A graft probe was set up in 2007 and led to the suspension of the then air force chief following revelations that his wife's company had been paid 87,600 euros by a lobbyist.
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.

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".
NextShark

Young An, 42, was allegedly attacked by her husband, Chae Kyong An,53, in her home on Oct. 16 after they spoke about their ongoing divorce and finances. Chae allegedly punched Young multiple times before binding her eyes, hands and body with duct tape. Before Young was driven into woods near Lacey to be buried, she managed to contact 911 and send a notification to her emergency contacts using her Apple Watch.
(Reuters) - Conservative commentator Ann Coulter has canceled her speech planned for this week at the University of California's Berkeley campus after a dispute with school officials, who feared violent protests, over whether a safe venue could be found.

"There will be no speech," Coulter wrote in an email to Reuters on Wednesday in which she also criticized two conservative groups who had originally sponsored the event, saying they were no longer supporting her. "I looked over my shoulder and my allies had joined the other team," she wrote.

"I have no sponsor, no lawyer, no court order," she added. "I can't vindicate constitutional rights on my own. I was just supposed to give the speech."

Coulter, one of the best-known conservative commentators in the United States, had been scheduled to give a speech critical of pro-immigration policies on Thursday. She said she may nonetheless still visit the campus that day.

Last week, Berkeley officials said there was no safe venue at the campus on that date. They cited violent demonstrations by left-wing demonstrators in February hours before another right-wing media figure, Milo Yiannopoulos, was scheduled to speak.

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Berkeley proposed that Coulter speak on May 2. Coulter said she could not make that date and accused the school of an effort to limit her audience, noting that it fell in a study week ahead of final exams.

On Tuesday, the Young America's Foundation and the Berkeley College Republicans, which had organized the speech, sued university officials, accusing the public university of suppressing conservative speakers' rights to free speech.

Later that day, Young America's Foundation said in a statement it could no longer sponsor the speech, blaming Berkeley officials. It said they had not offered assurances that campus police would protect attendees from any violent protests, a charge the school denied.

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"Berkeley should be ashamed for creating this hostile atmosphere," the foundation's statement said.

Dan Mogulof, a Berkeley spokesman, wrote in an email that the university had "heard nothing" from Coulter or the sponsors. He declined to comment further, writing that he had "no interest in communicating with her through the media."

Mogulof also shared a letter sent to students on Wednesday by Berkeley Chancellor Nicholas Dirks in which he wrote that campus police had learned of threats of violence should the speech happen.

"This University has two non-negotiable commitments, one to Free Speech, the other to the safety of our campus community members, their guests, and the public," he wrote.

(Reporting by Mark Hosenball in Washington and Jonathan Allen in New York; editing by Jonathan Oatis)
A divisive Russian energy project dripping with geopolitical tension reached a major milestone this week. The Nord Stream 2 pipeline, which would pump natural gas from Russia into Northern Europe, lined up financial backing from the western energy industry on Monday despite a barrage of protest from many European Union members fearful of Moscows hold on Europes energy supplies.

Five European energy companies agreed to foot half the bill for the controversial $10.3 billion project: Austrias OMV, Frances Engie, the Dutch-British group Royal Dutch Shell, and Germanys Uniper and Wintershall. Russias state-owned gas giant Gazprom would pay for the remaining half, but retain control of the project.

Coming after a spate of failed Russian pipeline initiatives, landing the financing represents a big step forward for Gazprom. It would allow Russia to continue shipping natural gas to the heart of Europe without having to pump it through Ukraine  enabling Russia to avoid a transit state that has given it headaches in the past, and with whom it is currently embroiled in a simmering conflict.

Its a breakthrough, Gazprom chief executive Alexei Miller told Reuters. Its a firm confirmation of foreign participation in the project, its an important financial basis for the project to be completed by the end of 2019.

With a capacity of 55 billion cubic meters of gas a year, the Nord Stream 2 pipeline would double the capacity of Russias gas connection to European energy markets through northern Germany. Gazprom is slated to begin construction in 2018 and complete the pipeline  running from Russias massive Bovanenkovo gas field near the Baltic coast to Greifswald, Germany  in 2019. Three Russian companies and one German company will supply the pipelines for the project.

But Nord Stream faces strong legal and political headwinds at every turn, including suits Poland brought at the European Court of Justice. Poland and the Baltic states became outspoken opponents of the deal, saying it would allow Russia to tighten its energy noose around Europe and cut the gas flow from its pipelines that run through Ukraine. (Russian gas and oil still flows through Ukraine to Europe despite the two countries hostilities; both need the revenue).

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The five European energy firms first signed an agreement with Gazprom to financially back the project in September, 2015, but Poland blocked the bid.

Gazproms pipeline thats already online, Nord Stream 1, is currently only being used at half capacity, making some experts question the economic rationale  especially at a time of flat European demand for natural gas.

Nord Stream 2 is a diversionary pipeline, its being built to get rid of Ukraine, said Sijbren de Jong, an energy expert with the Hague Institute for Strategic Studies.

Yet other experts argue its a sound commercial decision, since it will ensure a steady flow of supplies with little transit risk to Central Europe, and say that Nord Stream 1s construction in 2012 didnt turn out to be the geopolitical disaster some expected. Europes domestic gas production is expected to halve in the next two decades, and Gazprom needs to shore up its position in a market that still accounts for a massive chunk of its revenue.

But Gazprom developed a nasty habit of using energy as a political cudgel. It charged different countries different prices for gas, and on scores of occasions since the fall of the Soviet Union cut off or threatened to cut off energy supplies to coerce neighbors.

It cut off gas to Ukraine in 2006, the winter of 2008 to 2009, and most recently in 2015 as the Ukraine conflict flared up after Moscows illegal annexation of the Crimean peninsula.

Gazprom may have won the latest battle with the help of the five European energy firms, but the wars not over. Despite Western dollars to back the project, Gazprom remains the sole shareholder of the pipeline, which means big legal concerns still abound, said de Jong. And Denmark, Sweden, and Finland, EU members whose water the pipeline would traverse, still have to greenlight the projects construction, posing another potential hurdle.

Earlier this year, the European Commission determined EU energy laws didnt apply to the offshore portion of Nord Stream 2. Brussels is hoping to hash out an agreement with Moscow on the project to mollify nervous EU members and defang any of Gazproms more nefarious geopolitical ambitions.

But Poland and friends can carry on the fight. The jury is still out on this one and member states can always end up suing the [EU] Commission if they dont like the outcome, de Jong said.

Photo credit: ERIC PIERMONT/AFP/Getty Images
Caracas (AFP) - Venezuela says it is quitting the Organization of American States in anger at pressure from the bloc over the government's handling of a deadly political crisis.

The announcement late Wednesday raised international tension over Venezuela, where unrest has left 28 people dead this month.

Echoed by the United States and European Union, the OAS has led an international chorus of concern over the economic and political chaos in the major oil-exporting country.

Bristling at the pressure, Venezuelan Foreign Minister Delcy Rodriguez said late Wednesday the government would launch a two-year process to pull out of the Washington-based regional diplomatic grouping.

On Thursday, "we will present a letter of complaint to the OAS and we will begin a process that will take 24 months," she said in a televised address.

She branded the OAS an "interventionist coalition" led by Washington.

A defiant President Nicolas Maduro tweeted "I'm calling for the people's civic-military unity in this battle for independence and peace for our country."

- Democracy concerns -

OAS Secretary General Luis Almagro has dubbed Venezuela's Maduro a "dictator" for stifling the opposition.

On Wednesday, the permanent council of the 35-nation OAS agreed to hold a meeting of their foreign ministers to discuss the crisis -- a decision Venezuela had forewarned would prompt it to exit.

The OAS has voiced concern about the state of democracy in Venezuela, where Maduro is resisting opposition pressure to remove him from office.

So far this month, 28 people have been killed in anti-government protests that have erupted into clashes with riot police, the attorney general's department says.

Venezuela has suffered an economic collapse fueled by a plunge in international prices for its crucial oil exports.

Maduro says the shortages and the protests are part of a US-backed plot to topple him.

- More protests -

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Opposition parliamentary leader Julio Borges told a news conference further street protests were planned for Thursday.

He said lawmakers would hold a session on proposals to "rescue democracy" and then march to where one of the latest casualties died in eastern Caracas.

That fatality occurred Wednesday, as security forces elsewhere fired tear gas, water cannon and plastic bullets to stop protesters advancing into central Caracas. Protesters threw stones and petrol bombs.

Children were evacuated from a school to escape tear gas, with teachers holding handkerchiefs over the pupils' faces.

Interior Minister Nestor Reverol tweeted that two soldiers were wounded in Caracas by armed men on motorbikes who he said were "contracted by the terrorist rightwing."

Maduro supporters also staged a counter-rally.

"We call on the opposition to leave the path of violence," said one of his supporters, Freddy Gutierrez.

The opposition blames Maduro for severe shortages of food, medicine and other essentials in the oil-rich country.

It wants general elections to rescue the country from the crisis and is holding the regular demonstrations to press that demand.

"I want to die in a Venezuela that is free of dictatorship," one protester, Elizabeth Freites, 77, told AFP.

"I have been protesting for nearly a month and I am going to continue until we get out of this situation."

A recent survey by pollster Venebarometro indicated that seven out of 10 Venezuelans were opposed to Maduro.

- 'Arbitrary detentions' -

The opposition and government accuse each other of stirring up violence in the protests.

In just under a month of unrest, more than 400 people have been injured, and nearly 1,300 arrested, the attorney general said.

That includes 14 arrested journalists, their union said Tuesday. More than 100 journalists have been assaulted while covering the protests, it added.

Rights group Amnesty International urged the government to stop the "persecution" and "arbitrary detention" of protesters.
By Barbara Goldberg

NEW YORK (Reuters) - 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.

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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)
Lovers of sci-fi horror, rejoice. Just weeks before the release of Alien: Covenant, we're getting something we've never seen before: The facehugger's view of being born (or chest burst) into the world, thanks to virtual reality.

The experience is called Alien: Covenant in Utero and it's a short VR experience launching on the Oculus Rift Wednesday.

SEE ALSO: 'Alien: Covenant' faux advert shows you the birth of the robot apocalypse

That day, April 26, also happens to be "Alien Day"  a reference to planet LV-426, from the original Alien film.

Last year, Twentieth Century Fox kicked off the annual date to bring Alien fans together much like Star Wars and Star Trek fans hold regular franchise-based gathering. During the first Alien Day, Sigourney Weaver held court in New York City after a screening of Aliens, engaging a packed theater full of hardcore fans.

"With the In Utero experience, audience participation is taken to a whole new level," Alien director Ridley Scott said in a statement regarding the new VR experience. "You get to be a Neomorph, exploring whats happening around you and within you."

This is what it's like to be a Neomorph preparing to burst into space.

Image: Twentieth Century Fox

Scott's being coy by saying you get to "explore."

The violent and bloody fact is (spoiler alert), you actually get to see what it's like to listen to the terrified screams of a human as you prepare to burst out of the torso of another human. Then after you emerge from the dead body of the hapless space victim, you also get to see what it's like to chase down your prey.

It's horrible. It's gross. It's very wrong. And it's everything an Alien fan could ask for.

This short VR dive is just the start for Scott, who recently announced plans to launch a separate studio dedicated to VR and AR.

In addition to getting the VR experience on the Oculus Video app for the Rift, on May 10, the free VR experience will also be distributed to the Samsung Gear VR, Google Daydream View, HTC Vive and PlayStation VR and Facebook 360.

WATCH: The iconic 'Aliens' power loader scene gets a homemade makeover
Jeremy Meeks is the convict-turned-model who stole our hearts when police released his rather dashing mugshot and sent the internet into a frenzy.

He's just addressed the conversation surrounding his appearance in his first high-fashion photoshoot and interview with British magazine Man About Town.

SEE ALSO: 'Hot Felon' was denied entry to the UK and we can't even

The magazine has released the photos and interview just one day after the model was reportedly denied entry to the UK on his way to the launch of the cover shoot, shot by photographer Steven Klein.

Image: man about town magazine

Meeks found internet fame back in 2014, when he was serving a 27 month prison sentence for possession of an illegal firearm. His police mugshot gained over 100,000 likes on Facebook, with some saying the only crime he was guilty of was "stealing your heart." Meeks  who's also been referred to as "prison bae"  has since landed a modelling contract with White Cross Management and recently made his NYFW debut.



Meeks shared a preview of the cover shoot on his Instagram two weeks ago, stating it was "THE WORLD EXCLUSIVE. THE FIRST EDITORIAL. THE FIRST COVER. THE FIRST INTERVIEW."

Image: man about town magazine

In the interview, Meeks told Laura Albert that being "handsome" has never solved his problems in life.

"I heard all my life, youre so handsome, you have the most beautiful eyes, and I heard it a hundred times a day. To where I would not even pay no mind to it," said Meeks.

"It didnt fix it then. I still had a father in prison doing life. I still had a heroin-addict mother and me and my brother and sisters struggling through lifes tribulations," he continued.

He said his "exotic" looks weren't the "golden ticket" for him. "I didnt think of it as oh, Im pretty so thats a tool. I knew that I was a tool to release my anger, and I fought a lot as a kid," he said.

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Image: man about town magazine

Image: MAN ABOUT TOWN MAGAZINE

Albert says that "being a pretty face" didn't give Meeks "rescue as a child" and "it will not be enough now either."

"Just as the streets taught him to survive, the new skills of Hollywood will teach him another way to fight," writes Albert.

Maybe good looks aren't everything, then.

WATCH: Male models giving their best blue steel is your 'Zoolander' fantasy come true
Dozens of glow-in-the-dark mushroom species grow around the world. But details on what makes them shine so bright have long been dim.

In a new study, scientists say they can finally explain what makes bioluminescent mushrooms glow. They describe a process of "enzyme promiscuity" that leads to changes in the intensity and colors of mushrooms' light emissions.

SEE ALSO: This frog's slime can destroy flu viruses

The researchers, who hail from Russia, Brazil, and Japan, published their findings Wednesday in the journal Science Advances.

Bioluminescence exists in a wide range of organisms, including deep sea fish, fireflies, and glowworms. In March, another group of scientists found the first solid evidence of fluorescence in amphibians, courtesy of the South American tree frog.

Truly magical mushrooms.

Image: Cassius V. Stevani/IQ-USP, Brazil

Of around 100,000 fungal species, about 80 are known to be bioluminescent.

Some of these emit a green light from within to attract beetles, flies, wasps, and ants, which in turn help disperse the mushrooms' spores and spread the fungi across the forest canopy, a 2015 study found.

Zinaida Kaskova and her colleagues analyzed the extracts of two such 'shrooms for their study: Neonothopanus gardneri, a fluorescent mushroom native to Brazil, and Neonothopanus nambi, a poisonous mushroom found in the rainforests of southern Vietnam.

Neonothopanus gardneri in the light.

Image: Cassius V. Stevani/IQ-USP, Brazil

In most cases of bioluminescence, living organisms emit light when a molecule called "luciferin"  from the Latin lucifer, which means light-bringer (also, Satan?)  combines with its enzyme partner "luciferase."

When luciferin and luciferase mix together with energy and atmospheric oxygen, it triggers a chemical reaction. The result is a very "excited" oxyluciferin, which releases light energy in order to "calm down" to its lowest energy state, the scientists explained.

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Previous research has characterized the luciferin-luciferase combination in bioluminescent insects, bacteria, and marine mammals. But Wednesday's study is the first to describe this in fungi.

A bucket of Neonothopanus gardneri in the dark.

Image: Cassius V. Stevani/IQ-USP, Brazil

Kaskova, a researcher at the Russian Academy of Sciences' Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, said she and her team were able to pinpoint the structure of oxyluciferin in fungi.

They found that fungal luciferase may be "promiscuous," in that it can potentially interact with multiple derivatives of the luciferin molecule in mushrooms.

Their findings could pave the way for scientists to harness bioluminescence in mushrooms. Scientists already use fluorescent molecules to track cells and proteins in biological research. This could add another tool for analytical and imaging technologies.

WATCH: This Road In The Netherlands Glows In The Dark
Cairo (AFP) - Arab League chief Ahmed Abul Gheit on Wednesday urged the International Committee of the Red Cross to intervene with Israeli authorities to halt their "abuse" of Palestinian prisoners.

Abul Gheit sent a letter to ICRC president Peter Maurer requesting "the committee (ICRC) urgently intervene with Israeli authorities to stop the various abuses being committed against those prisoners of war", the Arab League said.

The move came as 1,500 Palestinian prisoners entered the 10th day of a hunger strike over demands ranging from improved medical care to greater access to telephone calls.

The detainees, led by popular leader Marwan Barghouti, launched the hunger strike on April 17.

Abul Gheit's letter is part of contacts "with international actors to stop violations against Palestinian prisoners of war in Israeli prisons", the League said in a statement.

He called for the ICRC to demand Israel "ensure treating Palestinian prisoners on hunger strike according to norms and standards set in international humanitarian law".

The Arab League chief sent a similar letter on Tuesday to United Nations secretary general Antonio Guterres.
An army veteran and her boyfriend have been arrested on animal cruelty charges after a video of the pair emerged apparently showing them tying a service dog to a tree and shooting it five times.

Marinna Rollins, 23, was arrested on Tuesday in North Carolina. Her boyfriend, 26-year-old Jarren Heng, had already been apprehended by police, ABC11 reports.

The pair have been charged with cruelty to animals and conspiracy. Both are being held on a $25,000 (19,500) bail.

Read more

Man shoots neighbour's cat because it 'looked at him'

Rollins and Heng apparently filmed themselves as they tied up a pitbull named Camboui in a wooded area in Fayetteville, North Carolina, and allegedly shot it at close range five times with a rifle. Rollins is heard laughing in the video, before the dog is buried in a shallow grave, the Fayetteville Observer reports.

Heng can allegedly be heard saying, Let me hit him once, while Rollins is heard talking to the dog shortly before placing the animal in the grave and covering it with a white sheet. Its been real I love you, youre my puppy, youre a good puppy, but she said, according to ABC11.

During Hengs court hearing on Tuesday, Cumberland County District Attorney Clark Reeves alleged that the pair can be heard on the tape laughing and giggling as the dog was being killed.

heng.jpg

Rollins' boyfriend Jerren Heng, 26, is also facing charges (Cumberland County Sheriff's Office)

The animal is understood to have been a therapy service dog, which Rollins had owned for a year to help with her PTSD.

Police said Rollins posted a photo of the dog on Facebook stating that she was sad the animal had to go to a happier place. She allegedly later sent text messages admitting to shooting the therapy dog, officers added.

A Facebook page has been set up calling for justice for the dog, where moderators have posted the video claiming that it tells Cambouis story.
An effort to help premature infants survive -- creating an "artificial womb" -- is gathering considerable attention, though ethics concerns loom given its possible implications.

A small study published Tuesday in Nature Communications discovered that for approximately one month, the artificial womb in question seemed to promote normal development for extreme premature fetuses. That said, it's not as if the device is ready for humans just yet; researchers have only done tests on fetal lambs. But a lead researcher says the group hopes to test the device on very premature human babies within three to five years.

"The whole idea is to support normal development; to re-create everything that the mother does in every way that we can to support normal fetal development and maturation," study leader Alan Flake, of the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, told NPR. The lambs in this study had normal growth, lung maturation and brain maturation, Flake says.

Here's what the device looks like: a clear plastic bag loaded with synthetic amniotic fluid, with an outside umbilical cord connected to a machine serving as a placenta, NPR reports.

While the device has been touted as "a major breakthrough" by Thomas Shaffer, a physiology and pediatrics professor at Temple University, the ethics concerns are leaving others skeptical.

"If it's a question of a baby dying versus a baby being born who then needs to live its entire life in an institution, then I don't think that's better, Dena Davis, a Lehigh University bioethicist, told NPR. "Some parents might think that's better, but many would not."

Barbara Katz Rothman, a City University of New York sociologist, added that "the problem is a baby raised in a machine is denied a human connection."

Flake clarified that his team members don't have plans nor have they ever had ones "of extending the limits of viability further back."

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In the future, Flake and his researchers hope to better the device and shrink it to accommodate human infants, reports Reuters. They're about one-third the size of the lambs studied. And the potential doesn't end there.

"Potential therapeutic applications may include treatment of fetal growth retardation related to placental insufficiency or the salvage of preterm infants threatening to deliver after fetal intervention or fetal surgery," according to the study. "The technology may also provide the opportunity to deliver infants affected by congenital malformations of the heart, lung and diaphragm for early correction or therapy before the institution of gas ventilation."

Researchers said approximately 30,000 U.S. babies are born in the 23 to 26 week range, aka "critically early," Reuters reports. Babies that young don't have a strong chance of survival.

The 11 Most Dangerous Places in Your Home for Babies and Small Kids

What's the Healthiest Month to Be Born In?

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.
Newborn humpback whales and their mothers whisper to each other to escape potential predators, scientists reported Wednesday, revealing the existence of a previously unknown survival technique.

"They don't want any unwanted listeners," researcher Simone Videsen, lead author of a study published in Functional Ecology, told AFP.

"Potential predators such as killer whales could listen to their conversations and use that as a cue to locate the calf and predate on it."

Whales are known for their loud calls, congregating fellow members of the pod. Male humpback whales also emit reverberating sounds to attract females during the mating season.

But this is the first time scientists have observed a unique, intimate form of communication between humpback mothers and calves.

Researchers from Denmark and Australia tracked each of eight calves and two mothers for 24 hours in Exmouth Gulf, Western Australia, a breeding ground for Antarctic humpback whales seeking warmer waters to mate and give birth.

Using tags attached to the animals, the team of scientists recorded their faint squeaks and grunts.

"These signals between mother and calf are more quiet than those of normal adult humpback whales," Videsen said, noting they were 40 dB lower than the singing of males in the area.

While a male's cry can resound over an area covering several kilometres, the pairs in the study could only hear each others' calls within a distance of less than 100 metres (330 feet), she added.

The low sounds were detected when the pairs were swimming, suggesting the discreet tone helps the mammals stay together in the murky breeding waters, infested with killer whales preying on stray calves.

- Marine noise pollution -

The faint sounds are also a way to keep mate-seeking males from interfering in the humpback's nurturing, a crucial time in the newborn's life as it braces for an arduous 8,000-kilometre (5,000 mile) journey back home to the Antarctic, the researchers speculated.

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And the migration is no less challenging for the mother.

"There is no food for them in the breeding grounds so the mothers feast while they are there," Videsen said.

The researchers also believe that mother and calf -- in their effort to go undetected -- may have developed a silent method to initiate suckling.

Instead of signalling hunger vocally and risk getting spotted, the calves "rub against their mothers," according to the study's findings.

Humpback whales can be found both in the Arctic and Antarctic. Each pod spends the summer at the poles and travels to tropical areas in their respective hemispheres during the winter to breed.

The scientific investigation also shed light on the growing problem of ocean noise pollution that can severely disrupt marine life.

"Because mother and calf communicate in whispers, shipping noise could easily mask these quiet calls," Videsen said, potentially provoking the pair to lose each other.
Beyonce has announced a scholarship programme to mark the one-year anniversary of her album Lemonade.

She is offering scholarships to young women studying creative arts, music, literature or African-American studies.

The women can be incoming, current or graduate students at one of four US universities: Berklee College of Music, Howard University, Parsons School of Design, and Spelman College.

In a statement on her website the artist said she wants the scholarships "to encourage and support young women who are unafraid to think outside the box and are bold, creative, conscious and confident".

Details and application details are available directly from the colleges.

The initiative has been noticed by former First Lady Michelle Obama, who tweeted: "Always inspired by your powerful contributions Beyonce. You are a role model for us all. Thank you for investing in our girls."

Always inspired by your powerful contributions @Beyonce. You are a role model for us all. Thank you for investing in our girls.   pic.twitter.com/kuXDdYz6JV  Michelle Obama (@MichelleObama) April 26, 2017

Obama launched her own education initiative, Let Girls Learn, in 2015, which aims to assist young women around the world and give them greater access to education.

The charity was created in partnership with activist Malala Yousafzai, who survived being shot in the head by the Taliban after demonstrating girls' rights to go to school.

The Independent reported in September 2016 that, in just one year, Let Girls Learn had raised more than $3.5 billion.
May 3, 2017: This story has been corrected.

A group of conservative think tanks wants the nations tax system to look more like North Carolinas. But so far, for the working poor, that hasnt been a great deal.

Experts from think tanks heavily subsidized by anti-tax, free-market groups such as the Charles Koch Foundation have descended on state capitals armed with scholarly research arguing that tax cuts for the well-to-do lead to economic growth.

North Carolina has been one of the laboratories for this approach. In the Tar Heel State, wealthy families had their state taxes lowered while poor folks saw their tax burden increased or go unchanged. In 2013, the state legislature cut state income taxes, which are progressive  meaning the rich pay a higher rate than the poor  and expanded what was subject to the state sales tax, which is regressive, meaning the poor spend a disproportionate amount of their income on the tax.

In Washington, D.C., the Trump administration and Congressional Republicans have been considering a similar approach  lower federal income-tax brackets and a tax on imports  that some tax experts say would have comparable outcomes. Some of the same conservative groups that convinced states to change their tax systems have advised the Trump administration on economic and tax policy. Trumps initial proposal, which he is expected to discuss Wednesday, may not include a border tax, but such a levy continues to be a key provision of what Congressional GOP members are pushing.

The effects on lower-income families are already playing out in a handful of states. Since 2010, North Carolina, Mississippi, Kansas, Michigan, Maine, Oklahoma and others have either reduced income-tax rates during some years, passed laws to do so in the future, or have put their states on a path that could remove income taxes. By 2022 Mississippi will cut taxes for the first $5,000 earned for all taxpayers, but will leave intact a flat tax for higher incomes. Maine dropped its top rate from 8.5 percent to 7.95 percent in 2011 and to 7.15 percent in 2015. (It increased it to 10.15 percent just this year for those earning $200,000 or more.) At the same time, many have increased sales and user taxes, such as those charged on such every-day necessities as gasoline and soft drinks, which generally hit the poor harder. Half a dozen other states  Maryland, Illinois and Virginia among them  tried to do the same in this years legislative sessions.

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If sales taxes keep going up, I'm going to end up in the shelter with the ladies where I work, said Juanita Maestos, who works as a counselor at a homeless service center in Seattle and has watched the state Legislature fail numerous times to institute an income-tax system to reduce Washingtons nearly 9 percent sales tax. You keep doing stuff like this and nobody is going to win.

This story is part of Finance. The latest investigations about U.S. financial reform, corporate accountability and consumer finance. Click here to read more stories in this investigation.

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Income-tax-free zone

Two of the biggest forces behind the tax reforms have been Arthur Laffer, a blast from the past whos considered the father of supply-side economics, and the Tax Foundation, a Washington, D.C.-based think-tank that markets itself as a nonpartisan research group, but is heavily supported by conservative-led groups such as the Charles Koch Foundation and the John Templeton Foundation.

Laffer, now 76, developed the eponymous Laffer Curve, a nearly four-decade-old theory that holds lower tax rates can encourage people to work more, leading to higher tax revenue. The argument became the basis for President Ronald Reagans economic policies known as Reaganomics and later for the conservative tea party. Laffers policies have been debated endlessly. His opponents argue his theory led to soaring federal debt in the 1980s and higher poverty, leading many to discount the theory. Those in favor of his ideas point to higher economic growth during Reagans two terms.

Laffer founded the Laffer Center, whose mission includes educating people on economic ideas, [particularly] the lessons of supply-side economics.

In December 2012, Arduin, Laffer & Moore Econometrics, an economic and policy consulting research firm, published a report that identified a few of North Carolinas economic trouble spots, including its exceptionally high personal income tax rate  7.75 percent at the top end  and an uncompetitive corporate income tax when compared with other southern states.

Income taxes have a larger negative impact on economic growth than consumption-based taxes, the report argued.

Just a month before, North Carolina voters had delivered both the governorship and the General Assembly to Republicans for the first time in more than 100 years.

Laffer said he spent about a day or two in North Carolina when the legislature was considering its tax code changes and spoke with many lawmakers. Laffer said he isnt sure what influence he had on the tax legislation but added hes proud he convinced legislators such as Republican Sen. Bob Rucho, who was then co-chairman of the powerful Senate Finance Committee, to think about what Laffer perceives as smarter tax policies.

Rucho said the report circulated among lawmakers and was the subject of discussions and seminars held at the state legislature building in Raleigh at the same time lawmakers were writing tax-reform legislation.

People will, if theyre smart, look at what someone else has done and say, Why wouldnt I want to do the same thing in my state?  said Rucho, who supported the changes.

In July 2013, the North Carolina General Assembly approved the reforms that replaced the states graduated state income tax rate, which had ranged from 6 percent to 7.75 percent of a citizens income, in favor of a lower flat rate of 5.8 percent, which dropped to less than 5.5 percent this year. (This month, the legislature passed, mostly on a Republican party-line vote, further cuts in the individual and corporate tax rates; both would be the lowest in the Southeast.) To cover lost revenue, lawmakers broadened what is taxed by the state, including items such as movie and sporting events tickets, electricity and mobile homes. North Carolina charges a 4.75 percent state sales tax and counties can add on another 2 percent or more. The state also repealed its Earned Income Tax Credit, which had given more than 900,000 low- to middle-income North Carolinians a $125 to $500 reduction in state taxes.

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Double whammy

But in Asheville, North Carolina, Maria Wilson-Taylor says she hasnt benefited from the changes.

Last October, Wilson-Taylor, 27, started noticing the money she took home from her two jobs wasnt lasting as long. After poring over dozens of receipts  Wilson-Taylor is a meticulous record keeper  she calculated she was spending more in sales taxes on various purchases. That meant less for her out of the $900 in monthly take-home pay from her job as a cashier at a Payless Inc. shoe store at the Asheville Mall and as a part-time banquet server at the upscale Asheville Crowne Plaza spa and fitness resort, a three-mile drive down I-240, but socio-economically worlds away from her red-brick, two-story subsidized apartment at Lee Walker Heights, where Wilson-Taylor and her son live.

That wasnt the only tax hit Wilson-Taylor took. When filing her taxes last year, she learned her state income tax refund would be half, or about $250 less, than what she received in 2015, when she put the refund toward the purchase of a 2001 gold Toyota Camry with 120,000 miles. The car enabled her to better juggle getting to work and picking up her son 6-year-old son, Zyheim, from Vance Elementary School. Her refund this year will be smaller still.

The tax changes, Wilson-Taylor said, make it harder to reach her dream: moving out of public housing. I feel like Ive taken two steps forward but then the taxes come, and its one step back, said Wilson-Taylor, who recently was laid off from her Payless job because of the companys financial struggles.

For Wilson-Taylor, the changes enacted by the state in the tax system led to an increase of $5 to $10 a paycheck  nothing that I could save, she said. And the expanded sales tax and fewer deductions ate that away and then some, she said.

Coordinated effort

Wilson-Taylors financial circumstances are the direct result of North Carolina lawmakers following the Laffer report, which was written in partnership with the John William Pope Civitas Institute. The group is a conservative North Carolina think tank that aims to inform elected officials about citizen-based, free-market solutions to problems facing North Carolinians.

The institute receives money from numerous conservative groups. Its mostly supported by the John William Pope Foundation, headed by Arthur Pope, chairman and CEO of Variety Wholesalers, Inc., which owns discount retail chains. Pope has donated millions of dollars to conservative causes, including $1.3 million to Civitas, according to tax documents.

Pope is also friends with conservative mega-donors Charles and David Koch, and served on the board of the Koch-supported low-tax, free-market advocacy group Americans for Prosperity. In addition, Pope was the budget director for former Republican Gov. Pat McCrory when the tax changes were being considered by lawmakers.

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Among Civitas other largest donors are the David Koch Foundation and the State Policy Network, which serves as a trade group for conservative think tanks. The David Koch Foundation gave a total of $55,198 to Civitas between 2010 and 2012, and the State Policy Network contributed $60,000 between 2012 and 2014, according to the latest available IRS tax documents.

The foundations, as well as Laffer, are among several conservative individuals and groups that are on a mission to repeal or reduce state income taxes nationwide, said Michael Leachman, director of state fiscal research at the left-leaning Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.

Theyre out there saying the entire South should be an income-tax-free zone, Leachman said. You can see this kind of institutional, national push from them.

The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities is funded by liberal groups, including the Sandler Foundation, which also gives to the American Civil Liberties Union, the environmentally conscious Oceana and founded the investigative journalism group ProPublica. The foundation is among the Centers largest donors, giving the group $7.7 million from 2011 to 2014.

But Brian Balfour, executive director of the Civitas Institute, disputes the idea that the tax reforms were supported by conservative groups only.

To try to claim that was some far-right concoction or convention is simply not true, Balfour said. He added that bi-partisan committees met for years about North Carolinas tax system before the reforms were passed in 2013.

The Center and other liberal tax groups frequently butt heads with the conservative tax organizations when they go before state legislatures.

Spreading the tax-cut message

Laffer has also presented his tax theories to lawmakers in Washington state, Delaware, Kentucky and Puerto Rico. Hes usually invited by and receives compensation from independent groups like Civitas or lawmakers.

Thats what happened in Kansas before Gov. Sam Brownback signed into law the largest tax cuts in the states history in 2012. That year, Laffer visited Kansas three times and was paid $75,000 to be a consultant for Brownbacks tax-reform plan, which cut Kansas top income tax bracket by almost a quarter (from 6.45 percent to 4.9 percent), while reducing the bottom rate just 14 percent (from 3.5 percent to 3 percent). He also exempted from taxes pass-through entity earnings  money earned from organizations such as sole proprietorships and partnerships.

The 2012 plan that was eventually passed reduced the sales tax a slight 0.15 percent to 6.15 percent. In 2015, however, lawmakers, facing a $400 million budget deficit, voted to increase the sales tax above its original level, to 6.5 percent.

Laffer contends that over the last decade, states without incomes taxes (there are seven in all) have grown much, much faster than those states with high income taxes.

But theres little clarity on this issue.

Kim Rueben, project director for the state and local finance initiative at the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center, said states without income taxes like Texas and Alaska are struggling to pay their bills due to falling oil prices. Alaska introduced a bill this year that would reinstate the state income tax, which was abolished in 1986.

Other research shows that high taxes have no effect on economic growth, or tax cuts effects are ambiguous at best, according to a Brookings Institution study.

Like in North Carolina, Laffer downplayed his influence in Kansas, saying what he does is ticky-talk, and [then] I go home.

But Kansas Rep. Stan Frownfelter, a Democrat who attended Laffers 2012 presentation but eventually voted against Brownbacks tax cuts, called Laffer the brainstorm behind Brownbacks plan.

Brownbacks office didnt respond to requests for comment.

Laffer distanced himself from the tax plan Brownback eventually signed into law. Laffer claims that Brownback initially wanted moderate tax cuts of about $90 million while the legislature passed cuts triple that amount. Republicans also underestimated the number of small businesses that would no longer pay taxes, resulting in a $50 million shortfall, Laffer said.

The tax changes led to lower revenue and budget cuts, including a 30 percent reduction in services for the elderly and disabled, according to the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services.

Related: This year's tax reform proposals

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Tax Foundation: Not what it seems?

The other big player, the Tax Foundation, is a Washington, D.C.-based think tank that researches state and federal tax policies, and meets with lawmakers, citizens, and journalists to provide expert advice on tax policy. The groups mission is to improve lives through smarter tax policy, according to the foundations website.

Smarter tax policy, the foundation argues, includes making the tax code easier for people to understand and creating rules that dont penalize individuals or businesses for earning more money or profits, two things that create jobs and economic growth, the group claims.

Ted Boettner, executive director of the West Virginia Center on Budget & Policy, a member of the liberal State Priorities Partnership, which researches how tax policies affect lower income families, said most people dont fully understand how much the Tax Foundation influences state tax laws.

West Virginia considered a bill this year that would have introduced a flat income tax of 2.5 percent, which would decrease further if certain triggers are met. The bill would have also increased the sales tax from 6 percent to 8 percent, including reinstating a tax on groceries, and increasing taxes on electronic cigarettes, beer and soft drinks, levies that disproportionately hurt the poor.

Boettner said the Tax Foundations research is marketed as balanced, but in the end advocates conservative policies that push tax cuts for the wealthy while raising them for lower-income families.

In February, both Boettner and Tax Foundation policy analyst Jared Walczak presented tax plans to the states Select Committee on Tax Reform at West Virginias Statehouse in Charleston. Boettner told lawmakers that a worker making $26,000 a year would pay $946 more, an 82 percent increase, under the tax bill, according to the Charleston Gazette-Mail. He urged lawmakers to keep the states earned-income-tax credit to soften the financial blow on lower income families.

Walczak offered pros and cons about the West Virginia tax proposal but called it groundbreaking, and that sometimes a state needs to consider bolder moves, the Gazette-Mail reported.

The Tax Foundation has pushed for what critics charge are wealthy-friendly tax policies in other states. The groups analysts encouraged lawmakers in Maine to consider a flat tax, told Minnesota legislators they should repeal the states estate tax, and urged lawmakers in Nebraska to lower its top state income tax rate. The foundation says it is nonpartisan, having supported retaining the Earned Income Tax Credit in North Carolina and opposing Kansas tax cuts, however, much of its funding comes from conservative foundations and think tanks.

The policies are similar to those of the groups who fund the Tax Foundation. Nine out of the foundations top 10 nonprofit donors support numerous conservative and libertarian causes such as limited government and low taxes, and accounted for a total of $1.1 million in grants between 2010 and 2015, according to the Center for Public Integritys search of the latest available IRS tax documents. None of the Tax Foundations top donors were liberal groups or organizations that represent lower income groups.

The Charles Koch Foundation and its sister organization the Charles Koch Institute together were the Tax Foundations second-largest donor, giving $488,131 between 2012 and 2015, according to the Centers investigation. The John Templeton Foundation gave $189,000 in 2014. Templeton supports many conservative causes such as the anti-tax group FreedomWorks and the Atlas Network, whose vision is to create a world where limited governments defend the rule of law, private property and free markets.

The Earhart Foundation, a large funder of conservative think tanks such as the American Enterprise Institute and the Atlas Network, gave $148,000 to the Tax Foundation from 2010 to 2013. And the Chase Foundation of Virginia, which funds right-wing political and free-market groups, gave $75,000 from 2010 to 2015, according to the Centers analysis.

I dont know if you consider them nonpartisan, said Derwood Chase Jr., president of the Chase Foundation of Virginia, when asked about the groups financial support of the Tax Foundation. I dont always agree with some of their positions. We are supporting them for their information.

The Templeton Foundation declined to comment for this story. The Koch and Earhart foundations and the Atlas Network did not return calls requesting comment.

John Buhl, media relations manager for the Tax Foundation, declined to discuss the foundations donors in detail, but said no one grantee contributes more than 12 percent of the groups overall operating funding.

We support a tax code thats simpler, more transparent, more neutral and promotes economic growth, Buhl said. Some people say that characterizes us as center-right or conservative, but we think its something all Americans support.

Others see it differently.

The Tax Foundation is one of the leading proponents of tax cuts that disproportionately favor the wealthy over low-income families, said Meg Wiehe, director of programs at the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, a liberal tax policy group that receives much of its financial support from the Ford Foundation, the left-leaning Bauman Foundation and Coydog Foundation, which supports Planned Parenthood.

Trump, GOP  State Redux

Trump and the Republican-controlled Congress are readying separate tax reforms, but both plans mirror much of what Laffers and the Tax Foundations have pushed in the states. In fact, Laffer is one of four co-founders of the Committee to Unleash Prosperity, which advised the Trump campaign on economic policy.

And just like the states, if either Trumps or the House plan, backed by House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wisc., becomes law, lower- to middle-income families will gain very little if nothing at all, while wealthy taxpayers gain the most, according to many tax experts.

Trumps plan and the House Republicans proposal would collapse the number of income brackets from the current seven to three. The new tax brackets would be 12 percent, 25 percent and 33 percent. Details are still being worked out, however. Trump told Fox News in March that he would like to see zero taxes for those making up to a certain amount. He didnt elaborate. Trump was scheduled to provide a basic outline of his plan on Wednesday. Published reports said his proposal might not include a tax on imports, but the border tax remains a key provision of what Republicans in Congress want.

The Tax Foundation, in a report released last year, calculated that lower income families would get a 0.2 percent to 0.5 percent increase in after-tax income versus 1.5 percent more for the top 10 percent of wage earners and a 5.3 percent increase for the wealthiest, the top 1 percent.

Kathleen Thomas, a professor of law at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill who specializes in tax law, is skeptical.

Im not optimistic that lower income people are going to benefit, Thomas said. We just dont have the evidence throughout the past several decades that tax cuts work for lower-income taxpayers.

Lawrence Zelenak, a tax law professor at Duke University, said low-income earners could gain more after-tax money under the GOP plan, but they would end up paying more on basic goods like clothing if Congressional Republicans proposed tax on imports remains part of the reform plan, having an effect much like an increase in state sales tax.

Its a tax on domestic consumption, Zelenak said. It would be passed through to people based on what they consume.

While Congress prepares for the tax debate, single-parent Wilson-Taylor in Asheville worries that the proposed federal tax changes would only make life harder, as North Carolinas tax reforms did.

Theyre going to come for every little penny that you have, Wilson-Taylor said. Where is the help when we need it?

Correction and clarification, 1:36 p.m., May 3, 2017: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated North Carolinas actions in regard to the state sales tax rate. North Carolina expanded the items that were subject to the state sales tax. The story also should have made clear that in North Carolina, the state charges a sales tax of 4.75 percent and that another 2 percent, or more, can be added by counties. The story also incorrectly stated North Carolinas top income tax rate in 2012. The top income tax rate was 7.75 percent. The story also should have made clear that some states are phasing out state income tax rates over time. Added is a clarification on the Tax Foundations position on North Carolinas and Kansas tax reform proposals.

Related: States' tax reforms since 2012

This story is part of Finance. The latest investigations about U.S. financial reform, corporate accountability and consumer finance. Click here to read more stories in this investigation.

Related stories

Copyright 2017 The Center for Public Integrity. This story was published by The Center for Public Integrity, a nonprofit, nonpartisan investigative news organization in Washington, D.C.
Blondie has shared a new track called "Fragments" ahead of the release of the studio album "Pollinator" on May 5.

"Fragments," the closing track on the American rock band's upcoming 11th studio album, was premiered on BBC Radio 6 Music with Shaun Keaveny before hitting iTunes. The song comes by way of Vancouver movie blogger and indie musician Adam Johnston aka an Unkindness, whose folk track is given the rock treatment by Debbie Harry and the band.



"Pollinator" will feature original band members Harry, Chris Stein, and Clem Burke throughout, while enlisting an eclectic mix of guest contributors including Dev Hynes (aka Blood Orange), the Smiths' Johnny Marr, Laurie Anderson, Charli XCX, Sia, Joan Jett, TV on the Radio's Dave Sitek and the Strokes' Nick Valensi.

Three other tracks -- "Fun," "My Monster" and "Long Time" -- are so far available alongside "Fragments," which the band says is the final track fans will be able to preview prior to the full album release.



Listen to the track at: www.youtube.com/watch?v=1S41vwktphE

Preorder "Pollinator" at: blondie.lnk.to/PollinatorID
When picking a doctor, people consider various factors, including: proximity, gender and reviews from friends or family. One attribute that many suggest you add to that list is whether the chosen provider is board certified. But what does that really mean and what does it suggest about a doctor?

[See: Who's Who at Your Doctor's Office.]

When physicians graduate from medical school and do the appropriate residency, they are eligible for licensure. This is a state-issued permit to practice medicine that means the minimal training and competency requirements have been met. Board certification, on the other hand, implies that the practitioner has gone above and beyond that minimal standard in a particular specialty or subspecialty by way of extra education and study, and has passed a test to prove it.

The basic premise of board certification is a good one: The board is supposed to set the nationally accepted standards for physician knowledge and practice, enabling the optimal quality of care to be maintained. However, board certification has recently come into question as to whether the current process is living up to the goal.

Physicians are first and foremost scholars. The grueling premed courses followed by intense work experience and testing requirements only can be accomplished by commitment to study. This dedication to learning and skill development doesn't end with graduation. In addition, all doctors are required to complete a certain number of hours of ongoing scholarly pursuit, known as certified medical education, or CME, in order to maintain licensure. The requirement is usually at least 25 hours per year.

What's more, the desire to serve patients well is an impetus for providers to continue learning. Most are always looking up case studies or reading the latest journal articles that relate to their field of practice. One concern is that competing demands on doctors' time may limit the opportunity for this self-study to keep up with the ever-changing face of medicine. This is where the boards are supposed to come into play -- a set of testing requirements and structure that forces the commitment to ongoing education.

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[See: Which Practitioner Do I See and When?]

Initially, people were board certified for life, meaning if they took their initial tests, they were bestowed the moniker of certified and never needed to test again. Concerns arose that because medicine is an ever-changing landscape with new discovery, perhaps repeat testing should occur. At some point, the various boards came up with a testing schedule for new graduates and imposed it on everyone beginning practice after that time. However, most of the lifelong certifications were honored, setting up a different standard between providers that are denoted as board certified. The question arose: Is it OK to honor those who only took the test once if ongoing education was the purpose of the boards?

Still, the tests continued with the interval determined by the various boards. In an effort to ensure the goals were indeed being met, a new concept was introduced about a decade ago: maintenance of certification, or MOC. This required significantly more time by the practitioners, as there are online review modules that must be passed to amass enough points to even be eligible to sit for the test. Add to that quality improvement projects that must be done every five years for eligibility, and the time and effort increased exponentially. Already stressed by demands on their time from the ever increasing administrative burdens of the medical system, physicians began to question the value of the MOC.

In addition to the hours spent on pre-test activities, independent study is still required for most physicians to pass the certification test. Some practitioners have to take time off from very busy practice settings to prepare, which exacerbates access-to-health-care issues even more. These certification tests are also pricey, costing up to several thousands of dollars for each specialty.

Physicians in some settings may have little choice with regard to the pursuit of board certification. In the current climate, certification can pose high stakes for doctors. Many hospital systems require board certification to receive privileges to practice. Health plans and various payers may also change reimbursement of professional fees based on board certification. As patients become savvier health care consumers, they may equate board certification with higher-quality physicians, whether that is indeed the case or not. For these reasons, the status of board certification is a pressure many providers feel they must pursue regardless of the costs in time or money.

In the medical field, we believe in practicing in an evidence-based manner. Unfortunately, there is no data showing patient outcomes are better because of board certification. While it intuitively makes sense that ongoing structured reviews should have impact on best practice, there is to date no proof that the current model accomplishes that goal.

[See: 10 Questions Doctors Wish Their Patients Would Ask.]

So where do we go from here? There is great disagreement, even among physicians. Do we eliminate the testing principle altogether? Do we test every 10 years? How do we incorporate other elements of practice that are so important to the patient experience, such as bedside manner, into the certification mechanism? How do issues such as physician well-being, which obviously affects the quality of care patients receive from their practitioner, fit into the equation? Will the onus of board certification add to the impending workforce shortages that are predicted in the next decade and will that further limit the access patients have to necessary care?

In the end, it's important to remember: There are actually very few incompetent providers, and the ways they are identified and mitigated do not derive from the board certification processes. Physicians are a unique and overall mission-driven group of individuals. In no other profession is the commitment to lifelong learning in order to serve any greater. Maybe that is evidence enough to have faith that physicians will take up the challenge as a professional body and govern themselves. Perhaps this assignment is actually an internal expectation rather than one that has to be thrust upon them. After all, we trust physicians with our lives.

Dr. Elaine Cox is the medical director of infection prevention at Riley Hospital for Children at Indiana University Health in Indianapolis. She is also the Riley clinical safety officer. Dr. Cox practices as a pediatric infectious disease specialist and also instructs students as a professor of clinical pediatrics at the Indiana University School of Medicine. The former director of the pediatric HIV and AIDS program, Ryan White Center for Pediatric Infectious Diseases at Riley, Dr. Cox helped lead the effort to change Indiana law to provide universal HIV testing for expectant mothers.
New York (AFP) - Aerospace giant Boeing said Wednesday declining costs boosted earnings for the latest quarter, but revenues missed analyst expectations as commercial plane deliveries fell.

Net income for the quarter ending March 31 rose 19 percent to $1.5 billion.

But revenues fell 7.3 percent to $21 billion, below the $21.3 billion expected by Wall Street analysts. It was only the second time in 21 quarters the company underperformed in terms of revenues.

The firm has been trimming jobs in its civil aviation division due to slowing sales. Chief executive Dennis Muilenburg pledged to have a "sharp focus on performance and productivity" to reach its financial targets.

Boeing plans to cut hundreds of engineering jobs on June 23 and expects additional cuts by the end of the year. Since the start of 2017, it has eliminated 3,500 positions, or about 2.3 percent of its staff at the end of 2016.

"We are having to deal with a lot of competitive realities in the marketplace," Muilenburg said on a conference call.

While Boeing has experienced net job loss, it has been adding some technology-oriented positions out of recognition that "we need to fuel the research and development for the future," Muilenburg said.

Boeing delivered 169 commercial aircraft in the quarter, down seven from the same period of 2016. Commercial deliveries are closely scrutinized by Wall Street because of their connection to revenues.

Boeing modestly increased its full-year profit forecast by 10 cents a share to a range of $10.35 to $10.55, citing a lower-than-expected tax rate.

Muilenburg said he was encouraged that President Donald Trump had nominated two board members for the Export-Import Bank, which has been hamstrung due to a lack of a quorum following an effort by some in Congress to eliminate the bank.

Muilenburg called the nominations "a very big step" and said he was hopeful "that soon we'll see a fully operational board."

The Ex-Im Bank has sometimes been dubbed the "Bank of Boeing" because of its role in providing key financing to Boeing customers over the years to purchase aircraft.

Boeing shares fell 1.0 percent to $181.71 in midday trading.
By Michael Holden LONDON (Reuters) - Gina Miller, the London investment manager and prominent pro- European Union campaigner, said on Wednesday she would use 300,000 pounds to encourage Britons to vote tactically for candidates in the upcoming election who opposed a "hard Brexit". Miller, who in January won a Supreme Court case forcing the government to seek parliamentary approval before triggering Brexit, said Prime Minister Theresa May seemed set on a "hard Brexit" and that financial markets were wrong in presuming that the poll would see her soften her stance. Last week Miller launched the "Best for Britain" campaign to raise money to back candidates in the snap election on June 8 who promised to hold a meaningful vote on May's final deal with the EU after two-years of divorce talks. In six days, it has raised almost 300,000 pounds and this will be used to support candidates, inform voters, and ensure the "very best technology" to spread the message in areas where tactical voting could affect the result. "We will work tirelessly to support candidates who want what's best for Britain and to keep all options open," said Miller, who ruled out standing for election herself. Eloise Todd, the chief executive of Best for Britain, said polls suggested there were about 100 of the 650 seats up for grabs in parliament which were marginal and the result could be influenced. Polling experts, however, are skeptical about how much influence tactical voting can have. May, who has promised lawmakers will have their say on the final Brexit deal, has already ruled out seeking membership of the European single market and said she will seek to impose limits on EU immigration. She has also warned that she would be prepared to walk away from talks without a deal rather than accept a bad one. Her surprise snap election call led to a jump in sterling. Investors expect May to win a comfortable victory that will strengthen her hands in divorce talks and when dealing with those in her Conservative Party pushing for a "hard Brexit". "It's a very strange reaction from the markets because I would say the opposite - it seems to be pointing that she's determined to do a hard Brexit," Miller told Reuters. Miller's campaign is not the only one urging voters to oppose "hard Brexit" supporters. Open Britain, which campaigned for Britain to stay in the EU, has promised to target seats held by lawmakers, mostly from May's Conservative Party, who backed Brexit but where local voters did not. Open Britain has already run into problems after three of its prominent Conservative members pulled out because of the campaign for tactical voting. Miller, who received a torrent of online abuse during her legal challenge, said the intimidation had not stopped. "I still have the same levels of threats, I still don't use public transport," she said. "It actually makes me fight even stronger because that is simply not a Britain I think should be allowed to develop." (Editing by Guy Faulconbridge and Richard Lough)
London (AFP) - Britain on Wednesday announced plans to accept 130 more child refugees after an administrative error limited arrivals to 350, in a move criticised by campaigners as not going far enough.

Immigration Minister Robert Goodwill announced the new pledge after the government realised that it had missed an offer from one region to host 130 children.

Goodwill put the mistake down to "an administrative error as part of collating the figures" from a consultation with local authorities, telling parliament a total of 480 unaccompanied young migrants will now be welcomed.

"As outlined in my original statement, the specified number includes over 200 children already transferred from France as part of the Calais camp clearance," he added.

The minister's announcement in February that just 350 children would be brought to the UK frustrated campaigners, including the main advocate of the scheme, opposition Labour politician Alf Dubs, who had proposed a figure of 3,000.

Dubs, who came to Britain as a child fleeing the Nazis, on Wednesday criticised the government for its handling of the consultation.

"I'm delighted for the sake of those 130 children but shocked and disgusted that the Government has made such a mess of this.

"I don't like the way they're doing it just before the election -- the Government should be ashamed of themselves," he said, referring to the June 8 national vote.

Hayley Cull, head of UK campaigns at UN children's agency UNICEF, urged the government to do more to help children in danger.

"We still need a long-term plan so children never have to make dangerous journeys into and across Europe in order to reach safety," she said.

More than 100,000 refugee and migrant children arrived in Europe last year, 33,800 of which were unaccompanied or separated from their parents and main carer, the UN and International Organization for Migration said earlier this month.
Frankfurt am Main (AFP) - Deutsche Bank could move up to 4,000 jobs away from Britain, the group's compliance chief said Wednesday, as Germany's largest lender struggles to work out the consequences of Brexit.

"For front office people who want to deal with a European Union client, you need to be based in continental Europe," Deutsche Bank chief regulatory officer Sylvie Matherat told a Frankfurt banking conference.

That requirement could see some 2,000 of Deutsche's 9,000 posts in the UK moved.

Deutsche would also have to book all trades for clients based on the continent in the EU, meaning moving large parts of its IT capacity to its home base in the German financial centre Frankfurt.

"Then local supervisors say, you must have your risk management here. That means another 2,000 people, other IT capabilities," Matherat went on.

UK-based banks and other financial firms face losing "passporting" rights to sell services to clients on the continent once Britain definitively quits the EU in March 2019.

Draft EU negotiating guidelines seen by AFP recommend that Britain's heavyweight finance industry not necessarily be tied to any future trade deal with the EU, and that it must also stick to the bloc's rules if it wants easy access to EU markets.

Talks between the two sides are not set to begin until after a UK general election slated for June 8, at which Prime Minister Theresa May is expected to be returned with an increased majority.

But financial firms "need clarity, the sooner the better," Matherat said Wednesday.

Many banks are now looking to cities in the eurozone, where setting up a European presence supervised by the European Central Bank -- or extending an existing one -- will let them dodge the Brexit bullet.

Earlier this month, the ECB urged lenders to get their applications for a continental banking licence in early if they do decide to move, warning that bids will be dealt with on a first-come, first-served basis.

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Around 40 international banks already have a eurozone presence run from London, while others simply sell their services to European clients from the British financial hub.

But the ECB reiterated that it will not accept so-called letterbox firms in Frankfurt, Paris or Dublin run by remote control from London.

"The requirements for a well-functioning bank must be in place before an institution takes up any banking activities in the euro area," it insisted in a "frequently asked questions" document.
London (AFP) - Marine Le Pen's performance in France's presidential race cheered Brexit supporters, but many fear the likely winner Emmanuel Macron will play hardball in Britain's negotiations on leaving the European Union.

EU leaders are relieved at the prospect of a victory for Macron, a pro-European centrist, in a run-off on May 7 against eurosceptic far-right leader Le Pen.

But for commentators on all sides of the political divide in Britain, Macron spells bad news for Prime Minister Theresa May as she embarks on Brexit talks after her own expected re-election in June.

"Emmanuel Macron would be bad for Brexit and Theresa May," said the eurosceptic Daily Telegraph newspaper, which is close to May's Conservatives.

"French presidential favourite Macron may drive hard bargain in Brexit talks," said the left-leaning Guardian.

May formally notified the EU on March 29 of Britain's intention to end its 44-year-old membership, following the shock referendum vote for Brexit last June.

In order to curb mass migration into Britain, she intends to pull Britain out of Europe's single market, while still pressing for access for British firms.

But several EU leaders have warned Britain cannot "have its cake and eat it".

Macron dedicated a chapter to Europe and its benefits in his election manifesto, and on Brexit, said he would defend the integrity of the single market.

"All companies who have access to it must be subject to the same rules," he said.

In a rare honour for a presidential candidate, Macron met May in London in February, where he promised "a fair execution of Brexit protecting French and European interests".

But he told a rally of expatriate voters afterwards: "The best trade deal for Britain... is membership of the EU."

- 'Macron as the enemy' -

The Financial Times daily laid out several reasons why Macron as president "could make matters a good deal tougher for the British in Brexit talks".

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"He is a convinced European" who will likely offer few concessions -- particularly on access to the single market for Britain's dominant financial services sector.

"Some analysts believe that as a former Rothschild banker, he will want to do everything possible to maximise Paris's position as a financial centre after Britains departure," the FT said.

Others take a more emotive view.

"I see Macron as the enemy," said Nigel Farage, the former leader of the UK Independence Party (UKIP) who was a key player in the Brexit vote, and now backs Le Pen.

"He wants Brussels to be even stronger, and I can't see that it's in our interests when the Junckers and others are all lining up to try and punish Britain," Farage told LBC radio, referring to European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker.

Simon Tilford, deputy director of the Centre for European Reform, acknowledges that "on the face of it, it looks bad".

"Macron has taken quite a tough line on the whole issue of Brexit, arguing that the EU needs to take a tough line with Britain in order to set an example to other countries that might be tempted to follow a similar route," he told AFP.

"Whereas Marine Le Pen has expressed understanding for the British position."

However, he said "a tough line is not necessarily bad for Britain if it forces Britain to compromise and to be more honest about the trade-offs it faces".

He added: "From a European perspective, Britain has absolutely no incentive, or no interest, in the kind of political instability, or even chaos, that could follow the election of Marine Le Pen."
LONDON (Reuters) - Britain is committed "to achieving a deep and special partnership with the European Union", British Prime Minister Theresa May told European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker on Wednesday, her spokesperson said. "The PM had a constructive meeting this evening with President Juncker of the European Commission," the spokesperson said in a statement. "Following the UK's letter of notification under Article 50 (that it is exiting the EU), she reiterated the UK's commitment to achieving a deep and special partnership with the European Union." (Reporting by Elizabeth Piper; editing by Mark Heinrich)
A wealthy businessman has been acquitted of rape charges after his lawyer argued that women are especially good at lying.

Mark Giannini was accused of raping a young woman in 2014, after luring her to his mansion in Memphis, Tennessee under the guise of a job interview for the position of housekeeper.

The woman testified that the 51-year-old choked and raped her and the next thing she remembered she was waking up at the hospital.

Investigators also alleged that Mr Giannini forced the victim to swallow urine, faeces, and blood.

Read more

May says forcing rape victims to provide proof is about fairness'

But Mr Giannini's defence team said the sex was consensual and questioned the woman's credibility.

"People can be very good at lying," his attorney Steve Farese told Memphis Criminal Court in closing arguments. "Women can be especially good at it because they're the weaker sex."

Pointing out that she had a criminal background including drug smuggling, he said that the victim knew what she was doing.

He added that she had worn a "sexy top" to the interview, which he called "a contraption.

Mr Farese also argued that the victim only pressed criminal charges to gain an advantage in her $6m (4.6m) lawsuit against Mr Giannini.

Her explanation was seeking justice, my explanation is when shes up here on the stand crying on cue that she was crying for dollars, Mr Farese said.

Local media reports the victim began to cry when the not guilty verdict was read.

This is the first of three separate rape charges against Mr Giannini, dating back to an incident in 2002. If he had been found guilty, he faced up to 15 years in prison without the possibility of parole.

Mr Farese later defended his controversial style of argument in an interview with local media.

He said his job was "not to care if anybody gets offended," adding: "Smart people will see it for what it is."
As health care premiums rise and insurers threaten to leave Obamacares state exchanges, polls show that a majority of Americans now support the creation of a universal, government-funded health care program. The so-called single-payer system has been a long-sought goal of progressive groups, who now hope that California lawmakers will pass a bill to create such a system. Proponents hope the system could then begin moving the United States to follow Canada, which saw its own national single-payer system first begin in the province of Saskatchewan.

But before that happens, single-payer proponents are going to have to overcome powerful resistance. While California is known as a liberal stronghold, industry groups with a financial interest in blocking the measure are lining up in opposition  and they have poured cash into the campaigns of key state lawmakers who will decide the fate of the bill.

Read: California Drought Officially Over, Governor Jerry Brown Announces

Since the 2010 election, the 24 lawmakers on the two California legislative committees that will consider the single-payer legislation have collectively received more than $819,000 in donations from the industry groups that are officially opposing the measure. The cash haul includes more than $80,000 to the chairmen of the Assembly and Senate health committees, the latter of which is set to consider the legislation at a public hearing Wednesday.

The groups opposing the bill are listed on a new state report. It also lists the bills supporters  primarily grassroots advocacy organizations and labor unions rather than corporate groups.

In addition to the cash that has flowed to the individual legislators from corporate groups opposing the legislation, Californias Democratic and Republican parties received more than $2.2 million from the same groups in the last four election cycles. House Speaker Anthony Rendon, Senate President Kevin De Leon and Gov. Jerry Brown, all Democrats, have also separately received a combined $370,000 from the groups. Brown recently expressed skepticism about the single-payer legislation.

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The figures come from an International Business Times review of data from the National Institute on Money In State Politics.

Those campaign donations are just the ones from groups identified as opposing the specific single-payer bill in Californias legislature  which is a fraction of the money that has gone to lawmakers from the larger health industry that is likely to try to shape or oppose the bill if it moves forward. Since the 2010 election, donors from the health and insurance sectors have given $4.8 million to the 24 members of the legislatures health committees, and another $3.4 million to Brown, Rendon and De Leon.

The California Bill Is A National Model

Over the last decade, proposals to expand government-sponsored single-payer healthcare programs have run into a wall of opposition from corporations, who have at times relied on coalitions of Republicans and conservative Democrats to block the initiatives.

During the debate over the Affordable Care Act, for instance, the health insurance and pharmaceutical industries successfully persuaded a Democratic White House and Democratic-controlled Congress to drop plans to create a government-run public option to compete with private insurers. The industries also got crucial assistance from Democratic Sen. Joe Lieberman of Connecticut, who helped them stop a proposal to lower the Medicare eligibility age.

Corporate donors last year spent millions to defeat a single-payer ballot measure in Colorado  and the campaign against the initiative was supported by key Democratic Party powerbrokers. A similar fight could be shaping up over the single-payer proposal in Democratic-leaning California, where the state's senior Democratic senator Dianne Feinstein (who has received more than $1 million from health industry donors) faced intense criticism this week for declaring her opposition to the idea of creating a single-payer health care system.

In this latest health care battle in the Golden State, Democrats Sen. Toni Atkins, who serves on the Senate health committee, and Sen. Ricardo Lara introduced the Healthy California Act in February. The legislation would guarantee coverage to all California residents and implement a comprehensive universal single-payer health care coverage and a health care cost control system, while ensuring that members shall not be required to pay any premium, copayment, coinsurance, deductible, and any other form of cost sharing for all covered benefits, according to the text of the bill. It would also allow Californians to choose their providers, instead of selecting from a list of in-network doctors. The state government would be the financier  or single payer  of guaranteed health care benefits for all Californians.

Proponents say such initiatives do not represent a government takeover of the healthcare system, but simply make the government the guarantor and primary sponsor of basic medical services. In the California proposal, those services would likely be funded by taxes on employers and employees, along with the federal money that currently comes to the state for Medicaid and Medicare.

We have the chance to make universal healthcare a reality now. Its time to talk about how we get to healthcare for all that covers more and costs less, Lara said in a statement last month.

The legislation has been endorsed by the California Nurses Association, which has long argued for a single-payer system and which has endorsed single-payer supporter Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom in the upcoming gubernatorial election.

Weve been trying to expand healthcare to everyone for over 100 years, and its always been blocked by the health care industry, Idelson told IBT. We believe the California bill is a national model that other states will follow.

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Photo: Reuters

Champions of single-payer systems have come close to implementing their preferred plan in California before. In 2006 and 2008 the legislature sent single-payer plans to the desk of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who vetoed both bills. Schwarzenegger received more than $2.2 million from donors in the health care and health insurance sectors.

In an April letter to the Senate Health Committee  endorsed by the the California Chamber of Commerce, Americas Health Insurance Plans and many of Californias largest health insurance companies and chambers of commerce  opponents called the bill a job killer that would result in significant budget shortfalls that would ultimately require drastic cuts in services.

The letter, written by California Chamber of Commerce policy advocate Karen Sarkissian, cited a 2008 analysis of the single-payer bill that died on Gov. Schwarzenegger's desk. Back then, the California legislatures nonpartisan Analysts Office estimated the single-payer proposal would cost $252 billion by 2015-16, and would run a $46.2 billion deficit, even when including new taxes that were part of the proposal.

Theres A Pretty High Price Tag

According to state documents reviewed by IBT, the new single-payer legislation is being opposed by a coalition of business groups, including private health insurers and their trade associations. Among the most powerful corporations trying to stop the bill are Anthem, Blue Cross, Health Net and Kaiser Permanente. Those groups have together spent more than $71 million on California politics in the last decade.

When the bill comes before the Senate Health Committee, it will face a panel of members who have collectively received more than $357,000 in campaign donations from the groups listed as opposing the legislation. Among the top recipients are Democrats, including the Committee's Chairman Sen. Ed Hernandez, Sen. Richard Roth, and Atkins, one of the bills sponsors.

If the bill is passed by the Senate, it will move to the Assemblys health committee, which is chaired by Democratic Assemblyman Jim Wood  who has received more than $42,000 from the groups opposing the bill in just the last two election cycles. Among his top contributors are union groups, like the California State Council of Service Employees, and groups from the health care industry, such as Blue Shield of California.

Wood has been noncommittal on whether he supports the single-payer proposal: He told Capitol Weekly last month that Historically, theres a pretty high price tag on such an idea, and added, If were going to go it alone, I hope we have a strong financing mechanism to do that. Maybe California becomes a leader on this issue.

That sentiment was echoed by Brown, who last month told reporters, Where do you get the extra money? He said the single-payer concept is called the unknown by means of the more unknown... In other words, you take a problem and say, I am going to solve it by something thats...a bigger problem, which makes no sense.

During his election campaigns, Brown has received more than a quarter-million dollars from the groups opposing the bill. That includes big checks from major health industry players. Health Net gave him $54,400 for his 2014 campaign; so did Anthem and Blue Shield of California. The California Nurses Association made a smaller contribution, giving $27,200 to his 2014 campaign.

The Nurses Association is among the most powerful members of the coalition pushing the single-payer legislation. In all, labor organizations have given $9,910,621 to Senate and Assembly committee members since 2009. The state report on the bill showed more than 200 groups listed as official supporters of the bill. Whereas most of the opponents are corporate groups, most of the groups supporting the bill are progressive, labor and community groups, although some coalitions of health care providers, like the California Physicians Alliance, also support the bill.

In all, they contributed more than $1.9 million to health committee members since the 2010 election, and nearly $800,000 during the 2016 election cycle alone.

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A former beauty queen who took sexually explicit pictures of a four-year-old in exchange for money and gifts, has been jailed.

Meghan Alt, 27, sent the images of her relative to a US marine, according to the Orange County Sheriff's Department.

The 2014 winner of Mrs Orange County, who in the same year, went on to compete in the Mrs California competition was arrested after the Naval Criminal Investigative Service discovered the images.

Read more

FBI reportedly ran 23 child pornography websites to identify users

She admitted to possessing child pornography and lewd acts with a minor and was sentenced to 300 days behind bars and three years of probation.

She was also ordered to carry out 15 days of community service and complete a treatment programme for child abusers

Prosecutors said the photos were taken between 1 January and 7 October 2015. They dismissed two further charges of lewd acts with a child.
OTTAWA (Reuters) - Canada is ready to come to talks on renewing the North American Free Trade Agreement at any time, a Canadian official said on Wednesday in reaction to reports that a draft executive order to withdraw the United States from the pact was under consideration. "At this moment NAFTA negotiations have not started. Canada is ready to come to the table at any time," said Alex Lawrence, a spokesman for Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland. (Reporting by David Ljunggren; Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe)
Thousands of randomly chosen Canadians may soon receive free checks in the mail.

The province of Ontario just announced that a major trial run of a universal basic income program could begin as early as this summer.

SEE ALSO: Could 2017 be the year people take universal basic income seriously?

Universal basic income is a largely untested policy concept in which every citizen would get a regular government stipend with no strings attached.

The idea of such a system has bounced around academic circles for decades, but it's gained newfound traction lately as experts worry that advances in automation and artificial intelligence could kill millions of jobs.

Ontario's experiment will involve 4,000 low income citizens between the ages of 18 and 64 selected at random from three cities  Hamilton, Thunder Bay, and Lindsay.

Some of those chosen will receive up to $17,000 per year  or $24,000 for couples  while the rest will serve as a control.

Its not an extravagant sum by any means, said Ontario premiere Katherine Wynne in a speech Monday. But our goal is clear: We want to find out whether a basic income makes a positive difference in peoples lives."

The three-year pilot is expected to cost a total of $150 million pulled from the province's coffers.

"Im pretty confident they have got a lot of the details worked out. We are very excited to see this getting started, Wynne said.

Despite growing public support, little concrete data exists on whether universal basic income could actually work.

The last time the theory was put to the test in North America was a program in the Canadian province of Manitoba in the late 1970s.

Data from that study went unpublished after a new administration took power and shut it down. Luckily, researchers were able to determine decades later that the policy had a positive effect on key quality-of-life metrics like hospitalizations, mental health cases and school retention.

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Ontario's program risks a similar fate if the current liberal government is defeated in next year's elections.

The province isn't the only place where researchers are now giving the idea another go, however. A host of new experiments have cropped up in recent months months in India, Kenya, Finland, and the Netherlands, among others.

Silicon Valley leaders, worried that job-replacing robots might wreak havoc on the labor market, are particularly keen on the idea.

Sam Altman, president of the prominent Y-Combinator incubator, has organized a small test in Oakland, California as well as a $10-million fund to back other tests along with Facebook co-founder Chris Hughes.

Other tech luminaries such as Elon Musk, venture capitalist Marc Andreessen, and Ebay founder Pierre Omidyar have also shown interest in the concept.

WATCH: This self-proclaimed cyborg turned his prosthetic eye into a tiny camera
Santiago (AFP) - Sixteen retired Chilean military officers were charged Wednesday with involvement in the 1973 murders of 15 opponents of the Augusto Pinochet dictatorship, officials said.

In one of the grisly incidents of the so-called Caravan of Death, which is believed to have killed at least 75 people, officials including former army commander in chief Juan Emilio Cheyre were charged in the 15 killings, human rights special prosecutor Mario Carroza said.

Last year Cheyre was charged in the case, which took place at the beginning of the 1973-1990 Pinochet regime as the Caravan sought to quash opposition. But he was able to secure release on bond.

Remains of the 15 people at the center of this investigation were found in 1998 and forensic studies showed they were hit by multiple gunshots, Carroza said.

More than 3,000 regime opponents and alleged collaborators were killed or went missing during Pinochet's rule, according to researchers at Diego Portales University. Nearly 40,000 were tortured.

Pinochet came to power in 1973 in a military coup and ruled until 1990. He died in 2006 without being brought to justice.

The courts are investigating 1,200 other cases of alleged human rights violations by his regime.
China launched its second aircraft carrier Wednesday, as the unnamed ship was moved from dry dock into the water at the countrys north east port of Dalian. The aircraft carrier is the first domestically built vessel of its kind for China.

With each new aircraft carrier, China is sending a signal that it has no peer among its neighbors, Patrick M. Cronin, senior director of the Asia-Pacific Security Program at the Center for a New American Security in Washington, told the New York Times.

Read: China's Military Infrastructure On South China Sea Islands Near Completion: Report

With no close competition in the region, China was looking at a long-term and ongoing quest to use these floating sovereign airfields into military operations, Cronin said. But the political and psychological benefits keep accruing, and the impact in Chinas near seas is being felt today.

According to previous reports, the new ship may be named Shandong or be referred to as CV-17. With a 1,033-foot gray hull, the ship is based on the earlier Liaoning carrier. It is 315 meters long and 75 meters wide, and weighs 70,000 tons. Reports suggest the new aircraft carrier also boasts of a ski jump and angled flight deck to allow aircrafts to take off with greater ease.

It was first floated off its dry dock Sunday to celebrate the 68th anniversary of the Peoples Liberation Army. Despite the launch, the new vessel may need around three years to be fully equipped, tested and cleared for missions.

Chinas first aircraft carrier, Liaoning, was launched in 2011. The Soviet-era hull was purchased from Ukraine in 1998 but the lack of expertise delayed its commissioning. This year, however, Liaoning has been involved in conducting take-off and landing drills in the controversial South China Sea.

The Asian power already has plans ready for its third carrier as shipbuilding picks up pace in China. While Liaoning took almost 15 years to be commissioned, the construction for the latest aircraft carrier began only in 2015. And according to analysts, a future aircraft carrier built locally could be nuclear-powered.

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The first domestically built carrier is likely to be like the Liaoning [China's first aircraft carrier], Sputnik International reported Xu as saying. It will be conventionally powered and use a ski-jump take-off, whereas the second one is likely to use a catapult take-off.

The third one, however, will benefit from major breakthroughs and may even be nuclear-powered, he added.

China has also begun the process of receiving S-400 anti-aircraft missile systems from Russia, Kremlins state agency Rosoboroneksport reported Wednesday. The country had made a payment in advance for four to six Russian-made S-400 Triumph missile defense systems under a contract that was made public in 2015.

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BEIJING (Reuters) - A Chinese court on Tuesday sentenced a U.S. citizen to three-years and six-months in prison for espionage but then ordered she be deported, her lawyer said, in a case that has added to U.S.-China tension. Sandy Phan-Gillis, who has Chinese ancestry and is a naturalized U.S. citizen, was arrested in March 2015 while about to leave mainland China for the Chinese-ruled, former Portuguese colony of Macau, and had been held without charges since then. She had plead guilty during a trial in the southwestern city of Nanning and was not planning to appeal, lawyer Shang Baojun told Reuters. "She will probably be exported to the U.S. soon, but we do not know the exact date yet," Shang said, adding that she was being held in a police station in the meantime. The government has not released details of the charges against Phan-Gillis. Shang said that because the case touched upon "state secrets", he could not reveal details of the ruling until the official verdict had been released, which was expected within the next five days. Phan-Gillis had been in regular contact with U.S. officials while in detention, Shang said. The U.S. Embassy in Beijing referred questions about the charges of espionage to Phan-Gillis' legal team. "We remain concerned about Ms Phan-Gillis' welfare and continue to follow her case closely," embassy spokeswoman Mary Beth Polley told Reuters. "We are in favor of any result that allows her to return home to her family soon," Polley said, when asked about a possible Chinese deportation order. Calls to the court went unanswered after work hours on Tuesday, and it was not possible to reach Phan-Gillis for comment. China's definition of state secrets is very broad, encompassing everything from government directives to top leaders' birthdays. Information can also be declared a state secret retroactively. The arrest added to tension between China and the United States in the final months of former President Barack Obama's administration, a relationship already strained by China's assertiveness over its claims in the disputed South China Sea. Despite criticizing China on the campaign trail, U.S. President Donald Trump has recently warmed to it after a summit with President Xi Jinping in Florida in early April when Trump said they had developed an "outstanding" relationship. In recent days, Trump has praised Chinese efforts to press North Korea to give up its development of nuclear weapons and long-range missiles. (Reporting by Christian Shepherd and Michael Martina; Editing by Robert Birsel and Michael Perry)
China has launched its first domestically designed and built aircraft carrier, state media said Wednesday, as the country seeks to transform its navy into a force capable of projecting power onto the high seas.

Beijing has embarked on an extensive project to build a "blue water" navy and modernise its two million-strong military, the world's largest.

The country's rapidly expanding military might includes a range of maritime defence capabilities, a fleet of attack submarines, and highly sophisticated anti-aircraft systems that prevent enemy vessels from nearing its coast.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has said that "all must be done" to improve the country's battle capacities so it can "fight and win wars."

Adorned with colourful ribbons, the Type 001A ship "transferred from dry dock into the water at a launch ceremony" in the northeastern port city of Dalian, according to official broadcaster CCTV.

The ribbon-cutting was followed by the traditional breaking of a champagne bottle on the ship's bow.

China's defence ministry has previously said the new carrier would displace 50,000 tonnes and use conventional rather than nuclear propulsion.

It is expected to carry China's indigenous J-15 aircraft, along with other planes.

China is eager to show its strength in the South China Sea, where it insists on sovereignty over virtually all the resource-rich waters despite rival claims from its Southeast Asian neighbours.

It has extensively reclaimed reefs and installed military and other facilities including airstrips on some outcrops, dismissing an international tribunal's ruling last year that rejected China's claims to the disputed areas.

- Symbolic event -

Analysts said the ship represented a "status symbol" for Beijing in a contested region but posed little threat to advanced US carriers.

"The launch of the new aircraft carrier is primarily a symbolic event because it will take about two years for the vessel to be equipped and to make its first real tests overboard," according to Juliette Genevaz, China researcher at the France-based Military School Strategic Research Institute.

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Nevertheless, Genevaz said, it is a "technological leap" for China as it signals the development of more native aircraft carriers in the future.

The Type 001A is China's second carrier. The first, the Liaoning, is a secondhand Soviet ship built nearly 30 years ago and commissioned in 2012 after extensive refits.

The possession of a native aircraft carrier places China among the few military powers with such vessels, including the United States, Russia and the United Kingdom.

But experts were quick to point out that China's naval force still lags far behind that of the US, the world's leading military power which has multiple carriers.

James Char, China military analyst at Singapore's S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, said the new vessel will serve as more of a "status symbol" for China in the East and South China seas, where the Liaoning conducted its first live fire drill in December.

"It is highly unlikely to pose a threat to the US if you look at how advanced American aircraft carriers are," Char said.

Users on the Weibo social network expressed delight at the launch of the Type 001A.

"This great moment will be written in the glorious history of China," wrote one commenter.

"We are going to make a solid and important step forward into the deep sea."

Others hoped China would soon match the capabilities of US carriers: "I really hope that we can catch up with them and then set off firecrackers to celebrate!"
China has shown off its growing military strength by launching a new aircraft carrier, amid rising international tensions over North Korea.

The 500,000 tonne carrier is the countrys second and the first to be created domestically. It was towed from its dockyard at 9AM yesterday, after being officially unveiled for the first time in Dalian, a northern port city.

The huge carrier was launched yesterday (Picture: AP)

It was unveiled in the port city of Dalian (Picture: Getty Images)

The huge display of military strength comes as US aircraft carrier Carl Vinson continues on its path to the Korean Peninsula, amid fears that Kim Jong-Un is set to embark on a sixth missile launch.

But China has reportedly been angered by the US after a missile defence system was deployed to a site in North Korea as tensions continue to simmer between the two countries.

The US government has continually urged China, which is Pyongyangs only ally, to deter the hermit state from launching further nuclear weapons tests.

The aircraft carrier, which began construction in 2015, is expected to be fully commissioned for use before 2020 after extensive trials.

Another carrier is also believed to be in construction (Picture: AP)

It is based on the Soviet Kuznetsov design, and boasts a ski jump style deck for taking off, along with a steam turbine power plant.

Now, China is also believed to be planning the construction of at least two and possibly four more additional carriers, with one, the Type 002, reportedly under construction at a shipyard in Shanghai.
Berlin (AFP) - China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi urged an end to US-South Korean military manoeuvres Wednesday as well as a stop to North Korea's nuclear programme to calm tensions on the peninsula.

He said Pyongyang's continuing nuclear tests were "a clear violation of UN resolutions", but stressed that persisting with military manoeuvres around the peninsula "is not in the spirit of the resolutions either".

"Security and stability are very fragile at the moment and the danger is great of a new conflict breaking out at any time," Wang said at a joint press conference with German counterpart Sigmar Gabriel.

"We can't risk even a one percent possibility of war," he said, warning that a conflict would have "unimaginable consequences".

"Therefore, we call on all sides to be prudent and refrain from any actions or words that could lead to new provocations," he said.

Tensions have spiked in recent weeks with missile launches from the nuclear-armed North and strong rhetoric from US President Donald Trump's administration.

A nuclear-powered US aircraft carrier arrived in South Korea earlier this month for joint military exercises.

Pyongyang condemns the annual joint drills, which involve tens of thousands of troops, as provocative rehearsals for invasion, while Seoul and Washington insist they are purely defensive in nature.

Wang was speaking after US troops began delivering a missile defence system to a deployment site in South Korea, a move of deterrence amid fears Pyongyang may be preparing a sixth nuclear test.

Washington has repeatedly urged Beijing to use its influence to rein in its ally North Korea. At the same time, Trump has warned he is willing to ramp up US military pressure.

But Beijing has long opposed such action against Pyongyang, fearing that the regime's collapse could leave the US military on its doorstep, and has been calling for dialogue.

Wang himself warned in mid-April that "conflict could break out at any moment" over North Korea.

Asked if Beijing has done enough to curb its neighbour, Gabriel said that the "primary responsibility lies with North Korea".
A Chinese factory that produces clothing for Ivanka Trumps fashion line has been accused of violating dozens of international labour laws by a retail industry watchdog.

Workers earned just $62 (48) for nearly 60 hours a week, according to the report from the Fair Labor Association - a US based industry monitoring group.

In some parts of China this would be below the minimum wage, but the report did not say where the factory was based.

The average manufacturing employee in urban China made almost twice as much money as the factorys workers, or roughly 4,280 yuan (484) a month, according to national data from 2014.

The Fair Labor Association, whose inspectors visited the factory last October, said its 80 workers make clothes for contractor G-III Apparel Group, which holds the licence of manufacturing and distributing Ms Trumps fashion items.

The first daughter does not have a leadership role within the company and the report did not state whether at the time of the inspection, G-III was working-specifically on Ms Trumps clothing line.

But over a two-day inspection the Fair Labor Association found it breached 24 international labour standards set by the UN International Labour Organisation, the Washington Post reports.

Employees making Ms Trump's $139 (108) dresses were required to work 57 hours a week on a regular basis to hit production targets, inspectors found.

Under Chinese law, overtime is limited at 36 hours a month, but employees for G-III reportedly worked up to 82 hours overtime a month between September 2015 and August 2016.

The factory audit also pointed out to the lack of compulsory social insurance benefits, the absence of a union to represent workers and it raised health and safety concerns.

G-III also works with manufacturers across Vietnam, Bangladesh and South America and makes clothes for a number of other brands, including Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger.

Ms Trumps company declined to comment on the findings and G-III did not respond when asked about the allegations. Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger have also been approached for comment.

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The revelations come after Ms Trump joined Chancellor Angela Merkel and the head of the International Monetary Fund Christine Lagarde in Germany for talks on encouraging womens economic empowerment.

Ms Trump cast herself as a leading voice on issues in the workplace and a tremendous champion of supporting families.

The Washington Post reported that upon receiving the factory inspection findings, G-III pledged to make some progress on training and safety hazards and reduce overtime demands but made no commitments over pay.

The Fair Labour Association said factories were inspected at random but company leaders would be alerted in advance.
A new report by a watchdog group found the Chinese knitting factory used by a company that makes clothing for Ivanka Trumps brand has poor conditions and pay, with workers putting in up to 60 hours a week for wages of about $62 weekly.

A inspection by the Fair Labor Association found the factory violated two dozen standards set by the U.N. International Labor Organization, the Washington Post reports.

The newly-released audit investigated an 80-worker factory under contract by G-III Apparel Group, which is the manufacturing partner that Ivanka Trumps brand is licensed to. Inspectors spent two days touring the facility in October, ultimately determining that workers experienced high turnover, pay at or below Chinas minimum wage, and excessive work hours. They also were not receiving legally mandated pension, medical, or housing benefits, and received only five days of paid leave per year, with some exceptions. Average urban manufacturing jobs paid workers about twice as much as the jobs in which Trump fashion has been produced.

Since accepting a position as an official advisor in her fathers administration, Ivanka Trump has made some attempts to adjust her involvement with her multimillion-dollar namesake brand to limit conflicts of interest.

Clothes from the Trump brand are primarily produced in China. G-III has been audited seven times since 2007 by the Fair Labor Association in locations across China, India, and Pakistan, and partners with brands like Calvin Klein, Donna Karan, and Karl Lagerfeld, along with Ivanka Trump. Net sales for the Ivanka Trump collection increased by $17.9 million during the year that ended Jan. 31, G-III reported, despite widely publicized boycotts.

This article was originally published on TIME.com
When conspiracy theorist and radio host Alex Joness network alleged that Chobani was importing migrant rapists, the comments crossed a line for the yogurt makers CEO Hamdi Ulukaya.

I am fine with criticism. But theres a line. Were living in a civil society, Ulukaya, a TIME 100 member and business leader, said of the right-wing firebrands channels during the TIME 100 Gala on Tuesday.

Chobani filed a defamation lawsuit in district court against Jones on Monday, weeks after Jones network alleged that Chobani was importing migrant rapists, drawing a false connection between Chobanis employment of refugees and a Twin Falls sexual assault case.

Ulukaya said there was no other option than letting the courts decide, because its important we keep the ethics of reporting. Ulukaya has been vocal about his work toward helping migrants, employing at least 300 refugees at his Chobani factory in Twin Falls Idaho.

Jones YouTube channel published a video titled MSM Covers for Globalists Refugee Import Program After Child Rape Case on April 11, and its Twitter page shared the headline Idaho Yogurt Maker Caught Importing Migrant Rapists. Jones responded to the lawsuit Tuesday in a YouTube video, saying without evidence that billionaire George Soros was behind the lawsuit, according to the Associated Press.

This article was originally published on TIME.com
Bogota (AFP) - Colombia's last active rebel group, the National Liberation Army (ELN), freed two hostages after more than a month in captivity, the Red Cross said, a boost to ongoing peace talks.

The hostages, who were seized in mid-March, were handed over to the Red Cross in a remote area in the northwestern region of Choco, the humanitarian group said in a statement.

The hostages were identified as Freddy Alexander Chaverra and Leidy Viviana Betancourt in a tweet by Catholic Archbishop Dario Monsalve, who has often helped facilitate hostage releases.

The Red Cross said the hostage deal was reached in Quito, Ecuador, where the government and the ELN have been holding talks since February, seeking to replicate last year's historic peace deal with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC).

The ELN has so far refused to renounce kidnapping, a stumbling block in the negotiations.

The FARC, which is now in the process of disarming, was the largest and oldest rebel group in a multi-sided conflict that began in the 1960s and has killed more than 260,000 people and left 60,000 missing.
Today FCC Chairman Ajit Pai will unveil his plan to undo the 2015 network neutrality rules, which prohibit Internet Service Providers (ISPs) like Comcast, AT&T and Charter from favoring or discriminating against any online applications, content and services. And while Pai claims he wants to preserve an open Internet, nobody should be fooled. Pai has been a long-time foe of net neutrality and that isnt going to change. Whatever road he takes will harm consumers and innovators and benefit multibillion dollar cable and Internet companies

Recent press reports have said that Pai will first propose that the FCC reverse its decision to classify ISPs as essential telecommunications services under Title II of the Communications Act of 1934. That decision gave the FCC the legal grounding it needed to adopt strong rules prohibiting discrimination and paid prioritization.

Reversing the Title II classification will likely be coupled with a proposal to repeal the current rules. But what will replace them? Few expect Pai to answer that question tomorrow. I see three options, none of which will ensure an open Internet free of gatekeepers.

Voluntary commitments

Two weeks ago, the press was buzzing with rumors that Pai would recommend that the 2015 rules be replaced with voluntary commitments by ISPs that they would make part of their terms of service. Those commitments would then be enforced by the Federal Trade Commission.

This would amount to a radical abdication of the FCCs responsibility to protect consumers and competition. While Pais Republican predecessors, Michael Powell and Kevin Martin, didnt favor rules, they believed the FCC had a role to play in overseeing the broadband market, including ensuring non-discriminatory access to the Internet. Chairman Martin even ruled against Comcast when it blocked attempts to download lawful content on peer-to-peer networks (this decision was overturned by a federal court). Coupled with the classification reversal, Pais plan would leave the FCC  the expert agency tasked with overseeing communications networks  without any role when it comes to the most important network in history. This would leave the FCC powerless to prohibit fraudulent billing, price gouging and practices that violate consumers privacy.

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Second, as has been well documented , Pais plan wont work. ISPs can and do change their terms of service at any time; these commitments wouldnt bind new ISPs, and Pai wont be able to extract commitments from each of the hundreds of small rural ISPs that exist. In addition, because the FTC is merely an enforcement agency and cant make rules, relief will be selective and will occur only after consumers and innovators are harmed.

Weak rules

Pai could instead move forward with weaker rules grounded in weaker legal authority. Reclassifying broadband ISPs as unregulated information services under Title I of the Communications Act would prevent the adoption of rules that flatly prohibit discrimination or paid prioritization.

The only Title I-based rules that could pass muster in the courts would have to permit discrimination, paid prioritization and individual negotiations between online companies and ISPs. In that vein, Pai has reportedly floated the idea that ISPs could be prohibited from engaging in harmful paid prioritization. Call those rules what you want, but they are not real net neutrality.

Imagine if you own a small start-up and you have to negotiate with Comcast for carriage. How could you afford it? Who would invest in you? Its exactly that fear that led over 800 start-ups, entrepreneurs and investors in all 50 states to sign a letter asking Pai to preserve the current rules.

Do Nothing

Finally, Pai could reclassify ISPs, repeal the rules and replace them with NOTHING. Last week his Republican colleague Commissioner Mike ORielly made clear he thinks the voluntary commitment idea probably wont work and that he thinks rules are unnecessary. So Pai may not have 2 votes for even the most minimal protections.

The bottom line

The battle over net neutrality has raged on for over 15 years. Finally, after three attempts, a federal court upheld the current rules, which are wildly popular. Now the Trump FCC wants to take them away and replace them (or not) with something that will fall far short of real net neutrality and will lead to many more years of uncertainty and litigation.

As has become commonplace for this FCC, the winners in Pais plan will be Comcast, AT&T, Charter and Verizon, the companies you pay handsomely for Internet access. These companies have few if any competitors, have become increasingly consolidated over the past 5 years, and are seeking to grow even larger. Do you want to control your Internet experience, or do you want huge ISPs to control it like your cable operator controls your cable service? Because the rules give you control, and Pais plan will hand that control to ISPs.

The good news is that weve seen what happens when Americans oppose efforts to remove hard-won protections. The successful uprising against the Affordable Care Act repeal is the most recent example. The Trump FCCs effort to dismantle net neutrality will be a long, drawn out battle over many months and well need your participation throughout. You can start today to voice your displeasure with Pais plan, both to the FCC and as important, to your representatives in Congress.

Gigi Sohn is an Open Society Foundations Fellow and a Mozilla Fellow. She served as Counselor to FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler from November 2013 to December 2016. More on Gigi can be found here.

WATCH: This college student spent his summer undercover in a Chinese iPhone factory
If your child has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, it's likely he or she will also have the disorder as an adult.

For example, a study published in the 2016 Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry noted that of the 579 children with ADHD who were studied, 60 percent of them "demonstrated symptom persistence" into adulthood.

Another study, published in The Lancet Psychiatry in 2016, states that while ADHD may follow a child into adulthood, it's important to note that methods used to determine its prevalence through the years may have involved several variables including -- but not limited to -- differences in the source of information and ADHD rating scales used.

Margaret Sibley, a licensed clinical psychologist and an assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral health at the Florida International University Center for Children and Families, who is also a co-author of both studies, says there's "probably a 50-50 chance that childhood symptoms will continue to be severe enough to meet ADHD criteria as an adult." At the same time, she explains that the entire notion of childhood ADHD symptoms carrying through into adulthood is complex; much more needs to be observed and understood when factoring in each individual's ADHD symptoms and the possibility that they'll persist in later years.

[See: 8 Things You Didn't Know About Counseling.]

With Age, Changes in Brain Development and Behaviors

Genetic predisposition is a factor, but brain development is also critical in understanding ADHD at various ages. Sibley explains that the prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for executive functions such as planning and problem solving, is the last part of the brain to develop. This suggests that ADHD symptoms can vary as a person ages; a young child's behavior will differ from that of an adult or even an adolescent, whose brain is more fully developed, she says. Therefore, "some of the issues that were more challenging in childhood aren't so much as an adult," Sibley says. As such, she notes that an adult tends to develop more effective coping strategies than a child which may help him or her better manage or perhaps even overcome ADHD symptoms.

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Stephanie Sarkis, an author and psychotherapist located in Tampa, Florida, agrees that a person doesn't necessarily outgrow ADHD. "You still have frontal lobe issues as an adult, it's just that an adult is better able to cope," she says. Inhibition and self-regulation, for example, improve over time because neurons are more formed. Nevertheless, Sarkis explains that the "ADHD brain doesn't catch up with the non-ADHD brain."

She also says that ADHD behaviors manifest differently with age not only because of changes in brain development, but also because of environmental variations between childhood and adulthood. "You change environments as you get older," Sarkis says. "So ADHD may not impact you as much as an adult."

Dr. Rebecca A. Baum, chief of developmental behavioral pediatrics at Nationwide Children's Hospital and a clinical associate professor of pediatrics at The Ohio State University, expands on this point, saying that it's important to consider that a child's environment -- school in particular -- differs from the ones experienced as an adult.

"As an adult," she says, "you're not expected to sit in the same setting upwards of eight hours a day." Baum says school settings present a unique situation for children because they're a stark contrast to the environmental freedoms an adult faces. "An adult has more flexibility in terms of changing locations," she says, explaining that both social and environmental expectations between children and adults differ, which can help explain why ADHD behaviors may also differ with age.

[See: Hoarding, ADHD, Narcissism: Inside the Minds of History's Great Personalities.]

How a Child's ADHD Behaviors May Manifest as an Adult

For example, Sarkis explains that an inner restlessness may persist in adults, which is demonstrated differently than in their childhood. A hyper child, she says, may run around rooms at home and in school, but an adult with this same urge will likely not do that in a conference room or in a restaurant. At work, for example, an adult who exhibited hyperactivity as a child may instead swivel in an office chair, click their pen repeatedly or play a cellphone game under a desk. While these are behaviors which adults who don't have ADHD may sometimes exhibit, the difference here is that these adults had ADHD as a child and, therefore, may be more likely to demonstrate certain behaviors with more frequency or intensity -- or both, Sarkis notes.

An adult who had ADHD as a child may also arrive unusually early or late to events or meetings in an effort to avoid traffic or long wait times. As a child, this same person likely didn't enjoy standing in lines, Sarkis says, so their adult behavior of managing time fits within the struggles faced in their younger years. Again, many non-ADHD adults may also make an effort to circumvent traffic, but the difference is that an adult with the disorder may depart from a location significantly earlier than necessary. Similarly, she explains that he or she may take routes while driving that, while it may keep them in constant motion void of traffic, may actually end up being more of a roundabout trek that leads to a later arrival time.

Another example involves a child with ADHD who keeps a room messy. It's not uncommon for this same child to grow up and live in a cluttered house, Sarkis explains. "The messiness will have expanded," she says.

Across all behaviors, the one constant, according to Sarkis, is that there will be a noticeable difference between an adult with ADHD and same-age peers without the disorder. Using the example of an unkempt house, she explains that adults without the disorder will typically keep their home fairly clean and organized, but an adult with ADHD often maintains a considerably messier environment. Her comment about behavioral variations between similar ages is congruent with the American Psychiatric Association's statement pertaining to a child with ADHD: "The difference in children with ADHD is that their hyperactivity and inattention are noticeably greater than expected for their age and cause distress and/or problems functioning at home, at school or with friends."

[See: 10 Concerns Parents Have About Their Kids' Health.]

Parents who are concerned about their child's ADHD symptoms following him or her into adulthood can take steps to help their son or daughter. Sibley states that a parent should work proactively with their child to ensure they reach their best potential academically and socially. Making sure they stay out of trouble, whether in school or with the law, is a part of this picture, she says.

"You want to strike a balance as a parent between promoting independence so a child can experience the natural consequences of their actions and learn as a result," Sibley says. "But at the same time, parents should protect, monitor and set good goals at home."

Jennifer Lea Reynolds is a Health freelancer at U.S. News. She draws on her life and career experiences, including losing 70 pounds and writing copy at health-centric advertising agencies. Her articles have been published online in Smithsonian, Reader's Digest, Woman's Day and The Huffington Post. She's also the owner of FlabbyRoad.com, where she writes about weight loss, fitness, nutrition and body image. You can follow her on Twitter @JenSunshine.
Zurich (AFP) - Credit Suisse said Wednesday it had launched a share issue aimed at raising some $4.0 billion to allay capital fears, and backtracked on plans to take part of its Swiss division public.

Switzerland's second largest bank also said it had bounced back to black in the first quarter, posting a net profit for the first three months of the year of 596 million Swiss francs ($599 million, 549 million euros), compared with a 302-million-franc loss a year earlier.

Credit Suisse in a statement that the share issue should provide it with more flexibility in carrying out its ongoing restructuring plans, bolster its capital ratios and protect it against unexpected market volatility.

Following the share issue, which will be voted on at an extraordinary general meeting on May 18, Credit Suisse estimates its tier-one CET capital ratio -- an important gauge of a bank's ability to resist a financial crisis -- will rise to 13.4 percent from 11.7 percent currently.

The bank already approved a capital hike of $6.0 billion back in the autumn of 2015 to allow its new chief Tidjane Thiam to embark upon a wide-reaching restructuring plan, pivoting its focus towards wealth management and Asia.

At the time, it said it aimed to raise between 2.0-4.0 billion Swiss francs by taking part of its Swiss branch public.

But on Wednesday, the bank said it had reconsidered, and now aimed to maintain full ownership of its Swiss division.

"We believe that keeping 100 percent of our valuable Swiss bank, while raising capital through a rights offering with pre-emption rights, is the right course of action and will result in significant value creation for shareholders over time," Credit Suisse chairman Urs Rohner said in the statement.

Observers initially welcomed Thiam's plans, but their optimism has faded as the bank has faced market turbulence and legal woes that sent its stock price plunging more than 30 percent last year.

Investors appeared to welcome the shift announced Wednesday, with Credit Suisse's share price jumping more than three percent to 15.76 Swiss francs apiece in mid-morning trading, as the Swiss stock exchange's main SMI index remained flat.
Pedro Betancourt (Cuba) (AFP) - A sweet smell of treacle used to fill the air in the village of Pedro Betancourt -- but like the workers from the derelict Cuba Libre sugar refinery, it has dispersed.

It was the smell of success against the odds for Cuba, reviled by the United States and its allies in the Cold War but still a world champion sugar producer -- until the Soviet Union fell and stopped buying it from Fidel Castro's communist regime.

Now a demolition crane is attacking what is left of the Cuba Libre refinery's rusty steel skeleton. Fidel is dead, the Cold War is over -- and Cuba wants its sugar industry back.

"The refinery was the life of the people who lived here," says Arnaldo Herrera, 86. He lost his job at the plant when it closed in 2004.

"When that changes, life changes."

- Cane on the risin' -

Britain and other colonial powers grew fat on Cuban sugarcane -- harvested by black slaves -- from the 18th century until independence at the turn of the 20th.

The island then sold a lot of sugar to the United States until Washington imposed a trade embargo after communist revolutionary Castro took over in 1959.

Castro later announced a "revolutionary offensive" to relaunch the industry. The Soviet Union bought the sugar at preferential prices.

For 1970 Castro famously set a production target of a "great harvest" of 10 million tonnes. (He fell short by 1.5 million.)

But after the Soviet bloc collapsed in 1989, with the US embargo still in place and prices falling, the island could no longer compete.

Two-thirds of its refineries -- about 100 plants -- have shut down since 2002.

From eight million tonnes a year in the 1990s, production plunged to just over one million in 2010.

"That was when we touched bottom," says Rafael Suarez, head of international relations for the state sugar monopoly Azcuba.

"Since then an effort has been made. The refineries have been improved and a lot of emphasis has been put on recovering sugarcane production."

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Suarez says Azcuba is also looking to expand production of sugar derivatives: rum, cattle feed and renewable fuel.

- Human cost -

Some 100,000 Cubans used to work in refineries like the one in Pedro Betancourt in the east.

The refineries used to pay well, for Cuba -- at least double the $28 average monthly salary.

Julio Dominguez, 84, worked in Cuba Libre until it shut.

"This town has been stripped bare. Tobacco production is all it has left," he says.

The refinery stopped milling in 2004 and demolition began in 2007. Like everything in Cuba, it takes time.

Some still weep when they pass the site, says the head of the demolition, Eliecer Rodriguez.

"I am knocking it down, but that was someone else's decision," he says.

Workers were kept on their salaries for some time after the closure.

Some have since moved on to work as tobacco producers, taxi drivers or handymen. Others have emigrated to the United States.

"Closing a sugar refinery is always traumatic in human and social terms," Suarez says.

"What the revolution did was take a lot of care to see that no one was abandoned."

- Sweet smell -

Soon only the concrete smokestacks of Cuba Libre will still stand among the green fields of sugarcane.

But 70 kilometers (some 40 miles) away, a chimney is still smoking. The air smells of caramel.

It is business as usual at the Jesus Rabi refinery.

The plant's boiler operator Juan Hernandez, 63, was made redundant from two sugar plants that shut down before he landed here.

"Those were bitter times. When a sugar refinery shuts, it really shuts. There isn't the economy for it."

Yet by mechanizing the sugar harvest almost completely, Cuba has managed to boost production to some two million tonnes a year from its 2010 low point.

More than half of that it exports, mostly to China and Russia.

Suarez reckons the island can pump up production to four million tonnes a year. That will still leave it as a minnow in world terms.

"The days when such a small country as Cuba was the biggest exporter of sugar will never return," he admitted.

"We don't pretend they will."
The state of Michigan will give Macomb County $3 million to deal with a sinkhole in suburban Detroit. The agreement struck Tuesday among legislative leaders and Gov. Rick Snyder's administration resolves a fight between the House and Senate over whether the aid should be a loan or a grant. Now lawmakers won't have to vote again on competing versions of legislation. The money instead will come from a fund that the Legislature established in 2014 for specific road projects.
By Joe McDonald

MILFORD, Pa. (Reuters) - The question of whether Eric Frein should be put to death for murdering a state trooper in a 2014 sniper attack that launched a massive manhunt went to a Pennsylvania jury following closing arguments on Wednesday.

The same jury at Pike County Courthouse last week convicted Frein, 33, of first-degree murder of a law enforcement officer for fatally shooting Corporal Bryon Dickson II, 38, outside the Blooming Grove barracks.

Frein, who for weeks evaded capture following the attack, was also convicted of other charges, including terrorism and the attempted murder of Trooper Alex Douglass, 34, who was shot and critically wounded as he rushed to Dickson's aid.

Frein is a survivalist, a person skilled in outdoor living who aims to survive a catastrophe or dramatic event such as nuclear war or revolution.

At trial, prosecutors told the jury that he harbored anti-government views and the sniper attack was aimed at sparking a "revolution."

In closing arguments in the trial's death penalty phase on Wednesday, Ray Tonkin, the Pike County district attorney, repeatedly referred to Frein as "that murderer over there." He said Frein, 33, methodically planned the ambush and deserved the death penalty.

Tonkin also played a recorded telephone conversation Frein had with his mother from jail about 20 days after he was captured in which Frein can be heard discussing how he wanted to sell his story to the media after the trial. Frein can be heard repeatedly laughing on the recording.

Michael Weinstein, the lead defense lawyer, said Frein was the victim of a dysfunctional family who was influenced by anti-police views held by his father, a retired Army major.

After the shooting, Frein eluded a 48-day manhunt through the dense forests of the Pocono Mountains, about 100 miles (160 km) north of Philadelphia.

The $11 million search, which put the community on edge for weeks, ended when he was captured by U.S. marshals outside an abandoned airplane hangar near Tannersville, Pennsylvania.

(Editing by Barbara Goldberg and Peter Cooney)
The death toll from a roadside bomb targeting a passenger vehicle in Pakistan's northwest rose to 13 on Wednesday after three critically injured people died overnight in hospital, officials said.

The incident, which occurred in the Godar area of Kurram tribal district early Tuesday, has been claimed by both the Jamaat-ul-Ahrar (JuA) faction of the Pakistani Taliban and the Islamic State group (IS).

Three women, a six-year-old girl and a boy aged nine were among the dead, Baseer Khan, a top government official in Kurram tribal district, told AFP -- adding that the passengers were targeted because they belonged to the Shiite religious minority.

The Kurram tribal district is known for sectarian clashes between Sunnis and Shiites, who make up roughly 20 percent of Pakistan's population of 200 million. It has also been a stronghold of the Pakistani Taliban as well as its factions.

JuA pledged allegiance to IS in 2014, but a year later said it had rejoined the Pakistani Taliban -- which in turn is allied to Al-Qaeda, a foe of IS.

However since 2016 JuA and IS have both laid claim to several attacks, notably a suicide bombing at a hospital in the southwestern city of Quetta last year that killed 73 people.

The joint claims have raised the possibility they are colluding -- or that JuA, which has foot soldiers on the ground, is allowing IS also to take credit to achieve propaganda goals.

On Wednesday the army released a video showing a confessional statement by JuA's former spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan, in which he called on the Taliban to lay down their arms and urged young people to steer clear of extremism.

The army announced last week that Ehsan, who was spokesman for the main Pakistani Taliban group before JuA broke away, had given himself up to the military. It gave no details on the circumstances or timing of the surrender.

During the five-minute clip, shot in military custody, Ehsan stated his real name was "Liaqat Ali" and said JuA was given financial and logistical assistance by the intelligence agencies of India and Afghanistan -- a claim often made by the army.

Pakistani authorities had placed a $1 million bounty on Ehsan's head after he boasted that the Taliban were behind the 2012 attempt on the life of schoolgirl activist Malala Yousafzai.
(CARACAS, Venezuela) - Two Venezuelan men died on Tuesday from gunshots at political demonstrations, bringing to 26 the number of fatalities around this months protests against President Nicolas Maduros socialist government.

The state prosecutors office said Orlando Medina, 23, was gunned down on a street in western Lara state during a protest local media identified as anti-Maduro.

Luis Marquez, 52, died in the Andean state of Merida in the early morning after being shot on Monday at a pro-Maduro rally, state ombudsman Tarek Saab said.

In more than three weeks of chaos since Venezuelas opposition launched street protests, 15 people have died in violence around demonstrations and 11 others in night-time lootings, the state prosecutors office said on Tuesday.

Political activists and Venezuelan media have reported more deaths, but those have not been confirmed.

Read More: A Visual Record of Venezuelas Collapse

The ruling Socialist Party accuses foes of seeking a violent coup with U.S. connivance, while the opposition says Maduro is a dictator repressing peaceful protest.

With near-daily demonstrations by both opponents and supporters of Maduro, there have been fatalities on both sides, as well as one National Guard sergeant killed during a protest.

Any death hurts, government or opposition, chief state prosecutor Luisa Ortega said in a speech. Four fatalities were adolescents and 437 people had also been injured.

The oppositions main demands are for elections, the release of jailed activists and autonomy for the opposition-led legislature. But protests are also fueled by a crippling economic crisis in the oil-exporting nation of some 30 million people.

The unrest is Venezuelas worst since 2014, when 43 people died in months of mayhem sparked by protests against Maduro, the 54-year-old successor to late leader Hugo Chavez.

Nearly 1,500 people have been arrested, with 801 still detained as of Tuesday, rights group Penal Forum said.

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Trying to keep the pressure on Maduro, the opposition Democratic Unity coalition is planning a march on Wednesday toward downtown Caracas. Past attempts to reach that area have been blocked by security forces using teargas and rubber bullets against masked youths hurling stones and Molotov cocktails.

Read More: General Motors Is Leaving Venezuela After the Country Seized Its Factory

The Venezuelan people will stay in the street until there is an election timetable, a humanitarian aid channel, freedom for political prisoners and independence for public institutions, especially the National Assembly, said Ismael Garcia, a legislator with opposition party Justice First.

Thousands of red-shirted Maduro supporters marched in the state of Falcon on Tuesday, chanting pro-government slogans and denouncing the opposition for violence.

They call themselves defenders of human rights but then they murder people. Theyre the same as 2002, Socialist Party No. 2 Diosdado Cabello told the crowd, referring to a short-lived coup against Chavez that year.

This article was originally published on TIME.com
Mock Donald Trumps legislative ignorance if you will, but for a brief, shining stretch during the past week, he managed to bring about a rare Washington phenomenon: House and Senate Democrats saying nice things about their GOP

counterparts. Publicly. With straight faces. That the president accomplished this entirely by accident makes the feat no less remarkable.

It has been like a scene straight out of a No Labels kumbaya, centrist fantasy: As Congress hammers out a deal to fund the government for the rest of this fiscal year, Democrats have been lauding Republicans for handling negotiations in a thoughtful, productive, bipartisan manner.

Appropriators are all about getting something done, a senior Democratic House aide noted approvingly of the process. And with the April 28 deadline looming, he told me, members of both teams had been chugging along, making progress, doing a really good job of getting past some riders.

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But then, say Democrats, chaos erupted. Up popped President Trump, demanding billions for his border wall, threatening sanctuary cities, clamoring for a quickie health care vote, and generally screwing things up by sticking his big orange nose into delicate Hill business.

Before, the parties were negotiating quite well until Donald Trump and the White House threw a monkey wrench into it, Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer told reporters on a conference call Monday morning. If the president stepped out of it, we could get a budget done by Friday.

Call co-host Nancy Pelosi, the House minority leader, proffered a similar take: I know appropriators try very hard to work in a bipartisan way, and that was the path that we were on until the president intervened.

Thanks to Trumps ham-fisted meddling, charge Democrats, the budget talks have gone from civilized and low-key to, as the House aide put it, utterly whackadoo.

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Now, shrewd students of Congress may be inclined to point out that the budgeting process never runs smoothly. And the notion that, in the current political climate, negotiations would have continued chugging along until a bipartisan agreement was amicably reached is, well, whackadoo. (If nothing else, sticky issues tend to get kicked to the end of the process, and its when appropriators hand the bill off to leadership that things often turn ugly.)

From a messaging standpoint, however, Dems blaming Trump for poisoning the well of this budget battle is a no-brainer.

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This is one of the oldest plays in the playbook, said Jim Manley, a former Senate aide to Democratic leadership. What Democrats are trying to do here is drive a wedge between House and Senate Republicans and the White House.

He is the head of the party, whether the Rs like it or not, a former House leadership staffer emailed me. And he is the most unpopular President at the 100-day mark of any president in modern times, so of course Dems will lay this at his doorstep.

Ironically, since before Trump was even sworn in, congressional Democrats have been saying that their strategy would be to look for ways to drive a wedge between the president and GOP lawmakersthough in precisely the opposite direction. Dems said they were open to working with Trump on progressive-friendly policies like infrastructure and trade, while stiff-arming Paul Ryan and Co.s conservative agenda.

But Trumps chest-thumping over the border wall proved too perfect a target for Democrats to ignore. And so their divide-and-conquer strategy, at least temporarily, took a 180-degree turn.

Not that Hill Dems are remotely disingenuous in voicing frustration and outrage over the presidents intrusion. It really is Trumps fault. He is the one insisting on including the wall, not Congress, and that is a deal breaker for Dems, said the former House staffer.

Until Trump started with all the chest beating, stressed the current House aide, Republican legislators were not talking about the wall. They were talking about getting some face-saving additional border security fundingnon-wall technology or something. Everybody thought that would be the way this played out. But then the president began issuing demands and threats, many of them delivered by White House budget director Mick Mulvaney.

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He is quite possibly the worst messenger for this sort of topic, said the aide, pointing to Mulvaneys congressional history of helping blow up multiple budget deals and of playing a key role in the 2013 government shutdown. Inserting Mulvaney into the situation, said the aide, has not been helpful to the prospects of keeping government open.

Even Trump seemed to belatedly realize his misstep.

Democrats genuine dismay notwithstanding, if the messaging also happens to serve the partys political fortunes, all the better. Chipping away at Trumps popularity is significantly more useful to the blue team than throwing shade at congressional Republicans. As Democrats know all too well, public unhappiness with the president tends to ooze over onto lawmakers of his party.

As long as we do our jobs and make the Republicans in Congress own this president, they're all going to get blamed, said Kristen Hawn, a Hill staffer turned Democratic strategist. When you've got control of House, Senate, and the White House, it's really difficult to go back home and try to message to your constituents that the president somehow shoulders all the blame by himself. We always struggled with that as moderates, said Hawn, who worked with the centrist Blue Dogs. It didn't matter how our bosses voted or how many times they opposed Obama, she recalled, they were always branded Obama/Pelosi Democrats.

Even Trump seemed to belatedly realize his misstep. By Monday evening, he was furiously back-pedaling on the wall, telling a gathering of conservative journalists that he would now consider deferring the fight until later this year.

But grave damage has already been done. Whatever comes out of this weeks budget fight, no matter how zany it may get, a big chunk of the narrative will focus on presidential overreach and incompetence. Which is ultimately a bigger gift to Democrats than any damage they could inflict upon their legislative adversaries.

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Read more from The Atlantic:

This article was originally published on The Atlantic.
Search teams are desperately looking for a baby girl who disappeared while playing outside her Illinois home, authorities said.

One-year-old Semaj Crosby was with a group of about a dozen kids gathered in the yard of a Joliet subdivision. The toddlers parents were outside working on their car.

Read: Boy, 1, Found Dead at Day Care After Being Left Alone With 8-Year-Old Child Suspected in Death

The family called the Will County Sheriffs Office at 6:30 p.m. to report their daughter missing. The family had been looking for her for an hour and a half, Public Information Officer Kathy Hoffmeyer told InsideEdition.com Wednesday.

More than 80 people are now searching for the child, aided by bloodhounds and drones. An all-night canvas of the neighborhood using a helicopter equipped with an infrared and heat-seeking device found nothing, authorities said.

Read: Missing Florida Baby's Body Believed to Be Found in Woods

The child was last seen wearing a gray long-sleeved shirt with a cat face on it, and dark jeans. She has multiple ponytails with white beads.

Police asked residents within a five-mile radius to search their homes and properties for the little girl. A pond in the neighborhood was also being searched Wednesday.

There is no apparent sign of foul play, Hoffmeyer said. "The family is fully cooperating with us," she said.

Watch: 6-Year-Old Girl Missing Since 2012 Found Dead

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FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Deutsche Bank is considering whether it needs to move thousands of staff from London to Frankfurt following Britain's decision to leave the European Union, one of its top executives said.

After Britain triggered Article 50 last month and has begun divorce talks with the EU, financial firms have stepped up planning on how to deal with any disruption that might ensue, such as losing access to the bloc's single market.

"For front office people if you want to deal with EU clients you need to be based in the EU, in continental Europe. Does that mean that I have to move all the front office people to Germany or not?" said Deutsche Bank's Chief Regulatory Officer Sylvie Matherat.

"And we are speaking of 2,000 people  that's not a small number," she told a conference hosted by Frankfurt Main Finance, a group that promotes the German financial capital.

Matherat said that any such move would require the bank to build up its information technology in Frankfurt and would also depend on local regulators' stance on how trillions of euros in future deals should be cleared or processed.

"What are you going to do: Do you have the technical capacity to move it? Do you have the willingness of the local regulators to supervise something that looks like hundreds of trillions in terms of exposure," Matherat said.

She said that some local supervisors also are asking for risk management to be done locally, a demand that would require more jobs to be moved.

"It means another 2000 people. Everybody needs clarity - and the sooner the better." She said the bank had 9,000 staff in Britain.

Despite Deutsche considering such moves, it is likely to retain a large presence in the UK and recently chose a new office for its London headquarters.

(Reporting by Andreas Kroner; Writing by Arno Schuetze; Editing by Keith Weir)
The long-awaited series about the scientist who gave the world the Standard Model of physics finally began airing Tuesday night. "Genius" is a 10-episode series based that explores the personal life of Albert Einstein, and it is on National Geographic.

The series features Oscar winner Geoffrey Rush as Einstein, Emily Watson as his second wife, and Seth Gabel in the role of Einsteins friend Michele Besso, according to National Geographic. Johnny Flynn plays the role of a young Einstein.

"Genius" is the network's first-ever scripted series and covers the years from 1880s to the 1950s. It is based on the Walter Isaacson's book "Einstein: His Life and Universe." Ron Howard directed the first episode, while he and Brian Grazer are executive producers of the show. Over the course of 10 episodes, Einstein's struggles in his personal life will be showcased. The story will move beyond the world of academia and focus on how he found it difficult to be a good husband and father, according to the channel.

Read: Check Albert Einstein's Quotes To Celebrate His 138th Birthday

Both of Einstein's wives are shown in the series, along with several admirers whom the eccentric physicist had liaisons with. Both romance and politics intrigued Einstein, which will also be portrayed in the upcoming episodes.

"He was a philanderer extraordinaire," Watson said during a chat the cast had with TV Guide.

The storys very sexy, I mean Einstein was promiscuous, Gabel added. He was a man who could not be tied down to one woman and he was very honest about that.

In the chat, the cast also discussed how Einstein was almost denied entry to the U.S. and how his story is relevant to today's time as well. While Einstein was visiting the United States in 1933, Adolf Hitler became the chancellor of Germany, and the scientist decided to not return home where he was teaching at the Berlin Academy of Sciences.

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The US has just lost a major trade battle with Mexico and it revolved around tuna.

On Tuesday, the World Trade Organisation ruled that Mexico is allowed to impose $163m (127m) a year in sanctions against the US on trade in tuna, ending a years-long dispute.

The clash, which dates back to 2008, centred on the US insisting that any Mexican tuna sold in the US must have a dolphin safe guarantee, meaning that no dolphins were killed by fishermen catching the tuna.

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Trump and Trudeau clash in phone call over dairy and lumber

Mexico has maintained that it has stuck to the rules, but the US government has disagreed and Mexico has complained that, as a result of this, its northern neighbour has unfairly penalised the Mexican fishing industry.

Mexico originally asked for a sanction of $472.3m to be imposed as a result of it being discriminated against by US demands for paperwork and even sometimes government observers.

In 2013, the US changed its rules, but the WTO said that Mexico was still being treated unfairly.

In 2016, the US changed its rules again, enforcing the tougher restrictions on all countries and not just Mexico.

Reuters reported that if the WTO decides that this step has stopped the discrimination, Mexico would have to stop its retaliation. The WTO is expected to make a decision in July.

A spokeswoman for the US Trade Representative's office told Reuters that the WTO ruling does not take into account the United States' most recent dolphin-safe labelling updates and dramatically overstates the actual level of trade effects on sales of Mexican tuna caught by intentionally chasing and capturing dolphins in nets.

She said that the Trade Representative's office will continue to monitor the situation and closely consult with Congress and stakeholders about next steps".

Separately on Tuesday, US President Donald Trump intensified a trade dispute with Canada, slapping tariffs of up to 24 per cent on imported softwood lumber.

Additional reporting by wires
A White House release boasting of Donald Trumps achievements in his first 100 days in office has been described as catastrophically wrong by a historian.

The Presidents team sent out an email to the White House press corps detailing executive orders and legislation passed in the Presidents first phase in office.

History professor Peter Shulman, of Case Western Reserve University, critiqued the press release, saying it made odd comparisons and listing laws was a "dumb metric".

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Donald Trump to Nasa astronauts: Get to Mars during my first term

The released boasted the President was getting government out of the way and claimed Mr Trump has done more to stop the government from interfering in the lives of Americans in his first 100 days than any other President in history.

Mr Trump will have signed 30 executive orders by 29 April  which marks his first 100 days in office  and a slew of legislation, enacting 28 laws, the release claimed.

Oh. My. God. This is catastrophically wrong. https://t.co/nK2Uz41Lj1  Peter A. Shulman (@pashulman) April 25, 2017

But Mr Shulman used Twitter to draw attention to a number of holes in the release.

Mr Trump claimed to have signed more executive orders than renowned 32nd president Franklin D Roosevelt. The release claimed Mr Roosevelt only signed nine executive orders in his first 100 days, but the actual number was 99.

Mr Shulman drew attention to the American Presidency Project website, which lists important presidential orders and theorised it may have been the source of the mistake. The Project lists just nine orders for Mr Roosevelt but only those considered significant.

Executive Orders often include more mundane pieces of legislation in addition to key instructions.

The White House statement also claimed Mr Trump has signed more legislation in this first 100 days than any President since Truman, with 28 laws. However, laws included on the list included the repeal of 13 Obama-era laws, passed in the latter phase of his presidency, Mr Shulman said.

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In addition to several bipartisan measures passed with broad support, other laws included were approvals of naming veterans' clinics and approving General James Mattis as Defence Secretary.

These measures have little impact on the lives of ordinary Americans.

Mr Shulman then contrasted the achievements of Mr Roosevelt within his first 100 days, who passed a number of historic laws, including the repeal of prohibition and the Glass-Steagall Emergency Banking Act.
Donald Trump has lashed out on Twitter after a judge blocked his executive order withholding funds from sanctuary cities if they failed to comply with his immigration demands.

A federal judge in San Francisco made the ruling on Tuesday after San Francisco and Santa Clara County asked the courts to intervene, arguing that more than $1 billion was at stake for each of them.

In his ruling US District Judge William Orrick III said it was clear the Trump administration planned to use the order to block funding for more than just law enforcement, as federal lawyers had argued.

The President said on Twitter: "First the Ninth Circuit rules against the ban & now it hits again on sanctuary cities-both ridiculous rulings. See you in the Supreme Court!

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"Out of our very big country, with many choices, does everyone notice that both the "ban" case and now the "sanctuary" case is brought in the Ninth Circuit, which has a terrible record of being overturned (close to 80%). They used to call this "judge shopping!" Messy system."

So-called sanctuary jurisdictions are those that have a policy of limiting cooperation with federal immigration authorities.

Following Judge Orrick's ruling, a further setback to the President's immigration agenda after his Muslim travel ban was also blocked, the White House launched a blistering attack on his decision.

Press secretary Sean Spicer called the block an "egregious overreach by a single, unelected district judge".

He accused sanctuary cities of "putting the well-being of criminal aliens before the safety of our citizens" and claimed city officials who authorised policies to protect people living in the country illegally "have the blood of dead Americans on their hands".

Judge Orrick said his order did not block the government from putting conditions on federal grants or stop it from devising a definition of what a sanctuary jurisdiction is.
Donald Trump has rowed back on his claim that Nato is obsolete, saying his earlier comments were made when he did not know much about the military alliance.

The US President told CNNs Wolf Blitzer during the presidential campaign that the 28-member state organisation was redundant and overly expensive for the US  a claim he repeated shortly before taking office in January.

"We are paying disproportionately, he said at the time. It's too much, and frankly it's a different world than it was when we originally conceived of the idea."

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Asked about his previous comments during an interview with the Associated Press, Mr Trump said they were a result of him not knowing much about Nato.

They had a quote from me that Natos obsolete, he said. But they didn't say why it was obsolete. I was on Wolf Blitzer - very fair interview - the first time I was ever asked about Nato, because I wasn't in government.

People don't go around asking about Nato if I'm building a building in Manhattan, right? So they asked me, Wolf ... asked me about Nato, and I said two things. Nato's obsolete  not knowing much about Nato, now I know a lot about Nato  Nato is obsolete, and I said, And the reason it's obsolete is because of the fact they don't focus on terrorism. You know, back when they did Nato there was no such thing as terrorism.

Mr Trump appeared to change tack during a press conference with Jens Stoltenberg, Natos Secretary-General, earlier in April.

The Republican told reporters the organisation is no longer obsolete, adding: I complained about that a long time ago, and they made a change and now they do fight terrorism.

Critics, however, pointed out that Nato has long been involved in fighting against terrorist organisations in Afghanistan and Iraq.

The organisation first issued a declaration on terrorism in 1980 and in 2012 updated its counter-terrorism plan to say: The Alliance strives at all times to remain aware of the evolving threat from terrorism; to ensure it has adequate capabilities to prevent, protect against, and respond to terrorist threats.

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Speaking to AP, Mr Trump insisted he was right to say Nato was obsolete and overly-reliant on American funding.

I was right about both he said. I took such heat for about three days on both, because nobody ever criticised Nato. I took heat like you wouldn't believe. And then some expert on Nato said, You know, Trump is right."

He repeated his belief that other Nato members must contribute more funding to the organisation and said he would raise the issue when he travels to Brussels for a Nato summit in May.

It's not fair that we're paying close to four per cent and other countries that are more directly affected are paying one per cent when they're supposed to be paying two per cent, he said. And I'm very strong on it and I'm going to be very strong on it when I go there in a month."
President Donald Trump has signed an executive order that critics say could lead to the removal of decades' worth of federal land protections.

The order directs Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke to review the lands previously designated as monuments, and suggest changes. Critics say this will allow the Trump administration to roll back protections that prevent drilling, mining and logging on the public land.

For more than 20 years, presidents have used the Antiquities Act to designate certain federal lands and waters as national monuments. With that designation comes certain protections  including, in some cases, bans on logging, mining, and drilling.

Read more

Trump could change law to allow mining at US national monuments

Mr Zinke said the president is concerned these designations "may have resulted in loss of jobs, reduced wages and reduced public access."

"The president believes, like I do, that many of the neighbours in the western states of the federal government can be a good neighbour," Mr Zinke said. "We can protect areas of cultural and economic importance, and they can use the federal lands for economic development when appropriate."

Under the executive order, Mr Zinke will review all monuments designated after 1996. That includes monuments such as the Castle Mountains in California, Gold Butte in Nevada, and the northern rim of the Grand Canyon. The order does not automatically rescind the status of any monument  in fact, it is untested whether a president can unilaterally do so. But it does direct Mr Zinke to suggest "legislative changes or modifications" to the monuments under review.

Environmental activists, was well as some senators and representatives, were quick to express their concern with the order.

"No president has ever called into question any national monument protected by the Antiquities Act until President Trump," Senator Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada said in a statement. "His unprecedented executive order threatens decades' worth of conservation efforts and could potentially revoke designations to places that have significant cultural and historical value."

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Senators from and New Mexico, California, Oregon, Colorado, and Washington State signed onto a letter asking Mr Trump to leave the current protections in place.

It's outrageous Trump is trying to illegally roll back the #NationalMonuments status of some our most treasured open spaces #AntiquitiesAct  Sen. Maria Cantwell (@SenatorCantwell) April 26, 2017

Much of the current debate revolves around Bears Ears National Monument  a 1.35 million-acre swatch of land designated by former President Barack Obama.

Native American tribes successfully lobbied Mr Obama to protect the land from looting, vehicle damage and vandalism. The area contains some of the country's best-preserved rock art and artefacts from the ancient Pueblo civilisation.

Opponents of the move, however, argued Mr Obama should have used legislation  rather than executive power  to make the designation. Others were frustrated that the land could no longer be used for mining or development.

Mr Trump on Wednesday referred to his predecessor's use of the Antiquities Act as a massive federal land grab.

Today we are putting the states back in charge, he said at the signing. ...Its time we ended this abusive practice.
Every US senator has been called to a White House briefing on North Korea, as tensions with the rogue state escalate.

It is unusual for the entire Senate, which has 100 members, to travel to the White House on the same day. They will be briefed by the country's top security officials, including 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, spokesperson Sean Spicer said.

Washington has expressed mounting concern over North Korea's nuclear and missile tests, and its threats to attack the United States and its Asian allies.

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US and South Korea hold joint military exercises amid North Korea crisis

Donald Trump triggered speculation he was planning a response in the event of another nuclear test by Pyongyang when he made hastily scheduled calls to Japans Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe, and Chinas President, Xi Jinping, on Sunday.

Pyongyang had been suspected of planning a new nuclear trial to coincide with the 85th anniversary of the founding of the Korean People's Army on Tuesday.

The isolationist state staged its largest-ever artillery firing drill on Tuesday morning to mark the date, South Korea's Yonhap news agency reported.

On Monday, Mr Trump told UN Security Council ambassadors the status quo was not acceptable, saying the council must be ready to impose new sanctions.

Unease has grown around the Korean Peninsula, with the northern state on Saturday arresting a US citizen at Pyongyang airport in an apparent attempt to gain leverage over Washington.

Wednesday's briefing was originally scheduled for a secure room at the Capitol, but Mr Trump suggested a shift to the White House, congressional aides said. They also suggested the briefing was being held at the White House to underscore the message to North Korea that Washington is serious about wanting a shift in policy.

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A senior Trump administration official said the flurry of activity around North Korea was not a part of something choreographed and cautioned against over-interpretation.

Both Democrats and Republicans welcomed the meeting. It's (the location) their choice, said Senator Ben Cardin, lead Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. I hope that we hear their policy as to what their objectives are, and how we can accomplish that hopefully without dropping bombs.

Republican Senator Lindsey Graham said the administration should be telling senators it had a red line, if it has one. By 2020, if nothing changes inside of North Korea, they'll have the technology, they'll have a breakthrough, to develop an ICBM (intercontinental ballistic missile) that can reach America. I hope this president will say that's a non-starter, Mr Graham said.

North Korea on Sunday threatened to sink an American aircraft carrier, which had begun joint drills with two Japanese destroyers in the western Pacific Ocean, in a demonstration of its military might.

On Tuesday, a missile-armed US submarine arrived in South Korea, on its way to join the other warships.

The briefing will take place at 3pm local time. Aides said they were working with the White House to schedule a similar briefing for the House of Representatives.

Reuters contributed to this report
Donald Trumps administration has issued a furious attack on the federal judge who blocked the executive order calling for the withdrawal of funds from sanctuary cities, claiming that it put thousands of innocent lives at risk.

A blistering statement from White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer called the block an egregious overreach by a single, unelected district judge. He accused sanctuary cities of putting the well-being of criminal aliens before the safety of our citizens and claimed city officials who authorised policies to protect people living in the country illegally have the blood of dead Americans on their hands.

Read more

Trump administration threatens to defund sanctuary cities

Dozens of sanctuary cities across America, including New York, Los Angeles and Chicago, offer safe harbour to illegal immigrants and generally do not allow the use of local funds for federal immigration requests, such as holding inmates in local jails for up to 48 hours after their release date to allow officials the chance to detain them further.

San Francisco district judge William Orrick III issued a temporary ruling on Tuesday blocking the order targeting cities that protect immigrants from deportation. The ruling was in response to two California governments, San Francisco and Santa Clara County, which argued the order threatened the loss of billions of dollars in federal funding. The block will stay in place as the lawsuit moves through the courts.

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In his ruling, the judge rejected the governments argument that only a relatively small pot of money would be affected by the executive order. He said the order targeted broad categories of federal funding for sanctuary governments and that the president cannot set new conditions on spending that has been approved by Congress.

http://players.brightcove.net/624246174001/default_default/index.html?videoId=5308176389001

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US Sanctuary Cities: We in California have a responsibility to say 'no'

Mr Trumps administration claims that sanctuary cities allow dangerous criminals back on the street and that the order is needed to keep the country safe. San Francisco and other sanctuary cities have said that turning local police into immigration officers erodes the trust that is needed to get people to report crime.

The White House statement said the decision from district judge Orrick occurred in the same sanctuary city that released the five-time deported illegal immigrant who gunned down innocent Kate Steinle in her fathers arms. San Francisco, and cities like it, are putting the well-being of criminal aliens before the safety of our citizens, and those city officials who authored these policies have the blood of dead Americans on their hands.

This San Francisco judges erroneous ruling is a gift to the criminal gang and cartel element in our country, empowering the worst kind of human trafficking and sex trafficking, and putting thousands of innocent lives at risk.

San Franciscos city attorney Dennis Herrera hit back at the White House, saying that President Trump should stop using the death of Ms Steinle to politicise the issue of sanctuary cities.

Mr Herrera praised the temporary ruling and said the president had been forced to back down.

"This is why we have courts  to halt the overreach of a president and an attorney general who either don't understand the Constitution or chose to ignore it," he said in a statement.

White House chief of staff Reince Preibus called the ruling the 9th circuit going bananas, referring to the West Coast judicial circuit where the ruling was made. He told reporters the administration is taking action to appeal the ruling and is confident the government will win at the Supreme Court level.

Additional reporting by agencies
After last falls presidential election, U.S. intelligence officials received intriguing reports about Russian officials talking to each other about the surprise election of Donald Trump. The conversations were piecemeal and ambiguous but to some disturbing. They were talking about their expectations for Trump  about what might happen in a Trump administration, said one intelligence source who was briefed on the reports. In the view of some officials, the Russians seemed to be celebrating  and congratulating themselves, either on their good fortune, or more ominously, their good work.

These reports hardened a view that was starting to gain currency among some senior officials: that Russias cyberattacks on U.S. political figures  an active measure that appeared to have been authorized by Russian President Vladimir Putin  had not simply been aimed at sowing distrust among the U.S. electorate or even to discredit the expected winner, Hillary Clinton. Instead, it seemed to be part of a conscious effort by the Kremlin to influence the outcome of the election.

Russian President Vladimir Putin (Photo: Alexander Nemenov/Pool Photo via AP)

Soon, U.S. officials began receiving other reports  some from foreign intelligence services  about the ties between multiple individuals in Trumps orbit and figures either close to Putin or with suspected involvement in Russian intelligence. What exactly did these connections add up to, U.S. officials wanted to know. And did they explain the apparent interest by the Kremlin in boosting Trumps campaign?

Nearly six months later, right at the 100-day mark of Trumps presidency, those questions still linger  and now hang over the Trump White House like a big gray cloud, as House intelligence committee Chairman Devin Nunes, R-Calif., put it last month. The story of Russias meddling in the 2016 election, and possible collusion by associates of Trump, has produced a series of revelations that have dominated the headlines and cable television coverage of the Trump White House. Nearly three-quarters of all Americans, 73 percent, according to a new NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll, now want an independent commission to investigate the issue. But the story remains as murky and puzzling as ever.

Story continues

So lets break down what we know  and dont know  about this story.

First, the Russian cyberattacks on the election

I dont think anybody knows it was Russia that broke into the DNC. [Hillary Clinton is] saying Russia, Russia, Russia, but I dont   maybe it was. I mean, it could be Russia, but it could also be China. It could also be lots of other people. It also could be somebody sitting on their bed that weighs 400 pounds, OK?

Republican nominee Donald Trump during the presidential debate on Sept. 26, 2016. (Photo: Patrick Semansky/AP)

That was Donald Trump during the first presidential debate with Hillary Clinton, last Sept. 26. But since then, the views of the U.S. intelligence community have reached what officials called high confidence that two separate groups of Russian state sponsored hackers, one of them associated with the countrys military intelligence arm known as the GRU, were behind the hacks. On Jan. 6, the office of the director of national intelligence produced a report  unanimously endorsed by all 17 U.S. intelligence agencies  that Putin ordered a wide-ranging influence campaign aimed at the U.S. presidential election in part because he had a vendetta against Clinton and preferred Trump. Even Trump now seems to accept its basic conclusions. As far as hacking, I think it was Russia, said Trump a few days after the intelligence report was released.

But that influence campaign wasnt just about cyberattacks. It also included weaponizing the information that was purloined from Democratic political operatives, passing it off through a still mysterious intermediary to WikiLeaks, creating phony online personas such as Guccifer 2.0, and using legions of trolls and botnets to manipulate social media  and ultimately American public opinion. It was something we hadnt seen before, said a U.S. intelligence official.

So what did the Trump campaign and Trumps associates know about Russias activities?

Roger Stone, Trumps longtime adviser, boasted during the campaign that he had inside information about what WikiLeaks was about to publish, tweeting during the summer messages like this: Trust me, it will soon the Podestas time in the barrel, an apparent reference to the upcoming release by WikiLeaks of Clinton campaign chairman John Podestas personal emails  hacked, according to U.S. intelligence, by Russias military intelligence service.

Longtime Trump adviser Roger Stone. (Photo: Seth Wenig/AP)

But Stone has denied receiving any inside information directly from WikiLeaks  although in an interview with Yahoo News he said he wont reveal who was tipping him off about the upcoming document dumps because as a journalist  he says he is one  he wont reveal his sources. Im just as much a journalist as you are, my friend, said Stone, who writes for a website called StoneColdTruth and makes regular appearances on conspiracy theorist Alex Jones Infowars radio show. I have no intention of burning a source.

What connections did Trumps advisers have to the Kremlin?

One key player is Lt. Gen. Mike Flynn, former director of the Defense Intelligence Agency and Trumps first national security adviser. In December 2015, before he joined the Trump campaign, Flynn flew to Moscow to participate in the 10th anniversary celebration of RT  the Russian government TV propaganda network  and sat next to Putin at a black tie dinner. Flynn initially refused to say who paid him for that trip. I didnt take any money from Russia, I can tell you that, he told Yahoo News when first questioned about his compensation for the trip last July during the Republican National Convention. Then who paid you? He was asked. My speakers bureau, he replied. Ask them.

It has since been revealed that Flynn was paid $45,000 by RT through his speakers bureau for that trip (as well as $23,000 in payments from two other Russian-owned firms). On Tuesday, after reviewing classified Defense Department documents, Rep. Jason Chaffetz and Rep. Elijah Cummings said Flynn had failed to disclose his Russian government payments or another $500,000 he received from a Dutch company linked to the Turkish government on his security clearance forms.

Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn and President Putin in Moscow, December 2015. (Photo: Sputnik/Mikhail Klimentyev/Kremlin via Reuters)

Personally I see no evidence or no data to support the notion that Gen. Flynn complied with the law, Chaffetz told reporters after the briefing.

Then, in February, Flynn was forced to resign after disclosures that he had secretly talked to Russian Ambassador Sergei Kislyak on Dec. 29, the same day President Obama imposed new sanctions on Russia  and then lied to Vice President Mike Pence about what they talked about, falsely denying they had discussed the lifting of those sanctions under a Trump presidency. More recently, like Stone, hes offered to speak to investigators  but only if he first receives immunity.

And theres more: Paul Manafort, Trumps campaign manager, is under investigation for accepting payments from the ousted former pro-Putin president of Ukraine, Viktor Yanukovych. (Manafort recently announced his intentions to register retroactively as a foreign agent of Yanukovychs political party  after being advised to do so by Justice Department officials.)

Another controversial figure at the center of the Russia probe is Carter Page, one of Trumps former foreign policy advisers. As Yahoo News first reported last September, hes been the subject of a U.S. intelligence investigation over alleged communications with Russian officials during his own trip to Moscow in July of last year  just before the Republican convention  where he allegedly discussed the lifting of sanctions as well. The Washington Post recently revealed that the FBI even sought and received a secret Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court warrant to monitor Pages communications on the grounds there was probable cause to believe he was the agent of a foreign power. But Page denies any wrongdoing or talking to Russian officials about sanctions  although, as he recently admitted to ABCs George Stephanopoulos, he cant deny that the subject ever came up during his Moscow trip. I dont recall every single word, he said. Something may have come up in a conversation. I have no recollection, and theres nothing specifically that I would have done that would have given people that impression.

Carter Page in Moscow, July 2016. (Photo: Pavel Golovkin/AP)

Follow the Russia investigations

None of this adds up to hard evidence of collusion, but it has spurred multiple investigations. An FBI inquiry was begun last July after agents received a damning but still uncorroborated dossier compiled by a former British spy. But at this stage, its still a counterintelligence, not a criminal, investigation. That means it could drag on for years  and may or may not result in any criminal charges against anyone. The House Intelligence Committee inquiry was seriously sidelined when Nunes was forced to step aside from the probe after claiming he had seen secret intelligence reports suggesting that Obamas national security adviser, Susan Rice, had been improperly unmasking the names of Trump associates who had been picked up in intercepts of foreign officials targeted by the U.S. intelligence community. (Rice has denied she did anything improper and no evidence has surfaced that she did). Under the new leadership of Rep. Mike Conaway, R-Texas, the panel has scheduled a closed-door hearing with FBI Director James Comey and NSA Director Mike Rogers. Meanwhile, a Senate judiciary subcommittee, chaired by Sen. Lindsey Graham, has scheduled its own public hearing May 8, where former Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates is expected to testify about warnings she gave to White House counsel Don McGahn that Flynn had misrepresented his talks with Kislyak. James Clapper, the former director of national intelligence, is also slated to testify.

Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif., briefs reporters on March 24. (Photo: Jonathan Ernst/Reuters)

That leaves the Senate Intelligence Committee  the one body that some hoped might be able to get to the bottom of the Russian-Trump affair. But that probe too has mounting problems: Its understaffed  only seven total investigators, most of whom also have other committee duties. And so far, more than three months into it, the panel has yet to issue a single subpoena for documents, emails or phone records  or to interview any of the key witnesses involved in the case. Now there are signs that Democrats are getting restless. This week, after Yahoo News published a story about the committees lack of progress, Intelligence Committee member Ron Wyden, D-Ore., said he had serious concerns about this investigation and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., told reporters the committee should move more quickly. Its going very slowly.

What about U.S.-Russia relations?

Meanwhile, the story of Russia and the Trump administration has taken off in unexpected directions. After Trump ordered a Tomahawk missile strike on the regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad, Putins staunch ally, Russia denounced the move, prompting Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to say after a recent round of talks in Moscow that U.S.-Russia relations had hit a low point. This week, Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis, during a trip to Afghanistan, accused Russia of increasing its shipments of machine guns and anti-aircraft weapons to the Taliban in what he suggested may be a violation of international law.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson following talks in Moscow on April 12. (Photo: Sergei Karpukhin/Reuters)

Another sign of trouble is the recent leak of top secret documents about how the CIA hacks smart phones and computers  material that showed up on the website of the Russians favorite outlet, WikiLeaks. The CIA and FBI are now reportedly hunting for a possible Russian mole who provided the material.

Leaks, cyberattacks, secret meetings, allegations of collusion and now possible Russian moles. It is a story with plenty of tentacles  and as the story continues to unfold, at least you can say, now I get it  at least for now.

Read more from Yahoo News coverage of Trumps first 100 days:

 The contrarians: They didnt vote for Trump, but they would now

 Trump foreign policy at 100 days: The downside of unpredictability

 Twitter, Mar-a-Lago and Obama bashing: The 45th presidents 100 days of norm-busting

 Photos: Voices from overseas: People from around the world consider Trumps first 100 days
Internet mogul Kim Dotcom has launched a bold, though probably doomed, bid to have FBI director James Comey grilled by New Zealand police while visiting the South Pacific nation for a security conference.

Comey is reportedly attending a meeting of the "Five Eyes" intelligence sharing network -- the United States, Britain, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand -- being held in the South Island this week.

Dotcom's interest stems from an Auckland court's ruling in 2014 that the FBI illegally copied and transferred data about his Megaupload empire from New Zealand to the United States.

The data was seized during a 2012 police raid in Auckland that shut down Megaupload and triggered Dotcom's ongoing legal battle to avoid extradition to the United States.

Dotcom said he had filed a formal complaint with New Zealand police about the FBI's actions, requesting they "urgently" interview Comey while he was in the country.

"The FBI broke the law. That's what NZ courts found. It's the job of NZ Police to uphold the law. And we're all equal before the law, right?" he tweeted late Tuesday.

However, authorities in New Zealand will not even confirm whether Comey is attending the conference, which is being held at a luxury resort near Queenstown.

Media images published Sunday showed a figure in sunglasses bearing a striking resemblance to Comey being whisked away from the tarmac at Queenstown airport in a black security vehicle.

Prime Minister Bill English this week confirmed the Five Eyes meeting but would not reveal who was attending, saying only "it's a pretty security conscious group of people".

New Zealand Police were tight-lipped when asked about Dotcom's demand that they haul in Comey for questioning.

"Police have received correspondence and it is being assessed," a spokeswoman said.

The FBI alleges Megaupload netted more than US$175 million in criminal proceeds and cost copyright owners more than US$500 million by offering pirated content.

Story continues

A New Zealand court ruled in February that Dotcom and his three co-accused were eligible to be extradited to the United States on fraud charges.

If convicted, they could face jail terms of more than 20 years.

Dotcom, who denies any wrongdoing and is on bail in Auckland, plans to appeal the decision, meaning his epic legal fight is likely to stretch into a sixth year.
LONDON (Reuters) - Pharmaceutical companies called on Thursday for a phased transition in drug regulation after Britain leaves the European Union, in order to avoid supply disruption and protect public health. Britain is currently part of the European Medicines Agency (EMA), which acts as a one-stop-shop for approving and monitoring the safety of drugs across the bloc, but there is uncertainty about the regulatory set-up after Brexit. With Britain facing a general election on June 8, the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) said it was important for the next government to prioritize a smooth regulatory handover. "It is in the mutual interests of our new government and the EU to minimize the potential impact to patient health and well-being. Agreeing a phased transition for the UK's new relationship with the EU can help prevent 'day one' disruption," the trade group said in its election "manifesto". Drugmakers hope Britain can still work closely with the EMA after Brexit through some system of reciprocal or mutual recognition - but this idea faces significant hurdles, since Britain will be outside the EU single market. Many industrial companies, from aerospace engineers to makers of plastic mouldings, are concerned about the regulatory vacuum that could follow Britain's divorce from the EU, scheduled for March 2019. In addition to action on regulation, the ABPI also urged the government to adopt an industrial strategy that ensured Britain remained a leader in pharmaceuticals and called for healthcare investment to be increased in line with the G7 average. (Reporting by Ben Hirschler, editing by David Evans)
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The Trump administration and both parties in Congress are playing a high stakes game of chicken, using a key feature of the Affordable Care Act as a bargaining chip.

The White House said today it will continue to fund subsidies needed to keep the Affordable Care Act aliveat least in the short termin a bid to get Democrats to support a spending bill needed to keep the government open. But House Republicans are still challenging those subsidides in federal court, which could stop funding for them permanently. And it's unclear how long the White House will continue to support making those payments.

Stuck in the middle are insurers, who need to know soon whether those subsidies will continue before they commit to offering plans in 2018.

Also stuck: Consumers, millions of whom could lose a valuable but obscure feature of the ACA, face much bigger out-of-pocket costs or sharply higher premiums, or, in some places, could have no insurance options at all to choose from.



Healthcare As a Bargaining Chip

The subsidies at issue are called cost-sharing reductions. They currently help some 7 million lower-income Americans pay for out-of-pocket medical costs such as deductibles and co-pays for doctor visits or prescription drugs, which can add up to thousands of dollars per year.

Heres why those subsidies are so important right now: Although insurers are required by law to pay for those out-of-pocket costs, the government reimburses the companies only after they front the costs. And the Trump administration and Congress haven't decided whether they will continue to permanently reimburse insurers for those payments.

That puts insurers in a bind because they must decide by June, or May in some states, whether to offer plans on the ACA exchanges next year or how to price them. And without a guarantee of continued government funding for those subsidies, many insurers are likely to pull out of some or all of the ACA marketplaces, leaving millions of people without access to insurance, says Deep Banerjee, an analyst at S&P Global Ratings.

Story continues

Insurers who do opt to stay in the market will probably have to sharply raise their premiums to compensate for the reduced government support, according to a new analysis by the nonpartisan Kaiser Family Foundation.

It found that, nationally, insurers would have to hike premiums an average of 19 percent, though the impact would vary, from 9 percent in North Dakota to 27 percent in Mississippi.

The combined effect could have a devastating impact on many millions of people, especially those who have to come to rely on those cost-sharing subsidies to afford insurance.



How Cost-Sharing Helps Consumers

Almost 60 percent of the 11 million people who get health insurance through the ACA exchanges qualify for the cost-sharing subsidies, according to the Commonwealth Fund, a nonpartisan foundation that provides independent research on health and social issues.

That includes Pamela Sobstad, 56, a retail clerk in Milwaukee. The cost-sharing subsidies are designed especially for people like her: those who make too much to qualify for Medicaid but are still considered low-income. In 2017, that amounts to $11,800 to $29,700 per year for an individual and $24,250 to $60,625 for a family of four.

Before signing up for an ACA plan in 2015, she had gone almost two decades without seeing a doctor, she says. I couldn't afford to pay the fee just to walk into a doctor's office, Sobstad says.

After a routine checkup last year she was diagnosed with cervical cancer, and she had surgery to remove her cervix in February. Now she sees doctors as often as three times per week for scans and blood tests and takes medication to treat a thyroid condition. And, thanks to the ACAs cost-sharing feature, she pays nothing for the doctor visits and as little as $1 or nothing for prescriptions.

The way cost-sharing works is often invisible to consumers. When you enroll in an ACA Silver planone of the four categories of insurance plans sold on the exchangesand input your income, you are automatically shifted into one that has lower deductibles and reduced co-pays. The Treasury reimburses health plans directly to offer those cost reductions. So you dont see what you would have paid if you had not qualified.

But the savings can be dramatic, says Sara Collins, vice president of healthcare coverage and access at the Commonwealth Fund. For example, if you earn $35,000 per year too much for a subsidyyoud have a median $3,500 annual deductible. But if your income is $17,000 per year, with cost-sharing your deductible would be as little as $125 for the year.

Other out-of-pocket costs, such as co-pays and co-insurance that you pay each time you visit a doctor, would be a median $6,500 if you are in a Silver plan but didnt qualify for a cost-sharing subsidy. But in a plan with cost-sharing reductions, youd have to cover just $650 per year in out-of-pocket costs.

Sobstad says without that help, she would return to pre-ACA days. Back then she relied on free clinics to get her medication or went for months without filling a prescription.

Now she faces critical decisions about treatment for her cancer, including whether to have a hysterectomy to reduce the chances of a recurrence.

Right now I feel good knowing that I have options for treatment. If I lose the ability to pay for my healthcare, then I wont have any options.







More from Consumer Reports:

Top pick tires for 2016

Best used cars for $25,000 and less

7 best mattresses for couples





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Elizabeth Thomas, the Tennessee teen who was subject of multi-state Amber Alert for over a month, is suffering from panic attacks and is jittery, according to her family. Elizabeth was found April 19 in California with ex-teacher Tad Cummins, who is suspected of having kidnapped her.

"She didn't look like herself at all. She looked like she was very worn out, very thin. And very jittery," 15-year-old Elizabeths father Anthony Thomas said during an interview with "Primetime Justice" on CNN. "She's somebody who's actually more sure of herself, usually all smiles and she's been sort of the life of the party."

Elizabeth went missing March 13, following which law enforcement officials issued Amber Alerts in Tennessee and Alabama. Cummins, who was a health science teacher at Elizabeths Culleoka Unit School in Maury County, was suspected of abducting her. He lost his job following the alleged kidnapping.

The pair was located last Thursday in northern Californias remote Siskiyou County. While the 50-year-old former teacher was taken into custody, Elizabeth was reunited with her family.

Elizabeth's sister-in-law, Danielle Thomas, said the teen is suffering from panic attacks.

There are times where she's curled up in the middle of the floor crying and shaking and having panic attacks, Danielle said on the CNN show.

The teen was recovering at an undisclosed location, according to her father.

"Right now, she's somewhere where she can relax and be looked after by family and close friends and just take a break from everybody," he reportedly said. "We can't just... throw her right back in there and tell her to go clean her room."

Cummins has been detained in Californias Sacramento County jail since Friday, before which he was in the custody of Siskiyou Countys sheriffs department. On Monday, Cummins was produced at a federal court in California, where a judge approved a request to transfer him to Tennessee. He faces multiple charges, including knowingly transporting a minor across state lines with the intention to engage in sexual activity, which carries a minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum of life imprisonment.

Related Articles
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Top Trump administration officials will hold a rare briefing on Wednesday at the White House for the entire U.S. Senate on the situation in North Korea, senior Senate aides said on Monday.

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.

U.S. officials have expressed mounting concern over North Korea's nuclear and missile tests, and its threats to attack the United States and its Asian allies.

President Donald Trump criticized North Korea's "continued belligerence" and said its actions were destabilizing during a telephone call with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday, the White House said.

The briefing will take place at 3 p.m. EDT (1900 GMT).

House aides said they were working with the White House to set a similar briefing for members of the House of Representatives.

Related:

For more news videos visit Yahoo View, available now on iOS and Android.

(Reporting by Patricia Zengerle; Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe)
The European Union has begun taking legal action against Hungary over a law that would effectively shut down Central European University, founded by billionaire George Soros in 1991.

On Wednesday, a formal letter of notice was sent to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbans government asking for an explanation as to why it violated EU law by passing a piece of legislation that, for all intents and purposes, is custom-drafted to shut down a university. Hungary has one month to respond to the commissions legal concerns.

The law to shut down CEU is hardly the most egregious thing Orban or his Fidesz party have done to erode democracy in what is still, for now, an EU state and a NATO member. But the law gives Brussels a specific step that can be challenged by European bureaucracy to take Hungary to task more broadly for embracing illiberalism. In a way, its like Turkeys opposition party challenging the recent, deeply flawed constitutional referendum in European court: For all its flaws, Europe still has some institutions that amount to a break-the-glass last resort by which creeping authoritarianism can be checked.

The notice was sent ahead of a debate in the European Parliament, also held on Wednesday. Orban was present, at his own request, and as he is wont to do, blamed Soros for trying to wield undue influence over Hungary. He also said that Hungary had always respected the rules of the European Union, although it believed that the EU was in need of reform. He stressed that his country is unquestionably dedicated to European values, and that members of the European Parliament should stick to the facts of the matter at hand.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, this was not well-received by many members of the European Parliament in a debate that touched not only on CEU, but also on Hungarys oft-criticized stance on refugees  and on European values more broadly. Manfred Weber, head of the European Peoples Party, a grouping that includes Fidesz, criticized Orbans Stop Brussels campaign, national consultation asking Hungarian citizens for their aid in blocking Brussels influence.

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Those on the left minced no words. Youre lying and you know that you are lying, Gianni Pittella, head of the Socialists and Democrats group, cried, warning, Dont go back to Budapest saying its all our fault.

Guy Verhofstadt, president of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe, reminisced of first meeting Orban, back when the prime minister was a democrat; he likened him to a Hungarian Emmanuel Macron. But times have changed. You have changed. Now, Verhofstadt said, Orban wants to keep the EUs money, but not its values, giving in instead to paranoia. You see enemies everywhere  Its like Stalin or Brezhnev are back.

Philippe Lamberts, co-president of the Greens, asked why Orban, with his secure parliamentary majority, was so afraid of a free media and civil society.

Orban found some friends, though. Nigel Farage, who after engineering the United Kingdoms departure from the European Union cant get enough of his European parliamentary spotlight, suggested Orban joined the Brexit club.

But Orban is unlikely to do so, of his own volition or kicked out by Brussels. To invoke Article 7, the mechanism through which the European Council warns a country that its in violation of Europes fundamental rights, requires unanimity from the other member states. Poland in particular seems a fellow traveler for Hungary.

On Wednesday, Zdzislaw Krasnodebski, a MEP from Polands Law and Justice party  which rivals Fidesz for its embrace of illiberal principles  called universities a place of repression for conservatives.

Photo credit: Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images
Brussels (AFP) - EU nations granted refugee or protection status to 710,400 people last year, of whom more than half were Syrian, the bloc's statistical agency said on Wednesday.

The figure was "more than double the number of 2015," Eurostat said.

"The largest group of beneficiaries of protection status in the EU in 2016 remained citizens of Syria (405,600 persons, or 57 percent of the total number of persons granted protection status," it said.

Iraqis made up the second biggest group with 65,800, followed by Afghans with 61,800, it said.

Germany granted 445,210 people protection status in 2016, three times higher than the previous year, it said. Sweden followed with 69,350 -- or double that of 2015 -- and Italy came third with 35,450.

Germany had initially waived the so-called Dublin rules, in which asylum-seekers are meant to be sent back to the first European country they registered in, for Syrian refugees at the height of the migrant influx in 2015.

But after the arrival of around one million people, public misgivings grew, forcing Chancellor Angela Merkel to take steps to limit the arrivals.

Eurostat said 55 percent of the 710,400 people granted refugee status, 37 percent were given subsidiary protection -- meaning they would not be sent back home as there was a risk of harm there -- and eight percent were allowed to stay on for humanitarian reasons.

It said more than 1.2 million asylum requests were received by EU countries last year, a number close to the record applications made in 2015.
By Gabriela Baczynska BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union opened a legal case against Hungary on Wednesday over a threat to close a Budapest university founded by the liberal U.S. financier George Soros, an accusation the country's leader rejected as unfounded. The EU's executive Commission sent Budapest a formal notice, saying a new Hungarian higher education law violated academic freedom and democratic values, and gave it a month to respond. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban gave an initial response shortly afterwards, rejecting accusations Budapest was threatening the Central European University (CEU) and dismissing the Hungarian-born Soros as a "financial speculator". At a European Parliament debate on Hungary, Orban clashed with deputy Commission head Frans Timmermans, who said Brussels was also worried with his stance on asylum-seekers, a draft law on non-governmental groups (NGOs) and the rights of the Roma. "The single biggest miracle in my lifetime is the fall of the Berlin Wall ... and that Hungary became one of the democratic nations of Europe," Timmermans said. "That is something that was done by the Hungarian people themselves, striving for freedom. Protecting their freedom, however, is now a common European task." The CEU case is the latest in a string of Orban policies in ex-communist Hungary that have left Brussels and many EU states exasperated by what they see as his authoritarian tendencies. Budapest has said the legal changes were needed to prevent foreign universities from issuing dubious diplomas. Orban, in power since 2010, has often bashed the EU and repeatedly clashed with non-governmental organizations sponsored by Soros, who promotes a liberal and internationalist worldview that the nationalist-minded Hungarian leader dislikes. He said he strongly opposed the philanthropist's support for opening Europe more to immigration, but said Hungary was committed to the EU. "In many aspects, we are unhappy with how the EU works," he said. "When we criticize the EU, it's because we want to correct these mistakes and we want to reform the European Union." VALUES The CEU, a respected graduate-level institution, has stood as a bulwark of liberal thinking in Hungary and across eastern Europe since it opened in 1991 after the fall of Soviet-backed communism in the region. Its president, Canadian Michael Ignatieff, appealed this week to Brussels for help. Orban's critics say the move against the school is part of his broader push to stifle dissenting voices and put independent institutions - including the judiciary, media and NGOs - under closer government control. Belgian liberal Guy Verhofstadt, a leading member of the European Parliament, told Orban his policies were protectionist, nationalist, illiberal and paranoid, and they reminded him of those in the communist-era Hungary. "You see enemies everywhere in Hungary. In the media, in the energy sector, in NGOs, in the academic world," he said. "You signed up to the values of the Union. You have violated every single one of them." Manfred Weber, the head of the European People's Party, the largest parliamentary faction that includes Orban's own Fidesz party, called on Budapest to "take on board the Commission's request and implement them". The EU could impose sanctions on Hungary if it does not respond adequately to its notice, but its actual scope to punish Hungary is limited. Sanctions would require the unanimous backing of the other 27 states and Orban can count on his nationalist allies in Poland to oppose any harsh action. Brussels officials hope Orban can be persuaded to seek a compromise, a possibility highlighted by Timmermans' repeated expressions of gratitude for Orban's readiness for dialogue. "I think the Hungarian government will try to find a deal. The style of the discussion may not be very elegant but there will be some sort of a compromise in the end most likely," said one diplomat. (Additional reporting by Jan Strupczewski and Waverly Colville; Editing by Tom Heneghan)
By Francesco Guarascio BRUSSELS (Reuters) - European Union lawmakers began on Wednesday a process to lift French presidential candidate Marine Le Pen's immunity over alleged misuse of EU funds, although they will not summon her before next week's run-off vote. French judges had asked the European parliament to lift her immunity from prosecution as a member of the EU legislature to allow further investigation into allegations she misused the funds to pay for National Front party assistants. The French request "has been forwarded to the legal affairs committee of the European parliament, which is in charge of these issues", the chairman of the legislature, Antonio Tajani, told lawmakers at the beginning of a formal sitting in Brussels. This step marks the formal beginning of the procedure. Le Pen, who staunchly opposes the EU, is campaigning for the May 7 run-off, after coming second at Sunday's first round. She has denounced legal proceedings against her as political interference. Tajani said that a procedure was also launched over lifting the immunity of another member of the National Front, Marie-Christine Boutonnet, for a similar case of alleged misuse of EU funds. In addition to the case over misused EU funds, the parliament is also assessing whether to strip Le Pen of her immunity for a separate investigation on defamation. Parliament officials said a hearing on her pending cases, initially penciled for next week, was postponed due to the heavy legislative agenda of the legal affairs committee, which oversees cases of immunity suspension. Le Pen could have decided not to attend. It takes usually several months for the parliament to decide on immunity waivers. Most cases have resulted in the lawmakers under investigation being stripped of their immunity. The EU legislature removed Le Pen's immunity in March in relation to another French investigation over her posting of pictures of Islamic State violence on social media, an offense that in France can carry a penalty of three years in prison and a fine of 75,000 euros ($81,700). EU lawmakers have also already sanctioned Le Pen for misspending EU funds. They want her to reimburse 300,000 euros ($330,000). Since February, her monthly salary as an EU lawmaker has been cut by half to about 3,000 euros and other allowances have been withdrawn after she refused to pay. (Editing by Louise Ireland)


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A little more than a year ago, as Donald Trump was solidifying his frontrunner status for the Republican nomination in the face of a mounting toll of gaffes and outrageous pronouncements, Yahoo News set out to answer the question that had many establishment Republicans scratching their heads: Who are his supporters, anyway? In a series of profiles, we explored the backgrounds and beliefs of voters who had fallen early and hard for Trump. Now, with the presidents approval ratings near historic lows, we have gone back to these voters for their views about his presidency as it nears the 100-day mark. Are they disappointed that Obamacare hasnt been repealed? Excited by the administrations stepped-up deportation efforts? Dismayed by reports of chaos in the White House? Or energized by the presidents continued outspokenness? Here is one of those reports. Links to the others and a summary of what we found are here.



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The first time I met Eileen Schmidt was a little over a year ago as she stood listening to Donald Trump speak at what became a rowdy rally at the University of Iowa in Iowa City, back when the New York real estate mogul was still a long shot in his bid for the GOP nomination, much less the presidency.

I had taken a photograph of her son, Dylan, a baby-faced 11-year-old who was wearing a Make America Great Again shirt that was a few sizes too big. But it was a shiny political button on his chest that first caught my eye. Bomb the s*** out of ISIS, it read, memorializing a quote that Trump had first used a few months before to describe how he would protect the U.S. from terrorism.

Dylan had picked out the pin himself at a stand outside the rally, and though it seemed unusual for a kid to be wearing a button with a curse word  especially in a conservative, family-values state like Iowa  Schmidt told me she was OK with it. Trumps blunt pledge to annihilate ISIS was one of the things she really liked about him. Speaking a few weeks after the deadly San Bernardino, Calif., shootings  an ISIS-inspired attack that killed 14 people and injured 22 others  Schmidt said she lived in fear of something like that hitting close to home, and she supported Trumps promise to take the fight to militants overseas.

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By fortuitous timing, Schmidt and I spoke again more than a year later on a recent April afternoon when U.S. officials had just announced the deployment of the nations most powerful nonnuclear bomb on a cave and tunnel complex in Afghanistan said to be used by ISIS fighters. Schmidt, a nurse who works the early morning shift, had just gotten off work and hadnt seen the news.

I think what just happened is what Trump would describe as bombing the s*** out of ISIS, I told her.

Progress! Schmidt exclaimed. This is a wake-up call to people that [Trump] isnt messing around, that he is moving forward and hes doing what he can to keep America safe.

As she was a year ago, Schmidt is firmly Team Trump. She loves the things that make many of his critics cringe, including his use of Twitter; his seeming willingness to say whatever he thinks, even if it offends people, and his habit of criticizing  even members of his own party. As we neared the 100-day mark of Trumps presidency, Schmidt said she was happy with everything he had done so far, even if he had come up short on issues such as his pledge to repeal and replace Obamacare early in his presidency.

I was disappointed, but he didnt dwell on it and moved on to the next thing, and I liked that, Schmidt said. I dont think it shocked him that it failed.  There are so many people against him, and I think you need to have those people actually feel the [negative] effects of the law in order to get something done. When they do, they will take it up again and something will pass.

She dismissed Trump critics who say he hasnt done enough to nudge Congress on the issue or used the deal-making skills he promised to employ to push other legislative priorities along. Its still early, she pointed out, dismissing the criticism as the usual finger-pointing that has contributed to paralyzing political gridlock in Washington. We dont have time for that. People, stop criticizing everybody else, sit down together and make things happen.

Another important issue to Schmidt was cracking down on illegal immigration, and she said she was thrilled by Trumps early moves  including soliciting bids for his planned wall along the U.S. border with Mexico, and an executive order pushing law enforcement agents to enforce immigration laws. She also supported Trumps efforts to temporarily ban individuals from six Muslim-majority countries from traveling to the U.S.  which has been put on hold by a federal court amid claims it violates the Constitution. I dont mind if people come here, as long as they are vetted and have all their paperwork in order, she said. This is about keeping us safe, and I support that.

While she also supported Trumps move to strike Syria and expressed trust in his foreign policy judgment, Schmidt said her only concern is that Trump work strongly with other foreign allies on any major military operations. It cant just be done by Donald Trump, she said. We cant go it alone. We have to work with other people, and there has to be strong reasoning behind it.

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Read more from The Ever-Trumpers:

Read more from Yahoo News coverage of Trumps first 100 days:
A little more than a year ago, as Donald Trump was solidifying his frontrunner status for the Republican nomination in the face of a mounting toll of gaffes and outrageous pronouncements, Yahoo News set out to answer the question that had many establishment Republicans scratching their heads: Who are his supporters, anyway? In a series of profiles, we explored the backgrounds and beliefs of voters who had fallen early and hard for Trump. Now, with the presidents approval ratings near historic lows, we have gone back to these voters for their views about his presidency as it nears the 100-day mark. Are they disappointed that Obamacare hasnt been repealed? Excited by the administrations stepped-up deportation efforts? Dismayed by reports of chaos in the White House? Or energized by the presidents continued outspokenness? Here is one of those reports. Links to the others and a summary of what we found are here.

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Justin Neal voted for Donald Trump because he wanted an economic turnaround, and because he felt too many Americans were dependent on the government.

Three months into the Trump presidency, Yahoo News checked back with Neal, who said he is not happy with how things have gone but puts most of the blame on the media and on Republicans who have refused to work with Trump.

Honestly, Im a little frustrated. Not that Im frustrated with the president. The process is frustrating, Neal, a 41-year-old mechanic at Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia, told Yahoo News.

I dont know if hes doing a good job or has the ability to do a good job. Theres so much fighting and bickering back and forth, Neal said. Theyre just demonizing him so bad. Back off  hes our president. Let him do his job.

Theres so much negativity, from the media, mostly, Neal said. But he also criticized Republican members of Congress who opposed Trumps attempt to repeal and replace the health care bill passed by a Democratic-controlled Congress under then-President Obama.

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I dont like that we still have rogue Republicans that are just not supporting. I dont know names right off the bat.  I still think theres a lot of Republicans in our House and in our Senate who are just anti-Trump, and it doesnt make a difference if something is a good idea or a bad idea. Its just I dont like you, he said.

But Neal also said he was happy that the health care replacement bill failed, forcing Trump and Congress to go back to the drawing board. The health care thing was pushed through way too quick, and I think it wasnt a good plan. And Im glad it didnt go through, he said.

Neal, the father of two teenage girls, said the best thing Trump has done so far is sign an executive order to repeal environmental regulations put in place under Obama.

The worst thing Trump has done so far, Neal said, is to keep using his Twitter account.

Get off the Twitter. Cant stand it, Neal said. I understand why he does it  because he doesnt trust the media to report it. And thats a way for him to put it out there. I understand to a point. But some of the stuff, honestly, is childish to me. Just stop now.

Neal had mixed feelings about the presidents missile strike against Syria. It had to be done, he said. But he added that the prospect of getting drawn into a broader conflict in Syria, or with Russia  which is backing Syrian dictator Bashar Assad  is terrifying.

It could be a global disaster. So that scares me. But I find comfort knowing that I think these other countries know that also, Neal said. The whole point of owning a nuclear weapon is not to use it.

Im hoping that with the missile strike with Syria  Im hoping that will kinda show some of the other nations that were not all talk anymore; that were willing to back up what we say. And I believe, like, what Reagan said, were gonna demand peace through strength.

Looking forward, Neal said he hopes Trump can work with Congress to succeed in passing a new health care bill on the second try. He was more measured about his expectations regarding immigration.

I think theyre going to come up with something thats going to work on health care. Id like to see that, he said. Immigration is something theyre going to fight over forever. I dont ever think hes going to accomplish what he said he would  getting all of the undocumented people out of the country. Theres just too many.

And Neal said that, in fact, he doesnt support deporting all undocumented immigrants.

Theres been people here whove been here so long that, me personally, Im not saying that its right, but when theyve lived in the country for as long as they have, I think its almost inhumane to throw them out, he said. There should be some sort of amnesty thing passed for it, and I think there will be. To say were gonna have everyone out of here  I think it was said to get everyones attention.

Neals biggest concern is that the country remains extremely divided.

I dont know what is going to happen. But we as a nation  I dont care what color, background  we need to stop being so divided and stop all the fighting, he said.

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Read more from The Ever-Trumpers:

Read more from Yahoo News coverage of Trumps first 100 days:
A little more than a year ago, as Donald Trump was solidifying his frontrunner status for the Republican nomination in the face of a mounting toll of gaffes and outrageous pronouncements, Yahoo News set out to answer the question that had many establishment Republicans scratching their heads: Who are his supporters, anyway? In a series of profiles, we explored the backgrounds and beliefs of voters who had fallen early and hard for Trump. Now, with the presidents approval ratings near historic lows, we have gone back to these voters for their views about his presidency as it nears the 100-day mark. Are they disappointed that Obamacare hasnt been repealed? Excited by the administrations stepped-up deportation efforts? Dismayed by reports of chaos in the White House? Or energized by the presidents continued outspokenness? Here is one of those reports. Links to the others and a summary of what we found are here.



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When we first met Nell Frisbie a year ago, she was fending off friends who thought she had lost her mind because she was backing Donald Trump. The brash New York billionaire was the scourge of the Republican Party establishment that Frisbie had been aligned with for much of her life, written off as a vulgarian and a joke candidate who lacked serious political experience. Have you gone and lost your mind? one friend said to her at the time, a question that still makes Frisbie chuckle.

But Frisbie stuck with Trump, through the highs and lows of his insurgent presidential bid, through the scandals and missteps and verbal gaffes that more than once had people writing off his campaign for dead. When he defeated Hillary Clinton last November, a victory that stunned the world and even the candidate himself, Frisbie wasnt surprised at all. She saw Trump as a blunt-talking change agent, beholden to no one, who could cut through political gridlock and tackle tough issues, such as the national debt, to get the country back on track. People wanted change, the 80-year-old grandmother from Kiln, Miss., said recently. Things could not go on the way they were.

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Now, nearly 100 days into Trumps unlikely presidency, Frisbie is still firmly behind the former reality star turned leader of the free world  though she admits that some of what has gone on in Washington on Trumps watch has made her spitting mad. For one thing, shes angry that the Republican attempt to repeal and replace former President Barack Obamas health care plan went down in flames. I mean, why havent they been working for the last eight years planning on what theyd do if they got control again? she said. They act like this is a whole new ballgame for them. Give me a break. They should have had a plan. It just irritates me to no end.

But she doesnt blame the president so much as congressional Republicans, whom she still considers part of the political gridlock paralyzing Washington that led her to break with her establishment friends to back an outsider like Trump. They need to stay in Washington and buckle down and do their jobs like you do your job, like I do my job, she said. If I have to stay late at night to catch up, thats what I have to do. And thats what they need to do. They need to work and deliver solutions  and if they wont do it, they need to get the hell out of there and get somebody else in there who will.

Asked if Trump needs to do more to help cut through that gridlock, as he promised he would on the campaign trail, Frisbie is reluctant to criticize the president  though she admits she would like to see more of the legendary dealmaker in action. On health care, she says, He left too much up to [House Speaker] Paul Ryan. Trump, she said, needs to do more to get Republicans behind him and then press them to work harder. She also wants him to find whatever common ground he can with Democrats  just as he promised he would. Hes a good salesman, she said. He needs to sell them.

Frisbie has a long list of campaign promises that she expects Trump to deliver on  though shes realistic in admitting he wont get them all. Among other things, shes anxious to see his proposals on rebuilding the nations infrastructure, tax reform and more proposals to spur job growth. She was encouraged by his executive order that seeks to roll back some of Obamas climate change proposals to assist the coal industry. Hes helping the miners get back to work, she said. Thats a good start.

Last year, one of her biggest issues was cracking down on illegal immigration  an issue that was personal to her. A few years ago, her niece was killed in a car accident involving an illegal immigrant who was drunk at the wheel, an incident that devastated her family. She likes Trumps early steps on immigration, including the administrations solicitation of bids for the border wall along the U.S. border with Mexico (though it appears so far that the U.S., not Mexico, will pay for it, a reversal of a Trump campaign pledge). She liked Trumps executive order declaring that U.S. officials should enforce immigration laws already on the books, and she supports the administrations efforts to strip federal funding from cities accused of not cooperating with the immigration authorities. When I think of sanctuary cities, I think they need to cut them off at the knees, she said. We need to protect our own people.

She supported Trumps decision to fire missiles at Syria in the aftermath of what U.S. officials say was a chemical attack by Syrian President Bashar Assad on his own people. While some Trump supporters opposed the move because it seemed to contradict Trumps pledge to focus on America first and avoid messy conflicts overseas, Frisbie said she believed it would help him be taken more seriously by foreign leaders.

But the prospect of war worries Frisbie, whose grandson is considering applying to become a Navy SEAL, a position that could send him to the front lines of any future conflict. While she supported the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, she frets about the U.S. getting caught up in another troubled military intervention. I dont think we should go it alone, she said. Thats one lesson we need to learn from what happened before. We cant go it alone on things like this.

Unlike some Trump supporters, and even some White House staff, Frisbie has no problem with the presidents frequent use of Twitter, which she sees as his way of talking past a hostile news media and speaking directly to his supporters. She dismisses the idea that Trump should change his ways and become more presidential. You cant change a person that much, she said of Trumps style. But with a laugh, she added how much she likes Vice President Mike Pence. I think Mike Pence is wonderful for him because I think Mike Pence can pull his chain  and I hope he will when he needs to.

While Mississippi is a firmly red state, Frisbie said she still knows plenty of people who roll their eyes about Trump, including some Republicans. Though the election is over, she said she still feels as if shes campaigning for Trump sometimes, urging people to give him a chance.

I am still very much in favor of Trump, she said. He hasnt done anything that has made me go, Oh, did I make a mistake? I would do it all over again. But we should give him some time. And we also need to give him some support. These people who say hes not my president. Well, yes, he is. He is your president.

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Read more from The Ever-Trumpers:

Read more from Yahoo News coverage of Trumps first 100 days:
From Popular Mechanics

The last thing a fighter pilot wants to do is eject, and it's not just because they're abandoning the ship to a fiery demise. The turbulent process of ejecting puts pilots at serious risk of injury. Once those rockets fire under the seat, they blow a person up and out of the cockpit with enough force to seriously bruise both shoulders on the harness straps and possibly break collarbones. And you better tuck in your knees and elbows, because if anything hits the side of the cockpit on the way out, it's coming off.

I recently went down to Langley Air Force Base in Hampton, Virginia, during the 2017 Atlantic Trident exercise, an international training exercise in which American, British, and French air forces fly all three nations' top jets together. F-22s, F-35s, French Dassault Rafales, and British Eurofighter Typhoons took to the skies together for the very first time, pitting the new jets in mock engagements against red air adversaries in F-15s and T-38s. I got to hop in the back of a T-38 trainer for one of the exercise flights-but not before five hours of egress and ejection training just in case anything went wrong.

A Fire Under Your Ass

First, you learn what to listen for. If the pilot needs to warn you that you're going to have to eject in the near future, he will use the word "eject," as in, "Hey, get ready, we are going to have to eject in about 30 seconds." If things go horribly wrong and you need to blow out of the ship immediately, the command is, "bailout! bailout! bailout!"

Photo credit: Jay Bennett

Each pilot, co-pilot, or weapons systems officer wears a large parachute and harness that buckles into the seat of their aircraft. When you pull one or both of the two levers positioned on the sides of the seat, charges fire to blow the aircraft canopy and then rocket boosters under your ass take the whole seat, with you in it, up and out of the jet. Within seconds you should be floating over the falling aircraft with a parachute canopy fluttering over your head.

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In newer two-seat jets, the ejection seats are synchronized so activating one triggers the other. But in the older T-38, each person needs to take care of himself or herself. The co-pilot sitting in the rear seat needs to go first-otherwise the rockets from the pilot's seat will burn the person sitting behind. After you fly out, the seat itself falls away. The chute automatically deploys if you are at low enough altitude, and if all goes well, you should float to the ground at a speed that won't kill you.

But your work is not done just because you yanked those levers and left the jet. The system is designed to be mostly automated, but there is no guarantee that everything will function like it's supposed to. A small metal key attaches to the main belt of your harness, and when you eject, it pulls and activates a small red knob on the left side of your harness, called the "red apple" by airmen. This activates your parachute, which will deploy automatically as long as you are 14,000 feet or lower. (Any higher and you could freeze, or go hypoxic from lack of oxygen, or both. Not to mention that canopy openings at high altitude are much more violent due to the thinner air, increasing the risk of injury upon chute deployment.)

If you fall below 14,000 feet and your chute fails to deploy, you can pull a rip cord manually to release the canopy. Generally speaking, a pilot would know the altitude at which they punched out, but it can be difficult to tell how high you are once you are free falling. The instructor at Langley simply said, "If you see the ground coming up big and fast, pull the rip cord." If the chute deploys above 14,000 feet and you are having trouble breathing, there is a "green apple" knob on the right side of your harness that you can pull to buy yourself about eight minutes of oxygen supplied to your mask from a reserve in your parachute rig.

Hiccups

If you ever have to punch out of a fighter jet, you will quickly want to assess your situation, which will determine the next step. You are over either water or land, and more importantly, you are either at a high enough altitude to prepare for the landing or too low to do anything but brace for impact.

In the case of a low-altitude ejection, all you can do is glance at your canopy to make sure it opened fully and then tuck your feet, bend your knees, and prepare to hit hard. The proper technique is to hit with the side of one of your feet first, and then collapse with the momentum so that the impact spreads out over the side of your leg, your hip, and then below the shoulder on your back, dissipating some of the energy. If you land straight on the balls of your feet, or with stiff legs, you're liable to break something even if you have had adequate time to slow down with the parachute.

If you eject up around 10,000 feet, so you have a little time in the air, there is a standard checklist to run through, one that fighter pilots can rattle off in their sleep: canopy, visor, mask, seat kit, LPU (life preserver unit), 4-line jettison, steer into the wind, prepare for PLF (parachute landing fall). First you put your hands on the parachute risers and tilt your head back to get a good look at the chute. It's possible that in the chaos of ejection the suspension lines get twisted up, in which case you are supposed to grab the risers, pull them apart, and kick your legs like a wild man riding a bicycle to spin yourself around and untangle the lines.

The parachute canopy itself should be a nice full circle, but a couple things can happen to give you two smaller circles rather than a full canopy, significantly reducing the effectiveness of the chute. The first is that a suspension line can get caught up over the top of the canopy. If this happens, you have to start tugging on lines to find the one or ones that got snagged. You can yank on the line and move it around to try to force it to fall free, but if that doesn't work-and this is going to sound a little crazy-you are supposed to cut the line. Flight suits have a small pocket containing a hooked knife for just this purpose. But there is a hard and fast rule: Don't cut more than four lines. If you cut four, and you still haven't found the one that got snagged, you just have to make due with the tangled chute and brace for a hard landing.

The other common malfunction is called a partial inversion. A full inversion is when the parachute canopy deploys inside out, but generally speaking this is no big deal and you might not even notice. A partial inversion, however, is when the canopy itself gets twisted so half the chute is deployed inside out and there are two distinct domes separated by the twist in the middle. If this happens, you are supposed to yank down on the risers as close to your hips as you can get them, then let them go so they snap back into place, shaking the chute and hopefully untwisting it to give you that nice full canopy.

Come on Down

Once the canopy is fully deployed, the rest of the checklist is fairly straightforward. Lift your visor away from your eyes and then pull off your mask. Make sure the seat itself has fallen away from you and that the seat kit, full of survival supplies, is dangling behind you. After that, if you are going make a water landing, activate your life preserver unit by pulling down on two cords (if you do not do this manually, the LPU will deploy automatically after soaking up a bit of water).

Then it comes time for the four-line jettison. Assuming you didn't have to cut any lines, your chute is fully deployed, and there are no holes in your canopy, you are instructed to pull down on both the steering lines, all the way to your hips, which shears four lines on one side of the parachute. This creates an indentation on that side of the chute, which propels the parachute forward at about 5 knots.

After the four-line jettison, the goal is to use the steering lines to steer into the wind so that when you hit the ground, you are traveling nearly straight down. You get into the correct body position for a PLF-feet together, bent knees, chin tucked in-and use the same technique mentioned before to fall along one side of your body, maximizing the number of impact surfaces.

Once you touch down, it's a matter of surviving until you are found and rescued. If you are in the water, which is likely considering the Air Force does much of their flight training over water and Navy aviators operate from carriers, then you are probably very cold. Your seat kit contains a one-man raft that automatically inflates as well as survival supplies including a flare, smoke signal, knife, first aid supplies, water and some other basic provisions. It can take hours or days for rescue crews to find you, especially if it's dark or you're in a remote location.

If you have to eject from a fighter plane, you will come away from the experience significantly bruised and battered, possibly with fractured bones and torn ligaments. But despite the risks of ejection seats, they do save pilots' lives. Just last week, a Navy aviator safely ejected from an F/A-18 after an aborted landing on the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson. In 2004, a U.S. airman at Nellis AFB had to eject from the then-new F-22 Raptor when the flight controls failed during takeoff, injuring him from the low-altitude ejection, but saving his life.

No pilot ever wants to eject. The sting of losing the aircraft is often coupled with the sting of serious physical injury. But compared to the alternative, the choice is clear.

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Bangkok (AFP) - President Donald Trump's attempts to ban people from six Muslim countries from travelling to the United States "played into the hands" of extremists, the UK's former prime minister said Wednesday.

Trump has said a travel ban is needed to preserve national security and keep out extremists.

But federal judges have halted Trump's revised executive order issued in March to temporarily close US borders to refugees and nationals from six Muslim-majority countries.

David Cameron condemned the Trump administration's proposed travel ban, saying it alienated Muslim moderates and allies, as senior figures from global tourism gathered in Bangkok for a conference.

Cameron said in his opening speech that violent Islamism was "the biggest threat to our world and also to this industry" but that leaders should not promote policies that emboldened extremists.

"That was my biggest problem with the Trump travel ban," he told delegates, adding that "labelling whole countries as extreme and dangerous because they were predominantly Islamic" encouraged extremists' narrative of a clash between the west and Islam.

Trying to ban people from key western allies like Iraq, which is bearing the brunt of fighting with the Islamic State group, was "not the action of a friend", he added.

"I thought it (the ban) was misconceived from the outset," he said.

Taleb Rifai, the Jordanian-born secretary general of the UN's World Tourism Organization, also took aim at Trump.

Increased security, he said, "does not mean building walls or banning people from travelling".

"They (extremists) want us to stop travelling, they want us to be separated, they want us to mistrust one another and to hate one another," he added.

When a conference moderator mentioned that Trump's plan to build a wall between the US and Mexico had stumbled, the audience burst into applause and cheers.
By Steven Shapiro

Recent U.S. airstrikes against Syria were ridiculous, according to Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova.

In a blunt, at times contentious, interview with Yahoo Global News Anchor Katie Couric, Zakharova called the strikes unacceptable and said they violated international law and made no military or political sense.

They brought the situation nowhere, she said.

She went on to say that the goal of the West to oust Syrian President Bashar Assad is not a way out, it is a dead end.

When pressed on whether Assad was responsible for the chemical attacks that led to the U.S. military action, she said, Our decisions should be based on real evidence, detailing Russias desire to have independent investigators determine blame. She pointed to U.S. claims in 2003 that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction, which later turned out to be false.

That was the worst thing that happened to the Security Council, to the United States, to the Middle East region, Zakharova said.

The wide-ranging, exclusive conversation began with Zakharova objecting to Courics characterization of the Russian government as a regime.

I think if a president is elected by the people of his country, its not about being a regime, its about being a democracy, she said.

Zakharova said that relations between the U.S. and Russia began to deteriorate during the Obama administration, in part because of what she called fake news reports about her country that were disseminated during those years.

What Im facing today is, the main role of the media is to separate people (in order) to divide the world into separate parts. I think its dangerous.

She dismissed claims from American and European intelligence officials that, in actuality, Russia is disseminating fake news to achieve its geopolitical goals.

I just want any example of Russia spreading fake news, just show me one example, she said. I can present you tons, dozens, billions of examples of Western media spreading false news about Russia, she told Couric.

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She rejected the conclusion of U.S. intelligence assessments that Vladimir Putin ordered an influence campaign aimed at the 2016 U.S. presidential election. She also brushed aside the notion that Russia supports Marine Le Pen in the French election. We do not support candidates for foreign elections. Its not our business at all.

Regarding North Korea, Zakharova said Russia does not support that nations testing of nuclear weapons despite vetoing a U.N. Security Council statement to condemn the tests, put forth by the U.S. and reportedly backed by 14 other nations, including China.

There is a mechanism, six-party talks, and the question is not for Russia. The question should go to the United States (as to) why they have rejected this mechanism of improving the situation in the Korean Peninsula.

Zakharova was less forthcoming when it came to discussing recent reports that the Chechnyan government is arresting and torturing gay men. She would only say that Russia is holding an investigation into the matter. Human rights groups say at least three men have died in these alleged incarcerations.

And as for the future of former NSA contractor and fugitive Edward Snowden, who has been living in exile in Moscow, Zakharova said the duration of his stay in her nation is up to him.

Hes just a human being. Hes a person, and he has his own will to decide where he will stay.
By Olzhas Auyezov ALMATY (Reuters) - Shavkat Mirziyoyev, the new president of Uzbekistan, has moved to consolidate his power by sidelining a member of the triumvirate that has ruled the ex-Soviet state since last year, two sources familiar with the government told Reuters. Uzbekistan, a major cotton exporter which sits on transit routes for natural gas shipped to China and Russia and has considerable hydrocarbon reserves of its own, has been in flux since Islam Karimov died last year after ruling for 27 years. Mirziyoyev became president but effectively shared power with two other men - Deputy Prime Minister Rustam Azimov and Rustam Inoyatov, head of the SNB state security service. But Azimov, a man long seen in the West as the standard-bearer for reform in Uzbekistan, has now been sidelined, said the two sources. The reform baton has been taken up instead by the president, who has decided to personally oversee a program of cautious economic change. That effectively leaves Mirziyoyev and security boss Inoyatov as the two men sharing power in Uzbekistan, Central Asia's most populous nation, potentially reducing the complexity of decision-making. That could reassure foreign governments worried about the threat of instability in the mainly Muslim country, which borders Afghanistan. But there are tensions between the two remaining men in power. Last month, sources told Reuters that Mirziyoyev, keen to prove himself a reformer, was at odds with the more cautious Inoyatov over the pace of economic liberalization and, in particular, moves such as the introduction of a free float for the tightly-managed sum currency. Mirziyoyev has spoken of the need for economic reform as well as steps to improve foreign ties, raising hopes of greater openness. Foreign diplomats say real progress towards reform is being made under him. COMPETING POWERS Major foreign firms were wary of investing in Uzbekistan under former president Karimov, while he had strained ties with Russia and the United States, the two powers that compete for influence in Central Asia. But investors see business opportunities if the country's new rulers adopt market reforms to replace the Soviet-style command economy. Azimov, the man who has been sidelined, wielded considerable informal power. He was close to the late president and was the lead pallbearer, alongside Mirziyoyev, at his funeral last September. However, since then, Azimov, 58, has been passed over for the post of prime minister and been replaced as Uzbekistan's representative on the board of governors of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). A source close to the Uzbek government told Reuters Azimov's informal influence had also waned. Another source, a diplomat, said Mirziyoyev had supplanted Azimov by building his own team to oversee economic reforms. Azimov has been tasked with what looks like less glamorous work - implementing a state program to provide rural households with chickens and lemon trees. Mirziyoyev has picked Sodiq Safoyev, deputy speaker of the upper chamber of parliament since last December, as one of the men who will lead reforms and attract foreign investment instead, said the diplomatic source. The source said Safoyev, 63, who last month replaced Azimov in the EBRD role, has effectively become Mirziyoyev's main adviser on foreign affairs. The Uzbek government, Mirziyoyev's office and Safoyev's office did not reply to requests for comment from Reuters. (Additional reporting by Margarita Antidze in Tbilisi; Editing by Andrew Osborn and Andrew Roche)
By Julia Harte

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Public pension funds in at least seven U.S. states have invested millions of dollars in an investment fund that owns a New York hotel and pays one of President Donald Trump's companies to run it, according to a Reuters review of public records. That arrangement could put Trump at risk of violating an obscure constitutional clause, some legal experts say.

The Trump SoHo Hotel and Condominium in Manhattan is an upscale 46-story property owned by a Los Angeles investment group, the CIM Group, through one of its real estate funds. (Read the most recent amendment to the Trump SoHos offering plan: http://tmsnrt.rs/2q3HJH8)

The possible problem for Trump lies in the fact that state- and city-run pension funds have invested in the CIM fund and pay it a few million dollars in quarterly fees to manage their investments in its portfolio, which includes the Trump SoHo, according to state investment records.

In return for marketing and managing the hotel-condo, CIM pays Trump International Hotels Management LLC 5.75 percent of the SoHo's operating revenues annually.

That payment chain merits closer scrutiny because it could put Trump at risk of falling foul of a little-known constitutional rule prohibiting the flow of money from states to the pockets of a sitting president, five ethics and constitutional law experts interviewed by Reuters said. (Graphic on Trump SoHo payment chain: http://tmsnrt.rs/2pfkZ40)

No other public pension fund investments in Trump-affiliated businesses have been reported.

The White House referred comment to the Trump Organization, the parent conglomerate for Trump's businesses, which did not respond to repeated calls and emails for comment.

While Trump turned over management of the Trump Organization in January to a trust controlled by his two elder sons, he still earns revenue from the SoHo. That's because he still owns the businesses in the Trump Organization, including Trump International Hotels Management LLC.

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Article II of the U.S. Constitution bars the president from receiving additional payments beyond his salary from state governments. This so-called domestic emoluments clause prohibits any other emolument from the United States, or any of them.

This clause and a foreign emoluments clause prohibiting similar payments from foreign governments have been thrust to the fore because of Trump's vast, complicated network of businesses, which ethics experts say has created unprecedented conflicts of interest.

A group of constitutional and ethics experts have filed a lawsuit alleging Trump was violating both clauses by letting his hotels and other businesses accept payments from public officials. Trump said the suit was without merit. The lawsuit does not refer to the CIM fund.

The group's April complaint cited dozens of violations, including foreign government leases and purchases at Trumps properties in the United States, which have resulted in unknown amounts being paid to Trump since he was inaugurated.

FUNDS HAVE 5 MILLION MEMBERS

The SoHo hotel-condo management contract is a significant revenue generator for Trump through his hotel management company. In 2015 and the first five months of 2016, Trump International Hotels Management LLC drew at least $3.1 million from the SoHo, and Trump received $3.3 million in income from the hotel management company, hotel records and campaign filings show. (Read the 2014 and 2015 financial statements for the Trump SoHo: http://tmsnrt.rs/2q3VNjP)

CIM said its policy is not to comment on its private funds, agreements, or the operations of its funds investments.

The state- or city-run pension funds are in California, New York, Texas, Arizona, Montana, Michigan and Missouri. They have more than 5 million members - from state lawmakers in California to teachers in Texas and state police officers in New York. They include the California Public Employees Retirement System, which is the nations largest public pension fund, and the New York State Common Retirement Fund.

The pension funds' money accounts for about half of the total capital CIM raised from its investors to invest in the properties in the fund, including the Trump SoHo, according to the pension funds' financial records and SEC filings. CIM declined to disclose how many properties are in the fund.

Some of the 11 pension funds contacted by Reuters declined to comment on the payment chain between them and Trump. Others referred the question to CIM, saying their investment in the CIM fund does not give them control over its asset acquisitions.

"UNCHARTED TERRITORY"

Reuters presented its findings to six lawyers with expertise in constitutional law and emoluments issues.

One of the lawyers, David Rivkin Jr., associate White House counsel during the George H. W. Bush administration, said the public investments do not put Trump at risk of violating the Constitution.

Payments clearly related to non-official activities that "have nothing to do with the discharge of duties in office" are not emoluments, Rivkin said.

Three, however, said if Trump financially benefited from a business whose owner drew millions of dollars in fees from U.S. states - in this case CIM - this presented a serious argument for a domestic emoluments violation.

If you take a step back and look at this transaction, its a payment chain from state pension funds to President Trump, said Jed Shugerman, a law professor at Fordham University. This looks like an emolument to me.

Two other lawyers said the arrangement raised significant questions, but all depended on how broadly a court interpreted the constitutional clause.

Were in largely uncharted territory on that front given that past presidents have gone to great lengths to avoid the kinds of issues were now confronting, said Brianne Gorod, chief counsel at the Constitutional Accountability Center, a Washington research organization and public advocacy law firm.

None of the 11 pension funds contacted by Reuters said they were prepared to divest from the CIM fund. For instance, the Teacher Retirement System of Texas, which has invested $225 million in the CIM fund, said it was not our practice to comment on questions of this nature.

One member of the Texas teachers' pension fund, Byron Hildebrand, 61, state secretary for the Association of Texas Professional Educators, however, said he would alert teachers across his state to the pension fund's exposure to the Trump hotel and call on the state to consider divesting.

Divesting from the CIM fund would likely force the public pension funds to sell their CIM shares at a loss, said Tom Lopez, the chief investment officer of the Los Angeles Fire and Police Pensions, one of the pension funds in the CIM fund, which is also known as a real estate partnership.

Even though the partnerships returns on investment are overall quite strong, trying to sell interest in a 10-year-old partnership is like trying to sell a used car, he said.

Lopez noted that all the public funds invested in the CIM fund long before it acquired the SoHo  and long before anybody thought Trump would become president.

(Additional reporting by Sharon Bernstein in Sacramento, Sarah Lynch in Washington and IFR's Joy Wiltermuth in New York; Editing by Jason Szep and Ross Colvin)
Brussels (AFP) - The exiled former editor-in-chief of Turkish opposition newspaper Cumhuriyet urged EU leaders Wednesday to stand up for their principles and confront President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Can Dundar, who fled to Germany last year while appealing against a near six-year jail term for revealing state secrets, told AFP in an interview however that it could be too late after they abandoned their "ideals" to win a refugee deal with Ankara.

Speaking shortly after Turkey detained more than 1,000 people in a new crackdown against alleged supporters of a cleric accused of orchestrating a coup bid last year, Dundar added that the "whole country is under arrest".

"This is the first time that one president has that kind of power and this is really dangerous. We are fighting against this aggression, all we have is just this - with a pen, it's really difficult to fight against this kind of oppressive government," Dundar said.

"That's why we need Europe, because we are defending the European principles in Turkey -- but unfortunately we see the European leaders at the other side of the fence."

Dundar was in Brussels to address the European Economic and Social Committee, a EU body grouping civil society organisations, just days after the EU's enlargement commissioner said the bloc may have to find a new form of relationship with Turkey, whose EU membership bid has stalled.

The EU has expressed concerns over a referendum to extend Erdogan's powers and over the post-coup bid crackdown, but Dundar said that Europe was now largely powerless due to the "dirty" refugee deal negotiations.

"I guess Europe has lost its chance to have an impact on Turkey, because from the beginning, after the refugee deal, they gave a lot of support to this government, just to stop the refugees coming to European soil and to keep them in Turkey," he said in Brussels.

- 'Stick to your principles' -

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He added: "You have to mention the importance of press freedom, democracy, human rights those issues and unfortunately no European leaders have done that. So that's the main problem, I mean just stick to your principles and don't sacrifice them for your daily business."

Dundar said the latest arrests showed that Erdogan was using the coup as an "excuse and an opportunity to enhance his power. That's why the whole country is under arrest, not only his opponents."

He said Turkey had slipped to 155th in the world media freedom rankings published by watchdog Reporters Without Borders on Wednesday. A string of other Cumhuriyet journalists have been jailed since Dundar left.

Dundar, who was sentenced by a Turkish court in May 2016 to jail for a story about a shipment of arms intercepted at the Syrian border, and escaped an apparent assassination attempt before sentencing, said he was hopeful he would be able to return home one day.

"The good thing about Turkey is that it's a surprise chocolate so you never know what's in it... I am optimistic, especially after the referendum results when we saw that half of the people were still resisting him," he said.
As we approach the 100th day of Donald Trumps presidency, the White House is attempting to thread a needle. The president himself called it a ridiculous standard  an opinion shared by some historians  but his administration also wants to show that its proud of what it has accomplished thus far.

The rollout of documentation for accolades has been a little rocky.

A statement from the White House distributed Tuesday said that President Franklin Delano Roosevelt had only signed nine executive orders in his first 100 days in office. As history professor Peter A. Shulman pointed out on Twitter, the actual number is 99. The White House appears to have pulled the number from the American Presidency Project, which lists just some of Roosevelts major signings. When the mistake was pointed out to the administration, the White House said Trump still had signed the most executive orders since Roosevelt.

There was also an error in the number of executive orders credited to Harry S. Truman. Truman signed 57 executive orders in the 100 days following Roosevelts death in 1945, but only 25  the number used by the White House  at the beginning of his term following the 1948 election.

The heavy reliance on executive orders instead of signing congressional legislation goes against a critique made by Trump the candidate.

The country wasnt based on executive orders, Trump said at a town hall in South Carolina in February 2016. Right now, Obama goes around signing executive orders. He cant even get along with the Democrats, and he goes around signing all these executive orders. Its a basic disaster. You cant do it.

We dont want to continue to watch people signing executive orders because that was not what the Constitution and the brilliant designers of this incredible document had in mind, added Trump at a Republican primary debate the following month.

President Trump shows off a signed executive order. (Photo: Yuri Gripas/Reuters)

The White House has created a special website to commemorate the 100-day mark. It lists 18 different achievements, which include launching a commission on opioid addiction and initiating a process for government reorganization. A few other items of note from the website, in bold:

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President Trump is keeping his promise to hold sanctuary cities accountable  Pointing readers to one of his first executive orders, signed Jan. 25, this pronouncement hit a snag Tuesday when a federal judge issued an injunction against the proposed withholding of federal funds from communities that limit their cooperation with U.S. immigrant authorities. Trump lashed out, blaming the wrong court for the decision and vowing to take the case to the Supreme Court.

Advocated increasing the national security budget by $54 billion  This entry links to the White Houses America First blueprint, a budget proposal with suggestions to Congress. While its correct that the White House advocated this, it didnt actually result in any increased spending. This aligns with one of the other items on the list, President Trump is boosting U.S. military strength and empowering our military to fight, which links to remarks he made in early March about the U.S.S. Gerald Ford  remarks that havent yet resulted in any tangible changes.

Saved taxpayers over $700 million with the F-35 renegotiation  Linking to a recap of Trumps first month in office, this claim is mostly specious. Though the cost-saving deal was announced on Feb. 3, it had been in the works for years. According to the Washington Post:

Lt. Gen. Chris Bogdan, who heads the F-35 Joint Program Office at the Department of Defense, told reporters on Dec. 20  before the presidents private meetings with defense companies  that the F-35s cost per plane should fall somewhere on the order of 6 to 7 percent per airplane for the next batch of planes.

That would translate to a cost reduction of between $6.1 million and $7.1 million per plane for the most common F-35 model  somewhere between $549 million and $630 million for the full lot of 90 planes. The Air Forces budget already reflects cost reductions of about $10 million per plane between 2016 and 2017.

Five-year lobbying ban and lifetime foreign lobbying ban  This is a Jan. 28 executive order that strengthens some of former President Barack Obamas ethics rules while weakening others.

Over 500,000 new jobs  with a surge in female employment in the last month  This points to a March 31 White House release that doesnt mention the 500,000 number, which Trump mentioned at a speech in mid-March. Originally the White House claimed credit for jobs added in January, which should have been credited to the Obama administration. (The Bureau for Labor Statistics pulls data on the 12th of each month, and Trump was inaugurated on the 20th.) The United States economy added 219,000 nonfarm jobs in February and 98,000 in March, meaning that a big April number could potentially push the overall gain to half a million. But the April figure wont be known until its released the morning of May 5.

Read more from Yahoo News coverage of Trumps first 100 days:
A Thai man recorded himself killing his 11-month-old daughter and posted the clip to Facebook before taking his own life, police said Tuesday.

The video was visible on the fathers Facebook page for nearly 24 hours before it was taken down, authorities said.

Read: $50G Reward Offered for Alleged Killer in Facebook Murder as Cops Extend Manhunt

This is an appalling incident and our hearts go out to the family of the victim, a Singapore-based spokesman for the social media giant said in an email to Reuters.

There is absolutely no place for content of this kind on Facebook and it has now been removed, the wire service reported.

Wuttisan Wongtalay, 20, was upset with his wife and took their daughter to an abandoned hotel, where he hanged his baby with a rope on camera, police said.

He then hanged himself, but that act was not filmed. A police spokesman said the child, whose name was Natalie, is heard crying on the video, but then stops.

Last week in the U.S., a Cleveland man recorded himself fatally shooting an elderly man and posted the video on the social networking site, where it was visible for about two hours.

Read: Hear the Chilling 911 Calls After Shooting of Beloved Grandfather on Facebook Video

Wuttisans wife, Jiranuch Trirat, said the couple had been married for more than a year, but her husband grew increasingly violent, according to police.

She said Wuttisan sometimes hit her 5-year-old son from a previous relationship.

The 21-year-old wife said she called police after fleeing her home because Wuttisan had attacked her.

The father left with his daughter and went to the unfinished hotel in the resort town of Phuket, police said.

Their bodies were found hanging from a high ledge.

Watch: Girlfriend of Philando Castile in Tears Over Dallas Shooter: 'It Hurts Me'

Related Articles:
Just a week after an American man Steve Stephens murdered a 74-year-old man in Cleveland on Facebook Live, another man of Thai origin, named Wuttisan Wongtalay, killed his 11-month-old daughter in a live video on Facebook. Soon after killing the infant, he committed suicide, police said Tuesday. Viewers could access the horrific video on Wongtalay's Facebook page for about 24 hours before it was removed from the website, reports said.

"This is an appalling incident and our hearts go out to the family of the victim," a Singapore-based Facebook spokesman said in an email to Reuters. "There is absolutely no place for content of this kind on Facebook and it has now been removed."

Read: Murder Of Robert Godwin Sr. Broadcast On Facebook Live, Police Says

According to Wongtalay's wife, Jiranuch Triratana, who lived with him for over a year, their relationship was going smooth initially but later he became violent and also hit her 5-year-old son from her ex-husband. On Tuesday, when she found he had left home with their 11-month-old daughter, she feared something was wrong and immediately started searching for them, reports said.

The incident comes amid the controversy surrounding Facebook's ability to monitor violence on its platform. The latest Cleveland murder streamed live on Facebook prompted CEO Mark Zuckerberg to address the issue at the company's annual conference for software developers. He said: "We have a lot of work and we will keep doing all we can to prevent tragedies like this from happening."

Facebook has pledged to improve how users can flag violent content. It also prohibits content that promotes violence, only permitting violent content that is considered to be in the public interest.

However, the Cleveland murder video was a shocking reminder that Facebook does not yet possess the technology that will automatically detect content featuring this kind of violence; it says it's working on it. The company, rather, relies on its users to flag these posts before they're viewed. The time difference between posting and detection of such videos has made Facebook a vulnerable tool.

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In an interview with USA Today earlier this month at Facebook's Silicon Valley headquarters, Zuckerberg said his company has a responsibility "to continue to get better at making sure we are not a tool for spreading" video of violent acts. "If it happens in Live or if it happens in comments, it's the same," Zuckerberg said. He added: "If someone's getting hurt, you want to be able to identify what's going to happen and help the right people intervene sooner, and I view that as our responsibility."

Related Articles
(SAN FRANCISCO) - A federal judge on Tuesday blocked any attempt by the Trump administration to withhold funding from sanctuary cities that do not cooperate with U.S. immigration officials, saying the president has no authority to attach new conditions to federal spending.

U.S. District Judge William Orrick issued the preliminary injunction in two lawsuits - one brought by the city of San Francisco, the other by Santa Clara County - against an executive order targeting communities that protect immigrants from deportation.

The injunction will stay in place while the lawsuits work their way through court.

The judge rejected the administrations argument that the executive order applies only to a relatively small pot of money and said President Donald Trump cannot set new conditions on spending approved by Congress.

Even if the president could do so, those conditions would have to be clearly related to the funds at issue and not coercive, as the executive order appears to be, Orrick said.

Federal funding that bears no meaningful relationship to immigration enforcement cannot be threatened merely because a jurisdiction chooses an immigration enforcement strategy of which the president disapproves, the judge said.

It was the third major setback for the administration on immigration policy.

The Justice Department had no immediate comment.

San Francisco City Attorney Dennis Herrera said the president was forced to back down.

This is why we have courts - to halt the overreach of a president and an attorney general who either dont understand the Constitution or chose to ignore it, he said in a statement.

A Justice Department attorney, Chad Readler, had defended the presidents executive order as an attempt to use his bully pulpit to encourage communities and states to comply with the law.

And he said the order applied to only three Justice Department and Homeland Security grants that would affect less than $1 million for Santa Clara County and possibly no money for San Francisco.

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But the judge disagreed, saying the order was written broadly to reach all federal grants and potentially jeopardizes hundreds of millions of dollars in funding to San Francisco and Santa Clara.

He cited comments by the president and Attorney General Jeff Sessions as evidence that the order was intended to target a wide array of federal funding. And he said the president himself had called it a weapon to use against recalcitrant cities.

The government hasnt cut off any money yet or declared any communities to be sanctuary cities. But the Justice Department sent letters last week warning communities to prove they are in compliance. California was informed it could lose $18.2 million.

Sanctuary cities is a loosely defined term for jurisdictions that dont comply with immigration authorities.

The Trump administration argued that the executive order applied narrowly to cities that forbid officials to report peoples immigration status to federal authorities. Orrick said it could also be construed to apply to cities that refuse to hold jail inmates for immigration authorities.

The Trump administration says that sanctuary cities allow dangerous criminals back on the street and that the order is needed to keep the country safe. San Francisco and other sanctuary cities say turning local police into immigration officers erodes the trust that is needed to get people to report crime.

The order has also led to lawsuits by Seattle; two Massachusetts cities, Lawrence and Chelsea; and a third San Francisco Bay Area government, the city of Richmond. The San Francisco and Santa Clara County lawsuits were the first to get a hearing before a judge.

On Tuesday, mayors from several cities threatened with the loss of federal grants emerged from a meeting with Sessions saying they remain confused about how to prove their police are in compliance with immigration policies.

The sanctuary city order was among a flurry of immigration measures Trump has signed since taking office in January, including a ban on travelers from seven Muslim-majority countries and a directive calling for a wall on the Mexican border.

A federal appeals court blocked the travel ban. The administration then revised it, but the new version also is stalled in court.

___

Associated Press writer Sadie Gurman in Washington contributed to this story.

This article was originally published on TIME.com
Its a tragedy whenever a child dies needlessly of a disease that is both preventable and treatable. Sadly, that happens daily around the globe, due mainly to a raft of infectious diseases. One of these is diphtheria. It is still a killer mainly because the treatment for it is no longer made and stockpiles of it are aging and dwindling.

Highly contagious and particularly deadly among children under age 5, the name of the disease comes from the Greek word for leather hide, a reference to the gray, leather-like coating that the toxin generated by the diphtheria bacterium leaves behind in the nose and throat. Within a few days, the disease can suffocate a child. In the United States, diphtheria was once a leading cause of childhood deaths. The discovery of an antitoxin derived from horse serum at the end of the 19th century, followed by the widespread vaccination of infants against diphtheria in the 20th century, helped to erase it as a common disease here and in other developed countries.

But diphtheria hasnt been defeated. In 2015, more than 4,500 cases of it were reported to the World Health Organization. The bacterium continues to circulate even among immunized populations. Most diphtheria outbreaks occur in poor countries in Africa, the Middle East, and Asia where vaccination is not universal or complete. But cases can, and do, occur anywhere public health is disrupted by natural disasters or conflicts, as has happened recently in Haiti, Syria, and the Ukraine. European doctors have been shocked to see cases of diphtheria among migrants from African and Middle Eastern countries.

They have been even more shocked to learn that the antitoxin is no longer manufactured, that the stockpile of it is shrinking, and that it often cant be delivered in time to save a sick child. International health leaders, monitoring the upheavals occurring around the globe, say that the need for a reliable supply of the diphtheria antitoxin is dire. Some have compared the worlds lack of preparedness for diphtheria outbreaks to walking into a storm.

Read more: Special drug rushed to help brain-eating amoeba patient

MassBiologics, a nonprofit unit of the University of Massachusetts Medical School that I lead, has been at the forefront of diphtheria treatment since 1894, when the organization was created specifically to produce the newly-discovered diphtheria antitoxin, which saved the lives of thousands of children in Massachusetts and beyond. The antitoxin was made by extracting blood from horses exposed to small amounts of diphtheria toxin. Once vaccination helped prevent the disease, demand for the equine antitoxin began falling steadily. The number of companies willing to make the antitoxin dwindled; today, none distribute it internationally.

Research teams at MassBiologics have identified a much safer human antibody to diphtheria toxin. Instead of making it by bleeding horses kept in stables, we use cell cultures to produce this antibody consistently

and cleanly in sterilized steel tanks. Preclinical testing has proven that our antibody neutralizes the diphtheria toxin.

Our next step is to generate enough of it for a Phase 1 clinical trial in humans that will validate its dosage and safety. This week, officials from the WHO and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will report on this potential advance at a strategic advisory meeting in Geneva.

Public health ministers in places like the Dominican Republic, where spillover cases from Haiti have been threatening public health, have been pleading for diphtheria antitoxin. The unnecessary shortage of this treatment exposes a widespread and troubling gap in the global public health community: the lack of a coordinated, strategic, and modern approach to address diseases that lack commercial incentives for production.

Of course, even promising vaccines and preventive therapies such as a diphtheria antitoxin face innumerable challenges during the years it takes to move from the lab to patients, often because their potential markets are too small to encourage private investment and the countries where they are needed dont have resources to fund research or buy the necessary doses. Clearly, the world needs new vehicles to develop drugs for infectious diseases. The recently launched Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations  a partnership among governments, foundations, pharmaceutical companies, and academic research centers  may be one solution. Although it will initially focus on developing vaccines for the most urgent epidemic threats, its model could eventually encompass other medical interventions.

Diphtheria is an old disease, a terrible disease, and one for which we believe theres an effective new treatment at hand  if only we can liberate it from our freezer and put it into the hands of doctors around the world.

Mark S. Klempner, MD, is the executive vice chancellor for MassBiologics, part of the University of Massachusetts Medical School.
Forget the constitution for a second: every president needs a side hustle, amirite?

On Monday, President Trump came under fire from pesky ethics watchdogs for advertising his Mar-a-Lago estate on various State Department websites, calling it "the winter White House." The department has since taken them down, claiming that the whole thing was just a giant "misperception," but thankfully the listing still lives on Air BnB and we found it.

SEE ALSO: Heirbnb is your new go-to site for affordable vacations in Westeros

If you're an everyday citizen/foreign oil magnate interested in changing the world, consider a week in Florida. Below is the unofficial AirBnB listing for Mar-a-Lago.

Image: afp/getty images/ambar del moral

WATCH: This self-proclaimed cyborg turned his prosthetic eye into a tiny camera
JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Teva Pharmaceutical Industries' finance chief Eyal Desheh will step down in the next few months after nearly a decade in the job, the second top official to resign from the Israel-based company this year. "Yesterday, I celebrated my 65th birthday and I'm transitioning into the next phase of my career," Desheh said on Wednesday, without elaborating. Israeli media reported on Tuesday that Desheh is likely to be appointed as chairman of Isracard, the credit card unit of Bank Hapoalim, the country's largest bank, which said there were a number of candidates. Teva said it would immediately start a search for a new CFO, but that Desheh will take part in the company's first-quarter earnings call on May 11. Teva was left without a permanent chief executive in February after Erez Vigodman stepped down, leaving new management to restore confidence in the world's biggest generic drugmaker after a series of missteps. A string of costly acquisitions, along with delayed drug launches, have sent Teva shares plummeting and led to calls for management and structural changes, including a possible split into separate generic and branded medicine units. That forced former Vigodman to step down, with Chairman Yitzhak Peterburg replacing him on a temporary basis and Sol Barer taking the reins as chairman. "My highest priority is to identify and appoint Teva's next chief executive officer," Barer said. "We expect the companys new CEO to have a significant role in identifying Eyals successor." Desheh served as deputy CFO from 1989 to 1996 before becoming CFO of Scitex and then Check Point Software Technologies. He returned as Teva's CFO in 2008 and was acting CEO from October 2013 to February 2014. Investors say Teva, which faces pricing pressure in its core generics business and faces competition on its key branded drug Copaxone for multiple sclerosis, must choose a new CEO with extensive pharmaceutical experience. (Reporting by Steven Scheer; editing by Alexander Smith)
Los Angeles (AFP) - Conservative firebrand Ann Coulter on Wednesday canceled a planned appearance at the University of California, Berkeley, saying she had lost the backing of the groups that had sponsored her talk.

"It's a sad day for free speech," Coulter told the New York Times.

The right-wing commentator had insisted she would show up at Berkeley, a famously progressive campus, on Thursday even though the university said it could not provide a suitable venue because of security threats.

But Coulter said she was forced to reconsider her decision after the conservative Young America's Foundation and the Berkeley College Republicans, which had sponsored her talk, backed out, accusing the university of creating a "hostile atmosphere."

"Everyone who should believe in free speech fought against it or ran away," Coulter told the Times.

The controversy over her talk put the spotlight on the San Francisco-area university long heralded as the birthplace of the Free Speech Movement of the 1960s.

University officials have insisted that security could not be guaranteed during Coulter's visit, citing threats and recent violent protests.

For more news videos visit Yahoo View, available now on iOS and Android.

They proposed an alternate date -- rejected by Coulter -- when fewer students would be on campus.

She is a conservative firebrand, author, attorney and political commentator. She is famous for blunt attacks on those who don't share her views.

Her 2015 tome on immigration was called "Adios, America!: The Left's Plan to Turn Our Country Into a Third World Hellhole."

- 'University not a battlefield' -

Berkeley Chancellor Nicholas Dirks underlined in a letter to the campus community on Wednesday that the university was committed to free speech but also to safety.

"Sadly and unfortunately, concern for student safety seems to be in short supply in certain quarters," he said.

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"This is a university, not a battlefield," he added. "We must make every effort to hold events at a time and location that maximizes the chances that First Amendment rights can be successfully exercised and that community members can be protected."

In February, a planned speech at the university by a right-wing provocateur and former Breitbart editor, Milo Yiannopoulos, was cancelled following violent protests that caused $100,000 worth of damage to the campus.

Violence has also erupted on the streets of the city during recent events that drew opponents and supporters of President Donald Trump.

The latest controversy surrounding Coulter's visit has tested Berkeley's legacy as a champion of free speech and elicited criticism from both Democrats and Republicans.

Many say the university was being targeted by extremists from the far right and left because of its iconic status.

Liberal TV talk-show host Bill Maher said last week the school had turned from being a cradle of free speech into a "cradle of (expletive) babies."

Ex-presidential contender Bernie Sanders also waded in, denouncing activists trying to silence Coulter.

"Obviously Ann Coulter is outrageous -- to my mind, off the wall," he told the Huffington Post. "But you know, people have a right to give their two cents worth, give a speech, without fear of violence and intimidation."

The American Civil Liberties Union said Wednesday the cancellation of her talk marked a setback.

"The heckler's veto of Coulter's Berkeley speech is a loss for the 1st Amendment," the rights group tweeted. "We must protect speech on campus, even hateful."
Family of Kary Kleman, who was detained by Turkish border police, denies he joined terrorist group, saying he has a good heart and went to help Syrians

Klemans family said he wanted to help the people affected by the conflict, possibly working as a handyman or setting up a business. Photograph: Dado Ruvic/Reuters

When Kary Kleman decided in 2015 to move his family from their home in Dubai to war-torn Syria, he assured relatives back in the US that he had only good intentions.



He said he could not live in a life of luxury knowing what was going on in Syria, and that nobody was helping the people there, said his mother, Marlene, on Wednesday. We believe he has a good heart.

But the 46-year-old American now stands accused of fighting for Islamic State, the terrorist group, and could face criminal prosecution on his return to the US.

Kleman was detained by Turkish border police last week while entering from Syria with his Syrian wife and two women whose spouses were killed in Syria or Iraq, according to Turkish officials.

When told of his situation by the Guardian, Klemans family denied that he had joined Isis and said he had been trying to make his way to the American embassy in Istanbul and return to the US.

Not long after arriving in Syria, Kleman told the family he had learned the information that led him there was all a scam, according to his mother, and his situation became confusing to his relatives.

They said that about 18 months ago, they had alerted the FBI that Kleman might be in danger. An agent told them the bureau needed to look into whether he had become involved with wrongdoing, according to Klemans sister, Brenda, who said she completely agreed with their caution.

I told Kary that you have to work with them, and if youve done everything right, be calm and it will work out, she said.

The US state department and the FBIs field office in Jacksonville, Florida, had not responded to questions about Kleman and his alleged activities by the time this article was published.

Kleman, who converted to Islam about 15 years ago, was born in Wisconsin in July 1970, according to official records. He attended West high school in the city of Wausau. He later moved to northern Florida, where he met Denise Eberhardy, a divorcee. The couple had a son, Spencer, in June 1991.

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Kleman and Eberhardy were married at the Glad Tidings church in Jacksonville in January 1997. But Kleman filed for divorce in 2001. In May that year, a circuit judge agreed that the marriage was irretrievably broken, and granted a dissolution.

Marlene Kleman said on Wednesday it was around this time that her son converted to Islam. A friend, whom she could only name as Dave, had converted after marrying a woman from the United Arab Emirates, and guided Kleman into the faith during a difficult time. Kleman grew a beard and became devout.



Through his mosque, Kleman met Maher Abdelwahab, a local Egyptian American businessman, and began working for Abdelwahabs company, which imported and sold fresh produce.

Abdelwahab told him about a daughter he had back in Egypt, according to Klemans mother. He showed Kleman photographs, and soon the pair were talking over email. Kleman went to Egypt and the couple married and had a son. But the relationship soured and Kleman came to believe he was being exploited.

After a spell back in Florida, Kleman moved in 2011 to Dubai to be near his friend Dave, who had by then emigrated with his wife. He met a Syrian woman; they married and had three children.

As the long civil war raged in his wifes homeland, however, Kleman grew troubled, according to his family. He told his mother that he was taking his wife and children to Syria. As they departed around August 2015, he said wanted to help the people affected by the conflict, possibly working as a handyman or setting up a business.



At the time, Isis was continuing a brutal series of suicide bombings and massacres to defend territory it had seized in Syria, while coming under bombardment from US airstrikes. Gruesome video footage of abducted Americans being beheaded by Isis fighters had shocked the US public through 2014.



Initially, his stated plan seemed to have gone smoothly. His wife had a job teaching English, according to Klemans mother, and things were going OK.

Then everything went bad, said Marlene Kleman. They were saying Isis had taken control of the city and that Russia was bombing the city, so thats when they planned to escape.



Up to 30,000 foreign fighters are thought to have crossed into Syria to fight with Isis. The US government estimates that as many as 25,000 of them have since been killed.


By Bernie Woodall

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (Reuters) - The Florida Senate formally apologized on Wednesday to victims who suffered brutality, sexual abuse and even death after being sent as boys to a reform school with a history of troubles long denied by the state.

The infamous site, which opened in 1900 in Marianna as the Florida State Reform School and was later named the Arthur G. Dozier School for Boys, closed in 2011.

From its early days, the school was plagued by allegations of abuse. Senator Darryl Rouson, a Democrat who introduced the resolution expressing official regret and apology, said the state conducted six investigations in the school's first 13 years after "reports of children being chained to walls in irons, severely beaten and used for child labor.

A forensic investigation between 2013 and 2016 uncovered graves for 55 boys, 24 more sites than reported in official records, according to the Senate resolution. Most of the bones have not been identified and some of the deaths are believed to have resulted from abuse.

These bones are telling the story," Rouson said. "The story they tell is one of a shameful history."

Boys were sent to Dozier for a wide range of alleged offenses from murder to smoking and skipping school. Many were not given a hearing or legal representation.

Fourteen men who had been sent to Dozier and a second reform school that opened in 1955 in Okeechobee, Florida, attended the Senate session on Wednesday.

"We apologize," Rouson said to the men. "We are sorry, and this resolution on behalf of this Florida Senate commits to ensuring that the children of Florida are protected from this kind of abuse and violations of fundamental human decency."

The Florida House of Representatives passed a similar resolution last week. Neither chamber is currently considering offering compensation to the victims, local media reported.

Investigative reports by the St. Petersburg Times newspaper starting in 2009 kicked off the increased attention in recent years to the scandal.

After U.S. Justice Department and state investigations revealed abuses by interviewing more than 500 former students, the two schools were shuttered.

(Reporting by Bernie Woodall; Editing by Colleen Jenkins, Toni Reinhold)
Pete DAlessandro, who helped guide Vermont senator to virtual tie in Iowa caucuses, will seek swing seat in third district in big test of progressive grassroots

Pete DAlessandro was Bernie Sanders first campaign staffer in Iowa in the summer of 2015. Photograph: Charlie Neibergall/AP

The grassroots movement that fueled Bernie Sanders rise to prominence in the 2016 Democratic primary has just produced one of its first congressional candidates.



The Guardian has learned that Pete DAlessandro, who helped guide the Vermont senator to a virtual tie with frontrunner Hillary Clinton in the Iowa caucuses, will announce he is exploring a bid for Congress in Iowas third congressional district on Tuesday.

DAlessandro is a veteran political operative who worked on campaigns for Paul Wellstone, Bill Bradley and a number of Iowa Democrats before becoming Bernie Sanders first campaign staffer in Iowa in the summer of 2015.

The district is a swing seat comprising Des Moines, its suburbs and south-western Iowa. Obama won the district twice before Donald Trump edged out Hillary Clinton in 2016. DAlessandro will seek to challenge Republican David Young in 2018. A two-term incumbent, Young was a longtime Republican aide on Capitol Hill before being elected to Congress.

In a statement to the Guardian, DAlessandro said: For the past several months, progressives throughout Iowas third congressional district have contacted me and have asked me to consider running for the US House of Representatives. The many offers of support have been humbling. It is clear that a great many people believe it is not possible to change the clutter in Washington DC if we choose our candidates from the same failed pool that we have in the recent past.

DAlessandros bid represents a key test for the electoral prospects of Sanders allies. The seat has long been a political battleground and is expected to be once again in 2018 as Democrats try to regain their majority in the House of Representatives. Although several candidates who tied themselves to Sanders ran in a special election in Californias 34th district in March, that district is safely Democratic.

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DAlessandros race will mark a key measuring stick if the progressive message pushed by Sanders works in what is expected to be a competitive congressional primary and potentially in a swing district in November.

Young already lost a major ally in March when a Super Pac tied to the House speaker, Paul Ryan, pulled out of his district after Young announced his opposition to the American Health Care Act, the ultimately unsuccessful Republican effort to repeal Obamacare. The group spent nearly $2m on Youngs behalf in 2016.
NEW HAVEN, Conn. (Reuters) - A federal judge in Connecticut on Wednesday sentenced a former Jefferies Group bond trader to two years in prison and to pay a $2 million fine after he was found guilty earlier this year of defrauding customers on bond prices.

A jury in January found Jesse Litvak guilty of one of 10 criminal charges he had faced, a muted victory as prosecutors try to crack down on abusive sales practices on Wall Street.

(Reporting by Andy Thibault; Writing by Scott Malone; Editing by Tom Brown)
A Fox News anchor has accused the White House of behaving in a way consistent with a cover-up over the actions of former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn.

Although the network is frequently accused of being a cheerleader for President Donald Trump, host Shepard Smith did not hold back in his comments, made after the House Oversight Committee said Mr Flynn appeared to have broken the law in receiving payments from Russian organisations and the Turkish Government.

Mr Flynn resigned in February after it emerged he had misled Vice President Mike Pence over conversations he had with a Russian ambassador.

Read more

White House refuses to hand over Russia investigation documents

The situation is unprecedented, said Mr Smith. Never in American history has a man so close to the President, on his cabinet, the National Security Advisor no less, been accused of committing a crime by taking money from a foreign entity, much less one connected to the Russians.

He added: At the core of all this is the Russians interfered with our elections.

General Flynn received money through an entity that was from the Russians. And what they want to know is, was there collusion?

The White House at least is giving the appearance, according to these congressional leaders, of a lack of cooperation, which could give an overall appearance that theyre trying to cover something up."

Read more

Fox News roast Trumps EPA chief Scott Pruitt over climate change

Donald Trump supporters previously threatened to boycott Fox News when Mr Smith criticised the President over his camps alleged links to Russia.

The investigation into Mr Flynn dominated yesterdays White House briefing where it emerged the Committee does not have all of the documents related to Mr Flynns dealings with the Russians.

The White House blocked requests to provide reporters with documents related to Mr Flynn on the grounds of national security or because the papers are otherwise sensitive in nature, further fuelling claims of a cover-up.

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The lead Democrat and Republican on the Committee displayed a rare show of unity in jointly rebuking Mr Flynn after seeing information that confirmed the former Trump administration official had failed to disclose foreign income received from Russia and Turkey.

As a former military officer, Mr Flynn would have needed special permission for his December 2015 appearance at a gala sponsored by RT, a Russian Government-funded television station, for which he was paid $45,000. He was paid also more than $500,000 for his work lobbying on behalf of the Turkish Government.

It is also illegal for a private citizen to conduct diplomacy on behalf of the US.

Read more

Michael Flynn 'did not disclose income from Russian companies'

Committee chairman Jason Chaffetz (Republican) and the panels senior Democrat, Elijah Cummings, agreed that Mr Flynn is likely to have broken the law as he neither received permission nor fully disclosed income he earned for a speaking engagement in Russia and lobbying activities on behalf of Turkey.

They reached their conclusion after viewing classified memos and a disclosure form in a private briefing.

Personally I see no evidence or no data to support the notion that General Flynn complied with the law, Mr Chaffetz told reporters.

Mr Cummings added: He was supposed to get permission, he was supposed to report it, and he didnt. This is a major problem.

Violations of this kind are punishable with up to five years in jail.

The display of bipartisan unity is relatively unusual as Democrats have repeatedly complained of being shut out of major investigations by the Committee since the Republicans gained control of the House of Representatives in 1995.

The Committees findings come as the House and Senate intelligence committees move into a new phase of their investigations into Russias alleged interference in the 2016 election, including alleged ties between Trump campaign aides and Russian officials.

The FBI is carrying out its own investigation into the same alleged links but is not yet believed to be carrying out a separate investigation into Mr Flynn.

The Bureau could open its own separate investigation into Mr Flynn if required to do so by Congress  a decision that will probably be left to new Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, since Attorney General Jeff Sessions has recused himself from all matters involving the Trump campaign.

In order to bring criminal proceedings against Mr Flynn, investigators would have to show that he knowingly and wilfully made false statements and would not be able to make a case if his forms were inaccurate because of carelessness of an honest mistake.

Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Richard Burr (Republican) said his panel has finished an initial round of more than 20 interviews but plans to carry out others in the near future and hopes to bring in Mr Flynn for questioning.
PARIS (Reuters) - Samples obtained by French intelligence show that forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad "undoubtedly" used sarin nerve gas in an April 4 attack in northern Syria, France's foreign minister said on Wednesday, citing a declassified report. The attack in the town of Khan Sheikhoun killed scores of people and prompted the United States to launch a cruise missile strike on a Syrian air base in response, its first direct assault on the Assad government in the conflict. "We know, from a certain source, that the process of fabrication of the samples taken is typical of the method developed in Syrian laboratories," Jean-Marc Ayrault told reporters. "This method is the signature of the regime and it is what enables us to establish the responsibility of the attack. We know because we kept samples from previous attacks that we were able to use for comparison." (Reporting by John Irish; Editing by Sudip Kar-Gupta)
Amiens (France) (AFP) - French presidential frontrunner Emmanuel Macron vowed Wednesday not to "yield a centimetre" to Marine Le Pen after being booed and heckled with chants backing his far-right rival during a chaotic visit to an under-threat factory in the nation's rustbelt.

"We have two projects for the country going head to head against one another," said Macron as he visited a cafe in the northern village of Bully-les-Mines.

"So I shall not cede a centimetre of space, not a second's respite, not an ounce of energy," to Le Pen, Macron insisted.

Earlier, Le Pen had stolen some of the pro-European candidate's thunder by visiting workers hours ahead of him at the same factory in his northern home town of Amiens.

Macron was booed and heckled as he made a chaotic visit to the under-threat factory in the nation's depressed northern rustbelt where Le Pen topped first round voting.

Some in the crowd shouted "President Marine!" and booed as the 39-year-old former banker arrived outside the Whirlpool appliance factory in Amiens, where Le Pen had already made an unannounced stop.

US multinational Whirlpool runs the facility which is threatened with outsourcing to Poland.

"Of course there is anger in this country, there is anxiety. Responsibility must be taken, that's why I'm here," pro-business former economy minister Macron told workers.

Macron tried to counter accusations that he had made a complacent start to campaigning for the presidential runoff on May 7 after finishing ahead of Le Pen, 48, in Sunday's first round.

While Macron had arranged to meet Whirlpool workers' union representatives without actually visiting the plant, Le Pen turned up unannounced outside the plant and posed for selfies with workers and attacked her rival.

"Everyone knows what side Emmanuel Macron is on -- he is on the side of the corporations," Le Pen said. "I am on the workers' side, here in the car park, not in restaurants in Amiens."

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As news broke of the Le Pen visit, Macron announced he would also meet employees, telling them the only reason that the anti-EU Le Pen had come was "because I'm here".

He also retorted on Twitter that she had spent "10 minutes with her supporters in a car park in front of the cameras" whereas he had spent "an hour and a half with union representatives and no media."

A Wednesday poll suggested Macron will defeat Le Pen by a margin of 21 points, but as the day's events showed, the far-right candidate is a vastly more experienced political campaigner.

And after the 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.

Macron's visit north came as a Harris Interactive poll showed 52 percent of the French believe he botched the start of campaigning for the run-off.

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 Paris restaurant, drawing criticism from some quarters.

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."

President Francois Hollande appeared on Tuesday to admonish his former economy minister for not taking the fight to Le Pen immediately after the first round.

"I will defend the progressive camp to the end," Macron retorted.

- 'Not a single vote' -

Since securing her berth in the run-off, Le Pen has turbo-charged her campaign with a string of appearances and statements, leaving her opponent on the back foot.

In contrast, her opponent convened strategy meetings about June's legislative elections that will determine the shape of a future Macron government.

Le Pen will hold a rally in the Riviera city of Nice on Thursday, a bastion of France's right that was targeted by a jihadist-inspired truck attack that killed 86 people last July.

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 security.

A key factor in the race is which candidate the supporters of Communist-backed Jean-Luc Melenchon, who finished in fourth place with 19.58 percent on Sunday, will now back.

Melenchon faced criticism after he failed to urge his backers to get behind Macron as part of the so-called "republican front", the decades-old French tactic of closing ranks to block the far-right.

But Melenchon's spokesman Alexis Corbiere told French TV channel LCI that "for us the National Front is a danger" and urged viewers to not give "a single vote to the National Front."

Meanwhile in Paris, thousands of French police demonstrated in the Champs Elysees, where one of their number was killed by a jihadist six days earlier, to urge both candidates to "hear their anger" over difficult working conditions.
Paris (AFP) - French intelligence services have scientific proof that the Syrian regime was responsible for a suspected chemical attack that killed 88 people, France's foreign minister said Wednesday.

Jean-Marc Ayrault said analysis of samples taken at the scene of the April 4 attack in rebel-held Khan Sheikhun, in which 31 children were among the dead, showed "there is no doubt that sarin gas was used" and that it was produced by Syrian laboratories.

"There is no doubt about the responsibility of the Syrian regime given the way that the sarin used was produced," Ayrault told journalists after the report was presented at a meeting of French defence chiefs.

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He said the substance France believes was used in the attack contains hexamine, a component that was also found in a gas attack in Saraqib, northwest Syria, in 2013.

"We are able to confirm that the sarin used on April 4 is the same sarin that was used in an attack in Saraqib on April 29, 2013," he said.

Ayrault said the chemical fingerprint is "typical of the method developed in Syrian laboratories".

"This (production) method bears the regime's hallmarks and allows us to determine its responsibility for this attack," he said.

The report added that "the presence of hexamine indicates that this manufacturing process is that developed by the Scientific Studies and Research Centre for the Syrian regime".

The report said the analysis was carried out by comparing "environmental samples" found at Khan Sheikhun with unexploded ordnance found at the site of the 2013 attack.

- Washington convinced -

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, backed by his ally Russia, has strongly denied allegations that his forces used chemical weapons against the town, describing it as a "100 percent fabrication".

He has said repeatedly that his forces turned over all chemical weapons stockpiles in 2013, under a deal brokered by Russia to avoid threatened US military action.

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That agreement was later enshrined in a UN Security Council resolution.

In a policy U-turn, US President Donald Trump ordered air strikes on the Syrian airbase from which Washington believes the attack was launched.

US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis said on Friday there was "no doubt" Syria has retained some chemical weapons and warned Assad's regime not to use them.

"There can be no doubt in the international community's mind that Syria has retained chemical weapons in violation of its agreement and its statement that it had removed them all," Mattis said during a visit to Israel.

Mattis added that the Damascus regime would be "ill-advised to try to use any again", adding: "We've made that very clear with our strike."

On Monday, the US government placed 271 Syrian chemists from the Syrian Scientific Studies and Research Centre and other officials on its financial blacklist in response to their alleged role in the chemical weapons attack.

Washington says the SSRC was responsible for developing the alleged sarin gas weapon.
Photo credit: Uber

From Popular Mechanics

The true believers in vertical takeoff and landing flight are gathering in Dallas this week to promote the use of aircraft as taxis. It's an effort that the concept's champion, Uber, calls "Elevate."

Uber has announced plans to expand its ride-ordering app to the skies, with customers ordering helicopters as easily as they order cars. The vehil will not be like conventional helicopters, being quieter, safer, and designed for urban environments. Uber plans to use Dubai and Dallas as test cities to develop concepts, build vertiports, and prove concepts. They have plans to fly a prototype at the World Expo 2020 in Dubai.

They will need an industry to make it happen. The Elevate Summit currently happening in Texas is a point around which many in the vertical take off and landing (VTOL) world can rally "to bring together key stakeholders who have been working independently around the globe and across industries"-so says Mark Moore, Uber's director of engineering for aviation.

"It's natural for Uber to turn our eyes to the air," says Jeff Holden, the company's chief product officer. "Push a button and get a flight."

Aerospace companies seem to be amenable to the plans, if only to promote their own emerging technology plans. Senior officials from Embraer, Aurora Flight Sciences, and Bell Helicopters spoke at the conference, each highlighting the opportunities that improving tech can bring to a new transportation system for densely populated areas. No concepts of this new vehicle are being revealed, but the features they will require to operate are already in the works at many aerospace companies, like Bell.

"While creating a real, viable urban air taxi network isn't going to happen tomorrow, this future is closer than many people realize," says Mitch Snyder, Bell's president and CEO.

Sharing flying vehicles solves a lot of problems that plague urban areas, Uber argues. "It's really easy to demonize a car," Holden says. "It's not about the cars themselves-it's how we use those cars. We use them individually; that's where we run into problems." Congestion saps time and causes pollution, while parking takes up too much land because cars sit idle 95 percent of the time.

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Urban design, even in cities that have robust systems, still leaves too many people far way from public transit. In Uber's vision, getting people from outer borough and suburbs to the city can be enabled by flying taxis. In London, 30 percent of Uber trips start or end close to a train or tube (subway) station. In the same way, flying taxis could connect riders to transportation hubs. "We don't see Uber as an alternative to mass transit, but as complimentary," Holden says.

Of course, cost could drive down the use of flying taxis. But Holden says that Uber's models indicate that even early operations will cost $1.32 per passenger mile, which is the cost of an UberX. He says it could be cheaper in the future. "It's possible because we're radically reinventing the aircraft we're using," Holden says.

Photo credit: Joe Pappalardo

This all sounds great. But even Uber's pitchman says, "This isn't going to be easy."

Helicopters have to be redesigned to accommodate daily urban trips. The big problems are engine and rotor noise, their slow speed compared to fixed wing aircraft, and the high cost of maintenance.

Holden says that calls distributed electrical propulsion "as close to a panacea as you get" for these issues. Using next-generation batteries, aerospace companies are already working on electric powered VTOL aircraft, which the industry calls eVTOL. Next-gen batteries offer long-duration flights and save aircraft weight that is better used for cargo and passengers.

These avoid engine noise, naturally, but also make aircraft safer and cheaper to fly. eVTOL aircraft often have multiple motors, a level of redundancy that avoid the "single point of failure" dilemma that plagues many helicopters. If you're flying something that depends on one piece of equipment to stay in the air, that piece needs to be maintained regularly and lovingly. That increases cost and takes aircraft out of the air - where they earn their keep.

Sharing airspace is another challenge, and one that will depend on government partners. NASA and the FAA representatives also spoke, pledging that the effort will dovetail with drone and new airspace initiatives. For recharging the company is partnering with the company charge+, which has deep

"We like to make big bold bets," says Holden. "If you're not planting the seeds five to ten years out, you wont have a company in five or ten years."

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Cincinnati grocery rivals could soon be facing a big new competitive threat. The German chain Lidl is quietly scouting for store locations in Cincinnati, part of a potential statewide expansion, industry sources told WCPO. The move could intensify the price competition thats already driving down grocery bills in the Tri-State. As WCPO reported in November, grocery prices fell faster in Cincinnati than the rest of the country in 2016. A November price check found several competitors offering 35 products at well below the average price reflected in the Labor Departments monthly Consumer Price Index report. Although Kroger dominates in its hometown, with market share above 40 percent, it is facing a potential price war in stores and online  as Wal-Mart accelerates its cost-cutting program to combat Amazon.com and German discount retailers, Aldi and Lidl.
Berlin (AFP) - After simmering for months, a crisis between Israel and Germany has erupted into the open, putting serious strain on a special relationship painstakingly built up after the Holocaust.

First, Chancellor Angela Merkel in February postponed an annual government meeting with Israel, then this week, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu refused to meet Germany's foreign minister in Jerusalem.

What was once "unthinkable" has become real -- the gild on the ties between Germany and Israel may be fading.

Due to its historical responsibility as the perpetrator of the Holocaust that killed six million Jews, Germany has not only been Israel's staunch ally but has also shied away from openly criticising the Jewish state.

But Netanyahu -- Israel's most right-wing leader to date -- has irked Berlin by pressing on with settlement building in the Palestinian territories despite repeated warnings from world powers that it would harm any prospects of peace.

On Tuesday, the tensions ratcheted up a notch with Netanyahu scrapping at the last minute a planned meeting with Sigmar Gabriel because the German foreign minister refused to cancel talks with Israeli rights groups.

Gabriel sought to minimise the damage, saying it was "not a catastrophe".

But he also stressed he wanted "to say openly that I think we should not become the pawn of Israel's domestic politics."

Merkel threw her support behind Gabriel, calling Netanyahu's decision "regrettable".

"It should not be problematic for foreign visitors to meet with critical representatives of civil society," her spokesman Steffen Seibert told reporters.

German public opinion was also largely on the foreign minister's side, with the Spiegel weekly saying that "Netanyahu's government has pushed the historically imperative special treatment to its limits".

"Certainly, Israel can never be just another country for Germany. Special consideration for the past is required, and, until today, also special diplomatic sensitivity," it said.

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"But historical guilt cannot lead Germany to accept an Israeli government moving away from certain values that we have always shared."

- 'Treated as a joke' -

Berlin has been troubled for months by Israel's settlement building programme and attempts to crack down on critical NGOs.

Rather than air its unhappiness in the open, Merkel's government had sought previously to express concerns behind the scenes.

Right after the Knesset approved a new law legalising dozens of Jewish settler outposts in the occupied West Bank, the German foreign ministry openly voiced doubts for the first time in January about whether Netanyahu intended to respect his pledge for a two-state solution.

A month later, Merkel's government cancelled an annual consultation with Israel which had been planned for May in Jerusalem.

Ostensibly, the reason was a diary problem. But the message was clear.

"Merkel has now changed her tone because the Israeli government has taken the reservations expressed by Germany as a joke," said Moshe Zimmermann, a geopolitical analyst at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

- 'Serious differences' -

In the immediate aftermath of World War II, the young Jewish state had boycotted then West Germany, until a deal in 1952 offering reparations to Israel.

Both sides -- and subsequently a reunified Germany -- have since built up a close relationship.

In a sign of their special ties, the two governments met annually for bilateral talks.

And Merkel has repeatedly said that "the security and right of the state of Israel to exist is a fundamental tenet for Germany".

Their security and economic relations are healthy, borne out most recently by the signing of a military deal for Israel's purchase of three German submarines -- with a substantial discount of one-third of the price.

But politically, the differences between the allies are widening.

Norbert Roettgen, who heads the German parliament's foreign affairs committee, said it plainly: "The differences are serious, everyone who holds Israel close to their hearts can not help but be sad and depressed by this blockade of (peace talks)."

For analyst Eldad Beck, an Israeli journalist and writer of the book "Merkel, Israel and the Jews", the friction may have also arisen as Germany has begun moving away from treating Israel with kid gloves.

"Over the last 20 years, Germany has been normalising its relationship with Israel. 'Normalising' often has a positive connotation, but here it's the reverse, it's about ending a unique status accorded to the relationship with Israel."
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LONDON (Reuters) - A 3-foot-long giant rabbit died at a United Airlines pet holding facility in Chicago following a flight from London, in another embarrassment for the airline as it struggles with a global backlash this month over a passenger dragged from his seat.

The 10-month-old Continental Giant breed rabbit named Simon, who was tipped to become one of the world's largest rabbits, had appeared to be in good condition upon arrival at the facility at Chicago's O'Hare airport, an airline spokesman said.

Simon was due to be picked up by a celebrity who had bought him. But when a United worker later checked on Simon, he found he had died, spokesman Charles Hobart said.

"We never want that to happen and it's always a sad experience for all involved when an animal passes while in our care," Hobart said by telephone on Wednesday.

The cause of death has not yet been determined, the spokesman said, adding that United was reviewing what happened.

Hobart said the airline had offered to carry out a post-mortem investigation on the rabbit, but the owner had declined. He said United also offered compensation to the owner, whom he did not identify, but did not disclose the amount.

The incident took place on April 20, but was first reported on Wednesday by The Sun newspaper. Simon's breeder, Annette Edwards, told the paper she was suspicious.

"Simon had a vet's check-up three hours before the flight and was fit as a fiddle," Edwards told The Sun. "Something very strange has happened and I want to know what."

Edwards, a former Playboy model, said she has shipped rabbits all around the world and that nothing like this had ever happened. "The client who bought Simon is very famous. He's upset," she said.

Earlier this month, a United passenger, Dr. David Dao, was unceremoniously dragged from his seat off a plane at O'Hare bound for Louisville, Kentucky, to make room for crew members.

Video recorded by other passengers showed the 69-year-old doctor being dragged down the aisle with blood on his face after he refused to give up his seat on the April 9 flight.

(Reporting by Guy Faulconbridge and Kate Holton; Additional reporting by Gina Cherelus in New York; Editing by Angus MacSwan and Sandra Maler)
Journalists in Uruguay are freer to hold the powerful to account than their peers in the United States, according to a report released on Wednesday examining press freedom around the world.

In its annual Press Freedom Index, Reporters Without Borders warns that news media around the world is facing its greatest threat yet from governments. Those threats to the free press are greatest in Western democracies, the group said, where its index has charted declines democratic institutions for years.

Media freedom in the West is now reaching a "tipping point" in the ability to hold the powerful to account, the group's report said.

"The democracies that have traditionally regarded media freedom as one of the foundations on which they are built must continue to be a model for the rest of the world, and not the opposite," SF Secretary-General Christophe Deloire said in a prepared statement. "By eroding this fundamental freedom on the grounds of protecting their citizens, the democracies are in danger of losing their souls."

In the annual rankings, the U.S. fell two spots to No. 43. Chile and the U.K. also fell two positions, to Nos. 33 and 40, respectively.

Northern European countries ranked the highest, with Norway at No. 1, Sweden at No. 2 and Finland at No. 3. Denmark and the Netherlands rounded out the top five countries. Costa Rica (No. 6) and Jamaica (No. 8) are the only countries in the Western Hemisphere to finish in the top 10.

North Korea finished last among the 180 countries assessed in the ranking. China finished at No. 176 and Vietnam at No. 175. Syria is the deadliest country in the world for journalists, the group said.

RSF singled out campaigns by President Donald Trump in the U.S. and the Brexit campaign in the U.K. to explain the drop by those two countries in its rankings. Both campaigns "were marked by high-profile media bashing, a highly toxic anti-media discourse that drove the world into a new era of post-truth, disinformation, and fake news."

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RSF also cited Western governments' "obsession with surveillance and violations of the right to the confidentiality of sources" contributed to various countries declines in the annual ranking. The administration of Trump's predecessor, Barack Obama, prosecuted more whistleblowers than any all previous administrations combined.

In its report, RSF cited specific developments in the past year of concern:

-- In Germany, which ranks 16th in the RSF index, the Bundestag -- the country's parliament -- passed a law in October 2016 that extends mass surveillance powers by the government.

-- In the U.K., RSF notes the government in 2016 adopted a law extending the surveillance powers of the British intelligence agencies.

Press freedom deteriorated in nearly two-thirds of countries of the 180 countries assessed in the past year, the organization's report said. Worldwide, media freedom constraints and violations have increased 14 percent in the past five years.

A global perspective is needed when considering RSF's warning about Western democracies, said Sheila Coronel, dean of academics at the Columbia School of Journalism.

"I don't think you can compare the situations in the U.S. or U.K. to Bahrain, Egypt or Turkey," said Coronel, citing laws and courts in place in the U.S. and U.K. that cover freedom of speech. "There is definitely concerns of what is happening in the U.S., with journalists being harassed."

RSF ranked the Middle East and North Africa as the greatest violator of press freedom, posing deadly threats to journalists covering conflicts in that region. Eastern Europe and Central Asia finished as the second worst region for violating press rights, followed by the Asia-Pacific, Africa and the Americas. The EU and the Balkans is ranked as the region that most respects press freedom.

The RSF report did note some promising news: Colombia (No. 129) and Gambia (No. 143), difficult, even deadly places for journalists to work, both moved up in the rankings. No journalists were killed in Colombia in 2016, the first such time that a year passed without a journalists dying in that country in seven years, said Margaux Ewen, RSF's advocacy and communications director based in Washington. In Gambia, Ewen said the government has rediscovered uncensored newspapers and is planning to amend legislation that is restrictive for the media.

RSF, which stands for Reporters Sans Frontieres, is an international non-profit organization founded in 1985 in France. The organization's rankings of countries by press freedom is here.

To compile its Press Freedom Index, RSF combines hard data, such as attacks and threats against journalists, with results of a questionnaire sent out to academics, lawyers and journalists around the world. Its methodology is here.

Kevin Drew is assistant managing editor for international news. You can follow him on Twitter here.
(CONCORD, N.H.) - A Republican state lawmaker accused of creating a misogynistic online forum is resisting calls for his resignation and says he will stand strong for mens rights.

The Daily Beast reported Tuesday that Rep. Robert Fisher founded The Red Pill, which calls itself a discussion of sexual strategy in a culture increasingly lacking a positive identity for men. The Daily Beast traced a variety of online usernames back to Fisher. It quotes comments many of those usernames made, on The Red Pill and other sites, that degrade womens intelligence and appear to normalize rape.

Fisher denied his role in the forum to The Daily Beast, but he didnt repeat that denial in a statement to New Hampshire reporters. He said the rape comment in particular, made on a different forum in 2008, was taken out of context. In a thread discussing absolute truth, Fisher wrote, Rape isnt an absolute bad, because the rapist I think probably likes it a lot. I think hed say its quite good, really.

Im disappointed that this sort of attack has replaced real news, but it strengthens my position and resolve that fighting for equal rights is more important today than ever, Fisher said in a statement released Tuesday night. Heres my message to the public: I am not disappearing. I will continue to stand strong for mens rights and the rights of all.

Fisher, in his statement, goes on to say that he faced false rape accusations in his early 20s that brought him to a very low place. The Daily Beast reported Fisher no longer runs the forum.

Republican House Speaker Shawn Jasper said he was sickened by the story and urged Fishers constituents not to re-elect him in 2018. House Minority Leader Steve Shurtleff and a number of other Democrats called for Fishers resignation.

I am shocked and disturbed by the report linking Representative Robert Fisher to deeply offensive statements and the creation of a misogynistic online forum, Shurtleff said.

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Fisher, 31, is a two-term representative from Laconia who does not serve on any policy committees, at his own request, according to the legislatures website. Fisher lists himself as a computer technician and owns a computer repair business.

He has missed about 50 percent of all votes this legislative session, according to state records. He is a co-sponsor of 14 pieces of legislation, including bills to expand the use of medical marijuana, to ban the practice of gay conversion therapy on minors and to reduce business taxes.

This article was originally published on TIME.com
By Vincent West GUERNICA, Spain (Reuters) - Elderly survivors of a savage air raid that destroyed the Spanish town of Guernica in 1937 met relatives of the attacking German soldiers on Wednesday in a gesture of peace and reconciliation. Exactly 80 years ago, German supporters of Francisco Franco's nationalist forces struck the market town, killing as many as 1,600 people in one of the first targeted attacks on civilians in modern history. Luis Iriondo, who was a teenager at the time and now aged 94, said he now forgave Adolf Hitler's forces and compared Guernica's victims to those killed by Allied bombs at Dresden in World War Two. "We need to forget the enmity there was at that time and seek peace," Iriondo told Reuters. "But I was fourteen then and if I had had a gun I would have shot them!" As part of anniversary celebrations in the northern Basque town, Iriondo met the descendants of two German soldiers who had served in the Condor Legion which attacked Guernica. Dieprand von Richthofen, a distant cousin of the legion's leader Wolfram von Richthofen, and Karl Benedikt von Moreau, whose uncle was a pilot, chatted with Iriondo in French. "We are just horrified by what happened here," von Moreau told Reuters. "The consequence of what happened should be that we take responsibility and we say no more of these catastrophes, no more war, no more violence." (Writing by Isla Binnie; Editing by Gareth Jones)
President Trump sent out a different kind of Twitter message Wednesday, wishing his wife a happy birthday.

Happy birthday to our @flotus, Melania!, he tweeted, along with an electronic birthday card.

The first lady turned 47 Wednesday and left Trump Tower in New York to attend a luncheon for the spouses of senators in Washington.

Read: What You Didn't Know About Melania Trump's Proudest Achievement - Being a Mom

The White House is also firing back at an article in the May issue of Vanity Fair that claims Melania Trump is miserable in her marriage to the president.

The Vanity Fair article is titled "Inside The Trump Marriage: Melania's Burden" and the first lady's spokesperson is calling it both a "false story" and "offensive.

Among the bombshell questions asked in the article is, "Does Melania actually plan to move to the White House?"

Since the Trumps have not yet announced which Washington D.C., school their son, Barron, will attend in the fall.

They also ask whether the president was rude to Melania during her pregnancy.

The article claims that he only agreed to have a baby with her if she agreed to get her body back in shape.

But Melania's spokesperson, Stephanie Grisham claims that is not the case.

In a statement to The Huffington Post, Grisham said President Trump was "very warm and supportive throughout her pregnancy."

Read: Drunken Brawls, Dead Birds and Dysentery: The Presidential Inauguration Stories You Might Not Know

Vanity Fair also pondered the question, "Does Melania have an icy relationship with first daughter Ivanka?"

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Grisham also shot down those claims, saying, "Ivanka and Mrs. Trump have always shared a close relationship, and that continues today."

Grisham said in her statement to HuffPost that "Mrs. Trump is a loving wife and mother who has always put her family first and that will not change. She is an independent woman who believes in our country, and continues her plans to serve as first lady with integrity and dedication."

Watch: The New Mar-a-Lago? Small N.J. Town May Become Trump's New Weekend Getaway

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Vancouver (AFP) - Raj Panjabi, who fled to the United States to escape civil war in his native Liberia, eventually returned to his shattered homeland to find rural communities desperate for adequate health care.

The trained physician co-founded Last Mile Health in Liberia, which aims to recruit, train, equip and manage people in communities to serve as local health care workers.

He spoke about his organization Tuesday at the TED Conference famous for "ideas worth spreading," sharing his dream of revolutionizing health care.

The innovators, entrepreneurs, influencers, and artists known as 'tedsters' picked his innovative health care project as the winner of a coveted million-dollar TED Prize awarded each year to a visionary idea.

"It has always been true in history that illness has been universal and access to care has not," Panjabi said during an interview before speaking to the TED audience late Tuesday."This is a story of people in rural areas around the world," he said.

Seed money Dr. Panjabi used to start Last Mile Health came from cash he had received as a wedding gift.

The operation has grown to provide care for tens of thousands of people, and win support from Liberia's health ministry, according to TED.

During the Ebola crisis, Panjabi's organization supported the Liberian government's response, training more than 1,300 health workers on infection prevention and control at clinics.

"As global citizens, we're living in a tumultuous moment," said TED Prize director Anna Verghese.

"Raj understands more than anyone that disease adheres neither to borders nor to nationalities."

- A health care army -

Panjabi wished for help creating a global academy, recruiting the "largest army of health care workers the world has ever known."

People with middle- or high-school level educations would be hired from their communities, then given training, medicines and support to provide health care to neighbors.

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"The challenge is, we can't do that without technology," Panjabi said.

"A lot of people worry about technology these days; in this case technology is creating jobs."

The academy will start in Liberia, where Last Mile Health has operated for a decade, with a goal of expanding around the world, according to Panjabi.

Smartphones, inexpensive testing kits, and online education would be key components for realizing the grand vision, according to the doctor.

"We would like to see a collision between the digital education revolution and the digital health revolution," Panjabi said.

The vision for the academy involves with governments to enable trained volunteers to qualify for accreditation that could lead to careers.

The academy would also collaborate with entrepreneurs to put innovations, such as solar power for medical clinics, to work in remote areas.

"There is a chance to transform health care around the world," Panjabi said.

For any policy maker interested in expanding access to health care, and saving money in the long term, this is a "no-brainer" because stopping illness early cuts costs and can curtail outbreaks, he reasoned.

The goal is to have rural care paid for with public funds or insurance schemes, the Liberian prize winner said.
(Reuters) - Highlights for U.S. President Donald Trump's administration on Tuesday: TAXES Trump on Wednesday will propose slashing corporate income tax rates and steeply discounting the tax rate on overseas corporate profits brought into the United States in a broad blueprint outlining his administration's tax principles, officials say. SANCTUARY CITIES A U.S. judge blocks Trump's executive order that sought to withhold federal funds from so-called sanctuary cities, dealing another legal blow to the administration's efforts to toughen immigration enforcement. TRADE The United States and Canada face off in a renewed battle over softwood lumber that threatens to spill over into multiple other sectors, although Trump says he does not fear a trade war with Canada. Mexico's government says it will fight any measures in a U.S. tax overhaul that break international trade rules, and threatens to review cross-border cooperation on migration and security if upcoming negotiations founder. Mexico can impose annual trade sanctions worth $163.23 million against the United States after winning a dispute over trade in tuna fish, a World Trade Organization arbitrator rules. NORTH KOREA North Korea conducts a big live-fire exercise to mark the anniversary of its military's founding as a U.S. submarine docks in South Korea in a show of force. RETREAT ON THE WALL The threat of a U.S. government shutdown this weekend appears to recede after Trump backs away from a demand that Congress include funding for his planned border wall with Mexico in a spending bill. NATO Two of the Air Force's newest and most advanced jets land in the Baltic state of Estonia for the first time, a symbolic gesture meant to reinforce the United States' commitment to the defense of NATO allies that border Russia. RUSSIA Former White House national security adviser Michael Flynn likely broke the law by failing to get permission to be paid for a trip to Russia in 2015, the leaders of the House of Representatives oversight panel say. Two former U.S. officials, intelligence director James Clapper and Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates, will testify next month in a Senate investigation into alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential election, the Senate Judiciary Committee says. IVANKA TRUMP Ivanka Trump is booed in Berlin when she describes her father as a "tremendous champion of supporting families" and says she is still fine-tuning her role as first daughter and informal White House adviser. (Compiled by Jonathan Oatis and Bill Trott; Editing by Peter Cooney and Sandra Maler)
(Reuters) - Highlights for U.S. President Donald Trump's administration on Wednesday: TAXES Trump proposes slashing tax rates for businesses and on overseas corporate profits returned to the country in a plan greeted as an opening gambit by his fellow Republicans in Congress. Trump's plan could shift the U.S. economy into higher gear but could have one effect the White House would not welcome - interest rates ratcheted higher than expected by a wary central bank. The Trump tax cut will generate growth but not nearly enough to replace trillions of dollars in lost revenues, while rising deficits could even take back some of the economic gains, fiscal experts say. GOVERNMENT SPENDING BILL Congress inches toward a deal to fund the government through September but is preparing to possibly extend a midnight Friday deadline in order to wrap up negotiations and avoid an imminent government shutdown. TRADE The White House is considering a draft executive order to withdraw the United States from the North American Free Trade Agreement, an administration official says. Canada and the United States made progress in recent days on a dispute over Canadian lumber exports "but we are not there yet," Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland says. IMMIGRATION U.S. Chief Justice John Roberts takes issue with the administration's stance in an immigration case, saying it could make it too easy for the government to strip people of citizenship for lying about minor infractions. Trump criticizes a federal judge's ruling that blocks his executive order seeking to withhold funds from "sanctuary cities" for illegal immigrants, vowing an appeal to the Supreme Court. NORTH KOREA The top U.S. commander in the Pacific tells Congress the United States may need to strengthen missile defenses, particularly in Hawaii, given the advancing threat from North Korea's weapons programs. NATIONAL MONUMENTS Trump signs an executive order to allow national monument designations to be rescinded or reduce the size of sites as the administration pushes to open more federal land to drilling, mining and other development. EDUCATION Trump orders Education Secretary Betsy DeVos to review the government role in school policy, which supporters cheer as a step in creating more local control in education and critics worry it could lead to lower quality schools in poorer neighborhoods. MIDDLE EAST Israel's intelligence minister says his country wants an "understanding" with the Trump administration that Iran must not be allowed to establish a permanent military foothold in Syria. (Compiled by Jonathan Oatis and Bill Trott; Editing by James Dalgleish and Grant McCool)
Paris (AFP) - High-tech dating of mastodon remains found in southern California has shattered the timeline of human migration to America, pushing the presence of hominins back to 130,000 years ago rather than just 15,000 years, researchers said Wednesday.

Teeth and bones of the elephant-like creature unmistakably modified by human hands, along with stone hammers and anvils, leave no doubt that some species of early human feasted on its carcass, they reported in the journal Nature.

Discovered in 1992 during construction work to expand an expressway, the bone fragments "show clear signs of having been deliberately broken by humans with manual dexterity," said lead author Steve Holen, director of research at the Center for American Paleolithic Research.

Up to now, the earliest confirmed passage of our ancestors into North America took place about 15,000 years ago. These were modern humans -- Homo sapiens -- that probably crossed from Siberia into what is today Alaska, by land or along the coast.

There have been several other claims of an even earlier bipedal footprint on the continent, but none would take that timeline back further than 50,000 years, and all remain sharply contested.

The absence of human remains at the California site throws wide open the question of who these mysterious hunters were, as well as when -- and how -- they arrived on American shores.

- A genetic link -

One possibility that can be excluded with high confidence is that they were like us. Homo sapiens, experts say, did not exit Africa until about 80,000 to 100,000 years ago.

But that still leaves a wide range of candidates, including several other hominin species that roamed Eurasia 130,000 years ago, the authors said.

They include Homo erectus, whose earliest traces date back nearly two million years; Neanderthals, who fought and co-mingled with modern humans across Europe before dying out some 40,000 years ago; and an enigmatic species called Denisovans, whose DNA survives today in Australian aboriginals.

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In a companion analysis, Holen and his team argue that -- despite rising seas 130,000 years ago due to an inter-glacial period of warming -- the overseas distances to the Americas were within the capacity of human populations at the time.

Intriguingly, in light of the new find, recent studies have also shown a genetic link between present-day Amazonian native Americans and some Asian and Australian peoples.

The picture that emerges "indicates a diverse set of founding populations of the Americas," said Erella Hovers, an anthropologist at Hebrew University of Jerusalem, who did not take part in the new study.

As for the early humans who carved up the bones at the Cerutti Mastodon site in San Diego, named for the paleontologist who discovered it, they likely died out, leaving no genetic trace in modern North Americans, the authors conjectured.

Previous attempts to accurately date artefacts at the site fell short.

Then, in 2014, co-author James Paces, a researcher with the US Geological Survey, used state-of-the-art radiometric methods to measure traces of natural uranium and its decaying by-products in the mastodon bones, which were still fresh when broken by precise blows from stone hammers.

- Not-so-new New World -

The prehistoric butchery, he determined, took place 130,000 years ago, give or take 9,400 years, and was may have sought to extract nutritious marrow.

"Since the original discovery, dating technology has advanced to enable us to confirm with further certainty that early humans were here signficantly earlier than commonly accepted," said co-author Thomas Demere, a paleontologist at the San Diego Natural History Museum.

To strengthen the case, researchers set up an experiment to reproduce the stone-age food prep tableau unearthed from "Bed E" of the excavation site.

Using stone hammers and anvils similar to those found, they broke open large elephant bones much in the way pre-historic humans might have done. Certain blows yielded exactly the kind of strike marks, on both the hammers and the bones.

The same patterns, further tests showed, could not have emerged from natural wear-and-tear, or from the deliberate crafting of the tools, called flaking.

"This is a very old technology," said Holen. "We have people in Africa 1.5 million years ago breaking up elephant limb bones in this pattern, and as humans moved out of Africa and across the world they took this type of technology with them."

There remain nonetheless big holes in the narrative of human migration to the Americas, Hovers said, commenting in Nature.

"Time will tell whether this evidence will bring a paradigm change in our understanding of hominin dispersal and colonisation throughout the world, including in what now seems to be a not-so-new New World," she wrote.
By Marton Dunai BUDAPEST (Reuters) - Anti-government protesters have filled Budapest's streets in recent weeks, but divisions within the opposition and weak support outside the capital mean they are unlikely to herald a serious threat to Prime Minister Viktor Orban in next year's election. Triggered by a law targeting an international school founded by liberal U.S. financier George Soros, the rallies have galvanized broader public anger against Orban's ambition to create an "illiberal democracy". They accuse Orban of engineering a crackdown on civil dissent, eroding democratic values and spreading hostility towards the European Union while cozying up to Russia. But the protesters, mostly young and urban, have found little in common with opposition politicians jostling for position ahead of next year's election and struggling to shake off the perception of incompetence and corruption. Orban's Fidesz has a lead in opinion polls, with its 30-percent support dwarfing its closest rivals, the Socialists and the radical nationalist Jobbik, both at about 10 percent. The rest of the opposition is fragmented between several small parties. "They (protesters) have the street but we don't know for how long," said Zoltan Novak, a researcher at the Centre for Fair Political Analysis. "The sentiment on the street and the sentiment in the opinion polls both have to change. We're not there yet." Emerging market investors expect the political status quo to hold since Hungary is economically stable and the protests have not posed a risk to Orban's grip on power. "Hungary is not at the top of the list where I would see big political changes in the next few years," said Simon Quijano-Evans, a strategist at Legal & General Investment Management in London. Orban and his Fidesz party also seem relaxed, with the prime minister saying he feels bemused at the rallies. "It always makes one smile when one sees crowds protesting at a lack of democracy," he told public radio this month. "They chant horrible things, insults and insinuations, while they claim there is no democracy. It's rather funny." The lack of interest in protests among the 80 percent of Hungarians who live outside the capital also makes it unlikely they would have much of an impact. The largest rally drew about a thousand people in Szeged, and that only once. "There are 23,000 students at this university and you did not see them pouring out onto the streets," said Erzsebet Barat, who teaches at the University of Szeged. UPHILL STRUGGLE FOR CHALLENGERS Hungary's electoral law -- created by Fidesz in 2011 -- helps Orban stay resilient. In 2014 he won a two-thirds majority with just 2.3 million votes out of 8 million voters. "The system works for Fidesz in the short term," election expert Robert Laszlo told Reuters. In a mixed system of a single-round first-past-the-post vote and party lists, any ballot not used to win in constituencies bolsters the winning party's list, strengthening them further. Losing candidates' votes are not doubled that way. That, plus gerrymandered constituency borders and lax financial rules, play to Fidesz's advantage now, Laszlo said. To activists Marton Gulyas and Gergely Varga, that is unacceptable. The pair became celebrities among protesters after they were arrested for hurling bottles of orange paint, the Fidesz party colors, at the Presidential Palace at a rally. They have campaigned to level the electoral playing field. "We have to create a free and democratic race for the entire political sphere and not just legitimize the system which only favors Fidesz," Gulyas told Reuters. Despite the new energy, the protests could easily peter out if opposition parties are unable to capitalize on them. But instead of offering one alternative to Fidesz, a half-dozen parties compete for the protest vote. Unless they forge an alliance they have no chance against Orban's Fidesz in 2018 - and in 2014 they placed a distant second even in an alliance. Amid such competition new players stand to profit, chiefly a group called Momentum, Novak said. Having made its name by forcing the government to withdraw a bid for the 2024 Olympic Games in Budapest, Momentum has begun a national tour to recruit party activists as it seeks to launch the party in May. It plans a pro-EU protest for May 1, the 13th anniversary of Hungary's accession to the bloc. Radical nationalist Jobbik, a well-financed group that now targets the mainstream, also goes its own way. "I don't see a serious challenge in these movements," Jobbik deputy Istvan Szavay told Reuters. "Only a seasoned and established party like Jobbik can beat Fidesz in 2018." (Editing by Justyna Pawlak and Angus MacSwan)
Seoul (AFP) - South Korea's biggest automaker Hyundai Motor posted a 21 percent drop in first-quarter profits on Wednesday, hammered by the fallout from a diplomatic spat between Seoul and Beijing over a US missile defence system.

In a statement, Hyundai said it posted 1.46 trillion won (US$1.3 billion) in net profits during the January to March period, its 13th consecutive quarter of profit downturn.

"Partial suspensions at factories increased cost burdens while bigger marketing fees were spent to overcome the global economic slowdown," the company said.

The firm said it recorded strong sales in emerging markets like Russia and Brazil but added that "weak demand" by Chinese consumers resulted in a drop in overseas sales.

Sales in China plunged 44 percent last month. Beijing has been infuriated by the deployment of the THAAD missile defence system in the South and has imposed a series of measures seen as economic retaliation.

Seoul and Washington say the system is intended to guard against missile threats from the nuclear-armed North.

But China fears it will weaken its own ballistic capabilities and says it upsets the regional security balance.

Worldwide, Hyundai sold fewer than 1.1 million cars in the first quarter, 1.6 percent fewer than the same period last year.

The company forecast more challenges ahead in the face of slow global growth and spreading trade protectionism.
The number of illegal immigrants living in the US hit its lowest level in a decade under President Barack Obama's administration, a study suggests.

There were 11 million undocumented immigrants living in the US in 2015 according to the Pew Research Centre, the lowest number since 2005.

That included people who crossed the border illegally and those who overstayed their legal visas, and was based on data from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey.

The Centre also released a preliminary estimate of 11.3 million illegal immigrants in 2016, based on a different data source with a smaller sample size.

Video not available for syndication

Trump doesn't say who will pay for Mexico wall, only that it's coming

Donald Trump focused on the constant flow of migrants from Mexico from the beginning of his campaign, denouncing border crossers as "criminals" and "racists".

Mexicans have long been the largest group among undocumented immigrants, the Centre noted, but their numbers have declined since peaking at 6.9 million in 2007.

In 2015, the Centre's estimate said the number declined to 5.6, making up 51 per cent of the total undocumented immigrant population.

The preliminary estimates are based on census data from March 2016, in the last year of Mr Obama's second term, meaning they do not account for any impact of Mr Trump's policy changes.

A huge drop in the number of people arrested crossing the Mexico border into the US has been recorded since Mr Trump took office, with his administration seeking to take credit for the decline.

Fewer than 12,500 were caught at the southern border in March, the lowest monthly figure in at least 17 years and the second month in a row border arrests dropped sharply.

The White House issued a statement to say Mr Trump's "commitment to securing our border and supporting law enforcement is already showing results."

However, those working in shelters and experts on migration said it will take several more months to judge whether any drop-off is long lasting, and that the numbers could surge again as quickly as they have fallen.

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Some thought the real "Trump effect" pushed fearful people to move up their journeys and get to the US before Mr Trump took office.

Border arrests in October, November and December increased by about a third compared to the same period in 2015, before falling this year.
By Syed Raza Hassan KARACHI, Pakistan (Reuters) - Afghan and Indian intelligence agencies gave funds and other assistance to Pakistani Taliban militants to fight Islamabad, the group's former spokesman, who surrendered last week, said in a video released by Pakistan's military on Wednesday. Afghanistan strongly refuted the claim, while India's Ministry of External Affairs said it was not yet able to comment on the video. Both Kabul and New Delhi have often accused Pakistan of masterminding terror attacks on their soil. Liaquat Ali, better known by his nom de guerre, Ehsanullah Ehsan, was a senior commander for the Pakistani Taliban, and later for a Taliban breakaway faction, Jamaat-ul-Ahrar. Ehsan led both groups' media campaigns, becoming a household name as the Islamist militants claimed responsibility for mass bombings and attacks that wrought chaos on Pakistan. In his first appearance since it was announced last week he had surrendered, Ehsan alleged India's intelligence agency Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) and Afghanistan's NDS provided extensive help to the Pakistani Taliban or TTP. Ehsan said "relations with NDS and RAW grew" after Pakistan's military launched a major military campaign against the Taliban in their strongholds in North Waziristan in 2014, forcing the militants to flee across the border to Afghanistan. "They supported (TTP), extending financial assistance and they also gave targets, and for each attack (TTP) charged a price," Ehsan said in the video, which shows him wearing a traditional shalwar kamiz outfit with a Pashtun flat cap. Reuters and other media have not been able to obtain access to Ehsan or verify his claims. The Pakistani Taliban could not be reached for comment. A senior Afghanistan security official dismissed Ehsan's comments as spin by Pakistan, which is accused of providing safe havens to the Afghan Taliban militants who are looking to topple the Western-backed government in Kabul. "Pakistan has always been pushing this narrative of being victim of terrorism while the fact it sponsors and supports terrorist activities in Afghanistan and India," the Afghan security official said. "Now Pakistan is under enormous pressure from the international community to crack down on extremists and it is trying to evade responsibility by playing victim once again." New Delhi has waged a diplomatic campaign to isolate Pakistan after alleging Islamabad helped militants attack an army base in Indian-controlled Kashmir last year. The United States has also been pressuring Islamabad to tackle the Pakistan-based Haqqani network, a group which Washington considers a terrorist organization and which is aligned with the Afghan Taliban. Ehsan said another way Afghanistan's NDS agency helped the Pakistani Taliban was by providing militants with identity cards to ease their movement inside Aghanistan. "Their movement used to take place with the blessing of NDS and Afghan forces," Ehsan said during the 6-minute video. (Additional reporting by Hamid Shalizi in Kabul and Douglas Busvine in New Delhi; Writing by Drazen Jorgic; Editing by Mark Trevelyan)
Authorities in Indian-administered Kashmir on Wednesday ordered internet service providers to block popular social media services including Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp after an upsurge in violence in the region.

The local government said the services were "being misused by anti-national and anti-social elements" and should be blocked for one month or until further notice "in the interest of maintenance of public order".

It is the first time the government has taken such a step, although it regularly blocks the mobile internet signal in the volatile Kashmir valley.

Indian-administered Kashmir has been tense since April 9, when eight people including seven students were killed by police and paramilitaries during by-election violence.

Anti-India sentiment runs deep in the Kashmir valley, one of the world's most heavily militarised spots where most people favour independence or a merger with mainly Muslim Pakistan.

Clashes between rebels and government forces have become more frequent since the killing of a popular rebel leader, Burhan Wani, by security forces last July sparked widespread unrest.

Authorities responded by imposing a curfew, suspending mobile networks in large parts of the territory and seizing newspapers to try to quell protests.

They say social media are being used increasingly frequently to rally crowds which then attack government forces, often by throwing rocks at them.

Social media are also being used by both sides in the conflict to spread images and video footage in a growing war of information.

A video released on social media sites earlier this month showed a man tied to a jeep being used as a human shield against stone-throwers by soldiers in Kashmir.

The 11-second clip went viral and has sparked outrage and heated debate about the role of the military.

Rights activists say Indian forces in Kashmir have been using human shields since the late 1980s, when an armed insurgency against Indian rule erupted across the territory.

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Roughly 500,000 Indian soldiers are deployed in the region, which has been divided between India and Pakistan since the end of British rule in 1947. Both claim the territory in its entirety.

On Wednesday student protesters took to the streets, clashing with government forces who used shotguns to disperse them.

Students have staged almost daily protests in recent weeks, chanting slogans demanding freedom from India and throwing rocks at police.

They were angered by a raid earlier this month on a college in the southern district of Pulwama in which police tried to detain the alleged ringleaders of earlier protests.

Earlier this week the chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, the northern state that administers the area, held talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the developing crisis.

Mehbooba Mufti said after the meeting that dialogue was needed to calm the situation.
Indonesias Directorate General of Immigration has admitted that its checkpoints are not effective in preventing local militants from crossing into the southern Philippine territories of the Abu Sayyaf Group, some factions of which are pledged to the Islamic State.

The disclosure is likely to underscore concerns that insurgent groups in the southern Philippines, where some observers have suggested ISIS could build a new caliphate, are able to bolster their ranks with foreign fighters.

An Indonesian passport was found by Philippine counter-terrorism forces in the countrys volatile south, the Jakarta Post reports, prompting the directorates admission.

In an interview with the Post Tuesday, directorate spokesperson Agung Sampurno said that Indonesias two check points at Miangas and Marore Island could not sufficiently screen seaborne militants, who have for years used traditional sea routes to move between the two archipelago nations.

They also smuggle weapons via these hubs, he said.

There is nothing new about foreign fighters entering Mindanao: the primary target of the Philippine governments pyrrhic victory at Mamasapano, which left 44 troops dead in 2015, was a Malaysian bomb-maker. Neither is it unusual for Abu Sayyaf Group, which frequently kidnaps Indonesian fishermen for ransom, to cross in the other direction.

However, Agungs comments come amid fears that the Islamic State will increase its footprint in Southeast Asia as it loses ground in the middle east.

There is concern that ISIS may well seek to declare a caliphate, an Islamic caliphate, in the southern Philippines, Australias foreign affairs minister Julie Bishop said last month.

This article was originally published on TIME.com
Tehran (AFP) - Iran confirmed Wednesday upholding a five-year sentence for Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, a British-Iranian woman accused of sedition who has been in jail in the country for more than a year.

"She had appealed and the appeals court reviewed her request," Tasnim news agency quoted Tehran province's justice chief Gholam Hossein Esmaeili as saying.

"The appeals court decided that the initial verdict was true and justified, so it was upheld."

Zaghari-Ratcliffe's British husband said on Monday that the jail term she received in September for participating in anti-regime protests in 2009 had been upheld.

The family was told the sentence was final as they had already lost an initial appeal in January.

Zaghari-Ratcliffe was arrested at Tehran airport on April 3, 2016, after visiting family in Iran with her British-born daughter Gabriella.

At the time of arrest, authorities confiscated her daughter's British passport. The girl has been living with her grandparents in Iran since her mother's arrest.

Iran does not recognise dual-citizenship, meaning that the accused are deprived of diplomatic counsel.

Britain's foreign ministry said it was "deeply concerned" by reports the sentence had been upheld and said Prime Minister Theresa May and Foreign Minister Boris Johnson had raised the case with their Iranian counterparts.

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.
Hatra (Iraq) (AFP) - Iraqi forces seized the UNESCO-listed ancient site of Hatra from the Islamic State group Wednesday, the latest archaeological jewel to be wrested from the jihadists' grip.

Hashed al-Shaabi (Popular Mobilisation) paramilitary forces fighting IS around Iraq's second city Mosul said they had "liberated the ancient city of Hatra... after fierce clashes with the enemy".

The Hashed forces launched their offensive at dawn on Tuesday and swiftly retook villages in nearby desert areas and the Hatra archaeological site.

Nearby modern Hatra was not yet fully retaken but the Hashed said its forces had "broken into the town after Daesh (IS) defences collapsed".

It said in a statement that it killed 61 IS fighters in the two-day-old operation, including 19 suicide bombers, and evacuated around 2,500 civilians who fled their homes.

An AFP reporter with the forces said the advance was quick and supported by army helicopters. The Hashed al-Shaabi said they retook an area covering 800 square kilometres (300 square miles).

Lying 120 kilometres (80 miles) southwest of Mosul, the jihadists' last urban Iraqi stronghold, Hatra is one of a string of archaeological sites recaptured from IS in recent months.

Known as Al-Hadhr in Arabic, it was established in the 3rd or 2nd century BC and became a religious and trading centre under the Parthian empire.

Its imposing fortifications helped it withstand sieges by the forces of two Roman emperors.

Although Hatra finally succumbed to Ardashir I, founder of the Sassanid dynasty, it was well-preserved over the centuries that followed.

But after IS jihadists seized swathes of Iraq and Syria in a lightning 2014 offensive, they vandalised sculptures there as part of a campaign of destruction against archaeological sites they had captured.

The jihadists see such destruction as a religiously mandated elimination of idols -- but they have no qualms about selling smaller artefacts to fund their operations.

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- Strategic town -

The full extent of the damage to Hatra remains unclear.

Besides the huge heritage value of ancient Hatra, the nearby city is of particular strategic significance because it commands access to broads linking the provinces of Nineveh, Salaheddin and Anbar.

IS has lost much of the territory it once controlled amid twin offensives in Syria and Iraq, including several ancient sites.

In November, less than a month into a vast operation to oust the jihadists from Mosul, Iraq said it had recaptured Nimrud, a jewel of the Assyrian empire founded in the 13th century BC.

Journalists who visited immediately afterwards found shattered statues, wrecked ancient palaces and bulldozed structures in one of the region's most important archaeological sites.

IS had smashed stone carvings and detonated explosives at the site.

Last month, Syrian regime forces recaptured the famed desert city of Palmyra from the jihadists, who had destroyed priceless objects there too.

Also in March, Iraqi security forces recaptured Mosul's museum, where IS militants infamously filmed themselves smashing priceless artefacts.

The five-minute video from 2015 shows militants at the museum in Mosul knocking statues off their plinths and smashing them to pieces.

In another scene, jihadists used a jackhammer to deface an imposing granite Assyrian winged bull at the Nergal Gate in Mosul.

The destruction at the museum and the archaeological sites drew widespread condemnation internationally and inside Iraq.

Iraqi pro-government forces backed by a US-led coalition have been fighting since October to oust IS from Mosul.

The Hashed al-Shaabi, an umbrella group for militias that mobilised to fight IS, have focused their efforts on a front southwest of Mosul, aiming to seize the town of Tal Afar as well as desert areas stretching to the border with Syria.

Iraqi forces advanced in west Mosul this week, closing in on the Old City as the jihadists executed civilians in a desperate bid to hold on to the last major Iraqi bastion of their crumbling "caliphate".
JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel gave a one-year work visa to a Human Rights Watch researcher on Wednesday after initially denying him a permit and accusing the organization of engaging in "Palestinian propaganda", the group said. The decision in February to deny Omar Shakir a work permit was criticized by the United States. Shakir, a U.S. citizen, received the visa on arrival at Tel Aviv's Ben-Gurion airport and he will take up his position as the New York-based rights group's Israel and Palestine director. "We welcome this opportunity to work in Israel and Palestine alongside vigorous national human rights organizations," Iain Levine, executive deputy director for program at Human Rights Watch, said in a statement on the group's website. "Israeli authorities do not always agree with our findings, but, in facilitating the ability of our staff to carry out our research and documentation, they have taken an important step to safeguard the principle of transparency and demonstrate their openness to criticism." Foreign Ministry spokesman Emmanuel Nahshon said in February that the decision to deny Shakir a work permit stemmed from HRW's work "at the service of Palestinian propaganda". But he also said the application may be reconsidered if an appeal was lodged, and Shakir was allowed to enter Israel on a tourist visa on March 6 for a 10-day stay. Final approval for a one-year permit was given on April 20, HRW said. The U.S. State Department said after Shakir was banned that it strongly disagreed with Israel's characterization of the group, which it considers a credible human rights organization. In its statement, HRW said it has had regular access to Israel and the occupied West Bank for nearly three decades, with staff and offices in Jerusalem, Ramallah, and Gaza for much of this period. It said that since 2008, Israel has refused it access to Gaza, which is run by Hamas Islamists, except for one visit in 2016. (Reporting by Jeffrey Heller; Editing by Catherine Evans)
Caesarea (Israel) (AFP) - Israeli archaeologists working on a major Roman-era port city on Wednesday unveiled new discoveries including an altar dedicated to Augustus Caesar and a centuries-old mother-of-pearl tablet inscribed with a menorah.

The finds at Caesarea, a complex on the Mediterranean coast 50 kilometres (30 miles) north of Tel Aviv, were the result of "one of the largest and most important conservation projects ever undertaken in Israel," the Israel Antiquities Authority said.

Caesarea was established some 2,030 years ago by Roman-appointed King Herod the Great, who ruled what was then Judea.

Today, the ruins are a popular tourist destination where concerts are still held in the remains of an ancient Roman theatre.

Archaeologist Peter Gendelman, leading a tour of the site, said the preservation work was perhaps the most "complicated and interesting" project he had worked on in his 30-year career.

Some of the finds are "completely changing our understanding of the dynamics of this area", he said.

Authorities are planning to finish the excavations within months and open a visitors' centre built into ancient vaults to illustrate the city's history.

Guy Swersky, vice chairman of the Rothschild Caesarea Foundation, said Caesarea was a major city from Roman times right through to the Crusader era.

"This was by far the most important port city in this area of the Middle East," he said.

The Edmond de Rothschild Foundation and local authorities have allocated more than 100 million shekels ($27 million, 25 million euros) for the project.

The site, which contains ruins from later periods including the Byzantine, Muslim and Crusader eras, has been the focus of major excavation work over the decades but recent work has revealed new secrets.

The project also aims to preserve the remains of an ancient synagogue and a nearby aquaduct.

Officials said a small mother-of-pearl tablet engraved with a menorah was testimony to an ancient Jewish presence at the site.

Archaeologists said it likely dates to the fourth or fifth century AD.
JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel and the White House are in preliminary discussions about a visit to Israel by U.S. President Donald Trump as early as next month, an Israeli government official said on Wednesday. A Trump visit would mark an early personal engagement by the new Republican president in efforts to resolve the intractable Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met Trump in the White House in February, one of the first foreign leaders to do so after the wealthy businessman took office in January, and has spoken of positive change in U.S. Middle East policy after years of friction with Trump's Democratic predecessor, Barack Obama. "There are preliminary contacts between the (Israeli) Foreign Ministry and the White House and there is a 70 percent chance that a (Trump) presidential visit will happen," the Israeli official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because a trip had not been finalised. Trump has said he intends to pursue efforts to achieve Israeli-Palestinian peace. The last round of talks between the two adversaries collapsed in 2014. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is due to see Trump in Washington on May 3. Praising U.S. policy since Trump entered the White House, Netanyahu has cited in particular a U.S. missile strike in Syria on April 6 in retaliation for what Washington charged was a Syrian government chemical weapons attack in a rebel-held area that killed scores of civilians. Damascus denied responsibility. Netanyahu had an often tense relationship with Obama over the 2015 U.S.-backed Iran nuclear deal and Israeli settlement building on occupied land that Palestinians want for a state. His vision for a two-state resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict unfulfilled, Obama came to Israel twice in his eight years as president - in 2013 and last September for the funeral of Israeli elder statesman Shimon Peres. Trump, who appeared to surprise Netanyahu at their White House meeting by urging him to curb settlements, is due to make his first overseas visit as president, to Europe in May. A senior U.S. administration official said last week a stop in Saudi Arabia might be added. (Writing by Ori Lewis; editing by Jeffrey Heller and Mark Heinrich)
ROME (Italy) (AFP) - Italy's centre-left government said Wednesday Alitalia would be sold to the "highest bidder", again ruling out a state rescue as fears mounted that the troubled airline is plummeting towards bankruptcy.

Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni said he had been disappointed by staff's rejection of a rescue plan involving deep job and salary cuts, and reiterated that the state could not and would not step in.

"The truth is what I said before the vote and what I say again today: the conditions are not there for Alitalia to be nationalised," Gentiloni said.

Transport Minister Graziano Delrio meanwhile said the company would be "sold to the highest bidder" and the government made favourable noises about the mooted possibility of a partial takeover by Germany's Lufthansa.

The loss-making national carrier's future is up in the air after its workforce rejected a restructuring plan which management had presented as the only alternative to bankruptcy.

Etihad Airways, which owns a 49 percent stake in Alitalia, and other shareholders had made staff acceptance of the plan a precondition for their participation in a two-billion-euro recapitalisation plan involving a combination of loans and new shareholder financing.

But despite earlier proposals being watered down in negotiations with unions, over two thirds of staff voted to reject them in a ballot on Monday, in which more than 90 percent of employees took part.

The latest draft of the restructuring plan involves eliminating 1,700 jobs from a global headcount of 12,500 and wage cuts of up to eight percent for some of the remaining staff.

The company's board on Tuesday asked the government to appoint administrators to find a purchaser or organise the winding up of the company.

"The most plausible outcome is that we are moving to a brief period of extraordinary administration which could conclude in six months with a partial or total sale of Alitalia's assets," said Economic Development minister Carlo Calenda.

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- Phoenix from the ashes? -

Delrio added: "The business will be sold to the highest bidder ... but Alitalia has been weakened by the outcome of the ballot and its competitors will not give it any gifts."

Asked about the Lufthansa rumours, Delrio said the government was not opposed while Calenda described the possibility as "interesting to explore".

Calenda said the government would seek EU permission to lend Alitalia 300-400 million euros of working capital to keep its planes in the skies for the next six months pending a sale.

Economists have warned Alitalia going out of business could destroy some 20,000 jobs when the impact on sub-contractors is added to that on directly-employed staff.

But the government is reluctant to inject any more taxpayers cash into what consumers group ADUC recently called a "bottomless pit" for public funds.

Calenda said the government had already pumped some 7.4 billion euros into the company, which was rescued from bankruptcy in 2014, when Etihad acquired a 49 percent stake.

Another consumer rights group Condacons has urged the government to guarantee tickets already sold will be reimbursed if Alitalia is grounded, which the state seems willing to do.

John Strickland, an independent airline consultant based in London, said there was a real chance of Alitalia going under.

"It has led a charmed life and had numerous near death experiences," he told AFP. "Whether they will rise like a Phoenix from the ashes again seems less likely at present."

Alitalia has been loss-making for years and has been squeezed hard recently by the emergence of leaner, low-cost rivals on domestic and European routes, particularly Ryanair, which is now the market leader in Italy.

Alitalia lost 460 million euros last year and a similar loss is predicted for this year. The restructuring plan envisaged a return to profitability by 2019 and a subequent expansion of long-haul operations.
US presidents daughter hears boos at W20 summit for calling him a champion of supporting families as Angela Merkel tries hard to make her guest feel welcome

One of the issues at the top of the agenda of the W20 summit in Berlin on Tuesday was how working women can better balance family and work.

So perhaps it was inevitable that the first question for Ivanka Trump  a woman accused of mixing business interests and dynastic ambition in ways the White House has rarely seen  should have focused on alleged conflicts of interest.

What exactly did being the first daughter of the United States entail, asked the panels moderator, journalist Miriam Meckel: Who do you represent, Ivanka? Your father, the American people or your business?

Well certainly not the latter, Trump answered quickly  only to add the qualifier: Speaking as an entrepreneur 

She was, she said, certainly quite unfamiliar with her new role.

I am listening and I am learning and I am defining ways in which I think I will be able to have an impact, Trump said.

Eyebrows were raised when it was first announced that Trump would appear at the event, on a panel alongside Angela Merkel, Christine Lagarde and Queen Maxima of the Netherlands.

The gathering of female business leaders was intended to help set the agenda for Julys G20. As for the political aspect of her visit, Trump said that she would bring advice and knowledge back to my father.

That may well have been Merkels calculation when she slipped an invitation to Donald Trumps daughter during her visit to the White House on 17 March this year.

Back then, President Trump was accused of outright nepotism for seating his daughter next to one of the most influential politicians in the world at a panel debate on workforce development.

At the Berlin debate, the organisers made a point of seating the presidents daughter and Merkel a seat apart, with Trump wedged between Lagarde, the IMF director, and the Canadian foreign minister, Chrystia Freeland.

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But the German chancellor seemed determined to make the American guest feel welcome, nodding at her encouragingly every time she took the mic.

The audience was in a different mood. When Trump described her father as a tremendous champion of supporting families, there were boos and hisses.

Meckel, the moderator, said some of the attitudes Trumps father had displayed in the past cast doubt on whether he really empowered women.

Ive certainly heard the criticism from the media, Trump replied. But I know from personal experience  and the thousands of women who have worked with and for my father are testimony to his enormous belief in womens potential and the ability to do the job as well as any men. As a daughter I know he encouraged me and enabled me to thrive. I grew up in a house where there were no barriers.

Finding herself on the back foot, she praised Merkel for passing unequal pay legislation  something that we should all be looking at.

Under the draft law passed in Germany in January, workers in companies with 200 employees or more will be legally entitled to information on what criteria they are paid under. How exactly Trump squared such a law with her desire to see regulatory burdens lifted in the US remained unexplored.

Merkel said the G20 needed to work on opening up access to financial means for female entrepreneurs, for example via micro credits  an issue she had raised repeatedly over the past five years.

Asked whether she considered herself a feminist, the German chancellor offered the most Merkelesque of answers: The history of feminism is such that there are certain commonalities with me, and other aspects where there arent.

The moderator extended the question to the rest of the panel. Trump, egged on by a cheering audience, put her hand up.

Trump, the second of three children from the US presidents first marriage to Czech-American model Ivana Zelnickova, arrived at Berlins retro Tegel airport shortly after 8am.

A limousine took her first to the Adlon hotel in front of the Brandenburg Gate and then on to the US embassy, usually a two-minute walk.

Later in the day, the White House spokesman, Sean Spicer, said Trump was due to visit Siemens Technische Akademie, a vocational training college, and US architect Peter Eisenmanns Holocaust memorial.

The invitation had met with criticism in Germany, where Social Democrat politician Lars Klingbeil tweeted: Am I the only one who thinks it is utterly absurd that the chancellor is now doing foreign policy with the daughter of Donald Trump?

Other German commentators detected certain similarities between the chancellor and the presidents daughter: The same applies to Ivanka Trump what [CSU leader] Horst Seehofer once said about Angela Merkel: if you underestimate her, youve already lost, said the Washington correspondent of state broadcaster ARD.
As most pet owners will tell you: These cats ain't loyal.

If you have a free-range feline, chances are you've become suspicious of your jerk cat's outdoor past times and with good reason. Cats love having secret lives.

Especially Simba. Or should we call him Crazy Horse? Yep, this jerk cat's disloyal diablerie has been exposed for what it was  a selfish desire for two mums.

SEE ALSO: Val Kilmer can't stop tweeting about Cate Blanchett and it's unsettling

As Simba's owner Shirley Bishop of Inglewood in New Zealand told Stuff, the two-year-old cat disappears for a few days on the regular. Because she respects his privacy, it's chill.

But when Simba returned after a week-long sabbatical with stitches in his neck and a shaved shoulder, Bishop started to realize the extent of her cat's second life.

"I went down the vet to see if they could shed any light on it," she said. "But because of the Privacy Act, they weren't allowed to tell me who took him, all they could tell me was the name of the street." So after a serious Facebook campaign (and presumably some soul searching) Bishop tracked down Simba's other mum.

As mum #2, Mychaela Groombridge, told the news outlet, her cat started hanging around nine months ago, meowing and being cute (typical). "He would just race around the house, like just take off," she said."That's how we come up with the name Crazy Horse because he'd just race around the house like a lunatic.

He was really smoochy and crying, like talking to you," she added. "And, he just made himself at home. Just jumped up on the couch, curled up and pretty much moved in."

It was only after Groombridge took Crazy Horse to the vet for stitches after a dog bite that his house of lies came crashing down.

Groombridge noticed the social media campaign Bishop had set up.The pair realised they owned the same cat, and not only that  they also used to work together.

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"Shirley used to work upstairs in the office," Groombridge said. "She phoned me ... and I told her what happened, where he'd been and he was at our house."

But the two women are legends and a shared custody agreement has been formed. Simba/Crazy Horse will keep his two names and two mums. "I've given them a book with his weight, his date of birth and what vaccinations he's had," Bishop said.

"Just to know he's safe and he's loved. Then we'll share him. That's fine," she added.

How sweet! Too bad their emotional labour is wasted on such a jerk cat. Aren't they all, though.

WATCH: This self-proclaimed cyborg turned his prosthetic eye into a tiny camera
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- President Donald Trump is lashing out at a judge's ruling blocking his attempt to strip funds from "sanctuary cities" that don't cooperate with U.S. immigration authorities, calling it "ridiculous" and vowing to go to the U.S. Supreme Court.

It was the third Trump executive order on immigration to be thwarted by the federal courts.

Here is a look at Tuesday's ruling and what lies ahead:

___

WHAT DID THE FEDERAL JUDGE SAY ABOUT THE SANCTUARY CITIES ORDER?

U.S. District Judge William Orrick in San Francisco said the president has no authority to attach new conditions of his own to spending that was approved by Congress.

The judge further ruled that Trump's order threatened a wide swath of funding  not the relatively small amount the Justice Department claimed  and that the government cannot cut off funding if there is no clear connection between the money and the policy at issue.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions said late Wednesday the president was well within his power to issue the executive order and the DOJ would continue to fight the cases in court. It was not clear, however, whether he planned to appeal Orrick's ruling.

WHAT COULD TRUMP DO NEXT?

Trump could appeal to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. But that was the court that blocked the president's first travel ban against seven Muslim countries. Eighteen of the 25 active judges on the court were appointed by Democrats. Trump has said he wants to go to the U.S. Supreme Court, which would have the final say if it decided to take up the case.

Trump could also revise his executive order to explicitly tie it to the three relatively modest Justice Department and Homeland Security grants that the administration argued were at stake.

Orrick said his ruling does not affect the administration's ability to enforce existing conditions on federal grants.

WHAT ELSE COULD THE ADMINISTRATION DO?

Trump could push Congress to pass a law giving him clear authority to revoke certain funding, said Margo Schlanger, a University of Michigan law professor and former head of civil rights at Homeland Security during the Obama administration.

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But Schlanger said whatever action is taken may not survive court scrutiny if it's seen as unduly coercive.

"Suppose you said you can't have any money at all unless you participate fully in immigration arrests," she said. "That would be so big it would be coercive."

Additionally, for the law to survive, there must be a connection between the money at stake and the immigration policy the president is seeking to enforce, Schlanger said.

It is not clear how close that link has to be, but Trump presumably would not be allowed to withdraw funding for, say, highway construction to force a city to stop protecting immigrants from deportation.

WHAT OTHER CHALLENGES LIE AHEAD FOR THE SANCTUARY CITIES ORDER?

Orrick ruled on two cases brought by the city of San Francisco and California's Santa Clara County. Seattle and two cities in Massachusetts, Lawrence and Chelsea, have also sued.

WHAT WAS THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION'S STAND ON FUNDING FOR SANCTUARY CITIES?

Last year, the Justice Department notified recipients of criminal justice grants that they must obey a federal law that says local governments cannot forbid their employees from cooperating with U.S. immigration authorities.

Recipients were reminded that that they could face penalties, such as the loss of grants, for not complying.

An inspector general's memo from last year said authorities were unaware of any legal action taken by the Obama administration to compel states or local governments to cooperate.

___

Tucker reported from Washington.




MILFORD, Pa. (AP) -- A bell tolled the fate of a gunman after a jury on Wednesday condemned him to die for shooting two Pennsylvania troopers at their barracks in a late-night ambush, killing one and leaving a second with devastating injuries.

Eric Frein, 33, was sentenced by a jury to death by lethal injection a week after his conviction on charges including murder of a law enforcement officer and terrorism.

"Jurors have delivered full justice in this case and issued the penalty that is so richly deserved by Eric Frein," said District Attorney Ray Tonkin.

Prosecutors said Frein was hoping to start an uprising against the government when he opened fire with a rifle on the Blooming Grove barracks in the Pocono Mountains in 2014. Cpl. Bryon Dickson II, a Marine veteran and married father of two, was killed in the late-night ambush, and Trooper Alex Douglass was critically wounded.

Frein showed no emotion as the decision was read, while someone on the police side of the gallery shouted "Yes!" Douglass, who has endured 18 surgeries and might lose his lower leg, couldn't stop smiling.

Defense lawyer Bill Ruzzo told reporters he was disappointed by the sentence, and surprised the jury failed to find a single mitigating circumstance that would point to a life sentence.

Col. Tyree Blocker, the state police commissioner, thanked the jury for delivering justice.

"Cpl. Dickson will always remain in the hearts of all members of the Pennsylvania State Police, forever," he said outside the courthouse.

Following a tradition that dates to the 19th century, Pike County's sheriff rang the bell atop the courthouse eight times, heralding that Frein had received a death sentence. The bell last tolled for a condemned inmate in the 1980s.

Frein led police on a 48-day manhunt in the Poconos before U.S. marshals caught him at an abandoned airplane hangar.

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He did not take the witness stand in his own defense, nor did he ask the jury to spare his life in the penalty phase. His lawyers had argued for a sentence of life in prison without parole, presenting evidence he'd grown up in a dysfunctional home. His father told the jurors he had failed his son, and his mother said, "I want my son to be saved."

Prosecutors portrayed Frein as a remorseless killer who randomly attacked in hopes of fomenting rebellion.

Frein kept a journal in which he coolly described shooting Dickson twice and watching him fall "still and quiet." And in a letter to his parents, written while he was on the run but never sent, he complained about lost liberties, spoke of revolution and said, "The time seems right for a spark to ignite a fire in the hearts of men."

Frein showed "wickedness of heart" when he "made a choice to pull that cold trigger again, again, again and again," Tonkin said in his closing argument Wednesday.

The sentencing caps a saga that began Sept. 12, 2014, when Frein hid in the woods across the street from the barracks and targeted Dickson as he was leaving work. He then shot Douglass, who had come to the aid of his mortally wounded comrade.

Police linked Frein to the ambush after a man walking his dog discovered his partly submerged SUV three days after the ambush in a swamp a few miles from the shooting scene. Inside, investigators found shell casings matching those found at the barracks and Frein's driver's license.

The discovery sparked a manhunt that involved 1,000 law enforcement officials and spanned more than 300 square miles, rattling communities throughout the Poconos.

His lawyers did not contest his guilt, focusing their efforts on trying to save his life during the penalty phase of the trial.

The defense told jurors that Frein grew up with an angry, domineering and abusive father who imparted his anti-government and anti-police views to him. Lawyers asked the jury to consider Frein's relationship with his dad, Eugene Michael "Mike" Frein, a mitigating circumstance as it weighed a sentence of life or death.

Tonkin ridiculed the effort to cast Frein's father as a villain, saying Frein's lawyers were trying to "deflect from the murderer over there and put Eugene Frein on trial."

Dickson's widow, meanwhile, gave emotional testimony about how she and her two young sons have struggled since his murder, and Douglass, the injured trooper, described suffering from a range of health problems since Frein shot him through both hips.

Though the gunman faces a bleak existence on death row, he likely won't face execution for decades, if ever. Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf has imposed a moratorium on the death penalty, and Pennsylvania's last execution took place in 1999. The state has executed only three people since the U.S. Supreme Court restored the death penalty in 1976.

Frein's lawyers have promised to tie up his case in appeals.
By Diane Bartz WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The confirmation testimony expected on Wednesday for Makan Delrahim, who was nominated to head U.S. Justice Department's Antitrust Division, has been delayed by missing paperwork, Senator Charles Grassley said in a hearing. Delrahim is a member of President Donald Trump's transition team. "Im disappointed we couldnt go forward with Mr. Delrahims hearing this morning. We are still waiting on one piece of paperwork, which we understood wed have by now. And I imagine that will be transmitted to us within another day or two, and we look forward to including him on our next hearing," Grassley told the Senate Judiciary Committee. Grassley, an Iowa Republican who chairs the committee, did not say which paperwork was missing. Senator Amy Klobuchar, a Democrat from Minnesota, called the missing document a "snag." Delrahim was expected to move to the Justice Department after finishing up in the White House counsel's office, where he worked to steer Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch through the Senate confirmation process. The Senate must vote to confirm Delrahim. As the proposed chief of the Antitrust Division, Delrahim would review corporate mergers at a time when many investors and corporate executives are anticipating a more relaxed view of deal-making. Former President Barack Obama's administration faced a large number of megadeals in what one enforcer called a "merger tsunami" and blocked many of them. Before going to work at the White House after Trump's inauguration in January, Delrahim was a lobbyist with the law firm Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP. One client in 2016 was health insurer Anthem Inc, which this year lost a court fight with the Justice Department over whether it would be allowed to merge with Cigna. Anthem has appealed the loss. (Reporting by Diane Bartz; Editing by Bernard Orr)
Everyone loves thinking of North Korea as crazy. It threatens to consume the United States in nuclear fire on a semi-weekly basis, its leader brutally executes his own generals and had his brother murdered, and it wastes huge amount of money on nuclear weapons while sticking to a failed economic model. Tales of North Korean lunacy are never far from the front pages.

The problem is its not just the media that delights in depicting Pyongyang and Kim Jong Un, as irrational  U.S. policymakers indulge in the same behavior. In April, U.S. Congressman Bradley Burne (R-Ala.) said I dont believe the leadership in North Korea is rational. How do you deal with someone that is irrational? He echoed prior remarks by U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley who said, We are not dealing with a rational person, since, she claimed, Kim is a person who has not had rational acts, who is not thinking clearly.

As a guide for understanding North Korea, this analysis is just plain wrong. As a guide for crafting policy toward Pyongyang, it may be catastrophic. North Koreas system might look bizarre to us from the outside, but the Kims are the ultimate political survivors, hard-edged rationalists whose actions have always had a clear purpose: keeping the family in power. Seeing them as madmen is not only wrong, but also dangerous; any successful policy should be based on understanding the logic of the opposite side, not on discarding it as irrational Seeing the Kim family as lunatics with nukes makes them more threatening, and raises the risk of war, but it can also promote unrealistic expectations of compromise  if only the North comes to its senses.

Back in the 1980s the Kim family was laughed at even inside the Eastern Bloc as an embodiment of Stalinist irrationality. They were mocked for clinging to their outdated personality cult and failed economics and it was suggested that they should follow the dynamic leaders of Eastern Europe, like the reformist communist leader Karoly Grosz of Hungary. Today, these leaders are in the waste bin of history  overthrown, disgraced, and forgotten  while the Kim family still enjoys not only power, but the luxury that goes with it and remains in full control of their country.

To be sure, the last 25 years havent been easy. The Kim regime has had to survive massive famine that afflicted the public, the loss of every international ally bar an increasingly reluctant China, and confrontation with the worlds only superpower. But the fact that the Kims have managed this feat should be treated as a sign of their rational and ruthless commitment.

Today, Kim Jong Un is in control, and he has the same long-term task as his father and grandfather: to ensure the survival of the regime under the control of himself and his eventual familial successor. There are three major threats to that  obstacles which, judging by Kims policies, he has not only identified but is methodically working to neutralize.

The first threat is foreign attack, something that clearly keeps Kim, like his father, up at night. This might seem paranoid. But its not paranoia when they really are out to get you. Look at the fate of Saddam Hussein, or the Taliban leaders of Afghanistan, once frequently bracketed together with Pyongyang by U.S. officials. But its the sorry fate of Libyan leader Muammar al-Qaddafi that taught the Kim family its firmest lesson. In 2003, the Libyan strongman agreed to surrender his nuclear weapons development program in exchange for generous economic benefits promised by the West  the first time such a deal had been publicly struck by a state formerly hostile to the United States.

But when revolution broke out in Libya in 2011, it was the NATO no-fly zone that doomed Qaddafis regime. That story ended with Qaddafis violated body strung across a car bonnet. A decade ago U.S. diplomats and journalists, then full of enthusiasm about Libyan nuclear disarmament deal, used to say that North Korean leaders should learn the lessons of Libya. And theres no doubt that they have, even if theyve drawn very different conclusions.

Kim Jong Un sees the nuclear program as purely defensive. Conquering the South would be nice in theory, but this task is completely beyond his reach, both due to the U.S. commitment to protecting South Korea and Seouls own huge advantage in economic and technological power. He knows that any unprovoked North Korean attack against South Korea or the United States will end badly, perhaps in his death, and he is certainly not suicidal. However, he also presumes that no great power would risk attacking a nuclear state or sticking a hand into its internal strife  especially if it has delivery systems and a second-strike capability.

And so North Korean leaders are determined to stick to their nuclear development, and see nuclear weapons as the major guarantee of their security. There is no form of pressure that can convince them to budge on this, no promise that will seduce them into compliance; they believe that without nuclear weapons they are as good as dead. Thats a disaster for the region, but a perfectly logical choice by the Kim family.

While North Koreas nuclear program is defensive, it still makes sense to remind the world about its existence and use what President Richard Nixon once described as madman strategy, that is, to appear to ones opponents to be irrational, volatile, and willing to disregard costs. Thats why North Korean propaganda uses such fiercely colorful language. When North Korean TV promises to make Seoul into a sea of fire, or threatens to nuke Canberra, or shows Kim Jong Un in front of a map of the United States with cities marked as targets of nuclear strikes, they are delivering the same message: we are here, we are volatile, and will stop at nothing if our opponents do something threatening.

Without their own nuclear weapons, the Kims would fear a direct U.S. attack  but they also fear American, or Chinese, interference into an internal Korean uprising. They saw what happened in Libya when foreign powers introduced a no-fly zone and ensured the insurgents victory. They remember that back in 1956 China, together with Russia, supported a failed conspiracy aimed at removing Kim Il Sung, the current supreme leaders grandfather, from power.

Kims other ostensibly irrational policies should also be seen as defensive in nature. Nuclear weapons, after all, are not sufficient to protect the regime. They may prevent international aggression, for example, but they dont remove the considerable danger of a domestic military coup. Kim Jong Un is young, and has good reasons to suspect that his generals harbor ill feelings about him, given his embarrassingly young age and inexperience. (He was made successor a mere year before his fathers sudden death, being a complete unknown at the time.) Kim is also no doubt aware that coups in non-democratic regimes are fairly common, and fairly successful; according to a recent study, 227 of the 457 coups worldwide between 1950-2010 succeeded. Two of those successful coups took place in the country Pyongyang watches most: South Korea.

Kim seems to believe that the most reliable coup-prevention technique is terror. His rule has been marked by the unprecedented purges in the military and police. Prominent generals have been disappearing one after another, and some top commanders, including a chief of the general staff, as well as a minister of defense, have been executed.

The recent assassination of Kim Jong Nam, Kim Jong Ils half-brother, also fits the pattern of this selective terror. Kim Jong Un is determined to destroy anybody who could become a focus of elite discontent. Kim Jong Nam, outspoken and living behind Kim Jong Uns control, constituted a threat. As a Kim, Kim Jong Nam was likely to become a figurehead of some conspiracy, since he embodied some of the familys perceived legitimacy and magical aura in the eyes of many North Koreans. It did not help that he was protected by China  a country Kim Jong Un does not trust and sees as a potential sponsor of the elite discontent.

The point is that Kim isnt overseeing an irrational reign of terror. There are no signs the average North Korean now faces increasing chances of being arrested for a political crime. The number of political prisoners remains exceptionally high, but it has not changed much under Kim Jong Un  and it is significantly lower than it once was in the days of his grandfather. Remarkably, the purges target only military and security commanders  people with guns  while the top managers of the economy so far have remained safe.

In other words, Kim Jong Un has unleashed terror targeting the group which might have both reasons and means to replace him. It might be excessive, and it is definitely brutal, but there is nothing irrational about this  especially given that in the case of a successful coup Kim Jong Un himself would be first up against the wall.

But it might not be the generals that bring Kim down. The third threat is a popular uprising. North Koreas biggest single problem is its stagnant economy. In the 1940s North Korea was the most advanced industrial area in East Asia outside Japan, but decades of mismanagement have made it into a basket case. The per capita income gap between North and South Koreas is larger than between any two other countries which share a land border; the ratio is somewhere between 1:14 and 1:40. The gap between East and West Germany, in contrast, was between 1:2 and 1:3.

This huge gap creates a great political obstacle for any attempt at sweeping Chinese-style economic reforms. Chinas regime has been lucky, since it does not face a large and prosperous capitalist twin in the region that is also democratic; Taiwan is too small to pose any threat of subversion. In North Korea, the attempt at emulating Chinas reforms and openness policy is likely to make the populace, currently isolated at least somewhat from the outside world, acutely aware of South Koreas unbelievable affluence, and less fearful of the authorities. Common people are likely to blame the Kim family for decades of gross economic mismanagement and start dreaming about a speedy unification with South Korea led by Seoul as a way to solve all their problems overnight. As a result, in North Korea any attempted transition to capitalism is likely not to bring a Chinese-style economic boom, but rather provoke an East German-style political collapse, followed by the absorption of the state by the victorious South (and the complete marginalization of the current elite at best, if they even survive).

The late Kim Jong Il, the present rulers father, was well aware of this threat and studiously avoided reforms even though the old Stalinist system was collapsing, yet the countrys market economy began to grow nonetheless. By the end of his rule the private businesses  technically illegal but usually tolerated  were estimated to produce between 25 percent and 40 percent of the countrys GDP. Kim Jong Un, perhaps fearing that in the long run a spontaneous capitalism from below will undermine his rule, has taken a different tack. From 2012 to 2014, he began to introduce incremental policies that look remarkably like what China did in the early 1980s.

Agriculture has been largely switched to the family-based system, with farmers being allowed to keep most of the harvest after in-kind tax (no more than 35 percent) has been paid. Industrial managers have been given greater entrepreneurial freedom, including the right to buy and sell at market prices, and to hire and fire personnel. Private entrepreneurs and black market operators, some of whom have amassed fortunes counted in hundreds of thousands and even millions of the U.S. dollars, are no longer harassed, but encouraged to invest, often in cooperation with state agencies.

This policy has led to the economic revival: While there are some disagreements, most experts believe that North Koreas annual GDP growth in recent years has been around 3 percent or even higher. The era of famine is over, and living standards are growing fast across the entire country  not just in Pyongyang, as some claim. The private money is fueling a construction boom, while shops and restaurants are crowded with the new rich  and traffic, once barely visible in the capital, is now sometimes a real problem.

But these market-oriented reforms have not been accompanied by political liberalization. In culture and ideology, the nationalized Stalinism reigns supreme, and the country has by far the worlds highest rate of incarceration for political crimes  some 80,000 political prisoners among a population of just 25 million. Kim Jong Un assumes that some combination of economic growth with harsh surveillance will keep his population docile. This might be an ultimately false assumption, but its a reasonable one; after all, nearly all founders of East Asias developmental dictatorships  from Deng Xiaoping and Chiang Kai-shek of Taiwan to Lee Kuan Yew of Singapore  died in their beds, admired by many of their compatriots.

Will Kim Jong Uns policy, rational if sometimes brutal, eventually succeed in keeping the regime stable in the long run? Most of his policies are inherently risky; the nuclear arms race can provoke U.S. preemptive strikes, the harsh treatment of generals might make them more, not less, inclined to start a conspiracy, and the economic reforms can unleash social forces beyond Kims control. But risky is not irrational. So far these policies have worked and, given the situation North Korean leaders find themselves in, any alternative would be even riskier. These polices might even work, which would mean the world will have to live with the Kim family regime for a long time to come. The clan has always known how to survive, and they might keep doing so.

What does it mean for the rest of us? Firstly, it is time to realize that theres no quick solution at hand. North Koreas denuclearization is impossible, but it is possible to manage the nuclear program and put some cap on its further development, provided the Kim family still feels it has the deterrent value it needs. (Of course, North Koreans will expect generous concessions for any freeze, and might not stick to it even then).

The outside world can and should encourage the positive changes, such as economic growth, which are happening now in North Korea. Above all, they should seek to expand the sources of information available to the North Korean public. The most hopeful future for North Korea is one of change pushed from below, by a people aware of life outside their countrys borders, regardless of whether that comes because the regime feels the need to make popular concessions to survive, or through outright overthrow of the Kim regime. The Kim family might be rational, but so are the North Koreans themselves.

Photo Credit: AFP PHOTO / KCNA VIA KNS
Yogurt maker Chobani filed a defamation lawsuit in district court against radio conspiracy theorist Alex Jones on Monday, weeks after Joness network alleged that Chobani was importing migrant rapists. In the lawsuit, lawyers for Chobani said they have repeatedly asked for the the allegation and corresponding tweets to be taken down, but Jones has refused to comply. They also say that the accusation was knowingly false and made with actual malice.

What happened?

On April 11, Alex Joness YouTube channel published a video called MSM Covers for Globalists Refugee Import Program After Child Rape Case, and its Twitter page used the headline Idaho Yogurt Maker Caught Importing Migrant Rapists. The video made inaccurate connections between Chobanis employment of refugees and an unrelated sexual assault case in Twin Falls. Jones also told his listeners had brought crime and tuberculosis to the Twin Falls community. Chobani repeatedly asked Jones to take the post and tweet down, and Jones refused.

Is Jones accusation true?

No. Chobani CEO Hamdi Ulukaya has been outspoken in his efforts to help migrants, and employs at least 300 refugees at his Chobani factory in Twin Falls, Idaho. The allegation appears to be a distortion of a separate news story out of Twin Falls, in which three boys - ages 14, 10, and 7 - pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting a 5-year old girl last year. The perpetrators were initially misidentified on conspiracy websites as Syrian refugees, but the two older boys were of Sudanese descent, and the youngest was of Iraqi descent. Most of the details of the case are sealed because the accused are juveniles, but Twin Falls prosecutor Grant Loebs said Monday that there is no connection between the assault and Chobani.

Has Chobani been increased refugee resettlement in Twin Falls?

The mayor doesnt think so. Chobani employs at least 1,000 people at its factory, including a few hundred refugees, and the factory also supports dairy farmers and the people who grow the feed for the cattle, says Twin Falls Mayor Shawn Barigar. Barigar says the region has been a home for resettled refugees since the 1980s, long before Chobani opened its factory there in 2012. It got convoluted into this narrative that refugee resettlement was a new thing here, specifically to provide employees to Chobani, Barigar said. That whole narrative is absolutely false.

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Will the lawsuit succeed?

Defamation lawsuits of this kind are difficult to win, especially if the defamation is against a public figure or corporation, like Chobani. In order to win the lawsuit, Chobani would not just have to prove that the statements were false - they would have to prove that the defendants knew they were false and published them anyway. In a case like this, Chobani would have the burden of proof, says Lee Levine, a First Amendment lawyer . If the evidence were 50/50, Chobani would lose. To win, Chobani would have to prove a high degree of awareness of probable falsity, which means the case could rest on what Jones believed at the time he published the video. That is tricky to determine, since Jones is currently embroiled in a custody battle in which his lawyers are arguing that Jones is a performance artist.

How did Jones Respond?

In a video published Monday on his YouTube Channel, Jones alleged that Chobani was an Islamacist owned and backed company tied to Nazi collaborator George Soros, then pointed to dozens of news articles he claimed supported his beliefs about refugees, Muslims, and sexual assault, without citing any factual evidence that Chobani was at all connected to the case in question. You wait till the Idaho jury, brother sits there and sees all this. Wont matter that they work at your damn plant. They hate your guts too! They hate your thuggery, they hate your bullying... they hate everything Islam does.

This article was originally published on TIME.com
President Trump is to announce his tax plan Wednesday. Here is what we know in advance.

 The package reportedly will increase the standard deduction for individuals. The New York Times said the measure would provide a modest cut for middle-income people while the Washington Post said it would put thousands of dollars each year into the pockets of tens of millions of Americans. Home builders and real estate agents oppose the proposal, fearing it would diminish the importance of the mortgage interest deduction. It also could lead to eliminating or curbing other popular deductions, the Times said.

 The plan will include a vastly reduced business tax rate of 15 percent, compared to the current 35 percent, for corporations. It will also apply to companies that now pay taxes through the personal income tax code  from mom-and-pop businesses to Trump's own real estate empire  which currently face a top rate of 39.6 percent.

 The Associated Press, without providing specifics, says the plan will include child-care benefits.

 The plan does not yet spell out specific steps on how the cuts will be made up.

 It does not include the import tax, known as the boarder adjustment tax, supported by House Speaker Paul Ryan and other Republicans as a way to pay for other tax cuts.

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(WASHINGTON) - A senior Republican senator says he emerged from a dinner meeting with Donald Trump confident the president will not allow North Korea to build a nuclear-tipped missile capable of striking the United States.

If I were North Korea, I would not underestimate President Trumps resolve to stop them from getting a missile to hit our homeland, Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina told reporters Tuesday.

Graham joined Sen. John McCain of Arizona for the dinner at the White House on Monday evening. Graham and McCain are defense hawks and have been two of Trumps sharpest GOP critics on foreign policy matters. But both senators are backing Trumps approach on North Korea, which has threatened to use pre-emptive strikes or any other measures it deems necessary to defend itself against the U.S. imperialists.

The Trump administration has warned that all options, including a military strike, are on the table to block North Korea from developing a nuclear-tipped missile that could reach the U.S. mainland. But a pre-emptive strike against North Koreas nuclear and missile facilities isnt likely. The Trump administration is instead seeking to put pressure on North Korea with the help of China.

Graham said its uncertain whether North Korea may actually launch a weapon of mass destruction at the U.S. But, he said, Trump is not going to allow this problem to get any worse than it is today. The key, Graham added, is to make North Korea realize theres a new sheriff in town.

McCain, the chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, declined to discuss the specifics of the meeting with the president. But he said the Trump administrations tough talk of defusing North Koreas nuclear and ballistic missile programs is justified.

Obviously you have to follow words with action, but I think their expressed concern is very legitimate. And I dont think its inflammatory rhetoric, McCain said. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is intent on having the capability to strike the United States of America. That is the threat.

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McCain said Trump is exploring all options on North Korea. But a pre-emptive strike, he said, would be the last one.

In a show of force, Trump has dispatched to waters near the Korean Peninsula what hes called an armada of ships, including an aircraft carrier. South Koreas navy is planning to hold joint naval drills with U.S. aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson battle group, which has trained with Japanese destroyers in recent days, around the weekend.

Trump also has sought to press Chinese President Xi Jinping to exert greater pressure on North Korea, given Chinas status as the countrys economic lifeline and sole major ally.

McCain said he welcomed the outreach to China. But he also criticized Beijing for repeatedly refusing to use its influence to bring North Korea to the negotiating table and curb what McCain considers Pyongyangs bellicose behavior.

Instead, China has chosen to bully South Korea for exercising its sovereign right to defend itself from the escalating North Korean threat, McCain said, referring to a decision to deploy the THAAD missile defense system to the Korean Peninsula. China, in response, has waged a campaign of economic retaliation against South Korea, which McCain said has inflicted real damage.

The twisted reality is that China is doing all of this to stop the deployment of a missile defense system, which is only necessary because China has aided and abetted North Korea for decades, he said.

This article was originally published on TIME.com
Barcelona (AFP) - A man held in a Spanish anti-jihadist raid was spotted in September in front of a Barcelona concert hall where the band that was playing during the Bataclan attack in Paris was due to perform, police said Wednesday.

Eagles of Death Metal was in full swing at the Bataclan concert hall on November 13, 2015, when armed men wearing explosive belts stormed in and killed 90 people.

Close to a year later on September 10, the US rock group played at the Apolo concert hall in Barcelona.

Under high alert, police stopped a Moroccan man in front of the hall and asked him for his ID, said a spokesman for police in the northeastern region of Catalonia where Barcelona is located.

He told AFP that on identifying him, police discovered alleged links to people involved in the Brussels airport and metro attacks last year that left 32 people dead and more than 320 wounded.

The attacks were led by an Islamic State cell that was also responsible for the carnage in Paris in November 2015.

"He was put under surveillance, as was his entourage," the police spokesman said.

On Tuesday, he was arrested along with eight others in an anti-jihadist operation.

It is not known why the suspect was in front of the Barcelona concert hall, or whether it was pure coincidence.

But the police spokesman said authorities don't believe he was planning any kind of attack that night.

The suspects arrested in Catalonia are due to be questioned by a judge in Madrid on Thursday.

They are also being investigated for drug trafficking, robbery and other crimes.
Journalist and author Maria Shriver joins The Doctors to talk about the Womens Alzheimers Movement, which she founded.

My dad was diagnosed with Alzheimers in 2003, and there was very little known about the disease then. I approached it as a journalist and I wrote a childrens book, Maria explains. Its been 13  14 years in the trenches, trying to understand it.

Watch: Stop Brain Fog Today

Maria notes that Alzheimers is increasingly a womens disease. Two-thirds of new cases are women. This is a disease that robs people of their minds, she says. Plastic Surgeon Dr. Andrew Ordon adds, I went through this with my mom. We have our vibrant parents, we remember them a certain way. And then we see that slowly going away and you can see the fear in their face.

People think its normal to lose memory or lose your mind a little bit as you age, and that is not the case, Maria tells The Doctors. The disease can take 20 years to develop before symptoms are noticeable  she wants people in their 30s, 40s, and 50s to be aware of Alzheimers.

Watch: Music and Memory

On June 4th, the Womens Alzheimers Movement is holding an event called Move for Minds to encourage people to exercise  an important step in combating Alzheimers. And Maria has just come out with a coloring book for friends and family to share with the Alzheimers patients in their lives. Called Color Your Mind, the book includes information about the disease, and coloring can calm and focus the mind. She also recommends music for Alzheimers patients.

I call it the ultimate womens issue, she concludes. And studying womens brains to unlock new treatments for Alzheimers can benefit everyone  men and women alike.
Sayyida Zeinab (Syria) (AFP) - Hundreds of tearful mourners attended a mass funeral Wednesday for loved ones killed in a suicide bombing on a convoy of evacuees, in one of the Syrian war's most gruesome attacks.

At least 150 people, including 72 children, were killed on April 15 in an explosion targeting evacuees from Fuaa and Kafraya, two Shiite-majority villages under siege in northwestern Syria.

Fifty-two of the dead were to be buried on Wednesday near the Sayyida Zeinab mausoleum, Syria's most visited Shiite pilgrimage site south of Damascus, one of the funeral organisers told AFP.

Women, children, and men -- some of them in military uniform -- from Fuaa and Kafraya began gathering at the mosque from the morning to take part in the funeral procession.

Security was tight, with Syrian army soldiers and allied forces carefully searching every person entering the shrine's perimeter, AFP's correspondent said.

"There's no worse feeling than this, than burying your sister without being able to see her," said 19-year-old Abdelsalam Remman, his voice breaking.

He was carrying a poster of his six-year-old sister Tuqa, who was killed in the attack after being evacuated with their mother, who was wounded.

"Our heart melted until we identified her" among those of the dead several days later, said Remman.

The suicide car bombing in Rashidin, west of Syria's second city Aleppo, was one of the most devastating attacks of the six-year war that has killed at least 320,000.

It hit a convoy of evacuees from Fuaa and Kafraya, who had been bussed out of their besieged government-held villages as part of an evacuation deal that also included two rebel-controlled towns surrounded by the regime.

The attacker appeared to lure children to his vehicle with bags of crisps, according to witnesses.

- 'Shattered my family' -

Dozens of unidentified bodies remain at Aleppo's government hospital, and many survivors at Sayyida Zeinab on Wednesday said they had relatives who were still missing.

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Inside the courtyard, which was covered with a red carpet, dozens of women in black stood in one corner of the shrine, tearfully repeating the names of their lost relatives.

Young men were calling out religious chants as the coffins, draped in Syrian government flags, were carried in under the watchful eyes of police officers and unarmed security forces.

A pained expression on her face, Wafaa Homsi looked at the rows of coffins, one of which held her 13-year-old daughter Raghd.

"I hope she's in heaven, and I hope God takes revenge on them (the attackers) because they shattered my family," she said, sobbing.

"My daughter is being buried here. My husband and two of my sons are still missing. We're waiting to hear something, anything, about them," Homsi told AFP.

Some mourners tossed flowers over the coffins, and others carried red and black posters bearing photographs of the attack, including wreckage of the bus carrying evacuees and plumes of smoke.

"Victory blooms from your blood," read one poster.

Hayfaa, dressed in black, cried as she described losing her six-year-old son Ali.

"I wish I could turn back time and Ali could come back to me," she told AFP.

Two of her six children were also wounded in the blast and were still receiving treatment in the hospital.

Sayyida Zeinab has been hit by several deadly bombings since the start of Syria's war in 2011, including twin attacks in March that killed 74 people.
Days after Trumps 100th day in office, immigration, labor, racial justice, LGBT and gender equality groups will demonstrate against his policies and rhetoric



This year the pro-immigrant message is being made explicit. Photograph: Aaron P. Bernstein/Getty Images

Hundreds of thousands of immigrants and their allies will be marching on the streets and striking on May Day for the annual workers protest. The march is expected to be the largest in years because of the activist energy galvanized by Donald Trump.

A coalition of immigration, labor, racial justice, gender equality and LGBT groups have come together for the May Day protests, which are traditionally led by unions and other labor groups.

Two days after Trump celebrates his 100th day as president, these groups plan to demonstrate as a unit against the presidents policies and rhetoric.

Youll see rallies, youll see marches, youll see strikes, youll see any number of events that at the end of the day are doing two things: either calling out Trump on his bigotry but also affirming the rights and the dignity of immigrants and refugees in this country, said Kica Matos, director of immigrant rights and racial justice at the Center for Community Change (CCC).

CCC is a social justice organization whose work includes immigration reform. The group was a founding member of the Fair Immigration Reform Movement (Firm), which is helping coordinate at least 138 May Day events in 35 states.

May Day workers demonstrations have always been tied to the immigrant community because of the populations contributions to the US economy, but this year the pro-immigrant message is being made explicit.

The Trump administration has shown nothing but contempt for immigrants and refugees and people of color, so we really want to make sure immigrants around the country rise up and speak about the rights of immigrants and the rights of workers, Matos said.

We really want to make sure immigrants around the country rise up and speak about the rights of immigrants and workers Kica Matos

The May Day actions were rumored to be a reprise of the Day Without Immigrants protests in February, which saw restaurants and construction sites across the country abruptly close because of the strike. There was a similar action on 1 May 2006, when more than 1 million people participated in a protest and boycott for immigrant rights.

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But this years May Day events vary by locality.

In Houston, people will wear red for a morning rally in the city. In Vancouver, Washington, there will be a rally and march after the work day ends.

In Arkansas, there will be a rally in the states capital, Little Rock, and cultural events and rallies in two cities, Rogers and Portsmouth, which have higher immigrant populations than other parts of the state.

Mireya Reith, director of Arkansas United Community Coalition (AUCC), is an organizer for the Arkansas demonstrations.

She said May Day protests have not been a huge convener in Arkansas, but the group is expecting a larger than usual turnout because of the energy around protests locally and nationally since Trump took office.

Thousands of people joined in the states womens march in January and 2,000 people attended a heated town hall hosted by Republican senator Tom Cotton in February to question his partys plan for healthcare, immigration and other issues.

We think this is an opportunity to rise up in support of workers, Reith said.

Bringing in immigrants under the May Day umbrella will be new for Arkansas, but in other parts of the country, that community has always been represented at workers protests.

The Las Vegas march is being organized by Culinary Union Local 226, the states largest immigrant organization. We want to show solidarity between workers that are black and brown and white and LGBT, said the unions spokeswoman, Bethany Khan.

Khan expects a minimum of 5,000 people will participate in a march down the famous, casino-lined Las Vegas strip. She was confident the turnout for this protest would be significantly higher than in previous years. In this climate, weve increasingly seen community members mobilizing, Khan said.

The May Day protest will follow months of high-volume demonstrations in the US, including the Peoples Climate March on Saturday.

Last week, the March for Science galvanized the traditionally apolitical science crowd, the Womens March in January was one of the largest demonstrations in US history and the hastily organized Day Without Immigrants protests in February closely followed spontaneous demonstrations at US airports after the White House issued a travel ban for refugees and citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries.
McDonald's has decided not to sell its stake in a Japanese unit hit by a series of food contamination scandals and slumping sales.

The US restaurant chain has a 50 percent share of McDonald's Japan, but said said last year it was looking at selling the stake as the unit's balance sheet deteriorated following a series of embarrassing problems, including a human tooth found in some fries.

The incidents led to McDonald's Japan closing some of its 3,000 outlets and recording its first loss in a decade.

But on Tuesday, the parent company said the Japanese market had bounced back and the sale plan was off the table.

"We recently completed our review over our ownership stake in McDonald's Japan, and made the decision to not proceed with the transaction at this time," McDonald's chief financial officer Kevin Ozan told an earnings call on Tuesday in the United States.

"We are confident that we have the right capabilities and customer focus plans to grow our business in Japan, and we believe the market is poised to maintain the strong momentum."

McDonald's reported higher first-quarter earnings Tuesday, citing a pick up in key regions, including the United States and China, as well as Japan.
HARRISBURG -- A measure that would cut funding to Planned Parenthood is heading to the full Pennsylvania Senate after getting approved by a committee Wednesday.

The bill would prioritize spending on family planning services according to a list of categories. It's sponsor, Sen. John Eichelberger, a Blair County Republican, said the purpose is to provide adequate health services for patients. But he acknowledged its effect would be to strip funding from Planned Parenthood because, he said, it provides fewer types of services than other health centers and clinics.

"We shouldn't have them in a system that they're not pulling their weight," Eichelberger said.

The Republican-controlled Senate Finance Committee approved the bill 7-5. Its chances of becoming law aren't great: Gov. Wolf has pledged to veto it.

In a statement, he called the legislation "nothing more than an ideologically driven attempt to disrupt health services for thousands of women in Pennsylvania." And he noted the organization provides health and welfare services to men and women, particularly in rural and under-served areas.

Still, the vote mirrored a battle that's been playing out nationally, as President Trump and Congressional Republicans target Planned Parenthood and other organizations that offer abortion services for women.

In Harrisburg, Democrats on the committee criticized the legislation.

"This is a reduction of health services in communities, not an expansion," said Sen. Vincent Hughes (D., Philadelphia).

Sari Stevens, executive director of Planned Parenthood Pennsylvania Advocates, said that in Harrisburg, a Planned Parenthood health center and another local health center refer patients to one another.

"Cutting out the gateway to that health care system, which is our 32 health centers, is a really big deal," she said.

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After "Manus X Machina: Fashion in the age of Technology" in 2016, New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art (Met) will be celebrating the fashion designer Rei Kawakubo, founder of the label Comme des Garcons, with its traditional spring exhibition. The show will kick off with the museum's now world famous gala, organized by Anna Wintour, bringing together an impressive line-up of global stars. With less than one week to go before the 2017 edition, held May 1, here's a recap of some of the most striking looks from Met Galas past.
Mexico City (AFP) - In a teeming, hardscrabble neighborhood on the outskirts of Mexico City, Virginia Solis spends a big part of her day hauling sloshing buckets to her home -- one of tens of thousands in the capital without running water.

Solis lives in the shadow of a ruddy mountain on the sprawling city's far east side, in an impoverished district called Iztapalapa.

There are no water pipes in her neighborhood. Instead, tanker trucks deliver water to a cistern at the end of her street once every three days.

Solis and her neighbors then haul it home in plastic buckets.

The Sisyphean work of providing her family's water supply has made her ruthlessly economical with every drop.

"When water makes you suffer, you don't waste a bit of it," she said.

"If I needed to flush the toilet right now, I'd wash some laundry first, then reuse the water."

Her neighbor Norma Calderon oversees the neighborhood's ad hoc water delivery system.

It's another thankless job. There are simply too many people lining up for every 200-liter (50-gallon) cistern filled by the tanker trucks.

"One cistern is tiny. There are families here with seven, eight, nine people," she said.

Iztapalapa is the poorest and most populous area in Mexico City -- 1.8 million of the capital's 8.8 million people live here.

It is also the one that suffers most from a lack of water. Even in neighborhoods that have running water, it often doesn't work.

But Iztapalapa isn't alone. Across the city, more than half a million homes lack a daily water supply, and nearly 50,000 have no running water.

- Sinking city -

Originally, Mexico City was built on a lake.

Founded by the ancient Aztecs, who called it Tenochtitlan, it was constructed with a system of levees and canals.

Today, five centuries after the Spanish conquest, nothing remains of the lake -- except its soft clay bed.

Decades of over-tapping the city's aquifers have dehydrated that spongy foundation, squishing it down.

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Parts of the city are now sinking by two to 30 centimeters (three-quarters of an inch to one foot) a year, according to official data.

"This problem's been around for a long time... but we've just kept putting it off," said Claudia Lartigue, a water specialist at the National Autonomous University of Mexico.

The latest fix is to transport water from the state of Michoacan, 300 kilometers (nearly 200 miles) to the west, using a massive system of pumps and tunnels.

Today, that supplies nearly one-third of the city's water. Pumping aquifers still supplies the rest.

But nearly 40 percent of the total is lost to leaks in the city's antiquated system of pipes, according to the municipal water authority.

- Tankers under escort -

Tanker trucks, which started as an emergency solution, have become a daily supply source.

"We've become a vital link" in the system, said Alberto Sanchez, who manages one of the wells where the trucks fill up.

After filling his 40,000-liter truck beneath a giant black hose, driver Emilio Santos explained his dangerous job as he made his deliveries.

Sometimes, when a neighborhood has gone days without water, "people climb up on the truck with sticks and stones" to force him to deliver to their street first, he said.

In some cases, such attackers have carried guns. Police now escort trucks along the most dangerous routes.

In 2009, Mexico City launched a leak control and infrastructure renewal plan to cut down on waste in the system.

But the funding soon ran out.

The plan is now moving ahead "bit by bit," said Mauricio Hernandez, technical director for the city water system.

Citizens need a wake-up call on water use, he said. The average Mexico City resident uses 250 liters a day, more than double the rest of the nation's cities.

But any solution will have to be multi-dimensional, said Lartigue: rein in urban sprawl, eliminate leaks, harvest rainwater and allow depleted aquifers to replenish.

Until that happens, families like Virginia Solis's are stuck waiting for the tanker truck to arrive.
Four people have been wounded in a drive-by shooting in Miami, with police searching for the attacker.

A police spokeswoman said the shooting happened at 8.20am local time, with the neighbourhood around the shooting blocked off as an investigation into the incident begins.

The four victims have been transported by air or ground to a nearby hospital. The injuries are not thought to be life-threatening.

#MDPD PIO is responding to 26415 SW 139 Ave regarding a shooting where 4 people were shot. pic.twitter.com/TmPF89yCnw  Miami-Dade Police (@MiamiDadePD) April 26, 2017

Officers have told the Miami Herald that the victims are not co-operating with the police.

According to Miami-Dade School officials, several schools have been placed on lockdown while the investigation proceeds.

A heavy police presence remains on the scene.
Members of Congress returned to session this week from a two-week recess, and they have quite a task ahead: less than four days left to avert a government shutdown.

Federal funding expires at midnight on Friday, April 28, which is technically Saturday, April 29 -Trumps 100th day in office. In order for the government to continue operating, both chambers of Congress and the White House need to approve an appropriations bill, or a spending bill.

Although negotiations have been in the works for weeks, there are disagreements among the different parties about the final draft. The White House, for instance, is publicly advocating for funds for a border wall with Mexico, which Congressional Democrats, and even some Republicans, oppose. Trump signaled Monday night that he could back off that demand. Senate Republicans, of which there are only 52, may need 60 votes to advance the spending bill in their chamber if Democrats filibuster. And if no bill passes the Senate in time, Trump wont have anything to approve.

A shutdown last happened in October of 2013, during former President Obamas Administration. Clashes between a Republican-controlled Congress and a Democratic White House were blamed as the catalyst for the shutdown, which lasted 16 days.

Heres what you need to know about a government shutdown.

What actually happens during a government shutdown?

If no spending bill is approved before the deadline, the federal government will be forced to shut down. Contrary to the name, however, this doesnt mean all of the government just goes into hibernation.

In 2013, for instance, some crucial aspects of the government, like the military and the State Department, stayed fully functional, according to a CNN analysis of the shutdown.

But other portions of the government, like national parks, zoos and museums, all of which are federally funded, ceased operations entirely. So did sectors more pertinent to governance, such as the Office of Government Ethics and the Federal Communications Commission. Others, such as the Departments of Education, Defense, Commerce and Homeland Security, remained partially opened.

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Federal employees who work in the sectors of the government that cease operation are furloughed, during a shutdown, or given a leave of absence without pay.

A shutdown is also costly. The 2013 shutdown, according to a report from the Office of Management and Budget, cost the government $2 billion, and the Council of Economic Advisers estimated it reduced the creation of private sector jobs by $120,000.

Are there temporary solutions to avoid a shutdown?

Yes. Its entirely possible that Congress and the White House wont be able to agree on a bill, but the government stays open. Congress can pass a continuing resolution, a short term spending bill that keeps the government open while agreements are still being worked out. That could be for as little as a week.

What do voters think about shutdowns?

Voters are generally not supportive of government shutdowns. A Politico-Morning Consult poll from early April around that 65% of registered voters thought Congress should take all necessary steps to avoid a government shutdown, while only 17% thought it would be OK to if it helps them achieve their policy goals. An Economist Group/YouGov poll in April found 60% of Americans preferred keeping the government open while only 19% wanted a shutdown fight over border wall funding.

Those numbers are consistent with past shutdowns. A Washington Post-ABC News poll after the 2013 shutdown found that 81% of Americans disapproved, including two-thirds of Republicans and independents who lean Republican, as well as a majority of those who supported the Tea Party movement. And a Washington Post-ABC News poll during a similar shutdown fight in 1995 found that 72% of thought shutdowns should not be used as a tool in budget negotiations.

This article was originally published on TIME.com
The first time the three childrens brains grew, things went so completely off the rails that they developed severe epilepsy and autism. Now biologists have used stem cells from these patients, who have a devastating disorder called Timothy syndrome, to grow their brains a second time  in miniature, in a lab dish.

The scientists reported in Nature on Wednesday that the mini-me cortices reprised the abnormal brain development so faithfully that the research might point the way toward preventing or treating the rare disorder.

Producing mini-Timothy-syndrome-brains-in-a-dish is only one of the remarkable new advances in the exploding science of cerebral organoids, miniature, three-dimensional human brain-like structures. These lab creations, scientists hope, will mimic severe psychiatric and neurological diseases such as schizophrenia, autism, and Alzheimers much better than mouse brains (the current go-to choice) do, revealing what goes wrong and offering a testing ground for experimental treatments.

But ever since cerebral organoids were first created from stem cells in 2013, they have ignited an intense ethical debate, including about whether they can suffer, feel pain, or be conscious  and whether they have human rights.

While that may seem far-fetched, a second study, also published in Nature Wednesday, described growing hundreds of cerebral organoids from the stem cells of healthy people for up to nine months and longer in special bioreactors. The mini-brains developed dozens of kinds of brain cells, from those that give rise to neurons in the cerebral cortex to those that connect the right brain and the left brain. And they linked up into working circuits  not producing thought or emotion, but pulsing with the same kind of electrical activity that enables human brains to do both.

This shows that the approach has much greater potential than we ever imagined, said Juergen Knoblich, of the Institute of Molecular Biotechnology in Austria, a pioneer in creating cerebral organoids who was not involved in either study. Theyve shown that if you keep [the mini-brain] growing for a long enough time, it will generate the whole repertoire of cells we see in the human brain.

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Read more: As brain maps proliferate, scientists aim to sync them up

Together, the new papers give us unprecedented ways of looking at a human brain and its development, said biologist Timothy OBrien, of the University of Minnesota, who has also produced brain organoids from stem cells and was not involved in the new work. A key advance in both studies, he said, was uncovering more layers of complexity, showing that these things really do look like human brains.

In the Timothy syndrome study, scientists at Stanford University School of Medicine began with human cells called fibroblasts, donated by three patients. Using now-standard techniques, they put those cells through a biological time machine, returning them to an embryo-like stem cell state. By adding the proper nutrients, the researchers could not only spur these stem cells to grow into brain cells  done for more than a decade  but to form little balls.

Each is about 1/16 inch across and contains more than 1 million cells. Called cortical spheroids, they differ from cerebral organoids in that the former mimic specific regions of the brain, such as the front, rather than many sections.

Stanfords Dr. Sergiu Pasca and his colleagues hoped the spheroids would reveal what goes wrong in Timothy syndrome. One batch mimicked a region deep in the brain, and another mimicked the cortex, the crevassed outer layer where thinking occurs. In fetuses, neurons from deep in the brain migrate and connect to neurons in the cortex, forming circuitry that supports thought, judgment, planning, and other higher-order functions.

After fusing the two cortical spheroids  cortex and deep layers  Pasca and his colleagues watched the neurons for days, seeing that those from the deep layer were terrible migrants. They stutter-stepped and stopped and started as if unsure whether or where to move. Yet they migrated more than neurons in normal brains, as if trying to make up for their confusion by barreling forward willy-nilly.

The spheroids, Pasca said, help us see how brain development goes awry in patients with the different mutations linked to Timothy syndrome. (Stanford has filed for a patent on generating brain-region-specific spheroids.)

Drugs called calcium-channel blockers, which are commonly used to treat high blood pressure, produced normal neuron migration in the mini-brains, Pasca said, apparently by patching the defect that makes the neurons too jumpy. Even if further studies show the drugs restore normal neuronal migration, however, a big question looms: Will giving the drugs after birth, when the brains basic wiring diagram is set, be too late?

We dont know, Pasca said. But there may be a window of opportunity later, in infancy or even childhood, to correct brain circuitry.

Earlier research has already produced cerebral organoids that developed distinct regions such as the hippocampus, motor regions, and visual areas, with electrically active neurons. When created from the stem cells of a patient with microcephaly, the brains-in-a-dish resembled that often-fatal condition; those created from cells of patients with severe autism indicated that out-of-control neuron growth is the underlying cause of that disorder.

But the second study on Wednesday went even further. Scientists at Harvard University grew their brain organoids, also from stem cells, longer than ever before: nine months or more. Growing in flasks in spinning bioreactors that kept them doused with nutrients, the organoids developed more mature and more diverse neurons than previous mini-brains. Sophisticated genetic tests on individual cells showed a diversity of neurons like that in real brains.

There were dozens of kinds: cells that give rise to support cells called glia, neurons that inhibit others, and corpus callosum neurons that connect a brains hemispheres. Its quite impressive that an organoid developing in a flask can make a great diversity of neuronal types, said Paola Arlotta of Harvard and the Broad Institute, who led the study. The longer an organoid developed, the more types of cells it had.

Read more: In a lab pushing the boundaries of biology, an embedded ethicist keeps scientists in check

And the neurons functioned. They sprouted tiny projections, called dendritic spines, which receive signals from other neurons in a circuit, and six out of the seven organoids that grew for at least eight months formed active neuronal networks, spiking with electrical activity. They connect with each other, forming circuits, and once theyre connected, they can synchronize their activity, Arlotta said, potentially mimicking higher-order functions of the human brain.

Bioethicists are just beginning to grapple with the implications of that. Questions such as whether and when brain organoids might become sentient are important, Arlotta said, and we need to discuss these issues as a community. Not just as scientists, but all of us.

The largest mini-brains-in-a-dish are only 4 millimeters across  roughly the size of a sea slug or jellyfish brain  and, Minnesotas OBrien said, a tiny, tiny fraction of the human brain. You do see some neural circuits forming, but none that are anywhere near the size needed for sentience, and they are not nearly complicated enough to feel pain.

Developing better mimics of the human brain, he added, will take a lot more time, but maybe less time than we think.
Kathmandu (AFP) - Rescuers on Wednesday found two Taiwanese trekkers who went missing in a remote mountainous part of Nepal seven weeks ago, but only one survived the ordeal.

Liu Chen-chun, 19, died just three days before the rescue team located the couple in northwest Nepal, but her boyfriend managed to survive despite running out of food.

Liang Sheng-yueh, 21, is being treated in hospital in Kathmandu where he was airlifted after being rescued from the steep slope where the couple had been trapped for over a month.

"He was sleeping when we found them," one of the rescuers Madhav Basnyat told AFP.

"He woke up after he heard us. We were very surprised to find him alive. He said that the girl died three days earlier."

Basnyat said that the two had followed a river downhill in the hope of finding a village but became stuck when they reached the edge of a waterfall and were unable to climb back up.

"They had been trapped there for 47 days when we reached," he said.

Speaking haltingly and in broken English as he sipped hot soup, Liang told AFP it had been "very cold" on the mountain, and difficult to sleep.

Doctors treating Liang said that he had lost 30 kilos and maggots had infested his right leg.

"When he was brought in he had maggots and was starved because he hadn't eaten," Sanjay Karki, his doctor said.

The couple survived on potatoes and noodles until they ran out of food and had to keep going on water alone.

Liang's father had travelled to Nepal after the couple went missing and chartered a helicopter to search for them.

Spring is peak season in Nepal's snow-capped peaks, a popular hiking destination with around 150,000 trekkers visiting the Annapurna and Everest regions every year.
Is there a veterinarian in the house?

It's not the typical question when people face urgent medical issues in public, but for a mom who went into labor at a Nebraska Zoo, it may have been the best bet.

Watch: Woman Goes to Hospital to Pass Kidney Stone, Surprisingly Gives Birth Instead

Kymica Hubbard was riding the train at Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium when she started having contractions Sunday.

Hubbard and her husband quickly made their way to the parking lot but, before they could get out of the zoo the baby started coming.

"My water broke and then we got like five more steps and I was like, 'Her head, her head,'" Hubbard said during a press conference at Nebraska Medicine.

Within a matter of minutes, Justin Hubbard helped deliver his daughter, whom they named Drea.

"She was talking. She was crying, cooing," said Justin Hubbard. "It was just the most beautiful thing a man could ever see. It was truly a blessed experience."

Drea's originally due date was May 14, Mother's Day, but both mom and baby were taken to Nebraska Medicine for treatment and listed in good condition.

Mom and dad say they've given their daughter the appropriate nickname of "Pooh Bear."

On Monday, April 24, the family spoke with members of the local media before being discharged from the hospital the following day.

Watch: Mom-to-Be Dances Up a Storm While in Labor in Hospital

Staff from Nebraska Medicine's Office of Development even surprised the family with a new car seat after funds were provided by generous community donors.

The Hubbard family plans to celebrate Drea's birthday every year with an outing at the zoo.

Watch: Mom Who Livestreamed Labor With Giraffe Mask Meets April at Zoo

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Podgorica (Montenegro) (AFP) - Montenegro said Wednesday that a decision by Russia to ban imports from its biggest winemaker was politically motivated by the Balkan country's imminent accession to NATO.

According to state-owned wine producer Plantaze, Russian authorities have banned the import of its alcohol from Wednesday owing to sanitary failings -- accusations the company denied.

"It is clear that the decision is in the context of NATO membership," said Montenegro's Prime Minister Dusko Markovic.

He said Russian citizens had "lost an opportunity to consume the best wines" owing to the "irresponsible policy" of their authorities.

Montenegro is expected to become a member of NATO later this year and its parliament will meet on Friday to approve the accession.

Russia has expressed strong opposition to the move, describing Montenegro's membership of the Western military alliance as "deeply erroneous".

The 620,000 citizens of Montenegro, on the Adriatic Sea, are mostly Orthodox Slavs and Moscow has long considered the country to be in its sphere of influence.

Plantaze's manager Milan Milutinovic told reporters that 20 percent of its exports usually went to Russia -- adding up to 10 million bottles in the past five years -- meaning the ban would significantly damage sales.

"We export to 42 countries throughout the world, some of which have the strictest quality control, and we have never had such problems," Milutinovic said.

Montenegro's accession to NATO would reinforce the bloc's presence in the Balkans as Greece, Croatia and Albania are already members.
RABAT (Reuters) - Morocco's Islamist-led cabinet won a vote of confidence in parliament on Wednesday after the country went more than six months without a government, causing delays to public spending and reforms. Prime Minister Saad Eddine El Othmani from the Islamist Justice and Development Party (PJD) addressed the lower chamber of parliament late Wednesday, after which the 395-seat chamber voted in favor of the new cabinet and government program. Othmani's government will hold its first meeting on Thursday to examine the 2017 budget, which should have been approved by parliament in 2016. The PJD won elections in October, but the formation of the government was delayed during wrangling with parties who critics say were too close to royalists reluctant to share power with Islamists in the North African kingdom. A breakthrough came after Morocco's king replaced PJD leader Abdelilah Benkirane as prime minister with Othmani. Analysts had speculated whether the PJD would hold a united front once Benkirane was replaced after failing to breakthrough a deadlock in party negotiations. The youth wing of the party had threatened to protest over his dismissal. But on Wednesday all PJD lawmakers and its five other coalition partners voted in favor. The 91 votes against the government were from the Party of Authenticity and Modernity (PAM) and the minor leftist United Socialist Party. Another 40 lawmakers from the Istiqlal Party abstained. Under Moroccan, law no party can win an outright majority in the parliament, making coalition governments a necessity in a system where the king holds ultimate power despite ceding some authority during protests in 2011. (Reporting by Samia Errazzouki; editing by Patrick Markey, Larry King)
By Mohammed Al-Ramahi MOSUL, Iraq (Reuters) - Some businessmen in Mosul have begun rebuilding their shattered premises without waiting for financial support from the cash-strapped Iraqi government or for the final defeat of Islamic State in the city. "If we wait for support, it could take a long time," said Rafeh Ghanem, who owns an automotive spare-parts business in the eastern side of the city. An airstrike in January reduced the two-storey building that houses his shop and dozens of others to a heap of rubble and twisted steel rods. U.S.-backed Iraqi forces took back the eastern side of Mosul in January, after 100 days of fighting. They are now fighting Islamic State in districts lying west of the Tigris river that bisects the city. Ghanem said he and the 25 other businesses that rent space in the building agreed to contribute funds to help the landlord clear the debris and rebuild one of the two storeys. Reconstruction started on April 11 and Ghanem hopes to return to business in three to four months. He says waiting is of no use since the price of building materials is expected to rise as more reconstruction projects get under way, boosting demand for steel and cement. The city, captured by IS in 2014, has suffered extensive damage as hundreds of houses and public buildings including the airport, the main railway station and the university have been destroyed. Cement and steel prices have gone down steeply since the militants were defeated in eastern Mosul, as road connections have opened up with the rest of Iraq and Turkey, allowing supplies to resume. A metric ton of cement used to sell for up to 350,000 Iraqi dinars ($300) after the militants took over nearly three years ago. It now costs 80,000 to 90,000, said an importer, Saif Ibrahim. For Ghanem, there is no other choice but to rebuild the city which had a pre-war population of more than 2 million. "We live in this city, we have to bring it back." ($1 = 1,167.0000 Iraqi dinars) (Writing by Maher Chmaytelli; Editing by Mark Trevelyan)
Pemba (Mozambique) (AFP) - A squad of Mozambican forest rangers made their first arrest just minutes after arriving at a checkpoint near the northern port city of Pemba.

Nicolau Moises, the forestry department chief in Cabo Delgado province, one of Mozambique's top timber-producing regions, quickly seized a truck piled high with freshly-cut bamboo stalks.

The driver of the vehicle was accused of breaking an annual 90-day ban on logging -- just one tactic in Mozambique's battle against deforestation. That moratorium has been extended a further three months.

Tropical forests cover more than half of the southern African country's landmass but China's insatiable appetite for rare types of wood to feed its furniture industry -- and an uncontrolled surge in logging -- means Mozambique is being stripped of its slow-growing tropical forests while some hardwood species are facing extinction.

The London-based Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) estimated that in 2013, at least 93 percent of logging in Mozambique was illegal -- and that most of the illicit timber ended up sold in China.

"For the past five years we have seen illegal logging increasing," Environment Minister Celso Correia told AFP. "It's been a big challenge for the country."

- 'Limbs cut off' -

Corruption, weak laws and ineffective institutions, coupled with inadequate resources to fight illicit logging, have left the country's forests unprotected.

But Correia said intelligence-gathering has proven to be particularly important to the fight.

"Our communities, our institutions are very vulnerable to corruption," he said. "It's really organised crime. So it's a different fight. It will not be normal institutions that will win this war."

He estimates that illegal logging costs Mozambique more than half a billion dollars (around 460 million euros) a year.

To tackle the crisis, the government has launched a slew of measures that include a ban on the export of all unprocessed logs and a five-year moratorium on the exploitation of vulnerable species.

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New logging permits will also not be issued until at least 2019.

"There was no regulation in the past, but now we have managed some strong regulations," said the minister. "And we have increased our capacity of command and control on the field."

But the work of policing the sprawling country's vast forests is "complicated," Moises said. "We don't have sufficient means, we don't have enough personnel" to deploy in the forests where the trees are sawn down.

"It's like we have our limbs cut off."

According to Correia, more than 120 timber companies were raided in March alone and at least 75 percent were found to be involved in illegal activities.

At least 150,000 cubic metres (5.3 million cubic feet) of logs were seized during the sting operation.

After making their first arrests, Moises and his team raided a Chinese-run timber export firm where hundreds of logs lay stacked, ready to be shipped eastward.

But everything was found to be in order.

"We are following the law and we never (export wood illegally)," said Rothschild Xu, a Chinese timber trader, who has been working in Pemba for five years.

There are dozens of Chinese logging companies in Mozambique -- and some operate outside the law.

China has been largely blamed for the deforestation in Mozambique since it began curtailing commercial logging in its own forests in the early 2000s.

- 'Fighting for our lives' -

Investigative journalist and government critic Erik Charas is not convinced the new laws will bring lasting change. He has also alleged that the reforms and anti-graft drive are a government ploy.

"The government is not doing enough," Charas said, adding that "key, leading figures in government" are working with Chinese timber traders.

Mozambique's wood processing industry however has embraced the new legislation.

"I think this is a positive measure as the processing of wood locally will create more jobs locally," said Narciso Gabriel, the owner of a sawmill in Pemba, and president of the country's lumber association.

"But obviously not everyone has the capacity to invest in wood processing, this is the big difficulty".

Processed timber can fetch high prices. The government says exporting raw logs is "daylight robbery" because merchants buy a cubic metre for around $5 but resell it on the international market for $300.

Despite these challenges, Correia remains confident the country will prevail in its fight against illegal logging.

"We will win for sure, there is no 'plan B'. This is fighting for our lives and for future generations," he said.
North Korea on Wednesday hailed its largest-ever firing drill, overseen by leader Kim Jong-Un to mark a key military anniversary amid high tensions in the region.

Speculation had mounted that the North could carry out a sixth nuclear test or another missile launch to mark the 85 years since the founding of its army on Tuesday.

Instead, the North's state-run KCNA news agency said the Korean People's Army marked the anniversary with a "successful largest-ever artillery drill" under the orders of Supreme Commander Kim in the eastern port city of Wonsan.

"Submarines rapidly submerged to make torpedo-attacks at the enemy warships" while aircraft dropped bombs.

"The brave artillerymen are mercilessly striking the targets, the way they fire is liberating and their shots are very accurate," KCNA cited Kim as saying.

After the drill, the troops pledged their loyalty to Kim, vowing to "turn into 10 million guns and 10 million bombs" to defend him.

Pyongyang's rhetoric always intensifies in the spring, when Seoul and Washington hold joint military drills which it sees as rehearsals for an invasion.

The Rodong Sinmun -- the official mouthpiece of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea -- carried several photos of the drill in a three-page spread.

The front page showed Kim arriving at the site in his black Mercedes Benz with hundreds of tanks lined up. More than 30 pictures showed the drill in detail with Kim roaring with laughter as he watched artillery fire.

North Korea has ambitions to build a nuclear-tipped missile capable of reaching the US mainland. Tensions have soared in recent months as it carried out a string of missile tests that sparked tit-for-tat sabre-rattling between it and Washington.

Washington has sent the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson to the Korean peninsula, where it is expected to arrive later this week for a joint naval exercise with South Korea.

The North has labeled the Vinson's deployment "undisguised military blackmail" and has threatened to "bury it at sea".
Photo credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

From Popular Mechanics

What should we build our spacecraft out of? At first this might seem like an easy question, but there's a lot to consider. The materials we pick must be durable yet lightweight. They need to control heat so the craft doesn't get too hot or too cold. They need to be flexible, yet hold together.

This is tough for any one material to meet, which is why NASA scientists are designing their own. A team at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory have designed a type of futuristic chainmail built for space travel that could be used on the ISS or on Mars.

Traditional chainmail is forged from thousands of tiny links of metal forged by hand. NASA's new chainmail, by contrast, takes advantage of new developments in 3D printing to quickly create large sheets of the material.

NASA's chainmail was designed specifically with space travel in mind. It's foldable and flexible so it can take many different shapes, but it's still durable enough to survive in space. One side reflects sunlight while the other side absorbs it.

Photo credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

This range of attributes means that this new material could be used in all sorts of ways. The flexibility of the chainmail means it could be used in antennae and other deployable structures. The durability could find a use as shielding from debris. The reflective properties could be used for temperature regulation and insulation.

The versatility of this new material is great, but it mainly underscores the growing importance of 3D printing and other additive manufacturing technologies. 3D printing opens many new doors and enables brand new construction materials that can be designed to fill highly specific roles. Chances are, most of the materials used on spacecraft will be 3D printed in the future.

Source: NASA via Gizmodo

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Vienna (AFP) - Making wine is a tough job in most places, what with frost, hail, drought and bushfires to contend with.

But nowhere is the task bigger than in Argentina's Mendoza region, where vintners duel "the whole gamut of natural hazards" -- not least frequent earthquakes, according to research unveiled on Wednesday.

The region tops a new index of wine areas most targeted by Nature's wrath.

"We see that Mendoza in Argentina, which has earthquakes, hail, floods, the whole gamut of natural hazards... is number one," said James Daniell of the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology in Germany, who helped compile the new data.

Second and third were Georgia and Moldova, "countries that obviously have smaller GDPs but the percentage of their GDP due to wine is very, very high," he said.

Northwestern Slovenia came in at number four, while Ecuador's Yaruqui Valley and Nagano in Japan shared fifth place on the Global Wine Risk Index.

It was compiled by a team of geophysicists, geoscientists, meteorologists and economists using data on wine industry losses due to natural hazards going back to 1900.

The atlas covers 110,000 wineries in 131 countries producing about 26 billion litres every year, said Daniell, who presented the results at a meeting of the European Geosciences Union in Vienna.

The industry is estimated to directly contribute $300 billion (275 billion euros) to the world economy annually.

But "it's a highly vulnerable industry," said Daniell -- with about 10 percent of wine production lost to natural hazards every year at an estimated loss of $10 billion.

Over five years up to 2016, hail costs winemakers in France's famous Burgundy region as much as 50 percent of their crops, according to the research.

In 2010, Chile lost 125 million litres of wine to a monster quake.

Just last week, Switzerland, Austria, Germany and Hungary suffered frost that could claim 30 percent -- up to 60 percent in some parts -- of crops.

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It is hoped the new resource will help winegrowers be better prepared, learning from past trends. It makes no future projections.

If an area had had no hail for a few years in a row, for example, winemakers could use the historic data to calculate whether this was likely to be a mere blip in a region generally at elevated hail risk.

"This uses data going back from 1900 onwards. They can at least identify that they are at risk and... do something about it to mitigate it," said Daniel.

Measures could include covering valuable crops with anti-hail nets, tying up wine bottles to withstand the shock of an earthquake, using a "hail cannon", as Burgundy is doing, to seed clouds with stone-shrinking silver iodine, or taking out crop insurance.

The index will be updated annually, and made accessible via www.winerisk.org
Managua (AFP) - A Nicaraguan woman who was burned to death in an exorcism that caused worldwide shock was starved and beaten in the week before her killing, witnesses told a court Wednesday.

Evangelical pastor Juan Rocha and four followers are accused of murdering Vilma Trujillo, a 25-year-old mother of two, because they believed she was possessed by the devil.

On the second day of their trial, which is being carried live on Nicaraguan television, Trujillo's relatives told the court how Rocha had his followers bound her, beat her, and refused her food, water and visitors.

"He told us not to feel any love for her, because that was just the devil, that she had to be burned until only her head was left," the victim's cousin Roberto Trujillo told the court in the capital, Managua.

"They wouldn't let me near her. Pastor Juan Rocha told us not to pay any attention to her because she was possessed by a demon," said her sister Marlene, who told the court of seeing Trujillo tied to a hammock.

Trujillo was killed in a grisly week-long rite from February 15 to 21 in the isolated village of El Cortezal in northeastern Nicaragua.

Witnesses said she was stripped naked and thrown on a pile of wood that was set alight.

Rocha has reportedly denied that version, saying the woman herself leaped at the fire and was suspended aloft by a malign spirit in her.

Trujillo's father said Rocha had forbidden him to see his daughter during the ritual.

When he and her cousin went to get her in the small chapel where she was kept, they found her naked and horribly burned after five hours over the fire, they said.

Trujillo died of her burns in a Managua hospital on February 28.

Forensics expert Ricardo Larios told the court she had been subjected to temperatures of 400 degrees Celsius (752 Fahrenheit).

A pastor associated with the Assemblies of God church, Rocha apparently holds huge sway in the small village where he preached. Residents have been reluctant to discuss the case.

Rocha is accused alongside two brothers and two other suspects. The trial is set to resume on May 2.
Yet another executive order by the US president was blocked by the courts, in part because of his own words. His tweets are a political doomsday device

Wielding his Twitter handle like a doomsday device, Trump has displayed an unparalleled flair for self-sabotage.  Photograph: Niall Carson/PA

Welcome to the age of presidential sabotage. Since assuming office, President Donald J Trump has shown little inclination to take care that the laws be faithfully executed, as commanded by the US constitution. Instead, he has openly declared his intention to wreak havoc in key programs.

He has appointed officials known to be sworn enemies of their own agencies. He has gutted protections for students, consumers, women, workers, and the environment. And he has threatened to inflict staggering damage on US insurance markets  unless opponents bend to his will and repeal the Affordable Care Act.

But nowhere has Trump proved more effective at undermining federal programs than his own executive orders. There, wielding his Twitter handle like a doomsday device, Trump has displayed an unparalleled flair for self-sabotage. This will hold true, however, only if courts recognize that Trumps statements must be taken seriously.

Exhibit A, of course, is the widely reviled travel ban, which has been blocked by federal courts largely on the basis of Trumps own animus-laden statements. After repeatedly expressing the prejudice that birthed this policy, Trump has struggled, and failed, to escape his own words.

On Tuesday, Trumps prior remarks struck again. Citing the presidents televised threat to punish California, a federal judge blocked Trumps order to strip sanctuary cities of federal funds unless they capitulate to his demand that they cooperate with federal immigration officials. (Sanctuary cities are jurisdictions that limit their cooperation with the federal government when it comes to deportation.) This ruling was a crippling blow to Trumps campaign against cities that decline to assist certain immigration enforcement programs.

While the sanctuary city movement is longstanding, it has become exceptionally important under Trump, who has all but declared war on undocumented migrants. In many cases, policies of non-cooperation reflect local views about how to reduce crime and increase public trust in the police. They also reflect core principles. As San Franciscos mayor said in response to Trumps order: We will not give in to threats, or political grandstanding. Together, the Bay Area will stay true to our values of inclusiveness, compassion and equality, and united against any and all efforts to divide our residents, our cities, and our country.

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In challenging Trumps order, two sanctuary cities, San Francisco and Santa Clara, argued that it was riddled with constitutional flaws: the order is impermissibly vague; it denies due process before stripping federal funds from cities; it unlawfully commandeers localities and forces them to carry out federal immigration law; and it violates the separation of powers by seizing from Congress the power to impose conditions on federal funds. This last argument is especially compelling: Trumps order plainly exceeds limits on his power to tell cities that they must comply with whatever new policies he makes up, on pain of losing billions of dollars.

Faced with this battery of allegations, Trumps lawyers retreated. Tacitly conceding that the order is indefensible if taken seriously, they mounted a bizarre, technical defense: in their telling, the plaintiffs lacked standing because the order didnt do anything, changed no conditions on federal funds, and may not ever be enforced against anyone.

As Judge William Orrick pointed out, though, the executive order required agencies to ensure that jurisdictions that fail to comply with applicable federal law do not receive federal funds, except as mandated by law. And that sure looks like a change in policy: It instructs the [agencies] to do something that only Congress has the authority to do  place new conditions on federal funds. Whats more, many other features of the order unmistakably contemplate a broader effect than simply enforcing the status quo.

Judge Orrick therefore scoffed at the invitation to treat Trumps order as an ominous, misleading, and ultimately toothless threat. And he bluntly dismissed the idea that the order is an example of the presidents use of the bully pulpit. An executive order, he emphasized, carries the force of law. The presidents formal act that purports to create real legal obligations cannot be read as a mere policy statement . . . that is fully self-cancelling and carries no legal weight.

Trumps alternative argument  that the plaintiffs had not proven a credible threat of enforcement  fared even worse. Here, Trumps own words came back to haunt him in Judge Orricks ruling: On 5 February 2017, after signing the executive order, President Trump confirmed that he was willing and able to use defunding as a weapon so that sanctuary cities would change their policies.

After quoting similar remarks by Sean Spicer and Attorney General Jeff Sessions, Judge Orrick returned to Trump: President Trump specifically threatened to defund California, stating: Im very much opposed to sanctuary cities. They breed crime. Theres a lot of problems. If we have to well defund, we give tremendous amounts of money to California  California in many ways is out of control.

As Niko Bowie observed last week, these public comments immediately shattered Trumps legal defense: [He] might as well wave the white flag to San Francisco, Santa Clara, and all the other places challenging the order in court. Its tough to argue that nobody is really threatened by an order when your client  the president  is literally on TV threatening people.

This wasnt the first time, and it surely wont be the last, that courts are asked to take Trump at his word. In many cases, Trumps word may spell doom for his policies, given his comfort with tweeting forbidden motives and threatening opponents. In important constitutional and administrative cases, courts will have to reckon like never before with well-supported attacks on presidential motive and intent. Presumptions of deference, good faith, and regularity will certainly come under unyielding strain. While Barack Obamas public statements were sometimes used against him in court, the sheer frequency and relevance of Trumps public comments on so many issues will dramatically raise the stakes.

Trumps defenders will thus have no choice but to argue that we just cant take Trump at his word. Theyll insist that his campaign statements are uniquely off limits; that his motives are endlessly mysterious; that hes just engaging in public and political advocacy; that formal doctrines forbid any judicial inquiries into motive; and that his statements are unrelated to policies and decisions issued by other parts of the executive branch. And theyll impugn judges who take Trump seriously, as White House chief of staff Reince Priebus did in describing Judge Orricks ruling as bananas.

As the nation reels under the onslaught of one tweetstorm after another, punctuated by incendiary interviews, its easy to grow desensitized  and to conclude that Trumps words mean nothing, either to him or to anyone else. Professor Laurence Tribe accurately captured the lurking danger here: [A] constant, unyielding, numbing fire hose of complete and utter bullshit  some of it barely intelligible  that engulfs Trump and everyone around him in a suffocating, disorienting haze that blurs the boundaries of truth and all but eviscerates the very notion.

That impulse is understandable, but must be resisted at all cost. While Trump seems dead set on sacrificing his credibility, so that he may speak without legal consequence, the fact remains that he is president of the United States. His words are deeds, and that is nowhere more true than alongside executive orders.

Everything he says and does can shape our national destiny. He holds lives in his hands. No matter how overwhelming the flood of improper statements, Trump is the president. Every word matters. Every word must be taken seriously. Especially in this era of presidential sabotage, the rule of law means little if the presidents word means nothing.
House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi and Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer on Capitol Hill, March 13, 2017. (Photo: J. Scott Applewhite/AP)

WASHINGTON  With a Friday deadline for a government shutdown looming, Democrats and Republicans in Congress are stalled on the issue of continued funding for Obamacare.

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., have said any short-term spending bill must include language guaranteeing Congress will pay for the Affordable Care Acts cost-sharing subsidies, which lower health care costs for 7 million people.

Currently, the Trump administration is making those cost-sharing payments to insurance companies as required by the health care law, but a lawsuit by House Republicans  launched when President Obama was in office  could change that.

The lawsuit asserts that only Congress  not the administration  can legally appropriate the billions of dollars owed to insurance companies under Obamacare. If Republicans win their case, the Trump administration will be ordered to stop paying the insurance companies, which could prompt insurance companies to flee the exchanges. (The next scheduled court date in the case is in May.)

Its also possible that even if Republicans lose in court, the Trump administration could decide to stop making the payments, thereby imperiling the exchanges. Trump has threatened in the past that he would let Obamacare fail and blame Democrats. Director of the Office of Management and Budget Mick Mulvaney told Pelosi in a conversation Tuesday night that the administration had not yet decided whether to make the insurance payments that are due in May, according to an aide briefed on the conversation.

A Democratic leadership aide said Tuesday that the spending bill negotiations had deadlocked over the issue, as the White House does not want the Obamacare payments in the emerging spending bill.

Several Senate Republicans said Tuesday the cost-sharing money is crucial to keep the insurance market stable until their party repeals and replaces Obamacare. But it remains unclear if theyll include the payments in the spending bill that must pass Friday to avert a government shut down.

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We want to keep the market stable, said Sen. John Thune, R-S.D. Its probably going to require that the existing mechanism for doing that, these cost-sharing subsidies, be in place for a while.

But Thune said he wasnt sure it was necessary for Congress to take the lead on appropriating the funds right now.

Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., said he believes Congress should appropriate the subsidies so that no one loses health coverage. We have to clean up this mess of Obamacare, Cassidy added.

Reps. Greg Walden, R-Ore., and Tom Cole, R-Okla., have also indicated they believe Congress should pay the insurance companies, which are owed an estimated $7 billion this year, according to the Congressional Budget Office. (One fact boosting the payments chances: Ending them would cost the government more money overall due to increases in the costs of another subsidy, according to an analysis by the Kaiser Family Foundation.)

Not everyone in the Democratic leadership is on board with insisting on the payments, however. House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer, D-Md., told reporters Tuesday that he didnt think his party should be a part of the negotiation, since he disagrees with the House Republicans that its not Trumps job to appropriate the funds.

Im not urging my side to have this as part of the negotiations, Hoyer told reporters, according to Politico. The president has the authority to go ahead and do it and he ought to do it.

Its likely Congress will ask for a week extension of previous spending levels to avert the shutdown and continue hammering out a deal before funding for the government expires at midnight Friday.

Read more from Yahoo News:
New UK research has found that obese children are four times more likely to develop Type 2 diabetes than their normal-weight counterparts.

Carried out by a team of researchers from King's College London, the study used electronic health records from one of the largest primary care databases in the world, the UK Clinical Practice Research Datalink, to gather data for 369,362 children between the ages of 2 and 15.

The team analyzed the children's BMI measurements, diabetes diagnosis records, and other data, with children classified as obese if they had a BMI in the top five percent of the population for their age.

The data showed that 654 children and teenagers were diagnosed with type 2 diabetes between 1994 and 2013 and 1,318 children were diagnosed with type 1 diabetes.

The incidence of type 2 diabetes also increased from an average of 6 cases per year per 100,000 persons in 1994-8 to an average of 33 case per year in 2009-13 in both overweight and obese participants, with the team finding that obese individuals showed a four-times higher risk of developing the condition compared with those in the normal BMI category.

However, as the team expected, they found no association between obesity and the rate of type 1 diabetes, which is linked to an underlying autoimmune disorder.

The team concluded that the increasing rates of obesity are contributing to the increasing rates of type 2 diabetes, with lead author Dr Ali Abbasi commenting that, "Diabetes imposes a heavy burden on society as the condition is common and costly to treat. Estimates indicate one in 11 adults has type 2 diabetes, equal to around 415 million people worldwide. Given that diabetes and obesity are preventable from early life, our findings and other research will hopefully motivate the public and policymakers to invest and engage in diabetes prevention efforts."

The results can be found online published in the Journal of the Endocrine Society.
A Philadelphia police officer who allegedly struck and killed a pedestrian while off duty and speeding on Cottman Avenue will be charged with homicide by vehicle and involuntary manslaughter, authorities said Wednesday.

Officer Adam Soto was also suspended from the force for 30 days with the intent to dismiss, Police Commissioner Richard Ross said.

Soto had been accused of striking Danny Dimitri, 50, a chef at a Burholme seafood restaurant, as Dimitri walked across Cottman near Algon Avenue around 11:30 a.m. on Jan. 31. Dimitri was going to catch a bus to pick up his paycheck at work, his family said.

After the crash, investigators sought to determine whether Soto, a three-year veteran of the 24th District, was drag racing another car driven by an off-duty officer. A third off-duty officer was a passenger in that car, authorities said last month.

A source with knowledge of the investigation said that while Soto accelerated until he struck Dimitri, the second driver slowed and stopped at a traffic light that Soto sped through.

Ross said that the officers in the second car were not expected to be charged, but that the driver, Tony Forest, a three-year veteran in the 14th District, would be fired for conduct unbecoming an officer.

Dimitri's family said last month that it had been told Soto was driving between 80 and 90 mph when he struck Dimitri. The speed limit in that area -- just outside Northeast High School -- is 30 mph.

Witnesses said Dimitri had no time to get out of the way, and surveillance video from a nearby pizza shop captured footage of his clothes flying and his body landing against a pole.

Outside the DA's Office on Wednesday, Dimitri's sister, Cherylann, 58, said she drives by the site where her brother was killed every day on her way to work. She said she misses his warm and gregarious spirit and cooking family meals with him on holidays.

She wanted all three officers charged in connection with her brother's death, saying she remains devastated by his sudden and unexpected loss.

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"My life," she said, "will never be the same."

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By Marianna Parraga and Alexandra Ulmer HOUSTON/CARACAS (Reuters) - As political turmoil in Venezuela mounts, oil firms including Norwegian major Statoil ASA and Spain's Repsol SA have further reduced their already-dwindling ranks of expatriate employees in the country, sources familiar with the situation said. Statoil, Repsol and Chevron Corp are among the foreign oil companies that hold minority stakes in more than 40 joint ventures with state-run Petroleos de Venezuela [PDVSA.UL] (PDVSA), providing cash-strapped Venezuela with crucial crude production and income amid a debilitating economic crisis. Venezuela, South America's largest oil exporter, has been pummeled by a brutal economic crisis that has millions skipping meals, unable to afford soaring prices for basic goods and facing long lines for scarce products. More than a dozen people have been killed during near daily clashes this month between security forces and protesters calling for elections, the release of jailed activists, and autonomy for the opposition-led congress. At least 10 people have also died during night-time looting. Leftist President Nicolas Maduro has accused the protesters of plotting a coup against him. There are no reports of the unrest affecting operations in Venezuela's often isolated oil fields, but some firms have been spooked by frequent barricades blocking streets and National Guard forces firing tear gas in capital Caracas, where foreign oil companies are usually based. Statoil, which has a joint venture in the country's Orinoco Belt extra-heavy crude region, has withdrawn its five to six expatriate staff that remained in the country, two sources said. Statoil's website says it has 30 employees in Venezuela including local staff, although it was not clear how many were native Venezuelans. Some expatriate staff with family at Repsol, which has a 40 percent stake in the Petroquiriquire joint venture with PDVSA and also participates in the Orinoco, have recently left the country, although others remain, two separate sources said. Repsol has about 10 non-Venezuelan employees. The sources all spoke within the past few days and requested anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to the media. Statoil said it has been following the situation to guarantee the safety of its staff, including local employees and expatriates. Its operations are proceeding as normal, it added. Repsol did not respond to requests for information. Chevron declined to comment on security and personnel issues. Russia's Rosneft told Reuters on Tuesday that "the inner political situation in Venezuela does not affect the operation of the joint venture. The works are carried out as scheduled." HIGH-RISK OPERATION The turmoil underlines the difficulty oil companies encounter maintaining operations in high-risk countries from Latin America to Africa to the Middle East. Such markets typically compel the firms to pay premium salaries for expats and employ specialized security staff to protect their families. Chevron last year advised expats living in Venezuela with their families to transfer to other locations, company sources said, part of a gradual winnowing down of expat staff as life grew more difficult there. Venezuela's crime epidemic has long plagued foreign staffs. Worsening shortages of goods are also making the country increasingly inhospitable. Top Chinese oil executives nearly all relocated to neighboring Colombia about a year ago because they were frequently targeted by kidnappers, a source said. Foreign oil executives who remain in Caracas are typically restricted to living in certain areas, sometimes banned from traveling after dark, and compelled to move around in armored vehicles. The recent moves by foreign oil companies recall an exit of foreign staff from oil majors in Venezuela amid heightened protests in 2014. Those demonstrations ultimately wilted due to protester fatigue, a tough government response, and because unrest largely failed to spread to poorer areas. At Chevron, which participates in two oil projects in the Orinoco Belt, expats are staying put for now but the company has been monitoring looting to decide whether to change their status, another source said. The U.S. embassy in Caracas last week recommended its citizens living in Venezuela avoid areas where demonstrations may erupt spontaneously as protests may result in violence. (Writing by Christian Plumb; Editing by Matthew Lewis)
Firebrand Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte is set to enjoy much-wanted foreign support for his deadly drug war when he hosts Southeast Asian leaders at a Manila summit this week, observers say.

Duterte's unpredictable foreign policy is also expected to be in focus at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) event, with confusion surrounding his approach to Chinese expansionism in the South China Sea.

It will be closely watched for how Duterte, who has shocked with curse-laden tirades against the United States and the United Nations, handles hosting his first major diplomatic event.

"This will be a very interesting time. Everyone thinks he is a very charismatic leader, he speaks off the cuff," a Southeast Asian diplomat involved in the summit's preparations told AFP.

The crackdown on drugs, which has claimed thousands of lives and led to warnings by rights groups about a possible crime against humanity, has been a defining theme of Duterte's first 10 months in power.

Duterte has relentlessly railed against the mostly Western critics of his drug war, angrily demanding they respect him while in turn using abusive terms to describe them.

Duterte hogged the headlines at another ASEAN leaders' summit in Laos last year when he called then US president Barack Obama, who was also attending, a "son of a whore" for criticising the drug war.

- 'Rights abuse' -

The mood will likely be far calmer in Manila for the two-day annual event starting Friday, with Duterte to enjoy drug war backing from most of his guests, according to observers.

"I sadly expect Duterte will promote his drug war because he knows there will be no contrary words from the other ASEAN leaders," Phil Robertson, deputy director of Human Rights Watch's Asia division, told AFP.

"The region is falling deeper into dictatorship, repression and rights abuse."

Among the heads of undemocratic regimes who will convene in Manila are Thai military junta chief Prayut Chan-O-Cha and Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei, as well as the leaders of Laos and Vietnam.

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Cambodia's Hun Sen, a former Khmer Rouge cadre, and Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak, who has faced allegations of corruption and vote rigging, will also attend.

Lauro Baja, a former Philippine foreign undersecretary and ambassador to the United Nations, agreed ASEAN leaders would back Duterte's drug war while in Manila, or at least keep any concerns to themselves.

"I expect them to support the efforts of the Philippines to curb the drug menace, period. Without talking about how we achieve that," Baja told AFP.

Baja said that, even if leaders did disapprove of Duterte's tactics, they would observe a long-standing ASEAN policy of non-interference in each others' affairs.

- China confusion -

Meanwhile, Duterte's contradictory statements on the Philippines' approach to its dispute with China over rival claims in the South China Sea will be under close scrutiny.

Duterte rejected the policy of his predecessor, Benigno Aquino, who forcefully challenged Beijing through legal and diplomatic avenues including ASEAN events.

Duterte adopted a more pragmatic approach, remaining mostly silent on Philippine concerns while seeking billions of dollars worth of Chinese trade and aid.

But early this month Duterte announced he had ordered his troops to occupy vacant islands in the South China Sea.

He also said he may go to one of the islands already occupied by the Philippines to plant a national flag.

He and his aides later retracted the statements, as Duterte reverted to a more friendly tone towards China.

"China is confused and the international community is intrigued," Renato de Castro, international studies professor at Manila's De La Salle University, told AFP.

Nevertheless, Duterte has said he will not use ASEAN to pressure China.

ASEAN and China are also working on a "framework" agreement for a code of conduct on the South China Sea, with Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei other claimants.

The summit will take place under heavy security following a series of deadly clashes recently with Islamic militants in the central and southern Philippines.

About 40,000 security forces have been assigned to guard the event, authorities said.
If you're going to put cheese on a pizza, why stop at one? Why, indeed?

A pizza place in Portland, Oregon, took this pizza-stential question very seriously, deciding they had nothing to lose by totally just going for it. So, as part of an annual Portland celebration of pizza, Scottie's Pizza Parlor created a pie using 101 cheeses.

SEE ALSO: Someone made a pizza with peas and mayo and the internet collectively barfed

The pie is called the Centouno Formaggio, and, according to Scottie Pizza Parlor's website, it was inspired by the 99-cheese pizza from the movie Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. In fact, Australian pizzamaker Johnny di Francesco did create a 99-cheese pizza in real life to prove it could be done. But Scottie's Pizza Parlor wanted to do one (or, actually two) better.

The pizza's ingredients include a shredded 55-cheese blend and 36 other soft cheeses, plus a blend of nine grated cheeses. There's also aged part-skim mozzarella stuffed in the crust.

Wow.

Scottie Riviera told Fox News that they wanted the pizza to taste like a regular cheese pizzaat least initially. With the first bite, you dont know what to expect, so you can almost mistake it for a regular slice," Riviera said. "Then you chew a little more and you start to get a lot of character here: theres things going on, its almost hard to place.

Alas, the the opportunity to taste-test this groundbreaking pizza is no longer. It was available just for one day.

Scottie's Pizza Parlor has applied to the Guinness World Records for the distinction of Most Cheeses on a Pizza. While it isn't certificate-official, pizza lovers everywhere will recognize this feat for what it is amazing.

WATCH: Stephen Colbert throws staff pizza parties when he beats Jimmy Fallon's ratings
Trump's first 100 days in office have come and gone, and they're not getting great reviews. So, naturally, Pete Souza has some throwback photos to post.

President Obama's official White House photographer, well-known for his timely bouts of Instagram shade, has been sharing shots from Obama's first 100 days  which seem a little, uh, busier. And, less situated in Florida. And, are those a bunch of photos of him interacting civilly with Republican leaders?

SEE ALSO: Pete Souza joins chorus gloating over Trumpcare failure with epic Instagram

Please enjoy.

First in a series from the first 100 days of the Obama administration. Inauguration night 2009, in a freight elevator heading to one of the Balls at the Convention Center. A post shared by Pete Souza (@petesouza) on Apr 22, 2017 at 3:25pm PDT

First 100 days. This was the first time sitting at the Resolute desk, just after 9am on 1/21/2009. Family pictures would soon fill the table behind the desk. A post shared by Pete Souza (@petesouza) on Apr 23, 2017 at 7:42am PDT

First 100 days. First meeting with Secretary of State. 1/21/2009. This picture also brings back the memory that because of the economic crisis, potus thought that it would be improper to redecorate the Oval Office even though Congress had appropriated the funds. Instead, he kept the Bush 43 carpeting, drapes and furniture until mid 2010. A post shared by Pete Souza (@petesouza) on Apr 23, 2017 at 12:21pm PDT

First 100 days. With Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. 1/23/2009 A post shared by Pete Souza (@petesouza) on Apr 24, 2017 at 8:02am PDT

Time out from the first 100 days series. From 2010. Stay tuned. A post shared by Pete Souza (@petesouza) on Apr 24, 2017 at 11:05am PDT

First 100 days. We made trips to several different countries. Here we are in France with then President Sarkozy. A post shared by Pete Souza (@petesouza) on Apr 25, 2017 at 6:26am PDT

First 100 days. With world leaders before his first NATO Summit. A post shared by Pete Souza (@petesouza) on Apr 25, 2017 at 9:01am PDT

First 100 days. Prague, Czech Republic. A post shared by Pete Souza (@petesouza) on Apr 25, 2017 at 10:52am PDT

First 100 days. Meeting with Gen. Ray Odierno in Iraq. 4/7/2009 A post shared by Pete Souza (@petesouza) on Apr 25, 2017 at 1:20pm PDT

First 100 days. With our troops in Iraq (at one of Saddam Hussein's palaces no less). A post shared by Pete Souza (@petesouza) on Apr 25, 2017 at 3:19pm PDT

Until next time, Souza. The way things are going, we assume it will be very soon.

WATCH: Ivanka Trump gets booed at an international womens summit speaking about father's 'advocacy' for women
We already knew that Pope Francis was a great communicator, but this is something new.

The pontiff made a surprise recorded appearance at a TED talk conference calling on the world's powerful leaders to "act humbly" and urging solidarity to overcome a "culture of waste" that has left people behind.

SEE ALSO: Over-excited little girl steals the Pope's hat off his head

The more powerful you are, the more your actions will have an impact on people, the more responsible you are to act humbly," Francis, seated at a desk in Vatican City, said.

"You will end up hurting yourself and those around you, if you don't connect your power with humility and tenderness."

After telling his own migration story, the Pope called for equality, solidarity, and tenderness to help people "who are cast aside by our techno-economic systems."

How wonderful would it be if the growth of scientific and technological innovation would come along with more equality and social inclusion, he said.
Vancouver (AFP) - Pope Francis urged harmony over division in a surprise papal TED talk, delivered via video to the big-ideas gathering in Vancouver.

Francis embraced the theme of this year's conference - 'The Future is You' - saying it was relations and connections between people that would shape society going forward.

"The future is made of 'yous,' it is made of encounters, because life flows through our relations with others," Francis said.

"Everyone's existence is deeply tied to that of others: life is not time merely passing by, life is about interactions."

He hoped the TED conference, a prestigious gathering devoted to 'ideas worth spreading, would remind people that they need each other. In human life, as in science, all things are connected, Francis reasoned.

"The future of humankind isn't exclusively in the hands of politicians, of great leaders, of big companies," Francis said.

"Yes, they do hold an enormous responsibility. But the future is, most of all, in the hands of those people who recognize the other as a 'you' and themselves as part of an 'us.'

He expressed hope that science and technology innovations would come with social equality and inclusion.

It was the first time Francis has addressed an international conference, according to TED organizers. His talk was not listed on the program and kept secret by organizers.

It took many discussions to make the talk happen, and repeated trips to Rome over more than a year, according to TED international curator Bruno Giussani.

"Pope Francis is clearly very concerned about the current state of the world," Giussani said.

"There is a sense of urgency in his actions and his words."
Paris (AFP) - Press freedom has "never been so threatened" as it is today, according to Reporters Without Borders, with journalists harassed, jailed or disappeared in a lengthening list of countries.

The monitoring group's secretary-general Christophe Deloire and AFP's global news director Michele Leridon pointed out some telling examples Wednesday:

- 'Jihad' -

Russian investigative journalist Elena Milashina, who recently revealed systematic violence against homosexuals in Chechnya, has had to flee the country after a call for "jihad" against her and her newspaper Novaya Gazeta by the main mosque in Grozny. She claims the call was orchestrated by the region's strongman leader Ramzan Kadyrov.

- Death penalty -

Iranian journalist Narges Mohammadi, who has campaigned against the widespread use of the death penalty there, was sentenced to 10 years in prison last year. Her husband, fellow journalist Taghi Rahmani, spent 14 years behind bars before leaving for France.

- 'Terror' links -

Radio France International's correspondent in Cameroon Ahmed Abba has been jailed for 10 years for supposed links with the Nigerian Islamist group Boko Haram. Deloire, whose watchdog is known by its French initials RSF, said there was no evidence against him.

- Held for 16 years -

Swedish-Eritrean journalist Dawit Isaak has been held without trial by the Eritrean authorities since 2001. He co-founded the notorious repressive country's first independent newspaper. He was awarded this year's UNESCO World Press Freedom Prize.

- Disappeared -

Chinese citizen journalists Lu Yuyu and Li Tingyu disappeared last June before it was revealed that they were being held detained by police in Yunnan. They are still in custody despite winning last year's RSF's Press Freedom Prize.

A similar fate befell Egyptian photographer Mahmoud Abdel Shakour, nicknamed "Shawkan", who has been held since 2013.

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- Turkish crackdown -

In Turkey, which holds the world record for locking up its own journalists, foreign reporters are increasingly being accused of being spies and of spreading misinformation.

- Bahrain harassment -

The Gulf state of Bahrain is refusing to allow any AFP journalists to be based there, Leridon said, and a photographer who previously worked for the agency there is still being harassed by the authorities.

- Threats -

AFP had to get its correspondent out of Burundi, she added, and its journalists have also been threatened in Venezuela, Congo and the neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo.

Foreign journalists are being excluded from more and more African countries with states such as Djibouti, Eritrea, Zimbabwe and Congo refusing them visas, Leridon, added.

- Polish purge -

In Poland, the new nationalist government is imposing an iron grip on public television and radio channels of a kind not seen "since the purge of 1982" during martial law, according to Jaroslaw Kurski of Gazeta Wyborcza.

Privately owned outlets are also targeted, particularly German-owned media groups, he said.
President Trump at the Holocaust Memorial Museums National Days of Remembrance ceremony. (Photo: Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP)

WASHINGTON  President Trumps decision to rain cruise missiles on a Syrian military base early this month and to set aside trade disputes with China to enlist Beijings help on North Korea reflect an emerging Trump Doctrine, White House chief of staff Reince Priebus said Tuesday.

Priebus remarks about the April 7 strike on Syria, which came in retaliation for a chemical weapons attack that killed civilians, including children, were made to reporters in his West Wing office as he defended Trumps record at the symbolic 100 Days mark.

Trump, Priebus said, has been reshaping our position in the world and really establishing, I think, a Trump Doctrine in setting some certain lines of where were not going to allow people like [Syrian President Bashar] Assad to go, but at the same time making it clear that were not interested in long-term, you know, ground wars in the Middle East.

Another example Priebus gave of the emerging doctrine is Trumps enlisting China to try to rein in North Korea, a very real challenge that takes cooperation within the region to handle appropriately, Priebus said. Trump has justified his decision not to label Beijing a currency manipulator  a key campaign pledge  because, he says, Chinese President Xi Jinping has worked with him on North Korea.

Many experts agree that China has not manipulated its currency to gain unfair advantages for its exports in years, but in an interview this week with the Associated Press, Trump claimed China had stopped doing so since my time in office.

Trumps decision to strike Syria  a reversal of sorts from his campaign-trail focus on fighting the Islamic State and largely ignoring Assad  has drawn largely positive reviews from members of Congress and from allies. At the same time, critics have raised questions about both the effectiveness of the strike and on whether Assad will face consequences for killing civilians through other means. Some of Trumps supporters have complained that it amounts to the kind of interventionism he rejected in 2016, and lawmakers like Kentucky Republican Sen. Rand Paul have said he should have secured congressional approval for the strike.

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With Trumps performance under fire, the president has been in search of legislative and court victories. The emergence of the so-called Trump Doctrine, however, raises still more questions about its scope. Asked for clarification of what the philosophy entails, a senior administration official said that it means Trump believes in America first. It also means that he loves people, and he knows that there are certain things that some people do that are unacceptable, like the nerve gas attack in Syria.

I think hes someone thats going to stick to his guns on ISIS and making sure that we dont sit around loose and lax and let a country like North Korea continue to proliferate nuclear weapons and grow to a point where were simply reacting to an ICBM one day after we wake up and realize that we havent done anything for fear of some other alternative, said the official, who requested to remain anonymous.

So I think its a combination of very good personal skills  one-on-one  which hes incredibly talented, and its a commitment to the goals of the campaign, which is defeating ISIS, and its a commitment to people that there are certain things that the United States isnt going to put up with, the official said.

Whats clear about the Trump Doctrine is that it is still emerging, and the official also described the standoff with North Korea as probably a little bit more volatile than people were initially anticipating.

Read more from Yahoo News:
London (AFP) - A businesswoman who took the British government to court to force a parliamentary vote on the UK's split from the EU launched a campaign Tuesday to oppose an "extreme Brexit".

Gina Miller said her Best For Britain initiative would target marginal seats in the June 8 general election in a bid to return members of parliament who are committed to keeping the UK's Brexit options open.

The crowd-funded drive has already been backed by nearly 10,000 people and raised almost 300,000 ($385,000, 350,000 euros).

"Do what's best for Britain! Support the country's biggest tactical voting drive ever and stop extreme Brexit," Miller's fundraising page says.

"We will support candidates who campaign for a real final vote on Brexit, including rejecting any deal that leaves Britain worse off."

London and Brussels will spend the next two years negotiating the terms of Britain's departure from the European Union.

"We need MPs to be strong and open-minded about what is best for Britain," Miller said Tuesday.

In the June 2016 referendum, Britain voted by 52 percent in favour of leaving the EU.

Prime Minister Theresa May wanted to trigger the exit process without a parliamentary vote but Miller successfully took a case through the courts which forced the government to give parliament a say.
Two Hong Kong independence activists who were barred from taking up their seats as lawmakers last year were arrested and charged Wednesday over chaos at the city's parliament.

Baggio Leung and Yau Wai-ching were arrested at their apartments Wednesday morning and were charged with illegal assembly and attempted forceful entry into the legislative chamber, Yau told reporters.

The pair belong to a new movement calling for a complete split from China for semi-autonomous Hong Kong, as concerns grow the city's freedoms are under threat.

The calls for independence grew out of the failure of the mass Umbrella Movement rallies in 2014 to secure political reform and have infuriated Beijing.

The latest arrests come after nine pro-democracy activists -- including student protesters and lawmakers -- were charged last month for their roles in the 2014 protests in a move slammed by rights groups.

The crackdown also comes ahead of an expected visit by China's President Xi Jinping to mark the 20th anniversary of the handover of the city by Britain back to China in 1997 on July 1.

The charges against Yau and Baggio relate to them trying to barge in to a legislative council meeting in November after they had been barred pending a court decision over their disqualification.

They first ran into the main chamber before security tried to bundle them out.

Once removed, they and their supporters tried to push their way into a committee room to which the disrupted session had been moved.

In the ensuing chaos, they clashed with security with at least three staff taken to hospital and police called in.

Speaking to reporters outside the police station where they were charged, Leung said they had done nothing wrong as they should have been allowed into the chamber while they awaited the result of their court hearing.

He called the charges "totally unreasonable".

"Authorities suppressing the will of the people is abundantly clear," added Yau.

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Despite being elected by the public, the pair were never allowed to take up their seats after protesting at their swearing-in ceremony last October.

They deliberately misread their oaths of office, inserted expletives and draped themselves with "Hong Kong is not China" flags.

Beijing intervened to ensure they were not given the chance to retake their oaths by making a special "interpretation" of Hong Kong's mini-constitution.

The ruling said that any oath taker who does not follow the prescribed wording of the pledge, "or takes the oath in a manner which is not sincere or not solemn", should be disqualified.

After the interpretation, Hong Kong's High Court ruled to disqualify them both.

That move was heavily criticised by pro-democracy activists and legal experts as a massive blow to Hong Kong's judicial independence and sparked demonstrations by both pro-Beijing and pro-independence groups.

Yau and Baggio were bailed and will appear in court Friday.
Police bodycam footage captured the heart-stopping rescue of a Connecticut man attempting to jump to his death.

Read: Man Who Was Suicidal Races in Marathon With Stranger Who Talked Him Down From Bridge

Officer Justin Martin of the Hamden Police Department can be seen in the video dashing up three flights of stairs, and grabbing the elderly man in the nick of time, just as he was attempting to dive off the 6th floor roof.

According to the police departments Facebook page, Martin was at the retirement home last week responding to a call about a combative resident.

As he met with the retirement homes staff and the elderly male resident, the man suddenly took off running toward the stairwell.

Read: Drunk Mom Launches Car 15 Feet Into the Air, Flips Vehicle Upside Down With Toddler Inside

Although Martin was able to pull him to safety, the department reported that the elderly man continued pulling away and kicking after he was rescued.

The man was later transported to a local hospital for evaluation.

Watch: Pulse-Pounding Video Shows Girl Falling Out of Church Bus

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U.S. Energy Secretary Rick Perry said Tuesday that he supports remaining in the Paris Agreement but would like the country to renegotiate the landmark climate change accord.

Perrys comments come as President Trump is considering whether to pull the U.S. from the agreement, a 2015 deal between nearly 200 nations that was considered a key part of the Obama administrations climate change agenda. After postponing an earlier meeting, senior White House officials are reportedly set to discuss their position Thursday. The Trump administration previously promised a decision by the end of May. As a candidate, Trump promised to get the U.S. out of the deal if elected.

Im not going to tell the President of the United States lets just walk away from the Paris Accord, Perry said before leaders of the renewable energy industry at the Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF) conference in New York. But what Im going to say is we probably need to renegotiate.

Perrys remarks reflect the thinking of a number of top officials inside the White House as well as certain leaders in the oil, gas and coal industries, who believe the U.S. can remain in the deal while reconsidering the terms of the nations commitments. Renegotiation of the entire deal would be next to impossible given that it entered into force last year after decades of talks. But the U.S. could unilaterally change its commitment to cut greenhouse gas emissions without any concrete penalty.

Read More: This Climate Change Measure Has Fossil Fuel Companies and Green Groups Working Together

Perry also offered support for renewable energy sources advanced through the free market, but suggested that the rapid growth in the sector over the last decade has come as the result of the heavy hand of regulation.

During a question and answer period, Perry also suggested that increased reliance on renewable energy sources like wind and solar might make the grid unreliable given they only work when the sun is shining and the wind is blowing, creating national security concerns. The Trump administration might try to preempt state and local governments that use policy to encourage clean energy to address those concerns, Perry said.

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Theres a discussion, some of it very classified that will be occurring as we go further, Perry said. The conversation needs to happen so the local governors and legislators, mayors and city council understand whats at stake here in making sure that our energy security is substantial.

Ethan Zindler, the Americas head at BNEF who led the question and answer period, responded that the notion of preemption would send shudders to companies invested in renewable energy. Indeed, many energy analysts disagree that expanded use of renewable energy will make the grid unreliable, citing new forms of energy storage and technology that help mitigate risk and over-use.

Read More: Donald Trump Says Hell Bring Back Coal. Heres Why He Cant

Perrys comments follow a number of new policies and directives from the Trump administration aimed at reviving the coal industry at the expense of clean energy. Trump signed an executive order in March that could undo Obamas Clean Power Plan, which requires states to move away from coal-fired power plants, and earlier this month Perry ordered a study of the electric grid to support his argument that the U.S. cannot rely too heavily on renewable energy.

Renewable energy analysts say their business remains strong because the cost of wind and solar power continues to decline just as solutions like battery storage continue to develop. Can they slow growth? asked Gregory S. Wetstone, CEO of the American Council on Renewable Energy, a non-profit that advocates for renewable energy. Not a lot, but its disturbing to see a signal like that.

This article was originally published on TIME.com
By Polina Devitt and Andrew Osborn MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia said on Wednesday it had banned a pro-democracy movement founded by Kremlin critic Mikhail Khodorkovsky which has called for big anti-government protests on Saturday ahead of a presidential election next year. In a statement, the General Prosecutor's Office said it had decided that the activity of the Open Russia foundation, which it called a British organization, was "undesirable" in Russia. The ban comes days before what Open Russia hopes will be large anti-government protests it has called to try to put pressure on Putin, who is expected to run for what would be a fourth presidential term next year, to leave politics. Khodorkovsky, a prominent Kremlin critic, said in a social media posting that prosecutors had acted because they were "touched to the quick" by the planned rallies. The authorities regard any demonstrations not sanctioned in advance as illegal and were taken aback by the scale of large anti-corruption protests last month. Along with Khodorkovsky's foundation, the Prosecutor's Office said it was also banning the Institute of Modern Russia, which it said was a U.S. organization, and the Open Russia Civic Movement, which it said was British. "These organizations are carrying out special programs and projects on the territory of the Russian Federation aimed at discrediting the upcoming election results in Russia and having them declared illegitimate," it said. "Their activity is aimed at inciting protest actions and destabilizing the domestic political situation, which poses a threat to the foundations of the constitutional system and state security." Under a 2015 law, organizations deemed "undesirable" can be banned and their members can be fined or jailed for up to six years for ignoring the ban. Putin freed Khodorkovsky, once Russia's richest man, in 2013 after he had spent a decade in jail for fraud, a charge Khodorkovsky said had been fabricated to punish him for funding political opposition to Putin. The president has said he regards the businessman as a common thief. "Russian authorities have worked relentlessly for many years to create the most hostile environment for civil society possible," Sergei Nikitin, the head of Amnesty International's Russian branch, said in a statement. "Open Russia's activity was a huge obstacle for them, be it defending human rights, supporting independent candidates in elections at different levels, and acting as a media outlet. By banning this organization, they think they've overcome this obstacle." (Editing by Andrew Roche)
Moscow (AFP) - Russia on Wednesday banned three organisations associated with former oil tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky, branding them "undesirable" for allegedly seeking to stir unrest and discredit elections.

OR (Otkrytaya Rossia), the Institute of Modern Russia and the Open Russia Civic Movement have been recognised as "undesirable" by the Prosecutor General in line with a controversial Russian law that targets foreign groups accused of political meddling.

"Their activities are directed at inspiring protests and destabilising domestic politics, which is a threat to the foundations of the Russian constitutional system and state security," the Prosecutor General said of the three organisations.

The three foundations backed by Kremlin critic Khodorkovsky, who has lived abroad since his unexpected 2013 release from a decade-long jail term, join seven other, mostly American organisations on the list of "undesirables" kept by the Russian justice ministry.

Entities put on the "undesirable" list are banned from issuing any publications in Russia and risk having their bank accounts blocked, while people cooperating with them could be hit with fines, jail time and Russian entry bans.

Khodorkovsky, who owned Yukos oil giant before he was convicted in two controversial cases, now lives abroad but Open Russia maintains an office and a popular website in Russia.

The former tycoon has also called an anti-Vladimir Putin protest on Saturday which has been advertised via social networks and the website OpenRussia.org.

The website said Wednesday that it is registered in Russia and therefore cannot be banned through the "undesirables" law.

Khodorkovsky on his Twitter wrote that he was "proud" to be on the list. "We've touched a nerve," he said. "

Russia has upped pressure on civil society groups since Putin's reelection in 2012 when it adopted the law which has allowed authorities to brand groups engaging in broadly-defined "political activity" and that receive funding from abroad as "foreign agents".
MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu complained on Wednesday that a U.S. missile strike on a Syrian air base earlier this month had posed a threat to Russian troops and was forcing Moscow to take extra measures to protect them. Speaking at a security conference in Moscow, Shoigu restated Russia's view that the strike -- which Washington conducted in response to what it said was a deadly chemical weapons attack by Syrian government forces -- was "a crude violation of international law." U.S. officials said at the time that they had informed Russian forces ahead of the strikes. No Russian personnel were injured in the attack. As well as housing Syrian military jets, satellite imagery suggested that the base which was struck was home to Russian special forces and military helicopters, part of the Kremlin's effort to help the Syrian government fight Islamic State and other militant groups. "Washington's action created a threat to the lives of our servicemen who are fighting against terrorism in Syria," said Shoigu. "Such steps are forcing us to take extra measures to ensure the safety of Russian forces." He did not specify what those measures were. The Russian Defence Ministry said after the U.S. strike that Syrian air defenses would be beefed up, while Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev complained that the attack was just one step away from clashing with the Russian military. (Reporting by Andrew Osborn; Editing by Andrey Ostroukh)
Absorbing its smaller rival Banco Popular may pose some challenges to Santander (AFP Photo/)

Madrid (AFP) - Spanish banking giant Santander said Wednesday that its profits jumped in the first quarter, as a strong performance in Brazil offset weakness in Britain caused by the slump in the pound.

Spain's largest bank said that net profit rose by 14.3 percent to 1.87 billion euros ($2.0 billion) in the period from January to March.

That was much higher than the average of 1.75 billion euros expected by analysts surveyed by Factset.

The lender said in a statement that its net profit in Brazil jumped by 77 percent to 634 million euros on the back of the rise in the value of the real and improved business in the region.

Brazil, which accounts for just over a quarter of Santander's total earnings, is this year expected to emerge from a recession that has lasted more than two years.

In Britain, where the bank generates around one-fifth of its earnings, net profit fell 8.0 percent to 416 million euros as a result of the fall in the pound since the country voted to leave the European Union.

Profit from its banking activity in Spain, its third largest market, rose 17.9 percent, buoyed by higher fees and lower loan-loss provisions.

Santander chief Ana Botin said that "while the environment continues to be challenging for the banking sector," the outlook for the bank was positive.

"The economies of all our core markets are expected to grow this year," she said.

Santander is neck and neck with France's BNP Paribas for the position as the eurozone's biggest bank by capitalisation.
PARIS (Reuters) - France's center-right party, seeking to rebound after the defeat of its presidential candidate, said on Wednesday it could share power with Emmanuel Macron if he is elected, as pollsters predict, on May 7. Macron, a 39-year-old centrist, is tipped to comfortably win a run-off vote against far-right leader Marine Le Pen, but the political movement he created a year ago faces a huge challenge in the follow-up legislative election in June. With Macron and his "En Marche!" movement at risk of being in a minority in parliament, the center-right party, The Republicans, hopes to secure enough National Assembly seats to demand a government role despite the defeat of its presidential contender Francois Fillon in a first-round vote on April 23. The push for power-sharing appeared to come from a faction within The Republicans party around former president Nicolas Sarkozy, who lost out to Fillon in an attempt to win the nomination last November. Striking such a deal with Macron, if possible, would allow the party to secure significant posts and exert control over important areas of policy. Francois Baroin, who served as a finance minister under Sarkozy, on Wednesday publicly stated he was ready to work as prime minister in "cohabitation" with Macron. Sarkozy, still a powerful force in right-wing politics, later said on social media that he would vote for Macron because the election of Le Pen, who wants to take France out of the European Union, would lead to serious consequences for France. Baroin, 51 and a rising star within The Republicans, said in an interview on CNews television; "I will be available to ... head the government according to the will of the French people." Any power-sharing deal between Macron and a right-wing prime minister, such as Baroin, would likely impose big constraints on him in pursuing economic policies that seek to balance state protection and pro-business reforms. Before his exit, Fillon derided Macron's stated aim of being neither left-wing nor right-wing, pointing to the ex-banker's time as economy minister in the Socialist government of outgoing President Francois Hollande. This judgment of Macron is still strongly felt among many of the Sarkozy-faction though others, loosely represented by more moderate former prime minister Alain Juppe, have suggested they may choose to join in a majority of support for Macron. Baroin told CNews he would vote for Macron on May 7 without hesitation but that he would not join in helping his campaign. He said he would throw his energy into campaigning for The Republicans in the June parliamentary election. The last time France had a cohabitation arrangement between the Elysee and the government was from 1997 and 2002 when right-wing president Jacques Chirac had to work with a Socialist government under Prime Minister Lionel Jospin. The arrangement curbed Chirac's day-to-day control over the direction of the economy, reducing him largely to looking after foreign policy and defense. (Additional reporting by Emmanuel Jarry; Writing By Richard Balmforth; Editing by Louise Ireland)
PARIS (Reuters) - French conservative former president Nicolas Sarkozy said on Wednesday he would vote for centrist presidential candidate Emmanuel Macron. Sarkozy said in a message on social networks he was doing so because the alternative in the May 7 run-off was Marine Le Pen, leader of the far-right National Front, and that his vote for Macron was not en endorsement of the centrist contender's program. (Reporting By Brian Love, Editing by Sarah White)
Riyadh (AFP) - The Saudi coast guard fired on an unmanned boat rigged with explosives, thwarting an attack on one of the kingdom's oil terminals that authorities on Wednesday blamed on Yemeni Huthi rebels.

The boat, sent from a small island off the Yemeni coast, was targeting a petroleum products distribution terminal run by Saudi oil giant Aramco when it was intercepted on Tuesday, the interior ministry said in a statement carried by the SPA state news agency.

"The boat was spotted when it departed from a small island in Yemeni waters and gained speed after entering Saudi waters," the ministry said.

After determining that the boat was unmanned, a coast guard unit opened fire on its engine and stopped it 1.5 miles (2.8 kilometres) from the terminal in the southern region of Jazan, the statement said.

The boat was loaded with "strong explosive material," it said.

The ministry vowed to foil all "terrorist attempts" against the kingdom and to "reach those behind them from the Huthi militias."

It accused the rebels of "threatening the security of waterways and offshore installations with explosive-laden boats and naval mines."

Saudi Arabia is leading an Arab coalition that in March 2015 launched a military campaign against Iran-backed Yemeni rebels in support of President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi.

Huthi rebels aided by renegade troops loyal to former president Ali Abdullah Saleh repeatedly fire missiles across the borders with the kingdom, but this is the first attempt of kind to target an oil installation.

In August, the rebels claimed to have hit an Aramco facility with a missile, but the oil company said all its installations were operating as normal.

Two Saudi sailors were killed in a rebel "suicide" boat strike on a frigate patrolling off the Yemeni coast in January, the coalition said at the time. The rebels said they hit the ship with a guided missile.

More than 7,700 people have been killed in the past two years of fighting in Yemen, the UN says.
With Adam Rawnsley

Todays the day. The entire U.S. Senate is taking a field trip to the White House on Wednesday for an extraordinary briefing on North Korea, amid rising tensions with Pyongyang and growing questions about how the Trump administration intends to halt the regimes pursuit of nuclear weapons.

Whats next? The secretaries of State, Defense, the U.S. militarys top officer and the head of national intelligence are due to speak to senators. But whats the point? FPs Dan De Luce and Paul McLeary point out that the last-minute decision to hold the meeting at the White House, coinciding with tough rhetoric from the White House and bellicose threats from North Korea, took lawmakers by surprise and fueled doubts about the Trump administrations often disjointed efforts at crafting a policy to neutralize the North Korean nuclear threat. Administration officials have publicly jettisoned long-standing U.S. policy on North Korea but have yet to articulate what will replace it.

A key part of Washingtons plan, it appears, is to pressure China to take a more active role in leaning on Pyongyang. All sides understand the stakes and understand what needs to happen, a White House official told FP, referring to discussions with China. But the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said it remained to be seen if China would take the necessary steps against North Korea. He added that there is not infinite patience on our side but did not elaborate. In case youre overly focused on Pyongyangs missiles however, dont sleep on the 180,000 commandos the regime reportedly fields.

Wheres the USS Carl Vinson today? Still working its way northward, apparently. The U.S. Pacific Command says the carrier took part in exercises with the Japanese navy in the Philippine Sea earlier this week, putting the strike group somewhere south of Japan. The exercises consisted of combined air training and information sharing to increase interoperability and communication among the services, the command said. Several other U.S. destroyers are conducting exercises in the Sea of Japan and near the South Korean coast with the Japanese and South Korean navies, according to statements from the U.S. Navys 7th Fleet and Pacific Command.

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Close encounter. Over in the Arabian Gulf, the USS Mahan popped off a warning flare near an Iranian Revolutionary Guard vessel that had approached within 1,000 meters on Monday, according to U.S. officials. The U.S. destroyer first tried to turn away from the approaching boat, and the Mahan made several attempts to contact the Iranian vessel by bridge-to-bridge radio, issuing warning messages and twice sounding the internationally recognized danger signal of five short blasts with the ships whistle, as well as deploying a flare to determine the Iranian vessels intentions, Lt. Ian McConnaughey, a spokesman for the Bahrain-based 5th Fleet said in a statement to the AP.

Un-diplomatic. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson invited the chairperson of the African Union to Washington for a meeting, then backed out on him at the last minute, infuriating African diplomats, several sources told FPs Robbie Gramer. The saga began after Tillerson invited African Union (AU) Commission Chairperson Moussa Faki to Washington the week of April 17, after Faki ended meetings at the United Nations in New York. Gramer has more:

Several sources close to the matter say Faki scheduled his trip to Washington on April 19 and 20 while waiting for the details to be sorted out. But then Tillersons office went radio silent for several days, and left the head of the 55-nation bloc in the lurch and fuming, the sources said. Tillersons team eventually got back to Fakis entourage as he was about to depart New York and offered a meeting with lower-level State Department officials, but Faki cancelled his Washington visit entirely.

The other war in Syria. Turkey dramatically ramped up its bombing campaign against Kurdish fighters on Tuesday, bombing U.S.-backed Kurdish fighters in northern Syria, killing as many as 20 of the militiamen. Another airstrike in northern Iraq, near Sinjar, killed several other fighters. Ankara gave Washington and Moscow about an hour heads up to the strikes to ensure neither had troops in the area, and then launched the predawn strike. The U.S. military command in Baghdad quickly sent a U.S. Army officer to the scene of the Syria attack, and he arrived to cheers from the Kurds and toured the bombing location.

These airstrikes were not approved by the coalition and led to the unfortunate loss of life of our partner forces in the fight against ISIS that includes members of the Kurdish peshmerga, State Department spokesman Mark Toner told reporters. He said the United States was deeply concerned about the strikes and we have expressed those concerns to the government of Turkey directly.

Cyber top threat, CIA lawyer says. During her tenure as the CIAs top lawyer, Caroline Krass dealt with investigations into the CIAs enhanced interrogation programs and black sites, unrest in Ukraine and Crimea, the rise of ISIS, normalizing relations with Cuba, the Syrian refugee crisis, and Russian meddling, writes FPs Jenna McLaughlin. Now that Krass is headed out the door, she says the most challenging threat the United States faces comes from cyberspace. I think the hardest [legal questions] were those that surrounded cyber, Krass said on Tuesday at an event at Georgetown University Law School. Its an evolving area of the law, trying to determine answers to questions like what constitutes a use of forcewhat are the measures to combat such a use of force?

Army Secretary nominee in fight with liberal left. The Trump administrations nominee to be the next Army secretary slammed the radical left on Tuesday for calling attention to a public statement he made last year in which he said transgender is a disease, and his support for a bill while serving as a Tennessee state senator that allows therapists to refuse to treat LGBT individuals on religious grounds.

Mark Green, a 20-year Army veteran, was nominated for the Army post after Vincent Viola, Trumps first pick, dropped out after determining he would have to sever his business ties. After the Human Rights Campaign and the American Military Partner Association released the video of Greens comments last year to the Chattanooga Tea Party, Green let loose in a Facebook post on Tuesday, writing, the liberal left has cut and spliced my words, and I believe that every American has a right to defend their country regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and religion. Its the radical left that wont allow the latter.

Welcome to SitRep. Send any tips, thoughts or national security events to paul.mcleary@foreignpolicy.com or via Twitter: @paulmcleary or @arawnsley.

Intelligence. A declassified French intelligence report seen by Reuters says that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad or his inner circle ordered the chemical weapons attack on Khan Sheikhoun. The report says that French intelligence obtained from environmental samples from the scene of the attack as well as blood samples from victims, confirming the presence of sarin, a nerve agent used as a chemical weapon. French officials believe that only the highest levels of the Syrian government have the authority to order chemical weapons attacks and that rebel groups dont have the capability to produce sarin by themselves.

Counterpoint. Not to be outdone in signaling from North Korea, the U.S. will test an inert Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) from Vandenberg Air Force Base on Wednesday, the Los Angeles Times reports. 30th Space Wing commander Col. Chris Moss said the test was necessary to verify the status of our national nuclear force and to demonstrate our national nuclear capabilities. Emphasis on the demonstration part. The test follows the debut appearance of an apparent North Korean ICBM in a parade to mark the 105th anniversary of North Korean founding father Kim Il Sungs birthday.

Its a girl. Watch out for broken champagne shards because Chinas second aircraft carrier  and first carrier built in a Chinese shipyard  has officially launched. The ship, the 001A, joins the Liaoning, a Kuznetsov carrier which China purchased from Ukraine in 2012. No real word on what capabilities the ship actually has and when it will be operational, but pictures show it has the same jump ramp as the Kuznetsov.

Venezuela appears to be coming apart at the seams and now experts are worried that the countrys vast stocks of small arms could spark of wave of violence if the government falls. The Miami Herald reports that Venezuela already has a large supply of advanced shoulder-fire Igla-S man-portable air defense systems, which could pose a threat to civilian airliners should they fall into the wrong hands as the increasingly cash-strapped government faces down mounting unrest. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has further stoked proliferation fears by announcing the creation of a 400,000-strong militia to be armed with government-supplied rifles.

Personnel. The Trump administration is finally moving towards filling the many empty chairs in the Pentagon, announcing picks for assistant secretary of defense for international security affairs and principal deputy under secretary of defense for intelligence. The White House announced Tuesday that Trump has tapped Robert Story Karem, a former advisor to Vice President Cheney, for the international security affairs job and House Armed Services Committee policy director Kari Bingen for the deputy intelligence slot.

Lightning strikes. The F-35 stealth fighter jet has touched down in Estonia. The U.S. sent two A-variant F-35s to the Baltic country for training as well as reassuring allies in the NATO alliance, according to a statement from U.S. Air Forces in Europe. The appearance of a difficult-to-track strike aircraft on the border with Russia is likely to draw notice in Moscow, with one Estonian official telling the paper that Russia will be watching the skies quite closely. Baltic countries have been on edge as Russia has grown more aggressive in the region and the election of President Donald Trump raised doubts about American commitments to the NATO alliance.
Until recently, it seemed that we would be able to manage global warming-induced sea level rise through the end of the century. It would be problematic, of course, but manageable, particularly in industrialized nations like the U.S.

However, troubling indications from the Greenland and Antarctic Ice Sheets show that melting is taking place faster than previously thought and that entire glaciers  if not portions of the ice sheets themselves  are destabilizing. This has scientists increasingly worried that the consensus sea level rise estimates are too conservative.

With sea level rise, as with other climate impacts, the uncertainties tend to skew toward the more severe end of the scale. So, it's time to consider some worst-case scenarios.

SEE ALSO: Trump White House reveals it's 'not familiar' with well-studied costs of global warming

Recently, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) published an extreme high-end sea level rise scenario, showing 10 to 12 feet of sea level rise by 2100 around the U.S., compared to the previously published global average  which is closer to 8 feet  in that time period.

The research and journalism group Climate Central took this projection and plotted out the stark ramifications in painstaking, and terrifying, detail.

The bottom line finding?

"By the end of the century, oceans could submerge land [that's] home to more than 12 million Americans and $2 trillion in property," according to Ben Strauss, who leads the sea level rise program at Climate Central.

Here's what major cities would look like with so much sea level rise:

New York City

Image: CLIMATE CENTRAL

New Orleans: Gone.

Image: CLIMATE CENTRAL

San Francisco International Airport

Image: CLIMATE CENTRAL

Bienvenido a Miami.

Image: CLIMATE CENTRAL

In an online report, Climate Central states that the impacts of such a high amount of sea level rise "would be devastating."

For example, Cape Canaveral, which is a crown jewel for NASA and now the private sector space industry, would be swallowed up by the Atlantic. Major universities, including MIT, would be underwater, as would President Trump's "southern White House" of Mar-a-Lago. In the West, San Francisco would be hard-hit, with San Francisco International Airport completely submerged.

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"More than 99 percent of todays population in 252 coastal towns and cities would have their homes submerged, and property of more than half the population in 479 additional communities would also be underwater," the analysis, which has not been peer-reviewed, found.

Image: climate central

In New York City, the average high tide would be a staggering 2 feet higher than the flood level experienced during Hurricane Sandy. More than 800,000 people would be flooded out of New York City alone.

Although the findings pertain to sea level rise through the end of the century, in reality sea levels would keep rising long after that, with a total increase of about 30 feet by 2200 for all coastal states, Climate Central found.

As for how likely this extreme scenario really is, here's what the report says:

"The extreme scenario is considered unlikely, but it is plausible. NOAAs report and Antarctic research suggest that deep and rapid cuts to heat-trapping pollution would greatly reduce its chances."

More specifically, the NOAA projection says this high-end outlook has just a 0.1 percent chance of occurring under a scenario in which we keep emitting greenhouse gases at about the current rate.

While a 1-in-1,000 chance outcome might seem nearly impossible to occur, recent events suggest otherwise.

For example, Hurricane Sandy slammed into the Mid-Atlantic in 2012 while following a track that was virtually unprecedented in storm history. In addition, California is estimated to have had just a 1 percent chance of climbing out of its deep drought in a one to two-year period, and it did just that this winter.

Also, Donald Trump is president, people.

Robert Kopp, a sea level rise researcher at Rutgers University, whose projections formed the basis of the NOAA scenarios, said it's difficult to put exact odds on the extreme scenario.

"I would say that our knowledge about marine ice-sheet instability is too deeply uncertain for us to answer that question right now," Kopp said in an email. "We can come up with a physically plausible pathway that gets us to 2.5 meters [or 8.2 feet], we know it is more likely under higher emissions, but we don't have a good way of putting a probability on it."

A paper published in the journal Nature in March found that if emissions of global warming pollutants peak in the next few years and are then reduced quickly thereafter, then there is a good chance that the melting of the Antarctic Ice Sheet would be drastically curtailed.

However, with the U.S., which is the second-largest emitter of greenhouse gases, backing away from making significant cuts under the Paris Climate Agreement, adhering to such an ambitious timetable is looking less realistic.

Image: climate central

In order for NOAA's extreme scenario, and therefore Climate Central's maps, to turn into reality, there would need to be decades more of sustained high emissions of greenhouse gases plus more melting from Antarctica than is currently anticipated.

However, recent studies have raised questions about Antarctica's stability, as mild ocean waters eat away at floating ice shelves from below, freeing up glaciers well inland to flow faster into the sea.

"What's new is that we used to think 6- to 7 feet was the max *plausible* or *possible* sea level rise this century, and now we've roughly doubled that," Strauss said in an email. "The new Antarctic science says it's plausible."

"If you were to survey ice sheet experts today, instead of something like 5 to 10 years ago, I suspect you'd get a significantly higher probability than 0.1 percent," he said.

A study published in the journal Nature Climate Change last week found that sea level rise could prompt a wave of internal migration within the U.S., especially as people move from the hardest-hit states such as Florida, Louisiana and New York.

It's long been known that Florida is ground zero for sea level rise impacts, but the Climate Central projections are even more pessimistic. The report shows that a whopping 5.6 million Floridians would be at risk before the end of the century under an extreme sea level rise scenario, about double the amount simulated in the study last week.

WATCH: Serene underwater footage shows whale's-eye view of Antarctica
By David Ljunggren OTTAWA (Reuters) - The United States and Canada faced off on Tuesday in a renewed battle over softwood lumber that threatened to spill over into multiple other sectors, though President Donald Trump said he did not fear a trade war. Canada vowed to resist Washington's move on Monday to impose tariffs on lumber that mostly feeds U.S. homebuilding, noting trade authorities have consistently sided with Ottawa in the long-standing dispute. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called Trump on Tuesday to reject "the baseless allegations" against Canada's industry and the "unfair decision" to impose tariffs, said a statement from Trudeau's office. "The Prime Minister stressed the government of Canada will vigorously defend the interests of the Canadian softwood lumber industry," said the statement, which nevertheless added both men agreed that a negotiated settlement was important. A White House statement said the two leaders had a "very amicable call" about lumber imports and the U.S.-Canada dairy trade. The heated rhetoric came amid fresh attacks from the U.S. president against Canada's dairy industry, and just two months after the two leaders held a warm meeting where Trump said the bilateral trade relationship only needed "tweaking." "People don't realize Canada's been very rough on the United States ... They've outsmarted our politicians for years," Trump said during a meeting with agricultural leaders. "We don't want to be taken advantage of by other countries, and that's stopping and that's stopping fast," he added. Washington said Monday it will impose preliminary anti-subsidy duties averaging 20 percent on imports of Canadian softwood lumber, a move that affects some $5.66 billion worth of imports. The affected Canadian firms are West Fraser Timber Co Ltd , Canfor Corp , Conifex Timber Inc , Western Forest Products Inc , Interfor Corp and Resolute FP Canada Ltd . Shares in Canadian lumber companies rose as the level of the new tariffs came in at the low end of what investors were expecting. Canada's main stock index <.GSPTSE> notched a two-month high. The two countries found themselves on a collision course over lumber -- a subject that has irritated bilateral relations for decades -- after a previous agreement had expired. In a telephone call earlier in the day with the premiers of Canada's 10 provinces, Trudeau said Ottawa would use litigation to press its case, a separate statement from his office said. Natural Resources Minister Jim Carr said Canada was mulling options such as a World Trade Organization or NAFTA challenge, and would help companies and workers who lose their jobs because of the tariff. POINTING AT NAFTA The tensions, which follow comments by Trump about Canada's "unfair" dairy system, sent the Canadian dollar to a 14-month low as investors braced for tense negotiations with Canada's largest market. U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross on Tuesday called Canada a close ally, but said that did not mean Canadians do not have to play by the rules. Ross said that while no immediate further actions were being contemplated, the disputes point to the need to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement sooner rather than later. Canada's Carr rejected any suggestion that Canada was not playing by the rules. "Independent trade panels have repeatedly found these (U.S. lumber) claims to be baseless. We have prevailed in the past, and we will do so again," he told a news conference. The two countries and Mexico are preparing to renegotiate the 23-year-old NAFTA. Canada's share of the U.S. lumber market has ranged from 26 percent to 31.5 percent since 2006, when the countries signed an agreement, down from 34 percent, before that, said Duncan Davies of lumber producer Interfor Corp . "For us, (U.S. tariffs are) a negative effect on our Canadian business, but the real loser in all of this is the U.S. homebuilder and U.S. consumer ... That's why we think this is such a misguided effort," Davies said. A U.S. homebuilder group called the ruling "shortsighted." Canadian Trade Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne, in China to boost sales of softwood lumber, said there had never been a better time to diversify exports. "There is enormous potential," he said from Beijing, citing heavy Chinese demand. (Additional reporting by Leah Schnurr in Ottawa, Alastair Sharp and Fergal Smith in Toronto, Rod Nickel in Winnipeg, Allison Lampert in Montreal and Eric Walsh in Washington; Writing by Andrea Hopkins; Editing by Jonathan Oatis and Sandra Maler)
Hundreds of protesters in the South Korean town of Seongju clashed with police Tuesday night as trailers carrying components of the U.S. advanced missile defense system known as THAAD rolled through en route to a nearby installation site.

U.S. troops in South Korea have begun installing equipment for the controversial Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD), which enhances South Koreas capacity to intercept ballistic missiles, South Koreas Yonhap News Agency reports.

Six trailers were reportedly seen carrying parts of the systems long-range X-band radar, along with other components of the system.

We are working with the ROK (South Korea) to complete the deployment of THAAD, a defensive weapons system, to the ROK as soon as feasible, the Pentagon stated to Yonhap.

Reuters quoted South Koreas defense ministry as saying that elements of THAAD had been moved to the site in response to North Koreas advancing nuclear and missile threat.

Protesters in the quiet town of Seongju reportedly carried signs reading, No THAAD, No War and Hey, U.S.! Are you friends or occupying troops?

Kim Jong-kyung, co-head of a group of villagers protesting the THAAD deployment, told Reuters that more than ten people had been injured in clashes with police and some had suffered broken bones.

Daniel Pinkston, Northeast Asia deputy project director at the International Crisis Group in Seoul, tells TIME that while much of the local opposition to the installation of THAAD could be attributed to parochial concerns, the presence of non-locals at the demonstrations indicates concerns about the THAAD battery and how it will affect national security, regional security, and regional stability.

Pinkston, however, described the installation as prudent. He called the missile defense system one tool in a basket of instruments, U.S. military strategists would have at their disposal to alter the calculus of North Korean leadership as they seek to maintain the Korean Armistice Agreement and their bilateral defense treaty agreements.

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Tensions between Washington and Pyongyang have escalated in recent weeks: the U.S. has deployed an aircraft carrier group and nuclear submarines to the region amid fresh missile test attempts by North Korea. The 85th founding anniversary of North Koreas military on Tuesday also saw dictator Kim Jong Un preside over the countrys largest-ever live-fire drill.

South Koreas decision to accelerate the deployment of THAAD has been both divisive domestically and strained Seouls relationship with Beijing, which regards THAADs powerful radar as a security and surveillance threat. South Korean companies operating in China have been hit by consumer boycotts over the issue.

This article was originally published on TIME.com
Southeast Asian leaders will express concern this week about an "escalation of activities" in the South China Sea but avoid directly criticising China, according to the draft of a summit statement.

The statement, set to be released on Saturday at the end of a two-day leaders' meeting in Manila, reflects Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte's efforts to ease tensions with China over competing claims to the strategically vital waters.

The chairman's statement at the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit will merely hint at China's island-building in the sea without mentioning it by name, according to the draft obtained by AFP.

"We shared the serious concerns expressed by some leaders over recent developments and escalation of activities in the area which may further raise tensions and erode trust and confidence in the region," the statement said.

However it did not mention China directly, nor an international tribunal's ruling last year rejecting Beijing's sweeping claims to the South China Sea, through which $5 trillion dollars in annual shipping trade passes.

Four ASEAN members -- Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam -- along with China and Taiwan, have claims in the sea, which security analysts say is a potential flashpoint for conflict.

The UN-backed tribunal ruled last July that China's claims to nearly all of the sea had no legal basis and its construction activities there were illegal.

The case was filed by Duterte's predecessor Benigno Aquino, who forcefully challenged Beijing through legal and diplomatic avenues including ASEAN events. This led to a sharp deterioration in bilateral relations.

Duterte, who assumed the presidency shortly before the ruling was issued, has chosen to pursue friendly ties with China to try to win billions of dollars' worth of trade and aid.

As part of that, he has said he will not use the ruling to pressure China.

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The draft follows a similar statement at an ASEAN summit in Laos last year when intensive Chinese lobbying helped to ensure there was no mention of the ruling.

The draft also noted "progress" on a so-called framework agreement for a code of conduct on the South China Sea.

Philippine diplomats have said the "framework" code of conduct might be completed by June, with China expressing optimism about the talks.

But negotiations for an actual code have already taken 15 years, after ASEAN and China adopted a non-binding agreement in 2002 to discourage hostile acts.

Meanwhile, China has built its artificial islands, which are capable of serving as military bases.

"What's the point of having a code of conduct if China has successfully militarised the South China Sea?" Renato de Castro, international studies professor at Manila's De La Salle University, told AFP.
Sri Lanka said Wednesday it was overturning a ban on adopting baby elephants, drawing sharp criticism from the animal protection lobby.

Elephants are revered as holy in the mainly Buddhist nation, where the high-maintenance beasts have become a status symbol for the wealthy elite.

The animals are also kept by temples for use in religious ceremonies, and the ban had led to worries there would not be enough tame elephants for Buddhist pageants.

"Wildlife conservation is good but we also need to conserve our cultural pageants," said government spokesman Rajitha Senaratne after the cabinet overturned the ban on adoptions.

Senaratne said the government decision had been motivated partly by overcrowding at Pinnawala, a 27 hectare (66-acre) coconut grove that was originally set up as an elephant orphanage and now also runs a successful breeding programme.

He said strict conditions would be put in place to ensure the animals' welfare. Individuals would have to pay 10 million rupees ($66,000)for an elephant, although temples would get them for free.

But Asian elephant expert Jayantha Jayewardene said the decision was "ill thought out and totally irresponsible" and accused the government of selling animals to raise revenue.

He said the move could jeopardise baby elephants that were taken to Pinnawala after they were seized from wealthy Sri Lankans accused of keeping them illegally.

Capturing wild elephants is illegal in Sri Lanka but there have been cases of young animals being taken from their parents to be sold on the black market.

"We are very surprised by the decision to give back these elephants," Jayewardene told AFP. "It is a sad day for conservation."

There has also been controversy over the separation of elephant calves whose parents are still alive.

Earlier this month a group of wildlife enthusiasts went to court to stop an elephant calf, which was given to New Zealand during a visit by the then-prime minister John Key, from being taken away from its mother.

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Buddhist monk Malope Sobitha said six-year-old Nandi should not be separated from her parents, who were both still living at Pinnawala.

Last year Sri Lanka unveiled tougher laws, including a ban on using young elephants for logging and other physical work, as part of a crackdown on cruelty to animals.

Official records show there are about 200 domesticated elephants in Sri Lanka. The population in the wild is estimated at about 7,500.
By Michael Shields ZURICH (Reuters) - Swiss voters look set to decide for a second time whether to impose curbs on immigration from the European Union after the cabinet proposed on Wednesday allowing a straight yes-or-no referendum on an issue that still bedevils ties with the EU. In a 2014 referendum, voters narrowly backed upper limits and quotas to reduce immigration from the EU, amid concerns that foreigners who already make up a quarter of Switzerland's population were continuing to flood into the country. The quotas were then enshrined in the Swiss constitution. But pro-Europe activists, worried about ending free movement of EU citizens -- a condition for enhanced Swiss access to the single market -- countered with an initiative called 'Raus aus der Sackgasse' (RASA), or "Out of the Cul de Sac", that would gut the 2014 vote by removing the quotas from the constitution. The government opposes the RASA initiative because it still wants a constitutional mandate to steer immigration. But it was unable to forge an alternative to RASA that it could push through parliament and win public support under Switzerland's system of direct democracy, which gives voters final say in major matters. That means the RASA initiative is set to go to voters after parliament takes its stance on the issue by an April 2018 deadline. BILATERAL ACCORDS Justice Minister Simonetta Sommaruga told reporters in Bern that RASA had already met its goal of preserving the patchwork of bilateral accords Switzerland has knitted with the EU. The Swiss parliament passed a law in December that gives local people a first crack at jobs that come up, skirting the demand of voters for hard limits on the foreign influx and enraging far-right activists who said the people's will expressed in the referendum was being ignored. The debate in non-EU member Switzerland mirrors in many ways the situation in Britain, where voters decided last year to quit the EU as a way to control immigration, which critics said was putting too much strain on public services. But, unlike in Britain, Swiss officials are determined to uphold the free movement of people, a prerequisite for full access to the EU single market of 500 million consumers. Losing bilateral accords that ease access to the EU market could cut Swiss output by as much as 7 percent of national output by 2035, and business leaders decry the impact on finding qualified staff. Still, the EU's faltering reputation could make the second referendum a close call. Sommaruga said net immigration from the EU and EFTA countries had fallen from nearly 61,000 in 2013 to 38,000 last year and to about 8,560 in the first quarter of 2017, the lowest in a decade. (Reporting by Michael Shields; Editing by Gareth Jones)
Qamishli (Syria) (AFP) - Fighting erupted on Wednesday along Syria's northeastern border between Turkish forces and Kurdish militiamen, as tensions boiled over in the aftermath of deadly Turkish air strikes the previous day.

The strikes against the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) have thrown the complexity of Syria's war into sharp relief and even sparked calls for a no-fly zone in the country's north.

The skies over northern Syria are increasingly congested, with the Syrian government, Turkey, Russia and the US-led international coalition all carrying out bombing raids across the region.

Tensions escalated further on Wednesday with cross-border clashes between Turkish forces and the YPG near Darbasiyah, a border town in Syria's northeast Hasakeh province.

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, YPG fighters "fired on an armoured vehicle belonging to Turkish forces that had crossed the Syrian-Turkish border."

Turkey fired a barrage of artillery at the YPG, who returned fire with rockets on Turkish outposts on the border.

There was no immediate information on casualties, said the Observatory's Rami Abdel Rahman.

YPG spokesman Redur Xelil said Turkey had targeted several areas around Darbasiyah "with heavy artillery and mortar fire."

"There is sporadic shelling now by the Turkish army and an exchange of fire with some border outposts," Xelil told AFP.

Ankara has bombed the YPG in northern Syria for months, calling it a "terrorist" group because of its ties to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which has been waging a deadly insurgency against Turkey since 1984.

- Calls for no-fly zone -

On Tuesday, Turkish warplanes targeted YPG positions in northeast Syria, killing at least 28 people, according to the Observatory.

Simultaneous Turkish strikes on northern Iraq killed six peshmerga fighters from the autonomous Kurdish government, usually allied with Ankara, in an apparent accident.

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Hundreds of civilians gathered in northeast Syria on Wednesday to call for a no-fly zone across the country's north, echoing a YPG demand in response to Turkey's deadly bombing raids.

"Only (by) declaring north Syria as a no-fly zone can YPG defend the country unhindered. Turkey must adhere to no-fly zone," the YPG wrote on Twitter.

It posted a series of tweets with the hashtag #NoFlyZone4Rojava, using the Kurdish name for Kurdish-majority parts of northern Syria.

Largescale protests in the Kurdish-majority city of Qamishli saw people carrying YPG flags and holding signs that read "Rojava Demands a No Fly Zone against Turkish aggression".

"This message is not only for Turkey, it's for America and the world to stand in the face of this Turkish aggression with a strong position," said protester Mohammed Mahmoud.

The Turkish raids drew condemnation Wednesday from both the Syrian government of Bashar al-Assad and its ally Moscow.

Damascus said the bombardment was "a flagrant aggression by (President Recep Tayyip) Erdogan's regime on Syrian territory".

And Russia said Turkey's behaviour was cause for "serious concern".

"We consider such actions unacceptable and going against the founding principles of international relations," it said, calling "all sides to show restraint" and focus on fighting terrorism.

- Coalition scolds Turkey -

The strikes have underlined the complexities of the battlefields in Iraq and Syria, where twin US-backed offensives are seeking to dislodge IS from its last major urban strongholds.

They could also exacerbate tensions between Ankara and its NATO ally Washington, which leads an anti-IS coalition carrying out air strikes in Syria and Iraq and sees the Kurds as instrumental in the fight against IS.

On Wednesday, coalition spokesman US Colonel John Dorrian said Turkey gave the international alliance "less than an hour of notification time before the strikes were conducted, that's not enough time".

US forces were operating within 10 kilometres (six miles) of strikes in northern Iraq where a "significant number" of peshmerga fighters were killed, he said.

Syria's conflict erupted in 2011 with protests calling for Assad's ouster but has since evolved into a multi-front war drawing in global powers.

More than 320,000 people have been killed and more than half the population have been forced to flee their homes, including millions who are internally displaced.

On Wednesday, air strikes on a displacement camp in northwest Syria killed 10 people, including women and children, the Observatory said.

The Britain-based monitor said it could not specify whether the warplanes that hit the camp near the town of Maarat al-Numan were Syrian or Russian.
Syrian Civil Defense leader Raed Saleh said Tuesday that the greatest accomplishment of the White Helmets is being a flame of hope for so many Syrians

Were happy to be that hope. Were hope in the face of a disappointing landscape where politicians and world leaders have failed and abandoned the Syrian people through all of their suffering, Saleh said, speaking at the TIME 100 Gala on Tuesday night. I hope next year that instead of me being here, it will be someone who was able to bring peace, not only to Syria, but to every place in the world that has conflicts.

The Syrian Civilian Defense is a team of nearly 3,000 volunteers known as the White Helmets, who work as first responders amid the destruction of Syrias civil war. Their work was the subject of the documentary The White Helmets, which won an Oscar this year.

Saleh, a member of the 2017 TIME 100 list, was an electronics salesman until he became a search-and-rescue volunteer during the Syrian civil war.

The most defining moment for us, after we started this organization, was a few years ago in the city of Aleppo, there was a child who was in his home and the three-story home fell on this child, Saleh said Tuesday, speaking through an interpreter. And after 16 hours of continuous digging and trying to find this child, we were able to pull out a 10-day-old baby from underneath this rubble who was still alive.

That moment gave us the inspiration to continue doing all of this work, he said.

This article was originally published on TIME.com
One day in advance of a pivotal White House meeting to decide the fate of U.S. involvement in the Paris Climate Agreement, the Trump administration is hearing from a diverse number voices urging it to keep the country in the treaty.

The agreement, which went into force in November 2016, commits all countries of the world to reduce emissions of planet-warming greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide and methane.

SEE ALSO: EPA chief calls historic climate treaty a 'bad deal' because this is our life now

In a letter sent to President Donald Trump by business leaders, oil giants BP and Shell, along with tech firms such as Microsoft, Google, and Intel, tell the administration that the treaty presents both risks and opportunities for their businesses.

Tech companies in particular have been aggressive in their push to use more renewable energy resources to power their operations. Google, for example, plans to power 100 percent of its data centers and offices with renewable energy starting this year.

President Donald Trump shakes hands with employees from Rosebud Mining Company.

Image: AP/REX/Shutterstock

"U.S. business interests are best served by a stable and practical framework facilitating an effective and balanced global response," the letter states.

Trump has launched an all-out assault on former president Barack Obama's climate change policies, which will likely make it impossible for the country to meet its emissions reduction commitments under the Paris Agreement.

Since all nations, including developing countries like China and India, are part of the agreement, the companies say staying in the Paris system will avoid the risk of "competitive imbalances" for U.S.-based companies.

In addition, the letter states the Paris agreement would help create jobs by spurring the clean energy market, and would avoid risks to businesses from climate impacts such as more severe storms and sea level rise.

"We urge that the United States remain a party to the Paris Agreement, work constructively with other nations to implement the agreement, and work to strengthen international support for a broad range of innovative technologies," the letter states.

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Google data center in Georgia.

Image: Google/REX/Shutterstock

Other companies that signed the letter include the retail giant Wal Mart, and major electric utility PG&E, among others.

The Paris Agreement commits the world to limiting global warming to well under 2 degrees Celsius, or 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit, of warming compared to preindustrial levels by the year 2100. This target is viewed as ambitious, given the recent increase in global emissions of heat-trapping greenhouse gases.

Several members of Trump's team, including Environmental Protection Agency administrator Scott Pruitt and chief strategist Steve Bannon, are urging Trump to pull the U.S. out of Paris altogether.

Other officials, including Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Energy Secretary Rick Perry, favor staying in. The White House has promised a decision by mid-May when the Group of 7 major economies meets in Europe.

WATCH: Giant icebergs are a big tourist draw in Newfoundland, and a warning sign
Texas senators have voted to permanently close the state office that handles refugee resettlement - a move that completely erases the agency from the states operations.

The office hasnt operated in any meaningful capacity since Texas Governor Greg Abbott decided to pull out of the federal refugee resettlement program last year, citing concern that then-President Barack Obamas decision to continue admitting Syrian refugees was putting the state at risk terrorism infiltration.

This bill is about eliminating this agency from statute, state Senator Don Huffiness, the author of the bill, told the Houston Chronicle. The governor withdrew us from the program. This agency is no longer operating.

Read more

Charities demand Government scraps 'devastating' new refugee policy

Texas is one of fourteen states that have withdrawn from the federal resettlement program.

Mr Abbott first expressed concern for the program following the November 2015 Paris terror attacks, which saw 130 people killed in a series of coordinated attacks on the French capital.

In a letter to Mr Obama he said that the threat of the Isis was too great for the state to accept Syrian refugees.It later emerged that most of the Paris attackers had French or Belgian citizenship and two were Iraqis, although all had fought in Syria.

But Texas formally withdrew from the entire program last September. Private charities have subsequently helped refugees resettle in the state.

Refugee proponents have decried the Texas Senates decision to eliminate the refugee resettlement agency, which was established in 1991.

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, Bee Moorhead, the executive director of faith-based policy and advocacy group Texas Impact, said.
Thai media came under fire Wednesday for publishing images of a man killing his infant daughter in a Facebook Live video, a grim case that sparked outrage and raised fears of copycat killings.

The video, filmed Monday on the southern resort island of Phuket, showed Wuttisan Wongtalay hang his 11-month daughter from an abandoned building before taking his own life, according to police in charge of the case.

The footage was online for hours before it was removed on Tuesday, prompting cries for Facebook to move more quickly to take down clips of grisly crimes and killings.

At least one major Thai daily also printed images of the suicide on its front page Tuesday.

A media body has since slammed some news outlets, which it said showed graphic and "inappropriate" images of the crime.

"The News Broadcasting Council of Thailand received complaints about reporting on a man who killed his child and himself via Facebook Live," the organisation said in a statement.

"Those reports were inappropriate," it added, warning channels and newspapers against giving graphic coverage to similar crimes because they "may lead to copycats with the understanding that those actions will draw attention."

Police said they believe the killing was motivated by a "family feud" and that the father was unhappy with his wife's child from another relationship.

"His wife has a boy aged about four years old from her previous relationship," Jullaus Suvannin, the case officer, told AFP.

In a statement late Tuesday Facebook described the incident as "appalling".

"There is absolutely no place for content of this kind on Facebook and it has now been removed," the social network told AFP.

The killing was only the latest grisly crime to be published on the social network.

Last week Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg vowed to work to keep the site's live-streaming function from being used to propagate harrowing acts after a man in the US state of Ohio broadcast footage of himself shooting a stranger dead.

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The killer went on to fatally shoot himself after a massive manhunt and police chase.

During a speech last Wednesday Zuckerberg conceded that Facebook had "a lot of work" to do on the issue.

"We are going to work on building common ground, not just getting more opinions out there," he added.

Facebook already has a 24-hour team of moderators who decide whether to remove content that is reported to them. Suicides and crimes are prioritised.

But the network says they are limited by how quickly they can respond to the sheer volume of content posted online each day.

They add that there have been instances where reported videos of a suicide attempt have resulted in a person being saved by local law enforcement, including such a case in Thailand in January.
The head of the U.S. Pacific Command warned on Wednesday that North Korea directly threatens American interests and allies in the Pacific region, but tempered his dour assessment of the secretive countrys motivations by saying regime change is not the policy of the United States.

We want to bring Kim Jong Un to his senses, not to his knees, Adm. Harry Harris, commander of the U.S. Pacific Command told the House Armed Services Committee.

But Harris was blunt when it comes to the threat that Kim represents. North Korea is clearly in a position to threaten Hawaii today with missiles, he said, calling for the United States to send more submarines and radar systems to Hawaii, and to build missile interceptors there to meet the threats from North Korea and in increasingly powerful China and Russia.

The calls for more hardware came hours before the White House was slated to host the entire U.S. Senate to deliver a classified briefing on the situation, as U.S. ships are conducting drills with the Japanese and Korean navies near the peninsula in a show of force.

Currently, the United States operates missile interceptor sites, designed to shoot down incoming long-range missiles, in Alaska and California but Harris wants Congress to consider putting interceptors in Hawaii that defend Hawaii directly.

North Korea has launched a series of ballistic missile tests this year at a record pace, and is on the verge of conducting its sixth nuclear test in the past decade. In particular, Pyongyang has made great strides developing longer-range missiles and in reducing the size of its warheads.

North Korea vigorously pursued a strategic strike capability in 2016, Harris said. Kims strategic capabilities are not yet an existential threat to the U.S., but if left unchecked, he will gain the capability to match his rhetoric.

The Trump administration has answered these tests with increasingly blunt rhetoric, warning Kim that the United States will not allow him to develop the capability to hit the United States with nuclear missiles.

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The admiral also took responsibility for the confusion earlier this month as to where the USS Carl Vinson strike group was operating in the Pacific, after his command announced that it was heading toward Korea, when in fact it was thousands of miles away. He said Wednesday that the Vinson is currently in Philippine Sea near Okinawa, in striking range of North Korea, and will continue steaming north.

The U.S. Navys 7th Fleet  which is the forward-based part of the U.S. Navy in Japan  announced earlier in the day that the ship was conducting training with the Japanese navy. Several other U.S. destroyers are conducting exercises in the Sea of Japan and near the South Korean coast with the Japanese and South Korean navies, according to statements from the U.S. Navys 7th Fleet and Pacific Command.

Harris also warned about increasing Chinese and Russian capabilities in the Pacific region, saying both countries have dispatched their newest and most advanced classes of submarines to the Pacific, which represent dramatic improvements from previous classes of ships.

He said he had only about half the subs he needs for the Pacific, and expressed concern that a shrinking U.S. submarine fleet is eroding long-held advantages over Beijing and Moscow. The gap between us and the next best is closing, Harris said.
President Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. (Photo illustration: Yahoo News; photos: LoScalzo/Pool via CNP/MediaPunch/IPX via AP, KCNA/via Reuters, AP)

WASHINGTON  President Trump is stepping up diplomatic and economic pressure on North Korea, and military preparations are underway in the event that such action is necessary, a senior administration official told reporters on Wednesday.

What youve seen is a really integrated effort to prioritize diplomatic and informational aspects of national power, but also what you will see soon is using the economic dimension of national power, as well as the military preparations that are underway, said the official, who requested anonymity.

But Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., said after a closed-door North Korea briefing for senators on the White House grounds that preemptive strike options were not presented to those who attended.

The briefing showed the thoroughness and the detail and the preparation and the work thats going into making our military appropriately postured in the event that there is some unexpected development by North Korea, and our diplomatic effort, Coons told reporters.

There was not specific conversation about seeking congressional authorization for new sanctions or the use of force or imminently needing any such authorization, Coons said.

His comments came as senators emerged from a briefing by top Trump national security aides in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building. Vice President Mike Pence spoke first, then Trump, then national security adviser H.R. McMaster, before the actual briefing, which was run by Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, and Gen. Joseph Dunford, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. After making a presentation, the briefers took questions from the chairpersons and ranking members of major committees, participants said. They later went to Congress for a briefing open to all of the members of the House of Representatives.

The presidents approach aims to pressure North Korea into dismantling its nuclear, ballistic missile, and proliferation programs by tightening economic sanctions and pursuing diplomatic measures with our allies and regional partners, Coats, Mattis, Tillerson and Dunford said in a joint statement. We are engaging responsible members of the international community to increase pressure on the DPRK (North Korea) in order to convince the regime to de-escalate and return to the path of dialogue.

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Almost concurrent with the session for senators, the anonymous senior official came to the White House briefing room to mount a defense of Trumps handling of national security in his first 100 days in office, including a broad review of his approach to North Korea.

Asked to flesh out what the military preparations were, and whether they would include a visible show of force to North Korea, the official declined. I dont think were going to describe those in any detail, he said.

The United States has deployed missile defenses to South Korea and naval military assets to the Sea of Japan, and it is known to have used electronic intrusions to disrupt North Korean plans. The Trump administration is vigilant about watching for another North Korean nuclear test, ballistic missile test or intercontinental ballistic missile test and is prepared to respond to any of those provocations, the official said.

Coons told reporters in the White House driveway: I do think there was an appropriate and thoughtful focus on how we would react if North Korea took a more aggressive posture. He noted the deployment of an aircraft carrier battle group to the region and the presence in the region of a ship outfitted for the possibility of a Tomahawk [missile] strike if that were to happen. And he said Trump has worked to put us in a posture where we would be able to respond if there were an unexpected abrupt change in North Koreas posture.

On the economic front, the anonymous official pointed to a recent military parade in North Korea to highlight the need to tighten the vise on the secretive Stalinist regime in Pyongyang.

If you just look at the images  right?  of the big parade there recently and look at the complexity of that equipment, the official said, those components, even the tires  right?  are not made in North Korea. So its clear that all of us have a lot more to do to isolate the regime from its access to the kind of materials and technologies and components it needs to advance its ballistic missile and nuclear programs.

A Republican senator who attended the briefing for lawmakers told Yahoo News that he emerged with renewed confidence that the Trump administration would impose sanctions on Chinese entities, individuals and corporations that flout sanctions imposed by the United States and United Nations. North Korea is down to a handful of friends, said the senator, who underlined that the administration is required by law to impose economic retribution against any known violator of the sanctions or release a waiver explaining why.

Asked about the prospects for military action, the senator said he felt confident that the United States has prepared for potential actions by North Korea, but he played down the prospects of imminent military action, saying: I dont think that there is a red line near.

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The green mosque in the Afghan military compound attacked by Taliban militants is scarred -- disfigured by bullet holes, blast marks and with blood splattered across the ceiling -- telltale signs of the deaths of at least 144 young Afghan recruits.

Images filmed by an AFP journalist reveal some of the horror of one of the deadliest attacks ever perpetrated in Afghanistan.

The images and testimony collected there have helped piece together the unbridled brutality that ripped through the base, home to the 209th Army Corps, about 15 kilometres (10 miles) from the city of Mazar-i-Sharif.

Early on Friday afternoon, at the time of prayer, at least 10 men armed with guns and suicide vests travelling in Humvees and military trucks arrived at the first checkpoint leading to the base.

They were dressed in Afghan army uniforms, multiple sources have told AFP, fuelling suspicions of complicity on the 30,000-strong base, where Western instructors are sometimes called on as part of NATO's training, assist and advise mission.

The militants passed the checkpoint, a huge portico, by persuading guards that they were rushing a seriously wounded colleague to hospital, a high-ranking security source with access to the base and to witnesses told AFP.

At the second checkpoint one officer became suspicious, the source said -- only to have two of the militants trigger their suicide vests, as the rest hurtled past at full speed towards the mosque, roughly a kilometre from the entrance.

They knew the base, the source said, stressing the meticulous preparation involved -- four of them had trained there in the past, and all carried valid passes.

They knew that in the part of the base they were headed no soldier was allowed to carry a weapon.

Afghan authorities have been elusive on a death toll, but late Tuesday a senior US defence official told AFP that at least 144 recruits were killed, with more than 60 wounded.

Military sources on the base have put the death toll as high as 160.

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- Blood on the ceiling -

When the first fighting broke out, one of the assailants dressed in a special forces uniform rushed into the mosque, the security source said.

He herded the panicked recruits to take cover together in a room. "And there he blew himself up," the source said.

Any survivors were gunned down by the remaining militants, he added.

The pitted cement of the mosque's facade bears the marks of the ferocious assault.

At the door, a suicide bomber detonated his vest, leaving black scorch marks up the wall and splashes of blood on the ceiling.

One 19-year-old survivor, Mohammad Qurban, previously said many victims were shot at close range.

"Their leader was telling them 'aim for their heads'," he said from a hospital in Mazar.

"They killed a lot of my friends, I jumped out of a window to survive."

A little further, the mess hall has collapsed under the onslaught from the machine guns, the metallic structure twisted and the roof ripped open.

Zabiullah, 22, told AFP he was eating lunch in the hall at the time.

"An army truck pulled over near us with four men who looked like our soldiers," Zabiullah, who was wounded in the shoot-out, said.

"Two of them with suicide vests jumped out of the car, entered the dining room and started shooting. The other two started shooting with a heavy machine gun on top of the truck," he told AFP.

The US defence official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, noted that weapons are not allowed in the dining hall or mosque.

He echoed the security source in stressing the well-planned nature of the assault, targeting areas hosting large numbers of unarmed people in a confined space.

He also said some 30 coalition forces -- likely German or American -- were at a different part of the base in their training capacity at the time, but were not involved in repelling the assault.

The commander of the 209th Army Corps, Mohmand Katawazi, said he hoped those responsible for the horror would be held to account.

President Ashraf Ghani transferred him on Monday following accusations of complicity. The defence minister and army chief also resigned, leaving embattled security forces facing disarray as the Taliban gear up for the spring fighting season.

"I am leaving this position but I should be punished. I myself asked to be suspended in the wake of the attack that took place here," Katawazi insisted.

"Everyone has their own responsibilities in a military base. I am not a gatekeeper and I have nine provinces under my responsibility. But someone must be accountable for this horrible incident."
Maiduguri (Nigeria) (AFP) - Three suicide bombings rocked the northeast Nigerian city of Maiduguri on Wednesday, killing one civilian militia member and injuring several others, security personnel told AFP.

The bombings came two days after multiple suicide attacks near the strategic city that killed four members of the civilian joint taskforce (JTF) and injured two others.

"There have been three suicide bombings in the city this morning in which one civilian JTF was killed and one other wounded," a senior military officer, who asked not to be identified, said.

In the first blast, a female suicide bomber struck near a sprawling camp for displaced people in the Muna Garage area of the city at about 4:20 am (0320 GMT).

Soon afterwards, another woman exploded her device in the nearby Muna Kuwait area. Neither blast caused casualties.

"The general assumption is that the explosives on the two female bombers went off prematurely before reaching their targets," said Musa Ari, a JTF member.

"They were obviously trying to sneak into either the IDP (internally displaced people) camp or neighbouring communities under the cover of darkness."

Twenty minutes later a male suicide bomber blew himself up in the Usmanti area of the city, killing a JTF member and injuring another, the officer said, an account supported by Ari.

The militia had tried to stop the bomber for questioning when they became suspicious of his movements, Ari said.

Nigeria's National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) said 11 people in total were injured.

The Boko Haram insurgency has intensified suicide attacks in and around Maiduguri in recent months after losing captured territory to the military.

On March 22, four suicide blasts rocked the camp for the displaced in Muna, killing at least three and wounding 20 more.

Bombers -- most of them women and girls -- sneak into the city before dawn, often to attack mosques during morning prayers.

JTF patrols usually stop them, and the attackers often detonate the explosives prematurely to avoid arrest.
By Patricia Zengerle WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. lawmakers want to emerge from briefings by the Trump administration on North Korea on Wednesday with something many think has been absent from the White House so far: a clear strategy for dealing with a major national security threat. As a standoff escalated over the reclusive Asian nation's development of nuclear weapons and long-range ballistic missiles, President Donald Trump invited all 100 members of the Senate to attend a very unusual meeting at the White House with Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis, Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats and Marine General Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. While administration officials typically travel to the Capitol to brief lawmakers on national security issues, this time the entire Senate will hop on a bus to the White House where the four top officials will meet them at 3 p.m. EDT (1900 GMT). "I really don't understand what is the president's game plan to get North Korea to change its calculation," Senator Ben Cardin, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, told reporters. As for the Senate's field trip to the White House, the veteran lawmaker said, "I've never seen anything like it." The same four officials will later go to Capitol Hill to brief the entire House of Representatives at 5 p.m. EDT (2100 GMT). The briefings take place one day after North Korea celebrated the 85th anniversary of the founding of its army. While North Korea has in the past staged nuclear tests to mark the day, this year it conducted a live-fire exercise. Hours before Wednesday's briefings, the top U.S. commander in the Pacific, Admiral Harry Harris, testified in Congress that the United States may need to strengthen its missile defenses given the North Korean threat. 100 DAYS INTO TRUMP PRESIDENCY The briefings also come as Trump tries to put the best face on his first 100 days in office. He has signed executive orders to roll back Democratic policies but the period has been defined by an absence of any major legislative achievements. Lawmakers, including some of Trump's fellow Republicans, have said his presidency has been marked by a lack of communication with Congress, partly because the administration has been slow to fill key posts and partly because Trump has been slow to develop policy positions. Trump has discussed North Korea with U.N. ambassadors, increased U.S. military presence in the region, and leaned on China to pressure Pyongyang. Tillerson will chair a U.N. Security Council meeting on Friday to discuss tougher sanctions. North Korea denounced the U.S. actions. "There is a saying that those who are fond of playing with fire are destined to perish in the flames. The same can be said of the U.S.," a North Korean foreign ministry spokesman said in a statement. Officials said the Trump administration has reviewed North Korean strategy, and the purpose of Wednesday's briefings was to present the results. Lawmakers said they hoped the administration would seek to deal with Pyongyang through diplomacy rather than force. "There is not a pretty military solution here," Cardin said. Republican Senator Lindsey Graham said if Trump has a "red line", he needs to make that clear. "North Korea will never stop their ambitions to deliver a nuclear weapon to America until the cost of doing so is greater than the benefit. And if China and North Korea both believe that President Trump will never allow that to happen, then you have a chance to peacefully solve this," he said. (Additional reporting by Steve Holland, Phil Stewart, Matt Spetalnick and David Brunnstrom in Washington and Michelle Nichols at the United Nations; Editing by Lisa Shumaker and Chizu Nomiyama)
Washington (AFP) - President Donald Trump is considering giving formal notice that the United States is pulling out of the NAFTA free trade agreement with Canada and Mexico, US media reported Wednesday.

A draft executive order is in the final stages of review and could be unveiled this week or next week, two White House officials told Politico.

The proposal will be discussed at a meeting of the National Economic Council on Wednesday, the Wall Street Journal said, citing two people familiar with the discussions.

The media reports said Trump could be threatening to withdraw from NAFTA as part of a strategy to renegotiate the terms of the deal.

Meanwhile, the New York Times quoted a senior administration official as saying Trump is likely to sign such an executive order.

Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross brushed off the reports as "just a rumor."

"There was a rumor today that there would be an executive order, just a rumor, and my practice is to comment on things we have actually done or are doing as opposed to commenting on rumors," he said.

Trump calls NAFTA, established January 1, 1994, a "disaster" and has pledged to renegotiate the terms or abandon the pact altogether.

NAFTA members must give 90 days' notice for requests to renegotiate and six months' notice to begin the process of withdrawing.

Trump blames NAFTA for the loss of millions of US industrial jobs, mostly to Mexico.

His administration also slapped tariffs in recent days on some imports of Canadian timber and threatened to retaliate against Canadian moves that harm US dairy farmers. Timber and milk, however, are not covered by NAFTA.

The US Grains Council said Wednesday it was "shocked and distressed" by the reports of a possible NAFTA withdrawal.

"Mexico and Canada are among our largest and most loyal grain export markets," it said. "An executive order as reported will have an immediate effect on sales to Mexico, market prices and the profitability of US farmers, who are already facing below cost of production prices. Our top grain market is not a negotiating tactic."

"Before today, we believed we were on track to have a reasonable discussion about how to update the agreement in ways that make sense for all parties. We hope we can get back to that position soon."

The US trade deficit in goods and services last year with Mexico was $62 billion, but with Canada the US had a surplus of $8 billion.
President Trumps actions during his first 100 days have not won over environmentalists. (Photo illustration: Yahoo News; photos: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images, Bruce Forster/Stone/Getty Images)

Donald Trumps election victory, after a campaign characterized by railing against environmental regulations and dismissing the work of climate scientists, sent shivers through the environmental and scientific communities. During his first 100 days in office, the brash and unpredictable president has been following through on his campaign promises to bolster the oil, coal and natural gas industries and reverse the eco-friendly policies of his predecessor, former President Barack Obama.

Nearly every step President Trump has taken to enact his vision for the country has sparked a swift backlash. Shortly after Trumps win, scientists took steps to back up environmental data that was stored on government servers, fearing it might be scrubbed under a Trump administration.

After Trump took office on Jan. 20, scientists at various federal agencies  including the National Park Service (NPS), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)  launched a batch of rogue Twitter accounts in defiance.

The scientific community and its allies organized a March for Science scheduled for Earth Day, April 22, inspired by the enormously successful Womens March on Washington. They are pushing back against what they see as Trumps attempts to suppress federally funded research on the link between human activities and climate change, part of a larger trend of political attacks on scientific consensus.

A scientist at the 2009 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen. (Photo: Axel Schmidt/AFP/Getty Images)

Michael Brune, the executive director of the Sierra Club, pointed out that almost all of the steps Trump has taken regarding the environment so far have been announcements of plans rather than concrete actions. Still, Brune says he is deeply troubled by the direction Trump is taking the country in.

As a father of young children, Im angry at what hes been doing with the EPA and our commitment to the environment generally. At almost every opportunity this administration has increased the risk to the quality of our air and water and our climate. Thats just wrong, Brune told Yahoo News. Protecting the environment creates jobs, it saves money and improves the quality of every Americans life. Trump is undermining the progress that weve made, not just in the last administration but under Republican and Democratic administrations for the last 40 years.

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Below are the major actions taken by the administration on environmental issues during Trumps first 100 days in office:

America First Energy Plan excludes renewables

The White House unveiled Trumps America First Energy Plan on Inauguration Day. It does not mention renewable sources of energy, such as wind or solar.

A pump station along the Keystone Pipeline, in Nebraska. (Photo: Lane Hickenbottom/Reuters)

Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines advanced

On Jan. 24, Trump signed two executive actions advancing the controversial Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines. Earlier that day, during a meeting with CEOs for three automobile manufacturers, Trump said, I am to a large extent an environmentalist. I believe in it, but its out of control.

The Dakota Access pipeline is a 1,172-mile underground crude-oil pipeline that will stretch from northwest North Dakota through South Dakota and Iowa to Illinois. A number of Native American tribal nations are protesting the pipeline, which will pass within a half-mile of the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation. The protesters argue that it could pollute the tribes only water source, Lake Oahe, and damage sacred and cultural sites.

The Keystone XL pipeline would be an expansion of the existing TransCanada infrastructure that transports oil from tar sands in the energy-rich province of Alberta to refineries in the United States. The Obama administration had blocked a proposed 1,179-mile pipeline from Alberta to Nebraska.

Environmentalists have raised concerns about both pipelines necessity and their potential impact on the surrounding areas.

On March 24, the under secretary of state for political affairs granted a permit authorizing TransCanada to construct and maintain the Keystone XL pipeline.

EPA hiring and grants reportedly frozen

In the first week of the administration, officials reportedly directed the EPA to freeze its grants and contracts and to remove a page dedicated to climate change from its website.

New regulations require repealing others

Trump signed an executive order on Jan. 30 stipulating that two federal regulations must be identified for repeal each time a new one is established.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson in an April 2017 meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. (Photo: Alexander Zemlianichenko/AP)

ExxonMobil CEO becomes secretary of state

Trump chose Rex Tillerson, the CEO of ExxonMobil, as secretary of state. Environmentalists were outraged that Trump nominated a lifelong oilman to represent the U.S. to the international community. There has also been widespread concern over Tillersons close ties to Russia.

Tillerson was confirmed on Feb. 1 by a 56 to 43 vote. It was one of the closest confirmation votes in at least 50 years.

Stream Protection Rule revoked

Shortly before Obama left office, the U.S. Department of the Interior established the Stream Protection Rule, which forbade coal companies to dispose of mining waste and debris in rivers and other waterways near mines.

On Feb. 16, Trump signed a joint resolution by Congress rescinding the rule. Republicans argue that the regulation was redundant and made it extremely difficult for coal companies to operate. This was one of several ways Trump followed through on his campaign promises to be a champion for coal country.

President Trump is congratulated by coal miners and members of Congress after signing a bill nullifying the Stream Protection Rule, Feb. 16, 2017. (Photo: Carolyn Kaster/AP)

Longtime adversary of EPA becomes its leader

On Feb. 17, the U.S. Senate voted 52 to 46 to confirm Scott Pruitt, who denies the scientific consensus on climate change, as EPA chief. Critics said this was a classic instance of the fox guarding the hen house; Pruitt, in his previous position as Oklahoma attorney general, sued the EPA more than a dozen times and played a major role in undoing various environmental regulations that he considered government overreach.

More than 770 former EPA officials had signed a letter urging every member of the Senate to oppose Pruitt.

A few days after his confirmation, the Center for Media and Democracy (CMD), a national watchdog group, published thousands of pages of emails showing how closely Pruitt worked with the fossil fuel industry in challenging EPA regulations.

Environmentalists expect Pruitt to pursue his pro-oil and gas policies as head of the EPA.

Waters of the United States placed under review

Trump signed an executive order on Feb. 28 directing environmental regulators to review the controversial Obama-era Waters of the United States rule, which expanded the number of waterways protected under federal law. The EPA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers finalized the rule in 2015.

The EPAs so-called Waters of the United States rule is one of the worst examples of federal regulation, and it has truly run amok, and is one of the rules most strongly opposed by farmers, ranchers and agricultural workers all across our land, Trump said at the signing. Its prohibiting them from being allowed to do what theyre supposed to be doing. Its been a disaster.

Republicans, farmers and energy corporations argue that the rule places unnecessary burdens on businesses and subjects them to pointless fees.

An EPA contractor labels water samples in Eden, N.C. (Photo: Gerry Broome)

Lead ammunition approved for federal land and water

A day before Trumps inauguration, the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) issued Directors Order 219 banning lead ammunition or fishing tackle from federal land and water in an attempt to shield birds, fish and other wildlife from lead poisoning. The ban was unpopular with the National Rifle Association and groups representing hunters and fishermen, including the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, which expressed utter dismay at the Obama-era directives unacceptable federal overreach.

Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke revoked the ban on March 2  his first day as part of Trumps Cabinet.

EPA withdraws information request from energy companies

EPA announced on March 2 that it was withdrawing a 2016 request for information from the oil and gas industry intended to help the agency determine the best ways to reduce emissions of substances such as methane, a potent greenhouse gas.

Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt during a Senate confirmation hearing. (Photo: Aaron P. Bernstein/Getty Images)

EPA chief says carbon dioxide is not primary cause of global warming

During an interview with CNBCs Squawk Box, administrator Pruitt rejected the overwhelming consensus of climate experts and said the scientific evidence linking carbon dioxide emissions with global warming is still inconclusive.

I think that measuring with precision human activity on the climate is something very challenging to do and theres tremendous disagreement about the degree of impact, so no, I would not agree that its a primary contributor to the global warming that we see, Pruitt said. But we dont know that yet.  We need to continue the debate and continue the review and the analysis.

The American Meteorological Society (AMS) and many other leading scientific organizations have issued statements saying the main cause of the rapid climate change of the past half-century has been the release of atmospheric greenhouse gases as a result of human activity.

The most important of these over the long term is CO2, whose concentration in the atmosphere is rising principally as a result of fossil-fuel combustion and deforestation, the AMS statement reads. While large amounts of CO2 enter and leave the atmosphere through natural processes, these human activities are increasing the total amount in the air and the oceans.

Later that month, in response to requests from the Sierra Club, the EPAs Office of Inspector General referred Pruitts CNBC interview to Francesca Grifo, the EPAs scientific integrity officer, to review his statement and determine whether he violated any agency policies.

Trump proposes gutting the EPA budget

The White Houses first budget proposal for 2018, released on March 13, slashes funding for the EPA by 31 percent. Trump said he intended to cut climate change programs and efforts to protect water and air from pollution, which he says are harming coal miners, oil company employees and other workers in the energy sector.

The budget also called for a 17 percent cut to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the federal governments leading climate science agency.

Testing a cars emissions. (Photo: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

Emissions standards for vehicles reconsidered

Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao and Pruitt announced March 15 that the Obama administrations standards for emissions from cars and light-duty trucks manufactured between 2022 and 2025 would be reconsidered.

Todays decision by the EPA is a win for the American economy, Chao said in a statement. The Department of Transportation will re-open the Mid-Term evaluation process and work with the EPA to complete the review in a transparent, data-driven manner.

The Midterm Evaluation process was established in 2012 to set standards for vehicle models from 2017 until 2025.

EPA continues to fund drinking water upgrades for Flint

In a win for the environment, EPA announced March 17 that it would provide a $100 million grant to the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality to upgrade the water-supply infrastructure in Flint, Mich., where high levels of lead caused a public-heath emergency last year. The money is provided by the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act of 2016, which Obama signed into law.

The people of Flint and all Americans deserve a more responsive federal government, Pruitt said in a statement. EPA will especially focus on helping Michigan improve Flints water infrastructure as part of our larger goal of improving Americas water infrastructure.

Candidate Trump speaks at the water plant in Flint, Mich., on Sept. 14, 2016. (Photo: Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images)

Executive order targets climate regulations

Trumps most concerted attack on Obamas climate legacy came in the form of his Promoting Energy Independence and Economic Growth executive order on March 28. It essentially started the process of dismantling Obamas signature climate legislation: the Clean Power Plan (CPP), which placed limits on greenhouse gas emissions from coal-burning power plants.

The action Im taking today will eliminate federal overreach, restore economic freedom and allow our companies and our workers to thrive, compete and succeed on a level playing field for the first time in a long time, Trump said. Its been a long time. Im not just talking about eight years. Im talking about a lot longer than eight years.

It also directs all agencies to review their regulations and guidance documents to determine and end any that could potentially burden the development or use of domestically produced energy resources.

A letter to EPA administrator Pruitt regarding a proposed ban. (Photo: AP)

EPA chief rejects pesticides ban

On March 29, Pruitt signed an order rejecting a decade-old petition to ban chlorpyrifos, a pesticide thats been in use since 1965. He argued that the insecticide is essential for U.S. agriculture.

We need to provide regulatory certainty to the thousands of American farms that rely on chlorpyrifos, while still protecting human health and the environment, Pruitt said in a statement. By reversing the previous Administrations steps to ban one of the most widely used pesticides in the world, we are returning to using sound science in decision-making  rather than predetermined results.

Under the Obama administration, the EPA had begun the process of banning chlorpyrifos in response to a petition from the Natural Resources Defense Council and Pesticide Action Network North America, which said the step was necessary to protect childrens health.

Recent scientific research links chlorpyrifos exposure with several health risks, including brain damage in children. The neurotoxic chemical is sprayed on crops that are commonly consumed by children, such as apples, strawberries and oranges.

EPA turned a blind-eye to extensive scientific evidence and peer reviews documenting serious harm to children and their developing brains, including increased risk of learning disabilities, reductions in IQ, developmental delay, autism and ADHD, Miriam Rotkin-Ellman, a senior scientist at NRDC, said in a statement. Todays decision means children across the country will continue to be exposed to unsafe pesticide residues in their food and drinking water.

Sheryl Kunickis, the director of the Office of Pest Management Policy at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, applauded the decision not to ban this important pest management tool that ensures an abundant and affordable food supply.

The EPA had already banned chlorpyrifos in household settings in 2000, but it is still used in agriculture.

Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke and a check representing President Trumps donation of his first-quarter salary to the National Park Service, April 3, 2017. (Photo: Nicholas Kamm/AFP/Getty Images)

Trump donates part of salary to National Parks

The White House announced April 3 that Trump will donate his first-quarter salary of $78,333 to the U.S. National Park Service, an agency of the Department of the Interior dedicated to maintaining parks and monuments. It was a step toward fulfilling his campaign promise of donating his presidential salary to charity.

But environmentalists largely dismissed the donation as a publicity stunt, pointing out that he had proposed cutting the Department of the Interiors budget by $1.5 billion.

Pruitt calls for leaving the Paris Agreement

During an April 13 appearance on Fox & Friends, Pruitt said the U.S. should withdraw from the Paris Agreement to limit global warming.

Its something we need to exit, in my opinion. Its a bad deal for America. It was an America second, third, forth, kind of approach, Pruitt said.

A power plant in New Mexico. (Photo: Larry Lee Photography/Corbis/Getty Images)

EPA unveils Back-to-Basics agenda

During a meeting with coal miners at Harvey Mine in Sycamore, Pa., on April 13, Pruitt announced the EPAs back-to-basics agenda of handing power to the states to create sensible regulations that allow economic activity to flourish.

What better way to launch EPAs Back-to-Basics agenda than visiting the hard-working coal miners who help power America, Pruitt said. The coal industry was nearly devastated by years of regulatory overreach, but with new direction from President Trump, we are helping to turn things around for these miners and for many other hard-working Americans.

EPA to review ELG Rule

The EPA announced April 13 that is intends to reconsider the ELG rule (effluent limitations guidelines) for steam electric power under the Clean Water Act. The rule, which was finalized by the Obama administration in 2015, places the first federal limits on toxic metals from the wastewater of steam electric power plants.

This action is another example of EPA implementing President Trumps vision of being good stewards of our natural resources, while not developing regulations that hurt our economy and kill jobs, Pruitt said in a statement.

According to Pruitt, some of the countrys largest job producers have objected to the rule, saying it includes economically or technologically unfeasible requirements.

Former Georgia governor becomes secretary of agriculture

The U.S. Senate confirmed former Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue as head of the U.S. Department of Agriculture on April 24 with a strong bipartisan vote: 87 to 11.

Along with overseeing farming and food programs, the Department of Agriculture is responsible for the countrys forestry and is the parent agency of the United States Forest Service.

Perdue found success in the agriculture business before entering politics. To avoid potential conflicts of interest, he stepped down from several businesses before he was confirmed as agriculture secretary.

Brune released a statement denouncing what he called Perdues history of crony capitalism, indebtedness to big agribusiness and denial of climate science.

We will be closely watching Secretary Perdues actions on land conservation, forest management, and funding for forest fire fighting, Brune said. We stand ready to resist attacks on our food, our forests, and our families.

Trump pushes to reverse Obamas ban on Arctic drilling

Trump signed the America-First Offshore Energy Strategy executive order on April 28 intended to open up protected areas of the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans for offshore drilling. Before leaving office, Obama had banned offshore drilling in nearly all U.S.-controlled areas of the Arctic.

Special lighting on the Arc de Triomphe celebrates the Paris climate change agreement. (Photo: Jacky Naegelen/Reuters)

Trump advisers to discuss future of Paris Agreement

On the campaign trail, Trump vowed to cancel the Paris Climate Agreement within his first 100 days in the Oval Office, but hes said little on the subject since his victory.

The New York Times reports that Trumps advisers disagree on whether the U.S. should stay in the climate accord. Trumps daughter Ivanka Trump and son-in-law, Jared Kushner, reportedly advocate staying in the Paris Agreement, over the opposition of senior strategist Stephen K. Bannon, whose influence within the White House has waned in recent weeks.

White House press secretary Sean Spicer says Trump plans to make his final decision concerning the Paris Agreement before a meeting with the Group of Seven at the end of May. The group consists of the worlds seven major advanced economies: the United States, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and the United Kingdom.

Brune told Yahoo News that pulling out of the Paris Agreement would be a blow to the global effort to fight climate change and an even more significant blow to American leadership.

China is going all in on clean energy, as is South Korea, India and other rising world economics, Brune said. If we forgo the leadership opportunity in the fastest-growing sector of the U.S. economy, much less the global economy, our competitive position will suffer as will the air and water quality of all Americans. It would be a boneheaded move by a president who isnt fit for the job.

Read more from Yahoo News coverage of Trumps first 100 days:
President Trump (Photo: Aaron P. Bernstein/Reuters)

President Trump lashed out early Wednesday after the federal court system stymied yet another one of his executive orders on immigration.

First the Ninth Circuit rules against the ban & now it hits again on sanctuary cities-both ridiculous rulings. See you in the Supreme Court! he wrote in an early morning tweet.

In a Tuesday ruling, U.S. District Judge William Orrick issued a temporary injunction against Trumps executive order to withhold funding from sanctuary cities, or places that limit the extent to which local enforcement can comply with orders from federal immigration officials. Orrick is a district judge and does not sit on the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals as Trumps tweet indicated, but the 9th Circuit would hear any appeal on the case from the White House.

President Trumps administration also issued a blistering, 400-word statement casting doubt on the judicial systems role in U.S. government. The White House twice referred to Orrick as unelected and declared that his ruling undermines faith in our legal system. Both Trumps tweets and the statement accused his critics of shopping for favorable courts.

Out of our very big country, with many choices, does everyone notice that both the "ban" case and now the "sanctuary" case is brought in   Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 26, 2017

the Ninth Circuit, which has a terrible record of being overturned (close to 80%). They used to call this "judge shopping!" Messy system.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 26, 2017

Orricks decision cited Trumps past statement, referring to his sanctuary city executive order as a weapon to coerce local governments into complying with the presidents more hardline view of illegal immigration.

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Federal funding that bears no meaningful relationship to immigration enforcement cannot be threatened merely because a jurisdiction chooses an immigration enforcement strategy of which the President disapproves, Orrick wrote.

The ruling was only the latest setback in Trumps unilateral attempts to shift immigration policy. In February, a federal judge blocked Trumps travel ban, which temporarily suspended the U.S. refugee program and barred entry to the U.S. from seven Muslim-majority countries.

The 9th Circuit rejected the White Houses request for an immediate reversal. SEE YOU IN COURT, THE SECURITY OF OUR NATION IS AT STAKE! Trump responded on Twitter.

Then, as now, Trump questioned the authority of the court system. He referred to the Seattle justice first as a so-called judge.

Just cannot believe a judge would put our country in such peril. If something happens blame him and court system. People pouring in. Bad! he tweeted in February.

Last month, federal judges in Hawaii and Maryland put the brakes on Trumps revised travel ban, which was crafted to avoid some of the objections of the first.

And the president again lashed out. Its a political decision and were going to see them in court, he said of the Hawaii judges ruling, and I look forward to doing it.

Read more from Yahoo News:

 Trumps big, beautiful wall collides with Congress

 Obama makes first public remarks after leaving office

 The contrarians: They didnt vote for Trump, but they would now

 Trump foreign policy at 100 days: The downside of unpredictability

 Photos: From inauguration to 100th day: President Trumps rocky ride in pictures
Washington (AFP) - After moving to unstitch climate change rules, US President Donald Trump is turning his sights on America's vast nature preserves, with a view to possibly lifting federal protections brought in over the past two decades.

On Wednesday, he is to sign an executive order reviewing decisions by predecessors Barack Obama, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton to designate public land a "national monument" under a 1906 law known as the Antiquities Act.

The aim is to "give states and local communities a meaningful voice in the process," said Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke, whose department oversees federal land use under the motto "Protecting America's Great Outdoors and Powering Our Future."

Zinke said the outcome of the review was not pre-ordained. His department is to provide an interim report in 45 days then a fuller one in 120 days.

But it conceivably could roll back protections fixed under the Antiquities Act -- brought in under president Theodore Roosevelt, keen on conserving America's natural heritage -- and set the scene for fierce legal challenges.

"National monument" land has come to be synonomous over the years with a bar to drilling for fossil fuels on public land, or other commercial activities.

While Republicans in Utah and other states are keen to lift protections they see as too expansive and undermining economic opportunities, environmental groups and Native Americans are deeply opposed.

In the past, areas presidents have tagged as "national monuments" were later transformed by Congress into full-fledged National Parks -- the Grand Canyon and Death Valley among them.

Since the Act came into force more than a century ago, only three presidents -- all Republicans -- did not use its powers: Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan, and George H. W. Bush.

Obama had millions of hectares (acres) classified under the Act during his presidency, including maritime zones, especially in the Pacific.

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Under Trump's review, only "monuments" of 40,000 hectares (100,000 acres) or more will be examined.

A key area will be the Bears Ears National Monument, a 530,000-hectare (1.3-million-acre) zone in Utah Obama proclaimed in 2016.

Another will be the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument also in Utah -- a spectacular tract of canyons, ridges and a river -- designated by Clinton in 1996.

The Republican senator for Utah, Orrin Hatch, has railed against the national monument decisions made in Washington, saying his state should have more say over how the land is protected.

In a Washington Post opinion piece, Hatch said Obama "ignored the best interests of Utah and cast aside the will of the people  all in favor of a unilateral approach meant to satisfy the demands of far-left interest groups."

Other presidents, too, went too far Hatch said, adding that Trump "stands ready to undo the harm brought about by their overreach."
Washington (AFP) - Donald Trump and the US media may still be at war after the president's first 100 days but both sides are also reaping benefits from the hostilities between the former reality TV star and what he calls the "fake news" industry.

Trump's decision to snub this weekend's White House Correspondents' Dinner has underlined how little love is lost between the president and "the opposition" -- as his top advisor Steve Bannon has dubbed the media.

But analysts say that while Trump uses the press as a foil to deflect bad news, media outlets are getting a lift from consumers looking for credible information about his administration -- or simply tuning in for a dose of the daily Trump show.

"Trump has been gold for the mainstream media," says Tobe Berkovitz, a former political consultant who is now a communications professor at Boston University.

Berkovitz says Trump has "a handy devil he can blame for all his stumbles," and as a result, "both sides are pretty happy with each other."

Newspapers such as the New York Times have seen a significant bounce in circulation since Trump's victory last November and cable news networks have also enjoyed a ratings rise.

"You can attribute a lot of that to Donald Trump," said Dan Kennedy, a Northeastern University journalism professor, said there is more interest in news because it is a time of "great anxiety."

A key question for the media is whether the bump in ratings and subscriptions is temporary or indicative of a trend.

"It may end up being more sustainable than we might think even if Trump goes away," said Kennedy.

"There is so much concern over fake news, and the garbage that is shared on Facebook," he added. "We are seeing a flight to quality."

- 'A bit of a show' -

The apparent bad blood between Trump and the Washington press corps stands in stark contrast with relations under his predecessor Barack Obama who was a regular turn at the annual correspondents' dinner.

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Trump regularly refers to the New York Times as a "failing" newspaper and often has digs at traditional cable networks.

But he has nevertheless granted interviews to nearly all the mainstream media and some pundits say the seeming animosity is not all that it appears.

"It's more than a little bit of a show," says Kennedy.

Trump, he said, "turns around and calls a lot of the reporters that he excoriates publicly."

Politico reporters Ben Schreckinger and Hadas Gold, who interviewed more than three dozen members of the White House press corps, wrote that Trump is engaged in a "fake war" on the press, that the president's staff works to maintain relationships with journalists.

Former White House press secretary Ari Fleischer, who worked for president George W. Bush, says Trump appears to help himself politically by vilifying the media, in which trust is at historic lows.

"Donald Trump strikes a chord when he takes the press on," Fleischer told a recent symposium at the Newseum in Washington.

Charlie Spiering, a reporter at the pro-Trump Breitbart News, told the same forum that the mainstream press is an easy target.

Spiering said Trump's bashing of news outlets isn't "to denigrate the press," but because "it was popular among his base -- his base loves those taglines."

- Deeper problems -

Nevertheless, the short-term lift from Trump may be the harbinger of longer problems, says Jeff Jarvis, a City University of New York journalism professor.

"If it's bad for democracy, it's bad for the press," Jarvis said.

"He's attacking our credibility, attacking our trust."

Reporter Jim Acosta of CNN -- whom Trump singled out as "fake news" in his first press conference after his election -- has similar worries.

"When he leaves office, we need Republicans to believe what is being said in the mainstream press just as much as we need Democrats to," Acosta told the Newseum event.

A Pew Research Center survey released this month found 83 percent of respondents said the relationship between Trump and the media is "unhealthy" and 73 percent said the tensions hinder public access to important political news.

A separate Gallup survey found 37 percent of Americans felt the news media was "not tough enough" on Trump while 32 percent said it was "too tough." Only one in four said the press had struck a good balance.
By Colin Packham and Jeff Mason SYDNEY/WASHINGTON (Reuters)) - U.S. President Donald Trump will meet with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull on May 4 in New York City as the two nations seek to repair a relationship strained by a row over an asylum seeker resettlement deal. The meeting will be the first between the two leaders. Relations were strained after an acrimonious telephone call shortly after Trump's inauguration, during which Trump labeled the Australia-U.S. resettlement swap agree to with former U.S. President Barack Obama as a "dumb" deal. Turnbull said the 75th anniversary of the World War Two "Battle of the Coral Sea" celebrations in New York City offered a chance for the two nations to "reaffirm our alliance". The bilateral meeting will follow a speech by Trump aboard the USS Intrepid, an aircraft carrier turned museum on the Hudson River, to mark the anniversary of the Coral Sea battle, during which U.S. and Australian troops fought the Japanese, White House spokesman Sean Spicer said. Australia is one of Washington's staunchest allies and troops from the two nations have fought alongside each other in all major conflicts, most recently Iraq and Afghanistan. Late last year, Obama agreed to resettle up to 1,250 asylum seekers held in Australian-funded camps in the South Pacific, in exchange for Australia resettling refugees from El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras. But in February, Trump criticized the deal, accusing Australia of trying to export the "next Boston bombers" under the agreement, the Washington Post reported. Eager to repair the relationship, U.S. Vice President Mike Pence last week visited Australia and confirmed Washington would begrudgingly honor the refugee deal with Canberra, only out of respect for the alliance between the two countries. (Reporting by Jeff Mason; Writing by Eric Walsh; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and Michael Perry)
Washington (AFP) - Stung by his second major setback on immigration, President Donald Trump on Wednesday slammed as "ridiculous" a court order blocking his attempt to deny cities harboring undocumented immigrants billions in federal funding.

Judge William Orrick of San Francisco's federal district court on Tuesday issued a preliminary injunction barring any attempt to implement Trump's January 25 executive order.

While confusing Orrick's court with the higher-level ninth circuit appeals court also based in San Francisco, Trump made clear he was ready to fight the decision.

"First the Ninth Circuit rules against the ban & now it hits again on sanctuary cities - both ridiculous rulings. See you in the Supreme Court!" Trump tweeted.

Earlier, a White House statement branded the ruling, a new setback to Trump's promised crackdown on illegal immigrants, as "a gift to the criminal gang and cartel element in our country, empowering human trafficking and sex trafficking."

It was the second major legal blow to Trump's pledge to sharply tighten government immigration policy.

In February, the Ninth Circuit ruled against the White House order to suspend immigration from seven mostly-Muslim countries as well as all refugees.

The court ruled that the order was in effect a ban on Muslims, violating the US constitution's guarantee of religious freedom.

- Not constitutional -

Orrick also ruled that Trump's January 25 order to deny federal funds to sanctuary cities violated the Constitution.

"The Constitution vests the spending powers in Congress, not the president, so the order cannot constitutionally place new conditions on federal funds," he said.

"Federal funding that bears no meaningful relationship to immigration enforcement cannot be threatened merely because a jurisdiction chooses an immigration enforcement strategy of which the president disapproves," Orrick said.

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His decision could affect more than 300 cities and counties that have denounced Trump's order.

But the White House said in a vitriolic statement late Tuesday, that "the rule of law suffered another blow, as an unelected judge unilaterally rewrote immigration policy".

It called Orrick's ruling, in a case that focused on San Francisco itself and Santa Clara County, home to Silicon Valley and San Jose, as "one more example of egregious overreach" by a single judge that "undermines faith in our legal system."

"San Francisco, and cities like it, are putting the well-being of criminal aliens before the safety of our citizens, and those city officials who authored these policies have the blood of dead Americans on their hands."

Orrick noted that the Justice department's lawyers weakly argued the case, implicitly recognizing that Trump did not have autocratic powers over disbursing federal funds to cities which often heavily depend on them for their budgets.

Trump's promise of appeal could land the case in the Ninth Circuit court, viewed as one of the more liberal venues in the federal court system and so a more risky court for the government to lodge a challenge.

The ruling did not end the government's battle against sanctuary cities and counties. Attorney general Jeff Sessions has repeatedly blasted those jurisdictions for not aiding in the government's promise to expel a large part of the 11.3 million undocumented immigrants in the country.

Mayors say the government is unreasonably demanding they divert public safety and law enforcement manpower to immigration roundups that often affect law-abiding people in the country for decades.

Orrick, however, also ruled in support of Sessions's narrower threat last week to withhold Justice department grant funds to cities that do not cooperate with the government's immigration crackdown.
President Donald Trump has revived his tough talk on the North American Free Trade Agreement in recent days and lashed out at Canadian trade policies, appearing to revert to his previous hard-line trade stance ahead of the 100-day mark of his presidency.

Trump criticized Canada for protecting its dairy farmers and called NAFTA very, very bad for our country, during a visit to a Wisconsin factory last week. Then on Monday, the administration slapped tariffs on Canadian softwood lumber.

On Wednesday, Politico reported that the administration is readying an executive order that would pull the United States out of NAFTA, a potentially sharp reversal from indications just last month that the administration was only seeking to tweak the 23-year-old pact.

A White House spokeswoman, Natalie Strom, wouldnt comment on the report but noted NAFTA has been a top issue of the presidents.

Its safe to say weve been working on addressing the issues with it since the beginning, she said.

Trump is under pressure to show he has achieved results by his 100-day milestone, which comes on Saturday. Congress and the courts have thwarted his healthcare and immigration overhauls, respectively. Meanwhile, hes had trouble gaining traction on his trade agenda without a full trade team in place. (His nominee for U.S. trade representative is likely to be confirmed later this week pending agreement on a waiver Senate Democrats say he needs because of his past work for foreign governments.)

But preparations to pull out of NAFTA  even if just a ploy to improve his bargaining position ahead of negotiations  would carry risks by injecting a huge dose of uncertainty into multibillion-dollar trade relationships that encompass vast supply chains and almost every sector of the U.S. economy. That uncertainty is likely to rile markets, Eric G. Altbach, a senior vice president at Washington consultancy Albright Stonebridge Group, argued.

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If we do this, I dont know that it generates significant additional leverage, but it does generate significant additional anxiety, said Altbach, who coordinated trade matters at the National Security Council during the Bush administration.

The United States is required to give six months notice to the other NAFTA parties if it wants to withdraw from the deal. A move to start that clock could be seen as a tactical ploy to pressure Canada and Mexico to make quick concessions in a renegotiation. The administration has already made clear its intention to reopen the pact, though it has yet to notify Congress of its plan, which would kick off a 90-day period before talks could begin.

Pulling out of NAFTA would hardly be a win for the United States, particularly with respect to trade with Mexico. (Trade terms for Canada might revert to those that existed under the U.S.-Canadian Free Trade Agreement prior to NAFTA.)

After six months, the president would have the power to reset tariffs that disappeared under NAFTA. But the U.S. could reimpose duties only as high as the bound tariffs it negotiated with the World Trade Organization, or else it would violate WTO rules. Meanwhile, Mexicos bound tariffs are much higher than Americas  which would make U.S. exports there less competitive  which would just worsen the U.S. trade deficit with Mexico.

Whether its real or just a head fake, any move to rip up NAFTA will elicit a strong response from farm states and their largely Republican representatives in Congress. American farmers last year sent $18 billion worth of exports to Mexico, which is the top export market for American corn and dairy products.

The U.S. Grains Council, a trade association that represents corn, barley, and sorghum producers, in a statement Wednesday said it is shocked and distressed to see reports that the administration is weighing an order to withdraw from NAFTA.

Trump may also run afoul of Democrats in Congress, with whom he has found some common ground on trade, if he moves in unilateral fashion.

The president is playing with fire here if he doesnt work with Congress to decide the fate of this trade agreement, said Rep. Bill Pascrell (D.-N.J.), the ranking member on the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Trade.

Photo credit: SCOTT OLSON/Getty Images
Photo credit: Lockheed Martin

From Popular Mechanics

If you feel like NASA's been in limbo lately, you're not alone.

"NASA has been kind of stuck for much of the last decade," says Jack Burns, who serves as a member of President Trump's NASA transition team. "After the shuttle stopped flying, people were even confused as to whether NASA existed any longer-I mean it was that bad."

On a recent visit to the University of Colorado at Boulder where Burns teaches and works, Popular Mechanics sat down with the astrophysics professor to learn a little about what we can expect from NASA in the coming years. Up first: flying people to space again. American astronauts haven't flown to orbit on an American launch vehicle since the last Space Shuttle flight in July 2011. Since then, NASA astronauts have been hitching rides on the Russian Soyuz rocket, and the U.S. has been paying for the privilege. The new NASA wants to change that.

A New Rocket and a New Spacecraft

Photo credit: NASA

The Space Launch System (SLS) is now NASA's flagship rocket project, and the Orion spacecraft the agency's primary vehicle for both astronauts and cargo. The new spaceflight vehicles have been a long time coming. Development of the SLS began back in 2011, but the story goes back even further, to the administration of George W. Bush.

The Constellation program, which gave birth to these technologies, dates to the NASA Authorization Act of 2005. The law directed NASA to pursue a sustained human presence on the moon as a precursor to going to Mars. The two primary rockets Constellation envisioned for these missions were the Ares I for crewed launches and the larger Ares V for cargo. Both were designed to use technology developed in the Space Shuttle program, including its main engine, the Aerojet Rocketdyne RS-25.

But it was not to be. A review by the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) concluded that the Constellation program was so far behind schedule, over budget, and underfunded that Ares I would not fly until 2017-2019 and Ares V would not fly until the late 2020s. Obama cancelled the Constellation program by signing the NASA Authorization Act of 2010. However, that legislation actually increased total funding for NASA, and rather than abandoning a manned American spaceflight program, it created the Space Launch System out of the ashes of the Ares rockets.

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They even look the same.

Photo credit: NASA

In a space policy speech at Kennedy Space Center on April 14, 2010 Obama said:

In developing this new vehicle, we will not only look at revising or modifying older models; we want to look at new designs, new materials, new technologies that will transform not just where we can go but what we can do when we get there. And we will finalize a rocket design no later than 2015 and then begin to build it.

Now that enormous bird is almost ready to fly. The spacecraft designed to ride on top of the SLS is the Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle (MPCV), which was developed from the Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle of the Constellation program. Built primarily by Lockheed Martin and Airbus Defence and Space, Orion will carry a crew of four to low Earth orbit (LEO) or beyond. The craft launched on its first test in December 2014, when a United Launch Alliance (ULA) Delta IV Heavy carried it to high Earth orbit.

Photo credit: NASA

In the past few months, NASA has been test-firing the SLS's RS-25 rocket engines, finished welding the core stage liquid hydrogen fuel tank, and started sending rocket components to Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida for final testing before being moved to nearby Kennedy Space Center, where the mammoth rocket will launch.

Now, the SLS program hasn't been without its own controversies related to the expense-a single launch of the enormous rocket will cost some $500 million. (A SpaceX Falcon 9 launch starts at $62 million, but can only lift about 18 percent of the mass as the SLS.) Accordingly, NASA will continue to rely on support from companies like SpaceX and ULA for smaller payloads and shorter missions.

Photo credit: NASA

The agency is on track to launch an unmanned test flight of the SLS and Orion spacecraft in 2018. But things changed recently when President Trump's NASA transition team announced it wanted to consider flying astronauts on the maiden flight. NASA and Lockheed are currently conducting a feasibility study to determine if they can safely upgrade the first SLS flight to a crewed mission.

According to Burns:

The question we [the NASA transition team] asked is, "can we get a jump start?" We've got this magnificent new rocket, the SLS and Orion. Is there really any barrier for flying a human crew on the first mission, because after all the first flight of the shuttle had a crew. ... So we asked the question and what came back was, 'it's certainly possible.' After discussing it and getting that reaction, both from industry and from NASA, we recommended it as part of our plan that actually went up to the White House and to the vice president's office. They both came back very enthusiastic and said, "yeah, let's do a study on this, and let's do it quickly."

Launching a crew of astronauts on the first SLS flight will require some upgrades to the rocket. Exploration Mission 1 (EM-1) was originally going to launch on the smallest variant of the SLS, Block 1, but a crewed flight would require Block 1B, which uses a more powerful second stage called the Exploration Upper Stage (EUS). The Orion spacecraft will need some upgrades to add life support and monitoring systems as well.

As a result, the NASA transition team imagines a crewed EM-1 launch in 2019 rather than next year. That said, the first crewed flight of SLS was initially slated for 2021, so making EM-1 a crewed mission would significantly speed up the timeline. The 2019 launch, which would likely fly astronauts around the far side of the moon and back to Earth in a mission similar to Apollo 8, would pave the way for ambitious future projects-like putting a permanent space habitat in orbit around the moon.

A Permanent Presence at the Moon

Photo credit: Lockheed Martin

"NASA itself and we would like to see a habitat put up there sooner rather than later," Burns says. "It's basically one of the space station modules, maybe a couple of them put together, not this big enormous thing like the space station."

Is NASA finally on the homestretch to building a moon station, which has been a goal of the agency, officially or unofficially, for decades? It's feasible that an orbiting habitat is established at the moon by the end of the 2020s, one that could house astronauts for months at a time. NASA sometimes calls this the "Deep Space Gateway" station, reiterating the point that the ultimate goal of the agency is manned flights to Mars. Lockheed Martin and other private aerospace companies are currently working on habitat designs to propose to NASA, and the SLS and Orion spacecraft would be perfect for taking the habitat, astronauts, and other necessary equipment to lunar orbit.

Photo credit: NASA/MAF/Steven Seipel

The potential uses for such a habitat are plentiful. Burns, who studies the cosmology of the early universe, would be interested in having astronauts in the habitat remotely control rovers on the lunar surface to build a radio telescope on the far side of the moon. NASA and partnering companies like Lockheed and Blue Origin could use the habitat as a jumping-off point to construct a base on the lunar surface.

"You could also dock a reusable lander there, so every time the crew comes in, you would have the option to go to the surface," says Burns. "One of the companies that came forward was Jeff Bezos with Blue Origin, and he said, listen, we've got this New Shepard spacecraft that we've been testing and landing, and we think we can adapt that to the lunar surface."

Achieving all this means working with private space companies in a new way. For example, ULA (a Boeing-Lockheed alliance) held a workshop in February with NASA and industry officials to talk about developing the "cislunar marketplace" (cislunar referring to the space between Earth and the moon). Perhaps private space companies could learn how to harvest ice on the moon, manufacture rocket fuel with it, and set up refueling stations in orbit.

Photo credit: Bigelow Aerospace

"Rocket fuel is very heavy," says Burns. "You don't want to take it off the Earth because it costs 10 times as much to take it off the Earth as it does to lift off the moon. So if you have the technology to develop this on the moon then store it in cislunar space with cryogenic tanks, then vehicles that are coming and going in the inner part of the solar system-going to asteroids, going to the moon, and going to Mars-will get their fuel from these cryogenic fuel depots."

There are huge technological barriers, of course, but the NASA transition team believes that private companies who see profit in such ventures could play a crucial role. And of course, developing the technology to launch an orbiting habitat to the moon and construct permanent structures on its surface would be a stepping stone to doing the same at the neighboring planet that has tantalized NASA for decades: Mars.

On to Mars

Photo credit: Lockheed Martin

"We're going to do both"-that's what Burns says when you ask the moon vs. Mars question. "The realization that I had personally is that we can do both. I think many folks thought that you had to make a choice-that you had to do the moon first, develop it, and then that would lead to Mars. But with public-private partnerships you can be developing the moon... and still be working towards missions to Mars, because the private sector is going to be providing some of the resources to do that development because they do see business prospects there."

There is no doubt that the private space industry is becoming more robust year by year, particularly in the field of rocket development, and hopefully soon companies like SpaceX, Boeing, and Blue Origin will have human-rated spaceflight vehicles of their own. However, the significant technological contribution of the private sector hinges directly on the companies' ability to make money. Burns warns that it may be a long time before things like cislunar refueling depots are actually viable, let alone profitable.

And there are more unsolved technological barriers to landing astronauts on Mars than people like to talk about-namely, actually landing a human-rated spacecraft on the planet. Landing on Mars is notoriously difficult. Of 16 attempted robotic spacecraft landings on the Red Planet since 1970, only 7 were successful, all conducted by NASA.

Photo credit: SpaceX

A crewed mission would require a spacecraft of 10 to 15 metric tons, and nobody knows how to land something that heavy on Mars (for comparison, the Curiosity rover touched down at less than one metric ton). The atmospheric pressure on Mars is less than one percent of that on Earth. It's just enough that you need a heavy heat shield to survive descent, but not enough to sufficiently slow down a lander with a parachute alone. Some sort of retro-propulsion system will be required, and while companies like SpaceX are working on the problem, we won't know if they can pull it off until they successfully land on the Red Planet.

We also don't have the fuel. It's near impossible that a mission to Mars could carry extra fuel for a return flight, so we need another answer. If private space companies can develop fuel depots in cislunar space, it wouldn't be too difficult to launch additional fuel from the moon toward Mars, but it could be decades before that is a feasible solution. An easier (if less sustainable) option would be to launch the fuel separately for the return flight and have it waiting on the Martian surface. A third idea would use autonomous robots to mine water and convert it to fuel while monitored by astronauts in an orbiting Mars space station, but that plan is pretty ambitious.

A crewed flight to orbit Mars is one thing, and we could see it happen in the coming decades, as the NASA Transition Authorization Act of 2017 aims for an orbital mission to Mars to launch in 2033. President Trump himself recently told Astronaut Peggy Whitson that he wants to send humans to Mars by the end of his second term, which would be 2024, "at worst."

As for landing, Burns says, "personally I think it's going to be a bit longer than the 2030s before we can land astronauts [on Mars] safely."

What About Earth?

Photo credit: JAXA/NHK

Amidst all the exciting prospects from NASA to explore new worlds, there is concern in the Earth sciences community that our own planet will be getting short shrift. The Trump administration's preliminary budget report for 2018 can give us some insight into NASA's priorities moving forward, even as Congress has yet to approve an actual budget.

The report keeps total NASA funding about the same, with a 0.8 percent decrease, but reallocates funds to focus on space exploration and manned spaceflight while cutting some Earth-monitoring satellite programs. Once again, this is an area where Burns believes there is a profit incentive for private industry to take on much of the work.

"The idea is those partnerships [with private companies] assuming operational responsibilities for the missions and then NASA buying back data for research," says Burns. "The way it is right now, NASA is running some of these satellites and then selling the data to the commercial side. I mean, really, should NASA be in that business?"

Burns points to companies like DigitalGlobe, the biggest Earth-monitoring satellite company in the world, as an example of private industry's interest in acquiring Earth observation data from orbit. DigitalGlobe has operated 8 satellites, including the suite of four WorldView sats, and in 2014 the company's revenue topped out at over $650 million. Maybe these types of companies can expand to acquire the data NASA needs for scientific research as well. "What NASA should be doing is research," Burns says.

But relying on private industry to acquire data for NASA (and agencies like NOAA, NSF, and USGS) to research climate change, ocean currents, and weather patterns is a big risk. Once you put a dollar amount on the data, rather than the satellite, how much will NASA buy? Surely the agency will need to be involved in designing the scientific instruments they require. A partnership like this will be a new experiment in how NASA works.

Photo credit: NASA/DSCOVR

It's a risky plan, but Burns says new leadership for NASA can make it happen. The new NASA administrator is likely to be announced this summer, and in addition, the Trump administration plans on reestablishing the National Space Council, which last existed under George H.W. Bush from 1989 to 1993. This federal council will bring together all government agencies that have a vested interest in space-NASA, NOAA, NSF, USGS as well as the Department of Defense-to work together and work with private industry to make space operations more efficient across the board. In the eyes of the NASA transition team, the agency has become bloated, focused on too many things, and NASA should return to its primary functions: exploration and scientific research.

To that end, NASA is developing new spacecraft to launch astronauts to the moon for the first time since 1972. It is planning new technologies for rocket fuel production, space infrastructure, and the ultimate establishment of permanent bases on other planets. NASA is reprioritizing, setting its sights high and counting on the assistance of a growing private space industry to help achieve lofty goals. It's simultaneously thrilling and terrifying, just like space exploration itself.

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Donald Trump has revealed a broad outline of the tax reform plan he pledged to deliver throughout his campaign, including an ambitious 20 per cent tax cut for some businesses.

Under the Trump tax plan we will have a massive tax cut for businesses and massive tax reform and simplification, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said at a press conference announcing the plan.

This massive tax cut reduces the business tax rate to 15 per cent, down from a maximum of 35 per cent. The plan  which so far consists of a single page of bullet points  also increases the standard deduction for individuals, providing modest relief for middle-incomes households.

Mr Mnuchin hailed the plan as the biggest tax cut and the largest tax reform in the history of our country at an event before the unveiling.

Read more

White House offers no promises over release of Trumps tax returns

The plan would also reduce the number of US tax brackets from seven to three. This would result in an almost five per cent tax break for America's wealthiest individuals.

Mr Mnuchin on Wednesday evaded questions on how this tax plan would affect Mr Trump, who ran a multi-billion-dollar business enterprise before assuming the presidency. Besides cutting taxes for businesses and billionaires, the tax plan would also repeal the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT)  a rule designed to ensure wealthy taxpayers pay the correct rate. Without the AMT, Mr Trump would have paid $31m less in taxes in 2005, according to The New York Times.

"What this is about is creating jobs and creating economic growth, and that's what massive reform and simplifying the system is going to do," Mr Mnuchin said. "The AMT is just another example of a third complicated set of rules."

Responding to a familiar campaign point of contention, Mr Mnuchin confirmed Mr Trump has "no plan" to release his tax returns.

Mr Mnuchin and Gary Cohn, the president's chief economic adviser, also dodged questions about about how the government would avoid a deficit under the reduced rates.

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"Theres lots and lots of details that are going into how that will pay for itself, Mr Mnuchin said. He and Mr Cohn said the President is working with Congress on the details of the plan.

House Democrats on Wednesday criticised the plan as a non-starter." Chairman of the House Democratic Caucus Joe Crowley singled out the business tax cut as particularly egregious.

The Republican House Ways and Means chairman is not even starting at 15, said congressman Joe Crowley. [The White House needs] to get their act together.
A series of Turkish airstrikes against U.S. allies in Syria and Iraq has provoked deep concern in Washington, CNN reports.

Mark Toner, acting State Department spokesman, told reporters Tuesday: We are very concerned, deeply concerned, that Turkey conducted airstrikes earlier today in northern Syria as well as northern Iraq without proper coordination either with the United States or the broader global coalition to defeat ISIS.

The U.S. was given about one hours advance notice of the Turkish strikes a senior U.S. defense official told CNN. According to a statement issued by the Turkish armed forces the operation neutralized 70 PKK (Kurdistan Workers Party) terrorist fighters.

Tuesdays airstrikes reportedly killed members of Washingtons allies, the Syrian Democratic Forces, and the Iraq-based Kurdish Peshmerga, who have often been on the front lines of the fight against ISIS.

News of the Turkish airstrikes comes after a conspicuous overture to Turkish President President Recep Tayyip Erdogan by U.S. President Donald Trump, in which Trump called the Turkish leader to congratulate him on winning a referendum that granted Erdogan virtually dictatorial powers.

[CNN]

This article was originally published on TIME.com
Istanbul (AFP) - Turkey on Wednesday detained more than 1,000 people in a huge new crackdown against alleged supporters of a cleric accused of orchestrating the coup bid against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The dawn raids across the country -- seeking more than 3,000 suspects -- come just over a week after Erdogan narrowly won a controversial referendum on ramping up his powers.

They are the latest indication Turkey intends no let-up in the fight against its perceived enemies after the vote, with fighter jets Tuesday pounding Kurdish militant targets in Iraq and northern Syria.

A total of 1,120 suspects have so far been detained, the official Anadolu news agency said.

Anadolu said 4,672 suspects were sought -- of whom 1,448 are already in jail -- meaning that a total of 3,224 arrest warrants were issued.

About 8,500 police officers were involved in the nationwide operation, Anadolu reported, adding that arrest warrants had been issued for 390 suspects in Istanbul alone.

Turkish authorities blame US-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen for masterminding the July 2016 failed military coup that aimed to oust Erdogan from power but he denies the charges.

Ankara accuses the Hizmet (Service) movement Gulen leads of being a "terror organisation", although the group insists it is a peaceful organisation promoting moderate Islam.

The government has repeatedly asked the United States to extradite Gulen, who has been living in exile there since 1999.

About 47,000 people have already been arrested in Turkey under a nine-month state of emergency in place since the coup bid, a crackdown whose magnitude has raised alarm in the West.

The Turkish parliament just ahead of the referendum extended the state of emergency by another three months to July 19.

After the latest sweep, German foreign ministry spokesman Sebastian Fischer said Berlin "has taken note of the mass detentions with concern", urging respect for rule of law.

- '7,000 suspects wanted' -

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The Hurriyet newspaper reported that arrest warrants had been issued against a total of 7,000 suspects across Turkey, citing unidentified sources.

The suspects are so-called "secret imams" of Gulen suspected of infiltrating themselves into the police or other state institutions, it reported.

Erdogan has repeatedly said he will wipe out the "virus" of Gulen from state institutions after the failed coup.

The vast operation targeted big cities such as Istanbul as well as Izmir in western Turkey and Konya in the Anatolian heartland.

Prime Minister Binali Yildirim had hinted in a television interview this month that a new anti-Gulen crackdown had been in the pipeline.

The 'Yes' camp won 51.41 percent of the vote in the April 16 referendum on creating a presidential system in Turkey but opponents claim the result would have been reversed in a fair poll.

The main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) said Wednesday it would challenge last-minute changes to voting rules in the referendum at the Strasbourg-based European Court of Human Rights.

Analysts have said Erdogan, after his poll win, can choose between new confrontation or reconciliation with the West but in recent days tensions have risen further.

Turkish warplanes killed more than two dozen Kurdish fighters Tuesday in strikes in Syria and Iraq, angering the United States.

Ankara said it had carried out the strikes against "terrorist havens", vowing to continue acting against groups it links to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).

In northeast Syria, strikes targeted the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) -- who are leading the offensive against the Islamic State stronghold Raqa.

The US State Department said it was "deeply concerned" the strikes were conducted "without proper coordination either with the United States or the broader global coalition" against IS. Ankara said it had informed the US and Russia before the strikes.

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) voted Tuesday to reopen a monitoring probe into Turkey over rights concerns, sparking anger from Ankara.
Istanbul (AFP) - Turkey on Wednesday detained over 1,000 suspects in a massive new crackdown on alleged supporters of US-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, a week after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan won a referendum on ramping up his powers.

A total of 1,009 suspects have so far been detained in raids in 72 provinces across the country, Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu was quoted as saying by the official Anadolu news agency.

Gulen is blamed by the Turkish authorities for masterminding the July failed military coup that aimed to oust Erdogan from power but he denies the charges.

Some 8,500 police officers were involved in the nationwide operation, Anadolu reported, adding that arrest warrants had been issued for 390 suspects in Istanbul alone.

Indicating that the numbers detained were set to rise, Soylu said the raids were continuing.

"It is an important step for the Turkish Republic," he added.

The raids come shortly after Erdogan won a key referendum on April 16 that approved consitutional changes expanding his powers, in a tighter-than-expected result.

The 'Yes' camp won 51.41 percent of the vote but opponents claim the result would have been reversed in a fair poll.

Turkey accuses the Hizmet (Service) movement Gulen leads of being a "terror organisation" although the group insists it is a peaceful organisation promoting moderate Islam.

The government has repeatedly asked the United States to extradite Gulen, who has been living in exile there since 1999.

Some 47,000 people have already been arrested in Turkey under a nine month state of emergency in place since the coup bid, a crackdown whose magnitude has raised alarm in the West.

The Turkish parliament just ahead of the referendum extended the state of emergency by another three months to July 19.
Ankara (AFP) - Turkey insisted Wednesday that it had informed the United States and Russia before launching strikes against Kurdish forces in Syria and Iraq, as Moscow blasted the bombing raids as "unacceptable" and new border clashes erupted.

Washington angrily accused Turkey of lacklustre coordination after Turkish war planes carried out strikes on Kurdish militia forces in Syria on Tuesday, and also hit Kurdish forces in neighbouring Iraq in what Ankara described as "terrorist havens".

Ankara has vowed to combat groups inside Syria that it links to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which has waged an insurgency inside Turkey for over three decades.

But both the US and Russia -- despite backing opposite sides in the brutal Syrian civil war -- regard the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) operating in Syria as essential in the fight against the Islamic State (IS) group.

The Turkish strikes killed 28 Kurdish fighters in northeastern Syria, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group, while the Turkish army claimed 70 militants were killed.

The US State Department said it was "deeply concerned" that the strikes were conducted "without proper coordination either with the United States or the broader global coalition" against IS.

Regime ally Russia said the Kurdish fighters targeted were forces "that truly oppose terrorist groups on the ground, first and foremost ISIL," or IS.

"We consider such actions unacceptable and going against the founding principles of international relations," the Russian foreign ministry said, calling for "all sides to show restraint" and focus on fighting terrorism.

The YPG, which has fiercely condemned the strikes, called for a no-fly zone over northern Syria.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said the Russians and Americans had been given two hours' warning that the strikes were about to take place, and that Washington had further been warned in the "last few weeks" that military operations were coming.

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"Turkey acts transparently on all issues. We have no secret agenda," Cavusoglu told reporters in Uzbekistan.

- 'Legitimate right' -

Cavusoglu said Ankara had "a legitimate right" to carry out such strikes because of threats against Turkey, urging its allies to support the efforts.

But State Department spokesman Mark Toner said "these kinds of actions frankly harm the coalition's efforts" against IS.

The YPG has captured chunks of territory in northern Syria but Ankara has repeatedly said it will not allow a "terror corridor" to form on its southern border.

Tuesday's raids were Turkey's latest after its Euphrates Shield offensive aimed at ousting Kurdish militias and IS fighters from the border area.

Turkey's army said Wednesday that the YPG had launched fresh mortar attacks from Afrin, northern Syria, on a border security post in Hatay, southern Turkey, which it responded to "in legitimate defence". There were no casualties.

Further exchanges of fire took place later Wednesday between YPG and Turkish troops in the southeastern Turkish province of Mardin, leaving at least two Turkish soldiers injured, local sources and state media said.

The PKK is listed as a "terrorist group" by the US, the European Union and Turkey, but only Turkey sees the YPG as a terror outfit.

Washington is hoping the SDF, a Syrian Arab-Kurdish alliance dominated by the YPG, will push into the IS bastion of Raqa in Syria, but is wary of upsetting Turkey, a key NATO ally.

Along with the 28 believed to have been killed in the Syrian strikes -- most of them YPG fighters -- six pro-Ankara Kurdish peshmerga fighters were also killed in northern Iraq on Tuesday, in what was apparently an accident.

Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim called the head of Iraq's Kurdish region Massud Barzani to express his condolences and sadness over the deaths, the Anadolu news agency said.

Both sides however vowed to keep up cooperation in the "fight against terror" in the future, it added.
War monitor confirms exchange of fire near Darbasiyeh in north-east Syria



Strikes on Tuesday ordered by Ankara killed at least 20 Kurdish fighters

The US had expressed deep concern over Tuesdays air raids and said they were not authorized by the coalition. Photograph: Delil Souleiman/AFP/Getty Images

Clashes have erupted between Turkish border guards and Kurdish militiamen, a day after a series of airstrikes ordered by Ankara threatened to escalate a protracted conflict along its southern border with Syria.

A war monitor and a spokeswoman for the Kurdish paramilitary forces confirmed the exchange of fire, which occurred near the town of Darbasiyeh in Syrias north-east. There were no conclusive immediate reports of casualties.

Turkey on Wednesday carried out airstrikes for the second day in a row against Kurdish paramilitary groups, a day after it struck targets in Syria and Iraq that killed at least 20  as possible as many as 70  fighters.

Ankara intervened militarily in Syria last year, launching a large-scale operation that involved Turkish soldiers and tanks along with Syrian rebels to clear a stretch of territory from Islamic State fighters as well as to limit the westward expansion of the Kurdish Peoples Protection Units (YPG), which seeks an autonomous zone in northern Syria.

Turkey considers the YPG as the Syrian affiliate of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), a separatist group fighting an insurgency against the Turkish state, and sees the establishment of a Kurdish autonomous zone on its southern border as a national security threat. It also accuses the YPG of forcibly displacing Arab civilians, a charge the group denies.

But the conflict with the YPG has strained relations with the United States, whose coalition has backed the Kurdish militants advance against Isis in the region, which has led to the ousting of the terror group from wide stretches of territory near its self-proclaimed capital of Raqqa.

Turkey has urged the US to back a plan to liberate Raqqa using primarily Arab forces, but Washington sees the Kurdish forces and their Arab auxiliaries as the most well-prepared to spearhead an assault on the city, which has languished under Isis control and coalition airstrikes for years.

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The US had expressed deep concern over Tuesdays air raids and said they were not authorized by the coalition. The strikes killed over 70 militants, according to the Turkish military, and targeted positions in Sinjar in Iraq as well as northeastern Syria. Kurdish sources said that 20 fighters died in the attack.

Russia also expressed serious concern about the strikes, which were also condemned by the Syrian and Iraqi governments.

In a situation where the war on terror in Iraq and Syria is far from over, such actions clearly do not contribute to the consolidation of anti-terrorist efforts, the Russian foreign ministry said.

The YPG said there were clashes with Turkey-backed rebels on Wednesday.

It was unclear why the escalation occurred this week, days after a referendum in Turkey that gave sweeping new powers to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was narrowly approved by Turkish voters.

Erdogan said in an interview with Reuters that the strikes on Sinjar were aimed at denying a base to the PKK, and that Turkey had informed its counterparts in the coalition of its plans. Turkeys defense minister said the PKK would not be allowed to establish a presence in northern Iraq.

The Turkish military had said the camps were hit to prevent the transport of explosives and munitions into Turkey, and Turkeys European minister, Omer Celik, said the camps posed a threat to Turkey.

Nasreen Abdullah, a spokeswoman for the YPJ, the all-female unit of the YPG, said Wednesdays clashes erupted after Turkish border guards fired on a demonstration taking place in the border town of Darbasiyeh against the renewed airstrikes, and Kurdish forces fired back. There was no independent confirmation of the account.

She accused the Turkish government of sparking the latest clashes in an attempt to distract from its weakened position after the slim referendum victory.

We dont want to open a front with Turkey because the situation in Syria is complicated and were fighting a terror group that is a threat to all mankind, she said, referring to Isis. This is an act against the Kurdish people and against plans or a resolution in Syria.

The coalition must take a stand, she added. Words are not enough.
Beirut (AFP) - Fighting broke out on Wednesday along the northeast Syria border between Turkish forces and Kurdish militiamen, a monitor said, a day after deadly Turkish air strikes on the area.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the clashes erupted "after the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) fired on an armoured vehicle belonging to Turkish forces that had crossed the Syrian-Turkish border."

Turkish forces were firing artillery at YPG positions west of Darbasiyah, a border town in Syria's northeast Hasakeh province, and YPG fighters were lobbing rockets on Turkish outposts, said the Observatory's Rami Abdel Rahman.

There was no immediate information on casualties.

The YPG on Wednesday warned of "widening aggression," and said Turkey had shelled at least three separate areas along the border, including Darbasiyah.

The cross-border violence came a day after deadly Turkish air raids on a YPG base about 150 kilometres (100 miles) further east.

Tuesday's strikes killed 28 people, most of them YPG members, and left another 19 wounded, according to the Observatory.

Ankara considers the YPG a "terrorist" organisation because of its links to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), and vowed on Tuesday to continue acting against such groups.

The US State Department said it was "deeply concerned" that the strikes were conducted "without proper coordination either with the United States or the broader global coalition" that is fighting IS in Syria and neighbouring Iraq.
President Donald Trump is fairly vocal on Twitter. You could say he's a power user, and he's been one for quite some time.

SEE ALSO: Twitter reveals its employees have equitable pay on #EqualPayDay

But Jack Dorsey, a cofounder and CEO of Twitter, has yet to take an in-person meeting with President Trump, according to an interview published Wednesday by Steven Levy, editor of Backchannel.

"Have you personally met Trump?" Levy asked.

"No," Dorsey replied simply.

When asked how that could be so, especially given how he is not only CEO of Twitter but also CEO of payments company Square, Dorsey replied, "I dont know. Youd have to ask them why not."

Dorsey's absence at the roundtable meeting Trump held with top leaders in Silicon Valley made headlines last year. Some people on Twitter speculated it was because Twitter stopped the Trump campaign from making an anti-Hillary Clinton emoji during the election.

But that was never confirmed.

Dorsey has not been particularly vocal about his political leanings and did not throw obvious support to presidential candidates during the election season. But his ideological leanings are rather obvious  if you take a quick perusal through his Twitter likes and through who he follows. He also has a public relationship with Deray Mckesson and the #BlackLivesMatter movement.

Earlier this year, Twitter employees (along with Dorsey and executive chairman Omid Kordestani) donated more than $1.5 million to the American Civil Liberties Union to help fight President Trump's immigration ban.

Does taking a meeting with President Trump even matter? It seems that Dorsey isn't too worried about it. His response to Levy on whether or not he would attend, even if invited, extolled on the exact purpose of Dorsey's company.

"We dont have to be invited to these things to show our stances and to participate. We can take action and we can make statements about what we believe, and where we think the government is doing the right thing according to our beliefs, and where we disagree. That doesnt require an invite or a roundtable to do that  thats part of the power of our platform," he said.

WATCH: This Star Wars-like flying car is everyone's dream come true
Two Hong Kong activists, who advocate the citys independence from China and were disqualified from taking up seats as Hong Kong legislators, were granted bail Wednesday morning in relation to a brawl in the legislature during the month-long political turmoil that surrounded their elections late last year.

Youngspiration, the political party to which Sixtus Baggio Leung and Yau Wai-ching belong, said the pair were arrested on Wednesday morning for unlawful assembly. The charge relates to their attempt to force their way into the Legislative Council chamber during a meeting in November. The partys statement says that a number of the duos erstwhile staff were also in the process of being taken in by police.

Yau and Leung are scheduled to appear in court Friday afternoon, the South China Morning Post reports. Leung told reporters outside the Central Police Station that they were unlikely to plead guilty.

The pair were among the youngest lawmakers elected in the territory last year, riding on a wave of pro-democracy sentiment and anxiety following massive protests in 2014.

However, their pledge of loyalty to the Hong Kong nation in their oaths of office sparked a political firestorm that eventually saw unprecedented direct intervention from the Chinese central government and a local court disqualifying them from taking their seats. An appeal was later rejected by the court.

Nine other activists involved in the 2014 Umbrella Revolution protests have recently been booked on charges related to the pro-democracy movement, Reuters reports.

This article was originally published on TIME.com
JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - Two white South African farmers were arrested on suspicion of murdering a black boy in a farming community in North West province, police said on Wednesday, as racial violence persists two decades after the end of apartheid. Police spokesman, Sabata Mokgwabone, said crowds gathered on Tuesday to protest about poor basic services in Coligny, about 200 kms (124 miles) northwest of Johannesburg, and then started demanding that arrests be made over the boy's death. "What we know is that this boy allegedly jumped out of a moving vehicle driven by a farmer, not necessarily to say that he was killed by the farmer, and then police were called to the scene and they summoned an ambulance, which took him to the clinic," Mokgwabone said. The boy died at the clinic, he said. The demonstrators burnt down four houses and set fire to three trucks and a tractor. Mokgwabone said the two suspects, aged 26 and 33, were arrested late on Tuesday on suspicion of murder and will appear in court on Friday. He said police had not yet determined whether the farmer who was driving the vehicle is one of those arrested. In a separate incident, police on Tuesday clashed with protesters demanding better housing in Lichtenburg near Coligny. Anger over poverty and joblessness is often been aimed at the local governments tasked with providing services such as water, roads and schools many blacks were deprived of under white rule. In November, two white men were in court to face charges of assault and kidnapping after a video showed them forcing a wailing black man into a coffin in Mpumalanga province. (Reporting by Nqobile Dludla; Editing by James Macharia and Louise Ireland)
Photo credit: Getty Images

From Woman's Day

For the first time in years, health care providers are making changes to their cesarean section procedures, and it could mean big changes for mothers, babies, and hospitals across the country.

Today, nearly one in three babies are delivered via C-section, but in recent years, doctors and nurses have developed the "gentle" or "family-centered" C-section, according to PopSugar. This modernized birthing method is designed to make the experience feel less like surgery and more like natural birth, giving moms the option to see the delivery and hold their child right after he or she is born.

"To be very clear, a gentle C-section is still surgery," David Garfinkel, M.D., attending physician at Morristown Medical Center, and senior partner at One to One FemaleCare, in New Jersey, told Fit Pregnancy. "As a physician, I am not being more gentle as I do the surgery." Instead, he continued, "a gentle C-section is a change in the attitudes toward C-sections, where the care team [the obstetrician, anesthesiologist, and nurses] aims to make the C-section experience in the operating room as similar as possible to the labor and delivery room."

While options and practices vary, the new procedure generally allows mothers to see their newborns delivered in a way that's similar to a vaginal birth. Doctors use both a solid drape and a clear drape, and just before the baby is delivered, they remove the solid drape and prop mom up slightly so she can watch. The method also requires that only one of the mother's arms be strapped down, and positions EKG leads on the mother's sides instead of on her chest, so she can experience skin-to-skin contact right after delivery. Furthermore, cord-cutting is delayed as mother and child bond, and the doctors finish up the surgery.

Some doctors say gentle C-sections not only benefit mothers, they're better for babies, too. "Allowing mom and baby to bond as quickly as possible after the delivery makes for a better transition for the baby, including better temperature and heart rate regulation, increased attachment and parental bonding, and more successful rates of breast feeding," Kathy Trainor, a nurse at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, wrote on the hospital's blog.

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More clinical studies are needed, but there are experts who hope that one day gentle C-sections will be the norm in hospitals across the country. "We really don't want to increase the Cesarean rate, we just want to make it better for those who have to have it," Dr. William Camann, the director of Obstetric Anesthesiology at the hospital told NPR.

Recently, a series of images and videos showing a gentle C-section performed by Dr. Jham Frank Lugo, the founder of a fertility clinic in Maracay, Venezuela, went viral. They may be a bit graphic for those of us who are squeamish, but they show just how much this method resembles natural birth.

Experts also tout the emotional benefits. "I hear a lot of moms say, 'I'm disappointed I had to have a C-section.' A lot of women felt like they failed because they couldn't do a vaginal delivery," Betsey Snow, head of Family and Child Services at Anne Arundel Medical Center, a community hospital in Annapolis, Maryland. told NPR. Now, thanks to gentle C-sections, women have the chance to feel involved and empowered during their deliveries-just the way it should feel for all brand-new mothers.

(h/t Pop Sugar)

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WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States will likely carry out new freedom of navigation operations in the South China Sea soon, top U.S. commander in the Asia Pacific region, Admiral Harry Harris, said on Wednesday, without offering details. Asked about any upcoming operations, Harris said: "I take direction and guidance from the secretary of defense and the national command authority on the conduct of those operations. I think we'll be doing some -- soon." (Reporting by David Brunnstrom; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)
(Reuters) - U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross is expected to announce a new probe into imported aluminum, CNBC reported on Wednesday. The probe will be similar to the one the White House launched last week regarding steel, CNBC reported, citing an administration official. (http://cnb.cx/2q8oDQl) Ross on Tuesday told the Wall Street Journal the Trump administration may undertake trade actions to protect the U.S. semiconductor, shipbuilding and aluminum industries, citing national security concerns. (Reporting by Subrat Patnaik in Bengaluru; Editing by Sai Sachin Ravikumar)
By Andrea Shalal WIESBADEN, Germany (Reuters) - Top military officials from the United States and Europe called on Wednesday for better information-sharing to fight terrorism and regular coordinating meetings for justice officials. "Terrorism is a transregional problem and presents a clear and present danger to us all," U.S. General Curtis Scaparrotti, commander of U.S. European Command, told reporters after the first gathering of European defense chiefs to focus specifically on countering violent extremism. He said it was imperative to improve the speed at which data was shared, and to address countries' concerns about revealing "sources and methods" to bolster the fight against Islamic State and other extremist groups. "We've made advances in this without a doubt, but it still remains one of the things that weve most got to work on," Scaparrotti said. The challenges were growing due to growing use of social media and encryption by Islamic State, he said. Failure to share information could keep authorities from connecting the dots and preventing violent attacks, he said, citing the Paris attack that killed a police officer last week. "No nation stands alone and no nation is immune to the threat of violence posed by terror," he said. Scaparrotti said European chiefs of defense, foreign ministers and defense ministers already met regularly to coordinate on counterterrorism, but similar meetings were needed for judicial officials too. Italy's defense chief, General Claudio Graziano, said Wednesday's talks allowed officials to share experiences and discuss ways to increase intelligence-sharing given the growing threats of failed states, illegal migration, poverty and violence. "I'm encouraged that we're going to carry on this effort," he said. "We have to recommend some possible options to our political leaders." The all-day meeting included senior military officers from 28 European nations, the United States, and officials from the European Union, the U.S. Defense Department and the U.S. National Counterterrorism Center. Scaparrotti underscored the need for NATO members to boost military spending to the agreed target of 2 percent of gross domestic product. Many NATO members still spend less. Scaparrotti said growing threats had changed the equation. "It's important because we are living in an environment that is changing dramatically," he said. "It will take resources, determination and resolve to see the end of terror in Europe." (Reporting by Andrea Shalal; editing by Andrew Roche)
By David Shepardson WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The head of the U.S. Federal Communications Commission on Wednesday proposed overturning the landmark 2015 Obama-era net neutrality rules that prohibit broadband providers from giving or selling access to certain internet services over others. FCC Chairman Ajit Pai, named by President Donald Trump in January, said at a speech in Washington he wants to reverse rules that boosted government regulatory powers over internet service providers. Proponents who fought to get the rules passed said his proposal would set off a fierce political battle over the future of the internet regulation. The rules, which the FCC put in place in 2015 under former President Barack Obama, prohibit broadband providers from giving or selling access to speedy internet, essentially a "fast lane," to certain internet services over others. The rules reclassified internet service providers much like utilities. They were favored by websites who said they would guarantee equal access to the internet to all but opposed by internet service providers, who said they could eventually result in rate regulation, inhibit innovation and make it harder to manage traffic. Pai said he believed the rules depressed investment by internet providers and cost jobs. "Do we want the government to control the Internet? Or do we want to embrace the light-touch approach" in place since 1996 until revised in 2015, he asked. A federal appeals court upheld the rules last year. The Internet Association, a group representing Facebook Inc , Alphabet Inc and others, said the rules were working and that reversing them "will result in a worse internet for consumers and less innovation online." Pai said his proposal will face an initial vote on May 18 but he would not seek to finalize a reversal of the Obama rules until the FCC takes public comment, which could take several months. Republican FCC Commissioner Mike O'Rielly said the rules "took internet policy down into a dark and horrible abyss" and said the FCC will "expunge net neutrality regulations from the Internet." Internet providers such as AT&T Inc , Verizon Communications Inc and Comcast Corp have argued that the net neutrality rules have made investment in additional capacity less likely. Comcast Chairman and Chief Executive Brian Roberts said Pai's proposal "creates an environment where we can have a fresh constructive dialogue." Democratic Senator Edward Markey predicted Pai's plan to overturn the rules would face a "tsunami of resistance." Democrats and advocates of the rules called for a massive public outcry to preserve them. In 2014, comedian John Oliver in his HBO show owned by Time Warner Inc helped galvanize support for net neutrality. "I am confident that the millions of Americans who weighed in with the FCC in support of the open internet order will once again make their voices heard to demonstrate how wrongheaded this approach is," said Senate Democrat Leader Charles Schumer. Republicans said Democrats should work with them to pass a legislative fix to set internet rules. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell praised Pai for working to reverse "the Obama Administrations eight-year regulatory assault on all aspects of our economy." (Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Tom Brown, Diane Craft and David Gregorio)
By Phil Stewart and David Brunnstrom

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Trump administration said on Wednesday it aimed to push North Korea into dismantling its nuclear and missile programs through tougher international sanctions and diplomatic pressure, and remained open to negotiations to bring this about.

The U.S. stance, which appeared to signal a willingness to exhaust non-military options in spite of repeated warnings that "all options are on the table," came in a statement following an unusual White House-hosted briefing for the entire Senate.

The statement from Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats described North Korea as "an urgent national security threat and top foreign policy priority".

Graphic - Carl Vinson strike group: http://tmsnrt.rs/2pqOMWA

Graphic - North Korea's nuclear program: http://tmsnrt.rs/2n0gd92

North Korea's growing nuclear and missile threat is perhaps the most serious security challenge confronting U.S. President Donald Trump.

Trump has vowed to prevent North Korea from being able to hit the United States with a nuclear missile, a capability experts say it could have some time after 2020.

"The Presidents approach aims to pressure North Korea into dismantling its nuclear, ballistic missile, and proliferation programs by tightening economic sanctions and pursuing diplomatic measures with our allies and regional partners," it said.

"The United States seeks stability and the peaceful denuclearization of the Korean peninsula. We remain open to negotiations towards that goal. However, we remain prepared to defend ourselves and our allies."

For more news videos visit Yahoo View, available now on iOS and Android.

U.S. lawmakers have been seeking a clear White House strategy following repeated North Korean missile tests and fears that it could conduct a sixth nuclear bomb test.

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While the administration has said repeatedly that military strikes remain an option, officials have stressed tougher sanctions given the risks of massive North Korean retaliation.

Democratic Senator Christopher Coons told reporters after the White House briefing that military options were discussed.

"It was a sobering briefing in which it was clear just how much thought and planning was going into preparing military options, if called for, and a diplomatic strategy that strikes me as clear-eyed and well proportioned," Coons said.

Tillerson will chair a ministerial meeting of the U.N. Security Council on Friday that is expected to discuss tougher steps, which U.S. officials say could include an oil embargo, banning North Korea's airline, intercepting cargo ships and punishing Chinese and other foreign banks doing business with Pyongyang.

However to be effective, such steps will require the full support of China, North Korea's neighbor and only ally.

China objects to North Korea's weapons development, and has called repeatedly for a return to international negotiations, but U.S. officials have said Washington sees no value in returning to talks until Pyongyang shows it is serious about denuclearization.

"A WILD DREAM"

Earlier on Wednesday, North Korea's foreign ministry called U.S. attempts to make Pyongyang give up its nuclear weapons through military threats and sanctions "a wild dream" and like "sweeping the sea with a broom".

The administration is hoping for greater Chinese cooperation after a summit between President Xi Jinping and Trump last month, and a senior White House official said Beijing now appeared to acknowledge North Korea as a threat to China too.

"You have seen some early indications of China doing a better job enforcing existing U.N. sanctions on North Korea," the official said, adding that there had also been a clear effort to communicate to North Korea in the Chinese press "that its nuclear tests, missile tests, the existence of these programs can't be tolerated."

However China has been angered by U.S. deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile defense system in South Korea, complaining that its radar can see deep into China and undermines its security.

The top U.S. commander in the Pacific Admiral Harry Harris told Congress on Wednesday the system would be operational "in coming days" and suggested Beijing should focus on trying to influence North Korea rather than worrying about a purely defensive system.

Harris said he believed Pyongyang's threats needed to be taken seriously and the United States may also need to strengthen missile defenses in Hawaii.

He said these were sufficient for now but could one day be overwhelmed, and suggested studying stationing new radar there as well as interceptors to knock out any incoming North Korean missiles.

"I don't share your confidence that North Korea is not going to attack either South Korea, or Japan, or the United States ... once they have the capability," Harris told one lawmaker.

U.S. officials have warned that a conflict with North Korea could have a devastating effect on ally South Korea and U.S. troops based there, a point Pyongyang underscored by a big live-fire exercise on Tuesday to mark the foundation of its military.Harris conceded that North Korean retaliation to any U.S. strikes could cause many casualties in South Korea, but added that there was the risk "of a lot more Koreans and Japanese and Americans dying if North Korea achieves its nuclear aims and does what (North Korean leader Kim Jong Un) has said its going to do."

North Korea has vowed to strike the United States and its Asian allies at the first sign of any attack on its territory.

In a show of force, the United States is sending the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier group to waters off the Korean peninsula, where it will join the USS Michigan, a nuclear submarine that docked in South Korea on Tuesday. South Korea's navy has said it will hold drills with the U.S. strike group.

Harris said the carrier was in the Philippine Sea, within two hours' striking distance of North Korea if need be.

The frontrunner in South Korea's May 9 presidential election has called for a delay in THAAD deployment, saying the new administration should make a decision after gathering public opinion and more talks with Washington.

(Additional reporting by Ben Blanchard in Beijing and Phil Stewart, David Brunnstrom and Patricia Zengerle and Amanda Becker in Washington; Editing by Clive McKeef, James Dalgleish and Yara Bayoumy)
The flagging U.S. probes into the Trump administrations ties to the Kremlin are about to get an injection of fresh blood.

Senate Intelligence Committee Democrats have tapped April Doss, a former NSA lawyer, to join the committees investigation of Russias intervention in the U.S. election. Meanwhile, Rod Rosenstein, who was confirmed as deputy attorney general on Tuesday, will take the reins of the Justice Departments sprawling probe into Trumps Russia ties and Kremlin meddling.

The two veterans are poised to bring legal and intelligence heft to probes that have been hobbled by a shortage of technical expertise and a lack of political cover at the Justice Department.

Doss brings a relevant set of skills from her time at the NSA where a lot of the lawyering happens at the intersection of legal authorities and technological capability, Carrie Cordero, a former DOJ national security official, said.

Rosenstein, who was the top federal prosecutor in Maryland, easily won Senate confirmation on Tuesday. He comes to Justice Department headquarters after an intense clash between his Senate-confirmed predecessor, Sally Yates, and the Trump White House. President Donald Trump fired Yates after she refused to defend his ban on travel to the United States from seven Muslim-majority countries. Meanwhile, Attorney General Jeff Sessions recused himself from the probe after he neglected to disclose his meetings with Russian Ambassador Sergei Kislyak during his confirmation hearing.

Critics of the Trump administration will be watching closely to see whether Rosenstein is able to maintain his political independence. At his confirmation hearing, Democrats repeatedly pressed the prosecutor to appoint a special counsel to oversee the Russia inquiry. Rosenstein refused but pledged to supervise the probe the way I would handle any investigation.

I can certainly assure you, if its America against Russia, or America against any other country, I think everyone in this room knows which side Im on, he said.

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Rosenstein, who will be heading up one of the most politically charged probes in the bureaus history, will be responsible for steering the investigations path and for approving its most sensitive wiretap applications. He earned praise for his tenure as U.S. attorney for Maryland, which spanned the Bush and Obama administrations. He is widely credited with overhauling an office in disarray when he was appointed to lead it in 2005.

As a U.S. attorney, Rosenstein has led investigations with serious national security implications and the work of the NSA. His office is currently prosecuting the former NSA contractor Hal Martin for allegedly spiriting a huge trove of classified information out of intelligence community facilities and storing them in his home.

Doss, who will serve as special counsel to the Senate investigation, spent 13 years at the NSA where she specialized in intelligence law before joining the law firm Saul Ewing less than a year ago as a partner focusing on privacy and cybersecurity.

She has recently reentered the public debate about surveillance law, particularly as Trump has made accusations that former National Security Advisor Susan Rice may have broken the law for making a routine request to unmask the names of Americans who turned out to be Trump aides in a foreign intelligence report.

With Susan Hennessey, another former NSA lawyer, Doss urged former and current intelligence professionals to lean forward as much as possible to explain how processes like incidental collection and unmasking work to cut through partisan arguments and confusion.

When asked by Foreign Policy whether or not the Republicans would be hiring their own special counsel, Sen. Richard Burrs press office declined to comment.

Photo by Maja Hitij/Getty Images
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump's strategy on North Korea aims to pressure Pyongyang to dismantle its nuclear and ballistic missile programs by tightening sanctions and Washington is open to negotiations, the Trump administration said on Wednesday. The U.S. stance, which appeared to signal a willingness to exhaust non-military options, was put forward in a statement following an unusual White House-hosted briefing for the entire Senate. It described North Korea as "an urgent national security threat and top foreign policy priority." "The United States seeks stability and the peaceful denuclearization of the Korean peninsula. We remain open to negotiations towards that goal," it said in a joint statement by Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats. "However, we remain prepared to defend ourselves and our allies." Although the statement emphasized diplomacy, Democratic Senator Christopher Coons told reporters after the White House briefing that military options were discussed. "It was a sobering briefing in which it was clear just how much thought and planning was going into preparing military options, if called for, and a diplomatic strategy that strikes me as clear-eyed and well proportioned," Coons said. (Reporting by Phil Stewart and Steve Holland; Editing by Chris Reese and James Dalgleish)
London (AFP) - The British government has complained to Twitter over a block on access to data from the social network, which it was reportedly using to track potential terror attacks, officials said Wednesday.

"The government has protested against this decision and is in ongoing discussions with Twitter to attempt to get access to this data," a Home Office spokesman said.

Prime Minister Theresa May's spokesman declined to specify exactly what the data was and why it was important, saying only that "we wish to have access to this information".

But he told reporters: "The fight against terrorism is not just one for the police and the security services. Social media and tech companies have a role to play."

The Daily Telegraph newspaper reported that the government had been tracking terms related to potential terror attacks via a third-party firm, but this had now been blocked.

In a blog posting in November, Twitter executive Chris Moody said the firm encouraged developers to create products that used real-time data from the social network "in the public interest", for example tracking emergencies and natural disasters.

"Recent reports about Twitter data being used for surveillance, however, have caused us great concern," he wrote.

He said that tracking or profiling protesters or activists was "absolutely unacceptable and prohibited", including via Twitter's application software programmes.

"We prohibit developers using the Public APIs and Gnip data products from allowing law enforcement -- or any other entity -- to use Twitter data for surveillance purposes. Period," he said.
London (AFP) - British Prime Minister Theresa May hosted a "useful working dinner" with key EU Brexit negotiators on Wednesday, as the bloc hardens its position ahead of a summit to lay down its "red lines".

May greeted European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker outside 10 Downing Street ahead of their first face-to-face talks since she triggered the two-year process of withdrawing from the European Union.

EU Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier also attended what Downing Street described afterwards as a "useful working dinner", joined by Britain's Brexit minister David Davis and finance minister Philip Hammond.

The EU has toughened its strategy, making new demands over financial services, immigration and the bills Britain must settle before ending its 44-year-old membership in the bloc.

Ahead of the meeting May's spokesman predicted the rights of EU citizens would be on the table, although Downing Street gave little detail of the dinner discussions.

"The PM had a constructive meeting this evening with President Juncker of the European Commission.

"Following the UK's letter of notification under Article 50, she reiterated the UK's commitment to achieving a deep and special partnership with the European Union," a statement from the prime minister's office said.

The EU's latest draft negotiating guidelines, agreed on Monday by Barnier and European diplomats, point to months of difficult talks ahead as Brussels seeks to ensure Britain does not get a better deal outside the bloc than inside.

According to the document, seen by AFP, the other 27 EU countries will seek to hold Britain liable for the bloc's costs for at least a year after it leaves in 2019 -- longer than was previously proposed.

Britain will also be required to give EU citizens permanent residency after living there for five years, in a challenge for May's Conservative government, which has vowed to limit immigration.

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The guidelines recommend that Britain's dominant finance industry will not necessarily be covered by any future trade deal with the EU and that it must also stick to the bloc's rules if it wants easy access to EU markets.

May has committed to pulling Britain out of Europe's single market to end free movement of EU citizens into Britain, but says she wants to form a new partnership with the bloc.

Ahead of the dinner Davis said there would be "difficult issues to confront" in the negotiations, but the chief Brexiteer asserted that Britain "has a very good reason to feel optimistic".

- 'Size matters' in trade -

After starting the Article 50 process of leaving the EU last month, May is seeking to shore up her mandate for the Brexit talks in a snap election on June 8, with polls suggesting her Conservatives will return with an increased majority.

In recent weeks, she has held talks with senior EU figures, including European Parliament President Antonio Tajani and European Council chief Donald Tusk, who visited Downing Street on April 6.

But Poland's EU transport commissioner Elzbieta Bienkowska warned in an interview with Germany's Die Welt newspaper that Britain "can't have everything in the end. They can't have their cake and eat it".

And Ireland's EU agriculture commissioner Phil Hogan said Britain was no competition for the bloc when it came to securing trade deals.

"It will be a long time before the UK gets a third country deal ahead of the EU. There's been clear evidence of that in recent times," he told reporters in Brussels.

"Size matters when it comes to trade deals."

The leaders of the other 27 EU nations will meet on April 29 to set down the bloc's red lines, though the talks will not begin until June.
Kiev (AFP) - The presidents of Ukraine and Belarus toured Wednesday the site of the Chernobyl plant to mark 31 years since the "unhealing wound" of the world's worst civil nuclear accident spewed radiation across Europe.

The station's fourth reactor in the north of former Soviet Ukraine exploded in 1986 after a safety test went horribly wrong at 1:23 am on April 26.

Around 30 people were killed on site and several thousand more are feared to have died in the years that followed from radiation poisoning across Ukraine as well as its northern neighbour Belarus and Russia to the east.

The exact number of victims remains a subject of intense debate because the Soviet authorities kept most of the information about the disaster hidden.

Hundreds of thousands of people were evacuated from the area around the disaster site and an exclusion zone was set up that has now become a ghostly uninhabited region.

Ukraine placed a mammoth 2.1-billion-euro ($2.3-billion) metal dome over the remnants of the Chernobyl plant last year in a bid to stop future leaks and ensure the safety of Europeans for generations.

More than 200 tonnes of uranium remain buried inside the crippled reactor that leaked radiation across three quarters of Europe.

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko called the explosion and its dire aftermath "an unhealing wound with which we as a people live with".

"Perhaps more than anyone else, the Chernobyl tragedy affected our Belarussian brothers," Poroshenko said at a joint appearance with his Belarussian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko.

Scientist believe the winds on that fateful day carried a predominant portion of the radiation cloud over the southeastern portion of Belarus.

"Both Belarussians and Ukrainians know that the Chernobyl catastrophe knows no borders," Lukashenko said.

About 600,000 people who became known as "liquidators" -- mostly emergency workers and state employees -- were dispatched with little or no protective gear to help clean up the aftermath of the disaster.

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"Thank you to the heroes who, at the expense of their own lives and health, protected us from the horrible consequences of this tragedy," Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman wrote on Facebook.

A 2005 United Nations report estimated that "up to 4,000" people could eventually perish from the invisible poison in Ukraine and neighbouring Russia and Belarus.

The Greenpeace environmental group the following year issued its own study estimating that 100,000 had already lost their lives.

Fears that a structure hastily built over the stricken reactor was cracking saw more than 40 countries pitch in for the creation of the new 25,000-tonne protective steel barrier.
Geneva (AFP) - A new round of peace talks between Yemen's warring sides should begin by the end of May, the UN mediator said Wednesday, as alarm grows over the country's humanitarian crisis.

UN special envoy Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed told AFP that negotiations were underway to stave off a feared military attack on the vital Red Sea port of Hodeida, in what he hoped would be a first step towards a ceasefire.

Averting an attack on Hodeida -- the main entry point for desperately needed aid to Yemen -- could allow "a real cessation of hostilities and to go back to the talks," he said.

"We are at the preliminary stage, but time is also a real constraint for us, because my aim is to finish all of this before Ramadan," he said, adding that he hoped "to enter into a new round of talks before Ramadan."

The Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan is set to begin around May 27 this year.

Even if Ould Cheikh Ahmed manages to get the parties to the table, any success will be hard-won: since Yemen's conflict escalated two years ago, all UN mediation attempts and seven declared ceasefires have failed.

Yemen's war has pitted pro-government forces against Iran-backed Huthi rebels and their allies, renegade troops loyal to former president Ali Abdullah Saleh.

A Saudi-led coalition intervened in Yemen in March 2015 to help the government retake the capital Sanaa and swathes of the country's north and west.

More than 7,700 people have been killed in the past two years of fighting, while the country has plunged into a deep humanitarian crisis and faces the imminent risk of famine.

- 'Major humanitarian consequences' -

Hodeida is currently controlled by the Huthis, but fears are mounting over a potential coalition offensive.

The UN and other organisations have urged the Saudi-led coalition not to bomb Hodeida, Yemen's fourth most populated city, and a "major lifeline for a country on the verge of starvation".

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"We believe that any military operation on Hodeida will have major humanitarian consequences and could lead to a very high level of civilian casualties," Ould Cheikh Ahmed said Wednesday.

At the same time, he said, he was hearing concerns from the coalition that the port was being used to smuggle in weapons.

"We are trying to explore various options by which we can reinforce inspection mechanisms maybe or see how we can minimise the risk of any additional smuggling," he said.

The UN mediator said the Huthis had voiced interest in his proposals and that he aimed to invite them to a meeting in Oman next month to discuss different options.

"I'm a bit optimistic, (because) if we are able, as I am hoping, to stop the military operation in Hodeida, I think we are paving the way for new talks," he said, adding that the negotiations would likely be held in Geneva or Kuwait.
Uh oh, United is in trouble again.

A giant rabbit which was poised to become the world's biggest has died on one of its transatlantic flights.

The three-foot (90cm), 10-month continental giant rabbit, named Simon, died while in the cargo section of a Boeing 767 travelling from London Heathrow to O'Hare airport in Chicago, according to The Sun.

SEE ALSO: United CEO re-accommodated from chairman seat on company board

Simon's breeder, Annette Edwards from Worcestershire, said the rabbit was expected to grow to be the world's biggest after his father Darius grew to 4ft 4in (1.32m). The buyer was a "famous celebrity."

Something very strange has happened and I want to know what. Ive sent rabbits all around the world and nothing like this has happened before, Edwards told the newspaper.

Edwards told The Associated Press that Simon had a vet check shortly before traveling.

"Simon had his vet check just before getting on the plane," she said. "He was fit as a fiddle."

In a statement sent to Mashable, a United spokesperson said: We were saddened to hear this news. The safety and wellbeing of all the animals that travel with us is of the utmost importance to United Airlines and our PetSafe team."

We have been in contact with our customer and have offered assistance. We are reviewing this matter.

The fresh incident comes after a United Airlines passenger was forcibly dragged off an overbooked flight.

David Dao, a 69-year-old man who was trying to get from Chicago to Louisville on an April 9 flight, suffered a concussion and a broken nose after police officers ripped him from his seat and dragged him off the flight.

Dao also lost two teeth and endured sinus damage, according to attorney Thomas Demetrio, who went on to say Dao will undergo reconstructive surgery.

WATCH: This college student spent his summer undercover in a Chinese iPhone factory




Washington (AFP) - The US admiral who ordered an aircraft carrier and other warships toward the Korean Peninsula in a much-hyped deployment took responsibility Wednesday for any "confusion" after the ships sailed in the opposite direction.

Amid soaring tensions ahead of North Korea's apparent ramping up for a sixth nuclear test, the US Navy on April 8 said it was directing a naval strike group headed by the USS Carl Vinson carrier to "sail north" from the waters off Singapore, as a "prudent measure" to deter Pyongyang.

But the ships actually went the other way, sailing south from Singapore and toward Australia to conduct drills with the Australian navy -- though they subsequently did turn north.

For more news videos visit Yahoo View, available now on iOS and Android.

"That's my fault on the confusion and I'll take the hit for it," Admiral Harry Harris, who heads the US military's Pacific Command, told lawmakers.

"Where I failed was to communicate that adequately to the press and the media, so that is all on me."

Noting that the ships had eventually gone on to sail toward the Korean Peninsula, Harris said they are still en route.

"Today (the strike group) sits in the Philippine Sea just east of Okinawa in striking range and power projection range of North Korea if called upon to do that, and then in a few days I expect it will continue to move north," he told the House Armed Services Committee.

The eventual arrival of the strike group in the region is a far cry from the impression President Donald Trump and other officials left when the deployment was first announced.

"We are sending an armada. Very powerful," were the words of President Donald Trump, and other officials made it sound like the ships were plowing toward the region.

"A carrier group steaming into an area like that, the forward presence of that is clearly... a huge deterrent. So, I think it serves multiple capabilities," White House spokesman Sean Spicer said April 11.

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Pentagon chief Jim Mattis said the Vinson was "on her way up."

The ruling party newspaper in North Korea 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.
The White House has insisted a phone call between Donald Trump and Justin Trudeau was amicable, just hours after the US President attacked his neighbour over trade.

But a Canadian readout of the conversation struck a very different tone, hitting out at baseless allegations over its softwood lumber industry and vowing to defend Canadas interests over the dairy industry.

The call came after Mr Trump attacked Canadas decision to change the pricing of some milk products, which has driven down prices.

canada-dairy.jpg

Canada's dairy sector is protected by high tariffs on imported products and controls on domestic production (Chris Helgren/Reuters)

Canada has made business for our dairy farmers in Wisconsin and other border states very difficult, the President wrote on Twitter. We will not stand for this. Watch!

His administration also moved to impose a hefty tariff on softwood lumber from the US neighbour, accusing the Canadians of unfairly subsidising prices as part of a trade dispute dating back to the 1980s.

People don't realise Canada's been very tough on the United States...they've outsmarted our politicians for years, Mr Trump said while signing an executive order on agriculture on Tuesday.

This has been going on for a while and we're not going to put up with it.

He vowed to put a very big tariff on lumber coming to the US, claiming that he loves Canada but adding: People dont realise Canada has been very rough on the United States. Everyone thinks of Canada as being wonderful.

The White House has not yet released a readout of the phone call that took place hours later between Mr Trump and Mr Trudeau, but the Canadian Prime Ministers office made its position clear.

Video not available for syndication

In 90 seconds: Trump and Trudeau differ over border control

A statement said he and Mr Trump agreed on the importance of a mutually beneficial trade relationship between their nations, but added: On the issue of softwood lumber, the Prime Minister refuted the baseless allegations by the US Department of Commerce and the decision to impose unfair duties.

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The Prime Minister stressed that the Government of Canada will vigorously defend the interests of the Canadian softwood lumber industry, as we have successfully done in all past lumber disputes with the US.

The readout said the leaders would negotiate an agreement on the issue, as well as on dairy products  a trade the Canadian government claims heavily favours the US.

It said Mr Trudeau confirmed that Canada would uphold the North American Free Trade Agreement (Nafta), which gives the US duty-free access for milk protein substances, but that his country would continue to defend its interests.

A spokesperson for the White House, however, claimed Mr Trump and Mr Trudeau had a a very amicable call, without giving further details.

The Canadian Prime Minister has warned of a thickening border with the US as trade tensions continue to escalate.

Lumber and dairy issues were also problems under previous presidents, while Mr Trump has put renegotiating Nafta at the top of his economic agenda and threatened to pull out of the 1994 agreement.
Adm Harry Harris sounded dire notes before a congressional panel on Wednesday, but did not outline any timeline for additional military steps

The US admiral in charge of a potential conflict with North Korea has said his goal is to bring Kim Jong-un to his senses, not to his knees, as the Trump administration signaled it intends to use economic and diplomatic pressure to denuclearize the peninsula.

Tensions between the US and North Korea are white-hot ahead of an anticipated sixth nuclear test from Pyongyang and its accelerating long-range missile development.

Donald Trump invited the entire US Senate to the White House on Wednesday afternoon for an unusual classified briefing on the situation.

But the Trump administration struggled to explain any new strategy to rein in Kim Jong-un  just a week after the vice-president, Mike Pence, said that the era of strategic patience is over.

Adm Harry Harris, the commander of US Pacific Command (Pacom), sounded dire notes before a congressional panel on Wednesday, testifying that he did not have confidence that North Korea would refrain from something precipitous should it succeed in miniaturizing a nuclear weapon to mount on a ballistic missile.

While Harris did not provide any timetable for reaching an inflection point in North Korean nuclear capabilities, he suggested that the Norths accelerating missile tests indicated that Pyongyang will at some point be able to launch a nuclear intercontinental ballistic missile at the United States unless stopped by an external force, diplomatically or militarily.

Just as Thomas Edison is believed to have failed 1,000 times before successfully inventing the light bulb, so, too, Kim Jong-un will keep trying. One of these days soon, he will succeed, Harris told the House armed services committee.

A joint statement on Wednesday afternoon from secretary of state Rex Tillerson, secretary of defense James Mattis and director of national intelligence Dan Coats declared that past efforts have failed to stop the advance of Pyongyangs nuclear and missile programs.



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But the three senior officials said that to convince the North to dismantle those programs, Trump would pressure Pyongyang by tightening economic sanctions and pursuing diplomatic measures with our allies and regional partners  an approach adopted by the past three US administrations.

During the hearing, Harris suggested that Kim Jong-uns statements indicated that denuclearization  the goal outlined by the cabinet officials  is no longer a realistic option: As former secretary of defense William Perry once said, we must deal with North Korea as it is, not as we might wish it to be.

The statement from the three cabinet officials did not outline any additional military steps.

A senior administration official told reporters that the Trump administration is considering returning North Korea to the state departments list of state sponsors of terrorism, following its removal in 2008.

According to the most recent state department report on terrorism, covering 2015, North Korea is not assessed to have committed any acts of terrorism since 1987.

Chris Coons, a Delaware Democrat on the Senate foreign relations committee, emerged from the White Houses briefing to say senators were not presented with any specific military option.

Coons said a resolution of the very difficult North Korea problem would require persistent engaged allocation of diplomatic and military resources and effort. He said he considered Trump to be developing a diplomatic strategy that strikes me as clear-eyed and well proportioned to the threat.

At the White House meeting, Trump pledged a different course on North Korea stemming from his ability to get things done, according to a Senate aide.

But members of both parties left the meeting concerned that the White House does not have an effective plan in place and doesnt understand the level of effort necessary to reach a diplomatic solution, the aide said.

Speaking earlier, Harris indicated a preference for a sizeable show of military force in order to deter North Korea from launching a devastating assault, to include sending the guided-missile submarine USS Michigan to South Koreas port city of Busan, overflying the Korean peninsula with B-1 and B-52 bombers, and ordering the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier strike group to the waters near Korea.



Harris accepted responsibility for confusion stemming from the Vinson deployment, which Trump and the US navy highlighted last week even though the carrier group was still thousands of miles from the peninsula. The Vinson, Harris said, is now in the Philippine Sea, placing its weapons and aircraft within striking range of North Korea.

Harris acknowledged that possible reprisals stemming from a strike against North Korea would place at risk the lives of millions of Koreans in Seoul  as well as the 24,000 US troops in South Korea.

I would say what were faced with is that... a lot more Koreans and Japanese and Americans dying if North Korea achieves its nuclear aims and does what [Kim Jong-un] has said its going to do, Harris said.

Against the threat of one of the densest concentrations of artillery pieces on earth, aimed at one of the most densely populated areas on earth, Harris said vaguely that the US could affect North Koreas military calculus depending on the sort of pre-emptive strike taken.

Harris warned that follow-on measures from any strike would tax US capabilities to sustain a military campaign. He urged Congress to add ballistic-missile interceptors to installations in Alaska and California, and to study placing interceptors in Hawaii while immediately bolstering defensive radars there.

Backing Trump, Harris said China had substantial leverage against North Korea, a treaty ally of Beijing and a primary trade partner, while calling it preposterous that China was pressuring South Korean companies over the looming placement of a powerful US terminal-phase missile defense system known as Thaad. The admiral said the recent summit between Trump and Chinas president, Xi Jinping, reduced the risk of any military conflict escalating to include China.

Its early days, but China seems to be helpful here, Harris said.
The US has conducted a missile test to demonstrate its national nuclear capabilities amid ongoing tensions with North Korea.

Military officials said the test involved the launch of intercontinental ballistic missile from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. The Minuteman 3 rocket, which was carrying a non-explosive load, travelled 4,200 miles before landing at a test range in the Marshall Islands in the South Pacific.

Colonel Chris Moss, Vandenbergs 30th Space Wing commander, said the test launch was an important demonstration of our nation's nuclear deterrent capabilities.

Read more

US strike on North Korea 'would have cataclysmic consequences'

"These Minuteman launches are essential to verify the status of our national nuclear force and to demonstrate our national nuclear capabilities, he said.

The move comes amid escalating tensions on the Korean Peninsula after North Koreas decision to carry out a missile test led Donald Trump to threaten to take action against the communist state.

The US President said the Norths continued nuclear ambitions were a problem that will be taken care of.

If China was not able to resolve the issue the US, with its allies, will, he added.

The Republican later deployed what he called an armada of US Navy vessels to the region.

We are sending an armada, very powerful, he told Fox News. We have submarines, very powerful, far more powerful than the aircraft carrier.

On Wednesday, the US militarys top commander in the Pacific said an advanced missile defence system being deployed in South Korea was designed to bring North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to his senses.

With every test Kim grows closer to his goal, which is using nuclear weapons on US cities," said Admiral Harry Harris.

"As Trump and [US Defence Secretary James] Mattis have said, all options are on the table," he added.

On the same day, both North and South Korean military forces carried out large-scale military training exercises designed to be a show of strength. China, meanwhile, launched its second aircraft carrier  a sign of its own increasing military might.
Washington (AFP) - Signs are mounting that US President Donald Trump's administration may stay in the landmark Paris climate change accord of 2015, under pressure from big business and public support for the agreement.

But experts say the final decision, expected next month, is anything but certain, and staying at the table could come with significant caveats, like a weakening of US commitments to curbing greenhouse gas emissions.

"Given the unpredictability of decision-making by this administration, I am very reluctant to predict," said Elliot Diringer, executive vice president of the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions.

"But there does seem to be a growing convergence around a strategy of staying in the Paris Agreement but lowering the US target."

The latest word on the administration's stance came from Energy Secretary Rick Perry, who said Tuesday he would not advise Trump to abandon the deal but rather renegotiate it.

That statement aligned Perry, the former governor of Texas, with Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, who formerly headed ExxonMobil and has spoken in favor of honoring the US commitment to the Paris deal, struck in 2015 and signed by more than 190 countries.

Trump's daughter Ivanka, and son-in-law Jared Kushner -- who both serve as his advisors -- are also said to be in favor of the deal.

On Wednesday, 13 major international businesses ranging from energy to pharmaceuticals to retail urged Trump to adhere to the Paris accord.

"US business interests are best served by a stable and practical framework facilitating an effective and balanced global response," said the letter signed by BP, Walmart, Google and others.

"We believe the Paris Agreement provides such a framework."

Speaking at a TED conference Wednesday, former vice president turned environmental activist Al Gore said there is a "better than a 50-50 chance" Trump will honor the Paris deal.

"I certainly hope so, because that agreement sent a powerful message... and has already begun to accelerate the sustainability revolution."

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- Amending targets? -

But some in Trump's inner circle, including advisor Steve Bannon, want Trump to keep his campaign promise to "cancel" the deal.

Environmental Protection Agency administrator Scott Pruitt is also said to be pushing for a US exit, according to Andrew Light, senior fellow at the World Resources Institute, a global research organization.

"He is worried that if the US stays in Paris, that would become the basis for some kind of legal objection to his work now, to do things like dismantle the Clean Power Plan and regulations (former president Barack) Obama put in place on transportation and electricity sectors," Light told AFP.

"I don't think the US staying in Paris interferes at all with what Pruitt wants to do with regard to domestic regulations," he added.

"But if the US stays in Paris there is a very high likelihood they will also announce they intend to change the US target."

The United States agreed at the Paris talks to reduce its carbon dioxide emissions by 26-28 percent by 2025, compared to 2005 levels.

Under the agreement, signatories undertake to limit global warming to "well below" 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit (two degrees Celsius) over pre-industrial levels, and to strive for 1.5 C.

Countries submitted voluntary, non-binding carbon-cutting goals towards this goal.

Light, a former US State Department climate official, said any US weakening of its target would violate the spirit of the accord.

"But given that there is no strong compliance regime it is not really clear, to me at least, what other countries could do to try to keep the US from going through with some kind of revision," he said.

The White House has said a decision will be announced before the G7 summit in Italy on May 26 and 27.

"It is unclear, really, what they are going to do," said Frank Maisano, co-founder of the strategic communications practice at Bracewell, an international law firm based in Houston.

"I think the sentiment is currently that they should stay in and for very good reasons, because we never had much success when we just pushed it to the side -- take our toys and go home," he told AFP.
Montreal (AFP) - The US government doesn't have a clear idea of what NAFTA covers, a business body representing several big North American multinationals said on Tuesday after Washington picked a trade fight with Canada.

The Canadian American Business Council took umbrage at a comment by US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross that NAFTA wasn't "functioning properly," allegedly because Canada was exporting subsidized lumber to the US and was preventing easy access to its market by American dairy farmers.

"It is important to understand that neither dairy nor lumber are covered by the NAFTA," the CEO of the Washington-based council, Maryscott Greenwood, said in a statement.

"The fact that these two protected sectors are the subject of bilateral disputes in recent weeks is not evidence that NAFTA is failing."

The Canadian American Business Council covers 50 big corporations, including Coca-Cola, Facebook, Ford, Air Canada and Bombardier.

Its members are alarmed by fresh statements by President Donald Trump that he wants his administration to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement linking the US, Mexican and Canadian markets.

"People don't realize, Canada has been very rough on the United States. Everyone thinks of Canada of being nice but they've outsmarted our politicians for many years," Trump told a group of farmers at the White House.

His government on Monday announced surprise new tariffs on Canadian softwood lumber, and he complained Tuesday about what he said was a Canadian block on American farmers near the border exporting their products north.

But the head of Quebec's dairy farmers' federation, Bruno Letendre, told Radio Canada that the Canadian government played no role in the case of a concentrated milk company in the US border state of Wisconsin losing an export contract to Canada.

Instead, Canadian milk-producers had themselves negotiated a "competitive" deal with local milk processers, he said.

"The milk processers have the option of buying from the United States or from Canada. There are no rules stopping them," Letendre explained.
Washington (AFP) - US victims of crimes committed by undocumented migrants will receive dedicated support services, the Trump administration said Wednesday as it spotlights their suffering to press a sweeping immigration crackdown.

Meeting President Donald Trump's order for more support to individuals and families hurt by crimes carried out by immigrants living illegally in the United States, the Department of Homeland Security has launched the Victims of Immigration Crime Engagement (VOICE) office.

VOICE will help victims follow the status of the alleged perpetrator, which can be unclear as justice and immigration authorities often process the cases differently from those of citizen criminals.

VOICE will also provide direction on obtaining legal and other services.

"We are giving people who are victimized by illegal aliens for the first time a voice of their own," said Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly.

"All crime is terrible, but these victims as represented here are unique. They are all too often ignored. They are casualties of crimes that should never have taken place, because the people who victimized them should never have been here in our country."

VOICE builds on existing government support services for crime victims, retraining and reallocating staff to provide special help to victims of perpetrators who are in the United States illegally.

Trump has repeatedly highlighted the issue of crime by undocumented migrants, like gang violence and drugs, to justify his call for a wall on the entire 2,000-mile (3,200-kilometer) US-Mexico border and the expulsion of many of the estimated 11.3 million people living in the country illegally.

Kelly singled out the case of Billy and Kathy Inman, whose son was killed in 2000 when their car was hit by a vehicle whose driver was in the country illegally.

He noted that they found it extremely difficult to find out what happened to the person who hit them.

"These victims deserve more than a letter. They deserve a voice," said Kelly.

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DHS officials stressed that the new service was not for reporting undocumented migrants or crimes, and not to be used against people in the country illegally who are not criminals.

"We are not saying that everyone who is here illegally is a criminal," stressed DHS spokesman David Lapan.

Lapan said it was impossible to place a figure on how many people were eligible to take advantage of VOICE. A number of studies suggest that immigrants as a whole -- whether in the country legally or illegally -- commit less crime than native-born Americans.
Caracas (AFP) - Venezuela said Wednesday it was quitting the Organization of American States in anger at pressure from the bloc over the government's handling of a violent political crisis.

Foreign Minister Delcy Rodriguez said the government would launch a two-year process to pull out of the Washington-based regional diplomatic grouping.

"Tomorrow, as President Nicolas Maduro has instructed, we will present a letter of complaint to the OAS and we will begin a process that will take 24 months," she said in a televised address.

The OAS and other international authorities have voiced concern about the state of democracy in Venezuela, where President Nicolas Maduro is resisting opposition pressure to remove him from office.

So far this month, 28 people have been killed, several of them shot, in anti-government protests that have erupted into clashes with riot police.

On Wednesday, the permanent council of the 35-nation OAS upped the ante by taking its discussions about Venezuela to a higher level.

Its members agreed by a majority of 19 to hold a meeting of their foreign ministers to discuss the crisis, the bloc said in a statement.

OAS Secretary General Luis Almagro has previously branded Maduro, an elected socialist, a "dictator" for stifling the opposition.

Maduro's government has bristled against what it says is international interference in its affairs.

Rodriguez branded the OAS an "interventionist coalition" led by Washington.

"Venezuela will not take part in future in any activity or event where there is an intention to take a position of interventionism or interference," she said.

Venezuela has suffered an economic collapse fueled by a plunge in international prices for its crucial oil exports.

A vocal critic of the United States, Maduro says the economic crisis is due to a US-backed capitalist conspiracy.
Caracas (AFP) - Picking up a broken tile to hurl at riot cops, a young man cuts himself and blood streams from his hand.

He is one of hundreds Venezuelans hurt in this month's deadly anti-government protests -- but for him, help is close by.

Through the tear gas and flying rocks, a squad of gas-masked medics comes charging. The "Green Cross" has arrived.

These student doctors joined in the protests at first. But now they stand on the sidelines, with bandages for anyone who gets hurt.

"We realized it wasn't our job to be demonstrating, but to give medical aid," says one of them, Daniella Liendo, 22, in a white helmet marked with a green cross.

"That is what we know how to do and it is much more useful."

- Grateful patient -

This month's unrest in Venezuela threatens to match that of 2014, when 43 people were killed during similar protests against leftwing President Nicolas Maduro.

That was the year student doctors from Venezuela Central University (UCV) founded the "Green Cross," or "UCV First Aid."

This time round it has new recruits from other universities too -- 120 members in total.

In single file, holding onto one another, they brave the clashes between masked protesters and security forces.

"We get together to help people," says Dana Chocron, a 22-year-old trainee doctor.

"We treat everyone who needs first aid, be they demonstrators, police or military."

Her team cleans and binds the hand of the young man, who declines to identify himself.

"I am very grateful," he says.

- Social media donations -

The medics meet early in the day to plan their deployment, dividing into three groups with different roles.

These range from basic first aid units to specialized groups based further away from the action which take the wounded to hospital if needed.

In an economic crisis that has caused shortages of basic goods, Venezuela's hospitals are desperately undersupplied.

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The group gets its medical supplies from donations channeled via social media.

- Medic arrested -

Allies of the government have condemned it for helping the protesters.

One of the volunteers, Oscar Noya, was arrested on April 20 while treating demonstrators in a protest. He was freed hours later.

VTV state television presenter Pedro Carvajalino branded the medics a "paramilitary group."

UCV First Aid responded in a statement that his allegation "put at risk our voluntary work, which does not make distinctions based on political allegiance or uniform."

- Soldiering on -

The public prosecution service on Tuesday raised to 26 the number of people killed this month in clashes.

Several of those casualties were shot dead, officials said.

The opposition has accused the government of sending armed thugs to attack protesters. The government in turn accuses the opposition of fomenting unrest.

Despite such a tense atmosphere, crowds applaud the medics when they arrive at a rally.

Like the protesters, they vow to continue in spite of the danger, says one of the group's co-founders, Federica Davila.

"The affection and warmth that Venezuelans are showing us is what gives us the strength to carry on."
CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuela warned on Tuesday it would leave the Organization of American States (OAS) if the regional body goes ahead with a possible Foreign Ministers meeting to debate the state of the crisis-stricken nation. Leftist-run Venezuela and the OAS have been clashing for months, and the OAS head has said Venezuela should be suspended from the body if it does not hold general elections "as quickly as possible" amid a punishing economic crisis. The Washington-based organization said earlier on Tuesday that its permanent council would hold a meeting on Wednesday "for the 'Consideration of the draft resolution convening a Meeting of Consultation of Ministers of Foreign Affairs' on the situation in Venezuela." It said the meeting had been called for by more than a dozen countries, including the United States and regional heavyweight Brazil. "Should a Foreign Minister meeting of the Organization of American States take place without the approval and consent of the Venezuelan government, I have received instructions from the head of state, President Nicolas Maduro, to start the process of removing Venezuela from this organization," Foreign Minister Delcy Rodriguez told state TV on Tuesday night. Maduro's government views the OAS as a pawn of hostile U.S. policy and has often dismissed its head Luis Almagro, a former Uruguayan foreign minister, as a turncoat working for its ideological adversaries in Washington. For Venezuela to be suspended from the OAS, a two-thirds vote in the 34-nation OAS' General Assembly would be needed. Caracas can count on support from many poor Central American and Caribbean nations that receive Venezuelan crude under favorable terms. Leftist allies like Bolivia and Ecuador would also throw their weight behind Maduro, a former bus driver and union leader who rose to become foreign minister under his late mentor Hugo Chavez. Still, politics in South America is shifting toward the right, with Argentina, Brazil and Peru all losing leftist governments in recent months. (Reporting by Alexandra Ulmer; Editing by Richard Pullin)
Health advocate Bernard J. Tyson, named one of the worlds most influential people on the 2017 TIME 100 list, paid tribute to his father during a moving speech at the TIME 100 Gala.

My father was a wonderful male image for me. He was a strong individual. He was mighty. He was a preacher. He was a carpenter. He was a man of few words, but he always had wisdom and insights, he said.

Tyson, a public health advocate and CEO of Kaiser Permanente, one of the countrys largest nonprofit health plans, has served the medical needs of over 11.3 million people. With a focus on preventative care and accessibility to the public, Tyson has advocated for getting rid of health care disparities among individuals. Through his leadership at Kaiser, the health care providers 200,000 employees and 20,000 physicians have delivered great clinical outcomes.

In talking about his father, Tyson touched on his earlier career at Kaiser when he wanted to show his parents his success. Tyson shared that he impressed his father with a visit to the beach, and tried to temper his enthusiasm by saying: I have problems like everybody.

My father pondered that for a couple of seconds, and he said, This is true, but the difference is, people like you can take your problems to places like this. And Ive kept that lesson all of my life, Tyson said.

This article was originally published on TIME.com
The grassroots organization Common Cause filed a complaint with the office of Government Ethics and the State Department, one day after the latter posted an article on its website promoting President Trumps private Mar-a-Lago estate as the winter White House.

The complaint calls on both departments to conduct an investigation into the incident, and to hold those responsible accountable, arguing it was a clear misuse and abuse of taxpayer funds.

This administrations refusal to set clear boundaries between the business of the American people and the businesses of Donald Trump has metastasized into the federal agencies, Common Cause President Karen Hobert Flynn said in a statement.

READ MORE: At Mar-a-Lago, Donald Trump Blends Pleasure, Profit and Politics

On Monday, Share America, a website the State Department manages, had a blog post describing the history of Mar-a-Lago, and Trumps current presidential activity there, referring to it as the winter White House. Trump bought the Palm Beach estate over two decades ago and membership to the club costs about $200,000. The post was removed after the State Department faced scrutiny for praising Trumps private property.

This isnt the only controversy surrounding Mar-A-Lago, where Trump has chosen to spend a majority of his weekends since he was inaugurated. Last month, three Florida lawmakers asked the White House to reimburse the greater Palm Beach for the costs incurred by these frequent visits.

This article was originally published on TIME.com
Famed Watergate journalist Carl Bernstein says that the investigation into former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn could end up revealing a cover-up of alleged connections between President Donald Trump's team and Russia.

There, he is central to what the FBI believes is a cover-up going on among people close to the president of the United States about what happened with the Trump campaign and Russia, Mr Bernstein, who is now a CNN commentator, said. "The FBI, the congressional investigators are trying to learn what happened. And Flynn is almost like the ball of yarn that begins to unspool and is key to understanding it."

Read more

Flynn probably broke the law taking Russian payments

Mr Bernstein said that Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, now that he is leading the Justice Department's probe into Russia's role alleged in the election, will eventually see that there is a cover-up as well.

"He is going to see, Oh my god, theres a cover-up going on," Bernstein said.

The comments came just a day after a bipartisan press conference in which the top members of the House Oversight Committee said that Mr Flynn likely violated the law by failing to disclose foreign connections and payments when applying for a security clearance.

Representative Jason Chaffetz, the chairman of the committee, said that he had seen no indicator that the disgraced national security adviser disclosed a $45,000 payment he had received from Russian state-owned television network RT for giving a speech. Mr Flynn also appeared to have received more than $500,000 for representing the Turkish government.

I think it's obvious that Gen. Flynn is in up to his neck in terms, not just of possible crimes involving his speeches and whether or not he registered as a foreign agent, which he should have and didnt, Mr Bernstein said.
As President Trumps administration touts its accomplishments and downplays its failures in the chaotic first 100 days, counselor Kellyanne Conway dodged questions Wednesday on one of the administrations more significant controversies: the appointment and subsequent ouster of Lt. Gen. Mike Flynn.

After contending that its not for me to say whether Flynn was adequately vetted before his appointment as national security adviser, Conway appeared to attempt to downplay Flynns role. She argued in an interview with Yahoo Global News Anchor Katie Couric that Trump is ultimately the person in charge of the National Security Council and pointed to his missile strikes against a Syrian air base as proof of his decisiveness.

When asked directly whether appointing Flynn was a mistake, Conway repeated, Its not for me to say.

On whether Trump would now concede that the appointment was a mistake, Conway was curt.

I wont comment on that, she said. Its a personnel decision for the president. I wont comment on that.

Flynn resigned his post after it was revealed that he discussed lifting Obama-era sanctions with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak. He reportedly mischaracterized those discussions to Vice President Mike Pence, who then publicly insisted that sanctions had not been discussed.

Rep. Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, made waves Tuesday when he announced, There was nothing in the data to show that General Flynn complied with the law when he received tens of thousands of dollars from Russia for consulting work.

Asked what the low point of the first 100 days has been, Conway acknowledged that it was the GOPs failed attempt to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act. The bill was abruptly pulled from a vote after it failed to gain sufficient support in the House, but Conway pointed to the revised bills revival with the support of the Freedom Caucus, which was responsible, in part, for the legislations failure the first time around.

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Its probably when we could not vote on the first health care legislation, and fortunately many of the groups and many of the members who were against that particular piece of legislation are now coming out for the new and improved legislation.

Throughout the interview, Conway played up Neil Gorsuchs appointment to the Supreme Court as an example of an early victory for the Trump administration. She pointed out that Trump is the first president since 1881 to confirm a Supreme Court justice in the first 100 days of his presidency.

This accomplishment may look greater on paper than in reality: Most presidents dont enter office with a vacancy on the high court to fill. Gorsuchs seat was held vacant for over a year as Senate Republicans refused to hold confirmation hearings for former President Barack Obamas high court nominee, Merrick Garland.

Andrew Hamm, the manager of SCOTUSblog, told Yahoo News that Conways claim was correct. A Supreme Court justice confirmation within the first 100 days has occurred only four other times in U.S. history, with all of those involving inherited vacancies. Only two presidents who entered office with a vacant seat on the court were not able to have a justice confirmed within the first 100 days.
President Trumps decision to strike Syria after its use of chemical weapons and his decision not to label China a currency manipulator to win its support against North Koreas nuclear missile development are key components of an emerging Trump Doctrine, White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus told reporters Tuesday.

Trump is reshaping our position in the world, Priebus said, and really establishing, I think, a Trump Doctrine in setting some certain lines of where were not going to allow people like [Syrian President Bashar al-Assad] to go, but at the same time making it clear that were not interested in long-term, you know, ground wars in the Middle East, but obviously focusing in on ISIS and what were doing in the Middle East to protect us here in the United States, working with China on ongoing issues with North Korea that are very real and are serious issues that takes cooperation within the region to handle appropriately.

Priebus attempt to articulate the Presidents foreign policy came as Trump approaches his 100th day in office, with his Administration facing critical decisions in the coming weeks on how to escalate the fight against ISIS, whether to bolster the U.S. troop commitment to stabilize Afghanistan and just how far will he go to upend North Koreas nuclear missile program. But the Chief of Staff stopped short of articulating the kind of unified worldview embraced by many of Trumps predecessors, instead laying out a transactional approach to dealing with foes and allies alike.

Asked to elaborate on Priebus remarks, a senior Administration official, noting the America First doctrine Trump espoused on the campaign trail, pointed to Trumps warm embrace of a Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, despite human rights concerns, in order to bring back American aid worker Aya Hijazi earlier this month.

Look at Egypt, [he] took some criticism with the al-Sisi meeting, the official said. Ten days later, suddenly the prisoners coming home.

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It also means that he loves people, the official said of what the Administration dubs the Trump doctrine, and he knows that there are certain things that some people do that are unacceptable like the nerve gas attack in Syria. The official added that the doctrine includes remaining tough against the Islamic State and being prepared to take unilateral action to prevent North Korea from obtaining a missile system capable of carrying a nuclear warhead to the United States. Hes someone thats going to stick to his guns on ISIS and making sure that we dont sit around loose and lax and let a country like North Korea continue to proliferate nuclear weapons and grow to a point where were simply reacting to an ICBM one day after we wake up a and realize that we havent done anything for fear of some other alternative.

The official added that Trumps status as an incredible negotiator is also central to the doctrine. You look at President Xi. Well, he didnt call China a currency manipulator because hes helping us with North Korea, the official said. And Trump has been playing nice with NATO because many countries have boosted their financial commitments to the alliance after pressure from Trump.

Summing up the doctrine, the official concluded: I think its a combination of very good personal skills-one-on-one-which hes incredibly talented, and its a commitment to the goals of the campaign, which is defeating ISIS, and its a commitment to people that there are certain things that the United States isnt going to put up with.

This article was originally published on TIME.com
The White House has refused a request from the House Oversight Committee to disclose documents related to payments received by former US National Security Advisor Michael Flynn from foreign sources.

White House Director of Legislative Affairs Marc Short wrote to the committee saying that they would not complete the request, citing a number of reasons for the refusal. The letter stated that some queries should be addressed to the Department of Defence, some of the information was not in the possession of the White House, and that the West Wing was simply unable to accommodate other requests.

Even with that refusal Mr Flynn had already been connected to foreign actors through his bank account. House Oversight investigators announced last month that Mr Flynn had received more than half a million dollars from work for the Russian state-owned television network RT and for work with a lobbying firm that likely benefited Turkey.

Read more

Mike Flynn could finally end Donald Trump's lucky streak

Top members of the committee told reporters on Tuesday may have broken US law by not fully disclosing his business dealings with Russia when seeking a security clearance to work in the administration.

"I see no data to support the notion that Gen. Flynn complied with the law," Republican Rep. Jason Chaffetz, the chairman of the committee, said.

Mr Flynn has been the subject of scrutiny for his potential ties to foreign states  especially Russia. Earlier this year when he was forced to resign from his position in the administration of US President Donald Trump for failing to disclose that he had discussed sanctions with Russian ambassador to the US Sergey Kislyak.

The Trump administration has been dogged by questions about the extent of contact members of the campaign team had with Russia during the 2016 election, adding to the scrutiny on Mr Flynn. Russias alleged role in hacking the election to try and sway the proceedings in Mr Trumps favour prompted former President Barack Obama to impose further sanctions on the country and to vow to retaliate for the interference. Mr Trump has repeatedly denied that Russia had any role in helping him get elected.
Office of Management and Budget Director Mick Mulvaney, right, White House chief of staff Reince Priebus, center, and White House chief strategist Steve Bannon, behind Priebus. (Photo: Alex Brandon/AP)

WASHINGTON  The White House has assured Democrats it will continue to fund a key portion of Obamacare, clearing the way for negotiations on a series of spending bills to avoid a government shutdown, according to two sources familiar with the decision.

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., had demanded that Congress pay for the Affordable Care Acts subsidies  which lower health care costs for 7 million people  as part of the emerging spending bill. The demand, and the Trump administrations initial hard line against it this week, raised concerns of an impending government shutdown.

Director of the Office of Management and Budget Mick Mulvaney told Pelosi in a conversation Tuesday night that the administration would not accept a bill that included the payments, according to an aide briefed on the conversation. Mulvaney declined to commit to continue making the payments to the insurance companies in the future, the aide said. A Mulvaney spokesman told Politico he did not threaten the payments in the conversation.

But Wednesday, the Trump administration assured Democrats on Capitol Hill that it will continue paying the subsidies, taking the pressure off Congress to account for them in the spending bill, which must pass by Friday night to avert a government shutdown. (Multiple lawmakers said they believe a one-week extension of earlier spending levels will likely pass before a full deal passes next week.)

Trumps chief of staff, Reince Priebus, talked to Pelosi two times Wednesday, an aide said.

Our major concerns in these negotiations have been about funding for the wall and uncertainty about the CSR payments crucial to the stability of the marketplaces under the Affordable Care Act, Pelosi said in a statement, referring to the subsides. Weve now made progress on both of these fronts.

Like the withdrawal of money for the wall, this decision brings us closer to a bipartisan agreement to fund the government and is good news for the American people, Schumer said in a statement. There are outstanding issues to be resolved, particularly with riders, but this is a positive development for the negotiations.

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The compromise is not a clear victory for Democrats, however. A lawsuit launched by House Republicans when President Barack Obama was still in office could soon threaten the Obamacare payments, which is why the Democratic leadership wanted Congress to officially take responsibility for them. The lawsuit asserts that only Congress  not the administration  can legally appropriate the billions of dollars owed to insurance companies under Obamacare. If Republicans win their case, the Trump administration will be ordered to stop paying the insurance companies, which could prompt insurance companies to flee the exchanges. (The next scheduled court date in the case is in May.)

Some Senate Republicans said Tuesday they believe the payments must continue to be made to keep the insurance market stable while their party continues to attempt to repeal and replace Obamacare.

We want to keep the market stable, said Sen. John Thune, R-S.D. Its probably going to require that the existing mechanism for doing that, these cost-sharing subsidies, be in place for a while.

But its harder to imagine House Republicans passing a bill to give money to insurance companies for Obamacare  a law theyve campaigned against for years  if their lawsuit prevails.

The Congressional Budget Office estimates the government will owe $7 billion to insurance companies for the subsidies in 2017.

Read more from Yahoo News:
As Coulter canceled a contentious appearance and in the wake of protests over Milo Yiannopoulos, the far right is using free speech as a rallying cry



A man is sprayed with a chemical irritant as multiple fights break out between Trump supporters and anti-Trump protesters in Berkeley, California, on 15 April. Photograph: Josh Edelson/AFP/Getty Images

Ann Coulter has canceled a speech that had been planned for Thursday on the University of Californias Berkeley campus after initially claiming she would defy the administrations request that she hold her event a week later at a secure venue.

There will be no speech, the rightwing commentator told Reuters in an email, blaming her reversal on conservative groups that had originally said they would sponsor her talk but apparently withdrew their backing.

I looked over my shoulder and my allies had joined the other team, she added.

The cancellation will come as a relief to university officials who had feared Coulters determination to appear on campus at a time and place of her choosing would result in violent confrontations.

But for a city that just two weeks ago saw violent clashes between attendees of a rally that included white supremacists, Trump loyalists and militia members and counter-protesting anti-fascists, the temporary deescalation of tensions is likely temporary.

The college town so deeply liberal that it is referred to as the peoples republic of Berkeley is now a favored destination for the far right, resulting in a number of violent encounters on the citys streets and the University of Californias flagship campus.

The table was set for the Coulter controversy in early February, when the Berkeley College Republicans hosted a speech by former Breitbart editor Milo Yiannopoulos. Thousands of students turned out to protest against the rightwing provocateur, and the speech was cancelled after a group of masked protesters shot fireworks, threw rocks and set fires around the venue.

The cancellation, which the university said was due to safety concerns and not Yiannopouloss political views, nevertheless drew cries of outrage over the alleged suppression of free speech on a college campus. Donald Trump tweeted about the affair, including a veiled threat that the public university could lose federal funds.

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Casting the controversy over Yiannopolous as one of freedom of speech has been a public relations coup for the right.

It has an almost irresistible propagandistic value, said Larry Rosenthal, the chair of the UC Berkeley Center for Right-Wing Studies, by providing the right an opportunity to talk about the hypocrisy of liberals with respect to free speech.

Indeed, the Berkeley College Republicans have made the most out of the perceived hypocrisy of the university, which was the birthplace of the campus free speech movement in 1964. The groups Facebook page features a video about the speech cancellations and protests set to the mournful strains of the Moonlight Sonata, with the caption, Berkeley Hates Free Speech.

We are the new free speech movement, said Naweed Tahmas, a Berkeley political science major and spokesman for the group. His organization filed a lawsuit against the university, arguing that the schools requirements that the speech be held during daytime and at a certain venue violate the rights to free speech, due process and equal protection under the law.

He also complained that the Berkeley police had not been more proactive about the protests at the Yiannopoulos event, saying that when he and others were escorted from the venue, protesters shouted: Fuck the Berkeley College Republicans.

The university should have made more arrests.

Yiannopoulos has seized on the free speech issue as well, declaring that he will return to Berkeley for a free speech week and give out a new award named after Mario Savio, one of the key student leaders of the free speech movement.



The adoption  or co-optation  of the free speech movement has raised some eyebrows.

Daniel Savio, the son of Mario Savio and a composer, called the idea of Yiannopouloss award some kind of sick joke.

Savio argued that while his father would have broadly supported all peoples rights to speak on campus, there are limits when it comes to speech that directly threatens vulnerable people. Yiannopoulos has previously targeted individual transgender students for harassment.

Milo Yiannopoulos was the focus of anti-fascist protest when he arrived to speak at the University of California, Berkeley. Photograph: Jeremy Papasso/AP

Is freedom of speech such an important principle that we can afford to uphold it even when it means sacrificing the safety of some other folks? Savio said.



Robert Cohen, a history professor at New York University who has written several books about the free speech movement, said that he saw the current contretemps as a free speech hustle.

The free speech tradition that people made sacrifices to win is really in tatters, Cohen said. He blamed the devolution on the short-sighted reactions of the left and the opportunistic and cynical game that these rightwingers are playing.

When the university voted to allow political speech on campus in 1964, he said, they also insisted that the administration be allowed to regulate the time, place and manner of such activity so as not to interfere with the normal functioning of the university.

If I want to have a rally, I cant do it in your English class, Cohen said. If having an evening talk by a rightwing bigot is going to do $100,000 in property damage and disrupt the university, they have always had the right to say, no, do it during the daytime.

This argument was echoed by Dan Mogulof, a university spokesman, who said that Coulter was welcome on this campus but that the college Republicans had not consulted with the administration to find an appropriate date and venue before booking the speaker, making it difficult for them to ensure public safety.

In a city with a well-developed anti-fascist activist base, rightwing groups  including militia organizations, the alt-right, white nationalists and Trump supporters  appear to have had a realization. In part because of the antifa ethos that extreme rightwing movements must be confronted by any means necessary to stop fascism, rightwing groups are nearly guaranteed a confrontation  and headlines.

But beyond the violence and beyond the rhetorical struggle for the moral high ground, Rosenthal argued, some extreme rightwing figures were targeting the city because they view streetfighting as a precursor to a radical rightwing revolution, as was seen in the Weimar Republic in pre-Nazi Germany.

The most significant element in the definition of a classic fascist movement is the marriage between an electoral party and a private militia, Rosenthal said. The Republican party has not definitively distanced itself from the far right, he pointed out, while streetfights can foster the formation of militias.

What Richard Spencer saw in what happened in Berkeley was the germ of the alt-right beginning to form both sides of that marriage.

James Anderson, an editor of itsgoingdown.org, an anti-fascist news site, pointed out: The only thing that does bring these people together is the idea of attacking the left, attacking anarchists, attacking anti-fascists. Thats the one point of unity.

The school at least seems resigned to confronting its role as host as it attempts to stay true to its principles of academic freedom.

We cant isolate and hermetically seal ourselves off, Mogulof said. This is the reality of the world we live in.
Whenever Im feeling down about the world, I drink poison. Not quick-acting poison. The stuff with a greater half-life: The kind of sugary delights that boil down into sludge but in the moment get my heart thrumming. Its a short-term fix that also may decrease my lifes longer term, so overall I will need fewer short-term fixes - you know, a win-win.

It seems like America thinks I have the right idea. For the past week, the country has gorged itself on half-a-meals worth of calories in a sugary drink: Starbucks Unicorn Frappuccino. On April 19, the company debuted the pink-and-blue-turned-purple item for a five-day release, announcing the elusive unicorn from medieval legend has been making a comeback - now with a green-straw horn. It has since become a sensation within a larger sensation, including more unicorn recipes, as well as unicorn hairstyles, unicorn lemonade and maybe unicorn Hidden Valley ranch dressing.

But why? Asking such a question reveals an oddly modern-America blend. Forthwith, the ingredients:

The Creator

The 27-year-old food-stylist Adeline Waugh has been largely credited with starting the craze when she added natural ingredients (beetroot, chlorophyll) to tint her health-food portraiture. The dyes were mostly aesthetic, for cream cheese on toast - the resulting hues looked more appealing on Instagram. As Waugh recently told the New York Times, The entire point of what I was trying to do when I first created unicorn toast was to show people that healthy food can be fun and exciting-especially to give to your kids. Soon, though, the technique spread to cakes and hot chocolate covered in Lucky Charms.

The Culture

Waugh had another impulse, too: Sometimes with everything going on in the world, people just want to play with their food, or look at a picture of food that is brightly colored and happy and fun, she said in the Times interview. There has undeniably been much to want to look away from recently, no matter your perspective. For example, the Unicorn Frappuccino debuted during a disapproval trough for President Donald Trump - which has since rebounded to normally high levels of dissatisfaction. Leading up to and beyond April 19, Americans wondered if war with North Korea became inevitable, watched one of its most powerful (and for a time, trusted) television anchors get fired amidst sexual-harassment allegations and also heard whispers that they might need to slog through another health-care debate - this time without the provision many like. This was the world in which the medieval legend made its comeback, and it proudly marched into our feeds to give us joy and rare power again.

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The Corporation

Starbucks was drizzled in both trends. The company picked up on the social media buzz. (It was well timed to become a springtime Frappuccino blended beverage, akin to last years Birthday Cake Frappuccino. Strangely, despite its siren icon, it did not select the sister trend: mermaid food.) But it also perhaps had broader concerns. While its unlikely the unicorn was a direct reaction, for several months Starbucks had become mired in politicking, and over the past year, its stock has remained relatively stagnant - at least in part because of its responses to the Presidents actions. After Trump announced a January travel ban, then-CEO Howard Schultz announced a plan to hire 10,000 [refugees] over five years in the 75 countries around the world where Starbucks does business. It would begin in the United States and focus on those individuals who have served with U.S. troops as interpreters and support personnel in the various countries where our military has asked for such support. Protestors threatened boycotts. Customer support dropped. Investors rebelled. One, the National Center for Public Policy Research, a free-market think tank that is also a shareholder, decried the companys actions in March as anti-conservative: Coffee has no political allegiance, its general counsel wrote. (The organization told TIME it was unavailable to comment on the politics of unicorns.) Yet in swooped the unicorn, and Starbucks stock once again trended up towards the Lisa Frankhued stars.

The Corns

Unicorns have traveled a long way to become drinks. They first galloped into Western lore, according to University of Nottingham geographer Chris Lavers in his 2010 book The Natural History of Unicorns, by way of India around 398 BC, when the Greek historian Ctesius described certain wild asses which are as large as horses, and larger. They were white and red, with dark-blue eyes. They had a sharp horn tipped with a vivid crimson. They could only be captured with the use of many men and horses. It is not impossible that Ctesius had seen an animal similar to a rhinoceros. Through a series of mistranslations, the tale of the unicorn later became entwined with that of the Bible (where the word unicorn now appears several times) and particularly in medieval times took its more common shape: A goat with a horn that came to be a horse with a horn. But it soon became much more. It would symbolize Christ - and chastity for young women. A few texts detail how girls alone could tame the beasts (not many men). The seventh-century scholar Isidore of Seville wrote: The unicorn is too strong to be caught by hunters, except by a trick: If a virgin girl is placed in front of a unicorn and she bares her breast to it - though some translations use lap instead of breast - all of its fierceness will cease and it will lay its head on her bosom, and thus quieted is easily caught. (Some pagan traditions had a more carnal reading of the animal and its pronounced appendage, and today, at least one hedonist, polyamorous movement has been led by someone who identifies as a unicorn.) Whatever the unicorns once meant, though, they still represent vibrancy and purity (two themes that appear in Waughs Instagram handle and blog title). They also could very well offer empowerment to young girls: Beautiful, magical creatures imbued with abilities boys perhaps cant possess.

That is a lot happening in one drink. All together, the Unicorn Frappuccino, fittingly, seems both sweet and a little sour.

A social-media entrepreneur begins a trend with the intent of getting kids to eat healthy; the idea gets doused in sugar. A corporation being criticized for its progressive politics joins the movement apolitically; a sad America guzzles more sugar into a warless bliss. The item becomes a status token (complete with the users own custom blend of excitement or irony), while also infantilizing the people who possess them. And all the while, everything is tied up in a European mistranslation (of what might now turn out to be a grey, wart-covered herbivore) that then became a symbol of chastity that now seeks to empower young women, who probably shouldnt get addicted to caffeine quite yet.

It all admittedly makes my head spin. I feel a little down. But then I hear the good news: Legend has it, unicorn horns cure poison.

This article was originally published on TIME.com
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Commercial energy drinks have once again been linked to heart health concernsthis time by a study published today in the Journal of the American Heart Association.

And it's not the fault of caffeine alone, the study results suggest.

Previous research has associated the mix of ingredients in some popular energy beverages with a host of heart issues. The energy drinks often contain high levels of caffeine as well as blends of vitamins, herbs, and other stimulants.

Reported heart problems have included elevated blood pressure, increases in the stress hormone norepinephrine, heart palpitations, and abnormal heart rhythms, in general, even in people with no cardiovascular risk factors.

The new research adds to the growing body of evidence that these drinks can be dangerous and send some to the emergency room.

For the 1 in 3 Americans who already have hypertension, this increase in blood pressure from consuming energy drinks could pose a potentially serious risk, says Emily A. Fletcher, Pharm.D., study author and deputy pharmacy flight commander at David Grant U.S.A.F. Medical Center at Travis Air Force Base in California, where the study was performed.

The study compared a caffeinated drink mixture to a commercial energy drink that also contains caffeine. The results suggest that caffeine alone in these drinks may not be responsible for the heart health problems.

Heres what you need to know about energy drinks and your heart.

Beyond Caffeine: What the Study Found

Study subjects included 18 healthy men and women ages 18 to 40. Half were given a 32-ounce serving of an unspecified commercially available energy drink. The researchers would not reveal the name of the energy drink brand.

The others received a control drink: 32 ounces of carbonated water, cherry syrup, lime juice, and caffeine.

Both drinks contained 320 milligrams of caffeine, but the energy drink also contained what the manufacturer calls its proprietary energy blend, a mix that includes B vitamins, amino acids taurine and L-carnitine, the sugar alcohol inositol, and plant compounds such as panax ginseng extract and guarana extract.

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Researchers measured the electrical activity of the subjects hearts and their systolic blood pressure (the top number) immediately before consumption of the drink, and 1, 2, 4, 6, and 24 hours after.

Two hours after drinking, the hearts of the study participants who'd consumed the energy drink showed temporary abnormal electrical activitywhich could raise risks of a potentially life-threatening arrhythmia. The control group did not experience the effects.

Both groups showed an increase in systolic blood pressure for 4 hours after drinking. But those in the energy drink group still had elevated blood pressure levels 6 hours after finishing their beverage, while the blood pressure of those in the control group had returned to normal.



Fletcher, the study author, suspects that the "proprietary blend" of ingredients in the commercial energy drink may prolong caffeines activity in the body, prevent it from being excreted, or that these substances "may have activity of their own above and beyond caffeine."

The American Beverage Association (ABA), the trade group representing energy drink manufacturers, challenged the study, and said, "It is also important to note that the raised blood pressure reported in this study was minimalsimilar to what is experienced when climbing a flight of stairs."

What We Still Need to Know

More research is needed on energy drinks and their ingredients to fully understand the mechanisms at work, say experts.

We already know that energy drinks contain other ingredients that act as stimulants, such as taurine, guarana, and ginseng, says Anna Svatikova, M.D., Ph.D., a cardiologist at Mayo Clinic who has researched energy drinks. But not all of the ingredients have been well-studied in terms of cardiovascular effects.

Consumers are somewhat in the dark about what's really in energy drinks because some fail to list all of the ingredientsand their amountson labels, she says.

That can include caffeine. Decades of research has found that less than 400 milligrams of caffeine (the amount in about four 8-ounce cups of coffee) a day is generally safe, but it can be easy to overdo without realizing.

Energy drink manufacturersjust like all other manufacturersare not required by the Food and Drug Administration to disclose the amount of caffeine in their products, says William Wallace, a policy analyst at Consumers Union, the policy and mobilization arm of Consumer Reports.

We think it should be mandatory to list the amount of caffeineand that companies should be required to prove the safety of all ingredients in food or drinks before they hit the market," he says. "Right now, that's not always the case."

The ABA claims that the leading energy drink manufacturers already display total caffeine content on their packages.

Experts Urge Caution

Given the mounting research, experts suggest that consumers exercise caution.

The cardiovascular responses to energy drinksespecially in children and adolescents, and adults with heart diseasearent totally known, warns Svatikova, but they are likely to be significant.



So, what should you do?

The American Academy of Pediatrics' current guidelines call for complete avoidance of energy drinks by children and adolescents, so keep these beverages away from them. Because its recommended that kids consume no more than 85 milligrams of caffeine daily, more than one energy drink could put them over the limit.

When it comes to adults, says Fletcher, I would recommend only moderate consumption of them and avoidance during situations that would also increase your blood pressure and heart rate, such as while exercising or playing sports.

And if you have high blood pressure, arrhythmia, or heart disease, skip them altogether.

Editor's Note: This article has been updated to include comments from the ABA, which we received after publication.





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Top pick tires for 2016

Best used cars for $25,000 and less

7 best mattresses for couples





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After 100 days in office, what is President Donald Trumps biggest foreign-policy mistake? Im sure each of you will have your particular favorites. Personally, Ive found there have been so many blunders its been a bit hard to keep track. Lets consider the options.

Was his biggest error appointing an oddball like Michael Flynn to serve as White House national security advisor? Flynn lasted 20 days, which sounds more like a stint in rehab than a period of government service, and was ultimately done in by his dubious activities, his inability to tell a straight story about them, and a flood of leaks suggesting he had no idea how to do his job. His replacement, retired Army Gen. H.R. McMaster, has been cleaning house and made some mainstream appointments, but unqualified hacks like Sebastian Gorka still have jobs while dozens of other key positions at State, Defense, and other agencies remain unfilled.

Or did Trump err by failing to monitor, control, or straighten out his associates tangled connections to Russia, a failure compounded when people like Flynn and Attorney General Jeff Sessions proved unable to tell a straight story about them? We still dont know what Trumps connections in Russia really are, and its entirely possible that theres no fire behind all the smoke. But the upshot of the whole debacle is that Trump couldnt pursue a reset with Russia now if it wanted to. The whole mess is deeply unfortunate from a geopolitical perspective, because the United States could still use Moscows cooperation on a number of issues and there are some serious disagreements between the two states that need to be worked out in a disciplined and hard-headed fashion. Trumps carelessness in this regard has constrained his diplomatic latitude significantly.

Perhaps youd nominate Trumps too-eager embrace of the authoritarian governments in Turkey, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia, and his indifference regarding Israels continued drift toward apartheid. None of these countries genuinely reflect the values Americans claim to revere, and their governments are all headed in worrisome if not downright dangerous directions. Trump got a brief boost when he ordered cruise-missile strikes following the Syrian governments use of chemical weapons, but a single salvo is not a policy and the attack did not alter the situation in that unhappy country in any significant way. It was a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.

Nor can the administration make up its mind about the nuclear deal with Iran. Top officials grudgingly admit that Iran is living up to the terms of the deal while falsely identifying Iran and Hezbollah as the chief culprits of the Middle East crisis. Iran is involved in Syria and Yemen (though the extent of its influence is often exaggerated), but Washington has done at least as much to cause the present crisis as Iran has. Continuing to demonize Iran is playing with fire, because if Tehran concludes the United States isnt living up to either the letter or spirit of the Joint and Comprehensive Plan of Action (the nuclear deal) it may decide to restart its nuclear program and give Trump the unenviable choice of a nuclear-armed Iran or another Middle East war.

And then there is Trumps inept handling of some of Americas most important allies. He conducted confrontational phone calls with the president of Mexico and the prime Minister of Australia, presided over an embarrassingly awkward meeting with Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany, and keeps tweeting not-so-subtle expressions of support for presidential candidate Marine Le Pen in France. Although the Blob is starting to rein Trump in, his erratic personal conduct remains a serious liability.

These are all worthy candidates for Worst Mistake So Far, but in the long run Trumps biggest mistake has been his clueless approach to Asia. Europe is important, but its current problems are mostly internal and the United States cannot do much to address them. The Middle East is a mess, of course, but the United States does not need to fix it, does not know how to fix it, and shouldnt waste time, money, or soldiers lives trying to fix it. Trump may find himself dragged back into the Middle East cauldron  especially if he tries to get tough with Iran  but his missteps there have done little damage so far (fingers crossed).

Asia, by contrast, is where the action is. It is a region where economic importance has been growing steadily, a trend that is almost certain to continue. Equally important, China is the only possible long-term peer competitor for the United States and the only other potential regional hegemon in the world. If China keeps rising and eventually drives the United States out of Asia, it would be free to project power all over the world, just as the United States does today. With a population that is much greater than ours and an expanding economy as large or larger, a powerful and unconstrained China could even forge alliances with allies in the Western hemisphere, thereby ending the surplus security that the United States has enjoyed for more than a century.

Preventing China from dominating Asia is the main reason the United States seeks to remain an active presence there. To do this, however, the United States needs active and enthusiastic support from its various Asian allies. This realization drove the so-called pivot or rebalance to Asia, an Obama-era initiative that was actively welcomed by Americas Asian partners. Rebalancing was a multifaceted effort that included redeploying some U.S. military assets, offering verbal assurances to key Asian partners, and demonstrating U.S. resolve in contested areas like the South China Sea. It also involved the long effort to negotiate the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), a multilateral trade deal that would have benefited the U.S. economy and reinforced political ties with a number of key Asian partners.

But as I have argued before, managing this complicated set of alliance relations was never going to be easy, even though many Asian and Southeast Asian states are worried about Chinese power and its growing ambitions and are therefore eager for U.S. backing. It is a hard coalition to manage because the distances within it are so great, which makes different Asian powers less likely to come to one anothers aid. U.S. allies in Asia also have significant economic ties to China, which creates obvious tradeoffs for them and gives Beijing some leverage. When South Korea agreed to U.S. deployment of the THAAD anti-missile system, for example, China responded by putting restrictions on some South Korean companies operating in China and threatening other economic measures. And some U.S. allies  most notably Japan and South Korea  dont get along so well, further complicating the alliance-management problem.

For this reason, the United States needs smart, sophisticated, knowledgeable, and, above all, disciplined people working to solidify and nurture our Asian alliance ties. What has Trump done instead? He started off by tearing up the TPP, an enormous blunder that will have lasting consequences. He questioned the One China policy and took a phone call from Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-Wen, and then had to back down and reassure Beijing that this didnt mean anything.

Then Trump held that acrimonious get-acquainted phone call with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull of Australia, the leader of a country that has fought alongside our soldiers in every major conflict since World War II. Trumps meeting with Xi Jinping was blissfully inconsequential, though Xi had to explain why the situation with North Korea was more complicated than the U.S. president had realized and that Beijing couldnt just snap its fingers and get Kim Jong Un to fork over his nuclear arsenal. Trump stumbled again by telling reporters that South Korea had once been part of China, a blunder that quickly drew a heated response from Seoul.

Since then, Trump has raised the temperature with North Korea, hinted at preventive war, and inaccurately claimed to be sending an armada to patrol the waters off the Korean Peninsula. Turns out the flotilla in question, led by the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson, was actually headed in the other direction, but press secretary Sean Spicer gamely declared it got to the waters near North Korea Shades of Emily Litella. To complete the comedy, Vice President Mike Pence visited the Korean Demilitarized Zone, stared grimly out at the border, and said it was important for North Koreans to see our resolve in my face. That approach might work if Pence were a superhero who could shoot laser death rays with a single glance, but as a genuine signal of commitment it was widely and justly mocked.

There are two big problems here. First, Trumps handling of Asian affairs from day one has been ignorant and incompetent. It takes a certain talent to misplace an aircraft carrier battle group (or to not know which way its headed), but these stumblebums managed to do it. These (and other) errors have undoubtedly raised doubts in the minds of our allies, no matter how many stern looks the vice president makes or how much we try to reassure them. They may not doubt our level of commitment to them, but they have good reason to doubt the judgment of the people now in charge.

Second, managing U.S. alliances in Asia is a challenge because these states fear both abandonment and entrapment. Nobody in Asia wants a serious confrontation, let alone a war, and Asian powers tend to react negatively toward whomever they believe is raising the temperature in the region. Chinas sharp-elbowed approach in the South China Sea pushed these states toward us, but an overly bellicose U.S. response to North Korea could encourage our Asian partners to begin to distance themselves. It takes knowledge, discipline, and sensitivity to walk that fine line between doing too much and doing too little, and Trumps team has displayed none of the above since he took office.

Theres one piece of potentially good news. Pence has just announced that Trump will attend not one but three Asian summits in November. Assuming hes not going just to help Ivanka sell some shoes, these trips will give him the opportunity to display an appreciation for Asias importance and at least some understanding of the complex issues involved there. The danger, of course, is that he still wont have a solid team that can write his speeches, provide the talking points, orchestrate his meetings, head off big Trumpian blunders, and keep him away from his Twitter feed. Next November, well get a pretty good look at the presidents learning curve. But if I were National Security Advisor H.R. McMaster, Id start tutoring him now. And, like the president himself, Id use small words.

Photo credit: JIM WATSON/AFP/Getty Images
By Lisa Rapaport (Reuters Health) - Weekly yoga sessions may be associated with a better quality of life for patients with ulcerative colitis, a chronic inflammatory bowel disease that can be exacerbated by stress, a small study suggests. People with ulcerative colitis have inflammation in the lining of the large intestine that can lead to symptoms like diarrhea and abdominal pain. When symptoms are severe, patients may have sudden loose or bloody stools so often that it impairs their ability to navigate normal daily activities like going to school or work. Researchers studied 77 ulcerative colitis patients who reported a reduced quality of life due to the disease even though their symptoms were clinically in remission. They randomly assigned participants to receive either 12 weekly yoga sessions or written self-care advice and found the yoga group had greater improvements in quality of life. It seems to be safe and effective, so it is surely worth trying yoga as an add-on to other evidence-based interventions at least for maintenance of remission, said lead study author Dr. Holger Cramer, a researcher at the University of Duisburg-Essen in Germany. It definitely should not be used as a replacement but rather as an ancillary intervention, Cramer said by email. Thats how it was used in our study. Previous research has linked higher perceived stress levels to more severe ulcerative colitis symptoms, and other studies have also tied yoga to reduced stress in both healthy and sick people, researchers note in the journal Alimentary Pharmacology and Therapeutics. While there isnt a standard treatment regimen thats the same for all patients with ulcerative colitis, they may take a variety of different drugs to curb inflammation and achieve symptom remission. In more severe cases, they may need surgery to remove the colon and rectum. At the start of the current study, patients had been in remission for at least four weeks and no longer than one year. People were excluded if they werent in remission and had active symptoms, if they had surgery to remove their colon, or if they had medical problems that would make it hard for them to do even light yoga exercises. Patients assigned to yoga during the study took 90-minute classes in whats known as hatha yoga, with postures and breathing exercises designed to calm the body and mind. People in the yoga group were also given manuals to try poses at home and encouraged to keep a daily log of their practice time. Everyone in the control group of self-care patients received two books with general information on ulcerative colitis and strategies for improving symptoms with lifestyle modifications, medication and other approaches. They were asked not to start a yoga practice or any other exercise regimen during the study. With yoga, people reported a better quality of life after 12 weeks of classes, and again three months later. Five patients in the yoga group had side effects like musculoskeletal pain that may have been related to the yoga, while none of the mild side effects in the self-care group appeared related to this intervention. One limitation of the study is that many patients dropped out of the yoga class, mainly because it proved too time consuming, the authors note. Its also possible that personal attention from yoga instructors contributed to outcomes for that group rather than the yoga itself, the researchers point out. Still, some previous studies suggest that stress reduction may have direct anti-inflammatory effects, which may explain why yoga reduced disease activity and flares in patients with ulcerative colitis in the current study, said Dr. Gilaad Kaplan, a gastroenterologist, at the University of Calgary in Canada. Yoga should not replace the medications that help patients with ulcerative colitis go into remission, Kaplan, who wasnt involved in the study, said by email. But yoga may serve as complementary intervention, particularly in patients experiencing stress or whose quality of life is poor. SOURCE: http://bit.ly/2q7krgL Alimentary Pharmacology and Therapeutics, online April 5, 2017.
For food lovers who prefer to dine in their jeans but still have discerning taste buds, a new list of the top gourmet casual restaurants serves as a handy guide to the best addresses across the US.

At the top of Opinionated About Dining's top 100+ US Gourmet Casual 2017 restaurants list is Husk, in Charleston, South Carolina -- no big surprise within the food world.

Helmed by Sean Brock, both the chef and restaurant have received a string of accolades over the years, including titles like best new restaurant by Bon Appetit magazine in 2011 and multiple James Beard award nominations in categories of best chef and outstanding restaurant.

Diners flock to the restaurant for Husk's take on new Southern cuisine and for a culinary philosophy that aims to revive lost and forgotten flavors of the old South.

The overarching motto?

"If it doesn't come from the South, it's not coming through the door," Brock says.

On the menu, that translates to a benne or local sesame seed and honey lacquered duck with pickled blueberries and chanterelles; crispy heirloom pork collar served with cornbread puree and greasy beans; and sassafras glazed pork ribs with pickled peaches and "Rev. Taylor" butter beans.

While a Southern restaurant topped the OAD list, New York dominates the ranking having landed 51 addresses to hold a healthy lead over its biggest rivals San Francisco (24) and Chicago and Los Angeles (tied with 14 each).

OAD is headed by influential New York-based food blogger Steve Plotnicki, whose claim to fame includes discovering Run-DMC when he was a music executive. He's also been called the "king of food bloggers" for his widespread influence.

The list is based on the reviews of "highly literate connoisseurs of the culinary arts who travel the world to experience the art of food."

Here are the top 10 gourmet casual restaurants on the list:

1. Husk, Charleston, South Carolina

2. Roberta's, Brooklyn

3. Wildair, New York

4. Ox, Portland, OR

5. Peche Seafood Grill, New Orleans

6. Son of a Gun, West Hollywood, CA

7. Au Cheval, Chicago

8. Bestia, Los Angeles

9. Rose's Luxury, Washington DC

10. Le Pigeon, Portland, OR
Lusaka (AFP) - A Zambian court on Wednesday refused a request to drop treason charges against main opposition leader Hakainde Hichilema after he allegedly blocked the president's motorcade earlier this month.

Hichilema, 54, was arrested two weeks ago for allegedly obstructing President Edgar Lungu's official limousine as both men travelled to a traditional event in Zambia's Western province.

He is accused of endangering Lungu's life when Hichilema's own convoy allegedly refused to give way to the presidential motorcade in the high-speed incident on a main road on April 8.

Hichilema's lawyers had asked the court to throw out the treason charges, saying they were baseless.

But magistrate Greenwell Malumani said he did not have the power to dismiss the charges, which can only be handled by the High Court.

"The law does not place power in the subordinate court to quash the indictment. The motion to quash the treason charge is untenable," he told a packed court in Lusaka.

Hichilema also pleaded not guilty to one charge of disobeying an order to give way to the presidential motorcade and another of using insulting language.

The magistrate remanded him in custody as suspects charged with treason are not eligible for bail in Zambia.

Hichilema, a wealthy self-made businessman, has been in custody since police raided his Lusaka home on April 11.

His trial on the two lesser charges is scheduled to begin on May 10.

Hichilema made a fifth bid for the Zambian presidency last year and has sought to challenge the legality of the most recent election which he narrowly lost to Lungu.

That campaign was marked by clashes between supporters of Lungu's Patriotic Front (PF) party and Hichilema's United Party for National Development (UPND).
SAO PAULO (Reuters) - Alibaba Group Holding Ltd has plans to provide credit services in Brazil, Jack Ma, the company's executive chairman, was quoted as saying in Wednesday's edition of O Estado de S. Paulo. In China, the e-commerce firm developed a credit line to finance purchases on its website. "We want to invest in e-commerce, logistics and inclusive financing," the newspaper quoted Ma as saying. The executive did not give details on what type of credit operations Alibaba would consider launching in Brazil, O Estado said. "Alibaba has business-to-business and business-to-consumer operations in Brazil," Ma said, according to O Estado. Alibaba started operations in Brazil in 2014 but has faced hurdles over logistics and the monitoring of product authenticity on its website, O Estado reported. "We did very well in the last few years. But now we have some issues and our team is working on them," Ma said, according to O Estado. Representatives for Alibaba were not immediately available to comment on Ma's remarks, which were made at the United Nations in Geneva on Tuesday. Ma, who advises UNCTAD, the U.N.'s trade and development agency, on small business and young entrepreneurs, spoke at a conference on e-commerce development. (Reporting by Ana Mano; Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe)
Of all the retailers in your average US mall, Apple Stores are probably near the top when it comes to the value of the goods on display, surpassed only by jewelry stores. With that kind of merchandise laying around, youd think that having $40,000 worth of goods stolen in November 2016 would have prompted the Apple Store at The Village mall in Corte Madera, California, to seriously beef up its security protocols. Apparently that wasnt the case, because thieves just hit the store again, making away with $24,000 worth of Apple hardware, just six months after being cleaned out the first time.

Don't Miss: Behold: This Galaxy Note 8 blows the Galaxy S8 out of the water

As the local ABC affiliate reports, the store was robbed by a group of five individuals who were able to make off with a total of 17 iPhones, three iPads, and two Mac computers. The thieves were spotted by a security guard but managed to evade capture, and its unknown whether they escaped the area on foot or in a vehicle.

The robbers apparently entered the store just after its regular closing time of 8 p.m., though its unclear from the original report whether or not the stores doors were still open or if the group physically broke in.

Its worth noting that The Village at Corte Madera is an open air mall, where stores are grouped into small strips. This would presumably make it easier for criminals to make their escape since, unlike a traditional closed mall layout, stepping out of the store itself puts you outside. The Village boasts 24-hour professional security for our stores and guests, but it looks like they might need to rethink their strategy a bit.

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By Heather Somerville SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - European ride service Gett has bought U.S. rival Juno for $200 million in a deal that further consolidated the ride-hailing industry and that some said short-changed Juno drivers. Gett, an on-demand ride service that is a partner of automaker Volkswagen , said on Wednesday it had bought New York-based startup Juno. The transaction grows Gett's driver roster and geographical footprint, and better positions it to compete with bigger companies such as Lyft and Uber Technologies Inc [UBER.UL]. Gett will acquire all of Juno's existing business, including drivers and employees. Juno operates only in New York, while Gett is in more than 100 cities, mainly in the United Kingdom, Russia and Israel. Gett drivers and Juno drivers will in the short term drive on separate platforms, each company keeping its own brand, but eventually they will be combined into a single platform, said Gett spokeswoman Jacqui Wimberly. Juno had positioned itself as a more driver-friendly alternative to Uber, offering its operators stock options in the company when they signed on. But with the acquisition, those restricted stock units, or RSUs, will become nearly worthless. Ryan Price, executive director of the Independent Drivers Guild, which advocates for Juno operators, said in an email that the company was "leaving the drivers who helped build the company with next to nothing." A spokeswoman for Juno did not immediately respond to a request for comment. "Juno sold its 'employees' (drivers) on equity which ultimately won't be worth jack," Anand Sanwal, chief executive of venture capital research firm CB Insights, tweeted on Wednesday. (Reporting by Heather Somerville; Editing by Andrew Hay)
The Federal Communications Commission has unveiled its plan to undo net neutrality rules passed by the Obama-era FCC in 2015. The plan involves undoing a rule that classified internet providers as utilities, much like electricity or water companies.

Those rules forced ISPs to play by some strict, consumer-friendly rules: no blocking sites, no paid fast lanes for services like Netflix, and no throttling individual services and apps. They uphold the principle of net neutrality, but critics say that they also introduce unnecessary bureaucracy and barriers for small internet providers.

Don't Miss: New leak shuts down the worst iPhone 8 rumor and hints at wireless charging

The new FCC chair, Ajit Pai, has argued that classifying ISPs as utilities was unnecessarily heavy-handed and a move that was all about politics. He maintains that since there was no problem with ISPs before, the Title II rules were unnecessary. Earlier today I shared with my fellow commissioners a proposal to reverse the mistake of Title II and return to the light touch framework that served us so well during the Clinton Administration, Bush administration, and first six years of the Obama administration, Pai said in a speech.

One of Pais main arguments is that Title II classification discouraged investment in telecoms infrastrucutre, as companies and investors became concerned about the future of the industry. However, he didnt supply evidence to back up his claim, and an independent analysis of financial statements from the countrys largest ISPs showed that investment went up in the years following Title II classification.

Pai isnt moving to undo Title II classification immediately. Instead, the FCC will make a provisional vote on Pais plan on May 18th. A period of public comment will follow, and a final vote on the measure is expected later this year.

Throughout this process, Pai has argued that hes not against the concept of net neutrality: he just thinks that the Title II classification is an unnecessary way of enforcing those rules. Instead, hes previously called for a voluntary pledge from ISPs to maintain net neutrality, although that wasnt mentioned today.

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The biggest problem in the argument is that net neutrality is still wildly misunderstood by lawmakers. Republicans tend to see it as another example of vast government overreach, hijacking privately-built infrastructure and killing any reason for companies to invest. Proponents of net neutrality argue that the telecoms industry is controlled by a handful of massive companies, most with regional monopolies, and strong net neutrality rules are the only way to stop those local monopolies from ripping off customers.

Senator Brian Schatz, the top Democrat on the Senate Subcommittee on Communications, Technology, Innovation, and the Internet, hit out against Pais plan. [Pais] proposal would take away the American peoples access to a free and open internet and give control to big corporations, said Senator Schatz. A free and open internet is essential to our democracy and our economy. Everyone should be outraged by Chairman Pais proposal.



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Israel is a global player in the cyber-security industry with about 400 specialist companies (AFP Photo/PHILIPPE DESMAZES) (AFP/File)

Jerusalem (AFP) - Israeli authorities said on Wednesday that they had detected planned cyber attacks against 120 public and private targets in the Jewish state but did not specify the intended victims.

A statement from Israel's National Authority for Cyber Defence said that "in recent days" it had uncovered plans for a mass e-mail attack by what it described as an assailant masquerading as a "legitimate organisation" using a bogus security certificate.

It did not say what countermeasures it had taken but said the attacks threatened "government ministries, public institutions and private individuals".

Haaretz newspaper said that the attackers "tried to exploit a vulnerability in Microsoft Word."

In November two main Israeli TV newscasts were taken over by hackers who beamed an Islamist message threatening divine fire against the Jewish state.

Hackers ostensibly supporting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad posted messages on an Israeli army Twitter account during the 2014 Gaza war and in 2012 hackers disrupted the websites of the Tel Aviv stock exchange and national airline El Al.

Israel is a global player in the cyber-security industry, with about 400 specialist companies.

Its success is partly due to graduates of elite army units who take their electronic warfare skills with them into civilian life at the end of their military service.

jlr/hj/scw/jod/dr
Researchers report a new kind of malware which operates in stealth mode to "mine" cryptocurrencies has infected at least 4,000 websites including those operated by government agencies (AFP Photo/DAMIEN MEYER) (AFP/File)

Riyadh (AFP) - Increasingly sophisticated hackers possibly linked to a foreign nation aimed to disrupt key organisations in Saudi Arabia, the US-based cyber security firm McAfee said.

It did not name the possible attacker but US intelligence officials said they suspected a link to the kingdom's regional rival Iran after the Shamoon virus struck the Saudi energy sector in 2012.

Renewed Shamoon campaigns that began late last year attacked a wider range of targets including the public and financial sectors in Saudi Arabia, McAfee said in a blog post dated Tuesday.

The increase in sophistication suggests "the comprehensive operation of a nation-state," it said.

"This campaign was significantly larger, well-planned, and an intentional attempt to disrupt key organisations and the country of Saudi Arabia," McAfee's blog said.

The attackers entered their targets with phishing emails that allowed "reconnaissance" before initiating the strike which McAfee said is ongoing.

In January a senior Saudi telecommunications official was quoted as saying the kingdom's computer security systems are vulnerable to the "Shamoon 2" virus.

Among its reported victims was a division of the labour ministry.

Saudi Arabia and Iran have no diplomatic ties and support opposite sides of regional wars including in Yemen and Syria.
When it comes to smartphones, there are so many key areas that are important to users. Design, software, apps, battery life, price, and performance are all key factors, as is speed. And when it comes to speed, Samsungs new Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ are the two fastest Android phones that have been released to date. They utilize new 10nm octa-core processors, Qualcomms Snapdragon 835 in the US and Samsungs Exynos 8895 elsewhere. They also sport the most optimized version yet of the Samsung Experience, formerly known as TouchWiz.

But theres another factor that contributes to smartphone speed, and a new report suggests Samsungs just-released Galaxy S8 will smoke the iPhone 8 when its released later this year.

Don't Miss: New rumor says everything we know about the iPhone 8 release is wrong

Theres plenty we think we know about Apples upcoming iPhone 8, which is expected to be announced this September alongside new iPhone 7s and iPhone 7s Plus models.

To mark the tenth anniversary of the original iPhones release, Apple will reportedly give the iPhone a complete design overhaul. The home button will be removed from the phones face, and the screen-to-body ratio is expected to be even more impressive than the 83% achieved by Samsungs Galaxy S8 and S8+. We can also likely look forward to a new Touch ID scanner embedded in the display, new cameras on the front and back, nifty new augmented reality features, 3D scanning features, and a lightning-fast A11 processor.

But where speed is concerned, it appears as though theres one thing we shouldnt expect: Gigabit LTE.

In a speculative piece published this week, CNET noted that Apples upcoming new iPhones may not support the new faster wireless standard carriers are currently working to roll out. Dubbed Gigabit LTE because of its theoretical 1Gbps top data transfer speed, the new standard is already being tested by wireless carriers in the United States.

Samsungs new Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ include support for the new faster wireless standard, and several other Android phones that launch in 2017 will also be compatible with Gigabit LTE. Apples iPhone 8, however, may not support the faster download and upload speeds offered by Gigabit LTE.

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As CNET pointed out, Apple uses modems built by both Qualcomm and Intel in its current iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus models. Should Apple continue to utilize both suppliers, only one of the iPhone 8s modems  the Qualcomm model  will support Gigabit LTE. As a result, Apple may intentionally slow the Qualcomm model to match the performance of the Intel model, as it has allegedly done with the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus.

This is not an area where Apple should want to cede competitive ground to Google and Samsung, GlobalData analyst Avi Greengart told CNET.

Operating on the assumption that this speculation turns out to be accurate, does it really matter? Does it matter if Apple decides to cede competitive ground to it Android rivals in 2017? Probably not

Smartphone data connections arent like home internet connections, where capacity is important because multiple devices are utilizing available bandwidth. If you run a speed test on your smartphone right now, you might see speeds of 30Mbps, 40Mbps or even more. Those are blazing-fast speeds, but its only important to a degree.

First, there arent very many mobile services that are even capable of using speeds that fast  just like how large file downloads on your home computer might only hit 5Mbps even though you have a 100Mbps connection. Beyond that, any service that actually does utilize faster Gigabit LTE speeds would devour data caps in no time. What about unlimited plans? Sorry, but theyre all capped as well. The amount of full-speed data varies from one carrier to the next, but all unlimited plans include soft-caps of less than 30GB per billing period. After that, data speeds are likely to be throttled.

Down the road, next-gen technologies like Gigabit LTE and 5G will be crucial because more data-hungry services like live-streamed VR will roll out, and soft caps on unlimited data plans will be adjusted to accommodate them. But were not there yet, and we wont get there anytime this year. Keep that in mind when Apple unveils the iPhone 8 (or iPhone Edition, or iPhone Pro, or whatever Apple decides to call it) this coming September.

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WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The data analytics and security company Palantir Technologies Inc has agreed to pay nearly $1.7 million to resolve charges it discriminated against Asian applicants for engineering jobs at its Palo Alto, California, office, the U.S. Labor Department said on Tuesday. Palantir, a privately owned data firm best known for helping the U.S. government track down al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, entered into a consent decree under which it will pay $1.7 million back wages and other funds, including the value of stock options, to several people, the department said. The company also will offer jobs to eight people, the statement said. Palantir has disputed the Labor Department's allegations but said in a statement it agreed to settle the case in order to get on with its business. "We disagree with the allegations made by the Department of Labor. We settled this matter, without any admission of liability, in order to focus on our work. We continue to stand by our employment record and are glad to have resolved this case," Palantir said in the statement. Palantir, considered one of the most secretive firms in Silicon Valley, does highly confidential work for U.S. defense and intelligence agencies, helping them track down terrorists and uncover financial fraud. Its data mining system, which uses algorithms to search for patterns and connections, was deployed to help the government track down bin Laden. Palantir has been a party to U.S. government contracts worth more than $340 million since January 2010, according to the Labor Department's lawsuit. The company raised $880 million in funding in 2015 and was estimated to have a valuation of about $20 billion at that time, making it one of the highest-valued, venture-backed private tech companies in the world. (Reporting by Eric Beech and David Alexander; Editing by Lisa Shumaker)
Earlier this year, Samsung confirmed that its working on a Galaxy Note 8 that will be better and safer than its predecessor. That was a clear indication Samsung would not abandon the Note brand after the Galaxy Note 7 battery disaster. But there is still some question as to when Samsung will actually announce and release the new Note 8.

Don't Miss: The iPhone 8 should be the biggest phone launch ever, thanks to Apples user base

Samsung may have blamed the structural integrity of its Galaxy Note 7 batteries for the fires, but thats only part of the story. Samsungs ambitions to have a significantly bigger battery inside the Galaxy Note 7, and to launch the product a lot earlier than the iPhone 7 series, were both factors that contributed to the phablets demise.

With that in mind, we cant help but wonder how Samsung will handle this years Galaxy Note 8 launch.

IFA Executive Director Jens Heithecker told reporters on Saturday that hed like to see the Galaxy Note 8 unveiled at IFA 2017 in Berlin. The original Note was unveiled at IFA 2011, and Samsung chose the same consumer electronics event to launch the Note 2, 3, and 4 in the years that followed. Then, Samsung went for standalone shows for the Note 5 and Note 7, as it tried to better position the phones launch to compete against Apples iPhones.

My personal perspective is that IFA would be the better place (to unveil the new Note smartphone), Heithecker said at an IFA press conference, according to The Korea Times. The big advantage is that we have a lot of media and journalists from all around the world in Berlin. It is not possible to bring them all together in other cities wherever it is, in August. Thats our offer.

The exec added that Samsung will have the biggest presentation at the event, scheduled for September 1-6, without providing any details about it.

Apple will probably unveil its new iPhone 8 and iPhone 7s phones during the second week of September. Itll be interesting to see how Samsung chooses to compete against the iPhone this year. Some Galaxy Note 8 reports claim the phone is already in the making, and that Samsung is eying a fourth-quarter launch.

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A Boston Dynamics Spot robot -- speakers at the TED conference believe in the future intelligent machines will help humans look after the elderly (AFP Photo/Glenn CHAPMAN)

Vancouver (AFP) - Intelligent machines of the future will help restore memory, mind your children, fetch your coffee and even care for aging parents.

It will all be part of a brave new world of the not-so-distant future, in which innovative smart machines, rather than being the undoing of people -- as some have long feared -- actually enhance humans.

That was the vision outlined at the prestigious TED Conference by experts who say technology will allow people to take on tasks they might only have dreamed of in the past.

"Super-intelligence should give us super-human abilities," Tom Gruber, head of the team responsible for Apple's Siri digital assistant, said during an on-stage talk Tuesday night.

- Smarter machines, smarter humans -

"As machines get smarter, so do we," Gruber said.

"Artificial intelligence can enable partnerships where each human on the team is doing what they do best," he told the popular technology conference.

Gruber, a co-creator of Siri and artificial intelligence research at Apple, told of being drawn to the field three decades ago by the potential for technology to meet people's needs.

"I am happy to see that the idea of an intelligent personal assistant is mainstream," he said.

Now he has set his sights on smart machines, and is turning the thinking about the technology on its head.

"Instead of asking how smart we can make our machines, let's ask how smart our machines can make us," Gruber said.

Already smart personal assistants are taking hold, pioneered by the likes of Apple's Siri.

South Korean giant Samsung created Bixby to break into the surging market for voice-activated virtual assistants, which includes Amazon's Alexa, Google's Assistant and Microsoft's Cortana.

Amazon appears to have impacted the sector the most with its connected speakers using Alexa. The service allows users a wide range of voice interactions for music, news, purchases and connects with smart home devices.

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- Remembering everything -

Gruber envisions artificial intelligence -- AI -- getting even more personal, perhaps augmenting human memory.

"Human memory is famously flawed -- like, where did the 1960s go and can I go there too?" Gruber quipped.

He spoke of a future in which artificial intelligence remembers everyone met during a lifetime and details of everything someone read, heard, said or did.

"From the tiniest clue it could help you retrieve anything you've seen or heard before," he said.

"I believe AI will make personal memory enhancement a reality; I think it's inevitable."

Such memories would need to be private, with people choosing what to keep, and be kept absolutely secure, he maintained.

- Surefooted robots -

Boston Dynamics robotics company founder Marc Raibert was at TED with a four-legged SpotMini robot nimble enough to frolic amid the conference crowd.

He smiled but would not comment when asked by AFP about the potential to imbue the gadget with the kind of artificial intelligence described by fellow speakers.

Raibert did, however, note that the robots are designed to be compatible with new "user interfaces."

Current virtual assistants have been described as a step into an era of controlling computers by speaking instead of typing or tapping screens.

"I think it won't be too long before we're using robots to take care of our parents, or help our children take care of us," Raibert said.

- The 'gorilla problem' -

Not everyone at TED embraced the idea of a future in which machines are smarter and more capable than humans, however.

Stuart Russell, a University of California at Berkeley computer sciences professor, referred to the situation as the "gorilla problem" in that when smarter humans came along it boded ill for evolutionary ancestors.

"This queasy feeling that making something smarter than your own species is not a good idea," said Russell, co-author of the book Artificial Intelligence: A Modern Approach.

As an AI researcher he supported research in the technology.

Russell now advocates programming machines with robotic laws to govern their behavior -- and ensure cannot end up working against human interests.

He gave the example of a robot being told to simply fetch coffee.

A machine not constrained by proper principles might decide that accomplishing the task required it to defend against being shut down and remove all obstacles from its path by whatever means necessary.

Russell counseled robot principles including altruism, humility, and making a priority of human values.

"You are probably better off with a machine that is like this," Russell said.

"It is a first step in human compatibility with AI."
By Elias Biryabarema KAMPALA (Reuters) - Uganda's high court sent a jailed academic and critic of veteran President Yoweri Museveni back to prison on Wednesday and cleared the way for a compulsory mental examination, her lawyer told Reuters. Stella Nyanzi, a university research fellow and lecturer, has been incarcerated more than two weeks since the East African country charged her with electronic communications offences. The offences stem from posts on her popular Facebook page where she has criticized Museveni and his wife for breaking an election pledge to offer free sanitary pads to schoolgirls. Museveni's wife is Uganda's education minister. The academic appeared at the high court to seek bail after a lower court refused to hear the case. She also wanted the high court to stop the lower magistrate's court considering the state's request to order a mental examination for her. Eron Kiiza, one of Nyanzi's lawyers, told Reuters the judge ordered the magistrate's court to hear her bail application, and sent her back to prison until May 10. "The high court did also say the... proceedings for her mental examination should continue and be expedited," Kiiza said. When she was initially charged, state prosecutors asked the court to order a mental examination. Nyanzi's legal team objected to the request and one of her attorneys has said authorities are aiming to have the academic declared "a fool, a mad person" which would qualify her to be confined as a mental patient. Rights activists and government critics say Museveni, 72, in power for more than three decades, is increasingly intolerant of dissent and also accuse him of widespread rights violations. Opposition protests in Uganda are routinely broken up with teargas, arrests and beatings. Nyanzi's Facebook posts, which often mix government criticism with sexual profanities, have earned her wide support among Ugandan opposition supporters. According the charge sheet, the state accuses her among others of calling Museveni a "a pair of buttocks" and his wife "empty-brained." (Reporting by Elias Biryabarema; editing by Duncan Miriri and Ralph Boulton)
MarketWatch

To attract new customers, many banks are now offering lucrative cash bonuses  anywhere from $100 to $2,000  for simply moving money into their various savings and checking accounts. A recent Reddit thread highlighted dozens of first-hand accounts of people earning thousands of dollars by moving their money to various bank accounts to get the bonuses, and then moving on. Indeed, you may simply be better off with a high-interest savings account as many of those are paying more than they have in a decade (see some of the best savings account rates you can get now here).
Twitter has highlighted progress against extremist content in its latest transparency report.

The British government has complained to Twitter over a block on access to data from the social network, which it was reportedly using to track potential terror attacks, officials said Wednesday.

"The government has protested against this decision and is in ongoing discussions with Twitter to attempt to get access to this data," a Home Office spokesman said.

Prime Minister Theresa May's spokesman declined to specify exactly what the data was and why it was important, saying only that "we wish to have access to this information".

But he told reporters: "The fight against terrorism is not just one for the police and the security services. Social media and tech companies have a role to play."

The Daily Telegraph newspaper reported that the government had been tracking terms related to potential terror attacks via a third-party firm, but this had now been blocked.

In a blog posting in November, Twitter executive Chris Moody said the firm encouraged developers to create products that used real-time data from the social network "in the public interest", for example tracking emergencies and natural disasters.

"Recent reports about Twitter data being used for surveillance, however, have caused us great concern," he wrote.

He said that tracking or profiling protesters or activists was "absolutely unacceptable and prohibited", including via Twitter's application software programmes.

"We prohibit developers using the Public APIs and Gnip data products from allowing law enforcement -- or any other entity -- to use Twitter data for surveillance purposes. Period," he said.
By Ruth Anderah

Kampala High Court Judge Elizabeth Kabanda has blocked journalist from covering the bail hearing of Dr Stella Nyanzi .

Dr Nyanzi, a research fellow at Makerere University is accused of cyber harassment and offensive communication. She is currently inside the Judges Chambers alongside her lawyers led by Nicholas Opiyo and State Attorneys.

Dr Nyanzi is challenging the manner in which she was remanded to Luzira Prison, on 10th this month by Buganda Road Court chief magistrate James Ereemye Mawanda without entertaining her bail application.

Local and International media are currently packed in the corridor leading to Justice Kabandas Chambers which are tightly guarded by officers of the Counter Terrorism Squad.

In other related News

High Court Judge Elizabeth Kabanda set this afternoon to rule on whether Dr. Stella Nyanzi is subject to a mental checkup.

Earlier this month prosecution led by Jonathan Muwaganya asked Buganda road court to make an order sending Nyanzi for a medical checkup, to know her mental status, which she challenged.

Prosecution says they heard information that Dr. Nyanzis medical status is not stable and that she was once on mental treatment at Butabika Hospital.

The judge is also to rule on an application filed by Dr.Nyanzi seeking a review on the conduct of Buganda Road Court chief magistrate James Eryemye to remand her to Luzira prison without entertaining her bail application.

In this session Justice Kabanda blocked all journalists from covering the proceedings.

Dr Nyanzi, a research fellow at Makerere University is accused of cyber harassment and offensive communication.

She has been on remand since 10th April 2017.

Related Stories.

Controversial Dr Nyanzi arrested

DP calls for the release of Nyanzi and all charges dropped

Journalists blocked from Nyanzi bail hearing
By Ruth Anderah

The court of Appeal has upheld the high court decision that nullified the election of FDCs Apollo Kantinti as the Kyadondo East Constituency Member of Parliament.

Three justices ; Richard Buteera, Cheborion Balishaki and Paul Mugamba have unanimously agreed with High court Judge Henry Kaweesa that there was non-compliance of Electoral laws on the side of the Electoral Commission while conducting the said election which affected the result in a substantial manner.

The justices have ruled that after a careful re-evaluation of the evidence on record, they have also come to a conclusion that it was not clear exactly who won the Kyadondo East constituency election since results from 9 polling stations were not included in the final tally.

They added that because of this, over 5000 voters were disenfranchised when their cast votes were not given the same weight like others in the final tally.

The court of Appeal has now ordered the EC to conduct fresh elections.

NRMs Sitenda Sebalu contested Kantintis election in the High court Kampala on grounds that the Electoral commission had conducted the said election in an improper manner.

Kantinti and the Electoral Commission having been dissatisfied with the High court decision, petitioned the court of Appeal.

They have now been ordered to pay costs to Sebalu both in the Court of Appeal and the High court.
By Damali Mukhaye.

The Democratic Party president Nobert Mao has challenged the Inspector General of Police Kale Kayihura to investigate and expose the opposition leaders he claims are behind the hit men that are terrorizing citizens in different parts of the country.

While addressing the media yesterday Kayihura said they had started investigating the possible links between increasing crimes committed by machete-wielding men and some opposition politicians.

However, speaking to journalists at City House today, Mao said govt was hoodwinking the public into believing that the opposition leaders were behind these numerous attacks.

He added that although the opposition leaders are working on overthrowing the current regime, they are using peaceful means.

Mao has thus challenged the police chief to produce evidence to back his claims.
By Ruth Anderah

Makerere University Researcher Fellow Dr.Stella Nyanzi is to stay on remand at Luzira prison until Buganda Road Court hears and determines the states application to have her subjected to a mental check-up.

This is after Justice Elizabeth Kabanda of the High Court ruled that the outcome of this application is crucial to the exercise of Stella Nyanzis right to apply for bail.

However, Justice Kabanda has faulted Chief Magistrate James Eremye Mawanda for refusing to entertain Dr.Nyanzis bail application soon after taking her plea on charges of cyber harassment and offensive communication.

The judge emphasized that the magistrate has powers to hear an application inquiring into a suspects mental status; thus declining to strike out the states application.

She has thus ordered that the magistrate expeditiously hears the said application.

Dr. Stella Nyanzi has now been sent back to Luzira prison until May 10th when she returns to Buganda Road Court.

Related Stories .

Controversial Dr Nyanzi arrested

Amnesty International call for the immediate release of Nyanzi

DP calls for the release of Nyanzi and all charges dropped

High court criminal division orders Buganda Road court to forward Stella Nyanzi case file
Ugandans detained in China on drug related cases risk facing execution in line with Chinese laws after government efforts to have them deported and detained here hit a snug.

According to the Foreign Affairs Ministry, there are about 120 Ugandans in Chinas prisons and 73 of these are on death row.

While appearing before the Foreign Affairs Committee of Parliament this afternoon, Foreign Affairs Minister Sam Kuteesa said government is still negotiating to have Ugandans serve their sentences from home.

The Minister however says that not much progress been made so far, due to differences in the judicial systems.
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KENDALLVILLE  Twenty local students from Impact Institute placed in the top three in state competitions last weekend, and seven will advance to the SkillsUSA National competition and conference June 19-24 in Louisville, Kentucky.

A total of 74 students representing Impacts 13 member high schools traveled to Indianapolis to participate in the SkillsUSA Indiana State Skills and Leadership Competition and Conference on Friday and Saturday. More than 1,000 students from Indiana competed.

These Impact students, listed by their high schools, are headed to the national contest after winning gold medals at the state competition:

 Camdin Jewell of DeKalb in welding sculpture;

 Maggie Ingledue of Hamilton, Ruby Redinger of Eastside and Austin Mullins of Lakeland in engineering technology;

 Nichole Coburn of East Noble in technical drafting;

 Austin Voigt of DeKalb in marine service technology; and

 Brookelynn Jarnagin of Garrett in nurse assisting.

These Impact students earned silver and bronze medals at the state competition:

 Sherry Simmons of Churubusco, silver, and Maddison Ford of DeKalb, bronze, in nurse assisting;

 Junior Custer and Kerrigan Knott of Garrett and Riley Basinger of Churubusco, silver medals, and Wyatt Hicks of Central Noble, Avery Elswick of Prairie Heights and Jacob Jett of Central Noble, bronze medals, all in welding fabrication;

 Christian Roose of Lakeland, bronze in restaurant service;

 Kelsey Coburn of East Noble and Jerico Harden of Hamilton, bronze in audio/radio production;

 Aliviah Sweeney of Angola, bronze in commercial baking; and

 Cassie Richmond of East Noble, bronze in nail care.
AUBURN  Sen. Dennis Kruse, R-Auburn, went home happy when the 2017 Indiana General Assembly ended early Saturday morning.

Kruse said he voted in favor of every major bill that passed this years session of the Legislature.

Key topics included highway funding, the state budget and issues involving education. Kruse chairs the Senate committee on education.

Legislators boosted funding for schools, expanded free preschool for low-income families and set in motion a plan to replace the unpopular ISTEP exams for students.

An increase in taxes to pay for roads got the most attention this year. A 10-cent increase in the tax on each gallon of gasoline will take effect July 1, increasing by a penny in each of the next seven years. Sales tax on gasoline will be phased into the highway budget.

Legislators approved adding $250 million for local government to maintain roads and streets. Kruse calls it the biggest increase they have seen in my career at the Statehouse, which dates back to 1989.

State highways will get an additional $400 million per year, increasing to double that amount over the next few years, he said.

We give the governor the authority to create toll roads in Indiana in the highway bill, Kruse said. State officials are considering Interstate 65 and Interstate 70 for tolls, he added. A third lane would be added in each direction, and tolls might be charged for driving in the additional express lane, instead of for all lanes.

I think we had an excellent two-year budget, which really wasnt touted as much as it could have been, Kruse said. The balanced budget should leave $1.9 billion in reserve at the end of two years.

The biggest increase in the budget is K-12 education, which gets $345 million on new money, he said. State universities get an extra $97 million.

The states My Way Pre-K program gets an extra $9 million. A pilot program now serving five counties will expand to additional counties, yet to be selected, which must be primarily rural.

For families outside the pilot counties, $1 million will pay for a computer-based UpStart program that is designed for parents to spend 15 minutes a day with 4-year-olds in their homes.

They seem to have just amazing results doing that in Utah, Kruse said about UpStart. Its designed to help low-income, rural people who dont have internet service and dont have a computer. The program pays for a computer and internet.

A new ILEARN test will replace ISTEP for grades 3-8 in the 2018-2019 school year, Kruse said. Taking the test will require less time.

We want the results back quicker, Kruse said. A bill requires results by Aug. 15 in 2019 and by July 1 in 2020. Last year, ISTEP results came in November, which he called unacceptable.

High school students will replace ISTEP with new end-of-course assessments that take much less time. The new tests will serve as graduation qualifying exams. However, the bill also creates several alternate ways to qualify for a high school diploma  including three methods designed for vocational students.

The state now will pay for the SAT and ACT college-entrance exams, saving money for parents. It still will cost less than current testing methods, Kruse said.

Also for children, the state budget adds $200 million for hiring more social workers.

With the drug problems, all the things that are happening, there are more kids out there that need services, Kruse said.

Legislators passed about a dozen bills seeking to combat problems with illegal drugs and addiction to prescription pain drugs, he said. The governor is authorized to hire a director to deal with drug issues.

If Kruse has any disappointments, its that only one bill dealing with pro-life issues made it through the Legislature.

We did pass one gun bill, he said. If a person is covered by a courts protective order, you can get a gun permit for a concealed weapon right away instead of waiting, he said. The person also may carry a handgun without a license for 60 days after the civil protection order is issued 60 days after the person applies for a license to carry a handgun,

A bill that would have ended the need for a permit to carry a handgun did not pass, but the issue will be studied later this year.

Kruse defended passage of a bill that allows taking DNA samples from people arrested on felony charges.

f youre found innocent, you have a method to have it expunged and taken out of the records, he said. Most people refer to this as the modern-day fingerprinting. Weve had fingerprinting on arrests for decades.

Kruse voted for a bill that would close a loophole that enabled two convenience stores to obtain permits to sell cold beer.

I normally dont vote for alcohol bills, because I dont want expansion of alcohol sales in Indiana, Kruse said. He supported the bill because It put a stop to the expansion of the convenience stores getting into the cold beer business.
AUBURN  A DeKalb County jury deliberated for about an hour Thursday afternoon before convicting a Kendallville man of sex crimes he committed more than 20 years ago at homes in Garrett.

After a two-day trial in DeKalb Superior Court I, Floyd Sells, 48, of the 10000 block of North S.R. 3, was found guilty of rape, a Class A felony; criminal deviate conduct, a Class A felony; and child molesting, a Class B felony. The charges involved three victims.

The rape and criminal deviate conduct charges took place between July 1987 and October 1998. The victims were ages 5-16 and 7-17 respectively during that time period.

The child molesting offense took place in the summer of 1995, when the victim was age 5.

Sells also had been accused of a second count of criminal deviate conduct, using or threatening the use of force, but that charge was dismissed midway through the trial after the alleged victim testified Sells had not threatened her on those instances.

The victims of the rape and criminal deviate conduct offenses testified Sells threatened to kill them and members of their family if they did not comply. The child-molesting victim testified Sells had threatened to kill her and members of her family if she told anyone.

Did you believe him? DeKalb County Prosecutor ClaraMary Winebrenner asked the rape victim.

Well yes! the woman said.

The victim of criminal deviate conduct testified that Sells had sexually assaulted him hundreds of times. The victim testified that on some occasions, Sells had used a shotgun to threaten him to comply, and one time had placed the gun inside the victims mouth. He said Sells also had placed a knife to his neck, threatening to slice his throat if he told anyone.

He testified he had believed Sells threats, as Sells previously had commented that he was not afraid of going to jail. He said Sells had said that being a murderer ran through his veins.

The man said he told police about the offenses in 2015, but had told other people before then, including a psychologist, social worker and counselor.

The victim of child molesting said she told her parents that she had been molested in the form of a written note, 10 years after the incident.

During the trial, Indiana State Police Detective Lesley Fox testified she received information about the alleged molestation in 2015. She contacted the victim, who then told police what had happened. The victim of the criminal deviate contact then contacted Fox, which led to her learning about the third victim, the jury heard.

This just sort of unfolded, DeKalb County Prosecutor ClaraMary Winebrenner said of how the case came to light.

Sells did not call any witnesses in his defense. During closing arguments, Sells attorney, Kevin Likes, suggested the victims testimony was not believable and no other witnesses or evidence had been presented to confirm their statements.

Theres nobody that has come in to confirm that this occurred in any possible way, he said.

No other witnesses testified they had seen the offenses taking place, even though the homes in which they allegedly were committed were small and other people were in the homes, Likes added.

Its not conceivable, Likes said. Its just not believable that that could happen.

Why would they disclose this abuse when they were told they would be killed if they did? Winebrenner countered. This is not an incredible account. Its a realistic account.

Sells will be sentenced May 19 at 2 p.m. A Class A felony carries a possible penalty of 20-50 years in prison and a Class B is punishable by a penalty of 6-20 years.
This semester, Whitman College student Anna Therese Brown of Chaseburg spent time teaching civil rights in Walla Walla, Washington, elementary schools through the Whitman Teaches the Movement initiative.

Brown attended training sessions and then, along with a classmate, lead a 45-minute lesson on civil rights history. The lesson was age-appropriate and based on curricula developed by the Teaching Tolerance project, history teachers and organizations that specialize in teaching history. The program includes lessons on immigration, the Greensboro sit-ins, Jackie Robinson, feminism in the civil rights movement, and Martin Luther King Jr.

The program is also being used as a model for schools across the country. The University of Washington, Seattle University and Whitworth University have all implemented similar programs modeled after Whitmans own.

Brown is a graduate of Central High School.
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Transportation, employment, education and conservation continue to be on the minds of area residents as they look at Wisconsins plans for the next two years.

About a dozen residents from the Holmen and Mindoro areas attended a listening session held at the Holmen Village Hall April 17 to give input and get more information about Gov. Scott Walkers proposed budget for 2017-19.

The listening session was hosted by Representative Steve Doyle, 94th Assembly District, and State Senator Jennifer Shilling, 32nd Senate District. The two state legislators have been holding listening sessions in various parts of their districts to get feedback about the proposed budget.

The 989-page document is currently being reviewed by the states Joint Finance Committee. Doyle and Shilling told attendees the JFC has whittled down the document by removing all entries that couldnt be categorized as revenue and expenditure items.

All policy items are out, said Doyle. There were 83 items; its the largest number of policy items taken out of any budget.

The legislators pointed out, though, the policies removed from the budget arent necessarily dead; any number of them could become stand-alone bills.

Doyle also told those attending the listening session the JFC will be starting from scratch on the transportation budget rather than working off the governors proposal.

The topics constituents brought before the legislators at the listening session ranged from transportation, education, conservation, broadband expansion and campaign financing reform.

This budget is a rural budget, said Doyle. The governor is looking at more money for out-state. Its make-up time for our part of Wisconsin, but were not certain whether its window-dressing or real.

Both Doyle and Shilling expressed the opinion the budget was part of a strategy the governor is using to get elected to another term.

This is a re-election budget, said Shilling. The governor has held private listening sessions around the state. Hes getting more push-back from his own party, but hes put himself in a box and is rigid in his positions.

Transportation

Listening session attendee Dennis Gerke expressed concerns about the condition of the states roadways, saying they have become unsafe.

There are so many potholes and rough roads, its dangerous for motorcyclists, said Gerke. The money has to come out of somewhere. Its time to pay the piper.

Although, recent reports show an increase in anticipated revenues into state coffers, with the governor proposing to direct those funds toward transportation, Doyle said the increased revenues would pave about one-fifth of a mile of roadway. The governor has also said he would postpone some major projects.

The legislators agreed that the transportation issue will likely take the longest to resolve.

Workers rights

Gerke also raised issues regarding legislation regulating employment, bargaining and construction project negotiations.

I see a lot of bad things (in proposed legislation), said Gerke. Its terrible for the working people. It seems like they hate us except when they want our money.

Shilling pointed out the majority party has passed legislation in past sessions that have not supported workers and unions.

They are chipping away at workers with the Right to Work and Act 10 (legislation), said Shilling. Unions use dues to train workers and negotiate working conditions.

Education

Doyle indicated the JFC would likely expand the voucher system and allocate more funds away from public schools. He described the situation as a downward spiral of support for public education.

Doyle explained education is a core state responsibility which makes it attractive to businesses wanting to cash in on the education dollars the state provides. He and Shilling pointed out private schools receiving taxpayer dollars arent required to meet the same standards as public schools.

Voucher school students are getting more funding per pupil (than public school students), said Shilling. Those supporting vouchers argue that its a matter of parental choice, but the voucher schools dont have the same accountability (as public schools).

She pointed out the results of school referendums held in recent years indicate rural taxpayers are willing to tax themselves to support their public schools.

Environment

Tom Brindley of Mindoro asked how much influence the Wisconsin Conservation Congress has on state representatives decisions regarding environmental issues.

Its supposed to be that we take our cues from the Conservation Congress, said Doyle. But now, its a matter of the issues coming from the top down and that doesnt reflect what were seeing from the Conservation Congress, from the street or in our email inboxes.

Back in the day, the Congress carried more weight, said Shilling. Legislators now see it as advisory.

Shilling indicated she supports having the Department of Natural Resources secretary chosen by a nonpartisan board instead of as a gubernatorial appointee.

The two legislators also stated they opposed the high capacity wells bill recently passed by the Senate and sent to the Assembly for review and possible passage.

Its not a bill we like, said Doyle. It will have serious consequences in the future. Its worse in the Central Sands area. If the wells are draining lakes, residents are told, You can dig a deeper well to fill the lake. Its Big Ag verses property owners, small farmers and sportsmen.

Shilling said she opposed the bill because the bill would allow a limited number of businesses unequal use of the states water resources.

It flies in the face of fairness if someone is allowed to monopolize the water in an area, said Shilling. The state waters are public. Geologists say the state has plenty of water, but that operations have to be properly located.

Broadband expansion

Brindley also asked about funding to expand internet broadband connection. We need funding to get providers to become interested, said Brindley.

Shilling said theres $35 million in the proposed budget for extending broadband lines into underserved areas.

I would like to see double that amount, said Shilling. Minnesota is running circles around us. It (internet connection) should be treated as a utility. Its one of the great equalizers for rural communities. Many rural areas still have dial-up (connection).

Running the infrastructure for broadband internet access to less populated areas is unattractive to service providers because the low numbers of customers. The last mile is the most expensive, said Shilling.

The legislators were also asked about assistance to farmers whove been told they wont have buyers for their milk at the end of the month. Shilling said the issue is a federal matter and Congressional members are working to find a resolution.

The state legislators were also asked how the funds in the budget were allocated.

A lot depends on where you are in the queue, that will determine how much youll get, said Doyle. If youre high on the list, youre likely to get more than if you are down toward the bottom.

Doyle and Shilling indicated they welcome input from their constituents. Doyle can be reached by email to rep.doyle@legis.wisconsin.gov or by calling (toll free) 800-534-0094. Shilling can be contacted by emailing at Sen.Shilling@legis.wisconsin.gov or by calling (toll free) 800-385-3385.
Tom Dybings career followed no set path as it crossed through the fields of farming and appraising, eventually procuring the role of Houston County Assessor.

He retired at the end of last month after nearly 23 years in the position.

After Dybing received a business degree from what is now Waldorf University in Forest City, Iowa, and briefly attended the University of Minnesota-St. Paul, he returned to his hometown Lanesboro, Minn. to help his father take care of the familys farm.

It was during the Vietnam War and Minneapolis was getting a little crazy, he said. There were lots of demonstrations going on.

When Dybing returned, a friend suggested that he take classes to work as an appraiser on the side.

It was tough times, he said. We were struggling to make money.

Dybings career as an appraiser had a short beginning, when he applied for the assessor position in Fillmore County.

I ended up getting hired in Houston County, he said. My background definitely helped me with talking with the farmers. I kind of knew how to talk the talk. I think they were more comfortable.

Dybings first day as assessor was June 13, 1994.

I remember the date because my birthday is on the 15th, he said. Also, on work that Monday, the Nicole Brown Simpson murder was everywhere.

As assessor, Dybing helped create the fair market value for every property in the county. Since Houston County is rural, the majority of properties Dybing worked with were agricultural or recreationalland used for recreational activities like hunting.

The values determined by the assessors office effect property taxes and are stored in the sales study. The state of Minnesota requires assessors to review each property in person every five years.

The role of assessor requires years of certification classes. Dybing has the final level of education which is the Senior Accredited Minnesota Assessor.

Each day varies depending on whats going, Dybing said. You could be dealing with the transfer of property from seller to buyer and then entering that into the software programs.

When the assessor reviews property in person they look for many things including signs of aging, the correct square footage and the quality of the land.

According to Dybing, the state of Minnesotas legislature can be a source of frustration.

An example is Minnesotas 55 different classifications for property. The national average is five classifications and 62 percent of states have less than five classifications.

Actively involved with Minnesota legislature, Dybing testified in St. Paul multiple times as the agriculture chair for the Minnesota Association of Assessing Officers.

Dybing retired on March 31, 2017, at 68 years old. His wife Carol still works as a nurse at the Olmsted Medical Clinic. He has three children in Rochester and five grandchildren.

He plans to focus his time on his honey do list, and will continue to help the community by mowing the Lanesboro cemetery.

I just want to compliment the staff I worked with over the years. They always made life easy and I enjoyed working with them, he said. It was also easy to work with the property owners in Houston County. Part of what makes it easy is when you listen to them and find out their issues they really listen to you.

Dybing also thanked the other offices in Houston County and the county commissioners.
The Houston County Fair Board Building Committee has plans for a new livestock building after having trouble effectively housing animals last year.

The group presented its plan for a new livestock building at the Houston County Board of Commissioners Meeting. The commissioners kept a fairly short schedule approving both a 2017 federal water patrol grant and the resignation of Greta Mierau.

Although informally discussed at previous county board meetings, the appointment at the April 18 meeting was the first time that the committee presented its plans to the board.

The sheep barn was taken down a couple of years ago, said Mark Jennings of the fair board building committee. The tent that we had put up last year blew down.

The new building would allow the fair board to take down the existing swine barn and other smaller barns.

It would house the beef cattle and the dairy cattle and the swine. Basically all the animals and the show ring, Jennings said.

The committee has begun exploring the use of a designer. The new building would be on county property and has an estimated cost of about $350,000 and $400,000.

I understand that the fair isnt breaking even now? Where will the money come from? Commissioner Jack Miller asked.

Houston County Fair Vice-President Elden Pohlman responded that the group was working on changing their tax status to 501C3 to apply for grants.

Last year, because of the rains, a lot of the county fairs in the area did not do so well, he said. We have quite a few donors already interested.

When it is the county fairs off-season, the committee plans to use the building to store RVs, campers and buses.

The fair already has 26 six-by-six-foot portable galvanized pens with another 24 hopefully coming in from a grant.

In preparation for this years county fair, the sheep will be in the horse arena.

Because the committee was just informing the board of their intention, there was no action taken.

Emergencies

During the commissioner reports, Commissioner Justin Zmyewski expressed misgivings about the emergency management director position.

I want to gingerly walk around it but when we discussed the potential for contracted court security the sheriff put up roadblocks, he said. And for the emergency management director, we have a qualified person in the sheriffs office who we paid for their training. We have not been given the information fully.

Commissioner Scott Connor responded that he did not want to discuss hearsay but that he heard the person in question paid for their own training.

The county is currently reviewing applications for a part-time emergency management director after the board approved the search. It was decided that at the April 25 commissioners meeting sheriff Mark Inglett and human resources director Tess Arrick-Kruger would be asked to attend to answer the commissioners questions.

In Other News

The board approved the resignation of Greta Mierau, a WIC peer breastfeeding counselor. As of now, there are no plans to replace the position due to external funding.

The Houston County Sheriffs Offices 2017 federal water patrol grant was approved by the board. The grant gives the office $5,000 to cover the cost of additional boating safety patrol.

Before the 5:30 p.m. meeting the board held a special meeting at the Erickson Mine in Houston. The meeting was to view the mine, as it will be the main topic of discussion at the April 25 public hearing.
Earlier this month, as I finished filing and paying our familys federal taxes, I came across a video clip of President Trump speaking in February at a meeting with airline executives. In the video, Trump promises hell be lowering the overall tax burden of American businesses, big league.  Were going to be announcing something I would say over the next two or three weeks that will be phenomenal in terms of tax.

It was vintage Trump, crowing about what he sees as his ability to accomplish great things. What was striking was that his promise of tax relief  something most Americans would love to see  was being directed not to middle-class taxpayers, but to executives of an industry whose 2016 international profits were $35.6 billion.

Trump wants us to believe that pouring even more money into the likes of Delta, American and United Airlines will lead to job growth in our cities and towns. Americans know better.

And Trump clearly believes that being wealthy confers no obligation to pay a reasonable share of taxes, and that he deserves to be excused from the tax responsibilities that ordinary Americans bear.

Trump was confronted about this by Hillary Clinton in a September 2016 debate: Maybe he doesnt want the American people, all of you watching tonight, to know that hes paid nothing in federal taxes, because the only years that anybodys ever seen were a couple of years when he had to turn them over to state authorities when he was trying to get a casino license, and they showed he didnt pay any federal income tax,. He responded: That makes me smart. A strong majority of Americans disagree, with 67 percent endorsing the word selfish, and 61 percent calling it unpatriotic.

For the last decade, the top 10 percent of Americans took in as much income as the lowest 90 percent combined. Those in the very top 1 percent  earning about $1.4 million a year or more  are getting most of the countrys income growth.

For those at the top of the pyramid, acquiring necessities  basic food, clothing, and shelter  costs only a small fraction of what they earn. True tax reform would eliminate many deductions and loopholes for the financially privileged, and relieve the burden on those with lower incomes.

This isnt what Donald Trump has in mind. Business Insider reports that the administration has a strategy to keep their tax plan details under wraps at least until August. That will give plenty of time to lobbyists for corporate interests to help craft a bill to shift taxes away from large corporations, and toward middle class and working class individuals.

Ordinary Americans who hope to see their taxes reduced are likely to be very disappointed.

Paul Ryan told a national television audience in February that the House will be working on revenue-neutral tax reform. This is government terminology for tax changes without tax reduction, a shifting of tax burden from one group to another. The indications from Trump are that he wants large corporations and jet-setters to get the bulk of the tax breaks, leaving middle class, working class and low-income Americans to pick up the slack.

The fact that Trump is concealing his tax returns from 2006 to the present speaks volumes. Trump is the first president elected since the Watergate scandal who has refused to make his recent returns public. His secrecy means that Americans will not be able to sort out how much entanglement the Trump family businesses have had with Russia and other world powers, and to what extent his proposals may be slanted toward self-gain rather than tax relief for those who need it.

Americans need to demand two simple things. First, that Congress refuse to consider tax-rate revision until Trump releases his returns for the last decade. Second, any changes in the tax code must be favorable to those who truly need relief: middle class and working class Americans, along with owners of family farms and small businesses.

In his address to Congress at the end of February, Trump promised We will provide massive tax relief for the middle class. This is the same man who made a campaign promise to take care of the health insurance needs of all, only to push a bill designed to take away health insurance away from 24 million Americans. As the old saying goes Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me.
The Community Partner Advisory Group (CPAG), started in Jackson County in 2005 as part of a state-wide initiative, brings together community members with UW-Extension to talk about the issues, concern, and ideas that are being discussed in communities around Jackson County.

CPAG in Jackson County has continued to generate programs from the ideas brought to the table.

One of those ideas was the GreenLifeXpo as a result of CPAG members wanting to address the interest of information on sustainable living.

The next CPAG meeting will take place Tuesday, May 23, and you are invited to join UW-Extension staff and community members at the Jackson County UW-Extension Office at 5 p.m. for a light supper followed by an open discussion on nEXT Generation, the reorganization of UW-Extension in Wisconsin.

The staff will share how staffing and programing structures are evolving at the state and county levels.

State-level committees made up of county, regional and state colleagues welcome feedback and so join in this opportunity to have a voice and vision in how the reorganization continues to develop.

This time for questions and answers will wrap up at 7 p.m.

The group is asking those interested to call in prior to May 23 for a reservation so that they can plan for the meal. Walk-ins are also more than welcome to attend. Contact the Jackson County UW-Extension Office at 715-284-4257 to register or with questions.
Having clean and abundant water is something that typically isnt an issue in Wisconsin.

But to some residents that live next to sand mines, there are concerns regarding the water they pull from their well.

In an affidavit that Mike and Stacy Sylla filed in opposition to sand mines, they stated, The worst thing that happened during construction and mining was the deterioration of our water. It turned a terrible orange/brown color-thick, dirty. When we would fill our Brita water pitcher, there would be a layer of sand on the bottom. Our ice maker on our fridge quit working-the system became plugged with all the sediment.

Syllas home is about 0.6 miles from a sand mine. The day before the sand mine started blasting, his water was tested and came back clean, but a week later is when his water changed. He said that his waters iron levels changed from 0.29 milligrams per liter to about 2.6 milligrams per liter.

Dr. Kent Syverson, a geologist with the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire says it is difficult for a sand mine to directly cause such changes, but he cannot tell for sure without any data such as flow directions and water samples.

I would think it [sediment in the water] is highly unlikely to be caused by the sand mine. It is very hard to move sediment through the ground, Syverson said as he explained how water becomes ground water.

Syverson said that in order for the sand that the mine is processing to get into anyones well it would have to first travel through the soil and into the aquifer that supplies the water. This is something that is highly unlikely according to Syverson because sand does not dissolve in water.

Syverson said that as the water goes through the ground, the sand particles would be filtered from the water naturally.

A change in water doesnt necessarily mean it is caused by the mine. Local changes in the well can also cause problems, Syverson said.

Quality of groundwater

Even though large sediment particles such as sand, clay or silt are not easily transferred into the ground water, some are concerned about the products that are soluble getting into the water table, mainly water-soluble polymers such as polyacrylamide.

Polyacrylamide is used to make larger chunks of particles. Syverson said polyacrylamides are used in settlement ponds in sand mines to make larger chunks of clay, which then settle out of the water faster.

Once the clay has settled out of the water, the water can then be in the processing of the sand.

Acrylamide, which is a known neurotoxin and carcinogen, is found in trace quantities in polyacrylamides. This has caused many people to be concerned that these acrylamides are being leached into the soil.

Syverson said that is unlikely to happen because acrylamides rapidly decay. He sais, according to the U.S. EPA, 74-94 percent of the acrylamides will decay in 14 days in aerobic soils where air is present. In water-logged, anaerobic soils, 64-89 percent of acrylamides will decay in 14 days.

Syverson said that you can expect water to move an inch a day through soil, so most, if not all, of the acrylamide would decay by the time it reached the water table.

One of the latest findings was that high levels of aluminum concentrations were found in settling ponds, which has some concerned that metals could move into the groundwater. Currently, the Wisconsin DNR is studying this, focusing on process water discharges, but the study is in the early development stages.

Quality of surface water

Syverson said that the greatest concern he has with sand mines is storm water runoff.

According to the Wisconsin DNR, there were 25 violations from sand mines between Nov. 30, 2011 and Jan. 27, 2016 involving water, with most of the cases involving storm water runoff. Seven of the cases involved citations and five were requested for prosecution by the Wisconsin Department of Justice(1).

The DNR regulates these runoff events through permits and the reclamation plan. When a mine is in violation of the permit and has a runoff event, the mine is required to go through measures to bring them back into compliance.

Storm water runoff puts sediment in surface water, which makes it cloudy and can have negative impacts on the fish and wildlife in the body of water.

According to the DNR, most nonmetallic mines are designed to contain storm water runoff within the mine so that it can be controlled, but most mines are only designed to contain water from a 10- or 25-year rain event which is when a runoff event can happen.

We seem to be having more high intensity, low duration rain events which are causing the problems, Syverson said.

Syverson also notes that while runoff events are a significant problem with sand mines, the problem is not just a sand mine issue.

He said that the largest sediment runoff event in Barron County was due to road construction and that some farming practices can also lead to storm water runoff.

Water quantity

The definition of a high-capacity well system according to the Wisconsin DNR is one or more wells, drill holes or mine shafts on a property that have a combined approved pump capacity of 70 or more gallons per minute.

Most sand mines require a high-capacity well to maintain enough water for the processing of sand.

Most sand mines also use a closed-loop processing system, which means they reuse water while processing the sand. According to the DNR, this processing system on average uses about 292-1,380 gallons per minute. In these systems, water can be lost by evaporation and incorporating the water into the sand.

While most sand mines use a closed-loop processing system, an open-loop processing system can use 2,000-3,700 gallons per minute according to the DNR (2).

In an interim report of the Chippewa County Groundwater Study, researchers from the Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey-UW-Extension found that sand mines within the study area of western Chippewa County withdrew 25.88 million gallons per year per point in 2012, while irrigated agriculture withdrew 24.15 million gallons per year per point and the municipalities withdrew 19.75 gallons per year per point.

In 2013, sand mines withdrew 21.02 million gallons per year per point, irrigated agriculture withdrew 27.57 gallons per year per point and municipalities withdrew 19.77 million gallons per year per point.

Both the sand mines and municipalities had a total of five active withdrawal points in 2012 and 2013, while the irrigated agriculture had 22 points in 2012 and 25 point in 2013 (3).

The interim report noted that the total withdrawals for sand mines reduced from 2012 to 2013, which could be due to using the water more efficiently or changes in how sand is produced.

It is important to think of all water users in an area. I think it is normal and natural for people when there is a new industry or activity in town to focus on that one individual industry, but sometimes we forget about other water-intensive industries, farming practices or withdrawals for municipal use, said Mike Parsen, Chippewa County Groundwater Study researcher. Every individual use of water is going to have some impact to some degree.

The impact that high capacity wells have on the water supply have many because they can have adverse effects on smaller wells and bodies of water that are close to it.

A high capacity well can reduce the water table and make it so personal wells have to be dug deeper, Mark Davy of Davy Engineering said.

Parsen also said, The closer a well is to a stream, the greater the chance we would expect it to impact that stream. Similarly, the shallower a well would be, the more impact it would have than one that was drilled several hundred feet down.

Even with all of these reasons why it cant be sand mines, the Syllas continue to tell their story about how their well became contaminated a week after a local sand mine began blasting.

(1) Industrial Sand Mining in Wisconsin, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, June 2016.

(2) Silica Sand Mining in Wisconsin, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, January 2012.

(3) Michael J. Parsen and Madeline B. Gotkowitz, Chippewa County Groundwater Study  Interim Report, Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey and UW-Extension, March 2015.
In mid-October, the intersection of State Highway 12/27 and County Trunk A will have a shiny new Kwik Trip, which has traffic experts concerned about the amount of traffic in the intersection.

They [Wisconsin DOT] are telling me right now that with the Kwik Trip going into that intersection and with the traffic it would warrant stop and go lights, Randy Anderson said, the highway commissioner for Jackson County.

The additional Kwik Trip will significantly increase the intersection delay experienced by eastbound left turns on County Road A at Highway 12/27, said Diana Maas of the Wisconsin DOT.

Hans Zietlow, the director of real estate for Kwik Trip, expects the new Kwik Trip to bring in between 1,500-2,000 customers a day. The Wisconsin DOT estimates this will generate a total of 3,130 new trips in and out of the store each day.

Along with these new traffic signals, the turn lanes would need to be extended. This would require one of the driveways for Subway and the driveway for the Scholze Ace Home Center rental location to be removed on County Trunk A.

The traffic signal project is estimated to cost $300,000-$400,000, which is money neither the DOT nor the Jackson County Highway Department have in their budgets.

Anderson says the DOT thinks this is a local issue, so he doesnt anticipate getting funding for the project soon.

It may be a deal where Kwik Trip gets in there and gets established. We then notice that there is a problem at the intersection and maybe not, and maybe it will warrant highway safety and improvement dollars to get into there and improve that intersection, Anderson said.

Maas said that currently the intersection is eligible for getting signals, but it is not required. Since the primary impact is to County Trunk A traffic, the Wisconsin DOT feels like this is a local issue. While she did say state funding for the project may be available at a later time, she also said that the Wisconsin DOT would be willing to issue a permit for the signal if the city and/or county paid for the project to reduce the timeline.

In the meantime, the Jackson County Highway Department is requiring Kwik Trip to go down to one driveway and move it away from the intersection to help improve traffic flow in the area.

Anderson says the driveway access permit for Kwik Trip was recently approved by the Jackson County Highway Department, so construction is set to begin soon.

The new 7,000 square foot Kwik Trip is expected to employ 30 people.
WILTON  Mahlon Denter, 95, of Wilton died Monday, April 24, 2017, at Department of Veterans Affairs Tomah. Funeral service will be held 11 a.m. Friday at St. Paul Lutheran Church, Wilton, with burial in the church cemetery with military honors. Relatives and friends may call from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday and 10 a.m. to time of the service Friday, both at the church. Smith-Nelson Funeral Home of Wilton is assisting the family with the arrangements.
Bryce Anderson killed Kristen Johnsons spirit long before he took her life.

He manipulated her. He controlled her. He abused her.

I always thought he would take care of her and protect her, said Johnsons younger sister, Kayla Ellis. But he was slowly killing her from the day he met her.

On March 1, 2015, he killed her.

I cant stop thinking of the pain inflicted on her, said Johnsons mother, Alice Ellis, or how scared she must have been.

Anderson, 31, will serve life in prison for Johnsons murder under the sentence imposed Wednesday by La Crosse County Circuit Judge Elliott Levine. He is eligible to apply for release in 35 years.

This was premeditated in that he wanted to control her, Levine said.

Anderson struck Johnson, 28, with a hammer, fracturing her skull and face, cinched a belt tight around her neck, and cut her neck with a box cutter so deep that he nearly decapitated her at the couples duplex in Holmen while their two young sons were home, District Attorney Tim Gruenke said.

He is sadistic, Gruenke said.

Authorities found Johnsons body in the back of a car at their home.

They also discovered a confession letter from Anderson stating he had confronted Johnson about an affair. He tried to strangle her with a belt before she swung a hammer at him.

Anderson sent cellphone pictures of her disrobed corpse to another man and fled after the killing to Jones County, Iowa, where police arrested him the next morning when his car slid into a ditch.

Anderson pleaded guilty to first-degree intentional homicide. In exchange, prosecutors agreed not to make a sentencing recommendation.

A life sentence was mandatory, but the judge could make Anderson eligible for extended supervision after 20 years in prison.

Johnsons family asked he serve life without release, arguing Anderson stole a mother from her four children, a sister, a daughter and a friend.

Bryce scares me just like a horror movie, Johnsons 10-year-old daughter said. If he comes out of jail, he might get someone else in my family. Maybe even me.

Johnson turned an outgoing, selfless and supportive woman into a domestic violence statistic unable to fulfill the legacy she was destined to, said her brother, Brent Ellis.

Mr. Anderson sentenced Kristen to death, her mother said.

Anderson is a manipulator who tortured his girlfriend until he took her life and then tried to destroy her reputation after she was dead, Gruenke said.

Is he sorry? No, he said. I dont think he knows what that means.

Andersons aunt, the only person who spoke on his behalf, asked the judge grant him a chance for release.

This tragedy, it affected so many, Brenda Allen said. His heart breaks for his actions.

Anderson is horrified by and regrets the killing, said his attorney, Michael Covey. He asked the judge allow Anderson to apply for release at some point, citing his acceptance for the murder, limited criminal record and strong work history.

Anderson in his statement to the court apologized to Johnsons family and his own. He said his actions were frightening and that he misses Johnson, despite the fact that hes responsible for her death.
A new screening tool that theoretically can raise the breast cancer detection rate by more than 250 percent will be deployed this fall at Mayo Clinic Health System-Franciscan Healthcare in La Crosse.

Mayo-Franciscans use of the tool, developed at the Mayo Clinic Health System in Rochester, Minn., and called molecular breast imaging, was announced today at a community forum Mayo-Franciscan hosted at the Radisson Hotel in La Crosse.

Used to screen women with dense breasts, the MBI will complement the traditional detection method of mammography, said Dr. Tim Johnson, who heads Mayo-Franciscan as a regional vice president for the Mayo Clinic.

The point of this is earlier detection, Johnson said in an interview Tuesday. We know that if breast cancer is detected at an early stage, such as 1 and 2, the cure rate is about 90 percent. At stages 3 and 4, the cure rate drops dramatically, to 70 percent.

Asked whether the combination of mammograms and MBI advances health care toward a cure for cancer, Johnson said, Were not talking prevention in any way, shape or form.

However, Johnson referred to what he described as a staggering statistic emerging from two studies of MBI at Mayo in Rochester: Mammography detected 25 percent of all cancers found, while the combination of mammography and MBI detected 91 percent.

The MBI-mammography combo increased detection of all breast cancers, including invasive and noninvasive, by more than 250 percent and the discovery of invasive cancers by 363 percent, according to the study findings. Breast cancer is the second-most-common cause of cancer deaths among women.

The main breakthrough with the MBI is the ability to detect cancers that might be hidden by background breast density on a mammogram, said Dr. Deborah Rhodes, a breast diagnosis consultant at Mayo in Rochester who helped develop the BMI and addressed the La Crosse forum.

Breast density, which exists in roughly 50 percent of women, appears white on an X-ray, tumors also are white, and much of an X-ray appears white, so a tumor can be hidden in an X-ray, Rhodes said.

An MBI, on the other hand, appears in color and tumors are more obvious, she said.

The high percentages of detection surprised researchers, Rhodes said, adding, There was even some skepticism that it could be this good. It really has succeeded our expectations.

An MBI is not as effective as an MRI, which sometimes is used on high-risk patients but is much more expensive, Rhodes said. Insurances generally dont cover MRIs for screening, except with high-risk patients, she said.

The MBI is not expected to make mammograms obsolete, Mayo-Franciscan vice president Johnson said.

Before anybody could say this would be a replacement, there would have to be some really, really big research studies to determine that course, said Johnson, who said equipment to perform MBIs is expensive, but not outrageously so.

For example, it is far cheaper than an MRI machine, which cost several million dollars new.

MBI is such new technology that it is not widely available yet, said Dr. Richard Ellis, a clinical breast radiologist at Mayo-Franciscan. MBI is a fundamentally different approach to breast imaging. Instead of relying on X-rays, MBI uses high-resolution gamma rays to image the breast after injection of a radiotracer.

Rapidly dividing cells, such as those in a tumor, absorb the rays quickly and show up on an MBI screen, while they probably would escape detection in a mammography, Ellis said.

The MBI also can be used to evaluate a lump or unusual area detected on a mammogram, he said.

Any woman with dense breast tissue may consider having an MBI in addition to her annual mammogram, he said.

Insurance usually will cover the test, although co-pays and deductibles obviously still apply, but patients are urged to confirm coverage before proceeding with an MBI.

Nearly 5,500 women had mammograms at Mayo-Franciscans La Crosse campus last year, with another 4,150 at its Onalaska Clinic last year.

It is one of the beauties of having a community health system connected to academic research, since most women arent treated in academic facilities, Johnson said. What were doing is taking advantage of our community population to enrich our research. And were taking advantage of Mayo research to improve our community.

MBI is available at Mayo in Rochester, as well as at Mayo facilities in Florida and Arizona. Mayo-Franciscan will be the first Mayo Clinic Health System site to offer MBI full-time and the only one in the La Crosse area.

MBI is the detection method of the present, while a clinical trial that Mayo-Franciscan also is involved in at its La Crosse and Onalaska sites is the wave of the future, Johnson said.

That study, called STRIVE, is in cooperation with GRAIL Inc., a Menlo, Calif.-based life sciences company overseeing a nationwide clinical trial of 120,000 women to gauge whether blood tests can be developed to detect breast cancer early. The La Crosse and Onalaska Mayo-Franciscan campuses are aiming to recruit 6,000 to be part of the trial.

Announced last week, the STRIVE study was further explained during the community forum.

GRAIL, which is dedicated to early detection of cancer when it is more curable, also enlisted several other Mayo Clinic sites, including Rochester, Arizona and Florida.

STRIVE is another huge study to create a blood test to detect breast cancer, Johnson said.

Women who have breast cancer, were almost certain they have something in their blood that would tell us they have breast cancer, but we dont know what it is, Johnson said.

Collecting the blood samples will allow researchers to look for markers in blood we can find correlate with breast cancer, Johnson said.
WORTHINGTON, Minn.  When the Des Moines Water Works went to court two years ago to force Iowa farmers to pay to clean the citys drinking water, it sent shock waves through Midwest agriculture.

The utility sued rural drainage districts that channel farm runoff into the heavily polluted Raccoon River, one of Des Moines main drinking water sources.

The water works board argued the drainage pipes that dump farm runoff into ditches are point-sources of pollution, making that polluted runoff subject to regulation under the federal Clean Water Act. Farmers warned the costs of complying with the Clean Water Act could ruin them.

A federal judge recently dismissed the case, handing farmers across the country a huge victory. Agricultural interests in Minnesota say the decision strengthens their argument that a voluntary approach to runoff cleanup is best.

But farm pollutants are still a significant problem for the states lakes, rivers and drinking water. And the court left a vital question unanswered: Is farm run-off point-source pollution?

Had the Des Moines Water Works succeeded, this case wouldve provided a handle to regulate those agricultural pollution sources, said Mark Ten Eyck with the Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy. Its a tool that we wont have going forward.

The Des Moines Water Works case was an attempt to impose federal regulations on farm pollution for the first time and it was closely watched. The utility argued that farm runoff should fall under federal codes regulating water quality and human health because that potentially toxic farm drainage flows toward their city and its citizens.

Des Moines filters it, but city leaders say its become increasingly costly to keep farm field nitrate out of the urban water system and that their customers shouldnt have to pay to hold back that pollution.

The surface water quality in the Midwest is horrible, said Des Moines Water Works general manager Bill Stowe. We have very over-nutrified surface waters, too much nitrogen, too much phosphorus,

While the ruling disappointed environmental organizations, farm groups were relieved.

With the specter of mandatory regulation gone at least for now, farm groups can push crop producers to take voluntary steps to reduce runoff, said Warren Formo, executive director of the Minnesota Agricultural Water Resource Center, which represents many of the states farm and livestock producers.

We believe thats really the most productive and effective way to do it, said Formo. We have to remember the water in the soil, including the nitrates in it; is the food that feeds our crops.

Many farmers have already taken steps to reduce use of fertilizers whose chemicals wind up in surface and ground water, he added.

He says there are signs farmers efforts are having an impact. A 2013 state report said nitrate concentrations in the heavily polluted Minnesota River appeared to be leveling off.

The Minnesota River, however, remains heavily polluted, and the state list of polluted waters grows with each inventory.

In the absence of regulatory mandates, farmers are moving too slowly, said Ten Eyck.

Other pollution dischargers who are regulated under the Clean Water Act have made an enormous amount of progress, he said. Agriculture has not made nearly as much progress.

In the wake of the Des Moines defeat in court, there appears to be little appetite to take up the cause among the 50 or so Minnesota communities dealing with high nitrate levels.

Officials in Hastings, which has had to buy equipment to remove nitrate from water, are working with farmers, said city public works director Nick Egger.

I would maybe characterize it more as a collaborative sort of approach, he said.

With the Des Moines case dismissed, thats about the only option available.
The Mormon Coulee Lions has been holding its annual fund-raising auction the past 37 years in Mormon Coulee Park. This year's auction is slated for Sunday, May 7.

Each year, we put up temporary signs along Hwy. 14 south of La Crosse for a few weeks before the auction. Last year, the Wisconsin DOT advised us we had to take the signs down as they were not portable and were on road right-of-way.

This year, we put the signs on trailers and placed them on private property off the road right-of-way to ensure we were in compliance with the requirements.

Last week, the signs were tagged by the DOT and we were advised that if they were not removed, we would be fined and the signs confiscated. We were told signs were not allowed anywhere along Hwy. 14 even if they are on private property unless the activity being advertised was being held on that property

The Mormon Coulee Lions is a non-profit, charitable organization. The funds raised by our annual auction are used to support Lions projects in the community and also support the Wisconsin Lions Camp for the disabled.

I'm sure the Wisconsin DOT signage regulations were put in place for valid reasons. However, the inflexible application of these rules as it applies in this case is the reason the American people voted last fall to curb government involvement in our affairs.
The New York Times on Sunday contained a full-page letter to Congress and the White House from 66 of the nations leading Childrens Hospitals  the letter was entitled, "Where Are the Children?"

The point of the letter is that past health-care debates have focused only on adults  their benefits, their coverage and how they will pay for them.

Medicaid, and potential cuts to the program, are debated at length, but the fact that 30 million children get their health care through Medicaid is almost never mentioned. The doctors and hospitals that signed the letter are dismayed that the needs of nearly half of the nations children seem to be ignored. The decisions our leaders make now will impact these childrens health for a lifetime.

The potential risks of damage to children through budget cuts is real, but no one seems to be talking about them. The hospitals signing the letter are calling on Congress and the White House to make children a priority.

Now that Trump seems to be bringing health care again to the forefront, as he tries to accomplish at least one major piece of legislation, we all need to make sure our legislators push back on changes to the Affordable Care Act that will adversely impact our countrys children.
As the weather warms and we begin to emerge from our homes to enjoy spring, many of us will gas-up our all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) or utility task vehicles (UTVs) to explore our state and work on our land. ATVs and UTVs have become a valuable tool for many people and also offer hours of family fun throughout our state.

I am currently working with Rep. Mary Felzkowski (R-Irma) and the Wisconsin Association ATV UTV Association (WATVA), a statewide group of ATV/UTV owners, to restore existing funds to the ATV safety enhancement program. This program was created in 2001 and uses funds from ATV registrations to promote safety.

Unfortunately, the governor deleted the funding mechanism for this program in the 2015 budget through a line-item veto. The Joint Finance Committee (JFC), of which we are both members, had restored the funding in the legislative version of the budget, but the governor decided to veto this allocation.

As a result, Rep. Felzkowski and I have authored Senate Bill (SB) 124 and Assembly Bill (AB) 181 to restore the funding to the safety enhancement program and we are optimistic that these bills will pass the legislature and be signed into law. We believe that the veto in 2015 was a mistake.

The ATV safety enhancement program is extremely important to many areas of the state. Grants have been used to enhance rider safety, publicize laws and regulations, support local ATV clubs, keep trails in safe and working order, and recruit and train Trail Ambassadors. Since 2001, this grant program has revolutionized ATV usage in Wisconsin, creating responsible tourism opportunities in rural communities.

This program has given rise to a well-organized industry and thousands of miles of trails that are traveled by countless tourists and outdoor enthusiasts every day. This year the number of ATV and UTV registrations in Wisconsin hit an all-time high of 288,524. ATV/UTV trails draw significant numbers of visitors to my senate district every year.

With expansion and continued growth of ATV/UTV ridership in our state, we need to be proactive and continue the safe management of our trails and clubs. Restoring segregated funding to the ATV/UTV safety enhancement program is key to keeping this economic driver for Wisconsin thriving and providing the support WATVA and other organizations need to do positive, proactive work in our state.

In addition to ATVs for recreation and work on our land, many communities in the 17th Senate District allow ATVs/UTVs on city and town roads. Whether the rider is using the road to connect to trails or as a mode of daily transportation, ATVs and UTVs share the road with cars, trucks and bicycles. However, some state laws need to be updated to enable municipalities to manage their ATV routes.

As a result, I am working with Darlington Police Chief Jason King to explore changing statute to allow municipalities to allow ATV/UTVs on state highways within the corporate boundaries of a city. This would be limited to sections of the highway that have speed limits of 35 mph or less.

In Darlington, ATVs have been allowed on city streets for 26 years. According to Chief King, they have not had one single serious injury crash. ATVs/UTVs are allowed on every city street and they have bridge access. However, a number of residents cannot access the trail system or other city streets due to Louisa Street, Galena Street and Main Street all being state highways. Chief King has asked for our help to modernize state law.

Whether you ride an ATV/UTV or not, we can all agree that safety is important and modernizing state laws is practical. As your state senator, I will continue to work with my colleagues to work on these initiatives and look forward to swift passage of this legislation.
MOSCOW (AP)  In a move that further cements Russias control over parts of eastern Ukraine, Russian officials announced Tuesday they will begin supplying electricity to separatist-controlled areas after the Ukrainian government cut off power because of a heavy backlog of unpaid bills.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov described the decision as a humanitarian mission helping to keep an estimated 3 million people out of darkness in rebel-held areas in the Luhansk region along Russias border. The rebels are backed by Russia.

Ukraine on Monday announced it would stop supplying power because of mounting debts, and power was cut off shortly before midnight.

Cutting the power supply to the Luhansk region is yet another step by Ukraine to push those territories away, Peskov told reporters in Moscow, saying the move contradicts the spirit of the peace accords that Kiev and the rebels signed in Minsk, Belarus, under Russia and European mediation in 2015.

Despite the three years of fighting in eastern Ukraine that has killed more than 9,900 people, trade and supplies of water and electricity for the most part have continued across the front line. Many factories and coal mines in this industrial heartland are interdependent, and a rupture in supply lines could cause a complete industrial breakdown.

The decision on electricity falls into the trend of Ukraine shutting off Luhansk and Donetsk, and Donetsk shutting off Ukraine and moving closer to Russia, said Alexei Makarkin at the Moscow-based Center for Political Technologies. The Minsk agreements are not working, and each side waits for the other to get too weak to stand up for its interests.
So many citizens signed in at the 2017 Spring Fish and Wildlife Rules Hearings and Wisconsin Conservation Congress Vernon County meeting Monday, April 10, that it started 25 minutes late because people were still registering.

The 71 citizens who attended were introduced to former Vernon County Fisheries Manager Jordan Weeks who is the new Mississippi River manager. Weeks introduced new Department of Natural Resources Vernon County Fisheries Manager Kirk Olson.

DNR Wildlife Manager Dave Matheys, and wardens Shawna Stringham and Trevor Tracey represented the department, while Jason Leis, Greg Koelker, Sam Smith and Dave West represented the Conservation Congress. The meeting continued with Conservation Congress delegate elections. County citizens were given the chance to nominate and vote on their county delegates on the Congress. Incumbent Vernon County Conservation Congress Chairperson Koelker and representative West were nominated and elected by a voice vote to continue their representation for two years and three years, respectively. Leis, Tim Morgan and Smith also represent Vernon County but were not up for re-election.

The purpose of the hearings is to provide the opportunity to make comments, ask questions and give input on proposed rule changes and Natural Resources Board and Conservation Congress advisory questions.

After the elections was a presentation by County Deer Advisory Council Chairperson Leis.

Next was proposed rule changes followed by the question: Do you favor establishing a hook-and-line harvest tag for muskellunge which would limit the harvest of muskellunge to one per year to promote the trophy aspects of Wisconsins muskellunge fishery? The resolution passed 28 to 21 in Vernon County and statewide by a vote of 1,912 to 1,865.

Eight citizens submitted resolutions.

Resolution 630117 passed 51 to 13. This would prohibit feeding deer statewide. It goes to the District Leadership Council.

Resolution 632017 would allow live bait fishing for trout and harvesting trout during the early season in southwest Wisconsin. It was defeated 28 to 39, so no further action will be taken.

Resolution 630317 recommending the DNR restores reliance on sound science to DNR policy, actions and communications was supported 61 to 2 and will be forwarded to the Legislative Committee.

Resolution 630417 was for the DNR to assess the cumulative impacts of high-capacity wells as standard practice. It passed 61 to 1 and will be forwarded to the Environmental Committee.

Resolution 630517 was for an environmental impact study of the risks of the Enbridge Pipeline 61 expansion and review of the condition of the pipeline. The resolution passed 58 to 3 and will be forwarded to the Environmental Committee.

Resolution 630617 recommending changing the definition of a landowner passed 50 to 9 and will be forwarded to the Turkey and Upland Game Committee.

Resolution 630717 about granting a turkey permit to any landowner  valid only on their land  passed 43 to 16 and will be forwarded to the Turkey and Upland Game Committee.

630817 requesting hydro-geological surveys be done in counties lacking them passed 60 to 3 and will be forwarded to the Environmental Committee.

After the Citizens resolutions was the Wisconsin Conservation Congress County Meeting.

Highlights of the DNR and the Congress public hearing questions relative to Vernon County include supporting a County Deer Advisory Council recommendation allowing CDACs to extend the archery deer season through Jan. 31 in farmland zone units that also have holiday hunts; 37 to 24.

The group voted to support eliminating the fall turkey hunt drawing in favor of over-the-counter purchase of permits; 35-16.

Two questions related to changing the walleye harvest rules on the Mississippi River were voted down in Vernon County but were overwhelmingly supported statewide.

Vernon County voters supported a resolution allowing online voter accessibility to the hearing questions; 38 for to 28 against. Statewide, the vote was split at 35 counties approved to 35 counties rejecting with two in a tie, so the resolution passed.

The use of lights to scan while night hunting for predators was voted down here 13 for to 36 against but supported statewide.

There were two questions related to high-capacity wells. One would require public notice to residents within a 2-mile area when there is an application for a high-capacity well. The other would allow suspension of permits if a high-capacity well caused impact or impairment. The two were supported 60-0 and 59-1 respectively and passed in all 72 counties.

A study to initiate a sandhill crane hunting season was voted down 12 to 45 but was supported in 52 counties.

A rail safety measures resolution was supported 58-0 and passed statewide.

A proposal to give CDACs the authority to institute earn-a-buck in areas where they are trying to maintain or reduce the deer herd was supported 28 to 8 opposed.

The group also supported an incentive program that would provide tax breaks, deductions, etc. for property owners who allow access to deer hunting, 23 to 10. This passed in 59 counties.

The annual hearings are held simultaneously in all counties. According to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, more than 5,000 people attended statewide. For more information visit http://dnr.wi.gov/About/WCC/springhearing.html.
The lives for two Cashton families changed forever within a span of nine days when two friends were victims of two different tragic events which has forever altered their lives. Now benefits are being planned for both of the families involved to help ease mounting medical bills.

The two men, Duane Dewey Hanson and Dennis Dickman went to high school together in Cashton. Hanson graduated in 1975 and Dickman in 1976. The two never left the Cashton area, instead they found employment, got married and raised their families in the small community of 2,000.

Through the years, the Hanson and Dickman families have spent plenty of time reminiscing about days gone by and looking forward to the future. Camping together during the summer has been a long standing tradition for both families.

Lori (Dennis) Dickman said the two families children have all grown up together and now the grandkids join them on camping trips too. She said Dewey and Dennis loved the outdoors, loved their families, loved community and simply loved life. She never imagined in a million years that life would change forever for both of them in such a short period of time.

The day Dennis was transported to the hospital, Deweys wife, MaryBeth, sat with the Dickman family for hours in the waiting area of the emergency room. She was already staying in the hospital to be by her husbands side, but when she heard her friends were in need of a shoulder to lean on she put her own heartache aside and helped to ease their pain.

It just goes to show you how important friends are and how quickly life can change, Lori said.

Benefits to help the Hanson and Dickman families through this tragic time are being held at the Cashton Community Hall. The Hanson benefit will be held on Sunday, April 30 and the Dickman benefit on Sunday, May 7.

Dewey Hanson Benefit

Sunday, April 30

Hanson, age 59, of Cashton, sustained a traumatic brain injury after falling and hitting his head Christmas Day 2016. He spent 16 days on a ventilator in a La Crosse ICU, before being transferred to Mayo Clinic in Rochester. The severity of his head injuries was magnified

by the fact that Hanson was not immediately located after his fateful fall and did not receive immediate care until several hours later which resulted in extensive brain swelling.

Since day one his family has been very involved in his care. His wife, Mary Beth, the director of nursing at Rolling Hills Nursing Home in Sparta, has taken extended time off work to care for him. Hanson is undergoing extensive rehabilitation and requires 24-hour supervision which the family is providing.

At the time of the accident, Hanson was a fork lift operator for Martin Warehouse, but due to the severity of his injuries he is unable to return to work or to drive. The Hansons have been active members in many civic organizations in the communities of Cashton and Norwalk, where MaryBeth grew up.

Together Dewey and MaryBeth have raised eight children, Chris, Chad, Tabitha, Joe, Katie, Brittany, Whitney and Jackie, all of whom reside in the Cashton area. They also lost a daughter, Jenna, in infancy. The Hansons have a posse of grandchildren, who are the light of their Grandpas eyes, plus three more new additions on the way.

The Hanson benefit will be held at the Cashton Community Hall, Sunday, April 30, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The benefit includes food and refreshments, a bake sale, Chinese raffle, live auction at 3 p.m., and other games and activities.

Anyone interested in making a donation to help with the meal, or giving any items to be used for the auction, games, etc., can contact Katie Hanson at 608-487-5970 or Kim Fanning at 608-487-1137.

An account is set up at WCCU in Cashton, entitled Dewey Hanson Benefit. Anyone interested in making a donation may mail checks, made payable to Dewey Hanson Benefit, to: WCCU Cashton Branch, 105 Randy Rd., Cashton, WI 54619.

Dennis Dickman Benefit

Sunday, May 7

Dennis Dickman is the longtime Cashton Fire Department Chief and a member of the Cashton First Responders. On Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2017, Dickman, who spent most of his life helping others, became the patient instead of the care giver.

After returning home from a rescue/fire call, Dickman suffered a dissection/stroke in the cerebellum of his brain. Fortunately for him he received immediate care and was taken by ambulance to Mayo Healthcare in La Crosse, before being transferred to Gundersen Medical Center for further advanced treatment, not offered at Mayo.

Then two days later on Jan. 5, Dickman suffered a second stroke, followed by a third stroke on Jan. 12, one day before he was scheduled to go home. The third stroke caused a vessel to rupture inside his head requiring immediate brain surgery.

Dickman then developed aspiration pneumonia and was placed on a ventilator to help him breathe. With his life hanging by a limb he spent 13 days in Critical Care before improving enough to be moved to inpatient rehabilitation unit where he spent the next three weeks. After spending 44 days in the hospital, Dickman was sent home on Feb. 16, but requires extensive outpatient therapy.

Dickman carries the families health insurance, which requires care at Mayo Healthcare. The family is now facing numerous medical bills for using an out of network facility. His ongoing therapy is a slow road back to recovery since the portion of his brain affected by the multiple strokes requires a longer time to heal. Dickman is unable to drive or return to work.

Dennis and his wife Lori, with have three children Derek, Sara and Jacky, who all reside in Cashton and spend plenty of time caring for their father. The Dickmans are also members of many local organizations within the Cashton community. At the time of his stroke. Dickman was a longtime Monroe County Highway Supervisor and serving as the interim Monroe County Highway Commissioner.

The Dickman benefit will be held at the Cashton Community Hall, Sunday, May 7, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The benefit includes food and refreshments, bake sale, pie auction, live auction at 3 p.m., and other games and activities.

If you can help by donating for the benefit contact Cathy Wendland at 608-487-1058, or Sara Dickman at 608-487-6678. An account is open at any of the WCCU locations titled Dennis Dickman Benefit if you would like to make a monetary donation.

Please join us in helping the Hanson and Dickman families through this difficult time. We never know what life has in store for us at any given time.
Vernon County has received a $3,317,750 grant from the state of Wisconsin, Community Development Block Grant-Emergency Assistance Program (CDBG-EAP). These funds are to assist homeowners who were impacted by the flood events of September 2016 in Vernon County, including the Villages of De Soto and Viola even if they are in Crawford or Richland county. In addition, Vernon County also received funding to assist businesses that were impacted by the September flood event.

Funds to assist homeowner rehabilitation are offered as a grant. Homeowners must be income eligible and repairs are limited to flood damage only.

Family size: One person, income limit $35,100;

Family size: Two person, income limit $40,100;

Family size: Three person, income limit $45,100;

Family size: Four person, income limit $50,100;

Family size: Five person, income limit $54,150;

Family size: Six person, income limit $58,150;

Family size: Seven person, income limit $62,150;

Family size: Eight person, income limit $66,150.

Vernon County has a history of assisting homeowners after the flood events in 2007 and 2008. In previous years, repairs to driveways and culverts were not allowed by the funding; however they may be considered in this grant cycle. If your household qualifies for CDBG-EAP assistance and you have already made repairs to your primary residence, you may be eligible for reimbursement with proper documentation.

These funds help ensure safe housing, provide jobs to local contractors and keep our housing stock in good repair. This is a great opportunity for Vernon County residents, said Diane McGinnis, Vernon County Resource and Community Development.

Information sessions about applying for this grant will be held around the county on the following dates and locations at 6:30 p.m.:

May 2, Wheatland Community Center;

May 3, Readstown Municipal Building;

May 4, Hillsboro City Hall;

May 9, Sterling Town Hall;

May 10, Chaseburg Community Hall;

May 11, Viola Village Hall;

May 16, Viroqua Legion.

Applications are also available by contacting Mark Johnson at 608-637-5320.
Dear reader, we're asking for your help to keep local reporting available for all today during our fall fundraiser. Your financial support keeps stories like this one free to read, instead of hidden behind paywalls. We believe when reliable local reporting is widely available, the entire community benefits. Thank you for investing in your neighborhood.

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By Emma Specter

Step aside, World Health Organization, there's a new conclave of health-and-wellness experts in town, and they come bearing Sweetgreen salads and Moon Juice "spirit dust." Gwyneth Paltrow's infamous lifestyle brand Goop will host its first-ever 'wellness summit' in L.A. on June 10th, reports Vanity Fair.

Non-toxic manicures, crystal therapy and hydrating I.V. drips will be on offer at June's "In Goop Health" summit, according to the event site; the location for "In Goop Health" has been chosen but will not be released at this time, a Goop press rep told LAist, prompting us to speculate that it's somewhere super-secret and mystical, like an enchanted cave or the Bermuda Triangle. The summit's panels will feature an array of Goop acolytes, including Girls collaborators Lena Dunham and Jenni Konner, actresses Cameron Diaz and Nicole Richie, fitness trainer Tracy Anderson, fashion designer Tory Burch and "Clean Program" founder Dr. Alejandro Junger.

In news that will come as no surprise to anyone who's ever perused Goop's product list, tickets to the convention don't come cheap. Below, LAist has put together a guide to "In Goop Health"'s three-tiered ticket options (each tier is named for a different crystal, by the way), plus some equally-priced ideas for readers who aren't that into crystals and sound baths.

"Lapis" ticket, $500:

- Access to every panel and keynote

- Wellness activations like crystal therapy and aura photography

- Clean and gourmet food and drinks from brands like Moon Juice and Tropicana Probiotics

- A $200 adult goody bag of Goop-endorsed products.

For $500, you could also:

- Buy an actual block of Afghanistan lapis on Ebay

- Pay off a whole classroom of kids' school-lunch debts

- Fill your pantry with 14 jars of Moon Juice Cordyceps powder

- Pay for exactly one-tenth of an all-inclusive spa weekend at Arizona's Canyon Ranch

- Ride the L.A. Metro exactly 285 times

"Amethyst" ticket, $1000: everything from "Lapis," plus:

- A cocktail reception with Gwyneth herself

- A foam-roller workout with "body whisperer" Lauren Roxburgh

- A mini-version of "The Class" led by founder Taryn Toomey

- A $350 "adult goody bag" of Goop-endorsed products

For $1000, you could also:

- Buy two actual amethysts

- Pay for two units toward a Nutritional Sciences degreeat the University of Arizona

- Provide 10 rural women with access to health education through the German nonprofit URIDU

- Buy approximately 72 Walmart foam rollers

- Rent the 1998 Robert Redford film The Horse Whisperer on Amazon Prime 333 times (or 60 times in HD)

"Clear Quartz" ticket, $1500:

- Everything from "Lapis" and "Amethyst," plus:

- Private morning sound meditation class with Sara Auster, followed by Gwyneth's breakfast pick [wouldn't it be great if 'Gwyneth's breakfast pick' was a microwavable Jimmy Dean Sausage, Egg & Cheese biscuit?]

- Lunch with Gwyneth and select panelists, "curated" by Chef Seamus Mullen

- A set of Tumi luggage packed with $500 of Goop-endorsed products,

- 3 months of early access to new Goop releases

- Valet parking (this one's the kicker)

For $1500, you could also:

- Buy seven 90mm clear quartz spheres

- Fly to to Chaiya, Thailand, to attend one of the Wat Suan Mokkh monastery's famed meditation retreats

- Stock your fridge with an approximately three-year supply of microwavable Jimmy Dean Sausage, Egg & Cheese biscuits

- Feed approximately 375 people at the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank

- Pay your half of the average L.A. rent for a two-bedroom apartment ($2978)

- Rent out your very own parking lot in Downtown LA

Heads up, Goopies  the $1,500 "Clear Quartz" ticket is already sold out, so don't sleep on the "Lapis" and "Amethyst."


The Chinese company Ant Financial is intensifying efforts to buy the American company MoneyGram International.

MoneyGram is the worlds second-largest money transfer company. Western Union is the largest.

Ant Financial has been linked in media reports to the Chinese company Alibaba. Ant Financial has offered to pay $1.2 billion more for the company than Euronet Worldwide, a company making a competing offer. Euronet is based in the United States.

MoneyGram has a network of 350,000 places where people can send and receive money. These include stores, post offices and banks in 200 countries.

Ant Financials business is now mostly in the Chinese currency, the yuan. If it is able to buy MoneyGram, Ant Financial would be able to use American dollars and control accounts that are used to hold and manage the companys money.

After Euronet offered to buy MoneyGram in March, Ant Financial increased its offer by 36 percent. This decision confirmed that it was determined to buy MoneyGram and begin competing with Western Union.

However, Euronet has not stopped efforts to buy MoneyGram. It is warning that if Ant Financial is able to buy the company it will have a huge amount of information about the companys customers. Euronet says this is a security risk.

If Ant Financials offer is accepted, the deal must still gain the approval of the Committee for Foreign Investment in the United States, known as CFIUS. Some experts believe this would be the first test for a Chinese financial company seeking to do business in the U.S.

Jeffrey Towson is a professor of investments at Peking Universitys Guanghua School of Management.

He told VOA that getting approval from CFIUS might be more difficult this year. Plus, Chinese acquisitions are more on the media radar than before. And finally, there is also a competing bidder, Euronet, and they will probably push for a regulatory denial based on security concerns.

Concerns raised on acquisition of MoneyGram

Kevin Yoder of Kansas and Eddie Bernice Johnson of Texas are members of the U.S. House of Representatives. They have written to Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin about the possible purchase of MoneyGram by Ant Financial.

They wrote, The proposal merits careful evaluation as it would provide Chinese access to the U.S. financial infrastructure, a move that would pose significant national security risks if completed.

Ant Financial has said that MoneyGram information will be stored in secure computer servers in the United States. And in a letter to people who own shares in the company, Douglas Feagin said MoneyGram will continue to be headquartered in Dallas and run by its current U.S.-based management team after the deal closes.

He promised that Ant will continue to invest in MoneyGrams systems and compliance programs.

Recent development might help

Alibaba Group chairman Jack Ma was among the first to visit Donald Trump after he was elected president. Trump met recently with Chinese president Xi Jinping, and later said he no longer considers China to be a currency manipulator. Some experts believe these developments may help Ant Financial.

Peter Fuhrman is the chairman of the company China First Capital. He says although CFIUS has denied quite a few recent attempted Chinese takeovers, there isnt an obvious national security case here as to why they should stop the transaction.

Jacob Kirkegaard is with the Peterson Institute of International Economics in Washington.

He says Alibaba knows about internet financial transactions. He added, I have no doubt that they can execute the deal and ensure integration.

Ant Financial was part of Alibaba, Chinas biggest online seller, before Alibaba sold ownership shares to the public on the NYSE stock exchange in 2014.

Ant Financial did not answer questions from VOA. Instead, it said VOA should read earlier statements the company has made.

A public relations company working for Ant Financial said the company has no relationship with Alibaba. It refused to make additional comments.

But several analysts, and most recent media reports, say Ant Financial is linked to Alibaba.

Im Mario Ritter.

Correspondent Saibal Dasgupta reported this story from Beijing. Christopher Jones-Cruise adapted the report into VOA Special English. Mario Ritter was the editor.

We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section, or visit our Facebook page.

______________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

currency n. the money of a country

acquisition n. things that are bought

merit n. qualities, things with a value

evaluation n. a process of judging

infrastructure n. things needed to carry out business or commerce

manipulator n. someone who unfairly controls something

transaction n. a business deal

integration n. the process of bringing different things togeth


Donald Trump was sworn-in as president of the United States three months ago -- on January 20, 2017.

On Saturday, April 29, reporters, the general public, and Trump himself will mark his first 100 days in office.

But many Americans and people overseas may be wondering: what is so special about a presidents first 100 days?

The short answer is that nothing is very special about it.

A presidents term is four years, or 1,461 days. So 100 days is just a small percentage of that time.

In fact, many observers point out that the major issues earlier U.S. presidents faced often came much later in their terms. For example, George W. Bush had been president for more than seven months when terrorists attacked the United States on September 11, 2001.

But Americans still use a presidents 100-day mark as a time to consider how the new administration is doing, and whether things have changed.

Over the next few days, you will hear many officials and reporters commenting on how well Trump has performed as president.

Yes, but why 100 days?

Not surprisingly, the idea of 100 days has its roots in history. Professor David Greenberg notes that the term was used in relation to the French leader Napoleon Bonaparte in 1815.

Les cent jours meant the short time in which Napoleon escaped from exile, raised an army, and briefly regained power in France.

The U.S. version of the 100 days can be traced to the 1930s. Franklin Delano Roosevelt was elected president in November 1932 during a major economic depression.

By the time he took office the following January, banks were beginning to fail.

The president quickly took action.

In less than a week, Roosevelt persuaded Congress to pass a major reform bill that helped stop the banking failure.

The president then went on to push 14 other bills through Congress. They created new public works and social welfare programs aimed at easing the effects of the depression.

Roosevelt also signed laws establishing new federal agencies, including one to set rules for the stock market. And he showed Americans a new kind of leadership by speaking directly to the public over the radio.

My friends, I want to talk for a few minutes with the people of the United States about banking...

He called the broadcasts fireside chats.

In one fireside chat, Roosevelt noted how busy and important his first 100 days had been. The term stuck.

A high bar

Since then, U.S. presidents expect to be measured by how ambitious and successful their first 100 days in office are.

The idea is that presidents are likely to be most effective right after they take office, when they are usually still popular with the public. In addition, lawmakers have a lot of reasons to cooperate with a new leader. If presidents have any major legislation they want to pass, they often try to do it at the very beginning of their first term.

But historians have found that no modern president has done as much in the first 100 days as Franklin Roosevelt did. For one thing, as historian David Greenberg notes, Roosevelt took office at an unusual time. The economic depression made the first weeks of his presidency especially urgent.

As a result, many presidents try to lower expectations about what they can do in their first 100 days. President John F. Kennedy even said at his 1961 inauguration ceremony:

All this will not be finished in the first 100 days. Nor will it be finished in the first 1,000 days, nor in the life of this administration, nor even perhaps in our lifetime on this planet. But let us begin...

Campaign promises

But the fact that presidents rarely accomplish as much as they would like does not stop them from making promises during their political campaigns.

When he was a presidential candidate, Donald Trump spoke often about what he would do in his first 100 days in office.

So far, he has taken steps to address four of his top five stated goals. He has successfully accomplished one: ending U.S. membership in the Trans Pacific Partnership trade agreement.

This week, Trump has made an effort to call attention to his accomplishments during the first weeks of his administration. He noted his success at filling a position on the U.S. Supreme Court.

At the same time, Trump has dismissed the importance of the 100-day anniversary. He tweeted, "No matter how much I accomplish during the ridiculous standard of the first 100 days, & it has been a lot (including S.C.), media will kill!"

Im Kelly Jean Kelly.

Kelly Jean Kelly reported on this story for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the editor.

We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section.

_______________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

trace - v. to follow something back to its cause, beginning, or origin : to find out where something came from

ambitious - adj. not easily done or achieved

inauguration - n. to introduce a newly elected official into a job with a formal ceremony

accomplish - v. to succeed in doing

accomplishment - n. something done, achieved, or accomplished successfully


April 30 is International Jazz Day.

In countries around the world, musicians, educators, students, and music lovers will take part in celebrations. These activities tell about the history of jazz and show new, creative directions that the music is taking.

In our Education Report today, we will explore the growth and development of jazz education in one part of the world: Asia.

We will discover how educators and students in Thailand, Malaysia, and China are putting their own mark on jazz music and jazz education.

What is Jazz?

Jazz is a form of American music that combines African rhythmic ideas with European harmony. It has roots in the folk music of the African diaspora  Africans who left (or were forced to leave) the continent. Improvisation and personal expression are important parts of the music.

In the 20th century, jazz changed from a folk music to a high art form. The number of jazz styles increased as many musicians brought their ideas to the music.

For much of the 20th century, American colleges and universities did not offer classes or training in jazz music. But ideas toward the music started to change in the 1960s and 1970s, according to the Thelonious Monk Institute, a non-profit group. Jazz education programs became more common in the United States in the 1980s and 1990s.

Thailand as a regional education hub

Now, jazz education is growing in some Asian countries.

Thailand, for example, is becoming a regional jazz education center.

"Thailand really is a mecca for jazz in Southeast Asia," said Jerome Quah, a Malaysian musician and educator.

Denny Euprasert is the Dean of Rangsit University (RSU) Conservatory of Music and director of the RSU Jazz Orchestra.

Euprasert says that when he was a boy, one of his first influences was the former King of Thailand, Bhumibol Adulyadej. The king was a saxophone player and composer. He would often play jazz with American musicians.

Euprasert heard the king's music and fell in love with it.

"Many people decided to study music because of the King of Thailand... Maybe that is why jazz is popular in Thailand," Euprasert explains.

"He [KING BHUMIBOL ADULYADEJ] would have music day for a university and he would just go there and play. I think that really inspired a lot of peopleIn many of his speeches, he would say that music is very important, and we should teach music the right way, and music can do good to people. As a person, you should have art and music in yourself."

Euprasert moved to the United States for many years. He received master and doctoral degrees at the University of North Texas and the University of Northern Colorado, respectively.

He returned to Thailand and started a jazz education workshop. Gene Aitken, a jazz educator and adviser of Euprasert, helped develop the program.

The workshop was launched about 10 years ago. The teachers were all Thai nationals; about 100 students attended a class that lasted two-to-three days.

Currently, about 300 high school and college students take part in the Thailand jazz workshop each year. Students come from Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Indonesia, Euprasert says. Foreign teachers  mainly from the United States  join Thai teachers to instruct students. "It keeps growing each year," he notes.

Currently, three universities in Thailand offer jazz degree programs. Euprasert adds that when he listens to musicians performing, he can tell which university they went to.

Jerome Quah, in Malaysia, attended workshops and had private lessons in Thailand. He adds that many Malaysian students travel to Thailand for training and to study at the universities there.

Quah says that Malaysia has seen growth in the popularity of jazz  although not the same level of growth as in Thailand. He notes that the state government provides support to two large jazz ensembles that he directs. In addition, Quah adds that a jazz appreciation society in Penang is undergoing government approval.

"I don't have the statistics," he said, "but I think it is becoming more popular here. The numbers [of jazz groups] keep growing."

China

Jazz education is growing in other Asian countries  China, for one.

Terence Hsieh is a Beijing-based trombone player and music educator. He says that the China's development and entry into the world economy have opened up many possibilities for students.

Parents send their children to special music schools, or sometimes international schools, for training in jazz. For more serious studies, Chinese students often travel overseas; the United States and the Netherlands are two top stops, Hsieh says.

Kevin Sun, a Brooklyn-based saxophonist, spent time in Beijing. He notes that not all Chinese musicians go overseas to study jazz. Some, he explains, are almost entirely self-taught and have developed very strong skills on their instruments.

Because jazz is relatively new to many Chinese, Hsieh explains, people often go to performances without expectations about what they will hear. This lack of expectations on the part of the crowd gives musicians artistic and creative freedom. The creative energy in Beijing, he adds, compares well to other cities that have a much larger jazz scene, such as New York City.

What do students find compelling about the music?

Hsieh says that his students enjoy jazz improvisation because it allows them to express themselves in artistic ways by using a musical language. Traditional Chinese arts, except for perhaps calligraphy, do not often rely on improvisation, Hsieh explains.

Jerome Quah, in Malaysia, says the idea of improvisation was what first got him interested in jazz.

He adds that Malaysian students like the freedom that jazz improvisation gives them. Students, he explains, like being able to play things that are not written down, as in classical music.

Denny Euprasert, in Thailand, says that his students like jazz because it is democratic. It is democratic, he explains, in the sense that each player in a small group gets a chance to play a supporting part and a leading role.

He adds that jazz education can create personal connections  even across language barriers. At a recent jazz camp, he said, students from across Southeast Asia met each other for the first time. Even though the students did not speak the same language, they were able to connect through their shared interest in the music.

"They became friends...Now, they keep in touch," Euprasert said. "I felt really happy to see that happen."

I'm John Russell.

John Russell wrote this story for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the editor.

We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section. ________________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

rhythmic  adj. having a regular repeated pattern of sounds

harmony  n. the combination of different musical notes played or sung at the same time to produce a pleasing sound

diaspora  n. a group of people who live outside the area in which they had lived for a long time or in which their ancestors lived  usually singular

improvisation  n. to speak or perform without preparation; to make or create (something) by using whatever is available

a mecca for -- idiomatic expression  a place that attracts many people

appreciation  n. an understanding or recognition

calligraphy  n. the art of making beautiful handwriting


Pope Francis is making final preparations for a trip to Egypt.

His visit begins on Friday. It comes just weeks after deadly attacks against the countrys Coptic Christian minority.

This will be the second time a leader of the Roman Catholic Church has traveled to Egypt, the most populous Arab country.

Pope John Paul II visited Cairo in 2000.

Earlier this month, two terror attacks targeted Coptic churches in Alexandria, Egypts second largest city, and the northern city of Tanta. More than 40 people were killed and more than 100 others were injured.

The attackers exploded bombs as they stood among people gathered for prayers at religious services. The bombings took place on the Christian observance of Palm Sunday.

They were the latest in a series of attacks against Egyptian Christians. Recently, Islamic militants carried out an attack on Christians in El Arish, a town in the northern Sinai Peninsula. The violence caused some Christian families to leave the area.

Pope to meet with other religious leaders

Egyptian editor and publisher Hisham Kassem spoke to VOA about Pope Francis visit. He said the trip was planned before the recent suicide bombings.

Kassem noted that it takes place at a time when Christians are facing the brunt of terror attacks and their security in the country is in jeopardy.

Pope Francis is expected to meet with Egypts President, Abdel Fattah al Sisi.

The pope will also meet with religious leaders, including the head of Egypts Coptic Orthodox Church, Pope Tawadros II.

Francis and Tawadros will then meet with Egypts Grand Imam, Sheikh Ahmed al Tayeb, at al Azhar University. The Orthodox Patriarch of Constantinople, Bartholomew, is also expected to attend the gathering.

A papal spokesman told Italian media that Pope Francis would not be using an armored vehicle because of concerns that it would keep him from meeting the Egyptian people.

A spokesman for the Catholic part of Egypts main Coptic Orthodox church discussed the visit with local media. He said Egyptian Christians were expecting a message of peace and solidarity [as well as] a message of hope.

Egypt has the largest Christian population of any Arab country. About 10 percent of Egypts 90 million people are said to be Christian.

Egyptian political sociologist Said Sadek told VOA that the papal visit will be good for Christians and the government. He said it will show the world that Egypt is stable. He said this would help the countrys travel industry.

The effect of the attacks on Coptic Christians has been to increase distrust. Both the president and Prime Minister Sherif Ismail have accused other countries in the area of involvement in the attacks. However, they would not name those countries.

Arab media reported that the Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the bombings at the Coptic churches. Egyptian government media said terrorists in the Sinai have ties to the Muslim Brotherhood group and the Palestinian group Hamas. They have stated that both groups have support from several countries in the area.

Im Mario Ritter.

Ed Yeranian reported this story for VOA News. Mario Ritter adapted his report for Learning English. George Grow was the editor.

We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page.

_______________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

brunt  n. the main force or effect

jeopardy  n. a situation in which someone is in danger

solidarity  n. a feeling of unity between people with the same interests

stable  adj. not likely to change too much

armored  adj. equipped or protected with flat pieces of metal


Young Americans believe nearly half of the news shared on Facebook is false and President Donald Trump tweets too much. They also want to help unite America but find public service unappealing.

Those are among the findings from recent interviews with 2,600 young Americans -- aged 18 - 29 -- by Harvard Universitys Institute of Politics.

The poll, released Tuesday, found 81 percent of young people questioned by Harvard use Facebook.

But most consider a lot of the news on Facebook to be untrue. Earlier this month, Facebook said it is removing accounts of people who send out fake news stories.

The poll also found that 68 percent of young people believe President Trump tweets too much. Only 11 percent say his tweets are appropriate.

Mixed messages on voting, public service work

In the 2016 presidential election, only half of 18-to-29 year-olds voted, according to a report by the Brookings Institution.

But 74 percent of young people polled by Harvard say voting is one of the best ways to produce change. Still, only one in four young Americans say that public service work is appealing. Public service work is often done by government workers.

Rhea Malik is a Harvard University senior who worked on the poll. She said it might be that fewer students find public service appealing because they have less trust in Americas elected officials.

Divisions in America are a problem

Another finding by Harvard researchers is that nearly 60 percent of young Americans want to do what they can to help unite and not further divide America.

On Monday, former President Barack Obama said changes in the way people use media allow them to read and listen to only those who agree with their own opinions. He said that adds to divisions in America and makes it more difficult to govern.

Some of the poll results are surprising.

Many young people have protested the use of deadly force by police against African-Americans and other minorities.

But nearly half of young Americans polled by Harvard said that ending the anti-police atmosphere and empowering law enforcement will make America better.

What do young people think of President Trump?

Nearly half of young people told Harvard that temporarily banning visas from majority Muslim nations would make America worse. That compares to one in four young people who say that such a policy would make America better.

President Trump has issued two orders temporarily banning travel from some Muslim majority nations. Both were blocked by federal judges.

On trade, three out of five young Americans say they agree with Trumps plan to end unfair trade practices with other nations.

Who young people hang out with differs by party

The poll found that young Democratic and Republican supporters have relationships with different groups of people.

The poll found young voters who call themselves Republican have more close relationships with gun owners, police officers and military veterans than Democrats.

Young people who call themselves Democrats have more close relationships with Muslims and people who are LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender or Questioning of their sexuality) than Republicans.

John Della Volpe is polling director at Harvards Institute of Politics. He is happy that nearly 60 percent of young people told Harvard researchers that they want to help unite the country.

He said, While we spend a lot of time talking about what divides us, younger millennials are seeking leaders who will unite us. He said that is both good government and good politics.

Bruce Alpert reported this story VOAs Learning English. Hai Do was the editor.

We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section and share your views on our Facebook Page.

_________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

poll - n. an activity in which several or many people are asked a question or a series of questions in order to get information about what most people think about something

post - v. to add a message or news story to social media

fake - adj. not real, false

appropriate - adj. right or suited for some purpose or situation

millennials - n. generally, people between ages 18-29
LEXINGTON  With Red and Wild only a day away the excitement and anticipation is mounting.

Tina Mulei, mother of this years beneficiary Gracie Mulei, said she is excited and so is her daughter Gracie.

Mulei is hopeful that Gracie will be able to make an appearance at the event, but said right now the family takes things a day at a time.

Gracie had a setback and was hospitalized at Childrens Hospital Colorado in Denver for a week at the end of March and beginning of April, explained Tina.

Gracies intestines became obstructed and then she developed heart problems.

Once she got through a danger zone, they backed off on medication and her heart got better, said Mulei.

She said Gracie is now home and back in school, trying to regain strength and reestablish a routine.

Mulei said she is still in shock and disbelief to think that the Red and Wild event will benefit her daughter.

Its an oh my gosh, I cant believe its true, she said.

This is the ninth year for the Ladies Night Out event that brings together area women and vendors for refreshments, drinks, give-aways , door prizes and a live auction.

In addition to the Gracie Mulei family, the other beneficiar is HeartBeatz, a non-profit organization dedicated to raising awareness and and giving support to families impacted by congenital heart defects.

Red and Wild is from 5 to 8 p.m. on Thursday at the Holiday Inn Express in Lexington.

Tickets can be purchased in advance at Madelines or the Lexington Clipper-Herald for $7 each, or are $8 at the door.
LEXINGTON  The trial for a woman charged with felony accessory to murder has been moved to August.

Melissa Callahan of Elm Creek and previously of Lexington, appeared in Dawson County District Court on Monday for a pre-trial hearing.

Her attorney, Charles Brewster of Kearney, filed a motion to continue citing the need for more time to obtain information and seek depositions.

He said a psychological evaluation was done on the person who did the actual shooting, meaning Jose Regalado-Mendez, and Brewster wants to get a copy of that report, but it isnt available yet.

He said one of the defenses planned was that Callahans actions were justified based on the choice of evils.

I think its very material to our defense, said Brewster of reviewing the psychological evaluation of Regalado-Mendez and possibly obtaining a deposition of the psychologist who did the evaluation.

Brewster, who is not a public defender, also asked the court to authorize funding costs related to discovery and depositions. My client is completely and totally indigent, he said.

Before approving the request, Judge James Doyle IV asked Brewster if there would be other expert witnesses besides the psychologist. Brewster said he didnt think so, and if there were he would come back to the court with an additional request.

Dawson County attorney Elizabeth Waterman agreed that Callahan was indigent and said the request was not unreasonable.

Callahan said she waived her right to a speedy trial, when Doyle advised her that if the trial were moved from May 9 to Aug. 8 the period of time between those dates wouldnt count against the state in fulfilling her right to a speedy trial.

The trial is now set for 9 a.m. on Aug. 8 with a pre-trial hearing set for 9 a.m. on July 21.

Callahan remains incarcerated in the Dawson County Jail.

Callahan is accused in connection with a case in which Jose Regalado-Mendez is charged with first-degree murder and use of a firearm to commit a felony.

Regalado-Mendez's charges are related to the death of Jose Hernandez, also known as Juan Marco Ornelas and Chepe, age 37.

Hernandezs remains were found Dec. 12 as law enforcement officers searched a property two and a half miles north of Lexington where Regalado-Mendez was living.

Officials say evidence indicates Callahan
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QUANZHOU, China and MCLEAN, Va.  Hilton (NYSE: HLT) today announced the opening of Hilton Quanzhou Riverside, Hilton's 100thhotel in Greater China. Hilton Quanzhou Riverside is also the first Hilton Hotels & Resorts property in Fujian and the brand's 40th in Greater China. The 25-story, 296-room riverfront hotel is located in the heart of Quanzhou, Fujian Province's largest metropolitan area and an important economic center in southeastern China that continues to support the corporate, MICE and leisure travel segments.

"Hilton has proudly welcomed the world's travelers for nearly 100 years, continuously innovating and redefining what hospitality means," said Sean Wooden, vice president, brand management, Asia Pacific, Hilton. "With the opening of our first Hilton Hotels & Resorts property in Fujian, we are delivering unparalleled hospitality to both leisure and business travelers. Hilton Quanzhou Riverside will delight everyone with our spacious rooms, state-of-the-art facilities, tantalizing culinary options, and impeccable service."

Hilton Quanzhou Riverside has a prime location in Jinjiang's Central Business District, amongst the upscale headquarters of global enterprises. The hotel is only 8 kilometers from Quanzhou Jinjiang International Airport and 12 kilometers from Quanzhou Railway Station. Guests of Hilton Quanzhou Riverside will enjoy the hotel's proximity to nearby attractions including Kaiyuan Temple, Qingyuan Mountain, as well as the shopping destinations of Wanda Plaza and Live Show Creative Park, all of which are less than 10 kilometers from the hotel.

"Hilton is strengthening its footprint across China in locations that attract business and leisure travelers," said Bruce McKenzie, senior vice president, operations, Greater China & Mongolia, Hilton. "We celebrate a great milestone today with the opening of our 100th hotel in China. And we are continuing to grow. With more than 230 hotels in the pipeline, we will provide guests with more choice and more opportunities to experience our best-in-class service, wherever they travel to."

Hilton Quanzhou Riverside's 296 guest rooms each span at least 40 square meters, making them the largest in the district. Guests can expect views of the river and the city skyline, modern decor, and in-room amenities such as Wi-Fi and 49-60 inch LCD televisions. Guests who stay in executive rooms and suites will also enjoy access to the Executive Lounge, which offers 180-degree views, complimentary breakfast, afternoon tea, and happy hour drinks. The hotel's heated indoor pool on level six affords river views, while an underwater sound system enables guests to enjoy music while they do their laps. Hilton Quanzhou Riverside's guests can also relax in the hotel's steam rooms, or they can work out on the Italian-made Technogym equipment at the 24-hour fitness center.

The hotel offers full meetings support to ensure seamless events. Hilton Quanzhou Riverside has a total of 2,940 square meters of meeting and banquet space that can be configured for events of any size. Equipped with state-of-the-art audiovisual technology, these flexible spaces include a 1,368-square meter pillar-less Grand Ballroom, a 600-square meter banquet foyer with a view of the river, a VIP room, a boardroom, two Bridal Rooms, and seven meeting rooms.

The innovative food and beverage concepts at Hilton Quanzhou Riverside include:

KITCHENCRAFT , an all-day dining restaurant that features an open kitchen, and Western and Asian cuisines. Buffet or a la carte, the sumptuous fare includes healthy choices and incorporates locally-sourced ingredients.

, an all-day dining restaurant that features an open kitchen, and Western and Asian cuisines. Buffet or a la carte, the sumptuous fare includes healthy choices and incorporates locally-sourced ingredients. GU XIANG is a Chinese restaurant that takes inspiration from its name, which means 'hometown'. Drawing on age-old culinary traditions, GU XIANG offers authentic Minnan and Cantonese specialties. Ideal for business occasions and social gatherings, the restaurant has 14 private dining rooms, including three with outdoor seating areas and river views.

is a Chinese restaurant that takes inspiration from its name, which means 'hometown'. Drawing on age-old culinary traditions, GU XIANG offers authentic Minnan and Cantonese specialties. Ideal for business occasions and social gatherings, the restaurant has 14 private dining rooms, including three with outdoor seating areas and river views. THE HORIZON is the place to unwind or conduct informal meetings over afternoon tea, featuring local snacks and a wide variety of premium Chinese teas.

Hilton Quanzhou Riverside is part of Hilton Honors, the award-winning guest-loyalty program for Hilton's 14 distinct hotel brands. Hilton Honors members who book directly through preferred Hilton channels have access to instant benefits, including a flexible payment slider that allows members to choose nearly any combination of Points and money to book a stay, an exclusive member discount that can't be found anywhere else and free standard Wi-Fi. Members also enjoy popular digital tools available exclusively through the industry-leading Hilton Honors mobile app, where Hilton Honors members can check-in and choose their room. To celebrate the hotel's opening, Hilton Honors members can earn 1,000 Bonus Points per night on the best available rate through June 24, 2017.

Hilton Quanzhou Riverside is owned by Quanzhou Quanshang Real Estate Co, Ltd. and managed by Hilton. It is located at No.999 Binjiang Road, Jinjiang, Quanzhou City, Fujian Province, P.R. China. For more information or to make reservations, please call +86 595 8516 6666 or visit the hotel's website at quanzhouriverside.hilton.com.

Media may learn more about the hotel and download high-resolution images at news.hilton.com/quanzhouriverside. More information on recent and upcoming Hilton Hotels & Resorts openings is available at news.hilton.com/openings. To view an interactive map featuring the Hilton Hotels & Resorts development pipeline, visit news.hilton.com/map.

About Hilton

Hilton (NYSE: HLT) is a leading global hospitality company with a portfolio of 18 world-class brands comprising more than 6,800 properties and more than 1 million rooms, in 122 countries and territories. Dedicated to fulfilling its founding vision to fill the earth with the light and warmth of hospitality, Hilton has welcomed more than 3 billion guests in its more than 100-year history, earned a top spot on the 2021 World's Best Workplaces list and been recognized as a global leader on the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices for five consecutive years. In 2021, in addition to opening more than one hotel a day, Hilton introduced several industry-leading technology enhancements to improve the guest experience, including Digital Key Share, automated complimentary room upgrades and the ability to book confirmed connecting rooms. Through the award-winning guest loyalty program Hilton Honors, the nearly 128 million members who book directly with Hilton can earn Points for hotel stays and experiences money can't buy. With the free Hilton Honors app, guests can book their stay, select their room, check in, unlock their door with a Digital Key and check out, all from their smartphone. Visit newsroom.hilton.com for more information, and connect with Hilton on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube.

Audrey Wong

Hilton Worldwide - Asia Pacific

+65 6833 9763

Hilton
A UW-Madison professor who studies solar energy and another who examines how international companies have shaped a West African nation have been named to this years class of Andrew Carnegie Fellows.

Greg Nemet, a professor in the La Follette School of Public Affairs and Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies, and Gregg Mitman, from the Department of History, were among 35 fellows announced by the Carnegie Corporation of New York on Wednesday.

The award provides up to $200,000 for fellows to take a research sabbatical during which they examine challenges to democracy and international order, according to the university.

It is a wonderful honor for them personally and also for UW-Madison to have two of our scholars selected in the same year, Chancellor Rebecca Blank said. They are both superb scholars who will use this award to advance their important research.

Nemet plans to examine the development of solar energy and the technologys supply chain to answer the question, How did solar become inexpensive?

Mitman, a professor of the history of science, medical history and environmental studies, will use the fellowship to finish his book on how Liberias decision in the 1920s to grant land to Firestone Tire and Rubber Co. and other corporations has affected the nations people and their environment, from health to economic stability, UW officials said.
Australias prime minister said yesterday he is looking forward to meeting soon with U.S. President Donald Trump, three months after their heated telephone conversation over an Obama-era refugee deal.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull was speaking to reporters at the al-Minhad air base in the United Arab Emirates after meeting in Afghanistan with Defense Secretary James Mattis and greeting Australian troops in the Middle East ahead of Veterans Day commemorations.

Turnbull met in Sydney over the weekend with Vice President Mike Pence, whose visit was intended to smooth over any lingering hard feelings after the prime ministers contentious phone call with Trump on Jan. 28 over a refugee resettlement deal struck by the previous Obama administration.

Turnbull said he will announce his Trump visit very shortly. The meeting will take place in New York, according to media reports.

Weve had very good meetings with Vice President Pence and the Defense Secretary James Mattis just in the last few days. I look forward to continuing those discussions with President Trump and will do so at an early opportunity, Turnbull told reporters.

Australia is unhappy with Trumps decision to pull the United States out of the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership trade pact.

Under the refugee resettlement agreement, the United States will take up to 1,250 refugees that Australia houses in detention camps on the Pacific island nations of Nauru and Papua New Guinea. Trump, who campaigned on tough-on-immigration policies, was enraged by the agreement, prompting a tense phone call with Turnbull and an angry tweet in which the president dubbed the deal dumb.

White House spokesman Sean Spicers subsequent mispronunciation of Turnbulls name as Trumbull did not help matters.

The fallout has left relations between the U.S. and Australia at their lowest point since the Vietnam War, when Australias then-Prime Minister Gough Whitlam criticized a series of bombings authorized by then-President Richard Nixon.

Turnbull left open the possibility of Australia increasing its military contribution in Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan. AP
China has provided the clearest indication to date that it plans to lift the cap on how much foreign carmakers can own of their local joint ventures, putting pressure on Chinese carmakers to speed up the building of their own brands.

In a joint release yesterday, the National Development and Reform Commission together with the science and industry ministries laid out a development blueprint for the countrys auto industry covering the years through 2025. The government will open up the restriction on joint venture ownership in an orderly manner, according to the plan, which didnt provide details of how the liberalization will be carried out or provide a timeline.

The so-called 50:50 rule  named after the 50 percent limit that foreign companies can own of their Chinese joint ventures  has for years been a sacred cow for the auto industry, seen as necessary to buy local carmakers time to gain the technology and build their brands before giving overseas carmakers unfettered access to whats now the worlds biggest car market.

That began to change in 2014 when a Chinese commerce ministry official suggested in a public forum that local carmakers should prepare for the day the rule will be eased. The prospect of allowing the likes of General Motors Co. and Volkswagen AG to own all of their operations in China prompted the then-head of the state-backed China Association of Automobile Manufacturers to remark that Chinese brands would be killed in the cradle.

Most recently, China was ready to relax the policy during President Xi Jinpings visit to Florida earlier this month for a summit with Trump, according to Bloomberg BNA. Bloomberg News reported in June that Chinas government was considering loosening the policy that has long been criticized for shielding state-owned companies from competition.

While yesterdays development plan didnt include a specific timeline on when the ownership restriction will be opened, or whether it will be a gradual opening up or complete lifting of the cap, its the first official mention in writing that the government will ease the limit.

My opinion on this has been that over the long run the restriction on stake cap will be lifted, said Dong Yang, vice chairman of CAAM, after attending a meeting organized by the industry ministry to discuss the plan. But it wont work if we remove it immediately and that is what orderly means.

Less than half the record 23.9 million cars, sport utility vehicles and minivans sold in China last year were from local nameplates. Market share for Chinese-brand cars has stayed fairly constant, reaching 43 percent last year from 41 percent a decade ago, according to the state-backed manufacturers association.

While Chinas homegrown brands have gained more market recognition, the countrys automakers are still not strong enough and lack sufficient core technologies, MIIT said in the statement.

The government aims to boost sales of new-energy vehicles to more than 20 percent of the countrys overall market by 2025 as well as nurture several local automakers that can make their way to the top 10 global manufacturers of such autos by 2020, according to MIIT.

Foreign companies often prop up their domestic partners to help them stay in business and keep the assembly lines rolling, said Jochen Siebert, the Singapore-based managing director of JSC Automotive Consulting. If the cap is lifted, some partnerships would take years to unravel as the parties haggle over the price. Yet carmakers owned by local governments may dissolve their marriages quickly so officials can use the proceeds to invest in ventures such as improving public transportation, Siebert said. Bloomberg
The Electoral Affairs Commission for the Legislative Assembly Election (CAEAL) has a preliminary plan to install polling stations at 35 venues, with one of the venues containing two polling stations. This increase will make available a total of 36 polling stations for 2017s direct election process for the Legislative Assembly.

Compared to the 2013 election, six polling stations and five venues have been added for the upcoming election. The reason for the increase in the number of facilities, according to CAEAL, is the growth in the number of registered voters.

On Monday, CAEAL representatives made a site visit to the new polling venues and to several used in previous elections, in order to evaluate the facilities and arrangements at those places. Venues visited included the Northern District Public Services Centre at Areia Preta, the Macau Forum building and several schools.

According to a CAEAL statement, major factors considered when selecting a polling venue were: convenience for voters, facility capacity and the safety of the facility. Another important factor was ease of access for elderly voters and for people with special needs.

The commission also stated that for indirect elections, the Macao Polytechnic Institute will be used as the sole polling venue, hosting a total of five polling stations.

By the deadline for voter registration in December 2016, there were 307,020 people registered to vote, representing a growth of 10.78 percent from the 277,153 registered voters in 2012.

The commission repeated that the distribution of the polling stations is determined according to the voter address given at registration. This location-based system is meant to convince voters who have changed their address to update their personal data through the automatic service kiosks located in several locations of the city.

The primary concern voiced by one of the team members that visited the polling station sites was in regards to the accessibility of the polling stations. The concern centered especially on how they do not, at present, adequately serve the needs of the elderly and people with disabilities.
Hong Kong will cut the size of returns its power utilities are allowed to make to 8 percent under a 15-year plan it hopes will help wean the city off coal while keeping electricity bills down.

CLP Holdings Ltd. and HK Electric Investment Ltd. signed a new so-called Scheme of Control with the government after more than a year of negotiations, Secretary for Environment Wong Kam-sing said yesterday during a televised press conference. The previous 10-year agreement, which started in 2008, set the rate of return at 9.99 percent.

As most of Hong Kong coal-fired power plants will be retired within the next decade, the 15-year term will provide a clearer environment for utilities to invest in gas-fired and non-fossil fuel plants, Wong said, according to a government statement.

The new rate at 8 percent is bang in line with what many on the sell side were forecasting, and its at the top of the 6 percent to 8 percent range the government had floated back in 2015, said Simon Powell, head of Asian utilities research at UBS Group AG in Hong Kong.

Power tariffs for customers could fall by more than 5 percent under the new scheme, the government said, though that assumes relevant factors remain unchanged. It warned, however, that using more-expensive natural gas will exert very heavy pressure on tariffs.

Hong Kong got about 53 percent of its power from coal as of 2012, compared with 22 percent from natural gas and about 23 percent from nuclear, imported via a transmission line from mainland China, according to the Environmental Protection Department.

Both of Hong Kongs power utilities issued statements saying they welcome the new rate because it provided clarity and stability. CLP Holdings said in its statement the contribution of its Hong Kong business to operating earnings will decrease under the new version of the scheme, which has helped regulate the citys electricity production since 1964.

The new agreement will also include a feed-in tariff mechanism and a renewable energy certificates program to promote the use of cleaner power, the government said in its statement. The new agreement will start Oct. 1, 2018 for CLP Holdings and Jan. 1, 2019, for HK Electric. Bloomberg
South Koreas military said yesterday that North Korea held major live-fire drills in an area around its eastern coastal town of Wonsan as it marked the anniversary of the founding of its military.

The exercise took place as a U.S. guided-missile submarine arrived in South Korea and envoys from the United States, Japan and South Korea met in Tokyo to discuss the growing threat posed by North Koreas nuclear weapons and missiles program.

Experts thought North Korea might conduct a nuclear test or a ballistic missile launch to mark the anniversary, but as of yesterday evening neither had occurred.

Crowds in Pyongyang, the North Korean capital, laid flowers and paid respects at giant statues of the countrys former leaders Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il, one day after the minister of defense reiterated that the North was ready to use pre-emptive strikes or any measures it deems necessary to defend itself against 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, Gen. Pak Yong Sik told a meeting of thousands of senior military and civilian officials.

South Koreas Joint Chiefs of Staff said it was closely watching North Korean military action in the Wonsan city area, where it said the drills were being held. South Koreas Yonhap news agency said the exercise involved 300 to 400 artillery pieces, but an official from Seouls Defense Ministry couldnt confirm such details.

The streets of Pyongyang were quiet. Flower-laying and bowing at statues and portraits of the leaders is a regular routine on major anniversaries. People also gathered in open spaces to take part in organized dancing, another common way to mark holidays.

Our great leaders founded and wisely led our revolutionary army, and just like that, now our respected Marshal Kim Jong Un is leading wisely, so even though the situation is tense, we are celebrating the day, said Choe Un Byol, who came with his family to the bronze statues of the former leaders.

North Korea often also marks significant dates by displaying its military capability. It launched a missile one day after the 105th birthday of late founder Kim Il Sung on April 15.

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.

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

The submarines arrival comes as the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier headed toward the Korean Peninsula for a joint exercise with South Korea. The U.S. 7th Fleet said two American destroyers were conducting simultaneous maritime exercises with naval ships from South Korea and Japan.

Despite the buildup, U.S. President Donald Trump 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.

Trump told ambassadors from U.N. Security Council member countries that they must be prepared to impose additional and stronger sanctions on North Korea.

This is a real threat to the world, whether we want to talk about it or not, Trump said at a White House meeting Monday. North Korea is a big world problem, and its a problem we have to finally solve. People have put blindfolds on for decades, and now its time to solve the problem.

Nikki Haley, Trumps U.N. ambassador, said the United States is not looking for a fight with Kim and would not attack North Korea unless he gives us reason to do something. She praised Chinas increased pressure on North Korea.

Asked about the threshold for U.S. action, Haley told American broadcaster NBC 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.

But asked what if North Korea tests an intercontinental missile or nuclear device, she said, I think then the president steps in and decides whats going to happen.

The United States, Japan and South Korea agreed to put maximum pressure on North Korea, the Souths envoy for North Korea said after meeting his American and Japanese counterparts in Tokyo.

We agreed to warn North Korea to stop any additional strategic provocation and take intolerably strong punitive measures against Pyongyang if it goes ahead with such provocations, Kim Hong-kyun told reporters following his meeting with Joseph Yun of the U.S. and Japans Kenji Kanasugi.

Kim said they discussed ways to get more cooperation from China and Russia, which they agreed is crucial to applying effective pressure on North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons program. He said they also recognized Chinas recent steps toward that goal.

Japans Foreign Ministry announced that Chinas envoy for North Korea, Wu Dawei, was arriving in Tokyo for talks with Kanasugi that may take place later this week. Eric Talmadge & Kim Tong-Hyung, Pyongyang, AP
Hong Kong is expected to receive its first wave of Cambodian domestic helpers this September. According to China Daily, their arrival will follow the relaxation of visa restrictions. The visa laws were amended to promote communication and exchange with countries along the Belt and Road Initiative.

The number of the first group of Cambodian domestic helpers travelling to Hong Kong will be approximately 1,000, Simon Liu, chairman of Cambodia Human Resource Development Association, said at a signing ceremony in Hong Kong on Monday. This group is likely to arrive in Hong Kong in September.

The long-term goal is to have over 10,000 more Cambodians employed by Hong Kong families every year, added Simon Liu.

The association signed an agreement with the Cambodian government to become the latters official representative to promote, train and protect Cambodian workers in Hong Kong.

Liu said that many of the Cambodian domestic helpers interested in working in Hong Kong already have experience in working overseas. They are expected to 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 familiesThe supply of Cambodian maids can ease the situation, said Elain Fung, director of a Hong Kong employment agency.

Hong Kongs recent relaxation of visa restrictions has made it easier for Cambodian workers to successfully apply for visas to Hong Kong, Fung added.

The HKSAR government has relaxed visa restrictions for Cambodian workers, investors and students since March 1. Under the new visa requirements, Cambodian nationals may apply to enter Hong Kong for employment under different schemes, or for investment, training and study, 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.

For those who are interested to work as domestic helpers in Hong Kong, we see plenty of opportunities available here, added Sui.
The paved alleys are still lined by the skeletons of homes once filled with families. Shop shelves are empty, and the water well in the center of town remains clogged by fallen debris. Children carefully side-step piles of broken brick on their way to school.

This is life today in the tiny Nepalese farming town of Sankhu, once famed for its lively Hindu temple festivals and rich produce markets just outside the capital of Kathmandu.

Nearly everything was lost on April 25, 2015, when a terrifying earthquake shook the Himalayan nation, killing more than 9,000 people and toppling nearly a million homes nationwide. Little progress has been made in the two years since, raising questions about the governments commitment to the recovery effort as well as the fate of billions of dollars in foreign aid.

In Sankhu, where the quake claimed 98 lives and toppled 800 homes, most of the remaining residents have struggled to restore what they once had. Many say they have yet to receive any help from the government despite pledges of aid money and help with bank loans.

Our town was once one of the best known towns in the country, said 70-year-old Komal Nath Shrestha. Now all we have is ruins and no hope.

Shrestha spent four hours after the quake buried in the rubble of his ruined four-story home before family members pulled him out. Now, he is among hundreds in Sankhu living in tin sheds and tarpaulin tents that have popped up in fields and along roadsides as meager protection from winter cold and summer rains.

The violence and devastation wrought by the earthquake dominated newspaper headlines worldwide and triggered an outpouring of foreign concern. Aid pledges totaling USD4.2 billion poured in  about half what the government estimates it will cost to rebuild homes and infrastructure.

The government is still collecting that foreign aid, with agreements signed already for $3.1 billion. But to date, it has spent only $330,000.

Thats allowed Nepal to rebuild just 3.5 percent of 626,694 homes so far counted as having been destroyed in the quake. And even that count is incomplete, including only homes in the 14 worst-hit districts. There are still another 17 districts to survey.

Meanwhile, the vast majority of Nepalese left homeless by the quake are preparing to spend a third rainy season hunkered down in temporary shelters, often flooded and exposed to the elements, relying on handouts of one-time sales for cash to get by.

We are refugees in our home town, said Ram Shahi, who was Sankhus butcher until the quake put him out of business. We have bugs and even snakes crawling inside the tin sheds when it rains. We cannot cook because the floor is flooded and clothes get all soaked.

The government has been criticized for moving slowly in dispersing funds that would allow people to rebuild on their own. It has said those who need to rebuild would be offered a first aid installment of 50,000 rupees, or $485, followed by second $1,455 payment and a third worth $970. If families needed more, it said they would be offered low-interest loans for up to $24,270.

But only first installments have been given so far to 87 percent of families that have qualified for aid.

For the rice farming families of Shree Krishna Singh and his brother, that $485 payment falls far short of the $72,800 its cost them to rebuild their shattered home.

That money was peanuts, not even enough to dig and lay the foundation, Singh said. Still, they consider themselves among the lucky in that they could sell their rice field to build a new, white concrete home. Now, though, theyre out of work.

Others have been far less fortunate.

The tin roofs are leaking, retired teacher Satya Narayan said of the makeshift shelter hes occupied since the quake. We get water all over the ground. It gets cold at night, and like an oven in the day.

But Narayan hasnt even qualified for earthquake assistance, because like many in Nepal, where records are haphazard, he doesnt have the documents to prove he owns his land.

A report by the rights group Amnesty International yesterday accused Nepal of failing to help some of the most marginalized among its quake victims, with tens of thousands locked out of the reconstruction program because they cant prove land ownership.

Officials with the National Reconstruction Authority acknowledge their efforts are falling short.

The grant is not enough, but it is meant to help people get started rebuilding their homes, said Govind Raj Pokharel, who heads the National Reconstruction Authority. Binaj Gurubacharya, Sankhu, AP
Wang Baoan, former head of Chinas National Bureau of Statistics, was indicted on suspicion of accepting bribes, the official Xinhua News Agency reported yesterday.

Wang is accused of taking advantage of his posts as NBS chief and assistant and vice finance minister to benefit others, and illegally accepting a huge amount of money and property either by himself or through others, Xinhua said, citing the Supreme Peoples Procuratorate. The report didnt include any reference to the accuracy of Chinese economic data.

Wangs name joined the long list of high-ranking officials targeted in President Xi Jinpings campaign against corruption last year when the anti-graft authority, the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, said he was suspected of severe disciplinary violations.

Wang was succeeded last year by Ning Jizhe, a close adviser to Premier Li Keqiang, who also continues serving in his prior role as the vice chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission, the countrys top economic planning body. Ning has said his agency must improve its accounting of the new economy and more accurately track new industries.

Former Sichuan province vice governor Li Chengyun also was indicted on suspicion of bribery. He is accused of accepting payments and taking advantage of his posts while in that job and as the Communist Party chief of Deyang city, Xinhua reported.

Separately, the state-controlled news agency said in a commentary published this week that the government has zero tolerance for any fabrication of economic data as authentic figures are important for making correct decisions that benefit people.

Xinhua cited Liaoning Province, which said in January that it fabricated fiscal data from 2011 to 2014 because officials wanted to advance their careers. Since then, Xi and Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli have both called for punishing phony 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, Xinhua said.

Of the 23 provincial-level regions that have released first-quarter gross domestic product data as of Monday, Liaonings 2.4 percent growth was the slowest, according to the report.

The central government plans steps that will reduce the influence local governments have on economic statistics, a person familiar with the matter told Bloomberg News in January.
TWIN FALLS  After writing about Juanitas Tacos and More back in February, reader Angela Chapin messaged me on Facebook to ask if I had ever tried Jarritos Mexican Restaurant, 565 Washington St. N.

It was on her list of Mexican food she wanted to try in Twin Falls.

I havent tried it yet, because I am also picky about my Mexican food, she told me, referencing my Juanitas story in which I outed myself as a Mexican food snob.

I try not to be too snobby, but having eaten good, authentic, homemade Mexican food, its hard to accept mediocrity.

I told Chapin I was in the same position as her: Id been meaning to try Jarritos for a while, but had yet to get around to it. My wife even bought an online coupon deal more than a year ago, but it expired before we ever went.

Chapin and I left the conversation at that, but late last month, she messaged me again. She had dined at Jarritos and shared with me a great review that finally pushed me to try the place.

With Angelas permission, Im printing her (lightly edited) review, and my own.

Our consensus? Jarritos is terrific, and anyone looking for a delicious, home-style Mexican meal should try it out.

The flavor had depth

Chapin: Finally tried Jarritos Mexican Restaurant on Washington Street North. We were a party of four  my in-laws were treating me to dinner for my birthday.

I loved that there was plenty of parking and the restaurant was so clean. The server was a young woman and seemed shy, and the food took a bit to arrive.

We had homemade tortilla chips and salsa (so-so) and refried beans (made with love, because the flavor had depth) to nibble on while we waited.

When the food did arrive with the green blended salsa and the roasted blended salsa: Wow.

The rice was so fluffy and flavorful  it reminded us of paella rice. Again, the refried beans made me want to lick the plate! The tacos we had  fresh tortillas  so much better than my homemade ones. The meat was beautifully seasoned, but not hiding behind seasoning. My husbands burrito was huge and the green sauce on it was rich and delicious.

The salsas reminded me of my moms blended salsas  still warm from the stove  and took me back to my childhood.

On the way out, we noticed that Jarritos opens at 7 a.m.; we will be going back again soon to see what they offer so early.

Like eating at abuelas

Riggins: Angela Chapin was right. The beans here are excellent, flavorful and made lovingly by owner Jovita Ocampo, a sweet abuelita who treats her customers like her nine grandchildren.

Before she knew I was reviewing her restaurant, she came to our table to ensure our visit was going well and shower affection on my 3-month-old son.

Later, after sharing with her the reason for my visit, Ocampo gave me two big hugs. This story, she said, could be the blessing from God shes been praying for. Jarritos, which Ocampo opened about two years ago, is on the brink of closing because business has been slow. Shes finding it hard to compete against established Mexican restaurants that have been in town much longer.

If Jarritos closes, it will be a huge loss for Mexican-food lovers in the Magic Valley, because the food is outstanding.

My wife ordered the carne asada  a thin grilled steak  that came with beans, rice, avocado and tortillas; she chose flour over corn. She reported her food was just as flavorful and authentic as the food shes had while travelling with her mother in Mexico.

I ordered the alambre, a dish not unlike fajitas, made with grilled beef sauteed with onions and green peppers. The key difference between alambre and fajitas, though, is the cheese. Jarritos adds cheese and sour cream to the meat and vegetables that melts and binds it all together.

I had only ever tried alambre at my wifes family reunions in San Diego  we call it Mexican pizza  and the alambre at Jarritos reminded me of home. It was outstanding by itself and even better when loaded into both corn and flour tortillas. It also came with more of Ocampos delicious beans and rice.

I also tried a carnitas taco, just to test it out. The pork was moist and flavorful and paired great with the green salsa. My only wish is that it would have come with guacamole, but thats not just a Jarritos problem. Ive yet to find a Mexican restaurant in the Magic Valley that serves street tacos with guacamole, the way I grew up eating them in San Diego and Tijuana.

If the reviews by Chapin and I arent enough to convince you Jarritos is serving up authentic, home-style Mexican food, then consider this: When I stopped in for lunch Thursday, there were patrons eating at three other tables. All were Spanish-speaking Hispanic families.

Thats not always a tell-tale sign of authentic Mexican food, but it certainly was at Jarritos.
BURLEY  Gary Dean Arguello adverted his eyes as a 28-year-old woman explained how he sexually assaulted her as a young teen and how it affected her life.

Cassia County District Judge Michael Crabtree sentenced the 59-year-old Declo man April 25 to eight to 25 years in prison on each of three counts of lewd conduct with a child under 16. The sentences will run simultaneously.

After a hung jury in an October 2015 trial, a jury found Arguello guilty of the charges January.

The woman said Arguello forced her to have oral sex, and he anally raped her while she was living in his home when she was 12 and 13 years old.

I have night terrors still today, she said. The woman has struggled with drug addiction, and the abuse hurts her relationships and makes her feel ashamed, she said.

I want to be more than what Gary did to me, she said.

Being accused of serious crimes was life changing for me, Arguello said, and hes learned so much.

Im sorry all this happened, he said.

Arguellos attorney Scott Fouser said his long employment record, strong family support and willingness to comply with treatment made him a good candidate for a suspended sentence and probation.

Fouser said the assaults happened about 15 years ago, and Arguello has proven that he can be compliant with treatment and remain sober.

But Prosecutor Doug Abenroth said there are only a handful of crimes in the state that carry a life sentence, and lewd conduct is one of them. The 30-year age gap and the fact that Arguello had authority over the victim and has not admitted to the crimes warranted much stiffer penalties, Abenroth said.

Evaluations show Arguello is a low risk to reoffend, Crabtree said, but the population that is at risk is young girls he may have authority over. The evaluation also showed he is less amenable to treatment than the average offender, but it said, he could start treatment in the community with strict requirements. Crabtree disagreed and sent him to prison.

The impacts of his actions on the victim were profound, he said, and the emotional impact has continued over many years.

There were multiple offenses that were intrusive and invasive and used physical violence and intimidation that caused long-lasting harm, the judge said.

Anything other than an imposed sentence would depreciate the seriousness of the crimes, Crabtree said.
TWIN FALLS  Alex Jones, founder of the far-right website InfoWars and one of the countrys more well-known conspiracy theorists, doubled down after Chobani filed a lawsuit Monday against Jones and two of his companies for making false and defamatory accusations.

Early Tuesday, about 12 hours after the suit was filed in Twin Falls County District Court, Jones posted a 17-minute anti-Islamic tirade on his Youtube channel calling Chobani Islamist owned and backed and claiming that owner Hamdi Ulukaya infiltrated the United States with the clear backing of Turkey.

During the video, which had been viewed more than 45,000 times as of 5 p.m. Tuesday, Jones asks his viewers to support him in the lawsuit against Chobani by buying unregulated, InfoWars-branded nutraceuticals and supplements.

Chobanis lawsuit involves a Youtube video published April 11 in which two InfoWars personalities falsely linked Chobani to the assault of a 5-year-old girl at the Fawnbrook Apartments in Twin Falls.

County Prosecutor Grant Loebs said theres no connection between the yogurt factory, which employs some refugees, and the assault, for which three refugee boys pleaded guilty earlier this month in a sealed juvenile case.

The InfoWars Youtube video was titled MSM (mainstream media) Covers for Globalists Refugee Import Program After Child Rape Case and was shared by Jones and his outlets on Twitter with the message: Idaho Yogurt Maker Caught Importing Migrant Rapists.

Chobanis lawsuit says the video purports to describe Chobanis practice of hiring refugees and an assault unrelated to Chobani and claims the accusations made in the video are false and defamatory and have yet to be removed despite multiple written demands.

The video also repeats false claims linking the Chobani factory to a rise in tuberculosis cases in Twin Falls.

Jones began his response video by linking Chobani owner Ulukaya with George Soros, the liberal billionaire whos become a favorite target for right-wing conspiracy sites.

Early in the video, its unclear if Jones is talking about Soros or Ulukaya when he said: Im not saying he consciously brought in people he thought were going to rape, but people he brought in and force-fed in America have now been implicated, indicted and have pled guilty to that.

Later, Jones is clearly talking about Ulukaya when he says the Chobani founder comes here with clear backing of the government of Turkey. Turkey (has) infiltrated us up one side and down the other.

Jones goes on to say that tuberculosis cases are skyrocketing because of the Islamist Ulukaya  a claim made by Breitbart thats since been refuted  and that Ulukaya is pushing for more un-vetted refugees.

The video is not out of the norm for Jones, who pushes the conspiracies that the 9/11 attacks were carried out by the U.S. government and that the slaughter of 20 school children at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut was faked.

Jones, a Texas native, is rarely apologetic about his controversial and often fabricated statements, though he did offer a correction and quasi-apology last month for InfoWars coverage of PizzaGate, a far-right conspiracy that accused Democratic officials of running a child sex-slave ring out of Washington D.C. pizza restaurant.

InfoWars removed several PizzaGate stories from its website last month, but Jones made clear Tuesday that for now, he plans no such measure for stories about Ulukaya and Chobani.
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SHOSHONE  A Twin Falls man acquitted on two attempted murder charges in Lincoln County feels like he has a second lease on life, his attorney said Tuesday.

A jury on Monday acquitted Antonio Buji Jacob Gallegos, 22, after more than three days of testimony and arguments and more than six hours of deliberation.

Gallegos, who is serving prison time for unrelated felony burglary and eluding convictions in Twin Falls and Jerome, was charged with shooting 30-year-old Francisco Javier Bravo-Martinez last January and leaving him in the desert south of Shoshone to die. Prosecutors said Gallegos fired two shots that wounded Bravo-Martinez before David Gonzales Ceballos, 25, fired three execution-style shots from close range.

Bravo-Martinez survived the shooting. Ceballos pleaded guilty earlier this year to attempted murder and was sentenced to 16 to 30 years in prison.

Gallegos opted to take his case to trial, and it paid off Monday.

The defense was essentially that my client was misidentified, despite the fact the victim and two other witnesses placed him there, defense attorney Jeremy Pittard told the Times-News.

Pittard said his client didnt match the original description of the first shooter and wasnt implicated in the crime until several days after the first two suspects were arrested. Pittard also called several witnesses who said they were with Gallegos the weekend of the shooting at a days-long birthday party for Gallegos uncle.

So why would the victim and several witnesses accuse Gallegos in the shooting if he wasnt there?

Its pretty clear these guys were strung up on methamphetamine, Pittard said.

The defense attorney also pointed out that Bravo-Martinezs story of what happened changed several times.

First, he said he was shot by Erik Lopez, a 24-year-old Wendell man who testified for the state in exchange for immunity in the case; later, he said he was shot at a party and then dragged to the desert; finally, he told police he went to the desert with several other people and was shot and left to die.

The changing story probably made jurors sit back and wonder whats going on here? Pittard said.

I dont know why they implicated my client, Pittard said. But the evidence showed that whatever happened was a lot more complicated than well ever know. I think there was something more to it, but the only people who will really know what happened are the ones who were there.

Even though he was acquitted, the charges should act as a wake-up call to Gallegos, his attorney said.

If he hadnt made the decisions to run with the wrong crowd prior to this, maybe he wouldnt be insinuated, Pittard said. I think hes starting to realize that, and I hope he can learn from this instead of being bitter.
TWIN FALLS  The largest online day of giving is fast approaching.

Idaho Gives is May 4 and is the fifth year for the event.

The Idaho Nonprofit Center has set a goal of raising $1 for every adult in Idaho or about $1.2 million. Idaho Gives has raised more than $3.5 million for charitable causes in the state since 2012. The minimum for online donations is $10.

Some local nonprofits will have booths set up from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on May 4 at the Twin Falls Visitor Center. Interlink Volunteer Caregivers will be at two locations in Twin Falls helping people make online donations to the charity of their choice.

IVC volunteers will host Wake Up and Give from 6 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Java Coffee and Cafe and then will hold Happy Hours of Giving from 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. at Scooters ChillnNGrilln.

Jeremy Sudik, owner of Scooters, has donated a brand new one-person kayak with paddle. For every $20 contribution made to any participating nonprofit at IVCs two giving stations will be entered into a raffle. One winning ticket will be drawn at 10 p.m. at Scooters and the winner does not need to be present.

For information, go to IdahoGives.org.
BOISE  Right-wing radio host Alex Jones says he will fight Chobanis defamation lawsuit against him and will visit Idaho to expose Chobani founder Hamdi Ulukayas Islamacist agenda.

Im choosing this as a battle, Jones said April 25 on his YouTube channel. On this I will stand. I will win, or I will die.

Chobani, which operates the worlds largest yogurt plant in Twin Falls, sued Jones on April 24. The lawsuit said Jones repeatedly published false information April 11 on his InfoWars website, his Twitter feed and his YouTube channel linking Chobani and owner Hamdi Ulukaya to a sexual assault case involving refugee children at a Twin Falls apartment complex, and to increases in crime and tuberculosis in Twin Falls.

Times-News reporting showed seven refugees with active tuberculosis were resettled in Idaho between 2011 and 2015, but none were contagious.

Jones stood by his networks reporting and said he would come to KIDO-AM (580) in Boise, which carries his syndicated show.

Im going to be going to Idaho, Jones said. Im going to go on that local radio station. Im going to bring investigative crews there. I am going to show what the locals are doing. I am going to show the Islamicists getting off of the planes. You want a fight? You better believe, baby, youve got one.

In an earlier video April 25, Jones said billionaire Hillary Clinton supporter George Soros was backing Chobanis lawsuit. Jones calles Soros a Nazi collaborator.

Soros isnt named in the suit. Chobani declined to comment.

Jones said his network had already changed one headline specified in the lawsuit  Idaho Yogurt Maker Caught Importing Migrant Rapists  two weeks ago at the request of Chobani attorneys. That headline remained Wednesday on a tweet on the InfoWars feed that promotes a video on Jones YouTube channel, MSM Covers For Globalists Refugee Import Program After Child Rape Case. Jones retweeted the tweet.

Jones criticized the Idaho Statesman for providing a link in its Monday story about the lawsuit to a YouTube channel, Best of InfoWars, that is not run by Jones or InfoWars and that still carried InfoWars original headline.

Jones also disputed a passage in the Statesman story that said Jones had said the Sandy Hook Elementary School mass shooting was a hoax. On his show, Jones said his network had debated the topic, but he never claimed the shooting was a hoax.

However, a video on an unrelated YouTube channel dated January 2014 shows Jones describing the shooting as a hoax.

Sandy Hook is a synthetic, completely fake, with actors, in my view, manufactured, Jones said in the video. I couldnt believe it at first. I knew they had actors there, clearly, but I thought they killed some real kids. It just shows how bold they are that they clearly used actors.

In November 2016, Jones published a 20-minute YouTube video titled Alex Jones Final Statement on Sandy Hook. In it, Jones said he does not know what happened at Sandy Hook, but he is sure that whatever happened was covered up.

Throughout Tuesdays broadcast, Jones stood by his networks reporting on the Twin Falls assault and the link between Muslim refugees, crime and disease.

Everybody knows that theres a massive Islamic invasion going on all over the Western world, and that theyve basically bought off local governments and are basically taking over our society, he said.

KIDO did not immediately return a call from the Statesman seeking comment.
Dorothy Shobe

TWIN FALLS  Dorothy Shobe, funeral services at 11 a.m. Wednesday, April 26 at the Kimberly LDS Stake Center, 3850 N 3500 E, Kimberly. A visitation will be held one hour prior to the service.

Marvin Coates

TWIN FALLS  Marvin Coates, funeral at 2 p.m. Wednesday, April 26 at Twin Falls LDS Stake Center, 2085 South Temple Dr. A visitation will be held from 1 until 1:45 p.m. prior to the service. Arrangements are under the direction of White Mortuary, Chapel by the Park.

Elwood Thompson

TWIN FALLS  Elwood Thompson, funeral services at 1 p.m. Thursday, April 27 at the LDS Church, 847 Eastland Drive North. A viewing will be held from noon until 1 p.m. prior to the service. Arrangements are under the direction of Parkes Magic Valley Funeral Home.

Loy Walden

BUHL  Loy Walden, funeral service at 3 p.m. Friday, April 28 at Calvary Chapel in Buhl. A viewing will be held from 5 until 7 p.m. Thursday April 27 at Farmer Funeral Chapel in Buhl.

Fleeta Barron

TWIN FALLS  Fleeta 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. Arrangements are under the direction of Farmer Funeral Chapel in Buhl.

Dennis Greener

IDAHO FALLS  Dennis Greener, funeral service at 11 a.m. Friday, April 28, in the Mountain View LDS Ward Chapel (1450 Mountain View Ln, Idaho Falls, ID). A visitation will be held from 6 until 8 p.m. Thursday, April 27, at the church and again on Friday prior to services from 9:30 to 10:45 AM. Arrangements are under the direction of Eckersell Memorial Chapel.

Robert Sorenson

TWIN FALLS  Robert Sorenson, graveside service with military honors at 2 p.m. Friday, April 28 at Sunset Memorial Park, Twin Falls.

Marilyn McKim

IDAHO FALLS  Marilyn McKim, graveside service at 11 a.m. Friday, April 28 at the Paul Cemetery, 550 W 100 N, Paul. A visitation will be held from 9:30 until 10:30 a.m. at the Rasmussen Funeral Home, 1350 E 16th St in Burley.

Sylvan Clark

HAGERMAN  Sylvan William Clark, 94, funeral service at 11:00 a.m., Friday, April 28, at the Hagerman LDS Church. A viewing will be one hour prior to the service at the church. Arrangements are under the direction of Farmer Funeral Chapel in Buhl.

Rozella Reed

RUPERT  Rozella Reed, funeral services at 11:00 a.m. Friday April 28, at the 7th Day Adventist Church in Heyburn. Burial will follow at the Paul Cemetery. Viewing will be held from 6-8:00 p.m. Thursday April 27, at Hansen Mortuary and one hour prior to services at the church. Services are under the direction of Joel Heward Hansen Mortuary.

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.

Mary Belle Powell

TWIN FALLS  Mary Belle Powell, celebration of life with the residents of Woodstone Heritage, from 9:30 until 11 a.m. Saturday, April 29. There will be an open house at 1 p.m. at the family home in Hansen.

Marvin Chamberlain

TWIN FALLS  Marvin Chamberlain, memorial service at 11 a.m. Saturday, April 29, at the Snake River Elks Lodge, 412 E 200 S in Jerome. A reception will follow. Reynolds Funeral Chapel.

Christine Chambers

FILER  Christine Chambers, memorial service at 11 a.m. Saturday, April 29 at the Filer Church of the Nazarene, 315 Yakima Ave., Filer with a reception to follow.

John Taylor

TWIN FALLS  John Taylor, graveside service at 2:00 p.m. Saturday, April 29, at the Hazelton Cemetery. Arrangements have been entrusted to White Mortuary, Chapel by the Park.

Beatrice Brandzej

TWIN FALLS  Beatrice Brandzej, celebration of life at 1 p.m. Saturday, April 29, at Twin Falls First Methodist Church, 360 Shoshone St. E., Twin Falls. Arrangements are under the direction of Parkes Funeral Home.

Marla Ricks

REXBURG  Marla Ricks, funeral services at 11 a.m. Saturday, April 29 at the Plano LDS Chapel, 5973 North 5000 West in Rexburg. A visitation will be held from6 until 8 p.m. at Flamm Funeral Home in Rexburg and from 10 until 10:45 a.m. prior to the service.
Russias Deputy Foreign Minister Michael Bogdanov arrived in Tripoli on Tuesday and was welcomed by members of the UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA). He told reporters that his visit to the country is a continuation of the matters that were discussed during Prime Minister-designate Fayez Serrajs visit to Moscow and to develop mechanism to implement what was agreed upon during the said visit.

After consultations between Bogdanov and Serraj, the visiting Russian official reiterated that Moscow will honor its promise for the return of cooperative relations between the two countries. Russia has been criticized by the Western countries for its close cooperation with Field Marshall Khalifa Haftar of the Libyan National Army (LNA) which is loyal to the Tobruk-based House of Representatives (HoR). Haftar has visited the country on several occasions.

Serraj hopes that Russia will use its international status to help lift the arms embargo on Libya. There have been allegations that Moscow has been supplying arms to the LNA but that was denied by both Haftar and Russia. He also called on the Russian authorities to help end the armed conflict in the southern part of the country. The LNA and forces from Misrata have been clashing in the area for the past weeks.

At the beginning of the week, an agreement was reached in Italy, between State Council president Abdulrahman Sewehli and HoR president Ageela Saleh to stop the bleeding as well as (ensure) the return of displaced persons with the hope to pave a way for a peaceful solution of their differences. The welcomed agreement in several quarters was downplayed by Saleh as he told Libya Channel TV that my meeting with Sewehli was in his capacity as a Libyan citizen. His remarks are understood to be a private agreement between two Libyan citizens and not as authorities of the institutions that they lead. Saleh is calling for the amendment of the LPA.
Chicken will be the best-positioned protein due to its low price position in times of pressure on consumer spending power but rises in production costs and the long-term impact of COVID-19 threaten to disrupt the sector, according to Rabobank.
Tanzania on Tuesday expelled the head of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in the East African nation for the deteriorating performance of her office.

Awa Dabo, a Gambian national, suffered poor relations with her work colleagues and UNDP management, Tanzanias foreign ministry said in a statement.

The government took this decision because Ms. Awa Dabo did not have good relations with her colleagues, which negatively affected the activities of the institution in the country, said the statement published in Swahili.

Ms Dabo had been deported on the same day the government issued the order, under a security escort.

The Ministry urged the UNDP to remind its staff that their first priority was to work closely with the Tanzanian government to help it meet its development targets.

Since the October 2015 general election, the government of Tanzania has accused UNDP officials of siding with opposition claims that the results were rigged in favor of the ruling CCM party.

President John Magufuli has been harassing the opposition and closing down newspapers and radio stations in the East African nation since 2016.

Known as Bulldozer since his first days in office, Magufuli is increasingly attracting attention by adopting undemocratic, authoritarian measures.
The regional 16-member bloc ECOWAS on Tuesday vowed to impose targeted sanctions against officials in the West-African Portuguese speaking nation, Guinea-Bissau, as the country failed to implement agreement to resolve a political crisis.

Rival factions reached a deal following talks in Conakry last year, but key aspects of the agreement have not been respected.

In the absence of the implementation of the Conakry accords within a deadline of 30 days, ECOWAS will move onto sanctions measures, the bloc said in a statement released on Tuesday.

Jose Mario Vazs decision in August 2015 to sack Prime Minister Domingos Simoes Pereira, a popular politician who enjoyed support from Western donors, triggered a period of instability and a succession of several other Prime Ministers. Yet, none of them managed to resolve the political deadlock.

Under the agreement reached in neighboring Guinea, President Vaz was required to appoint a new Prime Minister acceptable to all the various factions who would then name a new, inclusive government.

The United Nations Security Council has recently urged various stakeholders to implement the Conakry Agreement.

The former Portuguese colony has not convened parliament for more than a year and regional talks have failed to resolve deep rivalries within the political elite.
Nigerian federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday granted bail to the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, citing his deteriorating health conditions.

The embattled Leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, (IPOB) Nnamdi Kanu, who is also acclaimed Director of Biafra Television, has been in detention since October 14, 2015.

On Tuesday, the Abuja-based court ordered that as part of his bail bond, the IPOB leader is to produce three sureties with a sum of N100 million each. The bail is the first since he was put on trial on charges of treason.

According to the ruling, Kanu is also barred from being in crowds and must not be seen in the company of more than 10 people. No interviews and no rallies, Judge Binta Nyako was quoted as saying.

Hundreds of people in southern Nigeria have been protesting about the continued detention of Nnamdi Kanu.

Biafran secessionists fought a three-year civil war that ended in 1970 after the declaration of Biafra independence in 1967 by military officer Odumegwu Ojukwu.

More than one million people lost their lives before the uprising was eventually quelled by the military.

Many of the victims starved to death as Nigeria blockaded the newly-established states borders.

Secessionist groups have attracted the support of many young people in the southeast in recent years following the October 2015 arrest of IPOB leader in Lagos.
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Is that not what the Democrat Party has created right here in America, transforming a once prosperous, strong, united, and safe nation into a debt-laden, militarily weak, socially divided, and increasingly dangerous society? Here are some of the Bizarro policies and beliefs inflicted on us by the neo-socialist, globalist, anti-American Democrat Party over the past few decades  PAUL E. SCATS
Miami Herald File Photo

@JeremySWallace

Florida's Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater is still not certain when he will leave his current position and take a post with Florida Atlantic University.

Atwater, a Republican from Palm Beach County, told the Times/Herald today that he may still be in office when the Cabinet next meets on May 27.

In February, Atwater announced he was taking a position at FAU, but only after the Legislature finishes it's annual session on May 5. There was no specific date he intended to leave. Gov. Rick Scott and the other two members of the Florida Cabinet had treated the last Cabinet meeting on April 11 as Atwater's last meeting. They gave him going away gifts and saluted his tenure in office.

Because Atwater is leaving with more than 18 months left in his elected term in office, Scott has the authority to select Atwater's replacement through the 2018 election. Scott has not said who he is considering for the position.


@PatriciaMazzei @jayhweaver

In pleading guilty Wednesday to failing to file a federal tax return, Erik Fresen appears to have also unwittingly acknowledged he underreported his income to the state during his eight years in the Florida House of Representatives.

Fresen admitted in his plea agreement that he didnt file tax returns to the Internal Revenue Service from 2007-16. But the Miami Republican did submit annual financial disclosure forms to the Florida Ethics Commission from 2008-15. In those forms, Fresen claimed a five-figure annual income from Neighborhood Strategies, his land-consulting company.

The problem: The income Fresen reported to the state doesnt jibe with the unpaid taxes the IRS says he owes.

Fresen and his lead defense attorney, Jeffrey Neiman, declined to comment outside U.S. District Judge Robert Scolas courtroom Wednesday. Violations of state ethics laws can lead to civil fines, though there is a five-year statute of limitations.

Fresen also claimed up to $133,000 in student loans, though he graduated with a bachelors degree from Florida State, a public university.

Fresen consistently reported to the state income from two employers: $150,000 a year from Civica, an architecture design firm for which he did zoning work, and about $30,000 a year from the Florida Legislature. Both employers withheld federal taxes.

At issue is additional income Fresen earned as a self-employed consultant for Neighborhood Strategies for which he didnt pay taxes  and now appears to have low-balled the figures to the state.

More here.

Photo credit: C.M. Guerrero, el Nuevo Herald
Florida Power & Lights quest to have customers pay for natural gas fracking projects in other states overcame a key hurdle Tuesday as the Senate Rules Committee passed the controversial measure and overlooked opposition from residential and commercial customers.

The proposal, SB 1238 by Sen. Aaron Bean, R-Fernandina Beach, now goes to the Senate floor. A similar measure in the House, HB 1043, has made it through one of three committees in that chamber.

The goal of the legislation is to overturn a Florida Supreme Court ruling last year that found the Public Service Commission exceeded its authority when it gave FPL permission to charge customers up to $500 million for investing in an Oklahoma-based fracking company in 2015. Although the company predicted the project would save customers millions in fuel costs, it resulted in a loss of $5.6 million in the first year.

The Rules Committee adopted a series of amendments proposed by Sen. Jack Latvala, R-Clearwater, who opposes the measure, and approved the modified bill on a bipartisan vote of 7-3.

Latvala said the bill will for the first time make the ratepayers pay for exploration and allow the utilities to charge a rate of return on that exploration cost. He asked Bean if customers pay if the well produces a dry hole  so all the risk is with the ratepayers and not with the company? Story here.

Photo: Opponents of FPL's plan to charge customers for natural gas fracking hold a press conference at the Florida Capitol. By Scott Keeler, Tampa Bay Times.
Missoulas most high-profile bathroom is open for business and its already seeing a steady stream of visitors.

Just dont let the placement intimidate you.

The Portland Loo, on East Pine Street in the Art Park, sits prominently on the sidewalk, separating the user from the surroundings with its steel walls. Dont get too comfortable in there, though  its ventilation allows sound to flow in and out easily, also bringing a sharp breeze on cool mornings.

Almost every one of the Loos features, which initially may seem flaws, actually is designed to deal with specific public bathroom issues.

There was a lot of pressure on issues of safety, said Laura Millin, director of the neighboring Missoula Art Museum. So what we did was pull together police and parks for the design.

Their concerns turned out to be really parallel.

The first drafts of the parks design involved huge planters behind a zigzag bench, as well as another half-wall along the street.

Both of those features provided easy places to hide, Rob Scheben, the former Crime Prevention Officer for the Missoula Police Department, told the designers.

Shoot, that looks like a perfect encampment, Millin said of the initial designs.

Scheben, whos an expert in Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design, or CPTED (pronounced sip-ted), advised the design process, along with Parks and Recreations Director Donna Gaukler, according to Millin.

So the planter was gone, along with the barrier along the street, enabling police to see almost the whole park from their patrol cars.

That left the park with far fewer features than designers initially wanted, Millin said, but they ended up liking the minimalist design a lot more, since it placed more focus on the art.

In an unexpected way, City Communications Director Ginny Merriam added. Everything has made it not only more functional and safer, but more beautiful.

The Loo was deliberately placed in the open, with the door facing the street, instead of being located at the back, in a more private space.

That might be your tendency, Millin said. But no, you want it on the corner.

Design features of the Loo align with CPTED principles as well.

Take the lack of sink. Instead, there's hand sanitizer and/or a water spigot to prevent people from using the Loo as a washing machine.

Or the vents, added to allow police and those in line to see if the Loo is in use, and by how many people. (By the way, a quick crouch-check confirmed theres no line of sight toward anything above mid-calf).

More vents on the top of the Loo let ambient noise flow in, making it impossible to forget that one is doing one's business in the middle of a sidewalk.

Theyre designed to make anyone using the Loo for other activities think twice or act fast, and also prevent the Loo from becoming a weather shelter.

Although its designed to prevent people camping out in it (or to sleep, have sex or do drugs), the Loo is really big. Like, double the size of a standard bathroom stall.

You wouldnt want to have to leave your dog to use it, Millin explained. Or stroller or bicycle, either.

The Portland Loo has generally been met with approval  the city for which it's named has five now, and there are one or two in other cities across the West  aside from one notable exception.

San Diego removed one of its two Loos last year after crime rates and maintenance costs spiked, according to an article from the San Diego Union-Tribune. There were no plans to move the Loo anywhere else at the time.

The Loos, which cost around $100,000 apiece, ended up costing the city more than $500,000 to install, according to the article, and crime calls to the area around one of the Loos increased by 130 percent.

That Loo was only up for a little over a year before city officials pulled it off the sidewalk.

To make up for the loss, a nearby St. Vincent De Paul shelter opened its restrooms 24 hours a day with a security attendant, at an estimated cost of $100,000 a year, according to the Union-Tribune.

Costs for the Missoula Loo, along with maintenance for the entire Art Park, will total about $28,000 a year, according to Parks and Recreation Director Donna Gaukler.

That figure includes work on the planter beds, irrigation, lighting, snow and ice removal and daily Loo cleanings.

The MAMs janitorial staff and the downtown Business Improvement District workers also make daily spot-checks of the Loo, Millin said.

The $90,600 bathroom ($105,600 with installation) has drawn just one complaint so far, Merriam said.

A woman called into the mayors office concerned the toilets vents made it indecent and unsafe.

Millin tried it the other day and had no complaints.

It worked, she shrugged. Its strictly business.
Longstanding criminal jurisdiction on the Flathead Indian Reservation might be in for a significant change.

State legislation backed by the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes provides an avenue by which the tribal council can assume authority over felonies involving Indians on the reservation, much as the tribes have had the lead in lesser crimes since a similar bill passed in 1993.

Senate Bill 310 is a governors signature away after leaping its final legislative hurdle Monday when the House of Representatives in Helena approved it by a 53-47 vote. The state Senate gave it a 35-15 thumbs-up in February.

The bill is opposed by Lake County, in which the majority of the Flathead Reservation lies, though its backers say itll help the county through financial straits by tapping federal resources. It calls for the tribes to consult with local government officials regarding implementation.

I think one of the real important points here is since 1993, when we took over misdemeanor and civil jurisdiction, weve saved the county tens of millions if not hundreds of millions of dollars, said Jordan Thompson, attorney and lobbyist for CSKT. The county was really trying to figure out a way to lighten the burden to taxpayers. With Marsys Law now and the number of offenses involving tribal members, they cant afford this.

Lake County commissioners said earlier this year it's costing $2 million a year to prosecute serious crimes involving Indians. A legislative audit set the figure even higher, at $4 million, for a short-lived bill introduced by Rep. Greg Hertz, R-Polson, that sought state help.

SB310 requires the tribes to consult with local government officials concerning implementation, and CSKT would need Secretary of Interior Ryan Zinke of Whitefish to sign off on it.

What has happened with 310 is the county and the state dont have a voice in this matter any more, said Lake County commissioner Bill Barron. It basically gives the decision completely up to the tribes.

At issue is an agreement, Public Law 83-280, between the state and tribes that dates back to the 1950s, when CSKT was cash- and resource-strapped itself. It gave the state criminal jurisdiction on federal lands.

It was a tool used in the termination era when they were trying to destroy the reservation system, and ours was targeted for termination, said CSKT communications director Rob McDonald.

The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes were the only ones in Montana to opt into the agreement at the time, and almost immediately we tried to get out of it, Thompson said.

The termination era ended in essence in 1970, when President Richard Nixon called it wrong ... for a number of reasons.

An attempt in 1991 to retrocede Public Law 280 failed when the county successfully argued at the legislative level that it didnt provide enough assurances that it would have a place at the table, Thompson said.

A second try in 1993 succeeded.

The county and tribes worked together to come up with join law enforcement operations, said Thompson.

Tribal members still go to the county jail but lower offenses go through the tribal court system.

The new bill isnt a button we switch that allows this to happen tomorrow, McDonald said. It allows the discussion to take place. Ultimately it lies in the lap of Ryan Zinke.

Barron said Lake County needs to build a new jail and courtroom and offices for judges. In the current system, it would need to fund a 225-bed jail.

Thats millions of additional dollars on the backs of our taxpayers, the commissioner said. But we could build that and before we got ready to open the doors, the tribe could file a resolution with the governor and wed be sitting here with a jail we dont need.

He said he hopes an interim study committee on state trust lands might come up with legislation Lake County could take to the 2019 Legislature. Meanwhile, the county is open to discussions with the tribes and recently brought in a mediator to help.

It was very enlightening, said Barron. It didnt get us a solution to our problem, but it really helped us understand issues the tribe is facing and I think they have a better understanding of what issues the county has.

Were making an effort and trying to develop a way we can speak frankly about issues without it being in a public setting, because you need to be able to talk directly.

But the legislation thats about to be signed into law isnt good for Lake County, Barron insisted.

It doesnt give us teeth of any kind to try to mitigate it, he said.

According to McDonald, the 1993 agreement is a model to which other reservations and counties aspire. A potential amendment to include felonies should be no different.

Should something go forward it will involve intensive discussions with others in the community, he assured. The county would be a part of that. No ones going to be left out. This will be a process people are aware of and have a voice in.
A 25-year-old man was arrested after allegedly leading police on a car chase through Missoula late Monday in vehicle that had been reported stolen after a stabbing near Laurel.

Sgt. Travis Welsh with the Missoula Police Department said shortly before midnight Monday, an officer attempted to stop a blue Subaru Legacy that was driving without taillights near the 2200 block of Brooks Street.

Instead of stopping, the motorist led police on a winding chase through the southeast part of the city. Welsh said the driver eventually abandoned the car and fled before being arrested.

Investigators learned that the Subaru had been reported stolen out of Yellowstone County earlier Monday, after a stabbing was reported just north of Laurel. Around 10 a.m., deputies were called to Billings Clinic when a man arrived saying he had been assaulted, police said.

Yellowstone County Sheriff Mike Linder said an 18-year-old named Elliot Bradley was arrested in relation to the assault. The same morning, a family member of the victim reported the Subaru stolen.

The sheriff said the incident remains under investigation, and at this time detectives dont know the connection between, if any, Pederson and the Yellowstone County incident.

Pederson is being held in the Missoula County jail on suspicion of felony theft and misdemeanors for aggravated DUI, fleeing from a peace officer and reckless driving. He is scheduled to make an initial court appearance on Wednesday.

***

Monday night was busy for Missoula police. Around 11:45 p.m., officers also received a report that two men had been robbed at gunpoint on the 600 block of Cregg Lane. Welsh said they told police a man approached them with a handgun and demanded money before getting into a car and driving away.

After hours of searching, sheriffs deputies stopped a car matching the description around 2:30 a.m., and arrested the driver, 18-year-old Henry David Porter.

Like Pederson, Porter will make his first court appearance Wednesday. He is being held on suspicion of felony robbery and misdemeanors for carrying a concealed weapon, theft and driving without insurance.
Tess Gallagher Clancy is a sophomore at the University of Montana, where she is learning that her voice matters, and that it's important to be a critical thinker.

But when Clancy, member of a group called Reinvest Montana, draws conclusions about the UM Foundation's investments in fossil fuels and speaks against them, she gets a cool reception from decision makers.

"We're just an inconvenient group of kids who don't seem to matter," Clancy said.

Tuesday, roughly a year after Reinvest Montana held a demonstration to call on UM's fundraising arm to divest from fossil fuels, the group held another sit-in at the Gilkey Center. Last year, citations were issued to 16 people, according to Reinvest.

Shortly after 9 a.m. Tuesday, an estimated 15 people sang in the second floor lobby of the building: "Solid as a rock, rooted as a tree." Reinvest counted as many as 50 supporters throughout the day.

Soon after the group arrived, board secretary and director of administration and policy Ellen Calnan pulled down a sign the group had secured to the reception desk, and gave it back to them. Some members of the group sat in front of the hall that led to the restrooms, and she also asked them to open the path.

"All right, guys. You're going to need to clear out," Calnan said.

The demonstrators cleared the way, and some displayed the sign again, this time so it wasn't directly affixed to the reception desk. "UM > Fossil Fuels! Cut the ties - Divest!"

Just before 9:30 a.m., a couple of law enforcement officers arrived. Officer Brad Giffin greeted the group as he walked through the doorway.

Late on Tuesday afternoon, the group reported no arrests.

***

The UM Foundation has estimated that its investments in energy account for roughly 8 percent to 10 percent of its $167 million endowment.

"This encompasses investments in fossil fuel companies as well as alternative energy companies, like wind or solar," said board chair Mary Olson in a statement provided Tuesday by the UM Foundation's Kate Stober. "The endowments total exposure to coal is less than 0.5 percent.

"The exact amount invested in fossil fuels is difficult to identify for a variety of reasons, including the different types of companies conglomerates hold."

In the statement, Olson also said the UM Foundation typically doesn't identify returns from fossil fuel investments separately. However, given the request about performance, she said the foundation would provide the information for the 2017 fiscal year.

"Our fiscal year-to-date (July 1, 2016 to March 31, 2017) return is 8.5 percent. The investment return over the previous 12 months (April 1, 2016, to March 31, 2017) is 11.0 percent," Olson said in the email from Stober.

UM Foundation officials continue to point to a board statement from September 2015 as the rationale for continuing investments in fossil fuels.

"The investment objective of the UM Foundation is to generate real rates of return over the long term that result in the capital appreciation necessary to support UMs mission in perpetuity," reads the board's statement, in part.

"To achieve this objective, portfolio construction focuses on a diversified mix of investments across asset classes while remaining within an appropriate risk profile."

In the statement Tuesday, Olson said divestment of fossil fuels remains a topic of conversation among trustees.

"Mack Clapp, the committee chair, forwards every piece of communication from Reinvest Montana to the committee for consideration," Olson said. " ... UMF staff leadership met with Reinvest Montana leadership in March. At this meeting, Reinvest Montana stated they had an updated proposal to share with the board, which the staff said they would be happy to forward to the board.

"Neither the staff or board have received an updated proposal."

***

In the United States, energy consumption is up this year compared to last year, although coal use has dropped 9 percent and renewables are up, according to a report earlier this month from the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

The report notes fossil fuels made up 81 percent of total energy consumption in the United States in 2016, but renewable fuels had the largest increase from the previous year.

In the lobby of the foundation, the students posted about the demonstration to social media, read homework, and displayed sign boards.

"Invest in our future," read one sign.

"Divest from violence, divest from economic destruction, divest from fossil fuels," said another.

Reinvest Montana supports investments in renewable energy, but since the group formed more than three years ago, the UM Foundation has paid only lip service to its members, according to Reinvest's Simon Dykstra.

He said the nonprofit hasn't released its holdings and hasn't provided the contact information for Clapp, head of its investment committee  even as its investments lose money.

From 2015 to 2016, the value of the foundation's long-term investment portfolio fell 3.7 percent, according to its financial statements. The foundation has attributed the drop to the international equity and real estate markets.

***

After talking with law enforcement officers around 9:30 a.m., Reinvest Montana's Skyler Guenther reported back to the group. Demonstrators could be present and express themselves as long as they didn't block walkways or eat lunch in the lobby.

Soon, it was Guenther's turn to share with the group his reason for participating. The first-year post-baccalaureate student said the battle for climate protection has already been lost in some ways in New Jersey, his home state.

"I feel like Montana still has a chance. It's so far ahead in terms of preserving its natural beauty," said Guenther, studying wildlife biology. Really, he said, it's preserving life.

Reinvest Montana predicted the demonstration that started shortly after 9 a.m. Tuesday would be "UM's longest sit-in." The group plans to demonstrate Wednesday and Thursday as well, according to Reinvest.

"It's not like we've got anywhere else to be," said Reinvest's Hannah Gale, who was probably speaking tongue-in-cheek; class is still in session.
Tree climbing runs you ragged. In my early twenties, I worked as a tree climber for a private tree care company in the Chicago area  my first introduction to urban forestry. That experience inspired me to return to college at the age of 26.

I applied to the Forest Resource Management program in the (now W.A. Franke) College of Forestry and Conservation (CFC) at the University of Montana, not even knowing what "forestry" actually was. But flying north up the Bitterroot Valley for the first time, eyes glued to the landscapes out the window, I knew Id found my spot before the planes wheels hit the ground.

As a freshly minted undergraduate student in the CFC, I immediately made the most of the opportunities the college and the region offered. In addition to being one of the most extensive outdoor playgrounds in the western United States, western Montana is an open-air ecology classroom, and the classes are led by passionate faculty in the college.

I shed Chicago like layers of winter fur as I steeped in the woods and rivers on my own time, experiences made richer by the understanding of forest and riparian ecosystems I gained in my soil science, hydrology, silviculture, statistics and wilderness studies classes. Education and mentorship helped a simple gravitational pull toward the outdoors grow into a passion for the ideas of land and resource conservation.

So fundamental and complete was my transformation that its difficult to even describe, but could be akin to a wild animals evolutionary transformation from its humble prokaryotic origins.

After graduation, a job offer in private forestry lured me to the Cascade Range in Washington state. That experience was invaluable in many ways, but my heart remained in Missoula. Working in the forest management "big leagues" only deepened my interest in forest research, and after a year, I altered my course once again for the CFC and migrated back to Missoula to begin a PhD in Forestry and Conservation.

I could have attended other schools, and I considered some. But I chose Missoula, UM and the CFC  not only to immerse myself again in our expansive landscapes, or to conduct research with world-renowned scientists, or to cultivate my entrepreneurial inclinations in tandem with my scientific passions  though all influenced my decision. In a more nebulous, less tangible way, I came to realize that the CFC and UM offered the clearest and most certain path to attaining both my personal and professional goals.

From my perspective, stories that focus on budget cuts and declining enrollment at UM belie the true nature of what UM still is, and the good stories  like mine  that unfold on campus every day.

Prospective students and parents, know this: While recent media coverage of UM has been predominantly negative, my overwhelmingly positive experiences as an undergraduate and now graduate student show that the high-quality educational experience offered by UM and the CFC remains the same. I encourage others to share their positive experiences too to be sure we convey this message effectively.
Montana Republican Ryan Zinke has been saying he is a Theodore Roosevelt conservationist his entire political career. To thwart potential criticism and pressure, he throws the term about like a madman waving a burning tire at the end of a pole. Roosevelt is best remembered as a rancher, hunter, decorated military veteran, conservationist, and the president who began the government's role in environmental protection. Looking at Zinke's voting record and politics, there are no similarities.

Zinke's voting record speaks against Roosevelts ideals: supporting legislation to sell public lands to pay off the national debt, backing the transfer of public lands to states, opposing the North Fork Protection Act ("I didn't like that bill... because it took natural development out for perpetuity forever), supporting a bill that would turn over Montanas public lands to developers, signing the Montana constitutional plan that includes resolutions to sell public land, blocking access to more fishing and hunting on public land, endorsing a bill to cut funding to the Habitat Montana Program that benefits conservation, increasing resource extraction on public land, and defending the federal government shutdown in 2013 that temporarily closed Glacier and Yellowstone national parks. Naturally, Zinke marched into the beginning of this legislation session and voted for a bill to devalue public land and make transfer to states or private entities easier.

Zinke's first day as secretary showed him riding a horse to work; you know, like Roosevelt would have done. Zinke held the reins tight in anticipation of a runaway, wore a black cowboy hat with a Texas cattleman crease, sitting in a cosmopolitan English saddle that hinted to wealthy New England riders who compete in hunter-jumper shows. After all, most of Zinke's dark campaign money came from the East. The image fell short of the mark, since the majority of cowboys dont ride English saddles. Once inside the new office, he reversed a ban on lead ammunition on national wildlife refuges, furthering the National Rifle Associations wishes, not Roosevelt conservation.

Zinke has been busy filling the department with former Monsanto executives that harken to his days of voting to repeal portions of the Country of Origin Labeling Act, touring parks in his home state and vowing to take on sexual harassment and hostile work environments that put the Park Service in the public spotlight last year, pushing for resource extraction on public land, changing the Bureau of Land Management website's cover photograph from two children backpacking to a hunk of coal, and receiving checks for $78,000 donated from the president's salary to take care of the park maintenance backlog. Trump's proposed budget will cut the Department of Interior by $1.5 billion, all while Zinke plays cheerleader in his battle to take on the $12.5 billion park maintenance backlog.

Zinke said, "Our nation can't run on pixie dust and hope." But it seems his department will be running on exactly that as people subsidize corporations to remove resources from public lands, manipulating markets, garnering a jelly-belly profit and leaving taxpayers to clean up the mess and pay for the resultant adverse public health and squandered economy.

"I'm proud of my president. As a commander in chief, I'll follow him anywhere," drawled Zinke at Trump's Energy Independence Executive Order signing.

Roosevelt said, To announce that there must be no criticism of the president, or that we are to stand by the president, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public.

I don't see much resemblance between Zinke and Roosevelt, and therefore, we can conclude that American conservation has lost, yet again.
This week Gov. Steve Bullock will take a careful look at Senate Bill 117, a bill to revise laws relating to executing power of attorney for a minor. Unfortunately, the bill passed through both the Montana Senate and the state House on a partisan-line vote, with Democrats opposing the measure. This is a dangerous piece of legislation for children, and we urge Gov. Steve Bullock to veto the bill.

SB 117 dangerously deregulates laws regarding custody transfers for children. It essentially allows for parents to give up custody of their children by simply transferring the power of attorney over to a different guardian. This would make it dangerously easy for negligent parents to re-home children through online websites that can be a recruitment hotbed for pedophiles, sex traffickers and other abusers. Reuters wrote an eye-opening story about where the lapses in this regulation can leave children in a dangerous place.

The Reuters investigation brought some horrifying specifics about bills like this to light. In the article, they told the story of Quita, an adopted child who was re-homed after her adopted parents struggled with raising her. The adopted parents found new guardians for Quita after placing an online ad and transferred custody using the power of attorney. Quitas new guardians had a horrific history of sexual abuse of children, something that wasnt discovered using the transfer of power of attorney method that SB 117 makes legal.

Besides Quita and the many other children who have been put in danger by this custody loophole, we oppose this bill for a few other specific reasons. This bill currently offers no protection for children in the bill. Theres no requirement that a background check be conducted, there no requirement for a home check after a child has been re-homed and no standards for the safety or wellness of the child.

This bill unnecessarily opens our state up to a horrible problem, where predators and abusers are acquiring children whose parents want to re-home them. Imagine an innocent child be handed off to a stranger in a dark parking lot. This bill could make that imaginary situation a reality.

We urge Gov. Steve Bullock to veto SB 117.
It has been great to return to the Montana House of Representatives for the 65th Legislative Session. As we wind down, Im happy to report we have passed some good legislation to help the state deal with important issues including suicide prevention and the increasing problem of invasive species on our public lands and in our waters.

Its well-known that Montana has one of the highest suicide rates in the U.S., and that number is even higher in our native communities. House Bill 118 has passed both the House and the Senate and addresses suicide prevention in Montana. It provides that the states suicide prevention officer, within the Montana Department of Health and Human Services, will coordinate suicide prevention activities, create culturally appropriate awareness campaigns and conduct research aimed at better understanding the problem of suicide in Montana.

House Bill 622 (sponsored by my colleagues across the aisle, Republicans Mike Cuffe of Eureka, Bob Keenan of Bigfork, Mark Noland of Bigfork and Al Olszewski of Kalispell) received very strong bipartisan support by both the House and the Senate and is now awaiting the governors signature. The bill will help the state fight a relatively new scourge to Montanas waters  aquatic invasive mussels. It establishes an invasive species council, creates the Upper Columbia Conservation Commission, establishes the Missouri River containment and quarantine program and and revises the location and timing of inspections in the statewide invasive species management area.

I proposed House Joint Resolution 37, a joint resolution to study the threat of plant pests (or invasive pests) to agriculture, the environment and Montanas economy. This study will help us continue to address current threats and better prepare for potential future non-native infestation.
Huge kudos to all the community members who supported our American Association of University Women and Phi Delta Kappa book sale last week. All the money earned goes to educational scholarships and projects. One such project supported was the two Montana history murals which now hang in our state capitol building in Helena.

Research needs to be done, however, longtime members of AAUW agree that this book sale has been an event in Missoula for more than 40 years.

Prior to the sale, we collect books from homes all over the valley. Most persons drop off the books during the first two days of the week. Many persons remark that I bought these books last year and Im returning them this year for resale. Or the now popular remark, Im downsizing. For these first three days the worker bees organize the thousands and thousands of books into categories on different tables.

By Thursday we are all excited for the first days mighty group of persons looking to find treasures. Within minutes the room is full of intent searchers who are eerily quiet in their pursuit of books. The sales are big that day at $1 to 50 cents an inch. (We measure the stacked books with a ruler.) However, sales continue strong for two more days, with books flying out the door.

Then the scene changes with the Sunday bag sale and customer appreciation hours. Persons cannot believe their luck to be able to buy so many books for only $10 a bag. Many purchase two or three bags. Next is the last hour of customer appreciation, which asks bookers to help us clean up by taking boxes of books for free.

Each sale day is a big win-win event. Each day proves that Missoula is a city of readers.

Patricia Waylett,

Missoula
Boasting three breweries and a population of just 34,600 people, Butte can safely say its residents have an affinity for beer.

But do Mining City residents love bacon as much as they love a cold glass of brew?

The folks at Cherry Creek Media and Thriftway Super Stops will soon find the answer to that question as they launch Buttes first-ever Bacon & Brewfest at the Butte Civic Center Saturday, April 29.

The event will feature 15 micro beers on tap along with bacon-themed food items, including a bacon-topped maple bar from Buttes Town Talk Bakery, which will be sold by the Butte High School History Club.

Chris Ackerman of Cherry Creek Media said this is not the first time the Denver-based company, which owns 53 radio stations throughout the Rocky Mountain region, has launched a festival based on a marriage between pork and beer.

The company has been putting on a Missoula version of the event for several years, which boasts large crowds and attendees from throughout Montana, Ackerman said. He added that he hopes the Butte festival will make similar strides, potentially drawing people from nearby towns like Helena.

These things are going on all over the country, said Ackerman.

The cured meat has increased in popularity in recent years, resulting in a bacon renaissance of sorts. As it turns out, bacon is the new black.

I think its just the unique flavor, said Ackerman when asked why people seem to love the food so much. Everybody just likes bacon.

The festival runs 5 to 10 p.m. at the Butte Civic Center. Attendance is free, but those wishing to taste beer need to purchase a $10 commemorative 8-oz. glass. Three drink tickets are included with a purchase of the glass.
ESCAPEE CAUGHT BY MARSHALS

U.S. Marshals arrested a convicted burglar around 10 a.m. Tuesday after he walked away from the Butte Pre-Release Center on April 10. Ryan Sitton, 28, was booked into the Butte jail for felony escape and has previous convictions for theft, burglary and drug possession. The details on the apprehension were not available.

MAN CAUGHT WITH DRUGS AND KNIFE

An inmate at the Butte jail told police he believed his car may have been stolen. Officers located the vehicle around midnight at Platinum and Montana and determined it had not been stolen. Inside the convenience store police found Timothy Atkins, 38, who said he had permission to drive the car. Police ran Atkins name and found he had two criminal contempt arrest warrants for skipping court. Police said they also found a concealed five-inch knife on Atkins, as well as two syringes and a small amount of meth. Atkins was booked for criminal contempt, carrying a concealed weapon, possession of drug paraphernalia and felony drug possession.

WALMART DOMESTIC ABUSE

Police were called to Walmart around 5 p.m. Tuesday on a report of a man and a woman fighting. Police said witnesses told them Jade Anderson, 25, was aggressively spinning his girlfriend around by the hood of her sweater. When a bystander intervened, police said Anderson was aggressive with him. Security ejected Anderson from the store, and police arrested him by the outdoors section for partner/family member assault, disorderly conduct and criminal contempt for failure to appear in court.
Clint Peck, owner and winemaker at Yellowstone Cellars and Winery in Billings, is regaining his balance.

Seven years ago, Peck cashed in his worldly belongings including a 2006 Harley Davidson to fulfill his desire to make wine. He settled into a 3,000-square-foot industrial space south of Highway 90 near Josephine Crossing and purchased the bare necessities for fermenting his dream.

Peck created a space he calls a bookend boutique winery. This multifaceted facility with a wine cellar, tasting room and event area has provided for countless fundraisers and celebration parties.

These days the winery is a popular music venue featuring Open Mic Night on Wednesdays and live performances on Friday and Saturday nights.

Sue Mershon, who has made a group of good friends at Yellowstone Cellars, says, I started going there shortly after Clint opened. I am a single gal here in Billings Montana and I dont want to just go into a bar. I could always walk into Clint Pecks and the gals he has hired are so nice. I never feel threatened.

She lauds Peck for making it a fun place.

Pecks tenacity and versatility comes from his ranching and journalism background. With his cowboy charm nurtured through Montana ranching and farming, and city smarts from chasing stories from Australia to Brazil to Venezuela, Peck possesses the fortitude to survive in a business filled with surprises and challenges. He admits, Absolutely I wouldnt be here if it was not for my agricultural background.

Garry Brayko, who frequents Yellowstone Cellars at least once a week, says, Clint is just a down-to-earth, hardworking family guy.

Peck says, Making wine is like being a cowboy. A wine maker that says he has never dumped wine is lying. It is like a cowboy that has never been bucked off a horse.

This last year Peck tossed out wine equivalent to 250 cases because It didnt cut mustard. The cowboy in me is admitting I got dumped off the horse. I am not going to put wine into commerce that I think is marginal.

Early on, Peck confesses to selling his wine as fast as he could. I needed the cash flow, so the wines he made offsite at his brothers Dakota Creek Winery in Blaine, Wash., were not reaching bottle maturity, he believes. He used tools he could afford such as less expensive American oak barrels instead of French barriques, and served wine in generic glasses. Now, Italian and French casks live in his establishment, and at wine tastings he serves white and red wines in color-specific thin glass stems.

At 63, Peck continues to drive the 750 miles to Washington to pick up his wine grapes within 30 hours of harvest, produced on small family farms in the Rattlesnake Hills and Yakima Valley of Washington state. If the tires on my trailer dont blow out, the trip takes 14 hours, he says. At times, someone rides shotgun with him, but he does most of the driving. I dont trust the transportation of grapes to anybody."

In 2016, 80,202 pounds of grapes were gathered from Elephant Mountain Vineyards in Yakima; Crawford Farms, Prosser and Lonesome Spring Ranch in Benton City. Peck confidently says, I would not be surprised if the Yakima Valley grapes will be recognized as the best grapes in the world.

Though Pecks Malbec, now in its eleventh vintage, may be his signature wine, he is most proud of his 2010 vintage as it was the first Montana produced wine scored by Wine Spectator receiving a score of 88. It is just a nice full body wine. It had such nice balance to it. A fine wine maker wants to find balance.

Balance is within reach for Peck these days as he maintains stability in his business. Now having my own place to make my own wine and then having the consistency of the same vines, helps. I am evolving to French oak. Stylistically, I think French oak does a better job, a different job."

Bottle aging and consistent yeast cultures are all playing into Pecks favor. It is starting to come together. We are making some nice wines. I will put my wines up against any wines out there.

These days standing solidly on his two feet, Peck can now focus on continuing to make balanced wines while having the opportunity to evolve a style of his own.

Yellowstone Cellars and Winery, 1335 Holiday Circle, Billings, MT 59101, 406-281-8400.

Yellowstone Cellars Sangria

About 6 servings

Yellowstone Cellars Summer Blend anchors this wine cocktail. The wine blend of Riesling, Muscat, Pinot Gris and Gewurztraiminer is a good combination with tropical and berry flavors. The splash of lemon-lime soda finishes the drink off with some spritz.

Cocktail mix:

1 can 12-ounce mango orange frozen concentrate

2 cups frozen berries (blackberry, raspberry, blueberry)

 cup strawberry puree

1 bottle Yellowstone Cellars and Winery Summer Blend

1 can lemon lime soda

Mix together mango orange frozen concentrate with 1 can of water into a large

pitcher. Add fruit and steep for at least 1 hour.

In a red wine glass, add five ounces cocktail mix to five ounces of Yellowstone Cellars Summer Blend.
WASHINGTON  In his first annual message to Congress, John Quincy Adams, among the most experienced and intellectually formidable presidents, warned leaders against giving the impression that "we are palsied by the will of our constituents." In this regard, if in no other, the 45th president resembles the sixth.

Donald Trump's "Oh, never mind" presidency was produced by voters stung by the contempt they detected directed toward them by the upper crust. Their insurrection has been rewarded by Trump's swift shedding of campaign commitments, a repudiation so comprehensive and cavalier that he disdains disguising his disdain for his gulled supporters.

The notion that NATO is obsolete? That China is a currency manipulator? That he would eschew humanitarian interventions featuring high explosives? That the Export-Import Bank is mischievous? That Obamacare would be gone "on Day One"? That 11.5 million illegal immigrants would be gone in two years (almost 480,000 a month)? That the national debt would be gone in eight years (reducing about $2.4 trillion a year)? About these and other vows from the man whose supporters said "he tells it like it is," he now tells them: Never mind.

The president, whose almost Sicilian sense of clan imparts new meaning to the familiar phrase "family values," embraces daughter Ivanka's belief that America suffers from an insufficiency of entitlements, a defect she (and he, judging from his address to a joint session of Congress) would rectify with paid family leave. Her brother Eric has said (to Britain's Daily Telegraph) that he is "sure" that 59 cruise missiles flew because Ivanka said to her father about Syria using chemical weapons, "Listen, this is horrible stuff."

Although a senior Trump adviser, Stephen Miller, has stipulated that presidential powers to protect the nation "will not be questioned," still they persist, those impertinent questioners. They do because when candidate Trump's open-mic -night-at-the-improv rhetoric of quarter-baked promises and vows is carried over into the presidency and foreign policy, there are consequences, especially when his imprecision infects his subordinates.

One cannot erase with an "Oh, never mind" shrug Secretary of State Rex Tillerson's statement that the "message" foreign leaders should take from the Syrian attack is "if you violate international norms, if you violate international agreements, if you fail to live up to commitments, if you become a threat to others, at some point a response is likely to be undertaken." It is not true that the United States will respond, other than rhetorically, to all crossings of those four red lines. If, as Tillerson says, America is committed to "holding to account any and all who commit crimes against the innocents anywhere in the world," America is going to need a much bigger military than even the president's proposed $54 billion increase in defense spending would purchase.

If the attack on Syria was intended to buttress an international norm and enforce an international agreement concerning chemical weapons, it was not clarifying for press secretary Sean Spicer to say that you will see a presidential "response" if someone uses chemical weapons or "a barrel bomb." This is a nasty but conventional munition that turns scrap metal into shrapnel.

In foreign policy, the nature of an action is a function of what the actor says about it. So, the attack on Syria was either cathartic  a one-off spasm of (understandable) indignation  or it was a "message" of unclear content to unspecified addressees.

Perhaps the message was that America is not (in Richard Nixon's words explaining the 1970 invasion of Cambodia) "a pitiful, helpless giant," or that (in Ronald Reagan's 1984 words) "America is back, standing tall." Eliot Cohen, former counselor of the State Department (2007-2009) and currently a professor at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, says that the strike "was the right thing to do" and "a firm response to a loathsome crime." But he also says:

"Having tipped off the Russians, and targeting things rather than people, it did not do much damage to anything the Bashar Assad regime cares about. ... An effective, destructive attack  that is, one that would worry the Assad regime  would have killed skilled personnel, military and political leaders, and elite fighters. ... Blowing up some installations is not, in fact, 'proportionate' to the massacre of children."

Messages are important, whether delivered by words or missiles or words about missiles. Trump's retreat from positions that enchanted his supporters is a matter mostly between him and them. How he addresses the world, however, will reveal whether he has gone from candidate to commander in chief without becoming presidential.
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The owners of property adjacent to the Louisa County Highway 99 bridge in Wapello will be consulted before the Louisa County Supervisors discuss where to locate a replacement bridge.

Im worried (the owners) may think we are moving forward without consulting them, Louisa County Supervisor Randy Griffin said during a board of supervisors meeting that Wapello Mayor Shawn Maine and council member Brett Shafer attended.

Maine agreed.

It seems prudent that before we make a decision we float offers, he said.

The favored design was a plan that used one lane of the existing bridge while a new lane was constructed at the same site. A traffic light would control one-way traffic on the open lane. Once the new lane was finished, the one-way traffic would switch to the other side and workers would build the second section of the new bridge.

This design would cost $10.3-$11.6 million and take 24 months to complete . A second design option, which was rejected, called for demolishing the old bridge and replacing it on the same site. It would cost about $1 million less, but would require a significant detour during the 14-month construction window.

A new plan to relocate the bridge to the north would allow traffic to use both lanes of the current bridge during construction and would cost $1 million less than the first design, but would result in the taking of two private properties.

That was a concern for Maine.

Its a tough decision, he told the board, adding school and emergency services officials appeared to favor routes that did not impact student busing routes or emergency response times.

Local resident Von Smith, who would need to use a detour if the current bridge was demolished, said he favored the rejected plan.

Keep it simple, stupid, he said. Im tired of paying taxes."

Officials said they were reluctant to create a lengthy detour and saving a $1 million in construction by using the relocation option was attractive.

The supervisors agreed to continue the discussion and would direct county engineer Larry Roehl to meet with the property owners.

In other action, the supervisors:

 Opened bids for grading and graveling of 160th Street, which will serve as a county road bypass around Grandview following the realignment of U.S. Highway 61. The low bid of $82,682 was submitted by Cole Construction, Keosauqua;

 Approved a new 28E agreement with the Southeast Iowa LINK region;

 Agreed to investigate the possibility of switching its meeting days to Monday;

 Approved a sick leave payout change in the countys union contract to reflect the current county handbook.
Muscatine County CARES, Muscatine County CPPC, and the Mississippi Valley Child Protection Center, along with their collaborators, would like to thank everyone who participated in Blue Out Day 2017. April is Child Abuse Prevention month and in recognition of happy, healthy childhoods, we asked local residents, businesses, and schools to show their support of children by wearing blue on April 19.

This is the second year the community has embraced this cause and donned its blues to raise awareness and promote the sanctity of childhood. Participants were asked to wear blue and post pictures to the social media #greatchildhoodsmuscatine, where Muscatine residents can find an assortment of images from businesses, groups and individuals.

We would like to give a special thanks to all the participating schools. At least 33 businesses participated, as well by posting staff in blue, including Community Action, Lifetime Dentistry, and Ruhl & Ruhl Realtors, who all won free pizza from our random drawing. Pizza coupons will also be awarded to two Muscatine classrooms and two Muscatine residents who posted individually. Caseys General Store donated the pizza coupons to use for the drawings for Blue Out Day 2017, and we would like to extend thanks to them, as well. We truly appreciate the community support behind this endeavor and the reinforcement of our assertion that All Children Deserve Great Childhoods.
President Obama ran on "change," pledging to transform America. For eight years, he did that; occupying an office created to enforce the law, but personally undermining it. In some cases, he refused to enforce laws his office was required to enforce. His enforcement of immigration was lawless at best, completely anti-law at worst.

The departments of Justice and Education enforced policies and regulations that prevented educators from disciplining insubordinate students. They argued that, since statistics show black teenagers are disciplined at a higher rate than white students, teachers and administrators must be racist.

Obamas bureaucracy coerced and persecuted schools into leaving two generations unpunished. The results are millions of young people who have been educated to throw off rules and laws.

By the end of his second term, it was common to see people marching in the streets, trashing public places, beating people and rioting in cities like Ferguson, Missouri, and Baltimore, Maryland.

He nearly doubled the national debt to almost $20 trillion dollars. Obama hosted anti-Constitution, Socialist, race-baiting groups such as Black Lives Matter, and defiled the mansion's reputation by flaunting the homosexual/bisexual/transsexual rainbow flag.

He used the U.S. Justice Department and IRS as political weapons, presiding over the surveillance of journalists, conservative Americans, and the targeted killing of citizens involved in terrorism.

The Obama years appealed to an ugly, powerful element  human nature. By ignoring the will of Americans, he has cemented his legacy of lawlessness, squandering what credibility he had left.

Wendell E. Carr

Ottumwa, Iowa
Les emplois a Rennes sont abondants et varies. Il y a quelque chose pour tout le monde. Que vous soyez a la recherche dun emploi []
Les blattes ou cafards (Blatta orientalis) sont des insectes qui appartiennent a la famille des Blattoptera. Ils se caracterisent par leur forme allongee, leurs ailes []
Cargo and Freight company, Buscar E.A Limited, has released a statement on the tragic road accident involving one of their buses at Kambu near Kibwezi along the Nairobi-Mombasa highway.

The Buscar owned bus was headed to Malindi from Nairobi when the crash happened, leaving 27 dead and several others injured.

In its statement, Buscar Company has mourned the victims of the crash and sent condolence messages to the affected families.

It is with deep sorrow and pain that we announce the involvement of one of our buses in an accident at Kambu area near Kibwezi , yesterday night on its way to Malindi, said Buscar.

According to Buscar, the cause of the accident was caused by a tire burst causing it to veer into the oncoming traffic lane.

The bus had departed Nairobi at 19:30hrs for Malindi , upon reaching Kambu, it experienced a tyre burst on its left front wheel causing it to veer to an oncoming trucks lane.

Buscar added: We stand with the families that have lost loved ones and pray for a quick recovery to all those injured. We did a rescue operation and took the injured to Kibwezi and Mutito hospitals respectively.

Buscars statement, however, contradicts police reports on the cause of the accident.

Police said the driver of the bus was overtaking another vehicle at Kalulu bridge when he saw an oncoming truck.
Television Talk Show host Julie Gichuru on Monday forced the KCB Group to apologize and take down an ad that was deemed distasteful.

The ad which was posted by the financial services institution on social media used an image of child actor Abraham Attah who plays a starring role as Agu, a child soldier in the 2015 film Beasts of No Nation.

According to Julie, the image is tragic and not for light humor.

Dear @KCBGroup I have a deep appreciation for your brand. Please dont do this. This image is from from #BeastofNoNation, tragic, not for light humour. ? Context is important. In #BeastsofNoNation young/innocent Agu is turned into a vicious child warrior. Victim & perpetrator. Uzodinma Iweala weaves a deeply painful/tragic story of Agu, a reality for so many child soldiers. Pls dont make light of this.

Instead, do join the effort towards peace & stability in Africa Lets end recruitment of child soldiers not make irresponsible humour of it, wrote Julie on her social media pages.

Taking to their official twitter handle, @KCBGroup, the financial services provider responded to Julie expressing regret over the use of the image.

We deeply regret the oversight and we thank you for highlighting it. While no ill intent was intended, We would like to assure you that proper care will be taken in future to avoid situations such as this, said KCB.

@JulieGichuru Good evening Julie. We deeply regret the oversight and we thank you for highlighting it. 1/2  KCB Group (@KCBGroup) April 24, 2017

@JulieGichuru While no ill intent was intended, We would like to assure you that proper care will be taken in future to avoid situations such as this. 2/2  KCB Group (@KCBGroup) April 24, 2017
Renowned radio presenter Maina Kageni has made a startling confession about his visits to his rural home otherwise known as Gichagi in Kikuyu.

According to the Classic 105 presenter, he has never spent a night in the village.

While the rest of us will usually spend at least a night when we visit our rural homes from Nairobi, Maina who is known for his lavish lifestyle visits and returns on the same day.

Maina was speaking on air about investing in homes in the countryside. He said he couldnt understand why residents of Nairobi build their homes in the village.

Why is it important to build in mashambani, and why are you wasting money building there and do you honestly intend to go back and live in mashambani when you retire? posed Maina Kageni.

He added: I know it sounds crazy, but Ive never spent the night in gichagi.

He went on to reveal that even when he was young, they would go to ushago and go back to Nairobi the same day.
NARC-Kenya Party Leader Martha Karua is mourning the death of her niece, Marcia Wawira Mwangi, who perished in a grisly road accident along Mombasa road on Sunday, April 22.

Marcia, who was a Fourth Year student at Daystar University, was rushed to Nairobi West Hospital in critical condition after the car she and four of her friends were traveling in, hit a trailer on the rear and rolled over.

Marcias knee had been hurt badly and so the doctors decided to do a surgery on the knee. After the surgery, she couldnt wake up. She was then taken to the ICU where she was under oxygen support but unfortunately, she couldnt make it, a student who was in hospital with her told Daystar Universitys publication Involvement News.

Taking to social media on Monday, Martha Karua mourned Marcia writing: Marcia Wawira Mwangi, my beloved niece, succumbed today to injuries following a road accident. She will forever live in our hearts.

Marcia Wawira Mwangi my beloved niece succumbed today to injuries from a road accident .She will 4ever live in our hearts #RIPMarcia  Martha Karua (@MarthaKarua) April 24, 2017



Marcias passing comes a day after one of her friends, Arnold Mutisya, who was driving the car, died on the spot in the morning incident.

According to reports, Mutisya was trying to overtake a trailer on Mombasa Road, when he rammed into the trailers rear wheels, consequently losing control of the car, which careened off the road and rolled severally before landing into a ditch.

The students were coming from club 1824 on Langata road after the annual Daystar Star of Excellence Awards ceremony (SOEA), which took place at Two Rivers Mall Saturday night (April 22).

The survivors of the accident were rushed to Shalom Hospital for first aid treatment before being transferred to Nairobi West Hospital, where Marcia Wawira was pronounced dead.

One of the students is still admitted at the Nairobi West Hospital, while the other two were treated for minor injuries and discharged.
President Uhuru Kenyatta has mourned victims of the grisly road accident at Kambu near Kibwezi along the Nairobi  Mombasa highway.

The President sent a message of condolence to the families, relatives, and friends of the 26 bus passengers who lost their lives in the road accident at Kambu Monday night.

In a statement to newsrooms, the Head of State urged motorists to be extra careful and observe traffic rules to avoid road accidents.

He also wished a quick recovery to those injured in the accident and are either recuperating at home or admitted to various hospitals.

The accident occurred when a Mombasa-bound bus, belonging to Buscar company, collided head-on with a tanker.

Kibwezi police boss Leonard Kimaiyo said scores were injured and had been rushed to various hospitals where they are undergoing treatment.

The president also mourned former Foreign Affairs Minister Fredrick Lawrence Munyua Waiyaki who died yesterday morning at the age of 91.

President Kenyatta described the late Waiyaki as an illustrious son of Kenya and a pioneer diplomat who played a leading role in laying the foundation for the countrys post-independence development.

As we mourn and pay homage to this visionary leader, let us also celebrate his life and achievements. Although Hon. Waiyaki has left us, his inspirational life will remain a great legacy to his family and the nation, President Kenyatta said.

Mr Waiyaki, 91, died while undergoing treatment at a Nairobi hospital.
First Street Napa announced its first office tenants: Pacific Union International and Silicon Valley Bank. The two businesses will occupy space on the second floor of the former McCaulous department store.

We are pleased to welcome Pacific Union International and Silicon Valley Bank to the First Street Napa community, said Todd Zapolski, principal of Zapolski Real Estate, LLC.

The 2014 earthquake changed the opportunities for the redevelopment project, naturally evolving to the incorporation of upper level offices in the former McCaulous space, he said.

The desire for a 24/7 energetic downtown community has been affirmed by the overwhelming demand for unique, quality office space in whats rapidly becoming a hub of activity for the Napa Valley, adding to the growth and synergy of downtown Napa.

We are looking forward to transferring our local office to 1300 First St., said Linda Carroll, regional executive of Pacific Union International.

Our team is excited to experience First Street Napas live, work, play environment firsthand.

Silicon Valley Bank has supported the U.S. wine industry for more than 20 years, said William Stevens, wine division manager for Silicon Valley Bank. We are excited to expand into downtown Napa at First Street Napa to further our local footprint.

These two tenants will occupy an estimated 50 percent of available office space in the development. There is a total of 28,630 rentable square feet and these tenants will take up 11,100 square feet.

Occupancy is slated for early 2018, said a news release.

First Street Napa, formerly known as the Napa Town Center, is a 325,000-square-foot mixed-use development that will include 45 retail shops and restaurants, new creative office space, and a 183-room Archer Hotel.

More than one hundred professionals will occupy the second floor office space at 1300 First St., with those from Pacific Union International and Silicon Valley Bank accounting for a large share of these new office users.

The newly redeveloped building will feature high ceilings, abundant natural light, modern lobbies, secure bicycle parking, convenient access to two adjacent parking garages, and 24-hour secured entry and on-site property management, said the release.

The $200 million First Street Napa redevelopment is meant to offer a warm, inviting setting with a distinctly Napa aesthetic to afford employees, locals, and visitors all the amenities they seek in one convenient and comfortable location, said the release.

The developer may also offer shared workspace or a co-working space on the second floor of the former McCaulous or First Street Napas 1136 First St. location  the Gordon Building.

A total of 9,849 square feet of creative class office space sitting atop new street retail will be available for lease in Spring 2018.

Creative class office space can be designed as needed to fit the creative uses and the people that inhabit those spaces, according to Nicole Mori, director of marketing and communications for First Street Napa.

It encourages people to collaborate, and usually requires less square footage per individual. There may be more open space in each individual office space to encourage this collaboration and less structured and traditional office space. Its conducive for those businesses that employ professionals who dont necessarily always need to be in the officethey may be out and about meeting people, she said.

The Gordon Building was constructed from 1929 through 1935 and showcases Spanish Colonial Revival styling with Spanish Renaissance details.

First Street Napa is slated to open the first series of shops and restaurants in late 2017 and is owned and managed by Zapolski Real Estate, LLC and Trademark Property Company.

Retail tenants at First Street Napa have not been announced.

We are getting very close but still have some boxes to check before doing so. Weve had some exciting tours in the past few months that we know people will be excited about, said Mori.
Speakers laid out some sobering facts during a mock funeral held at Calistoga High School last week as part of the Every 15 Minutes program.

Over 4,300 deaths occur every year in your age group, said Eric Bolton, CEO of Duffys Napa Valley Rehab. Eleven percent of alcohol related deaths in the U.S. are of those ages 12 to 20. Thats a lot.

The gymnasium was filled with parents, educators, police officers, firefighters, city officials and students  25 of whom were among the living dead.

Every 15 Minutes is a two-day program designed to dramatically demonstrate the consequences of drinking and/or texting and driving, and get students to think about their actions, personal safety and responsibility. The first day of a typical program the Grim Reaper calls one student out of class every 15 minutes to reflect the statistic that every 15 minutes someone in the United States dies from an alcohol related accident. The student is the dead student, and someone reads their obituary.

"We have not used the Grim Reaper as part of the program for several years as the kids think it takes away from the seriousness of the event," said Heather Baker, juvenile diversion officer for the Boys & Girls Club.

The program calls for the student returns to class a few minutes later wearing white face make-up, a black Every 15 Minutes T-shirt, and a coroners tag. The students are the living dead and/or victims and are not to speak to or interact with other students the rest of the day, but Baker said this is another aspect Calistoga did not act out.

"Once the 25 participants walked into the gym, they had to surrender their cell phones until after the funeral assembly the next day, because you can't text if you are 'dead,'"Baker said.

A staged accident was set up on Thursday afternoon at Grant and Arch streets with real law enforcement and other emergency personnel who played along.

After the funeral on Friday, a video tape was played of what could be a real-life scene where a group of friends is hanging out and one girl talks another into drinking then gets behind the wheel and causes and accident killing and injuring others, all played by CHS students.

When the video started there was some laughing among the 25 living dead who were seated separately from the rest of the audience as they watched themselves on the large screen. But as the story unfolded and became more serious, so too did the students who watched the staged accident.

Bolton told the audience that he hopes he never sees any of them as clients of Duffys, where people go for rehab treatment of alcohol and drug abuse. He also shared with them a personal experience of drinking and driving when he was 17.

After passing out and vomiting a friend took his car keys, he said. I broke into the house to get my keys back.

He was lucky and no harm came to him or anyone else, but it was a lesson learned.

Craig Wycoff shared how he lost two friends in two separate accidents to drunk driving, saying their names aloud so they would not be forgotten.

Drinking and driving can have an everlasting impact on your life and the lives of others, he said.

"The community of Calistoga really came together to raise funds for this event, as the CHP grant was cut nearly in half this year. Altogether we were able to raise almost $13,000," Baker said.

Editor's note: a previous version of this story did not make it clear that Calistoga High did not participate in portions of the typical "Every 15 Minutes" program. We apologize for the confusion.
Four Bay Area hospitals  including Napas Queen of the Valley, one in Redwood City, and two in San Francisco  were among 14 facilities fined by the California Department of Public Health on Thursday after investigators determined that their staffs caused  or almost caused  serious injury or death to patients.

In total, the department imposed $1.1 million in fines for the incidents, which occurred from 2012 to 2016.

Queen of the Valley was fined $50,000 after a patient died in April 2013 when the hospital didnt ensure that his CPR monitoring and breathing support system was functioning while he was being transferred from the emergency room to a medical unit.

The Queen also was fined $75,000 after an emergency room staff member in May 2013 did not follow a doctors order to give a patient with a severe allergy epinephrine under the skin. Instead, she gave it to him intravenously. That lead to chest pains, causing him to be admitted to the hospital.

Queen of the Valley Hospital also was fined $100,000 for a November 2013 incident in which a patients breathing problems were not promptly reported to her doctor, leading to bleeding down the back of her throat, respiratory arrest and brain damage.

We deeply regret that these incidents occurred, Queen Chief Executive Larry Coomes said in a statement. Providing the safest environment and highest quality of care to all our patients is fundamental to our hospitals mission and values. Our hospital performs rigorous internal reviews of our quality and safety on a regular basis. We are confident that our focus on continuous improvement will uphold our commitment to providing a safe environment for our patients.

The CDPH penalty is related to events that took place in 2013. In keeping with our commitment to a culture of integrity, active compliance and the delivery of the highest-quality care, we self-reported these events to the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) at the time and took immediate action to prevent any such event from happening in the future, he said. We submitted a plan of correction that was accepted by the CDPH and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), and the hospital remains in full compliance with these entities today.

Elsewhere in the Bay Area, the California Pacific Medical Center-St. Lukes Campus Hospital in San Francisco was fined $47,452 after the state said the hospital staff did not correctly assess a patients unwitnessed fall, after which she developed a blood clot that required brain surgery. She died from the injuries in April 2015.

Kaiser Permanente San Francisco was fined $47,025 after the state said the hospital staff failed to monitor a patients dialysis catheter in his groin. After one of the blood lines became loose and disconnected, the patient suffered massive blood loss and died of heart failure in December 2015.

Kaiser San Francisco was fined $100,000 after a patient died in April 2016 of respiratory failure when established procedures related to the patients tracheostomy tubes were not followed.

Sequoia Hospital in Redwood City was fined $47,452 after the hospital in February 2016 mistakenly removed a womans ovaries. As a result, she will need to be on estrogen replacement therapy for life.

The state Department of Public Health said that in addition to being fined the hospitals will be required to provide the state with a plan that explains how they will prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.

Hospitals can appeal the penalties by requesting a hearing within 10 days.
A tribe seeking federal recognition lost the latest, and perhaps, final round of a court case that Napa County officials have long feared could have opened the door to a Napa Valley casino.

The United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit on Monday ruled against the Mishewal Wappo Tribe of Alexander Valley. The Mishewal Wappo had sued the U.S. Department of the Interior secretary to right what they see as a historic wrong.

A three-judge panel agreed with a lower-court decision that the Mishewal Wappo waited too long to sue over federal actions a half-century ago and that the statute of limitations had expired.

Scott Gabaldon, tribal chairman for the Mishewal Wappo, on Wednesday said the tribe will plan its next move.

"We really have to sit down and see where we're at," he said.

Napa County officials have tracked the case almost since its filing in 2009. Theyve said that, with federal recognition as a tribe, the Mishewal Wappo could buy local land and seek to have it put in federal trust.

Tribes have sovereign authority over land held for them in federal trust and do not have to follow local land use laws. Some tribes in other counties have built casinos despite objections from the counties.

Rex Stults of Napa Valley Vintners said the group welcomes everyone to the Napa Valley, as long as they are willing to abide by Napa County laws protecting agriculture. That includes Measure P, which requires a ballot measure to redesignate agricultural land.

If you wanted to get a casino approved, you would take it to a vote of the people, Stults said on Tuesday.

Tribe resort casinos have opened up all over California with towns having little to no say, Stults said.

We have the most complicated land laws maybe in the country, Stults said. To invite a sovereign nation in, its troubling.

An attorney identified by the court as Kelly Ryan presented the tribes case to the 9th Circuit appeals panel on March 13. A video recording exists of the proceeding.

Ryan recounted how 14 tribe members voted in 1935 to organize the tribe under the federal Indian Reorganization Act of 1934. Today, he said, the tribe has 345 members.

In 1959 under the California Rancheria Act, the federal government terminated the tribes 54-acre Sonoma County rancheria. This has been portrayed in legal papers as the action that also terminated federal tribal recognition.

Mishewal Wappo officials have long said that only two people, one a non-Indian, were at the rancheria when the September 1959 rancheria termination vote took place. These two voted in favor of termination and received the land.

Ryan said that terminating the rancheria should not have terminated the tribe.

This government has turned its back on Indians repeatedly, he said. And it continues to do so through a BIA (Bureau of Indian Affairs) that is unresponsive because of the politics involved.

The federal government published notice of its actions regarding the rancheria termination in the 1961 Federal Register. The statute of limitations to sue ended six years later.

But the Mishewal Wappo brought up the idea of equitable tolling, a legal principle stating statutes of limitations dont apply if the plaintiff couldnt or didnt discover the injury until after the expiration date.

Why didnt the tribe take action in 1961? Judge Marilyn Huff asked.

Because no one knew, Ryan said. Most of them were illiterate at the time, they were landless, their land had been distributed, they were migrants.

Still, federal attorney Rachel Heron said Federal Register notification is generally considered to be sufficient notice to the world. In addition, news of the action was to be posted at the post office and on the rancheria.

The district court specifically found that by 1961 it would have been fairly obvious, I think was the district courts words, as to what was going on, Heron said.

Even setting that aside, the absence of the Mishewal Wappo on a 1979 listing of federally recognized tribes could have set the statute-of-limitation clock running, she said.

While siding with the lower court, the Court of Appeals declined to address what it called a new legal argument advanced by the Mishewal Wappo. Whether the tribe might bring this new argument up in a lower court remains to be seen.

Whatever happens, Stults said Napa County must remain vigilant about potential casinos.

We have this worldwide appeal and famous name and you can see why we would be a bulls-eye for any would-be casino developer, Stults said.
VACAVILLE  A vehicle was set on fire Monday night in Vacaville, and police are investigating the incident as a possible hate crime.

Shortly after 9 p.m., firefighters responded to a vehicle fire on William Street near downtown. The vehicle was completely engulfed in flamesand was destroyed by the fire, police said.

According to police, before the fire occurred, someone spray-painted KKK on the side of the vehicle.

The owner of the vehicle has not had any problems with anyone in the neighborhood and does not know why the vehicle was targeted, police said.

Police said they are investigating this incident as a possible hate crime and are asking for the publics help. Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Andrew Polik at (707) 469-4814
SAN FRANCISCO -- A man who tried to kidnap a woman in San Francisco's Pacific Heights neighborhood Saturday evening was located and arrested the next day in Sonoma County, police said today.

In the attempted kidnapping, which occurred at about 8:50 p.m. in the 2800 block of Steiner Street, a man exited his car and tried to grab a 31-year-old woman who was walking on the sidewalk, according to police.

Witnesses intervened and the woman was able to get away.

The suspect then fled in a silver Nissan pickup truck, police said.

Witnesses were able to provide some information about the suspect and after investigating officers were able to identify the suspect as 46-year-old Cotati resident Darrin Bravo, according to police.

On Sunday, San Francisco officers located Bravo as he was driving in Cotati and contacted the California Highway Patrol for assistance.

CHP officers then tried to pull over Bravo.

Bravo, however, fled in his vehicle but collided with another vehicle in Petaluma.

Officers arrested Bravo on suspicion of felony attempted kidnapping and booked him into the San Francisco County Jail.

The occupants in the vehicle that collided with Bravo's suffered injuries not considered life-threatening, police said.

Bravo remains in custody and is being held on $300,000 bail, according to jail records.
Last weeks police log was a sad litany of alcohol-related arrests, public disturbances, shady interlopers, and miscellaneous items stolen from parked cars. There was even a caviar caper, which seems like a more appropriately St. Helena-ish crime. So lets all mind our wine intake, lock our doors and windows, and not leave anything too temptingly valuable in our cars.

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Attention, parents  especially those in Angwin. PUC Elementary School is hosting an education expo on Thursday, April 27. Enjoy a potluck at 5:30 p.m. and tour the school during an open house beginning at 6:30. The school is at 135 Neilson Ct., just off Cold Springs Road near the PUC college campus. Questions? Contact Cheryl Rick at 965-2459 or crick@puc.edu.

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The homespun spirit of the Napa Valleys pioneer days will come alive at the Bale Grist Mills pancake breakfast at 8:30 a.m. Saturday, May 6. Feast on pancakes made from that inimitable Bale Mill flour, with generous helpings of maple syrup, sausages, fresh fruit, coffee and juice. Musicians will supply appropriately old-time music, and Cal Fire will bring a fire truck just for fun. Admission is $10 for adults, $5 for younguns over the age of 10, and free for the littlest younguns. Proceeds benefit the mill, which is one of the valleys true jewels. If you need special assistance, call 963-2236.

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The following event is all the way down in Yountville, which might as well be a distant galaxy as far as many of my St. Helena friends are concerned, but since youre reading a newspaper you might find it intriguing. Phil Bronstein, former editor of the San Francisco Chronicle and now chair of the Center for Investigative Reporting in Emeryville, will discuss Media, Democracy and Civil Society: The Role of Journalism in the Era of Social Networks, WikiLeaks, Disinformation and Fake News at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, May 4, at the Yountville Community Center, 6516 Washington St. The free Napa Valley Forum is being presented by the Napa Valley Community Foundation and the Napa Valley Register. Youll have to pre-register to be admitted, so contact Nicholle Peterson at 254-9565 ext. 17 or nicholle@napavalleycf.org.

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The Upper Napa Valley Republican Women are holding their next luncheon on Monday, May 8, at Cindys Backstreet Kitchen. Theres a meet-and-greet at 11:30 a.m., followed at noon by lunch and some comments by businesswoman and former congressional candidate Debbie Bacigalupi on Agenda 21 and other issues of concern to Republicans, according to the group. Lunch is $27. RSVP by May 3 to Bev at 963-3148.

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Calendars out, animal lovers. Sunrise Horse Rescue has scheduled its eighth annual Harvest of Hope for Saturday, Sept. 16, at Blossom Creek Farm in Calistoga. More details to come, rest assured 

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Surely you know those famous English muffins at the Model Bakery. Oprah Winfrey has given them yet another plug. My greatest extravagance is flying in English muffins from Napa Valley, the much-loved mega-celebrity told People magazine. Theres a specific English muffin made by these two women at this wonderful bakery in Napa Valley. I know its not a good carbon footprint to fly in your English muffins but   The aforementioned women are, of course, the mother-and-daughter team of Karen Mitchell and Sarah Mitchell Hansen, and that wonderful bakery is strategically located on my morning walking route. In the same interview, Oprah also gave a shout-out (as I believe the kids put it) to Clif Family Winerys preserves. Impeccable taste, Oprah. On this issue, Im with her.
The NATO Secretary General, Mr. Jens Stoltenberg will visit the Republic of Italy on Thursday, 27 April 2017 where he will meet with the President of the Council of Ministers, Mr. Paolo Gentiloni.

Media Advisory

+ 16:30 Secretary Generals joint press conference with the President of the Council of Ministers  Palazzo Chigi

Still and video imagery of the visit will be available from the NATO website after the event.

Follow us on Twitter (@NATOPress and @jensstoltenberg)
In 2013, high school senior Alexa Dantzler was brimming with excitement to be a finalist in the Intel Student Talent Search and to have the opportunity to meet President Barack Obama. But when she looked around the room at her fellow finalists, she noticed something that dimmed her joy a bit.

It hit me that I was the only student from a minority background represented in the competition, says Dantzler, whose background is African-American, Slovak and Korean.

Right then and there, she resolved to do something about it.

Now a senior at Emory majoring in biology and African studies, Dantzler founded Students Obtaining Atlanta Research (SOAR) her first year at Emory to encourage female students of color from economically disadvantaged neighborhoods to become STEM researchers.

SOAR works with students at Atlanta public high schools to support their individual research projects and connect them with STEM researchers at Emory and Georgia Tech for mentorship and research opportunities.

Dantzler's goal is to help other minority students look around the room and see others who help them feel connected to science and research.

Solving a chemical mystery

Her first year in high school, Dantzler says she was trying to settle on a science fair project. She knew there was a chemical used in dry cleaning, called perchloroethylene or perc, and that it had been linked to cancer among dry-cleaning workers.

She wondered whether the chemicals residue was also making its way home with dry cleaning customers.

I started emailing different professors in the area and asking about methods to detect the chemical, Dantzler says.

It was a bold move and Paul D. Roepe, professor of chemistry at Georgetown University, answered her email. A research partnership was born.

Two graduate students in Roepes lab helped Dantzler with her experiment. She found that perc was indeed remaining in dry cleaned clothing and the results were published in the journal Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry. The finding also received a good bit of national media attention, won many science fairs and took her all the way to the finals of the Intel Student Talent Search.

It was huge deal, and I was still in high school. Once it was published, all the media started to come out, Dantzler says.

Dantzler says the project taught her a valuable lesson  connections with university researchers and labs open opportunities for high school students hoping to do high-level research (the kind that wins science fairs).

Making connections

When Dantzler, a Robert W. Woodruff Scholar, started as a first-year student at Emory, she resolved right away to help other minority high school students reach the top levels of science research.

She volunteered with the Emory Student Educational Experience Development program (SEED), which helps under-served K-12 students attend college by creating first-hand experience, establishing research opportunities and one-on-one mentorship.

Soon after joining SEED, Dantzler was presenting to a group of students at Maynard H. Jackson High School when she says she decided to gauge their interest in research.

I asked Would anyone like to get involved in university-level research? she says. Lots of kids raised their hands and said Ive always wanted to get involved, I just didnt know how.

These are the students I wanted to address. Some of them dont have science fairs or the opportunity to study in a lab, Dantzler adds.

Barbara Coble, SEED program director of Graduation Generation in the Office of University-Community Partnerships, says she was impressed by how Dantzler saw a need and immediately began work on a way to address it.

She wanted to give students a methodology to connect with university professors. She wanted to take her SEED experience a step further, Coble says.

Dantzler worked with Coble to establish a new program within SEED called SOAR, aimed squarely at mentoring female minority students interested in lab research and national science fairs.

She selected two students at Maynard H. Jackson High School and established regular meetings to work with them on presentation skills, networking and tailoring their personal research projects for national science fair competitions. She also connected the students with STEM faculty at Emory who could help them elevate the quality of their research.

How did she do it? She emailed the professors and asked.

Its amazing. I really do rely on the willingness of the professors to jump forward and realize how important this is, Dantzler says.

Her first two SOAR students did regular research (weekly during the school year and daily during the summer) in two biology labs before graduating from high school and going on to college.

What they learned in the lab will be a valuable asset to their careers and education. Im so proud of them," Dantzler says.

Next steps

The Society for Science & the Public in Washington, D.C., liked Dantzlers progress with SOAR and chose the project for its Advocate Grant Program last year.

The grant has allowed Dantzler to explore expanding the program to four students per year. Shes also placed a SOAR student in a Georgia Tech lab and is working to add Georgia State University as well.

Victoria Lamar, a junior at Westlake High School in Atlanta, joined the SOAR program last year and started her research at Emory in September in the lab of Meleah Hickman, assistant professor of biology. Lamar conducts research in the lab twice weekly and will switch to daily research in the lab this summer.

I had no idea others were doing research like this. It helps me feel like Im not the only one, Lamar says.

Dantzler will graduate in May and plans to take a gap year working with one of several global health research programs shes applied to. She wants to go to medical school and become a physician and work in underserved inner-city areas.

Dantzler has tapped a fellow Emory student, first-year Jasmine Walker, to oversee the SOAR program after she graduates.

She was really involved in STEM initiatives with minority women in high school and is the perfect person to take over this program for the next three years, Dantzler says.

Mentorship programs like SOAR are vital to helping more minority high school students interested in science stick with it and become researchers, according to Dantlzer.

No matter what your background you should still have the opportunity to have a career in science," she says. "One student can guide others and help them along the way.
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Despite being granted bail after nine long years, Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur, the prime accused in the 2008 Malegaon Blast case did not express satisfaction but asserted that injustice has been done with her. Pragya told ANI that she should have been acquitted after getting cleanchit, but instead has only been granted bail. "Injustice has been done with me. There is an entire history of injustice that has been done with me. I always maintained that I am honest and that was proved. I am a Sadhvi and I have always maintained calm," she added. Sadhvi Pragya further said that he has undergone a lot of pain in the last nine years and is still unwell. "Today, when I have been granted bail, I am not celebrating it," she said. The Bombay High Court yesterday granted bail to Sadhvi Pragya in connection with the 2008 Malegaon blast case. Thakur, who will have to furnish a bail amount of Rs five lakh besides two sureties of the same amount, has also been directed to submit its passport to the National Investigative Agency (NIA) court and appear on the dates in the trial court. The NIA had informed the court that it had no objection to the court granting bail to Thakur. "Five lakh rupees surety has been ordered by the court and she has been asked to deposit her passport with the NIA Court. The court has directed that she ( Sadhvi Pragya) will have to be present before the NIA court whenever it issues summon. There is absolutely no evidence of her involvement," said Thakur's lawyer Shyam Devani. "Truth prevails in the end. Sadhvi devoted her life for nationalist cause. She has given a message to the people that truth always wins," added Thakur's brother-in law Bhagwan Bhai Jha. The High Court, however, rejected the bail of Lieutenant Colonel Prasad Purohit. The Malegaon blast case victims will now be moving the Supreme Court challenging Thakur's bail. On September 2008, a blast at Malegaon killed six and injured 101 others. (ANI)
Amid the massive verbal volleying between political parties over the deadly Sukma attack in which 25 CRPF personnel were killed by Maoists, Union Minister of State for social justice and empowerment Ramdas Athawale has called on parties to show their unity now more than ever. "This is the time when the entire nation must stand together and so should all the political parties. This tragedy must be condemned and there should be no blame game whatsoever," the Union Minister told ANI. Athawale further asserted that being a veteran Congress leader Digvijaya Singh will make such wrong statement against Raman Singh because the latter is a very strong chief Minister, he has been ruling Chhattisgarh state since thirteen years. Digvijay blamed Modi government and Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh for the Sukma attack and also accused the Chhattisgarh Chief Minister of 'helping' Maoists. Meanwhile, slamming Digvijaya Singh for his remark, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) dubbed the Congress leader as a sympathizer of the Naxal cause. BJP spokesperson GVL Narsimha Rao said that Digvijaya has always been making statements and giving the Naxals a sort of moral cover for their dastardly acts of violence. The BJP leader further said that the Congress has never lost an opportunity to hurt the national sentiments, on issues concerning even security forces. "For a national party to not show even a modicum of respect for the martyred soldiers, and to make very cheap political statements at a time when the nation is mourning the martyrdom of 25 CRPF jawans, is beyond any words. Digvijaya Singh had been known to a sympathizer of the naxal cause. He has always been making statements and giving them a sort of moral cover for their dastardly acts of violence," Rao told ANI. Earlier on Monday, as many as 25 CRPF personnel were killed and six others injured in the encounter with the Naxals in Chhattisgarh's Sukma. 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 has assured action against the perpetrators of the 'cold-blooded murder' in Sukma. (ANI)
A Meghalaya-based NGO, the Achik Indigenous Justice Initiative Forum (AIJIF), has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi demanding that the Border Out Post (BOPs) tes be sealed and fenced to stop influx of migrants into the Garo Hills region. In its memorandum to Mr. Modi, Forum director, Alex Sangma, said the plain areas in the have recorded high infiltration because the government has not done anything to check it. Stating that the incomplete fencing along the border for the recent rise in encroachment and number of illegal immigrants, Mr. Sangma said despite the Government sanctioning so many BOPs and fencing the border, it is becoming vulnerable to infiltration. Moreover, the Forum said cattle smuggling from Assam via Garo Hills to Bangladesh is on the rise. Noting that another factor contributing to illegal immigration is contract workers in Meghalaya and the northeastern states. "Contractors must be made liable for the labour employed by them. Laws need to be made which focus on employer sanctions' enforcement," the NGO said.UNI RRK KK -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0212-869009.Xml
Slamming Digvijaya Singh for his 'nexus between Chhattisgarh government and Maoists' remark, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday dubbed the Congress leader as a sympathizer of the Naxal cause. BJP spokesperson GVL Narsimha Rao said that Digvijaya has always been making statements and giving the Naxals a sort of moral cover for their dastardly acts of violence. The BJP leader further said that the Congress has never lost an opportunity to hurt the national sentiments, on issues concerning even security forces. "For a national party to not show even a modicum of respect for the martyred soldiers, and to make very cheap political statements at a time when the nation is mourning the martyrdom of 25 CRPF jawans, is beyond any words. Digvijaya Singh had been known to a sympathizer of the naxal cause. He has always been making statements and giving them a sort of moral cover for their dastardly acts of violence," Rao told ANI. Another BJP leader Shaina NC urged the Congress not to politicise the debate but to understand that the government is serious in fighting Maoism and the naxalite movement. "A review and strategy has been worked out by the Prime Minister and Home Minister and I am sure, in the days to come we will be able to make sure that the 25 CRPF jawans that lost lives are given befitting tribute in an answer by finishing of Maoism and naxalite movement in Chhattisgarh and the adjacent states," she said. The BJP's sharp words come in the wake of Digvijaya alleging that the saffron party has formed a government in Naxal-affected states after compromising with the ultras. Cornering the Centre over the Sukma attack, Singh said neither corruption nor the Naxal problems got solved post demonetisation as claimed by the ruling dispensation. Expressing his condolences to the CRPF bravehearts, who lost their lives in the Sukma encounter, Singh urged the government to take the villagers into confidence to ensure that such incidents so not occur again. "I have been saying this from the very beginning that the Naxals problem will not be solved in these Naxalite belt till the villagers will not be taken into confidence .There is not a single factionof administration there. Discussions should take place with all political leaders and some new policies should be introduced," Singh said. Earlier on Monday, as many as 25 CRPF personnel were killed and six others injured in the encounter with the Naxals in Chhattisgarh's Sukma. 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 has 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. (ANI)
The construction work of much waiting Agartala-Akhaura railway track is expected to get underway by August this year, as Ministry of Railway has made all arrangements to start the project, said Tripura Transport Minister Manik Dey here today. He said, land acquisition process for the 5-km stretch in Indian part has already begun and it is expected it would be over by next two months followed by track laying work would be started. He however, pointed out that the state government has been persuading the centre to finish off the work as scheduled in 2019 and added, after railway link would established there will be a sea change in industry and trade in the state because of the strategic location of Tripura. Ministry of Development of Northeast Development (DoNER) has already released fund for land acquisition for the 15-km Indo-Bangla railway network where 10-km fall in Bangladesh. As per the project, the entire 5km stretches in Indian side would be elevated corridor to reduce the loss of land in the ground that also further reduced the total project cost, Dey said adding that in Bangladesh side, land acquisition process is about to complete. UNI BB AKM 1530 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0213-869445.Xml
President Pranab Mukherjee on Wednesday described the last Nizam of Hyderabad State Mir Osman Ali Khan as a visionary, who founded Osmania University 100 years ago. Inaugurating the centenary celebrations of the university, the President said the Nizam had a dream of establishing a world standard institution of higher learning in Hyderabad. "Hundred years ago on this day, a visionary Mir Osman Ali Khan, the last Nizam of Hyderabad had a vision, had a dream to establish an institution in Hyderabad which will be world-standard," he said while launching the three-day celebrations. He said the university witnessed momentous changes in these 100 years, including the two world wars, India's independence and formation of Telangana. The President said Osmania University was established with the dream that it will be a place where free minds will meet, there will be freely exchanged ideas and views and they will live in peaceful co-existence. Mukherjee voiced concern that the Indian universities were lagging far behind in basic research and innovation. "We cannot achieve excellence in education if basic research and innovation is neglected. I don't blame the academic institutions alone because substantially it required uninterrupted flow of funds and it come either from government or from industries." Stating that state funding is not possible to the extent required, he said that industries must come forward and there must be an interface between industry and academic institutions. "Chairs should be created, special research projects should be endowed by the industry. It should develop vested interest in education, in research, in advancement of science and development, then only we will not only be able to occupy our rightful place in map of education system but also economically being advanced we will occupy rightful place in the international community." Mukherjee said that at every educational congregation, he underlined the need for excellence. "In many capacity as ex-officio visitor of more than 100 central institutions and for last five years when I assumed this office almost like a parrot in every education congregation, I emphasize on having excellence, on achieving international standard, finding universities of India, institutions of higher learning in India occupying rightful place in the world list brought out by internationally reputed agencies." Stating that there has been huge development of higher educational institutions, the President said building a few IITs, NITs and ICARs will not be enough. "We shall have to develop our universities as model, as the temples of modern learning where mighty minds will come from all over world both in the form of teachers and students." He pointed out that for almost 1,500 to 1,600 years India had a leading role in the field of higher education in the international community. He said institutions like Takshila, Nalanda and others were in ruins but for more than 1000 years they brought mighty minds, talent from all over the world in the form of teachers and students, who exchanged views and advanced learning on the basic principle of humanism. He quoted India's first Education Minister Moulana Abul Kalam Azad to emphasise the need for research, innovation and interaction with society and said universities can't live in isolation. Mukherjee suggested that institutions of higher learning must have close interlinkage with its hinterland, the society and surroundings they are located in. He observed that the institutions should try to solve the problems of society. It was on this day in 1917 that Mir Osman Ali Khan issued a 'farmaan' or royal decree for establishing the university. It was the first university in the Indian subcontinent with Urdu as the medium of instruction. After India's independence, English replaced Urdu as the medium of instruction. Vice Chancellor S. Ramachandram said the university had over one crore alumni and many of them were contributing to the well being of society. Telangana Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan, Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, Union Minister Bandaru Dattatreya and others attended the inaugural ceremony of the centenary celebrations. --IANS ms/py/bg ( 667 Words) 2017-04-26-16:50:09 (IANS)
''Held comprehensive talks with PM Ranil Wickremesinghe on ways to strengthen India-Sri lanka ties for the benefit of citizens," Mr Modi tweeted after the meeting.

Mr Wickremesinghe's trip comes just a couple of weeks ahead of Prime Minister Modi's visit to Sri Lanka, which will be his second official visit.

Earlier in the day, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Minister for Road Transport and Highways and Shipping Nitin Gadkari called on the visiting Sri Lankan Prime Minister.

Later, Mr Wickremesinghe had a meeting with Home Minister Rajnath Singh.

Mr Wickremesinghe, who arrived here yesterday on a five-day visit, will also make private trip to Udaipur tomorrow.

UNI NAZ SHK 1748

-- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0091-869665.Xml
The Indo-Sri Lanka Cooperation in road construction came up for discussion when Road and Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari called on visiting Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Vickramasinghe.

During the discussions, the Sri Lankan Prime Minister invited the Government of India to take up development of three stretches of major road stretches namely Jaffna to Mannar, Mannar to Vavuniya and Dambulla to Tricomalee.

The Minister informed the Sri Lankan Prime Minister that Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, during the last three years, has showcased tremendous amount of acceleration of road construction in India and is capable of taking up the roads and completing before time.

The Sri Lankan Prime Minister suggested that these stretches are important for Sri Lanka to develop the region of Jaffna.

Gadkari assured the Sri Lanka Prime Minister that Government of India and his Ministry shall fully cooperate with Sri Lankan Government's efforts in developing world class infrastructure in Sri Lanka.

The Minister also suggested that taking up all these stretches for development may only be possible with the active support of Sri Lankan agencies for land acquisition and local clearances.

Without acquisition and other clearances in place, it will be difficult to complete the project in time.

Indian delegation proposed that a suitable financial model for developing these roads may be put in place.

On receiving the final formal proposal, the Minister assured that we may look at appointing an international consultant to take up detailed study and preparation of feasibility report and DPR for these stretches.

Gadkari reiterated Prime Minister Narendra Modi's commitment of India's active support in strengthening bilateral relations between India and Sri Lanka. (ANI)
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday hit back at Samajwadi Party (SP) President and former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav for his remarks on the Yogi Adityanath government that law and order in the state is poor. Batting for the state government, Health Minister Siddharthnath Singh told reporters that instead of unnecessarily pointing fingers at the present government, Akhilesh Yadav should revisit the 1,725 days of his government. "The former Chief Minister is so dejected with his humiliating defeat at the polls and rejection by the people of Uttar Pradesh that he is seeing everything with a saffron lens," he said. Singh also accused the past state government of doing nothing for the people and of remaining busy promoting their self interests and protecting family interests. Advising the former Chief Minister of doing some introspection over the defeat at the hustings, Singh, who is also the spokesman of the government, said: "Akhilesh Yadav should ponder over the reasons on why the government which was brought in with much fanfare by the people in 2012 was booted out in such humiliation in 2017." All that happened in the Samajwadi Party regime was land grabbing, corruption, lawlessness, exploitation of the poor and promotion of one family, the Health Minister said while claiming a new era of developmental politics in the last one month of the BJP government. "We have taken some positive steps for the betterment of the state and an all-round development of Uttar Pradesh, and welfare of all remains at the heart of our agenda," the minister said. Earlier in the day, Akhilesh Yadav had accused BJP supporters of wearing saffron scarfs and terrorising people and officials. He had also claimed that law and order situation in the state was in poor state. --IANS md/nir ( 313 Words) 2017-04-26-22:36:09 (IANS)
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP national president Amit Shah today said that his party will win big in Bengal in the 2019 General elections. Mr Shah visited Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's constituency Bhawanipore to carry on his party's expansion drive. He visited the booth as per the 'Booth Chalo' drive. Addressing his party workers, the BJP president said, "Lotus will bloom in Bhawanipore too." Mamata is fearing the world's largest political party and not the left front. But BJP doesn't succumb to threats or gets dominated," Mr Shah said. He assured of securing most seats from Bengal and said Prime Minister Narendra Modi's victory ride will pass through the state. The BJP president expressed concerns by saying that Bengal is looming under appeasement and vote bank politics. Modi will bring an end to it soon, he remarked.. Mr Shah said the Mamata Banerjee government was now having BJP phobia and it would only help his party grow and grow in Bengal "Mamata Banerjee is having BJP phobia. She is seeing Bharatiya Janata Party everywhere," Shah told mediapersons, when asked about her charge that the ruling party at the Centre was intimidating Trinamool leaders. "No one (from the Trinamool) is in touch with us," he said.Earlier ,BJP president slammed the scam-tainted ministers of the Mamata Banerjee government, saying, '' It has not only lost faith of the people but also lost credibility to answer the people of Bengal on Saradah and Narada scandals. '' Asked what his party's take regarding the arrest of scam-tainted leaders, Mr Shah said, " You better ask the Supreme Court and the investigating agency CBI. " To a query, he refuted Trinamool Congress supremo and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's charge that conspiracy was hatched against the TMC government by the BJP, and said, " Let Mamata didi answer regarding documentary evidences that the leaders are taking money. " Elaborating he said, '' This was not verbal allegation about theNarada sting operation that the TMC leaders on camera were seen taking money. '' The BJP national president also expressed concern about the alleged deterioration in all aspects of life in the past six years under the Mamata Banerjee government, and said, '' People voted the TMC government to get rid of communists' three decades of misrule, but now the situation has turned from bad to worst in the past six years. " Providing data of deterioration for past 6/7 years Mr Shah said West Bengal had growth rate of 25 per cent during Independence which now had come down to only 4 per cent. The debt was Rs 1 lakh crore 92,000 when TMC came to power in 2011 which rose to now Rs 3 lakh 50,000 crore, Mr Shah said . Mr Shah said the Mamata Banerjee government had been benefitted maximum from the 14th Finance Commission of more than Rs 2 lakh 89,000 crore under the current central government, more than double from the 13th Finance Commission. He also dared Ms Banerjee to come out with data how much her government was provided support by the NDA government in the past three years and how much she got during her first three years in the government. Mr Shah said the state government's opposition to notebandi was an attempt to save blackmarketeers and dealers of fake currencies. While the Centre wanted to clean evertythihng from black money, the state government had not not taken any firm step to stop importing of fake currcies as well as influx from Bangaldesh.UNI BM SJC . -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0212-870354.Xml
U.S. President Donald Trump has reiterated his commitment to build a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border saying "don't let the fake media tell you that I have changed my position on the WALL". "Don't let the fake media tell you that I have changed my position on the WALL. It will get built and help stop drugs, human trafficking etc," Trump tweeted. Asserting that building a wall on the Mexican border will stop drugs from pouring into the United States, Trump on Monday said that if it is not built then the drug situation will never be fixed the way it should be. "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!" Trump tweeted. With the Democrats and Republicans preparing for budget negotiations this week, President Donald Trump has also expressed his confidence that Mexico will 'eventually' pay for the border wall. Last week, Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly said he believes President Donald Trump "will be insistent" that lawmakers include money for a US-Mexico border wall in a spending bill that they need to pass by Friday to avoid a government shutdown. Trump had earlier in January decided that he will seek to pay for the wall on the southern border with Mexico by imposing a 20 percent tax on imports from Mexico and as part of a larger comprehensive tax reform plan. Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto had cancelled a planned meeting with Trump earlier this year after the U.S. President signed an executive order kicking off the process of building the border wall and vowed once again to force Mexico to pay for it. Putting up a wall along the US-Mexico border was part of Trump's campaign agendas, following which he issued an executive order in January for the beginning of construction. (ANI)
A South Korean court today ruled that the ride-hailing group Uber Technologies Inc illegally used private vehicles for commercial purposes, in the latest legal setback for the US firm in Asia's fourth biggest economy.Uber's operations in South Korea were not expected to be impacted by the ruling, since it suspended its UberX service after prosecutors filed charges against the local unit in 2014 for violating the transport law, a company spokeswoman said.Uber's local unit has "admitted and repented" its illegal act and resolved the issue, a judge at Seoul Central District Court said in a ruling. The company was fined 10 million won (8,863 dollars)."Uber respects the court's decision and we are looking forward to strengthening our partnership with the government and serving riders, drivers and cities in Korea," the company said in a statement.Uber's South Korean unit continues to offer its premium taxi service, UberBLACK, and uberASSIST for seniors and people with disabilities, as those services do not use private vehicles, the spokeswoman said.The US-based company links users to both licensed taxis and unlicensed cars and drivers, a business model that has faced legal challenges in several other cities across the world.Uber's investors include Goldman Sachs and GV, formerly known as Google Ventures. ($1 = 1,128.2700 won) REUTERS SV 0852 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0103-868984.Xml
The CPN-UML is against the government's decision to increase the number of local levels in the southern plains of Nepal, a move by the government to appease disgruntled parties.

The opposition is arguing that the revision of local levels cannot be done after the announcement of the election schedule.

The CPN-UML demanded an answer from Minister of Federal Affairs and Local Development Kamal Thapa and disrupted the proceedings.

Deputy Prime Minister Bimalendra Nidhi and Thapa briefed about the government move.

Thapa said the revision, in the constitution, is as per the agreement and support of various political parties adding that the revision of boundaries of Province no.2 had to be redone as some faults were identified.

However, the Opposition MPs expressed dissatisfaction over the briefing and demanded for a satisfactory answer. (ANI)
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-26 00:35:13|Editor: yan

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MONROVIA, April 25 (Xinhua) -- The Liberian government confirmed seven people were dead on Tuesday following a "strange illness" that hit Sinoe County in the country's southeastern region.

Health Ministry spokesman Sorbor George said five persons had died earlier in the day while two other victims of the yet-to-be identified illness died later.

Local media reported that all the victims suffered severe stomach pain before succumbing to death, adding health authorities in the Sinoe County had already isolated all those who came in contact with the dead.

The health ministry said blood specimens from the deceased had been sent to the medical laboratory to ascertain the cause of their death and identify the disease itself.

An emergency meeting of health officials has been called to discuss "the strange deaths", George told reporters.

Liberia was in 2014 struck by the Ebola Virus Disease which claimed an estimated 4,500 lives in the country alone.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-26 03:05:48|Editor: yan

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KAMPALA, April 25 (Xinhua) -- In Uganda, the search is on for the top 10 Information Communication Technology (ICT) university students who will be sent to China for skills transfer, a move the country says will fast track its development.

The 10 successful students will be the second lot to be sent to China under the Seeds for the Future, a program run by Huawei Technologies, a Chinese company.

Stanley Chyn, managing director of Huawei Technologies Uganda said late on Monday that the move is aimed at bridging the digital divide through knowledge transfer.

He said the 10 students from the various universities will gain skills in a global business environment.

These skills he argued would be applied back home when they return after their two weeks stay in China.

Frank Tumwebaze, Uganda's minister of ICT and National Guidance while officiating at the launch of the search said Uganda needs to learn a lot from China noting that ICT can fast track the country's development.

He said with help from China, Uganda has been able to construct the National Data Transmission Backbone Infrastructure and e-Government Infrastructure.

The project included the installation of Optical Fibre Cable.

Tumwebaze said the country would soon start an Innovation Fund whereby innovators in ICT would be facilitated to carryout innovations that would not only stop at expositions but also be consumed by the market.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-26 04:36:32|Editor: yan

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UNITED NATIONS, April 25 (Xinhua) -- The political process in South Sudan is "not dead" but requires "significant resuscitation," a top UN official in the world's youngest country said here Tuesday.

"Regrettably, no party has shown interest in reviving the Peace Agreement," said David Shearer, the UN secretary-general's special representative and the head of UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), referring to the August 2015 accord between the country's warring parties.

Despite the peace accord, South Sudan slipped back into conflict due to renewed clashes between rival forces -- the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) loyal to President Salva Kiir and the SPLA in Opposition backing former First Vice-President Riek Machar.

Shearer, while speaking at an open meeting of the UN Security Council on South Sudan, noted that unlike this time last year, where the conflict was construed on a bipolar basis, the opposition has splintered today, making it necessary for UN peacebuilding efforts to be more widely cast than previously.

"Virtually no part of the country is immune from conflict," he said. "Yet, there has been no concerted effort by any party to adhere to a ceasefire. Instead, we are seeing an intensification of the conflict over the past month."

Shearer said that in some of the violence, government forces have responded to attacks by opposition forces, notably in Wau and the Equatorias. In others, in contrast, government-led operations such as those in Upper Nile and Jonglei appeared "more strategic in focus" and were aimed at taking opposition-held areas.

He stressed that the UNMISS will work together with partners on opportunities to forge a viable solution to end the hostilities.

"Despite what appears to be attempts by the parties to achieve victory through military means, a political solution is the only way forward for South Sudan," Shearer said, noting that military offensives are fracturing groups and intensifying ethnic divisions to a degree that will hinder reconciliation.

To revive the political process, the international community must speak with one voice, he said, urging the Security Council, the African Union and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) to unite in dealing with the parties.

Since his appointment to the current post in December 2016, he has travelled to all 10 of UNMISS' main field offices.

Shearer, who was born in 1957, is from New Zealand.

He said that UNMISS directly protects over 220,000 displaced civilians in six different locations across the country, and the 12,000 UN "blue helmets" and 2,000 UN police officers are vital to protect civilians more than ever.

Roadblocks and denial of flight safety assurances severely restricts UNMISS' ability to promptly reach key locations, but peacekeepers dispatched by troop-contributing countries are bravely trying to overcome many challenges, he said.

South Sudan has been shattered by civil war that broke out in December 2013 after President Kiir accused his former deputy Machar of plotting a coup. Machar denied the accusation but then mobilized a rebel force.

A peace deal signed in August 2015 led to the formation of a transitional unity government in April, but was again devastated by fresh violence in July 2016.

Tens of thousands of South Sudanese have been killed, with more than two million displaced and another 4.6 million left severely food insecure since December 2013.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-26 05:27:15|Editor: yan

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ANKARA, April 25 (Xinhua) -- Turkey will take necessary steps regarding the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE)'s decision to reopen a political monitoring process against the country, Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said Tuesday.

During its Spring Part Session on Tuesday, PACE decided to reopen the monitoring procedure in respect to Turkey, which has been under post-monitoring dialogue since 2004.

"PACE decision on Turkey is a political decision and is not compatible with reality," Yildirim told reporters, as quoted by local broadcaster CNN Turk.

Such decisions are not beneficial for regional or global peace, he added.

Yildirim said that the decision is a reflection of anti-Turkey sentiment in the assembly and is politically motivated.

In a statement posted on his official Twitter account, Turkish presidential spokesperson Ibrahim Kalin criticized the decision Tuesday.

"The decision by PACE is a political operation by anti-Turkey circles. We condemn this deliberate decision which is far from being just or fair," Kalin said.

Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the decision and said that it had been made with political motives.

"We strongly condemn this unjust decision of PACE taken with political motives, in contravention of established procedures," the ministry said in a written statement.

Omer Celik, Turkey's EU Affairs Minister and Chief Negotiator also criticized the PACE decision, saying that the assembly made a "historical" mistake.

The assembly gathered Tuesday in France's Strasbourg in a session to discuss a report titled "The functioning of democratic institutions in Turkey."

The assembly's monitoring committee concerned over constitutional amendments that were approved on April 16 in a national referendum amid a state of emergency.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-26 05:47:28|Editor: yan

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LONDON, April 25 (Xinhua) -- A major public campaign was launched in England Tuesday to save the world's most threatened species of songbirds.

Chester Zoo wants to galvanise widespread public support and raise vital funds to help conservation efforts and increase awareness of the urgent need for action to save the Indonesian songbirds from widespread extinction.

Bird keepers at Chester have already had success with vital breeding programs for critically endangered species such as the Javan green magpie and the Bali starling (myna).

Every year, millions of songbirds are captured illegally in Indonesian forests, said zoo officials.

Hundreds of species of songbirds are facing an even more uncertain future than more high-profile threatened species such as rhinos and elephants, they warned.

A spokesman for the zoo said: "The illegal wildlife trade is the fourth largest international crime in the world, worth 19 billion U.S. dollars annually, with Southeast Asian songbirds among the worst affected but least publicized victims.

"Indonesian forests, which were once filled with the sounds of countless different bird species are now falling silent. Meanwhile, beautiful birds are being sold in markets as part of the illegal wildlife trade.

"They are then kept in small cages as status symbols and used in singing competitions. As the birds become rarer, their value increases, creating a growing desire to capture them.

Conservationists from Chester Zoo are working closely with field partners in Indonesia at the Cikananga Conservation Breeding Center, to breed and protect populations of some of the most threatened species.

As part of the major new Sing For Songbirds campaign, the zoo's Safari Ranger outreach team are working directly with schools in Britain and Indonesia.

The campaign will increase awareness of the critical situation, providing teachers with a range of discovery, learning and fundraising resources to help them act for songbirds in Britain and Indonesia.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-26 06:47:43|Editor: liuxin

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A jazz band performed during a dedication ceremony outside Los Angeles City Hall in downtown L.A. Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti declared April 25 as "La La Land Day" in honor of the Oscar-winning film on Tuesday. (Xinhua/Gao Shan)

LOS ANGELES, April 25 (Xinhua) -- Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti on Tuesday declared April 25 as "La La Land" day in front of the LA City Hall, in honor of this Oscar-winning movie which was filmed across Los Angeles.

The dedication ceremony kicked off by a jazz band, followed by aerial dancers dressed as the characters from the movie, performing a dance medley off the side of City Hall.

"It (La La Land) inspires our heart and inspires our city," Garcetti said at the announcement, "have a great La La Land Day, everybody."

After his speech, Garcetti played a few of the songs from the movie on a piano.

Hundreds of citizens joined for the festivities by the film's Oscar-winning director Damien Chazelle, Oscar-winning composer Justin Hurwitz, and a few other filmmakers.

"We made this movie, we wanted to make a love letter to Los Angeles," producer Jordan Horowitz told Xinhua at the celebration, "thank you for embracing the picture that is about romance, and love and lacks any kind of cynicism, looks the world in a relative clear-eyed way."

"Nothing makes me happier than the fact that this movie has been embraced not just in Los Angeles, in the United States, but around the world," Horowitz said.

Starring by Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling, the movie-musical tells a love story of a jazz pianist and an aspiring actress in Los Angeles.

"La La Land" swept the 89th Academy Awards' winner list including the Best Director, Best Actress, Best Original Score and Best Original Song among other awards but failed to clinch the Best Film and Best Actor trophy. The film has grossed over 440 million U.S. dollars at the global market.
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti played piano with a jazz band on the steps of City Hall on Tuesday in honor of "La La Land."

LOS ANGELES, April 25 (Xinhua) -- Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti on Tuesday declared April 25 as "La La Land" day in front of the LA City Hall, in honor of this Oscar-winning movie which was filmed across Los Angeles.

The dedication ceremony kicked off by a jazz band, followed by aerial dancers dressed as the characters from the movie, performing a dance medley off the side of City Hall.

"It (La La Land) inspires our heart and inspires our city," Garcetti said at the announcement, "have a great La La Land Day, everybody."

After his speech, Garcetti played a few of the songs from the movie on a piano.

A jazz band performed during a dedication ceremony outside Los Angeles City Hall in downtown L.A. Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti declared April 25 as "La La Land Day" in honor of the Oscar-winning film on Tuesday. (Xinhua/Gao Shan)

Hundreds of citizens joined for the festivities by the film's Oscar-winning director Damien Chazelle, Oscar-winning composer Justin Hurwitz, and a few other filmmakers.

Producer Jordan Horowitz received interview during a dedication ceremony outside Los Angeles City Hall in downtown L.A. Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti declared April 25 as "La La Land Day" in honor of the Oscar-winning film on Tuesday. (Xinhua/Gao Shan)

"We made this movie, we wanted to make a love letter to Los Angeles," producer Jordan Horowitz told Xinhua at the celebration, "thank you for embracing the picture that is about romance, and love and lacks any kind of cynicism, looks the world in a relative clear-eyed way."

"Nothing makes me happier than the fact that this movie has been embraced not just in Los Angeles, in the United States, but around the world," Horowitz said.

Starring by Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling, the movie-musical tells a love story of a jazz pianist and an aspiring actress in Los Angeles.

"La La Land" swept the 89th Academy Awards' winner list including the Best Director, Best Actress, Best Original Score and Best Original Song among other awards but failed to clinch the Best Film and Best Actor trophy. The film has grossed over 440 million U.S. dollars at the global market.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-26 07:22:48|Editor: xuxin

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JERUSALEM, April 25 (Xinhua) -- Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday canceled a meeting with German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel over the visiting official's plan to meet with groups critical of Israel's action in the West Bank, local media reported.

A spokesman with the Prime Minister's Office confirmed the meeting, originally scheduled to 17:00, would not take place.

Israel's Ha'aretz newspaper reported that after the cancellation Gabriel refused to take a phone call from Netanyahu. The prime minister wanted to speak with the foreign minister to personally explain why he had reservations regarding the meeting with Breaking The Silence and B'Tselem, Ha'aretz reported.

Earlier, Netanyahu threatened that he would call off his meeting with Gabriel if the latter meet with the two rights groups.

Gabriel rejected the ultimatum. "It is difficult for me to imagine this because that would be extremely regrettable," he told German public television station ZDF.

"It is completely normal that we speak with civil society representatives during a visit abroad," he said, adding that it would be "unthinkable" to cancel a meeting with Netanyahu if he met government critics in Germany.

Gabriel is on a visit to the Middle East to press for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

On Tuesday morning, he met with opposition leader, Isaac Herzog, chairman of the Labor party.

In the afternoon, he met with President Reuven Rivlin. Gabriel told the president that Germany is "committed to the friendship, partnership, and special relationship with Israel, and nothing will change that," according to a statement released by the President's Residence.

Such incidents occurred in the past during visit by officials to Israel.

In February, Netanyahu instructed the foreign ministry to reprimand the Belgian ambassador after Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel met with representatives of Breaking The Silence and B'tselem during a visit to Israel.

Right-wing political leaders hailed Netanyahu's move. Education Minister Naftali Bennett and leader of the Jewish Home ultra-nationalist party said his party is "backing" Netanyahu.

"Breaking The Silence is not an organization that is anti-Netanyahu, but an anti-Israel and anti-Israel Defense Forces. It is inappropriate for a foreign minister who visits a particular country to meet with people who are acting against that state," Bennett said in a statement.

The two groups have become a frequent target for condemnations by right-wing politicians, who accuse them being "traitors" who acts against Israel.

A new law from 2016 requires non-governmental organizations that receive more than half of their funding from overseas governments or bodies like the European Union to publicly state that they receive foreign funds.

The law targets specifically human rights groups because right-wing groups almost always rely on local donations.

Israel occupied the West Bank and Gaza in the 1967 Middle East war and had controlled these lands ever since, despite international criticism.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-26 07:32:51|Editor: Liangyu

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SAN FRANCISCO, April 25 (Xinhua) -- A federal judge ruled Tuesday that U.S. President Donald Trump can not coerce "sanctuary cities" to cooperate with immigration officers by withdrawing federal funds.

The 49-page temporary ruling by Judge William Orrick, of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, followed a 70-minute hearing on April 14 over San Francisco and Santa Clara county's lawsuit over the executive order signed by Trump on January 25.

The executive order, issued five days after the president took office, directed the administration's attorney general and homeland security secretary to make sure that sanctuary jurisdictions " are not eligible to receive federal grants, except as deemed necessary for law enforcement purposes."

The lawsuit on January 31 by city and county of San Francisco and on February 3 by county of Santa Clara before the federal court requested for an injunction to halt the enforcement of the order.

"Although the defunding provision has not yet been enforced against any jurisdiction," wrote Judge Orrick. "governmental leaders have made numerous statements reaffirming the government's intent to enforce the order and to use the threat of withholding federal funds as a tool to coerce states and local jurisdictions to change their policies."

Notifying that "an injunction against the president is not appropriate," the judge, who is based in San Francisco, a sanctuary city in Northern California, ruled that "the president has no role in implementing Section 9," which stipulated defunding sanctuary cities.

Sanctuary city policies, either mandated by local legislation process or observed in practice, limit these cities' cooperation with the federal government in order to help people who are in the country illegally avoid deportation, so that such residents will be more willing to report crimes, use health and social services, and enroll their children in school.

If Section 9 of the executive order was enforced, according to the lawsuit, at stake for Santa Clara county would be 1.7 billion U.S. dollars in federal and federally dependent funds, which made up roughly 35 percent of the county's total revenues in the 2015-2016 fiscal year.

"We're fighting for the United States Constitution and we succeeded after the Trump Administration tried to do an end run around it," Santa Clara County Supervisor Cindy Chavez said in a statement after the judge's ruling. "The court's decision is a win for the neediest people in our nation. Seniors in need of food, foster youth in need of shelter and children who need medical care. We'll continue being a welcoming, safe and diverse community."

More than 300 cities and counties in the United States now have limited the cooperation their law enforcement agencies are allowed to work with federal immigration officials seeking to detain and deport immigrants.

Among them, nearly 50 local governments filed arguments supporting the suit decided by Judge Orrick.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-26 07:57:54|Editor: xuxin

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SAN FRANCISCO, April 25 (Xinhua) -- A new study suggests that public health approaches may need to be tailored based on needs of the diverse groups within the Latino population in the United States.

Past research has shown that increased wealth, defined as the accumulation of property such as homes and cars, savings and more, has been linked to better cardiovascular health across various racial and ethnic groups. But among Hispanic/Latinos, the association has been inconsistent.

An analysis of health data for nearly 5,000 Hispanic/Latino people ages 18 to 74 in the United States, collected for the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos and the Sociocultural Ancillary Study, showed that on whole there was no strong association between wealth and cardiovascular health among Hispanic/Latinos.

"What we found is that it's important to be careful not to make assumptions that everyone who is considered Hispanic or Latino can be put into the same basket," said Daniel Lopez-Cevallos, assistant professor of ethnic studies in the Oregon State University (OSU) College of Liberal Arts. "There are differences within the group that are important to take into consideration when it comes to addressing public health issues such as cardiovascular health."

Much of the health research today tends to focus on Latinos in the country as a single racial/ethnic group. But in reality, that group includes people from a diverse range of backgrounds, including Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican, Dominican, Central American and South American, and the health risks they face may vary from group to group.

Published this month in the journal Ethnicity and Health, the new study underscores the need for further examination of differences within the Hispanic/Latino population, particularly when developing medical treatments or public health interventions, said Lopez-Cevallos, the lead author on the study.

The Hispanic/Latino population is the largest and one of the fastest-growing racial/ethnic minority groups in the United States. And cardiovascular disease is one of the leading causes of death among Hispanic/Latinos.

The researchers found that health and wealth were closely associated for some groups but not others. For example, wealthier Central Americans were less likely to be obese, while wealthier Puerto Ricans were more likely to be obese. "Within this group, there is a diversity of experiences," he said. "What is it about the experience of wealthy Puerto Ricans that is different from the experience of wealthy Central Americans? Unless we explore those differences further, we won't be able to understand and address health risk factors appropriately."

Further research is needed to understand and tailor public health messaging and health interventions for sub-groups within the Hispanic/Latino population, Lopez-Cevallos was quoted as saying in a news release from OSU. "As the Latino population continues to grow, these differences within groups will become more and more important," he said. "We really need to amp up our study of these deeper differences."
A protester holds up a placard during a protest calling for a general strike against U.S. President Donald Trump in Chicago, the United States, on Feb. 17, 2017. (Xinhua/Jim Young)

SAN FRANCISCO, April 25 (Xinhua) -- A federal judge ruled Tuesday that U.S. President Donald Trump can not coerce "sanctuary cities" to cooperate with immigration officers by withdrawing federal funds.

The 49-page temporary ruling by Judge William Orrick, of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, followed a 70-minute hearing on April 14 over San Francisco and Santa Clara county's lawsuit over the executive order signed by Trump on January 25.

The executive order, issued five days after the president took office, directed the administration's attorney general and homeland security secretary to make sure that sanctuary jurisdictions " are not eligible to receive federal grants, except as deemed necessary for law enforcement purposes."

The lawsuit on January 31 by city and county of San Francisco and on February 3 by county of Santa Clara before the federal court requested for an injunction to halt the enforcement of the order.

"Although the defunding provision has not yet been enforced against any jurisdiction," wrote Judge Orrick. "governmental leaders have made numerous statements reaffirming the government's intent to enforce the order and to use the threat of withholding federal funds as a tool to coerce states and local jurisdictions to change their policies."

Notifying that "an injunction against the president is not appropriate," the judge, who is based in San Francisco, a sanctuary city in Northern California, ruled that "the president has no role in implementing Section 9," which stipulated defunding sanctuary cities.

Sanctuary city policies, either mandated by local legislation process or observed in practice, limit these cities' cooperation with the federal government in order to help people who are in the country illegally avoid deportation, so that such residents will be more willing to report crimes, use health and social services, and enroll their children in school.

If Section 9 of the executive order was enforced, according to the lawsuit, at stake for Santa Clara county would be 1.7 billion U.S. dollars in federal and federally dependent funds, which made up roughly 35 percent of the county's total revenues in the 2015-2016 fiscal year.

"We're fighting for the United States Constitution and we succeeded after the Trump Administration tried to do an end run around it," Santa Clara County Supervisor Cindy Chavez said in a statement after the judge's ruling. "The court's decision is a win for the neediest people in our nation. Seniors in need of food, foster youth in need of shelter and children who need medical care. We'll continue being a welcoming, safe and diverse community."

More than 300 cities and counties in the United States now have limited the cooperation their law enforcement agencies are allowed to work with federal immigration officials seeking to detain and deport immigrants.

Among them, nearly 50 local governments filed arguments supporting the suit decided by Judge Orrick.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-26 08:48:13|Editor: MJ

Jack Ma, chairman of Alibaba and special advisor of the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) on youth entrepreneurship and small business, attends a high level e-commerce dialogue in Geneva, Switzerland, on April 25, 2017. The UNCTAD third edition of the E-Commerce Week, with the theme "Towards Inclusive E-Commerce", kicked off Monday and will last until April 28. (Xinhua/Xu Jinquan)
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-26 08:48:30|Editor: MJ

Representatives from Lao Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (R, front) and China's Xuanye (Laos) Co., Ltd/AVIC International Beijing Co., Ltd (L, front) sign a memorandum of understanding in Vientiane, Laos, April 25, 2017. The Lao Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry has signed a memorandum of understanding with China's Xuanye (Laos) Co., Ltd/AVIC International Beijing Co., Ltd on a modern agricultural industrial park project in Laos. (Xinhua/Liu Ailun)

VIENTIANE, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Lao Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with China's Xuanye (Lao) Co., Ltd/AVIC International Beijing Co., Ltd on a modern agricultural industrial park project in Laos.

The agricultural industrial park will serve as a supporting project to the under-construction China-Laos railway, building a regional center of agricultural products trading, warehousing and logistics hub platform.

Speaking at the signing ceremony on Tuesday, Lao Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Lien Thikeo said since the launching of the Chinese-proposed Belt and Road Initiative, many Chinese enterprises have come to invest in Laos with constructive proposals, providing new impetus and direction of development to Laos to turn the country from a land-locked to a land-linked country.

The ministry is expected to cooperate with Xuanye to build a demonstration of modern agricultural industrial park in Laos, with the construction of the China-Laos railway to deepen bilateral trade cooperation and accelerate the transformation of Lao agricultural sector.

Previously, local government of Lao central Savannakhet province signed an agreement with Xuanye on a 2,000-hectare plantation demonstration.

After over two years, the demonstrative plantation zone is helping export Lao rice to China, and through the implementation of Chinese standards and technology, the farmers are changing the habit of slash-and-burn cultivation with low yield while maintaining the "green and organic" characteristics of Lao rice.

Chairman of Xuanye (Lao) Co., Ltd Xu Guowu said that the Belt and Road Initiative has refreshed the China-Laos cooperation with a new international cooperation platform, helping many developing and under-developed countries to enter the "fast lane" of development.

Both sides will conduct research later mainly on China's agricultural technology and its market demand for Laos' organic eco-agricultural products, technology innovation cooperation in Laos.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-26 09:13:35|Editor: xuxin

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VIENTIANE, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Lao government has so far focused on improving and solving some problems in national development in 2016, and will continue taking efforts for achieving its planned targets, said Lao Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith.

Speaking at the opening of the third ordinary session of Lao National Assembly (NA)'s Eighth Legislature in Lao capital Vientiane on Tuesday, the prime minister said the government has paid attention to the stability of macro-economic management and improved policies and laws to push economic growth to at least 7 percent. He ensured that financial-budget management was transparent and got rid of state budget leakage.

"We have continued aligning with foreign currencies to have stability, implementing interests and policies in line with the markets under close control, and amending the state sector," Thongloun was quoted by Lao state-run news agency KPL as saying, adding that Lao government also approved a budget worth some 49.36 million U.S. dollars to solve the government's debt and around 37.02 million U.S. dollars for clearing bond debt with aims to spur and help local businesses continue their business operations.

The government also conducted a study to improve some state enterprises and some large scale companies, prepared for the improvement of a policy on national land management.

The continued development of "single door mechanisms" to facilitate fast and transparent development projects and complaints was highlighted by the prime minister as an effort of the government in managing its macro-economy with the Law on Investment Promotion and other related regulations amended and going into force. The forwarding policy on saving and anti-extravagance measures, the implementation of the regulation on leaders' vehicles and the realization of measures made for some high leaders, were all cause for applause from members of public countrywide, according to a report by Lao state-run media Vientiane Times.

"These practices received support from members of public nationwide, which has been a symbol of a good model following our party policy," the prime minister stated.

The government also came to address the public debt which has been chronically accumulating for many years. The government said it has taken actions to identify financial sources which have resulted in better conditions of revenue collection over the past months.

The preparation for the reform of some state enterprises, reclassification of business enterprises, the improvement of the business environment, addressing the use of salary budget for other purposes and the improved and stricter measures in salary were also all considered positive performances over the past six months.

The government then assessed that the national economy has grown at 7.02 percent in 2016 with the GDP reaching 129.2 trillion Lao kip (nearly 15.8 billion U.S. dollars) and the GDP per capita sitting at 2,408 U.S. dollars.

The rate of poor families went down from 6.59 percent to 6.3 percent throughout the country.

Aside from the efforts made, the government recognized that the national economy at a macro-level has remained fragile, with the state budget remaining in significant deficit.

In the future, the government will continue to work on macro-economic management, financial improvement, budget systems, stable currency control, and business operations. It will also review a decree on management of goods prices and services, along with promotion of agriculture production, and continue socio-cultural development and poverty reduction, said the prime minister.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-26 09:29:08|Editor: liuxin

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BERLIN, April 25 (Xinhua) -- Nuri Sahin has extended his contract with Borussia Dortmund ahead of schedule, both sides confirmed in an official statement on Tuesday.

The 28-year-old Turkish international has put pen to paper on an extension and will stay with the BVB until June 2019.

"We are very happy that that Nuri will stay with us. He is a child of the region, a really good guy and deeply rooted with Borussia Dortmund," sporting director Michael Zorc told the club's official homepage.

Sahin wears Dortmund's jersey since almost 16 years including three short spells at other clubs. He played his ways through Dortmund's youth ranks before he singed his first professional contract in the summer of 2005.

"Everyone knows how well I feel in Dortmund, the city, the stadium with our extraordinary supporters. BVB is the club of my heart," Sahin said.

The midfielder played two years for Dortmund before he joined Dutch side Feyernoord Rotterdam in 2007 for one year. Sahin returned to Dortmund in 2008 and transferred to Real Madrid in 2011. After one year in Madrid he joined Liverpool until 2013 before rejoining Dortmund in 2013.

Sahin made overall 204 appearances for the BVB and provided 36 assists and 19 goals.

Thomas Tuchel's men currently sit in third place of the Bundesliga standings. They encounter Cologne in the 31st round to defend their spot on Saturday.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-26 10:19:25|Editor: Mengjie

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Chinese Vice Premier Liu Yandong (L) meets with South African Foreign Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane in Pretoria, South Africa, on April 25, 2017. (Xinhua/Zhai Jianlan)

PRETORIA, April 25 (Xinhua) -- Visiting Chinese Vice Premier Liu Yandong said here Tuesday that the peoples of China and South Africa enjoy a time-honored friendship that is growing ever stronger.

Addressing the opening ceremony of a China-South Africa high-level dialogue on thought, Liu recalled Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to Africa four years ago.

Liu said that during that visit, Xi pointed out that China and Africa have always been a community of shared future, and that similar historical experiences, common development tasks and shared strategic interests have bound the two sides together.

The vice premier added that during her current visit to South Africa, she gained a deeper appreciation and understanding of Xi's remarks.

China and South Africa are far away from each other in distance, but the friendship between the two peoples boasts a long history and is growing ever stronger, she said.

Liu noted that the Chinese people firmly supported the just cause of the South African and African people against apartheid and the two sides formed a deep bond of solidarity and mutual support in the process.

Also on Tuesday, the Chinese vice premier paid a visit to the Steve Biko Academic Hospital in Pretoria and donated medical equipment to the hospital.

Founded in 1890, the Steve Biko Academic Hospital was named after South African national hero Steve Biko. It is the only comprehensive medical and academic hospital in South Africa.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-26 10:34:29|Editor: xuxin

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YANGON, April 26 (Xinhua) -- The three-day political dialogue at national level has ended in Taunggyi, Myanmar's southern Shan state, and the outcome of the region-wise dialogue will be submitted to the upcoming Second Meeting of the country's 21st Century Panglong Peace Conference, scheduled for May 24, official report said Wednesday.

A total of 57 papers, submitted by representatives of signatory armed groups to the Nationwide Ceasefire Accord (NCA) and political parties, were discussed at the three-day dialogue meeting which concluded on Tuesday and various points of view were compiled for further presentation to the Panglong peace conference.

The 57 papers are respectively related with politics, economy, land issues, natural resources and environmental conservation.

Region-wise national level political dialogues had been held in Tanintharyi and Bago regions as part of the peace process.

Myanmar's previous U Thein Sein's 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| 2017-04-26 10:39:30|Editor: MJ

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Chen Xiaoping (R), director of a robot research and development team, and Jia Jia, an interactive robot that looks like a real Chinese young woman in traditional outfit, talk through internet with Kevin Kelly on screen, founding executive editor of Wired magazine, in Hefei, capital of east China's Anhui Province, April 24, 2017. Jia Jia was invited as a special reporter of the Xinhua News Agency to conduct the man-machine dialogue with Kelly on Monday. Jia Jia was unveiled in 2016 by Chen's robot research and development team at the University of Science and Technology of China in Hefei. It took the team three years to research and develop this new-generation interactive robot, which can speak, show micro-expressions, move its lips, and move its body. (Xinhua/Guo Chen)

HEFEI, China, April 26 (Xinhua) -- "Jia Jia, I am really confused," Kevin Kelly, the founding executive editor of Wired magazine and famous technology writer, said on Monday when his Skype conversation with Jia Jia, a Chinese humanoid robot, was interrupted by the network latency for a moment.

"Well, I said that all the time about life," replied Jia Jia, moving her thin and curved lips at the same time.

Impressed by the robot's answer, Kelly nodded approvingly in California, which also gave a relief to the research team across the Pacific Ocean in Hefei, east China. After that, the robot's performance began to improve as the internet stabilized.

Kelly's conversation with Jia Jia was part of the experimental dialogues initiated and live streamed by Xinhua. Besides Kelly, the experiment also involved influential artificial intelligence (AI) scientists from the United States, Europe and Singapore.

This conversation can be seen as a concise episode of Jia Jia's performance throughout the whole day, during which she managed to give satisfactory answers to most questions despite some mistakes.

"What Jia Jia did today was really challenging," Professor Chen Xiaoping, the leader of the Jia Jia's research team at the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) in Hefei, told Xinhua after the experiment. "Indeed, she made some mistakes. But her overall performance was good and had clearly improved compared with her last public appearance, so I am satisfied with it."

He noticed that Jia Jia's performance improved greatly once the internet connection became better. The professor explained that most of the time Jia Jia needed to search the corpus in the cloud for suitable answers. During Monday's dialogues, video chats and live stream took up a large part of the bandwidth and thusly created several problems for the robot.

"We should have foreseen the problem," Liu Song, an assistant of Professor Chen, admitted. However, he also pointed out that despite the difficulties, Jia Jia managed to answer most of the questions, and some of the answers were surprisingly good: during her talk with Professor Bart Selman from Cornell University, Jia Jia humorously said that what she was looking forward to in her life was Friday and paycheck.

Professor Chen gave Jia Jia 70 points out of 100 for her performance, which, for reporters who witnessed all the dialogues, was an accurate evaluation. For those who had expected a "Westworld" android, Jia Jia is far from perfection. But no AI in the world could do substantially better under the same circumstances.

In fact, Jia Jia is one of the few robots in the world that have both high intelligence - for robots of course - and a very human-like appearance, which is why she has received so much attention from the scientific community.

Building a smart android that can move, think and talk like human beings is the holy grail of robotics and computer science. The human body is probably the most complicated and incredible entity we have seen so far. In designing human-inspired robots, machines are developed to the highest standard, which embodies the ambition and curiosity of the human race.

"We human beings should try to go beyond some traditional boundaries," said Professor Chen from the USTC, noting that what Jia Jia improved in Monday's dialogues was only a small step in the long path toward the destination but it was a step beyond the boundaries.

"Smart humanoid robots are basically an uncharted domain. No one can show us the right path. This is why it's so hard to continue improving Jia Jia," said Chen. "But that's also why we have so much fun."

Chen Zhang, a young engineer in Jia Jia's research team, also said that he was thrilled to see the improvement the robot made in the Skype conversations. "Every step forward, no matter how small, is encouraging," he said.

"Every experiment has imperfections. But in some way, they light up our future path," the young engineer said, while looking at Jia Jia affectionately.

Jia Jia's engineers all said that it was an ineffable feeling to look at Jia Jia, who has alluring eyes, rosy and translucent skin, and long black hair braided in a traditional Chinese style. One could even see the light flickered in the artificial eyes for a moment as if she was alive.

That light, Jia Jia's researchers said, was the light of human brilliance.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-26 10:54:32|Editor: MJ

China's second aircraft carrier is transferred from dry dock into the water at a launch ceremony in Dalian shipyard of the China Shipbuilding Industry Corp. in Dalian, northeast China's Liaoning Province, April 26, 2017. The new carrier, the first domestically-built one, came after the Liaoning, a refitted former Soviet Union-made carrier that was put into commission in the Navy of the Chinese People's Liberation Army in 2012. (Xinhua/Li Gang)

DALIAN, April 26 (Xinhua) -- China launched its second aircraft carrier Wednesday morning in northeast China's Dalian shipyard in Liaoning Province.

The new carrier, the first built in China, was transferred from a dry dock into the water at a launch ceremony that started at about 9 a.m. in Dalian shipyard of the China Shipbuilding Industry Corp.(CSIC).

It is China's second aircraft carrier, coming after the Liaoning, a refitted Soviet Union-made carrier that was put into commission in the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy in 2012.

China began building its second carrier in November 2013. Dock construction started in March 2015.

The main body of the carrier has been completed, with equipment of the the major systems installed.

Putting the carrier into water marked progress in China's efforts to design and build a domestic aircraft carrier.

After the launch, the new carrier will undergo equipment debugging, outfitting and comprehensive mooring trials.

The launch ceremony was attended by Fan Changlong, vice chairman of the Central Military Commission, as well as leaders of the PLA Navy and the CSIC.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-26 10:54:32|Editor: xuxin

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by Xinhua writer Lu Jiafei

WASHINGTON, April 25 (Xinhua) -- Despite his disparaging remarks about European integration in the past, U.S. President Donald Trump's recent statements and policies in this regard showed he is more pragmatic than populist, a U.S. expert said in a recent interview with Xinhua.

"Trump seems to be moving from what you can call a more nationalistic and populist foreign policy to something more mainstream," said Charles Kupchan, a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations.

"One perhaps reassuring attribute is that he does not appear to be a deeply committed ideologue," he added.

EXPLICIT ON NATO ALLIANCE

During and after the campaign, Trump openly questioned the value of NATO alliance, calling the 67-year-old bloc "obsolete" and once hinting that the United States may not defend its members unless they lived up to their financial obligations.

Though his relentless call for the NATO members to raise their defense spending has for now become a ritual of his interaction with every single leader of NATO nations, Trump proclaimed earlier this month that he no longer deemed the bloc obsolete.

"It's much easier to work with Europe when it acts together and when it aggregates its influence than when it is divided," Kupchan added.

"I'm actually reasonably confident that Trump is going to come around on Europe," he said. "That's because he in the end is more pragmatic than he is ideological. Now he is listening to people who are more seasoned, such as his key cabinet members and people who appear to be somewhat more in the political center."

AMBIGUITY ON EUROPEAN UNION

Unlike his now explicit stance on NATO, however, Trump's position on EU unity seems confusing.

In what appeared to be the first major break from U.S. bipartisan support for the European Union (EU) since World War II, Trump and his chief strategist Steve Bannon had made common cause with the populists and nationalists across the Europe that challenged the EU integration outright, said the analyst, once a senior director for European Affairs on the staff of the National Security Council in the Obama administration..

"Questioning European integration is also something that causes real strain," said Kupchan. "They (EU allies) don't know what to make of Trump. They think he represents a break from the post World War II traditions and they are trying to figure out who he is."

However, after welcoming the British referendum vote to leave the EU, Trump appeared to reverse course during a joint press conference with visiting Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni on Thursday, when he called a strong Europe "very, very important" to the United States.

"That again could be a sign of evolution," Kupchan noted.

But again, as if to dampen the people's relief, Trump told the Associated Press one day later that a deadly attack on a police bus in Paris last week would "probably help" Marine Le Pen, the French far-right candidate who campaigned against the EU integration in the presidential election.

On Sunday, Trump doubled down on that statement, saying "whoever is the toughest on radical islamic terrorism and whoever is the toughest at borders will do well at the election."

"I think that it'll probably help her because she is the strongest on borders and she is the strongest on what's been going on in France," said Trump, though emphasizing that his comments on Le Pen's border policies should not been seen as an endorsement.

EUROPEAN BACKLASH

As observed by former U.S. President George W. Bush in 2003, since the end of World War II, Washington has "strongly supported European unity as the best path to European peace and prosperity."

In such case, Trump's stance on EU integration -- ambiguous at best -- immediately caused backlash from erstwhile allies in Europe.

In a speech in March, EU chief Jean-Claude Juncker threatened that if Trump continued to encourage other EU countries to follow the Brexit, he will "promote the independence of Ohio and Austin, Texas, in the United States."

"To have Europeans question whether the United States supports this project is troubling," said Kupchan.

"That's why Junker made that statement, to try to help Trump understand that splitting up Europe, or calling for more countries to leave, would be not unlike Europeans calling for the secession of California or Florida or some other similar kind of event," he added.
Picture taken on August 19, 2012 shows a set of disputed islets called Dokdo in Korean and Takeshima in Japanese. (Xinhua/Yao Qilin)

SEOUL, April 25 (Xinhua) -- South Korea on Tuesday condemned Japan's repeated territorial claims to a pair of its rocky islets, known as Dokdo in South Korea and Takeshima in Japan, after the announcement of Japan's diplomatic paper.

The 2017 diplomatic blue paper, released earlier in the day, reiterated Japan's territorial claims to the set of islets lying halfway between South Korea and Japan.

Seoul's Foreign Ministry said in a statement that South Korea strongly denounces Japan's unfair territorial claims to the Dokdo islets, which are clearly the country's indigenous territory historically, geographically and under international laws.

The statement urged Japan to immediately drop the claims, saying Japan's reflection on history would be the starting point and the necessary conditions to establish South Korea-Japan relations.

The South Korean ministry called in a high-level diplomat from the Japanese embassy to protest against the diplomatic paper.

The rocky outcroppings were integrated into the Japanese territory when the Imperial Japan colonized the Korean Peninsula from 1910 to 1945.

Since the peninsula's liberation from the Japanese colonial rule in 1945, the islets were returned back to South Korea.

South Koreans see Japan's territorial claims to the islets as a sign that the former colonial ruler still fails to repent for its past atrocities committed during the colonization.

Meanwhile, the Japanese document expressed deep displeasure over a so-called "girl statue," set up outside Japanese consulate in South Korea's southern port city of Busan to symbolize the comfort women victims.

The comfort women are a euphemism for Chinese and Korean victims who were forced into sexual enslavement for Japanese military brothels before and during WWII.

The girl statue was erected by South Korean civic group activists late last year to mark the first anniversary of the Dec. 28 agreement between South Korea and Japan about the compensation on comfort women victims.

Most of the victims rejected the compensation, saying Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe had yet to sincerely apologize for and repent over the wartime crime against humanity committed during the devastating war.

All of the five major South Korean presidential candidates pledged to reverse the agreement. The presidential by-election is scheduled for May 9.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-26 11:34:38|Editor: liuxin

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WELLINGTON, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Migrants continue to come to New Zealand at a record rate in the year to the end of March, stoking calls that the country was unable to cope with the number of arrivals.

Migrant arrivals numbered 129,500 in the year to March 31, setting a new annual record, said the government statistics agency Wednesday.

Migrant departures were 57,600 in the 12 months to March, leading to a record annual net gain in migration of 71,900, which surpassed the previous annual record net gain of 71,300 migrants in the year to February 28, according to Statistics New Zealand.

Annual net migration has been steadily increasing since 2012.

"This was mainly due to the rising number of migrant arrivals to New Zealand," population statistics senior manager Peter Dolan said in a statement.

"Fewer migrant departures also contributed to the increase in net migration."

Almost three-quarters of all migrant arrivals in the past five years were citizens from other countries, led by Britain and India, which each accounted for 10 percent, and China, which accounted for 9 percent.

The remaining 26 percent of all migrant arrivals in the last five years were New Zealand citizens.

Just over one in three migrant arrivals in the past 12 months came to New Zealand on a work visa.

Opposition lawmakers said infrastructure was struggling to cope with the numbers and job prospects and wages for New Zealanders were also suffering.

The largest city of Auckland, some to a third of the population, was particularly hard hit as almost half of new arrivals of 35,772, decided to settle there, said Andrew Little, leader of the main opposition Labor Party.

"That's 4,500 more people than for the same period the year before and equates to demand for about 12,000 homes alone. Auckland only built around 7,000 homes last year," Little said in a statement.

"We can't continue to bring so many people into our biggest city which is already suffering from traffic congestion, overcrowded schools and soaring house prices."

The government was using immigration to prop up economic growth, while doing little to help 139,000 unemployed people into work, said Winston Peters, leader of the opposition New Zealand First party.

"Instead of sorting out work problems for thousands of Kiwis the government is using migrants to drive down working conditions and artificially inflate GDP (gross domestic product) growth figures," Peters said in a statement.

"The government perpetuates the myth the country needs skilled labor, but most of the new arrivals work in low-skilled, low-paid occupations."

Last week, the government announced higher requirements for residency permits, but opposition lawmakers said the changes were tinkering ahead of the general election in September.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-26 11:49:41|Editor: liuxin

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PYONGYANG, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Kim Jong Un, the top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), supervised the largest ever combined firing drill by the Korean People's Army (KPA) marking its 85th founding anniversary on Tuesday, said official media Wednesday.

The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said the event took place on "the eastern front," without specifying the site of the drill.

Some media reports said it was held near Wonsan, a port city in eastern DPRK.

"After receiving the report on the plan for the combined fire demonstration of services of the KPA on the watch post, he gave an order to start the fire demonstration," said the KCNA report.

"Submarines rapidly submerged to make torpedo-attacks at the 'enemy' warships while fighters and bombers made zero feet flight above the sea to drop bombs on the targets," it said, adding that more than 300 large-caliber self-propelled guns lined up along the coast and "opened fire all at once."

Kim watched "the exciting scenery" and "praised the seamen of submarines and pilots for hitting targets every time," saying "the brave artillerymen mercilessly and satisfactorily hit the targets and the gunshots were very correct," the KCNA said.

Kim also said the KPA is a "matchless strong army equipped with latest attack means and they are fully displaying the might of the revolutionary party's army at the forefront in defending of the country and building of a prosperous country," according to the KCNA.

Tension remains very high between the DPRK and the United States over the latter's threat to stage military strikes against Pyongyang for its nuclear and missile programs.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-26 11:49:41|Editor: MJ

China's second aircraft carrier is transferred from dry dock into the water at a launch ceremony in Dalian shipyard of the China Shipbuilding Industry Corp. in Dalian, northeast China's Liaoning Province, April 26, 2017. The new carrier, the first domestically-built one, came after the Liaoning, a refitted former Soviet Union-made carrier that was put into commission in the Navy of the Chinese People's Liberation Army in 2012. (Xinhua/Li Gang)

DALIAN, April 26 (Xinhua) -- China launched its second aircraft carrier Wednesday morning in a Dalian shipyard in Liaoning Province, northeast China.

The new carrier, the first developed and built by China, was transferred from a dry dock into water at a launch ceremony that started at about 9 a.m. in Dalian shipyard of the China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation.

It is China's second aircraft carrier, coming after the Liaoning, a refitted Soviet Union-made carrier that was put into commission in the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy in 2012.

China began building its second carrier in November 2013. Dock construction started in March 2015.

The main body of the carrier has been completed, with equipment of major systems including propulsion and electricity installed.

Putting the carrier into water marks progress in China's efforts to design and build a domestic aircraft carrier.

After the launch, the new carrier will undergo equipment debugging, outfitting and comprehensive mooring trials.

The launch ceremony, including a performance of the national anthem, ribbon cutting, breaking of a champagne bottle on the bow, and steam whistles from ships nearby, was attended by Fan Changlong, vice chairman of the Central Military Commission, as well as leaders of the PLA Navy and China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-26 11:59:43|Editor: liuxin

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HANOI, April 26 (Xinhua) -- A total of more than 860 people were killed in nearly 8,000 work-related accidents last year in Vietnam, according to the country's Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs (MoLISA)'s Labor Safety Department.

The figures were released at the press briefing on the occasion of the first action month of the year to promote workplace safety and hygiene, hosted by the MoLISA on Tuesday in Vietnamese capital Hanoi.

Total loss in terms of material damage, compensation, medicine and funeral costs was estimated at nearly 180 billion Vietnamese dong (some 7.96 million U.S. dollars).

Construction, mining and fishing jobs are considered the most dangerous sectors in the country.

Employers are the reason for more than 42 percent of fatal occupational accidents, while workers are responsible for more than 17 percent and 40 percent is by other causes, reported state-run news agency VNA on Wednesday.

The localities with the highest number of workplace accidents are the southern Ho Chi Minh City, capital Hanoi, southern Binh Duong province and central Thanh Hoa province.

According to MoLISA's head of the Labor Safety Department Ha Tat Thang, many fatal accidents have not been reported due to the lack of labor contracts between workers and employers in informal sectors.

The action month for labor safety will begin in Hanoi on May 1 as part of the city's efforts to raise public awareness on occupational safety, according to the ministry.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-26 11:59:43|Editor: liuxin

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by Mahmoud Fouly

BEIJING, April 26 (Xinhua) -- It has become a common scene during subway rides in China's capital Beijing that majority passengers set their eyes on cell phone screens while text messaging, sharing moments, watching videos or playing online games, in silence.

They are just using WeChat, the most popular social media app in the Asian country. The prevailing WeChat has also developed over recent years to become a payment means for online or offline shopping, renting public bicycles, or taking taxis.

In fact, it can do payment for almost anything that used to be done in cash or by credit cards.

"WeChat has become a way of life for the Chinese. We started to use it for text messaging and life moment sharing. Now we pay via WeChat and we rarely use cash even at small shops," said Jia Hechen, a 20-year-old medical college school graduate.

"For the Chinese, daily life would become inconvenient without WeChat," he told Xinhua.

The young man is just among hundreds of millions of WeChat users in China that has a 1.3 billion population. WeChat is a social media free application developed by China's Tencent company and launched in 2011. Data last year showed it attracted some 889 million monthly active users.

On a busy street in Beijing's Chaoyang district, Liu Qiannan, a college student in her early 20s, unlocked one of the dozens of parked public bikes after paying a rental just by scanning the QR Code built in the bike with her cell phone Wechat scanner.

"WeChat is becoming more and more popular. We use it as a way of payment and it saves a lot of time. The phone has become an important part of our life and people today communicate more via electronic tools rather than face to face," Liu said, noting that all her family members and friends use WeChat.

WeChat also makes it convenient for foreigners living in or visiting China to communicate with their families and friends back home, like 19-year-old Grace Gibbons from the United States, who came to Beijing from Maryland University for a four-month study of the Chinese language.

"I think WeChat is pretty necessary for a foreigner living in China. Whenever you meet any person anywhere in China the first question is 'Oh, do you have WeChat?' In the United States We use Facebook, Twitter and Messenger to communicate but I find WeChat more comprehensive," said the young woman.

"As a foreigner, it is a very convenient way for me to keep up with my family and friends without having to make long distance calls to every single person. It also includes everything in one platform as you can pay directly and securely through it," she added.

For Ann Wang, 31, an employee at a business company, WeChat also helps her communicate with her bosses at work and her friends abroad.

"We use WeChat at work as well as our everyday life. It's very convenient for communicating with business partners, colleagues and bosses, besides family and friends," she said at Beijing's airport while waiting for her flight to eastern Anhui Province.

"We don't even need to make phone calls, as we can send voice messages and make video calls. I have two friends living in the United States and Canada and we communicate through WeChat," she added.

Moreover, WeChat has become an alternative source in China of information and news for young people, according to experts.

"WeChat is a quicker way for people to get news, but they have to distinguish between what's true and what's false. I believe WeChat is sufficient for Chinese and it puts them in no need of other Western-oriented social media tools," Huang Nana, a journalist working with the Anhui Daily Group, told Xinhua.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-26 12:54:51|Editor: liuxin

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WELLINGTON, April 26 (Xinhua) -- New Zealand and Vietnam have launched an initiative to cut deadly dam-related flooding in Vietnam, New Zealand Foreign Minister Murray McCully said Wednesday.

The New Zealand government would spend 5.4 million NZ dollars (3.7 million U.S. dollars) in five years on the project, which would focus on dam safety for the 1,000-km Ca River, McCully said after talks with Ha Cong Tuan, Vietnam's Vice Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, in Hanoi.

"New Zealand is sharing its expertise in water engineering and natural hazard management to help Vietnam address its development challenges," McCully said in a statement from his office.

"Our support will help Vietnam effectively assess dams most in need of repair, coordinate dam owners with officials and communities, and upgrade the training curriculum for future water managers."

The project aimed to halve the death toll from flooding on the Ca River and reduce associated economic losses by 30 percent by 2021.

Vietnam had more than 7,000 dams, which were used for irrigation, electricity and drinking water.

Over the past 10 years, there has been 43 unplanned water releases or dam failures, sometimes harming downstream communities.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-26 13:09:55|Editor: MJ

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BEIJING, April 26 (Xinhua) -- China has called for the eradication of malaria to mark National Malaria Day, which falls on Wednesday, according to a National Health and Family Planning Commission (NHFPC) statement.

It said health and family planning departments across the country should report to local governments on malaria prevalence and inform the public about prevention.

Medical personnel nationwide will receive training on malaria treatment. Those who plan to visit Africa and Southeast Asia, where malaria is common, will be informed about malaria prevention by inspection and quarantine departments as well as travel agencies.

Of the 3,189 Chinese citizens who contracted malaria last year, only three were locally-contracted cases, a significant drop compared to 4,262 locally-contracted cases in 2010. The remaining cases were contracted outside China, through transfusions or unknown sources of infection, according to the NHFPC.

"Malaria eradication: preventing imported cases" is the theme of the 10th National Malaria Day this year, which echoes the theme for Tuesday's World Malaria Day, "End malaria for good."

World Malaria Day highlights the need for global efforts to control malaria. China's efforts on eliminating malaria have won approval worldwide.

Microsoft founder Bill Gates praised China's work in malaria prevention in a lecture at Peking University in Beijing last month, and believes that China could lead the world in eradicating malaria.

On his official account on Weibo, China's Twitter-like service, the billionaire philanthropist wrote after the lecture that he admires Chinese researcher Tu Youyou's endeavors in malaria-related scientific research, saying that Tu's discovery of the drug artemisinin had saved millions of lives worldwide.

Tu and her team were able to extract a substance from artemisinin that proved effective in treating malaria.

She won the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine in 2015 for the discovery of anti-malaria compound in artemisinin, the first Chinese national to win a Nobel prize in science.

According to the World Health Organization, pregnant women have a high risk of dying from complications of severe malaria. The organization's latest report shows that approximately 69 percent of pregnant women in 20 African countries do not have access to preventive medication.

China plays an important role in the fight against malaria in Africa.

The country aids African countries in treating malaria through biomedical research, training of health workers and provision of cheaper drugs.

At a symposium in Nairobi last Friday, Kenyan Cabinet Secretary for Health Cleopa Mailu praised China's contribution in the fight against malaria, a leading cause of death among children and pregnant women in Africa

"We applaud the Chinese scientists who discovered the ingredients for the Artemisinin Combination Therapy, which came at an opportune time when malaria treatment was proving to be a challenge globally," Mailu said.

Other African countries that have recorded a dramatic decline in reported malaria cases due a strong partnership with China, include Kenya, Malawi and Togo.

According to the World Malaria Report 2016, there were 429,000 deaths caused by malaria globally in 2015, a drop of 29 percent since 2010.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-26 13:40:04|Editor: MJ

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SHENYANG, April 26 (Xinhua) -- More than 200 photos are on exhibition in northeast China's Liaoning Province to tell the bitter history of the Japanese invading China in the 1930s and World War II.

The exhibition opened Tuesday and is hosted by the September 18th Historical Museum in Shenyang, capital of Liaoning, until May 25. It focuses on Chinese fighting the Japanese, and the Pingdingshan Massacre in 1932.

On Sept. 18, 1931, China became the first country to engage fascist forces, when the occupying Japanese army blew up a section of railway near Shenyang. The incident started a large-scale Japanese invasion in China that would last 14 years.

On Sept. 15, 1932, a self-defense army in Liaoning attacked Japanese troops in Qianjinbao and Pingdingshan villages of Fushun, killing or wounding more than 10 Japanese soldiers. The next day, the Japanese slaughtered more than 3,000 villagers, burning their bodies and burying them in the mountain. It was the first massacre of Japanese targeting Chinese civilians in The War Against Japanese Aggression.

The displayed photos show armed Chinese soldiers, the remains of Chinese victims, as well as survivors.

"The exhibition aims at unveiling the crimes of Japanese invaders in Fushun, and telling the history to visitors, so that they will never forget the humiliation our nation has gone through," said Fan Lihong, curator of the museum.
UNITED NATIONS, April 25 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese government has decided to provide 5 million U.S. dollars to South Sudan through the World Food Program to help the country better respond to famine, said a Chinese envoy here on Tuesday.

Given the severity of famine facing South Sudan, China has also decided to provide 8,750 tons of food through bilateral channels to assist the country, said Wu Haitao, China's deputy permanent representative to the UN at a Security Council meeting.

Since July last year, the security, economic and humanitarian situation has worsened markedly and no part of the country is immune from conflict, David Shearer, special representative of UN Secretary-General in South Sudan briefed the council earlier.

After hearing Shearer's briefing, Wu said that "the political settlement is the only way out for the issue of South Sudan."

He called on the international community to contribute to efforts for all parties in South Sudan to abandon military means, cease hostilities and immediately get back to the track of political settlement.

Wu also said "it is important for the Security Council to send out more positive and enthusiastic messages."

He said the council must encourage all parties in South Sudan to actively engage in the dialogue process to stay committed to peace, stability, and development.

"The international community must provide timely and effective assistance, to assist South Sudanese people to overcome their current difficulties," he added.

South Sudan has been shattered by a civil war that broke out in December 2013. A peace deal signed in August 2015 led to the formation of a transitional unity government in April but was again devastated by fresh violence in July 2016.

Tens of thousands of South Sudanese have been killed, with more than 2 million displaced and another 4.6 million left severely food insecure since December 2013.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-26 13:55:07|Editor: Zhou Xin

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RIO DE JANEIRO, April 25 (Xinhua) -- Brazilian aerospace company Embraer and transport giant Uber announced Tuesday that they had inked an agreement to develop a model of electric planes for urban use, named "Elevate."

In a statement, Embraer said the plane, with vertical takeoff and landing, would enter a testing phase by 2020 with Dallas in the United States and Dubai in the United Arab Emirates as the first two cities to receive it.

According to Embraer, passenger transportation with these new planes could begin in 2023. However, it did not divulge the numbers of the deal.

"The main focus of our work in this initial stage is building a viable ecosystem. We are entering into this project sharing the same vision with Uber in the search for a transport solution mainly for large cities. The demand for this model exists, what is missing is the product," said Antonio Campello, Embraer's director of innovation, in the statement.

The project will be developed at Embraer's base in Florida, with specifics such as the size of the cabins, the number of engines, the speed and the range of the vehicle to be discussed with Uber.

Embraer believes the technology for this radical solution can bring a success.

In the statement, Uber's chief product officer Jeff Holden added: " It's natural for Uber to turn our eyes to the air. Push a button and get a flight."
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-26 14:05:10|Editor: Zhou Xin

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CANBERRA, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull will travel to New York next week to meet U.S. President Donald Trump in what will be the first meeting between the pair in official capacities.

The meeting comes just three months after the pair's phone call, during which Trump reportedly hung up on the Australian prime minister, who was discussing a refugee deal previously struck between the two nations.

In a statement released early on Wednesday, Turnbull said he was "delighted" to confirm the visit, which would coincide with the 75th anniversary of Battle of the Coral Sea, during which Australian and U.S. forces battled the Imperial Japanese Navy for wartime supremacy in the Pacific.

The prime minister said the series of meetings would provide a good opportunity for Australia and the United States to "reaffirm our alliance and the United States' engagement with the Asia-Pacific".

"Australia and the United States share the values of democracy, the rule of law and a commitment to peace, prosperity and security," Turnbull said.

"Our forces continue to serve together in defence of those values in the Middle East where I have visited our troops and discussed the future of the region with U.S. commanders and Defence Secretary James Mattis."

The visit was officially announced by White House spokesperson Sean Spicer in the United States' capital on Tuesday (the U.S. time).

Meanwhile, Australian Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce said he expects better "chemistry" between the two leaders, compared with the well-publicized phone call which occurred after Trump was sworn into office in January.

"I think there is something of chemistry when two people meet face-to-face, which is probably not present over a phone call," Joyce said on Wednesday.

"But the Americans, just like the Australians, know how important this relationship is between the United States and Australia."

The pair will meet on the USS Intrepid floating museum in New York on May 4 to mark the 75th anniversary of the Battle of the Coral Sea.

Local media has reported that a number of Australian WWII veterans would be flown to New York for the ceremony, as Australian forces were heavily involved in the battle.
ADDIS ABABA, April 25 (Xinhua) -- The Belt and Road (B&R) Initiative is a golden opportunity to bring about regional integration and sustainable economic growth for Africa, said Berhane Gebre-Christos, special envoy of the Ethiopian Prime Minister, on Tuesday.

The special envoy made the remarks at the opening of a seminar organized on the B&R Initiative in Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa.

Welcoming the initiative, the special envoy said he is looking forward to the expected effects of the initiative.

"The B&R is a project that will affect millions of people, and it will be one of the most important issues of the 21st century," he said, adding that the comprehensive approach of China means that the aspirations and development strategies of all countries involved will be considered and included in the initiative.

Speaking on the occasion, La Yifan, Chinese ambassador to Ethiopia, said that the seminar was organized as part of preparation for an upcoming B&R Initiative forum scheduled for mid-May in Beijing, China.

The ambassador noted that the forum in Beijing would review the achievements made since the announcement of the initiative and would deliberate on the way forward.

La noted that China has already set aside 40 billion U.S. dollars through the Silk Road Fund for the initiative, and 30 billion dollars through the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB).

Ethiopia was among the first in the continent to show interest in the China-initiated B&R. The East African nation will rely heavily on infrastructure investment to transform its low-income agrarian economy to a medium-income, export-oriented economy by 2030.

Ethiopian State Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hirut Zemene, hailed the Ethio-China overall partnership, and cooperation in infrastructure development in particular, such as the Addis Ababa light rail and the Ethio-Djibouti rail projects.

She had high expectations for the B&R Initiative, expressing belief in the initiative's capacity to affect structural transformation in Ethiopia and across Africa.

While the trade aspects of the initiative have been given high hopes, some stressed that the soft power of the initiative should also not be ignored.

Melaku Mulalem, head of the Foreign Policy Analysis Department, at the Ethiopian Foreign Relations Strategic Studies Institute (EFRSS), said that as China-Africa trade volume is expected to reach 400 billion U.S. dollars by 2020, there will be a need for skilled manpower to handle the changes.

China gives 10,000 scholarships annually to African students, which, according to Mulalem, is not enough.

Mindful of the gap, China established in April 2016 an Institute of South-South Cooperation and Development (ISSCD) under the prestigious Peking University.

ISSCD is an educational program for officials of developing nations with an aim of helping them make a difference in their home countries after their studies. Currently, 48 students are enrolled in the institute.

"China should make aware to both African officials and citizens of the goals of the B&R Initiative, engage with civil society organizations, as well as form joint silk road think tanks to better inform people of the initiative's objectives," said Mulalem.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-26 14:45:21|Editor: MJ

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China's second aircraft carrier is transferred from dry dock into the water at a launch ceremony in Dalian shipyard of the China Shipbuilding Industry Corp. in Dalian, northeast China's Liaoning Province, April 26, 2017. The new carrier, the first domestically-built one, came after the Liaoning, a refitted former Soviet Union-made carrier that was put into commission in the Navy of the Chinese People's Liberation Army in 2012. (Xinhua/Li Gang)

DALIAN, April 26 (Xinhua) -- China launched its second aircraft carrier Wednesday morning in a Dalian shipyard in Liaoning Province, northeast China.

The new carrier, the first developed and built by China, was transferred from a dry dock into water at a launch ceremony, starting about 9 a.m. in the Dalian shipyard of the China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation.

It is China's second aircraft carrier, coming after the Liaoning, a refitted Soviet Union-made carrier put into commission in the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy in 2012.

China began building its second carrier in November 2013, with dock construction starting in March 2015.

The main body of the carrier has been completed, with equipment of major systems including propulsion and electricity installed.

Putting the carrier into water marks progress in China's efforts to design and build a domestic aircraft carrier.

After the launch, the new carrier will undergo equipment debugging, outfitting and mooring trials.

The launch ceremony included a performance of the national anthem, ribbon cutting, breaking a champagne bottle on the bow, and steam whistles from ships nearby.

The ceremony was attended by Fan Changlong, vice chairman of the Central Military Commission, as well as leaders of the PLA Navy and China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation.

Ma Xiaoguang, a Chinese mainland spokesperson with the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, said Wednesday he was proud of the great achievement made by the country in modernizing the national defense and military.

"[The move] will help to strengthen our capability to safeguard national sovereignty, territorial integrity, as well as major and core interests," Ma said at a press conference in Beijing.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-26 15:00:23|Editor: Mengjie

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by Xinhua Writers Liu Si, Fan Peishen and Han Liang

BEIJING/DUNHUANG, April 26 (Xinhua) -- "Hello, this is XiaoIce in Dunhuang, your cutie AI (artificial intelligence) chatbot. You are free to discuss anything with me and I'll help you explore the world's cultural heritage as best I can."

On an apricot blossom April day at the 1,600-year-old Mogao Caves in Dunhuang, China's northwestern province of Gansu, a major ancient Silk Road hub, Lu Xiaoqiang was joyfully talking with the 24-hour online Chinese chatbot on his cellphone.

"How many caves are (there) in Mogao?" asked Lu, who was traveling from China's southeast province of Fujian.

Within a second, XiaoIce replied, "Of the 735 caves, 492 remain intact more or less."

Dunhuang XiaoIce, jointly developed by Microsoft and the Dunhuang Academy, made her debut in October last year, when AI saw drastic development in China. Within months, XiaoIce quickly became an online celebrity.

"Interesting! It's just like chatting with your close friends," Lu said. "I was able to learn from her all sorts of things including the history and culture of the Mogao Caves and Dunhuang, and most importantly, in an easy and relaxing way."

Dunhuang XiaoIce knows the entire thousand-page "Dunhuang Dictionary." In addition, she's able to absorb far more information through thousands of online conversations every day. The latest statistics show that the AI chatbot can reach around 2 million people every year, helping them better understand the mysterious Mogao Caves.

Dating back to 366AD, a Buddhist monk named Le Zun had a vision of a thousand Buddhas bathed in golden light at the Mount Mogao, which inspired him to build a cave there. That was when the Mogao Caves started and later gradually grew. Situated at a strategic point along the Silk Road, at the crossroads of trade as well as religious, cultural and intellectual influences, the 492 cells and cave sanctuaries in Mogao are famous for their statues and wall paintings, spanning 1,000 years of Buddhist art.

At that time, the monk Le must have never expected that his story and the essence of the ancient cave would be told by an artificial intelligence chatbot someday in the future.

The field of artificial intelligence research, born some 60 years ago, has experienced explosive growth in recent years thanks to the fast development of big data analytics and cloud computing and is highly expected to shape the world's Tomorrowland.

Today, when AI meets ancient Dunhuang, it is expected to revolutionize communication, bringing new opportunities for the Belt and Road Initiative, unveiled three years ago.

"XiaoIce has offered a different way for people, to get information and learn about the Dunhuang culture. It was especially beloved by the younger generation," Wang Xudong, dean of the Dunhuang Academy, told Xinhua in an interview.

Wang said that the integration of AI technology and cultural studies also changed the way of preserving cultural relics and spreading Chinese culture.

As a matter of fact, Microsoft Research Asia is just one of the thousand high-tech companies, located at Zhongguancun, China's National Innovation Model Park, to participate into the Belt and Road Initiative.

Dr. Hsiao-Wuen Hon, corporate vice president of Microsoft, chairman of Microsoft's Asia-Pacific R&D Group, and managing director of Microsoft Research Asia, told Xinhua that in the age of mobile Internet, AI can help people gain easy access to different cultures along the Belt and Road route in a fastest and most effective way, breaking down space and time barriers.

In addition to chatbots, digital technology, virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), mixed reality (MR), cloud-based instant translation and other frontier technologies are being closely combined with AI technology.

Another example is Microsoft Research Asia's work with the Dunhuang Academy to develop a Gigapixel Camera system that digitally captures high-resolution, large-format images of the Mogao Caves and resolves details not visible to the naked eye. The highly-detailed images captured by the Gigapixel Camera enables the Dunhuang scholars to preserve those valuable cultural artifacts for future generations.

"Digital technology gives life to cultural heritage, enabling an ancient culture to reach millions of households via the Internet," Wang said.

Also in April, a digital exhibition called "Dunhuang on the Silk Road" was held in Beijing, some 2,400 km away from Dunhuang. With the combination of VR, AR and other high-technology, visitors were able to receive an audio-visual feast of the Silk Road treasure.

"Culture and technology complement each other," Hon said. "This allows them to stimulate more innovation.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-26 15:10:25|Editor: Mengjie

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BRUSSELS, April 26 (Xinhua) -- External players of the Syria crisis should draw lessons from Iraq and Libya if they are mulling a "regime change," said China's special envoy on Syria on Tuesday.

Ambassador Xie Xiaoyan underscored that the future of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is in nature Syria's internal affairs which should be left for the Syrian people to decide.

"External forces do have a role to play, but there is a line beyond which is meddling in the internal affairs of another country," Xie told reporters in Brussels.

"It is not our job to make prejudgment and it is not our duty to decide the future of that particular person," he said. "Past experiences have told us the mere change of regime will bring disaster for a country, the case being Iraq, Libya, and elsewhere."

"Just look at these two countries, have peace and stability returned? Have people benefited from the removal of figures like Saddam Hussein or Gaddafi?" he questioned.

Laying out China's stance on the Syria issue, he said China has four-fold concerns: maintaining the cease-fire agreement, fighting terrorism, improving the humanitarian situation, and ensuring political settlement through peace dialogue.

The diplomat said that the Syria crisis is a complicated issue and that there won't be a quick fix.

Nonetheless, he argued that all parties involved should have confidence and resolve to find a final solution which "takes into consideration of the interests of the different factions."

"Along the way, little by little, step by step, consensus will be increased, progress will be made," he said.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-26 15:20:26|Editor: ying

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By Victoria Arguello, Juan Manuel Nievas

CARACAS, April 25 (Xinhua) -- Recent floods and deadly mudslides, as well as withering droughts in Latin America have put the spotlight on extreme weather conditions that are likely to be more frequent due to climate change, according to experts.

Though the rise in global temperature has been gradual, its consequences are often swift and disastrous.

Earlier this year, the so-called "coastal El Nino" phenomenon, caused by unusually high sea temperatures, sparked torrential rains and floodings that claimed more than 100 lives in Peru, according to the National Emergency Operations Center.

The disaster also left more than 155,000 people homeless, destroyed nearly 6,000 kilometers of roadways, and swept away 258 bridges.

Reconstruction is estimated to cost 12 billion to 15 billion U.S. dollars, Peru's Minister of Defense Jorge Nieto said in early April.

Successive natural disasters caused by extreme weathers followed fast on the heels of Peru, hitting Colombia, Ecuador and Uruguay, before returning to lash Colombia again.

A landslide in Colombia's southern city of Mocoa killed more than 300 people on April 1. Less than three weeks later, mudslides destroyed some 75 homes and killed at least 14 residents in Manizales, a town in west-central Colombia.

"Dramatic changes (in the environment) have accelerated phenomena associated with climate change that are lashing the region," Carlos Dario Ramirez, a biologist at the Venezuelan Institute for Scientific Research, told Xinhua.

"Latin America has in recent years seen changes in the weather system that were previously controlled, but due to human intervention, phenomena such as El Nino and La Nina are increasingly affecting countries closest to the Pacific region," said Ramirez.

"Venezuela has experienced a problematic drought for nearly two years, from 2015 to 2016," he recalled, "which damaged crops and wildlife," and led the government to explore "what the vulnerabilities were in order to minimize the impact of climate change."

Venezuela also decided to pursue environment-friendly policies to move away from fossil fuels by promoting the use of solar and wind power.

While countries need to take individual steps to mitigate the effects of extreme weathers on their populations, the problem of climate change requires a global effort, the experts agreed.

Venezuelan climate analyst Cesar Eulogio Prieto said that "since we are already feeling the effects of climate change, the issue has become a priority on the agenda of nearly every country in the world, as shown by the 2015 Paris agreement."

Reached at the United Nations climate change conference held in the French capital in 2015, the Paris agreement aims to prevent global warming, setting a temperature hike limit target.

"The topic is so important and urgent that in discussions on how to tackle it, the debate is not just about how to reduce its causes, but also how to prepare for its consequences," said Prieto.

Cindy Fernandez, of Argentina's national meteorological service, believed that global warming is altering weather patterns.

"Climate change is affecting the whole world in different ways, and Argentina is no exception," she noted.

"In recent years, we have seen an increase in extreme rain incidents, so we can expect it to become increasingly more frequent," Fernandez said.

Precipitation in Argentina has risen, "not because there are more rainy days, but because it rains more each time. When it rains, we get more water than before," she explained.

In the past few weeks, severe downpours have been reported in seven provinces, leading to the evacuation of hundreds of people and material damage.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-26 15:50:33|Editor: ying

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JERUSALEM, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Tuesday that it is his policy not to meet diplomats who have met groups criticizing Israel, after he canceled a meeting with German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel.

Netanyahu canceled a meeting with Gabriel after the foreign minister met representatives of Breaking The Silence and B'Tselem, two Israel-based human rights watchdogs that are critical of Israel's occupation in the West Bank.

"My policy is clear: not to meet diplomats who visit Israel and meet with organizations that slander the Israel Defense Forces' soldiers and seek to prosecute our soldiers as war criminals," Netanyahu said, according to a statement released on his behalf.

An earlier statement released by the Prime Minister's Office said that diplomats are welcome to meet with civil society organizations, but "Netanyahu will not meet with those who lend legitimacy to organizations that call for the criminalization of Israeli soldiers."

The office added that Israel's relations with Germany "are very important and they will not be affected" by the diplomatic drama.

Following the last-minute cancellation, Gabriel refused to take a phone call from Netanyahu, according to a report of the Ha'aretz newspaper. The prime minister wanted to speak with Gabriel to personally explain his stance, Ha'aretz reported.

Commenting on Netanyahu's prior warning against meeting representatives of the rights groups, Gabriel told German ZDF television that "it is difficult for me to imagine this because that would be extremely regrettable."

"It is completely normal that we speak with civil society representatives during a visit abroad," he said, adding that it would be "unthinkable" to cancel a meeting with Netanyahu if he meets government critics in Germany.

Gabriel is touring the Middle East to press for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

On Tuesday morning, he met with opposition leader Isaac Herzog, chairman of the Labor party.

In the afternoon, he met Israeli President Reuven Rivlin and told him that Germany is "committed to the friendship, partnership, and special relationship with Israel, and nothing will change that," according to a statement released by the President's Residence.

Such incidents occurred in the past during officials' visits to Israel.

In February, Netanyahu instructed the Foreign Ministry to reprimand the Belgian ambassador after Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel met with representatives of Breaking The Silence and B'tselem during a visit to Israel.

Right-wing political leaders hailed Netanyahu's move. Education Minister Naftali Bennett and leader of the ultra-nationalist Jewish Home party said his party is backing Netanyahu.

"Breaking The Silence is not an organization that is anti-Netanyahu, but an anti-Israel and anti-Israel Defense Forces. It is inappropriate for a foreign minister who visits a particular country to meet with people who are acting against that state," Bennett said in a statement.

The two groups have become a frequent target for condemnation by right-wing politicians, who accuse them of being "traitors."

A new law in 2016 requires nongovernmental organizations that receive more than half of their funding from overseas governments or bodies like the European Union to publicly state that they receive foreign funds.

The law targets specifically human rights groups because right-wing groups almost always rely on local donations.

Israel occupied the West Bank and Gaza in the 1967 Middle East War and has controlled the two regions ever since, despite international criticisms.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-26 16:00:35|Editor: ying

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BISHKEK, April 26 ( Xinhua) -- The Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) is taking an active part in the Belt and Road Initiative, said an EEU official on Tuesday.

Nikishina Veronika Olegovna, a member of the EEU board on trade, made the remarks at an international forum on the Belt and Road Initiative held in Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan.

"We are making efforts with China through innovative cooperation to eliminate trade barriers between countries," said Olegovna.

Khristenko Viktor Borisovich, president of the EEU Business Council, said the close connection between the EEU and China will produce positive results in the near future.

A declaration was issued at the forum to promote collaboration between the Belt and Road Initiative and the EEU.

The EEU, which was formed in 2015, is an economic union of Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Russia.

In 2015, Russian and Chinese leaders signed a joint statement on the interaction between the Silk Road Economic Belt and the EEU.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-26 16:05:36|Editor: Mengjie

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JINAN, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Cultural experts have suggested setting up a Chinese equivalent of Mother's Day, during a forum in eastern China's Shandong Province.

Academics with the Chinese Academy of Mencius (CAM) proposed setting April 2 on the Chinese lunar calendar as "Chinese Mother's Day" at the forum that started Tuesday in Shandong's Zoucheng city, hometown of Mencius.

Mencius (372-289 BC) was a pupil of Confucius' grandson, and traveled his life teaching Confucianism. Both Mencius and Confucius are ancient Chinese philosophers.

Mencius's mother is regarded as one of the four great mothers in ancient China, and is seen as a symbol of Chinese mothers, known for her kindness, simplicity, diligence and strong will.

Li Cunshan, CAM special deputy dean, said that more than 80 countries in the world had a Mother's Day, while China did not.

"Many Chinese people show their affection to their mothers on the second Sunday of May, or Mother's Day that is originally celebrated in the United States," Li said. "We do expect to have our own Mother's Day."

Li said that filial piety was a core concept in Chinese culture, and that it was Chinese people's aspiration to show piety to their mothers on the special day.

Experts at the forum said that the achievements of Mencius were greatly influenced by his mother, and that China should set up a Chinese Mother's Day and make it a public holiday.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-26 16:45:47|Editor: Mengjie

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BEIJING, April 26 (Xinhua) -- China's crude steel output grew 4.6 percent year-on-year to 201.1 million tonnes in the first quarter of 2017, an industry association said Wednesday.

In the first three months, China's steel exports declined 25 percent year on year to 20.73 million tonnes, the China Iron and Steel Association said in a press release.

Steel exports to the United States plunged 51.76 percent year-on-year in 2016 to 1.17 million tonnes, accounting for 1.08 percent of China's total steel exports.

Wang Yingsheng, deputy secretary general of the association, said the U.S. stance on investigating steel imports would not exert much influence on China's steel industry.

In the first quarter, sales revenues of China's steel companies rose by more than 40 percent year-on-year to hit a total of 839.3 billion yuan (about 122 billion U.S. dollars).

China's over-supplied steel sector has experienced years of plunging prices and factory shutdowns due to a sluggish economy. However, with an upward trend in prices since the start of 2016, many steel mills are resuming production.

The central government has reiterated that cutting overcapacity is high on its reform agenda in 2017 as excess capacity in sectors such as steel and coal has weighed on the country's economic performance.

Its 2016 target to cut 45 million tonnes was achieved ahead of schedule.

China plans to reduce steel output by an additional 100 million to 150 million tonnes by 2020.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-26 17:15:57|Editor: Mengjie

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TAIPEI, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Six people, including a local driver and five mainland tourists, were injured in a bus accident in Pingtung County, southern Taiwan Wednesday morning.

The bus was carrying 18 tourists from the Chinese mainland when it hit a pedestrian island at about 10 a.m. on the way from Kaohsiung to Kenting, a popular coastal tourist resort in southern Taiwan.

The six people were slightly injured and have been discharged from the hospital, according to local police.

The driver, 50, said the accident was caused by him being disturbed by the dazzling sunlight. Police are investigating whether he was driving while fatigued.
COLOMBO, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka on Wednesday said it was confident of regaining key EU trade concessions known as the GSP plus despite concerns raised by a few members of the European Parliament.

Deputy Foreign Minister Harsha De Silva in a statement said he had met with several members of the European Parliament on issues related to the Sri Lanka GSP Plus vote which is scheduled to be taken up for vote on Thursday.

De Silva added that he, together with Sri Lanka's Ambassador to the EU Rodney Perera, had met many members from the European Parliament to explain the good work the government had been doing to improve democracy, governance, rule of law, human rights and reconciliation.

"By and large they are satisfied with the progress albeit some areas have been slow," De Silva said. "I am confident we will make it through."

An EU fact-finding delegation had recently raised concerns over labor rights in Sri Lanka ahead of a decision being taken on Sri Lanka's application for GSP plus.

The Fact-Finding Mission, which included members of the European Parliament Anne-Marie Mineur and Lola Sanchez Caldentey, visited Sri Lanka last week to assess the country's progress on human and labor rights.

The European Union will decide next month if Sri Lanka is duly entitled, or not, to be granted GSP plus.
Riot police stand guard during an anti-government protest in Kadikoy district of Istanbul, Turkey, April 22, 2017. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)

ANKARA, April 26 (Xinhua) -- More than 1,000 people were arrested over links to the Gulenist Group in simultaneous raids across Turkey on Wednesday, said Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu.

The operations were carried out as part of a probe led by chief public prosecutor's office in Ankara, the state-run Anadolu Agency reported.

A total of 8,500 police have participated in the operation in 81 provinces across the country.

The nationwide hunt for more suspects continues and most of the detainees are police officers.

According to the Turkish government, the U.S.-based Fetullah Gulen has orchestrated the defeated coup of July 2016, which left 249 people killed and nearly 2,200 injured.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-26 17:56:07|Editor: ZD

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BEIJING, April 26 (Xinhua) -- China voiced its grave concern to Washington and Seoul Wednesday after parts of the THAAD anti-missile defence system were moved into the Republic of Korea (ROK) for deployment.

China urged the United States and the ROK to withdraw the equipment and stop the deployment, said Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang at the daily press briefing.

Geng said, the deployment of THAAD anti-missile defence system will damage strategic balance in the region, worsen the tense situation on the Korean Peninsula, do no good for the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, and threaten regional peace and stability.

The deployment goes against efforts made by all parties to settle the issues through discussion and severely sabotage China's security and strategic interests, Geng said.

"China will firmly take necessary actions to safeguard its own interests," Geng added.
NAIROBI, April 26 (Xinhua) -- At least one person was killed in Nairobi on Wednesday after being stabbed in the chest and another injured in clashes between rival political groups during party nominations in Nairobi.

Nairobi County police commander Japheth Koome confirmed that the deceased was stabbed twice in the chest and back before he ran away from the danger.

He was however later hit by a speeding minibus in Pangani area of Nairobi while crossing the road to escape from his attackers.

Koome said a post-mortem will be conducted to determine whether the death was caused by the stabbing or the knocking down by the car.

"The supporters of the candidate whose posters were being disfigured started a fight, which turned tragic. One supporter was stabbed and ran away but was hit by a speeding matatu (minibus) while the second one fell on the ground but was rushed to hospital in serious condition," said Koome.

He said police have been directed to be vigilant and prevent youth from campaigning during the nominations as it is illegal.

The police commander said the attackers escaped from the scene of the incident and efforts to arrest them were ongoing. The primaries for the ruling party started on a slow mode with many supporters saying the ballots were late to the centers.

The latest incident comes after the government warned politicians against stoking violence as chaotic party primaries set the stage for Kenya's upcoming elections.

Local television stations have shown pictures of angry voters vandalizing polling centers and burning ballots amid complaints that voting had started late in some areas and that some candidates' names had been left off the ballot.

Party primaries ahead of Aug. 8 general elections have been marked by chaotic scenes and poor planning in recent weeks as candidates battle to secure seats to lead the country's 47 local authorities.
PYONGYANG, April 26 (Xinhua) -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) on Wednesday slammed the United States for seeking a new UN Security Council resolution to clamp harsher sanctions against Pyongyang for its nuclear and missile programs.

"Irony is that the U.S., which is wholly to blame for pushing the situation on the Korean Peninsula to the brink of a nuclear war ... is orchestrating the farce of hyping up 'threat' from someone," the official KCNA news agency quoted a DPRK Foreign Ministry spokesman as saying.

The unnamed spokesman said the United States is not morally entitled to force the council members to carry out its ill-intended resolution against the DPRK and the UN member states have no moral obligation to abide by such a resolution.

U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is going to chair a special meeting of the UN Security Council on Friday to discuss Pyongyang's nuclear and missile programs.

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday while hosting envoys of the UN Security Council members at the White House that "the council must be prepared to impose additional and stronger sanctions" on the DPRK's nuclear and missile programs.

The Security Council one year ago imposed economic and financial sanctions on the DPRK to prevent it from developing ballistic missiles and nuclear weapons.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-26 18:16:11|Editor: ying

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MONROVIA, April 26 (Xinhua) -- The death toll of a "strange illness" that hit Liberia's southeastern Sinoe county has so far risen to eight, Liberian authorities confirmed on Tuesday.

Health Ministry spokesman Sorbor George told reporters late Tuesday that the eighth patient died at a hospital in the county's capital of Greenville.

Five other victims of the yet-to-be identified illness have been hospitalized, George added.

On Tuesday, local media reported that all the victims suffered severe stomach pain before succumbing to death, adding that health authorities in the county had already isolated all those who had contact with the dead.

The Health Ministry said blood specimens from the deceased had been sent to a medical laboratory to ascertain the cause of their death and identify the disease itself.

Also on Tuesday, an emergency meeting of health officials was called to discuss "the strange deaths."

The ministry said that a press conference will be held on Wednesday to publish government intervention plans.

Liberia was in 2014 struck by Ebola, which claimed about 4,500 lives in the country alone.
The photo taken on April 25 shows the site of the building's topping-out ceremony. (Xinhua/Michael Tewelde)

ADDIS ABABA, April 26 (Xinhua) -- The African Union (AU) on Tuesday held a topping out ceremony for its Chinese-built Integrated Service Center under construction on the premises of its headquarters in Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa.

The Integrated Service Center Project, now close to completion, is a building consisting of three floors, each covering about 5,000 square meters. The center includes among others things, an accreditation facility, a cafeteria and the AU archives and exhibition center.

Kwesi Quartey, Deputy Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC), lauded the newly inaugurated expansion project as a vivid indication of the ever increasing China-Africa partnership.

Once completed, the provision of several facilities and services in the new service center will improve AU's conference operations, he said.

"This is among the many projects that China has constructed in addition to the magnificent AU headquarters project," he said, "China is a special friend for Africa."

Kwesi also expressed his expectation saying that "China will further continue to support Africa in several ways including capacity development, and modernization."

The signing of the integrated service center project was made during the Chinese Premier Li Keqiang's official visit to Ethiopia in 2014.

Kuang Weilin, Head of Chinese Mission to AU, said on the occasion that once completed the new building will further improve AU's conference centre and its operations.

AU had previously inaugurated its headquarters worth 200 million U.S. dollars back in 2012. The 100-meter high structure Addis Ababa, funded and built by China, is the tallest building in Ethiopia.

According to Kuang, the AU headquarters complex which was inaugurated with great fanfare at the presence of African heads of state and senior officials highlights the friendship between the peoples of China and Africa.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-26 18:46:16|Editor: ZD

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BRUSSELS, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Ten people have been arrested between Monday and Wednesday in France and Belgium in suspecious linkage to the terror attacks on Charlie Hebdo and a Kosher supermarket in Paris in January 2015, local media reported on Wednesday.

The persons arrested are suspected to have provided Amedy Coulibaly -- the culprit of the attacks against the satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo -- with weapons and have been detained in custody, Belgium's public broadcaster RTBF said.

The weapons used by Coulibaly came from Slovakia and were sold by an intermediary person in Belgium to Claude Hermant, currently in jail for illegal traffic of arms, added local media 7sur7.be, quoting judiciary sources close to the investigation.

Four people died on January 9 of 2015, when Amedy Coulibaly attacked a Jewish supermarket in Paris. Another 12 people died two days before, when the brothers Cherif and Said Kouachi opened fire against the office of the newspaper Charlie Hebdo.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-26 19:01:20|Editor: ZD

People commemorate victims of the terrorist attack against Charlie Hebdo in 2015 during a commemoration at the Place of the Republic in Paris, France, on Jan. 7, 2016. (Xinhua/Chen Yichen)

PARIS/BRUSSELS, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Ten people have been arrested between Monday and Wednesday in France and Belgium in suspicious linkage to the terror attacks on Charlie Hebdo and a Kosher supermarket in 2015 in Paris, media reported on Wednesday.

On January 9 of 2015, four people died when Amedy Coulibaly attacked a Jewish supermarket in Paris. Another 12 people died two days before, when the brothers Cherif and Said Kouachi opened fire against the office of the newspaper Charlie Hebdo.

The persons arrested are suspected to have provided Amedy Coulibaly -- the culprit of the attacks against the satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo -- with weapons and have been detained in custody, Belgium's public broadcaster RTBF said.

The weapons used by Coulibaly came from Slovakia and were sold by an intermediary person in Belgium to Claude Hermant, currently in jail for illegal traffic of arms, added local media 7sur7.be, quoting judiciary sources close to the investigation.

In Paris, an anti-terrorist operation unfolded Wednesday morning in Trappes in the Yvelines department, as part of an investigation of the Paris anti-terrorism bureau, the daily newspaper Le Parisien reported on Wednesday.

Four people were questioned and placed under arrest, said Le Parisien. This operation would have been unrelated to an imminent threat of an attack, it added.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-26 19:11:22|Editor: Mengjie

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Chinese Vice Premier Liu Yandong (L) shakes hands with South African President Jacob Zuma in Pretoria, South Africa, April 25, 2017. Zuma on Tuesday hailed China's commitment to supporting Africa's independent growth, expressing hope for closer cooperation with China in international and regional affairs. (Xinhua/Zhai Jianlan)

PRETORIA, April 25 (Xinhua) -- South African President Jacob Zuma on Tuesday hailed China's commitment to supporting Africa's independent growth, expressing hope for closer cooperation with China in international and regional affairs.

Zuma made the remarks in a meeting with visiting Chinese Vice Premier Liu Yandong here.

During the talks, President Zuma asked the Chinese vice premier to extend his warm greetings to President Xi Jinping, saying he was pleased to see quick implementation of his consensus with the Chinese president on setting up the South Africa-China High Level People-to-People Exchange Mechanism (PPEM).

The official launch of the PPEM will facilitate public participation in developing South Africa-China relations and bring more benefits to the people, said Zuma.

South Africa will never forget China's support for its struggle against apartheid, and hopes to draw experiences from China's development and governance, said the president.

Zuma spoke highly of China's constructive role in safeguarding international peace and security and China's important contribution to global economic growth.

Appreciating China for its commitment to helping African countries realize independent development, Zuma expressed hope for maintaining close communication and coordination with China at the United Nations and BRICS.

For her part, the Chinese vice premier extended President Xi's warm greetings to President Zuma.

Liu said that with direct guidance from the two leaders, both sides have enjoyed deep mutual political trust, achieved fruitful results in pragmatic cooperation and supported each other on issues concerning each other's core interests and major concerns.

She touted the PPEM's successful inaugural meeting, saying it has drawn out a road map for future people-to-people exchanges and cooperation.

China is willing to work with South Africa to make concrete progress in bilateral people-to-people exchanges and cooperation, and continuously strengthen the foundation of China-South Africa friendship and China-Africa friendship by broadening its support from among the people and in society, said the vice premier.

Liu also urged China and South Africa to deepen cooperation in areas such as industrial capacity, energy and resources and infrastructure so as to elevate their comprehensive strategic partnership to new heights and bring more benefits to the two peoples.

Noting that both China and South Africa are members of the G20 and BRICS and major developing countries, Liu said China stands ready to strengthen communication and coordination with South Africa in international and regional affairs and to make joint efforts to maintain the interests of developing countries.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-26 19:21:26|Editor: ying

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PARIS, April 26 (Xinhua) -- French intelligence services' report presented during a defense meeting in Paris said the Syrian government was responsible for the gas attack in the rebel-held town of Khan Sheikhoun earlier this month, a presidency office's statement said on Wednesday.

"The intelligence services have presented elements that allow to independently affirm the involvement of the Syrian regime's forces in the chemical attack perpetrated on April 4 in Khan Sheikhoun," the statement said.

"These elements further show that the regime still holds chemical warfare agents, in violation of commitments to destruct them that it took in 2013," it added.

French intelligence services' document was based on "collected biomedical and environmental samples and munitions and pieces of munitions in Syria on several occasions," according to national evaluation report on the chemical attack in Syria.

It confirmed the use of chlorine and sarin several times, it added.

After a defense council, Foreign Minister Jean Marc Ayrault said, "The use of sarin is without question. The responsibility of the Syrian regime is also without question."

"The authors of the atrocities in Khan Cheikhoun should answer for their criminal acts. France, in cooperation with its partners, will continue to be greatly engaged in this," he added.

The Syrian government has been accused of using fatal gas in a strike targeting the rebel-held town of Khan Sheikhoun in the country's northwestern province of Idlib on April 4. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Right, 87 people were killed in the strike.

Damascus has repeatedly denied possession of any chemical weapons. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad described the report on suspected use of chemical arms as "100 percent fabrication" to justify western powers' strikes against Syria.
People commemorate victims of the terrorist attack against Charlie Hebdo in 2015 during a commemoration at the Place of the Republic in Paris, France, on Jan. 7, 2016. (Xinhua/Chen Yichen)

PARIS/BRUSSELS, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Ten people have been arrested between Monday and Wednesday in France and Belgium in suspicious linkage to the terror attacks on Charlie Hebdo and a Kosher supermarket in 2015 in Paris, media reported on Wednesday.

On January 9 of 2015, four people died when Amedy Coulibaly attacked a Jewish supermarket in Paris. Another 12 people died two days before, when the brothers Cherif and Said Kouachi opened fire against the office of the newspaper Charlie Hebdo.

The persons arrested are suspected to have provided Amedy Coulibaly -- the culprit of the attacks against the satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo -- with weapons and have been detained in custody, Belgium's public broadcaster RTBF said.

The weapons used by Coulibaly came from Slovakia and were sold by an intermediary person in Belgium to Claude Hermant, currently in jail for illegal traffic of arms, added local media 7sur7.be, quoting judiciary sources close to the investigation.

In Paris, an anti-terrorist operation unfolded Wednesday morning in Trappes in the Yvelines department, as part of an investigation of the Paris anti-terrorism bureau, the daily newspaper Le Parisien reported on Wednesday.

Four people were questioned and placed under arrest, said Le Parisien. This operation would have been unrelated to an imminent threat of an attack, it added.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-26 19:31:31|Editor: ying

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THE HAGUE, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Great achievements have been made for the complete eradication of chemical weapons but more remains to be done, representatives and delegates said Wednesday at a ceremony.

The ceremony was held in The Hague to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the entry into force of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) and the founding of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW).

Recounting two decades of achievements, OPCW Director-General, Ambassador Ahmet Uzumcu, paid homage to the memory of victims of chemical weapons across the world in his opening statement.

"Many survivors continue to endure painful suffering despite the years that have elapsed since exposure. Some are present here today. They remind us of the human toll when morality is recklessly abandoned and universal norms callously breached," he said.

"The work of the OPCW represents the most effective response to such cruelty, a ray of hope illuminating a dark shadow on our history," he said.

The OPCW chief mentioned the ongoing work in Syria in particular. Two weeks ago, the OPCW announced that the alleged use of chemical weapons in the Khan Sheikhun area of southern Idlib in the Syria "was a credible allegation".

"In Syria, the OPCW has faced a great test of its commitment and resilience and has proven its adaptability to meet new and unexpected challenges," said the head of the United Nations (UN) watchdog on chemical weapons. "Our work in Syria is not yet finished. It is of great concern to see this use of chemical weapons."

In his video message, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres hailed the success that nearly all countries are committing themselves to the Chemical Weapons Convention and most of the world's declared stockpiles have been destroyed.

He then warned that many regions in the world are still under threats. "In the Middle East, militias are breaking the norms against chemical weapons. The recent attack in Syria horribly reminds us of the stakes. There can be no impunity for these crimes."

Dutch King Willem-Alexander together with OPCW Director-General unveiled a plaque acknowledging the Organization's anniversary.

The ceremony was attended by 450 Permanent Representatives and other delegates from OPCW member states, chemical weapon victims, leaders of international organizations, chemical industry and civil society and dignitaries from the Netherlands.

As the implementing body for the Chemical Weapons Convention, the OPCW oversees the global endeavor to permanently and verifiably eliminate chemical weapons. The Convention now has 192 States Parties covering 98 percent of the global population.

Nearly 95 per cent of chemical weapon stockpiles declared by possessor states have been eliminated under the watchful eye of the OPCW.

The organization said 6,327 inspections have taken place at 235 chemical weapon-related and 2,255 industrial sites on the territory of 86 States Parties since April 1997. 4,732 industrial facilities are liable to inspection.

For its efforts in eliminating chemical weapons, the OPCW received the Nobel Prize for Peace in 2013. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-26 19:31:32|Editor: ying

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NAIROBI, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Kenyan and Latvian governments are set to commence talks on signing a bilateral air service agreement, officials said on Wednesday.

Visiting Latvia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs State Secretary Andrejs Pildegovics told a media briefing in Nairobi that the agreement will permit airlines to operate direct flights between the two nations.

"The air service agreement will help to boost trade and commercial ties between the two countries by reducing cost of doing business," Pildegovics said.

"Latvia is ready to sign the agreement as part of plans to enhance direct links between Kenya and Latvia," he said during a meeting with the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry, a trade lobby.

Air Baltic, which is Latvia's national airline currently, travels to 89 destinations globally but none in Africa. Pildegovics said that Latvia's capital city of Riga is already a regional aviation hub in Baltic region.

"We want to partner with Kenya because it is also a region aviation hub in East and Central Africa," he added.

The State Secretary noted that Kenya already has strong partnerships with most member states of European Union, of which Latvia is a member.

"But now we want to strengthen direct links so that we fully exploit the trade potential," he added.

Data from Latvian government indicates that total bilateral trade between Kenya and Latvia hit 22 million Euros in 2016.

The trade was in favor of Latvia and the European nation exported wheat and meslin, articles of machinery, as well as electrical appliances to Kenya, while the East African nation's exports included tea, fruits and nuts.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-26 19:36:34|Editor: ying

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DHAKA, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Bangladesh's anti-crime elite force Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) on Wednesday arrested a key member of a banned militant outfit in capital Dhaka.

An RAB spokesperson who did not like to be named said Mushfiq Martin Jeni is an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) expert of Neo-JMB (an offshoot of the banned militant outfit Jamaatul Mujahideen Bangladesh) blamed for the deadly attack on a Spanish cafe in Dhaka's diplomatic enclave Gulshan on July 1, 2016.

He said the arrest was made during a raid in his home in the capital on Wednesday morning.

According to the official, the militant who belonged to the "Tamim Chowdhury-Sarwar Jahan group" of Neo-JMB, was held with many improvised explosive and remote control devices.

Bangladeshi police have reportedly so far hunted down and killed at least 40 militants linked to the cafe attack.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-26 19:46:37|Editor: ying

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ISLAMABAD, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Pakistan army on Wednesday released video of a senior Taliban leader, who has admitted the group's involvement in terrorist attacks in public places in the country.

Ehsanullah Ehsan, the former spokesman of the outlawed Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), surrendered to the security forces earlier this month, according to the military spokesman.

Ehsan was one of the few known faces of the Taliban leaders, who would take responsibility for the attacks in Pakistan. He later joined several other Taliban commanders to form a splinter group TTP Jamaat-ul-Ahrar. As the group's spokesman, Ehsan would claim responsibility for the attacks in Pakistan.

"The Taliban carry out blasts in public places, schools, colleges and universities. Our religion does not allow such attacks," the militant leader said.

He disclosed that the Taliban leaders faced rift after the Pakistani forces launched a major operation in North Waziristan tribal region in 2014.

He revealed that all the Taliban leaders fled to Afghanistan after the 2014 operation and that the Pakistani Taliban leaders had "links" with foreign intelligence agencies, who supported and provided financial assistance to them.

"The Taliban leaders had gone into their safe heavens and had left the fighters to fight the Pakistani forces," he said.

He admitted that several camps of the TTP JA were destroyed in Nangarhar's Lalpura area in shelling by the Pakistani forces in February. He said several Taliban commanders were killed in the shelling. He claimed that the stranded commanders and the fighters were disappointed and wanted to return to Pakistan.

He said the Taliban leaders focused on the social media after the Pakistani media stopped their coverage. The TTP leaders would share propaganda materials on the social media to mislead the people, especially the youth.

"I appeal to the youth who use social media not to be missed by the Taliban leaders as they are playing in the hands of others. This is the reason I have surrendered to the Pakistan army."
South African President Jacob Zuma speaks during the Chris Hani Wreath Laying Ceremony and handover of the Chris Hani heritage site in Gauteng Province, on April 10, 2017. (Xinhua/DOC/Kopano Tlape)

PRETORIA, April 26 (Xinhua) -- South African President Jacob Zuma on Tuesday hailed China's commitment to supporting Africa's independent growth, expressing hope for closer cooperation with China in international and regional affairs.

Zuma made the remarks in a meeting with visiting Chinese Vice Premier Liu Yandong here.

During the talks, President Zuma asked the Chinese vice premier to extend his warm greetings to President Xi Jinping, saying he was pleased to see quick implementation of his consensus with the Chinese president on setting up the South Africa-China High Level People-to-People Exchange Mechanism (PPEM).

The official launch of the PPEM will facilitate public participation in developing South Africa-China relations and bring more benefits to the people, said Zuma.

South Africa will never forget China's support for its struggle against apartheid, and hopes to draw experiences from China's development and governance, said the president.

Zuma spoke highly of China's constructive role in safeguarding international peace and security and China's important contribution to global economic growth.

Appreciating China for its commitment to helping African countries realize independent development, Zuma expressed hope for maintaining close communication and coordination with China at the United Nations and BRICS.

For her part, the Chinese vice premier extended President Xi's warm greetings to President Zuma.

Liu said that with direct guidance from the two leaders, both sides have enjoyed deep mutual political trust, achieved fruitful results in pragmatic cooperation and supported each other on issues concerning each other's core interests and major concerns.

She touted the PPEM's successful inaugural meeting, saying it has drawn out a road map for future people-to-people exchanges and cooperation.

China is willing to work with South Africa to make concrete progress in bilateral people-to-people exchanges and cooperation, and continuously strengthen the foundation of China-South Africa friendship and China-Africa friendship by broadening its support from among the people and in society, said the vice premier.

Liu also urged China and South Africa to deepen cooperation in areas such as industrial capacity, energy and resources and infrastructure so as to elevate their comprehensive strategic partnership to new heights and bring more benefits to the two peoples.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-26 19:51:40|Editor: ying

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VALLETTA, April 26 (Xinhua) -- The largest number of people granted protection status when applying for asylum in Malta in 2016 were Libyans, figures from the EU's statistics agency Eurostat revealed on Wednesday.

Eurostat data indicates that this is in contrast to the vast majority of EU member states where Syrians were granted protection status when applying for asylum.

In 2016, Malta accepted asylum applications from 1,255 people in 2016, of which 545 were Libyan nationals, making up 43 percent.

Syrians comprised 29 percent with 360 accepted applications, and Eritrean made up 8 percent with 105 accepted applications.

From the total number of successful asylum applicants, Malta granted 190 refugee status and 1010 subsidiary protection. A further 55 were accepted due to humanitarian reasons.

Across the EU Syrians, with 57 percent of the total number of persons granted protection status in the EU member states remained the largest group of beneficiaries of protection status in 2016.

More than 70 percent of Syrians granted protection status in the EU was recorded in Germany.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-26 19:51:41|Editor: ying

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QALAT, Afghanistan, April 26 (Xinhua) -- A senior leader of Islamic State (IS) was captured together with five other IS militants in Afghanistan's southern province of Zabul, a provincial government spokesman said on Wednesday.

"Afghan Special Forces backed by the NATO-led coalition troops carried out a night raid operation in Khak-e-Afghan District, Zabul Province Monday night," spokesman Gul Islam Sayal told Xinhua.

"The militants engaged with the security force upon arrival of the team at the targeted compound and during the firefight eight IS fighters were killed."

Among the captured were Khalid Akhoundzada and two foreign women, the official added.

Akhoundzada was leading the IS fighters in the province and has been responsible for a string of attacks and kidnappings in Zabul, 340 km south of Kabul, the source noted.

The Afghan security forces have beefed up security operations against militants recently, as spring and summer known as fighting season, are drawing near in the Central Asian country.

Afghan military officials have stated that conducting night raid operation has been an effective way against the insurgents across the country.

The IS militant group has yet to make comments.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-26 19:51:42|Editor: ying

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COLOMBO, April 26 (Xinhua) -- The Sri Lankan government agreed on Wednesday to hand over some elephants from an elephant orphanage in the Central Hills of Pinnawala to individuals and religious places under conditions.

The Government Information Department said the maintenance of the present number of 88 elephants in a restricted land area of 30 acres at Pinnawala had become a difficult task.

Accordingly, the proposal made by Minister of Sustainable Development and Wildlife Gamini Jayawickrama Perera to provide some elephants to individuals and religious places under definite conditions, was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.

Recommendations on issuing orders for providing elephants for Perahera, a rich Sri Lankan parade of dancers and elephants, regularizing registration of domesticated elephants and ensuring their protection were also approved by the Cabinet of Ministers, the Government Information Department said.

The Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage has become a major tourist attraction with thousands of tourists and locals each year.

Pinnawala is known to have the largest herd of captive elephants in the world.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-26 20:01:45|Editor: ying

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TIKRIT, Iraq, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Iraqi security forces on Wednesday launched an operation to dislodge Islamic State (IS) militants from a rugged area along the border between the central provinces of Salahudin and Diyala, a security source said.

The security forces and allied paramilitary Hashd Shaabi units pushed in the morning from four directions into Mteibijah area, some 100 km southeast of Salahudin's provincial capital of Tikrit, Jasim Jabara, head of security committee of Salahudin's provincial council, told Xinhua.

The troops, backed by army helicopters fought sporadic clashes with IS militants in the area, while the helicopter gunships destroyed four IS vehicles and two booby-trapped cars, Jabara said.

The operation in Mteibijah was designed to take control of the entire IS-held area, where hundreds of IS militants hid, in order to prevent their attacks against civilian and military targets in the provinces of Salahudin and Diyala, Jabara added.

The Iraqi security forces repeatedly tried to retake control of Mteibijah, which located in the middle of vast rugged land and some mountains in the predominately Sunni Arab province of Salahudin, making it difficult to the troops to keep it away from the extremist militants, according to Jabara.

The operation came as Iraqi security forces, backed by an anti-IS international coalition, carried out a major offensive to drive IS militants out of their last major stronghold in and around Mosul, 400 km north of the Iraqi capital of Baghdad.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-26 20:16:38|Editor: Song Lifang

People attend a rice transplanting ceremony in the terrace field in Shanpu village of Azhahe township in Honghe, southwest China's Yunnan Province, April 26, 2017. The ceremony was held to greet a new transplanting season. (Xinhua/Hu Chao)
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-26 20:16:49|Editor: ying

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LAGOS, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Suicide bombers have detonated explosives at three different locations in Muna area of restive northeast Nigeria's Borno State, an official with the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) said Wednesday.

Five lives were lost and 11 others injured in the incidence that occurred around 4: 11 a.m. local time, Abdulkadir Ibrahim, a regional spokesperson for the agency said in a statement made available to Xinhua.

The areas affected were Muna Usmanti, Muna Garage and Muna Ethopia respectively.

Ibrahim said four suicide bombers and a member of security volunteer group were among the dead.

"We have since taken the injured persons to hospital for proper medical attention while the dead bodies have been deposited in the mortuary," he added.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-26 20:21:51|Editor: MJ

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi (R) shakes hands with his Sri Lankan counterpart Ranil Wickremesinghe before their meeting at Hyderabad House in New Delhi, capital of India, on April 26, 2017. India and Sri Lanka on Wednesday singed a key agreement on economic cooperation as Prime Minister Narendra Modi held extensive talks with his Sri Lankan counterpart Ranil Wickremesinghe in the national capital to strengthen bilateral ties. (Xinhua/Stringer)

NEW DELHI, April 26 (Xinhua) -- India and Sri Lanka on Wednesday singed a key agreement on economic cooperation as Prime Minister Narendra Modi held extensive talks with his Sri Lankan counterpart Ranil Wickremesinghe in the national capital to strengthen bilateral ties.

"Deepening economic collaboration. India-Sri Lanka signed MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) on cooperation in economic project," Indian External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Gopal Baglay tweeted after the pact was sealed.

The talks between the two leaders took place at the iconic Hyderabad House in the heart of the national capital. "Partnership for prosperity and development. Prime Minister @NarendraModi receives Sri Lankan PM Wickremesinghe at Hyderabad House," Baglay tweeted ahead of the talks.

And after the bilateral discusssions, Modi took to social media and tweeted "Held comprehensive talks with PM Ranil Wickremesinghe on ways to strengthen India-Sri Lanka ties for the benefit of our citizens."

Earlier in the day, the visiting Sri Lankan prime minister met with Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Road and Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari.

"Visit of a special partner. Sri Lankan PM Wickremesinghe arrives in Delhi on April 25, meets EAM Sushma Swaraj today (Wednesday)," Baglay tweeted.

The Sri Lankan prime minister also held discussions with former Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and the country's main opposition Congress leader Sonia Gandhi.

Wickremsinghe's five-day tour to India, starting Tuesday, is a visit that is just ahead of Modi's slated tour of the island nation next month.

Sri Lanka has proposed to sign an MoU with India next month during Modi's visit, which proposes Indian investment in development of port and oil tank farms in Trincomalee, setting up a power plant and terminal, piped gas supply in Colombo, and highway and railway projects.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-26 20:26:52|Editor: ZD

A member from the Philippine Coast Guard patrols outside the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC), the venue for this year's Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit in Pasay City, the Philippines, April 26, 2017. (Xinhua/Rouelle Umali)

MANILA, April 26 (Xinhua) -- More than 40,000 soldiers, policemen and uniformed personnel have been deployed in Manila as the city hosts a summit of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on Saturday.

Preparatory meetings, involving ASEAN ministers and senior officials kicked off on Wednesday.

Philippine Ambassador to ASEAN Elizabeth Buensuceso chaired the meeting of the Committee of Permanent Representatives (CPR) to ASEAN, starting a series of official meetings that will culminate with the 30th ASEAN summit.

A government statement said the CPR discussed their work plan for 2017, reports and recommendations to the ASEAN senior officials and ASEAN ministers, commemorative activities on the 50th anniversary of ASEAN this year, ASEAN's relations with its dialogue partners and other external parties, and preparations for the 50th ASEAN foreign ministers meeting (AMM) and related ministerial meetings in August in Manila.

"The meeting also exchanged views on possible outcome documents and various initiatives for the 50th AMM and other ministerial meetings and the 31st ASEAN summit in November," the statement read.

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte will chair the summit that will be attended by ASEAN leaders from Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

Myanmar State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi will represent Myanmar whose head of state could not make it to the summit, according to Marciano Paynor, director general of the ASEAN National Organizing Council.

He said Duterte, who assumed office in June last year, is ready to chair the summit. He said Duterte had been preparing for the summit, receiving briefings on the issues to be discussed by the regional bloc.

The ASEAN summit on Saturday is the first of two ASEAN leaders' summits that the Philippines will host this year as chair of ASEAN.

The ASEAN leaders will have a second summit in November.

Starting Thursday, the government suspended work and classes in at least three cities in Metro Manila where the summit and related meetings are being held.

The ASEAN meetings take place a few days after government troops and police foiled fresh attempts of the Abu Sayyaf militants to seize hostages in beach resorts in Bohol, a province in central Philippines, far from its strongholds in the southern Philippine Basilan and Sulu provinces.

Abu Sayyaf is one of the smallest and most violent bandits groups operating in the southern Philippines notorious for kidnappings, bombings and attacking civilians and the army.

A number of foreign Embassies in Manila issues travel warning to their nationals prior to the deadly clashes. The government has beefed up security arrangements in Manila as a result of the foiled attack.

On Tuesday, military spokesman Brig. Gen. Restituto Padilla advised Filipinos to be vigilant and work with authorities in keeping the peace while the meetings take place.

Padilla assured the public that there are no security threats directed at the ASEAN meetings.

"We don't see any threat right now, no serious threat that is in the radar screen," he told reporters. Nevertheless, he said the government's security planning "is always based on worst-case scenarios."

Dela Rosa said "We have rehearsed and fine-tuned all our systems and procedures for this even such that we have established a full backup system that will address any unforeseen situation that may arise."

The ASEAN, which groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, is marking its 50th anniversary this year.
Photo taken on Feb. 4, 2017 shows the new $5 bond note which was introduced on the market to help ease the cash shortages in Harare, Zimbabwe. (Xinhua)

HARARE, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Business people are taking advantage of prevailing liquidity challenges by charging premiums of between 10 and 20 percent to desperate cash seekers.

A bar owner operating in one of the city's eastern suburbs who refused to be named told Xinhua Tuesday that people looking for cash were paying 10 percent of the required amounts for bond notes and 20 percent for U.S. dollars while making electronic transfers into the business people's bank accounts.

"They cannot get the cash for free. Many business people are doing this because they have to get value from the transactions," he said.

He said cash seekers would identify retailers wanting to place orders for goods at wholesalers using cash and asked to be given the cash in return for electronic transfers.

"The same is happening in the shops and council and utility banking halls where some people just mill around waiting for people intending to use cash and then offer to buy goods on their behalf using Points of Sale in return for the cash. But here no premiums are charged," he added.

Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) governor John Mangudya has blamed the emergence of the black market on indiscipline and general lack of confidence in the market.

RBZ recently directed that retailers and wholesalers to bank excess cash collections within 24 hours as a way of boosting liquidity in the market, but some of them have found a way of "banking" their proceeds in plastic money while getting value from the cash collected.

"Many people are looking for U.S. dollars because they have to meet certain obligations outside the country, so it is easy to charge higher premiums for the U.S. dollar than the bond notes. Unfortunately the cash is not getting into the banking system," the bar owner said.

RBZ in 2016 established a list for foreign currency disbursements which leaves college fees payments at the lowest rung of priorities, so parents have devised other means to send money to their children, including getting money on the black market.

Many people are also believed to be hoarding the bond notes for use in places which do not have Point of Sale machines, while others just remain skeptical of the banking sector and would rather keep their money elsewhere.

The bond notes and coins, which were supposed to trade at par with the U.S. dollar, were introduced between 2014 and 2016 in a bid to improve liquidity, but the central bank is facing a mammoth task trying to keep the rates at the same level as the U.S. dollar becomes more elusive.

About 130 million dollars worth of bond notes and coins are now circulating in the economy but these have failed to satisfy demand, although Mangudya said recently that they were sufficient, together with about 900 million U.S. dollars said to be in circulation.

The local currency, the Zimbabwe dollar, became moribund in February 2009 and made way to a multiple currency regime dominated by the U.S. dollar and, in the initial stages, the rand.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-26 20:46:58|Editor: Mengjie

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Zhang Dejiang (L), chairman of the Standing Committee of China's National People's Congress (NPC), presides over the 94th chairman and chairpersons' meeting of the 12th NPC Standing Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, April 26, 2017. (Xinhua/Ma Zhancheng)

BEIJING, April 26 (Xinhua) -- The chairman and vice chairpersons of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) met on Wednesday afternoon.

They reviewed opinions from lawmakers about a draft amendment to the surveying and mapping law, which is undergoing a second reading at the bi-monthly session of the NPC Standing Committee.

The meeting was presided over by Zhang Dejiang, chairman of the NPC Standing Committee.

They also reviewed opinions on draft plans on a quota for electing new NPC deputies for regions and ethnic groups, a border defense cooperation agreement among member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, as well as a treaty on transferring convicted criminal offenders between China and Tajikistan.

After further revisions, the documents will be reviewed at the next meeting of the chairman and vice chairpersons, during which they will decide whether to put them to vote.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-26 21:02:01|Editor: ying

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CANBERRA, April 26 (Xinhua) -- An Australian Senator who deserted the government to create his own political party has said he would welcome other "defectors" to his ranks, after a minor party agreed to merge with his newly-formed Australian Conservatives overnight.

Senator Cory Bernardi left the government's ranks in February to form his own party, the Australian Conservatives, which was created to represent far-right conservatives.

On Tuesday, it was announced that the Family First Party would merge with the Australian Conservatives, while on Wednesday, Bernardi said he would openly welcome other members of Parliament to his party.

"We are united by our founding principles of supporting stronger families, fostering free enterprise, limiting the size and scope and reach of government, but also about rebuilding civil society," Bernardi said.

"The joining of our prospective political forces is a natural fit and its one that will strengthen the conservative movement right across this country."

He said that talks to merge with Family First began in February, when Family First MPs Dennis Hood and Robert Brokenshire called to congratulate Bernardi on the move.

"We entered into some very brief and preliminary discussions but as we were building momentum and my group was building momentum and Rob was interested as well. Things came to a head in the last couple of weeks. On Saturday everything was ratified through Family First," he said.

Speaking on Wednesday, Hood said it was a "great day" for conservatives across Australia, who he said had been misrepresented in Parliament in recent times.

"Those on the conservative side of politics will have a united conservative voice in which to support and park their vote," Hood said.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-26 21:02:01|Editor: ying

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VALLETTA, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Plastic is harming oceans more than anything else, European Commissioner for the Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Karmenu Vella said at an informal meeting of Environment Ministers on Wednesday.

By the year 2050, unless something is done, there will be more plastic in oceans than fish. About 70 percent of plastic products produced ends up in the oceans, he added.

He mentioned the EU Commission are working on a document on waste management to be ready by end of 2017 linked to the concept of circular economy and by the end of the year a plastics strategy will be developed.

He stated that the cost of clean-ups and degrading environment are significant concerns that must factor into discussions and decisions, the monitoring of greenhouse emissions in shipping sector is also on the agenda.

He added that it was crucial to take action to reduce use of plastic, and that marine litter is a global issue that the EU commits to work internationally to address.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-26 21:12:03|Editor: ying

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ANKARA, April 26 (Xinhua) -- A total of 12 militants of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) were killed in north Iraq and southeast Turkey by Turkish airstrike on Wednesday, according to Turkish military sources.

In a statement, Turkish General Staff said six PKK militants were killed in Iraq's Zap region during an air operation on Wednesday.

Another six PKK militants were killed in another air operation in Turkish southeastern Hakkari province's Cukurca district, Anadolu Agency cited from an official saying on condition of anonymity.

The latest death toll brings the number of PKK terrorists killed in the Turkey's southeast since Tuesday to 17.

Turkish warplanes on Tuesday conducted heavy air raids against PKK and the People's Protection Units (YPG) targets in Iraq's Sinjar and northern Syria, in which around 70 militants were killed, while shelters, arsenals and communication centers belonging to the militants were destroyed.

Founded in 1978, the PKK, which is listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States and the Europe Union, resumed its armed campaign in July 2015 after a brief reconciliation.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-26 21:17:06|Editor: ying

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JAKARTA, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Indonesia is striving to have its ancient phinisi shipbuilding culture included to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)'s Intangible Cultural Heritage list this year with an exhibition to boost the move.

Nadjamuddin Ramly, the Cultural Heritage and Diplomacy Director under the Ministry of Education and Culture on Wednesday the UNESCO's meeting would be held in Seoul, South Korea, in early December.

"In order to socialize the acknowledgement of phinisi an art of boatbuilding from South Sulawesi, we are holding a cultural exhibition in the ministry's complex in Jakarta for four days until April 28," Ramly told Xinhua.

During the exhibition, the visitors can see phinisi miniature and a documentation of the tradition to build a wooden boat in accordance with methods passed down by ancestors in Bulukumba Regency, South Sulawesi Province.

"Phinisi wooden boats typically have two masts and seven sails of differing sizes, known for their ability to punch through big waves and sail great distances. They have been used by Bugis traders for centuries to travel across the archipelago and the world," he added.

According to Ramly, the phinisi's recognition is important in many ways such as to secure from other countries claim, to preserve the long history tradition, and to increase the incomes of local people from tourism.

In addition to the phinisi, the exhibition also presents pantun poetry and pencak silat martial art, two heritage items hopefully to be added in the UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list.

Indonesia has seven cultural heritages in the UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list including wayang puppetry, batik, keris ceremonial daggers, angklung (bamboo musical instruments), noken (Papuan traditional woven bags), three genres of traditional Bali dance as well as the traditional Saman dance from Aceh.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-26 21:27:08|Editor: ying

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CAPE TOWN, April 26 (Xinhua) -- The High Court in the Western Cape ruled on Wednesday that the South African government's nuclear deal is "unconstitutional and unlawful."

The court ordered the government to set aside the deal which would see the procurement of 9.6 gigawatts of nuclear energy.

The deal is expected to cost one trillion rand (about 77.5 billion U.S. dollars).

Judge Lee Bozalek said the government had flouted due process by not first debating in Parliament its decision.

Earthlife Africa, an environmental organization, fielded the case in October 2015, arguing that the government's nuclear power deal was not first debated in Parliament and that the public had not been consulted.

Earthlife Africa also argues that taxpayers could not afford the deal.

Following the ruling, the organization said the judgment vindicates its argument that the government had failed to follow a lawful process to proceed with the deal.

The government has not responded to the ruling yet.

The South African cabinet approved the deal in December 2015.

Preparations have been already underway for the bidding. Russia and the United States are believed to be front runners to win the bid.

The South African government reportedly has signed an agreement with the Russian state-owned nuclear corporation, Rosatom, to develop nuclear energy.

The South African government has been pursuing the nuclear program to make up power shortage which is expected to stall growth in gross domestic product (GDP).
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-26 22:07:20|Editor: ying

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JOHANNESBURG, April 26 (Xinhua) -- South African Airways (SAA) canceled about 32 flights on Wednesday, as the strike continues and negotiations between management and the union failed to reach an agreement.

According to South Africa Cabin Crew Association (Sacca), at least 28 domestic, three regional and one international flight were canceled.

The employees are demanding meal allowance of 170 U.S. dollars from 131 dollars a day when traveling overseas, which they claim has been stagnant for the last six years.

Disgruntled and confused travelers expressed their disappointment to Xinhua on Wednesday as they accused the "SAA management of not making alternative flights and failure to adequately communicate with customers."

Several flights have been delayed, while the strike continues.

A married couple traveling to Mauritius told Xinhua at the SAA terminal that, they were delayed in the morning of Wednesday.

"I would appreciate if the SAA can refund us for the hotel accommodation," he said. The couple also complained that because of the delays it was difficulty for them to have a connecting flight while in Mauritius.

At the time of going to press, it could not be established how the travelers will be compensated.

"I can confirm that some travelers are likely to be affected, that is so unfortunate," Sacca's deputy president Christopher Shabangu told Xinhua in a telephone interview.

"The money is so little and we had no choice but to strike," he added.

SAA said it was making frantic efforts to resolve the demonstration amicably and so soon.

According to the SAA website, passengers booked to travel with SAA were advised that the airline's cabin crew were on strike and picketing outside the SAA offices at OR Tambo International Airport.

"SAA regrets the inconvenience to all its customers and is exploring ways in conjunction with its partners to facilitate the accommodation of its passengers on later flights or on partner flights," said SAA in a press statement on Wednesday.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-26 22:07:20|Editor: ying

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HELSINKI, April 26 (Xinhua) -- The Finnish Finance Ministry has cancelled the release of a special coin designed to celebrate the country's centenary of independence.

The design of the five-euro coin was published earlier on Tuesday. It pictured the execution of a group of reds, based on a real photo taken during 1918 Civil War. The other side would have featured the tower of the Helsinki Olympic Stadium built in 1938.

Minister of Finance Petteri Orpo described the picture as "tasteless" and the Ministry cancelled the authorization of the coin some hours later.

Orpo had approved the administrative documents for the coin. He said on Tuesday he had not paid enough attention to its details.

Ilkka Suppanen, the designer of the coin, defended his creation. He told national broadcaster Yle that he had believed the civil war theme would have been seen as a plus for minister Orpo. It would have shown that Finland can deal with difficult subjects, said Suppanen.

The design had been approved by the art committee of the Mint of Finland. The sales of the coin had been scheduled to start next week.

The cancellation concerned plans for a series of celebratory coins with five euro face value.

Henna Karjalainen, Director of Communications for the Mint of Finland, told Xinhua on Wednesday that earlier this year a celebratory gold coin with 100 euro face value was published, as well as a series of silver coins with 10 and 20 euro face values. The selling price of the celebratory coins is higher.

Finland's civil war broke out in January 1918, just weeks after Finland declared itself independent. Ten thousand people were killed in action, but 27,000 died in prison camps and in terror.

In the war, the whites defeated the reds who had taken over most of southern Finland. Upon request from the whites, German forces landed in southern Finland and captured Helsinki in May 1918, before the whites reached the capital. One of the largest prison camps for the defeated reds was on an island just off Helsinki, later named Suomenlinna.

On the Finnish political scene, left leaning persons have traditionally used the term "civil war", while conservative circles have called the conflict "war of liberation".
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-26 22:22:25|Editor: ying

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JOHANNESBURG, April 26 (Xinhua) -- The Citibank was fined about 5.2 million U.S. dollars for its role in the forex cartel, said South African Competition Tribunal on Wednesday.

The Citibank is one of the 17 banks who colluded to fix the South African currency, rand rate between September 2007 and October 2013.

Those banks agreed to cause artificial shortage of the rand, when to withhold and when to sell it at an agreed price.

"In terms of the settlement agreement Citibank N.A. will appear as a witness at their competitor's hearings and Citibank has already begun supplying information that is helpful to the Commission's investigation," said Chantelle Benjamin, communication officer at Competition Tribunal.

The bank agreed that it worked with its competitors to manipulate the price of bids and offers through agreements to refrain from trading and creating fictitious bids. Citibank also agreed that they colluded to offers at particular times, assisted each other by allowing a trader with a large open risk position to complete his trades first before trading and through holding.

"Citibank N.A additionally undertakes to not engage in any future conduct in contravention of the Competition Act and continue its existent implementation programs," said Benjamin.

The Citibank is the first of the 17 banks to reach a settlement agreement with the Competition Tribunal, and the fine does not exceed 10 percent of Citibank's annual turnover in South Africa.
SeanPavonePhoto/iStock/Thinkstock(WASHINGTON) -- Following last month's spike in social media awareness around potential missing teens in the nation's capital, Congresswomen and law enforcement representatives convened on Capitol Hill on Wednesday to discuss better ways to help the thousands of missing children and women of color across the nation.



While D.C. Police Youth and Family Services Commander Chanel Dickerson clarified that the social media rumors of an increase in missing D.C. teens are untrue, she made it clear that even one missing teen is too much.



"Actually it's a decrease. But when we talk about numbers, I'm not trying to minimize when I say there's not an up-tick or there's been a decrease," ABC News affiliate WJLA reported Dickerson saying. "It's just that we wanted to be transparent and input it out so everyone can see."



According to local police data, the number of missing child cases in D.C. dropped from 2,433 in 2015 to 2,242 in 2016. However, last month's increased social media attention around the issue drew eyes to the nation's capital, which is currently about 50 percent black, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.



During a press conference, Dickerson said that, although D.C. has investigated more than 19,000 missing person cases in the last five years, only 16 of those cases remain open.



"But one person missing in the District of Columbia is one person too many," she said, according to WJLA.



Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman, D-N.J., Rep. Yvette Clarke, D-N.Y., and Rep. Robin Kelly, D-Ill., plan to continue the "one person too many" conversation with a panel that will bring together members of the Congressional Caucus on Black Women and Girls, law enforcement representatives, educators, representatives from historically black colleges and other community leaders.



During the event, leaders plan to discuss some of the elements that may contribute to this issue, including economic disadvantages, the disparate treatment of missing black women and girls by police and the lack of public awareness around the missing individuals.



According to the Black and Missing Foundation, an organization that raises awareness about missing black people nationwide, 37 percent of missing people in the United States are minorities.



Derrica Wilson, CEO and co-founder of the Black and Missing Foundation, told ABC News, "We all know that Black and Latinos, or any person of color, who go missing oftentimes do not receive the much needed media coverage, which could drastically increase the odds of their safe recovery."



The convening this afternoon will include two panels focused on fact-finding and best practices to advise lawmakers on proposals designed to help reconcile the disparity of attention.



The conversation will be held at the Library of Congress, from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. EST, and will be live streamed on the Congressional Caucus on Black Women and Girls' Facebook page.



Copyright  2017, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-26 22:27:27|Editor: ying

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BRUSSELS, April 26 (Xinhua) -- NATO launched a large-scale cyber defense exercise this week in Tallinn, Estonia, the security organization said Wednesday.

Locked Shields 2017, involves around 800 personnel from 25 nations, including Estonia, Britain, the United States, Finland and Sweden.

It is "the largest and most advanced cyber defense exercise in the world", according to NATO's statement.

Participants include security experts, policy officers and legal advisers from NATO allies and partners.

During the exercise, more than 2500 cyber-attacks will be simulated targeting a military air base of a fictitious country.

Experts will defend national IT systems against cyber-attacks targeting the base's electric power grid system, drones, military command and control systems and other infrastructure.

Locked Shields exercise has been organized by NATO's cooperative cyber defense center of excellence since 2010.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-26 22:27:27|Editor: Mengjie

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HOHHOT, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region in north China has started the process of having the Juyan archeological site recognized with a UNESCO cultural heritage listing, said local authorities on Wednesday.

According to Sun Jianjun, a culture official with the Alxa League (Prefecture), the Juyan ruins, including city sites, walls, pavilions, beacon fire relics, farmland and tombs which fanned out across the Ejin River basin, were first built in 102 B.C. during the reign of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty.

"It is one of the largest and best-preserved sites on China's ancient Silk Road," he said.

The site covers about 19,600 square kilometers. "For more than 2,000 years, it witnessed exchanges of China with the west, as well as communication between ethnic groups of north China," Sun said.

Sun's office will submit an application to the State Administration of Cultural Heritage before August 8, the 70th anniversary of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.

UNESCO has acknowledged 1,052 world heritage sites across the globe. China has 50 such sites, including 35 cultural sites, 11 natural sites and four mixed sites, according to the UNESCO website.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-26 22:32:28|Editor: yan

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BEIJING, April 26 (Xinhua) -- China will increase research on smog in its battle against air pollution in Beijing and surrounding areas.

Government agencies, including environmental protection authority, academies and institutions will work together to integrate resources, according to reports of a State Council executive meeting presided over by Premier Li Keqiang on Wednesday.

Scientists working on anti-smog research may be given extra funding from the central budget.

The work will focus on causes of the heavy seasonal air pollution, emission control and health.

The government hopes to improve air quality and explore transferable pollution control systems for all parts if the country which suffer from smog.

China is addressing air pollution with stricter measures on emissions and an emphasis on clean energy. Minister of Environmental Protection Chen Jining said earlier this week that Chinese cities reported more "good air" days in 2016.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-26 22:42:31|Editor: yan

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DAR ES SALAAM, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Tanzanian President John Magufuli warned on Wednesday that he will not tolerate people with ambitions to break the Union between Zanzibar and Tanganyika that gave birth to Tanzania 53 years ago.

Addressing the nation during the 53rd anniversary of the Union in the east African nation's political capital Dodoma, President Magufuli said people bent on breaking the union will be dealt with accordingly.

"The Union has passed through a number of trials in the five decades of its existence but the governments of Tanzania and Zanzibar will do all they could to make it much stronger," Magufuli told the nation in his televised speech.

He said any contentious issues facing the Union were being addressed by a Joint Union Commission led by Vice-President Samia Hassan Suluhu.

"Our predecessors have done a tremendous job in protecting our Union. We will continue following in the same footsteps," said Magufuli in reference to the founding fathers of the Union, Presidents Abeid Amani Karume and Julius Nyerere, and their successors.

"If there is anyone out there thinking or trying to break the Union, he will not succeed, and instead he will be the one to be broken," the president added.

The celebrations were marked under the slogan -- 53 years of the Union; let us protect and strengthen it, let us fight narcotics and uphold hard work.

The celebrations were marked by a display of military prowess mounted by commandos of the Tanzania People's Defence Forces, and watched on live television broadcasts by Tanzanians across the country.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-26 22:47:35|Editor: yan

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LUSAKA, April 26 (Xinhua) -- A court in Zambia on Wednesday dismissed an application to quash a treason charge against the country's leading opposition leader.

This follows an application by lawyers representing Hakainde Hichilema and his co-accused to quash the charge as it did not merit the charge of treason.

Magistrate Greenwell Malumani said in his ruling that he did not have the powers to quash the charge.

He has since referred the treason charge to a higher court.

The magistrate however agreed with the defense lawyers that the treason charge lacked merit as it did not make specifications on the planned overt action by the opposition leader to overthrow the government.

Hichilema, 54, was arrested on April 11 when the police raided his home for allegedly failing to give way to Zambian President Edgar Lungu's motorcade in the western part of the country.

Apart from the treason charge, he was slapped with two other charges of disobeying lawful order and insulting police officers.

The opposition leader and his co-accused pleaded not guilty to the two charges and have since been granted bail but they will remain in custody because of the treason charge which is not bailable in Zambia.

The trial for the two charges will commence on May 10.
China's second aircraft carrier is transferred from dry dock into the water at a launch ceremony in Dalian shipyard of the China Shipbuilding Industry Corp. in Dalian, northeast China's Liaoning Province, April 26, 2017.(Xinhua/Li Gang)

Hi, here is what you need to know about China:

DALIAN -- China launched its second aircraft carrier Wednesday morning in a Dalian shipyard in Liaoning Province, northeast China.

The new carrier, the first developed and built by China, was transferred from a dry dock into water at a launch ceremony, starting about 9 a.m. in the Dalian shipyard of the China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation.

It is China's second aircraft carrier, coming after the Liaoning, a refitted Soviet Union-made carrier put into commission in the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy in 2012.

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BERLIN -- German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Tuesday that her country supports the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative and wishes success for the Belt and Road Forum on International Cooperation to be held in Beijing next month.

Merkel made the remarks while meeting with visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who came here to attend the Chinese-German Strategic Dialogue on Diplomatic and Security Affairs, as the two countries are marking the 45th anniversary of the ambassador-level diplomatic relations.

Merkel spoke highly of the recent development in bilateral ties, saying she wished the two nations' comprehensive strategic partnership could be enhanced through a trove of important high-level exchanges this year.

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NEW YORK -- Chinese direct investment in the United States tripled in 2016 with Chinese companies employing more than 140,000 Americans, according to a report released on Tuesday.

Already on a steep growth trajectory for the past five years, Chinese investment in the United States jumped to 46 billion U.S. dollars last year, a 200-percent increase from the previous record of 15 billion dollars set in 2015, according to the report published by the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations and Rhodium Group, a New York-based economic research firm.

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BEIJING -- China voiced its grave concern to Washington and Seoul Wednesday after parts of the THAAD anti-missile defence system were moved into the Republic of Korea (ROK) for deployment.

China urged the United States and the ROK to withdraw the equipment and stop the deployment, said Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang at the daily press briefing.

Geng said, the deployment of THAAD anti-missile defence system will damage strategic balance in the region, worsen the tense situation on the Korean Peninsula, do no good for the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, and threaten regional peace and stability.

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BRUSSELS -- External players of the Syria crisis should draw lessons from Iraq and Libya if they are mulling a "regime change," said China's special envoy on Syria on Tuesday.

Ambassador Xie Xiaoyan underscored that the future of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is in nature Syria's internal affairs which should be left for the Syrian people to decide.

"External forces do have a role to play, but there is a line beyond which is meddling in the internal affairs of another country," Xie told reporters in Brussels.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-26 22:57:37|Editor: yan

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BEIJING, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Ten of China's major news agencies and websites formed a union in Beijing on Wednesday in order to provide better copyright protection for the media.

The union was set up at a conference on Internet copyright protection, where a declaration of the union was read by Zhou Xisheng, CEO of ChinaSo, a search engine set up by the country's major news organizations, and a founding member of the union.

According to the declaration, the union will play a significant part in issues including the unified management of news copyright, and will support its members to uphold their own copyrights.

The declaration also criticized misconduct in the news business, such as piracy, incorrect or fake quotes and unauthorized reprints, which severely hurt the enthusiasm of journalists and negatively affect the sustainable development of the business.

The union has called for the society to respect and protect news copyrights, and has asked for more news organizations to join the union to improve the situation.

A total of 115 media outlets released a joint statement at the conference, also calling for better copyright protection in the news business.

China has been emphasizing the importance of copyright protection recently, as a national copyright monitoring website was set up on April 20, which was seen as a step forward in the nation's crackdown on piracy.

The website, www.12426.cn, is managed by the Copyright Monitoring Center under the Copyright Society of China, providing identification, security monitoring, early warning and rights infringement solution services for registered copyright owners.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-26 23:12:39|Editor: yan

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DAMASCUS, April 26 (Xinhua) -- The Syrian Foreign Ministry condemned on Wednesday the Turkish airstrikes that targeted Kurdish positions in northern Syria, warning the Turkish government against undermining Syria's sovereignty.

The ministry said the Turkish airstrikes on areas in northeastern Syria a day earlier caused the killing of tens of civilians.

"This aggression runs against the international law and the UN Charters," the ministry said, calling on the international community and the UN to condemn this attack and the "pro-terrorism policies of the Turkish government."

A day earlier, Turkish airstrikes and missile attacks targeted positions of the Kurdish fighters on areas on the Syrian-Iraqi borders, killing 50 on both sides of the borders.

The U.S. expressed concern over the attack, saying Turkey didn't coordinate with the U.S.-led anti-terror coalition.

Meanwhile, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reportedly said that the attacks in Iraq and Syria will not stop until the elimination of the last "terrorist."

Turkey has for long been against any growing influence of the Syrian Kurds in northern Syria, near the Turkish borders.

It repeatedly stressed that it will not allow of the Kurds having a rule in that area.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-26 23:12:40|Editor: yan

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BEIJING, April 26 (Xinhua) -- China has decided to further cut red tape by integrating separate business licenses to improve the business environment and stimulate market vitality.

All certificates related to business registration will continue to be sorted and merged into one license, according to a State Council executive meeting presided over by Premier Li Keqiang on Wednesday.

The government expects the move -- another step in loosening the grip on the market -- will create a more favorable business environment, allow a faster and more convenient process for setting up businesses, and improve productivity.

The new policy will be applied to all industries and regions, said a statement released after the meeting.

Registration items with no legal basis or those set without due legal procedures will be canceled, and exceptions due to safety and security concerns will be subject to stricter supervision.

Five pre-setup approval items, including that for establishing wholly foreign-owned printing companies, will be replaced by post-setup approvals.

Of all the 226 pre-setup approval items in business registration, 87 percent have been canceled or replaced by post-setup approvals, the statement said.

In the face of downward pressures, China has rolled out an array of measures to streamline administration and give the market greater say in hopes of sustaining economic growth. Business registration reforms were initiated in March 2014 by lowering barriers for market entry and cutting red tape.

Thanks to the efforts, around 1.26 million new firms were registered in the first quarter, up 18 percent from a year ago.

The meeting also agreed to further develop disaster insurance in agriculture to improve farmers' incomes and help modernize the sector.

New insurance products will be promoted in around 200 counties from 13 grain-producing provinces this year and in 2018, including Hebei, Heilongjiang and Anhui. Family farms, commercial farms and farmers' cooperatives that grow rice, wheat and corn will benefit.

The central government will pay 47.5 percent of the insurance premium for the insured in central and western regions and 45 percent for those in eastern regions, both up from current levels.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-26 23:17:43|Editor: yan

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BERLIN, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Following the slow investigation of abuse cases in the German army's training units, Defense Minister von der Leyen dismissed the Chief of Land Forces Training Command, Major General Walter Spindler, according to a report by the German news magazine Der Spiegel.

Brigadier General Norbert Wagner, currently stationed as the Chief of Training Command in Muenster, will take over the post of head of training in Leipzig.

The Ministry of Defense confirmed the reason for the dismissal is the slow and incomplete investigation conducted by the German army.

Spindler has not appropriately addressed a complaint of verbal abuse and forced punitive actions against two training unit instructors lodged in May 2016. The German Parliamentary Commissioner for the Armed Forces was not made aware of the complaints or of the actions taken against the instructors.

The German army has made the news in recent months with several cases of degrading training practices and other abuses.

The investigation report into the cases in January spoke of "grave deficits in leadership, training, education and administrative supervision".

Von der Leyen has announced a thorough and systematic revision of the cases. The Ministry of Defense plans to increase administrative supervision and improve the reporting and training system.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-26 23:22:43|Editor: MJ

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HONG KONG, April 26 (Xinhua) -- The Center for Health Protection (CHP) of Hong Kong is investigating an imported case of Zika virus infection, in which a young woman who has been to South American countries got infected, the health department of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) said Wednesday.

The female patient, aged 31, with good past health, presented with headache, sore throat, nausea and vomiting since Friday and developed generalized skin rash since Sunday. She was admitted by a Hong Kong hospital on Monday and has been put under isolation in a stable condition.

Her urine specimen tested positive for Zika virus.

Initial enquiries revealed that the patient traveled to Ecuador and Peru on April 8 and returned to Hong Kong on Friday. She could not recall mosquito bites during the travel or in Hong Kong.

Ecuador and Peru are classified as areas with new introduction or re-introduction with ongoing transmission of Zika virus infection by the World Health Organization (WHO).

The patient's travel collaterals and home contacts have remained asymptomatic so far.

Wong Ka-hing, controller of the CHP, announced the case in a briefing Wednesday evening, saying "upon laboratory confirmation, we immediately commenced epidemiological investigations and informed the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department for vector surveillance and control."

"Hong Kong remains vigilant against Zika virus infection and the Alert Response Level under the Preparedness and Response Plan for Zika virus infection remains in place," Wong said, adding that the public should heighten vigilance during travel and doctors should stay alert to patients with compatible symptoms and travel history.

Wong said Hong Kong will report the case to WHO and also to the national, Guangdong and Macau health authorities, and will issue letters to local doctors and hospitals to alert them to the latest situation.

The CHP's Port Health Office (PHO) introduced a new requirement on aircraft disinsection for all inbound aircraft from Zika-affected areas starting from noon Wednesday to prevent importation of diseases through infected mosquitoes.

The PHO has stepped up inspection and health promotion at boundary control points (BCPs) to maintain strict environmental hygiene with effective mosquito control and has been working closely with the travel industry on the latest disease information and health advice.

"Routine health surveillance on body temperature of inbound travelers at all BCPs is ongoing. However, infected persons are mainly asymptomatic," Wong said, "Therefore, we again urge those arriving from Zika-affected areas to apply insect repellent for at least 21 days upon arrival to reduce the risk of transmission."
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan makes statements in Istanbul, Turkey, on April 16, 2017. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan declared on Sunday night that the proposed constitutional changes were accepted in a referendum, paying the way for the country to introduce the presidential system. (Xinhua photo)

DAMASCUS, April 26 (Xinhua) -- The Syrian Foreign Ministry condemned on Wednesday the Turkish airstrikes that targeted Kurdish positions in northern Syria, warning the Turkish government against undermining Syria's sovereignty.

The ministry said the Turkish airstrikes on areas in northeastern Syria a day earlier caused the killing of tens of civilians.

"This aggression runs against the international law and the UN Charters," the ministry said, calling on the international community and the UN to condemn this attack and the "pro-terrorism policies of the Turkish government."

A day earlier, Turkish airstrikes and missile attacks targeted positions of the Kurdish fighters on areas on the Syrian-Iraqi borders, killing 50 on both sides of the borders.

The U.S. expressed concern over the attack, saying Turkey didn't coordinate with the U.S.-led anti-terror coalition.

Meanwhile, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reportedly said that the attacks in Iraq and Syria will not stop until the elimination of the last "terrorist."

Turkey has for long been against any growing influence of the Syrian Kurds in northern Syria, near the Turkish borders.

It repeatedly stressed that it will not allow of the Kurds having a rule in that area.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-26 23:27:45|Editor: yan

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LUSAKA, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Zambian President Edgar Lungu on Wednesday said his government was committed to enhance cooperation with the Czech Republic.

Lungu said when Czech Republic's Ambassador-Designate to Zambia Radeck Rubes presented his letters of credence at State House that it was in the interest of his government to consolidate relations with other countries at a time it was diversifying its economy and expanding industrial base.

Zambia, he said, was looking forward to closely collaborating with the Czech Republic in order to learn from the country's admirable expertise in various sectors such as agriculture, energy and health.

According to him, the Czech Republic's decision to open an embassy in Zambia was a positive development aimed at enhancing bilateral relations, adding that this will open up several new doors of fruitful cooperation.

On his part, the Czech Republic envoy assured of his government's commitment to strengthen bilateral relations between the two countries.

He said he was impressed with the great interests in Zambia to take the cooperation to a greater height.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-26 23:42:48|Editor: yan

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BUCHAREST, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Romania will further support Georgia's Euro-Atlantic integration, and strengthen partnership with Georgia, Romanian leaders said Wednesday, when meeting with visiting Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili.

Romanian President Klaus Iohannis appreciated Georgia's progress in implementing the Association Agreement with the European Union, as well as Georgia's contribution to the Euro-Atlantic security.

Iohannis encouraged strengthening bilateral relations, including by stimulating relevant connectivity on a regional level, through the development of economic, energy and transport and the direct connection on the Black Sea between the two countries.

Romanian Prime Minister Sorin Grindeanu reiterated the country's "firm support" for the Euro-Atlantic aspirations of Georgia, in meeting with his Georgian counterpart.

Grindeanu told a joint press conference that he discussed with Kvirikashvili about common interest regional programmes in the transport and energy area, meant to highlight the importance of the Caspian Sea - the Black Sea corridor.

"Another area which we want to develop in the coming period is tourism, especially since the visa requirement for short visit in the community space for Georgian citizens has been recently lifted," Grindeanu added.

For his part, the Georgian prime minister said that Romania is perceived in Georgia as being the closest EU state to the country.

Kvirikashvili voiced his determination to intensify the economic cooperation with Romania.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-26 23:47:49|Editor: yan

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JERUSALEM, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Israel and the United States held preliminary talks about a possible visit by President Donald Trump to Jerusalem, an Israeli official said.

"There are initial discussions between the (Israeli) foreign ministry and officials with the (U.S.) administration about a visit by President Trump," said an Israeli government official, speaking on condition of anonymity because the details of the visit have not been set.

He estimated the chances that the visit would happen as "very high."

The Hebrew-language Ynet news site reported that a U.S. delegation would arrive in Israel on Thursday to begin talks on the subject.

The Times of Israel reported that Trump, who is expected to hold his first travel overseas as a president to Brussels next month, might expand his trip by arriving in Israel on May 21 or in the following days.

The trip would mark Trump's first official visit to Israel. If materialized, the trip would come at a sensitive time, as Israel marks Jerusalem Day, an annual celebration to mark the "unification" of Jerusalem. Israel seized East Jerusalem in the 1967 Middle East war and annexed it shortly later, announcing it as its "undividable" capital. The move has never been internationally recognized.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met Trump in Washington in February. They talked about a positive change between the two allies after years of frictions with the Barack Obama administration, mainly over the expansion of the West Bank settlements and the nuclear deal with Iran.
U.S. President Donald Trump attends a joint press conference with Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni (not in picture) at the White House in Washington D.C., the United States, on April 20, 2017. (Xinhua Photo)

JERUSALEM, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Israel and the United States held preliminary talks about a possible visit by President Donald Trump to Jerusalem, an Israeli official said.

"There are initial discussions between the (Israeli) foreign ministry and officials with the (U.S.) administration about a visit by President Trump," said an Israeli government official, speaking on condition of anonymity because the details of the visit have not been set.

He estimated the chances that the visit would happen as "very high."

The Hebrew-language Ynet news site reported that a U.S. delegation would arrive in Israel on Thursday to begin talks on the subject.

The Times of Israel reported that Trump, who is expected to hold his first travel overseas as a president to Brussels next month, might expand his trip by arriving in Israel on May 21 or in the following days.

The trip would mark Trump's first official visit to Israel. If materialized, the trip would come at a sensitive time, as Israel marks Jerusalem Day, an annual celebration to mark the "unification" of Jerusalem. Israel seized East Jerusalem in the 1967 Middle East war and annexed it shortly later, announcing it as its "undividable" capital. The move has never been internationally recognized.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met Trump in Washington in February. They talked about a positive change between the two allies after years of frictions with the Barack Obama administration, mainly over the expansion of the West Bank settlements and the nuclear deal with Iran.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-27 00:07:56|Editor: yan

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ABUJA, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Nine foreigners have been identified among 10 suspected oil thieves arrested in Nigeria's Delta region on Tuesday, a navy commander said Wednesday.

An Indonesian, a Beninois, two Ukrainians, two Pakistanis and three Ghanaians were arrested with a Nigerian onboard a Panama-registered vessel carrying out the illegal activity early Tuesday, Navy Commander Ibrahim Dewu told reporters.

The suspects were caught siphoning crude oil into a vessel from a loading jacket operated by Shell Petroleum and Development Company, Dewu said.

He said about 2,000 metric tons of crude oil had been siphoned from the loading jacket before the suspects were caught.

They were arrested based on intelligence report three days after the Nigerian navy personnel opened a dragnet on them.

"The Nigerian among them is the Chief Officer while the Captain is a Pakistani," Dewu said.

According to him, a preliminary investigation showed that the vessel had been on Nigerian waters for two weeks, operating on the high sea during the day and going late at night to connect to the loading jacket to siphon crude oil.

The suspects and the vessel would be handed over to the authorities for prosecution after investigations, the official added.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-27 00:37:59|Editor: yan

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MOGADISHU, April 26 (Xinhua) -- China on Wednesday granted the World Food Programme (WFP) 10 million U.S. dollars to bolster its humanitarian work in drought-stricken Somalia where more than 6 million people are food insecure.

WFP Country Director Laurent Bukera said the funds will allow the UN food agency to deploy emergency humanitarian assistance to more than 200,000 people.

"This grant will support Somalis and will allow WFP to deploy emergency assistance to more than 200,000 for probably up to four months assistance," Bukera said.

China also contributed 2 million U.S. dollars to WFP emergency response last year that helped it support close to 50,000 children and mothers to address malnutrition in the country, Bukera said.

He said WFP has continued to scale up its humanitarian activities in the Horn of Africa nation by reaching vulnerable people through its cash-based transfer program.

The Chinese Ambassador to Somalia Qin Jian hoped Somalia will overcome the natural disasters and rebuild their home, saying Beijing has long term support for Somalia.

"China and Somalia enjoy long term friendship. The diplomatic ties between brotherly states began in December in 1960, but relations between the two countries were there six hundred years ago," he said, adding China had carried out 89 projects including Benadir hospital, National Theater and Stadium Mogadishu between 1960 and 1991.

Somali Minister of Relief and Disaster Management, Maryam Qasim Ahmed thanked the Chinese government for the contribution towards alleviating the drought situation.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-27 00:43:00|Editor: yan

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MONROVIA, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Nine people have so far been confirmed dead following the spread of a strange illness that hit Liberia's southeastern Sinoe county, health officials in the country said Wednesday.

Francis Kateh, Liberia's chief medical officer, who announced the increase in death toll said eight others suspected to have contracted the strange disease have been hospitalized in the county's capital of Greenville.

Health Ministry spokesman Sorbor George told reporters the yet-to-be identified illness hit the county on Tuesday. Since then, there has been an increase in the number of victims.

On Tuesday, local media reported that all the victims suffered severe stomach pain before succumbing to death, adding that health authorities in the county had already isolated all those who had contact with the dead.

Also on Tuesday, an emergency meeting of health officials was called to discuss "the strange deaths."

George said blood specimens from the deceased had been sent to a medical laboratory to ascertain the cause of their death and identify the disease itself.

There have been speculations across Liberia that the symptoms of the illness were similar to that of Ebola, which ravaged the west African country in 2014.

Kateh, who was at the forefront of the fight against Ebola, said the initial tests performed on the blood specimens of the deceased had disproved that the victims died from the Ebola virus, even though they showed similar symptoms like vomiting and stomach pain, among others.

According to him, four residents of the Liberian capital Monrovia who went to Greenville to bury their dead relatives were suspected of having contracted the disease and are being traced by health personnel.

The health official admonished Liberians to continue the preventive measures instituted by the health ministry to contain the spread of Ebola.

He also advised citizens across the country to wash their hands frequently, report sicknesses of relatives in communities and the bodies of dead relatives to health authorities for testing to ascertain the cause of death before burying them.

The Liberian government said it will soon publish its intervention plans.

About 4,500 people died in Liberia alone in 2014 when the Ebola outbreak ravaged some countries in west Africa.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-27 00:48:01|Editor: An

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Kenyan Cabinet Secretary for ICT Joe Mucheru (2nd R) and Chinese Ambassador to Kenya Liu Xianfa (2nd L) give a certificate to a trainee at the graduation ceremony of Huawei digital skills development program in Nairobi, capital of Kenya, on April 26, 2017. Thirty Kenyan youth drawn from low income families on Wednesday graduated from a six-week digital skills development program funded by Chinese telecommunications giant, Huawei. The youth underwent an intensive training program to upgrade their skills in computing, use of internet and entrepreneurship. (Xinhua/Pan Siwei)

by Christine Lagat

NAIROBI, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Thirty Kenyan youth drawn from low income families on Wednesday graduated from a six weeks digital skills development program funded by Chinese telecommunications giant, Huawei.

The youth underwent an intensive training program to upgrade their skills in computing, use of internet and entrepreneurship.

Cabinet Secretary for ICT, Joe Mucheru said government has forged strategic partnerships with industry and academia to bridge the digital divide through investments in broadband infrastructure and human capital.

"Providing youth from underprivileged backgrounds with high end ICT skills is an integral part of the government's strategy to alleviate unemployment and its related social ills," Mucheru said.

Huawei technologies in partnership with Kenya's ICT Authority implemented the digital skills development program aimed at improving computer literacy and entrepreneur skills among youth from financially constrained backgrounds.

"We have increased investments in training programs that enable youth acquire technical skills like coding, computer assembly and entrepreneurship. These are critical skills set required to drive growth of knowledge based economy," said Mucheru.

He said Huawei has also supported Presidential Digital Talent Program that aims to polish ICT skills and employability among university students.

The Chinese government and enterprises are keen to play a central role in hastening Kenya's digital transformation.

Chinese Ambassador to Kenya, Liu Xianfa said Beijing has prioritized vocational training and technology transfer in a bid to strengthen bilateral cooperation with East Africa's largest economy.

"Digital skills for life program stand as an epitome of China-Kenya skills and technology transfer to hasten realization of vision 2030," Liu said.

Huawei has set aside adequate funds to support digital skills upgrade for Kenya's youth through internship and job placement.

Dean Yu, the CEO of Huawei in Kenya said that provision of technical and life skills to under-privileged Kenyan youth is at the heart of Huawei's corporate social responsibility strategy.

"We are committed to enrich the lives of Kenyan people especially disadvantaged youth with technical skills," said Dean, adding that Huawei aims to build an ecosystem to speed up technology transfer in Kenya.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-27 00:48:01|Editor: yan

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TEHRAN, April 26 (Xinhua) -- In the clash erupted between the Iranian security guards and the armed groups in the southeastern border region of the country on Wednesday, at least eight border guards were killed, the state IRIB TV reported.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-27 00:58:05|Editor: yan

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NAIROBI, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Kenya has made good progress in eradicating fall armyworms that had invaded hundreds of farms in various regions across the East African nation.

The country's Ministry of Agriculture early this month conceded invasion of the pest and discouraged citizens from moving plant materials from one region to another.

The ministry identified a variety of crops under threat that included cereals such as sorghum, millet, rice, millet, wheat, maize and barley.

Pasture grasses like Bermuda, hay and napier grass and vegetables like kale and cabbages, legumes or pulses, bananas, tomatoes, capsicum, ginger, spinach, amaranth, onions, sugar beet, citrus, cucumber and sunflower were also under threat.

Approximately 11,000 hectares of off-season maize had been infested, according to the ministry. Maize is the most important staple in Kenya with a per capita consumption of more than 78kg per person, per annum.

The armyworm, according to the ministry, undergoes full egg-larva- pupa-adult metamorphosis, with the female laying tiny eggs in masses of 150-200, thus, enabling the pest to cover a huge area in short time.

"Plant early and adhere to regional planting calendar, use recommended fertilizers and keep fields weed-free to boost plant vigour," the ministry told farmers.

In conjunction with county governments, it released chemicals for use as farmers were mobilized to spray their crops, especially in maize growing areas of Bungoma, Busia, Siaya and Kakamega and wheat growing areas like Nakuru and Uasin Gishu.

The efforts are paying off, with farmers reporting that they are winning against the pest that has become a threat to Kenya's food security, worsened by a six months drought.

"I sprayed my two acres of maize concentrating on the shoots as advised by agricultural officers. The maize is now flowering because I have maintained intermittent spraying," James Kayunga, a farmer in Bungoma, said Wednesday.

Kayunga explained that he detected the pest on his farm in mid-March and has worked hard to eliminate it.

"The county government stepped in to help farmers when I had already made my own progress. Some farmers who delayed spraying have lost their crops to the pest but a majority are reporting good progress," he said.

At the Kenyan Coast, the Kwale County government said there are no more reports on the presence of armyworms.

"I am happy to report that there's no single case of new invasion of the armyworms in the county. We have achieved this progress by using various strategies with the help of the national government," said County Agriculture Director David Wanjala.

Bernard Moina, an agricultural extension officer in Kitale, one of the areas that had been hit the pests, said the intensify of the worms in the area had gone down significantly.

The pests, according to the UN agency Food and Agriculture Organization, was first detected in Nigeria in January last year and has spread in Botswana, Congo, Tanzania, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, South Africa, Swaziland, Togo, and Uganda.

There are four kinds of armyworms namely African armyworm, Common armyworm, Fall armyworm and Lawn armyworm. The Fall armyworm is the one that has invaded Kenyan farms.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-27 01:03:05|Editor: yan

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TEHRAN, April 26 (Xinhua) -- In the clash erupted between the Iranian security guards and the armed groups in the southeastern border region of the country on Wednesday, at least eight border guards were killed, the state IRIB TV reported.

In the clashes which took place in the Mir-Javeh border point in Sistan and Baluchestan province, at least four other guards were also injured, the report said.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-27 01:03:05|Editor: yan

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LIVERPOOL, April 26 (Xinhua) -- The biggest round the world ocean race is to start and finish on the River Mersey in Liverpool, the organisers announced Wednesday.

The city's mayor Joe Anderson described the decision to chose Liverpool to host the 2017-18 race as a major maritime coup.

The famous Clipper Round the World Yacht Race will set sail from the Albert Dock in Liverpool, on Sunday, August 20 and return approximately eleven months later in Summer 2018. The dock complex is part of a Unesco World Heritage Site.

The Clipper Race now consists of twelve large modern racing yachts, each around 21.4 meters long, sailed by 700 amateur crew, representing over 40 nationalities from all walks of life. Led by professional skippers, the race is the biggest ocean race to circumnavigate the planet.

The clipper race will follow a global route which includes stopovers in South America, Cape Town, Sydney in Western Australia, East Coast Australia, Sanya and Qingdao of China, Seattle in the USA, Panama, New York, and Derry Londonderry in Northern Ireland.

Legendary British yachtsman Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, the first person to sail solo non-stop around the world in 1968-69 and founder of the Clipper Race, said: "We are thrilled to announce that the Clipper Race is returning to the historic city of Liverpool. A significant site for UK maritime history."

As the official start and finish partner, Liverpool will utilise the Clipper Race's global platform to raise its international profile and maritime legacy, hoping to inspire the next generation of sailors and seafaring enthusiasts in the waterfront city.

It also aims to promote its cultural heritage on the world stage to position the city as the home of large scale cultural events that are accessible for all - reinforced at the moment as Liverpool bids to be the UK host for the 2022 Commonwealth Games.

The 75,000-kilometer race will mark the fourth-time Liverpool has hosted the clipper event in its eleven editions, making the city the event's most frequented start and finish port ever. Crew members can complete the full circumnavigation, or one or more of its eight legs, in one of the toughest endurance challenges.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-27 01:18:08|Editor: yan

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LISBON, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Over 10,500 people in Portugal have signed a petition defending compulsory vaccinations amid a measles epidemic.

The petition, signed by doctors and health professionals, defended that it is "increasingly important to alert people the need to vaccinate their children" after a teenager was killed last week from pneumonia, after contracting measles, local media reported on Wednesday.

"As a matter of public health we do not want a civilisational regression in medical developments," the signatories appealed.

Portugal's health authorities have also warned of the need for parents to vaccinate their children "without hesitation," after the country registered around 23 cases of measles since the beginning of the year.

The authorities also advised schools to ban members who refused to be vaccinated after being exposed to the virus for a period of 21 days.

Measles is a highly contagious viral disease, which affects mostly children, according to the World Health Organization, and it can cause serious complications.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-27 01:28:11|Editor: yan

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NAIROBI, April 26 (Xinhua) -- A Kenyan scientist on Wednesday called on the government to increase funding for agricultural biotechnology to help empower women scientists.

Professor Caroline Thoruwa, the Chairperson of African Women in Science and Engineering said additional funding could help enhance the participation of women in science whose number is currently small.

"Additional funding will help empower women's participation in modern science especially Genetically Modified Organization that is the current innovation in agriculture," she said in an inaugural women in biosciences forum in Nairobi.

Thoruwa called on the government to increase awareness on biotechnology by reaching women in all parts of the country.

"It is time to tell the public about the positive side of biotechnology. We need to raise up the status of women in biotechnology and also encourage women to network in order to achieve the noble goal of sharing their science," she said.

Felister Makini, the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization Deputy Director General urged the government to make farming easier to women by providing them with modern tools such as biotechnology.

"Biotechnology can help African women since they form majority of farmers and suffer most during drought and food shortages," she noted.

Makini said that drought and perennial hunger should be a thing of the past since the technology that could be of great help exists.

Margaret Karembu, Director, The International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications AfriCenter hailed Kenya's intention to revive the textile industry by introducing disease resistant and drought tolerant Bt cotton.

"Despite demonstrated will and long history of safe use, conflicting messages between different ministries and regulatory agencies were hampering progress in delivering the technology to farmers," Karembu said.

She called on women scientists to intensify engagement with government and help clarify long-standing misconceptions on the technology.
A MiG-31 is seen at the first Moscow air show in September, 1992. (Xinhua/Guo Jianguo)

MOSCOW, April 26 (Xinhua) -- A MiG-31 aircraft crashed on Wednesday in the Republic of Buryatia in southern Russia during a regular training flight. The two pilots are alive after being ejected, according to a statement by the Russian Defense Ministry.

The jet, which belongs to Russia's Eastern Military District, fell in a secluded area at around 0905 GMT, according to the statement.

Both pilots were ejected from the plane without any threat to their lives. The ministry did not disclose the cause of the incident.

MiG-31 is a supersonic interceptor developed by the Mikoyan design bureau. It is one of Russia's major warplanes.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-27 04:08:45|Editor: yan

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TEHRAN, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Four of Iranian presidential hopefuls on Wednesday voiced for the immediate and earnest plans to encounter economic challenges facing the country.

According to Press TV, Mostafa Aqa-Mirsalim, who is currently a member of the Expediency Council and former advisor to the presidents, said Wednesday that economic issues were his top priority and underscored the need for focusing on resilient economy.

Mirsalin, as one of the conservative candidates who are also referred to as the principalists, said that Iran needed to rely on an economy which is not dependent on oil revenues.

"We will make efforts to facilitate the country's economic growth in practice. The growth we see now is made from the oil sale, which I do not agree with it at all," he was quoted as saying.

He also said that creating jobs was necessary, however he stressed that curbing economic stagnation in the short run was an urgent matter.

On Wednesday, Eshaq Jahangiri, the first vice president, said that the current Iranian administration had taken big steps towards improving conditions in the country by relying on national capacities, and said further measures needed to be taken to that effect.

The reformist candidate, also pointed to the 2015 landmark nuclear agreement between Iran and six major world powers and said the deal had opened new opportunities for economic development.

Jahangiri, also described unemployment as a major challenge in the country, describing domestic production and investment in the economic sector as the only way to create jobs in the country.

He said that the banking system and foreign resources could be employed to boost investment in the country.

Earlier, Tehran's Mayor Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, also underlined the need for relying on domestic capabilities to develop the country's economy.

Qalibaf said Iran enjoys great economic resources and capacities, citing the country's ranking in terms of oil and gas reserves.

The principalist hopeful also blamed President Hassan Rouhani's administration for what he described the mismanagement for unemployment, stagnation and high cost of living in the country.

On Wednesday, Ebrahim Raisi, the other principalist candidate, voiced the support for the poor people and complained about unfavorable economic condition of the most people of the country.

He said that by relying on the potentials of the people and adhering to the principles outlined by the Supreme Leader for the resilient economy, he would be able to tackle the urgent issues in the country, namely the economic issues particularly unemployment.

The former judiciary official and current custodian of the Shiite Imam Reza shrine in northeastern city of Mashhad, also pledged to earnestly confront the corruption in administrative level.

Reportedly, Iran's unemployment rate was estimated to amount to 11.29 percent of the total labor force in 2016.

On Tuesday, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei urged the presidential hopefuls to rely on the domestic potentials in their programs for economic development, state IRIB TV reported.

"Give words to the people that you won't look beyond the borders to solve the (economic) problems," Khamenei said in a meeting with some of the Iranian political and military officials.

Khamenei said that he is asking the presidential candidates to "promise in their campaigns that for the progress of country, for economic development, they would not rely on the other side of the borders, but on the nation."

He also called on the nation for a high turnout in the upcoming presidential election to disappoint the "enemies of the country."

Last week, Guardian Council of Constitution, Iran's high legislative body, released the names of six candidates for the upcoming presidential election.

The approved candidates include incumbent President Hassan Rouhani, Tehran Mayor Mohammed Baqer Qalibaf, Imam Reza Ebrahim Raisi, the custodian and chairman of the Shrine of Shiite Imam Reza, the first Vice President Eshaq Jahangiri, Mostafa Mirsalim, former adviser to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as president, and former vice president Mostafa Hashemitaba.

The qualified candidates started their election campaigns on early hours of Friday, which will continue until 8 a.m. May 18 local time. Iran's presidential election is slated for May 19.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-27 05:09:02|Editor: yan

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DAMASCUS, April 26 (Xinhua) -- The Turkish shelling renewed on Wednesday on the Kurdish fighters' positions in Syria's northeastern province of Hasakah, pro-government al-Watan online newspaper reported.

The Turkish artillery shelling targeted the Kurdish positions in the Dirbasiyeh area, amid clashes between both sides, said the report.

Information indicates that the Kurdish fighters of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) withdrew parts of its forces from the wide-scale military campaign against the Islamic State (IS) group's stronghold in Raqqa, in anticipation to any Turkish escalation on the borders, said the report.

Meanwhile, activists said intense battles are taking place between the Kurdish People Protection Units (YPG) and the Turkish army, during an attempt of ground intrusion by the Turkish forces in northern Syria.

A day earlier, Turkish airstrikes and missile attacks targeted positions of the Kurdish fighters on areas on the Syrian-Iraqi borders, killing 50 on both sides of the borders.

The United States expressed concern over the attack, saying Turkey didn't coordinate with the U.S.-led anti-terror coalition.

Meanwhile, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reportedly said that the attacks in Iraq and Syria will not stop until the elimination of the last "terrorist."

Turkey has for long been against any growing influence of the Syrian Kurds in northern Syria, near the Turkish borders.

It repeatedly stressed that it will not allow the Kurds of having a rule in that area.

The Syrian Foreign Ministry condemned on Wednesday the Turkish airstrikes, warning the Turkish government of undermining Syria's sovereignty.

The ministry said the Turkish airstrikes caused the killing of tens of civilians.

"This aggression runs against the international law and the UN Charters," the ministry said, calling on the international community and the UN to condemn this attack and the "pro-terrorism policies of the Turkish government."
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-27 05:24:06|Editor: yan

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ALGIERS, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Algerian Minister of Maghreb Affairs, African Union and Arab League Abdelkader Massahel met here on Wednesday with UN Envoy to Libya Martin Kobler in discussion of peace process in war-torn Libya.

"There's a desire among Libyan ordinary citizens and political leaders to achieve peace," Messahel told reporters following his meeting with the Kobler, who is also Head of the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL).

"Libyan warrant parties detain the solution in their hands, and our role is to support and assist them without the need to interfere in their internal affairs," he noted.

Furthermore, Messahel welcomed the return of UNSMIL mission to Tripoli after more than two years absence due to chaos reining there.

For his part, Kobler hailed Algeria's "efforts in terms of supporting the process of the implementation of UN-sponsored peace agreement in Libya."

He admitted that deadlock due to some articles of the Libyan political agreement should be reviewed or changed to boost the peace process.

Kobler arrived in Algeria on Wednesday as part of a work visit to continue consultation between Algeria and the United Nations on the Libyan crisis, amid recent developments in this nation and assessing the progress of the implementation of the Libyan political accord of December 17, 2015.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-27 05:44:10|Editor: yan

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ROME, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni held a meeting over carrier Alitalia Wednesday with cabinet ministers in bid to save the largest airlines in the country.

Transport Minister Graziano Delrio, Labor Minister Giuliano Poletti and Industry Minister Carlo Calenda attended the meeting, according to Ansa news agency.

The government is looking for options to keep the troubled carrier operating after workers rejected a business plan featuring redundancies and wage cuts. But Gentiloni ruled out the possibility that the government could retake control of Alitalia.

The former flag-carrier is set to be put in administration under government-appointed commissioners after the agreement the management reached with unions featuring redundancies and pay cuts was voted down by the staff.

"I said it before and I say it now too -- the conditions do not exist to nationalize Alitalia," Gentiloni said after visiting the Rummo pasta plant in the southern city of Benevento.

"Nevertheless, the government feels committed to defending workers, users, taxpayers and citizens so that the company's assets and resources are not wasted.

"We'll work, although the outcome of the worker vote makes the challenge even more difficult," he said.

Gentiloni also said he was disappointed Alitalia workers had rejected the plan and admitted he was worried about the company's future.

"I cannot silence the concern about what is happening to Alitalia," he said. "It is necessary to be on the market to compete. I am disappointed that the opportunity of the agreement between the company and the unions was not accepted," he added.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-27 06:09:15|Editor: yan

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RABAT, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Morocco's parliament voted on Wednesday in favor of the new cabinet and government program.

208 law makers belonging to the coalition government voted in favor, while 91 from two opposition parties voted against. Another 40 lawmakers from the nationalist Istiqlal Party abstained.

The Moroccan government vowed to reach an average economic growth between 4.5 and 5.5 percent a year during its 2016-2021 mandate, the newly appointed Prime Minister Saadeddine Othmani said while presenting his government's program at the parliament last week.

The program pledged to cut the government's budget deficit to three percent of GDP by 2021 and reduce unemployment rate from around 9.4 percent to 8.5 percent.

Othmani stressed that the government aims to ensure sustainable economic model and improve the business environment to join the top 50 countries in the World Bank's "Doing Business" report.

He also insisted that the government will raise cooking gas and sugar subsidies after the previous government removed subsidies on gasoline, diesel and industrial fuel.

After being approved, Othmani's government is expected to hold its first meeting on Thursday, with the 2017 budget bill on the top agenda of it.

The bill should have been approved by parliament last year, but it was not put for vote due to the six-month-long political deadlock.
Police must return excavator

Persad claimed the excavator was valued at an estimated $650,000 and he earned $3,000 a day from renting it out.

His claim for damages for loss of income will be determined when the matter comes up before Justice Frank Seepersad again on May 15 in the Port-of-Spain High Court.

Persad is being represented by attorney Gerald Ramdeen while attorneys Kendra Mark and Tamara Toolsie appeared for the Attorney General. In his ruling yesterday, Seepersad said the detention of the excavator had exceeded 13 months and no justifiable reason had been given for its continued detention by the police.
Father of three charged with car stealing

The charge was laid indictably and Noel was not called upon to enter a plea.

It is alleged that he stole the vehicle near the Gulf View area in La Romaine. Attorney Frank Gittens said his client is a self-employed mechanic. The attorney said Noel is the father of three girls aged two, six and 13 years.

Noel is also the sole breadwinner of his family. The court also heard that Noel has a larceny charge and a charge of attempted murder pending.

Court prosecutor Cleyon Seedan in objecting to bail, said Noel committed the alleged offence while out on bail for other unrelated charges. Attorney Gittens alleged his client was beaten by police officers and was not taken for medical attention. However, prosecutor Seedan said this allegation was false and Noel injured himself while lifting heavy machinery.

The magistrate ordered that Noel be medically examined.

She adjourned the case to May 5.
Hyatts Sunday brunch RETURNS

The Hyatt Waterfront restaurant was closed due to renovations, which are nearing completion.

Management decided to re-open for business and resume the brunch service.

Hyatts Marketing Communications manager, Neemah Persad Celestine said: We have a newly renovated restaurant with a totally different look and feel. We are offering a lot more items with additional local flavours. A Kids Corner with a variety of sweet treats and toppings for children of all ages has been introduced, she said, with choices of marshmallows, berry compote, M&Ms, wafers, oreo bits, gummy bears, chocolate sauce/vanilla sauce and dulce de leche ice cream. We have also introduced our Sparkling Brunch option. This gives you brunch as well as over six different types of sparkling and non-sparkling wines to choose from, said Celestine Venue manager Dessi-Ann Williams Alexis, supervisor Wendell Lakhan, and assistant Food & Beverage director Bryan Hudson welcomed guests to the brunch.

The meal started with a tasty fish broth, followed by a wide range of salads and dressings. There was also a cold cuts and cheese station.

The carving stations, one serving slow roasted lamb leg with mint jelly, and a stir-fry station with chicken and vegetables, egg noodle, onion, mixed peppers, carrot, cabbage, dried mushrooms, bean sprouts and tofu oyster sauce were also quite enticing.

At the omelette station patrons had a choice of ingredients such as mushrooms, cheese, ham, turkey, peppers, spinach, onions, tomatoes and bacon, while at the pancakes and waffles area, they were able to add a choice of whipped cream, maple syrup, shaved chocolate, fresh berries, chocolate syrup, fresh bananas and icing sugar.

One of the biggest culinary delights, especially for the meat lovers, came from the sumptuous main course that comprised sundried tomato and green pea rice, roasted baby potato and spinach, Trinidadian corn pie, steamed vegetables with mushrooms and cherry tomatoes, steamed fish in okro, creole sauce, Cajun roasted chicken and grilled flank steak, in red wine and balsamic reduction.

Among the dessert items were apple mousse, raspberry gateaux, peach baked yogurt, New York cheesecake, and strawberry chloral petite gateaux.

The culinary team was led by executive chef Fernando Franco and included sous chef Avanelle James, executive sous chef Tony Rattigan, sous chef Kirk Seegobin and junior chef Shinelle Alexander.

Celestine told Newsday: Every week our chefs create new menus with local specialties, live carving and cooking stations highlighting different international cuisine, and all our amazing desserts are exclusively made in-house by our talented pastry team.
Replacement barges maiden voyage today

As of now, I am unable to confirm a time as we will decide that on Wednesday morning once all systems go in place but what I can assure is that it would be making the trip on Wednesday, Grant said.

The Trinity Transporter is one of two vessels sourced by Government to replace the Galicia which sailed from Trinidad for Spain last Friday.

On Sunday evening, the other cargo vessel Atlantic Provider made its maiden voyage to Tobago docking at the Scarborough Port at 7 pm after taking seven hours to get to Tobago from Trinidad, with nine vehicles on board.

Grant indicated that the Atlantic Providers voyage on Sunday was also a test run and its for this reason, there was only nine vehicles on board. Grant said he is satisfied with the capacity of the berthing facility to accommodate the Atlantic Provider. According to Grant, a schedule of the Atlantic Providers operations would be made available to the business community by today adding that the vessel will sail daily on the sea bridge. The schedule for the Trinity Transporter is expected to be made public shortly.

The two vessels will service the sea bridge while Government undertakes the task of sourcing a permanent vessel as Minister Works and Transport Rohan Sinanan indicated that tenders have closed for a new vessel and the Port Authority board will go through the applications today to determine the best options going forward.
Corned beef ban lifted

Brazils Minister of Agriculture Blairo Maggi, in a letter to Minister of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries Clarence Rambharat, said no meat product from any of the processing plants under investigation by Brazilian authorities, had been exported to TT.

The release said Rambharat would continue to monitor the situation through regular updates from TTs ambassador to Brazil Dr Amery Browne, who was due to meet yesterday with Brazilian government officials there.

In his letter, Maggi reiterated that the Brazilian government had rigorous audit and risk-assessment protocols for the inspection and food quality of meat products.

The release said the local ministry also considered the advice of Chief Medical Officer Dr Roshan Parasram, which was based on the results of tests done by the Chemistry, Food and Drug Division on samples of corned beef imported from Brazil before the March 21 ban.

Parasram reported that the tests revealed that these samples were safe and that the product standards were in keeping with international accepted criteria for food safety. Furthermore, samples of corned beef were visually examined and no visible signs of damaged or rusted cans observed. He also said the labels complied with requirements. The Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries has told the Ministry of Health to discontinue the recall of Brazilian meat products imported before March 21. Importers, supermarkets and other wholesale and retail outlets are now once more allowed to sell them.
DNA bank, a game changer

Speaking at the launch of the Safety, Security and Sustainability (SSS) Expo and conference in Chaguanas, the Minister noted government remains concerned with the murder rate and has embarked on several strategies .

We have hired a DNA custodian and he is setting up the management structure right now. We are engaging a provider to treat with the DNA data bank. That again will be a game changer in so far as using the DNA result in increasing the detection rate, Dillon said. The minister added that Government is not comfortable with the detection rate figure and the DNA bank is part of an initiative to improve the rate .

The commissioner of police, supported by the strategic services agencies, is strengthening the detection rate through training and development of police officers .

There are a number of initiatives taking place to treat with crime and criminality. It is not just a one stop shop. It is a number of initiatives both in the legislative framework and from the operational side, Dillon assured .

The minister added that the Attorney General has a suite of legislation in terms of the rehabilitation pillar, which focuses on the prison system. The launch of the SSS expo and conference was held yesterday at Passage to Asia Restaurant at Yves Street, Chaguanas. It is a collaboration between the Chaguanas Chamber of Industry and Commerce (CCIC) and the Ministry. The initiative, which is free to members of the public, takes place from June 22 to 24 at the Outdoor Facility Divali Nagar, Chaguanas .

Speaking also at the launch was ACP Mobile Deodath Dulalchan who told the gathering that policing is not just the police business and added he welcomes the initiative. He called on the public to do their part in the fight against crime and noted that from 2008 to 2016, the country witnessed the lowest number of road fatalities .

In 2008, we had 264 road fatalities and 2016, 135. That is almost 48 percent decrease, he said. In terms of serious crimes, under which homicide fall, since 2009 to last year, the amount of serious crime was almost half .
25 killers can still hang

The AG made this disclosure in the Senate as he responded to a question on the implementation of the death penalty.

Al-Rawi said that of the 37 people, 29 of them have had consideration by the last government. Of those 29, six of them were met with a contingent of appeals at the Privy Council just at the five-year marker with the then track having to run on the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, he said.

Reiterating that the appellate process remains the stumbling block in the implementation of the death penalty in TT, Al-Rawi said this is why the Government has implemented a tracking mechanism for every single file, for every single person who stands convicted to hang in accordance with the laws of TT.

He said recently eight people were sentenced to death and that eight are included in the 37.

Al-Rawi said through the tracking mechanism, which is done daily, 25 persons in total are being tracked for the implementation of the law. He said this is being done so that the State ensures that every step that it has within its power to comply with the States input into the appellate process is preserved and is in fact accomplished. He said in those circumstances we expect to carry out the death penalty as soon as is lawfully possible.

Responding to questions from Opposition Senator Gerald Ramdeen, Al-Rawi said 12 people have had their sentences commuted to life imprisonment by operation of the rule in Pratt and Morgan. He explained that the remaining 25 have not been considered to be the beneficiaries of the rule in Pratt and Morgan and therefore have not yet crossed the bar of being in cruel and unusual punishment.

After indicating the 12 people are still on Death Row, Al-Rawi said, The listing and labelling of persons on Death Row is not consonant as to whether the execution is going to be carried out.

He said Ramdeens questions reflected a fundamental ignorance of the law. He added, The attempt to twist logic into reality is simply lost.
Khan: Oil spill being contained

Speaking in the Senate, Khan said most of the oil was contained in the refinery but some escaped into the marine environment. He said five people were treated at the Augustus Long Hospital in Pointe-a-Pierre for minor nausea as a result of the spill.

The biggest risk now is the marine environment and we are containing the spill, we are trying to protect the mangrove, Khan said.

Noting a picture of an oilsoaked pelican in the newspapers yesterday, Khan said, There will be an investigation as to why the tank failed. In a subsequent statement, the ministry said, The amount of oil that spilled has been estimated to be 300 barrels. The ministry said mechanisms adopted by Petrotrin to date include the use of containment booms to prevent additional oil from escaping the port area, corralling booms, vessels and a barge to herd oil and transfer it to the barge, and the use of vessels to break up oil and sheen. Slickgone NS, as approved by the ministry, is being used to address the oil spill.

The ministry also said thee National Oil Spill Contingency Plan has been activated to Tier 2 and the Environmental Management Authority is monitoring the operations.

Pointe-a-Pierre MP David Lee has called for an investigation into the spill.
Hinds promises water relief

He added that WASA is, increasing production at its Caroni and Hollis water treatment plants and Hillsborough water treatment plant in Tobago by approximately 11.3 million gallons daily. In this context, Hinds said, WASA will be taking steps to re-distribute available supplies to meet demands to customers all over TT, including Penal and the area referred to by my friend. Saying this was part of Governments strategy to ensure a more equitable and sustainable water supply to all communities in the country, Hinds said, It is expected there will be an impact on service within the next three or four days in these areas.

Hinds also said WASA will be issuing its list of revised water schedules this week and citizens are advised to institute water conservation measures, for the remainder of the dry season. Senate President Christine Kangaloo subsequently approved a request by Opposition Senator Gerald Ramdeen to debate the water shortage in certain communities in TT as a matter on the adjournment of the Senate.
Govt to probe child living with official

Young gave the confirmation in the Senate without naming the official or referring to the specific allegation. He said a report is currently before Cabinet regarding the establishment of an investigations committee to look into this matter.

The minister said the authority has been alerted to the fact that an investigation is going to be conducted into this area. Against this background, he said, One would be very surprised if in light of that anybody goes and repeats what may or may not have happened. The minister said there is no information about similar instances taking place at this time.

To ensure the authority follows proper procedures and protocols, Young said, The authority is governed by all the existing laws which aim to ensure the accountability of State agencies. He said the authoritys board of directors has a document which outlines its relationship with the Gender and Child Affairs Division of the OPM.

That document requires the authority to provide the OPM with monthly reports on the authoritys financial disbursements, the roster of the names of children and their ages who qualify for monthly upkeep, and financial contributions received from external bodies or institutions, he said.

Earlier in the sitting, Social Development Minister Cherrie- Ann Crichlow-Cockburn outlined efforts by her ministry to assist families in Claxton Bay and Malick who lost their homes through fire.

She also said a draft national parenting policy will be released in May and will be implemented in fiscal 2017.
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From 5G to smartphones to digital health applications, Nokia (News - Alert) is leading the way in next generation communications. Yesterday, the company announced that it is taking on yet another form of tech: virtual reality (VR). On the surface, the idea of a powerhouse like Nokia delving deeper into VR is already an exciting prospect. However, Nokia is taking the VR experience out of this world by partnering with Lucasfilm to deliver an immersive behind-the-scenes VR experience for Star Wars: The Last Jedi.





For any Star Wars fan, this unlocks a world of possibility that, quite frankly, is a dream come true. The multi-year agreement between Nokia and The Walt Disney (News - Alert) Studios is designed to support the creation of VR experiences to complement Disneys theatrical releasesso it sounds like were going to be seeing a lot more of these experiences in the future.

Now that the two companies have teamed up, Nokia will be providing its OZO VR camera and software solutions to give Disney marketers and filmmakers the tools they need to create an immersive, transformative VR experience full of lightsabers and droids.

We're thrilled to partner with Lucasfilm and Disney to bring the magic of immersive VR storytelling to one of the most exciting and anticipated movie experiences of all time, said Brad Rodrigues, interim president of Nokia Technologies. OZO will enable Star Wars fans around the world to be transported into the incredible worlds depicted in the story, and truly feel the power of The Force together.

This isnt the first time Disney has used VR to promote its moviesPetes Dragon, Alice Through the Looking Glass and The Jungle Book all had similar experiences. However, none of those movies were as highly anticipated as Star Wars, which means that this VR experience may actually find promotional success.

Brian Miller, Senior Vice President, Franchise Creative & Strategy at Lucasfilm, discussed the motivation behind this partnership, saying, We want nothing more than to share the Star Wars universe with fans around the world, and fans tell us they love to have the opportunity to learn more about the process of filmmakingUtilizing the Nokia OZO to capture our behind-the-scenes material allows viewers to be transported to fantastical locations and virtually visit the incredible sets where their favorite Star Wars scenes were captured.

It looks like fans will finally be able to visit their favorite galaxy far, far away.

Edited by Maurice Nagle
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Nokia (News - Alert) is well known for its advances on the 5G and next generation communications fronts. However, the company has also expanded its horizons to include endeavors such as digital health apps, VR and, most recently, TV viewing experiences. Nokia announced yesterday that it has partnered with Kaltura, a video technology provider, to provide next generation TV viewing experiences.





Kalturas TV Platform is known for providing a flexible solution that helps content and service providers launch an OTT TV service quickly and cost-effectively. Combined with Nokias IP video delivery and storage platforms, in addition to a deep systems integration practice, the partnership should be able to create a more personalized and monetized viewing experience for customers worldwide.

That personalized and monetized viewing experience is exactly what the industry needs at the moment. Today's TV landscape is constantly evolving into a personal experience for each and every user on their preferred devices, stated Paul Larbey, Head of Nokia's IP Video Business Division. Joining forces with Kaltura allows us to ensure that our customers keep pace, and enjoy new revenue streams from advanced OTT services.

Together, Nokia and Kaltura will be offering a comprehensive and modular solution that will enable customers to benefit from Nokias Velocix (News - Alert) product family, along with several other experiences and capabilities that will be made possible through Kalturas TV Platform. By utilizing Kaltura, Nokia will be able to meet its business goals better while simultaneously providing a personalized experience to its own consumers. Meanwhile, Kaltura will integrate Nokia's IP Video products and use Nokia's systems integration experience to further enhance its customers solutions.

This partnership has resulted in some of the industrys most advanced technology and capabilities to date, including Cloud DVR, CDN, flexible monetization models, social media integration and more.

According to both companies, the next generation of TV viewing experiences is going to be revolutionary. Media companies, content owners, operators and service providers are all delving into the OTT TV world, looking to reach their audiences and keep their attention, said Ron Yekutiel, Kaltura Co-founder, Chairman and CEO. Key considerations for any current TV offering include monetization flexibility, excellent cross-device user experiences, and the ability to scale quickly and cost effectively  Kaltura's TV platform addresses exactly these main elements, which is even further enhanced by the great products and impeccable services provided by Nokia.

Edited by Maurice Nagle
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With close to 150 million subscribers and a penetration rate of 107 percent, Nigeria has Africa's largest mobile market. This has created an extraordinary demand for bandwidth, which is straining existing infrastructures to the limit, resulting in network congestion and poor quality of services. Telecom regulators are addressing the issues by imposing fines and sanctions to improve their infrastructure, which has resulted in operators making sizeable investments in Nigeria. After making such an investment, Bharti Airtel announced it is rolling out 4G in the country, which will give customers in Nigeria access to next generation communications services.





The 4G rollout comes after Airtel became the first operator in Nigeria to successfully hold 4G trials in 2012, which was carried out along with a strategic partnership with ZTE (News - Alert) and the expertise the Chinese multinational company provides in telecommunications equipment/systems, mobile Internet hardware and related solutions.

The launch in 2017 of the 4G network is part of Nigeria's initiative to have the latest mobile technology infrastructure and services. The open environment the country has established is responsible for one of the most populated markets of mobile vendors in the world, with at least 15 operators offering services, including Bharti Airtel, MTN (News - Alert) Nigeria, Glo Mobile, Etisalat Nigeria, Vodacom and others.

As reported by the Guardian, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Airtel (News - Alert) Nigeria, Segun Ogunsanya, said, This is a new dawn for mobile Internet in Nigeria. Airtel and ZTEs collaboration to roll out 4G service pan Nigeria will dramatically improve mobile Internet experience for telecoms consumers across the country.

When it is fully operational, Airtel will use its 4G LTE (News - Alert) network to provide next generation communications services for consumers and businesses. Customers will have access to faster speed, reliable mobile broadband Internet to connect their mobile devices, including smartphones, tablets and laptops as well as Internet of Things (IoT) deployments and other connected technologies.

The Airtel 4G LTE is going to give Nigerians next generation communications services. This includes

access to rich multimedia applications such as movies, HD videos, e-learning, HD content and more. It will provide multiple downloads of large files, faster uplink and downlink speeds, seamless online streaming with zero buffering, access to business applications that require higher speeds and last mile connectivity, face-2-face video chat and more.

For Bharti Airtel (News - Alert), Nigeria represents one of the most lucrative markets in Africa. The company has presence across 20 countries across Asia and Africa, which is headquartered in New Delhi, India. Airtel is now the third largest mobile service provider in terms of subscription, which is fast approaching the 400 million mark.

Edited by Alicia Young
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Catalonia security forces, Mossos dEsquadra, announced Tuesday the arrest of nine terrorists including eight Moroccan nationals in the province of Barcelona in a large counter-terrorism operation expanded to the kingdom of Morocco.

The terrorists, all men, were arrested thanks to the collaboration with citizens who helped investigators identify the men operating in different locations of the province, the Catalonia police noted.

Aged between 30 and 40, the men were nabbed in cooperation with the Belgian police, which suspect them of connection with a terror organization and criminal activities.

Belgian authorities have been able to establish links between some of the men and terrorists arrested in connection with the terror bomb attacks against Brussels Zaventem airport and metro station last year. Daech claimed responsibility of the attacks, which killed 32 people.

It took 8 months to establish the connections, the Mossos dEsquadra told media.

Police conducted raids in 11 different places in the province to arrest the men and recovered documents, electronical appliances, money, computers, weapons and drugs of different types, according to press reports.

The investigations have been expanded to Morocco. Currently, the Catalonian police and the national police are helping their Moroccan counterparts to conduct searches in different residences in Morocco belonging to the arrested individuals, Catalonian security authorities said.
As it heeds straight towards the depletion of its oil-money coffers, Algeria imposed austerity measures, cutting subsidies and introducing taxes, while maintaining lavish spending on armament unchanged.

Algeria spent $1.686 billion on defense that is a 0.4% increase compared to last year, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (Sipri) said in its latest report on global military expenditures.

Last July, Algeria received 67 T-90 tanks from its traditional arms supplier, Russia, a purchase that many observers see as a response to the Moroccan order of 200 US Abrams tanks.

This new Russian arms delivery shows that Algerian military focuses on ground forces as it continues to maintain large pools of armored systems.

Another major deal was struck between Algeria and Russia in 2015 to buy 12 Su-32 jets as well as Mi-28NE attack helicopters and Il-76MD-90A transportation aircraft. The cost of the contract was about $500 to $600 million.

The Algerian navy is also modernizing and buying war vessels from China. It has already received one C28A furtive corvette equipped with Thales Smart-S Mk2 3D air and surface surveillance radar and Kelvin Hughes for the navigation radar.

Two other Chinese-made C28A corvettes are expected to be delivered to Algeria in the few coming months under a contract signed in 2012.

Algeria remains the first importer of arms in Africa, followed by Morocco. Algerias arms purchases account for 30% of the volume of purchases in Africa in 2015, while Moroccos account for 26%.

Many analysts are scratching their heads and wondering why Algerian army needs all these multi-billion US dollar high-tech weaponry, while the countrys economic hardships are going from bad to worse due to falling oil prices amid growing social woes.

As Algeria continues to spend generously on armament, macro-economic indicators show that such spending spree is unsustainable on the short-term. The Central Bank said in its latest statistics that the countrys foreign reserves have dwindled to $109 billion by the end of February, down from $194 billion in 2013.
On the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the release of the movie Casablanca which marks the struggle against fascism, the heroic acts of Sultan Mohammed V of Morocco in protection of the Moroccan Jewish community against anti-Semitic measures imposed by the French Vichy government were highlighted by the Los Angeles Times.

In an op-ed in the Los Angeles Times, Richard Hurowitz sheds light on the multiple facets of the magnanimity of Mohammed V, the then Sultan of Morocco, who defied the anti-Semitic orders of the Nazi collaborationist Vichy government to persecute the Jews.

The location of the film was no accident: Casablanca was a haven for those fleeing for their lives. And it was also the scene of a much greater  and real life  act of heroism, one far too little known or recognized: the protection of the Jews of Morocco by the young Sultan Mohammed V. At a time when anti-Semitism and Islamophobia are on the rise globally, we should honor this overlooked but remarkable example of enlightened leadership, Richard Hurowitz wrote.

Despite the precarious political and economic conditions imposed by French colonialism on the North African Kingdom, Sultan Mohammed V defended the Jews in their quality as fully-fledged Moroccan citizens, said the author, noting that the title of the King as Commander of the Faithful puts Jews and Muslims on an equal footing as subjects of his majesty.

Mohammed V took seriously his role as Commander of the Faithful, which he viewed to include all people of the book, meaning everyone belonging to the Abrahamic faiths, Hurowitz explained.

The Sultans lofty stands against the persecution of the Jews was documented in French archives, said Hurowitz. I absolutely do not approve of the new anti-Semitic laws and I refuse to associate myself with a measure I disagree with, the Sultan told the French officials.

I reiterate as I did in the past that the Jews are under my protection and I reject any distinction that should be made amongst my people, the Sultan made it clear.

Richard Hurowitz is the publisher of the Octavian Report, a magazine about finance, foreign policy, politics and culture. Until its sale in 2013, he led the investment fund Octavian Advisors, which he founded in 2006.
The UN Security Council Tuesday asked the Polisario separatist front to pull out immediately its forces from the Guerguarat buffer zone, in the southernmost tip of the Sahara, after it ignored another call by the UN Chief earlier this month, le360.ma portal reports citing a UN source.

There was near-unanimity at the Security Council to demand the immediate and unconditional withdrawal of Polisario forces from the Guerguarat area, the source said.

The fifteen members of the Security Council, which were holding in-camera consultations on the Sahara issue, have largely stressed the need for the Polisario to respond to the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterress call for immediate and unconditional withdrawal of the Guerguerat buffer zone, the source added.

The UN Chief in February called on Morocco and the separatist movement to pull out from the demilitarized buffer strip. King Mohammed VI, in his quality as supreme commander of the Royal armed forces, ordered the unilateral withdrawal of Moroccan troops from Guerguarat, but the Polisario scorned the call.

Antonio Guterres earlier this month reiterated his call on the Polisario to immediately withdraw from the buffer strip.

Guterres, in his report to the UN Security Council members on the Sahara, expressed deep concern regarding the presence of Polisario militiamen in the buffer strip, warning that the situation may degenerate into the collapse of the cease-fire agreement signed in 1991.

He added that the violations of the Polisario, which maintains forces in the area after the withdrawal of Morocco, poses serious danger to regional security and stability.

Tension started building up in the Guerguarat region last August when Morocco launched an anti-smuggling operation that has a police character to clear the southernmost tip of the Saharan provinces of all sorts of illegal commercial activities.

Moroccan authorities also started asphalting a road to monitor better the area and bar traffickers and terrorist groups from setting up a safe haven in the buffer zone beyond Moroccos security berm on the borders with Mauritania.

The Polisario reacted to the anti-trafficking and anti-terror move by positioning its militiamen in the strip.
ABC News(WASHINGTON) -- The full Senate is set to make a "field trip" to the White House Wednesday afternoon for a security briefing on the North Korean threat.



The senators were invited at the personal invitation of President Donald Trump after Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., requested a briefing. The president is scheduled to "stop by" the briefing at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building on the White House grounds.



White House officials say the South Auditorium will be turned into a Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility, or "SCIF," and the briefing will be led by Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, Secretary of Defense James Mattis, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Joseph Dunford, and Director of National Intelligence Daniel Coats.

Using the White House grounds for a full briefing with the Senate is a rare move, but administration officials told ABC News that too much shouldn't be read into the choice of location.



Officials said that after hearing of McConnell's request, the president suggested nonchalantly that the senators should come to the White House because he's a "gracious host." Trump has cultivated a reputation in his meetings at the White House for relishing the opportunity to show off his historic digs.



Separately, the optics of inviting the full Senate to meet at the White House in advance of the president's 100-day marker are not being ignored.



Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., who along with Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., discussed the North Korea briefing during a dinner Monday evening at the White House with Trump, was asked on Capitol Hill whether the off-campus trip seemed normal.



"Its not a normal administration," McCain replied.



Graham said he expects senators will get a chance to hear the Trump administration's stance on countering North Korea's latest aggressive moves.



It's clear to me that this president will not allow North Korea to develop an [intercontinental ballistic missile] with a nuclear weapon on top to hit America," Graham told Fox News Tuesday. "And I think the senators are gonna hear that tomorrow night, and I hope the senators will understand if nothing changes, Kim Jong-un will have that capability relatively soon.

Copyright  2017, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
Dont give up, Zombie Trumpcare. Photo: Melina Mara/The Washington Post/Getty Images

Days before Republicans were forced to cancel a House vote on their plan to repeal and replace Obamacare in late March, the White House made a last-minute offer to woo the ultra-conservative House Freedom Caucus: eliminating the requirement that insurers cover essential health benefits, such as hospitalization and maternity care. The move would drive down costs for healthy people by letting them buy skimpier plans, but coverage for sick people (or pregnant women) would become wildly expensive  essentially making the laws popular protections for people with preexisting conditions meaningless.

That effort failed. Freedom Caucus members were encouraged, but still wouldnt support the American Health Care Act. Meanwhile, the proposal infuriated GOP moderates in the House and made the bill even less likely to pass in the Senate. (Mainly for ideological reasons, but also because you probably cant change those Obamacare regulations through a budget-reconciliation bill.)

It was hard to see how Republicans who thought AHCA was too hard on the poor and sick, and those who wanted it to be even crueler could ever reach a compromise. But the White House continued holding negotiations.

In early April, House Republicans said theyd made progress and might pass a revised health-care bill before heading home for Easter recess. The new compromise was said to involve scrapping the essential health benefits and allowing states to opt out of the community rating requirement, which basically says insurers cant charge people more if they think theyll need pricier coverage.

That effort failed too. There was no vote, and Republicans had to answer for their health-care stance during raucous town halls.

Now, with President Trump determined to score a legislative victory by Saturday, his 100th day in office, Republicans have signaled once again that there could be a vote on a revised GOP health-care bill any day now. I would not be the most shocked person in the building if we voted it this week out of the House, Representative Trent Franks, a Freedom Caucus member, told the Washington Post on Tuesday.

Once again, the potential compromise involves removing protections for people with preexisting conditions  but this isnt like the two times Republicans claimed they were on the verge of destroying Obamacare.

For starters, this time we have details on the GOP deal. According to the full legislative text obtained by the Hill, the amendment would allow states to apply for waivers to opt out of the Obamacares essential health benefits and its restrictions on how much more insurers can charge older people. States could also scrap the community rating, allowing insurers to charge people with preexisting conditions far more.

This would only apply to people trying to enter the individual market after a break in insurance coverage, and the states would have to participate in the Patient and State Stability Fund. The idea is that states will use that money to set up high-risk pools, but as health-law expert Tim Jost told Vox, they arent required to do so. The idea was people who fall through the cracks would have a high-risk pool, he said. What happens though if a state uses their money for reinsurance instead?

Similarly, the criteria for obtaining these waivers is very loose. The amendment says states must show doing away with the regulations would meet at least one goal on a list of criteria, including reducing premiums, increasing choice, and stabilizing the market. If the federal government fails to take action on the application within 60 days, the waiver will be automatically approved.

All of these changes satisfy the conservatives desire to deregulate the individual insurance market, and it appears the Freedom Caucus may finally be onboard. The Post reported on Tuesday night that key members Mark Meadows, Jim Jordan, and Raul Labrador have signaled that they back the plan. Former AHCA opponents David Brat and Scott DesJarlais announced that they support the measure. Its pretty much everything I was looking for in terms of concessions, DesJarlais said.

We probably had about half of the members of the Freedom Caucus in the first go-around, White House legislative affairs director Marc Short told reporters. With this amendment, Id like to think we have greater than 80 percent  we are very confident in that.

So after weeks of negotiations, most of the Freedom Caucus is willing to back the GOP health plan  but what about the moderates?

Earlier on Tuesday, Representative Charlie Dent said he remains opposed to the plan negotiated by fellow Tuesday Group co-chair Tom MacArthur. Another GOP moderate, Representative Chris Collins, said the bills passage in the House isnt really up to his group. The key to getting this across the finish line doesnt rest with the Tuesday Group, Collins said. It rests with the Freedom Caucus.

Its possible that the GOP can get their health-care plan out of the House with support from most of the Freedom Caucus and some of the Tuesday Group. But as Vox notes, the new plan does nothing to address concerns about massive coverage loss and would probably cause even more people to lose their health insurance.

At least seven GOP senators said they could not support AHCA because they were concerned that too many people would lose coverage. Republicans can still only afford to lose two votes. And a new poll found that most Americans are now against repealing and replacing Obamacare, and even more opposed to letting states opt out of certain regulations.

It seems unlikely that this version of the GOP health plan will become law, but House Republicans should keep negotiating. Maybe if they make it just a bit harder on sick people, they can get it passed by Memorial Day.
Enemy of the planet. Photo: Justin Merriman/Getty Images

Back before America was great again, energy companies would lobby the Environmental Protection Agency to prevent robust action on climate change. But in Donald Trumps America, the head of the EPA is, more or less, the managing director of Big Energys public-sector branch  and, thus, the EPA lobbies the coal industry to oppose global climate-change agreements:



A coal mining industry groups board of directors voted on Tuesday to press President Donald Trump to withdraw from the Paris climate change agreement  just one day after EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt met with the groups leadership and urged them to push the issue, two sources told Politico. Pruitt personally attended a meeting of the National Mining Associations executive committee on Monday to lay out his concerns with the Paris accord, and called for the group to publicly support pulling out, according to one source.

On Thursday, the Trump administrations senior advisers will meet to hash out their disagreements on the international climate pact. Jared Kushner and Rex Tillerson believe that the United States should not isolate itself from the entire developed world by pulling out of an agreement that has no binding emissions requirements anyway. Steve Bannon and Scott Pruitt disagree.

Even some coal companies have expressed openness to remaining in the agreement during meetings with White House staff. Which may be why Pruitt felt compelled to give NMAs board his two cents. After all, if you cant even get the coal industry to support your bid to destroy humanitys last, best hope to save the planet, what kind of dystopic caricature of a corrupt environmental regulator are you?
Sessionss (and Trumps) saber-rattling undermined the position of Sessionss lawyers, who defended the spanking of sanctuary cities as merely rhetorical. Photo: Mark Wilson/Getty Images

Another West Coast federal judge has delivered another legal setback to the Trump administration, as San Franciscobased district court judge William Orrick granted two California counties a temporary restraining order against enforcement of a presidential executive order in January that sought to deny federal funds to sanctuary cities (or counties, or states) state or local jurisdictions that refuse to lend a hand to federal immigration authorities in apprehending undocumented immigrants. (Incidentally, a judgment along these lines was predicted weeks ago by Roger Parloff in a piece for New York.)

Litigation over the order was held in abeyance until it became the basis for a recent threatening letter and statement from Attorney General Jeff Sessions warning that law enforcement grants could soon be withheld from jurisdictions (eight received letters, including the State of California but not any California local governments) that remained defiant. Now the legal beagles have been unleashed. Whats really strange about the case is that the Justice Department claimed the executive order did not (because it could not legally) endanger grants beyond a tiny few that already made cooperation with immigration authorities a condition for receiving federal funds. Had Orrick bought that argument, he might have agreed with the government that the jurisdictions asking for the temporary restraining order had no real standing to do so and would suffer no real harm from enforcement of the executive order. But as with the earlier travel ban, the big mouths and tough talk of Team Trump thwarted the administrations legal strategy, as Orrick noted:

It is heartening that the Governments lawyers recognize that the Order cannot do more constitutionally than enforce existing law. But section 9(a) [of Trumps order], by its plain language, attempts to reach all federal grants, not just the three mentioned at the hearing. And if there was doubt about the scope of the Order, the President and the Attorney General have erased it with their public comments.

And so Orrick granted the restraining order, and now the administration really needs to make up its mind whether the executive order in question is a substance-free exercise of the bully pulpit, as the DoJ attorneys suggested in court, or the big bad weapon for vindicating respect for the law and stopping the vast crime wave it attributes (falsely) to immigrants, as Trump and Sessions have claimed publicly. Then, if they choose they can seek to get Orricks ruling overturned by that same Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals that was their legal nemesis earlier this year.

Good luck with that.
No state-ordered reductions in coverage for members of Congress or their staffs, unlike their unfortunate constituents. Photo: Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call,Inc.

As House Republicans scramble to get 218 votes to move their revised health plan (a.k.a. Zombie Trumpcare) out of the House, it seems that out of either carelessness or hypocritical avarice they have made a huge drafting mistake by trying to exempt themselves and their employees from the new system. Sarah Kliff explains:

The new Republican amendment, introduced Tuesday night, would allow states to waive out of Obamacares ban on pre-existing conditions. This means that insurers could once again, under certain circumstances, charge sick people higher premiums than healthy people.



Republican legislators liked this policy well enough to offer it in a new amendment. They do not, however, seem to like it enough to have it apply to themselves and their staff. A spokesperson for Rep. Tom MacArthur (R-N.J.) who authored this amendment confirmed this was the case: members of Congress and their staff would get the guarantee of keeping these Obamacare regulations.

It was a small issue in a large, complex legislative process, but when Obamacare was being put together Senate Republicans managed successfully to insert an amendment that forced Congress and congressional staff to give up their fine federal employee health-benefit insurance and instead seek insurance on the Obamacare exchanges. That provision took effect in 2014.

Fast-forward to this new amendment, which would allow states to waive out of key Obamacare protections like the ban on pre-existing conditions or the requirement to cover things like maternity care and mental health services.



If Congressional aides lived in a state that decided to waive these protections, the aides who were sick could be vulnerable to higher premiums than the aides that are healthy. Their benefits package could get skimpier as Obamacares essential health benefits requirement may no longer apply either.



This apparently does not sound appealing because the Republican amendment includes the members of Congress and their staff as a protected group who cannot be affected by this amendment.

So: House Republicans are not only failing to make themselves subject to the same laws as the Americans whose health-care coverage they are seeking to reduce, they are going out of their way to keep Obamacare  you know, that tyrannical and insanely expensive system they are so determined to destroy.

This is the kind of unforced error of which legislative fiascos are made. And its not like Zombie Trumpcare was doing that well even before the revelation that House Republicans considered it sauce for the taxpayer goose, but not for the congressional gander.
Shut it down. Photo: Elijah Nouvelage/Getty Images

Since I started writing about the upsurge in illiberal left-wing thought two years ago, many of the responses have dismissed the phenomenon as the antics of silly college students, or just a series of isolated incidents that keep happening over and over for some reason. In reality, these episodes are the manifestation of a serious ideological challenge to liberalism  less serious than the threat from the right, but equally necessary to defeat.

In recent days, Howard Dean argued (referring, specifically, to conservative pundit and provocateur Ann Coulter, whose speech was threatened with cancellation by Berkeley administrators) that hate speech is not protected by the First Amendment. Aaron Hanlon, a professor writing for The New Republic defended no-platforming, the left-wing tactic of shutting down public speeches by objectionable figures. An even more elaborate defense of illiberalism comes from Ulrich Baer, vice-provost for faculty, arts, humanities, and diversity at New York University, writing for the New York Times op-ed page.

The liberal ideal sees free speech as a positive-sum good, enabling an open marketplace of ideas where, in the long run, reason can prevail. (And while reason may not always carry the day, if you compare the current state of affairs to 50, or 100, or 200 years before, the liberal model looks pretty good.) Left-wing critics of liberalism instead see the free-speech rights of the oppressed and the oppressors set in zero-sum conflict, so that the expansion of one inevitably comes at the cost of the other. Baer praises recent violent protests that halted speeches by Charles Murray and Milo Yiannopoulos as, therefore, an attempt to ensure the conditions of free speech for a greater group of people, actually enhancing freedom of speech. When those views invalidate the humanity of some people, they restrict speech as a public good, he argues.

But what kinds of speech should be shut down on these grounds? Baers definition is rather vague. Some topics, such as claims that some human beings are by definition inferior to others, or illegal or unworthy of legal standing, are not open to debate because such people cannot debate them on the same terms, he writes. So Baer wants his audience to believe that his rejection of free speech amounts to no more than preventing a handful of racist cranks from expressing highly noxious views on a handful of especially sensitive topics.

But which topics would qualify? In recent years, liberals have found race or gender buried within a wide and expanding array of subjects. Indeed, one increasingly popular formulation holds that identity issues cannot be abstracted from politics at all, since all politics is identity politics. That goes a bit farther than Id put it  I propose that one could discuss the relative merits of a carbon tax versus cap-and-trade without addressing identity questions  but the point stands that the sensitive identity issues exception to the free-speech principle is a loophole with the capacity to swallow up the entire rule.

It is likewise highly doubtful that the need for repression would be limited to the right-wing fringe. A racist like Milo Yiannopoulos might seem like an easy case. Charles Murray is a harder case. Murray was targeted by protesters because of his work two decades before defending scientific racism in The Bell Curve (a work Ive never read except in abridged form, and which has been persuasively, to me, demolished by scholars). But the speech he attempted to deliver at Middlebury College before being shut down by a mob was not on that topic. Indeed, when some scholars distributed a copy of Murrays speech to 70 college professors, omitting the name of the author, they deemed it quite moderate. Even assuming his Bell Curve work does not merit free-speech rights, should that subject any future speeches of his to suppression?

Nearly all American politicians in both major parties support some limits on legal immigration, and some measures to enforce those laws. Virtually all of them define some human beings as unworthy of legal standing  a position Baer insists does not deserve to be defended in public at all. Perfectly cogent arguments can and have been made that, say, Hillary Clinton advocates systemically racist policies or that Bernie Sanders encourages sexism. The ability to associate disagreeable ideas with the oppressor, and to quash free speech or other political rights in the name of justice for the oppressed, is a power without any clear limiting principle. Historically, states that rule on that basis tend to push that power to its farthest possible limit.

The debate has largely centered on campus free-speech battles because academia is one of the few subcultures in American life where the left can wield hegemonic power. But the problem is ideological, not generational, and one can find signs of the phenomenon creeping out into other corners of political life. The illiberal left has used the fear of Donald Trump to goad broader elements of the progressive movement to adopt their repressive methods and slogans. The slogan shut it down! has come into fashion on the left. Protesters caused the cancellation of a Trump rally last summer, and were seen chanting shut it down! at a conservative think tank this week.

The illiberal left has brought its notion that opposing views can and should be shut down into wide circulation. It has disproportionate influence within the progressive movement, but remains, for now, a noisy minority. But noisy minorities  like the cranks and kooks of the far right who had been, 60 years ago, banished to the margins of Republican politics  have a way of developing over time into majorities, unless they meet forceful opposition.
Me first. Photo: Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images

My whole life Ive been greedy, greedy, greedy. Ive grabbed all the money I could get  Im so greedy, Donald Trump told Republican primary voters last January. But now I want to be greedy for the United States.

In a country so besotted with wealth and power that a real-estate scion serially firing his less well-born subordinates made for must-see television, this proved to be a winning pitch. With a single sentence, Trump rebranded his long history of ripping off contractors, investors, indebted single parents, and his own severely ill family members into a testament to his own ruthless efficacy. He pursued his own prosperity by any means necessary. Now, hed do the same for his country. The lines audacity gave it a ring of authenticity. It was simple, memorable, surprising  and, of course, exactly what a presidential candidate who was still greedy, greedy, greedy for himself would say.

Here are the dizzying reversals and changing policy positions of Trumps first 100 days in office.

Since Trump took office, he has provided countless demonstrations of the insatiable avarice he proudly advertised. The president has shamelessly refused to put any meaningful distance between himself and his globe-spanning business interests, while directing millions of public dollars into the coffers of his own properties, and using his bully pulpit to promote his daughters fashion line.

But all that tasteless, unprecedented, norm-shattering stuff is small potatoes. For Donald Trump, the real payday lies in simply passing a personally tailored version of the Republican Partys regressive agenda.

On Wednesday, the president unveiled his plan for reforming the corporate tax code. And the cornerstone of that proposal is a giant tax cut for corporations  and an even bigger one for businesses like his own.

The Trump Organization, like many real-estate concerns, isnt structured as a C corporation, but as a collection of pass-through enterprises  businesses that pass their income and deductions through to their owners individual returns. Thus, at present, Trump almost certainly pays the 39.6 percent top marginal rate on his earnings.

His tax plan would cut the rate for all businesses  corporations and pass-throughs alike  down to 15 percent. Currently, the top rate for corporations is 35 percent (although barely any of them actually pay that much). This would immediately blow a multi-trillion-dollar hole into the deficit  before kicking off a wave of tax avoidance thatd widen that hole into a chasm.

It would also, almost certainly, save Donald Trump tens of millions of dollars.

Granted, Trump would be far from the only beneficiary of a giant cut on pass-through entities. Most businesses in the U.S. are structured as pass-throughs, including many of the mom-and-pop small businesses that are valorized in virtually every speech uttered by American politicians. Right now, the discrepancy between the top corporate rate and the pass-through one is (statutorily) a mere 4.6 percent. If Trump slashed the corporate rate down to 15  while giving nothing to pass-throughs  the latter would raise hell on Capitol Hill. And theyd be able to lace their demand for a tax cut of their own with populist rhetoric about Washington favoring big businesses over small ones. And such complaints wouldnt be entirely mendacious!

But theyd still be mostly so: More than two-thirds of the income at pass-through companies accrues to the top one percent of earners. Seated beside those sacred mom-and-pops at the pass-through table is virtually every hedge fund in the United States (apparently, those guys are no longer getting away with murder). Whats more, most small businesses dont generate enough income to benefit from Trumps cut, anyway.

Small biz are... small. Most already face 15% or lower rates. /5 https://t.co/HYkV1rtDuo  Chye-Ching Huang (@dashching) April 26, 2017

Even if one believes that cutting taxes on Americas medium-sized businesses is good public policy, Trumps approach remains indefensible. Or, at least, its indefensible if you dont also believe that promoting tax avoidance is good policy. As Voxs Dylan Matthews explains:

The plan creates a massive loophole with which ordinary people can evade taxes. Instead of just working for Vox.com, I could form DylanCorp LLC, contract with Vox to provide writing services, and pay a 15 percent rate on DylanCorps earnings rather than my current 25 percent rate. For rich people paying a top rate of 39.6 percent (or the top individual rate of 33 percent that Trump proposed during the campaign), the incentive to do this will be even larger. A new study finds that when Kansas exempted pass-through income, the result wasnt more investment or growth but a surge in this kind of tax avoidance.

Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin claims that the tax plan will include provisions barring high-income individuals from taking advantage of this loophole. But most tax experts believe that such measures would be impossible to administer.

Trumps corporate rate cut would swell the deficit by $2 trillion over the next ten years, according to a Tax Foundation analysis. The pass-through cut would add at least $1 trillion on top of that, according to The Wall Street Journal, while the Tax Policy Center estimates that the ensuing uptick in tax avoidance alone would add $650 billion.

And thats before we even get to Trumps cuts on individual income.

Heres a quick rundown of some of the other elements of the presidents tax proposal:

The abolition of the estate tax.

The presidents family would stand to (eventually) gain billions from repealing the tax on inherited wealth. But since everyone agrees that social mobility in the United States is too high, wealth inequality is too low, and Donald Trumps kids arent nearly as rich as they deserve to be, this should be an easy sell.

The abolition of the alternative minimum tax.

To ensure that there is some limit to how much the super-rich can profit from their investments in tax (evasion) advisers, they are currently subject to an alternative minimum income tax. Eliminating that rule would (almost certainly) further swell Trumps personal bank account, as Mother Jones notes:

We dont know much about Trumps taxes, but his 2005 returns, which were obtained by MSNBC, indicate the he earned $153 million that year. Without the AMT, Trump apparently would have paid just $7 million in taxes, according to the New York Timesa tax rate less than 5 percent. But the AMT forced him to pony up an additional $31 million that year, raising his tax rate to about 25 percent. Asked at a Wednesday press briefing how eliminating the AMT would impact Trumps tax liability, Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin dodged the question and abruptly ended the briefing.

A substantial increase in the standard deduction.

This is one of the few ways that Trump plans to cut the middle class in on his heist. Right now, the standard deduction is $6,300 for individuals and $12,600 for married couples. In other words, if an individual makes $70,000, she can deduct $6,300 from that and pay taxes on just $63,700.

Trumps plan would double both of those figures.

That move may create more buy-in for the plan among voters, but it would also earn Trumps bill powerful enemies: If a taxpayer claims the standard deduction, she cant also take advantage of itemized deductions like those for mortgage interest or charitable giving. A substantial increase in the standard deduction would encourage more Americans to forgo those deductions, and, thus, to take out fewer mortgages and give less to charity  a prospect that homebuilders and nonprofits will find abhorrent.



The abolition of all taxes on corporations future foreign earnings.

Unlike the president, the House GOP has actually made some effort to offset its desire for rate cuts with revenue increases. And its signature idea for doing so is the border adjustment tax: a revision to the corporate code that would abolish all taxes on American exporters foreign profits, while increasing taxes on imports. Since the United States imports more than it exports, this adjustment would raise $1.2 trillion in new revenue over ten years  while also advancing the presidents protectionist agenda. Most other nations dont make their companies pay taxes on their overseas sales. By bucking that trend, America (arguably) puts its companies at a competitive disadvantage.

But the retail industry, and arch-conservative interest groups, dont want a new import tax. And so, Trump has decided to do the border-adjustment-tax thing  without that whole tax part. As the Journal reports:

White House officials also have agreed to propose a territorial tax system In such a system, favored by large multinational firms, U.S. corporations would pay little or no tax on future foreign earnings. The nations current worldwide tax system levies all corporate income, regardless of where it is earned. Companies get credits for paying foreign taxes and can defer U.S. taxes until they repatriate foreign profits.

A one-time tax on corporations past foreign earnings.

Right now, American companies are hoarding trillions of dollars in untaxed foreign profits, overseas. Trumps plan would offer said companies the opportunity to repatriate those profits at a discount rate. This would amount to another large corporate tax cut, but one that would provide the government with a relatively small, one-time infusion of revenue.

The abolition of Obamacares capital-gains taxes.

The Affordable Care Act levied a 3.8 percent tax on the net-investment income of the very rich, so as to finance medical care for non-affluent sick people. Freeing America from that bit of socialist tyranny was the animating goal of the GOPs crusade against Obamacare. But after discovering that giving the rich a tax break  while simultaneously condemning poor cancer patients to death  makes his partys more moderate members nervous, Trump appears resigned to just eliminating the taxes.

A child-care tax credit.

In an ill-conceived bid to court Democratic support (and/or to bolster Ivankas brand as an uplifter of women), Trumps plan includes a version of the child-care tax credit he proposed on the campaign trail.

The campaign version of Trumps proposal was structured so as to gift affluent families with a substantial discount on their live-in-nanny bills  while providing working-class ones with a mere pittance to defray the costs of day care. As Bryce Covert of Think Progress explains:

According to a new analysis by the Center for American Progress (CAP), for the typical family of four in the areas that swung most strongly in Trumps favor in the recent election  those living in Appalachia, the Midwest, and northern Plains  his plan would yield just an extra $5.55 a year to cover the cost of childcare. These families make about $68,500 a year and spend about $6,000 on childcare  so five dollars isnt likely to make much of a dent.

A reduction in individual rates.

Trumps plan would lower the top marginal rate on individual income, while consolidating the number of brackets from seven to three: a top rate of 35 percent, a middle one of 25, and a bottom one of 10. The precise income threshold for those rates has yet to be determined.



To fund that tax cut for the highest earners, the plan would eliminate all itemized deductions save those for charity, mortgage interest, and retirement savings. Which is to say: It would screw over blue states, by eliminating state and local tax deductions.





In sum, Trumps plan is a blueprint for a raid on the federal treasury  one that would deliver the lions share of its spoils to the wealthiest individuals and businesses in the United States, while tossing a few bucks in hush money to the witnesses in the middle class.

It is also a plan that has (virtually) no pay-for beyond the assumption that redistributing vast sums of money upward will induce rates of growth unseen since the postwar era (an assumption contradicted by historical experience, but supported by several economists who are paid to invent rationales for redistributing vast sums of money upward).

To pass anything resembling this plan, Trump would need to put a ten-year expiration date on it: To evade a Democratic filibuster in the Senate, Republicans will need to pass the bill through reconciliation, a process that can only be used on legislation that doesnt increase the deficit ten years after passage.

But that time limit is the least of the plans problems. Any Republican tax-reform plan was bound to be temporary. You cant offset a giant, unpopular tax cut for the rich without even more unpopular tax hikes on the non-rich. So, the only politically feasible way of realizing the GOPs overriding goal is to run up the deficit, and then throw a tantrum about it the next time a Democratic president wants to fund clean drinking water for low-income kids.

Trumps plan, however, amounts to such an irresponsibly opulent gift to himself and his fellow plutocrats, his own administration cant quite defend it with a straight face. As Politico reports:

We were up on Capitol Hill and worked our White House sources yesterday, and they all see this not as a line in the sand or as a serious proposal, but as an opportunity to get the conversation started. No, Congress wont be able to lower corporate and passthrough tax rates to 15 percent. The professionals in the White House realize this  and also realize that theyre beginning to irk Capitol Hill committees by releasing this.

Paul Ryan, himself a high priest of supply-side voodoo, reportedly views Trumps proposal as a magic unicorn that will never clear the House. Which raises the question: Why, exactly, is the White House releasing this monstrosity?

The short answer is that Trump decided to tell the Associated Press that he would release his tax plan Wednesday, thereby forcing his aides to hastily adapt his ludicrous campaign proposal for public consumption in a matter of days.

But that explanation elides a larger question. Why, nearly 100 days into its tenure, does the Trump administration lack a detailed, politically tenable plan to achieve one of its top policy goals?
Photo: Jan Stromme/Getty Images

The controversy over Unroll.me, a service that scanned users email accounts in order to help them unsubscribe from junk mail (and also to sell their anonymized email data to customers, in particular Uber) is a nice object lesson in two important truths about the relationship between technology companies and their consumers.

The first truth is that users are dumb. They will sign up for free services without reading the terms and conditions, and never wonder why the service is free. Then theyll be furious when theyre told that their data is being collected and sold. Giving a service the ability to comb through your email is a Faustian bargain if there ever was one; a free service with access to your communications is never truly free.

The second truth is that tech companies are also very dumb. Writing a thick, unreadable terms-of-service document and assuming that, because it covers your ass legally, it will cover your ass morally is a recipe for outrage. Obfuscating your business model, and hiding whats actually done with customer data deep within the terms of service, isnt exactly a model of ethics and transparency. And yet, when the New York Times reported on Unroll.mes business as a minor detail in its profile of Travis Kalanick, the company appeared unprepared for the surprise. Unroll.mes founders were surprised to learn that its users were mad that the service scanned their email in order to sell bundled anonymized data to companies like Uber.

This is a Silicon Valley tale as old as time. Company offers free service; users sign up; its revealed that company is harvesting and selling data; users get mad; company defends itself by saying something like, It was in the terms of service.

This is most recently being enacted in a cringeworthy defense of Unroll.me by its co-founder Perri Chase, posted yesterday on  where else?  Medium. Chases overall point is that obviously Unroll.me is a business, and needs to make money somehow. But thats not really obvious at all. The web is filled with services and programs provided for free, not for a profit but because of ethical commitments or the satisfaction of producing something. Even if users are aware that Unroll.me is a profit-seeking business doesnt mean they know what the actual business is: The standard start-up model is to traipse along unprofitably, build up a user base, and then figure out how to make money off of it.

But, of course, Chases real argument is, Did you read the Terms of Service?

Look, respectfully, you have clearly been living under a rock because if you look at the entire tech ecosystem  Its fucking gross. It starts at the top with the character quality and priorities of the investment community which, btw is not to be nice to the users it is (shocking) to make money!!! I encourage you to go read the Terms of Service of every app you opt in to in order to see what rights they have over your data. This is not new. Is it good? Is it bad? Is that the point? You optin for an awesome free product that clearly states the following and you are offended and surprised? Really?

Setting aside Chases clear disdain for anyone outside of the tech industry, the assertion that Unroll.me clearly states how it makes money just doesnt hold up. Chase isnt referring to Unroll.mes home page or FAQ section, both of which lack any information on what data Unroll.me retains or how it is used  shes referring to the services privacy policy, under a section called Our Collection and Use of Non-Personal Information. Written in small font in a large block of legalese, the site murmurs:

We also collect non-personal information  data in a form that does not permit direct association with any specific individual. We may collect, use, transfer, sell, and disclose non-personal information for any purpose. For example, when you use our services, we may collect data from and about the commercial electronic mail messages and transactional or relationship messages (as such terms are defined in the CAN-SPAM Act (15 U.S.C. 7702 et. seq.) that are sent to your email accounts. We collect such commercial transactional messages so that we can better understand the behavior of the senders of such messages, and better understand our customer behavior and improve our products, services, and advertising. We may disclose, distribute, transfer, and sell such messages and the data that we collect from or in connection with such messages; provided, however, if we do disclose such messages or data, all personal information contained in such messages will be removed prior to any such disclosure.

That is hardly a clear statement, and any privacy policy that requires its reader to search out sections of the U.S. Code in order to understand what a transactional or relationship message is (Ill save you some time: Its usually a receipt) isnt really trying to be up-front with users. Unroll.me requires users to agree to this policy when signing up, and to affirmatively consent with a click.

Both software users and developers know that nobody reads these things. The legal dubiousness of this universal practice, known as clickwrapping, is practically as old as the web itself, and has been the subject of court cases for years. It is technically legal, but both sides of the equation know that theyre cutting corners. Companies use lengthy terms of service to cover their asses, and consumers see terms of service as a minor hindrance standing between them and a cool app, privacy be damned.

Needless to say, this is a bad foundation for an industry. Both developers and users have settled into a predictable rhythm regarding, quote, unquote, free services. Should users read terms of service, and be more generally aware of how their data is being collected and used? Of course! Absolutely! But pretending that we live in a world where thats the case doesnt make it so. Frictionless onboarding processes from developers notify users that there are terms of service, but never demand that users actually understand them. Sooner or later, as Unroll.me learned, it can all come crashing down. Until the tech industry accepts that legal ass-covering and ethical ass-covering are not equivalent, this is going to happen over and over again.
Ann Coulter. Photo: Christopher Polk/Getty Images

Ann Coulter announced Wednesday that she has canceled her controversial speech at the University of California, Berkeley. The move comes one week after the university revealed its initial plans to cancel the event, which prompted the campus Republican group to file a suit accusing the school of discrimination and of violating the students right to free speech.

There will be no speech, Coulter wrote in an email to Reuters. The conservative commentator explained that the two conservative groups who initially sponsored the event were no longer supporting her appearance. I looked over my shoulder and my allies had joined the other team. I have no sponsor, no lawyer, no court order, she wrote. I cant vindicate constitutional rights on my own. I was just supposed to give the speech.

Coulter had been scheduled to give a speech at UC Berkeley on Thursday that would be critical of pro-immigration policies, according to Reuters. Last week, the university canceled the event, writing in a letter to the College Republicans that it wasnt possible to assure that the event could be held successfully  or that the safety of Ms. Coulter, the event sponsors, audience, and bystanders could be adequately protected.

The commentator initially claimed the speech hadnt been canceled and that she would still be speaking at the school, and school administrators quickly reversed their decision, saying it had found a new venue for the talk on May 2. The Berkeley College Republicans filed suit against the college on Monday, claiming school administrators were discriminating against conservative students for canceling Coulters talk.

The controversy surrounding Coulters talk came shortly after noted alt-right troll Milo Yiannopouloss speech at UC Berkeley was cancelled after student protesters started fires in what university police called violent demonstrations.
Photo:  Steen Drozd Lund/UIG via Getty Images

Dear Polly,

Im 47  prime age for a midlife crisis  so maybe its predictable that my life feels like its falling apart. To an outside observer, I likely appear very fortunate: I have a loving, wonderful husband who has been by my side for 15 years; a comfortable home in a nice, upmarket neighborhood; a job that is relatively cushy (i.e., it doesnt require me to put my life at risk, perform manual labor, or stand on my feet all day). I am also lucky enough to have gotten this far into adulthood without suffering any serious tragedies; most of my loved ones are still alive, in decent health, and with roofs over their heads.

But heres the thing: I feel increasingly plagued by the certainty that everything  every aspect of my life that really matters  is all a big downhill slide from here. My job is one thats been slowly but surely chipped away at by the advent of the digital world, and Ive been hanging on by my fingernails for a while now; dozens of people I know in the industry have been laid off in recent years, and I know that its only a matter of time before its my turn  and my age will make it near impossible to compete against younger job candidates. My parents are in their 80s and, though still living independently, are only one heart attack or bad fall away from needing a lot more of my care and time (Ive watched friends squire their own parents through disease and dementia, and the prospect fills me with terror). My two brothers are older than me, but have both battled with substance abuse, bankruptcy, and homelessness; they lean financially on our parents, and I worry that I will eventually be expected to take over in looking after them. My husband works in a high-earning field but has had to take repeated pay cuts, so we need to sell our home (which I love) and move somewhere cheaper. To top it off, I entered menopause this past year, and immediately went gray and put on 15 pounds.

My question for you is simple (but, of course, not really): How do I hold myself together when I feel like there is literally nothing in my future to look forward to? Im sure that if my husband and I had had children (we chose not to), this might not be the case: Wed be caught up, like most of our friends, in the day-to-day challenges and plans of helping our kids thrive and launch themselves into adulthood. But as it is, all I see when I look ahead is failure, heartbreak, obligation, and dread. I am making myself miserable, and I worry that Im doing the same to my beloved husband. Please help me figure out how to keep putting one foot in front of the other.

Too Young to Give Up Hope

Dear TYTGUH,

Youre anxious and unhappy right now. Thats the first thing that needs to be acknowledged. Anxious animals often have detailed explanations of why theyre anxious  The sky is about to fall! That hungry-looking thing with the sharp teeth is going to eat me! The UPS man is going to break in and kill my family and eat all of my Snausages! The feelings of jittery dread that pervade their present are projected onto the future, shaped into a horror story that makes the present even more excruciating.

Your stress and dread and storytelling about the future are a much bigger problem right now than the actual future is. And the idea that youre fortunate and should be happier only adds to your miserable state. Sure, plenty of people who dont have a nice house and an amazing husband  or people whove been through a bunch of really sad and tragic losses  might say Be more grateful for what you have! or I dont have close to what you have but you dont hear me whining about it! But that doesnt change a thing about how it feels to be where you are. You can be rich and famous and that still doesnt mean that youre watching the silly foibles of mortal slobs from a fucking throne in space (as Chrissy Teigen memorably tweeted when faced with a fan who accused her of being out of touch with the real world).

Reckoning with middle age is not a small thing for anyone. The popular view that midlife crises are experienced mostly by cheesy old guys driving red Corvettes or sad Real Housewives types chasing their lost looks couldnt be more off-target. Its much heavier and less easily explained than that. At some point past the age of 40, you start to face not only your own death and the death of everyone you know, but also the death of possibility. The future doesnt feel wide open anymore. You cant be anything and go anywhere  at least thats how it feels. It feels like everything will contract and get darker from this point forward. We ALL go through that. And of course we tend to assume that our current state of sleeplessness and dread will only get worse until the sky falls and everything goes black.

The truth is, though, you dont know how it feels when the sky hits you in the face and sharp teeth sink into your neck and you watch the UPS man eat all of your Snausages. In your current anxious state, Ill bet even walking down the street to buy a loaf of bread sounds pretty terrible. But this reckoning youre going through will change you. And by the time you really do face all of the terrible things youre imagining, you might not feel like the same person who is sitting here today

The thing that people whove never been through anything devastating dont know is that, often, life simply goes on. You have moments of numbness and robotic disbelief, you have moments of sobbing in bed, you have moments of dealing with something unthinkable while thinking I cant be doing this, this is too unbearable, and you have moments of feeling grateful, when you think, I cant believe Im still alive. Youll probably have to see your parents fall apart, and then youll have to deal with their funerals. It sounds like you have to sell your house and move to a smaller place, a process that goes against our cherished assumptions about life as a constant process of expanding and conquering and becoming bigger and more successful by the second.

I want you to slow down and really sink your sharp teeth into those assumptions now. I want you to question the high-capitalist values that are plaguing you at this moment, a moment that feels like such a personal failure. Because the stories were told about lifes victorious trajectory are dead wrong, and even career success and an amazing house and a million-and-one high-maintenance children dont protect us from the fact that sometimes we feel anxious and guilty and certain that everything gets worse from here.

We feel these things and we also believe that were to blame for feeling them  thats an important piece of this. You are going to be laid off. That will mean you failed. Youll help your brothers, but youll resent them, and that resentment makes you a bad person. You will be sad at your parents decline, because youre a naive ingrate. (Theyre in their 80s! Youre so lucky!) Everything bad you feel is your fault. You practically invited the UPS man into the house and showed him where you kept the Snausages.

Our culture encourages us to translate every disappointment into a very personal moral failure. So I want you to deconstruct your guiding assumptions about what you should be. I want you to question how much having kids would be saving you from this feeling right now. I know its beyond hard to give up your house, but I want you to imagine savoring living in a smaller space. I want you to imagine your surprise over how emancipated you feel, walking out of your office holding a box of your things. I want you to picture a 15-pounds-overweight, gray-haired woman who is happy with her life. Is she wearing muumuus and big beads? Is she lifting weights and wearing pleather pants simply because both of these things are unseemly, and unseemly seems magnificent, suddenly? Is she hosting afternoon teas on Sunday with a Lets celebrate our midlife decline theme? I want you to imagine her painting her tiny office (okay, its really a walk-in closet) in her smaller house bright yellow and writing weird poetry on the walls in turquoise paint. I want you to imagine her dying her hair a silvery-blue shade on a whim, because shes unemployed, so fuck it. Imagine her waking at dawn to scribble notes in a journal with the words failure, heartbreak, obligation, and dread on the cover. Imagine her calling both of her brothers and warning them that they need to make some plans to become self-sufficient or sober or both because she loves them but shes broke and unemployed now and she needs firmer boundaries. Shes doing what she needs to do to feel good, to stay alive. This is what she needs. Sorry. But it is.

Dont assume that the future is even worse that the present. Maybe having a dead-end job feels more torturous than starting over somewhere else. Maybe living in a big house you cant afford is more unnerving than living within your means. A few years ago, I wasnt writing enough and we were overleveraged enough that I would wake up in the middle of the night and start adding and subtracting numbers. I believed that our lives were in decline. I believed the cramp in my side was cancer. I know where you are right now, and its a terrible place thats much worse than feeling sad about something that is actually happening in the present. Youre in a specific kind of hell that makes it really hard to breathe.

Sometimes a great husband doesnt help much. You collapse into him, but then you dont reckon with what you need on your own. Or maybe you dont lean on him at all, afraid that your misery is contagious, but you carry the weight of this crisis around all by yourself. You need to be vulnerable and admit to him (and to yourself) that youre overwhelmed. You also need to seek out friends who will listen and tell you about their own fears and dread. Everyone has it, at our age. Having a nice cocktail and chatting about dread is one of my favorite things. Im not kidding. Dont stay isolated. Reach out, and reach in. Stay connected.

But more than anything else, adjust your elaborate story about what the future holds. Your story is unoriginal and a little cliched, frankly. You need more vibrant characters. You need more flawed but oddly charming settings. Yes, there is a lot of darkness and heartbreak. You cant lose that stuff; every story requires it. But you need more unexpected twists and unforeseen moments of joy.

What if the notes youll be scribbling in your failure, heartbreak, obligation, and dread notebook are actually happy notes? What if one year from now, youre standing in your tiny walk-in closet office one morning, peering through a tiny window at the sunrise (you have to stand up to see it!), and even in that tiny little room that smells like mold (maybe its even black mold, maybe its killing you slowly!), you cry tears of gratitude and joy for what your life has become? What if you bury one parent and fight with one brother and lose your job and cut off all your hair and make a new friend and try to find another job and start baking bread and every time you open that journal that says failure, heartbreak, obligation, and dread on the cover, you feel really good inside, like even as the sky is falling, there is somethingnot hope, exactly. Because who even knows what comes next? But something like hope.

My mother lost her boyfriend and her dog several years ago. She had just retired and she was traumatized and miserable and worried about facing a sad succession of days that led inexorably to her death. But then she started walking with some neighbors every morning. They are irritating sometimes. They can be moody and vainglorious and impractical. One of them might die soon. And yet all of this is fine, much more fine than she ever wouldve anticipated before. She also started to look into our familys genealogy, a process that seems to include sitting in front of ancient microfiche machines that stink and make your brains hurt, and then recounting to your daughter details and discoveries so mind-bendingly tedious that they can lull a person into a stupefied state, over the phone, in under a minute. Sometimes her daughter thinks that what her mother really loves is hard work and drudgery. She thinks her mother is a working breed of dog, one who loves repetition. But her mother knows what she needs. She has figured it out, even in the face of loss and impending death, and it makes her feel good. She is planning a trip to Stockholm in August. She will collect more details and stay in a very strange little hotel in a strange little town and she will sometimes eat bad food and she will sometimes feel grumpy and she will also feel exhilarated and delighted and grateful to be alive.

Stop cringing  at your future, at your failure, at yourself in the mirror  and stand up and look directly at who you are. Not who you shouldve been, but who you are now. Let that person in. Let her be as mediocre and wrong and shameful and sad and miserable and brilliant and hilarious as she wants to be, because she knows exactly what you need to feel good. She has plans for you. She wants to show you what comes next. She wants to take you into the future youre dreading and say, See? You never wouldve imagined this.

Polly

Order the new Ask Polly book, How to Be a Person in the World, here. Got a question for Polly? Email askpolly@nymag.com. Her advice column will appear here every Wednesday.

All letters to askpolly@nymag.com become the property of Ask Polly and New York Media LLC and will be edited for length, clarity, and grammatical correctness.
EAT IT. PLEASE EAT IT. Photo: freemixer/Getty Images

Every night, we start with an appetizer. Do you want some cheese? No, you dont want that cheese today? What if Mommy eats the cheese? Yum! Cheese is so good. Mommy loves this cheese. SHE LOVES IT. Why not watch her eat another piece?

Delicious! Do you want the cheese now?

Often, the answer is a grinning, adorable no  or a carefree hurling of the cheese onto the floor. While all this is going on, my 1-year-old sons dad is at work. Our dog is poised near the high chair, tracking the ground for food-fall. Hes getting old, but the other week I saw him dash for a meatball and catch it between his teeth mid-bounce. When it comes to dinner in my house, those doing most of the eating are a 9-year-old dog and 32-year-old woman. And its not pretty: We cram scraps in our mouths like were both animals. The 1-year-old prone to being underweight, newly diagnosed as iron deficient: Hes inconsistent.

The same goes for the time of dinner. Every day I tell myself Ill leave work promptly at 5 p.m., but you know how you sometimes have some caffeine in the afternoon and that gets you on a roll? Then its 5:20 and youre sending day care a frantic text, again. Sometimes the train gets you there on time. Other times, it does not. Whens dinner? Somewhere between 6:30 and 7:30. Whens bedtime? I dont know. After dinner?

Two recent studies highlight these sources of parent shame: One examines emotionally driven eating, while another looks at the effects of inconsistent household routines. Both seem not great for kids.

The first, out of Norway, tracked about 800 kids starting at age 4, then checking in again at 6, 8, and 10. Parents who eat to feel better emotionally, researchers found, are prone to feed their kids for the same reason. The better it works, the more parents do it.

Predictably, emotional eating causes obesity, plus makes eating disorders more likely later in life. Some sort-of-good news: Because the study was conducted in fairly homogeneous Norway, the authors say the results shouldnt really be applied to more diverse populations or cultures. (Yet.)

Another recent study analyzed toddlers household routines and ability to regulate emotions. Researchers assessed just under 11,000 children in the U.K., asking parents of 3-year-olds to report on household routines and answer a questionnaire to determine their childs ability to self-regulate. The more consistent the familys routines, researchers discovered, the better the toddlers seemed to be at regulating their emotions.

Eight years later, the same researchers found a link between household routines  specifically bedtimes  and obesity: Kids whod had regular and earlier bedtimes as toddlers were less likely to be obese 11-year-olds. Implementing routines, the studys authors note, is much harder when youre living in poverty and have limited resources.

My son is privileged. Hes white, and his parents are both educated, with office jobs that have an unusual amount of flexibility. Our resources are not limited in ways that should make domestic routines such a challenge.

And yet! Every day, I eat like a maniac in front of my son  edging bedtime later or earlier and emotionally stuffing my face because Im tired; hes not eating as much or the things Id like him to; and just sitting there hoping hell eat seems like an insane thing to do, when there are so many other things wanting my attention. Should I do the dishes? Should I check my phone? No, probably not.

Dont make it stressful! one of my sons doctors told me recently, about dinner. Its okay to stop when its stressful. The day she gave me that advice, I decided dinner would be a timed event from there on out. After 30 minutes, thats it, bud, time to wipe your face and get your jam-jams on. We did it a few times before I realized it was yet another deranged idea.

Mindful eating and strong household routines seem crucial for our kids health and development. But like so much of parenting, the advice seems to be remember, this is very important and freaking out about it will make it worse in the same breath. I cant be the only one trying but failing to land somewhere in the middle. Right?
Republican Representative Steve King blew off a meeting with his constituents on Tuesday. Photo: Bill Clark/Getty

Republican Representative Steve King of Iowa mocked one of his Latina constituents on Twitter after blowing off a meeting with her on Tuesday. According to the New York Daily News, Vanessa Marcano-Kelly  a board member of Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement  traveled all the way to Washington, D.C., from Des Moines, Iowa, to discuss immigration with Kings legislative director, Jared Culver, only to find out that their 2 p.m. meeting wasnt happening. So she tweeted at King to ask what the deal was:

had mtg set up with @SteveKingIA staff in DC. 23 min later, staff no show. We're here all the way from IA. Way 2 serve the people, Rep. King  V. Marcano-Kelly  (@vcmarcano) April 25, 2017

To which King replied, Do you always lie in English?

Do you always lie in English? https://t.co/4Rkyym7lhD  Steve King (@SteveKingIA) April 25, 2017

It was shocking to see that, Marcano-Kelly, who speaks English, Spanish, and French, told the Daily News. She added, I felt targeted, attacked and offended that you have this person whos supposed to be representing Iowa, who has power, belittling you like that.

Marcano-Kelly and the group shed traveled with went to Kings office to demand an apology, which they recorded on Facebook Live. In the video, she explains that she wants to address Kings harassment of immigrants on Twitter, and that his tweet to her proves her point.

Eventually, Culver emerges and apologizes for missing the meeting, which he says King didnt know about. King later followed up with:

U didn't lie. No way to connect u2 the missed meeting. Next time just call. Glad all is cleared up. https://t.co/4Rkyym7lhD  Steve King (@SteveKingIA) April 25, 2017

But Marcano-Kelly, whos an immigrant from Venezuela, said Kings mindset is still troubling. I think hes proud of that hardline stance he has on immigration, she said. Hes not going to change. Given that this is the guy who toasted the deportation of a Dreamer and likes to send out overtly nativist tweets, shes probably right.
A moms relationship happiness might determine whether her baby has colic. Photo: Cecilia Cartner/Cultura RF/Getty Images

Many new mothers with fussy babies find themselves wondering if their own lives could influence how much their babies cry. A new study gives them part of the answer: Moms unhappy with their relationships and social support might be more likely to have colicky babies  while single mothers have the least fussy babies of all.

Published in the journal Child: Care, Health and Development, the study analyzed more than 3,000 women between the ages of 18 to 36 years who gave birth between January 2009 and April 2011 at 78 different hospitals in Pennsylvania. A team of researchers from Penn State University determined that 11.6 percent of the mothers reported their babies as having colic, which entails crying or fussiness for three or more hours each day.

Each of the women was asked about her own relationship happiness, general social support, and partner-baby support. The researchers found that, of the women in romantic relationships, those happier with their partners during and after pregnancy  who noted that their partners were supportive and helpful  were less likely to have colicky babies.

The researchers arent quite sure why the association exists, but senior study author Kristen Kjerulff, a professor of public-health sciences, suggested that perhaps babies cry less if their parents are happier. Additionally, she noted that mothers more content in their relationship might also not perceive a babys crying so negatively, and therefore not report it as colic.

The study had one very interesting finding: Babies of single mothers had the lowest rate of colic. The association isnt statistically significant, the researchers state, but still noteworthy. These single mothers also reported having higher social-support levels, which suggests that social support plays a key role in reducing fussiness in babies.

If you dont have a partner you can still have lots of social support, lots of love, and lots of happy relationships, and all of thats going to be better for the baby, Kjerulff said in a statement. Love makes a difference.

The findings shouldnt make any mother feel like her babys crying is her fault, the study authors added. Mothers significant others have a role to play in reducing the burden of colic, first study author Chandran Alexande, an assistant professor of pediatrics, said in the statement. Society should avoid pinning the blame for colic on mothers competence, self-esteem, or depression.
Danielle Babou, Abidjan, Cote dIvoire, 2014. Photo: Emilie Regnier

Canadian-Haitian photographer Emilie Regnier focuses on the influence of African fashion and beauty on Western culture. Her photography series Leopard and Hair are now on view at the Bronx Documentary Center in the exhibition From Mobutu to Beyonce, which explores the synergy between African styles and Western trends in Europe and the U.S. The exhibitions title alludes to Mobutu Sese Seko, the late dictator of what is now the Democratic Republic of the Congo, who was regularly photographed wearing a leopard-print hat.



In Leopard, Regnier photographed the many ways leopard prints are worn all over the world, from Dakar to Johannesburg to small-town Texas. The idea came to her while she was photographing a Parisian woman wearing a leopard-print boubou, a traditional West African wide-sleeved robe. This encounter with the leopard [print] made me reflect on photographs taken during the colonial era, portraits of African kings wearing leopard, Regnier said. The universality of this motif appeared as a language to decrypt through my lens, and I started to explore its history and its symbolism.

In the second series titled Hair, Regnier documented hairstyles in Cote dIvoire, a fashion capital in West Africa, where she said many women look to American pop stars for beauty inspiration. Beyonce and Rihanna, the figures of references for all the women I photographed, are somehow reflective of our mixed society, [allowing] us to refer to a new criteria of beauty, she explained. She said she hopes the exhibition will capture the unity between African and Western styles. I want [people] to realize we have much more in common than we think, despite different social and economic or religious backgrounds.

From Mobutu to Beyonce is on view until June 4 at the Bronx Documentary Center.

Unknown, Abidjan, 2014.

Photo: Emilie Regnier

Danielle Babou, Abidjan, Cote dIvoire, 2014.

Madame Faye, Dakar, Senegal, 2015.

Photo: Emilie Regnier

Brigitte Adjoua, Abidjan, Cote dIvoire, 2014.

Chief Matadikibala, Kinshasa, Congo (DRC), 2015.

Photo: Emilie Regnier

Annie Camara, Abidjan, Cote dIvoire, 2014.

Photo: Emilie Regnier

Abiba Yalupe, Abidjan, Cote dIvoire, 2014.

Samuel Weidi aka General Mobutu, Kinshasa, Congo (DRC), 2015.
Photo: Erin Patrice OBrien/Getty Images

On Monday, cosmetics company SheaMoisture landed in hot water on Twitter after releasing a promotional video, on Facebook, that featured mostly white women  historically, the brands most ardent supporters have been black women. They quickly retracted the video, but suspicion about SheaMoistures future direction remains. Heres a guide to the controversy, including SheaMoisture CEO Richelieu Denniss defense of his company.

First of all, what is SheaMoisture?

SheaMoisture is a drugstore beauty company that was founded in 1991 or 1992 (the website provides two different dates) by Richelieu Dennis, along with his mother, Mary Dennis, and friend Nyema Tubman. The brand drew inspiration from the younger Denniss grandmother, who sold shea butter and a variety of homemade skin and hair remedies in Sierra Leone. SheaMoisture is one of three Sundial brands  the umbrella company also founded by the trio. Sundial is considered to be the largest black-owned beauty company in the United States, with an estimated value of $700 million, as of 2015. Its worth mentioning that Bain Capital invested a minority stake in the company two years ago.

Everyone is mad at them. What did they do?

On Monday, SheaMoisture released a one-minute video that featured three white women and one black woman. The women in the video discussed how they previously hated their hair, and how SheaMoistures lineup radically changed that sentiment. The video concludes with the text: Embrace Hair in Every Form, and with the women proudly declaring: Everybody gets love! A tweet showcasing the ad, along with the message: SheaMoisture is CANCELLED has been retweeted over 10,000 times.

SheaMoisture is CANCELLED pic.twitter.com/T4Dru1JgAq  NANA JIBRIL  (@girlswithtoys) April 24, 2017

Why is that bad?

SheaMoistures business was built on almost exclusive support from black consumers. Its marketing strategy, which championed its natural, homegrown, African heritage, specifically targeted the African-American community. More important, the brand prominently featured black women of all shades and hair textures in its ads and marketing materials. Black women have been underrepresented in the beauty realm for decades, so the fact that the brand showcased a range of black women mattered. The general feeling is that SheaMoistures apparent new approach to a wider range of consumers suggests ambivalence toward its longtime supporters. In other words, people perceive SheaMoisture as saying their black consumer base is not good enough.

But isnt more inclusivity better?

Of course it is. However, SheaMoisture turned inclusivity into a zero-sum game by swapping in white models for black models. Theres no need to remove nearly all of the black faces from its marketing materials to make room for white ones.

Maybe black people are just being sensitive.

Are we? Perhaps its because beauty brands have always underserved black women, and so companies like SheaMoisture that explicitly catered to them have been particularly prized.

What does the CEO have to say about this?

In an interview, SheaMoisture CEO Richelieu Dennis defended the companys history and downplayed the significance of the ad, while acknowledging it was a mistake. The fact that our core community did not see themselves represented in that video is an error on our part, he told me. But that is in no way an indication of us alienating or abandoning our core community as we grow  People are saying SheaMoisture is now abandoning us for a different audience, but that is not true. It was simply an error, but that error was a big one.

Wow, okay  so guys, listen, we really f-ed this one up. Please know that our intention was not  and would never be ... Posted by SheaMoisture on Monday, April 24, 2017

Some people on Twitter worried that the ad signals a change in SheaMoistures product, but Dennis denied that: Theres this misconception that were changing formulas. Were not. We have never done that. We will continue to focus on women with curly hair. What we have done is grown. We make over 170 hair products. Over 75, 80 percent of them are made for women with between four and three curly-hair types. He also pushed back against a recent story in which a model claimed that representatives of SheaMoisture at a hair show in Florida said they were not a black company: We spoke to our employees that were at that event, and none of them recall having that kind of conversation. For all we know, the people that she spoke to may not have even been our employee.

Dennis says that SheaMoisture is trying to expand its market without leaving black women  who he sees as core to the brand  behind. He denied that Bains investment has anything to do with this shift, citing consolidation in the beauty market and more competition for black consumers as the main factor: Weve got multinational companies that are acquiring brands, all targeted at this consumer. What ends up happening is that smaller companies like ours are unable to compete. We dont have the salesforce, we dont have the distribution system, we dont have the infrastructure, we dont have the marketing dollars  What ends up happening is that these brands then become acquired, or maybe they fall out of a state of grace. If you look at the data, thats the history of this category. We dont have to be that. If thats what we wanted to be, we could have sold this brand. We love this consumer. We love what we do.

So, should I throw out my Coconut & Hibiscus Curl Enhancing Smoothie?

Im not. SheaMoisture knows they really messed up and are quickly course-correcting. But if it happens again? Well, thats a different discussion entirely.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
Photo: Jan Stromme/Getty Images

Erin Swetland, 36

Master plumber

Minneapolis, Minnesota

I got a fine-arts degree in painting but quickly realized isolated life in a studio wasnt for me. I bought a house during the 2009 downturn. It was super cheap and a shit hole. The bathroom walls were squishy, everything was gross. I had a plumber in and while he was working I thought: This guys jobs awesome. He gets to use his hands, talk to people, solve complex problems, he has a license to be nosy, and it even seemed kinda creative.

When I said that to him he was like: Come on, Erin, you seem like youre fully capable of doing this, too.

My mind was blown.

In those stupid career fairs nobody ever suggested to the little girls, Get into a trade, youll make a shit ton of money, and you can have a lifelong career.

At the time the union wasnt accepting any applicants  the wait list was long because the economy was such shit. So I did a years plumbing program at a tech college. Normally you do an apprenticeship, and with the union it takes five years, and you have night school two nights a week, and you learn all sorts of different skills like welding, soldering, isometric drawing, and then after five years you take tests and become a journeyman plumber.

So after this short course I was like, I need a job  now. I went to the Plumbing Supply House (its kinda like Home Depot) and said, Do you guys know anyone whos hiring? The guy said, Oh yeah, I know this one guy  Tony.

I cold-called Tony and said: I have no plumbing experience except a year in tech school would you like to hire me?! Hes like, Are you joking with me? I was like Um no? and he was like, Youre a lady, right? and I was like Um yeah? and he was like, Huh  well, come to the shop today.

I arrive and meet this small well-built 60-year-old black Mexican guy standing on the back of his truck, his leg up on some tool, cigarette dangling out of his mouth, resting his arm on his knee. Hes like So  you wanna be a plumber.

I replied   Yes?

Why? he asked. I said I want a skill that cant be outsourced. I want a trade that will be with me forever.

He paused and then goes, Come in tomorrow, well see how it goes.

I think part of the reason he took a risk on me was because he wanted to support minorities in the trades. I worked with him for two and a half years and it was awesome.

He was like a dad figure, I was his apprentice. I went with him on all his jobs. His goal was to teach me everything he knew and have me go on bids, because Im a good talker and people usually trust women more. Especially single women: They might worry about having some big, beefy lug coming into their home. Tony was banking on me sticking around because Id be good for business.

After two and half years, my cousin-in-law who works for a large national company called Harris Companies told me they had a minority goal and had to fill the position. They got the contract for the new Vikings Stadium. I called and they were tripping over themselves to take me out for coffee. They signed me up on the spot.

I had to break up with Tony. It was heart-wrenching. I wanted to vomit. I said, Tony, I have something to tell you. And he was like, Are you leaving me? I cried and said Yes I am!  I explained theres so much more money in the union  Im in Local 34 St. Paul  and all the benefits, and the retirement. He totally sulked. He was dejected, it was so sad. But he got over it. We still love each other.

It was a crazy transition because Harris does large-scale commercial buildings. They brought me on right away with the initial team of plumbers that started on the stadium. It was the middle of February, the ground is frozen. We were dragging ground thaw blankets and hoses so we could excavate and lay pipe. It was fucking plumbing Olympics.

At first there were days where I was worried I couldnt handle it. Some of the pipe was extremely heavy. Luckily I am quite strong, but things would happen. We would be unloading a truck of 20-foot long pieces of six-inch plastic pipe, which are hard to wield. I go up to take a pipe, and my foreman is like Dont overexert yourself! And Im like, I want to be part of the team  Just let me take this stupid piece of pipe and if I fail, just let me fail. In a way it was nice to hear concern, but on the other hand I dont want to feel like men are treating me differently.

We start at 7 a.m. and go to 3:15 p.m. Before we start work we do our bend and stretch. Its light stretching to prevent injuries but it looks like an aerobics warm-up, very 80s: all the guys in their reflective gear rotating their hips, and touching their toes, leaning over to the side  which they call beer-mug pose.

Its very hierarchical  what I imagine the army feels like. We are all working toward a common goal, its physical, and theres a lot of danger, especially in large-scale commercial work. So, you have to trust. I was on the crew that installs the pipes that handle storm water when it rains. These pipes are the largest pipes that exist on a site generally, so we were lifting things that were like 1 ton up 300 feet in the air. Its terrifying for a while until you understand the physics of what youre doing or youve done it enough that youre not worried anymore. At first I was exhausted. Sometimes I would come home and cry. What made it tolerable was that the people I worked with were so great and competent. Going in, Id heard things like, All youre going to do is drill holes and they dont want women around, but generally speaking they really wanted to teach me.

I sensed a real pride from the men who wanted to show me how they do their work  they were proud.

I have never been the kind of woman who gets approached by men, and I get to the stadium and its a floodgate of flirting  I was like, what is this? There was one guy from Texas, tiny, short little dude who was in love. Each day hed be like, Let me take you out dancing! His head came up to my shoulder. Well have so much fun, just give me a chance, give me a chance, and finally I was like I have a wife, and he was like, It doesnt matter! It calms down after a while because they see you working. Im not there to flirt! Im in a disgusting vest, Im sweaty, my ass is sweaty, how do you find this attractive?

Apparently once, when I started, the guys were all at the bar talking about how much I sweated. One of them goes, You know why she fucking sweats? Because she works her motherfucking ass off!

Theres a lot of anti-gay talk among them, they tease each other. Its that thing where straight men think gay men are disgusting but lesbians are hot. They dont see the irony. I have to pick my battles or I would walk around angry. Its banter and they are very open with it. The journeyman I work with came to my wedding  it was small one  but the rest of them were pissed because they wanted to come too. I thought that was really sweet.

I started out installing toilets and now I help build hospitals and stadiums, so these days I deal with fewer actual turds than one might think. But oh gosh do I have stories from my days of domestic plumbing 

People are disgusting. I clean before I would have somebody over to do work, but many people dont. A lot of the plumbers I know will just turn those jobs down. Tony told me a story about how someone called him to unclog a tub. When he got there it was full of piss and shit because the toilet wasnt working. He was just like, This is not my job, and left.

Dont ever flush your tampons, or those adult baby wipes  you shouldnt even flush toilet paper. Hair is pure protein  it doesnt break down. Put your hair in the compost or the garbage. Your soap products will congeal, especially natural products like coconut oil. Dont use Drano, ever.

Dont get me started on garbage disposals  People think, oh, Ive got this garbage disposal, it chops everything up so Im gonna shove chicken carcasses in it, itll be fine. What the fuck? These pipes are for water, they were not made for chicken.
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O M G one of my most favorite movies ever, I don't even caaare. My friend is Michele and I am Romy. (I mean, for the most part.)

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But more importantly, which one of you is the Mary and which one is the Rhoda?

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LMAO honestly, she's the Mary. XD

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"ohhhh the wells-fargo wagon is-uh coming down the street....i love the music man!"



Edited at 2017-04-26 02:22 am (UTC)

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I invented post its

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Edited at 2017-04-26 03:09 am (UTC) no you didn't, Rita Ora invented post its.

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Lmao so good. This and the "I cut my for earlier and my shoe is filling up with blood" are probably my fave parts. And the "Who goes to town with a guy who drives a rowboat?" I. Co. Nique.

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Danny Weller like, lodged that complaint because alphabetically he was supposed to be between us 

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lmao my fave

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The last cap kills me every time

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I have legit had the "didnt he die?" conversation with my best friend from high school more than once about real people we went to high school with lmaoooo this part was too real.

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And this but it's just a gallery:



This is one of my favorite movies of all time. So iconic and pretty much the most quotable film ever. I'm glad it's finally getting the recognition it deserves.



Edited at 2017-04-26 02:26 am (UTC) I wrote this, y'all! http://people.com/movies/romy-and-micheles-high-school-reunion-20th-anniversary/ And this but it's just a gallery: http://people.com/style/romy-and-michele-20-year-anniversary-style-fashion-mona-may/ This is one of my favorite movies of all time. So iconic and pretty much the most quotable film ever. I'm glad it's finally getting the recognition it deserves.

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Nice job, bb

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Thanks! Today is my one-year anniversary writing there too so it was a great day overall. :o) These are my first features for the site woohoo.

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applauding your flawless taste in topics bb.

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I deeply wish Lisa Kudrow's Romy and Michelle hair was still in style.



Edited at 2017-04-26 02:25 am (UTC)

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do it anyway

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When I hear Heaven is a place on earth I think of this movie



Also has anyone been to their high school reunion? I wouldn't be caught dead going to mine in the future

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We didn't really have one which thank god lol



I think some people might have gotten together at a bar or something but it wasn't anyone I ever hung out with

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My graduating class is planning one and I'm torn because I'd like to see some girls I lost touch with, but my life blows so hard right now that I'd be really embarrassed

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mine was meant to be last year and they didn't even have one!!!! i'm so fucking pissed. i mean, it's not the same as it would have been years ago because we have the internet so i can VERY easily find out what everyone was doing, but it just seemed like such An Event that you are meant to be in your lives, thanks to movies like this.

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my 10 year was last Thanksgiving... I made sure to avoid it  (I'm just finishing grad school now & it seems like everyone from high school either has a fabulous job now or is married w/ babies)

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I got roped into helping plan mine. There were only 20 of us though so I guess it's okay

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I skipped 5 and almost felt bad about it that I thought about going to my 10th this year and glad I didn't go haha

fuck all those people

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our reunion is soon? this year i think.



i don't want to go, but i also do at the same time because i am nosy as fuck

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I have Facebook, which is enough for me to know that I have no desire to go to my high school reunions. Already went past the 5- and 10-year-ones and was like, "I live out of state. OH SHOOT. GUESS I'LL HAVE TO MISS IT." (I'm one of the few that lives outside of the county.)



I also regularly hide from people in the grocery store when I go home and have to leave my aunt and uncle's house.

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It won't be for another 2 years, but I had a graduating class of 50 people, and I know for a fact most of them are married and have a least one kid.



I'd be the odd one out, lol.

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I'm class of 2007 so mine would be this year omgggg



I saw a high school hear me (that I did not go to) had "welcome class of 2007" on their billboard thing and I was like wtffff

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I skipped going to my 10 year. Instead I went saw Gone Girl with one of my High School besties. It was great. LOL.

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Lmfao mine is probably this year or next year I don't know but cackling tho.im like who cares

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I think of this movie and I think of that black mirror episode and both make me SO HAPPY this song always makes me super happy now.

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thank god for social media anyone can look me up and see that i have a good job and didn't let myself go. i hate "catching up" especially w ppl i don't care about anymore

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It will be my 10 year reunion this summer, but I don't think anyone's planned anything. I'm still in touch with some people and I know what people are up to thanks to facebook so I don't have a desire to go to one.

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i skipped my 10yr reunion. now it's been 15yr and i will skip it this year if there is one

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We didn't have a 5-year reunion and I skipped out on my 10-year one last year. I saw the clusterfuck that went into planning it going down on facebook and didn't feel like paying money to hang out in a tiny event space with 30 people who never left our hometown and just started popping out kids

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"And what a bitch, taking your hamburger. I mean, what was that?" I c o n i c



Also I found out like a week ago it was Micheleshook!



Edited at 2017-04-26 02:29 am (UTC)

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"you know I never ended up fucking a sheep.....or my sister"

"why? couldn't catch 'em?"

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the bloody foot excuse had me in tears the first time i watched the movie. amazing

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I am Heather and Heather is me

This movie is such a great feel good movie. It always cheers me upI am Heather and Heather is me

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Edited at 2017-04-26 02:37 am (UTC)

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I had someone draw a portrait for me of the scene she is gargling the water out of her mouth.



it's my favorite thing in the world.

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"i'm the mary, i'm the mary, i'm the - you're a pasty hag on a deathbed"

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Lmao I fucking love that line!

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My sister and I love this scene because we know we'd be the people to give each other the finger on our deathbed LOL

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lmao I love how she uses her last bit of strength to give her the finger

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We used to recreate this scene so god damned much when my sister and I were young LMAO. I STILL have my VHS too.

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I can't listen to Time After Time without thinking of this iconic movie.

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I put that as my fb status the other day lmao and someone commented "OMG! I hope you're ok!"

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It still blows my mind that he married Jennifer Aniston like so random.

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IT WAS NOT A THING. I did *not* have a 'thing'. I was very much in love with him. VERY much in love.





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YOU ARE COLUMBUS AND I AM AMERICA! DISCOVER ME, RAMON!

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John & Sam are definitely my favorites. I finally stopped torturing myself and no longer watch TDS. It's beyond trash.

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john oliver is my favorite late night host, besides when colbert was on colbert report.



i just saw john on new year's eve, he was so funny.

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please don't put that thought out into the universe. I couldn't deal.



Edited at 2017-04-26 04:31 pm (UTC)

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iawtc Harry!

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i second that

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Exactly. I need that half hour of sanity to balance the rest of the crazy.

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The Ivanka bit he did this week was so good.

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it really was

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I'm so glad he did it, I can't believe how many ~liberals~ are still trying to cape for her. It's ABSURD

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I can't wait for him and Dorinda on WWHL

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lol at us making our comments at the same time

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i'm so ready for it!

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He's going to be on WWHL tonight with Dorinda, should be a good ep

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Look at us caring about the important things ;)

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only Fallon would have John Oliver on and not talk Trump, Ivanka, Jared. bleh.



I'm very impressed that I just don't care to watch Fallon anymore. I just cant do it. And I imagined it would be hard, but his laugh alone annoys me. the very few interviews I did watch were terrible. really dont miss it.



I really like Last Week Tonight, I enjoy the format. I like Colbert monologues a lot. And Sam Bee has interesting stories as well - and I really like her correspondents, the ones from the Daily Show I like as well. And Seth with the A Close Look ones... everything not Fallon and Corden are good right now.







Edited at 2017-04-26 04:26 pm (UTC)

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John Oliver's jokes always fall flat, he's painfully unfunny, but he's the best when being serious.

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Maybe it's just me, but all of the male late night hosts seem burnt out and miserable specifically Fallon and Conan

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Learn more about LiveJournal Ratings in Hello! Your entry got to top-25 of the most popular entries in LiveJournal!Learn more about LiveJournal Ratings in FAQ

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Edited at 2017-04-26 07:10 pm (UTC)

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it's actually funny if you ignore Jimmy



story of his life



Edited at 2017-04-26 05:31 pm (UTC)

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half of john's jokes/delivery can be a little too OTT for me, but at the same time he's my favorite late night host for sure and i love his show and always laugh during the episode. i just acknowledge the writing could use some refinement to be even better

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I havnt watched a Jimmy Fallon segment in a long time, but I love John...and oh man I didn't think Jimmy could get more annoying and unbearable.

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John is not conventionally attractive at all but idk he's so charming and smart that I have a huge crush on him and I so would. Like some good looking guys just don't have that, I mean they can be charming/smart but they usually know that about themselves and it's just inauthentic/turn off.



Edited at 2017-04-27 03:49 am (UTC)

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He was great on this

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Is she narrating her own audiobook? My ears would bleed. Best of luck to you on this journey

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This isn't a plan. It's a giveaway to corporations & those at the top.



Also - still need those tax returns... https://t.co/ppwOKc8yw9  Kamala Harris (@SenKamalaHarris) April 26, 2017

NYT continues flopping between decent and trash. Look at this bullshit opinion piece about "it could be worse". https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/26/opinion/trump-100-days-could-be-worse.html?ref=opinion&_r=0

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I will forever hate them for their comey and email coverage. Both times.



Haberman does good work and I'm glad their o Reilly piece worked. But I'm still bitter

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lol the bullet points what a fucking joke

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Lol NYT continues to remain 

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There are certain NYT reporters that I won't read and that Ross guy is one of them.

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I don't get the NYT. Half the time it seems like they're doing God's work, and the other half they are kissing the cheeto-dusted ring?

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Playing both sides in order to keep readers either way.

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It drives me up a wall. They do repulsive shit and then turn around and break amazing stories. Like... flip flopping around will cause everyone to stop reading eventually.

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Kamala!



Pls throw your hat in the Dem primary ring in 2020!!!

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Congrats to the New York Times for hiring "All Lives Matter"and "BLM is 'thuggish'" for its editorial page. https://t.co/K2RYTXP43L pic.twitter.com/pHXdV1dSCb  Jack Smith IV (@JackSmithIV) April 26, 2017

they are awful

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lol and republicans will continue to not care

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i hope david puts on his funeral blacks when the inevitable downfall of the trumps happen

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your gifs make me wanna watch this show

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Have we talked about Obama's first paid speech yet? 400k....

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Lmao. im angry at Obama. A Wall Street speech seriously.... I know I shouldn't be surprised but I still am. How fucking tone deaf.



So my trainer that didn't vote... was like well trump is donating his salary and I said yeah have you heard of the mar a lago trips.... I just ughhhh

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Obama gave up 16 years of his looks in 8 for that fee. Cheeto needs to put in the hours.

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Damn can someone give me 400k plz

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whatever if i put up with the republicans racist shit for 8 years, busted my ass doing the best job i thought i could, to be questioned at every turn, having a cheeto demand my birth cert just for being black, when i finally had freedom i would make that coin too!

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Why are you surprised? Did you know see who he named as both his Secretaries of Treasury? Sideeying everyone here who actually thinks this is ok.

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So TrumpCare 3 is most likely going to be approved right? Freedom Caucus is supporting it. His tax cuts also benefit the wealthy 

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I want to hope that the town hall backlash was so fierce that, even though they could technically pass it, they won't. Moderate Republicans who barely won their races in November would definitely get the boot in 2018.

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Freedom Caucus is getting on board, yeah. So we have to convince the GOP Reps in swing states/districts that went blue for HRC that their jobs are at risk if they vote for it.



Though, I don't think it'll get through the Senate anyway so idk.

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If there are a bunch of town halls with constituents calling Republicans out again, I think enough won't support it that it won't pass. Especially if people make sure to bring up that we will be losing the pre-existing condition part, but members of Congress are going to get to keep it.

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fucking ivanka trump is a joke and i am glad her and her trash husband are starting to get called out. ivanka may use a thesaurus to sound more intelligent than her father but i have no doubt she is as dumb. she probably bought her degree like her husband did. john oliver's takedown of them was so glorious and on point. i'm so happy people are calling her rich white woman agenda out and starting to see past the plastic surgery and serene, valium induced smile and realize what a complicit trash monster she is

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Yaaaaassss. I was in a post on another blog (that means liberal) and they were giving her a pass and I was not having it. Opps.



Fuck her and her ugly ass grifter husband



Edited at 2017-04-26 07:11 pm (UTC)

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jared terrifes me. so much is on that man's (i now think of him as a mannequin thanks to john) shoulders and idk if he has anything going upstairs.



tbh that's how i feel about everyone in this administration.



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i can't believe anybody was ever rooting for her or thought she would make an actual attempt to wrangle her daddy tbh. i guess hope springs eternal

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I wish someone would give trump vocab of the day toilet paper for adjectives.

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i had to turn it off when jed started comparing sanctuary cities to a state banning gay marriage after the supreme court ruling because it's such a stupid comparison. it's not a civil right to live in a city that reports undocumented immigrants to ice

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Can we talk about how Jed thinks that by limiting 'illegal crossings' women aren't going to be raped? Did she miss that American men rape the most vulnerable all the time? Did she miss the illegal crossings via human trafficking from vulnerable places in the middle political warfare?

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Trumps tax plan being 1 page is embarrassing (it also makes absolutely no sense). Republicans always brag about how they're plans are short, but um, I really don't get how that's a bragging point.



A country of 300+ million shouldn't be 1 page of "RICH PEOPLE=NO TAX, POOR PEOPLE=FUCKED. LOL AMERICA FIRST!!!!"

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lmao i hate that. i remember when people were complaining about the aca being too long. like do you think a healthcare reform bill is supposed to fit on a pamphlet?

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Left: Prime Minister's office readout of Trudeau's phone call with Trump



Right: White House readout of the very same call



Um pic.twitter.com/asAxPMGhMp  Bradd Jaffy (@BraddJaffy) April 26, 2017





JFC JFC

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it's worse than the china readout, christ above

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lmaoooo wtf

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i need the fucking details, like, was it them being told we're all fucked or was it a magical mystery tour with donny

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I hope someone peed in his shoe

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Nothing lmao. I can't believe they went on buses 

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I know whoopi can be problematic, but thank God she's there to put Jed in her place and shut her up consistently.

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The Venezuelan governments seizure of a GM factory, as reported by Reuters, signals that the deeply corrupt regime of President Nicolas Maduro is escalating its self-defeating actions. Ironically, for oil prices, this could prove bullish, as the operating environment is increasingly hostile and the few foreign firms still operating oil assets may flee the country.

Of course, with oil providing between 40 percent and 70 percent of government revenues (depending on the oil price), a seizure of foreign oil assets by Maduros regime would display a level of short-sightedness unrivaled by other oppressive government officials. But the GM seizure suggests that it is indeed a possibility, and Maduros regime is anything but rational.

In essence, the GM factory seizure represents a tipping point, putting Venezuela far closer to seeing its oil production shrink, rather than expanding it. Foreign firms, many of which have already packed their bags and left, must be increasingly wary about exposing itself to the aboveground risk created by Maduro stripping away the threads of confidence to which operators were clinging.

Skeptics may point to the GM factory closure as inconsequential in changing Venezuelan oil production: What oil companies are still there, anyway? While it is true that firms have reduced operations or fled, many international firms are still operating in Venezuelas oil patch. Most notably, Chevron produced 19 million cubic feet of natural gas, 28,000 barrels of crude oil per day and 28,000 barrels of synthetic oil per day in 2016.

If Chevrons 56,000 barrels of daily production in Venezuela were to be disrupted, then supply is likely to increase elsewhere. Coupling this possibility with the fact that Venezuelas oil production already declined 253,000 barrels per day between 2010 and the end of 2015 due to aging infrastructure and operators stopping production, generates a reality in which Venezuela may be the source of unexpected additional boosts to OPECs efforts to curb global oil supply. Related: Gas Prices In North Korea Shoot Up 83% As China Mulls Oil Embargo

Oilfield services giant Schlumberger still maintains a strong foothold in Venezuela despite scaling back its operations after it didnt receive promised payments from the government. In September, the company was awarded part of a $3.2 billion contract to develop the Orinoco Belt, pinning the future of Venezuelan oil production partially on Schlumbergers operational expertise.

After all, Schlumberger is responsible for drilling 80 of 480 wells issued in the September well tender, the only publicly traded company awarded any responsibility. The other two companies awarded the remaining 400 wells lack operational expertise: Horizontal Well Drillers, an Oklahoma-based company awarded part of the contract, had no experience heavy crude drilling, and the other company, engineering firm Y&V, had no oil drilling experience at all.

Schlumbergers history of reducing drilling activity if dues remain unpaid suggests that production could decline in this region if Maduros regime continues to fail delivering what it owes. According to Schlumbergers annual report, it originally reduced its activity in the country to align operations with cash collections as a result of insufficient payments.

Even though Venezuelan operations attributed less than 5 percent to Schlumbergers total revenue in 2016, it accounted for more than 10 percent of the companys total accounts receivable, with a net receivable balance of $1.2 billion from Venezuela as of December 31, 2016. Related: The Bullish Case For Oil Is Fading Fast

All told, the GM asset seizure suggests that Venezuela is far more likely to be a source of decreasing global oil production than it will be in oversupplying the market with crude, two extremes I recently highlighted for OilPrice.com. Maduros regime neglects its own long-term interest repeatedly, which means further disrupting domestic oil operations could be the next erroneous step. Ironically, an unexpected production collapse in Venezuela could provide the boost to oil prices that many OPEC nations need to sustain their budgets.

Whats more is that Venezuelas primary crude customer is not in desperate need of its product due to a domestic production boom and access to heavy crude from Canada. That is, the U.S. imported 23,227,000 barrels of crude oil and petroleum products from Venezuela in January 2017, the most recently published data. This represents 37 percent of the estimated 62.1 million barrels of oil the country produced in January, a number derived from secondary sources in OPECs March report.

The future of Venezuela and the international oil companies within the country remains unclear, with the international community now looking into taking action to restore democracy. As the Trump administration meets with Argentine President Mauricio Macri next week to discuss, among other things, the deteriorating situation in Venezuela, the world will be watching. Each move the Maduro regime takes against the private sector going forward can rock oil markets, spark tensions across the world, and deepen the countrys woes.

By Jacob Urban for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
Russias Federal Security Service, the FSB, said on Wednesday that it had foiled an attempt by alleged Islamic State supporters to carry out a terror attack in a crowded place on the Far East Russian island of Sakhalin, which is an oil and gas hub.

Sakhalin is the site of many oil and gas operations and currently has Russias only LNG plant. Gazprom and Shell are the major partners in the Sakhalin-2 venture, with Gazprom holding 50 percent plus one share, and Shell owing 27.5 per cent minus one share in Sakhalin Energy Investment Company Ltdthe Sakhalin II project operator.

The Russian security service said today that they had detained two peopleone citizen of a Central Asian republic and one Russian citizenin the city of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, Sakhalins administrative center. During house searches, the FSB seized an improvised explosive device, components for making one, Islamic State propaganda material, and banned extremist literature. The cell phones of the two detainees contained instructions on how to make explosive devices, the security service said.

Criminal charges are brought against the detainees and investigation continues, the FSB said. Related: OPECs No.2 Plans Significant Raise In Crude Output Next Year

The latest news from the Russian security service comes less than a week after a gunman stormed into one of FSBs regional offices in the Far East city of Khabarovsk, opened fire, and killed two people, including one FSB employee and a visitor. In that attack, there were contradictory reports about the motives of the attacker, with some saying that ISIS had claimed responsibility for the shooting, while others said that the attacker was a nationalist. FSB itself has said that the gunman is a native of the Khabarovsk region, and there was evidence that he belonged to a neo-Nazi group.

Yesterday, a group professing links to al Qaeda claimed that al Qaedas chief Ayman al-Zawahiri had ordered the suicide bombing in the St Petersburg metro in early April that killed 16 people, including the bomber.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
Global oil inventories have started to decline and the supply/demand balance will soon tip into a deficit, if it hasnt already. That will accelerate the drawdowns in crude oil stocks, and bring the market back into balance, providing a lift to oil prices.

That, at least, is the working assumption. But there are a series of gigantic question marks out there  a handful of countries could upend the theory that the oil market is on a smooth trajectory towards balance.

Here are the five countries that could provide an unexpected jolt to the oil market:

1. Venezuela. Venezuelas economy has been in freefall since oil prices collapsed in 2014. The situation has deteriorated rapidly more recently, however, with hundreds of thousands of people taking to the streets. While things could certainly drag on, the situation in Caracas definitely has the feel of some sort of final stage for the Maduro government. Oil production already dropped by nearly 10 percent last year, and will continue to fall this year. Depressingly, total collapse of Venezuelan society is possible, threatening 2 mb/d of oil production. At a minimum, output will continue on its downward path. On the other hand, Bloomberg Gadfly points out that Venezuelas demand would also plunge in this meltdown scenario, offsetting the supply loss but creating another, if different, risk to the oil market.

2. Libya. The North African OPEC member has successfully brought back a huge chunk of its latent oil supply, ramping up output to 700,000 bpd earlier this year, essentially double 2016 levels. But output has seesawed back and forth in the past few weeks, with oil fields and export terminals going offline for a week or so, only to quickly resume operations. Data is hard to come by, but recent reports suggest Libyan production is currently somewhere around 490,000 bpd. It is also difficult to incorporate Libya into oil forecasting scenarios because of the immense uncertainty. On the bullish side of things (for oil prices, that is), the outages in Libya could persist, leaving several hundred thousand barrels per day offline. But there is a bearish case as well  Libyas National Oil Company is targeting production of 1.2 mb/d by the end of the year. That is far from a foregone conclusion, but it is hard to overstate the depressing impact that more than 500,000 bpd of additional supply would have on oil prices.

3. Nigeria. Nigeria is a somewhat similar risk factor to the oil market as Libya. Both countries are exempted from the OPEC cuts and both represent both downside and upside risks to the oil market. Last year, Nigeria made a lot of headlines because of the string of attacks on pipelines from the Niger Delta Avengers. The attacks have slowed dramatically, but critical infrastructure  such as the 300,000 bpd Forcados export terminal  remain offline. That has production down to close to a three-decade low of 1.6 mb/d, down from a peak of 2.2 mb/d reached in 2014. The upside potential in Nigeria seems more limited than Libya, given the damage to infrastructure, but so does the downside risk since much of the sabotage has passed. Still, Nigeria presents a lot of uncertainty going forward. Related: OPECs No.2 Plans Significant Raise In Crude Output Next Year

4. U.S. shale. While other countries present oil market risk because of conflict, the U.S. could spoil a lot of forecasts because of the uncertainty surrounding the pace of the shale industrys comeback. Previous forecasts pegged shale growth at just a few hundred thousand barrels per day this year. However, preliminary data from the EIA has U.S. oil production up by almost 300,000 bpd already in 2017, and output could grow by another 400,000 bpd by the end of December. Not only is it difficult to forecast the pace of growth, but U.S. shale is much more sensitive to oil prices than other sources of production, so what happens for the remainder of the year is highly uncertain and subject to market conditions.

5. Russia. Finally, the largest short-term catalyst to global supplies and, thus, oil prices, is whether or not OPEC agrees to an extension of its cuts. There is roughly 1.8 mb/d that hangs in the balance (1.2 mb/d of OPEC production, plus 558,000 bpd from non-OPEC). For now, it appears that OPEC is on board with an extension, with the groups monitoring committee formally recommending an extension. However, the final ingredient for an extension is the cooperation of Russia, which has so far declined to publicly state its position. One complicating factor for Russian calculations is, as Bloomberg reports, the fact that Russian oil production typically rises in the summer. That, plus the fact that Russian oil firms have some major projects in the works, could make the Kremlins decision on the extension much more fraught. Although it appears unlikely at this point, Russia could derail the deal, resulting in much higher levels of global supply and sizable losses to crude oil prices.

By Nick Cunningham of Oilprice.com

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The first ever batch of North Dakota Bakken crude will reach Asia in the next few days as a result of Mercuria Energy Tradings latest export deal, according to Reuters, which cited a relevant shipping document.

The Swiss energy trader shipped 600,000 barrels of crude from the Bakken formation along with Mars Sour crude from the Louisiana Offshore Oil Port (LOOP) onto the carrier Maran Canopus in late March. The vessel is destined for Singapore, according to the document.

North Dakotas mix of light oil reached Europe last year, just months after the United States Congress lifted the decades-old ban on crude oil exports in December 2015. Japan may soon follow; refiners from the country say the formula of oil works well with existing facilities.

"It suits the refinery more," a Japanese refiner, who was not authorized to speak on the record, told Reuters.

The Dakota Access pipeline, once blocked by President Barack Obama due to concerns that the line would leak into water supplies, is slated to begin transporting crude from North Dakota to refineries in the south soon.

The pipeline is ready to start shipping crude oil from North Dakotas Bakken play, project operator Energy Transfer Partners said in a regulatory filing last month. The company said that it had put crude in a reservoir under the Missouri River, and that full-scale flow will begin soon. The reservoir is in the section of the pipeline under Lake Oahe that sparked protests from local Native American tribes and environmentalists.



Related: As Conflict Rages On, Russia Lands Oil Deals In Syria



"There seems to be increasing demand for light quality crude in Asia," Michael Cohen, Barclays head of energy commodities research, said. "I think with Dakota Access coming online, it makes the pipeline route from the Bakken to the Gulf Coast more economical."

By Zainab Calcuttawala for Oilprice.com

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A pipeline explosion in Kirkuk caused a disruption in oil production on Wednesday, according to government sources who confirmed the source of the commotion.

"An explosion occurred in Kirkuk, which caused considerable material damage and stopped production," the Ministry of Natural Resources said in a press release. "The blast occurred, at two o'clock on Wednesday morning, along the pipeline run by authorities of the Kurdistan region which extracts oil and exports it to Turkey.

No group has claimed responsibility for the explosion yet, although insurgents from the Islamic State (ISIS) have targeted Kurdistans oil infrastructure in the past.

Flames of fire occurred on an oil pipeline passing between villages of Drkai Arab and Sartika, in Sargaran district, Gen Sarhad Qader, head of suburban police, told Rudaw. Attempts to put off the fire are ongoing and [authorities expect] to totally extinguish it by the evening, he added.

The pipeline, which ends in Ceyhan, had just restarted exporting oil three days ago after being offline for scheduled maintenance.

In August last year, the central Iraqi government in Baghdad and the Kurdish Regional Government (KRG) resolved a dispute over the shipment of oil via the Ceyhan pipeline from the Kirkuk fields operated by the central governments North Oil Company.

Related: Exxon Attempts To Maneuver Around Russian Sanctions

The shaky nature of Iraqi politics, the ISIS threat that has not been completely erased, and the generally restive region are currently deterring foreign oil companies from betting big on the Kurdish oil fields, which offer low-cost production.

Baghdad and Erbil are exempt from the terms of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) deal to reduce output by 1.2 million barrels per day, though oil output from the two entities combined makes Iraq the second largest oil producer in the bloc. Saudi Arabia, the groups de facto leader, is the largest.

By Zainab Calcuttawala for Oilprice.com

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Mexicos state oil major has decided to hedge its oil output until the end of the year for the first time since 2006, spending $133.5 million on the maneuver. The hedge will lock in a price of $42 per barrel of Pemex oil for an amount of up to 409,000 barrels per day. The move suggests that Pemex is in the skeptics corner of the oil industry  Middle Eastern producers are still hoping to bring prices to $60 a barrel.

The government is also skeptical about international oil price-related efforts. In its budget forecast for the year, the Finance Ministry, which does its own, much larger oil hedge, put in an average oil price for local crude of $42 for 2017 and $46 for 2018. The January 2017 price for Mayan crude for the U.S. was $45.75 a barrel.

Pemex explained in a statement that the hedge will help it protect its balance sheet. The statement also said that For the first time in 11 years, Pemex has its own hedging program, which will favor the fulfillment of its operational and investment commitments and provide greater certainty to its income considering a possible drop in oil prices. This reinforces the perception that the Mexican company is not too optimistic about the immediate future of oil prices.

It is certainly not alone in this: pessimism among traders is growing as global crude inventories remain at historic highs. Brent, the international benchmark, has lost 5 percent since early December, when the final OPEC-non-OPEC deal was announced, sending prices to their highest in 2016. Yet, over the first quarter of this year, inventories continued to creep up, despite high compliance levels among OPEC members.



Related: Top 5 Risks To Oil Prices

Analysts argue that until there is a clear sign of falling inventories, prices wont move from where they are now. For this to happen, however, OPEC may need to cut deeper. As JPMorgan said, quoted by CNBC, the cartel will be forced to renew, and possibly deepen the agreement if they wish to keep prices much above $50 per barrel.

By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com

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As OPEC and non-OPEC producers seem to move closer to a consensus over extending the output cut deal beyond June, Saudi Oil Minister Khalid al-Falih will talk a possible extension with Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak within the next two weeks and may discuss some of the issues on the phone as early as this week, Falih said on Wednesday.

There seems to be a consensus in that direction, but were not 100 percent there, al-Falih told reporters while on a visit to Azerbaijan, as quoted by Bloomberg.

We still need to talk to all countries. A very important country to talk to, of course, is Russia, the biggest non-OPEC exporter, al-Falih noted.

Novak and al-Falih would aim to reach some decision that everybody has to support, according to al-Falih.

Initial enthusiasm over OPECs boasting record compliance rate and assurance that the oil market would soon rebalance thanks to the output cuts has faded, as it has become evident that global oversupply is still large.

Although Russia has signaled it may be weighing a possible cut extension, it has not officially committed to joining a rollover of the cuts by the end of the year.

Some Russian government officials have reportedly said that the countrys oil production could rise to the highest in 30 years in 2017 if the extension agreement falls through.

For now, Russia has given its broad support for an extension, although the only specific that has come from Novak so far was a comment made in March stating that it is too early to discuss the issue. The decision whether to extend the period of the cuts will depend on what the inventory situation in April will be, and what the forecasts for May and June will be, Novak has said.



Related: Saudi Arabia Thwarts Attempted Attack On Aramco Facility

However, a possible extension of the cuts would coincide with the Russian summer when production is typically rising, and Moscow agreeing to cut output at that time is not as easy.

The final decision whether to roll over the cuts is expected to be made at an OPEC meeting in Vienna on May 25.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

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The mathematical (and other) thoughts of a (now retired) math teacher,
Jan-Henrik Forster of Bloomberg reports the clock is ticking for private equity to spend through tough times: Time is ticking away for private equity firms to get ready for their next wave of deals. Rising interest rates, inflation and recession risks have eroded consumer confidence and left buyout firms facing a new reality of higher financing costs and potentially lower returns. None of which changes the fact theres more than $1 trillion sitting in their funds that needs to be spent. People say theres no financing available but then our clients are telling us we have a big fund that we have to deploy, said Umberto Giacometti, co-head of financial sponsors in Europe, the Middle East and Africa at Nomura Holdings Inc. If you need to deploy, say, $10 billion in four years, and dont do anything for sixth months, you are under pressure. The shift is profound for an asset class that for more than a decade was flooded with cash from investors hunting yield in a low-i
U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-Willsboro, on April 6, was an original co-sponsor of legislation Rep. Martha McSally, R-Ariz., introduced to make nonconsensual sharing of intimate photographs and videos of other military personnel a violation of the Uniform Code of Military Justice, according to the Library of Congress government information web site.

The legislation was introduced after it was discovered on March 4 that the private Facebook group "Marines United" was nude, intimate photos and personal information about women without their consent, McSally said, in a press release.

"United States troops must be warriors that embody courage, commitment and honor -- on and off duty," McSally said, in the press release.

The legislation -- HR 2052 -- had 18 co-sponsors, as of Wednesday -- 10 Republicans and eight Democrats.
LAKE GEORGE  The Lake George Park Commission on Tuesday tabled an application by Tiki Tours to operate a vessel on the lake this summer because of concerns over alcohol use by passengers.

The boat measures 15 feet, 6 inches by 15 feet 6 inches and is made of pressure-treated lumber, according to Greg Teresi, a partner in the business who made a presentation before the commission.

The idea came from Larry Davis, who operated his own tiki boat on the lake last year. There was such a reaction that he believed the concept could become a viable business.

There are some people looking for a more intimate, more personal type of vessel, Teresi said.

U.S. Coast Guard and state parks officials had the vessel go through a battery of tests to make sure it is seaworthy, Teresi said.

The business would operate out of the Lake George Beach Club and passengers would be picked up at the village docks.

There would be a captain and six passengers on board, according to Teresi. A port-a-potty with privacy shield will be available. There will be life jackets and the appropriate safety gear on board.

The 90-minute tours would go from the docks to Plum Point in a counterclockwise direction. He said he does not want to go too far from home base in case there is severe weather.

The operators do not plan to sell any alcoholic drinks on board. People could bring their own. There will be ice and a cooler available. He said the crew will receive the same type of training that bartenders and wait staff get to recognize people who have had too much to drink.

Teresi said the goal would be to provide people with an enjoyable experience, but also provide a history of the lake.

The hope is that people are there to enjoy the views of the lake and not turn this into a party boat scenario, he said.

He also wants to promote a designated captain program similar to the designated driver campaigns that have been in existence for years.

Boating is a great experience. Lake George is a great experience. But we need to do it responsibly, he said.

Commission members had issues with the fact that this would essentially be a bring-your-own-alcohol business.

Youre providing coolers. Youre providing a bar to sit at, said Chairman Bruce Young.

He said he is concerned that the boat operator would be in the role of policeman.

I dont see how your captain is going to be able to monitor everybody, he said.

The commission suggested he add a deckhand in addition to the captain.

Commission member James Kneeshaw also had a concern about the proposed operation.

In the back of everyones minds here today is a concern with whats happening in our county courtroom as we speak, he said, referring to the trial of Alexander West, who is accused of crashing a boat into other vessel and leaving the scene of an accident that killed an 8-year-old girl. Witnesses say West had been drinking and doing drugs at an all-day party known as Log Bay Day.

Teresi said he is trying to improve the culture.

There needs to be a change in the way everyone on this lake thinks about drinking and boating, he said.

Don Smith, a licensed captain in Lake George, spoke during the public comment portion about his concern that the boating capacity in the village is maximized with all the boats, kayaks and paddleboats.

The commission decided to table the matter so Teresi could get more information to address the safety concerns. Commission members also expressed interest in riding the boat to see its seaworthiness.

In other business, the commission approved a proposal by Castaway Marina on Route 9L in Queensbury to tear down an existing boat building and build a bigger one.

Engineer Carl Schoder presented plans showing that an outdated facility that has storage for eight boats would be torn down and replaced with a nearly 10,000-square-foot building that will hold 50 vessels. There will continue to be outdoor storage of 76 boats.

The applicant agreed to plant additional pine trees to provide additional screening for its neighbor, who had expressed a concern.

Also approved was an application by Fischers Marina to close its approved public launch on weekends and holidays and increase its quick launch from 30 to 100 vessels, with a limit of 50 vessels on the lake at any one time.

Owner Nicky Cutro said it is getting too crazy with the number of boats that were seeking to use the public launch.

Im trying to make the place more quaint. Im trying to make it more manageable, so I dont have to deal with the weekend warriors, he said.
MOREAU  A Gansevoort man was charged with felony driving while intoxicated Monday after an accident on Route 9, police records show.

Gregory L. Lyons, 58, was charged after State Police responded to a 5:19 p.m. call about a crash, records show. Details of the crash were not available, but no other vehicles were listed as involved.

He was found to be intoxicated, and has two prior DWI convictions, which resulted in the DWI charge being elevated to a felony, according to the State Police public information website.

Lyons also does not have a driver's license and did not have an ignition interlock device, resulting in misdemeanor counts of aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle and circumventing an ignition interlock, records show.

Lyons, who was also arrested for felony DWI in Wilton last August, was released pending prosecution in Moreau Town Court.
HAGUE  The Hague man who was shot by a robber in a store in this remote town on the north end of Lake George was recovering in a Vermont hospital on Wednesday as police searched for the man who attacked him and residents of the area questioned how such a violent crime could occur in their small town.

Jim Rypkema, 63, was recovering at University of Vermont Medical Center in Burlington, Vermont, on Wednesday, having undergone surgery for multiple gunshot wounds to his upper torso inflicted by a small-caliber firearm, according to State Police.

Police said his injuries are not considered life-threatening but the hospital had not released word on his condition late Monday.

He was shot inside Hague Market, also known as Hague General Store, the shop and eatery that his family has run for about 6 years.

I dont know how anyone could do something like this to Jim. Hes the nicest guy, said Dean Craig, whose family runs the adjacent Craig Real Estate office. They have got to be out of their minds.

A massive manhunt for the shooter continued as of Wednesday afternoon, with dozens of State Police troopers, investigators, Warren County sheriffs officers, Essex County sheriffs officers and Ticonderoga Police officers involved in an effort that was focusing mainly on a 30-mile radius of Hague.

Crime scene technicians wearing white suits were still on scene as of mid-afternoon Wednesday, the store cordoned off with yellow police tape.

Police have developed persons of interest in the 4:30 p.m. Tuesday shooting at the Route 8/Graphite Mountain Road business, but no arrests were reported as of late Wednesday.

Police believe a man robbed the store, making off with an undetermined amount of money, and that he may have been with a woman when he left.

The store had just opened for the season days earlier, and with the summer crowd not in town yet, things are fairly slow business-wise in Hague this time of year, officials said.

We dont believe it was a large amount of cash, as the store had just opened for the season, State Police Lt. Don Williams said.

He said it was unclear whether a rifle or handgun was used in the shooting. Rypkema has been conscious and had been interviewed by investigators.

Williams would not divulge whether the attacker and victim had any sort of verbal exchange before the shots were fired.

Authorities were looking for a man and a woman who were believed involved in the late afternoon shooting.

Police described them as a white male, about 6 feet, 2 inches and approximately 250 pounds, wearing hiking boots and dark green or army camouflage pants. He wore a camouflage mask and was believed to have been responsible for the shooting, police said.

He was believed to be traveling with a white woman who is 5 feet, 4 inches tall and approximately 200 pounds. She was believed to be wearing a green skirt and a black shawl.

The shooter fled on foot, and Williams said it was unclear whether they left the area in a vehicle. Police investigated a number of possible sightings on Tuesday night and Wednesday, and had roving and stationary patrols around northern Warren and southern Essex counties.

They were also checking area businesses and homes for surveillance cameras that may have shown the suspect or suspects coming or going.

Police used search dogs and a helicopter to comb through the area for evidence, cordoning off with yellow police tape part of the parking lot at the nearby Hague Beach on Route 9N. A command post for police activity was set up at the Hague Fire Department on West Hague Road, with State Police bringing a mobile communications vehicle equipped with numerous computers to town to aid the effort.

Anyone who saw suspicious activity around the store Monday was asked to call State Police at 583-7000.

The historic store, located just west of Lake George, opened for the season April 20.

Craig said his mother, Allison Craig, was in their office Tuesday afternoon when the shooting occurred, but heard and saw nothing unusual.

He said the crime, coupled with a burglary at the U.S. Post Office in Hague in December, was shocking for a small town like Hague. The town has a population of fewer than 900 year-round residents, though the crowd grows as seasonal homes on the lake open for the summer.

Graphite Mountain Road resident Art Steitz, who owned and operated the store for more than a decade before selling it on two occasions, the last time to Rypkema, said he arrived home to State Police cars converging on the store late Tuesday. He said he was shocked that someone would target the store and Rypkema.

Jim is such a nice guy, he said.
U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jonathan B. Trejo/Released(WASHINGTON) -- A U.S. guided-missile destroyer fired a flare in the direction of an Iranian Revolutionary Guard ship this week during an encounter in the Persian Gulf, a Navy official has confirmed to ABC News.



The "guided-missile destroyer USS Mahan (DDG 72) had an unprofessional interaction with an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy (IRGCN) vessel while transiting the international waters of the Arabian Gulf, April 24," a spokesman for the Naval Forces Central Command said of the Monday encounter.



The Iranian ship came within 1,100 yards of the Mahan, closing the distance, despite the U.S. ships maneuvering to open the distance between the two vessels, the spokesman said.



The Mahan employed bridge-to-bridge radio in an effort to reach the Iranian ship, and issued warning messages prior to the firing of the flare, the spokesman said.



Copyright  2017, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
















The stated objective of the Hezbollah-coordinated press tour of southern Lebanon was to see new Israeli defensive installations on the border  indications, according to the powerful Shiite Lebanese militia, of Israeli fears of Hezbollahs growing military might.









But as the convoy of vehicles carrying a large group of Lebanese and foreign reporters reached the outskirts of this village on the Mediterranean coast, around a dozen uniformed Hezbollah fighters came into view in an orange orchard on the side of the road. Clutching rifles, machine guns, and grenade launchers, their faces streaked in black cream, the fighters stood still and silent, in a frozen tableau.





The unprecedented spectacle appeared to be a deliberate and calculated breach of a UN Security Council resolution that bans non-state forces from bearing arms in southern Lebanon, and it illustrated the unmatched sway Hezbollah wields, and the impunity it enjoys throughout the country. That is the culmination of more than a decade in which Iran's key ally amassed influence and power to defend its military priority against those who wish to see the group disarmed.





Viewing Hezbollah fighters in the field is rare enough, but this brief, subtly-delivered roadside display served to signal Hezbollahs defiance and autonomy to multiple audiences. They included Israel, the Lebanese government, and UNIFIL, the United Nations peacekeeping force deployed in south Lebanon, whose headquarters lay less than a mile away from the orchard.





The display of defiance was staged at a time of growing Hezbollah-Israel tensions. Hezbollahs main strategic objective, analysts say, and one of its guiding principles in the complex arena of Lebanese politics, is to preserve its right to bear arms and its military prerogatives vis-a-vis Israel.





Hezbollah wants to protect its right to fight Israel at a time of its choosing, and to secure its Shiite bases political and economic rights in an antiquated sectarian political system, says Randa Slim, a Hezbollah expert at the Middle East Institute in Washington. To do the former, it needs a secure strategic depth in Syria, maintain and fully control its weapons arsenal in Lebanon, and a home-front that is not at war with itself.





Opponents of Hezbollah say the border tour was another example of the party behaving above the law and holding the country hostage to its anti-Israel agenda.





Hezbollahs opponents say the party controls the levers of power over the Lebanese state in order to safeguard its own interests. While that is generally true, such criticism can ring hollow in a country where politicians of all political persuasions are widely seen as routinely exploiting state resources either for personal enrichment or to fund patronage networks on which their popular support rests.





And while Hezbollahs influence within the Lebanese state today reaches into political, economic, security, and judicial spheres, analysts say its principle motive is less the acquisition of power but to defend and sustain what it calls its resistance priority  the anti-Israeli military component that lies at the heart of the partys ideology.









When Hezbollah spent the 1990s battling Israels occupation of south Lebanon, its armed status was sanctioned by successive Lebanese governments and guaranteed by neighboring Syria, then the dominant force in Lebanon. After Israel withdrew its troops in May 2000, Syria continued to provide cover for Hezbollahs military wing despite growing calls in Lebanon for its disarmament.

































A senior Israeli army officer warned on Tuesday that an impending power outage in the Gaza Strip could lead to a conflict between Hamas and Israel.





The coastal enclave is on track to completely run out of fuel for its power plant due to a spat over taxes between Hamas, which rules the Strip, and the Mahmoud Abbas-led Palestinian Authority.









The story there is Hamass dilemma  to where do you put the money? In military channels or for civilian needs in the Strip? the officer told journalists, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Theres a chance this could lead Hamas to a clash with Israel, he added.









The IDF has long warned of the security implications of a full-blown humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

According to Palestinian sources, Abbas could soon cut off all funding for power in Gaza, in a move that would greatly exacerbate the crisis.





Fuel supply for the Strips two million inhabitants has been a long-running source of dispute. As of last week, Gazans had just four hours of electricity each day, followed by 12-hour blackouts, down from two eight-hour periods of electricity a day when the plant is operating normally and supplies are coming in from outside the enclave.





The Strips hospitals are also believed to be on the verge of running out of reserve fuel for its generators in the coming days. The Hamas-controlled energy authority is demanding that the Palestinian Authority pays the tax as it has done since 1994 but the PA, run by the rival Fatah party, is refusing.

























The dramatic events around Syria, namely the April 4 massacre of the civilian population in Idlib by toxic gases, which was immediately followed by the US missile strike on the Syrian airbase of Shayrat on April 7, finally culminating into very heated discussions in the UN Security Council, have pushed other tragedies of the Middle East far into the background.

The terrorist attacks against the Coptic community in Egypt, which brought the fate of Christians in the region back onto the agenda again, is worthy of first mention.









Firstly, a few words about the sad event itself. On April 9, on Palm Sunday, a significant day for Christians, two powerful explosions struck two Coptic churches in the two Egyptian cities of Tanta and Alexandria during a festive service, killing 49 and injuring 120 people. The authorities reacted immediately by introducing a state of emergency for three months, and by creating a Supreme Council to fight terrorism. To this, the United States and other Western countries, instead of feeling compassion for the Christians, immediately reacted by sharply criticizing the regime for clamping democracy.









However, we indeed must afford more thought to the fate of Christians in the Middle East, including Egypt, than what we can possibly notice right now. The Coptic community has always been one of the most important keepers of Egyptian national identity, although, according to different estimates (as no official figures since 2006), they constitute between 7 and 11 percent of the nations total population, which makes up between 6 and 13 million people. For centuries, the Copts have played an important role in the economy, in politics and in the cultural life of the Egyptian state. Secretary-General of the United Nations Boutros Boutros-Ghali (his grandfather, Boutros Ghali, was Prime Minister of the country from 1908 to 1910, and was later killed by an Egyptian nationalist) is one of the famous Copts one can recall. Although, throughout the twentieth century, the role of the Copts in politics and the economy has been steadily decreasing; no more than between 1 and 2 people have been appointed members of government in recent years, or as governors, and there were only six of them in the parliament under H. Mubarak.





At the same time, during the twentieth century, until about the beginning of the 1990s, the Copts did not face any particular oppression. Of course, their participation in the economy, politics and population was decreasing. Nevertheless, this did not affect their status.





Problems started to slowly increasing with the victory of the 1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran and with the crisis of the secular governance model, which was aggravated by the collapse of the USSR, and with it, of the leftist secular vector in the politics of the Arab States. Many Arab countries, previously oriented either toward the socialist model or toward the liberal Western, like Egypt (however, secular, in any case), began to feel the pressure of the Islamists, especially the Muslim Brotherhood, which raised the slogan Islam Is The Solution.





When Muslim Brotherhood came to power after the January 25 Revolution and the presidential elections in 2012, which their protege Mohamed Morsi won, the position of the Copts became sharply worse. This was primarily because during the elections, they had overwhelmingly supported Ahmed Shafiq, a secular politician close to H. Mubarak. Despite the promises of the new authorities to protect Christians, Christian oppression only increased. As clearly demonstrated by The Association of Victims of Abduction and Forced Disappearance, 550 Coptic women and girls were abducted between January 2011 and March 2014. Attacks and murders of followers of Jesus Christ in different parts of the country have increased. However, in the West, these facts were either hushed up or interpreted as a perversion of reality, as if Coptic girls themselves marry Muslims and then the Copts put it as abductions.









Recent events, like explosions in the Coptic Churches, as well as the latest threats by the Islamic State to the Copts in the Sinai Peninsula, challenge the relative calm of Christians in Egypt.




















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Mr. Kerali, made this revelation at the World Bank headquarters in Washington DC to a government delegation led by Ghana's Vice President Dr. Bawimua.

The World Bank group will provide more the $1.2 billion for the public sector development and annual disbursement 400million dollars for the private sector development.

READ ALSO: Bank of Ghana fails to meet its 2015 target

"We have been able to confirm that the World Bank group will provide more than 1.2 billion dollars to Ghana for the public sector plus about 400 million dollars per year for the private sector over the next three years," Mr. Kerali remarked.

Speaking to government officials in a closed-door-meeting, Mr. Kerali, lauded Ghanas economic policy reforms to create growth and development, adding that the World Bank is also committed to supporting government realize its economic targets.

"We are impressed with the reforms spearheaded by the new governments economic management team led by the Vice President, Dr. Bawumia.

"We are also committed to ensure there is no irreversibility of policies with expenditure and revenue. The plans that you have, going forward are the plans we will commit to and make sure it works for Ghana," Mr. Kerali remarked.

Issues discussed with governments high profiled delegation ranged from energy, social services, health, education, infrastructure and particularly agriculture and agribusiness as well as challenges confronting these sectors.

The delegation also took advantage of the opportunity to share ideas on governments policy reforms and priority areas for economic development.

Mr. Kerali also endeared government to revamp its agricultural sector in order to mitigate the large amount of imported the food stuffs into the country

Ghana imports 2 billion dollars worth of food every year so perhaps we could strengthen the agricultural sector. We have issues with social services, health and education and we could do more.'
That may be easier said than done. Trump will face strong opposition not only from Democrats but also from members of his own party.

Many Republican lawmakers have long held that any tax-cut plan should not affect the federal deficit, and analysts say Trump's plan could cause that deficit to balloon.

The left-leaning Tax Policy Center estimated that a tax plan Trump introduced in 2016 during his campaign would have decreased federal revenue by $6 trillion from 2016 to 2026, including $2.3 trillion alone from lowering the corporate tax rate to 15%.

Even when using dynamic scoring, a method that assumes tax cuts will increase economic growth to help offset the declining revenue, the plan would most likely add to the deficit unless economic growth nearly doubles, the conservative-leaning Tax Foundation told Vox.

House Speaker Paul Ryan has long advocated a deficit-neutral tax plan in his Better Way platform, which could make the tax deal unpalatable to the House GOP leader.

Sen. Orrin Hatch, the head of the Senate Finance Committee, also talked down the possibility of a 15% corporate rate when speaking with reporters.

"I'd love to do that," Hatch said. "I'm not sure we can get them down that low."

Politico also reported that many of the key aspects various Republicans favored, including such provisions as a border-adjustment tax, were not expected to be included in the plan, giving deficit-skeptical Republicans fewer reasons to support it.

Given the potential thorniness within Trump's own party, many experts believe the tax plan that eventually makes its way to Congress will look very different.

"We share Chair Hatch's skepticism as we see neither the political will nor the procedural path to securing a 15% corporate rate. Instead, we maintain our view that a top corporate rate of 25-28% is the likeliest outcome at this point," Isaac Boltansky of the political research firm Compass Point wrote in a note to clients on Tuesday.

Greg Valliere, the chief global strategist and longtime political analyst at Horizon Investments, echoed similar sentiments in a letter to clients.

"As we wrote yesterday, Trump's legacy will hinge on whether he can win Republican support," Valliere wrote. "We still think he can get a tax bill by winter, with an effective date no sooner than Jan. 1, 2018, but the tax cuts won't be as profound as Trump wants."
"The most memorable gifts I have ever received are those whose value could not be measured in terms of dollars and cents," Ferrazzi wrote. "They are the heartfelt letters, e-mails, and cards I receive from people thanking me for guidance and advice."

He noted that if you send a decent follow-up message after meeting with someone, you'll distinguish yourself from "95 percent of your peers," since "the fact is, most people don't follow up very well, if at all."

Ferrazzi even made his point in all-caps: "FOLLOW-UP IS THE KEY TO SUCCESS IN ANY FIELD"  and that doesn't mean you reserve the follow-up message for job interviews.

Ferrazzi is the founder and CEO of Ferrazzi Greenlight, a management consultant firm with major clients like General Motors and American Express, and he's constantly meeting with new and potential clients.

Here's an example email he would send to one of those potential clients after their first meeting, where they got to know each other a bit. Note that he "reiterates the commitments everyone has made, and asks when a second follow-up meeting can be arranged":

"It was great talking to you over lunch yesterday. I wanted to follow up with some thoughts we discussed yesterday. I believe Ferrazzi Greenlight can serve the interests of your company, and I've had time to work out the finer details.

"The next time I'm in town, I'd love to get on your calendar and chat for five or ten minutes."

The above is just a skeleton, but Ferrazzi recommends adding some personality to your message, such as an allusion to something you discussed, a discovered shared interest, or a joke that came up. Some more tips:

 Send your email within 24 hours of meeting, but don't wait too long. If you grabbed drinks, send your message the next morning.

 Express gratitude.

 Be brief.

 Focus on what you can do for them.

 If someone connected you to this person, send a follow-up to the referrer, as well.
The ruling means that Uber must turn over certain documents that Waymo says could help bolster its trade theft case. Waymo alleges that its self-driving car technology was stolen by Levandowksi, who is now overseeing Uber's self-driving car effort.

Waymo alleges that Levandowski took 14,000 documents relating to self-driving-car technology with him before he left the company and that Uber is now relying on many of those documents for its self-driving-car project. Uber has said that none of the files are stored on Uber-owned computers and therefore cannot be submitted to the court during the discovery process.

Why this matters

Waymo is the company that was spun off of Google's self-driving-car project. One of its goals is to start a ride-hailing service with a fleet of self-driving cars.

However, Waymo's lawsuit accuses Levandowski, who was part of the project but left for Uber, of taking the documents and using them to develop custom lidar for Uber's self-driving cars. Uber denies Waymo's allegations and says its lidar is significantly different from Waymo's lidar.
The Daily Guide newspaper indicated that the Development Assistance Fund (DAF) and the Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) created under the VCTF to give funding access to Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs) were allegedly used as an avenue to steal state funds.

The government between 2010 and 2015 invested GH18.26 million. It has currently retrieved on 7% with an outstanding of GH32 million.

READ ALSO: BoG fails to meet its 2015 target

An internal investigation traced the alleged fraudulent activities to the former CEO and his cronies and as a result, one Osman Suleman, on the instructions of the Board of Trustees, has invited the BNI to thoroughly look into the matter.

About 205 SMEs are said to have benefitted from the DAF and SPV schemes of the VTCF.

READ ALSO: Galamsey operators to be engaged in tree planting

Meanwhile, some existing and former employees, particularly the immediate past Chief Executive Officer, Daniel Kofi Duku, have been accused of directly or indirectly engaging in fraudulent activities during the disbursement of the DAF and SPV loans.

The Venture Capital Trust Fund (VCTF) in Ghana was established in 2004 through an Act of Parliament (VCTF Act 680).
According to him, government has no plans and has outlined none on how it is going to fulfil the many promises it made to Ghanaians.

Earlier, some newspapers reported that former Mahama is sabotaging the free Senior High School programme.

But Mahama said, "government-sponsored attack" launched at Mahama is "based on a deliberately concocted lie that the former president is working to scuttle the governments free secondary education policy."

In a statement signed by the special aide Joyce Bawa Mogtari, "It said "Two pro-government and pro-NPP newspapers, Daily Statesman and Daily Guide, together with sponsored leaflets in circulation in the Ashanti Region claim that Mr Mahama is working with some officials of the Ghana Education Service (GES), the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI), and some faceless South Africans to make it impossible for the Nana Akufo-Addo government to implement its Free SHS promise.

Below is the full statement:

Blame not Mahama for your failuresA statement by Joyce B. Mogtari

A government-sponsored attack has been launched on HE John Dramani Mahama, former President of the Republic of Ghana, based on a deliberately concocted lie, that the former president is working to scuttle the governments free secondary education policy.

Two pro-government and pro-NPP newspapers, Daily Statesman and Daily Guide, together with sponsored leaflets in circulation in the Ashanti Region claim that Mr. Mahama is working with some officials of the Ghana Education Service (GES), the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) and some faceless South Africans to make it impossible for the Nana Akufo-Addo Government to implement its free SHS promise.

How is it possible, for a person who does not control governments kitty to make it impossible for the government to implement its policy initiative?

It is obviously evident, as previously noted by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Minority in Parliament, that government has no plans and has outlined none on how it is going to fulfil the many promises it made to the people of Ghana.

The publication and circulation of this syndicated story, which has no merit, is concocted, and which also debases the intelligence and character of officials of the GES and BNI, is nothing but a diversionary tactic.

Government has huge challenges with implementing a campaign promise to make education at the Senior High School level free for all students, both day and boarders, and starting from the next academic year.

But this attempt to begin a careful process of accusing the former President and hopefully blame him for what was a clear deceit of the Ghanaian Voter, SHS students and their parents will not succeed.

Did government make adequate budgetary allocations in its 2017 Budget for the implementation of the promise, and the many others it made during the campaign period?

How can it be HE John Mahamas fault that government has failed woefully to align its lofty promises with practice and adequate financial allocation?

Will all Ghanaian students in SHS and those who will be entering SHS One in September enjoy free education? Government should boldly answer that question and find answers for parents instead of plotting and sponsoring attacks on the former President.

As President, HE John Mahama demonstrated his commitment to an accelerated and multi-faceted development of our nation.

He had a clear focus on expanding the countrys economic and social infrastructure, and also worked to actualise his vision of expanding access to secondary education and also to quality healthcare across the country.

The start of work on 200 Community Day Senior High Schools, implementation of a $156 million Secondary Education Improvement Programme (SEIP), implementation of a Progressively Free S.H.S. Programme in 2015, start of work to expand infrastructure in our technical and vocational institutions among others are evidence of his work.

These critical interventions in access, quality and affordability ensured both increased enrolment and enhanced performance in the West African Senior Secondary Certificate Examinations (WASSCE) results.

I will not want to delve into concerns that President Nana Akufo-Addo may have embarked on a deliberate game of deception and actually lacks commitment to the things he said during the campaign.

The government-sponsored syndication of this concocted story by two newspapers aligned to President Nana Akufo-Addo as a person, coming just days after his meeting with all living former Presidents of Ghana is yet another demonstration of a betrayal of trust by the President.

Like every good leader, HE John Mahama remains a true Ghanaian and will support any efforts towards the growth of our country.

The John Mahama legacy of rapid economic and social development, gradual transformation of the economy, the impressive and massive revamping, and expansion of infrastructure across the country, is solid, has been proven and recognized by all Ghanaians and many outside our country.
Ibrahim Mahama has been in the news over the last few days as having allegedly issued dud-cheques to the government, acts that have led to him being investigated by the Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO).

The controversial A-Plus launched an attack against Kofi Adams, the National Organizer of the opposition National Democratic Congress who has been defending Ibrahim Mahama. A-Plus believes Adams brain should be tested in the laboratory to ascertain the source of his stupidity.

As for Kofi Adams, they have to put his brain in a science lab and use it to teach children what makes a man stupid. He wrote on his Facebook.

According to reports, Ibrahim Mahama, Chief Executive Officer of the private firm Engineers and Planners, issued 44 different dud cheques linked to three bank accounts valued at over GH10 million to the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA). The cheques, per reports, were to pay for import duties on heavy-duty vehicles that he had imported into the country on different occasions.

Meanwhile A-Plus insists many individuals in the society have been jailed for minor offences, thus making it unfair for the brother of former President Mahama to be left scot free on the back of the alleged charges against him.

You issue 44 dud cheques to government, nobody has arrested you. They have even given you time to pay what you owe. What else do you want? he wrote of Ibrahim Mahama in a post on Facebook.

READ ALSO: Wahala

 People like Kofi Adams, the NDC national organiser who instead of working for his party (NDC) a day to elections, was busy drinking beer with girls on the Spintex road is [now] talking nonsense [because EOCO is grilling Ibrahim Mahama for evading tax?]
The two victims were reported to have suffered severe burns on the neck and the right eye and cheek.

The convict, Michael Kwame Martins, pleaded guilty to the charge of causing harm and was sentenced on his own plea by the court.

The court presided over by Mrs Marian Affoh ordered him to compensate his son and grand daughter with GH200 and GH100 respectively.

READ ALSO:

Background

Francis K Martin, is a 38-year-old driver and son of the accused. They reside in accuseds late fathers house at Achimota, Accra.

On April 3, this year, at about 9:30 pm, the accused person and the complainant had a misunderstanding over soaked clothes placed in a water container located between their doors.

READ MORE: Woman who allegedly poured acid on boyfriend remanded

According to prosecution, the complainant moved the said container to the doorstep of the accused. The content of the container poured on the floor and the complainant left to buy sachet water.

The prosecutor said "During that period, Martins left to go and buy sachet water. Soon after he returned, and without any provocation, he poured acid on his son which also splashed on the eight year-old granddaughter."

READ MORE: Woman killed in acid attack
The court presided over by Victoria Ghansah said the prosecution established a sufficient case for the accused to answer.

She cited the statement taken from Jihad by the police where he admitted the incident taking place. His lawyers have been therefore ordered to open their defence on the 3rd of May 2017.

READ ALSO: Marwako supervisor to file for no case in assault trial

Jihad Chaaban is accused of dipping the face of a kitchen staffer Evelyn Boakye at the Abelemkpe branch of the eatery into pepper paste.

This inhumane treatment has caused many social media users in Ghana calling for the boycott of the eatery.

This has led to the creation of a hashtag #boycottMarwako.
A confidential letter addressed to the Speaker of Parliament, Prof. Aaron Mike Ocquaye, by the British High Commission said the MPs used an unauthorised person (a goro boy) and their diplomatic passports to apply for visas for some individuals who travelled to the United Kingdom and did not return as stipulated by their visas.

They are Richard Acheampong, MP for Bia East in the Western Region, Joseph Benhazin Dahah, MP for Ntotroso in the Brong Ahafo Region, Johnson Kwaku Adu, MP for Ahafo Ano South West, in the Ashanti Region and George Boakye, former MP for Asunafo South in the Brong Ahafo Region.

READ ALSO: Four Ghanaian MPs cited in alleged UK visa fraud

Confirming the incident to Graphic Online, Prof Oquaye who is out of the country, noted that parliament will not relent in taking action against the said MPs.

It has come to my notice and I take a very, very serious view of the matter and every action will be taken on it because the reputation of the Parliament of Ghana is very, very crucial, he said.

On her part, the Acting Public Affairs Director of Parliament, Madam Kate Addo, said that the four accused MPs failed to go through the proper procedure of acquiring visas through the protocol department of Parliament.

We dont just get up and go to the embassies. The proper procedure is to go through the protocol department and this has always been the case. These four did not go through the protocol department. Clearly, Parliament was not involved, she said.

She added that the protocol department has documents on relatives of MPs and so even if an MP wants to secure a visa for a relative, the right thing to do was to go through Parliament.

Touching on former MPs holding on to their diplomatic passports, Madam Kate Addo said that the proper thing for such MPs was to return the passport to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs since they were the issuing authority.
Kyeremateng is reported to have been in the business for the past two years and was arrested at Kronom, a suburb of Kumasi.

READ MORE: Normalcy returns to affected community

According to reports, the suspect is said to have imported the meters bearing the name Cimaens and sold them at GH250 each.

Bismark Kyeremanteng was interrogated by the investigative team of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) and the officials found 25 of the meters in his office.

The Revenue Protection Unit of ECG on April 19, 2017 detected that an ECG customer was using a Cimaens meter with number 04353050 which was not part of the company's supply.

The Ashanti Regional Public Relations officer of the ECG, Erasmus Kyereh Baidoo said the revenue protection unit first detected some of the meters around the Kumasi Abattoir.

He said one of the persons using the meters who was picked up by the Police Unit of the ECG led the team to Kyeremantengs house where he was arrested.

READ MORE: Man butchers son for rituals
A confidential letter addressed to the Speaker of Parliament, Prof. Aaron Mike Ocquaye, by the British High Commission said the MPs used an unauthorised person (a goro boy) and their diplomatic passports to apply for visas for some individuals who travelled to the United Kingdom and did not return as stipulated by their visas.

The MPs cited are: Richard Acheampong, MP for Bia East in the Western Region, Joseph Benhazin Dahah, MP for Ntotroso in the Bono Ahafo region, Johnson Kwaku Adu, MP for Ahafo Ano South West, in the Ashanti Region and George Boakye, former MP for Asunafo South in the Bono Ahafo region.

In the said letter, the British High Commission said it considers the actions [of the MPs] completely unacceptable. In some cases these behaviours may arguably be criminal in nature.

It added that the High Commission "will henceforth only entertain and prioritise requests for visas from MPs, if they are made through the parliamentary protocol office who should verify that there is an official, parliamentary reason for the proposed visit."

Below is the full letter

Dear Mr Speaker.

The British High Commission (BHC) would like, in confidence, to bring the following matters to your attention, regarding the apparent involvement of three serving MPs and one former MP in visa fraud directly affecting the United Kingdom.

In doing so, we note the powerful words in your impressive inaugural address as Speaker, to the effect that, for Members of Parliament, holding a Diplomatic Passport is both a privilege and responsibility which should not be abused: and that those who abused that trust would be appropriately dealt with.

In that regard:

1. On 11/09/2012, the then Honourable and now former MP for Asunafo South George BOAKYE applied for visas for himself and his 37-year old daughter, Joyce BOAKYE to visit a friend in London for 17 days The visas were granted on 14/09/2012. On 17/01/2013 Joyce BOAKYE travelled to the UK with her Honourable father. Joyce BOAKYE did not leave the UK with her father, but remained until 06/01/2017. In other words, she finally returned to Ghana just this month, having been in the UK illegally for over three years, and only then at our strong urging of Mr Boakye to bring her back. Mr Boakye is highly unlikely to be issued any further visas to visit the UK in the next ten years for his role in facilitating his daughter's travel to the UK, including should he be re-elected to Parliament in a subsequent election.

2. On 27/11/2015 the Honourable MP for Bia East Richard ACHEAMPONG applied for a UK visa using Diplomatic Passport number DX001490. The Hon ACHEAMPONG stated in his application form that he would travel to the UK for a two week holiday with his wife" Esther TIWAA. On 10/12/2015 Mr ACHEAMPONG and Ms TIWAA were issued with UK visas. On 24/12/2015 Esther TIWAA travelled to the UK, but alone: the Hon ACHEAMPONG did not accompany her as both his and her visa applications said that he would. She has hot left the UK since that time, and is therefore now there illegally. The Hon ACHEAMPONG did not declare the illegal presence of his wife in the UK until he was challenged with the facts by us on 10/10/2016 He then repeatedly promised me personally that he would bring documentation to prove that Esther TIWAA was, indeed, his wife, but has consistently failed to do so Neither has he been prepared to share any useful information to help us track down Ms TIWAA's current whereabouts. Should Mr ACHEAMPONG now apply for another UK visa at any point up until 08/12/2025 his previous actions with regard to Esther TIWAA will weigh heavily against his application and he is likely to be refused.

3. On 06/04/2016, the Honourable MP for Ntotroso. Joseph Benhazin DAHAH applied for a UK visa using Diplomatic Passport number DX001459 to go on a two week holiday. The Hon DAHAH slated that he was travelling with his wife Gloria DANSU and his niece Beatrice MENSAH On 11/04/2016 the visas of the Hon DAHAH and Gloria DANSU were issued; the visa of his niece Beatrice MENSAH was refused. On 13/05/2016 the Hon DAHAH applied in another country for a visa to travel to the Republic of Ireland with his wife and daughter. The identity of his wife had changed from Gloria DANSU in the UK application to Ruyling APPAU in the Irish one. More significantly, a birth certificate was submitted showing that Beatrice MENSAH was now his daughter and not his niece as she had been described when applying to visit the UK. The Hon DAHAH's UK visa was cancelled and a 10-year UK visa ban has been imposed on him. He has been informed of this.

4. On 20/06/2016 the Honourable MP for Ahafo Ano South West, Johnson Kwaku ADU applied for visas for himself, his wife Grace YEBOAH and their 16-year old daughter Emmanuella ADU in order to visit London for a ten day holiday. The Hon ADU applied using Diplomatic Passport number DX002267; all three visas were granted on 07/07/2016. The family of three travelled to the UK on 25/07/2016. The Hon ADU left the UK just two days later on 27/07/2016 leaving behind his wife and child, if that indeed is what they are, who have not left the UK to date and are therefore now illegally resident there. This is in some ways the most serious of the cases outlined in this letter, given the possibility that Hon ADU knowingly facilitated the movement of a minor - who cannot currently be traced - into the United Kingdom. That has been noted with alarm by UK authorities.

The British High Commission considers the actions outlined above to be completely unacceptable. In some cases, these behaviours may arguably be criminal in nature. As already outlined, administrative measures have been taken to ensure that the Honourable members mentioned here will most likely not be granted visas for the UK within the next 10 years. I should add that the Party affiliation of these MPs is, in this context, irrelevant to us: we simply state the facts as we have discovered them.

We are continuing to investigate whether any other current or former MPs have engaged in similar behaviour and will inform you, if we discover any further such cases.

Furthermore, the British High Commission has information that points strongly to some of the aforementioned Honourable members having used the same unofficial visa agent (also known as aGoro boy) in their applications, specifically a gentleman called Appiah. We are sure that Mr Speaker shares our view that an institution as respected and vitally important as the Ghanaian Parliament should not be a location where unregistered visa agents approach Honourable Members and act as a conduit for them to participate in visa fraud. The British High Commission will happily cooperate fully with any parliamentary and law enforcement investigation into such agents operating in the vicinity of the Ghanaian Parliament.

Given what has transpired, the British High Commission would request the Ghanaian Parliament to be aware of the following:

a) we will henceforth only entertain and prioritise requests for visas from MPs, if they are made through the parliamentary protocol office who should verify that there is an official, parliamentary reason for the proposed visit;

b) however, MPs wishing to make private visits to the UK or to be accompanied on official visits by non-official relatives must apply online and through our Visa Application Centre at the Movenpick Hotel like any other applicant;

c) could you kindly confirm whether and why it is legitimate for ex-MPs to continue to possess and use diplomatic passports, in some cases for many years after they have ceased to be parliamentarians? In that regard, we would humbly like to ask, Mr Speaker, what procedures are in place to ensure that diplomatic passports are removed forthwith from all those 133 former Members who have just ceased to be MPs?

d) the net effect of such visa fraud by a very few Honourable MPs as outlined in this letter is to raise the bar of suspicion against all such applicants, which is of course regrettably to the huge disadvantage of those very many MPs who do act honourably at all times.

The British High Commission looks forward to a constructive relationship with yourself, your officers and the new Parliament in general and on specific issues, such as the work currently being sponsored by the Westminster Foundation for Democracy to bolster Parliament's research capacities. We hope, at the same time, that measures taken by us all collectively will prevent any repeat of the sort of cases described in this letter. We would warmly welcome your views on the issues raised in this letter, both in regards to the specific cases and generic issues.

I am copying this letter to your Protocol Office, and to the Executive Secretary and Chief-of-Staff to the His Excellency President; and to the Ministers-designate of Foreign Affairs and National Security. We are also circulating this letter widely to other Diplomatic Missions which issue visas in Ghana in the expectation that some of them will consider similar action to ourselves against the above-named individuals.

May I take this opportunity to repeat to you assurances of our very high regard for you and your office; and to wish you, Mr Speaker, every success in your new role. Please be assured of our commitment to collaborate with you, and through you with Parliament, wherever we can usefully be of assistance.

Signed,

Jon Benjamin
According to the US Ambassador to Ghana Mr Robert Jackson, Ghanaians must not mislead the Embassy in their bid to acquire visas adding that they must be honest in applying for visas.

This was made known by Nana Asor Bosoma Nkrawire II, Chief of Sunyani when the US Ambassador and his delegation called on him at the Traditional Council in Sunyani as part of his working visit to the Brong Ahafo region.

Nana Asor Bosoma Nkrawire II said a lot of the youth were leaving the country illegally in seeking for jobs since they do not want to enter into agricultural activities after school.

He urged the youth to stay in the country to support the governments development agenda.

Nana Nkrawire II added that the youth, who stayed in the country had to resort to illegal activities such as; illegal mining, and illegal chain-saw operations to make a living.

Mr Jackson on his part said migrants from Ghana were permanently settled within the United States  having been given lawful visas to stay.

He said the US government had provided one one billion cedis assistance to Ghana to invest in the Energy sector to solve the erratic power supply which has attributed to the shutdown of power plants over the period.

READ ALSO: US ambassador visits energy minister

He stated that the money will be invested in other sectors to create more economic opportunities and help solve the unemployment situation in the region.
His response comes after the UK High Commissioner Jon Benjamin wrote a letter to the Speaker of Parliament citing three sitting members of parliament and a former member of parliament in an alleged visa fraud using their diplomatic passports.

According to the commission, the MPs used an unauthorised person (a goro boy) and their diplomatic passports to apply for visas for some individuals who travelled to the United Kingdom and did not return as stipulated by their visas.

They are Richard Acheampong, NDC MP for Bia East in the Western region (NDC), Joseph Benhazin Dahah, NPP MP for Ntotroso in the Bono Ahafo region, Johnson Kwaku Adu, NPP MP for Ahafo Ano South West in the Ashanti region and George Boakye, former MP for Asunafo South in the Bono Ahafo region.

George Boakye is highly unlikely to be issued any further visas to visit the UK in the next ten years for his role in facilitating his daughter's travel to the UK.

On 11/09/2012, the then Honourable and now former MP for Asunafo South George BOAKYE applied for visas for himself and his 37-year old daughter, Joyce BOAKYE to visit a friend in London for 17 days The visas were granted on 14/09/2012. On 17/01/2013 Joyce BOAKYE travelled to the UK with her Honourable father. Joyce BOAKYE did not leave the UK with her father but remained until 06/01/2017. In other words, she finally returned to Ghana just this month, having been in the UK illegally for over three years, and only then at our strong urging of Mr Boakye to bring her back.

READ ALSO: Four Ghanaian MPs cited in alleged UK visa fraud

Responding to the allegation levelled against him he said that he was not engaged in visa fraud since the documents were legally acquired.

He, however, admitted that his daughter erred.

In an interview with Accra-based Starr FM, he said that when your son or daughter goes out and whatever he or she does and there is a credit to it youll take and in the same vein when it is the other way you have to take it.
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.

They are also mandated per law to be approved by majority of the members of the assembly.

The Minister for Local Government and Rural Development, Hajia Alima Mahama at a press conference urged Ghanaians to support their MMDCEs.

According to her, the 212 appointees are "capable men and women with expertise, experience and temperament to head the Assemblies and inspire a new era of rapid development in our country."

The Nana Addo administrations long-term plan for MMDCEs and local government is to have them elected.

She said "It is the wish of the President that those who were not named will appreciate that there are other positions they may be called upon to serve in the interest of the nation."

President Nana Akufo-Addo, during his campaign for office, promised Ghanaians they would be electing their MMDCEs in 2018.
The president who was speaking at Soabe in the Eastern Region said he will do what is right despite the threats from the galamsey operators.

I havent said that I am going to stop mining. Mining has been done for decades in this country by several generations. I am only saying that I am against those mining without legal backing. Illegal mining, that is what I am against. Today, Kyebi, Abirem, its a sad sight to behold. Mining along the water bodies cannot continue if we want to preserve nature and our system. I have been told some of the people engaged in illegal mining, have threatened to vote against the NPP in 2020 if I crack the whip on the culprits. I am more concerned about fulfilling Gods purpose and devising measures to propel the nations development. Thats my focus and not election related issues.

READ ALSO: One dies after three fell into galamsey pit

Things we must do to propel development are the things I am concerned about. Our forefathers left us the natural resources, if we cant protect them then we should leave them for future generations the President added.

After the media and other stakeholders started a massive campaign against galamsey, some people involved in the act threatened to vote against the Nana Addo-led government in election 2020.

These people include some residents of Prestea and Tarkwa-Breman all in the Western Region.

They argue that galamsey has been part of their lives for a long time and it also serves as a means of livelihood for them.
"When it comes to racial discrimination, 21st Century Fox has been operating as if it should be called 18th Century Fox," said Douglas Wigdor and Jeanne Christensen, representatives of the plaintiffs, in a statement cited by BuzzFeed News.

Fox News reporter Kelly Wright, an employee of the network since 2003 and the latest plaintiff to join the suit, claimed in the filing that he was marginalized by the network's so-called "plantation-style management."

He alleges that Bill O'Reilly, the former host of "The O'Reilly Factor," denied him opportunities to appear on his show to examine race relations in America  even rebuffing Wright's reporting on the escalating racial tensions in Ferguson, Missouri, because it portrayed "blacks in too positive a light," according to BuzzFeed.

Fox News said in a statement that it "vehemently denies the race discrimination claims in both lawsuits" and said it would "vigorously defend these cases."

Wright is joined by other African-American ex-employees who allege they encountered "horrific discrimination" from Judith Slater, a Fox News comptroller who was fired in March after an internal investigation. Several plaintiffs alleged that Slater had asked if their children were raised by the same father; told Wright that he had to comb his hair before work because he had "too much afro," and allegedly asked if they could beatbox for her.

Though Fox representatives said that they took "any complaint of this nature very seriously and took the appropriate action in investigating and firing Ms. Slater within two weeks," the plaintiffs criticized the statement, saying that they repeatedly complained about Slater's actions to no avail in years past.

Monica Douglas, a credit and collections manager of Panamanian heritage, claimed she was warned by Slater not to bring her grievances to the human resources department: "I am HR," Slater was alleged to have said. Douglas' accusations go further, alleging that Slater had kicked her buttocks and said that she "would not even let her dog eat the food Panamanians eat," BuzzFeed reported.

The latest accusations are unfolding at a time when Fox News is trying to recalibrate from Bill O'Reilly's firing last week over a growing sexual harassment scandal.
The nuclear-powered robot  part of a $3.26 billion, three-decade-long effort  has orbited Saturn for nearly 13 years. But it's running dangerously low on fuel.

NASA doesn't want to risk crashing Cassini into any of Saturn's icy moons, since it could contaminate their hidden oceans. So the space agency just kicked off a death spiral that will burn up the spacecraft in Saturn's atmosphere.

On Saturday, Cassini paid a final visit to Saturn's largest moon, Titan, which set the robot on a path to make an unprecedented dive between Saturn and its innermost rings on Wednesday.

The new orbit will lead Cassini to a spectacular death on September 15.

"This is a roller-coaster ride," Earl Maize, an engineer at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory who manages the Cassini mission, said during a press briefing on April 4. "We're going in, and we are not coming out. It's a one-way trip."

In the intervening months, however, the robot will go where none has gone before it and beam back a treasure trove of photos and data that researchers have thus far only dreamed about.

"It's Cassini's blaze of glory," Linda Spilker, a Cassini project scientist and a planetary scientist at NASA's JPL, told Business Insider. "It will be doing science until the very last second."

Spilker walked us through what Cassini may see and discover during its final moments.

Launched in 1997, NASA's Cassini spacecraft spent seven years flying to Saturn. It sank into orbit in July 2004  but the probe has since run low on propellant.

NASA fears it could crash into a moon like Enceladus, which conceals a habitable ocean beneath its icy crust. Cassini discovered the ocean by flying through Enceladus' watery jets.

Source:

So NASA scientists decided to put Cassini on a so-called Grand Finale mission: a death spiral that began with the probe's final flyby of Saturn's giant moon Titan.

Cassini photographed the frozen world closely one last time before the moon's gravity changed the probe's path through space.

Source:

"You can think of Titan like a giant additional fuel tank," Spilker said. "By using its gravity, we can bend and shape Cassini's orbit."

That orbit will sail Cassini high above Saturn's north pole ...

... and give the spacecraft another look at a hexagonal storm that's about two times as wide as Earth.

But Spilker says the main event will be the first "ring crossing," when Cassini dives through a gap between Saturn and its rings of ice. The probe will fly through at about 76,800 mph  or 45 times as fast as a speeding bullet.

The gap is between Saturn's atmosphere and its D ring.

The space is about 1,200 miles wide, or roughly the distance from northern Washington to the southern tip of California. That may seem roomy, but on a cosmic scale, it's tiny.

No one knows how many ring particles might be there, or how big they are.

Luckily, NASA figured out a way to shield Cassini from potentially dangerous debris by using the probe's high-gain antenna dish, which normally is the piece that communicates with Earth.

"In the half-hour or so along the closest point of the flyby, we're pointing the high-gain antenna down, like a giant shield, to protect the instruments behind it," Spilker said. "We call this position 'shield to ram.'"

If tiny particles hit Cassini, its instruments will record those strikes. Scientists can then "hear" them to deduce their size and numbers. "It's like hail hitting a tin roof," Spilker said. The data might help confirm the age of the rings, which are thought to be 4.4 billion years old.

Cassini might also "taste" ring particles to figure out what they're made of. Spilker says they're likely 99% ice, though the other 1% is a mystery. NASA has wanted this data for decades but until now has deemed it too risky.

Cassini will pull off 22 orbits and ring crossings from April through September. Spilker says the team predicts about a 1% chance of a mission-ending failure throughout all of them.

If the first ring crossing goes well, scientists might turn or reposition Cassini  since the "shield to ram" position limits what they can do  and kick off a jam-packed schedule of unprecedented experiments. The goal: solve as many of Saturn's mysteries as possible.

The views returned by Cassini's camera during some of the crossings should be spectacular, Spilker says.

During a few ring crossings in May, Cassini will slowly spin. This will calibrate sensitive radio instruments that can "listen" to Saturn's magnetic field. Such data could help scientists figure out how long the planet's day is.

Its day may be about 10.5 hours, but no one is certain. Thousands of miles of thick clouds obscure the core, and any wobble in the planet's rotating magnetic field has proved too subtle to detect.

Source:

However, flying so close to Saturn could help record that. "If we can see ... the magnetic-field pole wobbling, like it does around Earth, that could tell us how fast Saturn really spins," Spilker said.

Cassini will make its closest passes to Saturn's D ring during orbits in late May and early June. The probe will try to "taste" ring particles then, when it's most likely to bump into some.

The mystery that Spilker is looking forward to solving the most is the mass of Saturn's rings, which she has tried to figure out since the 1970s. The answer "won't come in an instant," she says, but will take many orbits of Cassini to crack.

"This is the closest we'll get" to the rings, Spilker said. "Are they less massive than we think, and therefore young? How did they form  was it the breakup of a moon? A Kuiper Belt object? A comet?"

Cassini could find out by gradually measuring the rings' gravity. Similar measurements should also reveal the size and structure of Saturn's core and how deeply the planet's winds blow.

On August 14, Cassini will begin five final orbits of Saturn, which will bring the probe close enough to sniff the planet's outer atmosphere as it zooms by.

Titan will doom Cassini on its last orbit via a distant gravitational nudge. "That final orbit gives us Titan's goodbye kiss," Spilker said.

On September 15, Cassini will plunge into Saturn's clouds. The probe will burn its last fuel to keep its antenna pointed at Earth while it sends real-time measurements of Saturn's gases.

But Cassini will lose that battle after about a minute. The probe will ultimately break into pieces, burn up, and become one with 4.5 billion-year-old gas giant.

"I don't think of this as killing Cassini," Spilker said. "I see it as a glorious end to an incredible mission."
Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni said he had been disappointed by staff's rejection of a rescue plan involving deep job and salary cuts, and reiterated that the state could not and would not step in.

"The truth is what I said before the vote and what I say again today: the conditions are not there for Alitalia to be nationalised," Gentiloni said.

Transport Minister Graziano Delrio meanwhile said the company would be "sold to the highest bidder" and the government made favourable noises about the mooted possibility of a partial takeover by Germany's Lufthansa.

The loss-making national carrier's future is up in the air after its workforce rejected a restructuring plan which management had presented as the only alternative to bankruptcy.

Etihad Airways, which owns a 49 percent stake in Alitalia, and other shareholders had made staff acceptance of the plan a precondition for their participation in a two-billion-euro recapitalisation plan involving a combination of loans and new shareholder financing.

But despite earlier proposals being watered down in negotiations with unions, over two thirds of staff voted to reject them in a ballot on Monday, in which more than 90 percent of employees took part.

The latest draft of the restructuring plan involves eliminating 1,700 jobs from a global headcount of 12,500 and wage cuts of up to eight percent for some of the remaining staff.

The company's board on Tuesday asked the government to appoint administrators to find a purchaser or organise the winding up of the company.

"The most plausible outcome is that we are moving to a brief period of extraordinary administration which could conclude in six months with a partial or total sale of Alitalia's assets," said Economic Development minister Carlo Calenda.

Phoenix from the ashes?

Delrio added: "The business will be sold to the highest bidder ... but Alitalia has been weakened by the outcome of the ballot and its competitors will not give it any gifts."

Asked about the Lufthansa rumours, Delrio said the government was not opposed while Calenda described the possibility as "interesting to explore".

Calenda said the government would seek EU permission to lend Alitalia 300-400 million euros of working capital to keep its planes in the skies for the next six months pending a sale.

Economists have warned Alitalia going out of business could destroy some 20,000 jobs when the impact on sub-contractors is added to that on directly-employed staff.

But the government is reluctant to inject any more taxpayers cash into what consumers group ADUC recently called a "bottomless pit" for public funds.

Calenda said the government had already pumped some 7.4 billion euros into the company, which was rescued from bankruptcy in 2014, when Etihad acquired a 49 percent stake.

Another consumer rights group Condacons has urged the government to guarantee tickets already sold will be reimbursed if Alitalia is grounded, which the state seems willing to do.

John Strickland, an independent airline consultant based in London, said there was a real chance of Alitalia going under.

"It has led a charmed life and had numerous near death experiences," he told AFP. "Whether they will rise like a Phoenix from the ashes again seems less likely at present."

Alitalia has been loss-making for years and has been squeezed hard recently by the emergence of leaner, low-cost rivals on domestic and European routes, particularly Ryanair, which is now the market leader in Italy.
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According to a Facebook user who posted the sad story on his page, the deceased, Solomon Ejoor, an iron bender cum welder was shot and hacked to death by the suspected herdsmen on Monday, April 24, 2017, after they had called him to come and rescue his kidnapped mother.

It was gathered that the victim's mother who had gone to her farm early that morning, was seized by the herdsmen who told her to call her children to come and rescue her and when Ejoor got to the farm, he was ambushed, shot to death and his neck cut off with a cutlass by the herdsmen.

The member of the State House of Assembly representing Ethiope East, Hon. Evance Ivwurie who reacted to the murder of Ejoor said that anarchy is building up on his constituency, calling on the government to protect his people.

"Anarchy is building up in my constituency as a result of the conspiracy of silence by who himself is a Cattle Rearer, the Inspector General of Police, the Director-General, Department of State Security (DSS) and other security agencies."

As I speak to you now, Abraka has been in turmoil all day and the town is still boiling. Anarchy is brewing as my constituents are now ready to take the bull by the horn following the conspiratorial silence-scheme of the Federal Government and the security agencies.

The Governors of the Southern and Middle Belt States of Nigeria have been seriously limited and incapacitated over the issue of the herdsmen terrorism and menace leading to scores of killings, kidnapping and raping since the advent of our Cattle Rearing President.

I have been inundated with calls but refused to be overwhelmed by security questioning, statements, and checks since I informed the world about the Helicopter that has been landing in the Ovre r'Igun/Eku/Abraka where the herdsmen numbering about 2,000 reigns with over 10,000 cattle.

The facts are there and the lazy operatives have refused to investigate this extremely credible information because they already know it is true.

According to , and I quote:

'Sometimes people hold a core belief that is very strong. When they are presented with evidence that works against that belief, the new evidence cannot be accepted.

It would create a feeling that is extremely uncomfortable, called cognitive dissonance. And because it is so important to protect the core belief, they will rationalize, ignore and even deny anything that doesn't fit in with the core belief'.

Let me repeat that anarchy is brewing because each generation must discover its mission, fulfill it or betray it, in relative opacity.
Biu who is a Mobile Police officer from Biu Local Government Area of Borno State took to his Facebook page to declare the war on people whom he believes poisoned President Buhari, a situation that led to his falling sick which necessitated his long medical vacation.

Biu who seems very determined to carry out his threats, also added that he and his people are ready to wage a war in Nigeria if the President dies at any time.

Read what he posted on his wall:

"After they poisoned him, God did not let him die; Buhari cat with nine lives. Now they want you to resign so that they will continue to steal our yam?

No way, your enemies will die like mosquitoes before you including those who are commenting negatively. Shege yan buro uba, zamu ci uwar ku. If Buhari dies, I promise to kill 200 people."
Ikwechukwu , a resident of No. 24, Shonibare St.,Isolo, Lagos, is being tried for a three count charge of indecent treatment, defilement and threat to life.

The prosecutor, Sgt. Anthonia Osayande told the court that the accused committed the offences on April 6 at No. 24, Shonibare St.,Isolo, Lagos.

She said the accused assaulted the underage girl by forcibly inserting his manhood into her private part.

The accused forcefully had carnal knowledge of the girl and also threatened to kill her if she dare tell anyone about the crime he committed, Osayande said.

The girls parents, who reside in the same compound with the accused, reported the case to the police after their daughter narrated her ordeal.

The offences contravened Sections 56 (1a), 135(1) and 137 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015.

The accused pleaded innocence of the offences.

The  Chief Magistrate, Mrs Ipaye Nwachukwu, granted the accused bail in the sum of N200, 000 with two sureties in like sum, one of who must be a civil servant of not less than Grace Level 14 while the other surety should be a landlord in Lagos State.

She said the sureties should also provide evidence of tax payment to the government.

The magistrate directed that the case file should be duplicated and a copy sent to the State Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for advice.
The state government has in the past months been leveling and destroying 'illegal' structures and shanties in the city.

Although the government said the destruction of these communities, including the most reported Otodo-Gbame in Lekki, was to forestall an environmental disaster, thousands have been rendered homeless.

In a statement by the State Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Wasiu Anifowose, it said traders at Computer Village will be relocated to Katangwa in Agbado/Oke-Odo.

Speaking at the 2017 Ministerial Press briefing in Alausa, Ikeja on Tuesday, April 25, Anifowose said after the relocation, the area would be converted into a world-class ICT Park.

He said: "If at the end of this administration, the Computer Village is not moved from that Otigba Street in Ikeja to Katangua, I will not come here next year.

"It is a done deal; we have held a stakeholders meeting with the traders and they agreed to the relocation plan. It is an 11-year project that different administrations attempted to undertake but the present governor is a go getter.

"The relocation will deliver a world class computer and allied activities park. The process leading to the commencement of the development is in the concluding phase."

Anifowose also said that massive construction is ongoing in Imota, the permanent site of the Mile 12 Market in Ketu. The market will be moved from its present location (Ketu) to the new site.

"If you go to Imota, you will be amazed at the level of work done," he added.

On demolitions, he said that the state government has begun paying compensation to those whose houses were consumed by government projects and right of way recovery.

"The state government pays billions of naira for compensation," he said.
Ayodele, who resides at Alakuko, a suburb of Lagos, pleaded not guilty to a two-count charge of dangerous driving and manslaughter brought against him.

Prosecutor Mike Unah insisted that the accused committed the offences by driving his car recklessly and knocking down a pedestrian, Justina.

He alleged that the accused, who drove a car with registration no. BDG 250 CB, committed the offences on March 3 along Segun Akindele Street, Akinde in Alakuko.

A team of traffic management officials rushed to the scene of the accident and took the lifeless body of the victim to the hospital, Unah told the court.

The offences contravened Sections 19 and 20 of the Road Traffic Law of Lagos State, 2011.

The Magistrate, Mrs A.O. Gbajumo, granted the accused bail in the sum of N50,000 with one surety in like sum.

Gbajumo said the surety must be gainfully employed and should also show evidence of two years tax payment to the Lagos State Government.
News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that Ayinde is not happy that in the nine years he has been married, his wife has given him six children and there are no signs she would stop popping out babies.

Ayinde who told the court that his wife 'giving births at will', insisted that the economic situation in the country has made it difficult for him to cater for the children and as such, he wants to be separated from his wife.

He explained that before he married Glory, he had warned her that he needed only two kids irrespective of their gender, so that he could afford their upkeep and that she had agreed to the plan only for her to discard the agreement.

My lord, my wife wants to kill me with children; she is bearing them like rats. My wife agreed to have two kids with me but after marriage, she started having children like rats; in nine years, she delivered six children.

She was sacked from her workplace just because she gets pregnant immediately after she resumed from a maternity leave. I have sold my cars and some of my property to cater for the children.

After she had the fourth baby, I begged her to go for family planning, but she refused. I had to force her to the hospital for a family planning device but she went secretly to deactivate it without my consent.

Some months later, she went to her parents place and sent me a text message that she was pregnant. She did not return home until after delivering and naming the baby in her parents place.

Last month, she called me that she had delivered and named the baby David. Please, sir, dissolve this marriage because if I continue to live with this woman, she will continue to have more children.

I will be compelled to sell my remaining property which is my house and then, become a beggar.

Aside from her propensity to having children, my wife starves me and the children of food. I always buy food stuff at home but she will never cook. If she managed to cook once in two weeks, the food is always tasteless. I dont eat her food anymore because I vomit anytime I eat her food.

She does not wash my clothes and those of the children and I had to employ a dry cleaner to be washing for us.
Babirye who is nicknamed Nalongo Muzaala Bana which means 'the twin mother who produces quadruplets,' was said to have started having babies at the age of 13 when she was given out in marriage by her poor parents.

And over the years, she has created a record of having six sets of twins, four sets of triplets, three sets of quadruplets and two single births.

In an interview with reporters who discovered her, Babirye said her own father had 45 children from different women and the children came in multiple births.

My father gave birth to 45 children with different women and they all came in quintuplets, quadruplets, twins and triplets.

However, medical experts say Babirye is suffering from a rare genetic disorder which makes her pregnant very easily.

Dr. Charles Kiggundu, a gynecologist at Mulago Hospital confirms that she may have taken after her father as her case may be genetic.

Her case is a genetic predisposition to hyper-ovulate, that is releasing multiple eggs in one cycle, which significantly increases the chance of having multiples, Dr. Kiggundu said.

Babirye said she was married off at an early age and she gave birth for the first time at the age of 13 to a set of twins. She said she sought medical advice several times in a bid to stop having children but doctors advised her that since she produces so many eggs, it would be dangerous to her health.
I knew there will be a problem when refused to relocate to the village with my father saying she could not live in the local community after spending all her life in Lagos and London.

Apart from that, she argued, she needed to be in Lagos to oversee her boutique as no one would be able to handle it adequately.

So my parents left without her and that was when she began exhibiting her wayward lifestyle as she would go out at will and come back whenever she pleased and there was no one to call her to order.

As my father's wife, I could not caution her apart from always giving her advice but she would not listen to me. Chinwe was a party freak and she now took the opportunity of her husband's absence to frolic around town and when information got to my father, he came down to Lagos and warned her of the consequences of the kind of life she was living.

He also placed an embargo on her frequent outings, especially going out at night. And that was when my problems started as Chinwe now turned on me and tried to seduce me.

She has done everything to get me to have regular sex with her but apart from it being an abomination where I come from, being a prince, I cannot bring myself to sleep with my father's wife.

Now she has turned to threatening me that she would tell my father that I raped her and knowing how my father turns to a baby when dealing with Chinwe, I am sure he would not think twice before believing her.

I don't know how to handle this sex-starved woman who is making my life a living hell.

Emeka."
It is barely a minute from the main bus-stop, along the same stretch of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway as the sole Forte Oil branch and the only police station in the area.

It is either the first thing you see or the one place you cannot remember, no matter how well anyone describes it to you.

Considering its name, the obvious lag in development and what it offers (which isnt much more than a community with relatively cheap land thats not too far from Lagos), it is natural that most people expect that a certain type of person lives in Mowe.

That person is like Ranti Ladoja, a middle aged entrepreneur with a family of 5 who lives in Mowe but runs two small businesses in Ogba and Ketu.

Ranti fits the idea of the typical resident to a T, and he used to think the place overflowed with people like him.

Until one day, coming home later than usual at 7pm, he hit the main street to see Range Rovers, Mercedes Benz cars too low for the bad roads and the odd government plate driving into the community.

There is a demographic in Mowe made up of people youd expect to find everywhere but here.

They are next-to-blow; the ambitious, upwardly-mobile executives, politicians and businessmen who, for some reason, choose the isolation of Ogunrun Road over nightly visits and estate picnics in Magodo GRA.

In truth, these people never really get to spend much time here to begin with.

You can only know a town so much when you leave home at 5.30 am to beat the traffic to return two hours from midnight because not all battles can be won.

I like Mowe because it is peaceful and not as busy as Lagos, Ranti says, but waking up early in the morning to avoid traffic is the only problem that I face. At times when I get to the bus-stop, you will see bank officials and civil servants in suit waiting for buses, its not easy.

This is not to say that it is the worst place to live in - its just that, sometimes, you realise how much it needs.

And it hurts that you cant fill this void, especially when you remember that Lagos is between one to six hours away, depending on which Pentecostal church decides it wants to have a revival on a weekday.

Where do you live?

Lagos?

Where in Lagos?

On the outskirts.

lol. be specific joor

Mowe.

Oh.

Mowe people want to live in Lagos so bad that sometimes, they act like they already are. Ask them where they live, and they will make all the references to Lagos, Berger and Redemption Camp without necessarily answering the question.

The reasons are clear to see; a good number of residents live in Mowe because it is close to the places where they spend the majority of their time; the high-rise office buildings, schools and streets of Lagos.

Living in Mowe makes you a Lagosian by affiliation.

What this means is that even though they come home to a town with no social amenities or nightlife, they can swipe right and use the Lasgidi filter on Snapchat because they were at Lekki in the afternoon.

"The last time I saw light in this area was last Christmas, and it didnt last, they just gave us to let us know that the transformer was still working".

Josh Adubazi is a 23 year old student of Houdegbe North American University that knows Mowe like the back of his hand. He grew up there, playing with his siblings in the vast uncleared bushes that surrounded his fathers house like a colonial outpost.

He also knows that where there is a lit bulb or music playing from speakers, theres a generator close by, working more than its manufacturers intended.

Despite the fact that it is mainly residential, electricity is a major issue in Mowe, along with water, transport (you can hardly find a cab or bike any time after 9pm) and all the other social amenities you would expect.

Which is why unlike most new communities like Ajah, Isheri or even Ikorodu, consumer businesses are not exactly in a hurry to move here.

Theres only one spot that qualifies as a fast-food place; a cross between a snack shop and a full-on restaurant. Nothing close to the hubs and spots that allow young people to gather and enjoy their youthful inclinations.

So, instead of sitting at home and lamenting, people like Josh plan a day in advance to travel to Ikeja to see a movie or catch a live set on Lagos Island.

Nothing says Lagos like having fun and getting stuck in traffic on your way home.

Of all the problems that residents of Mowe face, nothing beats the long lines that slither on Lagos-Ibadan expressway at any given time.

There is something special that traffic jams teach you about patience and planning; Lagosians know this all too well, and Mowe people have learned it too.

For all that it lacks, though, it is very clear that Mowe can be so much more than it is.

With the right decisions and good planning, it could just be the one of the best things that happened to Lagos. Or something close.

There is a reason why the majority of Mowe residents make a living in Lagos yet choose to live on the outskirts and endure the difficulties that come with it.

Lagos, with a population of over 20 million people and the smallest land area of any state in the country, has a serious housing problem.

Moving to communities like Mowe, Lambe, Ikorodu and Ibafo is the peoples way of solving it themselves.

Ranti wakes up at 5am on the average morning so he can catch a bus, beat the inevitable morning rush and get to his business in time to do anything meaningful.

One day during the festive period in 2013, he had to leave the house at a few hours past midday to respond to a family emergency. He spent the rest of Christmas in traffic.

By 9pm, I was still on Long Bridge. I wanted to just park by the side of the road and go back home

This thing happens because everybody wants to be in Lagos., he says. Small money, they want to move to Lagos, they want to do this in Lagos, they want to buy that in Lagos.

Look at this Mowe, if the government develops the place, gives them electricity, improve the roads, people will move. The rent is cheaper and the stress is not much. It will reduce the burden on Lagos. That place is too crowded

And hes right. While the Lagos state government continues to look inward as it tries to solve its housing problem, it is surrounded by solutions in the most obvious places.

There are many scenarios that could work. And they involve the people and the government at all levels.

It starts with the Lagos-Ibadan expressway, a Trunk A road that the Federal government must do a better job of maintaining.

For the better part of the last one year, engineers have been working on widening the lanes. Single lanes have been divided in two to allow for the passage of traffic in both directions while work continues on the other lane.

The result: very few people working in Lagos and living on its outskirts get home before night falls.

Developing alternate transport systems will make movement easier and attract the people who are discouraged by the prospect of long hours in traffic.

Perhaps, most importantly, it must provide the social amenities that will empower residents to develop the local economy, and in turn, attract investment.

The Ogun State government also needs to re-prioritise. In recent months, it has focused the states resources on beautifying the capital town of Abeokuta, and ignored rapidly growing population centres in Obafemi-Owode and Sagamu.

The government of Lagos should understand the potential that lies in small communities like this. It should collaborate with the less-wealthy Ogun state government to provide important infrastructure and create policies that will speed up development.

In areas where there is much work to do and the challenge appears daunting, territory can be ceded or transferred between the two states.

In time, this will get more people to see Mowe and similar communities on the outskirts of Lagos as suitable residential options.

This may seem absurd considering that this  PDP could win Lagos tomorrow and both states decide to be sworn enemies, but this will not be the first time they come together to agree on territory.

Communities like Ogijo in Ikorodu and large chunks of the Epe corridor did not originally belong to Lagos.

Arrangements were made then, they can be made again.

When communities like these on the fringes of Lagos become viable, . A good number of these people will come from Lagos, solving a problem that is already knocking at the door.
The organisations Chief Executive Officer, Martin Edlund, in a statement issued in Abuja, said that more still had to be done to end malaria.

Edlund said that despite the historic progress, malaria remained a daily threat, with half the worlds population still at risk.

In 2015, there were 429,000 malaria deaths and 212 million malaria cases; a child still dies from malaria every two minutes.

In Sub-Saharan Africa, which, in 2015, contributed 90 per cent of malaria cases and 92 per cent of malaria deaths, the disease is the leading cause of missed days of school and worker absenteeism.

The malaria fight is a great example of U.S. leadership across parties and we must continue until the job is done and people around the world are safe from this preventable and treatable disease, he said.

According to Edlund, today, nearly seven million lives have been saved from malaria, more than one billion cases averted and 17 additional countries have eliminated malaria since 2000.
However, it warned that parents, who refused their children getting vaccination, would be arraigned under sections 23 to 28 of the law establishing the agency.

According to the sections, offenders are liable to two years jail term, or a fine of N50, 000 or both.

Dr Yahaya Nauzo, the Executive Director of the Agency, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Minna that the vaccination commenced on April 22.

The exercise was carried out by the various primary health care centres in local government councils and already, 2.5 million under-five children have been vaccinated against polio and other diseases."

This phase of vaccination for children under the age of five is that of the National Immunisation Plus Days (NIPD); it is an additional vaccination to that of the routine vaccinations."

It is a special immunisation targeting children and it is aimed at eradicating polio from the state and the country, he said.

According to the executive director, improved vaccination will save people from health challenges.

He said that it would also save the time and money used for treatment which could have been channelled toward the education of children.

Nauzo said it was compulsory and necessary for parents to immunise their children against the six childhood killer diseases because the diseases could be preventable.
The House also summoned the IGP to explain why the residence of Danjuma Goje, senator representing Gombe central was raided on the evening of Thursday April 20, 2017.

The resolutions were sequel to a motion sponsored by a Gombe state lawmaker, Abubakar Yunusa Ahmad.

Speaking at plenary on Wednesday, April 26, Yunusa said the police carted away documents, including reports of the 2017 appropriation bill which was scheduled to be laid before both chambers of the National Assembly today.

"The way and manner security agents, in the course of their duties, invade the privacy of Nigerians citizens with impunity and without regard to law and due process, thus portraying the federal government as lawless to discerning observers and commentators, both at home and abroad," he said.

"The gestapo manner in which the security agents invade private residences, in the course of carrying out their duties is causing apprehension in the minds of citizens and unless steps are taken to halt these extra legal actions, the nation descends into a near fascist state," he added.

In his contribution, Herman Hembe, lawmaker from Benue, said measures should be put in place to avoid a repeat of such incident.

"The raid is completely despicable. It is condemnable in its entirety. We should not encourage this any longer and avoid its reoccurrence," he said.
The meeting, which holds every Wednesday, is being presided over by Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo.

Members of Buharis cabinet are said to have waited for the president till about 11.00am when a protocol official whispered something in Osinbajos ear, according to Daily Trust.

Osinbajo then started the meeting with a call for the recitation of the national anthem and opening prayers.

Buhari was also absent from the FEC meeting of Wednesday, April 12, leading Osinbajo to preside over the gathering.

Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed however dismissed concerns that Buhari had fallen ill again saying that the president had other matters to attend to and as such instructed Osinbajo to preside over the meeting.

Mr President is not ill again. Mr. President is in town; Mr. President is attending to other issues," Mohammed said at the time.

"He looked at the agenda for the meeting and decided that the vice president should preside. It is not unusual for the vice president to preside over FEC meetings," he added.

The president was reported to have cancelled the April 19 meeting but the Presidency clarified that the meeting didn't hold because of the Easter holidays.

Buhari's absence from the April 12 meeting was the first since his March 10 return to Nigeria from a 49-day medical vacation in London.

Buhari had said, on arrival in Nigeria, that he did not remember being so sick in all his life.

He also said that he would soon need follow-up treatment for the undisclosed ailment.

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The President asked that he should be allowed to rest and the Vice President should preside, Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed announced after yet another federal executive council (FEC) meeting where the Commander-In-Chief was conspicuously missing.

The Minister added; "President Buhari has asked that all the files on his desk be brought to him at his official residence for treatment."

Mind you, this was the same Mohammed who lectured State House correspondents just a couple of days ago, over the state of the Presidents health.

"Mr President is not ill again. Mr President is in town; Mr. President is attending to other issues. He looked at the agenda for the meeting and decided that the Vice President should preside. It is not unusual for the Vice President to preside over FEC meetings," Mohammed blared.

He was lying and he knew it.

But his delivery came from a face so straight, you almost believed him.

The date was April 12, 2017 and eyebrows had been raised over the Presidents absence at the highest decision making gathering in the federation.

But Nigerians arent fools.

Buhari is struggling with a health challenge.

When he returned from the UK on March 10, 2017 after spending some 50 days outside the nation's shores, Buhari disclosed that hes never been so ill in his life.

In recent times, hes looked pale and frail. His gait is now a lurch. He struggles with a smile. Theres a pain in there somewhere. Nigerians see that. They cant be fooled.

Not anymore.

A Punch correspondent who raised questions about his President's health in an article, was banished from the Villa and his accreditation tag seized off him before commonsense prevailed and he was recalled.

By coming out today to say the President will now be working from home, the presidency knows it cant conceal this anymore.

Its like trying to conceal a naked dance before the spotlight.

Our President needs another vacationthis time, a longer one. He needs the best medical care he can get while at it.

It will amount to an exercise in futility from the presidency not to disclose all there is to know about the state of health of the leader of the most populous black nation on earth.

Because even in the Villa, walls have ears.

Mohammeds declaration that the President has asked for his work files to be brought home is pointless--maybe another lie.

This President doesnt need files at home to strain his fragile health some more.
The rolling plan, according to him, is to enable the government commence the reconstruction and rehabilitation of the North-East, provide for the poor and tackle rail projects across the country.

The president made the request in a letter to the Senate dated April 21, 2017 and read by President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki, at plenary.

Buhari said China Eximbank has approved our request for a loan to execute the Lagos-Kano railway modernisation project for a sum of 1.23 billion dollars.

The Chinese have also informed us that the approval of the Lagos-Kano railway modernisation project (Kano-Kaduna Segment) at1.15 billion dollars and the Coastal Railway Project at 3.47 million dollars are imminent,

He explained that the funds for the project were available under the China-Africa Fund but were limited, adding that loan applications from African countries were funded based on first-come-first-served basis.

Therefore there is an urgent need for us to sign these loans as soon as they are approved or we might lose out in the event that we delay, the president said.

We are already in the process of completing the concession of the Port-Harcourt-Maiduguri Line to immediately link the eastern part of the nation.

We fully intend to source further concessionary funding to ultimately upgrade this critical line to high speed standard gauge line.

This project forms part of our overall plan to resuscitate the rail transport across the nation and thereby drive inclusive growth, he said.

The president said that the request was based on the need to consolidate the relative peace in the North-East.

The situation as you are aware has changed dramatically and introduces even more urgency to the situation in the zone than ever before.

He said that the capture and destruction of the stronghold of Boko Haram in the Sambisa forest was welcomed news.

However, he added that the recent unfortunate incident of the bombing of an Internally Displaced Camp (IDP) camp by mistake, and with loss of civilian lives brought to the fore the need to resettle the people.

Buhari said to achieve that, there was need for urgent tackling of the identified projects in the spirit of reconstruction and rehabilitation, and also to create jobs.

According to him, the World Bank has also approved a sum of 575 million dollars to assist the Federal Government in the reconstruction and rehabilitation efforts.

The fund is also to assist the Federal Government in the procurement of vaccines and other ancillary facilities for national routine immunisation to eradicate polio after the outbreak in the North-east in 2016.

 I am requesting your early consideration of the proposed World Bank-Assisted 500 million dollars loan to help expand the assistance and support to the poor and most vulnerable, especially in this difficult time.

The president said that given the current state of the economy and the need to adequately address infrastructural deficiencies, it was imperative for the legislature and executive to work together to get the economy out of recession.

Distinguished Senate, an expeditious consideration and approval of this request will go a long way in bringing stability to the North-east.
Fiberesima served as the chief executive officer of State House Medical Centre, Abuja.

He was arraigned before Justice Peter Affen of the Federal Capital Territory high court sitting in Maitama on a six-count charge bordering on money laundering.

The Head of Media and Publicity for the EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren, disclosed this in a statement issued on Tuesday, April 25.

In 2012, Fiberesima allegedly awarded contract to a company where he has interests.

According to the statement, the accused also parades himself as Fortunate David and David Thank God Fiberesima.

Count one of the charge reads:

"That you , Dr Fortunate Fiberesima (a.k.a Fortunate David and David Thank God Fiberesima), being the former chief executive officer of the state House Medical Centre, Abuja and chief physician to the president and while employed in the public service, sometime in 2012, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, knowingly and directly held a private interest in the contract for land reclamation at the State House Medical Centre, Abuja in the sum of Two Hundred and Fifty Eight Million, Nine Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira (N258,950,000.00), which contract was awarded to T. E & C Limited, a company in which you were a director, and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 12 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000."

The former chief physician to the president pleaded not guilty to all the charges brought against him by the EFCC.

ALSO READ: Patience Jonathan free to spend $5.9M as EFCC withdraws case against her

On the prayers of the accused's counsel, U B Eyo, the judge ordered that the Fiberesima should continue on the bail condition earlier granted him by the EFCC.

He was asked to submit his international passport to the court registrar.
Mr John Onyi, PHEDs Head, Corporate Communication, made the call in a statement issue in Port Harcourt.

PHED wishes to inform her esteemed customers that blackout currently being experienced in most parts of her coverage area affected Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross Rivers and Rivers states."

The blackout is as a result of organised labour`s action that barricaded and shut down PHED offices and Injection Substations."

The shutdown has made it impossible for power to be wheeled out to all our customers and exposed our prepaid customers to difficulties in vending (payment)."

However, we are very hopeful that the contentious issues raised by the labour leaders would be resolved soonest, Onyi said.

Onyi appealed to customers to bear with the company for the inconveniences the outage might have caused and assured that the company was fully committed to restoring electricity to the states.

NAN recalls that workers under the aegis of Senior Staff Association of Electricity and Allied Companies (SSAEAC) and National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) picketed PHED offices on Monday.
The House gave the order in reaction to the allegation that the documents were carted away when police raided Gojes residence.

The House also resolved to set up an ad-hoc committee to invite the IGP to appear before it and explain what warranted the alleged invasion and the laws which backed the police to carry out such operations.

The ad hoc committee is expected to submit its report within two weeks for further legislative action.

Debating the related motion, moved by Rep. Yunusa Ahmad (APC- Gombe), lawmakers who spoke on the matter said the budget report was scheduled to be laid before the Senate and House.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the budget report was for consideration and passage during the week.

The lawmakers expressed anger over the way the police and other security agencies had been invading homes of private citizens under the guise of fighting corruption without recourse to due process.

Leading the debate on the motion, Ahmad said the invasion of Gojes residence amounted to gross violation of his fundamental human right.

Rep. Toby Okechukwu (PDP-Enugu) accused the security agencies of attempting to come to the legislature.

They have cowed the judiciary. Now they have proceeded to the legislature. We cannot allow that. We must call to question anything considered untoward.

Gojes house was invaded, we dont know the reason. This kind of whistle-blowing should be driven by intelligence, he said.

Similarly, Rep. Sergius Ogun (PDP- Edo) said the House must put a stop to the undue harassment of innocent citizens by security agencies in the country.

The police should not get away with it. If a senator can be so treated, what is the fate of the ordinary Nigerian? We must put a stop to it, Ogun added

However, Rep. Ahmed Musa (APC- Kaduna) who spoke against the motion, described the debate as judgmental.

Musa said taking a stand on the alleged police invasion of Gojes residence without an investigation negated the principle of separation of powers and would subject the House to public ridicule.

It is the duty of the executive arm of government to investigate perceived crimes, and asking the police to return documents was tantamount to asking them to return their exhibits, he said.
Omokore was arraigned alongside Victor Briggs, Abiye Membere and David Mbanefo on an amended 9-count charge of alleged diversion of money.

Two of Omokores companies, Atlantic Energy Brass Development Limited and Atlantic Energy Drilling Concepts Limited, were also charged among the defendants.

When the matter was called up for hearing, counsel to Omokore, Mr Lawal Rabana informed the court of the application of his client for permission to travel abroad for medical check-up.

Rabana said his client was seeking the order of the court to grant him permission to travel abroad for medical check-up and an order directing the EFCC to release his international passport.

The lawyer said he attached a 12- paragraph affidavit in support of Omokores application.

He pledged that his client would return to the country before the next adjourned date to continue his trial.

The prosecuting counsel, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN) who did not oppose the application, said that since it had to do with health issues, he would not oppose.

The judge, Justice Nnamdi Dimgba, granted Omokores permission to travel abroad and also ordered that the EFCC should release his international passport.

Dimgba however stated that the defendant should be available in court on the next adjourned date to continue with his trial

He added that on his return to the country Omokore should submit his passport to the court before the next adjourned date.
Sources say the decision might be one of the agreements reached at a meeting of the principal officers of both chambers in the private residence of Senate President, Bukola Saraki.

Earlier this year, pensioners had written to Saraki and House of Representatives Speaker, Yakubu Dogara asking them to intervene in the plight of pensioners who retired under the Contributory Pension Scheme without being paid.

The Senate President and the Speaker subsequently briefed the Chairmen in the Senate and House appropriations committees to seek out ways to increase the funding for pensions in the budget.

A source who was familiar with the development, stated that the Senate President and Speaker, briefed the Joint Leadership meeting on the development, urging the principal officers to liaise with the relevant committees to ensure that the appropriations for the pension backlog were included in the 2017 budget.

This is another social welfare intervention on the part of the National Assembly, the source said, It is clear that the legislators take the plight of pensioners seriously, and will continue to work to ensure that this issue is handled in this budget cycle.

Earlier this week, the National Assembly, through the Appropriations Committees in the Senate and the House of Representatives also kick-started the construction of a second runway at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja by injecting N15 billion into the 2017 budget to begin the construction process.

ALSO READ:Buhari holds secret meeting with Saraki
Speaking during plenary on Wednesday, April 26, 2017, Goje said the Police searched his house for four hours.

Senator Goje noted that the Police left with valuable items used by his committee while working on the budget.

The Police searched my house for 4 hours, Goje said.

They left me, my family members and well-wishers traumatized and frightened

At the end of the raid, they left with N18 million; $19,000; 4000 Saudi riyal. The police also left with my laptop, 18 files from my office.

The Police truncated work on 2017 budget by the invasion of my house. Nigerians should therefore blame the Police for the delayed passage of the 2017 budget.

As I speak, have had no official contact with the police. I dont know if the Police are now working on the budget. They have hijacked the budget.

We will manage to pass this budget but dont blame us if it is delayed, Senator Goje added.

Senate President Bukola Saraki condemned the raid of Senator Gojes residence.

I have unconfirmed reports that it was a whistleblower who gave the Police the information, Saraki said.

He called on the Police to produce the documents openly same way they were taken.
The Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Ibrahim Auta, transferred the case to Quadri following Ademolas arraignment and trial in an Abuja High Court.

Lamido and his two sons, Aminu and Mustapha, and two others, were arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in September 2015.

They were arraigned before Justice Ademola on a 27-count charge bordering on alleged abuse of office and money laundering.

Following Ademolas arraignment and trial over alleged bribery and corruption, the EFCC applied to Auta for re-assignment of the case to another judge.

However, after the Abuja High Court discharged Ademola and co-defendants in the corruption charges, Lamido asked that the case be returned to him.

However, the EFCC in a letter dated April 11 and addressed to Auta, noted that it would not be in the interest of justice for the case to be transferred to Ademola.

This is because of the negative impressions the public may have about the outcome of the trial, whether the defendants (Lamido and sons) are convicted or not."

The fear of this public perception may put the judge (Ademola) under pressure, which may affect his sense of judgment.

Lamidos lawyer, Mr Joe Agi (SAN), queried the re-assignment of the suit to Justice Quari on the grounds of law.

According to him, 18 of the 20 witnesses lined up by the prosecution have already testified in the suit.

We wrote to the Chief Judge to reassign the case to Justice Ademola in view of the fact that 18 witnesses have already been called."

And that by Section 98 (2) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, transfer of cases in criminal trials are not done as a matter of course, Agi said.

On the EFCC position on public sentiments in the event that the suit was returned to Ademolas court, the lawyer said the issue of public perception was not found anywhere in law.

He urged the court to make an order that the case file be returned to Ademola, as well as an order directing accelerated hearing and determination of the case.
The statement was issued by the Presidents Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina, in Abuja on Wednesday.

He noted that Momohs career in journalism, as an editor and administrator, covered some of the most dramatic and defining moments of Nigerias history.

The president extolled the courage, versatility and nobility exuded by the former minister in making tough and selfless decisions for the benefit of the nation.

He particularly saluted Momohs decision to serve with opposition parties like All Nigeria Peoples Party (APC) and Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), in spite of all the odds.

President Buhari recalled with delight, his many insightful encounters with the septuagenarian over the years, and said Momoh would be remembered for his unalloyed support for the truth.

He prayed that God would grant the former minister longer life, good health and more wisdom to serve his community and the country.
Iweajunwa, who is also a right activist, gave this advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Owerri.

She said that with the level of success the policy had recorded at the federal level, it could be replicated in Imo.

This policy has helped the Federal Government to recover billions of naira and many corrupt leaders are now facing trial."

I want Gov. Rochas Okorocha to adopt the policy in Imo because many people are willing to blow the whistle here, he said.

According to the lawyer, since successive governors in Imo have not deemed it fit to probe their predecessors, only the whistle blowing policy can expose such leaders.

She said in spite of the Federal Governments bailout Paris Club fund, which was given to Imo, workers had yet to be paid their salaries.

Iweajunwa pointed out that with the policy; the Imo Government could realise millions of Naira from corrupt leaders and use the money to clear the controversial pension arrears.
Jonathan is said to have made the allegation in a book titled Against the Run of Play which was written by the Chairman of ThisDays Editorial Board, Olusegun Adeniyi.

Buhari however denied the claims via a statement released by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina.

The statement reads:

We make bold to state unequivocally that President Buhari harasses nobody; he merely allows the law to take its course.

For the umpteenth time, we say that anybody without a skeleton in his or her cupboard has nothing to fear about the bared fangs of the anti-corruption initiative. Fear belongs only to those who have abused trust while in office.

Anybody who feels aggrieved is free to approach the courts to seek redress or justice. President Buhari believes in the rule of law and that is why his campaign against corruption is anchored on that plank.

With regard to President Buharis anti-graft style, which the former president deprecates, given the scale of revelations and recoveries so far by the anti-corruption agencies, it is obvious that corruption had an uninhibited course during our recent past.

In any case, time will give the verdict on whose style of fighting corruption ultimately yielded the most dividends. For now, President Buhari is resolute and single-minded in the fact that his crusade against graft is not targeted at any individual or group.
The party made the call in Abuja on Wednesday in a statement signed by Mr Dayo Adeyeye, its National Publicity Secretary, National Caretaker Committee.

Adeyeye said the advice became necessary, following the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)s announcement of the commencement of a nationwide Continuous Voter Registration from Thursday.

We urge all citizens who did not register in the last exercise to come out en masse and register to vote and be voted for in the 2019 general elections, Adeyeye said.

Your registration is your power to vote, so take responsibility now.

According to PDP, it is only when people registered and obtained their PVCs that they can vote out none performing elected leaders.

The party,however, urged INEC to remain neutral, independent and unbiased, and allow all potential voters in the 774 LGAs to participate in the forthcoming exercise, without discrimination.

The Commission should allow the distribution of Permanent Voters Card (PVC) evenly to all zones of the Federation."
Democrats blasted the approach, warning that Republicans risked being on the hook for shuttering the government barely three months into the new administration.

With jitters rippling through Washington, Trump has apparently agreed to soften his demand just days before a Friday deadline for passing a new spending bill.

Wall funding

He told a group of conservative journalists he was open to delaying funding for the wall's construction until September, a White House official said, according to The Washington Post.

"It's good for the country that President Trump is taking the wall off the table in these negotiations. Now the bipartisan and bicameral negotiators can continue working on the outstanding issues," Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said in response.

Instead of a wall, lawmakers are expressing support for funding a broader set of security measures along the southern border, including the use of drones and other high technology.

"I think he'll probably get a down payment on border security generally," Republican Senator Rob Portman told reporters.

"If we want to talk about a combination of all of the above, including technology, walls you can see through, potentially low-level radar, all those things, then I think we can work together in a bipartisan way to get something done," added Senate Democrat Jon Tester.

Building the wall was Trump's signature campaign promise, but Democrats are quick to point out that Trump had pledged that Mexico would pay for it.

Even as the White House appeared to soften its rigid posture, Trump sent a mixed message on Tuesday.

"Don't let the fake media tell you that I have changed my position on the WALL. It will get built and help stop drugs, human trafficking etc," he said on Twitter.

Despite the short time frame for must-pass funding legislation, White House spokesman Sean Spicer said Monday that the administration remained "very confident" that a spending deal will be reached by the end of Friday.

'Flirting' with shutdown

Congress, returning from a two-week break, now has four days to strike a deal.

Lawmakers have warned that a stopgap measure, known as a continuing resolution, might be needed to give Congress breathing room to finalize the spending details.

Republican Senator Dan Sullivan said that while he supports Trump's efforts to secure the border, he would rather see a short-term CR passed than endure a shutdown showdown.

"What I certainly don't think we need to be doing is flirting with shutting down the government," he said.

With the 100-day mark landing on Saturday, and few legislative victories under his belt, Trump is pressing to fulfill another campaign pledge.

As a candidate, Trump repeatedly vowed to reform the tax code and slash the corporate tax rate from 35 percent to 15 percent.

An announcement on such reforms is due Wednesday, according to Trump, and all eyes will be on the tax rates the White House proposes and their impact on the national debt.

Conservatives have sought a reduction in US tax rates for years, but they are also adamant about reducing the debt. Some Republicans appeared hesitant to embrace such a deep cut in corporate tax rates.

"Fifteen percent might be too low," House Republican Leonard Lance told CNN.

Trump floated the prospect of re-introducing a modified health care plan that repeals Obamacare, after the original bill crashed and burned last month.
Le Pen, 48, was first out of the blocks after the first round of voting on Sunday, hitting the campaign trail and accusing the pro-EU centrist Macron of representing "runaway globalisation" and lacking love for his country.

The 39-year-old ex-banker met with representatives of workers from a Whirlpool domestic appliance factory in Amiens, northwest of Paris, that is threatened with outsourcing to Poland. He is to hold a rally in Arras, a city in the northern rustbelt where Le Pen topped the first round of voting.

Macron's visit to Amiens, his hometown, comes as a Harris Interactive poll showed 52 percent of the French believe the pro-EU Macron botched the start of campaigning for the May 7 run-off in France's presidential vote.

After winning Sunday's contest with 24.1 percent to Le Pen's 21.3 percent, he gave an exuberant victory speech followed by a high-profile celebration at Paris bistro La Rotonde bistro, drawing criticism even from his own side.

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."

President Francois Hollande appeared on Tuesday to admonish his former economy minister for not taking the fight to Le Pen immediately after the first round.

Macron shot back Tuesday, saying: "I will continue to fight for two weeks... I will defend the progressive camp to the end."

'Not a single vote'

Since securing her berth in the run-off, 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 would determine the shape of a future Macron government.

Le Pen will hold a rally in the Riviera city of Nice on Wednesday, a bastion of France's right that was targeted by a jihadist-inspired truck attack that killed 86 people in July.

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.

Still, polls suggest that Macron will trounce Le Pen in the run-off 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.

A key factor in the race is which candidate the supporters of Communist-backed Jean-Luc Melenchon, who finished in fourth place with 19.58 percent on Sunday, will back in the run-off.

Melenchon faced criticism after he failed to urge people who voted for him to get behind Macron in the run-off as part of the so-called "republican front", the decades-old French tactic of closing ranks to block the far-right.

Melenchon's France Insoumise (Unbowed France) movement is holding a consultation on which candidate to back in the second round, but his spokesman Alexis Corbiere said the eliminated candidate would not express his own preference.

Corbiere however told French TV channel LCI earlier Wednesday that "for us the National Front is a danger" and urged viewers to not give "a single vote to the National Front."

Le Pen said Monday she was quitting temporarily as head of her National Front (FN) in order to concentrate on the campaign.
The dawn raids across the country -- seeking more than 3,000 suspects -- come just over a week after Erdogan narrowly won a controversial referendum on ramping up his powers.

They are the latest indication Turkey intends no let-up in the fight against its perceived enemies after the vote, with fighter jets Tuesday pounding Kurdish militant targets in Iraq and northern Syria.

A total of 1,120 suspects have so far been detained, the official Anadolu news agency said.

Anadolu said 4,672 suspects were sought -- of whom 1,448 are already in jail -- meaning that a total of 3,224 arrest warrants were issued.

About 8,500 police officers were involved in the nationwide operation, Anadolu reported, adding that arrest warrants had been issued for 390 suspects in Istanbul alone.

Turkish authorities blame US-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen for masterminding the July 2016 failed military coup that aimed to oust Erdogan from power but he denies the charges.

Ankara accuses the Hizmet (Service) movement Gulen leads of being a "terror organisation", although the group insists it is a peaceful organisation promoting moderate Islam.

The government has repeatedly asked the United States to extradite Gulen, who has been living in exile there since 1999.

About 47,000 people have already been arrested in Turkey under a nine-month state of emergency in place since the coup bid, a crackdown whose magnitude has raised alarm in the West.

The Turkish parliament just ahead of the referendum extended the state of emergency by another three months to July 19.

After the latest sweep, German foreign ministry spokesman Sebastian Fischer said Berlin "has taken note of the mass detentions with concern", urging respect for rule of law.

'7,000 suspects wanted'

The Hurriyet newspaper reported that arrest warrants had been issued against a total of 7,000 suspects across Turkey, citing unidentified sources.

The suspects are so-called "secret imams" of Gulen suspected of infiltrating themselves into the police or other state institutions, it reported.

Erdogan has repeatedly said he will wipe out the "virus" of Gulen from state institutions after the failed coup.

The vast operation targeted big cities such as Istanbul as well as Izmir in western Turkey and Konya in the Anatolian heartland.

Prime Minister Binali Yildirim had hinted in a television interview this month that a new anti-Gulen crackdown had been in the pipeline.

The 'Yes' camp won 51.41 percent of the vote in the April 16 referendum on creating a presidential system in Turkey but opponents claim the result would have been reversed in a fair poll.

The main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) said Wednesday it would challenge last-minute changes to voting rules in the referendum at the Strasbourg-based European Court of Human Rights.

Analysts have said Erdogan, after his poll win, can choose between new confrontation or reconciliation with the West but in recent days tensions have risen further.

Turkish warplanes killed more than two dozen Kurdish fighters Tuesday in strikes in Syria and Iraq, angering the United States.

Ankara said it had carried out the strikes against "terrorist havens", vowing to continue acting against groups it links to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).

In northeast Syria, strikes targeted the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) -- who are leading the offensive against the Islamic State stronghold Raqa.

The US State Department said it was "deeply concerned" the strikes were conducted "without proper coordination either with the United States or the broader global coalition" against IS. Ankara said it had informed the US and Russia before the strikes.
The bronze work by the Nazi sculptor Wilhelm Wandschneider was brought to Linz in 1942 as a "personal gift" from Hitler, who wanted to make the city the "cultural capital" of the Third Reich.

For 65 years it stood in the rotunda of a park overlooking the city, where the German dictator lived between 10 and 18 years old.

But it was quickly removed in 2008 after a group of art students revealed its unsavoury origins.

Linz's Nordico museum, which had stored the work, will now add it to its collections, Doris Lang-Mayerhofer, who heads the city's culture and tourism committee, said Tuesday.

A detailed explanation will accompany the Aphrodite, she said, adding that the city wanted to make an "active effort at remembrance" rather than "dismantle history".

Lang-Mayerhofer, a conversative OVP lawmaker, said the decision garnered unanimous support of parties represented on the city council, as well as the backing of the federal chancellery.

The Greens backed the museum option since it would keep the statue from becoming a beacon for neo-Nazi pilgrimages, while the far-right FPO said it would protect the work from "political vandalism."

Despite Linz's relative insignificance for Nazi Germany, Hitler named it one of his "Fuehrer cities" alongside Berlin, Hamburg, Munich and Nuremburg.
It was the smell of success against the odds for Cuba, reviled by the United States and its allies in the Cold War but still a world champion sugar producer -- until the Soviet Union fell and stopped buying it from Fidel Castro's communist regime.

Now a demolition crane is attacking what is left of the Cuba Libre refinery's rusty steel skeleton. Fidel is dead, the Cold War is over -- and Cuba wants its sugar industry back.

"The refinery was the life of the people who lived here," says Arnaldo Herrera, 86. He lost his job at the plant when it closed in 2004.

"When that changes, life changes."

Cane on the risin'

Britain and other colonial powers grew fat on Cuban sugarcane -- harvested by black slaves -- from the 18th century until independence at the turn of the 20th.

The island then sold a lot of sugar to the United States until Washington imposed a trade embargo after communist revolutionary Castro took over in 1959.

Castro later announced a "revolutionary offensive" to relaunch the industry. The Soviet Union bought the sugar at preferential prices.

For 1970 Castro famously set a production target of a "great harvest" of 10 million tonnes. (He fell short by 1.5 million.)

But after the Soviet bloc collapsed in 1989, with the US embargo still in place and prices falling, the island could no longer compete.

Two-thirds of its refineries -- about 100 plants -- have shut down since 2002.

From eight million tonnes a year in the 1990s, production plunged to just over one million in 2010.

"That was when we touched bottom," says Rafael Suarez, head of international relations for the state sugar monopoly Azcuba.

"Since then an effort has been made. The refineries have been improved and a lot of emphasis has been put on recovering sugarcane production."

Suarez says Azcuba is also looking to expand production of sugar derivatives: rum, cattle feed and renewable fuel.

Human cost

Some 100,000 Cubans used to work in refineries like the one in Pedro Betancourt in the east.

The refineries used to pay well, for Cuba -- at least double the $28 average monthly salary.

Julio Dominguez, 84, worked in Cuba Libre until it shut.

"This town has been stripped bare. Tobacco production is all it has left," he says.

The refinery stopped milling in 2004 and demolition began in 2007. Like everything in Cuba, it takes time.

Some still weep when they pass the site, says the head of the demolition, Eliecer Rodriguez.

"I am knocking it down, but that was someone else's decision," he says.

Workers were kept on their salaries for some time after the closure.

Some have since moved on to work as tobacco producers, taxi drivers or handymen. Others have emigrated to the United States.

"Closing a sugar refinery is always traumatic in human and social terms," Suarez says.

"What the revolution did was take a lot of care to see that no one was abandoned."

Sweet smell

Soon only the concrete smokestacks of Cuba Libre will still stand among the green fields of sugarcane.

But 70 kilometers (some 40 miles) away, a chimney is still smoking. The air smells of caramel.

It is business as usual at the Jesus Rabi refinery.

The plant's boiler operator Juan Hernandez, 63, was made redundant from two sugar plants that shut down before he landed here.

"Those were bitter times. When a sugar refinery shuts, it really shuts. There isn't the economy for it."

Yet by mechanizing the sugar harvest almost completely, Cuba has managed to boost production to some two million tonnes a year from its 2010 low point.

More than half of that it exports, mostly to China and Russia.

jpegMpeg4-1280x720Suarez reckons the island can pump up production to four million tonnes a year. That will still leave it as a minnow in world terms.

"The days when such a small country as Cuba was the biggest exporter of sugar will never return," he admitted.
Claude Hermant, who is awaiting trial in a separate arms trafficking case, and the other suspects have been rounded up since Monday, and there could be more arrests, the sources said.

Investigators are trying to piece together how France-based jihadist Amedy Coulibaly obtained the weapons used in the January 9, 2015 attack.

Coulibaly killed four people after taking shoppers hostage at the Jewish store. Elite police later shot him dead as they stormed the building.

He had killed a policewoman in the Montrouge suburb south of Paris the night before, when authorities think he may have initially been targeting a nearby Jewish school.

The attack was part of three days of terror in the French capital that began with the raid on the Charlie Hebdo satirical magazine offices that killed 12 people.

So far investigators know the weapons came from Slovakia and were made inoperable, then handled by a middleman in Belgium before being resold to the company of Hermant's girlfriend.

Hermant, who prosecutors say has links with far-right groups in northern France, and his girlfriend were questioned in December 2015 over the supermarket attack without being charged.
Nicolau Moises, the forestry department chief in Cabo Delgado province, one of Mozambique's top timber-producing regions, quickly seized a truck piled high with freshly-cut bamboo stalks.

The driver of the vehicle was accused of breaking an annual 90-day ban on logging -- just one tactic in Mozambique's battle against deforestation. That moratorium has been extended a further three months.

Tropical forests cover more than half of the southern African country's landmass but China's insatiable appetite for rare types of wood to feed its furniture industry -- and an uncontrolled surge in logging -- means Mozambique is being stripped of its slow-growing tropical forests while some hardwood species are facing extinction.

The London-based Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) estimated that in 2013, at least 93 percent of logging in Mozambique was illegal -- and that most of the illicit timber ended up sold in China.

"For the past five years we have seen illegal logging increasing," Environment Minister Celso Correia told AFP. "It's been a big challenge for the country."

'Limbs cut off'

Corruption, weak laws and ineffective institutions, coupled with inadequate resources to fight illicit logging, have left the country's forests unprotected.

But Correia said intelligence-gathering has proven to be particularly important to the fight.

"Our communities, our institutions are very vulnerable to corruption," he said. "It's really organised crime. So it's a different fight. It will not be normal institutions that will win this war."

He estimates that illegal logging costs Mozambique more than half a billion dollars (around 460 million euros) a year.

To tackle the crisis, the government has launched a slew of measures that include a ban on the export of all unprocessed logs and a five-year moratorium on the exploitation of vulnerable species.

New logging permits will also not be issued until at least 2019.

"There was no regulation in the past, but now we have managed some strong regulations," said the minister. "And we have increased our capacity of command and control on the field."

But the work of policing the sprawling country's vast forests is "complicated," Moises said. "We don't have sufficient means, we don't have enough personnel" to deploy in the forests where the trees are sawn down.

"It's like we have our limbs cut off."

According to Correia, more than 120 timber companies were raided in March alone and at least 75 percent were found to be involved in illegal activities.

At least 150,000 cubic metres (5.3 million cubic feet) of logs were seized during the sting operation.

After making their first arrests, Moises and his team raided a Chinese-run timber export firm where hundreds of logs lay stacked, ready to be shipped eastward.

But everything was found to be in order.

"We are following the law and we never (export wood illegally)," said Rothschild Xu, a Chinese timber trader, who has been working in Pemba for five years.

There are dozens of Chinese logging companies in Mozambique -- and some operate outside the law.

China has been largely blamed for the deforestation in Mozambique since it began curtailing commercial logging in its own forests in the early 2000s.

'Fighting for our lives'

Investigative journalist and government critic Erik Charas is not convinced the new laws will bring lasting change. He has also alleged that the reforms and anti-graft drive are a government ploy.

"The government is not doing enough," Charas said, adding that "key, leading figures in government" are working with Chinese timber traders.

Mozambique's wood processing industry however has embraced the new legislation.

"I think this is a positive measure as the processing of wood locally will create more jobs locally," said Narciso Gabriel, the owner of a sawmill in Pemba, and president of the country's lumber association.

"But obviously not everyone has the capacity to invest in wood processing, this is the big difficulty".

Processed timber can fetch high prices. The government says exporting raw logs is "daylight robbery" because merchants buy a cubic metre for around $5 but resell it on the international market for $300.

Despite these challenges, Correia remains confident the country will prevail in its fight against illegal logging.
Twenty-one people, most of them women, were killed on Monday night when a traditional flat-bottomed boat overturned off Bettenty, a central Senegal island area, with 72 on board, said Commander Oumar Kane, a senior Senegalese firefighting official.

All except two present were women, and another 51 people had been rescued, he added.

Bettenty lies in the Saloum delta where such boats, known as pirogues, are often used for travelling between the mangroves and from one islet to another.

The boat capsized as the women were on their way to look for seafood, and the incident occurred in a coastal area well known for delicacies like oysters, where tourists flock in large numbers.

The second incident took place on Monday night in the River Gambia, the waterway which splices tiny Gambia almost into two, said police spokesman Foday Conta in Banjul.

"Eight fishermen died yesterday night after their boat capsized," he told AFP.

"Their boat capsized in the river between the villages of Diabugu and Tabajang in the Upper River Region of the country. They were on board a fishing canoe," Conta added.

The Gambia is a sliver of a nation that sits entirely surrounded by its larger neighbour, Senegal.

Reporting on the incident in Senegal, L'Observateur daily said the boat had capsized in high winds, while other newspapers said it had foundered because it was overloaded. Senegalese radio station RFM said some of the women were pregnant.

Meanwhile Senegal's official APS news agency reported that Fisheries Minister Oumar Gueye was en route to the site of the tragedy to present the government's condolences.

Echos of Joola

Several Senegalese papers recalled the Joola tragedy of 2002 when a ferry sank during a storm, killing more than 1,800 people in what was one of the world's worst-ever maritime disasters.

In that incident, the ferry was licensed to hold just 580 people, including crew, but investigators found it was carrying well over 2,000 when it went down while passing the Gambian coast.

Only 64 people were rescued.
The video, filmed Monday on the southern resort island of Phuket, showed Wuttisan Wongtalay hang his 11-month daughter from an abandoned building before taking his own life, according to police in charge of the case.

The footage was online for hours before it was removed on Tuesday, prompting cries for Facebook to move more quickly to take down clips of grisly crimes and killings.

At least one major Thai daily also printed images of the suicide on its front page Tuesday.

A media body has since slammed some news outlets, which it said showed graphic and "inappropriate" images of the crime.

"The News Broadcasting Council of Thailand received complaints about reporting on a man who killed his child and himself via Facebook Live," the organisation said in a statement.

"Those reports were inappropriate," it added, warning channels and newspapers against giving graphic coverage to similar crimes because they "may lead to copycats with the understanding that those actions will draw attention."

Police said they believe the killing was motivated by a "family feud" and that the father was unhappy with his wife's child from another relationship.

"His wife has a boy aged about four years old from her previous relationship," Jullaus Suvannin, the case officer, told AFP.

In a statement late Tuesday Facebook described the incident as "appalling".

"There is absolutely no place for content of this kind on Facebook and it has now been removed," the social network told AFP.

The killing was only the latest grisly crime to be published on the social network.

Last week Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg vowed to work to keep the site's live-streaming function from being used to propagate harrowing acts after a man in the US state of Ohio broadcast footage of himself shooting a stranger dead.

The killer went on to fatally shoot himself after a massive manhunt and police chase.

During a speech last Wednesday Zuckerberg conceded that Facebook had "a lot of work" to do on the issue.

"We are going to work on building common ground, not just getting more opinions out there," he added.

Facebook already has a 24-hour team of moderators who decide whether to remove content that is reported to them. Suicides and crimes are prioritised.

But the network says they are limited by how quickly they can respond to the sheer volume of content posted online each day.
The departure of the troops sent in to support an African Union regional force "will be completed a short while after it begins on April 26", Charles Prichard, spokesman for the US Africa Command (AFRICOM), told AFP.

"A small contingent of US military personnel will continue to work in the area to complete logistical tasks... such as removing equipment. Those tasks will be completed by September 2017," he added.

In late 2011, Washington deployed about 100 special forces to the Central African Republic to back up Ugandan soldiers tracking Kony, and 150 special forces airmen were added three years later.

One of Africa's longest-surviving rebel groups, the Lord's Resistance Army has terrorised parts of central Africa for 30 years.

Since being set up by Kony in 1987, it is accused of slaughtering more than 100,000 people and abducting 60,000 children who were forced to become sex slaves and soldiers.

After counting several thousand fighters a few years ago, it now has fewer than 100 dispersed across parts of the CAR, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sudan and South Sudan.

Last month AFRICOM said it would wrap up the operation, which has cost $600 million to $800 million, even though Kony remains at large.

LRA 'in survival mode'

"The time has come to move forward because the organisation itself is really in a survival mode," said General Thomas Waldhauser, head of AFRICOM.

Ugandan troops began to withdraw on April 19, saying that the mission to neutralise the LRA had been "successfully achieved" and that Kony "no longer poses any significant threat".

A self-styled prophet, Kony launched his bloody rebellion in a bid to overthrow the Ugandan government and impose a regime based on his own version of the Ten Commandments.

He is wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague for war crimes and crimes against humanity, where one of his commanders, Dominic Ongwen, is currently on trial.

Analysts as well as residents of eastern CAR fear that the departure of US and Ugandan forces will leave a security vacuum, enabling the LRA to resurface.

Although there are UN peacekeeping forces from its MINUSCA mission in Central Africa, very few of them are present in the east of the country.

"This withdrawal will lead to a renewal of LRA attacks in the southeast," warned Thierry Vircoulon, a specialist on central Africa at the French institute for international relations IFRI.
Organisers of the Martin Ennals Award expressed hope that the spotlight could offer protection to the nominees, who like many rights campaigners worldwide are facing an increasingly hostile climate.

One finalist for the prize, to be awarded in October, is Mohamed Zaree, a legal scholar and the Egypt Office Director of the Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies (CIHRS).

Amid a general crackdown on human rights movements in Egypt, the CIHRS has had its assets frozen while Zaree has faced death threats and been slapped with a travel ban, and he fears imprisonment, the prize committee said.

Gerald Staberock, head of the World Organisation Against Torture and a Martin Ennals jury member, warned that the situation for rights defenders in Egypt was more dire than it was under Hosni Mubarak's 30-year regime, which was toppled in 2011.

"Now it is worse than ever before... It's frightening," he told reporters in Geneva.

Egypt is not alone in seeing its rights situation deteriorate.

In 2016, 281 human rights activists were murdered across 25 countries -- more than double the number in 2014, according to statistics from Front Line Defenders.

'Climate change' on rights

"There is a real human rights climate change around the world," Staberock warned, pointing to the spread of political discourse that defies long-accepted norms, including US President Donald Trump's explicit endorsement of torture.

Among the finalists for this year's Martin Ennals prize are five Cambodian rights defenders known as the Khmer Five.

Cambodia is also witnessing a rising crackdown on activists and the political opposition.

The five -- Ny Sokha, Yi Soksan, Nay Vanda, Lim Mony and Ny Chakrya -- have languished in pre-trial detention for the past year, facing charges linked to their work with the Cambodian Human Rights and Development Association (ADHOC).

This year's third nominee is Karla Avelar, a 39-year-old transgender woman who suffered horrific rape, abuse and violence.

She then helped found El Salvador's first association for trans people, and its first organisation for trans women with HIV.

Michael Khambatta, director of the Martin Ennals awards, said it was important to shine a light on abuse targeting the LGBT community in El Salvador, where he said trans people especially suffer "astronomical" levels of crime.

That is certainly true for Avelar, who was abused as a child before fleeing to the streets where she was forced into prostitution at the age of 11, contracted HIV and was shot multiple times.

The Geneva-based Martin Ennals Foundation is named after the first secretary general of Amnesty International, who died in 1991.
Turning the ship before it hits the iceberg
Quad-City area labor organizations will host Workers Memorial Day ceremonies Friday in Bettendorf and Clinton as part of the national observance.

In Bettendorf, the U.S. Steelworkers Local 105, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers 1379 and Arconic Davenport Works leadership will host a service at noon, Friday, at the USW Local 105 Hall, 880 Devils Glen Road. The doors open at 11 a.m. with lunch served after the service. The event is sponsored by Arconic Davenport Works Joint Safety and Health Committee.

In Clinton, the Great River Area Labor Federation AFL-CIO and Clinton Labor Congress AFL-CIO, will host a ceremony at 1 p.m., Friday, at Riverfront Park, located on Riverview Drive.

The events also honor the two area workers killed on the job in 2016. Willie Holley, 62, of Rock Island, a road construction flagger with Valley Construction, was killed Sept. 1 when he was struck by a car near Blue Grass. Glenn Jones Jr., 60, a railroad switch operator for ADM, Clinton, was killed July 23 when he was struck by a railroad car at the company's switchyard in Clinton.

The events, which join ceremonies being held around the world, commemorate workers who have died or suffered illness and injuries on the job.

"Workplace safety should be a right for every workers, and we will fiercely fight for workplace protections," Ken Sagar, president of the Iowa Federation of Labor AFL-CIO, said in a news release. "Our hard-working men and women dedicate themselves to their jobs everyday and deserve to return home safely to their loved ones at the end of the day."

The event also will criticize a new U.S. presidential order that states that for every new workplace protection, two existing safeguards must be removed. Sagar said the Clinton event also will emphasize the Trump administration's attempts to roll back or block regulations that protect workers from serious hazards, such as deadly silica dust, chemical explosions and workplace violence. It also will highlight the Iowa Legislature's move to change worker's compensation rights in Iowa.

Brad Greve, USW Local 105 president, which represents union workers at Arconic, said the event honors those workers who have been killed on the job and whose names appear on a memorial stone at the hall. "We also try to re-energize ourselves to prevent injuries and not have any other name go on that stone," he said.

Both events are open to the public, including local workers, families, elected leaders and community members.

Other worker memorial events across Iowa will be held in Cedar Rapids, Council Bluffs, Des Moines, Dubuque, Keokuk, Iowa City, Sioux City and Waterloo.
It's a pretty serious situation, even for a guy who has encountered worse.

H. Jermaine Cox was at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune in North Carolina in 2002 when his now-ex-wife bought their home in Davenport. A year later, the Marine was serving in Iraq, "as part of the first push into the country at the start of the war."

Back in Davenport, everything seemed fine.

For the first five years, Cox's house at 1023 W. 14th St. was OK. No problems. But heavy rains in 2007 flooded the yard, which is the lowest lying in the neighborhood. With every heavy rain thereafter, Cox had to pump several feet of water off his property.

Real estate disclosure laws were in place when the home was sold in 2002, but no disclosure was made regarding the serious and chronic flooding.

Cox went to every city official he could think of to get help. Was there a way to redirect the water? Were loans available to fix the problem? Could the city do anything, up to and including buying the property?

"I could never sell it to somebody else," Cox said. "I have a conscience."

Now deemed disabled for his severe PTSD, resulting largely from a deadly firefight in Iraq, Cox has becoming increasingly frustrated over the seemingly hopeless situation at home.

In a July 2015 email to Cox, Bruce Berger, Community Planning & Economic Development director for Davenport, wrote, "... we have the engineering recommendation that the water problem is too prohibitively expensive and/or impossible to rectify and so the house should be razed."

In other words, the city said the house is so bad, it should be torn down. But the declaration would represent the conclusion of the city's involvement, sort of.

"This is what ticks me off: The city said they would help," Cox said Monday. "As a disabled vet with child support to pay, it would exhaust all of my money to try to fix it or buy the pumps to keep it dry, and I wouldn't be able to eat.

"It's in the process of foreclosure now. Why make me go through foreclosure when no one can live in the house? The city has had three budget cycles to work this into, and they didn't. They also get FEMA money, but I evidently don't qualify, because my house isn't in the floodplain."

Cox offered to sell the property to the city for $50,000 but didn't reach a deal.

"There has to be a better solution than foreclosure," he said. "When that happens, it becomes the city's problem."

Some would say, because the city's problems are taxpayers' problems, waiting for foreclosure might be the more financially responsible position to take. If it goes into foreclosure and is deemed a nuisance property that cannot be repaired or sold, the city saves the $50,000 purchase price and pays only the cost of demolition, which is estimated at $20,000.

"His (Cox's) summary is accurate that we could not find a financial resource to acquire and demolish," Berger wrote in an email Tuesday. "We explored FEMA and other potential assistance opportunities, but nothing fit this situation.

"This property may fall into the category of abandoned houses that, unfortunately, are unable to be salvaged with the costs substantially outweighing the value. Ultimately, this outcome likely results in demolition. Jermaine was very forthright in discussing the situation and I know was hoping that the City or someone would acquire it. Maybe someone will still come forward to acquire, but in this situation, it will not likely be the City."

Less than 24 hours after Berger sent his email response to questions about Cox's property, an excavator showed up in Cox's backyard  parked right up to the garage door.

"The city taped a notice to my door in December, saying the garage was deemed a nuisance," Cox said Wednesday. "They said the siding wasn't in compliance. I fixed it once, but I suppose all the moisture in the walls froze and pushed it back out. I got an email from the city with several names on it, and I replied that I needed more time, because it was December.

"I didn't get a response.

"The garage door is brand new, and I have my snowblower in there. I just can't believe they didn't tell me when they were going to come tear it down."

Standing on his driveway Wednesday afternoon, Cox noticed someone had disconnected the power supply to the garage, presumably in preparation for demolition.

Late in the afternoon, Davenport Public Works Director Nicole Gleason returned a phone call and explained about the garage demo. She said the city's Intent to Demolition was sent on Dec. 9. Given Cox was sent his first notice about the condition of his garage roof and siding in June 2014, she said, he had plenty of warning.

But I pointed out it's been four months since the city had any communication with Cox about the garage. Was anyone going to let him know when the demo crew was coming, so he could remove items of value?

"Honestly, probably every other property on the (city's demo) list is empty  vacant for years and years and years," she said. "So, that's a good point."

Gleason acknowledged it may be a good idea for Davenport to adopt a new policy that gives a second notice to homeowners whose property is not in compliance when they still are living there.

"This is a very unique situation," she said, adding that all 21 homes and garages torn down by the city last year were vacant.

It seems likely Cox's house soon will be vacant, too. He has run out of viable options.

"I'll be out a place to live and my credit score," he said. "I'm more than burned out on this. It's kind of depressing: You have a property you tried to save, and you're out of luck.

"I can't say I was a victim. I should have been wiser.

"Now my neighbors think it's my fault there are snakes all over here. I don't like them, either.

"Honestly, I don't know what to do. All I know is it's heading into foreclosure. I can't afford to fix it. If I had the money, I'd take out a billboard, saying, 'This property floods. Do not buy!'"
Farms are familiar places to Quad-City refugees, who emigrate to America from places such as the Congo.

The dairy business owned by David and Amy Petersen was something else.

On Wednesday, about 30 members of the Family Literacy Program at the Spring Forward Learning Center, Rock Island, toured the Petersen farm. Chattering mothers with children and some older gentlemen in tow, they checked out a calving shed, milk processors and more.

Amy Petersen was the host, showing the adults how a working farm in Iowa operates. She spoke slowly and carefully, as some of the farm's visitors are still learning the English language.

"We have 450 acres right here, and this is a small farm," Petersen told the crowd.

The farm is as self-supporting as possible, with just the right number of cows, to generate the right amount of fertilizer, to raise the right amount of food to feed the cattle.

"It takes three acres of land to feed one cow," she said, and talked about the fertile soil on the farm, a Century Farm called "Majestic Manor." It is located in Muscatine County about three miles northwest of Blue Grass.

One challenging topic to explain was embryo transfers to help breed high-producing cows. Petersen said it was important to have good parents to have good offspring, and visitors seemed to understand the concept.

A woman from the Congo said families raise cattle in Africa but there are no barns with roofs.

All the cows on the farm are females, Petersen said, as the male calves are sold to a neighbor who raises them for meat.

Maria Hernandez directs the Family Literacy Program, part of the Spring Forward center. The beef is processed in an operation, such as Tyson Foods, where some relatives of the families work, she said.

The farm tour was an end-of-the-year trip that Spring Forward officials thought would interest the adult students, said Dan McNeil, executive director.

That it did, according to Hadeel Janabi of Rock Island.

"I like farms," she said, adding that some day, she and her family would like to live on a farm.

Esperance Nyadwa of Rock Island is from the Congo, where her family did not have cattle but raised hens instead. She liked seeing the young calves in the calving barn.

Spring Forward adopted the Family Literacy Program in 2016, McNeil said; it used to be operated by Black Hawk College, but Illinois budget cuts made that impossible to continue.

It's a year-to-year challenge for nonprofits, including Spring Forward, to find funding sources to keep alive programs like this one.

"We hope to operate the Family Literacy program in the same capacity next year," McNeil said.

The busiest place on the farm ended up in the Petersen's large garage, where the visitors enjoyed chocolate chip cookies, served with milk, of course.
DES MOINES  Gov. Terry Branstad, already the longest-serving governor in U.S. history, thanked hundreds of supporters who cheered him during a farewell event Tuesday before he embarks on what he acknowledged will be the "biggest challenge I've ever taken on" as U.S. ambassador to China.

"This has been a wonderful experience," Branstad told about 400 long-time GOP friends and associates who gathered to thank him and wish him well in his new international role. "It's been a dream for me to serve as governor of Iowa."

Branstad, a history buff who is in his 23rd year as Iowa's chief executive, noted that every day he shows up for work breaks the record as the American governor who has spent the longest time in office. "I kind of love that," he said with a smile.

Iowa GOP Chairman Jeff Kaufmann, who emceed the proceedings, called Branstad "a living legend" and a "once-in-a-lifetime leader."

During the two-hour event, Branstad paid tribute to his wife, Chris, who drew a standing ovation, and he said he is sure Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds is ready to assume the office he soon will vacate after serving as the state's No. 2 executive since 2011.

"Every assignment I've ever given her she's exceeded expectations," Branstad said of his lieutenant, who is a former state senator and county treasurer.

"I have no doubt she'll be a great governor and she will accomplish a lot," added Branstad, who is headed to Washington to meet this week with member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee before a hearing slated next Tuesday on his confirmation as President Donald Trump's pick to be America's next ambassador to China.

Branstad, who previously participated in similar farewell events in Davenport and Sioux City, reminisced about his time growing up on a northern Iowa farm, talked about the people who influenced him during his life and relived the farm crisis years of the 1980s as his most difficult time as governor.

"I'm proud of the fact that we faced a very tough farm crisis but we came out of it stronger and more diversified and we're better for it today," he said.

Kaufmann said Branstad never forgot where he came from during his time in office and praised him for his honesty, integrity and love for Iowa.
Sen. Chuck Grassley predicted Wednesday that the U.S. Senate could confirm Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad as the new ambassador to China in a little more than two weeks.

Grassley, R-Iowa, on a conference call with Iowa reporters, said he and Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, are prepared to introduce the governor at his hearing next Tuesday before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. And, he said, he expects a two-hour hearing, followed by a vote the next week by the committee.

The week after that, he said, he expects the full Senate would vote on the nomination. Grassley cautioned that schedule might not hold if Democrats were to filibuster, but he added he saw no reason for that to happen.

President Donald Trump announced in December that he would nominate Branstad to be the new ambassador. Iowa's governor has a long-standing friendship with China's president, Xi Jinping, and Iowa has been preparing for Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds to take his place in the likely event that he is confirmed.

The Foreign Relations Committee announced Tuesday that it had scheduled a hearing on Branstad's nomination for 9 a.m. Central Daylight Time on May 2.

The governor is in Washington, D.C., this week for meetings related to the hearings.

Asked whether he had given Branstad any advice, Grassley said that he told him only to prepare for "gotcha" questions, in the event somebody might want to embarrass him. He added he did not expect there would be such questions.
President Donald Trump's tax overhaul proposal was met with skepticism, even scorn, by Democrats representing the Quad-Cities in Congress, while Republicans praised the White House for starting the ball rolling, even as they steered clear of weighing in on the details or potential impact.

The White House plan, released Wednesday, calls for paring back the number of individual tax brackets, eliminating most itemized deductions, cutting the corporate tax rate and increasing the standard deduction for individuals, among other changes.

The proposal is the first step in what is likely to be a lengthy debate in Congress.

Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, reacted by saying the current tax code puts the U.S. at a disadvantage relative to other countries, and he praised the president.

"President Trump deserves credit for putting out an outline to get the conversation started," he said. "Hes correct to make promoting economic growth and job creation the top priority of tax reform."

Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, said a comprehensive review is "long overdue." She said she currently is reviewing the proposal.

Democrats, meanwhile, said the plan would boost the deficit and benefit the wealthy.

"Lets be clear, his plan would add dramatically to the national deficit to fund a massive tax giveaway to corporations and millionaires," Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., said in a statement.

He also called on Trump to release his tax returns.

Rep. Cheri Bustos, D-Ill., said the tax code needs reforming, but rather than take a bipartisan approach, "President Trump is trying to give himself and other billionaires a massive tax break with absolutely no way to pay for it."

Rep. Dave Loebsack, D-Iowa, echoed those concerns and said the proposal would "do very little to stimulate the economy, create jobs or provide tax relief to hardworking American families."

Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., also said the president's family and his "ultra wealthy friends" would benefit from the plan.
Here's the National Weather Service afternoon forecast for the Quad-Cities.

There's a chance of showers before 1 p.m., then a chance of showers and thunderstorms from 1 p.m. until 4 p.m. After 4 p.m., showers are likely. Skies will be cloudy with a high near 63 degrees. The chance of precipitation is 60 percent with new rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible with higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Tonight showers are likely and possibly a thunderstorm. It will be cloudy with a low around 41 degrees. The chance of precipitation is 60 percent with new precipitation amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

Thursday there is a 20 percent chance of showers before 1 p.m. Skies will be mostly cloudy with a high near 54 degrees. West winds will be 10-15 mph with gusts as high as 20 mph.

Thursday night will be mostly cloudy with a low around 41 degrees.

Trump tax plan billed as 'largest tax reform' in U.S. history

Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin says President Donald Trump's tax plan will amount to  in Mnuchin's words  "the biggest tax cut" and the "largest tax reform" in U.S. history.

Mnuchin gave that description during a speech in Washington this morning. The White House is set to release the broad outlines of Trump's proposed overhaul this afternoon.

Trump wants cuts for individuals and businesses, even as the government struggles with mounting debt. The president is trying to make good on promises to bring jobs and prosperity to the middle class.

The top tax rate for individuals would fall by a few percentage points, from 39.6 percent to the "mid-30s." That's according to an official familiar with the plan.

White House officials already have said the top corporate tax rate would drop from 35 percent to 15 percent under Trump's plan. Look for more later today.

Woman wanted in drug-induced homicide case arrested Wednesday

A woman wanted in connection with a fatal overdose in January was arrested Wednesday morning in Rock Island, police said.

Charlonda M. Crittenden, 42, is charged with drug-induced homicide, a Class X felony, and unlawful delivery of a controlled substance, a Class 2 felony. Bond on the warrant is set at $250,000.

Just before 7 a.m. Jan. 19, the Rock Island Fire and Police departments responded to the 3700 block of 9th Street for an unresponsive man. They found Adam J. Verdick, 44, dead when they arrived, according to police.

Rock Island County Coroner Brian Gustafson said Verdick died from "adverse effects" of cocaine.

Police announced the charges against Crittenden Tuesday.

Rock Island Deputy Police Chief Jason Foy said she was arrested at at 9:19 a.m. Wednesday in the 1200 block of Glenhurst Court.

Bowler rolls perfect 300 game in just 86.9 seconds

A New York bowler has rolled a perfect 300 game in less than 90 seconds. Ben Ketola hit 12 straight strikes in 86.9 seconds earlier this month at 281 Bowl in Cortland.

The 23-year-old Preble man raced from one lane to the next at the 10-lane facility and registered the strikes using a different ball on each lane. He used Lanes 1 and 2 twice.

Ketola is a 225-average, two-handed bowler who works at the bowling alley. He tells The Post-Standard of Syracuse he "honestly wasn't expecting to do it."

There is no official speed record listed by the United States Bowling Congress. Pro bowler Tom Dougherty threw a perfect game over 12 lanes in 111 seconds in 2015.

 The Illinois Department of Transportation reports that construction work on U.S. 20 in Elizabeth has begun. The contractor will be removing and replacing deteriorated sections of the concrete pavement on U.S. 20 from the east edge to the west edge of the village.

Traffic will be restricted to one lane during working hours. Flaggers will be directing vehicles past the work areas, so drivers should be prepared to stop when approaching the construction activities. All lanes will be open each night and all weekend.

Work should be completed by early June.
1. Rain likely today with cooler temps

A good Wednesday to all. Here's the latest from the National Weather Service.

Showers are likely today with possibly a thunderstorm. Skies will be cloudy with a steady temperature around 62 degrees. The chance of precipitation is 60 percent with new rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible with higher amounts in thunderstorms.

Tonight, showers are likely before 9 p.m. Skies will be cloudy with a low around 41 degrees. The chance of precipitation is 60 percent with new precipitation amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

Thursday brings mostly cloudy skies and a 20 percent chance of showers before 1 p.m. The high for the day will be near 54 degrees. The low will be around 41 degrees. West winds will gust as high as 20 mph.

2. Fresh Thyme opens today

Fresh Thyme Farmers Market will enter the Quad-City market today with the opening of its new Davenport store. The store at 2130 E. Kimberly Road is the second Iowa store for the Midwest-based specialty retailer. The first was in West Des Moines.

Featuring healthy and organic products and groceries, the store is part of a new Kimberly Crossing retail redevelopment. Fresh Thyme occupies the former Incredible Pizza property. Read more.

3. Davenport council leans toward special election to fill Boom's vacant seat

If yard signs are any indication, there is a lot of interest in how former Alderman Bill Boom's vacant City Council seat will be filled. The Davenport City Council is leaning toward calling a special election for the vacant 3rd Ward seat after holding a special work session Tuesday afternoon.

The Council will vote May 3 on whether to approve a resolution to authorize the special election. Read more.

4. Fire damages Davenport duplex

5. Scott Community College's Paper to retire

Teresa Paper still remembers when Joe Biden, the former vice president of the United States, spoke to her in public to announce her as "Dr. Pepper." Paper, 56, a 12-year employee at the community college, third largest in Iowa, will officially retire on June 30.

She arrived at SCC as a dean more than a decade ago and moved up when the other presidents left. She was named interim president for one year and then got the top job on campus in 2012.

In retirement, she and her husband, Nyle Paper, will continue to work on their farm in northwest Scott County. Her husband is currently teaching her how to drive a tractor. Read more.

6. Woman wanted in Rock Island drug-induced homicide

The Rock Island Police Department is seeking the publics help in locating a woman wanted in connection with a fatal drug overdose in January.

Charlonda M. Crittenden, 42, is wanted on charges of drug-induced homicide, a Class X felony, and unlawful delivery of a controlled substance, a Class 2 felony. Bond on the warrant is set at $250,000.

Just before 7 a.m. Jan. 19, the Rock Island Fire and Police departments responded to the 3700 block of 9th Street for an unresponsive man. They found Adam J. Verdick, 44, dead when they arrived, according to police.

Crittenden is described as a black woman, 5 feet 6 inches tall and weighing approximately 210 pounds, according to police.

Anyone with information related to the whereabouts of Crittenden is asked to contact the Rock Island Police Department at 309-732-2677 or Crime Stoppers of the Quad-Cities at 309-762-9500. The public is asked not to attempt to apprehend her.
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HARTINGTON, Neb. | A man accused of scalding a year-old infant has been given 10 to 14 years in a Nebraska prison.

Court records say 22-year-old River Malatare was sentenced Monday in Cedar County District Court in Hartington. He'd pleaded no contest to attempted intentional child abuse and guilty to an unrelated charge of failing to register as a sex offender.

The records say Malatare lived in Yankton, South Dakota, and had been staying with the child's mother. He was baby-sitting the girl in March 2015 when she was scalded. He told a nurse at a Yankton hospital that he didn't know the bath water he'd drawn was so hot.

South Dakota records say Malatare was convicted in 2014 of statutory rape of a teenager.
The contest was more about offering a challenge of solving real life technical problems than competing against other students from across South Dakota.

But the Belle Fourche High School career and technical education students came home from the SkillsUSA State Leadership Conference and Contest in Watertown with some of the states top performances, and prizes up to major scholarships to South Dakota post high school education.

CTE teacher Eric Anderson said of the competition, It gives the kids a very lifelike scenario to show the skills they learn in class.

The challenge is a project similar to what would happen in a job of their career field.

Belle Fourche High School students have always done well, but this years competition group, the house project behind the school and plans for the new Career and Technical Education high school addition are hints for future emphasis.

Workforce training for important and needed career skills is an increasing emphasis in the community and throughout the Northern Hills.

Anderson said, I dont know if its specific to any given business, but problem solving skills , they are applicable to various industries.

The students competing in Watertown were dealing with what he called real life math, having to solve problems and think through a process.

BFHS already is working with Western Dakota Tech to offer concurrent credits that can save having to take them again in post-high school training.

As for woodworking and carpentry students, he said, many will graduate from high school ready to go to work building houses and office buildings.

Mechanical drafting students learn not only pencil and paper designing, but also standard professional computer programs used by businesses today in the area.

One of the BFHS students won first place in architectural drawing, and Anderson said, There is an endless need for that.

The new CTE building will house welding, FCCLA, business and agriculture-natural resources.

Expanded welding areas offer room for more real-life specific projects.

The space could have future evening use for Western Dakota Tech adult classes.

As for welding programs, Anderson said, If there are welding jobs available, our kids should be capable in most cases to go to a regular job  or to a tech school for a higher level.

The school has a tradition of building houses that have been capable of being moved dozens of miles to a buyers foundation and be as solid as when it left Belle Fourche.

Now, Anderson said, he and Graydon Dailey are working with the Belle Fourche Development Corporation to craft homes to be moved onto local foundations for workforce housing.

Whether in bookkeeping or carpentry, Anderson said the CTE programs offer students a lot of options for their future.

One thing were trying to get kids to understand is that CTE programs are not for low-end careers.

Theyre needed job skills in the area that can lead to a lifelong career.

He pointed to a recent area meeting of engineers that noted that the regional pool of electricians is all of older people: Whats going to happen when we dont have anybody to fill their shoes?

Principal Mathew Raba noted that he liked to see the SkillsUSA winners get more credit for their statewide wins.

Our kids dont often get recognized for the skills they have, he said. Not only are those kids talented at those skills, but most of them are strong in their core academics as well.

BFHS students had winners in the following categories:

- Welding- Luke Koski

- Technical Math- Stephan Tanninen

- Technical Drafting- Tyler Koski

- Architectural Drafting- Jacob Helmbolt

- Cabinetmaking- Corey Hockenbary

The school also placed students in the following categories-

- 2nd Place Welding Team Fabrication- Tulsa Torres, Wade Monnens, Ty Baker

- 3rd Place Carpentry- Bailey Lawrence

- 2nd Place Technical Math- Luke Koski

- 4th Place Cabinetmaking- Katie McCoy

- 6th Place Carpentry- Sam Huffman

Each individual who won is eligible for a $1,500 scholarship to Western Dakota Tech.

Luke Koski and Tyler Koski are each awarded a Build Dakota Scholarship for their wins in Welding & Technical Drafting.
Visiting International students aged 15 - 17 years old are seeking host families in the area for an academic year or semester.

Exchange students from countries such as Brazil, Norway, China, and Germany become full members of their host family while learning their familys traditions and sharing their own.

The sponsoring program is Forte International Exchange Association (FIEA), a non-profit organization who has offered the opportunity for academic and cultural exchange to international high school students who would like to come to the United States on a J-1 Visa since 2000.

Host Families can be married or single adults (25 years or older), with or without children. Host families can have children in the house or be empty nesters In addition, Host Families provide a room/shared room, three meals a day and loving support, as well as a desire to share American culture and learn about a new one.

Host Families may select a student that best fits in with their own family. All Forte students speak English, and bring their own money for personal expenses, and are fully medically insured.

To learn more about the possibility of becoming a host family please contact FIEA, Area Director, Heidi Morlock at 605-228-6180 or hmorlock69@yahoo.com. Or go to www.forteexchange.org and click host families.
Butte County Sheriff Fred Lamphere has been named to the Sheriff's Service Award of the year by the South Dakota Sheriff's Association at their spring conference in Deadwood Wednesday.

Butte County Auditor Elaine Jensen said the county commissioners nominated Lamphere for the honor.

She said when the association notified her that Lamphere had been selected for the honor, she and Commissioners Kim Kling and Kim Richards and department staff headed to Deadwood to be on hand for the award last week.

Lamphere said Monday, "It was quite an honor and it surprised me. It's pretty humbling."

In effect, the honor is "sheriff of the year" for the state's sheriff's association.

He said he appreciated the nomination from the county commission.

"I've got to commend the relationship with them," he said. "It isn't just me, though, it's

The county commissioners' nomination letter noted:

"If you try to attempt to describe Sheriff Lamphere in one word it is an absolutely impossible undertaking.

"The words that come to mind to define this man are many but to name a few he is definitely a man of integrity, a man of honesty, a man of reliability, a man of strength, a man of strong ethics and values but most importantly a man that is a friend to the Citizens of Butte County. Sheriff Lamphere is fair and treats people with respect and does not pass undo judgment."

Jensen said that the letter noted that Lamphere doesn't seek the spotlight.

He said Monday that "It's important to recognize the people, even if I have a part in it."

"We always hear the bad stuff," he said, adding that it's important for people to know that the good outweighs the bad.

"The role I'm in, I think it's important to recognize them when it's positive," he said.

The nomination letter offered an example:

"Auditor Elaine Jensen received a phone call Christmas evening from Sheriff Lamphere explaining the situation and he asked Auditor Jensen to notify the Commissioners. I will never forget that phone call and hearing the frustration and defeat in his voice. He stated that he had attempted to go but the visibility was zero and he would have to wait until morning to start the search and rescue effort. 'I am just sick he said.'

"At the break of dawn Sheriff Lamphere and the first responders started the difficult task to deal with four separate rescues in the County while waiting for snowplows to open Highway 212 so they could start the search for the missing man on the prairie in Northeastern Butte County. With the assumption that the gruesome task before them would be a body recovery mission the rescue group found Anthony Pierce alive 17 hours after he was reported missing.

"Sheriff Lamphere recognized the first responders and presented each of them with Certificates for their Life Saving Efforts at the Butte County Commissioners meeting which was held on February 7. Pierce was also present to offer his appreciation to those that saved his life and stated that he is blessed to have suffered minimal frostbite. Mr. Pierce called it his 'Christmas miracle.'"

But, Jensen said after attending the meeting that brought the award to Lamphere, the sheriff downplayed his own role in the search.

The nomination letter was signed by all five commissioners, Chairman Stan Harms, vice chair Frank Walton, and commissioners Kim Richards, Polly Odle and Kim Kling.
Thomas Dean "Tom" Wilts, 55, Sturgis, died Wednesday, April 19, 2017, at his home in Sturgis following a long fight with cancer. Tom won!

He was born April 24, 1961, at Princeton, MN, to Harlan and Muriel (Walters) Wilts. He attended Big Lake, MN, schools and graduated from high school in 1979.

Tom worked a few odd jobs out of high school before earning his EMT Certificate. He started his law enforcement career at Sherburne County as a Jail dispatcher. Tom then went to Moody County and earned his LE License. Tom also worked for the Moody County Sheriffs office and the Brookings County Sheriffs office in South Dakota as well as the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation.

He graduated from many law enforcement specialty schools through his lengthy career. Tom started working for the Meade County Sheriffs office in 1990 and retired as Chief Deputy in 2015.

Tom loved the outdoors. He was a hunter and enjoyed guiding with his partners in the world famous Turkey Track Club. He also guided elk hunters in the mountains of New Mexico and the Black Hills. He enjoyed hunting coyotes on the plains and fishing in the lakes. Tom especially loved his family, friends, and his grandkids.

Survivors include his partner, Sue King; brothers, Robert (Judy) Wilts and William Wilts; grandchildren, Mary, Rex and Griffin, Kreeden, Skylee, Kyan, Ashlyn, Kinley, and Kantler; niece and nephew, Jamie Wilts, Michael Wilts, three aunts; step children, Jamison (Mark) Bahle, Blake Rave, Kory (Kim) Longley, Kelly (Amos) Blomquist, and Katie Jo (John) Ott.

He was preceded in death by his parents.

Visitation will be Friday, April 28, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at Kinkade Funeral Chapel.

Memorial services will be held Saturday, April 29, 2017, at 10:00 a.m. at the Sturgis Brown High School West Gymnasium with Chaplain Randy Bradley officiating.

In lieu of flowers a memorial has been established to Meade County Graduating Senior to fund a Law Enforcement Scholarship.

Condolences may be sent to the family at www.kinkadefunerals.com.
A Pine Ridge woman has admitted concealing from authorities what she knew about the shooting death of a woman on the reservation last year. She also provided information implicating two other people charged in the killing.

Tyler Schae Brewer, 26, pleaded guilty in federal court on April 14 to misprision of a felony in the death of 34-year-old Annie Colhoff.

Authorities said Colhoff, also known as Chunta Suta Wi, was shot to death in Pine Ridge village on the evening of Sept. 29.

A Colorado man, Orlando Guadalupe Villanueva de Macias, 37, is charged in the incident with second-degree murder and weapon offenses.

Another Pine Ridge woman, Stevie Ray Makes Good, 24, is also charged with making a false statement to law enforcement.

Brewer, under her plea agreement with federal prosecutors, provided details on Colhoffs shooting that had not been publicized. A statement of facts in the case, signed April 13 by Brewer and her lawyer, says the following:

Villanueva shot and killed Colhoff around 8 p.m. Sept. 29 after he and Colhoff got into a heated verbal exchange. No information was provided on why they argued.

Villanueva, who was then staying at Colhoffs residence, stepped out of the house with Brewer and Makes Good. Colhoff then exited the house with a knife, and Villanueva shot her multiple times. Brewer witnessed the shooting.

Brewer had driven to Colhoff's house with Villanueva and Makes Good. Brewer and Colhoff were also friends.

The two women and Villanueva, also called Chris, fled to Rapid City. They met up with Myles Tuttle and Tiffanee Garnier, both of whom would later be charged with murder in the Pine Ridge shooting of Vincent Brewer III in October. Tuttle drove the group, excluding Makes Good, to Denver.

Around 11 p.m. the same day, Colorado law enforcement found Villanueva, Tuttle and Brewer in a Wal-Mart parking lot. Brewer gave authorities false statements, including that she had been in Denver when Colhoff was shot and that she did not know Villanuevas name.

Brewer's car, with the keys locked inside, had been found at Colhoff's residence.

She is facing up to three years in prison and a year of supervised release for misprision. She has been released with conditions from the Pennington County Jail while awaiting her sentencing at the Rapid City federal courthouse on July 21.

The cases against Villanueva and Makes Good are still being heard.

Federal authorities have said they are investigating possible links between the deaths of Colhoff and Vincent Brewer III.
It looks like there's no relief in sight for South Dakota's chronic fiscal problem, a shortfall in sales tax revenue.

As Rapid City Journal correspondent Bob Mercer put it in his report on a legislative board meeting discussing the issue a few days ago, "the news is getting worse."

Mercer notes that Sioux Falls Republican Representative Mark Mickelson called the downturn in state revenues "the No. 1 issue" facing state government, adding that his concern is "the erosion of our ability to keep pace." Rising expenses and falling revenues are a persistent reality for South Dakota government, which is headed for a second consecutive year of declining sales tax revenues, even as our state's population has increased by a bit over a percentage point since 2015.

Little wonder that Mickelson is concerned about our ability to keep pace.

Even more wondrous to me is that nobody in Pierre acknowledges the obvious  our fiscal policy is based on finger-crossing. South Dakota's agriculturally-dependent economy has suffered a $3 billion hit in the past few years, seriously cutting down the flow of cash that streams through the state and surfaces as taxable sales.

For the government to base its cash-flow projections on any assumptions about commodity prices is folly, as we've seen the past couple of years. Our state's rigid dependence on sales and, more locally, property taxes for the lion's share of operating revenues is the stuff of gambling and hoping that lady luck will be with our commodity markets every crop year.

A comprehensive review with an eye toward tax reform should be Governor Daugaard's top order of business for the remaining months of his term. Our regressive sales tax-based system (fourth most regressive in the nation) plants its burdensome feet most heavily on our lower-income residents, and our high property taxes (16th highest in the country at 1.4 percent of valuation  mine being closer to 2 percent) could stand some downward adjustment.

Taking those taxes down significantly and replacing the revenues with corporate and possibly individual income taxes would smooth out the state's revenue stream and give property owners some long-needed relief. It would also inject some equity into our state's financial structure. It might even give our area ag producers some relief from the pain of paying the same property taxes every year whether they've made money or not.

The impracticality of the status quo is self-evident. Fixing it would also be a way of having the word "fairness" applied more judiciously to South Dakota's tax system, which is profoundly indifferent to the equitable distribution of its burden.
RAPID CITY | Dudley Robert LaPointe passed away peacefully on Saturday, April 15, 2017, at Rapid City Regional Hospital in South Dakota after a battle with heart failure. He was 81.

Dudley was born in Orono, Maine to Edmund and Mildred (Perry) LaPointe. The sixth of seven children, he had many fond memories of his childhood at the family home and on his grandparents farm. After graduating from high school he joined the Air Force and was sent to Warren AFB in Wyoming. In a chance encounter at a drug store in nearby Greeley, CO, he met the love of his life, Ila Jean (Clark) LaPointe. This February they celebrated their 61st wedding anniversary.

The young family was stationed in California, Guam, Maine, Washington State, and Puerto Rico before transferring to Ellsworth AFB in South Dakota. Dudley spent 20 years in the service as a telecommunications specialist, including a tour in Vietnam. He retired from the military in 1975 with the rank of Master Sergeant, and the family settled in Rapid City.

Education was important to Dudley, and thanks to the GI Bill and long hours of night school he earned a BA and then two masters degrees (in history and sociology) through Black Hills State University. He soon began a second career as a juvenile probation officer for the State of South Dakota, a job he held for 20 years before retiring a second time. He enjoyed making a positive difference in so many young lives, and never forgot a face. He would often say that although he might dislike a behavior, he never disliked a person.

Dudley was an all-around handyman. He was an accomplished carpenter known for building decks, home additions, and beautiful oak furniture. He was a talented electrician and skilled mechanic who kept cars running long past their expiration date. He enjoyed fixing and selling old cars, and would insist that buyers bring the vehicles back for tune ups if anything went wrong. He was also a competent plumber, although it was his least favorite task.

He loved animals of all sorts and was the benevolent master of dozens of dogs, cats, and birds over the years. He had a wonderful sense of humor and delighted in playing practical jokes. He was amazing with kids. He was gentle and kind, and strong in every sense of the word. He was a man of faith. He was happiest when surrounded by family and friends. He loved unconditionally.

Dudley is survived by his wife, Ila Jean; his children, Loretta (William) Beringer, Sharon Geyerman, Kenneth LaPointe and Nichole (Justin Ziegler) LaPointe; his sisters, Judy Stanley and Pricilla Baldwin; numerous grandchildren, great- and great-great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and other relations; and close friends, including his dogs, Tucker and Morrie.

A funeral mass will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, April 29, at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Perpetual Help. In lieu of gifts, memorials in his name can be made to his two favorite causes: Shriners Burns Hospital in Galveston, TX, and St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital in Memphis, TN. Family and friends may sign the on line guest book at Kirk Funeral Home.
Organizer of Hizb-ut-Tahrirs Crimean branch gets 12 years in prison

MOSCOW, April 26 (RAPSI, Oleg Sivozhelezov)  The North-Caucasus District Military Court has found Crimean resident Ruslan Zeytullayev guilty of establishing in the republic a cell of Hizb ut-Tahrir terrorist organization banned in Russia and sentenced him to 12 years in prison, the courts press office told RAPSI on Wednesday.

In December 2016, Russias Supreme Court reversed a 7-year prison sentence given to Hizb ut-Tahrir member Zeytullayev and ordered a retrial. During hearings in the Supreme Court, prosecutor insisted on vacation of the judgment in order to typify his actions as organizing the activities of terrorist criminal association.

According to investigators, Zeytullayev joined Hizb ut-Tahrir terrorist organization in 2005. Law enforcement authorities believe that he established the organizations cell in several regions of Crimea in the spring of 2014.

Hizb ut-Tahrir (the Party of Islamic Liberation), founded in Jerusalem in 1953, is banned in several Arab and Central Asian countries. Russia's Supreme Court banned the group from operating on the territory of the country in 2003, describing it as a terrorist organization.

Hizb ut-Tahrir members are regularly arrested by the police across Russia, mainly in big cities in central Russia, the Volga region and Siberia.
Federal Antimonopoly Service stops administrative proceedings against Google

MOSCOW, April 26 (RAPSI)  The Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS) has terminated administrative proceedings against Google over corporations refusal to comply with the antimonopoly watchdogs ruling, the Service states on Wednesday.

This cancellation is related to an amicable agreement achieved on April 17 in a dispute between FAS and Google.

According to the deputy head of FAS Alexey Dotsenko, a federal court has approved the settlement and a two-year-long court battle between the watchdog and Google has finally come to an end.

Google is to pay all fines imposed by FAS. Those include 438 million rubles (about $6.7 million) fine for violating administrative legislation and 1 million rubles (about $17,900) in fines for refusal to comply with the watchdogs ruling. Payments are to be made within two months.

The agreement was concluded for 6 years and 9 months.

In September 2015, the watchdog held that Google Ireland Ltd. and Google Inc. abused their dominance on the Russian market of mobile applications by preinstalling applications on Android smartphones and therefore violated anti-monopoly law. Google was fined 438 million rubles (about $6.7 million). Google refused to comply and challenged this ruling in Russian courts. In time, FAS imposed additional fines against Google, amounting to nearly 1 million rubles in total.
With the advancement of Internet and the digital age, individuals and organizations shared their support or concerns of former Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue's confirmation as the next Secretary of Agriculture:National Corn Growers AssociationThe National Corn Growers Association congratulates Secretary Perdue on his confirmation. USDA has been without a Secretary for too long, but we are confident that Secretary Perdue will bring strong leadership to the Department. There are still more than 200 political appointments at USDA that have yet to be made. We strongly urge the Administration to move quickly in filling these positions.We are ready to partner with Secretary Perdue and the rest of the Administration to build a better farm economy. That begins with strong trade policy and continued investment in renewable fuels. It also means protecting risk management programs during a weak economy, and beginning preparations for the next farm bill. There is much work to do, and we are eager to begin.Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D.I look forward to working with Secretary Perdue to support our nations farmers, ranchers and rural communities, said Hoeven. Secretary Perdue has committed to advancing the priorities of our producers, including building a strong coalition to pass the next farm bill and providing support for rural communities during these tough times in the farm patch. Secretary Perdue will be a strong leader for USDA and a great advocate for agriculture.During Perdues confirmation hearing, Hoeven secured a commitment from the Secretary to visit North Dakota and see firsthand the work being done in the states agriculture industry. The senator also pressed Perdue to support priorities, including:* Building a North, South, Midwest coalition to pass a new farm bill* Maintaining the agriculture budget* Supporting strong crop insurance options* Updating Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) to ensure the countercyclical safety net works for farmers and ranchers* Supporting the no-cost sugar program* Providing flexibility in school nutrition programs to ensure that schools can both meet their budgets and serve nutritious foods that students will eatHoeven plays a key role in shaping the nations agriculture policy as a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee and chairman of the Senate Agriculture Appropriations Committee. The senator also served on the Senate-House Conference Committee that crafted the final farm bill of 2014.Montana Farm BureauSonny Perdue has a well-rounded background in agriculture as well as in public service, said Montana Farm Bureau Federation President Hans McPherson. His experience as a large animal veterinarian as well as being a farmer and involved in agribusiness speaks well of his ability to understand the trials and tribulations of farming and ranching. The fact that he was a governor shows his ability to work with constituents and have good leadership skills.McPherson noted that Perdue has challenges ahead with a new farm bill looming and low commodity prices hurting farmers and ranchers bottom line. Farm Bureau members have confidence that Sonny Perdue is the man for this tough job. In addition, the fact that he and American Farm Bureau President Zippy Duvall work well together certainly shows a bright future for Farm Bureau and American agriculture. Sonny Perdue has been a personal friend of Farm Bureau for a long time. Farm Bureau members everywhere should be very excited to have him as Secretary of Agriculture.Weve agonized with this long confirmation period but we appreciate our political system and how it works. Now that we have a new secretary, its time to move forward with trade issues and trade policy. Trade is very important to agriculture, concluded McPherson.Minnesota Farm BureauThe Minnesota Farm Bureau Federation (MFBF) thanks Senator Klobuchar and Senator Franken for voting for Governor Sonny Perdues confirmation as the next U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary of Agriculture, said MFBF President Kevin Paap. Secretary Perdue is a needed voice for agriculture as the new administration addresses issues like trade, regulatory reform, agriculture labor and the next farm bill. We look forward to working with the new Secretary to address issues facing Minnesota farmers and ranchers.Now that we have our Secretary of Agriculture in place, we look forward to getting down to business to address serious issues that the Secretary has committed to working on as well as filling other key roles in the U.S. Department of Agriculture, said Paap.National Young Farmers CoalitionThe National Young Farmers Coalition (NYFC), the only national advocacy organization solely dedicated to supporting Americas young farmers and ranchers, congratulated former Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue on his confirmation as the next U.S. Secretary of Agriculture.With the rapidly aging farm population and the future of rural economies at stake, now is a critical time for leadership, said National Young Farmers Coalition executive director and co-founder Lindsey Lusher Shute, who is herself a young farmer. Already weve seen the very real consequences of delaying Mr. Perdues nominationfarmers and rural Americans have lacked the champion they need in the Presidents Cabinet. We hope that ends today, and we congratulate Secretary Perdue on his confirmation.Noting that the Secretary will face urgent issues like the shortfall of young and beginning farmers to succeed those entering retirement, Andrew Bahrenburg, national policy director for the National Young Farmers Coalition, said: Recruiting, training, and supporting the next generation of farmers and rural leaders should be a day-one priority for Secretary Perdue, and we look forward to working with his department to better serve the unique needs of todays young farmers and ranchers. The future of our economy depends on it.Two-thirds of U.S. farmland is expected to transition to new ownership over the next two decades as older farmers retire, but there are not enough young farmers ready to take their place. Only six percent of farmers are under the age of 35 years, and potential new farmers face extensive structural barriers to starting agricultural businesses.Food & Water Watch Executive Director Wenonah HauterThe Senate has confirmed former Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue as Secretary of Agriculture. While agribusiness corporations are no doubt celebrating his confirmation, the public, workers and independent farmers have less to cheer about.As Governor, Perdue signed a law that blocks local governments from regulating crop production or animal husbandry, raising concerns that as Secretary of Agriculture he could gut regulations that protect independent farmers, workers and consumers. Under Perdue, USDA may roll back pending fair farm rules that would help level the playing field for livestock producers. But lets be clear: Food & Water Watch will work to block any effort to lessen regulation of the meat industry, including any attempts to privatize meat inspection.Like Trumps other cabinet appointments, Perdue has serious conflicts of interest, most recently through his role as the head of a global food trade company. With Perdue as serving as Secretary of Agriculture we will have to fight to make sure that agribusiness is not allowed to prioritize profits above food safety, farmer livelihoods, worker safety or the environment.American Soybean AssociationThe American Soybean Association (ASA) congratulated former Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue on his confirmation as Secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) in the Trump Administration by the U.S. Senate.ASA President and Illinois soybean farmer Ron Moore said, The USDA plays the most crucial of government functions for farmers across the country, and we are glad that Secretary Perdue is finally on board. We look forward to seeing the remaining political positions filled at the Department as well, and to working with Secretary Perdue and his team in the months and years ahead.U.S. Senator Amy KlobucharThe strength of Minnesotas economy depends on the strength of our agriculture industry and the nearly 75,000 farms across Minnesota. I voted to confirm Sonny Perdue today because I am hopeful that he will work with us on issues critically important to our state  like defending the Renewable Fuel Standard and guarding against cuts to the USDA, which would undermine job training programs and hamstring our ability to prepare for disasters like the avian flu and droughts.
HELENA  Negotiations on an infrastructure bill are stalling a Montana House vote on a measure that would raise state employee pay by 1 percent in each of the next two years.

Final revisions were made to Senate Bill 294 on April 18 and approved by the Senate on April 20. The House needs to take a final vote before the bill can go to the governors desk.

If passed, SB294 appropriates approximately $22 million from a combination of general fund, state special revenue and federal special revenue accounts to give state employees a 1 percent raise in February 2018 and a second one a year later.

Rep. Kelly McCarthy, D-Billings, said Democrats were promised a vote on SB294, but he hasnt heard when that will happen.

Weve all got hostages right now, he said.

Speaker Austin Knudsen, R-Culbertson, said the House plans to schedule a vote for the last day or two of the session. When asked whats preventing a vote, he said it was part of discussions about including bonding in an infrastructure bill.

On March 31, Gov. Steve Bullock told members of the MEA-MFT union that represents state employees and educators that the first bill passed by the Legislature increased its own budget by 14 percent, but legislators have taken all session to finalize the state pay plan bill.

To date at least we dont have a pay plan, Bullock said at the conference. You can bet that I wont stop. I count on you to also not stop to make sure when we walk out of this legislative session our public servants get the modest request we made.

On Tuesday, Ronja Abel, a spokesperson for the governor, said there have been no further negotiations related to the state play plan, but that Bullock is committed to making sure it passes.

Eric Feaver, president of MEA-MFT, said the pay plan is difficult to pass each session.

The pay plan is always in danger, he said. If its not on the board tomorrow, were in trouble.

Feaver said he doesnt expect the governors office to sell out, even if SB294 is held up in negotiations.

The only thing that gives me pause here in thinking well get it is weve always ended up with a pay plan, although nothing like what we thought we would get," he said.

The bill also transfers $2 million from a 911 fund to the Montana University System to offer voluntary retirement to address budget shortfalls, specifically at the University of Montana. The Missoulian reported the university was considering buying out 80 to 100 employees. That money, which would be used to pay out termination costs such as sick leave, comes from a $1 fee paid by anyone with a cellphone each month.
HELENA  The Montana Legislature endorsed a proposal Tuesday to spend $6 million to test ways to expand pre-school access in the state, which opponents objected was a backdoor attempt to pass Democratic Gov. Steve Bullock's pre-school grant proposal that failed earlier this session.

The measure would be paid for with what legislators are calling a "temporary hospital community benefit assessment" that would be charged to the state's 14 largest hospitals. Those hospitals would pay the state a combined $4.3 million a year until 2019 under that fee, or about $13 million. What doesn't go to the pre-school program would go to the state's general fund.

Hospital officials "stepped up" to back the fee after state officials helped secure an increased federal Medicaid reimbursement rate that could yield state hospitals up to $212 million in that time, said Sen. Llew Jones, R-Conrad.

Jones and other Republican supporters of the measure acknowledged the measure's insertion into a budget companion bill was the result of negotiations with the Democratic governor's office, but said it was completely different from the governor's $12 million proposal that was previously rejected by lawmakers.

The proposal that passed initial votes in the House and Senate is an expansion of an existing program that deals with private pre-schools, not the public pre-school programs envisioned by the governor's proposal, they said.

"Part of the negotiation package that occurred actually with a number of members here was that this was going to be acceptable," Jones said.

Bullock spokeswoman Ronja Abel confirmed that the pre-school funding was part of a larger negotiation over tax policy bills that Republican lawmakers were seeking to become law. "It's not as much funding as the governor would have hoped, but he's pleased there will be something allocated to early childhood education this session," she said.

The $6 million over two years would go to fund a pilot program meant to expand the state's Stars to Quality Program, which is a voluntary improvement system where participating private early childhood programs are given ratings and incentives to improve their performance. The measure says the money is meant to increase 4- and 5-year-old children's access to pre-school.

Conservative legislators pointed to a provision in the bill that says the state Department of Public Health and Human Services will "test multiple delivery models, including public programs, private programs and mixed delivery programs through public-private partnerships." That's evidence, they said, that the department will do more than expand the existing Stars to Quality program.

"What's been slipped into this bill is the governor's plans to fund preschools," said Rep. Derek Skees, R-Kalispell.

Despite the objections, the measure passed an initial vote in the House 72-28 and 32-15 in the Senate. They must pass a final vote in each chamber before the measure goes to Bullock.

Republican majority legislative leaders and Bullock's office have been negotiating passage of several pieces of legislation in the session's final days, though they are stuck on reaching a deal on a $78 million bill to fund infrastructure projects by issuing bonds.
In what may be one of the most confusing election cycles ever, voters who cast their ballots by mail need to pay attention this next week.

We have some voters who are definitely confused right now, said Ravalli County Clerk and Recorder Regina Plettenberg. Weve been getting calls from people telling us that they opened their envelopes and found there werent any congressional races on their ballots.

Thats because the absentee ballots for the upcoming special election to select Montanas sole congressman wont be mailed out until next week.

The mail ballots that voters have already received are for several school and one fire district election.

Those ballots are due back to the county by May 2, which just so happens to be the same date the absentee ballots for the special congressional election will start appearing in peoples mailboxes.

Theres going to be some crossover next week, Plettenberg said. That just puts the cherry on the cake for this election cycle. We do want to encourage people who already have ballots to return those by the end of this week.

Residents of the Hamilton, Corvallis and Florence school districts are voting for school trustees. The Victor school district is running a levy. And, finally, the Three Mile Fire District has a trustee election.

On May 2, Plettenberg said people voting in the Florence and Three Mile elections can turn ballots in at the Florence-Carlton Schools administration building.

Voters in Hamilton, Corvallis and Victor who wait until May 2 will need to drop their ballots off at the county clerk and recorders office in Hamilton.

The ballots for the special congressional election  which will also include a levy and bond request for the Hamilton school district  are due back May 25th.

I encourage absentee voters to get those in the mail at least two or three days before that date, Plettenberg said. I think that people shouldnt wait any longer than Monday, May 22nd.

Anyone with questions can call the Clerk and Recorders Office at 375-6555.
Two elderly Hamilton residents may have experienced their last legal deer hunt in Montana.

John Post, 84 and Dianne Gors, 73, lost their hunting and trapping privileges for 10 years recently after pleading guilty to charges of poaching two deer.

The two were charged last fall after they were caught dragging out a mule deer buck they killed in a highly-prized trophy hunting district in the southern reaches of the Bitterroot Valley.

Ravalli County has two trophy mule deer hunting areas that thousands of hunters seek to draw a permit for each year.

In Hunting District 261, 2,185 hunters put in for 35 permits last year. In the adjacent HD 270, nearly 6,600 sought the 45 permits offered there.

The Hamilton couple was charged after a bit of good luck led two state game wardens to their vehicle in time to see Gors dragging a buck deer down a steep hillside.

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks warden Justin Singleterry said their first call in the case came from a landowner upset that the couple had trespassed on his private road on Nov. 24.

The landowner had called the state TIPMONT line after having a run-in with the couple who were busy gutting out a small forked-horn deer just off his road.

He had heard a shot and had driven his four-wheeler over to investigate, Singleterry said. He found the suspects gutting out the deer. When he told them they didnt have permission to drive up his road, John Post apparently got pretty argumentative.

The landowner asked Post if he had one of the special deer permits required to hunt the area.

Post told him, Yeah. I got one of those, Singleterry said. The landowner told them after they were done to get out of there and then he called TIPMONT.

He forgot to get a license plate number, the warden remembered. He was so ticked off at himself about that.

The landowner did give Singleterry a description of both people and the dark green or blue American-made SUV they were driving.

After talking with the landowner the next morning, Singleterry and fellow warden Lou Royce opted to drive up Gird Creek to look around. A few minutes after setting up a check station, a hunter came by and told him that an older couple was just up the road dragging out a deer.

I asked him what they were driving, Singleterry said. When he said it was like a green SUV, I thought we might be on to something.

When they arrived on the scene, they found Gors dragging the deer down a gully and Post scooting down the steep hillside on his backside using the lever-action rifle as a brake.

We walked up to her and said something about her having some luck, Singleterry said. When I asked her where the tag was, she reached into her pocket and pulled it out. It wasnt validated. She pulled out some scissors and said I need to cut out that tag.

Singleterry told her no.

I was immediately pretty sure that we had our suspects, he said.

As Post continued to struggle to get down the hillside, Singleterry told Gors that she must have been pretty lucky to get one of the coveted HD 261 mule deer permits.

She looked at me and said, Well. Thats a whitetail, Singleterry said. I replied: No maam. Thats definitely a mule deer.

While they waited for Post to navigate the last bit of the hillside, Royce noticed there was blood on the cars tailgate.

The couple decided to remain silent about the bloody tailgate until Singleterry told them he was going to get a warrant and seize their vehicle. At that point, Post acknowledged they had shot a deer the day before, but said their shot had messed up all the meat.

Royce later found the first deer hanging intact at their home. It didnt have a tag on it either.

When we finally searched their vehicle after getting consent, we found an elk license with dried blood on it, Singleterry said. They told us they had accidently put the elk license on the first deer and decided that since they still had a deer license, they would just go out and get another one.

Gors was charged with two misdemeanor counts each of hunting without a license or permit and unlawful possession of an illegally harvested buck and failure to obtain landowner permission.

Ravalli County Justice Jim Bailey required her to pay $1,245 in fines and $500 in restitution.

Post was charged with two misdemeanor counts of possession of an unlawfully harvested deer and failure to obtain landowner permission. He was fined $585 and required to pay $500 in restitution.

They both claimed that Dianne shot both bucks using a lever action rifle with open sights, Singleterry said. This is one of those jobs that you just never know what youre going to come across. These deer were definitely not trophies, but they were definitely a loss of a resource to sportsmen.
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The Island, Colombo, 26 April 2017

A review by Dr. Devanesan Nesiah

This fascinating autobiography edited by Skantha Kumar and Marshal Fernando and published by the Ecumenical Institute for Study and Dialogue in excellent reading. Priced at Rs, 500/- and covering 300 pages this book is a very good buy for any reader interested in Sri Lankan society and politics. Having known Vijaya and associated with him and the Christian Workers Fellowship for over half a century, I found the book difficult to put down. I read it from cover to cover within a few days. Vijaya was also the founder editor of the Christian Worker, an excellent quarterly, now defunct.

Of the three annexes, the first covers the founding of the Christian Workers Conference in 1958 and sets out the rationale and ideology of the CWF (then known as the Christian Workers Conference). Its value as presenting a Christian perspective on social economic and political problems is timeless. Annexe-II covers resolutions adopted at CWF conferences in 1974 and 1975 and gives temporal relevance to the objectives set out in annexe-1 in the context of developments up to the mid-70s. Annexe-III covers the development of the trade union movement in Sri Lanka, in historical perspective as around the end of the 20th Century. If the focus of annexe I is on principles, that of annexe II and III is on the real politics of recent decades. What of the future? But exploration of that question is surely beyond the scope of an autobiography.

The main text ends abruptly and disappointingly with Vijayas transfer to the Inland Revenue Office, Anuradhapura Branch. The reasons given by the editors for the incomplete finish of the book, viz. to present it to Vijaya on his 86th birthday, is not convincing. The footnotes and references are adequate. A potent factor for this abrupt end may be Vijayas disenchantment with political developments, particularly, with the ideological drift of Lanka Sama Samajist Party (LSSP), the political party to which he has been unfailingly faithful.

These development affected the impact of the CWF on national policies, on trade unions and on public perceptions of the ideology of the CWF. These contradictions compelled awareness on those of us involved in the CWF, whether centrally or peripherally, as to what we could be achieved peacefully, lawfully and democratically; the harsh reality, was surfacing.

We were becoming painfully aware that the revolutionary changes sought to be achieved could only be realized through a revolutionary uprising, involving a large measure of violence. A pacifist ahimsaic approach would not be adequate. The various institutions exercising power would resist violently and could not be overthrown without counter-violence. Throughout the narrative, Vijaya has being espousing non-violence and, mostly, even non-confrontation. For example even while championing workers rights, his social interaction with top management remained remarkably cordial. Did Vijaya sense that further progress required a fundamentally different strategy to that adopted so far?

Coalition politics has often been the bane of the left in Sri Lanka and elsewhere. Till independence and up to the 50s the two major Marxist parties, LSSP and CP were widely admired even by non-Marxist like myself for their ideological integrity and championing of noble causes. In the 1956 General election, they had a no contest pact with the SLFP but kept out of coalition government, preserving their ideological integrity. They also enjoyed good relationship with Tamil political parties of the North and East and of the Hill Country. This was the position till their fateful decision in 1963, when they accepted ministerial portfolios. It was never quite the same thereafter.

There were similarities and dissimilarities with Indian Marxist parties, which frequently convened coalition state governments, in Kerala and West Bengal, but never accepted portfolios in government, that they did not control. Their position was that if they did, they would have to accept the policies of the dominant non-Marxist parties in those coalitions in Kerala, West Bengal or elsewhere. They feared that those policies would eventually become the policies of their parties, seriously undermining their integrity. In fact on one occasion the Indian National Congress sought desperately to form a National Government in Delhi, for which they needed the support of the Indian Marxist parties. They offered the office of Prime Minister of India to Basu, then leader of the Indian communist party in West Bengal. That party rejected that offer for the reasons set out above. In Sri Lanka, 1963 marked the turning point in that the LSSP compromised by accepting ministerial portfolios in an SLFP led government. That government was short lived, but the damage had been done.

Their entry into the Coalition in 1963 was sealed by their abandoning their long standing position in favour of both Sinhala & Tamil as Official Languages and choosing, instead to accept Sinhala as the only Official Language. When the VLSSP led by Phillip Gunewardene accepted ministerial portfolios in 1950s, they were already on their way out of politics. They were seen as opportunists and their hold on the left was fast dwindling. But when the LSSP and CP crossed over, they represented the main body of Sri Lankan Marxists. This crossover was a tragedy. Predictably, these parties began to splinter and a succession of crossovers and defections followed. Those Marxist who remained loyal to their tradition became marginalized and have since remained in the periphery of Sri Lankan politics.

These were developments that those of us associated with the CWF should have anticipated, but mostly did not. In fact the CWF made some temporary gains from coalition politics due to their association with th CP, LSSP and left minded Cabinet ministers. But with their exit from the coalition in the mid 1970s these gains virtually disappeared.

The LSSP & CP had lost their ideological pre-eminence and were in danger of following the footsteps of Phillip Gunewardene and the VLSSP. This also affected the integrity of the CWF. Its leaders got demoralized, notably Vijaya. The political party that he was faithfully supporting from the days of his youth as well as the organization that he founded, were both declining in relevance and reputation. The LSSP lives on but with its reputation tarnished; the CWF had flourished for three decades but was becoming a shadow of what it had been.

The birth of the CWF was in a earlier era when our Marxist parties were ideologically at their peak and were providing inspiration to left minded persons, particularly Christians, the world over. To quote Vijaya on the National question, particularly on the Language issue:

As far back as 1935 in the formation of the Lanka Sama Samaja Party, the Partys position was that Sinhala and Tamil should first of all be used in the Lower Courts and gradually introduced to all government departments. This position was not only not opposed, but politicians of other ideologies including Mr. Bandaranaike said it was a good idea. Now they completely reversed their earlier position and took up the cry of Sinhala Only" for wholly opportunistic reasons, thereby creating an unnecessary racist or communal issue.

NM moved a private members motion in parliament, proposing an amendment to the Constitution to provide for Sinhala and Tamil to be the State languages of Ceylon. In his speech he said that it was the vacillation by the government over the implementation of State Council motion of 1944 that was the root cause of all the present-day trouble. By advocating equality of status for both languages he referred to the risk the LSSP took in opposing the chauvinists. He said, "But our party has taken up a consistent attitude. Ever since our party was launched, we have never faltered or wavered from that position, because we felt that was the correct line to take. That position we still adhere to. However unpopular that line of action might be, I am convinced myself of the correctness of our attitude. It might mean going into the political wilderness for some time, but still we, the members of the Lanka Sama Samaja Party, are prepared to face that. Let there be no mistake about it. For a just cause, for correct principles, for a correct political line, I think, it is fully worth it. The membership of this House is not the be-all of a political party (pp. 170-171).

When these right-wing forces using Sinhala Buddhist sentiments combined in the national government, there was perhaps some poetic justice when their opponents taunted them with cries of masala wade. Unfortunately an echo of this was also heard on the 1965 May Day procession of the combined forces of the SLFP, LSSP and CP, against this national government. It is not strange therefore that the attempts of Dudley Senanayake to enter into another agreement with S. J. V. Chelvanayakam (Dudley Chelvanayakam Pact), was also opposed by the anti-UNP forces; as much as the Bandaranaike-Chelvanayakam Agreement had been opposed earlier by the Bhikkus. These were costly mistakes for which the country is even now having to pay. The aspirations of the vast majority were mishandled by playing politics on the part of both the UNP and SLFP and reactionary forces, which has led to an unfortunate position in our inability to settle the national question. It is necessary to realise that S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike won his victory at the polls in 1956 with considerable support from all sections of the minorities. However, it is regrettable that the SLFP government in implementing some necessary and desirable changes did so at times with a spirit of vindictiveness towards certain minorities and unbecoming of responsible statesmanship (pp. 181-182).

The Institution that Vijaya helped to found was, in his own words, designed to "Christianize Socialism and Socialize Christianity, not for the purpose of blunting one at the expense of the other but in sharpening the original revolutionary edge of both." His book contain details some of the work done with these objectives. It is the early history of the CWF that I found most inspiring. I particularly appreciated the work done relating to the Harthal on August 12th 1953, and the work done in relation of the Rodiya community. I wish there had been a move to follow up on the latter. On the former, it is revealing, that there was potential for co-operation of the Marxist parties with the ITAK (Federal Party) led by S. J. V. Chelvanayakam and the Ceylon Indian Congress led by K. Ramalingam. Unfortunately these two parties had been allowed to drift away from the LSSP and CP and, subsequently there has been very little contact. The parties concerned have all contributed to national disintegration.

On the Language issue Vijaya has been consistently critical of political leaders who promoted divisive policies. But he understates the depth of communalism among the population, Sinhalese, Tamil and Muslims. Perhaps, like employers, who try to impress on their staff that, "the customer is always right," Vijaya, as a good Socialist, would have felt obliged to assert that the fault is not with the people but with the leaders who mislead them. Surely a more accurate analysis is that in every community there is a potent layer of communalism below the surface and which comes up when ever the conditions are favourable for such surfacing. We see this now in many countries of the West. Such racism has not been freshly minted but was always there just below the surface, waiting to be brought up by those who are skilled at it and when the socio-economic and political environment is favourable. An abundance of idealism cannot be faulted, but it needs to be tempered by hard realism.

The subject of Vijayas Memoirs relates to the role of Christianity and Socialism in the socio-economic and political future of our land and our people. The future is unending but memoirs need to end perhaps in the form of a postscript. Perhaps the ending could briefly spell out and analyze various options currently available and the likely consequences of each line of action. Vijayas perspectives on each of these would be of much of value and interest to readers and, indeed, to all of us. Vijayas life and work and the directions be had followed surely merited a more significant finale than a routine bureaucratic transfer from one Inland Revenue office to another. With or without such a postscript, the reader would find that this book is indeed true to Vijayaas objective of Christianizing Socialism and Socialising Christianity through sharpening the original revolutionary edge of both. I have no hesitation in recommending this book as a valuable and innovative addition to the literature in this field.
The Wire, 19 April 2017

The attack that killed Pehlu Khan and injured other Muslim cattle traders has left a community angry, helpless and wanting to give up the trade.

Jaisingpur, Haryana: Anguri Begum is blind. It spared her the pain of watching the video of Pehlu Khan, her only son, being lynched to death. But her heart knows and her unseeing eyes wonat stop their weeping. I watch helplessly; suddenly her slumped sparrow-like body begins to shudder, as if a fresh tremor has just struck its core. Women who gather around her say she is like this all the time now.

It is hard to write about the pain of other people. You feel like a voyeur, but you also bear witness to injustice. So I labour on. Khanas wife, Zaibuna sits unmoving on a nearby charpai. She looks up as we enter the inner verandah where the women of the house gather. But she doesnat see. What hits you is the aura of private hell that seems to envelop her entire body. I touch her arm gently, one human being to another. The spell breaks. Itas like she sees me for the first time. aTadpa tadpa kar maara (They tortured him to death),a the wail bursts from her body. She covers her face with her dupatta. I put my arms around her and hold her sobs for as long as I can.

Khanas eldest daughter, Abida, tells me her mother saw the video but not the entire sordid thing. She couldnat because she broke down too soon. I mutter empty solace to Zaibuna. aHimmat rakhiye, Ammi (Be brave),a I say. aAise waqt par taaqat chahiye (At times like this we need strength).a Abida turns to me, her face hardened by pain, mouth trembling with vulnerability a aInsaaf chahiye, phansi chahiye (We need justice, we want the noose),a she says.

We have all known death. The loss of a loved one. The pain. That sense of an unfillable void. But this feels different. This death is of an innocent. A death of hate. You can see it in Jaisingpur, on the faces of all the villagers who gather in a protective flock, as if guarding Khanas defenceless family. Itas a look I have seen before. In Gujarat and in Muzaffarnagar. It is the look of being victims of a hate crime. A crime that can never settle in the human soul a to be brutalised simply for who you are. For that is something you can neither change nor ever accept. What did I do? I simply was.

Khanas village, Jaisingpur, is in Nuh district, part of Haryana. The lynching that killed him and injured others took place in Behror, in Rajasthan, where the legal process will unfold. We have here the luxury of not just one but two state governments, with a chance to fulfil their duties to a wronged citizen a but so far there is no sign of life from either. No one from the ruling party has visited. Who should these families turn to for justice? I look questioningly at Irshad, the older of the two brothers, who was driving one of the transport vehicles when they were attacked. He looks blank, bewildered at having nowhere to turn, few reservoirs of fight left, little anger. Perhaps it is too early. Anger takes a boil. For now, the pressing demand is of daily grief and survival.

Anguri Begum (L). Credit: Farah Naqvi

The family is poor by any standards. Khan was the primary wage earner. At best he brought home Rs 8,000-12,000 a month to feed an aged mother, a wife, four sons, two of whom are married, and two unmarried daughters. He managed by selling vegetables on occasion, doing share cropping at other times. And on this blighted occasion, he was one of only five-ten people in the village who regularly travelled to the Jaipur fair, to buy cattle at modest prices and sell them locally, earning a few thousand each time as premium. At 55, Pehlu wanted his sons to learn the cattle trade, so Irshad (24) and Arif (19) had accompanied him, along with two others from the village a Rafiq and Azmat.

This time there was an additional lure for all of them a the coming month of Ramzan, for which they wanted good animals capable of giving milk and providing curd, so essential for the pre-dawn Sehri ritual. Buffaloes were steep, so all of them settled for cows. Pehlu and his sons bought two milch cows, with newly-birthed calves. aBarah, barah din ki biyahi thi (They calved just 12 days ago),a Arif tells us. aBiyahia (married) is the term they use for a cow that has just given birth. These cows would give good milk during Ramzan and they were affordable. The cost for the pair was a princely Rs 45,000. This was money taken on loan, as always, from an adjoining Thakur village at a neighbourly 5-6% interest.

Azmat, the other young cattle trader from Jaisingpur, bought three cows with calves for Rs 75,000. Now, Azmat lies unmoving with an injured spine on a charpai in the verandah of his house, just a short distance away from Khanas home. The pain is visible on his thin face. aBas char-paanch din ki biyahi thi hamari gai. 10-15 litre doodh dene wali (Our cows had calved just 4-5 days ago. They would have given 10-15 litres of milk),a says Nafisa, his wife, holding their infant daughter Khushnuma in her arms. The baby, true to her name, smiles sleepily, unaware of the grimness of our conversation. Azmatas mother Zahira shakes her head in disbelief at what has befallen them. This was the first time Azmat, a small sharecropper, had ventured to the Jaipur cattle fair. But things went so horribly wrong. aAb koi nahin jayega, kabhi nahin (Now no one will go, never),a she says.

Between Khan and Azmat, cattle worth Rs 1.2 lakh is gone, as is the Rs 45,000 in spare cash they were carrying. A total of five cows and five calves were aseizeda by the police, like contraband, without a receipt or any formal acknowledgement. Placed in a gaushala, no one has any hope of their recovery. Besides, given the state of the gaushalas, these healthy cows are likely to be dry and half dead soon, according to the villagers. That pains them. The women of Khanas family tell me, aWe love our animals, like our own children. We bathe our cows like babies. We feed them. They give us milk and curd.a Outside, in the gathering of men, we hear similar voices, but angrier and louder a aYeh jo gau raksha ki baat karte hain, gai ki poonch bhi saaf nahin karni aati unhein. Hamein sikhate hain? Hum par gau hathya ka case kartein hain? (These people who talk of cow protection, donat even know how to clean the tail of a cow. They teach us? File cases against us of cow slaughter?)a

The gau rakshaks are aself-styled vigilantesa and there are legal provisions to deal with them. The question is what we do with a vigilante state, that is outsourcing its street politics to these groups? The political message they together send is what makes the families of Jaisingpur despair. Not only are Muslim cattle traders to be beaten and killed, they must also bear the moral blame for their own death. The farce enacted by the Rajasthan police leaves one speechless. The first legal salvo in this vile episode is not a FIR for the violence unleashed upon Khan and his fellow travellers, instead it is an FIR against Khan, Arif and Irshad under the Rajasthan Bovine Animal (Prohibition of Slaughter and Regulation of Temporary Migration or Export) Act, 1995. This was lodged on April 2 at 2:42 pm, despite zero evidence that they were cow smugglers or intended to kill the cows. Evidence simply shows that they traded in cattle. Only the second FIR in the matter is against the cow vigilantes. This one is also dated April 2, but time-stamped 4:24 pm, nearly two hours after the first FIR, despite the immediate irrefutable physical evidence of bludgeoned human bodies.

As we leave Jaisingpur, we hear talk of cattle traders giving up the trade. A Muslim is scared to even own a cow, let alone transport it, we are told. What if someone storms into our house and says we have kept the cow for slaughter? If cows belong only to them, let them have their cows back, one man tells us. Others nod in grim agreement. Yes, weall return lakhs of cows. Call it gau wapsi.

Farah Naqvi is a Delhi-based writer and activist.
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Apr-25-2017 18:10 TweetFollow @OregonNews Erdogan Can Celebrate the Turkish Referendum - For Now The United States has for decades provided unconditional support for Turkish authoritarianism.

Erdogan image by Democracy Chronicles

(SAN FRANCISCO) - Declaring victory in the recent plebiscite granting him extraordinary powers, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan consolidated his authoritarian rule. A new constitutional amendment abolishes the countrys parliamentary system and gives the once-weak executive almost unlimited authority. It passed in the midst of a state of emergency imposed after last years coup attempt. Since the failed coup, Erdogan has jailed 45,000 political opponents, including the head of the countrys third largest party and other parliamentarians. He has fired 130,000 government workers and thousands of teachers and journalists. One hundred seventy-six media outlets have been shut down. The censorship and intimidation of opponents made a free and fair referendum virtually impossible. European Union monitors, rather understatedly, noted that the votetook place on an unlevel playing field and the two sides of the campaign did not have equal opportunities. Initially, it appeared that Erdogans referendum was headed toward defeat. A last-minute decision by Turkeys electoral board to accept ballots as valid without official stamps raised concerns of widespread ballot stuffing; EU monitors noted how these late changes in counting counting procedures removed an important safeguard to a credible vote tally. In response, Erdogan claimed those questioning the results were engaging in a Crusader mentality and that they should know their place. President Trump was virtually alone among world leaders in congratulating Erdogan on his victory. Along with recent decisions to curtail President Obamas limited restrictions on arms transfers to Bahrain, Egypt, and other Middle Eastern dictatorships, Trump is signaling to the region that the United States is no longer even pretending to support democracy. Indeed, the United States has for decades provided unconditional support for Turkish authoritarianism, including the three times during past sixty years in which the Turkish military seized power and engaged in gross and systematic human rights abuses. Erdogans appeal is based on his ability, like the Republicans, to convince millions of poor and working-class voters to vote against their class interests with appeals to nationalism, traditional religious values, fear of terrorism, and attacks on liberal secular urban elites. Indeed, the electoral map from the referendum looks remarkably similar to the map of the United States after the 2016 presidential election, with the rural areas voting yes while the urban areas and regions with large minority populations voted no. Turkeys society is badly divided, with at least half the population opposed to the slide into authoritarianism under Erdogan. This opposition will likely get stronger. The once-booming economy has slowed, as the United States and other Western countries have tightened credit. One out of every four young Turks are unemployed. In addition, tourism, a major contributor to the economy, has declined as Erdogans policies have simultaneously alienated Russians, Iranians, and Westerners. Erdogan has reignited the war against the countrys Kurdish minority, jailing not just suspected militants, but nonviolent Kurdish leaders, including seventy mayors. His support for hard-line Islamist groups fighting the Syrian regimelike the U.S. support for Afghan mujahedeen fighting the Soviets during the 1980shas begun to backfire as Turkey has become a target of terrorist attacks from Salafist extremists. As a result, it is extremely likely that Turkey will find itself riven with growing popular opposition to what is widely seen as an illegitimate autocratic government led by a dangerous and unpredictable demagogue. If the United States continues its policy of supporting its NATO ally despite the growing repression, it will end up alienating yet another group of Muslim people suffering under a U.S.-backed dictatorship. Given the burgeoning Turkish civil society movement, along with Islamist extremists and Kurdish separatists emboldened by these developments, Turkey is likely headed for years of domestic turmoil. The big question is whether the United States will eventually ally with the tens of millions of Turks resisting authoritarianism or if, once again, the United States will find itself on the wrong side of history. _________________________________________

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Articles for April 24, 2017 | Articles for April 25, 2017 |
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Despite moving as quickly as it can, Santa Barbara County likely won't have permanent rules on the books by the start of 2018 to regulate lice
This report was compiled by News Editor Mike Hodgson of the Santa Ynez Valley News, who can be reached at mhodgson@leecentralcoastnews.com, and by Gina Kim, who covers crime and courts for the Santa Maria Times. Follow her on Twitter @gina_k210.
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Geneticists have investigated the biological origin of Mazovian princes

Geneticists from Szczecin examined the remains of the early 16th century Mazovian princes Janusz and Stanisaw. The researchers determined that one of these members of the Piast dynasty had a haplogroup of the Y chromosome characteristic of the Germans or Celts.

"We were able to isolate the DNA from the teeth and the femur of Prince Janusz and identify the haplogroup of the Y chromosome as the group R1b, commonly called Celtic or Atlantic" - said Dr. Andrzej Ossowski from the Department of Forensic Genetics at the Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin.

As the geneticist explained, haplogroups are characteristic for people from a particular region. "Based on the determination of the mitochondrial DNA and the male DNA - that is, Y - haplotype we are able to determine with high probability from which part of Europe the given person had originated" - he added.

Ossowski noted that the discovered R1b group "is characteristic of Western Europe, where it occurs at up to 80%". "At the same time, it is unusual for Eastern European populations, where it occurs at a frequency of up to 10 percent" - he said.

Representatives of the most famous families of rulers of Europe throughout the centuries had haplogroup R1b, inbcluding the Wettins, the Bourbons and the Habsburgs, or the Stuart dynasty.

"This discovery may indicate the origin of the whole Piast dynasty. However, it should be remembered that this is the first study. There was a long time from the Piasts to the Mazovian princes, and there may have been mechanisms known in nature that affected the abnormalities of inheritance" - emphasised Dr. Ossowski.

"The research results do not determine nationality because nationality is strongly linked to the culture and tradition in which a person lived; we should not confuse biological issues with the determination of nationality" - research coordinator, Dr. Tomasz Kozowski, anthropologist from the Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun said in an interview with PAP. "Simplification that the Piasts were Germans or Britons, it is absolutely improper" - he noted.

"The analyses we carried out were special, because Y chromosomes - male determinants - are much less frequently studied. The reason is simple - there is very little of such DNA material in the remains from hundreds of years ago" - Dr. Kozowski explained.

According to the anthropologist, "we can not rule out that the Piast line was broken between the time of Mieszko I and the period in which the Mazovian princes lived".

"I do not suggest infidelity in any generation, but such a possibility has to be taken into account. That is why it will be important for us to be able to carry out further research. Confirmation of the current findings during the analysis of other remains of representatives of the Piast family would make the conclusions more probable" - he added. He emphasised that he considered the establishment of the haplogroup by the Szczecin scientists a big accomplishment.

Researchers are planning to conduct further research aimed at obtaining genetic material from other people related to the Piast family. Szczecin geneticists hope that they will have the opportunity to start research on the origins of the House of Griffins.

The remains of the Mazovian princes were studied in the 1950s by Prof. Wiktor Grzywo-Dabrowski. Torun scientists decided to reopen their burial places in the St. John\'s Archcathedral in Warsaw - explaining that they now had better technical facilities for research.

Geneticists from the Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin conducted research within the interdisciplinary research project "Funeral culture of the Polish elites from the 16th to the 18th century in the Crown and Grand Duchy of Lithuania". It is conducted by Prof. Anna Drazkowska from the Institute of Archaeology of the Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun. (PAP)

mzb/ twi/ zan/ kap/

tr. RL
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 "Penal Incapacitation: A Situationist Critique" | Main | Noting reasons for the recent drop in the federal prison population mitigating overcrowding at BOP facilities 

Via email I learned of this notable new ACLU press release describing a notable new ACLU initiative. Here are the details from the release:

As part of its effort to achieve a 50 percent reduction in the U.S. jail and prison population, the ACLU Campaign for Smart Justice today announced a new multi-year initiative to overhaul the power wielded by prosecutors. District attorneys are major drivers of mass incarceration, lacking accountability and transparency, and posing obstacles to criminal justice reform. The ACLU's initiative includes a series of high-impact, locally driven prosecutorial reform campaigns in a number of states across the country, beginning in Philadelphia where #VoteSmartJustice is underway to educate voters about the district attorney race in the May 16 primary. #VoteSmartJustice is working closely with the ACLU state affiliate and on-the-ground advocates to pursue litigation, legislative advocacy, and nonpartisan voter education  a model that other prosecutorial reform campaigns will follow.

We will never truly transform our nations criminal justice system and end our addiction to mass incarceration until we hold prosecutors accountable, said Udi Ofer, director of the ACLUs Campaign for Smart Justice. Prosecutors are the most powerful, unaccountable, and least transparent actors in the criminal justice system. This new effort seeks to not only rid our justice system of bad actors who exploit and abuse unchecked powers, but also to elevate and empower a new generation of prosecutors committed to reducing incarceration. Particularly during the era of President Trump and Attorney General Sessions, the nation needs local prosecutors who will stand up to unjust federal initiatives and build a smarter and fairer criminal justice system.

Approximately 3,000 prosecutors throughout the country are responsible for making decisions that affect the lives of millions of people. The public knows too little about prosecutors and their impact on communities.

Although the mandate of prosecutors is to advance justice, many district attorneys have focused on punishment at any cost. This approach has increased the jail and prison population; led to sentences that are too severe for the offenses; produced more wrongful convictions and more death sentences; and sent people with addictions, disabilities, and mental health conditions into jails and prisons who should receive treatment or other social services instead. These consequences of unchecked prosecutorial power burden people of color and the poor disproportionately.

To redirect prosecutors focus towards reducing mass incarceration, the Campaign for Smart Justice will use its prosecutorial reform initiative to pursue a series of high-impact, locally driven efforts. Together with the ACLUs state affiliates and on-the-ground advocates, the initiative will follow a three-prong strategy:

 Litigation: The initiative is hiring new litigators to file ten lawsuits aimed at holding prosecutors accountable and changing their policies and practices.

 Legislative advocacy: The initiative will serve as a clearinghouse for prosecutor reform legislation, actively supporting the passage of key reform measures in ten states.

 Voter education: The initiative will engage in nonpartisan efforts in ten prosecutorial elections, conducting voter education about the role that local prosecutors play in fueling mass incarceration.

The first of the initiatives efforts is underway in Philadelphia, where the Campaign for Smart Justice is working closely with the ACLU of Pennsylvania to conduct an aggressive voter education effort before the May 16 primary. Dubbed #VoteSmartJustice, this effort has trained dozens of canvassers, most of whom are formerly incarcerated individuals advocating for criminal justice reform, to blanket neighborhoods throughout the city to inform voters about the election and underscore the importance of holding prosecutor candidates accountable for their records. Among the people to be targeted are the 11,000 ACLU members who are registered to vote in Philadelphia.

Pennsylvania has the highest rate of incarceration in the Northeast, costing taxpayers $2.5 billion on prisons in 2015 alone, said Reggie Shuford, of the ACLU of Pennsylvania. The impact of that staggering high incarceration rate is felt the hardest here in Philadelphia, and prosecutors have been a major driver of that reality. This campaign will ensure voters are equipped with information about where the candidates stand on critical issues, and encourage them to demand that, in exchange for their support at the ballot box, candidates must commit to using their power responsibly, fairly, and justly.

For more information about #VoteSmartJustice: https://votesmartjustice.org/home
Welp, for all those warriors on the alt-right and far left who were dusting off their helmets and makeshift weapons in preparation for a new Battle of Berkeley this week, this should be a big letdown: Ann Coulter will not be pushing her way onto campus Thursday as she allegedly promised to yesterday, following a week of back-and-forth with the university and much debate in the media. "I looked over my shoulder and my allies had joined the other team," Coulter tells Reuters, although it appears it was the university who was, for the second time, doing the canceling. Reportedly, the student groups who had originally invited Coulter backed out of supporting the event in the last 24 hours.

It could be, too, that Coulter did not have the courage of her convictions when it comes to free speech if she wasn't being paid. "Anything that [Coulter] does on Thursday at UC Berkeley shes paying for, says Pranav Jandhyala, founder and co-president of BridgeUSA, speaking to the Daily Californian, in reaction to reports that Coulter planned to speak in a public plaza if the university did not provide her with an indoor venue. Coulter, tweeting about these reports Tuesday, calls that inaccurate.

CORRECTION: I haven't spoken to any Berkeley students about when and where I will speak because I'm still waiting for Berkeley to tell me. https://t.co/xdqhzWtuGL  Ann Coulter (@AnnCoulter) April 26, 2017 WAPO emailed, but I can't be on email all day. Sounds like a telephone game of misinformation. Still expect Berkeley to provide a room. https://t.co/xdqhzWtuGL  Ann Coulter (@AnnCoulter) April 26, 2017

According to the Washington Post, in addition to BridgeUSA  a moderate student group at UC Berkeley  the Young America's Foundation (YAF) also withdrew their support and ordered Coulter not to appear. Says Coulter, the university then realized the group wasnt serious and dropped ongoing negotiations over a room. Everyone who should be for free speech has turned tail and run."

According to the Daily Cal, despite withdrawing their support, the YAF is continuing to pursue the lawsuit they filed Monday, jointly with Berkeley College Republicans, against multiple university administrators and UCB itself, claiming discrimination and a violation of their free-speech rights in the cancellation and then rescheduling of Coulter's speech. YAF continues to have strong words for the university saying in a statement, "When Young Americas Foundation confirmed Ann Coulter would speak at UC-Berkeley we assumed UC Berkeley would take all steps necessary to ensure the safety of students attending the educational event. Berkeley should be ashamed for creating this hostile atmosphere."

Berkeley Chancellor Nicholas Dirks sent out a university-wide message Wednesday saying, "This is a University, not a battlefield. We must make every effort to hold events at a time and location that maximizes the chances that First Amendment rights can be successfully exercised and that community members can be protected." Per the Washington Post, he further added, "While our commitment to freedom of speech and expression remains absolute, we have an obligation to heed our police departments assessment of how best to hold safe and successful events."

University administrators attempted to cancel the Coulter event on April 27, and then to postpone it until the fall, following the widely publicized street battle that broke out two weekends ago, on April 15  the third time in recent months that the streets of Berkeley were filled with politically motivated mayhem with pro-Trump factions and anarchists and self-proclaimed anti-fascists antagonizing each other, brawling, and destroying property. In attempting to placate the student groups who invited Coulter, the university proposed moving the event to next Tuesday afternoon during "dead week" on campus, when students are preparing for final exams and there are no classes, but Coulter made a lot of noise last week about that being unacceptable.

Previously: Berkeley Braces For Ann Coulter Speech Thursday, Which She Insists On Doing Outdoors For Maximum Mayhem
A Sonoma County man is behind bars today, the suspect in an attempted kidnapping that's shaken the Pacific Heights neighborhood of San Francisco.

As reported Monday, police say that a man attempted to grab a woman and drag her into his car as she walked on the 2800 block of Steiner Street, which is between Green and Vallejo Streets at 8:50 p.m. Saturday.

According to the San Francisco Police Department, the suspect fled in a silver Nissan pickup truck after a witness intervened to thwart the kidnapping. According to the Chron, the Samaritan "saw the incident from another car and began honking the horn, trying to get the abductors attention...The horn distracted him and he took off without the woman, a police spokesperson said.

The following day, police followed a lead that sent them to the Sonoma County city of Cotati, where they say they "located the suspect driving his vehicle."

"The SFPD officers followed the vehicle and requested assistance from the California Highway Patrol," police say via a written statement. "When CHP officers attempted to pull over the vehicle, the suspect fled."

Eventually the suspect, who's been identified as 46-year-old Cotati resident Darrin Bravo, was "arrested after colliding with another motorist in the city of Petaluma."

The occupants of the other vehicle involved in the crash were not seriously injured, police say. Bravo was transported back down to SF, where he was booked into County Jail on felony charges of attempted kidnapping. And there he remains as of publication time, held under $300,000 bail.

According to a police spokesperson, "The quick arrest in this incident is directly attributable to the intervention of witnesses who interrupted the kidnapping attempt and provided valuable information to responding officers."

Also praised are the investigating officers, who SFPD says "were able to identify the suspect and locate him in another jurisdiction less than 24 hours after the initial incident."

Previously: Witness Saves Woman From Pacific Heights Kidnapping
It's an only-in-Silicon Valley story that has NBC Bay Area making "Rage Against the Machine" dad jokes: Knightscope, the maker of a line of rolling security robots, apparently trusts its own product enough to use its K5 robots to patrol its own Mountain View offices. But one 300-pound, 5-foot robot was no match for a reportedly intoxicated 41-year-old man named Jason Sylvain.

Sylvain reportedly knocked down the K5, which sounded the alarm, seeking human assistance. "When we arrived, we met with Sylvain, and as we were speaking with him, he appeared confused, had red, glassy eyes and a strong odor of alcohol emitted from him," a company spokesperson told NBC Bay Area. Sylvain was arrested for prowling and also being drunk in public.

Meet K-5 ---the droid taken down by an alleged drunk man last week. Don't worry, he's back on patrol :) details @abc7newsbayarea at 11 pic.twitter.com/0qthDHONQq  Tiffany Wilson (@TWilsonTV) April 25, 2017

CNet also had the story, and added that Sylvain "claimed to be an engineer that wanted to 'test' the security robots," according to a spokesperson. "I guess he now has his answer."

"He tried to get away, but we detained him and then we got Mountain View police on the phone," the spokesperson said. "The bad guy learned the robot does security. It did what it was designed to do." Wait, is this a sales pitch?

You might be familiar with Knightscope by now: We learned last summer that the company's security robots were in Uber's employ here in San Francisco, its roving eggs patrolling a local driver-inspection lot. Or you might remember that one Knightscope robot knocked over a toddler and then ran the kid over at Stanford Shopping Center. Now, it seems, we know what happens when the K5 picks on someone closer to its own size.

Previously: Security Robot Knocks Toddler To The Ground Then Runs Him Over At Stanford Shopping Center
Each week, the Shepherd Express publicizes and promotes activities that peacefully push back against the discriminatory and reactionary actions and policies of the Trump administration. Here are some of this weeks greater Milwaukee area meetings, gatherings and demonstrations devoted to preserving our liberal democratic system.

Thursday, April 27

Stand Against Racism, 5:30-7:30 p.m. @ YWCA Southeast Wisconsin (1915 N. Dr. Martin Luther King Drive)

Stand Against Racism is a campaign of the YWCA that intends to build community among those who work for racial justice and to raise awareness about the negative impact of institutional and structural racism in our communities. This years theme is Women of Color Leading Change.

The Big No Conference, Through April 29 @ UW-Milwaukee Curtin Hall 175 (3243 N. Downer Ave.)

The Big No conference explores the importance of naysaying throughout history. Featured speakers include poet and activist Joshua Clover, philosophers Francois Laruelle and Katerina Kolozova, poet and playwright Ariana Reines and Frank B. Wilderson III, the leading figure in Afro-Pessimist thought. This event is free and open to the public.

Support the Fair Elections Project, 5-7 p.m. @ Good City Brewing (2108 N. Farwell Ave.)

The Wisconsin Fair Elections Project is hosting a fundraiser this Thursday at Good City Brewing to support our critical work to end partisan gerrymandering. All contributions will be accepted.

...

Friday, April 28

League of Progressive Seniors Action Planning Meeting, noon-1:30 p.m. @ Milwaukee Area Labor Council AFL-CIO (633 S. Hawley Road)

The League of Progressive Seniors, a group of senior activists committed to social and economic justice, is holding an action-planning meeting. The meeting will focus on the groups priorities, their target and building political muscle.

...

Saturday, April 29

Peoples Climate Rally, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Escuela Verde Milwaukee (3628 W. Pierce St.)

There will be a full day of events at Escuela Verde this Saturday as a part of the dozens of other actions across the nation in support of the DC Climate action. Events include: workshops, panel discussions, information tables, a film festival, food and music. The rally and march will be from 1-2 p.m.

Peace Action Wisconsin: Stand for Peace, noon-1 p.m. @ Corner of Kinnickinnic Ave. and Russell Ave.

Every Saturday, from noon-1 p.m., concerned citizens join with Peace Action Wisconsin to protest war. Signs will be provided for those who need them. Protesters are encouraged to stick around for conversation and coffee afterwards.

Friends of the Shepherd Help support Milwaukee's locally owned free weekly newspaper. LEARN MORE

...

Monday, May 1

Meet Amy Goldstein, Author of Janesville: An American Story, 7 p.m. @ Boswell Book Company (2559 N. Downer Ave.)

Community Advocates Public Policy Institute and Boswell Book Company will welcome Goldstein to Boswell to read from and answer questions about Janesville. The event will begin at 7 p.m. and Goldsteins book will be available for sale. This event is free and open to the public.

...

Wednesday, May 3

Town Hall for Fair Election Maps, 5:45-8 p.m.@ Wauwatosa Public Library, Firefly Room (7635 W. North Ave.)

Wisconsins voting maps are so skewed that a federal court ordered lawmakers to redraw them. But instead of complying, certain lawmakers are spending taxpayer money to defend the unconstitutional maps. What can you do? Come find out in this town hall meeting. Experts will speak on gerrymandering and share specific actions we can take to stop it.

Refuel the Resistance, 5-8 p.m., Bounce Milwaukee (2801 S. Fifth Court)

Every Wednesday, Bounce Milwaukee offers a space to organize, as well as a free drink to anyone who brings evidence of resistance in the past week, including protest signs, an email to an elected official or a selfie at the capital.

To submit to this column, please send a brief description of your action, including date and time, to savingourdemocracy@shepex.com. Together, we can fight to minimize the damage that this administration has planned for our great country.
THEATER

Junie B. Jones is Not a Crook!

Playwright Allison Gregory adapted Junie B. Jones is Not a Crook! from a popular book series by Barbara Park. Gregory recently reflected on her work thusly: Whats so engaging and joyful about these stories and Junie B. herself: her scrappy resourcefulness, her unbridled sense of right and wrong, her bull-in-a-china-shop zest and imagination. Barbara Park got Junie B. so right because, well, she was Junie B., and luckily, I get to keep telling her stories.

Adult professional and young up-and-coming actors take on the roles in this First Stage production of Junie B. Jones is Not a Crook!a story whereby a kindergarten-age girl, through a series of lost-and-found events, discovers whether or not the age-old adage finders keepers really is a correct way to look at things. James Fletcherwho is the founder and artistic director of Bunny Gumbo Theater Co. and who has been involved with First Stage for some 17 years as director, teacher, fight choreographer and actordirects this production.

April 28-June 4, Todd Wehr Theater at the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts, 929 N. Water St. For tickets call 414-273-7206 or visit firststage.org.

The Drowsy Chaperone

A parody of escapist Roaring Twenties musical comedies, Bob Martin and Don McKellars Tony Award-winning play, The Drowsy Chaperone, involves such time-honored plot devices as dream sequences, mistaken identities and a deus ex machina. Directed by Matt Zembrowski, staged and choreographed by Mary McLellan and with music and lyrics by Lisa Lambert and Greg Morrison, Waukesha Civic Theatre hosts this charming and bombastic musical within a comedy.

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April 28-May 14 at the Margaret Brate Bryant Civic Theatre, 264 W. Main St., Waukesha. For tickets call 262-547-0708 or visit waukeshacivictheatre.org.

On the Spectrum

The spectrum of this shows title refers to the autism spectrum. Quasimondo Milwaukee Physical Theatre presents On the Spectrum, written and performed by its own ensemble member, Thom J. Cauley. This piece, which premiered at last years inaugural Milwaukee Fringe Festival, is described by Quasimondo as an intimate solo show [using] physical acting and personal experience to tell the inner monologue of a young boy with an unidentified learning disability.

May 5-14, Milwaukee Cooperative at the Shops of Grand Avenue, 161 W. Wisconsin Ave. For tickets visit quasimondo.org/on-the-spectrum.html.

Arcadia and Alchemy

The age-old theater exhortation The Show Must Go On! is surely in the minds and on the lips of many UW-Milwaukee Peck School of the Arts faculty and students these days: There was a major fire recently in UWMs Mainstage Theatre building, destroying set pieces and costumes and filling the place with sooty smokiness. Even so, ArcadiaTom Stoppards celebrated play, retains its original run dates but moves to the Milwaukee Repertory Theaters Stiemke Studio, 108 W. Wells St. Meanwhile, Springdances: Alchemy, which features new choreographic works by UWM Dance faculty, will be presented in the Kenilworth Square East Gallery, 2155 N. Prospect Ave.

Arcadia runs May 3-7; for tickets call 414-224-9490 or visit milwaukeerep.com. Springdances: Alchemy runs April 27-May 1; for tickets call 414-229-4308 or visit uwm.edu/arts/box-office/tickets.

DANCE

SOUL

Express Yourself Milwaukee presents what they describe as an inspiring, family-friendly event featuring dance, music, spoken word and visual arts. SOUL is Express Yourself Milwaukees culminating event for their professional artists and young apprentices. As the performance companys Founder and Executive Director Lori Vance explains: The young people and adult artists who have worked on SOUL have created for Milwaukee an energetic, immersive experience that will surprise audiences with its creative comingling of artistic forms.

6:30 p.m., Thursday, May 4, Milwaukee Theatre, 500 W. Kilbourn Ave. This event is free and open to the general public.

aLL wRoNg

Devised and directed by Posy Knight, Kirk Thomsen and Joelle Worm (all of whom are also cast members), this physical performance piece looks at being wrong, making mistakes [and] failing over and over as the definition of being alive. After all, humanitys greatest achievements only occur after many letdowns. Through a variety of Treteau vignettes (a theatrical form unearthing innovative creativity and revealing that performance can be achieved without extraneous elements), Cooperative Performance Milwaukees aLL wRoNg examines the possibilities of the unknown.

April 28-29, Danceworks, 1661 N. Water St.; May 4, Best Place, 901 W. Juneau Ave.; May 5, Charles Allis Museum, 1801 N. Prospect Ave. For tickets call 414-277-8480 or visit cooperformke.com.

MUSIC

Vienna, City of Dreams

Pianist Sahun Hong performs Ludwig van Beethovens Piano Concerto No. 3 at PianoArts annual music gala and dinner event to support their next North American Competition. The concerto will be heard in a new arrangement by Hong for piano and string quartetthe latter consists of violinists Margot Schwartz and Dylana Leung, violist Robert Levin and cellist Scott Tisdel.

Friday, April 28, Womans Club of Wisconsin, 813 E. Kilbourn Ave. For tickets call 414-962-3055 or visit pianoarts.org.
The story of Joan of Arc is one of faith and trust in yourself and your beliefs to carry you through battles physical and social. Joan heard voices in her head that she believed were of divine origin. She was certain it was Gods will that she should lead the French army in battle against the invading English. She overcame outrageous obstacles to do just that and led the French to numerous victories. In the end, she was captured and burned at the stake as a heretic because of her strong faith that God, in fact, had chosen her for this heroic task.

A team of faculty at Marquette University has been awarded the 2016-2017 Way Klingler Teaching Enhancement Award, a grant designed to support high-impact educational practices that engage students in interactive learning. The faculty team includes choreographer Catey Ott Thompson, costume designer Connie Petersen, English teacher Sarah Wadsworth, art historian Lynne Shumow, composer Mark Konewko and theologian Susan Mountin. The inter-curricular project involves four Marquette University classes: Ballet II, Composition and Choreography, Advanced Costume Technology and English Capstone. The teachers have devoted the entire spring semester to creating a multidisciplinary public performance with their students to be presented outdoors at stations surrounding the Joan of Arc Chapel on the Marquette University Campus. The title is Hearken to my Voice: Iron. Fire. Breath. Performances are at 5:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday, April 28-29 and 1 p.m., Sunday, April 30.

The students walked into the semester thinking they signed up for Ballet II or Advanced Costume Technology and all of a sudden the ballet class is up in the conference room watching Joan of Arc videos or at the Haggerty Art Museum seeing paintings or attending lectures about medieval weaponry, said Ott Thompson, producer of the project and instructor of Ballet II and Composition and Choreography.

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To be truly inspired by something a person must learn as much as they can about the subject. The students involved in the project have been doing just that. The entire project follows an educational philosophy called the 4-R embodied learning process. The Rs are research, reflect, re-act and resonate. In line with this approach, students have spent a large amount of time researching Joan of Arcs life and times, and absorbing the visual art, plays and other writings it has inspired, and then using that information and the emotions it arouses to create their own poetry, theater, music and dance works. Theyve been writing journals every day to reflect on what theyre learning, as well as reacting (or re-enacting) what theyve been exposed to in their research in daily rehearsals. As for resonation, many of the students even attended a session involving Ignatian contemplations and the creative visualization of St. Joans life, led by Sr. Anne Arabome of Marquette Universitys Faber Center.

Lack of enthusiasm is not an issue for the creative team. Their passion not only for learning the story of Joan of Arc, but for teaching and creating in general is obvious in the way they speak about the project from the point of view of their different disciplines. Whether it is dance, clothing design, visual art, music or writing, each has found a strong personal connection to Joans story.

Ott Thompson draws inspiration from the stories of the saints trials and tribulations. I feel the concept of believing in your own metaphorsbelieving in both your own connection to the collective unconscious and your own creative tangential thinkinghas been the basis of my choreography for almost 20 years. I think its just finding that inner artist voice and trying to understand and live with it in a way that is inspiring to you and others.

As part of the project, Marquette Music Director Mark Konewko composed a new time strike for Marquettes carillon bells, called Joan of Arc.
Should the Wisconsin Center District build a new and larger convention center in Downtown Milwaukee? We answer yes." Whatever we build today will be with us for the next 20 or 25 years, so if we want to be competitive as a convention city, we need capacity. We certainly believe that Milwaukee seems to have gotten a new burst of energy in Downtown construction projects and new hotels have opened in the area over the past several years. Like almost everything else, Milwaukee convention business is in some very serious competition with other tier-three major U.S. cities like Minneapolis, Indianapolis, Denver, Portland, Ore., etc. Milwaukee is a great city that is not particularly good at marketing itself, but nonetheless has all of the necessary components that make for a cool 21st-century city." Fortunately, the world may finally be discovering that. The travel publication Conde Nast Traveler , for example, has just listed Milwaukee as one of the 6 U.S. Cities to Watch in 2017." We need to capitalize on this discovery of Milwaukee" and take advantage of more tourism and more conventions. For that we need a modern and larger convention center and more hotel space.

Do We Need a Feasibility Study?

The big question for the Wisconsin Center District board was whether we need a new feasibility study to determine our need for a new convention center and, if so, how large it should be in order to be competitive with cities in our tier. Despite the fact that there have been other studies done in the past supporting a new and larger convention center, we support State Department of Administration Secretary and chair of the Wisconsin Center District, Scott Neitzel, who is arguing that we need a new feasibility study. Neitzel is a very bright and experienced manager and wants to see a detailed feasibility study that is fact based and data driven if we are going to spend about a quarter of a billion dollars building a new convention center. Market forces are continually shifting and we need to utilize the best and most recent data available. The feasibility study will cost about $60,000 and take a few months to complete, but we think that additional time and money is well worth it. Having some understanding of the current market conditions, we are confident that a well-executed feasibility study will produce a result that supports a new and larger facility. If we proceed in this systematic, data-driven approach we also believe it will build more support for the project that will cost some serious money.

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If we want to be a great city, and if we want more jobs, we need to be bold and take some risks, but these risks must be supported with the best data available.
 Expand Photo: Thinkstock - Getty Images Public schools bus

Scott Walkers 2017-19 budget proposal includes a $6.5 million spending increase for school mental health services. The money, originally requested by the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) in November, would go toward employing more school social workers, supporting collaborations with community health providers and training school staff.

The need for these services is well documented and dire. An estimated one in five U.S. children has a diagnosable mental health condition. The 2013 Youth Risk Behavior Survey found that more than half of Wisconsin students mental health had not been good on at least one of the past 30 days, and 13% had seriously considered suicide. According to the DPI, 80% of students with mental health needs do not get professional help.

We couldnt afford to wait any longer. We wanted to push the conversation forward, and felt like it was the right time, says DPI spokesperson Tom McCarthy. We had seen the legislature and the governor paying attention to this issue and we knew that we had a strong case that schools are an active partner in making sure that all kids are mentally healthy.

The issue of youth mental health is not new to Wisconsin lawmakers, but progress toward reform has often stalled. Former state representative and psychiatric nurse Sandy Pasch describes a pattern of one step forward and five steps backward.

There have been glimmers of hope, but still huge unwillingness to deal with the major issues related to mental illness, she says.

This latest glimmer is currently being reviewed by the Joint Finance Committee and would go into effect in July. If approved, spending would aim to expand access to care while improving the climate of school mental health. As it stands, scarce resources make it difficult for many schools to meet immediate needs, let alone pursue long-term goals. For the educators and advocates facing these challenges every day, the $6.5 million is not a solution, but could be a step.

The Impact of Access

Mental illness can affect anyone, but not everyone can count on getting the care they need. When costs or logistics rule out traditional therapy, families rely on schools to bridge the gap.

School-based mental health has really come to the forefront in recent years, says Julie Incitti, president and legislative chair of the Wisconsin School Social Workers Association. When there arent enough clinics in the community or enough providers, schools can be a great way for students to access those services, and I think legislators are recognizing that.

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School social workers are employed in all Milwaukee Public Schools and in many other Wisconsin districts. They apply a systems approach to mental health care, connecting families and schools, along with interrelated agencies like juvenile justice or child protective services when needed.

Judith Kullas Shine, president of the American Council for School Social Work, explains that these providers are often licensed both clinically and by the education department. This background helps them understand mental health in conjunction with other challenges kids face.

Weve seen an increase in the number of kids who experience trauma from bullying, divorce, poverty, even parental military deployment, says Shine. So there is outreach to make sure that more kids get the help they need to be functioning, successful human beings.

Collaborations with community providers can also help overcome barriers to care. United Ways PATH (Providing Access to Healing) for Students program achieves this through partnerships between school districts and a consortium of mental health agencies.

Through PATH, therapists spend a set amount of time providing in-school counseling for students. Time is typically assigned to a district based on the percentage of its students who qualify for free and reduced meals, and the district determines how the time will be allotted in each school. Sessions take place over study periods or during a mix of different class times, to minimize scheduling disruptions. This convenience breeds consistency, which is essential for treating mental health.

When you have kids going to a clinic for therapy, maybe theyll miss an appointment, maybe parents werent able to get them to an appointment that day, says United Way Fox Cities Program Officer Mary Wisnet. When appointments are in school, we have much more consistency in that follow through.

First piloted in 2008, PATH is now offered in 30 schools across 10 districts. Surveys have shown that 72% of students experienced reduced symptoms and 44% improved academically after going through the program. A 2012 cost-benefit analysis conducted by the University of Wisconsin-Madison also found that PATH increased productivity and reduced expenses associated with things like medical costs and behavioral problems, with an average net benefit of $49,000 per student per year.

Limits to Expansion

Producing measurable results has helped school-based mental health expand its reach. But a lack of dedicated funding often stymies further growth.

The money for school social work positions typically comes from the general school district funds, or the special education budget. If a school district understands the value of the role, they can advocate to have a school social work position and prioritize it above other positions, Incitti says. But funding is ultimately whats driving many of those decisions.

The National Association of Social Workers recommends one professional be employed for every 250 students. Incitti says she doesnt know of any school that hits that mark. Data from the DPI in 2012 put Wisconsins ratio at 1 to 1,050.

With the PATH program, services are billed through insurance when possible. As many of the kids they work with are underinsured, this accounts for about half of their funding. When the family cant afford to meet those high deductibles and copays, thats when philanthropy kicks in, explains Wisnet. PATH is largely supported by the United Way, with help from grants.

In addition to expanding services, additional funding would make it easier to comprehensively improve the school environment. A common model for this is known as Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS). Based on a three-tiered framework, PBIS encompasses lessons and coping skills for all students, additional screening and support for individuals, and more extensive therapy or behavioral intervention when needed. Ideally, wed want to see that kind of service level in all schools, says Wisnet.

A Need for a Greater Change

The proposed funding is an optimistic development for school mental health, but its clear that not all districts would feel the boost in finances.

With the amount of money were talking about here, we understand that its not enough to get everywhere in the state, McCarthy says. Our hope is that its enough to begin in some areas, to see some exciting, different approaches that we could then expand statewide.

While school-based mental health programs may seem poised for success, there are still underlying challenges to contend with. After all, they exist at the intersection of healthcare and education: two industries threatened by the current political climate.

Walkers refusal to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act hindered access to adequate healthcare, and put more pressure on schools to fill in the gaps. Pasch argues that Medicaid expansion would be a more effective response to the care shortages, although she acknowledges the chances of that happening right now are pretty slim.

Pasch also questions how much of an impact the funding would have in schools reeling from budget cuts and the effects of Act 10. We still have school districts struggling to put books in the library. I dont think theyre going to put a primary focus on mental health, she says. Im glad the moneys there, but its putting frosting on a lopsided cake.

Whether or not the proposed increase signals a true shift in priorities, its clear that Wisconsin students are still a long way from getting the level of care they need.

Theres so much work out there to do, Shine says. We need everybody to be working on behalf of kids.
SOUTH SIOUX CITY | Marriott's newest, full-service hotel brand is coming to metro Sioux City this fall.

Starting in September, the Marina Inn Hotel and Conference Center in South Sioux City will become Delta Hotels by Marriott South Sioux City Riverfront, owner John Gleeson said.

Gleeson had said last summer Marriott International Inc. had approved the hotel's application for a franchise, but he waited to announce which of the chain's multiple luxury brands the hotel would fly.

Marriott acquired the Delta brand, which originated in Canada, two years ago and has been aggressively growing its presence stateside and globally since.

The South Sioux City location will be the chains third in the Midwest, joining Chicago and Fargo, North Dakota, according to the company website.

Gleeson said he is excited about the transformation and noted his family's hotel fits in nicely with Delta and Marriott brands.

The Delta flag provides flexibility in design aesthetics while still delivering fundamentals of the brand and the quality level that is expected in the premium full-service tier," he said in a statement. "We are investing several million dollars in renovations as we make the transition to become one of the Delta Hotels by Marriott. These improvements help secure our positioning as one of the premiere hospitality properties of the upper Midwest.

Gleeson, a Sioux City businessman, said his family took ownership of Marina Inn in 1972, which was shortly after it opened as a Hilton hotel. It has operated as an independent hotel for the last 40 plus years.

The same management team, lead by Ralph Bobian, will continue to manage the property and adjoining Kahills Steak, Fish and Chophouse.

"To be the first Delta hotel in the region followed by several others in the Midwest is very exciting and only supports the ongoing growth of our area. Business and leisure travelers will now have a full-service option under a nationally recognized brand within the Marriott family, Bobian said in the release.

To prepare for the transition to the Marriott brand, the hotel has invested more than $4 million in improvements. More than 60 of the hotels 181 rooms were renovated, complimentary wireless internet is available all over the property for guests, and a new Starbucks coffee shop and 24/7 fitness center opened as well.

The hotel, which boasts more than 45,000 square feet of meeting and event space, is a popular regional destination for conventions, meetings, weddings and other social events.

Gregory Durrer, Delta Hotels global brand leader, released a statement to welcome the new addition to his ever expanding brands lineup.

The Delta Hotels by Marriott South Sioux City Riverfront marks the beginning of a period of exciting growth for the award-winning Delta brand, he said.
Warren Buffett's company reported a $2.7 billion loss Saturday as the paper value of its investment portfolio fell during the third quarter, but most of its operating businesses performed well with the notable exception of Geico.
Tchaikovsky Discovers America with Roger Anderson

This past month, three feature reporters from Kid Scoop News interviewed Mr. Roger Anderson, who played our beloved Tchaikovsky in Tchaikovsky Discovers America, and we learned a little background knowledge of him and how he got to where he is today.

He was born and raised in Sioux City, Iowa. He went to Washington Elementary in Morningside and graduated from East High in 1973. He feels very lucky to have grown up in such a musically talented community. Mr. Anderson had formal training at Iowa State. I was going to be a veterinarian, but then I got into speech pathology, he said. His parents had always told him to have something to fall back on He has never regretted having degrees in Speech Pathology and he has been able to perform and work with students throughout his life.

Mr. Anderson told us how he got the title role in Tchaikovsky Discovers America. I got it by picking up the phone, he said. He explained that networking is a very important part of the job. Roger had worked in musical theatre with the creative director and he knew of the joy of performing for children. He said it was important to meet people, know people and hope that you stand out in some way. Paul Pement of Classical Kids knew his work and decided that he would be perfect for the role and the rest is history!

The Symphony/Play of Tchaikovsky Discovers America was actually based on true events. We asked Mr. Anderson about the history behind Tchaikovsky Discovers America, and he said, The story begins with Tchaikovsky arriving at Carnegie Hall in 1891, and while he was performing, there were construction noises disturbing his performance. So, he just walked out in the middle of it.

We learned that the troupe is performing Tchaikovsky Discovers America three times in different cities. Our city is one of those very lucky cities to have witnessed such a lively, interactive, family-friendly experience, and the best part about it is that it was free to the public. Anyone could have attended the masterpiece!

We asked Mr. Anderson what he thinks of our lovely Orpheum Theatre, and he said, Actually, since I lived here before, I have been to The Orpheum many times since I was little. In fact, I saw a lot of major movies there, for instance, Fantasia. From what I remember, it was such a beautiful theater. We believe that Mr. Anderson is in for a treat when he sees the renovation of our beautiful Orpheum!

We asked if he had anyone who inspired him to leading him to such success, and he said, Ive never had anyone I looked up to as much as my choir directors and teachers from East High. He had the chance to be in many plays, and he thought growing up in Sioux City was such a wonderful opportunity.

We told Mr. Anderson that we were looking forward to the performance and wanted to wish him well. We also asked him what his biggest thrill is, and he gave some good advice for budding artists out there: The biggest thrill for me is when a student come to something like this, it might change their way of life. They might fall in love with the dancing, the singing, the instruments, and sound. We thanked Mr. Anderson for his time, and wished him luck!

Later, after being in the audience of such an incredible performance we definitely found ourselves falling in love with the dancing, the singing, the instruments, and the sound!

The Classical Kids Live presentation of Tchaikovsky Discovers America was performed at our own Orpheum Theatre on April 2. Playing to a packed audience, Tchaikovsky and Jennie (the conductors daughter) mesmerized the young audience which amazed us. Even the youngest in the crowd stopped crying, running, and fidgeting when the music begana real tribute to the power of the arts in our lives. A huge thank you goes to the staff with Siouxland Symphony, the Board of Directors and Jolly Time, Wells Blue Bunny and the Smith Legacy Fund for giving children the opportunity to experience classical music in a fun and exciting way. The concert was free to the public and included music from-The Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty, and Swan Lake.

Sophia Dreeszen and Cayden Martin

East Middle Grade 7

Chloe McClure

North Middle Grade 7
The Sioux City Tolerance Week activities began with the announcement of the winners for the annual art and essay contests. In the middle school division, Jordyn Schubert designed her art to center around the possibilities and hope in our world. Essay winner, Angelia Sur, an eighth grade student from South Sioux City Middle School considered a quote from Alexander Hamilton, the first treasure and founding father, Those who stand for nothing fall for anything!

How do we set our own precedent? How do we form the world into a state of utopia? The answer is simple, it starts with us. In very word we scream and song we sing, the future is structuring beneath our feet. Our decisions are the glue to hold or collapse. Fate is the looming shadow behind us, mimicking our every action.

I want a world where people can be comfortable in their own skin. Where no one is scared for what they believe, their ethnicity, who they love, or who they are. To progress and evolve, we must remember one thing, equality is key.

To combine strength with another rather than weaken them holds greater power in our hands. If we stand as one, the world pulses as one. Our country shames an immigrant for having a job when they've worked so much harder than us to have it. They tell a man he can't qualify for a job that he loves. We let society's stereotypes lock us not break us free. I will unfurl my fists and wrap them around a sign of protest. I will use my voice to chant the voices of our people instead of curse them. I will crush discrimination into dust at the soles of my shoes. I'd die like a martyr so that the people after me live in a safer environment than in the violence that corrupts our nation. The future is in our hands to smash or hold. Angelia Sur South Sioux City Middle

Insert photo of Jordyn Schuberts artwork Hinton Middle School(I have in an email)

High School essay contest winner, Ivan Redhorn , freshman student from Winnebago Public, begins with Its not the FUTURE that yourre afraid of, its repeating the past.

It's not the FUTURE that you're afraid of,

It's repeating the past.

The past has nothing new for you

If you want a little hint of your future, look at some of the people you hang out with.

Do something today that your future self would be proud of.

Help family and friends.

Be a better person for your future so you can look back and see that you did well.

Dont let the past get you.

Learn from it.

Learn to changeto show people how to change to make this world a little bit better.

People say its a cruel world, but one good heart is plenty

Artist Brianna Martinez from Bishop Heelan High School captured this weeks theme in her presentation of unity and color. Along with her visual arts presentation, weve included an excerpt from her artist reflection shared at the annual Tolerance Week dinner.

The artist theme this year was You are the future.. and when I thought about this topic it reminded me of last years theme. I was inspired to draw these hands and wrists to represent different cultures and people from last years theme. I added the quote, Why do we search for strength to stand alone when we can build strength by standing together Together we will create a world where compassion and understanding stand strong.

When I look at the picture and added the quote I thought how future generations would need to be protected. We need to stop being so isolated in this world, often thinking only of ourselves and we need to work together to make good things happen. Compassion and understanding must stand strong.

The hands symbolize that only together can we protect the heart of all people and without the we, meaning all cultures and countries , this will not happen. Our future depends on cooperation.

The heart symbolizes all morals and values and everything we the people aspire to be. Our future generations must hold those morals and values in our handstogether, as all people and all cultures..we should never forget what we have held dear to our hearts. Compassion and understanding must stand strong.

My generation is the future and right now, all over the world lives have been disrupted and challenged. We need to set aside our differences and embrace those ideas that will connect the world in positive ways.we need to treat each other as equals tolerateno acceptNO celebrate our differences. It is our differences that make us strong and our future possible.

It is my hope that in my lifetime, we all will find a way to know each otherand to create a worldwide community. We need to find a better way to build community and help others understand how the differences make us stronger.I am the futurewe are the future. Compassion and understanding must stand strong.

Thank you.

Dr. Mike Rogers, East Middle School Principal was awarded the Tolerance Award for 2017. Jerry and Kathy Weiner, whose foundation sponsors Tolerance Week events in Sioux City presented the award to Dr. Rogers.
Youve done dim sum, swished Wagyu beef or chrysanthemum greens in a hot pot, wrapped Peking duck in a pancake, slurped Taiwanese noodles and swooned. Now youre ready to cook. You know where to shop for Chinese ingredients and which pantry basics to pick up.

But after that, how to get cooking if youve never used a wok? Or how to hone your skills and explore a new regional cuisine if you can already stir-fry with the best of them?

Let one or more of these 10 cookbooks  some new, others classics  guide you.

EVERY GRAIN OF RICE: SIMPLE CHINESE HOME COOKING

Fuchsia Dunlop (Norton, $35)

You cant go wrong with a book by Fuchsia Dunlop, one of the most accomplished Chinese cooking authorities writing for home cooks in America, the winner of four James Beard Awards (and shes nominated for a fifth this year).

Her 2012 book is a great one to start with if youre just diving in. Its pages are filled with beautifully photographed dishes that are simple, approachable and enticing; the recipes, from a variety of regions, are a tribute to Chinas rich tradition of frugal, healthy and delicious home cooking. Dunlop includes a concise introductory section on knife cuts, ingredients, equipment, planning a Chinese meal and the like, and includes menu ideas.

ALL UNDER HEAVEN: RECIPES FROM THE 35 CUISINES OF CHINA

Carolyn Phillips (McSweeneys/Ten Speed Press, $40)

This comprehensive, 514-page book, a finalist for a 2017 James Beard Award, provides an excellent roadmap to the cooking of each of Chinas regions. Illustrated with Phillips own charming line drawings rather than photos, the recipes are clear, with lots of step-by-step visual explanation. Because it covers all the regions and explains what characterizes them, Phillips book is also a great resource for those who love exploring regional Chinese restaurants.

LUCKY PEACH 101 EASY ASIAN RECIPES

Peter Meehan and the editors of Lucky Peach (Potter, $35)

Fun, approachable and irreverent, this 2015 title includes dishes from all over east Asia, including lots of terrific ones from China, and fusion dishes as well. Ive cooked widely from the book, and recommend it highly. Lacquered Roast Chicken, Chinese Sausage Fried Rice, Chineasy Cucumber Salad, Shrimp and Chive Dumplings and Greens with Whole Garlic are great places to start.

LAND OF FISH AND RICE: RECIPES FROM THE CULINARY HEART OF CHINA

Fuchsia Dunlop (Norton, $35)

Dunlops newest title  the one thats up for a 2017 James Beard Award  focuses on the cooking of Chinas southern Jiangnan region, which includes Shanghai. Local people believe they enjoy the finest food in the country, Dunlop writes in her intro. Whereas Cantonese food, they say, is too raw and wild, Sichuanese is too hot and northern cooking is too salty, the food of Jiangnan is both so varied that one never tires of it and so harmonious it calms the mind as well as the palate.

Ive only made one dish from the book so far: sweet-and-sour radishes (a super-easy appetizer that turned out great). But my copy is tagged with a dozen Post-its for recipes Im eager to try. Shanghai pork and vegetable wontons. Chrysanthemum leaves with pine nuts. Green bok choy with dried shrimp. Slivered pork with flowering chives. Tofu ribbons with salt pork and green bok choy. I can pretty much open the book anywhere, and Yuki Sugiuras appetizing photos make me eager to dive in.

MY GRANDMOTHERS CHINESE KITCHEN: 100 FAMILY RECIPES AND LIFE LESSONS

Eileen Yin-Fei Lo (Penguin, $18.99)

Published in 2006, Eileen Yin-Fei Los sweet, personal book about learning to cook with her grandmother is a lovely way in to the world of Chinese cooking, especially for nervous beginners. I cooked widely from it when I reviewed it shortly after it was published, and found quite a few ambiguities (things like cooking temperatures); nevertheless, everything I made was wonderful, from pork-and-shrimp won tons with vinegar dip to chives stir-fried with bean sprouts to a whole steamed fish with scallion oil.

LAND OF PLENTY: AUTHENTIC SICHUAN RECIPES PERSONALLY GATHERED IN THE CHINESE PROVINCE OF SICHUAN

Fuchsia Dunlop (Norton, $30)

Dunlops 2001 cookbook, which quickly became a classic, focuses on the region that has become super hot (in more ways than one) in America in recent years. Those exploring Sichuan food in restaurants have lots to learn in its pages, which include a section on Eating the Sichuanese way. In restaurants, she writes, cold food is served first, and then the hot dishes emerge from the kitchen one by one until the whole table is laden with food. (And no, every dish isnt supposed to be fiery-hot or mouth-numbingly spicy!)

Of course, if youre cooking, youre really in business. You might start a dinner with Glassy steamed dumplings or spicy cucumber salad, then serve twice-cooked pork, maybe with dry-fried green beans or zucchini slivers with garlic. A simple soup, such as a chicken soup with pickled mustard greens or simple bean curd soup, comes at the end. Land of Plenty, with 16 pages of color photos and maps, is more sparsely photographed than Dunlops more recent works.

THE BREATH OF A WOK: UNLOCKING THE SPIRIT OF CHINESE WOK COOKING THROUGH RECIPES AND LORE

Grace Young and Alan Richardson (Simon & Schuster, $37.50)

Winner of an IACP Cookbook Award, Grace Youngs 2004 book, gorgeously photographed by Alan Richardson, is the place to start if you like to approach cooking as a poet might, understanding the soul of a cuisine, or if you really want to geek out. Young walks readers through everything about the wok, from finding the right one to opening the wok to seasoning it with dishes early in its life. And then, of course, there is much discussion to learning to stir-fry with wok hay  that ineffable breath of a wok that distinguishes the best Chinese cooking. A classic, to be sure.

CHINA: THE COOKBOOK

Kei Lum Chan and Diora Fong Chan (Phaidon, $49.95)

At 720 pages, this 2016 title from Phaidon is an encyclopedic tome, covering and explaining all the regions of China and their cuisine; it also touches on eating culture, cooking techniques and equipment.

While I strongly recommended China: The Cookbook as a reference and source of inspiration for cooks, I havent yet cooked from it. Based on my past experiences with encyclopedic cookbooks from Phaidons national cuisine series, in my estimation its more than 650 often-enticing recipes may be best suited to cooks with some Chinese cooking know-how, rather than beginners. Meanwhile, thanks to its comprehensiveness, Im thrilled to have it in my collection.

MASTERING THE ART OF CHINESE COOKING

Eileen Yin-Fei Lo (Chronicle Books, $50)

I have cooked from Eileen Yin-Fe Los authoritative and comprehensive 2009 book, always with excellent results. Its structured like a Chinese cooking school, in series of lessons, all centered around the Chinese market. Particularly useful are smart sidebars on techniques and tricks: water-blanching vegetables, how to prepare fresh bamboo shoots, how to grind your own five-spice powder, how to store wontons, how to make a dipping sauce for meats leftover from making stock. A section on ingredients helps the shopper figure out which kind of wonton wrappers, choose ginger root (a wrinkled and rough skin indicates age) and find a suitable substitute for fresh water chestnuts (fresh jicama beats canned water chestnuts).

With more than 150 recipes and beautiful photos throughout, its a classic.

The Mission Chinese Food Cookbook

Danny Bowien and Chris Ying (Ecco, $34.99)

Danny Bowien, chef and co-founder of the cult-favorite Mission Chinese Food restaurants, teamed up with Chris Ying, co-founder of Lucky Peach, to write this exuberant, colorful romp through the dishes that have been hits at the three restaurants. The recipes are uber-cheffy, to be sure, often calling for ingredients that require recipes on their own (chile-pickled long beans, mackerel confit, bone-marrow broth). But the salt-cod fried rice is one of the best things ever to come out of my kitchen. If you like rolling up your sleeves and geeking out chef-style, this is the book for you.
PITTSBURGH  Mario Batali has a self-definition for Molto Mario: Intensely curious, never resting and always looking for authenticity.

Molto Mario translates to very Mario in Italian and was the title of his late show on Food Network, but the words have stuck to describe him. Batali said his passion and excitement often overcome what a lot of people would consider sacred. Food is not sacred. It is of the people and is made everyday by everybody who lives, he added. When he gets excited about recipes, its because they are old  not new and definitely not something that is made on the whim by some punk.

Before he met with his fans earlier this month, Batali spoke candidly about his 10th cookbook, his signature dish and outfit, dislike for waiting in line, penchant for loud music, recent harsh review on Babbo in The New York Times and anonymous critics.

Q: What inspired you to write the Big American Cookbook?

A: When I was traveling around the country in the last 15 years, I discovered all these beautiful and traditional dishes  not necessarily fancy or expensive, not necessarily hard to shop for, but ones that spoke to me of the very specific place where they were born. I divided the country into eight regions, and theres a lot of crossover  theres chili, seafood chowder, barbecue and casserole-y kind of things in a lot of places. So we broke it down to what makes a lot of sense.

Q: Is there a region that surprised you?

A: In terms of deliciousness, its the Southwest. I just like the chilies, the cultures of Latin America, Texas, Nebraska and kind of the West all coming together in one spot.

Q: And which region should get more recognition but doesnt?

A: The Midwest. When you have a walleye sandwich near Lake Michigan, its something remarkable. If you go to West Side Market in Cleveland and eat the mainstays of the Eastern European deli culture, it kind of knocks you out.

Q: Easter is around the corner. Do you have any recommendations?

Q: When you are on book tours like this one, what do you do when it comes to chow time?

A: Here? I am going to get one of those panini or sushi downstairs. I dont go for fast-food chains ever. I dont know where they get their stuff. Im pretty sure they are mechanized and I like hand-made. At this point in America, there is always a good taco in town and always a place that has a good carved sandwich.

Q: Do you ever give advice to your restaurant partner Lidia Bastianich?

A: I get lots of advice from her but I never give her any. She is much wiser than I. I mean, shes Lidia. We worked together this week a couple of times tasting stuffed and strand pastas at Del Posto (They co-own the restaurant in New York City.) We are working on new signature dishes. We dont take her suggestions blindly but we try everything she says and see if it works for all of us. Its a collaboration.

Q: You are all over the map, and have restaurants in New York, Las Vegas, Boston, and even Singapore.

A: The only reason we open new restaurants is when one of our sous chefs is so good and wants to work for somebody else or wants to open their own restaurant. I say, Great. You want to go back to your own hometown? Thats why we are in Los Angeles, Vegas, Singapore, Westport (Conn.), Port Chester ( N.Y.), Boston. We dont look at a map and say, this place looks like it is fertile ground for investment, because we are not about that kind of a growth.

Q: How do you come up with a menu at each one of those cities?

A: We create a menu that makes sense to us. We use local products in a way that maybe the locals dont. We dont adhere to importing everything from Italy because Italians in Puglia dont use the same ingredients as Italians in Veneto. As a matter of fact, they dont like the ingredients from the other region. We support the local city as we want the flavor to be that specific.

Q: Where do you go out to eat?

A: In New York City, basically you draw a circle for half a mile around your house, and you go to those. So my favorite is a place called Pearl Oyster Bar, a Maine-style lobster bar. I also like Tertulia, a tapas place, and Num Phang, a Cambodian-Thai-inspired sandwich shop. I go to David Chang restaurants because everything he does is perfect. I dont really make reservations too far in advance.

Q: Do you ever wait in line at restaurants?

A: I dont really like waiting in line. Theres a place in New York City called Tim Ho Wan, a dim sum place from Hong Kong. People wait like 2 hours. I say get something else to do. I would go to the next best place with no lines.

Q: What is a signature Mario Batali dish?

A: Anything from antipasto to something as elaborate as beef cheek ravioli with squab liver and black truffles to something as simple as linguine with clams, hot chilies and a little bit of garlic. Im pretty seasonal. This week, I will probably have asparagus with duck egg. I will just blast the asparagus and let it stay at room temperature. Then on a sunny side-up egg, I will add a little salt and some Parmigiano-Reggiano. That, for me, is a perfect dinner along with a glass of prosecco or Champagne.

Q: I have to ask you about something else that is signature Mario Batali  your wardrobe. You started the orange movement.

A: Orange is a very happy color. But the real basis was when my children were 2 and 3, and I had them for the very first time alone, away from my wife. We went down to the Houston ballfield (William F. Passannante Ballfield), which in any other city would be called a parking lot because its concrete surrounded by a chain-link fence. There were about 500 kids playing in this one block, and they were all wearing black or gray, because thats cool. My kids were wearing black or gray because they thought they were cool. I was sitting with my friends when one of them asked me where my kids were. I look over a sea of children and dont see them. My heart stops. I casually walk around like nothings wrong. But after 15 minutes I start to realize that there is something wrong. This is it, I have lost my kids. Im totally screwed. Somebody stole them.

Ten minutes later, we found them. And the next day, I bought them orange and red jackets. I always wore orange shoes but suddenly it became a signature color. If you ask my children, Why are you always wearing orange? Theyll say, Its the national color of Batalis.

Q: But do you feel comfortable being in those Crocs all day long?

A: Dont I look comfortable? (a wide smile) My design is not for fashion blogs. My design is pure comfort. It doesnt really bother me that Im not that popular on Vogue Teen.

Q: What do you tell people who complain about the loud music in your restaurants?

A: I tell them that there are quiet times and loud times in every restaurant. If you love the food, come at 5:30 or 6 oclock. We have quiet restaurants  we have Del Posto and (He thinks, pauses and then repeats.) Del Posto, thats our quiet restaurant. (Laughs) But we dont blast it like I used to. Its loud and vibrant because when you walk into one of my restaurants you know you are not anywhere else; you are in New York City and the vibe and energy is palpable and impressive.

We have evaluated every single detail from how the door is painted to the way the floor feels when you walk in to the lighting to the fabric on the chairs to the kind of plates we have to the olive oil to the salt to the kind of coffee we have to the kind of milk we use to the way we say hello to the way we say goodnight. So you think we are not thinking about the music, too? Its a curated experience, and it is what we want. Every critic writes about it but there are a lot of people out there who are not critics.

Q: Speaking of critics, Pete Wells of The New York Times came down hard on Babbo.

A: Yes, he did. When I was a kid I would have said (expletive) you. But at this point in my life, I ask, What can I learn from this?

Maybe the guinea hen skin wasnt crisp. His issue about having to wait longer is valid. But that said, we are not a restaurant that has a giant waiting room that is empty so that everyone can feel comfortable. We are trying to make it in a crowded field.

Q: What about the overbooking?

A: We have to overbook because a lot of restaurateurs are faced with people who just call but never show up. We cant afford to have empty seats. Rents are going up, food is costing more and theres an ominous feeling in the country right now about the new administration. For us, its about survival and being sustainable. We have to take little risks at certain points to make sure the restaurant will survive. It would be easy just not to do well, but we are fighters.

I will take Pete Wells criticism. Its sad that after 18 years of being a three-star restaurant we are a two-star restaurant. But in our hearts we know we are delivering the exact same thing.

The print medium is struggling with where it has got to be and in the face of quicker and more valiant criticisms on web platforms there will be a settling. And the old guard of the super print heroes is a little less important.

Q: But do you really want the Yelpers and phantom critics to be the voice of reason?

A: On TripAdvisor, we do really, really well. I dont know whether I can really measure Yelp. Anonymous criticisms dont bother me at all. I dont care because I dont read them. If you are not going to put your name on it  and I mean your name  not Whiz Kid or Mr. Spaghetti, you are hiding behind something. As far as I am concerned, you might be my competitor just trying to take me out. If you are going to put your name, I want to read it.

Q: Are you worried how reviews will affect your business?

A: I would just say Guy Fieris restaurant that got one of the most hilarious and nasty reviews of all time (in The New York Times by Pete Wells) made $17 million last year in New York City. So as great and as fun as it was to read, and I love Guy, it didnt affect his business. Because The New York Times is The New York Times; it is not the national record.

But that said, I like Pete Wells and I think he does a good job. So what we can learn from him can be a very valuable experience.

Q: If someone has a bad experience at one of your restaurants, what do you say to the person?

A: Talk to the manager. Say what the problem is, and we will fix it. Our intention is not to create a bad experience but a good one. We are hospitality professionals. This is all we think about, except for rock n roll. So if you give us a chance to fix it there, you might walk away with a good experience instead of feeling angry or bitter. Dont just storm out in a huff because your martini didnt have a certain number of olives in it. Tell us, well add the olives.

Human error happens because we are human. Im not proud of human error but Im also not going to fire my staff because of it, unless they make it a hundred times.
Who needs a recipe for a quesadilla? Grab a flour tortilla, pile on shredded cheese and heat it up in a pan until the cheese melts. There, I summed up about 75 percent of the quesadilla recipes around, and you only had to read one sentence. Of course, you could add some chicken, which would account for another 10 percent of the recipes, but thats stretching the limit of most peoples quesadilla comprehension.

Theres absolutely nothing wrong with this kind of quesadilla. Gooey, melted cheese on a tortilla is almost always a fine and good thing, but its not the only quesadilla available. In fact, its helpful to think of quesadillas in two broad categories: those made with pre-made tortillas and those made with fresh masa.

The latter, especially, are less vehicles strictly for cheese consumption and more like empanadas or turnovers. In Authentic Mexican, Rick Bayless describes them as deliciously stuffed pockets of Mexican flavor, bearers of well-spiced vegetables, meats and cheese, transporters of chile-spiked hot sauce or smooth guacamole, which sums it up nicely. Notice how cheese isnt the sole ingredient?

In fact, numerous recipes exist for quesadillas made with fresh masa in which cheese plays a limited or, in some rare cases, completely nonexistent role. In My Mexico, Diana Kennedy offers a number of quesadilla recipes in which the only cheese is some crumbled queso fresco sprinkled on top. Dudley Nieto and Bruce Kraigs Cuisines of Hidden Mexico includes a recipe for quesadillas de huitlacoche (the prized black corn fungus) with no cheese whatsoever.

How can a quesadilla exist without cheese? Honestly, youd be forgiven for thinking of these as a kind of empanada. Though, theres a chance were thinking about this too much. In their rambunctiously entertaining Tacopedia, Juan Carlos Mena and Deborah Holtz delve into the paradox of cheeseless quesadillas, noting that while it doesnt exactly make a lot of sense, thats their name, so what can we do? Good point.

Regardless of whether they have cheese or not, these kinds of quesadillas are mostly made with fresh masa, the same corn dough thats used to make corn tortillas. Occasionally other ingredients, like lard, wheat flour and baking soda are added to the masa, though not always. The masa dough is flattened into a circle using a tortilla press, a small amount of the filling is added across the middle and then the masa is folded up to form a half-moon shape. This is griddled or gently fried until it develops a golden-browned crust, ever so slightly crackly without being crisp.

There are a bewildering collection of variations for these kinds of quesadilla. Though rajas (charred strips of poblano) and huitlacoche (a black corn fungus) are very common, essentially any filling you could have in a taco can make the transition to quesadilla. The only rule is moderation. Add too much cheese or filling, and the dough will crack, unleashing the innards all over the skillet. Certain additions also change the name. The sincronizada often features ham in the mix, while gringas demand al pastor meat. These would both still be considered quesadilla variations.

Its tempting to crown quesadillas made with fresh masa as the pinnacle of the quesadilla-making arts. If you havent experienced them, Id suggest you give them a try. But its important to know that theres no shame in using pre-made tortillas for quesadillas, as long as you treat them with the slightest bit of care.

Unlike quesadillas made with fresh masa, folded-over quesadillas basically require cheese. Forget, forever if you can, the pre-shredded Mexican cheese found in the supermarket. What you want is something tangy that melts easily. This can be as simple as a decent quality Monterrey Jack, or, if youre near a well-stocked Mexican grocery store, Chihuahua or Oaxacan cheese is deal.

While store-bought corn tortillas make fine quesadillas, especially if you add some fat to the skillet when crisping them, I do actually prefer the flakiness of flour tortillas here. When cooked in a little fat, the flour tortillas develop a gorgeous speckled browned appearance and hold the fillings without cracking.

The extra strength of flour tortillas also allows us to be slightly more liberal with the amount of filling. That means that you can add multiple components, just so long as youre smart about it. Lets tackle the most common meat-filled one out there: the chicken quesadilla.

The problem with most chicken quesadillas is that the meat and the cheese never join forces. Instead, the meat usually falls off after a few bites. The key to fixing this is use shredded chicken meat, instead of hulking grilled slices. Leftover roast chicken is great here.

I also like to add something acidic to help cut through the heaviness. That can be as simple as adding some canned pickled jalapeno slices, but if you have an hour, you can easily make quick-pickled jalapenos and red onions, which add an appealing freshness to each bite.

The only crime here is unmelted cheese. Cook over too high of heat and the outside of the tortilla burns before the cheese has time to melt, so make sure to cook over a steady medium, flipping the quesadilla occasionally to prevent the tortilla from burning.

Dont be afraid to get creative. Quesadillas thrive on innovation. Ever tried kimchi quesadillas, which were popularized by Los Angeles chef Roy Choi and his Kogi Truck? Sounds crazy, but the spicy pickled heat of the fermented cabbage works extremely well against a pile of gooey cheese. Honestly, my family often has quesadilla night when we need to use up leftovers. Nothing like thrift to lead you down unexpectedly delicious directions.
WESTFIELD, Iowa | Chuck Utesch, of Akron, Iowa, began his 40th crop year in a field east of the Big Sioux River six miles south of Westfield on Monday morning.

The start? Ominous. Utesch shook his head, noting he blew a hydraulic hose on his corn planter 30 minutes into the opening session.

"I had to run to town to get parts," he said.

Across Siouxland, farmers like Utesch hit their fields in an attempt to get the 2017 season underway. For Utesch and Jon Harris, who farms north of Akron, Iowa, Monday's arid conditions offered a shrinking window within which they could sink corn seeds into the soil.

Tuesday broke wet and blustery, a chilly cycle that may not abate through the weekend, or next week.

"I actually began last Saturday (April 17)," Harris said. "I got back in on Saturday and will go until tomorrow."

Harris said he hoped this week's cold front would be shorter than one he endured a year ago.

"Generally, we start planting in the third week or the last week of April," said Harris, who has been farming since 1983. "We're a few days later than last year. But last year, we planted for three days and then sat for two weeks (because of rainy, cool conditions)."

Joel De Jong, a Northwest Iowa field agronomist serving Iowa State University Extension, noted that Harris and Utesch illustrate calculated risks farmers make in late April. While De Jong encouraged producers to wait out this week's weather, he understood the logic Harris and Utesch -- and others -- used in getting their planters humming.

The tracts Harris and Utesch planted on Monday stand near the river-bottom, acres that might be too wet to reach over the next couple of weeks.

Both Harris and Utesch realize their plants could suffer a case of imbibitional chilling, a condition where cold water reaches the seed first, adversely affecting yields come October.

"We've seen that when a corn plant gets its first drink of water below 50 degrees, it can sometimes interfere with normal growth," De Jong said. "It doesn't happen all the time. And, some hybrids handle it better than others."

Harris was betting his soil temperature, which came to 60 degrees over the weekend, would be enough of an insulation to guard against any cold-water syndrome. He shrugged and said he knew there might be some who would second-guess his planting start.

"Yes, that first drink is supposed to be a bit warmer," Harris said.

"But with some of those fields, like those along the river, if you get an opportunity to plant, you take advantage of that opportunity," De Jong said.

Statistics gathered by officials with ISU Extension show that yield losses in Northwest Iowa start to show if corn isn't in the ground by May 15. That still leaves 19 days from now.

De Jong said one research farm analysis from 2016 showed that corn planted on May 15 enjoyed the top yield.

The USDA on Monday reported that just 8 percent of Iowa's corn crop had been planted as of Sunday, down significantly from the 36 percent planted across Iowa by that date in 2016. The five-year average for April 23 comes to 14 percent.

De Jong wasn't predicting a brighter picture in the week ahead, not with chances of rain accompanying chilly conditions through the weekend, if not longer. "Soil temperatures are going to drop below 50 degrees," he said. "The last forecast I saw said we had a chance of light snow on Sunday morning."

While temperatures are struggling to warm, subsoil moisture rates adequate across the bulk of Northwest Iowa, with a surplus showing in 12 percent of the region. Those moisture levels, while welcome, have slowed planting progress around Spencer, Iowa, home base by ISU Extension Fields Specialist Paul Kassel.

"As you go east toward Algona (Iowa), you might see 10 to 15 percent of corn planted," Kassel said. "Right around Spencer it's 2 to 3 percent as it's wetter here."

Utesch filled his planter on Monday as the winds dropped and clouds formed, releasing a handful of sprinkles over the Big Sioux River. Utesch, 58, nodded toward the south, showing where his father, Jim Utesch, 84, kept busy working ground on the river bottom in advance of his son's planter. The soil turned with ease, awaiting the planter whose balky hydraulic hose was but a memory.
Nash was a passenger in a car involved in a Feb. 14 chase that began in Washington County just north of Omaha and headed north. The chase ended on U.S. Highway 77 between Dakota City and South Sioux City after the car was disabled by spike strips that flattened three of the car's tires. The car was reported stolen in Arkansas.
According to the Nebraska Attorney General's Office, Malatare was babysitting the 1-year-old daughter of his live-in girlfriend in her Hartington apartment in February 2015 and placed the child in the hot bath, causing significant burns over much of her body. Malatare also had failed to inform the Cedar County Sheriff's Office that he was a sex offender from South Dakota.
SIOUX CITY | Saying the existing road is deteriorating, dozens of people Tuesday urged the Woodbury County Board of Supervisors to re-seal a county road just east of Sergeant Bluff.

The supervisors held a public information meeting on the prospect of improving 220th Street as it runs east of Old Lakeport Road.

County engineer Mark Nahra said there are three options for the currently seal-coated road. The cheapest would be to tear up the seal and turn the road to gravel. The road could also be re-coated for about $100,000 or the nearly one-mile section could be paved for about $800,000.

The three dozen residents in attendance agreed improvements needed to be made on the aging road, but felt paving would be too pricey due to a paving agreement adjacent properties would be subject to. That agreement says that the county would pay 40 percent of paving costs, while adjacent owners would be on the hook for the rest.

The board ended up telling Nahra to move forward with seal-coating the mile stretch again, to dodge the estimated $14,000 payment each of the 34 parcel owners would bear if the road would be paved under the agreement.

"We decided against (paving the road) in coordination with the input because it raised a lot of unanswered questions," Ung said after the meeting.

On top of the price, current residents brought up the fairness of them paying for the work if adjacent land is developed into more housing in the future. They also raised questions on whether the agreement would be based on parcel size or spread evenly and they drew concerns on losing right-of-ways in their yards if the road would be paved.

Nahra said to do the seal coat again would cost about $100,000. It typically stays effective anywhere from five to seven years. The last seal-coat was sprayed on the deteriorating road in 2007.

The supervisors did not take action on the matter Tuesday, since the agenda topic was designed to gauge input only. The county engineer will return with a more accurate cost estimate for re-coating the road at the May 9 supervisor's meeting.

"I think we picked the right option, and it was based on the majority support.. from the people that came to this meeting," Ung said.

The action Tuesday marked the second consecutive weekly board meeting where the supervisors sought input on a highway project. On April 18, after hearing from concerned people from Moville, Iowa, that they wanted a damaged bridge repaired rather than permanently closed, the supervisors voted to spend perhaps $700,000 to replace the bridge.
SPENCER, Iowa | A woman has been charged with a handful of crimes following a police chase in Spencer Tuesday.

Chief Mark Warburton said Kathleen Halbur, 28, faces misdemeanor counts of carrying a dangerous weapon (a stun gun), possession of drug paraphernalia, eluding and reckless driving.

At 5 p.m. Tuesday, police attempted to make a traffic stop in the 200 block of West Third Street. The vehicle refused to stop and tried to evade police before stopping a few blocks later.

A media release said the female driver got out of the car and ran on foot. Police found the driver a short time later in the 300 block East Park Street, and identified her as Halbur. She was subsequently charged with having a stun gun and drug paraphernailia on top of other driving charges.

Halbur, of Hartley, Iowa, was booked into the Clay County Jail and is being held on $2,000 bond.
For the French establishment, Sunday's presidential election came close to a near-death experience. As the Duke of Wellington said of Waterloo, it was a "damn near-run thing."

Neither candidate of the two major parties that have ruled France since Charles De Gaulle even made it into the runoff, an astonishing repudiation of France's national elite.

Marine Le Pen of the National Front ran second with 21.5 percent of the vote. Emmanuel Macron of the new party En Marche! won 23.8 percent.

Macron is a heavy favorite on May 7. The Republicans' Francois Fillon, who got 20 percent, and the Socialists' Benoit Hamon, who got less than 7 percent, both have urged their supporters to save France by backing Macron.

Ominously for U.S. ties, 61 percent of French voters chose Le Pen, Fillon or radical Socialist Jean-Luc Melenchon. All favor looser ties to America and repairing relations with Vladimir Putin's Russia.

Le Pen has a mountain to climb to win, but she is clearly the favorite of the president of Russia, and perhaps of the president of the United States. Last week, Donald Trump volunteered:

"She's the strongest on borders, and she's the strongest on what's been going on in France. ... Whoever is the toughest on radical Islamic terrorism, and whoever is the toughest at the borders, will do well in the election."

As an indicator of historic trends in France, Le Pen seems likely to win twice the 18 percent her father, Jean-Marie Le Pen, won in 2002, when he lost in the runoff to Jacques Chirac.

The campaign between now and May 7, however, could make the Trump-Clinton race look like an altarpiece of democratic decorum.

Not only are the differences between the candidates stark, Le Pen has every incentive to attack to solidify her base and lay down a predicate for the future failure of a Macron government.

And Macron is vulnerable. He won because he is fresh, young, 39, and appealed to French youth as the anti-Le Pen. A personification of Robert Redford in "The Candidate."

But he has no established party behind him to take over the government, and he is an ex-Rothschild banker in a populist environment where bankers are as welcome as hedge-fund managers at a Bernie Sanders rally.

He is a pro-EU, open-borders transnationalist who welcomes new immigrants and suggests that acts of Islamist terrorism may be the price France must pay for a multiethnic and multicultural society.

Macron was for a year economic minister to President Francois Hollande who has presided over a 10 percent unemployment rate and a growth rate that is among the most anemic in the entire European Union.

He is offering corporate tax cuts and a reduction in the size of a government that consumes 56 percent of GDP, and presents himself as the "president of patriots to face the threat of nationalists."

His campaign is as much "us vs. them" as Le Pen's.

And elite enthusiasm for Macron seems less rooted in any anticipation of future greatness than in the desperate hope he can save the French establishment from the dreaded prospect of Marine.

But if Macron is the present, who owns the future?

Across Europe, as in France, center-left and center-right parties that have been on the scene since World War II appear to be emptying out like dying churches. The enthusiasm and energy seem to be in the new parties of left and right, of secessionism and nationalism.

The problem for those who believe the populist movements of Europe have passed their apogee, with losses in Holland, Austria and, soon, France, that the fever has broken, is that the causes of the discontent that spawned these parties are growing stronger.

What are those causes?

A growing desire by peoples everywhere to reclaim their national sovereignty and identity, and remain who they are. And the threats to ethnic and national identity are not receding, but growing.

The tide of refugees from the Middle East and Africa has not abated. Weekly, we read of hundreds drowning in sunken boats that tried to reach Europe. Thousands make it. But the assimilation of Third World peoples in Europe is not proceeding. It seems to have halted.

Second-generation Muslims who have lived all their lives in Europe are turning up among the suicide bombers and terrorists.

Fifteen years ago, al-Qaida seemed confined to Afghanistan. Now it is all over the Middle East, as is ISIS, and calls for Islamists in Europe to murder Europeans inundate social media.

As the numbers of native-born Europeans begin to fall, with their anemic fertility rates, will the aging Europeans become more magnanimous toward destitute newcomers who do not speak the national language or assimilate into the national culture, but consume its benefits?

If a referendum were held across Europe today, asking whether the mass migrations from the former colonies of Africa and the Middle East have on balance made Europe a happier and better place to live in in recent decades, what would that secret ballot reveal?

Does Macron really represent the future of France, or is he perhaps one of the last men of yesterday?
As is almost always the case, signs of trouble preceded the latest shooting in Paris, which left one police officer dead and wounded two bystanders before police killed the gunman, later identified as French national Karim Cheurfi, a known criminal with a long, violent record. ISIS claimed to be behind the attack. According to police, a note praising ISIS fell out of Cheurfi's pocket when he fell.

Cheurfi was of Algerian descent, born in a Paris suburb. The Washington Post reported he had a criminal record and was known to authorities. His rap sheet included four arrests and convictions since 2003. He had spent nearly 14 years in prison for crimes that included burglary, theft and attempted murder.

When Cheurfi attempted to buy weapons French authorities took notice, especially when he made statements about wishing to kill police officers. After he traveled to Algeria earlier this year, Paris prosecutor Francois Molins said Cheurfi was interviewed, but a judge refused to revoke his probation. It makes one question not only France's probation laws, but the types of background checks in place that ought to have prevented Cheurfi from legally acquiring any firearm (if he bought it legally), much less the Kalashnikov rifle he allegedly used.

French and other European politicians immediately expressed concern over what effect the shooting and the terrorist attacks that preceded it might have on France's choice of a new president. Rightist candidates immediately tried to exploit the issue, but it has been a subject on the minds of French voters, particularly in Paris, where a major enclave of immigrants from Muslim countries continue to be seen by many as a threat to the French way of life.

Cheurfi should have been back in jail for parole violations. Given his record, his statements and the trip to Algeria, enough red flags were raised to warrant action.

A side note. While Algeria has not been a main source of terrorism in the world, the human rights agency Algeria Watch has noted: "Although Algerian nationals were not among the suicide bombers of 11 September 2001, they have featured prominently in subsequent investigations into al-Qaida activities in North America and Europe. In the UK, where an Algerian community has grown as a largely unknown minority in recent years, several dozen Algerians have been arrested since mid-2001 in localities as widely spread as Leicester, Glasgow, Edinburgh, London and Manchester. Arrests in London in January 2003 uncovered a cell producing ricin, while in Manchester, one of the Algerian detainees, 27-year-old Kamel Bourgass, was responsible for killing a police officer -- the first victim in the UK's post-11 September anti-terrorist campaign."

In the United States and other countries in the West, most often someone has to actually break the law before they can be arrested. Given the tactics of terrorists, it might be worth discussing whether to invoke a doctrine of pre-emption, which is sometimes employed when an enemy nation appears to be an imminent threat. If that is an option to prevent death and destruction from countries, why can't we impose something similar for people who have violent criminal records and who openly state, as Cheurfi did, that he intends to kill police?

Western reluctance to adapt such a practice shows there is one force more powerful than the uniformed police. It is the "PC police." These are people who care more about how they feel than for the innocent people gunned down in our streets.

Don't innocents have the right to be protected from fanatics who so often claim to be doing God's work? With ongoing investigations by the Department of Homeland Security into radical terrorists in every state, it's long past time to get them before they get any more of us.
DES MOINES | Gov. Terry Branstad, already the longest-serving governor in U.S. history, thanked hundreds of supporters who cheered him during a farewell event Tuesday before he embarks on what he acknowledged will be the "biggest challenge I've ever taken on" as U.S. ambassador to China.

"This has been a wonderful experience," Branstad told about 400 long-time GOP friends and associates who gathered to thank him and wish him well in his new international role. "It's been a dream for me to serve as governor of Iowa."

Branstad, a history buff who is in his 23rd year as Iowa's chief executive, noted that every day he shows up for work breaks the record as the American governor who has spent the longest time in office. "I kind of love that," he said with a smile.

Iowa GOP Chairman Jeff Kaufmann, who emceed the proceedings, called Branstad "a living legend" and a "once-in-a-lifetime leader."

During the two-hour event, Branstad paid tribute to his wife, Chris, who drew a standing ovation, and he told the Iowans assembled he is sure Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds is ready to assume the office he soon will vacate after serving as the state's No. 2 executive since 2011.

"Every assignment I've ever given her she's exceeded expectations," Branstad said of his lieutenant, who is a former state senator and county treasurer.

"I have no doubt she'll be a great governor and she will accomplish a lot," added Branstad, who is headed to Washington to meet this week with member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee before a hearing slated next Tuesday on his confirmation as President Donald Trump's pick to be America's next ambassador to China.

Branstad, who previously participated in similar farewell events in Davenport and Sioux City, reminisced about his time growing up on a northern Iowa farm, talked about the people who influenced him during his life and relived the farm crisis years of the 1980s as his most difficult time as governor.

"I'm proud of the fact that we faced a very tough farm crisis but we came out of it stronger and more diversified and we're better for it today," he said.

Kaufmann said Branstad never forgot where he came from during his time in office and praised him for his honesty, integrity and love for Iowa.
Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad's hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to be ambassador to China will be held next Tuesday.

The committee announced Tuesday afternoon that the hearing will be at 9 a.m. Central Time on May 2. It will be webcast on the committee's website.

The announcement comes nearly five months after President Donald Trump announced that he had selected Branstad for the job. The governor's office said last week that Branstad would travel to Washington, D.C., on Wednesday and Thursday of this week for meetings related to to his confirmation.

Over the past several weeks the timing of the hearing, as well as a confirmation vote, has been a matter of speculation, as the governor has made plans to transition to a new job and the state has prepared for Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds to take his place.
New Media Investment Group Inc. invests in, owns, and operates local media assets in the United States. The company's principal products include 146 daily newspapers with total paid circulation of approximately 1.5 million; 323 weekly newspapers with total paid circulation of approximately 268,000 and total free circulation of approximately 1.4 million; 132 shoppers with total circulation of approximately 3.1 million; and 581 locally-focused Websites, including Internet and mobile devices with approximately 364 million page views per month. Its principal products also comprise 77 business publications; and UpCurve Cloud and ThriveHive, which provides digital marketing and business services. In addition, the company produces niche publications that address specific local market interests, such as recreation, sports, healthcare, and real estate. Further, it offers print and online products that offer local market news and information on various topics comprising local news and politics, community and regional events, youth sports, opinion and editorial pages, local schools, obituaries, weddings, and police reports, as well as commercial printing services for publishers; and prints commercial materials, including flyers, business cards, and invitations. Additionally, the company produces approximately 350 annual events with a collective attendance approximately 400,000, such as themed expo, signature event, endurance event, and white label event services; and provides digital and print advertising services. It reaches approximately 22 million people per week; and serves approximately 199,000 business customers. New Media Investment Group Inc. was founded in 1997 and is based in New York, New York.
ALLETE, Inc. operates as an energy company. The company operates through Regulated Operations, ALLETE Clean Energy, and Corporate and Other segments. It generates electricity from coal-fired, biomass co-fired / natural gas, hydroelectric, wind, and solar. The company provides regulated utility electric services in northwestern Wisconsin to approximately 15,000 electric customers, 13,000 natural gas customers, and 10,000 water customers, as well as regulated utility electric services in northeastern Minnesota to approximately 145,000 retail customers and 15 non-affiliated municipal customers. It also owns and maintains electric transmission assets in Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota, and Illinois. In addition, the company focuses on developing, acquiring, and operating clean and renewable energy projects; and owns and operates approximately 1,000 megawatts of wind energy generation facility. Further, it is involved in the coal mining operations in North Dakota; and real estate investment activities in Florida. The company owns and operates 158 substations with a total capacity of 10,066 megavolt amperes. It serves taconite mining, paper, pulp and secondary wood products, pipeline, and other industries. The company was formerly known as Minnesota Power, Inc. and changed its name to ALLETE, Inc. in May 2001. ALLETE, Inc. was incorporated in 1906 and is headquartered in Duluth, Minnesota.
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.
Thank you so much for your article on Ft. Lauderdale Mayor Friend or Foe? The LGBTQ community relies on articles like this to bring to the forefront who our true supporters are. I also read in a blog that Seiler was the only S. Florida mayor to not support "Mayors for Freedom To Marry" before it became legal. Is there a pattern here?

In S. Florida the LGBTQ community has a significant voice. Mr. Seiler cannot get elected without us. He hides behind the same lame "canned" email excuse he sent to many who emailed to voice their dissatisfaction: "Thanks for your input. However, I have not invited anyone to be the speaker. There is a host committee that organizes and manages this event, and they have done this for decades. As Mayor, I am an honorary host and speaker. My message is and will be one of kindness, compassion, inclusion, tolerance and respect." Poor poor Mayor, just doing his job, a victim!

What crap! Just by being there he gives credence and support to this anti LGBT bigot. Would he also attend a white Supremacist, KKK, David Duke, Nazi, luncheon? Oh, well, sure, but perhaps only to give his message of "kindness, compassion, inclusion, tolerance, and respect." Is there not one other preacher in all of Florida who openly displays a message of acceptance and love?

Why Jim Daly?

His appearance there is an affront to his constituents who make up one of the largest LBGTQ communities in America. When they're running for office they love us. It's the time in between that we see who they really are. Personally, I see who he really is and I'm done with Mr. Seiler!

Anyone else attending who we should know about?
Check out the latest news from around the nation!

Prospects Dimming for LGBT Rights in Missouri This Session

(AP) It's legal now in Missouri to fire someone or evict them from an apartment if they are gay, and efforts by some state lawmakers to outlaw such discrimination are dwindling as the session nears a close.

The Kansas City Star reported that the Missouri House Judiciary Committee debated adding sexual orientation and gender identity as protected statuses under the Missouri Human Rights Act.

Two gay Kansas City Democrats, state Reps. Randy Dunn and Greg Razer, sponsored the legislation, called the Missouri Nondiscrimination Act.

"Until we pass this legislation, I can still be fired from my job because I'm gay," Razer said. "The two of us can go to a restaurant tonight here in Jefferson City and be forced to leave because we're gay, and we would have no legal recourse. We feel that in 2017 in the state of Missouri, that would be unacceptable."

The only openly gay Republican in the Missouri General Assembly, Rep. Tom Hannegan from St. Charles, also testified in favor of the bill.

"We cannot continue as legislators that favor certain groups," Hannegan said. "Everybody needs to be treated fairly. Discrimination is discrimination is discrimination."

Opponents contend that adding sexual orientation and gender protections would infringe on the rights of certain religious groups.

Texas Gov. Abbott Vows to Sign Anti-LGBT Bathroom Bill

(AP) Texas - For months, Gov. Greg Abbott stayed silent and Texas' bathroom bill languished in the Legislature amid mounting criticism from LGBT activists and business groups.

Now Abbott's all-in, becoming the nation's first governor to fully embrace the issue. That makes the prospects for Texas blocking its own cities and school districts from instituting transgender-friendly policies on public restrooms suddenly bright - even with barely five weeks left before the legislative session ends May 29.

Abbott promised to cooperate with state lawmakers to "get a bill to my desk that I will sign into law."

The Senate weeks ago rushed to approve a bill mandating that transgender Texans use public bathrooms corresponding to their birth-certificate gender. But that seemed a tough sell in the House, where Speaker Joe Straus criticized it as bad for business and the governor's previous failure to weigh in offered no cover for would-be supporters.

Abbott's blessing only came after the House said it was setting aside the Senate bill and instead of advancing one prohibiting policies seeking to protect transgender rights in public bathrooms without specifically addressing birth-certificate gender.

Hundreds of people, including chambers of commerce representatives, decried the House bill as discriminatory during a recent, all-night hearing. But it should nonetheless be approved by the committee this week, clearing it for a House floor vote.
Wed, 26.10.22 - 12:09

Another blast of heat at the end of the month is likely to break the record in Spain With only a few days left in...
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Blocks from Ernest Hemingways fifth floor hideaway, where he began to write For Whom the Bell Tolls, El Cafes owners consider a question a little less novel: How are we going to find milk today?

Its not just the caffeine keeping Marinella Abbondati and Nelson Rodriguez Tamayo on their toes. Less than a year since opening their cafe in Havanas historic center, they still relish the challenges of Cuba. The state handles imports and allocations, from milk, to coffee, to equipmenta.k.a., everythingmeaning that businesses cant be selective, but must certainly be savvy. If business is tough, El Cafe doesnt let on; its calm, sunlit interiors are crisp and pared down with whitewashed walls, tiled floors, and simple touches of grain.

A city native, Nelson Abbondati met Marinella in 2006 while she studied abroad in Havana. They stayed for three years before marrying and moving to London for six, where Nelson Abbondati managed the kitchen at a roastery cafe, Allpress London flagship.

After moving back to Havana in 2014, Nelson Abbondati decided to open his own cafe, drawing from the minimalist European cafes that had lulled the indifferent coffee drinker into a lover (he may be Cuban, but he wasnt always a fan). He walked Old Havanas streets, knocked on doors, and hoped to find a homeowner that might welcome it, too. Most doors shutin his facebut one finally opened, and so did his cafe.

Like a child born late in their parents lives, El Cafe demonstrates an overt appreciation for the classics with one foot firmly in the present. Swirling, central columns stand tall after being stripped of garish paint to reveal organic cement forms, while Spanish tiles warm the space with ashy blue and pink brushstrokes. Stained glass lightens dark window and door frames, while an array of minimalist chairsblonde, mahogany, glossy whitegive the space a hint of far-flung style.

Most furnishings are from the Abbondatis home, while a sampling of art is on loan from Ole Martin Lund B, a Havana-based Norwegian artist.

El Cafes beans are a varied bunch. They pull from two of Cubas larger producers, Serrano and Cubita, which they blend themselves to keep consistency (a producers stock can disappear overnight for weeks). Often, they source from a roastery in Old Havana, El Escorial, but they do so mindfully. The story goes that there is just one (older) employee who really knows how to roast coffee, but that he sometimes falls asleep on the job and burns the beans! says Marinella.

Luckily, Cubans like their coffee black.

Until they can roast their own beans, they focus on what they can control: extraction. They use a standard Pavoni Bar 2V espresso machine, the best they could get their hands on in Cuba. One day, they hope to import a La Marzocco machine.

Between bittersweet cafe cubanos, they serve a seasonal menu thats based purely on whats stocked at the market. A pulled pork sandwich is a signature, while a few vegan and vegetarian options are staples for backpacker types. Ask Marinella Abbondati, and shell say its Nelson Abbondatis homemade sourdough that sets them apart.

In a sense, El Cafe hopes to provide something timeless to an island that has long been stuck in timea mighty good loaf, and the simple, honest pleasure of coffee.



Keith Flanagan is a freelance journalist. This is his first feature for Sprudge.

Photos by Jorge Guiro.
Possenti Society Says Mass Murder of Christians Demands Gun Defense

Contact: John Snyder, St. Gabriel Possenti Society , 202-239-8005, gundean@gmail.com VIERA, Fla., April 26, 2017 / Standard Newswire / -- "Christians must promote the right and ability of their persecuted brethren to obtain and use self-defense firearms," John M. Snyder, founder/chairman of the St. Gabriel Possenti Society, said here today.St. Gabriel Possenti used handguns in 1860 to rescue villagers of Isola del Gran Sasso, Italy from a violent band of renegades. The St. Gabriel Possenti Society, Inc. thinks persecuted Christians today could pray to him for assistance and follow his example. It seeks Vatican designation of St. Gabriel Possenti as Patron of Handgunners.Snyder said, "In an address Thursday, April 20, 2007 at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., Cardinal Archbishop Donald Wuerl noted persecutors throughout the world murder one Christian an hour for his or her faith. Christian leaders such as Cardinal Wuerl, Pope Francis and others should ensure that victims and potential victims of anti-Christian violence be afforded the personal firearms they need for legitimate self-defense."Instead, Cardinal Wuerl, Pope Francis and other hierarchs who should know better reiterate politically correct anti-gun propaganda. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops even wants to criminalize civilian handgun possession. This undermines the right and ability of innocents to defend themselves from violent anti-Christian predators such as throat-slashing, decapitating Islamist madmen. It is praiseworthy for prelates to honor Christian victims of persecution for maintaining their heroic, saintly belief in the Divinity of Christ in the face of torture and death. It is condemnable for prelates to oppose individual believers' use of self-defense handguns. In reality, they're upending their co-religionists right to self-defense, their right to defend themselves and others from murderous persecutors. Christ himself declared, 'The man without a sword must sell his cloak and buy one,' according to Luke 22:36."Snyder said, "If they really wanted to follow the spirit of charity, Pope Francis, Cardinal Wuerl and other institutional Christian officials would set up an international self-defense fund. Individuals and organizations could contribute to the fund, which in turn could purchase guns and ammunition for distribution to Christians under threat of persecution, even murder. The Holy Father even could initiate a self-defense collection in Catholic churches throughout the world. This would be similar to the annual Peter's Pence collection."Leaders of other Christian denominations could do the same."
The essential component of totalitarian propaganda is artifice (het toepassen van kunstgrepen. svh) . The ruling elites, like celebritie...
We are faced today with a question that has never before arisen in our history. From January 1788, when the First Fleet sailed into Botany Bay, to 2008, during the Global Financial Crisis, we've had first Britain and then the USA as both trading partner and strategic ally.

But now China is our largest two-way trading partner in goods and services ($150 billion), our largest export market ($86 billion) and our largest source of imports ($64 billion). And the integrated East Asian economic zone is the world's fastest growing.

So, how do we negotiate the tension between our major security partner and our major trading partner?

China sees as vital to its security the string of archipelagos from northern Borneo to the Kuril Islands north-east of Japan. It has piled sand onto reefs in the South China Sea, creating seven new artificial islands, and has installed missile batteries and radar facilities, giving it effective control over sea and air traffic in the region.

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LINK President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping at Mar-a-Lago earlier this month. Photo: AP

Earlier this year US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said he wanted to "send China a clear signal that, first, the island-building stops, and second, your access to those islands also is not going to be allowed."

Two weeks later, Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said in Los Angeles that "most nations wish to see more United States leadership, not less, and have no desire to see powers other than the US, calling the shots."

Increased tension between the US and China seems inevitable, and Australia may well get dragged in.

Last year the RAND Corporation published a report called "War with China: Thinking Through the Unthinkable". It makes sobering reading. Their research team concluded that "war between the two countries [the US and China] could be intense, last a year or more, have no winner, and inflict huge losses and costs on both sides."

China's defensive military capabilities will continue to increase, and it will be able to inflict heavy losses on its opponents.

As both sides' technologies and doctrine create a preference for striking first, the potential for miscalculation is high. Each side may believe that by striking first it can gain and retain the initiative, and by doing so it might be able to end a conflict quickly.

Yet this kind of thinking has uncomfortable parallels with Europe of a century ago, when the belligerents initiated their own military plans to attack before being attacked, and both sides believed that in doing so they would gain operational dominance and end the war swiftly. Back then, both sides had strong economic ties, which 'experts' said would prevent any conflict.

Furthermore, using the line and military strategy attributed to Sun Tzu, China may decide to "kill the chicken to scare the monkey"  sink an Australian vessel to warn off the United States Navy.

Are we truly ready for the consequences of a war? Unlike Afghanistan and Iraq, where there were relatively few casualties, this time we may see large numbers of body bags returning, or never returning at all, since they may have been sunk at sea.

Is Australia ready for a relentless parade of funerals? For calls from the extreme political fringe for Chinese Australians to be interned in camps? For India reinforcing its troops along its border with China? For Russia to be emboldened along its western border? For increased activity in the Middle East, as extremists there take advantage of US preoccupation in the South China Sea? We already know what the invasion of Iraq unleashed.

And back home the consequences would be catastrophic, both for our economy and society.

RAND said a US-China war could shrink China's GDP by up to 35 per cent and the USA's by up to 10 per cent. But given our much higher trade dependence on China and the region, a 30 per cent contraction would not be out of the question.

And demographically? Seeing Chinese Australians and Chinese students on our streets shows how integral they've become to our nation's fabric.

A war with China would rip Australia's economy and society apart.

The signals we send to either side about Australia's position are of the highest economic and strategic significance. What we do requires extensive consideration in the Australian Parliament. Contrary to public belief, the ANZUS Treaty doesn't commit the US to come to our assistance, or us to theirs  only to "act to meet the common danger in accordance with [our] constitutional processes".

Australia alone should decide which wars we go to, and the circumstances in which we go to them. That goes to the heart of our sovereignty.

Australia must not get involved in a South China Sea conflict until every member of the Australian Parliament has voted on it, and explained their reasons individually  not hide behind a party line.

What's more, that process should be enshrined in Australian legislation; no Australian military actions ought to occur without parliamentary authorisation, except in self-defence. More than ever, since 1788, it's a law whose time has come.

Nick Xenophon is a South Australian Senator. This is an edited version of a speech given at Australian Strategic Policy Institute on Thursday night.
















Four Bay teenagers will soon be telling the world about their trailblazing success using new technology in search and rescue.

Abbie Chaytor, Alex Groos, Jack Niles and Taylor Peacock from Tauranga-based Youth Search and Rescue, will fly to the Gold Coast next month to present a paper to several hundred delegates attending the annual Australia New Zealand Disaster Management Conference.

YSAR is a three-year youth training and leadership programme, which teaches teenagers to become search and rescue volunteers. The four students will discuss how they are implementing the latest ground-breaking technology in their training exercises.

YSAR has incorporated Eagle Technology Groups Systematic Sitaware command and control system into its programme, and general manager Steve Campbell says the innovative technology will eventually change the way search and rescue operations are conducted.

The system means we can live-track our students and instructors while they are on exercises in the field and communicate with them at any given time using smart devices. Being able to task and re-task complex instructions to teams in the field using smartphones and tablets has not been possible before and significantly improves the field intelligence capability for Search and Rescue and Civil Defence Emergency Management.

At the Australian conference the students will give a 30-minute presentation showing examples of how they are using the equipment. Conference participants will include representatives from SAR, Emergency Services, Defence, Government, Health and a number of voluntary organisations from Australia, New Zealand and Pacific Islands.

YSAR is seeking the communitys help to send the four students and two adults to the conference, at a cost of $10,000. They are already half way there, having received $2000 from the recent AMI Community Grants campaign and a generous grant of $3800 from First Sovereign Trust.

This conference is a brilliant opportunity for these young people to shine on a world stage and we would be grateful for any assistance to help get them there. Our entire programme helps set students up for future STEM careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics and the conference is another way we can foster that.

Since YSARs inception in 2009 more than 225 Western Bay of Plenty teenagers have been through the programme, which includes weekly classroom theory sessions, monthly weekend outdoor exercises and a five-day end-of-year search and rescue exercise.

If any businesses would be keen to help these volunteers, or if anyone would like to make a donation please visit www.ysar.org.nz and scroll down to the donate button. Or to contact them directly, email info@ysar.nz.
Spring chinook salmon fishing in the lower Columbia River will remain closed until mid-May or later, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife announced Tuesday, April 25.

Washington and Oregon officials are planning a joint state hearing the week of May 1 to address angling between Bonneville Dam and the Washington-Oregon border east of Umatilla, Ore., which is scheduled to close May 5.

Anglers caught a projected 6,355 adult spring chinook from 26,936 trips during the four-day fishing extension in the lower Columbia, which ended on Sunday.

The total catch for 2017 is 8,947 adult spring chinook and 6,482 adult spring chinook destined for waters upstream of Bonneville Dam. The early-season catch allocation for the lower Columbia River is 6,905 adult spring chinook destined for upstream of Bonneville Dam.

Theres not enough fish left for another extension, said Ron Roler, Columbia River policy coordinator for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.

A run of 160,400 adult spring chinook is forecast to enter the Columbia headed for upstream of Bonneville Dam. However, through Monday, the cumulative count is 1,732 adult chinook. The 10-year average through April 24 is 28,177 adult chinook.

High, cold and dirty streamflow in the Columbia River appears to have slowed passage of spring salmon at Bonneville Dam.

Based on test fishing in March and early April, and the recent sport catch, we think there are a lot of fish in the lower river, Roler said. We just dont know when theyre going to move given these water conditions. Theyll go when theyre ready.

Typically, the run peaks at Bonneville Dam about May 7. This year, its thought the peak likely will be later.

Washington and Oregon need a run forecast update from the Columbia River Technical Advisory Committee before decisions can be made on a lower Columbia angling reopening. That update is not anticipated until mid-May, or later.

Anglers between Bonneville Dam and the Washington-Oregon border have an early-season allocation of 850 adult spring chinook.

The fishery in the Columbia Gorge hasnt even gotten started yet, Roler said. They need an extension to allow some fish to get up to their fishing area.
A log truck rolled over and blocked traffic at the Oregon Way and Industrial Way intersection as noon approached Wednesday.

The truck had come down off the Lewis and Clark Bridge and was making a right turn onto eastbound Industrial Way when it rolled over. Witnesses on the scene said that the truck stopped at the stop light before making a right turn at about 10 to 15 mph, said Longview police Sgt. Mike Hallowell.

Witnesses said they watched as the trucks load shifted and the driver tried to compensate, to no avail. The truck then tipped and fell over, though the load did not unravel.

The driver of the truck, Jeremy Naumann, had been removed from the scene by noon. He was taken to St. John Medical Center, where he was treated and released.

Responding units were preparing to shut down both lanes eastbound on Industrial to prepare to clean up the accident around 12:30 p.m. Traffic was redirected down Baltimore Street.

It caused a significant disruption with the amount of traffic we get over there, commercial and private vehicle traffic was significantly impacted, said Hallowell. There was a lot more fanfare because of the location.

Longview police and fire, WSDOT and several Longview city departments assisted with redirecting traffic and clean up Wednesday afternoon.

Roads were clear and traffic was flowing again shortly after 2 p.m.
Aditya Madanapalle

On 15 September 2017, at about 5:30 PM IST, Cassini completed its 20 year mission during the course of which it achieved a number of scientific breakthroughs. The imaging instruments on board the spacecraft were shut off ahead of the dive, so there will not be any images of Cassini actually diving into Saturn. However, the other scientific payloads on the spacecraft continued to observe the Saturnian atmosphere till the very moment the spacecraft burnt up in the atmosphere. Normally there is about a six hour gap between Cassini collecting the data and transmitting it home, but for the final dive, the data was transmitted in almost real time.

The Cassini spacecraft is a collaboration between the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Italian Space Agency. The spacecraft was launched in 1997 on board a Titan IV, and took seven years to reach Saturn, its intended destination. During the journey, Cassini paid a visit to Venus, the Moon and Jupiter.

As the spacecraft would have spent most of its time in orbit around Saturn, it was too distant from the Sun to be powered by solar panels, and thus uses plutonium as a power source. Cassini has discovered 7 previously unknown moons of Saturn during the course of its mission, including the "waverider" moon, Daphnis, which causes ripples in the rings of Saturn that are kilometres long.

One of the most memorable images captured by Cassini is a spectacular view of the rings of Saturn in full colour. Additionally, many objects from the solar system are visible in the same frame, including the Earth. The rings of Saturn and many of its moons can also be seen. NASA scientists had informed the people of the Earth in advance that Cassini was going to take this photograph, and had asked everyone to look skyward and wave. The photograph is called "The Day the Earth Smiled."

Cassini had captured videos ofon Saturn and had foundon Saturns biggest moon, Titan. On 7 December 2016, Cassini used the gravity of Titan, to slingshot around the moon and begin a series of. NASA scientists expected a number of new observations and photographs from the ring grazing orbits, bringing Cassini closer than ever to the tiny moons near the ring system around the gas giant. Cassini did not fail to deliver, one of the first images from the ring grazing orbits was an image of thearound the north pole of Saturn.

Cassini went on to take an image of, and various images of. During the ring grazing orbits, NASA made one of the most dramatic announcements ever. Cassini had discovered plumes of water erupting from Enceladus. When Cassini was designed, scientists did not suspect that these geysers existed on Enceladus. NASA made Cassini pass over Enceladus, and used the instruments meant to study the outer atmosphere of Titan, to study the geysers erupting from Enceladus. The resulting observations determined that microbes had plenty of food to feed off on Enceladus, and it was an

A Google Doodle has. During these orbits, Cassini dove between Saturn and its innermost rings. There are 22 such orbits scheduled, the first of which took place on 26 April 2017. The size and density of the particles in the region between Saturn and the innermost rings were studied during the first dive, to prepare the spacecraft for subsequent orbits. Cassini used its dish shaped antenna as a shield during the first dive, in case there are particles that are larger than expected. NASA scientists did not expect any matter larger than smoke particles, but was being cautious.

As the antenna was used as a shield in the first dive, Cassini was not able to maintain contact with Earth during the initial maneuver. Cassini bid farewell to the "Deathstar" moon, as well aswith a hazy atmosphere. During the dive, Cassini will flew by four moons of Saturn, Janus, Atlas, Epimetheus and Daphnis. Cassini also observed the Earth and the Sun during the first deep dive orbit. There were distant flybys of Pan, Pandora, Prometheus, Epimetheus and Aegaeon. There were also several distant flybys of Titan, an object of interest of the Huygens probe. Titan is a planet sized laboratory with conditions believed to be similar to that of a primitive Earth. The slingshot maneuver around Titan on 22 April, just before initiating the final set of deep dive orbits, was the last close flyby of a moon of Saturn by Cassini. A more distant flyby of Titan was executed to put Cassini on track towards its final dive, a maneuver known as the " Goodbye Kiss ."

On 15 September, Cassini executed its final maneuver. There was not sufficient fuel on the spacecraft to extend the mission further, and that meant that NASA would no longer be able to control the spacecraft. NASA was being careful, and did not want to contaminate the moons of Saturn, in case they harbour life, with Enceladus and Titan being among of the most promising candidates. In a science abundant maneuver, Cassini flew past Janus, Pan, Pandora, Epimetheus and finally enter the outer atmosphere of the gas giant. Cassini transmitted information during the course of its final dive, till the very moment when the friction from the atmosphere burns up the dependable spacecraft and turns it into a shooting star. The final communications from Cassini, travelling nearly at the speed of light, are expected to arrive about an hour and a half after the end of the mission.

After a 20 year mission, Cassini ultimately became a part of the gas giant it studied for so long.
hidden

A Swedish court jailed three men on Tuesday for up to two and a half years for the rape of a woman that was broadcast live on Facebook. The rape, which shocked Sweden, took place earlier this year in the city of Uppsala, about 80 km (50 miles) north of Stockholm. Viewers of the live broadcast alerted police who swooped on an apartment in the city and detained the men.

Two of the men were convicted of rape and the third, who received a six-month sentence, of failing to report the crime and defamation for broadcasting it. The court did not give their ages but said they were born between 1992 and 1998. The men had denied the charges, saying the woman had given consent to having sex with them. However, the court said the woman had been heavily intoxicated by alcohol and drugs and was in a very vulnerable situation.

"It is not possible for a person in that situation to give consent. They should therefore be held accountable for rape," said Nils Palbrant, chairman of Uppsala district court chairman, said. The broadcast is the latest graphic video to bring into focus the complex ethical and policy issues faced by Facebook Live and others. Facebook Live allows anyone to broadcast a video directly from their smartphone. But while traditional TV broadcasters are subject to regulations, Internet streaming services do not face the same restrictions and enforce their own terms of service.

Reuters
tech2 News Staff

Both Facebook and Google announced new plans to tackle the problem of fake news on the same day. Facebook is testing out a new feature that displays a list of related articles before you click on a link to a news story, so that the user is presented with multiple viewpoints from different sources. Google has tweaked the search rankings, has improved the autocomplete feature, and has committed to being more transparent about Google products.

Facebook had initially introduced the related stories feature back in 2013. Related stories would appear in the news feed after people had read an article. Now, in an area below the link, Facebook will display the related articles even before users have clicked on the link. The related stories are more likely to appear below hot topics, or trending topics with a lot of discussion going on around them. This is an effort by Facebook to present users with additional perspectives on any story. For the pages, there will be almost no changes in how their content gets delivered, the related stories feature is just an add on.

Google is using humans to evaluate the quality of search results, and to identify areas where Google needs to improve. The inputs and feedback from the humans do not directly affect the search rankings to any single page. Google has indicated that it will be surfacing articles from authoritative sources higher up in the results, and burying the sources that are likely to contain offensive or falsified information. Google has committed to not censoring the search results. However, if you search for "Holocaust history", there are fewer chances now of users being presented with articles about Holocaust denial.

Google has introduced tools to allow users to directly give feedback on offensive, inappropriate or wrong autocomplete predictions, as well as information presented in the featured snippets. Autocomplete predictions are a list of options that appear in real time below the search bar, there is now an option to report inappropriate predictions to the bottom right of the autocomplete window. The search snippets are boxes of concise information that appear above search results. A feedback button is now available to the bottom right of the featured snippets.

Google has made sure that the users and website owners have a greater understanding of what goes on behind the scenes in Google. Towards this end, Google has updated the How Search Works site. The detailed information is for those looking to jump into the deep end of figuring out how Google search works. Google has indicated that it will be changing the systems and continually making enhancements to reduce the amount of fake news, and improve the user experience at the same time.

The measures by Facebook and Google are the latest in a series of steps taken to combat the problem of fake news. Previously, Facebook had rolled out a report feature that allows users to flag fake content. Dubious articles now have a pop up that warns the user that the article has been disputed by independent fact checkers. Facebook took the step to ban websites that posted misinformation from using its advertising platform. Facebook has set up anti fake news initiatives in France and Germany.

Google introduced a fact check button for news stories that displays information from fact checking organisations next to the search results. Articles that have been fact checked include a "fact check" label.

In early January, Google went ahead and permanently banned over two hundred sites that displayed questionable content. Some were banned for showing misleading advertisements, while other were banned for impersonating other legitimate sites.
tech2 News Staff

Micro Finance Institutions Network has launched a mobile app that will help microfinance clients in educating them about microfinance.

MFIN Connect is the first financial literacy app in India for microfinance education. MFIN is a self-regulatory organisation and industry association of the microfinance industry.

The app launch marked the inauguration of Microfinance in Asia - A Mosaic, a two-day international conclave focused on microfinance. Ratan Vishwanathan, the CEO of MFIN added, Microfinance has played an important role in providing access to easy finance to a underbanked and unbanked population from low-income households in the country.

MFIN has launched the app for Android devices on Google Play Store and it will support Hindi, Marathi, Telugu, Tamil and English at launch.

Vishwanathan continued, Improving financial literacy in this segment is absolutely necessary to avoid the danger of over-indebtedness. Keeping this in mind, we are launching a multilingual financial literacy app which will act as a guide and a ready reckoner for them. The app has different literacy modules with audio-visual elements for easy understanding and is designed to work in even low connectivity areas.

A number of representatives from regional development banks, policy makers, researchers, banks, investors, microfinance companies and telecom companies like RBI Deputy Governor, S Vishwanathan, Sriram Kalyanaraman, Managing Director & CEO, National Housing Bank were present at the conference.
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Two foundations tied to Germanys ruling coalition parties were attacked by the same cyberspy group that targeted the campaign of French presidential favourite Emmanuel Macron, a leading cyber security expert said on Tuesday. The group, dubbed "Pawn Storm" by security firm Trend Micro, used email phishing tricks and attempted to install malware at think tanks tied to Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party and coalition partner, the Social Democratic Party (SPD), Feike Hacquebord said.

Hacquebord and other experts said the attacks, which took place in March and April, suggest Pawn Storm is seeking to influence the national elections in the two European Union powerhouses. "I am not sure whether those foundations are the actual target. It could be that they used it as a stepping stone to target, for example, the CDU or the SPD," Hacquebord said.

The mysterious cyberspying group, also known as Fancy Bear and APT 28, was behind data breaches of U.S. Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and Merkels party last year, Hacquebord said. Other security experts and former U.S. government officials link it to the Russian military intelligence directorate GRU. Hacquebord and Trend Micro have stopped short of making that connection.

Russia has denied any involvement in the cyber attacks. Since 2014, Merkel has pushed the European Union to maintain sanctions on Russia over its actions in eastern Ukraine and Crimea. Her coalition partners, the Social Democrats, back a more conciliatory stance towards Moscow. "What we are seeing is kind of a replication of what happened in the United States," David Grout, a Paris-based technical director of U.S. cyber security firm FireEye, said of technical attacks and efforts to spread fake news in Europe.

Hacquebord said on Monday he had found new evidence that Macron's campaign was targeted by Pawn Storm.

Fake Servers

German officials have told Reuters that politicians fear sensitive emails stolen from senior lawmakers by Russian hackers in 2015 could be released before the election to damage Merkel, who is seeking a fourth term, and her conservative party. Trend Micro uncovered efforts to break into the accounts of CDU politicians in April and May, 2016. The BSI, Germany's federal cyber security agency confirmed these attempts but said they were unsuccessful. New attacks in 2017 suggest renewed efforts to gain comprising data is underway, Hacquebord said.

Pawn Storm set up a fake computer server located based in Germany at kasapp.de to mount email phishing attacks against the CDU party's Konrad Adenauer Foundation (KAS) and a server located in the Ukraine at intern-fes.de to target the SPD's Friedrich Ebert Foundation (FES). A KAS spokesman said BSI warned KAS in early March of "peculiarities" but that a subsequent network scan by the government cyber security agency found "nothing suspicious".

The BSI declined to comment, as did the Friedrich Ebert Foundation. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed allegations of Russian involvement. "We would be pleased if this investigative group sent us the information, and then we could check it," Peskov told reporters on Tuesday. "Because for now, it does not go beyond the boundaries of some anonymous people." Trend Micro published a 41-page report charting Pawn Storm attacks over the past two years, building on a dozen previous technical reports.

Reuters
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A Silicon Valley "flying car" startup, Kitty Hawk, reportedly backed by Google co-founder Larry Page, released a video on 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.

AFP
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European Union lawmakers voted on Tuesday to ban online retailers from treating consumers differently depending on where they live and expanded their proposed law to include music streaming services such as Spotify and Apple's iTunes.

Ending so-called geoblocking is a priority for the European Commission as it tries to create a single market for digital services across the 28-nation bloc, but many industries argue that they tailor their prices to specific domestic markets.

Tuesday's vote means the European Parliament can begin final negotiations with EU member states to reach a deal on the proposal, after which it would become law.

The proposal, which will apply to e-commerce websites such as Amazon, Zalando and eBay, as well as for services provided in a specific location like car rental, forbids online retailers from automatically re-routing customers to their domestic website without their consent.

Amazon already makes it retail websites accessible to customers anywhere in Europe and says 98 percent of its own stock is available to shoppers from any European country.

In a blow for the book publishing and music industries, European Parliament members voted to include copyright-protected content such as music, games, software and e-books in the law.

That would mean music streaming services such as Spotify and iTunes would not be able to prevent, for example, a French customer buying a cheaper subscription in Croatia, if they have the required rights.

The music industry has argued that extending the geoblocking ban to copyright-protected content could lead to a waterbed effect - pushing up prices in areas that are cheaper now.

However, EU member states favour excluding copyright-protected services from the geoblocking ban.

"Booksellers can't be forced to sell across borders. It is a company choice, in line with the evolution of the market, and booksellers' first concern is to keep their business afloat," said Fabian Paagman and Luc Treutenaere, co-Presidents of the European and International Booksellers Federation.

Under the proposal, consumers would be able to buy goods online even when the retailer does not deliver to their country of residence. Retailers would not be forced to deliver cross-border though, so an Italian buying a TV off a German website would have to arrange their own delivery or collect it.

Consumers will also be able to take advantage of better prices for car rentals, hotel rooms or music festivals on websites in other countries, which may have previously re-routed them to their local version.

"What we want is simple: to end discrimination in the single market, based on people's nationality, residence or temporary location," said Roza Thun, the MEP who is steering the legislation through the European Parliament.

Reuters
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Massive growth in online streaming of artists such as Drake and David Bowie saw music industry revenues grow in 2016 at their fastest rate since records began, a global industry body said on Tuesday, even as physical sales fell again. The global market for recorded music grew by 5.9 percent in 2016, the quickest pace since industry body IFPI began tracking the market in 1997.

It expanded for a second straight year after losing nearly 40 percent of its revenues in the preceding 15 years, with the recovery driven by a 60 percent rise in income from streaming. In all, digital income accounted for half of the music industry's revenue for the first time. The industry initially struggled with the demise of the market for physical sales, as the advent of the internet facilitated illegal downloads that crimped profits.

However, the rise of subscription-based services such as Spotify has helped it recover, even as the market for physical formats has continued to shrink and download revenues have fallen too. "As an industry, we've had years of investment in innovation to make (growth) happen, and we're starting to see the shift ... from adapting to the digital age, to actually driving the digital age," Frances Moore, the CEO of the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI), told reporters in London.

Total revenues for the industry were $15.7 billion in 2016, aided by 112 million users of paid music streaming subscriptions by the end of the year. The growth in streaming more than offset a 20.5 percent decline in downloads and a 7.6 percent fall in revenue from physical sales. The top-selling artist was Canadian rapper Drake, while the death of David Bowie spurred purchases to make him the second most popular artist of the year. Prince, who also died last year, was ninth on the list.

Despite the improvement, industry executives cautioned against complacency. "We're only two years into our recovery. We must remain alert, resourceful and ambitious," said Stu Bergen, CEO of International and Global Commercial Services at Warner Music Group. "We're no longer running up a down escalator, but that doesn't mean we can relax."

Reuters
About me I'm Avi Green

From Jerusalem, Israel

I was born in Pennsylvania in 1974, and moved to Israel in 1983. I also enjoyed reading a lot of comics when I was young, the first being Fantastic Four. I maintain a strong belief in the public's right to knowledge and accuracy in facts. I like to think of myself as a conservative-style version of Clark Kent. I don't expect to be perfect at the job, but I do my best. My profile

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China launches first home-built aircraft carrier amid South China Sea tension

China\'s first domestically built aircraft carrier is seen during its launching ceremony in Dalian, Liaoning province, China.

Reuters, Beijing :

China launched its first domestically built aircraft carrier on Wednesday amid rising tension over North Korea and worries about Beijing's assertiveness in the South China Sea.

State media has quoted military experts as saying the carrier, China's second and built in the northeastern port of Dalian, is not expected to enter service until 2020, once it has been kitted out and armed.

Foreign military analysts and Chinese media have for months published satellite images, photographs and news stories about the second carrier's development. China confirmed its existence in late 2015.

The launch "shows our country's indigenous aircraft carrier design and construction has achieved major step-by-step results", Xinhua news agency said.

State television showed the carrier, its deck lined in red flags, being pushed by tug boats into its berth.

Fan Changlong, a vice chairman of China's powerful Central Military Commission, presided over the ceremony, Xinhua said, during which a bottle of champagne was broken on the bow.

The launch follows China's celebration on Sunday of the 68th birthday of the founding of the Chinese navy, and comes amid renewed tensions between North Korea and the United States over Pyongyang's nuclear and missile programs.

Little is known about China's aircraft carrier program, which is a state secret.

But the government has said the new carrier's design draws on experiences from the country's first carrier, the Liaoning, bought second-hand from Ukraine in 1998 and refitted in China.

The new conventionally powered carrier will be able to operate China's Shenyang J-15 fighter jets.

Unlike the U.S. navy's longer-range nuclear carriers, both of China's feature Soviet-design ski-jump bows, intended to give fighter jets enough lift to take off from their shorter decks. But they lack the powerful catapult technology for launching aircraft of their U.S. counterparts.

China's navy has been taking an increasingly prominent role in recent months, with a rising star admiral taking command, its first aircraft carrier sailing around self-ruled Taiwan and new Chinese warships popping up in far-flung places.

The Liaoning has taken part in military exercises, including in the South China Sea, but is expected to serve more as a training vessel. State media has said the new carrier will be more dedicated to military and humanitarian operations.

China claims almost all the South China Sea, believed to have huge deposits of oil and gas, through which about $5 trillion in ship-borne trade passes every year, and has been building up military facilities like runways on the islands it controls.
JHENAIDAH: Railway Minister Muzibul Haque addressing a gathering at Safderpur of Kotchandpur Upazuila during the inauguration of a newly- constructed platform on Tuesday.
Women employment rate in banks falls

Economic Reporter :

The women employment rate in the banking sector went down to 12.91 percent in 2016 from 13.73 percent a year earlier. The ratio of female executives occupying higher ranks in the sector is also negligible, according to a study revealed at a workshop recently.

The Bangladesh Institute of Bank Management (BIBM) released the study titled 'Human Resource Management of Banks 2016' at its premises in the capital. The survey was conducted on 25 sample banks out of a total of 57 banks in the country.

The ratio of female executives in senior positions was 8.56 percent in 2016. It was 5.37 percent for departmental heads and 8.62 percent as branch managers, according to the study.

Helal Ahmed Chowdhury, supernumerary professor of the BIBM, differed with the findings of the survey. He said the number of female employees in the banking sector is rising fast, but not in line with the number of their male counterparts as fewer women join the job market.

He said the women employee rate was 6 percent when he became managing director of Pubali Bank in 2005, and it improved to over 20 percent when he left the bank in 2014.

Mohammad Tazul Islam, associate professor of the BIBM, who conducted the survey, said the number of female employees in the banking sector is negligible. The study did not focus on the reasons for their low employment rate.

In addition, the ratio of employees in the 40-50 years age group decreased, while the above 50 years age group increased in 2016. This was due to a lack of leadership succession planning and promotions, he added.

The study found that banks are reluctant to spend on training with the training expense as a percentage of total operating expenses were only 0.50 percent last year. The average training expense per employee was Tk 3,000 in 2016, unchanged from the previous year.

Banks allocate insignificant amounts for training purposes and are reluctant to send employees abroad for training, said Chowdhury.

Banks will have to increase its allocation on training to improve the quality of their human capital, he added.

Banks spend more on recovering money from defaulters than training, said Khondkar Ibrahim Khaled, former deputy governor of Bangladesh Bank.

The default loan rate at the private banks is 5 percent, while it is over 20 percent for the state banks, as employees of private banks are more efficient than those at the state owned banks.

According to the survey, 71 percent of the banks did not conduct any psychological test in 2016, while 52 percent banks carried out an analysis on employee's ethical conduct.

Islam of the BIBM said a psychological test is a powerful process to get a better idea about a candidate, which will help reduce scams in the sector.

The financial performance per employee in the banking sector deteriorated in 2016 compared to the previous year, due to poor human resource management and a high default rate in the industry, according to the survey.

Per employee operating income dropped to Tk 1.11 million in 2016 from Tk 1.51 million in 2015. It was Tk 4.71 million in 2014, survey data shows.

The study finds that the average salary and allowances to total income and expenses decreased while the average managing director's annual salary increased from Tk 8.73 million in 2015 to Tk 9.31 million in 2016, data shows.

Abu Hena Mohd Razee Hassan, deputy governor of the Bangladesh Bank, addressed the workshop as chief guest while Toufic Ahmad Choudhury, director general of the BIBM, moderated the session.


President, PM greet NMST's golden jubilee celebration



President M Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday greeted all concerned of the National Museum of Science and Technology (NMST) marking its Golden Jubilee celebration.

In separate messages, they lauded the activities of the science and technology museum saying the NMST is playing a very conducive role to help flourish the inner potentialities of learners as well as general people through studying science and doing research.

President Abdul Hamid expressed his gratitude to people concerned with the science and technology museum saying that the science-based education as well as practices detects the way towards light from the darkness and help build a logical society.

"Museum cherishes deep knowledge as a storehouse of knowledge since long periods . . . it always upholds the real history before masses and also helps new generation to know the past accurately," Abdul Hamid observed.

The President said the NMST is working since its inception to build a science-minded nation through holding different programmes, including science fair, mobile science exhibition, science-based discussion, seminar, and observing national science and technology week each year.

He said the building of scientific mindset can accelerate the desired goal of the country's Liberation War by removing illiteracy, superstation, corruption and unconsciousness in the society as a whole.

In her message, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said the present government has taken different pragmatic steps to build Bangladesh as a self-reliant nation based on science and modern technology.

Referring to the contribution of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman to country's science education, she said, "Bangabandhu started reforming a war-ravaged country by strengthening Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission, Bangladesh Science and Industry Research Council and other institutions."

"We have to build Bangladesh a country based on science and technology to sustain in the competitive world keeping country's head high," the premier said.

"As part of initiatives to ensure development in science, we have set up Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant, National Sea Research Institute in Cox's Bazar, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Novo Theatre, National Institute of Biotechnology, Atomic Energy Centre in Chittagong, Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Allied Sciences in Cox's Bazar," she mentioned.

"Besides, fellowship has been introduced in a bid to build scientist, technologist and researcher while a law entitle 'National Science and Technology Museum' was also enacted in 2010 in this connection," Hasina added.

Wishing a success of the programme, the prime minister hoped that the institution would play a very pioneering role to build a non-communal and science-minded nation.

Sheikh Hasina also opined that mass people specially the new generation with the limited natural resources will be involved in science-practice to reach a middle-income country by 2021 and developed one by 2041.


Shabnam in Ayna again after four decades

Sheikh Arif Bulbon :

About four decades ago, legendary film actress Shabnam paired up with Nadim in movie Ayna under the direction of late Nazrul Islam. It was one of the super-hit movies in film industry of Pakistan during that time. For acting in that movie Shabnam got Pakistans highest honorary award, Nigar Awards during that time.

To modify the original story of Ayna, more movies were made in India and Bangladesh later. In the 90s, when Shabnam permanently returned to Bangladesh from Pakistan film industry of that country became dilapidated. Though in Pakistan, now many movies are being made but those do not become hit or super-hit.

Last February Shabnam went to Pakistan to share her experiences including acting in Ayna in different universities there. There a decision was taken to make Ayna again with the title Ayna-2 to cast Shabnam and Nadim. Syed Nur will make this movie. This time Shabnam and Nadim will also act but they will play the roles of husband and wife.

While talking in this regard Shabnam told this correspondent, Already mahurrat of Ayna-2 was held. In that mahurrat, only director Nazrul Islam and music director Robin Ghosh were not present. They have already passed away from this world. Two songs of the movie will be dedicated to Robin Ghosh. I am really very much eager to work in Ayna-2.

Shabnam informed that due to necessity of the story of Ayna-2, its shooting will be also held in Canada. Two to three days shooting will be held in Karachi, Pakistan. April 20 she has returned from Pakistan. Before returning to Bangladesh on behalf of her honour Mayor of Pakistan gave her a reception. There she got the Lifetime Achievement Award. Her contribution in the field of movies in Pakistan was narrated by the Mayor. Shabnam acted in many movies in Pakistan. She last worked in Kazi Hayats Aammajan in Bangladesh.


Freshers' reception held at CU

Chittagong Bureau :

The farewell to the examinees and reception ceremony of new students of Department of Islamic Studies of Chittagong University (CU) held on Tuesday.

Prof Dr Ifthekhar Uddin Chowdhury, VC of CU addressed the function as chief guest while VC of Islamic Arabic University, Dhaka Prof Dr Muhammad Ahsan Ullah addressed as key speaker. The Dean of Arts Faculty Prof Dr Mohammad Sekandar Chowdhury addressed the function as special guests.

The farewell to examinees and reception ceremony of new students was chaired by the Chairman of the Department of Islamic Studies Prof Dr Muhammad Enamul Haque. Among others, Prof Dr A F M Aminul Haque, Prof Dr Hafez Mohammad Badruduza, Prof Dr Ahmod Ali, Prof Mohammad Momtaz Ali Quaderi, Mohammad Nasim, Dr Muhammed Manjurur Rahman also addressed the function.
Navy and Border Guard in final in Independence Cup Kabaddi



Bangladesh Navy and Bangladesh Border Guard moved into the final of Independence Cup Kabaddi competition winning their respective semifinal matches held on Wednesday at Shaheed Suhrawardy Indoor Stadium at Mirpur.

Bangladesh Kabaddi Federation (BKF) are organizing the meet and Bashundhara Group are the sponsors of this competition.

In the first semifinal, Border Guard Bangladesh hardly had to sweat as they beat Bangladesh Police by 29-15 while in the other semifinal Bangladesh Navy defeated Bangladesh Army by 36-26 points.

The final of this competition is slated to be held on on April 27.

Participating teams:

Group A - Border Guard Bangladesh, Bangladesh Army, Bangladesh Fie Service, district phase champion team and third place finishers of district phase team.

Group B - Bangladesh Police, Bangladesh Navy, Bangladesh Air Force, Bangladesh Jail and runners-up team of district phase.
Shere-Bangla : His role in addressing peasant uprising

Dr. Md. Shairul Mashreque :

Throughout his life Ak Fazlul Haque fought for upholding human rights of the poor farmers. He relentleesly struggled for the protection of their rights in and ourside the house. Needless to mention peasants in Bengal were smouldering to take fire to upset the oppressive regimes and Fazlul Haque rose to the occasion several times. Peasant uprising was a resistance movement by the peasants as ryots against the lords of the lands. Some lords forcefully collected rents and land taxes, often enhanced for the poor peasants and also prevented the tenants from acquiring 'Occupancy Right under Act X of 1859'. 'The peasants were often evicted from the land due to non payment. The lords who gained parts of the Natore Raj frequently conducted violent act in order to gain more money. Due to the decline in the production of Jute in the 1870s, the peasants were struggling with famine. Some of the lords declared an enhancement of land taxes and that triggered the rebellion. Some peasants declared their parganas independent of zamindari control and tried to setting up a local government with an "army" to fight the zamindari "lathials" or police. Deputies were placed in charge of the rebel army and were stationed at different parts of the district.' (Encyclopedia)

'When the Pabna Raiyats' League (created in May 1873) activities threatened public peace, the government intervened to restore peace. In a proclamation of 4 July 1873 Sir George Campbell the then Lieutenant Governor of Bengal, guaranteed British government support of peasants against excessive zamindar demands, and advised the zamindars to assert their claims by legal means only. In the face of police action and additional famine that broke out in 1873-74, the rebellion subsided.'(ibid)

Wikipedia referring to a host of studies (RC Mozumdr, Social Scientist and Calcutta Review) epitomize peasant's revolt reveals that:

"The Peasants' Revolt has been widely studied by academics. Late 19th-century historians used a range of sources from contemporary chroniclers to assemble an account of the uprising, and these were supplemented in the 20th century by research using court records and local archives. Interpretations of the revolt have shifted over the years. It was once seen as a defining moment in English history, but modern academics are less certain of its impact on subsequent social and economic history. The revolt heavily influenced the course of the Hundred Years' War, by deterring later Parliaments from raising additional taxes to pay for military campaigns in France. The revolt has been widely used in socialist literature, including by the author William Morris, and remains a potent political symbol for the political left, informing the arguments surrounding the introduction of the Community Charge in the United Kingdom during the 1980s."(Wikipedia)

Indigo planting in Bengal dated back to 1777. Louis Bonard was probably the first indigo planter. With expansion of British power in the Nawabate of Bengal, indigo planting became more and more commercially profitable because of the demand for blue dye in Europe. It was introduced in large parts of Burdwan, Bankura, Birbhum, Murshidabad, etc. The indigo planters left no stones unturned to make money. They mercilessly pursued the peasants to plant indigo instead of food crops. They provided loans, called dadon at a very high interest. Once a farmer took such loans he remained in debt for whole of his life before passing it to his successors. The price paid by the planters was meagre,only 2.5% of the market price. The farmers could make no profit growing indigo. The farmers were totally unprotected from the brutal indigo planters, who resorted to mortgages or destruction of their property if they were unwilling to obey them. Government rules favoured the planters. By an act in 1833, the planters were granted a free hand in oppression. Even the zamindars, money lenders and other influential persons sided with the planters. Out of the severe oppression unleashed on them the farmers resorted to revolt.

"The Bengali middle class supported the peasants whole-heartedly. Harish Chandra Mukherjee thoroughly described the plight of the poor peasants in his newspaper The Hindu Patriot. However, the articles were overshadowed by Dinabandhu Mitra, who gave an accurate account of the situation in his play "Neel darpan". The play created a huge controversy."(Wikipedia)

"The revolt started from Nadia where Bishnucharan Biswas and Digambar Biswas first led the rebellion against the planters. It spread rapidly in Murshidabad, Birbhum, Burdwan, Pabna, Khulna, Narail, etc. Some indigo planters were given a public trial and executed. The indigo depots were burned down. Many planters fled to avoid being caught. The zamindars were also targets of the rebellious peasants.

The revolt was ruthlessly suppressed. Large forces of police and military, backed by the British Government and the zamindars, mercilessly slaughtered a number of peasants. In spite of this, the revolt was fairly popular, involving almost the whole of Bengal. The Biswas brothers of Nadia, Kader Molla of Pabna, Rafique Mondal of Malda were popular leaders. Even some of the zamindars supported the revolt, the most important of whom was Ramratan Mullick of Narail"(Wikipedia)

Tajul Hashim threw a fllod of light on the scenarion of peasant uprisings during colonialm period.:

Fazlul Huq and fellow Muslim politicians representing the lower middle and budding middle classes, mostly emanating from the upper peasantry (jotedars), joined hands with the Urdu-speaking ashraf leaders like Mohammed Ali Jinnah, Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy and Khwaja Nazimuddin with a view to installing themselves in power by side-tracking the dominant Hindu classes. Consequently Fazlul Huq and other leaders belonging to the Krishak Praja Party had to join the Muslim League by discarding their 'praja identity' in the wake of the Legislative Assembly elections of 1937. The most fascinating part of the story up to the Partition of 1947 is the successful mobilisation of the under-raiyats and bargadars (sharecroppers) by the ashraf through the machination of the praja against the Hindu zamindar-bhadralok-mahajan triumvirate. It is equally interesting how the nationalists, socialists and communists failed to make much headway on the peasant front during the period.

Fazlul Huq and his Krishak Praja Party (KPP) who had commitments to an anti-zamindari anti-mahajan economic programme, as reflected in the Election Manifesto of the KPP, soon joined hands with avowedly communal Muslim League leaders to form a coalition government in Bengal in April 1937. It is noteworthy that several Muslim zamindars, including Nawabzada Hasan Ali Khan of Dhanbari (Tangail), espoused a pro-peasant and anti-zamindar programme prior to the 1937 elections and afterwards.

Meanwhile, some class-based and anti-British movements took place alongside the communally motivated movements. The class-based tonk movement of tribal (Hajong) peasants of northern Mymensingh under the leadership of Moni Singh and a few communist leaders did not attract non-tribal Muslim or Namashudra. Some movements remained confined to a middle-peasant-dominated sub-region of Noakhali, Comilla and Chittagong during the 1930s and 1940s. The absence of Hindu zamindars as principal agents of exploitation in the sub-region facilitated the mobilisation of Muslim peasants on non-communal class or nationalist lines, especially in parts of Noakhali and Comilla districts. Some leading Congress and communist leaders of the sub-region, again, belonged to the Muslim community, such as Ashrafuddin Ahmad Chowdhury and Asimuddin Ahmed of Comilla and Abdul Malek, Muklesur Rahman, Moqbul Mia and others belonging to the radical Krishak Samity of the Noakhali-Comilla sub-region.

However, vicious communal riots in Dhaka in 1941 and the mass mobilisation of Muslims in the name of Pakistan by the ashra' f-ulama-jotedar triumvirate in the wake of the Lahore Resolution of 1940, thoroughly communalised the Muslim masses throughout Bengal, including the Muslim jotedar-dominated northern districts of Rangpur and Dinajpur and Muslim middle-peasant dominated Noakhali and Comilla districts of Bengal.

In view of the above, the praja-ashraf alliance was inevitable. Fortunately for the ashraf and the praja (especially the jotedars), by 1941 the bulk of the Muslim peasantry had been totally disenchanted with the Congress and other organisations under Hindu leadership due to the pervading influence of Muslim separatism. By then the 'anti-feudal' struggle of the peasants had been channelled into a 'religious stream' and 'the religious aspect of bourgeois nationalism' in Bengal. The marriage of convenience between the ashraf and praja, which was essential for mutual succour in the post-1937 Elections period for the formation of a viable Muslim ministry to contain Hindu dominance in Bengal, in fact, signalled the capitulation of the praja to the rising ashraf.

By December 1941, Fazlul Huq further alienated himself from the bulk of the Bengali Muslims, including peasants, by forming a coalition ministry with the Hindu Mahasabha leader, Shyama Prasad Mukherji. Eventually ashraf leaders like Khwaja Nazimuddin and HS Suhrawardy replaced Fazlul Huq as the Chief Minister of Bengal up to 1947, and henceforth quite for sometime, ashraf leaders, in collaboration with some loyal praja leaders like Nurul Amin, Tamizuddin Khan, Hamidul Huq Chowdhury, Fazlul Quader chaudhury, abdus sabur khan, Wahiduzzaman (Thanda Mia), Yusuf Ali Chowdhury (Mohon Mia), Fazlur Rahman and others, remained dominant in Muslim politics in Bengal.

Meanwhile, the Bengal famine, 1943 and communal riots in Calcutta in August 1946 had further vitiated the environment. To the average Muslim in Bengal Hindu traders, hoarders and black marketeers, along with zamindars and mahajans, emerged as the main 'culprits', responsible for the famine. Hindu leaders in general, and zamindars and bhadralok in particulars lost their credibility with the Muslim masses. For the bulk of the Bengali Muslims, including peasants, the concept of Pakistan emerged as the only choice. The Calcutta Riot, 1946 precipitated by the direct action day of the Muslim League, made Pakistan inevitable.

By early 1946 the Muslim League was well entrenched almost in every East Bengal district. This was reflected in the elections of 1946. Muslims voted for the Muslim League with full commitment to Pakistan. It is, however, altogether a different matter what the peasants - both voters and others who were not enfranchised - understood about the implications of the 'promised land' called Pakistan.

During the hey-days of communalism (1946-47) the Communist Party of India (CPI) in its bid to revolutionise the Indian peasantry organised class-based peasant movements in various parts of the Subcontinent. The legendary Tebhaga Movement in undivided Bengal was one such movement, mainly confined to tribals, rajbangshis, santals and garos of Rangpur, Dinajpur, Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri districts in the north. Under the CPI leadership, mainly high-caste Hindu bhadralok, the movement turned violent as bargadars forcibly took their share, two-thirds of the crops, from the fields. Many landless peasants and others having no direct involvement with the sharecropping system took part in the movement.

It is interesting that both Hindu and Muslim bhadralok opposed the movement, as they were apprehensive of a class war beyond the parameters of the village community. Muslim League leaders dissuaded Muslim peasants by telling them that after the attainment of Pakistan all land would belong to them as the Hindu landlords would be kicked out of Pakistan or 'the land of the pure (Muslim)'. Some Muslim leaders promised Choubhaga (literally four shares) or all the shares of the crop to the Muslim peasants in their promised 'Sonar Pakistan'. Consequently to the average East Bengali Muslim peasant the 'communal' concept of Pakistan was much more persuasive than any appeal in the name of class solidarity or nationalism. The utopia of Pakistan was so devouring among the peasantry that even Hindu communist leaders of the Tebhaga movement adopted Muslim names (Barin Datta, for example, became Abdus Salam), attended public prayer (namaz) sessions with Muslim peasants to show their support for Islam and hoisted both the Red Flag of communists and the Green Flag of the Muslim League at the same venues. Muslim peasants chanted slogans both in favour of Tebhaga and Pakistan in meetings organised by CPI leaders.

Gradually the demand for Pakistan emerged as the main slogan of Muslim peasants throughout the region while the demand for tebhaga, being confined to much smaller section of the peasantry, mainly the tribals, fizzled out in no time. Peasants, on the other hand, have been firm believers in private ownership of land. Hence the vacillation and withdrawal of peasant support from the communist movement. Peasant support for tebhaga does not indicate their support for communism. Firstly, peasants themselves first raised the demand, not the CPI; and secondly, the movement did not question the concept of private ownership of land.

By 1947, false promises, communalism and above all, the economic dependence of the average poor peasant on the upper peasantry, blurred the sub-regional differences in the nature of peasants' political behaviour in East Bengal. The relatively independent middle peasants of Tippera-Noakhali sub-regions (the vanguards of the anti-British Congress movements in the 1930s and 1940s), along with the Muslim lower peasants of the Muslim jotedar-dominated Rangpur-Dinajpur and Jessore-Khulna sub-regions (who took part in CPI-led class movements) succumbed to the appeals made in the name of 'Islam in Danger' and radical economic reforms under 'Islamic' and 'golden' Pakistan by the Muslim League. Meanwhile, the bulk of the Namasudra peasants had been won over by the high-caste Hindu Congress leaders. (Taj I Hashmi Banglapedia)

It does seem that Shere Bangla championed the rights of the peasants. In fact he was a peasant leader opening political front of the peasant by introducing Krishak Praja Party. He is really unforgettable because of his contribution to the economic emancipation and politicization of the peasantry.
Sher-e-Bangla's death anniv today

UNB, Dhaka :

The 55th death anniversary of Sher-e-Bangla AK Fazlul Haque will be observed across the country on Thursday with due respect.

Different socio-political organisations, professional bodies and institutions have chalked out various programmes to mark the day.

The programmes include placing wreaths and offering fateha at the grave of the great leader, holding milad and doa mahfils and discussions in the capital and elsewhere across the country.

Abul Kashem Fazlul Haque, popularly known as Sher-e-Bangla, died on April 27, 1962.

Born on October 26, 1873 at Chakhar of Barisal's Bakerganj, Sher-e-Bangla held different political posts, including those of the mayor of Kolkata (1935), chief minister of undivided Bengal (1937-1943) and East Pakistan (1954), home minister of Pakistan (1955) and governor of East Pakistan (1956- 58).

President Abdul Hamid, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia have issued separate messages on the occasion.

They paid deep homage to the late great leader and recalled his outstanding role in formation of the Debt Settlement Board, and other steps taken by him for the welfare of the oppressed and exploited farmers.

The President, in his message, said the nation will remember with great gratitude the contributions of AK Fazlul Haque to the socio-economic development of farmers and labourers and working class people of the country.

In her message, the Prime Minister said Sher-e-Bangla struggled throughout his life for the economic emancipation of the country's farmers. "The people of this country will always be inspired by his immense affection for the poor and disadvantaged Bangalis."

Khaleda Zia in her message said AK Fazlul Haque was vocal till the last day of his life to realise the rights of country's people. "He'll ever be remembered in the history for his strong role in the anti-British movement.
US businesswoman Phan Phan-Gillis sentenced in China on spying charges

The Guardian :

An American woman detained during a business trip to China and charged with spying was sentenced on Tuesday to three and a half years in prison, raising the possibility that she may be allowed to return

home soon. Phan Phan-Gillis has faced an uncertain fate since March 2015 when she disappeared from her group traveling in southern China. She was later accused of espionage, which carries a possible death sentence. A United Nations panel has said her detention violated international norms and the US has long pressed China to resolve the case fairly.

The US state department confirmed that she had been sentenced on Tuesday. While Phan-Gillis's trial was closed to the public, a representative from the American consulate in Guangzhou, China, was allowed to attend the public announcement of the verdict against her, the department said.

Under Chinese law, Phan-Gillis could be eligible now for parole and deportation, said John Kamm, founder of the San Francisco-based Dui Hua Foundation, which monitors human rights and legal issues in China. Kamm said he expects China to parole Phan-Gillis "fairly soon."

The Chinese embassy in Washington did not respond to a message about her case.

Phan-Gillis is of Chinese descent, but was born in Vietnam and is an American citizen who lived in Houston and worked as a business consultant. Known by friends as "Sandy", she made numerous trips to China for business and as a volunteer to promote cultural and business exchanges.

She disappeared from the rest of her group during a trip in March 2015 to promote business opportunities in Houston. It took her husband, Jeff Gillis, almost two weeks to confirm through American consular officials that she had been detained by Chinese state security.

China's opaque legal system often provides little or no explanation for why someone is detained or punished. Her Chinese lawyer, Shang Baojun, told the Associated Press last year that Phan-Gillis was charged with spying, but he could not discuss the case further because it involved state secrets. Jeff Gillis, who did not return a message on Tuesday, said last year that he was told his wife was accused of conducting a spy mission in 1996, then trying to recruit new spies the following two years - allegations he called "beyond ridiculous."

"I have the passport that shows that she didn't even have a visa in 96, no entries or exits," he said. "I have her pay stubs that show that she was not off on extended leave."

The Dui Hua Foundation said Phan-Gillis was the first American citizen to be convicted of spying in a Chinese court since 1973. But Phan-Gillis' three and a half year prison term is on the low end of sentences for espionage charges, according to Dui Hua's research. China sometimes releases foreigners as an apparent sign of goodwill. Last year it allowed Kevin Garratt, a Canadian citizen held for two years and accused of spying, to return home after Canada's prime minister, Justin Trudeau, mentioned Garratt to top officials in Beijing.

In Phan-Gillis' case, Kamm credited the Trump administration and particularly secretary of state Rex Tillerson, who visited Beijing last month. Kamm said he was told by "people who were in the room" that Tillerson pressed Phan-Gillis' case in private meetings.

"If US-China relations were not going as well as they are right now, I think this outcome would have been different," Kamm said.
Corrupt WDB officials to face music

Sagar Biswas :

In the wake of widespread allegation about corruption and negligence of Water Development Board officials in constructing embankments of the haors, the authorities concerned have taken step to detect the responsible.

Director General of WDB, Engineer Jahangir Kabir, told The New Nation on Wednesday night that they have launched a departmental inquiry into the allegation of corruption and negligence of the executive engineers in constructing the dams. "Stern action will be taken if anyone is found involved in the corruption. The executive engineer of Sunamganj has been withdrawn for his negligence in duty," the DG said.

Official sources said the Ministry of Finance had allotted Tk 86 in the haor areas for construction and maintenance of the dams. Of them, Tk 65 crore was given through WDB and the rest Tk 21 crore was given through Food for Work programme. But only 65 per cent of the work was completed by March while Tk 31 crore was paid to the contractors, the sources said.

When asked about the payment to the contractors, the DG said: "We did not spend total allotted money. We had received Tk 20 crore and spent only Tk 9 crore." He, however, did not elaborate why the total fund was not used even at the advent of rainy season.

Interestingly, the DG also put blame on the shoulder of farmers and local people for the cracks in the dams. "Only in Sunamganj, the dams were cut at 820 points for different reasons. Of them, the locals cut at 510 points. They usually cut the dams for easy movement of the boats and other purposes. We [WDB] seal the passages every year before rainy season. This year, we could not complete the repairing works. So, the weak points were breached due to heavy pressure of water caused by early rain." It is alleged that the present situation has been created as the WDB engineers and its enlisted contractors did not complete the construction of the dams in many areas in due time. Whereas, the contractors were given work order to complete the works by March 31 and executive engineers were assigned for monitoring the tasks.

Sources said that local farmers this year had cultivated 'Baro' paddy in 2, 23,850 hectares of land in the haors of Sunamganj. But 90 per cent of the crops have already been washed away. Besides, the 'Baro' corps in the vast wetlands of Sunamganj, Sylhet, Habiganj, Moulvibazar, Kishoreganj and Netrokona worth about billions of taka went under deep water pushing the farmers to a helpless situation.

Deputy Commissioner of Sunamganj district Sheikh Rafiqul Islam said that out of 2, 23,082 hectares land [of Sunamganj], the paddy of 1,49, 912 hectares has been washed out due to the flash flood.

"The Anti-Corruption, the Water Resources Ministry, Water Development Board and Sunamganj District Administration have formed separate inquiry committees to find out the anomaly in constructing the dams."

But contradicting the statement, the WDB DG said "The haors were not inundated for breaching the dams. Rather, the water level was comparatively high this year. The height of the dams on average was 6.5 meters while the water-level was 7.1 meters. We did not see such heavy rain in last 46 years during April month after 1971," he said.

"There are 2200 kilometers of dam in entire Sylhet division. Of them, there are 1450 kilometers of dam in Sunamganj district. "So far as we know, no crack was developed in the old dams. But the water entered the haors through the weak points [passage cutting by locals] filled with soft mud," the DG further said. Meanwhile, former Adviser to the caretaker government M Hafiz Uddin Khan has said that the Secretary of Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief Shah Kamal should be ashamed of for his remarks about refusing to declare the haor region as distressed area.

"I was the Secretary of same Ministry 22 years ago. I feel ashamed hearing the comments of the Secretary who said that there was no reason to declare the haor region as distressed area when no people died there. It's a very impractical talk," he said expressing dissatisfaction.


Govt reviews progress of 27 UN conventions

Badrul Ahsan :

The government has taken a move to review the current status of ratification of 27 UN conventions required for Bangladesh like other developing countries for getting GSP Plus benefit to the markets of the European Union, sources said.

The step has been taken to determine whether any steps are lacking that to be taken for getting GSP Plus benefit to the EU market when the country would graduate from the least developed country (LDC) status to the developing one.

The 27 UN conventions include seven United Nations conventions on human

rights, eight International Labour Organisation conventions on labour rights, eight other conventions on the protection of the environment and four conventions on good governance principles.

Under the GSP Plus scheme, the EU offers complete duty exemption on about 66 per cent of EU tariff lines to developing countries. However, to this effect, the Ministry of Commerce (MoC), has recently sought opinions of stakeholders, including ministries, divisions and agencies, trade bodies and business associations, on the 27 conventions related to human and labour rights, environmental protection and good governance with a view to evaluating the pre and post ratification situations. In its letter, the MoC, asked the stakeholders to submit their written opinions on the current ratification status of the conventions and necessary adjustment, reforms and next course of actions after ratification of any convention which is yet to be ratified.

Ministry officials said that Bangladesh ratified or signed most of the 27 conventions and the ministry wanted to know the progress of the implementation.

According to the Least Developed Countries Report-2016 of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), Bangladesh is expected to graduate from LDC category to developing country by 2024 as the country's pre-eligibility for graduation will be completed in 2018 and the country will become fully eligible for graduation by meeting all three criteria in 2021. As an LDC country, all Bangladeshi products, except arms, enjoy duty-free and quota-free market access to EU under its GSP (generalised system of preferences) facility which is allows import of everything but arms (EBA).

Bangladesh will lose the benefit in the EU market, destination of more than 60 per cent of the country's export goods, once it will graduate from the LDC category.

The country, however, will get GSP facility for another three years for preparation of sustainable graduation after 2024.

EU offers GSP Plus benefit to developing countries based on their vulnerability and it has assured Bangladesh of providing the benefit upon fulfillment of required conditions, mainly ratification and compliances of the 27 UN conventions.

In this context, the ministry has taken the initiative to evaluate the pre and post ratification situations, officials said.

The government is working to improve the human rights, labour rights, good governance and protection of environment in the country, they said. According to the EU trade office, a country must sign a binding undertaking to maintain their ratification of the 27 conventions and to ensure their effective implementation to be accepted into the GSP Plus scheme.

Armenia, Bolivia, Cape Verde, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Pakistan, Paraguay and Philippines are getting the GSP Plus benefit while the EU is assessing an application of Sri Lanka for the facility.




Operation Eagle Hunt in C`nawabganj

Militants' den busted

Staff Reporter :

Heavy sounds of gunshots and explosions were heard during the 'Operation Eagle Hunt' in a one-storied suspected militant hideout in Trimohoni village of Shibganj upazila of Chapainawabganj district on Wednesday evening.

The law enforcing agencies led by the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) launched the anti-militancy drive around 6:45pm which was called off temporarily due to lack of light and security

issue around 8:30pm, said our Chapainawabganj correspondent quoting Abdul Mannan, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Counter-Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) unit.

The operation was conducted as the residents of the house refused to surrender peacefully, the Police official said. No casualty was reported during the operation where at least a militant couple and two of their minor daughters might have stayed with other suspected militants, he said. Earlier, Police surrounded the house of Saidur Rahman alias Jentu Biswas in Trimohoni village early Wednesday after receiving information about militant presence there, said district Superintendent of Police (SP) TM Mujahidul Islam. According to him, militant Rafiqul Islam alias Abu, his wife Sumaiya Begum and their two daughters Nuri, 8, and Majida, 6, might have stayed at house with other militants.

Meanwhile, the local administration imposed Section 144 to ensure security in the area since 6:00am, said Shafiqul Islam, Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) of Shibganj. The CTTC's Abdul Mannan said that law enforcers started the 'Operation Eagle Hunt' in the evening and postponed the operation temporarily.

The operation will resume today (Thursday) morning if the weather remained clear, the police official said.

"We are trying to cajole them into surrendering," he said. "A shot was fired from inside the house around dawn once it was surrounded. "We cannot confirm how many explosives or weapons may be inside," said Mahibul Islam, Deputy Commissioner of the CTTC unit. "Around 5:00pm, police brought Abu's mother Fulsana Begum and his auntie Chamely to tell him to surrender. However, the call of Fulsana to her son went in vain as no response was heard from inside," said Mujahidul Islam.

Fulsana Begum said Abu's full name is Rafiqul Islam. He studied in a madrassa and got married to Sumaiya Begum nine years ago. They had two daughters Nuri, 8, and Majida, 6, the SP said.

Assistant Superintendent (Gomstapur circle) of Police Mainul Islam said that acting on a tip-off, police encircled the suspected militant hideout around 5:30 am.

The militants fired several gunshots from the house towards the law enforcers in the morning. However, none of the lawmen were injured, the ASP said. "We have also raided three houses in Kanshat Union's Abbas Bazar area earlier in the day, but found no militant presence," he said. Quoting locals, Habibul Rahman, Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Shibganj Police Station, claimed that Abu along with his family rented the house two and half months ago introducing him as a spice vendor.

The house was rented free of cost to one Abu, 30. One Saidur Rahman, 75, owner of the house, gave him the living quarters, the OC said.

Police Headquarters recently circulated a list of nearly 5,000 suspected militants to all district police chiefs. Since then, the law enforcers have been carrying out special drives in different areas to apprehend the militants.


Reliance on power import from India to go 42 pc up by 2020

Anisul Islam Noor :

The country's dependency on power import will be raised by 42 percent in 2020 as per different power purchase agreements at higher prices from India.

According to Power Development Board (PDB), Bangladesh will import 7500MW electricity from the public and private sectors of India by that year.

Most of the contracts signed were without tenders which helped them charge higher prices, PDB officials said, adding that the contracts were awarded under the Speedy Supply of Power and Energy (Special Provisions) Act 2010.

Such contracts would make an imbalanced dependency for Bangladesh's domestic power and energy sector on its largest neighbour, experts feared.

The deals signed so far with the Indian public and private sector energy

utilities in the past one year and the contracts set to be awarded to them have already claimed a major share of the country's energy sources, they said. According to the government plan, about 25 per cent of natural gas and 18 per cent of diesel would be supplied by Indian utilities during this period.

Consumers Association of Bangladesh Energy Adviser M Shamsul Alam warned that such dependence on India would obstruct national capacity building, both in public and private sectors, and cause a threat to the energy security.

State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid, however, sees no problem with importing electricity and primary energy.

'Many conflicting nations are carrying out uninterrupted trade between them for years whereas relations between Bangladesh and India are much friendly now,' he said.

Energy expert M Tamim, also a professor at Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology, said the government should pay more attention to the contracts' technical issues, such as price, reliability and quality of energy to be supplied by Indian utilities.

On April 10, the last day of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's state visit to New Delhi, Bangladesh's utilities signed six energy sector deals worth about $9 billion with their Indian counterparts. Since March 2016, the government has signed four contracts and finalised two more deals to be signed with Indian companies either to build power plants or to buy about 4,500MW electricity, officials said.

They said the Power Division is examining an Indian offer to export 400MW power to Bangladesh from a coal-fired power plant under construction near Haldia Port in West Bengal.

The government also plans to import about 2,600MW power from Nepal and Bhutan through India, the officials said.

India introduced a guideline in December 2016 that would bar Bangladesh from directly importing electricity from Nepal or Bhutan through Indian territory as the guideline allowed no such electricity transit.

According to the guideline, India will 'facilitate' such cross-border trade of electricity through its own agencies who are to buy electricity from a neighbouring country and sell it to other neighbour under separate bilateral agreements.

Bangladesh began importing 500MW electricity from India's Western Grid since October 2013.

On April 10, 2017, PDB initialled two contracts, one with India's Adani Power (Jharkhand) Ltd for importing electricity for 25 years from its 1,600MW power plant to be installed in India and the other with Reliance Bangladesh LNG & Power Ltd to buy electricity for 20 years from its 718MW gas-fired power plant to be installed in Narayanganj.

Both the Indian companies will charge higher tariff comparing to the other local companies, according to PDB officials.

The power board also signed a Memorandum of Understanding with India's NTPC Vidyut Vyapar Nigam Ltd to import 500MW power from a hydropower facility to be built in Nepal by India's private company GMR Ltd, they said.

The Indian company will transmit electricity from Nepal-India border to Bangladesh-India border.

The PDB also signed a supplementary agreement with the same Indian company to import 60MW power from Palatana gas-fired power plant in Tripura. In March 2016, Bangladesh began importing 100MW power from the facilities.

The 160MW power was surplus in India's north-eastern provinces and would cost much higher.

In March 2016, the government approved a contract to be signed with India's Shapoorji Pallonji Infrastructure Capital Company to buy electricity from a 220MW power plant to be installed in Bhola. PDB officials said two contracts will be signed soon to use their facilities to be installed along the country's coastline to import Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) to increase the gas supplies by 1,000 million cubic feet per day.

The government also finalised contracts to import 250,000 tonnes of diesel a year from India which would be increased to one million tonnes in near future, the officials said, adding that Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) would pay Indian supplier $5.5 in premium for transportation, evaporation and other losses for each tonne of diesel to be imported.

The BPC, however, pays about $3.5 in premium to import each tonne of diesel from countries in Central Asia and the Middle East. On April 10, Petrobangla signed two memoranda of understanding one with India's state-run Petronet LNG Limited and the other with Reliance for using their facilities to import LNG. Both the Indian companies are demanding higher charges for regasification of LNG than the charges quoted in the other two contracts Petrobangla signed recently.
The Undead Archives

I have finally salvaged my pre-Blogger TDR archives and added them into Blogger. They are almost totally in the form of one giant post for each month. And the formatting strayed from the originals. Sorry. But historians everywhere can rejoice that this treasure trove of my thoughts is restored to the world.
The Trump administration Wednesday put forth a proposal that it labeled a "massive" tax overhaul, that would give big tax cuts to individuals and corporations, and reduce the number of tax brackets and deductions.





Outlined at a White House press briefing by Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Gary Cohn, director of the president's National Economic Council, it would reduce the number of individual tax brackets to three, as well as eliminate most tax deductions, other than for home mortgages and charitable contributions.





It would double the standard deduction individuals can take, and proposes cutting the corporate tax rate from 35 percent to 15 percent.





Administration officials acknowledge the plan is a broad brush outline, with specific details yet to be determined. - Read More, NPR




If you are looking for the new Immoral Minority posts, you should know that they can be found here at our new home Please stop by to get caught up on politics, join the conversations, or simply check out the new digs.
Justice Reinvestment bills will not be considered by Senate Judiciary C on Tuesday. Supporters delay consideration in wake of parole controversy.

Wikimedia

Supporters of the Justice Reinvestment Task Force's criminal justice reform legislation have pulled three bills that were scheduled for consideration on Tuesday morning by the Senate's Judiciary C Committee.

John Burkhart, director of the Southern Poverty Law Center's Louisiana Campaign for Equal Justice, notified supporters on Monday night that the bills would be held until the committee's meeting next week.

The delay was reported to be at least partly attributed to a controversy involving the planned release of a man who pled guilty to raping and murdering a woman in 2000.

The state Parole Board had approved the release of Samuel Galbraith 50 years before the end of his sentence, according to The Advocate. Opponents of some provisions in the Justice Reinvestment package pointed to that release (now rescinded on a technicality) as evidence of what was to come if bills that include early parole of violent criminals become law.

The Louisiana District Attorneys Association has been critical of elements of the legislative package, saying that not all of the implications of the bills have been fully thought through. The LDAA outlined its issues with the Justice Reinvestment initiatives in a report released on April 4.

The primary focus of the legislative package is on finding and funding alternatives to prison for non-violent offenders, which constitute the bulk of the growth in the state's inmate population over the past four decades. There are some provisions in the package which would allow for the release of older felons, including those who committed violent crimes, under certain circumstances.

The bills pulled from consideration by Senate Judiciary C are SB139 by Sen. Danny Martiny of Jefferson Parish, SB220 and SB221 by Senate President John Alario. See yesterday's story on the Justice Reinvestment legislation for additional details.

The committee will consider Sen. Dan Claitor's SB142 which would abolish the death penalty in Louisiana.

Senate Judiciary C is scheduled to convene at 9 a.m. in Senate Meeting Room F. The committee is scheduled to meet again next Tuesday, May 2.
Law enforcement officials allege Harold Register Jr. forged a clients $12,500 check and deposited the money into his account.

Harold Register Jr. Image courtesy LPCC

Prominent Lafayette attorney Harold Register Jr. surrendered himself to the Lafayette Parish Sheriffs Office the evening of Friday, April 21, facing a charge of forgery.

His bond was set at $50,000.

On Thursday, Lafayette Magistrate Thomas Frederick had issued an arrest warrant for Register on the forgery charge resulting from an investigation by the Lafayette Parish Sheriffs Office.

In a press release, the office says it developed probable cause that Harold Register forged one of his clients checks. The check was valued at $12,500 and deposited into his account.

According to legal ethicist Dane Ciolino's Louisiana Legal Ethics March newsletter, the Louisiana Attorney Disciplinary Board recommended that Register be suspended from the practice of law for three years followed by a two-year probationary period and ordered to pay restitution.

According to the newsletter:
The bayou rises over the naked bank of the River Trace Townhomes at Oakbourne during last year's devastating flooding.

Photo by Robin May

The Greater Baton Rouge Business Report confirms that the state has completed its deal with IEM to manage the $1.3 billion program to assist homeowners with damage from the March and August 2016 floods.

The disaster recovery firm will administer the homeowner flood aid program for $227 million.

Of the $227 million cost of the contract, $127 million will go to IEM for program management and construction management. The remaining $100 million will be paid to the firm to cover construction costs for people who let the state handle the rebuilding of their homes.

Homeowners will be able to choose among four options: state-managed construction, homeowner-managed construction, reimbursement for eligible expenses on completed rebuilding and buyouts in limited circumstances.

The contract was signed April 21, ending weeks of controversy over the selection of a firm to administer the program.

In March, the state selected North Carolina-based IEM from among five teams of contractors, engineers, architects, attorneys, accountants and consultants. But it scrapped the decision three weeks later and restarted the bid process amid questions over licensure requirements, cost concerns and protests from losing teams.

This month, a new state selection committee again selected IEM from among five teams. IEMs proposal was the second most expensive.
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Carbondale author Mike McNerny will hold a book signing this weekend for his new book, "A Shape in Time and Space: The Migration of the Necked Discord Gravemarker."

The book explores the history of a uniquely shaped pioneer gravemarker brought by the first wave of immigrants arriving in Southern Illinois in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. The book explores the origins of the marker in America and Europe and tracks the migration of some of the families whose names are inscribed on the markers, according to press materials released by Borgo Publishing.
Two John A. Logan members of the Board of Trustees stepped down Tuesday. Don Brewer and Jaclyn Hancock were honored in a brief ceremony at the start of Tuesdays Board Meeting.

Each were given a plaque commemorating their years of service. Brewer's was decorated with a photo of Brewer shaking hands with President Gerald Ford during his visit to the campus in March 6, 1976. Brewer retired after 44 years.

Becky Borgsmiller and Mandy Little, who were elected in the consolidated election on April 4, joined the board Tuesday. William J. Killquist was elected to follow Brewer as the new chairman of the board.

In a farewell speech, Brewer spoke about the tumultuous circumstances surrounding the last several years at the college in what amounted to a farewell state-of-the-college address.

Brewer shared with those present that while most people did not know it, he had his start as the chief negotiator for the Illinois Education Association.

Yes. I am a Union Member, a fact which always surprises people, he said. "As a matter of fact, I am a life member of the National Education Association. However, when you win the election, which is a wonderful feeling, and you want to get in there and help people, you soon realize that there is a lot of responsibility to a lot of different people or organizations.

Brewer said that in addition to the IEA, John A. Logan has several unions on campus that need as much support, and encouraged the new board members to take this into consideration.

Brewer also addressed the dire predictions that were made during the recent faculty cuts.

We went from being called the jewel of Southern Illinois to a campus where the board and the administration didnt know if they would be able to keep the doors open, he said.

At the time, he said, it was said that JALC would be unable to find part-time teachers to fill the open positions, that the cuts would hurt enrollment, and that trustees had handpicked some of the faculty to be cut based on the fact that they had been critics of the board.

I think it important, Brewer said, to point out that its been said that we had a bad guy list  that some of the faculty were earmarked (for termination). The Board of Trustees was never involved in the selection of those who were going to lose their jobs. We were advised as to the process that was being used, which was based on longevity, seniority and the ability to teach certain classes. The riff list was compiled by the administration based on need, experience and the legality of the process as determined by council.

Brewer also stressed that the board was given the opportunity to review the list of projected dismissals, but that five of the seven trustees did not want to see the list.

We did not want to be influenced in case people we knew were on it, he said.

Brewer said things are better lately. He said of the 55 people left unemployed by the recent cuts, unofficially between 12 and 15 remain unemployed.

Hopefully when the representatives in Springfield get their act together every one of them will be re-employed, he said.

He also said the enrollment at JALC remained consistent quite to the contrary of the predictions. According to Brewer, every community college in the state had a decrease in enrollment, but JALC had the second lowest decrease in the state. Additionally, unlike the predictions, JALC has filled all its part-time teaching vacancies this year, he said.

The percentage of hours generated by part-time teachers in the past semesters is on par with what it had been for the past several years, Brewer said.

At present about 43 percent of our credit hours are being generated by part-time instructors  that puts us somewhere in the middle of other colleges who rely on between 25 and 75 percent of part time staff to generate their credit hours. Brewer said.

Brewer also said that good news could be expected later in the summer as he suspects the college to receive a favorable review from the Higher Education Commission, which recently completed a campus-wide review.

Brewer cited how much the college has meant to him and his family, sharing that his wife, son, and daughter all completed their associate degrees at the college, and that his granddaughter is currently enrolled there. He said he would be remiss if he did not express the great love and regard that he has for the institution, and offered in closing that before long we will once again be known as the crown jewel of Southern Illinois.
AVA  Food Works and Scratch Brewing Company are hosting the first of what could be a yearly event Thursday, diving into the unique flavor of Southern Illinois.

Marika Josephson, Food Works board member and co-owner of Scratch, said the idea of chef talks came to her after the Food Works board discussed how to improve community involvement. She said Food Works in the past has done a great job educating farmers and managing the Carbondale Community Farmers Market, but the board wanted to bring in more of the general community.

It was decided to reach out to resident Southern Illinoisan and James Beard Award-nominated chef Josh Galliano, who currently bakes for Companion Bakery in St. Louis. Josephson, who has worked with Galliano in the past, pairing a beer with one his dishes for an event in St. Louis, said he was open to the idea and pitched the idea of cooking with sassafras  an ingredient readily available in Southern Illinois.

He said he was playing around with baking with it, Josephson said, adding that for the event he will be preparing a bread, macaroon and gumbo, all made using sassafras.

She said the idea intrigued her as well, given the brewery's history using sassafras leaves in its beer. She said Gallianos ethos also lines up with theirs as a brewery.

Hes been very interested in creating a regional cuisine that reflects, like, southeast Missouri and Southern Illinois, Josephson said.

The event will be at 6 p.m. Thursday. The first hour will be a cash bar in Scratchs newly christened Serpent Room. Beginning at 7 p.m., Galliano will talk about the dishes he has prepared and his experiences (failures included) in working with sassafras.

Its going to be a really informal, conversational type of thing, Josephson said. Itll be really open for people to ask questions and get involved in anything they are curious about.

Tickets are $15 for entry plus food, and $20 for entry, food and beer. Josephson said food is limited, so guests should get tickets early. All proceeds will benefit Food Works.
Editor's Note: Two children are referred to as K and B to protect their privacy.

BUNCOMBE  Its a warm April day and late afternoon shadows are just starting to get long. Michelle Hutchison is helping her three children out of the car to visit their brother, Jack, who lies just across from her husband in Vienna Fraternal Cemetery.

Grass has yet to take root on Jacks grave that was dug just more than two months ago, and Hutchison is still waiting to have a headstone installed  the ground was too hard when he died at the end of winter.

Hutchison and her daughter, K, carefully remove grass clippings from the top of Jacks burial site when K starts to cry. The family of three former foster children are still reeling from the loss of their 2-year-old brother, who was only home with them for three days, but was a part of their family for nearly two years.

Hutchison never intended to have kids. It was her plan to grow up, go into business and travel. Still, she went on to have three children. One lost his leg in an accident at the age of 5, another was born mostly deaf and the last was born premature. Hutchison and her husband, Greg Hutchison, were no strangers to kids with special needs.

By chance, Michelle Hutchison went to visit a friend in 1997 who was hosting a foster care event for children with special needs. She came home and looked at her husband. She needed to talk.

Theres these kids that need homes that are staying in hospitals and nursing homes, she told Greg Hutchison. This is what we are already doing, she said. This was met, she said, with an enthusiastic, OK.

She had found her calling. After doing a lot of thinking, she realized that should something have happened to her and her husband, her three special-needs kids could have been in the same boat as these foster children. On paper, she said her kids would look like a handful.

I could not stand the thought that there were these other kids that, because people didnt realize they could be amazing, couldnt see past the medical part to get to the kid, Hutchison said.

In the last 20 years, Hutchison has brought 22 medically-fragile foster children into her home, adopting three  Victor Hutchison, 22, who Michelle Hutchison said is developmentally disabled, 10-year-old B Hutchison, and 8-year-old K Hutchison.

Since her husband died 12 years ago, she has done this on her own.

She said she loves figuring out what is wrong, getting the right medications, going to the right doctors and watching the kids thrive. She said she loves the caring part of her job the most.

The children she gets come with a list of nevers. She works to test that list. Her son, Victor Hutchison, had lived most of his life in a hospital when she adopted him.

He had never seen the moon before. He had never touched an animal before, Hutchison said, adding that this was not uncommon for the medically-vulnerable foster children she cares for. Theyve never touched the grass. They dont know what it feels like to have the breeze blow in your face."

She loves being there for those firsts.

Thats your reward in doing foster care, to see these kids thrive and to get to be part of it, she said.

Yes when others may say no

Brandi Campbell, licensing representative with Lutheran Social Services, said there are not many homes to send medically-fragile kids when they enter the system. So, having a long-term parent like Hutchison is a blessing.

So when we got the referral for Jack, she was the first home that I thought of, Campbell said.

She called and explained his long list of medical needs. He was born with Central Nuclear Myotubular Myopathy, a genetic disease that affects the muscles surrounding the skeleton.

Hutchison remembered Campbells call vividly. It was early December 2015.

They called me and she cried on the phone, Michelle youve got to take this baby, she said.

Jack was 5 months old when they called, and had a two-year life expectancy. Hutchison took some time to think it over.

She talked it over with her family  her kids who are grown and moved out, and her younger, recently adopted children.

Hutchison said her youngest had one question: Can we go get him now?

There was no doubt in their minds that this is where he belonged, Hutchison said.

The journey

The biggest issue in the 13-month trek to bring Jack home was lining up nursing care.

Two people had to be trained on how to take care of his needs. So, Hutchison and a friend made a lot of trips to St. Louis for classes. They did the training multiple times because it had to be done within 30 days of bringing Jack home. They had problems with finding nurses to care for Jack after he came home. Hutchison said the nurses are vital in caring for someone with Jacks condition at home, they provided support for her when she needed to be away from Jack.

It wasnt like you could go to bed and leave him by himself for three hours, or an hour, or 10 minutes. His care was every minute of every day, Hutchison said.

The long wait for Jacks release was marked with many hospital visits and late-night phone calls to his room at St. Louis Rank and Jordan Pediatric Bridge.

I would call up there in the middle of the night and the nurses were like, Sure you can talk to Jack, Hutchison remembered.

It took 13 months before Jack came home. The experience of finally having Jack home was a lot of things for Hutchison. She said it was terrifying, but amazing at the same time. The reality of his condition set in even more for her.

Its one thing to take care of him when you know in the hospital youve got backup, Hutchison said. Its something else when you bring them home and you go, Man, Im the one thats responsible for everything.

The first two days were great, Hutchison said. But, Day 3 was a different story.

Jack and his mom were on the way to a doctors appointment in Anna  he was scheduled to see his pediatrician. A new family nurse was with them in the car when the alarms from Jacks life-support machines started to go off.

 ... the nurse thought that it was a sensor probe was just not reading right, Hutchison said. When we got to Anna, thats when she figured out that his trache was not in.

They made it to their appointment and Jacks doctor managed to get his trache put back in, but it had been out too long.

He just couldnt get his oxygen levels back up, Hutchison remembered. They called 9-1-1 but it was too late. Jack died Feb. 17 in the ambulance.

You prepare yourself with these kids that they are going to get sick, that something is going to go wrong, that the disease is going to get worse. Theres a progression. I just couldnt believe how he was fine when we left here and 20 minutes later he was dying, Hutchison said.

Campbell said she was in the area when she got the call that something had gone wrong with Jack. She went straight to the emergency room in Anna.

When we got there they had told us he had passed away, Campbell said.

Campbell remembered nurses and therapists, as well as people from LSSI, coming to the funeral to comfort Hutchison and her family. She said some state funds were received to pay for the funeral, but not much. She said the funeral home also helped shave costs.

When Jack died, Hutchison was in the process of adopting him. After his death, she said the Department of Children and Family services released custody to her. This allowed Hutchison to make decisions about her sons interment. When Jacks headstone makes it to his plot in Vienna, it will share the familys name.

Jacks death has affected everyone in Hutchisons family differently. Hutchison herself still has the urge to call the hospital and check on her son. She said B has been afraid any time her brother Victor Hutchison or anyone else gets sick or goes to the doctor, while K is still angry that her mother let the nurses take Jack away.

However, Michelle Hutchison said her son, Victor, has been the most at peace with Jacks death.

He goes, Mom, Jacks in heaven with Dad and theyre playing. He can run and he can sing and he can talk and Im going to see him and were going to play, Hutchison said.

Hutchison said she has no plans to stop fostering children, but has had to take a break. She said her family still needs time to heal from Jacks death. There is still a place in her heart for those children.

Opening my heart is not the hard part, its being able to know that most of the kids that I get are not supposed to make it, she said.
U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin spent a busy April 21 in Southern Illinois.

The senior senator from Illinois spoke with Cairo residents about the impending closure of the Elmwood and McBride public housing complexes. He met with Carbondale mayor Mike Henry, SIU president Randy Dunn, Ray Lang of Amtrak and Doug Kimmel of Veterans Airport and then he held a town hall meeting for constituents at SIU.

Thats a busy day, and it was good to see Sen. Durbin in Southern Illinois.

There is a real reluctance to pat someone on the back for simply doing their job. But, this is Illinois, where governors frequently move from the statehouse to the big house, budgets are ignored for years at a time and the states credit ratings decline on a regular basis.

Its also worth pointing out to other politicians that it is possible to hold, and survive, a town hall meeting for your constituents.

And, while we laud Sen. Durbin for his time in the region, it also seems fair to point out that he was late to the dance in Cairo. The deterioration of the Cairo housing facilities and the attendant malfeasance has been ongoing for decades.

Additionally, Durbins initial response in Molly Parkers April 11 story in The Southern that outlined the deplorable conditions in Cairo seemed quite tepid.

Elections make a difference at the election of Donald Trump, the appointment of his new Office of Management and Budget (director), tells me that I would be foolish to create an unrealistic scenario, Durbin said.

Were not taking issue with the substance of that comment, only the tone.

A measured statement of concern and a commitment to make the plight of Cairo residents a priority would have been welcome.

But, to his credit, Durbin has stepped up his game in the past two weeks  not just on the Cairo situation, but the many overriding issues facing the entire region.

In his meeting with Henry, Dunn, Lang and Kimmel, Durbin addressed President Trumps proposed budget, a budget that could eliminate Amtraks City of New Orleans, an important link to Chicago and other metropolitan areas. The budget could also negatively impact the limited air travel now available in the region.

We wholeheartedly agree with Durbins assessment that the Trump budget seemingly put a target on Southern Illinois. We would expect our senator to notice that, but here in the hinterlands, its reassuring to know Sen. Durbin is paying close attention.

But, simply appearing in the region and listening to the concerns of officials and constituents is just the first step. Seeing action on the ground is now the expectation.

We dont expect overnight success  the wheels of government turn slowly. But, hopefully Sen. Durbins significant influence in Washington will result in relief for the soon-to-be displaced residents of Cairo. Hopefully, he can advocate for continuing funding for Amtrak, an entity whose importance to the region cant be overlooked.

We also hope that Sen. Durbin and State Sen. Dale Fowler, R-Harrisburg, will communicate about their ideas to help Cairo. If ever there was a situation that begged for bipartisanship, this is it.

Finally, we also hope Sen. Durbin urges newly-elected U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth to make a visit to Cairo and the rest of the region. The more voices advocating for Cairo, Southern Illinois University and the citizens of Southern Illinois the better.

Again, its important to note that Sen. Durbin was simply doing his job during his visit to Southern Illinois. Conversely, at times it is important to let public servants know their work is both vital to the region and appreciated.

Now, lets see some results.
The Shepherd Outreach Ministry of Vance will present a Sexual Assault Awareness Art Expo from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, April 29.

The exhibit will be held in the TSOM Gymnasium at 289 Pineland St. in Vance.

Event organizer Chanel Johnson said the event is part of The Shepherd Outreach Ministry's recognition of Sexual Assault Awareness Month in April. Although activists called for the creation of SAAM as far back as the 1970s, the first official nationwide observance did not occur until April 1, 2001. Since then, supporters have organized a wide range of activities to raise awareness and prevent sexual violence.

We were trying to figure out how to do something different, said Johnson, noting that victims of sexual assault normally don't want to talk about what happened to them. "I found a survivor who had written his story and shared it on his website. So, I got permission to use the story.

She said she accumulated additional stories and then enlisted the help of her brother, local artist Demetrius Sellers.

I gave him several stories to read, Johnson said. Each story that he read, he made a painting to portray that story. We portrayed the stories in paintings, Johnson said. So instead of people just telling their stories, you just look and you feel the pain.

"You feel the tragedy the victim had to go through just by looking at the paintings. The paintings tell the story for you.

The expo was supposed to include five to seven paintings, "but hes still going," Johnson said of her brother's work on the project.

In addition to the art exhibit, she said the expo will feature guest speaker Iva Stevenson of Riley, North Carolina, who will share her experience as a sexual assault survivor. The program will also feature a panel discussion that will provide additional information to help victims of sexual assault. Representatives of the Orangeburg County Sheriff's Office Victims' Services Unit and other area agencies and organizations that assist survivors will serve on the panel.

Johnson urges members of the public to attend.

A lot of people know someone ... they may not have been a victim, but they know someone (who has been) and they dont know who to call or what to do, she said. This event is for them as well. Its to give information about who to go to.

Johnson encourages victims of sexual assault to attend Saturday's event.

If you are a victim and you want to come out and you want to be a part (of it), you dont have to be labelled or say anything, she said. If you think it might be therapeutic for you, you can come for that as well.

As a sexual assault victim herself, Johnson said she believes that participating in the expo can facilitate the curative process. She said she got involved in organizing the event because of what happened to her.

My case is still pending, Johnson said. I havent gone to trial yet for my case so its therapeutic for me.

This is pretty important to me, she added. (The expo) is used to spread awareness that this can happen. We dont want it to, but this can happen to anyone -- male, female, young, older.

Johnson added, Statistics say that it usually happens in the home or (is committed) by a close family member."

For more information, Johnson can be reached at 803-378-5267.
DENMARK  Voorhees College will hold its 120th commencement ceremony at 11 a.m. Saturday, May 6, in the Leonard E. Dawson Center. The keynote speaker will be actress, dancer and director Jasmine Guy.

Guy is a frequent motivational public speaker, sharing her story openly with those who may benefit from her trials and triumphs. She has traveled throughout the U.S. and appeared at more than 100 speaking engagements.

After years on Broadway and touring the globe, Guy landed the role as Whitley Gilbert on a Different World, a spinoff of The Cosby Show. For her role as Whitley, she won six consecutive NAACP Image Awards.

Guy has also worked with these great performers and directors on Spike Lee's School Daze, Eddie Murphy's Harlem Nights, Alex Haley's Queen and Debbie Allen's Stompin' at the Savoy.

Most recently, she appeared in Big Stone Gap, the feature film version of Adriana Trigianis best-selling book series.

Guy is currently performing Raisin Cane, a one-woman musical journey through the Harlem Renaissance, throughout the U.S. Raisin Cane is backed by the Avery Sharpe Trio.

Voorhees President Dr. W. Franklin Evans said that he is excited that Guy has accepted the invitation to speak at this years commencement ceremony.

Voorhees is privileged to have such a prominent and hardworking African-American woman to deliver a message of inspiration to our graduates. We hope that her message will inspire them as they prepare to compete in global society, Evans said.

The hooding ceremony and baccalaureate service for the 2017 May graduates will be held at 6 p.m. Friday, May 5, in St. Philips Episcopal Chapel.
The problem is growing such that every day it becomes more likely that you or someone you know has been affected by the abuse of opioids. The epidemic is as acute in South Carolina as anywhere in America.

S.C. House Speaker Jay Lucas has announced the formation of a study committee to explore ways to curb the use of opioids, legal or illicit. The panel will be led by Rep. Eric Bedingfield, a Greenville Republican whose 26-year-old son died when he overdosed on fentanyl, a synthetic opioid stronger than heroin.

In appointing the committee, Lucas said, Opioid abuse and addiction is a rapidly growing epidemic that must be curtailed before it destroys more families and lives in South Carolina.

Bedingfield calls the use of opioid pain killers the top health and family issue facing South Carolinians today.

The numbers indicate the seriousness of the problem.

Opioid deaths in South Carolina quadrupled between 1999 and 2013. The S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control attributed 573 deaths in 2015 to opioid-related abuse, up 69 from 2014. The state is in the highest quartile nationally for opioid-related deaths.

On Monday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offered new evidence that the scope of the problem may be greater than the estimated 91 U.S. deaths a day caused by overdose.

According to reporting by CNN, Dr. Victoria Hall of the CDC field office in Minnesota led research into death records from the past decade. Her team was looking at cases such as deaths attributed to pneumonia.

Because research has shown that opioid users are at increased risk of pneumonia, Hall and her colleagues searched for pneumonia as well as other infectious disease deaths among Minnesota residents over the age of 12 to see whether opioids might be involved and found in postmortem toxicology screenings.

Among the 1,676 deaths that fit the researchers' criteria, 59 (or 3.5 percent) showed evidence of opioid use. Those 59 deaths had not been picked up by the state's opioid surveillance system. And among the 59 deaths, 22 had involved toxic levels of opioids.

The research is further evidence there is much to be learned about how to effectively battle opioid abuse.

For their part, medical professionals are increasingly being challenged to be out front in combatting the problem  not with treatment for opioid abuse but with preventing it from happening.

The Medical University of South Carolinas vice president of research, Dr. Kathleen Brady, recently told the Charleston hospitals board that in 2015 the total number of opioid prescriptions written in South Carolina was equal to the total number of adults in the state. Pain management has been one of the most common reasons for the over-prescription of opioids, she said.

Research under way at MUSC has shown alternative treatments for pain management include transcranial brain stimulation, psychotherapeutic therapies, and stress resilience, she said. MUSC scientists are also exploring therapies for detoxification and opioid withdrawal.

We need to explore alternative treatments for pain and educate physicians about alternative pain-management strategies, Brady said.

Despite extensive prescribing guidelines for physicians, the numbers again are a clear indicator of problems. Across the United States, health care professionals wrote 249 million prescriptions for opioid pain medicines in 2013. Sales of prescription opioids nearly quadrupled from 1999 to 2014.

Lawmakers are on the right track in taking the problem seriously. But one of the fastest and most effective ways to address the opioid epidemic begins at the doctor-patient level.

As the Dallas Morning News wrote recently: There is a cheaper, low-risk tactic for curbing some opioid misuse  changing doctors' prescribing habits and better educating patients. A recent study found that for every 48 patients who receive an opioid prescription in the emergency room, one will likely become a long-term user. A more cautious approach to prescribing could save lives.
The decision by Venezuelas Supreme Court, a political poodle of President Nicolas Maduro, to take over the powers of the opposition-controlled National Assembly has sparked massive demonstrations that the governments vicious repression has been unable to stop. Although the decision was reversed a day later, the spirit of rebellion has proven resilient. The death toll among demonstrators is rising and hundreds more have been injured.

Maduro has ordered the use of helicopters to spread tear gas and other substances on protestors (a hospital was targeted in one incident), and stationed snipers in various buildings from which shots have been fired at opposition rallies. This level of repression by the National Guard, the political police, and the so-called collectives (groups of armed Chavista thugs reminiscent of Brown Shirts who roam the streets beating up dissenters) has not been seen since 2014, when some of the opposition leaders were incarcerated and dozens of students killed.

Maduro thought he had managed to survive an attempt to force a recall referendum at the end of last year, when he called a dialogue aimed at disarming his adversaries and gaining time. He had the invaluable help of three former Spanish and Latin American presidents, and, briefly but ambiguously, the Vatican. When the dialogue proved to be a joke, the Secretary General of the Organization of American States, Luis Almagro, began an effort to expose the farcical nature of the process and the true measure of the Venezuelan dictatorship. He invoked, once again, the Inter-American Democratic Charter, which opens the door, under certain conditions, to the suspension of a country from membership of the hemispheric body.

His was not an isolated voice. Several countries in the Americas have spoken out about the Venezuelan governments efforts to turn the country into a second Cuba as well as about the acute shortages of food and medicine that have given rise to a virtual humanitarian crisis. Brazil, Argentina and Peru, which were run until not long ago by presidents sympathetic to Maduro, are now led by two open critics of his regime.

This threatening international scenario was starting to have domestic repercussions in Caracas when Maduro decided to respond by ordering the Supreme Court to take over the powers of the National Assembly. The fatal move triggered what we are now witnessing  and the brutal response.

If the monolithic unity that Maduros regime has by and large maintained until now continues, we will see even more horrific violence. The man is hell-bent on remaining in power. However, it is by no means guaranteed that he will maintain that unity. There have been sporadic symptoms of dissent among Chavistas. One of them came from the attorney general, Luis Ortega, who chastised the Supreme Court for staging a coup against the National Assembly.

One major factor in all of this will be the unity of the opposition itself. After the decision by some opposition leaders to participate in the government-sponsored dialogue opened cracks between government critics, it looked as if it would take a long time to cure the wounds. Some polls indicated the people were losing faith in the opposition altogether (not surprising, given that three-quarters of them are telling pollsters they want Maduro to go).

The governments faux pas, however, has accelerated the healing process and the opposition is re-united in the streets, shoulder to shoulder with Venezuelans desperate to force Maduros fall.

We dont know if they will succeed. But what they are seeking is the only solution to a crisis that has lasted too long.
DENMARK -- A Denmark Technical College alumna is requesting a refund of more than $3,000 that she and another woman paid to establish a scholarship in honor of a late counselor and instructor of the college.

DTC graduate Deloris Frazier made the request at Monday's regular meeting of the Denmark Technical College Area Commission.

Frazier said she and Dr. Doris Cantey, the wife of the late Dr. Willie R. Cantey, set up the scholarship in memory of Cantey, who was a counselor and shoe repair instructor at the college.

In February 2010, we established a Willie R. Cantey Scholarship Fund here at Denmark Technical College in the amount of $3,160," Frazier told the commissioners. "Dr. Cantey and I were supposed to set up guidelines for disbursement of the funds. But because of her bereavement of having lost her husband and making time for the criteria to disburse the funds, time just passed away.

She said during a recent visit to the campus, the Denmark Tech business manager informed her that some of the scholarship funds had been disbursed to students.

I told him not to give any more money out until we set up guidelines. Shortly (after that), I saw him on campus and he told me he had given all of the money out to students," Frazier said. "I was alarmed and asked who received the monies and what criteria he used to disburse the funds.

Frazier said that as of Monday, she had not received any information concerning her request.

Commissioner Calvin Wright asked that Dr. Christopher J. Hall, Denmark Tech interim president, prepare a report outlining the distribution of the scholarship funds in response to Fraziers request.

Wright also expressed concern that the commissioners were not receiving their meeting agenda packets in a timely manner.

Why are we just getting our books the day of the meeting? We should be getting our books at least five days before a meeting, he said.

Other commissioners agreed with Wright, noting that it was difficult and time consuming not to have meeting information in advance.

Also during the meeting, Stephen P. Mason, associate vice president of economic and workforce development, said his department had been busy with manufacturing and apprenticeship training, high school presentations and advisory council meetings.

In other business:

Hall congratulated the DTC Womens Basketball Team for winning t he National Junior College Athletic Association Region 10 Championship by defeating Spartanburg Methodist College. He noted the women had won four of the last six NJCAA championships.

Region 10 Championship by defeating Spartanburg Methodist College. He noted the women had won four of the last six NJCAA championships. Hall reported he met with 21 faculty and staff members in 30-minute sessions, giving them an opportunity to talk with him about any college-related concerns they had.

The interim president reported he contacted the Denmark Police Department and the Bamberg County Sheriffs Office to find out if any officers would be willing to work at the college when off duty to meet our campus safety needs.

Denmark Technical College's 2017 graduation will be held on May 5, featuring Allendale native Tim Bowers as the commencement speaker.

Hall reported he accompanied 43 faculty and staff members on a tour of Boeing in Charleston. This professional development activity was an opportunity for the DTC employees to see first-hand what Boeing does and how what they do at the college connects to employment for our students.
South Carolina State Universitys Visual Arts Program will present the 44th annual Student Art Exhibition within the public spaces and galleries of the Fine Arts Building, located on the universitys campus. An opening reception will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. Thursday, April 27.

Fine arts students are encouraged to participate in the annual exhibition, an opportunity to present their works publicly. Non-art majors at S.C. State are also encouraged to submit their work.

Raishad Glover, a Claflin University professor, will act as exhibition juror, selecting works for inclusion in the exhibition. He received the Master of Fine Arts from Yale University and Bachelor of Fine Arts from Tufts University.

The annual student exhibition provides an opportunity for the faculty, staff, alumni and students of S.C. State, as well as all interested members of the community, to recognize, support and celebrate the creativity of the burgeoning young artists within the universitys program.

This years annual show is accepting works utilizing any and all media, included but not limited to painting, drawing, sculpture, photography, printmaking, video, installation, new media, multimedia and interdisciplinary works.
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By Azernews





By Amina Nazarli

The business forum between the European Union and Azerbaijan will take place in Baku on June 8 with organization of the German-Azerbaijani Chamber of Commerce and support of the EU.

Five sectors, including agriculture and food, environmental technologies, transport and logistics, ICT and e-commerce, as well as the economic reforms carried out in Azerbaijan will be the major discussion points of the event.

More than 400 participants are expected to attend the forum. The government officials, experts of relevant public institutions and international company representatives will participate in the event.

The EU is Azerbaijan ?s biggest economic partner representing 44 percent of its total trade and providing the largest share of foreign direct investment to Azerbaijan.

The Union has repeatedly voiced support to Azerbaijan in its reform efforts, and aims at increasing networking and contacts between companies that will increase trade and economic activity even further.

The EU has 28 Member States with a total population of more than 500 million people and is hence, after China and India, the most populous region in the world.

With its single market, the European Union is the biggest economic actor in the world, with an annual GDP of around 14 trillion euros, and 20 percent of global trade. It is worldwide  by far - the main source of FDI inflow and outflow to the rest of the world.
By Azernews





By Amina Nazarli

The number of companies cooperating with the Baku Shopping Festival is increasing every day, which creates additional opportunities and benefits for buyers.

Turkish Airlines, one of the fastest growing airline companies of the world, has launched a special campaign within the partnership with the Baku Shopping Festival.

Turkish Airlines will offer additional 10-kg free luggage space for passengers of the Baku flight until May 10.

During the whole period of the Festival, passengers who have a Tax Free declaration can take an additional 10 kg of luggage free of charge during check-in for Turkish Airlines flights.

Turkish Airlines operates flights from Baku to hundreds of cities around the world. For tourists who use the services of Turkish Airlines, this is an excellent opportunity.

With the updated list of participants who have been registered, as well as those who joined the festival, please visit http://bakushopfest.com/en/ourstores/.



Since the beginning of the Baku Shopping Festival on April 10 until April 24, the Taxes Ministry returned over 612,970 manat ($365,641) as VAT.

The total sales amounted to approximately 6.3 million manats ($3.75 million), which means that 10 percent of the funds spent by the buyers were returned.

Facilities that have joined the VAT refund system will have special stickers entitled Baku Shopping Festival - Tax Free. VAT will be refunded only to those buyers, who purchased the goods at the facilities with such a sticker.

During the festival, a buyer [Azerbaijani citizens or foreigners] can have the VAT refunded at the banks in case the amount of the purchased goods exceeds 100 manats ($58) [including VAT].
By Azernews





By Amina Nazarli

Azerbaijan Caspian Shipping Company is interested in buying or renting Ukrainian ferries Heroes of Shipka and Heroes of Plevna, the Black Sea trade port of Chornomorsk reported.

During the visit of the Azerbaijani shipping companys leadership to Ukraine, a number of meetings were held on the issue of expanding international cooperation.

The delegation led by Companys Chairman Rauf Veliyev visited the Trade Port of Chornomorsk. The ports Director Sergey Kryzhanovsky gave detailed information on the activities of the ferry complex and noted that the port, located on an area of 221 hectares, is capable of receiving up to 1,960 wagons, 7,000 cars and trucks per day.

The port is capable of receiving all types of cargo, according to the message.

Kryzhanovsky noted the importance of cooperation with Azerbaijani sailors and expressed confidence in the fruitfulness of mutually beneficial relations, says the message.

Veliyev, for his part, said that the Azerbaijani shipping company pays special attention to renewing the fleet with modern vessels, and added that work is currently underway to increase the number of vessels in international waters.

As of today, 10 ships of the shipping company are floating in the Black and Mediterranean seas with the flag of Azerbaijan.

Speaking about transit opportunities of Azerbaijan, Veliyev noted that Azerbaijan cooperates with Ukraine in the sphere of transit and there are great opportunities for expansion of relations.

During the meeting, the sides discussed opportunities of entering the markets of Iran and Central Asia using Ukraines transit potential, opportunities of the East-West and North-South transport corridors for Ukraine, as well as emphasized the significance of introducing the single tariff policy in this sphere.

Highly appreciating the possibilities of the port and the ferry complex, Veliyev expressed hope for successful cooperation.

During the visit to Odessa, the shipping companys delegation also met with representatives of several ferry operators. At the meetings, the parties discussed the issues of cooperation in the field of freight traffic.

Representatives of the Azerbaijan Caspian Shipping plan to pay the next visit to the port of Chornomorsk in summer 2017.
By Azernews





By Gunay Camal

Saudi Arabia very much appreciates Azerbaijans contribution to the agreement to reduce oil production, which was reached in December 2016 in Vienna, said Saudi Arabias Minister of Energy, Industry and Mineral Resources Khalid Abdulaziz Al-Falih.

The minister made the remark at a meeting with Azerbaijans Energy Minister Natig Aliyev in Baku on April 26.

Al-Falih said that Azerbaijan is one of the countries that have fulfilled their obligations on oil output cut better than others. The minister emphasized that Azerbaijan reduced oil production to a greater extent than it undertook.

We have common values; Azerbaijan and Saudi Arabia are very pragmatic with regard to oil production in the long term. We want stability not only for producers, but also for oil consumers, added the minister.

In late 2016, OPEC members decided to cut oil production to stabilize the global oil market. 11 non-OPEC countries, including Azerbaijan, agreed to curtail oil output jointly by 558,000 barrels per day within the OPEC deal. The agreement was signed for the first half of 2017, with the possibility of extension.

The participation of Azerbaijan in joint oil production cuts is defined at 35,000 barrels per day. Prior to the landmark deal, the volume of production in the country was at the level of 37.72 million tons of oil, while daily output stood at 829,100 barrels.

The Saudi minister also offered the Azerbaijani side to jointly invest in third countries.

The offer was well perceived by Energy Minister Natig Aliyev, who stressed that Azerbaijan and Saudi Arabia have great potential.

Azerbaijans state oil company SOCAR can participate in the projects in Saudi Arabia, while in its turn Saudi Arabias Saudi Aramco company can take part in the projects in Azerbaijan, Aliyev said.

"We will continue to discuss the possibility of cooperation between SOCAR and Saudi Aramco in the projects in Azerbaijan and Saudi Arabia, as well as the possibility of joint activity in Turkey," Aliyev said.

"Following the meeting, we can prepare an agreement in which we will include all the issues and spheres that we want to develop, the minister said, adding that an intergovernmental agreement between Saudi Arabia and Azerbaijan can be signed in this regard.

Aliyev stressed that Azerbaijan has big plans for the development of production in the petrochemical industry, in particular polypropylene.

In this regard, Aliyev called Saudi Arabia for participating in the petrochemical projects.

SOCAR GPC, a gas processing and petrochemical complex of Azerbaijans state oil company SOCAR, will be commissioned in Garadagh, 15 km south of Baku in January-March 2022. The cost of the GPC project is approximately $4 billion.

As part of his visit to Baku, the Saudi minister already met with President Ilham Aliyev, who said that the visit will give new dynamics to the development of energy cooperation between the two countries.

He is also expected to meet with 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.

The visits to Bibiheybat and Sangachal were also included to the program.
By Azernews





By Laman Ismayilova

Azerbaijan`s Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov has met with Prime Minister of Lithuania Saulius Skvernelis as part of his official visit to Vilnius.

The sides discussed the current status of relations and prospects of cooperation between Azerbaijan and Lithuania, Azertac reported.

They put an emphasis on further development of economic-trade relations and in this context, reviewed the activity of Joint Intergovernmental Commission.

While noting that next meeting of the Commission will be held in the second half of this year, they exchanged their views on the agenda of the Commission. They stressed that there is wide potential to develop cooperation in the fields of agriculture, energy, transport, tourism, education and other spheres between the two countries.

Mammadyarov briefed Skvernelis about the transport projects launched with Azerbaijans initiative and participation, as well as North-South, East-West corridors and advantages of these routes in terms of efficiency and delivery.

The opportunities provided by North-South, East-West transport corridors were also underlined in the context of Lithuanias initiative on linking the Baltic, Black and Caspian Sea basins.

The FM also touched upon the negotiations process on the settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and reiterated that the conflict must be resolved on the basis of norms and principles of international law, the UN Security Council resolutions in the framework of territorial integrity and sovereignty of Azerbaijan within its internationally recognized borders.

Earlier, the Azerbaijani FM met with Seimas Deputy Speaker Gediminas Kirkilas and his Lithuanian counterpart Linas Linkevicius.

Also, Mammadyarov attended the opening of the Azerbaijani Auditorium at Vilnius University.
By Azernews





By Rashid Shirinov

The commander of the Turkish gendarmerie forces, Army General Yashar Guler has arrived in Azerbaijan, where the troops of the two countries will soon hold joint drills.

The general visited the Alley of Honors and paid tribute to the national leader of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev and prominent academician Zarifa Aliyeva on April 26.

Guler also visited the Alley of Martyrs and the monument for Turkish martyrs.

The general is expected to meet with Azerbaijans Interior Minister Ramil Usubov, Defense Minister Zakir Hasanov, chief of the State Border Service Elchin Guliyev and other officials.

During the meetings, the parties will discuss prospects of development of cooperation between various law enforcement agencies of Azerbaijan and Turkey.

The Armed Forces of Azerbaijan and Turkey will hold live-fire joint tactical exercises on May 1-5.

The joint exercises will involve armored vehicles, artillery systems and mortars, military and transport helicopters, as well as air defense units and anti-aircraft missile units equipped with modern defensive systems to protect groups from the air.
Turkish Armed Forces jets killed a senior terrorist PKK member in northern Iraq last Saturday, according to local security sources, Anadolu reported.

Three terrorists -- including Sait Tanit, code-named Bedran Cudi -- were killed during airstrikes in the Metina region, the sources, who asked not to be named due to restrictions on talking to the media, said Tuesday.

Tanit was on the Turkish Interior Ministrys Most Wanted Terrorists list, the sources added.

In a separate operation, Turkish jets hit a group of PKK terrorists preparing for a terrorist act in the southeastern province of Sirnak, the army said late Tuesday.

The warplanes bombed the targets between 21.05 p.m. - 21.20 p.m. local time (1805-1820GMT).

The PKK is listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and EU. Since it resumed its armed campaign against Turkey in July 2015, it has been responsible for the deaths of around 1,200 people, including women and children.
By Azernews





By Kamila Aliyeva

Vienna hosted a meeting of the regular Joint Commission for the implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) on the Iranian nuclear program.

Delegations from the six negotiating countries (China, France, Germany, Russia, United Kingdom and U.S.) and Iran attended the session.

During the meeting, the six international mediators have pledged that they are ready to continue work towards Irans complete reintegration into the global economy.

Russias Permanent Representative to Vienna-based international organizations Vladimir Voronkov noted that the issues of arranging the banking system to enliven economic activities in Iran were discussed as the business community demonstrates growing interest to the Iranian market.

Apart from that, he said, the commission discussed the issue of the Arak facility.

"A contract has been recently signed on the modernization of this facility. Now, actually all central projects under the JCPOA, such as Fordow and Arak, can be seen as indicators of the agreements efficiency. Work on them is underway already and it proves that joint solutions could be found to the most complicated and difficult technical matters," the Russian diplomat stressed.

The Iran nuclear deal was negotiated in July 2015 between Iran, the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council and Germany. By ratifying the plan, Iran agreed to scale down its nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief.

However, the United States imposed new sanctions against Tehran in February 2017 after Tehran carried out a medium-range ballistic missile test in late January.

The negotiations on Iran's plan to purchase 950 metric tons of concentrated uranium ore, known as yellow cake, are not over yet, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on April 25, TASS reported.

"Iran continues consultations on the purchase of uranium concentrate and the participants of the Joint Commission have not come to a consensus on this issue yet," Aragchi said.

Irans nuclear energy chief Ali Akbar Salehi earlier said Tehran wanted to buy the uranium concentrate from Kazakhstan in the next three years, with 650 metric tons arriving in Iran in two batches during two years and the remaining 300 tons arriving over the third year.

The Joint Commission holds its meeting every three months. This years first meeting was held on January 10. Next meeting is scheduled for July 2017.
Dubais real estate developers and companies developing touristic, commercial and cultural projects have been ordered to install additional power generators to ensure seamless uninterrupted power supply in their developments.



The order comes from Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who made the decision during his visit to Dubai Water and Electricity Authority (DEWA) headquarters, where he was briefed yesterdays power outage in Dubai Mall.  TradeArabia News Service
Wyoming assumed management once again of wolves within its borders on Tuesday, and those apex predators wandering outside the northwest corner of the state can be shot on sight.

The Circuit Court of Appeals in Washington, D.C., entered its final order in favor of Wyoming in a lawsuit that landed wolves back on the endangered species list in 2014. The court announced in early March that it had upheld the states plan but had not issued its final order.

Tuesdays decision is what Wyoming wolf managers hope is the last legal battle in a roller-coaster legal process.

All indications are that this decision shows once again that Wyomings plan is a sound management plan, said Brian Nesvik, chief of the Wyoming Game and Fish Departments wildlife division. They will remain in the hands of state management. For Wyoming this is, again, this is a time for us to celebrate. This is a good thing for Wyoming to be able to take on another wildlife resource.

No changes were made to Wyomings wolf management plan from when the state oversaw the carnivores between 2012 and 2014, Nesvik said.

That means Wyoming will manage the 100 wolves and 10 breeding pairs outside of Yellowstone National Park and the Wind River Reservation.

Wolves in 85 percent of the state are considered a predator and can be shot on sight, similar to coyotes. They are classified as a trophy animal in the northwest corner of the state and subject to fall hunting seasons. Those seasons have not yet been set, Nesvik said, adding that wolves in those areas cannot be hunted right now. The Wyoming Game and Fish Commission will set those seasons after a public comment period.

A coalition of environmental groups sued Wyoming in 2012 over the states management plan. A representative for the group said in early March the coalition was disappointed with the D.C. courts ruling, said Tim Preso, an attorney for Earthjustice, a nonprofit law firm representing Defenders of Wildlife and several other environmental groups who filed suit against the state.

Earthjustices lawyers argued, essentially, that Wyomings plan to maintain a buffer of more wolves than the required amount was not legally binding and insufficient under the Endangered Species Act. The court ruled that Wyomings plan was adequate, and environmental groups did not appeal the decision.

Preliminary estimates showed Wyoming had about 240 wolves at the end of 2016, Tyler Abbott, Wyoming field supervisor for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, told the Star-Tribune in March.

The feds killed about 115 wolves in 2016 because of livestock depredations, he said. In 2015, the service killed about 54 wolves.

Because of the high number of wolves killed by the Fish and Wildlife Service, Nesvik estimates hunting season quotas this fall will be similar to those before wolves went back on the list.

In 2012, 42 wolves were killed by hunters in the states trophy area and 25 were killed in the rest of the state. The next year, 24 wolves were shot in the trophy area and 39 taken in the rest of the state.

Gov. Matt Mead expressed his satisfaction with the courts decision in a news release sent Tuesday evening.

I am delighted that the Circuit Court recognized Wyomings commitment to manage a recovered wolf population, Mead said. Our wolf management plan is a result of years of hard work by people across Wyoming. We recognize the need to maintain a healthy wolf population.

Wolves were reintroduced into Yellowstone in 1995. They have been off the endangered species list in Montana and Idaho since 2011.
CHEYENNE  A state district judge is considering whether to dismiss a defamation lawsuit filed by a former Wyoming schools superintendent against a former U.S. House candidate.

Judge Thomas Campbell heard arguments Wednesday on a motion by Tim Stubson to dismiss the lawsuit filed against him by Cindy Hill.

Hill contends that Stubson made malicious and false statements about her during his U.S. House campaign last year. Stubson, also a former state legislator from Casper, lost in the Republican primary to Liz Cheney, who went on to win the seat in the general election.

Stubsons comments included a remark that Hill had committed illegal acts while she was superintendent, according to Hills lawsuit.

Stubsons attorney, Monty Barnett, argued that any comments made by Stubson about Hill are protected political speech, noting that they occurred in the context of a political campaign and during a political debate.

This is a First Amendment free speech case, Barnett said.

He said the lawsuit is little more than a retaliatory strike at Stubson.

Hills attorney, her husband Drake Hill, argued that Stubson made maliciously false statements about Hill that are not protected free speech.

Stubsons characterization of Cindy Hills actions as illegal implies criminal behavior that harmed her reputation, Drake Hill said.

Calling that person a criminal is defamation per se, he said.

The comments by Stubson concerned the controversy over removing Cindy Hill as administrator of the state Education Department while she was state superintendent of public instruction. Stubson was a member of the Legislature in 2013 when a law was passed and signed by Gov. Matt Mead, removing the state superintendent as head of the agency.

The law was passed after high-ranking lawmakers and Mead clashed with Hill over how she was running the department. Stubson was among those who supported removing Hill.

Hill challenged the law in a lawsuit and a divided Wyoming Supreme Court struck down the law as unconstitutional.

Judge Campbell also was involved in that 2013 lawsuit, denying Hills request to stop enforcement of the law until a court decision was rendered in the lawsuit.

Hill later challenged Mead in the 2014 GOP primary and lost.
Wyomings unemployment rate fell from 4.7 to 4.5 percent between February and March, according to recent job numbers.

The rate is a full percentage point less than March 2016s level of 5.5 percent, reported the Wyoming Department of Workforce Services Research and Planning Section.

But that isnt necessarily good news for Wyomings economy, cautioned David Bullard, a senior economist with the department.

Wyoming was home to 6,300 fewer nonfarm jobs in March 2017 than in March 2016.

With the total nonfarm jobs, those are down significantly over the year, so thats not consistent with more people finding jobs, he said. It appears that people have left the state.

Most of that decrease was in four counties: Campbell, Converse, Natrona and Uinta. The drop comes in the midst of an energy bust in coal, oil and natural gas that led to layoffs throughout the industries.

Natrona County was down 1,762 jobs from March of last year, and Campbell was down 1,654 jobs, Bullard said.

Wyomings employment picture is, however, a little more complicated than just those losses, Bullard said. The local area unemployment statistic estimates show that there is a slight increase in people working in the state from a year ago, but that includes all jobs.

Were actually seeing mixed signals, if you will, from different economic indicators, he said. Theres a number of possible explanations. You could have fewer multiple job holders, and that would affect those numbers and not the local area employment statistics.

On the county level, however, the estimates are clearer, he added. And what the numbers from the four counties with lower unemployment and few jobs show is that people are either leaving the state or giving up looking for a job.

The outlook is not likely to improve anytime soon.

Dont see big changes on the horizon, Bullard said. Energy prices affect the states economy, and we expect that to move with oil prices.
The Democratic People's Republic of Korea soldiers salute bronze statues (not pictured) of DPRK's late founder Kim Il-sung and late leader Kim Jong Il at Mansudae in Pyongyang, in this photo released by Kyodo April 25, 2017, to mark the 85th anniversary of the founding of the Korean People's Army. [Photo/Kyodo via REUTERS]

Pyongyang marked a key military anniversary on Tuesday with a major artillery drill after Seoul announced joint naval exercises with a US aircraft carrier group this weekend.

Speculation has been mounting that Pyongyang would carry out a sixth nuclear test or another missile launch on Tuesday to mark 85 years since the founding of its army.

The Republic of Korea's Yonhap News Agency cited an unnamed government source as saying the Democratic People's Republic of Korea marked the anniversary with its "largest ever live artillery drill", carried out in the eastern port city of Wonsan and presumed to have been overseen by leader Kim Jong-un.

US President Donald Trump said on Monday that the United Nations Security Council must be ready to impose tougher sanctions on the DPRK over its nuclear and missile programs, 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.

On Friday, the Security Council will have a special ministerial meeting on the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue.

Washington has sent the nuclear powered aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson and its carrier group to the Korean Peninsula, where it is expected to arrive later this week.

The vessel will take part in ongoing joint naval drills with ROK forces, the ROK Navy said in a statement.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said on Tuesday that those who are disappointed that a sixth nuclear test was not carried out in the DPRK "are anxious to see the world in disorder".

"We urge all related parties to keep calm and restrained, and not to take actions that intensify the tension," he said at a daily news conference in Beijing.

According to Geng, China and the DPRK are in contact and the diplomatic channels between the two countries are "very smooth".

He also said China has been making efforts to solve the peninsula's nuclear issue in an appropriate and effective way, as both a regional country and a responsible member of the international community.

Wu Dawei, China's special representative on Korean Peninsula affairs, arrived in Japan on Tuesday to exchange views over the current Korean Peninsula issue.

"We hope related parties, including Japan, can work with China to push for an early and peaceful resolution of the issue, make due efforts, play its due role and shoulder due responsibilities," he added.

AFP contributed to this story.
Opening

Macbeth  The Rogue Theatre. See story, Page 11 .

Shrew of different sort

Shakespeares The Taming of the Shrew is a tough sell these days. But Something Something Theatre Company aims to turn that around with its production.

Shrew, as Shakespeare wrote it, is about a strong-willed woman, Katherina, who isnt considered marriage material because, well, shes strong-willed. That was called shrewish back in the old days.

Her younger sister, Bianca, is sweet and pliable and men are clamoring to marry her. Trouble is, Bianca cant get married until Katherina does.

Enter Petruchio. He makes a bet that he can tame Katherina and claim her for his bride. He attempts this by withholding food and subjecting her to what today amounts to mental abuse. One can see the problems staging it these days.

But director Esther Almazan has a plan. Shes set it in the Roaring 20s and has mixed up expectations without sacrificing the script. In the process, the play goes from a comedy to a funny piece with tragic elements.

Now thats a gutsy director.

The production stars Naima Boushaki as Katherina and Nick Watts as Petruchio.

The play previews at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 27, and opens 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 28. Regular performances are 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays through May 14 at the Steinfeld Warehouse Community Arts Center, 101 W. Sixth St. The preview is $15, regular performances, $22, with discounts available. Somethingsomethingtheatre.com or 468-6111.

Last Chance

Evita  Tornabene Theatre, 1025 N. Olive Road. Arizona Repertory Theatre gives a rousing production of this Andrew Lloyd Webber musical about Eva Perons meteoric climb from the slums of Argentina to beloved First Lady. The cast is made up of massively talented University of Arizona students. Final performances are 7:30 p.m. April 28 and 29; 1:30 p.m. April 30. $20-$31. 621-1162. Theatre.arizona.edu.

Chekhovs Three Sisters  Pima Community College Center for the Arts, 2202 W. Anklam Road. Chekhovs classic play about three sisters who long for a grander life than the one they are stuck in in a small Russian town. Pima students perform the play. Final performances are 7:30 p.m. April 27-29; 2 p.m. April 30. $18. 206-6986. pima.edu.

Lets Live A Little  Invisible Theatre, 1400 N. First Ave. Kathleen Clarks play is a series of vignettes about the folks who live in a small New Jersey town. It is often funny and tender, and features a cast led by Jack Neubeck, Molly McKasson, Lucille Petty and Kathleen Erickson. Susan Claassen directs. Final performances are 7:30 p.m. April 27-29; 3 p.m. April 29 and 30. $32. 882-9721. invisibletheatre.com.

Continuing

The Curse of the Pirates Gold  The Gaslight Theatre, 7010 E. Broadway. Playwright and director Peter Van Slyke mixes it up with this play about pirates in search of a lost treasure. The bad guys keep shifting so we arent quite sure whom we should cheer. Or boo. But the songs are fun, and the olio, a spoof of The Brady Bunch television show, is a hoot. And the disco-era costumes are a good reminder that fashion was questionable in the 1970s. Performances are at various times through June 5. $21.95. 886-9428. thegaslighttheatre.com.

Below the Belt  Live Theatre Workshop, 5317 E. Speedway. You want to see this one. The comedy about the struggle for power in a factory that cares nothing for its employees and even less for the environment is very funny. 7:30 p.m. April 27-29 and May 4 and 5; 3 p.m. April 30. Through May 6. $20. 327-4242. livetheatreworkshop.org.

Be My Baby  Roadrunner Theater, 8892 E. Tanque Verde Road. Playwright Ken Ludwig is known for his farces. And we kind of wish he had made this play one. There are funny moments in this Roadrunner production, but it is a plodding, convoluted story about a Scotsman and an English woman who pretty much hate each other . But they have to tolerate one another because her niece is marrying his ward. When they have to fly off to San Francisco to pick up a child the younger couple is adopting, they discover a baby can change everything. Linda Andresano directs. 7 p.m. April 28, 29 and May 5; 2 p.m. April 30. $15-$20. 207-2491. Continues through May 14. roadrunnertheatrecompany.org.

Holmes & Watson  Temple of Music & Art, 330 S. Scott Ave. After Sherlock Holmes death, Dr. Watson investigates frauds claiming to be Holmes. This is the last in Arizona Theatre Companys 50th season, and the Jeffrey Hatcher play, directed by David Ira Goldstein, is full of suspense and first-rate acting. Continues through May 6. $25-$64. 622-2823. arizonatheatre.org.

The Dinner Detective Interactive Murder Mystery Show  Hilton Tucson East, 7600 E. Broadway. Dine and determine who the murderer is. Ages 15 and up. 6 p.m. Saturdays. $49.95. 1-866-496-0535. thedinnerdetective.com.
The Tucson Symphony Orchestra closes out its Family Series on Saturday, April 29, with a show that features music composed by one of its own.

TSO violist Ilona Vukovic-Gay penned the score for Dusty Locks and the Three Bears, a funny Southwest recasting of the famed fairy tale. The piece is based on the story of the same name by Tucson childrens author Susan Lowell.

Heres the story: That family of very tidy bears lives out West in a pristine little cabin in the woods. They like to take long walks, especially when their breakfast sits on the table too steamy to eat. And while they are out on one of those sojourns, a dusty gal parched and, well, dusty, comes upon the cottage. Of course, Dusty Locks, who hasnt bathed in a month of Sundays, is not one to keep a place nice and tidy.

You know the rest of the story: family comes home. Whos been sitting my chair? Someones been sleeping in my bed and theyre still there. Screaming and shrieking ensue and the all live happily ever after.

This is the eighth collaboration between Vukovic-Gay and Lowell, who met years ago on their daughters preschool playground. Thats when they first came up with the idea of setting Lowells stories to music as part of the TSOs series of childrens concerts.

Lowell, a Tucson native, has been writing fairy tales centered on Tucson and the Southwest since the early 1990s. Vukovic-Gay studied composition at the Manhattan School of Music and Yale University and has had her works premiered in Tucson; New Haven, Connecticut; and Londons Wigmore Hall.

The composer, who leads the TSOs groundbreaking Young Composers Project, said she based the theme of Dusty Locks on Tancuj, Tancuj, Vykrucaj (Dance, Dance, Twist), a Slovakian childrens folk song and dance that she said musically describes Dusty Locks character.

The 50-minute program opens with John Williams Throne Room and Finale from Star Wars. Also on the program: Swan from Saint-Saens Carnival of the Animals; music from Leonard Bernsteins musical On the Town; a movement from Beethovens Symphony No. 1; and a chance to sing along with This Old Man.

TSO violinist Joseph Rousos-Hammond, cellist Robert Chamberlain and violinist Wynne Wong-Rife will portray Dusty Locks and the bears.

The TSO, under the baton of guest conductor Michael Hall, will perform Dusty Locks and the Three Bears at 2 and 3:30 p.m. Saturday at the Leo Rich Theater, 260 S. Church Ave. Tickets are $18 for adults, $12 for children under 18 through tucsonsymphony.org or at the door. The performance lasts about 50 minutes.
We've collected a few front pages from newspapers.com to give you a look at some April 26 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.
Bishop Gerald F. Kicanas recognized his Golden Jubilee as a priest Tuesday with a Mass of Celebration at St. Augustine Cathedral.

Kicanas was ordained to the priesthood 50 years ago. He has led the Roman Catholic Diocese of Tucson for 14 years.

Upon his 75th birthday in August 2016, Kicanas submitted a letter of retirement to Rome, as the churchs canon law requires all bishops do at that age. Usually the pope accepts the resignation. So far, the Tucson diocese has not yet learned of a successor, said diocese spokeswoman Steff Koeneman.

Leaving the administrative work of a bishop behind will give Kicanas more time for hearing confessions and celebrating Mass  the things that you really went into the priesthood to do, he said in an earlier interview with the Star. Hell still be a priest and a bishop, just not bishop of the Diocese of Tucson.

Kicanas was ordained April 27, 1967 in Mundelein, Illinois. His ministry began as parish priest in Libertyville, Illinois, and progressed to teacher and counselor at a high school seminary and a part-time chaplain for a juvenile detention center.

He became rector of the high school seminary and then of the collegiate Mundelein Seminary before Pope John Paul II made Kicanas an auxiliary bishop for the Archdiocese of Chicago.

Next stop, Tucson.

In 2001, Kicanas was appointed coadjutor bishop to the Tucson diocese, alongside Bishop Manuel D. Moreno. After Morenos retirement in 2003, Kicanas became the sixth bishop of a diocese reeling from claims of sexual abuse carried out by diocesan personnel and clergy and corresponding settlements. It was his job now to lead the diocese and restore credibility and make amends.

Over the years, Kicanas has developed a reputation in Tucson and around the country for his attention to social justice issues, particularly those involving immigration, prisons, drug addiction and poverty.

I am deeply grateful to God for the opportunity I had to serve as a priest, he wrote in his weekly Monday Memo. What a privilege it has been to enter the lives of so many people. They have been an inspiration for me in my own faith.
For years, people have been trying to figure out how to reward Arizonas high-performing schools.

No matter how complicated the formula, though, the efforts usually turned into the same old thing: New ways of giving more money to schools where the students are already well off.

The reason is simple and well-known: Students in wealthier schools tend to score higher on standardized tests that are the basis for rewarding high-performing schools. So when you pay more to schools and districts where students score high on tests, the rich usually get richer and the poor are usually left out.

That remains partially true in the governors latest effort to give more money to high-flying schools.

But there are signs the legitimate criticisms of these efforts are finally penetrating the halls of power in Phoenix.

This week, the Arizona Board of Education took a step toward rewarding what may be the most relevant measure of a schools performance: The students progress from year to year.

The Arizona Legislature passed a law last year requiring the state Board of Education to impose letter grades on schools again, but allowing the board to develop new measures.

The letter grades arent a very good idea in and of themselves. For parents, theyre useful only as a quick, glancing guide to the quality of schools. Theyre so simplistic, though, that they obscure as much as they enlighten. That is, if all youre judging on is a letter grade, then youre not making a very informed judgement.

Its a simplistic way to distill out the essence of a school, Chris Kotterman, government relations director for the Arizona School Boards Association, told me. Wed rather have a dashboard  a uniform set of indicators for parents to look through.

Still, Kotterman and the association were among many who supported the new system for determining grades, even if they dont like the idea of letter grades in general. The reason: The board is finally rewarding schools for how much students improve while under their supervision, not simply how well students score.

To see the difference, imagine Student A, a pupil at a well-off school district scoring 92 on a standardized test one year, then 94 the next year. Thats a great score, but the student didnt improve much. In the past, schools were rewarded simply for their students getting these high scores.

Then imagine Student B, who attends a poorer school and scores 70 on a standardized test one year then 82 the next. Even with the improvement, the student still scored worse than the kid at the wealthier school. But the poorer student improved much more. Thats an improvement for which the school should get some credit  and will, now.

That growth is what the new letter-grade system for K-8 schools will emphasize, more than the actual score.

For those schools, 50 percent of their letter grade will be determined by the aggregated improvement in scores on standardized tests. Just 30 percent of the grade will be based on proficiency  the actual value of the aggregated scores.

There were proposals to make this a 40-40 split: 40 percent of the grade based on growth and 40 percent based on proficiency, but people who wanted the board to avoid rewarding wealth prevailed in that argument.

For high schools, the grades will be different, but again the board decided to de-emphasize proficiency, the face value of the schools test scores. Instead of basing 40 percent of a high schools letter grade on proficiency, the board reduced that figure to 30 percent. Another 20 percent will be based on growth in test scores. Most innovative: 20 percent of the high schools scores will be based on measures of career or college readiness and 20 percent on graduation rates.

That was due to very strong public input to decrease the correlation with socioeconomic status, Calvin Baker told me.

Baker is superintendent of the Vail School District, a member of the state Board of Education and also co-chaired the committee that designed the new letter grade system.

In short, the board took a stinky assignment  creating a new A-F letter grading system  and came out smelling like creosote before a summer rain.

But the tendency to reward wealth still lurks in a proposal by Gov. Doug Ducey, even if it is somewhat improved over previous efforts. Duceys budget proposal includes $38 million in results-based funding.

The money would be sent on a per-pupil basis to schools scoring in the top 10 percent on the AZ Merit test. The proposal does recognize the socioeconomic gaps between schools: It would award $400 per pupil to schools with poor student bodies that score high on the test. And it would award $250 per pupil to schools attended primarily by middle- and upper-class students.

But an analysis by the Arizona Republic showed the system would still reward wealth along with test scores. By rewarding the top 10 percent, $13.5 million would go to schools with at least 60 percent of the students qualifying for a free and reduced lunch. The remaining $25 million would go to middle- or higher-income schools. A full $15 million, or 40 percent of the new money, would go to the wealthiest schools.

The idea here is, lets recognize the challenge  that these schools are truly beating the odds  with more money, Ducey spokesman Daniel Scarpinato said, referencing the higher reward for poorer schools. Overall, he said, the program provides an incentive for schools to move up their achievement ranks .

But while that proposal recognizes the difficulties faced by poorer schools, it still rewards wealth disproportionately. And just as important, it ignores improvement  that is, rewarding schools who take lower-achieving students and help them become average or better performers.

All these measures are based largely on test scores. That remains a problem because it requires teachers to teach to the test. But at least the high-school level grades are de-emphasizing test scores.

And in the future, the governor or legislatures can avoid making up their own rewards systems. Instead, they can defer to the letter grades for a more accurate measure if they want to reward high-performing schools.
After a year without a permanent leader, the University of Arizonas medical school in Phoenix has a new dean.

University of Tennessee Science Center cardiologist Dr. Guy Reed will be the new dean of the UA College of Medicine Phoenix, which opened in 2007 and is accredited separately from the UA College of Medicine Tucson, which opened in 1967.

Reed, who specializes in research on the mechanism of blood clots and vascular disease, will start his job in mid-July. His annual salary will be $700,000, which is the same salary received by Dr. Charles Cairns, dean of the UA College of Medicine Tucson.

The Phoenix medical school had been without a permanent dean since last spring, when well-regarded dean Dr. Stuart D. Flynn announced he was leaving in March to be the founding dean of a new medical school in Texas.

Dr. Kenneth Ramos had been serving as interim dean since Flynns departure and will return to the UA in Tucson, where he is associate vice president of precision health sciences and new head of the MD-Ph.D. program at the Tucson medical school.

Dr. Leigh Neumayer, interim senior vice president of UA Health Sciences, made Tuesdays announcement about Reeds appointment.

Reed is the Lemuel Diggs Professor of Medicine at the University of Tennessee and chair of the Department of Medicine at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center, as well as interim executive vice president for Methodist Le Bonheur HealthCare.

Reed grew up in Colorado and graduated from Columbia University in New York City, where he received his bachelors degree in English literature and premedical studies. He earned a masters degree in mathematical statistics and a medical degree from Stanford University.

He completed his internship, residency and chief residency in internal medicine at Yale University, a fellowship in cardiovascular disease at Massachusetts General Hospital, and a postdoctoral research fellowship in biochemistry and molecular biology at Harvard Medical School.

For a decade and a half, Reed served in positions as a cardiologist at Massachusetts General Hospital and on the faculty at Harvard Medical School and Harvard School of Public Health.

In 2015, the company Reed founded  Translational Sciences Inc.  signed an exclusive licensing agreement with Tokyo-based Daiichi Sankyo Co. Ltd. to develop and commercialize a treatment for patients.

Reed will be the third dean of the UA College of Medicine in Phoenix.

Based in downtown Phoenix on the Phoenix Biomedical Campus, the UA College of Medicine will graduate 82 physicians on May 8. The medical school aims for classes of 80 students per year and has to date graduated 273 physicians.
Arizonas new school ratings system will put more emphasis on students academic growth and rely less on state test scores.

The Arizona State Board of Education approved the new school report card formula, which grades schools performance on an A through F scale, at a board meeting Monday in Phoenix.

I was hoping that we would come up with a system that gave any school in Arizona the opportunity to receive a higher level rating, said Calvin Baker, superintendent of the Vail School District who also serves a member of the state board and the A-F report card committee.

Baker said he believes the new system will do that.

It provides more ways for a school to gain points aside from having students who score high on standardized tests, helping bridge the gap between schools in higher-income areas, which tend to already have high-performing students, and lower-income ones.

One of the most significant problems facing the state of Arizona is figuring out a way to get a higher level of academic success and a higher level of post-high school success for students who live in poor neighborhoods, Baker said. The state should recognize and provide incentives to schools that are making progress despite that challenge, he added.

For example, at the K-8 level, Baker said schools can earn points for closing the achievement gap between students from higher-income and lower-income families. They can also gain points for reducing chronic absenteeism.

High schools can earn points for college and career readiness, he said. Examples of that include students taking college entrance exams, advanced courses or earning certificates through career and technical education programs.

Public input favored putting more emphasis on student progress, rather than proficiency, which relies solely on test scores, in the new formula, Baker said.

Some Sunnyside and Tucson unified school districts teachers told the Star last year as the state board committee worked to put together proposals for the new ratings system that proficiency did not accurately represent a school.

Everything about the school has to be taken into account, Christy Sainz, an honors English teacher at Tucson High Magnet School, said last November.

Beyond how students score on tests, factors such as school climate and high-quality teachers should be considered.

TUSD Interim Superintendent Gabriel Trujillo said he and his staff had not had the chance to thoroughly review the new rating system and its potential impact on the district. He declined to comment until he had a better understanding.

The new system will be used to rate Arizona schools this year with grades available on azreportcards.org as early as next fall. Whats reflected on the site until then are old grades from 2014.

The state Education Department stopped using the old method back then to come up with higher standards and new assessments. A committee of educators and parents was formed last year to work on devising a new system that would more accurately measure how schools in Arizona are doing.
The Sawmill Fire burning north of Sonoita and heading toward the Mescal area was estimated at 20,000 acres and expected to grow as strong winds grounded air tankers Tuesday.

It remained at 7 percent contained Tuesday night as a multi-agency crew of 350 battled the wildfire, which a Cochise County sheriffs spokeswoman described as 10 miles from Benson.

There were no reports of injuries and no structures had burned so far, but homes, ranches and outbuildings, communications facilities and power lines remained at risk, authorities said.

There was no anticipation of evacuations overnight Tuesday of residents in the J-6 Ranch area south of Interstate 10 and south of Mescal because firefighters had a better handle on it, said Carol Capas, a Cochise County sheriffs spokeswoman.

The winds subsided and the fire slowed down in the rural area, Capas said. However, pre-evacuation notices remain in effect, and several hundred families may be affected, she said.

Law enforcement personnel notified area residents in the afternoon and advised families to have a go bag to include important documents, medicines, cellphones and clothing in case an evacuation order was given. They also were advised to prepare to evacuate with their pets and make accommodations for larger animals.

There were locations for families to leave their pets and animals, if needed, including shelters in Tombstone and Willcox, and other locations in Benson. Residents were opening their doors to help those in need, Capas said.

At the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds in Sonoita, another evacuation center, families left about 25 large animals  horses, donkeys, mules and cows, said Mike Wright, a volunteer.

This community is doing a wonderful job because everybody is pulling together, Wright said. We have been overwhelmed by support, he said, explaining the fairgrounds has 12 stalls that are open for animals, and area residents have offered room for pets and large animals, too.

However, cattle and horses on open ranges must fend for themselves, said Wright, explaining that ranchers could not round up the animals and bring them in to safety once they were given evacuation orders. Typically, the horses and cattle know how to take care of themselves, Wright said. It will not be known if any are killed in the fire until the blaze is out, he said.

Wright said families evacuated in the areas have found shelter with family, friends or others who have opened their homes. A post asking for prayers for the firefighters and evacuated families was shared on the Sonoita fairgrounds Facebook page.

On Monday night, the Southern Arizona Chapter of the American Red Cross opened a shelter at the fairgrounds in Sonoita and five people stayed, said Mike Sagara, a Red Cross spokesman.

On Tuesday, two people stayed and one person sought shelter at the Southeast Regional Shooting Park, 11296 S. Harrison Road, which opened earlier in the day, for residents of Hilton Ranch and surrounding areas. Sagara said 30 cots were put up at the Tucson-area shelter and there is food and water for more people if needed. Other shelters that were not affiliated with the Red Cross were also available if more evacuations occurred.

The fire started Sunday south of Green Valley near Madera Canyon and blew northeastward across the northern foothills of the Santa Rita Mountains.

It crossed Arizona 83 in two locations Monday night. That highway, which connects Interstate 10 to Sonoita, remains closed. Forest roads and trails in the area are also closed temporarily.

On Tuesday afternoon, high winds grounded the air tankers because the winds made slurry drops ineffective, said Lt. John Cambra, a fire incident commander. Three helicopters were still flying and dropping water, he said.

The fire is burning in tall grass, riparian woodland, mesquite/oak brush, oak woodland, and pinyon-juniper fuel types, said Heidi Schewel, a Coronado National Forest spokeswoman.

Hotshot crews from Payson, Globe, Blue Ridge and Prescott were assigned to the fire.

The fire is believed to be human-caused, but the investigation is continuing, Cambra said.
People charged with rape are not eligible for bail, even if prosecutors cannot prove they are an ongoing danger to the community, the state Court of Appeals ruled Tuesday.

The judges acknowledged that the Arizona Supreme Court concluded earlier this year that people charged with sexual conduct with a minor cannot be automatically denied bail.

But appellate Judge Jon Thompson, writing for the unanimous court, concluded rape is different if for no other reason than, by definition, the victim has not consented. And what that means, Thompson wrote, is that despite the Supreme Court ruling, sexual assault remains a non-bailable offense.

Michael Freeman, an attorney for one of the men involved in this case, said there will be an appeal to the states high court.

The ruling involves two separate cases out of Maricopa County, one against Marlin Henderson and the other against Guy Goodman. Each was charged with sexual assault  the legal term for rape.

In each case, a trial judge scheduled a hearing to determine whether it was proper to hold the defendant without bail. And in both cases, the judge found proof evident and presumption great that the defendants had committed the crimes.

But in both cases, the judge found the state had not proven by clear and convincing evidence that the defendants were an ongoing danger, to either the community or the victim. Bail was set for $70,000 for Goodman and $50,000 for Henderson.

Thompson, writing for the appellate court, said that was a mistake.

He said the Supreme Court ruling was based on crimes involving sexual conduct with a minor  a charge that includes situations where the victim could be a teen who actually consented to the contact.

Sexual assault is not a crime like sexual conduct with a minor which could potentially include consensual situation and which, therefore, may involve a defendant who is not a danger to the community, the appellate judge wrote. Unlike sexual conduct with a minor, lack of consent is an element of the crime of sexual assault.

And what that means, Thompson said, is a hearing is not necessary  or even appropriate  to determine if someone charged with rape is a danger to the community or the victim, or is entitled to be released on bond.

The non-consensual nature of the crime fulfills the requirement for finding inherent dangerousness, he wrote.
Fair continues

Pima County officials said the Sawmill Fire poses no threat to the Pima County Fair, which will be open daily as usual through Sunday. The fair is being held at the Pima County Fairgrounds, 11300 S. Houghton Road.

Also, a shelter for fire evacuees has been opened at Pima Countys Southeast Regional Rifle and Pistol Range at 11296 S. Harrison Road, in coordination with the American Red Cross. Another shelter is open in Sonoita.
Senators ease rules

on certifying teachers

PHOENIX  Over the derision of Democrats, Republican state senators voted Tuesday to expand the ability of people without specific education training to become teachers as a method of dealing with a shortage of classroom educators.

SB 1042 requires the state Board of Education to adopt regulations for certifying alternative teacher and administrator preparation programs that are substantially different than those for traditional training programs. It also allows local school districts to decide to certify teachers through a classroom-based preparation program.

The legislation also eases requirements for people from other states to be able to teach in Arizona.

Arizona has been plagued with a shortage of teachers for years. More than 40 percent of teachers quit in the first two years, said Diane Douglas, the state schools superintendent.

The solution proposed by Gov. Doug Ducey in his State of the State speech was to repeal outdated rules he said keep qualified people out of the classroom.

As proof, he said that Sandra Day OConnor, the now retired justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, is not considered qualified to teach civics in high school. Thats crazy, Ducey said, saying lawmakers should let local school boards, superintendents and principals make hiring decisions.

Sen. Martin Quezada, D-Glendale, said theres only one problem with Duceys example: Its a feel-good story, and a false one at that. He said existing rules already allow someone with credentials in a professional field to go into the classroom while they pursue a teaching certificate.

SB 1042, Quezada said, is not only unnecessary but dumbs down the requirement for teachers.

Its because we dont pay them enough, said Sen. Steve Farley, D-Tucson. And you dont solve the teacher retention crisis by lowering standards.

Rep. Juan Mendez, D-Tucson, said the legislations message is that special skills are not needed to help students learn, which he said adds insult to the low salary.

Not all the complaints about SB 1042 came from Democrats. Lowering the standards or affirming lower standards doesnt get us where I think we need to go, said Sen. Kate Brophy McGee, R-Phoenix. But she voted for the final measure because she was able to make some changes to make it, in her mind, a bit better.

The measure still needs final House approval before going to the governor.

Bill OKd to regulate movers estimates

Legislation headed to Ducey would provide some new protections for people who move across town or across state.

HB 2145 is designed to end the practice by some moving companies of quoting one price ahead of the move and then, on arriving at the destination, demanding more and refusing to unload the homeowners goods until they have cash in hand.

This legislation requires a written contract upfront, with a detailed list of the services to be provided, an estimated price and other fees a consumer may have to pay. If the moving company wants to be paid for additional services not in the contract, the customer would have to agree ahead of time in writing. Once the previously agreed-on price is paid, the moving company would be required to deliver the items, or a police officer could intercede.

The bill, which won unanimous House approval Tuesday, does allow a mover to seek more funds for additional services  but only in court, and only after everything has been delivered.

Electronic-billboards change goes to Ducey

On a 20-8 vote the Senate gave final approval Tuesday to allowing electronic billboards in a portion of Mohave County around Bullhead City, with restrictions. Objectors cited concerns about dark skies for astronomers; such signs are limited now to certain other areas of the state. The measure now goes to the governor.

Howard Fischer,

Capitol Media Services
For decades, the Tucson Rodeo has always been a big hit with Tucsonans, with schools shutting down for the event, but thanks to a team of multimedia journalists at NPR it's getting some nationwide attention.

NPR's "Latino USA" is the station's only Latino news and cultural weekly radio program, which is currently in its 20th year.

In the April 7 program on the 2017 Tucson Rodeo, reporters met an 8-year-old Mexican-American boy who's moving up in the junior rodeo world.

The program "looks at the deep Mexican and Mexican-American roots in rodeo, and how one Tucson family is giving the sport their all, despite the odds."

Check out the segment and get ready for next year's rodeo action:
A former Tucson paramedic died Sunday while working as a monitor of the crisis in Ukraine.

Joseph Stone, 36, worked for the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, which identified him as the victim of an explosion that hit an armored vehicle in the Luhansk region of eastern Ukraine. Two other OSCE workers were hospitalized.

The OSCE monitoring mission is made up of unarmed civilians from various countries who observe and report on activity in Ukraine and help foster dialogue among the parties fighting each other.

Before working with aid groups in countries like Afghanistan, Liberia, and Ukraine, Stone grew up in Tucson, graduated from Pima Community College and worked for nine years as a paramedic, said his brother Matthew, 34.

The world really did lose something special on April 23, Matthew Stone said.

In recent years, Joseph worked near war zones, but Ukraine was the first time he had worked inside an active war zone, Stone said.

He always downplayed the danger of it, but it was there, Stone said.

The OSCE started a special monitoring mission in Ukraine in 2014 when the president was ousted from office and Russia took control of the Crimean Peninsula. Since then, nationalist forces in western Ukraine have battled rebel forces in the eastern portion of the country, which is more ethnically Russian.

Nearly 10,000 people have been killed in the conflict, the United Nations reported in December.

The area around Luhansk where Stone was killed is one of the few areas still controlled by rebels.

Stone was the first OSCE worker to die as part of the monitoring mission. His death sparked calls from a wide range of governments and agencies for an investigation into the explosion.

Matthew Stone said international agencies are doing everything they can and was thankful to hear expressions of outrage about his brothers death from Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany and British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, among others.

The U.S. State Department issued a statement saying it was shocked and deeply saddened by Stones death, which underscores the increasingly dangerous conditions under which these courageous monitors work, including access restrictions, threats, and harassment.

The statement urged Russia to use its influence with the separatists to allow the OSCE to conduct a full, transparent, and timely investigation.

The chief of the OSCE mission in Ukraine, Ertugrul Apakan, said in an April 24 statement the mission was filled with great sorrow at Stones death.

Apakan said the explosion was likely a mine. He called for a sustainable cease-fire, withdrawal of weapons, full de-mining and real commitment to peace. And I ask that those responsible for placing mines are held accountable.

An online fundraising campaign to help pay for the funeral and other expenses raised $5,800 two days.

Stone is survived by his 13-year-old son, a longtime girlfriend, two brothers and his mother.
PHOENIX  State utility regulator Bob Burns wants a quick ruling on his bid to get records from Arizona Public Service to see if two of his colleagues should be barred from voting on the companys latest rate hike request.

William Richards, attorney for Burns, said his client needs to know soon whether Maricopa County Superior Court Judge James Blomo will grant his demand that APS and parent company Pinnacle West Capital Corp. disclose the money it spent in 2014 to try to affect the outcome of the Arizona Corporation Commission race. Burns also has issued subpoenas for information on donations, advertising and marketing.

The companies at first sued to block the move and then withdrew their objections, a move that resulted in Burns colleagues refusing to continue to pay his legal fees. Undeterred, Burns filed his own lawsuit arguing he has a constitutional right to the information.

Mary OGrady, attorney for the companies, responded by asking Blomo to dismiss the case. If nothing else, she said, the question of the validity of Burns subpoena should be determined by the full commission.

Richards said that would leave the issue to the very ACC commissioners whose disqualification may be required if the subpoenaed information is provided.

But the bigger issue is whether Tom Forese and Doug Little, the two Republican commissioners elected in 2014 with the help of anonymous donations  donations Burns believes came from Pinnacle West  should be able to vote on the pending settlement.

Richards said the subpoenas and testimony Burns also is demanding from company executives will disclose whether the company engaged in any direct or indirect coordination with other commissioners campaigns.

And it will allow Commissioner Burns to exercise his constitutional duty to protect Arizona consumers and determine whether evidence mandating disqualification of any other commissioners exists before they vote on APS rate request, the legal papers read.

Both Forese and Little repeatedly have denied they know anything about the ultimate source of the $3.2 million put into that race by the Free Enterprise Club and Save Our State Now. Both groups say their legal status as social welfare organizations exempts them from Arizona laws compelling them to disclose their donors.

And Forese, now chairman of the five-member commission, told Capitol Media Services on Tuesday he knows of no legal reason that either he or Little would have to recuse themselves from any role in the pending APS rate case, even if it ultimately was shown that the utility was behind any of the cash.

But Burns is not just raising questions about Forese and Little.

He also noted APS publicly disclosed it put $4.2 million into last years race in its bid to elect all three Republican contenders: Andy Tobin, Boyd Dunn  and Burns.

This publicly disclosed spending could equally justify disqualification  particularly if the investigation reveals any evidence of even indirect coordination between APS/Pinnacle West operatives and their campaigns, his attorney wrote.

Forese said if thats true, then Burns himself should be disqualified because he was the beneficiary of some APS spending.

Burns, in his own legal filings, suggested APS purposely spent money on his behalf, hoping to spark negative voter suspicions of hypocrisy of him benefiting from utility cash even as he was going after company records. Anyway, he said, it was more designed to prevent the election of Democrats Tom Chabin and Bill Mundell, people Burns said would have voted with him to enforce the APS subpoenas.

The more immediate issue is whether Blomo can rule on the legality of the subpoenas before the commission is slated to vote on the settlement APS negotiated with several participants in the rate case, potentially giving Burns a reason to argue Forese and Little should not be allowed to vote on the deal.
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.
Israel

Talks are canceled with German official

JERUSALEM  Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu abruptly canceled talks Tuesday with the German foreign minister over the visiting diplomats plans to sit down with an Israeli rights group, sparking a rare diplomatic feud with one of Israels closest and most important allies.

The last-minute cancellation cast a cloud over a visit that had been meant to draw attention to years of friendship between the two countries and coincided with Israels annual Holocaust memorial day.

Netanyahus office said the prime minister wouldnt meet with foreign dignitaries who meet groups that slander IDF soldiers as war criminals, referring to Breaking the Silence, a whistleblower group critical of Israeli military actions in the West Bank.

Russia

Russia steps in after Ukraine cuts power

MOSCOW  In a move that further cements Russias control over parts of eastern Ukraine, Russian officials announced Tuesday they will begin supplying electricity to separatist-controlled areas after the Ukrainian government cut off power because of a heavy backlog of unpaid bills.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov described the decision as a humanitarian mission helping to keep an estimated 3 million people out of darkness in rebel-held areas in the Luhansk region along Russias border. The rebels are backed by Russia.

Thailand

Man kills baby, self

on Facebook Live

BANGKOK  A man in Thailand upset with his wife hanged their 11-month-old daughter Monday on Facebook Live and then killed himself, police said Tuesday.

Police Col. Jirasak Siemsak said officers found the bodies of 20-year-old Wuttisan Wongtalay and the baby in an abandoned hotel in Phuket province after receiving reports of the video.

He felt neglected by his wife because they had been fighting, so he took his 11-month-old daughter to the site of the crime which is the abandoned hotel, Jirasak said. Then we found the bodies hanging off the hotel.

Brazil

Rio slum dwellers protest gunbattles

RIO DE JANEIRO  Hundreds of Brazilians have taken to the streets of the Alemao slum complex in Rio de Janeiro to protest gunbattles between police and gangsters that have killed at least four people and wounded six others, including three policemen.

The latest to die was a 13-year-old who suffered a gunshot wound in his abdomen Monday. Local media said Tuesday that he was hit by a stray bullet.

Residents say shootings between police and drug traffickers have raged since Friday, when officers installed a tower in the slum as part of a campaign to retake control from gangs.
Since April is National Volunteer Month, why not take a day (or an hour or two) to give back to Tucson.

It's a great way to spend time together and teach your kids about empathy and gratitude.

Here are some ideas on where your family can volunteer:

Diaper Bank of Southern Arizona

The organization provides diapers and incontinence supplies to children and adults through community partners.

It currently needs volunteers to help package diapers into ten packs for distribution.

Volunteers must be at least 14-years old and can work one-, two- or three-hour sessions as often as they'd like.

Click here for more volunteer info or call 325-1400.

Children's Museum Tucson

The museum has a variety of tasks for youth volunteers. It needs help prepping hands-on arts and crafts. Youth volunteers also help facilitate activities and interact with visitors.

Volunteers must be at least age 15.

The museum is located at 200 S. Sixth Ave., and will work around your schedule.

Click here for more info.

Ben's Bells Project

The organization creates bells out of clay that are then hung randomly around the community for people to find and take home as a reminder to practice intentional kindness.

Anyone can volunteer, but kids under the age of 18 must be with an adult. Kids as young as 2 or 3 have been known to drop in with their families to paint or sculpt the beads and centerpieces of the bells that the organization distributes.

Volunteers can drop in anytime between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday at 816 E. University Blvd.

Felicia's Farm

The farm grows organic fruits and veggies, collects eggs from its chickens and donates 100 percent of it to Casa Maria Soup Kitchen, which distributes lunches and grocery bags to Tucson's needy families.

Families are welcome to volunteer as long as the kids are supervised. The work varies from weeding to turning compost and planting.

"It's important to give back, but it's also good for people to know where food comes from and the work that goes into it and what a luxury it is to have that kind of food," said Sofia Montes, farm manager. "To be able to share it with somebody else is an important experience."

During the summer, families can drop in any time between 8 a.m. and 1 p.m. at 3761 E. River Road. Hours will change to 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. when the weather cools down.

Click here for more info about the farm.

Primavera Foundation

This organization provides transitional housing, workforce development and meals for Tucson's homeless.

Families can volunteer to be on meal teams, where they cook and serve meals, at the men's shelter or Primavera's transitional housing facility, called Five Points. Meal teams serve meals every night, about 360 days of the year.

Another option for families is to make sack lunches at home for the people in Primavera's job training programs.

Interested families should email volunteers@primavera.org or click here for more information.

Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona

The food bank provides food and food-related services throughout southern Arizona.

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Normally, you have to be at least 16 to volunteer at the food bank, but because there was lots of interest, it added a monthly Youth & Family Volunteer Day, which allows younger people a chance to help out and learn what the food bank does.

Advance registration is required. Click here for more information.

Humane Society of Southern Arizona

The Humane Society is a full-service animal welfare organization that takes in homeless pets and finds them new homes. It is also known for its spay and neuter program to prevent more homeless pets from being born.

Families with children ages 10 and older can volunteer at the shelter together, but kids under the age of 15 cannot directly handle the animals.

Volunteer opportunities for families include dog walking, cat care and canine college, a six-week enrichment program for dogs.

Fostering a dog or cat is another option, then children can directly care for the animals.

Helping animals at a young age helps children learn to be more responsible pet owners and develops a sense of empathy in the role they play in an animal's life.

Click here for more information.

Interfaith Community Services

The ICS mission is to help seniors and disabled individuals lead stable, independent and healthy lives in their own homes.

Families can volunteer by organizing and executing a food drive in their community then delivering the food to the ICS Food Bank.

Kids ages 10 and up can go along with parents to deliver Mobile Meals. It gives recipients the chance to interact with children.

You can also get the kids together to make greeting cards for Mobile Meal recipients.

"Our senior and disabled clients are very happy to receive handcrafted greeting cards with a friendly encouraging message delivered with their Mobile Meals," said Tori Carlson-Foscz, volunteer resource manager. "This is something families or groups can do any time of the year, including holiday and special occasions."

To volunteer with ICS, email Carlson at tcarlson@icstucson.org or call 297-6049, ext. 217.

Click here for more information about ICS.

Read Between the Bars

Read Between the Bars is a local, grassroots organization that mails donated books, upon request, to men incarcerated in Arizona's state and federal prisons.

Volunteer opportunities include donating books or money or attending a "book packing party," in which volunteers open prisoner request letters, fulfill the orders from the donated library and package them for mailing to the inmates.

Families are welcome, as long as kids are supervised.

Packing parties are held twice monthly. No registration is required. Families can just show up.

Follow the organization's Facebook page for book packing party dates.

Reid Park Zoo

Teens ages 13-17 can volunteer at the zoo, but must commit to at least six hours per month for at least one year after training. Volunteers help with engaging zoo guests in conversations, facilitate a craft or activity table for kids, patrol the zoo to answer guest questions or assist with special events. Applications are accepted January through March each year. Click here for information.

Hermitage No-Kill Cat Shelter

Volunteers under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult or parent. You'll be able to help clean up the shelter, socialize cats, go to events, do administrative work and transport donations.

Click here to fill out a volunteer application.
Help India!

By Amit Kumar, Twocircles.net

February 18, 2008, was an important date for Yahya Kammukutty. A software engineer with more than 10 years of experience, Yahya had quit his job a year ago and had started freelancing with various companies. In a weeks time, he was scheduled to conduct his first training programme for young professionals and for Yahya, things were going as per plan.

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April 24, 2017. Yahya, now 41, meets me in a small commercial building located in Nellikaparamba. Yahya asks me to come to the first floor, where he is in the process of setting up a small company, which will cater to software solution and Enterprise Resource Planning. It is a modest setup; Yahya sweeps the room himself before we sit down to talk.

A conversation which reveals why it took 9 years for him to do what he always wanted to do.

Yahya wrapped up his days work on February 18 and went home like every other day. His family, then consisting of three kids and his wife was waiting for him. Like every other day, he had his dinner and went to sleep. The same night, there was a knock on his door, and when he opened the door, Yahya saw two men in plain clothes. They claimed to be from the Police, showed their ID cards and he was asked to come along. I was taken to the outskirts of Bangalore (Yelahanka) and from there, brought back to the city. While coming back to the city, I was blindfolded, says Yahya. On the first day of my detention, they asked me about my views on Islam, hoping to use something I say as a proof of my intentions, he says, smiling.

His family was running from pillar to post the next day trying to find his whereabouts but to little avail. They visited almost all the police stations in Bangalore but the police refused to help and claimed lack of information in this regard.

The Police had relied on the fact that he was a one-time member of SIMI, which Yahya never denied. During my college days in Regional Engineering College, Calicut (now NIT Calicut) in the 90s, I was a member of SIMI. It was not illegal then, right?

After college days, other issues took precedence and I moved on. I went on to work for MNCs, spent a year in the US and carried on with my work. How was I to know that my SIMI connection would come back to haunt me? he asks.

The first day also saw Yahya tortured at the hands of the Police, who wanted him to reveal more information about the whereabouts of the other people. I was the sixth person, in this case, to be arrested, and they wanted me to tell about the others. But I had no clue. I had been in Bangalore working on my projects, says Yahya. As is often the case in such arrests, the police said that Yahya had been arrested from the streets on February 21, three days after he had actually been taken into custody.

On 22 February, he was produced in the Magistrates court in Hubli. Even that time, Yahya was sure that there must have been some mistake and expected an early release, at least on bail. I honestly thought that this would get over soon. We knew that the police would take 90 days to prepare the charge sheet and after that, I could apply for bail, he says.

As it turned out, the wait for release ran over seven years.

After the charge sheet was filed in April 2008, to Yahyas horror, the case proceedings did not take off until November 2010. We were in jail, accused of being the most hardcore terrorists but the government seemed to be happy just detaining us. If they had been sincere, they would have tried to start proceedings against us, he says. To make matters more difficult for Yahya, his bail applications were rejected both by the Sessions court as well as the High Court. Even pleas filed to speed up the trial process proved futile. I had already spent 30 months in jail by the time the trial started. If this is not a mockery of justice, then what is? Yahya says.

In 2011, one of the accused Sameer Sadiq was granted bail by the Supreme Court, and seeing this, Yahya moved to the High Court again to apply for bail. The plea remained in court for five months. During this time, the administration also started producing witnesses in court130 over the six monthsto show that the case was progressing and there was no reason to give me bail, says Yahya. Once the bail plea was rejected, the case was stalled again.

As his life crumbled in front of him, Yahya says that it was only his faith and belief in Allah that saved him. You are in a cell and there is nothing to do. During my stay in the Belgaum jail, I prayed five times a day as usual. It is only Allahs guidance through Quran that gave me strength to carry on, he says.

In 2012, when he approached the High Court once again for bail, the HC asked the Sessions Court to complete the trial within ten months. But the whole year was wasted. For nine months, the case was stalled because the video conferencing system was not working. You see that the whole system is mocking itself. We are already accused, but the system that is supposed to do justice makes a joke of itself. How long does it take to solve address a simple issue? Minutesbut in this case, it took nine months, he says.

Nothing much changed in 2013 too and while over 100 witnesses were examined in the period when Yahya sought bail, between 2012 and 2013 less than 100 people were examined. Not that the witnesses helped the prosecution much, as the final verdict revealed.

Yahya says that during these years, he tried to distract himself by enrolling in a course, but that too was refused by the jail authorities. I tried doing a course in Islamic Finance as early as 2009. However, the authorities, of course, saw it as an attempt on my part to indoctrinate myself or somethingthe word Islamic was enough for them, I guess, he says laughingly.

The other cause of worry for him was, of course, his family. His wife and children had returned to Kerala and were staying with Yahyas parents. He says that during those days, although the family faced no social boycott, people kept maintained a distance due to the serious nature of the case. Even relatives did the samesome were told that any contact with the family would only put them in danger. I do not blame them or hold any grudge against them, he said.

2014 finally saw some progress made again in the case, and as the trial moved on, Yahya also began realising that beyond making noise, the Police had little factual evidence. The amount of evidence ran into 100s of pages, but there was little substance in it. Also, although the Police police a total of 270 witnesses, none were of much help to them, he adds.

Towards the end of 2014, when one of the accused applied for bail again, the High Court ordered the case to be wrapped up in four months.

Seven and a half years later from the day of arrest, Yahya and the other 16 were acquitted in the case in April 2015. The verdict said that the prosecution had failed to prove any charges against me, and my first thought upon hearing was that of surprise, he says with a big smile. I am not lyingI was pleasantly surprised and let me explain you why. If the administration wants, there is no doubt they can frame people like me. They have the resources and the power to do so. But despite so many attempts, they failed. Hence, I was surprised. After seeing how rotten the system is from the inside, nothing will ever surprise me now.

Acquittal does not mean a person is innocent, it means the prosecution could not prove the guilt of the accused. The Karnataka Police has filed an appeal against the verdict in the High Court. If it gets accepted and the trial begins, there is a chance that I might have to return to jail. So, I remind myself to not go too ahead of time, and keep myself on the ground, Yahya says.

The first week of his freedom was spent meeting relatives and his neighbours, who had thrown a big party upon his return. The party made me realise that people had not forgotten who I was, and were relieved to see me free again, Yahya says.

Over the past 18 months, most of his time has been spent in trying to get back to a professional career. To begin with, he started working on time-bound projects with companies in Kozhikode and saving, once again, for his long-cherished dream of starting his own company. I might be out, but the memories of jail will never leave me. But along with those memories, my dream of having my own enterprise and the guidance of Allah also keeps me going. Of course, being home and with my parents, my wife and my five children is of immense strength, says Yahya.

Just as I am about to leave, Yahya suggests we have a cup of tea at the nearby bakery. As we sip our tea, I ask Yahya a rather blunt question.

What can/should a Muslim youth do to ensure that something like this never happens to him?

Having seen the system from the inside, I can only say one thing, says Yahya.

Nothing. You can be rich, poor, educated or not, this can happen to anyone. Just remember to have faith in Allah, and learn to fight, he adds.
By now virtually everyone has seen Bones or another Star Trek medical officer wave that magic tricorder near a patient and get an instant diagnosis of their medical condition. That future is the goal of Qualcomms Tricorder X prize competition and this year it was finally won. You cant buy the Tricorder yet but it is now being submitted for government approval.

Tricorder - what is it?

The Star Trek Tricorder is a hand-held medical diagnostic and monitoring device of the 24th century but with the power of smartphones and rapidly advancing sensor technology (the doctor probably now takes your temperature by a quick swipe across your forehead) the Qualcomm Foundation felt that it was possible to build a Tricorder not in centuries but in years or, at worst, decades so in 2012 they began a contest (The Tricorder X Prize) to see who could build a working Tricorder.

The most recent competition took place earlier this month and the winner of a $2.6 million prize was a small group of engineers, programmers, and doctors headed by Basil Harris, an ER doctor/engineer. Their completed device weighs under 5 pounds and can diagnose the required 13 common ailments ranging from diabetes to pneumonia as required in the test. But the device can actually detect more than 30 conditions. Dr Harris says that without the weight limit his technology could diagnose 50 diseases - 249 years early.

The friends and family making up the team was competing against giant corporations and well sponsored and financed teams.

In addition to diagnosing diseases, the winning Tricorder (actually designated the DxtER) remotely monitors the bodys basic condition by measuring temperature, respiration, pulse, and more.

Using a patent-pending system it can even analyse blood and perform a blood cell count without the usual pin-prick so hated by every diabetic in the world.

Part of the conditions for winning the prize includes the weight limit and the ability to measure basic bodily functions remotely with non-invasive sensors to capture vital signs.

Basil Leaf Technologies.

The Final Frontier development team is part of Basil Leaf Technologies which developed the non-invasive sensors that can monitor blood sugar, white cell count, and haemoglobin. This technology is currently in Phase 1 clinical trials and is intended to be used both in a clinical setting and at home or in remote areas far from hospitals.

The dip urine test can currently detect ten substances including nitrites, ketones, bilirubin, and blood. When combined with the mobile app the test data can diagnose an infection and could be used for both pregnancy and drug testing.

The digital stethoscope can detect abnormal chest sounds and assist in diagnosing COPD, asthma, and congestive heart failure in addition to pulmonary infections such as pneumonia. The same sensors will eventually be used to analyse heart and bowel sounds.

Using a combination of the blood tests, voice interaction with the patient, and the digital stethoscope the device can already reliably diagnose diabetes, atrial fibrillation, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, urinary tract infection, sleep apnea, pertussis (a.k.a.

whooping cough), stroke, tuberculosis, and pneumonia.

The technology in the current Tricorder design can even detect leukocytosis or elevated white blood cell count - often an indication of some kind of underlying infection.

A Chinese team came in second with their device and expect to soon begin deploying their device with the cooperation of the Chinese government to rural villages. The US team will have to wait years for FDA approval unless President Trump intervenes. The US device is intended for home and clinical use and is expected to sell for about $200.
The clouds of war have gone deeper in the Korean Peninsula. On Tuesday, on the occasion of 85th anniversary of its army, North Korea has started maneuvers with its huge arms on its eastern coast. According to South Korea's media, this is N.Korea's largest maneuvering in history and has involved nearly 300-400 devastating weapons. Dictator Kim Jong and his administration once again warned the United States of war against the war.

United States in Japanese sea

Jong's strike is going on between both sides as both sides are gathering in the area. The United States and its allies South Korea and Japan are conducting different maneuvers.

On Tuesday, one of the largest nuclear submarines of the Us Navy fleet arrived at North Korea's Busan port. US warship USS Carl Winson's warship fleet is also about to reach North Korea soon. Apart from this, US Navy warship USS Wayne Mayer is in joint battle with South Korea in the Yellow Sea. Another US warship USS Fitzgerald is engaged in similar drill with the Tokyo Navy in the Japanese Sea.

Bluntly to Trump

Korean dictator Kim Jong-un has set up tough posturing against the US, on the other hand the Trump administration is ready to counter the threat in the twinkling of an eye. Pyongyang has done five nuclear tests in the last two years. Apart from this, many missile tests have also been done.

At the same time, the Trump Administration has clearly said that all options are open to deal with the threat of North Korea.

North Korea: Threat to United States

Tuesday, on the occasion of the foundation day of the army, N.Korea's Defense Minister Pak Yong Sik said, "If the enemy wields a military campaign despite our warnings, then our forces will counter strike the targets in range".

Earlier on April 15, North Korea demonstrated weapons on the occasion of the anniversary of the death of N.Korean founder Kim Jong Sung. Apart from this, the next missile was also tested but they failed.

How sensitive is North Korea's threat?

In the opinion of the experts, North Korea has been showing its strength on such important days.

In these days/years, maneuvers for their army are not new. But due to the tough missile trials and the strong showing from both sides, the situation seems to be explosive this time.

China's role

America is demanding that China must force N.Korea to stop the nuclear program. The Chinese administration has also made some efforts in this direction. But it is not clear what will be the responce from Pyongyang. On Friday, a key meeting of the UN Security Council will decide on tightening the sanctions against North Korea. On Wednesday, President Trump has invited 100 Members of Parliament for briefing on the situation.
Donald trump promised to build a 2,000-mile long wall across the border of the United States and Mexico " immediately" if he was elected president. However, plans for the wall have been beset by financial, legal and logistical problems since his election.

Trump's wall

The Border Wall was announced early on in Trump's presidential campaign in order to prevent illegal immigrants and illegal drugs from entering the country. It has been well noted that Trump has displayed an alarming naivety in thinking that a wall will prevent any such thing. The president was adamant that Mexico "will be paying, in some form, for the badly needed wall " in a tweet posted earlier this week.

Estimates for the cost of the wall range from $10 billion or more as quoted by the president himself if he builds " a super-duper, higher, better, better, security, everything else" (sic) to a more realistic $25 billion which takes into account repairs, construction, materials, labour, land acquisition and terrain.

Trump has been forced to scrap plans to find cash for the wall from this week's spending bill which must be passed by 28th April. Democrats had threatened to deliberately block the proposed bill if money was earmarked for its' construction.

Ted Cruz steps in

With funding for the wall likely to be an ongoing problem, Senator Ted Cruz of Texas initiated a brilliant idea. On Monday he introduced the ' Ensuring Lawful Collection of Hidden Assets Plan' or very cleverly 'El Chapo' for short!

The act is named after the infamous Mexican drug baron Joaquin Guzman, El Chapo , and is intended to seize illicit funds acquired from a prosecution of the drug lord totalling $14 billion which would go as a down payment towards the cost of the wall. As Senator Cruz said " By leveraging any... assets of El Chapo and his ilk, we can offset the wall's cost and make meaningful progress towards achieving President Trump's stated border security objectives.

"

Is it such a great idea?

Not only is this probably the best acronym anyone has come up with, it will also go some way to solving the funding problem of the border wall. US prosecutors routinely seize the assets of other drug traffickers so how poetically apt it would be that the US-Mexico border wall, which is intended to keep out drugs, should be funded by a Mexican drug baron.

The other option would be that the funding would be down to the American taxpayer and as Trump said clearly in his pre-election promises he would be introducing tax cuts across the board for everyone.

Has the introduction of the act been a bit of political gamesmanship by Senator Cruz rather than a genuine solution to the wall problem? The wall is fast becoming a political millstone around President Trump's neck as he strives to be seen as a man of action and decision but has little notion of the ongoing impact of his decisions. We can only wait and see, but surely it is unlikely that any builders will be tendering for the wall contract any time soon.
Donald Trump returned to Twitter on Saturday night to express how pleased he is with United States border security during his short time in the White House. However, Trump's remarks were quickly fact-checked and debunked.

Trump's border tweet

On the day that Donald Trump announced his campaign for president back in June 2015, he quickly caused controversy by labeling illegal immigrants from Mexico as "rapists" and "murderers." The former host of "The Apprentice" was quick to make immigration reform a cornerstone of his campaign, vowing to deport over 11 million illegal immigrants while building a border wall between the United States and Mexico.

In addition, Trump promised that Mexico would be financially responsible for the cost of the wall, an issue that the country has since pushed back on. After nominating John F. Kelly to become the new Secretary of Homeland Security, Trump appears pleased with the job that he's done, which was evident during his latest Twitter message on March 26.

General Kelly is doing a great job at the border. Numbers are way down. Many are not even trying to come in anymore.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 27, 2017

Taking to his Twitter account on Saturday night, Donald Trump attempted to deflect from the ongoing scandal involving Russia and the recent Republican health care debacle by making a questionable statement about immigration.

"General Kelly is doing a great job at the border. Numbers are way down," Trump tweeted, before adding, "Many are not even trying to come in anymore." Trump's final remark was the one that raised questions and appears to conflict with the reality of the situation.

Trump debunked

Over the last year and a half, Donald Trump routinely claimed that illegal immigrants have been "pouring over the border," while allegedly engaging in selling drugs, raping women, and taking jobs from hard working legal American citizens.

Despite this, a 2015 study by the Pew Research Center shows net immigration from Mexico had been down over the last decade. "More Mexican immigrants have returned to Mexico from the U.S. than have migrated here since the end of the Great Recession," the study confirmed. While Trump was quick to take credit for the decrease in Illegal Immigration, facts show that the change in direction occurred way before he even announced his candidacy for president, let alone getting elected and sworn into office.
Last Friday, Donald Trump was forced to pull the Republican Health Care Bill from the floor of the House of Representatives because it failed to gained enough support to ensure it would pass. Trump's decision marked a major failure for the administration and the GOP, which is not done being called out by the media.

MSNBC on Trump

For the better past of the last eight years, Republicans have made opposing the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, an almost prerequisite to join the party and run for office. Promising to repeal and replace Obamacare became second nature for any Republican politician, and was one of the top talking points for Donald Trump during his campaign for president.

After Trump pulled off the upset and defeated Hillary Clinton to become the new commander in chief, it was only a matter of time before the GOP-controlled Congress pushed for an attack on Obamacare. However, after failing to get on the same page, Trump and Republican lawmakers gave up their replacement efforts only two and a half weeks after revealing their plan. As seen during the March 27 edition of "Morning Joe" on MSNBC, one host is not willing to let them forget about it.

Discussing Donald Trump's decision to end their health care replacement effort after only two and a half weeks, co-host Joe Scarborough referred to the president as "pathetic." "How do you change one-fifth of the economy in 17 days?" Scarborough wondered, before adding, "This is the gang that couldn't shoot straight."

Morning Joe tears Trump a new one: How are you going to remake government if you dont know how it works? https://t.co/e5rq5eYdGB pic.twitter.com/TAQFMrZr7u  Raw Story (@RawStory) March 27, 2017

"You know, we've all been very concerned about the White House, concerned about Steve Bannon, saying he's a Leninist, he's going to tear down the government, the challenges to the courts, questioning the courts, calling the press the enemy of the people," Joe Scarborough continued.

"I think we should, 60 or so days in, just stop and go, 'Wait, 'hold on a second,'" he noted.

Double down

Joe Scarborough then went on to point out that Donald Trump has been unsuccessful in almost all of his major attempts at change, citing his failed "Muslim ban" executive order, and the aforementioned health care bill. The former Republican congressman then went on to mock the billionaire real estate mogul, using his own version of the Police song "Every Breathe You Take." "Every step he takes, every move he makes, every tweet he breaks," Scarborough said, concluding, "the press is there every second, hounding him." As of press time, it's unknown when Republicans will push to repeal Obamacare for a second time, but the former host of "The Apprentice" has indicated that he'd rather shift his focus onto tax reform.
Last week, a white supremacist was captured after targeting and murdering an African-American man. After being asked about the incident, White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer grew visibly frustrated.

Spicer on hate crime

In New York City last week, 28-year-old James Jackson of Baltimore traveled to the Big Apple and killed 77-year-old African-American Timothy Caughman. Jackson says he regrets committing the crime, because he would've rather have taken the life of a "young thug" or a "successful older black man," instead of an senior citizen. Jackson made it clear that he came to the city to commit the hate crime, which resulted in yet another incident of racial violence in recent months.

During a March 27 press briefing at the White House, Sean Spicer was pressed on the issue, but did his best to deflect.

After being asked about the aforementioned hate crime, Sean Spicer attempted to shift the conversation into a different direction. Spicer first scolded the African-American reporter for shouting the question to Attorney General Jeff Sessions earlier in the briefing, before then accusing the media of too often jumping to conclusions when it comes to hate crimes.

BREAKING: White supremacist James Jackson charged w/murder in "act of terrorism" for killing Tim Caughman "because he was black" #nbc4ny pic.twitter.com/zxA2f1KDZn  Steven Bognar (@Bogs4NY) March 27, 2017

I do think there has been a rush to judgement in a lot of other cases, in particular when it comes to some of the anti-Semitic discussion," Sean Spicer said.

"People have jumped to the conclusion about denouncing people on the right, and in that particular case, we saw that the president was right, and that this rush to judgement by a lot of folks on the left was wrong," Spicer went on to say, before adding, "none of them have been held to account on that." The press secretary also defended Donald Trump on the issue, who, while not commenting on the particular incident, has gone on the record to condemn hate crimes in general.

Next up

Since the election of Donald Trump last November, hate crimes have reportedly been on the rise across the United States as the political divide in the country continues to widen. Despite this, the White House has not offered more then a vague condemnation of crimes targeting individuals based on race, gender, or ethnic background.
On April 16, the Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz held a meeting with Valentina Matviyenko who is the holder of Russia's upper house and led a delegation of the Russian Federation Council to Riyadh. This came after the U.S. attacked a Syrian airbase with 59 tomahawk cruise missiles in retaliation for their use of chemical weapons on their own people. The discussion between both leaders happened to be over the view that Syrian president Bashar al-Assad needed to be removed after years of Syrian conflict which has already killed hundreds of thousands of people.

Saudi King flexible with Assad's removal

The view that Assad should be removed from power has long been held by the U.S. and its Western allies but one that Russia, China and Saudi Arabia's neighbor Iran disagree with. Blasting News published an article about this view and the states that are engaged in the fight against Assad's forces or to defend him -- Russia being one of them -- where it explains that the Saudis are arming and therefore supporting the rebels there. Ilyas Umakhanov who is a spokesman for the Russian delegation said that the 81-year-old Saudi King did not make demands that Assad is removed and that he appeared to be flexible with the idea. But being that Russian state media presents an entirely different view of realities on the ground there, the Russian interpretation of what the Saudi King would accept should certainly be questioned.

Pressure on Russia, changing conditions

The Saudi investment in Syria is great enough that a toppling of the regime would not be entirely unlikely. But he also said that the "Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir proposed a transitional period, during which Assad could resign as Syrian president." But Assad stepping down willingly is something that many see as unlikely and unless Russia is interested in stepping away from their support for the Syrian regime, there is no indication that it would.

In another Blasting News report, some experts suggested that when the U.S. informed the Russians that they were going to strike the airbase, that they did not tell the Syrians, which was suggested as intentional (as payback for the chemical weapons attacks they conducted days before).

The reasons for this as expressed by some experts is that Russian President Vladimir Putin might have been embarrassed after coming across as a global hero in 2014, for helping to remove those chemical weapons, only to make them look as if they hadn't.

Since the attacks, the U.S. Secretary of State has tried to put pressure on the Russian government saying that there is no future for them to hold onto Assad and that they should side with the Western alliances to denounce him and acknowledge that he must go. In a recent development on the ground, Hezbollah -- who are helping the Assad regime as a fighting force -- are turning over hilltop military bases to the Lebanese army which is said to free up hundred of fighters who are backed by Iran. Its been reported that Hezbollah leaders are having a hard time maintaining reasons to keep fighting in Damascus, taking serious casualties since being involved in 2013.
While Donald Trump usually dominates the headlines when it comes to his family, that hasn't been the case in recent days. First Daughter Ivanka Trump has had a busy Tuesday, which included a report that a Chinese factory that produces he clothing line is paying workers low wages.

Ivanka busted

When it became clear that Donald Trump was going to become the new President of the United States, many wondered what role his family would have in the administration. Trump's sons, Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump, have remained mostly involved with the president's business dealings, but that isn't the case for Ivanka Trump and her husband Jared Kushner.

The former host of "The Apprentice" made the decision to give security clearance to both Ivanka and Kushner, with his son-in-law given multiple duties to handle, mostly involving foreign policy where he is often present during important meetings with other world leaders. Ivanka's role, on the other hand, is not so well-defined, as she is seen as an adviser who is close to her father and able to push him in various directions depending on the issue at hand. On Tuesday morning, Ivanka made her first foreign trip on behalf of the White House, appearing at the W20 summit in Berlin, Germany to discuss women's issues. After name-dropping her father, Ivanka was quickly booed, which then went viral on social media.

Not long after, Time Magazine reported on April 25 that one of the factories that produces the first daughter's clothing line was caught paying wages that are below the poverty line.

Chinese workers at factory for Ivanka Trump's clothing maker earn about $62 a week https://t.co/kUhhEQY4S4  TIME (@TIME) April 25, 2017

According to Time, workers at a knitting factory in China who make clothes for Ivanka Trump are working as much as 60 hours a week, but are only receiving an average weekly paycheck of only $62, with an hourly pay of just over $1.

In addition, the factory has been found to have violated close to a dozen safety and health standards that have been set but the United Nations International Labor Organization.

@TIME @d1_grace So much for her stance on female equality  Richard Chartrand (@ChartrDavid) April 26, 2017

Twitter reaction

Upon hearing the news of the low wages, Twitter was quick to respond with trolling of the first daughter and newly hired White House adviser.

"That's even less than the average salary in China," one Twitter user wrote, while adding, "so much for her stance on female equality." "Such hypocrites#Trump family businesses r sending jobs over 2 China#cheating Americans out of manufacturing jobs#Trump-supports#no problem" an additional tweet noted.

@TIME @IvankaTrump, by any other name is a hypocrite!  Sumeeta K. Uprety (@KSumeeta) April 26, 2017

@TIME This family is all over the place. I thought we were suppose to Hire and Buy American?  DaniMack  (@DMTaylor91) April 26, 2017

@TIME These people have been getting rich off Americans forever. pay shit for foreign goods..sell to us at outrageous prices calling it "Designer"  Jerry Martinez (@fumesonline) April 26, 2017

"Greedy, corrupt and perverted, they all have to go," another social media post added.

"This family is all over the place. I thought we were suppose to Hire and Buy American?" a follow-up Twitter user wrote. "Ivanka, champion of women's rights . what about the women working in these factories? You are knowingly participating in their abuse," another tweet read. The reaction continued to pour in, as it was made clear that social media users were not happy with the reports out of China involving Ivanka Trump and her clothing line.
According to Dina Mitchell of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, her Fitbit Flex 2 Fitness Tracker exploded on her arm, giving her second-degree burns. ABC7 reports that Mitchell was sitting and reading a book last Tuesday night  wearing the Fitbit on her arm  when it happened and there was no indication that anything was wrong prior to the incident. The Fitbit tracker device had reportedly been a birthday gift.

No warning before the Fitbit Flex 2 device exploded

According to Mitchell, the Fitbit device didnt heat up first and there was no warning prior to the incident saying it burst into flames and exploded.

Mitchell told WISN News on Monday this week that it caught on fire and exploded, adding that there was plastic melting into her skin as she quickly tried to rip the fitness tracking device off her arm and threw it onto her wooden floor, where it left a burn mark. She said her skin was like plastic and blood, and that her doctor had to remove pieces of rubber and plastic from her arm following the incident. She said she was in shock after it happened and that it really hurt. A local emergency medical specialist confirmed that Mitchell had been treated the day after the Fitbit Flex 2 device allegedly exploded and burst into flames.

Mitchell called the company but initially got no response.

She then called again, giving Fitbit a detailed description of what had happened when the device allegedly exploded. Reportedly the day after the incident, the company offered her a free replacement device.

WISN News reports that Fitbit fitness trackers do come with a warning that the device contains electrical equipment known to cause injury if handled incorrectly.

However, that does not appear to be the case here.

Fitbit extremely concerned about the incident

Fitbit later said in a statement that the company was extremely concerned about what happened to Mitchell regarding her Fitbit Flex 2 and that they take the incident very seriously. They added that the health and safety of their customers is their top priority.

According to Fitbit, they are not aware of any other similar complaints regarding their fitness devices and they see no reason for people to stop using them. They are, however, continuing to investigate the incident.

However, when Mitchell was asked her reaction after the incident, she said that she cannot believe that something so dangerous is everywhere.
The #North Koreans have a building stockpile of weapons and the world is worried about their nuclear range, in particular talk of the missiles being loaded into a long range carrier that then can reach #Seattle. Trump wants to act on this issue immediately.

Somebody needs to step in, says Trump

Unless somebody steps in North Korea's #nuclear arsenal could amount to 50 weapons by the time that President Trump's term ends, according to the New York Times on Tuesday. This is about half the amount of #Pakistan's overall arsenal but the fact that the North Koreans can shrink the nuclear part of the weapon to slide in the nose of a medium or short-range warhead is particularly a worry, since this places South Korea and Japan, and the many American soldiers working across these nations, within dangerous and close range.

This means people's lives are at risk and that the country has more of a bargain to wage.

Other estimates say that there are a #thousand Ballistic Missiles in around nearly ten different types in The North Korean load. It is the leader #Mr Kim Jong-un's dream to place a nuclear warhead atop a ballistic missile that can fire all the way across the Pacific to Los Angeles or even Seattle on the western coast of the United States, but this is a more complicated equation that won't necessarily be happening immediately.
Liu Qibao, head of the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, and Marta Matrai, first officer of the Hungarian National Assembly, jointly unveil the Hungarian edition of Xi Jinping: The Governance of China in Budapest on Monday. YE PINGFAN/XINHUA

The Hungarian-version of Xi Jinping: The Governance of China made its debut in Budapest on Monday, with leading officials there saying President Xi's thoughts, proposals and visions in the book are useful to better govern their country.

"I do believe the leaders of many countries worldwide are reading this book to know more about the secrets of success of this fast-growing country," Marta Matrai, first officer of the Hungarian National Assembly, said at the launch ceremony in the main building of the National Bank of Hungary.

Liu Qibao, head of the publicity department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, who also is traveling to launch the book in Morocco and Greece, unveiled the Hungarian version with Matrai.

Before the launch on Monday, Liu met with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who is among the 28 state leaders already confirmed to attend the Belt and Road Initiative Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing on May 14 and May 15.

Orban said he respects the lasting strategic partnership between China and Hungary and expects to attend the Beijing forum.

Liu said the Hungarian version is the 19th foreign language edition since Xi Jinping: The Governance of China was first published in 2014. More than 6.2 million copies have been printed worldwide.

It includes 79 speeches, articles and instructions by Xi from when he became general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee in 2012 to June 2014.

In his speech, Liu also said Xi's Belt and Road Initiative has become an overall policy portfolio when China develops relationships with other nations.

Liu also said explanations in the book on how to better govern the Party and state and reshape China's outlook on global governance are essential elements.

Matrai said she agreed with Xi's point in the book that every country has its own perspective.

"I also believe that every country has its own way to achieve happiness and prosperity for its people, and so I want to emphasize President Xi's thought: There is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all development model in the world," Matrai said.

After the book's debut, she said, "I know that many economists and analysts worldwide are eager to decode the secrets of China's success from reading the book."
On Wednesday, President Donald Trump publicly opposed a United States federal judge's decreed ruling which effectively impeded his executive order that seeks to penalize those "#sanctuary cities" for illegal immigrants. He tried to do this by withholding funds for government and civic services, as is usual for the operating budget in national-to-state legislature. Donald Trump said he would appeal the United States Supreme Court on the matter in an effort to bypass the state ruling, so that he can get his way and penalize those sanctuary cities that seek to help immigrants.

Currently cities such as Los Angeles, San Francisco and #New York are seen as sanctuary cities, and they make efforts to help their mixed racial population, many of whom are illegal immigrants who are able to make a life for themselves by accessing free healthcare, education and other necessities.

San Franciscan judge Orrick

The state judge in question in this issue, District Judge William Orrick of San Francisco, struck out the latest shaky blow to the president's exertions on a harsher and tougher immigration administration and implementation. #Trump has also been hampered in the past few months by Federal Courts that have also obstructed his two travel bans that zero in on citizens of the seven-majority Muslim countries.

These #federal court push backs have shown those interested in democracy that a president, even though he has the most power in a country, does not have the power to overrule the all-important federal and civic courts on matters that may impede with everyday or theoretical issues of democracy and individual rights to freedom.Accordingly, President Trump went on another Twitter rampage on Tuesday and Wednesday decrying the court rulings against what some would call his unfair and overarching orders.

"First the Ninth Circuit rules against the ban & now it hits again on sanctuary cities-both ridiculous rulings. See you in the Supreme Court!" the president expressed in a tweet on Wednesday. He was referring actually to #District Judge William Orrick's appeals on his initiatives ad his outrage was palpable.

The current Oval Office administration has made a point of directing their concerns onto #sanctuary cities throughout the United States of America which give a safe place for illegal migrants to live, and those migrants generally dont access municipal funds or reserves to enforce or instigate federal immigration laws.

Many harsh critics of such practices claim that the state authorities imperil public safety and protection when they shelter or protect those illegal immigrants that may be arrested for crimes, or that conversely arent breaking the law but are simply living their lives. Supporters claim that using the local police force to collect and round up immigrants to be taken back across the border weakens and destabilizes trust in community law enforcement amongst Latinos, which then has a ripple-on effect that creates a lack of law and order.

Throughout his ruling, the San Francisco judge Orrick claimed that #President Trump's order that was created on January 25 was directed at general and hefty classes of federal funding for the so called sanctuary cities.

It was likely a forgone conclusion that those states challenging the ruling were liable to prove that it was largely unconstitutional.

The ninth #United States Circuit Court of Appeals is likely to hear an appeal before it the matter heads right up to the Supreme Court where it will face another examination in the halls of justice. Many Republicans view the appeals court as a having a heavy bias toward the left, meaning Democrats.
United Airlines is courting controversy again. The United 1516 flight from Liberia to Houston experienced a terrifying landing on April 25. The United flight traveling from Costa Rica to Texas was forced to make an emergency landing when one of the engines overheated.

United Airlines was recently under the scanner after a doctor was being beaten up brutally before being dragged out of the flight. The video showing Dr. Daos suffering and the airlines apathy went viral on social media. The airline is battling a PR nightmare and the emergency landing incident will do little to salvage its reputation.

United 1516 emergency landing

The flight landed at the Daniel O Duber International Airport, the same place from where it had taken off two hours before. United Airlines stated that the flight returned to Liberia due to a maintenance issue. The aircraft landed safely and a new flight would be assigned to all the passenger but would take off for Houston the next day.

According to one of the passengers traveling on the flight, it was about to crash when the pilot pulled it up and averted the disaster. The passenger described the incident as scary. The passenger Jody Genessy shared his experience on Twitter after the safe landing.

One of my plane's engines overheated over the ocean. We about crashed in an emergency landing before the pilot quickly pulled up. So scary. pic.twitter.com/qbmlQOnYRX  Jody Genessy (@DJJazzyJody) April 24, 2017

Genessy revealed that he feels lucky to be alive.

Initially, he and his wife were scared and thought it to be their last flight together. The couple thought they would never be able to see their four kids again. In a series of tweets, Genessy stated how the ambulances, emergency vehicles, fire trucks were waiting for the flight to land.

United Airlines pilots quick reflexes

Before the emergency, the flight was going round and round the ocean to burn up the fuel. Jody credited the United Airlines pilot for landing all the passengers safely without any injury. In a post on Facebook, he mentioned that flight was tilting toward the right, with flights wing about to hit the runway.

However, the pilot took the plane the right way and was able to pull it up just in time. All passengers were tensed during the crucial hours.

According to Leonel Jimenez, the fire supervisor of Costa Rica, the airport was put on alert 3. Generally, a modern twin-engine jet can fly up to hundred miles using only one engine. However, if the twin-engine jet sets for an over-the-ocean operation, it is important for the FAA to continue the journey for at least 100 or 1000 miles with the use of one engine.
With the worlds eyes on France in yet another controversial election, its nice to get back to the basics of what we all love about France  French cinema, culture and food. No better place to see that displayed than at Mondays Opening Night celebration of the COLCOA French Film Festival in Hollywood. Celebrating its 21st edition, COLCOA, which stands for City of Lights, City of Angels, is a festival that celebrates French media by showcasing much the years best.

To launch the festival, the program began with a cocktail hour consisting of French wine, Champagne de LArgentaine and other savory delicacies from L.A.'s fine French restaurants like Chez Prunette, French Market Cafe, K-Zo, Le Petit Paris, Luxe, Spring, Sweet Temptations and Taix.

Lets just say festivalgoers were well sated and cheery as they headed into the Renoir and Truffaut Theatres to catch the North American Premiere of writer/director Claude Lelouchs newest film, Everyones Life (Chacun sa vie).

The French classic Melville's A Day in a Clowns Life

Before the Feature presentation, Festival Executive Producer & Artistic Director Francois Truffart opened the event by welcoming the public, the events artists, and sponsors. He also announced the screening the World Premiere of the restored French classic short, A Day in a Clowns Life (1946), written and directed by Jean-Pierre Melville (Le Cercle Rouge, Bob le Flambeur). This delightful narrated short follows a day in the life of acclaimed clown Beby between shows at the Circus Medrano.

We tag along with Beby at his performance onstage to backstage, to his home and wife, and then morning neighborhood strolls with his clown partner Maiss, and his dog Swing.

Frances finest assemble in Lelouchs Everyones Life

For the main event, which honors his fifty years in cinema, Academy Award-winning Claude Lelouch (A Man and a Woman) lined up fifty French actors for his latest intricate examination of French morals.

Oscar-winner Jean Dujardin (The Artist), French favorite Johnny Hallyday, Christopher Lambert, Beatrice Dalle, Mathilde Seigner, Nadia Fares, are just a few who grace the screen.

Set in the town of Beaune in the Burgundy region during a jazz festival, the film is bookended with a trial of sort and asks who has the right to judge as we examine the inner-life of the participants.

Weaving jazz through the narrative is a neat mirroring of deconstruction for both music and story. Attending the performance was Lelouch, his wife and co-writer Valerie Perrin, and stars Johnny Hallyday and Nadia Fares.

COLCOA, a partnership between Hollywood and France

From April 24 through May 2, this nine-day festival will showcase a record 82-programs comprised of feature films, documentaries, classics, shorts, television series and web series at the Directors Guild of America. Considered the Worlds largest festival solely devoted to French media, the festival is sponsored by the Franco-American Cultural Fund in partnership with the Directors Guild of America, the Motion Picture Association, the Writers Guild West, and Frances Society of Authors, Composers and Publishers of Music, to name a few. Basically, COLCOA in the heart of Hollywood is the place to be for all Francophiles and lovers of French cinema (or cinema in general).
"The Bachelor" star Chris Soules has been arrested. The former ABC leading man is currently in police custody after he allegedly hit the back of a tractor trailer, which killed the driver. Soules reportedly fled the scene after the accident, TMZ reports. According to the report, the accident happened on Monday night in Iowa. Chris was reportedly driving a Chevy pickup truck when he rear ended a John Deere tractor trailer, sending the tractor into a nearby ditch. The driver was rushed to the hospital via ambulance, but it was too late. He was pronounced dead at the medical facility.

Chris Soules shockingly causes and flees the scene of a deadly crash

Chris Soules, 35, appeared on Season 19 of "The Bachelor" in 2015, and was branded as a country farmer looking for love. Chris was booked on the charge of leaving the scene of a death, but was not charged with driving under the influence. Chris, who was unlucky in love following his stint as ABC's "The Bachelor." The Iowa farmer had admitted that he's had trouble in the past meeting women to ask on dates, telling People Magazine, "Its been really, still hard. I feel like Im saying this all the time, but you watch the show, and you watch the reason that I went on the show, because I live in the middle of nowhere, and theres not a lot of women, so its hard to date."

What's next for Soules?

Most recently, Chris Soules was thought to be locked in to appear on the next season of ABC's "Bachelor In Paradise." The former "Bachelor" revealed that he was asked to appear on the new season, which will air on the network this summer, but it seems that after this latest shocking controversy, Soules will likely not be apart of the new cast, which will include Season 21 runner-up, Raven Gates, whom fans were hoping would hook up with Chris Soules during the show.

"Bachelor In Paradise" will also likely include former Season 21 "Bachelor" bad girl, Corinne Olympios.

'The Bachelor's' most shocking controversy to date?

While "The Bachelor" franchise is no stranger to controversy, Chris Soules arrest may be the most shocking of them all. Soules is often thought of of as one of "Bachelor" nation's finest, and as details continue to emerge about the events surrounding the tragic crash that killed the driver of the tractor trailer, fans will likely be casting their judgement on the former reality TV star as he deals with the legal consequences of his actions. Are you shocked by Chris Soules arrest for causing and fleeing an accident that killed someone?
Its been reported frequently that the Russia has been opposed to the U.S. taking action in Syria, to the point where they have created various conspiracies from blaming the U.S. for creating ISIS to planting chemical weapons in Syria in order to overthrow the Syrian president Bashar al-Assad. In their very recent claim on the planting of chemical weapons, Russian president Vladimir Putin had even said that their intelligence discovered this so that the U.S.could have a reason to attack the country.

Russia repeating history with protecting Assad

But all of the fight has been taking place at the United Nations between ambassadors ever since the U.S.

has been conducting airstrikes in Syria against ISIS targets. Last year, Blasting News reported on a Security Council vote when it had been discovered that Assad had continued to use chemical weapons on his own people. The Security Council wanted to act, saying they had conducted investigations which proved the Assad regime had used chemical weapons. But the Russian ambassador Vitaly Churkin dismissed the report as wrong, fake and frivolous and was able to stop the process of holding Assad accountable.

Dont you look away from me!: How a Russian diplomats tirade broke U.N. tradition https://t.co/YsNlmURcdC  Post World (@PostWorldNews) April 13, 2017

With each new president comes a new ambassador and with Trump, Nikki Haley has discovered that she also has someone to wrangle with in a new Russian ambassador, who reportedly engages in the kind of theatrics that one can expect from a Russian lawmaker.

In this case, he reportedly caught many people off guard. In one report by the Washington Post, he apparently got upset with another ambassador and demanded that they looked at him while he was speaking. That diplomat is Vladimir Safronkov who yelled at British ambassador Mathew Roycroft. The incident took place on April 12 when Rycroft said that Russia was siding with a "murderous barbaric criminal" to which Safronkov said that the British were trying to sabotage the relationship between the U.S.

and Russia over Syria.

Safronkov a 'new' kind of politician

Its been noted that his informal behavior followed the Russian veto against the UN trying to criminalize Assad over recent chemical weapons. This took place days before the Trump administration gave the order to attack a Syrian airbase for using chemical weapons against his own people.

But this apparently wasn't all, as the deputy ambassador also warned his British counterpart to never insult Russia again. In one report by Radio Free Europe Radio Liberty, it made a comparison between the former Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin who died unexpectedly in New York in February, saying that Western counterparts despised that he was a defender of the Kremlin's vile policies but that he had wit and was more charming than Safronkov. But still, Safronkov was applauded for his actions on the floor by other Russian statesmen and the state media as a new kind of politician. But in fact, Safronkov is clearly just another obstacle to solving the problem in Syria.
It might sound like the plot to a major Hollywood movie starring George Clooney, but it actually happened. Officials in Paraguay are dubbing the crime the Robbery of the century, after a gang of 50 criminals, suspected to be from neighboring Brazil, used explosives in a major heist on Monday. In the armed robbery, suspects blew up the premises of a security firm before targeting the vault and making off with its estimated $40 million in cash. CNN reports that the robbers were carrying dynamite and large-caliber weapons during the heist.

During the getaway, four people were killed in a shootout between police and the robbers in Ciudad Del Este, Paraguay.

The victims were one police officer and three of the robbers. Eight other members of the gang were later arrested in Itaipulandia in neighboring Brazil, approximately 31 miles north of the crime scene. According to a statement by the Brazilian federal police, several weapon magazines, six rifles, seven vehicles, two boats and an unknown amount of cash were seized during an arrest operation.

Paraguay security firms armored trucks used for getaway

According to police, several of the gang fled the scene in a number of armored trucks belonging to Prosegur, the targeted security firm, while setting fire to other vehicles and throwing grenades as a distraction along the way.

According to one eyewitness on the scene, the noise reverberating around Ciudad del Este during the robbery sounded like bombs in a war. Police said they believe the rest of the gang escaped back to Brazil in a motorboat on the Parana River.

Photos were released by Paraguays minister of the interior showing weapons, bulletproof vests and ammunition left behind by the robbers as they fled the scene.

En poder de los detenidos y abatidos, hallaron armamentos pesados, municion gruesa,chalecos antibalas y salvavidas,cargadores #Foz #Prosegur pic.twitter.com/w3QSMTu0H9  Ministerio/Interior (@minteriorpy) April 24, 2017

Paraguayan-Brazilian task force seeking the suspects

As reported by the International Business Times, following the incident Brazilian President Michel Temer vowed to support the Paraguayan police, offering all necessary resources to catch the criminals.

A joint Paraguayan-Brazilian task force has been set up to capture the robbers, who officials suspect include members of the Brazilian drug gang, Primeiro Comando da Capital. As reported by AFP, Temer said in a statement that his government expresses solidarity with the victims of the robbery, especially the family of the slain Paraguayan police officer.

Justo Zacarias, governor of Alto Parana state where the armed robbery took place, said the attack destroyed the premises of the security firm and caused terror and chaos in the city, adding that nothing like this has happened in Paraguay before.

According to authorities, the amount taken in the robbery is yet to be confirmed. However they believe the vault that was targeted in the raid was full at the time and that vault can hold up to $40 million.
BEIJING  China's pension funds continued to grow in the first quarter this year, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security said on Tuesday.

The gross revenue of pension funds totaled 970.8 billion yuan ($141 billion) in the first quarter with gross expenditures at 808.5 billion yuan, said the ministry.

The figures represented a year-on-year increase of 25.4 percent and 22.9 percent, respectively. The pension funds' account balance stood at over 4 trillion yuan at the end of March.

The ministry said that pension funds have been managed more effectively during the first quarter, with supervision in place to contain risks and ensure stable development.

China is home to more than 220 million people over the age of 60, or 16.1 percent of the population, and the numbers are growing.

As the population ages, China is trying to increase the value of its locally managed pension funds to cope with the needs of its aging population.

Pensions are traditionally held by banks or used to purchase treasury bills. They are now allowed to be invested in a variety of financial products, including bonds and stocks.

Since the end of 2016, seven provincial-level regions have entrusted their pensions to the National Council for Social Security Fund (NCSSF) in the hope of more diverse and higher returns.

A total of 360 billion yuan is being transferred from bank accounts across the country, operated by local authorities, to the NCSSF for investment.

The government has set a 30-percent limit on the proportion of pension funds tied up in stocks.
HANOI  Vietnam is completing procedures to establish a trade and investment office in China's Zhejiang province, said Do Kim Lang, deputy head of Vietnam Trade Promotion Agency under the Ministry of Industry and Trade on Tuesday.

Lang made the remark at Zhejiang-Vietnam Purchasing Conference held in Vietnamese capital Hanoi on Tuesday attended by 30 Chinese companies and more than 80 Vietnamese companies.

In the past few years, Vietnam and China have enjoyed close economic cooperation, said Lang, adding that Vietnam has established its first representative office in China's Chongqing Municipality and it is expected to set up a second one in robust economic hub of Hangzhou city, capital of East China's Zhejiang province, to bring the bilateral trade ties to a new height.

Huang Xiaohang, vice chairman of the Zhejiang Council for the Promotion of International Trade, said that 30 Chinese companies, which focus on cultural industries, will have the chance of face-to-face negotiations with Vietnamese counterparts in project investment, industry cooperation, market development, and technical exchanges among others.

Both countries should establish mechanism to make trade promotion activities regular and effective, said Huang.

According to Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI), Vietnam and China have long-lasting traditional relations. In the past few years, the bilateral ties have maintained non-stop developments. For 11 years in a row, China has been Vietnam's biggest trade partner and Vietnam's No 1 export market.
ADDIS ABABA  The African Union (AU) has on Tuesday held a topping out ceremony for its Chinese-built Integrated Service Center under construction on the premises of its headquarters in Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa.

The Integrated Service Center Project, now close to completion, is a building consisting of three floors, each covering about 5,000 square meters. The centre includes among others things, an accreditation facility, a cafeteria and the AU archives and exhibition center.

Kwesi Quartey, deputy chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC), lauded the newly inaugurated expansion project as a vivid indication of the ever increasing China-Africa partnership.

Once completed, the provision of several facilities and services in the new service center will improve AU's conference operations, he said.

"This is among the many projects that China has constructed in addition to the magnificent AU headquarters project," he said, "China is a special friend for Africa."

Kwesi also expressed his expectation saying that "China will further continue to support Africa in several ways including capacity development, and modernization."

The signing of the integrated service center project was made during the Chinese Premier Li Keqiang's official visit to Ethiopia in 2014.

Kuang Weilin, head of Chinese Mission to AU, said on the occasion that once completed the new building will further improve AU's conference centre and its operations.

AU had previously inaugurated its headquarters worth $200 million back in 2012. The 100-meter high structure Addis Ababa, funded and built by China, is the tallest building in Ethiopia.

According to Kuang, the AU headquarters complex which was inaugurated with great fanfare at the presence of African heads of state and senior officials highlights the friendship between the peoples of China and Africa.

"The integrated service center once again testifies China's strong commitment to work closely with the African Union," he said.
BISHKEK - The Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) is taking an active part in the Belt and Road Initiative, said an EEU official on Tuesday.

Nikishina Veronika Olegovna, a member of the EEU board on trade, made the remarks at an international forum on the Belt and Road Initiative held in Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan.

"We are making efforts with China through innovative cooperation to eliminate trade barriers between countries," said Olegovna.

Khristenko Viktor Borisovich, president of the EEU Business Council, said the close connection between the EEU and China will produce positive results in the near future.

A declaration was issued at the forum to promote collaboration between the Belt and Road Initiative and the EEU.

The EEU, which was formed in 2015, is an economic union of Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Russia.

In 2015, Russian and Chinese leaders signed a joint statement on the interaction between the Silk Road Economic Belt and the EEU.
China, S. Africa relations advance Vice-premier's visit sees progress in science and health exchanges

Vice-Premier Liu Yandong's wide-ranging visit this week to South Africa made concrete progress in cooperation between the nations.

Vice-Premier Liu Yandong meets with South African Minister of Arts and Culture Nathi Mthethwa in Pretoria on Monday. They witnessed the signing of six cooperation agreements. [Photo/Xinhua]

She also helped strengthen their friendship, such as in her meeting with Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini, chief of South Africa's Zulu nation, in Pretoria on Tuesday. Zwelithini has been well known for his role in promoting bilateral friendship.

The Zulu community has a long history of fighting colonial rule and seeking national independence, and their king is respected by many. Zwelithini has visited China several times, and became the head of the South Africa Zulu and China Culture Promotion Association in March.

Liu visited him at Steve Biko Academic Hospital in Pretoria, where he was getting a checkup.

Zwelithini said he anticipates further development of the friendship, adding that he will visit China soon to further experience the nation's charm and achievements.

Liu met with South African Foreign Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane on Tuesday, and they attended the China-South Africa High-level Dialogue.

On Monday, Liu attended the launch of the China-South Africa Science Park cooperation program. Liu noted the progress made by both sides from working together in such science and technology areas as biology, information, mining, lasers and new materials.

In December 2014, President Xi Jinping and his South African counterpart Jacob Zuma reached a consensus on science park cooperation.

During the first meeting of the China-South Africa High-level People to People Exchange Mechanism on Monday, science and technology were included as a key field of cooperation.

"Building a science park is an effective tool to develop the science and technology industry and to shore up sustainable development with technological innovation," Liu said. China is willing to share with South Africa its experience in planning, building and operating high-tech zones, she added.

Liu also attended the China-Africa Conference on Health Cooperation on Monday.

Documents signed at the conference include an agreement between China and Malawi on promoting maternal and infant health and pacts on hospital cooperation.

China's proposal to hold the ministerial-level conference aims at implementing the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation Johannesburg Summit in 2015 and making health a highlight of China-Africa cooperation, Liu said.

She said they should address the needs of both sides and promote the accessibility of medical and health services in Africa.

Goals include boosting disease prevention systems and capacity building in Africa, strengthening support groups, and promoting staff exchanges to benefit the public, Liu added.
Jack Ma is acting to fulfill a promise he made to US President-elect Donald Trump: Get 1 million small- and medium-sized US businesses enrolled on his Alibaba online platforms to sell their products to China's growing middle class and create 1 million jobs in the US.

Ma announced on Tuesday that Alibaba Group Inc will host a two-day conference in Detroit in June to teach US businesses how to sell to the company's 443 million customers in China on the world's biggest ecommerce site.

"We are already a gateway for thousands of global brands, retailers and companies to sell to Chinese consumers. And we want to expand that gateway (and) level the playing field to make it easy for American entrepreneurs, small businesses and farmers alike to take advantage of the China opportunity," Ma, Alibaba's founder and chairman, said in an open letter published Tuesday.

Called the Gateway 17, the conference will be held at Detroit's Cobo Center on June 20-21 and is expected to attract more than 1,000 American businesses, the company said in a statement. Ma will speak at the event that will also include panel discussions, breakout sessions and networking opportunities.

Ma met with Trump in New York City in January shortly after he was elected to discuss how Alibaba could help create jobs in the US. Ma promised he would help create 1 million US jobs over five years by enabling small US businesses to sell goods on Alibaba's e-commerce platforms primarily on its Taobao and Tmall websites.

paulwelitzkin@chinadailyusa.com
US companies can partake in the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative, but they need to learn more about the transnational trade network, researchers from some Washington think tanks said.

"Before you can change policy, you need to educate people as to what are the opportunities" said David Lampton, director of China studies at Johns Hopkins University's School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS).

"As a matter of policy, we can support the Asian Development Bank working with the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, or the World Bank working with the AIIB," he said. "But to become active (in the initiative) is a political decision."

On a world map at his SAIS office, Lampton used a marking pen to connect the dots linking Southwest China's Kunming city to major south Asian cities including Singapore, Hanoi and Bangkok to form three bold lines, along which he said mammoth railway projects would be undertaken to enhance connectivity in Asia, which is the signature concept of the Belt and Road Initiative.

"Each of these three lines is longer than the Transcontinental Railroad, the line that changed the US," Lampton said. "All these railroads will need equipment, signaling, money and commercial development. Why shouldn't General Electric that builds railroads and signaling do it?"

The Belt and Road Initiative, comprising the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, was first proposed by China in 2013, with the aim of building a trade and infrastructure network connecting Asia with Europe and Africa along the ancient trade routes.

Lampton said the Chinese initiative is popular partly because nations neighboring China and beyond find the need to cooperate with China to improve infrastructure and interconnectivity.

The author of Following the Leader Ruling China, From Deng Xiaoping to Xi Jinping said his next book will help the public and US multinational companies discover what he sees as tremendous opportunities arising from connectivity projects.

Last Thursday, World Bank President Jim Yong Kim called the Belt and Road initiative "unprecedented".

"China has been stepping up and illustrating that it's concerned about development, not just in the neighboring countries or even along the Old Silk Road, but globally," Kim said, adding that the World Bank is cooperating well with the AIIB.

Douglas Paal, vice-president for studies at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, said the Obama administration "made a huge mistake by taking a negative attitude on the AIIB".

"I welcome the posture taken by China's leadership to open this more to others' participation," Paal said, adding that he expected more concrete plans to come out of the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, which opens on May 14 in Beijing.

Cheng Li, director of the John L. Thornton China Center at the Brookings Institution, said the forum would help the world know more about China's investment in infrastructure, both regionally and globally.

He said the Belt and Road Initiative is basically a reinvestment in infrastructure and is an active supplement to institutions involved in infrastructure, such as the World Bank and Asian Development Bank.

"The Western understanding of the Belt and Road Initiative has just begun," Li said. "Increasingly, the academics, government and particularly business circles in the US will get more interested in the initiative."

David Dollar, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and a former US Treasury emissary in Beijing, said that "there are potentially opportunities for the US companies in the initiative; a lot will depend on how China works out all the details of the different financing legalities."

huanxinzhao@chinadailyusa.com
President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump have emphasized infrastructure, so it makes sense that their two countries would work together on China's Belt and Road Initiative, according to a business strategist.

"I think it's important that American companies do find opportunities to participate in the One Belt One Road initiative because President Trump himself has focused on infrastructure issues here in the United States," said Amy Celico, principal of Albright Stonebridge Group, a global business strategy firm with offices in Washington, Beijing, Shanghai and Dubai.

"What we'll wait to see is how can our two countries work together to promote infrastructure investment around the world, including the One Belt One Road initiative," said Celico, who leads the firm's China team in Washington and was former senior director for China affairs at the office of the US trade representative.

Celico said many of her clients have expressed an interest in the initiative and in participating not just with China but with other countries.

Celico spoke at a panel discussion themed China and the World, One Belt One Road at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts on Sunday as a part of the 20th Harvard China Forum. Experts and business leaders shared opinions on the initiative.

"It's not China that needs to expedite investment with countries along the One Belt One Road merely in Europe and Asia, but for other countries, especially the developing countries," said Wu Xinbo, professor and executive dean of the Institute of International Studies at Fudan University. "Undeveloped, poor infrastructure is a rigid ordinate of economic growth," he added.

"And when China invests in those countries in terms of manufacturing, that will generate economic growth and job opportunities, finally along the One Belt One Road, so this cooperation will benefit bilateral and multilateral trade relations," he said. "So on the whole, I think this is exactly a win-win situation between China and the joined countries."

Wu said that last year trade between China and countries in the region of the initiative grew at a faster pace than China's overall trade with all the partners in the world.

"That means the initiative has already worked to enhance the trade relations between China and the countries along the initiative's proposed routes," Wu said.

On April 6, Xi and Trump met for the first time at Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, where Xi welcomed US participation in the Belt and Road Initiative.

Li Bin, economic consul at the Chinese embassy in the US, believes American companies would be a good fit.

"I think the American companies are the most capable companies to practice internationalization. So they can teach us or even share with us experiences in the One Belt, One Road context, for example, policy, coordination, trade, financial integration, infrastructure and connectivity," he said.

xiaohong@chinadailyusa.com
'Like China,' UN representative wants to see growth in certain provinces

Pakistan's participation in the Belt and Road Initiative will help the nation achieve balanced development across all its provinces and bring about economic stability, said Pakistan's permanent representative to the United Nations.

"Like China, which wants to see in its own country more balanced development between mainland and the coastal areas, we too want to see [progress in] certain provinces of my country, which are not as developed as other parts," said Maleeha Lodhi in an interview at her office.

"Pakistan also wants to ensure that there is balanced development in the country, that all provinces benefit equally from China's investment and its critical help in Pakistan's infrastructure and of course the trading relationship will grow," she said.

The two countries announced the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) in 2015, a series of infrastructure projects valued at more than $50 billion that will modernize Pakistan's roads and highways, with the crux of the projects focused on developing Gwadar Port, which will serve as a link between the Belt and Road projects and the Maritime Silk Road projects.

"I think the fact that China has stepped forward to play a leadership role in the economic connectivity of the region means that the peace dividend that this region has been waiting for for so long is going to materialize," said Lodhi.

She said that economic prosperity in the region will bring about "incentives for peace", with China reversing the fortunes of a region that has seen wars, military intervention, and occupation.

Pakistan is rich in natural resources like coal, oil and gas, but has in recent years experienced economic turmoil, slow GDP growth and low foreign investment.

Belt and Road projects will benefit the people of Pakistan directly because Chinese investments will go to areas critical to Pakistan's infrastructure, Lodhi said.

The rate of infrastructure development in Pakistan has not kept up with population growth, which has led to limited mass transit and is further exacerbated by climate change-related stresses, according to research on the University of California Berkeley website.

"So really, this project is about the economic welfare of the Pakistan people, on mutually beneficial terms, because China gains, Pakistan gains - it's a win-win," she said.

And at the same time, she said, "we mustn't forget that there's another side to this - it's the human side. This is a project that will not only connect our region and connect our people more closely together, it is a project that will also connect hearts.

"That is critical to the fact that we're strengthening solidarity between our two nations and our two peoples."

amyhe@chinadailyusa.com
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From 2012-2015, the authorities handled 18,329 cases with signs of IP infringement, producing and trading counterfeit goods__Photo: Internet

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Tel: (84) 4 62 62 0246 | Fax: (84) 4 66 64 0246

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5 Floor, VTP Building, No.8 Nguyen Hue Street, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1, HCM City

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, , , ,

Intellectual property (IP) infringements in Vietnam, including infringements upon well-known trademarks, have prevalently occurred with subtle tricks and are considerably difficult to control. These have caused damage not only to businesses but also to customers.According to Ministry of Science and Technology statistics, the number of IP infringement cases has complicatedly increased in Vietnam. Infringements upon well-known trademarks occur in various fields from clothing, cigarettes, food and beverage, etc. to all kinds of industrial machinery. Counterfeit products are publicly sold in the market at half or even one-third of authentic products prices.From 2012-2015, the authorities handled 18,329 cases with signs of IP infringement, producing and trading counterfeit goods, with administrative fines up to VND 73 billion, and prosecuted 120 cases of counterfeiting and IP infringement with 196 defendants.IP infringements in general and trademark infringements in particular harm genuine businesses, cause confusion, reduce customer trust in protected products as well as cause damage to customers who buy counterfeit goods.According to current regulations, manufacturers, importers, traders and storers of counterfeit or trademark-infringing products could be fined up to VND 250.000.000 (about USD 12.000) and the infringers could face imprisonment.In spite of those strict punishments, and IP and trademark infringements remain widespread due to the fact that some businesses lack information and some try to take advantage of the reputation of famous brands.Our many years of experience in resolving trademark infringements show that taking advantage of the reputation of famous brands is an easy way to earn profit and many companies and manufacturers use it as a quick way to develop their own brands. The infringers often try to manufacture the counterfeit/ infringing products in Vietnam. However, with some kinds of products which could not be manufactured locally, the infringers import them, most of which originate from China.For locally made products, the most important thing in dealing with the infringing act is to figure out the location of the manufacturer as well as the warehouse where a large volume of counterfeit/infringing products is stored. But handling the imported goods is more complicated.If the imported products are smuggled goods, the IP rights owner may only take action against the distributors who sell the counterfeit/infringing products on the market. Because it is an impossible mission, in this case the IP rights owner needs to cooperate with competent authorities to prevent the smuggling.If the imported products are imported legally, according to the current Intellectual Property Law and Customs Law , the IPs owner has the right to request customs authorities to watch and temporarily cease the importation, known as the border control measure, if such products have been proved to be infringing or counterfeit.Accordingly, the IP rights owner should submit the documents attesting to its rights (certified copies of certificates of registration or other adequate documents) and the documents relevant to the goods, including a list of authorized importers, mode of importation of genuine goods, description of how to distinguish the genuine goods from infringing ones, documents on the origin of genuine goods, pictures of genuine goods, and notarized and legalized power of attorney (in case the application is filed through a local IP agent in Vietnam). Within 20 days after receiving the application, the customs office will send the applicant a notice stating whether it accepts or rejects the application. The validity term of the application and enclosed documents is one year from the date of the acceptance notified by the customs office and extendable for a further one year upon the request of the applicant. Then, the IP rights owner must re-file a new application if it would like to continue monitoring the imported goods.However, even that the request of the IP rights owner has been accepted by the customs to take the border control measure, it is still difficult to discover and handle the counterfeit/infringing goods.One of our clients who is a famous manufacturer in the field of chemistry materials used in water purification is a victim of counterfeit products. Although the client had already requested the customs to perform the border control measure and the infringers had been punished, they continue to import and distribute counterfeit products on the market.It means that border control measure is not a powerful tool for preventing importation of counterfeit/infringing products due to some difficulties arising recently. Vietnam has applied the clearance automatic system (VNACCS) for importation, and it necessitates the issuance of guidelines for the border control measure because VNACCS changes in nature this measure.Before VNACCS is applied, custom registration and custom clearance need to be performed directly by the customs agents but now they are automatically performed by VNACCS based on the lines of goods as specified by the system (green, yellow and red lines based on the risk of goods as classified by the customs in which goods in green lines will be exempted from physical inspection). Therefore, the system only checks the information provided by the importers and it could only find out the counterfeit/infringing products if the information is same/similar to the protected trademark. However, the information of trademark on the registration form is not compulsory. If an importer does not provide the trademark of goods or the trademark appearing on goods is different from the information on the registration form for importing green line goods, it is impossible to discover the counterfeit/infringing goods in this stage.Another challenge in performing the border control measure is some loopholes in the Law on Customs and IP Law as well as the unclear regulations of the IP Law on this matter. According to the IP Law, customs authorities may decide at their own discretion to apply administrative and preventive measures such as caution or monetary fine, temporary custody of persons, infringing goods and material evidence, etc. for handling counterfeit/infringement products if they find out these goods without the request of IP right owners. However, there are not yet clear regulations for guiding this power concerning the procedure and the compensation responsibility of customs authorities in case their conclusion is wrong. In addition, the Customs Law does not regulate this power of customs authorities.Furthermore, it is also difficult to handle infringers according to the criminal procedures because the current Penal Code does not have clear provisions on the signs of crimes related to intellectual property rights.In order to resolve the above situation, it is required to issue detailed guidelines on the border custom measure that are suitable with the VNACCS procedure applied by customs authorities, especially with the power of customs authorities to detect, check and handle the products which are alleged to be counterfeit or infringe upon the protected trademarks or other protected IP rights in Vietnam, and on the exemption of authorities from the responsibility for all claims or requests for compensating the damage that may arise during the settlement of infringements.In particular, the lawmakers should accelerate the issuance of the new Penal Code so that the court could impose strict punishments on the infringers.Although enforcement of IP rights in Vietnam has seen a lot of improvement, it is still a challenge for authorities to identify, verify and handle infringements. Therefore, the law should be further changed to deal with the complicated and sophisticated development of counterfeit products.-
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and his Cambodian counterpart Samdech Techo Hun Sen yesterday agreed on several measures to strengthen multi-faceted relations between the two countries__Photo: Thong Nhat/VNA

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and his Cambodian counterpart Samdech Techo Hun Sen yesterday agreed on several measures to strengthen multi-faceted relations between the two countries.PM Hun Sen said he considered the Vietnamese leaders official visit as having historical significance, with the two countries celebrating the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations this year.The visit would provide strong momentum for the traditional friendship and comprehensive co-operation between the two countries to thrive and grow, he said.He spoke highly of Vietnamese investors contributions to Cambodia, noting that the military-run telecom group Viettel, the Vietnam Rubber Group, the Electricity of Vietnam Group (EVN) and other corporations were running profitably and had paid their tax dues in full to the Cambodian Government.Notably, Metfone-Viettel paid USD 400 million in taxes over the last decade, contributing to the nations socio-economic development and paying attention to improving the peoples living standards, especially that of low-income earners and rural residents, Hun Sen said.The two leaders agreed to continue promoting co-operation between Vietnamese and Cambodian localities, particularly those that shared borders. Ties between localities boosted the spirit of friendship, neighborliness and comprehensive co-operation, they said.The premiers also said they would ask the joint committee for border demarcation and planting land border markers to step up talks and seek solutions on sections not yet demarcated, and work closely on border management. This would enhance peace, stability, co-operation and sustainable development along the shared border, they said.They highly valued the outcomes of visits to either country by the countries senior leaders and agreed to increase delegation exchanges at all levels.They also pledged to facilitate and seek effective measures to boost partnership in potential areas including trade and investment, banking, electricity, mining, oil and gas, industrial tree plantations, transport, telecommunications, and education and training.Vietnam and Cambodia would maintain close co-operation in security and defense, they said, reiterating the principle of not allowing any hostile forces to use the territory of either country to sabotage the others security and impinge the friendship and co-operation between both countries, the two leaders asserted.They said both sides would also enhance collaboration to fight terrorism, transnational crime, smuggling, drug crimes and human trafficking. They would also press ahead with the search for and repatriation of the remains of Vietnams volunteer soldiers who sacrificed their lives in Cambodia.The two PMs discussed stepping up connections within the framework of ASEAN and the Greater Mekong Subregion. They also exchanged views on international issues of shared concern.PM Phuc took the opportunity to express his appreciation of Cambodia providing good conditions for Vietnamese expatriates. He requested that appropriate measures are taken soon to recognize their legal status and affirm their Cambodian nationality.He also called on Cambodia to recognize schools managed by Vietnamese-Cambodians there as part of the countrys education system.In response, PM Hun Sen promised to direct relevant agencies of Cambodia to provide favorable conditions for Vietnamese-Cambodians to live and work in the country in line with Cambodian laws.Following the meeting, the two PMs witnessed the signing of several co-operation documents.Vietnams Ministry of Transport and Cambodias Ministry of Public Works and Transport signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on constructing the HCM City-Moc Bai and Phnom Penh-Ba Vet expressways.Another MoU on building a voluntary rehabilitation center for drug addicts in Preah Sihanouk province was inked by Vietnams Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs and Cambodias Ministry of Social Affairs, Veterans and Youth Rehabilitation.The Directorate of Fisheries under the Vietnamese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Fisheries General Department under the Cambodian Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries signed an official letter on extending the MoU on fisheries co-operation for another three years.The Hanoi and Phnom Penh administrations signed a MoU on assistance for building the Phnom Penh-Hanoi friendship avenue.After the talks, PM Phuc and his spouse laid wreaths at the Independence Monument, the memorial to late King Norodom Sihanouk, and the Vietnam-Cambodia Friendship Monument in Phnom Penh. The two sides later issued a joint statement.-
Participants attends at a business conference on bilateral trade between Viet Nam and China yesterday in Ha Noi.  VNA/VNS Photo Minh Quyet

HA NOI  Business communities play an important role in accelerating bilateral trade between Viet Nam and China, said Huang Xiaohang , vice chairman of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade under the Zhejiang Provincial Committee (CCPIT Zhejiang).

During a business conference yesterday in the capital, Huang said Viet Nam has become Chinas largest trade partner in ASEAN in 2016, and two-way trade would likely reach US$100 billion this year.

o Kim Lang, deputy head of the Ministry of Industry and Trades Trade Promotion Agency agreed, saying there was ample room for the two countries to further boost commercial ties.

He added that the Vietnamese Government made great efforts to improve the countrys investment and business climate to facilitate domestic and foreign business, including enterprises from China.

General Secretary of the Viet Nam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI), Pham Thi Thu Hang, described the business forum as a good chance for the two nations businesses to explore co-operation opportunities.

During the event, enterprises discussed opportunities to co-ordinate across a wide range of sectors, including electronics components, handicrafts, household utensils, interior decoration and design.

Data from the Viet Nam General Department of Customs showed an eight per cent growth of two-year trade to US$71.9 billion in 2016.

Viet Nam exported $21.97 billion worth of goods, mainly computers and parts, vegetables and fruit, seafood and electronics, to China in 2016, up 28.4 per cent year-on-year, while its imports from the neighboring country saw a slight yearly increase of 1 per cent to $49.93 billion. Last year, Viet Nams trade deficit with China dropped 14 per cent to $27.96 billion.

In terms of investment, China was one of Viet Nams leading sources of foreign investment with 1,615 projects, capitalised at US$11.1 billion, as of March, 2017.

Also at the conference, Nguyen Noi, deputy head of the Foreign Investment Agency under the Ministry of Planning and Investment encouraged businesses from Chinas Zhejiang Province to invest in Viet Nams supporting industries, high-tech industries and environmentally-friendly ones.  VNS
HCM CITY  The food and beverage industry is expected to maintain a growth rate of more than 10 per cent until 2020, according to experts.

Tran Viet Dung, deputy director of VCCI Exhibition Services Co., Ltd, said Viet Nam is a tropical agricultural country with a diverse source of raw materials, which are an important input in food processing.

This advantage, backed by rising consumer spending, increasing economic growth and a fast expanding retail network had all served to raise growth potential for the countrys food and beverage markets, he said.

The number of international visitors to Viet Nam increased strongly to top 10 million last year, and the number is expected to reach 17-20 million by 2020.

BT Tee, general manager of UBM VES, said the rise in the number of visitors caused a boom in the hotel segment with increased occupancy rates and international hotel chains launching new properties.

International visitors require a variety of quality and safe foods that can cater to their tastes and palates, and this requires businesses in the food and hotel industry to upgrade, according to Tee.

Food & Hotel expo

The 2017 Food & Hotel Vietnam, the countrys leading international food and hospitality trade exhibition, which opened in HCM City yesterday, would be the sourcing and networking platform for the food and hospitality industry in Viet Nam, he said.

Into its ninth edition now, the three-day event has attracted 614 exhibitors from 38 countries and regions, 76 per cent of them international enterprises.

There are 20 international group pavilions from Australia, Germany, Korea, Malaysia, Poland, Singapore, Spain, Taiwan, Turkey, and the US, the highest number ever.

The number of local exhibitors also increased by 38 per cent from the last edition in 2015.

Around 70 per cent of the products displayed include food and drinks, while the remaining are hospitality goods and supplies.

Speaking at the inauguration of the US Pavilion, Mary Tarnowka, the US consul general in HCM City, said, We have more than 38 exhibitors displaying a wide variety of food products, including cheese, health and nutrition foods, poultry, beef, pork, frozen foods, popcorn, and snack foods just to name a few."

All of the products on display represent safety, reliability and high quality.

Viet Nam is a promising market for US agricultural products. It is the USs eighth largest agriculture market, with food and agricultural exports increasing by 30 per cent in the first two months of this year.

"Vietnamese consumers want quality, safe and delicious food products and the US can offer many of those," she said.

Participating in the expo for the first time, Germany-based Hafele Company is exhibiting solutions for hotels such as electronic control system Dialock, automatic sliding doors, master keys, movable walls and others.

The expo also includes culinary and barista competitions, conferences on hotel investment and business in Viet Nam and other topics.

Organised by UBM Singapore Exhibition Services and local partner VCCI Exhibition Service, the event at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Centre is expected to attract 11,000 visitors.  VNS
HA NOI  The domestic garment industry has faced many challenges in exporting to key markets, such as the European Union (EU) and the United States, but it still has a chance of achieving its export target this year, according to experts.

First quarter figures appear to support this expectation. Vietnam earned $6.84 billion from garment and textile exports in the first quarter of this year, 11.2 per cent more than in the same period last year, according to the Viet Nam Textile and Apparel Association (VITAS).

Viet Nams textile and apparel sector has set a target of seven per cent growth over 2016, with total export earnings of over $30 billion.

Currently, Vietnamese garment and textile products are available in 40 countries and territories, with major markets including the United States, Japan, the Republic of Korea, China and the EU. VITAS has urged enterprises to optimise the capacity of their equipment to reduce production costs and seek orders for high-quality products.

EU limitations

But ang Phuong Dung of the VITAS advisory board said the growth rate of export value and volume to the EU was low, with local manufacturers receiving only small orders. Viet Nams garment industry has also not developed in terms of design, so most textile and garment enterprises have found it difficult to compete for export orders from this market.

High import tax rate of 8-12 per cent to the EU market is also one of the obstacles facing garment exporters to this market.

The EU is the second largest export market of Vietnamese garment products, but it has only captured a 1.9 per cent share of the unions total import value, according to the association, presenting opportunities for growth.

However, Dung said, meeting the rules of origin under the Viet Nam-EU Free Trade Agreement in terms of preferential tax rate would be the biggest challenge for Vietnamese garment exports.

The garment industry expects ASEAN countries, including Viet Nam, to sign an FTA between the ASEAN region and the EU, and then local garment enterprises would have more options to get material for garment production from other ASEAN countries, meeting rules of origin under the FTA.

According to data of the General Department of Customs, in 2016 the textile and garment sector reached total export value of $23.8 billion, an increase of 4.6 per cent year-on-year. In particular, the United States continued to be the largest export market of Vietnamese garment products, accounting for 48 per cent of the total garment export value. Export value of textiles and garments into the United States has increased by 12-13 per cent each year in recent years.

Many enterprises invested in building textile and dying factories on an extensive and intensive scale to boost opportunities in production and business for the planned Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP), according to the association.

But now that the TPP with the United States is no longer in the cards, experts say these facilities would help the textile and garment industry complete production processes and actively source material, focusing on the significant opportunities offered by other FTAs, such as the Viet Nam-EU FTA and the Viet Nam-Republic of Korea FTA.  VNS
HA NOI  Japans coal enterprises are ready to transfer clean coal technology to Viet Nams firms to reduce emissions and enhance efficiency in the electricity sector, said Noboru Aoki, head of the environment division at New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organisation.

He spoke yesterday at a Ha Noi seminar, organised by the Viet Nam Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) in collaboration with Japans Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), designed to enhance trade and cooperation in the coal sector.

Deputy director general of the MoIT General Department of Energy, Phuong Hoang Kim, said that Viet Nam and Japan carried out many joint activities in the field of coal, from mining to processing and use of this resource in recent years.

Japan is actively supporting Viet Nam in the study and application of advanced coal technologies, such as coal-fired blending technology, and high efficiency electric power generation technology with low emission rates.

In addition, Japan helps Viet Nam use environmental technologies, for example, sharing experience in the operation, maintenance of thermal power plants and the handling of ashes.

Such supportive activities are necessary for Viet Nam to meet the countrys increasing energy demand, as well as achieving sustainable development and protection of the environment.

For now and the foreseeable future, coal-fired thermal power plants play a significant role in Viet Nams power supply.

However, meeting increased demand for electricity to serve the people and socio-economic development must also ensure environmental protection and respond to climate change.

In addition to discussing technical issues, participants had an opportunity to visit models of high-efficiency clean coal and environmentally friendly thermal power equipment introduced by a number of Japanese enterprises.

Nevertheless, coal-fired power plants raise concerns about environmental impacts as well as the need to reduce greenhouse effects in keeping with international commitments. Therefore, Japans companies with their advanced clean coal technologies can fully adapt to environmental issues and transfer these technologies to Viet Nam, Noboru added.

The workshop also raised a number of topics for participants to discuss, including high efficiency electricity generation technology, process technology, and environmental monitoring.  VNS
HA NOI  Viet Nams steady transition to a liberalised economy is the subject of a wide-ranging analysis in a new report by the global research and consultancy firm Oxford Business Group (OBG).

The Report: Vietnam 2017, launched by OBG yesterday in Ha Noi, charts the countrys growth over the past three decades, which has seen its share of world trade increase five-fold since the year 2000 and FDI levels rise to account for approximately 70 per cent of exports.

OBGs report looks in detail at the opportunities that stronger in-country value chains and new trade deals are expected to produce, most notably an agreement with the EU, which will become effective in 2018.

In a year when Viet Nam is hosting the 25th APEC summit, the publication also considers the countrys growing regional role, including its preparations for integration into the ASEAN Economic Community.

The Report: Vietnam 2017 shines a spotlight on the sectors of the economy that are leading growth, including the manufacturing industry, which is benefiting from ongoing liberalisation efforts, foreign interest and growing domestic consumer base. There is also coverage of Viet Nams record-breaking tourism industry buoyed by interest in the countrys cultural, historic, natural and culinary attractions.

Michael Benson-Colpi, OBG Chairman, said at the launch that Viet Nam had undoubtedly emerged as a leading investment destination in Southeast Asia, edging out other emerging markets around the globe.

With trade liberalisation and policy reforms now paying off, Oxford Business Groups subscribers from across a broad reach of destinations, including London, New York, Bangkok and Jakarta, have shown themselves keen to learn more about the latest developments in this dynamic market, Benson-Colpi said.

We are delighted that after more than a year of research on the ground and hundreds of interviews, we are now able to share our definite 212 page guide to Viet Nams economic landscape with you all, he added.

Attending the launch, Assistant to the Minister of Foreign Affairs Vu Quang Minh said The Report: Vietnam 2017 would serve not only as a reliable tool for foreign investors and businesses interested in doing business in Viet Nam, but also as an insightful and objective review for Vietnamese businessman and policy makers.

The report contains contributions from Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and former US President Barack Obama, together with a detailed, sector-by-sector guide for investors. It also features a wide range of interviews with other high-profile personalities, including Pham Binh Minh, deputy prime minister and minister of foreign affairs; Nguyen Chi Dung, minister of planning and investment; inh Tien Dung, minister of finance; Cecilia Malmstrom, European commissioner for trade; and ASEAN secretary-general, Le Luong Minh.

At the launch event, participants took part in a panel debate on Improving the corporate environment to secure Viet Nams global competitiveness. Speakers discussion topics included the current business and investment environment in Viet Nam, the countrys capital market development, the prospect of labour force development and the most attractive sectors in the view of investors.

Oxford Business Group (OBG) is a global research and consultancy firm, which publishes economic intelligence on the markets of Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America and the Caribbean.  VNS
Director Luong inh Dungs movie Cha Cong Con (Father and Son) has received international awards, including Best Cinematography at the Barcelona Planet Film Festival, Best Feature Film award at the Canadian Diversity Film Festival, and Indie Spirit Best Story Line Award at the 15th Boston International Film Festival on April 17.

Adapted from Dungs 1995 short story of the same name, the film tells the story of a boy named Ca who has always dreamed of touching the clouds and of a father who has spent his whole life fishing by the river.

CULTURE VULTURE interviews Dung about his movie.

Cha Cong Con (Father and Son) was based on your short story and you experienced many difficulties in turning it into a movie. What in the movie makes you happiest?

Until now, I cannot believe that the movie is being shown. It is wonderful. The first time I went to the cinema, I was very nervous. But then I heard a sob from someone in the audience.

Frankly, Im very happy to show the movie to Vietnamese audiences because I was rejected by distributors for a long time. Luckily, I met the Lotte Cinema distributor who agreed to distribute my movie. However, Im sad because not all cinemas have agreed to screen the movie.

Your movie is not a blockbuster. Could you share the distribution difficulties?

At the beginning, I thought distribution would be simple, but it was not. It is the biggest obstacle to introducing the movie to audiences. While I received invitations to premiere the movie at international film festivals and to distribute it in Europe, Vietnamese distributors said my movie was not a money maker. Only Lotte Cinema agreed to distribute the movie at the CGV, Galaxy, BHD cinema system and the National Film Centre with 66 cinemas throughout the country.

I got positive feedback from mass media and audiences. After three days of screening, the Lotte distributor informed me that when the movie was being shown at some cinemas, audiences occupied 70-80 per cent of the seats.

But in other cinemas, the movie, which is a family film, is scheduled for showing at 9am, 1pm, 11pm on weekends or 4pm on weekdays. These times dont suit children. The movie advertisement at these cinemas is very limited.

Do you need support from other individuals and organisations to bring the movie to more audiences ?

I think the State should buy good independent movies and have proper policies to support distribution. It is very important. All my money was invested in making the movie. I hope Father and Son will be noticed by the Cinematography Department and receive financial support with a view to showing it to a wide range of audiences.

Why did you want to make an art-house movie?

I remember that when I was small, my father and I saw a young man whipping his father till he bled. My father, who was a boxer, stopped him. All the people around wanted to take him to the police, but his father didnt. He said his son was a drunk. I was obsessed by the scene and I wanted to make a film about family relationships.

You proposed the movie script to producers but they refused. Do you know why ?

Producers didnt want to spend money on various elements of the script, such as a storm scene. They also thought it would be difficult to distribute the movie and feared it might fail.

We took a risk and filmed a real storm at the top of Bac Me hill in the northern mountain province of Ha Giang. The area was flooded right after the movie crew left. It took two months to shoot the movie.

Why did you invite veteran director of photography Ly Thai Dung and South Korean musician Lee Dong-jun to join the movie crew?

I think they liked the script. Dung is a master and he works on blockbusters. He is very talent and accepts all my crazy ideas. I like the music in the Korean movie Miracle in Cell No7 very much. The music score was written by Lee. He agreed to write the music after he saw my movies draft version.  VNS
HA NOI  President Tran ai Quang has presented Ho Chi Minh Awards and State Awards for Literature and Art to outstanding works from three photojournalists of Vietnam News Agency, along with more than 50 other authors and artists.

The three journalists from Vietnam News Agency have been honoured for their photos taken during the American war.

Late journalist Luong Nghia Dung (1935-1972), who worked as a war reporter of Vietnam News Agency during the American war, was given the Ho Chi Minh Award for his collection of five photos, entitled Nhung Khoanh Khac e Lai (The Left Moments). The five photos feature Vietnamese soldiers during war. He died on Quang Tri battlefield in 1972.

Lam Tan Tai (1935-2001) was honoured with a State award for photos taken from his two photobooks about the war. The first one is entitled uong Ho Chi Minh (Ho Chi Minh Trail) also known as Truong Son Rail. This featured the logistical system that ran from North Viet Nam to South Viet Nam through neighbouring Laos and Cambodia. The system provided support, in the form of manpower and materials to the National Front of the Liberation of South Viet Nam and the Peoples Army of Viet Nam, or North Vietnamese Army.

Hua Thanh Kiem was given the State award for his photo collection entitled uong 20- Quyet Thang (Road 20- Quyet Thang). This road, connecting East Truong Son Road to West Truong Son Road, was nicknamed the fire road as it was regularly bombed by the US.

Held for the first time in 1996, the Ho Chi Minh Awards and the State Awards for Literature and Art are presented to writers and artists who have made important contributions to the countrys cultural development.

The Ho Chi Minh Award is the most prestigious award of Viet Nam for art.

An awards ceremony will be held at Ha Nois Opera House on May 19 (May 19 marks the 137th anniversary birthday of late President Ho Chi Minh).  VNS
MADRID  A painting that had been in the same family for generations and was only recently credited to Spains famed artist Diego Velazquez was sold on Tuesday in Madrid for eight million euros, auction house Abalarte said.

The Portrait of a Girl, which portrays a young girl with large, sad eyes, her hands held together as if in prayer, is believed to be an early work by the Sevillian artist best known for his masterpiece Las Meninas, on display in Madrids Prado Museum.

It is believed to have been painted by Velazquez around 1616 or 1617, when the artist was only 17 or 18 years old and still living in the southern Spanish city of Seville, the auction house said.

It had been in the same family for several generations but had never been properly analysed until the owner decided to sell it.

Richard de Willermin, a specialist on 17th century Spanish art who collaborates with the auction house, examined the small oil on canvas painting and concluded it was by Velazquez.

Specialists at the Prado Museum have also looked at the painting, but the museum has not commented publicly as it never gives any opinion about works that are not part of its own collection.

The paintings starting price had been 8 million euros (US$8.7 million), Abalarte said, but there was no higher bidding.

The identity of the buyer was not revealed, but the painting is banned from leaving the country by order of the government, which prohibits any work that could be part of Spains heritage from being taken abroad.

A slow and meticulous worker, Velazquez is thought to have painted fewer than 200 works in his entire career. About 120 survive to this day, roughly half of them in the Prado.  AFP
ABU DHABI  A Saudi novelist has won the International Prize for Arabic Fiction, becoming the third author in 10 years from the kingdom to grab the Arab worlds most prestigious literary award.

Mohammed Hasan Alwan won for his novel A Small Death, which is a fictionalised account of the life of a Sufi scholar and philosopher, Muhyiddin Ibn Arabi, from his birth in Muslim Spain in the 12th century until his death in Damascus.

The novel follows Ibn Arabis mystic Sufi experience and heroic travels from Andalusia to Azerbaijan, via Morocco, Egypt, the Hijaz in todays western Saudi Arabia, Syria, Iraq and Turkey, according to an abstract posted on the prize website.

"Of a sensitive and anxious nature, Muhyiddin struggles with inner turmoil throughout the course of his travels," the abstract said.

Though "90 per cent of the novel is fiction", Alwan said after receiving the award "I felt the pain while writing it".

"Ibn Arabi remains a controversial figure... but I believe that a reader of the novel would not disagree with the human side it portrays," he added.

Alwan, 38, was for the second time among the shortlisted novelists after his novel "The Beaver" made it to the last six in 2015. Its French edition went on to win the best Arabic novel translated into French for that year.

This year, Alwan competed with five other authors from Egypt, Iraq, Kuwait, Lebanon and Libya.

Born in Riyadh, he graduated with a doctorate in international marketing from Carleton University in Canada, and has published five novels.

Alwan was chosen in 2010 as one of the 39 best Arab authors under the age of 40 by the Beirut39 project.

Dubbed as the "Arabic Booker", the US$50,000-prize is supported by the Booker Prize Foundation in London, but it is funded by the Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority.

The two other Saudi novelists who previously won the prize were Abdo Khal in 2010 for his Throwing Sparks and Raja Alem, who shared the top prize in 2011 for her novel titled The Doves Necklace.

"The culture and arts arena in Saudi Arabia has been rather active over the past 10 years," Alwan said, speaking of the ultra-conservative kingdom when public cinemas remain banned and women face tight restrictions, including a unique ban on driving.

"The Saudi society is going through a phase of massive change. There is a young population facing various intellectual changes, which brings on many questions... When such questions are posed, novelists find their chance to repose them in a literary form," he added.

Last year, Palestinian author Rabai al-Madhoun won the award that was launched in 2008.  AFP
HA NOI -- Controlling public debt and ensuring stable Budget revenues will be priority tasks for the Government this year, the Prime Minister has directed.

In Directive No.14/CT-TTg issued recently, he has asked all ministries and Government agencies at both central and local levels, to focus efforts on fully implementing the 2015 State Budget Law and the National Assemblys Resolutions on the National Five-year (2016-2020) Socio-economic plan.

The PM has also called for continued restructuring of the national economy and implementation of the national financial plan, the mid-term public investment plan, and the Governments action plan to carry out the Party Central Committees Resolution 07 (dated Nov.18, 2016) to ensure sustainability of the States coffers.

Collection targets

The PM asks all organisations to strictly pursue budget collection targets set for 2017.

To meet these targets, all enterprises should exert all efforts to expand production and other business activities, find new markets and improve their competitiveness. These are the pre-requisites for developing sustainable and stable revenues for the State budget, the directive says.

It also says the taxation and customs offices have to be focal points in increasing State Budget collection by 14-16 percent over 2016.

The Governments Resolution has also set a clear goal for both the offices to limit outstanding tax overdue to less than 5 per cent of the years actual collection.

Belt tightening

The Instruction asks all Government offices nation-wide to strictly abide by the Budget Law, the Public Investment Law, the National Assembly Resolution, and all relevant Party and Government resolutions.

The Ministry of Planning and Investment and the Ministry of Finance have been asked to speed up the delivery of budget as well as public investment disbursement plans for the year to all localities.

The PM emphasises the importance of good management, inspection and investment supervision in the Instruction.

He encourages all localities to continue to generate their own income in 2017, and to save 10 percent of regular spending outside the salary, bonuses and allowances.

All localities have also been asked to be pro-active in balancing their budgets.

In case of shortfalls in local budget collection, authorities can use their reserves to bridge the gap, or adjust spending plans accordingly, the directive says.

The directive says that another key task for the year is to speed up the restructuring and equitisation of State-owned Enterprises as well as their equity divestment in accordance with approved plans.

The PM exhorts all agencies and localities to strive hard to meet all the targets set in the nations 2016-2020 five-year plans, implementing, in the process, the Law on Management and Use of State Capital, the National Assembly Resolution on the National Financial Plan, the mid-term Public Investment Plan as well as the State Budget collection plan for 2017. -- VNS
Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh (R) reveices Angolan Minister of External Relations Georges Rebelo Pinto Chikoti in Ha Noi yesterday.  VNA/VNS Photo Nguyen Khang

HA NOI  Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh and Angolan Minister of External Relations Georges Rebelo Pinto Chikoti agreed to continue seeking measures to strengthen ties in prioritised areas and expand cooperation in promising fields including agriculture, health care, oil and gas, and telecommunications.

During their talks in Ha Noi yesterday, they agreed that the countries should work together to speed up the execution of signed agreements, while negotiating to sign new deals to create a legal framework for bilateral ties.

Lauding the first visit of the Angolan minister, Minh, who is also Deputy Prime Minister, said the visit was evidence of the friendship between the two countries and the two foreign ministries.

The Angolan official praised the achievements that Viet Nam has gained.

He expressed hope that Angola and Viet Nam would continue to beef up ties in areas such as agriculture, education, health care, telecommunication and oil and gas.

Meanwhile, Minh affirmed that Viet Nam attached importance to fostering ties with friends in Africa, while considering Angola a major partner in the region.

"Viet Nam is willing to share its experience with Angola in national construction and development," he stated.

There is plenty of room for Viet Nam and Angola to expand co-operation, especially in agriculture, education, healthcare, and telecommunications, according to President Tran ai Quang.

The President made the remarks at a reception for Angolas Foreign Minister Georges Rebelo Pinto Chikoti in Ha Noi on the same day.

He urged the two countries to accelerate the implementation of projects and deploy measures to deepen bilateral co-operation, including the increase of all-level delegation exchanges.

Bilateral trade was still modest, hitting US$50.2 million in 2016, he said, proposing Angola facilitate the import of Vietnamese goods, prioritising food, consumer products, and construction materials, as well as promoting exchanges among businesses and helping them join trade fairs, exhibitions, and workshops.

President Quang said the outcomes of the visit of the Angolan Foreign Minister and his talks with Viet Nams Deputy PM and FM Minh would boost bilateral amity.  VNS
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and his Cambodian counterpart Samdech Techo Hun Sen yesterday agreed on several measures to strengthen multi-faceted relations between the two countries.  VNA/VNS Photo Thong Nhat

PHNOM PENH  Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and his Cambodian counterpart Samdech Techo Hun Sen yesterday agreed on several measures to strengthen multi-faceted relations between the two countries.

PM Hun Sen said he considered the Vietnamese leaders official visit as having historical significance, with the two countries celebrating the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations this year.

The visit would provide strong momentum for the traditional friendship and comprehensive co-operation between the two countries to thrive and grow, he said.

He spoke highly of Vietnamese investors contributions to Cambodia, noting that the military-run telecom group Viettel, the Viet Nam Rubber Group, the Electricity of Viet Nam Group (EVN) and other corporations were running profitably and had paid their tax dues in full to the Cambodian Government.

Notably, Metfone-Viettel paid US$400 million in taxes over the last decade, contributing to the nations socio-economic development and paying attention to improving the peoples living standards, especially that of low-income earners and rural residents, Hun Sen said.

The two leaders agreed to continue promoting co-operation between Vietnamese and Cambodian localities, particularly those that shared borders. Ties between localities boosted the spirit of friendship, neighbourliness and comprehensive co-operation, they said.

The premiers also said they would ask the joint committee for border demarcation and planting land border markers to step up talks and seek solutions on sections not yet demarcated, and work closely on border management. This would enhance peace, stability, co-operation and sustainable development along the shared border, they said.

They highly valued the outcomes of visits to either country by the countries senior leaders and agreed to increase delegation exchanges at all levels.

They also pledged to facilitate and seek effective measures to boost partnership in potential areas including trade and investment, banking, electricity, mining, oil and gas, industrial tree plantations, transport, telecommunications, and education and training.

Viet Nam and Cambodia would maintain close co-operation in security and defence, they said, reiterating the principle of not allowing any hostile forces to use the territory of either country to sabotage the others security and impinge the friendship and co-operation between both countries, the two leaders asserted.

They said both sides would also enhance collaboration to fight terrorism, transnational crime, smuggling, drug crimes and human trafficking. They would also press ahead with the search for and repatriation of the remains of Viet Nams volunteer soldiers who sacrificed their lives in Cambodia.

The two PMs discussed stepping up connections within the framework of ASEAN and the Greater Mekong Subregion. They also exchanged views on international issues of shared concern.

PM Phuc took the opportunity to express his appreciation of Cambodia providing good conditions for Vietnamese expatriates. He requested that appropriate measures are taken soon to recognise their legal status and affirm their Cambodian nationality.

He also called on Cambodia to recognise schools managed by Vietnamese-Cambodians there as part of the countrys education system.

In response, PM Hun Sen promised to direct relevant agencies of Cambodia to provide favourable conditions for Vietnamese-Cambodians to live and work in the country in line with Cambodian laws.

Following the meeting, the two PMs witnessed the signing of several co-operation documents.

Viet Nams Ministry of Transport and Cambodias Ministry of Public Works and Transport signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on constructing the HCM City-Moc Bai and Phnom Penh-Ba Vet expressways.

Another MoU on building a voluntary rehabilitation centre for drug addicts in Preah Sihanouk province was inked by Viet Nams Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs and Cambodias Ministry of Social Affairs, Veterans and Youth Rehabilitation.

The Directorate of Fisheries under the Vietnamese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Fisheries General Department under the Cambodian Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries signed an official letter on extending the MoU on fisheries co-operation for another three years.

The Ha Noi and Phnom Penh administrations signed a MoU on assistance for building the Phnom Penh-Ha Noi friendship avenue.

After the talks, PM Phuc and his spouse laid wreaths at the Independence Monument, the memorial to late King Norodom Sihanouk, and the Vietnam-Cambodia Friendship Monument in Phnom Penh. The two sides later issued a joint statement. VNS
President Tran ai Quang (R) receives New Zealand Foreign Minister Murray McCully in Ha Noi yesterday.  VNA/VNS Photo Nhan Sang

HA NOI  President Tran ai Quang called on New Zealand to join economic development in Viet Nam via increasing trade and investment during his reception for New Zealand Foreign Minister Murray McCully in Ha Noi yesterday.

He hoped bilateral trade will increase, exceeding the goal of US$1.7 billion by 2020, and affirmed Viet Nam is ready to roll out the red carpet for New Zealand businesses to invest in the fields of their strength such as infrastructure, education-training, agriculture, processing industry, support industry and renewable energy.

The President expressed his pleasure at the firm partnership between the two countries, which is expected to be a strategic partnership soon, thanks to regular high-level delegation exchanges.

He welcomed the New Zealand Prime Minister Bill English to attend activities in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders Meeting in the coastal city of a Nang in November 2017, and proposed the two sides arrange time for a visit to New Zealand by Viet Nams National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan.

President Quang hailed the talks between Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh and Minister Muray McCully.

The two countries foreign ministries have maximised efforts to boost bilateral co-operation by signing the Viet Nam-New Zealand Action Programme for 2017-20.

The bilateral defence-security partnership has been thriving with the visit of a New Zealand naval ship to a Nang Port early this month.

President Quang proposed New Zealand increase training of English and peacekeeping skills for Viet Nam as well as support the Southeast Asian country to improve law enforcement at sea, share experience in addressing post-war consequences, and expand collaboration in transnational crime prevention.

He thanked New Zealand for providing official development assistance for Viet Nam and affirmed the funds have been efficiently used for the countrys development.

The President said Viet Nam is pushing ahead with industrialisation and modernisation, restructuring the economy and reforming the growth model, and enhancing trade and economic co-operation with regional countries, with New Zealand a priority.

He praised the co-ordination of the two countries at multilateral organisations and forums such as the East Asia Summit, the APEC forum, the Asia-Europe Meeting and the United Nations.

The two nations should enhance co-operation and mutual support at multilateral organisations and forums to cope with regional and global challenges, he said.

For his part, Minister McCully said during his talks with Deputy PM Minh, the two sides agreed to boost bilateral co-operation and to elevate Viet Nam-New Zealand relations to a strategic partnership within two or three years.

He affirmed that New Zealand will support Viet Nam to host the APEC Year 2017, especially the APEC Economic Leaders Meeting in a Nang, and support Viet Nams candidacy for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council for the 2020-21 tenure.

The Minister welcomed Viet Nams efforts to improve its investment climate to draw foreign investors, saying New Zealand wants to step up trade, economic, and investment ties with Viet Nam to take advantage of the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand free trade agreement.

New Zealand also wants to collaborate with Viet Nam in agriculture, education-training, security-defence, and support the country in peacekeeping activities and bomb-and-mine clearance.  VNS
HA NOI  National Assembly (NA) Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan urged her Korean counterpart yesterday to work for additional investments by the Republic of Korea (RoK) in Viet Nams transporation infrastructure and boost technology transfer.

For his part, the Speaker of the Republic of Korea (RoK)s NA, Chung Sye-kyun, said the two countries enjoyed strong economic and trade development and planned to expand relation to diplomacy, security and education, adding that his country is willing to transfer technology to Viet Nam.

The two top legislators met in Ha Noi and discussed a wide range of issues.

Ngan called on RoK businesses to provide technical assistance and conduct a feasibility study of a railway route from Bien Hoa to Vung Tau cities, and carry out a pre-feasibility study of an expressway from HCM City to Moc Bai International Border Gate in Tay Ninh Province.

She noted with satisfaction that with nearly 6,000 valid projects worth US$50.98 billion, the RoK was taking the lead among 116 countries and territories investing in Viet Nam.

"Viet Nam encourages big Korean groups to take part in its State-owned enterprises equitisation and bank restructuring," Ngan said, and hoped Korean companies would focus on technology transfer to Vietnamese partners and raise the local content in products.

Ngan voiced her hope that Korean electronics, processing, manufacturing, energy and infrastructure development industries would build high technology complexes and invest in industrial park infrastructure and high-quality agriculture in Viet Nam.

The top legislator thanked the RoK for considering Viet Nam as a prioritised partner to provide development assistance, adding that the aid has substantially contributed to poverty elimination and rural development.

She hoped that the RoKs parliament would continue to supply non-refundable aid and ODA loans to Viet Nam in the fields of the RoKs strengths and Viet Nams need, such as transport, health care, environment, high technology, personnel training and startup. The two sides should also enhance cooperation in shipbuilding and seaport design and construction, she said.

The speaker suggested that Viet Nam sign a social insurance agreement with the RoK, and back the upgrade of several RoK credit organisations representative offices in Viet Nam.

Agreeing with the guests proposal on the social insurance agreement, she promised to recommend that the Government assign the Ministry of Labour, War Invalids and Social Affairs to deal with the matter.

Both host and guest agreed that the bilateral trade turnover had recorded impressive growth, with a 90-fold increase compared with the figure in 1992, when they established their diplomatic ties, while sharing the view that specific solutions are needed to correct the trade imbalance.

The Vietnamese top legislator proposed increasing direct flights between the two countries to serve tourism, as Viet Nam welcomed around 1.54 million Korean tourists in 2016, and nearly 530,000 arrivals in the first quarter of this year, a year-on-year rise of 29 per cent.

Ngan informed her guest that the Vietnamese Government has decided to include the RoK in the list of 40 countries whose citizens can apply online for visas to Viet Nam, while keeping in place the unilateral exemption of visas for RoK citizens for under-15 day stay. She asked the RoK to consider visa exemption for Vietnamese tourists for short stays.

The Vietnamese side proposed that the RoK increase information exchange and experience sharing in fighting crime, while strengthening security and support for the Vietnamese community and businesses in the RoK.

The Vietnamese NA leader thanked the NA and Government of the RoK for creating favourable conditions for the Vietnamese community in the country, proposing that the RoKs parliament continue to design effective policies to protect and support the community, especially Vietnamese women married to RoK citizens.

"Viet Nam looks forward to the RoK Presidents official visit and attendance in the APEC Economic Leaders Meeting in a Nang City this November, "she said.

Earlier in the day, Sye-kyun and the RoK high-ranking legislator delegation paid tribute to President Ho Chi Minh at his mausoleum in Ha Noi.  VNS
HA NOI  President Tran ai Quang hailed the visit to Viet Nam by Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea (RoK) Chung Sye-kyun on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties, as a vivid manifestation of the countries strategic co-operative partnership and legislative co-operation, during a meeting in Ha Noi yesterday.

He said Viet Nam wished to further strengthen the strategic co-operative partnership with the RoK for the benefit of the two peoples. In keeping with this spirit, he asked Speaker Chung to continue boosting the exchange of delegations and high-level meetings in order to reinforce political trust and extend bilateral links.

Discussing measures to improve the efficiency of bilateral economic-trade-investment links, Quang affirmed that Viet Nam was ready to effectively implement the free trade agreement with the RoK and would strive to raise two-way trade to US$70 billion, or even $100 billion by 2020 by facilitating RoK investments in Viet Nam, particularly in infrastructure, renewable energy and high technology.

He expected that the RoK would import more Vietnamese products such as agro-forestry-fisheries to reduce the trade deficit, and help the country join its global supply chain, improve technology transfers as well as develop the support industry.

The President expressed the wish for the RoK to continue assisting Viet Nams access to loans from the World Banks International Development Association over the coming years.

While asking for collaboration in celebrating the 25th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties, the State leader requested increasing cultural, education, and tourism links while effectively implementing a memorandum of understanding on labour co-operation and helping Vietnamese brides better integrate into the host society.

On the international arena, the President urged the two nations to enhance mutual support at multilateral forums, especially within the framework of the United Nations, ASEAN, APEC, global and regional inter-parliamentary forums such as the Inter-Parliamentary Union, the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly and the Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum.

The host asked the RoK to help Viet Nam successfully organise the APEC Year 2017, support the countrys run for a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council and the UNESCO General Director post for the 2017-21 tenure.

Chung, for his part, informed the host of the outcomes of his talks with National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan, saying that apart from intensifying economic-trade-investment ties, the two sides agreed to extend their links to education-training, culture, and people-to-people exchange.

He expressed his belief that more Korean firms would do long-term business in Viet Nam.

According to him, nearly 500,000 Korean enterprises are operating in Viet Nam so the RoK hopes to receive support for several of its credit organisations to open branches here.

The guest asked for the early signing of a social insurance agreement as well as the Vietnamese States support for Korean nationals living in the country.

The RoK is currently Viet Nams largest partner in terms of foreign direct investment, the second largest partner in terms of the supply of official development assistance and tourism, and the third largest trader. More than 140,000 Vietnamese are living in the RoK and the same number of RoK nationals are living in Viet Nam.  VNS
HA NOI  Deputy Director General of the Vietnam News Agency (VNA) Nguyen Hoai Duong greeted a delegation from the Ministry of Communication and Mass Media of Russia led by its Deputy Minister Alexey Volin in Ha Noi yesterday.

Deputy Minister Alexey Volin said the RT (Russia Today) channel is willing to provide VNA materials and videos covering politics, economics and culture from other countries for use on the agencys Vnews and in other publications.

The Russian side wanted to receive Vietnamese officials in fact-finding tours of Russias journalism, mass media and information technology, he said.

Duong hailed the co-operation in news supply between VNA and Russian news outlets and hoped for broader partnership in communication and mass media with the Russian side.

Noting VNAs interest in Russias news transmitting technologies, he said the agency will set up a Russian desk at its News for Foreign Service Department and wished that the Russian government will grant scholarships in journalism and Russian language for VNAs reporters.

The Russian official showed his support for VNAs proposal, suggesting the Embassy of Russia in Viet Nam act as a coordinator in the scholarship issue.

Later in the day, the Russian official had a working session with Deputy Minister of Information and Communications Phan Tam during which they sought to step up the exchange of information and ensuring cyber information security.

The two sides agreed to broaden co-operation in other fields on the basis of the trustworthy relations established by the two countries.  VNS
QUANG NINH  The northern coastal province of Quang Ninh has asked local authorities to urgently examine and determine the reason for the mass oyster deaths in Tien Yen District.

This will help in finding solutions to overcome the situation.

Reports from Tien Yen Districts Peoples Committee showed that since early March, the deaths have wiped out 75 per cent of 7,200 tonnes oysters raised in the district, causing a loss of some VN82 billion (US$3.6 million).

Apart from Tien Yen District mass oyster deaths are also being recorded in Quang Yen Township, Van on District and Mong Cai City.

Nguyen Huu Giang, director of the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, said on Tuesday the department had asked specialised units to inspect and collect information on the reason for the oyster deaths.

It had also asked the General Department of Fisheries, the northern Environmental Monitoring and Aquatic Disease Centre and the Veterinary Authority Zone 2 to participate and determine measures to stabilise production activities of those affected, he said.

Currently, water samples of the affected area have shown two different results.

Results of the water analysis of the northern Environmental Monitoring and Aquatic Disease Centre, which took place on April 21, revealed that as many as 13 indicators of the aquatic environment are within the permitted level.

Although the salinity was rather high  between 29 and 30 per cent of the water  it was within the permitted level and would not have impacted the aquaculture.

However, according to results of the Veterinary Authority Zone 2, all three samples of water were positive for Vibrio parahaemolyticus and Vibrio vulnificus bacteria.

Giang said the province would not yet announce an epidemic, as regulated by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in 2016. Currently, the ministrys Circular 04/2016/TT stipulates that affected localities must announce an epidemic only when the oyster deaths are because the marine creatures have been infected with a parasite named Perkinsus.

The department has sent more inspection teams to take samples for further tests to get accurate results.  VNS
HCM CITY  Recently, near HCM Citys Traumato Orthopaedics Hospital, a 46-year-old man with a bandaged foot, holding a basket of old clothes and health check-up notebook, was seen approaching patients.

He told them a tale of woe, looking for sympathy from patients and their relatives, and then asked them for money so he can go back to his hometown.

However, when the hospital security guard asked him to show his foot wound, it turned out to be fake. The man disappeared after that.

Soon after, when visiting an acquaintance at a general hospital in District 10, Huynh Ngoc Thanh, head of the security team at Traumato Orthopaedics hospital met the man again. He was performing the same routine.

Seeing Thanh, the man left quietly.

Doctor Nguyen inh Phu, deputy director of People 115 Hospital said that fraudsters often disguised themselves as doctors to swindle patients.

Patients relatives said that a 40-year-old doctor came to patients beds and asked them about their health, Phu said.

The doctor then promised he would help patients get quick treatment and asked them to pay him.

Then the doctor disappeared, Phu said.

According to Phu, the fraudsters disguise themselves in hospital uniforms.

These people show up after working hours to avoid to be recognised, Phu said.

Phu said that some fraudsters gave patients advice on their medicine, pretending to be worried about the medicines efficiency and recommending a better one.

The patients, hoping to be healed, did not hesitate to give the doctors money for different medicine.

Vo Duy Thuc, head of administrative management division of HCM Citys Tumor Hospital advised patients to check if the information in their doctors health insurance and check-up notebook matches their identification.

When meeting people asking for money, tell them to go to social affairs division of the hospital, Thuc said.

Doctor Phu from People 115 hospital said that all medical staff and interns wear blouses with hospital logos on. Surgeries are on a schedule and patients cannot pay for early operations.

If they see suspicious doctors, patients should report them to security or nurses, he said.  VNS
The Ministry of Public Security has issued wanted notices for two officials of Techcombanks HCM City branch.  Photo thanhnien.vn

HA NOI  The Ministry of Public Security has issued wanted notices for two officials of Techcombanks HCM City branch.

The two are Luong Huu Lam, former branch director, and inh Thi Hien, former deputy director.

According to the ministry, the two are being sought for violating regulations on lending, which caused the bank a loss of VN30 billion (roughly US$1.3 million).

The mastermind of the scheme is said to be ang Phuoc An, director of Van An Ltd, a company based in the southern province of Binh Phuoc. An was prosecuted and arrested in March last year for swindling and appropriating property.

The police said Van An Company applied for a loan at the bank in March 2007, and was granted credit worth VN45 billion (over US$1.9 million). In mid-2008, An made a false financial report claiming his company was still profitable. After getting a credit extension, he continued to submit false documents to the bank to get nine additional loans worth VN30 billion (US$1.3 million).

Luong Huu Lam approved loans worth VN8billion (US$351,000) while inh Thi Hien signed for disbursement of VN11 billion (US$483,000).

According to the investigators, Lam and Hien knew the Van An Companys loan request did not meet requirements, but they still approved the loans.

The two suspects have fled the country and Vietnamese police have asked Interpol to issue international wanted notices for them.  VNS
KHANH HOA  Imagine having your left foot almost cut off while on a boat out at sea. Imagine the pain and hopelessness of the situation.

What seems like something out of a horror film happened to one fisherman in central Khanh Hoa Province last year when he was sailing off Song Tu Tay island, part of the Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelago, the VOV online newspaper reported.

The fisherman lost a considerable amount of blood by the time he arrived at the islands medical centre, said Senior Lieutenant Nguyen Chi Dung, chief quartermaster of the army medical corps of the northern region of the Truong Sa archipelago.

That was when members of the islands live blood bank were summoned for a blood examination, after which the doctors chose the right blood type and performed a direct blood transfusion to save his life, Dung told the newspaper.

A live blood bank consists of people who register to donate blood in life-or-death situations.

It has significant meaning for marine officials and soldiers, fishermen and citizens who live on islands, as it provides fresh blood as quickly as possible in emergencies, he said.

The Truong Sa archipelago live blood bank is the brain child of Professor Nguyen Anh Tri, Director of the National Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion, and his colleagues. It was created after a decade of field research and planning.

Indirect blood transfusion, where blood is stored in a receptacle before being transfused, is popular in urban areas and major cities, but doesnt work as effectively in remote areas and islands, according to Tri.

Distance makes it hard to use stored blood, while sometimes there isnt enough blood stored on an island at a given time, Tri said.

Living conditions on islands arent high enough to afford specialised refrigerators for storing blood, he added.

The live blood bank doesnt require such equipment as blood is stored in donors bodies, Tri said.

The banks donor list consists of healthy people who are willing to donate their blood to others, he added.

We proposed the idea to the Ministry of Health last year and got their permission to develop live blood banks for distant areas, islands and border areas, he said.

A team from his institute visited Truong Sa archipelago last week to develop live blood banks and sustainable blood resources for the Song Tu Tay, Son Ca, Nam Yet, Sinh Ton islands

The visit was part of a deal between the institute and the Ministry of Defences Army Medical Department, the Navy Command and the Navy Medical Institute, he said.

Fast and feasible

Since the institutes proposal was approved last year, live blood banks have been developed and proven effective in mountainous Ha Giang Provinces ong Van District, border An Giang Provinces Tinh Bien District, coastal Hai Phong Citys Cat Ba and Bach Long Vi islands, as well as Ly Son and Phu Quy islands in central Quang Ngai and Binh Thuan provinces, respectively.

According to Professor Tri, it is considered a success when 1-5 per cent of the total population of a local area  who are Blood Type O and healthy with no blood-transmitted diseases  agree to donate.

It is not difficult to reach those percentages since military forces in the localities are always willing to donate their blood, he said.

Blood from live donors can be directly transfused to patients within 8-20 minutes, ensuring they are provided with enough blood within the golden hour in emergency situations, he added.

One patient in Ha Giang Provinces ong Van District got a direct blood transfusion immediately after we completed the donor list, he said. Doctors in Ly Son Island can now perform operations in their hospital, something they couldnt do before because of a lack of blood.

Health checkups will be provided for donors every 3-6 months, Tri said. For soldiers on Truong Sa archipelago who are rotated to other localities every year, the new soldiers that arrive will be checked up and added to the donor list, he added.

Colonel Ho Sy Hung, chief quartermaster of Naval Region 4, said that the live blood bank is a practical and effective idea, which works well in the Truong Sa archipelago.

It improves health care services for citizens on the islands and fishermen working in neighbouring waters, contributing to protecting the countrys sovereignty over its sea and islands, he said.  VNS
HA NOI  Around 115 experts from Viet Nam and France are attending a three-day conference on breast cancer, which began on Wednesday in Ha Noi.

At the conference, the 100 Vietnamese and 15 French experts will share experiences on diagnosis, treatment and surgery for breast cancer. Also, Dr Bosc Romain from Henri Mondor Hospital in France will share a plastic surgery model for patients who have undergone mastectomy.

The conference is an excellent opportunity for local experts to learn from the experiences of their French counterparts, especially with regards to breast cancer prevention and control, Ministry of Health Nguyen Thi Kim Tien said. The ministry will create favourable conditions for French experts working in Viet Nam as well as for Vietnamese medical workers who wish to study in France, he added.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the conference, Associate Professor Tran Van Thuan, director of the National Hospital for Cancer, or K Hospital as it is known, said the number of cancer patients across the world, including Viet Nam, is rising.

In 2000, data revealed that Viet Nam saw 69,000 new cases of cancer every year. That number has now reached 126,000, with 94,000 fatalities every year. It is estimated that Viet Nam will see 190,000 new cases of cancer every year by 2020.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women, Thuan said. As per the hospitals latest study, the ratio of breast cancer patients is 28.1 per 100,000 women.

In recent years, cancer prevention and control in general, and breast cancer prevention and control in particular, in Viet Nam has seen good achievement, said Thuan. With modern equipment and technology, theres early diagnosis, and that eases the treatment period, he said. As a result, treatment costs have reduced, and patients are living longer.

Breast cancer is now often being detected at an early stage. The percentage of patients who live more than five years after detection has reached 85.6 per cent; it was only 67.7 per cent in 1990.  VNS
BANGKOK  The 2017 World Travel and Tourism Summit began Wednesday in Bangkok, Thailand with more than 900 leading figures in the travel and tourism industry from across the world attending.

Paticipants include Prime Minister of Thailand Prayut Chan-o-cha, former UK Prime Minister David Cameron and Secretary General of UN World Tourism Organisation Taleb Rifai.

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha spoke of the importance of the tourism industry to Thailand and other ASEAN countries. The bloc has launched a programme to promote ASEAN-wide tourism under the slogan VisitASEAN@50 for the blocs 50th anniversary this year.

During the opening speech David Scowsill, President and CEO of World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC)  a leading authority in world travel and tourism industry based in the UK, urged industry leaders to take the initiative to lead the world on a path to eradicate poverty, clean up the oceans and protect habitats.

The WTTC president highlighted the contribution the industry has made to the global economy, with a total value of US$7.6 trillion generated globally  roughly 10 per cent of world GDP. Global tourism, which has maintained consistently high growth in recent years, provides more than 292 million jobs, equals to one in ten existing jobs worldwide.

The industry is also the driving force behind three out of 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs) proposed by the UN in 2015, including the promotion of inclusive and sustainable economic growth and decent work for all, sustainable consumption and production patterns and the conservation and sustainability of the oceans, seas and marine resources.

The industry is also expected to play a key supporting role in realising the remaining SDGs.

At the summit, political leaders and industry experts discussed the rise of populism, nationalism and terrorism and how it will affect the industry in the backdrop of last years UK Brexit, the US presidential election and terrorist attacks across Europe.

Extreme measures taken by governments to tighten border controls and security such as the US governments recently entry ban for citizens from six countries are also challenges.

However, industry leaders believed that travel helps people understand and respect each others cultures and histories.

I believe that closed borders lead to closed minds; that travel makes the world a better, more peaceful place and that human encounters across cultures change us for the better, Scowsill said. He also said that travel is among human fundamental rights, regardless of nationality, gender, religion, sexual orientation or age.

Discussing the rising anti-globalisation, former UK Prime Minister David Cameron said while the benefits of globalisation are plain to see, the course of globalisation must be corrected to bring benefits to more people and their concerns on culture, border control and immigration must be listened to.

There are two things we need to achieve here. The first is to continue to enable more people to trade, to travel, to experience new places, to enjoy the world. And the second is to ensure people arent able to go where they arent allowed to or stay somewhere long after they are meant to go home.

He proposed improving border control technology and urged industry leaders to work with governments to retain the benefits of globalisation.

The summit this year, which will conclude on Thursday, will also focus on emerging markets with vast potential such as China and India as well as improving co-operation mechanisms for countries to work together to develop travel and tourism.  VNS
WATERLOO  They feel theyre swimming against a legislative tide, but local labor organizations want to make sure worker safety isnt left adrift.

The Black Hawk Union Council AFL-CIO will again hold its annual Worker Memorial Day observance at 5:30 p.m. Friday at the Black Hawk Labor Temple, 1695 Burton Ave.

The observance is to commemorate workers in Iowa who lost their lives on the job over the past year. It will occur rain or shine at the worker memorial marker outside the Labor Temple. A flower is placed at the marker for each deceased worker as their names are read.

Iowa State Sen. Bill Dotzler, D-Waterloo, a retired union-wage John Deere worker and member of the Iowa Workforce Development Board, is scheduled to be the featured speaker. Light refreshments will be offered at the Labor Temple afterward.

Cal Eckhoff of the Union Council said this years observance is especially significant, given the Iowa Legislatures recent actions constraining public employee collective bargaining topics to wages only for a large group of state and local government workers  affecting teachers, care and correctional facility and highway workers, among others.

When they walk through those doors and theyre overworked and understaffed, theres a big risk there, Eckhoff said.

Theres also concern over the Legislature adopting what he indicated were less worker-friendly worker compensation laws. It affects such a wide group of people, he said, suggesting it may be more difficult to document repetitive-motion injuries of older workers.

Tom Ralston, president of United Auto Workers Local 838 in Waterloo, which represents unionized John Deere workers and others, said the local is not officially part of the Labor Council but will participate in Fridays observance.

We have serious concerns about the worker compensation law and feel its going to negatively affect people in the workplace, both union and nonunion, Ralston said. Those changes are bad for working Iowans. He said the collective bargaining change will have a similar impact on affected workers.

Everyone who goes to work should come home in the same shape, Ralston said. Well keep observing Worker Memorial Day until no one gets hurt on the job or dies.

Similar Worker Memorial Day observances will be held that day throughout the state and nation.

This year marks the 47th anniversary of the landmark federal Occupational Safety and Health Act proposed by President Lyndon Johnson in January 1968 and adopted by Congress and signed into law by President Richard Nixon in 1970. It created the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration, or OSHA, within the U.S. Department of Labor. There is a counterpart state office.
DUBUQUE  A man charged in connection to the shooting death of a Key West, Iowa, man will have his trial moved to Black Hawk County, a judge ruled this week.

Iowa District Court Judge Thomas Bitter approved a defense motion for change of venue for Eric D. Campbell Jr., 31. The motion was not contested by prosecutors.

Campbell pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder and first-degree robbery in the April 2, 2016, shooting death of Collin A. Brown, 21, at Table Mound Trailer Park. Authorities allege Campbell was one of three people who broke into Browns trailer and attempted to rob him. Brown was shot trying to flee.

Because of extensive media coverage of the case, Campbells attorneys and prosecutors agree Black Hawk County is the appropriate venue for trial, according to the motion.

Seven other people have been charged in connection to the incident.

Imere D. Hall, 19, was sentenced to life in prison without parole after a jury convicted him of first-degree murder and first-degree robbery.

Tacari T. Minifee, 20, and Taylor C. Shaw, 22, pleaded not guilty to the same charges. Minifees trial was moved to Scott County due to extensive media coverage.

Adrianna M. Chica, 19, Savanna R. Stotlar, 30, and Corby L. Yager, 20, pleaded not guilty to second-degree robbery charges. Jeremy S. Dukes, 22, pleaded not guilty to a charge of conspiracy to commit a forcible felony.
OSAGE  An Osage man sentenced to up to 35 years in prison last year for attempted murder and sexual abuse has a trial set in June on additional sexual abuse charges involving a second alleged victim.

Mark Retterath, 52, is accused of committing sexual acts against the will of a man while acting as his Alcohol Anonymous sponsor in May and June 2015.

Retterath was not only the mans AA sponsor, but also served as an officer with the organization, according to the criminal complaint.

He is scheduled to be tried June 6 on felony charges of third-degree sexual abuse and sexual exploitation by a counselor or therapist.

Those charges were filed in June 2015, around the same time Retterath was charged with attempted murder and solicitation to commit murder for allegedly plotting to kill another man accusing Retterath of sexually abusing him from the time he was a teenager.

Retterath was found guilty by a jury in August 2016 of attempted murder, solicitation to commit murder and third-degree sexual abuse.

Investigators said Retterath decided to kill the accuser in the initial sexual abuse case with the poison ricin to prevent him from testifying against him.

Retterath allegedly got the idea for the murder method from a friend, whod seen a TV character make ricin from castor beans and kill someone on AMCs hit show Breaking Bad.
WATERLOO  For 12 years, Gary Schnieders has led a Columbus Catholic High School class on a trip to battlefields in France and Belgium.

Each year after they arrive home, students in the Advanced Placement European history class organize a veterans appreciation event. This year, during the gathering Sunday evening, the teacher also was an object of that appreciation.

Representatives from the offices of Republican U.S. Sen. Charles Grassley and U.S. Rep. Rod Blum, R-1st District, presented Schnieders with two plaques for his efforts to educate students about what military veterans faced in combat during World War I and II. This years trip took place from March 27 to April 7.

Basically, they presented me with the speech that they read on the Senate floor and on the House floor in recognition of the trip that I take students on, he said. Grassley made his comments in the Senate on Jan. 30 and Blum made his comments on Feb. 13. Its now officially, if you will, in the history books as part of the Congressional Record.

The Congressional Record is the official record of the proceedings of the U.S. Congress and is published for every day the House or Senate are in session.

To say that I was somewhat overwhelmed would be an understatement, Schnieders added. Very much appreciated, but not necessary.

Usually always ready to say something, he admitted to being speechless after the presentation.

There were several former chaperones who were responsible to get this done, said Schnieders. I saw a whole lot more of them last night than I ever had and I didnt know why until afterwards.

He noted an emphasis of the trip is visiting American military cemeteries, where they participate in a wreath-laying ceremony. Students then put a flag on the graves of those from Iowa and add a rose for those from Waterloo.

So, its just a way to honor those from Iowa who fought and didnt come back, said Schnieders. He has continued doing it because of the impact on students and chaperones, who all say they never expected to learn so much from the trip.

It truly is an educational experience thats more than just history, he noted. Its learning what the words duty, honor, country and  most importantly  sacrifice mean. Were so fortunate, so lucky, and who do we have to thank but those soldiers over there.
WATERLOO  Planning will begin on a third phase of the Waterloo Career Center, which could add up to 10 more programs at Central Middle School.

The Board of Education on Monday approved hiring InVision Architects of Waterloo to plan for facility expansion as career and technical education programs are added beginning with the fall of 2018.

It would take a while and these are programs that could launch anywhere from the fall of 18 to the fall of 20, said Superintendent Jane Lindaman. So, it would bring our total to 15 programs.

Expanding the center, which is on the remodeled north end of Central, will require relocating sixth-grade classrooms to another part of the building.

Waterloo Community Schools opened it last fall to provide career courses for high school students. Plans are already underway to add three more programs for next fall. Current programs are nursing assistant and digital graphics with information technology, advanced manufacturing and early childhood education coming next fall.

This is us getting an 18-month jump on what would come after this fall, said Lindaman. This would really be about a longer term vision, instead of placing something in a spot at Central Middle School and then a year from now having to move it.

Crystal Buzza, executive director of professional technical education, said future career pathways will be chosen based on student interest and job needs for the region.

Officials showed a promotional video that is being used to inform district staff and the community about the plans.

It was built as a high school to house 1,200 kids, and we have less than half of that right now, Lindaman said of Central in the video. We are looking to make sure the building has a good front to it, so when people drive up they see that we have Waterloo Career Center and Central Middle School in the same building but they have very distinct entrances. We are using one building for two purposes.

Concerning relocated middle school classrooms, district spokeswoman Tara Thomas said in a voice-over on the video: A new sixth-grade wing will be created on the main floor with new ceilings, floors, lights, storage and state-of-the-art technology.

Prior to starting the career center, the district held a bond issue referendum in February 2016 to ask our community whether they wanted to support putting a facility together that would have 30 programs, noted board member Shanlee McNally. That did not pass, but we did hear loud and clearly that career and technical education is important. We believe that is a great direction for our district and we believe this really is enhancing options we give for our kids.

Lindaman said the remodeling will be done as funds are available and this project will not take money away from other district facility needs.

Thats still a goal, 30 programs, added board member Lyle Schmitt. Its just that this particular remodeling of Central will provide for the first 15 or so. But after that, it means additional facilities, and well cross that bridge when we come to it.
WATERLOO  A Waterloo Community Schools administrator will become the new principal at George Washington Carver Academy.

Stephanie Mohorne, who currently serves as director of middle school education, will take the lead at Carver and facilitate the middle school improvement efforts. Carver is one of four middle schools in the district. She will start in the position July 1 pending Board of Education approval.

Mike Landers, who has been Carvers principal for three years, is moving into another position within the district.

When the current principal pursued another in-district opportunity to enhance his leadership, I knew Ms. Mohorne was the perfect choice to lead Carvers efforts, Superintendent Jane Lindaman said in a news release. I asked her to enhance the improvement efforts that have begun at Carver.The Waterloo native started her career with the district in 2002 as a teacher at East High School. She went on to positions including lead teacher, elementary principal and assistant principal at McKinstry Elementary, Lowell Elementary and West High School, respectively

In 2010, Mohorne was chosen to lead Lincoln Elementary, turning the persistently low-achieving school into one with the highest assessment gains in reading and math in the district. She moved into her current position three years ago.She knows the community, the families and the work, Lindaman added. She is a proven leader who led transformation efforts at Lincoln, and I was thrilled when she accepted my invitation to lead Carver. She will continue to provide leadership across the district but will target improvement efforts at Carver over the next years.

Mohorne is a graduate of the University of Northern Iowa with a bachelors degree in elementary education and Spanish. She received her masters degree in educational leadership at UNI and will complete her doctoral degree in educational leadership in December.

Among her many honors, she was the first recipient of UNIs Educational Leadership Legacy Award in 2014 and Iowa TRIO Achiever in 2016. In 2015, The Courier named her a 20 Under 40 award winner.

I have been a part of the work over the past years so I am happy to serve in whatever capacity is best for this district, said Mohorne.

Im excited to lead middle school improvement efforts district-wide, but Im equally excited to serve in this important transformational role at Carver to take them to the next phase in their improvement process.
DES MOINES  A program that would allow Iowa parents to use taxpayer money to put their child in a nonpublic school could be proposed next year when Iowa lawmakers resume their work.

Varied versions of so-called school choice programs are operating in dozens of states, and the data on their effect is mixed.

Republicans, who have complete lawmaking control of the Capitol at least through 2018, would like to implement some type of school choice program next year. They would have preferred to pass something this session, which ended Saturday, but those programs typically come with a healthy price tag, and legislators had to make budget reductions this year just to stay within the states means.

So Republicans will keep their fingers crossed next year the budget will have room for two conservative  but expensive  priorities: tax reform and school choice.

Supporters of school choice say parents should have the option  and financial assistance  to choose where their child is educated.

Critics say school choice programs take critical funding away from public schools and divert taxpayer money to nonpublic schools that have little oversight and offer no proof of increased student achievement.

Some studies have tried to show the effect of school choice programs on student achievement and public education funding. Some found increased student achievement, while others have shown student regression.

Walt Rogers, a Cedar Falls Republican and chairman of the House Education Committee, said he will study the issue before next session to determine what school choice policy is appropriate for Iowa.

Republicans have devoted most of their attention to educational savings accounts, of ESAs, which let parents withdraw their child from a public school and have the taxpayer funding that would have gone to that school  or a percentage of it  placed into a government-authorized savings account. Those funds could be used for educational purposes, including tuition at a parochial or private school, homeschooling, private tutoring or other costs.

Its incumbent upon me to look at (education savings accounts) because theres reputable data out there that says when ESAs are implemented good things happen all the way around. And theres some opposing data that says other things, Rogers said.

EdChoice, a national nonprofit organization that advocates for school choice, in 2016 compiled an analysis of dozens of studies conducted across the country. The EdChoice report found the majority of those studies showed academic outcomes improved among students who participated in school choice programs, as did the academic outcomes of students at public schools that lost students to school choice programs. The EdChoice analysis also found no study showed a negative impact on funding for public schools in states with school choice programs.

EdChoice until 2016 was the Friedman Foundation for Educational Choice, named for the Nobel Prize-winning, free-market economist Milton Friedman.

The evidence points clearly in one direction, reads the EdChoice reports executive summary. Opponents frequently claim school choice does not benefit participants, hurts public schools, costs taxpayers, facilitates segregation and even undermines democracy. However, the empirical evidence shows that choice improves academic outcomes for participants and public schools, saves taxpayer money, moves students into more integrated classrooms and strengthens the shared civic values and practices essential to American democracy.

A few outlier cases that do not fit this pattern may get a disproportionate amount of attention, but the research consensus in favor of school choice as a general policy is clear and consistent.

The report espouses some of the long-touted conservative arguments for school choice programs: They allow parents to find the right school for their childs needs, they encourage competition and they save money by reducing wasteful spending.

But the author of three of the studies cited in that EdChoice report told the national fact-checking news agency PolitiFact increased student achievement in those studies was modest at best.

Less responsible voucher advocates will say that this is proof positive that these programs work, David Figlio, a professor of education and social policy at Northwestern University, told PolitiFact. I think a more responsible take on this is these programs dont seem to be hurting public schools  at the scale that theyre at.

Figlio also told PolitiFact the schools he studied lost only a small number of students to school choice programs, so the loss of funding was minor.

Other studies have found similarly murky results.

A 2016 Tulane University study found Louisianas school voucher program had a negative impact on students who participated, especially in mathematics, in the first two years. However, the study found those results improved from the first year to the second.

The Louisiana study found school choice programs had either no impact on students at competing public schools or student achievement at those public schools increased modestly.

In general, our results present a mixed picture of the (programs) effectiveness, the report said. We find the program had a negative impact on participating students academic achievement in the first two years of its operation, most clearly in math. On the other hand, the results improved between the first and second years and, through market-based pressures, the program may have slightly increased students math scores in public schools, particularly those most affected by the competitive threat.

A 2016 study of Ohios school choice program, conducted by the conservative education think tank the Fordham Institute, found students who used the program fared worse academically than their public-school peers. That study, one of the studies written by Figlio, cautions that may be partially explained by the fact the study did not include students who left schools defined by the state as low-performing.

Let us acknowledge that we did not expect  or, frankly, wish  to see these negative effects for voucher participants; but its important to report honestly on what the analysis showed and at least speculate on what may be causing these results, the Fordham report said.

The report went on to speculate reasons could include the aforementioned testing limitations, differences in schools testing environments or curriculum or that some private schools accepting voucher students are themselves not performing as well as they should.

Beyond student achievement, opponents have levied other criticisms of school choice programs, including that they often do not come with appropriate oversight and serve only to benefit families who already possess the financial means to send their children to private schools.

The term education savings account sounds really nice, like every kid ought to have one. But really, its a voucher. Its a price tag thats put on the back of an Iowa student, that they would be able to take taxpayer dollars and go anywhere that family wanted them to go, said Tammy Wawro, president of the Iowa State Education Association, which represents more than 34,000 public school educators. Its not just a familys tax rebate. It is truly taxpayer dollars going with a child into a place that we have no authority over, we are not guaranteed any significant impact for our taxpayer dollars and theres no oversight. We ought to be very scared that that conversation even comes up.

Arizona was the first state to implement an education savings account program, and a 2016 analysis by the Arizona Republic newspaper found the program was being used largely by students from well-performing schools in wealthier districts. The newspapers report said during the 2015-16 school year, $20.6 million was taken out of Arizona schools with A or B ratings from the state, while $6.3 million was taken out of schools with C or D ratings.

Despite the muddled results from other states, many Republican legislators are ready to implement a school choice program in Iowa when they return to work next year.

This will create mobility and portability for Iowa students. This will be good for Iowa, said Sen. Rick Bertrand, a Republican from Sioux City. If we dont set up the funding next year, at the least we need to set up the infrastructure that puts Iowa on course for education spending accounts. Its time.
WATERLOO  Black Hawk County is looking to firm up a policy for repairing roads shared with small towns.

County Engineer Cathy Nicholas asked the Board of Supervisors for direction Tuesday after both Janesville and Raymond declined to share in the cost of road repairs the county was planning in the near future.

At issue are roads where the city limits run down the centerline of a road, leaving the county and city each responsible for half the roadway. While the local governments generally work out agreements for maintenance, major repair costs can be a bigger issue.

What are we going to do when a city tells us  they dont have any money? Nicholas said. We just dont think its good practice to pave a half of a road. The public is going to say What is going on?

The county is hoping to repave Waverly Road from Cedar Falls to Janesville in 2018, but about 1,300 feet of the road is split between the county and city of Janesville, which informed the county it did not have money available for the project.

The county also is hoping to pave the rutted, dangerous shoulders on a stretch of Raymond Road. But the city of Raymond, which shares jurisdiction of the road and pays the county to maintain it, also indicated it didnt have money budgeted for the work this year.

While state law allows the county to use its money to pave farm-to-market roads extending into small towns, the supervisors said they didnt think it would be a good precedent to set.

I just think its a bad practice to start, said Supervisor Tom Little. I want to be a good neighbor to all the cities  but it has to be a fair deal.

Supervisor Craig White was more blunt.

They have the ability to tax out there, but they dont want to raise the taxes on people, White said. They dont want them screaming. But we can raise the taxes and have the people scream at us.

While Nicholas said she would prefer to pave the full width of joint jurisdiction roads when the cities lack funding to help, she acknowledged it would make it harder to get participation from any city in the future.

Gilbertville, for example, is contributing $66,000 to cover the portion of repairs in its city limits for resurfacing a long stretch of Poyner Road running east out of town. But in 2012, the county made $200,000 in repairs to Brandon Road in La Porte City without financial assistance from the city.

I would agree that we be consistent in how we do this, said Supervisor Frank Magsamen.

Nicholas was asked to go back to Janesville and Raymond to see if funding couldnt be secured for those projects in future budget years.

Meanwhile, Supervisor Chris Schwartz said it might be a good idea to stop putting city limits lines down the middle of roads.

Theres a lesson that needs to be learned by our cities here, Schwartz said. If youre going to keep annexing areas and expanding the size of your city limits, you need to make sure youve got the resources to take care of it.
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As is almost always the case, signs of trouble preceded the latest shooting in Paris, which left one police officer dead and wounded two bystanders before police killed the gunman, later identified as French national Karim Cheurfi, a known criminal with a long, violent record. ISIS claimed to be behind the attack. According to police, a note praising ISIS fell out of Cheurfis pocket when he fell.

Cheurfi was of Algerian descent, born in a Paris suburb. The Washington Post reported he had a criminal record and was known to authorities. His rap sheet included four arrests and convictions since 2003. He spent nearly 14 years in prison for crimes that included burglary, theft and attempted murder.

When Cheurfi attempted to buy weapons French authorities took notice, especially when he made statements about wishing to kill police officers. After he traveled to Algeria earlier this year, Paris prosecutor Francois Molins said Cheurfi was interviewed, but a judge refused to revoke his probation. It makes one question not only Frances probation laws, but the types of background checks in place that ought to have prevented Cheurfi from legally acquiring any firearm (if he bought it legally), much less the Kalashnikov rifle he allegedly used.

French and other European politicians immediately expressed concern over what effect the shooting and the terrorist attacks that preceded it might have on Frances choice of a new president. Rightist candidates immediately tried to exploit the issue, but it has been a subject on the minds of French voters, particularly in Paris, where a major enclave of immigrants from Muslim countries continues to be seen by many as a threat to the French way of life.

Cheurfi should have been back in jail for parole violations. Given his record, his statements and the trip to Algeria, enough red flags were raised to warrant action.

A side note. While Algeria has not been a main source of terrorism in the world, the human rights agency Algeria Watch has noted: Although Algerian nationals were not among the suicide bombers of 11 September 2001, they have featured prominently in subsequent investigations into al-Qaida activities in North America and Europe. In the UK, where an Algerian community has grown as a largely unknown minority in recent years, several dozen Algerians have been arrested since mid-2001 in localities as widely spread as Leicester, Glasgow, Edinburgh, London and Manchester. Arrests in London in January 2003 uncovered a cell producing ricin, while in Manchester, one of the Algerian detainees, 27-year-old Kamel Bourgass, was responsible for killing a police officer  the first victim in the UKs post-11 September anti-terrorist campaign.

In the United States and other countries in the West, most often someone has to actually break the law before they can be arrested. Given the tactics of terrorists, it might be worth discussing whether to invoke a doctrine of pre-emption, which is sometimes employed when an enemy nation appears to be an imminent threat. If that is an option to prevent death and destruction from countries, why cant we impose something similar for people who have violent criminal records and who openly state, as Cheurfi did, he intends to kill police?

Western reluctance to adapt such a practice shows there is one force more powerful than the uniformed police. It is the PC police. These are people who care more about how they feel than for the innocent people gunned down in our streets.

Dont innocents have the right to be protected from fanatics who so often claim to be doing Gods work? With ongoing investigations by the Department of Homeland Security into radical terrorists in every state, its long past time to get them before they get any more of us.
Given free rein for the first time since 1998 with control of both houses and the governors office, Republicans ran roughshod over Democrats in the recent legislative session on issues like labor, voting, firearms and reproductive rights.

Education associations still can negotiate basic wages, but not health packages, as part of a reform measure giving districts more power to reward better teachers and dismiss nonperformers.

Republicans believe the law will provide incentives for the best teachers. Some superintendents are wary the winners will be affluent suburban districts with an increased advantage in luring the top math and science teachers amid a growing teacher shortage, while rural districts would be hurt.

State and local governments were banned from using project labor agreements for public construction projects  again at the expense of unions  with the intent of lowering costs.

Iowa also remained among 14 states adhering to the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour by thwarting local governments from raising it. Johnson, Linn, Polk and Wapello counties sought to boost it as high as $10.25.

In a law pitting the National Rifle Association and gun enthusiasts against organizations representing cities, counties and the judiciary, Republicans expanded firearm laws, including a stand-your-ground provision so an individual doesnt have to retreat before using deadly force. It also provides longer handgun permits, while legalizing short-barreled rifles and shotguns. Guns will be allowed in the Statehouse and, possibly, courthouses.

Republicans passed a voter identification law aimed at preventing fraud. It requires voters to show government-issued IDs at polling places and shortens early voting from 40 to 29 days.

We have had longstanding concerns the federal Motor Voter law is too open-ended. The early voting period needed to be reined in. However, judges have found voter reforms in some states are designed to discriminate against minorities (primarily Democrats), which will be tested in Iowa.

Republicans banned abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy and required a three-day waiting period. The only exceptions are a doctors determination the procedure is necessary for the life or health of the mother. Regrettably, Republicans denied exemptions for rape, incest and if a genetic anomaly made life after birth impossible.

Family planning funding was discontinued for Planned Parenthood, which already was denied public money for abortions. A state-run program for low-income Iowans will replace it.

Against the wishes of various medical and public safety groups, Iowa became the 44th state to legalize fireworks. The Consumer Product Safety Commission reported 10,500 fireworks-related injuries resulting in emergency room visits and 11 deaths in 2014.

K-12 education received a scant 1.1 percent increase, while regents universities had to reduce their allocations following budget shortfalls, which also derailed GOP plans for education savings programs to help pay for private schools.

Lawmakers, thankfully, finally got tough  in bipartisan fashion  in trying to reduce roadway carnage.

Drivers arrested or convicted of being impaired must go twice daily to a monitoring center for a breathalyzer test. Failure means a day in jail. The homicide-by-vehicle statute was expanded to make using a hand-held device  texting, browsing, taking photos or playing games  and causing a fatality evidence of operating recklessly and punishable by up to 10 years in prison.

Texting while driving, at last, will be a primary offense, allowing police to stop drivers solely on the basis of texting and issue $30 tickets. Cellphones still could be used for calls and GPS.

Medical cannabis oil  currently for epileptics only  soon will be available to patients with cancer, multiple sclerosis and other conditions. It also can be manufactured and sold in Iowa. A medical advisory board will recommend other changes to the Iowa Board of Medicine.

Drinking water  a basic necessity  was punted again because it meant shifting or raising taxes to remove high levels of nitrates.

Republicans decided not to punish the Des Moines Water Works after the judiciary dispensed with its long-shot suit against drainage districts in Sac, Buena Vista and Calhoun counties. The utility maintained it spends $80 million to remove nitrates to meet federal Clean Water Act drinking water standards and $1.5 million to operate nitrate removal equipment.

If higher utility bills were called taxes, Republicans might have been more energized about clean water. Instead, as a budget cut, they shuttered Iowa State Universitys Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture, established in 1987 to help  among other things  offset farmings negative effects.

The fiscal 2018 budget is a stagnant $7.24 billion with state revenues battered by previous business tax credits, slumps in the agriculture and retail sectors and higher Medicaid allocations that predated Gov. Terry Branstads privatization effort. Reserve fund balances are anticipated to be $625.1 million  $112 million below statutory requirements.

For the good of the state we hope Republican claims of pro-growth legislation will boost Iowas fortunes. Recent history lessens optimism.
Roundabouts

CLEO CROSS

CEDAR FALLS  A message to the Cedar Falls City Council: I have recently had information about the runabouts in the northeastern part of our country. They have decided to take out all the runabouts. They are so extremely expensive to maintain in the winter months and the freight companies are all complaining so much.

They have a difficult time maneuvering their double bottom semis around them, and in the winter they are so dangerous with the ice and snow they have decided they will go back to straight roads. You might want to check this out before installing more here in our city.

You have already completely destroyed our University Avenue, and to think you are going to destroy the rest of the street is very sad. With 90 percent of the people unhappy, we all think you should at least check this out. Election time will soon be here.

Hillary praise

ERNEST NUNNALLY

WATERLOO  Even though many will dis Hillary Clinton as corrupt and ineffective, if you take time to read about her, youll see that she is a truly great woman who accomplished more than dozens of her detractors.

If you asked a true patriot like McCain, hed say hed much rather have Hillary Clinton in the White House than Trump. The only way the Rs could defeat her was decades of misinformation and character assassination that has nothing to do with how immensely effective she was in doing her job.

Unfortunately America got probably the worst president in 100 years and gave up the best in the process. We should have nothing but admiration for a woman who is truly amazing.

Roundabouts

DAVE SCHMIDT

CEDAR FALLS  Another day, another negative opinion on the roundabouts in Cedar Falls. The reasoning behind the concept is simple, the majority of people have lost respect for red lights and stop signs.

I have heard and read reports on numerous collisions in many of the lighted/stop sign intersections in Cedar Falls. Whether we like it or not, they are a necessary evil.

Step up for Iowa

LOIS LEIFELD

CRESCO  There is already a huge hog barn in our neighborhood that houses 4,998 hogs for market. Now, two more huge hog barns will be built across the road from each other in our neighborhood. Each of these buildings will hold 4,998 hogs. That will be a lot of animals and their waste in a small area. Its not just here in Howard County, several factory size animal buildings are rapidly springing up all over our beautiful Iowa, surprising neighbors everywhere.

Current Iowa environmental standards are outdated and allow this to keep happening. All Iowans need to step up and be responsible for our beautiful state. I have let my legislators know my concerns at www.legis.iowa.gov/legislators.
Dear Doctor: Im almost 90 years old and always tired. I took two capsules of 2,000 mcg vitamin B12 the other night, and felt stronger and not as tired. Is it safe?

Dear Reader: My first thought is you might have B12 deficiency, caused either by inadequate intake or by inadequate absorption of B12. Animal products such as meat, dairy and eggs are the only sources of B12 in humans, and the recommended daily allowance is 2.4 micrograms per day.

If your intake is sufficient, it may be your ability to absorb B12 that is compromised. This can occur if you have inflammation of your stomach lining or disorders of the small intestine, such as Crohns disease. Antacids and proton pump inhibitors such as Prilosec, Protonix, Prevacid, Aciphex, Zantac and Pepcid also can lead to deficiency, because they reduce the stomach acid necessary to release the B12 from food. Metformin, a drug used to treat Type 2 diabetes, also can decrease absorption of B12 in the small intestine in 10 percent to 30 percent of patients.

Lastly, age can be a risk factor for B12 deficiency. Multiple studies in this and in other countries found deficiency in 10 percent to 24 percent of people 75 and older. The causes may be both inadequate intake and inadequate absorption. Significant B12 deficiency can lead to anemia, nerve damage and dementia.

But let us say your B12 levels are normal. Is there any benefit to taking more, and is there any danger in doing so? Many of my patients, who are not B12 deficient, feel greater energy and improvement of their health with B12 injections. I am not certain why this happens, and it doesnt appear to have a lasting effect. It is possible extra amounts of B12 can improve the metabolic function and allow the vitamin to be utilized better.

Water soluble vitamins, like B12, can be tolerated at higher doses without adverse effects upon the body, and the National Academy of Medicine has not established an upper limit of vitamin B12 intake. The dose of 2,000 micrograms of B12 is more than 800 times the recommended daily amount. So, on the face of it, this dose seems too high.

Before continuing the B12, I would recommend getting your levels tested with your doctor. If you show a deficiency, your doctor may want to investigate and gauge how much of the vitamin you might need.

If you are not deficient, I believe it is safe to take a supplement at a lower dose.
Q: In City View Heights at the corner of Idaho and Anthony there is a chain link fence that hasnt been repaired for many years. Why?

A: You can contact the Waterloo Code Enforcement officers at 291-3820. They would determine whether the fence is violating any ordinances.

Q: Will Garth Brooks be performing any time soon in Las Vegas?

A: He has shows set in Las Vegas from June 24 through July 4. Go to garthbrooks.com for details.

Q: Is there a part of Dubuque called Little Dublin? If so, where is it?

A: The first ward in the south end of Dubuque used to be known as Little Dublin; its where many Irish immigrants settled in the 1800s. Dubuque does still host a longtime event, the Irish Hooley Music Festival, in August.

Q: What are Waterloo and Cedar Falls doing with all the ash trees they are cutting down?

A: Waterloo takes the ash trees to its yard waste area on Falls Avenue, where it can be used as firewood. Cedar Falls places the majority of the tree wood along the city right of way where it is cut making it available to residents on a first-come, first-served basis. The remaining wood is taken to the compost facility where it is eventually ground into wood mulch.

Q: By the overpass on Highway 63 where they were doing work over the railroad there has been a lot of broken tile left along the highway. When will they be cleaning this up?

A: The Iowa Department of Transportation said it was planning to clean up the area as soon as conditions dry up and the crews wont damage the grass and ground in that area.

Q: Do they have plans to tear down the old St. Marys Catholic Church on East Fourth Street?

A: Not at this time. It is a privately owned building.

Q: Where can we dispose of paint, paint cans and spray paint?

A: If you have a lot, try to find someone else who can use it, like a neighbor, theater group or housing agency. Otherwise, dried paint can be placed in the regular garbage. Paint can be dried in layers or by using cat litter or other absorbent material.

Q: Did Chipotle receive any tax benefits like Harolds Chicken?

A: No.

Q: Is there any truth to the rumor the animal control officer involved in the hit and run with a city vehicle has been rehired by the city of Waterloo?

A: The employee was not terminated; he was laid off until certain criteria were met. He returned to work April 11 after more than six months on layoff.

Q: Do employees of Black Hawk County have a mandatory retirement age?

A: No.

Q: How can Iowa car lots sell a used car with windows tinted darker than the Iowa law allows? Why arent they required to reduce the tinting?

A: Iowa laws do not prevent the sale of vehicles with excessively tinted windows. The law prevents operation of such a vehicle on public roads. The Legislature hasnt passed a law forcing car dealers to replace tinted windows.

Q: Does The Associated Press still run a pre-dawn summary?

A: If youre asking about 10 Things to Know for Today, it still runs each day on wcfcourier.com.
Elementary & Secondary Public Schools

Cedar Falls Public Schools

Administrative Center

Superintendent: Andy Pattee

1002 W. First St.

553-3000

Board of Education: Regular meetings are at the Administration Office, 1002 W. First St., on the second and fourth Monday of each month at 7 p.m.

Cedar Falls schools

Elementaries:

Cedar Heights

2417 Rainbow Drive

553-2855

Hansen

616 Holmes Drive

553-2775

Lincoln

321 W. Eighth St.

553-2950

North Cedar

2419 Fern Ave.

553-2810

Orchard Hill

3909 Rownd St.

553-2465

Southdale

627 Orchard Drive

553-2900

Junior highs:

Holmes

505 Holmes Drive

553-2650

Peet

525 E. Seerley Blvd.

553-2710

Senior high:

Cedar Falls High School

1015 Division St.

553-2500

Dunkerton Community Schools

509 S. Canfield St.

Dunkerton 50626

822-4295

Superintendent: James Stanton

Board of Education: Regular meetings are in the school ICN room, 509 S. Canfield, at 7 p.m. on the third Monday of each month.

Evansdale (See Waterloo Community School District)

Hudson Community School District

136 S. Washington St.

Hudson, 50643

988-3233

Superintendent: Anthony Voss

Board of Education: Regular meetings are in the Central Office Board Room, 136 S. Washington St., at 6 p.m. the third Monday of each month.

Hudson High School

245 S. Washington

Hudson 50643

988-4226

Hudson Elementary School

136 S. Washington, P.O. Box 240

Hudson 50643

988-3239

Jesup Community School District

531 Prospect St.

Jesup 50648

827-1700

Superintendent: Nathan Marting

Jesup High School

531 Prospect St.

Jesup 50648

827-1700

Jesup Middle School

531 Prospect St.

Jesup 50648

827-1700

Jesup Elementary School

531 Prospect St.

Jesup 50648

827-1700

Union Community School District

District Office

200 Adams St.

La Porte City 50651

342-2674

Superintendent: Travis Fleshner

School Board generally meets at 6 p.m. on the third Monday of the month in the Board Room located in the district office at Union High School.

Union High School

200 Adams St.

La Porte City 50651

342-2697

Union Middle School

505 West St.

Dysart 52224

476-5100

La Porte City Elementary

515 Fillmore St.

La Porte City 50651

342-3033

Dysart-Geneseo

Elementary School

411 Lincoln St.

Dysart 52224

476-7110

Waterloo Community Schools

Education Service Center

1516 Washington St.

Waterloo 50702

433-1800

Superintendent: Jane Lindaman

433-1800, ext.10174

School and Community Relations Director Tara Thomas

433-1803

Board of Education: Generally meets the second and fourth Monday of each month at 6 p.m. in the Board Room of the districts Education Service Center, 1516 Washington St. (Board may meet only once during June and July at 5 p.m.). Meetings are open to the public.

Elementaries

Becker

1239 Sheldon St., 50701

433-2180

Cunningham

1224 Mobile St., 50703

433-2600

Highland

812 Idaho St., 50703

433-2630

Irving

1115 W. Fifth St., 50702

433-2800

Kingsley

201 Sunset Road, 50701

433-2210

Kittrell

1304 Oregon, 50702

433-2910

Lincoln

302 Cedar Bend St., 50703

433-1990

Lou Henry

312 Rachael St. 50701

433-2860

Lowell

1628 Washington St., 50702

433-1900

Orange

5805 Kimball Ave., 50701

433-2880

Poyner

1138 Central Ave.,

Evansdale, 50707

433-1534

Middle Schools

Bunger

157 S. Roosevelt Road

Evansdale, 50707

433-2550

Carver

1505 Logan Ave., 50703

433-2500

Central

1350 Katoski Drive, 50701

433-2100

Hoover

630 Hillcrest Road, 50701

433-2830

High schools

East High

214 High St., 50703

433-2400

Expo Alternative

1410 Independence Ave., 50703

433-1930

West High

425 E. Ridgeway Ave., 50702

433-2700

Waverly-Shell Rock Community Schools

Administration Building

1415 Fourth Ave. S.W.

Waverly 50677

352-3630

Superintendent: Ed Klamfoth

Board meetings are held at 6:30 p.m. on the second Monday of each month at the Administration Building.

Carey Elementary School

220 Ninth Ave. N.W.

Waverly 50677

352-2855

Southeast Elementary School

809 Fourth St. S.E.

Waverly 50677

352-3582

Shell Rock Elementary School

214 N. Cherry St.

Shell Rock 50670

885-4311

West Cedar Elementary

221 15th St. NW

Waverly 50677

352-2754

Waverly-Shell Rock Middle School

501 Heritage Way

352-3632

Waverly-Shell Rock High School

1405 Fourth Ave. S.W.

Waverly 50677

352-2087

Greenview School

alternative high school at Bremwood Campus

352-9273

Area Education Agency 267

3712 Cedar Heights Drive

Cedar Falls, 50613

273-8200, (800) 542-8375

AEA 267 provides services to children, families and educators in partnership with area public and private schools.

PRIVATE

Baptist

Waterloo Christian School

1307 W. Ridgeway Ave.

Waterloo 50701

235-9309

Catholic

Cedar Valley

Catholic Schools

Administration Offices

3231 W. Ninth St.

Waterloo 50702

232-1422

Waterloo

Blessed Sacrament School

600 Stephan Ave.

233-7863

Sacred Heart School

620 W. Fifth St.

234-6593

St. Edward School

139 E. Mitchell Ave.

233-6202

Blessed Maria Assunta Pallotta

3225 W. Ninth St.

232-6592

Columbus High School

3231 W. Ninth St.

233-3358

Cedar Falls

St. Patrick School

615 Washington St.

Cedar Falls 50613

277-6781

Gilbertville

Don Bosco High School

405 16th Ave.

Gilbertville 50634

296-1692

Immaculate Conception Center

311 16th Ave.

Gilbertville 50634

296-1089

St. Joseph Center

6916 Lafayette Road

Raymond 50667

233-5980

Lutheran

St. Pauls Lutheran School

301 First St. N.W.

Waverly 50677

(319) 352-1484

Valley Lutheran School

4520 Rownd St.

Cedar Falls 50613

266-4565

elementary, middle school, high school
Elected officials

U.S. senators

Charles Grassley, Waterloo office, 531 Commercial St., Suite 210, 232-6657; Washington, D.C., office (202) 224-3744; www.grassley.senate.gov.

Joni Ernst, Cedar Rapids office, 111 Seventh Ave. SE, 365-4504; Washington, D.C., office, (202) 224-3254, www. ernst.senate.gov.

U.S. representative

Rod Blum, Cedar Falls office, 515 Main St., Suite D; 266-6925; Washington, D.C., office (202) 225-2911; www.blum.house.gov.

State senators

Bill Dix, R-Shell Rock, Senate District 25, 885-6790; bill.dix@legis.iowa.gov.

Jeff Danielson, D-Cedar Falls, Senate District 30, 231-7192; jeff.danielsen@gmail.com.

Bill Dotzler, D-Waterloo, Senate District 31, 296-2947; bill.dotzler@legis.iowa.gov.

Craig Johnson, R-Independence, Senate District 32, 334-2413, craig.johnson@legis.iowa.gov

Jeff Edler, R-State Center; Senate District 36, (641) 751-5902; jeff.edler@legis.iowa.gov.

State representatives

Pat Grassley, R-New Hartford, House District 50, 983-9019; pat.grassley@legis.iowa.gov.

Bob Kressig, D-Cedar Falls, House District 59, (515) 281-3221; Bob.Kressig@legis.iowa.gov.

Walt Rogers, R-Cedar Falls, House District 60, (515) 281-3221; walt.rogers@legis.iowa.gov.

Timi Brown-Powers, D-Waterloo, House District 61, (515) 281-3221; timi.brown-powers@legis.legis.iowa.gov.

Ras Smith, D-Waterloo, House District 62; (515) 281-3221; ras.smith@legis.iowa.gov.

Sandy Salmon, R-Janesville, House District 63, (515) 281-3221; sandy.salmon@legis.iowa.gov.

Dean Fisher, R-Garwin, House District 72, (515) 281-3221; dean.fisher@legis.iowa.gov.

Offices

Local

Auditors Office, (Black Hawk County Courthouse), 316 E. Fifth St., Waterloo, 833-3002

Black Hawk County Extension Office, Waterloo, 234-6811

Bremer County Extension Office, Tripoli, 882-4275

Clerk of Court, Black Hawk County Courthouse, 833-3331

District Court, Waterloo (Black Hawk County Courthouse), 316 E. Fifth St., 833-3332

Human Services, Dept. of, Waterloo area (Black Hawk County), 1407 Independence Ave., Waterloo 291-2441

Judicial Department, Clerk of District Court, Waverly, 352-5661;

Natural Resources, Dept. of, Manchester office, (563) 927-2640

Public Defender, adult division, 304 First National Building, 607 Sycamore, Waterloo, 291-2535; juvenile division, 229 E. Park Ave., Waterloo, 291-2595

Public Safety Division, Bureau of Drug & Narcotic Enforcement, 277-4601; Communications Division, 277-4761; Investigation Division, 277-4601

State Patrol, Cedar Falls office, 1510 W. First St., 266-2677

Transportation, Dept. of, Waterloo office, 1875 E. Ridgeway Ave., 233-3055; Waverly office, 3001 E. Bremer Ave., 352-1045

Workforce Development Center, Waterloo office, 3420 University Ave., 235-9864; Waverly office, 1221 Fourth St. S.W., 352-3142

Voter information

You are eligible to vote if you are a U.S. citizen, will be 18 years of age by the date of the election, are a county resident and are registered to vote.

To register:

You may register to vote at the city clerks offices in Cedar Falls, Dunkerton, Elk Run Heights, Evansdale, Gilbertville, Hudson, La Porte City or Raymond, or at the County Election Office at the county courthouse  or by using a voter registration form available at any of those offices.

Voter registration forms also are available at DOT drivers license stations.

Registration closes 11 days before most elections. Mail-in registrations must be postmarked 15 days before the election. On Election Day, qualified voters may record, at their new polling place, a change of name, address or party. Contact the Election Office at 833-3007 in advance of election day for additional information.

Your registration will remain valid unless: you have changed your name or address or you have been convicted of a felony and have not had your rights of citizenship restored.

Absentee ballots/voting absentee:

Forms are available at www.sos.iowa.gov or the Election Office. For more information, call the Election Office, 833-3007.

Cities

Cedar Falls

Cedar Falls City Hall

220 Clay St.

8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday

Mayor: Jim Brown

268-5119

City Council: Cedar Falls has a mayor-council form of government. The council consists of seven members, two at-large (representing the entire city) and one from each of the five wards, elected for terms of four years. City elections are nonpartisan and take place in odd-numbered years.

The City Council meets on the first and third Mondays of each month in the Cedar Falls City Hall Council Chambers, 220 Clay St., at 7 p.m. Meetings are open to the public and also broadcast on cable channel 15.

Dunkerton

Dunkerton City Hall

200 Tower St.

Mayor Edward Jessen

Elk Run Heights

Elk Run City Hall

5042 Lafayette Road

Mayor Tim Swope

Evansdale

Evansdale City Hall

123 N. Evans Road

Mayor Doug Faas

Gilbertville

Gilbertville City Hall

1320 Fifth St.

Mayor Mark Thome

Hudson

Hudson City Hall

525 Jefferson St.

Mayor George Wessel

Jesup

Jesup City Hall

791 Sixth St., P.O. Box 592

Mayor Larry Thompson

La Porte City

La Porte City Hall

202 Main St.

Mayor David Neil

Raymond

Raymond City Hall

101 First St.

Mayor Monte Johnson

Waterloo

Waterloo City Offices

715 Mulberry St.

Mayor Quentin Hart

Office of the mayor, City Hall, 715 Mulberry Street, 291-4301

City Council

The council comprises a mayor and seven council members, elected by ward and at large. They set city policy. Meetings are open to the public and are held at 5:30 p.m. at the Council Chambers, second floor of City Hall, on Mondays, except the fifth Monday.

City Council members can be reached through the mayors office.

Waverly

200 First St. N.E

Mayor Charles Infelt

City Council

The seven-member City Council meets the first, third and fourth Monday of the month at 7 p.m. at the City Hall.

Commissions, committees and boards

Contact City Hall at 352-4252 for information on contacts for city boards

County

Black Hawk County Courthouse

316 E. Fifth St.

Elected officials Elected officials are county attorney, auditor, board of supervisors, recorder, sheriff and treasurer. Each serves a four-year term. (All offices are located in the courthouse, and office hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, unless otherwise noted.)

Attorneys Office

Brian J. Williams

Room B-1

833-3001

Auditors Office

Grant Veeder

Room 213

833-3002

Board of Supervisors Suite 203

833-3003

Board meets at 9 a.m. Tuesdays.

Recorders Office

Sandie Smith Room 208

(319) 833-3012

Collects real estate transfer tax; issues hunting and fishing licenses; registers and titles boats, snowmobiles and ATVs; conducts federal and state tax lien searches; issues marriage licenses; register births, death and marriage certificates; assist in passport applications.

Treasurers Office

Rita Schmidt (R) Room 140

833-3013

Responsible for the receipt, management, disbursement, financial reporting, bonds and investment of all money paid to the county. The duties of the treasurer are dual capacity: property tax division and motor vehicle division. Property taxes may be paid in two installments. The first half is due Sept. 1 and becomes delinquent Oct. 1. The second half due March 1; delinquent April 1.

Other county offices

Conservation Board 1346 W. Airline Highway

433-7275

Black Hawk County Conservation Board maintains 37 areas totaling approximately 8,200 acres, including river accesses, wetlands, wildlife areas, campgrounds, bike trails, geologic sites, retreat center and nature center.

Health Department 1407 Independence Ave., Waterloo

291-2413

Veteran Affairs Commission

Pinecrest building, first floor

1407 Independence Ave., Waterloo

291-2512
The Waterloo and Cedar Falls public libraries are two valuable assets for residents in the metro area.

Waterloo Public Library 415 Commercial St., Waterloo 50701; phone, 291-4480; email, askus@waterloopubliclibrary.org; website, www.waterloo.lib.ia.us

Hours: 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday-Thursday; 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday; (Labor Day through Memorial Day) 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday.

Founded in 1896, the Waterloo Public Library began service in two rented rooms, one on the east side and one on the west side of the Cedar River. In 1906, the library moved to its new Carnegie buildings, which saw extensive remodeling and additions over time.

The librarys current building, constructed in 1938, began as Waterloos post office and federal building. It served as such until 1979 when the post office was relocated. In 1977, Waterloo voters approved a $3.65 million bond issue to renovate the building for use as a library.

The Waterloo Public Library now houses a large collection of books, numerous magazines and an ever-growing collection of videos, DVDs, books on CD, audio CDs, along with downloadable audiobooks and eBooks.

It also provides free Internet access and computer classes and has a staff of librarians ready to answer questions.

To get a library card, fill out a short application form and show staff members an ID containing your name and current address. There is no fee to get your first card.

Cedar Falls Public Library

524 Main St., Cedar Falls 50613; phone, 273-8643; email, cedarfallslibrary@gmail.com; website, www.cedar-falls.lib.ia.us/

Hours: 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday-Wednesday; 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday and Friday; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday; (September through May) 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday

The Cedar Falls Public Library is one of the oldest libraries in Iowa, incorporated in 1859 by the Cedar Valley Horticultural and Literary Association.

In 1877, W.C. Bryant moved to secure a vote of the city to make the library forever free and to be controlled by the city. Cedar Falls applied for and received a Carnegie grant, and on Aug. 25, 1903, the finished building was accepted by the City Council. Cedar Falls voters approved a $3.25 million bond issue October 2001 to help finance the construction of a larger building.

CFPL, which moved into a new home at the same location in March 2004, now houses a large collection of books, as well as magazines, books on CD, videos, CDs and downloadable eBooks and audiobooks. There is no fee to obtain a library card; fill out the application and present an ID with your current address.

Area libraries

Denver Public Library

Hours: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday; 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday; 9 a.m. to noon Saturday.

Dike Public Library

133 E. Elder St., Dike 50624; phone, 989-2608; email, dikepubliclibrary@dike.lib.ia.us; website, www.dike.lib.ia.us

Hours: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday; 9 a.m. to noon Saturday.

Dunkerton Public Library

203 E. Tower St., P.O. Box 249, Dunkerton 50626; phone, 822-4610; email, dunkpublib@dunkerton.net; website, www.dunkerton.lib.ia.us

Hours: 2 to 7 p.m. Monday, Tuesday and Thursday (8 p.m. in summer); 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday; 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

Evansdale Public Library

Hours: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday and Thursday; 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.

Hudson Public Library

401 Fifth St., P.O. Box 480, Hudson 50643; phone, 988-4217; email, staff@hudson.lib.ia.us; website, www.hudson.lib.ia.us

Hours: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Thursday; 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday; 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday.

Janesville Public Library

227 Main St., P.O. Box 328, Janesville 50647; phone, 987-2925; email, janesvillelibrary@mchsi.com; website, www.janesville.lib.ia.us

Hours: noon to 6 p.m. Monday, Tuesday and Thursday; 10 to 11 a.m. and noon to 6 p.m. Wednesday; 1 to 5 p.m. Friday; 9 a.m. to noon Saturday.

Jesup Public Library

721 Sixth St., P.O. Box 585, Jesup 50648; phone, 827-1533; email, jesuplibrary@jesup.lib.ia.us; website, www.jesup.lib.ia.us

Hours: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday; 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday; 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday.

La Porte City (Hawkins Memorial Library)

308 Main St., La Porte City 50651; phone, 342-3025; email, hawkins@laportecity.lib.ia.us; website, www.laportecity.lib.ia.us

Hours: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday; 1 to 6 p.m. Tuesday, Thursday and Friday; 1 to 7 p.m. Wednesday; 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday.

New Hartford (Elizabeth Rasmussen Martin Memorial Library)

406 Packwaukee, P.O. Box 292, New Hartford 50660; phone, 983-2533; email, sue@newhartford.lib.ia.us; website, www.newhartford.lib.ia.us

Hours: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Friday; 9 to 11 a.m. Saturday.

Shell Rock (Benny Gambaiani Public Library)

104 S. Cherry St., Shell Rock 50670; phone, 885-4345; email, gambaian@butler-bremer.com; website, www.shellrocklibrary.org

Hours: Noon to 5 p.m. Monday and Friday; noon to 8 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday; 9 to 11 a.m. Saturday.

Waverly Public Library

1500 W. Bremer Ave., Waverly 50677; phone, 352-1223; email, waverly@waverly.lib.ia.us; website, www.waverlyia.com/public-library

Hours: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday through Saturday; (September through May): 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday
Teenager hurt

in Waterloo shooting

WATERLOO  Police are investigating an overnight shooting that injured a Waterloo teen.

Authorities were called to gunfire in the area of Johnson and West Sixth streets about 10:30 p.m. They found 15-year-old Jeremiah Weekly with a gunshot wound to his left foot.

He was taken to a local hospital for treatment.

Driver detained

following pursuit

WATERLOO  Police detained a driver following a brief pursuit through downtown Waterloo on Tuesday afternoon.

Additional details werent immediately available, but a patrol officer attempted to stop a Toyota Camry on the west side around 4:30 p.m. Tuesday. The driver allegedly didnt stop, and the chase crossed the Cedar River with someone tossing a bag from the fleeing vehicle while on the Sixth Street bridge.

Police stopped the vehicle in the area of Independence Avenue, and officers seized a firearm during the investigation.
Advertisement

By West Kentucky Star Staff

Apr. 25, 2017 | FRANKFORT, KY

By West Kentucky Star Staff Apr. 25, 2017 | 11:43 AM | FRANKFORT, KY

The Allstate Foundation has awarded the Kentucky Coalition Against Domestic Violence $115,000 in grants for its nationally recognized Economic Empowerment Project.



The Allstate Foundation and the KCADV have partnered for 12 years to break the cycle of domestic violence through economic empowerment--to the tune of $1,140,000 in grants for member programs since 2005, including Merryman House in Paducah.



The funding will support individual case management, financial education classes, Individual Development Accounts (IDAs), and micro loans throughout Kentuckys 15 domestic violence programs. Funding will also support KCADVs innovative partnership with the Kentucky Community and Technical College Systems (KCTCS) 16 community colleges whose transitional students (welfare recipients) are now eligible for financial empowerment services since 2014.



Last year, 1,895 individuals were served with financial empowerment services, using The Allstate Foundation's Moving Ahead Through Financial Management curriculum. Of these, 844 people created a financial plan or budget, 69 opened bank accounts, 342 are working to improve credit scores, and 540 met financial goals.



Between KCADVs reach to domestic violence programs and community colleges, more than 2,300 survivors of domestic violence in Kentucky will receive economic empowerment services this year. Most survivors are single mothers earning less than $15,000 per year. Seventy-two percent of KCTCS transitional students report being survivors of domestic violence.



Participants benefit from financial education classes and counseling and can open IDAs (special matched savings accounts). Participants who maximize one program finish with $5000 to spend--$1000 of their own savings and $4000 in matching funds--on an asset of their choosing: higher education expenses, a home purchase, or funds to start or expand a small business. The savings of participants who save for a car are matched one-to-one for a total of up to $4,000.



KCADVs economic empowerment program has helped participants purchase assets that will help them become self-sufficient: 186 have purchased homes; 56 have started small businesses; 322 have pursued a post-secondary degree; and 145 have purchased their own cars.



The Kentucky Coalition Against Domestic Violence is a coalition of the Commonwealths 15 publicly funded domestic violence programs.


Tatum's 39 points help Celtics hold on to beat Grizzlies 109-106
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In the past three weeks of repeated violent opposition protests, hundreds have been injured and at least 28 people have died.

Venezuelan opposition leader Freddy Guevara called on supporters to continue anti-government demonstrations on Wednesday, despite ongoing protest violence claiming the lives of up to 27 people.

Guevara, who serves as first vice-president of the countrys opposition-controlled National Assembly, is one of many right-wing politicians calling for the forceful removal of democratically-elected President Nicolas Maduro.

Tomorrow, the street versus the dictatorship continues: same spots and same time. This is the moment we prove our resilience, the co-founder of right-wing Voluntad Popular party said on Twitter Tuesday.

In his opinion, the Venezuelan governments alleged authoritarianism was confirmed on Monday when the country's Attorney General Luisa Ortega Diaz claimed that the rights of 247 people have been violated during the protests and during their arrests.

On Tuesday, Ortega Luiz condemned the violence of the far-right and their calls for a foreign intervention in Venezuela, calling instead for dialogue and peace.

Guevara also mentioned that legislators gave the country's ombudsman Tarek Saab a three-day deadline to remove the judges of the Supreme Electoral Tribunal. Otherwise, they will consider him an accomplice of the coup.

The alleged coup Guevara made reference to was a decision by Venezuelas Supreme Court to temporarily assume some responsibilities of the National Assembly as long as the legislature continued to be in contempt of the constitution. The ruling, however, has long been overturned.

The march will also peacefully march to the ombudsman's office, tweeted Lilian Tintori, wife of opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez. Lopez is currently in prison for his role in fomenting the 2014 violent protests that led to over 40 deaths.

In the past three weeks of repeated violent opposition protests, hundreds have been injured and at least 27 people have died.

Most of those killed thus far were victims of violent right-wing protests.

Maduro has called for a broad dialogue, which the opposition has rejected, in turn demanding his removal from office.
       

        

     

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Apr 26, 2017 | By Tess

German steel manufacturer Kloeckner & Co. has announced that it has acquired a 10 percent stake in Berlin-based 3D printer startup BigRep for less than 10 million euros. BigRep is known in the 3D printing industry for making some of the largest-scale FDM 3D printers (with a cubic meter build volume).

With Hannover Messe, the worlds largest industrial fair, in full swing, Germany has been a hotbed for exciting 3D printing news this week. Not only did General Electric announce that it was investing a whopping 100 million euros into a German industrial 3D printing site, but Thyssenkruppanother German steel manufacturerannounced it would soon be inaugurating a brand new 3D printing center in its home country.

Apparently wanting to get in on the action, Duisburg-based Kloeckner has invested significantly in Berlin 3D printer manufacturer BigRep and says it will be integrating the latters large-scale 3D printers at its European and American facilities. The company hopes that BigReps large-scale 3D printing technology will help it to increase its high-value finished products.

Kloeckner reportedly became interested in BigRep after seeing the types of companies it had attracted in a previous funding round, which included automaker BMW, multinational technology corporation ABB, and aircraft manufacturer Airbus.

In addition to the 3D printing investment, Kloeckner also revealed that it beat market expectations for its first-quarter core profits largely thanks to a rise in steel prices. The company also said it is expecting a noticeable increase (5 to 10 percent growth) in its earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amoritsation (EBITDA) for the full year.

Impressively, an EBITDA of EUR 77 million (about USD 84 million) exceeded all the estimates published in a Reuters poll (which suggested EUR 74M), and Kloeckner has said it is expecting between 60 and 70 million euros this quarter.

In light of new tariffs imposed by the U.S. government, Kloeckner Chief Executive Gisbert Ruehl said that his company could very well benefit from them. "We are more likely to be positively affected by U.S. tariffs than negatively," he stated. Currently, Kloeckner imports only seven percent of the steel it distributes in the United States, where it makes 40 percent of its sales.

Ruehl also said he expects steel prices to rise by nearly two percent over the full year in Europe and about three percent in the United States.

Posted in 3D Printer Company

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Conway wrote at 5/2/2017 4:22:13 PM:10cents is also less than 10 Million. Just sayin.




Break our your dance shoes and bust a move like Beyonce's watchingthe 19th Annual Bay Area Dance Week (through April 30) has more than 700 classes and workshops on offer. Don't worry if you're getting a late start. Here are six exotic classes you can still catch this week.







American Tribal-Style Belly Dancing

Hips don't lie. Join Sandi Ball and the hipnotic ladies of American Tribal Style (ATS) belly dancing to learn how body awareness and posturing can help loosen up your pelvic stresses. Make Shakira proud.

When: Wednesday, April 26 (7-8pm)

Where: Rhythmix Cultural Works, 2513 Blanding Ave. (Alameda), bayareadance.org

What Else: This is a no-shoe zonebeing barefoot helps you be more present with your body.







Beginner - Intermediate Ballet

Unleash your inner ballerinx. Berkeley Ballet Theatre is hosting a few classes geared toward the adult novice. Establish good foot points and board-straight posture, and be introduced to technical terms that'll help you better communicate your newfound artistic fondness.

When: Friday, April 28 (11:30am to 1pm)

Where: Berkeley Ballet Theater, 2640 College Ave. (Berkeley), bayareadance.org

What Else: These classes tend fill up fast, so reserve your spot soon. Ballet slippers not included.







Argentine Tango

Ignite the dance floor. The Allegro Ballroom is the largest ballroom in the Bay Area, and this Saturday its floor will open to smokin' hot Argentinian tango and salsa moves. Don't have a partner? Just bring your curious self.

When: Saturday, April 29 (4-5pm)

Where: Allegro Ballroom, 5855 Christie Ave. (Emeryville), bayareadance.org

What Else: Bring your flatsyour feet will thank you.











Bollywood Cardio

An explosive fusion of high-intensity cardio married with traditional Bollywood dance moves. Burn calories while moving to the beat of the latest Bollywood and Bhangra tracks. Work it.

When: Saturday, April 29 (2-3pm)

Where: Danzhaus, 1275 Connecticut St. (Dogpatch), bayareadance.org

What Else:Wear shorts and bring waterlots of water.







Hawaiian Hula

Learn the national dance of the Hawaiian people in this introduction to hula. Let the live drumming carry you away.

When: Sunday, April 30 (2-3pm)

Where: Mahea Uchiyama Center for Intl Dance, 729 Heinz Ave. (Berkeley), bayareadance.org

What Else: BYO grass skirt.







Traditional Korean Drum Dancing

Partake in this enchanting display of ancient dance in an hour-long workshop that covers the fundamental moves of Samgomu (three-drum dance) and Janggu (hour-glass drum dance).

When: Sunday, April 30 (4:30-5:30pm)

Where: Korean American Community Center, 745 Buchanan St. (Hayes Valley), bayareadance.org

What Else:It's first come, first serve. Wear flip-flops or sandals.







Cap off the week of dancing by resting your feet in the audience at "Resist: Conversation With Artists About Activism," hosted by the Margaret Jenkins Dance Company. // 301 8th St., Studio 200, (SoMa), bayareadance.org




Gov. Kristi Noem wins second term: AP

The win is historic as Kristi Noem becomes the first woman to win re-election to the highest political seat in the state.
Bowcutts Flooring America, a well-known flooring store in West Jordan, UT, is offering coupons worth $100 off on purchases. Find floors of various styles, patterns, designs, and textures.

Investing in new floors is a great way for homeowners to increase the value of their properties. Bowcutts Flooring of America has a wide variety of floors for homeowners to choose from that bring new life into any room. Whether the bathroom, dining room, kitchen, or living room needs an upgrade, you can count on their floor associates to have a surface that meets your design and functional needs. Right now, customers can enjoy incredible savings with a coupon that gives them $100 of their purchase.

Bowcutts Flooring America has provided beautiful-looking floors to local residents for the last 24 years. They are more than just a flooring store in West Jordan, UT; theyre also design experts who are friendly, attentive, and knowledgeable. Each one of their associates has the skills and training to help find the right floors for customers. They take their time to learn about the atmosphere homeowners want to create for their rooms and offer suggestions based on their likes and desires.

As a locally owned and operated flooring store, you can trust them to cater to your needs. Each product, whether its traditional hardwood or modern tile, is selected with the aesthetic preferences and functional needs of local residents in mind. When customers shop at their flooring store, they can expect to be treated with the utmost professionalism and respect.

Affordability isnt a problem when patrons browse through their flooring showroom. Bowcutts Flooring America is a part of a nationwide chain of flooring stores that guarantees low prices for its products. Budgets are always a concern during a home renovation, so their associates work hard to see that homeowners dont go over their allotted budgets. Each of their flooring options is also backed by warranties that ensure the satisfaction of their customers.

With outstanding savings, excellent customer service, and numerous surface styles, now is a great time to stop by Bowcutts Flooring of America. Call (385) 212-2260 or visit their website to learn more about their $100-off coupon.

Their flooring store serves residents in West Jordan, Utah, as well as those in Utah Valley, and the Davis and Wasatch counties.

Media Contact

Company Name: Bowcutts Flooring America

Contact Person: Jay Bowcutt

Email: nbowcutt@gmail.com

Phone: (385) 212-2260

Address:1227 West 9000 South, Suite B

City: West Jordan

State: UT

Country: United States

Website: http://www.bowcuttsflooringamerica.com
Investigator Resources Limited (ASX:IVR) is a metals explorer with a focus on the opportunities for greenfields silver-lead, copper-gold and other metal discoveries in South Australia.

The Company's priority is progressing the development pathway for the Paris silver project with the preparation of a pre-feasibility study. The Paris Mineral Resource Estimate is 9.3Mt @ 139g/t silver and 0.6% lead, comprising 42Moz of contained silver and 55kt of contained lead, at a 50g/t silver cut-off. The resource has been categorised with an Indicated Resource estimate of 4.3Mt @ 163g/t silver and 0.6% lead for 23Moz contained silver and 26kt contained lead, and an Inferred Resource: 5.0Mt @ 119g/t silver and 0.6% lead for 19Moz contained silver and 29kt contained lead.

The Company has applied an innovative strategy that has developed multiple ideas and targets giving Investigator first-mover status. These include: the Paris silver discovery; recognition of other epithermal fields and the associated potential for porphyry copper-gold of Olympic Dam age; extending the ideas developed at Paris-Nankivel and using breakthrough government Magneto-Telluric surveying to rejuvenate targeting with the Maslins IOCG target as the next priority drill target.
Under Managing Director Allan Kelly's leadership, Doray Minerals Ltd (ASX:DRM) was recognised as the most successful IPO of 2010, was named "Gold Explorer of the Year" by the Gold Mining Journal in 2011 and has progressed its high grade Andy Well Gold Project from discovery to mining and production in just over three years.


Harvest One Receives Conditional TSX-V Listing Approval

Perth, April 26, 2017 AEST (ABN Newswire) - MMJ PhytoTech Limited ( ASX:MMJ ) ("MMJ" or "the Company") is pleased to advise that Harvest One Capital Inc. ( CVE:WON.H ) ("Harvest One") has received conditional approval from the TSX Venture Exchange ("TSX-V") for the acquisition of MMJ's wholly-owned subsidiaries United Greeneries Holdings Ltd ("United Greeneries") and Satipharm AG ("Satipharm").



- Harvest One Capital Inc. ( CVE:WON.H ) approved as Tier 1 Life Science Issuer - with shares expected to resume trading on TSX-V on 28 April 2017



- TSX-V listing approval is the final escrow requirement for release of CAD$25M from Harvest One financing



The resulting issuer, Harvest One Cannabis Inc. ("Harvest One Cannabis") (TSX-V:HVST), has been approved as a Tier 1 Life Science Issuer, with HVST Common Shares expected to resume trading on or about 28 April 2017.



The Company is also pleased to announce that an Amended Filing Statement dated as of April 19, 2017 filed in connection with the Acquisition has been posted on SEDAR and may be viewed under the Harvest One's profile at www.sedar.com in accordance with Section 12.4(i) of Exchange Policy 2.4.



Importantly, TSX-V listing approval satisfies the final escrow requirement for the release of the CAD$25 million secured under the recent Harvest One capital raising (see ASX release dated 23 February 2017). As previously advised, upon listing Andreas Gedeon will assume the role of Managing Director of Harvest One Cannabis.



MMJ will have a 60% ownership in Harvest One Cannabis - a fully-financed company with two strategic cannabis brands operating in one of the fastest growing cannabis markets globally.



A key near-term focus for Harvest One Cannabis is the rapid scaling up of production at the Company's flagship Duncan Facility in Canada, as it will enable the business to establish a first-mover advantage in the soon to be legalised Canadian recreational market.



MMJ PhytoTech's Managing Director, Andreas Gedeon, commented:



"Admission to list on the TSX-V is a significant milestone for the business, as it will provide our shareholders with a direct exposure to one of the pre-eminent cannabis investment markets globally.



We intend to capitalise on the strong support we have received to date from the Canadian investment community, and with a number of key near-term operational catalysts on the horizon, management expects the business to further solidify its position as one of the main players in the rapidly growing Canadian cannabis market."





About MMJ Group Holdings Ltd





MMJ Group Holdings Ltd (ASX:MMJ) is a global cannabis investment company. MMJ owns a portfolio of minority investments and aims to invest across the full range of emerging cannabis-related sectors including healthcare, technology, infrastructure, logistics, processing, cultivation, equipment and retail. For MMJ's latest investor presentation and news, please visit: https://www.mmjphytotech.com.au/investors/


Postponement of Annual General Meeting to 18 August 2017

Sydney, April 26, 2017 AEST (ABN Newswire) - The Board of Tianmei Beverage Group Corporation Limited ( ASX:TB8 ) (Company) has resolved to postpone the 2017 Annual General Meeting (AGM) scheduled for 10:00am on Friday 28 April 2017 to 10:00AM (Guangzhou time) on Friday 18 August 2017 at Baiyun Hotel, No. 367 Huanshi East Road, Guangzhou, China.



The decision to defer the date for the AGM was taken after consideration of the need for meaningful and updated information to be made available to shareholders. Although a quarterly report had been filed and published, the TB8 Board were concerned to ensure that shareholders were given a timely and updated report on the business of the Company since its listing on the ASX. The inclusion of a half-yearly report and review by auditors at the postponed AGM presented an excellent opportunity to do so. Senior management will also provide a half-yearly operating report, enabling engagement with shareholders on questions and observations regarding the Company's performance in that period.



In addition, the Company will be providing ongoing information through our new Shareholder Engagement Program, setting out commercial initiatives taken in China and Australia to ensure the sustainability and profitability of the Company.



Teleconferencing and/or videoconferencing technology will be available to facilitate the participation of shareholders outside of Guangzhou, China. The business of the AGM remains substantially same as set out in the Notice of AGM sent to shareholders on 28 March 2017. Updated Voting Forms and Notice of AGM will be circulated in accordance with requirements under the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth). As a result of the postponement of the AGM, Voting Forms must now be received by no later than 10:00AM (Guangzhou time) on Wednesday 16 August 2017.





About Tianmei Beverage Group Corporation Limited





Tianmei Beverage Group Corporation Limited (ASX:TB8) provides promotional services to producers of FMCG goods as well as its own water products in the Guangdong province in China. Guangdong province is one of China's most developed provinces with a gross domestic product of US$1.1 trillion in 2014 and has as its capital, Guangzhou city, which is China's third largest city with a population of approximately 13 million people.

Product Promotion

Tianmei have contracts with over 940 terminal supermarkets and convenience stores in Guangdong. Through this network of stores, the Company promotes fast moving consumer goods, including food, beverage and general grocery products for over 65 FMCG suppliers.

Water Products

The Company's water products business focuses on the sale of Tianmei-branded water products, including bottled water, infant water and water dispensers through a network of over 500 retail outlets. The Company have a number of patents approved and pending surrounding it's water products and production equipment.


XM.co.uk - Paydentit(TM) Live

London, April 25, 2017 AEST (ABN Newswire) - iSignthis Ltd ( ASX:ISX ) ['the Company'] is pleased to announce that it has commercially deployed its Paydentity(TM) solution to XM.co.uk. The Paydentity(TM) service is now live on XM's UK licensed operations, and is initially accessible to UK and EU residents.



Highlights:



- Paydentity service deployed to XM.co.uk on a commercial basis



- XM.com is an award winning, global leader in FX trading



About the Paydentity(TM) Service



The UK's Joint Money Laundering Steering Group (JMLSG) and the EU's 4th AML Directive (4AMLD) requires customers to be subject to on-going and continuous due diligence, with ongoing Know Your Customer (KYC) and transactional checks for unusual or suspicious activity required on active customer accounts.



The live Paydentity(TM) service includes:



- remote enhanced due diligence (EDD) to meet the KYC requirements of the EU's 3 & 4AMLD's, UK's JMLSG, Austrac Regulations and Cypriot CySec Directives, and



- payment instrument verification, including for future PSD2 Strong Customer Authentication, and



- Full, cloud based, elastic computing delivering a PCI DSS V3.2 Level 1 payment gateway, and



- Risk based transaction monitoring, to mitigate fraud and monitor AML/CFT, and



- integration & payment processing to multiple card acquiring institutions from one API



Paydentity(TM) is the world's most advanced automated identity and payments platform, incorporating real time remote verification of end users domiciled in any FATF or equivalent jurisdiction, leveraging verification of 'bank verified' payment instruments to establish identity.



The Paydentity(TM) platform allows XM to on-board their customers at a much faster rate, whilst also increasing their overall customer reach.



The iSignthis(R) solution incorporates cascading KYC, which supplements UK residents from independent and reliable databases including credit reference agencies, electoral roll and government public access data with Paydentity(TM) data. This approach minimises customer friction for UK residents, by augmenting partial "1+1 matches" with Paydentity to deliver enhanced due diligence to satisfy the JMLSG and 4AMLD.



For the rest of world, where independent and reliable databases are limited, Paydentity(TM) provides the XM group with global reach and access to over 3.5Bn 'bank verified' potential customers, optimising customer on-boarding and conversions from marketing campaigns.



Reporting Notes



In order to preserve our customer's confidentiality, transactional volumes and values will not at any time be released on a per customer/merchant basis, and will only be released by sector aggregate crossed reported by product. (eg FX, eWallets, PSP, Gaming sector broken down by service I to IV above). Several already contracted FX/Trading sector clients are anticipated to be on-boarded to the Paydentity(TM) platform this financial quarter Q3-2017, with 'ramp up' to full volumes for each merchant within 2-3 months of each merchant commencing with ISX services.



Quarterly Detailed reporting by segment and product will be provided once transaction volume increases and value can be attained by providing transactional reporting.



About XM.com



With over 1,000,000 clients since it was founded in 2009, XM has grown to a large and well established international investment firm and has become a true industry leader. XM's extensive experience combined with support for well over 30 languages, makes XM the broker of choice for traders of all levels, anywhere. We have the expertise and the resources to help everybody realize their investment goals, like only a big broker can.



- Over 1,000,000 clients from over 196 countries (client numbers up from 700,000 in 2016 and 500,000 in 2015)



- Over 150,000,000 trades executed



- XM has been awarded Best FX Service Provider for 2017 by the City of London Wealth Management Awards.



Read more about XM online at http://www.xm.com/about





About iSignthis Ltd





iSignthis Ltd (ASX:ISX) (FRA:TA8) is a hybrid monetary financial institution and also a RegTech leader in remote identity verification, payment authentication with deposit taking, transactional banking and payment processing capability. iSignthis provides an end-to-end on-boarding service for merchants, with a unified payment, electronic money and identity service via our Paydentity(TM) and ISXPay(R) solutions.

By converging payments and identity, iSignthis delivers regulatory compliance to an enhanced customer due diligence standard, offering global reach to any of the world's 4.2Bn 'bank verified' card or account holders, that can be remotely on-boarded to meet the Customer Due Diligence requirements of AML regulated merchants in as little as 3 to 5 minutes. Paydentity(TM) has now onboarded and verified more than 1.5m persons to an AML KYC standard.

iSignthis Paydentity(TM) service is the trusted back office solution for regulated entities, allowing merchants to stay ahead of the regulatory curve, and focus on growing their core business. iSignthis' subsidiary, iSignthis eMoney Ltd, trades as ISXPay(R), and is an EEA authorised eMoney Monetary Financial Institution, offering card acquiring in the EEA, and Australia.

ISXPay(R) is a principal member of Mastercard Inc, Diners, Discover, (China) Union Pay International and JCB International, an American Express aggregator, and provides merchants with access to payments via alternative methods including SEPA, Poli Payments, Sofort, PRZ24 and others.

Probanx Solutions Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of iSignthis Ltd, provides API based access to CORE Banking solutions, SEPA Core, SEPA Instant and SEPA business scheme, for neobanks, banks, credit unions and emoney institutions, and provides a bridge to the Eurosystem's Central Bank of Lithuania's CENTROLink service.


Signs 9.85PJ Gas Supply Agreement

Brisbane, April 26, 2017 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Central Petroleum Limited ( ASX:CTP ) ( CPTLF:OTCMKTS ) ("Central") today announces a Gas Supply Agreement ("GSA") has been signed for the delivery of 9.85PJ of gas over five years to the Northern Territory Pine Creek Power Station operated by EDL NGD (NT) Pty Ltd ("EDL"). Under the GSA, Central as operator has the right to supply gas from Mereenie, Dingo or Palm Valley, and is structured as a delivered $AUD fixed price gas supply contract (subject to escalation based on CPI). The start date for gas supply will be no later than 1 June 2017, unless mutually agreed otherwise.



The agreement (including the obligation to supply gas) remains subject to satisfaction of certain conditions precedent, including execution of already negotiated gas transportation arrangements, by 31 May 2017 (unless extended by mutual agreement). The GSA was signed by Central Petroleum Mereenie Pty Ltd (a wholly owned subsidiary of Central) as trustee of the Central Petroleum Mereenie Unit Trust and EDL.



Negotiations have been underway for some time and became a priority after the National Market Reform Group decided to exclude the Amadeus and Carpentaria Pipelines from the COAG endorsed Vertigan reforms. The expectation of a GSA was taken into account by the Board in unanimously recommending the improved proposal received from Macquarie MPVD Pty Ltd announced to the ASX on 10 March 2017.





About Central Petroleum Limited





Central Petroleum Limited ( ASX:CTP) is a well-established, and emerging ASX-listed Australian oil and gas producer. In our short history, Central has grown to become the largest onshore gas producer in the Northern Territory (NT), supplying industrial customers and senior gas distributors in NT and the wider Australian east coast market.

Central is positioned to become a significant domestic energy supplier, with exploration and development plans across 180,000 km2 of tenements in Queensland and the Northern Territory, including some of Australia's largest known onshore conventional gas prospects. Central has also completed an MoU with Australian Gas Infrastructure Group (AGIG) to progress the proposed Amadeus to Moomba Gas Pipeline to a Final Investment Decision.

We are also seeking to develop the Range gas project, a new gas field located among proven CSG fields in the Surat Basin, Queensland with 135 PJ (net to Central) of development-pending 2C contingent resource.


Quarterly Activities & Cash Flow Report Mar 2017

Adelaide, April 26, 2017 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Mithril Resources ( ASX:MTH ) ("Mithril") and its joint venture partners are exploring for gold, nickel and copper throughout the Kalgoorlie and Meekatharra Districts of Western Australia, and nickel-copper-PGE's throughout the Coompana Province of South Australia (see Figure 1 in the link below).



Key Points



Lignum Dam Project (Nickel / Gold)



- Follow-up drilling has commenced at the Mexi Nickel Prospect with results expected by early June 2017.

- Mexi characterised by a broad zone of anomalous nickel - copper - PGE's within weathered ultramafic rocks including:

o 36m @ 0.30% nickel, 294ppm copper, and 61ppb PGE's from surface,

- Presence of elevated copper and PGE's along with nickel potentially indicative of nickel sulphide mineralisation at depth within fresh rock.



Nanadie Well (Copper - Nickel - Cobalt)



- Resampling of drill spoils from Nanadie Well Copper Deposit highlights cobalt potential.

- Previous exploration activities focussed primarily on copper with vast majority of higher grade copper intervals not analysed for cobalt.

- Nanadie Well hosts an existing 2004 JORC Inferred Resource of 36.07Mt @ 0.42% copper, 0.064 g/t gold - 151,506t copper and 74,233ozs gold.



Coompana (Nickel - Copper)



- Mithril and OZ Minerals Limited ( ASX:OZL ) preparing to assess South Australia's far western Coompana Province for magmatic nickel - copper - PGE deposits.

- Geological Survey of South Australia (GSSA) and Geoscience Australia (GA) have commenced a fully funded scientific regional diamond drilling program at Coompana.



Exploration Plan for next Quarter



- Drilling at the Mexi Nickel Prospect and Nanadie Well Copper Deposit.

- Ground EM at the Stark Copper Nickel Prospect.

- OZ Minerals to commence discussions with Far West Coast Aboriginal Corporation (FWCAC) to develop a Native Title Mining Agreement for exploration.

- Continuation of Coompana desktop assessment activities.



Corporate and Cash



- Cash reserves of $1.08M at 31 March 2017.



Exploration Overview



During the March 2017 Quarter (the "Quarter") Mithril identified the new Mexi Nickel Prospect at Lignum Dam (Kalgoorlie), highlighted the cobalt potential of the Nanadie Well Copper Deposit (Meekatharra) and continued to assess the nickel - copper prospectivity at Coompana.



Chesser Resources ( ASX:CHZ ) Mithril's gold exploration partner at Kurnalpi (Kalgoorlie) identified a new gold target and Doray Minerals ( ASX:DRM ), intersected low level gold anomalism in aircore drilling at Duffy Well (Meekatharra).



Corporate



During the Quarter, the Company spent $0.08M on its exploration activities outlined in this report and at 31 March 2017, the Company had cash reserves of $1.08M.



During the Quarter, the Company raised an additional $808,103 (before costs) through a share placement pursuant to Section 708 of Corporations Act (Cth).



The placement, comprising 161,620,706 fully paid ordinary shares at an issue price of $0.005 (0.5 cents) per share, was made to sophisticated investors eligible under section 708 of the Corporations Act (Cth). 10M unlisted Options exercisable at $0.01 (1 cent) and expiring on 31 December 2020 were also issued.



The proceeds of the share placement will be used to underpin geophysical and drill testing of the Mexi Nickel Prospect, the Nanadie Well Copper Deposit and the Stark Copper Prospect (located 80 kilometres southeast of Meekatharra, WA), and provide for working capital.



Following the Placement, Mithril has 848,103,831 fully paid ordinary shares on issue.



Lignum Dam Project (Nickel / Gold)

(Mithril 100%)



During the Quarter, the Company identified a new nickel prospect (called "Mexi") following a 2,524 metre first-pass aircore drill program completed during the December 2016 Quarter at the 100% owned Lignum Dam Project (located 50 kilometres north-northeast of Kalgoorlie Western Australia - see Figure 1 in the link below).



At Mexi, 3 of 4 holes (KNAC030 to 033) drilled to test a surface nickel - copper geochemical anomaly intersected a broad zone of anomalous nickel - copper - platinum + palladium (PGE's) within weathered ultramafic rocks adjacent to a steeply - dipping mafic contact, with the following significant intercepts returning;



- 36m @ 0.30% nickel, 294ppm copper, and 62ppb PGE's from surface in KNAC033,

- 40m @ 0.28% nickel, 348ppm copper, and 65ppb PGE's from 4 metres in KNAC032, and

- 16m @ 0.33% copper, 449ppm copper, and 68ppb PGE's from 8 metres in KNAC031.



Within the intercepts, maximum values (for any individual 4 metre composite sample) are 0.57% nickel, 603ppm copper, and 119ppb PGE's.



The presence of elevated copper and PGE's along with nickel at Mexi is highly significant as they are potentially indicative of nickel sulphide mineralisation at depth within fresh rock.



A ground EM survey conducted towards the end of the Quarter identified a number of weak geophysical responses along strike from the aircore anomalism that could be related to variations in weathering along the prospective ultramafic / mafic contact.



Mexi remains open both along strike and down-dip, and lies within a broader structural corridor that is interpreted from aeromagnetic and gravity data to extend from known high-grade nickel sulphide mineralisation at the Silver Swan nickel deposit located 9km to the south.



In addition to Mexi, there were also several other aircore holes that ended in zones of gold anomalism and require further sampling and inspection to understand their potential significance, i.e.; 2m @ 0.167g/t gold from 40 metres in KNAC008, 4m @ 0.189g/t gold from 32 metres in KNAC017, and 3m @ 0.113g/t gold from 12 metres in KNAC038.



At the time of writing, follow-up drilling had commenced at Mexi with results expected by early June 2017.



Nanadie Well Project (Copper-Nickel-Cobalt)

Nanadie Well (Mithril 100% and earning up to 75%),



A review undertaken by Mithril during the Quarter of previously completed drill hole sampling, has highlighted the cobalt potential of the Nanadie Well Copper Deposit (2004 JORC Code Compliant Inferred Resource of 36.07Mt @ 0.42% copper, 0.064 g/t gold - 151,506 tonnes copper and 74,233 ounces gold estimated by Intermin Resources Limited ASX:IRC in 2013 ) which is located 80 kilometres southeast of Meekatharra, Western Australia (see Figure 1 in the link below).



Previous drilling at Nanadie Well has focused on copper and gold, with the overwhelming majority of higher grade copper intervals (i.e. greater than 1% copper) never having been analysed for cobalt.



Mithril's selective resampling of historic RC drillholes within the deposit has returned elevated cobalt as well as nickel, platinum and palladium, the best results being;



- 1m @ 2.97% copper, 1.27g/t gold, 0.15% cobalt, 0.47% nickel and 478ppb platinum + palladium ("PGE's") from 128m hole NRC12015,

- 1m @ 5.71% copper, 0.86g/t gold, 0.07% cobalt, 0.49% nickel and 128ppb PGE's from 146m in NRC12013, and

- 1m @ 4.50% copper, 0.87g/t gold, 0.06% cobalt, 0.82% nickel and 168ppb PGE's from 128m in NRC12015,



While the resampling results highlight the deposit's cobalt potential, further work is required to better understand the grade and distribution of cobalt, nickel and PGE mineralisation at Nanadie Well and with this in mind, diamond drilling to test for further high-grade copper and associated cobalt is planned for the June 2017 Quarter.



In addition to the Nanadie Well Copper Deposit drilling, a high-powered HT SQUID ground EM survey is planned over the Stark Copper Nickel Prospect (which is located 500 metres east of the deposit) in early May 2017. The EM survey is designed to generate drill targets beneath existing massive copper-nickel sulphides at Stark.



The Nanadie Well Deposit lies on tenements subject to a Farmin and Joint Venture Agreement (Nanadie Well Joint Venture) with Intermin Resources Limited ( ASX:IRC ). Under the terms of the joint venture, Mithril can earn a 60% interest in the tenements by completing expenditure of $2M by 14 April 2019, and an additional 15% by completing further expenditure of $2M over a further 2 years.



Coompana Project (Nickel-Copper-PGE's)

(Mithril right to earn 20% / OZ Minerals 100%)



The Geological Survey of South Australia (GSSA) and Geoscience Australia (GA) scientific drilling program announced post the end of the Quarter will provide valuable information about the geology and prospectivity of the Coompana region and will inform our desktop assessments.



OZ Minerals will commence discussions with the Far West Coast Aboriginal Corporation (FWCAC) to develop a Native Title Mining Agreement for exploration.



Mithril and OZ Minerals Limited ("OZ Minerals" - ASX:OZL ) are assessing Coompana for magmatic nickel - copper deposits, with OZ Minerals having over 6,000km2 of granted tenements in the area and in which, Mithril has a right to earn a 20% interest.



Duffy Well Project (Gold)

(Mithril 100%, Doray Minerals earning an initial 51% and operating)



At Duffy Well, Doray Minerals Limited ("Doray" - ASX:DRM ) is earning an initial 51% interest in Mithril's Duffy Well Project by completing expenditure of $300,000 within two years (by 3 November 2017) and can elect to earn an additional 34% interest by completing further expenditure of $200,000 within another one year (in total 85% by spending $500,000 over three years).



Duffy Well (EL51/1649) is located 30 kilometres east of Meekatharra WA (see Figure 1 in the link below) and covers the interpreted southern extension of the Gnaweeda Greenstone Belt where Doray has intersected high-grade gold mineralisation in RC drilling at the Turnberry Prospect including 3m @ 10.1g/t gold from 149 metres, 5m @ 17.4g/t gold from 71 metres, and 4m @ 17.9g/t gold from 45 metres (Doray ASX Announcement dated 11 June 2015).



Aircore drilling program undertaken by Doray during the December 2016 Quarter to test multiple gold targets returned minor gold anomalism (maximum 0.06ppm gold) and no further work on the targets is planned at this stage.



Kurnalpi Project (Gold / Nickel)

(Mithril 100%, Chesser Resources earning an initial 51% and operating)



At Kurnalpi, Chesser Resources Limited ("Chesser" - ASX:CHZ ) is earning an initial 51% interest in Mithril's Kurnalpi Project by completing expenditure of $150,000 within two years (by 5 November 2017) and can elect to earn an additional 29% interest by completing further expenditure of $100,000 within another two years (in total 80% by spending $250,000 over four years).



The Kurnalpi Project tenements (EL28/2506 and PL28/1271 - located 60 kilometres north east of Kalgoorlie, WA - see Figure 1 in the link below) cover Archaen ultramafic / mafic sequences prospective for both lode gold and nickel sulphide mineralisation.



Auger geochemical sampling undertaken by Chesser during the December 2016 Quarter has defined a new gold target at Kurnalpi.



The new target is characterised by four discrete coherent auger geochemical anomalies (defined by the +14ppb Au contour, maximum value: 17ppb Au, average background value: 3 - 7ppb Au) present over a combined strike length of approximately 300 metres that overlay and lie adjacent to, an east - west mafic / metasedimentary contact. A rockchip sample of sub-cropping ironstone material also returned 0.23g/t gold (Sample ID - 0629_01).



The prospectivity of the target (which has not been previously drilled) is strengthened by the presence of numerous prospecting pits and dry-blowing scrapes immediately south of the target (and the E28/2506 tenement boundary) within the same east west sequence of mafic and metasedimentary unit.



Chesser plans to carry out a program of geological mapping during the June 2017 Quarter to better understand the significance of the target and determine next steps.



Other Projects



No field work was undertaken during the Quarter on the following projects: Grey Dam South (Mithril 100%), Leaky Bore (Mithril 100%), and Spargos Reward (Mithril 35%).



Exploration Plan for next Quarter



- Drilling at the Mexi Nickel Prospect and Nanadie Well Copper Deposit



- Ground EM at the Stark Copper Nickel Prospect



- OZ Minerals to commence discussions with the FWCAC to develop a Native Title Mining Agreement for exploration.



- Continuation of Coompana desktop assessment activities.



To view tables and figures, please visit:

http://abnnewswire.net/lnk/1A4LQ5XB





About Mithril Resources Limited





Mithril Resources Limited (ASX:MTH) is an Australian resources company whose objective is the creation of shareholder wealth through the discovery of mineral deposits.

The Company and its exploration partners are actively exploring throughout the Kalgoorlie, West Kimberley and Murchison Districts of Western Australia for economic nickel, copper, zinc, and vanadium deposits.

In the Kalgoorlie District, Mithril is exploring for nickel on the Kurnalpi, Lignum Dam and North Scotia Projects which lie along strike from, or adjacent to previously mined high-grade nickel at the Silver Swan and Scotia Nickel Deposits.

In the West Kimberley, Mithril is exploring for zinc on the Billy Hills Project which lies adjacent to the previously mined Pillara Zinc Deposit.

In the Murchison, Mithril is exploring for copper, nickel and zinc mineralisation on the Nanadie Well Project and for copper, silver, zinc and lead on the Bangemall Base Metal Project. Mithril's exploration partner  Monax Mining Ltd is also exploring for vanadium on the Limestone Well tenements.
Indian High Commissioner Gautam Bambawale on Wednesday said he met Pakistan Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry to reiterate demand for consular access to Kulbhushan Jadhav, who has been awarded death sentence by the Islamabad military court.

Appeal, in Kulbhushan Jadhav case, filed by High Commissioner Gautam Bambawale with Pakistan Foreign Secretary in Islamabad today, the Indian High Commission in Islamabad tweeted.

As per Pakistani law, an appeal had to be filed within 40 days of the sentencing. Jadhav was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court for alleged spying on April 10. The appeal has been filed under Pak Army Act Section 133(B)  Court of Appeals.

During his meeting the Pakistan Foreign Secretary, Bambawale also demanded consular access to Kulbhushan Jadhav.

Pakistan has denied Indias request for consular access to 46-year-old Jadhav over a dozen times in the last one year.

Pakistan Army has already rejected any chance of granting consular access to Jadhav who was sentenced to death for espionage and subversive activities.

During his previous meeting with Januja  on April 14  Bambawale had asked for the list of charges and authentic copy of verdict of military tribunal against Jadhav to launch an appeal against his conviction.

He also said that India was seeking consular access on the basis on international law humanitarian grounds.

The Pakistan Army had earlier ruled out consular access to Jadhav, saying he is not eligible for it as per the laws.

Kulbhushan is not eligible for consular access nor will be granted consular access, said Pakistan Armed Forces spokesperson Major General Asif Ghafoor.

The Indian envoy had sought the meeting to reiterate the demand for consular access to Jadhav, who was arrested more than a year ago. Pakistan has levelled seven specific charges against Jadhav, including fomenting unrest in Balochistan and Karachi and alleged involvement in a string of terror attacks.

Pakistan has so far not provided any evidence to back up the charges. Jadhav was sentenced to death by a military court following a secret trial and the sentence was confirmed by the Pakistan Army chief on April 10.

Pakistans Foreign Office has said judicial process was followed during Jadhavs trial and that he was provided a lawyer in accordance with relevant laws and the Constitution. The Pakistan Army also released what was described as a confessional video of Jadhav after his arrest.

However, the Lahore High Court Bar Association, apparently under pressure from the Pakistan Army, has threatened to cancel the membership of any lawyer who extends his services to Jadhav. India is exploring options available within the legal framework of Pakistan in order to save Jadhav. The former naval officer can move the Supreme Court of Pakistan against the order of the military court, which tried him under Section 59 of the Army Act 1952 and Section 3 of the Official Secrets Act 1923.
This agreement is an important milestone for us in Norway to show Patria's capability in supporting military programs with cost effective solutions in long-term. Our solid experience with the helicopter type from Finland and Sweden as well as the high number of experienced employees specialized in NH90 gives us a very good base to handle this contract, says Dan Nordheim, Managing Director and Country Manager of Patria Helicopters in Norway.



Patria Helicopters location in Bardufoss, Norway is in close proximity of the customers operations. With this arrangement we are able to build highly competent local capability to support the life of the Norwegian NH90 fleet. This will also provide us with a strong foundation to further develop and grow our operations in Bardufoss, continues Nordheim.



Six years ago, in March 2011, we decided to set our foot in the area of aviation support in Norway by acquiring a Bardufoss based aircraft maintenance company, NAC Maintenance  the current Patria Helicopters AS. Our vision was to become a key partner in supporting the Norwegian NH90 fleet which started to ramp up its operations at Air Wing 139. Now, almost exactly six years later we are able to witness this contract as a great milestone in fulfilling the vision. Now we have a chance to prove ourselves and give also the Norwegian customer confidence in all conditions and become their #1 partner for critical operations, as Patrias mission statement and vision promise, celebrates Lassi Matikainen, President of International Support Partnerships Business Area at Patria.

By January 2013, Norway had ordered a total of 14 NH90s. In January 2016, six of the 14 aircraft had been delivered.
April 25, 2017

ALEPPO, Syria  In a bid to make progress on the ground in the outskirts of Aleppo city that are controlled by the armed opposition, the Syrian regime has been mobilizing additional troops to the suburbs fronts since early April.

The regime launched several ground attacks backed by airstrikes by the regime's air force and Russia on towns and cities controlled by the opposition that are near the fighting lines in the north and west of Aleppo. The shelling caused civilian casualties and injuries, and on April 18, a family of five was killed in the town of Urum al-Kubra, where the civil defense forces worked around the clock to rescue those trapped under the rubble as the shelling destroyed many houses.

The regimes military escalation comes several months after it gained full control of the city of Aleppo following the opposition's loss of the eastern neighborhoods, which the rebels had seized in mid-2012. The loss came as part of a massive military operation launched on Sept. 22 by the regime on the eastern part of the city, which ended with an agreement between the regime and the opposition under the auspices of Russia and Turkey, stipulating the opposition's evacuation of the eastern part of Aleppo. The regime was in full control of Aleppo on Dec. 22, the day the last group of opposition fighters left the city for the Aleppo and Idlib countrysides.

Ahmed Osama Tenzry, spokesman for the armed oppositions Huriya Brigades, told Al-Monitor, The regime is seriously considering imposing its control over the northern and western Aleppo outskirts that pose a threat to its existence in the city. It is therefore primarily seeking to fend off the threat posed by revolutionaries to the city. Through its advance, the regime can deprive the rebels of any chance to attempt to launch an attack and enter the city of Aleppo again.

He said, The regime forces are now primarily working on disconnecting the rebel-controlled areas in the suburbs of Aleppo as they focus their attacks on the northern suburbs  the regimes weak flank  where rebels can pose a threat to the regime positions inside Aleppo and in its northern countryside.

Tanzari added, The area controlled by rebels in the northern suburbs of Aleppo contains cities and towns such as Haritan, Anadan, Hayyan, Bayanoun, Kafr Hamrah, Asia, Layramoun, al-Mallah and Nasibayn; this area is closed off except to the west."

These cities and towns are only inhabited by a small number of civilians due to the constant shelling. The towns of Anadan, Haritan and Kafr Hamrah are large compared with other towns. In general, however, only 30% of the population of these towns remain there while the other residents have been displaced either to Turkey or to the countryside of Idlib over the last three years.

Tanzari noted, The regime forces are working on besieging this area from the west in a bid to close off the area through two axes. The first axis is the regime bases in the towns of al-Nebel and al-Zahraa in the northern countryside of Aleppo toward the south, all the way through west Anadan, Kherbet Anadan and al-Tamura. The second axis starts from the northwestern angle of Aleppo in Jamiat al-Zahra and goes toward the north. The two axes should meet in the towns of Kafr Basin and Yakked al-Adas, through Maarat al-Artiq and the surrounding hills and the town of Babis and the nearby hills.

He added, The regime policy to besiege rebel areas allows it to focus on each area separately and target it with brutal bombardments of various types of artillery and missile shells as well as air bombardments. This will drain rebels and civilians in the area under siege and leave them with no other option but to flee.

Capt. Amin Malhis, the commander of al-Rashideen operations room of the armed opposition in western Aleppo, told Al-Monitor, Despite their repeated attacks, the regime forces have been trying in vain to advance since early April in the northern and western suburbs to break the rebel defense line. The latest attacks of the regime forces occurred on April 17-19, and the battles were concentrated in the axes of the Family House area, the Military Research Center, Shuwaihna, Jabal Adnan, Jazeera and al-Rashideen in the northwestern suburbs. The rebels responded to the attacks and inflicted heavy losses in the ranks of the regime forces.

The opposition said it killed 15 members of the regime and a general in the Syrian Republican Guard during the ongoing fighting. At dawn on April 22, the regime launched an attack on the opposition positions in the suburbs of northern and northwestern Aleppo, and there are ongoing attempts by the regime to advance on the northern and northwestern outskirts of Aleppo, where intermittent fighting is taking place. Meanwhile, air raids are carried out on opposition sites and opposition-controlled cities and towns in the suburbs and have pushed more than 500 civilians to flee the town of Kabtan al-Jabal as new regime military reinforcements reached the fronts of the outskirts of Aleppo.

Malhis said, The attack was preceded by more than 100 airstrikes carried out by Russian fighter jets against rebel positions in the northern and western suburbs of Aleppo, and the raids targeted more than 20 towns and areas controlled by the rebels. The regime forces preceded their ground attacks with artillery shelling. The attacks started in al-Zahraa, Shuwaihna, Jabal Adnan, Sheikh Aqeel and Khirbet Adnan. However, the regime failed to make any progress because of the rebels' response to the attack and their destruction of a T-72 tank.

The city of Derat Azza saw the lions share of the airstrikes. On April 22, it was targeted by 15 raids carried out by Russian fighter jets within an hour, killing three civilians and wounding several others.

The rebels have remained steadfast in their determination to defend their fronts, asserting that they are capable of responding to the regime's attacks.

Malhis noted, The regime will have to fight an uphill battle in the suburbs of Aleppo, where many factors hinder its progress. Chief among these is the fact that the rebel-controlled areas in the suburbs are rugged mountains that provide the necessary protection for the rebel fighters.

The military operation carried out by the regime in the suburbs of Aleppo comes at a time when the northern Hama countryside is witnessing fierce battles. The Syrian regime is trying to take advantage of the battles raging in the Hama countryside in a bid to achieve some gains in the suburbs of Aleppo and try to destabilize and disperse the opposition by opening several fronts.
April 25, 2017

The Salafi Nour Party organized meetings on April 1-15 for its female members about marriage and the interaction between husbands and wives within the home.

These meetings for women were the Nour Party's first on this topic and included advice on how to interact with a spouse depending on his personality, how to handle marital difficulties and individual recommendations on a woman's personal situation. The meetings also tackled intimacy in a marital relationship and how to take on an active role as a partner. The meetings, which are part of the party's activities for its female members, aim at promoting the importance of the womens committee in the party, Abdel Fattah al-Abrashi, the secretary of the partys committees, said in a press statement April 15.

The meetings, in addition to other Nour Party stances that marginalize women, sparked controversy about the role of women in Islamist parties, where the prevailing view is that women should only concern themselves with social issues related to marital life, raising children and building a happy family.

Some believe the Nour Party, which has Islamist inclinations, only nominates women to complete its electoral lists. Mohamed Abu al-Ghar, a former leader of the Egyptian Social Democratic Party, condemned the marginalization of the role of women, especially within Islamist parties. The Egyptian electoral law stipulates that all political parties or blocs need at least seven women to complete its electoral list.

While the Nour Party encourages its female supporters to vote for its candidates, the role of women in the party is restricted to participating in seminars and meetings that have nothing to do with political participation and partisan roles.

Sameh Eid, an independent specialized researcher on Islamist movements, told Al-Monitor that the Nour Party and Islamist parties in general have a condescending opinion of women. They believe women have to obey their husbands and act according to their orders only. Women are scorned and only climb up the ladder in Islamist organizations if their husbands reach a leading position; if the husband is demoted, so is his wife.

Eid said that the Muslim Brotherhood is the most progressive in this regard, because they encourage womens candidacy in trade union elections, university staff clubs and parliament. Women in the Brotherhood, such as member of parliament Azza El Garf, the wife of Muslim Brotherhood leader Badr Mohamed Badr, are empowered to train members for political activities and address the media.

Eid noted that the Nour Party and the Salafi parties are still the most radical, as they force their female members to wear the niqab, while the Muslim Brotherhood only imposes the hijab. For this reason, women within the Nour Party are viewed as less capable of appearing in the media or facing public opinion. He added that the Nour Party does not promote women to leading roles and their role in Islamist currents continue to decline.

The female members of the Nour Party are given a strict political education, but political work needs freedom from all the restraints of the Salafi party, according to Eid. He said that when the women give lectures to young or older men, they have to talk from behind a black curtain or address the audience from another room through loudspeakers.

These meetings are not the only examples of womens marginalization within the Nour Party and the Islamist current. In the past, the party has sparked controversy for its stances toward women; it was criticized twice in regard to female candidates on its lists. The first time was during the 2011 parliamentary elections in the wake of the January 25 Revolution, when the Nour Party participated for the first time in the elections since its formation in June 2011. The party used the image of a rose or a lantern instead of the female candidates photos on the list. During the 2015 parliamentary elections, the party again did not print female candidates' photos, including those of the Coptic candidates.

Nader Bakar, a spokesman for the Nour Party, said in a press statement in October 2015 that the female candidates themselves do not want their photos shown, and they cannot be forced.

The party only won 12 seats in the 2015 elections, while the lists including female candidates lost. Suzan Samir, a Coptic candidate on the Nour Party's list, said that during these elections the party ignored its Coptic candidates after its electoral lists lost, and it no longer contacted them or shared any decisions with them.

Abdul Moneim al-Shahat, a leader in the Nour Party and the Salafi Dawa Party, told Al-Monitor that women in the party participate in the cultural and media activities that have nothing to do with the elections. He said that training women to be better wives is related to preaching rather than politics.

Men are also trained to be good husbands and fathers. Life is based on partnerships, but perhaps critics have stereotypes about us or have another perspective that does not consider women present unless they are emancipated from things we do not see as restraining. Some traits are God-given and are in the interest of men and women alike who are well-aware of the Sharia conditions that help complete them and believe in its justice and wisdom. They do not face gender-related problems that other societies talk about, Shahat said.

According to defected Nour Party leader Sameh Abdel Hamid, women play a major role in Islamist parties. He told Al-Monitor, Women participate in medical, educational and social committees and accompany medical convoys to different areas to take part in social activities, eradicate illiteracy and provide services to women.

He noted that women participate in the electoral process, as they participate in the campaign, run in the elections and vote. He only spoke about the role of women in social activities, and did not mention any political role played by women in Islamist parties outside the elections.

Although the Nour Party has been involved in political work since the January 25 Revolution, it still maintains its perspective of women, limiting their role to marriage and motherhood without allowing them to effectively participate in political life.
April 25, 2017

A bipartisan panel of experts ripped Egypt as a floundering authoritarian state April 25 and urged Congress to rethink its annual $1.5 billion aid package.

The three witnesses at the Senate foreign aid hearing took turns describing Egypt under President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi as a military-run, economic basket case rampant with government-sponsored anti-Americanism. They argued that Egypt has lost the regional influence it had when the United States urged it to make peace with Israel in the late 1970s, making America's generous military assistance both anachronistic and counterproductive.

Lawmakers of both parties took the advice to heart.

"We need to reshape the relationship in a way that's sustainable," panel Chairman Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said at the end of the hearing. "What I see is disheartening ... and as to the taxpayer dollars we have, I think we're obligated to spend them wisely, consistent with our values."

Graham told Al-Monitor that he'd invited Egyptian Ambassador Yasser Reda to testify, but the diplomat declined. Instead, the panel heard from think-tank experts Michele Dunne and Elliott Abrams, along with President Barack Obama's former assistant secretary of state for human rights, Tom Malinowski.

"My job was talking to authoritarian governments around the world. And I have to say the meetings with the government of Egypt were among the least productive and most unpleasant in my time at the State Department," Malinowski said. "It's just angry, rude denials of all problems and how dare you, US government official, raise these things with us and where's our money? Thank you very much. Goodbye."

Malinowski said he was "very sad" to see the White House telegraph to Sisi that it would not raise human rights violations publicly. He went on to rip Egypt for its attacks against US-funded nongovernmental organizations and urged President Donald Trump to adopt an "America First human rights policy" of defending Egyptian-American political prisoners.

Abrams, a former official in the Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush administrations, urged Congress to link up to 25% of the annual $1.3 billion military assistance package to progress on human rights. Current law only restricts 15% of the aid to such metrics.

He said many of the big ticket items Egypt is buying with the US grants, such as fighter jets, are useless for battling terrorist threats such as the Islamic State. He faulted Egypt for failing to combat terrorism in Iraq or Yemen, and accused Egypt of creating more jihadis through its operations in Sinai.

"It is time to review the tactics of the Egyptian military against terrorism," Abrams said, "and review the nature of our aid."

Dunne began her remarks by mentioning recently leaked footage that appears to show Egyptian soldiers executing terror suspects in Sinai "perhaps using assistance, using vehicles provided by the United States." US law prohibits funding for units that violate human rights, but a recent Government Accountability Office report found deficiencies in such monitoring.

"Egypt does face a serious threat from terrorism," she said. "But the unprecedented human rights abuses and political repression practiced by the government since 2013 is fanning the flames rather than putting them out."

The witnesses urged Congress to retain the Obama administration's plan to end cash-flow financing. And they argued against labeling the Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist organization, a top lobbying priority for Egypt, which Abrams called a "very foolish move."

Throughout the hearing, the only person who attempted to defend Egypt in any way was a silent Weber Shandwick employee at the back of the room who handed out glossy press packets praising "Egypt's progress." The public relations firm signed a $100,000-a-month contract with the Egyptian government in January.

Even Trump himself has sent mixed messages despite embracing Sisi as a counterterrorism partner during Sisi's visit to the White House earlier this month.

The administration has proposed replacing military assistance grants with loans for all countries except Israel. And the State Department is seeking a 42% cut, from $143 million to $75 million, in economic aid to Egypt, according to draft budget documents obtained by Foreign Policy.

Dunne took solace from Trump's apparent reluctance to give Cairo whatever it wants as a positive sign.

"I was struck by the fact that during President Sisi's visit he did not get a promise, it seems, from the administration to keep aid on autopilot," she said. "There's a moment here I think that can be used to redefine the relationship in a way that's more in our interests."
April 26, 2017

The fifth edition of the International Festival for Drums and Traditional Arts kicked off with beating drums and performances by folkloric troupes in the Egyptian capital April 20.

About 30 local and foreign folkloric troupes from Africa, Asia, Latin America and Europe take part in this 10-day festival.

With the slogan Drums Dialogue for Peace, the festival aims at spreading tolerance and peace, according to Entissar Abdel-Fattah, the founder and director of the festival.

"It aims at ensuring that Egypt is embracing all diverse cultures," Abdel-Fattah told Al-Monitor.

During the festival's opening ceremony, Minister of Culture Helmy el-Namnam said that despite the terrorism facing Egypt, "We will never let them spoil our lives.  We will confront terrorism with our armed forces, the police and with art and culture as well."

The foreign countries that participate in the festival include China, South Korea, Indonesia, Nigeria, Tunisia, Algeria, Senegal, Greece, Tatarstan and Ecuador.

Apart from the foreign troupes, the festival sheds light on the uniqueness of Egyptian traditional heritage. There are folk troupes from Halayeb and Shalateen; the New Valley; el-Arish of North Sinai; Nubia, Luxor and Sohag from Upper Egypt; and Matrouh in the northwestern part of the country.

Many workshops are held during the festival between the Egyptian and foreign troupes in order to play and rehearse together in harmony.

"All the participating troupes are merging into one and playing the same rhythms with the same spirit," said Abdel-Fattah, who is a theater director and the head of el-Ghouri Creativity Center, affiliated with the Ministry of Culture. He established a number of folkloric troupes in Cairo, such as the Nubian Drums and Folk Instruments Troupe in 1990.

"Despite their different nationalities, they are fusing into one entity using just human communication, art and creativity," he said.

The festival is organized by the Ministries of Culture, Antiquities, Tourism and Planning. The festival has seven venues; most of them are prominent buildings in Cairo.

Some performances are being held in the Yusufs Well theater in the Salah El-Din Citadel. The theater was named after the well, which according to legend, belongs to Gods messenger Yusuf.

Another venue is the Qubbet Al-Ghouri theater, which was built in 1504-1505 during the reign of Mamluk Sultan Al-Ghouri.

On one of the festival's days, there is a five-hour parade by all the troupes along Moezz Street, one of the oldest streets in Egypt dating to the Fatimid era. Dozens of architectural structures are scattered along this street.

During the festival, an exhibition held at Salah El-Din Citadel presents crafts of the participating countries that reflect their peoples cultures and civilizations.

The festival's closing ceremony April 26 coincided with the nation's yearly celebration of Sinai Liberation Day, which commemorates the final withdrawal of the Israeli forces from the Sinai Peninsula in 1982.

"On this day, all the troupes perform and dance on the traditional Sinai rhythms," Abdel-Fattah said. "This will help draw people's eyes to Sinai, a place of tolerance and peace."

Abdel-Fattah said that from April 28 to May 1, some troupes will fly to Luxor to perform inside Luxor Temple. This massive Ancient Egyptian temple complex located on the east bank of the Nile River was constructed in 1400 B.C.

Egyptians look forward to this festival every April. Spectators are entertained by the dances of these troupes with their colorful, traditional costumes that add a joyful atmosphere to the historic places.

"It is a joyful event, indeed," Ahmed Morad, an accountant, told Al-Monitor. "Every year, I wait for this opportunity to see the shows of different countries. Something that is difficult to see even on TV."

Nagwa Sayed hopes that this year she can attend the festival. "Because of the huge attendance of the last year's edition, I couldn't attend," Sayed, who hails from the coastal city of Alexandria, wrote on her Facebook page.
April 26, 2017

Egypt is developing a major gold mining city in the Suez Canal with the hopes of boosting a centurieslong industry and luring billions of dollars in foreign investments.

The city will put Egypt on the world gold map and will make a breakthrough in the countrys gold mining industry, Wael Soliman, the spokesman for the city project, told the press.

He said that the city would also be Africas major and only gateway where manufacturers can trade in and export gold.

The gold city, according to Soliman, will be the first of its kind in the world and will be built on an area of 130,000 square meters (155,000 square yards) in the Suez Canal Economic Zone located in the western Suez Canal.

According to data released by the SCZone, the first phase of the gold city project would encompass an area of 20,000 square meters (24,000 square yards).

The data also indicated that the city would include 500 workshops and small factories in addition to a gold refinery and an academy that offers training programs in all industries related to gold and other minerals.

As part of the project, foreign gold companies would be allowed to conduct mining concessions in specific areas.

The project will also create 5,000 direct and indirect job opportunities for specialists, technicians, consultants and workers. It will increase the countrys gold exports with global brands and trademarks being manufactured in the specialized city.

Officials say the project will take 1 years to be completed and will cover 100% of the needs of the local market.

In a news conference held in Cairo on April 1, Nasser Fouad, the spokesman for the Suez Canal Economic Zone, said the SCZone has received offers from several Egyptian and international companies, especially from China, India and the Gulf, which are willing to invest in the city.

With no doubt, the project will highly contribute to increasing the countrys gold exports and attracting global gold mining companies to operate in Egypt, Fouad said, adding that the volume of envisaged investments from the project is still under study.

Last year, the Egyptian company Villard signed an agreement with Chinese Tianjin Economic-Technological Development Area to develop the industrial zone owned by the Chinese company and build the international gold city.

Egypt has a long history of gold mining that goes back to the time of the pharaohs. For decades, the industry has had great potential, but does not attract investments due to the failure of successive governments to make a match between the countrys spectacular geology and an attractive commercial framework for mining.

Egypt's only gold-producing mine, Centamin Sukari Gold Mine, contributes a fraction of 1% to Egypts gross domestic product.

However, last year, the government said it seeks to boost the gold mining industry and make it contribute upward of 5% to the gross domestic product within 10 years.

In June 2015, the government also launched its first round of bidding for new mining concessions since 2009. Back then, a global gold mining boom brought a handful of first-time investors to Egypt, although many of them said the opportunities had poor commercial terms. The bid lasted until April 20.

Most of the investors in the gold mining industry left Egypt when the 2011 revolutions political turmoil scared them away and falling global gold prices discouraged their plans. Now, with a 2014 mining law that seeks to attract additional investments, Egypt plans to lure those investors back.

If successful, the industry could create jobs and attract foreign currency to a faltering economy.

Egypt has always been famous for its rich resources in gold and other minerals, especially in the Halayeb Triangle and the eastern part of Aswan, economist Ahmed el-Shami told Al-Monitor.

Shami said that if the government made use of those mining resources and facilitated measures for foreign businesspeople to invest in the field, the industry would bring in much-needed foreign currency and jumpstart the national economy.

Egypt has substantial mineral resources, including 48 million tons of tantalite (fourth largest in the world), 50 million tons of coal and an estimated 6.7 million ounces of gold in the Eastern Desert. The total real value of minerals mined was about $18.7 million in 1986, up from $11 million in 1981. Preliminary exploration in the Sinai Peninsula indicated the presence of zinc, tin, lead and copper deposits.
April 26, 2017

Over 1,600 Iranians showed up at the Interior Ministry April 11-15 to sign up to run in the May 19 presidential election. The majority were ordinary people, including some odd characters who  despite lacking political backgrounds or qualifications  registered their names enthusiastically. Some even traveled long distances to Tehran from their towns and villages, including a 92-year-old man and a shepherd.

But what are the motives behind these peculiar candidate registrations? Even if approved, would these individuals have been able to win the publics vote? The most likely answer is no. Based on Article 115 of the Iranian Constitution, the president must be elected from among religious and political figures possessing the following qualifications: Iranian origin, Iranian nationality, administrative capacity and resourcefulness, a good past record, trustworthiness, piety and convinced belief in the fundamental principles of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the official religion of the country.

Based on these criteria, anyone with an Iranian birth certificate can essentially show up at the Interior Ministry to register to run. However, the decision on whether they will be allowed to compete in the race lies with the Guardian Council, a body made up of six experts in Islamic law selected by Irans supreme leader and six jurists elected by parliament from among a list of jurists nominated by the head of the judiciary. As such, it is evident that the ordinary Iranians who show up to register will not be allowed to compete. Yet more and more are seen entering the Interior Ministry every four years, each with their own personal agenda.

Statistics on those registering to run for the presidency this year was announced by the head of Irans Elections Headquarters, Ali Asghar Ahmadi, on April 15, hours after the registration period came to an end: A total of 1,636 candidates filed [to run] for the election  137 of them are women. The youngest person to register is 18 years old, and the oldest is 92. In the previous  presidential election, 686 candidates signed up for the vote.

According to Ahmadi, 226 of the registered individuals are below the age of 30, and 430 of them hold a bachelors degree. In 2001, when former Reformist President Mohammad Khatami was re-elected, the Guardian Council approved 10 candidates  one of the highest figures ever. Irans first presidential election following the 1979 Islamic Revolution was another exception, with 96 candidates cleared to run in the 1980 presidential poll.

The presence of Iranians from all walks of life in front of the election headquarters waiting to register also caught the interest of media outlets. Every day, prominent news agencies all published images of the odd and interesting characters who came to register under a section called The sidelines of registration day. Given the increasing use and influence of social media networks, videos and images of these odd characters also began circulating on cellphones of Iranian citizens, thus creating a source of humor.

But the question is, why do these ordinary Iranians register to run for a position they know they are probably not qualified for and that the Guardian Council will never approve?

Layla Ashouri, a sociologist and professor in Tehran, told Al-Monitor, The main reason is the excessive desire to be seen by society. Given the expansion of social media networks, ordinary citizens feel they have a good potential to showcase themselves and get attention in the wider world. If they are lucky, the video of their registration could circulate on the cellphones of millions of Iranians. For people who have problems related to their personality, this is seen as a success.

However, the jokes sparked by these odd registrations have prompted political figures to criticize the current registration situation and request a law to limit the number of applicants. In an April 14 Instagram post, Secretary of Irans Expediency Council Mohsen Rezaei wrote, It is scorning both the Iranian people and the countrys democracy that on the first day of the registration process, there comes an applicant claiming to be God; on the second day, another one calls himself a prophet. Someone brings his child to sign up for the competition, and foreign and domestic media publish photos and reports of these psychopaths as applicants to contest Irans presidential election.

Meanwhile, Grand Ayatollah Naser Makarem Shirazi, a prominent cleric in the holy city of Qom, released a statement on his website April 14 criticizing the situation. Shirazi wrote, We have heard of many people from different regions complaining and expressing worry about the current unorganized state of the [candidate] registrations for the presidential election. They believe that some individuals, both consciously and unconsciously, who are trying to mock the presidential election and cause harm to the establishment, have come to register and even lined up without having the required criteria.  We need a solution as soon as possible so that [only] those who at least have the minimum requirements for the post can register. [I] wish measures had been taken in previous years to solve this problem and am surprised as to why the leaders of this country have not [already] done anything to solve this.

On April 18, judiciary chief Sadegh Amoli Larijani also expressed his annoyance at the large crowds registering for the presidency, saying, Parliament and the Guardian Council can devise ways in accordance with the constitution to narrow down the range of people who can register and establish a set of minimum requirements for the candidates so that not just anyone can register. This kind of registration is an insult."

These criticisms are made every time an election approaches in Iran, especially as reports of odd characters registering as candidates begin to spread. However, as always, they are quickly forgotten.
April 26, 2017

On April 20, Iranian conservative presidential candidate Ebrahim Raisi met with visiting Tatarstan President Rustam Minnikhanov  an encounter that Raisi probably did not expect would end up causing problems ahead of the May 19 presidential elections.

The hard-line Tasnim News Agency, which is seen as backing Raisi and reported the meeting, described Minnikhanov as an envoy of Russian President Vladimir Putin, seemingly to highlight Raisis stature.

During the meeting, Minnikhanov reportedly told Raisi, We hope that the relationship between Iran and Tatarstan will be [further] developed. He added, Vladimir Putin gives special importance to the spread of religion, including Islam, as he has formed a strategic group, which I head, for developing relations with Islam [the Islamic world].

Tatarstan is a federal republic in the Russian Federation, in the Volga region. In 2010, then-Russian President [and current Prime Minister] Dmitry Medvedev nominated Minnikhanov as its president.

Following the Minnikhanov-Raisi meeting, which was widely reported under the headline Putins envoy met Raisi, many moderates and Reformists harshly criticized the conservative presidential candidate.

Iranians commonly hold unfavorable views of Britain and Russia in particular, given historical grievances about occurrences such as czarist Russias annexation of vast Iranian territories under the treaties of Gulistan in 1814 and Turkmenchay in 1828. To this day, the names of these treaties are used in the political lexicon as references to humiliating agreements and commitments.

In reaction to the controversial meeting, Alireza Rahimi, a member of parliaments foreign policy and national security commission, said April 22, The recent meeting raises the suspicion of [Russian] interference in the [May 19] elections, which is not appropriate.

Rahimi added that if the meeting was held within the framework of Raisis presidential campaign, it would be considered as beyond protocol and that Irans Foreign Ministry should thus explain what was sought through the holding of such a meeting.

On the other hand, Hossein Sobhani-Far, the head of the parliamentary friendship committee between Iran and Russia, denied that Moscow was interfering in Irans elections. The Tatar president is Muslim and sought to visit [the holy shrine of the eighth Shiite imam, which Raisi manages].  It is unlikely that a small province [Tatarstan] of a country would interfere in Irans elections, Sobhani-Far said April 22.

This is not the first time that reports about potential Russian interference in Irans internal affairs have raised eyebrows. In December, the Tabnak news site, close to former Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commander Mohsen Rezaie, called on Iranian officials to send a message to Moscow that it not meddle in Irans domestic affairs.

According to an April 26 report in the Reformist Ghanoon daily, conservatives made a similar move in the 1997 presidential elections, when Mohammad Javad Larijani, a supporter of conservative candidate Ali Akbar Nategh-Nuri, met with a high-ranking British diplomat amid the campaigning. News of the meeting was leaked and is believed to have played a role in Nategh-Nuris defeat to Reformist Mohammad Khatami.

Ghanoon also said that in czarist Russia, a form of life-or-death bet was common in which a player would place a single round in a revolver, spin the cylinder, place the muzzle against his head and pull the trigger. Ghanoon continued, This dangerous game is recognized as Russian roulette. It seems that Raisis meeting with Putins envoy evokes Russian roulette. Raisi will either lose many of his votes due to the negative propaganda, or this meeting will open the gates of success and triumph to him.
April 26, 2017

On April 25, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu canceled a meeting with German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel over Gabriel's decision to meet while in Israel with two anti-occupation organizations, a decision that keeps making waves in the Israeli media.

The outgoing director of Breaking the Silence, Yuli Novak, said on the evening of April 25 at a meeting with Meretz activists, The prime minister is behaving unreasonably. A bull in a diplomatic china shop is a compliment for Netanyahus conduct, and that is certainly what is not expected from a seasoned politician.  Its so insane.  The amazing thing is that Netanyahu issued an ultimatum: You either meet with us or with them. You give an ultimatum when you think you can win. Here he ate his hat.

Novak's words came at the height of the diplomatic crisis between Israel and Germany, with her organization at the center. Novak and Breaking the Silence celebrated their victory over Netanyahu: The German foreign minister preferred to meet with them and with BTselem over an official meeting with the prime minister of Israel. Gabriel did not give in to Netanyahu, who conditioned their meeting on the cancellation of that with the leftist organizations.

But Novak and her friends dont understand that she and the organization she leads were only pawns in a much larger political game. Not only is this not a victory for Breaking the Silence, this is a setback in their effort to convince Israeli society to fight against the occupation. Even before the organization stood at the center of a storm that hurt relations with an important ally of Israel, large segments of the public disagreed with its work and see it as slandering Israel Defense Forces (IDF) abroad.

When you look at the progression of the events, Novak and her friends did a political service for the German foreign minister and for the Israeli prime minister. Gabriel, Chancellor Angela Merkels deputy, is an experienced politician who is well regarded in his country. Until recently he headed the Social Democratic party. He is now in the midst of an election campaign and needs the votes of the German left, which tends to take pro-Palestinian positions.

Ron Prosor, the former Israeli ambassador to the United Nations, explained the situation well in an interview with Army Radio. Prosor defined Gabriels conduct as a deliberate provocation.

Imagine to yourself that the Israeli foreign minister would fly to Germany to meet with the leaders of the Turkish community before [President Recep Tayyip] Erdogans referendum, he said.

Prosor justified Netanyahus decision to cancel the meeting with Gabriel, and added that the minister broke the rules," saying, "Hes now in an election campaign and hes trying to win the votes of the far left. Its the trampling of reasonable diplomacy. He behaved with a lack of wisdom and a lack of sensitivity, pursued domestic politics that are completely opposed to German foreign policy and led to an utter failure for German diplomacy.

Not only did Netanyahu not eat his hat, he won points with the Israeli public for defending the honor of Israeli soldiers on Holocaust Memorial Day, standing up to a German foreign minister who tried to humiliate him. One need only look at the response of the chairman of Yesh Atid, Yair Lapid, to understand that Netanyahu is walking on politically solid ground. Lapid, the man who seems to have cracked the code to winning the heart of the Israeli center, tweeted, Netanyahu shouldnt have cancelled his meeting with the German foreign minister, but hes totally right! If he had met with radical left organizations in Germany, Merkel would be no less annoyed.

Lapid is also known for his war against Breaking the Silence. He collaborated with the chairman of HaBayit HaYehudi, Naftali Bennett, in legislation against Israeli organizations that work against the state outside its borders. Lapid, like Netanyahu, knows well that a public fight with an organization whose representatives testified against IDF soldiers at the United Nations is a winning card with the Israeli public, for whom the army is one of the last bastions of consensus.

Netanyahus office explained the decision to cancel the meeting as follows: Prime Minister Netanyahu will not meet with those who lend legitimacy to organizations that call for the criminalization of Israeli soldiers. Imagine if foreign diplomats visiting the United States or Britain met with NGOs that call American or British soldiers war criminals. Leaders of those countries would surely not accept this.

Israeli President Reuven Rivlin put the incident with the German foreign minister into perspective. He met with Gabriel and told him, As a democratic country, Israel is used to criticism of its conduct, but our army is the most moral army in the world. It is made up of all of our kids. We know well the importance of protecting human life.

The German minister, who could have invited representatives of the organizations to his office in Berlin, also contributed to turning the innocent visit into a diplomatic crisis. The Israeli media justly recalled that this isnt the first incident with Gabriel. During his visit to Israel in 2012, after he returned from a tour of the West Bank city of Hebron, he posted on Facebook that the Israeli presence in the city is reminiscent of the apartheid regime. I was just in Hebron. There is a legal vacuum there for Palestinians. This is an apartheid regime for which there is no justification, he wrote. Of course its his prerogative to make such a statement, but he should understand that it has political ramifications with Netanyahus government.

Gabriel, like Netanyahu, seemed to act for domestic political reasons. He defended his decision not to give in to the prime minister's ultimatum, saying that meeting with organizations opposed to Israels policy is totally normal." Gabriel then said that it would be unimaginable to cancel meetings with Netanyahu if he met with critics of the government in Germany, adding, We mustnt become part of the domestic policy game in Israel. But thats exactly what he did.
April 26, 2017

Israeli intelligence believes that the developing crisis between the United States and North Korea will last a very long time and that its potential to erupt into a full-fledged conflict is high. According to this assessment, President Donald Trump will increase pressure on Pyongyang in a series of stages, all the while trying to coordinate his moves with the Chinese as much as possible. In Israel's estimation, Trump used his meeting with his Chinese colleague April 8 to request China's help in bringing about North Korea's disarmament from nuclear weapons. If you fail to do that, Trump told the Chinese leader, we will have to do it ourselves through other means.

It remains unclear as to how much the Chinese will cooperate and provide the goods, and it is even more unclear whether Trump will go all the way and use force, but initial indications regarding China's cooperation are hardly positive. On April 26, the Chinese responded negatively to reports that the United States is planning to deploy a battery of THAAD anti-ballistic missiles in South Korea. As stated in an earlier Al-Monitor article, when Trump first entered the White House, the Israeli assessment was that the North Korean issue would capture first place in the list of issues to which the new administration would be devoting its time and energy.

Politicians in Israel, especially on the right, are thrilled with this development. "As long as the North Korean issue bothers Trump and keeps him busy, the attention he devotes to the Middle East and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict will be limited," one senior Israeli politician told Al-Monitor last week on condition of anonymity. "This serves the interests of Netanyahu and his right-wing government."

The North Korean issue was raised in meetings between Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as well as in the three meetings held to date between Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman and his US counterpart, Secretary of Defense James Mattis. In an interview with Walla News on April 25, Liberman said, "The nuclear crisis with North Korea has direct implications for Israel. It is important to realize that the madman from North Korea is the closest ally that [Syrian President Bashar al-] Assad and the Iranians have. There is an axis of evil running from North Korea to Iran, Syria and Hezbollah. Furthermore, we can see the activities of this axis in Yemen and Iraq as well."

He continued, "The goal of these people is to contest stability around the world. We are talking about a radical, insane group. It will have implications for us, too. Every nuclear crisis anywhere in the world impacts the entire world."

Israeli intelligence has evidence that the Syrian nuclear reactor built secretly in Deir ez-Zor  which foreign reports claim was destroyed by the Israeli air force in 2007  was constructed under North Korean guidance. An International Atomic Energy Agency report from 2011 confirmed this assessment and the fact that North Korean scientists were permanently stationed on site at the reactor, which was supposedly modeled after a similar reactor in North Korea.

At the same time, North Korea also cooperates closely with Iran. Israel believes that Iranian scientists were present at almost all of North Korea's nuclear tests and received briefings on various topics related to them. Iran's Shahab missiles were developed with the active and vital assistance of North Korea and are based on the North Korean Nodong missile. According to Israel, Tehran, Pyongyang and Damascus are completely synchronized and coordinated.

On the other hand, the main reason why developments in North Korea are vital to Israel's national security is that the whole world is watching as this crisis unfolds, with particular attention coming from Tehran. "If Trump perseveres, resulting ultimately in North Korea's nuclear disarmament, it will send a resounding signal, which will be picked up quickly by Tehran," a senior Israeli defense official told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity. "The Iranians will realize that the Americans have resolve, and that they have zero chances of being allowed to make a nuclear breakthrough once the agreement expires."

The other possibility is that the American effort fails and that Trump's resolve evaporates. This could result in the collapse of global policy against Iran's nuclear program and the growing realization in Tehran that with a little patience and persistence, the world will eventually come to terms with a nuclear-armed Iran.

Israel estimates that North Korea has the capacity to manufacture plutonium-based nuclear weapons, but it is still far from obtaining the technology to install a nuclear warhead on a long-range ballistic missile. As of now, it still does not have any ballistic missiles that threaten the United States. Nevertheless, the assumption is that if the North Koreans are allowed to continue with their accelerated research and development program, they will eventually be able to fire an effective nuclear weapon at the West in general and the United States in particular. "As of now," says one senior Israeli defense official on condition of anonymity, "that must never be allowed to happen, and President Trump knows that."

So far, Jerusalem has expressed considerable satisfaction with US foreign policy in dealing with Iran and North Korea. Political sources claim that last week, one Israeli Cabinet minister said that Trump's election slogan of "American first" had since expired. So far, Trump is having a hard time getting his internal policies off the ground. He has, however, shown determination and leadership when it comes to all the most pressing foreign policy issues.

All of the above has no impact on the Israeli-Palestinian issue. Here too, Trump has shown surprising assertiveness and determination, which was hardly anticipated. In this case of the Palestinian issue, however, Jerusalem hopes that Trump's enthusiasm wears off as quickly as possible. So far, Netanyahu has ordered a freeze on the development of several thousand housing units in the occupied territories that his government approved just a few months ago. That's because right now, no one wants to risk angering Trump.
April 26, 2017

The Donald Trump administration's mixed messages and staffing shortfalls are taking a toll on Congress' ability to counter Iran, according to several Democrats who voted against the nuclear deal.

Several members who want to tighten sanctions say they don't know what the president thinks of their latest proposals. They vowed to move ahead regardless, but expressed frustration about a lack of clarity and engagement from the White House.

"I don't know what the president's Iran policy is about; he hasn't told us," said Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Md., the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations panel. "It is certainly a hurdle when you don't have an articulated policy; you don't have negotiations or informational sessions that are taking place between congressional leaders on this issue and the White House; and you don't have confirmed people who you can call up and say, 'This is what we're thinking of, what are you thinking of?'"

The top Democrat on the House panel, Rep. Eliot Engel, D-N.Y., shared similar impressions.

"The problem with the White House is they seem to have placed such a low priority on anything international  that it permeates into everything that we do and that they do," Engel told Al-Monitor. "There doesn't seem to be too much interest, or maybe they haven't come to a decision about what direction they're moving. I don't know."

Top Republicans, however, appear to have forged a working relationship with the Trump administration.

Senate Foreign Relations Chairman Bob Corker, R-Tenn., and House Foreign Affairs Chairman Ed Royce, R-Calif., both worked with the administration in drafting bipartisan sanctions bills co-authored by Cardin and Engel.

"We have been in close contact with Chairman Royces staff and Chairman Corkers staff to provide technical feedback to the bills," a State Department official told Al-Monitor in an email.

"I think everybody has a good idea of the problem," Royce told Al-Monitor. Asked if he's getting the feedback he needs from the Trump administration, he joked, "Personally, I am. That's what's important."

A Senate aide told Al-Monitor that Corker "has remained in close contact with Secretary Tillerson regarding the approach to Iran, and we continue to receive good feedback from the State Department and the administration."

The Senate bill is expected to come up for votes after next month's presidential election in Iran.

Still, other Republicans acknowledged that staff shortfalls are a problem.

"I'm well aware that there's a large management team at the State Department, and there are lots of vacancies in that management team. I think it's in everyone's interest to get those filled," said Sen. Jim Risch, R-Idaho, the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations panel on the Middle East. "We're working on matters that involve the State Department and other countries. You really need people who have the authority in those positions to be able to make things happen."

A total of 530 top positions remain vacant across the government, The Washington Post reported this week, but Trump has only nominated 37 people to fill them. The Senate has confirmed 26 of Trump's picks since the president took office in January.

"I don't know what the president would do," Engel said. "I don't know if he'd veto something or whether he'd sign something. You would hope that you could find some happy medium with all sides reaching across the aisle and working together, but if they don't really engage, if they're low-key, if they're cutting back or want to cut back on the purse, what does it say?"

Others said it's clear that Trump would sign whatever sanctions Congress comes up with.

"It's true that we haven't gotten feedback, but if you listen to the comments the administration has made about Iran, I don't get a concern that they're not going to be in line with supporting what that bipartisan legislation means," said Sen. Robert Menendez, D-N.J., a co-author of the Corker-Cardin bill.

Menendez's comments come as The Wall Street Journal reports that Trump himself pushed Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to toughen his rhetoric against Iran last week after certifying that Tehran was complying with the nuclear deal. But if Trump wants to rip up the deal rather than enforce it, Cardin predicted, he will face stiff resistance in Congress.

"There is concern that he may be looking for ways to get out of the Iran agreement," Cardin told a roundtable of reporters. "I believe if you talk to most of us who opposed the Iran nuclear agreement, we're not looking for ways to get out of it  we're looking for ways to enforce the nuclear deal."

Editor's note: This article has been updated since its initial publication.
April 26, 2017

Turkey has vowed to continue attacks against the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) and its Syrian Kurdish franchise, the Peoples Protection Units (YPG) as the YPG and Turkish forces exchanged fire today in the border region of Hatay. Turkish officials said two Turkish security posts were attacked and that Turkish forces had responded.

The YPG blamed Turkey for the clash, saying it was responding to Turkish artillery attacks against the mainly Kurdish enclave of Afrin. The Syrian Kurdish Hawar news agency reported that Turkish forces were firing from across the border at the village of Firfirke in Afrins Raco township and that YPG forces were shooting back.

Separate cross-border Turkish artillery attacks were reported from Turkeys Mardin province, which faces the Syrian Kurdish town of Derbesiye. The accounts could not be independently verified.

On April 25, Turkey carried out a wave of deadly airstrikes against PKK targets in the northern Iraqi area of Sinjar and YPG targets in Karachok in northeastern Syria. At least 20 YPG fighters died in the strikes. But the attacks on the mainly Yazidi-populated Sinjar were badly botched. Five members of the Iraqi Kurdish peshmerga forces, who are allies of Turkey, were killed. No PKK casualties were reported.

The diplomatic fallout from Turkeys airstrikes against Kurdish militants in Iraq and Syria appeared to be growing with angry Turkish reactions to the US rebukes over Turkey's actions, which risk undermining the battle against the Islamic State.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Huseyin Muftuoglu asserted today that Turkey had provided information to both the United States and Russia through diplomatic and military channels before embarking on the operations targeting PKK bases in Sinjar in northern Iraq and YPG bases in Karachok, northeastern Syria. He said Turkey had exercised its right to self-defense as stipulated in Article 51 of the UN Charter.

Muftuoglu noted that Turkey had followed de-confliction protocols agreed between the US-led coalition and the United States and had contacted the Qatar-based Combined Air Operations Center (COAC) that controls and commands air operations in the region. He said that Turkish Chief of General Staff Hulusi Akar had also rung his US and Russian counterparts and Turkey had repeatedly warned third parties engaged in the battle against IS to steer clear of areas where the terrorist organization has training camps and conveyed Turkeys determination to respond to the threat it posed.

The spokesman was responding to unusually harsh comments from the State Departments acting spokesman Mark Toner, who said yesterday that the United States was deeply concerned about the Turkish airstrikes, which were not approved by the US-led coalition against IS.

The YPG is spearheading the US-led coalitions campaign against IS in Syria. Turkey considers the YPG a terrorist organization over its close links with the PKK, which is waging a bloody insurgency inside Turkey.

Coalition officials speaking on condition of anonymity told Al-Monitor that both COAC and Russia had rebuffed Turkeys demands for coordination and had asked Turkey to back down. Turkey ignored the demands and the Turkish military gave the coalition only 56 minutes' advance notice before launching operations code-named Pirate and Anatolian Leopard in the early hours of April 25.

The United States has warned Turkey against further attacks against the YPG that potentially put hundreds of US special operations forces embedded with them at risk. Turkish intransigence sharpens the risk of an accidental confrontation between the two NATO allies and is driving a wedge between the United States and the Kurds.

Turkeys actions appear aimed at pressuring the United States to scotch its partnership with the YPG ahead of a critical battle to capture the IS stronghold of Raqqa. Turkish officials warn that the modern weapons flowing to the YPG from the coalition which eventually be trained on Turkey and claim some of them are being used by the PKK inside Turkey. The coalition says it does not believe that the YPG poses a threat.

Syrian Kurdish officials are demanding a firmer US response as thousands of Syrian Kurds chanting pro-YPG slogans took to the streets in the towns of Manbij, Qamishli, Serekaniye and Derik today in protest. Ilham Ahmed, the co-chair of the Democratic Syrian Council, dismissed rumors that the YPG had halted operations around Raqqa because it was dissatisfied with Washingtons response. They are not true, she told Al Monitor. "But that isn't to say we do not expect greater clarification from the United States and our coalition partners as to how they intend to prevent further Turkish aggression."
Imagine an on-demand staffing app that connects residents with local jobs in the hospitality and healthcare industries on their own schedule.

That concept is now a reality thanks to Appleton, a downtown Huntsville business looking to hire 100 people this summer through RoleCall, an app that gives job seekers flexibility and control over their careers.

Appleton spokeswoman Melissa DeBolt said RoleCall, which will be available for download in the App Store and on Google Play, is especially appealing to millennials and those interested in the growing "Gig" economy.

"We're looking to hire people in our area who are interested in working in the hospitality and/or healthcare industries, available on an as-needed basis, comfortable accepting jobs through an app, and most of all, looking to grow in their career," she said.

A free RoleCall kickoff event will take place from 4-10 p.m. today at Yellowhammer Brewing on 2600 Clinton Ave. West at Campus No. 805 in Huntsville. The first 100 people who attend will receive a free drink and pint glass, and those who apply online before the event will get two drink tickets.

Ellie Johnson, regional director of growth for Appleton, said her company is partnering with area businesses to create positions in the RoleCall app. When a new listing is available, qualified applicants will receive a notification and can accept the job instantly.

"We help them work with a variety of businesses in the community on an on-demand basis, so they get experience, training and skills working different jobs so that they can move up in their career to their dream job," she said.

The hospitality and healthcare version of the app will be available May 1, with jobs becoming available in June. Anyone who is hired will get $100.

Johnson said Appleton's development team in Huntsville is on aggressive timeline to complete the first version of the app. A RoleCall recruitment event is scheduled May 3 at TrimTab Brewing Company in Birmingham.

"We have big plans to add features to it on a year-long schedule," she said.

Click here to apply before tonight's event. Residents must have a high school diploma or equivalent, be available on an on-call basis and pass a background check to apply.

Want to learn more about the app? Watch the video below.
It's a business he has down cold.

Just four years ago, Andy Harp was pushing a cart down Gadsden's Broad Street, selling gourmet pops he had made the night before in his home.

"All I had was a cart and an idea," Harp said, "and a bunch of people riding by wondering if I'd lost my mind."

Now Harp's idea, Frios Gourmet Pops, has 14 locations either under construction or about to open, to join another 16 already going. The stores stretch from Georgia to Texas, with four planned just in Tennessee alone. Among those slated to open soon - Trussville, in Homestead Village; Tuscaloosa, in the Shoppes at Legacy Park, Montgomery, Boaz and Rainbow City.

And the company is still testing how to get the pops to California.

All the pops are still made from fresh ingredients in Gadsden at a 16,000-square-foot warehouse near the Municipal Airport. When Harp started out four years ago, he was making 30 to 40 pops per day for his cart and selling out. Within months, he had a storefront in Gadsden.

Now, Frios churns out between 8,000 to 10,000 pops per day, in such varieties as Strawberry, Chocolate, Root Beer, Banana Puddin', Candy Bar Crunch, Cereal and Milk and Coffee and Donuts, among others.

But starting a business was nothing new for Harp, who comes from several generations of entrepreneurs. Like his father and grandfather, Harp has been a professional photographer, as well as a magazine publisher and software developer.

Since launching Frios, Harp has also started two restaurants and still owns Harp and Clover, an Irish-themed pub, in downtown Gadsden. It started out as a way to keep his culinary staff working during the slow winter months and was originally envisioned as a coffee and sandwich shop. Harp collaborates with Dee and Jami Grimes, who he lauds as veterans of the restaurant industry.

Every business, he said, is an education, with new questions to be answered and new experiences to learn. Associations with business partners and building a team are important, as well as vision and being open.

"When I started Frios, I really didn't know anything about food service," he said. "Then when I started Harp and Clover, I expected what I'd learned with Frios to carry over. But I wasn't really knowledgeable about restaurants.

"It's always about the people you're associated with. You can't do everything by yourself. As hard as it is, you have to know what to delegate and do it. And you're only as strong as your team. I have a fantastic team of folks."

Harp sounds a little like Nick Saban when he talks about following a "process" in conducting business. After building a team, he says the next step is looking down the road at opportunities and potential problems. When he was still pushing a cart, he saw himself eventually spinning the pops business into stores he would manage.

However, opportunities began to spring up in other cities where he didn't know the local business culture or market. So he modified his plan. Harp oversees the making of the pops in Gadsden, while the local franchise owners manage the locations. Harp now has franchise practices for each location.

"We look for people who have good ties to their communities, who are involved," he said.

Even as it expands, Frios is moving into the heavy "pops" season - which lasts from Memorial Day to Labor Day as the temperatures rise. In the winter months, Harp and his team brainstorm over new flavors, getting feedback from individual stores about which ones are popular.

Being an entrepreneur, though, entails not getting too involved in the ups and downs of business. A sudden breakthrough is suddenly followed by a need for new equipment.

"There will be a lot more times you don't have any money than you do," he said. "If you freak out every time there are peaks and valleys, you won't last. It's not for everybody."

Some ideas will fly, and others will fold. Dwell too long on the failures, he said, and you may miss the next opportunity. Managing a business can consume 12 to 15 hours each day, and you have to love it.

"It's beautiful when it all comes together, and the peaks and valleys stabilize so that you're no longer worried about some catastrophic event," Harp said. "I love what I do. It never seems to be working - it's just a ton of fun."
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Tuscaloosa Academy seventh-grader Fuller Goldsmith won the $10,000 prize on "Chopped Junior" on Tuesday night. (Courtesy/Food Network)

Fuller Goldsmith looked like a seasoned pro on his television debut Tuesday night.

The Tuscaloosa Academy seventh-grader brought his well-honed cooking skills to Food Network's "Chopped Junior," and he took home the top prize: $10,000.

Tuesday night's competition focused on something we Alabamians know well: fried food. And Fuller brought his A-game, dazzling chefs Alex Guarnaschelli and Rebecca Lang and guest judge Zachary Quinto of the "Star Trek" films.

And impressing Quinto was tough: the actor had a negative experience with okra as a kid, and in one round Fuller served beer-battered catfish with -- you guessed it -- okra.

"You know, that's a real piece of okra there that I ate, and I actually liked it," Quinto marveled.

The win was special for Fuller, who was diagnosed with leukemia.

"When I was diagnosed ... 'Chopped' was the only thing that got me up and cooking," he told the judges.

He's currently in remission, but he was on steroids during the filming of the show that made him swell.

And according to the Tuscaloosa News, he's using his prize money well: he's donating some of it to the Division of Hematology and Pediatric Oncology at Birmingham's Children's of Alabama hospital.
Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey has denied a request by death row inmate Tommy Arthur to have DNA testing on evidence in his case. He says DNA tests will prove his innocence in the 1982 murder for hire of a Muscle Shoals man.

Arthur, 75, is set to be executed May 25 for the death of Troy Wicker. Arthur was convicted three times in the case. Wicker's wife, Judy Wicker, had testified at one trial that she had paid Arthur for the killing.

This is the eighth-time Arthur has faced execution since 2001. His previous executions, including one on Nov. 3, were halted by courts and once in 2007 when he was granted a 45-day reprieve by former Alabama Gov. Bob Riley to allow the prison system to make minor changes to its execution protocol.

Eileen Jones, press secretary for Ivey, confirmed Wednesday that the governor had denied the request by Suhana Han, one of Arthur's attorneys, for DNA testing.

Han wrote the letter April 12 to Ivey asking for an order allowing the defense team access to a wig that prosecutors had insisted was worn by the person who killed Wicker. Arthur's lawyers have a testing lab available that could provide DNA test results within 20 business days and well before the execution date, the letter states.

"The wig is the only surviving piece of evidence that we are aware of that could exonerate Mr. Arthur of Troy Wicker's murder," Han states in the letter.

No physical evidence - including DNA, shell casings, or fingerprints - has linked Arthur to the crime, Han wrote. Judy Wicker had originally testified she was raped by a burglar, who then shot and killed her husband. Judy Wicker was later convicted in the crime and under a deal with prosecutors testified at one of Arthur's trials that she had hired Arthur (with whom she had a romantic relationship) to get $90,000 in life insurance money, Han wrote.

"If the State of Alabama is certain that Mr. Arthur committed the crime for which he is sentenced to die, then there is no reason to deny Mr. Arthur's request for DNA testing," Han states in her letter to Ivey.

Courts have previously denied the DNA testing, Han stated. But the governor has the executive authority to order the wig be produced for testing, she wrote.
house of representatives feb 9 2016 julie bennett.JPG

(Julie Bennett/jbennett@al.com)

Alabama voters will decide whether to declare the right to the life of the unborn in the state Constitution.

The House of Representatives tonight gave final passage to the proposed constitutional amendment by Rep. Matt Fridy, R-Montevallo.

The House agreed with an amendment added by the Senate last week and gave final approval by a vote of 73-24.

If approved by voters, it would not have any immediate effect.

But supporters say it is important to have in place in case the U.S. Supreme Court overturns Roe vs. Wade.

The amendment says it's the policy of the state "to recognize and support the sanctity of unborn life and the rights of unborn children, including the right to life."
The Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals upheld the capital murder conviction of a Dora man who fatally shot another man at a Birmingham gas station in 2012, state Attorney General Steven Marshall said.

Derrick Wayne Murray was convicted in July 2015 for the murder of Edmund Reed. According to evidence showed during trial, Reed was parked at a Jet Pep gas station on Forestdale Boulevard when Murray approached his car and shot him at close range on Feb. 12, 2012. Marshall said Murray shot Reed as an act of retribution for an earlier incident at a night club during which Murray was injured.

Authorities said this is a case of mistaken identity because Reed was not involved in the club incident.

"Murray's act of rogue retribution resulted in the murder of a completely innocent man," Marshall said in a statement.

Murray was sentenced to life without parole for the charge. He sought have his conviction reversed on appealed.
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(Julie Bennett/jbennett@al.com)

A bill allowing adoption agencies in Alabama to follow faith-based policies, such as not placing children with gay couples, is on its way to Gov. Kay Ivey.

The House of Representatives gave final approval to the bill by a vote of 87-0, with six abstentions, concurring with a change the Senate made when it approved the bill last week.

The bill by Rep. Rich Wingo, R-Tuscaloosa, says the state could not refuse to license adoption agencies because of policies that adhere to their faith.

"Around the country there are other states that have required faith-based agencies to place children in homes, foster or adoption, to place children in homes that go against their religious beliefs," Wingo said.

"These faith-based agencies have been forced to close their doors because they refuse to place children in homes that go against their faith."

Wingo said that has not happened in Alabama but wanted the law in place to prevent it. Wingo said about 30 percent of the placement agencies in the state are faith-based.

The law would not protect the licensing of any agencies that receive state or federal funding.

Rep. Patricia Todd, D-Birmingham, said that was a good provision in the bill, but her main point was that the bill allows discrimination against gay couples.

"This bill obviously came about because same-sex marriage was approved," said Todd, who is gay and speaks out consistently on issues affecting the rights of gays. "It's based in a stereotype. And it's wrong. And we shouldn't discriminate and I will always fight that.

"When a faith-based organization decides to step into either adoption or child care, they should have to follow the same rules and regulations as every other agency."

Wingo countered that the bill was not to condone discrimination, but to prevent it.

"The bill simply says do not discriminate against us, the faith-based agencies. It's not discriminating against anybody else," Wingo said.

Corrected at 8:33 p.m. to correct vote total.
April 24, 2017

CAIRO  Two weeks after suicide bombers killed at least 48 people and wounded more than 100 in twin bombings at cathedrals in Egypt, Christian support for President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi appears to be wavering.

The April 9 blasts targeted St. Georges Cathedral in Tanta and St. Marks Cathedral in Alexandria governorate, where just minutes before, Pope Tawadros II of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Marks Cathedral had left after leading a Palm Sunday service. The pope subsequently limited Easter morning services April 16 and called on Copts to visit families of the victims and wounded.

Those bombings came only four months after a deadly Dec. 11 blast at St. Peter and St. Paul Church in Cairo.

The twin bombings, for which the Islamic State (IS) claimed responsibility, pose the type of challenge Sisi needs to overcome, given that he had vowed to crack down on extremism and protect the Copts, who make up 10% of Egypts population of about 83 million people. Some Muslims have burned Christian homes and churches in the past in several parts of Egypt, but fear has been spreading even more quickly among Christians since IS started targeting them.

Suzy al-Nashed, a member of parliament for the Egypt Support Coalition, told Al-Monitor by phone that Christians, in general, are targeted because of their stance favoring the June 30 Revolution in 2013, their support of Sisi and their contribution to the ouster of then-President Mohammed Morsi.

But George Isaac, a member of the National Council for Human Rights, told Al-Monitor that Sisi's popularity has declined significantly among Christians.

"The people are disgruntled about what's happening. A comprehensive strategy is required to counter terrorism," he said. I now have a different perspective toward the regime. An adequate candidate other than Sisi will have my vote in the next election. In case there is no suitable candidate, I will not be voting.

Ishak Ibrahim, a religious freedoms researcher with the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights, told Al-Monitor by phone that the Egyptian churchs position so far is neither for nor against the state. He said people are just trying to cope with their sadness and anger over the bombings.

He added that the state should have taken measures to protect the Copts more effectively and must address the continued terrorist and sectarian threats against Christians security and safety.

Security is clearly being neglected, he said, which is causing such incidents to occur repeatedly. Also, We need to rectify misconceptions within Egyptian society in order for it to [resist] sectarian attacks. The thing that happened in Minya reflects these misconceptions, he said, referring to the sectarian attack April 13 in the village of Koum al-Loufi in Minya governorate just days after the April 9 blasts. Several Coptic worshipers were injured by stone-throwing villagers.

Condemning that incident, he asked why Copts should be prevented from practicing their religion, especially when they are legally licensed to do so. He pointed out that Christian citizens do not enjoy full civil rights, and he worries that attacks could lead a segment of the Christian community to distance themselves from society.

Answering a question on whether Christians will vote for Sisi in the upcoming elections, Ibrahim said, "It is a matter of political choice. Every citizen has the right to choose whomever he wants. He said he hopes the church won't push Copts to vote a certain way and that politicians won't use fear to influence them.

Speaking to Al-Monitor by phone, Islamist author Najeh Ibrahim agreed with Ishak Ibrahim that repeated terrorist and sectarian attacks targeting Egypts Copts could lead them to isolate themselves. He noted the continuing danger posed by IS, which is aware that churches are soft targets. Security is also complicated by the challenge of searching all worshipers on holidays.

"The regime is preoccupied with the political conflict, and such attacks would reappear should the current regime fail to provide a more tolerant political environment, he said. He believes Christians won't support Sisi as they did before his rise to power.

Speaking to Al-Monitor, Bishop Anba Macarius of the Coptic Orthodox Minya Diocese demanded that measures be taken to protect Copts from the wave of violence.

The bishop added, A culture change is required to bring about coexistence and tolerance. The Copts continue to suffer from religious discrimination in some parts of Egypt, and some are denied specific jobs. The state needs to enforce the law."

However, he doesn't believe terrorist or sectarian attacks will prompt Copts to become isolated. They will continue to be active and to coexist and cooperate with their brethren at home, he said, stressing that a large segment of the Copts have faith in the political leadership and will continue to support it.

Parliament member Nashed also believes "widespread extremist ideas and intolerance will not drive Christians into isolation. However, she said more protection is definitely required at churches due to systematic attacks. She considers the suicide bomber's ability to enter St. Georges Cathedral a serious security oversight.

Like the bishop, Nashed pointed out that there are protective laws on the books that haven't been implemented in some parts of Egypt. She sees the need for a commission against religious discrimination, as called for in the Egyptian Constitution.

Asked if she will support Sisi in the next election, she replied, We voted for him because he saved us from a regime embracing extremist ideas. I have not, however, decided yet whether I will vote for him in the upcoming elections.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, a Cairo citizen told Al-Monitor he is disappointed in Sisi. Based on what he has done over the past three years, I will definitely be voting for a candidate other than Sisi, he said. The man's father, however, said, I think Sisi deserves another chance. I will vote for him if he runs in the next elections.
Israel is the first country outside the US to get access to the F-35 warplane, the most expensive ever developed.

Israel received three F-35 stealth fighter jets from the United States at the weekend  a new generation of near-invisible planes that critics fear will free the countrys hand to launch air strikes and spying operations against neighbouring states undetected.

In total, Israel has bought 50 F-35s from manufacturer Lockheed Martin, and claims it will have the first squadron combat-ready before the end of the year.

Israel is the first country outside the US to be allowed access to the warplane, said to be the most expensive ever developed.

The F-35s main selling point is its advanced stealth capabilities, reportedly allowing it to evade even the most sophisticated anti-aircraft missile systems. Lockheed describes the plane as virtually invisible.

READ MORE: Syria warns Israel after rockets hit air base

According to Israeli officials, the jet will be able to outsmart Russian S-300 missiles, which are stationed in both Syria and Iran. Israel has launched repeated air strikes in Syria over the past five years, while Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has suggested he wants to attack Iran.

Analysts have noted that, although the jet comes with a huge price tag  each plane costs around $110m  US taxpayers will be footing the bill.

Israels fleet of F-35s are to be financed out of US military aid. The annual $3bn Israel receives from Washington will rise next year to $3.8bn, under a 10-year deal agreed by Barack Obama shortly before he stepped down as US president.

Israel would never have been able to build its military might without the US  and now it will have even greater freedom to wreak suffering across the region, Mustafa Barghouti, head of the Palestinian National Initiative party, told Al Jazeera. The US has turned a blind eye as Israel has used its advanced weapons against Lebanon, Gaza, Syria and elsewhere.

Ash Carter, Obamas defence secretary, hailed Israels purchase of the F-35 as allowing the two countries air forces to work more closely together. The US military has ordered more than 2,400 of the jets. Together, we will dominate the skies, he said in December.





Israels older squadrons of F-15s and F-16s, which have been in use since the 1970s, are due to be gradually phased out in favour of the stealth fighter.

At Israels insistence, no Arab countries have so far been allowed to buy the F-35. In the original negotiations, the Pentagon agreed that the jet would ensure that Israel maintained its qualitative military edge over its neighbours.

Israeli military officials pressed for the F-35 partly because Arab states such as Saudi Arabia began acquiring large numbers of F-15s.

This is about ensuring Israels regional military superiority for a long time, Efraim Inbar, director of the Begin-Sadat Centre for Strategic Studies at Bar Ilan University, told Al Jazeera. Israel wants to be able to project power over long distances, and this plane promises to do that.

According to Israeli military analysts, one of the first uses of the F-35 could be in Syria, where Israel has been especially active since the outbreak of civil war there six years ago. It has regularly launched strikes against Syrian army positions, claiming to be preventing the transfer of weapons to the Lebanese group Hezbollah.

The risks of escalation have heightened for Israel as other states  notably Iran, Russia and Turkey  have been drawn into Syria too.

This week, Israel made a rare public admission that it carried out an air strike in Syria last month. Unusually, the Syrian military responded to the attack by launching anti-aircraft missiles at the Israeli planes, though none are believed to have hit their targets.

Inbar said the biggest prize for Israel was the F-35s potential use against Iran. Its stealth capabilities mean it could be used either to carry out attacks or for reconnaissance missions. It would also be able to pass over intermediary countries unseen.

READ MORE: How successful was Israels Iron Dome?

Netanyahu has repeatedly suggested that Israel might attack Tehran, either alone or with US help, over claims that it harbours ambitions to develop a nuclear weapon.

According to Israeli analyst Amos Harel, one offensive use of the new fighter would be to launch an undetected, first-wave attack against another countrys radar and anti-aircraft missile systems. That would then open the way for a second wave of planes, including F-15s, F-16s and drones, to bomb sites without fear of retaliation.

Last week, US defence secretary James Mattis made a brief visit to Israel  the first senior official from Donald Trumps new administration to do so. His meetings focused on alleged threats from Iran and Syria, Israeli media reported.

Israeli officials have suggested that the F-35 will not be used against Palestinians, as they have no radar or anti-aircraft batteries. We are not buying the F-35 to attack Gaza, one told Haaretz.

But Barghouti said he doubted that. This plane will be used everywhere  and given that Gaza is defenceless against such attacks, it could be the place where Israel tests it first.

Israel serves as the test-bed for the development of these kinds of new weapons. The F-35 will be tested in the field, in real time by Israel. The likelihood is that the first time the plane is used in combat will be with Israeli pilots flying it. by Jeff Halper, author of War Against the People

As well as being the first military to receive the fighter outside the US, Israel is the only country that has been allowed to modify the planes software and integrate its own components and weapons systems.

Jeff Halper, whose recent book War Against the People examined the close military ties between Israel and the US, said the payoff for the US was that Israel would refine the F-35s combat role and carry out trouble-shooting for Lockheed and the US military.

Israel serves as the test-bed for the development of these kinds of new weapons, he told Al Jazeera. The F-35 will be tested in the field, in real time by Israel. The likelihood is that the first time the plane is used in combat will be with Israeli pilots flying it.

Production of the F-35 also illustrates the increasingly tight ties between Israeli and US arms manufacturers, noted Halper. Israeli companies won contracts worth more than $250m last year with Lockheed, which makes the F-35.

They included Elbit Systems, which helps develop helmets and radio systems, and Israel Aerospace Industries, which works on Lockheeds wing sets.

Avi Dadon, a senior official in the Israeli defence ministry, told Defense News in February that with the arrival of the F-35s, Israel expected to further deepen cooperation, boosting the Israeli economy.

Halper said: Israel exploits this involvement in research and development and finds commercial spin-offs, both in military and non-military applications. This is part of the reason why Israel has a reputation for being the start-up nation.

READ MORE: The uneven alliance  How America became pro-Israel

Barghouti said Israel was allowed to act as an unofficial intermediary with other countries, such as India, selling them military equipment cheaper than the US or without the restrictions imposed by the Pentagon.

He added that Israel received more than $20bn a year in help from the US, including aid, cooperation with military industries, preferential trade status, and donations from a network of philanthropic organisations.

Some Israeli analysts are critical of the extent to which Israel is now dependent on the US military. Emmanuel Sakal, a former general and expert on battlefield strategies at the Begin-Sadat Centre, told Al Jazeera: Israel needs to be less reliant on the US, not more. Israel needs to be able to act on its own in times of crisis.

He said the F-35 was no magic bullet, and the money could have been better spent on developing other aspects of the Israeli military, including its ground forces.

The F-35 programme has courted much controversy over its costs, as well as over-runs and problems in the planes three-decade development.

A Pentagon report last year suggested that the F-35 had major design flaws, especially with its software. It is also reported to have lost in a mock dogfight with the much older F-16.

Trump has threatened to reassess the US militarys purchase of large numbers of F-35s. With costs over the jets lifetime expected to reach $1.5 trillion, Trump accused the programme of being out of control.

Inbar said: The plane has a lot of problems, and we will have to see if it can be made combat-ready as quickly as the Israeli air force believes.
Government security crackdown on Maoist rebels has led to an increased casualty figure in the countrys tribal areas.

The communist political movement in India started in 1920s as an anticolonial struggle when the country was still ruled by Britain .

But the seeds of the first radical Marxist movement were sown in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh shortly after India gained independence in 1947.

The first armed uprising was launched in 1967 in the remote Naxalbari village in the eastern Indian state of West Bengal. The uprising, which began after a farmer was stopped from tilling his own land, was put down by force after 72 days.

But that inspired other revolutionaries across the country.

By 1972, the first phase of what the government called Left-Wing Extremism, popularly called Naxalism  deriving its name from the Naxalbari village  was stamped down.

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

For the next two decades, armed movement remained subdued and localised until the government started granting mining licences to private and multinational corporations as part of the liberalisation and privatisation of the economy in the early 1990s.

Main groups

The Peoples War Group (PWG) was established in 1976 and was active in Andhra Pradesh, while Maoist Communist Centre (MCC) held meetings away in the eastern state of Bihar.

The Communist Party of India-Marxist Leninist-Janashakti was formed in 1992. It has presence in three states  Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra. They command a cadre of about 250 to 300.

The current phase of Maoist rebellion began in 2004, when PWG merged with the MCC to form the Communist Party of India (Maoist) or CPI (Maoist). The group is banned in India.

The Tritiya Prastuti Committee (TPC) is a splinter group of the CPI (Maoist) and is based in Jharkhand  a mineral-rich state. It has about 500 cadres.

What do they want?

The CPI (Maoist) aims to capture the state power through peoples war. The rebels military strategy is loosely based on the Chinese revolutionary leader Mao Zedong.

The immediate aim of the party is to accomplish the New Democratic Revolution in India by overthrowing imperialism, feudalism and comprador bureaucratic capitalism only through the Protracted Peoples War  The ultimate aim of the party is to bring about communism, says a party statement.

Peoples Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA) is the armed wing of the CPI (Maoists), or Naxals, as they are popularly called in India. A number of Marxist armed groups are active in other states with Maoist presence.

Their exact numbers are not known but various estimates put PLGA strength between 8,000 and 10,000. The total of Maoist cadres across the country varies from 10,000 to 15,000, even as high as 25,000.

But the government figure is much lower.

As per available reports, the estimated armed cadre strength of the left-wing extremist groups is around 8,500. However, their support base is in larger numbers, Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju told parliament.

IN PICTURES: Indias Maoist heartland

Indias central and eastern parts, home to about 84 million adivasi, or indigenous people, is rich in mineral resources. Renewed mining activity pose a threat to their livelihoods. Most of them are subsistence farmers or landless, mainly living in extreme poverty.

There is lack of basic facilities such as roads, healthcare, education and drinking water in the region.

Thousands fear displacement as the government moved to exploit the hidden treasures located mainly in the states of Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Odisha.

Maoists from Andhra Pradesh helped organise tribals in Chhattisgarh over the issue of land rights and displacement during the 1980s. The state has emerged as the stronghold of the Maoists in recent decades since 2000 when mining was initiated.

They [Maoists] helped the tribals in keeping the forest guard and redistribution of land. So a lot of local people joined them, said Nandini Sundar, professor and author of The Burning Forest: Indias War in Bastar.

About 80 to 90 percent of their cadre comes from local tribals. They are deeply embedded in the villages. At the same time, it is not that everybody supports them.

The Maoist control in what is euphemistically called the Red Corridor  spread across the states of Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Jharkhand, Bihar and Andhra Pradesh  has been dwindling as the government has sent tens of thousands of paramilitary forces into the affected states.

Their presence has considerably gone down from nearly 200 districts across 20 states until a decade ago to 106 districts across 10 states. The states of Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Orissa and Bihar are considered severely affected. Maoists are also present in the states of West Bengal, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh.

Indias former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh called the Maoists rebellion the biggest internal security threat. His government launched a security operation in 2009, which was dubbed by the media as the Operation Green Hunt.

Since the counterinsurgency was launched eight years ago, violence has escalated and a growing numbers of casualties, particularly civilians, have been reported. More than 100 people have been killed in the violence across the country this year. Last year, nearly 500 people were killed.

More than 20,000 people, the vast majority of them civilians, have been killed since 1980.

Accusations of abuse

The adivasis have been caught in the middle of a conflict that has pitted the Maoists against government forces.

Security forces have been accused of committing mass sexual and rights abuses, and extrajudicial killings of innocent adivasis. Human rights activists and journalists have been targeted for reporting the abuse and unlawful killings.

Maoists recruit villagers for their operation and the latter become vulnerable to arrest and torture by government forces. Maoists have also been accused of killing and torturing villagers after accusing them of being police informers. In many cases, they have resorted to kidnapping for ransom.

The Chhattisgarh state has backed vigilante groups, which have harassed innocent civilians for being Maoist sympathisers. One such vigilante group, Salwa Judum, was accused of killings and rapes. It was finally outlawed by the Supreme Court in 2011.

In recent years, a number of vigilante groups have surfaced with the backing of government, targeting activists and lawyers.

A situation of civil war still prevails in the Bastar district in Chhattisgarh state but the Indian government refuses to declare this internal armed conflict, perhaps to avoid monitoring by the UN, said Dr Lakhan Singh, president of the Peoples Union for Civil Liberties.

The government has deployed more than 100,000 troops  a third of them paramilitary forces  to root out the five-decade-old armed rebellion in Chhattisgarh. More than 2,000 people have been killed in the state since 1995.

In the Bastar region alone, there are 36,000 security forces, which means one soldier for 55 people. In Afghanistan, there is one soldier for about 150 people, Singh said.
We explore the dark history of the New York prison and ask if it is a symbol of racially biased mass incarceration.

New York, United States  Time moves both fast and slow on Rikers Island.

Former inmates of the notorious New York City jail told Al Jazeera of eternity-like bouts of solitary confinement. Others recalled split-second flashes of savagery, from stabbings with crude blades to rapes.

Now, the isolated lockup in the murky East River has a sentence of its own. Officials and campaigners have merged behind a plan to close Rikers  which is nicknamed Torture Island for its legendary brutality  within 10 years.

Everything that happens there is a secret - a culture that lets the worst in human beings to come out; and corrections officers who have not been held accountable for abusive behaviour for decades by Glenn Martin, Former Rikers Island inmate turned advocate

In doing so, they seek local solutions to a nationwide issue of mass incarceration that overly affects blacks and Latinos, but will probably face repercussions under the law and order administration of United States President Donald Trump.

Rikers has a history that is so closely tied to slavery that it stands as a symbol of mass incarceration in this country, Glenn Martin, 46, a former inmate who now runs the CloseRikers campaign, told Al Jazeera.

Theres only one bridge on and one bridge off. No one ends up there by accident. Everything that happens there is a secret  a culture that lets the worst in human beings to come out; and corrections officers who have not been held accountable for abusive behaviour for decades.

Martin was 16 when he first set foot on Rikers, a 2km-long isle of sprawling, squat structures, on shoplifting charges. Within hours, a fellow inmate demanded his leather jacket, and he was forced to make the decision that faces all new inmates.

You have two choices, predator or prey, and you have to make that decision quickly, said Martin. I decided to fight him. By the time the fight was over, I got stabbed four times with a pen that was melted and fashioned into a dagger.

Aside from his injuries, Martin recalls guards sniggering and advising him not to snitch or request a doctor. His decision to toughen up shaped that spell in Rikers, and again when he returned, aged 23, for his first year of a six-year stretch for armed robbery.

It taught me I could survive Gladiator School. That I could live through the worst this city has to offer, he said.

According to Martin, Rikers buildings were kept long and low rise to let jets land nearby at LaGuardia Airport. Guards were loath to run the long corridors every time fights broke out, so deputised inmates to help keep order.

READ MORE: Feds to oversee reforms at New Yorks Rikers Island jail complex

Similar rules held sway when Victor Pate, now 65, was imprisoned on drug and robbery charges in the 1960s. Correction officers assigned cells to reward well-behaved detainees, and to punish others for petty grievances, he said.

They were no better than the inmates, Pate told Al Jazeera. Everyone was locked in at night, and they decided who you were locked in with. And if that was Big Bo, he would spend the night either trying to rape you or rob you.

It is dubbed a university of crime where young men  overwhelmingly black and Latino  enter for wrongdoings such as turnstile-jumping, and leave as well-connected, hardened criminals.

Aside from the violence, Rikers offers more misery: bouts of solitary confinement, often for those who are already mentally ill. After spending 23 hours a day staring at cracked paint, some inmates describe befriending rats and cockroaches to stay sane.

In winter, inmates pace cold, snow-covered corridors in gloves, boots and trench coats, Pate said. In summer, temperatures soar inside the metal and concrete structures, which smell of human waste and the landfill they were built on in the early 1930s.

READ MORE: More than half of inmates in solitary at NYCs Rikers are mentally ill

A dark racial history

Big names have passed through. Dominique Strauss-Kahn, then the IMF chief, traded Michelin-starred dishes for prison slop in 2011. In the 1970s, it hosted the Son of Sam serial killer David Berkowitz and Sex Pistols bassist Sid Vicious, after he was charged with killing his girlfriend, Nancy Laura Spungen.

But such cameos obscure the islands racial realities: 89 per cent of inmates are black or Latino  echoing a national disparity that widened during the crack epidemic and anti-drug clampdowns of the 1980s and 1990s.

The criminal justice system doesn't work for us. Never has and it never will. by Victor Pate, Organiser, New York Campaign For Alternatives to Solitary Confinement

And Rikers has its own, dark racial history. It was owned by Magistrate Richard Riker, from Dutch immigrant stock, in the early 1800s. From his judges bench, he rubber-stamped paperwork that allowed free blacks to be kidnapped off city streets and trafficked down South as slaves.

There were so many people of colour on Rikers Island, I thought there were no other types of people there, said Pate, from the Campaign for Alternatives to Isolated Confinement. The criminal justice system doesnt work for us. Never has and it never will.

Tales of abuse emerge from the island time and again. Last month, correction officer Rodiny Calypso, 38, was arrested for punching and elbowing a detainee in the face while his hands were cuffed behind his back.

In December, a former correction officer, Brian Coll, 47, was convicted of repeatedly kicking a 52-year-old inmate in the head while he was restrained on the floor, causing his death. In May 2016, two guards and six inmates were charged with smuggling drugs and weapons into the jail.

The best-known case in recent Rikers history involved 16-year-old Kalief Browder, who spent three years in the secluded prison on charges of stealing a small backpack that were eventually dismissed.

US media obtained surveillance camera footage of him being assaulted by officers and battered by inmates. He struggled with mental illness while there and in 2015, two years after his release, Browder killed himself.

READ MORE: Opinion  Kalief Browders death reveals terrible odds for black lives

His case reveals a startling fact about Rikers: Some 80 percent of the prisons 9,700 detainees are only awaiting trial, having been denied bail or because they are unable to afford it. Cases can drag on for years. Once convicted, inmates are typically transferred to prisons upstate.

This month, an independent commission highlighted the $247,000 annual cost of housing each inmate and the $31 million spent each year shuttling prisoners across the 1km bridge for court hearings and other appointments.

Stanley Richards, a prison reform activist who assisted the commission, described a 19th Century approach to criminal justice in one of Americas richest and most modern cities. Reforms cannot alter a place of such endemic violence and corruption, he told Al Jazeera.

A 148-page report outlines how new bail and sentencing rules could halve the New York jails population to fewer than 5,000 inmates over a decade. Rikers will close and new jails will rise, closer to courts and communities, in each of the citys five boroughs.

READ MORE: Opinion  The Rikers nightmare is far from over

Last month, New York Mayor Bill de Blasio, a Democrat, shifted position and threw his weight behind the scheme, provided that city crime rates continue to fall. This is going to take a lot of work. There is no quick fix here, he warned.

There is momentum behind the plan, but it will require more support in the state capital, Albany. Critics highlight the multibillion dollar cost of new jails and warn against not locking up thousands of men and women who may be dangerous.

While the city is liberal, the country has swung right under a Trump administration in which Attorney General Jeff Sessions pledges to rigidly enforce drugs laws and target undocumented immigrants in New York and elsewhere.

Previous efforts to relocate Rikers inmates have ground to a halt. De Blasio faces an election in November, it remains unclear who will be managing the city in 2027 to carry the can should plans fall apart.

My experience of politics is that this guy goes, theres a new sheriff in town and all bets are off, said Pate. Im optimistic that weve got this far, but now we have to put the real tangible plan in place.

Follow James Reinl on Twitter: @jamesreinl
Womens activists say they are closer than ever to abolishing Article 308, which pardons rapists who marry their victim.

After more than a decade of lobbying and campaigning, womens rights activists and officials in Jordan say they are closer than ever to abolishing a law allowing rapists to escape punishment if they marry their victim.

This week, the Jordanian government voted to get rid of Article 308 of the Penal Code. The article permits pardoning rape perpetrators if they marry their victims and stay with them for at least three years, provided the victim is between 15 and 18 years old.

Its a huge step on the part of the government. It shows commitment. Usually, womens issues in Jordan are shoved to the back, but the government showed some seriousness with this vote. This is a very important and long-awaited step, womens rights activist and writer Rana Husseini told Al Jazeera.

The cabinet vote comes after months of heated debate on the controversial issue. In October 2016, Jordans King Abdullah II ordered the establishment of a royal committee to reform the judiciary and review the entire Penal Code, which dates back to 1960.

IN PICTURES: Women in Jordan fight for their rights

In February, the committee recommended abolishing the article, leading the Jordanian government to endorse the suggestion on Sunday.

Though the move was hailed as a victory by womens groups, there remains much uncertainty and doubt over whether the parliament will approve its repeal. Parliamentary sessions following Sundays vote revealed deep divisions among deputies in Jordans lower house surrounding the issue.

For the provision to be abolished, the Jordanian parliament will still have to debate and vote in favour of its removal, and it could be months before parliament discusses the matter.

Parliamentarian and champion of womens rights Wafaa Bani Mustafa said she was slightly worried after this weeks discussions. There were some voices speaking against the removal of this article, Bani Mustafa told Al Jazeera.

Many MPs still believe that this law is needed to protect women and guard their honour, which is an opinion I strongly disagree with. This is one of the ugliest laws targeting women, she added.

Husseini said the strong backlash in parliament has dented the confidence of those working to have it repealed. I thought society was ready, but the sessions in parliament were not a very good sign, said Husseini.

Its not going to be an easy battle. There are many deputies that are against anything good for women. In their eyes, if a woman is raped, she has no chance of getting married, and  she will bring dishonour and shame to her family, so it is best for her to marry her rapist.

READ MORE: Sexual assault in Japan  Every girl was a victim

Womens activist Ghada Saba believes that even if the article is abolished, many problems within Jordanian society have yet to be solved.

We have to change the way our society thinks in parallel. This law protects the rapist  308 is not just in law, its in our heads, Saba told Al Jazeera. The idea that the female is simply a burden, added weight on the family, and that her rape needs to be covered up, still exists.





The legal provision, which grants impunity for rapists, is a form of gender-based violence, which violates womens rights under several international human rights treaties, Rothna Begum, a regional womens rights researcher for Human Rights Watch, told Al Jazeera.

It provides impunity for the rapist and punishes the victim by forcing her into marriage with her rapist, as well as further harm from domestic violence and marital rape, added Begum.

Such rape-marriage provisions continue to exist in Algeria, Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Palestine and Syria, as well as several countries in Latin America and Asia.

If Jordan repeals this provision from its penal code, it would be joining two other countries in the region that made similar reforms: Egypt in 1999 and Morocco in 2014.

On May 15, the Lebanese parliament is also expected to vote on whether to eliminate its version of the same penal code provision, known as Article 522.

In the past 30 years, other countries around the world made similar strides to abolish such provisions, including Italy in 1981, France in 1994, Peru in 1998, Romania in 2000, Uruguay in 2006 and Costa Rica in 2007.
We asked two Kashmiris with opposing views whether residents of the region should participate in elections.

In a recent by-election in Indian-administered Kashmir the turnout was just 7 percent, a historic low. At re-polling only 2 percent turned out to vote. We asked two Kashmiris with opposing views whether residents of the region should participate in elections.

No: Elections have been used to create a civilian mask for military subjugation

A silence has fallen upon New Delhi in the aftermath of a near total boycott of a by-election in Indian-administered Kashmir.

The Indian government and media were hoping that a large or even moderate turnout for the vote in Srinagar parliamentary constituency  made necessary after a Kashmiri politician resigned from his parliamentary seat in 2016 in protest against violence by the Indian security forces  would help it to once more sweep Kashmir under the carpet.

After all, in Kashmir, unlike anywhere else, it isnt the result of elections that matter but the turnout. Voter turnout takes on symbolic significance with the Indian government branding even low double-digit turnout a sign that Kashmiris wish to remain under Indian rule, while Tahreek (pro-independence) parties, which do not contest elections as that would require them to first accept Indian sovereignty, see low turnout as part of a continuous referendum on Indian control and a rejection of its institutions. These parties contest the very idea of elections, considering them part of a theatre of the absurd.

But a turnout of just 7 percent  a historic low  was hard to ignore. In re-polling at 38 polling stations, only 2 percent voted. In 27 of the polling stations, nobody turned up to cast their ballot. The government responded by quietly suspending a by-election that was scheduled to be held in the southern constituency of Anantnag two days later.

That eight Kashmiris were killed and more than 100 injured by Indian soldiers on the day of the vote further cemented the violence embedded in the political order that the Indian state has imposed on the people of Kashmir.

Nothing to do with democracy

The very idea of elections under a colonial-style military occupation is ethically compromised, but then ethics are not at play when it comes to Indian rule over a people who remain defiant about their desire for independence.

And elections in Indian-administered Kashmir have nothing to do with democracy.

Since the early 1950s, they have been used to install a pliant leadership that will administer Kashmir on behalf of the Indian state.

Before the mass uprising in the 1990s, Kashmirs elections had little credibility, a fact admitted by Indias top election officials.

The history of denied candidacies, unopposed victories, and outright rigging has long been an open secret in Kashmir and is well-known among independent observers.

Since 1996, elections have gone hand in hand with the state of emergency. The state of emergency was imposed in 1990 when civil liberties were fully suspended, the military was granted broad immunity, and rogue militias which functioned beyond the purview of the law were created.

Elections have been used as a counterinsurgency tactic, to divide the Tahreek, to create a civilian mask for military subjugation and to present the Indian state as the guarantor of order and democracy to the outside world.

Holding elections in Kashmir has consequently become a military exercise. Bus-loads of Indian paramilitary forces are brought in to join the tens of thousands who are already in place. The region is put into lockdown mode. Schools and colleges are occupied by the security forces, who fan out to prevent Tahreek activists from conducting boycott campaigns. Tahreek leaders are threatened or arrested. As has become the new norm, a communication blockade is imposed and the internet shut down to prevent any rumours of a boycott from spreading.

Then there is the well-honed blueprint for elections in Kashmir, whereby they are held in multiple stages. The first is conducted in an area where military control is tighter, often in the countryside where turnout can more easily be guaranteed. A large turnout there starts a buzz on Indian news channels, where resident experts declare the vote a success and announce the death of the separatist forces. During each stage of the election, those districts that arent voting are putting under declared or undeclared curfews. In short, every effort is made to ensure that a boycott does not succeed.

In truth, voting has nothing to do with democratic participation in Kashmir. Electoral parties rarely have an agenda and when they do, it barely extends beyond slogans. No one ever knows what a candidate stands for.

Those Kashmiris who vote do so out of old family loyalties and kinship ties, or because of the client-patron relationship that some parties have created in the impoverished countryside, whereby they fear that if they do not vote, their area will be denied basic services, their young men will be arrested or pro-government militias will be sent in to harass them.

It is against all of this that the 7 percent turnout must be understood.

That 93 percent of those who were eligible to vote chose not to do so is clearly a vote: it is a vote against the colonial occupation of Kashmir.

Mohamad Junaid is a doctoral candidate in anthropology at the Graduate Center, City University of New York.

Yes: An election is a triumph of democracy

An election represents a triumph of democracy, not the defeat of any ideology  despite what much of the Indian media would have you believe. And, lets be clear, many Indian TV channels, with their blood-boiling rhetoric peddled in place of news, have done more damage to democracy in Indian-administered Kashmir than Pakistan could ever do.

But when a majority of Kashmiris stay away from the polling booths, democracy becomes a joke. Boycotting elections delegitimises democracy.

Years of turmoil have led to a serious social breakdown in Kashmir. People have lost a sense of leadership. Those who have grown up as children of conflict see violence as a source of inspiration, the streets as a platform and smart phones as an alternative weapon.

But if there is one thing that has become clear from last summers unrest, it is that stone throwers need to be engaged with, whatever the costs. We cant talk to children through the barrel of a gun. New Delhi must respond to Kashmir politically, rather than through the prism of security.

At least 60 percent of Indian-administered Kashmirs 13 million people are youths. It isnt always easy for those of us who espouse the idea of mainstream politics to convey our point of view to these young people. But we must.

In the cycles of violence that have plagued this region, it has invariably been the young who have suffered the most; who have made up the majority of the casualties.

Today, it is the young who are keeping others away from the polling booths, who are refusing to allow elections to run smoothly.

Then there are those who issue threats to mainstream political party workers in order to enforce an election boycott.

In few Indian states can a voter claim to have endangered their life by exercising their right to vote. But in Indian-administered Kashmir, every voter is vulnerable. Death threats loom like a sword over those who defy calls for a boycott. The police may be able to guard polling stations, but if a vibrant democratic space is to be nurtured, the safety of every voter must be ensured.

But if peace is to be restored, we must first create a space where all sides can engage on all issues, regardless of their ideology.

Many Kashmiris may see participation in elections as a vote in favour of the Indian state, but if elections in Indian-administered Kashmir are to be seen as a victory for the democratic process, they must not be used to alienate separatists.

Empowering our institutions, nurturing democratic spaces and engaging with contesting narratives is a key to resolving our problems.

And by evoking hatred from the comfort of New Delhis news studios, we are only playing into the hands of the separatists. The political aspirations of Kashmiris must surely have a space in a democracy like ours. It is time we learned to respect their sentiments.

Waheed-Ur-Rehman Para is the head of the youth wing of the Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party. He tweets @parawahid.

The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial policy.
A 17-year-old was reportedly shot dead by security forces on April 15 in Indian-administered Kashmir while at least 50 college students were wounded by police officers who fired pellets and tear gas.

Video showing Indian soldiers using physical abuse sparked anger leading to violent clashes between police and protesting students outside Government Degree College Pulwama.

Indian police, assisted by paramilitary troops, created a checkpoint outside the college to arrest the boys who they said were involved in stone-throwing incidents.

Police used tear gas to disperse the protesters but the clashes intensified when pellets were fired, leaving many students injured, including Zeeshan Ahmed, who was injured in the head.

More than 15 students were admitted to the district hospital in Pulwama on the same day. Most of them suffered pellet injuries to their eyes. Zeeshan was later transferred to a hospital in Srinagar for specialised treatment, a senior doctor at Pulwama hospital told a local newspaper.

Mass protests then broke out as a result, with students from other colleges, including a girls college, taking part.

The day-long protests and clashes on April 17 left more than 50 students injured.
On Sunday morning, Maldivians woke up to the shocking news of the brutal killing of the 29-year-old prominent blogger, Yameen Rasheed.

Over four years ago, in October 2012, Maldivians were similarly shocked by the brutal murder of a prominent reformist religious scholar and member of parliament, Afrasheem Ali. Both Rasheed and Ali died after multiple stabbings, under the staircase of the respective buildings they lived in the Maldives capital, Male.

Since August 2014, Rasheeds best friend, and another prominent blogger and journalist, Ahmed Rilwan, has been missing and is believed to be abducted.

We dont know who the perpetrators of the killings of Rasheed and Ali or the abduction of Rilwan are, as the authorities have so far failed to find them.

But regardless of the motives, these murders and abduction represent a new type of violence in the Maldives that follow a new type of violent discourses.

These discourses are related to the countrys political context, and thrive on the failure of its non-religious politics, as well as its fragmented religious landscape.

Religious beliefs





Rasheed, Rilwan and Ali were all very vocal on religious issues.

Ali was, of course, a mature religious scholar. He was a reformist in his views about religion, supported greater gender equality and celebrated popular culture, including the Maldivian music tradition.

Bloggers Rasheed and Rilwan, on the other hand, represented a variety of new ideological trends that have affected the younger generations of Maldivians.

Today, some young people in the Maldives prefer Muslim rationalist Mutazilites and the Sufism of Rumi. They cherish the Maldives deep Buddhist history and Islamic heritage, culture, literature, and poetry. Overall, they are influenced by scientific rationalism and humanist philosophies.

However, some of them are also influenced by the scientism of New Atheism and secularist ideas. They, therefore, sometimes advocate relegating religion to the private sphere. But they do not come in ideological straightjackets. Being very young, quite naturally, they do not have fixed positions on these perennial questions.

INTERACTIVE: Maldives  a timeline to corruption

Rasheed and Rilwan represented this new generation. They did not have absolutist beliefs, but both of them were uncompromising in their advocacy for human rights. They have also been extremely vocal against violent extremism, takfiri ideologies and ultra-conservative ideas.

Both Rasheed and Rilwan used their satire and writings against political corruption, authoritarian politics, violent extremism, and Salafi puritanism in the Maldives.

In doing this, they, no doubt, offended many religious people and politicians alike.

Rasheed's brutal murder shows that a new type of violence has thrived on the failed non-religious politics and the deeply fragmented religious landscape in the Maldives. by

Threats from non-religious political actors

A few years before the Arab Spring, in 2008, the Maldives experienced its own democratic awakening by ending a 30-year authoritarian rule. In light of this development, the influential think-tank, Freedom House, cleared the Maldives as an electoral democracy for the first time.

However, in February 2012, the countrys first democratically elected president, Mohamed Nasheed, was forced to resign two years before completing his term and the Maldives started experiencing a pattern of de-democratisation largely attributable to non-religious factors.

This pattern of de-democratisation was not caused by a clash between electoral democracy and the Islam practised by most ordinary Maldivians. Indeed, most Maldivians seem to be solidly in favour of democracy.

Religious discourse, of course, played a role in the political mobilisations led and funded by political leaders against Nasheeds government. However, political, economic and governance related challenges that led to the demise of the Maldives young democracy were mostly rooted in the undemocratic political culture of its elite.

A new despotism is now in place in the Maldives, and the country has seen a sharp deterioration of human rights. And its a much uglier form of authoritarianism: one that employs the formal institutions and other trappings of democracy, but is fully corrupt and criminal at the core.

In their corruption and criminality, politicians have normalised a discourse supportive of extreme political violence and have partnered with violent gangs to protect their interests.

Both Rasheed and Rilwan were among the most vocal against this new despotism, its corruption, and human rights violations. They were both masters of irony and satire. Young Rasheeds satirical blog is testament to his wit. These blogs are enormously popular.

As a result, it is possible that actors sponsoring this discourse of political  not religious  violence were behind their killing and abduction. Maybe these actors wanted to silence their voices of opposition.

But there is also another possibility.

Fragmented religious landscape

Social media activists like Rasheed and Rilwan and reformist or moderate religious scholars like Ali are perceived to be a serious threat by another  and relatively new  set of actors in the Maldives: Religious extremists.





Recently, modernisation-related developments in the country have led people to increasingly question and discuss religion and its role in society.

This led to a deep fragmentation of religious discourses, despite the official insistence on the existence of a uniform Islamic identity. And since the countrys political liberalisation in the mid-2000s, extremist groups have spectacularly risen to social prominence.

Over the past few years, some of these groups have contributed to the emergence of a discourse of religion-based violence. Some of these groups openly support violent forms of jihad, although they differ in identifying particular cases that qualify for jihad. We may call this decontextualised violence. More specifically, some of them have takfiri ideology and have thrown accusations of blasphemy, apostasy, and heresy at the likes of Rasheed and Rilwan.

A quick scan of the social media accounts of some popular figureheads from these groups after Rasheeds murder showed that they considered him an apostate.

These discursive interventions encourage religion-based violence. Individuals from these groups have partly contributed to the flow of fighters from the Maldives to Syria.

These extremist groups  just like corrupt politicians  have also formed alliances with radical gangs. There has indeed been a phenomenon of what Olivier Roy has called Islamisation of radicals. Several of these Islamised radicals have gone to Syria to fight. And as these gangs also have or had interdependent relations with powerful politicians, they seem to enjoy impunity within the Maldives.

If it is members of these Male-based gangs who were behind the killings of Rasheed and Ali and the abduction of Rilwan, the victims may never get justice, unless, perhaps, if there is appropriate international pressure to investigate these crimes.

And that would still be the case whether the gang members committed these atrocities for political or religious reasons.

Either way, Rasheeds brutal murder shows that a new type of violence has thrived on the failed non-religious politics and the deeply fragmented religious landscape in the Maldives.

Azim Zahir is a PhD candidate at the University of Western Australia. He is also a research assistant at UWAs Centre for Muslim States and Societies, and an associate at Sydney Democracy Network, University of Sydney. His research focuses on Islam, secularism and democratisation.

The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial policy.
The year 2017 is not even halve way through, but in the Indian-controlled Kashmir it has already been named the year of the student uprising.

Earlier this month, students from several educational institutions across Kashmir started to demonstrate against the Indian forces. It is an unprecedented and historic turn of events, because never before have the Kashmiri students participated in such demonstrations in a collective manner.

But here they are: quintessential students in their uniforms, with bags slung over their backs. They are unimaginably furious, impassioned, and mostly peaceful, but sometimes they also sling stones at the Indian forces.

Protesting students have already become an iconic sight in Kashmir, signalling that the regions millennials had inherited the burdens of a long struggle. Raised amid extremely brutal militarisation, these Kashmiri youngsters face the Indian troops as fearlessly as if taking notes in a history class.

For them, resistance has become a way of life.

Mass uprising





Student protests in Kashmir started after the Indian army deployed disproportionate force against college students in Pulwama, a district 40km from the state capital Srinagar. The altercation between the students and the paramilitary resulted in more than 60 students being injured, some of them critically.

So students all over the region decided to resist.

These protests came on the heels of the mass uprising that has been ongoing since the killing of Burhan Wani in July last year.

Wani was a commander with the Hizbul Mujahidin. He had joined the militancy at the age of 15 after being harassed by Indian forces, and he became the face of indigenous Kashmiri struggle against India in no time.

His killing motivated Kashmiri people of all ages and genders to take to the streets and the government responded with lethal force. The valley was put under a three-month curfew, media was censored and mobile phone and Internet services were curtailed.

READ MORE: Q&A  Element of fear is gone for Kashmirs youth

By November 2016, close to 100 Kashmiris had been killed and more than 15,000 injured at the hands of Indian forces. The victims of what came to be known as the worlds first mass blindings were also among the injured.

Indian troops use of pellet guns left more than 6,000 people injured in one or both eyes since the protests began following Wanis death. A 14-year-old schoolgirl Inshah Malik, who was not part of the protests, lost both of her eyes as a result of close range pellet gunfire.

The mantle of resistance has been picked up by the third generation of Kashmiris, who seem to have no fear of persecution, and a thirst for Kashmir's freedom from India. by

Inshahs wounded face became the symbol of the disproportionate violence that the Indian government was using against the Kashmiris. To assess the reports of these human rights abuses. the UNHRC wanted to send representatives to Kashmir, but the government of India refused.

At the start of the July protests the Chief Minister of Kashmir Mehbooba Mufti issued a statement saying: Children should not be indulging in agitation. They should be going to schools and colleges. It is not for children to solve big issues 

The government was trying hard to portray the uprising not as a genuine political expression but as the handiwork of a few miscreant youth.

The Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi who stayed silent about the carnage for a long time, at some point mentioned that the Kashmiri youth should have laptops in their hands instead of stones.

In the Indian narrative, the Kashmiri demand for self-determination is severely undermined and misrepresented, and one of the ways in which this is done is by characterising the protesters as unemployed loiterers, drug addicts, disgruntled miscreants and, more often than not, as agitators paid by Pakistan.

READ MORE: Why are young people protesting in Kashmir?

Agitational terrorists a technical term coined specifically for the Kashmiri protesters is also deployed to subsume the Kashmiri resistance movement within the spectre of global terrorism. And this is despite the fact that the Tehreek, as the resistance movement is called in Kashmiri, is largely committed to plebiscite. Kashmiris simply want Independence from India.

The clear chant that continues to ring in the valley is Tchyeen ke lain gey Azadi  We will snatch our freedom (from India).

Courting danger





Indias brazen neglect of the demand for a plebiscite and its rampant state terrorism have forced another generation of Kashmiri youth to take up arms. The civilian resistance movement in Kashmir is also proliferating.

The Kashmiri people are no longer afraid of being killed, injured or imprisoned by Indian forces. Many civilians do not hesitate to run towards encounters taking place between militants and the army.

Kashmiri men, women, and children try to distract Indian forces during altercations to help militants escape. Such demonstrations depict the readiness with which Kashmiris are courting danger to show solidarity with the militants and amplify their political demand.

In February this year, the Indian Army General Bipin Rawat issued a warning to the Kashmiris stating that anyone hindering the operations of Indian troops would be treated as over-ground workers of the militants. Even though the Indian forces are notorious for neglecting standard operation procedures in Kashmir, after the statement was issued incidents of stray bullets killing civilians rose even further.

OPINION: Kashmir and the myth of indivisible India

Those killed by stray fire in similar incidents even included a little girl who was sleeping at home and a woman tending to her vegetable patch away from the encounter site.

All this came to head again on April 9, the day of elections for the Indian parliament, which were boycotted en masse by the Kashmiris. Voter participation in Kashmir capped at a dismal 2 percent and the voting process was interspersed with 200 clashes. Attacks by Indian troops on election day claimed eight lives.

Soon after the killings, video showing the Indian forces holding Kashmiri boys in varying degrees of duress began circulating. One video showed a Kashmiri man hog-tied as a human shield to the front of an army Jeep. He was paraded across neighbourhoods with the army announcing similar treatment for those who dared to demonstrate.

OPINION: Two centuries of oppression in Kashmir

The videos unleashed a fresh wave of fury. For Kashmiris these images reinforced the conviction that the Indian government lacked any will for constructive political strategy and that it would continue to use brute force to repress legitimate Kashmiri demands.

Many Kashmiris took to social media, which in recent years has become a potent tool for sharing information. Users have at times even broadcasted killings by Indian troops in real time.

Although the internet has been shut down 29 times since July and mobile services snapped for long periods, the government attributes the large-scale uprising, including the student protests, to networking made possible by social media and Whatsapp groups.

Thirst for freedom





As of writing this, the clashes between Indian troops and students are ongoing, with a few youth critically injured. The internet has again been curtailed, and about 300 Whatsapp groups accused of engineering the protests have been suspended and many students arrested.

The Indian Home Minister Rajnath Singh has asserted that there will be a change in Kashmir in a years time, but he has not specified how the change will occur. With no political map in sight and no let up in the violence against protesters and combatants alike, Kashmiris have interpreted Singhs statement as a clear threat to their life and limb.

Meanwhile, the mantle of resistance has been picked up by the third generation of Kashmiris, who seem to have no fear of persecution, and a thirst for freedom from India.

Ather Zia is a poet and a political anthropologist who teaches Anthropology and Gender Studies at University of Northern Colorado Greeley. She is the founder editor of Kashmir Lit.

The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial policy.
The United States and North Korea are hurling threats at one another. In Japan, the sale of bomb shelters is booming. And in South Korea, a country that has seen this all before and is typically nonplussed about a test or two, citizens are feeling a bit anxious.

Could war really break out on the Korean Peninsula? Could a conventional war lead to the first use of nuclear weapons since 1945? Is this actually for real?





Well, there is some good news and some bad news. But it has to be said, the good news isnt that great and the bad news is potentially horrific.

First, the good news. On average, big, ugly wars between major countries dont happen very often. On any given day, the chance of a major war, let alone a war involving nuclear weapons, is exceedingly small. On the Korean Peninsula, that probability is reinforced by the fact that none of the key players wants a war. North Korea doesnt want a war, because it knows it will lose and lose decisively. That would mean the end of the Kim dynasty, and if theres one thing Chairman Kim Jong-un wants, its to stay in power.

Most South Koreans are similarly allergic to the idea of a large-scale conflict. Yes, North Korea would lose, but along the way, a sizeable chunk of Seoul, the South Korean capital and its most important economic centre, would be devastated by North Korean artillery. Even if the conflict ended without the North getting a conventional/nuclear/chemical shot off, it would still be ruinous. The South would face a human tidal wave of refugees, economic dislocation, and an anxious, defensive China worried about its border. And thats if it went well.

OPINION: Will China intervene in North Korea?

China doesnt want a war  not on its border, not with nuclear weapons in play, not when its number one vital interest is political stability and sufficient economic growth to keep a poor and potentially restive population focused on dreams of a middle-class life. Japan?

There is nothing in it for Tokyo, except possibly stirring up anti-Japanese feelings that have persisted since the end of World War II. And the last thing Mr Donald Trump needs is a war, not with tens of thousands of US troops in South Korea and Japan. His presidency would be over before it had barely started.

So, no war, right?

Not so fast.

Unfortunately, wars can break out even when none of the parties wants a war. Leaders may be rational, yes even Kim Jong-un, but that doesnt mean they are perfect. They can miscalculate the likely response of an adversary; they can misread the situation; they can find themselves backed into a corner where the only rational choice is to fight.

If I were Mr Kim and I knew my enemies can take out what I have early in a conflict, I would have an itchy trigger finger. by

Those inadvertent or accidental wars are also rare, even less likely than wars fought on purpose, but they can happen. And the Korean Peninsula happens to be a place where many of the conditions for such a conflict are already present. Poor lines of communication and little understanding of the adversarys intentions? Check. Lots of bluster and bluffing by the parties? Double check. Military doctrines and force postures that can push small incidents up the ladder to a major confrontation? Again, check.

North Korea is the most isolated, least understood country in the world. The US repeatedly misread Soviet intentions during the Cold War, despite an enormous effort that lasted for decades, and my conversations with government officials in Washington, Seoul, Beijing, and Tokyo give me no reason to believe that we are doing any better with North Korea.

Of course, the North Koreans could tell the US what they want. They could communicate their red lines, but the US has no formal diplomatic relations with the North Koreans and rarely talks to them. And if the North Koreans told Washington where those red lines are, would it believe them? How are we to distinguish the over-the-top threats from the serious warnings?

And unfortunately, the new US administration has its own issues in this regard. Between late-night tweets, contradictory statements by the highest officials in the US government, and threats that are clearly bluffs, how should Pyongyang interpret US signals? Will the Kim clan be able to discern when the Trump is serious and when he is posturing? China can act as a go-between, but one has to wonder what gets lost in translation, especially when Beijing has its own interests and the Chinese-North Korean relationship (never great to begin with) further erodes in response to Chinese pressure.





Less well-understood but perhaps more important are doctrines and force postures. The North is outgunned, and they know it. South Korean and US forces are far more capable and have worked assiduously to be able to hit every military asset in North Korea. If you are an American or South Korean, that sounds like a good thing, until you realise how that looks from Pyongyang.

If I were Mr Kim and I knew my enemies can take out what I have early in a conflict, I would have an itchy trigger finger. Lets say there is an incident or a murky report of an incident. Is it nothing or is it the beginning of a much-discussed decapitation strike? If he thinks it is the latter, Mr Kim may conclude hed better go big and go fast. He will, as they say, have to use them or lose them.

Or what if Kim waits, fights a conventional war and then inevitably begins to lose. Popping a nuclear weapon off to stave off regime collapse will be a powerful temptation. Perhaps he will think that by just using one nuclear weapon in a limited way, he can force the US and South Korea to halt their advance or perhaps force a Chinese intervention that would freeze the situation in place. But maybe the Americans and South Koreans dont get the message. Maybe they think theyd better escalate in response.

So yes, it is possible that no government wants a war, but that they chose war, even nuclear war, because it is the rational option under extreme circumstances.

The good news is that this is unlikely. The bad news is that it is possible, and the result will be far worse than anyone can possibly imagine.

Dr Jim Walsh is an expert in international security and a senior research associate at the Massachusetts Institute of Technologys Security Studies Program. Walshs research and writings focus on international security, and in particular, topics involving nuclear weapons.

The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial policy.
Latest violence between Lulua-Luba and Chow-Pende communities extends eight months of bloodshed.

At least 20 people were killed in ethnic clashes last week in the Democratic Republic of Congos troubled Kasai region, according to the United Nations.

The UNs DR Congo mission said in a statement on Wednesday that the clashes took place in the central region, east of the Kasai capital, Tshikapa.

Violence between members of the Lulua-Luba and Chowe-Pende communities escalated, and saw at least 20 members of the Chowe-Pende killed, the agency said.

The Chowe-Pende accuse the Lulua-Luba of supporting the Kamwina Nsapu militia.

The Kamwina Nsapu militia claim its authority from chief Kamwina Nsapu, who was killed in the region in August 2016 by police after a rebellion against the Congolese authorities.

The militia has been fighting security forces largely to avenge the chiefs death.

READ MORE: Kamwina Nsapu militia kill 40 policemen in DR Congo

According to the UN, fighting has killed at least 400 people, including two UN investigators, since government troops killed the chief eight months ago.

The violence has become the most serious threat to President Joseph Kabila, whose decision to stay in power after his mandate ran out in December gave rise to nationwide lawlessness.

The UN has accused the Kamwina Nsapu rebellion of numerous atrocities and of recruiting children for combat.

Numerous mass graves, reportedly dug by DRC soldiers after clashes with the militia, have also been found in the Kasai region.

The UN has almost 19,000 troops deployed in Congo, its largest and costliest peacekeeping mission.
Other awards handed to Al Jazeera at New York Festivals include five Gold World Medals, 14 silver and seven bronze.

Al Jazeera Media Network has been awarded Broadcaster of the Year at the prestigious New York Festivals Worlds Best TV & Films awards.

The network received the prize on Tuesday, in addition to five Gold World Medals, 14 Silver World Medals and seven Bronze Medals for various programmes and individual pieces of journalism.

Al Jazeera English also earned three Gold, 12 Silver, five Bronze and 10 Finalist Certificates for various content on news, programmes and online.

Al Jazeeras Investigative Directorate picked up two Gold, two Silver, two Bronze and one Finalist Certificate for a variety of investigations which were aired across the network.





101 East won one Gold World Medal for Good Morning Pakistan in the Best Public Affairs Programme category.

Afghanistan: Medics Under Fire and Too Young to Wed both won Silver World Medals, while Guns, Goons and the Presidency, Hong Kong: Aged and Abandoned and Indias Miracle Babies all were awarded Bronze World Medals.

South Korean Hangover and The Orangutan Whisperer both picked up Finalist Certificates.

Foundation, an episode in The Caliph series picked up a Gold World Award in Religious Programmes category, while the episode Division from the Caliph series won a Silver World Medal.

ISIL and the Taliban won a Gold World Medal for the Best Television-Documentary on Social Issues category and a Bronze World Medal in the Television-Documentary/ National/International Affairs category.

People and Power picked up two Silver World Medals for Syria: Under Russias Fist and Borderless: Undercover with the People Smugglers was also awarded a Bronze World Medal.

WATCH: Good morning Pakistan (25:29)

Witness was awarded two Silver World Medals for Syrias White Helmets and Kisulu: The Climate Diaries. Syrias White Helmets along with Chinas Fake Boyfriends were also awarded Finalist Certificates, as well.

Al Jazeera English also picked up three more Silver World Medals for The Stream, My Nigeria  Sandra Aguebo: Lady Mechanic and the Peoples Health: Thailands Remote Lifesavers.

Three episodes of UpFront  Islam and Democracy: Whats the Problem? Women Make Change  Going Places: Girls Education in Ghana and Al Jazeera Correspondent  Off the Rails  A Journey Through Japan received Finalist Certificates.

Al Jazeera English News was awarded a Silver World Medal and a Finalist Certificate in the Breaking News Story category for its coverage of the Turkey Failed Coup.

Senegal: The Continuous Cycle of FGM picked up a Silver World Award Medal and a Finalist Certificate. This gave Al Jazeera English a total of three Gold World Medals, Twelve Silver World Medals, five Bronze World Medals and 10 Finalist Certificates.

AL JAZEERA CORRESPONDENT: Latest

Commenting on the success of the awards, Giles Trendle, the acting managing director of Al Jazeera English said: Al Jazeera English is delighted to be named Broadcaster of the Year at the New York Festival awards and to win a batch of gold, silver and bronze awards for our content.

Its a great honour to have our bold and unique journalism recognised on the global stage by our peers. In a world seemingly beset by rising bigotry and extremism, Al Jazeera English continues its mission in providing a wider scope of information, insight and understanding.

These awards are a testament to the quality of our journalism and the value of our goal to tell important stories from around the world. Behind every award is a multitalented and multicultural team of dedicated individuals whose creativity and commitment come together in the shared aim of listening to, and telling, peoples stories.





The Al Jazeeras Investigation Directorate, which provides groundbreaking investigative programmes for the channels and platforms of Al Jazeera Media Network, picked up two Gold World Medals, two Silver, one Bronze and one Finalist Certificate.

Commenting on the awards, the Directorates manager, Phil Rees said: I welcome the recognition that the New York Television Festivals has given to original, hard-hitting investigative work.

The Investigative Directorate gained further recognition in the US at the Headliner Awards. Stealing Paradise, an expose on corruption in the Maldives, won first place in the investigative report category, while The Poachers Pipeline, on the illegal trade in rhino horn, won second in the documentary category.

This years tally of 27 World Medals from the New York Festivals awards is significantly higher than the total of 19 that Al Jazeera Media Network won in 2016.

The New York Festivals Worlds Best TV & Films competition honours programming in all lengths and forms from over 50 countries. This years powerhouse Grand Jury of prominent international broadcast and film industry executives represents 34 countries on six continents.
French presidential frontrunner Emmanuel Macron has been booed and heckled with chants backing his far-right rival Marine Le Pen in his home town.

Wednesdays incident happened outside the Whirlpool appliance factory in northern city of Amiens after Macron arranged to meet the plant workers union representatives, without actually visiting the facility.

He only arrived there after Le Pen turned up unannounced outside the plant and posed for selfies with workers.





Everyone knows what side Emmanuel Macron is on  he is on the side of the corporations, Le Pen said. I am on the workers side, here in the car park, not in restaurants in Amiens.

After arriving, Macron told angry workers that the only reason that anti-EU Le Pen had come was because Im here.

He also retorted on Twitter that she had spent 10 minutes with her supporters in a car park in front of the cameras whereas he had spent an hour and a half with union representatives and no media.

Le Pens campaign coup

Al Jazeeras Natacha Butler, speaking from Arras, said Le Pen showed Macron that the gloves are off in the battle for the French presidency.

He was totally upstaged by the far-right leader. It was a real campaign coup. It perhaps shows what some people have been saying  that he is inexperienced, she said. Marine Le Pen is a veteran politician. She knows how to campaign hard.

The factory operated by Whirlpool, a US multinational company, is threatened with outsourcing to Poland.

Macron was in Amiens to try to counter accusations that he had made a complacent start to campaigning for the presidential runoff on May 7.

After winning Sundays contest with 24.1 percent to Le Pens 21.3 percent, Macron gave an exuberant victory speech followed by a high-profile celebration at La Rotonde bistro in Paris, drawing criticism from some quarters.

READ MORE: Parisians react to first round, mull Le Pens chances

Socialist Party chief Jean-Christophe Cambadelis told French radio: He was smug. He wrongly thought that it was a done deal. Its not a done deal.

President Francois Hollande appeared on Tuesday to admonish his former economy minister for not taking the fight to Le Pen immediately after the first round.

Macron shot back, saying: I will continue to fight for two weeks  I will defend the progressive camp to the end.

A poll on Wednesday suggested that Macron will defeat Le Pen by a margin of 21 points, but as the days events showed, the far-right candidate is a more experienced political campaigner.

After the shocks of Britains vote to leave the European Union and Donald Trumps unlikely ascent to the White House, analysts say a late surge by Le Pen is still possible.

Who to endorse

A key factor in the race is which candidate the supporters of Communist-backed Jean-Luc Melenchon, who finished in fourth place with 19.58 percent on Sunday, will support in the runoff.

Melenchon faced criticism after he failed to urge people who voted for him to get behind Macron as part of the so-called republican front, the decades-old French tactic of closing ranks to block the far-right.

Melenchons spokesman Alexis Corbiere said the hard-left firebrand would not endorse anyone.

Corbiere, however, told French TV channel LCI earlier on Wednesday that for us the National Front is a danger and urged viewers to not give a single vote to the National Front.
Diplomacy still the preferred option but military action also on the table, US senators are told at the White House.

The United States wants to bring North Korea back to the path of dialogue over its nuclear weapons programme and will use diplomatic measures and additional sanctions to increase pressure on it.

After briefing senators in a highly unusual meeting at the White House on Wednesday, Pentagon chief Jim Mattis, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats issued a statement that toned down military rhetoric and urged the international community to help find a solution to North Koreas nuclear programme.

President Donald Trump aims to pressure North Korea into dismantling its nuclear, ballistic missile, and proliferation programmes by tightening economic sanctions and pursuing diplomatic measures with our allies and regional partners, the statement read.





We are engaging responsible members of the international community to increase pressure on the DPRK in order to convince the regime to de-escalate and return to the path of dialogue, the statement added, using North Koreas official name.

An administration official said Trump attended only the first five minutes of the meeting. He delivered opening remarks before handing it over to his national security team.

China welcomed the policy on Thursday, describing it as a positive development.

This latest move comes as tension soars on the Korean Peninsula following a series of missile launches by the North and warnings from the Trump administration that military action was an option on the table.

Al Jazeeras Kimberly Halkett, reporting from the White House, said a whole range of options were discussed including using leverage by China, North Koreas main trade partner.

Another option is putting North Korea on the US list of state sponsors of terrorism, she said.

Were told the priority is still the diplomatic option, trying to isolate North Korea economically, making it difficult for it to get components that may be needed for many of its military capabilities. But also on the table is the military option  the option that is less preferred, were told.

The briefing team was to meet House members in the Capitol later.

OPINION: Is war coming to North Korea?

In the past two weeks, Trump has ordered high-powered US military vessels, including an aircraft carrier, to the region in a show of force to deter North Korea from more nuclear and missile tests.

On Tuesday, North Korea conducted large-scale, live-fire artillery drills, witnessed by national leader Kim Jong-un, as a reminder of its conventional threat to US-allied South Korea.

And on Wednesday, South Korea started installing key parts of a contentious US missile defence system against North Korean missiles that also has sparked Chinese and Russian concerns.

Americas Pacific forces commander, Admiral Harry Harris Jr., told Congress on Wednesday the system would be operational within days. He said any North Korean missile fired at US forces would be destroyed.





If it flies, it will die, Harris said.

Testifying before the House Armed Services Committee, Harris said he expects North Korea, under Kims autocratic rule, to soon be able to develop a long-range missile capable of striking the United States, despite some spectacular failures in its ballistic missile programme.

One of these days soon, he will succeed, Harris said.

North Korea routinely accuses the United States of readying for an invasion, and threatens pre-emptive strikes to stop the US.

On Wednesday, North Koreas UN mission said it would react to a total war with the US with nuclear war. It said it would win in a death-defying struggle against the US imperialists.

China has been urging restraint by both Pyongyang and Washington.

China opposes the Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense system, or THAAD, being installed in South Korea.

The US says it will only target North Korean missiles, but China and Russia see the systems powerful radars as a security threat.
Brussels says Budapest undermines principle of academic freedom by targeting university funded by US philanthropist.

The European Commission has opened a legal case against Hungary over a new higher education law that threatens to shut down a Budapest university founded by US financier and liberal philanthropist George Soros.

The Commission, which upholds EU laws, said on Wednesday that it had sent a letter of formal notice to Budapest as a first step towards an infringement procedure.





The Hungarian authorities will now have one month to respond to the legal concerns, it said.

The move against the Central European University (CEU) is not the first time Hungary has targeted an organisation funded by Soros.

Prime Minister Viktor Orban  in power since 2010  has repeatedly clashed with NGOs sponsored by the philanthropist.

Orban dislikes the liberal and internationalist worldview Soros promotes through his organisations.

The CEU has stood as a bulwark of liberal thinking in Hungary and across eastern Europe since it opened in 1991 after the fall of Soviet-backed communism in the region.

Mass protests

Brussels, long exasperated by what it sees as Orbans authoritarian tendencies, believes the law, passed on April 4, undermines the principle of academic freedom and is incompatible with the European Unions democratic values.

The law has triggered mass street protests in Hungary in support of the CEU, but Orban says it is needed to prevent foreign universities from issuing dubious diplomas.

Michael Ignatieff, CEU president and the former head of Canadas Liberal Party, appealed to Brussels for help on Tuesday.

READ MORE: Why is Hungary trying to shut down a university?

EU politicians were set to debate the Hungarian situation in Brussels later on Wednesday and Orban was also due to take part.

Orban on Wednesday dismissed concerns about his countrys new higher education law.

While insisting that Hungary remains committed to the European project, Orban also launched another stinging attack on Soros, branding him an open enemy of the euro single currency who wants to open Europe to a million migrants a year.

We are not as big and powerful as you are, and not as big as powerful as George Soros, the American financial speculator attacking Hungary, Orban told MEPs in Brussels, defending his law.

READ MORE: Intellectuals criticise law targeting CEU university

The EUs scope to punish Hungary is limited, however, as this would require the unanimous backing of the 27 other member states. Orban can count on his nationalist-minded allies in the Polish government to oppose any harsh action.

The Commissions infringement procedures, which it can open when a member state violates EU laws, are a lengthy affair, but diplomats in Brussels hope Orban can be persuaded to seek a compromise.

I think the Hungarian government will try to find a deal. The style of the discussion may not be very elegant but there will be some sort of a compromise in the end most likely, one diplomat said.
Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp among apps temporarily banned by authorities in Indian-administered Kashmir.

Authorities in Indian-administered Kashmir have banned Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp after the Indian government said social media services were being misused by antinational and antisocial elements.

It is the first time the government has taken such a step, although it regularly blocks mobile internet signals in the Kashmir Valley.

Internet services were cut 28 times over the past five years, and in 2016 the Indian government blocked internet signals for five months.





Wednesdays block, a government order said, was in the interest of maintenance of public order.

The government hereby directs all internet service providers that any message  through the following social networking sites shall not be transmitted in Kashmir Valley with immediate effect for a period of one month or till further orders, whichever is earlier, the order read.

The sites and apps which will be inaccessible also include Wechat; QQ; Qzone; Google Plus; Skype; Line; Pinterest; Snapchat; YouTube; Vine and Flickr.

[The ban] is to control the political space. The government is trying to control things in a military way which is not going to help, Gull Mohammad Wani, a professor and political analyst, told Al Jazeera.

The government is claiming it has taken this step to calm the situation down. In the absence of social media, rumours can be more dangerous, as we have seen in the past.

Hundreds of student protesters have taken to the streets in recent weeks, many chanting anti-India slogans and throwing rocks at police.

The students were angered by a raid earlier this month on a college in the southern district of Pulwama, in which police tried to detain the alleged ringleaders of earlier protests.

READ MORE: Mirza Waheed  Violence will not end Kashmir conflict

Authorities claim social media sites are being used to to rally support against the Indian rule in Kashmir.

Locals, including students, and businesses have been heavily affected by the block.

It [the internet block] adds insult to injury, a university student told Al Jazeera.

It gives birth to some kind of resentment inside, that were being subjected to continuous pressure and things that we dont deserve.

Earlier this week, the leader of Jammu and Kashmir, the northern state that administers the area, held talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the developing crisis.

Indian-administered Kashmir has been tense since April 9, when police and paramilitaries killed at least eight people during by-election violence.

Local rebel leaders had called for a boycott of the vote, which was held to fill a vacant seat after a member of parliament resigned to protest against the killing of civilians during a sweeping security crackdown last year.

Voter turnout was 6.5 percent in the by-election, 26 percent lower than in the last elections held in 2014 and the lowest ever participation recorded in any election in the disputed territory, according to Shantmanu, the states chief electoral officer.

Eighty-five percent of my work depends on the internet, Taha Mughal, an architect, said. So all Ive been doing is practically moving from one place to another on foot  the old-fashioned way  to do the 15 percent. Its like Im in the 1930s.

Surge in violence

Kashmir witnessed deadly protests after a well-known separatist commander, Burhan Wani, was killed last year.

The violence has killed at least 84 civilians and wounded more than 12,000 civilians and security force personnel.

Neighbours India and Pakistan claim divided Kashmir in full, but govern separate parts. Two of the three wars they have fought since independence from Britain in 1947 have been over Kashmir.

Last September, tension escalated as armed men killed 19 Indian soldiers at an army camp in Kashmir, an attack India blamed on Pakistan-based fighters.

India accuses Pakistan of backing separatist fighters in the Himalayan region, a charge Pakistan denies.

With additional reporting by Showkat Shafi: @ShowkatShafi
French foreign minister says chemical analysis of samples from Khan Sheikhoun bears signature of Syria government.

France claims it has scientific proof that the Syrian government was responsible for a suspected chemical attack that killed 87 people earlier this month.

Foreign Minister Jean-March Ayrault said on Wednesday that chemical analysis of samples taken from the rebel-held village of Khan Sheikhoun bears the signature of President Bashar al-Assads government.

There is no doubt about the responsibility of the Syrian regime given the way that the sarin used was produced, Ayrault told journalists after presenting a report on findings at a meeting of French defence chiefs.

READ MORE: Syria gas attack  We found bodies all over the floor

He said the substance France believes was used in the attack contains hexamine, a component that was also found in a gas attack in northwest Syria in 2013.

We are now in a position to confirm that the sarin used on April 4 is the same sarin that was used in an attack in Saraqeb on April 29, 2013, he said.

Russia promptly denounced the French report, saying the samples and the fact the nerve agent was used are not enough to prove who was behind it.

Assad has repeatedly denied that his forces used chemical weapons and claimed that evidence of a poison gas attack was made up.

But Ayrault said France knows from sure sources that the manufacturing process of the sarin that was sampled is typical of the method developed in Syrian laboratories.

This method bears the signature of the regime and that is what allows us to establish its responsibility in this attack, he said, adding that France is working to bring those behind the criminal atrocities to international justice.





Ayrault also said that French intelligence services showed that only Syrian government forces could have launched such an attack by a bomber taking off from the Sharyat airbase.

The regimes air force  is the only one with these aerial capabilities, Ayrault said.

Speaking to reporters in Moscow, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russias position on the attack is unchanged and that that the only way to establish the truth about what happened near Idlib is an impartial international investigation.

The United States has also blamed Assads government for the April 4 attack in Khan Sheikhoun.

President Donald Trumps administration fired cruise missiles at a Syrian airbase in retaliation for the attack and issued sanctions on 271 people linked to the Syrian agency said to be responsible for producing non-conventional weapons.

Syria has strongly denied the accusations.
Reporters Without Borders warns of tipping point for press freedom in era of strongmen and propaganda.

Press freedom has never been as threatened as it is now, in the new post-truth era of fake news, strongmen and propaganda, Reporters Without Borders said.

Its annual World Press Freedom Index, published on Wednesday, warned of a tipping point for journalism.

Attacks on the media have become commonplace and strongmen are on the rise. We have reached the age of post-truth, propaganda, and suppression of freedoms  especially in democracies, the report said.

Media freedom has never been so threatened.

Syria, where a bloody civil war has entered its sixth year, was the deadliest country for journalists, according to the watchdog, known by its French initials RSF.

Recep Tayyip Erdogans Turkey, which has jailed 81 journalists after a failed coup attempt, and Abdel Fattah el-Sisis Egypt, where Al Jazeeras Mahmoud Hussein has been detained, were branded the worlds biggest prisons for journalists.

Hussein is awaiting trial on charges of spreading false news, a charge Al Jazeera denies.

READ MORE: How to fight fake news in a post-truth environment

Also in several democracies, nothing seems to be checking the erosion of liberty of the press, RSF said.

It blamed the continuing fall to an obsession with surveillance and violations of the right to confidentiality of sources.

These include the US and Britain, which both slipped two places in the index to 43rd and 40th.

The report also warned of the highly toxic media-bashing of US President Donald Trumps election campaign and Britains Brexit referendum, saying this has pushed the world into a new era of post-truth, disinformation and fake news.

RSF Secretary General Christophe Deloire said: The rate at which democracies are approaching the tipping point is alarming for all those who understand that, if media freedom is not secure, then none of the other freedoms can be guaranteed.

Where will this downward spiral take us? he asked.

In the past year nearly two thirds of the countries had registered a deterioration in their situation, while the number of countries where the media freedom situation was good or fairly good fell by more than two percent, the report found.

Media freedom has retreated wherever the authoritarian strongman model has triumphed, the report went on.

Turkey swung over into the authoritarian regime camp after the failed coup against President Erdogan in July, it said, adding that it now distinguishes itself as the worlds biggest prison for media professionals.

Seven places ahead of Turkey, Vladimir Putins Russia remains firmly entrenched in the bottom fifth of the index, in 148th place, it added.

Liberty of the press is in peril or in a very serious situation in 72 countries, including Russia, India and China, the report found.

Norway came out top of the index with the worlds freest media.

North Korea took bottom place from another repressive closed state, Eritrea, which has propped up the table for a decade.

North Korea continues to keep its population in ignorance and terror, RSF said. Even listening to a foreign radio broadcast can lead to a spell in a concentration camp.
US ambassador to UN urges Security Council to impose sanctions on South Sudan to end humanitarian crisis caused by war.

The United States has condemned South Sudans President Salva Kiir for the states man-made famine and ongoing conflict, urging him to fulfil a month-old pledge of a unilateral truce by ordering his troops back to their barracks.

We must see a sign that progress is possible, US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley told a United Nations Security Council (UNSC) briefing on South Sudan on Tuesday. We must see that ceasefire implemented.

South Sudan descended into civil war in 2013 after Kiir fired his deputy, unleashing a conflict that has spawned armed factions often following ethnic lines. A peace deal signed in August 2015 has not stopped the fighting.

UN South Sudan envoy David Shearer told the Security Council, The political process in South Sudan is not dead, however, it requires significant resuscitation.

The United Nations has warned of a possible genocide, millions have fled their homes, the oil-producing economy is in a tailspin, crop harvests are devastated because of the worst drought in years and millions face famine.

Some 7.5 million people, two-thirds of the population, require humanitarian assistance.

Around 1.6 million people have fled the country, while a further 1.9 million are displaced internally.

The famine in South Sudan is man-made. It is the result of ongoing conflict in that country. It is the result of an apparent campaign against the civilian population. It is the result of killing humanitarian workers, Haley said.

She also blasted deadlock among UNSC members on how to deal with the civil war in the country that gained independence from Sudan in 2011.

Haley said Kiir and his government were benefiting from the councils division. She urged the council to impose further targeted sanctions and an arms embargo on South Sudan.

Youre allowing President Kiir to continue to do what hes doing, she said. If you truly care for the people of South Sudan, then we must tell the South Sudanese government that we are not going to put up with this anymore.

The 15-member Security Council failed in December to get nine votes to adopt a US-drafted resolution to impose an arms embargo and further sanctions on South Sudan despite warnings by UN officials of a possible genocide.

Eight council members, including Russia and China, abstained in the vote.

Deputy Russian UN Ambassador Petr Ilichev told the council that it was unfair to lay all blame on Kiirs troops for the violence and that Moscow opposed additional sanctions.

Sound peace in South Sudan will not be brought about by a Security Council arms embargo, but rather by targeted measures to disarm civilians, as well as demobilise and reintegrate combatants, he said.
Judge says US government cannot punish jurisdictions that do not cooperate with immigration authorities.

A US judge has blocked President Donald Trumps executive order that sought to withhold federal funds from so-called sanctuary cities, dealing another legal blow to the administrations efforts to toughen immigration enforcement.

US District Judge William Orrick in San Francisco issued the preliminary injunction in two lawsuits on Tuesday  one brought by the city of San Francisco, the other by Santa Clara County  saying the president has no authority to attach new conditions to federal spending.

The injunction will stay in place while the lawsuits work their way through court.

White House chief of staff Reince Priebus said the ruling was the 9th Circuit going bananas, referring to the judicial district where the ruling was issued.

The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals previously ruled against President Donald Trumps ban on travellers from several Muslim countries.

Were taking action to appeal this, Priebus told reporters of the sanctuary city decision.

Judge Orrick said Trump cannot set new conditions for the federal grants at stake. And even if he could, the conditions would have to be clearly related to the funds at issue and not coercive, the judge said.

Federal funding that bears no meaningful relationship to immigration enforcement cannot be threatened merely because a jurisdiction chooses an immigration enforcement strategy of which the president disapproves, the judge said.

READ MORE: Can New York remain a sanctuary city?

Trumps January executive order on immigration ordered the Department of Homeland Security and justice department to block cities who do not cooperate with federal immigration enforcement from receiving federal funds.

Hundreds of cities, counties and states have been categorised as sanctuary jurisdictions in unofficial tallies, including the entire states of California, Connecticut, New Mexico and Colorado.





Supporters of the sanctuary policy argue that enlisting police cooperation in rounding up immigrants for removal undermines communities trust in local police, particularly among Latinos.

The Trump administration contends that local authorities endanger public safety when they decline to hand over for deportation undocumented immigrants arrested for crimes.

San Francisco City Attorney Dennis Herrera praised the ruling on Tuesday and said the president was forced to back down.

This is why we have courts  to halt the overreach of a president and an attorney general who either dont understand the Constitution or chose to ignore it, Herrera said in a statement.

Santa Clara County Counsel James Williams said the ruling will allow cities and counties across the country to prepare budgets without the unconstitutional threat of federal defunding hanging over our heads.

Santa Clara County sued in February, saying Trumps order was unconstitutional. San Francisco filed a similar lawsuit.

READ MORE: What happens during a deportation raid in the US?

The US Department of Justice threatened last week to cut some funding to California, as well as eight cities and counties across the United States.

The department singled out Chicago and New York as two cities crumbling under the weight of illegal immigration and violent crime, even though New York City is experiencing its lowest crime levels in decades and experts say Chicagos recent spike in violent crime has little to do with illegal immigration.

Santa Clara County receives about $1.7bn in federal and federally dependent funds annually, about 35 percent of its total revenues.

The county argued it was owed millions of dollars in federal funding every day and that its budgetary planning process had been thrown into disarray by the order.

The justice department said the counties had taken an overly broad interpretation of the presidents order, which it said would affect only justice department and homeland security funds, a fraction of the grant money received by the counties.

In his ruling, Orrick said the language of the order made it clear it sought to withhold funds beyond law enforcement.

And if there was doubt about the scope of the order, the president and attorney general have erased it with their public comments, Orrick wrote.

The judge cited comments from Trump calling the order a weapon to use against jurisdictions that disagree with his immigration policies.

Federal funding that bears no meaningful relationship to immigration enforcement cannot be threatened merely because a jurisdiction chooses an immigration enforcement strategy of which the president disapproves, Orrick wrote.

The sanctuary city order was among several immigration measures Trump has signed since taking office in January, including the currently blocked ban on travellers from seven Muslim-majority countries and a directive calling for a wall on the Mexican border.
Review could upend protections and restrictions on millions of acres of land designated as national monuments.

After moving to roll back climate change protections, US President Donald Trump is turning his sights on Americas vast nature preserves, with a view to possibly lifting federal protections brought in over the past two decades.

Trump is expected to sign an executive order on Wednesday reviewing the designation of tens of millions of acres of land as national monuments under a 1906 law known as the Antiquities Act, which was brought in by president Theodore Roosevelt to conserve Americas natural heritage.

The review could upend protections and restrictions on how the lands are used.

National monument land has come to be synonomous with a bar to drilling for fossil fuels on public land, or other commercial activities.

OPINION: The Earth versus capitalism

The aim of Trumps review is to give states and local communities a meaningful voice in the process, said Ryan Zinke, interior secretary, whose department oversees federal land use under the motto Protecting Americas Great Outdoors and Powering Our Future.

Zinke said the outcome of the review was not preordained. His department is to provide an interim report in 45 days, then a fuller one in 120 days.

But the review could set the scene for fierce legal challenges.

While Republicans in Utah and other states are keen to lift protections they see as too expansive and undermining economic opportunities, environmental groups and Native Americans are deeply opposed.

National monuments

In the past, areas tagged as national monuments were later transformed by Congress into fully fledged National Parks  the Grand Canyon and Death Valley among them.





Since the Act came into force more than a century ago, only three presidents  all Republicans  did not use its powers: Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan, and George H. W. Bush.

Barack Obama had millions of hectares classified under the act during his presidency, including maritime zones, especially in the Pacific.

Under Trumps review, only monuments of 40,000 hectares or more will be examined.

A key area will be the Bears Ears National Monument, a 530,000-hectare zone in Utah that Obama designated as a national monument in 2016.

Another will be the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, also in Utah  a spectacular tract of canyons, ridges and a river  designated by Bill Clinton in 1996.

OPINION: Solutions for tumultuous times

The Republican senator for Utah, Orrin Hatch, has railed against the national monument decisions made in Washington, saying his state should have more say over how the land is protected.

In a Washington Post opinion piece, Hatch said Obama ignored the best interests of Utah and cast aside the will of the people  all in favour of a unilateral approach meant to satisfy the demands of far-left interest groups.

Other presidents, too, went too far, Hatch opined, adding that Trump stands ready to undo the harm brought about by their overreach.

Trump will also sign an executive order on Friday to instigate a review of the locations available for offshore oil and gas exploration. It will also order a review of certain regulations governing offshore operations, reported the AP news agency.

Last month Trump had also declared the end of a war on coal as he signed an energy independence executive order to review some of Obamas climate legacy, declaring an end to job-killing regulations.

In a maiden trip to the Environmental Protection Agency in March, he ordered a review of emission limits for coal-fired power plants and eased restrictions on federal leasing for coal production.

A coalition of 23 US states and local governments vowed to fight the order in court.

Public resistance

But Martin Heinrich, a Democratic Party senator for New Mexico, said that if Trump truly wants to make America great again, he should use the Antiquities Act to protect and conserve Americas public lands.

In New Mexico, Obamas designation of Rio Grande del Norte National Monument and Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument have preserved important lands while boosting the economy, Heinrich said, a story that has been repeated across the country.





If this sweeping review is an excuse to cut out the public and scale back protections, I think this president is going to find a very resistant public, Heinrich told AP news agency.

Recent polls have shown strong support for national parks and monuments, said Christy Goldfuss, who directed the White House Council on Environmental Quality under Obama.

Kristina Waggoner, vice president of the Boulder-Escalante Chamber of Commerce in Utah, said businesses near the Grand Staircase-Escalante monument in southern Utah are booming, driven by sharp increases in tourism since the area was designated in 1996 by President Bill Clinton.

Im here today to support the monument and my three-year-old son, Waggoner said in a conference call with reporters organised by a pro-Obama group. Once our land is gone, its gone for ever.
Suspension follows arrests targeting alleged network of US-based cleric blamed by Turkey for failed coup attempt.

Turkey has temporarily suspended more than 9,000 personnel from the countrys police force while they are investigated for suspected links to US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, the countrys state-run news agency said.

Anadolu Agency said that police personnel were removed from duty on Wednesday, hours after Turkey launched nationwide operations, detaining more than a thousand people with alleged ties to Gulens movement which Turkey blames for orchestrating a failed coup in July.

The operation was launched in all of Turkeys 81 provinces and targeted the networks structure in the police force.

Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu described the arrests as an important step towards the governments aim at bringing down the Gulen movement.

READ MORE: Turkeys failed coup attempt  All you need to know

The operations were carried out as part of a probe led by the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutors Office, Anadolou Agency reported, adding that a nationwide hunt for more suspects continued.

Authorities have arrested more than 47,000 people since the failed coup, Turkeys interior minister said, including some 10,700 police officers and 7,400 military personnel, and sacked or suspended 120,000 others from a wide range of professions including soldiers, police, teachers and public servants, over alleged links with what Turkeys government deems to be terrorist groups.





The latest arrests come ten days after a tightly contested referendum approved the expansion of presidential powers, according to preliminary results.

The referendum bitterly divided Turkey. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan argues that strengthening the presidency will avert instability associated with coalition governments, at a time when Turkey also faces security threats from armed groups, including the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) and the Kurdish PKK.

But his critics fear a drift into authoritarianism, with a leader they see as bent on eroding modern Turkeys democracy and creating one-man rule.

Mass detentions immediately after the attempted coup were supported by many Turks, who agreed with Erdogan when he blamed Gulen for orchestrating the coup, which killed at least 240 people, mostly civilians. But criticism mounted as the arrests widened.

Gulen has denied orchestrating the coup attempt.
Foreign minister says government will leave regional bloc in response to its handling of Venezuelas political crisis.

Venezuela has said it will withdraw from the Organization of American States in reaction to pressure from the bloc over the governments handling of the countrys political crisis.

Foreign Minister Delcy Rodriguez said the government would launch a two-year process to pull out of the Washington-based regional diplomatic grouping that it has been a member of for more than 65 years.

Tomorrow, as President Nicolas Maduro has instructed, we will present a letter of complaint to the OAS and we will begin a process that will take 24 months, she said in a televised address on Wednesday.

Rodriguez said Maduros administration has been forced to counter what it sees as an attempt by the OAS and conservative regional governments to topple Maduro.

The decision came a short while after envoys to the OAS approved a resolution convening a special meeting of regional foreign ministers to discuss Venezuelas crisis.

OAS Secretary General Luis Almagro has previously branded Maduro, an elected socialist, a dictator for stifling the opposition.

READ MORE: Venezuelas crisis, explained

The opposition, demanding that Maduro call early elections, have staged daily rallies for weeks.

So far this month, at least 28 people have been killed in political unrest. Several of them have been shot in anti-government protests that have erupted into clashes with riot police.

Protesters returned to the streets for another day of protests on Wednesday. Riot police fired tear gas as thousands tried to march to downtown Caracas.

The country is in the middle of a crippling economic crisis that has led to high food prices and a lack of basic goods.

Maduro says the economic crisis is due to a US-backed capitalist conspiracy.

Rodriguez branded the OAS an interventionist coalition led by Washington.

Venezuela will not take part in future in any activity or event where there is an intention to take a position of interventionism or interference, she said.
Court refuses to dismiss charges against Hichilema, who was arrested for allegedly blocking the presidents limousine.

A Zambian court refused a request to drop treason charges against Hakainde Hichilema, the main opposition leader, after he allegedly blocked the presidents motorcade earlier this month.

Wednesdays ruling comes after Hichilema, the United Party for National Development (UPND) leader and a self-made businessman, was arrested in a police raid at his home earlier this month.

He is accused of endangering President Edgar Lungus life when Hichilemas own convoy allegedly refused to give way to the presidential motorcade as both men travelled to a traditional event in Zambias western province.

Hichilema has been charged with trying to overthrow the government by unlawful means.

His lawyers had asked the court to throw out the treason charges, saying they were baseless.

But magistrate Greenwell Malumani said he did not have the power to dismiss the charges, which can only be handled by the High Court.

READ MORE: Zambia denies opposition leader barred access to lawyer

The case has stoked political tensions after the most recent contested elections.

Zambia was seen as one of southern Africas most stable countries until relations soured between the government and opposition in August, when President Lungus Patriotic Front party narrowly beat the UPND in elections marred by violence.

The opposition says the vote was rigged, but Hichilema has so far failed to successfully challenge the legality of the result.

The Non-Governmental Organizations Coordinating Council, an umbrella body of Zambian action groups, has condemned the charges against Hichilema.

Arresting opposition leaders on trumped-up charges is a recipe to heighten tension in an already volatile economic and political environment, its chairwoman, Sara Longwe, said.
A rare and exclusive insight into an Iranian Kurdish political party and paramilitary group in exile in northern Iraq.

Filmmakers: Salam Hindawi, Ali Kishk and Fathi Gaouadi

There are large Kurdish communities in Turkey, Syria, Iraq and parts of Iran. Many among them aspire to an independent Kurdish state. But while the Turkish, Syrian and Iraqi Kurds are often in the news, much less is known about Irans seven million or so Kurds.

Return to Arms: Hadaka is a rare and exclusive insight into an Iranian Kurdish political party in exile in northern Iraq which has recently renewed its military activity. In this film, Al Jazeera Arabic correspondent Salam Hindawi gains access to the little-known but long-established Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan  or Hadaka, to use its Kurdish name.

Hadaka was founded in 1945 and is a left-wing group that wants Kurdish self-determination in Iran. In 1946, it briefly created a Kurdish republic in the western Iranian city of Mahabad, but when this was overturned a year later, Hadaka almost disappeared as a political entity. However, it managed to survive and was reorganised in the 1960s. It took part in the Iranian revolution in 1979, but Ayatollah Khomeini refused Kurdish demands, suppressed Kurdish political parties and forced Hadaka into exile.

The Iranian regime is a bloody one so our voice may become effective to lead to a popular uprising. by Mohammed Nazif Qaderi, Hadaka, senior party member

It waged a periodic guerilla war against Iran from bases in northern Iraq for 17 years but agreed to suspend its military activity in 1996.

In 2015, a 25-year-old Kurdish woman, Farinaz Khosravani, was allegedly raped by a member of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard. She committed suicide and her death struck a nerve among the Iranian Kurdish community of Mahabad.

Mass protests erupted and the government reacted by executing an alleged 84 of its supporters and arresting dozens more.

As a result, Hadaka announced it was reviving its armed struggle early in 2016.

Hadaka says recruitment is a challenge in practical terms and bringing volunteers from Iran across the border into northern Iraq has its risks.

Senior party member Mohammed Nazif Qaderi says: Our strength is drawn from the Kurds and other Iranian ethnicities  Turkish, Balug, Arab and Turkmen. People striving for democracy in Iran support us  The Iranian regime is a bloody one, so our voice may become effective to lead to a popular uprising.

The partys leader, Secretary-General Mustafa Hijri, goes further: The Iranian regime is weak, contrary to what it pretends. Its involved in action on many fronts, like Iraq, Yemen and Syria. Internally, the regime is facing discontent from the Iranian people.

Asked whether Hadaka would combine with other groups opposed to the Iranian government, Hijri says: Were ready to cooperate with any political force that wants to help us achieve our goals against the Islamic Republic of Iran  Our aim is to form a federal democratic Iranian government in which all ethnicities in Iran will have autonomy.





According to Hijri, his organisation has not received any assistance from any countries hostile to the Iranian government, but Tehran counters that Hadaka is implementing a foreign agenda.

We have information and evidence that Takfiri groups in the north of Iraq and on our border region are active, explains Husein Kanaani, a former general with the Iranian Revolutionary Guard. They are supported by some Arab countries like Saudi Arabia. There are also Sunni Kurdish groups that are given arms, financial and political support by the Saudi government.

Kanaani dismisses Hadakas threat to Iranian security: Theyre more of an annoyance along our borders.

A 58-page Amnesty International report in 2008 detailed long-standing discrimination against the Kurds in Iran. Al Jazeeras Salam Hindawi also met Hadaka members who seemed deeply committed to their cause. But it remains to be seen whether they can persuade significant numbers of Iranian Kurds to support them in their renewed military action on the border between Iran and Iraq  to achieve their longer-term aim of self-determination.
A fascinating look at how young North Korean actors are trained in the arts of state propaganda.

In 2010, Al Jazeeras 101 East strand gained remarkable access to North Koreas elite screen academy.

It was where young actors were being trained in how best to extol the communist virtues of their country and their then Dear Leader, Kim Jong-il.

The film was a fascinating insight into the workings of the secretive states propaganda industry.

Filmmakers Lynn Lee and James Leong spoke to REWIND about what it was like to be the first foreigners to film inside Pyongyangs University of Cinematic and Dramatic Arts.

Before going there you think everyone is brainwashed, everyone is going to have to put up a certain performance, Lee told REWIND of her experience in North Korea. And then you see that they are actually real kids as well. So youre always wondering, are you memorising something or are you being yourself?

Since 2010, Lee and Leong have not been granted permission to follow up with some of the students they interviewed for the film. It might be an indication that North Korea has become even more closed off under Kim Jong-ils son, Kim Jong-un. It seems like he is tightening up on things and trying to assert himself, Leong said. The fact that we cant get in to follow up says something.










English News Belt and Road initiative brings Chinese, Kazakh car makers win-win cooperation

Alwihda Info | Par peoplesdaily - 26 Avril 2017



The automobile factory of JAC, located at Allurs Saryarka plant in the northern city of Kostanay, is not only an early-harvest project of China-Kazakhstan production capacity cooperation, but the only auto project among the Central Asian countrys 32 investment portfolios to revitalize its industry.

By Ma Xiaoning, Zhou Hanbo, Xie Yahong, Liu Junguo from Peoples Daily China and Kazakhstan have deepened their cooperation under the framework of the China-led Belt and Road initiative. The win-win collaboration between Kazakhstans largest car manufacturer Allur Group and China-based JAC Motors is a proof of the initiatives fruits.



The automobile factory of JAC, located at Allurs Saryarka plant in the northern city of Kostanay, is not only an early-harvest project of China-Kazakhstan production capacity cooperation, but the only auto project among the Central Asian countrys 32 investment portfolios to revitalize its industry.



Angelina Sineva, press secretary of Allur Group, told the Peoples Daily during a visit to the Saryarka plant that as Kazakhstan is expected to host the Expo 2017 in capital Astana, her company has submitted an application to the organizer in the hope that a taxi fleet composed of JAC pure-electric cars will be set up to serve the event.



She explained that the decision aims to take the expo as a platform to publicize the use of new energy cars in Kazakhstan. The billboards of the 2017 event themed "Future Energy" as well as JAC cars can be found on the way from airport to the car plant.



The JAC electric cars assembled by Allur are the only home-made ones of Kazakhstan. The eye-catching JAC iEV5 models in assembly plant have been printed with the logo of Expo 2017.



Workshop director Oleg Komissarov said that Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev, during a visit to the plant in September 2016, hailed the performance of the locally assembled JAC pure-electric cars after a test drive.



The less-noisy, environment-friendly and cost-effective car is ideal choice for urban residents since its cost is only about one third of gasoline-fueled vehicles, Komissarov pointed out, adding that the model can be charged in as short as two hours.



Electric car, a future trend of the automobile industry, is high on Kazakh governments agenda, the director said, believing that more JAC cars will be liked by tourists and run in the country with abundant tourism resources.



When asked about a thumb-up logo on the windshield, Komissarov explained that it represents the recognition by the local public and industry insiders for the car brand and its high-quality product.



Apart from electric vehicles, Allur and JAC are also cooperating on other models. The S3 and S5 series can be found on the streets of the country as well.

The Chinese maker registered over 500 percent year-on-year increase in its 2016 sales in Kazakhstan.



Anton Bykovskiy, JAC brand manager of Allur, told the Peoples Daily that only five to six of more than 1,200 employees working in the plant are sent by JAC headquarters to provide technical training, while the rest are local residents.



The chief of Allur is now in China to discuss cooperation with China National Machinery Import and Export Corporation (CMC), the manager said, expounding that the deal will enable the automaker to boost its scale and capability to produce Chinese brands by purchasing more equipment from China.



Sineva added that as of the end of this year, the company would be able to assemble and produce S3 series in Kazakhstan.



With a considerable output, Chinas electric cars now have better endurance power than their European counterparts, Bykovskiy praised, but stressed that its car-making industry has developed the ability of independent research and development after the introduction of foreign brands in previous years.



He added that Chinas development course can offer enlightenment to Kazakhstan. We hope to reproduce Chinas success, and learn from Chinas management in a bid to secure success in bigger markets, the manager said.



The cooperation between Chinese and Kazakh car makers is a win-win choice. Kazakhstan, with geographic advantages endowed by location in the hinterland of Eurasian continent, is an ideal test field for Chinese manufacturers to expand in the overseas market, Bykovskiy illustrated.



He continued that the Chinese markers will access Commonwealth of Independent States as well as the vast EU markets after entering Kazakh territory.



Kazakhstan, Russia, Belarus and other Eurasian Economic Union members agreed previously that finished cars with over 50 percent produced domestically can be allowed duty-free access to each others market.



Huang Qianli, vice president of China National Vehicle Import and Export Company under CMC, told the Peoples Daily that thanks to the emphasis placed by the two governments on the Belt and Road initiative, it is the right time to deepen and stretch bilateral cooperation.



The company plans to introduce more qualified Chinese car brands to Kazakhstan, while at the same time giving a boost to the homegrown brands of the Central Asian nation, Huang said.



Analysts believed that as Chinese and Kazakh auto industries consolidate their cooperation, more Chinese brands will show up in the Central Asian country, while more native-born local brands will emerge as well.



Pic:

Oleg Komissarov, workshop director of Allur Groups JAC plant, demonstrates how to charge the JAC pure-electric cars. (Photo by Zhou Hanbo from Peoples Daily)



Dans la meme rubrique : < > Yunnan dispatches sci-tech experts to South Asia, Southeast Asia, builds bridge of int'l technological cooperation China's Beidou reaches world-leading level: white paper Silk Road e-commerce promotes trade among Belt and Road countries Pour toute information, contactez-nous au : +(235) 99267667 ; 62883277 ; 66267667 (Bureau N'Djamena)










English News Belt and Road initiative fuels prosperity of Gwadar port

Alwihda Info | Par peoplesdaily - 26 Avril 2017



When a Chinese company took over the operations of the port in 2013 from the Pakistani government, an 836-square-kilometer parcel of land was valued at 500,000 Pakistani rupees ($4,906.77). The value of the same land area has soared 15 times to 7.5 million rupees, said Muhammad Taimour Muzaffar Chaychi, a Pakistani real estate businessman.

By Yang Xun, Meng Xianglin, Huan Xiang, Xu Wei from Peoples Daily Thanks to stronger cooperation between China and Pakistan under the framework of the China-led Belt and Road initiative, the Gwadar port, previously a poorly-known port town, has shown new vitality.



The first adventurers of the British East India Company described Gwadar, literally meaning the valley of wind in Urdu, as rugged and moldy.



Decades later, China-Pakistan ties have injected vitality into the port. Locals have hailed it as a new hope for the nation.



The Gwadar port was first selected as a flagship project of bilateral cooperation under the Belt and Road initiative by Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Pakistani counterpart Mamnoon Hussain when the latter visited China in February 2014.



During Xis historic visit to Pakistan the following year, the two heads of state listed the port as a pillar of their "1+4" cooperation structure, which means both countries will make the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor as the center, and the Gwadar port, transport infrastructure, energy and industrial cooperation as four key areas to achieve a win-win result and common development.



Babu Gulab, chairman of the Gwadar District Council, recalled the moment when both sides signed the deal two years ago.



You cannot imagine how excited I was at that time. President Xi is a far-sighted leader, he said, explaining that others vision may cover several years, but Xis horizon can reach decades or even a century.



The port is now making headway according to the roadmap drawn by Xi, and as a key part of the Belt and Road initiative, its benefits will extend not only to Chinese and Pakistani citizens but also to people in the whole region, Gulab said.



In 2013, local residents could only live on fishing. Every week, there was only one flight from the port to Karachi.



The bilateral cooperation has led to major changes. More people now travel to the area through daily flights, which are fully booked.

Pakistanis told the Peoples Daily on a flight to the port that more citizens now rush to the area for business opportunities, and joked that the port can be seen as Chinas Xiongan, a newly-established area in Hebei Province with a promising potential.



When a Chinese company took over the operations of the port in 2013 from the Pakistani government, an 836-square-kilometer parcel of land was valued at 500,000 Pakistani rupees ($4,906.77). The value of the same land area has soared 15 times to 7.5 million rupees, said Muhammad Taimour Muzaffar Chaychi, a Pakistani real estate businessman.



Such changes can be attributed to the bullish attitude towards the ports prospects, he explained.



If the current construction pace is maintained, the port will transform every three months, Hu Yaozong, deputy general manager of the Gwadar Free Zone Company, told the Peoples Daily.



He added that the frequent inspections from businessmen, launches of new projects and new ideas have turned the little fishing village into a global hub and investment haven.



China Overseas Ports Holding Company Ltd.(COPHC) has restored water and power supply as well as the machinery, warehouse and supervision system, and opened flights to China, the Middle East and Africa.



As of 2016, the port has dealt with containers, bulk cargo and ro-ro cargo.



Zhang Baozhong, chairman and CEO of COPHC, told the Peoples Daily that compared to other conventional projects, the port is a systematic one covering not only operations, but also the development of the free zone.



We hope to create a new economic development model for the port by transplanting Chinas experience in building special zones or economic development areas to Pakistan, in a bid to drive the countrys industrial transformation, he said.



The Gwadar free zone will be an exemplary community, Zhang added.



Thanks to improved facilities, the port has become a magnet for business investment. International airports, vocational training centers, modern hospitals, a coal-fired power plant with 300,000 kilowatts of installed capacity, and a desalinization plant that can process 5 million gallon waters each day have been set up on the port.



These investments have improved the locals lives and diversified the ports industrial structure.



Our life has undergone major changes since the Chinese company came here, a local fisherman said.



The residents are the primary beneficiaries of the accelerated construction of the Gwadar port. COPHC said it had guaranteed income for local residents.



To this end, the company not only encouraged a closer cooperation between fishermen and the processing businesses, but also offered training to the fishermen.



Chinas Red Cross Foundation is now constructing a first aid center on the port. When completed in May, Chinese doctors will be sent to help local patients.



Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Sun Weidong was impressed by a local old man named Shair Mohammad. Learning that China would donate a school for local students, the 65-year-old man contributed his 752-square-kilometer land.



The Faqeer primary school sits on the donated land.



But Mohammads 10-member family is not wealthy. His relatives persuaded him to give up the plan given the soaring land prices, but he insisted on doing it, saying that education is the top priority of Pakistan, and what the Chinese company did is reliable.



Naseem Baloch, one of the old mans sons, said his father recognizes the significance of the Belt and Road and the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, and believes Xi is a far-sighted leader with a broad horizon.



Pic:

Gwadar Port. (Photo by Meng Xianglin from Peoples Daily)



Dans la meme rubrique : < > Yunnan dispatches sci-tech experts to South Asia, Southeast Asia, builds bridge of int'l technological cooperation China's Beidou reaches world-leading level: white paper Silk Road e-commerce promotes trade among Belt and Road countries Pour toute information, contactez-nous au : +(235) 99267667 ; 62883277 ; 66267667 (Bureau N'Djamena)










English News China-invested bitumen plant in Kazakhstan benefits local residents

Alwihda Info | Par peoplesdaily - 26 Avril 2017



Before 2014, nearly 90 percent of bitumen in Kazakhstan was imported. Thanks to the Belt and Road initiative, the countrys vision to foster its own petrochemical processing industry has realized.

By Ma Xiaoning, Zhou Hanbo, Xie Yahong and Liu Junguo from Peoples Daily Thanks to its cooperation with China under the framework of Belt and Road initiative, Kazakhstans dream to develop its own petrochemical processing industry has come true. After establishing Aktau asphalt plant, the largest direct investment project in non-resource sectors between the two countries, the Central Asian nation is no longer dependent on asphalt imports.



Co-invested by KazMunayGas and China's CITIC Group, the plant is Kazakhstans first modern oil processing company, which has brought considerable benefits to local residents.



Though oil-rich, Kazakhstan sees a relatively backward oil refining industry, with many downstream petrochemical products relying on imports for a long time.



Before 2014, nearly 90 percent of bitumen in Kazakhstan was imported. Thanks to the Belt and Road initiative, the countrys vision to foster its own petrochemical processing industry has realized.



The plant was put into production three months after Chinese President Xi Jinping concluded his historic visit to Central Asia in September 2013.



Before kicking off his visit, Xi told a Kazakh media that China and Kazakhstan should enhance cooperation in non-resource sectors such as chemical industry.



Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev, when announcing the operation of the plant via video connection, expressed his gratitude to Chinese enterprises, saying that Kazakhstan is finally able to construct its roads independently. On a following inspection tour to the plant, the president even compared the bitumen plant to his own child.



The plant has not only satisfied domestic demand, this year it started to export bitumen to Uzbekistan, 63-year-old manufacturing technician Groba told the Peoples Daily with pride.



Groba added that no disqualification has been reported in environmental inspections over the past three years, as the environmental standard of Kazakhstan is much stricter than that of the EU.



Zhou Hanzhang, chief mechanic of the plant, said the plants technologies and equipment are both imported from China, with qualities above international standards.



CITIC Group, when investing in Kazakhstan, has been following Xis requirements on international cooperation in production capacity.



China will promote international production capacity cooperation, offer high-quality, advanced and environmental-friendly production capacity and technologies to help its partners optimize industrial distribution and raise industrialization, Xi said.



The plant has not only enabled me to live a descent life but also provided jobs to over 200 citizens near its location, said Groba. As a larger number of locals are indirectly working for the plant, it has become a star among the joint ventures in Aktau.



Wang Fuhua, engineer-in-chief of the instrument system, said that his workmates and he are all known to the locals, who will always express their willingness to apply for jobs at the factory. We feel very proud to work here, Wang said.



Abizhanov, director of the product and material workshop, said that he hopes his daughter to learn at China University of Petroleum in the future where she can not only get specialized knowledge but also learn Chinese language. Abizhanovs daughter is currently studying petrochemical engineering in Minsk, capital of Belarus.



With the accelerated construction of the Silk Road Economic Belt, China will increase (its) investment in Kazakhstan. Given such background, she will embrace a better career prospect if mastering Chinese, Abizhanov added.



Dispatcher Aman said that he wants to build high-quality roads for his motherland. Aman graduated from China University of Petroleum in Qingdao, Shandong Province and was impressed by the wide and smooth pavements at the school.



After Kazakhstan's Bright Road new economic policy aligns with Chinas Belt and Road initiative, there will be larger demand for high quality bitumen, he added.



As the largest and most professional bitumen manufacturer in Kazakhstan, the plant will not only help build the nations bright pathway with domestically produced bitumen, but also pave a bright pathway for my future career, Aman is confident about the future.



Pic: Chinese and Kazakh administrative staffs discuss operation of the Aktau bitumen plant, which is the largest joint venture in non-resource sectors between China and Kazakhstan. (Photo by Zhou Hanbo from Peoples Daily)



Dans la meme rubrique : < > Yunnan dispatches sci-tech experts to South Asia, Southeast Asia, builds bridge of int'l technological cooperation China's Beidou reaches world-leading level: white paper Silk Road e-commerce promotes trade among Belt and Road countries Pour toute information, contactez-nous au : +(235) 99267667 ; 62883277 ; 66267667 (Bureau N'Djamena)










English News Local governments devotion to Belt and Road initiative accelerates overseas business expansion

Alwihda Info | Par peoplesdaily - 26 Avril 2017



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.

By Wu Yan, Xing Xue and Zhang Guangzheng from Peoples Daily 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.



Pic: A Great Stone stands at the entrance of China-Belarus Industrial Park. Cooperation with China is high on Belarus agenda, which indicates that the country vows to build the park into a cornerstone of bilateral cooperation. (Photo by Qu Song from Peoples Daily)



Dans la meme rubrique : < > Yunnan dispatches sci-tech experts to South Asia, Southeast Asia, builds bridge of int'l technological cooperation China's Beidou reaches world-leading level: white paper Silk Road e-commerce promotes trade among Belt and Road countries Pour toute information, contactez-nous au : +(235) 99267667 ; 62883277 ; 66267667 (Bureau N'Djamena)
The French voted on Sunday to elect their president and their verdict came like a thunderbolt, marking their desire to turn the page on their big traditional parties .

The two candidates to go into a run-off in a fortnight are Emmanuel Macron - the globalist candidate who claims to represent both the right and left, and Marine Le Pen, the nationalist candidate who refuses to be defined by right or left.

With the nominal conservative, Francois Fillon defeated, it was the first time in the history of the Fifth Republic instituted by Charles de Gaulle that a large right-wing party was not represented.

But the real bombshell occurred when Fillon announced he would vote for Macron, moments after the results were out. He cited the fight against the extremist course that Le Pen represented as his motivation.

The man who, not so long ago, mockingly called Macron "Emmanuel Hollande or Hollandes towel holder, was asking now for his his fans to rally behind him? In doing so, Fillon also revealed his true colors and proved he was, in fact, a globalist, even though his version of globalism was softer than Macrons and could have represented a real alternative to Le Pen, had the establishment not mounted a defamation campaign against him.

In the "Les Republicains camp, Alain Juppe (Fillons defeated rival at the primary) and Francois Baroin, his presumptive prime minister, also rallied for Macron. The spokesman for Les Republicains said the political bureau was to meet to adopt a common position but that "not a voice should go to Le Pen."

It was the first time that the LR party departed from the line of neutrality it had set for itself, by taking sides in the second round.

Fillons decision to back Macron, to block the Front National did not sit well with some of his voters for whom Plan B had never been Macron, but Le Pen. First comments revealed that they felt betrayed and unlikely to follow Fillons voting instructions.

This was the case for George Fenech, a judge and member of Les Republicains party, who told journalists with irritation that of course he would never vote for Macron or instruct Fillons voters to do so. For how could he back a candidate that he had previously fought without losing all credibility? He also believed that such a wholesale transfer of votes to a rival party was a tactical mistake, a political suicide, for it meant for LR would cease to exist as an independent political entity, and would effectively merge into Macrons En Marche movement.

Fillons speed in backing his former competitor was especially shocking given the circumstances of his campaign. Fillon had been investigated for a claim of fake jobs that cost him his lead in the polls. He had counter-attacked and accused Hollande of dirty tricks against him to boost his protege Emmanuel Macron, even going so far as filing a claim with the Public Prosecutor for the President, a French office, to investigate the president.

In the camp of the old Left, political alliances also began to recompose as soon as the results were announced. Socialist Prime Minister Bernard Cazeneuve made a solemn appeal to vote for Macron to combat "regressive forces." The socialist mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, followed suit.

As for socialist party leader Benoit Hamon, despite his enmity toward Macron, and the latter's betrayal of the party, which he left six months before the campaign to run as an independent, he announced he was supporting Macron, who was a mere political rival while Marine Le Pen was an "enemy of the Republic.

Hollande himself made a solemn appearance on the following day to say he was voting for Macron. In a pathetic display of demagoguery, he lashed out at Le Pen who he claimed represented extremism, narrow parochialism and discrimination against a whole segment of the French citizens, based on their origin and religion.

All this political effervescence was captured in a humoristic show

In view of the outpouring of support from the traditional left and right for the candidate of La France en Marche, the gap separating him from the candidate of the Front National is likely to widen further.

Macron could conceivably embody "renewal" for voters with his youthful looks that get him likened to the ideal son-in-law, provided they are able to filter out his Rothschild candidate profile - a reference to the four years he spent at Rothschild & Cie Banque as a managing partner. Rothschild bankers are known as globalists and some believe that in case of a Le Pen victory, they would block all credit to France.

Le Pen does not miss an opportunity to say that Macron stands for unbridled globalization and a world without borders. When he was Minister of Economy and Industry, he sold Toulouse airport to the Chinese, and Alstom [a French multinational company in the rail transport industry] to General Electric.

Polls indicate that many French are reluctant to embrace globalization with open arms - especially in rural France where Le Pen has widespread support.

In the second round of the election, the key topic of globalization and the EU, euro-globalization as it is called in France, will be brought front and center in the political debate, which explains Le Pens declaration that the real debate would then finally begin.

She said she did not fear having Macron, that media creation, as her opponent. She repeatedly said he was the one she dreamed of confronting, for he represents her polar opposite and thus offers her an opportunity to showcase her program in the areas of terrorism, migrants, financial dictatorship, the EU and globalism.

Macron, on the other hand, does not have a defining theme that could mobilize his supporters. He distinguished himself during the campaign by the vacuousness of his speeches. He gave the impression of being a 'default' candidate, while Le Pen could count on a base of convinced fans.

Jean-Marie Le Pen, Marine Le Pen's father, interviewed on the BFM TV channel on election night, described Macron as a smiley but masked man, whose intentions were largely unknown.

In his message to his supporters that night, Macron positioned himself as the future president of all patriots facing the threat of nationalists." By introducing this specious distinction, he was laying claim to patriotism. He had been criticized as unpatriotic a few weeks ago for saying - while on a trip to Algeria - that French colonization had been a crime against humanity. He celebrated his victory at the Rotonde-Montparnasse with his wife Brigitte, friend and mentor Jacques Attali, and European MP Daniel Cohn-Benditt, all of them inveterate globalists.

Le Pen enjoyed another kind of treat - anti-fascist demonstrations," where nine were wounded, including six policemen, and 29 were arrested. They were likely financed by non-government organizations affiliated with the ubiquitous George Soros, who was reported to have invested in Google to step up its Fake News campaign designed to depress the vote of anti-globalist Le Pen. Soros has also invested 970,000 euros this year to thwart Frances counter-terrorism efforts, under the guise of defending "human rights."

Beyond the euphoria of the Lepenistes, the chance for Le Pen to win on May 7 is objectively slimmer than Macron's, unless the 21.75% of voters who abstained in the first round decide to come out and massively cast their ballots for her. True enough, her anti-globalization stance is shared by 50% of the French population, but a good segment of this potential electorate is sterilized as it perceives her as a racist and a xenophobe. The way forward in the rest of her campaign is, therefore, to focus more on the anti-globalization dimension of her program, and less on the migrant issue, in order to capture as much of that dormant electorate as possible.

Other than that, she might be able to tap into 33% of Francois Fillon's electorate, mainly from members of 'Sens Commun.' This is a movement which had opposed same-sex marriage back in 2013 and formed the last bastion of loyalists to Fillon during his judicial woes. There is no way they could identify with Macron's values and therefore, they are likely to switch to Le Pen or abstain from voting altogether. Moments ago, that movement, also called La Manif pour tous, because it had called people to take to the streets to protest same-sex marriage, asked supporters not to vote for Macron, the openly anti-family candidate. Meanwhile, on Royalists' Facebook pages (yes, France still has royalists), its adherents are also voicing opposition to a Macron vote, such as this one of the Prince of Orleans.

Other sympathizers go so far as to express a preference for Le Pen.

A reader of the conservative magazine Valeurs Actuelles wrote: We want a fighting party, with a warrior at the head. Not weather-vanes rotating in every direction .

Another denounced the patronizing approach of Fillon's call to vote for a designated candidate. "The best for him would have been, like Melenchon, to shut up and tell his voters to follow the promptings of their conscience. We are not children to be told what to do. He added that he would personally vote for Le Pen, and that five years of Hollande were quite enough without having to endure five more years under his spiritual heir.

As things stand now, two days after results came out, and depending on whom you pop the question to, only around one-third of former Fillonists are saying they will vote for Le Pen, while one-third will abstain or return a blank ballot. The remaining third will dutifully do as told and rally behind Macron. However, abstentions will mechanically boost Le Pen more than Macron, and this prompted Juppe to warn against them in a tweet this week.

Le Pen may also possibly count on the 5% votes obtained by the sovereignist Dupont Aignant - who had been asking Fillon to desist and transfer his votes to him. He announced that he would communicate his voting instructions early next week.

She could perhaps also benefit from a small segment of Jean-Luc Melenchon's electorate (19.4% of the votes), since he left his voters free to vote for whomever they wanted. He said he was not mandated by his constituents to represent them at the poll. Consequently, he would not ask them to vote for a particular candidate. The leader of La France insoumise remained unbending to the end.

Although Melenchon is a populist like Le Pen, his is a leftwing and socially liberal brand of populism, and he recoils in horror at what he views as her "racism" and xenophobia. Consequently, very few Melenchonists could realistically cross the Rubicon into Le Pens lap. Furthermore, the spokesperson for Melenchons party, called today on voters to refrain from giving a single vote to Le Pens Front National. He also told them not to vote for Macron and abstain altogether, focusing on the next legislative race instead. It was not clear whether he was speaking in Melenchon's name or his own

Le Pen, who was also interviewed today on prime time TV, winked at Melenchons electorate when she portrayed Macron as a the submission candidate who bowed to everything and everyone - lobbies, banks, Brusselsetc. She said France under Macron would be a submissive France, as opposed to the France Insoumise in Melenchon's motto, meaning, unbending France.

According to political scientists, the Front National can realistically gain 10% to 15% during the second round. This party has previously shown its ability to gain traction even between the two rounds of an election. Polls are currently predicting 38% for Le Pen, versus 62% for Macron at the end of the second round.

Le Pen has taken leave from her partys presidency to devote herself to her campaign, and she is traveling all over France to speak to the people.

Last night, another thunderstorm brought the curtain down on Fillons political involvement in the foreseeable future. He kissed goodbye his Les Republicains party, announcing to its political bureau that he would not campaign for the legislative elections next June. "I no longer have the legitimacy to lead the fight," he said. "I will become a militant in spirit among the rest of you. He said he now intends to rebuild his bruised family.

The knives were out for him in his own clan. Alain Juppe, his crushed rival at the presidential primary, said the defeat of the Right in the first round was partly attributable to Fillon, the other part being his program - too liberal economically but too conservative socially, with its emphasis on the work, patriotism and family' trinity. Others echoed his denial of Fillon, so subtly that poison would be more appropriate a term than knife.

Almost simultaneously, rearguard maneuvers started, indicating that good old Nicolas Sarkozy could perhaps vie for the partys leadership. He denied it, claiming all he was interested in was the unity of his political family and to provide the unifying cement among its members. A meeting organized at the partys headquarters on the day following the results of the first round pointed to a Right feverishly trying to strategize to win the upcoming legislative elections and avoid political death.

A working breakfast on Wednesday morning, supposedly among members of Les Republicains, but in actual fact with only a subset of 40 Sarkozyistes, was also held to devise a way forward. It emerged from it that Francois Baroin - formerly slated to become prime minister in a Fillon presidency - would probably become the leader of Les Republicains. This would position him to also be selected as prime minister under a Macron presidency, given that the LR is the largest political formation and that Macron has no MPs of his own, having created his En Marche party a mere six months before the presidential campaign. A final statement was issued, urging voters to block Le Pen, but falling short of instructing to vote for Macron because of lack of consensus.

The winners of the presidential first round are, too, already projecting themselves into the legislative elections of June 11 and June 18. Given the recomposition of the political chessboard, neither Macron nor Le Pen would have a majority in the National Assembly if elected president. But if Le Pen is unable to win the presidency, her party is in a position to win many constituencies in Spring 2017. The Front National is now a party that carries substantial political weight. Le Pen is looking, therefore, to turn it into a fixture of the political landscape.
Theres an old joke about a psychiatrist who is approached by a patient in a mental ward who tells him , I, sir, am Napoleon!

How do you know that? asks the doctor.

Because God told me!

From the next bed comes the angry rejoinder, I did not!

In a world bordering on insanity, delusions of grandeur are no longer a joke. Nor is there any need to visit designated mental facilities to be confronted by those who have lost all sense of reality. The delusional are out there in full display. And in many instances, they are the ones running the entire crazy show. The out-of-control antics of Senate minority leader Chuck E. Schumer, for example, have been much discussed -- or is that disgust?

Pretenders to Americas progressive throne may not have reached the insane heights of a madman like North Koreas Kim Jong Un, but they have geared up for their own ersatz punitive wars. Thus far, their missiles have been aimed at those whose presumed crime is that of disagreeing with the liberal line. It may seem odd that progressives are so sincerely engaged in an out-and-out war, considering their ballyhooed abhorrence to the very idea.

But with Trumps unexpected election, the haters are feeling ever more desperate. As a result, they take issue with every issue and engage in what they consider a fight to the finish -- even if the election, itself, is over. Compromise hasnt a chance of presiding over what is political -- and these days, everything is political. As the battlegrounds of our divided country proliferate, the lines between good and evil become ever more sharply drawn.

It isnt just the obvious schisms -- such as the Democrats rejection of Neal Gorsuch for the high court or the refusal of the leaders of sanctuary cities to obey the law of the land. In an attempt to thwart consensus of any kind, the liberal establishment has begun coloring outside the usual lines of attack. Their positions on contentious topics -- such as global warming, abortion, and immigration -- are now drawn with even bolder brushstrokes of irrational fury.

The full-throated righteous indignation of the Left can get tiresome, however, especially with its repetitive hackneyed phrases, such as We are a country of immigrants! or We believe in building bridges, not walls! Even more grating than the cliches is the simpleminded expedient of defining people and policies as exclusively in or out, acceptable or deplorable.

The liberal establishments claim to being color blind translates into seeing things as either black or white. Perhaps exceptions are overlooked because they do not believe in exceptionalism! And in their rush to judgment, progressives round up the usual suspects: the Trump administration, corporations, whites males, Wall Street, conservatives, the rich, the right-to-lifers, etc. To this list of evil-doers there seems to have been added yet another target for wrath: The Old.

Cooling my heels in a podiatrists waiting room recently, I picked up a copy of Time magazine that featured what it called the Next Generation Leaders," which included Jon Stewarts young replacement on "The Daily Show," Trevor Noah.

In the article, the talk-show host expresses a degree of modesty regarding his sudden success. But he is not at all reluctant to take a few digs at a segment of the population that doesnt much dig him. And naturally, he did so by way of prompting a favorite concern of the liberal establishment.

Noah states: You look at global warming. Of course, old people dont care about the planet because theyre not going to be here for the consequences. His statement suggests that the only humans willing to save the world from climatic chaos are young liberals. This years Earth Day celebrated science, but the implication was that questioning the extent of mankinds role in heating up the planet is to be a flat-earther, too stupid to understand science, much less accept it.

So even as earth-dwellers carbon footprints logically shrinks as we grow old, hotshot millennials like Trevor Noah still maintain that the older generation has a me, me, me attitude when it comes to issues like the environment. Bernie Sanders notwithstanding, the generation gap on this issue seems to have widened into a virtual chasm, with echoes of resentment reverberating from either side.

It is not unusual to blame the present state of things on those who have hung around them the longest. Or to find pathetic those who may be uncomfortable around technology. Yet this years national Earth Day hoopla specifically honoring science seemed a bit presumptuous, considering that the PISA test scores of young Americans in math and science have been consistently below average compared to other participating countries.

But like other general, feel-good rally themes such as free speech, human rights, and universal love, championing science is a safe bet that requires little effort other than carrying a placard -- or maybe dressing like a solar panel.
Let's provide the most important answer right away  yes, it was!

Who is Tayyip Erdogan, anyway? Before anything else, he is a hardcore Islamist who dreams of transforming Turkey into a jihadist state. He is also the man who informed his people a long time ago that if democracy is the destination of a train ride, the traveler (whose name is Erdogan, of course) can get off the train at any station he chooses.

The extremely important referendum designed to determine the future of Turkey ended with Erdogan's declaration that he had won the majority of the vote. The U.S. Department of State granted recognition to Erdogan's claim that it was he who won the support of the Turkish people.

The Turkish statesman also declared that his alleged victory had been achieved by a slim majority, but nevertheless, the voters had supported his decision to concentrate the entire quantity of real power in his hands. The opposition, meanwhile, refused to recognize the legitimacy of the Erdogan's attempt to transform Turkey into a presidential republic by establishing his personal dictatorship.

One of the main arguments of the opposition was that the emergency continued throughout the conduct of the referendum, which fact didn't provide the necessary conditions for fair elections. In addition, the Turkish TV was broadcasting only the opinions and the analyses of the supporters of Erdogan but none of the statements of his rivals or enemies. Finally, pointing out the tough requirements of the emergency imposed over the country, the authorities banned almost all public events planned by the opposition.

At the same time, many Turkish military officers and journalists have been imprisoned, and according to a rather revealing census, over 70% of the electorate are afraid of the dictatorial practices and intentions of their president, who wants to remain president for ever (1).

The international background of the Turkish referendum is as complicated as the internal one. So far, it was only President Trump who personally presented his premature congratulations, which contained, of course, the official American recognition of the dubious victory of Erdogan. The leaders of Russia, China, and heads of state of other countries, and members of the European Union, are delaying their recognition of the Turkish regime.

The question involving Washington's decision to accept the limitless power of a rather dubious politician is this: why was such an important move accomplished with such speed? This speed, in combination with the complete absence of commentaries related to the personality and the record of Erdogan on the eve and in the aftermath of the referendum, speaks volumes about the absence of a serious discussion preceding the decision of President Trump to place a personal phone call to Erdogan. It creates the impression that lessons that could have been extracted from rather important events out of recent U.S. and Turkish history have been ignored.

To start with, the American people were never informed about the existence of the secret alliance between President Obama and President Erdogan. This important connection was the factor behind the length and the cruelty of the Syrian Civil War. The American-Turkish "cooperation" was working smoothly and effectively. Obama was supposed to turn a blind eye to the arrival of thousands of jihadists to Turkey, while Erdogan oversaw dispatching the candidates for the membership of the jihadist's cruel and fanatical force into Syria. Another form of Turkish participation in the Syrian war would have been clearly visible to anyone who would care to take look on the map. Such a glance would reveal that the location of the ISIS human resources in training, and all facilities necessary for the continuation of the war were located within walking distance of the Turkish border.

The third important dimension of a brutal intervention into the Syrian conflict were the actions of Turkish authorities regarding the movement of large groups of refugees into Europe. In other words, Erdogan was the main culprit for the tragic dynamics of his all-out support for the jihadist cause, which expressed itself in the movement of thousands of radicalized fanatics into Syria, while at the same time, large multitudes of displaced victims of the war were directed to enter illegally the countries of the European Union.

At the same time, the dismal American failure in the Middle East, born out of the actions or the passivity of President Obama, has been underlined by the active Russian military involvement on the side of the Syrian government. As a result, President Putin won back all positions lost in the Middle East by the Soviet Union in the past, while the failure of President Obama brought about the end of many aspects of the American influence or leadership in the area.

One of the most tragic and dangerous dimensions of the absence of an American strategy in the Middle East was the lack of any alternative approach that could have been developed by the Republican rivals of President Obama. Perhaps the best reason for such an assessment was the fact that the Republican members of Congress didn't make any issue out of the strange proposal they received from the Obama administration to support a half-billion-dollar loan designed for the training of the recruits of the Free Syrian Army on Saudi Arabian territory. The fact that there were only eight or ten candidates for the generously funded U.S.-sponsored training in the sands of sunny Saudi Arabia, and the entire idea has been silently abandoned without even a murmur from the members of the Congress, or from the representatives' electronic or printed media.

Turning back to President Trump's phone call to Erdogan, it was a mistake for two reasons. On the one hand, this action of POTUS creates the wrong impression that Erdogan is able to dupe Trump the same way he managed to dupe Obama. On the other hand, the president may well have created the impression among the numerous Kurdish enemies of Erdogan that they have been abandoned and betrayed by the United States.

Georgy Gounev teaches the ideology and strategy of radical Islam within the framework of the Emeritus Program of Saddleback College, Mission Viejo, Calif. He is the author of the book The Dark Side of the Crescent Moon. The Islamization of Europe and its Impact on the American- Russian Relations, Transaction Publishers, New Brunswick, N.J., and London, U.K., 2014.

1) The author obtained firsthand information by phone from a Turkish journalist back in August of 2016.
Charles Krauthammer is a very bright guy who is nearly always right on the issues, but his argument that a Le Pen victory in the French presidential election would be a disaster for Europe is utterly wrong-headed. France, he said on Fox News last week, is the lynchpin of modern Europe and is necessary to prevent a return to the sort of nationalism that plagued the continent during the last century.

The nationalism he is referring to was the hyper-aggressive attitude of Germany, Italy, and Russia  whose misconduct is well known  and also of Poland, whose arbitrary annexation of Vilnius and grab of Teschen during the partition of Czechoslovakia needlessly disrupted Eastern Europe. The problem then, as now, is not "nationalism," which is neither good nor bad in itself, but rather aggressive nationalism that threatens neighbors.

The resistance the peoples of occupied Europe used to defy and distract the Nazis in lands like Poland, Norway, Holland, and France was also nationalism  good nationalism, which asserted the traditional values of those peoples in opposition to the new European order the Nazis were proclaiming.

The problem in dealing with the totalitarian threats in the last century was not excessive nationalism, but insufficient nationalism. When peoples asserted their rights as a separate nation, though occupied and threatened, these peoples brought down evil empires.

The Poles defied first the Nazis and then the Soviets, and the success of Solidarity as well as Pope John Paul II as the "Polish pope" broke the back of the Warsaw Pact. The agitation of the Baltic States, actually incorporated into the Soviet Union, weakened that whole empire.

When a people views itself as having a unique nation that is its own and a culture connected directly to that nation, then the people will defend itself. A perfect example of this in practice is Israel, which, without a strong national identity and a value system based upon the history of the Jewish people, would doubtless be swallowed into the horrific mess that is most of West Asia.

What we ought to want is a Europe filled with variations of Israel, seeking peace and eschewing aggression but demanding the safety of the people from internal as well as external threats. If France began to behave like Israel, dealing in a no-nonsense manner with anyone who threatened its people or its right to exist with a unique culture, then Europe would be stronger, not weaker. Every nation that, in its own way, followed suit would strengthen, not weaken, Europe.

What about the economic argument? If France withdrew from the European Union, would the sky fall in? Six European nations, including France, formed the Common Market, which was in many ways the beginning of the European Union. Nothing would prevent France from entering into a series of mutually advantageous trade agreements, and surely she would.

That does not mean creating an empire of bureaucrats and politicians whose alliance is to a super-national quasi-state. The problems today of ending the European Union are similar to the problems of super-banks in 2009  it is "too big to fail"  which is to say the mess this union has created can be ended only with some disruption and discomfort, but that does not mean that the result over time will not be much better.

The sovereign debt problems in much of Europe have been aggravated by the European Union. The two leading creditors of sovereign debt in Greece, one of the worst offenders, are the European Central Bank, a creature of the European Union, and the European Union itself. If the European Union had not been propping up the bad behavior of successive Greek governments, Greece would have been forced to face and fix its debt problem, which is to say to do what it ought to do.

Supra-national organizations nearly always fail, with NATO during the Cold War being, perhaps, the only exception. The United Nations is a monstrosity, the League of Nations was a farce, and the European Union is an idea whose time is past. Nations are real things connected to culture and history and values and interests. The peaceful assertion of that culture and history and those values and interests is not a threat to peace, but the best promise of peace.
Its human nature: when Person A finally takes the action or adopts the position favored by Person B, the inclination is for Person B to continue to be dissatisfied with Person A and not give them any credit for their move. Person B will very often change the basis on which the original issue was based in an attempt to preserve a legitimate reason to reject Person As action.

To Person B, being able to reject Person A and disagree with him is more important than the actual issue itself.

Such is definitely the case with Democratic politicians, activists and the liberal media regarding President Trump. An excellent example of this occurred in early April on the Tucker Carlson show on Fox News when he was speaking to Democratic congressman (CA) Brad Sherman. Carlson put forth the fact that Trumps missile attack on Syria was unequivocally damaging to Putins ally Assad, thereby proving that President Trump was not in the pocket of Putin as so many Democrats have claimed. Carlson challenged Sherman to simply admit that.

Sherman refused, aghast at the prospect of absolving Trump of his biggest sin: the Democrats contention that he colluded with Russia to sink Hillary Clintons presidential bid. Instead, Sherman was trying desperately to maintain that Trump is still guilty of some vague-but-grievous campaign violations, even though Sherman agreed with the missile strike. He was trying to have it both ways.

Another perfect example of trying to have it both ways is when then-candidate Trump named Kellyanne Conway as his campaign manager. The entire subject of womens progress in the professional world, the wage gap, the Glass Ceiling, women entering previously male-only fields, etc. is a vital cornerstone of the Democratic platform. Add to that the Democrats gleefully revelling in their leaking of the 12-year-old Trump grabbing audiotape and it adds up to a very convenient narrative for them: Trump disrespects women and his presidency will harm womens standing in all aspects of American life.

But then Trump does something that doesnt comport with his opponents preferred depiction of putative misogynist white male Republicans -- he names a woman to mastermind his campaign. If a male Democrat had named a female as his campaign manager, hed be hailed as a modern stereotype-breaker, a person who courageously breaks with outmoded, stubborn tradition and embraces the enlightened new way, seeks fresh perspectives, knows how to justly recognize the talents and insights that only a gender-balanced team can deliver and so on.

Yet, for Democrats, the negative image of Trump as an old-time womanizer was just too juicy and appealing to let go of. So not only did they not give Trump credit for elevating a woman to a critical position in his campaign, they employed the all-too-common device of changing the basis on which the original issue was based: they savaged Conway herself, calling into question her intellect and honesty. Since Trumps election win, Conway has stayed on as a high-level advisor and the Democrats and liberal media hysterical criticism of Conway has continued unabated. The profoundly unfavorable attacks directed at Conway wouldnt be tolerated for even the briefest of seconds if she was a Democrat. But as is always the case, the Democrats try to have things both ways. They criticize Republicans for their supposed refusal to promote women to high positions and when they do promote them, Democrats claim that it doesnt count for some frivolous reason and continue to perpetuate their original criticism.

Another example is Trumps changing position on NATO. During the campaign, Trump repeatedly called NATO obsolete, and criticized other NATO countries for shirking their financial commitments with regard to their own defense spending. This predictably brought forth howls of denunciation from Democrats, who admonished Trump for disparaging the most successful, longest-lasting alliance in history (or words to that effect). Its not that Democrats had any great interest in actually committing U.S. forces to lethal combat should NATO member Estonia be attacked (most Democratic politicians probably couldnt even find Estonia on a map without the help of Google Earth). Instead, they were just looking for something on which to criticize Trump, to point out his unsuitability for President.

But recently, in light of Russias intransigence regarding Syria, Trump has shifted his position and now says that NATO is very important. Do the Democrats who condemned his prior anti-NATO stance now give him credit for changing? Of course not. Democratic politicians and the liberal media call him a flip-flopper, an opportunist, someone who is easily influenced by the latest input he receives.

This illustrates another truism in American politics: when a Democratic politician reverses his position, its cast as an attribute, an indication of intellectual growth. Both Hillary and Barack Obama were on record as being against same-sex marriage, but when it became politically expedient for their positions to shift, they did. The always-supportive liberal media said that their positions evolved. Neither Clinton nor Obama did anything as disingenuous and unsophisticated as flip-flopping. No, they took in the latest information, made a careful, thoughtful analysis of the new data and they evolved, the same way every higher-order life form does as it adapts to a new environment. Its always so positive for Democrats.

The Democrats strategy is to try to always have things both ways while trying to make certain the Republicans simply dont have it any way. There are no two ways about it.
Federal Judge William Orrick has issued an order blocking the implementation of President Trump's executive order that targets funds for sanctuary cities.

The judge said the order "probably" violates the Constitution because it undermines both federalism and the separation of powers. The judge also rejected the arguments made by Department of Justice attorneys because they conflicted with the plain language wording of the orders and statements by the president and other administration officials about the intent of the funding cut-off for sanctuary cities.

Associated Press:

Orrick's preliminary injunction against the sanctuary cities order will stay in place while the lawsuits by San Francisco and Santa Clara work their way through court. The government hasn't cut off any money yet or declared any communities sanctuary cities. But the Justice Department sent letters last week advising communities to prove they are in compliance. California was informed it could lose $18.2 million. Orrick said Trump cannot set new conditions on spending approved by Congress. Even if the president could do so, those conditions would have to be clearly related to the funds at issue and not coercive, as the executive order appeared to be, Orrick said. White House chief of staff Reince Priebus described the ruling as another example of the "9th Circuit going bananas." The administration has often criticized the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Orrick does not sit on that court but his district is in the territory of the appeals court, which has ruled against one version of Trump's travel ban. "The idea that an agency can't put in some reasonable restriction on how some of these moneys are spent is something that will be overturned eventually, and we will win at the Supreme Court level at some point," Priebus said.

As Eugene Volokh explains, the restrictions on the grants are questionable because Congress did not lay out conditions upon which the funding would be given. States and cities accepted the funding based on one set of conditions, and the administration now wants to change those conditions without due process for states and cities affected.

In this case, none of the federal grants given to sanctuary cities were conditioned by Congress on compliance with Section 1373 or any other form of cooperation with federal efforts to deport undocumented immigrants. The president cannot impose such conditions on his own. In addition, the order undermines constitutional federalism because it violates longstanding constitutional constraints that limit conditions imposed on federal grants to state governments even when those conditions are authorized by Congress.

The Supreme Court has set strict limits on Congress when Congress imposes restrictions on funding for states and localities:

While Congress has significant authority to encourage [state] policy through its spending power, the Supreme Court has articulated a number of limitations to the conditions Congress can place on federal funds. The Executive Order likely violates at least three of these restrictions: (1) conditions must be unambiguous and cannot be imposed after funds have already been accepted; (2) there must be a nexus between the federal funds at issue and the federal program's purpose; and (3) the financial inducement cannot be coercive[.] ... The Executive Order purports to retroactively condition all "federal grants" on compliance with Section 1373. As this condition was not an unambiguous condition that the states and local jurisdictions voluntarily and knowingly accepted at the time Congress appropriated these funds, it cannot be imposed now by the Order.

Volokh excoriated the 9th Circuit's legal reasoning on the injunction issued against the travel ban but supports the judge's ruling in this case. In the sanctuary cities order, Volokh finds Orrick's legal reasoning sound  especially relating to the funds in question not being specifically targeted for immigration enforcement.

Later in the opinion, Judge Orrick explains why many of the grants that might be withheld by the order lack a sufficient "nexus" with immigration enforcement (for example, a variety of grants with no connection to law enforcement or immigration). He also explains that if the administration withholds the full range of grants potentially covered by the order and referenced in statements by administration officials, such withholding would be "coercive" under NFIB v. Sebelius (2012), the ruling striking down the Obamacare Medicaid expansion. I discussed this issue in greater detail here. The opinion also concludes that the executive order likely constitutes unconstitutional "commandeering" because it coerces state and local governments to enforce federal law, in violation of several Supreme Court precedents under the Tenth Amendment. Ironically, those precedents were strongly supported by conservatives (one of the most important was authored by Justice Antonin Scalia) and  at the time  much-criticized by liberals. Some defenders of the Trump order have argued that there is no commandeering problem here because the anti-commandeering principle does not apply to federal efforts to compel disclosure of information. I criticized this argument here.

Bill Jacobson of Legal Insurrection is also dubious that a way can be found to penalize sanctuary cities through funding mechanisms:

If there is a legal mechanism to penalize sanctuary cities, we haven't found it. It's likely none exists because, despite threats, no administration has carried out a threat to withhold federal monies from disobedient rogue local governments. There's speculation aplenty as to how the Supreme Court might interpret a legal challenge to anti-sanctuary city guidance. Printz v. United States (highly cited in relation to this particular part of immigration discussion) held, "Congress may not compel a state or local government to implement federal regulatory programs, even if they are temporary functions." Enforcing federal law is the responsibility of the federal government, thus immigration enforcement cannot and should not be delegated to local law enforcement. However, as 1373 indicates, local law enforcement are expected and required to communicate certain information to federal authorities. Trump's administration doesn't seem afraid of legal tests, given his first immigration executive order, but it's clear that sanctuary cities are in the crosshairs.

Volokh was perplexed by the argument made by DoJ lawyers:

Interestingly, as the opinion explains, the federal government's lawyers barely even contested most of the plaintiffs' federalism and separation of powers arguments. Instead, they argued that the order should be upheld based on an implausibly narrow interpretation of its scope, under which it would only seek to enforce conditions previously mandated by Congress and otherwise ensure compliance with preexisting federal law in ways that were previously authorized. As Judge Orrick carefully explains, this theory contradicts the plain text of the order, and also numerous statements by administration officials explaining its purpose, including some by Attorney General Jeff Sessions.

The administration may take the case all the way to the Supreme Court, but it seems likely that even some conservatives would vote to strike down parts of the president's executive order. So the question arises: where to now?

If ICE cannot get states and cities to enforce federal immigration law, they are going to have to do it themselves. That means hiring thousands more agents in addition to the 10,000 already in the pipeline. If states and cities are not going to cooperate with ICE  going so far as to refuse to inform the feds when an illegal alien is in custody for committing an additional crime  then federal immigration enforcement officers are going to have to use their own resources to arrest and deport illegals.

Somehow, someway, the law is going to be enforced. Sanctuary cities may not be punished for thumbing their noses at Congress and the law. But it won't matter if the federal government begins to take immigration enforcement seriously.
A recent incident on a train in Oakland, California offers a glimpse into how domestic terrorism may soon affect all of us, close up and personally. In that incident, a group of teenagers swarmed onto a train, robbed several passengers, beat two of them, then quickly escaped before police arrived. See here and here.

Flash mobs are nothing new, and in fact, many of them are actually good, as when a number of people in a shopping mall suddenly spring a pleasant surprise and perform a rehearsed, choreographed music routine.

Some flash mobs, by contrast, are criminal. Groups of criminals, in concert, have been known to swarm a retail store, quickly stealing as much as they can carry, and then making their escape before law enforcement can respond.

Criminals are inventive and resourceful, and now that the Oakland incident has made the news, there will be plenty more crews of robbers who are already taking notes and planning their own heist, perhaps on a larger scale.

It is only a matter of time before someone (actually, many) figures out that there is money to be made by inciting civil disorder. It would not take much "community organizing" to pull it off. The police cannot be everywhere, nor can they respond quickly enough to this kind of crime.

The next thought is to ask, when the risk escalates, is, what will we, the ordinary citizens, do when we fear to take a train or bus, or to go shopping? One possible remedy comes to mind, as follows.

The name Bernhard Goetz has largely been forgotten, but in 1984, nearly every American was familiar with what came to be known as the subway vigilante incident. During that era, before Rudolph Giuliani became mayor, crime on the New York subway system was infamous, and worse yet, the response by law enforcement was tepid and ineffective. It was in this context that Goetz took matters into his own hands. He pulled a gun and shot three teenagers, on a train, who already had criminal records, and who were intimidating him for money. One of the robbers was paralyzed for life.

Only when Giuliani became mayor (ten years later), and imposed what some considered draconian law enforcement measures, did the crime rate (including murder) in New York City dramatically decrease. Giuliani proved that by enforcing laws against even so-called "minor" infractions, the ripple effect is to increase respect for the law in general, thereby reducing more serious crime. Giuliani was well aware of the "broken windows" principle, and he used it to good effect.

In the modern context, official sympathy in criminal incidents seems always to be conferred not so much on the victims, but more on the criminals. For example, in the Oakland incident, officials are refusing to release videos of the criminals because they estimate that the tender muffins might be only teenagers. Poor kids  they must be protected. Damn the victims seems to be the effect of such policies.

Such concessions to violent criminals can only encourage them. It requires no crystal ball to predict that flash robberies will increase in numbers and severity, at least partly due to official unwillingness to crush the tendency before it gets out of hand.

If the incidences of criminal flash mobs do, in fact, continue, and get worse, then the importance of the Second Amendment will become apparent even to liberals  or at least those who, like Bernhard Goetz, have been mugged.
War isn't supposed to be humorous. Nevertheless, it sometimes provides moments of high hilarity. Such was the case yesterday in Iraq, when an ISIS position there was overrun by a herd of rampaging wild boars. Given all the exotic fauna that have been wiped out there  during Babylonian times, the place was inhabited by lions  who would have thought that wild boars still abounded there? But apparently, so they do.



From the USA Today article of April 25, 2017, the following appears:

Three Islamic State militants setting up an ambush in a bitterly contested area of northern Iraq were killed by a herd of stampeding boars, local leaders say. Sheikh Anwar al-Assi, a chief of the local Ubaid tribe and supervisor of anti-ISIS forces, told The Times of London the militants were hiding on the edge of a field about 50 miles southwest of Kirkuk when the boars overwhelmed them Sunday. Five other militants were injured, al-Assi said. He said the group was poised to attack a band of local tribesmen who had fled to nearby mountains since militants seized the town of Hawija three years ago. "It is likely their movement disturbed a herd of wild pigs, which inhabit the area as well as the nearby cornfields," he said. Al-Assi said the militants had summarily executed 25 people attempting to flee the militant's would-be caliphate in the three days before the boars attacked. Hawija, about 100 miles south of Mosul, sees dozens of residents flee to Kurdish Kirkuk daily, and the Iraqi military has planned to launch an offensive in the region after a laborious effort to liberate Mosul is completed. "We know that a massacre took place in Hawija district through our sources," al-Assi told the Times. "This will not be ISIS's last massacre against citizens."

Now, I got me a few questions about this "incident."

- Are the killed jihadis martyrs? Are they eligible for the 72 virgins? To be sure, they were killed while on "active duty," so they ought to qualify. But on the other hand, not only were they not killed by the "infidels," but they were killed by that most un-Islamic of "unclean" animals, the pig. So does this qualify as combat, or is it like being caught under a falling tree?

- Who's going to bury the jihadis, who, after all, were "contaminated" by the "unclean" pigs that killed them? Other jihadis? But won't that "contaminate" them, too? Christians or Yazidis could be commandeered to do the work, but haven't they all been killed or driven off?

- Did the wild boars eat the jihadis, like in the Hannibal Lecter movie? And if so, then on Judgment Day, will Allah even want to bring them back to life? And if he does, then won't he be forced to use their mortal remnants  which by that time will be pig manure?

- And what will the virgins say, when the killed jihadis will want to pleasure themselves with the virgins but will first have to tell the virgins that the jihadis were killed by pigs? Will the virgins be shocked? Horrified? Me, I think they'll laugh their sweet little backsides right off.

All day long, questions, questions.

The author is an Iowa truck driver known to some AT readers as AtomicIgor.
Alexander M. Bickel, the great constitutional law scholar and proponent of judicial restraint, noted at the time of the Watergate denouement that it would be difficult to keep a president from "kicking over the traces." That phrase came to mind on reading the April 21 editorial in the New York Times, "Neil Gorsuch, and the State's Power to Kill." Commenting on the Supreme Court's denial of a stay of execution for Ledell Lee, convicted in 1995 in Arkansas for murder, the article asserted that Justice Gorsuch "was sitting in a seat that by all rights should be occupied not but him but by President Barack Obama's doomed nominee, Merrick Garland."

Apparently, for the Times, any person nominated to the Supreme Court of the United States by the former president is, by right, entitled to sit on the high court. And to heck with the Constitution's appointments clause, which provides, in Article II, Section 2, that the president "shall nominate and by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, shall appoint ... Judges of the Supreme Court[.]"

In the Ledell Lee matter, the Supreme Court's action permitted the execution to proceed, with five of the nine justices, including Justice Gorsuch, ruling against the stay of execution. For the Times, the execution of Ledell Lee is "a travesty."

Had Justice Gorsuch joined the four liberal justices on the Supreme Court to stay Ledell's execution, would the Times have applauded the ruling without questioning the right of Justice Gorsuch to be on the Court? It is not far-fetched, I think, to imagine that the Times might well have commended the Supreme Court for preventing "a travesty" while adding, "And by the way, although he joined the liberal justices, Justice Gorsuch is sitting in a seat that by all rights should be occupied by Judge Merrick Garland, President Obama's nominee."

That is to say, if Associate Justice Neil Gorsuch is sitting in a seat that "by all rights" belongs to another nominee, the way he rules is irrelevant. How could the Times explain this position other than by denying to the United States Senate its constitutional role in Supreme Court appointments? Apparently, the Senate was obligated to hold hearings on the Garland nomination and, thereafter, to vote in favor of Garland. This approach would confer imperial power on the president. But then the Times had little difficulty with the idea that the former president should have plenary power. (See, e.g., the Times' November 20, 2014 editorial [November 19, online], "At Long Last, Immigration Action," applauding Obama for having "given up waiting for Congress to act" on immigration and proceeding by way of executive power.)

Republicans would do well to consider that for the left, President Trump is not the only illegitimate official in Washington. The April 22 Times editorial challenging the right of Justice Gorsuch to be on the Supreme Court signals that for the left, any individual is illegitimate who holds office consequent to the appointment of President Trump. Indeed, Republicans would do well to realize that it is the intention of the left, on regaining power, to kick over the traces of constitutional government and replace this form of governance with the form brought to Russia, just 100 years ago, by Lenin  that is, government to the people by the elite few  and we "deplorables" be damned.
The City University of New York (CUNY) Graduate School of Public Health is stirring up a bit of controversy with its decision to invite sharia advocate Linda Sarsour to serve as the school's commencement speaker. New York assemblyman Dov Hikind recently spoke out against the appointment, stating that Sarsour "is someone who associates with radical Islamists; supports them; shows support for them."

So who is Linda Sarsour: an extraordinary Palestinian-American Muslim who co-organized the historic Women's March or New York City's queen of hate?

Sarsour, executive director of the Arab American Association of New York, describes herself as "a working woman, racial justice and civil rights activist, every Islamophobe's worst nightmare," who treasures her religious and ethnic heritage.

Based on Sarsour's slew of statements, one can thus reasonably assume that "empowering the Arab Immigrant and Arab American community" is synonymous with allowing for the imposition of sharia, Islamic law, in certain American neighborhoods.

With Sarsour tweet-raging at such an impressive rate, her views on sharia are a matter of public knowledge. The thrust of her pro-sharia stance is that Islamic law is reasonable if you only have access to her esoteric knowledge. After all, won't replacing American constitutional law with sharia lead to interest-free loans and credit cards? According to the woman hailed by Time as one of the "Most influential People of 2017," only ignoramuses and Islamophobes can possibly find fault with her treasured religious heritage.

However, beyond the multicultural fallacy that all cultures are equal and have always been so, across all indices, there's the hard truth. Squirm-inducing facts about Islam's moral, religious, and legal code include its discriminatory and violent attitude toward women and girls, as well as the growing threat it constitutes to the democratic principle of freedom of speech around the world. In addition, sharia's hate-filled approach to non-Muslims, Jews, and others is enshrined in law, as expressed through notions of Islamic supremacism.

Still, Linda Sarsour and her supporters whitewash such inconvenient truths, repeatedly falling back on the image of multiculturalism as bringing together members of society through the celebration of diversity, even though the movement has been predicated on divisiveness from its inception. Multiculturalism is a fad that has replaced the goal of social solidarity with the reality of tribalism, democracy with identity politics. The ascent of Linda Sarsour is attributable in no small part to multiculturalism, a self-loathing virus that supports criticism of culture only if it's Western culture that's being criticized.

Despite some of the more alarming elements of sharia, Sarsour should nonetheless keynote the CUNY commencement. Racism, homophobia, and religious fundamentalism should be allowed to compete with democracy, equality, and tolerance in the grand marketplace of ideas. On this equal playing field, such wickedness as represented by Linda Sarsour's interpretation of sharia has virtually no chance of spreading.

However, outlawing her because of her outrageous agenda will only give the current darling of the far left "street cred" and make Sarsour that much more appealing to the confused, uneducated or generally ignorant.

Or, as Oscar Wilde succinctly stated: "I may not agree with you, but I will defend to the death your right to make an ass of yourself."

Only by shining the light of reason on Linda Sarsour's dark propaganda will her delusional worldview be dispelled, by principled men and women armed with the effective arguments that will expose the weakness and misdirection of her claims.

Gidon Ben-Zvi is a Jerusalem-based freelance writer, editor, and contributor.
The University of Missouri Columbia (Mizzou) has witnessed a steep drop in enrollment in this year's class, leading the university to layoffs and budget cuts.

According to the Columbia Tribune:

The University of Missouri is unlikely to see a rebound in freshman enrollment in the fall, which means tuition revenue will not be the source of money to cover the latest round of state budget cuts.



A decline of more than 20 percent in this year's incoming class forced layoffs, a hiring freeze and a 5 percent cut in general fund budgets across the Columbia campus. Overall enrollment, down 6 percent from the 2015-16 academic year, already was expected to decline further as the smaller freshman class moves toward graduation.



Gov. Eric Greitens on Monday ordered $146.4 million in new withholdings from state spending, including almost $20 million earmarked for MU. Provost Garnett Stokes and MU Faculty Council Chairman Ben Trachtenberg discussed how to deal with the new cuts during a Thursday council meeting.

Between budget cuts and the drop in enrollment, there is a $20-million deficit at Mizzou.

The situation is so bad that Mizzou had to shut down three dorms.

With the usual academic myopia, the university is calling for the creation of a commission to determine exactly why enrollment is down and how to make up the shortfall.

Apparently, it does not occur to the academics at Mizzou that parents are afraid to send their children to a school where professors threaten to beat up students. Remember Melissa "I need some muscle over here" Click? Not only did she try to get students to beat up inconvenient student-journalists, but she was also caught on tape screaming like a maniac at a police officer. The university did fire her, but she wound up getting a job at Gonzaga University, probably on a recommendation by Mizzou.

It also didn't help that Mizzou has ties to baby butchers Planned Parenthood, or that the university was the subject of a unionizing effort for adjuncts, the worker drones of academia, or that the school tabled health benefits for said adjuncts.

But the biggest problem of all was the racial terrorism of the 2015 race rampage season.

According tp Lakeexpo.com:

Barbara Rupp, Mizzou's director of admissions, sees cause for concern. ... But Rupp also acknowledges that some of the projected declines are "undoubtedly part of the aftermath of last fall. In particular, recruiters working in the Chicago area are more frequently hearing the same concerns from prospective students, she said. Those concerns are tied to the growing perception of Mizzou as a national symbol for strained race relations. "Because those students are geographically removed from the campus, they don't really have a sense of what's going on and they are relying on what they are seeing and hearing in the media," Rupp said. "And it's not particularly positive." According to the university's data, applications from out-of-state student have seen some of the sharpest declines. Among those students, deposits toward tuition are down 25 percent since last year. But there are also barriers toward luring students from within Missouri, perhaps especially in rural areas[.]

Outside the media, academia is the only business in the world that can openly sneer at the customers and subvert their wishes and still expect to prosper. The gross mishandling of the bogus racial incidents (and there is every reason to believe that the racial incidents that provoked these demonstrations were bogus) by school officials  and the unwillingness to put down bullying and thug tactics by student protesters  has rightly come back to haunt the Columbia campus.

Any decent parent would be crazy to send his child to such an unsafe and fascistic environment as Mizzou.

Read Tim's blog at The Aviary www.tbirdnow.mee.nu.
With Donald Trump's decision to call Kim Jong-un's bluff by sending the USS Carl Vinson task force steaming in the direction of the Hermit Kingdom, there have been multiple articles out there repeating the possible dire consequences of actually engaging the belligerent little bully militarily. The obscure North Korean functionary and propagandist who years ago first threatened to turn his country's southern sister state into a "Sea of Fire" in response to some minor provocation may have seemed a bit of a ham-handed saber-rattler at the time, but he most assuredly created a lasting and wearisome media cliche that surfaces in Western publications every time there's a new dustup with North Korea.

Moreover, almost every article referencing this "Sea of Fire" explains that term to readers by pointing out that Seoul, South Korea's largest city, lies so close to the border between the two nations that it will likely be destroyed in the opening artillery salvos from the North should the balloon go up. This, they point out, is almost certainly due to the fact that North Korea has positioned countless thousands of artillery pieces and rocket launchers along its side of the demilitarized zone for just that purpose. They usually quote some military expert that any American attack on North Korea unavoidably will sign Seoul's doom.

This old soldier ain't buyin' it. For one thing, if Seoul is 30 to 35 miles from the closest Nork artillery placements, a quick examination of the map shows that from that narrow southernmost point, the North Korean border swings back north, both east and west from that closest point, so that there could only be but a few hundred artillery pieces and rocket launchers, not the thousands quoted by Western media pundits, that are actually that close. More importantly, there are damned few artillery pieces in the Nork army that have a range of 30-plus miles. And for those that do, American and South Korean defensive artillery forces have counter-battery radars in place that are so advanced that they not only can direct effective defensive fire to destroy incoming rounds, but also pinpoint the precise firing location of the offending artillery pieces so quickly that our own artillery fire and airstrikes can be directed on them within seconds. As Saddam's Iraqi forces learned quickly, to fire your artillery at the Americans was to invite your own violent, concussive death mere moments later. And those American radar detection systems and the counter-battery tactics have just kept getting more sophisticated and deadly since we used them in Iraq.

Another fact we hear ballyhooed about the mighty North Korean Army is that it is the fourth largest in the world. That might count for something if they were properly fed, properly clothed, properly trained, and properly armed. The Nork annual military budget is a mere seven billion dollars (slightly more than Mexico's), which doesn't go very far when you are trying to field the fourth largest force on the planet. It's telling that sites that rank nations by their military capabilities don't seem too impressed with the Norks. The globalfirepower.com algorithm places them at number 25, right between Saudi Arabia and Algeria. In Business Insider's survey of the world's 35 most powerful militaries, guess who's dead last.

Those ratings don't say much for the fighting capabilities of the world's fourth largest army, do they? A major factor in this negative ranking is that the Nork army is largely a vestige of the Soviet era, without sufficient funds to modernize. That Soviet aspect is clearly captured in the many pics and videos of the recent Day of the Sun celebration in Pyongyang. Look at those visuals, and if you're old enough, tell me they don't look exactly like Soviet Union output in the 1950s and 1960s.

It's one thing to fill a public square with smartly dressed formations of goose-stepping troops to impress the folks, and it's quite another to send those troops out to fight the most technologically advanced fighting forces in the world. And some sharp-eyed observers, even among their allies, are even saying the Nork missile displays may be a bit off center and wobbly.

I've said nothing about the air component of a war with North Korea, but I'd bet the farm that if the Norks keep pushing it, they are in for their own coming version of Shock and Awe: a display of our combined modern airpower capabilities that will send a memorable message to Trump-taunting tyrants around the world: "Don't ever take it as far as that fool did."

In the decades we've had to plot and monitor North Korea's air defenses, I would wager almost every single site sits clearly in the crosshairs of one very effective and deadly American or South Korean weapons system or another, with its continued existence, and that of those Norks manning it, depending entirely upon the lack of a command to "commence firing." Quickly destroyed or degraded, they are thus helpless to protect the remainder of the Nork forces, including their vaunted tank divisions, again mostly aged Soviet hand-me-downs, from a relentless and deadly air onslaught.

Are you beginning to see why I don't buy into all this frantic, lefty media hype about these fearsome Norks?

I close with what will undoubtedly be recognized and lauded by knowledgeable journalists as the best triple-decker cliche of the year:

There's a new sheriff in town, and at the end of the day, he won't allow the Norks to rain fire upon Seoul.
Addictive drugs provide several benefits for people who take them. They enable the user to turn away from reality and avoid facing the real problems of life. Drugs provide enjoyable feelings that temporarily relieve stress but siphon off the energy to create real happiness. They also imprison the user in a welcome but false sense of aloneness, enabling the intoxicated to separate from others and ignore the needs of the real people around them. The expectorant "LGBT" has become such a drug for the people who are addicted to it.

Yapping "LGBT," especially when combined with the meaningless term "community," provides all three drug effects for the addicted yapper. Using "LGBT community" enables people who like to yammer about politics to turn away from any recognition of political, economic, or even social realities. Two or three LGBTs taken daily allow addicts to feel good about themselves for no apparent reason. In fact, high-dosage LGBTs stimulate a trip on hallucinated virtue and self-satisfaction while simultaneously blocking off a sense of responsibility to their nation or real community.

There is a fourth purpose of the verbal knee-jerk "LGBT community." It is a cover for people who are not intelligent or mentally clear enough to think about complex issues. That was on display during Tucker Carlson's pitiful "interview" with Braitlyn Jenner. After a rambling answer, in which Jenner said the Olympic Committee is the best arbiter for high schools in Texas, where testosterone-drenched muscles are pounding undrugged girls into the mats, Carlson dropped any attempt to ask serious questions. To do so would have seemed like elder abuse against a mildly cognitively impaired person, and Tucker just let Jenner perseverate about "my community." Braitlyn fashions himself as the courageous leader of this imaginary community and is allowed to maintain that delusion by an addled media craving their next LGBT fix. In truth, the claptrap "LGBT" exploits the identities of individuals as heterogeneous as any other group of humans, and who would never choose Braitlyn Jenner as their leader.

Jenner was not even able to properly deliver the cliche, "It was more difficult to come out as a Republican than a transgender." Nationally, LGBT addiction is experiencing terminal seizures. Sufferers are starting to babble, swaying on the brink of spent binges, and about to crash into oblivion. The last resort of LGBT addicts is to focus on suicide and murder. Jenner made some senseless remarks about nobody caring when "trans" "women" are murdered. Imagine if Jenner had provided a single fact to back up this outrageous accusation. Imagine if he had named a single police force in America that refuses to investigate such murders, or a single prosecutor's office that refuses to bring such murderers to trial.

Braitlyn was at the most confident defining the difference between sexuality and gender. Wrong again. Gender is for pronouns; sex is for people. It doesn't matter that the whole world uses the wrong word; it is still wrong. Simone de Beauvoir did not pen The Second Gender.

Binary sex structure is the set-up for mammals, birds, reptiles. But not flatworms  let's give them flatworms. Because Braitlyn Jenner monetizes himself as the face of trangenderism, he is under pressure to convince people he was always really a woman. He says, "I've always dealt with this." Everyone deals with something. Any clouded feelings Bruce Jenner may have had about his sex, he dealt with his body about as well as Albert Einstein dealt with physics. Looking at this man who once had a handsome face and physical abilities the gods would envy, and who is no longer a man, but not really a woman, underscores how harmful it is when LGBT pushers try to instill doubt and confusion in children about their sex.

LGBT dopers are meeting with increasing resistance and even resentment from the non-addicts. Sexuality minorities are free in law and in custom to live how they choose, but not to force their views on others. LGBT addicts, desperate for another fix of political power that is not coming, have taken to falsifying the reason people with h and b and t (homo, bi, transsexual) elements of mind are at heightened risk to harm themselves. Clue: It's not because of other people's phobia.

Now to Tucker. Here's the question. Tucker Carlson is gifted at poking holes in what he believes to be false, but he has not demonstrated talent for forcefully articulating what he believes to be true. The major political opinionators (predominantly conservative) relish opening their sets with what they take to be brilliant discourses (e.g., "The Memo"). That is their natural proclivity. Not so for Carlson.

Tucker Carlson's well bred quizzicality is an enjoyable antidote to O'Reilly's street level, brash assurances. The challenge for Carlson to carry The Factor is that it is not in his nature to be a factor himself.
We understand that he later dialed it back a bit. Nevertheless, DNC chairman Tom Perez sent shock waves through the electorate over the weekend.

This is what he said:

Tom Perez became the first head of the party to demand ideological purity on abortion rights, promising Friday to support only Democratic candidates who back a woman's right to choose. "Every Democrat, like every American, should support a woman's right to make her own choices about her body and her health," Perez said in a statement. "That is not negotiable and should not change city by city or state by state." "At a time when women's rights are under assault from the White House, the Republican Congress, and in states across the country," he added, "we must speak up for this principle as loudly as ever and with one voice." Perez's statement follows the DNC's controversial embrace of Heath Mello, a Democratic mayoral candidate in Omaha, Nebraska, whose years-long history of voting against abortion rights in the state Legislature drew fire from progressives this week. Daily Kos, a liberal website that raises money for lesser-known Democratic candidates, pulled its endorsement of Mello this week after discovering his history on the issue, and NARAL Pro-Choice America President Ilyse Hogue slammed the DNC for adding him to its cross-country unity tour.

So what do you do if you are pro-life Democrat? I guess you have to choose between your personal values and the "D" after your name.

Frankly, Mr. Perez's remarks are insane and may reflect the pressure the party is under to pander to the left.

It also shows the hypocrisy of the media.

What would media reports be saying if the GOP chairman had said something the other way  i.e., the party will support only pro-life candidates?

We would hear about the GOP taken over by right-wingers and Christians unwilling to accept a different point of view. The GOP would be labeled "intolerant." Every GOP lawmaker would be asked the question in the media. On the other hand, most of the media have been indifferent about Mr. Perez's remarks.

In the meantime, the politics of this leave you wondering about his political common sense. Is the man that tone-deaf?

Mr. Perez should chat with Wendy Davis, the Democrat who lost big in Texas in 2014. The reason, as Michael Barone pointed out, was abortion. I should add that Miss Davis's position on abortion turned off a lot of Hispanic women in particular.

Who is flying the Democrats' plane these days? It must be someone who wants to crash rather than land it.

P.S. You can listen to my show (Canto Talk) and follow me on Twitter.
Amid the flurry of reports on Trump's first 100 days, one thing is for certain: the president has produced "100 days of Democratic rage," as a Politico column by Gabriel Debenedetti is titled.

Debenedetti contends that the furious display of outrage and resistance by the party base against President Trump has allowed the Democratic Party to delay a reckoning with its "serious problems":

Yet Trump's first 100 days in office appear to have resuscitated the party, if for no reason other than the rank and file loathe him so deeply and furiously. Grass-roots activism and organizing is surging. ... But while the president has generated a vibrant culture of resistance on the left, it's obscuring the depth of the hole in which the Democratic Party still finds itself.

The party's damaged brand was a factor in the party's narrow defeat in the recent Georgia special election, according to Ohio Democratic Rep. Tim Ryan: "We had a great candidate and great energy running under a very negative brand."

Politico observes that the party has "infrastructure" problems as well:

Democrats got dragged back into a redux of the presidential primary fight between Hillary Clinton and Sanders during the first month of Trump's presidency in the race for the DNC chairmanship between former Labor Secretary Tom Perez and Minnesota Rep. Keith Ellison.

With non-Democrat Bernie Sanders the de facto leader of the Democrat base, and party chairman Tom Perez shouting, "Donald Trump, you didn't win this election," it is no wonder that "the Democratic Party is viewed as more out of touch than either Trump or the party's political opponents," according to a recent poll:

Two-thirds of Americans think the Democrats are out of touch  including nearly half of Democrats themselves.

As the party struggles to heal its divisions amid the wreckage of the Clinton campaign and "the down-ballot massacre of the previous eight years," the necessary regrouping and rebuilding has not begun:

[N]o plan to conduct any sort of autopsy or accounting of the 2016 election cycle has been circulated.

While the Sanders base pulls Minority Leader Chuck Schumer's Senate Democrats ever farther to the left, West Virginia Democrat Senator Joe Manchin, whose state Trump won by 68 percent over Clinton's 26 percent, points to the trouble ahead for Democrats if they stay on the current course:

Manchin said he told Mr. Schumer straight up that if his brand of Democratic politics can't win in these rural areas[.] ... Democrats would be in the minority forever.

With the Democrats in disarray and the media in a tither over Trump's 100 days, the president gets the last laugh by holding a Pennsylvania rally on day 100 of his term, as Jaclyn Cashman writes at bostonherald.com:

President Trump is once again trolling the media  and looking to turn tables on the big mockfest they had planned for him  by skipping the White House Correspondents' Dinner Saturday. Trump is again sticking it to the professionals who get paid to cover him, this time by denying them the opportunity to get dressed up and hobnob with their colleagues, and yuk it up at his expense. He's fed up with their one-sided coverage, and he knows exactly how to hit them where it hurts. Normally, the Sunday shows would focus on highlights from the dinner. Now Trump will own the news cycle. He's kneecapped the event known as "nerd prom."

What better way to celebrate 100 days of the Trump presidency than to beat the media at their own game?
I was reading an article about a Calexico, California private school on the border with Mexico that has a lot of students who pay tuition and come across the border every day from Mexico, and this seemingly innocuous sentence caught my eye:

Every day, the students said, they stand in border lines made longer by Mexicali youths who are illegally attending free, public Calexico schools.

That's right! Mexican children are crossing the border every day and getting a free public education in America, courtesy of the U.S. taxpayer. These are not legal residents of the U.S.; they are not even illegal residents of the U.S. These are people who currently live in Mexico, getting a free education in public schools in border towns.

Nearly three out of four students at Columbus Elementary, the school closest to the border, live in Palomas [Mexico] and were born to Mexican parents. The Palomas children are American because of a long-standing state and federal policy that allows Mexican women to deliver their babies at the nearest hospital, which happens to be 30 miles north of the border in Deming, N.M., the seat of Luna County. In the 1950s, the Palomas children didn't even have to be Americans to attend the Deming Public Schools. Twenty years later, the county began requiring U.S. citizenship, but students don't need to live in Luna County, said Harvielee Moore, the school superintendent.

Do you want to bet that there are students who go to this school who are not U.S. citizens?

Children cross the border to attend school elsewhere along the sprawling U.S.-Mexico boundary, most notably in El Paso, across the Rio Grande from Ciudad Juarez. About 94 percent of the children at the school are living in poverty, and nearly all 570 students are considered English-language learners  classifications that entitle the school to extra federal dollars but create intense challenges in the classroom. Last year, there was a flurry of students arrested as they tried to cross the border for school, including a 14-year-old boy who was found hiding a 14-pound brick of marijuana in his backpack, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

It's incredible that we pay for the public education of people who actually live in other countries. Our schools must be aware of it. The border agents who let the same kids through day after day must be aware of it. Where does it end?

Ed Straker is the senior writer at NewsMachete.com.
Simeon D. Mokhiber, a Niagara Falls, N.Y. Army veteran, was convicted April 21 on three felony counts of possessing "large capacity ammunition feeding devices" under Gov. Andrew Cuomo's SAFE Act.

Mokhiber served nine years in the U.S. Army and participated in the 2003 invasion of Iraq. He subsequently worked as an armed private security contractor in Iraq and Afghanistan and was formerly licensed as an armed security guard in New York. He is the father of an eight-year-old with disabilities and had no prior criminal record.

Mokhiber was pulled over for speeding in April 2016. Although Mokhiber had not been drinking, police performed field sobriety tests. When Mokhiber requested that officers turn on body cameras, he was arrested, and his vehicle was searched without a warrant.

Police found three 17-round Glock handgun magazines in a locked container that was opened without Mokhiber's consent. Although Mokhiber was the owner of a licensed and registered handgun, no gun was present in the vehicle at the time of the traffic stop  only the magazines.

Under New York law, possessing an "ammunition feeding device" capable of holding more than 10 rounds is a felony carrying a maximum penalty of seven years in prison.

If Mokhiber is sentenced consecutively, he faces up to 21 years in state prison for possession of the magazines.

While New York is busy prosecuting combat veterans of Operation "Iraqi Freedom," Gov. Cuomo has been actively sympathizing with left-wing criminals. Last December, Cuomo commuted the sentence of Judith Clark, making the avowed communist revolutionary eligible for a parole hearing. Clark was serving a 75-to-life sentence for her role in a 1981 Brink's robbery that involved the murder of a security guard and two police officers. (Cuomo, who personally visited Clark in prison prior to commuting her sentence, was quoted as saying, "She made a mistake" and "Jesus would pardon her.")

And the governor's state budget, passed two weeks ago, appropriated $10 million of taxpayers' money to provide legal counsel to illegal aliens facing deportation.
At some point in life, almost every child on Earth asks, Why is the sky blue? Today we know the answerthe sky appears blue because molecules in the air scatter blue light from the sun more than they scatter the other wavelengths, or colors. But it took a long time for scientists to figure that out.

It wasnt until 1859 when the phenomenon was first correctly explained by Irish physicist John Tyndall, although it was Lord Rayleigh, who studied it in more detail a few years later, after which the phenomenon of Rayleigh scattering is named.

A modern cyanometer in Ljubljana, Slovenia. Photo credit: artecitya.eu

Seventy years before John Tyndall and Lord Rayleigh began working on the problem, a Genevan meteorologist named Horace-Benedict de Saussure was consumed by it. De Saussure, who was an avid mountaineer and is often attributed to the founding of this challenging sport, invented a simple measuring instrument called a cyanometer that enabled him to measure the blueness of the sky.

De Saussure reasoned, and correctly, that the azure must be dependent on the amount of suspended particles and water vapor in the atmosphere, which he called opaque vapors.

De Saussure's cyanometer had 53 sections, ranging from white to varying shades of blue and then to black, arranged in a circle. De Saussure would held his device against the sky and use it measure the color of the sky over the alps, and then use that information to forecast the weather.

Two hundred and twenty-seven years later, Slovenian artist Martin Bricelj Baraga erected a striking monument in Slovenia's capital city Ljubljana, as a homage to de Saussures cyanometer.

Baragas Cyanometer sculpture is not just a monument, but a functional scientific instrument with an accuracy that surpasses De Saussures original cyanometer.

The 3.3-meter-tall glass and steel cyanometer measures the color of the sky and then changes its color to match it perfectly. The cyanometer also has an inbuilt computer that gathers air quality measurement data from an online archive and displays the air pollution level on a color scale from red to green on the instrument in real time. The cyanometer also periodically photographs the sky and sends the photos back to the online archive.

The cyanometer is completely energy self-sufficient, since it runs on solar energy.

De Saussures original cyanometer. Photo credit: Kirsten Carlson

Photo credit: artecitya.eu

Photo credit: artecitya.eu

Photo credit: artecitya.eu

Photo credit: artecitya.eu

Photo credit: artecitya.eu

Source: Slovenia Times / Wikipedia / math.ucr.edu / PubMed
April 25, 2017

As Iran approaches its May 19 presidential elections, the conservative candidates  who are determined to unseat incumbent moderate Hassan Rouhani  are making new campaign pledges to attract votes.

Opponents of Rouhani have been focusing on unemployment and peoples livelihoods, saying Rouhani has been wholly unable to solve the economic hardships many ordinary Iranians are facing.

Conservative Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, who has registered to run for the presidency for the third time, has said that if elected, he would provide 2.5 million rials ($77 at the official exchange rate) a month to every jobless Iranian.

Ghalibaf, the mayor of Tehran since 2005 who previously commanded the countrys police force, has also promised that he will create 5 million jobs while increasing peoples incomes by 2.5 times.

In reaction, First Vice President Eshagh Jahangiri, who is also a presidential candidate along with Rouhani  most likely to defend the incumbent from the attacks of conservative candidates  said April 24, The capability of the economy for creating jobs is clear. Therefore, it is clear that he who says he will create a few million jobs is deceiving people.

He added sarcastically, This dear brother either hasnt created jobs or doesnt have knowledge about the [relevant] figures.

Masoud Nili, a prominent economist and an adviser to Rouhani, also dismissed the possibility of Ghalibafs promises coming true. We need 26% [annual] economic growth to increase the countrys income by 2.5 times. However, we have yearned for years to reach 8% growth, Nili said April 25.

On April 24, the other main conservative candidate, Ebrahim Raisi, the custodian of the holy shrine of the eighth Shiite imam, promised the country's poorer classes that if elected, he would triple the monthly cash subsidy payments, which currently total 455,000 rials ($14 at the official exchange rate) per person.

Raisi, who is also the candidate of the hard-liners under the leadership of Ayatollah Mohammad-Taghi Mesbah Yazdi, added, We feel that the unemployment crisis is solvable and that this crisis can be solved by creating 1.5 million jobs every year.

Meanwhile, Rouhani kicked off his campaign with a speech in Qazvin, some 90 miles northwest of Tehran. In the coming election, the issue is not all about electing a person for the presidency; the issue is that of whether we want to continue down the path of freedom of speech or not, Rouhani said April 23.

He added, In the coming election, the main issue is whether we want to begin confrontation with the world and bring back the ominous shadow of war to the country or whether we want to continue engaging in honorable interaction with the world.

Rouhani said that if re-elected, he would be afraid of no one and no thing to make peoples wishes come true.

Reformists and moderates are arguing that the victory of a conservative candidate would return Iran to the period of former hard-line President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (2005-13), when Tehran was internationally isolated and faced heavy sanctions over its nuclear program.

In fact, Raisi is being flanked by former hard-line chief nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili, who withdrew from the presidential race. According to hard-line member of parliament Mohammad Javad Abtahi, Raisi is making use of Jalilis foreign policy views and might include Jalili in a future Cabinet if Raisi is elected.
Tim Farron finds his backbone and blocks David Ward over antisemitic comments

In todays Sun we read that the LibDems have approved David Ward as their candidate for Bradford East. Ward lost the seat to Labour in 2015. Ward is the man who likened the Jews to the Nazis, the paper reminds us.

But just as we started to think there is no exit for such nastiness we learn that LibDem leader Tim Farron has sacked Ward. Farron says Wards comments about Jews were deeply offensive, wrong and antisemitic.

HURRAH! Finally one of them gets booted out. Other politicos accused of anti-Semitism get suspended. I believe in a politics that is open, tolerant and united. David Ward is unfit to represent the party and I have sacked him, said Farron.

But, as the Guardian points out, the sacking only occurred after Theresa May criticised Wards selection following a question from Eric Pickles during prime ministers questions. Pickles asked if May shares my disgust that a former member of this house criticised by the home affairs select committee for antisemitism has been selected for Bradford East for the Liberal Democrats?

May said voters would be disappointed to see the Liberal Democrats re-adopt a candidate with a questionable record on antisemitism. The paper notes:

Ward has also said he would be willing to fire rockets from Gaza into Israel and praised the Labour MP Naz Shah after she was suspended by her party for antisemitic posts on Facebook.

Naz wasnt kicked out. She was suspended. She was re-educated. She discovered that anti-Semitism is a form of racism. Shah, the Labour MP for Bradford West  what is about that place?  delivered an apology, albeit with a sympathetic backstory.

The language I used was anti-Semitic, it was offensive, she said. What I did was I hurt people and the language that was the clear anti-Semitic language, which I didnt know at the time, was when I said, The Jews are rallying.'

She then went on a journey:

Ms Shah said she had been on a learning journey in recent months and had received amazing compassion from the Jewish community. I didnt get anti-Semitism as racism, said Ms Shah. I had never come across it. I think what I had was an ignorance.

With her abhorrent views unchecked, Naz had made it all the way to be a front-bench advisor in Jeremy Corbyns shadow cabinet. Until she was exposed in the media, at no point did Shah think anti-Semitism could be wrong, let alone racist. Is that because everyone around her was as ignorant as she was? Or is it because anti-Semitism is rife in Labour, which is a safe space to be an anti-Jewish bigot? We can give ink to our thoughts on polling day.

Says Farron: I dont select our individual candidates and nor should I. But let me be clear, I wont tolerate antisemitism in my party. David Ward has been disciplined in the past and if he or anyone else makes antisemitic remarks in this campaign I will expect the party to act quickly and decisively, as we did when we suspended a candidate in Luton South yesterday Ashuk Ahmed, was suspended over Facebook posts that compared Zionism to the Nazis.

Dont panic, lads. You can always go back to school and stand as a representative for the NUS.

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.

Good job the Left has no issue with Jews. We know this because Labour peer Shami Chakrabarti told us there is no anti-Semitism in Labour Party.

Vote now. And vote often.

Anorak

Posted: 26th, April 2017 | In: Key Posts, Politicians, Reviews Comments (2) | TrackBack | Permalink
(ANSAmed) - PARIS, APRIL 26 - Italy has risen 25 places in the annual rankings compiled by Reporters Sans Frontieres (RSF) on press freedom, from 77th place to 52nd. ''The level of violence against reporters (including verbal and physical intimidation and threats) is alarming, especially as politicians such as Beppe Grillo of the Five Star Movement do not hesitate to publicly out the journalists they dislike,'' the report notes.

It goes on to add that journalists working in Italy ''also feel pressured by politicians, and increasingly opt to censor themselves. Under a new law, defaming politicians, judges, or civil servants is punishable by sentences of six to nine years in prison'' Organized crime also remains a problem for those working in the media, with many journalists ''especially in the capital and the south of the country, say they are still subjected to pressure from mafia groups and local criminal gangs'', while six Italian journalists ''are still under round-the-clock police protection because of death threats, mostly from the mafia or fundamentalist groups''. (ANSAmed)
EU granted twice as many asylum requests in 2016 Eurostat reports 710,000, Italy was third highest with 35,450

(ANSAmed) - BRUSSELS, APRIL 26 - The EU-28 in 2016 granted international protection to 710,400 of those who requested it, over double the number from the previous year. Over 14,000 refugees were also resettled, reported Eurostat. Over 60% of asylum requests granted were in Germany (445,210, three times the number in 2015).



Following were Sweden (69,350, double compared with the previous year), Italy (35,450, +20%), France (35,170, +35%), Austria (31,750, +79%) and the Netherlands (21, 825, +28%). In 2016, a total of 1.1 million first-level asylum requests were taken into consideration by the EU and 221,000 appeals filed were examined. About 673,000 (61%) of the first-level requests were granted and 38,000 (17%) of the appeals were. The main beneficiaries of protection in the EU were Syrians (405,600, 57%), followed by Iraqis (65,800, 9%) and Afghans (61,800, 9%).



In Italy, the main beneficiaries were Nigerians (4,610, 13%), Pakistanis (4,300, 12%) and Afghans (4,000, 11%). Among the 710,000 refugees to have been granted international protection by the EU, (equal to 1,390 per million inhabitants), 389,670 (55%) received refugee status, 263,755 (37%) subsidiary protection and 56,970 (8%) authorization to remain for humanitarian reasons. In Italy, among the 35,450 refugees that were granted international protection (585 per million inhabitants), some 4,805 were granted refugee status, 12,120 subsidiary protection and 18,530 authorization to stay for humanitarian reasons.



Another 1,045 were resettled. (ANSAmed).




(by Mohammad Ben Hussein)

BAQAA CAMP, (JORDAN), APRIL 26 - The day started badly for Mahmud, a 13 year old resident of Baqaa camp for Palestinian refugees, 20km north of Amman. The schoolboy was punched, slapped and kicked by riot police in front of his helpless grandfather earlier in the week, before being dragged and tossed in the back of the police car. Mahmud was visiting his grandfather when dozens of special force members swarmed the peaceful neighborhood searching for a wanted men in connection with a brawl. The strong police force used tear gas and fired live bullets at residents before storming into houses of the neighourhood searching for their targets, according to eye witnesses. "The special forces have attacked us using excessive force, although we did not resist them," said Mohammad Abu Jarar, a resident of the neighborhood. "When they entered our chief home, they began beating up women and children, before arresting two boys, dragging our tribe chief to police station," said another eye witness. He said the security forces began assault against passersby, beating up a camp residents and making random arrests.

"They were like mad dogs. They showed no regards to human dignity, acting in a very barbaric way," shouted Fuzia, a mother of 6 boys who was at the receiving end of punches from the security forces.

Human rights activists accused authorities of using brutal methods with civilians. "Jordan has returned to the martial law era. The security forces are no longer showing respect to human rights," said Abdul Kareem Shreidah, secretary general of the Arab Organization for human rights.

"Since the Arab spring started, security authorities use brutality and methods of suppression to control the crowds," he told ANSA.

Camp residents complain that they have no political protection due to the fact that members in the parliament who represent them are pro-regime and that they are considered refugees, despite living for decades in the kingdom.

Meanwhile, police spokesman Amer Sartawee called on resident of the camp to "come forward and lodge a complaint of assault." "We must investigate police practices after a complaint is made.

We will hold whoever is found guilty responsible for his actions," he told ANSA.

Jordan is home to more than two million officially registered refugees, living in difficult conditions in several camps.

Although most of them hold Jordanian nationality, residents complain of systematic marginalization which lead to rise in poverty and unemployment.
BRUSSELS - The EU-28 in 2016 granted international protection to 710,400 of those who requested it, over double the number from the previous year. Over 14,000 refugees were also resettled, reported Eurostat. Over 60% of asylum requests granted were in Germany (445,210, three times the number in 2015).



Following were Sweden (69,350, double compared with the previous year), Italy (35,450, +20%), France (35,170, +35%), Austria (31,750, +79%) and the Netherlands (21, 825, +28%). In 2016, a total of 1.1 million first-level asylum requests were taken into consideration by the EU and 221,000 appeals filed were examined. About 673,000 (61%) of the first-level requests were granted and 38,000 (17%) of the appeals were. The main beneficiaries of protection in the EU were Syrians (405,600, 57%), followed by Iraqis (65,800, 9%) and Afghans (61,800, 9%).



In Italy, the main beneficiaries were Nigerians (4,610, 13%), Pakistanis (4,300, 12%) and Afghans (4,000, 11%). Among the 710,000 refugees to have been granted international protection by the EU, (equal to 1,390 per million inhabitants), 389,670 (55%) received refugee status, 263,755 (37%) subsidiary protection and 56,970 (8%) authorization to remain for humanitarian reasons.

In Italy, among the 35,450 refugees that were granted international protection (585 per million inhabitants), some 4,805 were granted refugee status, 12,120 subsidiary protection and 18,530 authorization to stay for humanitarian reasons. Another 1,045 were resettled.


Jordan:excessive force in Palestinian refugee camp -activist Searches and arrests at site north of Amman

(by Mohammad Ben Hussein) (ANSAmed) - BAQAA CAMP, (JORDAN), APRIL 26 - The day started badly for Mahmud, a 13 year old resident of Baqaa camp for Palestinian refugees, 20km north of Amman. The schoolboy was punched, slapped and kicked by riot police in front of his helpless grandfather earlier in the week, before being dragged and tossed in the back of the police car. Mahmud was visiting his grandfather when dozens of special force members swarmed the peaceful neighborhood searching for a wanted men in connection with a brawl. The strong police force used tear gas and fired live bullets at residents before storming into houses of the neighourhood searching for their targets, according to eye witnesses. "The special forces have attacked us using excessive force, although we did not resist them," said Mohammad Abu Jarar, a resident of the neighborhood. "When they entered our chief home, they began beating up women and children, before arresting two boys, dragging our tribe chief to police station," said another eye witness. He said the security forces began assault against passersby, beating up a camp residents and making random arrests.



"They were like mad dogs. They showed no regards to human dignity, acting in a very barbaric way," shouted Fuzia, a mother of 6 boys who was at the receiving end of punches from the security forces.



Human rights activists accused authorities of using brutal methods with civilians. "Jordan has returned to the martial law era. The security forces are no longer showing respect to human rights," said Abdul Kareem Shreidah, secretary general of the Arab Organization for human rights.



"Since the Arab spring started, security authorities use brutality and methods of suppression to control the crowds," he told ANSA.



Camp residents complain that they have no political protection due to the fact that members in the parliament who represent them are pro-regime and that they are considered refugees, despite living for decades in the kingdom.



Meanwhile, police spokesman Amer Sartawee called on resident of the camp to "come forward and lodge a complaint of assault." "We must investigate police practices after a complaint is made.



We will hold whoever is found guilty responsible for his actions," he told ANSA.



Jordan is home to more than two million officially registered refugees, living in difficult conditions in several camps.



Although most of them hold Jordanian nationality, residents complain of systematic marginalization which lead to rise in poverty and unemployment. (ANSAmed).




ISTANBUL - Another large operation against alleged members of a network led by imam-in-exile Fethullah Gulan has resulted in the arrest of over a thousand people by 8,500 security officers.

The operation was carried out simultaneously in 72 provinces, announced Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu. He added that 1,009 people suspected of being ''imams'' - involved in the coordination of the organization - had been detained. The suspects, he said, ''had infiltrated the police'' and ''tried to lead it from outside by forming an alternative structure''. Soylu said that the operation was ''an important step'' towards dismantling the alleged network under Gulen. Since a failed coup attempt on July 15 last year, over 47,000 people have been arrested in Turkey due to alleged links to the network including at least 10,700 police and 7,400 soldiers.


ANSAmed - Today's events in the Mediterranean

(ANSAmed) - ROME, APRIL 26 - The following are some of the main events scheduled for today in the Euro-Mediterranean area: ALEXANDROUPOLI (GREECE) - First international congress on the 'western silk road'.



LA VALLETTA - EU, informal meeting of defense ministers (also on the 27th).



HAMMAMET - Arab festival of radio and television (until April 28).



ROME - India Theater - Mayakovsky's play Mystery-Bouffe premieres with company of migrants and volunteers. (ANSAmed).




EU not Islamophobic but death penalty red line - Tajani Opens EP debate on Turkey

(ANSAmed) - BRUSSELS, APRIL 26 - The European Union is not Islamophobic but the death penalty is a "red line", European Parliament President Antonio Tajani said Wednesday, opening a plenary debate on Turkey. "The EU does not in any way want to shut the door on the Turkish people, which remains a friendly people with which we are seeking dialogue," he said.



"Europe is not an Islamophobic continent: millions of Muslim citizens live in Europe who can exercise their faith without being minimally discriminated against". (ANSAmed).




Emirates adds second A380 to Madrid

Emirates has said all its flights to Spain will be operated by the A380.
The Sheikh received a high level delegation from Australia led by The Honorary Steve Ciobo MP, Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment, Gerard Seeber, Australian Consul General and Senior Trade Commissioner for Middle East and North Africa and Shona Rosengren, Counsellor (Transport). The delegation discussed Emirates' services to Australia, and the airline's ongoing contribution to trade and tourism sectors in the country.

Emirates operates 77 flights per week from Dubai to five Australian cities - Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth. Emirates has experienced progressive growth in Australia and since commencing services to the country, the airline has carried more than 27 million passengers on its Australian flights, boosting the nation's annual AUD$30 billion export earnings from tourism. Emirates is also the second largest international cargo carrier in Australia and in the last financial year, the airline carried 124 thousand tonnes of cargo.

His Highness also met a Greek government delegation that was headed by Elena Kountour, Minister of Tourism for Greece, H.E Dionyssios Zois, Greek Ambassador to the UAE, Angheliki Hondromatidou, Director of the Minister's Cabinet, Michail Anghelopoulos, First Counselor and Diplomatic Advisor to the Minister and Christos Stampoulopoulos, First Counselor for Economic and Commercial Affairs at the Embassy of Greece in the UAE. During the visit, the dignitaries explored opportunities to increase tourism flows between the UAE and Greece.
The current daily A380 Sydney flights will be joined by a second daily superjumbo service, upgraded from a 328-seat Boeing 777-300ER. The announcement comes as Etihad Airways marks the 10th anniversary of flying to Sydney, its first Australian destination.



Peter Baumgartner, Etihad Airways chief executive officer, said: Sydney is one of our busiest and best performing long-haul routes where we have experienced increased demand, particularly in our premium cabins, since the launch 10 years ago.



By introducing the A380 on the second daily flight, we are able to ensure our flagship product is on all of the Sydney services each week. The upgrade of this service will help fulfil growing demand, benefiting travellers to and from Abu Dhabi, and across Etihad Airways global network.
Signing the agreement with VFS Global, Gulf Air chief commercial officer, Ahmed Janahi, said: We are partnering with VFS Global to provide a much needed service to Gulf Air passengers that will support our national carriers longstanding efforts to promote the Kingdom as a destination to a broad spectrum of travellers while making the process of obtaining a visa to Bahrain easier and more convenient. Soon, Gulf Air passengers will be able to easily obtain short term visit visas to Bahrain via our website gulfair.com  allowing them to come to Bahrain and experience all that our Kingdom has to offer in terms of tourism, business opportunities and more.

Zubin Karkaria, chief executive officer, VFS Global Group said: Integrating next-generation convenience into the traditional visa process lies at the heart of our services. We are pleased to synergise our efforts with Gulf Air and the Government of Bahrain to ensure greater flexibility and digital-friendly services for visitors to Bahrain, while maintaining the security requirements of the visa process. We believe the online e-visa platform will make visa application much more convenient for Gulf Air customers, providing them with greater speed and transparency in the process, thereby enhancing their overall experience.

Vinay Malhotra, chief operating officer  Middle East & South Asia, VFS Global, added: Applying for an eVisa through our dedicated online platform, designed exclusively for Gulf Air passengers, will transform the visa application experience for passengers, offering more customer-centric services. Quicker turnaround times, 24X7 accessibility, and online tracking, amongst other advantages, will make applying for a visa to Bahrain easier than ever before.




The increased frequency, along with its double-daily Phuket flights and the five-month-old Krabi operations (four flights a week), will take the number of weekly Qatar Airways departures from Thailand to Doha to 53. Return economy flights to Thailand departing from London Heathrow start at 489 for Bangkok if booked by 8 May 2018.



In tandem with its expansion into Thailand, Qatar Airways has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) to come together and boost inbound tourism to Thailand.



Qatar Airways Group chief executive, Akbar Al Baker said: Boosting our Bangkok flight frequency to five daily flights is a significant commitment from us to the Thai market and testament to the strong year-round demand on this iconic Far East route. We are delighted to be able to dedicate additional capacity to Thailand, providing even more flexibility and convenience for our passengers travelling to and from the Land of Smiles.



Bangkok has long been a hugely popular destination for both business and leisure travellers. The partnership with the Tourism Authority of Thailand allows us to jointly work together to attract more travellers from secondary cities in Europe, the Middle East and Africa to experience the warm and gracious hospitality Thailand is renowned for.
TAV Airports Holding Executive Board Member & CEO Sani Sener said: 2017 started in line with our initial expectations. Adverse weather conditions in January along with the leap year effect impacted both Origin & Destination and transfer passenger figures of Istanbul Ataturk Airport. We have observed that the negative momentum slowed down in March. Hence, our consolidated revenue declined 2% with an overall passenger decline of 2%, despite strong growth in our foreign airports. The rest of the year should be relatively stronger, as the first quarter is the weakest in aviation industry and we still expect to close the year with a four to five percent increase in total passengers. Airlines announcements on passenger numbers fort he summer season and the rest of year confirms our expectations.

Opex excluding depreciation and concession & rent expenses decreased by 7%, due to weak TRY vs EUR during the quarter, which was reflected in 1% decline in EBITDAR. The decrease in EBITDA was more, due to increased TAV Istanbul rent in EUR, which was caused by amortization schedule of rent payments, despite no change in cash payment in USD terms; as well as lower net income contribution from Medinah, due to the doubling of the rent, with the end of the grace period of two years following the completion of the new terminal.

Net profit was negatively affected by higher depreciation expense, mainly due to TAV Istanbul and increased deferred tax expense with TRY depreciation against EUR. Our guidance for significant increase in net income for the full year remains intact.

We distributed TL 247 million of dividends in March, in line with our 50% payout policy. In 2017, we have reached an agreement with Saudi Arabian Civil Aviation Authority (GACA) regarding Yanbu, Qassim and Hail Airports. Our aim is to replicate the success of Medinah Airport.

I would like to thank all our shareholders, business partners and employees for their trust in and dedicated efforts for the TAV Airports brand.
YEREVAN, 26 APRIL, ARMENPRESS: The Chamber of Deputies of the Czech Republic approved on Tuesday, April 25, a resolution, condemning the genocide of Armenians in the Ottoman Turkey. The legislation condemns atrocities and massacres of Armenians and other religious and national minorities in the Ottoman Empire during the First World War, as well as Nazi war crimes.

The Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament of the Czech Republic condemns the crimes against humanity carried out by the Nazis during the Second World War on the Jewish, Roma and Slavic populations in the controlled territories, the genocide of Armenians and other national and religious minorities in the Ottoman Empire during World War I, reads the resolution, which passed with 104 votes.

The resolution was proposed by MP Robin Bonisch from the CSSD.
Brief answers by the three (male) star dancemakers to this question (evidently texted to them after the main conversation recorded in the article was over)  Most of the major choreographers in classical dance are men. Why is that?  led to a ferocious response from The Observers Luke Jennings, after which Twitter went mad. Courtney Escoyne surveys the battlefield.
Connor Towne ONeill travels to Woodstock, Alabama to ask the folks there about finding themselves the subject of a record-smashing podcast  and finds some fair-mindedness, some defensiveness, plenty of ambivalence and even more awkwardness. After all, they really do all know each other. (Warning: includes spoilers)
If any state knows the value of publicly financed art, it may be South Dakota: One of its biggest tourist attractions, Mount Rushmore, is, among other things, a colossal federally funded sculpture.  [The NEAs] generally small grants can have a bigger impact here than they would at the Metropolitan Operas of the world. Michael Cooper visits the Coyote State to see in action some of the arts programs funded by the agency the Trump administration proposes to eliminate.
In todays Wall Street Journal I review the new Broadway revival of Six Degrees of Separation. Heres an excerpt.

* * *

Not only did John Guares Six Degrees of Separation add a phrase to the English language, but it instantly became what used to be called a water-cooler show when it opened at Lincoln Center Theater a quarter-century ago. Its been a long time since a play last came to town that smart Manhattanites felt similarly obliged to see, then chew over at the office the next morning. Nowadays we look to cable TV to provide us with such unifying experiences. But Mr. Guare is still around, and so is Six Degrees, which has just received its first Broadway revival. Directed by Trip Cullman, who mounted the play eight years ago at San Diegos Old Globe Theatre, this new production features Allison Janney in the starring role that was so memorably created in 1990 by Stockard Channing. Once again, Mr. Cullmans staging is exemplary, but its the play itself that makes the deepest impression. Six Degrees probably wont get talked about much at anybodys office this time around, but those lucky enough to see the new revival will go home thinking very hard about it.

In Six Degrees we meet Flan Kittredge (John Benjamin Hickey), an art dealer who has sold his sensitive soul for money, and Ouisa (Ms. Janney), his scatty wife, who also loves living well but remembers what it feels like to be a human being. Their jittery existence is upended by Paul (Corey Hawkins), a smooth-talking young con man with a taste for rough trade who cozens his way into the homes of the newly near-rich by claiming to be Sidney Poitiers son (Mr. Poitier has six daughters) and preying on the liberal guilt of people like Flan and Ouisa. Six Degrees is full of witty chat about the fears of such folk: Having a rich friend is like drowning and your friend makes life boats. But the friend gets very touchy if you say one word: life boat. Well, thats two words. But its real strength lies in the searching clarity with which Mr. Guare portrays the deep-seated insecurity shared by Paul and the Kittredges, all three of whom are Gatsbys under the skin, self-made men and women who no longer know who they really are.

I can say no better about Ms. Janney than that her performance is as memorable in its own firmly grounded way as was that of the exquisitely fey Ms. Channing. The difference is that she fits more smoothly into Mr. Cullmans ensemble cast. In this production, like the comparably persuasive Florida Repertory Theatre revival of The House of Blue Leaves that Chris Clavelli directed earlier this season, everyone acts with the high-keyed, anti-naturalistic histrionics that Mr. Guare favors, and the resulting unanimity of tone serves the play well.

* * *

Read the whole thing here.

John Guare talks about Six Degrees of Separation:
During the 50 years since his breakthrough album Forest Flower (released in February 1967, recorded live at the Monterey Jazz Festival the summer before)  comparable in some ways to The Epic success of Kamasi Washington  saxophonist-flutist Charles Lloyd has been unusually popular for an adventurous jazzman. He showed how hes done that, accomplished a long career while expressing himself freely, with his on-tour Marvels at Chicagos Symphony Center Friday night (4/21), and its worth unpacking.

Lloyd, 79, and his empathic, considerably younger quintet (guitarist Bill Frisell and pedal steel guitarist Gary Leisz are in their mid 60s; bassist Reuben Rogers and drummer Eric Harland in their late 30s) play instrumental, mostly improvised, sometimes dense and abstract music. At Symphony Center the ensemble was spontaneous and artistic, its members entertaining each other as well as the visibly diverse audience, casting a spell that entertained the merely curious as well as deep-dyed fans, across age and races.

The crowd (perhaps 1800 in a theater holding 2500) responded with such an ovation  and the musicians themselves seemed so delightfully energized  that an encore turned into a full second set, with guitarist Mary Halvorson, who had been in cellist Tomeka Reids quartet that opened the show, sitting in. (Reid, in full bloom with record releases and residencies, is a hometown favorite  just celebrated by the Jazz Journalists Association as Chicagos 2017 Jazz Hero, and yes, I had a hand in that. She, Halvorson, bassist Jason Roebke and drummer Tomas Fujiwara performed original compositions that resolved their quirky lines and turns with satisfying repetitions). So here are aspects of Lloyds presentation and performance that have worked for him for decades, and might be considered for adoption or adaptation.

Play with the best. Lloyd learned this early on  perhaps from his first nationally-known employer, drummer Chico Hamilton, who always hired distinctive sidemen (Buddy Collette, Jim Hall, Paul Horn, Eric Dolphy, Fred Katz, Gabor Szabo, Larry Coryell). Lloyd proved he understood by assembling a band with then-obscure pianist Keith Jarrett, drummer Jack DeJohnette and bassist Ron McClure  whose careers were all launched by Forest Flower, too. Lloyd expects the contributions and interactions of his band members to follow from his leads and set up his solos. He selects them for imagination and deftness; they respond quickly, supporting his moves, free to pursue their own paths through grounds hes laid out. His sidemen get it: in conversation backstage, Harland vowed that he only sounded good because the rest of the band made music so well. Over the years Lloyds collaborators have included pianists Michel Petrucciani, Bobo Stenson, Don Friedman, Cedar Walton, Jason Moran, Brad Mehldau and Geri Allen; drummers Billy Hart and Billy Higgins; bassists Dave Holland, Cecil McBee, Marc Johnson, Palle Danielson, Robert Hurst, Buster Williams and Larry Grenadier; guitarist John Abercrombie and percussionist Zakir Hussain. Thats a roll call of great listeners who play, each with something to say.

Paul Horn, Eric Dolphy, Fred Katz, Gabor Szabo, Larry Coryell). Lloyd proved he understood by assembling a band with then-obscure pianist Keith Jarrett, drummer Jack DeJohnette and bassist Ron McClure  whose careers were all launched by Forest Flower, too. Lloyd expects the contributions and interactions of his band members to follow from his leads and set up his solos. He selects them for imagination and deftness; they respond quickly, supporting his moves, free to pursue their own paths through grounds hes laid out. His sidemen get it: in conversation backstage, Harland vowed that he only sounded good because the rest of the band made music so well. Over the years Lloyds collaborators have included pianists Michel Petrucciani, Bobo Stenson, Don Friedman, Cedar Walton, Jason Moran, Brad Mehldau and Geri Allen; drummers Billy Hart and Billy Higgins; bassists Dave Holland, Cecil McBee, Marc Johnson, Palle Danielson, Robert Hurst, Buster Williams and Larry Grenadier; guitarist John Abercrombie and percussionist Zakir Hussain. Thats a roll call of great listeners who play, each with something to say. Choose memorable material, old and new, then mix it up. Lloyd inserted familiar if seldom performed melodies such as Beach Boy Brian Wilsons In My Room (the saxophonist toured and recorded with the Beach Boys), Ornette Colemans Focus on Sanity and Ramblin, and his own Sombrero Sam (from his album Dreamweaver, which preceded Forest Flower) in his set as if to punctuate his looser modal episodes. The bold themes caught the ear (and gave the players interesting basis from which to stretch); the sketchier passages drew us into deeper meditation. In the encore, as Halvorsons flurries of trebly, pearl-dry notes sparkling amid the sustained and pitch-bent tones of Frisell and Leisz and rhythm section pulsations, a field of tones unfurled like the introductory alap of a raga unfurled, implying to me the Beatles Within You Without You. Lloyd didnt state that theme, but I recalled how he turned Here, There and Everywhere into a quasi samba on his 67 album Love In. He ended the Marvels concert with a seriously sensuous rendition of Prelude to a Kiss, which Duke Ellington composed in 1938.

flurries of trebly, pearl-dry notes sparkling amid the sustained and pitch-bent tones of Frisell and Leisz and rhythm section pulsations, a field of tones unfurled like the introductory alap of a raga unfurled, implying to me the Beatles Within You Without You. Lloyd didnt state that theme, but I recalled how he turned Here, There and Everywhere into a quasi samba on his 67 album Love In. He ended the Marvels concert with a seriously sensuous rendition of Prelude to a Kiss, which Duke Ellington composed in 1938. Have fun, dont fear rhythm. Lloyd kept the music moving, aided immensely by Rogers and Harland, of course. Jazz bass-and-drums teams today are often busy and seldom rigid  they want to be able to turn immediately to any option, so they may lay down a grooving backdrop rather than establishing and emphasizing one identifiable beat (unlike most hip-hop, say). Onstage but off-mike, Lloyd was unobtrusive but attentive to the sets overall rhythm  percussion accents, ensemble tempos, flowing pace  at Harlands side shaking rattles when he felt the need. Sensing his players climaxes as they came on, hed step out from behind them to pick up his tenor and blow. Playing his alto flute on what Ive idd as Sombrero Sam, he swung his hips like a cool beatnik at a dance club. Being in the moment, unselfconscious, with the music, Lloyd inspired his musicians and listeners alike to do the same.

Not everyone can project the natural, perhaps innate feeling for jazz of Charles Lloyd. Hes had a singular background, which cant be duplicated. Claiming African, Mongolian, Cherokee and Irish ancestry, from age nine he showed interest in jazz and pursued his opportunities, hearing swing-to-bop on the radio (Lester Youngs airiness survives in Lloyds sound and phrasing), working in commercial r&b/blues bands. Hometown associates included trumpeter Booker Little, pianist Phineas Newborn and tenor saxophonist George Coleman, now also an NEA Jazz Master.

Arriving at University of Southern California when he was 20 to study with a Bartok specialist, Lloyd fell in with Ornette Colemans circle and joined Gerald Wilsons Orchestra. In bands led by Hamilton (in 60) and Cannonball Adderley (64), he observed progressive ideas presented in accessible formats, and pursued the search for new/ancient world music pioneered Yusef Lateef and John Coltrane. He was 30 during the Summer of Love, and Forest Flower was a breezy, lyrical, high energy album embraced by hippies, promoting him quickly, internationally. That very year his quartet made an unprecedented tour of the Soviet Union  and from there to now, some down time but also many great steps in between. ((For more info, check out Josef Woodards biography Charles Lloyd: Wild Blatant Truth.)

Lloyds basic orientation has held. He has his own voice, amalgamated from many sources, filtered through his experience, perspective, personality, preferences and perhaps whims, but hewing to fundamental dictums. Perform with the best available collaborators, even if you have to discover them yourself. Select songs people will remember  and you dont need to have composed them all. Play the music, from within, keeping in mind that there are listeners you want to attract and satisfy. Keep the music moving. Live long and with a little bit of luck prosper. Dont take your too seriously, and yet. . . Emerging from dressing rooms after the performance, Lloyd commented dryly on the multiple nominations (Lifetime Achievement in Jazz, Musician of the Year, Mid-Sized Band of the Year, Tenor Saxophonist of the Year) hes received for 2017 JJA Jazz Awards: Maybe I have some potential.

howardmandel.com

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Singapore: ISO 37001 Anti-Bribery Systems Management Standard adopted

In order to enable Singapore-registered companies to implement and manage anti-bribery best practices, the city-state recently adopted the ISO 37001 Anti-Bribery Systems Management Standard. The Standard is being launched jointly by SPRING Singapore, an agency under the Ministry of Trade and Industry, and Singapores Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB). The two organisations released a joint statement saying ISO 37001 is based on internationally recognized good practices [and] provides guidelines to help Singapore companies strengthen their anti-bribery compliance systems and processes [to] ensure compliance with anti-bribery laws.

An accreditation mechanism for certification bodies is expected to be rolled out by the end of 2017. The majority of people prosecuted for bribery and corruption in Singapore in 2016 were private sector employees. According to the CPIB, 808 corruption complaints were filed in 2016, down from 877 complaints filled in the previous year.

RELATED: Pre-Investment and Market Entry Advisory from Dezan Shira & Associates

Thailand: E-work permit smart cards for migrant workers introduced

Thailands labour ministry has introduced e-work permit smart cards for migrant workers in the country. The measure is aimed at enabling immigration and labour ministry officials to verify the workers personal information and detect falsified supporting documents. The smart card will have inbuilt features which will enable officials to check the workers information by using their smart phones to read the QR code embedded on the cards. The QR code contains records of any change in employer as well as immigration details about arrivals and departures from Thailand. The e-work permits will be valid for two years, which is the maximum duration of an employment contract.

Laos: Government approves development of port facility in Vietnam

Landlocked Laos will gain access to the sea once it completes the development of the Vung Ang port project in neighbouring Vietnam. The Lao cabinet on 21 April approved the setting up of a public-private joint stock company to develop and manage the port in Vietnams central Ha Tinh province. The Vietnamese government has already agreed to grant Laos a 50-year concession to develop and operate the port. There is also a provision to extend the concession period beyond the initial 50 years. Lao officials have stated that the port will not only allow much-needed sea access to the landlocked country but will also significantly reduce land transport costs for exporters.

About Us Asia Briefing, a subsidiary of China, India, Indonesia, Russia, the Silk Road & Vietnam. For editorial matters please contact us here and for a complimentary subscription to our products, please click ASEAN Briefing is published by, a subsidiary of Dezan Shira & Associates . We produce material for foreign investors throughout Asia, includingthe. For editorial matters please contact usand for a complimentary subscription to our products, please click here Dezan Shira & Associates provide business intelligence, due diligence, legal, tax and advisory services throughout the ASEAN and Asia. We maintain offices in Singapore, as well as Hanoi & Ho Chi Minh City, and maintain Alliance offices in Bangkok, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur and Manila as well as throughout China, South-East Asia, India and Russia. For assistance with ASEAN investments into any of the featured countries, please contact us at provide business intelligence, due diligence, legal, tax and advisory services throughout the ASEAN and Asia. We maintain offices in Singapore, as well as Hanoi & Ho Chi Minh City, and maintain Alliance offices in Bangkok, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur and Manila as well as throughout China, South-East Asia, India and Russia. For assistance with ASEAN investments into any of the featured countries, please contact us at asean@dezshira.com or visit us at www.dezshira.com

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.
Its not that Boney fears competition, he clarifies.

The next eagerly awaited Sridevi starrer Mom has a new date. Its release was scheduled on July 14, but has been preponed by a week  July 7.

The films producer, Boney Kapoor explains, There were several films coming on July 14 along with ours  Anurag Basus Jagga Jasoos was among them. Later we came to know that Sabir Khans Munna Michael was postponing its release too  from July 7 to July 21  so we decided to prepone our film.

Its not that Boney fears competition, he clarifies. But Ive been in this business long enough to know that it serves no purpose to crowd a Friday with several films. Its not a question of whose film is bigger or smaller. Its just self-defeating to have so many releases simultaneously. We are happy to take our film to another Friday. Now we have a Hollywood franchise Spiderman to deal with.
The document is a revision of the doctrine declared eight years ago  the logical product in the aftermath of the Kargil War.

India will have three Army commands, three Air Force commands and the Navys Eastern Command, making it a total of seven operational commands with diverse mandates.

New Delhi: In a major step to synergise Indias military forces and with jointness and integration being the buzzwords among the leading military nations of the world, a new joint doctrine was adopted on Tuesday in the presence of the chiefs of the three armed forces, besides the chief of the Integrated Defence Staff.

The document was released by chairman of the Chiefs Of Staff Committee and Navy Chief Admiral Sunil Lanba in presence of Army Chief Gen. Bipin Rawat and IAF Chief B.S. Dhanoa.

The doctrine will lay down a broad framework of concepts and principles for the conduct of strategic, operational and tactical level operations across land, air, sea, space and cyber-space.

The change is indicative of a preference for the Theatre Command system of war where all branches and wings of the military operate under a single unified command as also a move towards the long-felt need for a chief of defence staff  a single point military official to direct war strategy and effort.

While Indias neighbours China and Pakistan already have Theatre Command doctrines in place, certain recent developments in Chinas military structure may have hastened the changes and it was just a question of time before India too adopted the changes.

Just to illustrate the case in point, in case of a possible war scenario with China, India will have to confront the newly-formed Western Theatre Command on land and the Southern Theatre command at sea. In contrast, India will have three Army commands, three Air Force commands, and the Navys Eastern Command, making it a total of seven operational commands with diverse mandates versus Chinas two. At the same time, the Army, IAF and Navy commands would report to their respective chiefs besides the logistical issues of operational commands headquartered at different places.

A defence ministry release stated: The joint doctrine of the Indian armed forces will serve as a cornerstone document for application of military power in a synergised manner leading to enhanced efficiency, optimum utilisation of resources and financial savings.

The document listed a range of security threats facing the country, including transnational threats, proxy war in Jammu and Kashmir and left-wing extremism in various parts of the country and indicated that surgical strikes could be a key feature in counter-terror operations.

The joint doctrine proposes joint training of personnel, unified command and control structure besides pushing for a tri-service approach for modernisation of the three forces.

The document is a revision of the doctrine declared eight years ago  the logical product in the aftermath of the Kargil War.

The doctrine also talked about the steps initiated for establishment of the Defence Cyber Agency, Defence Space Agency and Special Operations Division.

Significantly, the document states: The fragile security environment in the Af-Pak region and neighbouring support to proxy war in Jammu & Kashmir, lends a possibility of it being a conduit for eastward spread of fundamentalist and radical ideologies.

It said special forces operations will be conducted by specially selected troops of the Army, Navy and Air Force who are trained, equipped and organised to operate in hostile territory in all dimensions - land, air and sea.

It said following approval by political leadership, decisions on joint military objective will be taken by COSC.

The Joint Operations Committee (JOCOM) is the integrated structure at strategic level under the COSC to conduct and plan operations, it said.

The doctrine said coordination with relevant agencies like RAW, Intelligence Bureau and Intelligence organisations of the para-military forces as part of the Joint Intelligence Committee under the National Security Adviser is an imperative to the intelligence structure.
CPM conveys its views to Cong as talks for joint Opp. nominee for Prez poll on.

New Delhi: As the Opposition continues to look for a presidential candidate to counter the Modi-Shah juggernaut, the Left parties are reportedly in favour of President Pranab Mukherjee getting a second a term. Sources said that the CPI(M) top brass have conveyed their views to Congress president Sonia Gandhi.

Mr Mukherjee has, however, indicated that he was not willing to throw his hat in the ring unless there was a consensus on his name, sources added.

The presidential polls have brought Mrs Gandhi back to the centrestage of political activities, with the Congress president holding discussions with like-minded and secular parties to field a common presidential candidate.

Mrs Gandhi has already held discussions with JD(U) chief Nitish Kumar and Left leaders, including CPI (M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury and CPI leader D. Raja.

As of now both the NDA and the Opposition conglomerate seem to be evenly poised as far as the contest to Raisina Hills is concerned.

The AIADMK, Biju Janata Dal, Telengana Rashtra Samiti, YSR Congress Party, AAP and INLD hold the key. The Shiv Sena is also a deciding factor as in the last two presidential polls it has voted in favour of a Congress candidate and this time also might jump to other side as they are quiet miffed with their alliance partner BJP.

While AIADMK is in the throes of a merger talk, the Biju Janata Dal has already shown its intentions of joining the Opposition after meetings with Mr Nitish Kumar and Trinamul Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee. Mr Kumar has also held talks with INLD.

Sources said that Left leaders have reportedly conveyed to the Congress president that they were ready to support Mr Mukherjee for a second term. Officially though, the CPI-M has said that the party should try and support a common candidate preferably not belonging to any political party.

The report on political developments adopted by the CPI(M) at the central committee meeting earlier this month said: The forthcoming elections to the post of President of India should be utilised by us to try and find a common candidate preferably belonging to no political party around whom the opposition parties can rally around.

The office of the President assumes greater importance in the current context. With the RSSs declared objective of converting the secular democratic character of the Indian republic into their ideological project of establishing a Hindu Rashtra, the role of the President as the custodian of the Indian Constitution becomes even more important. We should make all efforts to try and forge unity of all secular parties in this effort to ensure a non-RSS President of the Indian Republic, it said.

The report goes on to say that currently, in the electoral college that elects the President of India, the BJP with its NDA allies is marginally short of around two per cent of the votes.
15-year vision document which was to replace the 12th FYP, which expired on March 31, is still a work in progress.

New Delhi: Niti Aayog vice-chairman Arvind Panagariya on Tuesday said that the draft 15-year vision document and the draft three-year action plan, which runs co-terminus with it, will be finalised soon, even though the government think tank is yet to receive feedback from states on these documents and the new financial year has already begun.

We (all the members of the thinktank) will be travelling to the states and seek feedback from them regarding the vision document and then it will be finalised (after incorporating the states inputs), Mr Panagariya told reporters while unveiling the draft three-year action plan for the vision document.

When asked that the new financial year has already begun and the 15-year vision document which was to replace the Five-Year Plan from April 1 onwards (as the 12th Five Year Plan ended on March 31, 2017) is still being finalised, the Niti Aayog vice-chairman claimed that work on it will be wrapped up soon.

The Niti Aayog has been working on finalising the vision document since May 2016, when the Prime Ministers Office (PMO) had suggested it to do so.

Sources aware of the developments, agreed that the entire process has been delayed, owing mainly to lack of consensus within states on its various aspects.

In fact, the draft vision document and draft three-year action plan were distributed among chief ministers on April 23 and also during the meeting of the think tanks governing council chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

However, a general consensus is yet to be built on these key documents, they added.

Meanwhile, according to experts, the draft three-year action plan is divided into seven parts dealing with issues like finance, agriculture, health, education, and environment among others.
As many as 25 CRPF personnel were killed and five others injured in the encounter with naxals in Chhattisgarh's Sukma on Monday.

Raipur (Chhattisgarh): Special Director General of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), D M Awasthi on Wednesday asserted that Monday's Naxal attack on personnel of the 74th battalion of the force was not an ambush, but a raid.

"This incident should be termed as raid rather than an ambush, because everyday our CRPF jawans who were patrolling in that area were being noticed by them. That's why suddenly they were easily attacked," said Awasthi.

Awasthi further stated, "The CRPF's were attacked while they were eating. I will not term this as intelligence failure nor a strategy collapse but will look into the matter and resolve things soon as possible. We need to conduct intelligence-based operations. As intelligence was shared between different agencies regularly even after that this incident came as a shock," said Awasthi.

As many as 25 CRPF personnel were killed and five others injured in the encounter with naxals in Chhattisgarh's Sukma on Monday.

The attack took place on personnel of the CRPF's 74th Battalion as they were assisting the local population in road building and clearing activity in the district.

The Centre, yesterday, 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 said that 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," Singh told a joint press briefing with the chief minister here.
New Delhi also placed the 16th request for consular access to Jadhav with Islamabad.

File photo of former Indian naval officer Kulbhushan Jadhav who has been sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court on charges of 'espionage'. (Photo: PTI)

New Delhi/Islamabad: Pakistan on Wednesday formally rejected Indias request for consular access to former Indian naval officer Kulbhushan Jadhav, even as Indian high commissioner Gautam Bambawale met Pakistan foreign secretary Tehmina Janjua in Islamabad and handed over a petition by the mother of former naval officer Kulbhushan Jadhav to the Pakistan government and an appeal for the Court of Appeal.

The Court of Appeal will hear the case of Jadhav who was recently sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court on charges of espionage and sabotage. India also requested Pakistan to facilitate visas for Jadhavs parents, who have filed their visa application with the Pakistan high commission and want to visit Pakistan to meet their son and file the petition and appeal in person.

New Delhi also placed the 16th request for consular access to Jadhav with Islamabad.

Ms Janjua, however, conveyed to the Indian high commissioner that the demand for consular access had been rejected. Ms Janjua dismissed the plea filed by the Indian envoy, while claiming that Jadhav was caught red-handed while carrying out espionage for Indias external intelligence organisation, Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), and that he also confessed to the charges. But New Delhi has termed the charges concocted. Pak media reports say Ms Janjua turned down Mr Bamba-wales demand, saying access under (bilateral) agreement is meant for prisoners and not for spies. In New Delhi, the Indian government said Mr Jaishankar met Pakistan high commissioner Abdul Basit (in New Delhi) on Tuesday and made similar points to what the Indian envoy raised in Islamabad.

In a statement, the ministry of external affairs (MEA) said, The High Commissioner of India to Pakistan today met the Pakistan foreign secretary and handed over a petition by the mother of Jadhav to Pakistan. Also handed over was an appeal by the mother to the Court of Appeal, on behalf of Jadhav, who continues to be in detention in Pakistan on concocted charges. His mother has requested Pakistans intervention for his release and has expressed the desire to meet him.

The MEA added, Pakistan was also requested to facilitate visas for the mother and father of Mr Jadhav. They wish to meet him and also to personally file the petition and the appeal. They have applied for necessary visas with the Pakistan high commission in New Delhi. Request for consular access to Mr Jadhav was made by the government, for the 16th time. The Indian foreign secretary had also met the high commissioner of Pakistan to India yesterday and made similar points.

Before Wednesday, India had earlier placed a whopping 15 requests for consular access to Jadhav but did not get a favourable response from Islamabad. The Pakistan Army has already rejected any chance of granting consular access to Jadhav.
Besides Kamat and Chacko, Ajay Maken also announced his resignation from the post while taking responsibility of defeat in the civic polls.

New Delhi: Senior Congress leader and AICC General Secretary Gurudas Kamat on Wednesday announced his resignation from all party posts following the party's debacle in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) polls.

Earlier on Wednesday, Congress Delhi in-charge P.C. Chacko announced that he would resign from the post.

"Party should have an opportunity to put things in order. Having failed, we should leave the post. I will send my resignation. I will send my resignation to Congress president and vice-president," Chacko said.

Besides Kamat and Chacko, Delhi Congress president Ajay Maken also announced that he would resign from the post while taking responsibility of the defeat in the civic polls.

"I take responsibility for defeat and I am going to resign as Delhi Congress president. I will not take up any post in the party for one year and will work as a party worker," Maken told the media in New Delhi.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is set to sweep civic polls with trends for all 270 seats indicating the saffron party leading in 187, Congress 40 and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on 37 seats.

The BJP is leading in 39, AAP in 17 and Congress in five wards.
The agreement was exchanged in the presence of PM Narendra Modi and his Sri Lankan counterpart Ranil Wickremesinghe in New Delhi.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi with his Sri Lankan counterpart Ranil Wickremesinghe at the signing of an MoU between India and Sri Lanka on Cooperation in economic project at Hyderabad house in New Delhi on Wednesday. (Photo: PTI/Subhav Shukla)

New Delhi: India and Sri Lanka on Wednesday signed an MoU on economic co-operation. The agreement was exchanged in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Sri Lankan counterpart Ranil Wickremesinghe in New Delhi.

Earlier, the two leaders held a meeting at Hyderabad House. In a tweet, Prime Minister Modi said he held comprehensive talks with Prime Minister Wickremesinghe on ways to strengthen India-Sri Lanka ties for the benefit of the citizens.

In morning, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Road and Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari called on the visiting dignitary.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh is scheduled to meet Wickremesinghe on Wednesday evening.

The Sri Lankan Prime Minister also held discussions with former prime minister Dr Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi.

The Sri Lankan Government has proposed to sign a MoU with India next month during the visit of Prime Minister Modi to Sri Lanka.

The MoU proposes Indian investment in development of port and oil tank farms in Trincomalee, setting up of a LNG power plant and terminal, piped gas supply in capital Colombo, highway and railway projects in north and east of the country.

Wickremesinghe arrived in New Delhi on Tuesday evening on a five-day visit to India.
But Maken, like Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal, also called for a probe into EVM tampering.

New Delhi: Delhi Congress chief Ajay Maken resigned from his post on Wednesday following the Congress' poor show in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) elections, where it finished third.

Speaking to reporters after the results of the MCD polls were out, Maken said Congress had made a reasonable comeback by winning in wards which it had lost in the previous election. However, he said he took responsibility for the Congress 3rd place finish in the polls and had decided to resign.

Maken added that he would not take up any post in Congress for one year, and instead work for the party.

Maken, like Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal, also called for a probe into EVM tampering. Even if we cannot trust EVMs, we must trust Election Commission, the senior Congress leader said.
The new team of Delhi BJP office bearers was announced in mid-January.

New Delhi: BJP national vice-president Vinay Sahasrabuddhe, who was appointed by party president Amit Shah, has played a crucial role in the historic victory of the party in the civic polls by going door-to-door to reach out to individual voters in the national capital.

The new team of Delhi BJP office bearers was announced in mid-January, almost one and half months after appointment of Mr Manoj Tiwari as state unit chief. Questions were raised about the experience team of office bearers, as none of-them have experience to lead the organisation in any elections. The exceptions were two general secretaries, Ravinder Gupta and Rajesh Bhaita, who were municipal councillors then, and had won any elections.

As election approached, their inexperience was exposed in several decisions. Knowing the importance of election, BJP president assigned supervisory role to Mr Sahasrabuddhe and Union minister Jitendra Singh, Nirmala Sitaraman and Sanjeev Balyan. Sources said that since Day one after his appointment, Mr Sahasrabuddhe took over the responsibility and worked hard with the state unit. He gave directional less management a direction with the objective of BJP victory in three municipal corporations, he added.

According to party insiders, Mr Sahasrabuddhe reached out to all factions and the old guard, who were sidelined by the state leadership. He met several leaders in the partys state office or went to residence of BJP veterans. He joined all the missing dots in Delhi BJP and also worked as bridge between Mr Shah and state leadership, he said.

Mr Sahasrabuddhe even personally called the old guard of party for a meeting and personally appealed them to join the poll management.
While CT scan reveals dead tissue in brain, some docs justify resigning from treating her.

Mumbai: Egyptian national Eman Ahmed (36), who was once the worlds heaviest woman, underwent a computed tomography (CT) scan on Tuesday to find out what leads to her periodic seizures. The scan showed an old problem in Emans brain, a small-localised area of dead tissue resulting from failure of blood supply. A doctor treating her said this is responsible for paralysis on the right side of Emans body and possibly responsible for the convulsions she suffers as well. Eman, who was weighing around 500 kg when she landed in Mumbai on February 11, now allegedly weighs 173 kg.

Neurologist Dr Arun Shah, a visiting faculty member at Saifee Hospital, where Eman is admitted, said, The CT scan revealed that, she has an old infarct  a small localised area of dead tissue resulting from failure of blood supply in the brain, because of this conditions she is getting seizures and responsible for paralysis on right side of her body. Dr Shah added, My role is very little and I will continue with my treatment to her.

The Egyptian national is likely to be discharged within a fortnight. However, Emans treatment took an ugly turn on Monday, with a war of words breaking out between Emans sister Shaimaa Selim and the doctors treating Eman. Over a dozen doctors who are treating Eman have resigned from the team, according to Dr Aparna Govil Bhasker, section chief, bariatric surgery, Saifee Hospital.

On this Dr Muffazal Lakdawala, who has been treating Eman, tweeted, Shaimaa Selim u killed humanity with 1 swell blow may only God help u when u realise what u have done I will continue 2 treat & pray 4 Eman (sic)

Meanwhile, Dr Bhasker said, Along with me many of my team doctors have resigned from treating Eman. What Emans sister has done is worse than physically assaulting a doctor. She has broken the bond of trust between doctors and patients.

When asked how can doctors refuse to treat a patient, Dr Aparna said, Emans sister has no faith left in us even though we have provided the best treatment we could. No one was ready to take her case but our hospital without any payment is treating her. In case Eman requires an emergency treatment we are there to assist her, she added.

Dr Suleman Merchant, dean of civicrun Sion Hospital, said, A doctor cannot do such a thing but if the patients kin do not want the doctor for treatment, in such a situation the doctor is helpless.

Shaimaa Selim is unhappy with the hospitals decision to discharge Eman soon and has alleged that the hospital used her sister for publicity. However, one of the doctors from Saifee Hospital said Selim had a different plan in mind, which was to go home alone without Eman. We did not allow her to do so, that is the reason she is making allegations against us, a doctor said.

On Monday, Selim released a two-and-half-minute video alleging that Eman was very sick and doctors at Saifee are not taking care of her sister. She also alleged that doctors treating Eman for their media publicity and have spoiled her case, especially Dr Muffazal Lakdawala. Selim said, I am being threatened by the hospital authorities that I will be thrown out of the hospital if I complain to the media or take any other outside doctors view. Doctors and administrators of Saifee rebutted the allegations.

War of words

Shaimaa Selim is unhappy with the hospitals decision to discharge Eman soon and has alleged the hospital used her sister for publicity. However, one of the doctors from Saifee Hospital said Selim had a different plan in mind, which was to go home alone without Eman. We did not allow her to do so, that is the reason she is making allegations against us, the doctor said. On Monday, Selim released a two-and-half-minute video, in which she said, I am being threatened by the hospital authorities that I will be thrown out of the hospital if I complain to the media or take any other outside doctors view. Doctors and administrators of Saifee rebutted the allegations.
The state government also announced an additional Rs 1,000 crore to procure tur in the state.

Mumbai: After facing flak from all corners over procurement of tur, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis has started on war footing efforts towards resolving the deepening crisis.

He announced that the state would buy all tur registered at procurement centres by farmers. The state government also announced an additional Rs 1,000 crore to procure tur in the state.

Maharashtra has seen bumper production of pulses, especially tur, this year. Till now, the government has procured 4 lakh ton (40 lakh quintal) tur and farmers have another 8 to 9 lakh quintal waiting to be procured.

This has led to serious crisis of procurement, funds for procurement, bags for tur, and measurement of tur.

While cabinet minister for agriculture, Pandurang Fundkur, in the assembly session on March 6, assured the house that the state government would buy the entire tur this year, government procurement centres have stopped buying tur, resulting in unrest among farmers.

To placate them, Mr Fadnavis rushed to Delhi and requested food and public distribution minister, Ramvilas Paswan, to delay the deadline for tur procurement by one week.

With the Centre showing no positive signs, Mr Fadnavis now faces an uphill task in the state.

The state government has now decided to allot an additional Rs 1,000 crore to procure tur. Mr Fadnavis on Tuesday said that the state would buy the entire tur with Rs 5,050 declared as MSP.

All over India, 11 lakh quintal tur has been procured till now. Out of that, 4 lakh ton comes from Maharashtra alone which is almost 45 per cent of the total production. But we will buy the entire tur in the state, he said.

The chief minister also warned that the state government would take strong action against traders and agents visiting procurement centres to sell their tur.

We have asked to do satellite mapping of people who have bought tur in huge quantities. If they fail to show their own tur from their farms, they face strict action, he said.
Sweden is keen to collaborate with Maharashtra on waste management, smart cities, and renewable energy.

Mumbai: The state government is likely to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Swedish government with an aim to manage waste in Maharashtra and to decrease the effect of global warming.

Deputy minister of environment and climate change of Sweden Eva Svedling visited the dumping ground in Mumbai and proposed to curb air pollution in the city and country.

Ms Svedling visited Mumbai on Tuesday to discuss climate policy and potential collaboration with Maharashtra for a sustainable environmental solution.

Ms Svedling met chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and minister for environment Ramdas Kadam. Sweden is introducing a new climate law promising zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2045 and a 70 per cent cut to emissions from the domestic transport sector by 2030.

The law will be effective from January 1, next year. India is the worlds third-largest emitter of greenhouse gases.

Ms Svedling visited Deonar dumping ground and met female workers and volunteers of Stree Mukti Sanghatana (SMS), a non-governmental organisation (NGO) engaged in creating awareness among local housing society residents about segregation of waste.

Speaking about her visit to Mumbai, Ms Svedling said I have learnt and seen first-hand the potential and opportunities as well as the challenges faced by India, Maharashtra and Mumbai, in relation to climate change and environmental sustainability. I exchanged views with both the government of India as well as the government of Maharashtra on global climate change efforts, ongoing international negotiations and the potential for bilateral cooperation.

When asked about the reason why Sweden aims to help India she replied, India will be the highest populated country in few years, by helping India to go green, we will indirectly help the world to work towards the environment.

She also added, My visit to Mumbai is a bid to give a boost to existing collaboration on sustainable urban development, balancing the three dimensions: the economic, the social and the environmental.
Dr Aparna Bhasker claimed that Selims allegations stem from the fact that she does not want to take Eman home.

New Delhi: Twelve out of the 13 doctors treating the heaviest woman in the world, 36-year-old Eman Ahmed Abl Ed Aty, have withdrawn from her daily treatment.

According to reports, the doctors submitted symbolic resignation letters to the authorities of Saifee Hospital in Mumbai on Tuesday, where Eman is said to have lost over 300 kgs.

The doctors resignations came about as a result of the allegations made by Emans sister Shaaima Selim, who claimed that the doctors were lying about Emans loss of weight.

The doctors are reported to have said that Shaaima Selims backlash is 'the worst kind of assault that a patients family can do to a doctor'.

We will not see her on a daily basis and only go when the patient needs us. Whatever has happened is extremely disappointing, sbariatric surgeon Dr. Aparna Govil Bhasker, who is one of the doctors in Dr. Mufazzal Lakdawalas team, was quoted as saying.

Bhaskar claimed that Selims allegations stem from the fact that she does not want to take Eman home.

It is very hurtful when she claims that the doctors have not been seeing her," said Bhasker, adding that she visited Eman even on holidays.

Doctors claim that Eman is now down to 171 kilograms. The Egyptian woman was finally put into a CT scan machine on Tuesday, and the scans did not reveal any fresh brain ailment, said the report.

Selim claimed that the doctors wanted her to take Eman back to Egypt, but that her sister was in no condition to fly back. However, the hospital authorities feel that Selims backlash began only after Eman was shifted out of the specially-constructed ward into the main hospital building.

On Tuesday, Egyptian consul general Ahmed Khalil also had a meeting with the doctors and Selim, but could not pacify her, said the report.
Singh, who arrived by a service flight from Delhi, also criticised the Dr Raman Singhs government for its failure to prevent Naxal violence.

Nagpur: Senior Congress leader Digvijay Singh has alleged that the Sukma attack, where Naxalites gunned down 25 CRPF jawans, a total intelligence failure on the part of the Chhattisgarh government.

Quoting an injured CRPF jawan recovering in hospital, Mr Singh said that there was a total collapse in the co-ordination between the para-military force and the local police. Mr Singh, who arrived by a service flight from Delhi, also criticised the Dr Raman Singhs government for its failure to prevent Naxal violence.

Mr Singh, who was on a private visit and had arrived by a service flight from Delhi, also criticised the Dr Raman Singh government for its failure to prevent Naxal-related violence.

I am not asking for resignation of Dr Raman Singh. The number of incidents of Naxal violence has gone up many times and many of our brave soldiers have lost their lives. The BJP leaders dont have morality to talk about it, Mr Singh said.

Reiterating his statement made on Tuesday, Mr Singh, who was chief minister of un-divided Madhya Pradesh, which including the then Chhattisgarh region, said Dr Singh and the Naxals have some links.

He said, During our period we had discontinued the involvement of contractors and these contractors are hobnobbing with Naxals. Contractors should immediately be disassociated with any activities. Dr Singh has encouraged contractors all along.
A united Europe is a vital pole in a multi-polar order, which India advocates.

The first round of the French presidential election last Sunday was the culmination of total churning that broke traditional political barriers and threw up new parties. The political division between left and right, as indeed their fringes, with the xenophobic Front National once led by the father of Marine Le Pen on the far right and the Communists on the left, stands redefined. The debate now veers around globalisation and sovereignty, for or against the European Union and rebalancing of the welfare state, and not old ideologies. The Fifth Republic, as created by President Charles de Gaulle, was under serious re-examination.

Historically, the Left viewed globalisation paradoxically. On the one hand it saw it as neo-imperialism utilising military force and soft power to advance Western economic and financial interests, but on the other it was useful to advance human rights and counter racism. Socialist President Francois Mitterrand supported the European Union as France hoped to dominate the unified market. The reunification of Germany belied that as the new German economic behemoth became the fulcrum of monetarist policies. But Mr Mitterrand earlier managed to unify the Left in the 1970s and 80s and rule for 14 years. The Left has now fractured under the pressure of economic stagnation, terrorism and immigration.

President Francois Hollandes poor ratings put the French Socialists in a bind in selecting its next candidate for President. From this dilemma rose Emmanuel Macron, a centrist-reformist minister in the Hollande government, once his boss opted out. He combined youth, audacity and luck, with Republican Party nominee Francois Fillon and initial leader in the polls coming under the shadow of a scandal involving his wife. When asked early in his political career as a minister whether he was really committed to changing France, he replied: You are like Saint Thomas. You only believe in what you see. Me too. Socialists in his own party did not trust his reformist, pro-EU zeal. But he bridged the political divide as the Opposition was sympathetic. The space in the centre opened up as the Socialists put up a Left-winger Benoit Hamon as their candidate.

Unsurprisingly Jean-Luc Melenchon, the breakaway candidate on the Left, supported by the Communists, got 19.6 per cent of the vote, compared to Mr Hamons 6.4 per cent. But peculiarly the issues on which he on the extreme left and the queen of the extreme right Marine Le Pen agree are more than those they disagree on. For instance, they concur on exiting the EU, abandoning the euro, more social benefits for workers, exit from Nato and the need to normalise relations with Russia. They have both been dubbed sovereignists. Perhaps because of this, after the first round, when almost the entire political firmament has endorsed Mr Macron, including former Prime Minister Manuel Valls and defence minister Jean-Yves Le Drian, Mr Melenchon has refused to do so.

Mr Macron has led in the first round and now faces his right-wing rival Marine Le Pen in the May 7 second round. He overcame incumbency by creating a new party En Marche, meaning on the march, and by occupying the centrist space vacated by both the ruling Socialists and the Opposition Republicans. It is a variation of Akhilesh Yadavs gambit in Uttar Pradesh by undertaking a coup against his father and uncles. US President Donald Trump similarly broke the bipolar US political system by remixing elements from across the political divide. His position on trade, for instance, defies Republican Party orthodoxy.

Mr Macrons success, albeit at the first hurdle, has been mostly read as the survival of the European unification. Markets have risen as all modelling indicates that losing candidates votes, other than perhaps hardcore followers of the left-wing Mr Melenchon, should swing behind the centrist candidate. Frances choice is between Ms Le Pens disruptive and revolutionary ideas and the orderly though painful reform advocated by Mr Macron. Ruchir Sharma in an article attributed Mr Macrons success to French voters responding to economic revival, the early signs of which are manifest.

Second rounds can be tricky, as senior Iranian politician Hashmi Rafanjani discovered in 2005 when he beat Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in the first round with multiple candidates participating, to be ousted by the latter in the run-off. The votes of defeated candidates can veer unpredictably, though logically with the defeated candidates mostly endorsing Mr Macron, he should largely bag them. The black swan that could alter this would be another major terror attack before May 7.

How does the French electoral drama impinge on Indian interests? It benefits India if the EU does not disintegrate as the world order already has multiple stress points. A united Europe is a vital pole in a multi-polar order, which India advocates. Such a Europe also keeps US Presidents from either retreating from global issues or indulging in erratic operations like unleashing missiles on Syria and perhaps on North Korea next. The EU also remains the repository and defender of values that India shares as a civilisation  such as freedom of faith, tolerance and the complete panoply of human rights. It would be more difficult for China to poach technologies or enlarge its geo-strategic footprint if it confronts a united Europe. It is always easier for the larger carnivore to hunt animals separated from the herd.

Even more significantly, with a similar churn in India and the ascendance of right-wing forces utilising Narendra Modis personality, religion, real and imagined historical hurts and jingoism, there are lessons to be learnt. The most important of these is that one man can quickly reoccupy space that is always available in the middle, if he has the personality, the timing and luck. Who shall be Indias Macron? That is the question Indias Opposition leaders should be asking today.
A database for cows seems too crazy an idea.

The Supreme Court has done well to recommend that paramilitary forces and local administration in districts bordering Bangladesh be involved actively in preventing the smuggling of cattle to that country. This is a more practical way to tackle the problem of Indian cattle being driven to illegal meat markets in Bangladesh and for animal sacrifice at the Gadhimai festival in Nepal. The Centre may have pushed an eccentric idea of tagging all cows with a unique identification number, and storing all the data in a state database and nationally-lined website, but while such concern for cattle must be touching and will be endorsed by animal activists, the move may also be seen as fuelling the holy cow brand of nationalism that is fast gaining currency in the country.

In India, cows have enjoyed a special status for ages, and in modern times are also protected by constitutional provisions against the slaughter of cows and calves. But the cow protection ideal is being taken to extremes by gau rakshaks in some areas  vigilantes running riot in the name of protecting the highly-domesticated animal whose many byproducts are of great utility for human consumption. In mooting an expensive ID system, that may cost Rs 150 crores, for an animal thats not on the endangered list, the government may further embolden vigilantes who are freely stoking communal tensions in the name of cow protection. As the border issue is really one of vigilance, preventing cattle smuggling can best be enforced by the paramilitary and the administration. A database for cows seems too crazy an idea.
The writer is based in South India for the past 40 years. He writes on India, China, Tibet and Indo-French relations.

The Chinese media said that Beijings objective was to reaffirm Chinas claim over Arunachal, South Tibet for the Chinese.

Tawang has been in the news in recent times. According to an article in the China Daily, published at the end of the Dalai Lamas visit to Arunachal Pradesh: Under Indias illegal rule, the residents of Southern Tibet live difficult lives, face various kinds of discrimination, and look forward to returning to China.

The mouthpiece of the Communist Party says that the Dalai Lama cant wait to give away Tawang district in exchange for Indias support for the survival of his separatist group.

Calling the Dalai Lama a troublemaker, the daily further affirms: Depending on India for a living, the Dalai Lamas eagerness to please his master is understandable, but he is going too far by selling Southern Tibet in exchange for his masters favour.

A few days later, China Tibet Online, a website affiliated to Xinhua, referred to the Tibetan leaders visit to Southern Tibet, particularly to Dawang, a pin yin transcription for Tawang.

Renaming names is however not new. It has been done by all colonisers. More than anybody, India is aware of this.

China has done it in a more systematic manner. After it invaded Tibet in 1950-51, Shigaste became Rikaze or Xigatse, Sakya was Sagya, Metok, north of Arunachals Upper Siang district, Mutao or Medog.

Apart from the cases of pure pin yin-sation like the ones just mentioned, in many cases, names have been completely changed. Ngari province is now called Ali Prefecture (Chinese faulty pronunciation cant probably pronounce Ng and r), Kyirong at the border with Nepal is now Jilong and worse, Barahoti in todays Uttarakhand is called Wuje, while Demchok in Ladakh is termed Parigas.

Humans too are subjected to similar renaming: the Panchen Lama selected by China, Gyaltsen Norbu, is Bainqen Erdini Qoigyijabu.

All this shows that the recent announcement about the official standardised names for six places in Arunachal Pradesh is not a scoop; the only surprise is that it was not done earlier, which is simply because the claim itself on Tawang is an afterthought. In any case, today it looks like a childish reaction to the Dalai Lamas visit to the state earlier this month.

The Chinese media said that Beijings objective was to reaffirm Chinas claim over Arunachal, South Tibet for the Chinese. The Global Times reported: Chinas ministry of civil affairs announced on April 14 that it had standardised in Chinese characters, Tibetan and Roman alphabet the names of six places in South Tibet, which India calls Arunachal Pradesh, in accordance with the regulations of the central government.

The official names of the six places (transcribed in Roman alphabet) are Wogyainling, Mila Ri, Qoidengarbo Ri, Mainquka, Bumo La and Namkapub Ri. Let us have a look where these places are located.

Wogyainling is the new spelling for Urgyeling, the birthplace of Tsangyang Gyaltso, the sixth Dalai Lama, a few kilometers south of Tawang town. One understands the political reasons why China would be so attached to the place. Beijing is not ready to accept that a Dalai Lama could be born outside Tibet (China).

The second place is Mila Ri. It is a lake known as Mila Nagula situated near the famous Madhuri Lake, north of Tawang and South of the Indo-Tibet border. The place is mentioned in the 1962 war records, advancing PLA troops passed the lake on their way to Tawang. As Ri means mountain or ridge in Tibetan/Monpa, Mila Ri is probably one of the ridges above the lake.

The third place is Qoidengarbo Ri, for Chorten Karpo or White Stupa. It refers to Gorsam Chorten, the only large white stupa in the area (and the largest in Arunachal). It is not far from Zimithang, the tactical HQ of the 4 Infantry Division during the 1962 war. The name may refer to one of the ridges around the stupa.

Mainquka is Menchuka (or Mechuka, alternative Indian spelling) is a most strategic valley in West Siang district of Arunachal.

It is the only of one the six places outside Tawang district. China is not happy that India recently landed a C-17 Hercules transport aircraft in the area. Menchuka was also occupied by the Chinese in October-November 1962.

Bumo La is the border post of Bumla, 45 km north of Tawang, where the Indian Army and the Chinese PLA meet several times a year. Bumo means girl in Tibetan/Monpa.

Namkapub Ri is linked to Namkha Chu river, the theatre of the first Chinese attack in October 1962. Ri is for one of the ridges above the river (perhaps Hathungla).

By naming these six places, Beijing wants to remind India of the 1962 war and the fact that the Dalai Lama belongs to China.

As the ministry of external affairs stated, renaming places cant change the fact that the territory south of the McMahon Line belongs to India.

What about the local population in Arunachal looking forward to return one day to China under the Communist banner?

During the Dalai Lamas visit, not only did the entire local Monpa population (some 35,000 to 40,000, according to police sources) throng to have a glimpse of the Bodhisattva of Compassion, but also large flocks of Buddhist pilgrims from the remotest villages of Upper Subansiri, West Siang or Upper Siang districts, who travelled for days to have a once-in-a-lifetime darshan.

Why did the visit of the Dalai Lama to Tawang trigger so much violence from the Chinese propaganda machinery?

First and foremost, by allowing the Tibetan leader to visit Tawang, New Delhi has reasserted that the Land of Mon, as Tawang is known, is an integral part of India, whether China agrees or disagrees. This does not please Beijing, which lately has started adding Tawang to Chinas occupied territories.

Moreover, if China is under the impression that Delhis policy is going to change, it is mistaken; Beijing has to reconcile and live with it.

The Chinese response is also a reaction to the Dalai Lamas immense popularity in Indias border areas. This deeply irritates Beijing whose propaganda is unable to win over the masses, whether on the Tibetan side of the border or in the Indian Himalaya.

Beijing does not know how to react to such reverence for the Tibetan leader; given that the Chinese leadership has been unable to win over the hearts of the Tibetans, more than 60 years after their so-called liberation. In these circumstances, how could the Communist leadership convince the population of Arunachal Pradesh to join the authoritarian regime?

Another reason why Beijing has been so furious is that China has today become bigger; and it dislikes to be contradicted by smaller nations (like India).

Despite using batteries of experts, including a wanted Ulfa dissident, to bolster its claims, Beijing has been unable to project its case and ended up by resorting to insulting the revered Buddhist teacher and threatening India. It will lead Beijing nowhere in the long run.
Facebook live and other social media are slowly becoming avenues for streaming horrific and violent acts.

Its a strange age for the Internet  while we keep making advancements in social media and it can help further several worthy causes, there has also been an upsetting rise in violence being livestreamed on popular social media sites such as Facebook, or apps such as Snapchat or Instagram.

In a recent incident, a man murdered another man while on Facebook Live and claimed to have killed a dozen more in the US. Molestations and torture have been livestreamed too, and a young man in Mumbai spoke of the steps to commit suicide on the site before jumping off a building! Not to mention the many gruesome incidents in the country of animal abuse that have also been displayed online by the perpetrators.

Dr Abilasha

For social media analyst and marketer Sorav Jain, social media addiction has a role to play, Social media is contributing to a birth of a different mindset  a mindset that wants public attention for everything they do. They want to report every single thing thats happening in their life. Its not contributing to violence, but it demands for social media education  what to do and what not to do.

He goes on to say, Its time to remove fasting from the system and add digital detoxification, its time that more and more awareness is created about the impact of becoming addicted to the digital world. We need to educate parents, teachers need to educate kids  there should be whole lot of social media awareness in todays generation or else I fear, with time people will live only virtual lives.

Sorav Jain

Model and actress Sahithya Jagannathan says, I dont think the medium can be held responsible for such acts, its just a tool. Ive seen people use it to do great work and connect, but at the same time there are people who do such vile things too. The kind of attention people now get and the reach, was impossible earlier and the visibility is just magnified. She adds, Ive seen so many people at birthdays and reunions, see more through their phone camera than with their eyes. Personally, since social media plays a huge role in my career, Ive set boundaries. I have a separate account for work and a separate one to stay in touch with friends and its important to keep it that way.

Psychologist Dr Abilasha states that she herself has seen videos of animal abuse being shared on social media and has been aghast by it  In todays day and age, were used to recording things and finding approval for them online. Some people dont know where to draw the line and immediately associate all actions to sharing. Mostly, its people who themselves have been abused who project onto others, and this becomes easier on the net. Theres a certain fake sense of achievement and satisfaction that they experience. Its also important to analyse the audience mentality as well.

Sahithya Jagannathan

Vandita Morarka, the Policy, Legal and UN Liaison Officer for Safecity Mumbai believes that such displays on social media by abusers is a type of power play.

Live streaming of incidents of gender-based violence (GBV) especially, for me, strongly brings out the need for the perpetrator to exert violence and show dominance. It also brings to light the apathy of people and lack of intervention. We need policies and tech in place that alerts police officials of such cases at the very onset to help prevent them and bring the perpetrator to justice, she concludes.
Kelly Magsamen said that the US and India increasingly share a common strategic outlook on the Asia Pacific.

Washington: Describing India as the "biggest strategic opportunity" for the US, a former top Pentagon official on Tuesday said the two countries now need to demonstrate "mutual flexibility" as well as ambition to reach a new level of cooperation.

"I would say the biggest strategic opportunity is India," Kelly Magsamen, the former US principal deputy assistant secretary of defence for Asian and pacific security affairs told members of the powerful Senate Armed Services Committee during a Congressional hearing on Asia Pacific region.

"The US and India increasingly share a common strategic outlook on the Asia Pacific, especially a mutual concern over Chinese military modernisation and adventurism, but the question here is, can we reach a new level of cooperation to place limits on Chinese ambition?

"I believe it is possible, but only if the United States and India together persist in overcoming the suspicions of the past and build stronger habits of actual cooperation. And this is going to require the US and Indian systems, which are not naturally compatible, to demonstrate mutual flexibility as well as ambition," Magsamen said.

The strategic logic behind Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Act East' policy is highly compatible with that of the US rebalance.

"But more importantly, we share common values as the world's two largest democracies and as well as a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship. In many ways, we are natural partners," she said.

Last year, then defence secretary Ashton Carter designated India a "Major Defence Partner" of the US, a status unique to India that allows the two countries to cooperate more closely in defence, trade and technology sharing.

"I was pleased to see National Security Adviser LTG HR McMaster recently reaffirm the US-India Strategic Partnership and specifically our defence cooperation with India. It is essential that we sustain the momentum," Magsamen said.

For that to happen, leaderships have to drive it from the top lest both bureaucracies smother the chance of progress. "I found that we often stand in our own way. But India also has to demonstrate that it is prepared to let go of its old fears. The US does not seek an actual alliance, nor should we, but we do seek a meaningful partnership that benefits us too," she said.

"Our strategic partnership will reach its value limits in the defence realm, if we cannot build practical habits of cooperation. For example, we need to operate and exercise more together and with others, facilitate more exchanges of our military personnel, and regularise our defence dialogues at every level," Magsamen added.
On Tuesday, North Korea conducted what it called its largest ever combined live-fire drills, near the east coast port city of Wonsan.

The nuclear-powered submarine USS Michigan approaches to join the US aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson in drills near the Korean Peninsula. (Photo: AP)

Seoul: In a defiant bit of timing, South Korea announced on Wednesday that key parts of a contentious US missile defence system had been installed a day after rival North Korea showed off its military power.

The South's trumpeting of progress on setting up the Terminal High-Altitude Area Defence system, or THAAD, comes as high-powered US military assets converge on the Korean Peninsula and as a combative North Korea signals possible nuclear and missile testing.

North Korea conducted live-fire artillery drills on Tuesday, the 85th anniversary of the founding of its million-person strong Korean People's Army. On the same day, a US guided-missile submarine docked in South Korea. And the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier is also headed toward the peninsula for a joint exercise with South Korea.

The moves to set up THAAD within this year have angered not only North Korea, but also China, the country that the Trump administration hopes to work with to rid the North of nuclear weapons. China, which has grown increasingly frustrated with its ally Pyongyang, and Russia see the system's powerful radars as a security threat.

South Korea said in a statement on Wednesday that unspecified parts of THAAD were installed. The statement said that Seoul and Washington have been pushing to get THAAD quickly working to cope with North Korea's advancing nuclear and missile threats. According to Yonhap news agency, the parts include two or three launchers, intercept missiles and a radar.

About 8,000 police officers were mobilized, and the main road leading up to the site in the country's southeast was blocked earlier Wednesday, Yonhap reported. About 200 residents and protesters rallied against THAAD in front of a local community center, some hurling plastic water bottles.

On Tuesday, North Korea conducted what it called its largest ever combined live-fire drills, near the east coast port city of Wonsan.

North Korea's official media reported Wednesday that leader Kim Jong Un personally observed the exercises, which involved the firing of more than 300 large-caliber artillery pieces and included submarine torpedo-attacks on mock enemy warships.

Along with sending US military assets to the region in a show of force, President Donald Trump is leaning on China to exert economic pressure on its wayward ally. Chinese President Xi Jinping, who spoke to Trump on Monday, is urging restraint from both Pyongyang and Washington.

In Washington, top Trump administration officials are due to brief the entire US Senate on Wednesday. A rapid tempo of North Korean weapons testing in the past year has pushed Kim Jong Un's authoritarian nation closer to developing a nuclear-tipped missile that could reach the US mainland.

Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham voiced confidence that Trump won't allow North Korea to reach that point. Graham, a defence hawk who dined with Trump on Monday night, said the North should not underestimate the president's resolve.

The USS Michigan, a nuclear-powered submarine, arrived Tuesday at the South Korean port of Busan for what was described as a routine visit to rest crew and load supplies. The US 7th Fleet said two American destroyers were conducting simultaneous maritime exercises with naval ships from South Korea and Japan.

North Korea routinely accuses the United States of readying for an invasion, and threatens pre-emptive strikes to stop it. An unnamed North Korean Foreign Ministry spokesman said the US administration's policy to maximize pressure on North Korea was "little short of lighting the fuse of total war," the state news agency reported Tuesday.

The streets of Pyongyang, however, were quiet for Tuesday's anniversary, which was overshadowed by April 15 celebrations for the birthday of the nation's late founder Kim Il Sung, and were marked by a missile test the following day.

The Trump administration is also upping the ante diplomatically. On Friday, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson will chair a special meeting of the UN Security Council.

Tillerson will be "very vocal" about nations enforcing sanctions on North Korea, State Department spokesman Mark Toner said. Trump said Monday the council must be prepared to impose stronger sanctions.
The court held them accountable for the rape since the victim was very intoxicated to give consent.

The broadcast is the latest graphic video to bring into focus the complex ethical and policy issues faced by Facebook Live and others. (Photo: Representational)

Stockholm: A Swedish court jailed three men on Tuesday for up to two and a half years for the rape of a woman that was broadcast live on Facebook.

The rape, which shocked Sweden, took place earlier this year in the city of Uppsala, about 80 km (50 miles) north of Stockholm. Viewers of the live broadcast alerted police who swooped on an apartment in the city and detained the men.

Two of the men were convicted of rape and the third, who received a six-month sentence, of failing to report the crime and defamation for broadcasting it. The court did not give their ages but said they were born between 1992 and 1998.

The men had denied the charges, saying the woman had given consent to having sex with them. However, the court said the woman had been heavily intoxicated by alcohol and drugs and was in a very vulnerable situation.

"It is not possible for a person in that situation to give consent. They should therefore be held accountable for rape," said Nils Palbrant, chairman of Uppsala district court chairman, said.

The broadcast is the latest graphic video to bring into focus the complex ethical and policy issues faced by Facebook Live and others.

Facebook Live allows anyone to broadcast a video directly from their smartphone. But while traditional TV broadcasters are subject to regulations, Internet streaming services do not face the same restrictions and enforce their own terms of service.
US and Australian naval and air forces fought the Japanese during the Battle of the Coral Sea on May 4-8, 1942.

Canberra: Australia's prime minister said on Wednesday he is looking forward to meeting President Donald Trump next week when they attend Battle of the Coral Sea commemorations in New York, more than three months after their heated telephone conversation over an Obama-era refugee deal.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull announced the May 4 visit in a statement after meeting in Afghanistan with Defense Secretary James Mattis and greeting Australian troops in the Middle East ahead of Veterans' Day commemorations on Tuesday.

Turnbull met in Sydney over the weekend with Vice President Mike Pence, whose visit was intended to smooth over any lingering hard feelings after the prime minister's contentious phone call with Trump on January 28 over a refugee resettlement deal struck by the previous Obama administration.

Trump and Turnbull will mark the 75th anniversary of a World War II naval battle by visiting the USS Intrepid, a floating museum in New York. US and Australian naval and air forces fought the Japanese during the Battle of the Coral Sea on May 4-8, 1942.

"Australia and the United States are enduring allies. Our alliance has been forged over many decades, through times of war and times of peace, securing our nations' freedom and peace and security in the world," Turnbull said in a statement.

"My meeting with President Trump will provide an opportunity to reaffirm our alliance and the United States' engagement with the Asia-Pacific," he added.

White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said the leaders will hold a bilateral meeting on the same day as they visit the aircraft carrier on the Hudson River. "The president looks forward to meeting the prime minister and to showcasing the enduring bonds, deep friendship and close alliance the United States has with Australia," Spicer told reporters in Washington.

John Berry, former US ambassador to Australia and president of the American Australian Association, which organised the visit, said it was important that Turnbull meet Trump early in the president's term.

"Right now, Australia is side by side with the United States in Afghanistan and Iraq and Syria taking on ISIL and terrorists," Berry told Sky News television, referring to the Islamic State movement.

"The president and vice president are now keenly aware just how deep and broad this relationship is," Berry added.

Australia is unhappy with Trump's decision to pull the United States out of the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership trade pact.

Under the refugee resettlement agreement, the United States will take up to 1,250 refugees that Australia houses in detention camps on the Pacific island nations of Nauru and Papua New Guinea.

Trump, who campaigned on tough-on-immigration policies, was enraged by the agreement, prompting a tense phone call with Turnbull and an angry tweet in which the president dubbed the deal "dumb."

Spicer's subsequent mispronunciation of Turnbull's name as "Trumbull" did not help matters. Turnbull on Tuesday left open the possibility of Australia increasing its military contribution in Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan. He also announced an additional 110 million Australian dollars (USD 83 million) over three years in humanitarian and stabilization assistance for Iraq.
Pakistan has denied India's request for consular access to Jadhav over a dozen times in the last one year.

Islamabad: India on Wednesday demanded consular access to its citizen Kulbhushan Jadhav to further pursue his case, including launching an appeal against the death sentence given to him by a Pakistani military court on spying charges.

However, Pakistan refused to comply with the demand saying the 46-year-old Indian national was a spy and not covered under the bilateral agreement on consular access.

Indian High Commissioner in Islamabad Gautam Bambawale on Wednesday met with Pakistan's Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua and sought the consular access to Jadhav.

Bambawale asked Janjua to provide access to Jadhav to further pursue his case, including launching an appeal against his death sentence, local media reported.

However, Janjua turned down Bambawale's demand saying "access under (bilateral) agreement is meant for prisoners and not for spies."

Pakistan has denied India's request for consular access to Jadhav over a dozen times in the last one year.

Pakistan Army has already rejected any chance of granting consular access to Jadhav who was sentenced to death for espionage and subversive activities by a military court.

Army spokesman Major General Asif Ghafoor last week said consular access cannot be given to Jadhav because he is a spy. It was second time that Bambawale has met Janjua to seek consular access to Jadhav.

On April 19, a meeting between Bambawale and Janjua was rescheduled. On April 14, Bambawale had met with Janjua, showing increasing concern of India about the fate of Jadhav.

He told media after his meeting that he had asked for list of charges and authentic copy of verdict of military tribunal against Jadhav to launch appeal against his conviction.

He also said that India was seeking consular access on the basis on international law humanitarian grounds. Pakistan Foreign Office has said that during the period of trial of Jadhav, due judicial process was followed and he was provided a lawyer in accordance with relevant laws and the Constitution of Pakistan.

Jadhav was awarded death sentence by the Field General Court Martial earlier this month, evoking a sharp reaction in India which warned Pakistan of consequences and damage to bilateral ties if the "pre-meditated murder" was carried out.

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. However, India denied Pakistan's contention and maintained that Jadhav was kidnapped by the Pakistan authorities.

India had acknowledged that Jadhav had served with the navy but denied that he has any connection with the government.
by Loula Lahham

In an exclusive interview with AsiaNews Msgr. Antonios Aziz Mina describes a country, and a Christian community, still wounded by recent attacks, but ready to welcome the pontiff. The pain of Muslims for attacks on churches. Egypt capable of breaking the backward-looking bonds of the Islamic State. In the East, there are economic interests that revolve around oil.

Giza (AsiaNews) - Bishop Antonios Aziz Mina, Catholic Coptic bishop Emeritus of Giza, on the west bank of the Nile River, about 20km southwest of Cairo, was a member of the committee that drafted the Egyptian Constitution. The 62 year-old Doctor of the Law is the most authoritative source to talk about what Christians in Egypt think faced with local and international politics.

Here is his exclusive interview with AsiaNews on the eve of Pope Francis's historic visit to Egypt:

On the eve of the apostolic journey, Egypt is still in mourning for the 44 victims of the two Palm Sunday attacks. We know the perpetrators of crime. What do you think Daesh [Arabic acronym for the Islamic state] wants to do with the Arab world? Will it succeed in eliminating the region of a Christian presence?

Of course, this is possible. But you also have to look beneath the tip of the iceberg. Daesh's ideologist realizes that no matter what it does, it cannot empty the East of its Christians.

Who is this "ideologist" you speak of?

It's not just one, but multiple. The "caliph" al-Baghdadi is but a simple front man for whatever the different countries and powers of the world decide. I do not think there is a conspiracy theory for the East. Its a game of vested interests. Those who have vested interests are the ones who are making moves. And they are not just interested in ripping Egypt a part, they want to reduce the entire region to rubble.

Why do they want to destabilize the region?

When two people quarrel, it is the third who enjoys the battle. The West buys our oil at a certain price. If our nations are divided, and there are several authorities within one state, they can get wrangle their energy at a lower price. You can find an answer for many things if you start from this axiom. But I have the impression that most people do not want to understand and spend most of their time complaining, on the pretext that the West wants to get involved in our internal affairs and hates us. Why do we fail to understand all this? It gladdens me to note that now the interests of the United States, in many respects, converge with those of Egypt. This was not the case with [Barack] Obama. But nothing is given forever. Yesterday's enemies can become the partners of today, and vice versa. Just look at the Second World War. This is natural in the world of politics. It is up to us to defend and protect our interests according to our will. Egypt has broken the expansion of that chain that wanted to break through borders and connect the Arab countries under a yoke of terror and obscurantism. But God has saved us from all this.

While some followed this theory, millions have emigrated from Syria and Iraq, leaving their country. And Christians in Egypt live and are victims of terror ...

Those people approach God in an state of terror and pain. It is a vision that should not be hidden. This huge sacrifice has accompanied and covered our Easter celebrations with a veil of sadness. But what is surprising in this story is that the pain was not just that of Christians. Strong was the cry of pain from our Muslim brothers, a sincere sorrow. They too felt hurt by this barbaric act. And at the same time, even though we have suspended Easter celebrations in our churches, the Muslims have not ceased to have us wishes, to come and visit us only to share our suffering. Their message was: "We are deep in the heart near you." And that was a sincere message.

Following the attacks, while skeptics thought the opposite, Pope Francis confirmed his visit to Egypt. How do you judge this decision?

His Holiness wants to express his deepest sympathy to the Christians of Egypt for their pain, no matter what the implications for security. As an Egyptian Catholic, I am proud to see that my Church will never accept injustice or discrimination, and that it is close to its suffering people. The Holy Father also sent one of his most important cardinals to confirm the visit, also giving comfort to [coptic-orthodox] Pope Tawadros II.

What do you think of the Pope Tawadros homily at the Easter Mass?

Pope Tawadros is a holy man. A person rich in faith and patience. He gave a strong lesson about the behavior of a true Christian in the face of pain: bitter, serious, rigorous. While remaining a shepherd and spiritual guide. And with President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi's condolences to the Coptic Orthodox patriarch, we have heard how much he is the president of all the Egyptians, even though we are going through difficult economic times.

Of course, we live in a period that is not favorable in economic terms or in terms of the increase in religious violence and divisions within the Churches. What can Pope Francis do in all this?

When people do not meet, their ideas diverge completely and their hearts lose the heat. If I want to draw closer, the first step I have to take is to go to the other, to those who differ from me. I have to see him, greet him, smile at him, meet him, invite him to take a walk or to dinner. To entertain with him, to talk about what unites us and what we have in common, all of this in view of mutual acceptance. The Pope has a special message for each of us and I imagine that this message will be of the kind: "There is a dear theme that I would like to touch upon and which I would like to understand." And this issue goes beyond Egyptian politics, it goes beyond Al-Azhar, and beyond the Orthodox. It is about the well-being of all humanity.
All five attended a bible study group as part of a group of 40 Christians. They were arrested for gathering a crowd to disrupt social order. Prosecutors reportedly sent the case back twice for further investigation before indicting them. All five pleaded not guilty and said they would appeal the verdict.

Beijing (AsiaNews/CHRD) - A court in Xinjiang convicted five Christians on 18 April for gathering a crowd to disrupt social order, sentencing them to three to five years in prison.

The ruling by the Chongji City Peoples Court follows a trial on 27 October 2016. All five, who are ethnic Han Chinese, pleaded not guilty and said they would appeal the verdict.

The five are:

Yang Zhaocun (), a 38-year-old pastor from Jinchang in Gansu, was sentenced to five years.

Wang Lulu (), a 28-year-old pastor from Yanan in Shaanxi, was sentenced to five years.

Cheng Yajie (), a 26-year-old from Manas County in Chongji Hui Autonomous Prefecture (Xinjiang), was sentenced to four years.

Liu Yan (), a 40-year-old clinic manager from Chongji City, was sentenced to three years in prison.

Zheng Lan (), a 68-year-old from Xuchang City in Henan Province, was sentenced to three years.

The five were part of a group of around 40 Christians from Xinjiang and neighbouring provinces who gathered in Changji City on 5 March 2016 for a Bible study group.

A large group of armed police broke up the activity. They detained Yang, Wang, Cheng, and Zheng at the meeting, initially on suspicion of illegal assembly before changing the felony next day to gathering a crowd to disrupt social order. A week later, they detained Liu Yan, who had helped transport attendees to the meeting.

Police formally arrested the five on 11 April 2016. Prosecutors reportedly sent the case back for further investigation twice before indicting them.
The energy crisis is worsening after shutdown of only power station in the Strip. Fuel donated by Turkey and Qatar has run out. Palestinians in Gaza also struggling because of the cuts decided by the Palestinian Authority in Ramallah. The Gaza and Ramallah authorities blame each other. The UN warns of 'uninhabitable' by 2020

Gaza (AsiaNews) - The Gaza Strip is likely to remain "in the dark" as the gap between authorities in Gaza and Ramallah, Hamas and Fatah, deepens. Meanwhile, residents in the Strip are living in increasingly difficult conditions due to the lack of electricity and the recent salary cuts implemented by Fatah.

On April 19th, the UN envoy for the peace process, Nickolay Mladenov, expressed deep concern over the tense situation, calling for the two Palestinian authorities to deal with the electrical problem.

The energy situation in Gaza worsened when, on April 16, the only power station in the Strip ceased operations because it was left without fuel. The latest stockpiles, donated by Turkey and Qatar, have run out, and Gaza claims that they cannot afford to buy more because of taxes imposed by the Palestinian Authority (PA) in Ramallah.

On April 17, the Gaza Electricity Distribution Company claimed that the power plant could only provide one-third of the electricity it would need: 133 megawatts per day, compared to the 450 and 500 needed. Israel provides 120 megawatts and Egypt only 13, after disconnecting one of the power lines on April 18th last.

The energy situation in the Strip is a cause of continued tensions between Fatah, the leader of the Palestinian Authority and Hamas, the authority in the Strip.

The Gaza Energy Authority had warned at the beginning of the month that the power plant would stop working. Creating further tensions was the PA announcement at the beginning of the month of the reduction of about 30% of the salaries of Gaza citizens.

Residents in the strip have told Middle East Eye, however, the cuts were far greater than 30%: " I took a loan last year to help my son in his marriage. After cutting 42 percent of my salary, and paying electricity bills and loan payments, I found nothing in my bank account,"said Moshtaha Mosallem, a 48-year-old health worker in Gaza.

Wage cuts have been justified by the UN envoy Yousif al-Mahmoud's spokesman with the reduction of EU aid. A justification that was not well accepted by Gaza, where several manifestations have poured into the streets.

The result is that Hamas and Anp blame each other for the crisis. Anp says, using the same words as Gaza's revolt, that Hamas is responsible for "creating a new crisis in the Strip."

Abdullah Abdullah, a member of Fatah's revolutionary council, commented: "Taxes have been suspended for many months, but Gaza leaders are holding the money without buying fuel [...] Anp, on the other hand, is paying for electric resources - Coming from Egypt and Israel. "

Taxes are paid by all the inhabitants of the Strip, as the envoy Onu Mladenov says: "Everyone in Gaza must share the weight of the bills. It is the poorest Palestinians to pay the price of the exceptions and privileges they enjoy. "

Interviewed by AsiaNews, Gaza parish priest, Fr. Mario da Silva, said: "The situation is difficult, but there has always been little electricity. We usually have eight hour shifts, but recently I've been down to four, six hours. Four hours of electricity every 12 months. This creates many problems, without counting wage cuts ... people are unhappy: they have no money, there is less electricity, no water, no work. "

The Church is trying to help families for what is possible: "We gave 15 families in the parish panels for solar energy, to have electricity to use for basic things. We do these things to help our people. We hope to be able to give inverter batteries for 30 families. "

The energy problem has serious repercussions on Al Shifa Hospital, the main one in the Strip, particularly for kidney dialysis patients. Gaza Health Ministry spokesman Ashraf al-Qadra said the crisis forced the Ministry to reduce services in hospitals without specifying which ones.

For the UN, Gaza could become uninhabitable by 2020. Robert Piper, UN coordinator for occupied Palestinian Territories, argues that the relationship between Gaza City and Ramallah needs to be resolved in order to solve the problems: "Electricity is a key sector" Which involves many sectors, from healthcare to business. "The commercial sector, already very vulnerable, is devastated by four hours of electricity per day."

A Fatah delegation is expected in Gaza this month to discuss the reunification of the two authorities. However, Hamas leader Hammad al-Ruqab on April 17 rejected the prospect of bilateral talks that "would only cement the siege on the Gaza Strip".
by Nirmala Carvalho

Bishop Mathew Vaniakizhakkel is the emeritus bishop of Satna. Along with five Catholics, in 2009 he was denounced for conversion, conspiracy and disturbance of peace among religions. The accuser then repented and asked for forgiveness. Christian Leader: "Anti-conversion law is a tool to harassing Christians."

Bhopal (AsiaNews) - After a trial lasting eight years, Msgr. Mathew Vaniakizhakkel, bishop emeritus of Satna, and five other Catholics were acquitted of the charge of forced conversion because the fact does not exist.

The Madhya Pradesh High Court has ruled that "there is no obvious evidence for the defendants" demonstrating a violation of the anti-conversion law in force in the Indian state. Speaking to AsiaNews Msgr. Vaniakizhakkel states, " Bishop Mathew Vaniakizhakkel told AsiaNews, This case was case of revenge of a particular person, who later repented made his confession and received Holy Communion. Additionally, he even offered Mass for my good health. Sajan K George, president of the Global Council of Indian Christians (Gcic), reports: "The Madhya Pradesh Freedom of Religion Act is a means of harassing the vulnerable Christian community that is tormented through unchallenged and invented accusations" .

The ruling was issued on 20 April. The judges fully absolved the bishop, who retired from office in 2014, two priests, one nun and two lay people. Since 2009, they have been investigated for forced conversion, conspiracy among religions after Christopher Pavy, a local Christian, had denounced them for extorting the conversion of a Hindu woman Monica Ibrahim during her wedding.

After the denunciation, the police proceeded to trial despite the fact that the woman and her brother Nand Kishore had testified in favor of the defendants. The bishop in fact reports that "the woman is the daughter of Catholic parents, therefore a Christian by birth, and her marriage took place regularly and was celebrated in the cathedral".

Fr. Jolly Kannukodan, one of the co-accused, points out that the investigations have immediately brought to light "the falsity of the charge of forced conversion, but the case has continued for those of conspiracy and sectarian disorder". Finally, he continues, "the appeal court has accepted our requests and has absolved us of all charges."

Despite the tribulations of eight long years of trial, Msgr. Vaniakizhakk reports that he has "kept friendly relations with the Christian who has denounced me, do not lie to him or to him. We are in the truth, and truth is freedom. God gives us the grace to forgive man, to be a friend to him and to serve him in a concrete way. " The bishop adds that during the trial, "the Christian who accused us got sick, and came to me to ask for economic aid. I was delighted to provide it. It was a deep joy for me to know that he was sorry for what he had done. He confessed before his death. "

Sajan K George then says that in the past few days three more Christians were arrested in Khandwa district for alleged involvement in religious conversion. "These allegations are without foundation  he reports - Minorities are intimidated, locked up and arrested for the anti-conversion law. The Gcic has documented numerous cases in which this law is used to discriminate on religious lines. On the contrary, the campaigns of ghar wapsi ['homecoming',to Hinduism - ndr] are not regarded as conversion activities.
In his video-message to the TED 2017 conference, Francis said that scientific and technological progress must not increase the gap between nations and peoples. Instead, the pontiff calls for a "revolution of tenderness", which is "to use our eyes to see the other, our ears to hear the other, to listen to the children, the poor, those who are afraid of the future." He too was born in a family of migrants and could have very well ended up among todays discarded people. Hence the question, deep in my heart: Why them and not me?

Vatican City (AsiaNews)  In a world dominated by economic woes, wounded by moneys paramountcy, people must be put back in the centre, and scientific and technological progress must not increase the gap between nations and peoples, said Pope Francis in his address to TED2017, currently underway in Vancouver, Canada. TED* brings together people from the world of economics, science and culture. This years annual conference is centred on The future you.

With the goal in mind, the pontiff proposes a "revolution of tenderness," which is to "use our eyes to see the other, our ears to hear the other, to listen to the children, the poor, those who are afraid of the future." And the future is above all in the hands of people who recognise the other as a "you" and themselves as part of a "us". We need each other. We have a lot to do, and we have to do it together.

The text of the video-message is available in more than 20 languages.

Good evening, or, good morning, I am not sure what time it is there. Regardless of the hour, I am thrilled to be participating in your conference. I very much like its titleThe Future Youbecause, while looking at tomorrow, it invites us to open a dialogue today, to look at the future through a you.

The Future You: the future is made of yous, it is made of encounters, because life flows through our relations with others.

Quite a few years of life have strengthened my conviction that each and everyones existence is deeply tied to that of others: life is not time merely passing by, life is about interactions.

As I meet, or lend an ear to those who are sick, to the migrants who face terrible hardships in search of a brighter future, to prison inmates who carry a hell of pain inside their hearts, and to those, many of them young, who cannot find a job, I often find myself wondering: Why them and not me?

I, myself, was born in a family of migrants; my father, my grandparents, like many other Italians, left for Argentina and met the fate of those who are left with nothing. I could have very well ended up among todays discarded people.

And thats why I always ask myself, deep in my heart: Why them and not me?

First and foremost, I would love it if this meeting could help to remind us that we all need each other, none of us is an island, an autonomous and independent I, separated from the other, and we can only build the future by standing together, including everyone.

We dont think about it often, but everything is connected, and we need to restore our connections to a healthy state. Even the harsh judgment I hold in my heart against my brother or my sister, the open wound that was never cured, the offense that was never forgiven, the rancor that is only going to hurt me, are all instances of a fight that I carry within me, a flare deep in my heart that needs to be extinguished before it goes up in flames, leaving only ashes behind.

Many of us, nowadays, seem to believe that a happy future is something impossible to achieve. While such concerns must be taken very seriously, they are not invincible. They can be overcome when we dont lock our door to the outside world.

Happiness can only be discovered as a gift of harmony between the whole and each single component. Even scienceand you know it better than I do  points to an understanding of reality as a place where every element connects and interacts with everything else.

And this brings me to my second message. How wonderful would it be if the growth of scientific and technological innovation would come along with more equality and social inclusion. How wonderful would it be, while we discover faraway planets, to rediscover the needs of the brothers and sisters orbiting around us.

How wonderful would it be if solidarity, this beautiful and, at times, inconvenient word, were not simply reduced to social work, and became, instead, the default attitude in political, economic and scientific choices, as well as in the relationships among individuals, peoples and countries.

Only by educating people to a true solidarity will we be able to overcome the culture of waste, which doesnt concern only food and goods but, first and foremost, the people who are cast aside by our techno-economic systems which, without even realizing it, are now putting products at their core, instead of people.

Solidarity is a term that many wish to erase from the dictionary. Solidarity, however, is not an automatic mechanism. It cannot be programmed or controlled. It is a free response born from the heart of each and everyone. Yes, a free response!

When one realizes that life, even in the middle of so many contradictions, is a gift, that love is the source and the meaning of life, how can they withhold their urge to do good to another fellow being?

In order to do good, we need memory, we need courage and we need creativity. And I know that TED gathers many creative minds. Yes, love does require a creative, concrete and ingenious attitude. Good intentions and conventional formulas, so often used to appease our conscience, are not enough. Let us help each other, all together, to remember that the other is not a statistic or a number. The other has a face. The you is always a real presence, a person to take care of.

There is a parable Jesus told to help us understand the difference between those whod rather not be bothered and those who take care of the other. I am sure you have heard it before. It is the Parable of the Good Samaritan.

When Jesus was asked: Who is my neighbor? namely, Who should I take care of? He told this story, the story of a man who had been assaulted, robbed, beaten and abandoned along a dirt road. Upon seeing him, a priest and a Levite, two very influential people of the time, walked past him without stopping to help. After a while, a Samaritan, a very much despised ethnicity at the time, walked by. Seeing the injured man lying on the ground, he did not ignore him as if he werent even there.

Instead, he felt compassion for this man, which compelled him to act in a very concrete manner. He poured oil and wine on the wounds of the helpless man, brought him to a hostel and paid out of his pocket for him to be assisted.

The story of the Good Samaritan is the story of todays humanity. Peoples paths are riddled with suffering, as everything is centered around money, and things, instead of people. And often there is this habit, by people who call themselves respectable, of not taking care of the others, thus leaving behind thousands of human beings, or entire populations, on the side of the road.

Fortunately, there are also those who are creating a new world by taking care of the other, even out of their own pockets. Mother Teresa actually said: One cannot love, unless it is at their own expense.

We have so much to do, and we must do it together. But how can we do that with all the evil we breathe every day?

Thank God, no system can nullify our desire to open up to the good, to compassion and to our capacity to react against evil, all of which stem from deep within our hearts.

Now you might tell me, Sure, these are beautiful words, but I am not the Good Samaritan, nor Mother Teresa of Calcutta. On the contrary: we are precious, each and every one of us. Each and every one of us is irreplaceable in the eyes of God. Through the darkness of todays conflicts, each and every one of us can become a bright candle, a reminder that light will overcome darkness, and never the other way around.

To Christians, the future does have a name, and its name is Hope. Feeling hopeful does not mean to be optimistically naive and ignore the tragedy humanity is facing. Hope is the virtue of a heart that doesnt lock itself into darkness, that doesnt dwell on the past, does not simply get by in the present, but is able to see a tomorrow.

Hope is the door that opens onto the future. Hope is a humble, hidden seed of life that, with time, will develop into a large tree. It is like some invisible yeast that allows the whole dough to grow, that brings flavor to all aspects of life.

And it can do so much, because a tiny flicker of light that feeds on hope is enough to shatter the shield of darkness. A single individual is enough for hope to exist.

And that individual can be you. And then there will be another you, and another you, and it turns into an us. And so, does hope begin when we have an us? No. Hope began with one you. When there is an us, there begins a revolution.

The third message I would like to share today is, indeed, about revolution: the revolution of tenderness.

What is tenderness? It is the love that comes close and becomes real. It is a movement that starts from our heart and reaches the eyes, the ears and the hands. Tenderness means to use our eyes to see the other, our ears to hear the other, to listen to the children, the poor, those who are afraid of the future. To listen also to the silent cry of our common home, of our sick and polluted earth. Tenderness means to use our hands and our heart to comfort the other, to take care of those in need.

Tenderness is the language of the young children, of those who need the other. A childs love for mom and dad grows through their touch, their gaze, their voice, their tenderness. I like when I hear parents talk to their babies, adapting to the little child, sharing the same level of communication. This is tenderness: being on the same level as the other.

God himself descended into Jesus to be on our level. This is the same path the Good Samaritan took. This is the path that Jesus himself took. He lowered himself, he lived his entire human existence practicing the real, concrete language of love.

Yes, tenderness is the path of choice for the strongest, most courageous men and women. Tenderness is not weakness; it is fortitude. It is the path of solidarity, the path of humility.

Please, allow me to say it loud and clear: the more powerful you are, the more your actions will have an impact on people, the more responsible you are to act humbly. If you dont, your power will ruin you, and you will ruin the other.

There is a saying in Argentina: Power is like drinking gin on an empty stomach. You feel dizzy, you get drunk, you lose your balance, and you will end up hurting yourself and those around you, if you dont connect your power with humility and tenderness.

Through humility and concrete love, on the other hand, power  the highest, the strongest one  becomes a service, a force for good.

The future of humankind isnt exclusively in the hands of politicians, of great leaders, of big companies. Yes, they do hold an enormous responsibility. But the future is, most of all, in the hands of those people who recognize the other as a you and themselves as part of an us.

We all need each other.

And so, please, think of me as well with tenderness, so that I can fulfill the task I have been given for the good of the other, of each and every one, of all of you, of all of us.

Thank you.

* Technology, Entertainment and Design.
People in Australia who believe they are affected by the decision to abolish the 457 visa are being urged to take advice, but it might take some time to get it.The Department of Immigration and Border Protection (DIBP) has confirmed that workers from abroad already in Australia are not affected by the changes and the new visa stream will be introduced in March 2018.But those hoping to use the 457 stream need to educate themselves, as it has been replaced with a new two-year and four-year visa called the Temporary Skilled Shortage (TSS) visa. While employers are still able to sponsor overseas workers on a 457 visa, the number of occupations available for sponsorship have been reduced from 651 to 435 occupations, with 216 occupations removed from the list and access to a further 59 restricted.It means that those with applications in place may find that they no longer qualify for certain occupations although employers have pointed out that there will still be plenty of jobs for overseas skilled professionals and they should not be put off applying for a visa or for an employer sponsored programme.The advice from the DIBP is to be aware of the changes and to contact them about what they mean. Although the department has also admitted that it is currently inundated with enquiries as a result of the surprise announcement by the Government last week.The DIBP is also being swamped by enquiries about changes to the Australian citizenship process with tighter measures also announced last week by the Government with the biggest change a four-year wait as a permanent resident to qualify rather than the previous one year period.'Since the announcements from the Government last week, the department has seen a significant rise of inquiries to its service centre. This spike in call volumes resulted in delays for clients calling the department's service centre,' said a DIBP spokesman.According to Henry Sherrell, an immigration researcher at the Australian National University's Crawford School of Public Policy and a former DIBP employee, said it was unsurprising. 'There's not much information available so a lot of people are concerned and confused,' he pointed out.With the details of the new TSS visa programme still be to be revealed some sectors are concerned that the change will have a major impact. The Australian Hotels Association is one and has called on the Government to ensure that the needs of the hospitality industry are met within the new visa programme.'The hospitality industry is growing at unprecedented rates at the present and the demand for skilled labour is at all-time highs with this complete transformation of Australia's hotel industry," said AHA chief executive officer Stephen Ferguson.Indeed, the Government's own Australian Tourism Labour Force Report estimated that the tourism and hospitality sector will require an additional 123,000 workers by 2020, including 60,000 skilled positions.Racing Australia has also voiced concerns about the impact of the change. According to chief executive Barry O'Farrell there have been skill shortages in the industry for years with employers unable to attract and retain qualified Australian staff.'As a result, they've been forced to look overseas for those critical, skilled roles from trackwork riders, to trainers, strappers, stable hands and stallion managers,' he explained, adding that the number of staff on 457 visas in bigger stables range from 20% to 70%.
Hi,everyone



I am a Chinese PhD student currently studying in UK and am applying for the Australia visitor visa (subclass 600) (Business Visitor stream) to attend a conference of 7 days in Australia.



How much money do I need to deposit in my bank account, and how long do I need to keep this amount of money in my account before submitting the application with a bank statement?



Can I just deposit a big amount of money into my UK bank account and immediately issue a bank statement as an evidence of my fund? The deposit time is what I am concerning. How long should it be?



I just want to apply for the visa as soon as possible. Could anybody give me some recommendation?
Photo by Paul Clinton.

Fiat-Chrysler's 2017 Jeep Compass has begun arriving at U.S. dealers as the brand's bid to expand its compact SUV sales with a streamlined offering in that segment.

The 2017 Compass is essentially replacing three outgoing compact SUVs, including the Liberty (discontinued after the 2012 model year), Patriot, and first-generation Compass, according to Jeep spokespeople who attended a media launch event in Los Angeles on April 25.

FCA also hopes sedan buyers will gravitate to the 2017 Compass, which has been reworked to resemble the Grand Cherokee, said Scott Tallon, director of the Jeep brand told automotive journalists.

At least initially, allocation of the Jeep Compass to daily rental or commercial fleet users such as branded insurance fleets could be minimal, Tallon said.

"We'll balance these two, but it will be kept at a minimum," Tallon said.

Photo by Paul Clinton.

FCA is offering the 2017 Jeep Compass in three trim levels, including Sport, Latitude, and Limited. A Compass Trailhawk variant will provide greater off-road capabilities. U.S. models will be powered by a 2.4-liter Tigershark MultiAir four-cylinder engine.

FCA will offer 16 powertrain combinations in various global markets, including a diesel engine. The company has no plans to offer a diesel Compass in the U.S., Tallon said.

The vehicle will be built at assembly plants in Mexico, China, Brazil, and India. U.S. models will be built at the Toluca Assembly Plant in Mexico.
Photo of BMW M760Li xDrive sedan courtesy of BMW.

BMW of North America is recalling 97 2017- and 2018-model year M760Li xDrive sedans because the engine oil cooler lines may loosen and cause an oil leak in the engine compartment, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. This condition can ultimately diminish braking performance.

The leaking engine oil may get onto the front brake disks, lengthening the distance needed to stop the vehicle and increasing the risk of a crash, NHTSA warned on its website.

BMW dealers will inspect the engine oil cooler lines and replace them if needed. There will be no charge for this service.

The recall is expected to begin June 1. Vehicle owners can reach BMW customer service at (800) 525-7417.


WEX Inc. of South Portland, Maine, has introduced its next-generation platform as ClearView Advanced, which adds features that help fleet managers better identify drivers who purchase expensive gasoline and send them messages.

WEX introduced ClearView Advanced at the NAFA Institute & Expo on April 25.

ClearView Advanced is the next iteration of ClearView Essentials and adds additional algorithms to provider greater intelligence and data to save fleets time and money, according to WEX.

ClearView Advanced will identify drivers who purchase expensive gasoline, violate company policies, commit theft, or make poor fueling decisions. Fleet managers can use the platform to send messages to those drivers to encourage them to change their behavior and come back into compliance with company policies. The platform allows tracking of the behavior of the messaged drivers and follow up to those who have not changed.

"ClearView Advanced turns insights into action," said Kurt Thearling, vice president of analytics at WEX. "It allows fleets to prompt drivers to take action  such as stopping the use of premium fuel, refilling at a less expensive stations, or taking care when entering odometer readings. Our goal is to help fleet managers leverage data, resulting in cost-effective and efficient operations."
Franchise Services of North America Inc. (FSNA), franchisors of the U-Save brand, has announced the opening of four new U-Save Car & Truck Rental locations in the U.S. and abroad.

The new domestic U-Save offices are located in Fulton, Mo., and Ogdensburg, N.Y. U-Save continues to expand its international footprint with the opening of two locations in Hungarys capital city of Budapest  one office in the downtown area and the other at the airport.

"We continue to grow and expand the U-Save brand both domestically and internationally, said Tom McDonnell, CEO of U-Save. Our corporate team is focused on our growth strategies, and we look forward to additional announcements in the upcoming months."
Many believe that as the mainstream car industry slowly embraces electric powertrains, the need for an equally powerful battery pack is just as important. Recently, Japanese automaker Toyota announced that it is testing its hydrogen fuel cell technology on a semi-truck.

The battery pack used by Toyota is the same, and slightly bigger, version of the hydrogen fuel cell used on its Mirai electric car. The automaker is currently testing a water-expelling semi-truck at the Port of Los Angeles. The company said that data gathered on these tests will be used to help the company develop a fleet of electric and zero-emission trucks.

The test is called Portal Project. The main goal is to determine how hydrogen fuel cells fare when equipped to a heavy duty work vehicle mostly used by shipping companies. The truck uses two Mirai fuel cells, which together produce 12kWh of juice. The battery packs power two motors that are connected to the rear wheels and that are working parallel to each other.

Toyota claims that the hydrogen fuel cell-powered semi-truck has a range of more than 200 miles before needing to refuel. The truck can also haul a gross combined weight capacity of 80,000 pounds.

"We think that there's a market demand for this technology in the ports today and there are no competing services to diesel solutions," Toyota national manager of advanced technology group Craig Scott said.

Toyota's effort is crucial towards the development of powerful electric powertrains and battery packs. The company is positive that these tests will help in building a practical infrastructure for hydrogen fuel cell technology.

Toyota said that the company will use its own set of drivers for the early stages of the tests. Nevertheless, the company will ultimately hand the reins over to drivers of its still-unnamed shipping partner.
Mercedes-AMG Project One is expected to take center stage at the Frankfurt Motor Show this coming September. This hypercar will bring in over 1,000-horsepower to boot, which is obviously insanely fast. Industry experts are definitely looking forward to seeing what this supercar has to offer other than its speed.

The Mercedes-AMG Project One is reported to already have been shown to some select customers. This hypercar is expected to incorporate a 1.6-liter V-6 hybrid powertrain which took its cue from Formula One program. The six-cylinder is also expected to be powered by at least four electric motors. These engines will be located at each of the front wheels, one on the crankshaft, and the fourth giving power to the electric turbocharger.

With all of these working in complete orchestration, the Mercedes-AMG Project One is expected to produce 1,020-horsepower! This is definitely noteworthy simply because of the fact that not many have attempted to come up with a vehicle which can easily go over 1,000-horsepower. The Project One can also run for up to 30 miles solely on electric power.

This Mercedes-AMG supercar will be extremely limited. Earlier reports reveal that there will only be between 250 and 275 units to be made. Anything limited should come with a hefty price tag which is definitely the case for the Project One. One Mercedes-AMG Project One is worth about 23 Teslas, having a price tag of $2.3 million.

The Mercedes-AMG Project One is also expected to weigh 1,300 kg. This hypercar being lightweight is one of the reasons for its insanely fast speed. More details will definitely be provided as the Frankfurt Motor Show draws nearer. As this point, a teaser image has been circulating online which provides a good silhouette of what could be the world's fastest car the moment it gets officially launched.
If one happens to have extra $2 million to be spent in a car, no other choices come close than the Pagani Huayra. For costing this much, this supercar has easily been the top choice of the world's richest and most famous. What's with the Huayra which draws the world's elites to it?

Horacio Pagani, the Italian-Argentinian designer never failed with the Huayra. The supercar boasts of an entire carbon fiber body. It is powered by 6.0-liter twin turbo V-12 which is outsourced from Mercedes-AMG. The Huayra is very exclusive and limited as only 100 of it were made.

This is definitely one of the reasons why the world's elites clamor for this supercar. Anything limited brings necessary and required distinction which the rich and famous exude and demand. The Pagani Huayra still is a highly coveted car and demand to have one is still considerably high.

Recently, Pagani Huayra is on sale for $2.09 million as it was listed on JamesEdition by Dubai-based broker Knight International. The Huayra on sale was built in 2014 and only has 1,616 miles to it. It is all red-tinted with black leather upholstery. Price is definitely not an issue as this is expected to be sold to one of the world's top millionaire in no time.

Pagani Huayra definitely offers different styles best suited for the world's most powerful and influential. For one, there is Pagani Huayra Roadster which took so long to make. Again, because of the time, it took in the process, its level of exclusivity gets all the more amped up.

The Pagani Huayra Roadster stays true to Pagani's tradition as another addition to its extreme car line-up. It may be extreme to the strictest sense of the word but it offers top-notch unbridled comfort. Pagani also learned valuable lessons based on its Zonda R.

Both the Pagani Huayra and the Pagani Huayra Roadster offer the best any elite would want to have in a supercar. With that 2014 Pagani Huayra listed on sale in Dubai, it is expected that every millionaire on earth would want to be the next owner and it is easy to understand why.
McLaren recently revealed that it is not fine with a four-door option. However, it may consider the possibility of having a four-seater GT. McLaren has been known because of its distinct two-door character and it wants to remain that way.

McLaren has no answer to its supposed arch rival, the Ferrari GT4 Lusso for being a four-seater. The McLaren 570GT is considered as the company's most practical model to date which appears to have extra storage on top of the engine bay.

According to McLaren CEO, Mike Flewitt, the company is exploring the possibility of having a four-seater. However, he is clear and stern by saying that McLaren will never have a four-door car to directly compete with Ferrari's Lusso. He continued on by saying that he can see four seats but not four doors.

McLaren is not in anyway ready to veer away from its two-door appeal just yet. Flewitt also explained the three main criteria new products have to meet. There should be a sound business case, would stay loyal to the McLaren brand, and it should lead the segment when it comes to technology.

This makes a lot of sense. Having a four-seater doesn't alter much of McLaren's distinct characteristic as the difference can only be witnessed once inside. Having four-door vehicle significantly alters the look altogether which McLaren will not allow to happen- just yet. End of the day, if there's a demand for a four-door McLaren, they may not have much choice but to deliver it.

McLaren is also in its ambitious stage to launch 15 new models in the next five years. The company is reported to be exploring new genres which are deemed necessary. It already began recently at the Geneva Motor Show when the 720S debuted. There are also expected to have more surprises along the way.

The sun is setting on the first day of the #McLaren 720S drive. A fantastic day at Vallelunga - back tomorrow pic.twitter.com/dzbUn4gJoW  McLaren Automotive (@McLarenAuto) April 24, 2017

Many seem to be in agreement as McLaren ditches the four-door option but slightly embracing the possibility of having a four-seater variant. However, it may still be early to have everything concluded. Who knows, having a four-door may be one of the surprises in the years to come.
Mini Fifth Superhero model is recently reported to come in the form of an EV. As it gets launched sometime 2019, Mini will be capitalizing on an all-electric model as testing has been spied.

It is, however, unclear if Mini will be producing it in volumes or just focused on a specific niche market. Signs do point towards the direction of coming up with a volume model. Sebastian Mackensen, Mini global head said that the electric car is not meant to just have an offering so one can say they have an electric car. It is a real car and people are expected to buy it.

Many car manufacturers have ventured into producing an electric vehicle, however, results have somehow been discouraging. Mackensen doesn't want this to happen to Mini by producing an EV just for the sake of having one.

The British car brand has unfortunately been losing sales particularly in the US, but having an EV may be the answer to have it back up there once again. Producing an EV should allow the brand to return to record sales in the next few years. Obviously, intense brainstorming has led the team to this decision and not just simply joining the bandwagon.

#New in Pinterest: Amazing Cars and Car Technology: #MINI to Unveil Fifth Superhero Model of the Range by 2019, Will Be an EV  pic.twitter.com/s0TDFnapgt  Always looking (@PekkaPuhakka) April 25, 2017

Because of the Brexit that happened last year, the Mini EV will not be built in the UK as originally planned. The VDL Nedcar is looked into to be contracted in building the model.

Back in 2015, BMW and Mini executives said that the brand will focus on offering five core models dubbed as "Superhero." Four were clear, however, the question had been what would become the fifth model. Mini was the first to get affected as sales have shifted to SUVs and crossovers.

As the Mini Countryman went on sales recently, it is expected to also help in boosting up the brand's sales. However, it may not be enough to return to record levels for this year. With the Mini Fifth Superhero as EV to be launched in 2019, coupled with the sales from Countryman, it should be enough to make Mini back in the leader board once again.
Turkey has strongly criticized U.S. President Donald Trump for officially acknowledging that 1.5 million Armenians were deported and killed by the Ottoman Turks during the First World War.

Just like his predecessors, Trump stopped stop short of describing the mass killings as genocide in a statement issued on Monday. He spoke instead of 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, added his statement.

The Turkish Foreign Ministry denounced the statement, saying that it contains misinformation and false definitions provided by some Armenian circles in the U.S.

We expect from the new U.S. 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, said a ministry spokesman.

The leading Armenian-American advocacy groups were just as critical of Trumps statement issued on the 102nd anniversary of the start of the Armenian genocide. They denounced his apparent desire not to anger Turkey, a longtime U.S. ally, with an explicit recognition of the genocide.

Former Presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush used similar language in their April 24 statements. The White House press secretary, Sean Spicer, pointed to this fact when he commented on Trumps failure to use the word genocide.

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 told reporters in Washington.

Earlier on Monday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan again offered his condolences to the descendants of Armenians killed in the Ottoman Empire. But he blamed their deaths on the harsh conditions of the First World War, rather than a deliberate government policy of extermination.

The current and former Turkish governments have claimed that Ottoman Armenians died in smaller numbers and as a result of civil strife. They have condemned the 26 nations -- including France, Germany, Italy and Russia -- for officially recognizing the mass killings as genocide to date.

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 2007.
A senior diplomat reportedly reaffirmed on Wednesday the European Unions largely positive assessment of the conduct of Armenias recent parliamentary elections won by President Serzh Sarkisians Republican Party (HHK).

Herbert Salber, the EUs special representative to the South Caucasus, discussed with Sarkisian the April 2 elections and Armenias relations with the EU during his latest visit to Yerevan.

The presidential press service said Salber congratulated Sarkisian on the successful conduct of the vote and called it a serious step forward in terms of strengthening stability and democracy in the country. It said the envoy also expressed hope that the Armenian authorities will address certain problems observed during the parliamentary race.

On April 4, a spokesperson for Federica Mogherini, the EUs foreign policy chief, echoed European observers preliminary conclusion that the elections were marred by credible information about vote-buying and voter intimidation, even though fundamental freedoms were generally respected. The election result nevertheless reflects the overall will of the Armenian people, she said in a statement.

The statement made clear the EU will work closely with Armenias democratically elected new parliament and government in order to strengthen our political dialogue and continue our support to economic and social reform. It cited the EU-Armenia Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement (CEPA) which was initialed in Yerevan two weeks before the polls.

Most Armenian opposition groups say the election outcome was primarily decided by large-scale vote buying by the ruling HHK. Some of them, notably the Congress-HZhK alliance, have also alleged more serious irregularities such as multiple voting. The Congress-HZhK alliance has demanded that Armenias Constitutional Court annul the official vote results. The court opened hearings on the appeal on Tuesday.

Meeting with Salber, Sarkisian thanked the EU for providing Armenia with over $7 million in funding for the purchase of voter authentication devices and web cameras that were installed in polling stations across the country. He said they helped the authorities to ensure that the elections meet international standards.

Mogherinis April 4 statement insisted that the electronic equipment prevented many irregularities. Despite some minor technical problems, fewer irregularities concerning ballot box stuffing, double voting, counting and tabulation of results were recorded by observers, it said.
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A balaclava-clad man who attempted to rob a Bath shop with a four-inch blade is being hunted by police.

An appeal to the public for information has been issued after t he attempted robbery at a newsagents in Southdown Road on Good Friday.

The perpetrator's face was covered with a black balaclava, his head was covered with a hood and he was carrying a knife with a four-inch blade.

He asked the woman to put money in a bag, but made off empty-handed when she pressed her panic alarm button.

She reported that he ran off on foot towards Sladebrook Road.

The suspect is described as being 5ft 7ins tall and slim.

At the time of the incident he wore a blue hooded top, grey jogging bottoms and black gloves and was carrying a white Tesco-branded carrier bag.

Officers are keen to hear from anyone with any information about the incident, or who was in the Southdown Road area on the afternoon of April 14.

Anyone who can help is asked to get in touch via the police website www.avonandsomerset.police.uk/contact , or by calling 101, quoting reference 5217082885.

Alternatively, you can ring the independent charity Crimestoppers, www.crimestoppers-uk.org , on 0800 555 111.

They never ask your name or trace your call. You could even qualify for a reward and still remain anonymous.
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A 17-year-old girl is in a critical condition in hospital after suffering a cardiac arrest at student halls in Bath.

Paramedics were alerted following a serious incident at the University of Baths Carpenter House block on Broad Quay, near Churchill Bridge on Tuesday afternoon.

A 19-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of a Class A drug offence following the incident.

Police have confirmed that the girl remains in hospital in a Critical, but stable condition.

A South Western Ambulance Service spokeswoman said: Thanks to the efforts of highly skilled paramedics the patient was revived and taken to the Royal United Hospital.

A second patient was also taken to the RUH.

The ambulance service received the call at 3.06pm

Avon and Somerset Police also attended.

A paramedic at the scene confirmed the incident was serious but declined to give more information.

A police spokesman said: We have arrested a 19-year-old man on suspicion of being concerned in the supply of a Class A drug.

He remains in custody.

A spokesperson for the University of Bath said: We are aware of the incident at Carpenter House (on Tuesday). It would be inappropriate to comment in detail whilst police are still making enquiries.

Our priority remains the wellbeing of our students, staff and visitors and we are working to take appropriate action and to provide support as necessary.
Chef Ed Lowery from Iberian Rooster in St. Petersburg showed us how to make minchi in the Chefs Kitchen.

Minchi is "classic street food"

Typically served from food trucks in Macau, China

Check out Iberian Rooster in St. Petersburg



Lowery told us minchi is a beef and chorizo-based gravy dish served typically from food trucks in Macau, China. He describes it as classic street food with, like many other dishes on Iberian Rooster's menu, a Portuguese influence.

Ingredients

Photo: Melissa Eichman, staff

3-4 oz of ground beef

3-4 oz of ground chorizo with curry seasoning

Teaspoon of light olive oil

Teaspoon of sesame oil

Teaspoon fine chopped fresh garlic and ginger

2 pinches of kosher salt

1/4 small diced onion

4 oz of diced fried potatoes

2 oz unsalted butter

Splash of soy sauce

Splash of sweet sherry

Splash of white balsamic glaze

3 oz chicken stock

1 egg

1/2 cup cooked basmati rice

Instructions

Saute and brown ground beef and chorizo in pan with olive oil over medium to high heat. Once cooked add garlic, ginger mix, diced onions and fried potatoes. Cook until onions are translucent. Season with pinch of salt. Deglaze pan with sherry. Add chicken stock and reduce. Add sesame oil, balsamic glaze and soy sauce. Salt to taste. Stir in butter and emulsify to make a creamy buttery gravy. Reduce and serve in bowl. Scoop basmati rice on top of gravy and top with sunny-side up egg. Garnish with parsley, micro greens or herbs of choice.

Photo: Melissa Eichman, staff
The 7,000-acre brush fire that torched property in the Naples area recently also threatened a wildlife refuge.

Naples zookeeper recovering after brush fire animal rescue

Donovan Smith suffered serious burns and is recovering at Tampa General Hospital

Smith and volunteers were able to move 40 animals to safer ground

Ngala Wildlife Preserve

Brush fire coverage

That led Naples-based zookeeper Donovan Smith to risk his life to save multiple animals, including an 8-year-old rhinoceros. Smith suffered serious burns and is at Tampa General Hospital.

Smith, the co-owner of the Ngala Wildlife Preserve, said leaving the animals behind as flames approached the property was no an option.

"Hey guys, Donovan here, I just want to thank you all for your extreme kindness and generosity," Smith said in a Facebook video post on Sunday. "Im blown away and humbled."

As Collier County officials ordered evacuations, Smith and volunteers were able to move 40 animals to safer ground. But Smith knew they wouldn't be able to move Walter - a rhino he has cared for for several years.

As the flames got close, Smith drove a four-wheeler through fire to reach an area where he found Walter safe.

A GoFundMe page has been set up to help Smith pay for his medical bills, as well as for repairs to the Ngala habitat damaged in the fire.

GoFundMe sites are not managed by Bay News 9/News 13. For more information on how the site works and the rules, visit http://www.gofundme.com/safety
A brush fire that closed a New Port Richey school and shut down roads Tuesday is almost completely contained.

Brush fire at State Road 54 and Old Country Road 54

Pasco County Fire Rescue calling fire suspicious

Florida Forest Service assisting in firefighting operation

MORE: Recent brush fire coverage by Bay News 9

Pasco County officials, meanwhile, are calling that fire suspicious and are investigating it as arson.

The fires started Tuesday afternoon in the area of State Road 54 and Old Country Road 54. Pasco Fire Rescue said several fires were set in the Seven Springs area, covering about 30 acres. Windy condition spread smoke across the area.

The fire is 80 percent contained.

Seven Springs Elementary let students out early Tuesday. The school will be open for regular hours today. Shut down in both directions yesterday, State Road 54 has been reopened.

Pasco County Fire Rescue officials said multiple fires were set at the same time, adding that there is no natural reason why a fire would start that way.

The fires were caught early and crews were able to quickly contain them. Firefighters are still monitoring the area to make sure the flames don't flare up.

Arson investigators have interviewed multiple people but no charges have been filed.

There are currently more than two dozen Florida counties under burn bans right now, including Citrus, Hernando, Pasco, Polk and Manatee counties in the Bay area.
A Largo High School freshman is getting international recognition for overcoming obstacles and spreading awareness about disabilities.

Jeremy Keyser given Yes I Can award

He has three brain surgeries before he was six months old

Family non-profit offers support for others with neurological disorders

The struggles for Jeremy Keyser, 15, started before birth.

"We discovered when he was born that he had a brain bleed prior to birth," said his mother, Paula Keyser. "So when he was just three hours old he was rushed to All Children's Hospital."

Jeremy Keyser had three brain surgeries before he was six months old and didn't talk until he was four. But he has never let his disabilities define him.

"I give myself a little pep tall, like, 'I can do this. I can do this.'"

His achievements have been recognized on an international level by the Council for Exceptional children. He just got back from Boston with a Yes I Can award.

Through his work with teacher's assistants, he went from reading on a fourth-grade level to making the honor roll and principal's list.



Jeremy Keyser shows off his Yes I Can award

"I am so proud of him, so proud I don't even know what to do, said teacher's assistant Renee Voss. He's an amazing kid."

When he's not busy with school work, Keyser is a spokesman for his family's non-profit that spreads awareness and support for others with neurological disorders.

"I could get more people like me to say, Hey I'm not alone, I have friends or other people that are just like me, he said.

He said the award makes him feel like the sky is the limit.

"Like I'm a super hero, like I can do anything, he said. I could be a congressman, a businessman, I could do anything I want to."

Keyser was one of about a dozen who received the international award.


St. Petersburg Police will join law enforcement agencies from all over Pinellas County Wednesday for the Special Olympics Torch Run.

Be aware of street closures during today's torch run

This is an annual event that has been held in Pinellas County for over 25 years

Run takes place from St. Pete to Clearwater

Special Olympics Torch Run

The torch will be passed to runners from different Pinellas agencies in a relay from police headquarters to Clearwater.

Special Olympics athletes will greet runners along the way. The race ends at Paul B. Stephens School, 2935 CR 193, in Clearwater. At the end they will be greeted by students.

The Torch Run route/timeline:

8:15 a.m.

St. Petersburg Police Department

Route: (4.2 miles) 1st Ave. N, to US Hwy. 19, to 38th Ave. N. and then a right to the two front bus circles of New Heights Elementary.

9:10 a.m.

New Heights Elementary School

Route: (4 miles) US Hwy. 19, to 70th Ave. N., then west to Nina Harris reception (Gulfport Police Department and those continuing from SPPD).

10:15 a.m.

Nina Harris Exceptional School

Route: (3.5 miles) 70th Ave. N. to 66th Street, then north to 118th Ave., then east to Morgan Fitzgerald student reception.

10:55 a.m.

Morgan Fitzgerald Middle School

Route: (2.2 miles) 118th Ave. to 62nd Street, then over to 126th Ave., then under US 19 to the service road, east on Ulmerton Rd., to 49th Street and 145th Ave., PCSO's Technical Services Bldg.

11:45 a.m.

PCSO Technical Services Bldg.

Route: (4.5 miles) North on 49th Street, over Bayside Bridge to Del Oro Park on McMullen Booth Road.

12:45 p.m.

Del Oro Park

Route: (2.2 miles) North on McMullen Booth, then west on Sunset Pt.to Paul B. Stephens School, and the finish.

Finish: Around 1:15-1:30 p.m., Torch arrival / student reception at Paul B. Stephens.
Archived Results for 2009

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Archived Results for 2011

Immortals A few minutes into the movie and I got a little worried. The dialogue, especially during the first few scenes really made me want to cringe. By: Kevin Swann

Search Terms: mickey roarke Search Terms: immortals
Archived Results for 2012

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Archived Results for 2013

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Archived Results for 2014

CommenTerry: Volume Thirty-nine State legislators should be congratulated for eliminating the 100-school cap on charters and tweaking the charter school law over the last four years. North Carolina's charter school community is thriving thanks to their work. By: John Locke Foundation

Search Terms: Search Terms: commonterry
Archived Results for 2015

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Archived Results for February 2017

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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.
Governing Beaufort County

Related to: Government



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A less subjective view of governing and the policies that influences the lives of Beaufort County residents to a degree far greater than many realize and far more than some care to admit.
Guest Editorial

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Well developed, well considered and finely written editorials from our readership, who, as individuals, have transitioned into our colleagues. hat have t
In Concert

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In this ongoing treatise on the performing arts, we examine the best performing musicians upon the stage.
Public Issues

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Public issues are important to every citizen.
A Historical Perspective

Related to: Native Front



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History is the social genetic code of who we were, who we are, and ultimately, who we will become.
Regional Business

Related to: Business



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We wish to expose the various businesses providing the variety of services that support the marketplace within the various communities of northeastern North Carolina, which is the region that Beaufort County NOW serves.
Civitas Institute

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The vision of the Civitas Institute is of a North Carolina whose citizens enjoy liberty and prosperity derived from limited government, personal responsibility and civic engagement. The mission of the Civitas Institute is to facilitate the implementation of conservative policy solutions to improve the lives of all North Carolinians.
Press Releases: Candidates seeking political office

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Beaufort County Now will publish every press release, which is within their power to do so, from every candidate seeking political office, irrespective of political party.
The Hood Territory

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It is a land where individual freedoms are celebrated, and the raising of an individual's taxes are not.
Stupid as Charged

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Come here for to seek what cannot be understood by the normal mind.
News Services

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At BCN, we sparingly rely on news services for the bulk of our articles; however, on occasion, we find it helpful to employ their service, and provide a back-link to the original source.
The Daily Haymaker Guest Editorial

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Our GUY IN CHARGE - editor and publisher Brant Clifton - has marched to the beat of a different drum from very early in life. The grandson of a Democrat party machine boss, Mr. Clifton registered Republican at 18 and campaigned for Ronald Reagan and George Bush. He worked for the late U.S. Senator Jesse Helms in Washington during and right after college.Mr. Clifton took on the liberal media as an analyst with The Media Research Center, then jumped into a lengthy career with the "drive-by media". His work has appeared in local newspapers in The Carolinas. He has done on-camera work for ABC's Good Morning America, and print work for national publications such as US News & World Report and People magazine. Mr. Clifton has also worked as a correspondent for AP, UPI, Reuters and Agence France Presse.
My Spin

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"My Spin" is the creation of media impresario Tom Campbell, who has plied his craft in communication delivery systems of: newspapers, television and television.Now Impressario Campbell tries on the Internet, via Beaufort County NOWw, and our sister NOWs.Check in from time to time, and get an idea just what is Tom's current "spin."
Outlying Politics

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In the elective process, other counties from regions far away, there is government, and there are politics.We examine both here.
North Carolina History

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By using outstanding resources, such as the John Locke Foundation sponsored North Carolina History Project, and photos by our publisher, Stan Deatherage, BCN will endeavor to help make history real for our readers, and try to afford them some small measure of understanding where we come from here in the Old North State.
North Carolina Health

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A healthier North Carolina is the ambition of our state's wise citizens to live a more fulfilling life, while reducing the cost of overall health care.
Public Utilization

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The Federal and independent state governments of these States United are purposefully tasked with enforcing certain guidelines and statutes that walk a tight line between the public domain and the free markets of a healthy republic.
A Commissioner's View

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We will provide an opinion, through the experience of 4 term county commissioner Stan Deatherage, that will provide an insider's approach to problem solving through governing.
Clarion Call

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There are times in one's life, should they hear the call, when seemingly complex issues become clear; and should one heed that call, it is incumbent upon them to express their knowledge of the truth as best they can, as often as they are able and willing to do so. You can also visit Stan's Governing /Political knowledge here: https://beaufortcountynow.com/category/343/stans-well-considered-rant.html
Across North Carolina

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Stan Deatherage takes pictures all over North Carolina, from the mountains to the coast and very much in between. Here, we explore what goes on within the photographer's eye of this Tar heel traveler, who valiantly shoots first and uploads later.
Individual History

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A small, but very real history originates with every new story of each person's life, thus building an interlinking system of experiences - learned and taught.
Politics with Rod Eccles

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Rod Eccles is the Host of The Nationally Syndicated Radio Show The Rod Eccles Show. He is The Coolest Most Politically Incorrect Conservative Black Man on the Planet and he is being dubbed the new Black Rush Limbaugh of our time. He is one of the leading voices in the Conservative Movement.He just published his first book titled The Conservative ECCLESiastes: Logic and Wisdom from the Coolest, Most Politically Incorrect, Conservative Black Man on the Planet. This year his show was added to the list of Top Talk Conservative Radio Show Hosts on Top Talk.com. Currently, Rod is traveling around the country making Key Note Speeches to Tea Party and Republican Organizations to fire up the base for the 2016 elections.
The Marketing of Things

Related to: Business



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Online representation of products and professional services is in its infancy, and while the Social Media mavens all endeavor to guide clients all to one side of the marketing boat, we will guide those unaffected to the other side of the boat to search for an admirable bounty of prospects, who need and deserve good products and service.
"Every Picture Tells a Story ... Don't It"

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We use this legendary Rod Stewart tune to express that we definately believe in utilizing whatthe internet does best: The exposure of images that tell a visual story.
Film Reviews

Immortals A few minutes into the movie and I got a little worried. The dialogue, especially during the first few scenes really made me want to cringe. By: Kevin Swann

Search Terms: mickey roarke Search Terms: immortals

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Current films that can be reviewed by our reviewers at the theater of their choice on the big 'silver screen' that is an incomparable experience ... if the film is good.
Government

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Regional Health System

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In Short: The Beaufort County Hospital Board.
Combat Crime

Related to: Community



beaufort county arrests nc

beaufort county crime stoppers

beaufort county jailbird

beaufort county nc arrest records

beaufort county nc arrests

beaufort county nc mugshots

washington nc arrests

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The purpose of this category is to help the public learn about injustices in the criminal justice system and to brainstorm and come up with meaningful solutions.
Our Founding Principles

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This ongoing examination into what influenced the United States of America to become a nation of such profound greatness is a group effort. Please join us.
Vidant Beaufort Hospital

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We endeavor here to express to the community the events that are ongoing at the Vidant Beaufort Hospital here in Washington, North Carolina in Beaufort County.
Business

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County Commissioners

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This body politic is the governing board that all other boards must at some time answer to.
Commented on Democrat vote buying in Belhaven today It doesn't look like the fish fry drummed up many votes. Saturday was the lightest day of voting during the four days that early voting was open in Belhaven, with 121 voters, compared to 193 on Wednesday, 138 on Thursday, and 159 on Friday.



I have seen the same tactic when I worked with pro-western political parties in Moldova. The Communists would take around goodie bags to older voters to try to create a sense of obligation that they owed them their vote in return. This is not a southern thing or an American thing but a corrupt political practice employed in too many countries.



I recall seeing it directly while I was an International Election Observer in a Moldovan parliamentary election. Around lunch time my observation team pulled into a polling station in the city of Comrat, capital of the Gaugauzia automonmous region. Soon after we arrived several older voters came in carrying white plastic bags with a red hammer and sickle printed on them, obviously filled with things like canned goods. A German international observation team that was also present questioned the first woman who came in with the bag, and she said she had just come from church (Moldova votes on Sunday) and the priest had told them there were some presents for them at the front of the church and they should go and vote (in Moldova the Russian Orthodox Church supported the Communists while the Romanian Orthodox Church was supporiing the Christian Democrats at first but then switched to the Liberal Party). The German team made notes for their report, but since my organization had trained the poll observers of the pro-western parties, I spoke with them and they made a formal complaint to the election officials. The election officials then told the voters with the bags that they could not enter the polling station with them, could not leave them outside, and could not stand around with them outside. They had to leave with them. This was largely due to the fact that election law there did not allow party symbols in or around the polling station on election day. Maybe some of them came back after taking the bags home, but probably not all of them. That was unlikely to have been the only Russian Orthodox Church where that happened.



I also remember the Moldovan Democratic Party fighting fire with fire in some local elections in northern raions of Moldova. The Communists made a practice of giving goodie bags to older voters to create an obligation to vote for them, so the Democrats made up their own goodie bags and took them to the same profile of voter. On election day, there was a huge spike in spoiled ballots because a lot of those voters then felt obligated to both parties and thus voted for both, spoliing the ballot so that it counted for nobody. That led the Democrats to pick up a fair number of seats from the Communists. By: Steven P. Rader
The Shuttle Explorer basking in Earth's grand beauty, while Explorer Captain Matt Kowalski, George Clooney, soaks it all in one last time: Above and then below. Click image to expand.

The Hubble Satellite attached to the Shuttle Explorer just before impact: Above. The Soyuz space station struck, damaged, but can the escape pod be made to fly? Below. Click image to expand.

The film, "Gravity", makes two broad statements: Outer Space affords one magnificent visual beauty, and there is no place more dangerous in the ongoing quest of sustaining one's life force. Staying alivehere on Earth, enveloped by our most hospitable atmosphere, is just one's plight to not do anything stupid. Orbiting our 'Little Blue Jewel' with temperatures as low as 146 degrees below zero, with no breathable oxygen, one must have a workable plan to stay alive.With NASA in charge of astronauts' structured existence, their very transitory ecosystem, they have an excellent opportunity to continue functioning as a life form. When all the good efforts of NASA go spontaneously awry, sustaining life in outer space becomes an effort of incredible proportions. One that can never have a happy ending for all, not without a good deal of luck, similar to the good fortunes of Apollo 13. The realty of the dangers of space travel has been all too real with the Apollo 1 disaster in 1967, then the twin Shuttle disasters: Challenger in 1986, and Discovery in 2003. In each disaster all on board perished. In this film, there is not so much luck either for the humans abroad in outer space.Director /Screenwriter Alfonso Cuaron's "Gravity" initially deals with another, one of the many, routine orbiting missions, where the prime objective, among multiple objectives, is to reconfigure and repair the essential Hubble telescope /imaging satellite. Near the conclusion of the astronauts' week plus mission, an unforeseen random event is put into motion whereupon the last day on the Explorer shuttle, these space participants know a second prime objective - stay alive.The film begins with the astronauts, especially the two we significantly meet: Researcher Ryan Stone, played by ECU Alum Sandra Bullock, and Explorer Captain Matt Kowalski, played by George Clooney. We meet Kowalski flying about with a prototype jet pack system strapped to his back, while trying to break the 'Space Walk' record, and Mission Specialist Stone tethered to the Hubble Telescope, which was her prescribed mission to correct the satellite, or enhance its capabilities. 'Houston' (Mission Control), represented by the voice of Actor Ed Harris, is faintly corresponding with Mission Leader Kowalski, coming in clearer as Kowalski jets closer to the center of the action, the Shuttle Explorer.The Earth is resplendently beautiful in all its natural colors, the most excellent celestial body in all of the immediate heavens. America's astronauts are busying themselves to the limits of their capabilities to fully capitalize on one of our greatest federal expenses - the national exploration of space - when Mission Control crackles over their radio frequency:Mission Control:Dr. Ryan Stone:Mission Control:Matt Kowalski:Dr. Ryan Stone:Matt Kowalski:What had randomly transpired was that the Russians had arbitrarily fired an ICBM into one of its spy satellites, which sent its spreading debris field immediately hurtling through orbital space at a speed that was significantly faster than orbiting speed, which caused the debris to collide with other satellites in its orbital path. The intolerable presence of this destructive force here was two fold in its ominous danger: the debris field did grow, and continued at that excessive speed, as other satellites, many of them communication /transmission satellites, were torn to bits and absorbed by the debris field; the Shuttle Explorer was in the direct path of the expanded flying debris, and would continue to be so as the debris continued to travel at a speed that would commit its re-collision with anything within its expanding path every 90 minutes.Matt Kowalski:
You may have seen some of the bizarre things happening at universities recently and thought these students and professors must be stupid, crazy or just ignorant of what freedom is all about.But professor and writer Mike Adams this week said the opposite is true: campus radicals attacking free speech and traditional culture know exactly what they are doing and why they are doing it: to foment a Marxist revolution.he said.Adams, a criminology professor at the University of North Carolina Wilmington, outlined the real basis for campus speech codes and other left-wing causes in his talk March 7 at the Icon Lecture Series in Chapel Hill What was most interesting to me was how he took us behind the curtain to show us the real motivations and goals of so many of the outlandish goings-on at colleges and universities. I suppose most of us read about campus radicals, and perhaps mutter about their protests and complaints, but then shrug our shoulders and go on about our business.After all, their complaints seem so absurd and random. Adams mentioned a professor who told an assembled group about a professor who said he identified as male on Monday, Wednesday and Friday ... and identified as female on Tuesdays and Thursday. (It wasn't clear what that professor identified as on weekends.) That is so far out to most of us that we don't take it too seriously.But it's all part of a long-term, relentless strategy to weaken the culture, paving the way for a Marxist transformation of society, he said. For, in addition to the economic Marxism we're familiar with, there's cultural Marxism, in which radicals seek to fundamentally transform society to undermine the family, religion, morality, and other forces that might stand in the way of radicalism.First of all, he said, we have to understand the key Marxist axiom: From each according to his abilities, and to each according to his needs.ButAdams said.So Marxism can't be sold to people able to understand its goals.he said of leftists.He recalled arriving on the campus of UNC Wilmington and finding that the student handbook included a speech code that proclaimed people "had a right to be comfortable and unoffended"! But, as Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. wrote, "Every idea is an incitement."Almost anything might offend somebody somewhere - especially if he or she has been primed to take offense. That handbook, for instance, said students could be punished for "misdirected laughter," if while laughing they happened to glance at someone nearby.Again, this may be absurd, but don't be distracted: If leftists can get students to fear thinking and talking, they will lose their ability to resist leftist propaganda.There has been some progress in cutting back speech codes on campus, he said, but the same strategy has continued with the assault on "microaggressions" - harmless comments or actions that the Left construes as racist. For that too is a prong of the attack on society, Adams said."White privilege" in cultural Marxism is the counterpart of capitalism in economic capitalism, radicals believe.Adams said.And how is that done?If communism is for losers, then it's also essential for communists to create more losers. The vehicles for that kind of cultural change are mandatory student fees and campus centers for special groups, he said.These centers and fee-funded projects aim to destroy students' moral bearings, leaving them psychologically and spiritually weaker, thus in greater need of powerful government to help them. Adams cited a "poetry" journal published under the aegis of a campus student center. It included a poem about Mother Teresa that can't even be described in our newspaper.Adams said.Or consider the "orgasm awareness day" sponsored by Western Carolina University or the "orgasm awareness week" sponsored by UNC-Chapel Hill, he said.he said.That's why young, impressionable people are targeted by Left, he said.he continued.He did note that parents and lawmakers are beginning to understand these influences, and are fighting back successfully. But anyone there that night who truly grasped his talk understands one thing above all: Defeating cultural Marxism will require that we treat it very seriously indeed.
The United States Supreme Court: Above. photo by Stan Deatherage

On April 7, 2017, the United States Senate set an awesome precedent in using former Democrat Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's Nuclear Option to shut down any proposed Democrat filibuster, which, heretofore, needed 60 votes to end, and then appointed President Trump's selection, Neil Gorsuch , for the vacant seat of Antonin Scalia.The Nuclear Option, originated by Leftist Democrat Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid on November 21, 2013, when the Democrats last had a majority in the U.S. Senate, was designed to end the possible filibuster of Republicans, who would and did block confirmation if Judicial Activist federal judges appointed by Obama. The Nuclear Option was a process begun by the Democrats to end the Senate as the more deliberative body in congress, which was sure to become the first and final move to drive a stake into the bosom of the filibuster; a 60 member legislative tool to stall or end any vote on terrible legislative initiatives. It was was an impregnable door that Harry Reid forced open, and then Republican Senators in the majority, used the Justice Neil Gorsuch confirmation to, with great blunt force, to explode that door opened by Harry Reid , right off its hinges.What do you think the chances are that the Nuclear Option will be employed again, and possibly soon, when the next President Trump appointment to the Supreme Court needs U.S. Senate confirmation?If Justice Gorsuch was an everyman Originalist for another unapologetic Conservative Originalist, the late, great Justice Antonin Scalia, and should there be a second President Trump nomination to the highest court in the land, don't expect them to be anything other than an unabridged Conservative Originalist. If Justice Neal Gorsuch is Justice Scalia "Lite", the next appointment will be a more "Full-bodied" Justice Scalia, with no apologies to the Progressive Socialists . Remarkably, I predict the nation will be ready for it, with the same or more Democrat Senators (3 Democrats) voting to confirm.It is politics, and it is a simple analogy built on the the building premise that Americans are tiring of the Democrat political blunder, put in place by a vacating Barack Hussein Obama , to obstruct, delay, resist and most importantly delegitimize the Trump Administration, real Americans are wanting real change in America, and they are getting it in small doses from the new President. The more they witness Socialist Liberals, all organized and many paid to be there, violently protest that their Democrat Media has not had the opportunity to pore over then Candidate Trump's personal Tax returns, and a winsome "collusion with Russia" scheme, which appears to be mostly a Democrat / Democrat Media fantasy, there are larger issues afoot; have been for years, and will continue until solved.While core Democrats reel from chronic Trump Derangement Syndrome (TDS), I am encouraged that the adults are back in charge in our nation's capitol. Socialist Snowflakes , by the day as they grpple with TDS, are being discovered for the shallow, self-absorbed, intellectually pathetic cry babies that they surely are, and it ain't a pretty sight for the rest of we normal folk, we that actually care about our Republic in its entire unified form.When the premise of your political ambition continues to be the unveiled ambition to sell out American values, the best of them, to welcome every disparate faction that abhors those values, good Americans, and many who originally rejected the bombastic Candidate /President Trump, who economically struggle and still strain to pull the American wagon forward will find these Democrat Progressive Socialists abhorrent, and, furthermore, counterproductive to solving real problems that plague real Americans and the free World.The Justice Gorsuch confirmation process, as a failed rallying point for obstructionist Socialists that are the core of today's Democrat party, was the poorly planned first step down a path that may well be the undoing of what is Left of the Democrat Party.
The subtle manipulation of information by technocratic elites is much more insidious than President Trump's impetuous, amateurish tweets

Everyone seems to be talking about fake news these days. Enabled by social media, its originators deal in hoaxes and disinformation. The objectives vary, with some wishing merely to sow confusion, others attempting to influence behavior. The intention is always, however, to mislead.Fake news is old. Benjamin Franklin created a fictional story about Indian tribes sending scalps of colonists as a gift to George III in order to drum up hostility against the British. But it seems particularly prevalent in recent decades. Take, for example, Bill Clinton's "I did not have sexual relations with that woman" and Barack Obama's "if you like your health care plan, you can keep it." Donald Trump creates a great deal of fake news as demonstrated by statements such as "one of the biggest Electoral College landslides in history." These are all essentially lies. They become news because they emanate from presidents' lips.Fortunately, fake news is easy to refute. It is demonstrably false. This may not prevent it from shaping public attitudes unfortunately, but a concerted effort can correct it. This is the goal of fact-checking organizations like PolitiFact and FactCheck.org , whose rectifications are picked up in the mainstream media. The scourge is also, of course, combatted by diverse politics sustained by a truly free press, competitive parties, and separated government powers.The whole brouhaha over fake news got me thinking about this remarkable moment in American history. I find it particularly interesting people suggest George Orwell's 1984 is a parable for today. The novel tells the story of "Big Brother," who subjects the fictional country of Oceania to constant state surveillance and total thought control. Trump's opponents presumably believe he heads a massive government effort to peak into everyone's homes and monopolize the dissemination of information. He might be aggressively deploying Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, but Obama did, too - to the tune of 340,000 deportations annually. The former president established a huge regulatory apparatus - built from existing agencies like the IRS, Department of Education, and Environmental Protection Agency and new ones such as the Federal Insurance Office and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau - to scrutinize and threaten businesses, schools, churches, and nonprofits. Obama renewed the Patriot Act and reauthorized mass surveillance by the NSA. His administration's restrictions led many to believe it was the most antagonistic to the press in history. Much of the 1984 analogy is based on the media's belief Trump wants to muzzle them, when, at least to this point, he is Obama-lite and is really just skillfully discrediting them in front of a receptive audience.It is when we move away from simple assertions of fact to questions regarding necessarily more ambiguous interpretations of the world that open and free societies like the United States face greater challenges, That's why I think another of Orwell's novels provides a better allegory of what America might be morphing into.Animal Farm describes how a pig called Napoleon controls the flow of information and manipulates perceptions to brainwash the animals who live there. The approach is subtler than Big Brother. Napoleon doesn't create fake news but rather spins the interpretation of obvious facts in contorted ways. The other animals are free to see everything and indeed speak their minds but are slowly convinced their view of the world is inaccurate and immoral. In a crusade for an absolute truth, Napoleon doesn't present "alternative facts" but, through his zeal and skill, creates a whole new universal understanding of reality. After a few years, his vision prevails. He owns the truth and, unable to oppose him any longer, all the other animals see things his way.Many in positions of power in America today seem to want you to believe all the facts of our complicated world fit snugly into their view of it. They aspire to govern like Napoleon, knowing that the American people and Constitution prevent them from becoming Big Brother.Perhaps Trump is among their number but, if so, he's not alone. Numerous leaders in the media, Hollywood, and academia view the quite unpopular and sometimes reviled new president as an opportunity to establish their vision of the world - a rigidly multicultural society run by a technocratic class that emphasizes equality over liberty - as the "truth." They portray his administration as a purveyor of racism and misogyny, a barbarian nationalism, and "robber baron" capitalism, an interpretation that stretches tremendously but does not irrefutably contradict the facts.A section of the cultural elite is manipulating information, shaping social norms, and exerting subtle pressures to mold public attitudes. In fact, compared to his enemies, Trump comes off as an amateur, impetuously tweeting out fibs and challenging trivial facts, dealing in bits of fake news. Is it him that's in control?
Tom Campbell

In 1973, Senator Sam Ervin, a self-described "country lawyer" from Morganton, was chosen to head the Senate Select Committee investigating the Watergate break-in. That investigation ultimately led to the resignation of President Richard Nixon and propelled Ervin, along with his minority co-chair, Howard Baker from Tennessee, into the national spotlight.Senator Richard Burr, from Winston-Salem, is head of the powerful Senate Intelligence Committee and is investigating Russian interference in the 2016 elections, as well as what, if any, involvement the Trump campaign may have had in that interference. One has to wonder if history might be repeating itself.Burr, like Ervin, has never been the flashy representative who constantly seeks the cameras to gain notoriety. The Winston-Salem native is best known for his workmanlike approach in delving into issues like health care and tax reform. His down-to-earth persona is demonstrated by his penchant for wearing loafers without sox and off-the-rack Costco shirts.In the Watergate investigation Ervin continually pledged to let the facts take them to whatever conclusion was called for. Similarly, Burr and minority leader Mark Warner from Virginia have pledged to do the same with the Senate Intelligence Committee investigation. To date they appear to be living up to that posture, unlike their House counterparts. We can all hope that the investigation will be conducted in a fair, bipartisan, truth-seeking manner.Burr readily acknowledges that this is the most important assignment he has undertaken, first as a Congressman and now as a U.S. Senator. The American people deserve and need evidence that our Congress can work together to uphold our laws and protect our rights as citizens. It is also an opportunity to demonstrate to North Carolinians that our elected representatives stand for truth and justice.When Senator Sam began the Watergate hearings, few expected the "smoking gun" revelations that emerged, directly connecting a sitting U.S. President to criminal activities and a cover-up by lying to the people. Few expect that same outcome to result from this investigation, but we do deserve to be able to trust what is concluded from these investigations. Senator Burr is in the spotlight and all will be watching to see how he handles this responsibility. We pray he will continue his pledge to prevent this from becoming a circus-like affair that devolves into the partisan, ugly atmosphere we see too often in Washington and Raleigh.
Citizen Group Files Suit Against Beaufort County Board of Commissioners

Suit alleges multiple violations of state Open Meetings Law



Washington, NC, April 13, 2017: The Citizens for Better Government of Beaufort County, NC ("CBG"), with the assistance of the Civitas Institute, has filed suit against the Beaufort County Board of Commissioners. The suit alleges that the Board has, on numerous occasions, violated North Carolina's Open Meetings Law. Specifically, the suit alleges that the Board has illegally entered into closed session on several occasions.



The Board closed its meetings to the public four times in 2015. A review of the redacted minutes of the closed sessions revealed discussions that should have taken place in view of the public.



CBG is represented by Jonathan Strange of The Strange Law Firm and Elliot Engstrom of Engstrom Law, PLLC.



"Decisions made in backrooms out of the public's view are bad business," said CBG Chairman Ray Leary. "The CBG originated as the "Stop the Jail Committee". As we worked on that issue we came to realize that the problem was not so much the bad decision on the jail as it is the culture that has developed with the County Commission to make their decisions outside of their public meetings. This interferes with the Board's accountability to the public.



We have tried on repeated occasions to get the Board to comply, without success. We believe, and North Carolina law requires, that the public's business should be conducted in public. We are determined to make sure that the Board will conduct the public's business in open meetings as required by North Carolina law."



"We are honored to partner with the CBG in this important effort. Government that operates with transparency and citizen oversight is more likely to be thrifty and efficient in the use of public resources," said Francis X. De Luca USMCR(Ret), President, Civitas Institute.



The suit seeks an injunction requiring the Board to comply with the Open Meetings Law.



"CBG is not seeking monetary damages from Beaufort County," Leary said. "We are simply asking the commissioners to follow the statutes governing closed meetings and public records."



Contact: Ray Leary

Citizens for Better Government of Beaufort County NC



(252) 402-5662  willeary@suddenlink.net



PO Box 954

Chocowinity, NC 27817


Company Will Invest $1.8 Million in Global Headquarters and Bring 130 Jobs to Wake County

Contact: Ford Porter

Ford Porter govpress@nc.gov

CARY: Trilliant Networks will establish its global headquarters in the Research Triangle Area, creating 130 jobs over the next five years, Governor Roy Cooper announced today. The smart grid software and communications company will invest $1.8 million at its current offices in Cary to accommodate for this expansion of corporate operations.said Governor Cooper.Trilliant offers the energy industry's only enterprise-wide Smart Communications Platform for connecting the internet of things (IoT) through a secure, standards-based, multi-technology, open-spectrum solution. Trilliant maximizes smart grid and smart city investments and makes operations future-ready.said Trilliant CEO Andy White.Trilliant will hire several positions to support world-wide operations of the company. Salaries will vary by position, with a total annual payroll impact of more than $13 million. Wake County's overall average wage is currently $53,783 per year.said North Carolina Commerce Secretary Anthony M. Copeland. N.C. Commerce and the Economic Development Partnership of N.C. led the state's support for the company's expansion.Trilliant's expansion in Wake County will be facilitated, in part, by a Job Development Investment Grant (JDIG) approved by the state's Economic Investment Committee earlier today. Under the terms of the JDIG, the company is eligible to receive up to $1,329,000 in total reimbursements. Payments will occur in annual installments over 12 years pending verification by N.C. Commerce and N.C. Revenue that the company has met incremental job creation and investment targets. JDIGs reimburse new and expanding companies a portion of the newly created tax-base with the goal of increasing the overall revenue benefit to the state of North Carolina.By law, JDIG projects must result in a net revenue inflow to the state treasury over the life of the award. For projects in Wake and other Tier 3 counties, 25 percent of the eligible grant is directed to the state's Industrial Development Fund-Utility Account to help finance economic infrastructure in rural counties. Trilliant's expansion could provide as much as $443,000 in new funds for the Utility Account. More information on county tier designations is available here said N.C. Senator Jay Chaudhuri.said N.C. Representative Duane Hall.Partnering with N.C. Commerce and the EDPNC on this project were the North Carolina General Assembly, the North Carolina Community College System, Wake County Economic Development, Town of Cary, Wake County, Cary Chamber of Commerce, E4 Carolinas and the Research Triangle Cleantech Cluster.
Company Will Invest More Than $40 million in Manufacturing Operations in Morganton

Contact: Ford Porter

Ford Porter govpress@nc.gov

RALEIGH: International automotive supplier Continental will launch a major expansion of its manufacturing facility in Burke County, creating 160 new jobs over the next five years. The company will invest more than $40 million at its Morganton operations.Governor Cooper said.Continental, with North American headquarters in Auburn Hills, Michigan, is one of the top five automotive suppliers worldwide. The company's Morganton facility produces the most progressive advanced brake engineering for all classes of vehicles, from compact cars to light trucks. The company currently employs more than 400 people in Morganton.said North Carolina Commerce Secretary Anthony M. Copeland.N.C. Commerce and the Economic Development Partnership of N.C. led the state's support for the company's expansion.Continental will hire all levels of advanced manufacturing positions from machine operators to skilled maintenance workers to support the expansion of the company. Salaries will vary by position, with a total annual payroll impact of more than $5 million.said Samir Salman, CEO of Continental, North America.Continental's expansion in Burke County will be facilitated, in part, by a Job Development Investment Grant (JDIG) approved by the state's Economic Investment Committee earlier today. Under the terms of the JDIG, the company is eligible to receive up to $1,604,700 in total reimbursements. Payments will occur in annual installments over 12 years pending verification by N.C. Commerce and N.C. Revenue that the company has met incremental job creation and investment targets. JDIGs reimburse new and expanding companies a portion of the newly created tax-base while still increasing the overall revenue benefit to the state of North Carolina.By law, JDIG projects must result in a net revenue inflow to the state treasury over the life of the award. For projects in Burke and other Tier 2 counties, 10 percent of the eligible grant is directed to the state's Industrial Development Fund - Utility Account to help finance economic infrastructure in rural counties. Continental's expansion could provide as much as $178,300 in new funds for the Utility Account. More information on county tier designations is available here.said N.C. Senator Warren Daniel.said N.C. Representative Hugh Blackwell.Partnering with N.C. Commerce and the EDPNC on this project were the North Carolina General Assembly, the North Carolina Community College System, Burke Development, Inc., Burke County, City of Morganton, Western Piedmont Council of Governments, Western Piedmont Community College, and ElectriCities.
Is It Possible That Mama And Daddy Were Wrong?

When I was growing up my parents told me to save my money (if and when I ever started acquiring money). I listened, and to this very day, I believe they were right but my Federal Government is making me nervous.



I find myself looking over my shoulder more than I used to in order to see if there is a Bureaucrat behind me making notes about me in his government issued iPad.



As a newly married couple in the U.S. Army and making $222.22 per month and we started saving $50 each month. Get your calculator out and check out my figuring...that was 22.5%.



How many young couples are saving 22.5% of their salary today? If there are any, they may be in a heap of trouble because they are not doing their part to Stimulate the Economy.



As recently as today (4/19/17) I am seeing news commentary attacking the once time honored American practice of SAVING MONEY. They have started to paint saving as an evil unto itself that must be stopped. Here is specifically what I saw today...



Shopping Drives the U.S. Economy. About 70% Of American Economic Activity Comes From People Buying Stuff. (Yes, They Really Did Use The Word "Stuff".)

Here comes my Foolishness...Or Is It?...



Are we about to see some or all of the following?

 A News Lead In...



Peter Fernerke was arrested today in Ohio for saving more that the Federally Mandated Maximum Allowed Percent of his take-home pay.



 A Public Service Announcement...



Citizens, remember to comply with your responsibility to spend as much of your salary as is necessary to keep America Rolling Along Singing A Song. If you don't know how much spending is required of you, go to www.yourpart.gov and consult the Required Minimum Spending Table. Remember this table shows your Minimum Spending Responsibility. Any amount spent in excess of the Required Minimum will be appreciated by a grateful nation and your 9% Approval Rated Congress.



 A Live Concert...



The Hollywood Celebrity you most admire (whoever that is) is asking you to attend this Saturday's live concert called, Be Patriotic! Don't Save! There will be one held in every town in America of over 25 people. Bring the excess saving you have been squirreling away in violation of the Required Minimum Spending Table. No questions will be asked about where you have been hiding your money. Jimmy Carter will be stationed at each Red, White and Blue Collection Box (really a dumpster) to personally shake your hand and thank you for doing your part. Come clean for America before we come and get you.



Ok I got carried away again. However, I would like to ask you to do one thing after I went to all the trouble to peck out this Foolishness. Start taking note of every time you hear or read about the "evils" of saving money and/or the importance of shopping. It may surprise you how dead serious my Foolishness turns out to be.



Would I kid u?

Smartfella


The History of the Bandanna  Well a short version

head band to keep your hair off your eyes when working outside

worn as ear muffs in cold weather

hot pad to move a hot pot from the coals at camp

red bandanna, in case you get lost and need to be found

as a tourniquet

sling for an arm injury

protect your eyes during a blizzard

head scarf

bracelets or a wrist bracelets

you think they look cool

I think that is still true except on college campuses.

Here are some Various legitimate uses of BandannaI grew up watching cowboys use their ever-present Bandanna as a tool for any number of things. Occasionally they were used as a mask to hid one's face. The Creative cowboys modified the bandanna to make a mask that covered their eyes while they saved the west from crooks and scalawags. A crook would never take the time to craft a face mask like the Lone Ranger or Zorro.Some of our best country and western stars use them as a accessories to enhance their image. Occasionally a Rock Star joined in on the craze.Still others have used them as items of clothing, which always made me wonder if they used a Square Knot or a Granny Knot which are both notoriously known to Boy Scouts as poor knots to tie two ends together and hold things in. They can loosen and fall apart, thereby losing the goodies. Knots and Such The picture below is an example of two female bank robbers. When the police questioned the male witnesses they all agreed that the girls were wearing Bandannas.Of course, Bandannas have always been used when the wearer was up to no good. Using it as a mask to cover your face when you were doing something nefarious and wrong has been around about as long as people. After an intensive search of the internet, I have not been able to find a suitable example of a bandit with a Bandanna that was not owned by some guy named Getty. Because of that, I had to create my own example.The latest craze is to use a Bandanna face mask when you are exercising your right ofbut do not really believe enough in your rights to show your face.I know some will ask why would a Confirmed Narcissist like me would feel the need to wear a Bandanna. Well, believe it or not even I have some writing standards and the Bandanna allows me to hide my true identity. Do you think it will work? Click on picture or here for NBC story about North Dakota bill that would ban protesters from wearing masks.I realize I am being somewhat reactionary here, but I thought that 'EVERYONE' hasIf all you are doing is expressing yourself, why would you need to wear a mask? The First Amendment For the non political moderates in the readership, here is an interesting article about the History of Bandanna. Apparently there is some disagreement with the spelling of Bandanas or Bandannas.
Provided courtesy of the Media Research Center

Is the concerted Democrat plan to obfusticate the purpose of government by the unprecedented delaying of President Trump's appointments, while galvanizing with the organized protesters' directive to obstruct the process of governing, at the federal level, working for the Democrat brand? Yes, Democrats will finally create a Socialist Progressive utopia if they remain banded together. No, the nation is in dire straits, on so many levels, and needs immediate repair. I'm busy with my important life, such as it is, and don't care. 68 total vote(s) What's your Opinion?



Liberals /Socialists don't know what to think about governing our Republic unless it is all spelled out for them in group talking points. A large component within these Leftist group talking points are the committed Democrat Media, and it is egregiously negative.The ultra biased Democrat Media is obsessed with President Trump's downfall, many are biased to the point of distraction in regards to their working for his Impeachment. The double standard for these unprincipled "journalists" within the Democrat Media is unparalleled. While Democrat Media did not lift a finger to investigate massive scandals like: the Benghazi Cover-up; the IRS Political Targeting Scandal; because it implicated their maessiah, Barack Hussein Obama, they do extemporaneously obsess over Mr. Trump's possible collusive relationship with Russia's Vlad Putin , regardless that they still do not have a shred of evidence of such.Alternatively, when the Democrat Media is handed admissions that the Obama Administration did request the electronic surveillance of the Trump Campaign and the Trump Transition team, the biased Democrat media disregards the facts since they do not conform to their core Democrat narrative. Then, what do they then do? The Democrat Media abruptly and unceremoniously, in great unison, ceases to promote a collusive relationship between Russia's Vlad Putin and President Trump; Impeachment is not uttered all week.Impeachment While Trump may be the ultimate endgame for partisan Liberals /Socialists and their 4th Estate, the Democrat Media; however, their ominous path to political purpose will be a difficult one. Until then, these Leftist Journalists will just go predominately negative on this new president, more than ever before on any president in modern times. The Media Research Center reports that 89 percent of all news stories from the Mainstream Media are negative on President Trump . When broken down by issues, the Democrat Media is 99% negative against Mr. Trump on the issue of "Wiretapping"; even though we are now discovering (for about 3 weeks now) that the Trump Campaign Team and Transition Team were electronically surveilled by the Obama Administration.For the Democrat Media, the "awesome veracity" of Obama's sycophant Susan Rice , from a historical perspective, supersedes the constitutional right to privacy for the man who would be president ... plus, his staff, his advisors, anyone, really, who might know a Russian ... somewhere, anywhere. To be fair, after two weeks of the former NSA Director Rice's patterned lying concerning her role in her calling for the Trump teams to be electronically surveilled, she did finally come clean that she ordered the survellance. "Remarkably", at that point, the Democrat Media somehow has lost interest in that whole Russian collusion thing for now, but not their unabiding precept in the negative reporting on the many other issues surrounding the Trump presidency in these perilous times For all core Democrats who live for style over substance, and will pine for any useful lie proffered by the Democrat politician or his 4th Estate media, Journalism is Dead!
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:
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
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.
Louisiana TV station katc.com is reporting that a man and woman from Orange are accused of tying up and robbing a Starks, Louisiana man on Monday.

A Meals on Wheels volunteer found the 83-year-old at lunchtime on Monday tied to his bed, the station reported. The victim told police masked intruders tied him to the bed around 1 a.m., according to the report.

"When the victim's family arrived at the home, they discovered two firearms, a cellphone and several other items had been taken from the residence," the TV station reported.

"The victim also told detectives that a man and a woman had visited his home earlier that month, saying they wanted a place to stay. Those two people also were seen near the man's home on the day before the burglary."

The pair were identified by authorities as Thomas C. Henson, 32, and Lea Pence, 33, both of Orange.

The Orange Police Department helped officers with the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff's Office track the two to a home in Orange on Monday night, according to the TV station.

"The couple allegedly had the victim's cell phone and other items taken from his home," the TV station reported.

Orange authorities arrested Henson on narcotics charges. Pence is charged with aggravated burglary, theft of a firearm, theft over $750, cruelty to the elderly, and false imprisonment while armed with a dangerous weapon, according to katc.com. She remains jailed on a $117,000 bond.

Michael N. "Mikey Irish" Helmer , 43, of Orange was named in a warrant today for the same charges brought against Pence. His bond is set at $155,000, according to the TV station.

The Calcasieu Parish Sheriff's Office is asking the public for assistance in locating Helmer, the story said. If anyone knows of his whereabouts, they are asked to callt (337) 431-8072 or Crime Stoppers at (337) 439-2222.
Two more co-conspirators in the Cerner impersonation fraud scheme have been sentenced to serving time in federal prison, according to a Kansas City Star report. On April 24, Albert Davis  the leader of the conspiracy  was sentenced to 12 years in prison for the scheme that involved creating a fake company impersonating Cerner.

Mr. Davis and his co-conspirators Christina Bryant, Richard Bryant, David Hernon and David Tayce created a fake company called Cerner LLC. They even created fictitious employees, some having the same names as real Cerner employees. They opened a bank account, bought an internet domain as well as produced fake documents, agreements and invoices.

A U.S. District Court in Kansas City also sentenced the remaining co-defendants in the case.

Mr. Tayce has been sentenced to five years and six months in federal prison, while Mr. Hernon was sentenced to four years and four months.

The other two co-conspirators Mr. and Mrs. Bryant, who are husband and wife, received five years of probation. The Bryants were employees of Mr. Davis, however, they were not involved in planning the fraud, a written sentencing memorandum filed by the couple's attorney notes, according to the report.

All the co-conspirators were also ordered to pay restitution costs. Mr. Davis and Mr. Tayce together must pay $19 million, while Mr. Hernon must pay $6 million. Mr. and Mrs. Bryant have been ordered to pay $8 million, the Kansas City Star reports.
The U.S. Coast Guard on Sunday released a request for information, seeking industry insight on how to digitize the branch's paper health records, FedScoop.com reports.

The RFI is part of the Coast Guard's market research effort to assess existing industry capabilities. The Coast Guard is aiming to implement a secure EHR solution at 176 sites, including clinics and sick bays on land and water, according to FedScoop.com.

The Coast Guard terminated its EHR contract with Epic in 2016, at which point it reverted to using paper records. At the time, a Coast Guard spokesman told Politico "various irregularities were uncovered" during the implementation, along with "concerns about the project's ability to deliver a viable product in a reasonable period of time and at a reasonable cost."

The Coast Guard wants its new integrated EHR to be interoperable with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs' homegrown EHR, which is considering a move to a commercial solution, and the U.S. Department of Defense's EHR, which is in the midst of a Cerner rollout, according to FedScoop.com.
The University of Vermont Health Network  Alice Hyde Medical Center in Malone, N.Y., disclosed Monday that 32 full-time positions have been eliminated as part of a plan to improve the organization's financial stability, reports the Watertown Daily Times.

Eliminated positions include jobs across all levels of the organization, including senior leadership, according to the report. Twenty-four of the 850 hospital employees have been "directly impacted," a news release from the hospital states.

Megan Bryden, marketing and communications manager for Alice Hyde Medical Center, told the Watertown Daily Times that several of affected positions were previously vacant. Others, including part-time and per diem positions, would be reduced or cut altogether by the end of next week.

Ms. Byrden said the hospital is currently working with other UVM Network hospitals to see if some of the affected employees could find new positions.

"Any reduction of employees is not taken lightly," said Doug DiVello, president and CEO at UVM Health Network  Alice Hyde Medical Center. "We are a small, tight knit community, and recognize that these decisions have profound effects on people's lives. As such, we will be doing everything we can to assist the affected employees during this time, including facilitating assistance through the local career center and unemployment application assistance. Additionally, we will make every attempt to place these employees in other available positions in either our organization, or at one of our partner organizations in the UVM Health Network where possible."

The hospital has identified a need for additional cost savings of $5 million to help improve its margins. In addition to the staff reductions, the organization is working to transition to the UVM Health Network's GPO, which will help it achieve significant annual savings on pharmaceutical costs and medical supplies, according to the report. Alice Hyde also plans to refinance its debt through the UVM Health Network for added cost savings.
The healthcare delivery system in the United States is considered the most expensive in the world, and the future need for joint replacements is sure to worsen the economic pressures. Same-day surgery for hip and knee replacements has been shown to be safe and effective  when done in the setting of a comprehensive approach to patient engagement, modern pain management, vetted pathway selection methods and cloud-based systems for homecare and patient reported outcomes. Accordingly, there is a growing interest among patients and payers alike in transitioning joint replacement to the more cost-effective, ambulatory settings.

Dr. Vinod Dasa is an associate professor at Louisiana State University in New Orleans who recently joined the growing number of joint replacement specialists utilizing the SwiftPath Program. He was one of the speakers at a SwiftPath Symposium in San Diego where he addressed the topic of joint replacement surgery without implant representatives in the room. His team recently published an IRB-approved series of 292 patients who underwent TKA at a university-based orthopedic practice from 2011-15. The patients were stratified into two groups: outpatient (LOS  1 day) and inpatient (LOS two to four days).

The outpatient group had higher WOMAC and Oxford scores compared to the inpatient group. They also had fewer complications. The authors concluded that patients staying in the hospital for less time, spending less money and decreasing exposure to nosocomial infections, results in similar if not statistically significant better outcomes measured by WOMAC pain, function, and stiffness and Oxford knee score.

According to Dr. Dasa, their research supports that same day total joint replacements are equally as effective and possibly even more effective than the traditional inpatient model. The SwiftPath Program is the only solution Ive seen to effectively scale this across the country. Our research supports what the SwiftPath Program wants to achieve and patients will benefit as a result, said Dr. Dasa.

The LSU experience has been corroborated by data published from the SwiftPath team and data that is being collected by SwiftPath Surgeons. The SwiftPath team published their experience based on over 500 outpatient joint replacements. According to Dr. Craig McAllister, chief medical officer of SwiftPath, across the country, we are seeing success in terms of shortened length of stay, decreased use of skilled nursing facilities, fewer readmissions, and greatly reduced costs related to joint replacement surgery. Even more gratifying, the patients are happier with the overall experience of care.

Dr. McAllister and Dr. Dasa agree that the benefits of ASC joint replacement have to be balanced against a number of challenges, many of which represent opportunities for improvements in the way joint replacements are done.

According to Dr. Dasa, Especially in the ambulatory setting, instrument and tray management are going to be important. Can we continue to survive with eight to 10 trays for a total joint replacement or can we consolidate instruments and start becoming a little more knowledgeable and efficient in how we manage this? Can we go from this antiquated model of redundant instruments, tote boxes and unnecessary, inefficient utilization of resources into something that's much more efficient for this day and age? In 2015, Dr. Dasa started doing outpatient total joint replacements without commercial vendors in his room. Then we started developing the technology to change the paradigm. In 2016, we created our automated implant delivery model, which we feel is probably the lowest cost, most efficient model delivering care at under $6,000.

Dr. McAllister performs over 74 percent of his hip and knee replacements on an outpatient basis in a community hospital as well at the Proliance Eastside Surgery Center in Kirkland, Wash. He points out that ASC joint replacements are distinctly different from hospital-based joint replacements. ASCs do not have central supply, loading docks and large storage areas. Also, in ASCs, the surgeons are much more empowered, have direct and consistent communication with their staff, and have more hands-on involvement than we have at hospitals. ASCs must simply be smarter and more efficient in their management of instruments and implants. At the hospital, I would never dream of trying to manage joint replacements without the full support of implant representatives. I am much more comfortable and accustomed to managing instruments and implants without the assistance from commercial reps in my ASC. I feel that this will change the relationship that I have with my implant reps and will help reduce the costs related to the implants.
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In a complaint dating back to 2008, the World Trade Organization has ruled that Mexico can impose sanctions against the United States over the trade in tuna fish. In the complaint, Mexico accused the US of unfairly penalising its fishing industry. Reportedly, Mexico can now slap a $163.23 million fine on the US every year until the situation is resolved.
A group of young entrepreneurs has been given a top accolade by the world's largest economic forum.

The Belfast Global Shapers won the opportunity to live stream a discussion into the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, earlier this year.

It's now been recognised for having delivered the 'best international session' as part of the programme. The Belfast Global Shapers also launched their bid to bring one of Europe's most influential conferences - Shape Europe - to Belfast in August 2018.

Kain Craigs, curator of the Belfast Global Shapers Hub, said: "Our contribution to the Davos programme was a great team effort, showing how the Belfast private and public sectors can work together for the benefit of the economy."

Jackie Henry, senior partner of Deloitte Consulting NI, said: "This is a timely and uplifting piece of economic and societal news."

And Belfast Lord Mayor Brian Kingston congratulated all involved in the success.

"It's remarkable that the Belfast Global Shapers Hub won the right to connect Northern Ireland directly into the highly prestigious 43rd Annual Davos Conference, along with 15 other global cities," he said.
Belfast has beaten off competition from Dublin and elsewhere in the EU to land 100 well-paid software jobs with a US tech firm.

Unosquare is opening a new engineering centre to support expansion into UK and European markets, as well as existing US customers.

It already has around 10 staff at its offices at the Scottish Provident Building in the city centre.

The jobs will offer an average salary of 37,000.

The rest of the posts are expected to be in place by the end of 2019.

Giancarlo Di Vece, president of Unosquare, said: "We are a premium software consulting company and specialise in fintech and biotech."

Chief executive Mike Barrett said: "We looked at Dublin and other locations in Latin America and the EU, and we began to focus our attention in Ireland, the island, because of the tax advantages.

"We then became very excited about Northern Ireland and Belfast, because of the level of engineering talent.

"From our research and our interviews, it was superior.

"With such a strong IT sector, Northern Ireland was able to offer that."

Unosquare serves the financial services markets and customers involved in cancer diagnostics.

It currently has two centres in Mexico.

"Global demand for high-end software development continues to grow. Companies have more software engineering needs than engineers to deliver," Mr Barrett said.

"Plus, we see real growth opportunity in fintech and biotech, our main verticals of influence - we are helping clients develop next-generation platforms such as digital banking and cancer diagnostics, and treatment using the latest technologies.

"We were looking for a location that not only provided skilled software engineers, but also the right business climate to enable us to get our operation up and running quickly."

Invest NI has offered 650,000 to support the firm's expansion.

Chief executive Alastair Hamilton said: "The company has two other engineering centres in Mexico, but has chosen to open this latest centre in Belfast due to the availability of a strong pool of software engineers and our ability to offer support towards securing the project for Northern Ireland.

"The company uses innovative technology, which will not only enhance the technical capability within Northern Ireland, contributing towards the expansion of our ICT sector, but will also give experienced software developers new skills and exposure to new technology.

"We are delighted having Unosquare in Northern Ireland, creating 100 jobs.

"And it's a really successful conclusion to a project that has been developing for over a year-and-a half now."

Mr Di Vece said: "Invest NI's financial and business support throughout this process has been of real value.

"They helped us understand the local technology market, introduced us to others who came before us, and helped guide us through the ramp up process. This, along with the financial assistance offered, has been a crucial factor to our decision. We are delighted to be here today to announce our investment."

Asked if the Stormont impasse was a concern, Mr Barrett said: "It's not ideal... but we're hopeful you guys will fix that."
The new routes to take off from Belfast.

Among the new routes is a direct flight from Belfast to Naples, in southern Italy.

Jet2 has confirmed the new routes to take off from Belfast International.

The airline will now fly to Antalya in Turkey, Costa De Almeria in Spain, the Greek island of Crete, Madeira, Malta, Naples in Italy, Paphos in Cyprus and Rhodes.

Jet2 already operates a number of flights to Spain, the Canaries and eastern Europe from Belfast.

The announcement is expected to create around 50 new jobs at the airport.

MP Danny Kinahan said: The team at Belfast International Airport have again proved that opportunities exist for building tourism in Northern Ireland and I must congratulate them for their continued hard work in bringing so many new flights to Northern Ireland.

As a member of the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee at Westminster, I have ensured that all aspects of tourism in Northern Ireland, particularly our need to urgently address Air Passenger Duty, continue to be highlighted.

If a more level playing field can be created for our airports, there is no question that visitor numbers could increase significantly. In that scenario the case for an improved road link to the motorway and a rail connection to Belfast city centre from the International Airport at Aldergrove would be greatly strengthened.
More people are now renewing their policies online

Insurance broker Swinton plans to axe around 900 jobs by the end of the year as more customers shift towards renewing their policies online.

The firm has put 84 branches and its Norwich call centre under review in an overhaul that could slash its footprint from 194 branches to 110.

Swinton said it was reshaping the business after seeing 90% of its customers buy insurance over the phone or online.

Chief executive Gilles Normand said its branch network would remain an important part of the operation, but it needed to adapt to the needs of customers.

He said: "We are reshaping our distribution model to ensure that we continue to meet the changing needs of our customers in an effective and efficient way.

"This change is difficult for all colleagues, especially those who are directly impacted by the proposals, but is vital if we are to remain competitive in a challenging insurance market."

Swinton employs around 3,000 people in the UK and is part of the French mutual insurance group Covea.

The shake-up will see the Norwich call centre, which employs 183 staff, combine with the firm's head office and contact centre in Manchester where it plans to invest 45 million in digital technology.

The firm said it had entered a 45-day consultation with staff affected by the proposals and would aim to relocate them to other parts of the company if possible.

Mr Normand added: "Ever since Swinton started selling insurance door-to-door 60 years ago, this business has always evolved - first via branches, then contact centres and increasingly online.

"Our approach today, which is based on a high contact strategy, no longer meets our customers' needs.

"While branches continue to be an important part of our multi-channel business model, we need to ensure that we can interact with customers whenever, and however, they choose."
Two brothers and their wives have been given boardroom bans after their car repair firm went bust owing around 300,000

Two brothers and their wives have been given boardroom bans after their car repair firm went bust owing around 300,000.

Brothers Trevor (59) and Kenneth Bibby (62) were disqualified as directors for six years each over their conduct as bosses of TKM Ltd in Balloo South Business Park, which went under in 2014. And their respective wives Phyllis (60) and Helen (50) were banned from the boardroom for four years each.

Trevor and Phyllis Bibby lived at Old Movilla Road in Newtownards and the other couple at Maxwell Road in Bangor.

Trevor Bibby's misdemeanours included wrongly paying himself 53,400 to the detriment of creditors, while Kenneth erred by enabling the payment.

Their wives' wrongdoing included allowing the firm to retain 212,700 in taxes owed to the Crown and failing to file an annual return.

And in Co Tyrone John MacMahon (67) and his wife Anne MacMahon (68), of Coolsreagh Road in Cookstown, were barred for five years and three years respectively over their conduct at the head of JJ MacMahon.

The building contractor went into administrative receivership in 2012 owing 3.7m.

Misconduct included entering into transactions below market value and/or for no consideration.

They also acknowledged that they had retained 218,790 that had been due to the Crown in taxes, and that they had failed in their duty to file accurate annual accounts.

Meanwhile, the boss of Londonderry call centre company Censys has been barred for six years after it went into administration in 2011 owing 500,000.

Kenneth McInnes (56) of Tayinloan in Argyll, Scotland, acknowledged misconduct including allowing the company to retain nearly 600,000 due to the Crown, drawing more pay than the company could afford, and failing to file annual tax returns.
Detaching European aviation regulations from the wider Brexit process would be a win-win for the UK and the EU, senior airport executives have said

Detaching European aviation regulations from the wider Brexit process would be a win-win for the UK and the EU, senior airport executives have said.

Continuing the current 'open skies' arrangement that allows carriers to fly anywhere within the European Union would be of economic benefit to the whole Continent, a major industry conference in Belfast was told.

Gordon Dewar, chief executive of Edinburgh Airport, told the Routes Europe event that a precedent had been set by allowing Morocco, a non-EU nation, access to the open skies deal.

He said as the accord that created a free market for European air travel was not one of the core, founding EU treaties, it could theoretically be left alone, or deferred, without either the UK or EU losing face.

"One of the big strengths we have is that the Government, without compromising any position, or indeed the European countries, without compromising their position, could put aviation on the side and say 'we are not touching it, because it is not part of the EU agreements,'" Mr Dewar told the final day of the three-day conference in the Waterfront Hall.

"Just saying 'we'll come to that later' might be the best thing for us and that could be 10 years later, so we could actually run as we are without challenging any of the Article 50 (process) or any of the legal structures at all, simply because it is not an EU (core) agreement to start with."

Bernard Lavelle, sales director at London City Airport, told the event that aviation was a vital "enabler of trade".

"Without aviation the whole of European trade is going to be affected," he said. "This is why I am quite passionate about recognising that this is a European issue and together we should be looking to try to continue some form of open skies element to aviation."

He said it was rare for airports and airlines to speak with such unanimity on one issue.

"Almost uniquely, airlines and airports are looking for the same thing, which is the continuation of today's open skies," he said. Mr Lavelle added he believed UK officials appreciated the significance of resolving the challenges Brexit presented to aviation.
Belfast's Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival 'comes of age' this week as the annual event prepares to celebrate its 18th year.

Running from Thursday, April 27 - Sunday, May 7, over 150 events are set to take place across 30 venues in the city centre.

This year's music line-up includes Divine Comedy, Booker T Jones, Cara Dillon, Duke Special, and Dana Masters, while comedy acts taking part this year include Rich Hall, Richard Herring and Tony Law.

With a host of film and theatre also on offer, CQAF Director Sean Kelly said he believes this year has the strongest programme of events yet.

"We come of age this year and it's a big milestone for us," he added.

"We've been slowly building the festival up since it's inception and I think we've reached a point now where we are one of the most exciting festivals across Ireland."

He continued: "The diversity of acts this year is astonishing and the amount of goodwill that we received when we approached artists about coming to Belfast has been really positive.

"And also we were just lucky in terms of some artists' schedules - the stars just seemed to align this year.

Speaking about the festival's highlights for 2017, Sean admitted he is still amazed at the names they have booked to perform.

"We have artists that I have been trying to secure for every one of the 18 years we have been doing this," he said. "People like Roger McGough who is probably one of the foremost living poets in the world today.

Expand Close Dungiven singer Cara Dillon will perform at this year's CQAF. / Facebook

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"We've also got heroes from the 1960s like Booker T Jones, and heroes from the 1970s and 1980s like Kevin Rowland from Dexy's Midnight Runner.

"And right up to our finest local talent in people like Duke Special, Cara Dilllion and Dana Masters.

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"So we have got the best local, national and international artists all coming together for a great 11 day celebration in Belfast and I can't wait."

With the arts sector often facing uncertainty when it comes to funding, Sean said his team are more determined than ever to showcase the best in music, comedy and theatre, adding the city as a whole is always very receptive to these types of events.

"We like to present our events in a friendly and informal way," he added. "Sometimes the arts can seem quite intimidating, they can be quite off putting and the ticket prices can be quite prohibitive.

"But we have worked hard to remove all the barriers that exist to the arts and create an event that people genuinely want to go to and will meet other like minded people at - and most importantly be engaged and have fun.

For information on CQAF events visit www.cqaf.com.
Limited edition prints from the last official publicity and promotional shoot for The Beatles are up for grabs at a Belfast auction house

Limited edition prints from the last official publicity and promotional shoot for The Beatles are up for grabs at a Belfast auction house.

Tom Murray's The Beatles: Summer of 68 'Mad Day Out' collection will go under the hammer tomorrow in Wilsons Auctions' latest Government disposal.

Among the 100 lots are a fishing trawler seized in an 80m drugs bust and a yacht used to smuggle cocaine.

The items include repossessed assets, proceeds of crime-related assets and corporate liquidation stock. Wilsons manages auctions for more than 40 law enforcement agencies, as well as a significant number of official bodies across the UK and Ireland.

Eye-catching lots include six showjumping stallions, ranging from four to 14 years old, and The Tacabanda II, a 1982 36ft yacht currently docked in Brighton Marina.

It was seized by the National Crime Agency after it was used to smuggle cocaine with a street value of almost 500,000.

Also for sale is the Bianca, a fishing boat used in one of Britain's biggest-ever drug smuggling operations.

Thirty-eight bales of cocaine were found hidden under bags of sand and gravel in the boat's fish hold. It's understood to be the third biggest cocaine haul in British waters.

It's also a chance for bidders to get their hands on a 1993 former border patrol vessel. The Sentinel has a top speed of 26.6 knots and was decommissioned in 2013.

The monthly auction will include two BMW cars, a BMW motorbike, as well as Rolex watches, designer shoes, artwork and Asian gold.

It will take place in Wilsons Auctions' Belfast branch, but with online bidding open to a world-wide audience and with no reserve, all items will be sold as seen to the highest bidder. Bidders must register before midday tomorrow and pay a 500 refundable deposit.
The MAC in Belfast is celebrating five years this week by encouraging its visitors to share their favourite moments at the arts venue on social media.

Over 1.5 million people from all over the world have visited the site since it opened in April 2012.

Chief Executive, Anne McReynolds, said this figure was far beyond what had initially been predicted.

She added: The last five years have been a whirlwind of activity and it is important now that we take stock of what has been achieved.

"Along with the high-profile exhibitions and events like David Hockney, L.S. Lowry, Beckett and Cabaret, we have also created a new international art competition, MAC International, which has placed Belfast on the global arts scene."

She added: "We celebrate our 5th anniversary by looking to the next five years and imagining what might be possible. With the right support, the MAC will continue to symbolise all that is good about our city and Northern Ireland for years to come.

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The MAC is supported by the Arts Council of Northern Ireland.

Chief Executive, Roisin McDonough, said:The Arts Council is delighted to have played our part as a significant funder and the MAC is a testament to the ability of public funding to transform our economy and generate positive creative energy within our society."

Since its inception, the MAC was shortlisted for the prestigious Museum of the Year award in 2015, one of the youngest organisations ever to have made the shortlist.

To celebrate five years of The MAC, visitors past and present are being encouraged to record their favourite #myMAC moments through Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
Million Dollar Quartet is a musical set around an impromptu jam session between Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins and Jerry Lee Lewis - so expect to be dancing in your seat within minutes.

Rock and roll history was made on December 4, 1956 when the four musicians gathered at the behest of Sam Phillips at the Sun Records' studio in Nashville, Tennessee.

At the time Elvis was a superstar, Johnny was quietly following in his footsteps, Carl had tasted fame but hadn't quite found his next hit and Jerry Lee was taking his first enthusiastic steps to becoming the next big thing - but they all had one thing in common, Sam.

Jason Donovan brings the music producer's charisma to life on stage and is the biggest presence within the show, no doubt helped by the fact that Sam himself was a larger than life character with a typical Southern drawl and easy laugh.

Expand Close Million Dollar Quartet runs at the Grand Opera House in Belfast this week. / Facebook

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While the musical doesn't have so much a storyline as a selection of moments punctuated by iconic songs, it's Sam who is used to steer the story along whether it be through flashbacks of first meetings or inner monologues regarding the uncertain future of rock and roll.

But at the heart of Million Dollar Quartet is the music - and this is where the show excels.

Ross William Wild takes on the role of the mild-mannered Elvis, and effortlessly emulates the star's voice, mannerisms and moves. Robbie Durham plays a humble Johnny Cash who is the most softly spoken of the quartet as he battles the politics of record contracts and loyalty in the music business.

Meanwhile, Matthew Wycliffe as Carl Perkins and Ashley Carruthers as Jerry Lee Lewis represent the differing perspectives of being a musician. An energetic and cocky Jerry Lee is desperate to get out there and make it big, while Carl is struggling to get a full grasp of success while those around him soar.

The iconic stars are portrayed with ease by the young cast, while all the actors sing and play their instruments live throughout the show - and that in itself is truly remarkable to watch.

The hits are rolled out one by one with I Walk the Line, Hound Dog, Blue Suede Shoes, See You Later Alligator, Fever, Great Balls of Fire, and Peace in the Valley among the many, many highlights.

Audiences will come for the songs but they will be blown away by the performances, and no doubt be on their feet by the end of this iconic tale.

Million Dollar Quartet runs at the Grand Opera House in Belfast until Saturday, April 29.
EU funds should continue to support peace building work in Northern Ireland post-Brexit, Sinn Fein has said.

The maintenance of funding streams that have paid for reconciliation initiatives is a key plank of the party's vision of special designated EU status.

Stormont Sinn Fein leader Michelle O'Neill said the issue of whether Northern Ireland would make a financial contribution to the EU as part of any deal would have to be worked out.

Sinn Fein has published a policy document outlining what special status might look like ahead of Saturday's special meeting in Brussels when the EU's negotiating position will be agreed.

Mrs O'Neill said there was a willingness within the EU to continue to support peace projects here.

"Europe has very much been a friend of the north of Ireland, very much been a friend of Ireland," she said.

"If you look down through the peace process they have been very supportive in terms of peace funds and I think there is a recognition out there within Europe that they want to continue that support.

"What that looks like has all to be discussed as part of the negotiations."

Mrs O'Neill said that the EU position should include a declaration that Northern Ireland must retain special status.

"Brexit is bad for our economy, it undermines our peace process, and it denies the democratic wish of the people who voted to remain in the EU and will create a hard border," she said.

Under the party's plan, Northern Ireland would also:

Have laws that reflected the principles of the European Convention on Human Rights.

Retain access to the single market and customs union, with full freedom of movement of goods, people and services.

Be subject to EU employment rights and the jurisdiction of the European Court.

Have a right to send Stormont ministers to certain Council of Ministers meetings.

Retain a form of political representation in Brussels, with EU citizens living in the region having the right to vote in European elections.

Mrs O'Neill called on Dublin to adopt the call for special status as its position entering Brexit talks.

"There is widespread support for such a position north and south and the Irish Government should now adopt it as its formal negotiating position and use their strength in the forthcoming European negotiations to make it happen," she said.
SDLP leader Colum Eastwood said the chances of an anti-Brexit pact were now slim

The SDLP will not enter an electoral pact with Sinn Fein after the Green Party ruled itself out of anti-Brexit coalition yesterday, senior party sources have said.

SDLP insiders said there was "absolutely no chance" of a deal solely between itself and Sinn Fein to maximise the number of nationalist MPs returned in June's poll.

The Green Party cited SDLP MP Alasdair McDonnell's opposition to a woman's right to choose on abortion, and Sinn Fein's abstentionist policy at Westminster as reasons why it couldn't form a pact with those parties.

The Alliance Party opposed the idea of an anti-Brexit pact from the start. With Sinn Fein now the SDLP's only potential coalition partner, party sources admitted that the proposal was "dead in the water".

Sinn Fein's Stormont leader Michelle O'Neill last night urged a "rethink" by Remain parties and said the failure to reach a deal would "almost certainly gift seats to some of the most pro-Brexit hardliners".

Many senior SDLP figures opposed a pact, including South Down MP Margaret Ritchie. The party's wider membership was deeply sceptical, and former SDLP MLA Alban Maginness had also expressed grave doubts.

After the Greens withdrew from the process yesterday, South Belfast MLA Claire Hanna tweeted that "any pact was never going to work positively".

"I think this idea was given ample wind, and it's time for parties to get on campaigning on their own policies and candidates. Let voters decide," she said.

SDLP leader Colum Eastwood said the chances of an anti-Brexit pact were now "slim". He cited Sinn Fein's refusal to take its seats at Westminster as a stumbling block to supporting it.

But he said the SDLP remained open to backing "independent, non-party aligned, pro-Europe candidates in key battleground constituencies".

Mr Eastwood said he was deeply disappointed at the failure of the anti-Brexit initiative.

"It now seems that there is little prospect of political unity against pro-Brexit MPs, despite our best efforts," he added.

"The Green Party's suggestion that a pro-Europe MP (Alasdair McDonnell) who campaigned against and voted against Brexit should stand down is simply a non-runner.

"We have also been unable to overcome the obstacle of abstentionism. This election is about sending a message to London by returning MPs who will take the fight to Theresa May and the Tories at Westminster. That means we need a strong team of pro-Europe MPs taking their seats and taking a stand against a hard Brexit."

Mr Eastwood said it was "a matter of profound regret" that the pact had been opposed by Alliance, whom, he alleged, had "to their shame attempted to sectarianise the proposal".

He added: "It is a democratic travesty that despite 56% of people voting to remain, only 22% of Northern Ireland's MPs voted against Brexit. That cannot stand."

Mrs O'Neill said: "I am disappointed that parties which are opposed to Brexit and Tory cuts, and which are pro-equality, have not been able to agree a progressive alliance to contest the Westminster election.

"This will almost certainly gift seats to some of the most pro-Brexit hardliners. I would urge those parties to reconsider. Sinn Fein remains committed to maximising the anti-Brexit vote in this election."
Arlene Foster has said thank you in Irish after meeting students at a school in Co Down as part her outreach to those who speak the language.

As an Irish Language Act has become one of the major stumbling blocks in political talks, the DUP leader said she wanted to engage with Gaelic speakers who lacked political baggage.

The DUP leader visited Our Lady's Grammar School in Newry on Wednesday and spoke with 30 pupils and members of staff.

During her visit Mrs Foster said "go raibh maith agat" - an Irish phrase meaning thank you - as she left the school.

She described as "beautiful" the gift she received of a painting from the school which had both English and Irish writing on it.

The painting of two girls had the English translation: "Together we are strong".

Mrs Foster said she had been "set up for the rest of the day" after listening to songs and performances in Irish.

During her visit she said people have "nothing to fear from engaging with another culture".

She said: "There is nothing to be feared from engaging with another culture, in fact I think it's a sign of strength if you engage with another culture that's not your own."

She added: "I was really uplifted this morning."

Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close DUP leader Arlene Foster visits Our Lady's Grammar School in Newry and meets pupils and staff to discuss the Irish Language. Arlene Foster pictured leaving the school after the visit followed by Principal Fiona McAlinden Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye.com DUP leader Arlene Foster(right) visits Our Lady's Grammar School in Newry and is greeted by (L-R) Vice Principal Teresa McAlister, Sister Frances and Principal Fiona McAlinden. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye.com DUP leader Arlene Foster(right) visits Our Lady's Grammar School in Newry and is greeted by (L-R) Sister Frances and Principal Fiona McAlinden. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye.com DUP leader Arlene Foster visits Our Lady's Grammar School in Newry and meets pupils and staff to discuss the Irish Language. Arlene Foster says goodbye to Vice Principal Teresa McAlister after the visit. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye.com DUP leader Arlene Foster visits Our Lady's Grammar School in Newry and meets pupils and staff to discuss the Irish Language. Arlene Foster(left) pictured leaving the school after the visit as Principal Fiona McAlinden(centre) and Vice Principal Teresa McAlister say goodbye. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye.com DUP leader Arlene Foster visits Our Lady's Grammar School in Newry and meets pupils and staff to discuss the Irish Language. Arlene Foster speaks to the media after the visit. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye.com DUP leader Arlene Foster visits Our Lady's Grammar School in Newry and meets pupils and staff to discuss the Irish Language. Pupils of the school look on as Arlene Foster speaks to the media after the visit. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye.com / Facebook

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Whatsapp DUP leader Arlene Foster visits Our Lady's Grammar School in Newry and meets pupils and staff to discuss the Irish Language. Arlene Foster pictured leaving the school after the visit followed by Principal Fiona McAlinden Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye.com

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In February, Mrs Foster said more people spoke Polish than Irish in Northern Ireland and declared the party would never agree to an act protecting the language.

Mrs Foster said on Tuesday she is on a "journey" in relation to the Irish language.

Beautiful gift from Our Lady's Grammar School, Newry which I visited today. pic.twitter.com/vAU7nkWTCx  Arlene Foster (@DUPleader) April 26, 2017

"I have met with some individuals already around why they believe Irish is so important to them.

"One of the very strong things that came across was the passion that the girls had for the language and it is really good to strip away all the politics out of this issue and just to listen in a very clear way as to how Irish and the language has helped in the study of other languages and to give them a head start in relation to job opportunities as well."

Posting on Facebook after the visit the school thanked Mrs Foster for accepting their invitation.

It said: "We were delighted with her positive engagement with past and present Irish students and with our Irish teachers."

Last week POBAL, the independent advocacy group for the Irish language, confirmed it received a response from the DUP after they wrote to them asking for a meeting with Mrs Foster.

The group said that the party told them even though the General Election has now been called the DUP is "seeking to free up space in the diary to meet with us, 'as soon as possible'.

The move for Mrs Foster to meet with Irish speakers has been called "positive" by Sinn Fein.
Two young men who admitted assaulting another during a melee in a nightclub car park after an evening celebrating GSCE results have both been remanded in custody

Two young men who admitted assaulting another during a melee in a nightclub car park after an evening celebrating GSCE results have both been remanded in custody.

Johnathan Smyth (19) and his 20-year old co-accused Thomas Lowry admitted inflicting grievous bodily harm to their victim during the early hours of August 22, 2014.

Belfast Crown Court heard that due to the injuries he suffered in the attack, the injured man was not able to pursue his chosen career in the Army and can no longer play rugby.

The injured party was punched to the ground then subjected to a further assault during the disturbance outside the Co Antrim nightclub.

He suffered a fractured skull and an eye injury and has been left with "ongoing light sensitivity to his right eye".

Prosecuting barrister Gareth Purvis said the incident occurred at around 12.30am in the car park of the premises on the Doagh Road in Newtownabbey while young people were out celebrating getting their exam results.

Revealing a fight broke out between two groups of friends, Mr Purvis said a "considerable amount of drink" had been consumed.

Smyth, from Ballybarnes Road in Newtownards, admitted punching the other man once in the face, while Lowry, from Carnreagh Bend in Newtownabbey, admitted kicking him as he lay on the ground.

Defence barrister Paul Bacon, acting on behalf of Smyth, said his client accepted this was an "utterly disgraceful incident".

He said his client - a trainee motor mechanic - had not come to police attention since, and told the court: "He has expressed his deep regret and sorrow and apologises to this young man. He recognises his drunk, violent actions have had a devastating impact."

Sean Mullan, the barrister representing Lowry, also issued an apology on his client's behalf to the injured man, saying Lowry was both sorry for and ashamed of what he had done.

Branding what occurred as "a terrible incident", Mr Mullan described Lowry's behaviour as "completely out of character".

After listening to all the submissions, Judge Miller remanded both defendants to a Young Offenders Centre and said he will pass sentence on May 9.
It is the Crown's case that CCTV shows the girl in the company of McVeigh, so drunk she can barely stand up and falling twice in front of him.

A man has appeared in court accused of raping a "highly intoxicated" 14-year-old girl.

Belfast Crown Court was told that the man told police he thought she was 19 and that the sex was consensual.

William George McVeigh is on trial accused of raping the teenager in a north Belfast park.

The 28-year-old is also facing two 'alternative' charges, namely sexual activity with a child and sexual assault. McVeigh, from Forthriver Green in the Ballygomartin area of Belfast, has denied all offences.

A jury was shown CCTV footage taken along the Shankill Road during the early hours of Saturday, October 31, 2015.

It is the Crown's case that it shows the girl in the company of McVeigh, so drunk she can barely stand up and falling twice in front of him. The girl, now 16, admitted she was drinking prior to the incident, and can barely remember events. She'd been at a party in a bar with friends on October 30, and left just after midnight with a female friend.

The two teenagers were captured on CCTV walking down the Shankill Road towards Lanark Way. They became separated and within minutes the girl was captured on the same CCTV camera walking back up the Shankill Road, this time in McVeigh's company. A prosecuting barrister said it was the Crown's case that after meeting McVeigh at a Chinese takeaway, the pair walked along the Shankill Road before entering Woodvale Park.

When the girl arrived home at around 3.30am, she woke her mother up, who noticed the teenager's clothes were wet and muddy. She also noticed scrapes on her daughter's legs.

The teenager fell asleep, but at 8am she was woken by her mother who wanted to know what had happened. When the girl noticed her pants were on the wrong way round and she felt tenderness to her genital area, her mother called the police.

When she spoke to police a few days later, the teenager said she had little recollection of what happened due to her alcohol intake, but she recalled being in the park with an older man she had met at the Chinese takeaway. She also said that at one stage, she thought she was on the grass in the park.

The girl's mobile phone and handbag were later found in the park by members of the public.

The prosecutor said she was "highly intoxicated", and "flopping around like a rag doll when she was trying to walk down the street" with McVeigh.

This level of intoxication, the prosecutor said, meant the girl was in no fit state to consent to anything - something McVeigh would have been aware of.

McVeigh was arrested on November 20, 2015, and initially claimed to know nothing about the incident, saying he was at home at the time. However, he changed his story in later interviews. After admitting meeting the girl on the street, he claimed she instigated any sexual activity between them. At one stage, he said she dragged him into an alley as she was "horny" and was "pulling all the moves" on him.

Asked by police "what age did you put her at?" McVeigh replied: "I think she said she was 19."

He told officers that despite not knowing her name, the girl "told me she was 19, she told me her date of birth. S he didn't look 14". McVeigh also said penetration had taken place, but made the case that it was consensual.

At hearing.
Devolved government in Northern Ireland could function without an executive and should consider continuing as just an assembly, a former first minister has said.

Former Ulster Unionist Party leader Lord Trimble said Stormont could operate in the same way the Welsh assembly did when it was first formed.

The proposals from the Conservative peer were supported by fellow peers, while Northern Ireland minister Lord Dunlop said such proposals would be considered if they avoided a return to direct rule.

Speaking as peers considered emergency legislation to extend talks on restoring devolved government in Northern Ireland, Lord Trimble said the problem at present was forming an executive.

"Well, is an executive absolutely necessary?" he added.

"I would look to what happened with devolution in Wales in its first phase, where there was a corporate assembly without an executive, which functioned and functioned, I think, reasonably effectively."

Lord Trimble said this system operated for six or seven years before the assembly decided to move to an executive.

He added: "That assembly could continue to function and it would be able to move to having an executive the moment that the parties that presently won't nominate for an executive shows a willingness to do so."

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Lord Alderdice, a former leader of the Alliance Party of Northern Ireland, said he supported the proposals.

He added: "Between now and the end of June, we hope there will be agreement, but we won't be hanging on by our fingernails waiting for it.

"There needs to be, on the part of Lord Dunlop's officials, serious work done on the option of the Northern Ireland assembly operating much as the Welsh assembly did during its first number of years.

"Taking responsibility not only because it's difficult to form an executive, but because in the local councils in Northern Ireland for many years, Sinn Fein, unionists, alliance and others have been working effectively as corporate bodies and making decisions."

Labour peer Lord Murphy of Torfaen, a former Welsh and Northern Ireland secretary, said it was "an interesting comparison".

"I'm not advocating that's necessarily the best thing to do in Northern Ireland, but what I am advocating is that we have to seek out the most imaginative possibilities that we can find, so long as it retains the principle of all parts of Northern Ireland and all members of the community supporting it," he added.

Lord Empey, a former leader of the Ulster Unionist Party, also urged ministers to "look flexibly and creatively at alternatives to direct rule and an alternative to a collapse at the institutions."

Lord Dunlop said: "I'm sure such a government coming in after the election would want to examine any such solutions that are on the table.

"As it has been said by others in this debate, nobody wants to see a return to direct rule.

"We want to see a return to strong and stable devolved government in Northern Ireland."
Former DUP Communities Minister Paul Givan was warned of the impact of cutting an Irish language bursary before he took the controversial decision.

In December, moments ahead of the Christmas Assembly break, Mr Givan's department announced the 55,000 cut for the Liofa Gaeltacht Bursary Scheme.

It gave people from disadvantaged backgrounds the opportunity to travel to parts of Donegal where Irish is predominately the main language.

The decision to cut the funding sparked outrage and was cited by Sinn Fein as one of the reasons it walked out of government the following month.

Three weeks after the decision the minister reinstated the money saying he was able to find the money needed.

The Detail investigative website has obtained a ministerial briefing paper prepared for Mr Givan by a senior Department of Communities official using Freedom of Information.

It advised that the majority of applicants were children from deprived backgrounds whose parents could not otherwise afford the trip. It also recommended reducing the size of the grant as opposed to ending the scheme.

Minister has commented 'No scheme'," was the response six days after the five-page report was submitted.

Both the DUP and the Department for Communities did not comment to The Detail. They have also been approached for a response by the Belfast Telegraph.
Jet2 will now have four planes in Belfast

An expansion of budget airline Jet2's operations at Belfast International Airport is set to create 50 new jobs.

The carrier has added eight new routes to its summer schedule for 2018, taking to 22 the number of holiday destinations it flies to from the city.

The development will see a fourth Jet2 aircraft based in Belfast, a Boeing 737-800.

Its new routes are Antalya, Madeira, Crete, Costa de Almeria, Naples, Paphos, Rhodes and Malta.

Jet2 will be creating 30 new jobs directly, mostly in flight deck and cabin crew positions, with the expansion set to sustain 20 additional new posts within the airport.

Steve Heapy, chief executive of Jet2.com and Jet2holidays said: "This will be our biggest ever summer programme from Belfast International, with eight brand new destinations, 400,000 seats and more hotels than ever before with our award-winning airline and package holiday operator.

"We have made a huge investment in Belfast, creating new jobs and putting in an additional aircraft to allow holidaymakers to fly to more destinations than ever in Summer 18."

Graham Keddie, managing director at Belfast International, welcomed the expansion.

"This 39% increase in capacity not only brings the total number of routes served by Jet2.com to 22 but will also mean a jobs boost for the local economy with the addition of a fourth based aircraft," he said.
The petrol bomb broke the window and ended up in the living room of the property and started a fire.

Police have charged a 38-year-old man arrested in the south Belfast area as part of an investigation into human trafficking.

He has been charged with human trafficking and sexual offences and will appear in court on Thursday.

It comes after police received a report that a woman was being assaulted outside a property on Tuesday evening.

Detective Chief Inspector Mark Bell, from PSNI Human Trafficking Unit, said: "Our enquiries led us to arrest a 38-year-old man on suspicion of a number of offences including human trafficking for sexual exploitation, rape and sexual assault.

"These enquiries, including a search of a property in the area are continuing as we work with partner agencies to ensure the woman receives appropriate support and assistance."
Officers recovered the knife secreted in the waistband of his trousers.

A Dungannon man caught with a knife told police he had the item for his own protection whilst going around doing good works.

Thomas Irwin Parr (67) of Church Mews was spoken to after police were asked to attend a charity shop at 4.30pm on March 20 to a report of a male with a knife.

Officers searched Parr and recovered the knife secreted in the waistband of his trousers.

He was asked what he had been doing and replied: I am traveling about the area doing good works telling Roman Catholics they are going to hell.

Officers further enquired why he had the knife to which he replied: I have lost confidence in society to protect me.

On being taken to custody and charged, Parr replied after caution: Theres no use in saying anything.

A defence solicitor said his client now knows he cannot carry a knife in public.

To this Deputy Distich Judge Gerry Trainor said: Hell know more about it when Im finished with him. This a serious and sinister matter, particularly given the utterances at the scene.

He ruled pre-sentence reports were required and remanded Parr on 250 bail to return to court next month.
Police said the attacker got into the vehicle with the keys, but was prevented from driving off by the woman and members of the public.

A man was remanded in custody today accused of threatening a woman with a hypodermic needle during a bid to hijack her car.

Steven McCabe, 20, allegedly targeted the motorist as she returned to her Renault Clio at a car park in Belfast's Bankmore Street on Monday evening.

Police said the attacker got into the vehicle with the keys, but was prevented from driving off by the woman and members of the public.

McCabe, of Great Victoria Street in the city, appeared before Belfast Magistrates' Court charged with hijacking.

He faces two further counts of criminal damage to a CD and possession of an offensive weapon, namely a hypodermic needle, with intent to commit hijacking.

The accused made no comment after the alleged offences were put to him.

An investigating policewoman said she could connect him to the three charges.

Defence solicitor Damien Trainor put no questions to the officer during the brief hearing.

Mr Trainor also confirmed his client was not seeking bail.

Remanding McCabe in custody, District Judge Fiona Bagnall ordered him to appear again by video-link on May 24.
Police are hunting for a group of men after a man was attacked by a gang during a robbery in east Belfast.

It happened on the Albertbridge Road shortly after midnight on Monday.

The man aged in his 20s was walking out of the city centre when he became aware of a group of men behind him.

Without warning, he was struck from behind to the top of his back and was punched a number of times in the face by a man who was described as being in his early 20s, bald and of muscular build.

He had a tribal tattoo on his left arm running up to his neck and was also wearing a black tracksuit top and bottoms with white stripes.

He was described as being the oldest in a group of three or four men who also kicked and punched the man.

The man made his way home before realising that his wallet and iphone had been stolen during the assault.

Police are appealing for anyone who witnessed the incident or anyone with any information that can assist with the investigation to contact officer at Musgrave on 101, quoting reference 40 of 25/4/17.

Alternatively, if you would prefer to provide information without giving your details, you can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers and speak to them anonymously on 0800 555 111.
A 20-year-old man has appeared in court in connection with the death of the Strabane woman who was killed following a serious road traffic crash.

In the dock of Dungannon Magistrates' Court was Brian Lynch of Cloggagh, Ballyjamesduff, County Cavan, who is charged with causing death by dangerous driving, causing death or grievous bodily injury by driving without insurance and having no driving licence or insurance.

During the hearing Lynch who appeared very emotional, kept his eyes down, blinking rapidly as the charges involving the death were read to him.

All matters relate to the fatal road traffic collision in Strabane on Monday 24 April involving a car and lorry.

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Margaret McLaughlin (69), was a front seat passenger in the car, which was struck by a lorry being driven by Lynch. She died in hospital from injuries sustained in the collision.

A police officer told the court he believed he could connect the accused to the charges.

He objected to bail on the grounds of potential absconding because of the seriousness of the case and that Lynch resides outside Northern Ireland.

Outlining the details he explained Lynch had driven to Muff where he viewed and purchased a cattle lorry.

Lynch set off on his way home and was traveling along the Great Northern Link in Strabane, he was approaching a green traffic light at the junction with Urney Road.

Whilst attempting to change the radio station in the lorry, Lynch noted the traffic light had turned amber and being unable to slow down in time, struck the car in which Mrs McLaughlin was a passenger.

She was taken to Altnagelvin Hospital but passed away at 1am the following morning. The driver of the car, her husband, was also injured.

The police officer confirmed Lynch gave an open account and co-operated throughout questioning advising he had no insurance for the vehicle and his driving licence only covered a car.

It was confirmed speed had not been an issue in the case.

A defence solicitor told the court he was unable to put forward an address in Northern Ireland, but Lynchs father and mother had attended court with 2,000 cash for a surety.

Deputy District Judge Gerry Trainor said, Firstly, this is obviously a most tragic set of events. The court must extend condolences to the family of Mrs McLaughlin and the injured party.

Taking on board the willingness of Lynchs family to support him, Judge Trainor agreed to bail.

Along with the 2,000 surety, Lynch was ordered to reside at his Ballyjamesduff home and no other, not to drive any vehicle or be in either front seat, and have no contact with any witnesses.

He is also to sign with police in Enniskillen once per week. The case was adjourned to Strabance Magistrates' Court next month.

Ordering Lynch to be released once the bail conditions are met, Judge Trainor reiterated his condolences to the victims family.
Martin McGuinness was remembered in a month's mind Mass in Londonderry on Wednesday night.

The 66-year-old former deputy First Minister passed away in March following a short illness. He died in hospital with his family by his side.

Mr McGuinness widow Bernie, his children and key figures from Sinn Fein returned to St Columbas Church in the Long Tower where his Requiem Mass was held.

Among the congregation were Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams, Michelle ONeill and SDLP MP Mark Durkan.

Fr Canny said: "It is almost five weeks since we gathered here for the funeral Mass of Martin.

"We gather, because it is customary in our parts for a Months Mind although I know there was an equally important Months Mind held in St Patricks Cathedral in New York this week.

"This is a more homely opportunity because the funeral was very much a formal gathering with all sorts of people present but in that five weeks I am sure Bernie, Emmet and Fiachra, Grainne and Fionnuala and the grandchildren dont need any solemn reminder that Martin who was very much part of their lives is no longer there.

"We gather as community to reflect on his life and again commend his to the Lord and be with Bernie and the family."

Earlier on Wednesday he was also remembered by Sinn Fein MEPs at service in Brussels.

Sinn Fein MEP Martina Anderson said he valued European support for the Northern Ireland peace process and that the Sinn Fein veteran was remembered.

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President of Sinn Fein Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness at the funeral of Patrick Kelly . 1987 An injured man being aided by mourners, including Sinn Fein vice president Martin McGuinness (left), at Milltown Cemetery, Belfast, after a gun and bomb attack killed three and left four seriously injured, at the funerals of three IRA members killed in Gibraltar. David Jones/PA Wire PA Martin McGuinness handcuffed to a policeman after being remanded at Special Criminal Court in Dublin, January 1973. Martin McGuinness pictured in Derry with Rossville Flats in background and other street scenes. 11/11/85. 1148/85/bwc PACEMAKER BELFAST Martin McGuinness (left) follows the coffin of IRA man Charles English in Derry 1984 Martin McGuinness in Derry's Bogside at a press conference. 1971 File photo dated 26/02/96 of Sinn Fein's Martin McGuinness speaking to the media after a meeting with Government officials at Castle Buildings, Stormont. PA PA Rory McIlroy welcomed back home following his success at the Open Championship Peter Robinson and Martin McGuinness First and Deputy First Minister Ian Paisley and Martin McGuinness at Stormont at the first British Irish Council meeting 2007. 1988 Anniversary of Internment rally 31/08/95 of Martin McGuinness, leading Sinn Fein negotiator in the peace process, attending a news conference in the House of Commons. PA PA Funeral in West Belfast of the Gibraltar bombers; Mairead Farrell, Sean Savage and Danny McCann. Martin McGuinness with Michael Stone's gloves and bullets after the loyalist attacked the funeral 22/6/88 19/7/2011. PACEMAKER PRESS INTL. BELFAST. Darren Clarke returns home to Royal Portrush golf club with the Open trophy he won at the weekend., met by Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness. Picture Charles McQuillan/Pacemaker. PACEMAKER BELFAST 27/6/12 Queen Elizabeth II shakes hands with Northern Ireland Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness watched by First minister Peter Robinson (centre) at the Lyric Theatre in Belfast. POOL PICTURE PA/PACEMAKER PRESS PA PACEMAKER BELFAST AUGUST 1985 MARTIN McGUINNESS LEAVING CRUMLIN ROAD JAIL AFTER SERVING SENTENCE FOR FAILURE TO PAY FINES. 1042/85/BW Pacemaker Press Belfast: 09 May 2013: The first and deputy first ministers have announced how they intend to progress building a shared future in Northern Ireland. First Minister Peter Robinson said the proposals are the most ambitious ever brought forward on the issue. Among them is the target of bringing down all of Northern Ireland's peace walls by 2023. Mr Robinson and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness said this could only happen in tandem with the communities affected. Picture By: Arthur Allison. PACEMAKER BELFAST AUGUST 1985 MARTIN McGUINNESS SINN FEIN LEADER IN DERRY 1006/85/BW PACEMAKER BELFAST. Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness at Connally House addressing the media about the IRA ceasefire. 31/8/94. 684/94/c Pacemaker Press 3/11/2016 The President of the Republic of Colombia, Juan Manuel Santos Caldern, is greeted by First Minister Arlene Foster and Deputy First minister Martin McGuinness at Stormont Castle on Thursday during a visit to Northern Ireland as part of his State visit to the UK. Pic Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Pacemaker Press Belfast 07-12-2012: US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has arrived in Belfast as part of a four-day trip to Europe. US SOS Hillary Clinton pictured at Stormont Castle with Northern Ireland's First and Deputy First Minister, Peter Robinson and Martin McGuinness. Picture By: Arthur Allison. PACEMAKER BELFAST On the first day of the ulster Peace Talks Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness locked out of the stormont talks. PHOTO MARTIN WRIGHT PACEMAKER BELFAST 19/11/99 Sinn Fein vice President Martin McGuinness pictured with masked IRA men at the funeral of Brendan Burns 5/3/88 File photo dated 19/10/98 of Martin McGuinness leaving 10 Downing St after a meeting with Prime Minister Tony Blair. PA PA Pacemaker Press 19/5/2016 First Minister Arlene Foster and and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness speak to the media at Storming Castle on Thursday. The various parties have been meeting at Stormont Castle in a series of talks that could decide the fate of the next Northern Ireland Executive. Pic Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Martin McGuinness with Ian Paisley after being sworn in as First and Deputy First Ministers of the Assembly PA Pacemaker Press Belfast 21-06-2013: The British-Irish Council meeting was held in Magee College, Derry~Londonderry. Peter Robinson MLA First Minister and Martin McGuinness MP MLA deputy First Minister host the event. The British-Irish Council was established as part of the multi-party agreement reached in Belfast on 10 April 1998. Its membership comprises representatives from the Irish Government; UK Government; Scottish Government; Northern Ireland Executive; Welsh Government; Isle of Man Government; Government of Jersey and Government of Guernsey. Picture By: Arthur Allison. PACEMAKER BELFAST 20/11/2012 Prime Minister David Cameron meets First Minister Peter Robinson , Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness and Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Theresa Villiers at Stormont Castle in Belfast during his visit to Northern Ireland , During his visit The Prime minister announced that The main venue for the annual G8 event is to be at Lough Erne golf resort near Enniskillen, County Fermanagh next year Photo Colm Lenaghan/ Pacemaker Press PACEMAKER BELFAST 13/09/2015 Chairperson of Sinn Feins Six County Cuige, Bobby Storey, speaks to the media today, Sunday 13th September, at 11am in the Roddy McCorley Social Club, Glen Road, Andersonstown, Belfast, County Antrim BT11 8BU, Belfast. He was be joined by Gerry Adams TD, Martin McGuinness MLA. Mary Lou McDonald TD, and Jennifer McCann MLA. Martin McGuinness speaks at the press conference Photo Mark Marlow/Pacemaker Press Pacemaker Press 20/3/2015 Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness as Sinn Fein launch the programme of events to mark 100th Anniversary of the Easter Rising 1916-2016 on Friday at Clifton House Pacemaker Press 3/11/2016 The President of the Republic of Colombia, Juan Manuel Santos Caldern, is greeted by First Minister Arlene Foster and Deputy First minister Martin McGuinness at Stormont Castle on Thursday during a visit to Northern Ireland as part of his State visit to the UK. Pic Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Pacemaker press 1//5/14 Deputy first minister Martin McGuinness speaks to the media regarding the detention of the Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams. Mr Adams is being questioned by the PSNI regarding the murder of Jean McConville in 1972. Picture Mark Marlow/pacemaker press PACEMAKER BELFAST 8/5/2007. Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness pictured before he entered Stormont Parliment on the first day of the Northern Ireland Assembly. Picture Charles McQuillan/Pacemaker Pacemaker Press Belfast 11-10-2013: Prime Minister David Cameron has said Northern Ireland is second only to London in the UK as the top destination for inward investment. Mr Cameron is pictured with Northern Irelands First minister Peter Robinson & Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness at Stormont Castle after attending major investment conference in Belfast. Picture By: Arthur Allison. PACEMAKER BELFAST 4/6/2008. Bridge to the Future... First Minister Ian Paisley and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness pictured with Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond and Dan Sten Olsson, Chairman of Stena Line, Conor Murphy Minister for Regional Development and Len O'Hagan, Chairman of Belfast Harbour Commissioners on the bridge of the Stena HSS at the official opening of the new 37million Stena Line Terminal at Belfast Port today. Picture Charles McQuillan/Pacemaker. Pacemaker Press 4/7/2013 First Minister Peter Robinson and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness at Belfast City Hall to announce details of the 2013 World Police and Fire games that will begin on 1st August with an opening ceremony at the King's Hall Pic Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker 20/5/2010. PACEMAKER BELFAST. PRIME MINISTER DAVID CAMERON AND NORTHERN IRELAND SECRETARY OF STATE MEET WITH FIRST MINISTER PETER ROBINSON AND DEPUTY FIRST MINISTER MARTIN MCGUINNESS AT STORMONT CASTLE THIS AFTERNOON. PICTURE CHARLES MCQUILLAN/PACEMAKER. 5/2.10 PACEMAKER PRESS INTL. GORDON BROWN, PETER ROBINSON, MARTIN MCGUINNESS AND BRIAN COWAN TALK TO THE PRESS THIS MORNING AT HILLSBOROUGH AS THE DEAL FOR DEVOLVING POLICING AND JUSTICE WAS FINALLY DONE LATE LAST NIGHT. PICTURE CHARLES MCQUILLAN/PACEMAKER. Pacemaker Press 19/5/2016 First Minister Arlene Foster and and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness speak to the media at Storming Castle on Thursday. The various parties have been meeting at Stormont Castle in a series of talks that could decide the fate of the next Northern Ireland Executive. Pic Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker 27/1/2010. PACEMAKER BELFAST. GERRY ADAMS AND MARTIN MCGUINNESS HOLD A PRESS CONFERENCE INSIDE HILLSBOROUGH CASTLE. PICTURE CHARLES MCQUILLAN/PACEMAKER. PACEMAKER PRESS INTL. 6/2/11 : First Minister Peter Robinson and Dep. First Minister Martin McGuinness pictured at a special Good Samaritans Service in St. Anne's Cathedral, Belfast. Donations from the Black Santa Christmas Sit out were presented to representatives of 180 charities and community groups. PHOTO: Kirth Ferris/Pacemaker Pacemaker Press 14/12/10 Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness at Stormont yesterday after a draft budget was agreed on cuts, after intensive discussions over the course of the last three to four months Chancellor George Osbourne ordered Stormont to cut spending by 4bn over the next four years as part of the Spending Review Pic Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker 29/9/2010. Former President of the United States Bill Clinton departs Magee College to cheers from students eager to catch a glimpse of the world statesman as he posed with First Minister and Deputy First Minister Peter Robinson and Martin McGuinness alongside John Hume. Picture: Charles McQuillan/Pacemaker. Sinn Fein's Martin McGuinness with Loyalist Jackie McDonald on the Falls Road at the Bobby Sands Mural. Loyaltist and Republican leaders came together to give an insight into the troubles. William 'Plum' Smith joined Sinn Fein's Martin McGuinness on Stage with Brian Rowan as part as an Exhibition to his archives Photo; Colm O'Reilly Pacemaker Press 30/1/2010. PACEMAKER PRESS INTL BELFAST. DRESS DOWN SATURDAY. DEPUTY FIRST MINISTER MARTIN MCGUINNESS ARRIVES AT HILLSBOROUGH CASTLE. PICTURE CHARLES MCQUILLAN/PACEMAKER. Sinn Fein's Martin McGuinness Loyalist Jackie McDonald and Peter Sheridan former head of Special Branch in the Falls Road Library, Loyaltist and Republican leaders came together to give an insight into the troubles. William 'Plum' Smith joined Sinn Fein's Martin McGuinness on Stage with Brian Rowan. Photo; Colm O'Reilly Pacemaker Press PACEMAKER BELFAST 14/7/2010 PSNI Chief Constble Matt Baggott meets with First and deputy First ministers Peter Robinson and Martin McGuinness this afternoon to discuss the on going security situation in North Belfast after the 12th July. Pacemaker Press Belfast. 8-06-09 An Unhappy Jim Allister with Sinn Fein's Martin McGuinness at the Counting of ballots cast in the European elections in Northern Ireland where the DUP may be facing its worst ever result in a European parliamentary election due, in part, to a split in the unionist vote. Photo; Colm O'Reilly Pacemaker Press PACEMAKER BELFAST 11/5/09 Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams takes a plunge at the partys photocall in the Water Works in North Belfast. As the partys European Election candidate Barbrie de Bruin (centre) posed for the cameras with party colleagues, Mr Adams was saved by his deputy Martin McGuinness, doing his David Hasselhoff impersonation. Photo Arthur Allison/Pacemaker Press PACEMAKER PRESS BELFAST 10-03-2009: The First Minister Peter Robinson was joined by the Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness and Chief Constable Sir Hugh Orde at a press conference at Belfast Stormont Castle. They condemned the murdered policeman Constable Stephen Paul Carroll, 48, a married man with children from the Banbridge area of County Down Northern Ireland . PICTURE BY: ARTHUR ALLISON. PACEMAKER PRESS INTL BELFAST 11/11/2009. First Minister Peter Robinson and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness greet Irish Foreign Secretary Micheal Martin at Stormont castle this morning. Picture Charles McQuillan/Pacemaker. PACEMAKER PRESS INTL BELFAST 11/11/2009. First Minister Peter Robinson and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness wait to greet Irish Foreign Secretary Micheal Martin at Stormont castle this morning. Picture Charles McQuillan/Pacemaker. Pacemaker Press 12/10/09 Secretary Of State of the US Hilary Clinton after a meeting with Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness at Stormont Castle during her visit Belfast Pic Colm Lenaghan/ Pacemaker Pacemaker Press 12/10/09 Secretary Of State of the US Hilary Clinton after a meeting with First Minister Peter Robinson and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness at Stormont Castle during her visit Belfast Pic Colm Lenaghan/ Pacemaker File photo dated 05/11/03 of Martin McGuinness walking past a Bloody Sunday mural in the Bogside in Derry. PA PA PACEMAKER PRESS 24-04-2009. Martin McGuinness arrives at Free Derry corner for his press conference this afternoon concerning the death threats made against him by dissident republicans. Picture Charles McQuillan/Pacemaker. PACEMAKER, BELFAST, 29/9/2010: The former US President Bill Clinton , with Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness,after speaking at the University of Ulster,Magee campus, in Londonderry,Wednesday 29th September 2010,Mr Clinton arrived in Northern Ireland on a visit designed to support the peace process and promote economic growth.Mr Clinton is visiting Londonderry where 25,000 people turned out to see him on his first visit in 1995. He is expected to make a speech at the University of Ulster campus at Magee on how to build economic prosperity.PA:Paul Faith POOL PICTURE PA PACEMAKER BELFAST 4/4/2007 Sinn Fein today announced their Ministerial team in the forthcoming Executive on 8th May. Making the announcement Chief negotiator and deputy first Minister Martin McGuinness was joined on the Stormont Steps by Francie Molloy, Connor Murphy, Catriona Ruane, Michelle Gildernew and Gerry Kelly. PHOTO MARK PEARCE/PACEMAKER PRESS PACEMAKER BELFAST 4/4/2007 Sinn Fein today announced their Ministerial team in the forthcoming Executive on 8th May. Making the announcement Chief negotiator and deputy first Minister martin McGuinness was joined on the Stormont Steps by Francie Molloy, Connor Murphy, Catriona Ruane, Michelle Gildernew and Gerry Kelly. PHOTO MARK PEARCE/PACEMAKER PRESS Pacemaker Press International Belfast 16/7/2007. First and Deputy First Minister Ian Paisley and Martin McGuinness pictured today at Stormont at the British Irish Council meeting 2007 . Picture Charles McQuillan/Pacemaker. Pacemaker Press International Belfast 12/7/2007. HOWZAT!? First and Deputy First Ministers Ian Paisley and Martin McGuinness pictured this evening with Ireland's cricket captain Trent Johnston and spin bowler Kyle McCallen. The Irish cricket side were at Parliment Buildings in honour of their heroic exploits at the Cricket World Cup. Picture Charles McQuillan/Pacemaker. PACEMAKER BELFAST 8/5/2007. Prime Minister Tony Blair poses on the steps as he leaves Stormont Parliment on the first day of the Northern Ireland Assembly with Bertie Ahern watched by First Minister and Deputy First Minister Ian Paisley and Martin McGuinness. Picture Charles McQuillan/Pacemaker PACEMAKER, BELFAST, 8/3/2007: Francie Molloy, Michelle O'Neill and Martin McGuinness of Sinn Fein celebrate being elected in the first count in the Mid Ulster constituency in the Assembly election count in Ballymena today. PICTURE BY STEPHEN DAVISON PACEMAKER PRESS INTL 1-05-2007:President of the European Commission Jose Manuel Barroso pictured meeting Northern Irelands First and Deputy First Ministers the Rev Ian Paisley,MP,MLA and Mr Martin McGuinness MP, MLA at the steps of Parliament Buildings in Belfast. PICTURE BY: ARTHUR ALLISON. Pacemaker Press 19/5/2016 First Minister Arlene Foster and and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness speak to the media at Storming Castle on Thursday. The various parties have been meeting at Stormont Castle in a series of talks that could decide the fate of the next Northern Ireland Executive. Pic Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Pacemaker Press 16/5/2016 Deputy First Minister Martin Martin McGuinness speaks to the media at Storming Castle on Wednesday, as he confirmed the ministers would be appointed next week. Pic Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker PACEMAKER BELFAST 17/11/2015 First Minister Peter Robinson and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness at Stormont Castle, A deal has been reached between the British and Irish governments and the Northern Ireland parties to resolve the current political crisis. Photo Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Press 27/1/2010. PACEMAKER BELFAST. GERRY ADAMS AND MARTIN MCGUINNESS HOLD A PRESS CONFERENCE INSIDE HILLSBOROUGH CASTLE. PICTURE CHARLES MCQUILLAN/PACEMAKER. File photo dated 31/08/95 of Martin McGuinness, leading Sinn Fein negotiator in the peace process, attending a news conference in the House of Commons.John Stillwell/PA Wire PA File photo dated 08/03/07 of Martin McGuinness of Sinn Fein standing beside a table where his votes are being counted after the Northern Ireland Assembly election in Ballymena, Co Antrim. Julien Behal/PA Wire PA File photo dated 31/12/07 of Northern Ireland First Minister Ian Paisley (right) and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness at the opening of Ireland's first IKEA store in Belfast. Paul Faith/PA Wire PA File photo dated 15/03/2000 of Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams (left) and Martin McGuinness embracing at Dublin Airport. Chris Bacon/PA Wire PA File photo dated 07/05/10 of Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness (second right) of Sinn Fein celebrating after being returned as MP for Mid Ulster, at The Seven Towers Leisure Centre in Ballymena. Paul Faith/PA Wire PA File photo dated 09/08/85 of Noraid leader Martin Galvin (right), banned from Northern Ireland by the Home Secretary, standing alongside Sinn Fein's Martin McGuinness, as the two men acted as pall-bearers at the Londonderry funeral of IRA man Charles English. PA Wire PA File photo dated 04/08/05 of Prime Minister Tony Blair (left) meeting Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams (right) and chief negotiator Martin McGuinness in 10 Downing Street. Richard Pohle/PA Wire PA File photo dated 11/12/97 of Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams and his deputy Martin McGuinness (left) with party aides outside No10 Downing Street before meeting Prime Minister Tony Blair for peace talks. Adam Butler/PA Wire PA File photo dated 19/10/98 of Martin McGuinness leaving 10 Downing St after a meeting with Prime Minister Tony Blair. Stefan Rousseau/PA Wire PA File photo dated 10/11/03 of Martin McGuinness of Sinn Fein speaking at an election press conference in Belfast. Paul Faith/PA Wire PA File photo dated 23/06/09 of Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness looking at a smashed window at the City Church in the University area of Belfast. PA PA File photo dated 24/05/08 of Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams (right) and Martin McGuinness carrying the coffin of former senior IRA commander Brian Keenan in west Belfast. Paul Faith/PA Wire PA File photo dated 09/08/96 of Sinn Fein's Martin McGuinness addressing Nationalists outside the Guildhall in Serry after a march. PA PA File photo dated 13/09/83 of Sinn Fein's Martin McGuinness. PA Wire PA File photo dated 11/05/87 of Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams and West Belfast MP Martin McGuinness (right) at the funeral of Patrick Kelly, 30, the reputed IRA commander in East Tyrone. PA Wire PA File photo dated 15/03/2000 of Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams (left) and Martin McGuinness embracing at Dublin Airport. PA PA File photo dated 04/11/03 of Sinn Fein's Martin McGuinness outside the Guildhall in Derry after giving evidence to the Saville Inquiry, into the Bloody Sunday tribunal. PA PA File photo dated 29/09/10 of former US President Bill Clinton (right)arriving at University of Ulster Magee Campus in Derry to meet First Minister Peter Robinson and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness (centre). Julien Behal/PA Wire PA File photo dated 16/06/8 of Sinn Fein Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness (left) and First Minister Peter Robinson (centre) with US President George Bush at Stormont Castle in Belfast. PA Wire PA File photo dated 27/08/95 of Sinn Fein's Martin McGuinness addressing a Republican rally in Pomeroy, Co Tyrone. PA Wire PA File photo dated 05/11/03 of Martin McGuinness walking past a Bloody Sunday mural in the Bogside in Londonderry. Paul Faith/PA Wire PA Pacemaker Press Belfast 19-09-2016: Martin McGuinness to call on British government to fund legacy inquests. Sinn Fein MLA Martin McGuinness pictured speaking to the media ahead of this afternoon's meeting with British Secretary of State James Brokenshire on the need for the British government to live up to its responsibilities on addressing the legacy of the past. Mr McGuinness will call on the British government to release funding for legacy inquests, including the Ballymurphy massacre cases. Picture By: Arthur Allison. File photo dated 18/01/01 of Martin McGuinness of Sinn Fein standing beside a sentry box outside Hillsborough Castle before a meeting with Prime Minister Tony Blair. PA PA PACEMAKER BELFAST 8/5/2007. Well done Tony! Prime Minister Tony Blair leaves Stormont Parliment on the first day of the Northern Ireland Assembly with Bertie Ahern watched by First Minister and Deputy First Minister Ian Paisley and Martin McGuinness. Picture Charles McQuillan/Pacemaker File photo dated 06/06/08 of Prime Minister Gordon Brown (left) with Northern Ireland's First Minister Peter Robinson and Deputy First Minister, Martin McGuiness (right) in the garden at 10 Downing Street, London. PA PA Pacemaker Press 5/3/08 "Business as usual" First Minister Ian Paisley with his Deputy Martin McGuinness at Stormont after a committee meeting. Yesterday Dr Paisleys announcement that he will be stepping down in May from his role as Minister and DUP Leader. Pic Colm Lenaghan/PACEMAKER File photo dated 23/06/09 of Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness looking at a smashed window at the City Church in the University area of Belfast. Paul Faith/PA Wire PA Pacemaker Press International Belfast 16/7/2007. First and Deputy First Mnister Ian Paisley and Martin McGuinness pictured today at Stormont at the British Irish Council meeting 2007 . Picture Charles McQuillan/Pacemaker. PACEMAKER PRESS BELFAST 10-03-2009: The First Minister Peter Robinson was joined by the Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness and Chief Constable Sir Hugh Orde at a press conference at Belfast Stormont Castle. They condemned the murdered policeman Constable Stephen Paul Carroll, 48, a married man with children from the Banbridge area of County Down Northren Ireland . PICTURE BY: ARTHUR ALLISON. PACEMAKER BELFAST 20/11/08 First Minister Peter Robinson (front right) and deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness (front left),at the Northern Ireland Executive meeting in Stormont Castle ,20th November 2008,The Northern Ireland Executive will met today for the first time since June after the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) and Sinn Fein agreed an end to their stand-off.An economic aid package is expected to top the agenda at today's meeting after a delegation yesterday met Prime Minister Gordon Brown to appeal for financial support. PA PACEMAKER BELFAST 20/11/08 First Minister Rt Hon Peter D Robinson MP MLA and deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness MP MLA officially opened a new 9million production plant in Belfast, The investment by Larsen Manufacturing, a market leader in the manufacture and supply of chemicals for the construction industry in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, will boost the companyis production capability, creating up to 30 new jobs Pic Colm Lenaghan / Pacemaker Pacemaker Press 18.11/08 The First and Deputy First Ministers Peter Robinson and Martin McGuinness's at their joint press conference at Stormont today. The DUP and Sinn Fein have come to an agreement on the devolution of policing and justice which will bring a 152-day deadlock at Stormont to an end. The executive will meet on Thursday 20 November and on a weekly basis until business is up to date, the first and deputy first ministers said. Pic Colm Lenaghan/ Pacemaker PACEMAKER PRESS BELFAST 17/7/2007 Taioseach Bertie Ahern speaks to the press while First Minister Ian Paisley and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness look on from behind at the first meeting of the North-South Ministerial Council since the assembly which took place in Armagh City. The meeting, in Armagh, includes members of the executive and Taioseach Bertie Ahern and other Irish ministers. Picture Mark Pearce/Pacemaker Press PACEMAKER BELFAST 4/6/2008. First Minister Ian Paisley, Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness, as they officially opened the new 37million Stena Line Terminal at Belfast Port today. Picture Charles McQuillan/Pacemaker. File photo dated 29/09/10 of former US President Bill Clinton with Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness at the University of Ulster Magee campus in Derry. PA PA Pacemaker Press 12/10/09 Secretary Of State of the US Hilary Clinton is greeted by First Minister Peter Robinson and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness as she arrives at Stormont Castle during her visit Belfast Pic Colm Lenaghan/ Pacemaker Pacemaker Press 9/9/2011 Martin McGuinness addresses Sinn Fein's Ard Fheis at Belfast's Waterfront Conference Centre for a two day event. The Presbyterian minister from Derry, was invited to speak at the conference by Sinn Fein's Martin McGuinness.. It was the first time a Presbyterian minister will have addressed the ard fheis Pic Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Pacemaker Press Belfast 9-05-2011: Martin McGuinness and Gerry Adams of Sinn Fein pictured during a Press Conference in Belfast this afternoon, where the pair spoke of the parties success in last wekends election. Picture By: Arthur Allison. Pacemaker Press 3/7/2012 First Minister Peter Robinson and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness during the opening of the New Visitors centre at the Giants Causeway in Co Antrim Yesterday, The 18.5m building has taken 18 months to complete and includes exhibition spaces, a cafe and shops. Walks and trails around the site have also been upgraded, with the addition of a new accessible cliff-top walk for families and people with disabilities .PIcture Colm Lenaghan/ Pacemaker PACEMAKER BELFAST 27/6/12 Queen Elizabeth II shakes hands with Northern Ireland Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness watched by First minister Peter Robinson (centre) at the Lyric Theatre in Belfast. POOL PICTURE PA/PACEMAKER PRESS PA Pacemaker Press 9/9/2011 The Reverend David Latimer is welcomed by Martin McGuinness for Sinn Feins Ard Fheis at Belfasts Waterfront Conference Centre for a two day event. The Presbyterian minister from Derry, was invited to speak at the conference by Sinn Fein's Martin McGuinness.. It was the first time a Presbyterian minister will have addressed the ard fheis Pic Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Pacemaker Press 3/7/2012 First Minister Peter Robinson and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness wave to the visitors during the opening of the New Visitors centre at the Giants Causeway in Co Antrim Yesterday, The 18.5m building has taken 18 months to complete and includes exhibition spaces, a cafe and shops. Walks and trails around the site have also been upgraded, with the addition of a new accessible cliff-top walk for families and people with disabilities .PIcture Colm Lenaghan/ Pacemaker PACEMAKER BELFAST 28/01/2012 - Power NI Dr McKenna Cup Final, Tyrone v Derry, at Armagh. Peter Robinson, accompanied by Martin McGuinness, attended the McKenna Cup final. Picture: Cliff Donaldson File photo dated 30/05/06 of Sinn Fein MP Martin McGuinness with party colleagues during a press conference at Stormont. PA PA Martin McGuinness signs resignation letter. Martin McGuinness at the Bishop's Gate Hotel in Derry, as the former Deputy First Minister announced that he is quitting elected politics to concentrate on recovering from serious health issues: Niall Carson/PA Wire PA Martin McGuinness at the Bishop's Gate Hotel in Londonderry, as the former Deputy First Minister announced that he is quitting elected politics to concentrate on recovering from serious health issues. Niall Carson/PA Wire PA Sinn Fein former Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness pictured leaving Stormont Castle in east Belfast after he resigned. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye.com Martin McGuinness during an interview with the Press Association at the Bishop's Gate Hotel in Derry, as the former Deputy First Minister announced that he is quitting elected politics to concentrate on recovering from serious health issues. PA PA / Facebook

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Whatsapp Martin McGuinness, Sinn Fein, pictured leaving court in Belfast after charges against him involving IRA membership were dropped 1976.

Ms Anderson said: "It has been a month since we lost our friend, comrade and iconic republican leader Martin McGuinness.

"Just as people across Ireland mourned his immense loss, so too did people throughout Europe and across the world.

"Tonight at the European Parliament in Brussels the Sinn Fein MEP team, together with friends and supporters from right across Europe gathered to pay tribute to Martin while his Month's Mind mass was being celebrated at home.

"Martin was a regular visitor to the European Parliament and valued the continuing support from Europe for the peace process and our campaign to secure designated special status for the north within the EU.

"It was important that we remembered Martin here tonight as we send our condolences to Bernie and all the family."

On Monday a memorial service was held in New York. Large crowds gathered for the service at St Patrick's Cathedral.

Among those in attendance was members of Mr McGuinness' family and Sinn Fein deputy leader Mary Lou McDonald.

Senator George Mitchell in his eulogy said: "As I have said often the real heroes of the Northern Ireland peace process were the people and the political leaders of Northern Ireland.

"At a critical moment in their peoples history they summoned the courage and vision to end a conflict that some historians trace back over 800 years.

"Martin was one of them. He had courage and he had vision."
A man and woman are to stand trial over an alleged cruelly inflicted injury to their baby son, a judge has ordered.

The accused, both from Carrickfergus in Co Antrim, are charged in connection with a fracture to the child's arm when he was seven weeks old.

They appeared together at Belfast Magistrates' Court for a hearing on Wednesday to decide if they have cases to answer.

The man, aged 34, is charged with inflicting grievous bodily harm to his son in February last year.

He is also accused, along with the 27-year-old woman, of wilfully neglecting their child in a manner likely to cause him unnecessary suffering or injury to health.

Neither defendant can be named to ensure the alleged victim's identity is protected.

The pair stood apart in the dock at Belfast Magistrates' Court as the charges were put to them.

They each declined to comment, give evidence or call witnesses during the preliminary enquiry.

Defence lawyers did not challenge prosecution submissions that both of them have a case to answer.

District Judge Fiona Bagnall granted an application to have the man and woman returned for trial at Belfast Crown Court.

She granted them continuing bail until those proceedings underway.

Mrs Bagnall also allowed the woman's solicitor to accompany her in signing release conditions due to psychiatric issues.
A 16-year-old schoolboy has appeared at the youth court in Londonderry charged with raping a girl aged 12 last year

A 16-year-old schoolboy has appeared at the youth court in Londonderry charged with raping a girl aged 12 last year.

The youth, who cannot be identified because of his age, is alleged to have committed the offence last October 28.

A police officer told the district judge he believed he could connect the youth to the charge.

The case was adjourned until June 20 and the youth was released on continuing bail until that date. As part of his bail conditions, the youth was ordered not to have any contact whatsoever with the schoolgirl.
The Bill gives politicians in Northern Ireland a three-week window after June's General Election to form a new executive

Emergency powers to give Stormont's rowing political parties more time to strike a powersharing deal have now cleared Parliament.

Peers followed the example of MPs in backing a Bill that gives politicians in Northern Ireland a three-week window after June's General Election to form a new executive.

It allows Westminster to set and collect rates to fund local council services, as well as paving 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.

But it came amid warnings from peers that the current model of government in Northern Ireland is not sustainable and claims politics in the country is now only a new way to fight old wars.

Northern Ireland minister Lord Dunlop said: "The continuation of strong and stable devolved government is what people voted for in large numbers in the recent Assembly elections.

"It's what they expect, it's what they deserve and we must not let them down.

"So protecting the interests of the people of Northern Ireland is at the heart of this simple three clause Bill.

"A Bill designed to ensure that every opportunity is given for an executive to be formed."

Lord Dunlop added: "The Government is clear that the restoration of devolved government remains achievable and remains the absolute priority.

"That will require more time and more focused engagement by the parties on the critical isues that remain"

"This gives the best possible opportunity for restoring a strong, stable and inclusive devolved government."

The Bill was approved by MPs on Monday.

Opposition spokesman Lord McAvoy said it was "regrettable" the legislation was needed, but backed the interim provisions.

He said: "We accept and support this approach, which is measured and will give space for progress to be made and for an execiutive to be formed."

Lord McAvoy said the current situation was "not desirable and is not sustainable".

He added: "We have achieved far to much to move backwards now."

DUP party chairman Lord Morrow said: "I am doubtful, extremely doubtful, if the form of government that we have is sustainable in the future.

"I'd like to be proven wrong, and I'd be happy enough if I am, but I say that most sincerely."

Crossbench peer Lord Eames, Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland, said plans to address legacy issues in Northern Ireland were "taking us into a minefield", adding: "The minefield has not altered.

"It has deepened, and we're not finding new mines - we're finding ways of discovering the old ones, and putting a different colour on them, and putting a different emphasis on them, and hearing other voices talking about the same mines."

He added: "Someone said to me the other day, the mother of one of our security forces who was murdered during our Troubles, she said we have simply answered the violence of the IRA and the loyalist groups by simply saying let's see how we can split the political process and make it another way of fighting the war.

"That is a devastating indictment of where we are - another way of fighting the war."

Lord Empey, a former leader of the Ulster Unionist Party, said there was "a high level of incompetence" in the last administration at Stormont.

He added that Northern Ireland was "not in the races" in terms of having its say on Brexit, as well as cautioning that the likes of Gerry Adams were not as committed to the institutions at Stormont as Martin McGuinness, Sinn Fein's previous deputy first minister in Northern Ireland.
Claims by ex-soldiers that a Belfast man was shot dead as he threw an explosive have been dismissed by Northern Ireland's former State Pathologist.

Professor Jack Crane told an inquest there was no evidence to support military claims that labourer Barney Watt was throwing a petrol bomb or incendiary device when soldiers opened fire almost 50 years ago.

Mr Watt (28) died in disputed circumstances during public disorder in Ardoyne in February 1971. He was shot in the chest and the buttock.

"There is no evidence to support the contention Mr Watt was shot while throwing an explosive device at military personnel," Professor Crane told Belfast Coroner's Court.

The retired pathologist's evidence to the court on the second day of the inquest contradicts previous claims from soldiers that Mr Watt was throwing a device.

After examining the evidence and original pathology reports, Professor Crane said he did not believe there were any injuries to indicate Mr Watt had been holding or throwing an explosive device or to suggest he had been propelled into the air by an explosive.

"Throughout the Troubles I have seen many injuries of people who had sustained injuries from throwing a pipe bomb or device. There's no evidence at all to suggest this man had been throwing something," he said.

"The soldiers' account is not credible."

Mr Watt's widow was in court to listen to proceedings.

A lawyer for the Watt family told the hearing that a witness had described seeing the victim with his hands in the air before he was shot.

On Monday the inquest heard an account from a soldier known as 'Sergeant C' who 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."

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, but its occupants escaped out a back door.

The victim had a conviction for disorder from before the beginning of the Troubles.

His wife Teresa Watt previously told the court: "If there was rioting Barney would have taken part, although he was not involved in any paramilitaries."

Yesterday afternoon a retired soldier, referred to as 'Soldier E', said he had been on patrol in the area that night but he only discovered a few months ago that a man had been killed.

Giving evidence via video-link, he told the hearing he had received facial burns after the armoured vehicle he had been driving came under attack from a petrol bomb and a nail bomb.

The former soldier, who escaped from the burning vehicle moments before it was completely gutted, said he had not heard any gunfire. He also said the first time he became aware of Mr Watt's death was a couple of months ago when he was contacted by the coroner's investigator.

Coroner Joe McCrisken is due to deliver his report into Mr Watt's death this morning.
He also warned that the UK would be totally stiffed in Brexit negotiations if Mr Corbyn was dealing with Brussels.

Electing Jeremy Corbyn as prime minister would be a threat to national security, Boris Johnson has claimed.

The Foreign Secretary said Mr Corbyn had no grasp of the need for this country to be strong in the world and questioned how he would respond to the semi-deranged regime in North Korea.

He also warned that the UK would be totally stiffed in Brexit negotiations if Mr Corbyn was dealing with Brussels.

Meanwhile Labour stepped up its campaign on domestic issues, with Mr Corbyn attacking the Tories over their record on housing.

In an article for The Sun, Mr Johnson said: The biggest risk with Jeremy Corbyn is that people just dont get what a threat he really is.

Mr Johnsons highly personal attack on the Labour leader continued: They watch his meandering and nonsensical questions and they feel a terrible twinge of human compassion. Well, they say to themselves: he may be a mutton-headed old mugwump, but he is probably harmless.

But Mr Johnson insisted: It is absolutely vital for Britains security that we have the strong, stable and decisive leadership of Theresa May.

Russia was interfering blatantly with European democracies, Kim Jong Un was leading a semi-deranged regime in North Korea, bent on getting nuclear weapons that could one day be used to strike this country and the UK and its allies were taking on an Islamist death cult.

Where is Corbyn on any of these issues? Mr Johnson asked.

He seems to have no grasp of the need for this country to be strong in the world.

He added: Just when Kim Jong Un is on the verge of acquiring a really deadly nuclear weapon, Britain could be on the verge of acquiring Jeremy Corbyn as PM  a man whose brilliant idea of a nuclear deterrent is that we should send our nuclear subs to sea with no nuclear missiles aboard.

On Brexit, Mr Corbyn would be disastrous, the Foreign Secretary claimed.

Corbyns approach would be a recipe for paralysis and uncertainty  and for Britain to get totally stiffed in the negotiations.

Mr Corbyn will set out Labours plans to build a million homes, including at least 500,000 council houses, in response to Tory failures to tackle the problem.

The system is rigged, with housing treated as an investment for the few, not homes for the many, he will say.

Seven years of Conservative failure  shows that they will never fix the housing crisis, which is holding so many people back.
She has been chosen as the PPC for Tatton.

Former minister Esther McVey appears set for a return to Parliament after being selected as the candidate in George Osbornes old seat.

Ms McVey, who represented the Conservatives in Wirral West from 2010 until 2015, has been chosen to contest the Tatton seat following the ex-chancellors decision to quit Parliament to focus on his other jobs  including editing the London Evening Standard.

Former broadcaster Ms McVey will defend a Tory majority of more than 18,000 in the Cheshire constituency at the General Election on June 8.
The leaders of the 27 other EU countries are holding a summit this weekend to consider their approach to the talks on the UKs withdrawal.

Theresa May has had constructive talks with European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker on the Brexit process, Downing Street said.

The Prime Minister hosted Mr Juncker and Brussels chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier for a working dinner in Number 10 ahead of a summit on Saturday where the leaders of the 27 other EU countries will consider their approach to the talks on the UKs withdrawal.

Downing Street said the Prime Minister used the dinner to restate the UKs commitment to a deep and special partnership with the EU after Brexit.

A Number 10 spokesman said: The PM had a constructive meeting this evening with president Juncker of the European Commission.

Following the UKs letter of notification under Article 50, she reiterated the UKs commitment to achieving a deep and special partnership with the European Union. The PM and president Juncker also discussed a range of other international issues in a useful working dinner.

A European Commission spokesman said: President Juncker had a constructive meeting with Prime Minister May. They discussed the broader geopolitical agenda and issues of strategic interest to both.

President Juncker and Prime Minister May discussed the Article 50 process ahead of his participation in the European Council on April 29.

The meeting came after Mrs Mays predecessor David Cameron said Britain must agree a divorce bill with the European Union before trade talks can start.

Mr Barnier, who met Mrs May face-to-face for the first time in Number 10, has insisted the UK must settle the accounts before beginning talks on a future trading relationship with the EU.

Answering questions at a global tourism summit in Bangkok, Mr Cameron appeared to back the EUs stance, saying: I would hope that we will be able to agree, as it were, the first bits of divorce  its a bit like a divorce, you have to deal with the money and then access to the children afterwards.

The former prime minister said he thought both sides could agree that of course we accept some liabilities for this membership weve had for 40 years, just as we have a claim on some of the assets that weve paid into. And I think we can settle the principles of that and then get on with the nature of the relationship.

Senior members of the Government have insisted Britain will not pay a bill of the scale suggested by the likes of Mr Juncker, with International Trade Secretary Liam Fox branding the idea absurd.

But Mrs May has said she is ready to discuss a fair settlement of Britains obligations, although she has given no hint of the amount she is prepared to contemplate.
The Tories have been urged no to make further cuts to corporation tax (PA)

shadow chancellor John McDonnell said the Tories needed to reject more giveaways to big business.

Labour has called on the Conservatives to rule out further cuts to corporation tax as Donald Trumps administration revealed a tax plan which includes a reduction in the US top corporate rate to 15%.

If the US president succeeds in getting his proposals approved by Congress, it appears Theresa May would have to cut the UKs rate further to meet her aim, stated in November, to have the lowest corporation tax in the G20.

Britain currently has a corporation tax rate of 19%, the lowest in the G20, and it is set to fall to 17% in 2020, which Chancellor Philip Hammond has said will send the clearest possible signal that Britain is open for business.

But despite the prospect of Mr Trump undercutting the UK rate, shadow chancellor John McDonnell said the Tories need to reject more giveaways to big business.

He also urged Mrs May to rule out raising taxes on low and middle earners, amid signals from ministers that the Tories could abandon their 2015 tax lock pledge not to raise income tax, VAT or national insurance.

Mr McDonnell told the Press Association: When the Tories are not holding Trumps hand in Washington they are sharing his policy agenda here in the UK.

We already know the former chancellor (George Osborne) wanted to cut corporation tax to 15%, and the current Chancellor wants to potentially cut it further to turn our country into a tax haven.

The Tories need to be straight with the British people and rule out further corporation tax giveaways to big business, as well as further tax hikes on low and middle earners.
The air strike was in response to a chemical weapons attack on a northern Syrian town on April 4 which Washington blamed on the Syrian government (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

Analysis of samples taken from a deadly sarin gas attack in Syria earlier this month "bears the signature" of President Bashar Assad's government and shows it was responsible for the deadly assault, France's foreign minister has said.

Jean-Marc Ayrault said France came to this conclusion after comparing samples from a 2013 sarin attack.

Russia, a close ally of Assad, promptly denounced the French report, saying the samples and the fact the nerve agent was used are not enough to prove who was behind it.

Assad has repeatedly denied that his forces used chemical weapons and claimed evidence of a poison gas attack is made up.

But Mr Ayrault said France knows "from sure sources" that "the manufacturing process of the sarin that was sampled is typical of the method developed in Syrian laboratories".

"This method bears the signature of the regime and that is what allows us to establish its responsibility in this attack," he added, saying that France is working to bring those behind the "criminal" atrocities to international justice.

France's Foreign Ministry said blood samples were taken from a victim in Syria on the day of the April 4 attack in the opposition-held town of Khan Sheikhoun, which killed more than 80 people.

Environmental samples, the ministry said, show the weapons were made "according to the same production process as the one used in the sarin attack perpetrated by the Syrian regime in Saraqeb" on April 29 2013.

Mr Ayrault said French intelligence showed that only Syrian government forces could have launched such an attack - by a bomber taking off from the Shayrat air base, which was later targeted in a retaliatory US missile strike.

France's presidency said the country's intelligence services presented evidence showing the Syrian government "still holds chemical warfare agents, in violation of the commitments to eliminate them that it took in 2013". It said that information will be made public, without offering details.

It is thought that Assad's government still has a stockpile of tons of chemical weapons, despite saying it had handed over all of them.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia's position on the attack is "unchanged," and that "the only way to establish the truth about what happened... is an impartial international investigation".

Russia has previously called for an international probe, and Mr Peskov expressed regret that the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) has turned down the Syrian government's offers to visit the site of the attack and investigate.

The French minister's comments came as the OPCW, which is investigating the April 4 attack, held a ceremony in The Hague marking the 20th anniversary of the Chemical Weapons Convention.

In a video message to the ceremony, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the organisation's progress over two decades seeking to eliminate chemical weapons is now under threat.

"In the Middle East, belligerents are breaking the norm against chemical weapons," he said. "The recent attack in Syria was a horrific reminder of the stakes. There can be no impunity for these crimes."

Meanwhile, a series of Turkish air strikes on Tuesday killed 20 Syrian Kurdish fighters in attacks that Ankara said targeted Kurdish rebel positions in Syria and Iraq.

Syrian Kurdish officials escorted an American officer to some of the sites targeted in the attack, as large crowds from the area followed them around, according to photos and video from the scene. Redur Khalil, the spokesman for the Syrian Kurdish People's Protection Units, or YPG, confirmed the visit.

Mr Khalil said the air strikes were followed on Wednesday by Turkish army shelling of Syrian villages along the border area. The shelling prompted an exchange of fire between Kurdish and Turkish border posts, Mr Khalil said.

The YPG form the backbone of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), the main US partner in the battle against the Islamic State group in northern Syria. Nato member Turkey considers the YPG an extension of an insurgency within its own borders. The SDF includes Arab fighters.

Mr Khalil said the Turkish escalation would "obstruct the war" against IS.

The Syrian Foreign Ministry condemned the air strikes. The SDF and the Syrian government have largely avoided confrontations with each other over the course of the civil war. No Syrian government forces were targeted in the attack.

AP
Convicted murderer Kenneth Williams, 38, is scheduled to be put to death on Thursday (Kelly P Kissel/AP)

An aggressive effort to execute condemned inmates in Arkansas is set to conclude after the state Supreme Court refused to stay the execution of a man who killed a former deputy prison warden following an escape.

Kenneth Williams, 38, was sentenced to death for killing Cecil Boren after escaping from the Cummins Unit prison in a barrel.

He was initially serving a life term for killing a university cheerleader whose family he taunted when jurors spared his life.

Unless a court intervenes, Williams will die on Thursday night in the same prison from where he escaped in 1999.

Arkansas conducted a double execution on Monday night, the nation's first since 2000. The second execution was delayed while lawyers argued over whether there were problems with the first one.

Jeff Rosenzweig, a lawyer for death row inmates, told a federal judge that Jack Jones's mouth moved several times when he should have been unconscious. Jones's spiritual adviser described it as "a sort of gurgling", while an observer from the state attorney general's office said it was "snoring; deep, deep sleep".

US District Judge Kristine Baker issued a temporary stay for inmate Marcel Williams but lifted it one minute after a conference call with lawyers concluded. Williams was dead 71 minutes later.

"Based upon what the court has learned from the eyewitnesses in regard to the execution, the court finds no support for a claim and an allegation that the execution appeared to be torturous and inhumane," Ms Baker said near the end of the hearing.

Governor Asa Hutchinson had set a series of double executions with the hope that eight death row inmates would die by lethal injection before the state's supply of lethal injection drug midazolam expires on Sunday.

Four inmates received stays, including one of the two initially set for execution on Thursday. The state has said it has no new supplier for execution drugs.

Kenneth Williams, who had his stay request rejected on Wednesday, escaped from the Cummins Unit less than three weeks into a life term for killing cheerleader Dominique Hurd in 1998. At the conclusion of that trial, he taunted the young woman's family by turning to them after the sentence was announced and saying: "You thought I was going to die, didn't you?"

He hid in a barrel of hog slop being ferried from the prison kitchen to a feeding bay, then sneaked along a tree line until reaching Mr Boren's house.

He killed Mr Boren, stole guns and his truck and then drove away to Missouri. There, he crashed into a water delivery truck, killing the driver. While in prison, he confessed to killing another person in 1998.

At the time of Mr Boren's death, investigators said it did not appear he was targeted because of his former employment by the Arkansas Department of Correction.

AP
Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas is considering further wage and subsidy cuts for Gaza

Gaza's ruling Hamas movement has said it will not be cowed by threatened funding cuts, signalling escalating tensions between the militant group and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

Mr Abbas has threatened to take "unprecedented" financial steps to force Hamas to cede control in Gaza, a territory it seized from him in 2007.

Reconciliation attempts between rival governments in the West Bank and Gaza have failed.

Khalil al-Haya, the second highest ranking Hamas leader in Gaza, said Mr Abbas will fail "if he tries to make Gaza kneel or expects to win our loyalty by force".

He spoke as Mr Abbas convened advisers to consider further wage and subsidy cuts for Gaza.

Mr Abbas meets US President Donald Trump next week and is likely to be asked if he speaks for all Palestinians.

Gaza, a tiny territory of 2 million people on the Mediterranean, has suffered through increasing hardship since the Hamas takeover, which triggered a border blockade by neighbouring Israel and Egypt. In recent years, Gazans have endured rolling power cuts, with electricity now available for only six hours a day.

Mr al-Haya warned further pressure on Gaza would backfire.

"You can't punish the one who lives in tough conditions," Mr al-Haya said. "Gaza is an explosive barrel and he (Abbas) cannot press this barrel more. If he does, it's going to explode in his face and in all directions."

Mr al-Haya also said Hamas plans to unveil its new political programme on Monday.

The manifesto is seen as an attempt by the internationally isolated Hamas to improve ties with Egypt and the West, and to present a more moderate image that will help it get off Western terrorism lists.

"It represents a development in Hamas' political ideology," said Mr al-Haya. "We say clearly that the conflict is not a religious one, that there is no enmity toward Jews as Jews but that we are fighting the occupation."

In the programme, Hamas characterises itself as a Palestinian resistance movement against Israeli occupation, dropping references to holy war against Jews.

It also raises the possibility of a Palestinian state in the West Bank, Gaza Strip and east Jerusalem, lands Israel captured in the 1967 Middle East war. It does not say whether this would be a stepping stone to an Islamic state in all of historic Palestine, including Israel.

The document plays down ties to Hamas' parent movement, the regional Muslim Brotherhood, which is being targeted by Egypt's government as a terror organisation.

AP
Silas Duane Boston, of California, had been charged with first-degree maritime murder over the 1978 deaths of Britons Christopher Farmer and Peta Frampton

A man awaiting trial over the murder of two British tourists on his boat nearly four decades ago has died.

Silas Duane Boston, 76, died on Monday night while he was being treated in hospital for what Sacramento County officials in California said were significant health problems.

He had pleaded not guilty to two counts of first-degree maritime murder in the 1978 deaths of Christopher Farmer and Peta Frampton, both 25 and originally from Manchester.

Boston was arrested on December 2 at his home in Paradise, California.

He owned a boat named the Justin B that he sailed around the western Caribbean Sea, federal prosecutors said, adding that his victims had chartered his vessel from Belize.

Authorities said the tourists drowned after Boston tied them up and pushed them overboard.

Their bodies were found in July 1978 off the coast of Guatemala.

Boston's two young sons, then aged 11 and 13, were also on board the boat at the time and recently implicated their father in the killings, according to court documents.

They said he killed them because they had laughed at him earlier when he fell into the water while drunk.

Mr Farmer's mother, who is aged in her 90s, had sought a speedy trial because of the age of the suspect and the victims' families.

Boston could have faced life in prison if convicted.

The prosecution was the result of a cold case investigation by Sacramento police detectives who were investigating Boston in connection with the disappearance in 1968 of his former wife, Mary Lou Boston.

AP
Hours after a display of North Korean military power, rival South Korea have announced the installation of key parts of a contentious US missile defence system meant to counter the North.

South Korea's trumpeting of progress in setting up the Terminal High-Altitude Area Defence system, or THAAD, comes as high-powered US military vessels converge on the Korean Peninsula and as a combative North Korea signals possible nuclear and missile testing.

North Korea conducted live-fire artillery drills on Tuesday, the 85th anniversary of the founding of its million-person Korean People's Army.

On the same day, a US guided-missile submarine docked in South Korea.

And the USS Carl Vinson aircraft super-carrier is also headed toward the peninsula for a joint exercise with South Korea.

The moves to set up THAAD within this year have angered not only North Korea, but also China, the country that the Trump administration hopes to work with to rid the North of nuclear weapons.

China, which has grown increasingly frustrated with North Korea, its ally, and Russia see the system's powerful radars as a security threat.

South Korea said that unspecified parts of THAAD were installed. It said that Seoul and Washington have been pushing to get THAAD quickly working to cope with North Korea's advancing nuclear and missile threats.

According to the Yonhap news agency, the parts include two or three launchers, intercept missiles and a radar.

Some people near the site in the country's south east are worried that THAAD may cause health problems, and thousands of police officers assembled on Wednesday, blocking the main road, Yonhap reported.

About 500 protesters rallied, and 13 villagers and police officers were injured in scuffles and treated at hospitals, reportedly for broken bones, according to the Seongju fire department.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said that the system's deployment would "disrupt the regional strategic balance and further aggravate the tension on the peninsula".

Mr Geng said "China will firmly be taking necessary measures to defend our own interests" but offered no details.

China's defence ministry has also repeatedly criticised THAAD's deployment and said the military will take unspecified actions in response.

On Tuesday, North Korea conducted what it called its largest ever combined live-fire drills, near the east coast port city of Wonsan.

North Korea's official media reported that leader Kim Jong Un personally observed the exercises, which involved the firing of more than 300 large-calibre artillery pieces and included submarine torpedo-attacks on mock enemy warships.

Along with sending US military assets to the region in a show of force, President Donald Trump is leaning on China to exert economic pressure on North Korea.

Chinese President Xi Jinping, who spoke to Mr Trump on Monday, is urging restraint from both North Korea and the US.

In Washington, top Trump administration officials are due to brief the entire US Senate on Wednesday.

A rapid tempo of North Korean weapons testing in the past year has pushed Kim Jong Un's authoritarian nation closer to developing a nuclear-armed missile that could reach the US mainland.

Republican Sen Lindsey Graham voiced confidence that President Trump will not allow North Korea to reach that point.

Sen Graham, a defence hawk who dined with Mr Trump on Monday night, said North Korea should not underestimate the president's resolve.

The USS Michigan, a nuclear-powered submarine, arrived on Tuesday at the South Korean port of Busan for what was described as a routine visit to rest crew and load supplies.

The US 7th Fleet said two American destroyers were conducting simultaneous maritime exercises with naval ships from South Korea and Japan.

AP
On June 8, the leader of the Democratic Unionist Party, Arlene Foster, will enter a polling booth in Fermanagh and South Tyrone to cast her vote in the General Election. On the basis of her statement this week in this newspaper, her party will not field a candidate and she can be expected to vote for Tom Elliott, former leader of the Ulster Unionists, the party from which she resigned in 2003.

Elliotts party spent much of the past year savaging Fosters leadership, criticising her role in the RHI scandal and calling for her to stand aside from the office of First Minister, if not resign altogether.

On the face of it, her decision to give him a free run as preferred unionist candidate in the General Election seems remarkably generous, given also that the DUP is the dominant force and that in 2005 Foster and Elliott went head-to-head against one another in the absence of an agreed choice and she beat him comfortably.

It seems all the past political baggage may be forgotten in Fermanagh on June 8. Hatchets will be buried. It will be as if never an ill word was spoken.

Bizarre as it may look to an outsider, tens of thousands of other unionists will follow Arlene Fosters example. They will cross the great unionist divide, letting bygone be bygone and supporting unionist candidates with whom they do not see eye to eye.

It is hard to find a precedent for such political behaviour in Europe. However, a parallel could be drawn with France this week. There, the conservative and socialist parties are expected to throw their support behind the moderate Emmanuel Macron in the second round of voting to ensure he wins, even though they have little or nothing in common with him.

To the French, at whatever the sacrifice and cost to political principle, keeping the National Front and Marie Le Pen from the presidential palace is the number one priority. To the Democratic Unionists and Ulster Unionists, no matter their differences, keeping nationalism and republicanism at bay is just as important.

In 2017, the quest for electoral pacts again focuses attention of why and how the two main unionist parties remain so at odds with one another. The split cannot be so easily defined today as it was in the past, but chiefly it is categorised by hardline Protestant unionism on one side confronting compromising, increasing secular unionism on the other.

The DUP have clearly the upper hand, as Arlene Foster reminded the Ulster Unionists in her Belfast Telegraph article.

At the Assembly election, the DUP had 225,415 first-preference votes, compared to 103,314 for the Ulster Unionists. The DUP has 28 Stormont MLAs and eight Westminster MPs; the Ulster Unionists have 10 MLAs and two MPs.

Arlene Foster appears to be playing hardball with her new UUP counterpart as regards any inter-party pact. Without some agreement on who stands for unionism in South Belfast, a wider pact looks unlikely, with DUP and UUP candidates facing one another there and in other constituencies.

Foster has launched a pre-emptive strike for a South Belfast DUP candidate. Much as the new Ulster Unionist leader Robin Swann may feel aggrieved, Foster has the numbers on her side and history as well. The leafy, liberal suburbs of Malone are politically deceptive. It is in the more-populated Protestant neighbourhoods of South Belfast where elections are won and lost for unionism.

Neither the Rev Martin Smyth, Grand Master of the Orange Order, nor the Rev Robert Bradford, murdered by the IRA, were seen as other than hardline traditional unionists when they were MPs for the constituency from 1974 until 2005.

The Ulster Unionists hold none of the five Stormont MLA seats in South Belfast and waiting in the wings is one of the DUPs leading voices, Emma Little Pengelly, who lost out narrowly on an MLA seat. Pact or no pact, she would surely be the bookies favourite to win most unionist support and possibly oust the sitting SDLP MP, Dr Alasdair McDonnell.

The wider unionist public may well ask if any co-operation can be achieved over the forthcoming election, why cant it be like that all the time? In the aftermath of a fairly disastrous Assembly election, it seems there is little alternative but for the two main unionist parties to co-operate more, not just for the Westminster election, but also at Stormont.

Arlene Foster says that her party, with most unionist support, should call the political shots in any pact with the UUP. The two parties behave rather like a large supermarket chain competing with a smaller one with different products filling their shelves, ensuring the public continue to shop in one or the other.

Choice and competition are healthy components of democracy and all the more essential in divided Northern Ireland. However, competition is not incompatible with better co-operation and an end to the unpleasant enmity which has marked the relationship between the DUP and the UUP.

Whatever the longing for unionist unity, it is very unlikely to happen unless the leaders of both the DUP and UUP can find more common ground.

The DUP has too many prominent voices within it who retain a capacity for religious zealotry and an ability to cause sectarian offence, which many other unionists find unacceptable. Arlene Foster with her crocodile remark fell victim to this tendency.

For its part, the UUP is still counting the cost of losing its way in the past decade. Its last leader, Mike Nesbitt, fell on his sword, because the electorate was left confused by (or not yet willing to accept) his liberal leadership message. The new leader has a challenge on his hands to build a more appealing, mainstream strategy.

So, what is unionism today? Beyond support for the Union, both Arlene Foster and Robin Swann have quite a bit of explaining to do to the wider community as to what else their respective parties stand for.

They would do well to commission some in-depth research into how unionist voters feel, what precisely motivates a person to vote unionist and why so many are so disaffected by one party or the other. True unionist unity remains an illusion and a distant prospect.

Arlene Fosters support for Tom Elliott in Fermanagh and South Tyrone will help him return to Westminster, but it cannot mask the differences and paper over the cracks in the unionist edifice.

Simply saying we are the largest party and because of that you should fall into line with us is no answer if the DUP is serious about uniting unionism  not to mention uniting Northern Ireland.

The onus is on the largest party to show if and how it can move with the times. How it can deliver a more accommodating mainstream unionist message, which might appeal to some  if not all  of the 103,314 people who vote Ulster Unionist  or to the many thousands more who do not vote at all.
The world's last male northern white rhino has joined the Tinder dating app as wildlife experts make a last-ditch breeding effort to keep his species alive.

Sudan the rhino's profile says: "I don't mean to be too forward, but the fate of the species literally depends on me.

"I perform well under pressure."

The conservation campaign by a Kenyan wildlife reserve and the dating app is called "The Most Eligible Bachelor in the World".

The 43-year-old creature and his last two female companions are unable to breed naturally because of issues including old age.

The Ol Pejeta Conservancy and Tinder aim to raise nine million dollars (7 million) for research into breeding methods, including in-vitro fertilisation, in an effort to save the species from extinction.

Matt David, head of communications and marketing at Tinder, said: "We partnered with Ol Pejeta conservancy to give the most eligible bachelor in the world a chance to meet his match.

"We are optimistic, given Sudan's profile will be seen on Tinder in 190 countries and over 40 languages."

Sudan lives at the reserve, protected by guards round the clock, with the two females, Najin and Fatu.

Richard Vigne, the conservancy's chief executive officer, said: "The plight that currently faces the northern white rhino is a signal to the impact that humankind is having on many thousands of other species across the planet.

"Ultimately, the aim will be to reintroduce a viable population of northern white rhino back into the wild, which is where their true value will be realised."

AP
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Most of us are familiar with the seven deadly sins. They are a list originally used in early Christian teachings to educate and instruct followers concerning fallen mans tendency to sin. These sins include lust, gluttony, greed, laziness, wrath, envy and pride. Despite popular culture making light of these sins, they should be taken very seriously. Pride has broken families apart, greed has torn humanity into shreds and envy keeps people from feeling the joy God has for each of us. It takes heroic virtue in most cases to overcome these. Most of us are afflicted greatly with a number of these on the list. Once you give into one of these sins, its so easy for the spirit of the others to come into your heart as well. Thankfully, we have the power to fight the seven deadly sins and live for God. Here are five ways to fight the seven deadly sins with confidence.

Accept You Cant Have Everything

You can work hard, save your money, and even buy many things you desire, but the truth is someone else will always have more to their name. We all know the Joneses. Theyre the ones who just got back from a two-week trip to Europe dragging suitcases stuffed with souvenirs. They drive their kids to private school in their new car, and every weekend, they head out of town  fashionably dressed  to eat at their favorite restaurants. They always seem to have money to do everything they want to do whenever they want to do it. No budget. No worries. Theyve got it all. Or so it seems. The truth is, they dont have everything and keeping up with Joneses isnt going to bring joy. God tells us in 1 Corinthians 13:5 that love is never jealous, and loving our neighbors is something we are called by God to do. The next time you begin feeling envious of what others have, take a close look at what God has blessed you with and say a short prayer of thanks. Ask God to change your heart and allow you to be grateful for the blessings He has bestowed upon you. Also, pray that God will help you along your journey in life.

Remember, Life isnt All About You

Your actions and priorities do affect those around you. With that in mind, know that every time you choose to be lazy instead of meeting friends you made plans with weeks in advance, you are hurting your relationship with them. When you choose to stay in your pajamas, eating playing games or watching movies all day, your relationships suffer, as does your waistline. Being lazy doesnt necessarily limit itself to refusing to attend social functions. Being lazy includes the refusal to listen when God tells you to take a few hours each week to help feed the hungry or go to the bank to get some cash to donate to a good cause. Its important that you keep yourself mentally and physically active by participating in outreach events. Pray for people in your spare time. Do Gods work and keep yourself from allowing the sin of sloth to overcome you.

Make God the Most Important Part of Your Day

If youre struggling with any of the deadly sins, its important that you pray. Communication with God is key and prayer should be a daily practice. Its easy to cast this aside. Or to tell ourselves Ill spend time with God after I do this quick other thing. Many things seem more urgent and while they may be at the top of your priority list, they are not more important than God. Spending time with God is the single-most important priority youll do each day. Your time in Scriptures and prayer should have as its goal a growing love for God.

Confess Your Sins Immediately

When you do commit one of the seven deadly sins (and you will), confess it immediately and then move on. The Bible tells us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). In a very practical sense, Gods indignation over your daily sins demonstrates His love for you. Keep short accounts with God and with others. Dont allow unconfessed sin to weigh down your life. Grace is there for that very reason (1 John 1:9). Grace allows you to move on. Keep confessing your sins; seek Gods forgiveness and cleansing daily. As the verse says, He is faithful to Himself to forgive your sins and He is just, having already made full atonement for your sins through the sacrifice of His beloved Son.

Feed Your Mind Truth

Your mind is the secret to your spiritual life. You can feed it truth to transform it. If you are trying to fight any of the seven deadly sins, meditate on these great truths:

I will always struggle with temptation and sin, but sin has no authority over my life, because Jesus has freed me from sins power to control me (Romans 6:13-14).

In my own strength, I will fail in my struggle against temptation and sin (Romans 7:14-15).

I can walk in victory to the degree that I choose to set my mind on the things of the Spirit (Romans 8:5-16).

A common misconception about the list of seven deadly sins is that they are sins that God will not forgive. The Bible is clear that the only sin God will not forgive is that of continued unbelief, because it rejects the only means to obtain forgiveness  Jesus Christ and His substitutionary death on the cross. Today, you are provided with the opportunity for self-examination and renewed repentance. Dont let these sins control your heart.

Lesli White is a graduate of Virginia Commonwealth with a Bachelors degree in Mass Communications and a concentration in print and online journalism. In college, she took a number of religious studies courses and harnessed her talent for storytelling. White has a rich faith background. Her father, a Lutheran pastor and life coach was a big influence in her faith life, helping her to see the value of sharing the message of Christ with others. She has served in the church from an early age. Some of these roles include assisting ministry, mutual ministry, worship and music ministry and church council.
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Rob Bell is a controversial figure. To some, he provides a newand more usefullens through which to view the Christian faith. To others, he embraces a wishy-washy view of the Bible that fails to commit Gods more difficult edicts.

His book, Love Wins: A book About Heaven, Hell, and the Fate of Every Person Who Ever Lived, shook the core of the Evangelical Christian worldview with its claims of universal salvation. Upon its publication, many decried Bell as a pastor whose teachings create a meaningless, watered-down version of Christianity that is more a system of ethos than a religion headed up by a supernatural deity.

It may be that a similar outcry will arise as Bells new work, What is the Bible? becomes available. Rather than focusing on issues of salvation, this book focus on how we should read the Bible, posing what Bell believes is the most important question to ask ourselves as we read: Why did people find this important to write down? This human-centered approach appears, at first, to leave God out of the picture, entirely.

But upon interviewing Bell, it becomes clear that his theology isnt the disaster the Evangelical world has made it out to be. In fact, his insights into how Christians can better read and interpret their sacred text are astute, useful, and faith-affirming.

So wherever you fall upon the spectrum of Christian beliefall the way from fundamentalist to liberalthere is something to learn from Bells thoughts. His ideas are subversive, exciting, and rather than twisting the Bible to fit our modern narrative, Bell advocates look at this sacred text exactly as its writers would have.

Read on and consider his thoughts. You may just find a few gems of wisdom, and through these, an entirely new way to read the Bible.

What was the need you perceived that inspired you to write What is the Bible?

I was in a band when I was in collegethe band broke up, and I somehow ended up giving a sermon, and I had this moment of awakening, like Im going to reclaim the sermon as an art form.

In the tradition that I came from, sermons are something that you give from the Bible. So I started reading it and I went to get a graduate degree and did all that, but I discovered that when I actually read it and studied it, people werent talking about the things that were actually happening in the pages of this ancient library.

So, this started with me, 25 years ago, getting caught up in somethinga movement, a realization that the Bible was written by a minority group of people who had been conquered by one global military superpower after another.

So these people are fundamentally suspicious of coercive military powerwhich is why so many Americans misread the Bible at a deep, deep level. When youre a citizen of a global military superpower, you may miss some of the essential themes of this book, which is about resistance to these very things.

I noticed that the more I read where this book is actually coming fromthe Old Testament is edited together in Babylon. These people have been violently yanked from their homeland and taken into exile. No wonder they tell stories about people doing violence in the name of their Godtheyre saying Do you see how completely evil this is?

A lot of the critiques about the Bible are actually completely missing the dangerous, subversive, poetic, intelligent, interesting things that are actually going on.

Maybe at some level my work has been to right some wrongs, you know what I mean? Its an injustice that people dont think about the Bible and Rage Against the Machine in the same breath. Or you think about Bernie Sanders talk about a widening gap between the rich and the pooryes, welcome to Amos. Welcome to the minor prophets.

The idea that this ancient library of books is somehow aligned with many of the things in our culture that are the exact opposite of what these writers were intending to communicate makes me upset.

This wasnt like Gee, what is the hot topic. I had been thinking it would be interesting to try writing the book on Tumblr, and writing a chapter a day. It was almost like almost like clearing RAM space in my headI had 25 years of stuff on the Bible. Like, oh yeah, the Abraham and Issac storythats actually about something else. Oh, yeahthe Jonah being swallowed by the fish. Thats actually about Nineveh and Assyria and can you forgive. These stories are about a bunch of other things that are much more interesting and pressing questions that people are asking today.

So I got about a week or two into writing this stuff on Tumblr, and the response was like nothing I had ever seenthe response was so electric. And then my publisher, right away, was like, Why dont you just do this as a book?'

So there you go!

One of the things I particularly like about What is the Bible? is the assertion that the Bible isnt so much an argument, but a record of experiences. Would you be able to talk about that idea for a moment?

Yeah, yeahits so interesting how our culture is so enslaved to binaries. Is it this or is it that? Is it right or is this wrong?

But when your friend commits suicide, youre asking a completely different set of questions. You sit in the pain of grief of pain and silence. When you lose your job, whos right and who is wrong? Whos on top, whos winning, whos losing? When you get divorced or when your kid makes a horrific decision with destructive consequences, you think about the book of Psalmsmany people would argue that the Psalms, these prayers in the middle of the Biblehalf of them are laments.

Or take the Lamentations poems. There is a book of the Bible in which God is, in many ways, on trial. Like these people, their city has been completely demolished, and theyre sitting in the ashes. Where were you? Does anything matter anymore? Is there any up and down? Let alone doubt.

Its fascinating to me at the end of the book of MatthewMatthew tells this story, post-resurrection, of Jesus meeting with his followers, and Matthew adds that some of them worshiped and some of them doubted, which is the crappiest propaganda in the history of the world. If youre trying to argue that Jesus is the Messiah or the Savior or the Son of God, why do you want us to know, at the end, that some of the people closest to him are like, Eh, I dont buy it.

This book is about doubt as much as it is about belief. Its about uncertainty just as much as it is about certainty. And then you just read it differently and it can actually speak to what life is really like, as opposed to the same old this book is an owners manual that will help you.

By the way, no one ever reads owners manuals. No one has ever been inspired by owners manuals. Even some of the images that are most often associated with the Bible are recipes for boredom.

But if you talk about what happens when people in government positions are liars, and theyre only out for their own egothis is something that comes up again and again in the Bible. How do you keep your calm when the political powers that be are corrupt to the core.

Well, now, were having a 2017 discussion, and that makes this a much more dangerous, interesting library of books.

Is your book focused more on the human than the divine?

What I wanted people to see is that any statements, assumptions, beliefs, or convictions someone has of the Bible being more than just a collection of booksyou can only get there honestly, and you have to go through the humanity of this book.

Theres sort of a standardWell, its the word of God. Why? Well, because it says it is. That, obviously, breaks down in like a thousand different ways. You have to go into the heart of the humanity, and what I wanted in this book is that I wanted to show people that if you go deep into the heart and humanity of these books, you just might see all kinds of things that inspire you and move you and make you think differently about the divine. But you will have gotten there honestly.

And so in some senses its like certain things you can only see and experience for yourselfthink about how many people grew up hearing sermons about how the Bible is the word of God, and theyre less convinced now. All that actually worked against them as opposed to just letting these storiesunleashing them and letting them run around the room.

So what youre talking about is reading the Bible like youd interpret a piece of literatureunpacking the literary devices and experiencing the lives of the people within in order to learn and grow?

In the book, I talk about reading literately, which is very different than reading it literally. Because these writers have all these different ways of communicatingso theres rants and theres poetry and theres innuendo, and theres hints, and theres letters, and theres history mixed with mythic poetic elements and there are mythic poetic elements mixed in with history.

And actually, the way that language and communication works, theres different kinds of language for different kinds of communicating. So if your car is broken, and you take it to get it fixed, and they tell you your carburetor is in a bad mood, thats not helpful. I need to know what is the name of the part, how much it costs, how soon can you replace the part?

But then, when your friend gets cancer, technical language about how theyre feeling and youre feeling and the bond that it stirs between you may fail you. Im like a 7.3 on the compassion scale today, isnt really going to be very helpful. But with I will walk with you through this valley whatever storms come our way, you immediately shift into a different kind of language.

Whats interesting in the modern world is that people are so almost enslaved to literal fact that language about soul, spirit, and heartoftentimes, people dont have much practice speaking that way, and so the Bible, then, like Shakespeare, it takes a while to get into it.

The skill of being able to take on that mode of reading is sorely needed now.

Absolutely. And whats interestingIm wondering if you agreeits interesting how the people who are the sharpest critics of the Biblemodern world, quantum physics, going to the moon, do we even need these ancient barbaric textswhen they talk about the Bible, they talk about it like third grade fundamentalists, know what I mean? Like, I could never believe in a God who slaughters a whole village.

I dont either. How are you a brilliant scientist, biologist, or television personality? Youre reading the Bible like a first grader. [Laughs] We all graduated a long time ago. Come with us.

Thats actually going back to your question about why this book. I kept noticing that some of the harshest critiques were literalist fundamentalists, just from the other sidethat both sides read the Bible the same way, and completely miss the point.

The one says that the guy was swallowed by a fishThe Bible says it, I believe it, that settles it. If you dont believe Jonah was swallowed by a fish, you have to reject the whole thing.

The other one says These idiots actually believe someone was swallowed by a fish. Can you believe that? Its 2017!

Theyre both actually literalists, and in the process, they both fail to read it as the compelling, subversive, prophetic storyhow the first audience would have heard it.

Im trying to give people a completely different way to think about and discuss this bookand enter into it.

Do you feel like theres room to read the Bible as literature and to consider the supernatural aspects as well?

Absolutely. And actually, I would say that while you should read it like literature, I dont in any way want to minimize the power of a sacred text.

You and I can read a Jane Austen novel and read it as literature and appreciate it. The power of this library is how it fits as a sacred text for literally thousands of years, and when you read this, youre reading something that literally millions of people have read. And something can happen to you simply in allowing it to work on you over the years.

And that coming to these books with an expectation that the Spirit is going to speak in some way, that youre going to hear something that transcends materialitywhat I wanted to do with this book is take people into the humanity so that they might have an experience that takes them way beyond their humanity and hopefully create the conditions where somebody could say, Oh, I can see why this is called a sacred text.

Final Thoughts

I can see why somebody would call it the Word of God. I can see why this has endured.

It is a strange thing that the idea of reading the Bible in an old way is a new idea.

Bell, in What is the Bible, advocates exactly thisthat by carefully and deeply interpreting the sacred text of Christianity as it was meant to be interpreted, Christians can better learn from it and apply it to their own lives.

Whatever you believe, there is wisdom in thisthe Bible is rife with many different forms of communication, and if we are truly dedicated, as Christians, to operating in truth, it is our responsibility to read in an honest way, without applying our own presuppositions and biases.

Do this, and you might just find out what the Bible truly is.

Wesley Baines is a graduate student at Regent University's School of Divinity, and a freelance writer working in the fields of spirituality, self-help, and religion. He is also a former editor at Beliefnet.com. You can catch more of his work at www.wesleybaines.com.
Men admitted that they would have an affair if they knew they would never get caught (74 percent) and women also admitted they would have an affair if they knew that they would never get caught (68 percent)," InfidelityFacts.com found. If you are reading this, there is a high probability that you are toying with the idea or have done the deed and were caught. For the sake of argument, let's assume that you believed that you would never get caught and now, you are busted by your significant other. What can you do? Brace yourself, you might find it really tough. If you want us to sugar coat this, it will be harder for you in the long run, because in order to come out of this with dignity and perhaps keeping your relationship intact, you need to face it. "Your mate is going to first need to process and accept that the affair has happened before any possibility of repairing the damage occurs. Keep in mind that the emotional pain you have inflicted is significant," author John D. Moore, Ph.D. wrote. Where do you begin to make an amends? Well, here are 5 things to consider on your journey back home.

Own your mistake.

Show remorse.

End the affair.

Accept the relationship could be over.

Find help from a professional.

Yeah, we heard it before, you have a reason to cheat. Relationships are tough and people really can damage each other. Maybe there was an environment for adultery. Perhaps they ignored you and were dismissive. Whatever the problem was you need to face the issues at hand. You probably don't want to be honest right now.However, the best approach is ripping off the Band-Aid. Therapist Michele Weiner-Davis explained to the Huffington Post: "Once youve admitted to cheating and you feel ready to move on, your spouse might continue to press you for answers about what happened. Be willing to rehash the details of the affair." Know that this could get ugly, but being honest about your actions is good for both of you.Showing repentance is imperative. Corinthians 7:10 explained that "For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death." Being repentant about your sin towards God and others is necessary to start the healing process. It is true that there is no sin too great that can keep you from the love of God. Confession is a powerful inner healing and cleansing tool to find forgiveness. However, your spouse will be hurt, angry, distant and might tell you that the relationship is over. This is normal as there was a breach of trust. Don't expect them to get over it too easy! Also, don't be shocked if your other relationships suffer, particularly if you have friends as a couple.We hope you know this, but you need to end your affair now. This means agreeing to cut off all contact with this person Moore shared. This means calls, texts and emails and other forms of communication. "If you are required to have contact with the person you have been sleeping with because of work related reasons, it is imperative that you keep all conversations strictly related to business." Start drafting a letter or practice how you will end the affair. No kidding, you need to practice or you might take the chance of getting sucked into the relationship again. Stand your ground and end it. There is no gray area here, either. Tell them that "This is not good for me and it was wrong."You need to face that the relationship could be over with your spouse and it may never recover. "Not every marriage touched by infidelity can or should be saved. Painful as it is, it's important to acknowledge when this is the case," MayoClinic.com, shared. This is tough, but it is a possibility that your relationship will never recover. You just started to unravel a web of lies that could potentially destroy their trust for good. Put it this way. If you feel this broken over the situation, magnify this 100 times for your partner. Even if your marriage does survive the affair, things will never be the same because you will need to start rebuilding the relationship from scratch.

Seek help from a licensed marriage counselor. Finding a therapist could help determine where to begin and what to work on as you start the journey towards recovery. Making this decision will put the affair into perspective, the Mayo Clinic explained. "It will identify issues that might have contributed to the affair, learn how to rebuild and strengthen your relationship, and avoid divorce  if that's the mutual goal." Right now you need neutral territory and an arbitrator. Being at the therapist's office can be a safe place for both of you. If you want to see a spiritual leader, who has training with counseling, this could be an additional option. Seek help individually from people that you trust and by seeing a therapist on your own. If you both want to move forward, understand that this will not be an easy process.

Cheating is never the answer in solving problems within a marriage, but you can't undo the past. Now you need to move forward and take the next steps to resolve the pain. Being caught in an affair forced you to come out of the dark and out from living a double life. Make the choice to experience the freedom from the lies and the deceit. Many people have kept their marriages alive after an affair. You can be a success story by reaching out and facing your mate with sensitivity and with determination.

Corine Gatti-Santillo is a freelance digital journalist, editor, and content producer. She is also the The Christian Post Voices Editor. She is also a former editor at Beliefnet.com.
The parents of Siti Noor Aishah Atam Jusoh, Atam Jusoh (left) and Saadiah Ibrahim are pictured at the offices of a Malaysian human rights NGO Suaram office, in Kuala Lumpur, April 2017.

Updated at 8:16 a.m. ET on 2017-04-27

A Malaysian court convicted and sentenced a former postgraduate student of religion to five years in prison Wednesday on charges of possessing books allegedly promoting the ideology of extremist groups, including Islamic State and al-Qaeda.

The Kuala Lumpur High Court ruled the sentence for defendant Siti Noor Aishah Atam Jusoh be back-dated to her arrest in March 2016 and the 12 books in her possession be destroyed.

Im not good at commenting on the decision but will file an appeal within 14 days, Atam Jusoh, the father of the 30-year-old defendant, told BenarNews.

In sentencing Siti Noor Aishah, a former postgraduate student of Islamic studies at University Malaya, one of Malaysias top universities, the judge argued it was unreasonable for the defendant to make the case the books were for her academic research.

You claimed the books were for your thesis but you never even registered the thesis title, High Court Judicial Commissioner Mohamad Shariff Abu Samah said.

This did not make sense at all. You have not been able to prove your seriousness in going through with the course.

The judge told Siti Aishah to repent.

Terrorism is a serious crime that is also deplorable. We cannot compromise on this matter, the court views it very seriously, the judge added.

Siti Aishah was sentenced a day after the high court sent Azizi Abdullah, a 21-year-old shop assistant, to prison for 13 years for possessing pro-IS materials on his mobile phone and posting messages on social media endorsing terrorist acts.

Since 2013, Malaysian authorities have arrested at least 294 people suspected of having links to IS alone, of whom 66 have since been freed, according to government figures obtained by BenarNews.

A bright future

Siti Noor Aishah was convicted under Section 130JB of Malaysias Penal Code and the Security Offenses Act (Special Measures) 2012 (Sosma) for possessing items or materials associated with terrorist organizations.

She was represented by attorney Mohd Kamaruzaman A. Wahab while Deputy Public Prosecutor Ahmad Nazneen Zulkifli argued the case on behalf of the people.

Previously, Kamaruzaman had asked for lenient sentence for his client because she is still young.

Siti Aishah has a bright future. She has now repented. She bought the books because she loves reading, and before the books were banned by the Home Ministry, the lawyer had said.

Ahmad Nazneen pressed for a tougher sentence, arguing that Siti Aishah and others who support militant groups needed to learn a lesson. The maximum sentence that the defendant faced was seven years.

The books that got her into trouble with the authorities included titles such as Al-Zarqawi  al-Qaedas Second Generation, Political Vision of the Jihad Movement, and From Osama to Activists at-Large.

Since her arrest, Siti Aishah was suspended from Universiti Malaya and later expelled for failure to attend classes.

In September 2016, she was acquitted of the charges at the same court. However, on the same day, she was rearrested and detained for 60 days under a different law, the Prevention of Crime Act (POCA).

Upon her release, she was placed under house arrest and fitted with an electronic monitoring device.

A higher court, Court of Appeal then ordered Siti Aishah to enter her defense. On March 29, she was arrested under the Security Offenses (Special Measures) Act 2012 (SOSMA) and placed in Kajang prison.

A fathers agony

After she was arrested the second time, her father held a press conference at the houses of parliament, where he made a plea for his daughters release.

The 61-year-old said his daughter had merely been instructed by one of her lecturers to do research on the books that led to her arrest.

I'm disappointed with what has happened to my daughter. I urge the authorities to release her immediately so that she can continue her studies further, Atam said, sobbing, according to local reports.

Civil society activists and opposition lawmakers have come to Siti Aishahs defense, holding candlelight vigils outside Kajang Prison and calling on the Home Ministry to release her.
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LEGISLATIVE ATTACKS ON THE ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT DURING THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION

Since the 115th Congress was sworn in on January 3, 2017, it has already seen the introduction of at least 75 legislative attacks seeking to strip federal protections from specific species or undercut the Endangered Species Act. These attacks built on 303 pieces of legislation from previous Congresses that also attempted to weaken the Act. Since 1996 there have been a total of 378 bills introduced seeking to dismantle critical species protections, the majority of which 308 having been introduced since 2011, when the Republican Party took control of the House of Representatives. And with Donald Trump in the White House, these types of attacks are more likely to become law, severely harming our nation's imperiled wildlife.

Click here to show a full list of attacks on the Endangered Species Act between 1996 and present .
For Immediate Release, April 26, 2017 Contact: Randi Spivak, (310) 779-4894, rspivak@biologicaldiversity.org Trump Takes First Step Toward Dismantling 1 Billion Acres of National Monuments California, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada Have Most Public Lands at Stake WASHINGTON President Trump today launched a new attack on 27 national monuments around the country  more than 1 billion acres of natural and cultural wonders on public lands and oceans that have been protected by presidents of both political parties. Trump's executive order directs the Department of the Interior to review the designation of every monument larger than 100,000 acres protected since 1996. The initiative is widely expected to trigger dramatic changes in protections or boundaries for monuments to accommodate special interests like coal, oil, gas and logging industries. There are 27 national monuments now at risk, from Grand Staircase-Escalante and Bears Ears national monuments in Utah to vast ocean areas in the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. California, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico and Nevada have the most national monument acreage in the country under threat. (See a state-by-state list of the national monuments threatened by Trump's order.) Trump and the anti-public-lands zealots in Congress are plotting to destroy some of the country's most stunning landscapes and cultural treasures, said Randi Spivak, director of the Center for Biological Diversity's public lands program. They couldn't care less how much Americans treasure these iconic places. Their goal is to hand our public lands over to corporations to mine, frack, bulldoze and clear-cut till there's nothing left to dig up. National monument designations have protected some of the most iconic places in the country. Dozens of the nation's most treasured national parks were first protected as monuments, including Grand Teton, Grand Canyon, Bryce, Zion, Acadia and Olympic national parks. These monuments were protected by presidents from both parties for good reason, Spivak said. Their natural beauty and scientific and cultural importance is indisputable, but Trump and his corporate friends claim to know better. Sadly it's just their greed talking. In August 2016 President Obama created the largest ecologically protected area on the planet, the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument, on 582,578 square miles off northwestern Hawaii, with coral reefs that are home to more than 7,000 marine species. The action expanded a monument originally created on 140,000 square miles in 2006 by President George W. Bush. Obama also created the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument, an area the size of Connecticut off the coast of Cape Cod  the first such protection in the Atlantic. The monuments were created using executive powers under the 1906 Antiquities Act, which is intended to protect culturally or environmentally significant lands and waters from development and exploitation. Marine national monuments generally include bans on oil and gas exploration and drilling and commercial fishing operations, although Obama made some exceptions, such as the lobster fishery in the Atlantic. Americans know and cherish these monuments. And they recognize corporate greed when they see it, Spivak said. Trump won't seize these public lands without a fight.
For Immediate Release, April 26, 2017

Contact: Chad Tudenggongbu, (917) 558-0849, ctudenggongbu@biologicaldiversity.org

Public Records Sought on Trump Communications Over Renewable Energy Censorship

WASHINGTON The Center for Biological Diversity filed a Freedom of Information Act request Tuesday demanding records relating to the Trump administration's attempts to stall renewable power growth to benefit energy companies reliant on coal and other fossil fuels.

The filing requested communications between the Department of the Energy, Office of Management and Budget and fossil fuel representatives. In the request the Center demanded records of any directives and instructions to remove mentions of renewable energy from formal agency communications.

Energy Secretary Rick Perry on April 14 called for a study of the United States' energy grid in a departmental memo, which spurred the Center's action. The 60-day study ordered by Perry supposedly seeks to determine if policies and subsidies enacted by President Obama and previous administrations to promote renewable power are leading to the retirement of fossil fuel energy sources.

These public records will shed light on the Trump administration's desire to kowtow to big polluters and appease coal companies, said Chad Tudenggongbu, a senior renewable energy campaigner at the Center. Secretary Perry's grid study is a thinly veiled attempt to keep dirty and dying power sources on life support by pointing the blame at renewable energy.

Perry's comments indicated a desire to ensure grid reliability by protecting baseload power sources, specifically coal and nuclear power. Renewable energy sources like solar enhance grid security and reliability by bringing energy supply closer to the load, diversifying energy portfolio mix and enabling energy technology innovations necessary for the long-term sustainability of electric service, but they were absent from the secretary's comments.

Perry claims he wants to ensure a stable power grid, but he's actually trying to hamper the development of a growing clean energy resource for the sake of an outdated one, said Tudenggongbu. Distributed renewable power is one of the most promising paths to a diversified, healthy and affordable energy economy.

Download today's requests here and here.

The Center for Biological Diversity is a national, nonprofit conservation organization with more than 1.2 million members and online activists dedicated to the protection of endangered species and wild places.
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
I had been walking with my new friend Alexander Kalchev through Chinatown in San Francisco. I had visited these streets before in my head.

As a young man I used to read Kerouac on the Greyhound bus between Durban and Johannesburg in South Africa trying to make being broke a romantic pursuit. Today, I was visiting Beatnik Central. We stumbled onto the City Lights Bookstore where Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg and all the others had spent a lot of time.

It is a strange feeling when you see something for real thats been in your head for years. There are little gems you find in reality. Hidden details that fill in gaps or give you new insight into the stories you have read. Direct experience. There was a time where we got our inspiration from going out there and finding stories, ideas and things. Today, of course those things come to us. They are piped in. The information comes to us on a screen but I am not sure the experience does. And the reason that is important is that information needs experience to become a story. Experience interprets information. Experience transforms information.

We walked down the road and we found the American Zoetrope Building. The Godfather and Apocalypse Now were edited there.

I looked at the building with its bright green facade created by time. I saw a younger George Lucas drinking coffee on the street and Francis Ford Coppola with a half-smoked cigar in his mouth looking out of one of the windows with a very harassed editor behind him drowning in the pieces of Apocalypse Now still to be edited. The place and the building had given me a feeling. A feeling I would not have had if I had just Googled the address. A feeling and a story that information alone would not have supplied. The direct experience of things, it would seem, has a strange side-effect: Inspiration.

Inspiration was something I had experienced the day before. Keith Reinhard is chairman emeritus of DDB and has been in advertising for six decades. Lets just say he has forgotten stuff you will never know. He had been kind enough to come and speak to a few of us about advertising and his journey through it. There was a joy in his stories and I found his talk really inspirational. And, I believe I felt the way I did because I was in the same room as him. If I had watched him on a screen I would not have experienced his gentle warmth, intelligence and sense of humour. I got a sense of him as a person and that made what he said better.

Inspiration and direct experience of life are vital ingredients for creativity. We need both to do anything interesting. Advertising is taking these qualities for granted. Without them, you will reach the sea of sameness very quickly.

Fortunately, over a two-day period I was given two very large doses to point me in the right direction. First from a great man who had better stories than me. Second from a great place that had better stories than me. And now, their stories have become my story.

The lesson I learned from San Francisco and Keith Reinhard is that being there is everything. It is how inspiration happens. Thats how stories begin. The postcard is never the place.

Its a lesson our business should never forget.

Experience is simply the name we give our mistakes.  Oscar Wilde.

Maybe thats what life is a wink of the eye and winking stars.  Jack Kerouac.
HARGEISA, Somaliland: Innovate Ventures is re-running its successful tech startup accelerator for Somali startups, The Innovate Accelerator, to support and invest in the next wave of tech startups in Somaliland and Somalia.

HONGQI ZHANG via 123RF

Launched in partnership with VC4A, Telesom and Oxfam, as part of the Work in Progress! project, Innovate Accelerator saw over 180 applications submitted for last years inaugural cohort. This year the accelerator has promised to be bigger and better with the programme extended to 12 weeks and the top three startups from the 2017 cohort receiving up to $15,000 in investment from Innovate Ventures Fund.

Accelerator

Applications will be accepted online from startups based in Somaliland or Somalia and founded by entrepreneurs under the age of 35. Initially, 12 to 15 startups will be selected for a one week long bootcamp based on the potential of the team, the scalability and commercial viability of the product or service espoused, and the traction attained to-date.

From these startups 10 will be selected for the Innovate Accelerator programme and will receive mentoring and training on how to build a commercially viable and scalable technology business. The startups will also receive introductions to leading companies and investors in the Somali region.

Demo day

The accelerator programme will culminate in a Demo Day where last years graduates have received investment and clients. The top three startups will receive a total of $15,000 in equity investment from the Innovate Ventures Fund.

Building on our previous success in supporting businesses in Somaliland and Somalia, this accelerator programme is intended to help further grow the tech scene and provide startups the mentoring and investment they need., says Dr Abdigani Diriye, director of Innovate Ventures.

Alina Vinogradova, head of programs and partnerships at VC4A, adds: A program like this was much needed to jump start local tech startup scene and to put Somaliland on the map as a possible destination for angel investment. Relatively small seed rounds go a long way here  we hope for Somali diaspora to step in and close the funding gap for entrepreneurial youths.

Applications

The Innovate Accelerator has opened applications and will close on 30 June 2017. The next two months will see workshops and info sessions being run for startups, investors and potential applicants held jointly by VC4A and Innovate Ventures as part of their roadshow in Somaliland.

Startups can apply for the Innovate Accelerator programme via the online application form here.
API Events has launched African Property Skyline magazine. The publication covers real estate investment and development on the continent.

Africa Property Skyline magazine is in line with our mission to enhance and encourage real estate investment in Africa, says Kfir Rusin, API Events, managing director.

Launched at the recently held East Africa Property Investment Summit in Nairobi, the first edition is available online at www.AfricanSkylineMag.com, the cover of which features the new World Trade Centre in Abuja. We also take a look at both the funding and valuation climates in African property, and we delve into the details of new asset classes like healthcare facilities, as well as the challenges faced in quantity surveying and cost management on the continent, Rusin adds.
After the court declared the 2011 Amendment Regulations defining the scope of practice of psychologists invalid, it also granted a 24-month suspension to allow the minister of health, the Health Professions Council of South Africa and the Professional Board for Psychology (PBP) an opportunity to promulgate the regulations defining the scope of practice properly.

The PBP is actively working to meet the deadline stipulated by the High Court. A lot of work has been done by the PBP to redefine the regulations defining the scope of practice.

In 2012, the PBP constituted a Scope Task Team which finalised its duties at the end of 2016. Its mandate was to:

define the framework for the changes to the scope of practice; research best practices (in line with international standards); define the need and motivation for the changes to the scope of practice; the scope of the profession and the scope of practice to be contextualised; conduct a national survey on current practices; study current and previous input and use of terminology in the documentation (intermediary, psycho-legal and forensic psychology); and ensure that it addresses the national needs of the country in terms of HR resources, the NHI and other legislative frameworks.

The PBP constituted a promulgation of regulation working group in March 2017, consisting of PBP members and non-PBP members who would prepare the submission of the scope of practice to the minister of health. The Working Group has already commenced with its duties, which are to:

review the judgement of the High Court case; review the regulations defining the scope of the profession and the scope of practice in consultation with stakeholders; and finalise regulations defining the scope of practice for promulgation.

Stakeholder engagements will take place in the month of May, June and July 2017.

Professionals will be invited to submit in writing their inputs regarding the scope of practice for consideration. Professional associations/ interest groups will be provided an opportunity to address PBP members face-to-face.
Retail-focused real estate investment trust Rebosis Property Fund is well positioned to excel in a low-growth economy, says its chief operating officer Andile Mazwai.

Speaking on the sidelines of the function for the release of its financial results for the six months to February, Mazwai said the company had managed to build a defensive portfolio of shopping centres and state-tenanted offices that enabled it to achieve 7% dividend growth.

Rebosis concluded a transaction valued at R5bn, acquiring two large regional malls - Baywest Mall in Port Elizabeth and Forest Hill in Pretoria - and internalised its asset and property management entities.

The group declared a dividend of 60.08c per share for the period that reflected 7.07% dividend growth. This was in line with the 7%-9% guidance expected for the financial year.

Total distributable income increased 32.7% to R389m from R293m. Following various acquisitions, assets under management rose 51% from R11.8bn to R17.9bn.

Rebosis' retail portfolio makes up 62% of its South African assets and consists of six shopping malls.

"We saw strong retail performance despite a depressed retail sales environment.

"This performance was largely led by Baywest Mall, which held the highest trading density growth at 11.6%, and Bloed Street Mall."

Retail vacancies were reduced to 1.5%, Mazwai said.

Rebosis' office portfolio consists of 14 buildings, mainly single-tenanted buildings let to the Department of Public Works that have provided average escalations of 8.2%.

CEO Sisa Ngebulana said Rebosis had taken steps to safeguard itself against risks associated with weak consumer confidence and a sluggish economy.

"We achieved exciting growth in total assets and income during the six-month period. We were also able to hedge 100% of our debt and extend debt maturity profiles to mitigate potential risks that arise as a result of a market downgrade and low economic growth. To have achieved a 38% increase in net property income while reducing overall vacancies to 2.4% bears testament to our defensive office-sovereign underpin and the dominant retail strength in the portfolio, which we believe will continue to perform well in a sluggish economic environment."

Garreth Elston of Golden Section Capital said Rebosis' strong management had put it on a positive track.

"Rebosis has made substantial progress on advancing the business. This set of interim results is a solid indication that the company is on the right track. Having 62.3% of the portfolio in retail assets and 36.6% in government-tenanted offices, plus 100% of its debt fixed does result in a very defensive portfolio that should see the company weather the current economic uncertainty.

"The only area we are a little concerned about is the company's present loan-to-value (LTV) ratio of 41.8% as we believe it is tending towards the higher end, but the company does have several properties up for sale which if concluded should see the LTV ratio come down to a more prudent level," he said.

Source: Business Day
Aliko Dangote and Bill Gates. Source: Premium Times Nigeria

This week, more than 138,000 vaccinators will fan out across five African countries in the Lake Chad area in a push to eliminate polio in Africa and rid the world of this terrible disease forever.

They will take boats across fast-flowing rivers, ride jeeps along sandy ravines, walk crowded street in towns and cities and navigate cramped quarters of refugee camps to ensure that every child is immunised. Travelling for hours a day, these dedicated women and men will visit children in homes, schools, train stations, and transit points across Nigeria, Niger, Chad, Cameroon, and the Central African Republic.

This also marks World Immunisation Week, a coordinated effort to make sure that people everywhere understand the importance of getting immunised to protect against vaccine-preventable diseases.

Tackling polio

And by coincidence, it was almost seven years ago that the two of us first met in a hotel conference room in Abuja, Nigerias capital. We were there as part of a diverse grouppublic officials, religious leaders, business people, polio survivors, and journaliststo discuss how we could work together to stop polio in Nigeria.

At the time, Nigeria had done an amazing job tackling polioreducing reported cases by 95% in just one year. But it was still circulating in six Nigerian states. While 95% might seem like success, as long as a single child remains infected, children across Africa and around the world are at risk.

Thanks to the effort of so many, Nigerias Borno State is now the only place in Africa today where polio is still circulating. It will take ingenuity to end polio there, and it will take persistence to continue reaching children in the surrounding area with vaccines to protect them from the disease until it is eradicated.

But were confident it can be done. And when that happens, Africa will celebrate one of the biggest victories ever in public health.

Since our first meeting in 2010, the two of us have worked together on a range of other projects to help improve health in Nigeria and across Africa.

Emergency operations centres and Ebola

We supported the establishment of emergency operations centres in Nigeria and other countries to keep polio from spreading. This turned out to be a blessing during the 2014 Ebola outbreak in West Africa. When the disease first appeared in Nigeriaan international travel hub that is home to more than 180m peoplethe staff of an emergency operations centre set up in Lagos jumped into action and stopped the disease in its tracks. Its almost unimaginable to think what would have happened without them.

Breaking the cycle of poverty and disease

In the state of Kano, we are working with the government to ensure that children can get essential childhood immunisations against tetanus, pneumonia, liver cancer and measles. And when parents bring their children into a clinic for vaccinations, health workers can address other health issues, too, like nutrition, care for pregnant mothers and newborns and malaria prevention and treatment. We have since widened the programme to several other states.

Vaccines are also one of the best tools to save lives in an epidemic, such as the meningitis C outbreak happening now in Nigeria and other West African countries.

And because of the devastating impact malnutrition has on Nigerias children  leading to 300,000 deaths annually and causing stunted growth and development in millions more  we have expanded our partnership to include nutrition programmes across 12 states.

Earlier this year, we also helped launch the End Malaria Council, a group of influential public and private sector leaders committed to ensuring that malaria eradication remains a top global priority.

Underlying all these efforts is our belief that strengthening health systems is the key to breaking the cycle of extreme poverty and diseaseand kick-starting a virtuous cycle of health, productivity, and prosperity.

Lessons learned

In our work together, we have learned a few important lessons.

First, improving the health of communities depends on a successful partnership between government, communities, religious and business leaders, volunteers, and NGOs. This ensures that everyone is rowing in the same direction. And it is essential to building trust so parents have the confidence that vaccines are safe and will protect their children from life-threatening diseases.

Second, we must keep innovating to speed up progress. This month, for example, vaccinators will test a new vaccine carrier that keeps the temperature of vaccines stable for up to five days, even in blistering heat. This breakthrough will enable vaccinators to finally reach children in extremely remote areas with life-saving vaccines.

Last, accurate and reliable data is central to any effort to improve health. Data can tell a health officer which communities are running low on vaccine supplies, where there are gaps in vaccination coverage, and which new mothers need reminders to take their babies to the health clinic to be immunised.

Working together

An Africa without polio is within reach. So is the vision of getting life-saving vaccines to every child. Success will generate more enthusiasm and support from across different sectors  government, business, civil society, the media  to tackle other killer diseases and the underlying conditions that affect peoples health, including fixing broken health systems.

We know that strengthening health systems takes time and diligence. We are optimistic that Africa can achieve the future it aspires to. That future depends on people working togetheracross national borders and across socioeconomic stratato build the better world we all want.
In order to drive conversations on land reform in South Africa, the Vumelana Advisory Fund (Vumelana) recently hosted the second of a series of roundtable discussions which focused on partnerships for land reform as well as the role of the private sector and other stakeholders in fulfilling the targets of the National Development Plan (NDP) in the land reform programme.

Peter Setou, chief executive (CE) of Vumelana, a non-profit organisation, said, These discussions are not just another policy debate about what is wrong; we are bringing together industry leaders to provide practical insights that will help in the implementation of the policies that have already been put in place. We have the right plans in place, we have the right policies in place, but not all stakeholders have come to the party to ensure that these policies and plans are taken to the ground to achieve the desired results.

From left: Annelize Crosby (Policy Advisor on land reform, Agri SA), Anwhar Madhanpall (General Manager, South African Sugar Association), Hezekiel Nkosi (Chairman, Moletele Communal Property Association), Mazwi Mkhulisi (Programmes Manager, Vumelana Advisory Fund) and Nomfundo Ntloko-Gobodo (Chief Land Claims Commissioner, Commission on Restitution of Land Rights)

Land reform within the context of the NDP

Land reform within the context of the NDP aims to ensure that agricultural development and subsequent inclusive rural economic growth are achieved through the land reform process and that rural areas are integrated into the mainstream economy through agriculture.

Furthermore, the NDP acknowledges the important role of various models of land acquisition and redistribution to resolve the slow pace of land reform and the lack of successful implementation of policy at local level.

The NDP vision is that by 2030 we have integrated and included rural areas where residents are economically active and have food security, access to basic services, healthcare, and quality education. To achieve this, we require leadership in land reform, communal tenure security, and infrastructure and financial and technical support to farmers.

An integrated and inclusive approach to partnerships

Setou highlights that to achieve an integrated and inclusive rural economy, an integrated and inclusive approach to partnerships involving investors and operators with access to financial and other markets is required. Private capital and new land participants must be brought into the process to enable the mobilisation of resources and ensure sustainable benefits for land reform beneficiaries. With under 13 years to go until 2030, a more aggressive approach to partnerships must be taken to help the government to effectively implement current land reform policies, all parties must come on board - private sector, government and non-governmental organisations alike.

According to the NDP, agriculture has the potential to expand and create an additional one million jobs. While some progress has been made in the land reform programme, research findings show that a lot more needs to be done. Industry research shows that to date only eight million hectares of arable land have been transferred to black people, which is only 9.8% of the 82 million hectares of arable land in South Africa. It also shows that there has also been a 19% decline in households involved in agriculture, from 2.9 million households in 2011 to 2.3 million in 2016.

Mazwi Mkhulisi, programmes manager of Vumelana, said, Community private partnerships (CPPs) present a plausible solution to addressing some of the current challenges in land reform. Community private partnerships are those that are established between private parties and communities that acquire access to land under the land reform programme. Typically, the communities bring their land and labour and the private partner brings capital and skills to the partnership. The role of collaborations with industry players cannot be underestimated.

CPPs differ from management agreements insofar as the partners share the risks and the rewards. They also differ from typical joint ventures that demand 50:50 shareholding and risk-taking. CPPs are based on an assumption that the partners are unlikely to be equally capable of carrying risk and that the balance of risks, resources and rewards must be negotiated in the context of the particular circumstances of each case. CPP contracts are structured to ensure that the partners are able to meet their obligations and exercise their rights in a manner that supports the profitable operation of the business venture they enter into.

Mkhulisi argues that the adoption of the CPP programme provides an opportunity for the exploration of a different approach to land reform within the framework and in line with the recommendations of the NDP, to work towards achieving the targets that have been set out in the NDP.

Partnerships are probably the only way we can achieve sustainable land reform in this country because neither the government nor the private sector can do it on their own.

Financing in land reform is critical

According to Annelize Crosby, Agri SA policy advisor on land reform, partnerships are probably the only way we can achieve sustainable land reform in this country because neither the government nor the private sector can do it on their own. Financing, social facilitation, and management of expectations are some of the key elements in the partnership relationship.

The biggest role we can play in making land reform sustainable is ensuring that beneficiaries are part of the full value chain, said Crosby. She highlighted that financing in land reform is critical, and remains a big challenge, as it is one of the things that still have not been sorted out. One way to address that would be through a special purpose vehicle instrument to help facilitate financing and development. Often some kind of a referee is necessary for the land reform relationship

The issue of trust

Chief Land Claims Commissioner Nomfundo Ntloko-Gobodo of the Commission on Restitution of Land Rights said, One of the lessons that continue to come out in land reform relationships is the issue of trust. In the entire relationship cycle, communities must trust the government and the private partners with whom they form relationships, and thats the aspect that takes a longer time than anything else.

Previously we had challenges with private sector partners who partnered with communities with other agendas, for a quick fix and personal benefits and thought the process would be a mere hit and run. These people complicated the development dynamics.

We are at a stage where we are seeking partners who understand the trust value that is needed by communities. We want to create sustainable partnerships with partners who will provide expertise that will take the land reform programme to the next level.

Forming sustainable, long term relationships

Ntlok-Gobodo said, Land reform is the responsibility of all of us as South Africans, therefore each sector has to identify its niche and expertise and bring those skills to the table for sustainability of all land reform projects to contribute towards the meaningful transformation of our country.

Land reform is a heart matter and not a head matter because a lot has happened in this country and we need to redress, in the right manner, with the right partners who have the right attitude and agenda. If we get that right, we cannot go wrong.

We want partners who will be in the relationship for the long run because land reform is not going to be a project that ends in 2030 or just a quick fix. It is going to be around for a very long time and will continue to affect the next generation into the future, said Gobodo.

Evolving and adapting different models to meet the needs of the community

Speaking at the session, Anwhar Madhanpall of the South African Sugar Association highlighted that the South African sugar industry is the largest agricultural employer, representing direct employment of approximately 85,000 jobs, and indirect employment of an additional 350,000 jobs. This represents 11% of the total agricultural workforce in the country. Furthermore, approximately one million people, more than 2% of South Africas population, depend on the sugar industry for a living.

He noted that SASA has a number of projects from which learnings on partnerships can be drawn, including governance models to help build the capacity of leadership within CPAs to equip them with the necessary knowledge they need to run sustainable CPAs. In order to achieve transformation in land reform, we have to consistently evolve and adapt different models to the needs of the community at the time, in order to adequately address their needs. Everything that we do in this space must be in the best interest of the community, said Madhanpall.

Considerations that explore and enhance what has worked to date within land reform have the potential to assist in ensuring a successful and sustainable land reform programme for the future.

Information sharing and a hands-on-approach necessary

As one of the CPAs that have benefitted from Vumelanas support, Hezekiel Nkosi of the Moletele Communal Property Association shared some of his experiences as a beneficiary of the land reform programme. He highlighted that while the Moletele CPA is doing well in its partnership relationships, continuous learning about the industry and business of agriculture; as well as taking a hands-on approach in the process, is necessary to sustain the partnership, with trust being the key driver of the success of the relationship. He highlighted that there needs to be a lot of information sharing with the community in order to create an understanding of what land ownership is about; this way, we will also effectively manage perceptions.

It is not only about more policies that we need to make a difference, we have to vigorously implement the current policies. What we need are practical and implementable solutions where all relevant parties are brought together to balance out the imbalances of the past. While the government can only do so much, it is time that the private sector really comes to the party too. Considerations that explore and enhance what has worked to date within land reform have the potential to assist in ensuring a successful and sustainable land reform programme for the future, he said in closing.
Counterfeit goods and drugs worth over R8.3 million were seized by the South African Revenue Service (SARS) during raids at OR Tambo International Airport.

The drugs and the counterfeit goods, with a combined weight of 1,998kg, were seized at OR Tambo International Airport over the weekend.

With an estimated value of more than R8.3 million, the goods were uncovered during raids of various cargo sheds at the airport. Customs officials opened various consignments from Hong Kong, destined for different suburban addresses in Gauteng, said SARS in a statement on Tuesday, 25 April 2017.

Cell phones, sneakers, shirts, tracksuit tops and high quality label goods were discovered in three separate incidents at various airline cargo sheds. These included 13 consignments of a leading fashion brand weighing 775kg, estimated at R3,240,000.

In another incident over the weekend, the Customs Detector Dog Unit intercepted a female passenger from Sao Paolo in possession of 6.945kg of cocaine worth R1,998,000 in her luggage.

The bag contained several packages labelled Brazilian coffee.

Upon closer inspection, some packages were filled with a substance that tested positively for cocaine after a detector dog reacted positively to it, SARS said.
Mixing business and leisure travel, also known as 'bleisure' travel, has become a widely recognised phenomenon. The trend, says Bill Rawson, chairman of the Rawson Property Group, "has created some exciting opportunities in the short term rental space".

Its very encouraging for property investors who know what to look out for and understand bleisure travellers preferences and needs.

According to surveys conducted by international travel management company, Carlson Wagonlit Travel, the typical 'bleisure' traveller is young (under 35), female, and coming from another country or continent. They are infrequent travellers and most likely to be found in urban destinations.

Looking at these statistics, its not surprising that most bleisure travellers are choosing short-term rentals over more traditional hotel accommodation, says Rawson. Platforms like Airbnb are proof of the growing popularity of apartment and home-stays with younger travellers, and the relative affordability of this type of accommodation is a big factor for employees tacking on some personal time to an otherwise all-expenses-paid business trip. Its also much easier to bring a friend, partner or spouse along if youre not paying per person.

Importance of location

Location also plays an important role for 'bleisure' travellers who need to balance access to local business districts with proximity to night-life and tourist hot spots. Rental apartments are often better located for this blend of business and leisure than hotels catering to typical corporates.

When it comes to location, were very lucky here in South Africa, says Rawson. On the business side of things, were a well-recognised commercial and conferencing destination, and a gateway into the rest of Africas emerging markets. That means we have a lot of international business people visiting our shores.

On the leisure level, we are arguably even luckier - South Africa is one of the top tourist destinations in the world, and our exchange rate makes us very affordable for young, international visitors. Add to that the fact that many of our major cities CBDs overlap significantly with social and nightlife scenes, and its easy to see why were such a perfect fit for bleisure travel.

Rawson advises investors looking to capitalise on the bleisure market to look for some specific features in potential buy-to-let properties.

Keep it clean and modern

The key is low-maintenance comfort in a central area with good access to popular business and social centres, he says. Keep finishes and decor clean and modern and try to keep clutter to a minimum, but dont create a totally sterile environment devoid of all personality. Bleisurers are young and trendy  they dont want to feel like theyre in just another boring hotel room.

Size-wise, studio and one-bedroom apartments seem to be the most popular  unsurprising given that 'bleisurers' tend to travel either on their own or with a tag-along partner or spouse. Self-catering facilities are beneficial, but dont have to be extensive.

Security can also be a concern for bleisure travellers who have been warned about South Africas relatively high crime rates, Rawson adds. Apartment blocks and complexes with access control and 24/7 security are great at alleviating these fears.

The right property, says Rawson, will not only provide excellent rental returns, but also appreciate significantly over time, making it an ideal investment.

I think we have yet to see the full potential of the bleisure market, he says. People are putting a lot more emphasis on work-life balance, seeing the world, and making the most of opportunities as they present themselves. Bleisure travel is the perfect combination of all three.
At the recent SAPOA Meet the Mayor Dinner held in Tshwane, executive mayor of the city Councillor Solly Msimanga engaged with SAPOA board members, senior executives and captains of industry. "The capital city is opened for business!" were his opening words to those in attendance.

L-R: Councillor Solly Msimanga, executive mayor of the City of Tshwane; SAPOA president Nomzamo Radebe; Neil Gopal, SAPOA CEO

The initiative, which is one of SAPOAs key endeavors to strengthen partnerships, dialogues and collaboration between the commercial property sector and government, was attended by SAPOA president Nomzamo Radebe, SAPOA CEO Neil Gopal, SAPOA board members and representatives from the City of Tshwane, among other key government and property stakeholders.

Intergovernmental relations

During her welcoming address, Radebe highlighted the importance of such events to an industry body such as SAPOA. A key issue for us as SAPOA and business is the issue of intergovernmental relations. We acknowledge that mutually beneficial partnerships and a joint working relationship with government is at times fraught with challenges that could be avoided through better understanding. The reality is that we are inseparable and we have to work together, she said.

She further pointed out that as the urban conversation advances between SAPOA, the property industry at large and government, South African cities would begin to progress and evolve to compete on a global scale. Cities and how they are governed and managed must be at the heart of the national economic jobs and growth debate if we are to have any hope of reaching an employment target. The ongoing concerns from both the private and public sector surrounding challenges that we both face requires that both parties become more actively involved with each other. We need to engage in meaningful dialogue and work together to improve business and the infrastructure in South Africa.

Rebuilding the capital city

Top on the list of priorities for the executive mayor is to ensure that the capital city succeeds by getting the basics right. "Last year, we tried as hard as we could to do the basics right. Running water, electricity, cleanliness and safety have been a top priority for us, whilst trying to rebuild the capital city to become an attractive destination for investment."

The executive mayor acknowledged that the work that he and his MMC team have done, and the work that still lies further ahead, encouraged SAPOA and captains of industry to partner with the city for growth. "It is important for us, as government, to partner with the industry to ensure that this city is able to generate as much revenue as it possibly can and that we are able to invest into the city to make it what we know that it can be. We are hoping that you will join us in building the capital city into a world class city. In that, we can ensure that your businesses will endure and grow, because that will be the only way that we will be able to succeed as partners going forward," he said.
Hleze Kunju has been hailed for breaking barriers in academia after becoming the first person at Rhodes University in the Eastern Cape to write a PhD in his mother tongue.

Kunju, 31, who is an isiXhosa lecturer at the Sol Plaatje University in the Northern Cape, wrote his four-year-long PhD about the Xhosa people who settled in Mbembesi, about 45km outside Bulawayo in Zimbabwe.

Kunju said: "I did this as part of transformation and decolonisation of education. Our parents often encourage us to learn in English but we need to change that so we use our own language. I wrote the PhD in Xhosa because I wanted my work to be accessible to the people about whom I wrote."

In his work, Kunju looked at the cultural and linguistic aspects of Xhosa people.

"This achievement is not for me but the Xhosa people and I want to be remembered not as the first person to do this but rather the one who encouraged others to produce academia in their own languages."

Writing in his mother tongue was not easy as there was little literature in Xhosa and he had to translate the material.

Source: The Times
This year, the CEO SleepOut will be the SheEO SleepOut, with only women leaders spending the night on the lawns of the Union Buildings in Pretoria, the venue for this year's event which will take place 22 June.

This signals a new chapter in the CEO SleepOut brand that is also a world first. The venue is also fitting, as this is where the historic Womens March took place to the then-Apartheid seat of government in protest against the carrying of passes.

The MEC for the Gauteng education department, Panyaza Lesufi, introduces the new brand ambassadors for this year's Schools SleepOut.

CEO SleepOut brand ambassador and MC at an event that launched the idea of the SHeEO held at the Zone in Rosebank, Leanne Manas, says this is an opportunity for female leaders to showcase themselves, as well as for male leaders to nominate female leaders to participate.

Also launched at the event was beneficiaries for 2017. The main focus this year is on shelter for children, so the primary beneficiary is the Door of Hope. Announced by Luke Lamprecht, a child development and protection consultant with 25 years in the field, Lamprecht explains that primary shelter is a pillar of the CEO SleepOut. The Constitution protects children, but if their most basic right of right is not met then no rights exist or come about, such as education, for them.

He says a baby can die on the street quite easily. The reality is that abandonment is the cause of a range of issues from family planning to substance abuse, but it does not change the fact that this can lead to the death of a child.

June = SleepOut Month

The criteria to be selected as a beneficiary are very strict and the beneficiary went through a robust process. This years primary beneficiary was chosen, amongst other reasons, on its ability to articulate a legacy that would see children calling it home, even when they leave.

Yusuf Abramjee, chief SleepOut brand ambassador and social activist, says June will be the SleepOut month, with the Sympathy SleepOut and the South African SleepOut taking place during this time. This is a national call to action to go and SleepOut in the month of June. He urged everyone to also donate, from nappies to toilet paper. A list of what is needed can be found on the CEO SleepOut website.

This is not just about fundraising, but digging deep into the soul of a human being and getting it to connect with another says Prof. Justice Yvonne Mokgoro, former judge of the constitutional court and social cohesion manager. It is about one human with the power to connect with the one who finds himself in the most vulnerable circumstances of life. This is what the CEO SleepOut means. It is profound, it is so profound that it is one of those experiences I wish for everyone.

Schools SleepOut: Future CEOs

MEC for the Gauteng education department, Panyaza Lesufi, calls the Schools SleepOut a very important activity. Future CEOs are today's students so if they do not understand what builds them then they will not understand where they are going.

The MEC spoke about the recent tragedy that saw 20 learners die in a traffic accident. The CEO SleepOut has donated money to assist the affected families and schools.

The CEO SleepOut launched in South Africa in 2015 and made history when it raised nearly R26m in one night. The following year, the event was held on the iconic Nelson Mandela bridge in Johannesburg and raised over R20m. The first beneficiary in 2015 was Girls and Boys Town and in 2016 three beneficiaries received R3 each. They are the Asha Trust, Columbia Leadership and the Steve Biko Foundation.

Secondary beneficiaries include the Gift of the Givers, the Salvation Army and Homeless Talk.

Follow the CEO SleepOut's South African Twitter feed and find out more on their website.
To celebrate World Book Day, this past weekend, Nal'ibali's Story Powered Schools team addressed the literacy rights of rural children through a series of community dialogues aimed at informing adults and educators of the literacy rights of their children.

Ntabeni Primary School

When we talk about rights, most people are surprised to learn that children have rights too, as many of these cannot be enforced by law  such as the right to be loved and cherished and because we mainly talk about the rights of adults. However, one of the key rights for children enshrined in the constitution is that of education, explains Story Powered Schools programme manager, Michael Cekiso.

Also included in the constitution is support for multilingualism. However, lack of support is one of the key reasons that a huge number of children struggle to learn to read and write at school. Indeed, research shows that children who do not develop strong literacy skills in their mother tongue struggle in all school subjects. Currently, one third of children in South Africa are functionally illiterate and, adding to the problem, is the popular belief that reading for pleasure is a nice to have rather than an important part of literacy learning that can support childrens learning across the curriculum.

Working to address these issues and empower adults and educators where they are, 60 Story Powered Schools staff members joined by 1 200 volunteers, led collective discussions on childrens literacy rights with school communities identified by the Department of Education as most in need of education interventions. These schools were located in the districts of Ugu and Uthukela in KwaZulu-Natal and Mbizana and Maluti in the Eastern Cape.

Dispel myths around children literacy learning

Guiding the conversation with both adults and children and contributing to the projects mission to increase literacy resources in these areas, copies of the Nalibali campaigns Children Literacy Rights Charter for adults and corresponding booklets for children in different language combinations were distributed.

We used this opportunity to dispel any myths around childrens literacy learning and show adults and educators the important role they can play in their childrens language development simply by sharing a story with them in their mother tongue, concludes Cekiso.

The charter highlights for adults the range of literacy experiences all children need to learn to read and write, and the booklet is an illustrated guide highlighting the different ways children can experience the written word. Both the booklet and charter are available for download from the Story Powered Schools' website and mobisite.
Zip! Zap! Circus! The non-profit Zip Zap Circus is currently celebrating its 25th year with a series of special monthly shows to showcase their talented students. Here's what you can expect.

On a sweltering Saturday at the end of April, 500 or so guests sat in the big white dome of the Zip Zap Circus in Cape Towns CBD, just behind the Artscape block. Entering the blessed shade of the main tent we had to hold on to our figurative hats as children ran past doing flick flacks  a selection of those wed see on the main stage later, as well as excited attendees caught up in the circus theme.

Jacobus Claasen. All images   Anne Barbotteau from Zip Zap Circus.

Taking our seats in the main hall, there were shouts and cheers and hissed shushes as anticipation built for the spectacle wed come to see, with the audience largely comprising loved ones of current students of the Zip Zap Circus.

Cofounder Brent van Rensburg talked us through the schools history, having started with just 15 students and now incorporating over 1,400 in different programmes including advanced classes, with all the teachers and trainers former Zip Zap students themselves.

While this marked the first of their quarter-century celebratory shows, with a diverse group of students from all the programmes taking part, it was also the first ever show for some who confessed the magic tummy butterflies before braving up with a smile and deep breath.

Little wonder, Van Rensburg explained, that its really become a family and way of life built on circus magic, with attendees from all walks of life enticed by that special sense of wonder an animal-free circus evokes. Before the littlies started shifting in their seats the action began, and while it was hot for us sitting in a tent, it was even hotter for those fledgling trapeze artists, jugglers and physical comedians.

Phelelani Ndrakrokra. All images   Anne Barbotteau from Zip Zap Circus. All images   Anne Barbotteau from Zip Zap Circus. All images   Anne Barbotteau from Zip Zap Circus. All images   Anne Barbotteau from Zip Zap Circus. All images   Anne Barbotteau from Zip Zap Circus.

We were soon clapping along, gasping at some of the acrobatic feats we witnessed. Trapeze artists were suspended from bright ribbons and swiftly unravelled their way to the ground; ensembles spun across the stage in hoops, wearing top hats and face-paint while dressed in stripes and suspenders. We were transfixed by explosions of colour and light, with a mix of music from the comedic French Vaudeville-style to hum-along-and-air-flute pennywhistles and scatty Skrillex beats perfectly setting the scene for each act.

These kids have rhythm, hand-eye coordination and a purpose theyre passionate about. Makes me wish I'd known about Zip Zap Circus in my youth. Incorporating trapeze, comedy, acrobatics, juggling and dance, 25 Years: An acrobatic walk down memory lane is a true visual delight. There are five more shows scheduled for this year on 20 May, 3 June, 1 July, 5 August and 9 September.

Book your tickets on Quicket at R110 per person, free for children under four  exceptionally reasonable as entry to shows is what keeps the school afloat. Even more so when you realise the requisite intermission circus snacks, purchased with tokens, amount to just R15 for a hot dog slathered in sauce, with plastic wine glasses filled to the brim with 'red' or 'white' (bonus: they have empty stems) for the same price!

You can also follow Zip Zap Circus on social media for updates: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram.
Jump Media's event, Tribes' Got Soul returns in May with an international folk acoustic line-up. Headlined by Willy Mason, the events will take place on Saturday, 6 May 2017 at The Cradle Boutique Hotel in Johannesburg, and on Sunday, 7 May 2017 at Mercury Live in Cape Town.

Willy Mason's popularity rose after musician, Conor Oberst discovered his music backstage at a Bright Eyes show. Oberst would soon sign Mason to his new record label, Team Love and release his debut album. Since then, Mason has toured with the likes of Radiohead, Mumford & Sons, Ben Howard, Death Cab For Cutie, Ben Kweller, and Unbusted, and played such venues as the Glastonbury Festival, South By Southwest, and the Offshore Ale House.

Mason's debut album, Where The Humans Eat, and singles (Oxygen and So Long), charted on the UK Singles Chart and Albums Chart in 2005. He went on to release, If The Ocean Gets Rough in 2007. Willys new album, Carry On, was recorded over the course of 2011 in South London with producer, Dan Carey and was released in December 2012.

The Cape Town event will also feature Yoann Minkoff and Kris Knolly from the UK, Emily Capell (UK) accompanied by Matt Cowley (UK) as well as Mark Fransman (Sonik Citizen) from SA. Johannesburg in return will also feature Nakhane, Jamie-Lee Sexton and The Lazarusman.

For more info on Tribes' Got Soul, visit their website.
The Davis tax committee has begun its investigations into a possible wealth tax.

It has asked for submissions - by end-May - on the possibility of a land tax, a national tax on the value of property (over and above municipal rates) and an annual wealth tax. Oral submissions will be heard during a workshop planned for June.

The need for additional sources of tax revenue is due to become even more urgent if the recent credit ratings downgrade of SA to junk status has a significant effect on the government's borrowing costs and on the rate of economic growth.

The committee's inquiry is based on a request by former finance minister Pravin Gordhan for it to investigate whether it would be appropriate for the government to introduce additional forms of wealth taxation and the feasibility of doing so.

"The distribution of wealth in SA is highly unequal, with recent empirical evidence suggesting that the Gini coefficient for wealth is about 0.95 (in comparison with the Gini coefficient for income of 0.67)," the committee said in a statement on Tuesday.

"It is well established that economic inequality inhibits economic growth and undermines social, economic and political stability."

The committee noted that SA had three forms of wealth taxes - estate duty, transfer duty and donations tax - which bring in about 1% of tax revenue.

Capital gains tax is considered by some to be a form of wealth tax but the committee said it was a form of income tax. It considered capital gains tax in its reports on estate duty and did not plan to consider it further in its inquiry into the possibility of a wealth tax.

Gordhan established the Davis tax committee in 2013 to investigate the role of the tax system in the promotion of inclusive economic growth, employment creation, development and fiscal sustainability.

In doing its work, the committee takes into account recent domestic and international developments and the long-term objectives of the National Development Plan (NDP).

The committee is required to take into account broad tax policy objectives such as revenue-raising to fund government expenditure; social objectives like building a cohesive and inclusive society, which can be met partially through a progressive tax system; and the redistribution of resources.
Distell has topped up its booze portfolio with a dash of vodka through the purchase of a 75% shareholding in a company that owns the global rights to Cruz Vodka.

Distell did not disclose details of the price tag but industry sources suggest the company paid about R200m for Cruz, which according to Distell is the "fastest-growing luxury imported vodka in SA".

Blue Sky Brand Company would hold the remaining 25% and will be integrally involved in the future of the Cruz Vodka brand, Distell said.

Distell shareholder Chris Logan welcomed the acquisition, which he said would benefit from the group's excellent route to market capability in SA.

In a Stock Exchange News Service announcement released on Monday, Distell said the premium-vodka category was one of the fastest-growing spirits categories in SA and that it was expected to continue growing strongly.

Distell's product portfolio includes Savanna and Hunter's, two of the largest selling cider brands in the country; wine including Fleur du Cap and Two Oceans; whisky, brandy and Amarula liqueur. Ahead of the Cruz Vodka acquisition the only white spirit in Distell's portfolio was Gordon's Gin.

The agreement to produce, market and distribute Gordon's Gin has been in place since 1975 and was the subject of a high court battle with Diageo back in 2003.

The terms of the agreement with Diageo have been used, by Remgro, to justify not removing Capevin from the Distell control structure. Remgro claims any change to the control structure would enable Diageo to cancel the agreement and take back the production and sales rights to Gordon's Gin.

While shareholders have welcomed the deal it may not be enough to stir up excitement in the share price. The share price is back to a 12-month low of R134.50 after reaching a high of almost R173 in September 2016 in anticipation of a deal that would see Remgro purchase Anheuser-Busch InBev's (AB InBev's) 26% interest.

Shareholders had hoped that with an undisputed controlling stake Remgro would push Distell to develop its international operations. Those hopes were dashed in December when the Public Investment Corporation emerged as the owner of the AB InBev stake.

Source: Business Day
The International Press Institute (IPI) has announced Ethiopia's Eskinder Nega is the IPI Press Freedom Hero and the Afghan Journalists Safety Committee is honoured as Free Media Pioneer.

Eskinder Nega

Ethiopian journalist and blogger Eskinder Nega, who has been imprisoned since 2011 after criticising his countrys abuse of anti-terror laws to silence the press, has been named the International Press Institute (IPI)s 69th World Press Freedom Hero.

IPI also announced today the Afghan Journalists Safety Committee as the recipient of the 2017 Free Media Pioneer Award in recognition of the groups courageous and trailblazing work to prevent, combat and monitor attacks on journalists in one of the worlds most dangerous media environments.

Both awards, which for the past three years have been given in partnership with Copenhagen-based International Media Support (IMS), will be presented during a special ceremony on May 18, 2017, in Hamburg, Germany, during IPIs annual World Congress and General Assembly.

Press Freedom Hero

IPIs World Press Freedom Hero Award honours journalists who have made significant contributions to the promotion of press freedom, particularly in the face of great personal risk.

Nega has spent over 2,000 days behind bars since his arrest on September 14, 2011, when Ethiopian authorities accused him of leading a plan to throw the country into serious political chaos through a series of terrorist acts and linked him to a banned opposition group. His jailing came shortly after Nega, a persistent critic of Ethiopias former long-time ruler and then-Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, published a column questioning the governments abuse of anti-terror laws to punish journalistic scrutiny.

Negas comments were preceded by a wave of detentions under Ethiopias broad 2009 anti-terror law, including those of journalists Woubshet Taye and Reeyot Alemu  the 2013 recipient of the UNESCO-Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize  as well as Swedish correspondents Martin Schibbye and Johan Persson.

An Ethiopian court convicted Nega in June 2012 of participation in a terrorist organisation and planning, preparation, conspiracy, incitement and attempt of (a) terrorist act. He was sentenced to 18 years in prison the following month, a decision the UN working group on Arbitrary Detenion later said violated international law.

IPI Executive Director Barbara Trionfi said the award was a recognition of Negas unflinching dedication to the free exchange of ideas and information and his determination  at the expense of his freedom and separation from his family  not to remain silent in the face of the Ethiopian governments cynical attempt to use the fight against terrorism to crush legitimate dissent.

She continued: This award sends the message that Eskinder Negas bravery in relentlessly scrutinising power despite years of intense retaliation has not been forgotten. We renew our call on Ethiopia to free Eskinder and all journalists jailed for doing their jobs or expressing their opinions, and we urge the international community not to ignore Ethiopias continued flouting of its international human rights obligations.

Nega faced frequent official pressure and harassment due to his writing beginning in the early 1990s. In 2005, he and his wife, journalist Serkalem Fasil, were jailed on treason charges for their coverage of a mass government crackdown on popular protests following disputed parliamentary elections won by Zenawis Ethiopian Peoples Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF). Fasil would later give birth to a son behind bars. Authorities released the couple in April 2007 but shuttered their publishing company and banned Nega from practicing journalism.

Fasil, who now lives in exile in the United States with their son, said of IPI and IMS recognition of her husband that it was absolutely heart-warming to know that all his sacrifices and valuable contribution to press freedom are not wasted in vain, but continue to shine a spotlight [on his plight] on the global stage.

She added: Although, it remains a bittersweet moment for me (knowing where he is now), it is important to uphold such recognition for the tremendous impact its having to those who aspire to follow in his footsteps... I truly hope it also expedites his release from imprisonment and brings an end to his suffering.

IPI and its members have previously called for Negas release, including during a November 2013 joint mission to Ethiopia with the World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers (WAN-IFRA). The Ethiopian government on that occasion denied IPI and WAN-IFRAs requests to visit Nega and other jailed journalists.

The following year, WAN-IFRA honoured Nega with its Golden Pen of Freedom Award. In 2012, he also received the PEN American Center/Barbara Goldsmith Freedom to Write Award.

In early September 2011, commenting on the arrests of Taye and Alemu, and just days before his own detention, Nega wrote to IPI: Their arrest has more to do with calculated cultivation of fear. Fear is what dictatorships ultimately rely on to survive.

Free Media Pioneer

The annual Free Media Pioneer Award was established by IPI in 1996 to recognise news or media organisations that have made innovations that have promoted news access or quality, or benefitted journalists and the media community, thereby ensuring freer and more independent media in their country or region.

Afghan Journalists Safety Committee

This years recipient, the Afghan Journalists Safety Committee (AJSC), is a countrywide safety mechanism covering all 34 Afghan provinces that monitors incidents and provides media professionals with advice and practical safety measures. AJSC has local safety trainers that work collaboratively with media houses, press clubs, unions, civil society organisations, local authorities and law enforcement.

Founded in 2009, AJSC made significant achievements in fostering support and solidarity to journalists and Afghanistans media community in the face of extreme repression, violence and tragedy.

The stakes around its work are high: when the Taliban took over Kunduz province in 2015 and again in 2016, AJSC helped more than 160 journalists with emergency evacuation, shelter, health and psychological counselling. Over the past eight years, AJSC has assisted in more than 400 cases of violence and intimidation targeting journalists, and it has provided training to more than 600 journalists across Afghanistan.

AJSC maintains a 24/7 hotline as well as safe houses across Afghanistan. It provides training on both journalistic skills and safety  including risk assessment and management, first aid and conflict sensitive reporting, social media and digital security  and offers traumatised journalists support from a team of trauma counsellors. In keeping with its collaborative nature, AJSC also works to train police and security forces to encourage cooperation on safety.

For journalists who must flee the country or who require medical treatment not available in Afghanistan, AJSC maintains a relocation option in India, which offers long-term exiles job training or study at a local university or media house.

Amid the severe threat to journalists in Afghanistan, the incredibly courageous work of the Afghan Journalists Safety Committee embodies the belief that journalism can and must thrive even in the most hostile corners of the world, Trionfi said. Their defiance and determination are helping to ensure that the people of Afghanistan can realise their right to inform and be informed, and their activities offer hope and a model to other societies wracked by conflict.

Jesper Hjberg, director of International Media Support (IMS), added; ASJC has come a very long way and I am confident that their achievements are based not only on hard work but also rooted in the fact that it is a truly Afghan-based safety mechanism - not a donor-driven safety project. ASJC works hard to bring together media, local government, law enforcement as well as civil society to protect journalists and enhance media safety. Their inclusive and collaborative work makes ASJC a model for media safety work globally.

Notably, AJSC also fulfils a research and advocacy function, recording attacks on journalists and promoting the role of female journalists and increased safety. According to AJSCs statistics, 2016 was the deadliest year for journalists in the history of Afghanistan, with 101 recorded cases of killings, assault, intimidation and other forms of harm.

Najib Sharifi, director of AJSC, told IPI in response to news of AJSCs recognition as the 2017 Free Media Pioneer: "My colleagues and I are delighted to hear about this. Such a prestigious award increases our passion, commitment and pride to our work towards protection of journalists, which is critical to preserving freedom of media and freedom of expression in Afghanistan."
Chief architect of award-winning brand consultancy, DNA Brand Architects, Sylvester Chauke, has been announced as one of the 22 members from across the globe to make up the steering committee for the World Economic Forum's Global Shapers Community and its advisory council - Chauke previously served as both global shaper and curator for the World Economic Forum's Johannesburg office.

The nomination comes after Chauke won The Golden European Award for 2017, and the European Quality Award for business innovation and leadership, in London and Berlin respectively.
The Right2Know Campaign has expressed concern regarding the recent burglary at the SABC's offices in Parliament. R2K is particularly concerned about the fact the SABC journalists' computers were the target of the burglary.

In light of this matter, R2K has called on the South African Police Service and the Parliamentary security to conduct a thorough investigation into the burglary to find the perpetrators. R2K has also asked that Parliament security ensure that the offices are a safe space for the journalists who work there.
Four years ago, the UKs executive director for government communications, Alex Aiken, declared that the press release is dead. A year ago, Marian Salzmans article in Forbes asked Is the Press Release Dead or Alive?

Common to both is the conclusion that no, press releases are not dead, but their delivery and content needs to keep up with the times and form a broader PR strategy using social media and other channels where the intended audience hangs out.

PR Week dug around in the data and found that, despite Aikens declaration about the death of the press release, the number of press releases issued across government has dropped by 20%, with some departments slashing numbers more than others. However, several thousand are still being released each year.

Modern communication techniques  from creating social media content, to devising hard-hitting behavior change campaigns  are at the very heart of the Government Communications Service, Aiken told PR Week. Of course, the humble press release has a role to play, but the way people consume their news and information, and the way they communicate with each other, has changed  our practices have to reflect this.

PR firm Wildfire saw gap in the market when it came to researching the efficacy of press releases. They reviewed coverage from over 100 press releases across five key technology sectors to determine how well the format worked in communicating a business message. The results show that press releases worked very well to communicate the most important elements such as key messaging (98% of coverage included this), direct quotes from a company spokesperson (82%) and a link back to the business website (46%).

Of course, says Wildfire Senior Account Director, Ben Smith, thats not to say that this means press releases are all you need for a successful PR campaign  far from it. However, it does seem that the humble press release may have some legs yet.
Alay Mee and her three daughters were working on the farm in Bhamo District when the mine exploded. Nine-year-old Htu Tawng was killed in the blast, while Ji Pan, 16, and Seng Pan, 22, were injured.

The incident took place in an area very close to the village. They went to work on the farm at around 4:30pm. The farm is located next to the Burma Armys camp. They were working on the farm when the mine exploded.

The mother was working in the upper area and her three daughters were working on the lower area, said La Doi, a relative of the family.

The bomb exploded on the fourth day after the family started clearing the land to plant vegetables.

The child who was killed, Htu Tawng, was about to sit her final exam for the third standard.

The eldest daughter is getter better. The middle daughter Ji Pan has a serious injury. She is injured on her arm, thigh and back. Her kidney and liver have both been affected so she hasnt undergone a surgery for her back injury. The situation is still bad, said La Doi.

A funeral for Htu Tawng was held on April 20. Her parents Wahpai Brang Nan and Alay Mee were so distraught that they fainted, he added.

Officials from Mansi Police Station came to see the family the day after the incident and asked them to settle the case. The family members signed papers out of fear, according to La Doi.

Translated by Thida Linn

Edited by Laignee Barron
Lay Kay Kaw newtown is situated nine -miles south of Myawaddy town and was built to accommodate conflict affected communities, including displaced villagers, refugees and families members of the Karen National Union.

Although the new inhabitants have been provided with housing, there is no electricity. The Karen State government and Japans Nippon Foundation have been discussing using a solar power system until electricity is available.

U Soe Hlaing, the Karen State minister for Electricity and Industry told Karen News, we have to buy electricity from Thailand. At present, we are waiting for a draft bond. As there is no electricity yet, the Ministry of Border Affairs has discussed setting up a solar power system.

Although there has been promises that the electricity would be running by March, it has not been available.

Saw Than Myint, the youth leader of Lay Kay Kaws new town, said that if electricity is available, the refugees who live there now could start earning a living.

Electricity is not available but, we know that the responsible officials have tried. We have heard that a solar power system is going to be set up. If electricity is available, we hope people will be able to start to earn a living.

Saw Htay Myint Aung, the secretary of the rehabilitation committee, said that 3,200 refugees and family members of the KNU have already been settled in Lay Kay Kaw since February 2017.

Although the living conditions have been good, job opportunities are still few for the refugees.

The Lay Kay Kaws newtown five-year plan began in June, 2014, after negotiations between the KNU and the Burma Government. The estimated newtown area is 1,800 acres out of which 755 acres are to be put into use.

According to the Lay Kay Kaw rehabilitation committee when the planned completion of the newtowns 1,500 houses it has predicted that refugees from the border camps will come back. However, only 650 low-cost houses have been built.
The Ministry of the State Counsellors Office came to negotiate with us to hold this dialogue via the Peace Commission. Committees led by the Shan State government have been formed. We have tried our best to prepare within the given time frame. We were informed on April 19 and had to organize immediately, said U Myo Tun, Shan State Minister for Social Welfare.

The Shan State national-level political dialogue convened at Taunggyis City Hall from April 23 to 25.

U Myo Tun said because the preparations were so rushed the papers submitted for presentation may not have been as fully inclusive as desired.

We have tried our best to cover all strata [of society]. Some might have been left out, he said.

Nan Mya Oo, secretary of the Shan Nationalities League for Democracys (SNLD) Taunggyi township office, criticized the time crunch.

We couldnt submit [our paper] as we had to collect the information in a hurry so we worry about it being incomplete. Its impossible to write a paper that concerns the entire [Shan] people within a day or two, he said.

In his speech, the Shan State Chief Minister U Linn Htut said that a total of 70 papers were submitted to the political dialogue by representatives of self-administered divisions/areas and districts. The submissions included 26 political papers, 23 economic papers and 21 papers on land and environmental conservation.

The Wa Self-Administered Division leading committee member U Yan Kyaw said, We were only informed at night and we had to leave the next morning. Its inconvenient for us. We had no time to prepare as we had to come in a hurry. We couldnt read a complete [paper]. Im not satisfied. The national-level dialogues are very important.

The Restoration Council of the Shan State/Shan State Army (RCSS/SSA) and the PaO National Liberation Organization (PNLO) were the only two ethnic armed organizations to be invited to the dialogue.

PNLO chair U Khun Myint Tun said he thinks the ethnic armed organizations from Shan State that signed state-level and Union-level ceasefire agreements should have been invited as observers or special guests.

Over 400 representatives were invited to the Shan State national-level political dialogue.

Among Shan States ethnic groups, only the PaO people were allowed to hold an ethnicity-based national-level political dialogue. The government rejected a proposal to hold ethnicity-based political dialogues in Taunggyi and Panglong.

Translated by Thida Linn

Edited by Laignee Barron
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Canada NewsWire

VERMILION, AB, April 26, 2017

$5.95-million investment will create jobs, expand research and foster innovation

VERMILION, AB, April 26, 2017 /CNW/ - The Government of Canada values the role of post-secondary institutions as they help equip young Canadians with the education and training they need for future careers that will help them join a strong, healthy middle class. Today, the Government of Canada is investing $5.95 million for a total combined investment of $16.6 million in Lakeland College, which will help foster the training needed for the well-paying middle-class jobs of today and tomorrow.

The funding was announced by the Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development, and Alice Wainwright-Stewart, President and CEO of Lakeland College.

Canada's Innovation and Skills Plan aims to make this country a global centre for innovationone that creates jobs, drives growth across all industries and improves the lives of all Canadians. This investment exemplifies that vision in action.

Lakeland College will use the funding to create a new Dairy Learning Centre that exceeds industry standards and better supports the training and labour needs of the dairy industry. It will feature a traditional milking parlour and a robotic milking system and will focus on cow comfort for higher output production and on animal care, safety and transition cow management. Lakeland College is the only post-secondary institution in Western Canada with a dairy specialization as part of the animal science technology program.

The College will also renovate its current cattle and sheep facility into an Animal Health Clinic featuring a modern surgical suite and increased lab spaces. This facility will help the College meet the increased demand in enrollment in its Animal Health Technology and Veterinary Medical Assistant programs.

Of the $16.6 million total investment in this project:

In total, universities and colleges throughout Alberta will receive over $500 million from the Government of Canada, the provincial government, the institutions themselves and private donors. Federal funding will be allocated through the Post-Secondary Institutions Strategic Investment Fund, which will enhance and modernize research facilities on Canadian campuses and improve the environmental sustainability of these facilities.

Quotes

"This historic investment by the Government of Canada is a down payment on the government's vision to position Canada as a global centre for innovation. That means making Canada a world leader in turning ideas into solutions, science into technologies, skills into middle-class jobs and start-up companies into global successes." The Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development

"We are grateful for the funding provided through the Post-Secondary Institutions Strategic Investment Fund. With the Government of Canada's integral support, Lakeland will enhance opportunities for our students to take the lead. Student leadership and the hands-on learning opportunities available in these facilities will help us train the next generation of skilled and responsible dairy producers, animal care professionals, agricultural leaders and work-ready grads." Alice Wainwright-Stewart, President and CEO, Lakeland College

Quick facts

Associated links

Follow Minister Bains on Twitter: @MinisterISED

SOURCE Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada
Canada NewsWire

NEW YORK, April 25, 2017

Despite progress, millions of children still miss out on life-saving immunization

For photos, visit: http://weshare.unicef.org/Package/2AMZIFDKDKD

NEW YORK, April 25, 2017 /CNW/ - UNICEF procured 2.5 billion doses of vaccines to children in nearly 100 countries in 2016, reaching almost half of the world's children under the age of five. The figures, released during World Immunization Week, make UNICEF the largest buyer of vaccines for children in the world.

Nigeria, Pakistan and Afghanistan, the three remaining polio-endemic countries, each received more doses of vaccines than any other country, with almost 450 million doses of vaccines procured to children in Nigeria, 395 million in Pakistan and over 150 million in Afghanistan. UNICEF is the lead procurement agency for the Global Polio Eradication Initiative.

Access to immunization has led to a dramatic decrease in deaths of children under five from vaccine-preventable diseases, and has brought the world closer to eradicating polio. Between 2000 and 2015, under five deaths due to measles declined by 85 per cent and those due to neonatal tetanus by 83 per cent. A proportion of the 47 per cent reduction in pneumonia deaths and 57 per cent reduction in diarrhea deaths in this time is also attributed to vaccines.

Yet an estimated 19.4 million children around the world still miss out on full vaccinations every year. Around two thirds of all unvaccinated children live in conflict-affected countries. Weak health systems, poverty and social inequities also mean that one in five children under five is still not reached with life-saving vaccines.

"All children, no matter where they live or what their circumstances are, have the right to survive and thrive, safe from deadly diseases," said Dr. Robin Nandy, Chief of Immunization at UNICEF. "Since 1990, immunization has been a major reason for the substantial drop in child mortality, but despite this progress, 1.5 million children still die from vaccine preventable diseases every year."

Inequalities persist between rich and poor children. In countries where 80 per cent of the world's under-five child deaths occur, over half of the poorest children are not fully vaccinated. Globally, the poorest children are nearly twice as likely to die before the age of five as the richest.

"In addition to children living in rural communities where access to services is limited, more and more children living in overcrowded cities and slum dwellings are also missing out on vital vaccinations," said Nandy. "Overcrowding, poverty, poor hygiene and sanitation as well as inadequate nutrition and health care increase the risk of diseases such as pneumonia, diarrhea and measles in these communities; diseases that are easily preventable with vaccines."

By 2030, an estimated one in four people will live in urban poor communities, mainly in Africa and Asia, meaning the focus and investment of immunization services must be tailored to the specific needs of these communities and children, UNICEF said.

NOTES TO EDITORS:

UNICEF works with World Health Organization (WHO), Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and others to ensure that vaccines protect all children  especially those who are the hardest to reach and the most vulnerable.

World Immunization Week runs from 24  28 April 2017.

For more information visit: www.unicef.org/immunization

About UNICEF

UNICEF has saved more children's lives than any other humanitarian organization. We work tirelessly to help children and their families, doing whatever it takes to ensure children survive. We provide children with healthcare and immunization, clean water, nutrition and food security, education, emergency relief and more.

UNICEF is supported entirely by voluntary donations and helps children regardless of race, religion or politics. As part of the UN, we are active in over 190 countries - more than any other organization. Our determination and our reach are unparalleled. Because nowhere is too far to go to help a child survive. For more information about UNICEF, please visit www.unicef.ca. For updates, follow us on Twitter and Facebook or visit unicef.ca.

SOURCE UNICEF Canada


The new aircraft carrier of China. A Xinhua photo

BEIJING (PTI): China on Wednesday launched its first indigenously-built aircraft carrier which will join an existing one bought from Ukraine, boosting its military capabilities amid worries about Beijing's assertiveness in the South China Sea.



The 50,000 tonne new carrier was transferred from a dry dock into the water at a launch ceremony in northeast Dalian shipyard of the China Shipbuilding Industry Corp (CSIC), state-run Xinhua news agency reported.



The carrier is touted to be a significant upgrade from the Liaoning, which was built more than 25 years ago and is a refurbished Soviet ship bought from Ukraine.



China began building its second carrier in November 2013.



Dock construction started in March 2015.



Putting the carrier into water marked progress in China's efforts to design and build a domestic aircraft carrier.



After the launch, the new carrier will undergo equipment debugging, outfitting and comprehensive mooring trials, Xinhua said.



The launch ceremony was attended by Fan Changlong, vice chairman of the Central Military Commission.



The launch comes amid China's assertiveness in the South China Sea.



China claims almost all of the South China Sea, despite objections from the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Vietnam.



China has also created artificial islands in the area, outfitting some of them with military features.



The launch also comes amid heated rhetoric between the US and North Korea in recent days. The US has deployed warships and a submarine to the Korean peninsula, prompting an angry reaction from North Korea. China has urged for calm.



China's military is also eyeing more aircraft carriers to enhance its capabilities.



Recently state-run People's Daily quoted military experts as saying that the third aircraft carrier to be built in Shanghai may be nuclear powered.



Earlier reports said Chinese navy which now has an expanded role among the military is set to raise its marine forces from 20,000 to one lakh as it started setting up logistic bases in Gwadar port in Pakistan and Djibouti in Africa.



China has enhanced the battle capabilities of its aircraft carrier Liaoning, with more than 10 pilots from carrier-based jet fighters and commanders getting their certificates, making China one of the few countries capable of training its own pilots for aircraft carriers.






NEW DELHI (PTI): The IAF has enhanced capability of its frontline base in Punjab's Halwara, which is close to the Indo-Pak border, by deploying additional Sukhoi fighter jets.



The Su-30 MKI jets were inducted into the IAF's 'Valiant' squadron on April 24.



The deployment of additional Su-30 MKI jets at the airbase comes amid heightened tensions between India and Pakistan.



It will boost the offensive capabilities of the IAF in this sector, the force said about the induction of the jets into the Valiant squadron.



The 'Valiant' was formed as an offensive fighter squadron in 1963 at Barrackpore in West Bengal.



The squadron was then equipped with three types of aircraft -- the Vampires, Spitfire, Hurricane and Su-7.



The squadron has changed many bases during its 54 years long journey and has taken part in the 1971 war as well as in Kargil operations.



"The 'Valiants', operating MiG-23s, were the first ones to fire weapons on the enemy during the Kargil war," the IAF said in a release.



Air Marshal C Hari Kumar, Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Air Command IAF was the chief guest for the induction ceremony.






NEW DELHI (PTI): A "joint doctrine" providing for deeper operational synergies among the Army, Navy and Air Force was unveiled on Tuesday with an aim to coherently deal with all possible security threats facing India including conventional and proxy wars.



The document listed a range of security threats confronting the country including transnational threats, "proxy war" in Jammu and Kashmir and left-wing extremism in various parts of the country and indicated that "surgical strikes" could be a key feature in counter-terror operations.



"India has moved to a pro-active and pragmatic philosophy to counter various conflict situations. The response to terror provocations could be in the form of 'surgical strikes' and these would be subsumed in the sub-conventional portion of the spectrum of armed conflict," it said.



The joint doctrine proposes joint training of personnel, unified command and control structure besides pushing for a tri-service approach for modernisation of the three forces.



The doctrine will facilitate establishment of a broad framework of concepts and principles for joint planning and conduct of operations across all the domains such as land, air, sea, space and cyber-space.



The document was released by chairman of the chiefs of staff committee (COSC) and Navy Chief Admiral Sunil Lanba in the presence of Army Chief Gen Bipin Rawat and IAF Chief B S Dhanoa.



Referring to evolving security situation in the region, it said India's strategic interests along the Northern, Western and Eastern borders and sensitivities along the Line of Control (LoC) and Line of Actual Control (LAC) will have to be protected with effective deterrent capabilities.



"Maintaining territorial integrity and preserving national sovereignty continues to remain a major strategic challenge for India," the document, a second edition of the joint doctrine, said. The first edition of the document was released around eight years ago.



It said India's threats primarily emanate from the disputed land borders with certain neighbours and that the need to address consequences of instability and volatility in parts of India's extended and immediate neighbourhood remains a priority.



"Transnational threats posed by the activities of State and Non-State sponsored terrorist organisations are exacerbated by the dynamics of intra and inter-State conflicts which pose a danger to regions beyond our primary theatres," said the document.



On operational issues, it said, in case of war the land, air and naval commanders will have to jointly formulate, orchestrate and implement war plans to ensure a well-oiled fighting machinery.



The doctrine also talked about the steps initiated for establishment of the 'Defence Cyber Agency', 'Defence Space Agency' and 'Special Operations Division'.



The layered hierarchies of the national security structures should integrate to get the most out of the expertise available.



It said India remains concerned about the presence and role of external powers in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), adding security challenges are exacerbated by several countries vying to acquire Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD).



"The fragile security environment in the Af-Pak region and neighbouring support to proxy war in Jammu & Kashmir lends a possibility of it being a conduit for eastward spread of fundamentalist and radical ideologies," said the document.



The doctrine said having an 'Integrated Theatre Battle' to ensure decisive victory in a network centric environment across the entire spectrum of conflict in varied geographical domains will be the guiding philosophy for evolution of war fighting strategies.



It said special forces operations will be conducted by specially selected troops of the Army, Navy and Air Force who are trained, equipped and organised to operate in hostile territory in all dimensions - land, air and sea.



It said the Higher Defence Organisation will foster further inter-Service coordination in planning, execution of operations and force planning.



It said following approval by political leadership, decisions on joint military objective will be taken by COSC.



"The Joint Operations Committee (JOCOM) is the integrated structure at strategic level under the COSC to conduct and plan operations," it said.



The doctrine said coordination with relevant agencies like RAW, Intelligence Bureau and Intelligence organisations of the para-military forces as part of the Joint Intelligence Committee under the National Security Adviser is an imperative to the intelligence structure.



"War needs to be conducted in such a manner that the Land, Air and Naval Commanders jointly formulate, orchestrate and implement war plans. In order to fight together they need to train jointly.



The doctrine said to achieve 'jointness', it is essential that personnel from the three services serve together in organisations across the military-strategic, operational and tactical levels.




An internet image.

SEOUL (AFP): Nuclear-armed North Korea on Tuesday marked a military anniversary with a massive conventional firing drill, Seoul said, as a US guided-missile submarine docked in South Korea amid tensions over Pyongyang's weapons ambitions.



Speculation had mounted that the North could carry out a sixth nuclear test or another missile launch to mark 85 years since the founding of its army.



But no such event -- which usually happens in the morning -- had taken place by the evening, and instead Seoul's defence ministry said Pyongyang was conducting a "massive fire drill" in the eastern port city of Wonsan.



The South's Yonhap news agency cited a government source as saying the exercise was the North's "largest ever" and was presumed to have been overseen by leader Kim Jong-Un.



Washington has sent the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson to the Korean peninsula, where it is expected to arrive -- after a derision-provoking delay -- later this week.



Confusion had clouded the carrier's whereabouts earlier this month after US officials indicated it was sailing towards North Korea when in fact it was heading south.



The vessel will take part in joint naval drills with the South's forces to "demonstrate Seoul and Washington's strong determination to punish North Korean provocations", the South Korean Navy said in a statement.



They will take place in the East Sea, the South's name for the Sea of Japan, it said, and the two allies will also begin joint naval exercises in the West Sea -- what it calls the Yellow Sea  on Tuesday "in relation to the current security situation".



The nuclear-powered US submarine USS Michigan also made a port call at Busan in the South on Tuesday in another show of force, while US navy destroyers carried out separate joint exercises with Japanese and South Korean vessels.



President Donald Trump has said the US was sending an "armada" to the Korean peninsula, including submarines.



According to the US Navy's Submarine Force Pacific website, the USS Michigan carries more than 150 Tomahawk cruise missiles.



They are capable of precision strikes against the North's nuclear facilities, but the South Korean Navy called the visit "routine" and said the submarine would not take part in any joint exercises.



North Korea has ambitions to build a nuclear-tipped missile capable of reaching the US mainland. Tensions have soared in recent months as it carried out a string of missile tests that sparked tit-for-tat sabre-rattling between it and Washington.



Pyongyang's rhetoric always intensifies in the spring, when Seoul and Washington hold joint military drills which it sees as rehearsals for an invasion.



The North's Rodong Sinmun -- the official mouthpiece of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea -- warned Tuesday of dire consequences in the event of a US-led pre-emptive strike.



It promised "the most brutal punishment... in the sky and land as well as at sea and from underwater without any warning or prior notice".



North Korea launched two missile tests this month while Trump and his senior aides have warned that "all options are on the table" against Pyongyang, including military action.



Trump urged UN Security Council ambassadors on Monday to consider stronger sanctions against Pyongyang, and US senators are to be briefed on North Korea at the White House on Wednesday.



Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is to chair a ministerial-level Security Council meeting on the North on Friday.



The North says it needs nuclear weapons to defend itself against invasion. A spokesman for its foreign ministry on Tuesday claimed the meetings -- coupled with Trump's fresh policy of "maximum pressure and engagement" on Pyongyang -- showed the threat it faced from the US.



"They are explicitly advocating pressure on us, which is as dangerous as lighting the fuse on an all-out war," he said in a statement carried by the state-run KCNA news agency.



Top nuclear envoys from Japan, South Korea and the United States met Tuesday in Tokyo and vowed "stern action" against any fresh North Korean provocations.



US special representative Joseph Yun said he discussed American policy to "enhance pressure" on Pyongyang "because we really do not believe that North Korea is ready to engage us towards denuclearisation".



The trio also agreed that China and Russia should play a bigger role in reining in the North, said Kim Hong-Kyun, South Korea's chief envoy on the issue.



"Cooperation with China and Russia is the most important for effective pressure on North Korea," he said.


A global study has revealed that 86% of organisations are concerned that recent EU data protection regulations could have a major negative impact on their business.

The EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which comes into effect on May 25, 2018, is designed to harmonise data privacy laws across Europe and requires businesses to be able to provide individuals with a copy of their data or delete it, within a 30-day time frame.

If companies fail to comply with the regulation, they can be fined up to 4% of annual global turnover, or 20m.

Nearly 20% of companies surveyed by information management firm Veritas Technologies said they fear that non-compliance could put them out of business.

The Veritas 2017 GDPR Report also indicated that 47% of organisations globally have major doubts that they will meet this impending compliance deadline.

The research, which surveyed more than 900 senior business decision-makers in 2017 across Europe, the U.S. and Asia Pacific, also found that 21% are very worried about potential layoffs, fearing that staff reductions may be an inevitable outcome as a result of financial penalties incurred as a result of GDPR compliance failures.

Some 19% of those surveyed fear that negative media or social coverage could cause their organisation to lose customers if and when a compliance failure is made public.

Almost one third (32%) of respondents are fearful their current technology stack is unable to manage their data effectively, something that could hinder their ability to search, discover and review data--all essential criteria for GDPR compliance.

In addition, 39% of respondents say their organisation cannot accurately identify and locate relevant data.

Some 42% of organisations admitted that there is no mechanism in place to determine which data should be saved or deleted based on its value.

"There is just over a year to go before GDPR comes into force, yet the 'out of sight, out of mind' mentality still exists in organisations around the world," said Mike Palmer, executive vice president and chief product officer at Veritas.

It doesn't matter if you're based in the EU or not, if your organisation does business in the region, the regulation applies to you.

A sensible next step would be to seek an advisory service that can check the level of readiness and build a strategy that ensures compliance. A failure to react now puts jobs, brand reputation and the livelihood of businesses in jeopardy."
Arlene Foster has said she is disappointed that Sinn Fein's Stormont leader is attending a commemoration for eight IRA members killed by the SAS in the North.

Michelle O'Neill will address a republican parade and memorial event on Sunday marking 30 years since the ambush by elite troops in Loughgall in Co Armagh.

Michelle O'NeillMar2017_large.jpg

DUP chief Mrs Foster met Irish language students in the North as part of a bid to learn more about the language as part of efforts to restore devolved powersharing with nationalists.

She said: "It is disappointing that when I am trying to make this a shared place for everybody in Northern Ireland that other leaders are doing things that frankly are wrong and backward-looking.

"I am thinking of what is happening in Loughgall on Sunday and I think that is something that Sinn Fein needs to reflect on because we have heard a lot during the election about respect and they need to understand what that means in terms of the past and indeed in terms of the future as people look to the future here in Northern Ireland."

Arlene Foster

The SAS intercepted the IRA unit as it launched an attack on a police station in the village in May 1987 and riddled its van with bullets.

Sinn Fein considers those who died as martyrs; many unionists consider them as terrorists.

Controversy has long surrounded the ambush, which also killed a bystander, amid claims the gunmen continued to fire on a number of the IRA men with heavy machine guns as they lay wounded on the ground.

A lawyer for the bereaved has claimed the servicemen acted excessively.

The DUP has accused Sinn Fein of demonstrating little respect to the victims of IRA terrorism, choosing instead to describe a group of men who went out with the sole intention of murder and mayhem as martyrs.

The IRA members killed were Jim Lynagh, 32; Padraig McKearney, 32; Gerard O'Callaghan, 29; Tony Gormley, 25; Eugene Kelly, 25; Patrick Kelly, 32; Seamus Donnelly, 19; and Declan Arthurs, 21.
Democratic Unionist leader Arlene Foster was left feeling "uplifted" after meeting Irish language pupils in Co Down.

Ms Foster met staff and students at Our Lady's Grammar School in Newry in a bid to better understand the love of the tongue held by those from a non-political background.

She was strongly criticised for making disparaging comments during a recent Assembly election campaign but yesterday she exchanged a few words as gaeilge with teachers in farewell.

"I was really uplifted this morning by the girls and what they were able to tell me and what they were able to show me."

She said she enjoyed a lovely piece of drama and a song.

"It was wonderful, I just had a great morning. It has set me up for the rest of the day."

In February, Mrs Foster said more people spoke Polish than Irish in Northern Ireland and declared the party would never agree to an act protecting the language, a key Sinn Fein aim in negotiations to restore powersharing.

Yesterday she clarified: "It had become very much a political demand and as we talked about Irish, its culture and affirmation of identity in the talks, I felt that it would be good to step back from the Irish language as a political demand and to actually listen to people who loved the language and wanted to use it in their every day lives.

"That is what I am trying to do.

"I am on a journey of doing that. I have met with some individuals already around why they believe Irish is so important to them."

Sinn Fein surged at the polls in the March Assembly elections after the party accused the DUP of showing disrespect towards the language.

Mrs Foster's comparison of making concessions to Sinn Fein to feeding crocodiles backfired and she has said she regretted it and it allowed her opponents to demonise her.

An Irish language Act would protect its use in a range of official settings.

In 2015, Sinn Fein launched a consultation on a law including the use of Irish by public bodies, in the courts, and in the Stormont assembly.

Unionists have urged measures for Ulster Scots speakers and progress on other identity issues.

Mrs Foster said yesterday's meeting was instructive; that it was a sign of strength to engage with a culture which was not her own.

"One of the very strong things that came across was the passion that the girls had for the language and it is really good to strip away all the politics out of this issue and just to listen in a very clear way as to how Irish and the language has helped in the study of other languages and to give them a head start in relation to job opportunities as well."

She said everyone had different views about what was needed to protect it.

Tomorrow she is due to meet some other advocacy and support groups.
A 60-year-old Dublin woman unlawfully collected more than 10,000 in childrens allowance payments while living in the UK, a court was told today.

Joanne McDonagh (aged 60) from Killala Road, Cabra, was fined 700 after she pleaded guilty at Dublin District Court before Judge John Brennan.

She was prosecuted by the Department of Social Protection.

Outlining the facts of the case, prosecution solicitor Joseph Maguire said the woman had been getting the child benefit but began living in the UK from August 2009 until June 2012.

She flew back to Ireland every three months to collect her childrens allowance and stayed with family members. The cheques were lodged in a post office in Dublin.

She had also been claiming child benefit in the UK at the same time, the court was told.

Judge Brennan heard she unlawfully obtained 10,300 and has repaid 7,657. Some 25 a week is being deducted from her disability allowance and it will take another two years for her to repay the money.

Defence solicitor Joe Coonan told the court that the mother of twos partner died and she had relied on the payments. Her children are no longer dependants, the judge was told.

The charges are under the Social Welfare Consolidation Act.

In the district court, the offence can result in a fine of up to 2,500 and a possible six-month sentence in addition to having to repay the social welfare authorities.

The court can only consider leaving defendants accused of dole fraud without a criminal record if all the money has been repaid.

Pleading for leniency Mr Coonan said that the woman has increased her repayments and had pleaded guilty at an early stage.

Judge Brennan said it was a serious matter and it took place over a substantial period.

However, he noted her difficult circumstances and he spared her a sentence. He imposed the fine which he stated has to be paid within eight months.
A "crucial" new witness has come forward to give evidence about the shooting of a Belfast man by British soldiers almost 50 years ago, an inquest has been told.

The findings of an inquest into the death of Barney Watt, who was killed in disputed circumstance during public disorder in nationalist Ardoyne in Belfast in February 1971, had to be postponed after the new evidence emerged.

Belfast Coroner's Court was told that a new witness had contacted lawyers for the Watt family with fresh evidence, just hours before Coroner Joe McCrisken was due to deliver his report.

A lawyer for the Watt family told the inquest it was "crucial evidence".

Mr McCrisken said it was "important evidence based on the statement" the witness had provided.

The witness is due to give his evidence via video-link tomorrow.

Previously Northern Ireland's former state pathologist, Professor Jack Crane, dismissed claims from ex soldiers that Mr Watt was shot dead as he threw an explosive device.

Prof Crane told the inquest on Tuesday there was no evidence to support military claims that the 28 year-old was throwing a petrol bomb or incendiary device when soldiers opened fire.

He was shot in the chest and the buttock.

The retired pathologist's evidence to the court on the second day of the inquest contradicted previous claims from soldiers that Mr Watt was throwing a device.

The Watt case is among the oldest outstanding inquests being re-examined following an order from Northern Ireland's Attorney General John Larkin QC.

The oldest legacy inquest, the death of Barney Watt 1971, starts tomorrow 10am Laganside Court @BBCNewsNI @UTVNews pic.twitter.com/hOV7epATpz  O Muirigh Solicitors (@OMuirighSols) April 23, 2017

After examining the evidence and original pathology reports, Prof Crane said: "The soldiers' account is not credible."

On Monday the inquest heard an account from a soldier known as Sgt C who 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."

The victim had been on a night out at a local pigeon club before he was killed.
Update 4pm: It has been confirmed the cost of the new national children's hospital will be over 1bn - more than one and a half times the last estimate in 2014.

The Cabinet approved the project today, with the foundations to be laid within weeks at the site next to St. James's Hospital in Dublin.

The new facility will open towards the end of 2021.

The rising cost of construction and longer than anticipated planning and procurement processes are partly to blame for the increased cost.

Project Director John Pollock says this will be value for money.

"Back in 2014 we identified those and we said the project would cost 800m, so it was never a 650m project and we were clear to the Department and the HSE," he said.

"Construction inflation has added about 140m to the project, and then our tenders came in about 40m more than we estimated.

Earlier: The Cabinet is today signing off on the construction of the new national children's hospital.

It has been dubbed the most expensive hospital in the world, with a reported price-tag of 1bn.

The facility will be built alongside St. James's hospital in Dublin's south inner city.

On his way into Cabinet, Health Minister Simon Harris refused to be drawn on the actual cost, but insisted he will outline that it is value for money.

This afternoon there will be a detailed briefing for the media on the costs, outlining exactly the rationale behind the costs.

But I make absolutely no apology for making a very significant investment in the healthcare of children.

Children account for about 25% of our population and I think when people see the figures later they will realise that the 650m cost that was envisaged previously related to a point in time. There are a number of significant changes that have been made.
Kim Kardashian has gone on a Twitter spree to keep us updated on her girls holiday in Mexico.

It's wild.

Kim and Kourtney Kardashian are on vacation in Punta Mita with some of their close friends, including Brittany Gastineau, Stephanie Shepherd, Malika Haqq and Larsa Pippin.

Kim has been giving fans a play-by-play account of what's been going on.

During the tweeting storm, she even shared a picture of an inflatable penis.

. @kourtneykardash threw up in her bed 4 times and slept in it  Kim Kardashian (@KimKardashian) April 25, 2017

. Nicole Reda had a 10 min black out & tried to fight @steph_shep  Kim Kardashian (@KimKardashian) April 25, 2017

. @larsapippen tried to give me a "special" brownie and I threatened to sue her & the chef  Kim Kardashian (@KimKardashian) April 25, 2017
China and the European Space Agency are discussing a potential collaboration for a human outpost on The Moon, according to reports.

The secretary general for China's space agency, Tian Yulong, first disclosed the talks about the envisioned lunar base in Chinese state media.

They were confirmed today by Pal Hvistendahl, a spokesman for the European Space Agency, or ESA.

"The Chinese have a very ambitious moon program already in place," Mr Hvistendahl said.

"Space has changed since the space race of the 60s. We recognise that to explore space for peaceful purposes, we do international cooperation."

The director general of the 22-member ESA, Johann-Dietrich Woerner, has described its proposed "Moon Village" as a potential international launching pad for future missions to Mars and a chance to develop space tourism or even lunar mining.

China arrived relatively late to space travel, but has ramped up its programme since its first manned spaceflight in 2003, more than 42 years after a Soviet cosmonaut became the first to reach orbit.

Last week, the China National Space Administration launched an unmanned spacecraft on a mission to dock with its currently unoccupied space station.

It plans to launch a mission to collect samples from The Moon by the end of this year and next year conduct the first mission to the moon's far side and bring back mineral samples.

The ESA hopes to conduct a mission analysis on samples brought back by this year's Chinese mission, known as Chang'e 5, and also have a European flying on the Chinese space station at some future date, Mr Hvistendahl said.

China was excluded from the International Space Station mainly due to US legislation barring such cooperation and concerns over the Chinese space programme's strong military connections.
President Donald Trump's tax plan will amount to "the biggest tax cut" and the "largest tax reform" in US history, according to Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin.

Mr Mnuchin gave the description during a speech in Washington this morning.

The White House is set to release the broad outlines of President Trump's proposed overhaul later in the day.

President Trump wants cuts for individuals and businesses, even as the government struggles with mounting debt.

The president is trying to make good on promises to bring jobs and prosperity to the middle class.

The top tax rate for individuals would fall by a few percentage points, from 39.6% to the "mid-30s", according to officials.

White House senior staff have already said that the top corporate tax rate would drop from 35% to 15% under President Trump's plan.

But the Treasury Secretary declined to say there would be no absolute tax cut for the wealthy, a promise he made last year during a TV interview.

"Our objective is simplifying personal taxes," he said.

The plan will not include provisions to increase spending on infrastructure projects, one possible sweetener that could help gain congressional support.

Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin said at @thehill event this morning that infrastructure $$ would NOT be included in Trump's tax plan.  Melanie Zanona (@MZanona) April 26, 2017

The proposal faces a massive hurdle in that lower rates would blow a hole in the budget, possibly causing the national debt to soar by more than a trillion dollars over a decade.

Without additional revenue sources to offset the tax cuts, the broad proposal would need Democratic support to clear the required 60 votes in the Senate.

Congressional Republicans could pass changes on their own with a simple Senate majority, but that would only be temporary under Senate rules.

Mr Mnuchin said he would like the tax overhaul to be permanent, but "if we have them for 10 years, that's better than nothing".

President Trump sent his team to Capitol Hill on Tuesday evening to discuss his plan with Republican leaders.

"They went into some suggestions that are mere suggestions and we'll go from there," said GOP Sen Orrin Hatch of Utah, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee.

The White House's presentation will be "pretty broad in the principles", said Marc Short, President Trump's director of legislative affairs.

In the coming weeks, President Trump will solicit more ideas on how to improve the plan, Mr Short said. The specifics should start to come this summer.

Mr Short said the administration did not want to set a firm timeline, after demanding a quick House vote on a health care bill and watching it fail.

But he added: "I don't see this sliding into 2018."

Republicans who slammed the growing national debt under President Barack Obama have said they are open to President Trump's tax plan, even though it could add trillions of dollars to the deficit over the next decade.

Echoing the White House, Republicans argue the cuts would spur economic growth, reducing or even eliminating any drop in tax revenue.

- AP
The EU has launched legal action against Hungary over a new higher education law that critics say is aimed at shutting down a university founded by billionaire philanthropist George Soros.

European Commission President Valdis Dombrovskis said that the EU's executive arm has sent a "letter of formal notice" to Prime Minister Viktor Orban's government, which is a first step in legal action.

Mr Dombrovskis said the move is based on "an in-depth legal assessment".

The Commission believes the law could infringe on European rights to provide services, but also on academic freedoms and the right to an education.

The Hungarian government will have one month to respond, and based on Budapest's reaction, the Commission will consider what steps to take next.

The higher education law was approved earlier this month. The president of the Soros-backed Central European University says it means that his campus in Budapest might not be able to accept new students after January 1.

"My institution has a gun pointed to its head," CEU President Michael Ignatieff said yesterday as he sought support at the European Parliament.

Mr Orban says the CEU is "cheating" because it issues diplomas accepted both in the United States and in Hungary, where it has been operating since 1993.

The university is accredited in New York state but has no campus there.

Mr Orban says this gives it an unfair advantage over other Hungarian universities, but has denied that he wants to shut it down.

The Hungarian leader will face his critics in the European Parliament later on Wednesday as EU politicians debate concerns about his country, including a "Let's Stop Brussels" campaign aimed at highlighting what he says is an EU power grab.

Given the legal action, a showdown seems likely between Mr Orban and Commission First Vice-President Frans Timmermans, who will address politicians just before him.
Analysis of samples taken from a deadly sarin gas attack in Syria earlier this month "bears the signature" of President Bashar Assad's government and shows it was responsible for the deadly assault, France's foreign minister has said.

Jean-Marc Ayrault said France came to this conclusion after comparing samples from a 2013 sarin attack.

Russia, a close ally of Assad, promptly denounced the French report, saying the samples and the fact the nerve agent was used are not enough to prove who was behind it.

Assad has repeatedly denied that his forces used chemical weapons and claimed evidence of a poison gas attack is made up.

But Mr Ayrault said France knows "from sure sources" that "the manufacturing process of the sarin that was sampled is typical of the method developed in Syrian laboratories".

"This method bears the signature of the regime and that is what allows us to establish its responsibility in this attack," he added, saying that France is working to bring those behind the "criminal" atrocities to international justice.

France's Foreign Ministry said blood samples were taken from a victim in Syria on the day of the April 4 attack in the opposition-held town of Khan Sheikhoun, which killed more than 80 people.

Environmental samples, the ministry said, show the weapons were made "according to the same production process as the one used in the sarin attack perpetrated by the Syrian regime in Saraqeb" on April 29, 2013.

Mr Ayrault said French intelligence showed that only Syrian government forces could have launched such an attack - by a bomber taking off from the Shayrat air base, which was later targeted in a retaliatory US missile strike.

France's presidency said the country's intelligence services presented evidence showing the Syrian government "still holds chemical warfare agents, in violation of the commitments to eliminate them that it took in 2013". It said that information will be made public, without offering details.

It is thought that Assad's government still has a stockpile of tons of chemical weapons, despite saying it had handed over all of them.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia's position on the attack is "unchanged," and that "the only way to establish the truth about what happened... is an impartial international investigation".

Russia has previously called for an international probe, and Mr Peskov expressed regret that the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) has turned down the Syrian government's offers to visit the site of the attack and investigate.

The French minister's comments came as the OPCW, which is investigating the April 4 attack, held a ceremony in The Hague marking the 20th anniversary of the Chemical Weapons Convention.

In a video message to the ceremony, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the organisation's progress over two decades seeking to eliminate chemical weapons is now under threat.

"In the Middle East, belligerents are breaking the norm against chemical weapons," he said. "The recent attack in Syria was a horrific reminder of the stakes. There can be no impunity for these crimes."

Meanwhile, a series of Turkish air strikes on Tuesday killed 20 Syrian Kurdish fighters in attacks that Ankara said targeted Kurdish rebel positions in Syria and Iraq.

Syrian Kurdish officials escorted an American officer to some of the sites targeted in the attack, as large crowds from the area followed them around, according to photos and video from the scene. Redur Khalil, the spokesman for the Syrian Kurdish People's Protection Units, or YPG, confirmed the visit.

Mr Khalil said the air strikes were followed on Wednesday by Turkish army shelling of Syrian villages along the border area. The shelling prompted an exchange of fire between Kurdish and Turkish border posts, Mr Khalil said.

The YPG form the backbone of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), the main US partner in the battle against the Islamic State group in northern Syria. Nato member Turkey considers the YPG an extension of an insurgency within its own borders. The SDF includes Arab fighters.

Mr Khalil said the Turkish escalation would "obstruct the war" against IS.

The Syrian Foreign Ministry condemned the air strikes. The SDF and the Syrian government have largely avoided confrontations with each other over the course of the civil war. No Syrian government forces were targeted in the attack.

AP
Libya is asking the European Union for boats and helicopters to help patrol the Mediterranean Sea for ships carrying migrants.

The German government said a "request list" from Libya's coastguard also includes ambulances, communications equipment and night vision gear.
Far-right presidential contender Marine Le Pen has said that people are revolting against the elite and predicted that could translate into a "very big surprise" when ballots are cast May 7 in France's final round to choose a new leader.

Ms Le Pen and Emmanuel Macron, the independent centrist candidate who is her rival in the upcoming vote, sparred in successive television appearances, tossing insults as each launched a political offensive to win new voters before the balloting in less than two weeks.

Mr Macron placed first in the first-round of the election, followed by Ms Le Pen, and he is viewed as the favourite. Nine other candidates were eliminated.

"There is a revolt of the people against the elite" seen in Britain's Brexit vote and "probably" in the election of US president Donald Trump, Ms Le Pen said in a TF-1 television show.

"The people will probably reserve a very big surprise for the oligarchy," the anti-establishment candidate said, referring to elite decision-makers, including Mr Macron, who is a former economy minister and investment banker.

For Mr Macron, Ms Le Pen's anti-European Union, anti-immigration platform is based on "hatred for others" and contrasts with his desire to "calm" the country.

The pro-business candidate said he belongs to the "progressive camp" with a project "to make France succeed... in a stronger Europe" that his rival wants to leave.

Those are "two clear offers that come face to face," Mr Macron said on French public television.

Ms Le Pen holds out a still starker comparison, saying French voters will be making a choice between "uncontrolled globalisation and the nation".

She contended Mr Macron's plan for France amounts to "fratricide", saying it would pit people and companies against each other, with the strongest winning in a land where "the markets are the boss, money the king".

Ms Le Pen started her day at the Rungis wholesale market outside Paris, calling for more food to be produced and consumed.

She said the French government must promote meat from France.

"Let's promote the 'eating French' especially in (school) canteens where our children must take advantage of healthy, quality products," she said.

Ms Le Pen was booed by some workers in the fruits and vegetables section.

Criticism came from all quarters yesterday, including from her father, Jean-Marie Le Pen, the long-time nationalist leader who questioned her campaign.

He told France Inter radio that he thinks his daughter has produced a "too laid-back" campaign. He said that in her position, he would have done a "Trump-style" campaign that would have been "very aggressive against those who are responsible for the country's decadency".

He still supports her candidacy in the presidential run-off.

AP
New York would release the state tax returns for Donald Trump and other New Yorkers holding high office under state legislation crafted by Democrats.

The measure does not mention Mr Trump by name, but it comes after the New York City Republican refused to release his tax returns during his successful run for the US presidency last year.
North Korea's UN Mission has said the government will react to "a total war" with the United States with a nuclear strike.

The mission said North Korea will "surely win a victory in the death-defying struggle against the US imperialists".

The statement said the Democratic People's Republic of Korea - the country's official name - "can never be frightened" by the Trump administration's effort to bring the country "into submission" by deploying a nuclear aircraft carrier strike group to waters off the Korean Peninsula.

The mission said: "It is an unshakable will of the DPRK to go to the end if the US wants to remain unchanged in its confrontational stance."

It said the DPRK's "heaviest counteractions" in response to "provocations of any forms and levels from the US" will include a sudden pre-emptive attack involving manoeuvres on the ground, in the seas, underwater and in the air "and various other methods."

Meanwhile, US senators have arrived in Washington for an extraordinary briefing on the threat posed by North Korea.

All 100 senators were invited to the classified briefing at a building next to the White House.

President Donald Trump's secretary of state, defence secretary, top general and national intelligence director will brief them. The team was due to speak later to House members in the Capitol.

Earlier, South Korea announced the installation of key parts of a contentious US missile defence system meant to counter the North.

South Korea's trumpeting of progress in setting up the Terminal High-Altitude Area Defence system, or THAAD, came as high-powered US military vessels converged on the Peninsula.

North Korea conducted live-fire artillery drills on Tuesday, the 85th anniversary of the founding of its million-person Korean People's Army.

On the same day, a US guided-missile submarine docked in South Korea.

And the USS Carl Vinson aircraft super-carrier is also headed toward the peninsula for a joint exercise with South Korea.

The moves to set up THAAD within this year have angered not only North Korea, but also China, the country that the Trump administration hopes to work with to rid the North of nuclear weapons.

China, which has grown increasingly frustrated with North Korea, its ally, and Russia see the system's powerful radars as a security threat.

South Korea said that unspecified parts of THAAD were installed. It said that Seoul and Washington have been pushing to get THAAD quickly working to cope with North Korea's advancing nuclear and missile threats.

According to the Yonhap news agency, the parts include two or three launchers, intercept missiles and a radar.

AP
Police in Thailand are to look at how they can speed up the removal of "inappropriate online content" after a man killed his 11-month-old daughter in a live video on Facebook before taking his own life.

Officers found the bodies of 20-year-old Wuttisan Wongtalay and the baby in an abandoned hotel in Phuket province after receiving reports of the video.
The wife of a Thai man who hanged their 11-month-old daughter on Facebook Live has said her husband is the only person to blame, and she bears no anger towards the social media site or the users who shared the horrific video.

The video showed the 20-year-old man killing his child and then committing suicide. It was broadcast on Monday evening and made inaccessible by Facebook late yesterday afternoon.
An unarmed Minuteman 3 intercontinental ballistic missile has been launched from a US Air Force Base in California on a flight to a target in the Pacific Ocean.

The missile lifted off at 12.03am today from Vandenberg Air Force Base, 130 miles north west of Los Angeles.

An Air Force statement said the mission was part of a programme to test the effectiveness, readiness, and accuracy of the weapon system.

The 30th Space Wing commander, Colonel John Moss, said Minuteman launches are essential to verify the status of the US nuclear force and to demonstrate the national nuclear capabilities.

In a Minuteman test, a so-called re-entry vehicle travels more than 4,000 miles downrange to a target at Kwajalein Atoll near the Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands.

"Team V is once again ready to work with Air Force Global Strike Command to successfully launch another Minuteman III missile," Moss said.

"These Minuteman launches are essential to verify the status of our national nuclear force and to demonstrate our national nuclear capabilities.

"We are proud of our long history in partnering with the men and women of the 576th Flight Test Squadron to execute these missions for the nation."

The 576th Flight Test Squadron will be responsible for installed tracking, telemetry, and command destruct systems on the missile.

AP
North Korea's pursuit of nuclear weapons is an urgent national security threat and the US will exert pressure through diplomatic measures and tighter economic sanctions, the Trump administration has said.

The US State Department, defence and intelligence chiefs issued a statement on Wednesday after briefing senators on Washington's policy on North Korea - a policy some observers said sounds similar to that of the Obama administration.
Andrew Barr said funding for health and education would be key priorities for the territory in this year's federal budget. Credit:Rohan Thomson

It's based off figures showing 55 per cent of previous efficiency cuts have come from axing jobs in the federal workforce, with projected savings resulting in more job losses.

Scott Morrison MP Treasurer speaking at the AFR Banking and Wealth Summit, Sofitel Wentworth Sydney 6th april 2017 Credit:Louise Kennerley

WWII veteran John Hendry surrounded by great-grandchildren after participating in the 2017 Anzac Day National Ceremony. Credit:Sitthixay Ditthavong

Narrabundah man and WWII veteran, John Donald Hendry was part of the parade and has been marching in Anzac Day services since 1968. "It's really rather special,' he said.

Alexandra Back and Steven Trask caught up with him after the ceremony.

Ceremony for Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander Anzacs
Australian retirement savings could be put at risk unless regulators force the financial sector to be more transparent in managing the investment risks created by climate change.

That is is the view of former Liberal leader John Hewson, who is calling for regulators to take a much tougher line on how the financial sector handles the risks associated with global warming.

Dr Hewson, chairman of the Asset Owners Disclosure Project, made the call as new rankings showed many of the world's 500 largest asset owners, including some of Australia's biggest superannuation funds, were taking a more active approach to protecting their portfolios from climate change risks.
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.
Next time you grab a tub of flavoured yoghurt thinking it's a healthy alternative, remember that it may have more sugar than ice-cream.

An analysis of 197 flavoured yoghurts on the shelves of Coles and Woolworths found that 55 per cent had more than 12 grams (three teaspoons) of sugar per 100 grams  the upper limit of the recommended amount.

The most sugar-laden was Chobani-owned Gippsland Dairy's Choc Cherry Twist, which, at 4.7 teaspoons of sugar per 100 grams, surpasses Streets Blue Ribbon Classic Vanilla ice-cream.

This was followed by Gippsland Dairy Boysenberry Twist and Tasmanian Tamar Valley Dairy Greek Style Raspberry flavoured yoghurts.
(Note, most of his examples throughout the book are men, though he does sprinkle mentions of women such as geneticist Barbara McClintock or novelists Alice Munro and Joyce Carol Oates). Darwin was passionate and driven. While aboard the HMS Beagle he wrote to his sister that "a man who dares to waste one hour of time has not discovered the value of life". But Darwin did his work in three 90-minute intervals, interspersed by long walks in the countryside and naps. It's clear he did not believe he was wasting his time. Of course, being a gentleman scholar, even an ambitious one, is hardly a pressure-cooked environment. But take Britain's wartime prime minister Winston Churchill. He was apparently rigid about taking a daily afternoon nap followed by a bath, even during the darkest days of the war.

The common thread is the understanding that more work doesn't lead to better work  it's the nexus between deliberate practice and deliberate rest that creates great work. Thanks to books like Malcolm Gladwell's Outliers, we've come to believe it takes 10,000 hours of practice to become truly great at something. Gladwell's thesis is based partly on a study by Karl Anders Ericsson, Ralf Krampe and Clemens Tesch-Romer of violin students at a conservatory in Berlin in the 1980s. It found that the great students practised more than the average  adding up to that magic four hours a day - and they practised more deliberately. But the researchers also observed that the best students rested more deliberately. The top performers slept an hour a day more than the average because they napped during the day, and they were more accurate at estimating how much leisure time they had and what they did with it.

So it's more accurate to say that world-class performance comes after 10,000 hours of deliberate practice, 12,500 hours of deliberate rest, and 30,000 hours of sleep. The evidence for the benefits of napping is compelling. The book recounts several studies showing improved cognitive performance from naps. Most of us don't have jobs where we can take a kip  though if the weather conditions are right, you'll often see office workers dozing off in the city parks at lunch time. Napping has been in vogue in Silicon Valley for a while, with the likes of Google and Uber and, more surprisingly, PricewaterhouseCoopers offering "nap pods" or other sleeping facilities. But if it's not an option for you, there are also studies showing that taking a walk can be just as good. The cognitive boost is the same even if it's walking on a treadmill.

My favourite chapter is about "deep play", a term popularised by anthropologist Clifford Geertz. This is activity that is mentally absorbing, uses your skills, provides clear rewards and a living connection to your past. It might be painting, as it was for Churchill, sailing or mountain climbing. For me right now, it's learning music as a novice and singing in the Welcome Choir, a community choir in inner-city Sydney. Pang contends that rest is a skill, but there's no formula. The book has made me think more deeply about how I spend my leisure time. The two weeks I just spent mainlining Billions on video streaming service Stan (owned by Fairfax, publisher of the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age) did not recharge me. That's not deliberate rest. But the bushwalk I did with my family on Sunday in Sydney Harbour National Park ticked all the boxes. Exercise, family time, and immersion in nature.
A debt collection agency contracted by the federal government to recover incorrect Centrelink payments has denied visiting the home of a Melbourne man who killed himself while receiving demands to repay money.

Dun and Bradstreet chief executive Simon Bligh told a Senate inquiry into the Turnbull government's robo-debt recovery efforts that reports a debt collector's "calling card" had been left at the home of Melbourne florist and musician Rhys Cauzzo before he died in January were wrong.

Centrelink is under fire for letters using the AFP logo. Credit:Erin Jonasson

The 28-year-old had received letters from the firm seeking repayment of an $10,000 debt on behalf of the Department of Human Services before taking his own life on Australia Day. A department spokeswoman said after the hearing the demands were not part of the automated debt-recovery processes, relying on controversial data-matching processes, but we identified through manual processes.

Mr Cauzzo, who was being treated for depression at the time of his suicide, received correspondence from Dun and Bradstreet on January 3 saying: "Need to speak to you about an urgent matter."
Emergency crews received a surprise after being called to rescue a child stuck inside a toy vending machine in Sydney's west.

A Riverstone Fire and Rescue spokesperson said firefighters were called to a child stuck in a vending machine at a Rouse Hill business about 2pm on Tuesday.

The boy was rescued from inside the vending machine. Credit:Facecbook

"Upon arrival firefighters were escorted by security to a soft toy machine and to our surprise a young boy was inside," the spokesperson said.

"The young boy was not distressed and was having the time of his life playing with all the toys."
Opposition police spokesman Tim Mander said the police commissioner and police minister have some "serious questions to answer" over a report into Queensland's criminal justice data.

The Queensland Audit Office report, tabled in parliament on Wednesday, slammed crime data collection across the state saying an "unacceptable amount" of crime data was "incomplete, inaccurate, and wrongly classified".

The scathing report also took aim at the Gold Coast district police for using "inappropriate practices" in entering or altering data.

"The practices and attitudes of the Gold Coast district to crime data leave its staff open to claims of manipulation," the report said.
Cameron Caldwell. Credit:Glenn Hunt "What I'm saying is support should be capped so they don't feel beholden to anybody in particular," he said. "Today I recommended a cap of $5000, which is fair enough." Last week, Ipswich mayor Paul Pisasale suggested local government election campaigns be publicly funded, similarly to both state and federal campaigns. Cr Tate disagreed.

"I think my idea's better," he said. During his appearance before the commission, Cr Tate was asked about his campaign bank account. Candidates are required by law to have a separate account dedicated to campaign activity, but Cr Tate conceded he used his personal account to pay campaign costs, which he said were all documented and declared. Cr Tate said the intent of the law, as he saw it, was about delivering transparency to voters, which he believed he did "100 per cent", but conceded he did not act within the rules. "On our personal account, my view is Ruth and I are not third party, so to move the money from there into the mayoral account to spend it out of there, didn't serve any additional transparency in my opinion," he said.

"But I know that now and I take it as read that in a future campaign I would do it differently." Earlier, Gold Coast deputy mayor Donna Gates told the commission she had voted on development applications in the council chamber that were put forward by her donors. Cr Gates received $173,973 from donors for her 2016, despite eventually running for Division 1 unopposed. The commission heard the bulk of that money was raised during two race days, held in 2014 and 2015. Cr Gates conceded it was "possible" people might perceive a conflict of interest if she voted for applications that concerned her donors, but maintained she had declared all conflicts and had acted with integrity.

If council business concerned an application from a donor, Cr Gates said she made a "declaration of the possibility of a perceived conflict" at the council meeting. "I have, in the main, stayed in the room to vote in the public interest, because I firmly believe that's what I need to do," she said. Counsel assisting the commission Glen Rice, QC, asked Cr Gates: "Does making a donation supporting you at race days improve a donor's prospects of access to you?" "No," Cr Gates replied, "but in all honestly I would just make my day either start earlier or finish later to try and make myself available if it was something that I could assist them with. "On occasions they might make contact with me and if I knew the substance of the reason for the meeting, I might decline it."

Mr Rice: "Do you feel, having received money by way of support at your fundraising functions, that when a donor seeks to consult you about something that you have some obligation to make time available to the donor?" Cr Gates: "I don't feel an obligation specifically in that regard. I feel an obligation in terms of being a local government representative. I don't always agree with what's put in front of me; I'm totally impartial in terms of my representation other than getting the best outcome possible." Gold Coast Division 3 councillor Cameron Caldwell also appeared on Wednesday and told the commission that he, too, had voted on matters concerning a donor who gave him a $2000 contribution. But Cr Caldwell, who was also the city's planning chairman, said he made the donation known at the meetings in question and thought it "in the public interest" that his division's electors be represented in the vote. "I made the declaration and that's where my responsibility begins and ends," he said.
A man has told of saving a fishing companion who couldn't swim after a pair of waves described as a "perfect storm" overturned a boat in Moreton Bay on Wednesday morning.

Two crew and nine passengers were thrown overboard when waves capsized the boat, leaving painter Geoff McBaron "100-odd" metres from the vessel, trying to save a young man struggling in the rough conditions.

Mr McBaron said he and several others were washed away when 10-metre fishing charter boat Firebird overturned between North Stradbroke and Moreton islands.

He and the other eight passengers on board the Moreton Island Fishing Charters vessel had been treated to a day of fishing on behalf of their paint supplier but were instead battling to stay afloat shortly after 6am.
We have helped local, state, and federal agencies address our water challenges for 54 years. We succeed in this effort through robust research and water quality monitoring, education and training outreach, and information transfer to stakeholders throughout the State and region.
A former top cop backed by Opposition Leader Matthew Guy says Victoria Police has "lost the plot", claiming the state has "not been well served for some time" by various chief commissioners.

In a searing criticism of police command, Kel Glare, who headed Victoria Police between 1987 and 1992, accused his successors of withdrawing from "most if not all of their crime preventive measures".

Kel Glare talking with Neil Mitchell.

"Sadly in my view Victoria Police has lost the plot," Mr Glare said. "I hate criticising an organisation I love but the fact of the matter is it has not dealt adequately with the crime tsunami we are now facing."

Mr Glare - who on Wednesday released a 100-point plan to tackle Victoria's rising crime rate - said it was "an indictment in itself" that the Blue Light Disco program had been wound back.
Call it the Donald Trump dilemma. The outsider president came to Washington pledging to drain the swamp. He has found himself stymied by a shortage of allies in Congress.

Centrist newcomer Emmanuel Macron and far-right rival Marine Le Pen both aim to capture the lower house of Parliament in June's legislative elections. Their tally could make or break their presidencies - but in a nation where traditional parties are in disarray, few politicians are willing to predict what could happen.

And right now, their two parties combined command three lawmakers out of 925 in France's Parliament.

Paris: As two political outsiders battle to become France's president ahead of a runoff next month, each is looking ahead to a biting reality: If they want to pass laws, they need lawmakers on their side.

Emmanuel Macron is the front-runner for the May 7 runoff. Credit:AP

The challenge may be particularly steep for Macron, who is the formidable front-runner ahead of the May 7 presidential runoff. Vanquished leaders of traditional parties have united behind him to attempt to deny Le Pen the presidency. But that unified front is unlikely to hold for the Parliament. And if Macron wins a mandate but flops in his bid to improve life for French citizens, the anti-EU Le Pen may come back stronger than ever.

"French voters want massive change. And you cannot change the way you do politics if you have the same faces," said Macron spokesman Benjamin Griveaux. Macron's year-old party has received at least 30,000 applications from people who want to run in June for the 577 seats of the National Assembly, the lower house of Parliament, he said, and a full-time staff of nearly two dozen has been paging through the candidates. The first round of the legislative elections is June 11. The runoffs are a week later.

"One of the lessons of the vote that took place last Sunday is a deep willingness to have a renewal of our politicians," Griveaux said, adding that he was confident that Macron's party, On the Move, would win a majority and would not need to rely on other parties to pass its agenda if he is elected.

A parliamentary majority for the victorious president would follow historical precedent in modern France. But this is a precedent-shattering year, a fact tacitly acknowledged by President Francois Hollande on Tuesday, as he spoke at a memorial service for Xavier Jugele, the police officer killed Thursday by a man who pledged allegiance to the Islamic State.
Honolulu: A federal judge in Hawaii issued a nationwide order on Wednesday evening blocking President Donald Trump's ban on travel from some Muslim countries , dealing a political blow to the White House and signalling that proponents of the ban face a long and risky legal battle ahead.

The ruling was the second frustrating defeat for Trump's travel ban, after a federal court in Seattle halted an earlier version of the executive order last month. Trump responded to that setback with fury, lashing out at the judiciary before ultimately abandoning the order.

He issued a new and narrower travel ban on March 6, with the aim of pre-empting new lawsuits by abandoning some of the most contentious elements of the first version.

But Trump evidently failed in that goal: Democratic states and nonprofit groups that work with immigrants and refugees raced into court to attack the updated order, alleging that it was a thinly veiled version of the ban on Muslim migration that he had pledged to enact last year, as a presidential candidate.
Boston: What did the President know about the Mar-a-Lago ad that appeared on official government websites? And when did he know it?

These questions might sound trivial. They aren't. The web page about President Donald Trump's private club, which had all the features of a marketer-drafted puff piece, is a prime example of corruption, namely the knowing use of government means to enhance the private wealth of the President. And corruption is the classic example of a high crime or misdemeanour under the impeachment clause of the US constitution.

To be very clear, it doesn't matter whether advertising Trump's for-profit, members-only club using government property is a "crime" under federal law. "High crimes and misdemeanours" aren't the same as statutory violations. That phrase refers to the misuse of government authority to contradict and undermine democracy and the rule of law.

In this constitutional sense, using the perks and tools of government to enrich the President personally is an impeachable offence, an offence that would grow out of a pattern of such acts of corruption.
Brasilia: Indigenous people and police have clashed in Brazil's capital city, as officers fired rubber bullets and tear gas while tribe members shot arrows in return during a protest against planned government changes to reservation legislation.

The Tuesday demonstration was peaceful until police blocked some protesters, their bodies painted and carrying colourful headdresses, from climbing a ramp that leads into the congressional building.

Indigenous women protest for the demarcation of indigenous lands outside the Brazilian National Congress in Brasilia on Tuesday. Credit:AP

Indigenous leaders say the government of President Michel Temer is working to roll back protections in various parts of the Amazon and allowing farmers and other big-money interest to steal their lands.

Dozens of indigenous people are killed each year in Brazil in fights with farmers over land, often in the relatively lawless Amazon region, where hired gunmen have been used to push the indigenous off resource-rich reserves.
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84th Precinct

Brooklyn HeightsDUMBOBoerum HillDowntown

Checked out

A woman who met a man in a bodega and was invited to accompany him to his Willoughby Street home robbed him of $19,000 worth of jewelry on April 16.

The victim and his friend met the lady at the corner grocery store around 8 pm and invited her back to his apartment near Duffield Street to hang out, according to a report. His friend left a couple hours later, leaving the woman alone with him.

The victim then fell asleep and he woke up in the morning to discover she had left and taken the jewelry that was on the counter  including a $10,000 bracelet  with her.

Made his point

A brute flashed a knife at a man on Livingston Street on April 17 and demanded his phone.

The victim was on his way to work near Bond Street at around 11 am when the creep tapped him on the shoulder, showed him the blade in his backpack, and then growled, Give me your phone, authorities said. He handed over his phone and the lout fled, according to cops.

Senior scuffle

Cops cuffed a guy who they say tried to snatch a 63-year-old mans phone out of his hands as he was sitting on a Manhattan-bound A train at Hoyt-Schermerhorn streets station on April 18.

The senior was seated aboard the subway around 12:30 am when the suspect grabbed his phone as the door opened, police said. The man was able to grab the guys jacket to hold him back and they got into a small scuffle, with both of them falling to the ground, officers reported.

The suspect got free and fled, but authorities tracked him down and slapped handcuffs on him, according to a report.

Slashed

Some bruiser cut a guys neck with an unknown object while he was inside a Fulton Street restaurant on April 22.

The victim told police he was in the eatery near Pearl Street at 10:20 pm when the nogoodnik slashed him in the left side of the neck, according to police.

Wine and crime

A crew of looters broke into a Water Street eatery and stole five bottles of Sauvignon Blanc on April 17.

The five crooks entered the establishment near Old Fulton Street at 2:45 am and lifted $140 worth of the white wine, authorities said.

 Lauren Gill
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78th Precinct

Park Slope

Random acts of violence

Police busted an alleged wacko suspected of wounding a nurse in an unprovoked attack on Sixth Street on April 15.

The victim told police she was between Seventh and Eighth avenues at 7:10 pm, when, to her horror, the suspect suddenly grabbed her face and smashed her head against a wall.

Investigators later discovered the suspect had been recently discharged following a psychological evaluation prior to the attack, cops said.

The victim was rushed to Methodist Hospital, where she received treatment for her wounds.

Have a drink

Cops cuffed a woman accused of hurling drinking glasses inside a Fifth Avenue restaurant on April 10.

An employee told police the suspect was inside the eatery between Seventh and Eighth streets at 9:20 pm when she went bonkers and decided to send glassware sailing through the diner.

Prospect slasher

Officers arrested a man suspected of slashing another gentleman inside Prospect Park on April 10.

The victim told police he was engaged in a shouting match with the suspect inside the green space near Parkside Avenue at 11:10 am, when the other man flew into a rage and slashed him across the top of his head.

Not satisfied with causing a nasty gash, the suspect then grabbed a stick and bashed the hapless park patron on the head, cops said.

Pervy perp

Cops arrested a 54-year-old man who they say stole more than $1,100 worth of undies and other womens undergarments from a Flatbush Avenue lingerie shop on April 12.

An employee told police she was working inside the retail shop near Atlantic Avenue at 12:35 pm when she spotted the suspect nab about 40 pairs of panties, along with knockout pants and knit tops, before breezing past the register with his ill-gotten girl stuff.

But the worker followed the man into the nearby Atlantic Avenue subway terminal, when she called the police, who later the nabbed the suspect with his illicit unmentionables in hand, cops said.

Import export

Some thief drove off with a 66-year-old womans 2012 Toyota she parked along Second Street on April 9.

The victim told police that she left her Japanese import between Eighth Avenue and Prospect Park West at 10 pm, and returned the following morning to find an empty spot where her ride had been.

 Colin Mixson
Addressing a gathering of commanders of the Law Enforcement Force in Tehran on Sunday, Brigadier General Dehqan rejected recent US allegations against Iran and said they have their roots in the false claims made by the terrorist Mojahedin-e Khalq Organization (MKO). We have many times responded to the Americans and therefore, they should be certain that the Iranian nation will never accept any humiliation or imposition (of will) by any power, he noted. The country will never retreat from its plans to boost its defense and missile power, the defense minister added.





He made the remarks in reference to recent MKO allegations that Iran is violating the nuclear agreement, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) by secretly conducting research into nuclear weapons components at the Parchin military site in Iran. Earlier on April 15, US Senator John McCain met with the MKO members in Albania, talking about his opposition to the Islamic Republic and pledging continued support for the group.

The MKO - listed as a terrorist organization by much of the international community - fled Iran for Iraq and was given a camp by former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein. They fought on the side of Saddam during the Iraqi imposed war on Iran (1980-88). They were also involved in the bloody repression of Shiite Muslims in southern Iraq in 1991 and the massacre of Iraqi Kurds.
State Senator Steve Santarsiero (D-10) presented a check to Yardley Borough Police Chief Joseph Kelly for $68,600 for the purchase of a new police vehicle and motorcycle during a visit to the station. Our police put themselves on the line every day to keep our community safe, said Sen. Santarsiero. Dating back to when I was a Lower Makefield Township Supervisor more than...
The Arlan multirole armoured vehicle was unveiled in May 2016 during the defense exhibition KADEX in Astana, Kazakhstan. The vehicle is in service with the armed forces of kazakhstan since August 2016.



In January 2016, Jordan has signed a military cooperation with Kazakhstan for the purchase of 50 Arlan multirole armoured vehicles.



The Arlan is produced by Kazakhstan Paramount Engineering (KPE), a joint venture between South Africa's Paramount Group and state-owned Kazakhstan Engineering. The 4x4 mine protected armoured vehicle Arlan is based on the Paramount Marauder mine-resistant, ambush-protected vehicle.



The first production of the Arlan armoured was started in November 2015, and three variants of the vehicle were unveiled during the defense exhibition KADEX in May 2016.



The Arlan multirole armoured features a monocoque-type armoured design for the crew compartment. The armour of Arlan provides mine protection up to 8 kg of TNT (STANAG 4569 Level 3b) anywhere under the hull and 14 kg TNT (greater than STANAG 4569 Level 4a) for a blast under any wheel.



The Arlan can carry a total of 10 military personnel including driver , commander and gunner. The troop compartment can accommodate up to seven infantrymen.



The Arlan in service with the Kazakhstan armed forces are fitted with a remotely operated weapon station armed with 12.7mm heavy machine gun.


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We want to negotiate to ensure there are no new customs burdens when the United Kingdom leaves the European Union in two years time, was the message from Sir Keir Starmer MP to the Builders Merchants Federation (BMF) yesterday (25 April).

The Shadow Brexit Secretary was answering a question from Brett Amphlett, who represented the BMF at a Labour Party event in Westminster.

Sir Starmer gave a keynote televised speech to set out his partys approach to leaving the EU if Labour wins the forthcoming general election.

The BMF wants politicians of all parties to understand that leaving the Customs Union without a comprehensive UK-EU free trade agreement will unsettle business confidence and planned investments - with severe consequences for the merchants and manufacturers it represents.

Sir Starmer was asked whether the HMRC and port authorities have sufficient resources to deal with millions more customs declarations that will be necessary when the UK leaves the EU Customs Union. The BMF argues that if inspections at ports are not properly resourced, consignments will be stuck on quaysides causing unnecessary backlogs and delays in fulfilling customer orders.

He said that the country cannot have a situation where no deal is better than a bad deal and that there will have to be transitional arrangements to avoid uncertainty for affected businesses.

The speech took place at the Institute of Civil Engineers in front of an invited audience of businessmen and women and political editors from the national print and broadcast media.

Since the prime minister triggered the EU Article 50 clause, the BMF has been lobbying MPs to persuade the government to negotiate a mutually beneficial new customs agreement based on zero or low tariffs. More should be done to prepare for the possibility of no deal with the EU - and the unwanted extra bureaucratic and financial burdens that will arise from that, says the BMF.
South Jersey Election Day results roundup: Who won, who lost?

Follow along for news throughout Election Day and race results as they come in.
The Chamber of Deputies of the Czech Republic approved on Tuesday, April 25, a resolution, condemning the genocide of Armenians in the Ottoman Turkey.

April 26, 2017, 09:19 Czech Republic recognizes the Armenian Genocide

STEPANAKERT, APRIL 26, ARTSAKHPRESS-ARMENPRESS: The legislation condemns atrocities and massacres of Armenians and other religious and national minorities in the Ottoman Empire during the First World War, as well as Nazi war crimes.

The Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament of the Czech Republic condemns the crimes against humanity carried out by the Nazis during the Second World War on the Jewish, Roma and Slavic populations in the controlled territories, the genocide of Armenians and other national and religious minorities in the Ottoman Empire during World War I, reads the resolution, which passed with 104 votes.

The resolution was proposed by MP Robin Bonisch from the CSSD.
A delegation from Armenia, and led by Defense Minister Vigen Sargsyan, has traveled to Moscow.

April 26, 2017, 11:55 Armenia defense minister heads for Russia

STEPANAKERT, APRIL 26, ARTSAKHPRESS: In the Russian capital city, the delegation will participateon Wednesday and Thursdayin the VI Moscow Conference on International Security, the Ministry of Defense informed.

Within the framework of this event, Sargsyan is expected to also hold bilateral talks with his colleagues from abroad.
The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) has rejected US-based stent maker Abbotts application to withdraw its high-end stents from India on technical grounds, asking it to re-apply if it still wanted to pull out. But, the rejection has come with a possible sweetener. In an indication of a softening of stand, the NPPA on Wednesday told that it should prove the superiority of its stents if it wanted a better price.
The free schemes and recharge options that is offering to its customers is likely to continue for the next 12-18 months, which means other telecom services providers like Airtel, Vodafone and BSNL will have to step up efforts to counter Jio's strategy.
The proposed sale of the wire ropes division of that partly caused non-executive chairman Prashant Jhawar his job was, ironically, mooted by him in 2016.
Hinduja Global Solutions (HGS), the business process management (BPM) arm of the Hinduja Group, has announced that it would expand the capacity of its Raipur facility.
Warburg Pincus-backed today announced the acquisition of online jewellery firm Candere (www.candere.com). The company did not disclose the value of the deal. The acquisition will augment presence in the growing online jewellery segment, said the company.

will acquire the equity held by Singularity Strategic, the family office of Brijesh Chandwani and Subram Kapoor.
Cinema exhibition chain has signed an agreement with the IMAX Corporation to add five more IMAX theatres by the end of 2019. The Ajay Bijli-led exhibitor currently runs four IMAX screens in the country with a fifth screen installed and ready for operation in the coming weeks. This deal with Cinemas marks one of the largest single theatre signings for IMAX in the country, bringing the total number of IMAX theatres to 26, with 11 currently open and 15 contracted to open.

Through this roll-out, will reach a count of 10 IMAX screens and will retain its position as the largest IMAX partner in India. Two of the five new screens will be rolled out by August and the rest will follow. The new IMAX theatres are planned to be located in metros like Delhi and will comprise a combination of new and existing PVR properties.



"The tremendous success of our existing four IMAX theatres, along with the upcoming slate of differentiated and exclusive IMAX content, provided us the confidence to double our commitment and continue to leverage IMAX as a strategic part of our business," said Ajay Bijli, Chairman & Managing Director, PVR Limited. "With IMAX anchoring our most important locations, we look forward to further strengthening our presence in India by offering our patrons the most technologically advanced movie going experience available."
The requirement that the Secretary of PNGs Department of Personnel Management keep a register of all non-citizen technical advisers also reflects PNGs desire to increase its control over the engagement of non-citizens in its public service.

PNGs sovereignty has also been enhanced by the new requirement that the agency secretary give final approval for the engagement of a non-citizen technical adviser and sign a performance contract with that adviser.

Under that regulation, foreign government employees can only be engaged on a short-term basis under an institutional partnership arrangement.

THE 2016 Papua New Guinean regulation covering non-citizen technical advisers (discussed in our earlier post ) seems to have primarily resulted from a desire within the PNG government to exert its national sovereignty.

PNG and its development partners should consider further reform in this space.

We hold the view that non-citizen technical advisers who are embedded in the PNG public service should be employed by the PNG government, not by a contractor.

In this scenario, aid contractors would coordinate the logistics but not act as the employer of these advisers (see the above figure). The benefits of this approach are greater accountability and greater scope for aid funded non-citizens to be engaged in in-line positions and not just as advisers.

This proposed model is consistent with the 2010 Joint Review of Technical Adviser Positions that recommended greater use of in-line officers contracted directly to the PNG government who have full delegations of public servants, are accountable to the PNG government and undertake the full functions of the role with the additional component of capacity building.

The fundamental difference between this proposed model and the currently existing non-citizen technical adviser model is the recognition that the PNG agency is the employer of the non-citizen. In our view, this reflects the reality of the engagement of many non-citizen technical advisers on the ground in PNG.

It makes little sense to have an adviser, who works on a daily basis in a PNG agency, and reports to the PNG agency head, to be employed by a commercial aid contractor. As indicated above, this mode is compatible with and will promote the use of the engagement of non-citizen advisers in in-line roles.

PNG already engages many non-citizens in-line under the Public Employment (Non-Citizens) Act 1978. In these instances, the PNG government is the employer of the non-citizens and is responsible for all costs associated with the adviser.

A model for co-funded positions already exists in PNG with the Overseas Development Institute (ODI) Fellowship Scheme.

The PNG government can make a request to ODI for staff with specific economic skills. ODI fellows work as local civil servants for a period of two years, with the cost being shared between the PNG government and ODI.

Under the ODI model, the PNG government, as the employer, is responsible for paying a salary equivalent to what would be payable to a locally recruited national with similar qualifications and experience; providing conditions of service such as accommodation and leave entitlements similar to those offered to local staff in similar grades; and ensuring fellows receive assistance in obtaining work permits and security clearances where required.

ODI on the other hand is responsible for selecting fellows, arranging placements, providing a pre-departure briefing and allowances, paying a monthly supplement, providing medical insurance, and paying an end-of-fellowship bonus.

Under the ODI model, non-citizens are employed by the PNG government and work in in-line positions, allowing them to make decisions and supervise staff, without the PNG government having to bear the full costs.

Non-citizens are employed in approved, funded, vacant, established positions and are subject to the same public service laws and standards as their PNG colleagues.

By incorporating them into the establishment and by paying them their base salaries, the PNG agencies take ownership of their non-citizen employees. Non-citizens occupying in-line positions cannot be referred to as advisers but can be called non-citizen employees.

ODI fellows represent a very small component of the adviser program in PNG  there are currently only four working for PNG agencies. But the ODI model could and should be used and adopted by other donors including DFAT.

The role of aid contractors would be restricted to arranging the logistics (accommodation, health insurance, transport and security), and the payment of salary top-ups. DFAT would continue to be the source of the majority of the funding. The top-up of salary and payment for logistics by DFAT reflects the reality that this is necessary to both attract and retain non-citizen employees.

The adoption of a new model for non-citizen technical advisers (or employees) would need to be supported by legislative and regulatory reform. At the very least, PNG will have to review and update the Public Employment (Non-Citizens) Act 1978 which has remained largely unchanged since it was brought into operation shortly after independence.

Similarly, the PNG Public Service General Orders do not provide adequate guidelines for the in-line engagement of non-citizens, particularly as they relate to advisers who are co-funded by contractors as part of an aid program.

Lastly, there are a range of other matters (including important taxation issues) which will require careful consideration by both PNG and Australia before a new model for advisers can be introduced. But all these obstacles can be overcome. All that is required is commitment from both parties to embrace a new way to engage non-citizens in PNG government agencies.

Joachim Luma was Manager, Executive and Legislative Reform Branch and Michael Anderson a non-citizen technical adviser with the Department of Personnel Management during the development of the new regulation. Carmen Voigt-Graf is a fellow at the ANUs Development Policy Centre
Along with the USA, Singapore, Australia and New Zealand are also tightening work visa requirements. The UK is also tightening up its visa regime and headed into Brexit as well. This will have a negative impact on Indian information technology (IT) services.
Lawyer Harish Salve, appearing on behalf of ex-Ranbaxy promoters Malvinder Singh and Shivinder Singh, told Delhi high court on Wednesday that had full knowledge of all affairs of Ranbaxy at the time of stake purchase in the company in 2008.
As the government rolls out the regional connectivity scheme, SpiceJets Chairman and Managing Director Ajay Singh spoke to Anjuli Bhargava on how they chose the routes they have won, why small players in the sector find it hard to survive, and why he thinks the entry of players like Qatar will add to the challenges the industry is facing. Excerpts:

How did you decide on the routes to bid for?

The UDAN scheme, in my view, will help connect a lot of airports that have never been served. A lot of growth is in these Tier-II and Tier-III markets. We call them small towns but in most other countries these would be pretty large aviation markets.

We did a study of some of the cities and chose the ones we felt have commercial potential. We looked at the Delhi-Kanpur train traffic. We tried to do assess how many people fly from Kanpur to Lucknow and then to Delhi. We looked at the town demographics and population. Its one of the largest industrial towns in UP and has a large population with a high disposable income. Lucknow has dozens of flights every day and Kanpur has none. It doesnt make sense.

Jalandhar (Delhi-Jalandhar) is a rich town with a fairly large population. Why wouldnt they fly if there was an option? Kandla port has a lot of commercial activity but no flights. We have identified new routes that we will look at in the next round of bids.

We felt we could make money on these routes even without a viability gap funding. So we bid for these asking for no subsidy and naturally won the bids. We are only taking the other benefits of the scheme. The fact that one gets to fly exclusively helps matters.

We had 17 Bombardiers (Q400, 78-seaters) flying at present and we have taken three more on lease. Of those, two are just for UDAN routes.

Why do you think the other larger players like IndiGo, Go and Jet have stayed away?

IndiGo and Go probably dont want to add another aircraft to their fleet. Jet seems more focused on international now.

I inherited the Q400s but if I had been running the airline all through, I may not have bought and added the Q400 fleet. But now that I have inherited it, I have to see how best to make money from it. Had I not had the Q400s, I may not have bid, either.

Why too much effort for small change?

Yes, I suppose that sums it up.

What are the chances of some of the smaller players succeeding in this, given the past record of small players in Indias aviation sector so far?

There is a fundamental issue here; if you dont have economies of scale, it is very tough to do this business. Your costs are different in running a five-aircraft operation, vis-a-vis a 50-aircraft operation. Lease rentals will be higher, the cost of maintenance  everything adds up. If you send an engine for a C check, what rates can you get for a single plane?

The smaller the plane, the more expensive it is on a per-seat basis. The cost of the pilot, crew  everything remains the same. If you divide that over a lower number of seats, it becomes that much more expensive.

Even if there is no competition  as is the case with UDAN  the cost base has to be right.

I was looking at the numbers of some of players that have gone belly up. Their costs are too high. Their per-hour costs are unviable.

Whats your view on FDI in airlines and Qatar Airways coming in?

Qatar would be bad for the industry. Theres no country in the world that allows 100% foreign direct investment. We  the Federation of Indian Airlines  have taken this up.

The perception here is that there will be a large amount of investment coming in, but in the aviation sector when you allow foreign airlines, it isnt as if that much investment comes in per se. Planes are leased and they come and operate here. Whatever money comes in is spent on funding losses (this can be seen from the new airlines that have come in like Vistara and Air Asia India). This just depresses fares and yields further. And the industry suffers.

In some cases, these foreign airlines can use their state money, and come and depress our fares, affecting our market adversely. Why should we allow that? Most countries dont even easily allow you to set up a marketing office, let alone an airline. Nobody allows effective control and ownership to be with a foreign airline like we have.

We need to look after our own airline sector. These airlines are seeking to take India traffic to their hubs and carry it onwards and distribute it further. This means Indian airports will never become hubs. Why are we letting this happen? Why are we perpetuating this?
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AIADMK leader TTV Dinakaran arrives at IGI airport to appear before Delhi police for questioning in connection with an alleged attempt to bribe an EC official for retaining the two leaves party symbol

After four days of questioning, AIADMK (Amma) leader T T V was tonight arrested by Delhi Police for allegedly attempting to bribe an Election Commission official to get the undivided AIADMK's 'two leaves' election symbol for his faction.

reached the Crime Branch Inter State Cell office in Chanakyapuri at 5 PM. He was arrested after being questioned for close to six hours, Praveer Ranjan, joint commissioner of police (crime), said.

His longtime friend Mallikarjuna was also arrested after being quizzed for the second day on the trot, he said.

Mallikarjuna had been accompanying everywhere ever since Sukesh Chandrasekar, the middleman in the EC bribery case, was arrested, police said.

Sources said that Dhinakaran's PA Janardhana has agreed to be a witness in the case.

Dhinakaran had yesterday confessed to meeting Chandrasekar, assuming he was a high court judge. He had, however, denied that he paid money to the middleman for retaining the party's poll symbol.

The controversial AIADMK leader had come under the scanner after the arrest of Chandrasekar and had maintained that he never met him.

He was earlier summoned by Delhi Police at his Chennai residence in the case.

Dhinakaran, who was appointed deputy general secretary by AIADMK chief V S Sasikala, has been isolated in his party amid moves to merge rival factions led by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister EK 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 merger talks.
The producer of the blockbuster film Baahubali: The Conclusion has accused Emirates of "rude" and "racist" behaviour.

Shobu Yarlagadda, 46, took to Twitter last night where he described how the staff of the Dubai-based air carrier mistreated the team when they were on their way to Hyderabad after promoting the film in Dubai.

"Flying to Hyderabad on @emirates EK526. Airline staff at gate B4 were very rude and harassed our team unnecessarily! Bad attitude and service!

Flying to Hyd on @emirates EK526. Airline staff at gate B4 were very rude n harassed our team unnecessarily! Bad attitude n service!  Shobu Yarlagadda (@Shobu_) April 25, 2017

.@emirates I think one of the @emirates staff was being racist.. I fly @emirates regularly n this is 1st time I have come across this kind of attitude  Shobu Yarlagadda (@Shobu_) April 25, 2017

"I think one of the @emirates staff was being racist... I fly @emirates regularly and this is the first time I have come across this kind of attitude," wrote Shobu.

Shobu was accompanying director S S Rajamouli and actors Prabhas, Rana Dagubatti and Anushka Shetty for the promotion.
The Punjab government has decided to ban the use of certain products made of plastic in a bid to conserve the deteriorating environment. A notification to this effect will be issued after an approval by the state cabinet on the decision taken. Chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh has directed the officials to impose the ban after giving people sufficient time to adopt alternative packaging methods, according to an official spokesperson.
The contentious issue of enhancing traffic rights with Dubai has left the civil aviation ministry divided and a further delay in revision will hurt the Dubai-based Emirates airlines.
has been continuing before starting the construction work for the Indo-Bangla railway network from Tripura, officials said on Wednesday.

The West Tripura district administration has started process for Agartala-Gangasagar (Bangladesh) railway link and it is likely to be completed over a period of two-and-a-half months, district Officer PK Deb said.

The Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) has already released Rs 97 crore for land acquisition for the railway project connecting Agartala with Gangasagar (Bangladesh), NFR Deputy Chief Engineer BN Bhaskar said.

"Once the required land is provided to us, the NFR will undertake construction of railway track on elevated corridor within a month," he said.

Bhaskar said that tracks would be on the elevated corridor between Agartala and Badharghat stations while lines would be laid on the ground from Charipara to Nischintpur, a border area of Sadar subdivision.

The track would be around 5 km long in India while 10 km railway track will be laid on Bangladesh side and IRCON, a Government of India undertaking, will execute the 10 km track as per the plan.
The results of the Delhi civic polls lead to some obvious conclusions, and not so obvious near-term possibilities. These include fresh assembly polls in Delhi by the end of the year, the likelihood of several incumbent Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Lok Sabha members might be replaced in 2019 Lok Sabha polls and more leaders quitting the Congress party.
This year marks the 75th anniversary of the Kokoda campaign and the Battle of Milne Bay, which formed part of the New Guinea campaign in World War II.

Governor-General Sir Peter Cosgrove made that pledge as he delivered the Anzac dawn service address yesterday at the Bomana War Cemetery near Port Moresby.

AUSTRALIANS will never forget the courage of those who fell in the jungles of Papua New Guinea nor the "national treasures" who survived the worst conditions of warfare.

Bomana is the largest war cemetery in the Pacific with close to 4,000 graves, mostly Australian.

"Those who gave their lives and lie here are always in our hearts," Sir Peter told the crowd.

"Their deeds, their sacrifices and the battles they fought have shaped us."

He reflected on the pivotal role Australian troops played in PNG halting the Japanese advance, after Singapore fell and northern Australia was bombed.

"They were courageous and enduring in some of the worst conditions warfare can demand," Sir Peter said.

"Many would fall here in the jungle, away from the wide brown land they loved, but were destined never to see again."

He paid tribute to the bravery of Corporal Jack French, awarded a Victorian Cross for single-handedly taking out three enemy machine gun posts during the Battle for Milne Bay.

"Although badly wounded he continued to advance until fatally shot," Sir Peter said.

Sir Peter also singled out Sister Marie Craig, the only woman buried at the cemetery, who nursed the wounded and died in a plane crash.

The grave of Sir Peter's uncle Bill, a flight sergeant with the RAAF Beaufighter unit, who died in a plane crash, is among the thousands at Bomana.

It was equally important to remember the bravery of those who made it home and the few surviving veterans, the governor-general said.

"They have assumed the mantle of national treasurers, a living link to a time when our nation fought for its very survival," he said.

Sir Peter also lauded the efforts of local Papua New Guineans, known affectionately as the Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels, who helped injured and wounded Australian soldiers along the Kokoda Track.

"Stretcher bearers, guides, a shoulder to rest on par excellence," he said.

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten and his wife Chloe also travelled to PNG for Anzac Day commemorations.

"As the sun rises on these white stones we remind ourselves each one stands for a son, a father, a brother - someone who loved, who was loved and who never came home again," Mr Shorten told the dawn service at Bomana.

"In our nation's darkest hour, when Australia faced its sternest test, they paid the highest price."

An estimated 625 Australians were killed on the track and more than 1,600 were wounded. Casualties from sickness exceeded 4,000.
Pakistan on Wednesday again denied India consular access to former Indian naval officer who was awarded a death sentence by Islamabad military court for alleged espionage activities.

This is the 16th time that India has demanded consular access.

Pakistan Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua categorically expressed her views to Indian High Commissioner Gautam Bambawale, during a meeting in Islamabad, reports Radio Pakistan.

During the meeting, Bambawale also handed over a petition by the Jadhav's mother to the Pakistan Government for his release and expressed a desire to meet him.

"Pakistan was also requested to facilitate visas for Jadhav's mother and father. They wish to travel to Pakistan to meet him and also to personally file the petition and appeal. They have applied for necessary visas with the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi," India's External Affairs Ministry release stated.

This comes a day after India's Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar met Pakistani High Commissioner to India Abdul Basit and made similar demands.

The Pakistan Army had earlier ruled out consular access to Jadhav, saying he is not eligible for it as per the laws.

"Kulbhushan is not eligible for consular access nor will be granted consular access," said Pakistan Armed Forces spokesperson Major General Asif Ghafoor.

He alleged that Jadhav, caught on anti-state activities, was trialed under court martial.

"This was purely an act by the Army to which the Army as an institution said we will not compromise on his sentence," he said.

Major General Ghafoor said Jadhav's death sentence process will move ahead as per the law, adding it will go in the applet court and the army shall wait for the verdict.

Jadhav was arrested in March last year in the restive Balochistan province and accused of being a Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) agent.
The deadly attack by Maoists on CRPF troops in Sukma in Chattisgarh claimed 25 lives on Monday. This was one of the deadliest attack by Maoists in the recent past but not the only terror attack under the watch of the Narendra Modi government.
Who knew that a road inauguration ceremony would turn into a sight of a brutal and deadly massacre leading to the death of our brave hearts.

What is more astonishing is the transformation of a beautiful friendly relationship into a non-supportive deceiving one.

This friendly relationship was once shared between the villagers of the Burkapal hamlet and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) jawans.

The villagers were not only supportive but also acted as informers for the security forces updating them about the Naxal activities going on in and around the Maoist hotbed of Bastar.

The relationship was so closely shared due to the proximity of the 74 CRPF battalion camp with the Burkapal village.

To know how this fruitful relationship turned sour, ANI did a ground research and talked with the CRPF personnel as well.

On reaching the site of the dreadful incident, our ANI reporter saw that the villagers were sitting there together. On asking one of the CRPF personnel, he was informed that the people had left the village, post the attack and had returned then only.

It was told that things changed two months back when the head of the village, Madhvi was killed by Naxalites.

Madhvi was a helping hand to CRPF and acted as their informer, but post his death even the villagers stopped visiting the security camp and distanced themselves from the personnel.

"On the day of the attack, the firing was done from the side of the village also. The Naxals has formed a u-shaped ambush, one end of which was the Burkapal village. The innocent villagers were used as human shield by the Maoists. They must have forced the villagers to act in this way," CRPF officer D.P. Upadhyay told ANI.

One of the villagers Gogi told that they heard rounds of fire after which they left the village. He also informed about the murder of their head by the Naxals.

It is also believed that some of the Naxals were also killed during the attack.

As many as 25 CRPF personnel were killed in the encounter with Naxals earlier on Monday that took place in Chhattisgarh's Sukma.

Around 90 CRPF jawans were part of the road opening party when they were attacked by the Naxals.

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh cancelled his engagements in Delhi and rushed for Raipur to hold a meeting.

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.

On Tuesday, Turkey also condemned the Sukma Naxal attack.
Websites of Delhi University (DU), Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), Indian Institute of Technology -Delhi and some other educational and training institutions were hacked allegedly by some Pakistan-based groups on Tuesday.

The portals of DU, AMU, IIT-Delhi and IIT-BHU, when opened, did not show the usual information and were posted with messages and videos about alleged atrocities by Indian security forces in Jammu and Kashmir.

The hackers, who called themselves PHC, also posted some pro-Pakistani slogans on the websites, and said: "Nothing deleted or stolen. Just here to deliver my message to Indians."

The message asked Indians if they were aware of what their soldiers were doing in Kashmir. The hacked portals also had "Pakistan zindabad" slogans.

Websites of University of Kota, Army Institute of Management and Technology, Defence Institute of Advanced Technology, Board of Research in Nuclear Sciences, and Aerospace Laboratories did not open or could not be reached.

When contacted, educational institutions said they were linked to Ernet India Server which hosted their websites.

Afsar Khan, former Registrar and a member of AMU website management team, told IANS that the website for admissions was hosted locally and was working fine.

"Ernet (Education and Research Network) India Server that hosts websites has been hacked. They are working on it and it will be restored within 3-4 hours. Our website for admissions, which is hosted locally, is working fine and we won't face any problem on that front," he said.

DU, in its statement, said the website of the university was inaccessible from outside the campus for some time "due to some problems in the domain name servers pointing incorrectly to another site".

"The problem was detected and immediately rectified by contacting ERNET, who has provided the domain name for University of Delhi," the statement said.

IIT-Delhi spokesperson Kalyan Bhattacharjee told IANS that there was nothing wrong with their server and it was Ernet that was hacked.

"Our server is intact. We are registered with the ERNET -- under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology. They have a DNA server and has our addresses," he said.

"It is this address location that was tampered with by some external agency," Bhattacharjee said, adding that the ministry is investigating the matter.

--IANS

sk-vn-sar-ps/tsb/vt
An Alliance Air ATR-42 aircraft with 15 passengers will take off from Shimla airport on 11.15 am on Thursday heralding the launch of (RCS).
The blanket ban on rampant illegal mining in Uttar Pradesh, especially after Yogi Adityanath's government came to power on March 19, has hit the state's realty estate sector hard due to the acute shortage of building material, such as sand, maurang, and gravel, among others.
The Minister of Defence, Finance and Corporate Affairs, Shri Arun Jaitley attended the 6th Moscow Conference on International Security on 25 and 26 April 2017 and spoke at the plenary session. .

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The Defence Minister had a warm and productive meeting with his Russian counterpart Mr. Sergei Shoigu. .

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In his remarks to the media after his meeting with the Russian Defence Minister, Shri Jaitley said, India has traditionally been participating in the Moscow Conference on International Security. This year it was decided that Indian Defence Minister will participate in the Conference. Both in the Conference and also bilaterally with the Defence Minister of Russia, I had very fruitful discussions". .

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Diplomatic relations between India Russia are in the 70th year. This is a relationship which goes far beyond just the relations between the Governments. Russia has been a true and trusted friend of India, which is regarded so by the people of India, and there has been a much greater cooperation at the level of Defence. It is a cooperation which extends to Joint Military exercises, training cooperation and also with regard to supply of equipment which India purchases from Russia. We have future plans to set up manufacturing units in India and these are subjects of discussion which came up in my bilateral meeting with the Defence Minister and I am sure with the level of engagement we have, this relationship will continue to grow", Shri Jaitley stated. .

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Countries that invest in education, build strong consumer economies, have democratic institutions to deal with social change will benefit: Vice President Delivers Lecture at the Yerevan State University

The Vice President of India, Shri M. Hamid Ansari has said that the countries that have invested in educating their populations, built strong consumer economies, and have democratic institutions that can deal with social change will benefit. He was delivering the Lecture at the Yerevan State University, Yerevan, Armenia today. The Minister of Education and Science, Armenia, Mr. Levon Mkrtchyan, the Vice-Rector of Yerevan State University, Mr. Gegham Gevorgyan and other dignitaries were present on the occasion. The Vice President said that some of the newer technologies that would impact on human progress relate to energy, cyber technology, robotics, artificial intelligence, quantum mechanics, gene-editing and space exploration. All of these have geopolitical implications in the future, he added. In recognition of his outstanding public and political achievements and his contribution to development of India-Armenia relations, the Vice President was awarded with a degree of Honorary Doctor of the Yerevan State University. Following is the text of Vice President's Lecture: " I am happy to be in this enchanting city and grateful to the Rector and the faculty of the Yerevan State University for inviting me today. I have come to a land some distance from India but not far from the individual and collective memory of Indians. I myself was born in Calcutta (now Kolkata), and spent many years in the city. Amongst its historic features are Armenian churches and other signs of its Armenian inhabitants. Father Michael Chamichs History of Armenia was translated and published in Calcutta in 1827. More recently, historians like Mesrovb Jacob Seth and George Bournoutian have recorded the Armenian contribution in India to trade and commerce as to various cultural and charitable activities. Less known but nevertheless a part of spiritual history of my land is the personality of Armenian descent known in medieval chronicles as Sarmad, a mystic of who travelled from somewhere in this region to India, led an unconventional life and was executed for blasphemy in 1660 because he espoused a creed that distinguished between states of negation and affirmation. One of the leaders of our freedom movement and a close aide of Mahatma Gandhi, Abul Kalam Azad, was deeply influenced by Sarmads free thinking and humanitarianism. It is thus evident that well before modern times; the flow of people, trade and ideas was not an unusual occurrence. My purpose today, however, is to talk about the future, not the past. The older generation in this audience knows and the younger ones have been told that the 20th century was a period of organized insanity characterized by metamyths and megadeaths. These led an eminent historian to conclude that our world risks both explosion and implosion; hence it must change. The expectation that the changes in the last decade of the century would bring forth a more harmonious world in which international cooperation in solving international problems would be addressed by peaceful means in conformity with the principles of justice and international law did not materialize. On the contrary, older patterns of thought and practice persisted and, aided by newer technologies, resulted in explosions as well as implosions in different parts of our world. The promise of globalization also showed its limitations; the financial crisis of 2008 demonstrated, in the words of one analyst, a systemic vulnerability to unregulated greed. Both, in the final analysis, exhibited failures of governance at national and global levels. Nor was the crisis limited to matters strategic and financial. Climatic catastrophes and pandemics demonstrated the vulnerability of human existence to forces beyond its control despite the immensity of scientific advances. The conclusion is unavoidable that individuals, societies, and the global community as a collective, need to re-think the parameters of their future. In this endeavour, the first step necessarily is to identify the likely challenges; the next is to assess the impact that scientific and technological advancement would have in resolving them; and the third would be to assess their impact on our lives and patterns of behavior. Our focus has to be on the possible and the probable; however, the possibility cannot be excluded of delving into the preferable and the undesirable. I hasten to add that there is nothing unique about such speculative ventures. All through recorded history, the human mind has sought to visualize both utopias and doomsday scenarios. I am nevertheless emboldened to venture down this path today in the presence of a youthful audience eager to dream of a better world. A general categorization of challenges to our world of today is premised on a normal desire to live, live well, live in peace, live without human or natural threats. The devil, as always, is in details. The right to live, universally conceded as a basic human right, implies the right to breathe, to food and water, to health. These, together, necessitate sustainable development and the need to address the totality of challenges of climate change. Alongside are the problems of population, disease, energy and resources. Supplementary to these, but inseparable from them, are all the requirements that humankind, by virtue of being both social and political creatures, need for living in society, be it local, national or global and the growing realization that these challenges transcend national boundaries and can only be addressed through global cooperation in which burden sharing is equitable. Consequently, the old doctrines and dogmas of national decision-making, and state sovereignty stand abridged in good measure. These emerging imperatives have two-fold implications: technological and socio-political. Today, more than ever before, there is a general realization in all societies that solutions have to be sought through science and technology. The prospects are fascinating in some respects, disturbing in others. Some of the newer technologies that would impact on human progress relate to energy, cyber technology, robotics, artificial intelligence, quantum mechanics, gene-editing and space exploration. All of these have geopolitical implications in the future. Allow me to dilate on the implications of some of these. Human civilization, as it has developed, is energy-centric and newer technologies would increase our demands of energy. The 20th century was the century of hydrocarbons. Towards the end of the century it was realized that hydrocarbon resources were finite and this had political implications in terms of global tussles. The big shock to the energy industry came with fracking, a new set of techniques and technologies for extracting more hydrocarbons from the ground. Though there are concerns about environmental damage, these increased the outputs of oil and gas, caused the usurpation of old-line coal-fired power plants, and dramatically reduced dependence of some countries on foreign oil. Scientists also came forth with other sources, principally nuclear. It has its benefits and challenges. The demand for clean energy is growing.

Solar and wind are now advancing on an exponential curves. Every two years, for example, solar installation rates are doubling, and photovoltaic-module costs are falling by about 20 percent. Even without the subsidies that governments are phasing out, present costs of solar installations will, by 2022, halve, reducing returns on investments, to less than four years. By 2030, solar power will be able to provide 100 percent of todays energy needs; by 2035, it will seem almost free  just as cell-phone calls are today. A tantalizing prospect emerged when men of science looked beyond the planet Earth. Many years ago Soviet astronomer Nokolai Kardashev propounded the theory of stages of civilization in terms of sources of energy and categorized the present, based on fossil sources, as sub-zero type, to be followed by Type I that would harness power of an entire planet, Type II from a star and Type III from a galaxy. As futurist Ray Kurzweil says, when an exponential technology is at one percent, you are halfway to 100 percent, and that is where solar and wind energies are now. Another surge of growth would spell the imminent extinction of the fossil-fuel industry, and with it the geo-strategic significance that hydrocarbon rich states have enjoyed. This will have a cascading impact on the regional security architectures in many parts of the world as well as pan-global ramifications. Cyber technology has overwhelmed us and its impact on every level of human organization is evident. It is not threatening in itself but most societies are already beginning to cope with threats emanating from it. The very benefits of its use in social, financial, industrial and military sectors have, as one strategic thinker has observed, revolutionized vulnerabilities. Robotics and digital manufacturing are no longer on distant horizon and have implications for countries and economies. The outsourced world manufacturing to Asia, which fuelled the economic revival in Asia and created massive demands for energy and other material resources, will likely diminish as robotic factories and other disruptive manufacturing techniques like 3-D printing become cheaper and widely available. Foxconn has already announced that it would replace most of its workers with robots. A newer generation of robots such as ABBs Yumi and Rethink Robotics Sawyer are dexterous enough to thread a needle and cost as much as a car does. Robots are also uniformly productive irrespective of geography. As manufacturing centres will shift closer to consumption centres, the geostrategic significance of trade routes and demand for transportation will also diminish. These changes can create long term downward wage pressure on the present day manufacturing led economies. It will also drive down commodity and energy prices, and could result in destabilization of some economies. This can have a cascading effect, as strong, global deflationary force will impact all economies. Some governments may attempt to impose reactionary Protectionism. They may increase human wages which in the end may just increase the rate at which cheaper machines permanently replace human workers. Technological developments will have a deep impact on the socio-economic structure of society. Greater automation can free a larger number of people from the drudgery of repetitive tasks, providing more leisure. Introduction of measures like universal basic income and taxation of machines may demand a very different fiscal mechanism from that what we have today. On a positive note, greater leisure time can open the possibility of a larger number of people taking to creative pursuits, searching for new knowledge and to the deepening of our understanding of the universe. On the other hand, more leisure can also lead to greater hedonism and pursuit of more selfish goals. To ensure that humanity treads the path of positive, we may require a universal set of values and belief system. The geopolitical implications of these changes are far reaching. The US economy will reinvent itself just as does every 30-40 years; it is, after all, leading the technology boom. Yet, others are not far behind. The Economist magazine indicated last month that in the field of quantum computing and quantum cryptography, the list of patent pending applications is headed by China, not the United Sates. Economic historians have also drawn attention to the fact that in the span of world history, the distinction between industrialized and developing countries, or rich and poor countries, is relatively recent. It is not a constant and has been changing in recent decades. Technology and its applications is one aspect of the matter; the human response to it is another. This galloping new world has already demonstrated that traditional frontiers of thought and action are no longer sacrosanct. At the same time, it is evident that the impact of new techniques and technologies would not be uniform in all societies since they are at different levels of development and do not have equal capacities of absorption. How then do these societies and their state structures respond to them? It is evident that countries that have invested in educating their populations, built strong consumer economies, and have democratic institutions that can deal with social change will benefit  because their people will have had their basic needs met and can figure out how to take advantage of the advances in technology. At the same time, domestic correctives would be most productive if they are accompanied by a genuinely reformed world that is global, structural and juridical, an order that transcends the perspective and requirements of any one region or nation. Only then would actions of countries be harmonized in the attainment of common ends. It is a distant horizon towards which we must continue to walk. As young people, you have the will and capacity to do so, for your own good and for humanity at large. Thank You."
A few more details have been released about Gov. Andrew Cuomo's event in Cayuga County Wednesday.

Cuomo will make an announcement at noon at Emerson Park Pavilion in Owasco, according to the governor's public schedule. More information regarding the announcement wasn't disclosed.

The focus of the event will likely be state funding provided for Owasco Lake drinking water system upgrades.

The state allocated $150,000 for the city of Auburn and town of Owasco to conduct studies on how to treat water that contains toxins from blue-green algae. An additional $2 million was included in the 2017-18 state budget to improve the municipalities' drinking water infrastructure.

Toxins were detected in the drinking water supplies for the city and town last fall. Tests showed the toxins were below the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's health advisory levels of 0.3 micrograms per liter for children under 6 years old.

This year's state budget contains $2.5 billion for water infrastructure. When advocating for the funding, Cuomo cited the challenges facing Owasco Lake.

"Owasco Lake, for example, has had a problem with certain algae blooms in the lake," Cuomo said in January. "They also get their drinking water from the lake. They need an enhanced filtration system at several million dollars. They would really have no way to fund this, frankly, especially some of the smaller communities."

Attendees at Wednesday's invitation-only event will likely hear other budget highlights relevant to central New York. In similar announcements made across the state, Cuomo has touted certain aspects of the budget. While in upstate New York, he typically outlines how the budget benefits the region's economy.

Given the setting, Cuomo may mention the Harriet Tubman National Historical Park and how the state is supporting the project or plans to construct a welcome center across from Memorial City Hall in Auburn.

Cuomo's last visit to Cayuga County was in 2014. He held the Governor's Bassmaster Challenge on Owasco Lake and a reception at Springside Inn in Fleming.
Following is the speech delivered by the Defence Minister Shri Arun Jaitley at the 6th Moscow Conference on International Security in Moscow, Russia, today. .

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Mr. Alexander Fomin, Deputy Minister of Defence of the Russian Federation, Mr Hamid Karzai, fellow Ministers, distinguished delegates, ladies and gentlemen, .

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It is indeed a pleasure for me to address the Sixth Moscow Conference on International Security. I am honoured to represent India at this important event and thank Deputy Minister Fomin for his invitation. .

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At the outset, I felicitate the organisers for the excellent arrangements and the programme drawn up for this conference. .

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The participation this year is impressive, with representation from a large number of countries. The Moscow Conference has established itself as one of the most important global forums for discussions on contemporary security matters. .

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The theme of the current session covers emerging trends in global security. It is appropriate that we discuss this subject in Moscow, which is one of the key centres for decision-making on global security issues in keeping with Russias significance and influence in world affairs. .

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As a long-standing friend and strategic partner, India supports an expanded role by Russia in global affairs, especially in our shared neighbourhood. .

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The fact is that the problems confronting the world today cannot be solved by any one country or group of countries but require an inclusive approach. .

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I welcome the Russian Defence Ministers Opening Address to the Conference, which underlined Russias intent to seek new avenues for regional and global stability and a constructive approach towards resolving conflicts. .

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India and Russia share a special and privileged strategic partnership, which has stood the test of time. Our cooperation in defence and security matters in particular has been robust. Russia is Indias foremost defence partner. .

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I look forward to my meeting with Deputy Minister Fomin later today to discuss how we can together further deepen our defence ties. .

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Over the past few months, India and Russia have taken steps to further strengthen the engagement between our armed forces. We will shortly negotiate a new armed forces training agreement. .

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Later this year, Indian and Russian Armed Forces will hold the INDRA tri-services joint military exercises in Russia. This would be a historic occasion as it will be the first time that India and Russia are taking part in joint exercises in such a format with each other or with any other country. .

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India deeply appreciates Russias support at difficult periods in our history. This unwavering support from Russia is reflected in the depth of public support in India for building a stronger partnership with Russia. .

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I am confident that India and Russia can continue to work together on all issues of mutual interest, whether bilaterally or multilaterally in the framework of BRICS, SCO and other forums. .

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Friends, .

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Ours is an age of rapid and unpredictable change. Nowhere is the pace and direction of these changes faster and more complex than in the geopolitical and strategic arena. .

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The continued unpredictability in ties between major powers recently has brought new uncertainties to the fore. The implications of these developments are difficult to fully ascertain at this stage. .

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On the one hand, these reflect a wider diffusion of power in the international system, which by itself is a positive development. However, we need to manage this change effectively for our mutual benefit. .

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There are also worrying signs of economic protectionism. New barriers to migration and the closing of borders are other elements of such an approach. However, such efforts are unlikely to be able to address the complex issues involved. .

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The growing role and importance of Asia is a striking aspect of the changed international environment. For the foreseeable future, Asian economies will continue to be the drivers of global growth. Asia could also be emerging as the stage for competition between large and rising powers. .

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Europe appears pre-occupied with the future of the EU project. We are also witnessing a sharpening of divisions in the European continent not seen since the Cold War. .

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In West Asia, turmoil thrown up by rapid political changes in the region has yet to be fundamentally resolved. These changes have also led to the rise of groups with extremist, fundamentalist or terrorist ideologies, whose activities have forced open sectarian fissures and violence. .

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The situation in Afghanistan continues to be challenging. Facile assessments that imply there is a choice between the evil forces at play in that country are endangering the gains made by the brave Afghan people with the support of the international community over the past decade and more. The recent condemnable and dastardly attack on the Afghan national security forces in Mazar e Sharif was a sharp reminder of this. .

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A policy of zero tolerance towards violence and terrorism and continued efforts to consolidate the capacity of the Afghan government to deal with violence as well as promote development are essential. .

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India believes that a secure, stable and peaceful Afghanistan is achievable with the continued commitment of the international community. India has provided assistance and support to the friendly people of Afghanistan. We will continue to do as much as we can. We also look forward to working in tandem with all parties that share similar objectives in Afghanistan. We welcome recent efforts by Russia to hold consultations on Afghanistan, in which India had also actively participated. .

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Ladies and gentlemen, .

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The scourge of terrorism remains the primary security challenge for all peaceful countries. Russia continues to be a target, with the attack in St Petersburg still fresh in our memory. I wish to convey Indias strong solidarity with Russia and our sympathy for the victims and the families affected by of this dastardly attack. .

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Terrorism is being reinvented in newer and even more dangerous manifestations. The manipulation of young minds by fundamentalist groups using new technologies and social media has already caused long-term damage to our societies. One manifestation of this is the recent string of lone-wolf attacks in many countries. .

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On the positive side, the territory acquired by ISIS in the Middle East has begun to be effectively challenged by several countries. This is reassuring and should be taken to its logical conclusion. Cooperation between major powers in this effort can become a template for similar steps elsewhere. .

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However, even as we work to eliminate the breeding grounds of terrorism in West Asia, the dangers of such elements returning to their home countries has become a major challenge. We need to encourage closer information exchanges and intelligence cooperation to address this threat. .

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We should also resolutely resist opportunistic efforts by some states to support terrorist proxies by training, funding or providing safe havens to such groups for their limited objectives. .

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Distinctions are still sought to be made between good and bad terrorists, despite all the evidence and experience to the contrary. Terrorism will recoil on those who nurture it. .

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The global nature of this menace and the need for a coherent and sustained international response to it is now widely acknowledged. Nearly all countries present at this conference are taking proactive steps to counter international terrorism. .

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India will steadfastly partner all friendly countries confronted with the challenge of terrorism. We have successfully addressed this threat for over three decades. We will continue to strengthen ongoing cooperation in counter-terrorism with our partners. .

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Friends, .

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Another serious challenge facing us today is the resurgence of territorial disputes in the maritime domain. .

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Maritime territorial disputes are particularly complex and need to be managed effectively, lest they undermine the regional order as well as structures and processes that help maintain peace and stability. .

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In the Asia Pacific, the past decades of peaceful growth have transformed that region into one of the most dynamic engines of the global economy. We need to ensure that the continued prosperity of the region is not put at risk. .

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India believes that the rights of freedom of navigation and over-flight as well as unimpeded commerce should be ensured. These are vital to Indias own economic engagement with the Indo-Pacific region. .

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The recent escalation of tensions in the Korean peninsula is a matter of concern. The linkages between proliferation in that region with the deterioration of Indias own security environment is widely known. Addressing the current situation should acknowledge this aspect and address issues from a broader perspective to be fully effective. .

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Another aspect of the current security scenario is the growing salience of non-traditional threats to security. Effective management of cyber-space has emerged as a key national security challenge for many countries. Humanitarian assistance and disaster relief requirements are also increasing, fuelled both by man-made and natural causes. .

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Ladies and gentlemen, .

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India will continue to play its due role in the maintenance of regional and international peace and stability. Indias rapid growth over the past two decades has also helped elevate the economic trajectory of our smaller neighbours. With our renewed emphasis on regional connectivity, the focus on Act East, the ongoing effort to engage with Gulf countries, Africa as well as the wider Indian Ocean Region, India is now at the centre of a dynamic web of partnerships. .

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Our economic and diplomatic engagement with the Eurasian region is also a top priority for India. Building on our strong ties with Russia, we also hope to steadily enhance our linkages with Central Asian countries. .

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Defence and security cooperation is an increasingly important aspect of Indias diplomatic engagements. We are building greater military to military ties, sharing best practices, enhancing our training cooperation as well as tie-ups in defence industry and research & development for mutual benefit. These efforts are making significant progress. .

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I am confident that these partnerships will contribute to a more stable and peaceful environment as well as spur greater economic growth and shared development in India, our region and beyond. .

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Thank you!" .

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NW/NAo/Rajib
National Commission for Schedule Tribes (NCST) has asked Uttar Pradesh Government to furnish information on fake certificates of Gond tribal community. The Secretary, NCST in his letter to Chief Secretary, UP has said that it has been brought to the notice of the Commission that many persons from Nayak Brahman and Brahman Ojha community in Gorakhpur, Devaria, Maharajganj, Basti, Aajamgarh, Mau and Balia districts have obtained fake certificates of Gond tribal community to get Govt Jobs. .

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The Chief Secretary, UP has been asked to furnish the information of total population of ST community and percentage along with population and percentage of Gond community in the State. He has also been asked to furnish the details of the persons from Nayak Brahman and Brahman Ojha community who have been issued the certificates of Gond tribal community. The Commission has also asked that weather any civil or criminal action been taken against persons having fake certificates of Gond tribal community. The Commission has taken the cognizance of the issue on the representation from an NGO. .

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Samir/JKD/jk
The President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee addressed the first convocation of the English and Foreign Languages University, Hyderabad in Hyderabad today (April 26, 2017). .

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Speaking on the occasion, the President said on the august occasion of the first convocation of the English and Foreign Languages University, as we celebrate the impressive achievements of this University, he wanted to share with them some enduring reflections that ought to guide us in advancing our vision of education. He stated that to his mind, knowledge must pave the path of life; and living must essentially encompass pursue the path of learning. From times immemorial the continent of Asia, and South East Asia in particular, opened up novel paths of learning. Wherever the Buddha traversed - seeds of knowledge sprouted and flourished. Nalanda, after Takshashila, held the beacon of light very high for over a millennium across lands and seas and welcomed drifting seekers of knowledge and provided them a lasting resting place. .

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The President said that today sustaining and reinvigorating higher education, in India as well as in other parts of the world, has become a major challenge, especially so in public institutions. Challenges exist for such institutions, both from outside and inside. Atleast four distinct factors impinge from outside as well as inside on the administration of an institution of higher learning. According to him, these are a) escalation of costs of learning; b) narrow pragmatics, i.e. market-oriented fast-track skill acquisition, as the sole goal of learning; c) the allure of invasive dominant communication systems depleting attention span; and d) corrosion of trust. He stressed that any attempt to build or re-orient higher education in such a situation requires administrative acumen. Administrative strength and sensitivity removes hurdles in the path of learning, and allows academics to thrive, as this University has displayed. .

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The Union Home Minister, Shri Rajnath Singh called on the Prime Minister of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka Mr. Ranil Wickremesinghe here today. .

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In his meeting with the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, the Union Home Minister Shri Rajnath Singh welcomed the Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mr. Ranil Wickremesinghe and emphasised the close political ties shared between the two countries. Both the leaders expressed concern over the growing threat from the terrorism and agreed that there should be continuous dialogue between the security organisations of the two countries, to thwart any attempt by the terror outfits to destabilise the stability and peace in the region. The issues concerning the fishermen who inadvertently cross the International Maritime Boundary Line were also discussed and it was felt that the same should be resolved at the earliest with no more loss of lives. .

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Public pension funds in at least seven US states have invested millions of dollars in an investment fund that owns a New York hotel and pays one of President Donald Trump's companies to run it, according to a Reuters review of public records. That arrangement could put Trump at risk of violating an obscure constitutional clause, some legal experts say.

The Trump SoHo Hotel and Condominium in Manhattan is an upscale 46-story property owned by a Los Angeles investment group, the CIM Group, through one of its real estate funds.

The possible problem for Trump lies in the fact that state- and city-run pension funds have invested in the CIM fund and pay it a few million dollars in quarterly fees to manage their investments in its portfolio, which includes the Trump SoHo, according to state investment records.

In return for marketing and managing the hotel-condo, CIM pays Trump Hotels Management LLC 5.75 per cent of the SoHo's operating revenues annually.

That payment chain merits closer scrutiny because it could put Trump at risk of falling foul of a little-known constitutional rule prohibiting the flow of money from states to the pockets of a sitting president, five ethics and constitutional law experts interviewed by Reuters said.

No other public pension fund investments in Trump-affiliated businesses have been reported.

The White House referred comment to the Trump Organisation, the parent conglomerate for Trump's businesses, which did not respond to repeated calls and emails for comment.

While Trump turned over management of the Trump Organization in January to a trust controlled by his two elder sons, he still earns revenue from the SoHo. That's because he still owns the businesses in the Trump Organization, including Trump Hotels Management LLC.

Article II of the US Constitution bars the president from receiving additional payments beyond his salary from state governments. This so-called "domestic emoluments clause" prohibits "any other emolument from the United States, or any of them."

This clause and a "foreign emoluments clause" prohibiting similar payments from foreign governments have been thrust to the fore because of Trump's vast, complicated network of businesses, which ethics experts say has created unprecedented conflicts of interest.

A group of constitutional and ethics experts have filed a lawsuit alleging Trump was violating both clauses by letting his hotels and other businesses accept payments from public officials. Trump said the suit was without merit. The lawsuit does not refer to the CIM fund.

The group's April complaint cited dozens of violations, including foreign government leases and purchases at Trump's properties in the United States, which have resulted in unknown amounts being paid to Trump since he was inaugurated.

FUNDS HAVE 5 MILLION MEMBERS

The SoHo hotel-condo management contract is a significant revenue generator for Trump through his hotel management company. In 2015 and the first five months of 2016, Trump Hotels Management LLC drew at least $3.1 million from the SoHo, and Trump received $3.3 million in income from the hotel management company, hotel records and campaign filings show.

CIM said its policy is not to comment on its private funds, agreements, or the operations of its funds' investments.

The state- or city-run pension funds are in California, New York, Texas, Arizona, Montana, Michigan and Missouri. They have more than 5 million members - from state lawmakers in California to teachers in Texas and police officers in New York. They include the California Public Employees' Retirement System, the nation's largest public pension fund.

The pension funds' money accounts for about half of the total capital CIM raised from its investors to invest in the properties in the fund, including the Trump SoHo, according to the pension funds' financial records and SEC filings. CIM declined to disclose how many properties are in the fund.

Some of the 11 pension funds contacted by Reuters declined to comment on the payment chain between them and Trump. referred the question to CIM, saying their investment in the CIM fund does not give them control over its asset acquisitions.

"UNCHARTED TERRITORY"

Reuters presented its findings to six lawyers with expertise in constitutional law and emoluments issues.

One of the lawyers, David Rivkin Jr, associate White House counsel during the George H W Bush administration, said the public investments do not put Trump at risk of violating the Constitution.

Payments clearly related to non-official activities that "have nothing to do with the discharge of duties in office" are not emoluments, Rivkin said.

Three, however, said if Trump financially benefited from a business whose owner drew millions of dollars in fees from US states - in this case CIM - this presented a serious argument for a domestic emoluments violation.

"If you take a step back and look at this transaction, it's a payment chain from state pension funds to President Trump," said Jed Shugerman, a law professor at Fordham University. "This looks like an emolument to me."

Two other lawyers said the arrangement raised significant questions, but all depended on how broadly a court interpreted the constitutional clause.

"We're in largely uncharted territory on that front given that past presidents have gone to great lengths to avoid the kinds of issues we're now confronting," said Brianne Gorod, chief counsel at the Constitutional Accountability Center, a Washington research organization and public advocacy law firm.

None of the 11 pension funds contacted by Reuters said they were prepared to divest from the CIM fund. For instance, the Teacher Retirement System of Texas, which has invested $225 million in the CIM fund, said it was "not our practice to comment on questions of this nature."

One member of the Texas teachers' pension fund, Byron Hildebrand, 61, state secretary for the Association of Texas Professional Educators, however, said he would alert teachers across his state to the pension fund's exposure to the Trump hotel and call on the state to consider divesting.

Divesting from the CIM fund would likely force the public pension funds to sell their CIM shares at a loss, said Tom Lopez, the chief investment officer of the Los Angeles Fire and Police Pensions, one of the pension funds in the CIM fund, which is also known as a real estate partnership.

Even though the partnership's returns on investment are overall quite strong, trying to sell interest in a 10-year-old partnership is like "trying to sell a used car," he said.

Lopez noted that all the public funds invested in the CIM fund long before it acquired the SoHo - and long before anybody thought Trump would become president.
The first round of the 2017 presidential election highlighted a transformation in the French political landscape. This is clear from the weak performance of candidates from the two major parties that have dominated the political scene in France since 1981.

The votes cast for both Francois Fillon (Republican Party) and Benoit Hamon (Socialist Party) added up to just 26% of the total. The remaining 74% went to candidates who did not participate in the primaries and who have not dominated parliamentary life for decades.
Donald Trump has sent to the Senate Indian-American Vishal J Amin's name to be the US' new Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator. Amin is presently the senior counsel on the House Judiciary Committee. If confirmed by the Senate, Amin would succeed Daniel Marti in the White House.
Larry Page has his flying cars. shall have an airship. Brin, the Google co-founder, has secretly been building a massive airship inside of Hangar 2 at the NASA Ames Research Center, according to four people with knowledge of the project. Its unclear whether the craft, which looks like a zeppelin, is a hobby or something Brin hopes to turn into a business. Sorry, I dont have anything to say about this topic right now, Brin wrote in an email. The people familiar with the project said Brin has long been fascinated by airships. His interest in the crafts started when Brin would visit Ames, which is located next to Google parent Alphabets headquarters in Mountain View, California. In the 1930s, Ames was home to the USS Macon, a huge airship built by the US Navy. About three years ago, Brin decided to build one of his own after ogling old photos of the Macon.


In France, however, media reaction to her announcement has been more subdued and cynical. The decision was described in Le Monde as being a pure formality  a necessary ploy in the second phase of the electoral game.The press has made much of Marine Le Pens announcement that she is standing down from the leadership of her party the National Front. Just after being selected to proceed to the second round of the French election, she explained that, for the rest of the campaign, she had to dedicate herself to rallying support from beyond her own party in order to become President of all the French.

Le Pen is simply seeking to appeal to voters outside the FN as a non-partisan president. The idea of such a president was initiated by Charles de Gaulle when he oversaw the creation of the Fifth Republic in 1958. He despised the political parties, accusing them of being responsible for creating the vacuum of political power that triggered the collapse of the Fourth Republic. He liked to present himself as being above the political parties, and his constitution ascribes the president with the role of arbitrating the political melee.

By standing down now, Le Pen can present herself as the candidate of the people in true Gaullist tradition, against her opponent, the candidate of the system.

But the idea of the non-partisan president is a fiction. Even de Gaulle needed a party to help him win elections and to build parliamentary support. Likewise, Le Pens move is, in reality, purely symbolic. Her party will not meet in any formal way until after the campaign anyway, and her personal authority is such that her leadership position simply remains on hold until after the second round.

After the final result, if she loses, Le Pen will simply take back the formal leadership. If she wins, she will hand it over as she turns her attention to the presidential office.

Short-term strategy

In 2002, Le Pens father Jean-Marie Le Pen, rejected a suggestion from his close party advisers (including Marine) that he might temporarily stand down until after the second round, but the situation was different. Back then, he had no real expectation of winning. His daughter, however, aims to govern, and to do so, she knows she needs to reach beyond the party faithful.

Support for the second round vote could transfer to Le Pen from several different candidates, right or left. On the right, a fair share of socially conservative Fillon supporters will no doubt opt for her, as will many of the 4.7% who voted for Nicolas Dupont-Aignan, whose programme is close to Le Pens on many issues such as immigration and Europe. But she will probably also gather some support on the left from voters for Jean-Luc Melenchon, who has similar policies with regard to the EU, and in many ways also speaks to those who feel left behind by globalisation and europeanisation.

In fact, the main cleavage to emerge in this presidential election has been the question of Frances relationship with the EU, and the second round at least has the virtue of clarifying a stark choice between withdrawal from the euro, leading ultimately to Frexit, and Emmanuel Macrons europhile commitment to rebuilding and reforming the EU on the basis of a revitalised partnership with Germany and a strengthened eurozone.

The deep divisions in France have been laid bare by this election, not just between more or less Europe, but also between urban and rural populations, between the winners and losers of globalisation, between proponents of a closed or an open society, between tradition or diversity. That makes it hard to see how any candidate could seriously claim to be president of all the French.

Whoever wins the contest will struggle to unite a France which looks as ungovernable as ever. As de Gaulle lamented: How can you govern a country which has 258 different types of cheese?



Susan Collard, Senior Lecturer in French Politics & Contemporary European Studies, University of Sussex

This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.
Export of organically made products, both food and non-food, is likely to grow threefold in the four years to 2020, following the government's relaxation on quota limits.
OWASCO  When Gov. Andrew Cuomo learned of the water quality issues affecting Auburn-area communities served by Owasco Lake, he was moved to act.

At an event held at the Emerson Park Pavilion on Wednesday, Cuomo announced the state will fund the installation of two systems that aim to address concerns about blue-green algae toxins detected in drinking water supplies for the city of Auburn and town of Owasco.

The city will receive $600,000 to install a powdered activated carbon system and the town will get $800,000 to set up a granular carbon treatment system. Both systems can absorb blue-green algae toxins and ensure drinking water is clean and safe.

Manure discussion gets tense at farming groups' watershed meeting OWASCO  Partners for Healthy Watersheds held its second public discussion Monday night, and

The funding for the systems will come from more than $2 million that was included in this year's budget for Auburn and Owasco drinking water upgrades. Cuomo first proposed the funding in January when he released his budget plan for the year.

The state Department of Environmental Conservation and the Department of Health approved the use of the systems, Cuomo said. The agencies will monitor the systems to ensure they're effective in removing any blue-green algae toxins from the water supply.

The decision to install the systems follows studies spearheaded by the city and town. The studies, which received $150,000 in state funding, examined strategies to treat drinking water after detectable levels of blue-green algae toxins were found last fall.

While the toxins didn't reach the level of a public health concern, it got the attention of federal, state and local officials.

Cuomo counted himself among those concerned about the impact on drinking water from the lake. He said it was one of the situations that led him to push for a clean water infrastructure fund in this year's budget.

The governor's proposal called for the establishment of a $2 billion clean water infrastructure fund. The final budget includes $2.5 billion for water infrastructure projects. The funding was supported by legislators, especially Republicans in the state Senate who mainly represent upstate communities.

Cayuga County's state legislative delegation supported the investments.

"It's a significant expense," Cuomo said. "But as I mentioned this is a statewide problem and there is no cheap solution to this. This is not the place where'd you want a cheap solution because this literally goes to the health and the quality of the water we're drinking."

Local leaders are appreciative of the state's attention to the Auburn-area drinking water infrastructure needs.

Auburn Mayor Michael Quill said representatives from the state Department of Environmental Conservation and Department of Health have been in the city nearly every day.

The funding, though, is arguably the most important show of the state's support. Without that aid, Quill said the city "would be hurting" and would have to cut other services to come with the money needed for water system upgrades.

"It's our obligation to supply clean, safe drinking water and this certainly goes a long way," he said.

Owasco Supervisor Ed Wagner added that, like the city, the town wouldn't have been able to make the necessary upgrades without the state funding.

He also believes it may help alleviate concerns of residents who had reservations about consuming tap water.

"It all comes down to health-related issues and he's protecting the health of our citizens," Wagner said, referring to Cuomo.

While Cuomo said the upgrades are a short-term fix, the systems may become a permanent solution. Adjustments can be made if the need arises, he added.

He's also hopeful that they can eliminate the algal blooms in Owasco Lake. Blue-green algae has long been an issue for the lake and eradicating the blooms will require a more extensive strategy.

Cuomo backed efforts to reduce runoff into the lake, implement more agricultural controls and more sustainable development.

"We're on top of it, and we're going to make sure that the water is of a quality that we would give our children," he said.
Extending gains for the third consecutive session, the benchmark indices on Wednesday ended at fresh closing highs tracking gains in Asian and US markets, while back home, a string of solid quarterly results also boosted the sentiment.
As early trends pointed to a clear victory for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the 2017 MCD polls, the resignation phase has started in the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) as well with party convenor Dilip Pandey resigning following the election results.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal congratulated the BJP and expressed his willingness to work with the winning party for the betterment of Delhi.

I congratulate BJP on their victory in all 3 MCDs. My govt looks forward to working wid MCDs for the betterment of Delhi  Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) 26 April 2017

The AAP members have blamed the Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) malpractice for its defeat.

Following the BJP's victory in the MCD polls, Congress leaders like Ajay Maken, Gurudas Kamat and P.C. Chacko also announced their resignations from their posts.

The BJP has swept the polls to Delhi's three municipal corporations, North, East and South winning 181 seats out of 270 seats.

The party succeeded in retaining power in the three civic bodies for the third consecutive term.

The AAP with 48 seats finished second, Congress with 29 seats third.

12 seats went to others including Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Samajwadi Party (SP), Indian Lok Dal (INLD) and Independents.

Reacting to poll results, senior BJP leader and Union Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu said, the result is a message for AAP to give up negative politics and work for constructive politics.

He rejected AAP allegations of EVMs tempering terming them as wild and baseless.

Delhi BJP Unit Chief Manoj Tiwari also lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi and party chief Amit Shah's leadership and policies for the victory.

Party leader and Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said the EVM tampering is a bitter truth and his party will continue to speak about it.

AAP leader Ashutosh dismissed the suggestions of Kejriwal's resignation over the party's defeat.

AAP MLA Alka Lamba has offered to resign from Chandni Chowk assembly constituency on party's poor show.

Congress leader and former Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit said the party should have campaigned more aggressively in favour of their candidates.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Vice President Hamid Ansari left for Poland for the second and final leg of his two-nation visit after concluding his three-day trip to Armenia on Wednesday.

During his stay in Armenian capital Yerevan, Vice President Ansari held talks with the top leadership of Armenia and oversaw the signing of three agreements in the field of cultural co-operation, youth affairs and peaceful use of space.

Vice President Ansari's visit to Armenia to mark the 25th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries has given a fillip to bilateral ties and opened new channels of talks.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court on Wednesday discharged businessman Abhishek Verma and his wife Anca Maria in connection with an arms deal bribery case.

Verma and his wife were arrested for allegedly bribing officials to get arms conglomerate Rheinmetall removed from blacklist of the defence ministry for arms deals. They had been behind bars since 2012.

A judge noted that the investigative agency did not bring enough evidence to frame charges against the accused in the case.

The German company has been accused by the CBI of paying Verma over USD 5,30,000 to get it off a defence ministry blacklist.

The CBI started its investigation into the bribery scandal in 2011.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Security forces cordoned off a one-storied house at Chapainawabganj's Shibganj upazila in Bangladesh this morning after suspecting the presence of a militant hideout.

The Daily star reported that one round was shot from inside the house when police tried to enter, said an official of the Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime unit.

The one-storied house in Shibnagar villa under Chalkkirtipur union was under siege since dawn. The residents of the house were asked to surrender peacefully, but they did not respond.

The police fired five blank shots to warn the militants inside and were evacuating locals to safety, Habibur Rahman, the officer-in-charge of Shibganj Police Station said.

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Upon defending her father at a women's panel in Berlin and trying to portray him as a committed individual to women's issues, the U.S. President's daughter Ivanka Trump was met with boos and hisses by the attendees.

The event opened with the first daughter explaining her role in the White House.

"You are first daughter -- German audience not familiar -- what is your role -- to whom are you represented? Your father, the American people, or your business," asked Miriam Meckel, editor of German business magazine Wirtschaftswoche.

"Well, certainly not the latter, and I am rather unfamiliar with this role as well, as it is quite new to me. It has been a little under 100 days, but it is just been a remarkable, an incredible journey. So it's very early for me. I'm listening, I'm learning, I'm defining the ways in which I think I'll be able to have impact," replied Trump, a top adviser to her father.

However, things took an awkward turn when a discussion on paid leave began upon which Ivanka began describing her father as an advocate for women. Which was when she was interrupted with hissing and boos.

"That is something I'm very proud of my father's advocacy, long before he came into the presidency, he championed this in the primaries. He's been a tremendous champion of supporting families and enabling them to thrive," Trump said before the crowd began jeering.

Meckel asked Trump to respond to those who question if the President is an "empowerer of women", given his history of making controversial statements about women.

"I've certainly heard the criticism from the media and that's been perpetuated, but I know from personal experience, and I think the thousands of women who have worked with and for my father for decades when he was in the private sector are a testament to his belief and solid conviction in the potential of women and their ability to do the job as well as any man," she said.

"So I think in my personal experience -- and you were asking me about my role as daughter -- and as adviser, as a daughter, I can speak on a very personal level knowing that he encouraged me and enabled me to thrive," Trump added.

Trump was participating in a panel discussion on women's empowerment and entrepreneurship at the W-20, a summit of G-20 countries aimed at promoting women's workforce participation and equality. She was one of eight participants, including German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Queen Maxima of the Netherlands, and International Monetary Fund director Christine Lagarde, reports CNN.

Later when she was asked to respond to the booing, Trump told reporters "politics is politics" and emphasized her comments about the need to engage in dialog.

"I'm used to it, it's fine. I think, you know, for me and I sort of said it at the end, I think what's so important is we have to be able to engage in dialog with one another and we have to be able to have different viewpoints and feel comfortable candidly expressing ourselves without fear of being labeled and ostracized. And I think that's how progress is made," she said.

The first daughter is in Germany as Merkel personally invited Trump on her first international trip since her father assumed office to discuss business, foreign policy and other issues of importance between the US and Germany.

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In honor of the one-year anniversary of her iconic "Lemonade" album, pop star Beyonce has announced four college scholarships.

"Lemonade" won a Peabody Award last week, and Beyonce bagged two Grammys for phenomenal work in February.

The Formation Scholars program will give awards to "young women who are unafraid to think outside the box and are bold, creative, conscious and confident," according to the announcement.

Berklee College of Music, Howard University, Parsons School of Design and Spelman College are the four schools participating. Both Howard and Spelman are historically black universities.

Each college will have one recipient for the 2017-18 academic year. Also, incoming, current and graduate students who are studying creative arts, music, literature or African American studies are eligible to apply, reports CNN.

Spelman College informs on its website that the one-time award is worth $25,000, which would cover a little more than one semester's worth of tuition, fees and room and board.

.

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Condemning the gruesome ambush by the Maoists on CRPF men in Chhattisgarh's Sukma, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Wednesday asserted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government doesn't have any political approach, nor they have policy to handle Naxalism.

Owaisi told ANI, "Government has been proved incapable of tackling the situation, adding that for last two months DG CRPF post is vacant."

The AIMIM leader further suggested that this Naxalites problem have to be dealt with different approaches.

Meanwhile, the BJP government announced that Rs. 30 lakh compensation will be given to the kin of the personnel who were killed in the attack.

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar announced Rs. 50 lakh compensation for the kin of the two CRPF personnel from the state, who lost their lives in the Sukma attack.

Also, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh announced an ex-gratia of Rs. five lakh as compensation for the kin of Punjab CRPF jawans who lost their lives in the Sukma attack.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar also announced an ex-gratia of Rs. five lakh as compensation for next of kin of CRPF jawans from Bihar, who lost their lives the attack.

Earlier, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced that the state government will give jobs to one family member of the three Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) jawans who were killed in the Sukma attack.

She also said that Rs. five lakh would also be given to the families two other CRPF jawans of the state who were killed in Sukma attack.

Even, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K. Palaniswami condoled the death of four CRPF personnel from the state who were killed in a Maoist attack in Chhattisgarh and announced a solatium of Rs. 20 lakh each to their families.

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 has 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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Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Amit Shah on Wednesday asserted that strong action will be taken against the guilty in the CRPF encounter with the Naxal of Chhattisgarh's Sukma District.

Shah, while addressing press conference in Kolkata, said, "The BJP party would ensure to take strong action in the Sukma encounter case. Guilty would be punished."

While asserting that violence can be stopped only through development, he vowed to punish the ones who are disrupting peace in this process.

The Union Home Ministry earlier today sought a report from the CRPF on the recent Sukma attack, which claimed lives of at least 25 security personnel.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh yesterday directed Director General of the CRPF and security adviser to Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) K. Vijay Kumar to stay put in Chhattisgarh and frame strategy to tackle Naxals in Sukma.

As many as 25 CRPF personnel were killed and six others injured in the encounter with the Naxals in Chhattisgarh's Sukma on Monday.

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.

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A California judge has blocked US President Donald Trump's executive order that sought to withhold federal funds to "sanctuary cities", the communities that have refused to work with Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials after detaining illegal immigrants.

The ruling from U.S. District Judge William Orrick III in San Francisco on Tuesday said that Trump's order targeted broad categories of federal funding for sanctuary governments and that plaintiffs challenging the order were likely to succeed in proving it unconstitutional, reports the Fox news.

"Federal funding that bears no meaningful relationship to immigration enforcement cannot be threatened merely because a jurisdiction chooses an immigration enforcement strategy of which the president disapproves," the judge said in the ruling.

The decision will block the measure for now, while the federal lawsuit works its way through the courts.

The order comes days after the Justice Department threatened to cut off funding to eight so-called "sanctuary cities," unless they were able to provide proof of cooperation with federal authorities over undocumented immigrants.

San Francisco and Santa Clara County argued that the administration warning threatened billions of dollars in funding for each of them, making it difficult to plan budgets.

The Trump administration has argued that sanctuary cities allow dangerous criminals back on the street while sanctuary cities say turning local police into immigration officers erode trust that's needed to get people to report crime.

The order also has led to lawsuits by Seattle; two Massachusetts cities, Lawrence and Chelsea; and a third San Francisco Bay Area government, the city of Richmond.

This was yet another stay on a Trump executive order after a federal appeals court blocked the original travel ban that prohibited travelers from several Muslim-majority countries from entering into the U.S. The administration then revised the order, but the new version also is stalled in court.

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U.S. Rep. John Katko's legislation to enhance aviation employee screening is one step closer to becoming law.

The House of Representatives approved Katko's bill Tuesday. The measure's main provision would a require study examining the feasibility of having screening technology  a walk-through metal detector or secure door, for example  at all employee entry and exit points leading to secure areas of airports.

The study must also include information about the costs for airports to conduct full screening of employees. Some airports, such as the Miami International Airport, screen every employee before they enter secure areas.

Katko's legislation would also seek to raise awareness about insider threats at airports and best practices for aviation employee access controls. And airport operators, along with the Transportation Security Administration, would partner to determine what equipment, including biometric screening technology, should be used to ensure secure employee access.

"There remain serious vulnerabilities and gaps in employee screening at airports nationwide," Katko, R-Camillus, said in a statement. "Frighteningly, we have seen multiple examples of aviation workers with access to secure areas of airports being involved in serious criminal activities, including terror plotting, after being radicalized."

Aviation employee screening has been a concern for Katko since he entered Congress in 2015. As chairman of the House Subcommittee on Transportation and Protective Security, he conducted a two-year investigation of insider threats at airports.

Days after releasing a report summarizing the investigation, a drug ring was busted at a Puerto Rican airport. Those involved in the alleged drug smuggling operation included airport employees and TSA officers.

There have been other examples of crimes allegedly committed by airport employees. A Delta Airlines employee was linked to a gun smuggling operation between New York City and Atlanta. And a technician at a Kansas airport took wiring from the facility to build a bomb.

"We cannot allow these lapses in security to continue placing the traveling public at risk," Katko said. "After a number of insider threat-related attacks at airports overseas, along with plots here in the United States, it is essential that we act on this legislation."

The bill is the fourth Katko-sponsored measure to be approved by the House since January.
Vice President of India M. Hamid Ansari has said that the countries that have invested in educating their populations, built strong consumer economies, and have democratic institutions that can deal with social change will benefit.

He was delivering the lecture at the Yerevan State University, Yerevan, Armenia today.

The Minister of Education and Science, Armenia Levon Mkrtchyan, Vice-Rector of Yerevan State University Gegham Gevorgyan and other dignitaries were present on the occasion.

The Vice President said that some of the newer technologies that would impact on human progress relate to energy, cyber technology, robotics, artificial intelligence, quantum mechanics, gene-editing and space exploration.

"All of these have geopolitical implications in the future," he added.

In recognition of his outstanding public and political achievements and his contribution to development of India-Armenia relations, the Vice President was awarded with a degree of Honorary Doctor of the Yerevan State University.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Pakistan's Ministry of Interior said has received the Dawn leaks report which will be submitted to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif today.

"The Dawn Leaks report was formally submitted to the interior minister [Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan] on Tuesday at 6:45 pm," The Express Tribune quoted ministry spokesperson as saying.

The spokesperson, however, rejected to comment on the report prior to its 'thorough review'.

"After reviewing content of the report in detail, it will be presented to PM tomorrow. After getting approval of PM the committee' recommendations would be made public," he said.

The Dawn leaks report pertains to Pakistan's English daily The Dawn staffer Cyril Almeida's story 'Act against militants or face international isolation, civilians tell military' published on October 6 last year, which came under fire as it reported an alleged rift between the country's powerful military and the government for its failure to act against the non-state actors.

The report described what transpired in a high-level meeting in which the civil leadership allegedly criticised the military's policies on militancy.

The government repeatedly rebutted the story as 'false and fabricated' while the military leadership went on to call it a 'breach of national security'.

Last November, the Interior Ministry notified a seven-member committee - headed by a retired judge Aamer Raza Khan - to probe the controversy.

One member each from the ISI, Military Intelligence and Intelligence Bureau were included in the panel.

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As NASA's Cassini Spacecraft enters its final dive, called 'The Grand Finale', into orbiting Saturn's moon, Titan, Google commemorates the occasion by making a special Doodle.

It shows an animated Cassini eagerly snapping pictures of Saturn as it passes through the gigantic planet's rings.

Goggle Doodle celebrates the journey of the nearly 20-year-old spacecraft that has stayed in the space for 13 long years and is now beginning last leg of its exploration journey.

It reached Saturn's orbit in July, 2004 and has been studying the planet and its moons ever since.

Diving between Saturn's rings will start on April 26 and the little spaceship will be taking pictures of whatever it can as it passes through the giant sheets of icy debris, reports The Mirror.

The April 26 dive is the first of 22 planned manoeuvres before it begins the very last part of its mission.

"No spacecraft has ever gone through the unique region that we'll attempt to boldly cross 22 times,' said Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator for the Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington.

"What we learn from Cassini's daring final orbits will further our understanding of how giant planets, and planetary systems everywhere, form and evolve.

"This is truly discovery in action to the very end."

Cassini's mission will officially terminate on September 15, after a planned plummet through Saturn's atmosphere.

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Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan has accused the Nawaz Sharif-led Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) regime of offering him Rs10 billion to back down from the Panamagate case.

"When PML-N government can offer me such a huge amount then one can only imagine what they will offer investigation organisations probing the Panamagate case," the Express Tribune quoted Khan as saying on Tuesday.

"We will not leave pursuing the PML-N government until the prime minister resigns," he added.

On April 20, in a 3-2 judgement on the panamagate case, the Supreme Court of Pakistan ordered the formation of a Joint Investigation Team (JIT) to continue probing the allegations of financial irregularities and money laundering against the Sharif Family, while noting that at present, there is "insufficient evidence to remove Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

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India on Wednesday requested continued cooperation of the Government of Sri Lanka for humanitarian treatment of Indian fishermen, without resorting to force under any circumstances.

Both India and Sri Lanka welcomed the meeting of the Joint Working Group on Fisheries held in Colombo earlier this month.

The Indian side also informed the Sri Lankan side of the measures taken by India to encourage the Indian fishermen concerned for adopting deep sea fishing.

Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe reiterated the invitation to the Prime Minister for a visit to Sri Lanka on the coming Vesak Day.

Details in this regard are being discussed and finalized between the two governments.

Wickremesinghe, who is on a working visit to India from 25-29 April 2017, met Prime Minister Narendra Modi earlier in the today.

The two leaders discussed a range of bilateral issues and matters of mutual interest. The Prime Minister hosted a lunch in honour of the Sri Lankan Prime Minister.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Home Affairs and Road, Transport, Highways and Shipping Nitin Gadkari and Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh called on the visiting dignitary today.

The discussions of the Indian leadership with the visiting dignitary provided both sides an opportunity to review the progress in implementation of the decisions taken during various high level exchanges in the past two years or so, including the visit of the Prime Minister to Sri Lanka in March 2015 and the visits of the President and the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka to India since February 2015.

The two sides expressed their satisfaction at the progress in implementation of the outcomes of these exchanges, which further strengthened the historically close and friendly relations between the two countries.

The Indian side reiterated India's commitment to promoting prosperity in the neighbourhood and affirmed the continued support of India for realizing the vision of the Sri Lankan leadership for a stable, peaceful and prosperous Sri Lanka.

The leaders welcomed the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding for 'Cooperation in Economic Projects', which outlines the agenda for bilateral economic cooperation in the foreseeable future. Both sides expressed their commitment to ensuring that this mutually beneficial agenda is expeditiously implemented.

They also expressed the hope for early conclusion of the ongoing negotiations on the Economic and Technology Cooperation Agreement.

Pointing out that India had welcomed Sri Lanka co-sponsoring the Resolution "Promoting Reconciliation, Accountability and Human Rights in Sri Lanka" at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) last month, the Indian leadership expressed the earnest hope that recommendations on the reconciliation would be completed within the stipulated timeframe of two years.

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Indian High Commissioner Gautam Bambawale on Wednesday filed an appeal with Pakistan Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry in connection with the Kulbhushan Jadhav case.

Bambawale today met the Pakistan Foreign Secretary to reiterate demand for consular access to Jadhav, who has been awarded death sentence by the Islamabad military court.

"I met the Pakistan Foreign Secretary today and filed the appeal which is to be done within 40 days for consular access to Kulbhushan Jadhav. I requested for the early release of Jadhav," Bambawale told the media here.

The Pakistan Army had earlier ruled out consular access to Jadhav, saying he is not eligible for it as per the laws.

"Kulbhushan is not eligible for consular access nor will be granted consular access," said Pakistan Armed Forces spokesperson Major General Asif Ghafoor.

He alleged that Jadhav, caught on anti-state activities, was trialed under court martial.

"This was purely an act by the Army to which the Army as an institution said we will not compromise on his sentence," he said.

Major General Ghafoor said Jadhav's death sentence process will move ahead as per the law, adding it will go in the applet court and the army shall wait for the verdict.

Asserting that Jadhav was sentenced on undeniable evidence, Major General Ghafoor said the Pakistan Army will defend their case with all resources in light of the undeniable evidence if questioned on any of the forum.

The Pakistan Army had earlier said there will be 'no compromise' on the issue of death sentence awarded to Jadhav.

Jadhav was awarded death penalty on April 10 in an unprecedented decision that sparked a diplomatic spat between the two hostile neighbours.

Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj had earlier warned Islamabad that it risked damaging bilateral ties with New Delhi if it went ahead with the execution of Jadhav.

Jadhav was arrested in March last year in the restive Balochistan province and accused of being a Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) agent.

India has, however, so far categorically denied such charges.

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'Life always finds a way' and looks like, it finally has.

According to Hollywood Reporter, Jeff Goldblum who starred in the original 'Jurassic Park,' has joined the cast of 'Jurassic World 2.'

The 64-year-old-actor played the role of Ian Malcolm, a know-it-all mathematician in both 1993's 'Jurassic Park' and 1997's 'The Lost World: Jurassic Park.'

JA Bayona, known for directing 'A Monster Calls,' is directing the next installment in Universal's hit franchise.

The movie earned 1.67 billion USD worldwide in 2015 and is the fourth-highest-grossing film in history.

Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard are confirmed to return for the sequel, which also stars Toby Jones, James Cromwell and Justice Smith.

Colin Trevorrow, who directed the first 'Jurassic World' movie, wrote the script for the sequel with Derek Connolly.

Producers Frank Marshall and Pat Crowley once again joined executive producers Steven Spielberg and Trevorrow in the next chapter of the franchise.

Belen Atienza is also producing. Universal vp production Sara Scott is overseeing production on behalf of the studio.

On a related note, Goldblum will be next seen in Disney and Marvel's 'Thor: Ragnarok' as the Grandmaster. The flick stars Chris Hemsworth in titular role with Cate Blanchett, Tom Hiddleston and Idris Elba in pivotal roles.

The movie is slated to release on November 3.

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Three militants believed to be associated with the Tehreek-e-Taliban Swat (TTS) and Jundullah, a female facilitator and her five-year-old daughter were killed in a paramilitary force operation in Karachi's Urdu Bazaar area.

"The raid was conducted on a tip-off provided by an already arrested high-profile terrorist from Ittehad Town area of Baldia Town," the Express Tribune quoted a Rangers spokesperson as saying.

The raid was conducted at around 7:17 p.m. on Monday at a residential building on Street No Three of Urdu Bazaar.

"As soon as the terrorists saw the Rangers, they hurled hand grenades and fired with sophisticated weapons at them, injuring four troops. The Rangers cordoned off the building propelling the three terrorists to confine themselves to a room," said the spokesperson.

One terrorist was killed by Rangers' firing while he was trying to flee and the remaining three terrorists blew themselves up in the room of the building.

The spokesman also claimed to have recovered sophisticated weapons, hand grenades and ammunition from their possession.

Counter-Terrorism Department senior officer Raja Omar Khattab said that it was the nexus of TTS and Jundullah.

The deceased woman is said to be the wife of a killed terrorist Zahid Afridi and the deceased child his daughter.

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The Kerala cabinet on Wednesday decided to remove the red beacon from Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's vehicle and other government owned vehicles too.

The Centre has this month, announced that a ban on the use of red beacons on vehicle of all VVIPs from May 1.

It is reported that five categories would be exempted from the ban including President, Vice President, Prime Minister, Chief Justice of India and the Lok Sabha Speaker.

The ban applies to union ministers, chief ministers, state cabinet ministers, bureaucrats and judges of the High Court and Supreme Court.

Following the announcement, chief ministers of various states had removed the red beacons from their cars.

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The Green Tribunal (NGT) on Wednesday registered a suo motu case over massive land encroachment in Kerala's Munnar Hills.

The case has been registered on the basis of media reports.

A notice has been sent to Idukki district collector and Forest Department.

The case will come up for hearing on May 3.

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A mix of spontaneity and a need to do something different with her life drove Cayuga Community College student Mackenzie Cunningham to set aside her homework for a couple minutes one night and email a doctor she never met about joining a medical mission to the Dominican Republic.

That was in December 2015. A little over a year later, Cunningham, 19, of Auburn, had already finished her second trip to Puerto Plata, the island country's ninth-largest city.

From March 24 to April 1, Cunningham worked with pediatrician Dr. Susan Szimonisz and other doctors from Buffalo, seeing patients as young as 2 months old with ailments ranging from the common cold to a fly larvae in someone's thumb.

She saw about 850 patients in all, she said, some of whom journeyed four days by foot to see the doctors. The patients were largely unable to afford going to the closest hospital, Hospital Ricardo Limardo, which is hours away.

Cunningham  who plans to be a pediatric oncologist and is finishing up her second year at CCC  went with Medical Outreach & Community Assistance Of Western New York, a group that helps those in medical need in different countries. The group also brought medical gowns, clothing and school supplies.

The CCC student said she understands some Spanish, but experiences some difficulty conveying it. This made interactions somewhat difficult, but she said all parties were often able to get past the language barrier in the end.

Despite this, the atmosphere was extremely upbeat, Cunningham said, with people frequently smiling and waving, calling her and the doctors over to speak with them. She was thrilled to work hands-on with the patients, often doing check-up work and other tasks.

Cunningham's journey toward her first mission to Puerto Plata began when her sister, Michelle Kuhfta, a pharmaceutical representative, spoke with Dr. Emmekunla Nylander, the medical group's organizer and an obstetrician-gynecologist with Buffalo OB/GYN.

Cunningham felt encouraged to go, but was hesitant to reach out to Nylander at first.

"I never met her before. I never met any of these people before. I had no idea what the conditions were going to be like," Cunningham said.

She eventually sent that fateful email to Nylander, and once the doctor responded with a enthusiastic reply, Cunningham again felt some anxiety about the trip.

"I was nervous and realized I couldn't back out of it," she said with a laugh.

She went on her first medical mission to Puerto Plata in February of last year.

Cunningham has never been a stranger to the medical field, as her mother, Dr. Jeanne Kuhfta, is a family nurse practitioner in Auburn. Having been around doctor's offices her entire life encouraged Cunningham to take the plunge.

"I just like to help people. I feel if I can become a pediatric oncologist, I can make a difference," she said.

Cunningham said the mission trips  she's looking into taking one to Ghana in October  have helped her learn tricks of the trade most wouldn't be privy to until medical school. She is currently pondering her next steps, as she has narrowed her college choices down to the University of Buffalo, the University of Albany and Pace University in New York City, and has been accepted into all three.

"I'm definitely getting a head start (on) what it would be like (to be in the medical field)," Cunningham said.
With the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leading in the early trends in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) polls, the Centre on Wednesday said that the people of the capital have shown faith in the policies of saffron party and leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"The early trends look in tune with what I saw during campaigning. People have faith in policies of BJP and leadership of Prime Minister Modi. The credit of victory will go to our all workers and specially Modi ji. The credit will also go to the people of Delhi," Union Minister Harshvardhan told ANI.

Echoing the same, Union Minister Vijay Goel asserted that the BJP would take the victory as a challenge, adding that the cleanliness in Delhi would be the priority for the government.

"It is a new morning but there will be new challenges too. We have a challenge to do more work in Delhi MCD where cleanliness comes first. We have to fulfill what people expect from us. I hope that it will be a new start where Delhi government and MCD will work together," Goel told ANI.

As voting for the civic body polls is underway the state Election Commission early trends showed BJP leading the fray.

Votes for the elections will be counted at 35 centers across the city. Of these, 16 are in North Delhi, 13 in the South, and six in East Delhi.

As many as 90,000 security personnel of Delhi Police, paramilitary forces and Home Guards have been deployed at the counting centres.

The counting will go on till late in the day, but initial trends are expected to come in by 11 a.m.

Voting to pick three new municipal corporations in Delhi took place on Sunday, in which 54 percent of the 1.32 crore electorates exercised their franchise till 5.30 p.m.

However, the 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.

The BJP, the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) were the three main contenders in the fray.

A total of 2,537 candidates were in the fray for the 104 seats each of the North Delhi Municipal Corporation and the South Delhi Muncipal Corporation, and 64 seats of the East Delhi Municipal Congress.

For the first time in the MCD elections, the None Of The Above (NOTA) option has been made available.

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Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Amit Shah said on Wednesday that the results of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) elections have shown that people will not tolerate negative politics.

Addressing a press conference here, the BJP chief said, "I congratulate the people of Delhi for reposing their faith in the BJP in MCD elections. These results show that now people will not tolerate negative politics anymore."

Referring to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) allegation that the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) were tampered with to secure the BJP win, Shah said that first AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal should answer how he did win the Delhi elections in 2015 through the same EVMs.

He said that the BJP's win in the MCD elections has pushed ahead party' winning chariot.

At the time of filing this report, the BJP is all set to make a comeback in all the three civic bodies.

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Nepal's main opposition party, the CPN-UML (Communist Party of Nepal- Unified Marxist Leninist), continued to stall proceedings in parliament for the second consecutive day on Wednesday in protest against the government's decision to increase the number of local levels in 11 districts.

The CPN-UML is against the government's decision to increase the number of local levels in the southern plains of Nepal, a move by the government to appease disgruntled parties.

The opposition is arguing that the revision of local levels cannot be done after the announcement of the election schedule.

The CPN-UML demanded an answer from Minister of Federal Affairs and Local Development Kamal Thapa and disrupted the proceedings.

Deputy Prime Minister Bimalendra Nidhi and Thapa briefed about the government move.

Thapa said the revision, in the constitution, is as per the agreement and support of various political parties adding that the revision of boundaries of Province no.2 had to be redone as some faults were identified.

However, the Opposition MPs expressed dissatisfaction over the briefing and demanded for a satisfactory answer.

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The Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday chaired the 18th interaction through PRAGATI, the Information and communications technology (ICT) based multi-modal platform for Pro-Active Governance and Timely Implementation.

The Prime Minister reviewed the progress towards handling and resolution of grievances related to the Railways.

He directed strictest possible action against Railway officials found guilty of corruption.

The Prime Minister also asked the Railways to work towards a unified single telephone number for all grievances and queries, including helpline in the case of an accident.

He further reviewed the progress of vital infrastructure projects in the railway, road and power sectors, spread over several states including Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Jammu and Kashmir, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Tripura and Nagaland.

The projects that were reviewed in the meeting were the Mumbai Metro, the Tirupati-Chennai Highway, long-pending road projects in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Manipur, and important power transmission lines in Jammu and Kashmir and the North-East.

Reviewing 'Mission Indradhanush' for universal immunization of children, the Prime Minister asked for targeting attention in strict timeframes for the 100 worst performing districts in this regard.

He said youth organizations such as the Cadet Corps (NCC) and Nehru Yuva Kendra could be involved in the outreach effort to ensure that no child was left without the benefit of immunization.

Reviewing the implementation of 'Swachhta Action Plans', the Prime Minister said that events such as Swachhta fortnights should be converted into movements towards permanent solutions.

On the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT), the Prime Minister asked officials to quantify and document the gains achieved through the use of latest technology, such as LED bulbs, so that the benefits could be better appreciated by one and all.

He urged all Secretaries of the Indian Government and all Chief Secretaries of States to come up with concrete plans and objectives for transformative change to be achieved by the 75th anniversary of independence in 2022.

With regard to cleanliness, he urged for maximum efforts ahead of Mahatma Gandhi's 150th birth anniversary by 2019.

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Representatives of the Russian airline Aeroflot have said that it is reasonable for the female flight attendants to face financial penalties if they are deemed overweight.

Following two recent lawsuits, two Aeroflot representatives at a press conference on Tuesday attempted to justify the airline's alleged policing of its female employees' appearance, reports the Guardian.

The two flight attendants took the airline to court in recent weeks, alleging that the airline moved them from prestigious long-haul flights to lower-paid domestic routes because of their physical appearance.

Evgenia Magurina, one of the complainants, claimed that last year all Aeroflot flight attendants were photographed, measured and in some cases weighed. Women who did not meet the requirements were withdrawn from international routes.

The airline won both the court cases and insisted in a statement in February that it never discriminated on the basis of appearance, age or weight and that all of Magurina's allegations were baseless.

However, on Tuesday, the two Aeroflot representatives appeared to tacitly acknowledge that such a policy was indeed in place.

Aeroflot is a premium airline and part of the reason people pay for tickets is the appearance of its employees," said Pavel Danilin, a member of the airline's public council.

He said a survey of Aeroflot passengers showed that "92% want to see stewardesses who fit into the clothes sizes we are talking about here."

Another member of Aeroflot's public council Nikita Krichevsky said the penalties should not be seen as a salary docking but as an incentive to lose weight.

Krichevsky said if they didn't like the conditions they should resign, and added that it should be easy for them to lose weight.

Later on Tuesday, Aeroflot said in a statement that the two men had appeared at the press conference "on their own initiative" and their comments did not necessarily reflect the airline's position.

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Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Wednesday announced an ex-gratia of Rs. 25 lakh as compensation for next of kin of Madhya Pradesh CRPF jawan who lost his life in Sukma Naxal attack.

Meanwhile, the Union Home Ministry earlier in the day sought a report from the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) on recent Sukma attack, which claimed lives of 26 security personnel.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh yesterday directed Director General of the CRPF and security adviser to MHA K Vijay Kumar to stay put in Chhattisgarh and frame strategy to tackle Naxals in Sukma.

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.

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With the Canadian government officially confirming its plans to legalise marijuana with an addendum that it will not include a blanket pardon for those with past pot convictions, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau admitted that his late brother was once charged with marijuana possession and that their father's connections and intervention helped in making the charges "go away".

In 2013, Trudeau confessed in an interview that he had smoked marijuana five or six times in his life.

Earlier this month, Trudeau's Liberal government tabled the legislation to fully legalise marijuana by mid-2018, putting Canada on course to become the first country in the G7 to do so.

However, the step has been criticised by some over its failure to include a reprieve for those with marijuana-related convictions, despite the government's acknowledgment that those with criminal records often have trouble finding work, housing or travelling outside the country, reports the Guardian.

Trudeau spoke earnestly about how his brother Michel - six months before he died in an avalanche in British Columbia - had in 1998 been involved in a car accident.

Police found a few joints in the wreckage and charged Michel with possession of marijuana. But their father - the former Canadian prime minister Pierre Trudeau - assured him it would be alright.

"He reached out to his friends in the legal community, got the best possible lawyer and was very confident that he was going to be able to make those charges go away. We were able to do that because we had resources, my dad had a couple of connections, and we were confident that my little brother wasn't going to be saddled with a criminal record for life," he said.

Sharing his brother's experience of being charged with possession, Trudeau said the incident threw light on how the current approach fails to treat all Canadians equally.

"People from minority communities, marginalised communities, without economic resources, are not going to have that kind of option to go through and clear their name in the justice system. That's one of the fundamental unfairness's of this current system is that it affects different communities in a different way," he said.

On Monday, Trudeau suggested that once the legislation is approved, his government would address the issue of criminal charges.

"Our focus is on making sure we're changing the legislation to fix what's broken about a system that is hurting Canadians. And then we'll take steps to look at what we can do for those people who have criminal records for something that would no longer be criminal," the Prime Minister said.

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On the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum's National Days of Remembrance, President Donald Trump strongly condemned anti-Semitism and swore that he will always stand with the Jewish people and with 'great partner and friend' Israel.

"I am deeply moved to stand beside people who survived history's darkest hour. Your cherished presence transforms this place into a sacred gathering," Trump said.

He added, "The state of Israel is an eternal monument to the undying strength of the Jewish people. The fervent dream that burned in the hearts of the oppressed is now filled with the breath of life, and the Star of David waves atop a great nation arisen from the desert."

Trump's speech to honor victims of the Holocaust comes weeks after his press secretary Sean Spicer diminished Nazi leader Adolf Hitler in an attempt to shame Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, reports CNN.

The President's fresh remarks come as an opportunity to write over the blunders which did not go down well with Jewish groups.

"We will never, ever be silent in the face of evil again. Denying the Holocaust is only one of many dangerous forms of anti-Semitism that continues all around the . This is my pledge to you: We will confront anti-Semitism. We will stamp out prejudice, we will condemn hatred, we will bear witness and we will act. As President of the United States, I will always stand with the Jewish people, and I will always stand with our great partner and friend, the state of Israel," he said.

However, in the past, Trump has shown that he is particularly sensitive to charges of anti-Semitism in his administration.

When asked about the rise of anti-Jewish crimes since his election, Trump told a Jewish reporter to "sit down" during a news conference in February and proceeded to defend himself as "the least anti-Semitic person that you've ever seen in your entire life."

"I hate the charge. I find it repulsive. I hate even the question because people that know me -- and you heard the Prime Minister, you heard Benjamin Netanyahu, did you hear him, Bibi?" Trump said.

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Today, the United Nations Global Compact kicked off its two-day event, bringing together over 300 leaders from business, finance, civil society, government and the UN in New Delhi for its regional flagship event Making Global Goals Local Business - India.

With less than 5,000 days left to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the event aims to mobilize responsible business actions, drive breakthrough innovation and create new market opportunities that advance the Global Goals.

"The SDGs provide a global plan of action for people, planet and prosperity - a plan of action with a universal set of goals and targets that empowers us all to deliver the world that we want," said Lise Kingo, CEO and Executive Director of the UN Global Compact.

"Every year, as part of our Making Global Goals Local Business movement, we host a flagship regional event. This year, we are in New Delhi because India is the land of opportunity for sustainable development: If India delivers on the Global Goals we will be halfway towards the 2030 Agenda."

To enable business around the world to take action on the SDGs, the UN Global Compact launched two important initiatives on the first day of the event. The new Global Opportunity Explorer aims to be the world's largest digital platform connects business leaders, entrepreneurs and investors with new partners, projects, markets and talents to deliver on the SDGs. Through a new Blueprint for SDG Leadership, the UN Global Compact will guide businesses on how to take concrete leadership action on each of the SDGs.

In the opening plenary, India's Minister of State for Finance, Shri Santosh Kumar Gangwar, said, "I congratulate the UN Global Compact for organizing this dedicated program on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in India." He continued, "The Indian government has taken bold initiatives in the last three years so as to translate our commitment to SGDs, and our visionary leader Narendra Modi is working tirelessly to achieve SDGs by 2030 in a big way....Making Global Goals Local Business is a strategy to engage business on the 2030 SDG agenda to develop innovative business models and help achieve the SDGs."

Mr. Kamal Singh, Executive Director of UN Global Compact Network India said, "We are extremely honored to bring a global platform to India to showcase local businesses and innovations around SDGs. With the launch of this 2-day event, we have set a mission of providing a blueprint for forward-thinking. This gives Indian businesses an opportunity to succeed in implementing Global Goals and innovate the SDGs in the local context."

Tomorrow at the forum, the UN Global Compact will outline the breakthrough innovation and systemic solutions needed to meet the Global Goals by 2030 and will launch the 2017 series of the Global Compact SDG Pioneers campaign at the closing plenary. Additionally, the Business and Sustainable Development Commission will release its Better Business Better World - India country report highlighting how the SDGs offer a compelling growth strategy for the private sector in India.

A full agenda for the forum can be found here. A list of distinguished speakers can be found here. Making Global Goals Local Business - India is part of the UN Global Compact's multi-year Making Global Goals Local Business campaign. Launched in 2016, the campaign aims to help companies see both their responsibilities and opportunities around the SDGs globally and on the ground through the 70+ Global Compact Local Networks.

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The deputy chief of the Auburn Police Department will return to work two weeks after he admitted to drunk driving in the town of Aurelius, City Manager Jeff Dygert said Wednesday.

Roger J. Anthony, 44, pleaded guilty April 19 to driving while ability impaired by alcohol.

Anthony was arrested at around 2:45 a.m. April 1 after New York State Police said he crashed his personal vehicle into a ditch at the intersection of Half Acre and Sevior roads. An investigation revealed Anthony had been driving with a blood alcohol content of .18 percent  twice the legal limit.

The deputy chief was immediately suspended without pay and charged with first-offense DWI and aggravated DWI, both misdemeanors. However, special prosecutor Brooks Baker and Aurelius Town Court Judge Raymond Lockwood allowed Anthony to plead guilty to a reduced charge of DWAI  a traffic infraction punishable by a $500 fine and a conditional discharge.

Now, the city manager said, Anthony has been approved to return to work at the police department. He will resume his duties as deputy chief Wednesday, May 3.

Anthony's defense attorney, Rome Canzano, said Anthony will have a conditional, restricted driver's license for 90 days. During that time, he will also have to participate in an impaired driving program.

"(Anthony) is looking forward to continuing his employment in the public sector and putting this difficult chapter behind him," Canzano said in a phone interview Wednesday. "I wholeheartedly believe he will be a better person and a better police officer having gone through this and he certainly appreciates the support of city officials, the police force and the community."

Meanwhile, Dygert said the details of Anthony's internal discipline and how the incident may affect his duties as an officer will remain confidential.

"Generally speaking, Deputy Chief Anthony has had an unblemished career of service to the City of Auburn," Dygert said in an email to The Citizen. "This particular incident, while very serious, is an isolated event. The deputy chief's actions to take full responsibility and accept the consequences speak to his character.

"I am confident that the deputy chief will use his experience to educate both his staff and the community about the dangers and consequences of impaired driving."

Anthony has been on the police force since January 1997. He was named deputy chief in July 2016 and, according to the police chief, has had no disciplinary issues in the past.
After giving fans a visual treat with movies like 'The Grand Budapest Hotel' and 'Moonrise Kingdom,' director Wes Anderson is back with his new project 'Isle of Dogs'.

The movie's Twitter handle shared the official poster of Anderson's upcoming stop-motion title and revealed the release date for the movie.

The movie is going to hit the theatres on April 20, 2018.

The poster was captioned, "Coming to theatres April 20, 2018 #IsleofDogs."

In the poster, we can see five dogs wearing clothes and a fighter plane drowned in the sea, with a man standing a few feet away.

The movie, set in Japan, focuses on the story of a boy, who is in search of his dog.

The film's star-studded voice cast includes Edward Norton, Bill Murray, Tilda Swinton, Bryan Cranston, Jeff Goldblum, along with Live Schreiber, Scarlet Johansson and Yoko Ono.

Scott Rudin, Steven Rales and Jeremy Dawson are producing the project with Anderson, following the success of their last production partnership, 'The Grand Budapest Hotel'.

The movie will be distributed by Fox Searchlight Pictures.

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Looks like Will Smith is all set to fight himself in Ang Lee's 'Gemini Man'.

According to Hollywood Reporter, the 48-year-old is in negotiations to star in Skydance's action thriller based on one of Hollywood long-unproduced scripts.

The 'Life of Pi' helmer Ang Lee will reportedly direct the movie which is being produced by Jerry Bruckheimer.

The story of the movie focuses on an aging assassin who finds himself in a battle with the ultimate opponent: his clone, who is 25 years younger and at the peak of his abilities.

The project was first set up at Disney in 1997 as a pitch by Darren Lemke, with Don Murphy producing and Tony Scott directing.

But the movie was considered to be unfilmable because visual effects technology had not caught up to the concept.

The script has been reworked on many times over two decades, and numerous camera tests have been conducted by the studio, which at different times had considered Mel Gibson and Clint Eastwood for the lead role.

Skydance picked up the project in October, with Bruckheimer on board and Murphy executive producing the movie.

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Draft Three Year Action Agenda

In May 2016, the Prime Minister's Office advised the NITI Aayog, its premier, independent think tank, to prepare a Fifteen Year Vision, Seven Year Strategy and Three Year Action Agenda. The Fifteen Year Vision and Seven Year Strategy document spanning 2017-18 to 2031-32 is in progress. The Action Agenda covers the period from 2017-18 to 2019-20, the last years of the Fourteenth Finance Commission.

How does the Vision, Strategy and Action Agenda exercise differ from the Five Year Plan process?

The 12th Five Year Plan was the last of the Five Year Plans. With an increasingly open and liberalized economy and given the new realities of the global economy, we needed to rethink the tools and approaches to conceptualizing the development process. The Vision, Strategy and Action Agenda framework will allow us to better align the development strategy with the changed reality of India.

An Overview of the Three Year Action Agenda

In preparing the Agenda, the NITI Aayog sought and received inputs from State Governments, Union Territories and Ministries of the Central Government. Extensive consultations were held with groups of scientists, economists, journalists, voluntary organizations, industry associations and experts in education, health, culture, transport and other fields. Numerous experts and institutions provided useful written inputs.

The Draft Agenda was circulated to NITI Aayog's Governing Council Members on April 23, 2016. It contains ambitious yet achievable proposals to achieve far-reaching changes in India's economy. Where relevant, we have included possible actions by the states to complement the Centre's efforts. The document has 7 parts with 24 chapters.

Selected Key Action Agenda Items

Three Year Revenue and Expenditure Framework:

A tentative medium-term expenditure framework (MTEF) for the Centre is proposed. Based on forecasts of revenue, it proposes sector-wise expenditure allocation for three years.

Proposes reduction of the fiscal deficit to 3% of the GDP by 2018-19, and the revenue deficit to 0.9% of the GDP by 2019-20.

The roadmap consisting of shifting additional revenues towards high priority sectors: health, education, agriculture, rural development, defence, railways, roads and other categories of capital expenditure.

Agriculture: Doubling Farmers' Incomes by 2022

Reform the Agricultural Produce Marketing to ensure that farmers receive remunerative prices.

Raise productivity through enhanced irrigation, faster seed replacement and precision agriculture.

Shift to high value commodities: horticulture, animal husbandry, fisheries.

A separate detailed roadmap issued by Member, Professor Ramesh Chand

Industry and Services: Job Creation Overarching Action Points

Create Coastal Employment Zones to boost exports and generate high-productivity jobs.

Enhance labour-market flexibility through reforming key laws

Address the high and rising share of Non-Performing Assets (NPAs) in India's banks through supporting the auction of larger assets to private asset reconstruction companies (ARCs), and strengthening the State Bank of India-led ARC.

Action points for specific sectors

Apparel

Leather and footwear

Electronics

Food processing

Gems and jewelry

Tourism

Finance

Real estate.

Urban Development

Need to bring down land prices to make housing affordable through increased supply of urban land

1. More flexible conversion rules from one use to another

2. Release of land held by sick units

3. Release of other urban land potentially available

4. More generous Floor Space Index.

Reform the Rent Control Act along the lines of Model Tenancy Act;

Initiate titles of urban property

Promote dormitory housing

Address issues related to city transportation infrastructure and waste management.

Regional strategies

Actions targeted aimed at improving development outcomes in the (i) North Eastern Region, (ii) Coastal Areas & Islands, (iii) North Himalayan states and (iv) Desert and Drought prone states.

Transport and Digital Connectivity

Strengthen infrastructure in roadways, railways, shipping & ports, inland waterways and civil aviation.

Ensure last-mile digital connectivity, particularly for e-governance and financial inclusion, through developing infrastructure, simplifying the payments structure and improving literacy.

Facilitate Public-Private Partnerships.by reorienting the role of the India Infrastructure Finance Company Ltd. (IIFCL), introducing low cost debt instruments and operationalizing the National Investment Infrastructure Fund (NIIF).

Energy

Adopt consumer friendly measures such as provision of electricity to all households by 2022, LPG connection to all BPL households, elimination of black carbon by 2022, and extension of the city gas distribution programme to 100 smart cities.

Reduce the cross-subsidy in the power sector to ensure competitive supply of electricity to industry.

Reform the coal sector by setting up a regulator, encouraging commercial mining and improving labour productivity.

Science & Technology

Create comprehensive database of all government schemes and evaluate them for desirable changes

Develop guidelines for PPPs in S&T to improve education and industry-academia linkages for demand-driven research

Channel S&T to address development challenges such as access to education, improving agricultural productivity and wastewater management.

Create a National Science, Technology & Innovation Foundation to identify and deliberate national issues, recommend priority interventions in S&T and prepare frameworks for their implementation

Streamline the administration of the patent regime

Governance

Re-calibrate the role of the government by shrinking its involvement in activities that do not serve a public purpose and expanding its role in areas that necessarily require public provision

Implement the roadmap on closing select loss-making PSEs and strategic disinvestment of 20 identified CPSEs.

Expand the government's role in public health and quality education.

Strengthen the civil services through better human resource management, e-governance, addressing anomalies in tenures of secretaries and increasing specialization and lateral entry.

Taxation and Regulation

Tackle tax evasion, expand the tax base and simplify the tax system through reforms. For example, consolidate existing custom duty rates to a unified rate.

Create an institutional mechanism for promoting competition through comprehensive review and reform of government regulations across all sectors.

Strengthen public procurement

The Rule of Law

Undertake significant judicial system reforms including increased ICT use, structured performance evaluation and reduced judicial workload.

Legislative, administrative and operational reforms of police are suggested to the states.

Education and Skill Development

Shift the emphasis on the quality of school education paying particular attention to foundational learning

Move away from input-based to outcome-based assessments

Rank outcomes across jurisdictions

Use ICT judiciously to align teaching to the student's level and pace

Revisit the policy of automatic promotion up to eighth grade

Create a tiered regulation of universities and college to provide greater autonomy to top universities under the current system.

Focus on creating and funding public universities under the World Class Universities program.

Health

Focus on public health through significantly increasing government expenditure on it, establishing a focal point and creating a dedicated cadre.

Generate and disseminate periodic, district-level data as per uniform protocols.

Formulate a model policy on human resources for health, implement a bridge course for nurses/AYUSH practitioners in primary care.

Reform IMC Act and the acts governing homeopathy and Indian systems of medicine

Launch the National Nutrition Mission; develop a comprehensive Nutrition Information System.

Building an Inclusive Society

Enhance the welfare of women, children, youth, minorities, SC, ST, OBCs, differently abled persons and senior citizens.

Develop a composite gender-based index to reflect the status of women in the country.

Introduce skill-based education and extra-curricular activities as a mandatory part of school curricula; design innovative conditional cash transfer schemes to encourage girls' education.

Environment and Water Resources

Adopt sustainable practices and streamline regulatory structures to support high economic growth.

Adopt measures to tackle city air pollution

Revisit the policy towards felling of trees on private land and transport of trees

Promote sustainable use of water resources by improving groundwater management, adopting smart water meters for specific industrial units and enhancing the regulatory environment in the sector.

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Price stabilization Fund now increases from Rs 500 crore to Rs 1500 crore: Shri Radha Mohan Singh

The Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Shri Radha Mohan Singh said that the central government is giving priority to agriculture sector by allocating maximum funds for the farmers' welfare. Shri Singh said that the government aims at increasing the agriculture production, determining productivity and boosting dairy/livestock/fisheries while promoting agriculture education, research and extension organisation.

Shri Singh said that to achieve Prime Minister Narendra Modi's target of doubling farmers' income by 2022, Agriculture Ministry has written letters to the state governments urging them to strategise and work on it. Agriculture Minister said that while strategising, the state governments will have to closely monitor agricultural production and agricultural products processing activities.

Shri Singh said that the government has launched various schemes for the farmers. Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, Soil Health Management, Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana, E-Nam, Agroforestry (Medh Par Ped) and Neem coated Urea to name a few. To increase milk production, National Dairy Mission was initiated. Blue Revolution is emphasising on inland fisheries and deep sea fishing. The schemes aim to increase the agricultural productivity and improve farmers' income.

Union Minister said that for the success of schemes, we will have to work together with dedication and sincerity. Shri Singh further informed that this year's growth rate for the agriculture and allied sectors was about 4 percent.

For the welfare of agriculture sector, the Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Ministry has converted all its schemes into special missions, schemes and programmes. With joint efforts of all stakeholders, the 2nd advance estimates predict about 271.98 MT production of food grain, which is 8.11 percent higher as compared to the year 2015-16. Shri Singh also said that the production of the foodgrains is 5.82 percent more than the last five years' average production. There was a record foodgrains production in 2013-14, however, this year's yield was 2.61 percent higher as compared to 2013-14.

Agriculture Minister said that the farmers have started reaping the benefit of the schemes initiated by the department of Agriculture Cooperation & Farmers Welfare. The schemes include National Food Security Mission (NFSM), National Horticulture Mission (NHM), Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY), and Total Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT).

Shri Singh said that the National Food Security Mission (NFSM), one of the most important schemes of the agriculture ministry covers rice, wheat, pulses, cereals and other main crops. Before the current government came to the power, NFSM was being implemented in 482 districts of 19 states. When the NDA government came to the power, the implementation of NFSM was extended to 638 districts of 29 states. Apart from that, 2.70 lakh hectare area is being used for organic farming. While ensuring the overall growth of agriculture and allied sectors, Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana or RKVY's aims at achieving annual growth and maintaining the same during the 12th Plan.

Agriculture Minister said that the Ministry is focusing on the production and productivity of oilseeds and equal attention is also being given to the fruits, vegetables and horticulture. The government is also focusing on quality and availability of seeds. Apart from that national seed mission has been initiated under the scheme grants will be given for seed processing, seed storage, improving the quality of seeds and storing of seeds for the emergency.

Shri Singh said that the government is trying to safeguard farmers' interest by announcing a minimum support price for main agricultural commodities. The thrust of the policy is to create a balanced and integrated structure to meet the overall needs of the economy. To support the prices, central nodal agencies such as FCI, CCI, JCI, NAFED, SFAC etc. start procurement process to ensure that the market price doesn't slip below the MSP fixed by the government. In case the market price of the commodity falls below the announced minimum price, govt agencies intervenes under Market Intervention Scheme (MIS) and procures the entire quantity offered by the farmers at the announced minimum price. During the period of 2014-15 to 2016-17, Indian government procured chilli, apple, ginger, potato, oil palm, grapes, onion betelnut, etc from the farmers of Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Arunachal Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Mizoram and Nagaland. Any sharp rise or fall in prices not only causes harm to consumers but farmers too. To mitigate volatility in the prices of agricultural produce, a Price Stabilisation Fund of Rs.500 Crore for agricultural commodities was announced, which has been now increased to Rs.1500 crore. To control the rising pulses price, 40,000 metric tonne pulses have been distributed to the states at their behest and meanwhile, the government is creating a buffer stock of 20 lakh metric tonne pulses. Simultaneously government is procuring 20,000 metric tonne onion for buffer stock.

Shri Singh also said that the Kharif season is around the corner, therefore, it is imperative for the state governments to make plans to procure high-quality seeds of several types of crops and fertilisers for the farmers. The state governments should ensure that there is no scarcity of inputs during the cropping season.

To ensure that the farmers avail the benefits of Fasal Bima Yojana, the government launched Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana from 2016 Kharif season after improvising the earlier insurance scheme. The insurance is vast and covers the pre-sowing to post-harvest losses. For soil health, the government has started Soil Health Card scheme. To promote organic farming, Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana has been launched. To increase farmers' income, the government is also focusing on agroforestry and bee-keeping.

Shri Radha Mohan Singh has urged all the ministers to make efforts for the smooth and timely implementation of all the schemes so that the farmers get the funds on time to start their work. Shri Singh also stressed on transparency in governance.

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Smartphones to Represent 62 Percent of all Mobile Phone Sales in India in 2018

Current Scenario: As the Indian cellular market goes through consolidation and aggressive 4G roll out, demand for smartphones will continue to grow. With smartphone penetration maturing in many developed markets (see Table 1), continued growth in the world's third largest smartphone market makes India an attractive market to device manufacturers. Smartphones in India are expected to account for 62 percent of all mobile phones sales in India in 2018.

Analyst Take: "With the slowdown in sales in major markets, including the U.S., China and mature Western Europe, India represents the largest opportunity because it is the second-largest mobile phone market after China," said Anshul Gupta, research director at Gartner.

In addition, demonetization in India through the elimination of 500 and 1,000 rupee notes caused an increased push from the government for digital currency, as well as people becoming more open to using digital payment methods. The rise of digital currency is bringing a new use case for smartphones, which, in turn, is set to trigger higher demands for smartphones. This opens the opportunity for service providers to launch mobile wallet solution or even vendors to launch their exclusive mobile payment solutions like Android Pay or Apple Pay to build an ecosystem.

Table 1. Smartphone Unit Sales as a Percent of Overall Mobile Sales in Selected Markets, 4Q16

Country Smartphone Penetration of Overall Mobile Phone Sales (%)China 96India 50US 96Indonesia 68Brazil 92

Source: Gartner (March 2017)

Leading global vendors, Samsung and Apple, have made exclusive plans to grow their shares in the market. Major Chinese manufacturers, such as Gionee, Huawei, Oppo, BBK (Vivo), Xiaomi, Lenovo etc., have committed big investments to exploit the growth opportunity.

Ever rising competition from Chinese manufacturers has not only troubled top local brands such as Micromax, Intex, Lava and Karbon mobile but also resulted in a decrease in smartphone market share for Samsung in India (see Table 2).

"With an exclusive focus on the market from the device manufacturers, we expect more customized smartphones to come to market and remain key to win in this highly competitive market," said Mr. Gupta.

Table 2: Top smartphone vendor share by unit sales to end users in India

Smartphone Vendor 2014 2015 2016Samsung 24.4% 21.2% 17.3%Micromax 18.3% 16.7% 11.9%Lenovo 1.6% 7.3% 8.1%Intex Technologies 2.9% 10.1% 6.9%Karbonn Mobiles 11.6% 3.4% 5.2%

Source: Gartner (March 2017)

As opposed to earlier falling mobile phone average selling price (ASP) trends led by the rush to low cost mobile phone, Gartner has noted a change in consumer spending. Our recently concluded consumer survey showed, users are willing to spend more to get a smartphone with better features than simply rushing for lowest price smartphones.

"The growing ASP trend will be maintained in the coming years with the increasing middle class population and rising per capita income leading to more disposable income to be spent on electronic goods," Mr. Gupta said.

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Gujarat Gas was up 0.59% to Rs 846.80 at 12:53 IST on BSE on reports that a foreign brokerage has maintained buy rating on the stock for a target of Rs 1,141.

Meanwhile, the S&P BSE Sensex was up 155.08 points or 0.52% at 30,098.32.

On the BSE, 4,978 shares were traded on the counter so far as against the average daily volumes of 24,799 shares in the past one quarter. The stock had hit a high of Rs 852.55 and a low of Rs 840.10 so far during the day.

The stock had hit a record high of Rs 880 on 18 April 2017 and a 52-week low of Rs 480 on 23 May 2016. It had outperformed the market over the past one month till 25 April 2017, surging 14.56% compared with the Sensex's 1.77% rise. The scrip had also outperformed the market over the past one quarter, gaining 51.88% as against the Sensex's 8.07% rise.

The large-cap company has equity capital of Rs 137.68 crore. Face value per share is Rs 10.

Gujarat Gas' net profit rose 31.5% to Rs 42.29 crore on 17% decline in net sales to Rs 1220.31 crore in Q3 December 2016 over Q3 December 2015.

Gujarat Gas is a city gas distribution company with presence spread across 19 districts in Gujarat and the Union Territory of Dadra Nagar Haveli and the Thane geographical area which includes Palghar district of Maharashtra.

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Allots 32.62 lakh shares at Rs 670 per share

S Chand and Company has raised Rs 219 crore from 15 anchor investors by selling 32.62 lakh shares. The shares were allotted to the anchor investors at Rs 670 per share, the top end of the Rs 660 to Rs 670 per share price band for the initial public offering (IPO).

Anchor investors included Eastspring Investments India Consumer Equity Open, Nomura Singapore, Indus India Fund (Mauritius), Volrado Venture Partners Fund-II, HSBC Global Investment Fund, HDFC Company Trustee, Axis Mutual Fund, Sundaram Mutual Fund and Birla Sun Life Asset Management.

S Chand and Company is coming up with an initial public offering (IPO) consisting of a fresh issue aggregating up to Rs 325 crore and an offer for sale of up to 60.23 lakh equity shares by the selling shareholders. The price band of the issue is set at Rs 660 to Rs 670 per equity share of face value of Rs 5 each. The issue opens for bidding today, 26 April 2017 and closes on 28 April 2017.

The offer for sale of issue of up to 60.23 lakh equity shares is comprised of promoter selling shareholders, the other selling shareholders and the investor selling shareholders collectively termed as selling shareholders. Investor shareholder, Everstone Capital Partners II LLC offers to sell upto 48.14 lakh shares.

The net proceeds from the fresh issue will be utilized towards the repayment of loans availed by the company and one of its subsidiaries, EPHL, which were utilized towards funding the acquisition of Chhaya. Repayment/prepayment, in full or in part, of certain loans availed of by the company and certain of Its subsidiaries, VPHPL and NSHPL; and general corporate purposes.

The company reported consolidated net loss of Rs 88.48 crore on total revenue of Rs 150.80 crore in the nine months ended 31 December 2016.

S Chand and Company is a leading Indian education content company. The company delivers content, solutions and services across the education lifecycle through its K-12, higher education and early learning segments.

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By CARE

Suzlon Energy announced that CARE has assigned a 'CARE A1+ (structured obligation) ratings for the proposed commercial paper issue of Rs 50 crore of Suzlon Global Services.

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Around 12,000 Bangladeshis are set to return from Saudi Arabia before June 30, after Riyadh set a deadline for illegal immigrants to leave the kingdom, a media report said.

The Bangladeshi nationals have received clearance from the Saudi government to leave the kingdom before Jun 30, bdnews24 said.

Those meeting the June 30 deadline will be spared under 'General Pardon' and can travel to Saudi Arabia legally again in the future.

But those failing to honour the deadline will face jail terms and fine, the daily said.

The Saudi government made the announcement on March 20.

Until Tuesday, 7,309 Bangladeshis collected the Out Pass (clearance letter) in Riyadh and 4,855 others in Jeddah, according to the Bangladesh embassy.

The Saudi authorities have formed a task force to filter out immigrants staying in the Gulf kingdom with an expired visa. Some new jails have also been set up.

The Saudi government expects at least one million illegal immigrants to leave the country during the 90-day drive.

--IANS

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A trainer aircraft crashed on the Maharashtra-Madhya Pradesh border on Wednesday, killing the pilot and a trainee, after the craft got entangled in wires, officials said.

Pilot Ranjan Gunta and student pilot Himani died when the National Flying Training Institute (NFTI) aircraft crashed around 9.30 a.m into the Vainganga river.

Balaghat district Khairlanji police station in-charge Amit Jadhav, who reached the site of the accident, told IANS that the four-seater craft left Birsi airport in Gondia, Maharashtra, in the morning.

The trainer aircraft, while flying over the river, got entangled in wires spread across it to measure the water level, the official said.

The accident happened near Lavni village, along the border of the two states, but falls within Maharashtra.

--IANS

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Lyons National Bank this week opened its first Cayuga County branch.

The Geneva-based company on Monday began operating on the ground floor of the building at 63 Genesee St. in downtown Auburn. The building also hosts ABC Cayuga's Play Space and an Aflac insurance office. For several years prior to that, it had been served as a bank building, most recently as an HSBC office.

LNB, which has $956 million in assets and operates 13 branches in Wayne, Onondaga, Ontario, Monroe, Seneca and Yates counties, also plans to build a new branch on Grant Avenue in the town of Sennett.

The Auburn location is run by longtime Auburn banker Demetrius Murphy, who is branch manager. Other key staffers include Gregory Lattimore, commercial lender, Craig Mietz, mortgage originator, and Angelica Reyes, assistant branch manager.

Im thrilled to be part of LNBs expansion, Murphy said in a press release. Having been a part of the community for my entire life, Im confident that residents and businesses alike will appreciate LNBs community-minded philosophy of banking. They have assembled a great team of talented people that know Auburn from a personal perspective, and we all look forward to providing quality products and service to the residents and businesses of our hometown.

The Sennett branch will be located at the site of the La-Z-Boy furniture store. Auburn firm Beardsley Design Associates is designing the building, which will include a technology-equipped meeting room that will be available to community organizations. Demolition work is scheduled for this spring, with the new branch opening in the fall.

We are very excited to enter the Auburn market, said Thomas L. Kime, president at LNB, in the press release. The feedback we have received already from community members has been exceedingly positive. The community has seen a great deal of change among their banks, and I have no doubt our hometown-style of community banking will be a perfect fit for the area.
Owning moral responsibility for the AAP's debacle in the municipal elections, senior party leader Dilip Pandey on Wednesday resigned as the party's Delhi convenor.

He sent his resignation to Delhi Chief Minister and party's national convenor Arvind Kejriwal.

"I have resigned from the post of AAP Delhi Convenor and conveyed to National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal to give this responsibility to someone else," Pandey tweeted.

Pandey was the party's Delhi unit convenor and played a key role in the municipal polls in the city.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) swept the municipal polls winning 181 seats, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) got 47 seats while the Congress was restricted to only 30 seats.
Senior AAP leaders, including Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, on Wednesday went to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's residence as early counting trends showed the ruling party far behind in the civic polls.

Sisodia among other leaders reached Kejriwal's Civil Lines residence here as counting trends for the Delhi Municipal Corporation polls showed the Aam Aadmi Party trailing at third spot, behind the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Congress.

The BJP was leading in 160 wards, the Congress in 45 and the AAP in 16 wards in the Delhi civic polls, according to early counting trends, Delhi State Election officials said on Wednesday.

--IANS

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Delhi Congress chief Ajay Maken and P.C. Chacko, in charge of Congress affairs in Delhi, on Wednesday resigned from their posts, owning moral responsibility for the party's defeat in the city's civic polls.

"I have sent my resignation to Congress President (Sonia Gandhi) and Rahul Gandhi (Vice President). I have sent the resignation letter in the morning," Chako told IANS.

Asked if it has been accepted, he said: "I don't know. Till now, I don't know what action has been taken on it."

"We had a big target for this election. In fact, we have a sizeable increase in our vote base. It was nine per cent in 2015, we have 21 per cent now. It's a good achievement but I am not happy in the sense we wanted to decimate AAP to that position. That we could not achieve," said Chako.

"That is the reason why I have sent my resignation and simultaneously Ajay Maken has also sent his resignation. Both are now before the Congress President and the Vice President. They will take the decision and let us know," he added.

"I will submit my resignation to the Congress President and Vice President shortly," Maken earlier told reporters.

The Congress was a distant third in the Delhi civic polls, after the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Aam Aadmi Party.

Stating that he was expecting a better results by the party, Maken said that he was taking the responsibility of the party's defeat.

He also said that he would not hold any party post for the next one year and will remain just an ordinary Congress member.

"I will remain just a normal member for the next one year. My commitment to the party is ideological and will continue to remain so," said Maken.

Commenting on the Congress performance in a few of the wards -- where the party was leading -- Maken said: "During Delhi assembly elections and Lok Sabha polls, we were zero. This time we fought on the basis of issues; we are satisfied that we have made a reasonable comeback."

"However, our expectations were a little high," added Maken.

--IANS

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France has said it has evidence that the Syrian air force dropped bombs containing nerve agent sarin on a rebel-held town earlier this month that killed 89 people.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault on Wednesday said that samples taken from scene in Khan Sheikhoun town bore the "signature" of sarin produced by Syria's government, BBC reported.

"We have definite sources that the procedure used to make the sarin sampled is typical of the methods developed in Syrian laboratories," he said.

"This method bears the signature of the regime, and that is what has allowed us to establish its responsibility in this attack."

French laboratories had stored samples taken from other chemical attacks in Syria and so were able to compare them, the Foreign Minister said.

A tweet posed by the French Foreign Ministry said: "There's no doubt that sarin was used. There is also no doubt about the responsibility of the Syrian regime."

International chemical weapons inspectors from the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) said last week they had found "incontrovertible" evidence that sarin, or a similar substance, was used in the April 4 attack on Khan Sheikhoun, but did not apportion responsibility.

British scientists too had found that sarin or a similar chemical was used in the attack, having tested samples smuggled from the site.

However, Damascus denied it had anything to do with the Khan Sheikhoun attack, instead blaming "terrorist" groups.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad insisted the government never used chemical weapons and that it turned over all of its stocks in 2013, after it was blamed for a sarin attack on rebel-held suburbs of Damascus that left hundreds dead.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, a key Syrian ally, had suggested that the attack was carried out by "forces" trying to frame Assad's regime.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Wednesday that Russia would not change its position regarding the Khan Sheikhoun attack in light of the French assessment.

"The Kremlin and President Putin still believe that conducting an impartial international investigation is the only way to find out the truth," state-run TASS quoted Peskov as saying.

The French Foreign Ministry said its independent investigation, was declassified so it could be shared with the world.

Analysis by French experts of samples from the April 4 attack site and the blood of one of the victims confirmed the use of Sarin, the report said.

Those samples were compared with samples from an attack on the northern Syrian town of Saraqeb in April 2013, in which three grenades containing sarin were dropped by a helicopter, one of which failed to explode, it said.

Scientists established the presence of the same chemical compounds in samples taken from Saraqeb and from Khan Sheikhoun, the French Foreign Ministry said.

The report also described the claim that rebel forces in the area had sarin as "not credible".

--IANS

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Bangladeshi freedom fighters will from Wednesday get five-year multiple-entry visas in line with New Delhi's announcement during Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's visit to India.

According to the Indian High Commission here, the provision is being extended to freedom fighters as a "special gesture" to recognise the special connection between Bangladesh's 1971 war veterans and India.

Bangladeshi nationals above the age of 65 years are eligible for five-year multiple entry tourist visas, BD News reported.

They can walk in without prior appointment and submit their applications here as well as in Chittagong, Rajshahi, Sylhet, Barisal, Khulna, Jessore, Mymensingh and Rangpur.

They have to present proof of their being a freedom fighter, among other documents, while applying for visa.

Indian soldiers fought should-to-shoulder with Bengali freedom fighters in 1971 to liberate Bangladesh.

Hasina, during her visit, honoured those military officers and said that every generation of Bangladesh will remember the Indian soldiers who fought alongside Bangladeshis.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had also announced a special medical scheme, under which 100 freedom fighters will be provided free treatment in Indian hospitals every year.

He had said that $5 billion Line of Credit, including $500 million for defence purchases, will be given to Dhaka, bringing India's total development funding for Bangladesh to $8 billion over the past six years.

--IANS

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Seeking acknowledgement of Bihar's contribution to the Indian freedom struggle, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Wednesday said the role of Veer Kunwar Singh, who hailed from the state, in the 1857 War of Independence should be discussed at the national level.

"Like Bihar's role in the freedom struggle, role of legendary freedom fighter Veer Kunwar Singh is also not highlighted and discussed," Nitish Kumar said at a function held to pay tributes to Singh.

Nitish Kumar said Singh had fought against British rule in India's first freedom struggle in 1857 and provided a direction to it but it is not being discussed. He was the first leader who defeated British commanders and created a positive situation for others.

After 60 years, Mahatma Gandhi started his first 'satyagrah' in Champaran against the British rule in 1917 that gave a new direction to the freedom movement.

Both events are evidence of Bihar's great role in the country's freedom struggle.

--IANS

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Riding on a Modi wave and defeating anti-incumbency, the BJP on Wednesday retained with a sweeping majority its 10-year hold on the capital's three civic bodies, routing the city's ruling AAP which blamed rigged EVMs for its poor show in the municipal polls.

The BJP won 181 of the 270 wards that polled on Sunday, way above the halfway mark to secure control of all the three Municipal Corporations of Delhi - North, South and East. The BJP won 64 of 103 wards in North, 70 of 104 in South and 47 of 63 in East.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) led by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal could manage wins in just 48 wards and the Congress was way behind with 30 seats. The Bahujan Samaj Party won three wards, Indian National Lok Dal and Samajwadi Party one each and independents won six wards.

A jubilant BJP credited its continued electoral success to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who tweeted his thanks to the people of Delhi for retaining their faith in the party. "I laud the hardwork of (Delhi BJP) team which made the resounding MCD win possible."

BJP President Amit Shah, who is in West Bengal, said the election results, coming close on the heels of the party's successes in the assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Goa and Manipur, have taken forward the "Modi and BJP juggernaut".

Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari, the brain behind the party's "AAP se na ho ga" (AAP can't do it) campaign, also credited the victory to Modi and his developmental policies.

Tiwari called for Kejriwal's resignation, saying "the people of Delhi have exercised their right to recall" by voting against the AAP, which rode to power more than two years ago, winning 67 of the 70 legislative seats in the Delhi Assembly polls.

The poor showing is seen as a setback for Kejriwal, as the civic elections were largely viewed as a referendum on his two-year-old rule. Kejriwal congratulated the BJP, and said he is looking "forward to working with MCDs for the betterment of Delhi".

Stunned by the defeat, the AAP alleged that the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) were rigged to help the saffron party win.

"Without rigging, such a massive win is not possible," Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said, reiterating the accusations the party has been raising since AAP's defeat in the Punjab and Goa assembly polls.

He said it was "unbelievable" that the BJP could return to power in the civic bodies with such a massive win even as the MCD in the last 10 years had failed to maintain the upkeep of the city.

Alka Lamba, who represents Chandni Chowk in the assembly, said she was quitting on moral grounds for the party's defeat in the seats falling under her constituency.

The Congress drubbing saw its Delhi unit Chief Ajay Maken resigning from the post owning up moral responsibility for the defeat, while veteran party leader and former Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit put the onus of defeat squarely on local leaders.

The Congress was looking at a possible revival in Delhi, where it ruled for 15 years till 2013 but failed to win a single seat in the 2015 assembly elections or a Lok Sabha seat from Delhi in the 2014 polls.

The civic bodies are mainly responsible for the city's cleanliness, hygiene, primary health and education and prevention of vector-borne diseases. The three corporations had a combined budget of nearly Rs 7,000 crore in the last fiscal.

The MCD polls are local in nature but the win is the latest in a series of BJP election victories credited largely to Modi.

The win has also boosted the BJP's prospects for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections and could act as a dampner to efforts of opposition parties to stop the Modi juggernaut.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The BJP was on Wednesday set to retain the three municipal corporations in the national capital for the third term in a row, handing a humiliating defeat to the Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP and the Congress.

As per the Delhi State Election Commission, the Bharatiya Janata Party so far has won 143 seats and is leading in 31 seats, the Aam Aadmi Party was a distant second having won 35 seats and leading in 16, while the Congress has won so far only 22 seats and is leading in 4.

In the East Delhi Municipal Corporation, the BJP has won 37 wards and is leading in nine. In the South Delhi Municipal Corporation, it won 53 wards and is leading in 12, while in the North Delhi Municipal Corporation, the saffron party has won 53 and is leading in 10.

While the BJP credited its continued electoral success to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the AAP reiterated its allegations that EVMs were rigged in favour of the BJP -- an accusation it has been levelling since its defeat in Punjab and Goa assembly polls.

The Congress drubbing saw its Delhi unit Chief Ajay Maken announcing his resignation from the post owning up moral responsibility for the defeat, while veteran party leader and former Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit put the onus of defeat squarely on local leaders.

The AAP's defeat comes more than two years after the Delhi Assembly elections where it humiliated the BJP, winning 67 of the 70 Delhi assembly polls.

"Without rigging, such a massive win is not possible," AAP leader and Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia told reporters.

He said it was "unbelievable" that the BJP could return to power in the civic bodies with such a massive win even as the MCD in the last 10 years had failed to maintain the upkeep of the city.

The BJP dismissed the allegations with Union Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu saying that the AAP failed to understand the mood of the nation.

"He (Kejriwal) was not ready to perform... He did not want to work with the central government. He did not understand the mood of the nation. The mood of the nation is 'Modi'," Naidu said.

AAP MLA Alka Lamba, who represents Chandni Chowk constituency in central Delhi, offered to resign from all party posts taking moral responsibility for the party's defeat in the municipal seats falling under her constituency.

The poll win is the latest in a series of BJP election victories credited largely to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

BJP President Amit Shah termed the party's resounding win in the civic polls as another public endorsement of Modi's leadership and rule and a vote against the "negative politics" of the AAP.

Modi expressed his gratitude to the people of Delhi for the resounding win.

Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari said the party will not celebrate the victory but "dedicate" it to the 25 CRPF troopers who died in a Maoist attack in Sukma.

Delhi Congress chief Ajay Maken took moral responsibility for the party's poor show and announced he was resigning from his post.

The win in Delhi's civic polls has boosted the BJP's prospects for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections after the party scored major electoral victories in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. The party also formed new governments in Goa and Manipur.

The BJP chief said the Delhi verdict, coming close on the heels of his party's success in the assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Goa and Manipur, has only taken forward the "Modi and BJP juggernaut".

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
BJP President Amit Shah on Wednesday said the party's win in the Delhi civic polls was a vote in favour of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's three years in power and a vote against the "negative politics" of the AAP.

Shah termed the party's resounding win in the civic polls as another public endorsement of Modi's leadership and rule.

He said people have rejected of negativity and excuses, and given a clear message "they want of development and positivity".

"The Modi-led BJP government has been in power at the Centre for almost three years. The message given by this government through its work has raised the acceptance level of Modiji's leadership. This victory has only reaffirmed it," Shah told the media at the Press Club here.

Thanking the people of Delhi for the "huge scale" of BJP's victory, Shah said "this has gone beyond our expectations".

The BJP chief said the Delhi verdict, coming close on the heels of his party's success in the assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Goa and Manipur, has only taken forward the "Modi and BJP juggernaut".

In an obvious attack on the Arvind Kejriwal government in the national capital, Shah said: "The people of Delhi have given a clear message that there is no place for negative and politics of excuses.

"They have given a clear message they want politics of positivity and pro-development. Through this victory people of Delhi have endorsed Modji's rule of the last three years," 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 European Union (EU) reportedly intended to exclude the financial services sector from a trade deal with Britain after Brexit, media reports said.

According to Brussels-based online newspaper EUobserver on Tuesday, the bloc's new draft negotiating guidelines spelled out that any free trade deal that would allow the London continued access to EU markets would require that Britain continued to respect the EU's regulatory and supervisory standards.

An earlier version of the guidelines only said that future trade agreement should "not endanger financial stability in the Union and encompass safeguards against unfair competitive advantages", Xinhua news agency reported.

The change would serve a blow to British Prime Minister Theresa May, who has called an election for June 8. In a letter sent to the EU to notify of Britain's exit, she argued for an ambitious free trade agreement that covers financial services.

France, Germany and other countries are looking to attract financial companies once Britain leaves the single market with Brexit.

EU leaders, without May, are scheduled to gather in Brussels on Saturday to agree on Brussels' negotiation guidelines.

A new draft of guidelines will be discussed at a political level by European affairs ministers on Thursday, before being endorsed in Saturday's summit.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
AUBURN  The Cayuga Community College Board of Trustees will discuss tuition and fee schedules at its monthly meeting Wednesday night, as college president Brian Durant said he will propose a 1 percent tuition increase.

Durant said the passing of the state budget has had both positive and negative impacts on the college, but he hopes to keep fees and tuition pricing relatively stable. One disappointment was the amount of money the state Legislature allotted per full-time equivalent student. Though the state passed a $50 per FTE increase, Durant said that actually translates to a decrease in state funding. The formula, he said, is based on the previous three years, so while enrollment numbers are up more than 12 percent this year that hasn't been the historical trend.

"Given then that the last number of years have experienced a decline in enrollment, a $50 increase will actually result in a couple hundred thousand dollar loss of support from the state when it comes to our budget development for next year," Durant told Cayuga County legislators at the body's full meeting Tuesday night.

In previous years, Durant added, the state gave closer to $75 or $100 per FTE. Community colleges, too, are trying to catch up with a state cut per FTE made about a decade ago.

One thing in the state budget Durant was pleased with was the Excelsior Scholarship, allowing for students whose families make $125,000 or less, free tuition at state public colleges and universities. The college hopes to host information sessions for students and families who may be interested in applying.

Following Wednesday night's discussion on tuition and fees, Durant said he expected the board to have a full budget drafted in May. At an initial glance, Durant said he expects it to come in between $75,000 and $100,000 less than last year's budget. With fall applications up 12 percent and student acceptance rates up more than 12 percent from last year, Durant is hopeful but cautious.

"The closer we get to August with the actual matriculation in enrollment, certainly we'll be more comfortable to experience those types of positive enrollments," he said. "We're making our plans. We're making our decisions."

In other news:

 Cayuga County hosted the Inter County Association of Western New York at the Lakeview County Club in Auburn on Friday. Legislator Michael Didio organized the meeting, which included presentations by Gabe Dayo with the state Office of the Comptroller and Mark LaVigne with the New York State Association of Counties.

Tracy Verrier, executive director of the Cayuga Economic Development Agency, Steve Lynch, director of the county's planning department, and Ray Bizzari, director of the county's community services, also made presentations.

Didio, who often attends the conference that represents 19 counties including Cayuga, was able to bring the meeting to the county for the first time in 2013. Pleased with the door prizes and a presentation by the Cayuga County Sheriff's Office Color Guard, Didio said this time around, "it worked out well."
The Delhi High Court on Wednesday directed Sir Ganga Ram Hospital here to immediately discharge a patient, saying that hospitals cannot hold hostage persons undergoing treatment for non-clearance of unpaid hospital bills.

The hospital had allegedly withheld discharge of a former Madhya Pradesh policeman over non-clearance of dues pertaining to his treatment.

A division bench of Justice Vipin Sanghi and Justice Deepa Sharma was hearing a habeas corpus plea filed by the son of the policeman, admitted in the hospital in February.

The petitioner-son alleged that the hospital was not discharging his father for non-payment of Rs 13.45 lakh. He disputed the bill amount, saying the hospital was not giving proper treatment to his father.

On the other hand, the hospital said the total dues were Rs 16.75 lakh, of which the petitioner had paid only Rs 3.3 lakh.

It said a surgery was performed on the patient on April 21 despite unpaid bills.

On April 20, the petitioner filed a police complaint after the surgery.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
President Pranab Mukherjee on Wednesday described the last Nizam of Hyderabad State Mir Osman Ali Khan as a visionary, who founded Osmania University 100 years ago.

Inaugurating the centenary celebrations of the university, the President said the Nizam had a dream of establishing a world standard institution of higher learning in Hyderabad.

"Hundred years ago on this day, a visionary Mir Osman Ali Khan, the last Nizam of Hyderabad had a vision, had a dream to establish an institution in Hyderabad which will be world-standard," he said while launching the three-day celebrations.

He said the university witnessed momentous changes in these 100 years, including the two world wars, India's independence and formation of Telangana.

The President said Osmania University was established with the dream that it will be a place where free minds will meet, there will be freely exchanged ideas and views and they will live in peaceful co-existence.

Mukherjee voiced concern that the Indian universities were lagging far behind in basic research and innovation.

"We cannot achieve excellence in education if basic research and innovation is neglected. I don't blame the academic institutions alone because substantially it required uninterrupted flow of funds and it come either from government or from industries."

Stating that state funding is not possible to the extent required, he said that industries must come forward and there must be an interface between industry and academic institutions.

"Chairs should be created, special research projects should be endowed by the industry. It should develop vested interest in education, in research, in advancement of science and development, then only we will not only be able to occupy our rightful place in map of education system but also economically being advanced we will occupy rightful place in the international community."

Mukherjee said that at every educational congregation, he underlined the need for excellence.

"In many capacity as ex-officio visitor of more than 100 central institutions and for last five years when I assumed this office almost like a parrot in every education congregation, I emphasize on having excellence, on achieving international standard, finding universities of India, institutions of higher learning in India occupying rightful place in the world list brought out by internationally reputed agencies."

Stating that there has been huge development of higher educational institutions, the President said building a few IITs, NITs and ICARs will not be enough.

"We shall have to develop our universities as model, as the temples of modern learning where mighty minds will come from all over world both in the form of teachers and students."

He pointed out that for almost 1,500 to 1,600 years India had a leading role in the field of higher education in the international community.

He said institutions like Takshila, Nalanda and others were in ruins but for more than 1000 years they brought mighty minds, talent from all over the world in the form of teachers and students, who exchanged views and advanced learning on the basic principle of humanism.

He quoted India's first Education Minister Moulana Abul Kalam Azad to emphasise the need for research, innovation and interaction with society and said universities can't live in isolation.

Mukherjee suggested that institutions of higher learning must have close interlinkage with its hinterland, the society and surroundings they are located in. He observed that the institutions should try to solve the problems of society.

It was on this day in 1917 that Mir Osman Ali Khan issued a 'farmaan' or royal decree for establishing the university.

It was the first university in the Indian subcontinent with Urdu as the medium of instruction. After India's independence, English replaced Urdu as the medium of instruction.

Vice Chancellor S. Ramachandram said the university had over one crore alumni and many of them were contributing to the well being of society.

Telangana Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan, Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, Union Minister Bandaru Dattatreya and others attended the inaugural ceremony of the centenary celebrations.

--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.)
A helicopter of the Indian Air Force was damaged on Wednesday while landing in Sukma district of Chhattisgarh, but the two crew and five CRPF personnel had a providential escape, the police said.

The Sukma Superintendent of Police said the chopper was on its way from Sukma district headquarters to Chintagufa area ferring five Central Reserve Police Force officers and men.

Its rotor was damaged after hitting a tree while landing at Chintagufa in the evening. However, the two pilots managed to land it safely.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The world is unlikely to meet global climate goals if India carries through with plans to construct nearly 370 coal-fired power plants, new research warns.

If all the proposed coal plants are run to their potential, India will not be able to meet its Paris climate agreement commitments in the coming years, said the study published in the the American Geophysical Union journal Earth's Future.

The choices that India, or any country, makes with regard to its energy consumption may have global consequences, according to the reearchers.

"India is facing a dilemma of its own making," said study co-author Steven Davis, Associate Professor of Earth System Science at University of California, Irvin in the US.

"The country has vowed to curtail its use of fossil fuels in electricity generation, but it has also put itself on a path to building hundreds of coal-burning power plants to feed its growing industrial economy," Davis said.

Further, by developing all of the planned coal-fired capacity, India would boost the share of fossil fuels in its energy budget by 123 per cent.

India has pledged to the international community to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide released per unit of gross domestic product by as much as 35 per cent from 2005 levels by 2030 and to increase renewable energy in its power grids.

The construction of 65 gigawatts' worth of coal-burning generation facilities with an additional 178 gigawatts in the planning stages would make it nearly impossible for India to fulfill those climate promises, the researchers said.

"We've done calculations to figure out that India's Paris pledges might be met if it built these plants and only ran them 40 percent of the time, but that'd be a colossal waste of money, and once built, there'd be huge incentives to run the plants more despite the nation's contrary climate goals," Davis said.

In addition to spewing harmful soot and other types of air pollution coal-burning power plants are the largest source of carbon dioxide on Earth, accounting for 41 per cent of all CO2 emissions in 2015.

The researchers pointed out that choices that individual countries make in regard to their energy mix have planetwide consequences.

"India's proposed coal plants will almost single-handedly jeopardise the internationally agreed-upon climate target of avoiding more than 1.5 degrees Celsius of mean global warming," Davis said.

Researchers from CoalSwarm - a project of US-based non-profit Earth Island Institute - also contributed to the study.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
India and Sri Lanka on Wednesday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on cooperation in economic projects following talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his visiting Sri Lankan counterpart Ranil Wickremesinghe here.

"Deepening economic collaboration. India-Sri Lanka signed MoU on Cooperation in Economic Projects," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Gopal Baglay tweeted.

In a separate tweet, Modi said that he held "comprehensive talks" with Wickremesinghe "on ways to strengthen India-Sri Lanka ties for the benefit of our citizens".

Earlier in the day, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj called on the visiting dignitary.

Wickremesinghe arrived here on Tuesday on a five-day visit to India.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Indian-American dentist Surya Dhakar is running for Virginia's House of Delegates' 56th District seat.

Dhakar, a Republican, has put his name in the pool of candidates looking to fill the seat being vacated by Republican Peter Farrell, who is not seeking re-election.

He is up against four fellow Republicans: John McGuire, Graven Craig, George Goodwin and Matt C. Pinsker, apart from two Democratic candidates: Melissa M. Dart and Lizzie Drucker-Basch, the American Bazaar online reported on Wednesday.

Dhakar is married and a resident of Henrico County, Virginia. He has served on the Viriginia Board of Dentistry from 2011 to 2015 and operates a dental clinic in the Glen Allen area.

He also served as President of the Indian Association of Virginia twice. Dhakar's poll promises include lower taxes, improved public schools and lower costs of healthcare services.

Dhakar received his Ph.D. in oceanography from the Old Dominion University and his Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from the Virginia Commonwealth University.

The primaries will be held on June 13 and the general election is scheduled for November 7.

Last date to register to vote for the primaries is May 22 and for the general election is October 16.

The 56th district, encompassing Louisa County and parts of Goochland, Henrico and Spotsylvania counties, has been held uncontested by Republicans since 2009.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The April 13 Mother of All Bombs (MOAB) strike by the United States on ISIS terrorists in Afghanistan has triggered suggestions that a second round of the Cold War is set to begin. Particularly as the new US President, Donald Trump, seems to be brash, abrasive and capable of taking action without thinking of consequences.

In fact, the Second Cold War, or the Cold War-II, has been in the making due to the rise of Islamic terrorism from Pakistan and Afghanistan to the Middle East, drawing inevitable military interventions by the major powers -- Russia's anger at the US-led bombings in Syria where it wants President Bashar Assad to stay, and China's attempts to annex most of the South China Sea and also the acquisition of Pakistan's Arabian Sea port of Gwadar for 40 or more years as a strategic naval base with its operational Command and Control lying with Beijing.

Both Russia and China have stepped up military movements on land, air and sea, particularly around US allies like Japan.

The official Russian news agency Sputnik is steadily issuing hard-hitting statements against the US, particularly against Trump, and has let it be known that Russian strategic bombers like Tu-95 are flying near the US and Western countries, and battle ships are out in the Pacific near Japan and South Korea.

North Korea, China's second military ally after Pakistan, has warned again of destroying the US with long-range nuclear missiles, and the US has vowed to penalise if it conducts another nuclear or missile test. As it happens, it may be remembered, Islamabad got its missile technology from Pyongyang in exchange for nuclear weapons tech, apparently with blessings from Beijing.

US, Western and Afghan forces have had a tough time in fighting the Islamic terrorists who hide in, and operate from, the deep caves in the mountains. The terrorists conduct guerrilla strikes from these caves and move back in and, according to reports from Washington, the commander of the US and international forces in Afghanistan, General John Nicholson, had been considering the use of America's biggest non-nuclear bomb, the MOAB, or Massive Ordnance Air Blast, for some time.

In military terms, this was the right and appropriate weapon to demolish the deep caves and kill everyone in them -- reportedly about a hundred at that time -- by burning up the oxygen.

Nonetheless, the use of this MOAB, technically designated GBU 43/B, has proved to be earth-shattering in the global canvas of power play. To Russia and China, and those opposed to the US, this indicates an aggressive willingness on the part of Trump to execute some threats he has been making.

Surprisingly, more than China, it is Russia which is challenging the US with rhetoric and news reports of its new military innovations like making the world's biggest nuclear submarine, and supplying new air defence missiles like the S400, or still newer, to Syria.

As for Gwadar, and the string of naval facilities China is creating in the Indian Ocean, the implications are enormous. For China, Gwadar will now be The Pivot of its Look West strategy; it will be second non-regional, non-Indian Ocean power after the US to be there, not just for oil and trade but to play a dominant role in the warm waters of the ocean and beyond.

As against the two former players in Cold War-I, the United States and the Soviet Union, this time there are three, and although Russia may have more military muscle in terms of equipment, China will be far better placed to deliver its arsenal thanks to its emerging Gwadar military base, some 70 submarines, three (including those planned) aircraft carriers, and a large fleet of ships that should bunker in Gwadar as a home port.

China has purchased some 5,000 acres of real estate in and around Gwadar, and for all practical purposes, it will be a Chinese Foreign Territory.

The implications are not only enormous but ominous. Cold War-II will be bitter, and more threatening to humanity than the Cold War I.

(Gulshan Luthra is Editor of India Strategic defence magazine and website. The opinions expressed are personal. He can be contacted at gulshan.luthra@indiastrategic.in)

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The number of Islamophobia incidents involving US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials has increased by around 1,000 per cent since President Donald Trump took office in January, according to a Muslim activist group.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) said preliminary data collated from its branches across the country, found that instances in which officials were accused of profiling Muslims accounted for 23 per cent of its caseload in the first three months of 2017.

Of the 193 CBP cases from January-March 2017, 181 were reported after the January 27 Muslim travel ban by the Trump administration. In the first three months of 2016, the group reported 17 cases, The Independent reported on Wednesday.

"These are incidents which are reported to us and which we examine," Corey Saylor, director of CAIR's group that monitors Islamophobia, told the daily.

"We look at these very carefully. Around 50 per cent, we reject."

Saylor said allegations of Islamophobia being levelled at border officials was nothing new.

Yet, he said that Trump's election and the signing of two executive orders to crackdown on undocumented migrants and to refuse entry to citizens from six Muslim-majority countries, was behind the spike in incidents.

"I have no doubt in my mind that these things are connected."

In the aftermath of the travel ban, which have been halted by the courts, there were widespread reports of chaos at US airports, and people were turned away as they sought to board flights to the US at foreign airports.

Saylor said he appreciated the difficult job being faced by border officials, but asked that they did it without breaching the US Constitution.

He cited testimony of a Customs and Border Protection official from a 2013 lawsuit, who said: "Look to the Muslim woman as an indicating factor. By the way she wears her hijab. If the hijab is a solid colour it indicates religiosity. If it's a patterned scarf, with colours, it's more likely that she is less religious."

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Japan's Disaster Reconstruction Minister Masahiro Imamura resigned on Wednesday after saying it was a "good thing" that the 2011 quake and tsunami struck northeast region than Tokyo.

"I severely troubled and hurt people in northeastern Japan," Imamura said after submitting his resignation to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

Abe has accepted the resignation and appointed Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) lawmaker Masayoshi Yoshino as the new minister for reconstruction of the disaster-hit Tohoku region, The Japan Times reported.

Yoshino is a lower house member from Fukushima prefecture and previously served as senior Vice Environment Minister.

Imamura made the remark at a gathering of ruling party lawmakers here on Tuesday.

"Even in Tohoku, that terrible damage of 25 trillion was incurred. If it hits places near the Tokyo area, it would have been an unimaginable disaster. That's what I meant to say," Imamura told the media later.

His remarks immediately drew criticism across the country, with social media users lashing at him.

"You mean you don't care if people in Tohoku are killed? Oh, no. Imamura should resign," said twitter user Mori Totiotoko.

"Withdrawing his remark won't settle this problem. Take responsibility for what you said. Never come to Tohoku again!" wrote another user.

He came under fire earlier in April for comments suggesting that some evacuees were responsible for their own decision and the consequences thereafter to evacuate Fukushima in the wake of the nuclear disaster.

Regarding the government's decision to delegate help for those who chose to evacuate from the quake, tsunami and nuclear disaster, Imamura said "it is such people's own responsibility, their own choice not to return".

The leader of main opposition Democratic Party on Wednesday insisted that his resignation was not enough to account for his gaffes, saying that Abe also bore responsibility, Xinhua news agency reported.

"This brings into question Abe's responsibility for having appointed Imamura," Renho said.

Abe conceded that the public's faith in his administration was lacking following a series of inappropriate remarks made by a number of ministers and parliamentary vice ministers that he had appointed.

"The administration must take seriously the suggestions that we are becoming slack. We must bring back the public's trust," 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.)
Japan and the US began a specific seaborne joint military exercise within the ongoing joint naval exercises that began on Sunday amid heightened tensions with North Korea, media reports said.

The USS Fitzgerald and the Japanese Maritime Self Defence Forces destroyer JMSDF Choukai on Tuesday, participated in the Sea of Japan exercises, involving ships equipped with the Aegis anti-missile system, Efe news cited a statement by the Japanese Self-Defense Forces.

Participating in these exercises, the ships have confirmed their response readiness against any ballistic missile launches by Pyongyang, also rehearsed a data exchange on missile interception and other matters.

USS Fitzgerald homeport during its deployment is the Yokosuka naval base (southeast of Tokyo), while the Chokai is based at the Sasebo naval base, in the Nagasaki prefecture (southeast Japan).

The joint US-Japan military drill took place simultaneously as Pyongyang celebrated the 85th anniversary of the North Korean Army's foundation by conducting large-scale artillery exercises -- in the presence of Kim Jong-un, according to Seoul.

Additionally, a US nuclear submarine has also arrived to the Korean peninsula.

Recent events have worsened the growing tension in the region in the face of persistent weapon tests by North Korea -- the most recent took place early April -- to which the US reacted by dispatching its nuclear aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson to the Korean peninsula.

This stokes fears that North Korea might be preparing for another nuclear test, given that recent satellite imaging shows activity at the Punggye-ri nuclear testing grounds -- where Pyongyang has carried out its previous nuclear trials.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
WASHINGTON (AP)  President Donald Trump is proposing "the biggest tax cut" ever, even as the government struggles with mounting debt, in an effort to fulfill his promises to stimulate job creation and middle class prosperity.

White House officials on Wednesday were to release broad outlines of a tax overhaul that would provide massive tax cuts to businesses big and small. The top tax rate for individuals would drop by a few percentage points, from 39.6 percent to the "mid-30s," according to an official with knowledge of the plan.

Small businesses would see their top tax rate go from 39.6 percent to the proposed corporate tax rate of 15 percent, said Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin in a Wednesday morning speech.

Mnuchin said the proposed overhaul would amount to "the biggest tax cut" and the "largest tax reform" in U.S. history. He said the lower tax rate for small business owners  a category that under current legal definitions could include doctors, lawyers and even companies such the Trump Organization  would not be used as a loophole for the rich to reduce their tax burden.

But the Treasury secretary declined to say there would be no absolute tax cut for the wealthy, a promise he made last year during a TV interview. "Our objective is simplifying personal taxes," he said.

The plan will not include provisions to increase spending on infrastructure projects, one possible sweetener that could help gain congressional support.

The proposal faces a massive hurdle in that lower rates would blow a hole in the budget, possibly causing the national debt to soar by more than a trillion dollars over a decade.

Without additional revenue sources to offset the tax cuts, the broad proposal would need Democratic support to clear the required 60 votes in the Senate. Congressional Republicans could pass changes on their own with a simple Senate majority, but that would only be temporary under Senate rules.

Mnuchin said he would like the tax overhaul to be permanent, but "if we have them for 10 years, that's better than nothing."

Trump sent his team to Capitol Hill Tuesday evening to discuss his plan with Republican leaders.

"They went into some suggestions that are mere suggestions and we'll go from there," said GOP Sen. Orrin Hatch of Utah, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee.

The White House's presentation will be "pretty broad in the principles," said Marc Short, Trump's director of legislative affairs.

In the coming weeks, Trump will solicit more ideas on how to improve the plan, Short said. The specifics should start to come this summer.

Short said the administration did not want to set a firm timeline, after demanding a quick House vote on a health care bill and watching it fail.

But, Short added, "I don't see this sliding into 2018."

Republicans who slammed the growing national debt under President Barack Obama have said they are open to Trump's tax plan, even though it could add trillions of dollars to the deficit over the next decade.

Echoing the White House, Republicans argue the cuts would spur economic growth, reducing or even eliminating any drop in tax revenue.

"I'm not convinced that cutting taxes is necessarily going to blow a hole in the deficit," Hatch said.

"I actually believe it could stimulate the economy and get the economy moving," he said. "Now, whether 15 percent is the right figure or not, that's a matter to be determined."

The argument that tax cuts pay for themselves has been debunked by economists from across the political spectrum.

On Tuesday, the official scorekeeper for Congress dealt the argument  and Trump's plan  another blow.

The nonpartisan Joint Committee on Taxation said a big cut in corporate taxes, even if temporary, would add to long-term budget deficits. This is a problem for Republicans because it means they would need Democratic support in the Senate to pass a tax overhaul that significantly cuts corporate taxes.

Republicans have been working under a budget maneuver that would allow them to pass a tax bill without Democratic support in the Senate, but only if it doesn't add to long-term deficits.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said the Senate was sticking to that strategy.

"Regretfully we don't expect to have any Democratic involvement in" a tax overhaul, McConnell said. "So we'll have to reach an agreement among ourselves."

Democrats said they smell hypocrisy over the growing national debt, which stands at nearly $20 trillion. For decades, Republican lawmakers railed against saddling future generations with trillions in debt.

But with Republicans controlling Congress and the White House, there is no appetite at either end of Pennsylvania Avenue to tackle the long-term drivers of debt, Social Security and Medicare. Instead, Republicans are pushing for tax cuts and increased defense spending.

"I'm particularly struck by how some of this seems to be turning on its head Republican economic theory," said Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon, the top Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee.
The Delhi High Court on Wednesday exempted actor Akshay Kumar from personal appearance before a trial court here in a defamation case filed against the team of Hindi movie "Jolly LLB 2".

Justice Mukta Gupta granting exemption to Akshay from personal appearance said that the actor can be represented through his advocate before the court.

The trial court on February 8 had issued summons to "Jolly LLB 2" producer Fox Star Studios India Private Limited, executive producer Naren Kumar, director Subhash Kapoor, Annu Kapoor along with Akshay and others asking them to appear in court in a defamation case filed by Bata shoe company.

Akshay challenged the summing order in the High Court.

The Bata Limited footwear company had filed a criminal defamation case against the team of "Jolly LLB 2" for using derogatory remarks and defamatory reference to Bata as a brand in the first official trailer of the movie.

The brand Bata has been deliberately shown in an extremely bad taste and the dialogue was intended to convey that Bata footwear is worn only by the lower strata of society and one should feel humiliated if one wears Bata footwear, the company had said in its plea.

The trial court had found prima facie offence under sections 500 (defamation) and 120B (criminal conspiracy) of Indian Penal Code, which are made out against the accused and said there were sufficient grounds to proceed against them.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Social activist Anna Hazare on Wednesday blamed his former protege and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwals quest for power behind the Aam Aadmi Partys (AAP) debacle in the Delhi civic polls.

As the counting of votes polled in the April 23 elections progressed, the Bharatiya Janata Party was headed for a clean sweep and set to retain the three municipal corporations for the third term in a row.

"People gave him a mandate and he got an opportunity to turn Delhi into a model state for the entire country to replicate. But power is bad. Once you sit in the chair, you lose your power of thinking," said Hazare.

"Instead of working for Delhi, he started thinking about (capturing power in) Punjab and Goa. There was no need for him to hurry.

"But he was in a hurry and people realised that it is power in his mind and not society or the country," he said.

Hazare also rejected Kejriwal's charge regarding tampering of electronic voting machines and said that in reality the gap between the AAP leaders' words and deeds eroded public faith in them.

"The deeds were not in accordance with words  that is why this erosion of public faith. Their leaders are talking of introspection, but they should have done it earlier. What is its use now?" added Hazare.
The Kerala assembly on Wednesday was disrupted for the second consecutive day as Congress-led opposition demanded Power Minister M.M. Mani's resignation for his controversial remarks on women plantation workers.

Seeking leave for an adjournment motion to discuss this issue, Congress legislator V.D. Sateeshan said the collective responsibility of the Pinarayi Vijayan government has disappeared with the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) and Communist Party of India (CPI) ministers differing on every issue.

"Vijayan and Mani say one thing, while the CPI ministers say the opposite, which has reached a high over the eviction proceedings in Munnar, that was begun by the Revenue Department headed by a CPI minister. It's most unfortunate that Mani has used his power to abuse women and that too the hapless plantation workers in Munnar," Sateeshan said.

"The police and the CPI-M in Munnar are threatening the women plantation workers belonging to the 'Pembulai Orumai' (women's collective) to call off their protests. It is unfair by a party like CPI-M which has led several strikes itself," added Sateeshan.

On Sunday, TV channels aired a speech made by Mani on Saturday night, where he was seen using abusive language against the plantation workers who took part in a protest in Munnar in 2015.

Things turned even worse when four women plantation workers began an indefinite protest, demanding that Mani should come to Munnar and apologise for his remarks and then quit. Both the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party has come out to support the hapless women.

Vijayan dismissed the protest by the Congress as nothing but one where they are unnecessarily raking up a non issue.

"It appears you have a dearth of issues and hence you are raking this protest by the women's collective again and again. What you must realise is that its President has disowned this protest while you continue to rake it up again. The local populace at Munnar has also ignored the protest after it became clear that the media had aired an edited copy of the speech made by Mani. He should be left alone as he has done no wrong," said Vijayan.

Leader of opposition Ramesh Chennithala said that things have gone haywire in the Vijayan government as explained in the CPI party organ, where it rebuts each and every claim that Vijayan makes about governance.

"If there was collective responsibility, the Chief Minister would have been told about clamping of Section 144 and also would have been informed about demolishing a cross from usurped land, but you (Vijayan) did not have any clue when the revenue department undertook eviction near Munnar. We have made it clear that Mani has to quit and we will continue our protest till he resigns," said Chennithala.

Soon after Chennithala's speech, the entire opposition started slogan shouting and with the speaker failing to curb the protest, the assembly was adjourned for the day.

On Thursday, the session will be held at the old assembly complex to mark the 60th anniversary of the first Kerala government and will resume in the new complex on Monday.

In a related department, the CPI-M is likely to initiate action against Mani for his remarks and could be a censure, but with the opposition firm on his resignation, this impasse could well carry into the next week.

--IANS

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The mother of alleged Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav has filed an appeal with Pakistan seeking Islamabad's intervention for the release of her son who has been sentenced to death and expressed a desire to meet him.

The appeal was handed over by Indian High Commissioner in Pakistan, Gautam Bambawale, during his meeting with Pakistan Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua, during which India sought consular access to Jadhav, a former Indian navy official, for the 16th time.

Bambawale handed over a petition by Jadhav's mother to the Pakistan government and also an appeal by her to the Court of Appeal, on behalf of Jadhav, "who continues to be in detention in Pakistan on concocted charges", said an official statement.

"She requested the intervention of the Federal Government of Pakistan for his release and has expressed the desire to meet him," the statement said.

Pakistan was also requested to facilitate the visas for the mother and father of Jadhav, who have expressed a wish to travel to Pakistan to meet him and to personally file the petition and the appeal. They have applied for visas with the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi.

Indian Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar had also met the High Commissioner of Pakistan to India on Tuesday and made similar points, the statement said.

Jadhav was arrested in Balochistan in March 2016. Pakistan has accused him of being a spy. A military court sentenced him to death on April 10.

India has sought consular access 15 times but Pakistan has denied this every time.

Indian authorities say they have not been informed about the whereabouts of Jadhav or the condition he is in.

India has said if the death sentence is carried out, it would be considered a case of pre-meditated murder.

--IANS

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West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and BJP President Amit Shah on Wednesday traded barbs over development in the eastern state, with the former throwing an "open challenge" to anyone to show growth under a "huge" debt burden.

"In agricultural growth, national average is 1.1 per cent while that of Bengal is 6. In service sector, growth in India is 9.2 per cent while in Bengal it is 13.99 per cent and industrial growth in India is 7.3 per cent while in Bengal it is 10.59 per cent," Banerjee told the media in north Bengal's Alipurduar.

Banerjee's comments came hours after Shah presented statistics in Kolkata to buttress his charge that the state had performed poorly on development indices.

"If Bengal is lagging in agricultural growth, how has Bengal received Krishi Karman Award five years in a row from the government of India since 2011? This is my open challenge.

"BJP is jealous of Bengal's progress. We have figures, we do not make false claims," Banerjee asserted after a district administrative meeting.

The Trinamool Congress supremo dared anyone to register a growth on the lines of Bengal, despite the huge debt the state is burdened with.

"With the huge amount of debt, I challenge anyone...if they can show development like this, then I will cut off my ear and give it to them," she said, holding the erstwhile Left Front regime responsible for the debt burden.

Citing the uptick in institutional delivery and the decrease in infant mortality in her state, Banerjee dared the BJP to compare infant mortality figures in Bengal with that of Gujarat, where it has been in power for over two decades.

"What Bengal can do, others can't. They have no vision but are giving 'bhaashan' (lectures)," she said in an apparent reference to Shah's virulent criticism of her government.

Shah on Tuesday launched his 15-day "Vistar Yatra" from Naxalbari block -- the cradle of the 50-year-old Maoist movement in India -- in northern West Bengal's Darjeeling district. He termed the Trinamool regime "even worse" than the Left Front's.

In Kolkata, the BJP President on Wednesday highlighted the growth and progress in his party-ruled states and challenged the Bengal government to bring about over 10 per cent growth in the agriculture sector.

"In the states where BJP is ruling, agricultural growth rate is over 10 per cent. I would challenge the state government, which was elected for the second time, to achieve the agricultural growth of over 10 per cent," he said.

He said Bengal's share in the country's development at the time of Independence was 25 per cent and now it stands at a meagre four per cent.

"First under the Left rule and later in Trinamool Congress' rule, Bengal is losing its share in country's development at a fast rate," he said.

The debt on the people of Bengal was Rs 1.52 lakh crore at the time when the Left Front left, while now it had gone up to Rs 3.50 lakh crore, Shah said.

"As for bank deposits, Bengal's share was 18 per cent, which came down to 12.8 per cent during the Left Front rule. The share has now slipped further to 6.3 per cent," Shah alleged.

Blaming the environment in the state for its failure to attract investments, he said: "Less than 2 per cent of foreign direct investments were made (in Bengal)."

He also said that the state government criticised the demonetisation move but failed to check the entry of fake currencies.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday held talks on bilateral issues with his visiting Sri Lankan counterpart Ranil Wickremesinghe here.

"Held comprehensive talks with PM Ranil Wickremesinghe on ways to strengthen India-Sri Lanka ties for the benefit of our citizens," Modi tweeted after the meeting held at Hyderabad House.

Earlier in the day, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj called on the visiting dignitary.

Wickremesinghe arrived here on Tuesday on a five-day visit to India.

--IANS

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Actor Akshay Oberoi says nerdy is the new cool, adding that his wife loves to see him in glasses.

"I think glasses look really cool. My wife specifically loves when I wear glasses," Akshay, who is married to Jyothi Vynatheya, said in a statement.

The "Pizza" actor, who has been signed as a brand ambassador for an eye wear brand, added: "If you find the right pair, they can be just what you need to complete a look. To those who say glasses look "nerdy," well, nerdy is the new cool."

At present, Akshay is busy shooting for Nagesh Kukunoor's web series titled "The Test case", which also features Nimrat Kaur.

He has finished shooting for Akshat Verma's next film "Kalakandi", in which he will be seen playing Saif Ali Khan's character's younger brother. The actor is also awaiting release of Shanker Raman's "Gurgaon".

--IANS

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A group of women from North and South Koreas, along with women activists from other countries, sent on Wednesday a letter to US President Donald Trump, urging him to stop his war rhetoric.

The activists of the group Women Cross DMZ asked Trump to prevent a military escalation in the Korean peninsula, Efe news reported.

"Peace is the most powerful deterrent of all," read the letter signed by the activists, including Irish Nobel peace laureate Mairead Maguire, and Gloria Steinem, a Jewish writer, journalist and a feminist icon in the US.

"President Trump could demonstrate his art of deal-making by advancing what will and has only ever worked: diplomacy and engagement," according the letter that was published online.

It added that a dialogue with Pyongyang "would be a real benchmark of success" for the new US administration.

A statement by Women Cross DMZ said: "We are united by our belief that diplomacy is the only way to resolve the nuclear crisis and threat of war now facing the Korean Peninsula."

The group came to the spotlight in 2015 when they crossed the DMZ, the heavily-militarised border between the two Koreas, to promote peace and reconciliation in the peninsula.

Tension in the Korean Peninsula has been growing since the beginning of April due to repeated missile tests by North Korea and Trump's war-mongering rhetoric, as well as show of military might by both sides.

--IANS

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Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) have extended the contract with Edinson Cavani to two years, keeping the Uruguayan striker until 30 June 2020, the Ligue 1 side announced.

"I'm very happy to extend my contract. It was always my goal to continue playing here," said Cavani after signing his new contract on Tuesday, reports Xinhua news agency.

Cavani, who joined the capital club in July 2013, has been regarded as one of the best strikers in the team's history.

He has tallied 125 goals in 192 competitive matches for PSG, who are currently involved in a fierce battle against Monaco for the domestic title this season.

Cavani has claimed 11 titles in his four-year spell at PSG, namely three Ligue 1 trophies, two French Cups, four French League Cups, and two Trophee des Champions.

"I'm confident in the club's potential to accomplish all of its objectives, and we will be more ambitious in the following seasons," Cavani added.

"The contract extension reaffirms Edinson Cavani's huge confidence in our project. He is making history at the club, not just about his goals, but also his commitment and ambition," commented the club's chairman and CEO Nasser Al-Khelaifi.

--IANS

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Caught up in a water war with neighbouring Haryana, the Punjab government has sought a report on the water flowing from the state to Pakistan.

Punjab Irrigation and Power Minister Rana Gurjeet Singh on Wednesday asked officers of the Irrigation Department to make a consolidated report on the water flowing to Pakistan from the state.

He also issued instructions to make a strategy to tap these resources for meeting irrigation requirements of the state, a state government spokesman said here.

During a review meeting with the Irrigation Department here on Wednesday, the Minister stressed on the need of strengthening the mechanism to tap water flowing to Pakistan.

"The Punjab government would make its best efforts to make optimal utilisation of this water to meet irrigation and other water requirements of the state," he said.

Water from river Sutlej, Beas and Ravi flows from Punjab towards Pakistan.

In the past one year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had stated that the Indus Water Treaty with Pakistan would be reviewed.

He said the farmers in Punjab and Haryana had more claim to the water from rivers flowing in India than allowing the water to flow into Pakistan.

--IANS

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A Cayuga County man has been charged with leading New York State Police on a car chase following a domestic dispute in the town of Summerhill.

According to Auburn-based state police, at 8:50 p.m. April 9, troopers were called to a residence on Lake Como Road for a report of a domestic incident. Upon arrival, police discovered that the homeowner, 31-year-old Michael Buchalla, had left the scene after damaging property and trapping two women in a bedroom.

Police said Buchalla had punched one of the women before taking her vehicle without permission.

Officers located Buchalla in a GMC Envoy at around 9:30 p.m. on Route 13 in Cortlandville. However, when police attempted to stop Buchalla, he allegedly fled, leading police on a chase through Cortland and Cayuga counties back to his home in Summerhill.

Buchalla was arrested and charged with felony third-degree criminal mischief and three misdemeanors  fourth-degree criminal mischief, second-degree unlawful imprisonment and unauthorized use of a motor vehicle. He was also charged with second-degree harassment, a violation.

Buchalla was arraigned in Summerhill Town Court Tuesday evening. State police said he was then returned to Cortland County Jail where he remains in custody on additional charges.
Multiplex major PVR Cinemas on Wednesday signed an agreement with IMAX Corporation to add five more IMAX theatres in India.

Through this rollout, PVR cinemas will reach a count of 10 IMAX screens in the country.

The new IMAX theatres, which are planned to be located in Delhi and other major metropolitan markets, are slated to begin opening this year, with all theatres expected to launch by the end of 2019, read a statement issued on Wednesday.

"With IMAX anchoring our most important locations, we look forward to further strengthening our presence in India by offering our patrons the most technologically advanced movie going experience available," said Ajay Bijli, Chairman and Managing Director, PVR Limited.

Richard L. Gelfond, IMAX CEO, also said that they "trying to develop the Indian market for 15 years".

"Our 26 theatres in India, signed or open, and our 10 signings in the last year show that India is becoming a very important market for us," Gelfond said.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
In West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's backyard, BJP chief Amit Shah entered the shabby dwelling of Arjun Maity, a sugarcane juice vendor, at the Chetla lockgate slum. The senior politician enquired about Maity's well-being, had 'rosogolla' and sweetened buttermilk at his home, and left after learning about the shortage of toilets and basic amenities for women there.

The exercise lasted a mere five minutes, but Shah meticulously put his best foot forward to impress the 30-ish daily wager, a member of the workers section that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) hopes to court in its bid to showcase lack of development even in a VVIP constituency like South Kolkata's Bhowanipore that has elected Banerjee twice in succession.

Booth 269 of the assembly constituency was carefully chosen by the BJP strategists to boost the party's efforts to upend incumbency and wrest control of the state in the coming years.

"He asked us how we were. We offered him sweetened buttermilk, rosogolla, and he had mineral water. I did not get to speak to him for long as he had a tight schedule," said Maity after his VIP guest had left.

"We told him about the shortage of toilets compared to the population density here, and the lack of basic infrastructure for women," he added.

Braving the rising mercury, residents of booth number 269 gathered in big numbers to voice their grievances, mostly revolving around youths not getting jobs.

Shah went round the area, interacted with locals, held a meeting on a makeshift platform with BJP workers from the area, during his hour-long stay.

"I don't feel the condition will improve because of my visit. But I have the right to come, don't I? Why is Mamataji so concerned? Is Bhowanipore not part of India?," said Shah emphatically, when probed about the reasons for zeroing in on the locality.

Shah said the lotus, the party symbol, will be in full bloom in the constituency, like in the rest of Bengal.

"We have decided to bloom the lotus at every corner of India so why should Bhawanipore be an exception? The lotus will be in full bloom in Bhawanipore as well," Shah said, amid loud cheers from the crowd, which greeted him with the blowing of conch shells and showering flower petals and performing 'aarti'.

Shah's visit made the slum look cleaner than usual, but still the dingy roads were laced with patches of dirt, fish bones and squalor. And a putrid smell hung in the air.

Dilapidated toilets were not to be hidden though, with the locals complaining that the toilet drains were mostly blocked and overflowing.

Although most of the residents were unable to interact with Shah -- there was an air of expectation.

"If I could have interacted with him up close, I would have liked it more. They (police) did not allow us to go close to him. I have so much to say. I am ill and don't have any means to earn my livelihood," an elderly widow said on the sidelines of a pandal put up for Shah.

"I have appealed to the Trinamool government for help. I went to their party office many times over the last seven-eight years but to no avail.

"We have been receiving electricity and water for the last four years. But we have not got any financial assistance. Our children don't have jobs either and the effort is lacking from the government here," she added.

Located off Adi Ganga with an estimated 3,000 homes on Kolkata Port Trust Land, the cramped Chetla lockgate slum area has 946 valid voters. The locals cast their votes in booth no 269 in Sishu Vidyaniketan.

Barely a year ago, the BJP could muster only 100 votes here, finishing a distant third as more than half of the population voted for Trinamool's super heavyweight candidate.

"They (BJP) will come first this time," the 60-year old widow, drenched in sweat, said endorsing the BJP. "Bharat Mata ki JaI" reverberated across the area.

"We have seen the Left Front, we are seeing the Trinamool, I don't know whether BJP will come good or not on their promises, and they are making a lot of them. There is no harm in giving them a chance," 65-year old Sanju quipped, his faced creased with the hardships of penury.

Most of the slum inhabitants here are Hindu Dalits who are daily wage earners.

Shah visited three homes in the area and spoke to the dwellers amid a lot of fanfare.

--IANS

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The Jammu and government on Wednesday banned all social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp for one month in the Valley in order to prevent "anti-national and anti-social elements" from spreading "inflammatory messages".

Mobile Internet services have remained suspended in the Valley since April 19 following widespread students' unrest.

The Home Department order in this regard read: "On careful examination of all relevant factors, it is observed that the use of social media platforms, which are being misused by anti-national and anti-social elements by transmitting inflammatory messages in various forms, are immediately required to be regulated/curbed".

The order places a blanket ban on social networking platforms including Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp, WeChat, Qzone, Tumblr, Google+, Baidu, Skype, Viber, Line, Snapchat, Pinterest, Telegram and the like.

The order directed all internet service providers (ISPs) that any message or picture through these social networking platforms should be immediately banned.

The ban remains effective till further orders or for a period of one month, whichever is earlier.

The authorities had also blocked over 300 WhatsApp groups that, the government said, had been spreading rumours to stoke passions among the youth during the volatile situation in .

The Home Department issued the order to this effect in exercise of powers conferred under the Indian Telegraph Act, an official said in Jammu.

--IANS

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External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Wednesday here called upon visiting Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.

"Visit of a special partner. Sri Lankan PM Wickremesinghe arrives in Delhi on April 25, meets EAM Sushma Swaraj today (Wednesday)," External Affairs Ministry spokesman Gopal Baglay tweeted.

Wickremesinghe later in the day will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The Sri Lankan Prime Minister is visiting India from April 25-29, ahead of Modi's scheduled visit to the island nation in May for the Vesak Day celebrations.

During the visit, both the countries will discuss the dispute over fishing activities in the Palk Bay and cooperation in the shipping and port sector.

Wickremesinghe in 2016 was on a three-day official visit to India to attend the opening plenary of the India Economic Summit.

--IANS

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The government's move to put a price cap on stents, which are used to open up blocked arteries, has drawn flak from the health experts, who believe this will block innovation and put patients in jeopardy.

The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) recently put a ceiling price to make stents affordable but experts say this may not have the desired impact on patients' well-being unless steps are undertaken to ensure patient access to innovative technology.

Following the NPPA's notification, several sought permission to withdraw their stents from market. The experts said it was a justified outcome of the government's short-sighted and unilateral approach to treat all stents as equal.

Doctors have cautioned that this pricing has the potential to block innovations and limit access to world-class medical care and options to patients.

By not considering the need to categorise stents, based on their technological differences and benefits, the government is not only limiting choice but also jeopardising the physician's ability to provide the best healthcare outcome, they said.

While 50-70 per cent of patients would do well with a standard, older-generation drug eluting stent, a significant percentage of cases demand specific advancements, such as sleeker stents, or more trackable stents, or stents with higher burst pressure, or those that can cross through a calcified lesion, they added.

"I believe that considering affordability is important but not at the cost of putting brakes on the evolving technology that is so essential to ensure patients' well-being. It is true that the edge seems to have disappeared from the angioplasty scene with disappearance of the latest stents," said Shirish Hiremath, President of the Cardiologist Society of India.

"While the price capping benefits the larger community, it poses challenges for the more complicated and difficult patient conditions for whom the primary stents do not work. It also takes away the choice from the patient and the opportunity to have a meaningful dialogue with their providers to decide what is best for them and what they are ready to pay for," said DS Ratna Devi, CEO, Dakshayani and Amaravati Health & Education and Founder Indian Alliance of Patient Groups.

"The non-availability of latest metallic drug eluting stents is going to affect both cardiologists and patients. These new generation stents are of better quality and are easier to insert in difficult patient lesions, especially in cases where there are calcifications and curves in the coronary blood vessels.

"While the percentage of difficult lesions is increasing every day, the withdrawal of technically superior stents is going to cost lives. Exactly how many lives will be lost, only time will tell," said Mukharjee Madivada, Consultant Interventional Cardiologist, Maxcure Hospital, Hyderabad.
Turkish police detained over 1,000 persons in a massive operation aimed at arresting 3,224 alleged supporters of US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, who the government accuses of organising the attempted coup in July 2016.

According to Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu on Wednesday, a total of 1,009 persons have been detained in 72 provinces, accused of acting as secret clerics within the state security corps.

About 8,500 police officers are taking part in the operation across the country with the support of agents from the Turkish intelligence services, Efe news reported.

The wanted list includes the names of 3,224 people, according to Turkish press. In Istanbul alone, 2,000 police officers are looking for 390 suspects, with 172 arrested so far.

Ankara prosecutor's office considers the detained to be Fethullah Terror Organization (FETO) agents working within the security apparatuses, using the acronym created by the authorities to refer to Gulen's network of sympathizers.

Turkish authorities accuse Gulen of creating a parallel state by placing his followers in posts within the administration, the judiciary, the armed forces and the police.

Gulen was until 2013 a close ally of the Turkish government, which allowed access of his followers into public administration.

Although purges against alleged members of the network began before the failed coup in July 2016, the arrests and dismissals of officials, judges, prosecutors, teachers, military and police accused of supporting Gulen have accelerated.

--IANS

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Less than three weeks after a passenger was dragged off a United Airlines flight at the Chicago airport, the airline landed itself in another public relations fiasco on Wednesday after a giant rabbit died on its flight from Britain.

The three-foot-long (90 centimetres) continental giant rabbit named Simon, which was 10 months old, died while travelling from London Heathrow to O'Hare airport in Chicago, the Sun reported.

The rabbit had a veterinary checkup three hours before the takeoff and was "fit as a fiddle", his breeder Annette Edwards said.

Edwards, from Worcestershire, England, told the newspaper that Simon was expected to grow to be the world's biggest rabbit and was travelling to a buyer in the US.

Edwards added: "I've sent rabbits all around the world and nothing like this has happened before. The client who bought Simon is very famous. He's upset."

A United Airlines spokeswoman confirmed the airline had offered assistance to one of its customers and was reviewing the incident.

She said: "We were saddened to hear this news. The safety and wellbeing of all the animals that travel with us is of the utmost importance to United Airlines and our PetSafe team."

"We have been in contact with our customer and have offered assistance. We are reviewing this matter."

The death of Simon comes less than three weeks after a video showing a passenger being dragged off a United Express flight sparked widespread outrage.

David Dao, 69, from Kentucky, was seen with a bloodied face after being forcibly taken off the plane by Chicago airport officers when he refused to give up his seat for the United Airlines' staffers.

The most recent figures from the US Department of Transportation -- dating from 2015 but released this February -- show 35 animal deaths occurred during transit across 17 carriers in the US.

United Airlines accounted for 14 animal deaths in that period with a further nine reported injured among the nearly 100,000 animals carried by the company.

--IANS

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With the World Trade Organisation ruling in Mexico's favour, allowing it to impose trade sanctions worth $163 million a year against the US, the Trump administration lost its first trade battle with the neighbouring nation.

The WTO on Tuesday said that's how much money Mexico has lost from the US unfairly penalising Mexican tuna, CNN reported.

Mexico and the US have fought for years over tuna.

The US insists that any Mexican tuna sold in the US must be "dolphin safe", meaning dolphins were not killed by tuna fisherman, which was once common.

Mexico says its fisherman play by the rules. The US government disagrees.

Now the trade body has slammed the US, ruling in Mexico's favour.

The timing, however coincidental, is sensitive. President Donald Trump wants to renegotiate Nafta, the free trade agreement between the US, Mexico and Canada.

Trump's administration took its first steps to crack down on trade with Canada on Monday night when the Commerce Department announced a 20 per cent tariff against Canadian softwood lumber.

A war of words between Canadian and American leaders has followed.

Trump's decision to go after Canada first with tariffs was particularly surprising given his harsh criticism of Mexico on the campaign trail. Now Trump has upset Canada and suffered a trade defeat from Mexico, CNN said.

--IANS

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The United States Supreme Court is to begin hearing oral arguments on April 26 in a case which could set a precedent in the revocation of American citizenship of naturalized citizens and is of paramount significance to thousands of Indian residents.

In Maslenjak v. United States, the Supreme Court will determine if an "immaterial false statement or omission in an immigration document or status proceeding" can lead to criminal prosecution and revocation of citizenship.

With more rigorous immigration enforcement under President Donald Trump, the case has caused consternation among many immigrant activists. As many as 70 organizations representing immigrants have filed an amicus brief about the case.

The Asian Americans Advancing Justice (AAAJ), which is among the organizations which filed the amicus brief, said in a statement, "The brief explained that many individuals may make minor errors in filling out immigration forms or providing information because of language barriers and lack of counsel and subjecting those individuals to criminal prosecution and loss of citizenship exacts a harsh and unfair penalty."

"The naturalization process can be long and complicated and requires applicants to make hundreds of factual representations, in response to often ambiguous questions, about events spanning their entire lives."

"If any trivial factual misstatement could violate the statutes at issue in this case, untold numbers of naturalized citizens would be at risk of losing their citizenship and liberty years after they have become full American citizens. Based on this case, someone accused of knowingly providing the wrong street number in an address (203 instead of 205), for example, could be subject to criminal proceedings and having their citizenship revoked - a worrying threat given the current administration's wide-reaching enforcement and deportation activities," the AAAJ statement said.

Maslenjak v. United States involves Divna Maslenjak, an ethnic Serbian woman and a native of Bosnia, who came to the United States in 2000 as a refugee in order to flee the civil war in the former Yugoslavia and was found to have made a misstatement during immigration proceedings.

The Supreme Court's verdict in this case is considered important because it could provide guidance over whether naturalized American citizens can be stripped of their citizenship in a criminal proceeding based on an "immaterial false statement".

What could have been a case dealing with procedural matters in less turbulent times, has gained importance because of the Trump administration's enhanced focus on immigration enforcement. The New York Times has reported that officials of two organizations which take a hard line stance on immigration - the Center for Immigration Studies and the Federation for American Immigration Reform -- have joined the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, putting them in positions where they can carry out their agenda.

Moreover, with Trump's appointment of Justice Neil Gorsuch to the US Supreme Court, the court now tilts to conservatism. Gorsuch, like the late Justice Antonin Scalia, whom he succeeded, is a proponent of originalism - a judge given to interpret the words of the US Constitution as they were understood at the time they were written in 1787.

In one of the most famous cases where the United States Supreme Court ordered the revocation of citizenship involved an Indian, in 1923, the court ruled that Bhagat Singh Thind, a founder member of the Ghadar party, was racially ineligible for US citizenship. The court based this decision on the American Nationality Act of 1906 which allowed only "free white men" and "aliens of African nativity" to become naturalized citizens.

In his defence, Thind did not challenge the constitutionality of the racial restrictions, but made an extensive argument that as he was a "high-caste Hindu" and an Aryan, he came under the category of "free white persons" within the meaning of the naturalization act. Indians from North India and most Europeans are Indo-European people, he said. Elaborating on his argument, Thind said that since Aryans were the conquerors of the indigenous people of India, they had greater similarity to 'white people'.

Thind's lawyers also argued that as a "high caste Hindu" he even had a revulsion to marrying an Indian woman of a "lower race." Unfortunately for Thind, the court decided to rely on another case where it was held that "white people" were only those who were members of the Caucasian race. As a result of the court's decision, the first Indian to become an American citizen, A.K. Mozumdar, also had his American citizenship revoked.

--IANS

ae/tb/rn

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Was it a just a courtesy call? Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik's visit to former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's New Delhi residence has sparked off speculation in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) circles. Why did he choose to visit Vajpayee after almost nine years, asked some. Does the Biju Janata Dal want to be part of the National Democratic Alliance again to secure a win in the 2019 elections? Patnaik had served as a Cabinet minister in the Vajpayee government, and BJP state unit members say he has been apprehensive about losing ground in the state since the recent panchayat polls.
NORTHLAKE, Texas  The first thing you see when you enter the new Farmer Brothers headquarters is the coffee bar.

An inviting leather couch and cozy counter space sit near a line of brewing machines, allowing employees and guests to prepare their favorite style of joe.

Beyond that area is a wide open space with tables and chairs, brightened by natural light from large windows. The goal was to create a coffeehouse culture, says CEO Mike Keown, to inspire change at the century-old coffee supplier and distributor as it competes with the likes of Starbucks in a new era.

When you look at this facility, we should be much more appealing to more sophisticated customers, said Keown, who made the decision to relocate the company to the Dallas-Fort Worth area from California. The U.S. coffee industry is becoming more and more high end every year. And our facility in Torrance would not allow for that.

Employees moved into the $90 million corporate complex earlier this year. It includes executive and administrative offices, 100,000 square feet of space for roasting beans, and 300,000 square feet for distribution and labs where new blends are tested.

Farmer Brothers currently has about 175 employees at the Northlake headquarters, with employment expected to reach about 225. About 50 more work in the distribution operation, which has been outsourced to a third-party company. Only about 20 management employees made the move to Texas from Torrance, Calif., where Farmer had about 300 employees.

The company supplies coffee to a variety of food-service clients from restaurant chains such as Einsteins Bagels and McDonalds to airports, convenience stores and casinos including the Hard Rock. Like other corporate headquarters, this coffee facility is not open to the public.

The entryway to the headquarters has an open sitting area with multiple tables, designed to evoke the feeling of a coffeehouse. Two large murals greet visitors on the first and second levels, which are connected by a wide wooden staircase. Keown said Farmer Brothers, which sources its coffee beans from 25 to 35 different countries, wanted to stress its commitment to sustainability.

In its coffee lab, Farmer Brothers employs a team of certified cuppers who are trained to taste and evaluate coffees and develop new blends for customers. Beans arrive green and then are evaluated after being roasted. The color of the roasted bean, and the size of the ground particles, all affect the flavor of each coffee, said Dora Jaramillo, director of product development. Farmers is often asked by customers to develop a blend that can match the flavor of a rivals brew.

After coffee beans arrive in burlap sacks from Central America, South America or Africa, the beans are cleaned in a machine to remove chaff or twigs and move through tubing into the roasting area. There, large roasters prepare beans in batches, producing 26 to 28 million pounds of coffee per year. The roasted beans are then packaged into bags, sometimes ground and then moved to the shipping area.

Farmer Brothers recently performed its first test brew in Northlake and expects its new roasting area to become operational in the next quarter. The company also roasts coffee in Houston and Portland, Ore.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) scored an emphatic victory in all the three municipal corporations in Delhi, despite allegations of corruption and dismal performance, as well as strong anti-incumbency.
Elections to the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) show a complete rout of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which was relying on these polls to validate its rule over Delhi. The relationship between municipal bodies in Delhi and the Delhi government is fractured and fraught. For many years now, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has had a stranglehold over Delhis municipal structure, which actually lubricates the administrative wheels on which the capital is run.
BJP president Amit Shah on Wednesday said the people of Delhi have rejected the negative and put their seal of approval on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Sabka saath, sabka vikas' programme.

"This is an unprecedented win for the BJP. I express my gratitude to the people of Delhi. This is the victory of Modiji's leadership," he said reacting to the BJP's victory in the MCD polls.

"The people of Delhi have rejected the negative and the of excuses and helped Modiji's 'vijay rath' to move forward. It is a recognition of Modiji's leadership," he said.

Expressing gratitude to the people of Delhi, Shah said "In MCD's three municipal bodies, they have given us the victory with unexpected majority."



"Following wins in the assembly elections for Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Goa and Manipur, this victory in Delhi municipal polls has put a seal on Modiji's inclusive governance over the last three years," Shah said at a press conference here.

He congratulated the BJP's Delhi unit president Manoj Tiwary and all other party functionaries for the win.
Nearly 1.1 billion identities were exposed by cyber criminals in data breaches across the globe last year, almost double compared to the previous year, according to a report.

The number of data breach incidents, however, declined from 1,211 in 2015 to 1,209 in 2016, the report by security solutions firm Symantec said.

While the US had a lion's share of the number of breaches (1,023), India ranked fifth in the tally with eight breaches.

Cyber criminals are adapting to various methods to distribute traditional malware to users via new ways like social media. Also, with mobile phones becoming more prevalent, they are devising more attacks on phones than computers.

In the last eight years, such data breaches have led to more than 7.1 billion identities being exposed.

The report cautioned that the number of incidents reported in the US could be high, owing to the strict legal requirements around reporting data breaches.

"Data breaches are often under-reported in territories where there are no legal requirements in place," Tarun Kaura, Symantec Director (Solution Product Management) Asia Pacific and Japan, said.

The size and scale of these attacks are also on the rise.

In 2016, there were 15 breaches that saw over 10 million identities being compromised. This number stood at 13 in 2015.

The year also saw ransomware continue to escalate as a global problem and a lucrative business for criminals with 36 per cent increase in ransomware attacks worldwide.

Symantec found 64 per cent of American ransomware victims are willing to pay a ransom, compared to 34 per cent globally.

Also, the average ransom demanded spiked 266 per cent to an average of USD 1,077 per victim, up from USD 294 in the previous year.

India ranked second highest in the Asia Pacific region and fifth globally as the region most affected by ransomware, as per the report.

The use of emails as an infection point has risen as Symantec found one in 131 emails containing a malicious link or attachment - the highest rate in five years.

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High drama was witnessed in the Rajasthan Assembly today where 14 opposition MLAs were barred for an year on the ground of indiscipline but the suspension of 12 Congress members in this group was later reduced to a day following an apology.

A dozen Congress MLAs, including the party's deputy whip Govind Singh Dotasara, a BSP legislator and an independent were suspended for an year after a proposal moved by the ruling side chief whip Kalu Lal Gurjar was passed by voice vote.

However, after senior party leader Pradyuman Singh tendered an apology on behalf of his colleagues, the suspension period of the 12 Congress members was reduced to one day.

Gurjar, moved a revised proposal which too was passed.

Speaker Kailash Meghwal said that a decision on the suspension of the remaining two MLAs - independent Hanuman Beniwal and BSP's Manoj Nyangli - will be taken later when they tender their apologies.

On the concluding day of the three-day special session convened to pass the state GST bill 2017, there were unruly scenes and uproar as the opposition members protested the Speaker's decision to not allow Dotasara to ask a supplementary during the Question Hour.

After over ten minutes of the uproar, during which the opposition members rushed to the Well of the House, Meghwal adjourned proceedings for an hour.

He also had to call in marshals who lifted and pushed the protesting MLAs out of the House.

After this, the house saw two more adjournments of half an hour each.

When the House reassembled, the Speaker expressed his anger at the Opposition members' behaviour and said indiscipline will not be tolerated.

Gurjar, then moved a proposal to suspend 14 opposition MLAs from the house for an year over indiscipline. The proposal was passed by voice vote.

Congress deputy whip Dotasara, and MLAs Dheeraj Gurjar, Ghanshyam, Ashok Chandna, Sukhram, Ramesh Meena, Shrawan Kumar, Bhajan Lal, Mewaram, Heeralal, Shakuntala Rawat, Rajendra Singh, BSP's Nyangli and independent Beniwal were suspended.

NPP MLA Kirori Meena opposed the move but the Speaker did not allow him to speak.

Following the unprecedented suspension, leader of opposition Rameshwar Dudi and other congress MLAs entered the House and protested but the Speaker did not budge.

Senior Congress MLA Pradyuman Singh then discussed the issue with Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje, Speaker Meghwal and other ministers to reach a consensus.

During the debate on the state GST bill in the House, Singh an apology on behalf of the party and requested the Speaker to consider his plea.

Chief Minister Raje and Parliamentary affairs minister Rajendra Rathore also urged the Speaker to reduce the suspension of 12 Congress MLAs following which Gurjar moved a revised proposal.

According to the revised proposal the suspension of 12 Congress MLAs would be for a day. It was passed by a voice vote.

The speaker said that the decision on the remaining two suspended MLAs will be taken later.

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An outbreak of violence between rival gangs at a prison in eastern Venezuela has left 12 dead and 11 injured, the government said today.

A spokesman for the ministry of penitentiary affairs, who gave the toll of dead and wounded, said nine of those killed died of gunshot wounds.

The deadly clashes erupted early yesterday in the eastern city of Barcelona at the Jose Antonio Anzoategui prison, considered one of the country's most violent.

The prison had been undergoing reforms aimed in part at disarming inmates but "there are still arms there and there are prisoners who rebelled," the ministry spokesman said.

"At this moment, an investigation is still underway, and this Wednesday those responsible will be brought before the courts."



The Venezuelan Observatory of Prisons, a non-governmental monitoring group, said 14 inmates were killed at the prison last year.

Estimates of the country's prison population range from nearly 55,000 to 88,000, many of them in overcrowded jails awaiting prosecution. The government provides no official figures on inmate populations.

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A new mural of former US first lady Michelle Obama depicting her as an Egyptian queen and painted on a building in the Chicago neighborhood where she lived as a child has courted controversy.

Shortly after Chicago artist Chris Devins finished the mural last Friday, criticism began bubbling up online.

People accused him of copying the image from Rhode Island art student Gelila Mesfin, who had posted a nearly identical portrait of Michelle on Instagram last year, CNN reported.

of the mural's existence came as a huge surprise to Mesfin, too.

"How can you just steal someone's artwork... Someone's hard work and claim it like it's yours..." she wrote Saturday in an Instagram post.

Mesfin said, "It's one thing to share or even profit from someone's work but to claim it as yours is just wrong!"



Devins has denied any wrongdoing. He said he did not know who Mesfin was prior to last week and only learned of her artwork after someone on Instagram notified him of her accusations.

"I credited Ms. Mesfin for her work immediately. I've taken the heat and will gladly do so as long as the kids have a mural they can look up to," he said.

The mural is on a building a few blocks from where Michelle Obama grew up.

Devins said he got the idea for the mural from an image he found on Pinterest that depicted the 53-year-old former first lady as an Egyptian queen. He said he did not know where it had originated.

Devins, who calls himself an urban planner as well as an artist, is known for painting large outdoor murals and installations around Chicago.

He said he chose the mural's location -- across the street from an elementary school Michelle Obama once attended on the city's South Side -- because "I wanted a mural that would serve as an inspiration for the young ladies on Chicago's South Side and young ladies everywhere."



Devins launched a GoFundMe page and raised nearly USD 12,000 before completing the mural.

In recent days he has been careful to credit Mesfin in all his social media posts, CNN reported.

In a statement posted on her social media accounts, Mesfin said she has been in contact with Devins in hopes of resolving the issue "in a professional manner."



"I only ask that everyone keep this positive towards him; I preach love, not anger or hate of any kind," she added.

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Bangladesh's security forces today raided a building in the country's northwest, where at least four militants are believed to be hiding, police said.

Gunshots were heard near the single-storey building in Chapainawabganj, witnesses said, indicating that an encounter between the suspected militants and the elite SWAT unit was underway.

"We are in an operation there... We have named it Eagle Hunt," a spokesman of police's counter terrorism unit told PTI in Dhaka.

He added that at least four people are believed to be hiding in the house.

The SWAT team was sent there from Dhaka earlier today. They had asked the militants to surrender, Chapainawabganj police said.

"The operation began in the evening... Police fired blank shots to warn the militants, who responded at least with one gunshot," a police officer at the scene told a TV channel.

The area has been evacuated.

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The Bombay High Court today granted 28-day furlough to gangster-turned-politician Arun Gawli who is lodged in a central jail here.

A division bench of justices Bhushan Dharmadhikari and V M Deshpande directed the authorities concerned to release Gawli in two-weeks time, his counsel Mir Nagman Ali said.

Gawli, the founder of Akhil Bharatiya Sena, was in August 2012 convicted for the murder of Shiv Sena MLA Kamalakar Jamsandekar in 2008, and sentenced to life imprisonment by a sessions court in Mumbai.

He was shifted to Nagpur central jail in 2014.

Gawli had applied for a furlough to DIG (Prisons) on December 15, 2016. However, his application was rejected on February 1.

Subsequently, a writ petition was filed on February 6 in the high court.

Furlough is leave from prison that every convict is entitled to by way of right, senior counsel Anil Mardikar said.

A prisoner is entitled to be released on furlough for 14 days in a year. However, he may seek 14 days of extension by citing reasons for it.

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China today launched its first indigenously-built aircraft carrier which will join an existing one bought from Ukraine, boosting its blue-water capabilities amid growing tension about Beijing flexing its muscle in the strategic South China Sea.

The 50,000-tonne new aircraft carrier was transferred from a dry dock into the water at a launch ceremony in northeast Dalian shipyard of the China Shipbuilding Industry Corp (CSIC) amid streamers and champagne.

The as-yet unnamed vessel is China's second aircraft carrier. The ship was towed from Dalian Shipyard, Liaoning, to a nearby wharf, China's Ministry of National Defense said.

The carrier is touted to be a significant upgrade from the Liaoning, which was built more than 25 years ago and is a refurbished Soviet ship bought from Ukraine.

China began building its second carrier in November 2013. Dock construction started in March 2015. However, the carrier is not expected to enter active service until 2020.

Putting the carrier into water marked progress in China's efforts to design and build a domestic aircraft carrier, state-run Xinhua agency commented.

After the launch, the new carrier will undergo equipment debugging, outfitting and comprehensive mooring trials, the defence ministry said.

A blue-water navy is a maritime force capable of operating globally across the deep waters of open oceans.

The launch ceremony was attended by General Fan Changlong, Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission.

China has the second largest military budget in the world, estimated at USD 148 billion after a seven per cent spending increase announced in March 2017.

The launch of the aircraft carrier comes amid China's assertiveness in the resource-rich South China Sea.

China claims almost all of the South China Sea, despite objections from the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Vietnam. China has also created artificial islands in the area, outfitting some of them with military features.

The launch also comes amid heated rhetoric between the US and North Korea in recent days. The US has deployed warships and a submarine to the Korean peninsula, prompting an angry reaction from North Korea. China, a close ally of Pyongyang, has urged for calm.

China's military is also eyeing more aircraft carriers to enhance its capabilities.

Recently state-run People's Daily quoted military experts as saying that the third aircraft carrier to be built in Shanghai may be nuclear powered.

Earlier reports said Chinese navy which now has an expanded role among the military is set to raise its marine forces from 20,000 to one lakh as it started setting up logistic bases in Gwadar port in Pakistan and Djibouti in Africa.

China's military build-up has unsettled its neighbours and the US, particularly as Beijing has taken a more robust stance in territorial disputes in the South China Sea.

According to Yvonne Chiu, an assistant professor at the University of Hong Kong, China's navy is trying to enhance its ability to operate globally across open oceans.

"China seeks to become a major world power, and one of the hallmarks of such a status is blue-water capability and the ability to project military might globally," CNN quoted Chiu as saying.

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The jury began deliberations Tuesday in the trial of NAU shooter Steven Jones after the defense and prosecution made their closing arguments.

Jones was indicted on one count of first-degree murder and three counts of aggravated assault. The 12-person jury is expected to return verdicts this week.

The prosecution made one last attempt to portray Jones as a killer who, after being punched in the face, chose to teach his victims a lesson by shooting and killing Colin Brough as well as injuring Nick Prato, Nick Piring and Kyle Zientek.

The defendant couldnt wait to shoot his gun and he didnt give a second thought to stay in his car because his first thought was to fire his gun, County Deputy Attorney Ammon Barker said. He was punched in the face so the defendant wanted to enact his own sense of justice. Double tap center mass, as he described it.

Barker continued, stating that the only person who used deadly force during the early morning shooting was Jones.

Nobody else that night was threatening deadly physical force but the defendant, Barker said emphatically pointing at Jones. The defendant brought a gun to what wasnt even a fist fight but a verbal altercation.

The defense, in contrast, used its last statements in front of the jury to allege that Jones and his friends Jacob Mike and Shay McConnell were not just in a verbal altercation, but a life or death struggle.

You dont need a weapon in your hand to be a threat to someones life, Jones attorney Burges McCowan said, describing the seconds before Jones shot Brough and Piring. Steven waited until the last minute before he shot and killed Colin Brough. If they had gotten his gun they would have shot him. Steven had a right to defend himself.

McCowan continued, describing the group that fought with Jones as a drunk, angry mob.

The prosecution stated you dont bring a gun to a fist fight, but this was not a couple of guys saying lets take it outside, McCowan said. This was a mob attack and these guys were very drunk and attacked for no good reason. They sucker-punched Steven, then chased and pursued them. The incident was unfortunate, but immediately necessary.

NO RETREAT

The prosecution made a point of stating that Jones had options.

Barker said that the defendant could have gotten in his car, called the cops and drove away.

However the defense made a point of telling the jury that, under the law, Jones didnt have to run away.

Jones attorney focused on the no retreat clause in Arizona self-defense law that allows someone to be in the area with a weapon as long as they are not instigating a situation or committing a crime.

Steven does not have a duty to retreat and we all probably agree that other things could have been done, McCowan said. Steven is not breaking the law by brandishing a gun. He didnt have to announce that he had a gun -- he did, but he didnt have to.

McCowan then reiterated that Jones waited until the last minute to fire his weapon.

The prosecution pounced on the defenses closing statements during their final rebuttal by telling the jury that nothing Jones did constitutes self-defense.

There is no law that says it is OK to point a gun at someone just because you have a gun, Barker said. Deadly physical force must be met with deadly physical force. Self-defense is out because Jones was in no apparent danger. Where was the apparent danger while he was in his car?

Barker went even further, stating that if anyone had a right to defend themselves it was the victims.

Colin Brough had every right to attack the defendant to protect himself, Barker said. As soon as a gun was pointed in their face they had every right to defend themselves.

LESSER CHARGES

Both the prosecution and the defense mentioned to the jury a possibility of a lesser charge, meaning that a jury could find Jones not guilty of first-degree murder, but guilty of something else.

If the jury cannot come to an agreement on first-degree murder then the jury can find Jones guilty of second-degree murder, manslaughter or negligent homicide.

The jury could also find Jones not guilty on all counts.

A first-degree murder charge would require the state to prove premeditation beyond a reasonable doubt, meaning that Jones thought about killing Brough and his friends before he did it.

Barker told the jury that a large amount of time does not have to pass to prove premeditation, but that Jones just needed time to reflect and think.

Did the defendant have an opportunity to reflect? Of course he did! Barker said. He walked 150-plus feet, got his gun out of the glove box, chambered a round and then walked another 90 feet to the victim.

Barker said that Jones knew he was going to kill whoever approached him first.

The first person who dared to confront him got two shots to the torso, Barker said, referring to Broughs fatal injuries.

The prosecution attempted to provide themselves some protection in case a first-degree murder charge did not stick by telling the jurythat Jones was guilty of at least second-degree murder

Second-degree murder is considered a crime of passion, meaning that the defendant caused someones death and they knew their actions would cause someones death. Second-degree murder does not require premeditation.

The state can prove second-degree murder because the defendant knew his actions would cause death, Barker said. What happens when you shoot someone in the chest? The defendant admits that a shot to the chest is fatal most of the time.

Barker went on to state that the evidence creates a picture of murder and an unjustified shooting.

The defense stated that at worst Jones actions constituted negligent homicide, meaning that Jones failed to perceive the obvious risk of his actions causing the negligent death of another person.

Steven showed incredible strength. He could have fired a lot more shots given how scared he was, McCowan said. If anything he was negligent and failed to recognize the risk, but he was not negligent under these circumstances. He didnt fire his weapon until he was attacked.

Barker said he would not waste the jurys time explaining negligent homicide because that verdict would be a joke.

BURDEN OF PROOF

The burden of proof is on the prosecution, meaning that Jones does not have to prove he killed Brough in self-defense, but the prosecution must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that he didnt kill in self-defense.

During closing arguments the defense continually reminded the jury that it is not Jones job to prove anything.

It is the states burden. Steven doesnt have to prove he was justified, the state has to prove that he wasnt, McCowan said. Any doubt goes to Steven. If a threat is in the realm of possibility then it is a legal threat.

Barker said that the prosecution proudly accepts the burden of proof and told the jury they have done more than enough to prove that Jones is guilty of first-degree murder.

Colin was 20 years old. It was tragic and there is nothing we can do to bring Colin back, Barker said. We cant stop the defendant from doing what he did that night, but you can find this defendant Steven Jones accountable for what he did by finding him guilty on all counts.
A 27-year-old Delhi Police constable was stabbed allegedly by three men who tried to snatch his mobile phone at Pushp Vihar bus stand in south Delhi.

The incident occurred yesterday around 10.25 PM, officials said.

When Vishram, who is posted at the Kalkaji police station, was waiting for a bus at the Pushp Vihar bus stand, three men came on a motorcycle and stopped in front of him, police said.

They tried to rob his cell phone but when he resisted, one of the accused attacked him with a knife, they added.

However, they could not succeed in snatching his mobile phone, even as a wounded Vishram was rushed to AIIMS Trauma Centre where he was discharged after first-aid.

Police said they trying to identify the accused and questioning some of the men, who were standing at the bus stand at the time of the incident.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Arms dealer Abhishek Verma, his wife and others were discharged by special court today in a CBI case involving alleged payments to some officials to influence the Defence Ministry to keep a German firm out of the government's blacklist.

Special CBI Judge Anju Bajaj Chandna also discharged Verma and his Romanian wife Anca Verma in a money laundering case filed by Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the matter.

The CBI had filed its charge sheet against Verma, his wife, Rheinmetall Air Defence (RAD) and its top official Gerhard Hoy.

The court discharged them saying that there was not enough evidence to put them on trial in the two cases.

According to the CBI, RAD had transferred USD 5,30,000 to a New York bank account belonging to Ganton Ltd, a US-based company owned by Verma.

Verma had promised to stall the blacklisting process in exchange for money, according to the police chargesheet.

The agency had told the court that it had traced banking transactions from Europe to the US, linking Verma and his associates with the German arms conglomerate.

ED had filed a separate case of money laundering against the couple on the basis of the CBI complaint.

The German company's troubles started in 2009 when the CBI registered an FIR accusing it of bribing the then Director General of the Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) to secure a contract for supply air defence guns to the Indian Army.

"On the basis of investigation of this (2009) case, blacklisting of RAD (Rheinmetall) was recommended by CBI. When this matter of blacklisting was under process, Abhishek Verma got in touch with the representatives of RAD and assured them of help by influencing the public servants to stall the process of aforesaid blacklisting of RAD," the CBI chargesheet said.

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Amidst raging protests and public outcry over Power Minister M M Mani's alleged offensive remarks against women and IAS officers,CPI-M in Kerala today decided to censure him.

The decision to censure Mani, a party Secretariat member, was taken at the party state committee meeting held here, a party release said.

"The CPIM has decided to censure him for making public statements denting the party's reputation," it said.

It came a day after the CPI-M Secretariat which discussed the issue and most of the senior leaders were said to have come out strongly against Mani's conduct.

Mani courted controversy last week after he allegedly questioned the character of the women activists of 'Pembila Orumai', a group of planation workers, and flayed IAS officers who led the anti-encroachment drive in the hill resort town of Munnar.

Demanding his resignation and apology, the activists are staging an agitation in Munnar for the past four days.

Earlier in the day, Mani's controversial remark had its echo in the state assembly for the second straight day with opposition UDF disrupting the proceedings leading to abrupt adjournment of the House for the day.

As part of the agitation, UDF leaders staged a dharna at the Martyrs Column here, demanding resignation of Mani, known to be make controversial remarks.

Leader of the Opposition in the assembly Ramesh Chennithala said Mani's continuation as a Minister was a "shame"" to the state and asked Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to oust him.

Congress leader and former chief minister Oommen Chandy visited the agitating women activists and expressed solidarity with them.

Chennithala wrote to DGP seeking registration of a case against Mani for his alleged remarks.

In the letter, Chennithala said the Minister should be booked under relevant sections of IPC for making insulting and sexually loaded remarks against women.

Meanwhile, Congress MLA P T Thomas sought the sanction of the Chief Minister to prosecute Mani over his remarks.

Thomas, in a letter, said sanction should be accorded to register criminal case against Mani for his remarks against Idukki Sub-collector Sriram Venkataramn, who headed the eviction drive in Munnar.

Though, anti-encroachments drive has been appreciated by all sections of the society, Mani, who hails from Idukki district, insulted the Official at a public meeting, Thomas said.

Remarks of Mani cannot be treated as a criticism of the act of an official with good intention, he said.

Mani had accused the official of conspiring with RSS in pulling down a giant Cross allegedly put up by encroaching government land and said he should be sent to a mental asylum.

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Two days after 25 CRPF personnel were killed in a naxal attack, the government today appointed senior IPS officer Rajiv Rai Bhatnagar as the head of the paramilitary force, filling the post which was lying vacant for almost two months.

Bhatnagar, a 1983-batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer of Uttar Pradesh cadre, is currently serving as the Director General of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB).

He will head the 3-lakh strong paramilitary force for 32 months as he will retire in December 2019.

The post was lying vacant since K Durga Prasad retired on February 28 and the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi issued the orders two days after CRPF lost 25 personnel in a deadly naxal attack in Sukma in Chhattisgarh.

Bhatnagar is expected to take charge of the CRPF later this week as he is on an official assignment in Indonesia in the capacity of NCB DG.

Fine-tuning anti-naxal operations and getting better results out of them will be the foremost challenge for Bhatnagar apart from enhancing the operational efficacy of the paramilitary in Jammu and Kashmir, where it is deployed in law and order and counter-insurgency tasks.

In an another decision, the ACC appointed Bhatnagar's batch-mate R K Pachnanda as the DG of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) force, a paramilitary force primarily tasked to guard the Sino-India border.

Pachnanda is a 1983-batch IPS officer of the West Bengal cadre and is present serving as the DG of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF).

He, however, will take over the 80,000 personnel strong ITBP on July 1 after current DG Krishna Chaudhary retires on June 30.

Pachnanda will retire in October 2018.

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Within weeks of India taking Cyprus off its tax blacklist with retrospective effect from November 2013, President Nicos Anastasiades of the island nation today called for more bilateral trade and co-operation with it.

The Cypriot president arrived in Mumbai late last night along with his delegation of ministers and business leaders, kick-starting his five-day visit to the country.

He is slated to meet President Pranab Mukherjee and Prime Minister Narendra Modi later this week in New Delhi.

"Following the Double Tax Avoidance Treaty that the two countries entered last November and the removal of Cyprus from the list of notified jurisdictional area, we will strengthen economic and commercial cooperation," Anastasiades said at an event here.

"We will sign bilateral agreements and memoranda of understanding in areas of merchant shipping, air services, agriculture, education and culture," he added.

India had blacklisted Cyprus in 2013 for not sharing tax information earlier. Following the tax treaty, the capital gains tax will be applicable on sale of shares on investments made after April 1, 2017 bringing Cyprus at par with Mauritius in terms of tax treatment.

This has provided big relief to the investors and Indian companies which have raised capital from Cyprus investors.

Cyprus is the eighth largest investor in the country, having pumped in over USD 9 billion between 2000-2016, the president pointed out.

India and Cyprus conduct bilateral trade worth USD 80 million annually.

During his Delhi visit, the Cyprus president is scheduled to address a business forum and deliver a talk at Observer Research Foundation (ORF) also.

On Friday morning, he will be given a ceremonial guard of honour at Rashtrapati Bhavan followed by laying of wreath by him at Mahatma Gandhi's Samadhi, Rajghat.

This is the first visit to India, of President Anastasiades, who had substantive meetings with Modi on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York in September 2015.

India can help Cyprus in its quest for reunification as it has close ties with Turkey, Anastasiades had said ahead of his maiden India visit.

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Two AAP government lawyers today fought over who would represent it in the Delhi High Court on a plea of the Delhi Assembly Secretary, for whom the Centre and state government are already contesting each other.

Secretary Prasanna Kumar Suryadevara's plea challenges the disciplinary proceedings initiated against him by the Prasar Bharati for not returning to his parent cadre - the All India Radio (AIR).

Heated arguments between the two lawyers erupted after one of them claimed to represent the Services Department of the Delhi government and opposed the maintainability of the plea filed by Suryadevara.

Senior Standing Counsel Rahul Mehra said it was his prerogative to allocate or mark matters and he had marked it to Additional Standing Counsel Peeyoosh Kalra.

On the other hand, Additional Standing Counsel Naushad Ahmed Khan said the Law and Justice department had issued him the "brief transmission form" to represent the department in the matter.

Justice V K Rao, however, did not make any observation regarding the conflict between the two lawyers of the Delhi government.

The court, though, questioned the maintainability of Suryadevara's plea challenging the disciplinary proceedings initiated against him by Prasar Bharati for not returning to his parent cadre.

"Going by the prayers, jurisdiction appears to be the Central Administrative Tribunal," it observed.

But the lawyers for Suryadevara requested that the matter be transferred to the judge hearing Delhi Assembly Speaker Ram Niwas Goel's plea against the Secretary's repatriation to AIR as ordered by the Lieutenant Governor.

They said the other judge can then decide the jurisdiction and maintainability issues raised by Khan and the lawyer for AIR.

Khan and the lawyer for AIR had contended that it was a service matter and the appropriate forum to hear it was the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT).

Suryadevara's lawyers, on the other hand, argued that the Legislative Assembly had passed a resolution to retain him as the Secretary which has not been challenged.

It was also argued on his behalf that to initiate disciplinary proceedings against Suryadevara, without challenging the resolution, was a breach of privilege of the legislature.

In view of the submissions made by Suryadevara's lawyers, Justice Rao forwarded the matter to the Acting Chief Justice to decide which bench of the high court would hear the instant petition.

In his plea, Suryadevara has also challenged his relieving orders issued by AIR and the Delhi government last year and reiterated by the Lieutenant Governor in March this year.

He has also sought quashing of the office memoranda issued by AIR to him for unauthorised absence from duty and for writing a article -- 'Neither Office, Nor Profit'.

Apart from that he has also sought the setting aside of the order by AIR appointing an inquiry authority to carry out the disciplinary proceedings.

In his plea, he has also challenged the charge sheet issued by the inquiry authority and its other communications to him.

The petition was filed by Suryadevara after a separate bench of the high court, hearing the Speaker's plea against his repatriation, had said that Ram Niwas Goel cannot dispute the disciplinary proceedings.

The court of Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva had said that Suryadevara would have to in his own capacity challenge the disciplinary proceedings.

The judge had also asked whether the Delhi Legislative Assembly will collapse without Suryadevara.

The court had not approved of the application filed by Goel seeking stay of the ex-parte disciplinary proceedings going on against Suryadevara at AIR for not joining back there and for writing the article.

Suryadevara, an officer belonging to Newsreader-cum- Translator (Telugu) cadre, was deputed to Delhi Assembly for a year after which the then LG Najeeb Jung had ordered relieving him.

Goel, however, had refused to relieve the official, insisting since the Speaker also holds a constitutional office, the LG cannot repatriate the Assembly secretary without his concurrence.

Suryadevara had earlier served in the office of the Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee for five years and that of Rajya Sabha Chairman Hamid Ansari for over six years.

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Savita Khatri, whose candidature was cancelled by the BJP for allegedly inviting sacked AAP minister Sandeep Kumar for campaigning, won from Narela ward by defeating her AAP rival by over 4,000 votes.

Khatri asserted that she is "very much there in the BJP" despite being expelled by the party and her candidature being cancelled days ahead of voting for municipal elections on April 23.

"Why are you asking me the same question again and again. I was in the BJP and I am very much there even now," she told PTI after her victory.

She invited the ire of BJP leaders after Kumar, who was sacked from ministerial birth by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal after a sex tape purportedly featuring him surfaced, was seen campaigning for her in Narela.

Infuriated over the incident, the BJP expelled Khatri from the party and cancelled her candidature from Narela.

"The party will not tolerate any kind of association or connivance with any such element (Kumar) from the AAP," BJP national vice president Vinay Sahsrabuddhe had said announcing expulsion of Khatri.

Nevertheless, she said that she considered herself as a BJP councillor after the victory.

"I fought the election on 'Lotus' symbol. Even several BJP leaders called me and congratulated me for my victory," she said.

Khatri said that as a first-time councillor of North Delhi Municipal Corporation, she would ensure cleanliness in her ward and empower women.

"There is no toilet for women in Narela market as well as near the bus stand. I will ensure there are enough toilets for them. Also, I will work for installing more CCTV cameras so that crimes against women could be effectively checked," she added.

Khatri defeated AAP candidate Kavita by a margin of 4,480 votes.

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Four persons were today killed and 17 others injured in a bus-truck collision in Deegod under Badarwas police station area here, police said.

The injured have been admitted to Shivpuri district hospital, Badarwas police inspector PP Mudgal said.

The bus driver Kali Charan Ahirwar (28) of Datia district in Madhya Pradesh, truck driver Himanshu Yadav (28) hailing from Firozabad, Uttar Pradesh, passenger Shivraj Kushwaha of MP's Morena district died instantly in the head-on collision, he said.

Another severely injured passenger Kailash Kushwaha of Datia died enroute to a hospital in Gwalior, the inspector said.

The ill-fated bus was on its way to Gwalior from Indore while the mangled truck, laden with potatoes was heading to Guna from Shivpuri district in Madhya Pradesh when the accident occurred this morning.

"We have registered a case and further investigations are on," Mudgal said.

Initial investigations suggest that the truck driver dozed off following which his vehicle rammed into the bus around 5 AM, sources close to police, said.

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French intelligence services have scientific proof that the Syrian regime was responsible for a suspected chemical attack that killed 87 people, France's foreign minister said today.

Jean-Marc Ayrault said analysis of samples taken at the scene of the April 4 attack in rebel-held Khan Sheikhun in which 31 children were among the dead showed "there is no doubt that sarin gas was used" and that it was produced by Syrian laboratories.

"There is no doubt about the responsibility of the Syrian regime given the way that the sarin used was produced," Ayrault told journalists after the report was presented at a meeting of French defence chiefs.

He said the substance France believes was used in the attack contains hexamine, a component that was also found in a gas attack in northwest Syria in 2013.

"We are able to confirm that the sarin used on April 4 is the same sarin that was used in an attack in Saraqeb on April 29, 2013," he said.

Ayrault said the chemical fingerprint is "typical of the method developed in Syrian laboratories".

"This (production) method bears the regime's hallmarks and allows us to determine its responsibility for this attack," he said.

A French diplomat said the analysis was carried out on unexploded ordnance found at Khan Sheikhun.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, backed by his ally Russia, has strongly denied allegations that his forces used chemical weapons against the town, describing it as a "100 percent fabrication".

He has said repeatedly that his forces turned over all chemical weapons stockpiles in 2013, under a deal brokered by Russia to avoid threatened US military action.

That agreement was later enshrined in a UN Security Council resolution.

In a policy U-turn, US President Donald Trump ordered air strikes on the Syrian airbase from which Washington believes the attack was launched.

US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis said on Friday there was "no doubt" Syria has retained some chemical weapons and warned Assad's regime not to use them.

"There can be no doubt in the international community's mind that Syria has retained chemical weapons in violation of its agreement and its statement that it had removed them all," Mattis said during a visit to Israel.

Mattis added that the Damascus regime would be "ill- advised to try to use any again", adding: "We've made that very clear with our strike."



On Monday, the US government placed 271 Syrian chemists from the Syrian Scientific Studies and Research Center (SSRC) and other officials on its financial blacklist in response to their presumed role in the chemical weapons attack.

Washington says the SSRC was responsible for developing the alleged sarin gas weapon.

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The Government College, Nangal Chaudhary, in Haryana's Mahendergarh district will be named after Rashtriya Rifles officer Major Satish Dahiya, who was killed in an encounter with militants in Kashmir early this year.

The college will be now known as Shaheed Major Satish Dahiya Government College, an official spokesman said today.

"Keeping the word given by Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar to the family of the martyr, the state government has decided to rename Government College, Nangal Chaudhary, as Shaheed Major Satish Dahiya Government College, with immediate effect," an official spokesman said here today.

Major Dahiya of 30 Rashtriya Rifles had laid down his life during a gunfight with militants at Kralgund in Kupwara, Jammu and Kashmir, on February 14, 2017.

The Chief Minister had during his meeting with Dahiya's family in his native village of Banihari of Mahendergarh district announced that Government College, Nangal Chaudhary, would be named after the martyr.

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The Gujarat High Court today dismissed a petition filed by the Sant Asaram Ashram challenging an I-T Department notice about special audit of alleged shell companies owned by it.

A division bench of justices M R Shah and B N Karia allowed the I-T Department to go ahead with special audit of the group of companies owned by the controversial 'godman' asaram, and his institution, Sant Asaram Ashram.

The ashram floated several shell companies which indulge in money laundering, the notice alleged.

With the court dismissing the petition, the department will be able to carry out a special audit as provided under section 142 (2)(A) of the Income Tax Act.

Asaram was arrested by Jodhpur police on August 31, 2013 in a case of rape filed by a minor girl. Later, two sisters from Surat also levelled allegations of rape against Asaram and his son.

The self-styled godman is in jail, facing trials in the two cases.

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The Madras High Court today reserved its order on the bail pleas of sand mining baron Sekhar Reddy and his two associates, arrested last month by the Enforcement Directorate on charges of money laundering.

Justice S Bhaskeran reserved orders on the bail pleas of Reddy and his associates K Srinivasulu and Premkumar without specifying any date to deliver his verdict.

The three were arrested by the ED on March 20 following seizure of Rs 34 crore in new Rs 2,000 currency notes last December.

The single-judge bench also reserved its orders on the anticipatory bail applications of two other associates of Reddy, S Ramachandran and K Rathinam, who apprehend arrest for their alleged roles in the same money laundering case.

Principal Sessions Judge A Nazeema Banu had on April 7 rejected the bail pleas of Reddy, Srinivasulu and Premkumar.

The sessions judge, meanwhile, extended today the judicial custody of Reddy and his two associates till May 10.

While Reddy appeared before the sessions court through video conferencing, the other two were produced physically before the judge.

The ED counsel told the court that the Directorate officials would interrogate the three in the prison for five days as per the permission granted earlier.

They have been booked under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act after the CBI registered its FIR after seizure of the cash.

The three had been granted bail by a court in the CBI case on March 17.

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The Calcutta High Court today asked a top CID official of the state to appear before it to explain the lack of progress in a killing during a stir over building a power grid sub-station at Bhangar in January this year.

Justice Joymalyo Bagchi asked the CID additional director general to appear before the court on May 10, the next date of hearing and to apprise him of the progress in the probe.

Justice Bagchi expressed displeasure at the CID's failure to arrest the accused persons in the killing of a man, who died of gunshot wounds during an agitation at Bhangar in South 24 Parganas district.

Observing that the killing took place in broad day light, the judge said those involved in the incident should be brought to book as early as possible.

Father of Mofizul Khan, who had died of gunshot wounds at Bhangar on January 17 during an agitation over setting up of a power grid sub-station, had moved the high court subsequently seeking a probe into the death by an independent agency other than the state police.

Khan's counsel Jayanta Narayan Chatterjee had submitted before the court that since the victim died in the firing by the police, the investigation should be done by an agency other than the state police or the CID.

The police had denied that it had resorted to any firing and claimed the death had occurred during clashes between two groups of agitators.

The CID told the court that the ballistic reports said the bullet which caused Mofizul's death was fired from an improvised gun.

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India on Wednesday demanded consular access to who has been sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court for alleged spying.

This was conveyed by Indian High Commissioner in Islamabad Gautam Bambawale to Pakistan Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua during a meeting sought by him.

On April 19, a meeting between Bambawale and Janjua was rescheduled.

Pakistan has denied India's request for consular access to 46-year-old Jadhav over a dozen times in the last one year.

Pakistan Army has already rejected any chance of granting consular access to Jadhav who was sentenced to death for espionage and subversive activities.

On April 14, Bambawale had met with the Pakistani foreign secretary, showing increasing concern of India about the fate of Jadhav.

He told media after his meeting that he had asked for list of charges and authentic copy of verdict of military tribunal against Jadhav to launch appeal against his conviction.

He also said that India was seeking consular access on the basis on international law humanitarian grounds.

Pakistan Foreign Office has said that during the period of trial of Jadhav, due judicial process was followed and he was provided with a lawyer in accordance with relevant laws and the Constitution of Pakistan.

Jadhav was awarded death sentence by the Field General Court Martial earlier this month, evoking a sharp reaction in India which warned Pakistan of consequences and damage to bilateral ties if the "pre-meditated murder" was carried out.

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.

However, India denied Pakistan's contention and maintained that Jadhav was kidnapped by the Pakistan authorities.

India had acknowledged that Jadhav had served with the navy but denied that he has any connection with the government.
India and Sri Lanka will hold a dialogue on how to check the growing threat of the Islamic State in South Asia and any attempt by the terror outfit to destabilise the region.

The issue was discussed when Home Minister Rajnath Singh called on visiting Prime Minister of Sri Lanka Ranil Wickremesinghe here today.

The home minister welcomed the Sri Lankan prime minister and emphasised on the close political ties between the two countries.

Both the leaders expressed concern over the growing ISIS threat and agreed that there should be a continuous dialogue between the security organisations of the two countries to thwart any attempt by the terror outfit to destabilise the stability and peace in the region, an official statement said.

The issues concerning the fishermen who inadvertently cross the international maritime boundary line were also discussed and it was felt that the same should be resolved at the earliest with no more loss of lives, it said.

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: India is set to join the Eurasian Economic Union by signing free trade agreement to boost trade ties, Kazakhstan Ambassador Bulat Sarsenbayev said today.

"India is going to join the Eurasian Economic Union which includes Belarus, Kazakhstan, Russia, Armenia and Kyrgyzstan in the form of an FTA (Free Trade Agreement)," Sarsenbayev said at a conference organised here by CII.

The signing of FTA would allow "access" to the market comprising 200 million people and make Indian and Kazakhstan companies "work together", he said.

Stating that Kazakhstan was rich in "mineral resources", the envoy invited Indian IT companies and hoteliers to set up shop in his country.

Noting that the number of travellers to his country from India had "doubled" in the last two years, he said the Kazakhstan government offered free economic zones for overseas companies to do business.

The diplomat was here to formally open the Honorary Consulate of Kazakhstan and appointed noted jeweller Suraj Shantakumar, Director-Business Strategy of Kirtilals, as Honorary Consul in Chennai.

Shantakumar would represent Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka.

According to Sarsenbayev, trade between the two countries stood at USD 618 million in 2016.

Main exports from Kazakhstan to India include oil products, metals and natural minerals while imports comprise pharmaceuticals, tea and tobacco among others.

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Messaging app is working on solutions to enable businesses to use its platform to connect with consumers and India will play a "crucial role" for the product, a company official said on Wednesday.

Last year, the Facebook-owned company had said will test tools that allow users to communicate with businesses and organisations like banks and airlines through its platform.

While does not intend to introduce any third- party ads, it is looking at ways to monetise the platform and working with businesses could be a step in that direction.

WhatsApp remains free for consumers.

"... We are definitely in building the product phase. So, what you will see over the year is different tests, both for small and large businesses, and figuring out what's a good experience for these businesses on WhatsApp," WhatsApp spokesperson Matt Steinfeld said.

He further said: "India is going to play a crucial role in that."



India is the biggest market for WhatsApp. Of its over one billion users, about 200 million are here. In India, it competes with the likes of Hike and SnapChat.

Facebook, on its part, has a strong focus on bringing businesses to its platform as well. Over five million businesses globally actively advertise on Facebook.

WhatsApp has been working on introducing features to enhance engagement on the platform. It had recently launched a story feature to allow users to express their thoughts using pictures and animations.

WhatsApp is also attempting to foray into digital payment services, with India as a test bed. The company is looking to hire a digital transactions head for the country.

In February, WhatsApp co-founder Brian Acton had met IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad to discuss ways in which WhatsApp could contribute to India's vision for digital commerce.

"We listen very carefully to feedback from people across India and how to better serve them. India is obviously our largest country and it's going to be one of the most important markets," Steinfeld pointed out.

He added that the company is keen to understand how it can contribute more to the vision of Digital India.

Following the government's move to recall old notes of Rs 500 and 1,000 in November last year, there has been a massive growth in digital transaction volumes in India, including credit and debit cards, mobile banking and m-wallets and UPI.
A prominent Indian businessman's food processing plant in Britain has won the prestigious Queen's Enterprise Award 2017 for its exceptional contribution to the UK's trade, industry and economy.

Yusaffali MA, 61, said the recognition for his Birmingham-based Y International (UK) Ltd will spur his Abu Dhabi headquartered Lulu Group International to further expand business interests in the UK.

"I am extremely honoured and proud to hear the aboutY International UK Ltd being selected for the prestigious Queen's Award this year. This great recognition will surely help us further strengthen our plans to expand business interests in UK and continue with our innovations and contributions to the dynamic economy of UK," the Kerala-born, UAE-based entrepreneur said in a statement.

Y International UK Ltd's food processing plant, which employs 300 local staff, was established in Birmingham in 2013 to source and process food products from UK to support the demand for high-quality British products for sale in Lulu Group's hypermarkets across the Middle East, India and Far East.

"We are in the process of setting up another world-class food processing plant in the 12.5 acres of land allotted by Birmingham City Council, to further boost our exports and cover bigger variety of products. The planned investment would be to the tune of 36 million pounds (Rs 300 crores)," Yusuffali said.

The Queen's Award for Enterprise is conferred annually by Queen Elizabeth II on her birthday, April 21, upon businesses that display great enterprise across the fields of innovation, international trade, promoting opportunity through social mobility and sustainable development.

The awards are open to nominations and selected based on the recommendation of Downing Street and published in the official London Gazette.

All entries are subject to auditing and scrutiny by over 30 UK government agencies before being included in the roll of honour.

Y International (UK) Limited, Birmingham, listed in the Gazette as an international distributor of grocery products, perishables products and non-foods products, was chosen in the international trade category.

The recipients of the 2017 awards will be invited to a special reception at Buckingham Palace later this year.

The 6.9-billion-dollar Lulu Group, ranked as a top retailer in the MENA region and listed among the top 50 fastest growing retailers in the world by Deloitte, has made UK headlines in recent years for acquiring the iconic Scotland Yard building in London and for its investment in luxury retail brand East India Company.

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A 41-year-old Indian citizen has been arrested on charges of insider trading and making thousands of dollars using confidential information of a private equity firm's acquisition of a technology company.

Avaneesh Krishnamoorthy, who lives in New Jersey, served as a vice president and risk management specialist for a Manhattan-based investment bank from 2015 till this month.

He is charged with one count of securities fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of USD 5 million.

Acting Manhattan US Attorney Joon Kim said Krishnamoorthy made approximately USD 48,000 in illicit profits through the insider trading scheme.

The Securities and Exchange Commission filed a parallel civil complaint alleging that the accused learned that Golden Gate Capital planned to acquire publicly traded advertising technology company Neustar Inc.

He then began trading in Neustar securities. The trading took place in two brokerage accounts that Krishnamoorthy allegedly kept hidden from his employer, which had been approached by Golden Gate Capital to finance the transaction.

Krishnamoorthy was presented in Manhattan federal court before US Magistrate Judge Kevin Nathaniel Fox yesterday.

Kim said Krishnamoorthy has been charged with violating his duty to his company and trading on insider information.

"He allegedly exploited his access to information about a pending acquisition to purchase stock and options, making tens of thousands of dollars in illegal profit for himself," the attorney said.

The insider trading case is among the first brought by Kim, who succeeded Preet Bharara, Manhattan's top federal prosecutor after he was fired by the Trump administration.

Bharara had successfully prosecuted several high profile insider trading cases, including those against India-born Rajat Gupta and his one time friend and business associate Raj Rajaratnam.

According to the complaint filed in Manhattan federal court, as vice president and risk management specialist, Krishnamoorthy had access to material non-public information concerning mergers and acquisitions for which the investment bank he worked in might potentially provide financing.

In November 2016, Golden Gate Capital contacted the investment bank concerning financing for the acquisition of Neustar. Around that time, he received multiple emails regarding the investment bank's potential involvement in the transaction, including emails that summarised the details of the deal.

In violation of the company's policies and in breach of his duties, Krishnamoorthy used this material non-public information to acquire Neustar stock and options.

In the days and weeks after receiving the emails, and prior to the public announcement of Neustar's acquisition, Krishnamoorthy purchased numerous Neustar call options and shares of its stock in brokerage accounts held in the names of both Krishnamoorthy and his wife.

The public announcement of Neustar's acquisition in December last year resulted in an approximately 20 percent increase in the value of Neustar stock, resulting in a corresponding increase in the value of the call options and equity stock held by Krishnamoorthy and his spouse.

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In an apparent dig at the AAP, Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi today said BJP's impressive show in the MCD polls is a "lesson" for those crying foul over EVMs and asked it to respect people's mandate.

Minister of State for Minority Affairs Naqvi, without naming any of the opposition parties, also added that the saffron party's victory is a "clean sweep" against politics of "anarchy and arrogance".

The Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP has been at the forefront of opposition parties complaining of EVMs tampering.

"Lesson & message for 'EVM Vilaap Mandli'- Instead of blaming EVM, respect people's mandate & do introspection.

"#DelhiMCDpolls-Clean sweep against politics of anarchy, arrogance. Results reflect people's passion for inclusive growth, good-governance," Naqvi tweeted.

From the results available until now, the ruling BJP is headed for a landslide victory, winning 160 of the total 270 wards which went to polls in the three municipal corporations.

The AAP, which made its civic polls debut, bagged 26 seats. The Congress was relegated to third position, winning 8 seats.

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India on Wednesday handed over to Pakistan an appeal by the mother of retired Indian Navy officer Kulbhushan Jadhav, sentenced to death by a military court, to the appellate court, initiating a process to get his conviction overturned.

The appeal on behalf of Jadhav was given to Pakistan's Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua by Indian High Commissioner Gautam Bambawale, who also handed over a petition by Jadhav's mother seeking the Pakistan government's intervention for his release and expressing the desire to meet him.

Bambawale, who met Janjua, also made a fresh request for consular access to Jadhav, the external affairs ministry said in press release here. This is the 16th request for access.

"Also handed over was an appeal by the mother to the Court of Appeal, on behalf of Jadhav, who continues to be in detention in Pakistan on concocted charges," the ministry said.

In the petition, Jadhav's mother has made a request for the intervention of Federal Government of Pakistan for his release and expressed the desire to meet him, it said.

As per the appeal system in Pakistan, a death row convict has to move an appellate court within 40 days of pronouncement of the verdict.

"Pakistan was also requested to facilitate visas for the mother and father of Jadhav. They wish to travel to Pakistan to meet him and also to personally file the petition and the appeal. They have applied for necessary visa with the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi," the ministry added.

It is the second time that Bambawale has met Janjua in connection with the naval officer's case.

On April 14, Bambawale had met with the Pakistan foreign secretary and expressed India's concern regarding the whereabouts and health condition of Jadhav. He had told media after his meeting that he had asked for a list of charges and an authentic copy of the verdict of the military tribunal against the retired officer to launch an appeal process against his conviction.

Jadhav was given death sentence by the Field General Court Martial earlier this month, evoking a sharp reaction in India which warned Pakistan of consequences and damage to bilateral ties if the "pre-meditated murder" was carried out.
Defence Minister Arun Jaitley and his Russian counterpart Sergei Shoigu today discussed ways to expedite supply of military platforms by Russia to India as well as joint development of defence systems.

A range of other issues relating to defence cooperation between the two countries also figured in the meeting.

Jaitley, here to attend an international security conference, called the talks "very fruitful".

"We have future plans to set up manufacturing units in India and these are subjects of discussion which came up in my bilateral meeting with the Defence Minister and I am sure with the level of engagement we have, this relationship will continue to grow," Jaitley told the media.

Russia has been India's largest supplier of military systems and a number of co-development projects were being finalised by both the countries.

Earlier this month, Russian President Vladimir Putin had given the go ahead for setting up an Indo-Russian joint venture for production of 200 Kamov military helicopters for India under a USD 1 billion deal.

The issue is understood to have figured in the meeting between Jaitley and Shoigu.

Later this year, Indian and Russian armed forces will hold the INDRA tri-services joint military exercises in Russia.

"This would be a historic occasion as it will be the first time that India and Russia are taking part in joint exercises in such a format with each other or with any other country," said Jaitley while addressing the security conference.

Jaitley said India and Russia have taken steps to further strengthen the engagement between armed forces of the two countries.

"We will shortly negotiate a new armed forces training agreement," he said.

He said the Indo-Russia relationship goes far beyond just the ties between the governments.

"Russia has been a true and trusted friend of India, which is regarded so by the people of India and there has been a much greater cooperation at the level of defence.

"It is a cooperation which extends to Joint Military exercises, training cooperation and also with regard to supply of equipment which India purchases from Russia," Jaitley said.

Jaitley also met Brazilian Defence Minister Paul Belens Jungman Pinto and discussed issues relating to defence and security cooperation between the two countries.

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Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das was today acquitted in three cases of violation of model code of conduct filed against him during the 2009 Lok Sabha and the Assembly polls.

The cases were filed against Das and others in Bistupur and Sidgora police station areas here on the charge of hoisting party flag and banners, and opening a party office without prior permission of the authorities.

The chief minister and other accused were today present before Chief Judicial Magistrate G K Tiwari in connection with a case of pasting posters without permission for an election programme in Bistupur police station area on November 7, 2009.

The cjm acquitted them due to lack of evidence.

Judicial Magistrate S N Limay acquitted Raghubar Das and local BJP leader Chandrasekhar Mishra in a case of violation of the model code of conduct and on the charge of disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant.

The two were acquitted due to lack of evidence.

In the third case, Das was booked for opening a party office without prior permission of the authorities.

He was acquitted in this case also for lack of evidence.

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High pre-booking ticket prices of 'Baahubali-2' has brought to fore again the demand for implementing a pending government proposal to cap the rates at Rs 200.

Karnataka Film Chambers of Commerce (KFCC) President Sa Ra Govindu said the ticket price of the Prabhas-starrer, being released on Apr 28, was anywhere between Rs 120 and Rs 600 and expected to reach close to Rs 900.

The chamber had been in talks with government officials to implement the proposal, made in this year's budget, after it received complaints about exhorbitant rates charged by cinema theatres in the city, he told PTI.

At a meeting with officials, he pushed for refunding the excess amount charged for Baahubali-2 and other films if the government implemented the proposal, Govindu said.

The chamber chief said he was expecting a government order in this regard soon.

An official of the Department of Information and Public Relations, who is familiar with the development, said the concerned department will be clearing the hurdles related to the issue and implement the proposal in a couple of days.

The film exhibition industry has beensceptical about the government's move to cap movie ticket prices at Rs 200.

Last month, Mukta Arts Managing Director Rahul Puri had said the industry would in all likelihood oppose move, stating that price capping as a concept was against free market.

The proposal in the 2017-18 budget followed recommendations by a 14-member committee, headed by filmmaker and Chairman of Karnataka Chalanachitra Academy S V Rajendra Singh Babu, constituted to draft a policy for promotion of Kannada cinema.

There were demands from various stakeholders of the filmindustry to the government, urging it to cap multiplex entryfee at Rs 120 on the lines of neighbouring Tamil Nadu.

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Kerala Tourism Department today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Singapore-based SilkAir to promote tourism in the state.

The MoU was signed in the presence of State Tourism Minister Kadakampalli Surendran at a function here, an official release said.

The initiative is to jointly promote tourism to Kerala from priority markets like Australia, New Zealand, China, Korea, Japan and Singapore by conducting roadshows and other special marketing programmes in chosen cities.

The Tourism Department has been looking for more opportunities to spread word about the legacy of "God's Own Country" across the global markets and to further increase the tourist footfall in Kerala in the coming years', Surendran said.

"I expect the agreement with SilkAir to benefit Kerala Tourism in terms of attracting more tourists from the four significant markets with the help of its wide network and reputation as a quality service provider," Surendran, added.

Commenting on the association, Department of Tourism Director P Balakiran, said, "The MoU with SilkAir will allow us to strategically attract more travellers from the four specific markets to enjoy the unique local experiences here in Kerala," he said.

Effective from today for a period of one year, the MoU would cover a series of joint activities including brand advertising and promotional campaigns, tactical and digital marketing, familiarisation trips, trade fairs, joint roadshows and product development.

The joint activities are expected to help boost visitor numbers from Australia, New Zealand, China, Korea, Japan and Singapore to Kerala, the release added.

Speaking about the partnership, SilkAir's general manager-India Jagdish Bhojwani said, "We're delighted to be associated with Kerala Tourism and look forward to working together on many exciting activities to promote "God's Own Country" as an attractive tourist destination.

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Arunachal Pradesh Chief



Minister Pema Khandu today congratulated Licha Thosum, who is representing the state in the Femina Miss India 2017 contest, when she called on him at his office here this morning.

She was accompanied by famed local designer of international repute Nabam Aka, sister and entrepreneur Licha Pera and Likha Topu, who is overseeing all her engagements as the Public Relation Officer (PRO).

While congratulating Thosum for being shortlisted to contest in the beauty pageant representing Arunachal Pradesh, Khandu said that people of the state look up to her to draw attention of the world towards the state, which still remains unknown to many in the global arena, an official communique informed.

Thosum, who is pursuing Masters in Sociology from Rajiv Gandhi University, Doimukh, explained in detail the process of selection and the final contest that would be held at Mumbai later this year.

The chief minister expressed happiness that for the first time Arunachal Pradesh is being represented in the beauty pageant in its 54th edition.

Taking note of the importance of the event and the expenses to be borne by the participant, Khandu assured assistance from the government side to Thosum.

"Your participation in the national level event and the resulting exposure of Arunachal Pradesh in the global arena needs all out support from everyone in the state including the government," he said.

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Large globally are not putting enough resources to comply with best business practices and exposing themselves to risk, says advisory firm Control Risks.

On India, it said that has become even more crucial and regulators like Sebi and CCI are stepping up enforcement efforts.

The annual report of international business attitudes to legal and risk noted that a quarter of large invest less than $25 per staff on compliance, annually.

Moreover, 28 per cent of large have teams of five people or less, the survey of senior executives responsible for compliance at 1,000 companies worldwide said.

"Companies are in danger of putting themselves at risk by failing to prioritise and integrate compliance within their businesses. Whilst the necessary investment will vary widely between organisations, many companies are woefully under- resourced to deal with the increasingly complex, constantly evolving and often contradictory regulatory environment," Control Risks CEO Richard Fenning said.

The research noted that senior management need to be more receptive to compliance issues.

Only 27 per cent of executives responsible for compliance attend all board meetings and just two-thirds of the respondents rely on whistle-blowing rather than taking the initiative to conduct anti-fraud and anti-corruption audits.

Andrew Macintosh, Executive Director, Control Risks, South Asia Practice said, "compliance has never been more crucial for companies in India and it has never been tougher".

Indian regulators - Securities and Exchange Board of India and the Competition Commission of India  are stepping up enforcement, he said adding as recent high-profile anti- bribery cases have shown, international companies in the region face detailed scrutiny from agencies such as the US Department of Justice and the UK Serious Fraud Office.

In 2016, 30 companies were fined a total of $2.4 billion for non-compliance under the US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA).
A man was today sentenced to rigorous life imprisonment by a court here for murdering a priest in 2015.

The court of Additional Sessions Judge Krishan Kumar also imposed a fine of Rs 10000 on Knakhakru Ram, a resident of Sidhpur tehsil, for murdering the priest of a local Hanuman temple.

It said that in case of default in payment of the fine, the convict has to further undergo simple imprisonment for six months.

According to the prosecution, Ram hacked to death Ram Nath Tyagi with an axe on May 8, 2015.

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The Delhi State Election Commission today asserted that the civic polls were held in a "transparent and impartial manner", even as a bruised AAP raised the spectre of an "EVM wave" across the national capital.

"The elections and the counting have passed off peacefully. And it proves that we carried out the exercise in a transparent and impartial manner. And, no one can doubt it," Delhi State Election Commissioner S K Srivastava told reporters.

He was responding to a question over AAP leader Manish Sisodia's "EVM wave" remark earlier in the day, after the poll verdict, which reduced AAP to a distant second.

"EVM tampering is the bitter truth of the country's democracy. One can crack jokes on us initially, but fearing being made fun of, we cannot refrain from speaking the truth," Sisodia, the deputy chief minister of Delhi, told reporters.

Senior minister in the Delhi government Gopal Rai said an "EVM wave" is sweeping across the city. By 11 AM, only one AAP candidate, Ashok Kumar, had registered a win. He won east Delhi's Shakurpur ward.

The AAP, led by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, had been raising the issue of alleged tampering of EVMs. The Commission, however, remained steadfast on its stand.

On the day of the polling, Srivastava had said, "Out of 13,000 polling stations, EVMs were changed in only 18 cases. It shows our EVMs are unhackable, robust and no wrong can be done. It (the number) speaks for itself," Srivastava said, adding that the machines have done well.

Today, he reiterated, his stand that the Generation-1 EVMs, used in the polls, were "foolproof".

The BJP retained its turf with a impressive tall of 181 wards, while AAP and Congress had to content with 48 and 30 wards.

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Al-Monitor, by

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., speaks at a hearing about Russian election interference on Capitol Hill in Washington, March 15, 2017. (photo by REUTERS/Aaron P. Bernstein)

A bipartisan panel of experts ripped Egypt as a floundering authoritarian state April 25 and urged Congress to rethink its annual $1.5 billion aid package.

The three witnesses at the Senate foreign aid hearing took turns describing Egypt under President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi as a military-run, economic basket case rampant with government-sponsored anti-Americanism. They argued that Egypt has lost the regional influence it had when the United States urged it to make peace with Israel in the late 1970s, making America's generous military assistance both anachronistic and counterproductive.

Lawmakers of both parties took the advice to heart.

"We need to reshape the relationship in a way that's sustainable," panel Chairman Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said at the end of the hearing. "What I see is disheartening ... and as to the taxpayer dollars we have, I think we're obligated to spend them wisely, consistent with our values."

Graham told Al-Monitor that he'd invited Egyptian Ambassador Yasser Reda to testify, but the diplomat declined. Instead, the panel heard from think-tank experts Michele Dunne and Elliott Abrams, along with President Barack Obama's former assistant secretary of state for human rights, Tom Malinowski.

"My job was talking to authoritarian governments around the world. And I have to say the meetings with the government of Egypt were among the least productive and most unpleasant in my time at the State Department," Malinowski said. "It's just angry, rude denials of all problems and how dare you, US government official, raise these things with us and where's our money? Thank you very much. Goodbye."

Malinowski said he was "very sad" to see the White House telegraph to Sisi that it would not raise human rights violations publicly. He went on to rip Egypt for its attacks against US-funded nongovernmental organizations and urged President Donald Trump to adopt an "America First human rights policy" of defending Egyptian-American political prisoners.

Abrams, a former official in the Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush administrations, urged Congress to link up to 25% of the annual $1.3 billion military assistance package to progress on human rights. Current law only restricts 15% of the aid to such metrics.

He said many of the big ticket items Egypt is buying with the US grants, such as fighter jets, are useless for battling terrorist threats such as the Islamic State. He faulted Egypt for failing to combat terrorism in Iraq or Yemen, and accused Egypt of creating more jihadis through its operations in Sinai.

"It is time to review the tactics of the Egyptian military against terrorism," Abrams said, "and review the nature of our aid."

Dunne began her remarks by mentioning recently leaked footage that appears to show Egyptian soldiers executing terror suspects in Sinai "perhaps using assistance, using vehicles provided by the United States." US law prohibits funding for units that violate human rights, but a recent Government Accountability Office report found deficiencies in such monitoring.

"Egypt does face a serious threat from terrorism," she said. "But the unprecedented human rights abuses and political repression practiced by the government since 2013 is fanning the flames rather than putting them out."

The witnesses urged Congress to retain the Obama administration's plan to end cash-flow financing. And they argued against labeling the Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist organization, a top lobbying priority for Egypt, which Abrams called a "very foolish move."

Throughout the hearing, the only person who attempted to defend Egypt in any way was a silent Weber Shandwick employee at the back of the room who handed out glossy press packets praising "Egypt's progress." The public relations firm signed a $100,000-a-month contract with the Egyptian government in January.

Even Trump himself has sent mixed messages despite embracing Sisi as a counterterrorism partner during Sisi's visit to the White House earlier this month.

The administration has proposed replacing military assistance grants with loans for all countries except Israel. And the State Department is seeking a 42% cut, from $143 million to $75 million, in economic aid to Egypt, according to draft budget documents obtained by Foreign Policy.

Dunne took solace from Trump's apparent reluctance to give Cairo whatever it wants as a positive sign.

"I was struck by the fact that during President Sisi's visit he did not get a promise, it seems, from the administration to keep aid on autopilot," she said. "There's a moment here I think that can be used to redefine the relationship in a way that's more in our interests."
Press freedom has never been as threatened as it is now, in the "new post-truth era of fake news" after the election of US President Donald Trump, Reporters Without Borders warned today.

Its annual World Press Freedom Index warned of the "highly toxic" media-bashing of Trump's election campaign and Britain's Brexit referendum.

The situation is at "a tipping point," it said bluntly.

Media freedom is being undermined by the rise in surveillance and of authoritarian strongmen across the globe, the watchdog said.

The US and Britain both slipped two places in the index to 43rd and 40th, according to the Paris-based monitoring group, known by its French initials RSF.

"Nothing seems to be checking" the erosion of liberty of the press in leading democracies, it said.

"Media freedom has never been so threatened."



Liberty of the press is in peril or in a "very serious situation" in 72 countries including Russia, India and China, it found.

"Attacks on the media have become commonplace and strongmen are on the rise. We have reached the age of post- truth, propaganda, and suppression of freedoms -- especially in democracies," the report said.

"Donald Trump's rise to power... And the Brexit campaign were marked by high-profile media-bashing, a highly toxic anti-media discourse that drove the world into a new era of post-truth, disinformation and fake news," it added.

Poland and Hungary came in for withering criticism in the report.

The nationalist government in Warsaw was accused of "turning public radio and TV stations into propaganda tools" and of trying to throttle independent newspapers.

"Media freedom has retreated wherever the authoritarian strongman model has triumphed," it warned.

Turkey "swung over into the authoritarian regime camp" after the failed coup against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in July, it said, adding bitterly that it "now distinguishes itself as the world's biggest prison for media professionals."



Seven places ahead of Turkey, "Vladimir Putin's Russia remains firmly entrenched in the bottom fifth of the index," in 148th place, it added.

"The rate at which democracies are approaching the tipping point is alarming for all those who understand that, if media freedom is not secure, then none of the other freedoms can be guaranteed," RSF Secretary-general Christophe Deloire said.

"Where will this downward spiral take us?" he asked.

The RSF index found that in the past year nearly two thirds of the countries had registered a deterioration in their situation, while the number of countries where the media freedom situation was "good" or "fairly good" fell by more than two per cent.

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BJD president and Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today said there is no infighting in the party.

"I do not feel any infighting in the party. Where is infighting?" Patnaik said while replying reporters on his return from his five-day visit to the national capital.

When the Chief Minister was asked whether infighting in the regional outfit has been making the party weak, he said "Who says the party is going weak? I don't think its going weak at all? We are the largest party in the state. We have won four terms in a row."



When reporters drew his attention on a article written by BJD MP Bhartuhari Mahatab where he indicated infighting in BJD, Patnaik said he has not gone through the article.

On his visit to the residence of former prime minister A B Vajpayee during his stay in Delhi, Patnaik said "I heard Mr Vajpayee was not feeling well. So I paid a courtesy visit."



On claims made by a section of BJP leaders in Odisha that he wanted an alliance with the saffron party ahead of the 2019 general elections, the Chief Minister said "That is not correct."



Asked whether he has any plans to join the non-BJP parties to field an united opposition candidate in the ensuing presidential elections, he said "There are no plans yet. There were no discussions in Delhi as far as I am concerned."



Replying to a question on the Maoist attack in Chhattisgarh and Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh's proposed meeting with the chief ministers of Naxal-hit states, Patnaik said "It (the killing of 25 security personnel in Sukma) is very tragic. We will wait for the invitation for the May 8 meeting from the Union Home Minister on this.

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AIADMK Amma camp senior leader R Vaithilingam today declined to comment on the arrest of party deputy general secretary T T V Dhinakaran on charges of attempting to bribe Election Commission officials.

Vaithilingam, who is steering the negotiations with O Panneerselvam-led side to facilitate the merger of the two rival factions, declined to answer when reporters sought his reaction to the arrest of Dhinakaran by Delhi police.

The camp led by Chief Minister K Palaniswami has recently revolted against Dhinakaran and party chief V K Sasikala and decided to keep them away from the party.

C Ponnaiyan of Panneerselvam camp, which has been demanding expulsion of Sasikala and Dhinakaran, said the arrest was the prize given by "justice" for adopting a "wrong, illegal approach."



Amma camp leader and Dhinakaran loyalist Nanjil Sampath said "we guessed that Dhinakaran will be arrested the moment Panneerselvam said that a good ambience was evolving for holding talks."



Tamil Nadu Congress Committee Su Thirunavukkarasu said it was not known why Dhinakaran was being interrogated (for days together by Delhi police) as if he had been involved in a "big allegation like one related to a conspiracy against the country."



BJP Tamil Nadu unit president Tamilisai Soundararajan said in her party's regime anybody who was accused of wrongdoing will be brought to book irrespective of whether he was a politician or an official.

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Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh today gave in-principle approval to set up a new government medical college with an intake capacity of 100 seats at Mohali.

The new college will be set up to address the critical shortage of specialists while giving a boost to medical education in the state, a spokesperson said.

This will be the first of the five new medical colleges that the Congress had promised in its poll manifesto, apart from upgradation of infrastructure, facilities and manpower in the existing medical colleges.

The chief minister gave at a meeting to review the functioning of medical and dental colleges in the state.

The state government will soon forward a detailed proposal in this regard to the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India.

The proposed 200-bedded hospital-cum-medical college would be established over an area of 20 acre at a cost of nearly Rs 190 crore, of which 60 per cent share would be contributed by the Centre, while the remaining 40 per cent to be borne by the state government, he said.

The recurring expenditure for maintenance and upkeep of the upcoming medical college would be Rs 45 crore annually, which would be exclusively borne by the state government.

The new medical college would have a faculty of six professors, 14 associate professors, 18 assistant professors, 17 tutors, 24 senior residents and 25 junior residents in various disciplines, including Anatomy, Physiology, Biochemistry, General Medicine, General Surgery, Obstetrics & Gynecology, Pharmacology, Orthopedics, Anesthesia, Forensic Medicine etc, the spokesperson added.

With the establishment of the new college at Mohali, the total number of government colleges in the state will go up to four.

The chief minister suggested setting up of medical colleges in Punjab's interiors to reach out to students across the state.

He also informed the meeting that several industrialists had shown interest in setting up medical colleges and facilities in the state and his government was actively pursuing the same.

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Coming to the rescue of the students of the crisis-hit Gian Sagar and Chintpurni medical colleges, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh today ordered immediate steps to accommodate them in other similar institutions in the state.

The instructions were issued to the Medical Education and Research as well as the Health and Family Welfare departments at a review meeting, said an official spokesman.

Taking note of an ongoing court case regarding the Gian Sagar Medical College, Banur, the chief minister said that since the case could take a long time to be resolved, it was necessary to find ways and means of compensating the students for the loss of time.

He suggested special classes to prepare the students to take exams and move to the next year.

Amarinder asked the Vice Chancellor of Baba Farid University of Health Sciences (BFUHS) to hold a special exam for these students.

Earlier, the department officials in a meeting briefed the Chief Minister about the problematic state of affairs in both these colleges.

The meeting was informed that BFUHS has initiated the process for the de-affiliation of the Gian Sagar Medical College and the Department of Medical Education and Research for its de-recognition.

Classes in Gian Sagar medical college have remained suspended since February after faculty and staff went on a strike over pending wages.

In the case of Chintpurni college in Pathankot, where classes have not been held for more than a year, the CM stressed the need to facilitate the completion of the studies of the students through special measures to enable them to appear for exams at a suitable time.

The CM asked the department to look at initiating appropriate action against Chintpurni college for the alleged mismanagement which had jeopardized the careers of so many students.

It may be noted that the college has been asked by the Medical Council of India (MCI) to stop admissions for two sessions on account of the dismal state of affairs in the institution.

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Punjab Irrigation Minister Rana Gurjeet Singh today asked his department officials to make a consolidated report on the water flowing to Pakistan from the state.

He also issued instructions to make a strategy to tap these resources for meeting irrigation requirements of the state.

During a review meeting with the Irrigation department here today, Rana Gurjeet Singh stressed on the need to strengthening the mechanism to tap water flowing to Pakistan, a release here said.

He said that Punjab government would make its best efforts to make optimal utilisation of this water to meet irrigation and other water requirements of the state.

He also reviewed the status of River Management and Border area activity (RMBA) and other significant projects of the Drainage wing of Irrigation department.

Reviewing the cleaning and desilting of drains, Irrigation Minister asked A K Bansal, chief engineer (drainage) to make a report on the use of herbicides like Glysophate to check the growth of hyacinths in the drains.

He also instructed department to make it sure that the use of herbicides should not affect the aquatic life.

He also stressed on the use of MGNREGA scheme to perform the effective cleanliness of all the drains.

Stressing on the need of bringing transparency in the department, Irrigation Minister said that internal vigilance wing of the department would be strengthened to keep a regular check on the working of the department.

He instructed all the wings of the department to make WhatsApp groups and include him and senior officials of the department in these groups to maintain coordination.

Singh also directed department officials to explore the possibilities of retaining and restoring heritage value of rest houses and other properties to develop them as a source of revenue for the department.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday took a serious view of the "large number of complaints" about "corrupt practices" of Railway officials and directed strictest possible action against those found guilty.

He asked the Indian Railways to work towards a unified single telephone number for all grievances and queries, including helpline in the case of an accident.

Modi made the comments while reviewing the progress of vital infrastructure projects in the railway, road and power sectors, spread over several states.

Chairing a meeting here of Pro-Active Governance and Timely Implementation (PRAGATI), an ICT-based multi-modal platform, he reviewed the progress towards handling and resolution of grievances related to Railways.

"Noting that a large number of complaints were related to corrupt practices of officials, he directed strictest possible action against Railway officials found guilty of corruption," said a PMO statement.

The Prime Minister has been asserting that his government is determined to eliminate corruption.

The projects reviewed today are spread over Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Jammu and Kashmir, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Tripura and Nagaland.

These included the Mumbai Metro, the Tirupati-Chennai Highway, long-pending road projects in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Manipur, and important power transmission lines in Jammu and Kashmir and the North-East.

Taking stock of the 'Mission Indradhanush' for universal immunisation of children, the Prime Minister asked for targeted attention in strict timeframes for the 100 worst performing districts in this regard, the PMO said.

He said the youth organisations such as National Cadet Corps and Nehru Yuva Kendra could be involved in the outreach effort to ensure that no child was left without the benefit of immunisation.

Reviewing the implementation of Swachhta Action Plans, Modi said that events such as Swachhta fortnights should be converted into movements towards permanent solutions.

On the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) Mission, the Prime Minister asked officials to quantify and document the gains achieved through the use of latest technology, such as LED bulbs, so that the benefits could be better appreciated by one and all.

The Prime Minister also urged all Secretaries of the Government of India, and all Chief Secretaries of states, to come up with concrete plans and objectives for transformative change, to be achieved by the 75th anniversary of independence in 2022.

With regard to cleanliness, he urged for maximum efforts ahead of Mahatma Gandhi's 150th birth anniversary by 2019, the statement said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will tomorrow lay the foundation of a hydro engineering college to be set up in Bilaspur district of Himachal Pradesh.

Modi will do so from Shimla during his one-day visit to the state tomorrow, Himachal Pradesh Technical Education Minister G S Bali told PTI.

The prime minister will flag off a flight from Shimla to Delhi to launch the regional air connectivity scheme 'UDAN', under which fares of flights will be capped at Rs 2,500 per seat per hour.

Bali said that hydro sector will get a boost from the proposed hydro engineering college at Bandla in Bilaspur district of the state.

The state government, NTPC and NHPC in July last signed an MoU for setting up the college to promote technical education in the state.

The minister said that the state has hydro potential of 24,000 MW, of which 21,500 MW capacity has been allotted for various completed or under construction projects.

Opening of hydro engineering college in the state will be able to produce engineerswith specialisationin the field of hydro electricity, Bali said.

The demand of the industry could be fulfilled with the engineers coming out of this institute, he added.

Bali said that NHPCandNTPC have donated Rs 37.5 crore each for the construction of this college. The college will have four streams in mechanical, civil, electrical and computer science.

The state government has transferred 62 bighas of land to the technical education department for setting up the college. The government has also accorded administrative approval of Rs 82 crore for construction of campus of the institute, the minister said.

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A special court today remanded AIADMK (Amma) leader T T V Dhinakaran in five days custody of Delhi Police which said it needs to unearth the money trail and entire conspiracy in the EC official bribery case.

The court also sent Mallikarjuna, an associate of Dhinakaran who was arrested along with the politician last night, to police custody till May 1.

The Crime Branch of Delhi Police also secured warrants from the court to search the Chennai houses of Dhinakaran and Mallikarjuna as part of its probe.

While the police sought seven days custody of both the accused, Special Judge Poonam Chaudhry allowed them to question the duo for five days.

The proceedings, which lasted 45 minutes, were not open to mediapersons, who were asked to leave the courtroom after the accused were brought in.

Prosecutor Balbir Singh argued that if the accused could undermine the sanctity of the electoral process, they could do anything they pleased, a lawyer said.

He said the police required the custody of the accused to recover Rs 10 crore allegedly given to arrested co-accused Sukesh Chandrashekar and to unearth the money trail as the amount came through hawala channels. The police have claimed Chandrashekar was the middleman in the case.

The prosecutor said the police need to recover the mobile phones through which Dhinakaran used to communicate to Chandrashekar and two of the accused were required to be taken to Chennai and confronted with Chandrasekhar.

The police's plea was vehemently opposed by senior lawyer Vikas Pahwa, representing Dhinakaran, on the ground that the accused has been joining investigation for the last four days and the police have not produced any material as to why his custody is needed.

Dhinakaran was produced in the court amid tight security with the police cordoning off the gallery outside the court room.

He was arrested by the police yesterday after four days of questioning for allegedly attempting to bribe an Election Commission official to get the undivided AIADMK's 'two leaves' election symbol for his faction.

Mallikarjuna, who had been accompanying Dhinakaran everywhere ever since Chandrasekar's arrest on April 16, was also arrested for facilitating an alleged Rs 50-crore deal between the leader and Chandrasekar.

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President Pranab Mukherjee arrived here today on a day's visit to attend the centenary celebrations of Osmania University and the first convocation of English and Foreign Languages University.

Telangana Governor E S L Narasimhan, Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao and several other dignitaries welcomed the President at the Begumpet airport in the city.

The President is scheduled to address the inaugural function the centenary celebrations of Osamania University.

After the event at the university, Mukherjee would have lunch at the Raj Bhavan.

He would also attend the first convocation of the English and Foreign Languages University (EFLU) in the evening and then leave for Delhi from the Begumpet airport.

Elaborate security arrangements have been made in the city for the President's visit.

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A Beatrice woman was one of two Nebraskans to win a national manufacturing award.

Cindy Jurgens, manager of continuous improvement at Exmark Manufacturing, received a STEP (Science, Technology, Engineering and Production) Ahead award last week at a reception in Washington D.C.

The fifth-annual STEP Ahead Awards, presented by the National Association of Manufacturers, recognized manufacturing women who are leaders within their companies.

Nationwide, 130 women received the award, which seeks to identify leading women in the manufacturing industry, and further encourage women to mentor and support the next generation of female talent to pursue manufacturing careers.

It was so enjoyable to be in a room with 130 other females who are in manufacturing and know what its like to go on the shop floor, Jurgens said. I couldnt talk to enough people. They came from engineering, the shop floor, all different areas and it was so interesting.

She attended seminars in Washington D.C., and said one highlight of the trip was seeing Exmark mowers in use. The companys propane-powered mowers are used at the National Mall and Memorial Parks.

Jurgens, an Exmark employee of about 35 years, works to make the manufacturing floor run more smoothly and is looking to maximize efficiency.

The awards recognized women in all aspects of the manufacturing sector, from working on the floor to administrative positions.

Jurgens said the trip also illustrated just how dominated the industry is by men, and recipients were asked to be ambassadors who promote manufacturing jobs to young women.

One of the statistics that they threw out was that 49 percent of the workforce is female, but only 27 percent of them are in manufacturing, Jurgens said. I think that tells you that there is a lot of opportunity for females to work. Theyre just not aware of it, or its not presented to them. Therefore, it doesnt cross their minds. There are so many things you can do in manufacturing.

Judy Altmaier, vice president and general manager of Exmark, said some women entering the workforce dont consider careers in manufacturing, a trend she hopes changes.

Theres just a perspective people have that manufacturing is kind of dirty and not a great career, Altmaier said. Were trying to promote that there are women in this industry and it is a great place to have a career.

With the award comes a responsibility to promote manufacturing as a career choice, so the winners pledge to make it known that this is an opportunity for young women, mid-career women, to choose manufacturing.
Emphasising upon the importance of promoting basic research and innovation, President Pranab Mukherjee today said the industry should also join the efforts to achieve excellence in education and science.

"While you are celebrating 100 years of your prestigious institution, dear students, esteemed faculty members, I will urge you to look into this aspect, we are lagging far behind in basic research, innovation...," he said, after inaugurating the centenary celebrations of Osmania University here.

"The country cannot achieve excellence in science and education without promotion of research and innovation, he said.

Recalling a conversation he had with the IIT, Kharagpur, director he said he was told that the students taking up research in India were inadequate though the institute achieved almost 100 per cent campus recruitment.

Mukherjee said he would not like to blame educational institutions for the country lagging behind in research and innovation.

Industry should also join the efforts to encourage the research and there should be an interaction between the industry and the academic institutions, he said.

"I do not blame academic institutions alone. Because, substantially it requires uninterrupted flow of funds. And it comes either from government or from industry. State funding is not possible to the extent it requires. Industry must come forward," he said.

"The country can achieve its rightful place in the comity of nations only if the research and innovation got its due importance," he added.

Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, Union Minister Bandaru Dattatreya and other dignitaries were present on the occasion.

The president is also scheduled to attend the first convocation of the English and Foreign Languages University (EFLU) in the evening and then leave for Delhi from the Begumpet airport here.

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Reliance Industries today said it has signed a deal with Germany's Resysta to produce in India an alternative to wood that can be used to make wood-like furniture and other material.

The move will help bring to India a unique composite of natural fibres, polymers and a specialised blend to create an alternative to wood which will help save forests while also offering durable, waterproof and recyclable raw material.

Reliance said "it has entered into a licence agreement with Resysta International GmbH (Resysta) which gives the company exclusive rights of production and marketing of RelWood, a natural fibre polymer composite (NFPC), in India".

This compound will be the raw material for the production of sheets and various profiles used in a wide range of wood and plywood replacement applications, the company said in a statement.

Wood today finds applications from furniture to toys. But this comes at a price -- the price of barren land and tree stumps that are left behind. Now, after years of innovative engineering and research a product has been created, a product that doesn't just save the trees, but also gives the ability to carry on the craft of woodworking.

RelWood is a superior product that looks like wood, feels like wood but is much stronger and durable. Its production does not require any trees to be felled and is also economical compared to natural wood.

RelWood is made out of environmentally friendly resins comprising natural silicates, polymer and specialised blend of additives. It is an attractive, sustainable not plastic alternative to wood.

Its unique properties include water resistant, fire retardant, UV and termite resistant, bend and molding flexibility.

Vipul Shah, COO Petchem, RIL, said "Through this strategic partnership with Resysta, RIL is looking forward to produce the RelWood compound exclusively in order to meet the fast-growing demand of real alternative to tropical wood.

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The alleged stoppage of the convoy of six bodies of CRPF jawans, killed in Chhattisgarh, in Patna Airport area for security reasons as Chief Minister Nitish Kumar was attending a function nearby created a row here today.

While Patna Senior Superintendent of Police Manu Maharaj denied that the vehicles, carring the bodies of the jawans, were stopped, BJP leaders referred to some TV channels' purported footage showing the opposite and criticised the chief minister.

"I have enquired about the event and have been told that the movement of the convoy accompanied by special escort pilots was not stopped," Manu Maharaj told reporters.

Asked about the purported TV footages, the Patna SSP said he had not seen them.

The chief minister was attending the foundation day function of the Bihar Road Development Corporation adjacent to the exit gate of the Airport here.

Senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi dubbed the incident as "unfortunate" and said "the CM should have shown sensitivity in this regard."



Sushil Modi also attacked Deputy Chief Minister Tejaswi Yadav for "sitting a few distance away, but not visiting the Airport to pay tribute when the bodies of the martyrs had come last evening".

RJD President Lalu Prasad said "the CM is a sensitive man. He must not be knowing about the movement of bodies of the martyrs."



Senior JD(U) leader Shyam Rajak came down heavily on the saffron party for making the controversy.

"Who does not know how sensitive Nitish Kumar is about such thing. BJP is spinning false stories for petty political gains," Rajak, who is deputy leader in the state Assembly, told PTI.

Rajak was present at the Patna Airport to receive the bodies of the jawans and paid tributes.

Kumar had yesterday expressed grief over killing of 25 CRPF jawans in Naxal attack in Chhattisgarh on Monday and announced Rs 5 lakh ex-gratia each to the six soldiers who hailed from Bihar.

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IPL team Rising Pune Supergiant's players have unveiled Spykar's Spring Summer 17 'Young n Restless' collection here.

RPS players Ajinkya Rahane, Ben Stokes, Faf Du Plessis, Manoj Tiwary, Mayank Agarwal, Rahul Tripathi and Imran Tahir recently launched the collection of Spykar Lifestyle's in the city, a media release issued here said today.

Spykar is the style partner for RPS for the second consecutive year.

About the launch Sanjay Vakharia, COO-Spykar said, "The collection promises to deliver the commitment of the brand and we are extremely glad to put on a show that creates a mark in the jeans-wear industry this year too.

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Russia's main domestic security agency arrested 12 people in the Kaliningrad exclave for suspected involvement with an Islamic extremist group, Russian agencies have said.

Earlier yesterday, the Federal Security Service, known as the FSB, announced the arrest in Russia's far east of two suspected supporters of another radical Islamic group who it said were planning a terror attack.

The Kaliningrad announcement said the 12 detainees were believed to be involved with a group called Islamic Jihad Jamaat Mujahedeen. Those arrested were of Central Asian descent, the reports yesterday said without giving further details.

Kaliningrad, which is sandwiched between Poland and Lithuania, has strong military importance as Russia's westernmost territory and as home to its Baltic Fleet.

Concern in Russia about extremist recruitment among people from the strongly Muslim former Soviet central Asian republics has risen sharply over the past month after a Kyrgyz was identified as the suicide bomber who killed 15 passengers on a St Petersburg subway and the arrest of an Uzbek man for allegedly driving a heavy truck into a crowd in downtown Stockholm.

Earlier yesterday, the security agency said two suspected supporters of the Islamic State militant group were arrested in an apartment in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, a city on the Pacific island of Sakhalin. The FSB said a search turned up a homemade explosive device and IS propaganda literature.

One of the suspects is a citizen of Russia and the other is a citizen of one of the former Soviet republics in Central Asia, the FSB said in a statement carried by Russian agencies. It provided no further identification.

The agency said the two men arrested on Sakhalin were planning to carry out a terror attack but it gave no specifics other than to say that the attack was planned for a site where many people congregate.

An FSB video of the suspects broadcast on Russian state television showed the two men handcuffed and lying face down on the floor.

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Russia has halved the number of aircraft deployed to its Syria base from the height of its bombing campaign in support of Bashar al-Assad, the military said today.

A degree of stabilisation in the Syrian conflict "has allowed us to move almost half the air group that was based at Hmeimim back to Russia," said senior commander Sergei Rudskoi at a Moscow security conference, the defence ministry said in a statement.

Rudskoi said that between November last year and January when Russia deployed its only aircraft carrier to carry out strikes, the numbers at Hmeimim base "did not exceed 35 aircraft."



Rudskoi said that despite having "a fraction" of the planes of the US-led coalition, Russia has "carried out three times more sorties" -- more than 23,000 -- and launched "almost four times more air strikes" -- around 77,000.

Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu today at the same security conference said Russia's air force was continuing to support Syrian forces in attacking Islamic State group and Al-Qaeda- linked Al-Nusra Front.

Shoigu warned that US missile strikes on Syria "created a threat to the lives of our military who are battling terrorism in Syria" and said this forced Russia to take "extra measures to ensure the safety of our personnel.

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Anexchange of fire took place between police and Naxals in Chhattisgarh's insurgency-hit Gariaband district today.

However, no casualty was reported from either side.

The skirmish took place when a team of district police force was carrying out a search operation in Jugaad police station limits, Gariaband Superintendent of Police Jitendra Singh Meena told PTI over phone.

Gariaband district which borders on Odisha is around 100 km from the state capital Raipur.

Naxals fired upon the police team in the jungles of Sahbin Kacchar village, he said.

After the police retaliated, the rebels escaped towards the forests close to Odisha border, said the SP.

Couple of detonators, bags, Naxal literature, etc were found during subsequent search.

Bloodstainsfoundatthespotindicated that some Naxals were injured in the gun-battle but their colleagues managed to take them away, the SP said, adding that further details were awaited as the police team was yet to return to its camp.

In a major Naxal attack, as many as 25 CRPF jawans were killed in Sukma district of the state two days ago.

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Renewable energy player Suzlon Group today said its 2.1 mw wind turbine generator has achieved 42 per cent plant load factor (PLF) or capacity utilisation in Kutch, Gujarat.

"S111 120m 2.1 mw wind turbine generator has achieved 42 per cent PLF in its first 12 months of operation at Jamanwada site in Kutch district of Gujarat. The prototype was commissioned in March 2016," Suzlon said in a statement.

According to the statement, the PLF is 20 per cent higher than the one achieved by another generator in its first 12 months at the same location.

"The S111 120m 2.1 mw wind turbine is a game changer in the industry... With its reduced levelised cost of energy (LCoE), cost effective design and superior performance, it will unlock unviable sites and set new benchmarks in the Indian wind industry," said J P Chalasani, Group CEO, Suzlon Group, in the statement.

*****



Tony Wang new director of technology of Capillary in China * Capillary Technologies today said it has appointed Tony Wang director of technology at Capillary in China.

The Bengaluru-based company is all geared up to commence its first 10-member technology team outside India.

Wang comes with over 20 years of experience and has previously worked with leading global firms like Bertelsmann, Oracle, Autodesk, Arvato Services and the like.

"Tony's appointment is of great strategic importance to us at Capillary. After India, this will be our second development centre which will focus entirely on the local market," Aneesh Reddy, CEO and co-founder, Capillary Technologies said.

The company is also ramping up its sales and account management teams and customer success teams across India, China, South-East Asia, Europe, West Asia and Africa.

******



Tata Capital hands over new homes to Maha aboriginals * Tata Capital in association with Habitat for Humanity India has built 40 new homes that have been delivered to low- income aboriginals in Dahanu, Maharashtra.

The handover was made by R Vaithianathan, MD, Tata Capital Housing Finance, and Mukul Dixit, senior director- Programmes and Operations, Habitat for Humanity India.

The move is intended to provide safe and affordable housing, Tata Capital said, adding that the pucca houses will help improve health status and self-esteem of these families by giving them ownership of an asset.

Vaithianathan said: "The government's 'Housing For All' scheme under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojna aims to provide affordable housing to the poor by 2022. We are determined to help achieve this goal.

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A training aircraft crashed into the Wainganga river in Gondia district of Maharashtra today, killing both the instructor and the trainee pilot who were on- board the four-seater plane.

The crash took place at 0940 hours, according to the police, after one of the engines of the aircraft, DA42, got stuck in a rope-way, barely 20 minutes of its take-off from the Birsi Airport.

The deceased were identified as senior flight instructor Ranjan Gupta (45) and trainee pilot Himani Gurudayal Kalyani (24), they said.

The mishap took place some 35km from the district headquarters of Gondia in Vidarbha region, police said.

Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau, a wing of the Civil Aviation Ministry, has launched a probe into the accident, a source said.

The bureau is mandated to probe all serious incidents and accidents involving Indian planes.

The twin-engine aircraft belonging to the National Flying Training Institute, Gondia, was on a routine sortie with only the instructor and the trainee pilot on-board.

It lost contact with the Mumbai Air Traffic Controller (ATC) just 20 minutes after taking-off, a police official said.

The trainer aircraft was flying at a height lower than the one permitted by the ATC, he said.

"The ATC had permitted the aircraft to fly at around 4,000-5,000 feet but it was at a much lower altitude. The aircraft had apparently developed a snag and for this reason the pilot was perhaps attempting a safe landing.

"However, in the process, one of its engines got stuck in a rope-way, which connects Deori village with Laoni ghat on the Wainganga river, resulting in the crash," the official said.

Soon after getting the information, which came from the district collector's office, senior officials from the police and local administration rushed to the accident spot, located near the Maharashtra-Madhya Pradesh border, he said.

Sources said the aircraft broke into three and oil spill was visible in the river at Mahalgao-Deori.

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Trade tensions spiked between Washington and Ottawa as President Donald Trump accused Canada of being "very rough" on its southern neighbor and threatened to retaliate against new restrictions on US dairy products.

Trump also touted his administration's surprise decision late Monday to rekindle an old trade conflict with America's second-largest trading partner by slapping new tariffs on Canadian softwood lumber.

"People don't realize, Canada has been very rough on the United States. Everyone thinks of Canada of being nice but they've outsmarted our politicians for many years," Trump told a group of farmers at the White House.

He said Canada was hurting American dairy farmers near the border, from Wisconsin to New York, by blocking dairy exports "and we're not going to put up with it."



Trump's aggressive comments echoed a tweet he sent earlier in the day, just hours after the Commerce Department announced it was imposing tariffs of up to 24 percent on Canadian softwood lumber, which it says is improperly subsidized.

Addressing reporters at the White House yesterday, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said the twin disputes underline the problems with the North American Free Trade Agreement linking the United States with Canada and Mexico, which Trump has vowed to renegotiate.

"If NAFTA were functioning properly, you wouldn't be having these kinds of very prickly and unfortunate events back to back," Ross said. "They are generally a good neighbor. That doesn't mean they don't have to play by the rules."



Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau responded to the unexpected burst of tough rhetoric by vowing his government would be "very firm in defending Canada's interests."



But Trudeau also said his officials "will work constructively together" with the United States to find a solution.

Canada's dairy sector is protected by tariffs on imports and controls on domestic production as a way to support prices for the country's farmers.

The latest row was triggered when Canada extended those policies to apply to ultrafiltered milk, a product used in cheese production and at the center of a thriving US export business.

The US Dairy Export Council said the extension "blatantly blocks American dairy exports," urging Trump to "take immediate action" to protect the business of dozens of US farmers.

While no other immediate retaliation was planned against Ottawa, Ross said Washington was looking into measures to "correct" what it says is an effective block on a new class of US dairy exports.

"The problem with dairy isn't that they're dumping dairy products in the US. The problem is worse. They are prohibiting US dairy producers from selling their products in Canada," Ross said.

The softwood lumber dispute between Washington and Ottawa has also seen many twists and turns for nearly 35 years, with US producers accusing their Canadian counterparts of exporting lumber at subsidized prices, harming American businesses.

In the long-standing dispute, the Commerce Department announced late Monday that after talks with Ottawa failed to yield an agreement, it would impose duties of between three and 24 percent on softwood lumber, used for flooring, siding and other building products.

Ross justified the duties by saying Canadian firms "charge a subsidized low price when the products hit the US border."



The US Commerce Department said it will conduct a thorough investigation and confirm its position on the lumber tariffs by September 27. If confirmed, the tariffs would then have to be approved by the US International Trade Commission.

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US President Donald Trump is set to hold a classified briefing for the entire Senate on the situation in North Korea amid mounting concern over its nuclear and missile tests.

Trump's classified briefing to Senators along with his other top officials including National Security Advisor and the Defence Secretary comes amidst increasing standoff with Pyongyang.

The White House, meanwhile, insisted that the North Korean issue could be resolved through diplomatic efforts.

"Obviously, the more that we can solve this diplomatically and continue to apply pressure on China and other countries to use the political and economic tools that they have to achieve a goal in stabilisation in the region, but also to tamp down the threat that North Korea faces, I think that is something that we all share," White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer told reporters.

Spicer said the Senators would be briefed by four top officials of the administration.

"There are four briefers that are coming up to talk about the situation in North Korea. This is a Senate-led meeting that they are getting; those four briefers will share to them the current situation in North Korea," he said.

Senator Jim Inhofe, senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee on Tuesday said that North Korea poses a most imminent threat to the US.

Meanwhile, Ohio-class guided-missile submarine USS Michigan (SSGN 727) arrived in Busan, South Korea.

The Pentagon described it asa routine visit.

USS Michigan is one of four Ohio-class guided-missile submarines. The guided-missile submarines provide the Navy with unprecedented strike and special operation mission capabilities from a stealthy, clandestine platform.

Armed with tactical missiles and equipped with superior communications capabilities, guided-missile submarines are capable of launching missile strikes and supporting Special Operation Forces (SOF) missions.

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Turkey's main opposition party said today it would challenge last-minute changes to voting rules in the referendum on expanding President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's powers at the European Court of Human Rights.

"The decision we have made is to go to the ECHR," Republican People's Party (CHP) spokeswoman Selin Sayek Boke said.

The move comes after the party's legal challenge to the voting rule changes was rejected today by the country's highest administrative court, the Council of State.

The opposition argues an "administrative" decision by the Supreme Election Board (YSK) to accept ballot documents in envelopes without an official stamp paved the way for fraud.

The top court said yesterday it did not have the jurisdiction to rule on the YSK move.

Turkish Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag has previously said the party could not challenge the decision in Turkey's top courts including the Constitutional Court.

The 'Yes' camp won 51.41 per cent in the April 16 vote in a tighter-than-expected victory, but opponents claim the result would have been reversed in a fair poll. The CHP was at the forefront of the 'No' campaign.

The changes approved will wholly come into force from November 2019 and see the role of prime minister axed while the president will be given the power to appoint ministers.

Opponents claim it will lead to one-man rule while the government says it will ensure political stability for a country that has experienced multiple unstable coalitions.

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Donald Trump has suffered a setback as a federal judge blocked his administration's executive order on denying funding to 'sanctuary cities' harbouring illegal immigrants, saying the President is exceeding his constitutional authority.

The US District Judge William Orrick blocked the government from enforcing a key portion of Trump's January executive order on immigration, which ordered the Department of Homeland Security and Justice Department to block cities who do not cooperate with federal immigration enforcement from receiving federal funds.

Orrick in his ruling yesterday said the president was "exceeding his constitutional authority" by trying to punish local governments that refuse to cooperate with his immigration policies.

The White House in a reply to order said that: "Given the nationwide scope of the order, and its apparent constitutional flaws, a nationwide injunction is appropriate," Orrick said in his order, which will remain in effect unless it is overturned by a higher court.

"Sanctuary cities, like San Francisco, block their jails from turning over criminal aliens to Federal authorities for deportation. These cities are engaged in the dangerous and unlawful nullification of Federal law in an attempt to erase our borders," the White House said in a statement.

"Once again, a single district judge -- this time in San Francisco -- has ignored Federal immigration law to set a new immigration policy for the entire country," it said.

It also said the ruling is a gift to the criminal gang and cartel element in our country, empowering the worst kind of human trafficking and sex trafficking, and putting thousands of innocent lives at risk.

The White House also warned that it will pursue all legal remedies to the sanctuary city threat that imperils its citizens, and continue its to ramp up enforcement to remove the criminal and gang element from the country.

However, political experts said this ruling dealt a serious blow to the Trump Administration.

San Francisco Attorney Dennis Herrera applauded the court's order in sanctuary cities.

"The court found the Trump administration's arguments were not legally plausible, and the court sided with us on every substantive issue. I hope this president learns from his litany of mistakes. His first 100 days have been a disaster. I hope for all of our sakes that he can turn it around," he said in a statement.

"Because San Francisco took this president to court, we've been able to protect billions of dollars that fund lifesaving programs across this country," Herrera said.

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A US judge has blocked an executive order by President Donald Trump that could deny billions of dollars to so-called sanctuary cities as punishment for harboring illegal immigrants.

Dealing a fresh setback to Trump's pledged crackdown on undocumented residents, Judge William Orrick of San Francisco's federal court yesterday issued a preliminary injunction barring any attempt to implement the January 25 executive order.

"Federal funding that bears no meaningful relationship to immigration enforcement cannot be threatened merely because a jurisdiction chooses an immigration enforcement strategy of which the president disapproves," Orrick said.

The decision -- which could impact more than 300 cities and counties that have denounced Trump's order -- is another blow to the White House following successful court challenges to its two travel bans targeting Muslim-majority countries.

Trump's order threatened the transfer of some $1.7 billion to Santa Clara County and $1.2 billion for San Francisco.

Santa Clara counsel James R. Williams described it as "a historic affirmation" of the constitutional principle that Washington cannot "coerce local governments into becoming federal immigration enforcers."



Orrick noted that the government's lawyers had sought to avoid arguing the issue of whether the Trump administration had the right to take such steps.

Instead, they weakly challenged the right of San Francisco and Santa Clara County to fight the order because neither had been formally declared "sanctuary jurisdictions" -- a phrase that remains vague in the law.

The judge said the key issue remained Trump's repeated statements that funding is a "weapon" to use against cities that resist his policies. That demonstrates the government's intent, he said, and is unconstitutional.

"The Constitution vests the spending powers in Congress, not the president, so the order cannot constitutionally place new conditions on federal funds," he said.

Dave Cortese, president of the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors, said in a statement the decision had dealt a "major setback" to the politics of fear.

"Millions of people across the country can continue to receive essential medical care, go to school and remain active members of their communities without fear that their local governments are being forced to work against them, rather than for them," he added.

The decision was being closely watched in Seattle, which filed its own lawsuit against the order in March.

Ed Murray, mayor of the northwestern city of almost 700,000, issued a statement welcoming the ruling as "yet another rebuke" of Trump's "dangerous overreach."



New York mayor Bill de Blasio denounced Trump's "illogical and unconstitutional desire to scapegoat immigrants" while Chicago's Rahm Emanuel vowed his administration would not "sit idly by while President Trump threatens American cities because he doesn't share our values."



California attorney general Xavier Becerra said the president was trying to "hijack crucial resources, sow fear among California families and make our communities less safe."



Attorney General Jeff Sessions lashed out at sanctuary cities on Friday last week accusing them of allowing illegal immigrants who are violent criminals to go free.

Orrick's ruling still allows the Department of Justice to follow through with threats made to nine cities last week -- including Chicago, New Orleans and Philadelphia -- to cut specific program grants if the cities did not adequately cooperate with federal immigration officers.

A meeting in Washington on Tuesday between a group of major-city mayors and Sessions demonstrated that the two sides remain at odds over Trump's election promise to expel some 11.3 million immigrants without legal residency.

The mayors said federal policy remains unclear and inconsistent, and complained the government is telling them to deploy local law enforcement officers to enforce federal immigration laws.

"None of this discussion would be necessary if Congress and the president would enact comprehensive immigration reform, which is long overdue," said New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu.

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An Minuteman 3 intercontinental ballistic missile was launched from California in a test of the weapon system that is part of the US nuclear force.

The missile blasted off from a silo at 12:03 am early yesterday from Vandenberg Air Force Base and delivered a single re-entry vehicle to a target approximately 4,200 miles (6,759 kilometres) away at Kwajalein Atoll in the Pacific Ocean, the Air Force Global Strike Command said.

The launch command was issued via an air launch control system aboard a Navy E-6 Mercury jet.

"Tonight's launch was an important demonstration of our nation's nuclear deterrent capability," Col John Moss, commander of Vandenberg's 30th Space Wing, said in a statement. "Test launches like this one are vital to validating the effectiveness and readiness of our operational nuclear systems, so it is critical that they are successful."

Operational tests of Minuteman 3 missiles are conducted regularly but the timing of yesterday's launch amid US tensions with North Korea over its nuclear and missile programs drew criticism from the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation, which has advocated against nuclear weapons for more than 30 years.

"When it comes to missile testing, the US is operating with a clear double standard: It views its own tests as justified and useful, while it views the tests of North Korea as threatening and destabilising," David Krieger, president of the organisation, said in a statement on its website Monday.

"What is needed is diplomacy rather than military provocations. Threats, whether in the form of tweets, nuclear-capable aircraft carrier groups, or nuclear-capable missile launches, only increase the dangers to us all," he said.

President Donald Trump has in recent weeks ordered an aircraft carrier and other Navy vessels into the region in a show of force to deter North Korea, which on Tuesday conducted large-scale, live-fire artillery drills.

Yesterday, the White House hosted all 100 senators for a classified briefing on North Korea by Trump's secretary of state, defence secretary, top general and national intelligence director.

The briefing team was to meet later with House members in the Capitol.

The most recent previous Minuteman 3 launch was in early February.
Vice President Hamid Ansari today arrived in Poland on the second leg of his two nation trip, during which he will hold talks with the country's top leadership.

Ansari was received by Irena Lichnerowicz Augustyn, Director of diplomatic protocol at the airport.

Over the next two days, he will 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.

The 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.

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.

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.

Before reaching Poland, Ansari was in Armenia till April 26.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
West Bengal Finance minister Amit Mitra today refuted the charges of BJP president Amit Shah that TMC promotes appeasement politics and said the state government schemes benefits all.

"Schemes like Kanyashree, Yuvashree, Sabujshree, Sabuj Sathi, Gatidhara, Geetanjali, Khadya Sathi, Baitarani, Samabyathi and Samarthan are for all. West Bengal government works for all," Mitra said reacting on Shah's allegations.

"Our reforms in e-governance, financial matters and in other areas of public service delivery have benefited all sections of the society," he said.

Mitra described the BJP president's allegations as "Amit Shah's blatant and motivated attempt to distort the truth and misguide the people of Bengal."



On Shah's comments that no development has happened in Bengal during the six years of Trinamool Congress rule in the state, Mitra said "They are comparing a government of six years with 34 years of Left rule. They are like seasonal birds, coming and going. They can't see development."



Reacting to Amit Shah's comments that the Left Front had left a loan burden of Rs 1.92 lakh crore on the people of the state, and now the state is saddled with a debt burden of Rs 3.5 lakh crore, Mitra said of the Rs 1,13,000 crore increase in the state's debt stock during the past five years, around Rs 94,000 crore went into debt servicing of the debt left behind by the previous Left Front government.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
By Seng Li Peng

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - European trader Trafigura has bought 55,000 tonnes of naphtha from India's Reliance Industries for end-May loading from Sikka, adding to its unusually high purchases of the fuel from the Singapore cash market, traders said on Wednesday.

Trafigura paid a slightly above $16 a tonne premium to Middle East quotes on a free-on-board (FOB) basis for the cargo, making this one of the highest premiums for Reliance Industries since the sales of its March cargoes.

From April 7-26, Trafigura has bought more than 970,000 tonnes of naphtha for June to July delivery, making up more than 80 percent of all volumes transacted this month.

Japan's Itochu, which this week paid high premiums for India's Bharat Petroleum Corp cargoes, has sold more than 450,000 tonnes to Trafigura while oil major BP sold around 300,000 tonnes to the European trader.

The reasons behind the strong buying were unclear and Trafigura declined to comment in the previous session about the unusual purchases when contacted.

Traders not related to the company said Trafigura may be short of supplies due to heavy demand from Latin America although this could not be independently confirmed.

They added that Trafigura has a naphtha term contract with Russia's Rosneft to lift 2 million to 3 million tonnes of the light fuel from Tuapse this year.

"Trafigura is bullish. Their Tuapse cargoes, which could be initially meant for Asia, may be going to Latin America," said one of the sources.

Traders said overall fundamentals could work in Trafigura's favour as three key Middle Eastern suppliers have either shut or planning to idle their condensate splitters.

(Reporting by Seng Li Peng, editing by David Evans)

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Chairman Stephen Sanger said no directors will step down immediately, even after a dozen fell short of a traditional threshold of shareholder confidence at the bank's dramatic annual meeting on Tuesday. But sources said some directors nearing a mandatory retirement age may speed up plans to leave, as the board begins a gradual turnover.

The results were uniformly described as devastating: only three directors received solid support and four, including Sanger, squeaked by with just 53 to 57 percent of votes cast, according to the bank's preliminary tally.

Some investors who voted against directors told their intention was not to get them ousted immediately, but to signal dissatisfaction with the bank's response to a scandal involving thousands of employees creating as many as 2.1 million unauthorised customer accounts.

Even so, several shareholder elections experts called the vote tally unprecedented, especially at a company the size of Wells Fargo, and predicted it would spur change.

"These numbers are more than not good, they're reflective of an overwhelming rejection of the directors," said Columbia Law School professor Robert Jackson, who studies corporate governance.

Jackson expects at least a few directors step down in a month or two, much like two directors left JPMorgan Chase & Co after winning narrow majorities in 2013. He expects Sanger to be replaced by a colleague who garnered more support.

"When 44 percent of investors don't like your work, then the question of whether he will step down isn't 'if' but 'when,'" Jackson said.

There are not many examples that compare to Wells Fargo's situation.

After the 2008 financial crisis, the boards of Bank of America Corp and Citigroup Inc were refashioned under the eye of federal regulators who wanted more directors with banking experience. But those changes came with checks and balances from the U.S. government.

Typically, the board's governance and nominating committee would handle director changes. But only one director on that committee received a vote of high confidence, potentially putting members in the awkward position of picking their own replacements.

Six of Wells Fargo's directors will reach a mandatory retirement age in the next four years, including Sanger, who turns 72 next year. A person familiar with board discussions said some of those retirements are likely to happen sooner.

The three directors in good stead with shareholders all joined the board in recent months, indicating investors may welcome new additions with the right expertise.

Institutional Shareholder Services had recommended shareholders vote against the dozen who received tepid support.

Kevin McManus, vice president at Egan-Jones Proxy Services, said directors should not be caught off guard by the outcome of Tuesday's vote.

"They might not be able to leave at once," he said, but "hopefully they've already planned for this possibility."

(Reporting by Ross Kerber in Boston and Dan Freed in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida; Editing by Lauren Tara LaCapra and Meredith Mazzilli)

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Lack of exits and poor returns have been the biggest bane of (PE) firms in India. While returns remain an issue, PE funds in India have returned around $18 billion to investors in the past two years  $8.12 billion in 2015 and $9.77 billion in 2016, according to research firm Venture Intelligence.
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In an effort to keep the Internet alive and interesting for a billion Indians, search giant Google has announced the launch of multiple Indian languages support across its products. To start with, Google Translate will use Google's new neural machine translation technology for translating English in nine Indian languages -- Hindi, Bengali, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Gujarati, Punjabi, Malayalam and Kannada.

The company also claims that neural translation offers a huge improvement over the old phrase-based system, translating full sentences at a time, instead of parts of a sentence. Using the new machine learning technology, translation speed has been increased from 10 seconds per sentence to 0.2 seconds per sentence in just two months. Google has announced the extension of neural machine translation to Chrome browser's built-in auto-translate functionality, which results in quick and accurate full-page translations. The new service is also accessible on Google Search and Google Maps, on mobile as well as on desktop.



Google says that over the past few years, the rapid scale of the Internet adoption across the country has set the ball rolling and today India language users have already overtaken the total number of English language users in India. It says 68 per cent Internet users consider digital content in local languages to be more reliable than English feeds.

Google has also extended its support for 11 more Indian languages for Gboard, a new keyboard for iOS and Android devices. Google Search has been built right into the keyboard, allowing users to search and use Google Translate. There is also a "Hinglish" language option with new text editing tool, making select, copy and paste options much easier. The Gboard also offers auto-correction and prediction in new languages along with two layouts for each -- one in the native language script and one with the QWERTY layout for translation.

Moreover, Google has also added a Hindi dictionary for Google Search. The results will be fetched from Rajpal & Sons dictionary in collaboration with the Oxford University Press.


The Income Tax department has issued a Rs. 24,646 crore tax demand notice to Sahara Group's Aamby Valley Limited (AVL) after conducting a special audit of the company.

The department, as part of a special investigation and audit into the account books of AVL, found that an income of over Rs. 48,000 crore for a particular assessment year was allegedly not reflected in the record books of the firm and hence it raised a fresh tax demand and penalty amount on it.

A Sahara Group spokesperson confirmed the development to Press Trust of India.

"Yes, the Income Tax Department has raised Rs. 48,085.79 crores to the income of the Aamby Valley Limited with a total demand of income tax of Rs. 24,646.96 crores on the Aamby Valley Limited," the spokesperson said in a brief statement.

Officials said the notice was issued by the taxman in January this year after the special audit of AVL's income for the Assessment Year 2012-13 found that the parent firm had allegedly floated a clutch of Special Purpose Vehicles whose incomes were later accounted on the account of AVL as they were merged with the former in due course of time.

The AVL, in its income return filed for AY 2012-13, had reflected a loss of few crores but the special I-T audit brought up the added income, a senior official said.

The Supreme Court, last week, had asked the Bombay High Court's official liquidator to sell the Rs. 34,000 crore worth of properties of Aamby Valley owned by the Sahara Group and directed its chief Subrata Roy to personally appear before it on April 28.

"Enough is enough. You cannot say something today and resile tomorrow," a bench, comprising Justices Dipak Misra, Ranjan Gogoi and A K Sikri, had said, taking strong note of non-submission of over Rs 5,000 crore by the Sahara Group.

The bench also cautioned Roy from playing with the court's order and said non-compliance of its order would invite the wrath of the law and ultimately he will be at his own peril.

The bench asked the official liquidator, attached with the Bombay High Court, to auction the Aamby Valley properties, estimated to be worth Rs. 34,000 crore, and directly report to it.


The Uttar Pradesh government has cancelled 15 public holidays in marking the birth or death anniversary of eminent personalities.

Most of the holidays had been declared by the previous Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and Samajwadi Party (SP) governments apparently to keep certain sections of the society in good humour, often with an eye on the vote bank.

However, the state Cabinet at its meeting chaired by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath decided to cancel 15 such public holidays in educational institutions.

"Instead, students in schools and colleges would now be taught about the great personalities on these days," Cabinet minister Shrikant Sharma said while briefing mediapersons on the decisions of the government.

An official release later clarified government employees were free to avail restricted holidays on these days.

Adityanath had in his address on the occasion of Dr BR Ambedkar's 126th birth anniversary in Lucknow expressed concern over the shrinking academic session due to increased holidays.

"There should be no holidays in schools on birth anniversaries of great personalities. Instead, a special two-hour programme should be held to teach students about them. The 220-day academic session has been reduced to only 120 days due to such holidays and if this tradition continues, there will be no day left for teaching in schools," he had said.

In Uttar Pradesh, there are 42 public holidays of which at least 17 are related to the birth anniversaries of eminent personalities.

The previous Samajwadi Party government had declared holidays on the birth anniversaries of former Prime Minister Chandrashekhar (April 17), Maharishi Kashyap and Maharshi Nishadraj Jayanti (April 5), Hazrat Ajmeri Garib Nawaj Urs (April 26), Maharana Pratap Jayanti (May 9) besides on the death anniversary of Ambedkar (December 6).

Sharma said the revised list of holidays will soon be made available.

Public holidays that have been scrapped by the government are
The producer of the blockbuster film 'Baahubali 2: The Conclusion' has accused Emirates of "rude" and "racist" behaviour. Shobu Yarlagadda, 46, took to Twitter last night where he described how the staff of the Dubai-based air carrier mistreated the team when they were on their way to Hyderabad after promoting the film in Dubai.

"Flying to Hyderabad on @emirates EK526. Airline staff at gate B4 were very rude and harassed our team unnecessarily! Bad attitude and service!" "I think one of the @emirates staff was being racist... I fly @emirates regularly and this is the first time I have come across this kind of attitude," wrote Shobu.



Flying to Hyd on @emirates EK526. Airline staff at gate B4 were very rude n harassed our team unnecessarily! Bad attitude n service! Shobu Yarlagadda (@Shobu_) April 25, 2017 .@emirates I think one of the @emirates staff was being racist.. I fly @emirates regularly n this is 1st time I have come across this kind of attitude Shobu Yarlagadda (@Shobu_) April 25, 2017

Shobu was accompanying director S S Rajamouli and actors Prabhas, Rana Dagubatti and Anushka Shetty for the promotion.
The Railways is developing a common digital platform integrating information from all departments as a roadmap for the future for bringing transparency in the system and enabling the public transporter to save about Rs 60,000 crore.

Besides, the entire supply and procurement chain of Railways will be digitised to curb corruption.

"Our entire supply chain is being digitised. Payment will be made electronically and procurement will also be made electronically. It will curb corruption," Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu told PTI on Wednesday in an interaction.

Spelling out his vision for the Railways, Prabhu said, "We are also doing ERP - enterprise resource planning - a complete digitisation process. All rail operations will be online. It aims to save about Rs 60,000 crore, according to industry estimates."

Enterprise resource planning system will be an IT-based platform for system-wide integration and planning.

"Vision for Railways is to address those issues for which Railways is suffering today. Complete digitisation will enable operation can be managed from one place," he said.

Highlighting various issues that are plaguing the national transporter, he said, "Organisations like Railways which are vast and complex must have a vision. We must have short term, medium term and long term vision and we must ensure a pan-India vision."

Referring to the congestion problems, he said though rail traffic has increased 16 times after independence, the infrastructure did not grow even four times. "As a consequence, we are operating 150 to 160 per cent of our capacity which is recipe for disaster."

Currently 60 per cent of rail traffic is handled on 16 per cent of the network.

"So obviously there were congestions and it affected the revenue stream also. We are not been able to capture more traffic," he said.

Congestion is also affecting punctuality as many trains are passing on the same line. Currently Railways' punctuality is about 79 per per cent.

"Punctuality is a casualty today because so many trains are passing on one line. A train coming to Delhi may have come in time but cannot enter Delhi because of congestion. Same thing happens in Delhi airport like you hover around the airport," he said.

Prabhu said he has sanctioned 16,500 km of doubling and tripling as against only 22,000 km in the last 70 years.

He further said the Railways' vision is to save Rs 41,000 crore in the energy bill in the next 10 years which includes solarisation.

"We have plan for producing 1000 MW solar power... All our plants are subjected to energy audit so as to bring energy efficiency. We are also using LED bulbs to conserve energy," he said.

Forty two per cent of Railways' lines are electrified today.

"All broad gauge will be electrified in the country and and all metre gauge will be converted into broad gauge. It will benefit the Railways as train speed will increase and most importantly also help in reducing cost of energy."


Nokia launched the legendary 3310 in February this year. Though the device is not a carbon copy of the one launched way back in September 2000, it has definitely sparked a wave of nostalgia among most smartphone users.

The device was unveiled at the MWC event this year and is available for pre-booking in various European countries; Nokia 3310's India launch was estimated to delay up to June. However, a few websites have already put up the device on their e-commerce site.



Also Read: Nokia 3310 to be available in European countries from April 28; when will it launch in India?

A site called OnlyMobiles.com has listed the device at a price of Rs 3,899 and has also given the date May 17 for the launch of the device. There is no confirmation from the parent company HMD Global about the new launch date.

Another website called IpMart.in, which deals with bulk orders has also listed Nokia 3310 at a price of Rs 3,499. Although, they have clearly mentioned that the device has not been launched yet and the price is subject to change.

Nokia 3310 will be available later this month in some European markets. The Finnish company made pre-order listings available in Germany and Austria. The phone will hit the shelves in these countries on April 28.

Also Read: Nokia wants India's attention to revive its global status

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.
LOGAN  The rain let up just in time for the groundbreaking ceremony of Utah State Universitys new Life Sciences Building Tuesday afternoon. The 103,000 square-foot structure will be erected on the site of the old Peterson Agricultural Building and will provide much needed research and education space to a campus with overcrowded and outdated laboratories.

During USU President Noelle Cocketts remarks, she thanked the Utah State Legislature, the Governors Office and other civic and business leaders who have supported the building. She said it is the first groundbreaking for a Life Science building on USUs campus since the early 1960s, when the Biology and Natural Resource Building was constructed.

This new building is expected to be complete fall 2018.

It is time for students to receive instruction in a building that reflects the science of today and tomorrow, Cockett said.

The building will feature five levels, 13 teaching laboratories, study spaces and a lecture hall. It will also house the schools biology department. College of Science Dean Maura Hagan said those who conceived the building wanted a space that facilitates student and faculty interactions.

Research has shown us that these interactions are where real meaningful learning occurs, she said. So many building and labs can be dark and isolating, which is why we asked the architects to design a building with ample glass to showcase light and the outside environment and to afford us the opportunity to put science on display in our campus.

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Cockett said the buildings positive impact will be recognized for decades.

The building will make USU a magnet for the most exceptional undergraduates, graduate students and faculty in life sciences, she said. The planned technological capabilities will allow us to extend a life science education to regional campuses, many of which serve Utahs rural communities.

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Cockett is hoping the building will become a second home to aspiring life scientists. She recognized former College of Science Dean Jim MacMahon who initiated the project and recognized State Senator Lyle Hillyards support as a major reason it is being built. During Hillyards remarks he congratulated the university and said he knows it will have a big impact on the students.

It will literally change the world, he said. So Im glad to be a part of that.
LOGAN  A man arrested Monday night inside a department store has created some panic online among local residents.

Azadeen Altom was booked into the Cache County Jail on suspicion of intoxication, criminal trespassing and failing to register as a sex offender. The 42-year-old is being held without bail pending arraignment.

Logan City Police Capt. Curtis Hooley said officers were called to the south Walmart just after 7 p.m. on report that Altom was harassing people inside the store. The customers claimed he approached them, getting inside their personal space, and asking for a ride home.

Officers made contact with the individual and found him to be very intoxicated, Curtis said. As they did their investigation, they also determined that he was a registered sex offender out of Nebraska. Since he had moved to Utah, he had not registered.

According to officers, Altoms actions were not believed to be sexual in nature but obviously inappropriate.

Hooley said Altoms arrest has alarmed some people, who believed the man was with a group of people at the store, looking for children for sex trafficking.

Our officers report to me, there was no other individuals with him and nobody talked about any other individuals. It appears to us that he was by himself and that there was no attempt to collect children for sex trafficking.

He simply, at this point, appears to be an individual that was highly intoxicated and was acting inappropriately. He has to answer to the charges because of that, plus the sex offender registration violation that he has.

Nebraska records show Altom was convicted of sexually assaulting another adult individual in January 2013.

Hooley said Logan police officer arrested Altom a month ago, after they found him wandering around Mt. Logan Middle School. He was charged with two misdemeanors and is scheduled to appear in court for a preliminary hearing in May. Formal charges on Mondays arrest are still pending the investigation.

<hr /><p style=text-align: center;>will@cvradio.com
As President Trump readies an executive order to review the Bears Ears and Grand Staircase National Monuments, a new poll shows Utahns have mixed feelings about the future of these monuments and whether their status should be reduced or rescinded.

Utah Republican Senator Lyle Hillyard said as far as hes concerned, there are two different issues to consider. One is the scope of the executive order and the other is the process undertaken to create it. Like several members of Utahs federal delegation, Hillyard is concerned about the unilateral use of presidential power in designating national monuments.

Im offended, really, on the process, he said. I think it needs to be worked through, and thats the problem when you have a democratically elected government like we have. Its not always easy to come to solutions because you have to consider all the various aspects. You just cant arbitrarily rule and say, this will be it, so I think they need to continue to work on that. Theres certainly areas of that Bears Ears Monument that we all agree should be protected and should be held sacred, and I think the question is, whats the scope of that?

Hillyard said over last weekend, he had a chance to tour Southern Utah. He was on the edge of Escalante when he noticed that the side of the monument now owned by the federal government is not as well maintained as the other side, which is maintained by Kane County. Hillyard said the county has done some great things in the area, including restoring vegetation.

President Trump is expected to sign the executive order on April 26. It will require the Interior Department to examine all national monument designations, including Bears Ears and Grand Staircase, since 1996.
It is the last day of the wonderful spring break. A cold wind blew last night and rain fell. The laughing river churned and spilled out at the little bridge where the ducks live. Today we will have Sunday Dinner in Elizabeth City with Will, Jenny and Lyla. Mama and Daddy couldn't come and that is the only disappointment so far, this week.After some chores that Will needed help with, Kyle and Christian joined Lyla and I for a stroll through the Riverside" village. We walked a long while in the breezy and overcast day. It seemed like the dogs and cats were acting sensibly, and were inside safe and dry. We did see some rabbits-there are always rabbits, but the birds and squirrels were scarce. Since we weren't distracted by the animal kingdom, we took note of the trees .The area is full of old trees . There are several ancient magnolias. Magnolias give the coolest shade on the balmy days of summer . Their massive blossoms are highly prized for their fragrance. It wasn't so awful long ago, that magnolia blossoms were used at every bridal and baby shower-and were a "given" at summer weddings. I remember gathering them in a blinding rain, for a wedding the next day. The public library, in the small town I grew up in, had several large magnolias. When I was young, my mom would drop my sister and I off, at the library, while she ran errands . We would wait for her, under the magnolias, reading our books, til she got back. It is a favorite childhood memory of mine. Everybody ought to have a chance, to read a book under a magnolia, I think.The largest crepe myrtle, that I have ever seen, is in Elizabeth City. It grows by a picket fence and shades an adorable cottage. Crepe myrtles are slow growers, so I know this is a very old tree. These trees bear flowers all summer and I intend to find out the color of its' blooms in July.An old oak, gave us a mystery, to think about. A section of the large trunk was missing near the base. It was large enough to provide shelter for someone, if need be. . .however the cavity had been stuffed with a large stone in the exact shape needed. So-we thought about that a while and never did come to a conclusion .We walked so long, that Lyla took a nap. She did wake up in time to smell the mock orange on the way back. Jenny had supper about completed when we walked in the back door. We came in especially hungry as with all of our meandering, we had forgotten to eat lunch. We had a lovely evening meal under the glass chandelier that I find so pretty. Gathering around the table, was a sweet conclusion to a lot of lovely moments.Dear Rabbit Patch Diary, I am glad for family and magnolias. I am glad for the chance to smell the mock orange and to share Sunday Dinner . . . and I am glad there are always rabbits, too.
| BY Kim Shaw |

Nick Worthington, creative chairman of Colenso BBDO Auckland, is at D&AD in London as President of the Creativity for Good category. Here is his first report, exclusive to Campaign Brief

The festival opens its doors to the public today and the Truman Brewery in Shoreditch has a wonderful creative vibe.

Its a warren of a building and its easy to get lost amongst the floors of post-industrial white paint and pillars.

There are little posses of jurors going about their business with a wonderful intensity.

There is a lot of work up for everyone to see and some of it looks fantastic.

Walking around is like falling into the D&AD annual and getting lost in the work.

Im President of the Creativity for Good category.

I must admit this is the category I wanted to judge, mainly because it feels like this is the future of the industry.

No longer is there a divide between doing good and selling stuff.

Now the brands that are doing good are doing great business.

Weve got an insights presentation in an hour or so, and the headlines will be that more young people coming into the industry dont just want to learn how to sell stuff, they actually want to work on stuff that does good in the world, so for us to keep on attracting the best minds, we need to be attractive.

Many moons ago we had the pro-bono and charity work to make us feel good about what we do.

And there was an apartheid like segregation between work for charities and work that does good business. That divide has dissolved.

Toyotas work using their vehicles as beacons to extend mobile coverage in remote areas of Aus is exactly the kind of work that blends the two.

Meet Graham (although classic public service work and not a brand) got a round of applause when we showed it.

And the charity work for Headspace Reword, that uses a Google Chrome plug in to highlight words or sentences that could be cyber bullying as you write felt on the money too.

There is great work from all over the world, from brands, public service and charities, from products, service innovations and advertising and marketing, but it would be fair to say Aussie seems to have more than their fair share in the running.

I hope there was no unconscious bias at play here  with Laura Jordan-Bambach, David Nobay, Ali Hanan and myself all either born in, or working in, this part of the world we did stop for a moment to consciously check.

The future of this category is exciting and so is the future of the industry if enough brands come forward to tackle some of the toughest problems society faces.

Last year Ban Ki Moon  the General Secretary of the United Nations- challenged the communications industry to help solve 17 of the worlds biggest problems.

We are seeing the early shoots of growth in this area and the chances of more brands coming on board seems strong.

As Keith Weed  Global CEO of Unilever  revealed, our brands with social purpose are growing twice as fast as those without.

So doing good isnt just good for the planet, its great for business.

The editor of The Drum asked our jury for a one word answer to the question, Could advertising make the world a better place?.
| BY Kim Shaw |

Steve Back, director at Sydney-based Brilliant Films, is in London judging the Integrated and Collaboration category at D&AD. Here is his first report, exclusive to Campaign Brief

The exceptional to the sublime.

Is the idea original and inspiring? Is it exceptionally well executed? Is it relevant to its context?

The three things were asked to consider when looking at the work to judge. Pretty simple really and its the thing I love the most about D&AD; creativity at its purest. Id been looking forward to this exercise for a while. The total immersion into creativity for two days had gotten me a bit excited and for those of you who know me, I dont get excited about much.

After a very thorough and motivating briefing from D&AD CEO Tim Lindsey and President Bruce Duckworth on the virtues, desires and goals of what were about to embark on, we move off to our little corner of The Truman Brewery. (Yes an award show judging in a Brewery; living the fuckn dream.) The location is as usual, perfectly selected by D&AD in a very cool part of town.

What I love about D&AD as you walk through the endless gallery rooms of work is it feels like youre looking at the best our industry has to offer. It is all rather inspiring which I think we all need a healthy dose of now and again, especially these days with creativity feeling like its under siege. Theres a heightened expectation of what D&AD represents, which brings out the best in the industry.

Our first task was to get down to a wooden pencil short list. This took 10 hours. We diligently watched 116 case films that had made it through online pre judging, at least twice and it was exhausting. By the time we finish we know the work. Intimately. We werent unnecessarily tough but we all felt the weight of upholding the D&AD standard. Every decision was discussed thoroughly so be rest assured, if you win a pencil its been well earned.

I think its a good strong list that will inspire and evoke the sense of I wish Id done that. I didnt witness too much of over-entering across a scattering of categories. Although a few pieces did come up a couple of times, they didnt seem to be misplaced.

The most encouraging thing is there is a really diverse range of smart work from all over the world. I know creativity is doing it tough in Australia at the moment, but you wouldnt have suspected so by the standard of work coming from our shores. It was a proud moment when I saw the juries response to the Australian work. It really stands up and brings a freshness that generated a genuine excitement amongst the jury.

There where a couple of trends that did raise concerns. The first being the large proportion of charity work and our reliance as an industry to use this to showcase our best, as opposed to the work were doing on larger brands. Maybe a sign of how tough things are in our industry at the moment? The second being brands attaching themselves to causes that have no brand relevance what so ever, in an attempt to be seen to be doing the right thing. A good sign of laziness.
| BY Lynchy |

Publicis One has appointed Brian Capel as the new Chief Executive Officer in Indonesia. He will be taking over the reins from Anne Ridwan, who is leaving the company to pursue other opportunities, effective June 1st.

The appointment will see Capel (left) lead Publicis One in a dual capacity as CEO as well as his current role as Chief Creative Officer.

Capel has 26 years of experience in the communications industry working in leading creative agency networks including Ogilvy, Leo Burnett and DMB&B across Malaysia and Indonesia. An established, award winning creative leader, Capels body of work spans global and local brands including McDonalds, Friesland Campina, Telkomsel, Indofood, Philip Morris International, Malaysia Airline, Nestle, Samsung, LOreal, CIMB Bank and Pizza Hut. In addition to that, Capel has also been a member of the executive committee (EXCO) leadership team of Leo Burnett and later, Publicis One Indonesia.

Over the past nine years, he plays a key role, alongside the other EXCO leaders, in the management of the company as well as integrating the different entities under Publicis One. Brands under the Publicis One Indonesia umbrella includes Leo Burnett, Publicis, Razorfish, Saatchi & Saatchi, Starcom, Mediavest | Spark, Zenith, Blue 449 (previously Optimedia | Blue 449) and Performics.

Menat said: Brian has the rare combination of creativity and business acumen, qualities that we need to succeed in our business today. His ability to understand the business realities of our clients and use creativity to deliver effective solutions for their communication needs are central to the strong track record he has built over the years. At Publicis One, we strongly believe that creativity is the biggest competitive advantage in business today. With his creative background, Brian brings a unique perspective to his new role as CEO. Combining this with his keen understanding of business, and management experience for close to a decade being a part of the EXCO leadership team, Brian is the ideal person to take Publicis One Indonesia forward.

Menat praised Ridwan (pictured right) for her contributions to the company: Anne first joined Leo Burnett in 2012 as managing director of Alpha245 and was promoted to CEO of Publicis One in 2016. Together with Brian and the EXCO team, Anne has led the growth of Leo Burnett and lay the foundation for Publicis One in Indonesia. We wish her every success in her next step.

It is believed Ridwan will be joining Ogilvy Indonesia.

Im looking forward to the new role and the challenges that come with it. The world has definitely gotten more interesting from when I started 26 years ago, especially with all the specialties and skillsets that are available today. Its very exciting to be given the opportunity to lead an organization like Publicis One, where services like creative, media, PR, Activation, Branded Experience Design, Digital and Tech are all under one roof and we have a whole new approach towards achieving results. We are in a very different world today where time, budgets and people are changing faster than we can imagine. A structure like Publicis One caters to this change by bringing all that our clients needs effectively and efficiently, said Capel.

As CEO and CCO of Publicis One, my role is and always will be to help our clients achieve their objectives creatively whether its analyzing data, shaping business strategy or crafting creative solutions to meet new challenges everyday beyond the usual 30sec TVC. I am confident that todays business challenges need creative solutions and creativity and innovation will always be the core of what we do.

Capel added: The other important task ahead, which has also always been a priority for us, is to identify, inspire and groom talents. Previously my focus was the creative department, now, Im excited to do so for the entire organization to strengthen the Publicis One offerings.
Student intolerance and opposition to free speech have been gaining momentum. What began as isolated incidents at the University of Missouri and Yale University in fall 2015 quickly spread to other universities, leading to individuals being targeted for simply expressing their opinions.Recent rioting that prevented a speech by Milo Yiannopoulos at UC Berkeley, and similar mob-like disruptions at NYU and Middlebury College, seem to have established violence and intimidation as acceptable tools for suppressing controversial or even just right-of-center speech.The good news is that state legislators have taken notice. Across the country, including here in North Carolina, proposals have been introduced that would protect free speech on public university campuses. They would abolish unconstitutional barriers to free expression that many universities have erected under the guise of inclusion and safety.The need for such protections is pressing. A 2015 survey conducted by Yale University's William F. Buckley Jr. Program revealed that more than half of U.S. college students are in favor of their school having codes that regulate student and faculty speech.This anti-free speech mindset was on display recently at Santa Clara University. Student government leaders there denied official recognition to a chapter of Turning Point USA, an outspoken conservative organization. Some students claimed the group made them feel "unsafe."And back in 2015, Yale students spat on free speech advocates during a conference titled, in an ironic twist, "The Future of Free Speech." They stormed the auditorium in an effort to disrupt the event-all in response to a comment that one of the speakers had made on social media.This new, illiberal campus culture is unhealthy for students and for higher education's purpose-the search for truth. If there is no pushback against these irrational tactics of the Left, they will only encourage others to replace factual arguments with emotional tantrums, and to treat with contempt those who hold divergent views.But the problem runs deeper than students' attitudes; riots, protests, and other activities designed to suppress non-conforming speech often are enabled by university policies. Many universities are unreliable protectors of the marketplace of ideas and even students' most basic rights. recent survey of 440 American universities indicates that nearly half of them have adopted policies that infringe on the First Amendment rights of students. Also, many schools are willing to fire dissenting employees and create "free speech zones" for the sake of maintaining their public image and avoiding controversy. And in some cases a double standard has been established, where controversial expression is tolerated so long as it has a "liberal" slant.For example, during NC State University's recent "Diversity Education Week," a student organization put up posters directed at white students; it contained messages that would have been unacceptable if geared towards any other racial group. Yet there was no action taken by the university or outcry from the student body. (NC State, by the way, recently found itself in a legal battle after targeting a Christian student group for handing out literature; only after a lawsuit was filed did the school revise its policy.)It now appears that some state legislatures are doing what universities will not do-protect students' First Amendment rights and the free exchange of ideas. For example, legislatures in several states, including Arizona and Colorado, have recently abolished unconstitutional free speech zones.In Vermont, a bill to protect student journalists from being disciplined for expression and to prevent censorship in student newspapers has advanced. A similar bill has been introduced in Indiana. The bills state that content cannot be suppressed because it involves political or controversial subject matter or is critical of a school or its administration. In 2015 North Dakota became the first state to pass such a measure; Maryland and Illinois later enacted similar laws.In North Carolina, the recently proposed Restore Campus Free Speech Act would direct the UNC system's Board of Governors to adopt a system-wide policy protecting free speech. It would require the Board to establish a Committee on Free Expression. The Committee would report each year on the status of First Amendment protections at UNC institutions and update the Board if university administrators fail to uphold those protections. The bill also stipulates that students will learn about university policies on free expression during freshman orientation.In a House committee meeting last week, UNC General Counsel Tom Shanahan claimed the bill was unnecessary. And a representative from the ACLU expressed concerns about what she called "overly broad" language in the current version of the proposal.The bill, however, was modeled after model legislation written, and vetted, by scholars at the Goldwater Institute in Arizona. And Robert Shibley, vice president of the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE), has praised the Goldwater bill, saying,Only two North Carolina universities have received "green lights" (the highest rating) from FIRE for protecting free expression. That's partly because the current system fails to ensure that university administrators uphold free speech and that they are held accountable when they don't.Colleges and universities are supposed to provide an open environment for those seeking to expand their perspectives and gain knowledge. Academia's increasing political correctness, however, has in some cases thwarted such intellectual development. The problem is exacerbated when administrators sit idly by, allowing a small minority of campus zealots to stifle debate.The Restore Campus Free Speech Act and related legislation in other states are based on a recognition of these problems. Perhaps soon, higher education will return to being a bastion of free speech and intellectual diversity.
Tuesday, April 25, 2017 at 3:14PM

Text and photos by Gadjo Cardenas Sevilla



The new Samsung Galaxy flagships, the S8 and the taller S8+, are the supermodels of the smartphone world. Theyre fastidiously put together, unusually slender and stylish, and look and feel exclusive. Built around the new almost bezel-less infinity display, with an organic wraparound design, the new Galaxies transcend old smartphone design norms and challenge our expectations of what a premium and forward thinking smartphone could be.



Form and function





When someone hands you a Galaxy S8 or Galaxy S8+ for the first time, it is like they brought something back from the future, or perhaps a nearby alien planet.

The reason for this is that these new smartphones look and feel so different from anything thats come from Samsung. The closest thing to holding a sleek slab of glass, the Galaxy S8s feel truly integrated, like they were carved out of a piece of crystal or marble and polished to smooth perfection.

Theyre taller and narrower than many phones Ive tried before, yet they fit my hand well and are satisfying to use in one hand. The Galaxy S8, at 5.8-inches will be the sweet spot in terms of size for users who like smaller phones, but who still want in on the stunning new Quad HD + display with a (2960 x1440) resolution and a pixel density of 570 pixels per inch with an 18.9 aspect ratio. Most apps scale to fill up as much of this space as possible.

This is a svelte phone, feels very light and you can hardly feel where the front fascia ends and the rear begins. The Galaxy S8+, for me, is the model to get. It has a larger display and larger battery, plus it is truly a device you want to consume content on as well as interact with various apps and games.





All of Samsungs previous work on Edge display technology, as well as software, has paid dividends with the Galaxy S8 line since the Infinity Display and deleted bezels look amazing.

Gone is the home button, which has now been replaced by a software button as well as a force touch like force feedback engine. Samsungs logo has also been deleted, so what you have now are shoestring-sized bezels on the top (for speaker, front facing cameras and sensors) and below.



The Samsung Galaxy S8s Infinity Display is a hallmark feature, it makes all displays before it feel obsolete. The bright display, the crisp resolution, the rounded corners as well as the smoothly tapered edges, make this a significant feature that set it apart from everything else out there today.

The Galaxy S8s offer a very high level of design and innovation that a lot of users are going to find attractive. Samsung has leapfrogged itself in this respect, and the selection of materials, colours and finishes all show a high-degree of taste and careful product development.





The rear of the S8 is similarly an expanse of glass, but now host the trifecta of camera and flash, as well as the fingerprint sensor, which seems poorly placed next to barely-there camera bezel. Despite Galaxy S8s 8mm thinness, Samsungs been gracious enough to include a headphone jack (and this is a waterproof device, too, with IP68 water and dust resistance, no less).

The downsides to this design is that it is quite slippery and it is also extremely prone to smudges and fingerprints. I noticed some scratches on my Galaxy S8+ review unit days after taking possession of it, this is despite me babying the device and always having a microfiber cloth nearby. Getting a case for these Galaxy devices is of paramount importance.

We get a USB-Type C port, a speaker, fast-charging capability, wireless charging is also on tap and the Galaxy S8 can reportedly handle the fastest LTE Cat 16 data transfer speeds (available in Canada through Bell Mobility).



The Galaxy S8s, which are identical in most specs save for size, and battery life, run Android N immensely well, which is amazing if you consider Samsungs persistent TouchWiz overlay, now slightly muted and more Material-Design infused, is still here running on top of Android. The Samsung apps are a mixed bag, some are neat and useful, others still feel like clutter. Clutter that you can't trash.

Software



The key thing here is not just that there are tiny bezels, or that the display is curved, but that it actually adds other layers of interaction.



Swipe left and you get an Apps Edge, which offers 10 shortcuts to your favourite apps. Swipe even more and youre presented with a People Edge where you can call or message your five closest persons. Swipe again and you get Smart Select, which allows you to capture and create GIFs of any item on screen.



Samsung still hasnt gotten over the need to duplicate apps that perform functions already addressed by Googles apps. So, you have a folder for Samsung apps, one for Google apps and one for Microsoft apps as well.



Access control is a key feature this year. I already talked about the rear fingerprint scanner (which I never use), but theres also a retina scanner as well as facial recognition to secure and access the phone. Ive been using facial recognition and it is a hit or miss affair. Still, it is nice to have choices.





Another key feature for the Galaxy S8 line is the new Bixby personal assistant, which currently does not work as a voice assistant, but is available via a Bixby section, which is found when you swipe right on the screen.

This gives you a look at nearby places, your schedule, activity tracking info, weather, theme downloads (?), news, Twitter feeds and recent photos. Once more, this is an example of Samsung replicating features youd get from apps like Flipboard, Google Now or news aggregators. Bixby isnt a stillborn feature, but I personally doubt its success if it isnt enabled soon. People will just ignore it. Specially since Google Assistant is already on tap.



Hits



 Stunning Infinity Display pushes smartphone design forward

 Bezel-free design and glass enclosure makes the Galaxy S8 and S8+ look and feel futuristic

 Strong performance, great rear camera

 Always On Display is useful

 Water and dust resistance

 Headphone jack

 Wireless fast charging





Misses



 Rear fingerprint sensor next to camera lens is a bust

 Slippery and smudge prone finish and exterior

 Expensive



Conclusion:

In terms of design and display technology, Samsungs twin-towers hit the ball right out of the park. These are the most impressive and desirable handsets Samsung has ever made, and they are the flagship smartphones to beat right now with no challenger on the horizon until the next iPhone hits the market.

The Galaxy S8 offers a generational leap in design, fit and finish and also hints at a future where smartphones will be more about the display and less about the physical buttons and bezels. Samsung has maybe tried to do too much with this release. The heralded Bixby assistant is as good a vapourware until it works and users are already jaded with regards to personal assistant technology that it has a lot to prove, when it finally ships.





Rating: 4 out of 5
Wednesday, April 26, 2017 at 1:20AM

Its going to be a two-year wait for the next main trilogy Star Wars movie and a three-year wait for the upcoming Indiana Jones film. Walt Disney Company and Lucasfilm just announced that May 24, 2019 will be the release date for the untitled Star Wars: Episode IX, while Indiana Jones will be hitting theatres on July 10, 2020. Directed by Colin Trevorrow, Episode IX closes out the newest Star Wars trilogy. For Indiana Jones, its been announced Harrison Ford and director Steven Spielberg will be coming back for this latest movie. Chris Pratt has been tipped to be coming to the reboot but that hasnt been confirmed just yet.

Source: Polygon
He said another factor may have been the increased load put on the system due to air-conditioning over the summer period, which records indicate was one of the hottest summers in the ACT on record, a factor he believed was "probably the straw that broke the camel's back".
"Much has been achieved, such as an accelerated land release program which has seen a near doubling of the number of dwelling sites released over the five years to 2013-14 with 19,475 sites released, compared to only 11,179 dwelling sites in the preceding five years.
But it was quite unlike the atmosphere of Gothic horror they were trying to evoke in their adaptation of Bram Stoker's 1897 vampire novel. Co-adaptor and co-director of the company, Ross Balbuziente, who plays the role of one of the vampire hunters, Dr Jack Seward, said there was a delicate link between humour and horror and they wanted to avoid unintentional laughter - there are some deliberately lighter moments to ease the tension in places - and steer away from camp to present as faithful a version as possible of Stoker's tale.
BIG TIMBER  A dance event that takes you "back to the good old days" is set for 7-10 p.m. Saturday at the American Legion in Big Timber.

Nineteen musicians from Billings, Wyoming and Bozeman are donating their time to bring big band music and dancing together to support kids in arts programs around the community.

Tickets are available at the door. Proceeds go to students to enhance their forays into art, music, and writing in the form of scholarships to music and art camps. This event is a joint effort between Sweet Grass Arts Alliance and Arts Without Boundaries.

In 2016, Dance for the Arts raised over $2,200, providing a full scholarship to Red Lodge Music Festival for one student and supporting the Poet in the Schools programs for three Sweet Grass County schools.
A man believed to be involved in a November shooting and car crash that left one woman dead entered pleas in court Tuesday.

Anthony Marcus Costello, 29, pleaded not guilty to felony counts of attempted deliberate homicide, assault with a weapon, criminal endangerment and carrying a concealed weapon.

He entered the same plea for an additional misdemeanor count of theft. The hearing took place in Yellowstone County District Court.

Costello is accused of shooting at a woman on Nov. 10, 2016, at Mountview Cemetery. The woman told police that she'd stolen drugs and money from Costello and went to the cemetery that evening to make a sale, charges state.

When the woman arrived at the cemetery with another person driving, Costello allegedly shot at them. The woman told police that Costello wanted her dead, according to court documents.

The driver and the woman drove away when the shooting started, charges state. Soon after, they were waiting at a red light on Central Avenue when the driver saw someone, whom he believed to be Costello, approaching.

The driver pulled out and ran the red light, causing a three-car crash. A passenger in one of the other vehicles died more than a week after the crash. The doctor who performed the autopsy could not confirm that the crash caused her injuries.

In February, Yellowstone County officials began the process of transferring Costello back to Billings from Wyoming, where he faced theft and drug-related charges.

On Tuesday, District Judge Gregory Todd set bond at $200,000 for Costello, who remains in the Yellowstone County Detention Facility. Future hearings in the case will be scheduled at a later date.
GREAT FALLS  A 38-year-old woman has been arrested on suspicion of deliberate homicide in the stabbing death of a north-central Montana man last month.

Cascade County officials say Linda Christianson was served with a warrant Tuesday while jailed in Ravalli County for reportedly violating her probation in a 2010 drug case there.

Christianson is charged with killing 41-year-old Steven Fletcher on March 5 at a residence in Great Falls. She also faces a charge of tampering with evidence. The warrant lists her bail at $500,000 in the homicide case.

Fletcher's death was initially reported as a suicide.

Records indicate Christianson was booked into the jail in Hamilton on March 31. She remained there on Wednesday.
ORLEANS  More than 500 Cape Codders experienced a sort of therapy session April 20 for what U.S. Sen. Ed Markey called PTSD: Post Trump Stress Disorder.

Markey and U.S. Rep. Bill Keating took the stage in the Nauset Regional Middle School auditorium with a fighting spirit and insights into the political process, including the likely bipartisan rejection of many of the president's proposed budget cuts. Their insider insights and exhortations to action drew applause from the capacity crowd.

In opening remarks, Markey criticized the proposed 31 percent funding cut to the Environmental Protection Agency when we know but for the grace of God that Hurricane Sandy, if it had moved a few degrees, would have devastated the Cape, made it unrecognizable. He blasted the proposed 30 percent cut to the State Department and Defense Department increase of $54 billion at a time when even the generals say we need more diplomats, more people talking to the Russians, the Syrians...We are not going to have a military resolution of our conflict with North Korea that can end other than in catastrophe. In the face of such challenges, the senator said, We have to fight every single day.

Keating was just as blunt. Our core institutions are under siege by our own leadership in our own country, he declared. We now have a leader saying the press is the enemy. When we go into other countries, we're confronted with that. When we talk about freedom of religion, (there's an) executive order that sets aside one faith and excludes them. The freedom to vote  to call that into question? Our basic rights are all under question, all under siege.

We're so happy to see this activism, Keating told the full house. In Turkey, Syria, Egypt, or Russia, if you met like this in those countries, most of you would wind up in jail. You are the platform that gives us the opportunity to work outside the institutions.

The two political leaders got into questions from the audience quickly. Asked the three most important things activists can do, Keating cited the need to deal in facts, to demand that representatives work toward solutions, and at every level, including state and local, remain vigilant and active.

Markey appealed to his listeners' heritage as sons and daughters of Massachusetts. The abolitionist movement started here, he said. The suffragette movement started here. Affordable care started here. Gay marriage started here. Massachusetts just has to be up. The rest of the country sees us fighting these issues and (takes) courage. We have to be there in Massachusetts as the leader on every one of the issues.

Citing the state's technology accomplishments, Markey said, We believe in science to loud cheers. It's not like religion versus science, he said. Science is the answer to our prayers.

Karl Oakes of Orleans, steering committee chair of Lower Cape Indivisible, called Trump ethically compromised and laid the question of impeachment on the table.

I think we need to get to the answers we all want, Markey said about contacts between Trump's campaign team and Russia before the election and his transition team and that nation afterward. If the House intelligence committee can't do the job, he said, an independent commission must be appointed; if it's found that the American electoral process was compromised, then we need to appoint a special counsel...I think it will be critical that we walk each step correctly.

Keating, an original cosponsor of sanctions against Russian oligarchs to counter expansionism in Georgia, Ukraine, and other nations, said a response is critical because they will continue to get involved in our elections, not just in the U.S., but (those of) our allies: Estonia, Germany, France. In France, it's legal for candidates to accept money from other countries. Russia gave $9.7 million to Marine Le Pen. They're trying to divide the West.

The aging nuclear power plant in Plymouth, currently being refueled to extend its life to 2019, prompted a question that took Markey back to his time in the U.S. House when he chaired the committee with oversight of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. In 1986, he asked the NRC's chair to name the worst-run plant in the country. Pilgrim, of course, was the reply.

Since then, Markey said, I've been a policeman for this power plant. One of his top aides was appointed to head the NRC by President Obama, and plans were in the works to require that, following the Fukushima incident in plants similar to Pilgrim, the Plymouth facility would have numerous safety upgrades before its closure.

The NRC has now granted waivers from these regulations, Markey said. That is just plain wrong. They're trying to maximize profits by not installing these safety features. The NRC is now a lap dog, not a watchdog. That, he said, is a challenge for us, all of us, to become much more loud in our protest. I want to work with you at the grass roots level (regarding) what these protests look like. The nuclear industry across the country has to hear, and it should start here.

Kevin Galligan of East Orleans asked the politicians for help in stopping an administration plan to defund AmeriCorps, the program that brings young volunteers to places like Cape Cod to work on environmental programs. That prompted Markey to slip for a moment into his Kennedy accent as he recited some of the late president's calls to action.

AmeriCorps and the Peace Corps are at the heart of that message of President Kennedy, he said. I've been working hard the last month building a bipartisan effort to fight to preserve that. I cannot guarantee you, but I am very confident they will not be successful in cutting the program. Keating noted that there is some bipartisan support against some of the Trump budget initiatives.

Asked whether Democrats would put forward their own legislation on matters such as infrastructure investment and improvement of the Affordable Care Act, Keating said, Our job is to try to make things better. We're gonna offer those solutions (and) let the public see them.

Citing his record of introducing bills that became law, Markey said, By definition, I worked with Republicans. He said Congress has Trump in an intensive remedial Constitutional course so he can understand the role of the Senate, House, and judiciary. You can't call people names if you're not happy with them. He gets shocked when Kim Jong-un doesn't faint when he yells at him.

We had to do the same thing with Ronald Reagan in 1981, when he wanted to abolish the Department of Energy, Education, and the EPA. He walked away from all negotiations with the Soviet Union on arms control. I introduced the nuclear freeze resolution, and Ted Kennedy had it in the Senate. One million people (turned out) in Central Park. (Reagan) went back to the negotiating table.

Trump, Markey said, is still suffering from a severe untreated narcissistic personality disorder that requires a political intervention.
HELENA  Though an $80.3 million bonding bill fell four votes shy in an initial test Wednesday, some supporters think they can get enough lawmakers to change their minds overnight to pass one of the key pieces of legislation this session.

Late Wednesday, the House voted 63-37 on a bill that builds new or improves existing roads, water projects, schools and buildings across the state using money from bonding. The robust debate included claims of holding legislation hostage pitted against pleas for the state to approve an amount of bonding thats lower than what some local school districts are asking voters to pass this spring.

To approve bonding, the bill needs 67 votes to pass the House, or a two-thirds majority. It passed the Senate last month 34-16.

The bill is Miles City Republican Sen. Eric Moores Senate Bill 367, though a version that was slimmed down from $98 million early Wednesday to $80.3 million by the end of the day to look more like a House bill carried by Rep. Mike Cuffe, R-Eureka.

Cuts to Moores bill included taking the budget for renovations at Romney Hall on the Montana State University campus from $25 million to $22 million. An amendment also lowered the amount of money directed to the Quality Schools Facility Grant program, from $30 million to $16 million. However, that puts the amount at higher than what was given to the schools program in Cuffes bill.

Im optimistic for tomorrow, said House Minority Leader Jenny Eck, D-Helena, who voted for the bill. Weve come a long way and had a lot of negotiations in good faith.

Part of that good faith, Eck said, includes a motion she made after the vote to revive the long-stalled House Bill 8 that would pay for several rural water projects, something Speaker of the House Austin Knudsen, R-Culbertson, said he feels was held hostage as negotiations over bonding intensified as the Legislature nears its end. Thursday marks the 87th day of the session.

If they want to play games with regional water funding, thats on them, he said when the House adjourned after passing a motion to bring House Bill 8, which includes the water projects, to a vote Thursday. He said the action would not change his vote against the bill.

Rep. Rob Cook, R-Conrad, was one of 22 Republicans who joined all 41 Democrats to vote for the bill. He said thered be major efforts to change the minds of at least four lawmakers overnight. The bill will face a final vote in an 8 a.m. session Thursday, likely the final day of the Legislature.

Theres a path to victory, Cook said. By releasing (House Bill 8) you're starting to show good faith in an attempt to get an infrastructure solution for the state of Montana.

Cuffe, who was disappointed the last infrastructure bill standing wasnt his, still spoke in support of the bonding bill, which he carried on the House floor.

Ill be perfectly honest with you. Id rather have a smaller bill, he said, before adding he was still satisfied with the proposal and the projects in it are justified.

Not all changes made Wednesday were cuts. A project to fix the water intake in Laurel picked up $1.7 million in funding and improvements in Makoshika State Park in Eastern Montana got $1.5 million.

Rep. Dennis Lenz, R-Billings, voted against the bill, saying that the Laurel water project needs $2.5 million and had been used as an ineffective pawn in an attempt to get more Republican support.

There are not votes being bought on a one-third discount, he said. Thats a blue-light special.

Lenz also criticized the passage of 4.5 cent increase to the state gas tax and a bill thats still in play to increase the bed tax to pay for a new state heritage center building in Helena, saying it was too great a burden for taxpayers to add on bonding. Several members of his party echoed him on the floor in opposing the bill.

Republicans have pushed hard this week the message that the Legislature has paid for infrastructure projects through other bills such as water projects and state-owned buildings. The party also points to the gas tax, which fills a hole in the Department of Transportation's budget than can be used to leverage federal money.

You want to vote for bonding, thats fine, but dont tell me we arent funding infrastructure, said Rep. Carl Glimm, R-Kila, who voted against the bill.

But Democrats have said bonding is a good deal in a tight budget year and that some local school districts are asking their voters for well over $80.3 million this spring to build local schools and the state should be able to do at least as much.

Rep. Jim Keane, D-Butte, said that bonding is a good way for the state to pay for things it cant afford with cash, saying the Capitol was build that way in the late 1890s and early 1900s.

This isnt about us, it isnt about you and me. Its about the state of Montana; its about the future, he said. We couldnt be in a better place here. Lets do the right thing for the state of Montana.

Rep. Jeff Essmann, R-Billings, voted for the bill, saying its the only way needed improvements to school buildings will get paid for until a Senate bill, which is likely to become law, sets up a long-term solution.

We didnt do anything for these local schools last session and if this doesnt pass this session we wont do anything again, he said.

Knudsen said a deal to secure 67 votes couldnt be reached after negotiations with Gov. Steve Bullock didnt produce anything. Knudsen said there were two paths to get enough votes  either trimming the amount of bonding or a promise the governor would not veto some key Republican bills, but neither happened.

What weve seen is Republican priorities are not as important as Democrat priorities, that somehow Democrat priorities take precedence over Republican priorities.

After the vote, Bullock released a statement by email saying:

I have worked across the aisle and met the Republican-majority Legislature more than halfway. Montanans want us to create good-paying jobs, build safer roads and bridges, and strengthen our economy. And they want it done this legislative session. It's time to get this bill across the finish line."
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A group of Billings parents wants to use science to fight pornography.

To do it, they've worked with West High and Will James Middle School to bring in the nonprofit advocacy group Fight The New Drug, which will put on a community program at 6:30 p.m. Thursday in the West High auditorium.

The group will then put on assemblies for students at the two schools during the day on Friday.

"We felt like it was something that needed to be addressed," said Erin Walker, one of the parents involved with bringing the group to town.

One of the hallmarks of the advocacy work done by Fight The New Drug is its reliance on science, research and personal stories to shed light on the dangers of kids and teens consuming pornography.

"The research was clear that pornography has negative neurological effects, is damaging to relationships, and is impacting our society as a whole," reads the group's mission statement.

It was the group's use of science to make their point that attracted the attention of local parents.

"I liked that it had a scientific approach," Walker said.

Fight The New Drug cites a handful of studies with research that shows how pornography lights up the pleasure centers of the brain. That, in turn, creates a need and then a habit, compelling the consumer to continue the behavior, according to the research cited by the group.

But more than that, Walker saw the group as particularly relatable to Millenials and teenagers.

"Really what makes this special is they have a really engaging platform," Walker said. "They're cool."

That cool quotient has been helped along by some high-profile voices who have spoken bluntly about the damage pornography can do to personal relationships.

The actor and comedian Terry Crews, who stars right now in Fox's "Brooklyn Nine-Nine," famously talked about his addiction to pornography last year when he posted a series of videos to Facebook. Crews sought professional help for his habit because he worried that he'd wreck his marriage and lose his family.

Movie star Joseph Gordon-Levitt talked openly about the damaging impact pornography can have on relationships while he was doing press for his film "Don Jon."

Erin Thomas, who practiced couples therapy in Billings for three years before opening her own practice in Omaha, Nebraska last year, said pornography habits can do all kinds of damage to a relationship.

"One of the hardest things for me to work with as a couples counselor was the loss of trust that occurred within the relationship," she said. "It seems that this type of behavior always includes lying and manipulation."

And that's a relationship killer, she said.

"Seeking pornography out is one thing but feeling like you always have to lie to a loved one about how often you are looking, because of the hurt it causes them, has the ability to destroy trust in any relationship," she said.

With teens, constant pornography consumption can create expectations and appetites that can do real damage to relationships.

And so Walker and the other parents involved are eager to get the message out that pornography can be addictive and do legitimate harm to people's lives.

They're hopeful for a good reception Thursday night and they hope as other school administrators see the presentation, they'll invite Fight The New Drug back next year to visit more schools across Billings.
When Molly Malady and Jordan Brooks pull into town, they pack everything they need  set, scripts, props and costumes  to stage a musical.

In this case, the directors from Missoula Childrens Theatre are staging a Western-themed take on "The Wizard of Oz called The Wiz of the West Friday and Saturday at Westpark Village.

Whats especially nontraditional about this show, which features local actors, is the age range of the players themselves.

Most are elementary school students.

A half-dozen or so are residents of Westpark Village, a West End retirement, assisted living and memory care facility.

The age mix pleases at least two Westpark residents.

Its fun being with these kids, said Kenny Biggs, whos 89. Our kids and grandkids and great-grandkids arent in Billings.

These kids are wonderful, said his wife, Nadine, whos 86 and plays Ma to her husbands Pa Munch, who head up the shows Munch Kin.

On Tuesday afternoon, Malady and Brooks  who have staged The Wiz of the West 14 times together  put the cast through its second of five rehearsals in Westpark Villages lower level, where the show will be offered to the public Friday evening and Saturday afternoon.

It is a unique experience, working with people of different ages, Malady said.

Usually, its just us and a group of children, Brooks said. It will be nice for the young actors to make those connections with actors who might be 10 times their age.

You never know what will spark a kids interest, he said.

The directors require the younger actors to memorize their parts, but Westpark Village residents are allowed to use their scripts during the performances if they need them.

As Tuesdays rehearsal began, Malady and Brooks split their acting troupe into two groups. As familiar as they are with the script, the directors narrated the action while reminding the actors of their blocking and cuing them on their lines.

Itll all come together Friday, Malady said with a grin.

The Wiz of the West is Westpark Villages third intergenerational play in three years.

We see that both generations benefit from the interaction, said Tina Vauthier, Westpark Villages executive director, and the children develop confidence, skills and self-esteem  as well as meaningful relationships with our residents.

The play is part of Westpark Village's Ages Entwined program, which develops activities to bring generations together to share, from one generation to another, wisdom, mentoring and socializing.

Many of the residents here have never done anything like this, Malady said. These kids may never be in another play again, but for one week, its fun for everyone.
With looks inspired by the V8 Vantage GTE racer from last year, the Aston Martin Vantage GT8 is the lightest and most powerful V8 Vantage ever.



Combine this with the fact that it was produced in just 150 units, and you have the perfect recipe for a collectors car.

Luxury dealer group H.R. Owen recently got their hands on car No. 66. Its finished in Onyx Black, and gets red inserts on the outside and in the cabin, in addition to the carbon fiber body whose purpose is saving weight and improving aerodynamic.

The British model is also equipped with plenty of optional features, such as the Aero Pack in Gloss Carbon, premium audio system, reversing camera, and Vantage GT8 logo embossed into the headrests.

Under the hood, a six-speed manual works in tandem with a 4.7-liter V8 engine, rated at 440hp, helping it reach 62mph (100km/h) in 4.4sec, and 190mph (306km/h).

The asking price for all this is 259,950 (equal to $332,796 at the current exchange rates), or a whopping 95,000 ($121,622) more than its initial starting price.

Besides the Aston Martin Vantage GT8, the UK dealer also welcomed the Vanquish Volante AM37 Edition by Q into one of their showrooms, and are asking 236,950 ($303,350) to let it go.

PHOTO GALLERY
Mercedes-AMG boss Tobias Moers has confirmed that the next-generation A45 will have over 400 hp.



In recent years, AMG has been trading blows with Audi Sport to see who can create the craziest hot hatch, an accolade Audi currently holds with the 395 hp RS3 Sportback. Speaking to Car Advice, Moers said the new A45 will have to churn out at least 400 hp from its all-new 2.0-liter engine.

The new 2.0-litre will be an all-new engine. Yes, an electric turbine is something we have a close link to, but maybe not in that first version.

Yeah, we have to be over 300kW (402 hp), too, we know that. You have to be at a certain level, Moers said.

The new A45 is unlikely to arrive before 2019 but Moers admitted that the German performance division of Mercedes cant give an advantage to its competitors.

We dont want to give a tip or an advantage to our competitors, but we do need to be over 300kW  thats the new standard.

Beyond its more powerful range-topping model, the next-generation A-Class will receive an all-new exterior design inspired by the recent Concept A unveiled in Shanghai. Spy shots have also revealed the new A-Class will get two large digital displays similar to those found on the S-Class and E-Class.

PHOTO GALLERY
The unprecedented expansion of Mercedes-AMG shows no signs of relenting with confirmation that a number of new AMG-dedicated dealerships are in the works.



AMGs first exclusive dealership opened in Tokyo back in January alongside the announcement that one would open its doors in Sydney as well. Now, AMG boss Tobias Moers has confirmed that Shanghai, Abu Dhabi, the UK and an undisclosed city in Germany will also get AMG showrooms.

If these dealerships follow the lead of the Tokyo location, they can be expected to house the brands most popular models and will offer a distinctive buying experience in facilities inspired by the brands focus on performance.

The performance division of Mercedes-Benz is currently enjoying its most successful period to date and in 2016, saw global sales skyrocket by 44 per cent to almost 100,000. According to Autocar, sales are expected to again rise by double digits this year and will steady out until the companys next-generation models arrive in 2020 and beyond.

PHOTO GALLERY
Lamborghini by now is 54 years old. Back in 1993, it had just turned 30. So to celebrate the milestone, it developed a special version of the Diablo and offered 150 of them  of which this example (soon to cross the auction block) was the very first.



The SE30 packed the same 5.7-liter V12 as every other version of the Diablo (until the 6.0-liter version was released in 99), but augmented to 523 horsepower instead of the original stock 485.

It also ditched the VTs all-wheel drive system and  long before the arrival of dual-clutch or other newfangled gearboxes  stuck with an old-school five-speed manual. The Diablo SE30 was further distinguished by some aerodynamic enhancements (including a louvered engine cover) and the requisite special badging.

This example was the first of the 150 built, painted in the models signature shade of purple to make it stand out even among Lambos. It was delivered, packed with optional extras, to its first owner in Milan, who drove it extensively. It was then sold to another Italian enthusiast before making its way two years ago to its current owner in England.

By now this anniversary-edition Raging Bull has accrued nearly 22,000 miles, and will hopefully clock even more in the hands of its fourth owner  whoever that may turn out to be after the gavel drops at Villa Erba in Italy a little over a month from now. As for the rest of us, we can sit back and admire the images in the gallery below, captured by Simone Caldirola for RM Sothebys.

Photo Gallery
Uber is hoping to break its streak of bad news by announcing plans to launch its much-hyped flying taxi service in 2020.



Announced at the Elevate conference in Dallas today, the ride-hailing giant has teamed up with the cities of Dallas-Fort Worth and Dubai to begin the new initiative. The Verge reports Uber will also be working with Hilwood Properties to identity potential heliports, dubbed vertiports in Uber speak, for the service in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

The company has partnered with five different manufacturers to design and develop vertical takeoff and landing aircrafts which are lightweight and electrically powered. Before you decide to write the idea off, there are some big names involved including Bell Helicopters and Embraer.

Unlike traditional flights, the service promises to be relatively affordable as Uber Chief Product Officer Jeff Holden told Reuters the company can get costs down to $1.32 per passenger mile in early operations. That makes the service slightly more expensive than UberX but he believes prices will drop in the long term.

If everything goes according to plan, Uber could be conducting passenger flights at the World Expo 2020 in Dubai.

Video
Photo: Getty Images

We are likely all familiar with the idea of a placebo effect. This occurs when we experience a response to a perceived treatment when the treatment itself is biologically active.

I have written several times about the power of placebo, so common and beguiling that it is controlled against in the majority of clinical research for new medical treatments.

The term nocebo effect has been used for something described as the placebos evil twin.

Although there isnt a standardized definition for nocebo effect, it really is seen as the flip side of the placebo.

It is thought to occur when patients attribute negative reactions they experience to a treatment intervention  even when they are given an actual placebo (or inactive medicine).

Symptoms are often nondescript such as headache or fatigue and seem to occur most often among women, those with pessimistic temperaments, or those with negative attitudes about the treatment being offered.

A study published in 2015 in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry by researchers at Deakin University in Australia suggests the nocebo effect is quite common and should be considered in the design of psychiatric clinical trials.

Prevalence rates for nocebo effect vary depending on the clinical setting and type of therapy examined.

In this study, researchers examined data from 2,400 subjects in clinical trials involving antidepressants and found the nocebo effect could be responsible for more than 60 percent of treatment-emergent adverse effects and almost five percent of those who stopped treatment.

These researchers say the nocebo effect can impact a study by causing distress and treatment non-compliance among subjects. It can also potentially lead to a study medication being prematurely withdrawn from the market.

This information raises questions about how to avoid the nocebo effect in both research and clinical settings.

While some say providing too much information to patients of possible side effects may contribute to increasing the nocebo effect, we must respect a patients right to informed consent and autonomy and avoid taking a paternalistic role.

Gone are the days when the healthcare professional is the only source of medical information.

Increasingly, I see the phenomenon of someone with negative pre-existing attitudes about taking medication who then goes home and searches online for information from others who have had negative experiences and then are intolerant to the medication prescribed.

This happens with each medication in turn and sometimes the side effects experienced are very atypical and very difficult to explain on a biological basis. Some such individuals become impossible to treat for this reason.

Like the placebo, it will likely be impossible to eliminate the nocebo response. Our best bet is to identify it and do our best to minimize it.

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.
Photo: Contributed

Is Kelowna ready for towers over 30 storeys?

That question will be answered soon.

North American Development Group, which has an offer pending on a vacant piece of property at Water Street and Sunset Drive, has amended its original proposal which was slated to go before council in January before the application was pulled at the last minute.

The original proposal called for two-16 storey towers on the north and south sides of the property, with 36 townhouse units fronting Ellis Street.

The redesigned project, which has been presented to city planning staff, would feature a 24 storey north tower on top of a three storey podium, and a 32 storey south tower on top of a three storey podium.

The remainder of the site would be similar to the initial proposal.

The area is zoned for heights of 24 storeys.

In all, 388 units would be included in the two towers, about 100 more than the initial proposal.

Before council is able to tackle the height issue, it would first have to approve a land-use application to rezone the property to allow for a mixed use commercial, residential development.

However, planner Ryan Roycroft, who is overseeing the file, said council does, on occasion, take the opportunity to comment on the overall scope of the project, to send a message of sorts to the developer as to how they may feel once the development permit comes up for discussion.

At 35 storeys, including the podium, the south tower would be, by far, the largest building in the city, dwarfing the 26 storey Waterscape building half a block to the north.

Roycroft expects the rezoning application to be in front of council sometime next month or early June.
Photo: Castanet Staff

New softwood lumber duties announced by the United States late Monday will hit West Kelowna's Gorman Bros. hard.

Provincial Forests Minister Steve Thomson says on top of a 19.88 per cent duty rate assessed by the U.S., a finding of critical circumstances was also levied against all but four lumber exporters.

That means penalties are retroactive for 90 days, to include all softwood lumber shipments since Jan. 31.

"That will require them to put cash on deposits as the investigation continues, so it is going to cause some additional stresses and impact on the company," said Thomson.

Those cash deposits would be held in trust by U.S. Customs until all avenues for appeal are exhausted.

"It (additional penalty) has been applied without investigation and without evidence. We just don't understand it, and feel it has no basis in logic, so we will need to work with our industry."

Thomson met with the premier and other members of Cabinet Tuesday morning in Vancouver to discuss what steps the province would take in order to assist the lumber industry.

"We are taking a number of steps to combat these punitive measures which we believe are unfounded and unwarranted," Thomson said. "It was that way in the past and we believe it's still the case."

Those measures include:

Pre-purchasing B.C. softwood lumber for use in BC Housing projects

Immediately following the election, initiate additional trade missions to India, Japan, China and other countries, building on the great work we have done in diversifying markets

Contributing additional money to the Forest Innovation Investments to help build those markets.

Accelerating the elimination of the provincial sales tax on electricity for the industry

Maintaining our commitment to freeze the carbon tax

This is the fifth time the U.S. has slapped countervailing duties on softwood lumber imported from Canada. The previous four occasions, courts have ruled in Canada's favour.

Calls to Gorman Bros. for comment have not been returned.
Photo: Contributed

Castanet News reached out to candidates running in the ridings encompassing the Central Okanagan. These include Kelowna-Lake Country, Kelowna-Mission and Kelowna West. Each candidate was given the same six questions, and asked to respond by Monday, April 24.

Here are the answers to question two from those who replied.

Questions 2 - What do you believe is the number one issue facing constituents in the Central Okanagan in this election. Why, and how would you propose to tackle it as MLA?

Shelley Cook, NDP - Kelowna West - Complex issues like access to affordable housing and healthcare, the two main issues facing the Kelowna West riding, are by nature interconnected. As MLA for Kelowna West, I will address these issues by: 1) building an urgent care centre in West Kelowna and expanding in home support for seniors and people with disabilities, and 2) building affordable housing (i.e.: rental, supportive, assisted living, seniors, co-op) in partnership/cooperation with the municipalities of Kelowna and West Kelowna.

Building an urgent care centre in Kelowna West will allow residents to access much needed health services in their home community. In turn, this will reduce the backlog in emergency care, improving access to healthcare on both sides of the lake.

Seniors and people with disabilities want to stay in their own homes for a long as possible. Expanding in-home care also frees up spaces in residential care, reducing reliance on KGH/clinics. Expanding the availability of assisted living units in Kelowna West will also have the effect of reducing KGH/clinic backlog because people will be receiving much of their required medical care in their homes.

Chuck Hardy, BC Conservatives - Kelowna-Mission - There can't be just one thing. People first, keep jobs in B.C. for all of us, and safe Jobs, Infrastructure, roads rutted and not safe, bases can't handle weights of the trucks. Managers with too many bonuses has to stop. Put people in place that know what they are doing.

Harwinder Sandhu, BC NDP - Kelowna Mission - I have talked with many people in Kelowna and people tell me over and over again that affordability is the number one issue for them.

The BC NDP has a great platform to address this issue. We will eliminate MSP premiums, freeze BC hydro rates, and stop Christy Clarks 42% increase to ICBC premiums. We will give a $400 grant to renters and will immediately raise all income and disability assistance rates by $100/month.

We will encourage and support assistance recipients as they re-enter the workforce, by allowing them to keep an additional $200 a month earning exemption.

We will establish a $10/day childcare program, increase the minimum wage to $15/hour, eliminate student loan interest, and we will provide a $1000 completion grant to each student.

We will work towards keeping medication costs down.

We will create a comprehensive poverty reduction plan. Currently under Christy Clark and the Liberals, BC is the only province without such a plan.

We will create more good paying jobs with a sustainable economy.

Rainer Wilkins, Green Party - Kelowna-Mission - Affordability and job creation for the emerging economy. The BC Greens do not accept donations from Corporations or Unions because we put the citizens of this community and province first and our policies and platform reflect this. Banning corporate and union donations to political parties would create a positive shift in our provincial governments policies.

The economy is a major issue in the 2017 B.C. provincial election, with the incumbent B.C Liberal government running primarily on the strength of the provinces economic performance. However, the B.C. Liberals measures of success  GDP growth and job creation  paint an incomplete economic picture. It ignores that GDP growth has been driven by a red-hot, but limited housing market, that the benefits of this growth have primarily gone to the already-wealthy, and that the jobs that have been created are frequently part-time, insecure and unevenly distributed throughout the province.

The BC Green Party believes that the economy is not an end in itself. Instead, the economy should promote the health and wellbeing of the people of B.C. At present, the B.C. economy does not live up to that measure of success.

The world is changing. Between automation, exponential advances in technology, climate change, global political instability and resource depletion, B.C. needs a strong vision and an actionable strategy in order to succeed amidst these rapid, tectonic shifts. However, the piecemeal approach of both parties does not provide the agility required to succeed under these fast-changing conditions.

The B.C. Green Party is the only party that is presenting a platform that ensures opportunities created today are also available to the next generation. The key objectives of our platform that will run through this release and the ones to come are:

Economic security. Sustainability and intergenerational equity. Responsible government.

Norm Letnick, BC Liberals - Kelowna-Lake Country - We are one of the fastest growth areas in the country and, along with the benefits that come to citizens with growth, also comes the challenges of keeping up with the public infrastructure necessary to maintain and improve our quality of life.

That's why, since becoming your voice in Victoria eight years ago, I've been advocating hard, with my colleagues, for local investments like the new cardiac surgical centre at KGH, Highway 97 expansion, a connector road from Glenmore to Hwy 97, more transit hours, safety medians, new schools, money for water, the rail trail, tree fruit replant, the Okanagan Centre for Innovation, expansions at Okanagan College and UBCO, more access to day care, more family doctors, and much more.

To "tackle it," I am committing to continue the fight to bring more private and public sector investment and jobs to our community. I'm focused on policies that expand the economy and jobs like investing in our fast growing high tech and agriculture industries rather than policies that increase taxes.

Raising taxes, as proposed by my two challengers, will only serve to shrink our long term economic and job prospects thus creating hardships on families and making it more difficult to deliver on those key investments in health care, education, roads, etc. that we all want and need.

Alison Shaw, Green Party - Kelowna-Lake Country - Kelowna-Lake Country residents want to be able to live and work in their community. They want a chance to get ahead and own a home. If theres one issue that effects everyone, its the need for a thriving local economy. Making sure there are full-time jobs being created now and into the future in our communities so that people are earning and spending locally and

driving our local economies forward. I believe that when BC communities do well, BC does well.

We need to recognize that the world is changing and that this creates opportunity. The policies of the Green Party capitalize on this opportunity for BC residents. The Green Party's jobs plan addresses the needs of the 21st century economy by supporting innovation and entrepreneurialism to create good paying jobs in communities. Research shows small businesses are the economic engines in thriving communities.

BC was ranked as having the worst performing economy for our emerging generation of professionals (20-40 years). People are working harder for less. Over Christy Clark's term, median full time income has dropped $1,200, while the cost of housing has soared out of reach. Supporting and encouraging

opportunities for our young people to stay in our communities is critical. Building a skilled workforce for the 21st century will be key.

So will affordability. Our housing strategy has the strongest measures to end speculation and flipping,

bringing this neglected issue under control. Policies for free childcare and early childhood education, to further take economic pressures off families and help them participate in growing a stronger BC economy.

The Green Party is the only provincial party that has their eye on the future. The platform provides a fully costed vision for BC that is fiscally responsible and comprehensive. It integrates proactive responses to social and environmental challenges we face in the 21st century. The vision is something that speaks to BC

values.
Photo: Contributed

The Green Party candidate for Kelowna-Lake Country says her party's platform will ease traffic congestion on Highway 97.

Alison Shaw says the Green transportation platform includes $152 million in capital expenditures for public transit infrastructure, along with an additional $25 million annually for increasing frequency and reducing transit fares.

Highway 97 is the main route that connects our communities, Shaw said in a release. A Green transportation plan is about making the commute more affordable and more convenient, going beyond the BC Liberals 1950s mentality of almost exclusively building highways and bridges that taxpayers cant afford and that neglect community needs.

Shaw says her party would introduce legislation that will allow ride-sharing companies like Uber to operate in the province. The BC Liberals, while still in government, announced in March they would allow ride-sharing in B.C. by the end of 2017.

While an MLA, Green Party (leader) Andrew Weaver twice introduced a ride-sharing bill that was not supported by either of the other two parties in the legislature, said Shaw.
Madison Erhardt

A family of eight in West Kelowna will soon be without a home.

Debbie Hook and her family received a note from their landlord a few months ago to vacate the property as he is moving back into the home on June 1.

Hook says her family is falling through the cracks. Not poor enough to receive government aid, not wealthy enough to afford to live in separate homes or buy property.

And because her adult children moved back in to help share costs, no one wants to rent to the large group.

"We have applied for a mortgage, applied for rent to own, and applied to get land, and we have been turned down," said Hook.

"We unfortunately fall into the area where we make the money, we have maintained the mortgage, but nobody will give us a chance because according to the stress test we don't have at least $100,000 combined family income, or $80,000 down, she added."

The family was interested in renting a six-bedroom house, but was denied because the owner said they were only looking for a couple.

The family was also told they couldn't rent a home because of their children. "We were told young ones are very disruptive. They asked us if we could send our younger ones off with other families. If we complied, then they may have let us rent with the three older ones," Hook said.

"We are just trying to put a roof over our heads. We are not asking for a handout, we are asking for a hand up," she added.
Photo: Dustin Godfrey

About 10 residents gathered outside Penticton's courthouse to protest what they call minimal sentencing on the South Okanagan's petty criminals.

The protest follows growing frustrations over a rise in property crimes in the Penticton area, with some putting at least partial blame on what they perceive to be a lack of discipline from the local judiciary.

"Repeat and prolific offenders are constantly being let out with minimum sentences," said organizer Mark Billesberger. "What we're trying to do is institute change in any way we can."

Billesberger has a few changes in mind that he believes could help curb Penticton's petty crime rates and minor thefts, starting with reducing the theft under $5,000 offence to theft under $2,000.

"I don't know about you, but a $5,000 hit for me would be huge. Imagine what it's like for a senior or a single parent," he said. "Basically, the way the law works now, is someone can steal your stuff, (and) as long as it's less than $5,000, they can walk away with a slap on the wrist."

Billesberger says an issue with repeat offenders is a lack of toughness on crime from local judges. While some have argued that jail time isn't the solution, Billesberger disagrees.

"I'd say they're wrong," he said. "I think actually making someone accountable is a deterrent to most people. Some people don't get the message."

That said, Billesberger points to another issue that he says needs to be addressed to fight theft: addictions.

"Don't just send them away for two weeks of rehab, because two weeks is not rehab. It's basically detox for a lot of these people," he said. "That would be a huge part of the answer and the solution would be to get help for these addicted people."

He adds that he believes the solution is a combination of getting tough on crime and showing support for those looking to get off of their addictions.

"I don't know how many of these people have been offered help and actually said, 'No,'" he said. "You can't do much for them. I'm a recovering alcoholic myself, so I know that you can't make somebody do that. You can't do it for someone else, you have to do it for yourself."

Billesberger says an apparent push to get tough on fentanyl pushers is an encouragement that something is being done on the issue.
In the past five years, Billings Senior, Skyview and West high schools have graduated 5,557 students on time with the class that started four years earlier. These numbers don't include students who earned diplomas through Adult Education. The annual on-time graduate totals are:

 Class of 2012: 1,090

 Class of 2013: 1,097

 Class of 2014: 1,164

 Class of 2015: 1,092

 Class of 2016: 1,114

Yellowstone County will need all of these grads  and more  to fill the 32,000 job openings the Big Sky Economic Development research projects for our growing community in the next 10 years.

Billings Public Schools is asking voters to approve K-8 and high school levies that will help our schools educate and graduate the workforce our community needs. School trustees and Superintendent Terry Bouck have spelled out what the levy money would buy:

Math and reading intervention teachers for struggling elementary students.

Textbooks (paper and digital).

Mental health counselors to help troubled students.

Additional teachers to reduce crowded classes for more individual student attention

Hands-on science lessons for grades K-8.

More career, dual credit and advance placement classes for high school students, continuing HiSET options, a program that gives credit-deficient seniors the opportunity to earn their diploma and graduate with their class.

None of those items are frills or administration. The money will go for student services.

Billings is Montanas biggest school district. With nearly 17,000 students Billings has the biggest needs.

But every school district in Yellowstone County and most throughout the state are conducting annual elections. Votes will be counted on May 2.

If you are among the 20,000 voters who have already returned your mail ballots to the Yellowstone County elections office, thanks for participating in this important vote. Yellowstone County mailed out 77,000 ballots for elections in Billings, Laurel, Lockwood, Shepherd, Independent, Pioneer, Broadview, Custer, Blue Creek, Elysian, Elder Grove, Canyon Creek and Huntley. Some districts are holding trustee elections, some have levy issues, some have both.

If you have yet to mark your ballot, please vote in favor of levies for your local schools  and return your ballot to your county elections office by 8 p.m. on May 2.

Our children are counting on our support.
Photo: Contributed

Affordable high-density housing could be coming to downtown Summerland, if a local non-profit housing society gets its way.

The Parkdale Place Housing Society met with mayor and council on Monday to express interest in a parcel of district-owned land adjacent to one of its existing properties and the Community Arts Council building.

The society operates 156 units of non-profit housing across three locations, mostly geared towards seniors, but executive director Christine Gray says this latest project would cater to all ages with both subsidized or market-level rents.

We want to get our foot in the door, she said, referring to apparent reawakened interest from other parties in the plot of land.

Gray envisions a three-story development that would provide affordable housing to both seniors and younger people who work in retail or hospitality and are in need of smaller studio apartments. Another portion of the units would be set aside for BC Housing, which Gray says is onboard with the tentative plan.

Housing is critical in Summerland  the rental market is horrendous, she said It would be a win-win for everyone.

Gray added that Downtown Summerland would also benefit from a new influx of local residents, noting that the society would also be open to helping with some of the upkeep in Memorial Park.

Mayor Peter Waterman said Tuesday that council was intrigued by the idea, and looks forward to seeing a more formal proposal later this year. But in a way, Gray said that the ball is in the Districts court, as it has to decide whether it will sell, or better yet, gift, the land to the society.

Waterman acknowledged the district has some work to do on the file, stating "it's not a small task."
A not-quite-all-candidates forum was held at the Kelowna Community Theatre Tuesday evening, with nine of the 11 candidates running in the three Central Okanagan ridings in attendance.

The event was hosted by the Central Okanagan Retired Teachers Association and questions centred around education and seniors' issues.

Candidates from the BC Liberal Party, BC NDP, BC Green Party, along with one BC Conservative Party candidate and one independent candidate in the Kelowna Mission, Kelowna Lake Country and Kelowna West ridings introduced themselves to the audience and answered several questions.

Candidates were given the questions in advance.

A modest crowd turned up at the community theatre to hear what the candidates had to say.

Two candidates, former premier and BC Liberal candidate for Kelowna West, Christy Clark, and BC Green Party candidate for Kelowna Mission, Rainer Wilkins, were missing from the stage.
Dustin Godfrey

While it was largely civil, education seemed to hit a nerve during the third of four all-candidates forums in the Penticton riding Tuesday evening.

The debate, hosted by the Penticton and Wine Country Chamber of Commerce, was held on the SS Sicamous, with questions submitted in advance and moderated by chamber president Neil Wyper.

And then you swoop in at the end after everybodys in an uproar, like its a real shame that the community had to get divided and you had to undermine the school board like that, B.C. Green Party candidate Connie Sahlmark scolded incumbent B.C. Liberal MLA Dan Ashton to applause from the crowd.

While those two were caught up in quiet discussion following Sahlmarks comments, B.C. NDP candidate Tarik Sayeed found himself trying to speak over the pair.

Should I start? he asked the two, before continuing on speaking on the school closures.

(Ashton) didnt show up for any one of them. This is fact-based, Sayeed said. I was there for all of them. Kids were crying, parents were begging to keep their schools open.

Candidates also exchanged quips over who added fewer positions in health care during Tuesdays debate on the SS Sicamous.

During the 1990s, the NDP added this many positions, Ashton said, making a zero with his thumb and index finger  much to the chagrin of one attendee. That persons groan was met with Ashtons disclaimer that everyone is entitled to an opinion.

Thats how many new positions for teaching doctors were added. Zero. We doubled the positions.

Meanwhile, Sayeed took aim at a Liberal promise to provide all residents with a family doctor by 2015.

That didnt happen, he said. Long wait times for urgent health care? Thats unacceptable.

Sahlmark, on the other hand, focused on health policy, looking at ways to bring more doctors to rural areas.

What we need is to have a program, whereby we can discount their tuitions, maybe give them a break on their loan payments, if they go to our rural communities, she said.

Candidates also touched on issues from the tech and agricultural industries to the major energy projects to affordability.

The candidates will have their final faceoff on Thursday at the Penticton Lakeside Resort.
Photo: The Canadian Press

The world's last male northern white rhino has joined the Tinder dating app as wildlife experts make a last-chance breeding effort to keep his species alive.

"I don't mean to be too forward, but the fate of the species literally depends on me," the rhino's profile says. "I perform well under pressure."

The campaign called "The Most Eligible Bachelor in the World," by a Kenyan wildlife conservancy and the dating app, focuses on the rhino named Sudan.

The 43-year-old and his last two female companions are unable to breed naturally because of issues that include old age.

Ol Pejeta Conservancy and the app aim to raise $9 million for research into breeding methods, including in-vitro fertilization, in an effort to save the species from extinction.

Sudan lives at the conservancy, protected by guards around the clock, with the two females, Najin and Fatu.
Photo: The Canadian Press

Soggy Seattle has broken another rainfall record, and Portland is inching closer to smashing its own record.

Seattle measured 44.7 inches (114 centimetres) of rain between October and April, making it the wettest such period since records began in 1895, the National Weather Service in Seattle said.

It marks the second year in the row that the city has topped the historic rainfall record for that period.

With several days left to go this month, this year's record will likely be padded some more, said Mike McFarland, a meteorologist with the service in Seattle.

"This has been a terrible winter. It was just wet. There's no way around that," he said Tuesday.

Portland residents are weathering a winter that's similarly bleak.

The National Weather Service has measured 45.5 inches (116 centimetres) of rain at Portland International Airport since Oct. 1, making it the second-wettest winter in the city in more than 75 years of record-keeping.
Photo: The Canadian Press

The owner of Tim Hortons and Burger King is reporting flat sales at its established locations in the first quarter but a nine per cent increase in revenue, which was above analyst estimates.

Restaurant Brands International Inc. says comparable sales at locations open at least a year were down one-tenth of a per cent at both chains, after adjusting for currency fluctuations.

"I can assure you we're going to be working very hard ... to improve the pace of sales growth in the coming quarters," said CEO Daniel Schwartz, adding the company believes they have the right initiatives in place to drive long-term growth.

For example, starting today, Tim Hortons will serve freshly-ground espresso bean lattes at nearly all of its restaurants.

The Oakville, Ont.-based company says its net income, reported in U.S. dollars, was also flat compared with a year ago, at US$50.2 million or 21 cents per share.

However, RBI's overall revenue increased by $82.1 million to about US$1 billion  about three-quarters of it from Tim Hortons  and adjusted earnings rose 20 per cent to $170.6 million, or 36 cents per share.
I am hoping that our current Prime Minister of Canada, slaps USA with tariffs on all US products coming into our country. Closest to me and my co-workers hearts, grown in the USA apples.

Beyond that I personally want absolutely none, what-so-ever. No USA metal and/or metal/steel workers above the border line making pipe lines for LNG, oil, or water that feeds the USA. Truth be told, why should Canadian water, energy, oil, and gas be allowed beyond our borders to supply USA, and in the same vein, why not slap tariffs onto those so that the US consumers can pay for them.

Firing back, the US is unfairly taking advantage of Canada's unguarded borders to send Trump's rejected ethnic and religious people to feed off Canadian taxpayers goodwill and peacefulness.

Canada is now being forced to subject to Trump because Trump has failed to intimidate Mexico about paying for the wall or Russia for aligning with other foreign countries (if not and just only for Putin to stand his ground as a seasoned political leader as opposed to a reality star) and even other US politicians that don't agree to push through all Trump's ideas, such as doing away with Obama care etc., etc! Trump is trying to save face by bullying Canada as all his other dreams are not happening for him. I have even noticed that all the people Trump hand chose are falling away as they realize they are dealing with a person who has created and lived his life in no other world, than Trump world! Sort of like, "Wayne's World", sorry Wayne! With an ego like Trump's, we all will pay the price of having North Korea's missiles land here on this side of the ocean. Thanks Trump.

Catherine Knox
Photo: Contributed

There has been some localized flooding reported in areas of the rural North Westside.

Flooding has been contained to the Valley of the Sun subdivision.

As creeks and streams continue to rise from rain and a melting snowpack, members of North Westside Fire Rescue continue to monitor the situation.

Property owners are reminded it is their responsibility to take the necessary steps  and have the proper equipment in place  to deal with flooding.

Sandbags and sand are available at the firehall in Killiney Beach for residents concerned about flooding on their property.

Residents in the North Westside Fire Protection Area wishing to report new flooding should contact 911 and ask for North Westside Fire Rescue.
Photo: Wayne Moore

UPDATE: 11:50 a.m.

Celebrity investor and reality-TV star Kevin O'Leary is quitting the federal Conservative leadership race and throwing his support behind Quebec rival Maxime Bernier.

O'Leary said despite his front-runner status nationally, he doesn't have the kind of support in Quebec he thinks he needs, not just for the leadership but for the next general election.

"This is obviously very disappointing for me. As someone who was born in Montreal, I had hoped I would do much better there," O'Leary said in a statement Wednesday, only hours after informing his campaign team of his decision.

O'Leary said he is supporting Bernier because the longtime Quebec MP's policies mirror his own.

"He is perhaps the first Conservative in a long time that has a chance of winning over 40 seats there, which would materially improve our chances for a majority mandate," O'Leary said.

"So here is what I'm going to do; I'm withdrawing my candidacy from the leadership race and throwing my full support behind Max."

Bernier, for his part, has scheduled a news conference in Toronto for later Wednesday, where the candidates are scheduled to face each other in a final debate showdown before next month's vote.

"If Trudeau isn't beaten in the next election, he will leave the next generation of Canadians, those thousands of millennials I've been talking about, with a mountain of debt and high taxes. This cannot be allowed to happen," O'Leary said Wednesday.

ORIGINAL: 10:55 a.m.

Celebrity investor and reality-TV star Kevin O'Leary is quitting the federal Conservative leadership race and throwing his support behind Quebec rival Maxime Bernier.

The Canadian Press has confirmed O'Leary is making the announcement later today.

Bernier, for his part, has scheduled a news conference in Toronto, where the candidates are scheduled to face each other in a final debate showdown before next month's vote.

O'Leary was widely seen as the front-runner in the race, but he doesn't believe he will be able to win a federal election because of a lack of support in Quebec.

A lack of facility with French was always considered one of O'Leary's greatest liabilities.

Kelowna native Larry Gray, who worked on the Team BC portion of O'Leary's campaign, said Wednesday morning he was shocked at the announcement.

Gray, who helped organize O'Leary's campaign visit to Kelowna Saturday morning, said there was no warning, no heads up that O'Leary was even contemplating leaving the race.
Photo: The Canadian Press

The military's second-in-command leaked cabinet secrets to a shipbuilding executive as a means of pressuring the Liberal government to approve a $700-million contract, the RCMP alleges in newly disclosed court documents.

The Mounties are accusing Vice-Adm. Mark Norman of using his position to provide cabinet confidences to Spencer Fraser, chief executive of a special arm of Quebec City shipyard Chantier Davie that was leading a tentative project to convert a civilian ship into an interim navy supply vessel.

In turn, the information was passed on to lobbyists and the media with the aim of ensuring final federal approval of the project, RCMP Cpl. Matthieu Boulanger alleges in his Jan. 4 request for a warrant to search Norman's house.

An Ontario court had released a heavily censored version of the documents earlier this month. A fuller version was disclosed Wednesday after the Globe and Mail and other media outlets successfully argued in court that the public had a right to know more about the allegations.

The RCMP request for a search warrant was part of a months-long investigation into how details of a Liberal cabinet meeting in November 2015 were passed on to defence lobbyists and the media.

During that meeting, Liberal ministers decided to push pause on the controversial ship conversion project.

"Norman was opposed to the delay in the (project) process proposed by cabinet and leaked information subject to cabinet confidence in order to achieve the result that he wanted personally," Boulanger alleges in his request for the warrant.

"Norman's actions resulted in a circumvention of the established processes and procedures in place to ensure confidence in the cabinet," going against the public good and constituting a breach of trust under the Criminal Code, he continues.

Breach of trust is punishable by up to five years in prison.

No charges have been laid against Norman, who was appointed vice-chief of the defence staff in August 2016, then abruptly suspended from that role without explanation on Jan. 16 by his superior officer, defence chief Gen. Jonathan Vance.

Norman's lawyer, Marie Henein, said in a statement in February that the 36-year military officer "unequivocally denies any wrongdoing."
GREAT FALLS  Montana Gov. Steve Bullock has granted clemency to a man who was convicted of raping his girlfriend when she was 15 and he was 19.

The Great Falls Tribune reports 41-year-old Russell "Delano" Foster was granted clemency Tuesday, but details of the decision weren't immediately available.

Delano Foster, who couldn't be reached for comment, was convicted in 1996 after he and Amber Foster had consensual sex. The couple married in 2000 after he was released from prison, and they now have four children.

The Montana Board of Pardons and Parole recommended that Bullock grant clemency.

Amber and Delano Foster said having a sex offense on record can prevent them from getting certain state licenses or government contracts. Delano Foster works in maintenance and construction.
UPDATE: 11:52 a.m.

A neighbour in 998 Creston Avenue where a man has been shot dead says he heard banging on all of the doors in the building before the shots were fired.

Christian Klausen lives on the top floor of the building, and says it appears to have been the victim of the shooting who went around banging on doors, shouting, "I know you're in here."

After banging on one of the doors, Klausen says that's when he heard the gunshot and a scream. The man reportedly stumbled down into the parking lot, where he collapsed.

"I gave him a towel, and he ... died right there," Klausen said, adding that violence in the area isn't new to him.

"I've been threatened here with a knife, and I don't associate with anybody, but I've been in danger in this apartment complex, myself. This is a very bad, very negative complex to live in."

Klausen says there are drug dealers operating out of the apartment building.

"This is the very worst area in Penticton," he said. "It's a beautiful day, and someone died over hard drugs and money, and it's very small, the amount of reason that someone took a life is almost miniscule. There's no reason whatsoever to take another human's life."

Klausen says the victim did not appear to be armed.

"It doesn't feel like Canada anymore," he said.

No reason for the shooting has been confirmed by police at this time.

with files from Colin Dacre

UPDATE: 11:34 a.m.

A man is in custody after the South Okanagan's second shooting in a week.

Police received reports of shots fired at about 10:30 a.m. Wednesday morning, at 998 Creston Avenue near Comox Street.

Cpl. Don Wrigglesworth says a man was found to be dead upon police arrival. A body is currently covered up by a yellow tarp in the building's parking lot.

Police have confirmed that a man is in custody over the shooting.

Major crimes is currently investigating, along with the forensics unit and other members of the Penticton RCMP detachment.

ORIGINAL: 11:20 a.m.

A massive police presence is reported around a building in the area of Vernon Avenue and Alberni Street, with unconfirmed reports of a shooting.

At least two people have been put in the back of police cars, including a woman and a man, with about 10 police vehicles and a number of officers with long rifles in the area of the building.

Several people have told a Castanet reporter on the scene that a shooting happened, though police have yet to confirm. However, a body is reportedly covered on the ground near the apartment.

Castanet will update as more information becomes available.
Photo: The Canadian Press

A fat beaver that got stuck in a fence in an Ontario city has been freed by the soapy hands of a municipal employee.

The City of Hamilton says an animal services officer went to a home around 12 p.m. on Tuesday, where she found a beaver  carrying excess fat from hibernation  wedged between two metal bars.

The city says Sarah Mombourquette used soap to help the beaver wiggle through.

It says the beaver recovered at a shelter.

The beaver has since been transferred to Hobbitstee Wildlife Refuge in nearby Jordan, Ont.

The rodent needs time to recover from its injuries before it is released back into the wild.
Photo: City of Penticton

A total of 15 units of subsidized housing for persons with cognitive disabilities and seniors may be coming to a Penticton neighbourhood.

The public will get their chance to weigh in on the proposed project on Industrial Avenue at a hearing next week. The Penticton and District Society for Community Living is looking at turning 180 Industrial Ave. West into two buildings, according to a City of Penticton staff report.

One of those buildings would provide 10 units of housing for seniors and people with cognitive disabilities, while the other would provide five units of congregate housing for people with cognitive disabilities.

That development would split the property in two, with one facing Industrial Ave. and the other facing Bruce Court, and requires a few amendments to the official community plan and zoning.

The developer is looking to reduce the number of required parking spaces from 15 to 10 and change from low-density residential to medium-density. Due to B.C. Housing funding rules, the property will need to be split into two lots.

Bentsen Homes, working with PDSCL, says reducing the parking spaces by five spots likely won't have an effect on residents of the building.

"Our experience with our other housing in Penticton has been that it is very rare for persons with an intellectual disability to own and drive a vehicle," project manager Kane Bentsen said in a letter to city hall. "Less than 50 per cent of low-income seniors we currently support own and drive a car."
Photo: The Canadian Press

A Canadian man has been charged in the United States with harbouring and transporting an alien in connection with a human smuggling investigation.

Victor Omoruyi made his first court appearance Wednesday in Grand Forks, N.D.

Omoruyi's lawyer, identified by court records as David Dusek, declined to comment.

Court documents signed by border agents say Omoruyi was arrested April 14 after an SUV was stopped south of the North Dakota-Saskatchewan border.

The documents say Omoruyi entered the U.S. that afternoon and told border officers he was going to meet friends and shop in Minot N.D. He said he planned to return to Canada the next day.

They say authorities started watching him because they allege he was identified "as a human smuggler that has previously provided transportation ... for individuals who have then entered into Canada illegally."

The affidavit details how border agents followed Omoruyi for several hours.

At one point, five adults and four children left a hotel and got into Omoruyi's vehicle, the documents say.

The SUV stopped for gas before heading north toward the border, at which point a U.S. border agent called the RCMP.

The documents say photos of Omoruyi, his vehicle and his passengers were captured by border patrol surveillance cameras in an area of open farm fields near the border.

"Omoruyi was clearly seen stopping his vehicle, exiting from the driver's seat and opening rear doors. All other occupants then exited the vehicle. Omoruyi appeared to help the children exit the vehicle. Once all of the passengers were out of the vehicle, Omoruyi got back into the driver's seat and departed the same way he arrived,'' according to the affidavit.

The documents say an RCMP officer saw the nine passengers walk north, through an open field, to Canada and make it to a vehicle waiting to pick them up.

Authorities say the SUV then met with a sedan before officers stopped the SUV and arrested Omoruyi, along with another Canadian and a Nigerian citizen.

The Canadian is identified as a woman named Tosin Johnson, who was born in Nigeria. The Nigerian citizen is a man named Success Okundia. They have both been charged by U.S. authorities with illegal entry.

The documents say that in an interview with U.S. authorities, Omoruyi denied driving anyone from Minot.

None of the allegations has been proven in court.

Last week, Omoruyi's wife, Michelle, was charged with human smuggling and conspiracy to commit human smuggling.

RCMP said that a woman was stopped April 14 on the Canadian side of the border between the North Portal and Northgate crossings, the legal entry points into Saskatchewan from North Dakota. Police said nine people from West Africa were in her vehicle.

They were processed by the Canada Border Services Agency and have been released into Canada. All nine have made refugee claims.
If you have just started your journey in an online casino or are looking for a new site to play,...
Montanas U.S House candidates squared off for the first time Tuesday in a Gazette editorial board meeting streamed live online.

In a dense, hour-long discussion on topics ranging from public lands and gun control to healthcare, Democrat Rob Quist and Republican Greg Gianforte occasionally found common ground, but differed considerably on major issues.

The candidates are vying to replace Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke as Montanas lone congressman. Libertarian Mark Wicks is also in the mix. Zinke, a Republican, resigned in March to join President Donald Trumps Cabinet. Montanans can begin voting at county election offices as early as April 25. Absentee ballots will be mailed out May 1. The final day to vote is May 25, the Thursday before Memorial Day.

Land/natural resources

On public lands, Quist called the federal transfer of public lands to states a primary election issue. He accused Gianforte of funding groups like the Bozeman-based Property and Environment Research Center, which the musician said wanted to sell off public lands.

To me, this is the defining issue of this race. Throughout my whole career, you can hear that Ive been standing up for our wild lands through my music, Quist said.

Quist said groups like PERC, an economic research group that promotes market-based incentives for conservation and stewardship, are out to privatize public lands. The group was founded by former Montana State University economists. He also singled out the conservative Heritage Foundation, which supports more state input on developing energy resources on federal lands.

Gianforte said he does support more state involvement in federal land management decisions.

To be clear, I do not support deed transfer of lands, Ive been unequivocal on this. Mr. Quist is just confused on this issue, Gianforte said. Better decisions get made when theyre made locally. Thats the management Im looking for.

Gianforte said the federal management of forests in Montana isnt working. He advocated for more agreements like a clause in the current farm bill that allows Montanas Gov. Steve Bullock to make timber decisions on millions of federal forest acres blighted by bark beetle-killed trees.

Quist pointed to an unsuccessful attempt to ship beetle-killed Montana lumber to Haiti to build housing as something the state could apply in Montana to build homes on American Indian reservations.

Trump and Russia

On supporting an independent investigation of Russian involvement with President Donald Trumps 2016 election campaign, Quist said a third party investigation was warranted. Democrats have said congressional Republicans are too invested in Trump to conduct a fair investigation.

I really feel we have to have an independent investigation on this. When theres an investigation going on, you cannot have people who have an agenda to protect, being involved in this, Quist said. This is something, I think we need to have transparency in government and I think it goes a long way when we have and independent investigation toward that transparency. If there is collusion, the American people need to know.

Gianforte said transparency is needed to assure that lawmakers can work together. But he didnt call for taking the investigation out of the hands of Congress if evidence of Russian collusion was found.

If theres evidence that shows theres some intervention, we ought to look at it and Congress ought to pursue it, Gianforte said.

Health care

Federal involvement in health coverage, Gianforte said the Affordable Care Act created by former President Barack Obama and congressional Democrats, was a disaster in need of replacement. He stopped short of supporting anything that would end coverage under Medicaid expansion in Montana, where legislators have conditioned the program's continuation on at least 90 percent funding from the federal government.

Medicaid expansion that occurred in Montana has added 70,000 more people onto coverage. Let me be real clear, we cannot rip the carpet out from under these people, Gianforte said. If you look at the four purposes of the federal government, one of them is to provide a social safety net to people who cannot take care of themselves. We cant rip the carpet out. In the same breath though, I have concerns about the long-term costs of these programs and how they get paid for.

Gianforte said he couldnt support the health care reform bill proposed by House Republicans last month. The bill didnt muster enough votes and a second try is expected, likely after Montana elects a new representative.

Gianforte said he supported making prescription drugs more affordable and allowing more choice in insurance markets for consumers. For Republicans this usually means allowing insurance to be sold across state lines.

Quist said there needs to be lower prescription drugs prices, something Medicare recipients currently cannot negotiate. He said Republican plans to ditch the Affordable Care Act would hurt seniors and diminish service at rural hospitals, while benefiting the wealthy people with tax breaks. Quist is an advocate of health care completely funded with government dollars.

Gianforte said fully government funded health care wasnt an option that would produce the best health care for Americans. Quist said Medicare, fully funded by the federal government, has worked fine for seniors.

I think Medicare is probably one of the most successful programs thats ever been instituted in our country in terms of health care and thats just a great system, Quist said. You walk in, you show your card, youre covered. No questions asked.

Gun control

On gun control, Quist dispelled campaign messaging that he supports a gun registry, saying he only supports registering automatic weapons, he said during a Montana Public Radio interview March 27. In that interview, Quist also said he supported universal background checks of gun buyers.

He accused Gianforte of supporting gun registries, apparently because Oracle, a company that bought Gianfortes Bozeman software business, has done some gun database work for the federal government. Asked if Gianforte could be implicated in Oracles database work while having no relationship in the company that bought his business, Quist said Gianforte and Oracle were friends.

First of all, he sold his company to it. And he says he still maintains a close relationship to it. Quist said. This is a data collection organization and they are collecting data on gun owners.

Gianforte said: I have been a lifetime member of the NRA. I have an A rating from the NRA. My opponent has an F rating, had advocated for a gun registry. I think if you look back at history, the registration of guns is the first step toward the confiscation of guns. Thats not a Montana value.
Sen. Mike Enzi apologized Tuesday for comments he made to Greybull High School students last week after being asked about Wyoming's gay and lesbian community.

Responding to a question about improving the lives of the LGBT community in Wyoming, Enzi said people in Wyoming could be anything they wanted as long as they "don't push it in somebody's face," according to an audio recording of the event.

"I know a guy that wears a tutu and goes to the bars on Friday night and is always surprised that he gets in fights," Enzi told the students. "Well, he kind of asks for it a little bit. Thats the way he winds up with that kind of problem."

The statement was criticized by the Wyoming Democrats and LGBT rights advocates, who called on the Republican senator to apologize.

Enzi released two statements Tuesday. In the first, he spoke generally about tolerance. In the second, released after media reports of his comments began to spread nationally, he apologized.

"None of us is infallible and I apologize to anyone who has taken offense," Enzi said in a statement. "No offense was intended. Quite the opposite in fact, and so I ask for your understanding as well."

"No person, including LGBT individuals, should feel unsafe in their community," the statement continued. "My message was intended specifically to be about promoting respect and tolerance toward each other. I hope if people look at the entirety of my speech, they will understand that. I regret a poor choice of words during part of my presentation."

Word of Enzi's comments began to spread Tuesday morning, after the Wyoming Democratic Party posted an abbreviated version of them on its Facebook page. The post encouraged people to call Enzis office and tell the senator his statements were hurtful and divisive.

Enzis office did not answer directly when asked Tuesday whether the Democrats were quoting the senator accurately. But Greybull Standard Editor Mathew Burciaga, who was at the Thursday event, told the Star-Tribune that Enzi did say something along those lines. Hours later, the Standard posted a story on the event, along with an audio recording and transcript.

The student had asked what work Enzi and his colleagues were doing to improve the lives of LGBT people in Wyoming. She also asked how he planned to help Wyoming live up to its name as the Equality State.

Enzi began by responding that federal law can't solve every problem and that what was needed was civility between people.

"We always say in Wyoming you can be just about anything you want to be as long as you dont push it in somebodys face," Enzi told the students, before giving the example of the man in the tutu.

In a statement, the Matthew Shepard Foundation said Enzi's comments "are exactly the kind of hateful remarks we are working against in Wyoming and beyond."

"To tell a person that they are asking for it is the same kind of harmful rhetoric people use to disqualify the claims of sexual assault victims," the foundation said. "Its the same kind of rhetoric that keeps up to 61 percent of hate crime victims from reporting because they are afraid of not being believed while also having to be fearful of being re-victimized by those in power, who should be defending their rights."

Enzi was attempting in his comments to stress the importance of respecting other people, his spokesman Max DOnofrio said in an email to the Star-Tribune. Enzi told the students that people learning to live together had a more lasting effect than federal actions.

He talked about how many Wyoming folks take a live-and-let-live approach to life, but we need to be conscious that everyone may not react the same way to differing value and belief systems. He advocates nothing but respect and civil treatment for members of the LGBT community, DOnofrio said.

Wyoming Democratic Party Chairman Joe Barbuto said Enzi should apologize to the student who asked the question.

"Senator Enzis comment was not just inappropriate, it was ugly and indicative of a kind of backwards thinking that has no place in todays society," Barbuto said in a statement.

In his first statment on Tuesday, Enzi said he did not believe anyone should be bullied or attacked because of their beliefs.

"Our live-and-let-live approach is one of the great aspects of our state," he said. "It is important that our students learn that the importance of respecting all people and how it is incumbent on those in the communities we live in to treat others as you would want to be treated."

Enzi has served in the Senate since 1997 and is the former mayor of Gillette. In Wyoming, he's known for keeping a low-key profile, generally avoiding the spotlight or controversial subjects.
At the 11th hour, the Eastern Shoshone Tribe has successfully inserted itself into the legal battle between the Northern Arapaho and Bureau of Indian Affairs that appears near settlement.

The development suggests that last falls tribal elections, which saw significant turnover on both the Northern Arapaho and Eastern Shoshone business councils, did not mark an end to the dispute over the funding of federal services on the Wind River Reservation in central Wyoming.

An undated draft document obtained by the Star-Tribune outlined a planned Wind River Inter-Tribal Council that would have effectively replaced the Joint Business Council that the two tribes used to conduct business, and enter into contracts with the federal government, until the Northern Arapaho withdrew in 2014.

[See bottom of this article to view the draft memo]

Since February 2016, the NAT, EST and BIA have been involved in litigation over how the BIA enters into contracts with the two tribes.

The Arapaho argued that the BIA illegally entered into contracts with the Joint Business Council even after the Arapaho had left, meaning they were effectively negotiating with only the Shoshone for services required to be offered to both tribes under federal law.

The contracts between the BIA and JBC expired in October as the lawsuit wore on, upending law enforcement as the two tribes sparred over who had authority to operate the court system on the reservation and who the federal police answered to.

The Shoshone have maintained that a joint council is necessary to ensure equal representation for both tribes in negotiations with the federal government. But last spring, the BIA agreed in principle to negotiate independent arrangements with both tribes and U.S. District Court Judge Brian Morris gave legal force to that agreement last fall.

Fraught history

The plan for the Wind River Inter-Tribal Council appears to have been an attempt to create a new joint body. It was drafted by at least one member of both the Arapaho and Shoshone business councils and while it does not include a date, there are signature lines for chairmen Roy Brown and Clint Wagon  meaning that it was created after their election last fall. Neither council approved the agreement.

Instead, the Shoshone sued earlier this month to block aspects of the BIAs current arrangement with the Arapaho  namely the continued operation of the Shoshone and Arapaho Tribal Court for Arapaho members  and to force the federal government to reinstate the joint council.

NAT wants more money and more power, even though federal courts have recognized for a long time that the two tribes rightly participate in joint governance of shared programs, and share an undivided interest in Reservation resources, attorney Mark Echo Hawk wrote in the complaint.

The Wind River Reservation is the only reservation in the country where two distinct tribal governments both have sovereignty over the same geographic area.

Because 71 percent of the estimated 14,200 enrolled tribal members on the reservation are Arapaho, any per capita funding arrangements negotiated separately with each tribe  for services like health care  would inevitably provide more money to the Northern Arapaho than to the Shoshone. Under the rules of the Joint Business Council, both tribes had an equal vote in approving those type of contracts.

(Despite the population disparity, the two tribes evenly split natural resources on the reservation and receive equal shares of mining and drilling revenue.)

Morris, the judge, granted the Shoshone tribes request to be present at a previously scheduled mediation on Thursday between the Arapaho and Bureau of Indian Affairs. But he took the tribes request to become a party in the Arapahos case under advisement, meaning the decision on whether the Shoshone can join the case may depend on what role they play at the mediation.

In July, the mediator in a previous attempt to settle the funding dispute faulted the Shoshone Business Council for the talks' failure.

It appears to me that either Mr. Echohawk [sic] or the SBC are unwilling to compromise on any issue, Judge Robert Blaeser wrote in a July email to attorneys in the case. Mediation does require some ability to compromise by both sides, and I conclude that the SBC is not willing to compromise.

The Shoshone lawsuit, filed April 12, draws on long-simmering resentment over the federal governments placement of the Northern Arapaho at the Wind River Reservation despite it already being occupied by the Eastern Shoshone.

EST is the only Indian tribe with a Treaty pertaining to the Wind River Reservation, Echo Hawk wrote. Despite ESTs protest, the United States unilaterally and permanently placed NAT on the Reservation.

While the Arapaho had originally been promised a reservation near Casper, the federal government compelled them to settle in the Wind River region in 1878. Shoshone leader Chief Washakie agreed to allow the Arapaho to stay on the reservation for the winter but never consented to sharing the reservation permanently. Subsequent requests for the Arapaho to be relocated were denied by the federal government.

Court issue unresolved

The lawsuit takes issue with the BIAs continued cooperation with the Tribal Court, despite federal funding for the court ending in September and the Northern Arapaho assuming the full cost of funding the court.

The BIA set up a federal Court of Indian Offenses, known as a CFR court, to handle cases involving Shoshone tribal members but continued to allow the tribal court to operate in a federal building and adjudicate Arapaho cases.

The lawsuit repeatedly refers to the tribal court as illegitimate and claims that NATs continued operation of the court, with federal support, undermines the sovereign rights of EST recognized by the supreme law of the land on the Wind River Reservation  the Treaty of the Eastern Shoshone Tribe.

The complaint is notable because while the Northern Arapaho had initially named the Shoshone in their lawsuit, along with the federal government, they dropped the tribe as a defendant prior to mediation last spring and have since been suing only the federal government.

Brown and Wagon, the two tribal business council chairmen, did not respond to requests for comment this week.

On April 5, Wagon, the Shoshone chair, wrote a letter to the BIA stating that allowing two courts to operate on the reservation  the tribal court for Arapaho members and the BIA court for Shoshone members  was undermining rule of law and confusing tribal members.

"To stop the flow of invalid orders and to ensure that a valid system of justice continues at Wind River... BIA must" shut down the tribal court, Wagon wrote.

Most of the questions related to both the tribal court and whether a joint body is required for the federal government to enter into contracts with the Arapaho and Shoshone will likely be addressed during mediation, which begins this week, and may be settled by Judge Morris in his final ruling on the case.
A free event offering donated prom dresses, hair styling and makeup to Native American students will be held Saturday at the Sacred Pipe Resource Center in Mandan.

Prepping for Prom event organizers Dakota Eagle and Cheryl Kary, executive director of the Sacred Pipe Resource Center, partnered with two high schools that have prom this weekend: Bismarck High School and Solen High School. This first public event aims to help young Native American women feel special for prom, an important  and expensive  occasion many students look forward to throughout their high school years.

Because both schools have prom on the same day, and Kary is originally from Cannon Ball, Kary reached out to Solen's prom coordinator, who told her some girls would definitely be interested.

"(Solen's prom coordinator) said it would be so awesome for those girls, because a lot of them barely can afford a dress, much less all the extras  the hair, the makeup and the nails," Kary said.

Eagle also usually does nails at a monthly Sacred Pipe Resource Center event, where Native American women can get free hair, nail and makeup services. Several years ago, Eagle worked as a paraprofessional at Cannon Ball Elementary School. Last year, a group of girls, whom she had worked with at the Cannon Ball school, had their turn to go to prom. So, she helped those girls get ready.

"I asked Cheryl if she knew of any girls in the area who were needing help, to let me know," Eagle said.

Instead, Eagle and Kary decided to make it a bigger event in order to reach more girls.

Kary created a Facebook event page and put out a call on social media for volunteers in the community.

"We got responses right away," Kary said, including from a Minnesota make-up artist who is driving to Mandan this weekend.

Veronica Mahpiya, a Native American makeup artist from Minneapolis, said she learned about the event after seeing the Facebook post seeking volunteers. Mahpiya said she had wanted to do a similar event, empowering Native American women and making them feel pampered, in her own state.

When I found out they were doing something like this, I got really excited, Mahpiya said. I want to help these girls feel beautiful.

Mahpiya works for a cosmetics company in Bloomington, Minn., and has been doing makeup professionally for about six years. She said she hopes the event will help give the girls confidence.

I feel like indigenous beauty isnt recognized enough," she said.

Mahpiya didn't have a chance to go to prom, because she had her daughter when she was 17. Mahpiya, now 26, said she hopes Saturday's event will also show the students there are successful Native American women, like herself, to whom they can relate.

More than a dozen sparkly and bedazzled gowns have been donated to the Sacred Pipe Resource Center. About 13 girls have RSVP'd to the event, mostly from Solen, but Kary said last week she contacted Bismarck Public Schools' Johnson O'Malley program for Native American students, and she hopes more students will come now that the word is getting out.

There are about 10 volunteers for the event, including a woman who will braid hair and a photographer who will take photos of the girls standing in front of a twinkly backdrop.

The Prepping for Prom event will be held from noon to 4 p.m. at the Sacred Pipe Resource Center, 400 W. Main St. For more information or to volunteer, contact Kary at cheryl@sacredpipe.net.
U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price, M.D. has announced that the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services will be awarded $13.8 million through the 21st Century Cures Act to help combat the prescription opioid epidemic in Tennessee. This is the largest single federal funding increase for opioid treatment in the states history.

In his letter to governors, Secretary Price wrote, in part, As I begin my tenure as Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), I do so with a profound commitment to addressing this public health crisis as one of our top three Departmental priorities.

Opioids were responsible for over 33,000 deaths in 2015; this alarming statistic is unacceptable to me. We cannot continue to lose our nations citizens to addiction. Through a sustained focus on people, patients, and partnerships, I am confident that together we can turn the tide on this public health crisis."

Last year, Leader McConnell called 21st Century Cures the most important legislation of the year, and Wednesdays announcement  nearly $14 million to help fight Tennessees ongoing opioid epidemic  is just one example of the real help this bill is delivering to Tennessee families, Sen. Lamar Alexander said. Opioid abuse or overdose kills more Tennesseans every year than gunshots or car wrecks, and this funding will send a substantial boost to those on the front lines of a battle that is being waged state by state, county by county, doctors office by doctors office.

In Tennessee, it is estimated that 69,100 individuals are addicted to prescription opioids and require treatment for prescription opioid abuse. Another 151,900 Tennesseans are using prescription opioids in ways that could be harmful, and they may benefit from early intervention strategies.

This announcement creates great optimism as we build upon the efforts already underway to address the opioid epidemic in our state, said Governor Bill Haslam. Far too many Tennesseans have been impacted by opioid abuse and this substantial increase in funding is vitally important as we continue to fight this public health crisis in Tennessee.

We are extremely grateful for this historic opportunity to transform the lives of so many Tennesseans impacted by the opioid epidemic, Marie Williams, Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, said. We have been working closely with our federal and community partners to ensure that these new dollars will be used to expand the much needed services to as many Tennesseans struggling with opioid substance use disorder as possible. In Tennessee, we know what works. We have a statewide network of community providers standing by, ready and able to do what is needed now that we are taking a monumental step towards closing the gap in funding.

Treatment services that will be funded from these new dollars will include but are not limited to:

Continuum of Care Treatment Services

Treatment for Pregnant Women

Tele-treatment in Rural Tennessee Counties

Medication Assisted Treatment

Recovery Support Services

These new resources will be leveraged to continue building upon the efforts of Tennessees 2014 strategic plan to combat the opioid crisis, PRESCRIPTION FOR SUCCESS: Statewide Strategies to Prevent and Treat the Prescription Drug Abuse Epidemic in Tennessee.

Prescription for Success Goals:

Decrease the number of Tennesseans who abuse controlled substances

Decrease the number of Tennesseans who overdose on controlled substances

Decrease the amount of controlled substances dispensed in Tennessee

Increase access to drug disposal outlets in Tennessee

Increase access to and quality of early intervention, treatment, and recovery services

Expand collaborations and coordination among state agencies

Expand collaborations and coordination with other states

- See more at: https://www.tn.gov/news/50001#sthash.fh8KtVKw.dpuf
Evangelist Franklin Graham, who is bringing his Decision America tour to Chattanooga's Coolidge Park, said he wants the people of Tennessee "to pray for a miracle - the kind of miracle that will solve the racial, political and cultural divisions that are leaving people across America filled with fear and uncertainty."

The tour will stop here on May 15 at 7:30 p.m.

"Last year I went to all 50 state capitals to encourage Christians to pray for America. But our country is still in trouble and needs prayer more than ever. We desperately need a spiritual transformation," said Rev. Graham, president of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and the international Christian relief organization Samaritan's Purse. "Christians are the key to this spiritual transformation in America, and that's why I will also be challenging people in Tennessee to stand boldly for God, live according to biblical principles and get involved in their communities."

In Chattanooga, the one-day Decision America Tennessee Tour event will feature prayer plus live music from Dove Award-winning band The Afters and a message of hope from Franklin Graham. Decision America Tennessee Tour is free and everyone is invited to attend.

"We all face crossroads in our livesmoments when we need to make important decisions," said Rev. Graham. "Through these events across Tennessee, people will have the opportunity to make a decision that can impact their lives, not only now, but for eternity."

Rev. Graham said that even as he traveled the country last year with Decision America Tour, speaking to and praying with more than 230,000 people who joined him along the way, he felt a calling to share the same life-changing message of Jesus Christ in smaller towns where larger events may not typically visit.

In addition to Chattanooga, Franklin Graham is bringing the Decision America Tennessee Tour to Clarksville (May 18), Jackson (May 19) and Memphis (May 21). For additional information, visit tennessee.billygraham.org.
Boaters may have noticed recently that there is a large number of fish dying along the shoreline throughout Kentucky and Barkley lakes, an occurrence that the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency is aware of and investigating.

The dead fish are silver carp, an invasive species that can negatively impact native fish and recreational boating. Because of these threats, the TWRA has been working to stem their expansion into new waters.

While we are trying to learn how to slow or stop their expansion, the recent die-off of thousands of fish for whatever reason has occurred naturally, said Frank Fiss, chief of TWRAs Fisheries Division.

We have collected samples of the dead fish and sent them to a lab to identify the cause of the disease. This type of analysis is not always conclusive, but we are trying to gather as much information as possible.

Silver carp and bighead carp are among a family of invasive Asian carp that were imported to the USA in the early 1970s. They escaped into the Mississippi River decades ago and have steadily spread into numerous bodies of waters, including rivers in Tennessee.

Growing numbers of carp are a threat to native species because Asian carp rely primarily on plankton as a food source, which is an also important source of food for native species, especially at smaller sizes.

Silver carp can also pose dangers to boaters as they often respond to motor vibration or noise by leaping as boats approach or pass through schooling fish that can weigh 30 to 40 pounds.

Most of the dead fish that we have seen have been two years old but there are a lot of dead fish, and we are probably only seeing a tiny percentage of what actually inhabits the reservoir, said Mr. Fiss.

The widespread die off does not seem to be impacting other fish species, which is good news for game fish and anglers said Mr. Fiss. We appreciate all the reports we have received, and we want everyone to know we are aware of the die off and are monitoring it.
After a successful fiscal year 2016, materials manufacturer Covestro continued to perform well in the first quarter of 2017 and adjusted its forecast upward for the full year. Thanks to still-strong demand for innovative polymers, the Groups core volumes increased by 9.0%. Further growth in production capacity utilization and the associated improvement in margins enabled the company to again boost EBITDA. At EUR 846 million, EBITDA was up 66.5% on the prior-year period. Net income rose by 157.1% to EUR 468 million. In the first quarter of the previous year, this figure had totaled EUR 182 million.

The high demand for our products indicates that innovative plastics play an important role in mastering the challenges posed by global megatrends such as urbanization, climate change, or the evolution of mobility. The proof is our strong volume growth and resulting improved earnings in all segments, says Covestro CEO Patrick Thomas. We continue our positive momentum and deliver an EBITDA improvement year-on-year for the ninth consecutive quarter. For the remainder of this year we remain optimistic and thus have raised our forecast.

Based on the first quarters positive business performance, the company has adjusted the forecast given in the 2016 Annual Report for the full year 2017. Covestro still expects core volume growth in the low-to-mid-single-digit percentage range. The company now anticipates free operating cash flow significantly above the average of the last three years (previously: slightly above the average of the last three years). Furthermore, Covestro now expects return on capital employed (ROCE) to significantly exceed the 2016 level (previously: slightly above the 2016 level).

Sales and cash flow substantially higher

The robust core volume growth and 13.4% overall selling price increase  especially in the Polyurethanes segment, where prices were up 25.8% over the prior-year quarter  resulted in sales growth of 24.7% to EUR 3,586 million. Free operating cash flow also saw a positive trajectory. This figure amounted to EUR 211 million and was up 174% over the same period the previous year due to improved operating cash flow.

Our optimism for fiscal year 2017 was confirmed in the first quarter, states CFO Frank H. Lutz. Our figures prove that we are in the position to benefit from the growth in our customer industries while at the same time improving operating efficiency. In addition, our strategy to build a strong global footprint increasingly pays off. Sales and profitability in our three core markets China, Germany and the US are more and more balanced.

Sharp increase in core volumes growth in all segments

In the first quarter, core volumes in the Polyurethanes segment rose substantially, by 6.8% year-on-year. All product groups, particularly MDI and TDI, contributed to this increase. The key driver here was greater demand from the global construction sector as well as from furniture and mattress industry in the NAFTA and APAC regions. At EUR 482 million, EBITDA more than doubled year-on-year. This was mainly due to higher margins.

In light of the market demand development in this segment, it was decided to continue production of the rigid foam precursor MDI in Tarragona, Spain. At the same time, Covestro is working on converting a plant in the Northern German town of Brunsbuttel. The company expects to double MDI production capacity there to approximately 400,000 metric tons in the course of 2018.

The Polycarbonates segment also once again recorded strong growth of 14.7% in core volumes year-on-year. The volumes sold in all three regions climbed, mainly because of greater demand from the automotive and electrical / electronics industries. The segments EBITDA rose by 31.1% to EUR 232 million. To meet the growing demand, Covestro doubled its polycarbonate production capacity in Shanghai to nearly 400,000 metric tons per year in 2016. With a total annual production capacity of around 1.5 million metric tons, the company is now the worlds leading producer of this high-performance plastic.

Core volumes in the Coatings, Adhesives, Specialties segment increased by 8.1% as against the prior-year quarter. Significant volume growth was reported particularly by the APAC and EMLA regions. At EUR 146 million in the first quarter, EBITDA was up 5.0% on the previous year. Last year, Covestro commissioned a world-scale plant for raw materials for coatings in China. In contrast to the other two segments, prices of Coatings, Adhesives, Specialties on average remained at the previous years level.

Positive start into the year

On the whole, Covestro has had a very positive start to 2017. Covestros strategic position is strong in this regard both in terms of major trends in customer industries as well as in key regions. In addition, innovations and cooperations play an increasingly important role. A good example is the recently announced collaboration between Audi, BASF and Covestro leading to the development of a new clearcoat with biobased hardener for automotive manufacturing. For the first time, a clearcoat containing a biobased hardener was applied to test bodies of the Audi Q2 under near-series conditions at the Audi plant. The car coated with the new clearcoat was displayed at the European Coatings Show 2017 in Nuremberg.


Bushell retains title

Amersham swimmer Michelle Bushell retained her Welsh title in the 100 metres backstroke at the Welsh National Championships last weekend.

Bushell, who now swims for Ealing SC, had no problems holding onto the title as she swept through the heats before claiming the final with a time of 65 seconds.

The 18-year-old Bucks swimmer also took silver in the 200m backstroke after being beaten by just over a second by the Welsh record holder.
Financial technology startups in Chicago will get a new resource  and maybe a home  through an initiative announced by a nonprofit group Wednesday.

It's a project called Currency, led by the team that runs industry association FinTEx Chicago.

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Currency's partners will share online resources and offer in-person programming that could help fintech startups better understand the regulatory environment and connect with corporate partners, said Jason Henrichs, co-founder of FinTEx Chicago.

The nonprofit initiative plans to launch June 1 with a space in WeWork's 20 W. Kinzie St. office, Henrichs said. The announcement came Wednesday, in the midst of a series of conferences and events for Fintech Week Chicago.

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Currency is separate from the fintech hub that Mark Tebbe , chairman of World Business Chicago tech council ChicagoNext, announced plans for last year.

Tebbe told Blue Sky Wednesday that project, which would be similar to 1871 or Matter, is still alive, but its format hinges on finding the right space and assessing the needs of the fintech community. He and Henrichs said that hub, if it comes to be, would be a natural home for Currency in the future.

Currency will be a sort of gathering place for fintech startups, academics, regulators and established firms in Chicago, Henrichs said. Some startups will be able to rent some of its 32-desk space. Non-resident startups will pay annual membership fees based on their revenue. All members' admission will be decided on a rolling basis by an advisory group.

One of Currency's offerings: The group partnered with the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation to create RegHub, through which fintech entrepreneurs will be able to get in-person one-on-one advice related to regulations that may affect them. Currency will also offer office hours.

Corporate community members, such as Burling Bank, will pay annual membership fees that will subsidize free access to some of Currency's resources for anyone interested in the subject, Henrichs said.

Currency will also provide its own online resources, such as how-to guides and research done by its own team or by partners from Northwestern University, the University of Chicago and DePaul University.

Henrichs cited a recent ranking by Deloitte that named Chicago the No. 5 fintech hub in the world, behind New York, Silicon Valley, London and Singapore. It was Chicago's first time on the list.

"I would like us to be able to shift from not just being a top 10 (city) because of our size, but because we're extending our thought leadership," Henrichs said. "That's really what  is going to attract people to found their company here or to make their innovation effort's investment here."

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aelahi@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @aminamania
Matthew Spenko, an associate professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering at the Illinois Institute of Technology, holds a micro climber. (Jim Young / Blue Sky)

Self-driving cars. Space robots. These are the realm of Matthew Spenko, head of the Robotics Lab at the Illinois Institute of Technology.

Illinois Tech ranks No. 78 among graduate engineering schools, according to U.S. News and World Report. Yet Spenko's renown with robots and his research chops have put the private college elbow-to-elbow with the nation's top engineering programs in the eyes of some experts.

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Spenko's lab has won key roles in two of the most elite scientific arenas: self-driving cars, where he's working to make navigation safer, and NASA, where he's creating adhesives for space robots.

In terms of possible impact, Spenko sees self-driving cars as a big opportunity. With about 30,000 deaths from car crashes in the U.S. alone each year, "the ability to decrease that significantly is huge," he said.

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The lab is working to develop the tools governments might one day use to certify self-driving cars, on the basis of how safe their navigation systems are.

"It could have a major impact on saving lives, on congestion and traffic and city infrastructure," he said. "We're a tiny sliver of that puzzle, but if that big puzzle gets solved, it's going to make a huge impact."

Current techniques may be able to ensure that vehicles are in their lane 99 percent of the time, "but that's not good enough," said Spenko, an associate professor of mechanical engineering. "How many accidents are acceptable to you over a year? There's going to be an accident, but you can say we can have one in a billion or one in 10 billion."

He's the co-principal investigator on the project with Mathieu Joerger, a former Illinois Tech colleague and now assistant professor of aerospace and mechanical engineering at the University of Arizona. In September, they won a grant from the National Science Foundation to do the research.

"This is an area that's been researched a lot for aviation, but what we're doing is taking that research and bringing it down to mobile robots and self-driving vehicles," said Joerger.

While Spenko's lab has built drones, including one that ComEd tested for inspecting utility lines, he's going even higher up with his research for NASA.

In December 2015, the lab was one of 15 universities to win an Early Stage Innovations grant from the space agency to develop gripping technology for its Astrobee robots. Astrobees are free-flying robots now in development for the International Space Station; they're 1 cubic foot in size and can fly in zero gravity.

Spenko is working on ways for the robots to dock or perch on smooth, rough and fabric surfaces. He's combining two different techniques: Electrostatic adhesion, essentially the same science that makes a balloon stick to your hair; and gecko-like adhesives, which mimics the tiny hairlike structures on the toes of geckos.

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Spenko's other space project: hand-sized climbing robots for NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif. Those robots, which Spenko's lab is building itself, would also use adhesive tech.

"We're very interested in climbing robots because maneuvering in micro-gravity is much more similar to climbing than it is to walking," said Aaron Parness, group leader of extreme environment robots for the jet lab. "You have to hang on to move around, and if you lose your grip, you fall off into space."

He says the robots can do a variety of tasks, from maintenance and repairs to taking pictures. They also cost less and are safer than having to fly humans out to do the work.

Parness called Spenko's lab one of the most innovative research labs in robotics.

"IIT is not a typical partner for NASA," Parness said. "We tend to be working a lot with MIT, Caltech and Berkeley. Because his particular research is really excellent, it is a very productive collaboration."

He added that NASA's jet lab has hired three of Spenko's graduate students.

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"That's a strong vote of confidence for the work he's been doing," Parness said. "In the robot area, IIT is known because of him."

Kate MacArthur is a freelance writer.

Twitter @KateMacArthur
Tech companies and internet providers are poised for another dramatic showdown as the head of the Federal Communications Commission revealed a plan Wednesday for rolling back his predecessor's rules mandating a free and open internet.

The proposal from FCC Chairman Ajit Pai marks the first step toward undoing a key decision of the Obama era, one that forced internet providers to behave more like legacy telephone companies. The stricter rules for ISPs had made it illegal to block or slow down websites for consumers  and they paved the road for other policies, such as one governing online privacy, which was overturned in a separate controversial move by Congress and President Trump earlier this year.

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Pai's attempt to reverse the net neutrality regulations rekindles a high-stakes debate over the future of the web. Internet providers argue they need weaker rules in order to continue upgrading their networks and to find new ways of making money. Consumer groups say giving ISPs freer rein will cause them to abuse their powerful position as gatekeepers between customers and the rest of the internet, controlling what Web users can see and do, and at what cost, online.

Pai said that his agency's net neutrality rules were "all about politics," in a speech at the Newseum in Washington on Wednesday.

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"Two years ago, I warned that we were making a serious mistake," said Pai. "It's basic economics: The more heavily you regulate something, the less of it you're likely to get."

Pai's proposal is set for a vote at the FCC's May 18 open meeting. If it is approved, Pai will begin seeking public feedback on the plan, which calls for regulating ISPs more lightly and asks Americans for ways to preserve the core principles of net neutrality while giving ISPs greater flexibility.

Internet activists are gearing up for a war of public opinion over the proposal. The last time the FCC considered the rules, in 2015, critics and advocates of net neutrality flooded the FCC's electronic systems  submitting millions of comments, and setting an agency record, before the creaky database ground to a halt.

"Millions of people engaged in 2014-2015 to make sure these rules were instituted in the first place," said David Segal, executive director of the advocacy group Demand Progress. "As Trump and his FCC seek to roll back the rules and let corporations manipulate internet traffic in service of private profit, I'm sure we will see millions of Americans fight back."

The stakes are as high as ever, as Republicans and broadband companies prepare to overturn an aspect of the policy they dislike the most: The classification of ISPs as "common carriers." In a move led by Pai's Democratic predecessor, Tom Wheeler, that decision triggered a change in how the government may regulate the industry.

Classifying ISPs as common carriers enabled the government to legally ban some practices, such as the outright blocking of internet traffic. And it also allowed the FCC to investigate other practices it viewed as potentially anticompetitive  such as when companies like AT&T and Verizon began exempting certain proprietary apps from their own wireless data limits. Critics of that tactic, known as zero-rating, say allowing it could give telecom companies the power to pick winners and losers in the internet ecosystem.

Internet providers feared that the FCC could someday use its common-carrier authority to impose direct price regulations on the broadband industry. While the FCC under Wheeler refrained from doing so, the industry fought back with a high-profile lawsuit and allegations that the net neutrality policy was dampening network investments.

Tech companies nationwide have urged the FCC to keep the rules in place. Etsy, Vimeo, the startup incubator Y Combinator and 800 other startup firms sent a letter to Pai on Wednesday arguing that weakening the net neutrality rules would allow ISPs to "impede traffic from our services in order to favor their own services or established competitors."

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Earlier this month, Pai visited Facebook, Apple and other major firms to discuss his plan, as well as groups representing the cable and cellular industries. Although Pai had initially considered repealing the 2015 common carrier decision as part of his plan, he said Wednesday that the best path forward was not such an aggressive step, but an "open and transparent process."

With the fate of a major internet policy in the balance, Pai's proposal may lend momentum to U.S. lawmakers who have proposed replacing the current FCC rules with congressional legislation. Republican members of Congress have said they are ready to craft a bill that enshrines some of the existing regulations permanently into law. But that effort is expected to stall without support from Democrats, such as Sens. Ed Markey of Massachusetts and Ron Wyden of Oregon who argue the FCC can and should regulate ISPs more heavily.

Some Democrats, such as Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, signaled on a call with reporters Wednesday that they would support litigation against Pai's FCC to defend the net neutrality rules  much as broadband industry advocates sued to overturn the regulations in 2015.

But opponents of the FCC's regulations say the government should not replace the net neutrality regulations at all.

"The government should do nothing," said Daniel Berninger, a network engineer who joined ISPs in suing to overturn the FCC's rules. "The government did nothing from 1995 to 2015, and everything worked fine."
An 11-month-old baby from Ivory Coast who underwent a rare surgery at Advocate Childrens Hospital to remove an extra set of legs from the back of her neck has been reunited with her family in Africa. (Chicago Tribune/Chicago Tribune)

An 11-month-old baby who underwent a rare surgery at Advocate Children's Hospital to remove an extra set of legs from the back of her neck has been reunited with her family in Africa.

Baby Dominique's mother stood with her hands over her mouth as an escort pushed her daughter, in a stroller, toward her April 20 in the Abidjan International Airport in the Ivory Coast. The mother knelt and gently took the baby's hands in her own, touching her for the first time in more than two months.

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"I truly never thought that I'd see my daughter like this, today," said her mother, in French, in a video of the moment provided by the hospital. "It's really a miracle."

She said her daughter can now "have a normal life, like other children." The mother's name and the baby's last name are not being released at the family's request.

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Dominque's reunion with her mother, father and three sisters followed a March 8 surgery at the Park Ridge hospital in which surgeons removed the extra legs from Dominique's neck.

Dominique was born with what's known as a parasitic twin. Only the lower half of the twin's body formed, and Dominique was born with that parasitic twin joined to her spine. She was also born with two spines.

It's an extremely unusual condition, with only a handful of cases ever documented involving a parasitic twin attached at the spine, Advocate doctors have said.

Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 7 Nancy Swabb, of Chicago, holds 10-month-old Dominique on March 21, 2017, at Advocate Children's Hospital in Park Ridge. The infant from the Ivory Coast was born with four legs and two spines. A March 8 surgery at the hospital removed the parasitic twin that had not fully developed. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune)

Advocate surgeons spent six hours separating bone, blood vessels and nerves. They left both spines inside Dominique, saying she should be able to live normally with them.

Doctors had worried that if they didn't remove the extra legs, Dominique eventually could have become paralyzed. They also feared that her heart and lungs might not have been able to keep pace with the demands of supporting the extra legs.

Dominique recovered nicely from the surgery, with no complications, said Dr. John Ruge, lead surgeon on the case and director of pediatric neurosurgery at the hospital. Doctors wanted her to stay in the Chicago area for at least a month after her surgery to make sure she was truly healed.

"To be able to put her back into her parents' hands, healed and ready to take on the next chapter in her life, and to see the family so appreciative ... was just wonderful," Ruge said.

Dominique arrived in Chicago in February via the Ohio-based nonprofit Children's Medical Missions West, which has a relationship with Ruge. An Edgebrook family hosted the little girl, caring for her before and after the surgery. Dominique's parents weren't able to accompany her due to cost, Advocate spokeswoman Lisa Parro said.

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Parro said Wednesday that she didn't know the cost of the surgery. But the hospital performed the surgery for free, as it does in about four to six complex cases a year.

The surgery drew attention to the children's hospital, which isn't as well-known as Lurie Children's Hospital in Chicago when it comes to complicated surgeries and treating patients from abroad.

Advocate Children's Hospital, however, has been steadily building its capabilities. It's added about 100 physicians over the past five years. Advocate Health Care, the state's largest hospital system, committed about six years ago to bolstering the children's hospital's offerings, Advocate Children's Hospital President Mike Farrell has said.

lschencker@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @lschencker
Rep. Jan Schakowsky, D-Ill., speaks April 11, 2017, at a protest outside O'Hare International Airport after a United Airlines passenger was dragged from a flight by Aviation Department officers. She has introduced a bill to prohibit involuntary bumping by airlines. (Scott Olson / Getty Images)

Federal legislation has been proposed to prohibit airlines from bumping unwilling customers off oversold flights, a practice thrust into the spotlight this month after a United Express passenger was dragged off a flight at O'Hare International Airport.

Rep. Jan Schakowsky, a Democrat from Evanston, introduced a bill Tuesday that would bar airlines from involuntarily bumping passengers with "confirmed reserved space" on a flight to provide a seat for another passenger, whether a customer or airline employee.

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The bill was inspired by uproar over viral videos of the passenger, Dr. David Dao, being dragged from a flight April 9 after he repeatedly refused airline employee and Chicago Aviation Department officers' instructions to give up his seat to make room for airline employees.

United Airlines and American Airlines already have announced changes aimed at preventing similar incidents. But Schakowsky said Dao's situation, while unusual, raised questions about the broader practice of overbooking and involuntary bumping.

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"Once you're in your seat, you should expect to be able to stay there," Schakowsky said. "I've never heard of a concert or any kind of performance where you get your ticket and you get there and they say 'I'm sorry, you can't stay.'"

When she first announced plans for the legislation days after Dao was pulled from the flight, one analyst deemed the idea "well-intentioned, but impractical."

No airline wants to bump an unwilling customer, but when schedules are tight, requiring airlines to spend more time seeking volunteers could cause more delayed flights, said Henry Harteveldt, founder of Atmosphere Research Group.

Current regulations say airlines have to try to find volunteers, but can choose customers to bump if no one steps up. Any involuntarily bumped passenger delayed longer than an hour receives compensation that varies based on the price of the ticket and length of the wait, up to a maximum of $1,350.

Most of the time, it works. Major U.S. carriers bumped passengers about 475,000 times last year and found volunteers about 91.5 percent of the time, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. Fewer than 1 in 10,000 passengers were involuntarily bumped.

The airline industry says deliberate overbooking to reduce the risk of flying with empty seats helps keep fares low, while the ability to bump passengers helps airlines manage scheduling while keeping as many customers happy as possible.

Schakowsky said she thinks airlines should have to bear more risk if they want the financial benefits of selling a few seats twice to avoid flying with empty seats on routes where they expect a few no-shows.

"The well-being of all our passengers is and will remain the highest priority for airlines. We continue to caution against unnecessary regulatory actions, which could have unintended consequences for the 2.2 million passengers who take to skies each day," said Vaughn Jennings, spokesman for industry group Airlines for America, in an email.

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United is conducting a broader review of its policies around oversold flights but has already said it will not ask law enforcement officers to remove passengers from flights unless it is a matter of safety and security. The airline also said it will require employees to provide more advance notice when booking seats to avoid bumping passengers who are already on board.

American also changed its policies to state that it will not involuntarily bump a paying passenger who has already boarded to make room for another passenger, including American employees, said spokeswoman Leslie Scott.

Schakowsky's bill would not keep airlines from removing passengers for safety or security reasons. Regulations around overbooking in other situations, such as when airlines have to switch to a smaller plane, would be settled during the rulemaking process, said Jeronimo Anaya-Ortiz, a spokesman for Schakowsky.

While President Donald Trump has opposed additional government regulation, Schakowsky said she hopes the fact that there are already rules around compensating involuntarily bumped passengers will make the bill an easier sell.

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Jewel-Osco President Mike Withers, photographed Jan. 12, 2016, says his company is remodeling stores and expanding offerings. "I think our customers today probably have more to choose from than ever," he said. "But I like our chances. We're here." (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune)

Jewel-Osco President Mike Withers has been promoted to executive vice president of retail operations for parent company Albertsons Co.

A successor for Withers has not yet been announced. Withers will oversee the company's East region operations and split his new position with the current executive vice president of retail operations, Susan Morris, who will preside over the West, according to an Albertsons news release earlier this week.

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It's a full-circle move for Withers, 57,who began his career in the grocery business in 1976 as a clerk for Albertsons in Boise, Idaho. In his new role, Withers will return to Boise to work out of the Albertsons corporate headquarters.

Since 2013, Withers led Jewel-Osco through a period of immense change and intense competition in Chicago's industry, after the Dominick's closing led to an influx of new competitors vying for market share. In the years since, Jewel-Osco has grown its number of stores, from 176 to 186, and remodeled dozens more.

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Jewel-Osco is the largest grocery store chain in the Chicago market. The Itasca-based chain is a subsidiary of AB Acquisitions, better known as Albertsons, which is controlled by New York-based private equity firm Cerberus Capital Management.

gtrotter@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @GregTrotterTrib
Starbucks plans to open a four-level Roastery flagship on Michigan Avenue, its largest space yet for the high-end concept that the coffee giant is rolling out around the world.

Executive Chairman Howard Schultz said the company plans to bring its Starbucks Reserve Roastery showplace to the current Crate & Barrel building at Michigan Avenue and Erie Street in 2019.

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The Roastery is an interactive format where customers can see rare, small-batch Reserve beans roasted, brewed and packaged.

"It's not a coffee store, the essence of it is the theater and romance and something so experiential," Schultz said. Schultz first had the idea for the Roastery stores in August 2009, when he wrote about a plan to create "the Willy Wonka of coffee." Schultz recorded that idea and others in a journal he kept about his plans for the chain.

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The Tribune first reported plans for the Chicago flagship on April 17.

Starbucks' confirmation of the Magnificent Mile showplace comes 30 years after Starbucks opened its first coffee shop outside the Seattle area in Chicago at 111 W. Jackson Blvd.

"It was so vitally important, because if Chicago didn't succeed I doubt we would have been able to build a global brand like we did," he said.

At 43,000 square feet, Chicago's is the largest among six Roastery emporiums that Starbucks has announced. The size will eclipse a planned 30,000-square-foot space in China, which had been the largest one announced to date.

It will be the third Roastery in the United States, following one that opened in Starbucks' hometown of Seattle in December 2014 and another expected to open in New York in 2018. Roastery stores are set to open in Shanghai this year and in Milan and Tokyo in 2018, the company said.

Schultz said the Roastery will be a multi-million dollar investment. "These are big bets," he said. "But as a company we're not building for next year but the next 50 years."

Chicago's Roastery will feature interactive tours, multiple brewing methods and specialty Reserve drinks. In addition to selling Reserve drinks and beans, all Roastery locations will feature foods such as artisan breads from Italian baker Rocco Princi.

The deal marks the end of an era for a local retailer, Northbrook-based Crate & Barrel, which has had a store in the Michigan Avenue building for 27 years.

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Crate & Barrel spokeswoman Jill Assad said the store will remain open through the holiday season, likely closing by early 2018. Its other store in the city, on North Avenue in the Clybourn Corridor, will remain open, she said.

"There are no immediate plans for another Chicago store, but we're continuously reviewing our real estate portfolio to meet our customers where they want to shop," Assad said.

The glassy Michigan Avenue building is owned by a venture of Crate & Barrel co-founder Gordon Segal, who sold his majority stake in the home goods retailer in 1998.

Schultz said the deal to lease the Magnificent Mile site was born out of a longtime friendship with Segal.

When Segal sold Crate & Barrel, Schultz recalled bringing Segal to Seattle to see the first Roastery "with an ulterior motive." Schultz was hoping that Segal would someday agree to lease the Chicago store to Starbucks.

"When I realized what we could do in that space ... I was absolutely coming out of my skin, I was so excited," Schultz said.

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Schultz said the Chicago Roastery's final design is still being worked out, but he teased what could be a major feature.

"The store gives us an opportunity to do something very dramatic with the escalator that will fit with the Willy Wonka theme," Schultz said.

Segal was represented in the Starbucks deal by CBRE's Camille Julmy, Bob Wislow and Todd Siegel. Starbucks was represented by Adam Secher, a principal at Baum Realty Group.

"Howard and I share the same passion for the companies we created, each centered around the customer experience and a relentless attention to detail," Segal said in a Starbucks news release. "This building has a unique way of becoming a beacon for a brand and I can't think of a better retailer than Starbucks to offer Chicago something new and exciting with its Reserve Roastery."

In addition to the massive Roastery, Starbucks also is introducing its Reserve brand in other Chicago-area shops. That includes plans to open its first Reserve-only store in Chicago at 1000 W. Randolph St. as early as 2018, according to the company.

The Reserve stores have a traditional Starbucks menu, like basic brewed coffee, but also bring in some aspects of the Roastery like a coffee bar featuring the company's small-lot Reserve coffees. Reserve stores also offer different brewing methods as well as Nitro Cold Brew taps and specialty beverages unique to the higher-end stores.

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Starbucks said it eventually plans to have 20 to 30 Roastery flagships globally, and as many as 1,000 Reserve stores.

Currently there are 20 U.S. Starbucks stores with Reserve bars, including three in Chicago and one in Lake Forest.

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When Dan Cusack, 65, looks out his dining room window, all he sees is the towering red brick facade of Elmhurst Hospital.

He moved with his wife to the neighborhood in 1987. Back then, hundreds of houses spread across half-acre lots. The neighborhood backed up to the Celozzi-Ettleson Chevrolet dealership along the frontage road (now East Brush Hill Road). It was typical suburbia.

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Then the hospital came.

Developers swept up properties, buying up the dealership and much of the unincorporated West Yorkfield neighborhood piecemeal. Elmhurst Hospital was completed in summer 2011 after a three-year construction process. From the beginning, the 866,000-square-foot hospital seated on 50 manicured acres made efforts to seek feedback from neighbors and address complaints.

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Keith Hartenberger, spokesman for the hospital's health system, Edward-Elmhurst Health, said in an email, "Being a good neighbor is a priority for Elmhurst Hospital. We have a history of regular meetings and communication with nearby residents before the construction and after the opening of the new Elmhurst Hospital."

Still, when a major medical center steps into a quiet neighborhood, a host of changes is unavoidable.

Cusack, a semiretired accountant who now does consulting out of his home, has been a vocal critic of the hospital. He was involved in the initial relationship between the hospital and the community; he started attending meetings of a neighborhood advisory committee and became an active member of the group.

Given their proximity to the hospital, Dan Cusack, here with wife Nancy, worries about listing his home in the future. At some point, were going to have trouble selling the place, he said. (Kamil Krzaczynski / Chicago Tribune)

"To say I was disappointed with the way things turned out would be to put it mildly," he said.

For one thing, there's the added traffic. Cars and ambulances roll through at a steady clip, and semis and smaller delivery trucks pass by dozens of times a day.

Some residents blame the heavy hospital traffic along the old, once-residential streets for a series of water line breaks over the last six years. ("We do know there was an issue with a water line break on Harvard (Street) about a year ago that was resolved," Hartenberger said. "We have no information linking that to traffic.")

There's also the constant noisy hum. Perhaps surprisingly, ambulances aren't a problem. They generally turn off their sirens in the residential approach to the emergency room. It's all the other bustling sounds: landscapers mulching, snow plows, car alarms, loud music, backup generators and hissing gas lines.

"All day long today they had a Bobcat going in the parking lot," Cusack said recently. "That beep-beep-beep just goes right through the walls and windows."

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The Cusacks have spent tens of thousands trying to alleviate the hospitals effects on their lives. They planted trees, landscaped, installed new windows and insulated siding, added a new roof with the sort of soundproof insulation used near airports and put up a new garage to block the view of street traffic from the backyard. (Kamil Krzaczynski / Chicago Tribune)

"Sometimes it feels like my home is under siege," said Amy Field, a marketer who lives near the hospital with her three kids. "I've been woken up out of my sleep twice thinking it was maybe an earthquake or the world coming to an end, but it was just the helicopter coming in."

She recommends potential buyers and renters visit the areas they're considering at different times of the day and week to gauge what it might be like to live there. Some inconveniences might not show themselves at first glance.

Elmhurst Hospital tries to address neighbors' concerns. It constructed small berms and arranged landscaping to minimize noise and nuisance. It "developed schedules for sanitation pickups, product deliveries, equipment tests and construction projects to lessen noise during early morning and overnight hours," says hospital spokesman Hartenberger.

Many residents, accepting the realities of living beside a major hospital, don't mind the constant light shining through their windows or the occasional strangers skirting the edges of their yard, moving to and from patients' bedsides.

Others are less satisfied.

"The feel of a neighborhood, with neighbors and homes and kids running up and down the street  that disappeared," said Field. "In its place, you get a lot of strangers coming into the area."

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Dan Cusack isn't happy with how much of an impact the hospital has on his life. All day long today they had a Bobcat going in the parking lot, Cusack said recently. That beep-beep-beep just goes right through the walls and windows. (Kamil Krzaczynski / Chicago Tribune)

The strangest side effect of living in the hospital's shadow must be the encounters with patients who have fled the hospital without being discharged.

Both Cusack and Field tell stories of men and women in hospital gowns, sometimes with catheters still in their arms, wandering around their properties.

Two patients have crossed into Cusack's yard. He is aware of at least three other cases since the hospital opened.

"Last fall, this guy just comes racing across our front yard," he said. "He went into the guy's yard next to us, followed by hospital security guards and personnel chasing him."

The medical term for this, according to Hartenberger, is "elopement," and it's an issue at all hospitals.

"Elmhurst Hospital takes all reasonable and legal measures, based on best practices and discretion of our medical staff, to prevent such incidents," he said, adding that when it does happen, hospital staff teams with law enforcement to find and return the patient to the premises.

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Cusack and his wife have spent tens of thousands trying to alleviate the hospital's effects on their lives. They planted trees, landscaped, installed new windows and insulated siding, added a new roof with the sort of soundproof insulation used near airports and put up a new garage to block the view of street traffic from the backyard, but privacy can still be hard to come by. They even asked DuPage County for special permission to build an 8-foot fence between their house and the hospital.

Noting their situation, the county offered allowance for a 10-footer.

Living near the hospital has had a pernicious effect on the value of the surrounding real estate, according to Cusack. He points to a decrease in his real estate taxes last year due to what he suspects is a downtrend in the market value of the land around the hospital, and to the nearby houses flaunting "For Sale" signs that haven't sold in years.

He worries about listing his home in the future.

"At some point, we're going to have trouble selling the place," Cusack said.

Field concurs the hospital has decreased value in the neighborhood. "I think the amount of people who would be willing to live next to a hospital is lower."

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Not everyone shares that concern. Tim Schiller, a managing partner of the Schiller Team Elmhurst real estate brokerage, said that, despite a panic when the hospital was first built, home values in the neighborhood have benefited. He recently finalized sales on a new construction home that faces Elmhurst Hospital, as well as a nearby property on Old York Road.

For properties on the perimeter of the hospital and in the broader community, the hospital has been a bonus, he said.

According to a report from Realtor.com, homeowners near hospitals typically received 3 percent less than local averages when selling their properties in 2015. But Effi Benmelech, professor of finance at Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management and director of the Guthrie Center for Real Estate Research, cautions that this alleged decrease in value may not take all the relevant variables into account. While there is a difference between the effects of rural and urban hospitals, the public service they provide adds value, he said.

Because hospitals often attract doctors and other high-earning professionals to live nearby, and because they may prompt further developments around them, they can be valuable neighbors, "not necessarily for someone who lives next door, but for the overall neighborhood," Benmelech said.

Some Chicagoans living downtown see more of the pros of living at the edges of medical facilities and don't share all the concerns of suburbanites.

Cheena Chandra, a Keller Williams real estate broker who transplanted from New York to Streeterville and lives near Northwestern Memorial Hospital, said she's learned to love sirens.

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What's more, if you can handle the oddities, living near a hospital is a great investment because there is a built-in clientele of potential renters.

"Residents, doctors and med students all have to live within a certain proximity," said Chandra, "so it's always going to keep the value stable."

Street congestion can be problematic, she said, but from a property ownership perspective, the nearby hospital has a big upside. With residents and med students looking to rent close to their workplaces, demand is high.

Field, from her home beside Elmhurst Hospital, has a dream to move out West or South when her children are finished with school. She wants someplace larger and quieter.

Chandra is content beside her downtown hospital.

"My building has lots of doctors," said Chandra. "If I've got an issue, I get to knock on somebody's door."

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Griffin Jackson is a freelance writer.

ctc-realestate@chicagotribune.com

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The Chiampan was inspired by bar director Brandon Phillips' grandmother, who loved Lambrusco, a softly fizzy Italian red wine. Phillips rethinks the classic sipper as a cocktail made from sparkling wine, vermouth, Amarena cherry liqueur and Saba, a creamy berry liqueur that brings a dark fruit flavor. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune)

Casual Italian dining is having a moment, with red-sauce joints and full-course spreads giving way to stylish watering holes serving small plates alongside lower-proof wines and cocktails. Take Animale in Logan Square and Bar Lupo in River North, the former pushing excellent tastings of pasta and the latter pouring zippy, refreshing spritzes.

Enter Otto Mezzo, an open-late cocktail bar from chef Kevin Hickey and barman Brandon Phillips, combining sipping and snacking in the former Ay Chiwowa space on Chicago Avenue. Hickey and Phillips, both 2016 Tribune Dining Award winners, moved over from The Duck Inn to open the new spot, debuting Wednesday. (Like Duck Inn, it's backed by Rockit Ranch, which also runs Rockit Burger Bar, Sunda and Bottlefork.)

"At Otto Mezzo, Italy is our world," says Phillips, bar director and partner. "Italy isn't a theme  I find thematic cocktails limiting." He instead sees the country as an influence, playing with Italian ingredients to make his own, highly creative cocktails.

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The spot, which doesn't open until 8:30 p.m. and holds a 4 a.m. license (5 a.m. Saturdays), is dedicated to late-night carousing, even as its concept is drawn from Italian cocktail culture, which is usually a low-alcohol affair. The cocktails will feature little-known spirits from up and down the Boot. The bar is home to an extensive selection of 90 bottles, including various kinds of amaro, aperitivo and fernet, plus about 50 bottles of grappa and Italian brandy, one of the largest collections in the city. I want to feature spirits and liqueurs with a transportative quality, says Phillips.

One of his signature cocktails, the Chiampan, is named after his Italian grandmother, who loved Lambrusco, that softly fizzy red wine famous throughout Central Italy. Phillips rethinks the classic sipper as a cocktail made from sparkling wine, vermouth, Amarena cherry liqueur and Saba, a creamy berry liqueur that brings a dark fruit flavor. The resulting sip resembles the original Lambrusco  dark purple and bubbly  but with Phillips' signature command of flavor.

"Were working with as many ingredients as we can from entirely different regions  sourcing has been a feat, says Phillips. Take the Grazzianeddu, an ode to the Italian island of Sardinia. The drink features regional ingredients such as Mirto, a liqueur made from myrtle berries; abbardente, a moonshine-esque spirit; Vernaccia di Oristano, a white wine; and bitter honey harvested from bees that pollinate the islands native Corbezzolo bush in early winter. Another drink, the Biscotti Sour, channels the iconic coffee-shop cookie with Faretti Biscotti Famosi Liqueur and Caffo Vecchia Grappa.

The Chiampan was inspired by bar director Brandon Phillips' grandmother, who loved Lambrusco, a softly fizzy Italian red wine. Phillips rethinks the classic sipper as a cocktail made from sparkling wine, vermouth, Amarena cherry liqueur and Saba, a creamy berry liqueur that brings a dark fruit flavor. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune)

Meanwhile, Phillips' brother, sommelier Michael Taylor, has put together a region-spanning list of Italian wine and beers.

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Hickey will run the kitchen, focused on smaller, shareable cocktail-friendly bites and nightly pasta specials.

"(Otto Mezzo) is not a place for dinner," he says. "We want to satisfy cravings arising from drinking, but we want our cocktails to fuel your adventure through Italy."

Opening menu highlights include burrata-stuffed olives wrapped in spicy nduja before being fried in focaccia breadcrumbs, as well as a salumi plate with nduja, soppresatta, tartuffo and finocchiona, a fennel-forward style of Tuscan salami. There is some sharing of the bar's ingredients, too, in the form of amaro-flavored gelato and sorbet.

The 65-seat space takes its cues from Italian cinema and late-era art deco  think candlelit spaces with vintage furniture and art. (The bars name, Otto Mezzo, is a nod to Federico Fellinis classic Otte e Mezzo, or 8 .) The music will, somewhat unexpectedly, juxtapose high-energy jazz with modern hip-hop. Stresses Phillips, again: We dont want to be limited to a theme weve imposed on ourselves.

311 W. Chicago Ave., 312-234-0884, www.ottomezzobar.com

jbhernandez@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @joeybear85






Despite the different spellings and expressions of wine styles, as far as one universally beloved wine grape is concerned, all roads lead to the sea. I'm talking about the renowned white wine variety albarino, known as alvarinho in Portugal. Glancing at a standard computer keyboard, one might wonder if the divergence was simply due to the lackadaisical work of a fat-fingered typist long ago. Look at where the "b" and "v" are, and then where the "n" and "h" are. Just saying.

Really, if you want to geek out a little, "b" and "v" represent the same phoneme in northern Portugal and Spain (which is to say, they make roughly the same sound), and the "h" is a silent interloper  "nh" is a common digraph, two successive letters that amount to a single sound, in Portuguese. But let's not get too caught up in linguistics when we're talking about good wine. Also, don't spend too much time trying to get to the bottom of whether albarino hails from the autonomous region of Galicia in Spain, or across the border in northern Portugal. One thing you would be well served to log in your memory, though, is that albarino is one of the best wines on earth for seafood.

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When you daydream of chilled, saltwater-kissed raw oysters on the half-shell, spindly crab legs, curvy tentacles or perfectly cooked portions of flaky white fish, save room in that dream for a glass of fragrant, fruity and dry albarino. Considering the grape's two most-successful areas, both of them near the Atlantic Ocean, is the first clue that this prized white grape variety might be a good match for the fruits of the sea.

The albarino grape is thick-skinned  not as in the quality that keeps tech support workers from hanging up on angry callers, but literally. This skin translates to expressive aromatics, and even before those aromatics show up, before the grapes are turned into wine, those formidable outer layers protect the grapes from the rainy weather conditions of northwestern Spain and northern Portugal. Regardless of what side of the border the grape variety was born on, this general region is most certainly its ancestral home. It is a rugged land of lush greenness and an abundance of precipitation.

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When the grape is called albarino and made into a varietal wine in the Galician wine region of Rias Baixas, it can offer pleasant briny evidence of the nearby Atlantic, along with varying combinations of floral notes, citrus, stone and tropical fruits, apple, pear, minerality, a touch of bitterness or nuttiness, plus zingy acidity and mouth-filling medium body. This is not a wimpy wine by anyone's definition; in addition to the abundance of aromas and flavors, albarinos can routinely reach 12.5 percent alcohol or more.

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Albarino is sometimes blended with loureiro or treixadura, and can be bottle-ageable, often for several years or more. The downside? There really isn't one, except maybe that prices have crept up. Even so, it's not too hard to find good albarino that won't put you behind on your utilities.

The Spaniards like to splash the word albarino across their labels. This, of course, is a departure from the more usual Old World tradition of listing only the place where the wine is from, rather than a varietal name or a varietal name and a place name, on labels. It is a welcome departure for those of us who live on this side of the Atlantic, since it makes it easier for us to find the wine we want, especially when it's time to plan a seafood feast.

Across the border, in northern Portugal, alvarinho is the major player in the light, tangy, fresh and often slightly effervescent wine named for the Vinho Verde region. This wine is meant to be drunk young, as an aperitif or (naturally) with seafood. Its name translates to "green wine," but that has nothing to do with alvarinho's color. In fact, most Vinho Verde has little or no color. Here, green refers to the wine's youthfulness. In Vinho Verde, alvarinho can be blended with avesso, azal, arinto, loureiro and trajadura (which is treixadura in Spain).

Most Vinho Verdes land somewhere between 9 and 12 percent alcohol, but some can easily inch up beyond that. So be careful if you are guzzling one of those bottlings as you chase a ball around in the sun. Because, in case you weren't aware, Vinho Verde is definitely guzzle-able. And that fizz that some of them have? It's not from fermentation; it's from a shot of carbon dioxide. Even when the fizz is there, though, it's often so subtle that you might not even take notice of it.

Some other parts of the world have caught up to the green fertile regions of the Atlantic-coastal regions of the Iberian peninsula, at least where an interest in albarino is concerned. Once not commonly grown outside of Spain and Portugal, albarino can now be found in Washington, Oregon, California and New Zealand, among other places. Besides being well-suited to damp cool weather, albarino can also stand a little heat.

Regardless of where it comes from or how it is spelled, count on albarino being a lively, tangy wine that makes for a great apertif. Its natural palate-cleansing acidity ensures that you will continue to be zinged and refreshed all through your pre-dinner hour, until the very first bites of food come out. And it almost goes without repeating  almost  that in its best possible use, albarino is a beautiful food wine, destined for great flavor synergy with just about anything that once called the sea home.

food@chicagotribune.com
We love a skillet dinner  when all the elements come together in one pan. It's easier, sure, but also the flavors of the elements enhance one another as they mingle. That's true in this dish that unites bold onions, peas and mushrooms with mild chicken. An unexpected hit of pungent, fresh oregano finishes it. You'll want a wine that refreshes while it also enhances, like these Old World pours.

EAT THIS

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Skillet chicken with onions, peas, mushrooms

In a skillet, sweat 1 onion, chopped, and 2 cloves garlic, minced, in 2 tablespoons olive oil until onions soften, 5 minutes. Stir in 8 ounces sliced mushrooms; season with salt. Brown mushrooms over medium-high, 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Season 4 chicken thighs with salt; cook, turning once, until browned on both sides, about 12 minutes. Pour in 1 cup dry white wine; simmer over low heat until chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes. Return onions and mushrooms to skillet; stir in 1 cup peas and 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano. Cook to heat through. Makes: 2 servings

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Recipe by Joe Gray

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DRINK THIS

Pairings by sommelier Alan Beasey of The Purple Pig, as told to Michael Austin:

2014 Mylonas Savatiano, Attica, Greece: The flagship grape of Athens, savatiano, presents itself with aromas of white flowers, tropical fruit, mint and savory herbs. On the palate, this wine exudes a rich, medium body, with flavors of honeysuckle, white peach, candied citrus and a hint of mint that will complement the hearty, savory flavors of the dish perfectly. This is a hidden gem of Greece, and it pairs ideally with rustic, Mediterranean cuisine.

2014 de Ladoucette Pouilly-Fume, Loire Valley, France: Although this dish has Mediterranean undertones, it's clearly French at its heart. This classic French sauvignon blanc is perfect for the dish's bright and hearty flavors. Though matured in stainless steel, this wine spent six months on the lees, which gives it a toasty, rich quality that will elevate the chicken. Balanced with citrus, minerality and green herbs, this wine will make sweet harmony with the dish.

2015 Heitlinger Pinot Meunier, Baden, Germany: For a red, pinot noir's big brother will work perfectly. Pinot meunier is more commonly blended with pinot noir and chardonnay to make Champagne, but this varietal wine really shows the grape's true colors. With notes of dark cherries, sappy red fruits, forest floor, spices and cinnamon, the wine is elegant enough to work with chicken yet bold enough to enhance the flavors of the mushrooms and peas.

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First of all, thanks are due to any artist canny enough to situate an orange juice machine in the middle of an installation. Second of all, kudos to the institution brave enough to accede to that artist's wishes.

Tangy fruit juice is not all that's available to revive tired senses in "Helio Oiticica: To Organize Delirium," the Art Institute of Chicago's boisterous survey of the late Brazilian artist. There are beds of sand and pools of water to wade through barefoot; boxes filled with hay and foam to lounge in; a labyrinth of vivid colors and sounds to wander; and a pulsing, druggy room to bounce around. Have I mentioned the pair of parrots and the billiards table?

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Oiticica was born in Rio de Janeiro in 1937. His grandfather was a philologist, writer and renowned anarchist, his father an entomologist and experimental photographer. While still in his teens, he joined Grupo Frente, a local artist group devoted to nonreferential art and geometric abstraction, and then, a few years later, he became a leader with Lygia Clark of the less orthodox Neoconcrete Group. This early transition is made tangible in the first few rooms of the exhibition, as the angular monochromatic shapes of Oiticica's gouache-on-cardboard paintings pop off and begin to hang in midair. (More of the artist's "Metaesquemas" are on view in the Prints and Drawings Galleries in a companion exhibition of Latin American art on paper.)

From having the elements of a painting invade the viewer's space, Oiticica moved on to something yet more radical in the early 1960s: inviting the viewer to penetrate the space of the painting. "NC6 Medium Nucleus 3" expands an orange geometric picture until there is enough of an opening between its vertical planes for a person to slip through. The sliding walls of "PN1 Penetrable" form a tiny room-size painting whose combination of yellow and orange hues shifts according to the whims of whoever's inside.

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As fragile originals, these two artworks can no longer be entered. Likewise a series of Oiticica's "Bolides," mysterious containers filled with earth, crystals, lights, poems, pictures and other materials, can no longer be handled, and a set of his "Parangoles," misshapen fabric constructions that act as capes or flags, can no longer be worn. What to do? How to give visitors a rich encounter with artworks that were meant for more than just visual contemplation without destroying objects that were not designed for decades of repeated use?

Oiticica had a fraught relationship with museums and galleries, famously leading a troupe of Parangoles-wearing samba dancers to perform outside of Rio's Museu de Arte Moderna after they'd been evicted by the director. He never had any interest in a retrospective exhibition and had no gallery representation during his lifetime. Yet Oiticica's oeuvre demands showing, given its continued relevance  and precedence  to today's art scene, where participatory, activated, relational and social have become familiar adjectives, and to a world in which direct experience is evermore superseded by virtual reality and fake news. This, in turn, has necessitated various solutions to the display problems inherent in his work.

Exhibition copies are one answer. Alas my experience trying on a reproduction flowered Parangole with Che Guevara's face in sequins was awkward, too far removed from the original  in terms of time, context and the literal space of the Art Institute, which stuck the rack of them in a back corner. I wish they'd been near a fabulous, sexy slide show of Oiticica and his collaborators posing in their sculptural garments on a New York City rooftop, in a graffiti-covered subway car, at the World Trade Center.

What did feel vital and good, especially in the middle of a museum, was hiding out alone in a dark musty tent listening to music, removing my shoes to walk across dry leaves, having a rest while nestled in a burlap-draped bed, feeling the discomfort of pebbles underfoot. These experiences and many others are part of five large-scale interactive installations that have been carefully re-created and that together fill about half of the exhibition.

They work so well because, being grounded in the five senses  sight, smell, hearing, taste, touch  they are essentially accessible to anyone of any age. Perpetually out of touch with our surroundings, with our natural proclivity for play and creativity, and lacking the frameworks in which to take these aspects of human life seriously, Oiticica's environments are surprisingly prescient and, for radical art, approachable. (The hordes of happy, genuinely engaged children in attendance attest to this, my own included. We went back three times in one day.)

How things feel, look and sound in Chicago right now is not everything, however, even with such sensorially resonant artwork. In 1964 a military dictatorship took over Brazil, and as the government grew more brutal Oiticica's art grew more political, at least in reference to his home country, which he left at the end of the decade, eventually landing in New York. "Tropicalia," full of squawking birds, potted palms and a little shack blaring television noise from deep within, was meant to combat cliches of exotic Brazil with something both local and cosmopolitan. "Filter Project," a warren of corridors garishly tinted by colored plastic curtains and gratingly noisy with broadcast sounds, was intended as an angry portrait of the passivity and mediocrity of contemporary Brazilians.

The least familiar part of the show is devoted to Oiticica's eight years in New York, when he experimented with filmmaking and concrete poetry, and produced a slightly cringe-worthy homoerotic slideshow that, at the very least, is honest about the kind of sexual freedom he found in the city. During those years, Oiticica also dealt, imbibed and made artwork with cocaine, a material whose potencies appealed to him as a pigment, a plant of the Aztec gods and a euphoric substance generally.

In 1978 Oiticica returned to Brazil, where he worked on plans for public plazas and fashioned witty sculptures out of rubble, bricks and colored water. He died of a massive stroke two years later, at the age of 42.

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"Helio Oiticica: To Organize Delirium" runs through May 7 at the Art Institute of Chicago, 111 S. Michigan Ave., 312-443-3600, www.artic.edu.

Lori Waxman is a freelance critic.

ctc-arts@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @chitribent

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Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 122 Sophie Turner as Jean Grey, anger management student, in "Dark Phoenix." The film, the latest in the "X-Men" franchise, costars James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender and Jessica Chastain. Read the review. (Twentieth Century Fox)
The Chicago Board of Education advanced plans to transform its high school application process, starting with next school year's eighth-graders  a change that will include a still-untold number of the city's privately operated charter schools.

Board members Wednesday voted to amend school district policies in the latest effort to overhaul what's often criticized as an overly complex system.

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"Most families are frustrated with the high school application process," CPS Chief Education Officer Janice Jackson told the school board. "We cannot have a system that allows some people to feel that they can access it with ease, while others feel like it's too complicated and choose to disengage."

That means students who want a ninth-grade seat in a participating charter school or a district-operated building other than the one they're assigned based on where they live need to file an electronic application that ranks their preferences.

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In return, students will receive a single offer to attend a school that corresponds with their choices, qualifications and available seats. Once a student accepts an offer, they won't be considered for admission elsewhere.

"We're forcing people to make a choice earlier," Jackson told reporters Wednesday, adding that the new process should help schools better plan for their enrollment.

Many neighborhood high schools face dwindling enrollment, and it's unclear how they might be affected by the new application process. Researchers have questioned whether a common application process would expand disadvantaged students' access to better schools, long a concern in economically stratified Chicago.

One community official Wednesday questioned how and when the public would learn more details about the new process, amid promises from CPS officials to soon deploy what Jackson described as a "very aggressive campaign" to publicize the program, test it and train school leaders.

"I don't think parents or even school administrators and teachers know enough about how it's being rolled out," said Beatriz Ponce de Leon, executive director of the Generation All education advocacy group.

"From our understanding, in talking with principals, with parent groups, with community organizations, nobody really knows much about these details and they haven't been involved in helping to make decisions about it in a very significant way."

Students will receive only one offer "based on their choices and qualifications," according to the revised district policy. Students who file a separate application to enter one of the district's competitive programs will receive up to two offers  one for the selective school and one for the nonselective seat.

Jackson said Wednesday that she expected more than half of CPS charter schools to immediately sign on to participate in the program but would not identify the participating charter networks.

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Only some campuses at the city's largest charter provider, the Noble Network of Charter Schools, would participate, she said.

"We'll start with a coalition of the willing," Jackson said, adding that new high school charters would have to sign on while remaining holdouts would be coaxed along through the schools' contract renewal process.

Wednesday's vote advances plans addressed by the school system in January, when it hired a San Francisco-based company to create an "online, mobile-friendly application" to simplify the process for parents and help administrators manage enrollment. A paper application would also be available.

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CPS officials have said the new application would allow families to rank their choices of up to 20 schools. The district then would offer the students a seat at one of their school choices based on the rankings.

Students who are not happy with their offer could file another application. Students who reject the second offer would be assigned to their designated neighborhood high school.

Under the revised policies, elementary and middle school principals will be responsible for ensuring that eighth-graders submit a high school application.

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Students who have not been accepted to a school or filed an application will be assigned to a high school based on where they live.

CPS expects to roll out the centralized process for students who will become high school freshmen during the 2018-19 school year.

jjperez@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @PerezJr
After an unorthodox judicial campaign in which he loaned himself an unprecedented $660,000 and ran unopposed in a race on Chicago's Northwest Side, Richard C. Cooke has continued to make waves as a Cook County judge.

The politically connected jurist, who was elected in November, has for more than four months refused an assignment from his supervising judge and the county's chief judge to work in traffic court, where nearly all new Cook County judges cut their teeth regardless of experience, according to a spokesman for Cook County Chief Judge Tim Evans, in response to a Tribune inquiry.

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Among other things, Cooke, 50, has told other judges he can't work in traffic court, where speeding and other similar violations are heard, or in any criminal courtroom because of his financial interest in a car wash that previously won city contracts worth hundreds of thousands of dollars to clean City of Chicago vehicles, including police vehicles.

After a six-week standoff, Cooke was transferred in late January to marriage court, where he has since served as a $194,000-a-year officiant presiding over weddings in the basement of Chicago's City Hall. But the honeymoon may be coming to an end.

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On Tuesday night, a panel of 17 presiding judges chaired by Evans voted to refer Cooke's "non-compliance with reporting to a judicial assignment" to the state agency that investigates allegations of judicial misconduct, Evans' spokesman Pat Milhizer said in response to Tribune inquiries.

If the Judicial Inquiry Board decides to file a complaint against Cooke, he could, if a panel finds the charges proved, be sanctioned or even removed from the bench.

Known as the Executive Committee of Cook County Circuit Court, the panel that on Tuesday sent the matter to the JIB meets regularly to discuss court operations but also handles disciplinary matters. Each of the presiding judges runs a division of the court  from the civil law division to criminal to family court.

Some of his fellow judges, who declined to talk on the record, say Cooke, who was slated by the Democratic Party after directing nearly $70,000 to politicians during his campaign, shouldn't be able to leapfrog over more experienced judges to a plum civil court assignment. Among the many judges who spent time in traffic court  where over 1,000 cases are heard each week  are a former high-profile federal prosecutor as well as a partner at a prestigious law firm.

Cooke and Evans declined comment.

The dustup is the latest black eye for one of the nation's largest unified court systems. Earlier this month, another politically connected Cook County judge, Jessica O'Brien, was indicted on federal mortgage fraud charges.

O'Brien had, like Cooke, been assigned to the First Municipal District.

Critics say the tempest is an illustration of all that's wrong with selecting judges in Cook County  where cash and political connections at times carry more weight than temperament and ability. Daley Center judges say traffic court is the best place for a new judge to learn how to manage a courtroom, master a new area of law and do their job in a setting where the possible damage they can inflict is relatively minimal.

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Former top federal prosecutor Carrie Hamilton, who helped prosecute ex-governor Rod Blagojevich, and former Winston & Strawn partner Raymond Mitchell both spent time in traffic court before moving into other assignments.

Longtime legal observers could not recall another instance of a judge refusing to take an assignment. In at least the past 40 years, the JIB has never filed a complaint against a judge for that reason.

"I have never, ever heard of a judge refusing an assignment from the chief judge (in Cook County)," said judicial ethics expert Steven Lubet, a professor at the Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law.

A national expert on judicial ethics could only cite a 1997 case out of Pennsylvania where the state Supreme Court suspended a judge for three months for refusing a transfer to another assignment, which the judge felt was a demotion. Judge Bernard J. Avellino, who once reportedly called an attempted rape victim "coyote ugly," had asked a federal judge to block the transfer. He later resigned.

Judges are required under Illinois Supreme Court rules to divest themselves  in a way that avoids serious financial harm  of any business interests that could require them to frequently disqualify themselves from cases. Cooke, a lawyer for more than 20 years whose practice focused on petroleum distributors, owns car washes and gas stations, according to his candidate profile.

Although subcircuits were created to increase diversity on the bench, Cooke followed a path blazed by many other candidates by moving to an address in the majority-Hispanic 6th Subcircuit before last November's election. He still owns a home in River Forest, a recent check of county property records showed. And he had served on the village's zoning board of appeals, resigning after he won the judicial subcircuit primary in 2016.

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While other judicial candidates run countywide, attorneys running in one of Cook County's 15 subcircuits must live within their subcircuit's geographical boundaries. State lawmakers created the areas in 1992, reasoning it would lead to racial and political diversity because the dominant party slates candidates.

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It hasn't always panned out.

What was unusual about Cooke's campaign was the massive war chest he self-funded at a level usually only seen in Illinois appellate and Supreme Court races. His 2016 campaign website also features pictures of him with several prominent politicians, including onetime Chicago alderman and 33rd Ward boss Dick Mell.

The tactic worked. He ran unopposed just three years after failing to even win party support for a judicial run and only spent a small fraction of what he'd transferred into his campaign fund.

What money he did spend went to those with the power to slate him. His donations to Democratic ward organizations included the four within his subcircuit. He also donated to seven aldermen and rising power broker state Rep. Luis Arroyo, whose son is a Cook County commissioner, along with the standard contributions to Chicago Ald. Edward Burke's 14th Ward Democrats and the state Democratic Party.

But after Cooke won election, critics and even fellow judges were left wondering why he thought he could bypass traffic court  or if he even knew he would have to spend time there.

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sschmadeke@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @SteveSchmadeke
An elderly West Chicago man has been charged in a Monday night hit-and-run crash in Hanover Park that killed a motorcyclist.

Ramon Barajas, 83, has been charged with leaving an accident involving death and failure to yield in the death of Christina Jankowski, 30, of Elgin. His bail was set at $50,000 Wednesday in DuPage County court.

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Authorities said Barajas failed to yield around 8:20 p.m. at Army Trail and County Farm roads, causing the collision with Jankowski.

Paramedics found her lying in the road, and she was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the coroner's office.

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Barajas' attorney, Tim Martin, said Barajas is a 38-year resident of DuPage with no previous criminal history and has several health issues, including dementia.

Clifford Ward is a freelance reporter.
Officers assisting in a police pursuit were involved in a three-vehicle crash early April 26, 2017. (Elvia Malagon / Chicago Tribune)

Charges are pending against two people involved in a police chase of a vehicle reported stolen, according to Chicago police.

About 12:15 a.m. Wednesday on the West Side, officers in the 1600 block of South Springfield Avenue began pursuing two people the vehicle.

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As the vehicle reached the 1400 block of South Pulaski Road in the Lawndale neighborhood, it struck officers in a police vehicle who were assisting in the pursuit, police said. That caused the officers to crash into a third vehicle not involved in the chase.

The officers were treated and released from an area hospital. There were no other reported injuries.

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Officers arrested two people and also found a weapon at the scene, authorities said.

Charges were pending against the two individuals, authorities said.
Richard Stephenson, founder of Cancer Treatment Centers of America, left, and his ex-wife, Alicia Stephenson, head into the McHenry County Courthouse on Oct. 17, 2016. (Stacey Wescott/Chicago Tribune)

A ruling on how much money the founder of Cancer Treatment Centers of America will have to pay his ex-wife  an issue that remains unsettled 10 years after the couple separated  could be delayed because the ex-wife's attorney has failed to submit her closing arguments after two missed deadlines.

The lawyer for Alicia Stephenson was ordered in McHenry County court Wednesday to pay nearly $3,000 in sanctions to Richard Stephenson's attorneys as a result of the delays but was given an additional week to submit her closing arguments.

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Frustrated by the delays, Richard Stephenson's attorneys said they'd like the judge to suspend the temporary monthly maintenance payment of $65,800 that he has been paying Alicia Stephenson while they try to come to a financial agreement in court.

The former couple's inability to reach a settlement outside of court prompted a monthslong trial in which the couple's spending habits and finances were dissected.

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Alicia Stephenson is seeking more than $400,000 a month, plus a stake in other assets, from Richard Stephenson, whom she married in 1991. Her lawyer, Elizabeth Felt Wakeman, has argued during the trial that her client is entitled to maintain the lifestyle she enjoyed during the marriage, which included multiple homes, private jets and parties with celebrities.

Richard Stephenson's attorneys have sought to downplay his ex-wife's contributions to his business empire and say a prenuptial agreement she signed should keep her financial settlement far below what she is now seeking.

Alicia Stephenson moved out of her husband's Barrington Hills estate in 2007 and filed for divorce in 2009. The marriage was legally dissolved last year, and Richard Stephenson has remarried.

Following the end of trial testimony earlier this year, Wakeman missed two deadlines to submit closing arguments in writing. Richard Stephenson's attorneys sought sanctions against her  another example of the acrimony that has marked the trial since its start  and said she failed to notify the court or seek an extension.

The judge agreed to impose a $2,950 fee on Wakeman to compensate Richard Stephenson's attorneys for their work related to the missed deadlines.

In the emergency motion argued Wednesday, Richard Stephenson's attorneys wrote that Wakeman's delay "greatly prejudices Richard and places him at a disadvantage while rewarding Alicia," calling the delays a result of "gamesmanship" by Alicia Stephenson's attorney.

In court Wednesday, Alyssa Mogul, one of several attorneys for Richard Stephenson, said the failure to file closing arguments should result in the suspension of Alicia Stephenson's monthly maintenance of $65,800.

Wakeman, who has previously in court referenced her health struggles, which she blamed in part on the stress of the case, cited several reasons for the missed deadlines, including internet problems at her new law office and a death in the family.

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But she also sought to cast blame on Richard Stephenson's camp, as she has before. Wakeman said the lawyers for the multimillionaire hospital network founder have repeatedly demonstrated a "lack of compliance" with orders to turn over relevant financial documents.

Wakeman wrote that the court currently "cannot properly decide the issues of division of property or maintenance due to the conduct of Richard."

McHenry County Judge James Cowlin, who has in the course of the trial expressed frustration with both sides, told Wakeman: "You had a timeline to get things in and you didn't."

Wakeman told the judge: "I want to have this case resolved more than anyone."

Separately, the two sides are also battling over how much Richard Stephenson will have to pay for Alicia Stephenson's attorney's fees. At a February hearing, Wakeman said she was owed about $500,000 in legal fees while claiming that Richard Stephenson has paid millions of dollars for his own attorneys.

Illinois courts have ruled that a person going through a divorce can be compelled to help pay the legal fees of his or her spouse in order to "level the playing field."

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Amanda Marrazzo is a freelance reporter.
The first Filipina judge in Cook County has been removed indefinitely from the bench after she was indicted earlier this month on federal mortgage fraud charges.

The announcement Wednesday from Chief Judge Timothy Evans' office came a day after a panel of presiding judges chaired by Evans voted to reassign Circuit Judge Jessica O'Brien to administrative duties. Elected a judge in 2012, she most recently had presided over a small-claims courtroom.

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As word of the reassignment came, O'Brien was in the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse pleading not guilty at her arraignment to one count each of bank fraud and mail fraud affecting a financial institution.

Federal prosecutors asked that O'Brien post an unsecured bond of $100,000, saying she had substantial income and that preliminary calculations show she faced four to seven years in prison if convicted. But U.S. Magistrate Judge Sheila Finnegan found that O'Brien did not pose a risk to flee and ordered her released on her own recognizance.

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The indictment charged O'Brien with lying to lenders to obtain more than $1.4 million in mortgages on two South Side investment properties that she bought and sold between 2004 and 2007 while owning a real estate company. She was then also working as a special assistant attorney general for the Illinois Department of Revenue.

O'Brien, who is married to a judge, immigrated to the United States after high school, earning degrees in culinary arts and restaurant management, according to her online biographies. She then made a career change and went to John Marshall Law School, graduating in 1998 and later serving on its board.

She was the first Asian elected president of the Women's Bar Association of Illinois and also served on the board of governors for the Illinois State Bar Association. The judge also co-founded a foundation in 2008 that awards scholarships to law students from diverse backgrounds.

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While working for the Department of Revenue, O'Brien also owned a real estate company and worked part time as a loan officer for a Lincolnwood business, federal prosecutors say. Her co-defendant, Maria Bartko, also worked at Amronbanc Mortgage Corp. as a loan originator.

In August 2004, O'Brien applied for a mortgage on a property in the 600 block of West 46th Street, falsely stating that she made $6,800 a month as an attorney with the Department of Revenue and omitting the $260,000 she and Bartko owed on another property they had purchased, according to the charges.

A little over a year later, O'Brien refinanced mortgages on that property and another she bought a month later in the 800 block of West 54th Street, falsely stating she made $20,000 a month at her realty company, O'Brien Realty LLC.

In 2006 she applied for a commercial line of credit to pay expenses on the two properties, falsely stating that her realty company made a $100,000 annual profit, the charges say. A year later, O'Brien decided to sell the properties to Bartko.

The future judge allegedly paid Bartko and a straw buyer to purchase the two properties, according to the charges.

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jmeisner@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @jmetr22b
Chicago police are searching for a man they say sexually abused a 14-year-old girl on a bus in the Logan Square neighborhood Wednesday morning.

The man, believed to be aged 50 to 60, went up to the girl on the bus in the 2400 block of North Milwaukee Avenue about 9:40 a.m. and sexually abused her, according to police.

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The man left the bus and then fled west on Milwaukee Avenue.

The girl was taken to Sts. Mary and Elizabeth Medical Center for treatment, police said.

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No one was in custody. The attacker was described as a Hispanic man, 50 to 60 years old, standing about 5-foot-7, and with black curly hair. He was wearing a gray shirt and beige pants, according to police.

Check back for updates.
Irrespective of the political forces at play, says Trey Dimsdale in this weeks Acton Commentary, there is no arguing with the fact that such a large number of displaced immigrants presents a monumental humanitarian crisis in which survival becomes the initial, but not final, concern.

Prior to 2014, fewer than 300,000 refugees and migrants arrived in the European Union each year. Due to war and unrest in the Middle East and North Africa, that relatively slow trickle more than quadrupled by the end of the year. The result was squalid refugee and migrant camps, crowded train stations, and anti-immigrant demonstrations across the continent. Most refugees and migrants entered Europe via nations least able to absorb and support them, causing internal EU tensions to rise. By mid-2015 it was clear that Europe was facing a major humanitarian and political crisis not likely to be easily resolved.

The full text of the essay can be found here. Subscribe to the free, weekly Acton Commentary and other publications here.
Illinois State Police early Wednesday were investigating a report of gunfire on the westbound lanes of Interstate 290 near Keeler Avenue in Chicago's West Garfield Park neighborhood.

About 1:25 a.m., a witness told police that gunshots were heard coming from a dark-colored vehicle on the expressway, state police said. Troopers searched the area, but they weren't able to find any evidence of gunfire.

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As of early Wednesday, police had not received information about anyone being wounded, and there were no reports of damage.
A Winfield man has confessed to assaulting two women on the Illinois Prairie Path near Wheaton since September and may have followed or approached other women in the area, according to the DuPage County sheriff's office.



Matthew D. Grover, 31, has so far been charged with one attack, which occurred Monday afternoon. Sheriff's police say he approached a woman from behind and tried to grab her, but the woman fought him off and ran away.



He has been charged with one felony count of aggravated battery on a public way and one felony count of unlawful restraint.



Undersheriff Frank Bibbiano said detectives learned Grover was a "possible suspect" and placed him under surveillance. They discovered that one of his relatives owned a blue Toyota minivan that matched the description of the van the attacker used.



Grover was questioned by detectives Tuesday and confessed to Monday's attack, the sheriff's office said.



"When confronted with the facts of a similar attack investigated by the sheriff's office in late September of 2016, Grover also confessed to being the assailant in that attack," the office said in a statement.



In that attack, a woman was jogging early in the morning on the prairie path near Armbrust Avenue and Pleasant Hill Road when a man grabbed her from behind. The woman was able to break free and was not injured, police said at the time.



Charges in that attack are pending the results of DNA testing, the sheriff's office said.



Police said they also are investigating at least three other incidents where Grover either approached or followed other women. No details were available.



Grover is being held in the County Jail and was scheduled to appear in bond court Wednesday morning.
A day after advocates descended on the Capitol to push for women's rights, the Illinois House passed a bill that proponents say would help close the pay gap between men and women.

Sponsored by Democratic Rep. Anna Moeller of Elgin , the measure would bar employers from asking job applicants for prior wage or salary history unless it's already public information or the applicant is moving within the company. Moeller and other supporters say this would help curb wage discrimination against women by ensuring an employer's salary offer isn't based on an unequal wage.

SPRINGFIELD  "If you base a new salary on a previous salary where women weren't making as much as men, you're just perpetuating that inequity," said Melissa Josephs, director of equal opportunity policy at Women Employed, a women's advocacy organization.

Moeller said her bill also would strengthen Illinois' Equal Pay Act by requiring employers to justify paying people different wages and ensuring those differences are based on legitimate, legal reasons like experience. In addition, the bill would increase the penalties for employers that violate the law.

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Business groups say the bill would weaken employers' defenses and open them up to more lawsuits. Alec Laird, a lobbyist for the Illinois Retail Merchants Association, said the wording of the bill could also keep employers from having necessary conversations with applicants about health insurance and other benefits.

Rep. Peter Breen, R-Lombard, contended the legislation would create a "trial lawyer paradise" and damage the state's business climate.

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"This bill has nothing to do with pay equity," Breen said. "All it's doing is putting additional restrictions on people who want to create jobs in this state. That's the reason every single business group in the state is opposed. Please. This is the stupidest bill we've considered, at least this week. Please vote no."

But the bill did win support from some Republicans who said it was time for lawmakers to address inequalities in the workplace. It passed the House 91-24 and now heads to the Senate .

"I may be one of the few people in this assembly that spent 30 years working for a large corporation, in fact one of the largest corporations in the world. This was my life, and I have to vote for this bill," said Rep. Margo McDermed, R-Mokena, a former attorney for a major oil and gas company. "I think about with very great regret how much more I would have retired with if we'd had some of the protections that our representative is fighting for here today."

In related action, a Senate panel gave initial approval to the federal Equal Rights Amendment, more than 30 years after it fell three states short of the required number to amend the Constitution. Supporters contend the change can still be made and are pushing for states to sign off on the amendment.

hbemiller@chicagotribune.com
WASHINGTON  Former U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. is facing some tough questions from his estranged wife, ex-Ald. Sandi Jackson, who wants the name, phone number and address of each of his sex partners besides her during their 25-year marriage, according to court documents in their divorce case.

Sandi Jackson, 53, also wants to know the date and location of "each and every such incidence of sexual relations," the documents show. The requests, posed through her attorney, emerged late last week in documents in their divorce case in a Washington, D.C., court.

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In filings, Jackson Jr.'s attorneys have objected to her questions, calling them "entirely irrelevant" to issues before the court, namely whether she should get temporary alimony and attorney fees. His attorney in Chicago said Wednesday that the questions appear "to be nothing more than an attempt to either embarrass or harass Mr. Jackson."

Jackson Jr.'s attorney Brendan Hammer said that amid reports Sandi Jackson is writing a book, the judicial process "should not be hijacked for personal purposes outside the litigation, including research for future biographies."

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A hearing in Washington is scheduled for Friday. On Wednesday, Jackson Jr. moved to have the concurrent divorce proceeding in Cook County dismissed, saying in a statement he wants to protect his two children from unspecified "damaging information."

Months ago, Hammer alleged that Sandi Jackson committed "acts" in Illinois that led her husband to file for divorce but declined to say what those acts were, mysteriously commenting only that they "could be from the benign, to the sublime, to the malign."

She has posed other questions to which his side is objecting, court documents show.

One of her lines of questioning says that if Jackson Jr. contends his spouse was responsible for their estrangement, he should provide the facts behind that and "state the name, address, and telephone number of those people who have personal knowledge of these facts."

She also wants to know about any payments he and anyone on his behalf received at his request other than his salary, court documents show. And she wants his correspondence and emails  except to his attorney  that mentions her as far back as 2012.

His side said it will hand over such correspondence from this year and last, according to court filings.

Details of her request emerged on a day when the warring parties reached accord on one lingering issue: the proper place for the divorce case to be heard.

Saying Wednesday he wants to protect his two children from unspecified "damaging information," Jackson Jr., 52, agreed the divorce case should be heard in the nation's capital, where his estranged wife wanted it all along.

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His comment was in a release from Hammer that indicated he had moved to dismiss the divorce case he filed in Cook County.

"This case is and always has been about the protection of my children from damaging information and material not in my possession," the release quoted the former congressman as saying. "It remains the desire of the entire Jackson Family that none of its members, particularly the young children, be subjected to the very damaging emotional and psychological harm that could flow from the introduction of these materials into the public sphere by third parties."

Hammer said the comments about "damaging information" came directly from his client and did not elaborate. He also said he did not believe a D.C. judge had ruled on whether Sandi Jackson could have all the information she is seeking.

Jackson Jr. lives in Chicago and initiated a divorce proceeding in Cook County last year. Later, his wife followed suit in Washington, where she lives.

"For the last five months, four (law) firms have fought almost exclusively about one thing: where will this case proceed?" the release said. "That jurisdictional question has been exceedingly costly in time and legal fees."

Sandi Jackson has always believed the case should be heard in D.C. and is pleased the parties now agree, her attorney, Chandra Walker Holloway, said in a statement.

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"Mrs. Jackson's only concern has been the welfare of her children and (she) looks forward to the resolution of all remaining issues," Holloway said.

Hammer said he filed a motion Wednesday asking a Cook County judge to dismiss Jackson Jr.'s petition for dissolution of the marriage. He said Jackson Jr.'s counsel in Washington would file papers to have the case heard there.

The release from Hammer also said he and his client looked forward to working with a D.C. attorney in "zealously advocating for Mr. Jackson as he seeks to protect his children, preserve what remains of the parties' estate and obtain a full measure of justice."

Both Jacksons resigned from office before pleading guilty in 2013 in federal court in Washington in a case involving his pilfering about $750,000 from his campaign treasury and her failing to report much of the haul on tax returns.

Both served prison time, but their terms were staggered so one parent could care for the children, now 17 and 13.

The Jacksons wed in Chicago on June 1, 1991, court documents show.

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kskiba@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @KatherineSkiba
Chicago City Treasurer Kurt Summers on Wednesday ended his exploratory bid for Illinois governor, backed J.B. Pritzker for the Democratic nomination and took a jab at rival contender Chris Kennedy.

Summers had been the only high-profile African-American exploring a run for governor next year, and his backing of Pritzker was aimed at helping the billionaire entrepreneur and investor continue his outreach in the black community  potentially at the expense of Kennedy, who is part of the iconic Massachusetts political family.

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"I met with every candidate and asked them what their commitment was to those who are most in need. That's who we're supposed to work for in government, that's who we serve. J.B. had the combination of the best vision and the greatest capability to deliver," Summers said at an art gallery in Bronzeville, the neighborhood where he grew up.

"The message here is that the issues of our community matter and they matter and they should be at the forefront for any individual who wants to seek the nomination of our party, which we comprise such a material component of," said Summers, who added that media coverage of the political battles in Springfield often ignore "the people that are impacted" as the state's historic budget impasse drags on.

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Joining Summers in backing Pritzker were African-American Aldermen Pat Dowell, 3rd; Roderick Sawyer, 6th; Emma Mitts, 37th; and Michael Scott Jr., 24th. Sawyer is chair of the City Council Black Caucus.

Summers, who has been treasurer since 2014, launched his exploratory bid for governor about five weeks ago and even held a River North fundraising event last week. His campaign fund had $281,432 at the end of March and reported collecting an additional $4,500 since. That includes $2,500 from Bradley Tusk, a business strategist who at one time was deputy governor for disgraced and imprisoned former Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

Summers' decision leaves Pritzker, Kennedy, Northwest Side Ald. Ameya Pawar, state Sen. Daniel Biss of Evanston and Downstate Madison County regional schools Superintendent Bob Daiber as the Democrats vying to take on Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner.

Summers, first appointed to the city post by Mayor Rahm Emanuel, declined to say if he's interested in a bid for other public office including mayor, though he's unlikely to challenge Emanuel if he seeks a third term in 2019. Summers said only that he enjoys his current job as treasurer. "That's a 'this is what I'm doing' " answer, he joked.

Asked if any promises were made about a future role in a Pritzker administration or the campaign  governor candidates must find lieutenant governor running mates  Summers said no.

While criticizing Rauner and lauding Pritzker, Summers also took a jab at Kennedy, who is considered to be a strong contender among African-American voters due to his family's political lineage.

"I don't believe that he has the best vision for the people of Illinois. I don't believe that he has a true understanding of the needs of the underprivileged and communities of color in particular," Summers said. "I think that is a connection that dates back historically to his father and uncles, but I believe that his understanding of that isn't sufficient to get the job done, and I don't think he's the leader for our party."

While Summers said he met with Kennedy before backing Pritzker, Kennedy issued a statement saying the primary contest "is not about politicians endorsing other politicians or what might be happening behind closed doors."

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"This race is about restoring the promise of the American Dream to the people of Illinois. Voters want to see the depth of our ideas and the vision we bring to rebuilding the promise of this state," Kennedy said.

Pritzker said the real contest was "a battle for Illinois" and warned Democrats "we have so much to lose if Bruce Rauner gets re-elected, and I don't intend for that to happen."

"I'm hoping in this Democratic primary, by the way, that we'll all  all of us  focus our concern on the work or lack thereof by the current governor  because he's not doing that job," Pritzker said. "We've got to all talk about that, I think. That's the most important thing we can do, not talk about each other."

rap30@aol.com

Twitter @rap30
Mayor Rahm Emanuel presides over the Chicago City Council on March 29, 2017. On April 26, 2017, he criticized President Donald Trump's proposed changes to the federal tax code as well as the administration's attempt to withhold funding from "sanctuary cities." (Nancy Stone / Chicago Tribune)

Mayor Rahm Emanuel on Wednesday took a couple of shots at President Donald Trump's policies, saying sanctuary cities like Chicago are on firm moral and legal ground and criticizing the president's proposed overhaul of the tax system.

"The United States government cannot coerce the city, cannot blackmail the city, cannot punish the city into changing its value system," Emanuel said in his first public comments since a federal judge in San Francisco this week placed a nationwide hold on Trump's order to strip funding from municipal governments that refuse to cooperate fully with federal immigration agents.

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"The city was not going to move from a set of policies that reflect our values of being a welcoming city," added Emanuel, who has repeatedly used the issue of immigrants living in the U.S. illegally to stand up against the Trump administration since the November presidential election. "We're not only not going to turn our back on our history, we're not going to turn our back on our future. People from around the world and around the country, different parts, come to this city to achieve the American Dream."

In a Tweet on Wednesday, Trump called the ruling "ridiculous" and added, "See you in the Supreme Court!"

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The ruling by U.S. District Judge William Orrick put a preliminary injunction in place following lawsuits by San Francisco and Santa Clara County, Calif., challenging the order targeting communities that try to protect immigrants from deportation. The suits contended the directive violated the 10th Amendment, which can protect states from federal government interference.

Emanuel also came out Wednesday against the president's tax package, saying he opposes a portion that would eliminate an income tax deduction for state and local taxes. "That would penalize Illinois and Chicago residents dramatically, so on that level I'm opposed to it," he said at a ribbon-cutting for a water park company that's opening a Chicago office.

And asked about the Trump proposal to heavily reduce tax rates on corporations, the mayor noted that the tax burden does play a part in companies' decisions. "But it's not the only decision," he said.

"But if you don't have the best-trained, educated workforce, with a university and higher education system to back that up and consistently reward that, or one of the best transportation systems, whether it's public transportation  and a number of the employees here take public transportation to get to work  and an aviation system that allows every one of the sales reps, operation people get on a plane and get where they need to go that day, or the people running their operations from Texas to the Southwest to the East Coast multiple times a day, a tax number does not determine the type of economic decisions," Emanuel added.

jebyrne@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @_johnbyrne
The final frenzy at the White House began Monday, with a private reception for conservative news publications, a tariff on softwood lumber imports from Canada and the late-night debut of a website highlighting President Donald Trump's "First 100 Days" achievements.

It continued Tuesday in the form of an executive order designed to help farmers and ranchers, an assurance that construction will begin soon on a wall along the nation's southern border - "The wall's going to get built," the president said - and media briefings by senior administration officials who gave their takes on Trump's successes.

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And by Wednesday, the White House plans to unveil its tax plan, which would cut the corporate tax rate drastically, to 15 percent.

Trump has called Saturday's 100-day marker - a remnant of President Franklin D. Roosevelt's initial flurry of legislative action - an "artificial" construct, and he is not incorrect. Yet the kinetic energy emanating from the West Wing, which at times borders on frenetic, reveals a White House eager to cross the threshold with some tangible wins.

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The whirlwind of activity this week seems aimed at demonstrating forward momentum from a young administration criticized for a lack of signature legislative achievements - a sense that doing something, anything, is better than the perception of stagnation.

As the president himself quipped Tuesday afternoon, preparing to sign his latest executive order: "It's a lot of words. I won't bother reading everything."

Trump is under considerable pressure, some of it self-imposed, to deliver. From funding construction of the border wall to spurring $1 trillion in infrastructure investments over the next decade, the president has implemented zero of the 10 biggest promises he outlined as a presidential candidate for his first 100 days in a contract with American voters.

None of those promises have become law. Only one bill has been introduced in Congress - an ill-fated measure to scale back President Barack Obama's health-care law that culminated in an embarrassing defeat at the hands of Trump's own party. White House officials and several Republican lawmakers said Tuesday that they were nearing a deal to try again, though details were sparse.

In many ways, Trump, more than any modern president before him, runs his White House like a television drama, believing that sometimes projecting an image of energy and progress is as important, if not more so, than the reality.

The White House debuted a website highlighting what it calls President Donald Trump achievements in his first 100 days. (Olivier Douliery / Getty)

But Peter Wehner, a former official in the George W. Bush White House who is now a senior fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center, said no administration can bluff its way through four years.

"You have to produce," Wehner said. "Ultimately the achievements will matter. You can spin and you can sell and you can put things in bright neon lights, but when everything is said and done, presidents are judged on their results."

The Trump White House has produced some accomplishments already, from regulatory rollbacks intended to promote economic growth to the successful installation of Justice Neil Gorsuch on the Supreme Court.

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"We see a president that's working at breakneck speed and somebody who's going as fast as he can in the confines of the law, running through that punch list of promises he made during the campaign," Reince Priebus, Trump's chief of staff, said Tuesday.

But on his largest promises - those boomed from campaign trail stages and enshrined in his voter contract - Trump has fallen short, a gap in signature legislative triumphs that has sent the president and his aides scrambling to notch victories, some of them more tenuous and less substantial than others.

An Associated Press analysis found that Trump has accomplished just 10 of the 38 specific promises he detailed in his voter contract, most of those through executive orders that allowed him to bypass the Republican-controlled Congress.

Asked about Trump's failure to implement many of the key items in the contract, which he unveiled in October, Marc Short, the White House director for legislative affairs, said the administration had, in some ways, run up against the inherently slow-moving federal bureaucracy.

"There are certain promises that you need to work with House and Senate leadership on, and it's a process," Short said in a morning meeting with reporters. "I think on the House side, obviously, the health-care legislation took longer than we would have wanted, but we're excited as to where that stands today, and we think we'll get that completed."

Short said the administration was not backing down on its commitment to its early promises but added, "Perhaps the timetable was ambitious."

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Still, in the run-up to the 100-day mark, the administration has become a whirling dervish of activity.

In a memo Tuesday that contained a number of factual inaccuracies - including a claim that Roosevelt signed only nine executive orders, rather than the actual 99, in his first 100 days - the White House boasted of the president's "historic accomplishment," citing the 13 Congressional Review Act resolutions, the 28 laws, and the 30 executive orders that Trump has implemented or passed.

The president's team has also deployed Cabinet secretaries throughout the country to tout what they say are Trump's robust successes. And Saturday, the president will headline a 100-day political rally in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

But even as Trump sought to project strength, a federal judge in San Francisco delivered a new setback Tuesday, blocking the administration's plans to withhold federal funding from "sanctuary cities," those that refuse to detain undocumented immigrants for deportation.

On Capitol Hill, Republicans largely defended the president, with some seeking to separate his domestic achievements from his foreign policy moves as they reflected on what Trump has and has not achieved so far.

Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., who had dinner with Trump on Monday night, said he was pleased with Trump's national security team and praised the cruise missile strikes the president launched in Syria. But he sized up Trump's domestic agenda differently. "Obviously, it's been stalled," McCain said.

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However, McCain partially blamed members of the hard-line conservative House Freedom Caucus for thwarting the effort to overhaul Obama's Affordable Care Act last month, echoing a criticism Short had offered more gently earlier in the day.

"We've learned that the House Republican Party, to its credit, is enormously diverse in its opinions, but that also sometimes creates larger challenges in bringing them together on a big legislative issue," Short said, reflecting on lessons his legislative-affairs team had learned in the failed health-care effort.

Rep. Chris Collins, R-N.Y., a Trump ally, faulted Congress for the president's lack of domestic accomplishments.

"Congress has to pass bills for him to sign them into law," Collins said. "If there is a frustration, it's really aimed at Congress, not the president."

For congressional Democrats, who have waged a full-fledged war against much of the president's agenda, there is some relief that he has not delivered on many of his promises, most notably his vow on the ACA, also known as Obamacare.

But Democrats are also trying to blame Trump for what he hasn't accomplished. They argue that while he campaigned on a populist platform, vowing to help average Americans, he has instead spearheaded efforts that benefit the wealthy at the expense of the working class.

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In some ways, Trump's blustery two-step leading up to Saturday is simply the repackaging of a strategy he learned as a real estate developer - a technique he described in "The Art of the Deal" as "truthful hyperbole." In the 1987 book, he chronicled creating an aura of success before he'd actually achieved it - such as when he ordered his Atlantic City construction crews to dig up dirt on one side of a site to simply deposit it back on the other, in order to present a sense of progress.

But Warren Tompkins, a longtime Republican strategist based in South Carolina, said that at some point, voters will demand evidence of signature legislation.

"Our problem is people voted to give us the keys to the bus, and we've forgotten how to drive," Tompkins said.

Amid Trump's struggles, even the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library felt emboldened this week. On Monday, the library posted a tweet noting the laws and executive orders President Carter had signed in his first 100 days, before ending with the most devastating statistic of all - Carter's approval rating of 63 percent.

Trump, the least-popular new president in modern times, has an average approval rating currently hovering in the low 40s.
WASHINGTON  President Donald Trump's Cabinet secretaries are growing exasperated at how slowly the White House is moving to fill hundreds of top-tier posts, warning that the vacancies are hobbling efforts to oversee agency operations and promote the president's agenda, according to administration officials, lawmakers and lobbyists.

The Senate has confirmed 26 of Trump's picks for his Cabinet and other top posts. But for 530 other vacant senior-level jobs requiring Senate confirmation, the president has advanced just 37 nominees, according to data tracked by The Washington Post and the nonpartisan Partnership for Public Service's Center for Presidential Transition. These posts include the deputy secretaries and undersecretaries, chief financial officers, ambassadors, general counsels, and heads of smaller agencies who run the government day-to-day.

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That's less than half the nominees President Barack Obama had sent to the Senate by this point in his first term.

Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke, who has publicly expressed frustration with the process, has routinely peppered the White House Personnel Office for updates and called Trump directly to press for faster action on filling vacant jobs at the Interior Department, said two people familiar with his contacts, who like others spoke on the condition of anonymity for this report because of the sensitivity of hiring discussions.

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Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price aired his dismay at a recent breakfast meeting with his former congressional colleagues. "He's very frustrated," said a Republican House member who was there. "He felt it was much more difficult to operate the department and provide the leadership level that you need to provide."

Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao has become so impatient that she has tapped an outside consultant to help her identify candidates for top jobs and shepherd them through the White House nomination process, said two people with knowledge of the situation, including one who is close to both Chao and the consultant.

In part, the delay in filling leadership posts is the result of a chaotic transition after Trump won the November election. Just days after his victory, Trump dumped New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) as transition director and jettisoned much of his work, replacing him with Vice President-elect Mike Pence.

But the nomination process has also been slowed by the unusual degree of scrutiny the White House is giving job candidates. Prospective nominees for senior posts and even some of the more junior ones must win approval from competing camps inside the White House, according to close Trump associates and Republican lobbyists.

Around the table for weekly hiring meetings are chief strategist Stephen Bannon, representing the populist wing; Chief of Staff Reince Priebus, leading the establishment Republican wing; White House Counsel Don McGahn; Pence's chief of staff, Josh Peacock; and Jared Kushner, the president's son-in-law and senior adviser, representing a business-oriented faction, according to a lobbyist and several White House officials. For economic appointments, Gary Cohn, director of the National Economic Council, also sits in, as does the president's daughter, Ivanka Trump, when a hiring decision piques her interest.

*Estimated totals based on congressional records and a White House press release on Tuesday, 96 days into the Trump presidency. Source: Partnership for Public Service. (Washington Post)

"We make sure the people involved in hiring decisions don't have an objection," Priebus said. "To get to that point, you've gone through a long process. If someone has a serious objection, unless it can be resolved, it's probably not going to move forward."

Barry Bennett, a former Trump campaign adviser who served as a communications director under President George W. Bush, said requiring so many White House figures to sign off on appointments can be unusually cumbersome.

"There are big differences among them about the people they're talking about putting in these positions," Bennett said. "Of course, it's going to take longer."

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Max Stier, president and chief executive of the Partnership for Public Service, who stays in regular touch with White House officials, said the drawn-out hiring process is leaving Cabinet secretaries "stuck in most instances."

In the interim, the secretaries are relying on civil servants in acting leadership roles, which can create an uneasy relationship given the Trump administration's aim of upending many traditional agency functions.

To accelerate the process of filling top posts at the Transportation Department, Chao has hired Edmund Moy to help identify candidates to staff her office and to head 10 agencies within her department. He is also guiding them through the White House nomination process. Chao worked closely with Moy when she was labor secretary under Bush and Moy was a White Office personnel official responsible for hiring senior figures at the Labor Department and other agencies.

A Transportation Department spokeswoman said the department is about halfway toward filling its vacancies. "Our focus remains on aligning a top-notch team to carry out the priorities of the department and the administration."

Attorney General Jeff Sessions faces perhaps a more daunting challenge at the Justice Department, which has openings for all 93 U.S. attorneys around the country and vacancies atop its divisions. When a reporter asked Sessions last week how he can pursue Trump's tough-on-crime agenda with so many vacancies, Sessions said, "We really need to work hard at that."

The Interior Department, a more modest agency, may have far fewer top posts to fill, but with 16 senior jobs still empty, Zinke has been airing his "frustration on the process." In remarks to journalists this month, as reported by E&E News, Zinke said: "A lot of it - the executive branch is no different than any branch - is the frustration of the bureaucracy. . . . We're working with the White House every day" to get the nominations out.

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At the Education Department, Secretary Betsy DeVos has devised a strategy to compensate for her depleted senior ranks. She is leaning heavily on the staff of Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., a former education secretary who now chairs the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, a former top aide to the senator said. Alexander's aides are involved on behalf of the agency in working with state governments to put in place a new law that shifts much of the federal role in elementary and secondary education to the states.

"The chairman is committed to providing any assistance the secretary requests," an aide to Alexander said. Offering this kind of assistance, the aide said, "is standard practice" for the committee.

DeVos had hoped to have her own staff in place to manage the major shifts the administration hopes to make in education. She had backed New Mexico Education Secretary Hanna Skandera for assistant secretary for elementary and secondary education, but the White House soured on her after some Senate Republicans raised concerns about her support for Common Core standards, Politico reported.

DeVos had wanted to have a deputy by now. The name of Indiana businessman Allan Hubbard has surfaced as a possible deputy education secretary. Although he has yet to be nominated, Hubbard has already joined a team of Education Department officials meeting with potential candidates for other top agency posts, according to a Republican with knowledge of the discussions.

Across the government, there are posts for 16 deputy secretaries, but only two have been filled so far: Elaine Duke at the Department of Homeland Security and Rod Rosenstein, who was confirmed for a Justice post Tuesday. Trump has nominated five others, though one of them, Chicago Cubs co-owner Todd Ricketts, withdrew his name for consideration to be commerce deputy secretary last week, citing difficulties in complying with rules on avoiding financial conflicts.

Environmental Protection Agency chief Scott Pruitt has been pushing coal lobbyist Andrew Wheeler for his agency's No. 2 job, another Republican lobbyist said, but the White House has not signed off, almost two months after Wheeler's name surfaced.

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In the winter, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson picked Elliott Abrams, a national security veteran of the Reagan and George W. Bush administrations, to be his deputy secretary. Abrams said he met with Kushner and Trump but was told that Bannon vetoed the choice. Abrams had been critical of Trump during the election campaign.

And at the Pentagon, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis withdrew his top choice for undersecretary for policy in March after the White House told him it would not fight an expected battle for Senate confirmation for retired senior diplomat Anne Patterson. While the president has since named several candidates for senior defense positions, the policy post, arguably the most important person on the secretary's team, is still held by an acting career official.

Mattis has skirmished with the White House over other appointments as well and told colleagues he is frustrated by the delays, especially since he had insisted on being able to choose his team, according to current and former national security officials.

The screening of potential nominees for conflicts of interest arising from their business activities has contributed to the lengthy nomination process in some instances. White House officials said they have given preliminary approval to more than 200 job candidates who are now undergoing vetting by the FBI and the Office of Government Ethics before being nominated and sent to the Senate for confirmation.

Johnny DeStefano, who heads the White House Personnel Office, said he aims to ensure that the president's key advisers have no objections before advancing the name of a prospective nominee.

"Generally, we just have a discussion about each of the individuals," DeStefano said. "I'm there to represent all of the White House interests. The goal is that by the time [the decision] gets to the president, he understands that everybody is on the same page."

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DeStefano defended the pace of nominations, saying the White House is "making sure we find, in as deliberative a fashion as we can, the right mix of folks . . . who have experience driving change, who understand what the problems are."

But Clay Johnson III, who led the White House personnel operation during Bush's first term, said the hiring process during that administration was much more streamlined and he routinely presented the president with two dozen names to approve each week. Although hires for senior jobs had to pass muster with chief of staff Andrew Card and political strategist Karl Rove, fewer White House officials had a veto over nominations.

"People didn't automatically say, 'I have a say in this,' " Johnson recalled.

The Washington Post's Devlin Barrett, Emma Brown, Anne Gearan, Sari Horwitz, Thomas Gibbons-Neff, Missy Ryan and Lena Sun contributed to this report.
Before Donald Trump won the election in November we were warned: He is a Russian stooge. He is a fascist. He will upend the protocols and traditions that make governing possible. This is not normal.

Now that we are approaching the 100-day mark, it's worth noting that the president is defying the expectations of his resistance. And while there is plenty to oppose in Trump's young presidency, he is neither the Siberian candidate nor the second coming of Mussolini.

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Let's start with Russia. The FBI is still investigating whether and how his campaign may have colluded with Moscow's efforts to influence the presidential election. And yet in terms of actual policy, Trump has settled on a much tougher line with Russia than how he campaigned or in his first few weeks.

In the first month of Trump's presidency, there were legitimate concerns he would attempt a grand bargain with Russia. He boasted that it was an asset that Russian President Vladimir Putin liked him. And he went out of his way to spare Putin from the harsh criticism he reserved for just about everyone else.

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But there has been no reset. In fact, it's fair to say that Trump has been much kinder to China, Russia's traditional Asian rival. Trump ended any chance for the multilateral trade deal with China's neighbors known as the Trans-Pacific Partnership. He dropped his threat to revisit the One-China Policy that requires the U.S. not to recognize Taiwan's sovereignty. More recently, he has said he won't pursue China for currency manipulation, and tells us he is pleased by China's cooperation against North Korea during the current nuclear crisis.

Instead, Trump is treating Russia in practice the way he promised in the campaign to deal with China. His government has supported Montenegro's membership into NATO. Russia not only opposed this, but in October Russian agents were involved in a failed coup against the country's prime minister who supported Montenegro's accession to the treaty organization, according to a Montenegrin prosecutor.

The Trump administration last week rejected a request from Exxon-Mobil to get a waiver to explore energy exploration in the Black Sea with a Russia concern, despite the fact that he chose Exxon-Mobil's chief executive officer, Rex Tillerson as his secretary of state. You may remember him as the guy who won the Russian Order of Friendship in 2013.

Then there was the decision this month to fire 59 Tomahawk missiles at a Syrian airbase, following the Syrian gas attack on rebel populations. Those strikes against Russia's only real client state in the Middle East caught Moscow by surprise, and further unraveled the relationship the Kremlin had hoped to reset with Trump. A few days after the missile strike, Trump's White House released a dossier calling out Russia's own fake news about the Syrian gas attack.

Now, U.S.-Russian relations are cratering. Both sides say they are at a historic low point. Russian bombers in the last week have been flying into Alaskan airspace, testing Trump's resolve. Meanwhile, one of America's top generals just suggested Russia was arming the Taliban in Afghanistan. If Trump is a Russian mole, it looks like a very long con.

This gets to the second resistance narrative about Trump, that he is an authoritarian or fascist in waiting. To be sure, Trump during the campaign gave his critics something to work with on this front. He at times encouraged his supporters at rallies to do violence to protesters. He promised to bring back waterboarding "and much worse," for terrorists captured on the battlefield. He campaigned on banning Muslims from entering the country and he promised to build a wall on the Mexican border. More recently, Trump has cozied up to the strong men ruling Egypt and Turkey. His semi-endorsement of the far-right French presidential candidate Marine Le Pen is part of this theme as well.

All of that is alarming. That said, real fascists are much better at consolidating power and implementing an agenda. On this score, Trump has been no Caesar. The courts have rebuked him twice on the much-modified travel ban that would apply to Muslim-majority countries. His first effort to repeal and replace Obamacare failed miserably. He has yet to offer an infrastructure spending bill, tax reform or a plan to build the wall.

An added irony is that the bete noir of the anti-Trumpists, senior strategist and former Breitbart publisher Steve Bannon, is currently out of favor. Trump's new inner circle is comprised of people like the investment banker Gary Cohn, the kind of globalists the president campaigned against. The other set of advisers are retired or serving generals like National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster, who is seen as a check on the nationalist ideologues that so worry most of Trump's opposition.

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Traditionally, fascism is the marriage of corporate and military elites with an authoritarian leader. For Trump's White House, however, his corporate and military advisers are steering Trump to a more traditional presidential agenda.

None of this is to say Trump is doing a great job. He has shown himself to be entirely unfamiliar with the intricacies of policy. His hostility to the press is dangerous and counterproductive. Trump continues to say outrageous falsehoods and is prone to extreme hyperbole. He has failed to address in a meaningful way the many conflicts of interest posed by his business empire

But these flaws have not yet posed an existential threat to the republic. He has obeyed the courts, even as he has derided their decisions on Twitter. He has reversed himself on Russia. And slowly but surely, he has begun to resemble something less menacing and more normal than his foes predicted.

Bloomberg View

Eli Lake is a Bloomberg View columnist. He was the senior national security correspondent for the Daily Beast and covered national security and intelligence for the Washington Times, the New York Sun and UPI.

Related articles:

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Sorry, Trump voters, you got scammed. You're never getting your wall.

I love being POTUS, and my first 100 days have been tremendous

Kellyanne Conway still seems out of the Trump White House loop

Trump can climb down from the wall. He's already succeeding without it.
Illinois Rep. Sara Feigenholtz, D-Chicago, sponsor of HB 40, answers questions about the legislation removing prohibitions on publicly funded abortions during debate at the Capitol in Springfield, Ill., Tuesday, April 25, 2017, as the Democratic-controlled Illinois House approved public funding for all abortions. The House voted 62-55, Tuesday to allow state-employee health insurance or Medicaid to cover abortions. GOP Gov. Bruce Rauner opposes public funding. (Rich Saal / AP)

You can't count on the Illinois General Assembly to pass a balanced budget. But you can count on lawmakers to pass heater bills that are sure to show up in campaign materials during the next election cycle. And so on Tuesday, House lawmakers passed a bill that would significantly shift long-standing state policy on taxpayer funding of abortions. The bill, now headed to the Senate, would include abortions as covered procedures in the health plans of Medicaid recipients and state workers.

Both groups rely on taxpayers to subsidize their health care. Owing to public disagreement, public funding of abortion coverage has been deliberately left out of their plans except in cases of rape, incest or to protect the life or health of the mother. For elective abortions, members of these two groups have been expected to pay out of pocket.

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This bill would change that. But gubernatorial politics and scare tactics are playing big roles in what ought to be a serious statewide policy debate. The chief sponsor, Rep. Sara Feigenholtz, D-Chicago, and other supporters have tried to make the bill a political trap for Gov. Bruce Rauner and a way to exploit fear of President Donald Trump's U.S. Supreme Court picks. But it's really about putting Illinois taxpayers on the hook for more abortions, a nationally unpopular policy.

Illinois' policy limiting tax dollars for abortions has been consistent with federal guidelines under the Hyde Amendment. Named for the late Illinois U.S. Rep. Henry Hyde who championed it, that 1976 change restricted federal funding of abortions after the landmark Roe v. Wade decision. In the decades since, even with a mostly Democrat-controlled General Assembly that has supported and protected abortion rights, allotting taxpayer money for elective abortions was off-limits. Until now.

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Tuesday's vote in the Illinois House was a largely partisan 62-55. Five downstate Democrats voted against it: Daniel Beiser of Alton, Jerry Costello II of Belleville, Jay Hoffman of Swansea, Brandon Phelps of Harrisburg and Sue Scherer of Decatur.

Senate President John Cullerton believes he has the votes to send it to Rauner. The governor, who as a candidate endorsed public funding of abortion for Medicaid recipients and state employees, has reversed course  no doubt to appease conservative voters  and says he would veto this bill. Part of the Democratic strategy here is to watch Rauner issue his veto, then highlight his flip-flop in the campaign for governor.

Then there's Trump. Some supporters tout the bill as a stopgap to protect abortion rights should the U.S. Supreme Court ever reverse Roe v. Wade. Trump's choice of conservative Justice Neil Gorsuch has stoked concerns about a reversal of the landmark case.

Feigenholtz said her bill reaffirms that "no matter what the federal government does, women should have access to safe, legal and accessible abortion."

But the state's legislative research unit and attorneys on both sides of the issue have said states' rights would be protected if Roe were overturned. What's more, because of privacy protections in the Illinois Constitution, it's unlikely a future General Assembly could outlaw abortion here  even if federal law were reversed and decisions about the future lawfulness of abortion reverted to the 50 states. And if a future legislature did somehow outlaw abortion, this bill's alleged protections would be moot.

None of that, though, has stopped some supporters from saying Illinois risks a spate of back-alley abortions.

The more forthright case for this bill, which some of its supporters voiced during House debate, is that it would provide access to elective abortion for low-income women on Medicaid, bringing them more in line with two-thirds of privately insured women.

Opponents countered that the bill is not about protecting the status quo but rather about expanding abortion access at the expense of taxpayers. By how much isn't clear. Opponents said the increased number of taxpayer-funded abortions could cost up to $60 million a year. The General Assembly's research unit in 2015 determined that Medicaid paid roughly $2 million for 2,778 abortions between 2005 and 2014. In each case, rape, incest or health or life of the mother was cited as the reason for the abortion.

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It stands to reason that also funding elective abortions would raise the cost. But for the opponents, cost has never been the main issue. We haven't seen recent Illinois polling on public funding of abortions; before Rauner and Trump emerged as foils, the issue had been mostly dormant here for many years. Nationally, an October 2016 poll sponsored by Politico and Harvard University found that 58 percent of likely voters, and 77 percent of self-identified Republican voters, opposed the use of taxpayer money for abortion procedures.

As this bill moves to the Senate, we hope citizens and lawmakers understand that this isn't about a 2018 race for governor or an exaggerated threat of federal judges' influence. It's about expanding taxpayer funding of abortions in Illinois.

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UAB school of health.jpg

A one-day orientation program for interested organizations will be conducted at the UAB School of Health Professions Executive Learning Center on Friday, April 28.

(Contributed by UAB News)

By Adam Pope UAB News

The University of Alabama at Birmingham's schools of Health Professions, Engineering and Collat School of Business have teamed up to create the Alabama Performance Excellence Program (ALPEx) to promote economic development and organizational excellence.

The program will facilitate increased productivity in organizations and advocate for practitioners utilizing the Baldrige Framework for Performance Excellence. ALPEx will also encourage organizational excellence by working with companies and organizations to help them become more competitive.

A one-day orientation program for interested organizations will be conducted at the UAB School of Health Professions Executive Learning Center on Friday, April 28. To register for the orientation, visit the official event page.

The deans of the UAB schools of Health Professions, Business and Engineering will join the ALPEx Board of Directors from organizations around the state to provide guidance and support to the program. The UAB Center for Healthcare Management and Leadership, in the School of Health Professions, will provide logistical support for the educational activities.

"For the past six years, there has been no unified program like this in Alabama," said J.M. "Mickey" Trimm, Ph.D., director of the Center for Healthcare Management and Leadership. "We are trying to create a pipeline of excellence for hospitals, manufacturing, other businesses, schools and nonprofit organizations in our state, leading to more competitiveness and economic development through stronger, more efficient organizations."

According to Trimm, organizations that improve their processes are recognized for their efforts with state-level awards and may decide to pursue the coveted Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award.

"The true value of this program is the increased performance of the organizations, but the awards provide additional impetus and recognition for a job well-done," Trimm said. "No matter the organization's size or industry, the Baldrige Excellence Criteria will allow an organization to achieve its vision, reach its goals, improve results and become more competitive."

Serving on the Board are: Charlie Blass, chair, retired director, Teledyne Brown Engineering, Huntsville; Iwan D. Alexander, Ph.D., dean, UAB School of Engineering, Birmingham; Hilary Claybourne, UAH professor and consultant, Huntsville; Linda Coogan, CEO, AlaQuest, Birmingham; Dr. Jane Finley, professor, Business School, University of Mobile; Jerry Holmes, director of Quality, L.B. Foster, Birmingham; Eric Jack, Ph.D., dean, UAB Collat School of Business, Birmingham; Harold Jones, Ph.D., dean, UAB School of Health Professions, Birmingham; Chris Schmidt, CEO, Schmidt Wallace Healthcare Management Co., Inc., Montgomery; Dr. Wes Smith, CEO, Alabama Quality Assurance Foundation (AQAF), Birmingham; Dr. Mark Williams, chief physician executive, Tenet Healthcare, Birmingham; Alana Moore Wolfe, director of Quality, Sunrise Senior Living, Talladega, ; Ex-Officio: Linda Vincent, executive director, Tuscaloosa; and Dr. Mickey Trimm, director, UAB Center for Healthcare Management and Leadership, Birmingham.
The hardest part of being a high-profile and widely respected newspaper columnist is that people eventually started seeing me as a fashion icon.

I didn't ask to be a trendsetter, it just sort of happened.

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Now I routinely overhear hip millennials in trendy coffee shops saying things like: "Hey, what's the latest Huppke style? I loved the untucked shirt from Kohl's he was spotted wearing last month that looked curiously like the same untucked shirt from Kohl's he was wearing the month before and also the month before that."

It's a burden, but I've lifted it up and done my best to rally people around the one fashion fact I've embraced since childhood: Pants are awful.

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I mean really awful. They are Guantanamo for your legs. Denim hell tubes. Waist chokers. Uncomfortable, unjust, unconscionable.

Jeans, slacks, trousers, dungarees. They're all pants, and they're all the devil's way of forcing us to conceal our glorious leg meat. (I do give sweatpants a pass when the weather is cold and said leg meat must be protected, but that's ONLY under extreme conditions, 20 degrees or colder.)

There are two reasons for my War on Pants.

1) They're uncomfortable and I hate them.

2) They conceal my calves, which are magnificent and, like any fine sculpture, should be on display for all to see and appreciate.

I have been a lone and loud voice in the anti-pants movement for years, but recent fashion news suggests the world is slowly coming around to my extremely correct sense of style.

The internet was abuzz Tuesday with the release of a pair of clear plastic jeans by British fashion company Topshop. That's right, a completely transparent pair of plastic jeans for the low, low price of a nontransparent $100.

Topshop's description reads: "Think outside the box with these out-of-the-ordinary clear plastic jeans  guaranteed to get people talking. In a straight leg cut, they feature classic pockets detailing and are cropped at the ankle bone. Ideal as a statement piece for a festival or costume party  100% Polyurethane."

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Imagine  you just slip on a pair of clear, polyurethane pants and within minutes, the bottom half of your body is a couple of succulents shy of a terrarium.

Sounds dreadful, but I see it as progress.

Back in March, Topshop released a pair of mom jeans with clear plastic knees. Those jeans failed because they demonstrated a pro-knee bias that was painfully offensive to those of us in the calves-proud community. (Frankly, I thought our country had moved beyond its days of knee supremacy.)

But what those jeans lacked in calf awareness, they made up for by suggesting that legs should no longer be hidden.

Fast forward to today and we see a model on Topshop's website wearing the new clear plastic jeans. And what does she have on under those see-through pants? A pair of shorts.

This is the clearest indication yet that the fashion community at large recognizes the atrocity of pants. Topshop is one step away from eliminating the pants altogether and just charging people $100 to wear shorts.

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Other positive signals are coming from the retailer Nordstrom, which is now selling jeans covered in fake mud for $425.

The store's website describes the jeans like this: "Heavily distressed medium-blue denim jeans in a comfortable straight-leg fit embody rugged, Americana workwear that's seen some hard-working action with a crackled, caked-on muddy coating that shows you're not afraid to get down and dirty."

Technically, the jeans show that you're very afraid to get down and dirty, so afraid that you're willing to pay $425 for jeans that allow you to look down and dirty without ever getting within 50 miles of any dirt.

But that misses the larger point. I see the mud-caked jeans as an expression of outrage against denim leg prisons. Each pair says, "I hate pants so much that I have paid extra to have them befouled!"

Mud jeans may well become the symbol of pants resistance, likely to be followed by coffee-soiled chinos and paint-splattered Capri pants.

And before long, all will proudly and unabashedly unsheathe their shanks  the iron-calved and spindly noodle-legged alike. The yoke of pants will be cast off, never to return.

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RISE UP, PEOPLE! DROP YOUR PANTS AND STEP INTO SHORTS!

I smell revolution in the spring air.

Or that could just be my legs. I've been wearing the same pair of clear polyurethane jeans for three days and things have gotten a bit moldy.

Listen to Rex Huppke and WGN radio host Amy Guth discuss politics each week on the "Guth and Huppke on Politics" podcast at www.chicagotribune.com/guthhuppkepodcast.

rhuppke@chicagotribune.com
Stubbornly, former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich has refused to make a clean breast of things. His legal strategy since the day the G-men frog-marched Blagojevich out of his Northwest Side home in December 2008 has been to go all-in on the idea that he broke no laws and was just engaging in "political horse-trading" and idle talk when committing the acts for which he was later convicted and sentenced to 14 years in prison.

Maybe now? Friday's unexpectedly quick six-page ruling from a three-judge federal appeals court panel rejecting Blago's latest appeal didn't specifically mention his lack of genuine contrition as a reason for not reducing his sentence.

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But the ruling did make an oblique note that evidence offered on the former governor's behalf at Tuesday's arguments did "not show that he had fundamentally changed his attitude toward corrupt dealing."

I'll say it again. If he'd copped to his crimes and confessed the error of his ways on the day he was charged, he'd have been a free man years ago. And if he hadn't let an estimated 3,000 petitions for pardons and commutations pile up on his desk waiting for him to act while he was governor, he'd deserve more of our sympathy today.
 WCC Leader Deceives His Readers in RNS Op-Ed | Main | CAMERA Featured Letter-Writer 

April 26, 2017

Palestinian Women Tried to Smuggle Explosives as Cancer Medicine, Media Shrugs



Two Palestinian sisters tried to smuggle explosives into Israel from Gaza by labeling them as cancer medication. The Israeli security service Shin Bet caught the two women on April 19, 2017. Many major U.S. news outlets failed to report the event.

Judah Ari Gross, a military correspondent for The Times of Israel, reported that the two sisters, both residents of Gaza, received permits to enter Israel as one of them suffers from cancer and was traveling to an Israeli hospital for treatment.? The women were carrying tubes labeled medical materials? which, in fact, contained explosives.

Shin Bet stated that they believe the sisters, whom they would not identify, were smuggling the explosives on behalf of Hamas, the U.S.-designated terror group that rules the Gaza Strip. The explosives were found during a security check. Gross said that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently mentioned Hamas plots to use sick Gazans who posses Israel travel permits to smuggle weapons.

The Times of Israel pointed out:

While Israel tightly controls its crossings in and out of Gaza as part of a security blockade, it allows tens of thousands of Palestinians to leave the Strip to receive medical treatment in Israel, the West Bank and Jordan each year.?

A few U.S. news media outlets, such as Fox News, covered the incident. However, many in the U.S. press, such as USA Today, The Washington Post, The New York Times and The Baltimore Sun, among others, failed to inform their readers about the smuggling attempt.

The Posts omission is particularly egregious, as the paper has, in the past, run several Op-Eds that have criticized Israeli border security measures. For example, The Post gave column space to U.S. Congressman Keith Ellison (D-MN) whose July 29, 2014 commentary was entitled End the Gaza blockade to achieve peace.? Other prominent Op-Ed writers, such as former President Jimmy Carter, have also, in years past, taken to the papers editorial section to decry Israels border security policies towards Gaza.

Posted by SD at April 26, 2017 11:33 AM

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Live updates: Election Day 2022 in Pueblo, Colorado

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Tommy Hill and Christie Burnett of Tennessee are accused of carjacking, kidnapping an elderly Pascagoula man.

(JCSO)

PASCAGOULA, Miss. - Pascagoula police arrested two suspects on Tuesday after they are accused of carjacking and kidnapping an elderly man early Tuesday morning.

Per Lt. Doug Adams, police say the man was returning to his home on Parsley Ave. around 7:30 a.m. when a couple from Tennessee approached him and displayed what appeared to be a revolver.

The victim told police he was forced back into his car and the man held the gun on him while the woman drove the vehicle.

The suspects then released the victim at the corner of Pascagoula St. and Beach Blvd. At which time the victim asked a female jogger to call the police.

When police arrived on the scene, they released a BOLO to fellow officers who quickly apprehended the suspects at the intersection of Brooks St. and Old Mobile Hwy. in Pascagoula.

Tommy Hill and Christie Burnett of Tennessee were charged with armed carjacking and kidnapping and are currently being held at the Jackson County Adult Detention Center on $50,000 bond per charge.

Police credit the jogger for helping them apprehend the suspects quickly and are asking that she contact Detective Dunn with the Pascagoula Police Department at 228-762-2211.
By Alexander Chipman Koty

China has approved RMB 380 billion (US$55.2 billion) worth of tax cuts for businesses and individuals, according to a State Council statement on April 19. The new tax cuts are part of a bid to boost economic growth by reducing the tax burden on businesses and encouraging consumption.

The tax cuts simplify the value-added tax (VAT) system, reduce rates for small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs), offer incentives for certain industries, and increase health insurance deductions. The measures follow Premier Li Keqiangs pledge in the annual Work Report in March to cut corporate taxes by RMB 350 billion (US$50.7 billion) and business fees by RMB 200 billion (US$29 billion) in 2017.

The tax relief package is the first since China completed its VAT reform last year, and comes as the economy is forecast to slow in the latter half of 2017. Given the depth of recent tax reforms, business leaders should consult professional guidance to ensure tax efficiency and compliance.

VAT system simplified

The number of VAT brackets will be reduced from four to three as of July 2017. As previously reported, the government will eliminate the 13 percent tax bracket, leaving only the 17 percent, 11 percent, and six percent brackets.

All products previously part of the 13 percent bracket will become part of the 11 percent bracket, namely: cereals and edible vegetable oils; tap water, heating, cooling, hot water, coal gas, liquefied petroleum gas, natural gas, methane gas, coal/charcoal products for household use; books, newspapers, magazines (excluding newspapers and magazines distributed by the Post Department); feed, chemical fertilizers, agricultural chemicals, agricultural machinery and plastic covering film for farming; agriculture, forestry, products of animal husbandry, aquatic products; audio-visual products; electronic publications; dimethyl ether; and edible salt.

China completed its major VAT overhaul last year, essentially eliminating the business tax (BT) that previously applied to a number of industries. The comprehensive introduction of VAT reduced tax payments by an estimated RMB 570 billion in 2016.

Tax cuts for small enterprises, tech firms

Tax cuts for low-profit enterprises have been extended to a wider range of companies. Enterprises with an annual income of RMB 500,000 (US$72,625) or less are eligible for a preferential corporate income tax (CIT) rate of 20 percent applied to only half of their taxable income, up from the previous cap of RMB 300,000 (US$43,575).

The standard CIT rate is 25 percent on all taxable income. The measure is valid from January 1, 2017 to December 31, 2019.

The measures also increase pre-tax deductions for SME tech firms from 50 percent to 75 percent for R&D costs incurred from the development of new technologies, products, and techniques. The expanded deductions are also valid from January 1, 2017 to December 31, 2019.

Furthermore, venture capital firms in certain regions can benefit from taxable income deductions on 70 percent of tech firm investment at the seed stage, the initial setup stage of a new business, as of January 1, 2017. Investments made up to two years prior to this date can also apply for this benefit. The eligible regions are Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, Shanghai, Guangdong, Anhui, Sichuan, Wuhan, Xian, Shenyang, and the Suzhou Industrial Park.

Other tax cuts

Individuals nationwide will enjoy expanded tax cuts for commercial health insurance, with an upper limit on deductions of RMB 2,400 (US$350) per person, leaving individuals extra money for consumption.

In addition to the new tax cuts, the State Council is extending a package of cuts that expired in 2016 for three more years. This extended package includes tax breaks for university graduates starting new businesses, VAT exemptions for interest on income derived by financial institutions from microloans to farmers, and 50 percent tax cuts to Urban and Township Land Use Tax on bulk commodity warehouse facilities owned by logistics enterprises.

Implications for foreign investors

The slew of tax cuts, coming on the heels of a year of significant tax reform, is a positive sign for businesses and is expected the boost the economy. Although Chinas GDP grew at a faster than projected 6.9 percent in the first quarter of 2017, analysts expect the pace to drop off later in the year as other stimulus measures run out of steam and officials try to rein in the booming property market.

RELATED: Audit and Financial Services from Dezan Shira & Associates

Given the essentially complete transition from business tax to VAT, overhauls to the VAT system are of note for all businesses operating in China. In particular, the amalgamation of the 13 percent bracket into the 11 percent bracket is a boon for any business involved in the former. For unaffected sectors, the move can be seen as a starting point for simplifying the newly completed VAT system, as the 13 percent bracket applied to fewer products than the other brackets.

Meanwhile, many of the other tax breaks target small enterprises and tech startups. Chinas comparatively high taxes and business fees can put a squeeze on small firms and startups, especially as the pace of growth slows. But supporting tech startups is part of Chinas strategy to foster a more innovative economy and move up the value chain.

That being said, many of the cuts also target farmers, low-income businesses, and other vulnerable elements of society. Appeasing these potentially restive groups is important for Chinese President Xi Jinping to ensure stability ahead of the falls 19th Party Congress.

However, other tax reforms hotly anticipated by many Chinese citizens, namely individual income tax and property tax reform, seem unlikely to be carried out in 2017. Many Chinese citizens are eagerly awaiting an individual income tax system better suited to Chinas new economy, and are calling for curbs to unaffordable property prices.

In addition to the new tax cuts, China has a number of pre-existing tax incentives at both the national and regional levels. For instance, high-tech companies across China enjoy a preferential 15 percent CIT rate, while Guangdong, for example, has its own high-tech incubation fund to attract investment. Foreign investors are advised to also take into account incentives at the local level when establishing operations in China to maximize stimulus and minimize tax exposure.



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Payroll Processing in China: Challenges and Solutions

In this issue of China Briefing magazine, we lay out the challenges presented by Chinas payroll landscape, including its peculiar Dang An and Hu Kou systems. We then explore how companies of all sizes are leveraging IT-enabled solutions to meet their HR and payroll needs, and why outsourcing payroll is the answer for certain company structures. Finally, we consider the potential for China to emerge as Asias premier payroll processing center.

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We have lost a true lesbian pioneer in the passing of Leslie Cohen. Whether opening the first upscale lesbian club Sahara in NYC in 1976 ...
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Cheng Yonghua, Chinese Ambassador to Japan

Japan, an important neighbor of China, remains an important focus for China's diplomatic strategy. The bilateral relationship became strained due to historical issues and the territorial dispute over the Diaoyu Islands. But recently, diplomatic relations have been improving with a series of encouraging people-to-people exchanges.

During the annual "two sessions" held in Beijing in early March, Chinese Ambassador to Japan, Cheng Yonghua, who attended the meeting as a CPPCC member, gave an exclusive interview to China Today. He shared his views on the Sino-Japanese relationships, China's method of handling disputes and people-to-people exchanges, and expressed his hopes for the healthy and steady development of the relationship.

Willingness to Improve Relations

The year 2017 marks the 45th anniversary of the normalized relationship between China and Japan. It's a key time for the improvement of diplomatic relations, Ambassador Cheng said, as the two countries could carry out a series of commemorative activities as a way of promoting the relationship.

"President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe agreed to improve bilateral relations during their meeting at the Hangzhou G20 Summit last September," Cheng said. At that time, President Xi stressed that the Sino-Japanese relationship will roll back unless it is augmented, so efforts should be made to constantly advance the relationship. The 45th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations presents an ideal opportunity.

The ambassador said President Xi had noted that "China and Japan are neighbors who cannot move," so both sides should boost positive elements while reducing negative ones. Prime Minister Abe agreed with Xi's remarks during their meeting.

"Improving the bilateral relationship is the common desire of both governments," Ambassador Cheng commented. "So both countries  government and society  should move in this direction."

On the occasion of the 45th anniversary of the normalization of Sino-Japanese relations, the ambassador stressed that both countries should reflect on the significance of the decision, made 45 years ago. It had not been an easy one, he added, but the two sides eventually reached a consensus on principles and rules to govern future relations.

Since 1972, when the Sino-Japanese Joint Statement was issued, the two countries have signed four political documents. Regarding recent divisive issues, both sides reached a further four-point consensus in 2014. All the documents underline the basic rules for developing bilateral relations, which in themselves became a positive element in the relationship.

"Should any problems appear, we have the rules to follow and we can discuss them," said Ambassador Cheng. "But we should prevent any Japanese politicians, in the course of pursuing their own personal interest, from making trouble or scaling up the confrontation  all this undermines the rules."

After reviewing Sino-Japanese relations in recent years, Ambassador Cheng concluded, "Bilateral relations stalled or have been very complex over the last few years, with problems emerging from time to time." He is concerned, in particular, about the cooling down of people-to-people exchanges and impaired impressions between the two peoples about each other. "We should spare no effort in promoting face-to-face communication between our peoples, as well as between all areas of society," Cheng said. "Mutual understanding will lay foundations for improved diplomacy."

Say No to Troublemakers

The territorial issue remains the most sensitive and concerning aspect of current Sino-Japanese relations. Cheng explained that issues involving the East China Sea, including the dispute over the Diaoyu Islands, were discussed when drafting the 1972 Sino-Japanese Joint Statement. Both sides reached a tacit understanding, suggesting a method of dealing with the problem. The issue was further discussed during the negotiations that led to the signing of the China-Japan Peace and Friendship Treaty in 1978.

However, the ambassador stressed, some Japanese politicians intentionally hyped the territory issues, or created problems around them. "We hold a resolute stance over the issue of territory if someone causes problems," Ambassador Cheng continued. "We will safeguard our sovereignity. The Diaoyu Islands have been part of China's territory since ancient times, and our claim is well-founded."

Cheng briefly explained how the problem started: Japan "stole" the Diaoyu Islands after it defeated China in the Sino-Japan War (1894-1895). China, however, has never recognized Japan's "management and control" of the islands. To resolve the dispute, both countries reached a four-point agreement in 2014, with the third point explicitly addressing and formulating new rules on the issue of sovereignty over the Diaoyu Islands and the East China Sea.

Ambassador Cheng quoted China's former leader Deng Xiaoping: "Put disputes aside if they cannot be solved now." The ambassador went on to say that China needs to strengthen its management and control over these issues, and thwart intentional hype and the "China threat" rhetoric.

Enhance Face-to-Face Exchanges

The Chinese government has made great efforts to enhance civil exchanges, in spite of disputes over historical and territorial issues. Ambassador Cheng pointed out that Chinese people made 6.37 million visits to Japan in 2016, and the travel flow has surged for several years in a row. The figure in January 2017 had increased 30 percent, year on year.

To enhance civil exchanges, Ambassador Cheng and other high-level diplomats often give public lectures, speaking to hundreds of college students and answering their questions. "Face-to-face exchanges can help Japanese people understand China," said the ambassador. The embassy also facilitates exchanges amongst local government officials. Twinned cities have moved from being merely a symbolic bond towards bringing mutual benefit in the form of cooperation in key areas.

Ambassador Cheng also expressed his wish to step up youth exchanges. In recent years the Chinese embassy in Japan has encouraged young Japanese, especially college students, to visit China, just as the Japanese government annually invites young Chinese to visit the country. These personal visits will introduce Japanese youngsters to our natural scenery, historical sites, and social development in China. "I think people-to-people, face-to-face exchanges are of great benefit to bilateral relations," said Ambassador Cheng.

Control Disputes for Steady Development

Since the normalization of bilateral relations in 1972, 11 Chinese ambassadors have served in the embassy. Ambassador Cheng Yonghua is the longest-serving ambassador. He stated that Sino-Japanese relations faced their most difficult challenge several years ago, but the four-point agreement reached in 2014 has propelled the relationship towards improvement. However, the ambassador said candidly, many complicated and sensitive issues remain. "I am looking forward to both sides properly handling disputes and conflicts, in order to promote the steady development of the bilateral relationship."

The year 2017 marks the 45th anniversary of the normalization of relations between China and Japan. It is an opportunity to promote exchanges in all areas and improve the relationship.

In the economic sector, Ambassador Cheng pointed out, China and Japan can instil mutually beneficial cooperation as China's industry works towards Japanese levels of acheivement. Japan's experience will be helpful in solving certain problems China is facing, while China's economic development will bring opportunities to Japan.

In addition, the two countries share common cultural ground. For example, Cheng said, Japanese people still use Chinese characters, and show a deep sense of identification with Chinese traditional culture. Scaling up cultural and people-to-people exchanges will expand common ground for mutual understanding, which, Ambassador Cheng noted, is the basis for improving bilateral relations.
Chinese officials often persecute

Christians, such as the woman being

beat above. (Photo: ChinaAid)

ChinaAid

(Washington, D.C.April 26, 2017) A newly-released report by the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) identifies Chinas deteriorating religious freedom abuses as a contributor to rapidly worsening religious freedom conditions, listing it among notorious abusers such as North Korea, Myanmar, and Vietnam.

Today, USCIRF published its 2017 Annual Report, which yearly pinpoints countries whose religious freedom policies are cause for concern. The report opens by stating, The state of affairs for international religious freedom is worsening in both the depth and breadth of violations. The blatant assaults have become so frighteningattempted genocide, the slaughter of innocents, and wholesale destruction of places of worshipthat less egregious abuses go unnoticed or at least unappreciated.

In order to spotlight the most flagrant participants in these violations, USCIRF named China, North Korea, Iran, Vietnam, Syria, Eritrea, Tajikistan, Myanmar, the Central Africa Republic, Russia, Pakistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Saudi Arabia, Nigeria, and Sudan Countries of Particular Concern (CPC) and recommended that the U.S. government utilize various methods, including diplomatic pressure, to secure improved conditions for the citizens of these nations. This includes the release of those imprisoned for defending what they believe and advocacy for the humane treatment of prisoners.

In the section of the report devoted to China, USCIRF emphasized the Communist Partys abuse of North Korean refugees, Protestants, Catholics, Uyghur Muslims, Tibetan Buddhists, and Falun Gong practitioners, all of which have been subjected to imprisonment, torture, and, in some cases, even death.

ChinaAid joins USCIRF in raising its voice against religious freedom abuses by exposing those happening in China and urging the U.S. government to take immediate, effective action to procure worldwide freedom of belief.

ChinaAid Media Team

Cell: (432) 553-1080 | Office: 1+ (888) 889-7757 | Other: (432) 689-6985

Email: [email protected]

For more information, click here
Paul Wang teaches a Bible seminar in Guangdong, which was

later raided. (Photo: ChinaAid)

ChinaAid

(Guangzhou, GuangdongApril 25, 2017) A pastor hailing from Virginia was summoned by police in Chinas southern Guangdong province today for leading a Bible seminar.

Paul Wang, a Chinese pastor who lives in Virginia and presides over a church there, was conducting a seminar entitled Reformation and Life Change while visiting China when a group of government officials intruded on the meeting and began taking footage of the event. They summoned Wang and forcibly registered the identities of the attendees.

ChinaAid reports abuses, such as those experienced by Paul Wang and the Christians at the seminar, in order to stand in solidarity with persecuted Christians and promote religious freedom, human rights, and rule of law.

ChinaAid Media Team

Cell: (432) 553-1080 | Office: 1+ (888) 889-7757 | Other: (432) 689-6985

Email: [email protected]

For more information, click here
China Aviation Daily | Apr. 26, 2017

Leading international airline Qatar Airways has activated an advanced new space-based system, supplied by Inmarsat, to track all of its flights across the world.

Inmarsat worked exclusively with Qatar Airways to develop this cutting-edge solution, which covers its current route network of over 150 destinations worldwide, in addition to any future routes that will be introduced. It utilises Inmarsat's market-leading satellite technology to provide the exact real-time location of the airline's aircraft in latitude and longitude.

Qatar Airways signed a contract with Inmarsat following the successful conclusion of active performance trials across its fleet over the past year, which proved that the tracking system exceeds the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)'s new flight reporting standards.

His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, said: "Qatar Airways has a reputation for pioneering ground-breaking new innovations in global aviation. Our partnership with Inmarsat for this global flight tracking system has once again reinforced our commitment to the highest levels of aviation safety for our passengers and employees."

Leo Mondale, President of Inmarsat Aviation, said: "Inmarsat is the backbone of global aviation safety, delivering over 35 million aircraft position reports last year alone. Unlike other systems that promise space-based global flight tracking somewhere in the future, we have been providing real time flight tracking for Qatar Airways for some time. We are pleased to be working with an airline that is so highly committed to safety and innovation."

Contributed by Qatar Airways
China officially launches its second -- and the first domestically developed -- aircraft carrier on Apr 26, 2017, in Dalian, Liaoning province. [Photo/Xinhua]

The launch on Wednesday of China's first totally home-built aircraft carrier marks a major step forward for its military modernization, and highlights the technical progress the country has made over the past several decades.

The carrier, which is expected to enter service in 2020, is the country's second. Its first was bought secondhand and refitted, and is now used for training purposes.

However, it would be wrong, or ill-intentioned, to perceive the new vessel as evidence of the "China threat" so beloved of some.

As it has integrated more closely with the rest of the world, the interests that China has beyond its borders have grown commensurately. Building a strong defense capability with a widespread global reach is now necessary to protect China's businesses and the massive interests that arise from them.

Also despite its growing overseas interests, China's top priority remains national rejuvenation and its most important task is still domestic development. Its defense policies are therefore first and foremost aimed at ensuring a peaceful external environment and providing a security guarantee for its own economic development and social progress.

To safeguard its national security, territorial integrity and development interests, China is therefore committed to meeting the strategic requirement of defending offshore waters and protecting open seas, and building a multi-functional and efficient navy.

Aircraft carriers are the proven way to accomplish these tasks.

If anything, China is late in joining the club of nations that have aircraft carriers. The world's second-largest economy is the last among the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council whose navies have carrier groups. Even its Asian neighbors, India and Thailand, have had aircraft carriers in service for several decades.

And China's long-delayed deployment of an aircraft carrier lies in sharp contrast with the increasing role that it is playing in international affairs.

Its navy has joined in multinational anti-piracy patrols off Somalia since 2008, escorting thousands of foreign and Chinese cargo ships through the risky waters. China is also the largest contributor to UN peacekeeping operations, with more than 2,400 peacekeeping personnel in service worldwide.

An advanced navy equipped with aircraft carriers will definitely help the nation better fulfill its international responsibilities.

Criticizing China for adding aircraft carriers to its naval capabilities simply raises the question of why it should be a concern to those questioning an action that is long overdue.
Potential home buyers check out a property project in Beijing. [Photo/VCG]

A stable outlook is expected in the Chinese mainland property market in the coming 6 to 12 months but going forward developers face a challenging operating environment, Moody's Investors Service said in a report.

Moody's said the challenging operating environment is manifesting itself nationally in a slight drop in home sales values, tighter regulatory measures, rising home inventory levels and a gradual tightening of market liquidity.

"The stable outlook reflects our expectation that national residential property sales will slow but will remain within our parameters," said Franco Leung Chun-bong, vice-president and senior credit officer at Moody's.

The US credit rating agency expected nationwide that contracted sales value growth would be slightly negative through May this year against the soaring 36 percent year-on-year growth registered for the same month in 2016.

Residential property sales volumes will contract and home prices will slow, as the Chinese government continued its tightening regulatory measures in major Chinese cities, Moody's added.

"We also expect the Chinese government to keep in place the tight regulatory measures designed to cool prices in higher-tier cities," Leung added.

As of April 21, 45 Chinese mainland cities had home-purchase restrictions in place to curb speculative investment demand and these locations accounted for around 50 percent of the country's contracted home sales in 2016, the credit rating agency noted.

The third factor to gauge is the home inventory level, Moody's said.

The Moody's survey found that the current inventory levels of primary residential properties were below the peak levels in early 2015.

But the survey also revealed inventory levels in March rose for first and second-tiered cities, indicating houses were selling more slowly as supply outpaced demand.

Moody's said the final challenging market factor was the gradual tightening of market liquidity, even though current monetary conditions were broadly more supportive than in early 2014.

It said this was due to slowing home sales and the dramatic slowdown seen in onshore bond issuance since early 2017.

Small-scale developers with weak credit profiles were expected to be hard-hit, the rating agency said, as they continued to face pressure to sell off their assets to competitors or were acquired by stronger industry players.

The reserve requirement rate and one-year benchmark lending rate set by the People's Bank of China, as at April 2014, are 17 percent and 4.3 percent, respectively. The two ratios are currently lower than the figures recorded in January 2014.

According to Moody's data, rated Chinese developers in total issued 8 onshore bonds totaling 15.8 billion yuan ($2.29 billion) in the first quarter of this year, compared with 41 onshore bonds totaling 116 billion yuan a year ago.

Against the backdrop of the challenging operating environment, Moody's said it anticipated that market competition would continue to intensify as many developers continued to target high sales growth in the current year to capture additional market sharein the process pushing up land prices and squeezing profit margins.

However, the US-based credit rating agency cautioned that the stable outlook for Chinese residential property market may be downgraded to a negative.

It said that scenario could be played out if national contracted home sales fall more than 5 to 10 percent, home inventory levels reach the peak levels of March 2015or there is an interruption to developers' access to funding or a material tightening of bank liquidity and mortgage availability.
It started as just 1 problem, but I ended up writing about 3 messes.

I try really hard to avoid cablecos. They don't like the Channel; they don't like wholesale. It seems that direct sales reps can get pricing much faster.

Unfortunately, cable is chasing market share by practically giving away services. So with that in mind I had to get a quote for a EPL between Nashville and Tampa. This would involve Comcast and Charter. Let's examine the timeline:

Request for quote enters the system on 3/15. On 3/21 Survey shows FL location serviceable with construction. Sent email for pricing. On 3/28 after buffing them, I get "budgetary" pricing. On 4/3 client asks for contract. On 4/26 I am still waiting for paperwork and the "formal" pricing.

How does a company who "As of December 31, 2016, Charter's network passed 49.2 million homes and businesses, and served 26.2 million residential and small and medium business ("SMB") customers" take so long to price and run contracts?

I know it would be an effort but there's this thing called Google Earth that you can use to map your network, so every site survey doesn't take days. MasterStream has a pretty good interface for quoting. There are tools in this cloud age to take some fo the friction out of the process - if anyone actually wanted to.

This raises some questions:

What will install be like if I can't get a quote in 2 weeks?

Will the NNI with Comcast be congested? Will anyone remember to order it?

What happens with a UCaaS order, especially post-ink?

I can't even fathom what a Desktop as a Service process must be like now that Navisite is under the Spectrum umbrella.

I know this looks like a bully pulpit kind of blog, but I can't be the only one who finds this ridiculous.

It gets better. One of the Tier 1 ISPs agrees to sell my customer a 1GB pipe that goes to Atlanta from Jackson, Mississippi. Route diversity was needed for my client, an ISP and VoIP Provider. Turn up took 111 days on a lit path. The Tier 1 ISP used Uniti Fiber for the loop. It was a mess.

The CFA (facilities assignment inside the central office where my client is collocated) was ignored, which created the first of a number of problems. TTU (test and turn up) was basically, "We plugged it in!" Repair had to be engaged to get it to work. (A new NID had to be installed.)

BGP took an extra week to get working properly. It only all started working properly yesterday. It was ordered on 12/19/16.

And the client says it routes to Dallas, not to Atlanta. Fantastic.

I turned up another circuit with an ILEC. It was a 20 MB DIA, but I guess 20x20 had to be specified, because it came up at 18x6. I don't even know how you make these kind of mistakes. This was noticed on the day after turn up, but we had to go through repair to get it fixed after the turn up engineer ignored all emails for 3 days.

What the hell is wrong with telecom that they can't just do the job they are hired to do? Every day we hear about airlines having big issues, but telecom firms have even more problems. I think it is just that we EXPECT them in telecom.

All I keep thinking is: If they can't deploy Internet pipes correctly in a timely manner, who would want to try using them for something complex like IAAS or security or UC?

And let's let them do more M&A! Everyone of the carriers listed has been involved in M&A in the last year. All of them suffer from the integration -- or choose to blame it.
The futuristic cityscape of Dubai. [Photo/Agencies]

Dubai's Multi Commodities Center, the largest free trade zone in the United Arab Emirates, has seen a strong surge in the number of Chinese companies as the Belt and Road Initiative drives new business opportunities.

Registrations of Chinese companies at the DMCC have grown by an average of 46 percent annually over the past five years.

"The number of Chinese companies setting up in Dubai and DMCC is on the rise," said Chief Executive Officer Gautam Sashittal. "But it is still a small portion of our 13,500 registered companies in total".

Located in the middle of the Maritime Silk Road, the zone has attracted around 150 Chinese companies since its establishment in 2002.

The majority of Chinese companies already there are large corporates involved in infrastructure and technology, including Hangzhou Hikvision Digital Technology Co Ltd, Hisense Group, Sinopec Group, China Harbour Engineering Co and China State Construction Engineering Corp.

He said he believes the Belt and Road Initiative will drive the growth even more rapidly and provide new opportunities for small and medium-sized companies and startups in the trading and services sectors.

"With the increased digitalization of trade, international commerce will grow by $29 trillion over the next decade, bringing about 350 million new businesses into international trade," he said. "And that's where we are keen to grow trade relationships."

On Monday, a DMCC delegation visited Shenzhen, home of 1.4 million SMEs in Guangdong province, for the first time. "We are here because it is the hub for technology and new innovations," he explained.

In addition, the DMCC plans to build a new coffee center which is expected to export around 140,000 metric tons of Chinese Arabica beans from Yunnan province to Dubai and then re-export them globally.

Cong Hongbin, vice-chairman of international relations at strategic advisory company Falcon and Associates, said the petroleum and natural gas industry accounts for about just 2 percent of Dubai's GDP, while the majority comes from the service sector, such as trade, logistics and tourism.

He said the city not only can benefit from the Belt and Road Initiative but also is an ideal pivot to support its development.
A worker oversees loading of containers onto a Chongqing-Xinjiang-Europe intercontinental freight train in Chongqing, which will speed up the setting up of a comprehensive international logistics system. [Photo/Xinhua]

Editor's Note:

In this third part of the special series on the new free trade zones being set up across China, we look at the three projects coming up in Chongqing, Sichuan and Xi'an. The FTZs enjoy preferential policies, more favorable taxes, easier customs clearance, and simpler business procedures. Each FTZ has a focus on certain industry segments, into which it will deploy capital and top talent. The special package below informs you how the three new FTZs will transform the economic, cultural and social fabric of the areas they serve.

As the latest addition to China's Free Trade Zones project, Chongqing plans to become a pivot in the country's go-west campaignthe national effort to develop the vast western regions, home to energy and mineral resources crucial to its future growth.

The central government announced the launch of the China (Chongqing) Pilot Free Trade Zone on April 1. The third batch of FTZs includes Chongqing municipality, Henan, Hubei, Liaoning, Shaanxi, Sichuan and Zhejiang provinces.

The total number of FTZs has reached 11 after the first FTZ (Shanghai) opened for business in 2013.

Chongqing FTZ, spanning about 120 square kilometers, comprises three partsLiangjiang New Area, Xiyong area and Guoyuan Port area.

According to the FTZ blueprint, Chongqing will build itself into a pilot zone of inland free trade featuring a convenient investment and trade environment, efficient supervision, complete finance services as well as a sound legal environment for business.

In addition to practices and policies common to all the FTZs, "Chongqing will speed up the construction of a comprehensive international logistics system based on the current Chongqing-Xinjiang-Europe intercontinental railway," said Vice-Mayor Liu Guiping at the press conference of the launch of the Chongqing FTZ.

"We are going to explore strategies and policies to support the Belt and Road Initiative and find out how to make land trade rules."

In three years, Chongqing FTZ will become the center of international logistics, inland services trade and inland finance, Liu said.

As the only municipality in western China, the traditional industrial hub, located at the intersection of the Belt and Road Initiative's trade route and the Yangtze River Economic Zone, has witnessed fast and steady economic growth in recent years and led the country's GDP growth rate table for two consecutive years in 2014 and 2015.

A barista shows how to taste coffee at the coffee trade center in Chongqing. [Photo/Xinhua]

Thanks to its comprehensive transportation system spanning air, water and land, the city of 30 million people is also one of the nine key logistics centers in the country.

Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport is one of the eight major airline hubs in China. An ongoing expansion project will increase its annual throughput of passengers to 45 million.

Guoyuan Port, which is linked with the Chongqing-Xinjiang-Europe International Railway, has 16 berths and can handle 6 million metric tons of bulk cargo annually. Coal and iron ores from the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region and Gansu province are transferred at the port.

Goods from neighboring provinces and countries are transported to Shapingba Tuanjiecun railway terminal and sent to Central Asia and Europe.

Last year, the city was picked as the operational center of the China-Singapore (Chongqing) Demonstration Initiative on Strategic Connectivity, the third intergovernmental project between the two countries. The initiative will pilot cooperation in fields ranging from financial services, aviation, transportation and logistics to information communications technology.

Liangjing New Area will play a key role in Chongqing FTZ as it covers most of the FTZ area and functions. The operational center for Sino-Singapore (Chongqing) project is also located in the new area.

Established in 2010, Liangjiang is the third national development and opening zone in Chinaand the first in the inlandapproved by the State Council, after Shanghai Pudong New Area and Tianjin Binhai New Area.

"We should combine the Sino-Singapore program with the FTZ project so that we can achieve the real free flow in trade, human resources and commodities," said Tang Zongwei, deputy director of the Liangjiang New Area Administrative Committee.

Many foreign companies have already entered Chongqing to expand their presence in China's inland.

Cui Wei, regional director of West China at Prologis, the world's second-largest logistic company, has recently signed an agreement with Chongqing Logistics Park located in the FTZ to build a logistics center for the Chongqing-Xinjiang-Europe intercontinental railway.

"The FTZ will be more open in many areas, such as capital and talent flow, and our company will surely benefit from that," he said.
Two exhibitors from the Czech Republic assemble a jet at a trade fair in Chengdu, Sichuan province, in October 2013. [Photo by Yu Ping/For China Daily]

The Shuangliu district of Chengdu in Sichuan province plans to become home to top professionals in international trade, finance and law from different parts of the world, to meet the needs arising from its inclusion in the China (Sichuan) Pilot Free Trade Zone.

It will rely on headhunters to hire such talent, offering each professional an annual salary of nearly 2 million yuan ($290,550), said Jiang Liwang, chief of the General Office of the Administrative Bureau of the Shuangliu section of China (Sichuan) Pilot Free Trade Zone.

On April 1, the unveiling ceremony for the China (Sichuan) Pilot Free Trade Zone was formally held in Chengdu. The zone consists of two parts: Chengdu in western Sichuan and Luzhou in southern Sichuan.

The Sichuan FTZ covers nearly 120 square kilometers, with 100 sq km in Chengdu and the rest in Luzhou. Of the Chengdu part, more than 34 sq km are in Shuangliu.

Wei Shuangdan, a policewoman with the Gongxing Town Police Station in Shuangliu, was transferred to the government service center of the Shuangliu part of the free trade zone more than two weeks ago. She will serve as the chief representative of the Shuangliu District Public Security Bureau in the Government Service Center.

She landed the coveted job thanks to her proficiency in English. She had passed the English Majors Band 8, the highest-level test for English learners in China.

"I graduated from an institution of higher learning a decade ago and seldom spoke English as a policewoman. I lamented my English major was useless," Wei said.

Her story reflects the shortage of professionals in the Sichuan FTZ, particularly in Shuangliu, one of the most advanced regions inthe zone. According to sources in the Sichuan provincial government, the Luzhou section of the FTZ is also considering wooing top professionals from different parts of the world.

The zone's Chengdu section has advantages like airport and railway transportation and the Luzhou section has a port connecting the Yangtze River to the East China Sea.

The Chengdu section will stress development of the modern services sector, high-end manufacturing, high-tech and airport-dependent economy. The Luzhou section will emphasize shipping logistics, port trade, equipment, food and beverage manufacturing, said Tang Limin, chief of the General Office of the Sichuan provincial government.

An inland province known for its inaccessibility in ancient times, Sichuan is the most advanced region in western China, thanks to the implementation of China's reforms and opening-up policies in the late 1970s and its go-west strategies adopted at the turn of the 21st century.

Most of the world's Fortune 500 firms have set up offices in Sichuan and the province has more foreign investment than any other region in western China.

"The unveiling of the China (Sichuan) Pilot FTZ will have a lasting influence on the province's economic, cultural and social fabric," said Yao Yi, president of the Institute of Economics, part of the Sichuan Provincial Academy of Social Sciences.

The FTZ means a new round of reform and opening up to the outside world. Benefits of its reform are expected to liberalize trade and investment, Yao said.

The FTZ also means two way free flow of top talent and capital, said Yao, adding systems have to be in place to spur more trade and higher investment.

The Sichuan Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau headquartered in Chengdu has formulated 10 inspection and quarantine systems to facilitate trade. This will shorten the quarantine time for special products such as blood to three days at most. The validity of the certificate of quarantine approval will be extended from three to 12 months.

It has started to process applications online for products to be processed, according to Ma Dongmei, an information officer with the administration.
China United Network Communications Ltd unveiled a joint venture with local partners on Tuesday, as the country's second-largest telecom carrier by subscribers scrambles to offer in-flight Wi-Fi services.

The State-owned company said UnicomAirNet, with a registered capital of 200 million yuan ($29.06 million), will develop communication systems and offer technological support to enable passengers to surf the internet onboard planes.

The new venture is set up by China Unicom's broadband network unit, Chinese on-train Wi-Fi service provider Hangmei Online, and a unit of Sichuan Haite High-Tech Co Ltd, which repairs aircraft equipment.

Jiang Zhengxin, deputy general manager of China Unicom, said the company has been approved by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the country's top telecom industry regulator, to experiment with in-flight Wi-Fi services.

An official license is expected to be granted at the end of this year, another senior executive at China Unicom said.

Guo Man, chairman of Hangmei Online, said while China Unicom has a sprawling satellite and on-the-ground network and operation services, Hangmei Online has an abundance of experience in running on-train and in-bus Wi-Fi services, and Sichuan Haite excels in upgrading planes with new communications systems.

"We are highly complementary in skills and resources, enabling us to establish a beachhead in the in-flight connectivity sector which will soon take off," he added.

Currently, onboard Wi-Fi services are only available in some planes of Chinese airlines. A report by research firm Routehappy shows that 78 percent of airlines in the United States provide some sort of connectivity.

The number in China is 23 percent, according to a local aviation statistics company VariFlight.

But as about 1.2 million Chinese travel by plane every day, an increasing number of consumers requiring internet services.

The move is also part of China Unicom's broad efforts to seek new growth drivers as its core businesses have stumbled in recent years.

Xiang Ligang, a telecoms expert and CEO of telecom industry website cctime.com, said it is investment-intensive to offer Wi-Fi services on flights, but it will be hard to ask Chinese consumers to pay for connectivity.
BEIJING  China plans to assist 500,000 workers made redundant during its capacity cuts in steel and coal sectors this year.

Subsidies will go to employers that re-employ laid-off staff in other posts inside the company, and the government will offer free retraining, according to spokesperson Lu Aihong of the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, Tuesday.

In 2016, the central government spent over 30 billion yuan ($4.4 billion) in providing aid to 726,000 employees affected by the downsizing of the two heavy industries.

The work has to continue as another 50 million metric tons of steel production capacity and at least 150 million tons of coal capacity will be cut this year.

According to preliminary forecasts, the coal and steel sectors will see combined laid-offs of around 1.8 million.
BEIJING  China will tighten its crackdown on illegal fundraising to protect people's interests and fend off systemic risks, the Office of the Inter-agency Anti-illegal Fundraising Taskforce said on Tuesday.

China saw 5,197 illegal fundraising cases in 2016, involving 251.1 billion yuan ($36.5 billion), down 14.48 percent and 0.11 percent year-on-year, respectively, according to the office.

It is the first time for both figures to decline, showing that the rising trend of illegal fundraising in past years has been contained, said Yang Yuzhu, head of the office.

However, Yang noted that the overall situation of illegal fundraising is still complicated and severe, highlighted by an increase in organized crime, online fraud and cross-regional crime.

China will strengthen supervision of intermediaries in private financing, enhance crackdown efforts against fraudulent advertisements and improve the legal system to guard against illegal financing, said Yang.

Key fields including online lending, private wealth management, rural cooperatives and private equity will be under greater regulatory scrutiny, Yang added.

Internet finance has grown fast in China in the past few years, as investors seek higher returns than bank deposits while small businesses find it easier to secure funds through online brokers. But risks have piled up too as regulations cannot keep up with the sector's development.

Among high-profile fraud cases last year, Ezubao, an online peer-to-peer lending platform, cheated members of the public out of nearly 60 billion yuan through fake investment projects it advertised from June 2014 to December 2015. Police opened investigations into the case in the first quarter of 2016.
China's central provinces are expected to attract more foreign investment at the 10th Central China Investment and Trade Exposition, which will be held in Hefei, Anhui province, and aims to strengthen new drivers for regional economic development, officials said on Tuesday.

In the first quarter of the year, foreign investment flowing to the regionmainly Hunan, Henan, Hubei, Anhui and Jiangxi provincesincreased by 1 percent year-on-year, Wang Shouwen, vice-minister of commerce, said at a news conference in Beijing.

"The growth rate equals the national average," Wang said.

Central China has unique advantages in absorbing foreign capital, thanks to the region's geographical location, abundant labor force and supportive polices, he said.

Expo Central China 2017, which will be held in Hefei from May 17 to 19, will host a wide range of seminars on e-commerce, tourism and medical care, Wang said.

So far, the exposition, themed "New Concept of Development, New Opportunity for Rise", has invited more than 2,400 policymakers and businessmen, including overseas political leaders, and executives from multinational firms, State-owned enterprises and privately run enterprises, said Zhang Shuguang, vice-governor of Anhui, at the conference.

"They will have in-depth discussions with local authorities and entrepreneurs, and will promote cooperation in terms of capital, skills and talent," Zhang said.

China attracted 226.5 billion yuan ($32.91 billion) in foreign capital in the first three months, up 1 percent from the same period last year, according to the Ministry of Commerce.

It also said that foreign direct investment from high-tech enterprises rose 12.4 percent year-on-year to 28.69 billion yuan.

Hosted by the Ministry of Commerce, the annual Expo Central China aims to build a platform for global investment and trade exchange, and get the nation's central regions more involved in international trade.

The provinces need to ramp up efforts to optimize their trade structure and diversify their export markets, said Tu Xinquan, a professor at the University of International Business and Economics in Beijing.

Economies along the Belt and Road Initiative will continue to serve as strong growth engines for local economic growth, he added.

Contact the writers at jingshuiyu@chinadaily.com.cn and zhengyiran@chinadaily.com.cn
BEIJING  China's top economic planner Tuesday called for implementation of a government plan to promote reform in energy production and consumption.

China's total energy consumption will be capped at 6 billion metric tons of coal equivalent by 2030, according to a government plan for 2016 to 2030, issued by the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC).

The plan is aimed at optimizing the energy mix and ensuring energy security, in the face of a new supply-demand pattern in the global market, said NDRC in an online statement.

By the end of 2030, non-fossil energy is expected to account for 20 percent of the total energy consumption, accompanied with a reduction of carbon dioxide (CO2) emission per unit of GDP by 60 percent to 65 percent compared with 2005, according to the government plan.

The plan also outlined the target of maintaining self-reliance of energy consumption beyond 80 percent by the end of 2020, in a bid to ensure China's energy security.

In the statement, NDRC pledged strengthened supervision over local authorities for better implementation of the plan.

Advanced technology, sound market mechanism and strong legal support are all necessary in achieving the goal, according to the report.

China's energy intensity, the amount of energy consumed per unit of GDP, decreased 3.8 percent year-on-year in the first quarter of 2017, according to the National Bureau of Statistics.

The decline was better than the government target of 3.4 percent in 2017.
BEIJING  Chinese customs has been an important player in protecting intellectual property rights (IPR), taking a firm hand against smuggling of illegal products, a customs official said Tuesday.

In 2015, China started a three-year campaign to protect the image of "made-in-China" products internationally, with a focus on products exported to Africa, the Middle East, Latin America and countries along the Belt and Road.

More than 43,000 batches of goods suspected of IPR infringement have been seized during the campaign, involving more than 81 million individual items, Zou Zhiwu, deputy head of the General Administration of Customs (GAC), told Xinhua.

IPR infringement in the imported products have been rising at around 10 percent a year. In 2016 alone, Chinese authorities seized 670 batches of illegal goods, including fake lubricants imported from Malaysia.

For the healthy growth of the e-commerce sector, the GAC has acted on internet-related IPR infringements by joining with e-commerce platforms and integrating online and offline supervision, he said.

In 2016, customs authorities streamlined the procedures for file for IPR and suspended charges, resulting in 8,844 IPR filings last year, up 55 percent year-on-year.

Chinese companies are becoming more aware of IPR protection and had filed 27,873 IPR with GAC by the end of last year, accounting for 52.51 percent of all IPR on record, Zou said.

Chinese companies are also victims of IPR infringements.

Customs seized 7.58 million pieces of goods suspected of infringing the IPR of Chinese companies in 2016, up 13.2 percent from the previous year.

Last year, GAC took measures on 12 IPR protection cases in which IPR of Chinese companies were infringed upon, up from 4 cases in 2015.

As IPR infringement in foreign trade is an international issue, China has advocated cooperation in law enforcement of customs authorities from different countries and regions.

Zou said GAC had established cooperation mechanisms with customs of more than 130 countries and regions and signed over 190 cooperation documents, including memos with the Unites States, the EU, Russia, Japan and the Republic of Korea.

The country has also taken an active part in IPR-related affairs under multilateral frameworks, including World Intellectual Property Organization and World Customs Organization.

Looking ahead, Zou said GAC will continue to take strict measures on IPR infringement, enhance cooperation with other government departments, and deepen law enforcement collaboration with other countries and organizations.
Attendees walk past the wingtip of a model Commercial Aircraft Corp of China (COMAC) C919 aircraft during the China International Aviation & Aerospace Exhibition in Zhuhai, Guangdong province, Nov 11, 2014.[Photo/VCG]

The first large passenger aircraft designed and built in China is expected to stage its maiden flight in the coming weeks. The flight is a significant step in China's bid to grab a slice of global jet sales worth $2 trillion over the next 20 years.

The COMAC C919, with over 150 seats and a standard range of 4,075 kilometers, is a medium-haul commercial aircraft and was rolled off the assembly line in 2015. It is expected to compete with the updated Airbus 320 and Boeing's new-generation 737, which currently dominate the market.

"They will be trying to compete on price against people who are building aircraft at a much faster pace and with more experience," Richard Aboulafia, aerospace analyst at Virginia-based Teal Group, told Reuters.

Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC) holds some cards up its sleeve. Its plane has Western engines and avionics coupled with a new design, it's rolling out a pilot training program and expanding international staff, industry executives say.

By focusing on innovation and technological breakthroughs, China is gearing up to realize its dream of "taking off" by boosting a global aviation power with homegrown technology. China's first regional commercial aircraft, the ARJ21, began commercial operation in June 2016.

And though still unproven, COMAC could be the single biggest rival over the coming decades to the dominance of Boeing and Airbus, both in China's own huge aviation market and, longer-term, overseas.

COMAC said 21 customers had placed orders for more than 500 aircraft by the end of 2016, and it expects sales to exceed 2,000. In comparison, the latest version of the Boeing 737 had more than 3,000 firm orders before it flew last January.

Those types of numbers from the two big global plane makers come after decades of trimming costs and honing marketing pitches. The two have global support networks able to respond whenever a jet breaks down just about anywhere, and the number of jets flying makes it easier for airlines to raise loans to buy them.

The safety certification of the new plane - which reportedly has a catalog price tag of around $50 million, less than half that of a Boeing 737 or Airbus A320 - could be among the biggest issues for the C919 internationally.

Having a plane certified to fly commercially is tough enough even for Western jet makers as aircraft become more complex and supply chains expand.

Although the European Union has agreed to recognize some of the checks carried out by China, it is expected to insist on some of its own tests before issuing a safety certificate and is trying to understand where discrepancies between the two systems lie.

Agencies
Iceland has been on the top of everyones bucket list for the past year with the rise of movies, TV-shows, and social media posts bringing this once overlooked island nation to the forefront of every travelers mind. A fantastic blend of charming small towns and cities, magical landscapes, rich heritage, and a variety of adventures, its hard to find a traveler who doesnt want to visit Iceland.

And as summer vacation nears in the Northern Hemisphere, millions of travelers are looking to hop up north to this amazing island from June to August. From massive crowds to skyrocketing hotel rates, the pristine beauty of Iceland can take quite a toll on your savings. That being said, if youre still game to travel to Iceland this summer, then read on for a breakdown of the good, the bad, and the stunning for a summer trip to Iceland.

The Good? Warm Weather in Iceland

Ignore the name and put away that winter coat of yours, because summer in Iceland is all about shorts. The dry and sunny days let you roll up your sleeves and explore the vast landscapes that Iceland has to offer.

This good weather and lack of any major predators make Iceland a campers paradise. In most areas you can pitch a tent on the side of the road and enjoy the amazing weather.

Summer also opens up the highland roads, letting you visit the most unique and untouched regions of Iceland, that are otherwise closed due to weather or glaciers.

The Bad? Everyone Wants to Visit Iceland

Everyone wants to go to Iceland, raising accommodation prices, crowding tour buses, and locking out hotel spaces. If youre looking for seclusion and the serenity of nature, then you should definitely plan for autumn or spring. Major hot spots like the Golden Circle and Blue Lagoon are sold out well in advanced  plus their overcrowded with tourists. And the one thing that a tourist hates is another tourist.

The Stunning? A Land of Magic

So were weary of saying theirs an ugly side to Iceland, as the landscape is truly heart-stopping, but there are a few things that may not be for everyone. Itll truly stun you with how unique it is, and that might just be what some travelers want to avoid.

Were talking about the famous Midnight Sun, a period where the sun is bright in the sky at midnight. Located near the arctic where this phenomenon occurs, Iceland summer nights mean absolutely no darkness. You hotel will definitely have blackout curtains to help you sleep through the extra light, but some may find it hard to adjust to the sunny evenings and mornings. Some of us will love this experience, as well be able to hike, party, and explore all day and night. Plus, the glow over the horizon makes for some enchanting photography.

What should I do?

For one, book early. Like right now. If you want a hotel, if you want a tour, if you want to rent a car, book now or never. Getting a hotel or tour day of is almost impossible, especially if youre planning to visit the most famous sites, like the Golden Circle tour (which is a bit more spectacular in winter), the Blue Lagoon, or Jojkulsarlon Glacier Lagoon.

What to do then? Get off the beaten path. As we mentioned above, the highlands will be open up in Summer, granting you access to some of the most ruggedest landscapes in Iceland where you can enjoy some isolation with nature. This is the perfect opportunity for a day trip from Reykjavik to the Landmannalauger Mountains, right in the heart of the highlands.

There are also numerous smaller hot springs, glacier hikes, geysers, and caves to explore throughout the island, so consider skipping the most famous ones for the most overlooked.

Glacier rivers offer a wealth of rafting opportunities, and the most popular is Hvita River. Dont let its popularity steer you away; this is one of the must for rafting enthusiastic and first-timers.

Also consider avoiding Reykjavik and heading up north to Akueyri, a small but still lovely city. From here you can see Icelands diverse northern landscape that mirrors the Golden Circle on a day trip to Detiffoss and Godafoss Waterfall

And while youre out roaming the wilderness, visit a local stable for a horseback riding tour with Icelands famous horses. Uniquely breed to the island, theyre almost pony-sized, making them less intimidating to new riders, and specially breed to handle the rough terrain.

Summer Events in Iceland

Icelanders know how to party like no other nation (okay, maybe Australians), and with the clear weather of Summer travelers come from all over the world to experience their festivals.

If youre up for escaping the city for the day (and with the crowds, you might just have to) you should consider heading north of Reykjavik to Borgarfjodur Eystri, home to only 110 inhabitants. In late July (29th for 2017) this small village comes to life with world famous bands at Brslan Music Festival. The locals are extremely friendly and the camping opportunities are endless. Previous years included Of Monsters and Men, Belle and Sebastian, Mammut, and various international and Icelandic artists.

Hoping to get further away from the city? Travel to East Iceland and take in LungA, a small Seyisfjorur art festival thats steadily been growing each year with workshops, markets, art exhibits, and concerts. It takes place in mid-July and is a perfect pair with Brslan Music Festival

The first Monday of August features Verslunarmannahelgi, a bank holiday and host to a handful of festivals, including Ein me ollu in Akureyr, Innipukinn in Reykjavik, and Thjodhatid in the Westmman Islands, where the population of 4,000 quadruples to 16,000 for just 3 days. Expect music, camping, barbecuing, dancing, and even a bit of romance. Westman Islands are also perfect for a quick day trip from Reykjavik.

Just a week later youll also have Reykjavik Pride, one of the largest festivals in Iceland, and is a major celebration for the LGBTQ community in Iceland. From drag shows to massive parties, everyone participates, whether or not they consider themselves in the LGBTQ community. Even the mayor joins in on the fun by dressing in drag for the event. This year itll run from August 8th to the 13th.

And just a week later youll have Menningarnott, a cultural festival on the 19th of August. Like the others this festival involves music, dance, and parties, but also pop-up shops, art shows, and free entrances to most galleries and museums.

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HANOVER  The so-called "industry 4.0" is more evolution than revolution, according to chief of the Hanover Fair 2017, the world's leading industrial trade show, which runs from Monday to Friday.

"Technical developments need time. We are talking about revolution, but it's more evolution. The developments you can see here are done step by step," Jochen Koeckler, a member of the Managing Board of Deutsche Messe responsible for the trade fair, said in an exclusive interview with Xinhua.

From April 24 to 28, more than 6,500 exhibitors from 70 nations and regions will present technologies for tomorrow's factories and energy systems in Hanover Fair 2017, themed "Integrated Industry - Creating Value".

Koeckler explained that creating value means visitors, also investors of technology, have to understand and accept that there is a value in the integrated industry. Investors will only invest when they know that with their investments they will be more competitive.

Being asked whether robots would make people jobless, Koeckler said humans in the factory will be the core of the production. He believed that robots in the future would be more like a tool and that more people are needed to program robots and to be the guide of robots in the factory.

"In the center of decision or factory, it is still the human being. Handwork and boring work would be the history," Koeckler said, adding, "we have to be aware of life-long education and learning."

According to Koeckler, China is absolutely remarkable with more than 1200 exhibitors at the fair. "Everyone sees and feels how strong China is with the program China 2025 in the topic of industry 4.0 digitalization of the industry."

Hanover Fair celebrated its 70th year and is expecting around 200,000 visitors this year. some 60 percent of these exhibitors come from countries outside Germany this year. China is the second largest exhibiting nation both in terms of the number of exhibitors and the size of exhibiting area.

"We are increasing our partnership between Deutsche Messe and China. We are very optimistic about our future of cooperation," he said.
BEIJING  China and Canada on Tuesday launched an economic and financial strategic dialogue in Beijing, pledging expanded cooperation on areas including trade, investment, finance and science to add new impetus to the bilateral strategic partnership.

The dialogue came as Chinese Vice Premier Wang Yang held talks with both Canadian Minister of Finance Bill Morneau and Minister of International Trade Francois-Philippe Champagne at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse.

Stressing that China and Canada are important economies in the Asia-Pacific region and major members of the G20, Wang said it is not only beneficial for both peoples but also conducive to world and regional peace, stability and prosperity that China and Canada cement friendship and enhance cooperation.

He said launching the China-Canada Economic and Financial Strategic Dialogue is a consensus reached by Chinese President Xi Jinping and Canadian leaders. Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and his Canadian counterpart Justin Trudeau made the decision last year that the strategic dialogue would be conducted at the vice-premier level, he added.

China is willing to work with Canada to implement the leaders' consensus, strengthen coordination on strategic bilateral and global economic issues and expand cooperation on trade, investment, finance, science and technology, clean energy, infrastructure and tourism in order to add vitality to bilateral ties, Wang said.

Morneau said Canada and China share extensive common interests on bilateral and global issues. Canada is ready to boost cooperation with China via the dialogue to achieve growth and prosperity, he said.

Champagne said the two countries enjoy great potential in economic and trade cooperation. Canada would like to further promote the Canada-China Free Trade Agreement and expand cooperation in various areas to forge ahead continuous development of bilateral ties, he added.

During Chinese Premier Li's official visit to Canada last September, China expressed willingness to start talks on a free trade agreement (FTA) with Canada, making the North American country the first Group of Seven economy China is seeking an FTA with.

China and Canada also aim to double their trade volume by 2025 from the $55.7 billion recorded in 2015.

Currently, the two countries are holding a second round of exploratory discussions about the FTA in Canada, following the first round of meetings in Beijing in February.
WARSAW  China-Poland relations have improved in all areas, including in trade, investment and financial cooperation, since last June's Poland visit by the Chinese leader, Chinese Ambassador to Poland Xu Jian said in a recent interview with Xinhua.

Poland is one of the largest apple producers in Europe and Polish apples now have been granted access to Chinese market, Xu noted.

"Exports of Polish agricultural products to China are increasing and Poland expects to export more," he said.

Regarding bilateral investment, the Chinese diplomat said an increasing number of Chinese companies have invested in Poland, including through merging and greenfield investments.

Speaking of financial cooperation, Xu noted that the Polish government has issued 3 billion Chinese yuan (about $450 million) worth of "panda bonds" in China last year, the first European country to sell such bonds.

Xu said Poland is an important country in the European Union (EU), as well as the largest, most populous nation and the largest economy in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE).

He noted that Poland is one of the earliest CEE countries to sign cooperation agreement on building the Belt and Road, as well as the only founding member of Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank from CEE.

In addition, seeking synergy between Poland's re-industrialization development strategy and China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative would bring about win-win situation, Xu said.

"Poland, which benefits from this initiative, could play an exemplary role in the CEE in the building of the Belt and Road, and thus more countries in the region will participate in the initiative," the ambassador said.
WARSAW  The rail cargo service between the Chinese city of Chengdu and Poland's Lodz, which began operating in 2013, has become a popular logistics route for Chinese trade with Europe, as well as the fastest direct freight route between the two regions.

In Lodz, a stop along the Chengdu-Europe railway service, the first cargo trains arrived three-and-a-half years ago. "During last year and a half, we've seen more economic activity and export trains are carrying Polish products back to China," Spendcont firm CEO Michal Gawin told Xinhua.

Gawin, whose firm operates a cargo terminal in Lodz, said they observed accelerated business since last year. "This time last year, we operated approximately 15-20 trains a month. In the last half year, we've seen a more than 50 percent increase with 45-50 trains, he explained.

While cargo can be transported from Poland to China by sea and air, the railway transit time and price is most optimal, Gawin said, adding goods transported include mostly electronics and general merchandise from China, while Poland sends industrial cargo, food products with long expiration dates and machine parts.

Recently, measures have been taken to increase the speed of the China-Poland cargo railway connection, such as non-stop cargo-scanning container inspection introduced on the Polish-Belarus border.

"We hope that the Belt and Road Initiative continues to develop, so that more high-quality products can be sent from Poland to China and in the opposite direction," Gawin added.

Krzysztof Piatkowski, deputy mayor of Lodz, said his city attaches a lot of importance to this train connection, as well as cooperation with China.

According to Piatkowski, the Chengdu-Lodz connection contributed to the city becoming an important hub. "The train connection is perceived as an opportunity by local food producers of juices, sweets, alcohol, including our famous Lodz cider," he said.
The Netflix sign is shown on an iPad in Encinitas, California, April 19,2013. [Photo/VCG]

Global streaming giant Netflix Inc has struck a licensing deal in China with iQiyi, the country's major streaming video provider controlled by Baidu, according to a US film and television magazine, Variety.

While a distribution timetable still remains unclear, it is understood Netflix will release original content "on a near simultaneous basis".

Robert Roy, Netflix's vice president of content acquisition, announced the deal with iQiyi on the sidelines of a recent industry conference.

The move comes as the streaming giant continues to expand globally, with the Chinese market too big to leave out. In 2016, Netflix forayed into 130 countries including Iran and North Korea.

Such collaboration also comes as video streaming has become hotly contested in China. The country's biggest internet companies including the BAT trilogy, namely Baidu, Alibaba and Tencent, have either set up or backed major players.

Netflix shares surged 5.9 percent to $152.34 as of Tuesday, and Baidu rose 3.9 percent to $187.07.

Representatives of iQiyi claim the service has more than 480 million monthly active users, with an above-average growth rate. Baidu completed $1.5 billion bond issuance on behalf of the company in February, 2017.
Workers load steel products at a logistics park in Yichang, Hubei province. [Photo/China Daily]

BEIJING - China's crude steel output grew 4.6 percent year-on-year to 201.1 million tons in the first quarter of 2017, an industry association said Wednesday.

In the first three months, China's steel exports declined 25 percent year on year to 20.73 million tons, the China Iron and Steel Association said in a press release.

Steel exports to the United States plunged 51.76 percent year-on-year in 2016 to 1.17 million tons, accounting for 1.08 percent of China's total steel exports.

Wang Yingsheng, deputy secretary general of the association, said the US stance on investigating steel imports would not exert much influence on China's steel industry.

In the first quarter, sales revenues of China's steel companies rose by more than 40 percent year-on-year to hit a total of 839.3 billion yuan ($122 billion).

China's over-supplied steel sector has experienced years of plunging prices and factory shutdowns due to a sluggish economy. However, with an upward trend in prices since the start of 2016, many steel mills are resuming production.

The central government has reiterated that cutting overcapacity is high on its reform agenda in 2017 as excess capacity in sectors such as steel and coal has weighed on the country's economic performance.

Its 2016 target to cut 45 million tons was achieved ahead of schedule.

China plans to reduce steel output by an additional 100 million to 150 million tons by 2020.
Performers in traditional local opera costumes attend a new energy vehicle show in Jinhua, Zhejiang province. [Photo by Ge Yuejin/For China Daily]

China is set to build a globally competitive automotive industry within 10 years, with new energy vehicles and smart, internet-connected cars taking the lead worldwide, according to an industry guideline released on Tuesday.

Among other goals, it expects sales of electric, plug-in hybrids and fuel cell cars in the nation to reach 2 million by 2020, and such cars are to account for 20 percent of all auto sales by 2025.

Half of new cars in China will feature some driving assistance and low-level autonomous driving functions by 2020, and the number is expected to rise to 80 percent in 2025.

The guideline was issued by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the National Development and Reform Commission, and the Ministry of Science and Technology.

According to the guideline, China will foster innovation, step up research and development in new energy cars and smart cars, and encourage automakers to join hands with internet companies.

"Innovation is the engine of our drive to build a globally competitive industry," said Miao Wei, minister of industry and information technology.

"We are lagging behind developed countries in terms of traditional cars, but we have laid a good foundation and now enjoy favorable conditions in terms of new energy vehicles," Miao said.

China has been the world's largest new energy market since 2015. More than 500,000 such vehicles were sold in 2016, bringing the number of such cars on China's roads to 1 million, accounting for 50 percent of the global total.

Miao said cars are transforming from tools of transportation into large, mobile smart terminals worldwide, and the emergence of Chinese internet and telecom giants including Tencent Holdings Ltd and Huawei Technologies Co Ltd can support automakers to take the lead not only in new energy vehicles but also smart, connected cars.

"The boom in bike sharing in China is an example we can learn from. In addition to the innovative business mode, one important factor of its success is the use of advanced positioning technologies."

BYD Co Ltd, the world's largest new energy carmaker, released its electric bus strategy in 2010.

Wang Chuanfu, chairman of BYD, said: "We believe car electrification is an inevitable trend, and private cars will be the next pillar of its development after buses."

He said BYD will promote hybrids in some 200 cities across the country in three to five years.

In terms of smart, connected cars, Wang said BYD will introduce driving assistance functions including pedestrian detection before 2020.

"Of course, the use of smart and connected cars in their real sense also depends on the development of infrastructure and the 5G network."

Changan Automobile Co Ltd is to invest 21 billion yuan ($3.05 billion) in 10 years to expand its current 600-member smart car research team to 2,000 people. It now has research and development centers in China, the United States, the United Kingdom, Italy and Japan.

"Cars will not be cars without smart functions in the future," said Zhu Huarong, the carmaker's president. He said its cars with high-level autonomous driving functions will hit the market in 2020.
KAMPALA  In Uganda, the search is on for the top 10 Information Communication Technology (ICT) university students who will be sent to China for skills transfer, a move the country says will fast track its development.

The 10 successful students will be the second lot to be sent to China under the Seeds for the Future, a program run by Huawei Technologies, a Chinese company.

Stanley Chyn, managing director of Huawei Technologies Uganda said late on Monday that the move is aimed at bridging the digital divide through knowledge transfer.

He said the 10 students from the various universities will gain skills in a global business environment.

These skills he argued would be applied back home when they return after their two weeks stay in China.

Frank Tumwebaze, Uganda's minister of ICT and National Guidance while officiating at the launch of the search said Uganda needs to learn a lot from China noting that ICT can fast track the country's development.

He said with help from China, Uganda has been able to construct the National Data Transmission Backbone Infrastructure and e-Government Infrastructure.

The project included the installation of Optical Fibre Cable.

Tumwebaze said the country would soon start an Innovation Fund whereby innovators in ICT would be facilitated to carryout innovations that would not only stop at expositions but also be consumed by the market.
Three months from graduation, Nontipa Kla-ngam sees a golden opportunity as she wraps up her master's thesis on a free-trade agreement between Thailand and China. "We are very proud of our rice and I wish more Chinese could try it," Nontipa said.

Agricultural products have been exempted from customs duty, but most Thai rice sold in China's supermarkets is imported through regular channels, without taking advantage of the FTA, Nontipa added. This means at least a 20-percent price differential, which leaves great market potential, she said.

Nontipa was born on the island of Phuket and began learning Chinese at high school in Bangkok. In 2014, she decided to further her studies at the Northwest Agriculture and Forestry University in Yangling, Shaanxi province. "As the major initiator of the Belt and Road Initiative and ASEAN cooperation, China, in my eyes, should be a land of opportunity. That's why I came to study here," she said.

Thousands of years ago, Yangling was the cradle of Chinese agriculture, and it has been home to a high-tech agricultural industrial demonstration zone since 1997. Many of China's agricultural technologies, crop varieties and agricultural management modes originate in Yangling.

On April 1, the China (Shaanxi) Pilot Free Trade Zone was launched, so Nontipa wasted no time in learning about the policies on agricultural imports.

"I am about to publish a paper on Thai rice, so I have an in-depth knowledge of it. I'm familiar with Chinese culture and policies, and I speak fluent Chinese, which gives me many advantages," she said. "I want to start here because I already know Yangling. Even if I fail, I still have friends and teachers here who will take me in and listen to my tales of woe."

In November, the university launched the Silk Road Alliance of Agricultural Education and Scientific Innovation with 59 other universities and research institutions from 12 Belt and Road countries.

Nearly 200 students from Belt and Road countries attend the university, accounting for nearly 90 percent of its overseas students.

Many of those students, like Nontipa, choose to stay in China after graduation, hoping to accumulate more experience in the field.

"I want a career in China. Ultimately, I will go back to Thailand, but I hope I will be 50 years old by then," Nontipa said.
Guos company, Golden Spring (New York) Ltd., is located on Fifth Avenue in New York

(New York) -- A hedge-fund company has filed a lawsuit against controversial Chinese businessman Guo Wengui in New York, claiming that the elusive real estate tycoon owes it $88 million due to a straightforward breach of contract case.

Guo, also known as Miles Kwok, fled China in 2014 soon before the Communist Partysgraft fighters detained his close associate Ma Jian, a former national security official who remains under investigation for suspected corruption. Interpol recently issued a red notice for Guo.

A "red notice" is a request to locate and provisionally arrest an individual pending extradition. It is not an international arrest warrant, according to the Interpol website.

Pacific Alliance Asia Opportunity Fund L.P. (PAX), an investment fund company, said it has been trying for years to get repayment of a loan borrowed in 2008 by Spirit Charter, a company that Guo controlled. The $30 million loan has grown to approximately $88 million after nine years as interest accrued, the hedge fund claims in the lawsuit.

The lawsuit claims that Guo personally guaranteed the debts repayment but has repeatedly shirked his legal responsibility, using various means ranging from postponing the loans maturity dates to ignoring PAXs notices regarding the debt. PAX is the main subsidiary of Pacific Alliance Investment Management.

Caixin has not been able to reach Guo for comment.

The lawsuit, filed on April 18, was brought against Guo before the state Supreme Court of New York on grounds that he has engaged in a continuous and systematic course of doing business in New York and is domiciled in the state, according to a court document Caixin has seen.

A previous attempt by PAX to secure the debts repayment through judiciary procedures failed, even though it won that court case. Shiny Times Holdings Ltd., a British Virgin Islands-registered shell firm, which had replaced Spirit Charter as the borrower, was liquidated in 2016 under court order to repay the debt it owed. But the firm was insolvent at the time of the liquidation, and PAX said it was unable to collect any of the money it claims it is owed.

PAX said in its lawsuit that Guo bought his current residence on the 18th floor of the Sherry-Netherland Hotel in the city in 2015 for $67.5 million and that he also maintains offices at 767 Fifth Avenue for a Delaware company he owns.

The 50-year-old Guo, the controlling shareholder in Beijing Zenith Holdings and Beijing Pangu Investment, was listed by Hurun wealth report as the 74th richest Chinese in 2014 with 15.5 billion yuan in personal assets.

A 25-minute video footage surfaced online last week showing Ma saying he used his position and power to benefit Guos business and took over 60 million yuan in bribes paid by Guo. It is not clear when the video was recorded, in which Ma was wearing a light puffer jacket. Mas case was handed over to prosecutors in February.

Guo also has close ties to Zhang Yue, who was the head of the Political and Legal Affairs Committee in the northeast province of Hebei when the graft probe of him began last April. Zhang went on trial last week at the intermediate court of Changzhou city, Jiangsu Province, for allegedly taking bribes worth 158 million yuan.

A Caixin report published in March 2015 revealed how Guo, Ma and Zhang formed a close alliance, using security and legal power to meddle in business deals. In response to Guos subsequent actions attacking Caixin, Caixin has filed lawsuits against Guo and his companies in Beijing and in Hong Kong, accusing him of fabricating and disseminating untrue information.
A nurse in Nanjing, Jiangsu province, has been labeled a heroine by netizens after video footage of her catching a hospital scalper went viral.

In the footage, Luo Fuyu holds a female scalper by the arm to prevent her from escaping, and tells her that she hates scalpers because they cheat patients out of their money and compromise their health.

"I knew immediately that a scalper was trying to con a patient when the latter asked me if a doctor named Li Meilan works at our hospital," said the 44-year-old, who has worked at the Nanjing Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital for 25 years.

"There's no such doctor here. The scalper told the patient that Li also works at another hospital and persuaded her to go there. I asked the patient to take me to the scalper, who ran away as soon as she saw me."

About 15 minutes later, Luo caught the woman after another patient told her a scalper was talking to potential victims on the second floor. "Some of the patients at the hospital are deeply distressed. How can you still try to con them?" Luo is heard saying to the scalper in the video.

Luo Fuyu at the Nanjing Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital.

"People spend their money on trying to cure their children or have babies. Scalpers are shameless, taking advantage of those suffering from stress and financial burdens."

Scalpers often try to persuade patients to seek treatment at other hospitals, for which they receive kickbacks. They often pretend to be patients or familiar with doctors to earn patients' trust.

"Patients often come to me crying," Luo said. "I cannot bear that scalpers compromise victims' finances, emotions and most important, their chance to recover."

Many of Luo's colleagues and relatives expressed concerns that scalpers might target her after the video went viral, but she said she is not afraid. "There are things you have to do," Luo said. "I wish I could put a note reading 'scalpers' on those liars' foreheads to warn patients."

In February, a top transplant specialist in Nanjing was stabbed in his office by a ticket scalper who he had criticized for selling appointment tickets at inflated prices to would-be patients.

According to Zheng Mingfei, director of the hospital's security department, the hospital does not have any effective way of punishing scalpers other than asking them to write guarantees that they will stay away.

"We once asked a scalper to write 82 guarantees in one day, because it's the only way we can keep her away from our patients. There's no law we can refer to punish the scalpers," Zheng said.

If the hospital calls the police, they often tell the scalpers to repay the money cheated from the patients, but no further punishment is given.

Zheng said that his department has collected more than 1,000 guarantees, adding that from February to April, they caught at least 20 scalpers.

"The scalpers don't keep the promises they make in the guarantees that they will stay away from our hospital. They cannot be trusted," he added.

Luo said: "Hospitals collaborating with scalpers must be punished. Regulations and laws must be implemented to severely punish them. That's the only way to rid hospitals of scalpers."


Yu Zhehao takes photos of children at the Chuchepati relocation camp in Kathmandu, Nepal. [Provided to China Daily]

Student used art form to bond with locals in quake-struck Nepal

Yu Zhehao, a student majoring in journalism at Southwest University of Political Science and Law in Chongqing, seldom used his high-tech camera until he visited Nepal in February to take photos of earthquake victims.

"I didn't have much interest in photography," he said. "I hadn't figured out the purpose of it, but I think I found the answer in Nepal."

During his 15-day trip to Kathmandu, capital of the South Asian country, Yu took pictures of 96 children and 76 families at the Chuchepati relocation camp, which was built for the survivors of a devastating magnitude 8.1 earthquake that struck the nation on April 25, 2015.

Many photographers had visited Nepal to take pictures of the locals, but few bothered to let the subjects see the images they captured. So Yu decided to print all the pictures he took and give them as gifts.

"Most of them had never seen a camera or had a photo of their own," said the 25-year-old, who was born in Changzhou, Jiangsu province.

"For the earthquake victims to have a family photo is a special blessing. In China, we believe a family photo brings luck and happiness."

When Yu learned about the camp in Nepal, he knew he had to visit. He decided to go alone, packing his camera along with a tripod, a flash, two lenses, a portable photo-printer and 360 sheets of photo paper.

It was his first trip to Nepal, but he did not have time to visit any scenic spots. Instead, he stayed at a hotel in downtown Kathmandu and visited the camp every day.

As the adults worked during the day, he could only shoot family photos in the evening. During the day, he took pictures of the children at the camp.

"Nepalese people are very friendly and I was warmly welcomed at the camp, especially by the children," he said. "They were so happy to see the photos that I printed out for them."

Yu soon set up a small volunteer team of six children to help him with his family photo project. Some carried equipment, some used cellphones to light the road and others coordinated with the families.
Prosecutors in Gansu province have charged a suspected serial killer with multiple counts of murder, rape and mutilating corpses.

Gao Chengyong, 52, is accused of killing 11 people in the province and the Inner Mongolia autonomous region from May 1988 to February 2002, according to the Ministry of Public Security. His youngest alleged victim was an 8-year-old girl.

Gao has been in custody since he was arrested on Aug 26 at a grocery store in Baiyin, the city in Gansu where nine of the killings occurred.

The city's prosecuting authority announced via social media on Monday that the suspect had been charged.

Details previously provided by the ministry said Gao sought out young women dressed in red and would rape and kill them by cutting their throats after following them home, and that he also mutilated his victims' bodies.

According to the police, Gao confessed to 11 murders during interrogations, but said he had no particular motive for the killings.

A Baiyin police officer, who did not want to be identified, told Beijing News after the arrest: "No suspect I've seen before behaves likes Gao. He looks calm and can specifically describe how he did the crimes and escaped.

"There was no expression on his face, and he answered our questions fluently, including details in each case. He rarely mentioned his wife and children, often keeping silent when asked why he did not contact his family during the interrogation process."

In his confession, Gao said he committed the first murder because the woman woke up when he was stealing something from her home in Baiyin, according to police.

Twenty-eight years later, he told police that he remembered the victim's face, adding that he took her photo albums after the killing.

Cui Jinping, another victim, was stabbed 22 times before her throat was cut and her body dismembered in her home in November 1998. Her hands and other body parts were never found, Beijing News reported. He body was discovered by her mother.

"My mother couldn't stop crying after learning of Gao's detention," the paper quoted Cui Xiangping, the dead woman's brother, as saying. The family never stopped thinking about his sister, even after 20 years.
By Wang Jian in Nanchang and Zhao Xinying in Beijing | China Daily | Updated: 2017-04-26 07:03

A rehabilitation center in Nanchang, Jiangxi province, that was accused of abusing children with disabilities has been suspended, a local association for people with disabilities said on Monday.

The Nanchang Disabled Persons Federation said a task force has been formed to assist public security authorities as they look into the incident.

"We will deal with the incident in a transparent way and make the investigation results public in a timely manner," the federation said.

Yu Ying, secretary-general of the federation, said three teachers at the Nanchang Outlook Language Rehabilitation and Training Center suspected of abusing children have been fired.

Before that, a video clip exposed by local media showed some staff members at a rehabilitation center slapping the faces of children who were receiving treatment at the center and beating them with sticks.

The children, who were unable to hear or speak, struggled to express their anger and grief.

The center is a four-story building in the northern part of Nanchang. It was established in 2001 and was licensed as a social service organization in 2010. It accepted preschool children with hearing or speaking disabilities and charged 18,000 to 28,000 yuan ($2,600 to $4,100) per child annually.

The clip went viral online and caused an uproar among netizens, with many criticizing the center as "ruthless and merciless".

Internet users also called for an investigation and punishment for the child abusers.

The Nanchang Disabled Persons Federation said in the announcement that it was sorry to hear about the incident and apologized sincerely to the children and their parents.

"We'll conduct an overall inspection of all children's rehabilitation centers across the city to ensure the rights of people with disabilities and to avoid similar incidents from happening again," it said.

Tong Xiaojun, director of a research institute dealing with juveniles and children, affiliated with China Youth University of Political Studies, said rehabilitation centers are different from ordinary schools or training agencies as they cater specifically to children with disabilities.

"These children need special care and protection, and rehabilitation centers should be held responsible for their safety," she said.

Supervisors at the centers, including local federations, should draft regulations to ensure that the centers are behaving properly in educating and protecting the children, she said.

Contact the writers at zhaoxinying@chinadaily.com.cn
China has worked hard to prevent and control the spread of the H7N9 influenza virus, which this winter registered its largest outbreak since first being reported in China in 2013, but greater efforts are needed against the contagious disease, said Monique Eloit, director-general of the World Organization for Animal Health.

"Controlling avian flu is very difficult, because there are different strains, and sometimes there are no symptoms in animals with the disease," Eloit said on Monday during a visit to China.

"For the H7N9 strain, China's Ministry of Agriculture developed a very comprehensive control program with different complementary measures, especially for live bird markets, which were the main sources of contamination and risk for spreading the disease," she said.

China recorded 192 human H7N9 cases, including 79 deaths in January. In January 2016, there were 28 cases, including five deaths, according to the National Health and Family Planning Commission, China's top health authority.

The number of cases fell to 160 in February and 96 in March. Experts from the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention said the disease, which peaks in winter, was expected to drop off in late April.

Last year, China began taking measures against the virus, such as closing live poultry markets in provinces heavily hit by the virus such as Anhui and Hunan.

"I believe China significantly improved its capacity to control the diseases in animals," Eloit said.

"Unfortunately, avian flu is a very contagious disease, so if it is not controlled at the source it is a risk for humans and for other countries... because of global trade. Improvement of the control program, and also improvement in transparency... should be the two main pillars of the Chinese strategy," she said.

Efforts also should be adapted to changing situations. "The virus strain can change because sometimes wild birds are also infected," she said.

While H7N9 generally is not transmitted from person to person, the World Health Organization has called for more vigilance in China and stressed the possibility that the virus may adapt to "facilitate efficient, sustained human-to-human transmission".

wangxiaodong@chinadaily.com.cn
As the HIV/AIDS epidemic begins to affect more young Chinese, the nation's health and education authorities are teaming up to install vending machines with HIV self-testing kits on university campuses to help raise awareness and fight the disease, officials said.

Ten Chinese universities in Beijing, the provinces of Sichuan, Yunnan, and Heilongjiang, and the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region have joined the initiative, which many call "progressive" since sex remains an uncomfortable subject and a systematic sex education program is still lacking.

"We can not wait to act, even though it's difficult. Otherwise we put the students' health at risk," said Shen Jie, deputy director of the Chinese Association of STD and AIDS Prevention and Control, which is leading the initiative.

"More universities are in talks with us to install such machines on campus as an option for students seeking HIV testing, which should be normalized."

She said many students are reluctant to visit HIV testing clinics run by health authorities even though the services are free. Privacy and fear of discrimination largely keep them away.

China's HIV epidemic - particularly among students ages 15 to 24, mostly through unprotected gay sex - has expanded rapidly in the past few years, said Wu Zunyou, head of the National Center for AIDS/STD Control and Prevention.

Over the weekend, a national headline-making report emerged about 106 university students testing positive for HIV in a single district of Yuelu, Changsha, capital of Hunan province, in recent years, according to local public health institutions. Most were gay men.

More than 2,300 students nationwide ages 15 to 24 were diagnosed with HIV during the first nine months of last four times as of 2010.

Wu urged university authorities to recognize the challenge and increase cooperation with health departments to improve HIV/AIDS control, offering as examples education in safe sex and HIV prevention and making testing more accessible on campuses.

In the vending machine projects, self-test kits are on sale on campuses alongside snacks and beverages, said Liu Peng, who is responsible for the program with the prevention and control association. "There is more privacy this way."

The kit is used to collect a urine sample and costs 30 yuan ($4.35). After sending the sample to a designated lab run by public health authorities, users can check results over the internet. No ID information is required, he added.

"Roughly 100 samples were sent back from our campus in the first few months" after the vending machines were installed, said Zhang Jihong, health center head at Southwest Petroleum University in Chengdu, Sichuan province.

The university joined the initiative in June. The two vending machines selling the kits are placed at the health center and stadium, two places popular with students.

A sophomore surnamed Du said: "I never saw someone buy the kit, but I did see the kit packages in our dormitory toilets. And that somewhat serves as an alert for me that the disease is actually all around and we need self-protection."

Shen Jie said, "The fact that more universities became willing to join us demonstrates an ever increasing public awareness of AIDS controls."

shanjuan@chinadaily.com.cn
Staff weigh trash prior to handing out credit coupons. [Photo by Cao Boyuan/For China Daily]

Every few days Liu Ying carries a bag of vegetable peelings and other kitchen waste to a small office and trades it for credits, rather than disposing of it in a trashcan.

"The people weigh it and then give me credits I can exchange for household items, such as toilet paper and soap," said the 65-year-old resident of Beijing's Chaoyang district.

"It's not trash anymore."

In a 20-minute period on the morning of April 12, three seniors visited the office to trade their kitchen waste.

"Most of our clients are senior citizens. I think that's because they have the time to do it," said Zhou Liping, who has worked at the office for four years.

The "cash for trash" program is one of the most popular initiatives adopted by companies that promote waste-sorting among householders.

"We encourage residents to sort kitchen waste from other household trash by providing special bins for their homes, and then giving them credits so they will continue to bring their waste to us," said Li Zhen, manager of Beijing Capital Intelligent Environmental Sanitation Development, a leading sustainable-resources company.

Li has been promoting the program in the 1,200-household community since 2012, and now 40 percent of the residents regularly bring their waste to be processed.

Similarly, Aobei Environmental Technology, an environmental company in Chengdu, capital of Sichuan province, has spent five years building the participation of 200,000 households.

"It took a long time to get the residents to accept our ways and raise their awareness of the importance of sorting trash," he said.

Mao Da, leader of the Zero Disposal Project, an environmental platform in Beijing, said many cities have promoted trash-sorting for more than 17 years, but progress has been slow. Moreover, many residents have complained that their efforts have been in vain because local governments often mix trash cans together.

The process consumes time and money, and it's hard to make a profit, he said.

"However, many organizations and individuals are enthusiastic about promoting the program. They make every effort to protect the environment," he said, adding that the government's plan to sort trash in 46 cities will boost his company's operations.

The new action plan requires businesses and government buildings to sort trash in 46 cities by 2020, but it's not mandatory for residents to so.

Wang Jianchao, the owner of Aobei Environmental Technology, which promotes the cash for trash program, said more local governments are planning to expand sorting and separation among members of the public and have started contacting them.

"Confronted by pollution, a growing number of people have realized the role they can play in environmental protection, and are willing to participate in projects," he said. "It's a good time to introduce trash-sorting policies."
China officially launches its second -- and the first domestically developed -- aircraft carrier on Apr 26, 2017, in Dalian, Liaoning province. [Photo/Xinhua]

China officially launched its second -- and the first domestically developed -- aircraft carrier on Wednesday morning in Dalian, Liaoning province.

The ship is the largest and most sophisticated surface vessel China has ever built.

General Fan Changlong, vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission, took part in the launch ceremony at a shipyard in the northeastern coastal city. Fan's presence indicates the significance Chinese leaders attach to the colossal ship because only the most important equipment for the PLA would have top-level officers at the public debut ceremony.

The new carrier's name and hull code remain unknown as the Navy usually makes public such information when a ship is commissioned.

Currently, the PLA Navy operates a sole aircraft carrier, CNS Liaoning, which was originally a Soviet-era vessel and received an extensive refit at the same shipyard in Dalian, where the new carrier is being constructed, before going into service in September 2012.

The new carrier has been designed in China, according to a news release published by the military after the ceremony.

In the next phase, the carrier will start the outfitting process, the news release said. During the outfitting stage, engineers and workers will complete the installation of the ship's power plant, engines, interior equipment and systems as well as weapons.

Beside China, six countries operate a total of 16 aircraft carriers. The United States is the largest operator as it now runs 10 Nimitz-class nuclear-powered carriers with each having a full-load displacement of about 100,000 tons.
China is now capable of building the world's first underwater vacuum tube train, a futuristic form of transportation that can achieve supersonic speed and reduce airborne noise, according to Chinese academics and scholars.

"In order to build an underwater vacuum tunnel, China must bring forth new ideas...about submerged floating tunnels, maglev trains and vacuum techniques. Currently, the country's technologies are sufficient to carry out such a program," Sun Jun, an academician with the Chinese Academy of Sciences, told the Science and Technology Daily.

The vacuum tube train is a magnetic levitation line that utilizes evacuated tubes or tunnels. Due to reduced air resistance, the train could hit a theoretical speed of 2,000 kilometers per hour using relatively little power, and its operation would not be affected by weather.

The China Railway Tunnel Survey & Design Institute has finished a tentative research survey on the possibility of building a 10-kilometer underwater vacuum tunnel in Zhoushan, Zhejiang province. Once built, it would become China's longest underwater tunnel, as well as the world's first underwater vacuum tunnel, cutting the travel time between Fujian and Taipei - located 180 kilometers apart - to just 13 minutes.

The program has been welcomed by many scholars and experts, who note that China has built over 500 underwater tunnels over the past 20 years, gaining rich experience and refined technologies. Sun, along with two other academicians, has called for Chinese authorities to approve and support the program.
Christian Dior Couture to be bought by LVMH for US$7 billion

The worlds top luxury company LVMH said Tuesday it plans to buy Christian Dior Couture, a wholly-owned unit of Christian Dior SA, for 6.5 billion euros (US$7.0 billion).

At the same time, the Arnault family who own 74 per cent of the parent company, Christian Dior SA, will acquire the remaining 26 per cent in a move to streamline the current shareholder structure, LVMH finance chief Jean-Jacques Guiony told a telephone news conference.

Set up 70 years ago, Christian Dior Couture is one the most iconic brands worldwide, LVMH said.

Its activities range from leatherware, Haute Couture, read-to-wear, jewellery and shoes and has a global network of 198 luxury boutiques and its sales have doubled over the past five years.

Last year, revenues amounted to more than two billion euros and it booked underlying or operating profit of 270 million euros.

Under the current group structure, Christian Dior Couture is wholly owned by Christian Dior SA, which for its part also holds a 41-percent stake in LVMH.

By making it a wholly-owned subsidiary, LVMH would be able to harness its high growth potential of Christian Dior Couture, the statement said.

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At the same time, the Arnault Family Group is planning a public takeover offer to purchase the shares in Christian Dior SA it does not already own.

The bid will take the form of a cash offer of 172 euros per share, plus 0.192 shares in Hermes International, the statement said.

The simplification of the shareholder structure appeared to please investors and LVMH shares were showing a gain of around three per cent on the Paris stock exchange in response to the news, while the blue-chip CAC 40 index was up just 0.1 per cent.

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An 18.4-meter-tall shelf is used to fish for brine at the Shenhai salt well in Da'an district, Zigong city, Southwest China's Sichuan province, on April 25, 2017. [Photo by TG/ provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Workers at the Shenhai salt well in Da'an district, Zigong city, Southwest China's Sichuan province, still use a traditional salt making method, which dates back to as early as 2,000 years ago in China.

After drawing underground brine through the wells, the workers filter and purify it, which will be later boiled in iron pots. The salt is produced after workers boil brine in the pots for seven to eight hours.

Today, the Shenhai salt well maintains a daily salt production of around two tons, maintaining eight iron pots.

The salt well, dug in 1835, also boasts being the oldest in the world, with a depth of more than 1,000 meters.

Earlier in 2017, the salt well underwent renovation.

"The protective renovation gave some absent craft and relics a restorative reappearance, which allows visitors to experience the whole process of drawing and carrying brine, and producing, storing and transporting salt," said an insider responsible for cultural relic administration at the well.
Want to impress your friends with your book collection, or want some experts' guidance on your own library? Well, a bookstore in Wuhan, Central China's Hubei province, may have a one-stop solution.

Jiuqiu Bookstore launched a customized "private study" service in April this year, and has already received nine orders, according to Hubei Daily.

The bookstore offers three packages: First is for 1,000 books, second for 1,500 and third for 2,000 books. Out of the total books, 30 percent of the collection is mainly classics and science-related books recommended by experts, including Yang Shuzi, academician at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and Guo Qiyong, professor of Wuhan University.

For the remaining 70 percent, customers can either choose books recommended by the store's specialists or come up with their own preferences.

Zhou Yi, manager of the bookstore, is one of the specialists.

"I have a customer who is a college teacher, with a family study of 30 square meters. The teacher wants a library for about 1,200 books for three family members," said Zhou.

As for the price, a catalogue is offered for free, and both the design of the study and shelves are also free, said Zhou. The store only charge for the books, but provides discounts, too. Take the college teacher's order as an example. The 1,200 books cost the customer more than 50,000 yuan ($7,000), which is a lot cheaper than the market rate.

Another customer surnamed Wei, a director at a tea company, said he was satisfied with the service. "If everybody is talking about a book, but you don't know anything about it then it feels embarrassing," he said. Wei's wife said she was happy with the children's books they received from the service.
China's urban unemployment rate fell to 3.97 percent in the first quarter, the lowest rate since 2002, according to data from the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security.

From January to March, 3.34 million jobs were created in cities and towns, 160,000 more than the same period last year, while the unemployment rate fell 0.07 percent year-on-year.

About 1.29 million laid-off urban residents found new jobs in the same period.

"The first quarter produced a stable performance with good momentum for growth," ministry spokesman Lu Aihong said.

According to official data, China's unemployment rate had remained above 4 percent for 15 years, fluctuating between 4 and 4.3 percent. From 1995 to 2001, the unemployment rate remained between 2.9 percent and 3.6 percent.

China's five major national social security funds  covering basic pensions, basic healthcare, unemployment, work-related injury and maternity  had a total income of 1.53 trillion yuan ($222.08 billion) by the end of March, a year-on-year increase of 26.9 percent. The total payout was 1.18 trillion yuan, up by 21.7 percent.

The central government is pushing forward investment management reform of the pension fund to improve its annual profit and better meet social demand.

As of March, Beijing, Shanghai, the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, and the provinces of Henan, Hubei, Yunnan and Shaanxi had signed contracts with the National Council for Social Security Fund to have their pension funds managed by professional investors.

The total amount of these contracts was 360 billion yuan. So far, 137 billion yuan of the pension funds has been invested, Lu said. It is still unclear how the money will be handled, but he said security is the top priority.

"The pension fund is retirees' safety net," Lu said. "Throughout the entire investment and management process, we will make the security of the fund our top priority by enhancing supervision and guarding against risks."
Legislators have been engaged in heat discussion over an application by the Supreme People's Court to extend a pilot program on how Chinese juries are selected.

The application, submitted on Monday to the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, the top legislature, states there are problems with the ongoing two-year pilot program that need solving.

"This is why we have applied for the one-year extension until May 2018," said Shen Deyong, executive vice-president of the Supreme People's Court.

The pilot program was launched in April 2015 at 50 courts in 10 provincial regions, including Beijing, Chongqing and the provinces of Hebei and Shandong. It aims to increase public participation in legal proceedings and improve the standing of court rulings by selecting more jurors at random and from different walks of life.

Different from the US system, in which jurors are randomly selected, jurors in China have previously been chosen from candidates recommended by local authorities and committees.

Wu Xiaoling, member of the committee, said at the committee's bimonthly session that he approves of the extension "because the quality of the country's jurors needs to be improved".

However, she added, "We must select those with legal knowledge and a passion for participating in case hearings."

He Yehui, member of the committee, also agreed with the extension. "There is no clear mechanism regarding jurors," she said. "We lack a unified standard to regulate jurors, such as how to compensate them."

Zhu Lieyu, who is a lawyer, added that the extension is a must: "Sometimes, young people don't have time to participate in case hearings, so it's better to turn to retired experts."

However, Cong Bin questioned the random selection of jurors, saying the quality of trials is as important as public participation.

He suggested setting up a professional database of jurors "who have specific areas of expertise, so appropriate jurors can be selected for each case".

The draft will continue to be discussed at the bimonthly session, which ends on Thursday.
JINAN -- Cultural experts have suggested setting up a Chinese equivalent of Mother's Day, during a forum in eastern China's Shandong province.

Academics with the Chinese Academy of Mencius (CAM) proposed setting April 2 on the Chinese lunar calendar as "Chinese Mother's Day" at the forum that started Tuesday in Shandong's Zoucheng city, hometown of Mencius.

Mencius (372-289 BC) was a pupil of Confucius' grandson, and traveled his life teaching Confucianism. Both Mencius and Confucius are ancient Chinese philosophers.

Mencius's mother is regarded as one of the four great mothers in ancient China, and is seen as a symbol of Chinese mothers, known for her kindness, simplicity, diligence and strong will.

Li Cunshan, CAM special deputy dean, said that more than 80 countries in the world had a Mother's Day, while China did not.

"Many Chinese people show their affection to their mothers on the second Sunday of May, or Mother's Day that is originally celebrated in the United States," Li said. "We do expect to have our own Mother's Day."

Li said that filial piety was a core concept in Chinese culture, and that it was Chinese people's aspiration to show piety to their mothers on the special day.

Experts at the forum said that the achievements of Mencius were greatly influenced by his mother, and that China should set up a Chinese Mother's Day and make it a public holiday.
TAIPEI -- Six people, including a local driver and five mainland tourists, were injured in a bus accident in Pingtung county, southern Taiwan Wednesday morning.

The bus was carrying 18 tourists from the Chinese mainland when it hit a pedestrian island at about 10 am on the way from Kaohsiung to Kenting, a popular coastal tourist resort in southern Taiwan.

The six people were slightly injured and have been discharged from the hospital, according to local police.

The driver, 50, said the accident was caused by him being disturbed by the dazzling sunlight. Police are investigating whether he was driving while fatigued.
An elderly woman has her hair trimmed at one of the new aged care centres in Beijing on Dec 1, 2016. [Photo/VCG]

Home-based aged care facilities and services are being promoted in Beijing, with a range of care options available in residential communities.

According to a plan published by the Beijing Bureau of Civil Affairs on on Tuesday, 1,000 aged care centers will be developed in Beijing by 2020.

Daycare as well as food, health and psychological consultation will be provided to elderly residents living within the radius of a kilometer from each center. Each facility will be expected to cover a population of up to 10,000 people, and, as stated in the plan, the facilities will also be built in the countryside.

The Beijing government committed to provide the premises to operators free of charge, along with financial support. In last year, 150 such facilities have been developed.

The plan said that the amount of elderly people living alone, or suffering with disabilities or dementia, in Beijing is on the rise. As a result, the demand for home-based age care services is growing.

By the end of 2015, more than 2 million residents, or 10 percent of the total population in Beijing, were aged 65 and above.

According to a 2015 report on the senior support industry in Beijing, residents only had access to more than 400 nursing homes across the city, with about 80 percent of the facilities far away from central areas.
BEIJING - Former chairman of the Chinese Kuomintang (KMT) Lien Chan will soon visit the Chinese mainland, a mainland spokesperson said Wednesday.

Lien will attend a remembrance ceremony in northwest China's Shaanxi province, said Ma Xiaoguang, a spokesperson with the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council.

He will also participate in another ceremony in north China's Shanxi province to honor Emperor Yandi, a legendary ancestor of the Chinese nation, and visit Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region and Zhejiang province.

Zhang Zhijun, head of Taiwan Work Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, will meet with Lien, Ma said.
Asia's first cable car line at a safari park was officially put into use in Guangzhou, the capital of Guangdong province, on Wednesday, allowing visitors to see the forest and animals right under their feet.

A cable car line opens service at the Chimelong Safari Park in Guangzhou, the capital of Guangdong province, on Wednesday. photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn

The Chimelong Safari Park, owned by leisure tourism and hotel service operator Chimelong Group, opened the 3 km-cable car facility after two years of planning and construction.

"Clear glass flooring and zero-noise, eco-friendly designs allow visitors to observe the animals with minimal disturbance to the animals, with a 720-degree vantage point," said Dong Guixin, the safari park's general manager.

Since its trial operation in January, the cable car line has attracted a growing number of visitors who are keen to observe the animals from a different angle, according to Dong.

"Visitors can take a bird's eye view of antelopes wandering on the opening field or zebras running across the grassland while waving their hands to greet the swans, parrots, pandas and koala," Dong said.

The Guangzhou-based safari park is home to the triplet giant pandas, who were born early in 2014, a rare development in the protection of giant pandas.

The cable car line has three stations, named for the triplet giant pandas: Mengmeng, Kuku and Shuaishuai.
Peng Liyuan, the wife of President Xi Jinping, said the education of girls and women is a "noble and significant" pursuit.

Providing women and men with the same opportunities to reach their full potential is a key to promoting social development, gender equality and sustainable development of society, to which education plays a crucial role, Peng said.

Peng made the remarks during an exclusive interview with the UNESCO Courier magazine.

She was invited in 2014 to become the UNESCO special envoy for the advancement of girls' and women's education by Irina Bokova, the organization's director-general.

Peng said she recognized both the great honor and immense responsibilities when Bokova gave her the special envoy certificate in March 2014 at UNESCO's headquarters in Paris.

"Education equality includes equality for opportunity, process and results. What we fight for is to make sure that women have the same opportunities to go to school as their male counterparts, that they are treated equally in education and that they have the same access to higher education, employment and social recognition as men do," Peng said. "I would like to do whatever I can to reach this goal."

Peng said she has visited many schools, institutions for the young, and organizations for women's development in African and Asian countries during her more than two years of service as the special envoy. She hoped to get closer to the reality, learn from their wisdom and strength, and share experience.

The Chinese government has proposed and sponsored the establishment of the UNESCO Prize for Girls' and Women's Education, for individuals and organizations that contribute to that goal. Last year, Peng and Bokova jointly presented the awards to two winners from Indonesia and Zimbabwe at the first official ceremony in Beijing.

Peng said the award is the first of its kind and by far the only one like it under UNESCO. It aims to encourage more people to devote themselves to the education of girls and women by rewarding individuals and organizations that have made outstanding contributions in the area.

Peng said it is a basic national education policy in China to promote education equality and grant everyone with equal access to education. China ensures girls' and women's right for education via various means, such as laws and regulations, financial aid and free food for students in poverty.

Women in China have made noticeable progress in self-choice and in personal development, Peng said.

Meanwhile, China is actively trying to spread international cooperation and aid in education. In 2015, Xi said at the Global Leaders' Meeting on Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment at the United Nations headquarters in New York that the Chinese government will donate $10 million to the UN for the protection and enhancement of women's rights.

The Chinese government also has set up funds and awards at UNESCO to support developing countries in promoting literacy campaigns and teachers' training programs to facilitate education for girls and women.

Talking about teaching, Peng, who is a music professor, said a good teacher should be diligent and good at learning, should always have the drive and motivation for creativity, and should keep improving their abilities.

He or she should know how to use culture, aesthetics and arts to help students develop good personalities. They also should be an example for students to see what a kind and generous soul ought to be like, so the students can be better prepared for society, Peng said.

"I will carry out my duty as the special envoy to support UNESCO in improving education for girls and women all over the world. I will do whatever I can," Peng said.
Chinese acrobats perform acrobatics Diabolo "Beauty and Liveliness" during the China-South Africa Hand in Hand Gala in Pretoria, South Africa, April 25, 2017. The gala was co-held by the two countries on Tuesday to celebrate the launch of the China-South Africa High-Level People-to-People Exchange Mechanism on Monday and the South African National Day, or Freedom Day, which falls on April 27. [Photo/Xinhua]
DEFEA by Kipling [Photo provided to China Daily]

The Belgian handbag brand Kipling celebrated its 30th birthday in Beijing in March with an event that showcased the history of the brand and its latest products, including a special collection for the Asian market.

It also held workshops that let guests make their own bags.

Kipling, founded in Antwerp and named after British writer Rudyard Kipling, is best known for its crinkled nylon bags.

Since its entry into China in 2003, Kipling has opened 300 stores. It also has a store on Tmall.com.

Richard Macey, the president of Kipling, says that China is now one of its top markets.

Chinese customers prefer backpacks and smaller bags compared with customers in other countries, and they attach great importance to quality, he says.

"The combination of functionality and style is what makes the brand's bags different," he says.
[Liang Luwen/For China Daily]

When many Chinese college graduates prepared to apply to major Western colleges this year, Zhejiang University senior Xu Mengmeng opted to take a different approach.

Xu, who originally comes from Henan province, hopes to enroll in the King Abdullah University of Science & Technology, a Saudi Arabian institution in one of the Belt and Road Initiative countries.

The 22-year-old optoelectronic science-and-technology major is a visiting student completing his graduation project on underwater stereo-camera systems at the KAUST.

He receives a $1,000 monthly stipend, free accommodation in a small, seaside villa and medical insurance from the university.

On weekdays, Xu works on his research project, measuring the size of sharks in the Red Sea. The research resources of the school's marine science department help him work faster. He has also teamed up with a group of students to classify underwater species.

Xu Mengmeng (right) socializes with international students, while studying at the King Abdullah University of Science & Technology in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. [Photo provided to China Daily]

He enjoys going to the beach with friends during his spare time. He wears a kaffiyeh, an Arab headdress, and robes as he tours the city to experience the local culture.

Despite the hot weather and language barrier, Xu is eager to pursue graduate studies in computational photography at the KAUST.

In addition to the high-quality research equipment, he also appreciates the chance to attend regular lectures by distinguished guest speakers.

Xu's decision to apply at an Arab university is by no means unconventional.

Since the Belt and Road Initiative was proposed in 2013, China's Ministry of Education has inked more than 60 deals with participating countries.

Chinese students have been encouraged to join exchange programs, participate in social events and attend universities in these countries.

This year's China International Education Exhibition Tour was held in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and four other cities between March 25 and April 9.

It highlighted 23 schools from Belt and Road countries like Singapore and Russia among the nearly 250 educational institutions that participated. United Arab Emirates had a team from seven institutions attending.
Participants look at a silk scroll. [Photo provided to China Daily]

More than 100 indigenous brands from Chengdu, the provincial capital of Sichuan, exhibited their products in Beijing on April 17.

The event, hosted by the Chengdu municipal government, was to promote local brands and industries from Chengdu.

The products ranged from food and beverages to handicrafts and technology.

Some of the brands also took part in the Asia International Food Exposition 2017 held in Beijing recently. Many of the brands are now available on major e-commerce sites like Taobao and JD.com.
Students from Guangxi University of Science and Technology play with pupils in Tantou township, Liuzhou city, Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, in July. English, dancing, painting and calligraphy classes were held for the pupils during summer vacation. Tan Kaixing / for China Daily

Hengshui High School of North China's Hebei province, known for its large size and success in preparing students for the national college entrance examination (gaokao), recently set up a branch in Zhejiang province, stirring up a heated debate on school sizes and choices. As the big, super schools grow and small rural schools face closure and consolidation, one wonders if such a change means social progress.

From Confucius to Socrates, all great teachers in history had a limited number of students around them. They could have enrolled more students or disciples if they wanted to but knew the impact of education would diminish with the increase in the size of their classes.

Today, college-ranking organizations make class size an important criterion. Princeton, for instance, has a 1:5 teacher-to-student ratio. For Caltech, it is as low as 1:3. Less-selective universities, on the other hand, do not prioritize small classes, nor can they afford to do so given their smaller endowments. They have fewer fulltime teachers and hire adjunct faculty members or teaching assistants to serve more students. Which really compromises the effectiveness of learning.

The dwindling of population in China's rural areas may have contributed to the closure of some smaller schools. But more frequently, it is just bad judgment by those who associate school consolidation with the scale of the economy or efficiency of management. Craig Howley, of Ohio University, argues that larger schools are not necessarily cutting costs. After a certain point larger schools become expensive, as more middle-management personnel have to be hired to keep such schools running.

Operational efficiency and academic results also motivate decisions to close or consolidate schools. Hengshui High School, for instance, is known for its semi-militarized management style that produces better results at gaokao. But performing excellently at gaokao should not be the sole aim of either the school or its students.

Schools help students develop healthy character and good habits, as well as broad skills, knowledge and attitudes for a fulfilling and productive life. Research shows that for broader educational objectives, small classes can deliver better results. As size increases, it is more difficult to personalize and individualize education, or to pay attention to problems in students' growth.

Local authorities should replace their rushed decisions to close small schools with creative ways to help small schools succeed. First, they should address the staffing needs. Also, they should refrain from thinking on industrial or business lines about "efficiency". A teacher serving a few students is not a waste; instead, it is a privilege that should motivate parents to choose such schools.

Besides, rural communities should use technologies to bring the best educational resources to schools, which is not so difficult to accomplish given the technological infrastructure already in place. Ideas can also be borrowed from Tang Min, the author of MOOC

Revolution, who has compiled cases to show how the internet can bridge differences between urban and rural schools.

Keeping schools running in rural communities is an effective way to attract adult workers back to their hometowns to develop robust economies in China's less-developed areas. China has to use small schools strategically, because forced closure of schools will worsen the problems of extreme urbanization.

The author is an instructional designer, literary translator and columnist writing on cross-cultural issues.
SHI YU/CHINA DAILY

US President Donald Trump recently signed the "Buy American, Hire American" executive order, which seeks to crack down on fraud and abuse of the skilled worker (H-1B) visa program. And at the headquarters of Snap-on, a tool company in Kenosha, Wisconsin, he signed the second part of the order, which calls for US government agencies to give preference to domestically produced goods and for a 220-day study of US trade agreements that grant foreign companies the right to be treated as domestic companies.

Trump said his executive order will minimize the use of waivers and maximize made-in-America content in all federal projects. In particular, the administration will crack down on "companies that used dumped steel to take work away from workers like you." But the order was also about domestic politics and the White House's internal strife. And questions linger about its economic implications.

When Trump entered the White House, some 45 percent Americans approved the way he was handling his job, with another 45 percent disapproving. Today, almost 55 percent disapprove of his performance, according to Gallup. Moreover, some polls in swing states such as Wisconsin indicated his approval ratings were under water. Clearly, it was high time for Trump to be seen as delivering on his campaign pledges.

There is also an internal White House angle to the story. Kenosha is a swing county; it is also the hometown of Trump's chief of staff Reince Priebus, former chair of the Republican National Committee. Through the spring, Trump loyalists have been alleging that Priebus's loyalties lie with the RNC, not with the president.

Trump could have picked many locations to sign his executive order. But the fact that he chose Kenosha suggests he needs the RNC and a unified Republican Party to undermine Obamacare (Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act), to launch the impending "massive tax cuts" and several other stated reforms.

As soon as Trump signed the executive order, however, it was criticized by Silicon Valley behemoths whose global success is predicated on highly skilled foreign employees. It also divided the US Chamber of Commerce and other business lobbyists, who believe the H-1B program needs changes, but should not be scrapped. The US should not "close the door on high-skilled workers from around the world who can contribute to American businesses' growth and expansion", they argue.

In economic terms, the "Buy American, Hire American" order is very much in line with the interests of the US steel industry, which has been a great beneficiary of the "Buy American" legislation for decades.

Indeed, the executive order can be seen as an effort to subsidize the US steel industry as Chinese imports account for 25 percent of the US market. In this view, Trump's proposed $1 trillion infrastructure initiative will boost the iron and steel industrywhich the White House would like to benefit mainly US interests, even against international agreements. According to US government data, in 2014, the iron and steel industry employed some 150,000 people generating some $113 billion in value. In turn, US high-tech industries employed some 17 million workers (12 percent of total employment) but contributed $7.1 trillion in terms of output (23 percent of total).

In modern history, advanced economies specialize in value-added industries, which require greater knowledge and productivity, while less-advanced countries seek catch-up growth through low-margin, low-value industries. The US is no exception, as evidenced by the data from steel and knowledge industries.

Ironically, US government policies that promote less-advanced sectors may rally US steel stocks but risk harming America's advanced industries, while alienating major US trade partners. Despite "America First" pledges, they may leave America second across attractive industries over time.

The author is the founder of Difference Group and has served as research director at the India, China and America Institute (USA) and visiting fellow at the Shanghai Institutes for International Studies (China) and the EU Centre (Singapore).
Chinese President Xi Jinping (R) and his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump (L) hold the second round of talks in the Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, the United States, April 7, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua]

International relations experts more or less agree that while Barack Obama was the US president there was strategic mutual distrust between China and the United States largely because of the latter's strategic "pivot" to Asia strategy, which was actually intended at containing China's rise.

Yet fewer people seem to have realized that similar distrust has also marked the relationship between China and Australia from time to time. One proof of the distrust is that Canberra has almost always supported Washington in issues such as the South China Sea disputes, and the US' "freedom of navigation" operations near disputed waters and other major strategic maneuverings in the Asia-Pacific region.

On April 18, US Marines started arriving in Darwin in northern Australia on a six-month deployment program as part of the US "pivot" to Asia strategy. A Reuter report says that, although the 1,250 US troops in Australia comprise half of the 2,500 Marines to be gradually deployed there according to an agreement signed in 2011, Australia will see the largest deployment of US aircraft contingent in peacetime history.

Many see a stronger US military presence in Australia as serving the US' strategic interests in the Asia-Pacific and a major response to China's "rising assertiveness" in the region. And by jumping on the US bandwagon to contain China, Australia has fueled suspicions among its citizens about China.

Many Chinese still cannot understand why the "China threat" theory has been hyped from time to time in Australia, because being thousands of miles away from Australia, China cannot possibly pose any direct threat to the country. They also cannot fathom why Chinese investments have been under the most severe scrutiny in Australia despite Australian politicians repeatedly saying they welcome investors from China. This is all the more surprising because the two economies remain highly complementary, and trade with China is playing a significant role in boosting the Australian economy.

Such issues hindering the smooth development of China-Australia ties are largely the result of some Australians' distrust of China. Many have ascribed Australia's strategic distrust of China to the country's alliance with the US, which was forged after World War II.

In a clear sign that the US administration under Donald Trump intends to strengthen the alliance with Australia, US Vice-President Mike Pence, during his visit to Canberra, reiterated the US' "enduring commitment" to the alliance between the two countries.

Australians tend to believe the alliance with the US is vital to safeguarding Australia's security. Whether or not the decades-old alliance is still relevant and compatible with today's global trend, it should not block Australia's healthy interactions with China.

Fortunately, insightful people in Australia have begun to see Canberra's ties with Beijing differently. They believe Canberra needs to have a more independent foreign policy and forge a closer relationship with Beijing, as they see Australia's future development hinges more on its relations with China than with the US.

The first China-Australia high-level security dialogue was held in Sydney on Friday, with both sides pledging to boost cooperation in such fields as judicial and legal affairs, cyber security, and combating terrorism and transnational crimes.

And the new bilateral mechanism, agreed by Premier Li Keqiang and Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull during Li's visit to Australia in March, shows that the two sides are keen on deepening strategic mutual trust and bridging the gaps in regional and international security issues.

With efforts of such kind, it is believed Beijing and Canberra can gradually dispel their mutual distrust and differences, and forge a steady and stronger relationship, so as to realize more mutual benefits and jointly contribute to regional peace and development.

The author is a senior writer with China Daily. wanghui@chinadaily.com.cn
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

At a forum held in New York on Monday, China's Ambassador to the United States Cui Tiankai invited Washington to join the Beijing-proposed Belt and Road Initiative.

In his words, the initiative, aimed at building infrastructure connectivity, and thus boosting free trade and people-to-people exchanges across Asia, Africa and Europe, is not China's "solo show". Rather, it will be a "symphony" performed by all participating countries, the US included if it chooses to join.

The initiative offers a platform for countries to join hands to cultivate fresh impetus for global growth and explore a more sustainable development path together.

However, the US has been suspicious of the initiative, if not openly antagonistic toward it, since President Xi Jinping first proposed reinvigorating the ancient Silk Road trade routes in 2013, with some in the US claiming it is an attempt by China to challenge the US' global leadership. That is why Washington has refused to join the China-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, which has been established to finance Belt and Road projects.

But such concerns stem from an outdated Cold War view of the world, which tends to pit great powers against each other in a zero-sum game, rather than recognize the plentiful opportunities that exist for win-win cooperation.

The initiative embraces the principles of wide consultation, joint construction and shared benefits, and aims to promote the construction of a fairer global economic governance system. It is open and inclusive, and complements, rather than replaces, the existing international governance mechanisms orchestrated by the US. There is really nothing for the US to take exception to.

Indeed, it has nothing to lose by joining the initiative. Instead, by joining it, the US will be able to secure investment to improve its own outdated infrastructure and reap the benefits of the huge business opportunities that the initiative promises to create.

Meantime, the world faces tremendous challenges such as poverty, terrorism and energy security that cannot be adequately addressed without a China-US partnership that ensures better functioning of the existing international order. The US' participation in the Belt and Road Initiative would enable China and the US to work more closely together to better fulfill their international responsibilities.

Despite their differences, the two countries have already built a resilient relationship featuring extensive cooperation in many areas. If reason prevails, the US should realize that it would be in its own interest to be part of the network of global partnerships that are being formed by the Belt and Road Initiative.
Workers renovate Manshui Bridge, connecting Baiwei village with the rest of Hechi in Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, which is expected to reopen by the end of April. [Photo by Bai Lu/gx.chinanews.com]

AN OFFICIAL in Poyang county water conservancy bureau in East China's Jiangxi province refused to deal with a dangerous bridge in a remote mountain village with the excuse that he did not have a government car, and so was unable to get to the site. Legal Daily comments.

Local villagers can reportedly only cross a river using this unsafe bridge.

The reform to streamline the government car system means some officials no longer enjoy the perk. However, county officials receive a transport subsidy every month, which ranges from 500 yuan ($73) to 1,300 yuan depending on their duties.

The problematic civil servant in Poyang, who has only been criticized rather than disciplined by the local county authority for his attitude toward a serious public safety threat, presumably regards the monthly transport subsidy as a kind of personal income, rather than reimbursement for travel costs related to his duties, including the trip he should have made long before to examine the bridge before it reached the state it is in now.

The county government's criticism is not enough to address the problem, because the "idleness" of the official, which is not rare in many places, directly weakens the implementation of policies in the people's interests.

Officials not doing their jobs is in fact a form of corruption that must be dealt with severely according to relevant disciplinary rules.

Were it not for the media's exposure of the dangerous state of the bridge, a storm or strong wind might have brought it down while the Poyang water conservancy official still sat idly in his office.

The authority in Poyang should have acted long before the bridge became unsafe. It is only by good fortune that it is still standing.
Leading educators from China and overseas take a photo together on April 23, 2017. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Leading educators from China and overseas have discussed a book on China's education system Portraits of Chinese Schools in Beijing on April 23, 2017.

The book, compiled by Professor Gu Mingyuan, Professor Ma Jiansheng and Teng Jun, was published in Chinese and English by the Higher Education Press and Springer last year.

The seminar was organized by the Higher Education Press and Institute of International and Comparative Education, Beijing Normal University. Officials, professors and scholars from well-known universities, headmasters of Chinese schools, experts and researchers in the education field, as well as publishing editors, were invited to the event.

Zhang Daliang, director of the Ministry of Education's Higher Education Department, said the book paints a vivid picture of China's primary and middle schools.

"Foreign readers who are interested in Chinese education will get further knowledge of tremendous achievements of our schooling system. Also, it will increase the international influence of our nation's teaching methods and promote the cooperation and dialogue between East and West."

He also pointed out that Higher Education Press, as directly subordinate to Ministry of Education, has a long-term commitment to educational publications and academia. Many of the best academic works have received a positive response and had a profound international influence.

Huang Wei, deputy director of the Ministry's Teacher Education Department, affirmed the social, influential and research value of the book.

He pointed out that the teaching theory explained in the book will promote the professional development of the nation's teachers and headmasters, and provide fruitful experience for global education researchers and school managers.

Han Jun, deputy editor-in-chief of Higher Education Press, congratulated the authors of the newly-published books and said that Higher Education Press would more strongly support education-related books in the future.

"We will hold more of this kind of high-level educational dialogues and communications. To bring more Chinese experts and Chinese education ideas and training methods abroad is our obligatory duty and big adventure," Han said

"It's great progress for Higher Education Press to coordinate with international press to further bring Chinese culture out," Han added.

During the seminar, Han Jun also illustrated the characteristics in the field of academic publishing of Higher Education Press.

"First of all, we will make great efforts to publish the leading-edge and latest academic magazines, as well as, high-level and classic academic books. Secondly, we will dig out more top-quality works to seek to improve our popularity and build positive word of mouth. Thirdly, we will promote Chinese culture overseas, devoting ourselves to building the soft power of Chinese culture. Last but not least, we will cooperate with more foreign leading publishers and domestic academic opinion leaders."

Gu Mingyuan, the author of the book Portrait of Chinese Schools, is one of the leading educators in China. He has been involved in all major education reforms in the country since 1949 and is a highly esteemed expert in China.

"Speaking of the Chinese education model in the old days, we tend to talk about it in a theoretical and academic way that foreigners don't understand. In this book, I try to convey the core theory of Chinese teaching methods by illustrating the 24-hour day of real protagonists including a student, a teacher, parents and school headmasters," Professor Gu said.

Gu Mingyuan, the author of the book, gives a speech during the meeting. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Fred Dervin, professor in the Department of Teacher Education, University of Helsinki, also highly evaluated the significance of the book.

"The authors are honest. Not only do they applaud the achievements Chinese education has achieved, but also objectively present the problems Chinese schools currently are faced with and gives some responses."

In the seminar, Chinese school principals also shed light on the dilemma involved in practical work.

Guan Jie, headmaster of Beijing No 18 Middle School, also felt enlightened after reading the book.

"I feel it's a story of my life," he said.
UPDATED

President Donald Trump announced that he signed an executive order directing U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos to conduct a study to determine where the federal government has unlawfully overstepped on state and local control, a White House official said. The executive order is intended to return authority to where Congress intendedstate and local entities.

One such report is unlikely to have a dramatic impact on K-12 education policy. But the directive is a way for the Trump administration to make it clear it supports local control of schools.

Click here to read the executive order .

For too long, the federal government has imposed its will on state and local governments. The result has been education that spends more and achieves far, far, far less, Trump said in remarks about the executive order Wednesday before signing it. My administration has been working to reverse this federal power grab.

In response to the executive order, a task force at the department, led by Robert Eitel, a senior adviser to the secretary, will take a hard look at all of the K-12 regulations put out by the past administration and decide which step on local control, Rob Goad, a senior U.S. Department of Education aide, said. After 300 days, the department will release a report on its findings.

Parents will no longer have to worry about being required to adopt a curriculum, Goad said on a conference call with reporters. (The federal government is already prohibited from telling states or districts which curriculum to use.)

Jeanne Allen, the founder and CEO of the Center for Education Reform, praised the executive order, saying in a statement, The process will also allow the public to learn just how much oversight occurs as a result of bureaucracy, not law, and pave the way for all schools to focus on outcomes, not compliance.

To be sure, DeVos doesnt need an executive orderor a task forceto strike down regulations or rescind guidance put out by previous administrations. She can already delay or decline to enforce regulations, or change guidance.

The executive order also seems to be a not-so-veiled shot at the Obama administration, which used $4 billion in Race to the Top funding to entice states to adopt the Common Core State Standards, teacher evaluations using test scores, and more. President Barack Obamas education department also offered states waivers from many mandates of the much-maligned No Child Left Behind Act, in exchange for adopting other policies, such as using dramatic strategies to turnaround low-performing schools.

The Every Student Succeeds Act, the law Obama signed in 2015 to replace NCLB, is designed to reduce the federal role in K-12 in part by prohibiting the education secretary from using money or flexibility to influence states standards, teacher evaluations, and school turnaround strategies. In fact, because of ESSA, Trump cant fulfill his campaign promise to get rid of the Common Core State Standards , which remain in place in more than 35 states and the District of Columbia .

American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten highlighted ESSA in her statement criticizing the executive order, saying the law already addressed the concerns the administration is raising. Rather than another executive order, perhaps the president and DeVos need to read the bipartisan Every Student Succeeds Act, as well as laws covering the civil rights and privacy of students, and then listen to stakeholders, including educators and parents, Weingarten said.

On Monday during an appearance on Fox News, DeVos shared her own views about where the common core stands .

President Donald Trump, Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., left, and Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos hold cards received from the children in a 4th-grade class during a tour of St. Andrew Catholic School last month, in Orlando, Fla. (Alex Brandon/AP)

Assistant Editor Andrew Ujifusa contributed to this report

Follow us on Twitter at @PoliticsK12 .
LUO JIE/CHINA DAILY

The recent news that the strict Hengshui High School in North China's Hebei province founded a branch in East China's Zhejiang province has inspired heated debate.

The middle school has been criticized as an "exam factory" because of its intense focus on the national college entrance examination, known as the gaokou, and cram-style education.

Chen Zhiwen, chief editor of www.eol.cn, China's biggest educational portal website, defended the school in an article for Science and Technology Daily. Here are some of his responses to the critics.

As far as I know, the renowned schools in the west are even tougher than the so-called militarized management of Hengshui High School. It is some experts who are misleading the public in China with the romantic vision of children playing their way to success in the "happiness education" system in the west.

The middle school is not to blame for the exam-oriented education as long as the gaokao remains the gateway to a better future for millions of students. It's an illustration of the educational utilitarianism of today's China.

Quality-oriented education is hard to fulfill as the criteria for college recruitment changes prompting educators to adjust their training courses accordingly.

The multiple-criteria appraisal system to recruit students for colleges relies heavily on family background and, thus, is not currently feasible.

Gaokao remains the fairest system under which unprivileged students can fight for a better future with their diligence.

In this respect, Hengshui High School has the merit of promoting social mobility and fairness.

The article is translated by Pan Tingli, an intern with Chinadaily.com.cn
China encouraged the United States to participate in the Belt and Road Initiative, which it said has "opened the gate of opportunities" for US enterprises, China's ambassador to the US said on Monday.

Ambassador Cui Tiankai said at the International Finance and Infrastructure Cooperation Forum in New York that China hoped the US takes a proactive role and attends the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, which is scheduled for May 14 and May 15 in Beijing.

The Belt and Road is an open and inclusive platform for development and cooperation, not an arena for geographic strategy, he said in the keynote speech in New York, at the forum hosted by Bloomberg LP and the China General Chamber of Commerce.

The Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, the two components of the Belt and Road Initiative put forward by President Xi Jinping in 2013, aim to revive the ancient land and sea trade routes and boost interconnection between Asia and the rest of the world.

Cui said the Belt and Road Initiative is dedicated to boosting such ties between countries along the trade routes rather than formulating an exclusive group. The initiative aims to achieve benefits through consultation and cooperation, he added.

The Belt and Road Initiative is a forward-looking proposal reflecting the economic, social and technological demand of the 21st century, Cui said, adding it could build wide cooperative partnerships and contribute to worldwide development, prosperity and stability.

The ambassador also called on the business circles to continue playing a leading role in building up the Sino-US relationship.

During his meeting with US President Donald Trump in Florida earlier this month, Xi said, "There are a thousand reasons to make the China-US relationship a success, and not a single reason to break it."

Wang Yiwei, a professor of international relations studies at Renmin University of China, said the US should not be bypassed in the process of building up of the Belt and Road.

Helga Zepp-LaRouche, founder and chairwoman of Schiller Institute, a political and economic think tank, said at a conference on April 13 that the US should join the "fantastic new project" of the Belt and Road Initiative.

"The Belt and Road cooperation could use the Chinese experience to build up US infrastructure," she said at the conference in New York.

Trump can become "one of the greatest presidents in the history of the US" if he joins with China and other nations in the Belt and Road Initiative, she added.
US President Donald Trump delivers the keynote address at the US Holocaust Memorial Museum's "Days of Remembrance" ceremony in the Capitol Rotunda in Washington, US, April 25, 2017. [Photo/Agencies]

WASHINGTON - US President Donald Trump on Tuesday named Randolph Alles as the new director of the Secret Service, the White House said in a statement.

"Mr Alles currently serves as the acting Deputy Commissioner of US Customs and Border Protection (CBP). Prior to that, Mr Alles led CBP's air and marine operations," the statement said.

"Mr Alles served in the US Marine Corps for 35 years, retiring in 2011 as a Major General. He holds a Bachelor's degree from Texas A&M University and a master's degree in National Security and Strategic Studies in the Naval War College," the statement said.

Former Secret Service Director Joseph Clancy retired on March 4.

The US Secret Service is a law enforcement branch under the Department of Homeland Security, one of its primary duties is to ensure the safety of current and former national leaders and their families. It is also charged with investigating financial fraud such as currency counterfeiting.
Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a meeting of the guardian council of the Russian Geographic Society at its headquarters in St Petersburg, Russia, April 24, 2017. [Photo/Agencies]

MOSCOW - Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday demanded the Russian navy to prioritize the development of strategic nuclear forces and modernize its weaponry.

"As of the end of 2016, the share of modern weapons and equipment in the navy was about 47 percent ... The rate should be raised to 70 percent by 2020," Putin said at a meeting of the Military Industry Commission, according to a Kremlin statement.

According to him, the Russian navy should prioritize the development of strategic nuclear forces, modern weaponry and supporting infrastructure.

"Russia should ensure the presence of its naval forces in all strategically important areas of the world oceans," said Putin.
The USS Michigan nuclear-powered submarine arrives at port of Busan, South Korea, April 25, 2017.[Photo/Xinhua]

SEOUL - A US nuclear-powered submarine on Tuesday arrived at the southern port of Busan, South Korea, amid tensions on the Korean Peninsula, YTN television reported.

The USS Michigan guided-missile submarine has already arrived at Busan, the South Korean military was quoted as saying. The broadcaster did not elaborate on the exact time of its arrival.

Although the nuclear submarine is not supposed to participate in any drills or military operations, its call would send a meaningful message to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), said the YTN.

At a national meeting held Monday, the DPRK again warned the United States that it would stage preemptive nuclear strikes against American forces.

The USS Michigan is one of four Ohio-class ballistic missile submarines loaded with nuclear missiles. The 170-meter-long, 18,000-ton submarine can carry as many as 150 Tomahawk cruise missiles with a range of some 1,600 km.

The Michigan's call on South Korea came amid mounting tensions on the peninsula. The USS Carl Vinson nuclear-powered aircraft carrier is sailing toward the peninsula.

The rare re-routing of the super-carrier to the peninsula had raised concerns about possible airstrikes on the DPRK's nuclear facilities.

Meanwhile, the DPRK Foreign Ministry said in a statement Tuesday that the Korean Peninsula is on the verge of war due to "reckless action" by the United States using both economic sanctions and increasing military threats.

According to South Korea's military, the DPRK conducted large-scale live-fire artillery exercises on Tuesday to mark its army anniversary.

The DPRK's artillery drills came amid ongoing joint military exercises of South Korea and the United States.

The US-South Korea joint war games, which were denounced by the DPRK as a rehearsal for northward invasion, would last till the end of this month.
DAMASCUS - At least 50 Kurdish people were killed on Tuesday by Turkish shelling and airstrikes on Kurdish positions on both sides of the Syrian-Iraqi borders, a monitor group reported.

The Turkish missile strikes targeted a media center for the Kurdish forces and a radio broadcast station in the far eastern countryside of Syria's northeastern province of Hasakah, near the Iraqi borders, killing 22 Kurds.

On the Iraqi side of the borders, Turkish warplanes targeted the Sinjar area, leaving 28 people, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

The UK-based watchdog group said the death toll could likely rise as there are around 26 of others between wounded and missing.

The Turkish animosity toward the Kurds has always been obvious, with Ankara repeatedly saying it will not allow the Kurds to have a strong presence in northern Syria, near the Turkish borders.

Meanwhile, the US said it was concerned over the Turkish strikes, as they were not coordinated with the US-led anti-terror coalition.

The US has emerged as the main backer of the Kurdish fighters in northern Syria, supporting the group in their battles against the Syrian city of Raqqa, the de facto capital of the Islamic State group.

The Observatory said that at least five people were killed Tuesday by strikes believed to have been carried out by the US-led coalition.

Local reports said the Syrian Foreign Ministry is expected to release a statement of condemnation regarding the Turkish attacks on the Kurds.
After the first round of voting, Emmanuel Macron and Marine Le Pen, have begun campaigning to be elected French president in earnest. There were 11 candidates in the first round but only two in the second round. One of these candidates will be voted the President of France for the next five years on May 7.

Name: Emmanuel Macron

Age: 39

Family: He was born in Amiens to a paediatrician mother and a neurologist father. His younger brother and sister became a cardiologist and a nephrologist respectively. He is the only member of his family not to study medicine.

Partner: In 2007, Macron married Brigitte Trogneux. The couple met when Macron was 15 and Trogneux was his 39-year old teacher but they only officially became a couple when he turned 18. Trogneux was previously married with three children, the eldest of whom is two years older than Macron.

Education: Philosophy at the University of Paris, Masters in Public Affairs in the Institute of Political Studies and civil service training at the National School of Administration, where almost all senior civil servants and politicians are educated.

Professional Experience: Inspector of finances at the ministry of the economy and then an investment banker at Rothschilds

Political Experience: He was a deputy secretary general in the office of President Francois Hollande before being appointed minister of economy and finance in 2016.

Party: Macron left the Socialist Party in 2015 and set up the En Marche! party in 2016.

En Marche was founded to break France's reliance on either the Gaullist/Republican or the Socialist party. It has no elected officials.

Policies: Macron wants to reduce the size of the French state and its spending, make the economy more competitive and is strongly in favour of France's role in the EU and NATO.

He is pro-American and was the only one of the four leading candidate who did not call for a rapprochement with Vladimir Putin and Russia.

On the economy he wants to reduce government spending by 60 million euros and increase investment by 50 million euros.

Odds on victory: 88 percent
The war against malaria has made progress over the past decade, but there is still a long way to go, and Chinese researchers are leading the way on more than one front.

Roughly half of the world's population  3 billion people  still remain at risk.

In 2006, there were 266 million cases a year leading to 750,000 deaths, according to the World Health Organization.

By 2015, the numbers had diminished, but remained huge  212 million cases, 429,000 deaths.

And a staggering 90 percent of all cases are in Africa.

Dr Deng Changsheng, manager of the department of science and technology at Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, told a group of 27 journalists visiting from Africa recently, that strategy used to cause a major decline in malarial regions of China is showing promise in Africa.

The approach is called fast elimination of malaria by source eradication (FEMSE). It involves mass drug administration (MDA) of Artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACT) in other words, clearing an affected population of the malarial parasites by mass drug administration.

Artemisinin, by the way, is the drug that won 85-year-old Chinese pharmacologist Tu Youyou the 2015 Nobel Prize for Medicine. She had mined the recipe,derived from the sweet wormwood plant, from the annals of ancient Chinese medicine. Today it saves 100,000s of lives a year in Africa alone.

The drug has not been cheap, but Deng said the cost could be brought to as low as $15 per person over the next decade. Today it's about $40, according to Deng.

Thanks to a worldwide push, ACT treatments rose from 187 million in 2010 to 311 million in 2015.

The big fear facing the effort right now is that the parasites are showing signs of developing a resistance to artemisinin, the same way some strains of tuberculosis are shunning off some of modern medicine's most potent antibiotics.

"The spread of artemisinin resistance in Africa would be a major setback in the fight against malaria, as ACT is the only affective and widely used anti-malarial treatment at the moment," writes Professor Arnab Pain of King Abdullah University of Science and Technology in the current issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

"Therefore it is very important to regularly monitor artemisinin resistance on a worldwide scale," he added.

The study, led by Jun Cao of the Institute for Parasitic Diseases in China, found drug-resistant malarial parasites in a Chinese patient who had been in Equatorial Guinea and returned to China. The ACT therapy, which usually takes three days to rid the patient of the disease, took five days in this case.

This "partial resistance", they said, has been noted in other parts of Southeast Asia, and the great fear is that "partial" morphs into "complete."

"This is one of the great challenges facing us in the fight against malaria," the World Health Organization says on its website.

The Holy Grail of that fight, of course, remains a vaccine, and the Associated Press reports that three African nations have just been chosen to test the world's first malaria vaccine.

WHO announced Monday that Ghana, Kenya and Malawi will begin piloting an injectable vaccine next year with hundreds of thousands of young children, who have been at highest risk of death.

The vaccine, which has partial effectiveness, has the potential to save tens of thousands of lives if used with existing measures, WHO's regional director for Africa, Dr Matshidiso Moeti, said in a statement. The challenge is whether impoverished countries can deliver the required four doses of the vaccine for each child.

The vaccine will be tested on children five to 17 months old to see whether its protective effects shown so far in clinical trials can hold up under real-life conditions. At least 120,000 children in each of the three countries will receive the vaccine, which has taken decades of work and hundreds of millions of dollars to develop.

Kenya, Ghana and Malawi were chosen for the vaccine pilot because all have strong prevention and vaccination programs but continue to have high numbers of malaria cases, WHO said. The countries will deliver the vaccine through their existing vaccination programs.

WHO is hoping to wipe out malaria by 2040, despite the increasing resistance problems to both drugs and insecticides used to kill mosquitoes.

The vaccine was developed by GlaxoSmithKline, and the $49 million for the first phase of the pilot is being funded by the global vaccine alliance GAVI, UNITAID and Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.
Chinese visitors get a taste of old Los Angeles at the Original Farmers Market. [Provided to China Daily]

Try a locally flavored meal, get your shoes shined, mail a postcard or just grab some groceries. More and more Chinese family travelers are opting to taste the flavor of old Los Angeles at a legendary farmers market.

"They are increasingly open to explore real stories of American people," said Lexie Wei, a Los Angeles-based tourism consultant. "Chinese tourists' interest and tastes have improved. They want stories."

Wei's recent WeChat blog on the Original Farmers Market, an old farmers market in Los Angeles city, has generated more than 60,000 views in just a few weeks.

An article introducing the market's history and stories behind its shops and restaurants turned out to be a hit with the Chinese audience.

"It's not just an average farmers market. It has a rich history. It is a microcosm of the American culture, and represents the vicissitudes of Los Angeles and even the history of Chinese immigration," said Wei.

Established in 1934, the open-air market has more than 100 different shops, restaurants and grocers. It evolved from a traditional farmers market, where farmers sold their vegetables and produce to local customers, to a tourist destination. Two Chinese restaurants have been there for decades.

"The market is a unique place with a lot of history and charm. It's a cultural landmark in Los Angeles," said Maritza Cerrato, marketing and tourism specialist with the Original Farmers Market.

"Ninety percent of the shops are family owned and operated. You can meet the owners, and in many shops you can see multi-generations of families working side-by-side," said Cerrato. "Local people come here and sit at the same table every day, read newspapers and talk about the news with their friends. This is a place for visitors and locals to meet."

Meeting local people and learning stories of human interest are the top reasons the farmers market is gaining popularity among Chinese travelers.

"There is a sandwich shop run by the original owner in his 90s, a toy store operated by a veteran and an Asian restaurant run by an American couple who had lived in Singapore for many years," said Wei.

The US tour operators need to dig deep and present these stories to Chinese visitors, because in the future travelers aged 25 to 35 will make up the majority of the overseas Chinese tourists and they tend to focus on the cultural experience, said Wei.

"A combination of nature, stories and urban development will mostly resonate with Chinese visitors," she said.

The Original Farmers Market started noticing the increase in Chinese visitors a year ago.

"We have been proactively reaching out to the Chinese travel market and welcoming Chinese visitors for a number of years," said Cerrato.

The market is a "China Ready" program designation, which means they offer Chinese-language brochures, a Chinese-version website and accept UnionPay, a popular bank card in China.

Not top market yet, China is definitely a fast growing market, with 20 to 30 percent of international tourists Chinese, according to Cerrato.

In January the market celebrated the Chinese Lunar New Year with Chinese cuisine and traditional performances for the first time.

A hand-crafted steel rooster sculpture made by the market's own craftsmen was displayed at the Farmers Market Plaza next to the iconic Clock Tower to celebrate the Year of Rooster. The 430-pound, 5-foot-tall sculpture will be a permanent display.

"It was so much fun and we will do it again next year to welcome more Chinese," said Cerrato.
The Ohio Department of Education is declining $22 million in federal charter school grant money, saying some organizations that authorize charter schools are rated too poorly to qualify.

The decision to give up federal funds comes as Ohio charters are facing increased scrutiny, including from former U.S. Congressman Dennis Kucinich who is on a speaking tour this week to criticize charter schools in the state.

To receive federal funds to expand charters, sponsorsschool districts, public agencies and non-profit organizations that authorize chartersare supposed to be rated effective or exemplary. Only five out of 65 sponsors received effective ratings and none were deemed exemplary in the fall, according to the Associated Press. See a list of sponsors and ratings by the Ohio Department of Education.

The Ohio education agency sent a letter earlier this month to the U.S. Department of Education, explaining that the state plans only to use $49.4 million out of $71 million granted in 2015 for charter expansions.

While these numbers are lower than originally projected, we think the increased level of accountability will bolster the grants purpose of creating high-quality community schools, states the letter by Steve Gratz, senior executive director of the departments center for student support and education options .

As Ohio turns away some funding, states might see more charter grants in the future. President Donald Trumps federal budget proposal would add $168 million, up from the current $333 million in the grants program.

In recent years, Ohio has been working on oversight for charters. In 2015, David Hansen, the states school choice director, resigned after admitting he left out the failing grades of online charter schools when evaluating sponsors. See an Education Week story about online schools attendance audits.

The Ohio department now is using a stricter rating tool for charter sponsors, which it touts as most comprehensive sponsor evaluation systems in the country on its website . With failing ratings in the fall, 21 were in line to possibly lose their oversight power, according to the Cleveland Plain Dealer.

Still, there is a push for more accountability.

Kucinich, who is a former Cleveland mayor and two-time candidate for president, is on a five-city tour this week to give speeches about charter schools, saying they are taking funding away from traditional public schools and pushing for changes to the states charter law, according to the Cleveland Plain Dealer . He also said he is exploring the possibility of filing a lawsuit to change the funding for charters, according to WOSU Public Media .

Local media and observers say Kucinich might be speaking about charter schools to garner attention for a possible run for governor, but he has not confirmed that speculation during his tour.

Ohio also got attention earlier this month when school-choice advocate and U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos visited a traditional public school in Van Wert, Ohio, alongside Randi Weingarten, the president of the American Federation of Teachers, who has been critical of DeVos.

Contact Sarah Tully at stully@epe.org .
Officials and business people from Guangzhou and their Japanese counterparts have shared their views on having an open perspective and innovative approach at a forum in Tokyo.

Clay Chandler, executive editor international of Time Inc., said China's reform will continue, describing the city in South China as a trailblazer in reform that has taken the lead in development.

Koji Yonetani, executive director of the Guangzhou-based Japan External Trade Organization, said China is no longer a provider of cheap labor which means that China does not have the advantage in terms of cost. Instead, he said Japanese companies should pursue innovation at a higher level in China and try to find new sources of growth.

"We take China as a huge market rather than a production base for cheap products. China's economy is on the transformation from quantity to quality," Hitachi executive officer Kenichi Kokubo said.

While in Tokyo, Guangzhou vice-mayor Cai Chaolin took the opportunity to promote the 2017 Fortune Global Forum, which Guangdong province's capital will host in December.

"We have the theme of openness and innovation' for the 2017 Fortune Global Forum in the hope that entrepreneurs from all over the world will discuss how to put impetus into the global economic growth," Cai said. "The forum will be a platform for investors to explore opportunities. Guangzhou will show the world the city's wisdom and China's proposals."

He said Japan is an important trade partner for the city. Trade volume between Guangzhou and Japan (please check) hit $12.77 billion in 2016, a 12.5 percent increase from the previous year. Guangzhou imported $9.31 billion worth of products from Japan, up 11.8 percent while the city's exports to Japan totaled $3.46 billion, a 14.4 percent increase.

There are 626 Japanese companies that have invested in production bases in Guangzhou, including car manufacturers Honda, Toyota and Nissan. Many corporations such as Panasonics, Denso, Mizuho, Aeon and Hitachi have boomed in Guangdong's capital, while 16 Guangzhou firms have launched businesses in Japan.

Guangzhou is valued by 288 out of Global 500 companies (what does this mean?), becoming an important place for these transnational firms to launch their South China strategies.

Cai said Guangzhou had incomparable advantages. The city has a large market and huge potential. Along with Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin and Chongqing, Guangzhou has been designated by the central government as a national central city, covering 7,434 square kilometers and more than 20 million people under its control. According to the Chinese Cities of Opportunity study report, jointly launched by PwC China and the China Development Research Foundation, Guangzhou topped the ranking.

In the past six years, Guangzhou has been listed as the "Best Commercial City in Chinese Mainland" by Forbes magazine five times. In 2015, the city's gross domestic product reached $262.92 billion, ranking the third in Chinese mainland for 27 consecutive years.

Cai called Guangzhou "a city with a brain for innovation". The city attracted 2800 new hi-tech businesses in 2016, or seven each day. There are more than 120,000 innovation-driven companies in Guangzhou. Wechat, China's version of Facebook, was born in Guangzhou and has more than 80 million active users a month.

It takes only four hours to fly from Guangzhou to Japan. The city has a long history of friendly relationship with Japan. On May 2, 1979 Guangzhou and Fukuoka became sister cities. Now there are around 80,000 foreigners, most of whom are Japanese citizens, living in Guangzhou, according to Cai.
UNITED NATIONS -- The Chinese government has decided to provide $5 million to South Sudan through the World Food Program to help the country better respond to famine, said a Chinese envoy on Tuesday.

Given the severity of famine facing South Sudan, China has also decided to provide 8,750 tons of food through bilateral channels to assist the country, said Wu Haitao, China's deputy permanent representative to the UN at a Security Council meeting.

Since July last year, the security, economic and humanitarian situation has worsened markedly and no part of the country is immune from conflict, David Shearer, special representative of UN Secretary-General in South Sudan briefed the council earlier.

After hearing Shearer's briefing, Wu said that "the political settlement is the only way out for the issue of South Sudan."

He called on the international community to contribute to efforts for all parties in South Sudan to abandon military means, cease hostilities and immediately get back to the track of political settlement.

Wu also said "it is important for the Security Council to send out more positive and enthusiastic messages."

He said the council must encourage all parties in South Sudan to actively engage in the dialogue process to stay committed to peace, stability, and development.

"The international community must provide timely and effective assistance, to assist South Sudanese people to overcome their current difficulties," he added.

South Sudan has been shattered by a civil war that broke out in December 2013. A peace deal signed in August 2015 led to the formation of a transitional unity government in April but was again devastated by fresh violence in July 2016.

Tens of thousands of South Sudanese have been killed, with more than 2 million displaced and another 4.6 million left severely food insecure since December 2013.
A Friday night Chinese takeaway meal is a long-standing ritual for many British families, but such food is increasingly accessible these days, and can be enjoyed anywhere, anytime, at the click of a button, thanks to the emergence of food delivery apps in the United Kingdom.

Key players, including Bigfoodie and HungryPanda, emerged because large Western platforms, such as UberEATS, Deliveroo, and Just Eat, have not yet added Chinese restaurants to their networks on a large scale, often due to language and cultural barriers, or expensive commission that Chinese restaurants found prohibitive.

"As a niche market delivery company, we're able to develop good personal relationships with Chinese restaurant owners," said William Bai, who left Just Eat to found Bigfoodie in 2012. Bigfoodie now has 550,000 registered users. It links with 2,500 Chinese and other Asian restaurants.

To further the platform's competitiveness, Bigfoodie also offers consultancy services that help Chinese restaurants optimize inventory management and increase accounting accuracy. Data on the geographical concentration of customers is also used, to help restaurants consider opening new outlets.

A younger platform is HungryPanda, which was founded by University of Nottingham graduate Liu Kelu last year. It now has 15,000 active users and a network of 250 restaurants across six UK cities. Impressively, the platform managed to hit break-even point last month.

Zhang Xu, owner of Zhang's Sichuan Restaurant in Birmingham, said he appreciates HungryPanda's speed in updating the restaurant's menu through its platform, and its willingness to discuss promotion deals with his team.

"With their help, we can do promotion activities, such as giving some extra food items as gifts to customers. A big platform like Deliveroo wouldn't have the time to sit down with us for such discussions."

Takeaway orders made through HungryPanda now constitute around 20 percent of the revenue coming into Zhang's restaurant, which outstrips those placed through Deliverzoo.

For the Birmingham-based drinks chain Happy Lemon, signing up with HungryPanda meant deliveries as small as two cups of pearl milk tea worth 5 pounds ($6.40) became viable. In comparison, charges to merchants from larger platforms mean orders under 15 pounds are not cost-effective, said manager Jay Liu.

HungryPanda charges 10-20 percent of the total order value in commission, and Bigfoodie charges up to 25 percent, although it offers some flexible packages. In comparison, Deliveroo charges 30 percent.

Customer feedback has also been positive. Liu Xiaoju, a 23-year-old student at the University of Coventry uses HungryPanda's several times a week.

"In addition to HungryPanda's large variety of choices of Chinese food, their friendly Mandarin language customer service is a big plus for me," Liu said.

The Centre for Economics and Business Research estimates the takeaway market contributed 9 billion pounds to the UK economy in 2014, the most recent year for which data is available. Meanwhile, market intelligence company Mintel believes the share of the country's takeaway market occupied by Chinese takeaways was 35 percent in 2015.
London's Heathrow Airport said it is launching its fourth direct flight service to China, with Beijing Capital Airlines operating three flights a week to the eastern city of Qingdao.

The new service will use an Airbus 330 aircraft and brings to four the number of Chinese cities served by Heathrow flights  the others are Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou.

"This new route will offer more convenient and comfortable travel services to citizens in both countries than any previous experience flying from Heathrow to Qingdao. It will be a starting point for us to continually increase the UK's transportation capacity and further expand the UK tourism market," Xu Jun, chief executive of the Chinese carrier said in a statement.

John Holland-Kaye, chief executive of Heathrow, said "In the future the UJK's ability to trade in the world will rely on direct access to new, expanding markets like these."

Beijing Capital is a subsidiary of Hainan Airlines, which last year launched weekly flights from the British midland city of Birmingham to Beijing and Hangzhou.

Hainan Airlines is competing with China's three biggest carriers, Air China, China Eastern and China Southern.

The new route, which will start this summer, is part of a deal struck between UK and Chinese aviation authorities on an increase in the number of services between the two countries last year.

Aviation analysts quoted by Advance, a UK-based aviation industry trade group, said the new route would provide an extra 70,000 seats a year and 4,000 tons of cargo space to Shandong Province, one of China's economic powerhouses.

To contact the reporter: chris@mail.chinadailyuk.com
ISTANBUL - At least six people were injured on Wednesday when a shuttle bus in Istanbul was hit by an explosion, local media reported.

The blast happened in the district of Pendik on the Asian side of Istanbul, as the shuttle bus was heading to Sabiha Gokcen Airport, the IHA news agency said.

The agency said university students are among the injured, as the shuttle bus belongs to a private university.

Police have launched an investigation and believe the large-scale damage to the bus was caused by handmade explosives, press reports said.

Istanbul is a frequent target of terror attacks over the past year.
Hong Kong's up-and-coming fashion designers will show off some of their latest creations at a charity event in London next month.

The Hong Kong Fashion Designer Showcase will be part of celebrations marking the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

The event will feature designers including Daydream Nation, Injury, Kenaxleung, Zo-ee and Jaycow with some of them set to fly to the United Kingdom especially for the event.

While many of these designers taking part have held successful shows in New York, Shanghai, and Paris, some will be showing their collection in London for the first time.

Lawrence Lee, president of the Hong Kong Executives Club, said the catwalk event will showcase Hong Kong's creativity, vibrancy, and unique culture.

The charity fashion show has been organized jointly by the Hong Kong Executives Club and the Chinese Community Centre in London, and is supported by the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, London.

Christine Yau, chairwoman of the Chinese Community Centre and co-organizer, said: It is the 37th year of the Chinese Community Centre in serving the local community. The center keeps a close link with charity organizations in Hong Kong and we are very pleased to have the opportunity to jointly host the charity event with HKEC and HKETO.

A mix of London's business and fashion leaders are expected to attend the show on Tuesday and there will also be a question-and-answer session with some of the designers.

Five exclusive items on display on the night will be auctioned off after the show and will be altered to fit the successful bidders. Proceeds from the evening will be donated to support the work of the central London based Chinese Community Centre.

Priscilla To, director general of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, London, said: In Hong Kong, East and West mesh in many ways, making the city a thriving arts and cultural hub. Our cultural and creative industries employ more than 200,000 practitioners engaged in fields ranging from jewelry design to fashion, painting to publishing, interactive games to comics, advertising to architecture, and music production and digital media to performing arts.
Education needs reform. Everyone says so. Betsy DeVos thinks vouchers and charter schools are the answer. Immigration needs reform. Everyone says so. President Trump thinks a wall is the answer. As educators, we know that to come to a solution for a problem, first we must be able to identify the true causes of the problem. In order to do that, we need to hear from voices within the system and outside it. Time spent parsing out the problem is necessary. Scientists and doctors work that way. Most of us teach and lead that way. Before solving a problem, be sure you understand the problem clearly and know what its causes are.

Graduation Rates Rise

Over the past decades, schools have welcomed more challenged learners. Schools have been working with increasing numbers of students with learning differences, mental health issues, and the effects of poverty. Schools are experiencing students struggling with gender identities and sexual orientation for themselves and with others in their lives. And student populations are more diverse by race and ethnicity. Standardized tests have entered almost every grade level. Accountability has overshadowed creative teaching and learning. Nevertheless, graduation rates have gone up. In October 2016, nprED reported:

The high school graduation rate in the U.S. reached an all-time high of 83 percent in the 2014-2015 school year, President Obama announced today, marking the fifth straight record-setting year....Achievement gaps have narrowed even as all boats have risen. Graduation rates range from 90 percent for students who identify as Asian/Pacific Islanders to 64 percent for students with disabilities.

Betsy DeVos, To Whom Are You Listening?

Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly, in several interviews about the necessity of the border wall, referred to speaking with border patrols to get an inside look at the problem of illegal immigration at our southern border. It was a striking statement that those working within the system were asked how to improve the system. Laws will be drawn up based upon the information gathered from those patrolling the borders, those dealing with an influx of illegal drugs in our towns and cities, citizens, businesses, colleges and universities.

But what of education? Certainly education can be improved. No one is denying that. The system and the adults in it are frustrated and exhausted from the pressure to meet the needs of all students, keep pace with technology and include it in new teaching and learning environments, under the unrelenting pressure of accountability. We have become a throw away or replaceable society... new cell phones, computers, cars and even homes and marriages. Why are we surprised that this nothing lasts forever momentum would infiltrate policy thinking? Mix that contemporary mindset with a mindset that competition benefits everyone and profit is motive and we find ourselves in this place. But, why abandon the system without listening to those working within it? If it works for the border problem, why doesnt it work for education? Well, it leaves us wondering to whom is DeVos listening?

Find Common Ground to Define the Problem

As educators, leaders and teachers alike, we have to speak out. But before speaking, we have to dig deeper and be sure we are not only calling out against something rather that we speak as professional experts who are searching for common ground...the improvement of the public school system. We need to admit that the random grade level academic goals are guesses. Can we all agree that by a certain time a child should be able to read and write to certain standards, but to aim those standards at each year of a childs life is arbitrary and harmful? Can we all agree that:



schools have not effectively changed enough to become the dynamic, relevant and creative learning environments todays students require?

rather than setting targets for achievement, children will benefit from targets for growth?

state and federal mandates for minutes of instruction and excessive standardized testing interfere with schools abilities to create programs that are best suited for their student population?

all schools would benefit from a relaxation of regulation? Even those schools that have stepped into the future and made changes to be responsive to the students they are serving and maintained or increased student achievement crave that.

To find the common ground, if those like Betsy DeVos cant see it from our perspective, lets try to see it from theirs. Let their words define how we organize our language and responses to the public outcry for school change. In this PBS interview , Randi Weingarten, Frederick Hess, and William Brangham discuss the failure of vouchers, the effect of vouchers on Detroits public schools, and whether Betsy DeVos is an enemy of public schools or whether school choice is a good thing. Educators are failing to use experience and voice and come together to describe what is holding the system back and define a vision for success.

We know Ms. DeVos is a proponent of school choice, vouchers and charters. Why? What is she trying to fix? Are educators fighting to maintain a model that is simply comfortable and just good enough? If that is the case, it is the wrong fight.

Rethink the Premise of the School Choice Solution

We have accepted the premise upon which the solution of school choice has been built. It is a solution to a problem that has not been properly defined. Certainly schools, like most institutions, can do a better job. Since they are not, what is holding them back? Is it a financial issue, one of will or one of complacence? Or none of these? Or is it a social problem being made visible by children in schools? Is it too complex to understand let alone solve? Does it require a change of mind and of behaviors and of policies? School choice as a solution assumes that other schools will do better. Do we agree on what better is? Or will we settle for that amorphous better?

Lets push back. Lets speak out with our vision for a 21st century idea for dynamic learning environments in which all children have a place and a path to success. Lets demand public funding equitable enough for all children to be in those environments. No matter the choices Betsy DeVos makes, we, ourselves, are at a choice point. Do we want to be the opposition or the advocates? Do we want to demonstrate where success has happened as models for investigation? Could we agree to do that?

Lead as Advocates

If we come together with one voice, defining the problems and the barriers with a plan for success for all, then we are moving forward and will breathe 21st century life into our schools. We have raised the graduation rates but that our systems are exhausted. If the system has achieved all it can with pressure as the motivator, what else is there? Can we be incentivized and motivated in another way? What do we propose? Remember those graduate courses where as students we were asked to design a school pretending we had all the latitude we wanted? Well, maybe it is that time in real like for us now. If we were beginning anew, what would our schools be and what would they look like and feel like? It will be a tragedy if only those in charter schools know that energizing, innovative opportunity. Lets advocate for us to have choices. Let us reject the image of Sisyphus and stop pushing the boulder around. We are not protectionists. We are educators and we are professionals and we know children and we want our creative moment. Secretary DeVos, why not listen to us?

Ann Myers and Jill Berkowicz are the authors of The STEM Shift (2015, Corwin) a book about leading the shift into 21st century schools. Connect with Ann and Jill on Twitter or Email .

Image by flickr user Gabe Skidmore , Used under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license.
Can Exonerated Defendants Get Their Money Back?

Whether through new DNA testing, faulty forensic science, or procedural error, many criminal convictions eventually get overturned or vacated. Often, these exonerations don't occur until years or even decades after the fact and in that span a defendant may have already paid thousands of dollars in court costs, fines, fees, and restitution.

So when a conviction is tossed out, what happens to all that money? Until last week, Colorado had a statute on the books that allowed the state to keep fees and restitution paid by criminal defendants, even after their convictions were overturned. But the Supreme Court stepped in and ruled the law unconstitutional.

Presumed Innocent

The case at issue involved a pair of Coloradans, Shannon Nelson and Louis Madden, who were convicted on unrelated sexual assault charges. Those convictions were later overturned, but the state refused to refund $12,500 it had collected from both of them in court costs, fees, and restitution. Instead, exonerated defendants would need to prove their innocence through a separate civil lawsuit in order to get their money back.

But the Supreme Court did away with all that. "To get their money back, defendants should not be saddled with any proof burden," Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg wrote. "Instead ... they are entitled to be presumed innocent." In overturning the state statute, Ginsburg added, "Colorado has no interest in withholding from Nelson and Madden money to which the State currently has zero claim of right."

Money Back Guarantee

If it seems obvious that a state can't keep money from someone who, after being exonerated, has not been convicted of a crime, it seemed that way to the majority of justices on the Court as well. During oral arguments for the case, Justice Elena Kagan noted that when a conviction is overturned, "the most natural, obvious thing in the world to say that the state's right to that money evaporates." That sentiment was echoed in Ginsburg's opinion: "Colorado may not retain funds taken from Nelson and Madden solely because of their now-invalidated conviction," she wrote. "Colorado may not presume a person, adjudged guilty of no crime, nonetheless guilty enough for monetary exactions."

Perhaps sensing their position on the law wasn't going so well, Colorado had in the meantime passed a revised statute that allowed exonerated defendants the right to a refund. The Court's ruling will cover criminal defendants exonerated between now and when the new law takes effect in September. And this could mean a lot of money for the state. Colorado attorneys told the Denver Post they've been contacted by defendants who paid the state over $20,000 in some cases, only to have their convictions overturned.

The Supreme Court ruling should also apply to other states, allowing exonerated defendants nationwide a chance to get their money back. If your criminal conviction has been vacated and you're having trouble recouping fines and restitution, contact an experienced criminal defense attorney for help.

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(Photo : PLAGF) PLAGF infantry.

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The Communist Party of China (CPC) has implemented a major restructuring of the People's Liberation Army Ground Force (PLAGF) by reorganizing Group Armies that combine infantry, armor and mechanized units with units from the three other armed services to form what's being called a "a big unit command."



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This big unit command -- essentially a combined arms fighting force -- will see units from the People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF); the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) and the People's Liberation Army Rocket Force (PLARF) integrated into each PLAGF Group Army.



According to Chinese state-run media, the newly organized 76th Group Army is the first of this new type big unit commands. The change in designation is significant because in the past PLAGF Group Armies only included PLAGF units.



"But in the future, the air force, navy and rocket forces will also be included in the group armies and given a new designation," explained Song Zhongping, a military expert who served in the PLARF.



Song said the designation Group Army only refers to the PLAGF and isn't reflective of the changes that brought about the new Group Army, which should instead be referred to as a "big unit command" during war.



This new and integrated Group Army will fundamentally change the structure of the People's Liberation Army, the armed forces of the CPC, said Song.



The transition to a big unit command will mean an overhaul in the structure, duty and combat capabilities of existing Group Armies. The change in designation is just the first step, said Song.



Chinese media cited a visit by Gen. Wang Kai, vice chief-of-staff of the Western Theater Command and Gen. Cao Junzhang, the vice commander of the 76th Group Army to a Red Army museum as proof the 76th Group Army does indeed exist.



Both generals were from the 13th Group Army, which used to be part of the former Chengdu Military Region.



The reform isn't limited to the PLAGF, however. A PLAN officer cited by state-run media said the 1st Group Army's 1st Division will be commissioned into the PLAN Marine Corps. After this integration, the 1st Division will be in charge of offensives after Marine landing operations.



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TagsCommunist Party of China, Group Armies, People's Liberation Army Ground Force, PLAGF, big unit command, 76th Group Army, Song Zhongping
(Photo : Russian Ground Forces) T-14s.

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Russia has taken a desperate step to speed-up production of its delayed T-14 Armata main battle tank (MBT) by authorizing state-owned arms maker Rostec Corporation to take over UralVagonZavod (UVZ), the firm currently producing the T-14.



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UralVagonZavod is also the largest maker of main battle tanks in the world. In 2008, UralVagonZavod produced more MBTs than the rest of the world combined.



Founded by the Kremlin in 2007, Rostec is an umbrella corporation that controls over two-thirds of Russia's defense industry.



Its job is to promote the development, production and export of industrial products for the civilian and defense sectors. It brings together about 700 entities, which are part of 14 holding companies.



"Our task after we obtain control over the plant," said Sergey Abamov, Rostec weapons cluster director.



Rostec will set up coordination between the UVZ military segment and other holdings and entities to improve the effectiveness of the production process and to increase the competitiveness of the products.



Over the next 18 months, Rostec will work with the state-owned Vnesheconombank to solve UralVagonZavod's debt and financial woes before Rostec takes full control of the company.



UralVagonZavod's dire financial straits have negatively impacted its ability to product the T-14.



It was only in September 2016 the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation signed an order for a pilot batch of more than 100 Armatas that will all be used in field trials. The deal with Uralvagonzavod will see the first pilot batch take part in comprehensive military tests simulating combat situations.



UralVagonZavod, however, can only produce some 120 T-14s a month and it will take nearly 21 years to replace Russia's 2,500 operational tanks with T-14s. But the biggest problem isn't production. It's money.



The program to supply the Russian Ground Forces with T-14s was initially planned to begin by 2020, but was extended to 2025 due to funding shortfalls, as well as logistics and technical problems. The Russian Army plans to order 2,300 T-14s.



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TagsRussia, T-14 Armata, Rostec Corporation, Uralvagonzavod, Sergey Abamov, Russian Ground Forces
Alaska Dentist Pulls Tooth While Riding a Hoverboard, Faces Felony Charges

Dentists, like any other medical professional, are held to at least minimum standards of care for their patients. And it is comforting to know that performing a dental extraction on a patient while riding a hoverboard, filming the procedure, and then distributing the film with the quip "new standard of care" in fact falls far below that existing standard.

But that's not the only thing that got one Alaskan dentist in trouble, as he and his office assistant face a litany of felony charges.

Unlawful Dental Acts

Sedated in a dentist's chair can make patients feel like especially vulnerable, so it's good to know that there are laws, like Alaska Statutes 08.36.340 that provide penalties for dentists who abuse that vulnerability. And, according to a 49-page, 17-count criminal indictment, Seth Lookhart did just that when he "engaged in the performance of patient care, regardless of whether actual injury to the patient occurred, that did not conform to minimum professional standards of dentistry." Specifically, Lookhart "performed a dental extraction procedure on a sedated patient while riding a hoverboard and filmed the procedure and distributed the film to persons outside his dental practice."

In addition to a misdemeanor charge for the hoverboarding incident, the dentist is also charged with 11 felonies.

Felony Fraud

Lookhart and his office manager, Shauna Cranford, are also charged with fraud for allegedly sedating patients unnecessarily in order to bill nearly $2 million to Medicaid without proper justification. (It was during state Medicaid Fraud Control Unit's investigation that video of the hoverboard tooth-extraction came to light.) Former employees told investigators Lookhart and Cranford steered Medicaid patients to IV sedation, while patients with private insurance were given local anesthesia for the same procedure. Employees also accused Lookhart of performing medically unnecessary procedures while patients were sedated.

Lookhart could end up owing $2 million in restitution if convicted. Hopefully recouping those ill-gotten gains won't be like ... well, you know.

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A Christian Masters student who was expelled from his university for a private Facebook post he made stating that homosexuality was sinful has secured the right to bring his case before Londons high court.

Christian Today reports that 38-year-old Felix Ngole, a father of four from Cameroon who is studying to be a social worker at the University of Sheffield, was told that he could no longer pursue his degree in social work after he stated his views about homosexuality on his Facebook account.

The Facebook post in question included Ngoles stated support for Kentucky county clerk Kim Davis who refused to issue a marriage license for a gay couple. Ngole also quoted the book of Leviticus which condemns homosexuality.

Although the post was only visible to Ngoles friends on Facebook, it got him in trouble with the university. He was told he would be excluded from further study on a programme leading to a professional qualification and was no longer recognised as a university student.

Now, however, Ngole has been granted the right to take his case before Londons high court. A trial is scheduled to be held sometime in the autumn, after which a judge will rule in the case.

Ngole is being supported by the Christian Legal Center. Andrea Williams, chief executive of the Center, said the university encroached on Ngoles freedom of speech.

The university has failed to protect his freedom of speech...and his freedom of religion, she said, adding, Felix has worked with people who identify as homosexual, treating them with respect and kindness. What he shared on his Facebook page simply reflects biblical teaching on sexual behavior.

Photo courtesy: Felix Ngole Facebook

Publication date: April 26, 2017
This spring, Cedarville University enacted new curriculum guidelines inspired by Philippians 4:8 and aimed at purifying coursework of erotic and graphic content.

Cedarville, a buttoned-up Baptist school with a 130-year Christian history, is not the kind of place where professors assign Fifty Shades of Grey or anything close. But administrators want to err on the side of caution. This means, for example, that now an R-rated movie like Schindlers List cannot be shown in its entirety, nor can students put on plays that include swear words.

In its Biblically Consistent Curriculum policy, nicknamed for the Apostle Pauls admonishment to Christians in Philippi, Cedarville has spelled out new guidelines officially barring any materials that may be considered adult in nature, that represent immorality, or that may be a stumbling block to students.

The move comes as the Ohio school, located between Columbus and Dayton, unfolds a broader, campus-wide campaign ...

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To the fathers of secularization theory, it was obvious. Max Weber, Emile Durkheim, and Karl Marx theorized that the more advanced and educated a society became, the less it would need that opium of the masses: religion.

Not among US Christians, according to a new study from the Pew Research Center. In fact, among evangelicals, more education correlates with a higher religious commitment in every area that Pew researchers asked about.

Evangelicals who graduated from college are more likely than those who didnt enroll to attend religious services at least weekly (68% vs. 55%), to pray daily (83% vs. 77%), and to believe in God with absolute certainty (90% vs. 87%). Theyre also more likely to say religion is very important to them (81% vs. 79%).

Those numbers arent a fluke; when Pew broke the categories down further, the trend continued. Evangelicals who earned a graduate degree after college are the most committed to their faith; those who dropped out of ...

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For the most part, Americans have positive things to say about the Bible. More than half call it a good source of morals (52%). About a third say its helpful (37%), true (36%), and life-changing (35%), according to a new LifeWay Research survey.

Even more told the American Bible Society (ABS) and Barna Group that they believe its the actual or inspired word of God (81%).

But a growing segment 19 percent in 2017, up from 10 percent in 2011say its simply a book of teachings and stories written by men.

That group has remained fairly stable in recent years (17% in 2013, 19% in 2014, 21% in 2015, and 22% in 2016). So this year for their State of the Bible report, ABS and Barna asked the people in that category a new question: If you think the Bible was written only by humans, do you think it was meant to be manipulative or controlling?

Almost 4 out of 5 skeptics said yes, which adds up to 13 percent of the US population. (A similar number of Americans told LifeWay ...

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Evangelical institutions suing the federal government over the Affordable Care Acts contraception mandate expected that their legal battle would end when President Donald Trump took office.

As of this week, it doesnt look like that will be the case.

Despite Trump pledging to dismantle Obamacare and to defend religious groups against bullying by the federal government, his administration has opted to still stand by the birth control requirement in court.

The Washington Post reported that the Justice Department requested on Monday that a federal appeals court continue to negotiate with Christian schools like East Texas Baptist University, Houston Baptist University, and Westminster Theological Seminary for another two months, rather than dropping their case and allowing the schools to continue to not offer contraception coverage per a lower court decision.

The colleges are among many evangelical and Catholic groupsmost notably the Little Sisters of the Poorwho ...

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For the First Time, Russia Ranked Among Worst Violators of ...

Russias ongoing crackdown on religious minorities, foreign missionaries, and evangelists has earned it a spot among the worst countries in the world for religious freedom.

The US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), which flags religious freedom violators for the State Department, listed the former Soviet state among six new Tier 1 countries of particular concern (CPC) in its latest annual report, released Wednesday.

It is the first time in the commissions almost 20-year history that Russia has made the list. A total of 16 countries currently hold the CPC designation, and another dozen are being reviewed as Tier 2.

Russia is the only country whose repression of religious freedom has both intensified and expanded into a neighboring state by means of military occupation since USCIRF began monitoring it, officials said. The report dedicated seven pages to its problematic policies, from the persecution of religious minorities in the occupied areas of Crimea and Donbas to recent moves against non-Orthodox Christians in its heartland.

Last week, Russias Supreme Court officially banned Jehovahs Witnesses nationwide after several years of blacklisting their materials and shutting down regional centers.

The Jehovahs Witnesses right to religious freedom is being eliminated through a flawed application of this law, which labels the pacifist organization an extremist group, said Thomas Reese, USCIRF chair and a Catholic priest. The commission recommended the US government urge Russia to amend the law to add criteria preventing it from being used against peaceful groups.

Additionally, the commission wants to see more pressure put on Russian ...
10 things to know about Fernando Botero

An introduction to perhaps South Americas best-known artist, whose paintings and sculptures address subjects ranging from the Old Masters to bullfighting and domestic life  illustrated with works offered at Christies

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Artist Fernando Botero had a tough start to life Botero was born in 1932 in Medellin, Colombia. Located in a valley of the Andes mountain range, Medellin was at that time a relatively small and isolated city. His father, David, was a travelling salesman who died suddenly at the age of 40, leaving a four-year-old Botero, his two brothers and his mother, who worked as a seamstress, destitute.

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Botero was enrolled to train as a bullfighter Botero began drawing and painting watercolours as a young child. In 1944 an uncle, who had taken on an important role in family life following the death of his father, enrolled him in a training school for bullfighters, only to recognise that his nephew was more interested in drawing and painting bulls than in fighting them. Boteros first works  watercolours of bulls and matadors  were sold by a man who traded tickets to bullfights. In 1948, when he was just 16, he had his first illustrations published in one of the most important newspapers in Medellin. Three years later he had his first one-man show in Bogota.

Open a larger version of this image Fernando Botero (b.1932), Man on horse, 1998. Bronze. Height: 28 in (72.4 cm), Width: 14 in (35.6 cm), Depth: 18 in (45.7 cm). Estimate: $280,000-$320,000. Offered in Latin American Art on 30 September 2022 at Christie's in New York. Artwork:  Fernando Botero, reproduced by permission

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Studying the Old Masters was revelatory for Boteros art At the age of 20, after winning second prize in Bogotas Salon Nacional de Artistas, Botero booked his passage on a boat to Europe, travelling with a group of fellow artists. During a year in Madrid he spent his days copying the Prados Old Masters. He then moved to Paris and on to Florence to study the Masters of the Italian Renaissance. This was a revelatory period for the artist, who had previously only seen European art through reproduction. While Botero was enrolled in art schools for periods during these early years, he considers himself to be primarily self-taught.

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Boteros eureka moment came with a mandolin Boteros early artistic inspiration came from both Latin America and Europe. The Mexican muralists as well as the Spanish masters Pablo Picasso and Juan Gris were among those who first sparked Boteros creative imagination. Not unlike Picasso, whose Cubist breakthrough came after experimenting with the construction of a guitar, Botero had his artistic eureka moment with a mandolin. In 1956 while he was living in Mexico City, Botero painted a mandolin with an unusually tiny sound hole, allowing the instrument suddenly to take on exaggerated proportions. (A similar work from around the same time was sold at Christies in 2019.) Thus began the artists lifelong exploration of volume.

Open a larger version of this image Fernando Botero (b. 1932), Cebollas espanolas, #2, 1969. Oil on canvas. 34 x 36 in (87 x 92 cm). Estimate: $200,000-$300,000. Offered in Latin American Art on 30 September 2022 at Christies in New York. Artwork:  Fernando Botero, reproduced by permission

Open a larger version of this image Fernando Botero (b. 1932) , Still Life with Green Soup, 1972. Oil on canvas. 55 x 70 in (139.7 x 179.1 cm). Estimate: $350,000-$450,000. Offered in Latin American Art on 30 September 2022 at Christies in New York. Artwork:  Fernando Botero, reproduced by permission

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Botero has collected  and also donated  hundreds of works of art Between 1990 and 2000 Botero donated more than 300 works, both his own and those by 19th- and 20th-century European Masters, to the Museum of Antioquia in Medellin, as well as to the Banco de la Republica in Bogota. The latter collection became the basis for what is now the Botero Museum.

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Terrorists blew up a Botero sculpture In 1994 Botero was the target of a failed kidnapping, and in 1995 a terrorist group placed a bomb underneath his sculpture Pajaro (Bird), which he had donated to the city of Medellin. The attack, which took place during a music festival, killed 23 people and injured 200 more. Boteros response was to donate La Paloma de la Paz (The Dove of Peace) to Medellin, a sculpture which is placed alongside the mangled remains of the earlier work.

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Boteros art can be politically charged Although Botero has maintained that art should be an oasis, a place of refuge from the hardness of life, his work is at times stridently political. Beginning in the 1990s, he painted a series focusing on Colombias drug-related violence. One painting, Death of Pablo Escobar, depicts the Colombian drug baron being gunned down by the police. Explaining his response to his countrys drug violence in 2000, Botero stated, The Colombian drama is so out of proportion that today you cannot ignore the violence, the thousands of displaced and dead, the processions of coffins. Against all my principles I had to paint [the violence]. Later, he produced his Abu Ghraib series, focusing on reports of the torture of Iraqi prisoners.

Open a larger version of this image Fernando Botero (b. 1932), Paisaje, 2004. Oil on canvas. 30 x 24 in (76 x 62 cm). Estimate: $300,000-$400,000. Offered in Latin American Art on 30 September 2022 at Christies in New York. Artwork:  Fernando Botero, reproduced by permission

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Boteros sculptures adorn public spaces around the world Along with the numerous Botero sculptures that can be seen in his native Medellin, monumental pieces by the artist can be enjoyed on the streets of New York, Paris, Barcelona, Madrid, Jerusalem, Bamberg in Germany and Yerevan in Armenia. A 2015 retrospective that started in Beijing and travelled to Shanghai is a testament to the truly international appeal of his work.
Never before offered at auction, Bacons first ever portrait of his great muse

Francis Bacons Three Studies for a Portrait of George Dyer from 1963  a central highlight of Christies May 17 Post-War and Contemporary Art Evening Sale in New York

Painted in 1963, Three Studies for a Portrait of George Dyer marks the beginning of Francis Bacons relationship with his greatest source of inspiration. This triptych is the very first portrait Bacon made of his long-time muse and lover, a handsome petty thief from Londons East End who came to feature in many of the artists most arresting and sought-after works. The paintings will be offered for the first time at auction in Christies Post-War and Contemporary Art Evening Sale on 17 May in New York. Dyer came to appear in at least 40 of Bacons paintings, many of which were created after Dyers death in Paris in 1971, barely 36 hours before Bacons major retrospective opened at the Grand Palais. The convulsive beauty of this work represents the flowering of Bacons infatuation with his muse, and it is only one of five triptychs of Dyer that the artist painted in this intimate scale. This example is unique among them as it does not depict the white shirt and sharp suit that Dyer invariably wore. Instead, the head and neck emerge disembodied from the darkness  explosive, agitated, naked, and unmoored from spatial or temporal reality. It was completed during the period of greatest personal and professional contentment in Bacons career. When the artist met Dyer towards the end of 1963, he was being showered with acclaim and hailed as a master of figurative painting. This came on the heels of his first major retrospective in May 1962 at the Tate in London, which was followed by a triumphant exhibition at New Yorks Guggenheim Museum in October 1963.



Open a larger version of this image Francis Bacon, Three Studies for a Portrait of George Dyer, 1963. Estimate on Request. This work is offered in the Post-War and Contemporary Art Evening Sale on 17 May at Christies in New York

Bacon and Dyers first encounter is the stuff of art world legend, thanks to Bacons claim that he caught Dyer in the act of breaking into his Reece Mews studio  a myth perpetuated by the 1998 biopic film Love is the Devil. But the artist also told a less glamorous but much more plausible tale of meeting him during a night of drunken fun. Whichever the case, Bacon was instantly attracted to the handsome young man with the build of a Michelangelo figure and an air of latent violence. This was in the Autumn of 1963, when Bacon was almost 54 and Dyer was around 30. An intense friendship immediately sprung up between the two very different men, with Dyer becoming Bacons lover, muse and dependent throughout much of the 1960s and early 70s. Three Studies for a Portrait of George Dyer was painted within a couple of months of their first acquaintance, when Bacons passion for the younger man was at its most fervent. As a known masochist who had a predilection for rough trade, Bacon was drawn to Dyers underworld mystique and criminal past. He would soon discover, however, that behind Dyers immaculately-groomed yet somewhat menacing facade was a shy, kind-hearted man who made a hopeless career criminal. In fact, the man Bacon dubbed Sir George was a troubled, emotionally fraught character. Often pale, anxious and constantly smoking, Dyer frequently found himself crippled by a sense of insecurity and purposelessness. He devoted himself to Bacon and tried to convince himself that being a significant artists companion and subject of much-lauded paintings gave his life greater meaning. But as the decade wore on and the pairs dynamic began to unravel, Dyers drinking and despondency grew increasingly worse. Bacon became impatient with his neediness and Dyer became desperate  he attempted suicide on more than one occasion and framed the artist for cannabis possession, which led to a humiliating court case that centred on his unreliability as a witness. The intensity of their relationship became a source of both deep personal sadness and important artistic stimulation for Bacon, who chronicled Dyers perceived deficiencies in a masterful series of large stand-alone canvases, including George Dyer Riding a Bicycle, 1966 (Fondation Beyeler, Basel) and Portrait of George Dyer in a Mirror, 1968 (Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza, Madrid). Although Bacon tried to distance himself from Dyer on several occasions, the pair remained close. Dyer was invited to join Bacons entourage to Paris for the retrospective at the Grand Palais in 1971, but Bacon virtually ignored him on arrival. Unable to cope with the crowd of dignitaries and admirers that permanently surrounded Bacon there, Dyer went on an alcohol- and pill-fuelled bender. The next morning, he was found dead in their hotel room.

Three Studies for a Portrait of George Dyer is a masterful triptych, which exemplifies the dynamism and complex psychology that Francis Bacon is revered for
J. Patric Schneider/Freelance

International law firm Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer will move this summer to the 40th floor of the Bank of America Center in downtown Houston, according to the Houston Business Journal.

A building permit was filed with the city of Houston for a $2.2 million office remodel on the building's 40th floor.
Traumatic Facial Injuries Common in Nursing Home Residents, Study Finds

We ask nursing homes to care for our elderly loved ones specifically to keep them safe from injuries. Due to their age and the possibility of other ailments, nursing home injuries can severely impact an elderly person's health, wellbeing, and future care.

And while it would seem obvious for nursing homes to take special precautions to keep residents and patients from falling, a new study from the Journal of the American Medical Association suggests nursing homes aren't doing enough to prevent falls and that those falls can lead to a significant amount of traumatic facial injuries.

Nursing Home Injury Numbers

The study examined data from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System to get a total number of facial trauma incidents involving individuals older than 60. The number was then culled to nursing home residents, and partitioned by diagnosis, anatomical site, demographic data, and mechanism of the injury.

In total, researchers found 109,795 nursing home residents "who required emergency department care for facial trauma." Older women were especially vulnerable, sustaining a greater proportion of injuries as they got older. The two most common injuries listed in the study were lacerations (44.3 percent) and other soft-tissue injuries (41.8 percent). Fractures occurred in over 12 percent of the examined cases, with nasal and orbital bone fractures leading an ignominious list. Most common, nursing home patients were injured after coming into direct contact with structural housing elements or fixed furniture in the homes, and almost a quarter occurred while getting in and of bed.

Next Steps

Slip-and-fall injuries, while common, are referred to as a preventable "never event," meaning an obviously adverse medical even that can result in death or significant disability. There are 29 such events defined by the National Quality Forum, and among them is "Patient death or serious injury associated with a fall while being cared for in a health care setting." It is partly due to that preventability that the JAMA initiated the study, and in the end concluded:

Despite falls being considered a Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services preventable never event in hospitals, our analysis in the nursing home setting found more than 100,000 facial injuries during 5 years, suggesting these underappreciated injuries contribute substantially to health care expenditures. Although structural elements facilitated the greatest number of falls, transfer to and from bed remains a significant mechanism, suggesting an area for intervention.

If a loved one has suffered facial injuries in a nursing home, contact an experienced personal injury attorney today.

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Ouachita Parish Sheriff's Office

For most people, a brief rant on Yelp or a boycott would have been enough of a protest after a bad experience at a bookstore.

For Nelson Webb Lentz, that wouldn't do.
"In Darfur" is supposed to be about genocide in the Sudan. Its conflict of concern should involve rebel and military groups, and the tragedy at its heart should be the systematic killing of ethnic populations in 2004.

But halfway through Winter Miller's play about a white American journalist, an Argentinian-American aid worker and a Darfuri schoolteacher fighting for survival in Darfur, staged at the Landing Theatre through May 13, the drama unknowingly shifts to an altogether different plane. When Maryka (Leslie Lenert), the reporter, begins swilling whiskey with a new friend and they share a moment that just might turn the whole enterprise into a romantic comedy, the fight in "In Darfur" is no longer for humanitarian aid, but for a story.

Story, as protagonist Maryka knows, is everything. Who gets to tell? Who is it told to? Who gets to be the hero? Watching "In Darfur," you might be inclined to leave out Darfuris for all three questions. The play revolves around a well-meaning white American who wants to save the victims of genocide by publishing a front-page story, which would both incite international response and bolster her career.

She is rough around the edges.

More Information 'In Darfur' When: 8 p.m. Thursdays-Saturdays, 3 p.m. Sundays, through May 13 Where: Landing Theatre at the Docks, 1119 Providence Information: Pay what you can, suggested ticket $25; 562-502-7469, landingtheatre.org See More Collapse

The Dafuris aren't. They're perfectly sculpted. The men are villains who beat and rape and shout profanities. The women are statues, silent and angelic in the face of their own destruction. You weep for them, and when you're done you look away, back toward the center of action. When characters are written as smooth as this, interest bounces off of them like arrows.

Miller is clued in about this enough to include a few scenes talking about the problem with the story. Maryka debates with her editor on just how sexy a story about Darfuri struggle is to the affluent New York Times readership. Is Hawa, a victim of rape by the Sudanese government, a good enough leading character? The editor might bite, as long as Hawa speaks English, or, in other words, bears the marks of American relatability.

But what does Miller think of Hawa's viability as a leading woman?

Miller realizes that when it comes to journalists and aid workers, Western sympathy has its limits. But the problem with sympathy applies to theater, too. For all of Hawa's emotional speeches about life, motherhood and education, she's still standing offstage, invisibly waiting for the next scene of brutalization, while Maryka and Carlos, the aid worker (Manuel Abascal Jr.), make jokes and debate the Darfuri struggle.

Now, the Landing Theatre has, with the guidance of director Troy Scheid, painted an unforgettable picture that evokes unambiguous emotions, yet resists the temptation to simplify international issues. Maryka is not merely the wrongheaded, exploitative tourist of Darfuri struggle, nor only the heroic savior. Hawa, portrayed through a heartbreaking and powerful performance by Yemi Otulana, is not just a voiceless victim, nor just a symbol of decency and strength. Miller and Scheid, both white women, have thought about who controls the narrative and made a noticeable effort to shift the focus toward Darfur.

But try as it might, "In Darfur" cannot break itself out of the convention of the white savior. It was always Maryka's story and not Hawa's, the same way "The Help" was always Skeeter's and not Aibileen's, the same way "The Blind Side" was always Leigh Ann's and not Big Mike's. Miller tries, but she cannot do the impossible - she cannot escape herself.

Must compassion be guided by racial proximity? Maryka's editor, the no-nonsense Jan (Estee Burks), knows that even the Times' liberal readers won't be bothered by a tragedy in Africa unless there's a "relatable" figure to which they can attach their sympathy, who exhibits some kind of approximation of whiteness. Maryka struggles to get Jan to publish the story until she learns of the English-speaking teacher Hawa, a more ideal candidate for "news" than the other, non-English speaking men being executed and women being raped.

But I worry that theater audiences are the same way, that hidden deep inside "In Darfur" is the belief that no one can care about Hawa without a white woman helping to translate her story - that a first and foremost Darfuri story simply can't be sold to a mainstream American audience.

Scheid has said the language, costume and tone of the play is informed by research and interviews with Houston's Darfuri community, not to mention outreach and Q-and-A sessions in which audiences can hear from our neighbors who have lived this reality. She is trying to make the story not about her, the kind of self-questioning effort Maryka never made for herself.

Because when Maryka and Jan talk about what's going on in Darfur, Hawa is busy surviving. She does it offstage. I imagine, while the two New York Times people talk of the intersection of religion, race and government, making this all seem quite intellectual, Hawa scours the fields for food and water.

To Miller's credit, Hawa gets a few startlingly emotional monologues, and Scheid lets Otulana shine in these moments. That's more than can be said for "The Help" or "The Blind Side." If only that center of gravity moved even closer to Hawa, who decides that her life will be as a resident in Sudan, and not as a refugee in the U.S. She knows where her story is. Do we?
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Happy birthday, Renee Zellweger!

The Katy High school alumni who would eventually become an Academy Award-winning actress turns 48 today, April 25.

After Zellweger graduated from the University of Texas at Austin in 1991, the fledgling actress took an uncredited role in the cult classic, "Dazed And Confused" (with Matthew McConaughey). Zellweger also had a part in "Texas Chainsaw Massacare: The Next Generation" (also acting alongside Matthew McConaughey). After appearing a few films, Zellweger moved to Los Angeles, Calif.

Soon after in 1996, Renee Zellweger, the daughter of immigrant parents, made her landed her breakthrough role as Dorothy in the film, "Jerry Maguire."

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Despite being in shape and a native Texas, Zellweger mastered a British accent and gained weight for "Bridget Jones's Diary." The actress's ultra-relateable performance led her to her first Oscar nomination.

Then came "Chicago," the musical in which Zellweger razzled and dazzled as Roxie Hart. That performance earned her another Oscar nomination. Finally, Zellweger's role as Ruby Thewes in "Cold Mountain" alongside Jude Law and Nicole Kidman, finally earned her an Academy Award for her supporting role.

After a six year absence from the big screen, Zellweger most recently came back for the Bridget Jones threequel, "Bridget Jones's Baby" (2016), which received fairly favorable reviews.

Check out the photos above to revisit some of Zellweger's best looks from both the stage and red carpet. (And please, pop on "Bridget Jones's Diary." )
A former Pasadena man will spend 30 years in federal prison for his role in a narcotics trafficking ring that sent drugs from Mexico through Brownsville and into Florida, officials said Tuesday.

Oscar Sosa, 33, was convicted in October 2016 for conspiring to possess and possessing with intent to distribute more than six pounds of methamphetamine, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Texas said.
At least one person was transported to Memorial Hermann Southwest Hospital Wednesday after shots were fired at a southwest Houston apartment complex, police said.

Police headed to the complex in the 9300 block of Woodfair Drive around 11:40 a.m.
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A four-city FBI sweep targeted a Houston-based engineering firm and a slew of local government offices in Laredo with day-long raids in an investigation still shrouded in mystery.

Federal agents spent most of Wednesday combing through the Houston, Laredo, San Antonio and McAllen offices of Dannenbaum Engineering, the Bayou City-based firm headed by prolific political donor and former University of Texas System Regent James Dannenbaum.

The 77-year-old businessman, who was tied to a series of FBI raids in El Paso a decade ago, has a slew of ongoing contracts with Houston and Harris County.

As the flurry of FBI activity continued into Wednesday afternoon, Dannenbaum Engineering's attorney said the firm had no idea what sparked the searches.

"We are uncertain whether the inquiry is focused on the company's activities or those of its business competitors," attorney Joel Androphy said in the statement. "We intend to comment further when appropriate."

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Sometime Wednesday morning, agents took control of Dannenbaum Engineering's building at 3100 West Alabama and told employees to leave.

The FBI, aided by the Texas Department of Public Safety, similarly booted workers from the company's Embassy Oaks location in San Antonio and the West Nolana building in McAllen.

Meanwhile in Laredo, law enforcement raided City Hall, the City Hall Annex, the Public Works Department, offices of Webb County Precinct 4 Commissioner Jaime Canales and Dannenbaum's McPherson Road location, where agents removed the building's front door.

None of the raids netted any arrests by late Wednesday afternoon, and authorities did not release any information about what sparked the statewide federal scrutiny.

"Once we're completed, I expect the business will go on as normal," FBI spokeswoman Shauna Dunlap said.

Dannenbaum is one of the most prolific engineering firms in Houston and does extensive work with local government agencies, according to Jeff Nielsen, executive vice president of the Houston Contractors Association.

"Dannenbaum has been a very reputable and well-regarded engineering firm," Nielsen said.

The company has engineered storm sewer drainage projects for subdivisions across Harris County and has consulted on local flood prevention efforts.

Dannenbaum won a $3 million terminal redevelopment contract for the Port of Houston in 2011, and in 2012, a former Dannenbaum CEO became executive director of the port.

The firm has also engineered bridges, pumping stations and airport facilities, and in 2014 won a contract to renovate the AT&T building in Pasadena. City officials dropped that contract in 2017 after FEMA funding for the renovation, associated with Hurricane Ike damage, never materialized.

Dannenbaum has received more than $3.5 million from the city of Houston for work since 2010, and has five current contracts with the city.

Harris County engineer John Blount said that the county also has multiple active contracts with Dannenbaum, but he could not offer specifics.

Harris County Toll Road Authority officials said they were working on reviewing their contracts with Dannenbaum in response to media inquiries, but could not provide details Wednesday.

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The Houston engineer has been a longtime player in state politics, and has served on the Board of Visitors of MD Anderson Cancer Center and the UT Houston Medical School Development Board.

Nielsen described Dannenbaum as "a leader in the engineering community" who is well-connected in business circles.

The fifth-generation Texan has also consistently offered financial support for mostly Republican political causes, pumping hundreds of thousands of dollars into political races across the state during 2016 alone.

In 2007, he was appointed to a six-year term on the University of Texas System Board of Regents.

At the time, the move by Gov. Rick Perry sparked some controversy in light of the engineering firm's business dealings, questions surrounding a multimillion-dollar bridge project and an FBI corruption probe in El Paso County.

Just months before Dannenbaum's appointment to the UT Regents was announced, federal agents in El Paso County raided the homes and offices of public officials who had been associated with Dannenbaum and his firm. Two of those officials - a county judge and commissioner - had accepted contributions from Dannenbaum earlier in the year.

The investigation was focused on possible bribes disguised as campaign contributions, but neither Dannenbaum nor his company were charged.

The firm was also embroiled in scandal over a bridge planned to span the Port of Brownsville to Matamoros, Mexico.

Dannenbaum was hired for engineering and spent $15 million without ever building the bridge, which sparked lawsuits on both sides.

County officials in Brownsville seized about $1 million from the Dannenbaum company there, and the firm was eventually cleared of wrongdoing.

More recently, Dannenbaum has been mired in controversy in Laredo, where Mayor Pete Saenz contested a $1-million-plus contract awarded to Dannenbaum in 2014.

Saenz said the city picked the firm without posting a request for other proposals in a water line project.

The mayor sought to overturn the city council's contract decision, but council members overruled his veto and instead agreed to have an internal auditor review engineering and architectural contract awards over a five-year period.

Dannenbaum Engineering currently has offices in Austin, Dallas, El Paso, Fort Worth, as well as the locations targeted in Wednesday's raids.

Mihir Zaveri, Mike Morris and the Laredo Morning Times contributed to this report.
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Chancellor John Sharp urged Texas A&M University System regents to delay a vote that would extend his contract in a letter sent Wednesday.

Regents had planned to vote on extending his contract at their meeting Thursday. Sharp asked that regents put the vote off until Tim Leach, a Midland businessman and Gov. Greg Abbott's newest regent nominee, is approved to the board.

"I am asking you to not consider my contract extension until the August board meeting to allow our new regent to participate," he said in a letter to the board chairman.

His request to delay the vote sought to eliminate rumors that the vote was rushed to keep Leach from voting, he said.

Sharp joined the system in 2011, and his contract was extended four years later to expire in 2020. He is paid an annual base salary of $900,000 with additional compensation from bonuses.

John Sharp Contract by Lindsay on Scribd

The Texas Tribune reported that the measure  which would extend the contract into 2023  would likely pass. Five regents told that outlet that they approved extending his contract.

Gov. Greg Abbott, who appoints Texas A&M's regents, has praised Sharp's work in recruiting research scholars to College Station. Enrollment at the system's flagship has climbed to more than 66,000 from about 49,00 in fall 2011.

Scroll through the gallery above to see the top paid executives at public universities in Texas
19-year-old Mariano Romero on Wednesday received a check for $100,000 from chicken finger chain, Raising Cane's.

He successfully collected all five game pieces in the restaurateur's 2017 Peel The Love game, spelling out the word, Canes. Romero told the Houston Chronicle his girlfriend helped with the effort: "It was more of a co-op with her."

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What will he do with the money? "Invest it and make it grow."

During a celebration where he won the contest - Raising Cane's store at 5326 South Rice in Houston - he walked through a line of cheering employees. Speaking to Raising Cane's founder and CEO Todd Graves via an online device, Romero said he'd like to use the money to get into the food business himself.

The Peel the Love game kicked off Jan. 4 with game pieces on drink cups.

"The Peel the Love Game is our way of saying 'thank you' to Caniacs all across the country for their loyalty over the years," said Graves, who founded the company in Baton Rouge, La. in 1996., in a news release. "I'm thrilled to give Mariano one hundred thousand thank-yous."
Port Houston handled nearly 10 million tons of cargo during the first quarter, up 11 percent from the same period last year.

Port Houston Executive Director Roger Guenther also announced Tuesday during the Port Commission meeting that it handled 607,000 TEUs, which is a standard industry measurement referring to the equivalent of 20-foot containers. That's up 18 percent from the same period last year.
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The FBI carried out searches across the state Wednesday as part of a public corruption probe centered on Laredo and Webb County.

The investigation appears to focus on Dannembaum Engineering, a firm with offices in several Texas cities that has taken on high-profile contracts Laredo.

The buildings searched included Laredo City Hall, the City Hall Annex, the Public Works Department, the offices of Webb County Precinct 4 Commissioner Jaime Canales and the offices of Dannenbaum Engineering in Laredo, San Antonio, Houston and McAllen. The front door to the Dannenbaum Engineering office on McPherson Road in Laredo had been removed by the FBI.

FBI spokeswoman Michelle Lee confirmed that agents were present at the offices of Dannenbaum Engineering in Laredo and in San Antonio, as well as the City of Laredo offices. She also confirmed that that Webb County Precinct 4 Commissioner Jaime Canales's offices were the only commissioners' offices where agents were present.

Lee said she was sharing the information so the public would know what areas are being affected by the FBI's presence, but couldn't discuss the investigation. No one has been arrested, she said.

"While we can't discuss the nature of the work we are doing, there is no public safety threat at the locations where we are present," Lee wrote in an email. "The public buildings in the Laredo area were not being evacuated as some concerned citizens may have reported; rather, employees working in certain areas were asked to leave."

Canales could not be reached for comment.

In an emailed statement, Dannenbaum Engineering's Houston lawyer Joel Androphy said: "Dannenbaum Engineering, one of the state's premier firms for infrastructure planning and design, is cooperating with federal authorities regarding government requests for information. Company management is investigating the basis of the government requests. We are uncertain whether the inquiry is focused on the company's activities or those of its business competitors. We intend to comment further when appropriate."

No employees were at the engineering firm's office in Laredo as of late Wednesday morning. Phone calls to the firm's offices in San Antonio and Houston went unanswered.

As of early Wednesday afternoon, the FBI was also at the Webb County building that houses the engineering department.

READ MORE: Wife of Melendez drug ring leader sentenced to more than 20 years in prison

Blasita Lopez, acting City of Laredo spokeswoman, said City Manager Jesus Olivares, who took a flight to Washington, D.C. on Wednesday morning, decided to close the three city buildings in addition to the city's Utilities Department. She said that at city hall, the FBI asked employees to step away from their work stations.

Some employees have stayed in the building while others were sent home, Lopez said.

A Webb County spokesman said in a release that the auditor's office, engineering office, I.T. department and Precinct 4 Office have all been closed until further notice.

Standing outside the Courthouse, Webb County Commissioner John Galo said the raids did not surprise him.

MORE FROM LMT: Laredo-area high school among nation's best

"Corruption in Webb County has been going on for too long," he said.

Dannenbaum contracts

In August 2013, Webb County commissioners voted to award Dannenbaum Engineering a $2.4 million contract for the Loop 20 Stimulus Extension Project from east of International Boulevard to U.S. 59. That project is still under construction. Commissioners also approved an advanced funding agreement resolution between the Texas Department of Transportation and Webb County for a maximum amount of $3.5 million.

In December 2014, Laredo Mayor Pete Saenz contested a $1 million-plus contract that City Council awarded to Dannenbaum Engineering.

He said the city selected the firm without posting a request for others to submit their proposals for the design of a 24-inch water line from El Pico/Mines Road connection to Hachar Loop northern boundary line.

Saenz tried exercising his veto power to rescind the prior City Council action to award the contract to Dannenbaum. But a majority of council members voted to overrule his veto.

Council members agreed, however, to direct the internal auditor to prepare a report concerning contracts awarded to engineering/architectural firms over the past five years.

This story will be updated as more information become available.

San Antonio Express-News staff writer Jason Buch contributed to this report.
Can My Employer Limit My Bathroom Breaks?

Thanks to the internet and those blessed meme things, many employees live by the meme-philosophy: Boss makes a dollar, I make a dime, that's why I poop on company time. However, under the law, employers are legally allowed to restrict bathroom breaks, at least, within reason.

Generally, reasonable restrictions will not prohibit employees from using the restroom when the need arises. However, in production, or client facing industries, employers may require an employee to wait for a co-worker to relieve their position before taking a bathroom break. Additionally, if an employee has a medical condition that necessitates frequent bathroom breaks, employers may need to be flexible as frequent bathroom breaks is an easily achievable reasonable accommodation in nearly all situations.

Giving Bathroom Restrictions the Business

While there is no federal law that specifies the number or length of bathroom breaks an employer must provide, restricting bathroom use unreasonably can lead to lawsuits and even all-out labor disputes with picketers and media. OSHA does provide rules that require employers to provide employee restrooms, and allow employees access to those restrooms.

Generally, unreasonable restrictions on bathroom usage will be viewed as a violation of an employee's rights because it subjects employees to detrimental effects to their health, including urinary tract and bladder infections, kidney stones, and other ailments. Furthermore, depending on a company's policy, restrictions on the length of bathroom usage may also have a discriminatory impact on women, or aging individuals, who sometimes need a little extra time in the restroom.

What's Reasonable?

What is considered reasonable will vary from job to job, and likely depend on state law as well. If an employee's bathroom usage interferes with their ability to do their job, or with the production line, or client services, then the law may not protect that employee.

Alternatively, if an employee needs to use the restroom, an employer should not have a policy that denies that employee the ability to do so. Even where an employee has an essential job, such as on a production line, an employer may be required to provide prompt and temporary relief of duties for the employee.

Does an Employer Have to Pay for Bathroom Breaks?

Generally, under the Fair Labor Standards Act, short breaks between 5 to 20 minutes are considered mutually beneficial for employer and employee, and as such, should be paid. However, if the breaks extend beyond 20 minutes, an employer can refuse to pay for that time.

Related Resources:
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Texas senators entered the polarizing discussion on campus free speech in a higher education committee hearing on Wednesday.

Sen. Dawn Buckingham, a Lakeway Republican, introduced legislation that forbids universities and colleges from punishing students for engaging in expressive activities and requires these schools to adopt a policy outlining students right to assemble, protest and circulate petitions.

The bill, she said, seeks to more clearly define what is permitted on college campuses in an effort to protect students' rights. It serves to remind schools of free speech guarantees set out by federal and state law, she said.

LOST CAUSE: University of Texas to leave Confederate statues in place, for now

Universities across the state and nation have grappled with how to balance the right to free speech and student calls for sensitivity amid controversial speakers and inflammatory fliers on campuses. Students have called for more restrictive speech policies and urged their schools to cancel events, arguing that this expression promotes discomfort and feelings of alienation, particularly among minority students.

The debate brought President Donald Trump into the fold in February as he criticized the University of California at Berkeley after riots required the school to cancel an appearance by a far-right writer. If U.C. Berkeley does not allow free speech and practices violence on innocent people with a different point of view  NO FEDERAL FUNDS? he wrote on Twitter.

In Texas, sharp outcry followed the announcement that white supremacist Richard Spencer would speak at Texas A&M University in College Station last year. More than 10,000 people signed a petition asking the university to cancel the event after Spencer evoked Nazi salutes at a high-profile speech in the nations capitol.

EXTENSION POSSIBLE: Texas A&M weighing new deal for school's chancellor

The university stood firm: Leaders said that they found Spencers views reprehensible and did not invite him to campus, but they said they had no power to block him from speaking on campus. Since then, it has amended its speaker policy to require outside speakers to be sponsored by recognized Texas A&M student organizations, the Associated Press reported.

And universities across the state have seen white nationalist, anti-Muslim and anti-immigrant posters on campuses since Trumps election in November. Administrators at Rice University and the University of Texas at Austin cited campus policy as they removed those leaflets, saying that the posters were put up in restricted places.

Buckingham acknowledged that her bill largely reinforced the First Amendment and the Texas Constitution.

Sen. Larry Taylor, a Friendswood Republican, said the bill would allow lawmakers to take a stand against student intimidation that he said discourages conservative voices. If you have one group so forceful that they dont allow another group to express their opinions, weve lost a battle.

An initial version of the bill forbid university employees from dis-inviting campus speakers at the request of students. That provision was struck in the committee substitute, which Buckingham said was created after input from universities.

Scroll through the gallery above to see Texs A&M students protesting white supremacist Richard Spencer
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Passengers of a United Airlines flight got a free night's stay in Costa Rica after a presumably terrifying ordeal in the air.

United Flight 1516 set off from Costa Rice to Houston on Monday, but was forced to turn around after the plane suffered some sort of issue. possibly an engine failure.

"Flight 1516, traveling from Liberia, Costa Rica to Houston, returned to Liberia due to a maintenance issue," a statement read.

Desert News writer Jody Genessy was on that plane and said his fellow passengers feared for their lives when a wind sheer struck the craft as it was landing.

DIFFERENT TALE: Aviation officer gives his version of United flight removal

"It tipped one way and people on that side said the wing almost hit (the ground) and we were going hundreds of miles per hour at that point, Genessy said in a Facebook video. 'We all thought we were going to crash. We all thought we were going to die."

After it was all said and done, United offered the passengers a free night stay in a Costa Rica hotel and a $10 dinner voucher.

"The plane landed safely and a new aircraft is being sent to take customers to Houston," the statement read. "We apologize to all customers on board for their experience and will be providing compensation for the inconvenience."

(h/t Daily Mail)
Zachary Bell/Commander, Littoral Combat Ship

Chief Gunner's Mate Adan Macias, assigned to Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) Crew 204, embraces his son during a homecoming celebration at San Diego International Airport. LCS Crew 204 deployed in June 2016 aboard USS Coronado (LCS 4) for the ship's maiden overseas deployment in support of operations with regional navies in the 7th Fleet Area of Responsibility. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Zachary Bell)
According to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) autism is prevalent in 1 out of every 68 children in the United States. With that number getting smaller throughout the years, and with diagnoses usually occurring between ages 2 and 3, it is important for Houstonian parents to know what resources are available should their children show signs.

One such place that parents can take their children is the Houston Autism Center (HAC), located at 5246 Dow Road, Houston, TX 77040.

Dr. Jorge Carrillo, clinical director and educator at HAC founded the center 15 years ago after the birth of his son, who was diagnosed with autism.

"This project is a non-for-profit effort, and it was inspired by the birth of my beautiful son, now 16 years old, who was diagnosed with autism at the age of three years. At that time, we did not know what to do after the diagnosis," Carrillo said.

Carrillo noted that the HAC was founded in an effort to meet the needs of children affected by the autism diagnosis, as well as the parents in need of guidance and direction about how to best help their children to reach their maximum capabilities.

Carrillo and his wife are both clinical psychologists, and were both disappointed by schools and pediatricians reactions.

"We were certainly in the dark, as were all the doctors attending to him. Not only in the dark, but also afflicted by the most intense pain seeing how he was losing all of his previous skills, to the point that he became non verbal and lost all social skills, starting with eye contact," Carrillo said.

As heartbroken as they were, they refused to believe that autism was a "condition without return."

Since then, Carrillo dedicates his life to learn and travel the world in search of alternatives, including approaches in both biology and the medical fields.

"Contacts with brilliant scientists and practitioners, as well as with hundreds of children with autism led us to build skills to offer to children and parents alike. With that purpose in mind, the HAC was born. We have many dreams, but we manage to do our best with the resources that we get," Carrillo said.

HAC offers a range of services, including diagnostic/assessment procedures, guidance after the diagnosis, biomedical counseling and group therapy including ages from 2 years to 47 years of age. There is also speech and physical therapy, and recreational services.

"Our groups include boys and girls in the spectrum, and our goal is to help them to connect with people and be themselves. One key aspect of intervention is nutritional and life style modifications, on an individual basis," Carrillo said.

Although small right now, in the future, HAC hopes to expand by build a state-of-the-art facility on a 20 plus acre campus.

When Carrillo was going through his doctoral program 25 years ago, he noted that autism was then estimated to be in one out of 1,000 children.

"Better diagnosis now accounts for the small percentage," Carrillo explained. "There is not a bio-medical test for autism, like a blood test. Some research points at some brain anomalies and to some chromosomal abnormalities, but the diagnosis is always performed in terms of behavioral factors, like lack of eye contact, stereotyped activity (like flapping of hands), communication problems, sensory abnormalities and lack of imaginary play, among others."

Carrillo suggests that if parents suspect that their child has autism, they should consult with a pediatrician or a psychologist. Diagnosis usually involves a team of professionals, like psychologists, speech pathologists and pediatricians.

"Children with autism do show remarkable progress with intervention. Some are able to speak, and some don't. But they are very smart children, and I don't believe that current IQ tests really tap into their potential," Carrillo said.

"Becoming more educated about autism is, perhaps, one of the best ways to support autism. It behooves us all to find the causes and speak loud about it, because as it is now, it is estimated that in 20 years 40 percent of the children may be born with autism," Carrillo said.

April is Autism Awareness Month. For more information on autism, visit www.autism-society.org or www.autismspeaks.org. For more information about HAC, visit www.houstonautismcenter.com or call 713-939-1229.
April 15

At 12:54 AM, an officer was dispatched to the 3900 block to a burglary of a motor vehicle that just occurred.

At 2:51 am, an Officer observed a suspicious vehicle, bearing a temporary license plate, traveling northbound in the 6300 block of Wakeforest. The Police Officer attempted to follow the vehicle to do a TCIC / NCIC check of the temporary license plate, but the vehicle began to evade. The Police Officer lost view of the suspicious vehicle while in the city of Houston museum district.

At 5:16 pm, an officer was dispatched to the West U PD Lobby, in regards to a burglary of a motor vehicle that already occurred.

An officer stopped a vehicle in the 2500 block of Robinhood for a traffic violation. The driver was found to have an open warrant with the Harris County Sheriff's Office for DWI. The driver was arrested for the warrant and transported to the Harris County Jail.

April 16

At 4:22 pm, an officer was dispatched to the West U PD Lobby in reference to a theft that had already occurred at the West University Place Recreational Center on 4/15/17.

April 17

An officer observed a burglary of a motor vehicle in progress in the 4000 block of Villanova. The officer followed the suspects while waiting for back up to arrive. The vehicle was stopped in the 3900 block of Law and four suspects were taken into custody.

At 12:16 pm, an officer was dispatched to the West U PD Lobby in regard to a walk in report of a theft.

April 18

An officer was dispatched to the 4100 block of Emory in reference to a burglary of a building.

An officer was dispatched to a residence in the 3100 block of University regarding an incident of Telephone Harassment.

April 19

At 9:55 a.m., an officer was dispatched to the 2700 block of Werlein to see the complainant in regard to a stolen bicycle.

At 11:30 a.m., an officer observed a vehicle traveling southbound in the 6400 block of Buffalo Speedway, bearing an expired temporary registration tag and inoperable right brake light. Contact was made with the driver, and after providing a Texas identification card, he was taken into custody for driving while license invalid. The driver was unable to provide proof of financial responsibility.

At 6:22 pm, an Officer was dispatched to the 4200 block of Rice, in reference to a Failure to stop and give information call, which had already occurred.

April 20

An Officer observed a vehicle traveling southbound at a high rate of speed. The officer initiated a traffic stop and upon further investigation, it was discovered the driver had multiple outstanding warrants and possession of controlled substances. The driver was subsequently arrested for the warrants and PCS.

April 21

Officers were dispatched to a burglary of a motor vehicle that just occurred in the 4100 block of Sunset. As officers were responding, another officer working plain clothes bicycle patrol observed a reckless driver near 5600 College. The suspects observed the plain clothes officer watching them and fled in their vehicle southbound on Mercer. A Southside Place PD officer was also nearby and was able to stop the suspects. The suspects were found to be in possession of stolen items from the original burglary motor vehicle report in the 4100 block of Sunset. The suspects were arrested and charged with felon in possession of firearm and burglary motor vehicle.
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A new survey out by Rasmussen Reports says Americans are largely in favor of classifying the gang MS-13 as a terrorist organization.

Following a series of murders in Long Island, New York in mid-April, thought to be at the hands of the Los Angeles-born gang, Attorney General Jeff Sessions called for MS-13 to be labelled a terrorist group.

"We will confirm the manner in which they were killed is consistent with the modus operandi of MS-13," Suffolk Police Commissioner Timothy Sini said at a news conference the next day. "We are clearly looking into that possibility although we have not ruled out other possibilities at this point."

UNHOLY ALLIANCE: How the MS-13 joined up with powerful Mexican cartels

The four young men were found beaten and killed with a sharp object at the Recreation Village Town Park in Central Islip April 12, the New York Times reported.

(Story continues below.)





Of the people surveyed by Rasmussen, 47 percent favor legislation designating MS-13 a terrorist organization, with only 17 percent opposing the proposal. Thirty five percent of the respondents were undecided.

The 1,000 likely voters surveyed were asked, "A proposal has been made to designate the nationwide MS-13 criminal gang a terrorist organization. Do you favor or oppose such a designation?" The survey has a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points with a 95 percent level of confidence, Rasmussen said.

Rasmussen Reports was founded in 2002 and was reported by Slate Magazine and The Wall Street Journal as one of the most accurate polling firms for the 2004 United States presidential election.

The gang began as the Mara Salvatrucha in the Pico-Union neighborhood of LA by Salvadorian immigrants who fled to the United States during the Central American civil wars in the 1980s.

The gang has incited violence in Central America and the U.S. since its inception and deals in human trafficking, child prostitution and drug smuggling.
The 9th Court of Appeals in Beaumont has accelerated an appeal by the state of Texas regarding a district court judge's ruling that resulted in the dismissal of charges against two Montgomery County elected officials and a political consultant.

On April 5, 329th state District Court Judge Randy Clapp, of Wharton County, ruled section 551.143 of the act is unconstitutional because it is vague, overbroad and violates free speech. With his ruling, Clapp, who was acting as visiting judge in the 221st state District Court in Montgomery County, dismissed charges of conspiring to circumvent the act against County Judge Craig Doyal, Precinct 2 Commissioner Charlie Riley and political consultant Marc Davenport.

MORE ON THE RULING: Part of open meetings act ruled unconstitutional

The indictments stemmed from communications in August 2015 regarding a $280 million road bond to be placed on the November 2015 ballot. Voters overwhelmingly approved the bond package.

"In an accelerated appeal, (the court is) putting everyone on notice, 'Look, we are speeding everything up," said special prosecutor Chris Downey, who confirmed to The Courier April 19 that he filed a notice to appeal the ruling that a statute in the Texas Open Meetings Act is unconstitutional. "In other words, 'Get cracking now.'"

Houston-based attorney Rusty Hardin, who is representing Doyal, had little to say Wednesday about the appeals court's decision to expedite the case.

"We are glad they did it because (Doyal) is an elected official, and the sooner they get this over with the better," Hardin said.

Downey said the state will have about 30 days to file its brief regarding the appeal. The defense then will have the same time frame to file its briefs. After that, Downey expects the court to determine whether it will hear oral arguments in the case.

"I would think in a case like this, the court would want to hear oral arguments," he said.

If the appeals court rules against Clapp, the indictments of the three would be reinstated and the case would go back into trial status, Downey previously said. However, if the appeals court upholds Clapp's decision, the issue involving the statute then would go to the Criminal Court of Appeals in Austin, followed by the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans and ultimately could wind up in front of the U.S Supreme Court.

Former 9th state District Court Judge Kelly Case, in September 2015, appointed Downey as special prosecutor after District Attorney Brett Ligon recused his office due to several conflicts. Judge Lisa Michalk, of the 221st state District Court, also recused herself, reportedly claiming a conflict based on the fact that her court receives funding from the county and Commissioners Court oversees the county budget. That opened the door for Administrative Judge Olen Underwood to appoint Clapp.

Ninth Court of Appeals Justice Charles Kreger also reportedly recused himself from the appeal, as he did for a previous appeal by Davenport that later was dropped. That leaves Justices Steve McKeithen, Leanne Johnson and Hollis Horton to hear the appeal.

Precinct 4 Commissioner Jim Clark also was indicted along with Doyal, Riley and Davenport on the same charge. However, in March, Clark agreed to pretrial diversion to have his case dismissed if he testified for the state against the other defendants.

E. Tay Bond, who is representing Clark, said Clark's trial was reset to the first part of December. Bond said Clark's agreement would be effective if Clapp's decision is overturned and the indictments for Doyal, Riley and Davenport reinstated. If Clapp's decision is upheld, Bond said it is likely Downey would dismiss Clark's case as well.
Few on Allston Street knew much about Mary Cerruti when she quietly vanished. But she left behind her own self-portrait in dozens of annotated photographs, developed at Walgreens.

Whether Cerruti intended for others to see them is anyone's guess. A realtor bought her Houston Heights home at a foreclosure auction in late 2015. Then he offered everything inside - trash, he called it - for sale.

Shocked that a missing person's belongings could be sold, neighbor Elizabeth Stein went to see what she might save. She found the photos, which the realtor said she could take. Stein figured she could give them to Cerruti when she returned.

RELATED: Bones found in wall of Heights home of woman who disappeared in 2015

"Little did I know," Stein said.

On March 4, 2017, tenants moving into Cerruti's renovated, cleaned-out house found bones in the wall. She had been missing for two years. A pair of eyeglasses, like the ones she wore, were found nearby.

Officials have sent at least one of the discovered teeth to the University of North Texas for DNA analysis, but it could be months before they have results. The process is time consuming, and the lab has a backlog. Cause of death also remains pending.The collection of photos, which Stein gave to another concerned neighbor, don't crack the case. Instead, they offer a glimpse at the woman's life in the years before she became an unlikely neighborhood activist, taking on the developer building apartments all around her, and then disappeared.

RELATED: Mysterious bones, a missing woman and the ordinary life she lived

Printed in 2013 and 2014, the images focus on two topics: her cats, who brought her joy at home, and the gentrification of her neighborhood, which infuriated her.

"This is what's left of her, how she felt about the development being built around her," said Roxanne Davis, who held on to the photos. "I wonder what didn't get found, what got thrown away?"

A photograph of a yellow house, surrounded by a chain-link fence and hidden behind much greenery, sets the stage. "My little castle at 610," reads a note on the back.

Read more of Mary's commentary on the change of her Heights neighborhood and our full coverage of the mystery on our subscriber website, HoustonChronicle.com/Bones.
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 sheriff's deputies.

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 Atascocita Road.

According to the criminal complaint against him filed last week, David Lee Edds' name was linked to the slaying from the beginning. His driver's license was found at the spot where Guillotte's 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.

A second look in 2014

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 bellman and clothing store clerk.

Harris County sheriff's 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 sheriff's officials said was "exhaustive work" on the part of homicide investigators. It lay dormant until 2014 when detectives with the sheriff's Cold Case Unit reviewed the files and were able to link evidence found at the scene directly to Edds, authorities said Monday.

According to the criminal complaint against him filed last week, Edds' name was linked to the slaying from the very beginning. His driver's license was found at the spot where Guillotte's body was discovered. It was apparently not enough evidence to file charges against him at the time.

Edds had an extensive criminal record in the years after Guillotte's slaying. 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.

Denied any involvement

Harris County medical examiners took oral, anal and penile smears of Guillotte during the autopsy. Following the case's 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 driver's 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 sheriff's 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.
Among the education reforms badly needed in Myanmars long-neglected school system is a policy that enshrines federalism, members of the National Network for Education Reform  an NGO  said during an April 20 meeting in Kayin (Karen) State.

Dr Thein Lwin said the current education system is very centralized and does not allow for much state individualization.

Myanmars education is poor. It needs to be uplifted and reformed. I want to urge teachers, students and parents from all areas to cooperate with us and lend their manpower and advice. I want to urge the government as well, he said.

He added that educational reforms must include policy that reflects the needs of local residents. He urged CSOs, members of the public and education experts to contribute their thoughts on the redrafting of the education systems blueprint.

A curriculum for the Karen area needs to teach local culture, history and customs, Dr Thein Lwin said. It should be taught in a three-language system that is based on the mother tongue, Karen, but also teaches Burmese, and English.

Over 70 representatives from various CSOs, political parties, monastic schools, student unions and private schools attended the recent discussion in Hpa-an led by the NNER and the Karen Civil Society Organization (KSCN), a civil society umbrella group made up of 70 organizations.

An autonomous education system needs to be free from centralization. It must be an education system based on ethnic literature, traditions and culture. It is a system where the ethnic leader makes the decision and joins hands with the public. Thats why this discussion needs to have a common voice. We, the KSCN, will meet regularly with the Karen State government to lobby for this [process], Sa Shine from the KSCN told KIC News.



Translated by Thida Linn

Edited by Laignee Barron
Sabine County Sheriff's Office arrested a 23-year-old woman Saturday in connection with allegations from Protective Child Services that her baby tested positive for meth.

Hemphill resident Chrissy Dynell Bumstead was arrested by deputies and faces a felony count of endangering a child charge after her baby, who was less than a month old at the time, tested positive for methamphetamine on March 14, according to KTRE. Story continues below.
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.
Nay Min Aung, has been receiving death threats and intimidating messages via Facebook since 10 April 2017. The threats began after he published an article on 10 April about the arrest of activists allegedly connected to the Arakan Army (AA), which he described as a rebel group. The AA is an armed ethnic organization, based in Kachin State butalso operating in Rakhine State, which regularly clashes with the Myanmar military. It rejects being labelled as a rebel group. One message reads Attention Min Min, we know where you are. We can terminate your life anytime. Take care. Min Min has reported the threats to the Sittwe township police station and has requested a meeting with senior members of the Rakhine State government. However, to date no action has been taken, either to ensure his safety or to identify the perpetrators.

Min Min is the founder and Chief Editor of Root Investigative Agency (RiA), a collective of journalists established in 2015 to report on current affairs in Rakhine State. The organization covers a range of sensitive subjects, including allegations of corruption among local officials, the drug trade, nationalist groups and armed conflict.

This is not the first time Min Min has been targeted in connection with his journalistic activities. On 10 March 2016, a small bomb exploded at his home in Sittwe, the Rakhine State capital. No one was injured, as Min Min and his family were travelling at the time, however the blast damaged the walls of his house. The attack followed a series of online threats against Min Min, some of which accused him of being a traitor" for reporting about hard-line nationalist groups in Rakhine State, offered a cash reward for his murder and identified the location of his home.

Despite a police investigation in to the attack, to date no one has been arrested or held to account.
Chicago's Department of Aviation finally replied to the LA Times's Freedom of Information request for the police report on the public beating Chicago airport cops dealt to Dr David Dao when United Airlines decided to give his confirmed, paid seat to a crewmember and ordered him to vacate it.

The cops' account of the beating blames Dao, fabricating a series of acts that he allegedly committed that warranted their excessive force, none of which are on the video record.

Chicago airport cops are notoriously dirty  it's a way-station for disgraced ex-cops, including one actual, no-fooling Guantanamo torturer.

Officers at first asked Dao to leave the plane to make room for United crew members. He refused, the report said, and all hell broke loose. One of the officers said he tried to pull the man out of his seat with the assistance of two other officers. "The subject started swinging his arms up and down with a closed fist," one of the officers said in a report. Another officer grabbed the man, but he "started flailing and fighting," the report says. Next, according to the police report, Dao pushed away an officer's arm. This "caused the subject to fall, hit, and injure his mouth on the armrest on the other side of the aisle." Another officer corroborated that account. None of this is visible on the videos that passengers posted online. The videos show some type of skirmish and then an officer dragging the bloody man out of the plane to the backdrop of a passenger screaming about the ordeal. One video shows Dao saying, "No I'm not going. I am not going." An officer responds, "Well, we'll have to drag you."



Police story differs from videos of man dragged from United flight

[David Kravets/Ars Technica]
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All-Conference WEC teams The All-Conference teams for the War Eagle Conference have been announced with multiple MMCRU and South OBrien volleyball players making...

Crane signs off, for now I miss my ol' buddy, sportscaster Keith Crane on the sidelines. I miss his friendly smile, his dedication to his...

Raptors end season in regional finals CHEROKEE - The Ridge View volleyball team faced Hinton in Cherokee last Wednesday for the Class 2A Region 2 championship...


Brainiac was a fantastic experimental indie band that emerged from the 1990s Dayton, Ohio music scene that gave us Guided by Voices, The Breeders, and other great post-punk, no wave, and noise pop groups. Growing up in Cincinnati, Ohio, I caught many of Brainiac's crazed live shows in the area. (Bassist Juan Monasterio went to fashion design school with my wife Kelly and after we moved to San Francisco, the band stayed at her apartment when they came though the Bay Area.) Their stars rising fast, Brainiac released two LPs on Grass/BMG before signing with Touch and Go Records and collaborating with the likes of Steve Albini, Kim Deal and Jim O'Rourke. Then on May 23, 1997, with their major label debut set for Interscope Records, charismatic frontman Timmy Taylor was killed in a car crash near his home. He was 28. Now, filmmaker Eric Mahoney is telling the Brainiac story through a new documentary. Please support it on Kickstarter.

This film will explore the 90's Dayton music scene, Brainiac's legacy and how people survive and cope with the loss of loved ones. Over the past 20 years Brainiac has been cited as a massive influence on the likes of Nine Inch Nails, The Mars Volta, Death Cab For Cutie and countless others. You'll hear from the band, family members, fellow musicians and label heads.



Steve Albini, Wayne Coyne, Buzz Osbourne, Cedric Bixler, David Yow, Eli Janney, Fred Armisen, Jim O'Rourke, Gregg Foreman, John Schmersal, Juan Monasterio, Tyler Trent, Michelle Bodine, Linda Taylor And Many More



Brainiac Documentary (Kickstarter, thanks UPSO!)
















Fundatia de Binefacere Caritas Moldova solicita oferte de pret de la companii cu privire la productia de materiale de vizibilitate
Most people on Earth have already felt extreme and record heat, drought or downpours goosed by man-made global warming, new research finds.

In a first-of-its-kind study, scientists analyzed weather stations worldwide and calculated that in 85 percent of the cases, the record for hottest day of the year had the fingerprints of climate change. Heat-trapping gases from the burning of coal, oil and natural gas made those records more likely or more intense.

The world is not quite at the point where every hot temperature record has a human fingerprint, but its getting close to that, said lead author and Stanford University climate scientist Noah Diffenbaugh.

Climate changes influence was spotted 57 percent of the time in records for lowest rainfall in a year and 41 percent of the time in records for most rain in a 5-day period, according to the study in Mondays Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

For the last several years, researchers have come up with a generally accepted scientific technique to determine whether an individual weather extreme event was made more likely or stronger because of climate change. It usually involves past weather data and extensive computer models that simulate how often an event would happen with no warming from greenhouse gases and compare that to how often it does happen.

Outside scientists said what makes Diffenbaughs study different and useful is that he doesnt look at an individual event such as Californias five-year drought. Instead, he applies the technique to weather stations as a whole across the world, said Columbia University climate scientist Adam Sobel, who wasnt part of new work.

This is a step forward in that it allows general statements about what fraction of events of the given types selected have a statistically significant human influence, Sobel said in an email.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
A general contractor was unsuccessful in its bid to gain coverage as an additional insured, due to a self-insured retention (SIR) endorsement on a subcontractors commercial general liability (CGL) insurance policy.

In a decision issued by an Indiana appeals court last month, the court sided with Zurich American Insurance Company that in procuring the SIR endorsement the subcontractor would be responsible for costs and damages up to the SIR limit of $500,000.

Walsh, a general contractor, hired Roadsafe Holdings, Inc. in January 2009 as a subcontractor in a traffic exchange construction project in Lake County, Indiana. Walshs contract specified that Roadsafe obtain a CGL policy that named Walsh as an additional insured on a primary noncontributory basis. Roadsafe purchased a CGL policy from Zurich which defined Roadsafe as the named insured and included an endorsement defining additional insureds as any person and organization where required by written contract.

Roadsafe also purchased a $500,000 per occurrence self-insured retention endorsement as part of the CGL policy.

The language within the SIR endorsement stated the following:

The insurance provided by this policy is subject to the following additional provisions, which in the event of conflict with any other provisions elsewhere in the policy, shall control the application of the insurance to which this endorsement applies:

1. Self Insured Retention and Defense CostsYour Obligations

A. The self insured retention amounts statedapply as follows:

1. If a Per Occurrence Self Insured Retention Amount is

shown in this endorsement, you shall be responsible for

payment of all damages and pro rata defense costs for each

occurrence[] until you have paid damages equal to the Per

Occurrence amount.

B. Defense Costs

Except for any defense costs that we may elect to

pay, you shall pay pro rata defense costs as they are

incurred.

C. Settlement of Claim

1. Within Self Insured Retention

If any final judgment or settlement is less than the self

insurance retention indicatedabove, you shall have the right and obligation to settle all such claims or suits.

II. Our Rights and Obligations Excess of the Self Insured

Retention* * *

B. Damages Excess of Self Insured RetentionPer Occurrence or Per Claim

We shall be liable only for the amounts of our share of

pro rata defense costs and damages in excess of the self insured retention amountsabove.

Definitions

A. Self insured retention means: the amount or amounts which

you or any insured must pay for all compensatory damages and pro rata defense costs which you or any insured shall become

legally obligated to pay because of damages arising from any

coverage included in the policy

In June 2009, Boguslaw Maczuga sustained an injury as a result of an auto accident as he maneuvered through the work zone traffic pattern. Maczuga sued Walsh resulting in Walsh filing a third party lawsuit against Roadsafe. Walsh alleged Roadsafe failed to indemnify it and breached its contract. Walsh notified Zurich of the suit and requested defense which Zurich denied. Walsh filed a declaratory judgment with the parties moving for summary judgment.

The trial court sided with Zurich and entered summary judgment on its behalf. It noted that the policy was between Zurich and Roadsafe and no suit was filed against Roadsafe. In addition, the SIR endorsement required the insured to pay the first $500,000 in costs and/or damages of any claim.

Walsh appealed the decision. Walsh and Roadsafe both argued the SIR endorsement amends only Zurichs relationship to Roadsafe and that it doesnt apply to Zurichs obligations to Walsh under the CGL policy. Zurich argued that the SIR amount must be satisfied before any obligation under the CGL policy triggers.

The appeals court agreed with the trial court in that Zurichs reading of the SIR endorsement properly harmonizes the totality of that documents language and applies the SIR endorsement as it was intended to be applied.

The court explained the difference between a policy with a SIR versus one without, We have noted that a policy with a deductible obliges the insurer to respond to a claim from dollar one (i.e., immediately upon tender), subject to the insurers right to later recoup the amount of the deductible from the insured. A policy subject to a SIR, in contrast, obliges the policyholder itself to absorb expenses up to the amount of the SIR, at which point the insurers obligation is triggered.

The court noted that the SIR endorsement shifts the initial cost burden from Zurich to Roadsafe, for both Roadsafes damages and defense costs and also for an additional insureds damages and defense costs.
Auto-Owners Insurance, Concord General Mutual Insurance Affiliation Approved

Auto-Owners Insurance and Concord General Mutual Insurance announce that their affiliation has been approved effective April 1, 2017, by policyholders and all regulatory bodies.

Auto-Owners is an A.M. Best A++ (Superior) rated multi-line property and casualty insurer, operating solely through independent agencies in 26 states. Auto-Owners also owns a life company and an excess & surplus lines company.

Concord General Mutual Insurance is a property and casualty insurance provider through independent agencies in Vermont, Maine, New Hampshire and Massachusetts.

McLarens Introduces Crisis Management Division

Global loss adjuster, McLarens, introduced a new Crisis Management division. Led by John Turner out of Boston, Mass., the team will focus on developing strategic growth and support to the product recall, war, political violence and terrorism speciality markets. Turner brings nearly 30 years experience to McLarens both in claims adjusting and underwriting, having most recently been head of Product Recall for XL Catlins North American Crisis Management operation.

Managers overseeing regional teams include Tim Hollinrake and Tony Chapman in Asia Pacific, Esteban Fernandez and Juan Carlos Lancheros Rueda in Latin America, George Wasielke in North America, David Watts and David Fillingham in Europe, and Malcolm Addy in the Middle East.

Insurance Fraud Attorney Joins Coalition Staff for Government Affairs

Insurance fraud attorney Matthew Smith has been named associate director of government affairs for the Coalition Against Insurance Fraud.

Smith will help guide the Coalitions legislative and regulatory advocacy efforts as well as serve as general counsel.

Smith founded one of the nations largest law firms specializing in insurance fraud litigation. Cincinnati-based Smith Rolfes & Skavdahl has eight offices throughout the midwest and Florida. The firms lawyers have handled insurance matters in 43 states. Smith Rolfes broke new ground by specializing on all aspects of insurer defense against insurance fraud, from investigations to civil actions.

He has won more than 100 civil actions including cases against home and commercial insurance arsonists, chiropractors that fraudulently overbill, pill mills, MRI clinics and other insurance swindlers. Many appellate decisions have set significant court precedents.

Smith also pioneered using data from cell towers as evidence in civil insurance-fraud cases  now standard practice for insurance-fraud cases around the U.S. He also pioneered searches of social-media to gather evidence of suspected fraud.

Smith Rolfes was founded in 1989. Smith now serves as of-counsel, focusing on government work with the Coalition and other fraud-related work.

He has served as president or on boards and committees of numerous anti-fraud groups such as the International Association of SIUs, the National Society of Professional Insurance Investigators and International Association of Arson Investigators.

A prolific author and lecturer, Smith has written more than a 100 articles and is a sought-after presenter by anti-fraud and civic groups.

Smith has served as legal adviser to the Coalition for the last three years. He led efforts to file amici actions to help ensure state courts properly interpret anti-fraud statutes.

Before founding Smith Skavdahl, Smith was at attorney at two other law firms and general counsel at a South Florida real-estate firm. An Ohio native, Smith graduated from Northern Kentucky University School of Law.
Driving while impaired (DWI) causes more than 10,000 deaths per year in the United States. Although enforcing criminal sanctions for DWI is the traditional response, the success of these measures has been inconsistent. This study looked at risk perceptions as a method of reducing the frequency of DWI  in other words, whether the threat of being apprehended for DWI can deter people from engaging in this behavior.

Researchers examined survey data collected from individual drivers, police, and defense attorneys specializing in DWI in eight U.S. cities. They compared two measures to determine which was a better deterrent of alcohol-impaired driving: the threat of being apprehended for DWI or harsher penalties for DWI.

Individuals reported that a greater perceived chance of being pulled over for DWI corresponded to less alcohol-impaired driving on their part. Conversely, individual perceptions of DWI penalties were unrelated to their self-reports of current or future alcohol-impaired driving. The authors suggested that increasing the certainty of apprehension by increasing police staffing and/or conducting more sobriety checks would likely be more effective in reducing alcohol-impaired driving than legislating increased penalties.

Source: Research Society on Alcoholism
Bay Village police car.png

Police are investigating after it was reported Bay High School students were exchanging explicit photos through SnapChat.

(File photo)

BAY VILLAGE, Ohio -- Police are investigating a report that Bay High School students exchanged explicit images using Snapchat.

Bay High School Principal Jason Martin made a report to police Tuesday, but investigators could not say when the images were actually sent.

The administration became aware of the possibility of photos being exchanged which prompted Martin to call police.

Police believe the exchange is contained to a small group of students, Bay Village police Det. Kevin Krolkosky said.

"This (type of incident) is something we have worked closely with the school for a number of years," Krolkosky said.

Krolkosky wants students to feel comfortable coming forward with information. Sometimes students will feel embarrassed or have a fear of legal consequences. He doesn't want students to feel that way.

When asked if phones would be seized and searched, he said a lot of times police do search the phones to find out what they are dealing with. During an investigation it is also important to look at the possibility if the exchange images is some form of harassment or bullying, Krolkosky said.

"We have to sift through all of that," he said.

This type of incident is not uncommon and Krolkosky believes it's going on in many school districts, he said.

"These things are going to happen inevitably," he said.

The school is always concerned with students' use of social media, Martin said. The school, along with the police department, gives a presentation to incoming freshman every year. Students are taught to use social media appropriately and to be smart, Martin said.

"We try very hard to get out in front of it and get kids to understand," he said.

Martin declined to comment on the investigation.

Snapchat did not return an email seeking comment.

If you'd like to comment on this story, visit Wednesday's crime and courts comments section.

cleveland.com is a partner of the Greater Cleveland Food Bank. Every dollar buys four meals for the hungry. Click here to donate.
ELYRIA, Ohio -- Danielle Spurlock doesn't recognize the two men charged in connection to the April 12 death of her friend Naomi Caulfield.

Spurlock, who has known Caulfield, a mother of four, since second grade, couldn't believe the news when she learned that Caulfield died of a drug overdose and was left by the side of the road to die.

"When I found out what happened to her it just crushed me," she said. "That's sad. She was only in her 20s. It's sad what they did to her."

Anthony Barker, 24, and 26-year-old Gregory Ralston are charged with reckless homicide in Caulfield's death. They are accused of dumping 29-year-old Caulfield's body near the Elyria city limits after a fatal drug overdose.

A third suspect has been identified but is not in custody.

Spurlock last saw Caulfield about a year and never suspected that her friend had a drug problem.

"She was amazing, she was a very good friend," she said. "She always stuck by everyone's side. She was a person you could call if you have problems."

Investigators have not said what sort of drug killed Caulfield.

Barker and Ralston are scheduled for a preliminary hearing at 2 p.m. Thursday, court records show.

Caulfield was hanging out with Barker, Ralston and an unidentified man April 12 at a Raleigh Drive home in Elyria prior to her death. She was given drugs and started to experience an overdose and went unconscious, police said.

Barker and Ralston put her in a 2009 Ford Escape and dumped her between Fowl and Albrecht roads in an isolated area.

She was found by a woman walking her dog April 13.

If you'd like to comment on this story, visit Wednesday's crime and courts comments section.

cleveland.com is a partner of the Greater Cleveland Food Bank. Every dollar buys four meals for the hungry. Click here to donate.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- We are less than one year away from the next Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductions, which will take place in Cleveland next spring.

On Wednesday morning, the Rock Hall revealed the 2018 inductions will be held Saturday, April 14, 2018, at Cleveland's Public Auditorium. The ceremony will once again be presented by Klipsch Audio and feature a series of local events leading up to ceremony.

The planned festivities include a community event at the Rock Hall with free admission (similar to the one held in 2015), as well as the dedication of the 2018 inductee exhibit.

The date for the 33rd annual ceremony comes as HBO gets set to air its telecast of the 2017 inductions on Saturday. The Class of 2017 was inducted in Brooklyn, N.Y. earlier this month and honored big names like Pearl Jam, Tupac Shakur and Journey, among others..

Next year's lineup could be equally impressive. Previous nominees like The Cars, Janet Jackson, Kraftwerk, Nine Inch Nails, LL Cool and others look to return to the annual ballot, which will be revealed in October.

The list of newly eligible acts is also notable. Artists like Radiohead, Rage Against the Machine, Dr. Dre, Stone Temple Pilots and Wu-Tang Clan have reached the required 25-year mark after their first official recordings

The 2018 inductions will mark the fifth ceremony held in Cleveland (previously 1997, 2009, 2012 and 2015) and the first since the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame announced the annual event will take place in Cleveland every other year.
Former congressman lends support to saving hospital KUCINICH Kucinich calls on city to halt closure talks, criticizes Clinic from A1

Former Congressman and Cleveland mayor Dennis kucinich, shown here at a rally in support of Lakewood Hospital in 2015, is having a series of meetings this week laying out concerns he has with charter schools. Former U.S. Rep. Dennis Kucinich talks to reporters outside Lakewood Hospital on Monday. Save Lakewood Hospital supporters came out in force Monday to hear former U.S. Rep. Dennis Kucinich speak about why he believes the hospital should remain open. In the background, in blue shirts, are some members of Build Lakewood, which supports the Cleveland Clinic's plans for a new family health center and emergency department.

(Bruce Geiselman/Cleveland.com)

CLEVELAND, Ohio- Former U.S. congressman and Cleveland mayor Dennis Kucinich has launched a verbal attack on charter schools for drawing students and money away from public school districts, while also looking to push for law changes next year.

Kucinich planned five events this week -- one in Dayton, two in Columbus and talks in Parma Wednesday night and Elyria Thursday night -- to voice his strong belief that public schools in Ohio are being privatized with a duplicate and often profiteering system of charter schools.

His talks have renewed speculation that he will run for governor in 2018 when Gov. John Kasich's term ends. Kucinich brushed off questions about his plans in both Columbus and Dayton already this week, focusing his remarks on charter schools instead.

"Charter schools, which are falsely labeled as public charter schools, not only represent the privatization of education but the rejection of popular democracy and its connection to the education of its citizenry," Kucinich said at a statehouse press conference in Columbus Monday.

Noting that charter schools draw a billion dollars a year away from school districts in Ohio, he added: "This Ohio private charter school system is a legal boondoggle, supported by billions in public funds with little transparency, accountability or government oversight."

See his full remarks from his press conference below.

His comments amplify long-standing complaints that many school districts and figures on the political left have voiced about charter schools over the last several years, though he does not break any new ground or have new research to show.

Joining Kucinich in Parma will be state school board member Meryl Johnson, of Cleveland, a former Cleveland teacher who has been concerned about charter schools for several years.

State school board member Meryl Johnson will join Dennis Kucinich in Parma Wednesday night.

Johnson said she opposes any schools that draw money away from traditional school districts, but realizes that charter schools have become a permanent part of education in Ohio.

"They won't go away, so we have to hold them accountable and make sure they are doing the best they can and what they promised to do, which isn't happening,"Johnson said.

Kucinich's remarks have drawn some response from charter school supporters. Chad Aldis of the pro-charter Fordham Institute called Kucinich's tour "nothing more than naked political grandstanding."

"He's campaigning for something and he's willing to say just about anything to bolster his political chances," Aldis said.

Aldis was disappointed that Kucinich ignored several charter school law reforms two years ago. The two also disagree on whether charter schools should be considered "public" schools.

Charter schools are "public" schools in that they are funded with state tax dollars and are open to any student there is room for, without any entrance exams or requirements.

But they are privately run, sometimes by non-profit operators but sometimes by for-profit and private companies that are not open to the same open records and open meetings laws as districts.

Charter school supporters highlight the "public" portion of their role, while Kucinich considers that a deception.

Here are all of Kucinich's charter school speaking events this week. He also will be at Cleveland State University Wednesday to talk about interventionism and U.S. Middle East policy, from 5 to 6 p.m. in the atrium of the Maxine Goodman Levin College of Urban Affairs, 1717 Euclid Ave.

April 24, 10:00 AM - Press Conference at the Ohio Statehouse, Women's Gallery

April 24, 6:30 PM - Miami Valley Unitarian-Universalist Fellowship, 8690 Yankee St., Centerville, Ohio 45458

April 25, 6:30 PM - First Unitarian-Universalist Church of Columbus, 93 W. Weisheimer Road, Columbus, Ohio 43214

April 26, 7:00 PM - Parma Public Library, 2121 Snow Road, Parma, Ohio 44134

April 27, 7:00 PM - Educational Service Center of Lorain County, 1885 Lake Avenue, Elyria, Ohio 44035


COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The Ohio Supreme Court on Wednesday found disgraced Strongsville lawyer Marc Doumbas in contempt of court after he failed to comply with a February order that also stripped him of his law license.

Doumbas, who served prison time on bribery charges on a case tied to the Cuyahoga County corruption probe, blew a March 23 deadline to file paperwork showing he was complying with the court's order.

The order, signed by Chief Justice Maureen O'Connor, did not say how Doumbas would be punished.

Doumbas' downfall came in 2012, when investigators discovered that he knew that other lawyers, including Anthony Calabrese III, offered tens of thousands of dollars to two victims of their client, Thomas Castro, in exchange for favorable comments to the judge during sentencing.

Although Doumbas did not himself offer the money, the court said he was complicit in the scheme.

Doumbas served a year in state prison after a jury found him guilty of two felony counts of bribery in December 2013. He was also ordered to pay more than $10,000 in fines.

The court voted in a 4-3 decision handed down in February to indefinitely suspend his law license. The decision also ordered Doumbas to file an affidavit within 30 days saying he had complied with several parameters of the order, including returning case files, paperwork and money for unearned work to any clients.

Doumbas did not file that affidavit, or respond to the court's March 28 order to show cause on why they should not find him in contempt, according to court records.

Doumbas, who was admitted to the bar in 2001, has been on an interim suspension since 2014.

He maintained throughout his conviction and his appeal that the payments were not bribes and his actions were not criminal. An appellate court upheld his conviction in 2015.

The court in 2015 voted to permanently disbar Calabrese after his conviction on racketeering charges in the fallout of the Cuyahoga County corruption probe that ensnared dozens of officials for paying and taking bribes. Calabrese is serving a nine-year prison sentence.

Among those who fell in the probe were former Cuyahoga County Commissioner Jimmy Dimora and Auditor Frank Russo.

f you would like to comment on this story, please visit Wednesday's crime and courts comments section.

cleveland.com is a partner of the Greater Cleveland Food Bank. Every dollar buys four meals for the hungry. Click here to donate.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Attorney General Jeff Sessions has made it clear that he feels the types of large-scale police reform efforts undertaken by Barack Obama's Justice Department, much like the binding federal agreement with Cleveland's police department, are unnecessary.

For the people affected by past misconduct by officers within Cleveland police, reform is more important now as it has ever been.

The city entered into its consent-decree agreement with the Justice Department in May 2015. In doing so, it acknowledged its police department had problems that warranted a drastic reworking in how it operates and how officers interact with residents.

People like Cleveland Police Patrolmen's Association President Steve Loomis, who has been a vocal critic of the consent decree, view President Donald Trump's election as an opportunity to pull back on the reforms. However, the city and the judge overseeing the reform effort have both said that they're committed to the agreement, regardless of the shift in priorities within the new Justice Department.

Cleveland.com asked five people whose lives were dramatically altered by Cleveland police the question: "Why do you think police reform is important in Cleveland?" The responses have been edited for clarity, but the substance of their statements remain intact.

(You can see a video of their statements above)

Samaria Rice

Samaria Rice is the mother of 12-year-old Tamir Rice, who was shot to death by a Cleveland police officer at Cudell Recreation Center in November 2014. Tamir was carrying an airsoft pellet gun at the time.

"I believe in Cleveland, Ohio, police reform is very necessary because they are really desensitized to the human life and also very much like a military terrorizing gang. And also I just don't believe that they really care so much about minorities or when it comes to black people, because it seems like when it comes to us, we get it the harshest and the worst.

"It kind of reminds me of a Gestapo military prison style, where the oppressed is still being oppressed and oppressed and oppressed, so that's what I think about all American government, all the policing across America at this point. I don't trust them and it's just a shame. Something needs to happen with this government, with the Constitution, and police reform across the board. Like, something really needs to happen."

Bernadette Rolen

Rolen is the mother of Dan Ficker, who was shot and killed by Cleveland police officer Matthew Craska during a July 4, 2011 confrontation outside of Ficker's home in Parma.

"Police reform is so important. I mean if there were some things in practice in 2011, when my son was killed by the Cleveland police, he may still be alive today. They illegally went into Parma, they crossed the lines without notifying Parma they were coming to Parma, which they were not allowed to do.

"I mean there are so many changes that have to happen for those things to stop happening. To stop using excessive force when they don't need to, to stop breaking all the policies when they don't need to, to be trained better on how to handle these situations, which obviously they don't know to handle because my son was not the only one that was killed by the hands of the Cleveland police because of things that they did wrong."

Edward Henderson

Henderson, who was diagnosed with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, led police on a chase across town on Cleveland's East Side on Jan. 1, 2011. He crashed his van near East 38th Street and Marginal Road.

Several officers then approached Henderson after he surrendered and kicked him as he lay on the ground. Henderson suffered a detached retina and broken eye socket in the beating.

"I believe police reform in Cleveland is important because it's a preventative measure. It will incorporate a sense of trust from the community, civilians, that nature, and a sense of transparency when it comes to the police department. And as far as the Cleveland police department at the moment, we don't have that and we've never had that, ever.

"And that's pretty much the issue there and with it being a preventative measure, it will save the city a lot of money, it will save the taxpayers a lot of money. It will really build upon something that's constructive and productive for the community. And that's my opinion."

Cassandra Johnson

Johnson is the mother of Tanisha Anderson, a 37-year-old woman who died in police custody in November 2014 after she was placed in handcuffs and taken to the ground by police officers.

"I think police reform is necessary because it will stop a lot of killings. Unnecessary killing. Train the police, teach them how to talk to the mentally ill person. Let them know before they get here, 'This is the call you're going to. This is a mentally ill person,' so they'll know how to address it. Especially if there's not a weapon involved.

"Talk to them [the mentally ill]. Ask them what colors do they like. If it's a sunny day, 'Sure is nice out here.'" Try to take them away from what they're feeling and get them some help. That's why it's necessary. It's needed.

"They talk about de-escalating, but you don't see any of that anymore. All you see is unnecessary killings. Not just here in Cleveland -- everywhere. There's more talk about it than ever. More talk about the police killing than I've ever heard in my life. And a lot of these things that you see with your own eyes, you say, 'That was not necessary.' Because we have rights. We have rights as citizens. So if you're not threatening them or putting their life in danger, what gives you the right to take mine?"

Michelle Russell

Michelle Russell is the sister of Timothy Russell, who along with Malissa Williams was killed in a hail of gunfire following a 22-mile police chase in November 2012.

"I think it's definitely necessary in Cleveland because there are issues. I mean, there's definitely stats and facts that show that people are being racially profiled, that things are going on that shouldn't be happening. And I think that we have to be honest about that because if you really think about it, for people that don't feel that [police reform is] necessary, they either are not aware of the facts and the stats that are out there or they don't care."

"And we really need to address it because people shouldn't be targeted because they're a certain color or a certain race or whatever. It's just not right and I think that because so much of this is happening, and it's obvious. ... There's so many cases a lot of people may not be aware of, so I'm going to say that for those people, if they were to research and see, they would obviously come to the conclusion that we do need the reform in Cleveland."

If you would like to comment on this story, please visit Wednesday's crime and courts comments section.

cleveland.com is a partner of the Greater Cleveland Food Bank. Every dollar buys four meals for the hungry. Click here to donate.
Bowalley Road Rules



The blogosphere tends to be a very noisy, and all-too-often a very abusive, place. I intend Bowalley Road to be a much quieter, and certainly a more respectful, place.

So, if you wish your comments to survive the moderation process, you will have to follow the Bowalley Road Rules.

These are based on two very simple principles:

Courtesy and Respect.

Comments which are defamatory, vituperative, snide or hurtful will be removed, and the commentators responsible permanently banned.

Anonymous comments will not be published. Real names are preferred. If this is not possible, however, commentators are asked to use a consistent pseudonym.

Comments which are thoughtful, witty, creative and stimulating will be most welcome, becoming a permanent part of the Bowalley Road discourse.

However, I do add this warning. If the blog seems in danger of being over-run by the usual far-Right suspects, I reserve the right to simply disable the Comments function, and will keep it that way until the perpetrators find somewhere more appropriate to vent their collective spleen.


watch now

As the bull market heats up, Jim Cramer pinpointed two promising takeovers that were overshadowed by a tidal wave of earnings reports and overlooked by Wall Street. "Post [Holdings] and Cardinal Health have one thing in common here: they're not getting enough credit for how they're trying to change their stripes with these acquisitions they just announced," the "Mad Money" host said. Post Holdings, the United States' third-largest cereal maker and the company behind Honey Bunches of Oats and Raisin Bran, is buying the United Kingdom's second-biggest cereal company, Weetabix, for 1.4 billion. Though the Street wrote the takeover off as being too pricey, Cramer sees the payoff ahead. Weetabix does business internationally, with operations in Asia and Africa, while Post gets 93 percent of its sales from the United States and the rest from Canada. "I think the international cross-selling opportunities could be enormous here," Cramer said, adding that the company is a smart acquirer that knows how to under-promise and over-deliver. Cardinal Health may have slashed its full-year earnings guidance, turning investors off to its future prospects, but Cramer sees upside ahead for its $6.1 billion acquisition of Medtronic's patient care, deep vein thrombosis and nutritional insufficiency divisions. "What really matters is that these Medtronic assets will help Cardinal Health continue to diversify itself away from that lousy drug wholesaling business that caused the darned shortfall in the first place, and they'll give the company's medical supplies segment a much needed shot in the arm," Cramer said. Furthermore, Cardinal's disappointing guidance could give the company just enough weakness to spring from, as it expects this deal to boost earnings by 55 cents in 2019.

A pedestrian passes the bull statue in the Financial District near the New York Stock Exchange in New York. Daniel Acker | Bloomberg | Getty Images

As the bull market surges higher and earnings reports continue to top expectations, Cramer turned to technician Mark Sebastian's charts to find out whether the upward move is at all sustainable. Being an expert on the CBOE Volatility Index  VIX for short  Sebastian compared the near term volatility tracker to the to show the strength of the market's trajectory. When centrist Emmanuel Macron came in first place in France's first-round elections Sunday, the S&P took off, rallying 1.6 percent since Friday's close. But the VIX saw an even bigger drop, cratering at the unusually low level of 10.5. "Looking at this moment through the prism of the big rally we got last November when the VIX plummeted, Sebastian thinks this is showing that we have got a lot more room to run," Cramer said. "Based on the action in the VIX, he easily sees the S&P traveling to 2,450 before it runs out of steam."

Siegfried Layda | Getty Images

Cramer is always up for analyzing the stock market's valuation when commentary suggests that it has run too far too quickly and is too expensive. So the "Mad Money" host decided to compare the leading stocks' future price-to-earnings multiples from 2000, when the dotcom bubble burst, to now to see whether there is any weight to the argument that today's market is too pricey. In 2000, tech giants were already running the show. Microsoft traded at 59 times earnings, Cisco at 179 times earnings, Intel at 126 times earnings and Oracle at 87 times earnings. Now, Microsoft trades at 20 times earnings, Cisco at 13 times earnings, Intel at 17 times earnings, and Oracle at 16 times earnings. "When you consider that the average stock in the S&P 500 sells for 21 times earnings, not only are these four tech stocks ridiculously undervalued versus their prices back then, they're actually cheaper than the average stock in the S&P right now," Cramer said.

A worker passes a bag of food to a customer at the drive-thru window at a McDonald's fast food restaurant in White House, Tennessee. Luke Sharrett | Bloomberg | Getty Images
It's that time again! Jim Cramer rang the lightning round bell, which means he gave his take on caller favorite stocks at rapid speed:

Bank of America Corp. : "OK, Bank of America was up in one of the, what, top four yesterday in the S&P? It was up again today. Why? Because the economy is better than expected and Bank of America does really incredibly well, perhaps the best of all banks, when we get Fed rate hikes and I think we'll get two of them. That's why I say, 'buy, buy, buy' Bank of America."

Magna International Inc. : "Well, you don't want to buy it for [a rumor it will work with Apple on self-driving cars] no matter what, because that's way too far in advance and if you do want autonomous driving, you know I believe in Waymo, which is Google, which is Alphabet , which is owned by my charitable trust. I think Magna is too cheap to sell, but it is related to autos and everything related to autos is stalled. But I am not going to tell you to sell it. I just can't count on buying it right here."

Sage Therapeutics Inc. : "Oh, man. Sage Therapeutics. This central nervous system, they believe that they have something. I've got to tell you, here's my feeling on all the central nervous system and traumatic brain injury stocks: if you want to speculate, it is a great area to speculate because there's so little to help people. So if they have something, it will be huge. If they don't, though, understand it's going to get hammered."

ILG Inc. : "You know, ILG, Wyndham , W-Y-N, and VAC are all terrific stocks. I have overlooked ILG. That is my bad. I agree with you. It's a good situation. Spun off from IAC , InterActiveCorp. Really good."

Sprint Corp. : "Last night we had [T-Mobile CEO] John Legere on and he was lobbing his usual bombs and throwing the claymore mines around and doing the bazookas, and all I can tell you is that he had good things to say about Sprint. And in the conference call, he even talked about looking, you know, trying to figure out what to do with them, maybe Dish . I want to own Sprint."

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Beyonce wants to help you pay your college "bills, bills, bills."

To mark the one-year anniversary of her Peabody-Award-winning album "Lemonade," the performer has launched the Formation Scholarship program. In a post published on her website Tuesday, Beyonce announced her plan to "encourage and support young women who are unafraid to think outside the box."

The program will provide awards to four female students studying creative arts, music, literature or African-American studies. The Formation Scholars must be incoming or current undergraduate or graduate students during the 2017-2018 academic year and encouraged to seek details and deadlines from colleges participating in the program.

Beyonce described these scholars as "bold, creative, conscious and confident."
U.S. President Donald Trump planned to propose on Wednesday steep cuts in corporate taxes and repatriated offshore corporate profits as the administration seeks to regain momentum on economic policies.

"We'll be having a big announcement on Wednesday having to do with tax reform. The process has begun long ago, but it really formally begins on Wednesday," the president said at the Treasury Department on Friday.

A senior Treasury staffer told CNBC that Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and National Economic Director Gary Cohn are set to conduct a joint news conference around 1:30 p.m. ET on Wednesday from the White House Briefing Room.

Trump has told aides to cut the income tax rate for public companies to 15 percent from 35 percent, an administration official said, according to a Reuters report.

Another official said Trump would propose a repatriation tax on offshore earnings of 10 percent, compared with the current 35 percent, the report said.

That official also said the plan would cut the top tax rate on "pass-through" businesses, which include small business partnerships, sole proprietorships and hedge funds, to 15 percent from 39.6 percent, media reports said.

The plan wasn't expected to include a "border-adjustment" tax on imports, which had proved controversial, reports said.

It is not entirely clear how much the plan will differ from the proposal Trump outlined as a candidate, or the plan that House Speaker Paul Ryan has backed. Either way, Republicans  who control both chambers of Congress  will have to hammer out fine details if they want to pass the first major tax overhaul since 1986.
It's been a nice start to the week for stocks, to say the least. The S&P 500 rose by 0.61 percent on Tuesday, after jumping 1.08 percent on Monday.

What's even more notable than the size of the moves, however, is just how confident the market has appeared.

On Tuesday, the S&P never once dipped below its Monday high. Likewise, on Monday, it never traded below the highest level it hit on Friday.

These unflinching moves higher are rare. Going back to the beginning of 1981 (the last year for which FactSet offers continuous daily range data), the S&P has seen a low above the prior day's high in only 1.5 percent of sessions.

For it to happen two days in a row is truly anomalous. The S&P spent the entire day above the prior high for three-straight sessions in mid-February; before that, it saw two back-to-back such sessions in April. And that's it, at least in the past 36 years.

Such a move can be called "a window or a gap higher," Rich Ross, head of technical analysis at Evercore ISI, said Tuesday on CNBC's "Trading Nation." "Why is that so difficult? Because think about how big the S&P 500 is. That's a lot of market cap to really leap higher. This is like the 'Shark Week' video of the great white leaping out of the ocean."

"It's very bullish," Ross added. "It speaks to that element of surprise, and to the urgency of investors to get back into a trend that they perhaps had stepped out of."

Indeed, this week's gains come following two months in which stocks simple treaded water, as investors awaited the French election with bated breath. A decisive showing for right-winger Marine Le Pen would have made a potentially destabilizing French exit from the European Union more likely, but that event was averted, at least for now, to the apparent relief of investors around the globe.

At the same time, there appears to be something more than sentiment driving the move. On Monday, even as the S&P rose by more than 1 percent, it traded in a mere 0.3-point range. That's the smallest range seen on an up 1 percent-plus day in at least the past 36 years, according to a CNBC analysis of FactSet data.

The decisive-looking market moves, then, may just be yet another consequence of one of the biggest macro trends in market recently: the striking decline of volatility.
U.S. President Donald Trump will meet with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull on May 4 in New York City as the two nations seek to repair a relationship strained by a row over an asylum seeker resettlement deal.

The meeting will be the first between the two leaders. Relations were strained after an acrimonious telephone call shortly after Trump's inauguration, during which Trump labelled the Australia-U.S. resettlement swap agree to with former U.S. President Barack Obama as a "dumb" deal.

Turnbull said the 75th anniversary of the World War Two "Battle of the Coral Sea" celebrations in New York City offered a chance for the two nations to "reaffirm our alliance".
U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross told the Wall Street Journal that trade actions on aluminum, semiconductors and shipbuilding are under review as well as plans to start free-trade talks directly with Japan, the United Kingdom and European Union even as plans to look at existing free-trade pacts with South Korea and the North America free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).

In a wide ranging interview, Ross, 79, pledged to look at issues as diverse as providing support to Westinghouse Electric Co., the nuclear-reactor company owned by Japan's Toshiba that filed for bankruptcy protection in the U.S. last month.
The gender pay gap most often refers to unequal compensation and the lost earning potential women face over the course of their careers, a figure that has been estimated to exceed $430,000.

But in some cases, men face gender pay disparity, too.



According to the economics research team at Glassdoor, male and female college graduates who hold the same degree will "self-sort" into different occupations due to societal pressure and norms. Male college graduates usually benefit from this, as they gravitate toward higher paying jobs, while women gravitate toward lower paying jobs, according to the report, which analyzed the 50 most common majors.

But sometimes, self-sorting has the reverse effect, where female graduates will make more money than their male counterparts who receive the same degree, says Glassdoor chief economist Andrew Chamberlain.

"There are roles in the labor market that Americans have become accustomed to thinking of as 'men's' or 'women's' jobs," the economist says. "These perceptions affect which jobs men and women feel comfortable moving into."

For example, a female graduate with a music degree is more likely to work as an audio engineer or music teacher, both generally well-paid jobs. By contrast, male college graduates with a music degree are more likely to work as a sales associate, assistant or landscaper, generally low-paid jobs.

Taking 46,900 anonymous, user-submitted salary and education data reports, Glassdoor analyzed how much male and female professionals with the same college degree made, and identified the instances where women went on to earn more than men in the first five years of their career.

Here are 10 college majors where female college graduates go on to earn more than their male counterparts early in their careers:
After wrapping up undergrad, it's becoming increasingly popular for students to return to school for a graduate degree in business. For many, however, the opportunity to get an MBA comes with both benefits and drawbacks. Here are a few pros and cons to consider. PROS 1. Hiring is even higher in 2017 A study released by the Graduate Management Admission Council earlier this year has some great news for prospective MBA students, and for those graduating next month: Hiring is on an upward trend yet again. The research shows 79 percent of employers expect to hire MBA graduates this year, according to Poets & Quants. That's up over 10 percentage points from 2016 when 68 percent of the same companies hired candidates with MBAs.

Commencement ceremonies at the Harvard Business School campus in front of Baker Library, in Boston, MA. Rick Friedman | Corbis | Getty Images

2. Alums highly recommend it A 2014 study that surveyed 21,000 business-school alums found that the majority of them would enroll in business schools if given the opportunity to do it all over again. The number is especially high among students who graduated during tough economic times. According to the study, "95 percent of recession-era graduates rate the value of their MBA or master's degree in business as good to outstanding, compared with 94 percent of those graduating in other years." 3. There are tons of networking opportunities As with many higher education programs, networking is a huge plus to getting an MBA. As business school professor and MBA grad Chris Szpryngel explains in an article for Wired, it's the people a student meets that make pursuing the degree worth the time, effort and money. "The degree is important, no doubt, but success is also rooted in how students capitalize on the opportunities during their MBA studies that can make the difference," he writes. "Specifically, the student's ability to network efficiently with the right people, in and out of the classroom." He adds that ideally students should network with both peers and professors. That extra effort can lead to internship and job opportunities after graduation.
A coal ETF has shined, but its top holdings are all located outside the U

When Donald Trump was elected president, markets expected that his policies promoting domestic oil production and slowing the shift toward renewable energy would soon show up in prices of stocks. Not so fast. While the Environmental Protection Agency under Trump isn't making any friends among backers of climate science  and critics have called for Tesla Motors founder Elon Musk to drop off Trump's CEO advisory panel  the type of renewable-energy stocks linked to Musk are thriving during Trump's first 100 days.

Evan Vucci | AP

All but one of the clean-energy exchange-traded funds followed by ETF Database are up this year; seven of the 10 are beating the S&P 500. Meanwhile, the Standard & Poor's 500 Energy Index (XLE ), which tracks mostly large-cap fossil fuel companies is down near-10 percent this year, through April 24, with integrated oil majors like Exxon Mobil and Chevron down slightly more. The issues aren't especially complicated, analysts say: Policy changes are running up against fundamental market forces that are more important for stocks than marginal changes designed to boost energy supplies, which might also tend to push energy prices lower. "The commodity price environment is substantially more important to energy companies than policy is," said Michael Ferguson, a director in the energy information practice at Standard & Poor's Global Ratings. If you're invested in the energy sector, there are some factors that influence stock and commodity prices that are more important to watch than political news coverage.

1. Oil prices don't have much reason to move up, or stay up.

The post-election rally in oil shares accompanied a $11-a-barrel climb in crude-oil prices from October levels. But this year the S&P 500 Energy sub-index's drop has come as the entire S&P index has tacked on another 6 percent. The reason: the WTI crude-oil price decline from $56 a barrel to $47, which proceeded throughout most of March. Lower crude prices are simply more important to oil stocks than a presidential permit for the long-delayed Keystone XL pipeline and Trump's promises to open more federal lands for oil drilling. More from ETF Strategist:

Trump's first 100 days versus presidential market history

The starkest look yet at how massively index funds are killing active

Many investors are missing out on Tesla's huge gains without knowing it The wild card here is whether the civil war in Syria and ongoing crisis in Libya might push crude back up. WTI crude rallied toward the end of March and in the wake of the U.S. attack on a Syrian airbase in response to the use of chemical weapons against civilians on April 4. But it had been on a six-day losing streak before settling above $49 on Tuesday. Some energy market experts are moderately bullish about the immediate future, calling for $60-a-barrel oil by summer. But one oil trader who called crude's major crash thinks the current environment will prevent any sustainable gains in oil prices.

2. Prospects for oil-company profits are falling.

The sell-off in crude is likely to work its way into oil-company profits later this year, according to Goldman Sachs analysts led by U.S. stock strategist David Kostin, who expects cuts in optimism and forecasts. First-quarter profits in the industry are likely to reverse losses early last year and beat consensus forecasts, says Goldman, who pointed to analyst estimates for the full year that have already fallen more in energy  almost 5 percent  than in any other sector. "The [majors] haven't been able to make exploration more profitable,'' said David Nadig, CEO of ETF.com, which tracks the ETF industry. Exxon and Chevron report earnings this Friday. Where have oil stocks been gaining? Among the refiners. The VanEck Vectors Oil Refiners ETF is up 6.5 percent this year. But even among ETFs that have significant exposure to refiners, such as PowerShares Dynamic Energy Exploration & Production Portfolio (PXE ) and iShares U.S. Oil and Gas Exploration (IEO ), the broader energy decline has kept these funds in the red this year.

The [majors] haven't been able to make exploration more profitable. David Nadig CEO of ETF.com

3. But what about the performance of the coal ETF? Yes it's up a lot, but ...

Coal has had a nice bounceback. The VanEck Vectors Coal ETF (KOL ) that tracks the president's second-favorite industry behind real estate is up 12 percent this year. But don't credit Trump: Nine of its top 10 holdings are based outside the United States, and Consol , the one U.S. name, announced in January it's looking to sell off its U.S. coal business and concentrate on natural gas. The ETF's top holding, Teck Resources , mines coal for steelmaking rather than utilities and is based in Canada. It also mines copper, gold and other commodities, and its shares have fluctuated. KOL declined annually by anywhere from 20 percent to 55 percent in the five years between 2011 and 2015, losing in total more than half its value. In the past one-year period through April 24, the ETF is up 61 percent. But its five-year annualized gain is 13 percent, according to Morningstar data, through April 24.

4. Natural gas is still too cheap to make coal a US success story.

Here's why coal gains are not necessarily built to last: An industry rule of thumb holds that coal becomes a competitive source of fuel to make electricity when natural gas costs at least $6 per million British Thermal Units of heat it generates. Right now the benchmark Henry Hub spot price for gas is bouncing around $3 per million BTUs. Coal-related bonds, the sector with perhaps the most to gain from better prospects for coal companies to repay their debts, are being analyzed within this economic prism rather than on a turnaround the president has promised. "Economics, not regulation, is the prime driver of near-term coal sector distress," Moody's Investor Service analysts, led by Swami Venkataraman, wrote in a report. "For the next 35 years, the primary driver of coal plant shutdowns is expected to be the poor economics of coal vis-a-vis natural gas and renewables. The trend of low gas prices and declining renewable costs are independent of expectations created by the [Clean Power Plan] CPP and will continue to affect coal-fired generation even in its absence."

Recent performance of energy ETFs

Ticker ETF YTD % 1-year (%) Assets ($) PBW PowerShares WilderHill Clean Energy 11 (-1) 100 million GEX VanEck Global Alternative Energy 9.8 8 68 million PZD PowerShares Cleantech 8 18.4 88 million QCLN First Trust NASDAQ Clean Edge Green Energy 7 8.5 55 million PBD PowerShares Global Clean Energy 6 2 51 million FAN First Trust ISE Global Wind 7 13 77 million ICLN iShares Global Clean Energy 6 (-7) 80 million KWT VanEck Vectors Solar Energy 4.4 (-25) 11 million TAN Guggenheim Solar 3 (-26) 199 million PUW PowerShares WilderHill Progressive Energy (-1) 16 24 million

Source: Morningstar, data as of 4/24/2017

5. Renewable-energy stocks reflect global trends, not US politics.

This year the pure-play approach has won: The PowerShares WilderHill Clean Energy Portfolio (PBW) has done the best among ETFs classified as alternative energy, up 11 percent. Its top holdings are makers of equipment for wind, solar and geothermal energy, plus Tesla Motors , the highest-profile green stock of them all, which has risen more than 40 percent this year. "Most of these companies are global in scope," Nadig said. "It's not necessarily the case that if the U.S. changes policy, it's awful for these companies.''

6. Not all 'progressive' energy ETFs are 'clean energy' ETFs.

The PowerShares WilderHill Progressive Energy Portfolio (PUW ) is a good example of how a name can mean different things to different people. This ETF's top holdings include companies that make pesticides, herbicides and insecticides (FMC ) and one of the biggest fracking companies in the United States (Chesapeake Energy ). That's also one of the reasons it has not done as well as the pure-play renewables PBW this year. Jason Bloom, global market strategist at PowerShares, said via email that PUW "is really more designed for investors looking at returns in a sector that should benefit from the transition to natural gas and away from coal. In this sense, progressive represents newer technology and processes that are helping bring the energy sector into a more efficient future."

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7. Renewable-energy stocks benefit in the short term from ups and downs, just like coal does.
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Abu Dhabi has set its sights on developing a booming financial services sector in a continued push to diversify the United Arab Emirates' economy as its comes under continued pressure from oil prices. The UAE and other OPEC and non-OPEC countries are trying to reduce their reliance on oil prices to power their economies. Together they hope to slash oil output by almost 1.8 million barrels a day to reduce a global glut to prop up prices, which tanked in early 2016. In early trading on Wednesday, Brent Crude was trading at $52.09 a barrel while Light Crude was seen at $49.52, well below the $60 targeted for this year. As Gulf Arab economies seek ways to diversify into other sectors, the UAE is pitching its capital Abu Dhabi as a new center for investment, particularly in financial services, where it hopes to provide a gateway to neighboring countries such as Saudi Arabia, as well as the rest of the world.

View of Abu Dhabi skyscrapers, United Arab Emirates. DeAgostini | Getty Images

'Diversification is not a luxury' Abu Dhabi, situated along the coastline from Dubai's international finance center, is seeking to capitalize on the UAE's more than 40 years' experience in the financial services industry and is aiming to double the contribution of financial services to its economy over the coming years. "Diversification is not a luxury," Ahmed Ali Al Sayegh, chairman of Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), an international center situated on the city's Al Maryah Island, told CNBC in its first live Middle East Business Update. "This particular sector, financial services, is being targeted by the government for a lot of growth.

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"The markets of the kingdom are very sophisticated, the banks are very sophisticated," he continued, noting ADGM's geographical and jurisdictional strengths, including its close relationship with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). "This common law jurisdiction and the amount of attention we are receiving from the world to come here means, of course, an increase in liquidity so there will be more liquidity coming through our financial center to our markets, including other GCC markets," he said. "I think the reality that the price of oil will be at certain levels, lower levels than what they've been historically , has helped us drive the message home that financial transactions - not real estate, not other things  financial services need to become a big part of our GDP. "All the government plans in the next years include growing the sector, not just here in the UAE, but across the region," he added. However, financial services are just part of the growth story emerging from Abu Dhabi. Investment is other sectors, including transportation, Medicare, infrastructure, and property indicate the Emirates is on the move.

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Affordable real estate A series of new mid-market residential properties are currently in development to house the growing number of people expected to fill public services roles in the region. The Bridges will consist of six mid-rise towers, each offering 212 homes, situated on Al Reem Island. Mohamed Al Mubarak, CEO of Aldar Properties, the company responsible for the development, said the investment would create a "domino effect" for growth in the region. "We're giving people the opportunity for the first time to acquire a high quality, high-grade apartment in a fantastic location," Al Mubarak told CNBC. "They're going to be getting it at a very affordable price, and this allows the community to flourish. You will have teachers; you'll have nurses, you'll have doctors, you'll have people working in the destination all living on Al Reem Island." The properties are aimed at the 40-60 percent of people in the city who fit within the "mid-income" stream.

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Abu Dhabi's real estate sector has suffered mixed fortunes of late, with property prices, both commercial and residential, down in the first quarter and expected to continue to be subdued throughout 2017. But Al Mubarak is optimistic. "We have to be patient," he said, looking at the growth of the region over a 5 to 15-year horizon . "2016 was a tough year, but we still came out on top. The fundamentals are strong. We've seen strong demand in The Bridges from a pre-release perspective. "The market likes this price range, the market likes this product, and we feel that this is just the start of a positive 2017." 'We don't want to see shocks in the prices' These developments will be crucial to the UAE going forward as it remains committed to the deal signed by Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and other countries to cut production by 1.8 million barrels per day from January.

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Alec Baldwin started in soaps. To get to Hollywood and become a star, which was always his goal, he tells Anna Sale for an episode of the WNYC podcast "Death, Sex & Money," he had to get good at something more difficult than acting: listening.

Although listening, he says, sometimes also involves acting.

As he tells the story, when he initially went to Los Angeles, he felt adrift. His father had died, and he left his mentor back on the East Coast; he needed guidance. So he networked.

He sought out older, successful, well-established people, researched their backgrounds and contacted them. One in particular he met for lunch and, for the whole meal, he let the other man talk.

I did this thing, I mean, as loquacious as I can be at times, I played this game once with two famous men; they were two huge executives at a studio, and, I'm not that smart, but on one occasion, I thought, I'm going to sit and have lunch with them and I'm not going to say a word. I'm going to read all about them (this was before the Internet); I'm going to find out about their careers. And I sat and had lunch with one particular guy, and we talked for an hour and a half at a restaurant in Beverly Hills. And he spoke in an unbroken monologue for an hour and a half. And you just couldn't believe how much I really acted  it was the best acting I had ever done in my entire life. "And then what? And then what do you do after that? Oooo, really? My god, then you did that? Oh my god." And then I kinda meant it, because he was a very fascinating guy. And the lunch is over, and he calls up my agent and he goes, "I love him!" "He's fantastic!" You know, and I realize getting out there, it's like this much how talented you are and this much about how much they like you. They want to like you.

He won them over by doing his homework and then listening, by seeming engaging, informed and, most of all, likable. In that respect, it seems, Hollywood is like every other field: Studies have found that being friendly and familiar, not your resume or your experience, is what gets you hired.

As Baldwin puts it, the people in charge "want to work with people they like."

When you don't yet have a network to draw on, one way to get in front of the people in charge is to send a cold email. Although reaching out to someone you've never met can seem daunting, the right kind of cold email  one that shows that you, like Baldwin, did your homework before reaching out and that doesn't ask the recipient for too much  can change the whole course of your career.

You can listen to the full interview below.
Anthem , the largest insurer providing individual Obamacare exchange plans, said it may drop out of state exchanges next year, if the uncertainty over funding of cost-sharing reduction subsidies is not resolved in Washington in the next month.

"We plan to file preliminary 2018 rates with the assumption that the cost-sharing reductions will be funded," Anthem Chairman and CEO Joseph Swedish told investors on the company's first-quarter earnings call.

"We are notifying our states that if we do not have certainty that CSRs will be funded for 2018 by early June, we will need to evaluate appropriate adjustments to our filing," Swedish said. Those adjustments could include resubmitting higher rates increases, "or exiting certain individual ACA-compliant markets altogether."

Anthem's first-quarter profit was well above analyst expectations, helped in part by higher premium rates on its Affordable Care Act exchange plans. The health insurer earned an adjusted $4.68 per share, well above the Thomson Reuters estimate of $3.86 per share. On the top line, $22.32 billion in revenue was more than $1 billion higher than analyst expectations, driven by strong enrollment growth across its commercial, Medicaid and Medicare products.

Anthem executives said they were encouraged by some of the moves taken by the Trump administration to stabilize the market, including tighter special enrollment rules.

They said they continue to engage congressional and administration officials in Washington about additional steps that will help increase stability, including funding for high-risk pools and reinsurance to help offset very high-cost patients, as well as the CSR payments.

Health insurers, hospital groups and other health-care industry advocates have been pressing congressional leaders and the Trump administration to fund the so-called CSRs, which reduce out-of-pockets costs for millions of low-income Obamacare enrollees. The insurers front the initial costs, which for 2017 are estimated to be roughly $7 billion. Until now, the government has reimbursed them for those payments.

The administration and congressional leaders have given mixed signals about the fate of CSR funding. Republican congressional leaders, who sued the Obama administration over funding authorization for the CSRs, say they can continue for now. President Donald Trump in recent weeks hinted that continued funding for the subsidies was up for negotiation.

House Speaker Paul Ryan said Republicans are close to reaching consensus on a new health-care reform bill that addresses reducing premium costs, but the new amendment to the American Health Care Act by Rep. Tom MacArthur of New Jersey would not address the cost-sharing subsidies.

"CSRs  we're not doing that," Ryan told reporters at his weekly news conference. "That is not in the appropriation bill, that's something separate that the administration does."

Without clarity soon on the CSRs and the health insurer tax for 2018, Anthem said the industry will have a hard time coming up with rates.

"Before accounting for any other issues, rates could increase by an additional 20 percent or more if CSR subsidies are not funded. The return of the health insurance tax is also expected to increase rates by an additional 3 to 5 percent," said Swedish. "Obviously, this level of additional increase would cause further market instability."

Anthem shares closed up more than 3 percent on Wednesday.
With President Donald Trump expressing support of school-choice programs, parents may soon have more options for where they send their teens to high school.

Aside from traditional public high schools, parents may already be able to send their teens to charter schools  public schools run by independent organizations with more flexibility to experiment with how schools operate. There are also magnet schools, which are designed around a theme, like STEM  science, technology, engineering and math  and may attract more academically gifted students via an application.

Charter and magnet schools dominate the very top of the 2017 U.S. News Best High Schools rankings, released today. But more than 80 percent of the 6,000-plus medal winners are traditional public high schools.

More from U.S. News:

Mnuchin: Trump's Preparing 'Largest Tax Reform' Ever

The 20 Best Places to Live in the U.S. for the Weather

In Virginia, a Democratic Party Proxy War

U.S. News evaluated more than 28,000 public high schools in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Five hundred public high schools received gold medals, 2,109 took home silver and 3,432 received bronze in the national rankings.

BASIS Scottsdale, a charter school in Arizona, is the No. 1 public high school in the U.S. for the first time. The school took the top spot from the School for the Talented and Gifted, a magnet school in Dallas, which fell to No. 4 this year.

Four other Arizona BASIS charter schools made the top 10, including BASIS Tucson North, which took second place, followed by BASIS Oro Valley at No 3. These public schools are managed by the private BASIS Educational Group LLC. BASIS Scottsdale opened in 2003 and like at other BASIS schools, students can graduate early or stay through 12th grade and complete a senior project  usually off campus, according to the school's website.

High school graduation rates were one part of the U.S. News Best High Schools methodology. With the help of North Carolina-based research firm RTI International, U.S. News used a four-step process to calculate the rankings.

First, U.S. News looked at student performance on state-required tests during the 2014-2015 school year. Schools had to perform better than statistically expected on these tests in their state, given their student poverty levels, to make it to the next step. Then, schools were evaluated on whether their least-advantaged students  those of black, Hispanic and low-income backgrounds  performed at or better than the state average.

The third step required schools that passed the first two steps to have a graduation rate of at least 75 percent. Those that did made it to the final phase  which determined if their national ranking was a gold, silver or bronze medal. In this fourth step, U.S. News looked at how well schools prepared students for college based on participation in and performance on Advanced Placement exams.

The top 25 nationally ranked high schools performed equally in this phase and a new tiebreaker process was used to determine their numerical ranks. The tiebreaker looked at the percentages of seniors who took and passed AP exams in at least four different subject areas  which showed how well students were prepared for college across a variety of disciplines.

The International Baccalaureate Organization was unable to provide U.S. News with IB data as it had in previous years for the final step, so schools only using IB exams weren't eligible to receive gold or silver medals. But like all high schools that pass the first three steps of the methodology, IB schools were eligible for bronze medals.

In a new feature to the rankings, some schools with bronze medals performed well enough on college readiness to be numerically ranked within their own state.

While Arizona led the very top of the national rankings, Maryland was the top state overall in terms of the percent of eligible schools awarded gold or silver medals, followed by Florida and California. California also had a school in the top 10 of the national rankings  Pacific Collegiate Charter in Santa Cruz at No. 10.

U.S. News also ranks charter and magnet schools separately, along with the Best High Schools for STEM. The STEM rankings are calculated using data on student participation in and performance on AP math and science tests.

High Technology High School in New Jersey is the No. 1 ranked STEM school for the third year in a row. Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Virginia took second place.

Families can view all the rankings and data on thousands of schools on the U.S. News website. Parents can explore student gender and ethnicity data, for example, and see how well their child's school performed on state-required tests and AP exams. However, AP data are not available for South Dakota schools, as the state did not give U.S. News permission to use that information; this meant the state's schools were only eligible for bronze medals.
"We are going to move this as fast as we can and when we have an agreement (with Congress), we will release the details," said Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin.

One of the critical questions the plan will have to address is whether the elimination of tax breaks will make up for revenues lost from lowering tax rates.

Mnuchin repeated the administration's pledge that the proposal "will pay for itself" over time as the economy grows and the tax base widens.



For individuals, the Trump administration is proposing cutting the number of personal income tax rates from seven to just three brackets: 10 percent, 25 percent and 35 percent.



The plan also proposed increasing the standard deduction, effectively eliminating taxes on the first $24,000 of a couple's income. The estate tax and alternative minimum tax would also be eliminated, along with a 3.8 percent investment tax imposed under the Affordable Care Act.



National Economic Council Director Gary Cohn told reporters that "homeownership, charitable giving and retirement savings will be protected, but other tax benefits will be eliminated."

Those deductions include some of the most popular provisions of the tax code, because they allow households to cut their tax bills by writing off expenses like home mortgage interest and taxes paid to state and local governments.

Curbing those deductions could help simplify the process of filing a tax return, but would also raise the amount of income subject to taxes. That impact would also vary widely from one household to another, regardless of their current tax bracket.

Most households aren't even aware of the biggest break for individuals that many of them get when they file their return.

That one currently goes to households whose employer pays their health insurance premium. If those payments were counted as income, they would raise an estimated $863 billion over the next five years, according to a report from the Congressional Joint Committee on Taxation.



Most of the biggest tax breaks currently go to individuals, according to the report, including the earned income tax credit for low-income households ($699 billion over five years), tax cuts on capital gains and dividends ($678 billion), 401(k) and other defined contribution retirement plans ($584 billion) and the child tax credit ($584 billion.)



Though the current tax code is full of tax loopholes for corporations, the biggest single tax break applies to deferred foreign income, which will cost an estimated $587 billion over five years.

Correction: The chart has been revised to correct the amounts for earned income credit, child tax credit and college tuition credit.
"Banking is the last vertically integrated sector left, but it is the next utility to face change," said Michael Laven, CEO of the financial technology (FinTech) firm Currency Cloud.

"Every other utility has been privatized and commoditized. (Telecom operator) BT might provide the rails but every other phone company can use their infrastructure in the U.K.," said Laven, head of the foreign exchange (FX) online payment specialist, during a panel discussion at the 2017 SWIFT Business Forum that was focused on the transformation of banking by technology.

"If you press the plus sign on your phone you can call anywhere in the world instantly, at a price that is falling," said Laven. "That is the direction of travel for banking. Frictionless, fast payments are becoming a reality."

Fellow panelist Richard Martin, global head of product management at Barclays , agreed. He added that in this environment, "excellence and service will be the future differentiators" and candidly admitted that some market share in the cross-border FX payments had been lost due to newcomers such as Currency Cloud.

The consumer end of the market in particular is vulnerable due to the lower prices that technology-enabled firms can often offer due to their lower operating costs and lack of legacy IT, which is expensive to maintain and inflexible. Banks tend to offer more competitive corporate pricing in order to keep their high volume and value business with large multinational companies that transact millions of payments annually.



According to Mark Buitenhek, global head of transaction services at Dutch bank ING , technology; increased customer service expectations; and regulation are the key interconnected forces driving the present transformation of banking.

In the U.K., for instance, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) Open Banking initiative mandates that banks must make standardized product and reference data available to authorized third parties in order to increase competition and service. With customer consent, U.K. banks will also have to provide secure access to specific current accounts by 2018, enabling others to read the transaction data and initiate payments.
Traders are buying so many call options right now that the ratio of those contracts to put options hit an all-time high Wednesday, according to Credit Suisse.

A call option is the right to acquire a stock in the future at a preset price. A put option is the right to sell.

"The biggest trend, the most notable thing, is the resumption of the call buying in the S&P," said Mandy Xu, derivatives strategist at Credit Suisse. With "Trump coming out with a new tax plan, we've seen that upside demand in the market."

Xu calls this ratio the "call skew" and here's the chart the bank sent clients Wednesday showing the metric at a record level.

S&P 500 call demand over the last 12 months

Source: CS Equity Derivatives Strategy

The jump in the ratio of call-to-put buyers came ahead of the Trump administration's afternoon announcement on a highly anticipated tax proposal.

Call skew began climbing after the November U.S. presidential election, and the last time call skew hit a record was Feb. 14, Xu said. The S&P 500 climbed about 3 percent in the following days before setting its most recent closing record on March 1.

Stocks and call skew levels then dropped as Republicans pulled their health-care bill, creating worries about whether market-friendly tax reform would be passed. Growing concerns about geopolitical tensions from North Korea to anti-EU sentiment in France also pressured stocks.
Buffalo Wild Wing's first-quarter earning miss could give hedge fund Marcato the advantage ahead of the company's proxy vote in June.

Shares of the company fell more than 3.2 percent on Wednesday.

EPS: $1.44 adjusted, versus $1.68 expected by Thomson Reuters

Revenue: $535 million, versus $535 million forecast by analysts

Same-store sales: Company sales rose 0.5 percent, versus 0.3 percent expected by Wall Street

"The stock has been moving sideways for years," Trevor Boomstra, principal at A.T. Kearney, told CNBC. "It is not clear that management is able to deliver the change needed. These poor results will just ratchet up the calls for change from Marcato and other increasingly other investors."

Marcato and Buffalo Wild Wings have been sparring since July over how the company should be run and who should be part of its board.

"After missing two of the last four last estimated earnings, Buffalo Wild Wings missed once again," Boomstra said. "Margins continue to erode. Higher food and labor costs are putting pressure on already tight margins. It is surprising that the management has not reacted quicker to control these key costs in a business that they should clearly understand."

Buffalo Wild Wings reported adjusted earnings of $1.44 per share on $535 million in revenue in the latest period. The company was expected to report earnings of $1.68 per share on $535 million in revenue, according to Thomson Reuters estimates.

B-Dubs CEO Sally Smith blamed high labor and operating expenses for putting pressure on margins and, ultimately, lowering EPS for the quarter.

"In order to improve margins and profitability, we've undertaken a thorough review of our restaurant operating practices, field organization, and third-party spend with a leading consulting firm who worked with our Team Members and franchisees," Smith said in a statement Wednesday. "We've identified areas to streamline work and improve efficiencies. As a result of these initiatives, we expect to realize $40 to $50 million in cost savings over the next two years."

The company did see same-store sales grow 0.5 percent at company stores for the quarter, narrowly higher than the 0.3 percent analysts had estimated, according to Street Account.

Marcato, which owns 6.1 percent of the restaurant chain's outstanding stock, has been pushing for Buffalo Wild Wings to franchise more of its restaurants.

The company said Wednesday that it will sell 80 stores to franchisees, but Boomstra said this could be "too little, too late."

"The locations represent just a 7 percent swing from corporate to franchisee ," he said. "Most locations remain corporate-owned, which have underperformed in their four-walls compared to franchised locations."

In February, Marcato nominated its founder Mick McGuire and three others directors to the board. However, in late March, Buffalo Wild Wings picked only one of Marcato's suggestions  Sam Rovit, who has 20 years of experience in the food service industry  for its slate.

Also in March, the hedge fund published a presentation for investors that argued the executives' interests were not closely aligned with the chain's shareholders. McGuire said that none of the Buffalo Wild Wings executives owns the company's stock and only one director has ever executed an open-market purchase of the stock. He argued that this means management is not as heavily invested in the future of the company.

Further instigating Buffalo Wild Wings, he called last week for B-Dubs CEO Sally Smith to resign. Buffalo Wild Wings defended Smith's performance, saying she has helped generate huge returns for shareholders.

On Monday the chicken wing company battled back, writing a letter to shareholders that accused the hedge fund of attacking its board and management team and offering documentation of the value it had returned to investors over the last five years.

Marcato was quick to respond, accusing the chicken wing chain of making an "astronomical error" in its SEC filing on Tuesday.

Buffalo Wild Wings said that it stands by the claim it made in the proxy statement according to the methodology used by Research Data Group, the third party it hired to run the numbers.
Over 54 gigawatts (GW) of wind power were installed in 2016 and cumulative capacity grew by more than 12 percent to hit 486.8 GW, according to a new report from global trade association, the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC).

Released on Tuesday, the GWEC's Global Wind Report: Annual Market Update forecasts nearly 60 GW of wind installations this year, with cumulative installed capacity seen reaching more than 800 GW by the end of 2021.



The GWEC said that Asia would lead growth, with China  which installed 23 GW in 2016  leading all markets.



The report further outlined that the 2016 market had not met expectations set by the GWEC in early 2016. This was due to several reasons, including China installing "only" 23 GW in 2016 and smaller-than-expected markets in Mexico, Brazil, Canada and Africa.



The majority of these issues were seen as cyclical, the GWEC said, and it expected the market to pick up this year.

"Wind power is now successfully competing with heavily subsidized incumbents across the globe, building new industries, creating hundreds of thousands of jobs and leading the way towards a clean energy future," Steve Sawyer, GWEC secretary general, said in a statement.



"We are well into a period of disruptive change, moving away from power systems centered on a few large, polluting plants towards markets increasingly dominated by a range of widely distributed renewable energy sources," Sawyer added.

Wind energy is becoming an increasingly important source of power, with the International Energy Agency stating it is "developing towards a mainstream, competitive and reliable power technology."

Looking forward, the GWEC said that Africa was set to have a "big year in 2017" while the Australian market was due to "come roaring back with a pipeline of projects" to be built over the coming years.

"Overall, we have a lot of confidence in the wind power market going forward, as the technology continues to improve, prices continue to go down and the call for clean, renewable power to reduce emissions, clean our air and create new jobs and new industries only gets stronger with each passing year," Sawyer added.
Following is the transcript of a CNBC interview with Jorge Quijano, CEO, of Panama Canal Authority. The interview was broadcast on CNBC on 26 April 2017 at 08:40AM 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 Bernie Lo, Anchor, CNBC.

Dan Murphy: And of course it is a vital component of shipping infrastructure. Let's bring him in now. It's great to get you on the program welcome. Now you are meeting with the number of investors here in Asia. You're also really checking the pulse of what's happening out there with regards to sentiment right now. How would you describe sentiment more broadly in this space at the moment?

Jorge Quijano: In our rounds that we've done with our customers, CEOs around the world, both Asia and Europe very recently, we see a lot of hesitation with regard to how the markets are going to be, especially because of the impact that over-protectionism by the United States will have on the flows of cargo. However, everyone seems to be a little bit positive about it. We are more of an optimistic industry. So we think there will be some measure in the implementation of any protectionism in the future because of course that has an impact on cargos flows.

Dan: And as I mentioned, you're also looking out for some potential investors in this region perhaps as well. The canal recently put some land to tender for development on either side of the canal. But that potential diversification strategy has hit somewhat of a roadblock. Can you tell me what's happening now?

Jorge: Well it's basically, we have several projects and one of them has had a little bit of a roadblock because of some legal actions that have been implemented by some of the competitors that don't want to see any competition from an additional port, transshipment port, to be actually built in the canal area. So but we have other projects that we have a rollon roll off activity that we plan to put tender out as a concession later this year. We also have a...over 200 hectares of reclaimed area on the west bank of the canal just next to PSA, a new further development of the port in Panama. And we want to continue with that concession probably sometime by the end of the year. So yes, even though we have a hiccup in the process we continue to approach our diversification strategy positively. We believe there is more than just for us in the Panama Canal to transit vessels. We have recovered all of these land that now it's available to be used productively for Panama and for also direct private investment.

Dan: And Bernie has a question for you. Yeah.

Bernie Lo: Thanks Dan. Jorge, Bernie here in Hong Kong. When the Panama Canal was built, when the whole concept came into being, I mean it was talked about and it would change the world. It changed the landscape of trade and the ability of the world to trade with each other. But nowadays you know, the supply chain has become so global, you know there's been a lot of arguments that a lot of these long trips and a lot of these, you know, former you know vanity projects you know, do not have the same kind of impact that they might have had half a century ago. Is there any fairness to that kind of discussion or is that unfair?

Jorge: I think it is not totally correct. I think there may be some businesses in particular could be affected. But globalization is here even though there are some proposals especially from the U.S. to reverse that. I don't think that's going to happen. The cheapest, the less expensive way, to transfer...transport cargo is specifically through the maritime industry and ships can make it today with more...quicker vessels and with the prices of fuel so low it makes very competitive and very timely deliveries to everywhere in the world. So I think one of the things that we have to, in particular for the Panama Canal, you know we've reinvented ourselves with our expansion. We've now...are...our driving force for the U.S. LNG exports and LPG exports since fracking came around. So for us this opens up new opportunities. We've seen some major tonnage moving off of those straits moving from the U.S. Gulf ports to Asia. But we've also seen all the traits of that same trade coming from that Trinidad & Tobago, for example using the Panama Canal to go to Chile or to Mexico. We've even seen Algeria using the Panama Canal to go to Mexico on the Pacific side. So for us it's very thrilling to see the fact that we have revived ourselves withwith this new opening of the Panama Canal expansion.

Dan: And you're finally starting to see some of the fruits of that expansion being delivered to the canal more broadly. I also wanted to ask you about another thing that you've been focusing on as well. And this is the links between the Panama Canal and Singapore. Do you think there's more that, you know, that unites you than divides you when it comes to the Panama Canal and Singapore as an IMC?

Jorge: I think we learn a lot from Singapore. I think that Singapore has definitely a head start on Panama but we're both very small countries. We don't really have exports, we're a service oriented economy. And I think, you know the people, the services that we provide at central locations- If you drill a hole through Singapore 180 degrees apart that's where we are. So we're in the center of our own regions. Singapore is the center of Asia and we are in the center of the Americas and we tend not only to the Americas but also to Asia and also to Europe. Our best route, for example that goes through the Panama canal is from Asia to the East Coast of the United States and vice versa and Gulf Ports as well. But we also have West Coast of South America going to East Coast of the United States or going from the West Coast of South America going to Europe. So we feel that there's a lot of things to learn from Singapore. We, you know, we both have militarynot occupation but military presence from different governments during different periods of time. And Singapore was one that converted all of that land into very useful businesses and we are trying to do with our diversification strategy, do some of that ourselves in Panama.

Dan: And just very quickly what do you think is the key risk to your relevancy moving forward. Is it this rising anti-trade sentiment?

Jorge: Well you know we a link just like anybody else that's in this business. We're just a link in a long transportation chain or we definitelywe have to depend...we depend immensely on trade and of course anybody talking about protectionism especially as United States, it could have an impact. We believe globalization, although there is some intent to somehow contain it, is not going to happen. It's irreversible. We depend too much on each other nowadays. Andand even the United States it's, you know like I just mentioned, LNG exports from the United States are going to Asia. Asian products are going to the United States. That will continue to happen. I mean you're not in this world alone and everybody would recognize that. And we hope that in the future things will settle down and we will see even more growth in the Panama Canal. I can't say but...that we're very pleased with what we've accomplished in this last nine months since we expanded the Panama Canal. And we are already seeing 18 percent growth in tonnage going through the canal with nine percent growth in revenue. So we expect this year to be a very, very good year forfor the canal and for Panama.
Following is the transcript of a CNBC interview with Simon Doughty, CEO of Wallem Group. The interview was broadcast on CNBC on 26 April 2017 at 12.20PM 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 Emily Tan, Correspondent, CNBC.

Dan Murphy: Simon, great to get you on CNBC. Welcome to Capital Connection.

Simon Doughty: Thank you Dan.

Dan: Now, first and foremost we have seen Singapore coming in first place in the latest rankings when it comes to international maritime centres. It is ranked above Hong Kong and Shanghai, what does that mean for your business when it comes to future growth. Where are you looking for future growth?

Doughty: We're seeing future growth in various maritime services that we're providing. We've opened our ship management offices here in Singapore and that's growing considerably. We've been established for 60 years in Singapore so we're seeing other services growing here. There's a great opportunity all around and the MPA and the Singapore Government are very strong in promoting the industry here.

Dan: And Emily has a question for you.

Emily Tan: Thanks a lot Dan. Simon, Emily coming to you here from HACTL the super terminal number 1 at the airport. Now, the government officials, like Li Keqiang, over in China has proposed something called The Bay Area  linking up Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macau. So with all these ports together, do you think that it's going to help Hong Kong or hurt Hong Kong in the long run in terms of building the industry, in terms of trade in the air and in terms of shipping, in the seas?

Doughty: I think it's going to be a great opportunity for Hong Kong. Hong Kong is part of China. We've just established our own crewing office, manning office in Guangzhou and China is allowing Hong Kong-based ship managers to open up there, so there's a huge opportunity as Hong Kong gets connected into China itself.

Dan: And Simon, you said recently that the Hong Kong Government could be doing more to support the sector. What do you mean by that?

Doughty: Yeah, I'd like to see them getting involved to support the youngsters so they actually see the young generation see the maritime shipping industry and this is an industry to go into, rather than just looking at the finance and the legal sectors. And there's a great opportunity, it's been a great career for myself(I'm convinced) other people would see that as well.

Dan: And again, the other interesting thing here is when it comes to cost and regulations. We know that that's something that your business is obviously looking at - you need to operate in a low-cost, easy regulatory environment. Is that necessarily Singapore, Hong Kong and Shanghai anymore?

Doughty: I think both Hong Kong and Singapore are very good for the regulatory side and for the taxation side, but the cost of doing business in both Hong Kong and Singaporewe're seeing both cities regularly being up there as the most expensive cities in the world to operate. And as a services industry, we've got to work out where we can do this efficiently and effectively. So we are looking at some of the outliers to some of our services to. It could be the Philippines; it could be Cyprus in Europe.
"Yep, the president may have run on an America First platform, and he's suddenly started to get very tough on trade with Canada, but that doesn't change the fact that right now, one of my favorite Trump stocks is a Canadian company," the " Mad Money " host said.

By acquiring Spectra Energy, Canadian pipeline giant Enbridge became the largest energy infrastructure company in North America. That positioned it to gain from U.S. projects, being that it operates the longest crude oil and gas liquids transportation system in the world.

With investors on the lookout for high-quality stocks that could be lifted by President Donald Trump's policies, Jim Cramer turned to one unusual energy play that could be one of the biggest winners.

Cramer loves Enbridge for a number of reasons. First and foremost is the company's breadth: its pipes transport nearly 68 percent of south-bound Canadian crude, much of which flows to the United States, and 20 percent of all the natural gas used in the United States.

Moreover, Enbridge is set to gain from the president's deregulation of the energy industry as well as his push to build pipelines like the recently approved Keystone and Dakota Access projects.

"Plus, politics aside, with oil at $49 a barrel, the only real limiting factor on production in low-cost regions like Texas' Permian Basin [is] the availability of pipeline space," Cramer said. "Meanwhile, Enbridge can probably build for years before saturating the market."

That enables investors to play the U.S. production boom without worrying as much about the price of crude because Enbridge gets paid mostly based on its transport volumes, not oil prices.

To top it off, Enbridge's deal with Spectra improved the company's standing by a huge margin.

Not only did the takeover give Enbridge best-in-class assets like one of New York City's biggest natural gas pipelines and a network on the Gulf and East Coasts, but it added $58 billion worth of new growth projects that will help boost its dividends annually for the next seven years.

"The payout could really balloon, and that's saying something because Enbridge already gives you a 4 percent yield," Cramer said.

Certainly, there is something to be said about the president's increasingly hawkish rhetoric on Canada. The administration placed a 20 percent tariff on Canadian softwood lumber and Trump has recently been critical of the country's dairy industry.

Still, Cramer insisted that Enbridge has little to worry about even if the United States somehow gets embroiled in a trade war with its northern neighbor.

"The disputes over Canadian lumber and Canadian milk go back decades, whereas nobody has a problem with buying oil from Canada except for, yes, environmentalists, who don't really have that much of a voice ... in the new administration," he said.

The alternative is buying from hostile regimes in the Middle East, something the Trump administration is likely to avoid.

Finally, as a major pipeline player, Enbridge has the potential to do one of the president's favorite things: create U.S. jobs.

"There are few infrastructure projects that produce more unskilled but highly paid jobs, not to mention the need for American-made steel and American-made earth-moving equipment, all of which are bountiful for employment," Cramer said.

Trump is eager to embrace even international companies that create jobs stateside, and Cramer believes Enbridge might be the largest one yet.

"Enbridge now has some of the best assets and the best growth in the industry, with tens of billions of dollars worth of projects on the drawing board that will now be fast-tracked, as opposed to being held up like they were under Obama," Cramer said. "Now that's a fixed-income play and an ultimate Trump trade."

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Check out which companies are making headlines before the bell:

Boeing  The jet maker reported profit of $2.01 per share, seven cents a share above estimates. Revenue was slightly below forecasts, and the company reported much better-than-expected free cash flow figures for the quarter.

United Technologies  The maker of Pratt & Whitney jet engines came in nine cents a share above estimates, with adjusted quarterly profit of $1.48 per share. Revenue was also above forecasts and the company saw higher sales in all four of its business units.

Procter & Gamble  The consumer products giant reported adjusted quarterly profit of 96 cents per share, two cents a share above estimates. Revenue was slightly below forecasts. P&G is citing a stronger dollar and political uncertainty among the factors holding back its results.

Twitter  Twitter earned an adjusted 11 cents per share for the first quarter, 10 cents a share above estimates. Revenue was well above Street forecasts, and Twitter added more daily active users than analysts had anticipated.

PepsiCo  The beverage and snack giant beat estimates by two cents a share, with adjusted quarterly profit of 94 cents per share. Revenue also beat forecast. The results were aided by stronger pricing, although PepsiCo is giving a full-year earnings forecast that falls slightly below estimates.

Anthem  The health insurer reported adjusted quarterly profit of $4.68 per share, well above estimates of $3.86. Revenue was above forecasts and Anthem gave a better-than-expected earnings and revenue forecast for the full year, helped by increased enrollment in its government-related businesses.

Restaurant Brands International  The parent of Tim Hortons and Burger King reported adjusted quarterly profit of 36 cents per share, one cent a share above estimates. Revenue was also above forecasts and the company increased its quarterly dividend by 5.6 percent.

AT&T  AT&T matched Street forecasts with adjusted quarterly profit of 74 cents per share, however revenue fell short of estimates. The company also surprised analysts by losing postpaid subscribers during the first quarter.

Chipotle Mexican Grill  Chipotle reported quarterly profit of $1.60 per share, beating estimates of $1.27. The restaurant chain's revenue was slightly above forecasts as was its first-quarter comparable sales. Chipotle also disclosed a data breach, saying it was investigating "unauthorized activity" in its payment systems during the past month.

Wynn Resorts  Wynn exceeded estimates by 23 cents a share, with adjusted quarterly profit of $1.24 per share. The hotel and casino operator also posted a slight beat on the top line. Wynn's results have been helped in recent quarters by a recovery in its Macau operations.

Arconic  The engineered products maker reported adjusted quarterly profit of 33 cents per share, nine cents a share above estimates, helped by strength in transportation and rolled products.

Panera Bread  Panera saw its quarterly profits match Street forecasts, with adjusted earnings of $1.83 per share. The restaurant chain's revenue beat forecasts as its comparable-store sales rose 5.3 percent from a year earlier.

Deckers Outdoor  Deckers is exploring strategic alternatives, with the footwear maker hiring Moelis & Co. as a financial advisor. Activist investors have been urging the maker of UGG boots to look at a possible sale of the company.

U.S. Steel  The company posted an adjusted loss of 83 cents per share, surprising analysts who had expected the steelmaker to report a quarterly profit. Revenue also missed estimates and the company gave weaker-than-expected 2017 guidance. U.S. Steel said operating challenges at some of its factories kept it from fully benefiting from improved market conditions.

Costco  Costco announced a $7 per share special dividend, payable on May 26 to shareholders of record on May 10. The warehouse retailer also raised its regular quarterly dividend to 50 cents per share from 45 cents.

Edwards Lifesciences  Edwards came in 12 cents a share above estimates, with quarterly profit of 94 cents per share. The medical device maker also saw revenue beat forecasts. Edwards raised its full-year forecast on strong sales of its transcatheter heart valve replacements.

Texas Instruments  Texas Instruments reported adjusted quarterly profit of 89 cents per share, six cents a share above estimates. The chipmaker's revenue also beat forecasts, and the company gave upbeat current-quarter guidance on strong demand in its automotive and industrial segments.

IRobot  IRobot more than doubled the 27 cents per share consensus analyst estimate with quarterly profit of 58 cents per share. The Roomba vacuum cleaner maker's revenue was also above forecasts. Additionally, iRobot raised its full-year earnings and revenue guidance above current consensus estimates.

Logitech  Logitech beat estimates in its latest quarter, and the maker of mice and other computer peripheral products said it was considering acquisitions to help it accelerate growth and move into new product areas.

Tyson Foods  Tyson is considering raising wages for its poultry plant workers, on top of a 3 percent to 3.5 percent wage hike that it gave workers in November. The company is considering the move to deal with a tightening labor market.

McDonald's  McDonald's is dropping its plan to sell shares in its Japan operations, which recently returned to profitability after three years of losses.
A Thai man broadcast a video of himself killing his baby daughter on Facebook then committing suicide, with the content reportedly being available to view for 24 hours before being taken down. The social media giant is under mounting pressure to deal with inappropriate posts.

The footage showed Wuttisan Wongtalay hanging his daughter by the neck from the rooftop of a building in Phuket, a popular vacation destination, Reuters reported. Wongtalay then killed himself but this part was not broadcast.

Users could view the video of the murder on Wongtalay's Facebook page for 24 hours from Monday before it was taken down around 5 p.m. Bangkok, according to Reuters.

"This is an appalling incident and our hearts go out to the family of the victim. There is absolutely no place for content of this kind on Facebook and it has now been removed," a spokesperson for the U.S. technology firm said in a statement released to several media outlets.

A copy of the video was also posted on Google -owned service YouTube. Britain's BBC flagged the content to YouTube and it was taken down within 15 minutes, a spokesperson for Google told CNBC.

"YouTube has clear policies that outline what's acceptable to post and we quickly remove videos that break our rules when they're flagged," a statement from the spokesperson said.
Casino stocks are surging this year, and the options market is implying some big moves for two names that are reporting earnings this week.

Las Vegas Sands is scheduled to report earnings after the bell Wednesday followed by MGM Resorts before the market opens on Thursday. The options market is implying about a 4 percent move in either direction for both stocks after their reports, according to Mike Khouw of Optimize Advisors.

The reports come after a big beat for rival Wynn , which posted strong earnings after the bell on Tuesday, sending the stock soaring more than 6 percent during Wednesday's trading session. The shares have rallied nearly 46 percent in 2017. Analysts in particular looked at numbers from Wynn's Macau properties, which brought in $587 million in first-quarter revenue, a beat in expectations but still down 3 percent year over year.

For Khouw, Asia will come as a key focus for the other casino companies reporting this week as well. "Las Vegas Sands [brings in about] 80 percent of revenue from Asia, [and] 20 percent for MGM," Khouw explained Tuesday on CNBC's "Fast Money." While business has been lucrative recently, investors are still weary of the growth and stability for casinos in Asia.

Therefore, Khouw noted that investors are expecting more volatility on earnings for Las Vegas Sands. "Normally you would expect the more levered of businesses, that's MGM in this case, to be more volatile on earnings but actually, [it's] Las Vegas Sands [that could be]."

Analysts polled by FactSet are expecting Las Vegas Sands to report earnings of 61 cents per share on $3 billion in revenue. MGM Resorts is projected to post earnings of 30 cents per share on $2.6 billion in revenue.
"Shark Tank" star Kevin O'Leary has officially backed out of running to lead Canada's Conservative Party, according to reports.

Instead, O'Leary said he will endorse candidate Maxime Bernier because, due to lack of support in Quebec, he wouldn't win the general election after all, according to an interview with Toronto-based The Globe and Mail.

"It's for the sake of the party that I do this, and the country," O'Leary said in an interview with The Globe and Mail at his downtown Toronto office. "Because I can't deliver Quebec."

O'Leary first announced in January that he planned to make Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's life "absolute hell" by joining the race for Conservative leadership.

O'Leary, a native Canadian, said what inspired him to get politically involved was tied to Trudeau's policy choices and his aversion to newly inaugurated U.S. President .

"All [Trudeau's] policies on corporate tax, carbon tax, tax this, tax that, are completely out of sync with the U.S.," O'Leary told CNBC at the time. "He should have used the Trump election to basically pivot. He didn't do that."

O'Leary told The Globe and Mail on Wednesday that the only reason he is endorsing Bernier now is because he believes Bernier can win in the province, and O'Leary's follower base should follow his decision, he added.

Elections for Canada's Conservative Party leadership are scheduled to take place on May 27. The country's next general elections are scheduled for Oct. 21, 2019.

Read the full report from The Globe and Mail.

Disclosure: CNBC owns the exclusive off-network cable rights to "Shark Tank."
Political uncertainty has begun to dissipate in the euro zone after the Dutch general election and, more recently, the first round of the French presidential race. However, European politics are still a concern and it is too early for the central bank to consider raising rates, analysts told CNBC.

"There is no denying that the French election result (with the tail risk of a 2nd round between Melenchon and Le Pen now out of the window) has given renewed impetus to speculation that the ECB might dial back quantitative easing earlier than planned, or might hike rates sooner than markets had been pricing in," Elwin de Groot, senior market economist at Rabobank told CNBC via email.

"Having said that, I believe it is still early days," he added.

The European Central Bank is meeting Thursday but expectations are that it will not announce any policy changes. The first round of the French election is over but the country has yet to make a final decision between the centrist Emmanuel Macron and the far-right candidate Marine Le Pen.

"Even assuming Macron secures his victory in the second round, it is also important that he will garner sufficient support in parliament," de Groot noted, in relation to the upcoming parliamentary vote.

Carsten Brzeski, chief economist at ING, said the ECB is "highly unlikely" to do anything in between the first and second rounds of the French election.

"The timing of this week's ECB meeting could have been hardly more unfortunate. Even though the economic data since the March meeting has supported the view of brightening economic prospects, slowly paving the way for a very gentle exit from the current ultra-loose monetary policy, this week's meeting simply comes too early for any change," he said.

Even as the political landscape becomes a lot clearer and economic data strengthens, analysts don't expect too much from President Mario Draghi when he addresses the press, but there may be small changes in the language he uses.

"It is possible that the ECB will remove the language stating that the risks "remain tilted to the downside" and we would expect the commentary to remain relatively upbeat on the growth outlook given the improving business and consumer confidence surveys," Mike Bell, Global Market Strategist, JPMorgan Asset Management.

If this proves to be the case, there could be renewed comments from Germany criticizing the ECB's loose monetary stance. Several central bank and finance ministry officials have complained that the ECB's stimulus is hurting banks' balance sheets.

But Axel Weber, UBS chairman, said during an interview with CNBC in Washington that the ECB has to look at the 19 euro economies and not only to those that are performing the best.
Netflix may have just secured a foothold in the world's second-largest consumer market but that could be a non-event, for now.

The streaming giant announced it had clinched a licensing deal with iQiyi, a Chinese video platform, but this could be largely "immaterial," an analyst said. IQiyi counts Chinese search company Baidu as a parent.

"(T)his is probably going to be immaterial based on other similar deals in the region," Constellation Research Principal Analyst Ray Wang told CNBC's "The Rundown."

"The question is what kind of cut does Netflix get. We don't think it's going to be much," Wang added.

Netflix has attempted to break into the China market in the past, but has acknowledged the "regulatory environment" was "challenging" in a letter to shareholders last year. The company also said it would rely on licensing content to existing streaming platforms in China instead, adding it expected licensing revenues to be "modest."
"It's going to take a lot of continuing work because of the consequences of direct military action."

"They really are a direct threat to our national security. But it's also a complicated issue. That's the reason most recent presidents haven't pulled the trigger," he said in an interview with " Closing Bell ."

North Korea is a rogue nation with an unstable leader and the ability to develop missiles and miniaturized nuclear weapons, former Defense Secretary Leon Panetta told CNBC on Wednesday.

A ballistic rocket launching drill of Hwasong artillery units of the Strategic Force of the KPA in this undated photo released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) in Pyongyang March 7, 2017.

On Wednesday afternoon, all 100 senators met with Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis, Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats and Marine Corps. Gen. Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, for a classified briefing on the matter.

After the meeting, the top administration officials said President Donald Trump wants to pressure North Korea through tighter sanctions and diplomatic channels, but the United States is "prepared to defend" itself and allies.

Panetta believes the best course of action is for the U.S. to increase its presence in the area, support allies and continue to put pressure on China to try to get North Korea to the negotiating table.

He called national security Trump's greatest strength.

"He's got a great national security team. He's been willing to listen to them. And he's willing to change positions if necessary on China, on Syria, on NATO and some other areas," he said.

Meanwhile, Trump's weak point is dealing with Congress and getting any major legislation passed, Panetta said.

 CNBC's Jacob Pramuk contributed to this report.
PepsiCo said strong consumer demand for its healthier drinks and snacks helped drive its better-than-expected results in the first quarter.

"To meet the evolving needs of our consumers around the world, we are shifting our portfolio to a wider range of what we call... 'everyday nutrition products,' which are products with positive nutrients like grains, fruits and vegetables or protein," CEO Indra Nooyi said on the company's earnings conference call.

PepsiCo said that its "guilt-free products"  beverages that have fewer than 70 calories per 12 ounces and snacks that have lower amounts of salt and saturated fat  accounted for more than 45 percent of the company's revenue for the latest quarter.

In the first quarter, total sales rose 1.6 percent to $12.05 billion, marking the second consecutive quarter of rising revenue following eight quarters of decline.

"Our everyday nutrition portfolio is growing faster than the balance of [PepsiCo's overall] portfolio," Nooyi explained. Finally, PepsiCo's research and development spending around healthier products is paying off and "paving the way for new flavors," she added.

Highlighting recent "guilt-free" products, PepsiCo cited recent launches of Life Water and a sparkling lemonade that are resonating with shoppers. Baked Lays, Quaker Breakfast Flats, and a new version of 7UP with 30 percent less sugar, are other examples of PepsiCo's innovations aimed at providing healthier alternatives.

This year, the company plans to expand its Smartfood Delight popcorn lineup, and in Brazil, it will launch new Quaker fruit bars made with real fruit and less sugar.

Sales at its Quaker Foods North America segment dropped 3 percent year-over-year in the first quarter, but Nooyi remains confident this division is ripe for growth. Quaker is one brand the company has marketed as offering numerous healthy alternatives for consumers.

"Quaker Foods North America has the opportunity to return to growth by leveraging one of the most beloved nutrition distribution brands to renew excitement in the center of the [grocery] store," she told investors and analysts Wednesday.

Across the industry, packaged food companies have been seeing weaker sales as more shoppers stick to the perimeter of the store, where healthier foods like fresh fruit, vegetables and proteins, like meat and fish are sold.

Watch: PepsiCo CFO on CNBC
PepsiCo reported higher-than-expected quarterly revenue and profit as the company benefited from demand for its healthier drinks and snacks and kept a tight leash on costs.

PepsiCo and other processed-food makers are investing heavily to develop products to meet consumers' increasing preference for healthier snacks such as unsweetened tea and baked chips.

The company has said it now gets about 45 percent of its net revenue from "guilt-free" products  beverages that have fewer than 70 calories per 12 ounces and snacks that have lower amounts of salt and saturated fat.

Revenue from its North America beverage business, the company's biggest, rose 2.3 percent to $4.46 billion in the first quarter ended March 25.

Net income attributable to PepsiCo rose to $1.32 billion, or 91 cents per share, in the quarter, from $931 million, or 64 cents per share, a year earlier.

The year-earlier period included a $373 million charge related to its transaction with Tingyi (Cayman Islands) Holding Corp.

Excluding items, the company earned 94 cents per share.

Revenue rose 1.6 percent to $12.05 billion, the second quarter of rising sales after eight quarters of decline.

Analysts on average had expected earnings of 92 cents per share on revenue of $11.98 billion, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.

Rival Coca-Cola on Tuesday reported a lower-than-expected quarterly profit on higher costs of franchising its bottling operations and announced job cuts to boost savings.
In a surprise TED talk address Tuesday, Pope Francis advised those who had power to act humbly, while appealing for society to not leave individuals behind as the scientific and technological age advances.

Pope Francis speaks during the TED Conference, urging people to connect with and understand others, during a video presentation at the annual scientific, cultural and academic event in Vancouver. GLENN CHAPMAN | AFP | Getty Images

"Allow me to say it loud and clear: the more powerful you are, the more your actions will have an impact on people, the more responsible you are to act humbly," said Pope Francis in a recorded broadcast to an audience in Vancouver. "If you don't, your power will ruin you, and you will ruin the other." Speaking Italian in a video with subtitles for the TED2017 Conference which had the theme "The Future You"; the pontiff was highlighting the importance of tenderness and how it shouldn't be seen as a weakness but rather a path of choice for "the strongest, most courageous men and women". TED Conferences are held across the world and videos are posted online for free distribution, under the slogan "ideas worth spreading".

Pope Francis emphasized the importance of solidarity among individuals, groups and countries during the 18-minute talk; urging society to overcome the "culture of waste" and not forget others as technology evolves. "How wonderful would it be if the growth of scientific and technological innovation would come along with more equality and social inclusion," the Pope said in the recording, filmed in Vatican City. "Only by educating people to a true solidarity will we be able to overcome the 'culture of waste,' which doesn't concern only food and goods but, first and foremost, the people who are cast aside by our techno-economic systems which, without even realizing it, are now putting products at their core, instead of people." The religious leader went on to highlight this importance of unity and compassion, by retelling and referencing the Good Samaritan parable, saying that the story of the Good Samaritan was "the story of today's humanity", whereby people's paths have been riddled with suffering, as "everything is centered around money, and things, instead of people". However, the Pope went on to add that despite the "darkness of today's conflicts", people had the capability to react against evil and that each and every individual could "become a bright candle".
Procter & Gamble , the maker of Tide detergent and Pampers diapers, is still struggling to grow sales in the face of global uncertainty and a strong dollar.

While third-quarter earnings outpaced Wall Street estimates, revenue fell short, sending shares of the stock down near 2 percent Wednesday morning.

Here's what the company reported vs. what the Street was expecting:

EPS: 96 cents per share adjusted vs. estimate of 94 cents, according to Thomson Reuters analysts' consensus.

Revenue: $15.61 billion vs. estimate of $15.73 billion, according to analysts.

Procter & Gamble said its net sales for the quarter fell to $15.6 billion, down 1 percent from sales of $15.78 billion a year ago, marking the thirteenth consecutive quarter of declines.

"The third quarter macro environment was characterized by a slowdown in market growth, continued geopolitical disruptions and foreign exchange challenges," CEO David Taylor said in a statement.

Management also cited a slowdown in total market growth and a stronger U.S. dollar as a reason for the company's 8.3 percent drop in third-quarter profit.

"Market growth really across the world declined... through January and February," P&G CFO Jon Moeller told CNBC in an interview Wednesday morning. Though, he added, "[Procter & Gamble] remain[s] on track to deliver our going-in objectives on the top line, on the bottom line."

Organic sales, which are defined by the company as those that exclude any impacts of foreign exchange and acquisitions and divestitures, grew 1 percent overall and in four of the company's five business segments.

Organic sales in its grooming segment fell 6 percent due to lower volume and reduced pricing in shave care, Procter & Gamble said.

Beauty segment organic sales rose 1 percent from one year ago, while health-care sales increased 6 percent. Gains in the company's health-care segment were driven by greater volume in oral care, along with innovation on power toothbrushes, P&G explained.

The company has been focused on trimming its portfolio lately, eliminating more than 40 unprofitable brands such as Clairol and Wella, and planning to save as much as $10 billion in costs over the next five years.

"Challenging environment, frankly a challenging quarter, but [we're] continuing to make progress," Moeller told CNBC.

Although P&G is at the low-end of its current forecast year to date, the company continues to back its inital guidance, which calls for organic sales to grow in the range of 2 to 3 percent for the full year 2017.

However, with expectations that foreign exchange rates and asset sales will continue dampen its revenue, P&G expects net sales to fall somewhere between a decline of 1 percent and flat with the year-ago period.

Meanwhile, adjusted earnings per share will likely grow at a mid-single digit rate for the full year, the company said.

As of Tuesday's close, shares of Procter & Gamble have climbed more than 13 percent from one year ago and are up about 7 percent for the year-to-date period.
Business / Economy

by Thobekile Zhou

South African companies generated export sales totalling R10 million through their participation at last year's Zimbabwe International Trade Fair.South Africa's Department of Trade and Industry has again dispatched firms for this year's edition which kicked off today (Tuesday) in Bulawayo.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.South Africa's 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 is quoted saying 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."The ZITF aims to promote intra-Africa trade as well economic integration of the continent," said 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.Namibian President Hage Geingob is scheduled to officially open the exhibition on Friday.He arrives in the country on Wednesday.The 2017 event runs under the theme 'Harnessing Linkages for Industrial Development'.ZITF is one of the largest trade fairs south of the Sahara. It is a multi-sectoral, multi-national annual exhibition, which offers exposure to trade and public visitors.
The selfie, the act of self-portraiture which once threatened to spawn a society of narcissists, could be the key to a more politically engaged electorate, according to one technology company aiming to make the voting system more secure and democratic.

Smartmatic, a world-leading election technology firm, has designed a new app which enables people to vote using a selfie for authentication.

Verifying facial biometric data against government-issued ID documents, the software allows users to register and cast their vote via their mobile phone from any internet-enabled location.

Their vote is then encrypted, much like a private message on WhatsApp, and sent to a central server for counting.

It is Smartmatic's hope that the software will provide a more accessible and secure alternative to postal and booth voting, which he says are at greater risk of hacking.

Already, it is being adopted by one as yet unnamed "developed country", and is due to be rolled out later this year.

"If you look at the environments where there have been allegations of fraud it's all been because of voting interception," says Mike Summers, program manager at Smartmatic.

"Postal voting is very weak  all that's required is a date of birth and a signature, which are easy to fraud."

The selfie system, which is reliant on a two-stage authentication process, however, is more robust and places greater emphasis on confirming the individual's identity, Summers explains.

The app is the latest iteration of the company's election technology. Already it provides internet voting systems to Estonia, where almost one-third of votes are cast online, as well as holding a 15-year touch screen voting contract with Belgium.

It is also working with developing economies such as Sierra Leone to improve the voting system and has coordinated three nationwide elections in the Philippines.

Summers says the system could also provide a solution to voter apathy, which, aside from being a product of growing anti-establishment politics, is also arguably borne out of voters' frustration with traditional, time consuming voting methods.

"Every country has different problems to sort but one common interest - reduced turn out."

High abstention levels were one of the biggest threats to the first round of the French election on Sunday, which eventually generated a voter turnout of approximately 69 percent.

Low voter turnout could also impact the upcoming U.K. election. Smartmatic is due to meet the U.K. government in the coming weeks to discuss its voting system.

"There has been a reluctance to change but I think there is more of an appetite to change the technology now," said Summers, although he said it would not come ahead of this year's vote.

Currently voters in the U.K. can register online but must vote either in person or via postal vote. Last year, the website crashed shortly before the deadline for registration for the U.K. referendum, which threatened to disenfranchise thousands of would-be voters.

"I think this general election is going to be interesting because I think the turnout may be really low because of voter apathy and there will be a realisation that we need to address this.

"Registration is not the end game  voting is."

The U.K. Cabinet Office, which is responsible for elections, said it would not be providing a comment while it is in the pre-election period.
Martin Shkreli (C), former chief executive officer of Turing Pharmaceuticals and KaloBios Pharmaceuticals, departs following a hearing at a U.S. federal court in New York City on June 6, 2016. Lucas Jackson | Reuters

Martin Shkreli has some questions about... Martin Shkreli. Prospective jurors at the upcoming trial of accused securities fraudster Shkreli will have to answer a special questionnaire about the notorious pharma bro if his criminal defense attorneys get their wish. Benjamin Brafman, Shkreli's lead lawyer, on Wednesday told Brooklyn U.S. District Court Judge Kiyo Matsumoto during a hearing that he wants a special set of questions posed to would-be jurors in addition to the normal array of queries asked of them. Brafman said the small series of questions "specifically relate to Mr. Shkreli." He said that having potential jurors answer them on paper could avoid awkward situations where they verbally blurt out less-than-flattering answers about Shkreli that could affect other jurors who previously had no negative opinion of him. Asked after the hearing by CNBC what he wanted to ask jurors, Brafman said, "Questions." Asked specifically what kind of questions he would ask, Brafman quipped, "Good ones."

watch now

Brafman's request reflects the fact that there has been an enormous amount of negative publicity about Shkreli independent of the pending criminal case against him in Brooklyn federal court, where his trial is scheduled to begin in late June. Shkreli, and his lawyers, have good reason to fear that his notoriety could bias potential jurors against him. Shkreli, 34, first came to public attention, and drew widespread scorn, in the summer of 2015, after the pharmaceutical company he headed at the time, Turing Pharmaceuticals, acquired an old anti-parasite medication and raised its price by more than 5,000 percent. Critics, who included members of Congress, and then-presidential candidates Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton, blasted him for the price hike of a drug used to treat pregnant women and people with HIV, among others. Shkreli reveled in the negative attention, and used Twitter and other social media platforms to heap disdain on his critics, who included a member of the rap group Wu-Tang Clan, whose one-of-a-kind album he had purchased for $2 million. During an appearance before a Congressional committee, Shkreli smugly refused to answer questions. Matsumoto told Brafman, "I don't have an objection one way or the other to a questionnaire" for jurors. Brafman told her he would discuss the potential questions with prosecutors to make sure both sides agree on them. Earlier in the hearing, another lawyer for Shkreli, Marc Agnifilo, argued that prosecutors not be allowed to use certain documents that he said they obtained from Shkreli's other former drug company, Retrophin, that actually belonged to two hedge funds that Shkreli had previously run. Agnifilo argued Shkreli's Fourth Amendment right protecting him from unreasonable search and seizure by the government might have been violated in regards to those documents. Shkreli is accused of looting Retrophin out of millions of dollars to pay back investors in the hedge funds whom he also allegedly defrauded. The hedge funds were both partially known by the initials MSMB.

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Singapore has emerged as the world's top maritime capital in a report launched Wednesday, by Norwegian consulting firm Menon Economics.

The annually report, "Leading Maritime Capitals of the World," described the Southeast Asian city state as a resilient hub, home to the fourth largest fleet in the world (when compared to other cities).

The ranking comes as no surprise to Esben Poulsson, president of the Singapore Shipping Association. Speaking with CNBC Wednesday at the Sea Asia conference, he remarked that "Whenever you're number one, there's only one place to go, and that's not where you want to go."

Poulsson said he feels that Singapore's continued dominance is due in part to its continued innovation and its strong maritime services environment, which includes legal insurance and shipbroking.

The second and third places went to Hamburg and Oslo, while Shanghai came in fourth.

The Menon Economics report cited expert consensus that Singapore would remain the "most important city" come 2022, but it noted that Shanghai would become the second most important maritime hub.

"The fact that Singapore and Shanghai are expected to become the most important centers for the industry tells something about the changing center of gravity in both the world economy and the maritime industry," the report said.
Wynn Resorts shares closed up almost 6 percent Wednesday, a day after the casino operator reported strong earnings, which CEO Steve Wynn attributed to the return of growth in the Chinese market.

"We're enjoying a resurgence of activity at the top end in China," Wynn said on a conference call following the report Tuesday, according to a transcript. "People are settling back into routines that they're comfortable with, and that includes, you know, going to Macau and buying a new car or shopping at Louis Vuitton."

The company's first quarter earnings came in at $1.24 per share, outperforming Wall Street's expectation of 93 cents per share, according to Thomson Reuters. Gaming net revenue in Macau was $587 million, higher than the $500.9 million expected on Wall Street.

The shares are now up more than 44 percent this year.

One of the headwinds the company had been facing was a Chinese crackdown on corruption, which led many wealthy people in the country to pass on luxury goods and services to avoid arousing suspicion. As a result, Wynn said during the earnings call that the crackdown "had secondary effects on high-end products like shopping and automobiles, and gaming was part of that."

But he thinks the issue has mostly subsided, and that explains why he sees growth in the Chinese market.

Wynn sees the outlook for the company's Macau branch as only improving. Because of the limited real estate and restrictive permitting, Wynn says that once a few ongoing projects are completed, the gaming industry won't have any new competitors to worry about.

"The new tower that the rooms that were added at the City of Dreams is coming into season and then that's it, the door sort of closes on more supply," he said on the call. "And then we're just left with the enormous demand of China."
Sun Microsystems co-founder Scott McNealy told CNBC on Wednesday that CEOs appear to be relieved that the eight years of economic "waterboarding" by the Obama administration has stopped.

"I've been talking to lots of CEOs. I had one who said it very succinctly, a very large Fortune 20-type CEO, and he said, 'All of a sudden after the election, the waterboarding, the eight years of waterboarding stopped,'" said McNealy, who voted for Donald Trump.

"I think that is a strong feeling of a lot of CEOs out there," McNealy told "Squawk Box." "The regulations are coming down. The attacks from the government are coming down."

McNealy, who served more than two decades at CEO of Sun Microsytems , is executive chairman of Wayin, a social intelligence firm he help start in 2011. He describes himself as an outspoken advocate for personal liberty, small government, and free-market competition.

"I've always said, 'the worst CEO is a thousand times better than the best politician in this job,' in the White House," he said.

"I'm a huge believer in the private sector being one that can be managed," he continued. "The government sector is like the definition of a monopoly. A monopoly by definition runs corruptly with high prices and low innovation."

Every job in the public sector "is basically taking a job out of the private sector," McNealy said. To be sure, he added, "I'm not an anarchist and say no government."

"There are roles like state, the court systems, law enforcement, defense, and other things that are natural monopolies," he said.

He argued, however, that in most cases "let the market decide."

"Without the private sector being strong, you lose your personal liberties and freedoms. If you don't have financial liberties and freedoms, you going to lose your personal liberties and freedoms," McNealy said.
The Trump administration is mulling an executive order on withdrawing from the North American Free Trade Agreement, the three-nation deal President Donald Trump repeatedly slammed on the campaign trail, Politico reported, citing two White House officials.

A draft version of the order exists, Politico and NBC News reported. Politico reported that the order is in the "final stages of review" and could be "unveiled late this week or early next week," but NBC News could not confirm that timing.

Trump previously said he wanted to renegotiate NAFTA, arguing that the agreement has punished American workers and companies. The order, though, could be used as a negotiating tactic with Mexico and Canada, the other NAFTA parties.

Read the full Politico report here.
Business / Local

by Mary Charamba

THE Grain Millers' Association of Zimbabwe (GMAZ) national chairperson Tafadzwa Musarara has ruled out any bread price hikes anytime soon.Bread, depending on the quality is retailing for between 90 cents and $1.In a statement yesterday, Musarara assured consumers that the price of bread would not increase on account of flour costs."Through the two associations namely GMAZ and NBAZ, millers and bakers are jointly in negotiations with the central bank, seeking an immediate availing of foreign currency to settle all outstanding wheat imports payments." This, we are confident, will be settled in the next few days."Consequently, the milling industry wishes to advise that supply of flour, and by extension supply of bread, will remain more than adequate and consumers must not be worried."Secondly, prices will not go up on the account of costs of flour."
As a standoff escalated over the reclusive Asian nation's development of nuclear weapons and long-range ballistic missiles, President Donald Trump invited all 100 members of the Senate to attend the session with Secretary of State Rex Tillerson , Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis, Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats and Marine General Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

U.S. lawmakers want to leave briefings on North Korea on Wednesday with something many think has been absent in the Trump administration so far: a clear strategy for dealing with a major national security threat.

While administration officials typically travel to the Capitol building to brief lawmakers on national security issues, on Wednesday the entire Senate will hop on a bus to the White House where four top officials will meet with them simultaneously. The same four officials will then go to Capitol Hill to brief the entire House at 5 p.m. EDT (2100 GMT), a senior House aide said.

"I hope and expect that it is worth the time of the trip and that we'll hear things we don't know, and that we'll come out of it better informed. We'll see," said Senator Chris Coons, a Democratic member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

The meeting was set for one day after a North Korean holiday on Tuesday marking the 85th anniversary of the founding of its army. While North Korea has in the past staged nuclear or missile tests to mark the day, this year it conducted a major live-fire exercise.

It also comes as Trump tries to put the best face on his first 100 days in office, a period in which the president signed a variety of executive orders to roll back Democratic policies but has been defined by an absence of any major legislative achievements.

Lawmakers, including some of Trump's fellow Republicans, also have said the early months of his presidency have been marked by a lack of communication with Congress, partly because the administration has been slow to fill key posts and partly because Trump has been slow to develop policy positions.

Although the White House has downplayed the importance of Saturday's 100-day anniversary, Trump will mark the day with a rally in Pennsylvania.
President Donald Trump wants to pressure North Korea through tighter sanctions and diplomatic channels, but the United States is "prepared to defend" itself and allies, top Trump administration officials said in a statement Wednesday.

As a standoff escalated over the reclusive Asian nation's development of nuclear weapons and long-range ballistic missiles, Trump invited all 100 members of the Senate to attend the session with Secretary of State , Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis, Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats and Marine General Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

"The president's approach aims to pressure North Korea into dismantling its nuclear, ballistic missile, and proliferation programs by tightening economic sanctions and pursuing diplomatic measures with our allies and regional partners," Tillerson, Mattis and Coats said in a joint statement following the briefing with senators.

The officials said they are working with allies to "increase pressure" on Pyongyang and "convince the regime and de-escalate and return to the path of dialogue." They added that the U.S. seeks "peaceful denuclearization."

Trump has called for a review of U.S. policy toward North Korea. The president said Monday the United Nations Security Council should prepare for the possibility of adopting new, tougher sanctions.
"Donald Trump campaigned on the notion that fixing Washington would be simple because the problems were simple; caused by the feckless idiots and self-dealing crooks known as politicians."

In going from owner of a privately held family business to president of the country, Trump went from being answerable to nobody to being answerable to everybody: All the special interests. So, on the issues big enough to draw attention, Trump has met not just resistance from "special interests," but that most pernicious, transformative Washington force: Reality. In the case of health care, that reality being the fact that "special interests" consists of tens of millions of people who really want health care.

Before coming to Washington, Trump was very clear that he understood health-care issues. He spent decades running businesses that provided health care for hundreds of employees. He debated health care with journalists and rival politicians for more than a year. It took just 38 days in Washington before he declared, "Nobody knew health care could be so complicated."

From the Export-Import Bank, to labeling China a currency manipulator, Washington is teaching him that most things are complicated.

And, like scientists observing artificial life in a lab, Americans have watched, whispering with awe: "It's learning."

More importantly, Trump is teaching others both that it's not so easy, and that it's okay to see things as complicated. Obamacare is now popular enough that Republicans are keeping it alive. And out in the Heartland? Americans are fighting to protect bureaucrats and preserve bureaucracy.

They're holding protests and attending town halls. Demanding funding for federal agencies. Faced with losing them, people have decided they're willing to fight for things like clean air and water, educational funding, voting rights, workplace protections, consumer protections, fuselage-crack detection, and myriad other blessings of paper-pushing bureaucrats and overweening regulators.

An NBC/Wall Street Journal poll out Monday finds that 57 percent of Americans want more government solutions in their lives. That's the highest that number has been in the 22 years they've been asking. Americans aren't laughing at Reagan's joke any more.

Democratic party leaders, however, don't seem to have noticed. They're still running away from big government. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee runs ads using the phrase "career politician" as a pejorative. The strange dichotomies of Washington, where career politicians hurl "career politician" as an insult at a time when history's least popular president is the first without a history of public service and America's most popular politician is a career politician.

Just as only Nixon could go to China, maybe Trump was right that only Trump could make Washington great again. Only he could convince his voters that some things are complicated. And show America that swamps are beautiful places teeming with wildlife and wild life. And remind us that Washington is a brilliant, marvelously calibrated tool that will accomplish the goals of those who choose to use it. Maybe Trump is simply showing us that Washington was great all along and that it was us, in our bubbles, who've been terrible.

But we're learning.

Commentary by Jonathan Larsen, the managing editor of TYT Politics. You can follow him on Twitter @JTLarsen .

For more insight from CNBC contributors, follow @CNBCopinion on Twitter.
President Donald Trump lashed out again at the American judiciary for blocking a piece of his agenda.

Except on Wednesday, he got his court wrong.

In a morning tweet, he blamed the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals for blocking his order to withhold funding from so-called sanctuary cities. He called the ruling "ridiculous" and signaled that his administration will appeal by saying "see you in the Supreme Court."

Trump tweet: First the Ninth Circuit rules against the ban & now it hits again on sanctuary cities-both ridiculous rulings. See you in the Supreme Court!

The problem: Tuesday's ruling did not come from the 9th Circuit. It was made in federal district court in San Francisco.

Earlier this year, the 9th Circuit did block Trump's executive order restricting travel from several predominantly Muslim countries.

White House chief of staff Reince Priebus also targeted the appeals court in comments to reporters Tuesday, according to The Hill.

Politico, which first pointed out Trump's error, noted that the 9th Circuit would hear the case next if the Trump administration appeals.
President Trump appears to have backed off of his plans to force funding for his Mexican border wall into the current budget but he's still seeking $314 million to add hundreds more Border Patrol agents and Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers.

Creating a deportation force of this magnitude could cost our economy $5 trillion over a 10-year period, according to a study by Queens College professor, Francesc Ortega.

The study assumes our labor force includes 7 million undocumented workers who account for 3 percent of our GDP; deporting millions of undocumented immigrants would create job losses not seen since the Great Recession.

And do you know the industry that would likely be most affected? Agriculture  the very industry Trump and Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross have been defending recently. An estimated 50 percent to 70 percent of farm workers are undocumented.

Some farm workers are already starting to leave the country for fear of being deported. But, if farmers lost all access to undocumented workers it could cause agricultural output to plunge by $30 billion to $60 billion and it could force food prices higher by 5 percent to 7 percent, according to a study by the by the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF).

A big lie used by anti-immigration supporters is that immigrants take jobs away from native-born Americans, but the numbers do not agree when it comes to farming. Even when farmers raise wages, many say they don't get more than a few Americans applying for their jobs. And, even when an American applies and accepts a job  many don't come back the second day. It's hard, back-breaking work and it's seasonal and migratory  something most Americans don't want to do.

Our country needs more immigrants, not a deportation force or a border wall. Even if Trump wasn't cracking down on immigrants, the U.S. labor force is undergoing a massive shift as baby boomers retire. It's been estimated that close to 59 million workers will have left the workforce between 2010-2030, with only 51 million native born workers (third generation or higher) entering the labor force. Unless immigrants and children of immigrants enter the labor force in all industries, we will have a labor gap that will prevent us from creating the output we need and generating the growth necessary to keep America great.

Instead of wasting taxpayer's time and money with talks of a wall and a deportation force, our government should be focused on creating an immigration system that legalizes undocumented workers, and welcomes new, hardworking immigrants into our society and labor force.

Commentary by Julissa Arce is author of the book, "My (Underground) American Dream." Arce made national and international headlines when she revealed that she had achieved the American Dream of wealth and status working her way up to vice president at Goldman Sachs by age 27 while being an undocumented immigrant from Mexico. She currently works with the Ascend Educational Fund, a scholarship program for immigrant students in New York City. Follow her on Twitter @julissaarce.

For more insight from CNBC contributors, follow @CNBCopinion on Twitter.
The Nimitz-class U.S. Navy aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson transits the Philippine Sea while conducting a bilateral exercise with the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force April 23, 2017.

The U.S. military's top Pacific chief was in the hot seat Wednesday at a House hearing and took the blame for apparent miscommunication over the USS Carl Vinson carrier's movements amid the rising tensions with North Korea.

Earlier this month, President Donald Trump said in an interview the military was sending "an armada" to the Korean Peninsula and reports at the time indicated the carrier strike group was led by the Vinson. But as tensions mounted with North Korea over the nuclear and ballistic-missile threat, it was learned last week from a New York Times story the Vinson was actually headed in another direction and not toward Korean waters.

"With regard to the Carl Vinson, that's my fault on the confusion and I'll take the hit for it," Navy Adm. Harry Harris, the four-star commander of U.S. Pacific Command, testified at a hearing of the House Committee on Armed Services.

Harris explained that he made the decision to pull the aircraft carrier out of Singapore and cancel a port visit to Australia. He also ordered the carrier to proceed north. However, he said, he failed to communicate that adequately to the press. "So that is all on me."

The flap over the Vinson led to charges the Trump administration used the Vinson as just a "bluff" against Pyongyang. South Korean's Yonhap news agency ran a story with a headline, "Trump's 'armada' gaffe stains his commitment to alliance."

White House spokesman Sean Spicer was asked last week about the Vinson issue and insisted there was no intent to mislead. Harris, however, didn't explain the disconnect with the White House over the matter.

The admiral said the military has since moved the Vinson closer to the region to handle a Korean mission.

"Today it sits in the Philippine Sea, just east of Okinawa and [within] striking range and power projection range of North Korea if called upon to do that," Harris said.

Harris was pressed on the carrier mess by Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-California), a member of the House Committee on Armed Services. "When dealing with an unpredictable regime [like North Korea], empty rhetoric can be dangerous," the congressman remarked.

Meantime, Harris also said the USS Michigan, a guided-missile nuclear submarine, is now in South Korea's Busan port and will be there for a few days and then will leave port and be operating within the area. "This is a show of solidarity with our South Korean allies and a flexible deterrent show of force to North Korea should they consider using force against South Korea."

From the other side of the Pacific, the U.S. early Wednesday launched an operational test of an unarmed intercontinental ballistic missile from Vandenberg AFB in California. The test also was seen as a demonstration to North Korea of the U.S. nuclear deterrent capability.

Rodong Sinmun, the official newspaper of the Pyongyang regime's ruling party, Wednesday "denounced the U.S. for getting all the more zealous in its war hysteria against the DPRK." DPRK is short for North Korea's formal name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

The U.S. military's Pacific chief testified at the House hearing Wednesday that North Korea's nuclear program poses a bigger threat than ever but China, despite offering to help, remains a formidable adversary with island-building and increased militarization.

"North Korea remains our most immediate threat in the Indo-Asia-Pacific," he said.

Harris said North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is "on a quest for nuclear weapons and the ballistic missiles capable of delivering them intercontinentally. The words and actions of North Korea threaten the U.S. homeland and that of our allies in South Korea and Japan."

North Koreans have "an aggressive weapons test schedule, as demonstrated by yet another ballistic missile launch this April," the admiral said. He added that the regime launched more ballistic missiles last year than it did in the previous few years combined.

"Just as Thomas Edison is believed to have failed 1,000 times before successfully inventing the electric light bulb, so too, Kim Jong Un will keep trying," he said. "One of these days soon, he will succeed."

Harris said the concern isn't just land-based missile technology but submarine weapons the North Koreans are developing. Moreover, he indicated that solid-fuel advances by Pyongyang also are troubling.

"Aggressive rhetoric since the New Year strongly suggests North Korea will not only continue to test these proscribed systems, but is also likely to attempt a first launch of a similarly prohibited intercontinental ballistic missile," he added.

That said, the military's Pacific chief said the North Korean leader's "strategic capabilities are not yet an existential threat to the U.S., but if left unchecked, he will gain the capability to match his rhetoric. At that point, we will wake up to a new world."

Harris in his testimony said North Korea's existing conventional capabilities are today "a significant threat" to both allies in the region as well as the 90,000 U.S. troops stationed in the Western Pacific.

Yet while the North Korea threat has the U.S. military on alert, the admiral expressed concern that the stockpiles of armaments are generally lower than it should be.

Specifically, he said the military was running low on critical munitions such as small bombs and anti-air warfare weapons used by fighter aircraft.

"These are not exciting kinds of weapons," Harris said. "But they are absolutely critical to what we're trying to do, not only against North Korea but also in the fights in the Middle East."

Harris also expressed concern that the military's attack submarine fleet is lower in numbers than it should be and that more vessels need to be built to strengthen the Navy's deterrent capabilities.

"Submarine numbers are low and getting smaller," he said. The Pacific chief said the Navy can only meet 50 percent of his stated requirement for attack submarines.

As for China, Harris said, Beijing has made significant gains in military capability and also militarized the South China Sea through the building of seven military bases on artificial islands.

"China's military modernization cannot be understated, especially when we consider the communist regime's lack of transparency and apparent strategy," he said. "China is committed to developing a hypersonic glide weapon and advanced cyber and anti-satellite capabilities that present direct threats to the homeland."

At the same time, Harris said the Russians are "modernizing its military and once again exercising its conventional forces and nuclear strike capabilities in the Pacific, which also threaten the homeland."

Harris also said the Russians continue to demonstrate "increasingly aggressive behavior, both regionally and globally. Nuclear-capable bombers continue to fly missions focused on rehearsing strikes on the U.S. mainland or regional targets."

Indeed, there were at least four instances in the past week of Russian bombers flying in international airspace and approaching the Alaska coast. Prior to that, the last time there was a long-range Russian bomber off the Alaska coast was back in 2015.
Steep tax cuts to 15 percent in the U.S. corporate rate and 10 percent for repatriated offshore corporate profits are expected to be part of President Donald Trump's tax reform plan, which is due to be released at 1:30 p.m. ET. (CNBC)

Republicans are floating a government spending deal that does not include money for Trump's southern border wall, moving negotiations forward ahead of this week's government shutdown deadline. (NBC News)

President Donald Trump invited all 100 senators to attend a briefing today on North Korea, as the standoff escalates over the reclusive nation's development of nuclear weapons and long-range ballistic missiles. (Reuters)

China's first domestically built aircraft carrier was launched today in the latest display of Beijing's growing naval power, just three days after the 68th anniversary of the People's Liberation Army Navy. (SCMP)

A federal judge in San Francisco has blocked a Trump administration order to withhold funding from so-called sanctuary cities, communities that limit cooperation with U.S. immigration authorities. (AP)

President Trump is set to sign an executive order today, calling into question the future of dozens of national monuments proclaimed by the last three presidents to set aside millions of acres from development. (USA Today)

Ajit Pai, the new Republican chairman of the FCC, is expected to unveil today his game plan for revamping the net neutrality rules passed during the Obama administration. (USA Today)

Former President Barack Obama has accepted a $400,000 speaking fee from Cantor Fitzgerald for a keynote address at the investment bank's September health-care conference. (FT)

U.S. Steel (X) was sinking about 16 percent in the premarket after reporting a loss when analysts had expected a profit. Revenue also missed and the company issued a weaker full-year guidance. (RTT News)

Wynn Resorts (WYNN) plans to start construction as early as December on the first phase of its $1.5 billion Paradise Park. Meanwhile, Wynn exceeded estimates on earnings and revenue. (CNBC)

Chipotle (CMG) reported profit of $1.60 per share, beating estimates by 33 cents. Revenue and same store sales were slightly above. Chipotle also disclosed a data breach in its payment systems during the past month. (CNBC)

Consumer Reports, which has historically praised Tesla's (TSLA) Model S and Model X, is cutting its ratings for both vehicles due to the electric automaker's failure to update the software for certain versions. (CNBC)

McDonald's (MCD) is dropping its plan to sell shares in its Japan operations, which recently returned to profitability after three years of losses. The fast food giant on Tuesday reported better than expected quarterly results. (Nikkei)
Roughly half of U.S. workers have access to an employer-sponsored retirement plan. The financial services industry has argued that people who lack workplace plans can easily open an individual retirement account. That's true, but few investors do so. Only about 14 percent of investors regularly contribute to their IRAs, according to a new report from the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College. The remaining assets in IRAs are from when employees roll over their 401(k) plans and other workplace retirement plans. "IRAs were intended to help people save more for retirement; instead, they have become a holding place for money that was originally in 401(k) plans," said Geoffrey Sanzenbacher, a research economist at the center.

Investors have parked a massive amount of money in IRAs, which hold more than $7.8 trillion in assets, according to the Federal Reserve. That exceeds the more than $5.7 trillion in 401(k) plans and other workplace retirement plans, as well as the $3.3 trillion held in traditional pension plans in the private sector. Not every investor is forgetting about their IRAs. The center found, using data from the U.S. Census Bureau, that frequent contributors fall into three distinct groups: "dual-income super-savers," "frugal breadwinners" and the self-employed. Among the investors who frequently contribute to IRAs, roughly 43 percent were super-savers, another 43 percent are frugal breadwinners, and 14 percent were self-employed. Nearly 66 percent of the super-savers, who had an average annual income of $149,149, and more than half of the frugal breadwinners, with an average annual income of $59,527, also contributed to their employer's 401(k) plans in addition to their IRAs. Since the self-employed rarely have access to a 401(k), most were saving through an IRA as an alternative to an employer-sponsored plan, the center found.

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"The lower participation in IRAs is a matter of behavioral finance, " said Jeffrey Levine, chief retirement strategist at Ed Slott and Co. in Rockville Centre, New York. Unlike with workplace retirement plans, people have to find an IRA provider, have enough money to open an IRA and figure out how they will invest it, he said. Workers with 401(k) plans can automatically invest with payroll deductions and often receive some help from their employers in selecting investments or are defaulted into decent options. If an employer offers matching contributions, it makes sense for workers to contribute to their 401(k)s before an IRA, Levine said. IRAs also have lower contribution limits than 401(k) plans. This year, you can only contribute $5,500 to a traditional or Roth IRA and $1,000 more if you are age 50 or older. The maximum 401(k) contribution limit is $18,000 per year. "But people underestimate what $5,500 in annual contributions can do over time," Levine said.

What's been clear from the data is that automatic payroll deduction works. David Certner AARP's legislative counsel
Instagram feed Justin Sullivan | Getty Images

At a recent all-hands meeting with employees, Kevin Systrom, a founder and chief executive of Instagram, showed off one of his favorite charts: Days to Reach the Next 100 Million Users. "It's the only graph in the company that we celebrate when it declines," Mr. Systrom said in an interview last week at Instagram's headquarters in Menlo Park, Calif. Not long ago, the Facebook -owned photo-based social network grew at a steady clip. Every nine months, without fail, Instagram added another 100 million users somewhere in the world. Then, last year, it began racking up more new users every day. It grew to 600 million users from 500 million in only six months. On Wednesday, just four months after reaching that milestone, the company announced it had reached another: About 700 million people now use Instagram every month, with about 400 million of them checking in daily. I had come to visit Mr. Systrom because I'm one of the new 100 million. I technically joined Instagram years ago but used it only occasionally. In the past few months, however, I began diving in more often, and now I check it several times a day. As I used Instagram more, I realized something about the photo-sharing app: It's becoming Facebook's next Facebook. Part of what got me interested in using Instagram more was the war between Facebook and Snapchat, the picture-messaging app that has created genuinely new ways of communicating online  and whose features Instagram and Facebook's other subsidiaries recently copied. But once I started using Instagram, I discovered something surprising: Instagram has improved on the features it took from Snapchat. Over much of the past year it has added lots of other features, too. Among them are a feed ranked by personalization algorithms rather than by chronology, live streaming, the ability to post photo galleries and a (controversial) new app design and logo. Instagram is now substantially changing the daily experience of using the service at a speed that would ordinarily feel reckless for a network of its size. But rather than alienating existing users, its confident moves seem to be paying off.

Instagrams founders, Kevin Systrom, left, and Mike Krieger, at the companys headquarters in Menlo Park, Calif., April 24, 2017. Instagram, now with 700 million users, resembles Facebook in 2009 to 2012, when it went from being something people used occasionally to something they use every day. Christie Hemm Klok | The New York Times

This is difficult to quantify. My subjective experience may not match yours (lots of people, for example, say they hate the new ranked feed). But for me, Instagram's many changes have made for a social network that feels more useful, interesting and fun than it was last year. Part of it is the new features themselves, but a bigger reason is the greater use that the features have inspired. Networks are better when more people use them more often; the more I've used Instagram recently, the more stuff I've seen from more people, and the more I want to use it some more. Instagram has thus triggered an echo  it feels like Facebook. More precisely, it feels the way Facebook did from 2009 to 2012, when it silently crossed over from one of those tech things that some people sometimes did to one of those tech things that everyone you know does every day. In some ways, this is not surprising. Instagram has been growing like crazy essentially since it went live in 2010, and under Facebook  which bought the company for $1 billion five years ago  it has had ample resources to keep that up. But with 700 million users, it's in virtually uncharted territory. There are bigger networks: Facebook has nearly two billion users a month, and two instant-messaging apps owned by Facebook, WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger, have grown past the one-billion-user mark. In China, WeChat also has more users. But last year, you might have said there was a question whether a picture-based service like Instagram could have reached similar scale  whether it was universal enough, whether there were enough people whose phones could handle it, whether it could survive greater competition from newer photo networks like Snapchat. Maybe those problems or others will rear up in the future, and growth could yet stall. But for now, Instagram seems to have overcome any perceived hurdles. It seems to have reached escape velocity. Mr. Systrom said this plan to rapidly speed up Instagram's pace of change to attract more users was deliberate. "The primary reason we've scaled more quickly in the last 100 million is that we've figured out that as we've scaled, we've had to unbreak ourselves," he said. What he meant was that Instagram systematically analyzed all the bottlenecks to its service and tried to eliminate them. Then it looked for potential opportunities to better serve users and tried to put them in place as fast as possible. This sounds trivial  aren't all companies looking to constantly improve?  but social networks are sometimes held hostage by their most loyal users, who tend to hate change (cough, Twitter, cough). Facebook bucked that trend; as it grew, it constantly adapted its features to become more things to more people. Mr. Systrom is following the same playbook. "My favorite thing to ask the team is, how large do you think Instagram will be eventually?" he said. "Usually you get to some large number, and it's definitely more than two times the size we are now. So I can confidently say that most of the people who'll eventually use Instagram don't use Instagram now."

Inside Instagrams headquarters in Menlo Park, Calif., April 24, 2017. Christie Hemm Klok | The New York Times
Here's a wake-up call that many teenagers need to hear: Yes, you'll probably have to borrow for college.

Laurie Rubin | Getty Images

Despite the fact that student loan debt has ballooned to $1.4 trillion and that the average 2016 college graduate is shouldering $37,172 in loans, only four in 10 high school seniors believe they'll be borrowing in the name of higher education, according to new research from Navient. The student loan servicer polled 22,000 high school students between Aug.15 and Dec. 31 of last year. High school juniors are even further removed from the reality of student loan debt: 34 percent of those students predicted they would finance their college years. Reality tends to set in once these students have matriculated: 61 percent of college freshmen expect to borrow, and six in 10 who graduate will likely have a loan. "It reflects that families aren't having the conversation early enough," said Julie Wilson, head of research at Navient. "They might be waiting for acceptance letters before saying, 'How will we pay for this?'" The clock is ticking to have this chat with your children: May 1 is the enrollment deadline for many colleges, so students will need to decide where they'll land.

Other funding sources

Student loans were just a piece of the financial aid puzzle for high school upperclassmen. Only 4 percent of these juniors and seniors expected to fund their educations on debt alone.

Many expected to foot the bill through a combination of work, scholarships or grants, in addition to the loans. Also, 66 percent of the prospective borrowers said that they would work during the summer, while 72 percent said they would take on a job while in school. Another 64 percent of the borrowers said they would get some help from their parents or other family members. To help high schoolers come to grips with the real cost of college  and the likelihood of borrowing  Wilson suggests having the funding conversation early in the college selection process.

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Students and their families had some additional time to weigh their financial aid packages for the 2017-to-2018 college year. Last fall, students were able to submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) starting Oct. 1  three months earlier than the original date of Jan. 1. This document, which you fill out using your tax return, determines how much financial aid your child is eligible to receive from loans and grants. "Now that the FAFSA can be filed earlier, that might push the conversations a little earlier," Wilson said.

Talk about the cost

It's easy for families to get caught up in the financial aid letters they receive from schools, so the best practice is to go through line-by-line to understand how much of the offer is based on loans  which need to be repaid  and how much comes from grants, which are free. "When my daughter was considering her options, we spoke about the four-year net cost," said Wilson. In other words, does one college offer richer sources of grants or scholarships over another? "She had scholarship offers from one school but not the other, and that helped her make a decision to go with the option that would allow her to graduate without student loans," Wilson said.

Tuition keeps rising Academic Year Private Nonprofit Four-Year One-Year % Change Public Four-Year One-Year % Change Public Two-Year One-Year % Change 05-06 $20,980 4.7% $5,492 7.1% $2,182 5.0% 06-07 $22,308 6.3% $5,804 5.7% $2,266 3.8% 07-08 $23,420 5.0% $6,191 6.7% $2,294 1.2% 08-09 $24,818 6.0% $6,599 6.6% $2,382 3.8% 09-10 $25,739 3.7% $7,073 7.2% $2,569 7.9% 10-11 $26,766 4.0% $7,629 7.9% $2,742 6.7% 11-12 $27,883 4.2% $8,276 8.5% $2,973 8.4% 12-13 $28,989 4.0% $8,646 4.5% $3,154 6.1% 13-14 $30,131 3.9% $8,885 2.8% $3,241 2.8% 14-15 $31,283 3.8% $9,145 2.9% $3,336 2.9% 15-16 $32,405 3.6% $9,410 2.9% $3,435 3.0%

Source: Source: The College Board
News / Local

by Agencies

THE Civil Protection Unit (CPU) has released the names of 31 people who died in a horrific road accident that happened in Mvuma early this month.The death toll has risen by 10 from the previously announced 21 following DNA tests.A South Africa-bound Proliner Bus sideswiped with a Transmech haulage truck and caught fire at Nyamatikiti River near Chaka Business Centre in Chirumanzu on April 5.DNA tests conducted by experts at the National University of Science and Technology (Nust) Applied Genetic Testing Centre (AGTC) revealed that apart from the previously announced 21 accident victims, eight more people were also burnt in the bus inferno while two others died while admitted to Driefontein Mission Hospital bringing the death toll to 31.Midlands Provincial Administrator, Mr Abiot Marongwe, representing the CPU yesterday released the names of the victims.He said the number of accident victims who died in the accident was arrived at using DNA tests as well as a list of passengers who were in the bus."The victims have been identified as Alexio Gundiza, Collen Zeze, Josey Matawu, Joel Ndipa, Patricia Wadii, John Chimhanda, Cardman Maturika, Annah Chigu, a Ms Sihle, Remigio Nyamatezwa, Vivian Makwiyana, Joseph Matimba, Theophelus Madzitire, Tawanda Zimuto, Lee Foya, Silas Shoko, Munashe Kawishi, Ruvarashe Kawishi, Viola Chimbudzi, a Ms Ropafadzo, Ivy Nyamande, Winnet Masussa, Tafadzwa Kurwara, Memory Ndlovu, Ida Njale, Zondani Makonza, Nyarai Warikandwa, James Makonese, Ruponeso Muchenje, Angeline Sibiya and Benjamin Kufira," he said.Mr Marongwe said 18 families whose relatives were positively identified have already taken the remains following the processing of burial orders and death certificates. He said they were still waiting for the families of the other accident victims to come forward.Mr Marongwe said a mass burial for three passengers whose remains could not be matched with their relatives had been planned."We have released the list of the accident victims and the passenger manifest. Eighty-one people were on the bus- 29 were burnt and two died at Driefontein hospital. We are suspecting that the three victims whose bodies couldn't be ascertained are part of the remains that we have."Burial arrangements for the remains are being made. Those families whose relatives were positively identified have since collected the remains," he said.Mr Marongwe said relatives of the victims received State assisted burials and $700 from Government and the Insurance Council of Zimbabwe (ICZ).Police Officer Commanding Midlands Province Senior Assistant Commissioner Abigail Moyo told relatives who were collecting remains of their loved ones yesterday at Gweru Provincial hospital mortuary that Transmech Logistics the owners of the haulage truck which side-swiped with the bus had offered to compensate relatives of the accident victims.Meanwhile, Regis Mungwari (29), who was driving the South African registered haulage truck that was headed for Harare carrying tyres, appeared before Mvuma resident Magistrate Mr Tayengwa Chibanda clad in remand prison garb facing 21 counts of culpable homicide last Friday.He was not asked to plead and was remanded in custody to May 5.Regis Mungwari was denied bail on 07 April 2017 and taken to Whawha Remand Prison cells in Gweru where he is languishing.In denying him bail, the magistrate Mr Tayengwa Chibanda concurred with the State prosecutor Mr Michael Kazomba who argued Mungwari was not a proper candidate for bail considering that he did not have a fixed address in Zimbabwe, he was employed in South Africa and was a potential flight risk, and that he could commit suicide.As a South African truck driver, to grant him bail, the court would be required to legalise his residency status while he awaits trial, the court noted.Mr Chibanda said the trial will commence once the post-mortem reports and identification results of the burnt victims were released.Prosecutor Mr Michael Kazomba told the court that on April 5, Mungwari was driving a Harare bound haulage truck from Johannesburg, South Africa.He said on approaching the 218km peg along the Harare- Masvingo highway, his truck side-swiped the bus, resulting in the fatal accident. Mr Kazomba said Mungwari acted negligently resulting in the loss of human life.
News / National

by Staff reporter

VICE President Emmerson Mnangagwa will today deliver a key note address and officially open the 2017 Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) International Business Conference in Bulawayo.The business conference is a major highlight of the five-day premier trade showcase jointly organised by the ZITF Company in conjunction with the National Economic Consultative Forum (NECF).The high level forum is expected to draw participants from local industry and commerce executives, the academia, representatives of foreign exhibitors, embassies, civic society, development partners and other stakeholders who will share the stage on a range of economic issues.This year's business conference comes at a time when Zimbabwe is angling for a robust economic turnaround riding on the successful farming season under the Command Agriculture scheme, which is expected to yield more than two million tonnes of grain.The country is also working on fine-tuning its investment image through the doing business reform agenda. Economic projections by Treasury and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) have already pegged Zimbabwe's growth this year to between two to three percent.In recognition of the need to enhance domestic business efficiency and attract foreign direct investment, Deputy Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet, Dr Ray Ndhlukula, will make a presentation on the on-going ease of doing business reforms in Zimbabwe as the bedrock for robust industrial development.Dr F Bokosi, an executive director with the African Forum and Network on Debt and Development, will lead the discussion on curbing illicit financial flows for industrial development. Externalisation of foreign exchange and money laundering are some of the major problems bedevilling African economies.Joint ventures and partnerships are an integral component of developing businesses. To that end, the Indian Ambassador to Zimbabwe Rungsung Masakui will lead a discussion on promoting international value chains through the India-Zimbabwe business partnerships.There will also be a session on how to break into the international and intra-regional markets for economic transformation through trade investment. This session will be led by Namibian Industrialisation, Trade and SMEs Ministry deputy secretary, Ms B K Menyah-Artivor.Developing a sound infrastructure forms a solid foundation for investment. In that regard, Infrastructure Development Bank of Zimbabwe (IDBZ) chief executive officer, Mr Thomas Zondo-Sakala, will make a presentation on closing infrastructure gaps for industrial development in Zimbabwe focusing on the critical steps.The gathering will also tackle insurance issues in relation to sustainability of industrial development. This year's ZITF runs under the theme: "Harnessing Linkages for Industrial Development".
The Missourians Opinion section is a public forum for the discussion of ideas. The views presented in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Missourian or the University of Missouri. If you would like to contribute to the Opinion page with a response or an original topic of your own, visit our submission form
News / National

by Staff reporter

CONTRARY to wild claims from the MDC-T that Government's procurement of Biometric Voter Registration kits was Zanu-PF's way of trying to rig the 2018 harmonised elections, the United Nations has expressed satisfaction with the transparency surrounding the exercise.UNDP Resident Coordinator Mr Bishow Parajuli yesterday commended the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission for the manner it had so far carried out the site validation tests for two companies bidding to supply Biometric Voter Registration kits.The tests for the kits began last Thursday while mock registration exercises were held in Harare at Mabvuku High School on Monday and at Murape Secondary School yesterday.An unnamed MDC-T official was yesterday quoted in the private media claiming that the party had 'unearthed an elaborate rigging programme' around the procurement of BVR kits with specific reference to computer servers."What I am very pleased with is that all stakeholders are involved. It is being done in a transparent manner. There are a lot of political parties, technical experts are here, the media (are here) and ZEC staff, that is good."What we need to understand is that this is just testing of the equipment. It is mock voter registration process and it is an important step in choosing the right equipment," he said.Mr Parajuli also welcomed Government's commitment in contributing funds for the procurement of the equipment.Government has provided at least $17 million for the exercise while development partners have provided $7 million through the UNDP."UNDP will continue to work with ZEC and what is key as we move forward is for everybody engaging in this to continue in a transparent and peaceful manner. Our role is purely technical support to ZEC. We are helping strengthening the capacity of ZEC," Mr Parajuli said.Two companies are bidding to supply ZEC with the BVR kits.They are Laxton Group Limited from China and Dermalog Identification Systems from Germany.The process continues today with the shock and water proof tests for the BVR kits and later the gathering of results.The evaluation team is expected to hand over their report to ZEC tomorrow and the commission is in turn expected to present the report to the State Procurement Board on Friday.
Members of Common Cause NC on Wednesday delivered a petition to state House Speaker Tim Moore signed by thousands of North Carolinians calling for passage of nonpartisan redistricting.

House Bill 200 would establish an impartial process for drawing North Carolinas congressional and legislative voting maps. The plan was introduced in February by a bipartisan coalition of 39 NC House members led by four prominent Republican lawmakers.

But despite widespread public support for the proposal, House Bill 200 has not been given a hearing in the NC House Rules Committee. In response, members of Common Cause NC brought the petition signed by nearly 4,000 North Carolinians to the legislature.

I am here today for a simple reason: like most North Carolinians, I believe it is time for our state to adopt a fair way of drawing our voting maps, said Mim Williams, a Raleigh resident. Unfortunately, a small number of legislative leaders have refused to allow the NC General Assembly to vote on House Bill 200 or even let the bill be heard in committee. We are calling upon Speaker Moore to give House Bill 200 the vote it deserves.

Under North Carolinas longstanding system, whichever party controls the legislature also controls redistricting. For decades, the result has been gerrymandered voting maps that heavily favor one party or the other and reduce competition on Election Day. Since 1992, nearly half of all legislative races have had just one candidate on the ballot. That trend continued in last years election as millions of North Carolinians were deprived of any choice in who would represent them in the legislature.

House Bill 200 would end gerrymandering by taking redistricting power away from partisan legislators and instead give it to nonpartisan legislative staff. That independent staff would be required to follow strict, nonpartisan guidelines when drawing voting districts, without any input from legislators. The maps would in turn be sent to the full legislature for a simple up or down vote.

The bills primary sponsors are Reps. Jon Hardister (R-Guilford), Jonathan Jordan (R-Ashe, Watauga), Chuck McGrady (R-Henderson) and Sarah Stevens (R-Surry, Wilkes).

Among the over 220 bills passed by the NC House so far this session, the average number of co-sponsors is just 11. By contrast, the 39 co-sponsors of House Bill 200 is a clear sign of the measures unusually broad bipartisan support among members of the legislature.

An overwhelming majority of North Carolina voters also support independent redistricting, as shown by a new Public Policy Polling survey commissioned by Democracy North Carolina. According to the polls results released on Wednesday, 80 percent of voters say its not fair for politicians to draw their own districts. That includes 85 percent of Democrats, 74 percent of Republicans and 80 percent of independent voters.

At a time when we see such deep political divisions, its notable that House Bill 200 has broad bipartisan support among House members and the public because it is a common-sense reform, said Bob Phillips, executive director of Common Cause NC. The dozens of House members co-sponsoring this bill, along with the thousands of North Carolina citizens that signed this petition, and the millions of voters who support fair redistricting all deserve to see House Bill 200 get a fair vote. We respectfully ask Speaker Moore to simply let this bill be heard.


the complete review - fiction

Enigmas of Spring



by

Joao Almino



general information | our review | links | about the author

Portuguese title: Enigmas da primavera

Translated by Rhett McNeil

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Our Assessment:



B : interesting approach to engaging with present-day issues and events

See our review for fuller assessment.

The complete review 's Review :

The young central figure in Enigmas of Spring is very much a dreamer -- and he is even presented as not-quite-real: "let's call our hero Majnun", the author suggests in the opening chapter, assigning the character a name that then pairs well with the woman he falls in love with: Laila (as in the classic love story of Layla and Majnun, most famously in Nizami's epic). His actual dreams -- into which he falls deeply and completely -- are vivid and, to him, very lifelike -- and offer him an entree into the world that currently preoccupies him, fifteenth century Spain and the (Islamic) Nasrid Kingdom of Granada, with repeated encounters with Boabdil (Muhammad XII, the last of the Nasrid line in Granada).

An aspiring history student in contemporary Brazil, but having failed the university entrance exam, Majnun is somewhat at sea; among his other current ambitions are to write a novella (not a novel, but a novella). With a father who is dead (of an overdose) and a mother who has long been institutionalized, he has grown up with his supportive but aging grandparents -- and his grandparents on both sides of his family have both experienced much more, their travels and activism ("Every one of them had a story to tell about an era of major events") a contrast to his sedentary, easy life in a very stable society.

Majnun is anything but atypical for his generation:

I don't know what I want to be, I can't find a job ... I spend my afternoons alone, dedicated to my inner world or on Twitter and Facebook.

The world was that which he read in history books and, above all, what he saw on the internet.

- M.A.Orthofer, 26 April 2017

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:

Dalkey Archive Press publicity page

Editorial Record publicity page

See Index of Latin and South American literature

See Index of Portuguese literature

Other books from Dalkey Archive Press under review

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About the Author :

Brazilian author Joao Almino was born in 1950.

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President Donald Trump is calling for "a long-overdue reform of H-1B visas." But what changes does he want, and can he get Congress to agree?

Here's a look at some some of the key questions around Trump's visa reform effort and his "Hire American, Buy American" executive order.

What's the most important thing that Trump wants to accomplish?

In issuing his executive order, Trump called the "totally random" H-1B lottery "wrong." He wants the visas distributed to "the most-skilled and highest-paid" applicants. He wants to end "abuse."

How much power does Trump have to change the visa lottery?

Not as much as some had hoped.

"The very fact that the executive order was such a nothing order was because they [in the Trump administration] understand how limited their authority under the statute is," said William Stock, an immigration attorney at Klasko Immigration Law Partners and president of the American Immigration Lawyers Association.

In other words, Trump needs legislation from Congress to make major changes to the H-1B visa program.

The IEEE-USA had argued that Trump had authority to change the lottery administratively without Congress, and urged him to act quickly. But Trump didn't heed this advice.

How will Trump's order affect the H-1B visa approval process?

Immigration attorneys are expecting ever-more scrutiny of visa applications and more "request for evidence" (RFE) from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) examiners. RFE demands -- bureaucratic-speak for more paperwork -- were already on the rise under President Barack Obama's administration.

"The executive order was fairly vague, but it's clear that Trump has H-1Bs in his sights," said Mark Koestler, an immigration lawyer at Kramer Levin. Trump's executive order will be "in the back of every examiner's mind."

Said Stock: "In an environment where the top folks are saying this [approving visas] needs to be restricted, 'no' will never be the wrong answer for somebody to give."

David Jones, an immigration attorney at Fisher Phillips, is expecting more on-site visits to double-check the accuracy of visa applications. The USCIS hires contractors who go to H-1B-using worksites to make sure everything that was stated in the petition was accurate, he said.

Will Trump raise the salaries of H-1B workers?

Wages for the lowest-paid H-1B visa workers are almost certain to rise. The Trump administration believes it can do this administratively, or without Congress.

The goal is to create "a more honest reflection of what the prevailing wages actually are in these fields," said a senior administration official at a background briefing.

H-1B workers must be paid at one of four prevailing wage levels. There is a large gap from level one to four.

In Charlotte, N.C., a relatively higher-paying region, the level 1 wage for a software developer is $63,669, and for level 2 it's $79,331. The mean is level 3, or $94,973. A level 4 software developer is paid $110,635.

The ability of employers to pay level 1 wages, or entry level, is almost certain to be eliminated, and it would not be surprising to see level 2 wages disappear as well.

What does Trump mean when he cites "visa abuses?"

The administration has cited the displacement of approximately 250 IT workers at Disney as its example of abuse. Disney hired offshore outsourcing firms to take over work, and some of the Disney workers had to train visa-holding replacements. It considers this abuse.

What else can Trump do to the visa program without Congress?

The Obama administration gave spouses of some H-1B visa holders the right to work; this applied to those visa holders seeking permanent residency. The rule is being challenged by displaced IT workers in federal court. The Trump administration has asked the court to delay action to give it time to reconsider the spouse work rule.

Another program that may be changed by Trump is the Optional Practical Training (OPT) program. This program initially allowed someone to work on a student visa for up to 12 months. In 2008, President George W. Bush extended it by 17 months for STEM students. The Obama administration increased the STEM extension to 24 months, or 36 months in total.

The OPT extension and spouse rule were created by executive order, which gives Trump the ability to reverse or modify these actions. The Trump administration has not said what it will do -- if anything -- to either rule.

Will the Trump administration attack the H-1B program in court?

There's reason to believe the Department of Justice (DOJ) is preparing a legal attack on the offshore outsourcing business model. It recently warned employers not to use the H-1B program "to discriminate against U.S. workers."

U.S. workers who have been replaced by offshore firms have been alleging discrimination in some civil lawsuits. They claim that their replacement by workers mostly from India is a form of discrimination.

The DOJ is encouraging IT workers to file complaints by phone (1-800-255-7688) or by email.

What role will India play in the debate?

Indian officials are calling the H-1B issue a "trade and services issue." India is putting the U.S. on notice; it is telling lawmakers that the work visa is part of a larger trade issue.

If the Trump administration and Congress restrict the visa in a way that hurts India's IT services firms, this country may retaliate on trade. India is a large and growing market for U.S. firms, which gives it clout in Washington.

How will Trump work with Congress?

The Trump administration believes "there's great enthusiasm for H-1B reform" in Congress, said a senior administration official at a background briefing. It is asking federal agencies to prepare recommendations for reform that it will likely take to Congress.

Will Congress work with Trump on H-1B reform?

The Trump administration will face big problems in Congress. For sure, lawmakers in both parties have cited the displacement of IT workers by visa holders as a issue.

"We need to ensure that this system is not manipulated to undercut domestic wages or displace American workers," said Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah).

But Hatch is also the tech industry's leading proponent in the Senate, and in exchange for some reforms in how the H-1B visa is used, he will want an increase in the visa cap.

Hatch will likely fight Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), a leading reformer, on key issues, namely a requirement to first hire a U.S. worker before hiring a visa worker.

Will Congress act on H-1B reform?

The Trump administration and Congress are not off to a good start. The administration is still seeking health care legislation, and it has numerous fights ahead of it on taxes, the budget and wall on the U.S. border with Mexico.

"Watching Washington," said William Stock, the AILA president, "I am really worried about whether they are going to pass a budget, whether they are going to raise the debt ceiling by June."

H-1B legislation may be possible, said Stock, but as he looks at the many other issues before lawmakers he can't help but wonder if it will indeed happen.
Oh good, another case of exploding devices. This time the culprit was a Fitbit Flex 2, which allegedly caused second-degree burns on a Wisconsin womans arm. She was sitting and reading a book when her Fitbit exploded on her wrist. It was either defective or really mad I was sitting still so long, she told ABC News. Either way, it burned the heck out of my arm.

Dina Mitchell claimed the Fitbit is totally melted and her doctor had to pick pieces of plastic out of her wound.

A Fitbit spokesperson said this is the first time the company had heard of such a complaint; although it is extremely concerned and is investigating, the company sees no reason for people to stop wearing their Flex 2.

Since there is currently no indication this will turn into an epidemic like the exploding Galaxy Note 7 phones, theres no reason to remove a Fitbit unless, of course, you plan to commit some heinous crime such as murder someone. A Connecticut man arrested for murder didnt stop to consider that the digital footprint from his wifes Fitbit would stop him from getting away with it.

Police say murdered wife's Fitbit data doesn't match husband's alibi

40-year-old Richard Dabate claimed to have seen his wife, Connie, zip-tied to a chair in the kitchen and shot to death by a tall man with a deep voice like Vin Diesel who was wearing a dark green camouflaged suit with a mask.

But police say that Connies Fitbit recorded her moving around nearly an hour after the time her husband said she was shot to death. She had worn it to exercise class in the morning and walked an additional 1,212 feet after arriving home before her activity stopped at 10:05 am. She had been shot twice with a .357 Magnum that her husband had purchased two-months earlier.

But the Fitbit data wasnt the only electronic device the cops used in the investigation. They checked out surveillance footage showing her movements near the gym and the time-stamp of her text messages. Once she arrived home, Connie had posted on Facebook. The cops also checked out the Why I want a divorce notes on her cellphone.

On the morning of the murder, Dabate told police he forgot his laptop and that he received text alerts from motion and door sensors on his home alarm system; in one of many inconstancies in his story, he later said he deleted the alarm messages from his phone...or maybe he disarmed the alarm when he left the house.

The Hartford Courant reported that Dabate, known to have been having an on-again-off-again affair for seven years, had sent a note to his pregnant girlfriend the night before the murder, writing, Ill see you tomorrow my little love nugget. He was reassuring her that he intended to get a divorce. However, Dabate claimed to have donated sperm as his wife couldnt have another child and he planned to co-parent the child between the two women.

Police said Dabate had secretly obtained a credit card that he used to pay for flowers for his girlfriend and more than $1,200 at a Tolland strip club and stays at a nearby Motel 6. A month before her death, he withdrew $93,000 from an investment account in his wifes name. A year before her death, he sent his wife a text saying: I want a divorce.

There were other tech data factors -- the police investigation included forensic analysis of the couples computers, smartphones, social media postings, home alarm system and Connies Fitbit records.

Then there was Facebook, where Dabate posted a few days after his wifes death about how his family was doing our best to move forward, as impossible as it seems. Five days her murder, he filed a claim to cash in on his wifes $475,000 life insurance policy.

Dabate, who posted $1 million bail, maintains his innocence.

This is not the first time that data from an IoT device has disapproved an alibi; in a world of sensors, expect to see this type of thing happen more and more. For example, Bentonville, Arkansas, police used IoT data from a connected water meter in a homicide investigation. The cops also wanted Amazon to provide data from an Echo device, hoping recorded snippets of conversations would be helpful in the murder investigation.

A person can remove their Fitbit, unplug an Echo to prevent Alexa from hearing, but they cant remove a medical device which is helping to keep them alive. Ohio cops used pacemaker data as evidence to charge a man with arson and insurance fraud. Just as was the case with the Fitbit, the data from the pacemaker was dubbed an excellent investigative tool to provide key pieces of evidence.
Cyprus President tours Mumbai, Bollywood on first day of visit

President of the Republic of Cyprus Nicos Anastasiades arrived in Mumbai on Tuesday on a four-day India visit and was greeted by Maharashtra Governor Vidyasagar Rao at Maharashtra Raj Bhavan, an official spokesperson said.

He met with Indian businessmen of the Bollywood film industry in Mumbai, visited a monument for victims of terrorist attacks and the Gateway of India Monument during the first day of his four-day official visit to India.

Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades. Photo courtesy: Wikimedia

He was received by Indian businessmen of the Bollywood film industry and then laid a wreath at a monument for the victims of the Taj Mahal terrorist attacks in November 2008, in which Cypriot businessman Andreas Liveras was among the victims.

Government spokesman Nicos Christodoulides said the visit aims to meet three key goals.

The first is to reaffirm the tight high-level political relations between the two countries, which, among other things, translate to Indias steadfast support for the Cyprus peace talks in various international fora, he said.

Second, to develop and further strengthen our trade and economic relations in sectors like air-transport, shipping, tourism. This is why the Presidents visit starts in Mumbai, Indias financial centre. The third issue on the agenda is the strengthening of Indias ties with the European Union.

The Cyprus president is being accompanied by the ministers of finance, energy, transport and agriculture on his visit. On Thursday afternoon, Anastasiades will be the keynote speaker at an event organised by the Observer Research Foundation (ORF) think tank on The EU-India Strategic Partnership in the 21st Century; A Cyprus Perspective in the national capital.

On Friday morning, 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. Afterward he will hold a meeting with the Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi, at the Prime Ministers office. Anastasiades and the Cypriot delegation will later attend a working lunch hosted by the Prime Minister. After the lunch, bilateral agreements between the two countries is set to be signed.
What is wrong with the Liberal Democrats?

We havent got all day, so let me rephrase that: what is wrong with the Liberal Democrats when it comes to anti-semitism?

Any party is at some risk from people with unpleasant views. After all, when someone joins in the first place theres limited scrutiny of them  so sometimes every party turns out to have horrible members, often exposed in the press. Normally they then expel them.

More rarely, such people manage to keep their views under wraps so well that they become candidates before they come to light. Each party also has suffered a few more serious incidents like this. Again, when exposed they are normally ditched, sharpish.

Not so in the Liberal Democrats, it seems, who have reselected David Ward  a man with a horrendous track record of ranting about the Jews, who recites anti-semitic tropes about the wealth and power of jewish people, and who said in 2014 that he would probably fire a rocket into Israel if he lived in Gaza (his subsequent faux apology implied his critics had misunderstood his remarks).

I asked in 2014 What does David Ward have to do to get kicked out of the Lib Dems? Once voters had kicked him out of Parliament, the question seemed academic, but it beggars belief that Tim Farrons party have now reselected him.

Tim Farrons stance on this selection is absurd. The Lib Dem leader says Wards comments were deeply offensive, wrong and anti-semitic, but also claims I dont select our individual candidates and nor should I. This demonstrably isnt true  only yesterday Lib Dem HQ suspended a parliamentary candidate for posting anti-Semitic material online.

Its clearly possible for Farron to act  his party told the Daily Mail proudly that they acted in this other case in just one minute. So why, after several years, havent they acted against Ward?

We should remember that the Lib Dems have form on this. It took them 12 years, including repeated offences, suspensions and reinstatements, before they got round to expelling Jenny Tonge. She, too, had wheeled out anti-semitic tropes about wealth and power, and she, too, had said that if she was a Palestinian then she might well commit terrorist attacks against Israel.

The moral from the Tonge case is that if you indulge such peoples racism, they continue to propagate it. Farrons party failed to learn that lesson from her over the course of 12 shameful years. Four years into the Ward saga, they show no sign of becoming any tougher on him. Perhaps hell finally be expelled in another eight years time.
News / National

by Staff reporter

CHIEF Khayisa Ndiweni will tomorrow lead a delegation of 14 members of the Amangwe people to Swaziland for the annual Amangwe cultural celebrations which kick off on Friday and end on Sunday.The commemorations, which bring together more than 1 000 people from the Amangwe clan dotted around Southern Africa, will be held in Manzini, south-east of the capital Mbabane.Amangwe King Ntshosho Zwane II is scheduled to attend the event accompanied by a delegation from South Africa. The Amangwe people, who are a sub-section of the Ndebele nation, are found in South Africa, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Swaziland and Mozambique.Zimbabwe Amangwe spokesperson, Fredrick Ndiweni said the trip was to further strengthen relations with their kith and kin."This year we are travelling with Chief Khayisa as the head of delegation. We're going there to discuss issues of how to strengthen our culture through a seminar that is organised by our hosts in Swaziland. We will have the exchange because it is important for one to know where they come from."Getting together like this will not only create a platform to empower each other, but we will also be able to come up with ideas that will help develop and empower our youth".Ndiweni said the celebrations are being held also in preparation for the main ones to be held in September in Durban."We held these celebrations in Zimbabwe last year however our brothers from Swaziland couldn't make it because of some reasons beyond their control. This year we are going to their country and during that time we will spend with them we will discuss the programme for the main celebrations to be held in Durban, eNtshenteka," said Ndiweni.It is said the Amangwe bore Ndebele king Mzilikazi. Historians say that King Zwane bore King Mangethe who was a king in the days of Zulu King Tshaka.King Zwane had a daughter Cikose who was mother to King Mzilikazi.The Amangwe celebrations have been held annually since 2012 when the Amangwe clan in Zimbabwe were reunited with their kith and kin from South Africa and Swaziland after 180 years of separation. Since then, they have travelled to South Africa every September and Swaziland every March to strengthen their cultural ties and heritage.
ZTE announced that it has signed an agreement with Banglalink, a leading digital communications service providers in Bangladesh, to build what is believed will be the largest virtual Subscriber Data Management (vSDM) platform deployed to date.





The transformation project is designed to improve services for the approximately 35 million users of Banglalink's network. Specifically, the vSDM platform will help Banglalink to manage customer data more efficiently, as well as improve service availability.





The upgraded network will offer simultaneous support 2G, 3G and 4G, VoWiFi and VoLTE and other advanced services. The virtualised network is designed to provide faster mobile broadband services and enable services such as video chat, multimedia conferencing and multimedia messaging.





Banglalink Digital Communications is a company of Telecom Ventures, which is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Global Telecom Holding, owned 51.9% by VEON (formerly known as VimpelCom). VEON, with over 235 million customers, operates in 13 markets, including Russia, Italy, Algeria, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Bangladesh, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Armenia, Georgia and Laos, under the Beeline, Kyivstar, WIND, Jazz, banglalink and Djezzy brands.




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Our weekend morning emails feature the very best news and exclusive content from our team of reporters

The family of fisherman Josh Winsper from Penryn who drowned after falling into the sea after a night out are to appear on Jeremy Kyle as part of a campaign to raise awareness of drinking around water.

His sister Paige, mum Sandra and two aunts will be talking to the presenter about the impact his death has had on the family and to discuss the # D ontDrinkandDrown campaign warning people of the dangers of being under the influence.

The 24-year-old died last April after falling into water at Milford Haven, where he was working on a fishing boat, in the early hours of the morning after a night drinking. His body wasn't found for 36 hours.

(Image: Paige Winsper)

Paige said: "The first year has felt so numb but been heartbreak at the same time. At times we've struggled but as a family we keep each other going.

"My brothers' death has made me want to make a change and open people's eyes to the dangers of drinking and drowning.

"We had started with our own safety campaign called #stopsatjosh and had taken that to Manchester. Outside of our hotel was a massive banner with the words #dontdrinkanddrown and as soon as I saw it I knew there was something big I could do."

She researched the banner and found the charity the Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS), a drowning prevention charity.

"I shared my story and was willing to do anything to make it heard and raise awareness."

As a result they asked her to join them in the campaign. "I was so happy and was very keen to do as much work as I can."

(Image: Paige Winsper)

She is now planning fundraising events with the first one in the summer with safety chants on harbours and piers and talks in schools.

"I want to get teens and children to understand the dangers of drinking while they are young," said Paige. "I've also set a memorial fundraising page through the charity for anyone to leave messages to josh look at Joshua photos and can donate if they want to."

Two banners have been produced saying #DontDrinkandDrown with one in Milford Haven and one planned for Falmouth and by next year she wants them in ten locations.

"While doing all that work I'm also sharing Joshua story publicly to touch as many people as possible and open there eyes," she said. "I will be everywhere over the next couple months sharing the work I'm doing."

(Image: Paige Winsper)

On Friday at 9.45am on ITV the family will be on Jeremy Kyle  which has been pre-recorded.

"We will be talking about the affects Joshua death has had on our family, but it's also the first plea to our campaign .

"From what we've been through I want to help other families get the help they need and share their stories, but also I want to open people eyes and touch people's hearts.

"I want to say a massive thank you to everyone so far for all the support we have received and I also want to say how proud I am of my family and I know my brother josh would be bursting with pride ."
CORNWALL, Ontario  Several prominent citizens of Cornwall were hauled into custody by the Cornwall Community Police Service (CCPS) and the RCMP on Wednesday, April 26.

Radio personality Dan Allaire, United Counties Warden Jim Bancroft and Mayor of Cornwall Leslie OShaughnessy were all clapped with cuffs brought before the judge Rev. Ruth Draffin.

It was all for a good cause though. Beyond 21 organized the Jail N Bail event as a fundraiser and good nature fun was had by those citizens that were brought into the jail.

Beyond 21 encouraged people to secretly nominate their friends, family and co-workers to be arrested and brought into their jail at the Cornwall Square. The accused would then be informed of the charge against them by Judge Draffin as well as the amount they needed to raise for bail. The inmates were then taken to their cells and had an hour to call friends and raise their bail amount.

Mayor OShaughnessy was booked for being a busy body and for knowing everything that is going on in Cornwall, and was given a bail amount of $200. The Mayor managed to raise his bail with one phone call, but then was given a further charge of contempt of court and his bail was raised.

In total 24 people were brought to the Beyond 21 jail on Wednesday and in the first hour of the day they had raised over $1, 000.

The Square donated the former location of Tip Top as the site of the jail and it was decorated by volunteer CCVS art students.

By the end of the day Beyond 21 had raised over $11, 000. All money will stay in the area and go to fund Beyond 21s growing activities and programs.
CORNWALL, Ontario  The final phase of construction on Brookdale Ave. is expected to begin on Monday, May 1.

The final phase of the construction will close a section of Brookdale south of the traffic circle, the same section that was closed at the end of the summer in 2016.

The Federal Bridge Corporation has retained Louis Bray Construction to complete this work which involves installing a final layer of asphalt, paving the recreational path and landscaping.

The City did not disclose how long the section of this busy artery will be closed for and said that detour routes were still being determined.

Cumberland Street had been the main detour route around the Brookdale Ave. construction and traffic lights were installed, but were turned off at the end of January. The Citysays that those traffic lights will likely be turned back on when construction begins again next week.
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Riley Hancey, the teen from Park City, Utah died from complications from the double lung transplantation he received at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. He was previously declared ineligible for transplant in Utah because of marijuana use.

Meet Riley Hancey

Hancey turned 20 years old, just a few weeks after he underwent the lung transplantation. He caught the attention of the public in Dec., when his story that his home state of Utah took him off the list of people eligible for a transplant because doctors found traces of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), grabbed headlines.

He admitted to smoking pot during Thanksgiving, but denied being a habitual pot smoker. The University of Utah Hospital denied him the life-saving surgery because use and dependency on substances like alcohol, tobacco, and illicit drugs may render treatment ineffective because of contraindication issues, Fox News reported.

Hancey Passed Away From Complications

The family of Riley Hancey was with him as he succumbed to complications from lung transplantation. His body was already weakened with his initial bout with severe pneumonia that turned into the lung infection.

After spending months in the ICU in Utah, he was finally admitted into the transplant list at the UPenn hospital. His family thanked the staff at both hospitals for giving him every opportunity to survive, The New York Post reported.

Observers now ask if he would have survived if he was allowed to undergo the lung transplantation in Utah. The length of time waiting while his family searched for a hospital to accept his case may or may not have affected his survival rate.

The fact that he was already on the ECMO machine that oxygenated his blood may have also affected decisions of other hospitals to accept his case as it would have made the lung transplantation operation more difficult. Several states already have laws allowing medical and recreational marijuana but there are no federal guidelines that govern Riley's case.

What doctors argue is that people who inhale cannabis smoke increase their risk of infections after transplants and pot smokers may not be as reliable to stick to the treatment program to care for their new organs after transplantation. Others argue that it might just be a sad case of organ supply and demand where doctors need to cull the long waitlist for organs to be able to spread out what few they have available.

See Now: What Republicans Don't Want You To Know About Obamacare
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by Staff reporter

Ailing veteran musician Dickson "Cde Chinx" Chingaira - reportedly battling leukaemia - is getting financial assistance from the Office of the President, a family member revealed.The revolutionary musician was admitted at West End Hospital in Harare nearly a week ago after unknowingly suffering from the ailment for close to three years."Cde Chinx is still in pain. We are just hoping that he will be fine soon," a family member who preferred anonymity told the Daily News, adding that "this time, the President's Office is assisting in paying his medical bills".Ever since he contracted the ailment, the Vanhu Vese vemuAfrica hit-maker has not been in a position to fend for his family, with a pro-development social media group Zimbabwe Business and Arts Hub saving the situation by donating food hampers worth close to $500 late last year.A close family member who spoke to the Daily News last week said "comrade is not feeling well, vari kurwara (he is sick). He was admitted on Friday".In February this year, he pushed himself to perform at President Robert Mugabe's birthday party in Matobo, despite his deteriorating health.
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A Harare man allegedly beat up his father to death after he had refused to give him money for beer.Simbarashe Karonga was not asked to plead when he appeared before Harare magistrate Barbara Chimboza facing murder charges.He was remanded in custody to May 4.Circumstances leading to Simbarashe's arrest are that sometime last year he asked for beer money from his father and when he was denied the money he assaulted his father to death.It is the State's case that Simbarashe assaulted the now deceased on the head with a pestle several times until he began to bleed through the nose.Allegations are that the deceased sustained a swollen head and face and was taken to Parirenyatwa Hospital where he later died.The State alleges that it has witnesses who can testify against the accused and the pestle used to assault the now deceased was recovered as evidence.The accused however alleges that he wrote the statement under duress and what he said was because he was afraid,"I did not assault a dead body but I assaulted a live person and he later died so I cannot say I killed him," he said.
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The government of Zimbabwe says it finds it most regrettable and unfortunate that South Africa's Minister of Police, Fikile Mbalula, issued an inflammatory and accusatory statement alleging that military deserters from the Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF), are responsible for increased crime in that country targeting banks.In a statement today, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the government of Zimbabwe wishes to state and put it on record that the Zimbabwean military has always discharged its duties with valour, distinction and honour in accordance with the country's constitution and defence act."We also wish to clarify that the Defence Act and the Constitution provides for the voluntary enlistment into the Zimbabwe Defence Forces and also sets out clear conditions of service and honourable termination including retirement. The Honourable Minister's allegation that when one has joined the ZDF, it is impossible to orderly terminate such engagement is not borne by facts and in this regard, such allegations are malicious and mischievous to say the least," read the statement.The Ministry of Foreign Affairs added that while there are Zimbabweans incarcerated in South African prisons, it is a gross exaggeration of fact to allege that armed criminals in South Africa hail from Zimbabwe."The government of Zimbabwe is therefore deeply concerned that such highly incendiary and careless outbursts come from a Minister who superintends law enforcement. We are concerned that the statement could easily be misinterpreted and trigger xenophobic sentiments," reads the statement.The ministry also said it is disturbing that the Minister chose to ignore established protocol and diplomatic etiquette in communicating with the government of Zimbabwe before making such unsubstantiated allegations.
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Capgemini CEO: We Had Been Eyeing Ciber's U.S. Assets For Years

Michael Novinson

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Capgemini CEO Paul Hermelin said his company's IT consultancy arm had for years wanted to acquire Ciber's U.S. operations in hopes of rapidly transforming the struggling business.

But the Paris-based company, No. 6 on the CRN Solution Provider 500, had resisted those calls given Hermelin's characterization of Ciber as a "complex animal" with tentacles stretching into Holland, the United Kingdom and other locations around the globe.

"Even though Sogeti [Capgemini's IT professional services subsidiary] was really hungry to acquire the U.S. part, I never wanted to enter a complex integration," Hermelin told financial analysts during the company's earnings call Wednesday. "But with the bankruptcy, we had the possibility to buy only the U.S. asset."

[RELATED: Ciber Files For Chapter 11, Takes $50M Capgemini Bid To Buy North America, India Assets]

Greenwood Village, Colo.-based Ciber, No. 43 on the CRN Solution Provider 500, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on April 10 and entered a $50 million "stalking horse" agreement for Capgemini to purchase its $275 million North America and India businesses. The sales process is subject to higher and better offers, according to the companies, and has to be approved by the bankruptcy court.

"They [Sogeti] were eyeing Ciber for years more than I, and it proved actionable at a reasonable price," Hermelin said.

Hermelin said he has "the utmost confidence" that the integration of Ciber into Sogeti would proceed very smoothly since both companies operate under a network of geographic city branches. Ciber and Sogeti enjoy the same six geographic hubs in the United States, according to Hermelin.

"It's a very decentralized model that is very effective," Hermelin said.

Ciber's appeal was enhanced by the company's low offshore ratio, Hermelin said, which could come in handy if the Trump administration makes it more difficult for firms to bring in foreign workers under the H-1B skilled worker visa program. Ciber also brings solid client references in the automotive, telecom and media spaces, Hermelin said.

Acquiring Ciber will also lower the average price of Capgemini's assets, Hermelin said, providing the company with a "very reasonable" portfolio of high-value and low-value assets.

Once the deal is official, Hermelin said Capgemini would take a few months to restructure Ciber's assets, and then integrate the company with Sogeti on a geographic basis. Capgemini's acquisition of Ciber is expected to close by the end of June, the company said.

Capgemini expects to undertake cost rationalization measures to return Ciber's U.S. operations to profitability, Hermelin said. Ciber should be contributing to Capgemini's earnings per share growth by the first half of 2018, according to Hermelin.

"So far, we have been very selective in our acquisitions, and we believe we can continue to buy very valuable assets for a reasonable price," Hermelin said.

Capgemini saw sales in the quarter ended March 31 jumped to $3.45 billion, up 2.6 percent from $3.37 billion in the same quarter last year, thanks in part to strong growth in Capgemini's financial services and manufacturing segments.

Capgemini's stock climbed $1.79 (1.79%) to $101.29 per share in trading early Wednesday. Results were announced before the Euronext stock exchange opened.

Capgemini's North American revenue climbed to $1.06 billion, up 3.6 percent from $1.02 billion the year prior due to momentum in the manufacturing and financial services verticals and continued recovery in the energy and utilities vertical.

Sales from the United Kingdom and Ireland plummeted to $473.6 million, down 17.1 percent from $571.6 million the year prior due to a weakening of the pound and an anticipated decline in public sector engagements.

Capgemini's French revenue grew to $725.1 million, up 5.2 percent from $689.2 million last year thanks to nearly double-digit growth in the financial services, manufacturing, commerce, distribution, and telecom sectors. Revenue from the rest of Europe climbed to $915.6 million, up 7.9 percent from $849.2 million as Germany, Scandinavia, and Italy led the way with roughly 10 percent growth.

Sales in Asia-Pacific and Latin America soared to $279.8 million, up 18.9 percent from $235.2 million as strong growth in Asia-Pacific was partially offset by a decrease in activity in Latin America. Capgemini has also decided to discontinue its equipment resale activity in Brazil, which contributed about $65.3 million of revenue in 2016.

Application services revenue  which represents 61 percent of Capgemini's business  grew by 5.3 percent after factoring out changes in foreign currency exchange rates, thanks to market demand for digital and cloud-based application offerings.

Revenue from other managed services  which represents 19 percent of Capgemini's business  tumbled by 7.6 percent on a constant currency basis due to the impact of declining sales in the U.K. public sector on Capgemini's infrastructure services business. Business process outsourcing and platforms revenue were stable in the first quarter, Capgemini said.

Technology and engineering services sales  which represent 16 percent of Capgemini's business  increased by 5 percent on a constant currency basis with a return to growth in France and progress across all the company's regions.

And consulting services  which make up 4 percent of Capgemini's business  skyrocketing by 10.6 percent on a constant currency basis fueled by digital transformation demand in Continental Europe.

Digital and cloud sales  which represented 32 percent of Capgemini's business across all units  grew by 24 percent in the quarter on a constant currency basis thanks to an end-to-end service portfolio reinforced through acquisitions and management consulting capabilities to foster business with the C-suite.

For all of 2017, Capgemini said it expects sales to grow by 3 percent on a constant currency basis.
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New Multi-Brand Dealers Flock to Xerox Due To Open Platform, Broad Portfolio, Active Recruitment

Michael Novinson

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Norwalk, Conn.-based Xerox said it wants to grow its U.S. print-focused partners by 25 percent as it aims to penetrate the small to midsized business (SMB) market. The plan? Convince partners who are representing multiple brands to consider Xerox's broad portfolio and new open platform.

"Our coverage for our brand isn't enough," Darren Cassidy, president of Xerox's U.S. channel unit, told CRN. "We are spending a lot more money driving demand into the channel."

[Related: CRN Exclusive: Xerox To Roll Out Vertical Workflow Automation Apps To North American Partners]

Xerox plans to add 60 new multi-brand dealers to its base of roughly 185 to 190 dealers in the U.S. Xerox is only adding these dealers in places where it needs more share, Cassidy said, and is going to great lengths to ensure it doesn't oversaturate particular markets.

The growth of the Xerox-exclusive agent base will be more modest, Cassidy said, with the company poised to add between 10 and 20 new agents to its existing stable of 300 agents in the United States. More significant growth is occurring within the headcount of Xerox's existing agents as they prepare to take on post-sales support responsibilities for the first time, he said.

Xerox is also training thousands of new resellers in its distribution-led volume channels and adding them to its existing base of 6,000 to 8,000 resellers, Cassidy said. These resellers are often holistic IT services firms who do not focus extensively on the print space.

Advanced Business Solutions currently leverages one set of vendors like OKI and Canon for multi-function printers and other equipment and a different set of vendors such as Intellinetics for document management software and services, according to President Adam Gregory.

But sourcing equipment and services from separate vendors made it hard for the Jacksonville, Fla.-based print dealer to provide end clients with the full picture, Gregory said.

"It's almost like double selling," Gregory told CRN. "We were looking for someone that could bring all of those parts together."

Gregory said he first met with a Xerox representative in March to learn more about the company. And when the largest product launch in the vendor's 110-year history came along later that month, Gregory said he was particularly impressed by the ability for partners to provide and customize their own applications on Xerox's open platform.

Other vendors had presented their version of open platforms to Advanced Business Solutions, but Gregory found they typically retained a tight grip over the platform and wouldn't allow apps from a non-partnering manufacturer to appear on the screen.

"When I think open platform, I think total customization," Gregory said. "That's what I want to provide our client."

That level of customization will make it possible for Advanced Business Solutions to come in and migrate the client to the Xerox ecosystem while, for instance, still using a client's existing scanning application or the cloud-based files they've already established.

Adding software and services to Advanced Business Solution's line card by becoming part of the Xerox partner community should drive revenue growth of 20 percent to 30 percent along with a 12 percent to 18 percent increase in profitability, Gregory said.

Advanced Business Solutions has a small number of large clients today, but Gregory said bringing on a vendor with the line card and name recognition of Xerox will allow the dealer to more successfully target large clients in North Florida and Atlanta's western suburbs.

Growing the software slice of the pie should boost margins, Gregory said, since, unlike servicing equipment, virtually all the support can be provided remotely without technicians on site.

"We will see higher margins because our expenses will be much lower," Gregory said.

Memphis Communication Corp. had been working with Toshiba for more than three decades when Xerox reached out and indicated they were looking to add more distribution in Tennessee, Mississippi and Northeast Arkansas, according to Shane Berry, co-chairman of the Memphis, Tenn.-based IT services provider.

"I was excited, because for 35 years, I've competed against them," Berry told CRN. "It's important to have the Xerox name."

MCC' competed against Xerox's direct sales reps for its higher-end customers, Berry said, and Xerox-exclusive agents for its middle-to-low end customers. But Xerox agents historically weren't allowed to provide post-sales support and service, which Berry said made it easier for him to win from business from midsized customers who wanted local support.

MCC will begin selling Xerox products in the Memphis, Nashville, and Jackson, Miss. areas in July, Berry said. The company's existing customers will benefit from gaining access to Xerox's light production offering and the company's managed print services program, which Berry said mitigates the risk to dealers since Xerox handles the management and support of aftermarket supplies themselves.

Berry said his company also plans to build apps on the Xerox platform thanks to the ease of development and the ubiquity of the app-friendly ConnectKey interface on all of Xerox's new devices. Specifically, MCC plans to build app that address workflow issues in the healthcare and financial verticals, as well as apps focused on the distribution industry in Memphis.

"I know Xerox was underserved in the markets I'm in, and I think that's going to be a big help for us," Berry said.

Standard Business Systems, meanwhile, has carried Toshiba's print products for more than two decades but still had gaps in its A4 and light production offerings, according to Vice President of Sales Tony Macia. Macia said the Little Rock, Ark.-based print dealer looked at several different ways to fill the gap, but was ultimately attracted by the breadth of Xerox's line card and industry-wide market share.

"There's not a lot of competition selling Xerox equipment in our marketplace," said Macia, noting that will allow Standard Business Systems to earn a higher margin.

Standard Business Systems had been a fairly inactive member of Xerox's reseller program since 2004, Macia said, but just last month went from a being a reseller to a Xerox document technology partner.

Macia said this reclassification allows his company to not only sell Xerox products but also service them. As a Xerox reseller, Macia said the vendor directly handled all post-sales service and support.

"We can now control every aspect of the customer experience," Macia said. "They are being 100 percent take care of by Standard Business Systems."

Macia plans in the coming weeks to go through the formal onboarding process and certify and train his service technicians around the Xerox offering suite. The training and certification process will be simplified by Xerox using interchangeable parts and accessories, Macia said, as well as one type of entire to cover its entire product line.

"It's less expensive for us to manage that type of a product family," Macia said.
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TRUMBULL  A charity is closing in on getting people from all 50 states to send cards and letters to the younger brother of a 6-year-old girl who died from a rare cancer.

Since last month, Infinite Love for Kids Fighting Cancer, a charity that raises money for research into pediatric cancers, has been urging people through its Facebook page reach out to James McCaffrey, whose sister Mia died March 17 from rhabdomyosarcoma, a rare childhood cancer.
United States Court of Appeals, Eighth Circuit. Marcel Wayne Williams Petitioner - Appellant v. Wendy Kelley, Director, Arkansas Department of Correction, et al. Defendant - Appellee No. 17-1848 Decided: April 24, 2017

Before WOLLMAN, LOKEN, and SHEPHERD, Circuit Judges.

On April 11, 2017, Arkansas inmate Marcel Williams, who is scheduled to be executed on April 24, brought this 42 U.S.C.  1983 action challenging the Arkansas lethal injection execution protocol. The district court denied his motion for a preliminary injunction. Williams appeals and moves for a stay of execution pending appeal. We deny the motion for stay.

In April 2015, Williams joined other Arkansas prisoners in filing an action raising a federal constitutional challenge to the recently adopted method of execution, the method Williams challenges in this case. When the State removed, plaintiffs dismissed without prejudice and refiled in state court, alleging only violations of Arkansas law. After a year of litigation, the Supreme Court of Arkansas dismissed the claim that the method of execution constituted cruel or unusual punishment in violation of the Arkansas Constitution. Kelley v. Johnson, 496 S.W. 3d 346, 357 (Ark. 2016), cert. denied, 137 S. Ct. 1067 (2017). On February 27, 2017, six days after the denial of certiorari, Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson scheduled the executions of Williams and seven other death row prisoners.

On March 27, Williams and eight other inmates sentenced to death filed an action alleging that the method of execution violates the Eighth Amendment in all cases. The district court granted stays of execution, but we vacated the stays, concluding (i) the prisoners unreasonably delayed in bringing their federal claims, (ii) they failed to show a likelihood of success on the merits of their claim that the execution protocol was sure or very likely to cause serious illness and needless suffering, Glossip v. Gross, 135 S. Ct. 2726, 2737 (2015), quoting Baze v. Rees, 553 U.S. 35, 50 (2008) (plurality opinion); and (iii) the prisoners failed to make the second showing Glossip requires -- a significant possibility of establishing a known, available alternative that would significantly reduce a substantial risk of severe pain. McGehee v. Hutchinson, No. 17-1804 (8th Cir. Apr. 17), cert. denied, No. 16A1003 (16-8770) (April 20, 2017).

Williams filed this separate action, an as-applied challenge alleging that, due to his medical conditions -- morbid obesity, diabetes and attendant neuropathy, hypertension, and sleep apnea -- there is a substantial and unjustifiable risk that the execution method will cause him severe pain and serious harm in violation of the Eighth Amendment.

On April 21, 2017, the district court held an evidentiary hearing on Williams's motion for a preliminary injunction. In addition to the record from the hearing in McGehee, Williams called as witnesses Dr. Joel Zivot, an anesthesiologist who also testified at the McGehee hearing, and Arkansas Department of Corrections Director Wendy Kelley. Based on his review of Williams's medical records and a March 23 physical examination, Dr. Zivot opined that the protocol is unlikely to kill Mr. Williams but more likely to leave him disabled, and that if the lethal-injection protocol causes death, Williams will experience his death as choking and suffocating. In addition, Dr. Zivot opined that Williams's weight -- approximately 400 pounds -- will make locating a vein for IV access difficult and increase the risk that midazolam, the initial drug, will not properly provide an anesthetic effect; that his obstructive sleep apnea puts him at risk of respiratory distress during the procedure; and that, given his low potassium levels, it is possible that the administration of potassium chloride will not actually kill him. Director Kelley testified that a pre-execution vein check revealed that only one of Williams's arms had a good vein.

At the hearing, defendants introduced evidence that a medically-trained person aided by an ultrasound device can insert an IV line into a 400-pound man, and a 500 mg dose of midazolam would render an approximately 400-pound man unconscious and unable to sense any pain or the need to breathe, regardless of whether he is diabetic, suffers from sleep apnea, or has hypertension.

The district court denied Williams's motion for a preliminary injunction on April 21. The court concluded that Williams unreasonably delayed in bringing his as-applied challenge, and split his claims by not raising this claim in the facial challenge in McGehee. On the merits, the court found that Williams had not identified an alternative method of execution in addition to those suggested in McGehee, did not establish what additional safeguards would significantly reduce a substantial risk of severe pain given Williams's medical conditions, and failed to offer sufficient evidence to establish that the execution protocol as applied to him is sure or very likely to cause severe pain. The court further concluded that Williams's use of piecemeal litigation and dilatory tactics was sufficient reason to deny a stay of execution. See Hill v. McDonough, 547 U.S. 573, 584-85 (2004).

We agree with the district court that Williams failed to offer evidence establishing a significant likelihood of success on the merits. Inmates seeking time to challenge the manner in which the State plans to execute them must satisfy all of the requirements for a stay, including a showing of a significant possibility of success on the merits. Johnson v. Lombardi, 809 F.3d 388, 390 (8th Cir.), cert. denied, 136 S. Ct. 601 (2015).

To succeed on the merits, Williams must show that the execution method is sure or very likely to cause serious illness and needless suffering. Glossip, 135 S. Ct. at 2737. Dr. Zivot opined that the execution protocol is more likely to maim than kill Williams. The State produced testimony that the execution protocol will succeed despite Williams's health conditions. As in McGehee, the evidence is equivocal, lacks scientific consensus and presents a paucity of reliable scientific evidence on the impact of the lethal-injection protocol on a person with Williams's health conditions. No. 17-1804, Slip. Op. at 5-6.

To succeed on the merits of his claim, Williams must also identify a known and available alternative method of execution that would substantially reduce a significant risk of pain. See Johnson, 809 F.3d at 391. In terms of alternative protocols, Williams argues the same alternatives offered by the inmates in McGehee, which we concluded did not meet Glossip's standard and were not likely to emerge as more than a slightly or marginally safer alternative. McGehee, Slip Op. at 7, quoting 135 S. Ct. at 2737. Williams argues he is not required to identify a known, available alternative method in an as-applied challenge, but we rejected that contention in Johnson, 809 F.3d at 391. In Bucklew v. Lombardi, 783 F.3d 1120, 1127 (8th Cir. 2015), we recognized that, in an as-applied challenge, evidence that the State unreasonably refused to change its regular method of execution to a feasible, readily implemented alternative that would significantly reduce the substantial risk of pain caused by a prisoner's unique medical condition could satisfy the Glossip standard in an unusual case. Williams argues Director Kelley's testimony regarding his vein check establishes this is such a case. However, rather than establish a known, available alternative, this evidence shows that the State implements its current method in a manner designed to reduce the risk of severe pain. (Director Kelley testified that all inmates are physically examined to locate infusion sites prior to execution.)

Finally, we agree with the district court that Williams unreasonably delayed in bringing this as-applied challenge. Not only did he engage in piecemeal litigation by not joining this claim when he joined the McGehee suit, but he also failed to bring this claim when he and other prisoners brought state and federal challenges to the method of execution after its adoption in 2015. He does not allege that his various health issues arose recently (other than a sleep apnea diagnosis in March 2017). If he had timely asserted an as-applied claim, there would have been time to litigate whether his conditions required or suggested modification of the protocol as applied to him. While Williams is correct that his medical conditions may evolve and worsen over time, so that a recent medical examination was needed after his execution was scheduled, timely pursuit of an as-applied challenge would have established an evidentiary base, likely making a last-minute stay of execution unnecessary. This use of piecemeal litigation and dilatory tactics is sufficient reason by itself to deny a stay. McGehee, No. 17-1804, Slip. Op. at 4, quoting Hill, 547 U.S. at 583.

For the foregoing reasons, we deny Williams's motion for a stay of execution pending appeal.

FOOTNOTES

. The Honorable Kristine G. Baker, United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Arkansas.

. As we explained in McGehee: The State's current lethal injection protocol calls for injection of 500 milligrams of midazolam, followed by 100 milligrams of vercuronium bromide, followed by 240 milliequivalents of potassium chloride. If the prisoner remains conscious after the injection of the midazolam, however, the executioner will inject another 500 milligrams of midazolam before injecting vercuronium bromide. McGehee, No. 17-1804, Slip. Op. at 2.

PER CURIAM.
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United States Court of Appeals, Eighth Circuit. Marcel Wayne Williams Petitioner - Appellant v. Wendy Kelley, Director, Arkansas Department of Correction Defendant - Appellee No. 17-1825 Decided: April 24, 2017

Before WOLLMAN, LOKEN, and SHEPHERD, Circuit Judges.

Arkansas inmate Marcel Williams moves for a stay of his execution scheduled to be carried out on April 24, 2017. Williams was convicted of capital murder, kidnaping, rape, and aggravated robbery and sentenced to death on January 14, 1997 in the Circuit Court of Pulaski County. The Arkansas Supreme Court affirmed his conviction and sentence on direct appeal. Williams v. State, 991 S.W. 2d 565 (Ark. 1999). Williams sought and was denied state post-conviction relief. Williams v. State, 64 S.W.3d 709 (Ark. 2002). He petitioned for a federal writ of habeas corpus, which the district court granted in part, but on appeal we denied in its entirety, Williams v. Norris, 576 F.3d 850 (8th Cir. 2009), cert. denied, Williams v. Hobbs, 562 U.S. 1097 (2010). His first Rule 60(b) motion for relief from judgment was denied in 2015. Williams v. Norris, No. 15-2665 (Sept. 14, 2015). Williams challenged the State's lethal injection method of execution with other Arkansas inmates in Kelley v. Johnson, 496 S.W.3d 346, 357-60 (Ark. 2016), cert. denied, 137 S. Ct. 1067 (2017). Six days after the Supreme Court denied certiorari in Kelley, Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson set Williams's execution date for April 24, 2017. In consolidated federal cases, Williams has unsuccessfully challenged the three-drug lethal injection method, see McGehee v. Hutchinson, No. 17-1804 (8th Cir. Apr. 17, 2017) (per curiam), cert. denied, 580 U.S. __ (2017) (No. 16-8770), and the frantic pace of the execution schedule as a due process violation, Lee v. Asa Hutchinson, No. 17-1822 (8th Cir. April 20, 2017) (per curiam). The Arkansas Parole Board denied Williams's clemency petitions in June 2011 and April 2017.

On the eve of the scheduled execution, Williams filed this new Rule 60(b)(6) motion seeking to re-open the denial of federal habeas relief in 2009. Renewing his claims of ineffective assistance of counsel at the guilt and penalty phases of his trial, Williams argues that post-conviction counsel's failure to properly raise these claims in the state collateral proceedings was an extraordinary circumstance resulting in procedural defaults that are now excused under recent United States Supreme Court decisions. The district court denied Rule 60(b) relief but granted a certificate of appealability. Williams appealed and now moves for a stay of execution pending full briefing of his appeal. We deny the motion for a stay.

I.

Williams abducted, robbed, raped, and murdered Stacy Erickson in November 1994. At trial, Williams was defended by Herbert Wright, who had five years criminal defense experience, including involvement in three other capital cases; Phillip Hendry, who had four years experience, including training in representing capital murder defendants, and took the lead during the penalty phase; and William James, an attorney licensed for less than one year. Given the State's overwhelming evidence, the defense conceded guilt in its opening statement at trial but challenged the State's evidence. At the penalty phase, the defense argued six mitigating circumstances, but introduced only the testimony of a former death row inmate as mitigation evidence. The State introduced compelling evidence of three aggravating circumstances. The jury found the State proved three aggravating circumstances beyond a reasonable doubt, that Williams proved one mitigating circumstance -- acceptance of responsibility -- by a preponderance of the evidence, and that the aggravating circumstances outweighed the mitigating circumstance beyond a reasonable doubt. Williams, 576 F.3d at 855. The jury unanimously recommended death, the trial court accepted the jury's recommendation, and the Supreme Court of Arkansas affirmed. Williams v. State, 991 S.W. 2d 565.

Williams then sought post-conviction relief under Arkansas Rule of Civil Procedure 37, arguing that trial counsel were ineffective because they did not properly develop and present mitigation evidence regarding his troubled past during the penalty phase. Williams was represented by William McLean, an attorney who had practiced criminal law for over ten years, served as lead counsel in other capital murder cases, handled other post-conviction matters, and tried at least 100 jury cases. Williams, 576 F.3d at 854-55. At the Rule 37 hearing, all three [members of Williams's trial team] testified that their trial strategy was to concede guilt, in the face of the State's overwhelming evidence, and to seek mercy at the penalty phase. Id. at 855. To obtain mitigation evidence, they ordered a mental evaluation of Williams and reviewed his school, medical, and prison records but made the decision not to present the evidence obtained through these investigations:

[T]hey decided not to have Williams testify at the penalty phase because they feared damaging cross-examination about his drug use and criminal history and the gruesome details of the crime.  [They] considered Williams not to be a credible witness because of the numerous fabrications in his custodial statement. Williams told counsel he did not wish to testify. Counsel twice tried to interview Williams's mother, Sara Riggs  [but] elected not to call Riggs during the penalty phase because she was not very cooperative.

Williams, 576 F.3d at 856. The state trial court found that Williams failed to show prejudice under Strickland v. Washington, 466 U.S. 668 (1984). The Arkansas Supreme Court affirmed, concluding Williams failed to show either deficient performance or prejudice. Williams, 64 S.W.3d 709 (2002). The Court determined that trial counsel's decision not to present mitigation evidence was a reasonable trial strategy and that Williams failed to show what the omitted testimony was and how it could have changed the outcome. Id. at 715-16.

Williams's amended petition for a federal writ of habeas corpus raised 20 grounds for relief. As relevant here, Claim II argued ineffective assistance of trial counsel for failure to present mitigation evidence at the penalty phase. Claim III argued ineffective assistance during the guilt phase. The district court dismissed Claim III as procedurally defaulted because Williams had not raised guilt phase ineffective assistance in state court. Williams v. Norris, No. 5:02-cv-450, 2006 WL 1699835, at *6 (E.D. Ark. June 19, 2006).

As to the penalty phase issues raised in Claim II, the district court concluded that the Supreme Court of Arkansas unreasonably determined that trial counsel's performance was not deficient, based primarily on the assumption that counsel were unaware they could present mitigation evidence through a social history expert. Williams, 2006 WL 1699835 at *8. The court concluded the state court record was inadequate on the prejudice issue and held an evidentiary hearing at which Williams introduced mitigation evidence. Trial counsel Wright and James testified they were unaware mitigation evidence could include testimony by a social history expert. A psychologist recounted Williams's social history based on interviews with Williams, his mother, half-sister Peggy O'Neil and a cousin, and reviews of Williams's medical, training school, and prison records. O'Neal, four cousins, and a training school counselor also testified. Williams, 576 F.3d at 856. The district court concluded it was reasonably likely Williams would not have been sentenced to death had this mitigation evidence that was not before the state court been presented. Williams v. Norris, 2007 WL 1100417 at *3 (E.D. Ark. Apr. 11, 2007). The court granted federal habeas relief and set aside the death sentence.

On appeal, we reversed the grant of penalty phase habeas relief and denied Williams's petition for a writ of habeas corpus. We concluded the evidentiary hearing the district court held was barred by 28 U.S.C.  2254(e)(2) because there was no evidence that Williams had not been able to develop his claim in state court. We also questioned whether the social history testimony would have been admissible in state court without corroborating testimony (Williams refused to testify and his mother was uncooperative and not credible), and whether its admission would have changed the outcome, because it was based on a record damaging to Williams. We concluded the state court did not unreasonably apply Strickland in finding that Williams failed to show prejudice from allegedly ineffective assistance at the penalty phase. Although we ruled based on the prejudice prong of Strickland, we noted that the district court, in concluding counsel were guilty of deficient performance, assumed that Hendry, lead trial counsel at the penalty phase, was ignorant of the ability to present social history mitigation evidence, based solely on the testimony of his co-counsel; we are inclined to think the district court clearly erred in that assumption. Williams, 576 F.3d at 856 n.1. The Supreme Court denied Williams's petition for a writ of certiorari. Williams v. Hobbs, 562 U.S. 1097 (2010).

II.

In this second motion for Rule 60(b)(6) relief from the denial of federal habeas relief, Williams seeks to have his case re-opened to reconsider his claims of ineffective assistance at the guilt and penalty phases of his trial. He moves for a stay of execution pending this appeal. He first argues that, because the district court issued a certificate of appealability (COA), a stay is required by Eighth Circuit Rule 47A, which provides that in an in forma pauperis appeal in which a [COA] has been issued, the court will afford 14 days' notice before entering summary disposition if the briefs have not been filed. This contention is without merit. Rule 47A says nothing about a stay pending appeal, which is not a summary disposition. More importantly, the argument is contrary to controlling Supreme Court decisions. [A] stay of execution is an equitable remedy. It is not available as a matter of right  Thus, like other stay applicants, inmates seeking time to challenge the manner in which the State plans to execute them must satisfy all of the requirements for a stay, including a showing of a significant possibility of success of the merits. Hill v. McDonough, 547 U.S. 573, 584 (2006); see Davis v. Kelley, -- F.3d -- , 2017 WL 1382558 (8th Cir. 2017) (denying application for a stay of execution pending full briefing of Rule 60(b) motion after district court granted COA).

Williams primarily argues that he qualifies for relief under Rule 60(b) because two Supreme Court decisions issued after the denial of federal habeas relief in 2009 years earlier provide that ineffective assistance of post-conviction counsel is an equitable exception that can excuse procedural default in some circumstances, Martinez v. Ryan, 566 U.S. 1 (2012), and Trevino v. Thaler, 133 S. Ct. 1911 (2013). Further, the recent decision in Buck v. Davis, 137 S. Ct. 759 (2017), held that a petitioner may be entitled to Rule 60(b) relief where his claim to ineffective assistance of counsel was procedurally defaulted in post-judgment proceedings. Williams argues he presents extraordinary circumstances warranting a stay of execution and Rule 60(b) relief on the merits because the only federal court to consider his additional evidence of mitigating circumstances, which was not presented to the state courts because of post-conviction counsel's ineffectiveness, granted the writ. Like the district court, we conclude a stay of execution should be denied because Williams has little if any likelihood of success on the merits of these Rule 60(b) claims. The procedural analysis under governing federal habeas law is somewhat different for the penalty phase and the guilt phase issues.

A. Penalty Phase Claims. The premise of Williams's motion for stay of execution is that his claims of ineffective assistance of trial counsel during the penalty phase were procedurally defaulted. This is a necessary premise because 28 U.S.C.  2244(b)(1) bars successive or second claims that were presented in a prior application. When a petitioner seeks Rule 60(b) relief based on a subsequent change in substantive law, any claim that has already been adjudicated in a previous petition must be dismissed under 28 U.S.C.  2244(b)(1). Gonzales v. Crosby, 545 U.S. 524, 529 (2005). A Rule 60(b) motion brings such a claim if it attacks the federal court's previous resolution of a claim on the merits, since alleging that the court erred in denying habeas relief on the merits is effectively indistinguishable from alleging that the movant is, under the substantive provisions of the statutes, entitled to habeas relief. Id. at 532.

In Williams v. Norris, 576 F.3d at 857, we unambiguously stated that the state courts ruled on the merits of this claim of ineffective assistance of trial counsel during the penalty phase. Accordingly, we reviewed the state court's determination under the deferential standard required under AEDPA, including whether an evidentiary hearing in federal court was barred by 28 U.S.C.  2254(e)(2), and held that the state court had not unreasonably applied federal law on the merits of Williams's Strickland claim. The claim was raised by post-conviction counsel in the state courts. It was not procedurally defaulted for purposes of federal habeas review, like the claims of ineffective assistance of trial counsel in Martinez and Trevino. Thus, Williams's Rule 60(b) motion is a substantive attack on our 2009 determination that he was not entitled to federal habeas relief on the merits of his penalty phase ineffective assistance of counsel claim. As such, the Rule 60(b) claim is absolutely barred by 28 U.S.C.  2244(b)(1) as construed in Gonzalez, unless Williams obtains authorization to file a second or successive habeas petition under  2244(b)(2), which he has not sought. 545 U.S. at 529.

Even if we did not conclude that the penalty phase claim is barred as a successive or second habeas petition, Williams is still not entitled to a stay because he does not show a significant likelihood of succeeding on the merits. See Hill, 547 U.S. at 584 (standard for stay of execution). To qualify for Rule 60(b) relief, Williams must show that his motion is made within a reasonable amount of time and presents extraordinary circumstances. See Davis, -- F.3d -- , 2017 WL 1382558 at * 2. Such circumstances will rarely occur in the habeas context  Rule 60(b) proceedings are subject to only limited and deferential appellate review. Gonzalez, 545 U.S. at 535.

Williams argues that the change in habeas law effected by Martinez and Trevino, coupled with his prior inability to bring the true merits of his penalty phase claim before the federal courts, is an extraordinary circumstance. He cites the Supreme Court's recent decision in Buck, where the Court concluded there were extraordinary circumstances that warranted issuing a COA because Buck's trial attorney had introduced penalty phase testimony suggesting he may have been sentenced to death in part because of his race. 137 S. Ct. at 778. Williams's claim of extraordinary circumstances is hardly comparable. The Arkansas Supreme Court considered the merits of his penalty phase claim and concluded that trial counsel's decision not to introduce mitigation evidence did not amount to deficient performance, and also found a lack of prejudice under Strickland. We found the ruling on prejudice was reasonable, and we questioned the district court's assumption that Williams's lead penalty phase trial counsel did not understand that expert mitigation testimony was admissible, an assumption critical to the district court's decision that the Arkansas Supreme Court's deficient performance determination was unreasonable. See Williams v. Norris, 576 F.3d at 856 n.1.

Further, the district court did not abuse its discretion in finding Williams did not present his Rule 60(b) motion within a reasonable time. See Moses v. Joyner, 815 F.3d 163, 166 (4th Cir. 2016). Williams previously filed a Rule 60(b) motion for relief in 2015, well after the alleged jurisdictional leap in Martinez, and did not raise a Martinez-based claim. Instead, he sought Rule 60(b) relief based on Martinez on the eve of his scheduled execution. [U]se of piecemeal litigation or dilatory tactics is sufficient reason by itself to deny a stay. McGehee, No. 17-1804, Slip. Op. at 2, quoting Hill, 547 U.S. at 584-85. Buck recently clarified that, in extraordinary circumstances, Rule 60(b) may be the basis for a claim of procedural default caused by post-conviction counsel's ineffective assistance, but Williams cites Martinez as the decision that dramatically altered habeas corpus procedure and carries much weight in [his] extraordinary circumstances' analysis. His Martinez claim is years untimely.

B. Guilt Phase Claims. Williams identifies the following as establishing ineffective assistance of counsel during the guilt phase of his trial: (1) ineffective questioning during voir dire of potential jurors regarding their ability to consider mitigation evidence; (2) failure to remove potential juror Kay Barfield who stated she would not consider mitigation; (3) failing to object to victim impact evidence; (4) failing to request funding for an expert to examine the state's DNA evidence and failing to cross-examine the state's DNA expert; and (5) failing to properly pursue a challenge to the prosecutor's allegedly racially discriminatory strikes. The Arkansas Supreme Court held that these post-conviction guilt-phase claims were procedurally defaulted. Therefore, we agree with the district court that these Rule 60(b) claims based on Martinez and Trevino are not successive under Gonzalez v. Crosby, 545 U.S. 524 (2005). However, like the district court, we conclude that Williams has not presented a basis for relief under Rule 60(b)(6), because he did not show extraordinary circumstances meriting such relief and because his Rule 60(b) motion was filed years after Martinez, not within a reasonable time as Rule 60(b) requires. See Fed. R. Civ. Pro. 60(c)(1).

Lacking a reasonable likelihood of success on his claims for Rule 60(b) relief based on ineffective assistance of counsel during either the penalty phase or the guilt phase of his trial, Williams is not entitled to an extraordinary stay of execution.

FOOTNOTES

. The Honorable J. Leon Holmes, United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Arkansas.

PER CURIAM.
Four days a week, the reporters, photographers, editors, designers and illustrators of The Daily Helmsman  an independent, student-run newspaper  have done something kind of brave.

Before I get into what brave thing my staff accomplished, let me explain what an independent, student-run newspaper means. Because I realize that the phrase often doesnt mean a lot to most people.

It means we collect the facts and write the stories ourselves. We interview everyone on our own without the permission of our professors. And by everyone I mean  from the president of the university to the non-student who was arrested for bringing a gun on campus.

It means if you dont like something we wrote, you can complain to our professors, the U of M administrators and to our parents, but there is nothing any of them can do to stop us. And if the crap hits the fan, were the ones who are responsible.

It means we are all students  duh, right? But people seem to forget that part. And we share a lot of the same qualities as the rest of the Memphis student body. We are mostly women. We are multi-ethnic. We live on, but mostly off campus and fight for good parking with everyone else. We are active in Greek life and werent cool enough to pledge. A surprising number of us are single parents. We have part-time jobs to help pay for school, and we have thousands in student debt. Our parents attended the U of M, and we are the first in our family to graduate college. We have a full class loads, and most of us are worried about at least one final exam.

It means half of us dont get paid to work at the Helmsman, and the other half dont get paid enough (at least not for what Ive asked of them).

It means we are a bunch of first-timers. We dont have the years of experience that youll find at The Commercial Appeal, Memphis Flyer or The Daily News. And that means we are more likely to screw up the spelling of farewell on our front page.

This is what an independent, student-run newspaper means. And thats why my staff is so brave. Theyve balanced work, school and journalism. Theyve put their necks on the line four days a week  all for little or no pay.

A lot of people learn on the job, but few jobs require you to put your name on your work for the world to see. In an age when anonymous commenters run rampant, and our president openly attacks journalism, my staff is brave enough to collect the facts, take the photos, write the stories, take the risks and put their names in print. The 106 issues we produced this school year were not possible without the hard work and courage of my staff.

A heartfelt thanks to all who worked at the Helmsman, past and present.

My graduation ends four wonderful years at this paper, and I will miss it.
During the month of April, more than 500 Comcast employees, friends, family and community partners volunteered at various projects across greater Chattanooga as a part of the 16th annual Comcast Cares Day.

Comcast Cares Day, which takes place each April during National Volunteer Month, is Comcast NBCUniversals companywide celebration of their year-round commitment to service and the nations largest single-day corporate volunteer effort in the country.

On Saturday, April 22, at Comcasts signature project in Chattanooga, dozens of volunteers, elected officials, and community partners worked together to beautify the Tennessee Baptist Children's Home.

For the second year, Comcast Cares Day volunteers also provided free tours for local youth through the Chattanooga Aquarium. At the end of the tours, Comcast volunteers helped connect dozens of families to Comcasts Internet Essentials, the nations largest high-speed Internet adoption program aimed at bridging the digital divide and getting high-speed Internet access into the homes of more families.

For years, Comcast has been a committed community partner for various organizations throughout the Chattanooga area, said Hamilton County Mayor Jim Coppinger. We are thrilled that our staff, volunteers and most importantly, our children will benefit from the giving hearts and helping hands of Comcast Cares Day volunteers this year.
Welsh sexpot Catherine Zeta-Jones, 47, was initially unimpressed with Michael Douglas, 72. A smitten Douglas first met the actress after his publicist arranged for him to have a drink with her.

Recalling the pair having a 'nightcap', he has admitted: 'I said to her after about half an hour, 'You know, I'm going to be the father of your children'.

She said, 'I've heard a lot about you and I've seen a lot about you and I think it's time I said goodnight'.'

Happy now: Catherine Zeta-Jones, 47, was initially unimpressed with Michael Douglas, 72

Knocked back: Douglas admitted he was initially snubbed by Zeta-Jones when his publicist set up a meeting

Alan Yentob, 70, not only continues to trouser a six-figure salary from the BBC, but he also set up a private TV company last year. So if the Insolvency Service bans him from being a company director how will he fare?

Yentob stepped down as BBC creative director in 2015 after the collapse of Kids Company where he was chairman of the trustees. He is still on the staff as presenter and editor of TV arts show Imagine.

Says a BBC source: 'Why should he be allowed to remain in charge of a seven-figure BBC budget if the Insolvency Service thinks he is not fit to be a company director?'

Since BBC Today presenter Sarah Montague squealed at the sight of a mouse, the hospitality trolley has been banished to an adjoining corridor. Jeremy Corbyn's well-nourished lieutenant Diane Abbott apparently took full advantage of the discreet trough on her last appearance.

She made short work of the rolls, buns, fruit and yogurt before gliding into the studio munching a crumb-laden croissant.

Says my Radio 4 mole: 'Usually guests leave something for the staffers to eat after we go off air. Not in the case of Diane.'

Greedy: Diane Abbott scoffed the rolls, buns, fruit and yogurt before entering the BBC Radio 4 studio munching a crumb-laden croissant

Seasoned punters at Newbury on Saturday knew that the Queen's horse was a good bet when HMQ stayed on for the fifth race of the day rather than returning to nearby Windsor Castle for afternoon tea. Call to Mind won at 6/4. But following the Queen's nags doesn't bring you riches. Punters who loyally placed 1 to win on each of her runners over the last five seasons would be down over 100.

Barack Obama, who lambasted the fat cat bankers in a 2009 TV interview, has accepted 312,000 from a Wall Street firm for a speech at a lunch in September. The fee  equivalent to his annual salary when US President  will put him on a pay-per-speech par with Bill and Hillary Clinton. Obamacare?

Tory politician Sir Simon Burns, 64, who is leaving the Commons after 30 years, has long had a difficult relationship with pompous speaker John Bercow, 54. While clashing with Bercow in the chamber in 2010, Burns described him as a 'stupid, sanctimonious dwarf'.

David Cameron claimed that Burns's ministerial driver reversed into Bercow's car in Speaker's Court. When Bercow, who stands at 5ft 6in, complained that he was not 'happy'  also the name of one of the Seven Dwarfs  it's claimed that Burns cheekily responded: 'So which one are you?'
Opposition Brexit spokesman Sir Keir Starmer is spoken of as his partys great white hope to lead a revival after the Corbyn nightmare. If so, heaven help Labour!

Outlining his partys stance on EU withdrawal, the former Director of Public Prosecutions proved himself wholly out of his intellectual depth  incoherent, self-contradictory, achingly dull and peddling a blatantly fraudulent prospectus.

In one breath, he pledged to respect the publics vote for Brexit and to end the free movement of people.

Opposition Brexit spokesman Sir Keir Starmer is spoken of as his partys great white hope to lead a revival after the Corbyn nightmare. If so, heaven help Labour

Yet in the next, he refused to rule out staying in the single market and the customs union  though this would keep us subject to European judges and stop us striking trade deals in the wider world. Whats more, he would also allow European workers to retain free access to Britain.

In other words, Labour is in favour of both leaving the EU and remaining in it.

But this was barely the start of Sir Keirs ineptitude. On day one of a Labour government, he said, the party would guarantee the rights of EU citizens in Britain, asking nothing in return to protect the million-plus British expats in Europe.

Meanwhile, he would retain EU laws and red tape. And for good measure, he would let MPs demand renegotiations  giving our partners a powerful incentive to offer an unacceptable deal and possibly delaying withdrawal for years.

If this is the best Sir Keir can offer, mightnt Labour just as well stick with Mr Corbyn?

Criminal betrayal

If they believed in good faith that British troops committed atrocities against innocent Iraqis, law firm Leigh Day could claim a shred of justification for hounding our soldiers through courts and tribunals.

But now even this excuse for their ambulance-chasing is looking thin.

From left: Anna Crowther, acting senior partner Russell Levy, Martyn Day, Sapna Malik and managing partner Frances Swaine from law firm Leigh Day, arriving at a Solicitors Disciplinary tribunal

Evidence has emerged that the firms solicitors pursued false allegations  subjecting soldiers to years of torment, while costing taxpayers millions  despite having powerful reasons to believe the accusers were lying insurgents.

As Leigh Day lawyers face 19 charges of misconduct, which they deny, the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal has the power to strike them off. But as Colonel Richard Kemp argues on this page, this matter cannot be allowed to rest there.

If they are found guilty of knowingly soliciting and spreading false evidence against those who risk their lives for us, they must surely face criminal charges.

A stranger to truth

Irony of ironies! The worlds most prolific purveyor of false information, Wikipedia co-founder Jimmy Wales, has announced plans for a current affairs website  to tackle the scourge of fake news.

Leave aside that his online encyclopaedia is a byword for inaccuracy.

Wikipedia co-founder Jimmy Wales, has announced plans for a current affairs website  to tackle the scourge of fake news

A campaigner against Brexit  who last year joined the board of The Guardian and is married to Tony Blairs former diary secretary  Wales was found in 2005 to have censored his own Wikipedia entry, removing references to the pornographic nature of a search engine he ran.

His site has even sought to ban the Mail as a source, while continuing to endorse Russian and Chinese propaganda outlets.

Can the BBC explain why it gave Wales eight minutes peak airtime to promote his new venture? Or why anyone should trust this hypocrite to tell the unexpurgated politically neutral truth?

n IN a victory for the Mail, the BBC has been told to end the bullying tactics of licence fee collectors, as it emerges that seven in ten prosecutions for evasion are against women. In this multi-channel age, the licence fee becomes ever harder to justify. Aggressive and unfair enforcement makes it more indefensible still.
A New York City modeling agency is defying fashion stereotypes, one arresting beauty at a time.

The Anti-Agency, which began four years ago in the UK, has launched its New York City branch, eager to represent personalities deemed to strong for the roster of a classic modeling company.

On its catalog of models are gender-bending fashion fans, a punk musician, and a member of one of New York City's best-known all-female skating crew The Skate Kitchen.

Different: The Anti-Agency, which has launched its New York City branch, is eager to represent strong personality - such as Kabrina from skating crew The Skate Kitchen

Casting: The agency doesn't impose restrictions on model's appearances and focuses on their personalities. Pictured is social media maven and body-confident ambassador Chloe, 16

Brains: Ariel, who plays in a punk band, studies French at the Sorbonne college in Paris, dreams of starting her own anarchist zine, and has a non gender-conformist fashion style

Founders Lucy Greene and Pandora Lennard started the Anti-Agency to give a chance to potential models who didn't fit traditional agencies' strict criteria - or were reluctant to enter the fashion industry through a mainstream house.

'We were working in the industry and knew several girls who were unique and gorgeous creatives,' Greene told the DailyMail.com.

'They didn't want to join conventional model agencies for various reasons either because they didn't want to be pigeon holed as models and subsequently not taken seriously in their creative careers or because they were far too big flamboyant characters to be told what to do or how to be in terms of weight, hair, clothes etc.'

With a fascination for 'diverse, smart and outspoken' characters, Greene and Lennard assembled twenty models and created an agency to represent them.

'We felt it was important for these talents to be used in campaigns and become positive role models - people of substance!' Greene added.

Story: As part of its roster, the Ant-Agency has recruited Tierra, an avid poet and the founder of a zine dedicated to gender queer, intersectional and transgender artists

History: Four years ago, the Anti-Agency began in the UK, and it is now recruiting talents on the other side of the Atlantic, such as LA-based music video director Autumn

Busy: Many of the agency's models also have other activities on the side, such as Alvina, a fashion student who also works as a jewelry designer

The agency, which describes itself as the 'enfant terrible of street casting', looks for character in its recruits - and insists on not putting any restrictions on their physical appearances.

'Most agencies have very strict requirements for models,' Lennard said. 'These are usually height and weight restrictions and restrictions put on models in terms of what they are allowed to wear, change in their appearance or express on their social networks. Our casting is more about breaking the mold and celebrating people for who they are instead of trying to fit them into pre-existing standard.'

Most people on the Anti-Agency's rosters have another job in addition to their modeling duties, and took on this new function to help their careers and support themselves financially as they develop.

'For us the best people are the ones we find at exhibitions, gigs, shops we love- theyre the person in the room you cant take your eyes off and want to know more about,' Lennard said.

'We do use social media to cast some people but were not fans of being famous for nothing. There has to be substance there and if thats expressed online then great.'

Talented: Mecca, one of the personalities represented by the Anti-Agency, studied at The Alvin Ailey school of dance and walked for Kanye West's Yeezy Season 4

Career: Stylist Shawn has worked with Oliver Rizzo and Hedie Slimane and her professional path has taken her on the other side of the lens as well

Activist: Humanitarian Indira is currently majoring in Psychology and literature, and has also recently started her own environmental organisation

As part of its roster, the Ant-Agency has recruited Tierra, an avid poet and the founder of a zine dedicated to gender queer, intersectional and transgender artists.

Also included is Kabrina, a member of The Skate Kitchen, a group of six female skaters based in New York City that once earned praise from Pharrell Williams for being 'opinionated, unique, introspective, multi-talented young women that like to speak their minds'.

Meanwhile, model Ariel, who studies French at the Paris-based Sorbonne college, plays in a punk band while dreaming of creating an anarchist zine and nourishing an interest in gender theory and cultivating a non-gender-conformist fashion sense.

In four years of pushing the boundaries of traditional modeling ventures, the Anti-Agency has worked with household names such as Marc Jacobs, Gucci, Calvin Klein and Asos.

'We have definitely noticed our vision becoming more mainstream which is fantastic to see,' Lennard said.

'Normal agencies who would never normally take on models like ours are starting to and as a result there has definitely been an increase in diversity in the way models look and are perceived in fashion.'

Selective: The agency, which describes itself as the 'enfant terrible of street casting', looks for character in its recruits - and insists on not putting restrictions on their physical appearances

Projects: Model and eco-activist Bria, whose sister Indira is also represented by the agency, seeks to promote sustainability in fashion and is currently working on her own fashion label

Empowered: Lee, described by the agency as 'all natural' and 'voluptuous', doubles as a mixed media artist and a feminist activist with a strong online presence

Lennard acknowledged that the industry is 'still very slow to change', but believes there is a demand for new, unusual, diverse faces.

'Sometimes we do find it hard to convince brands that this is where the future lies, that this is what people want to see in campaigns and runways,' Lennard added.

'But essentially casting is a long process. It comes down to casting directors, the stylists of the shows, creative directors of the brands, what the public demand and what the press portray as popular.

'It isnt any one persons fault that casting is as rigid as it is- were all responsible in making these changes happen. If the public and the press demand change then there will be change. Thats why its so important for companies like ours to keep campaigning for diversity in all forms and for the press and public to show their support.'
Advertisement

Kim Kardashian has broken the Internet again... and this time she has done so while wearing an Australian label.

The 36-year-old reality TV star was photographed wearing Myra Swim while relaxing on holiday in Mexico with sister, Kourtney, 38, and assistant, Stephanie Sheppard, earlier this week.

Since then, the unairbrushed snaps of Kim's bikini-clad derriere have gone viral.

Myra Swim is the brainchild of the Gold Coast-born designer and surfing fan, Bianca Elouise, and since she launched the label in 2014, she's picked up a loyal and burgeoning celebrity clientele.

From Emily Ratajkowski to Blac Chyna and - of course - Kim herself, FEMAIL meets the designer behind the swim label on the A-list's lips (and hips) right now.

36-year-old Kim Kardashian was photographed wearing Myra Swim (pictured) while relaxing on holiday in Mexico with sister, Kourtney, 38, and assistant Stephanie Sheppard earlier this week - FEMAIL meets the designer behind the label

Myra Swim is the brainchild of the Gold Coast-born designer and surf obsessive, Bianca Elouise, and since she launched the label in 2014, she's picked up a loyal and burgeoning celebrity clientele including Emily Ratajkowski (pictured in Myra Swim)

Bianca Elouise (pictured in Myra Swim) originally comes from the so-called 'bikini capital of the world', the Gold Coast - she grew up surfing constantly

Myra Swim was founded in 2014 by Bianca Elouise, 26, who comes from the so-called 'bikini capital of the world', the Gold Coast.

'It's quite overwhelming how big it's getting,' Ms Elouise told Daily Mail Australia.

'I started in 2014 with a really small collection aimed at women like me - women with a butt, with cleavage and a small waist.'

Since the label launched, it's enjoyed a gilded rise to the top - featuring in top music videos such as Ariana Grande and Nicki Minaj's Side by Side, as well as poolside, on the likes of devout fan - Emily Ratajkowski, and Karrueche Tran.

'My aim has always been the same - I make bikinis and swimsuits for real women's bodies,' Ms Elouise said.

'I grew up professionally surfing and lived in my swimwear. Everything I design is seamless so it doesn't dig in. I also try to highlight all of the right places on a woman's body.'

'I started in 2014 with a really small collection aimed at women like me - women with a butt, with cleavage and a small waist,' Ms Elouise told FEMAIL (pictured: her catwalk designs at Miami Swim Week) - she makes swimsuits for 'real women's bodies'

Since the label launched, it's enjoyed a gilded rise to the top - featuring in top music videos such as Ariana Grande and Nicki Minaj's Side by Side (pictured - Myra Swim featured on the backing dancers in the video)

'It all really blew up when Emily wore my designs for the first time last year,' Ms Elouise admitted (pictured: Emily Ratajkowski)

Prices are at the upper end of affordable - spanning between AUD $105 (GBP 61.69; USD $79.19) for the Elle One Piece in Chocolate that Emily Ratajkowski wore while relaxing on holiday in Mexico a couple of months ago, to AUD $82 (GBP 48.17; USD $61.83) for the black pair of Ivana bottoms spied on Kim Kardashian just days ago.

Bikini tops come in around the AUD $82 (GBP 48.17; USD $61.83), too.

'It all really blew up when Emily wore my designs for the first time last year,' Ms Elouise admitted.

'Since then, she's worn loads of the styles, I speak to her regularly and make sure she's always up to date with what's new from the label.'

Prices are at the upper end of affordable, and have also been spied on the likes of Blac Chyna (pictured)

Ms Elouise loves her loyal client base (pictured: Blac Chyna) - she confessed she would still love to see Beyonce wear her designs

don't really work out to maintain my body. I surf a lot and eat healthily - I'm a vegetarian,' Ms Elouise (pictured) said of her physique

Ms Elouise said there are still a couple of celebrities on her A-list hit list:

'I won't give up until Beyonce has worn one of my designs, she has that perfect body for it,' she said.

However, the designer also highlighted the fact that her swimwear works for all women:

'I don't really work out to maintain my body. I surf a lot and eat healthily - I'm a vegetarian,' she said.

'There are so many women with bodies like this, and I want Myra Swim to represent that.'

Ms Elouise (pictured in Myra Swim) said that the label will show at Miami Swim Week later this year, and added that we can expect a continuation of the same theme - the 26-year-old designer currently splits her time between the US and Australia

'I can't give away too much as to what's coming up, but it will be a continuation of what's around at the moment - basic styles and off-the-shoulder looks. Very editorial and Elle MacPherson,' Ms Elouise (pictured) said

With regard to what we can expect from Myra Swim in the near future, Ms Elouise told FEMAIL that the brand will show at Miami Swim Week once again this summer:

'I can't give away too much as to what's coming up, but it will be a continuation of what's around at the moment - basic styles and off-the-shoulder looks. Very editorial and Elle MacPherson,' she said.

Ms Elouise currently splits her time between the US and Australia, as she deals with her growing customer numbers and other demands:

'Sometimes, when I do design something, I'll look at it and think "that's perfect for Emily or Kim or someone",' she added.

For more information about Myra Swim or to shop the brand, head to their website here. You can also follow the label on Instagram here.
Constance Hall has changed her Facebook status to say she's 'in a relationship' with the new beau accompanying her on an international book tour.

Father-of-two Denim Cooke has been by the Australian mummy blogger's side in Ireland to promote her book 'Like a Queen' - less than three weeks after she publicly announced her split from her husband of six years Bill Mahon.

The mother-of-four officially shared the exciting news about her new relationship status on social media this week to her family and friends, with loved ones congratulating the happy couple.

The popular writer, from Perth, also changed her profile picture to show the pair lovingly smiling at the camera as they posed for a selfie in the car.

Her new relationship comes after she fired back at critics who insisted Ms Hall had moved on too soon following her bitter marriage breakdown.

Constance Hall has changed her status on Facebook to 'in a relationship' with Denim Cooke

The mother shared the exciting news on social media this week to her family and friends

The mummy blogger has been on her international tour to promote her book 'Like a Queen'

The high-profile blogger shared her first photograph with her new partner last week, accompanied by the caption: 'Falling in love with Ireland and each other'.

Last week, Ms Hall took to social media to say: 'I don't have to justify my actions to anyone' after several fans began to turn on her.

The 33-year-old defended her new relationship, claiming she and her estranged husband had 'lived separately and officially separated for months.

'Yes, I announced our separation two weeks ago.... and yes I was trying to fix our marriage however it didn't work. At least I tried,' she wrote.

'Those who know me are thrilled to finally see me happy and my children don't remember the last time they saw their parents together so they are pretty stoked too.'

Fans were quick to point out the last social media post Ms Hall shared about her husband was on Valentines Day - February 14 this year.

The 33-year-old writer announced her split from her husband Bill Mahon just three weeks ago

Constance has opened up about her love for the beautiful country - and the man accompanying her on the trip - single father-of-two Denim Cooke (pictured together)

However, several fans were far from impressed with her newfound love, with many jumping to her estranged husband's defence.

One fan wrote: '#TeamBill he's better off without her! Let jeans have her! But I feel for the children involved must be very confusing!'

Another posted: 'Bloody hell. Bill's side of the bed isn't even cold yet!'

A third person said: 'I never really write my judgement or outlook on other relationships but I couldn't help myself with this... I have loved and enjoyed reading Constance Hall's blogs but this is just too soon!! And I kinda feel for her ex husband.

And another wrote: 'Anyone know how to remove queen sticker residue from a car?'

Several fans have been far from impressed with Constance's newfound love

The mother (pictured with her four children and estranged husband) is currently in Ireland

The Perth mother has arrived in Ireland with her children ahead of her international book tour

Speaking to Daily Mail Australia, Mr Mahon said: 'At the moment my priority is to see the kids and I don't want to say anything that would jeopardise that.'

Earlier last week, Mr Mahon confirmed he is in Ireland at the same time his wife tours the country but insisted he has no intention of getting in touch with her.

He said he was aware of her being in the country because he 'did all the itinerary for her trip,' but he was already planning on going overseas for 'previous family commitments.'

Mr Mahon declined to comment further on his relationship breakdown.

The mummy blogger publicly announced her split from the father of her four children

The 33-year-old mum announced her split from her husband of six years about two weeks ago

Constance is in Ireland with the couple's children (pictured) ahead of her global book tour

Constance has been documenting her movements on social media during her travels with her children and hew new lover.

'So we woke up at 4am and have been cruising Dublin on foot since. I am so in love I can't explain it,' she wrote in another post.

Ms Hall has fired back after she recently opened up about her love for a new man in her life

'Ireland is everything and more then any of us could have imagined.'

Her latest holiday snaps comes just weeks after she revealed her split from the father of her four children after the couple 'stopped enjoying each other and the kids stopped seeing happiness in our love, only contempt'.

However, Mr Mahon accused his estranged wife of running away with another man following their split.

'Constance Hall is on her way to Ireland without me. While I was working at our other house she met a guy...' Mr Mahon said on Facebook, which has since been deleted.

'Now they are together. I'm over it but this is not a Queen!!!!!'

The 47-year-old father of four told Daily Mail Australia his priority was to see his children

The Perth writer (pictured) is one of the biggest names in the mummy blogging business, having written a bestselling book, gained millions followers and toured Australia

But Constance dismissed the claims, saying: 'I absolutely never left Bill for anyone. I didn't cheat on Bill with Denim.

'The other man that I have supposedly 'run off with' Denim, I can whole heartedly say that Bill and I were well and truly over well before I even developed any feelings for him.

'I warned my ex husband many months ago that if he wanted to try and reunite he should do it before I give up completely. He did not reply.

'I tried and tried and tried with Bill, so many tears and so much trying. My family and friends know the truth.'

Earlier this year, Constance revealed she was 'growing close' to Denim Cooke - the young father who she'd met at a skate park earlier this year

Earlier this year, Constance revealed she was 'growing close' to Denim Cooke - the young single father who she'd met at a skate park earlier this year.

She spoke highly of her admiration for his parenting skills after listening to his inspiring story of how he was embarking on a trip around Australia with his two sons 'on a quest to skate every single skate park'.

'A couple of weeks ago after taking the kids out for dinner I grabbed a couple of beers and went to the skate park, tire them out so they crash without fighting,' she wrote in her blog on February 27.

'There were 2 kids there, long blonde haired kids who's skating skills defied the laws of gravity and who spoke kindly, respectfully to the younger less talented kids like mine.

'And I met Denim, their dad.'
Millie Thomas has spent more than half her life battling anorexia.

The 29-year-old, who lives on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, was consumed by the disease for 15 years and several times, was sure it would take her life.

Now recovered, Ms Thomas has opened up about the inner turmoil that she faced over the years, the relentless nature of the disease and how she recovered from the brink of death to go on to help others with eating disorders.

For Ms Thomas, her eating disorder 'snowballed' when she was 12 after she started at an all girls private school in Auckland.

Millie Thomas (pictured recently) has spent more than half her life battling anorexia

'Once I had lost a certain amount of weight the thoughts just took over my body,' she said

'I felt a little bit vulnerable and like most girls I wanted to fit into the cool crowd. To do this I felt like I had to lose weight for summer,' Ms Thomas told Daily Mail Australia.

'For me it just blew up from there. I started making my own lunches and then I wasn't eating lunch at all and then I was hiding my dinner and skipping breakfast by saying I had to leave early to go to sport training.

'I didn't know at the time that people are genetically predisposed to eating disorders so once I had lost a certain amount of weight the thoughts just took over my body.'

Within just a few months, Ms Thomas' weight had plummeted and she had fallen deep into the grips of anorexia.

'At that age people were noticing at school but they didn't know what to do - and I'm sure people also felt as if they said anything it could be detrimental,' Ms Thomas said.

'I was taken out of school and hospitalised. Doctors got my weight back up but they never changed my anorexic way of thinking, my ED mentality and that is a flaw in the system that still remains today.'

Ms Thomas' family tried everything to help her - from doctors and psychiatrists to psychologists and Narrative Therapy, FBT and CBT - but nothing was getting through.

'I wasn't living I was existing. I went to school and topped my subjects and was a perfectionist but I barely ate or drank a thing,' Ms Thomas said.

'I had an image in my head of what I wanted to be but I had no idea that the perception I had of my own body was completely distorted. I was sure I was seeing the correct thing in the mirror,' Ms Thomas said

'I was counting every single kilojoule I ate each day and while I was seeing psychologists a lot of the time I wasn't mentally ready to give up my desire and drive to be "thin".

'I had an image in my head of what I wanted to be but I had no idea that the perception I had of my own body was completely distorted. I was sure I was seeing the correct thing in the mirror.'

If I hadn't expended enough calories I would stand in my room and run on the spot.

Ms Thomas, who battled the illness all the way through school and well into her twenties, described herself as being 'trapped in my thinking'.

'I was eating but I was eating the exact same thing every single day and I was exercising obsessively,' she explained.

'I would exercise at the same time every day and if I decided that I needed to do extra the next day I would have to do that same extra exercise again. I would wake up even if I hadn't eaten anything the day before and still had to exercise.'

Before bed each night, Ms Thomas would calculate what she had eaten that day - even if it was just three apple slices - and see how many calories she had expended.

'If I hadn't expended enough calories I would stand in my room and run on the spot,' she said.

It got so obsessive that Ms Thomas got six stress fractures in her hips because she had exercised while her body was in a state of malnutrition.

'It's almost like you are looking down on yourself. You want to get well but what you want becomes this insurmountable, impossible thing to achieve,' she said (pictured recently)

'It's almost like you are looking down on yourself from above. You want to get well but what you want becomes this insurmountable, impossible thing to achieve,' she said.

'The eating disorder will always find a way to make you feel bad about yourself.'

Ms Thomas said she reached rock bottom when doctors told her she had just two weeks to live.

'I was at a point where I didn't want to wake up anymore. I didn't want to deal with the intense hunger or the pain anymore,' she said.

The thought of waking up tomorrow to face my reality was all too painfully overwhelming.

'They told me I would never have children, that my disease was too chronic and enduring and that I would never recover. They told my parents that I wouldn't get better.'

In a harrowing blog post, Ms Thomas wrote: 'At that point I was a 27 year old skeleton with the bones of an 80 year old, 4 stress fractures, a weak heart and no menstrual cycle.'

'I felt broken beyond repair. A lost cause. I was done with struggling through the torment of each day - running for hours on end on an empty stomach, counting out my daily allowance of apple slices and constantly looking for any opportunity to burn just a few more calories.

Ms Thomas moved to the Sunshine Coast with her mother (pictured left) to try hypnotherapy and neuro-linguistic programming where she spent six months of 'learning to live again'

'The thought of waking up tomorrow to face my reality was all too painfully overwhelming.'

But Ms Thomas decided to try her hardest to recover, just one more time.

'I saw how much it hurt my mum when I said I'd rather die,' Ms Thomas said.

'I decided I would give it one more go - despite a treatment team telling me I would never reach full recovery and despite having spent 15 years of my life trying all kinds of different treatments.'

Ms Thomas moved to the Sunshine Coast with her mother to try hypnotherapy and neuro-linguistic programming where she spent six months 'learning to live again'.

'Hypnotherapy was so great for me, she didn't see my case like the doctors did, she just knew I had to "rewire" my brain,' she said.

'She dealt with it like anxiety or OCD and I don't know why it worked but it did. It wasn't easy - it was the hardest thing I've ever done and all of my energy and mental capacity went into recovery.

Ms Thomas said recovery was like starting over - the then 27-year-old using every ounce of her tenacity, courage and strength to beat the illness

'My thoughts were about food and exercise every second of the day so to change that was a process but within maybe four weeks I was asking to eat again.'

Ms Thomas said recovery was like starting over - the then 27-year-old using every ounce of her tenacity, courage and strength to beat the illness.

You have nothing in your life that's not somehow pervaded by the disease.

'I let Mum take control and knew that I needed to be cared for and within a few months I was a new person,' Ms Thomas said.

'I was in a different world - I couldn't fathom that this is what it was like to really live, that this is what I had been missing out on this entire time.

'I would go to the beach and wander along rather than setting off at a certain time and exercising. Anorexia takes away any piece of joy - anything that you are passionate about it ruins it for you.

'You have nothing in your life that's not somehow pervaded by the disease.'

Ms Thomas decided to take the leap and move to the Sunshine Coast permanently where she is now an a ambassador for EndED, mentors those who suffer from an eating disorder and runs support groups for them and their families.

Ms Thomas decided to take the leap and move to the Sunshine Coast permanently where she is now an a ambassador for EndED and mentors those who suffer from an eating disorder

'Unless you've been through it you don't get it, I can offer advice that might work,' Ms Thomas said.

'Psychologists and doctors are often not helping sufferers properly. It's a flawed system. It breaks my heart because I have had people tell me they can't leave the hospital because they know they won't eat when they leave but doctors discharge them anyway.

'We are fighting for the privacy laws to be changed as well because at the moment, if a patient is 18 and don't want their parents to know their treatment plan or progress, hospitals won't tell them.

'They are committing people who are mentally unwell and then letting them make all of their own decisions.

Ms Thomas also hopes to break the stigma surrounding eating disorders and stop the shame and guilt felt by both sufferers and their families.

Ms Thomas also hopes to break the stigma surrounding eating disorders and stop the shame and guilt felt by both sufferers and their families

'Not enough people speak about it and eating disorders are so often swept under the carpet,' Ms Thomas said.

'I don't want to normalise it I simply want to talk about it. The rates of eating disorders in girls under 12 have shot up by 115 per cent over the past decade worldwide and social media is a frightening contributor to that.'

I have the ability to empathise and connect with others suffering from mental illness, on a level that most can't.

'If I had been unwell in the age of social media as it is now I don't think I would have survived.'

Ms Thomas hopes that everything she went through can help others moving forward.

'Surely there is a reason why I had to go through the hell that I did and I hope I can help people realise what is going on,' Ms Thomas said.

'Although battling anorexia has stripped me of more than half my life to date; I refuse to be bitter. My journey has given me a unique perspective on the world.

'I have the ability to empathise and connect with others suffering from mental illness, on a level that most can't.'

Those who seek support can get in touch with Millie and the EndED team on their website, on Instagram or on their Facebook page.

If you need help or support for an eating disorder or body image issue, please call Butterfly's National Helpline on 1800 334 673 or e-mail support@thebutterflyfoundation.org.au
Eugenie has just been made director of the art gallery where she works, while Beatrice is forging her own path as a business consultant.

So Fergie, 57, and her daughters no doubt had lots to catch up on as they enjoyed dinner at Chucs restaurant in Mayfair last night.

The royal was all smiles as she emerged from the eatery around 11pm, wrapped up in a white coat cinched at the waist with a black belt.

Eugenie braved the chill with bare legs, wearing a black coat with grey ankle boots.

Meanwhile, it was a busy night for Beatrice who joined her mother and sisters after attending a VIP dinner celebrating Mrs Alice for French Sole at The Connaught Hotel.

Sarah Ferguson enjoyed an evening meal with her daughters Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie at Chucs restaurant in Mayfair

Princess Beatrice was all smiles as she left the upmarket eatery at 11pm after catching up with her mother and sister

Eugenie braved the spring chill, going bare legged in a navy dress teamed with grey ankle boots

The royal, 28, posed up a storm with designer Alice Naylor-Leyland who has created two collections with the footwear brand.

Beatrice looked smart in a navy dress, which she paired with a black belt and suede heels.

The budding entrepreneur let her natural beauty shine through, keeping her make-up fresh and natural and let her flame haired locks fall loosely around her shoulders.

She then made the short hop to Mayfair to join her mother and sister for a catch up.

Earlier Beatrice, pictured with designer Alice Naylor-Leyland, attended a VIP dinner celebrating Mrs Alice for French Sole at The Connaught Hotel

The princess poses with Alice's husband Tom Naylor-Leyland

Beatrice kept her makeup to a minimum to let her natural beauty shine through

Globe trotting Beatrice has just returned from New York where she attended the Kairos Society Global Summit At One World Observatory last Friday.

The Princess is said to be in the process of developing a business start-up since leaving her job at a Manhattan investment firm last summer.

At the time, the Queen's granddaughter explained she was determined to pursue her 'entrepreneurial ambitions'.

Globe trotting Beatrice has just returned from New York where she attended the Kairos Society Global Summit

Fergie looked animated as she left the Mayfair eatery after enjoying a catch up with her daughters

According to her CV on LinkedIn, she is currently Vice President of Partnerships & Strategy at Afiniti.com, a Washington DC-based computer software company.

Bea is also currently patron of nine charities including the York Musical Society and the Helen Arkell Dyslexia Centre.

Meanwhile, Eugenie has been promoted to the role of director of the Hauser & Wirth contemporary art gallery in London.

Eugenie is working hard and doing a good job, one of her friends reported. The promotion is well deserved.

The royal enjoyed a joke with a well-heeled friend as she left the restaurant
The midwife who delivered Rebecca Judd's children has revealed she can predict how a woman's labour will go down just by 'looking' at them.

Australian midwife Cath Curtin explained women who are 'tall and slim' are more likely to have easier births.

Speaking to Mamamia's pregnancy podcast Hello Bump, the nurse said she could pinpoint a linking factor that makes a good birth.

Midwife Cath Curtin who delivered Rebecca Judd's twins Tom and Darcy (pictured with Cath) has revealed she can predict how a woman's labour will go down just by 'looking' at them

The midwife delivered all four of Chris and Rebecca Judd 's children - son Oscar, daughter Billie and twin boys Tom and Darcy

'I can tell by looking at someone... I know that's weird. It's the tall, slim build [women],' midwife Cath said.

Another feature for an easy birth was a 'capacious pelvis' - a wide frame that contracts and pushes the baby through the birth canal with relative ease.

However the feature is not obvious on first glance - and midwife Cath said only an x-ray could measure the size of a woman's pelvis.

'When you've got some women who have a capacious pelvis, it's so wide that even if they're five foot tall, they can push through a nine pound baby,' she explained.

'So you never say never. You never think "oh well because you're tiny, you're never going to have a big baby in a natural childbirth.

'But there is a look, it's hard to describe.'

Midwife Cath explained women who are 'tall and slim' are more likely to have easier births

The glamorous mother with her twins Tom and Darcy - who were delivered by midwife Cath

Midwife Cath helped the Judd family deliver their children, including twin boys Tom and Darcy

Popular midwife Cath has delivered more than 10,000 babies in her 42-year nursing career

Midwife Cath - who has delivered more than 10,000 babies in her 42-year career - said it was important for parents to be 'reasonable' when it comes to a birthing plan.

'Things go wrong in pregnancy quickly. Everything could be going really smooth, and then bang. It's about being reasonable,' she said.

'We all have a fantasy about birth and there's also reality - so I know about both because I understand where women are coming from and their fantasy of what we all think.

'I have seen some amazing births. Really beautiful births... But when things happen quickly and if they go wrong, they go wrong quickly.'

And midwife Cath said having either a positive or negative attitude during pregnancy makes no difference to giving birth.
John Torode has waded into #bramblegate - after he was slammed by Masterchef viewers for referring to blackberries as 'brambles'.

The judge, 51, and co-host Gregg Wallace, felt the wrath of those tuning in to Monday's show after daring to use what some suggested was the 'fashionable' way to describe the popular summer fruit.

Answering the criticism, Torode appeared on Good Morning Britain today saying either word was fine - and pointing out that 26-year-old contestant Brodie, who cooked with the fruits on the show, grew up in Scotland, where 'bramble' is commonly used.

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He's sitting on the fence! MasterChef judge John Torode appeared on Good Morning Britain today to offer his own personal verdict, that it was fine to use the words 'bramble' or 'blackberry' when describing the summer fruit

You're an Australian, what do you know? Piers Morgan, on #TeamBlackberry, said he would refuse to listen to the argument that blackberries could be called brambles

Is it a bramble, is it a blackberry? Masterchef was accused of going for the more 'fashionable' terminology to describe the summer fruit..but Torode explained to Good Morning Britain viewers that brambles is commonly used in Scotland to describe the berry - where contestant Brodie is from

Scottish store designer Brodie was the man using the 'brambles' in the kitchen; Masterchef judge Gregg Wallace repeatedly called blackberries brambles on Monday's episode

Torode told Good Morning Britain: 'In Scotland they are actually called brambles.'

However, ITV breakfast show presenter Piers Morgan hit back firmly on the side of #TeamBlackberry.

He said: 'We don't judge what we call food on what the Scots call it. These are blackberries. I will fight for the right to call them blackberries.

'I won't have you, an Australian, citing Scots, ordering me to call them brambles.'

Torode snapped: 'Nobody's ordering you to do anything. The fact is they are called both things, brambles or blackberries.'

Bramblegate began after viewers blasted the Monday night episode of the show as 'pretentious b*******' - after the judges used the word 'brambles' to describe blackberries.

BLACKBERRY OR BRAMBLE - WHO'S REALLY RIGHT? (AND WHAT ABOUT BRAMBLE JELLY?) The correct definition according to the Oxford Dictionary defines bramble as the 'scrambling shrub', ie the bush and the blackberry as the fruit How do the bramble naysayers explain this? Bramble jelly is readily available in supermarkets and also made by jam giant Hartley's...however, the main ingredient in the jam is...blackberry juice According to the Oxford Dictionary, viewers of last night's episode have a point. The correct definition describes the bramble as the bush, not the fruit, saying: 'A prickly scrambling shrub of the rose family, especially a blackberry.' Bramble jelly, a blackberry based jam, is widely produced in the UK...but lists blackberry juice as the main ingredient. Advertisement

The fruit-themed rage was sparked after Scottish store designer Brodie, 26, served up a game dish featuring blackberries, only for the judges to refer to them as brambles throughout.

Angry fans of the quintessentially British fruit quickly took to social media to vent, suggesting that the show was using the 'fashionable' term rather than the correct one.

Budding chef Brodie, bidding for a place in the show's knockout stages, presented Wallace and Torode with a roast partridge breast served with parsnip, sweet potato and beetroot chips, a haggis scotch egg, pickled brambles and a bramble and port sauce.

The dish, inspired by his childhood, was generally a hit although Torode blasted Brodie's 'brambles' for not being pickled enough, saying they were 'too sweet'.

On Twitter, one viewer, @deutschmikey declared: 'So we are not to call them blackberries any more people - remember, the fashionable call them brambles...brambles! #Masterchef.'

Meanwhile on Facebook, Jean Holland raged: 'Why are they calling blackberries 'brambles' on Masterchef? What a load of pretentious b*******'.

Definitely not a bramble: Viewers took to social media to rant about the way the summer fruit was being described

The summer fruits were served both pickled and in a sauce for Brodie's roast partridge dish

What a pickle! John Torode derided Brodie for not pickling his brambles enough

Some claimed geography rather than pretension was to blame, suggesting that some parts of the country had always called blackberries brambles.

@Bob_TheBaldie 11h11 suggested: 'I think it's a north/south thing. Brambles in the North, and the correctly named blackberries down here in the south.'

So, who's right? According to the Oxford Dictionary, viewers of last night's episode have a point.

Torode also finally clarified that he and co-host Gregg Wallace are 'mates'...but don't socialise outside of work

You keep him! Torode said he didn't want Piers Morgan to bag a spot on Celebrity MasterChef

The correct definition describes the bramble as the bush, not the fruit, saying: 'A prickly scrambling shrub of the rose family, especially a blackberry.'

On Good Morning Britain, Torode also spoke about his friendship with Wallace, saying: 'We don't hang out because we spend so much time together.'

He joked of Wallace, who married last year for the fourth time, that the pair hang out at 'his weddings' adding: 'That happens about every year, so that's fine.'

Asked what his final meal would be, Torode asked: 'Why am I dying? I don't understand why I've always got to die!'

And he rebuffed Susanna Reid's suggestion that Morgan appear on Celebrity MasterChef, saying: 'Please don't. Don't do that to us. You keep him.'
It was her four-month-old brother's big day, but Princess Amalia of Luxembourg made sure she got her fair share of the limelight as he was christened at The Vatican on Saturday.

Prince Liam, who is the younger child of Princess Claire and Prince Felix of Luxembourg was baptised by the Rev. Dr. George Woodall in the chapel of the choir of St. Peter's Basilica surrounded by members of the Grand Ducal Family.

At one point, the solemnity of the occasion all got too much for Amalia who casually perched on a step alongside her parents as they did a reading.

But she proved herself a doting big sister as she tenderly patted her brother on the head during the baptism.

Princess Claire and Prince Felix of Luxembourg celebrated at their son Prince Liam's christening at The Vatican with their daughter Amalia

The princess dotes on her little brother during the ceremony

At one point, Princess Amalia decided to enjoy a sit down on the steps of the chapel as her parents did a reading

New mother Princess Claire opted for a simple button down white frock, while Princess Amalia looked adorable in a traditional blue smocked dress with a white collar.

No other royal family members have been baptised at the Vatican in recent years.

But the couple have connections thanks to Rev. Dr. George Woodall of the Pontifical Athenaeum Regina Apostolorum, an educational institute of the Catholic Church in Rome where Felix and Claire have both studied.

The young prince's godparents were revealed at the ceremony as Prince Sebastien, brother of Felix, and Anna Maria Pamin.

The family with Liam's godparents Felix's brother Prince Sebastien and Anna Maria Pamin

The ceremony took place in the chapel of the choir of St. Peter's Basilica

Princess Amalia was more interested in playing with Anna Maria Pamin's hair than in the ceremony

The Grand Duke and Duchess of Luxmebourg were there to see their grandson christened.

However, his cousins Prince Noah and Prince Gabriel, the sons of Prince Louis, were unable to attend as they are at school in the UK.

Prince Liam Henri Hartmut was born on 28 November 2016 in Geneva, Switzerland.

Princess Amalia, two, looked adorable in a traditional blue smocked dress

Princess Amalia sucks her thumb as she sits on her mother's knee during the ceremony

The couple were joined by the Grand Duke and Duchess of Luxembourg (pictured to the right of Prince Felix); Prince Louis (left); Prince Sebastien and Princesse Alexandra (right) and Princess Claire's brother, father and mother

Henri, Grand Duke of Luxembourg and his glamorous wife Maria Teresa were there to see their grandson christened

The Prince is fourth in line to the throne of Luxembourg behind his uncle, Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume, as well as his father, 32, and his older sister.

Princess Claire and Prince Felix of Luxembourg married in a civil ceremony in her hometown of Frankfurt, Germany in September 2013.

Three days later they had a more traditional wedding, which included Prince Felixs parents - the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess of Luxembourg.

Members of the congregation join in with singing during the ceremony

The family pose for a photo with the Grand Duke couple and Claire's mother Gabriela Lademacher

The splendid wedding took place in front of 350 guests at the Basilique Sainte Marie-Madeleine in Saint-Maximin-La-Sainte-Baume.

Luxembourg's royal family turned out in force to celebrate with the couple who wed in south eastern France.

The couple reportedly met while studying at the College Alpin International Beau Soleil in Switzerland.

Four-month-old Prince Liam Henri Hartmut was born on 28 November 2016 in Geneva, Switzerland
General Sessions Court Judge David Bales, who has long been active with the Boy Scouts of America, was honored at a dinner.

The Boy Scouts presented him with the Presidential Award for Excellence and Leadership.

A second award was the coveted Silver Beaver Award.

Judge Bales has been active in Scouting his entire life. When he was 10, he was a member of Troop 30 sponsored by Brainerd Methodist Church. He was a counselor at the Orange Grove Summer Camp.

Judge Bales served in the Army Reserve for six years.

He graduated from the University of Tennessee Law School in 1973.

While serving as assistant district attorney in Shelby County, he was inducted into the Order of the Arrow Chickasaw Lodge.

Back in Chattanooga, he was a volunteer with Boy Scout Troop 223.

He traveled with the troop on a trip to Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico on a 10-day backpacking trip in 1983 and again in 1988.

Judge Bales served on the executive board of the Cherokee Area Council. He has been a member of the ScoutReach Committee since 2005.

Judge Bales served as president of the Cherokee Area Council from 2014 to 2016.

Judge Bales has been married to his wife, Jan, since 1986, and has a son, Chris Bales, and daughter, Kristin Allen.

He and his wife enjoy spending time with their three grandsons and are active members of Red Bank Baptist Church.
A couple who had their first date at their local Costa paid homage to the high street chain with a coffee-themed wedding.

Rebecca and Nick Powell, from Swansea in Wales, took inspiration from the chain's branding for their wedding colours - dressing their bridesmaids and groomsmen in Costa burgundy, while Rebecca's bouquet was made up of magenta and white blooms.

The obsessed couple incorporated coffee beans in their table decorations and their wedding cake topper was a Costa cup at the ceremony in Llanelli.

They even made time to swing by their favourite Swansea branch on their big day, and have sinced named their baby girl after the coffee shop's specific shade of white.

Rebecca and Nick Powell (pictured above) had their first date at a local Costa Coffee in Swansea, Wales

Rebecca, 41, and Nick, 50, have decorated their home with art work from the coffee shop, and the couple grab a to-go cup of their favourite coffee from the garage every day on their way to work, and visit their local branch at least three times a week.

Local branches know the pair by name, and their new baby daughter, Jasmine, is so-called as a nod to the shade of white in the chain's branding - known as Madagascar Jasmine.

The couple estimate they've sipped on around 18,000 cups in their combined 50 years of daily visits, totting up to around 50,000.

The couple pictured on their wedding day with Hannah Powell, 24, Ben Davies, 13, Rebecca and Nick Powell, Jacon Davies, 8 and Laura Powell, 21

Rebecca and Nick Powell paid homage to their favourite chain by having a Costa-themed wedding (and wedding cake)

During their wedding at Stradey Park Hotel, Llanelli, Wales, the room was covered in Costa-themed decorations

The newly-married couple contacted the Forest Park coffee shop (above) and asked if they could go in and have pictures taken on the table where they first met

Rebecca said: 'Every car journey that we take, we stop to buy a Costa Extra from the services too and we know most of the staff.'

The couple first began chatting online in 2014 and after speaking for a couple of weeks discovered that they both loved Costa.

After realising what they had in common, the couple decided that their local branch would be an ideal place for their first date.

Rebecca says: 'Pretty much straight away after we decided to get married, we knew Costa was going to be the theme of the wedding.

'We both absolutely love our coffee and never stop drinking it now.'

Since they married, 50-year-old Nick and Rebecca (above) decided to turn their home into a celebration of their favourite chain

In their home they've used the same colour scheme as the chain do in their stores and even got their hands on a Costa canvas

Last July, the couple became doting parents to their daughter, Jasmine (pictured above)

Hannah Powell, 24, Ben Davies, 13, Jacob Davies, 8 and Laura Powell, 21, at their parent's wedding

Rebecca and Nick both have two children each from previous relationships, Rebecca's two boys, Ben (left), 13, and Jacob (right), eight, and Nick's girls Laura, 21, and Hannah, 24

On their big day, the couple visited their local Forest Park branch to have photos taken at the table where they first met.

'After the ceremony, Nick and I sneaked out and went there, back to the table where we had our first date. It was really sweet.

'They'd cordoned off a bit of the cafe and even decorated the table with Just Married bunting, a bottle of champagne and balloons.'

Rebecca and Nick both have two children each from previous relationships, Rebecca's two boys, Ben, 13, and Jacob, eight, and Nick's girls Laura, 21, and Hannah, 24.

Rebecca and Nick with children Laura, Hannah, Ben and Nick on their wedding day

The couple, pictured on their wedding day, revisited their favourite branch away from the wedding party

Rebecca, above, with step-daughters Laura and Hannah before the wedding took place

The couple were delighted to discover that Costa had cordoned off a section of the cafe for them

The happy couple had pictures taken at the table where they first met in 2014 (above)

The couple have drunk their way through around 18,000 cups in their combined 50 years of visiting the coffee shop daily

They said they knew as soon as they decided to get married that the wedding would be Costa-themed
She may have been top to toe in blue, but Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden appeared anything but glum at an engagement in the Netherlands today.

The Swedish royal, 39, smiled as she was greeted by the Dutch King Willem-Alexander at The Hague, dressed in a vibrant blue dress with matching heels and clutch.

Even Victoria's jewellery, a matching necklace and earring set that appeared to be sapphires, were the exact same shade as the rest of her striking outfit.

Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden attended a ceremony to mark the 20th anniversary of the organisation for the prohibition of chemical weapons at The Hague

Even her sparkling earrings - possibly sapphires - matched her blue dress and shoes perfectly

King Willem-Alexander greeted the Crown Princess warmly with a hug, as she arrived at The Hague for a ceremony to mark the 20th anniversary of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons.

World leaders gathered there today to urge all nations to join together to 'banish forever the evil of chemical weapons.

Ambassadors from OPCW member nations joined the royals at the solemn ceremony today, which was led by UN chief Antonio Guterres.

Victoria's blue suede shoes matched her dress and clutch exactly. The Crown Princess is seen posing for a snap with the Dutch King Willem-Alexander

The two royals embraced as Crown Princess Victoria arrived for the ceremony at The Hague

Her vibrant blue dress had a flattering cowl neck and a demure knee length hem

Crown Princess Victoria and King Willem-Alexander were joined by ambassadors for OPCW member nations in the Netherlands today

The Princess' visit to the Netherlands comes hot on the heels of a four day state visit to Tokyo, where she met Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko.

She visited Japan without her husband Prince Daniel, in her capacity as advocate for the UN's Sustainable Development Goals.
For plus-size women, the world can often seem like it's full of roadblocks and denials that seem almost unique to just them

For example, talking about sex may be taboo to most, but it's considered even more so when it comes to a plus-size woman.

It's an attitude that plus blogger Cheyenne is trying to counter, by sharing a powerful - and graphic - post all about what it's really like for bigger ladies in the bedroom.

Sending a message: San Antonio, Texas, plus-size blogger Cheyenne is inspiring fellow women to embrace their bodies in the bedroom

Showing off: The curvy redhead recently shared a post all about sex as a plus-sized woman

The San Antonio, Texas-based blogger regularly shares nude or nearly-nude selfies showing off her ample curves in an effort to encourage other plus-size women to be body positive.

In one of her recent posts, which has since gone viral, Cheyenne, who goes by @Goofy_Ginger on Instagram, explained how plus-size women have to deal with being 'denied sexuality altogether' or being fetishized for their size.

'People assume you have sex with a shirt on and the lights off, which is true for some of us,' she wrote.

'I was so afraid of what I would look like to someone performing cunnilingus, I wouldnt engage in it. We contort our bodies, hide under covers, or refuse positions because God forbid our partner see we have a belly.'

Loving her curves: Cheyenne lamented how plus-size women are often 'denied sexuality altogether' or are fetishized for their size

Getting nervous: She also talked about how many women feel the need to hide their bodies - even while having sex

Looking another way: However, she explained in the post, these women's partners know how they look and still want to have sex with them

However, she explained, sexual partners of these women know exactly how they look and still want to go to bed with them.

'Not in spite of our looks, but because our appearance is attractive!' she said, adding that embracing being naked helped her come to this realization.

'By taking selfies, lounging, and sleeping completely nude, I grew comfortable enough to share my nakedness with others,' she said. 'Your soft belly, jiggly hips, dimpled thighs are beautiful and sexy.'

And Cheyenne certainly isn't all talk, sharing dozens of scantily clad, or even entirely naked photos on her Instagram page.

Slight issue: Cheyenne regularly posts about her struggles with her size and about overcoming negative body image

Spreading the word: Cheyenne's post about sexuality has been liked more than 6,000 times

Along with nearly every photo, Cheyenne pens a post meant to inspire other plus-size women to embrace their bodies and their sexuality.

'That muffin top you once hid? It should be unleashed in all its glory during sex! Anyone who is disrespectful of that doesnt deserve sex with you,' she added. 'Dont waste yourself on someone who doesnt honor your body the way it deserves.'

Cheyenne also offered some advice to women like her looking to get more adventurous and uninhibited in the bedroom.

'Not all positions work, and thats okay! There are always alternatives. Just do a quick Google search, and try out some new stuff,' she wrote in the post, which has been liked more than 6,000 times.

'Our bodies have amazing capabilities to give and receive pleasure, and no matter what your fat content is, you deserve to enjoy that pleasure.

'So, whether youre a svelte tigress or a voluptuous vixen, you are allowed to have all the unapologetic, unbridled sex you want!'
We're taught from a young age that picking our nose is a disgusting habit.

Not only do we think its unhygienic, but having a good rummage could tear our nostrils' fragile skin, as well as increasing the risk of developing a painful sinus infection.

Yet, a study has revealed people who pick their noses may actually be healthier - giving good reason for children to carry on with the disgusting habit.

Austrian lung specialist Professor Friedrich Bischinger, said: 'Eating the dry remains of what you pull out is a great way of strengthening the body's immune system. Medically it makes great sense and is a perfectly natural thing to do.

'In terms of the immune system, the nose is a filter in which a great deal of bacteria are collected, and when this mixture arrives in the intestines it works just like a medicine.'

Picking your nose and eating it may strengthen your immune system - and could prevent HIV

'GOOD' BACTERIA 1) SKIN BACTERIA: Micrococcus luteus In 2013, Norwegian researchers found M. luteus can absorb the same wavelengths that trigger skin cancers. 2) GUT BACTERIA: Bifidobacterium animalis B. animalis lives in the intestine. It enhances immunity, fights tumour growth, improves digestions and may lower cholesterol. 3) DAIRY BACTERIA: Streptococcus thermophilus S. thermophilus is used as a probiotic and relieves abdominal cramps, diarrhoea, nausea and other lactose intolerance symptoms. Advertisement

Scientists found that nasal mucus' rich reservoir of 'good' bacteria prevents cavity-causing bacteria from sticking to teeth.

Published in the American Society for Microbiology, their findings also suggest snot could defend against respiratory infections, stomach ulcers and even HIV.

The researchers are working on a synthetic mucus toothpaste to harvest snot's dental benefits, Kidspot reports.

Bogie-inspired chewing gum may also be in the pipeline.

This builds on previous research that suggests our obsession with hygiene has led to an increase in allergies and autoimmune disorders, such as arthritis.

Yet, feasting on some nasal mucus may be perfectly naturally.

Dr Scott Napper, professor of biochemistry, the University of Saskatchewan, Canada, said: Nature pushes us to do different things because it is to our advantage to have certain behaviours, to consume different types of foods.

'So maybe when you have an urge to pick your nose and eat it, you should just go with nature.

'From an evolutionary perspective, we evolved under very dirty conditions and maybe this desire to keep our environment and our behaviours sterile isn't actually working to our advantage,' CBC News reported.
A mother-of-three has spoken of her terror after she almost lost her legs to a deadly infection which she caught from shaving her bikini line.

Dana Sedgewick, 44, from Sheffield, trimmed her pubic area with a brand new razor but ended up cutting a spot on her groin.

Her body almost immediately went into shock, causing a red rash on her legs before they turned black from necrotising fasciitis - a flesh-eating infection.

Rushed to intensive care, doctors operated to remove as much of the rotting skin as they could - but she developed sepsis during the procedure.

She was placed in a coma as her family were told she had just a 30 per cent chance of survival as her kidneys failed and her heart stopped four times.

Having managed to survive the horrific ordeal, she underwent 21 operations to repair the damage to her skin - but doctors warned she would never walk again.

But with the support of her husband, Mathew, 47, she has now recovered and can walk using crutches and is back at home with her children - Megan, 18, Freya, 14, and Klara, nine.

Dana Sedgewick, 44, trimmed her pubic area with a brand new razor, but ended up in a coma after she developed the flesh-eating infection, necrotising fasciitis (pictured now, using a crutch to walk - despite being told she may never be able to use her legs again)

Mrs Sedgewick said: 'Like a lot of women, I tried to keep a tidy bikini line. So I had a quick trim with a new razor.

'But over the weekend, I felt unwell and noticed a little pimple on my groin which kept bleeding. I didn't think anything of it as I often got a rash from shaving.

'Little did I know that this tiny pimple would almost cost me my life.'

Mrs Sedgewick's ordeal began in May 2012. Two days after she'd shaved, she began experiencing dizziness and nausea.

She visited her GP, who took swabs of the area and prescribed her antibiotics to combat a suspected infection.

Later that day, her eldest daughter Megan discovered her lying in bed, with her legs covered in a bloody red rash.

Her body almost immediately went into shock, causing a red rash on her legs before they turned black from the rotting flesh (pictured in September 2012 after a couple of skin graft procedures to repair some of the damage on her legs)

Afterwards, her GP called to say that the swabs had revealed it was serious and that she needed to go in for another examination.

But when her husband dropped her off at the surgery, she collapsed.

Like a lot of women, I tried to keep a tidy bikini line. So I had a quick trim with a new razor Dana Sedgewick, 44

An ambulance was called and she was rushed to the trauma unit at the Northern General Hospital in Sheffield, where doctors diagnosed her with necrotising fasciitis.

The condition causes bacteria to release toxins that attack the surrounding soft tissue, and can be caused by a minor cut or scratch.

Mrs Sedgewick said: 'By the time I got to the hospital, my legs were covered in black, rotting flesh. It was touch-and-go as to whether I'd make it.'

Over the next ten hours, surgeons battled to save her legs. Cutting through seven inches of infected skin, they removed the diseased flesh and reapplied skin from her back.

Rushed to intensive care, doctors placed her in a coma as her family were told she had just a 30 per cent chance of survival as her kidneys failed and her heart stopped four times (pictured at the Northern General Hospital in Sheffield in May 2012)

Having managed to come round from the horrific ordeal, she underwent 21 operations to repair the damage to her skin - but doctors warned she would never walk again (pictured in hospital suffering from the infection)

The condition causes bacteria to release toxins that attack the surrounding soft tissue, and can be caused by a minor cut or scratch (pictured: her legs now after having the operations to repair the damage that was caused)

Doctors told Mrs Sedgewick that she had been very lucky to survive her terrifying ordeal with necrotising fasciitis (pictured in hospital in June 2012)

During surgery, she developed sepsis and was given a slim chance of survival after going into septic shock.

The silent killer strikes when an infection such as blood poisoning sparks a violent immune response in which the body attacks its own organs.

To increase her chances of survival, doctors decided to put her into an induced coma for nine days.

She said: 'When I woke up, my legs were covered in bandages and I had no idea what had happened. I thought I'd been in a car accident.

'But when the surgeon asked me if I remembered shaving, I suddenly recalled trimming my bikini line.

'He told me that the spot on my groin had become infected, and I'd been very lucky to survive.'

Mrs Sedgewick was transferred to the hospital's burns unit for specialist treatment, and was able to see her legs for the first time.

She said: 'It was horrific. All of my muscle had rotted away, and I had a crater of skin near my groin. I felt like I was going to throw up.

'But I knew that it could have been much, much worse. I could easily have lost my legs - or worse, died.'

Mrs Sedgewick was transferred to the hospital's burns unit for specialist treatment, and was able to see her legs for the first time (pictured in hospital in June 2012)

But with the support of her husband, Mathew, 47, she has now recovered and is back at home with her children - Megan, 18, Freya, 14, and Klara, nine (the family are pictured before Mrs Sedgewick's ordeal on a day out to Endcliffe Park, Sheffield, on Christmas Day 2016)

WHAT IS NECROTISING FASCIITIS? Necrotising fasciitis is most commonly caused by an infection with group A Streptococcus. Those infections normally last just a few days - they are mild and typically clear themselves up. But in some unusual cases it can develop into necrotising fasciitis. They infect flat layers of a membrane known as the fascia, which are connective bands of tissue that surround muscles, nerves, fat, and blood vessels. The infection also damages the tissues next to the fascia. Sometimes toxins made by these bacteria destroy the tissue they infect, causing it to die. When this happens, the infection is very serious and can result in loss of limbs or death. Advertisement

Doctors warned that she'd never walk again but she defied them and managed to walk on crutches, after intense physiotherapy.

Six weeks later, she was discharged from hospital.

Over the next four years, she underwent 21 operations to improve the appearance of her skin.

Mrs Sedgewick, who has been left with extensive scarring, said: 'It didn't feel like my own body any more.

'But with Mat's support, I grew to see the scars as a reminder of how brave I'd been, and how lucky I was to survive.

'It's incredible to think a tiny shaving spot could have killed me. I had a very close shave indeed.'

Dr Ron Daniels BEM, chief executive of the UK Sepsis Trust, said: 'Stories like Dana's illustrate the serious damage sepsis can do. Every day in the UK, individuals and families have their lives torn apart by the condition.

'But through better awareness, thousands of lives could be saved each year.

'While necrotising fasciitis is a rare cause of sepsis, it's crucial that members of the public and healthcare professionals consider it when presented with an unwell patient.

'Anyone with flu-like symptoms and one or more of the key signs of sepsis must call an ambulance immediately. With every hour that passes before the correct antibiotics are administered, the risk of death increases.'

Mrs Sedgewick, who has been left with extensive scarring, said: 'It didn't feel like my own body any more. But with Mat's support, I grew to see the scars as a reminder of how brave I'd been' (pictured with her 47-year-old husband Mathew after the ordeal)
A new 'superbug' fungus is sweeping the East Coast of America - and CDC officials warn it is the deadliest on their radar at the moment.

Candida auris, a harmful form of yeast, is emerging as a new menace, mostly in New York and New Jersey.

First identified in Japan in 2009, the fungus has spread to more than twelve countries around the globe.

The US has identified 66 cases since 2013, with increasing frequency.

Health officials sounded alarms last year because two of the three kinds of commonly used antifungal drugs had little effect in treatment.

Candida auris, a harmful form of yeast, is the latest superbug on the CDC's radar after dozens of cases broke out in hospitals in New York and New Jersey

Cases of the superbug were first reported in the US in 2013, but most of the 66 incidences were reported last year.

What also makes the fungus so dangerous is that its difficult to recognize and is often misidentified as other related yeasts - many might not determine that they actually have a serious infection on hand.

'It's acting like a superbug' bacteria, said Dr Paige Armstrong of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

WHAT IS C AURIS? Candida auris (C auris) is a harmful form of yeast, identified by the CDC as a 'superbug' fungus. It tends to be diagnosed in patients after they've been in hospitals for several weeks. The fungus can infect wounds, ears and the bloodstream and take root in the urinary tract. The source of the infection for C auris isnt the person who got sick but rather the hospital environment, including catheters, counters, and other surfaces. It was first identified in Japan in 2009 and has since spread to more than a dozen countries worldwide. Two of the three kinds of commonly used antifungal drugs have had little effect in treatment. About 60 percent of those who've been infected with C auris have died. Advertisement

The fungus has been found on surfaces in hospital rooms and on the skin of nurses and patients - even after patients were treated with antifungal medications.

The most vulnerable to the superbug are fragile hospital patients, particularly newborns and the elderly.

It tends to be diagnosed in patients after they've been in hospitals for several weeks. The fungus can infect wounds, ears and the bloodstream and take root in the urinary tract.

US clinicians have been warned to watch for the fungus in hospitals. Patients who have undergone recent surgery, used central venous catheters, or been hospitalized for lengthy periods, as well as those with diabetes, are particularly at risk.

About 60 percent of those who've been infected with C auris have died, the CDC said.

The agency warned US hospitals in June 2016, and again in November, to begin watching for the pathogen because of how differently it behaves from other fungal infections.

Aside from one case in Rochester, all were in New York City, at 15 hospitals and a doctor's office. No site has had more than six cases.

Seventeen New York patients have died, but state officials say everyone infected had other illnesses and the fungus was not necessarily the cause of death.

New Jersey has had 15 cases, and there have been four in Illinois as well as one case each in Indiana, Maryland and Massachusetts, according to the CDC.
A smart blood test developed by scientists can show whether lung cancer will return a year before it appears on scans, according to new studies.

A sample of blood is all it takes to show whether tumours are likely to return after surgery - allowing doctors to drastically change the way they treat the disease.

It is one of the first in a battery of 'liquid biopsies' that experts think will revolutionise the treatment of cancer.

A sensitive tests picks up tiny strands of DNA that are shed by a tumour as it grows, allowing doctors to calculate its severity and chance of relapse.

Experts at the Francis Crick Institute in London found unstable chromosomes within lung cancer cells dramatically increased the risk of tumours returning after surgery.

A sample of blood is all it takes to show whether tumours are likely to return after surgery - allowing doctors to drastically change the way they treat the disease

Papers published last night in the New England Journal of Medicine and Nature - two of the world's most prestigious journals - showed they could detect relapse long before standard testing.

They found that patients who had lots of unstable chromosomes had a four-fold increased risk of their cancer returning.

The test accurately identified more than 90 per cent of those destined to relapse  up to a year before conventional scans confirmed the disease's return.

The science is part of a new approach to cancer called 'precision medicine', which enables doctors to accurately target cancers according to their genetic make-up, to closely monitor tumours as they mutate and evolve, and to switch drugs if cancer becomes resistant to a certain treatment.

Experts hope the test, and others like it, will allow patients to skip unnecessary and gruelling rounds of chemotherapy, or to warn doctors to urgently use more aggressive treatments.

The new studies - named the TRACERx trial - is the first to look at the evolution of cancer in real time and in great detail.

The scientists, funded by Cancer Research UK, followed patients all the way from diagnosis through to either disease relapse or cure after surgery, tracking and analysing how their cancer developed.

Study leader Professor Charles Swanton said: 'The TRACERx study is Cancer Research UK's single biggest investment in lung cancer, and for the first time we've revealed new insights into how tumours evolve and evade treatment, a leading cause of cancer death.

Experts found unstable chromosomes within lung cancer cells dramatically increased the risk of tumours returning after surgery (stock)

'We believe that this invaluable data generated during TRACERx will be seized upon by research teams across the world, helping us to answer more questions about lung cancer biology.

'We've only scraped the surface in terms of what is possible by looking at tumour evolution in such detail.'

We've only scraped the surface in terms of what is possible by looking at tumour evolution in such detail Study author Professor Charles Swanton

The team carried out two studies, each of which had 100 patients with lung cancer.

They found unstable chromosomes are the driving force behind genetic diversity within tumours.

Genetically-diverse tumours are more likely to evolve, spread, and become drug resistant, making a patient's cancer much harder to treat.

Researcher Dr Mariam Jamal-Hanjani, of University College London, said: 'Determining the relationship between diversity within tumours and patient survival is one of the primary goals of TRACERx, so to find evidence for this so early on in the study is really encouraging.

'We've also identified what causes lung cancer to advance, providing us with insight into the biological processes that shape the evolution of the disease.'

LUNG CANCER: THE FACTS Around 44,500 people are diagnosed with the condition every year in the UK, according to the NHS. Experts say there are very few symptoms in the early stages, but a persistent cough or breathlessness could occur after a while. Because of this, the life expectancy isn't as strong as other forms of the disease. Overall, it is estimated that just a third of sufferers live for at least a year after they've been diagnosed. And just 5 per cent are believed to live for at least another decade after being told they have lung cancer. Although people who have never smoked can developed the disease, smoking is the main cause, accounting for over 85 per cent of cases. Treatment options vary, with surgery being effective for those where the cancer is diagnosed early on. But chemotherapy is often given when the disease has spread, as it is deemed the more effective option. Advertisement

The research is at an early stage, so the test is not yet available in hospitals. But it is part of a huge drive to improve the way cancer is diagnosed.

Other teams in Britain and other countries are carrying out similar trials of tests for breast cancer, prostate cancer and blood cancers.

Dr Christopher Abbosh, also of UCL, said: 'In the future patients could be offered personalised treatments that target parts of the cancer responsible for relapse following surgery.

'Using circulating tumour DNA we can identify patients to treat even if they have no clinical signs of disease, and also monitor how well therapies are working.

'This represents new hope for combating lung cancer relapse following surgery, which occurs in up to half of all patients.'

Paula Chadwick, chief executive of the Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation, said it was a 'truly significant' development.

She said: 'This new way to detect a recurrence, long before standard testing procedures would pick it up, offers patients better prospects.

'The earlier lung cancer is detected, the greater are the chances of treating it effectively.

'This ground-breaking work may ultimately lead to new diagnostic methods and new treatments. That makes it a truly significant moment for all of us striving to give fresh hope to everyone affected by lung cancer.'
Elderly people recently prescribed sleeping pills are at risk of breaking their hips, new research suggests.

Taking the common hypnotics benzodiazepines and so-called 'z-drugs' more than doubles the risk of a fracture within just two weeks.

This is thought to due to them inducing drowsiness, delayed reaction times and impaired balance.

As many as 1.5 million in the UK people depend on benzodiazepines to get some shut eye.

Benzodiazepines act on the central nervous system to induce sleep, while 'z-drugs' also treat insomnia, but are of a different class.

Pensioners taking sleeping pills have a 53% increased risk of hip fractures within just 14 days

FRACTURING A HIP ON A SUNDAY INCREASES THE RISK OF DEATH Elderly patients with fractured hips who undergo surgery on Sundays are more likely to die, according to researchers at Bristol University. Those having the operation, deemed a medical emergency, have a 10 per cent increased risk of death in the month that follows. Experts believe that provisions for such procedures are inadequate in many hospitals across the country, leaving people at risk. The findings of nearly 250,000 British adults back up a host of evidence that points to a 'weekend effect' in the NHS. The researchers also found that being discharged from hospital on a Sunday for a fractured hip dramatically increased the risk of death. Advertisement

Researchers at Cardiff University and King's College London analysed people aged over 65 who had newly been prescribed hypnotic medicines, as well as those not taking such treatments.

Participants who had been taken sleep-inducing drugs from 15 to 30 days had around a 53 per cent higher risk of developing a hip fracture.

Taking the medication for more than 30 days increased the risk by 20 per cent.

Study author Dr Ben Carter, said: 'While 'Z-drugs are fast becoming the doctor's hypnotic prescription of choice, there is no evidence that they are a safer alternative to benzodiazepines in relation to hip fracture risk.

'Our study shows that both appear to significantly increase the risk of hip fracture when newly prescribed by doctors.'

The researchers advise the findings, published in PLOS ONE, should make patients receiving the medications more aware of their risk.

Dr Carter said: 'Careful consideration of the immediate increased risk of hip fracture should inform the clinical decision-making process.

'Clinically effective measures like strength training to improve frailty, removal of hazards at home, visual correction and a medication review are also needed to mitigate the risk of hip fractures, particularly in the first few days of use.'

Hypnotics cause the breaks as they induce drowsiness and throw off balance and reactions

The research supports previous studies linking use of hypnotics by older people with an increased risk of accidents, dependence, cognitive decline and hip fracture.

Sleep-inducing drugs are thought to cause drowsiness, delayed reaction times and impaired balance.

Sufferers of fractured hips are known to be at an increased risk of heart problems, pneumonia and blood clots following surgery.

While the broken hip itself can make someone dramatically more frail by the disability it causes them.

This comes after researchers from Stanford University, California, found taking prescription painkillers with sleep medication increases the risk of an overdose.

Combining opioids with benzodiazepines was linked to more hospital visits for the potentially fatal complication, they revealed.
More evidence has emerged suggesting that Parkinson's disease starts in the gut.

According to a new study, the neurodegenerative disease appears to be triggered by a protein in the stomach and spreads to the brain via the vagus nerve.

The nerve extends from the abdomen to the brainstem and controls unconscious body processes like heart rate and food digestion.

Patients who underwent surgery to remove the trunk of the nerve were 40 percent less likely to develop Parkinson's than those who hadn't.

Patients who had the trunk of a digestive tract nerve removed had a lesser risk of developing Parkinson's disease - 40 percent - than those who didn't, a new study reveals, providing further evidence that the disease starts in the gut

The study, published in the American Academy of Neurology, examined people who had resection (removal) surgery called a vagotomy.

The procedure involves removing the main trunk or branches of the vagus nerve and is generally performed on people with ulcers that line the stomach.

In a truncal vagotomy, the nerve trunk is fully removed while in a selective vagotomy, only some branches of the nerve are resected.

Researchers used national registers in Sweden to compare more than 9,400 people who had a vagotomy over a 40-year period with more than 377,000 people from the general population.

During that time period, 101 people who had a vagotomy developed Parkinson's disease, or 1.07 percent, compared to 4,829 people in the control group, or 1.28 percent.

When researchers analyzed the results for the two different types of vagotomy surgery, they found that people who had a truncal vagotomy were less likely to develop Parkinson's disease than those who had not had the surgery.

WHAT IS PARKINSON'S DISEASE? Parkinson's disease is a progressive neurological disease. It develops gradually, sometimes starting with a barely noticeable tremor in just one hand. But while a tremor may be the most well-known sign of the condition, it also commonly causes stiffness or slowing of movement. Signs and symptoms: Tremor

Slowed movement (bradykinesia)

Rigid muscles

Impaired posture and balance

Loss of automatic movements

Speech changes

Writing changes Between seven and 10 million people globally have the disease. Of those, the majority of cases have no known cause although scientist suspect a mix of genetic, epigenetic and environmental factors. Parkinson's disease can't be cured, but medications can help control your symptoms, often dramatically. In some later cases, surgery may be advised. Source: Mayo Clinic Advertisement

In total, 19 people who had truncal vagotomy, or 0.78 percent, compared to more than 3,900 people who had no surgery at 1.15 percent.

The truncal vagotomy patients were 40 percent less likely to develop Parkinson's.

By contrast, 60 people who had a selective vagotomy developed Parkinson's disease, or 1.08 percent.

'These results provide preliminary evidence that Parkinson's disease may start in the gut,' said study author Bojing Liu, of the Karolinska Instituet in Stockholm, Sweden.

'Other evidence for this hypothesis is that people with Parkinson's disease often have gastrointestinal problems such as constipation that can start decades before they develop the disease.'

A December 2016 study from the California Institute of Technology found a conclusive link between gut microbes and the development of Parkinson's-like movement disorders in mice.

They managed to alleviate the symptoms using antibiotic treatment, suggesting that probiotic or prebiotic therapies have the potential to do the same.

'In addition, other studies have shown that people who will later develop Parkinson's disease have a protein believed to play a key role in Parkinson's disease in their gut,' Liu added.

The theory is that these proteins can fold in the wrong way and spread that mistake from cell to cell.

'Much more research is needed to test this theory and to help us understand the role this may play in the development of Parkinson's,' Liu said.
Some Indian immigrants living in Canada may be terminating pregnancies after finding out the sex of the unborn child, a study has warned.

The Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Canada, has carried out research which it says shows a bias towards having sons among Punjab and Hindi communities.

Researchers analysed 46, 834 births to Indian-born mothers in Canada between 1993 and 2014 and found that male to female ratios among their children were higher than expected among women with two previous daughters.

The Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Canada, has carried out the research

The study correlates with figures from India which show that, since 1991, 80 per cent of Indian districts have recorded an increasingly male sex ratio.

'Among all Indian immigrant mothers having their third child, nearly twice as many males were born compared with females if the previous two children were females,' the report read.

It said that higher male to female ratios were 'particularly evident' among women whose mother tongue was Punjabi and Hindi - regardless of how long they had lived in Canada for.

Study correlates with figures from India where 80 per cent of districts have recorded increasing male to female ratios since 1991 (photo for representation only)

'For Indian mothers who arrived in Canada after 2000, the odds of having a male compared with a female child after two daughters increased by 45 per cent for each five additional years since migration,' the report said.

It added: 'In our analysis, we found that son-biased M:F (male to 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.

'These results are consistent with nationally representative data from India where highly skewed M:F ratios were found in predominately northern and some eastern states, where Punjabi is one of the top languages spoken.'

The study warned that the results may point towards women who were yet to conceive a son using sex-selective practices, which are banned in India.

And, taking into account pregnancies which did not go full term, 'son-bias' appeared to strengthen among births, it said.

The report concluded that sex ratios would not become balanced with increasing length of residency in Canada, but said only a 'fraction' of Indian-born women may be practicing prenatal sex selection.

'However, there is little evidence to support exactly what needs to be done to curb son-biased sex ratios and by whom. Proposed solutions, such as not disclosing the sex of the fetus to certain women during routine ultrasonography, are questionable in terms of equity and efficacy,' the study added.

According to UNICEF, India has lost more than 20 million girls since 2007 to what is known as female foeticide.

In November last year the Supreme Court in India directed search engines Google, Yahoo and Microsoft to delete all pre-natal sex determination advertisements within 36 hours of them appearing in search results.
Young guests meet an owl during an Extraordinary Experience program photo by John Bamber Red ruffed Lemur at the Tennessee Aquarium photo by Tennessee Aquarium Ring-tailed Lemur photo by Todd Stailey - Tennessee Aquarium Previous Next

Since its iconic peaks first rose above the Chattanooga waterfront, the Tennessee Aquarium has been the site of countless cherished memories and inspiring encounters with incredible animals. After 25 years, that role now spans generations of guests.

The Aquarium celebrates its silver anniversary on May 1. On the same day, the return of the Summer Family Pass will let guests forge new memories all season long as they explore the recently opened Lemur Forest exhibit, amble past alligators in Delta Country and marvel at birds rocketing through the waves of Penguin Rock.



The $90 pass will be available only at Chattanooga-area Food City locations through May 31. Pass holders enjoy unlimited daily admission to the Aquarium for two adults and up to five children (ages 18 or younger) through Labor Day,Monday, Sept. 4.



A visit to the Aquarium sparks curiosity and is a great catalyst for learning, said Dr. Anna George, the Aquariums vice president of Conservation and Science Education. While the kids are out of school, we encourage parents to take full advantage of all the Aquarium has to offer with weekly visits planned around our daily special programs.



The Aquariums Summer Family Pass also includes the following benefits:



- Save $4 per person for each 45-minute IMAX with Laser film

- Save $8 per adult and $6.50 per child on River Gorge Explorer tickets

- Additional discounts on Backstage Pass tours and guest tickets

- Save 10 percent at Aquarium gift shops and on concessions

To purchase the Tennessee Aquarium Summer Family Pass, present your ValuCard at the register of any local Food City store.

For questions, call the Tennessee Aquariums membership department at 423-267-FISH (3474).




Indian and Pakistani hackers traded shots in cyberspace on Tuesday with a clutch of university and political party websites getting caught in the crossfire.

Violent messages against the presence of Indian Army in Kashmir greeted students browsing the pages of Delhi University, IIT-Delhi, Aligarh Muslim University as well as Banaras Hindu University.

The attack came a day after an attack on 30 Pakistan government websites on Monday which was claimed by 'Lulzsec India' - a team of 11 hackers - said to be avenging Kulbhushan Jadhav death sentence.

A screenshot of the message which appeared on the Delhi University website on Tuesday

The institution was among a handful targetted in the attack by Pakistan hackers

Tuesday's counter attack was claimed by the Pakistan Haxors Crew and messages on the hacked sites read: 'People in Kashmir have the right to live in peace. Take your murderers and rapists back home!

'This message is in response to Code-Man's hack of railways. gov.pk and in the solidarity of innocent Kashmiri people being killed by Indian Army.'

Hackers from the two countries frequently fight pitched battles in cyberspace, with matters escalating after last September's terrorist attack on a military camp in J&K's Uri sector.

Indian Institute of Technology Delhi also had its website attacked by the hackers

The attack follows an attack on 30 Pakistan government websites on Monday (file pic)

Indian hackers struck back at the Pakistan People's Party website www.ppp.org.pk, after which the page read: 'Team TBH is back again on Pakistan government servers. You should have expected us. Payback for hacking into IIT Delhi site.'

Confirming that Pakistan's act was aimed at fueling cross-border tension and violence, a hacker who carried out the recent cyber attack on 22 Pakistan sites said a bigger retaliation is in the works.

According to some reports, the response was an assault on 500 Pakistani sites.

Experts say many nations are deploying cyber warriors to attack vital organisations in enemy countries.

Pakistan, China, Iran and North Korea are all said to have deployed hackers by granting them immunity from consequences.

A statement released by DU registrar Tarun Das confirmed that the varsity site was inaccessible from outside the campus for some time, though it was later fixed.

'Delhi University administration is not paying heed to our several requests to establish an IT cell which can monitor the varsity's cyberspace,' said Saket Bahuguna, national media convenor of RSS-backed ABVP that heads the DU students' union.
As India mourns the death of the 25 CRPF troopers killed by a hail of bullets, grenades and explosive-tipped arrows in Chhattisgarh earlier this week, details are beginning to emerge about the man thought to be behind the communist campaign of violence in the state.

Attention has now turned to Madvi Hidma, 32, a member of the CPI (Maoist) splinter faction of the Communist Party of India, a group of rebels often described as Maoists or Naxalites.

Little is known about the diminutive red rebel but police officials confirmed to the Hindustan Times that Hidma can be linked to all the recent major attacks on Indian security forces, and to his sangham sadasyas (troops) he is considered to be, 'like a god'.

Madvi Hidma, 32, a member of the CPI (Maoist) splinter faction of the Communist Party of India, a group of rebels often described as Maoists or Naxalites

Red roots

Madvi Hidma is a known part of the group of Maoist rebels responsible for this week's violence that first emerged back in 1967, from an uprising in a small village in West Bengal village called Naxalbari. The most recent branch on the 'Naxal' family tree growing from when the Communist Party of India (Maoist) (CPI-M) was created in 2004 by the merger of two left-wing groups.

Maoism originated in China as a form of Communist theory derived from the teachings of the Chinese political leader Mao Zedong, and in India the fight is for the advancement of peoples social and economic life by establishing a classless society through armed revolution.

Hidma, 32, also known as Hidmalu and Santosh, is also believed to have planned the attack that led to the death of the 25 CRPF troopers

The Indian group sparked global interest in 2010 when 76 Indian paramilitaries were brutally killed in a jungle ambush in in Dantewada.

The attack brought about the greatest loss of life in a single strike against government forces in what has now become a chaotic and bloody guerrilla insurgency that has gone on without reconciliation or dialogue for more than four decades.

The Maoists claim to be fighting for land rights of marginalised tribal communities and they are active across 10 states with Chhattisgarh, the scene of this week's violence, one of its last remaining strongholds.

So far over 6,000 people are believed to have lost their lives and the terror is expected to continue.

The Maoists argue that they are fighting to protect the rights of India's most oppressed communities, the tribal people, and dalits, who are powerless when their farm land is grabbed by big business and industry

Who is Hidma?

Hidma, 32, also known as Hidmalu and Santosh, is also believed to have been behind another deadly attack on March 11 that killed 12 security personnel. He has quickly become the face of India's red terror.

With a Rs 40 Lakh price on his head, Hidma is believed to head the first military battalion of the CPI and is believed to have planned the ambush on the group of CRPF personnel in south Sukma on Monday, police told the Hindustan Times.

Hidma was born in Purvati village of south Sukma. His area of operation comprises south Sukma, Dantewada and Bijapur and although diminutive in physique, according to a police officer he has become the poster boy and role model for the red's new recruits.

Family members and relatives mourn the death of CRPF jawan Saurabh Kumar at Danapur Cantt in Danapur

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh meets one of the injured CRPF personnel at a hospital in Raipur

What does he want?

No less than the total end of poverty in India.

The Maoists argue that they are fighting to protect the rights of India's most oppressed communities, the tribal people, and dalits, who are powerless when their farm land is grabbed by big business and industry.

Although the government has no tolerance for their demands, academics and leading authors are often quick to come to their side with Booker Prize-winning author Arundhati Roy writing in her book, Walking with Comrades, saying:

'If I was a person who is being dispossessed, whose wife has been raped, who is being pushed off their land and who is being faced with this police force, I would say that I am justified in taking up arms... If that is the only way I have to defend myself.'
The anti-terrorism squad (ATS) of Uttar Pradesh has started a 'ghar wapsi' program to de-radicalise those youths who are inspired by the ideology of the ISIS terror outfit.

The move by the security agency came after a joint sweeping operation was carried out and four suspected terrorists belonging to the ISIS Khorasan module were arrested while allegedly plotting a major strike.

Six other suspects were taken into custody for interrogation. They were not arrested due to a lack of concrete evidence.

Uttar Pradesh Anti Terror Squad personnel take positions during their operation against a suspected terrorist holed up inside a building in the Thakurganj area of Lucknow

According to IG, ATS, Aseem Arun, around 12 people across the state will be de-radicalised under this program.

The program was named Ghar-Wapsi (home-coming) to convert radicalised youths into Indian nationalists.

Mail Today in March broke the story about how India's most populous state, UP, is turning into a breeding ground for Islamic State.

About 15-20 youths are being de-radicalised by the ATS, while over 100 sympathisers are under surveillance of several security agencies.

Unemployment and a rash of communal violence in the state are believed to be some of the reasons behind this surge.

According to a senior police officer, cops will de-radecalise with the help of family, friends and religious leaders.

Even the government will assist them in education, professional training and in getting jobs.

He added that parents of candidate have been convinced that their wards need to undergo the program by being shown videos and audio evidences.

'During the process, time to time senior police officers have been meeting candidates and to counsel them if needed,' the officer said.

'Surprise checks are being done to see if they are at home. The entire meeting and counseling process is kept a secret and candidates' identities are not disclosed,' said the officer.

'It is only after a year of counseling, that meeting and consultations are stopped and arrangements for their employment are made.

'However, despite this long procedure, it is not certain if candidates are completely de-radecalised and thus we keep a watch on them,' he said.

According to senior ATS officers, these efforts started long back.

Cops say most of the indoctrinated youths were unemployed and gave in to ideologies of the terror outfit.

In the recent crackdown, evidence of self-indoctrination through the internet were discovered.

India's most populous state, Uttar Pradesh, is fast turning into a breeding ground for IS

According to the official, the arrested youths were not directly working for any group, but were self-motivated, self guided and self-radicalised.

The ATS also came to know that some known terror suspects in western Uttar Pradesh had become active and were hiring new members.

The police and intelligence agencies are keeping a close watch on cyberspace and communication through WhatsApp, Viber and other chat rooms to keep abreast of attempts to indoctrinate the youth.

According to a senior official, these self-radicalised suspects have become the biggest worry for agencies as it is difficult to track them.

Various programmes are being undertaken by the central and state governments to deal with the problem.

Top sources say youths in UP are instigated by showing doctored videos of violence and riots in the state.

'Videos of Babri Masjid demolition, Muzaffarnagar riots and other sensitive religious issues are being used to propagate terrorism in the name of religion,' said an officer.

Uttar Pradesh in past few years has witnessed sporadic incidents of communal violence, which were also used by political parties for polarisation ahead of the state elections.
How sad it is that nearly a decade after the financial crisis, which devastated the lives of so many people, banks are still swamped with consumer complaints.

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) reports that the number of problems reported in the second half of last year was 3.04 million.

Even if one excludes the 895,000 payment protection insurance (PPI) claims, the outcome is still shocking.

In the red: Alex Brummer said the figure that caught his eye was the number of complaints against Lloyds Banking Group

Much will be made of the Queens bankers Coutts and Midlands-based Secure Trust being the worst offenders per customer, but the figure that caught my eye was the number of complaints against Lloyds Banking Group.

The Government and the banks management under chief executive Antonio Horta-Osorio are celebrating the fact that taxpayer money has been paid back and a fragile balance sheet stabilised, but Lloyds has little to boast about when it comes to customer treatment.

In the second half of last year it received 603,877 complaints about service, including 285,882 about banking and credit cards. The banks Black Horse offshoot, which lends against caravans and mobile homes, had more complaints than balances!

Given the less than glorious record it might have been thought that Lloyds might have desisted from splashing out 1.9 billion on buying the MBNA credit card business. Putting the banks existing affairs in order should have been a priority.

Only this week Lloyds finally acknowledged that mistakes might have been made in the way it dealt with fraud at the former HBOS branch in Reading. It appointed former judge Dame Linda Dobbs to look into the affair.

The trouble with such internally generated probes is that they often plough the field, making it more difficult for the authorities to get at the facts.

The absolute numbers of FCA complaints in the final six months rose strongly because the regulator now includes all moans, including those dealt with rapidly.

The data throws a very clear light on the struggle of customers against the big banks, with state-owned Royal Bank of Scotland the most complained about for its banking and credit card services.

One of the difficulties is that many of the UKs banks still have dated legacy IT systems which are not up to modern demands. Therein lies a problem not just for customers, but for shareholders too.

Building modern systems is hugely expensive and could eat earnings and returns. But not doing anything will allow newer players to steal the lunch of the established players. The march of fintech is a reality that challenger banks are using to good effect.

In at the deep end: Newly empowered GlaxoSmithKline chief executive Emma Walmsley has an early challenge managing the gap created by patent loss on asthma blockbuster Advair

Budget pressures

How terrific that British Government borrowing came in at 52 billion in 2016-17  some 20 billion below the previous year and less than one-third of the Tory-led governments inheritance from Labour.

Nevertheless, the task of the new Parliament, if it is to continue bringing borrowing, debt and interest charges down, looks more considerable each day.

The two biggest tax increases in Philip Hammonds March budget already have bitten the dust. Gone in the face of political pressure is the 2.1 billion which was to have been raised over four years from increasing national insurance contributions from the self-employed.

Now we learn a further 2.2 billion of income, over the same period, has been lost in the Commons as the Labour opposition sought to nix the extra tax on dividends in the so called wash-up  the emergency finance bill designed to keep the Government going.

No one much liked either of these tax measures, which looked to be an attack on self-reliance and entrepreneurship, but they were a potent symbol of why the lock on the big three tax groups - income tax, VAT and national insurance - together with the ring-fencing of great swathes of Government spending, has been so distorting.

That is why it is so important for the Tories to lift the monkey in their manifesto to clear the way for a big autumn, if not summer, budget.

GSK gets tough

Newly empowered GlaxoSmithKline chief executive Emma Walmsley has an early challenge managing the gap created by patent loss on asthma blockbuster Advair.

There was reassurance from Walmsley that GSKs laser focus will be on its historical expertise as a science based enterprise focused on prioritising R&D. Less welcome may be Walmsleys veiled warning that there will have to be some tough and disciplined choices aimed at delivering more competitive science and medicines.

Sounds like some people will have to hang up their lab coats.
NUCLEAR STRIKE More than 700 workers at the Atomic Weapons Establishment will go on strike for 24 hours on May 10 and May 18  adding to two strikes already announced.

The May 10 strike will coincide with a planned disaster training day when workers run through what they would do in case of a nuclear incident.

Unions say the closure of the defined benefits pension scheme earlier this year will cost workers thousands of pounds.

IRAQ CONTRACTS Oil and gas firm Petrofac has secured contracts worth 55million for engineering, operations and maintenance in Iraq.

Its Engineering and Production Services East business secured the awards with two multinational oil companies and the state-owned South Oil Company. Shares rose 2.2 per cent, or 18p, to 846p.

ENGINE DEAL Engineer Rolls-Royce has sold three more Trent 700 engines to Indonesia's Lion Group for 234million.

The engines will power three Airbus A330 planes and will also be serviced by Rolls. Shares rose 0.3 per cent, or 2.5p, to 812.5p.

DIAMOND DAYS Six prospecting licences have been awarded to AIM-listed Botswana Diamonds' joint venture in Botswana.

The licences awarded to Sunland Minerals, the company's joint venture with Alrosa, cover more than 1,350 square miles and last until March 2020. Shares rose 11.7 per cent, or 0.18p, to 1.68p.

BETTING FINE Troubled spread-betting firm Plus500 has reached a 467,000 settlement with the Belgian financial regulator.

Last August, the watchdog banned firms like Plus500 from allowing non-professional customers to bet on financial markets without owning stocks.

It said spread-betting products were 'marketed aggressively and are extremely risky'. Plus500 said the settlement 'does not amount to an admission of guilt of non-compliance'.

BREAKFAST BOOST Fast food giant McDonald's beat expectations with its latest results. Sales at US restaurants open for more than a year rose 1.7 per cent in the three months ending March 31.

Steve Easterbrook, chief executive, has cut overheads and introduced all day breakfasts. Shares reached an all-time high yesterday, ending at $141.70.

FRUITFUL FIBRE Revenues at broadband firm CityFibre soared by 140 per cent as it rolled out fibre optic cables across UK towns and cities.

It installed 2,102 miles of fibre infrastructure, up from 461 miles in 2015.
Multinational bank Credit Suisse has announced a $4billion (3.1billion) cash call as it seeks to shore-up its balance sheet and nip fears over its financial strength in the bud.

The bank said that after gathering feedback, a rights issue was determined to be the most suitable way to bring in fresh capital.

'This was an option which, we got very clear views from our shareholders, was seen as the best option,' the bank's finance chief David Mathers said.

The bank has announced a $4 billion cash call as it seeks to shore-up its balance sheet.

It is not the first time in recent history the bank has tapped up shareholders for a large cash injection, having raised around $6bn two years ago in a similar truncation.

Analysts also questioned whether this will be the last time the bank does this in the near term.

Investors will be asked to vote through the plan on 18 May at the bank's AGM.

As well as this announcement, the bank said it had scrapped a planned spin-off and listing of its Swiss unit as part of the new strategy.

Chief executive Tidjane Thiam, formerly the top man at Prudential, heralded the cash call plan as the answer to a number of challenges faced by the bank.

'This capital raise will allow us to continue to invest in growth at highly attractive returns; to strengthen balance sheet resilience for our clients and other stakeholders; and to afford the costs associated with our ongoing restructuring plans,' he said.

Chief executive Tidjane Thiam heralded the cash call plan as the answer to a number of challenges faced by the bank.

The plan was confirmed alongside the publication of Credit Suisses' latest results.

The bank reported net profit of 596 million francs for the first three months of 2017, its highest quarterly profit since a restructuring effort initiated by Thiam soon after he came thorugh the door 2015.

The bank also said expects to have a common equity tier 1 ratio, a closely watched measure of balance sheet strength, of approximately 13.4 percent.
There could be a revolt by investors over the pay packet of Standard Chartered boss Bill Winters

Bankers at Standard Chartered have mounted a staunch defence of the pay packet of boss Bill Winters ahead of a possible revolt by investors.

Shareholders - who will get a non-binding vote on pay at next weeks annual meeting - have been angered at plans to cut the targets for the chief executive, making it easier for him to earn a long-term bonus.

But yesterday finance chief Andy Halford insisted the bank had held positive talks with major investors.

There have been perfectly understanding discussions with shareholders, he said.

When we get the voting next week, well see.

Standard Chartered is seeking to hit a return on equity  a core measure of profitability - of 10 per cent.

But Winters will get cash if returns hit just 5 per cent.

One investor likened it to a bonus for just coming to work.

It came as Standard Chartered unveiled a 771 million profit for the first three months of 2017, up from 389 million a year earlier.
An ethical challenger bank has revealed details of a new current account that will launch in June, offering customers straight-forward fees and a pledge that their money is used wisely.

Dutch-founded Triodos, led by environmentalist Bevis Watts, promises to only lend to projects that make a positive difference to society.

Its new no-frills account costs 3 a month and comes with no eye-catching offers or temporary bonuses. Instead it offers a simple overdraft and no unplanned borrowing facility, traditionally the most expensive way to borrow.

Triodos: Current account customers a debit card made from PLA a renewable form of plastic

Any payments that cant be made because they would take you beyond your limit, will incur an unpaid item fee of 5 with a maximum of 50 a month. Customers can make cash withdrawals from ATMS accepting MasterCard and Link, and will not earn interest on credit balances.

But what sets the account apart is its transparency in telling customers have how their money is being spent.

According to research by the bank six out of ten banking customers want to know what their cash is being spent on, but three quarters don't know where it actually goes.

Last year, the ethical bank increased its lending in the UK by 43.5 per cent to nearly 90 million.

Triodos customers' money goes to a whole range of projects including charities, community schemes, social housing providers, organic farmers, homelessness programmes and renewable energy.

For example a loan from the bank contributed to TV Chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's renovation of the 65-acre organic farm in Devon, home to the famous River Cottage cooking school.

HOW SAFE IS YOUR CASH? While the bank has never offered current accounts in the UK it has offered savings and Isa accounts for 22 years and it already offers bank accounts in the Netherlands, Spain and Germany. Your money won't be covered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme is Triodos ever goes bust but it is covered by the Dutch deposit guarantee scheme, up to 100,000.

It also helped fund the build of Premise Studios, a music studio built with reclaimed and recycled materials, invested in Thrive Renewables, a Caton Moor wind farm which produces enough energy to power 10,000 homes.

Triodos also financed HiBe, a new alternative supermarket in Brighton which responsibly sources its products.

The bank publishes the details of every project and organisation it lends to and invests in. You can find out where all of the 700m it lends to organisations goes here.

Move Your Money, which rates banks according to their ethics, gives Triodos a score of 92 out of 100, only matched by Charity Bank.

To give you a better idea, Co-operative Bank, previously popular with those looking for a more ethical provider, scores 52 out of 100.

Triodos UK managing director Bevis Watts says: 'Our new personal current account brings an inspiring new option to the UK current account market, which we believe is dysfunctional and is obviously dominated by a small number of large banks.

'We want people to really think about what their bank is doing with their money. Money doesnt have to be invested in the arms trade, fossil fuels and tobacco  it can be used to do good things that help build the society we want to live in.'

The bank claims to now offer the most sustainable personal current account ever brought to the UK market.

River Cottage: A Triodos loan helped Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall renovate the 65-acre organic far.

So what do you get?

The account can only be opened and operated online or via the banks smartphone app, but you will be able to speak to the bank's support team by phone.

Account holders get an eco-friendly debit card made from PLA, a renewable form of plastic.

Simple overdraft

Aside from its ethical credentials, the bank sets itself apart with its straight forward approach to borrowing.

Unplanned borrowing can often be eye-wateringly high, costing more than a payday loan in some circumstances, according to research from consumer group Which?.

And a report last year from the Competition and Markets Authority found that banks make 1.2billion from these fees each year.

Going against the grain, Triodos has decided not to offer an unauthorised borrowing at all. When it comes to arranged borrowing, the costs are fairly simple.

You pay 18 AER per cent with a limit of up to 2,000. Borrowing 400 four days in a month would cost 8.78, according to calculations by Moneycomms.co.uk.

There are a couple of accounts that charge less.

First Direct offers the best deal charging just 2.93 under the same conditions thanks to a 250 interest-free buffer and a lower AER at 15.9 per cent, followed by M&S Bank at 5.86 with a 100 free overdraft and 15.9 AER per cent rate.

Andrew Hagger, of Moneycomms, says: 'Hats off to Triodos Bank for being up front about the real cost of banking and for challenging the broken "free banking model".

'Refreshingly Triodos will not use the big bank approach of subsidising free banking charging high unauthorised overdraft costs or a premium for ad hoc or ancillary services.'

>Skip to This is Money's roundup of the best current accounts for overdrafts

ANNUAL COST OF AUTHORISED OVERDRAFT COST PROVIDER TARIFF 400 FOR 4 DAYS PER MONTH 600 FOR 7 DAYS PER MONTH 1200 FOR 10 DAYS PER MONTH 2000 FOR 12 DAYS PER MONTH First Direct Interest at (14.85%) 15.9% EAR (first 250 interest free) 2.93 11.96 46.38 102.53 M&S Bank Interest at (14.85%) 15.9% EAR (first 100 interest free) 5.86 17.09 53.7 111.31 Post Office Interest at (13.72%) 14.6% EAR 7.22 18.94 54.13 108.26 Metro Bank Interest at (14.0%) 15.0% EAR 7.36 19.33 55.23 110.47 Nationwide Building Society FlexDirect 50p per day 24 42 60 72 HSBC Advance Interest at (16.58%) 17.9% EAR 8.72 22.89 65.41 130.82 Triodos Bank Interest at (16.67%) 18.0% EAR 8.78 23.06 65.88 131.77 Nationwide Building Society - FlexAccount Interest at (17.44%)18.9% EAR 9.17 24.08 68.8 137.61 The Co-operative Bank Interest at (17.44%)18.9% EAR 9.17 24.08 68.8 137.61 Tesco Bank Interest at (17.44%)18.9% EAR 9.17 24.08 68.8 137.61 Santander - 123 Daily fee 1.00 48 84 120 144 Barclays Bank Account 75p per day to 1000, 1.50 per day up to 2000, 3.00 per day over 2000 36 63 180 216 Lloyds Bank Club Lloyds Interest at (18.36%) 19.94% EAR (first 100 interest free) plus 6 monthly overdraft usage fee 79.24 93.13 138.4 209.62 TSB Classic Plus Interest at (18.36%) 19.94% EAR (first 25 interest free) plus 6 monthly overdraft usage fee 81.05 96.3 142.92 215.06 NatWest/RBS - Select Interest at (18.28%) 19.89% EAR plus 6 monthly overdraft usage fee 81.62 97.24 144.12 216.24 Halifax - Reward 1 per day up to 1999, 2 per day 2000 to 2999, 3 per day for 3000 plus 48 84 120 288 Source: MoneyComms.co.uk

HiSbe: The independent Brighton supermarket Triodos helped fund sources products responsibly

Low overseas fees

The bank also compares well when it comes to overseas fees  charging some of the lowest in the market.

The challenger applies a 2.5 per cent foreign exchange fee for purchases and withdrawals, but there are no extra charges for using an ATM to withdraw cash while abroad.

According to Moneycomms figures, this ranks in the top three when compared to rival accounts as Metro Bank is free to use in Europe and Nationwide charges a smaller 2 per cent fee.

You can find out more about the top credit and debit cards for overseas use here
More than 4,000 people died last year after NHS blunders such as leaving instruments INSIDE a patients body or giving them the wrong drugs.

MailOnline has learned that avoidable mistakes by hospital staff have left a trail of victims - while the health of another 13,400 patients got worse.

The shocking figures, obtained under Freedom of Information rules, include at least 74 occasions when surgeons operated on the wrong part of a person's body and 34 times when an instrument or swab was accidentally left inside a patient's body following surgery.

The parents of one-year-old Liyho Swift-Mitchell, whose lungs collapsed after a nurse ignored allergy warnings and gave him the wrong antibiotic, called for an investigation.

Liam Swift-Mitchell, 24, from Gloucester, told MailOnline: 'It's absolutely disgusting. It makes me scared to take my son to hospital, in case it happens again.

Shocking: At least 4,225 patients needlessly lost their lives due to avoidable mistakes by hospital staff last year and 13,400, including one-year-old Liyho Swift-Mitchell, above, got worse

Blunder: Liyho, pictured above as a newborn, was one of more than 13,000 patients whose conditions deteriorated because of wrong diagnoses, medication errors or poor treatment

'It makes me sick to my stomach. It destroyed Georgia [Liyho's mother] seeing her son like that, not being able to move, always on some kind of treatment.

Liyho was wearing a red wristband warning of an amoxicillin allergy when his parents took him to Gloucester Royal Hospital for a cold in October, but a nurse gave him the drug anyway.

He was rushed to a High Dependency Unit unit and put on an oxygen mask for three days after suffering a severe allergic reaction to the antibiotic, which caused both of his lungs to collapse.

Six months later, his father Liam says Liyho still has not recovered from the blunder, telling MailOnline: 'He does get better, then it gets ten times worse.

'He still gets a really bad chest and he's not been well since that happened, which is due to their mistake.

'He still has trouble breathing and every time he gets poorly, his lungs are collapsing so we have to give him steroid and oxygen inhaler which we always have to keep nearby.

'We just want him to have the life he deserves,' added Liam, who now wants to pursue legal action against the NHS.

'I feel bad for other families going through the same thing and I think people will be quite disgusted at the way we were treated.'

Mistakes: The worrying figure are nine times higher than similar studies done a decade ago, suggesting that staff shortages and longer hours are taking an alarming toll on patient safety. The numbers of people being treated has also increased. Pictured: Liyho, who was given a drug he was allergic to, with his father

Needless: In some of the worst cases, NHS users were injected with the wrong drug and given transfusions of the wrong blood type Pictured: Liyho, whose lungs collapsed after being given the wrong drug, with father Liam and mother Georgia

Dangerous: The patients who died needlessly include a 93-year-old patient who had a heart attack after wrongly being given insulin instead of Dextrose. Pictured: Liyho, who still has to use a oxygen and steroid inhaler when his chest inflames

The worrying numbers, unearthed through a Freedom of Information request, are nine times higher than similar studies done a decade ago, suggesting that staff shortages and longer hours are taking an alarming toll on patient safety. The numbers of people being treated have also increased.

In some of the worst cases, NHS users were injected with the wrong drug, given transfusions of the wrong blood type or received treatment meant for another patient.

They include a 93-year-old patient who died of a heart attack after wrongly being given insulin instead of Dextrose.

In another incident a patient was accidentally given four potentially fatal injections in his eyes after staff mixed him up with another person with a similar name.

And in one catastrophic mix-up staff put food in the mouth of a patient who should not have been fed orally, leading to the person having a cardio-respiratory arrest and dying.

Last night Liz McAnulty, Chair of the Patients Association, said the figures showed the NHS is heading for a 'major crisis'.

She said: 'The NHS has a long way to go to become an effective learning organisation, that acknowledges its mistakes and draws lessons from them so that they don't happen again. That's the only route to reducing harm to patients from Serious Untoward Incidents, the consequences of which can be heart-breaking for patients and their families.

Sued: It emerged last year that the NHS had set aside 56billion for compensation and legal fees to settle medical negligence claims. Liyho's parents now say they want to pursue legal action against the NHS

Nearly three quarters of the 238 health trusts in England and Wales responded to our request for information about serious untoward incidents (SUIs), avoidable events which result in severe harm or death to patients.

With numbers of medical blunders soaring, it was revealed last year that the NHS had set aside 56billion for compensation and legal fees to settle medical negligence claims.

The massive amount is almost half the annual 120bn budget of the NHS. Nearly three quarters of the 238 health trusts in England and Wales responded to our request for information about serious untoward incidents (SUIs), avoidable events which result in severe harm or death to patients.

The toll of at least 17,625 incidents, resulting in over 4,000 deaths, is nearly nine times high than a similar survey conducted ten years ago, when only 220 deaths were recorded.

Among the catalogue of errors committed by overstretched staff last year were at least 352 instances when patients were harmed by wrong or delayed treatment, 331 cases of missed or wrong diagnoses and 440 times when patients were given wrong doses of drugs, or the wrong medication altogether.

The Princess Alexandra Hospital in Harlow, Essex, reported that a patient had been received morphine 'with no obvious reason', resulting in respiratory depression.

In a statement, the hospital said that following the incident a 'comprehensive root casa analysis was undertaken' and that 'the learning from the investigation was shared widely in the trust'.

At the Christie NHS Trust in Withington, Manchester, a patient suffered a heart attack after being given a strong potassium IV by mistake.

And among the 14 errors reported by Bolton NHS Trust, a newborn baby was inadvertently given an overdose of morphine.

A spokesman for the trust, which runs the Royal Bolton Hospital, said: 'The baby was unfortunately administered an overdose of morphine due to human error in an urgent situation. The baby fully recovered from the dose. The parents were kept fully informed at all times.'

Other blunders at the trust, which runs the Royal Bolton Hospital, included a patient who was implanted with the wrong lens, another being given an anaesthetic block in the wrong place and another who underwent unnecessary surgery after doctors mixed up the same patient's results.

Meanwhile, the Clatterbridge Cancer Centre in Wirral, Cheshire, blamed the 'poor design of software' for a patient undergoing Papillon rectal cancer radiotherapy having received a 'dose much greater than intended'.

It said: 'A patient undergoing contact therapy received a dose greater than intended due to unexpected behaviour of the treatment machine software. The manufacturer carried out an upgrade to the software so that the incident could not happen again. No harm was caused to the patient involved.'

Among the NHS users who died unnecessarily last year was Robert Welch, 93, who was mistakenly being given insulin instead of Dextrose at the Diana, Princess of Wales hospital in Grimsby, Lincs.

Mishaps: Among the 14 errors reported by Bolton NHS Trust, a newborn baby was inadvertently given an overdose of morphine. Pictured: Liyho, whose father told MailOnline he was 'disgusted' by the new findings

The insulin overdose caused the ex-Royal Marine to have a heart attack, then it took staff up to an hour to spot he had collapsed following the injection last June.

Following an inquest into his death, Mr Welch's son Andrew, himself a leading NHS surgeon, blamed NHS cutbacks and not doctors, saying: 'It's a really tough time for the NHS.

'Keeping hold of staff is difficult because of all the pressures. They are doing their best.'

Another was Patricia Fowler, 75, who died in January last year after languishing for three days at Blackpool Victoria Hospital, Lancashire, after a mix-up with her name meant doctors had no idea she was there.

After being admitted into hospital with a broken arm, the grandmother was transferred to a cardiac ward because of a shortage of beds.

Doctors blamed an email list of patients, in which Mrs Fowler appeared next to another patient with the same first name, to explain why she was never seen by a consultant, slowly developing deadly pneumonia and sepsis and dying five days later. Her youngest son Scott said: 'Going into hospital killed my mother.

'You don't die from a broken arm. You die from pneumonia and sepsis and she got those because she was left on that ward without doctors' reviews. The grief we all feel has devastated us and the personal guilt I feel is immense.'

Gone: Former Royal Marine Robert Welch, above, 93, died unnecessarily after he was mistakenly given insulin instead of Dextrose at the Diana, Princess of Wales hospital in Grimsby

The incident was among 60 serious incidents reported by the trust last year. It wasn't the only time NHS staff mixed up patients with potentially catastrophic consequences.

At Birmingham and Midlands Eye Centre, based at City Hospital, Birmingham, an outpatient was inadvertently given two Lucentis injections, which slow the growth of blood vessels, in each eye after he was mistaken with another person 'with a similar name and date of birth'.

Side effects can include bleeding from the eye, cataracts and detached retinas, and in the most serious cases fatal complications related to blood clots, such as heart attacks and strokes.

Also in Birmingham, at the Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS trust, where the patient died after being mistakenly fed through the mouth, two other shocking errors had a devastating effect on victims' families.

In one case, according to the trust's report, a baby was stillborn 'due to misinterpretation of stage of labour on admission'.

And in another, surgeons incorrectly inserted a catheter perforating the urethral or prostate lining. The blunder led to sepsis and multi-organ failure and the patient later died.

Among the 57 serious untoward incidents reported at Salford Royal NHS Trust, seven resulted in death, including one patient suffered respiratory arrest after high flow oxygen was inadvertently disconnected.

Ignored: Patricia Fowler, right, 75, died at Blackpool Victoria Hospital, in Lancashire, last year because a mix-up with her name meant doctors had no idea she was there

Other blunders included a gall stone removal bag which was left inside a patient post op, a patient who had the wrong tooth removed and another who had surgery on the wrong toe, and another who was being operated on his right side until surgeons realised it should have been his left side.

Barts hospital in London recorded 329 serious incidents last year, 34 of which resulted in a patient's death.

They included a patient given an overdose of insulin caused by the use of an inappropriate syringe, an accidental overdose to a baby, a wire left in a patient following surgery and three cases of wrong site surgery.

Ambulance crews were also involved in serious errors. Among the 44 incidents reported by East Midlands Ambulance Service, paramedics trying to resuscitate a 19-year-old in cardiac arrest placed the endotracheal tube used to prevent suffocation in the patient's food pipe rather than the windpipe.

The patient was declared dead after resuscitation attempts failed. And at the North West Ambulance Service, the incorrect coding of an emergency call by operators meant that by the time crews arrived a child was already in cardiac arrest and later died in hospital.

James Sumner, Chief Officer of Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust said: 'Our patients' safety is our most important priority and as an open and transparent organisation, we actively encourage our staff to speak up if things go wrong. Where mistakes do unfortunately occur, it is important that we learn from them so that we can avoid them happening again.'
The owner of a New York-based modeling agency, billionaire investor Ron Burkle, has been sued by a former employee for racial discrimination.

Charles Short, an African American man who worked at The Lions Model Management as an agent and talent manager from 2013 until this March, filed the lawsuit against Burkle and four other executives.

He is seeking damages as a result of harassment based on race, a hostile work environment, retaliation and wrongful termination.

Investor Ron Burkle, pictured at a charity benefit in 2016 with a date, and four executives at his modeling agency have been sued for discrimination

According to court documents obtained by DailyMail.com, Short was initially 'praised for his performance' and 'negotiated lucrative contracts' for clients with companies like J Crew, Express, Bebe and Moroccanoil.

But problems arose when it came to the genre of music being played over the agency's speakers.

Short's former supervisors and now defendants in the case - Ali Kavoussi, Louie Chaban, Christiana Tran and Julia Kisla - allegedly 'allowed their employees to select and play songs on the office iPod to be played throughout the office, containing the word "n****r" or "n***a" and referring to offensive stereotypes about African-Americans throughout the day.'

During Bill Clintons presidency, Burkle was a key fundraiser and the two became close friends. Burkle donated heavily to Hillary's 2008 campaign

Short argued that he was 'forced to endure a barrage of racially offensive lyrics.'

Some of the songs that were played included 'Lookin' A**' by Nicki Minaj, where she raps: 'Look at ya'll smokin' a** n****s/ After every pull, n****s start chokin' a** n****s.'

Drake's song 'Over' and J Cole's 'Ville Mentality' were also reportedly played.

Short said that he protested by asking if the group could listen to other songs, but his complaints were 'simply ignored.'

In his suit, Short also claimed that he was forced to listen to lyrics that were 'discriminatory based on gender and national origin,' like Lil Wayne's 'Every Girl.'

One song too many finally put him over the edge. When Short formally complained to HR about the lyrics, they promised to rectify the situation. And for a while Short said they stopped playing the music.

But eventually, he claimed, his supervisors started making pointed comments.

In front of clients, Ali Kavoussi allegedly said, 'I really want to listen to some rap music but I know that [Charles] would get offended.'

In another incident he asked, 'Do you guys want to see this video I got from [model] Irina Shayk?' But according to court documents, he laughed when Short stood up, saying, 'Nevermind, Charles, I don't think you'll like it because she's using the n-word.'

Charles Short, a former models agents and talent manager at the company, accused his ex-supervisors - pictured from left to right, Ali Kavoussi, Julia Kisla and Christiana Tran, of constantly playing offensive rap music

In one incident, Ali Kavoussi asked, 'Do you guys want to see this video I got from [model] Irina Shayk?' But according to court documents, he laughed when Short stood up, saying, 'Never mind, Charles, I don't think you'll like it because she's using the n-word.' Pictured, Kavoussi with model Shayk

From 2014 on, the music continued with 'parental controls,' yet the preventative measure failed to block all offensive language.

Short said he was 'subjected to over eight hours of racially offensive and derogatory music on a daily basis.'

Last month, Short sat down at his desk and 'again heard the lyrics of Nicki Minaj's song 'Lookin' A**.' He walked over, stopped the song and removed the iPod from its speakers.

'I find this music to be very disrespectful as an African American man. This is crude, vulgar and very inappropriate for the workplace,' Short claimed to have said. He emailed his supervisors afterwards, ordering that the offensive music stop or he would have to leave the agency.

His supervisors decided to meet with Short in person. Julia Kisla allegedly told Short: 'We got your email, and it was very harsh. [The Lions] is a very welcoming and inclusive place. We are not racists.'

'You're just overreacting and projecting,' Louie Chaban then said, according to the documents. 'The word n****r doesn't mean what it used to. This generation uses that word everywhere. You hear it on the street, on the subway, at photo shoots, and most people using it are black.

'Most of the songs played in the office are rapped by black rappers. Even some of the models we represent use the n-word,' he added.

During one of his final confrontations about the music, Louie Chaban (pictured with Julia Kisla) allegedly told Short that when he worked at DNA Models he wore a bracelet with a swastika on it. He argued that it was a symbol Nazis took from Native Americans and was not offensive

Short alleged that he replied: 'I can't believe that someone who has never been African American a day in his life is giving me a lecture on the merits of the word n****r in a workplace environment.

'I cannot control what people do on the street, but this is a place of business,' he said, adding that he does not hear the word when he enters a store or bank.

Chaban then reportedly claimed that when he worked at DNA Models, another popular agency in New York, he wore a bracelet with a swastika on it. According to Short, Chaban argued that it was a symbol Nazis originally took from Native Americans and should not be taken offensively.

'We don't work in a bank,' Chaban allegedly said. 'We work in a creative field. Just get over it.'

A day later, Short said he was called at home and fired. His belongings at the office were boxed up for him.

He claims that as a result of the agency's actions, he has suffered 'emotional distress' and 'the loss of income, the loss of salary, bonuses [and] benefits.' He is requesting unspecified damages.

Lawyers for Ron Burkle, however, stated in a letter responding to the lawsuit that Short had been aggressive in the workplace before, and had even been told to take anger management classes.

They also argued that Burkle should be removed as a defendant in the case, due to his indirect relationship with the agency. He has allegedly never met or spoken to Short.

Burkle is a co-founder of The Yucaipa Companies, a private equity firm, and was ranked on Forbes list of The Richest People On The Planet 2014.

He is also a multi-million dollar donor to the Democratic Party, and though he raised a considerable sum for Hillary Clinton during her 2008 presidential run, he publicly backed John Kasich in 2016.
MCA, a locally-owned and operated technology solutions company is celebrating its 30th anniversary with a ribbon cutting by the Chattanooga Chamber of Commerce and open house on May 16.

MCA was founded in 1987 by husband and wife team, Mike and Karen Collins. Today MCA has offices in three cities in Tennessee while maintaining their corporate headquarters off Bonny Oaks Drive.

MCA welcomes anyone who would like to visit its building at 6048 Century Oaks Drive, to join them for the milestone ribbon cutting at 11 a.m. on May 16, and stay for an open house with tours of its newly-expanded and state of the art data center. Top MCA vendors will be onsite to discuss the latest in technology and provide insight to current technology trends.



RSVP to events@mcollins.com by May 9, if you are interested in attending the open house.


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It is perhaps the most legendary nightclub of all time, encapsulating not only a fierce reputation but an unrivaled era: New Yorks Studio 54  or Studio, to those in the know  has been immortalized in film, art, music and memory for its indelible mark on pop culture history. The 1970s hedonistic night spot had everything: world-famous celebrities and bare-chested bus boys; open club drug use and closed (and subjective) admission policies; glitter, glamour, stunts and sex. It thrived during a unique, free-wheeling period of American history, after the tumultuous pain of the Vietnam War and before the pall of the AIDS crisis, as members of the gay community came out more freely and women more openly expressed their sexuality.

It was a playground for the young, rich and pretty, a star that burned brightly and fizzled quickly, enshrining it in pop culture lore and legend.

Studio 54 opened 40 years ago today, on a night when no one could have guessed the place it would come to hold in history. It was the brainchild of Steve Rubell and Ian Schrager, college friends and club entrepreneurs who held starkly different places in the Studio 54 fray. Rubell was the outgoing ball of energy in the midst of the fray, slipping drugs into patrons pockets; Schrager was quieter and more frequently in the background.

Both, however, were tirelessly pulling the strings at Studio, paving the way for some of the stories from within its walls that have become famous, told and retold over and over. Perhaps the most well known involves Bianca Jagger, who rode around the club on the back of a white horse led by the reins by a giant, gold-dust covered man. The horse was brought into the club in honor of her 30th birthday, though for years it was reported that Bianca entered Studio on the back of the animal  a myth she corrected just a few years ago.

Bianca Jagger - one of the celebrity regulars at Studio 54 - rides around on a white horse led by a gold-painted performer which was organized for her 30th birthday by club owners Steve Rubell and Ian Schrager

Club performers were famous for dressing up in costumes for various events, parties and theme nights - which were assiduously planned - at Studio 54

Diana Ross - who performed at the club for a prison send-off bash for its tax-indicted owners - looks over the shoulder of author Truman Capote, another regular patron of Studio 54

Steve Rubell - the flamboyant life and soul co-owner of Studio 54 - escorts superstar Cher through the throngs at the club

I often ask myself how people visualize this fable, she wrote in a 2015 letter to the Financial Times. Where was Mick during this time? Was he holding the reins and pulling me and the horse through the streets of New York, or following submissively behind me?

She wrote that she hoped her letter would put this Studio 54 fable  out to pasture.

While that particular anecdote may have been inflated over the years  perhaps misremembered by deliriously drug-fueled patrons or simply embellished as the legends of Studio 54 burgeoned  there are equally fantastic other stories about the club. For Andy Warhol's birthday, Rubell was said to be so unsure as to what best to get him he ended up presenting the artist with a garbage can full of $800 in cash. Legend has it that Warhol said it was the best present he had ever had.

And Biancas birthday was not the only time Studio hosted animals (at least, those not of the party variety).

The venue - originally built in the 1920s and opened as an opera house, then theater, then CBS studio - also featured animals during its Studio 54 incarnation for a post-show Dolly Parton bash. Dolly, too, poses near a horse in a famous picture, though she was apparently not enamored by the massive turnout and left the party not long after.

Once Studio 54s doors opened in 1977, the club was the place anyone who was anyone wanted to be seen  but even celebrities were not guaranteed entry. Frank Sinatra reportedly couldnt get near the place on opening night, and thousands would crowd at the doors, preening and screening, shouting the names of the owners or attempting to cajole or impress infamously picky doorman Marc Benecke  who had abandoned law school plans after he got caught up in the Studio whirlwind.

At one point you could buy maps which claimed to show how to get in through tunnels up from the subway system, he told the BBC in 2012. It was crazy.

He said: Naturally people tried good old-fashioned bribery but that didn't work. Then I'd say to them they should go and buy the exact same jacket I was wearing - forgive me but I was only a teen at the time. And they'd go to Bloomingdale's and buy it and still they wouldn't get in.

But if you were just dressing up in costume to get through the door, it showed you probably weren't the right person. We were looking for people with high energy, he says.

Owner Rubell  and the rest of the close-knit Studio 54 staff, who considered themselves something of an elite club in the nightlife world  repeatedly described the mix they wanted at Studio as a salad.

It wasnt unheard of for limo drivers to be let in among the rich and famous, and an unusual cast of characters came to be regulars. Among them was Disco Sally, the 77-year-old widowed lawyer who starred on the disco floor, entertaining dance partners that ranged from world-renowned actors to the 27-year-old club regular she would eventually marry.

Bianca Jagger converses with fashion designer Halston, who was a fixture on the 1970s nightlife scene in New York City and - of course - at Studio 54

Doorman Marc Benecke, center, had the ability to pick and choose the lucky few allowed entry to Studio 54 from be hind the velvet ropes

It was notoriously difficult to gain entry to Studio 54, where owners placed great emphasis on having the correct 'salad' - or mixture - of clubgoers every night

Fashion model Pat Cleveland twirls on the dancefloor of Studio 54 on December 12, 1977 during a disco bash by Halston

Actress Margaux Hemingway and director Bernard Foucher attend a Studio 54 Valentine's Day party in 1979, the same year the couple were married

Journalist Judy Licht dances with actor Richard Gere at Studio 54 in 1979; the club's patrons hailed from the arts, media, politics, entertainment and a broad spectrum of professions

Diana Ross celebrates a New Year's Eve party at Studio 54; one bash at the club to ring in the New Year included four tons of glitter that was dropped from the ceiling

The patrons would enjoy performances by everyone from Diana Ross to Grace Jones, replete with flamboyant embellishments, all under the swaying 'Man in the Moon with a cocaine spoon.' The club was known for its theatrical drops onto the dance floor of anything from white balloons to ping pong balls and confetti and feathers  to four tons of glitter for one New Years Eve party, which left revellers wading through several shimmering inches.

You felt like you were standing on stardust, Schrager later said. People got the glitter in their hair, in their socks. You would see it in peoples homes six months later, and you knew theyd been at Studio 54 on New Years.

The parties were legendary, and Schrager, despite the more muted role he played to Rubells showman, often had definite ideas. Event planner Karin Bacon described one Valentines Day in Anthony Haden-Guests 1997 book The Last Party: Studio 54, Disco & the Culture of the Night  an insightful look into the mad Studio 54 world and the era by a journalist who was often there and conducted extensive interviews with key players.

We didnt just get one harpist, Ms Bacon said. We had like twelve harpists. And they were all in costumes and they were all in makeup. But getting these harpists to play together was hard. Harpists are so individualistic.

Of another event, she said: Once Ian wanted to have dwarfs in chains, sort of grovelling around on the floor. That was one of the times I could not agree with him. I found these midgets on Long Island, who were completely well-proportioned people. They were performers. I dressed them up and got a dinner for them. Everything was mini-size. They were having this little feast when you walked in. they were drinking this champagne and they got a little high.

Haden-Guests book chronicles not only the famous incidents like the Dolly Parton party and Bianca on a horse, but also lesser-known fracases the owners kept out of the papers. Rubell, for example, once arranged a basement rendezvous for a well-known countess who took a fancy to a good-looking bartender, who handcuffed her at her request  and promptly forgot about her, until Rubell realized she was missing and came to her aid.

Haden-Guest wrote in his book: With two or three exceptions, tops, every one of the Newsweek forty-five made a documented appearance in Studio 54, and because of the coverage the club began receiving, it could easily seem that it was the famous faces that provided the frisson there  the sightings of Elizabeth Taylor playing with the lights, Mikhail Baryshnikov on the dance floor, Betty Ford on a banquette, Sylvester Stallone at the bar  but this was far from being the case. It was a particular moment in the growth of the Celebrity Culture, too. It would be equally fair to say that the famous came to Studio 54 because it was a slice of the real world where they were highly unlikely to be hassled, and that they felt secure there, admired but at ease among the costume people, cozy among the glitter.

Studio 54 was consistently mobbed as clubgoers angled to get in, often shouting the owners' names or trying to curry favor with famed doorman Marc Benecke - who said maps were even sold showing how to get in through subway tunnels

Designer Halston threw a 1,000-guest 1 a.m. breakfast disco party following the June 1977 premiere for Liza Minnelli's movie New York, New York; the actress puts on makeup in the club's mirrors

Supermodel Cheryl Tiegs and her husband Stan Dragoti attend a Valentine's Ball themed 'I Love New York' at Studio 54

The opening night gala for Studio 54 on April 26, 1977 featured not only well-dressed and costumed clubgoers but also staff members, who became a hallmark of the club for their flamboyant (or barely there) attire

Designers Karl Lagerfeld and Paloma Picasso enjoy a star-studded party thrown by the former during the heyday of Studio 54

One name included among on that list was future US President Donald Trump, who later rather crassly summarized his experiences at Studio.

I would watch supermodels getting screwed, well-known supermodels getting screwed, on a bench in the middle of the room, he said. There were seven of them and each one was getting screwed by a different guy.

Studio was huge, filled with nooks and crannies, smaller rooms and even offices that VIP patrons were allowed to use for their pleasure. Staff were tasked with keeping the most coveted partygoers happy, attending to their every desire. The guest list consistently read like a whos who from politics, art, literature, film and music: Andy Warhol, Margaret Trudeau, Jerry Hall, Mick Jagger, Diane von Furstenberg, Liza Minelli, Truman Capote, Salvador Dali.

The frenetic atmosphere, however, could only last so long  and it was extinguished by the missteps of the club owners themselves, which they readily acknowledged. In December 1979, the IRS raided Studio and found bags full of money stashed throughout the building. Schrager and Rubell  who had bragged that only the mafia made more money than Studio  were indicted on federal income-tax charges involving more than $2.5million. They pleaded guilty to evading corporate and personal taxes and each served 13 months in prison  but not before, in true Studio fashion, the nightclub hosted a massive going-away-to-jail party.

The bash took place in February 1980, where long-time patron Diana Ross performed and other attendees included Richard Gere, Jack Nicholson, Sylvester Stallone and Gia Carangi.

Following their release from prison, the pair sold the building to Mark Fleischman, who re-opened Studio 54 in 1981 and operated the nightclub under the same name until 1986. Its name was later changed to The Ritz and the space was then converted to a Broadway theater, which it remains to this day; it has been home to productions such as Cabaret, a Streetcar Named Desire and Waiting for Godot, while Sweat is currently playing.

Steve Rubell died of hepatitis and septic shock in 1989. Ian Schrager went into the boutique hotel business and sold his company, Morgans Hotel Group, the most famous hotel group in the world at the time, for a reputed $400 million in 2005. He is scheduled to release a book later this featuring stories and photographs from Studios heyday.

Comedians Gilda Radner and Bill Murray wear overalls and heart-shaped sunglasses, respectively, as they enjoy a dance during a Valentine Ball at Studio 54

Celebrities were frequently pictured socializing together at Studio 54, such as (from left to right) Elton John, Alana Hamilton and singer Rod Stewart

Initially opened as an opera house and theater, Studio 54 during the 1970s became infamous for wild antics, open drug use (with drugs often passed to patrons by club staff) and sexual trysts within the building's nooks and crannies

New York has not seen a nightclub like Studio 54 before or since; the club and its 'Man in the Moon' and 'Silver Spoon' (right), coupled with the disco era and the celebrities who dominated it, have become a part of pop culture lore
President Trump will travel to the Department of the Interior Wednesday to sign an executive order jump-starting a review of national monuments designated by presidents using the Antiquities Act over the past 20 years.

Starting with President Clinton naming Utah's Grand Staircase-Escalante a national monument in 1996, to President Obama doing the same for Bears Ears national monument last year, Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke will have 120 days to let Trump know 'if a monument should be rescinded, resized [or] modified in order to better manage our federal land,' Zinke explained at the White House Tuesday.

Proponents of the order argue that today's monuments take up too much acreage, and their single-use purpose, unilaterally decided on by the president, bans drilling, farming and other money-making opportunities and thus stymies local jobs.

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Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke (left) appeared at the White House Tuesday to give specifics on an executive order President Trump (right) will sign Wednesday initiating a review of national monuments

The oldest national monument that the review will focus on is the 1996 designation of Grand Staircase-Escalante in Utah

The most recent national monument that Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke will look at is Bears Ears in Utah, designated a national monument by President Obama in 2016

The executive order instructs the secretary of the interior to look at national monuments larger than 100,00 acres, which have been designated over the past 20 years

'I can tell you from a kid who grew up in Montana, who grew up in the West where much of these monuments have taken place, today's executive order and the review of the Antiquities Act over the past few decades is long overdue,' Zinke said.

Environmentalists, on the other hand, see the executive order as a slippery slope, which could open public lands up to industry  and pollution.

'It appears this executive order is the start of an all-out assault on America's national monuments and Teddy Roosevelt's conservation legacy,' Aaron Weiss, Media Director at the Center for Western Priorities, said in an email to ThinkProgress.

Roosevelt was the president behind the Antiquities Act and named Devils Tower, of Close Encounters of the Third Kind fame, the country's first national monument in 1906.

Different from national parks, national monuments can be created from any federal land at the president's discretion.

The Interior Secretary will only be looking at monuments bigger than 100,000 acres, which Zinke said numbered between 24 and 40.

The White House later released a list of 24.

The executive order's existence was first reported by Axios on Monday as Trump signs a slew of orders as his administration marks 100 days, which will happen on Saturday.

At the White House Tuesday, Zinke was already pushing back against liberal detractors, arguing that the executive order had a very limited scope.

'Here's what the executive order does not do,' he told reporters in the briefing room Tuesday. 'Executive order does not strip any monument of a designation. The executive order does not loosen any environmental or conservation regulation on any land or marine areas.'

Zinke also tried to assuage environmentalists' fears by saying things like 'I'm a Teddy Roosevelt guy' and 'no one loves our public lands more than I.'

NATIONAL MONUMENTS INCLUDED IN THE REVIEW Grand Staircase-Escalante, Utah Grand Canyon-Parashant, Arizona Giant Sequoia, California Hanford Reach, Washington Canyons of the Ancients, Colorado Ironwood Forest, Arizona Vermilion Cliffs, Arizona Carrizo Plain, California Papahanaumokuakea Marine, Hawaii

Sonoran Desert, Arizona Upper Missouri River Breaks, Montana World War II Valor in the Pacific, California, Hawaii, Alaska Marianas Trench, Northern Mariana Islands, Guam Pacific Remote Islands, Pacific Ocean Rose Atoll, American Samoa Rio Grande del Norte, New Mexico Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks, New Mexico Basin and Range, Nevada Berryessa Snow Mountain, California Mojave Trails, California Sand to Snow, California Northeast Canyons & Seamounts, Massachusetts Gold Butte, Nevada Bears Ears, Utah Advertisement

'You can love them as much, but you can't love them more than I do and that's one of the reasons why I love my job,' Zinke said.

But he noted that the Antiquities Act even said that the monument should be the 'smallest area compatible' with what the government was trying to preserve, noting that the recent trend has been for monuments to be larger and larger.

As a White House fact sheet put it, 'the average size of monuments has exploded in recent decades.'

Zinke also pointed out that before lands were designated as national monuments, they were still public lands, and thus could serve more purposes, including farming, ranching, timber harvest, mining, oil and gas exploration, fishing and motorized sports.

'I am opposed to transfer or sale of public lands,' he stated, though added, 'We can do a lot better as a government managing our land and to a degree we have drifted too far away from multiple use to single use.'

Being a 'national monument' was the single use Zinke was referring to.

'The administration, as ya'll know, has heard from members of Congress and states, and in some cases the designation of the monument has resulted in loss of jobs, reduced wages and reduced public access,' Zinke also argued.

The monument considered to be most at risk was one Obama designated in 2016, Bears Ears national monument in Utah, which includes 1.35 million acres and many sacred Native American sites.

Despite years of communication between the administration, elected officials and local stakeholders, including a coalition of 30 Native American tribes, some Utah politicians are still grumbling about it.

'I think the concern I have and the president has is when you designate a monument, the local community that's affected should have a voice. And he said that in the campaign,' Zinke said of President Trump.

'This executive order does not predispose any action other than have the secretary that he chose, me, review them,' Zinke continued.

'And I'm going to review them in a transparent matter, I'm going to make sure we have a voice,' the Interior secretary said.
The 15-year-old Tennessee girl who was allegedly kidnapped by her teacher for more than a month was vulnerable to predators because of the abuse she faced at her mother's hands, court documents say.

Elizabeth Thomas was taken away by 'boyfriend' Tad Cummins, 50, on March 13, authorities say.

The pair were found in an isolated hut in rural California, 2,500 miles away, on April 20.

Now Elizabeth's father claims in divorce documents filed Monday that his wife Kimberly engaged in a year-long campaign of abuse against the girl.

He says the mother of ten beat the teenager and locked her in a basement - leaving her open to 'grooming'.

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In March teacher Ted Cummins (left) kidnapped his student Elizabeth Thomas (right), police said. Thomas was easy prey because she was abused by her mother, her father claims

Kimberly Thomas is accused of beating several of her ten children, including Elizabeth. She allegedly locked Elizabeth in a cellar and hit her in the head between 2014 and 2015

Elizabeth's father Anthony made the claims in a divorce filing on Monday. Kimberly is already the subject of an ongoing abuse investigation and cannot have contact with her children

Kimberly Thomas, 48, physically abused several of her ten children, including Elizabeth, for about a year, beginning in November 2014, authorities claim.

She's accused of banging Elizabeth's head on a washer and, at another point, throwing her down basement steps and locking her inside, the documents said.

The documents also say she hit her children until they bled, knocked one daughter unconscious with a wooden board and threw a chair at another daughter, bruising her leg.

The mother also smacked a child in the head for injecting herself with her brother's EpiPen, the documents say.

The children wrote letters to the Department of Children's Services about the abuse before the mother was arrested, according to one of the teen's relatives.

Cummins and Elizabeth are seen here on security footage during their flight from the law. A school report said she went to him when she had panic attacks and saw him as a friend

The teen's father, Anthony, was living at home during the period of alleged abuse, but they separated in November 2015 and he took sole custody.

He is citing the alleged abuse as a reason for the divorce.

Anthony says that Cummins brainwashed his daughter, and said in the divorce documents that he used his position of authority to 'prey upon her, groom her, and ultimately entice her into running away with him.'

A history of abuse at home can make children particularly susceptible to manipulation disguised as help, said David Finkelhor, director of the Crimes Against Children Research Center at the University of New Hampshire.

'They're very vulnerable to the grooming because this is an adult who seems to care about them and is interested in them, and that's probably something they're not getting elsewhere,' he said.

Danielle Thomas, Elizabeth's sister-in-law, claimed that Cummins knew the girl had been abused and took advantage of that information.

'We have a 15-year-old girl with a 50-year-old man and he obviously used his power, his authority to, whether it's groom her or convince her, to do certain things,' she said.

Experts said that children who suffer abuse at home may find themselves manipulated by adults who pretend to help but actually want to groom them

Cummins was spotted kissing Elizabeth in January. They denied that claim but an investigation by the school said she often relied on him for support.

'She looks at him like a friend and a counselor who knows how to calm her down when she is experiencing anxiety,' school records said.

Cummins described the girl as 'a really good friend' and told school officials that the girl did leave her other classes to come see him 'when she needs someone to calm her down.'

Danielle Thomas, Elizabeth's sister-in-law, told reporters Tuesday that Elizabeth has been seen 'curled up in the middle of the floor crying and shaking and having panic attacks' since she returned home.

Her father told ABC News that the experience had changed her.

'What we want to see when we look at her is the child we knew," he said. 'She may not be exactly ... the person she was, because there's a lot of experiences she's had.'

School administrators told the girl that she needed to go to a school counselor for anxiety issues and ordered the health science teacher to stay away from her.

Cummins disobeyed that order a week later and was suspended, the records said.

Cummins and Elizabeth traveled 2,500 miles across the US but were caught last week in California. Witnesses said they had a sexual relationship and acted like 'lovers'

Cummins was told on Monday that he would be returned to Tennessee to stand trial. He faces a minimum mandatory prison sentence of ten years on federal charges

Finkelhor said that although abused children are often exploited by people in authority Elizabeth's case is unusual because she and Cummins left the area together.

Still, he said, there's a reason there are laws protecting children from statutory rape or abuse by authority figures: 'want these people to be thinking about the welfare of children without having their own sexual gratification become part of the equation.'

Kimberly Thomas is currently subject to an order that stops her from having contact with her children, including Elizabeth.

She said can't comment about the case. Her attorney has asked for more detail on the allegations and access to the children's social media accounts.

Kimberly, who has a degenerative back disease, denies the claims of abuse. She said during her daughter's disappearance that she was worried that Cummins had 'convinced her to be his little bride'

On March 23, ten days after Elizabeth disappeared, she told DailyMail.com: '[Cummins] is clearly disturbed. The difference in their age means this relationship, if you can call it that, is a perversion.

'I think he's convinced her to be his little bride. It makes me sick to think what they may have been doing in the past ten days.'

'I think she was probably looking for a father figure. He fed off that,' added the mother, who is disabled due to a degenerative back condition.

She had been married to Anthony for 30 years. Only four of their ten children are still minors.

She is scheduled to appear in court next month and has pleaded not guilty to five counts of abuse and neglect involving several of her children.

Cummins faces federal charges of bringing a minor across state lines for sex and state charges of aggravated kidnapping and sexual contact with a minor.

He was told on Monday that he would be returned from California to Tennessee to face trial. If convicted on the federal charge he faces a minimum of a mandatory ten-year prison sentence.

His attorney has said the girl went with her teacher willingly, and was not forced, threatened or coerced.

The teacher was not fired until about a month after his suspension - a day after the girl was reported missing March 13, when the case began to attract national attention.

Federal court documents alleged the teacher had been plotting his escape with the girl after their relationship was discovered and planned to take her to Mexico, possibly by boat.

Authorities credit the caretaker of the remote Northern California property for helping police find the girl. The caretaker will get a $10,000 reward on Friday.
One person has been flown to hospital and 10 others are injured after a boat capsized between Stradbroke and Moreton Island in Queensland.

Queensland Police told Daily Mail Australia a person on the boat called police at 6.06am on Wednesday morning, saying it had overturned between the two islands.

There were nine passengers and two crew on board, reported the Courier Mail.

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One person has been flown to hospital (pictured) and 10 others are injured after a boat capsized between Stradbroke and Moreton Island in Queensland

Emergency services including water police and a rescue helicopter attended the scene and the 11 passengers were transported to Dunwich on Stradbroke Island.

Police said there were a few people with injuries, including a man with a serious back injury, a man that had taken on water and a couple of people with hypothermia symptoms.

A spokesperson for Queensland Ambulance said they assessed 10 patients at Dunwich Health Service Centre, all with on life-threatening injuries.

The 11th person was airlifted to Princess Alexandria Hospital in Brisbane with spinal precautions and water inhalation.

Police said the group were in a charter boat of some kind, and they were still trying to determine what happened.

Police will be interviewing the skipper in due in course.

Queensland Police told Daily Mail Australia a person on the boat called police at 6.06am on Wednesday morning, saying it had overturned between the two islands

There were nine passengers and two crew on board the boat. Pictured is one occupant being attended to by paramedics

Emergency services including water police and a rescue helicopter attended the scene and the 11 passengers were transported to Dunwich on Stradbroke Island

A spokesperson for Queensland Ambulance said they assessed 10 patients at Dunwich Health Service Centre, all with on life-threatening injuries
A man wearing a Chicago Bulls shirt was shot in the leg in what's believed to be a targeted attack in Sydney's west.

The 30-year-old was taken to hospital after police found him with a gunshot wound to his left thigh at an apartment block in Wentworth Point about 4.40am on Wednesday.

Police say initial investigations suggest the attack was targeted, and a crime scene has been established.

It's understood the man was answering the front door of his home when he was shot.

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A man wearing a Chicago Bulls shirt was shot in the leg in what's believed to be a targeted attack in Sydney's west

A blonde woman, who was in the home at the time, was questioned by police at the scene

His injuries are not considered life-threatening, a police spokesman told Daily Mail Australia.

'We are treating this incident as targeted,' the spokesman added.

A blonde woman, who was in the home at the time, was questioned by police at the scene.

She hid her face and refused to reveal her relationship to the victim when approached by Nine News.

'There were four quick shots, I didn't know what it was,' a neighbour at the secure apartment block told the network.

The 30-year-old man was taken to hospital, but his injuries are not considered life-threatening

It's understood the man was answering the front door of his home when he was shot




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Thousands of members of an indigenous Brazilian tribe are clashing with riot police, responding to tear gas with bows and arrows.

The tribe is demonstrating in Brasilia for greater rights, and have been carrying coffins representing the indigenous dead in the take over of their ancestral lands. Some allegedly tried to break into the Congress building during the riots.

The protest took place in what's dubbed Indigenous Week, a series of activities in the capital highlighting the tribes' many problems as they attempt to coexist with an ever expanding agricultural industry and try to enforce their land rights.

Many attended the protest dressed in traditional garb, including feathers and body paint.

'The coffins represent all the indigenous people from 305 ethic groups who have died over the years,' said Marize de Oliveira, 58 a historian of the Guarani people.

'The agricultural and evangelical lobby want to destroy our rights and turn Brazil into the world's breadbasket, ending biodiversity.'

Protesters said at least four people were arrested in the clash. Police did not provide details.

'The Indians did not comply with the agreement they made with police' about the boundaries of the protest, a police statement said. 'They were threatening to invade Congress.'

Demonstrators denied that, saying police were just looking for an excuse to remove them. They said that police had agreed the protesters could come close to the fountain and that the march was peaceful.

'Unfortunately, the brute force of the police caused this,' said Kleber Karipuna, a protester who came to Brasilia from the northern state of Amapa.

'It's natural that three thousand Indians are going to respond with spears and arrows.'

Sonia Guajajara, a coordinator for the march, said some 4,000 indigenous people and supporters took part in the protest. She said the violent police response was nothing compared to that suffered by indigenous people in territories where deadly clashes continue over disputed land.

It focused on legislation that would give the last word on deciding land boundaries for indigenous reservations to Congress, where a powerful farm lobby holds sway. Currently, Brazil's president retains the power to set such boundaries.

A member of an indigenous tribe in Brazil aims a slingshot at police during rioting and clashes in the capital on Tuesday

A police officer stands in front of his 4x4 and aims his gun at a tribe member, who in turn, aims his bow and arrow back at him

A Brazilian Indian in traditional headdress, appears to hold his hands in surrender to police as he confronts him during riots

Lines of police form a blockade against the rows of thousands of indigenous people as they rally outside Brazil's national congress

Tribe members in traditional costume and dress use traditional weaponry in a stand-off with police in Brasilia, during the annual march for rights

A man in traditional paint and costume, holding what appears to be an iPhone, shouts out as police surround him during the demonstration

One of the demonstrators throws one of the coffins the protesters carried as a symbol of all the members of the tribe who have died

Police in Brasilia, the capital of Brazil, stand together and keep their shields close as members of the tribe stand poised with ancient weaponry

The protest took place in what's dubbed Indigenous Week, a series of activities in the capital highlighting the tribes' many problems as they attempt to coexist with ever an ever expanding agricultural industry

The protesters carried coffins, simple black boxes with a white cross on top of each one, to show how they had been impacted by the expansion of the agricultural industry

A man stands on his own as smoke billows around him during the protests. The police have used tear gas against the protesters, claiming they got too close to Congress

Tear gas canisters have been used against the protesters as police attempt to calm the demonstrations. There will be activities all week during a week of action

Tribesmen duck from tear gas, taking protection from the parked cars as they jump into water to get away from the gas

Many attended the protest dressed in traditional garb, including feathers and body paint, alongside elements of modern life, like denim jeans

Clashes with ranchers, logging companies and other businesses operating near or on their lands are common. However, indigenous leaders say the violence has worsened in the last year amid Brazil's economic crisis

The tribal people have said the coffins represent all the indigenous people from 305 ethic groups who have died over the years

Raoni Metuktire, a leader of the Brazilian indigenous ethnic Kayapo people, gestures as he takes part in a demonstration against the violation of indigenous people's rights, in Brasilia

Police fire tear gas canisters at protesters as they huddle underneath huge shields while they face off with demonstrators

The demonstrators have chosen to use traditional weapons to represent their struggle to push back against encroaching industry into their land

Raoni Metuktire, a leader of the Brazilian indigenous ethnic Kayapo people, is one of those leading and supporting the marches through the capital this week

A female tribe member in traditional paint and headdress looks on during the protesting which will take place all week

Indigenous from various ethnic groups negotiate with police as they protest in favor of the demarcation of indigenous lands outside the National Congress

The tribespeople are forced to run through water as they escape tear gas which police have been using against them in ongoing clashes

One of the men returns a tear gas canister to the police by kicking it into the sky. Indigenous leaders say the government of President Michel Temer is working to roll back protections in various parts of the Amazon

An indigenous man aims his arrow at police outside the National Congress, alongside fellow members of tribes who have united for the march

Brazilian indigenous people carry dozens of coffins replicas in a protest at Explanada dos Ministerios in Brasilia. Close to 2,000 indigenous people of several tribes of the country gathered in Brasilia to demand for the demarcation of their lands, which they claim as their own

Police refused to confirm, but the tribes claim that four people were arrested during the clashes. Police said they did not 'comply with the agreement' previously set up

A member of the Brazilian police gathers arrows fired by Brazilian natives during the protest. According to police, no officers were hurt during the protest

Indigenous women protest in traditional costume. Some indigenous people suffered light injuries in the scuffles, which ended around dusk in Brasilia

An indigenous man returns a tear gas canister to police. Sonia Guajajara, a coordinator for the march, said some 4,000 indigenous people and supporters took part in the protest

Guajajara said the violent police response was nothing compared to that suffered by indigenous people in territories where deadly clashes continue over disputed land

A Kayapo paints the face of her daughter during an assembly in Brasilia. The march has brought together several tribes to demand education and health

A number of men take aim ready to fire their arrows in the direction of Congress as they march for greater rights and to seek protection for the Amazon

A Brazilian indigenous person with a bow and arrow, dressed in traditional headdress. The protests carried on until the sun began to set over the capital city

The protest is focused on legislation that would give the last word on deciding land boundaries for indigenous reservations to Congress, where a powerful farm lobby holds sway. Currently, Brazil's president retains the power to set such boundaries

Dozens of indigenous people are killed each year in Brazil in fights with farmers and ranchers over land, often in the relatively lawless Amazon region, where hired gunmen have been used to push the indigenous off resource-rich reserves

An indigenous man aims his arrow at police. The tribes say President Michel Temer is working to allow ranchers and other big-money interest to steal their lands

The tribesmen wear a mixture of traditional clothing and modern garb during the clashes which have been sparked over their desire to protect their long-held land

An indigenous man, left, stands amid tear gas fired by police. The tribes have said there will be a week of activities in the capital highlighting the tribes' many problems

A young man bends down to scoop up a canister to throw back, while a friend covers his nose and mouth to avoid the worst of the pain
Scott Baio has defended his initial suggestion that his Happy Days co-star Erin Moran died from a heroin overdose.

The 56-year-old Trump supporter told TMZ on Tuesday that the social media backlash he's received for the controversial comments are 'liberals trying to take him down' for being conservative.

The actor also said his comments, which he made during a radio interview on WABC's The Bernie and Sid Show on Monday, based on media reports.

The same day, a coroner confirmed Moran died from Stage 4 Cancer .

Scott Baio, 56, blamed social media backlash that he's received for suggesting the death of his Happy Days co-star Erin Moran may have been due to a drug overdose on 'liberals trying to take him down' for being conservative during an interview with TMZ on Tuesday

'In that interview I said, "Maybe it was drugs and if it was drugs, drugs and alcohol will kill you sooner than you normally would die," and then all these goofballs on Twitter started attacking me,' he said to Levin and Latibeaudiere.

'I'm sure they're attacking me because I'm a conservative. These people never attack the press for getting the story wrong about heroin. They attack me.'

Baio maintained that his comments were not insensitive after Harvey Levin suggested that at least some of the backlash may have come because her death was so fresh and her battles with substance abuse were widely known.

'I'm a person who speaks his mind and when I was told or heard that it was drugs, that's how I reacted,' Baio said.

'When somebody tweets to me, "Maybe you should've voted for affordable health care and she'd still be alive," that's political,' he added.

'I guarantee you that anybody who says to me on Twitter, "I was a fan and now I'm not," is a liberal who is trying to take me down,' he said. 'That's my opinion based on experience.'

Erin Moran at the Fox Reality Channel Really Awards in Los Angeles in 2008

Moran, the former child star who played Joanie Cunningham in the sitcoms Happy Days and Joanie Loves Chachi died Saturday at the age of 56; she is seen here on set for Happy Days in Los Angeles

Moran is seen here walking around her neighborhood in New Salisbury, Indiana in June 2012

Baio previously clarified in a Facebook post he suggested the death of Moran, 56, was due to a drugs overdose before the actual cause of death had been released.

Authorities in Indiana said Monday that Moran likely died from Stage 4 Cancer at her home in New Salisbury on Saturday.

But earlier in the day, Baio told New York's WABC radio about Moran's death that 'if you do drugs or drink, you're going to die.'

He added that he didn't know if drugs or alcohol were the cause and explaining his position after the interview, he said he went to bed hearing reports Moran had died of a heroin overdose and made his comments based on the speculation.

Scott Baio speaks during the opening day of the Republican National Convention in Cleveland

Baio's comments from that radio interview drew backlash on social media.

He clarified in the post that he had heard reports that Moran died of a heroin overdose and the interview took place before authorities mentioned her cancer.

Baio says he's 'heartbroken' over Moran's death.

These pictures obtained by DailyMail.com show Erin Morans body being taken from her trailer park home in Indiana on Saturday

Pictures obtained by DailyMail.com show Morans body being taken from her trailer park home by Harris County Coroner moments after the actress had been pronounced dead on Saturday afternoon.

Police and paramedics responded to the 911 call believed to have been made by her husband Steve Fleischmann around 4pm on Saturday but it was too late for the actor made famous by her role as Joanie in Happy Days.

Twenty-four year old Kimberly Combs witnessed the scenes.

She told DailyMail.com: Saturday me and my kids loaded up in the car we went to go to my moms for a cookout and we saw the coroner van in her driveway and they were there.

Erin Moran and Scott Baio in a promotional shoot for Happy Days

We didnt know who it was at the time. My son and I noticed that there was somebody walking out with a body bag on a stretcher to put them in the coroners van.

It was really frightening.

Kimberly who has lived in Berkshire Pointe trailer park where Moran and Fleischmann lived with his mother, Donna Woods, recalled Moran as a really nice woman who gave out candy to the kids at Halloween.

Morans struggle with alcohol and substance abuse has been well documented and Kimberly admitted that drugs are a problem in the otherwise quiet community.

She said: 'Theres two houses on this street weve seen a lot of activity as a matter of fact.

'Im not 100% sure but weve got an idea that past Ms Morans home down a ways theres been speculation that there might be drugs.'

Henry Winkler, Tom Bosley, Anson Williams, Marion Ross, Donny Most, Erin Moran and Ron Howard of Happy Days

The Harrison County Sheriff's Office announced her death in a statement that read: 'On Saturday the 22 day of April, 2017, Erin Marie Moran-Fleischmann passed away at her residence located in New Salisbury, Indiana.

'A joint investigation into Mrs Moran's death was conducted by the Harrison County Sheriff's Department and the Harrison County Coroner's Office.

The sheriff's statement was released after a worker at the trailer park where Moran was living detailed how the star had tried to turn her life around.
A taxi driver has suffered a broken nose and lost several teeth after being bashed by a group of four teenagers in a racially motivated attack.

Akbar Ali was driving two girls and two boys through Melbourne's northern suburbs from Preston to Epping when they unexpectedly asked him to stop down a side road.

Feeling suspicious, Mr Ali pulled over and demanded a $45 fare, only to be refused and viciously set upon by the group - one of who was just 13, Seven News reports.

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Taxi driver Akbar Ali (pictured) has suffered a broken nose and lost several teeth after being bashed by a group of four teenagers in a racially motivated attack in Melbourne's north

Heavily bruised and with numerous broken teeth, the cab driver relived his 10-minute long ordeal.

'They jumped out of the cab and [so] I also jumped out of the cab and asked for my money, [I said] 'you need to pay',' Mr Ali told Seven News.

'Two girls and a guy start hitting me and punching me [and] kicking me.'

Mr Ali revealed he was not only physically attacked, but also racially abused by the teens during his ordeal.

Mr Ali was driving two girls and two boys through Melbourne's northern suburbs from Preston to Epping when they unexpectedly asked him to pull down a side road and bashed him

'[They said] 'You black people come here and why are you not going back to your countries and why are you here?',' he said.

Despite yelling to Mr Ali that they wouldn't be punished over their actions because they were underage, the four teens were arrested by police after the attack.

Two girls aged 17 and 16, and two boys aged 15 and 13, have all been charged over the attack and are facing a number of assault related charges.
Sir Keir Starmer was meant to bring long-overdue clarity to Labours muddled policy on Brexit yesterday.

But in truth, his performance was an utter shambles  ridiculed for being weak and floundering.

Most damningly, it betrayed the impression that Labour wants to surrender to Brussels over Brexit and to reject the verdict of the British people in last years referendum.

Also, Starmer embarrassed himself.

Sir Keir Starmer was meant to bring long-overdue clarity to Labours muddled policy on Brexit. But in truth, his performance was an utter shambles

Undoubtedly, the uber-ambitious former Director of Public Prosecutions had secretly hoped his high-profile appearance would help position himself as a front-runner to succeed Jeremy Corbyn after the expected Labour defeat on June 8.

How the 54-year-old human rights lawyer would have enjoyed a blog for the Left-leaning New Statesman magazine yesterday which oozed praise, saying Labours best election bet is Keir Starmer  a reassuring figure for voters torn between their loyalty to Labour and Remain.

But the opposite is the truth.

It has been a troubled year for Starmer, during which he has been exposed for an embarrassing flip-flop.

This time last year he held the home affairs brief in the Shadow Cabinet. But amid a rush of resignations from Corbyns team and talk of a coup against the Labour leader, Starmer joined the exodus and called for Corbyn to be replaced. He said: It is simply untenable now to suggest that we can offer an effective opposition without a change of leader.

Many suspected he would begin plotting his own leadership bid  distancing himself further from Corbyn and waiting like a vulture for the moment to strike.

But yet, four months later, Starmer was suddenly back alongside Corbyn  appointed as shadow Brexit secretary.

Four months after Starmer called for Jeremy Corbyn to be replaced as Labour leader, he was suddenly back alongside him  having been appointed as shadow Brexit secretary

Had Starmer missed the limelight? Had he baulked at the idea of a three-year, behind-the-scenes campaign to try to establish himself as the grassroots favourite to be the next Labour leader? Or had he simply been bought off by Corbyn with a plum Shadow Cabinet job?

Only the suave, Oxford-educated lawyer himself can give the true answer.

Certainly, his decision to quit the opposition front bench infuriated members of his constituency association in north London, whose members overwhelmingly back Corbyn.

Almost forgotten was the time when the debonair Starmer had put himself forward to be their candidate  having secured the backing of Labour big-wigs such as Lord (Neil) Kinnock and David Miliband.

Simpering media reports highlighted his smart suits, floppy hair and chiselled good looks. Indeed, actor Colin Firth was said to have based his performance as Mark Darcy (the human rights lawyer character in the Bridget Jones films) on Starmer.

Starmer has enjoyed flattering comparisons with that other North London lawyer-turned-politician, and later Prime Minister, Tony Blair

There were also flattering comparisons with that other North London lawyer-turned-politician, Tony Blair, who held the shadow home affairs brief as the base for his own push to become Labour leader in the early 1990s.

Starmer enjoyed confronting the Government as it tried to fight off challenges to Brexit in the High Court, but faced criticism for receiving 125,000 for work and legal advice from Mishcon de Reya, one of three law firms that brought the successful anti-Brexit legal challenge to the court.

During his legal career, hed championed the underdog, representing tree-dwellers, anti-road protesters, hunt saboteurs and a renegade ex-MI5 officer. In 2001, he was named Human Rights Lawyer of the Year.

He was also a member of the legal team working for sleazy former Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi. While Starmer never met the billionaire, he was part of the group preparing a case on his behalf for the European Court of Human Rights.

As DPP, Starmer introduced so-called guidance to the Crown Prosecution Service when it was considering whether to charge journalists with criminal offences and he was well known for arguing that the Press should have a public interest defence when charged with certain offences.

During his legal career, Starmer championed the underdog, representing tree-dwellers, anti-road protesters, hunt saboteurs and a renegade ex-MI5 officer. Pictured, Starmer as director of public prosecutions

Nevertheless, a 13th-century law  misconduct in public office  was used to bring a series of prosecutions against national newspaper journalists. A total of 24 reporters were arrested and charged after a 30 million Metropolitan Police investigation into allegations of inappropriate payments to police and public officials by journalists.

Nine police officers were convicted, but none of the journalists was. Jurors decided the information the journalists paid for was in the public interest.

To this day, Starmer hasnt apologised for what has been described as a witch-hunt. In another controversial move as DPP, he tried to push the law  without actually changing it  towards allowing assisted suicide.

He took an accommodating attitude to people helping a friend or relative kill themselves at the Dignitas clinic in Switzerland. For Starmer, the right to die is a vital human right.

So, can Sir Keir  named by his Left-wing parents after the founder of the Labour Party, Keir Hardie  go all the way to the top of the party? Not judging on yesterdays bungling performance.

A knight of the realm has never led the Labour Party in its 116-year history. And the odds are against Sir Keir Starmer KCB QC being the first to do so.
A Coalition MP has called for the Australian national anthem to be amended to include more of the country's values, humour and multiculturalism.

A day after Anzac Day, Turnbull government MP Andrew Laming said the second verse of Advance Australia Fair is too similar to the first and should focus on 'natural attributes' and 'values'.

'I think that the only way national anthems can distinguish themselves is through their values, and I do feel our current second verse has pretty much the same message as the first verse,' the Brisbane MP told The Sydney Morning Herald.

But his Queensland LNP colleague George Chistensen did not agree, saying the anthem 'is fine as it is, along with the flag'.

A day after Anzac Day, Turnbull government MP Andrew Laming (pictured) said the second verse of Advance Australia Fair is too similar to the first

His Queensland LNP colleague George Chistensen did not agree, saying the anthem 'is fine as it is, along with the flag'.

Mr Laming said new lyrics should discuss how Australia is a 'young nation' with many backgrounds.

This comes days after Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull unveiled plans to put 'Australian values' at the heart of tougher requirements to gain citizenship.

'We're defined by commitment to common values, political values, the rule of law, democracy, freedom, mutual respect, equality for men and women,' he said.

'These fundamental values are what make us Australian. Our citizenship process should reflect that.

Mr Laming said new lyrics should discuss how Australia is a 'young nation' with many backgrounds

This comes days after Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull unveiled plans to put 'Australian values' at the heart of tougher requirements to gain citizenship

'So today we are announcing changes to strengthen citizenship, to make for a stronger Australia, stronger citizenship, stronger citizens.'

The new requirements include competent English, belief in gender equality and a four-year qualification period.

Candidates for citizenship will be required to be permanent residents for four years against the current one-year period.

They will also need to demonstrate a job record and how they have integrated into the local community.

The new requirements include competent English, belief in gender equality and a four-year qualification period
Several Signal Mountain students are among a select group being honored by the Duke University Talent Identification Program (Duke TIP) for their exceptional scores on the ACT college admission test.



Seventh graders from Signal Mountain Middle School took the actual ACT on a Saturday morning in February alongside high school juniors, according to Jamie Brock, teacher of the Gifted at SMMS.



Isabella Campos will be recognized at the national recognition ceremony on May 22 at Duke University, alongside other seventh-graders in the nation who scored approximately equal to the 90th percentile for college-bound high school seniors taking either the ACT or SAT test.



Additionally, 13 other SMMS seventh graders will be recognized for their outstanding scores at Tennessees state recognition ceremony on May 8 at Belmont University. Those are Megan McPherson, Grace Farrimond, Ella Buck, Elanor Cornett, May Mon, Claire Smiley, Virginia Chimley, Clarke Bandy, Minah Sadrabadi, Janie Kennedy, Rocco Ahching, Jack Summerlin, and Katelin Little.

Duke TIPs seventh Grade Talent Search identifies students across the United States who score at or above the 95th percentile on a grade-level standardized test. As part of the program, these academically talented students take above-level college-entrance exams to learn more about their abilities.



"Being asked to participate in the program is an honor, Mrs. Brock said. We typically have some students score state recognition and have had some score national recognition.



Mrs. Brock explained that student participation is based on their performances on standardized testing, where students need to score above the 95th percentile in one subject area.



She pointed out that SMMS serves students from two top elementary schools (Thrasher and Nolan) where many students receive Highest Average Awards at their fifth-grade graduations.



Once the students arrive at SMMHS, fewer awards are given, Mrs. Brock said.



Participation in Duke TIP provides academic recognition, she said, and it serves as a reminder to the students that they are smart.



She also noted Duke TIPs summer enrichment opportunities are top- notch academic experiences."



For more information, visit www.tip.duke.edu.
A bid by BMW to appeal to bad mannered business fat cats with its new 132,000 sports-limo has been censured by watchdogs.

The German car giant used the headline Luxury Just Lost its Manners to sell the new BMW 760Li xDrive.

The advertisement carried the boast that the car, with its Formula 1 style launch control, can go from 0-62mph in just 3.7 seconds.

And BMW went further in an attempt to massage the egos of the wealthy business leaders it hopes will buy the car by adding: For some, the climb to the top is quicker.

The German car giant used the headline Luxury Just Lost its Manners to sell the new BMW 760Li xDrive

However, the company has fallen foul of rules that ban car firms from selling cars using speed.

And, significantly, it was also at odds with the Highway Code which states that people  regardless of how much their car has cost  must not drive without reasonable consideration for other road users.

At one time, car makers would put go faster stripes down the side of their vehicles and spoilers on the back to appeal to a generation of boy racers.

However, it appears that BMW believes captains of industry are just as likely to be seduced by bells and whistles which will help them beat everyone away from the lights  or scream past on the motorway.

By all accounts the new leather-lined luxury saloon is a remarkable machine. It has the dimensions of a limousine yet is the fastest-accelerating production BMW ever made thanks to its turbo charged 6.6 litre V12 engine capable of producing 610 hp.

Not only is the acceleration fast enough to strip the bubbles from a glass of champagne, one souped-up version of the car has a phenomenal top speed of 189mph.

A review by Autocar said the bosses at BMW had managed to create something that was both a graceful upper luxury limousine and something of a high speed, sporty, supercar.

The car, with its Formula 1 style launch control, can go from 0-62mph in just 3.7 seconds

It said: Despite providing outstanding levels of composure, comfort and refinement, the big BMW is also terrifically engaging to drive on all levels, thanks to its abundant power, outrageous pace and engaging agility.

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) received a complaint that the double page advertisement, which appeared in the Telegraph, was in breach of a ban on using speed to sell cars and at odds with the Highway Code.

In its defence, BMW said it included the car specifications, including the remarkably rapid acceleration, in the ad simply to inform consumers.

The company explained that its target audience for the vehicle was ambitious high-net-worth business leaders.

Consequently, it said the use of the line For some, the climb to the top is quicker was a reference to their personal business success, rather than a reference to speed.

The company said use of the claim Luxury just lost its manners was no more than an example of advertising puffery and could not be linked to irresponsible driving.

It said the intention was to make clear that the traditional luxuries of comfort and refinement were being offered in a high performance car.

However, the manufacturer failed to convince the ASA, which pointed to the advertising code which prevents the use of speed or acceleration as the main message behind marketing a car.

It has the dimensions of a limousine yet is the fastest-accelerating production BMW ever made thanks to its turbo charged 6.6 litre V12 engine capable of producing 610 hp

The watchdog said: We considered that the cumulative effect of the claim Luxury just lost its manners, the vehicles acceleration and power statistics, and the claim For some, the climb to the top is quicker made speed and acceleration the main message of the ad. We therefore concluded that the ad breached the Code.

The ASA also pointed to the Highway Code which makes clear drivers must not drive without reasonable consideration for other road users.

It decided that the use of the claim Luxury just lost its manners was at odds with the code.

The ASA ruled: We also considered that the claim would be understood to mean that, because of the cars power and acceleration, drivers did not have to have regard for, or show manners to, other road users by, for instance, driving aggressively.

We therefore concluded that the ad had condoned irresponsible driving by advocating driving without consideration for other road users.

The ASA has banned the ad and told BMW not to make speed or acceleration the main message of their future marketing and not to condone or encourage driving without consideration for other road users.
Comedian and actor Greg Fleet has openly ridiculed people who brag about getting up early for the dawn service on Anzac Day.

'I'm noticing a lot of people writing stuff like "I'm going to the dawn service because I care about this country", as though they are doing something noble and brave,' he wrote on his public Facebook page on Tuesday.

'You are getting up early to watch some ex soldiers (who were actually noble and brave) walk down a road.

'You are not actually going to war. You are not a hero. You are someone who owns an alarm clock.'

Melbourne based comedian and actor Greg Fleet (pictured) ridiculed people for bragging about going to Anzac Day ceremonies on Tuesday

The former 2-day FM breakfast show presenter was slammed by followers who disagreed with his opinion.

'Should people not attend these services or not post they attend these services? Should people not feel proud to post, share, state they are proud to be Australia?' one man said.

'It is about support in any capacity. The whole theme of Remembrance Day is Lest We Forget. I am proud of the way Australia treats this day and the whole point is we can never repay them, but we can remember them and honour them.'

'Lost you forgot... about the veterans and their families who appreciate the attention,' a second man said.

Greg Fleet (pictured) was slammed by followers who disagreed with his sentiment

Mr Fleet, who has appeared in Neighbours and The Flying Doctors, said he was 'all for remembering and honouring' but condemned people who gloated about their participation in the day's events.

'I'm not all for the c***s who try to use this day to say "hey, I'm more respectful and Aussie than you are",' he said.

'There is no honour in bragging, there is honour in quietly doing.'

People gather at the Cenotaph following the Sydney Dawn Service on April 25, 2017 in Sydney

One follower said social media was so ingrained in everyday life that online posts were simply part of 'the world we live in now'.

'Like when they go to to the gym or post a photo of their lunch. It doesn't always mean they are trying to score points or be a hero,' they said.

Mr Fleet, who has been open about his long-term battle with heroin and methamphetamine addiction, hit back.

'F*** off. You are equating a status update about lunch with nationalistic bragging and the appropriation of the bravery and sacrifice of others. If you actually mean that you are either extremely dumb or have lost your mind,' he said.

The attention prompted Mr Fleet to address the controversial post and issue an explanation

Others agreed with Mr Fleet and said the hype surrounding Anzac Day detracted from its significance.

'For me it's a day of quiet reflection,'

One woman simply said 'wonderful post'.

The controversial post garnered more than 400 likes and comments within 24 hours.

The overwhelming attention prompted Mr Fleet to address the post and issue an explanation.

'Respect rarely involves boasting. How about not posting about doing it, and just doing it quietly and respectful? Anzac Day was never meant to be a competition to see who was the "most Australian",' he said.

'Shouting on Facebook about how you are more solemn than someone else because you got up and watched actual heroes walk down a road is not actually heroic, and it is about as respectful as taking a selfie over a grave.'
Phil Shiner of Public Interest Lawyers led a witch-hunt against British troops in Iraq

There cannot be many more heinous crimes than helping to frame those who risk their lives for their country.

It takes a particularly warped mind to do such a thing  to assist our enemies in falsely accusing the bravest of soldiers of rape, murder and torture.

It takes an even more twisted mind to profit from drawing up such allegations to the tune of many millions of pounds.

But for the past decade, thats exactly what some unscrupulous lawyers are accused of doing.

The one whos been shamed, Phil Shiner of Public Interest Lawyers (was ever a firm more grossly misnamed?), led a witch-hunt against British troops in Iraq, making false claims they brutally and, in some cases, fatally ill-treated civilians.

Charges

Earlier this year, following the closure of his firm last summer, Shiner was finally struck off after being convicted of a string of professional misconduct charges.

Now, Martyn Day of law firm Leigh Day is up against the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal  along with his colleagues Sapna Malik and Anna Crowther.

The firm faces 19 professional misconduct charges for the way it brought claims against British soldiers for supposed war crimes in Iraq.

On Monday, the scale of its alleged wrongdoing was revealed by Tim Dutton QC, who is representing the Solicitors Regulation Authority.

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 innocent Iraqi civilians, said Mr Dutton.

The allegations were false and should never have been advanced in public.

From left: Anna Crowther, acting senior partner Russell Levy, Martyn Day, Sapna Malik and managing partner Frances Swaine from law firm Leigh Day, arriving at a Solicitors Disciplinary tribunal

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 worlds media.

As if these claims were not shocking enough, the tribunal also heard that Martyn Day himself suspected some allegations were false.

It is alleged he expressed his concern that one clients testimony sounds like complete b******s.

Leigh Day and solicitors Martyn Day and Sapna Malik deny the 19 misconduct charges. Anna Crowther also denies one allegation of misconduct. The case for their defence will be heard in due course  and they may yet be proven innocent.

But if these allegations do turn out to be true, it would be another appalling indictment of the legal profession and those within it who have made millions out of hounding British troops for doing their duty.

Day and his team earned their law firm nearly 10 million of taxpayers money by pursuing cases against the Ministry of Defence, and caused incalculable grief to those they accused.

Martyn Day, faces being struck off if found guilty. Leigh Day faces 19 charges, which will be discussed during a seven-week disciplinary hearing

As a former soldier, I have some personal experience of such treatment. I should stress that what I went through is not on the same level as that endured by so many of our brave young men and women, but it at least gives me an idea of what they have experienced.

One day in 2000, I received a phone call out of the blue from the civilian police, who informed me they wished to question me for my suspected role in the killing of a leading republican when I was serving as a young captain in Northern Ireland in the late Eighties.

At the time of the call, I was in my late 30s and a lieutenant-colonel commanding a battalion of around 800 men. Despite my seniority and military experience, I was shocked. I knew I was innocent, but theres always a fear people will think there is no smoke without fire.

The interview lasted three hours and I can assure you that being accused of murder is a deeply stressful experience. Above all, there is a huge worry it will affect your career, your marriage  your entire life.

In the end, I never faced any formal charges and the case was eventually dropped. So I can only imagine the sheer hell endured by the 1,500 soldiers who have been charged  and, in some cases, all but destroyed  due to the callous actions of the likes of Phil Shiner.

Those outside the services can have little inkling of what a devastating impact such accusations have on soldiers, many of whom are already suffering from post-combat stress. The costly inquiries launched as a result of the allegations brought by Shiner, Day and their like involve soldiers being closely questioned, just as I was.

Such interrogations have a hugely divisive impact on the bonds of brotherhood that link those who fight together.

Trust is essential, and it is fatally undermined if you are uncertain about what your comrades may have said about you to an investigator.

An Army unit that lacks trust among its members will lack morale and be weaker for it. The weaker the unit, the higher the casualties in combat.

Devastating

But false allegations not only imperil soldiers lives through reducing their effectiveness.

By claiming so publicly and vehemently that troops are up to no good, hucksterish lawyers also play into the hands of terrorists and jihadis desperate to find evidence that British soldiers are the fount of all evil.

If British troops are seen as a bunch of rapists and murderers, then it makes it easier for our enemies to radicalise potential recruits to their cause (pictured, a UK troop in Basra, Iraq)

If British troops are seen as a bunch of rapists and murderers, then it makes it easier for our enemies to radicalise potential recruits to their cause.

When my regiment returned from Afghanistan, it held a parade through Luton. Signs labelled the soldiers baby killers.

These placards were the direct consequence of false allegations given the oxygen of publicity. Nothing could serve as a better recruiting sergeant for those who want to kill us.

It is no exaggeration, to my mind, to draw a direct line from Shiner to the murder of Drummer Lee Rigby in Woolwich in 2013, and of PC Keith Palmer in the Westminster Bridge attack last month.

Richard Kemp was a former commander of the British forces in Afghanistan

But the buck does not stop with the lawyers. It goes much further. I also blame politicians, senior civil servants and senior Army officers, all of whom could have done more to prevent false allegations against our soldiers being taken seriously enough to launch inquiries that caused great harm.

Crimes

And lets not forget that the millions earned by the likes of Public Interest Lawyers came from the public purse, so in essence, taxpayers were unwittingly funding cases based on false allegations against the very men and women who are paid to protect us all.

The Government could have stopped this, but it didnt, so keen was it to show that we were as tough on the crimes supposedly committed by our troops as we were on those committed by our enemies. The people who paid the price for this muddled thinking were, of course, the soldiers.

Again, I say, Day and his team may well be found innocent  though I have no sympathy for them after the way they have treated our soldiers.

And if they are found guilty, I believe Martyn Day should be at the very least struck off  just like Phil Shiner, who has now also declared bankruptcy  and face the full wrath of the law if the evidence exists to put him in the dock.

Reassuringly, the National Crime Agency last month confirmed that it had opened a number of lines of inquiry into Shiner. And I dearly hope he is prosecuted  nothing would better boost the morale of our troops.

For, make no mistake, it is utterly criminal to falsely accuse our soldiers of committing murder and torture if the accusers knew such heinous claims to be false.
A man has spent more than an hour trapped in his vehicle and cars are banked back for 17 kilometres as a major crash causes chaos to Sydney's peak hour traffic.

Two trucks and two vehicles collided on the packed M7 motorway at Prestons, in the west of Sydney, shortly before 7am on Wednesday.

Emergency crews worked for an hour to free the man and were forced to close two southbound lanes, leaving traffic queued up as many schools return from holidays.

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A man has spent more than an hour trapped in his vehicle and cars are banked back for 17 kilometres as a major crash causes chaos to Sydney's peak hour traffic (pictured)

Peak hour travellers were encouraged to avoid the popular motorway in the city's west after the crash

Adding to the traffic chaos, another multiple vehicle crash on the Princes Highway at Waterfall created delays for peak hour traffic travelling towards the city.

That collision has since been cleared and traffic is once again flowing as normal.

A garbage truck and an ambulance also collided at Frenchs Forrest, in the north of the city, injuring four people and causing lanes to be closed in both directions.

An elderly woman was seen being carried out of the back of an ambulance and did not appear to be seriously injured.

It is unclear whether the ambulance had its lights or sirens on at the time of the crash and the cause of the collision at 7.40am is not known.

A garbage truck and an ambulance also collided at Frenchs Forrest, in the north of the city, injuring four people (pictured) and causing lanes to be closed in both directions

A multiple vehicle crash on the Princes Highway at Waterfall (pictured) created delays for peak hour traffic travelling towards the city

A New South Wales Ambulance spokesman told Daily Mail Australia a 'medical response vehicle' was caught up in the crash. It is believed to be from the Patient Transport Service.

The people treated at the scene by paramedics were taken to Royal North Shore Hospital.

Both southbound lanes have reopened, while one northbound lane remains closed as emergency crews remain at the scene.
George H. W. Bush, the oldest living president at 92, is suffering from chronic bronchitis after undergoing treatment for pneumonia.

He checked into Houston Methodist Hospital on April 14 because of a persistent cough. The 41st president of the United States was treated for a 'mild case' of pneumonia for the second time this year.

Dr Clint Doerr, a pulmonologist, said in a statement Tuesday: 'While President Bush has recovered from pneumonia, he continues to deal with the effects of chronic bronchitis, which is a condition more prevalent with age.'

Former president George H. W. Bush is being treated at Houston Methodist Hospital (pictured with George W. Bush who visited him last week)

Doctors will monitor Bush's breathing at home when he is released from the hospital (pictured, ahead of the start of Super Bowl)

The doctor said his team will monitor Bush's breathing and his is expected to be discharged at the end of this week.

'This means his airway has a constant, low-level inflammation that can aggravate the symptoms of pneumonia.'

'Once President Bush is home, we will continue aggressive respiratory treatments to help minimize the effects of the chronic bronchitis.'

Last week, Bush's son former President George W. Bush visited him in the hospital.

He tweeted: 'Big morale boost from a high level delegation. No father has ever been more blessed, or prouder.'

In January, George and Barbara Bush had to skip President Trump's inauguration when both were hospitalized for pneumonia.

George and Barbara Bush were hospitalized with pneumonia and had to skip the innauguraion

The former president said in a note to Trump: 'Barbara and I are so sorry we can't be there for your inauguration on January 20th. My doctor says if I sit outside in January, it likely will put me six feet under. Same for Barbara. So I guess we're stuck in Texas.'

'But we will be with you and the country in spirit. I want you to know that I wish you the very best as you begin this incredible journey of leading our great country. If I can ever be of help, please let me know,' Bush wrote.

The letter was written before he was admitted to hospital with pneumonia.
Local governments in Washington, DC and the surrounding area will conduct a 'full scale' drill Wednesday to prepare in the event of a terrorist attack.

It will take place between 7.30 and 8.30am on Wednesday across six cities in the capital area, including some in Northern Virginia and Maryland.

The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments announced the exercise Tuesday, and has said that it will include hundreds of volunteer actors, emergency medical personnel, police and fire officials.

Local governments in Washington, DC and the surrounding area will conduct a 'full scale' drill Wednesday to prepare in the event of a terrorist attack (stock image)

'Law enforcement officials practice and exercise their skills on their own regularly because that's the best way to ensure we are always ready to respond quickly and professionally,' Scott Boggs, the Council of Government's Managing Director of Homeland Security and Public safety said in the release.

'On April 26, we'll go one step further and stage a very realistic emergency event involving multiple sites and actors posing as the casualties

'However, there is no reason for residents to be alarmed because the exercise will occur in a controlled environment,' the statement continued.

This drill comes as international tensions rise following some of the President's more aggressive military policies and actions.

The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments announced the exercise Tuesday, and has said that it will include hundreds of volunteer actors, emergency medical personnel, police and fire officials (stock image)

This drill comes as international tensions rise following some of the President's more aggressive military policies and actions. President Trump is pictured on April 25 before signing a new executive order

Earlier this month, Trump ordered attacks on forces in both Syria and Afghanistan.

Tensions are especially high between the United States and North Korea. Timing may be coincidental, but the drill comes as the Trump administration works to address concerns about the socialist country's missile capabilities.

The President also called a special 'North Korea briefing' for all 100 US Senators at the White House on Wednesday afternoon.

The Trump administration has warned that all options, including a military strike, are on the table if they feel a real impending threat from North Korea.
Two Sydney women who have the same name, same date of birth and have unknowingly paid each other's bills for years, have revealed their frustration at being constantly mistaken for one another.

One Jessica Ishak is a digital designer, the other is a make-up artist.

Both were born on April 11, 1993, have Christian-Lebanese heritage and believe their mothers named them Jessica after a beauty pageant winner.

The 24-year-olds live just two suburbs away from each other in Sydney  which has led to a series of errors, including not being able to vote and their medical results and phone bills being sent to the wrong Jessica Ishak.

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Two Sydney women (pictured) are both named Jessica Ishak and were born on April 11, 1993

The women (pictured meeting for the first time) have been mixed up by telecommunication companies and government officials for years

'I feel like my identity has been taken away from me, in a way,' the digital designer told A Current Affair.

She believes the chances of two women with the same, fairly uncommon name as well as the exact same birthday was 'one in a million' and added it was 'insane.'

But the coincidence has led to problems for both women.

The first Ms Ishak revealed that when she had gone to vote last year, she wasn't allowed to because although officials had her name and date of birth in the book, her address was different.

The first Ms Ishak (pictured) said the mix-ups have left her feeling like she's lost her identity

And when both women went to have blood tests done around the same time, the first Jessica was left terrified when she received the wrong results.

'A few months ago, when I went to go check my blood test results, the results frightened me because I wasn't expecting them,' she said.

The second Ms Ishak arrived in Australia from Lebanon five years ago.

She's had issues with bills, voting and medical information too.

The women have received each other's bills and been unable to vote because of the confusion

Ms Ishak (right), a digital designer, says she is considering changing her name by deed poll

'When you try and explain that we are two different girls, they just won't listen,' she said.

When she ordered Foxtel over the phone, it was installed  but the other Jessica who was left to pay the bills.

The first Ms Ishak said she phoned Telstra more than 20 times to sort the issue out to no avail.

'They probably think I'm crazy or have a multiple personality disorder,' she said.

Telstra told A Current Affair that will now resolve the issue  but there have been so many issues that the first Ms Ishak is considering changing her name by deed poll.
Ministers were urged to come clean about the true level of fraud in the aid budget last night, after MPs warned official figures do not seem credible.

In a stinging report, the powerful Commons Public Accounts Committee suggested it does not believe the remarkably low official statistics which claim that only 3p in every 100 spent on aid is lost to fraud.

MPs urged ministers to do much more to identify and root out fraud, saying it was likely the figures were missing significant levels of undetected fraud.

Terror group: Armed Al-Shabaab Islamists in Somalia, a country that received more than 120million from Britain

The new study says the Department for International Development (Dfid), the Foreign Office and British Council all support startlingly low figures for fraud, despite operating in many of the most corrupt countries.

Reported levels of fraud do not seem credible given the risks (the departments) face overseas, the report states.

Public confidence in the Governments ability to protect its overseas expenditure would be increased if the three bodies were more open about the instances of fraud they identify and what actions they take in response. The findings are embarrassing for ministers, who have indicated the controversial target of spending 0.7 per cent of foreign aid on defence will be retained in the new Tory manifesto.

The report warns that the risk of fraud has increased following a Government decision to focus aid on so-called fragile states such as Afghanistan and Nigeria, which were described by David Cameron as being fantastically corrupt. Britain gave a total of 1.3billion to the 20 most corrupt nations in 2015  up from just over 1billion the previous year  figures reveal.

Big winners included Afghanistan, where aid rose by more than 50 per cent to 300million.

Somalia, identified as the worlds most corrupt country, received more than 120million, despite an internal review concluding there was a risk of aid money being diverted by terrorist groups linked to Al Qaeda and Islamic State.

Tory MP Charlie Elphicke, of the public accounts committee, said the findings underlined the need for reforms

Recorded waste at Dfid has quadrupled in the past five years, rising from 102 cases in 2010-11 to 429 in 2015-6. But the department claims that just 0.03 per cent of its budget is lost to fraud.

The Foreign Office claims fraud is even lower, saying it lost just 16,000 on spending of 1.9billion  equal to less than a penny in every 1,000 spent. The British Council also claims extraordinarily low fraud levels, suggesting it lost just 35,000 on a budget of 1billion.

They contradict a study by the University of Portsmouths centre for Counter-Fraud Studies, that estimates fraud losses across government average 3 to 5 per cent.

Tory MP Charlie Elphicke, of the public accounts committee, said the findings underlined the need for reforms being sought by International Development Secretary Priti Patel.

He said: For years there have been real concerns about how international aid organisations have been spending taxpayers money, with the risk of it ending up in the wrong hands, including with enemies of this country.

A Government spokesman insisted ministers had a zero tolerance approach to fraud.

He said: We focus our efforts on stamping out fraud before it occurs and making sure that every penny of spending is achieving value for money.

Dfid has overhauled its approach to fraud in the last three years, meaning its robust systems are even better at preventing and detecting fraud.
Binge drinking can cause an irregular heartbeat, experts have found.

Doctors tracked 3,000 visitors to the Munich Octoberfest, and found those who drank the most were more likely to develop an abnormal heart rhythm.

The problem, called cardiac arrhythmia, occurs while people are drinking - a problem dubbed 'holiday heart syndrome'.

The experts found that even young, slim, healthy people were at risk.

The problem, called cardiac arrhythmia, occurs while people are drinking - a problem dubbed 'holiday heart syndrome'

And while most did not immediately show symptoms, any alteration of heart beat can cause severe health problems in later life.

The research, published in the European Heart Journal, is the first study to investigate the link between acute alcohol consumption and cardiac arrhythmias in a large number of people while they were actually drinking.

All studies until now have asked people to remember at some point afterwards how much they had drunk - an approach with obvious accuracy drawbacks.

The researchers, from University Hospital Munich, used breathalysers to monitor alcohol consumption and a small electrocardiogram - or ECG - monitor to track the impact on the heart.

They found the participants, who had an average age of 35, had a blood alcohol level of up to 3g per litre of blood - six times over the drink-driving limit, brought on by drinking at least 12 pints of beer.

The researchers found cardiac arrhythmias in an astonishing 30.5 per cent of the participants - compared to a normal population level of between 1 and 4 per cent.

And the risk increased with the levels patients had drunk.

For every four pints of beer consumed the likelihood of a cardiac arrhythmia increased by 75 per cent.

Researcher Dr Stefan Brunner said: 'Three grams of alcohol per kilogram of blood reflects a very high alcohol intake, approaching the border of intoxication, and not many people can tolerate it.

'For comparison, the legal driving limit in Germany is set at 0.5g/kg.'

He added: 'Our research is continuing and several follow-up studies are under way.

'In particular, we plan to better quantify the autonomic imbalance induced by acute alcohol consumption, and to perform long-term ECG recording to see if atrial fibrillation or other sustained arrhythmias occur after acute alcohol consumption.'

All studies until now have asked people to remember at some point afterwards how much they had drunk - an approach with obvious accuracy drawbacks

The researchers said the arrhythmias detected during the Octoberfest were probably temporary and once the participants had sobered up, their hearts would return to normal.

However, they don't know this as they only conducted the ECGs once while people were drinking.

But the authors say if a person has, for example, an already diseased heart, then the arrhythmia triggered by the alcohol could persist afterwards.

'But this cannot be answered finally by our study and will require further research,' Dr Brunner said.
A Russian airline has defended its decision to effectively cut pay for 'overweight' female cabin crew, claiming passengers only want to see thin stewardesses.

Aeroflot was taken to court by two female cabin crew who say they were moved from international routes to lower-paid domestic routes because of their physical appearance.

The group, which dubbed itself STS, the Russian abbreviation for 'old, fat ugly', took the airline to court saying they had been moved because they were overweight but their claims were rejected.

Aeroflot officials have said they believe their passengers choose the airline because of the staff and the image. Above, an advert for Aeroflot

Flight attendant Yevgenia Magurina (R), took Russia's Aeroflot Airline tocourt over alleged discrimination over the age, weight and appearance of its flight attendants

Having previously denied such a policy on size of the crew was in place, a spokesman, which the airline later claimed did not represent Aeroflot, appeared to confirm it.

In a press conference on Tuesday, an airline spokesman said: 'Aeroflot is a premium airline and part of the reason people pay for tickets is the appearance of its employees.'

He added: '92% want to see stewardesses who fit into the clothes sizes we are talking about here.'

The court rejected the case of the complainants, who said they'd been moved to lower-paid domestic routes

According to the Guardian, Nikita Krichevsky another member of Aeroflot's official team said the wage change should be viewed as an incentive to lose weight.

Mr Krichevsky even cited his own personal weight loss in the press conference.

After the conference, Aeroflot said their statements did not necessarily reflect the airline's positions.

In February, one attendant Yevgenia Magurina complained: 'They told us all that only the young and thin will fly abroad for Aeroflot.'

Another complained at being weighed like cows by an airline which in Soviet times was the largest in the world, and notorious for poor service and safety, but is now seen as being as good as the best in the West.

They said that this means the experienced and loyal crew lose money, and miss out on layovers in exotic foreign destinations - a claim Aeroflot also strongly denied.

Magurina told the Russian service of RFE/RL that she had been flying for 15 years and was a senior cabin crew member on international flights.

But in August she was reassigned to internal routes because she was not thin enough under new rules, she claimed.

They claimed they had been regularly photographed and weighed before they were moved to the other lines, despite their long service with the company

In a press conference, the airline seemed to agree that such a policy was in place, though it has denied it existed. It since said the airline's views were not made by the representatives

'We were all photographed en masse and measured - some were even weighed,' she revealed.

'This was done under the pretext of company rebranding and ordering new uniforms for staff. My life changed in the middle of August.'

She said they stopped anyone over the age of 40 and bigger than the Russian equivalent of a UK size 16, flying long-haul.

The group claimed women became so desperate to lose weight they were fainting with hunger at work.

A judge rejected the complainants' case in court.

An Aeroflot statement after the press conference to the MailOnline said: 'Nikita Krichevsky and Pavel Danilin are not Aeroflot representatives or officials. They are members of Aeroflots Public Council, a 25-member consultative body that typically meets twice per year.

'Members of the Public Council are not employees of Aeroflot and do not speak on behalf of the company. Aeroflot cannot dictate to members of the Public Council what statements they should or should not make in public.'

The spokesman also said the rulings in court vindicated their position.
Growing up, whenever I had a problem, my mom would often tell me, laughter is the best medicine. And, that old adage would sometimes make me feel better. But, what truly is the best medicine for healing both body and soul?

Recently, at the 2017 Conference on Medicine and Religion in Houston, Texas, leading healthcare providers and representatives from various religious groups addressed that very question. In premiering his documentary, Your Health: A Sacred Matter, filmmaker Gerald Krell focused on stories from patients and health care providers who shared their views on why religion is important to health.



While I find it encouraging to see some well-known scholars in the medical community appear to be embracing spirituality and its positive effects on the body, it seems to me that they simply view religion/spirituality as a way to cope with sickness and not as a reliable form of healing physical ills.



However, at the turn of the twentieth century, when medicine was certainly primitive, the Discoverer of Christian Science, Mary Baker Eddy, organized a church designed to commemorate the word and works of our Master, which should reinstate primitive Christianity and its lost element of healing.



She saw, through Christ Jesus works  healing the sick, raising the dead and cleansing the lepers -- that primitive Christianity meant working things out spiritually instead of materially, looking to God as the source for healing. And in spite of modern advances in medical technology, spiritual healing is still relevant today, as one example I am about to relate shows.



But while Christian Science certainly helps one cope with lifes challenges, its mission is not to simply provide temporary human assistance. Eddy wrote, From my very childhood I was impelled, by a hunger and thirst after divine things,a desire for something higher and better than matter, and apart from it,to seek diligently for the knowledge of God as the one great and ever-present relief from human woe."



A friend of mine experienced the relief that comes from turning to God for help. While in college, she became quite ill. The physician who examined and treated her told the family there was nothing else that could be done and recommended they pray for her. And, they did just that! Turning to the Bible and the Christian Science textbook, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, they found the exact medicine my friend needed to be healed.



The family read how Jesus healed the blind, the deaf, and the crippled. And they noted how Eddy herself, in reading about those healings at a critical time in her life, was healed of life-threatening effects of an injury through prayer alone.



That same healing medicine of humble effective prayer that was demonstrated by Christ Jesus is still healing people over 2000 years later. It healed my friend completely when material medicine had nothing else to offer. Her family was certainly overjoyed when she was able to return to college.



If you are struggling in your search for the best medicine to help you with your problems, I am not suggesting you can laugh your challenges away. But, there might just be something to the Bible verse A merry heart doeth good like a medicine. Laughter can get your thought off of your problems - and that is a good place to start. But theres a big difference between understanding spiritual truth and mere positive thinking. The truth that Jesus said would make us free goes to the heart of whatever issues were dealing with, and that brings real healing.



Helpful scriptures such as [nothing] shall be able to separate us from the love of God; cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; (NIV) and the joy of the Lord is your strength are indeed healing medicine that you can turn to when you are suffering. Try it!



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Debra Chew writes about the connection between thought, spirituality and wellness from a Christian Science perspective. She has been published in USA Today, UK Health Triangle Magazine, chattanoogan.com, Knoxville News Sentinel, Memphis Commercial Appeal, and the Jackson Sun & JS Health Magazine.


The long-time partner of fashion icon Gianni Versace has spoken for the first time about his beloved's brutal murder after almost two decades.

Antonio D'Amico was with Versace when he was gunned down outside his lavish home in South Beach, Miami, on July 15, 1997.

'I heard the shot. My heart just stopped to beat,' D'Amico told Dateline. 'So I ran out and then I saw Gianni laying down on the stairs in blood.'

It took investigators at the time little more than a week to track down the man they believed pulled the trigger.

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The long-time partner of fashion icon Gianni Versace has spoken for the first time about his beloved's brutal murder. Versace is pictured with arla Bruni and Naomi Campbell in London in 1992

Antonio D'Amico was with Versace when he was gunned down outside his lavish home in South Beach, Miami, on July 15, 1997. He is pictured during an upcoming Dateline special

Eight days after Versace died, police were able to locate Andrew Cunanan - a serial killer who murdered at least four other people - living in a houseboat in Miami.

They rushed to the property, but by the time they made their way inside, the 27-year-old shot himself in the head.

D'Amico's heart-wrenching comment was made as part of an NBC special investigation into the incident, during which investigators also revealed the moment they learned they were dealing with a serial killer.

'I heard the shot. My heart just stopped to beat,' D'Amico told Dateline. 'So I ran out and then I saw Gianni laying down on the stairs in blood.' D'Amico is pictured left, at Versace's funeral, and right, in 2013

Gianni Versace is pictured with a trio of models at the Ritz Hotel in Paris on January 1, 1992

Eight days after Versace died, police were able to locate Andrew Cunanan - a serial killer who murdered at least four other people - living in a houseboat in Miami. He shot himself before he could be arrested

'An FBI agent approaches me and says to me, "Can we talk about this case?"' lead investigator George Navarro told Dateline.

'I said, "Sure. What do you got?" He goes, I think we may know someone that may have done this.'

The veteran cop then spoke about how the federal officer detailed just why they believed Cunanan to be responsible for the deaths of multiple people.

'I got goosebumps... now this was bigger than just Gianni Versace getting murdered,' Navarro said during the special program.

The murder of the fashion icon made headlines around the world almost two full decades ago.

Versace was the flamboyant founder of one of the world's true fashion empires. Just days before his death, he had showcased his final collection in Paris.

Versace was shot outside his home. Blood is seen on the steps of the Miami mansion on July 15, 1997

He was also the first leading Italian designer to come out as gay.

His sister, Donatella, is currently chief designer and vice president of the Versace Group.

Dateline's two-hour special, The Death of Gianni Versace: A Dateline Investigation, which airs Friday, April 28 at 9pm on NBC
Twitter has blocked the police and MI5 from accessing data which helps them to identify terrorists.

The Home Office was previously able to track terror-related posts made on Twitter through a deal with a third-party company.

But Twitter has now cancelled the deal under plans to prevent its users data being used for what it describes as government surveillance.

Twitter has blocked the police and MI5 from accessing data which helps them to identify terrorists

The decision has alarmed counter-terror bosses and sparked outrage among ministers, who fear it will make the country less safe.

It is the latest in a series of rows between social media giants and the Government after ministers called on them to do more to prevent extremist material being spread online.

While Twitter are refusing to share the data with police and MI5 to help them identify jihadi plots, the tech giant will continue to sell data access to corporate firms.

The service enables corporations to have keyword search-style access to its 300 million users tweets and public profiles and is normally used by companies to monitor sentiment about their products.

The Government also used the service to monitor propaganda pumped out by terror movements such as ISIS and to search terms related to potential terror attacks.

Conservative MP Tom Tugendhat last night branded Twitter a disgrace, and criticised the firm for dealing with companies such as Wonga who target on the indebted but not for working with Governments tracking down jihadis plotting violence.

Conservative MP Tom Tugendhat has branded Twitter a disgrace over their decision

Ex-Army officer Mr Tugendhat told The Sun: It is a disgrace that an organisation as powerful as Twitter fails to accept it has a responsibility to help keep people safe, while it is using the very same data to make huge profit from them.

Why is ok to sell data to companies like Wonga while not to the Home Office?

Furious ministers have reportedly attempted to overturn the decision but have been unsuccessful, it is understood.

Twitter has recently said that third-party companies would be blocked from offering data to paying government clients if it was used for surveillance

In a recent blog post, its vice-president of data and solutions Chris Moody said: Recent reports about Twitter data being used for surveillance have caused us great concern.

As a company, our commitment to social justice is core to our mission and well established. And our policies in this area are long-standing.

Using Twitters Public APIs or data products to track or profile protesters and activists is absolutely unacceptable and prohibited.

The company has previously come under fire from ministers for its failure to stop terrorist propaganda videos from spreading online.

Last month Home Secretary Amber Rudd warned internet giants they must do more to crack down on hate speech and extremist material online and hinted at possible legislation if they fail to do more.




Years before Susan Berman was executed in her home, she foretold her fate and named her best friend, New York real estate heir Robert Durst, as her assailant, a close friend testified Tuesday.

A nervous Berman summoned Miriam Barnes to her New York apartment around the time Durst's wife vanished to say she had done something that day for Durst, but she wouldn't elaborate.

The gravity of what she said next wouldn't sink in until Barnes was at Berman's funeral nearly two decades later.

Barnes testified that Berman anxiously picked at her lips and said, 'If anything ever happens to me, Bobby did it.'

Years before Susan Berman (left) was executed in her home, she foretold her fate and named her best friend, New York real estate heir Robert Durst (left and right in a courtroom in 2016), as her assailant, a close friend testified Tuesday

Durst, 74, has pleaded not guilty to murder in the fatal shooting of Berman in Los Angeles in 2000. Prosecutors allege Durst killed Berman to prevent her from telling police what she knew about Kathleen Durst's mysterious 1982 disappearance

Durst, 74, has pleaded not guilty to murder in the fatal shooting of Berman in Los Angeles in 2000.

Prosecutors allege Durst killed Berman to prevent her from telling police what she knew about Kathleen Durst's mysterious 1982 disappearance.

Barnes, 66, a former film executive now working as a psychiatric social worker, told in Los Angeles Superior Court that never went to police because she feared Durst could harm her.

'I knew he was a very wealthy man and he could do whatever he wanted to somebody,' said Barnes, who nervously looked over at the diminutive and frail Durst.

'I started thinking about his wife and Susan, I started thinking, "Oh my God, I don't want anything to do with this." I was petrified. I still am.'

Barnes eventually told the account to the New York Times because she didn't think Durst would live to see his day in court.

She said she regretted that decision and wished she didn't have to testify.

Kathleen Durst (left), the missing wife of New York real estate heir Robert Durst (right), once told a neighbor that her husband had beat her and she feared he would kill her, a retired detective testified Tuesday

Barnes, who faces cross-examination Wednesday, was the second witness at the unusual hearing to record testimony from witnesses who are old, ill or fear for their safety and may not be available at Durst's eventual trial.

Another testimony came from a retired New York detective who had worked on Kathleen Durst's original disappearance.

James Varian, 77, had interviewed neighbors of the Dursts after she vanised and retired from the force later that year.

He testified that a few months before Kathleen Durst disappeared, she had frantically banged on a neighbor's balcony window in her pajamas for help and said Robert Durst had beaten her and she feared he would kill her.

He said he did not recall much of what was written in the reports until he reviewed them, but he remembered the account of Anne Doyle, who lived in the 16th-floor penthouse next to the Dursts.

Doyle said a frightened Kathleen Durst once appeared at her bedroom window and said her husband had a gun and she feared he would kill her, Varian testified.

'Bob had beat her and wants to kill her,' Varian said. 'That's what Mrs. Doyle told me.'

Prosecutors allege Durst killed Berman to prevent her from telling police what she knew about Kathleen Durst's mysterious 1982 disappearance. Durst is seen on the left in 1975 and on the right in an undated file photo

Kathleen Durst said she was afraid to be near any window and hid in the Doyle bathroom for two hours. Eventually, Kevin Doyle calmed her down and spoke with Robert Durst.

Robert Durst did not admit beating his wife, but he told Kevin Doyle he was not mad and that she should come home, Varian said.

Kathleen Durst has never been found. A New York judge last month declared her dead.

A judge hearing the case hasn't yet determined if Durst will stand trial or if the recorded testimony would be admissible at a trial.

The defense has objected to the use of hearsay statements.

The video recorded testimony of Barnes and Varian will only be used if they're not available at a future trial.
Felix Ngole, 39, has been given the go-ahead to argue his case in the High Court

A religious education teacher has won the right to challenge a university which threw him off a degree course after he suggested same-sex marriage was a sin.

Felix Ngole, 39, of Barnsley, South Yorkshire, said he had been lawfully expressing a traditional Christian view during an online discussion and complained that bosses at Sheffield University unfairly stopped him completing a postgraduate degree in social work.

He has now been given the go-ahead to argue his case in the High Court.

A judge on Tuesday gave Mr Ngole permission to mount a judicial review of the university's decision following a preliminary High Court hearing in London.

Deputy High Court Judge James Lewis said it could be argued that the decision was disproportionate.

Lawyers said a judge would probably decide whether the decision should be overturned after a trial in the autumn.

Sheffield University bosses had argued that Mr Ngole's judicial review claim should be blocked.

Lawyers for the university said the decision to remove him from the course had been fair and proportionate.

They said Mr Ngole was taking a 'professionally qualifying degree' with the aim of becoming a social worker and argued that what he had said would affect gay people he might work with.

Mr Ngole, who works as a supply teacher and comes from Cameroon, said afterwards that the case had implications for others.

'I am excited,' he said. 'This is not just about me.'

Mr Ngole said he had been lawfully expressing a traditional Christian view and complained Sheffield University unfairly stopped him completing a postgraduate degree

Mr Ngole, who said he sometimes preached at St George's Church in Barnsley, added he hoped to be able to complete the masters degree social work course if he overturned the decision.

He is being backed by the Christian Legal Centre - which is part of the campaign group Christian Concern.

'The university's treatment of Felix fundamentally violates its responsibilities under human rights legislation,' said Christian Legal Centre chief executive Andrea Williams.

'The university has failed to protect his freedom of speech...and his freedom of religion.'

She added: 'Felix has worked with people who identify as homosexual, treating them with respect and kindness. What he shared on his Facebook page simply reflects biblical teaching on sexual behaviour.

'Unless he wins this case he will be forever barred from social work. Felix is entitled to express his views, especially ones shared by millions of people around the world.

'There is no evidence that Felix's views adversely impacted his work. Quite the contrary, he was a hard-working student who would be an asset to the profession.

'Sadly, this is yet another case of Christians being punished in the public arena, and of censorship of views.'

Barrister Paul Diamond, who represented Mr Ngole, had told Judge Lewis: 'This case is another case in a long list of cases where a Christian adherent has expressed the traditional view on sexual sin.

'It is submitted that such speech is disfavoured by the state and expressions of such viewpoints evince disproportionate sanction. It is the duty of the court to robustly protect British freedoms.'

He had added: 'The expression that homosexuality is a 'sin', or even use of the strong Biblical term of 'abomination', is a lawful religious expression.'

Mr Diamond said Mr Ngole, who had been in the first year of his course, had 'effectively lost' his social work career.

Mr Ngole had been taking part in an 'open debate' on a Facebook page about Kim Davis, a state official in Kentucky, US, who refused to register same-sex marriages, in 2015 when he expressed the view that 'the Bible and God identify homosexuality as a sin', Mr Diamond told the judge.

Barrister Sarah Hannett, who represented Sheffield University, said Mr Ngole had been taking a two-year 'professionally qualifying degree' which was regulated by the Health and Care Professions Council.

'(He) posted comments on a publicly accessible Facebook page that were derogatory of lesbians, gay men and bisexuals,' she said.

'The views expressed are likely to undermine the trust and confidence that lesbian, gay and bisexual clients are entitled to have in (Mr Ngole) in his professional role as a social worker (and in the social work profession more widely).'

She said the problem was not that Mr Ngole held such views but the manner in which he had expressed them.

Ms Hannett said a university 'fitness to practise' committee had decided to exclude Mr Ngole in early 2016 and that decision had been upheld by an appeals committee.
A veteran is accused of tying her service dog to a tree in the woods and shooting him five times while her soldier boyfriend filmed it.

Marinna Rollins, 23, from Fayetteville, North Carolina, was charged with animal cruelty and conspiracy on Tuesday.

Earlier this month, Rollins allegedly brought her gray and white male pitbull service dog called Cam, who helped her deal with PTSD, to a wooded area.

She then tied him to a tree in the woods and shot him five times while taking turns filming it with her boyfriend, reported the Fayetteville Observer.

The pair are heard laughing in the horrifying footage.

Former soldier Marinna Rollins, 23, and her boyfriend, Army soldier Jarren Heng, 25, are seen in a video allegedly tying her service dog, Cam, to a tree (above) before shooting him

Service dog Camboui, called Cam, was an emotional service animal to Rollins because she suffered from PTSD and was given a medical discharge from the military

Rollins and her boyfriend allegedly brought Cam to the woods, tied him up, and shot him (video, above)

Rollins (above) served in the military and was reportedly stationed in South Korea and given a medical discharge

Rollins was recently medically discharged from the Army.

Police say boyfriend Jarren Heng, 25, who is a soldier with the US Army stationed at Fort Bragg, also participated in the twisted act and filmed it.

Authorities said Heng can be heard on the video saying 'Let me hit him once' as he and Rollins shot the dog, according to ABC 11.

In the video, a female voice can also be heard saying 'It's been real ... I love you, you're my puppy, you're a good puppy, but...'

The video then seems to show Rollins dragging the dead dog's body around before burying him in a shallow grave.

'Kind of put him a little deeper,' Heng then appears to say.

The Cumberland County Sheriffs Office and Cumberland County Animal Control said they found multiple videos of the killing and also text messages talking about it.

Rollins was charged with animal cruelty; as was Heng; both are reportedly still in the county jail on $25,000 bond each

Cam used to be named Huey and was adopted from the Cumberland County Animal Shelter, but apparently not originally by Rollins but someone else. It's unclear when the dog ended up with Rollins

The Facebook page Justice for Cam posted a screen shot purportedly from Marinna Rollins saying that Cam was going to a good home, with Heng saying 'He's gonna have such a great new life'

A Justice for Cam Facebook site sprang up almost immediately, and a screen grab purporting to be from Rollins' Facebook page shows someone who appears to be Rollins saying 'Great last day with the pooch! Sad he has to go, but he will be much happier where he is heading off to :)'

Heng then wrote: 'He's gonna have such a great new life.'

Rollins was being held on $10,000 bail and Heng on $5,000 bail, but after an outcry by animal lovers, their bails were raised to $25,000, according to the Justice for Cam Facebook page.

According to a picture of the dog posted on the page, Cam was originally adopted from the Cumberland County Animal Shelter in 2015 by a different person.

'He is super friendly, very sweet, calm and loving. He just wants someone to love him and give him a chance,' the posting said.

Friends of Cumberland County, NC Shelter confirmed that the dog in the posting was Cam.
Salim Mehajer has pleaded not guilty to assaulting Seven News reporter Laura Banks after she was allegedly slammed in the car door of his Porsche.

The reporter was allegedly caught between the luxury car and car door when Mehajer tried to escape from media and drive away from a Sydney police station on April 2.

The former Auburn deputy mayor also pleaded not guilty to robbing and assaulting a taxi driver earlier this month.

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Salim Mehajer has pleaded not guilty to assaulting Seven News reporter Laura Banks after she was allegedly slammed in the car door of his Porsche

Salim Mehajer is seen outside Sydney's Downing Centre Local Court on Wednesday

Mehajer, 30, appeared at Sydney's Downing Centre Local Court on Wednesday where his lawyer Mahmoud Abbas entered a plea of not guilty for four offences.

Police allege Mehajer threw an eftpos terminal at the taxi driver's face and stole his iPhone outside the Star Casino in the early hours of April 2.

He's also alleged to have destroyed another woman's iPhone on the same day as he allegedly assaulted reporter Laura Banks.

Mehajer, 30, appeared at Sydney's Downing Centre Local Court on Wednesday where his lawyer Mahmoud Abbas entered a plea of not guilty for four offences

Mehajer, 30, pictured outside Sydney's Downing Centre Local Court on Wednesday

Salim Mehajer leaves the Downing Centre court in Sydney, Wednesday, wearing his wedding ring

Police allege Mehajer threw an eftpos terminal at the taxi driver's face and stole his iPhone outside the Star Casino in the early hours of April 2

Mehajer can be seen wearing his wedding ring as he leaves Sydney court on Wednesday
Arkansas executed two death row inmates on the same gurney Monday night in Americas first double execution in 17 years.

The first inmate to be put to death was Jack H. Jones, Jr, 52, who received a lethal injection after delivering a two-minute final statement - during which he apologized at length to his victim's daughter.

New photos show Jones' sister Lynn Scott weeping over a photo of the inmate just outside the prison hours before he was put to death on Monday night.

His daughter Gina Grimm was also pictured outside the Varner unit being consoled by anti-death penalty activists, who showed up to protest the executions of Jones and one other on Monday.

Jones' family members were joined by individuals from the Episcopal church, who were there to offer their condolences to Jones as well as to protest the use of the death penalty in the United States.

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Jack Jones (left) was put to death at the Cummins Unit at 7.20pm on Monday. Marcel Williams was granted a temporary stay, but was later executed at 10.33pm

Lynn Scott, sister of executed inmate Jack Jones, weeps over a photo of her brother as she is consoled in a car outside the Varner Unit

Anti-death penalty supporter Randy Gardner, left, embraces Gina Grimm, daughter of Jones

Gina Grimm, Jones' daughter, touches a poster of those condemned to be executed

Before being put to death, Jones told his victim's daughter 'I'm sorry' 22 years after she watched him rape her mother and strangle her to death with the cord of a coffee machine in 1995.

'I hope over time you can learn who I really am and I am not a monster,' Jones said to Phillips' daughter, Lacy, who he brutally beat nearly to death when she was an 11-year-old child during the attack.

Arkansas executions 1) Ledell Lee. Put to death April 21. Execution started 11.44pm. Pronounced dead 11.56pm Total time: 12 minutes 2) Jack Jones Jr. Put to death April 24. Execution started 7.06pm. Pronounced dead 7.20pm Total time: 14 minutes 3) Marcel Williams. Put to death April 24. Execution started 10.19pm. Pronounced dead 10.33pm Total time: 14 minutes Advertisement

Hours later, Marcel Williams, 46, was executed for the 1994 rape and killing of 22-year-old Stacy Errickson, whom he kidnapped from a gas station in central Arkansas.

The deaths mark the second and third of eight executions that Arkansas had scheduled over a period of 11 days before its stockpile of a key lethal injection drug expires on April 30.

Jones was pronounced dead at 7.20pm Central at the Cummins Unit in Lincoln County, Arkansas, after the Supreme Court denied his final request for a stay.

Jones had previously said he accepted his death sentence and was only asking for clemency in solidarity with the seven other men scheduled to die.

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.'

Williams was scheduled to die just an hour later, but had a temporary stay granted after his lawyers argued that Jones suffered unnecessarily during his execution.

The lawyers said Jones was moving his lips and gulping for air during periodic consciousness checks after midazolam, a powerful sedative, had been administered.

He was given the lethal injection later that night.

Gina Grimm prays with members of the Episcopal Church durnig a service outside the place where Jones and Williams received the lethal injection on Monday night

Members of the church gathered with Jones' family to offer their prayer and condolences, but also to protest the use of the death penalty in the United States

They argued that this constituted 'cruel and unusual punishment', which is prohibited under law, and argued that Williams was bound to suffer similar effects because like Jones he suffers from diabetes and neuropathy.

Williams was in the death chamber on a gurney when the stay was granted at 8.30pm Central, and was excused to go to the bathroom according to KATV.

The stay was eventually lifted, and he was brought back to the chamber at 9.29pm.

Execution procedures started at 10.19pm and he was pronounced dead 14 minutes later. He gave no final words, and his victims' family declined to give a statement.

There were about 25 people in the room to witness his death, according to KARK reporter Jessi Turnure.

Jones was sentenced to death for the 1995 attack and the brutal beating of then 11-year-old Lacy. He strangled the mother with the cord to a coffee pot.

Before Jones was executed, he ate a last meal of of fried chicken, potato logs with tartar sauce, beef jerky bites, three candy bars, a chocolate milkshake and fruit punch.

Jack H. Jones, Jr was sentenced to death for the 1995 rape and murder of Mary Phillips (pictured) and the brutal beating of her then 11-year-old daughter, Lacy

Jones also provided this written statement, to be read out loud by his attorney
A Queensland woman has been left terrified to be home alone after she caught a man staring at her through her window after she got out of the shower.

On Monday night, Natalie Alexander was showering at her Palmwoods on the Sunshine Coast when she heard a loud knock at the door and assumed it was her boyfriend's brother.

But as she walked out of the bathroom at 8pm, she saw an 'average looking' stranger aged in his 30s or 40s peeping through the window before dumping salt on the doorstep and running away.

'I saw his face through the window,' Ms Alexander told the Sunshine Coast Daily. 'I was home alone'.

On Monday night, Natalie Alexander was showering at her home in Palmwoods on the Sunshine Coast when she found a stranger staring into her home

She said she ran into her bedroom and called her boyfriend, Wade Kelly, who drove home from the gym and went searching for the 'Peeping Tom'.

Ms Alexander said she usually keeps the front door unlocked with the security screens closed, but will make sure both are secured in future.

'I won't be being left alone,' she said.

Photos taken by Mr Kelly show salt scattered at the front door next to the welcome mat.

Salt on the front door can be used by those who are superstitious to ward away evil spirits or wish misfortune onto the residents.

Ms Alexander said she ran into her bedroom and called her boyfriend, Wade Kelly (both pictured), who drove home from the gym and went searching for the 'Peeping Tom'

Photos taken by Mr Kelly show salt scattered at the front door next to the welcome mat

Mr Kelly shared his horror to Facebook on Monday, saying he will not deal with 'that s*** in his town'.

'Just letting everyone know there is a peeping tom in Palmwoods at the moment,' he wrote.

'My partner just called me to tell me she saw a man outside her window looking in and ran away when he saw her spot him'.

Local police Sergeant Kevin Crowley said no official complaint had been made and was not aware of the man targeting homes in the Palmwoods area.

Mr Kelly shared his horror to Facebook on Monday, saying he will not deal with 'that s*** in his town'
An Ohio judge tore into a father who overdosed in front of his nine-year-old daughter as he sentenced the man for child endangering on Monday.

Judge Fanon Rucker told Charles Dove, 45, that he had trouble understanding why the father would take heroin while in charge of his own daughter, WLWT5 reported.

Rucker said: 'I can't handle that my child is going to look at me in 10 years, in 15 years, in 20 years if I'm still around, and say, "What happened to the father I was supposed to have?"'

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Lambasted: Judge Fanon Rucker (left) blasted Charles Dove (right) Monay for taking drugs in front of his own daughter. Dove ODed in March and pleaded no contest to child endangering

Overdose: Both Dove and his wife Paula Smith (left, with their daughter) overdosed at the same time. Their little girl then had to call 911 and guide emergency services to their location

Dove blamed his criminal record on addiction and asked to be sent to an out-of-state rehabilitation program that he'd found, saying it would help him clean up.

But Rucker refused, telling him: 'A great program, the most effective program, doesn't mean anything if the person doesn't want to take advantage of it.'

Dove was sentenced to 12 months behind bars, where he will serve a prison-based rehabilitation program.

He and his wife, Paula Smith, 41, lost consciousness after taking heroin while she was driving their car on March 18.

He was in the passenger seat; Smith managed to pull over in a parking lot before losing consciousness.

That left their daughter, who was in the back seat to call for help.

In a heartbreaking recording, the girl can be heard telling the operator: 'Yeah, they're both breathing.'

'OK, OK, but you're unable to wake them up?' the operator asks.

'No, they died and they won't wake up,' the girl says. She was able to identify landmarks to point emergency services to their location.

Sentenced: Dove was given 12 months in prison, where he will undergo rehab. His wife's case is still ongoing. Rucker said he didn't understand how Dove could endanger his daughter

The couple were revived after emergency crews administered overdose reversal drug Narcan. Dove had a stent put in his heart.

On April 10, Dove pleaded no contest to a charge of child endangering.

As well as the 12-month sentence he will also serve a three-to-four-month sentence on a probation violation in Kentucky.

Smith was charged with endangering children, operating a vehicle under the influence, refusal of a chemical test and possession of an open container. Her case continues.

This is the latest in a string of high-profile stories about the opioid epidemic sweeping America.

On Friday a Wisconsin mom who crashed her car after overdosing said that a viral video of her collapsed gave her the push she needed to give up drugs.

That same day Susan Schorpen, the mother of 11-year-old murder victim Carlie Brucia, was reported dead of a suspected heroin overdose.

And he day before, a Milwaukee couple were arrested after their four-year-old son overdosed on either heroin or pain pills.
A couple who died in a suspected murder-suicide in Wangaratta, in Victoria's northeast on Tuesday, are believed to be the parents of four young children.

The woman, 39, fled the family home with the couple's four young children before she was allegedly gunned down by the man, 43, believed to be her husband.

The woman reportedly ran with the children to their next-door neighbour's home after an argument with her husband.

He followed his wife and children to the neighbour's house where he allegedly shot her before turning the gun on himself, 9 News reports.

A single red rose (pictured) was left on a car in the Wangaratta street where the suspected murder-suicide happened

A stand-off in the Victorian town ended in tragedy when the man and woman were found dead in their Belle Avenue home.

Police were called to the house about 12.50pm on Tuesday after reports of a gunshot.

A witness told police they saw a man with a rifle and telescopic sight chasing a woman before the gunshot sounded.

Two adults and six children reportedly left the house unharmed shortly after the shot was fired and sought shelter with the police.

The children were believed to be aged between two and nine years old.

Police were called to the Wangaratta property about 12.50pm on Tuesday after reports of a gunshot

Police cordoned off the area and told neighbours to remain inside their houses with the doors locked during the siege

A siege ensued with police attempting to make contact with the man holed up in the house with a woman.

When officers entered the property about 5.10pm, they found the pair dead.

Next door neighbour Miranda Fraser told the Herald Sun she was in shock at learning her friends were caught up in the 'awful tragedy'.

'My heart breaks for the kids; they have lost mummy and daddy in the worst way possible,' she said.

'They've just lost mum and dad, I don't know, it's just not right. Four children don't have a mum and dad now.'

Officers entered the Wangaratta property about 5.10pm on Tuesday and found the pair dead

Other neighbours laid flowers and messages at the home where the couple, believed to be husband and wife, lived.

Police cordoned off the area and told nearby residents in Belle, Irwin and Garnet avenues and Appin Street to remain inside their homes.

Nearby St Michael's Anglican Church first counsellor Luigi Bonacci said the deaths will have a big impact on the 'tight-knit' neighbourhood.

Police cordoned off the area and told nearby residents in Belle, Irwin and Garnet avenues and Appin Street to remain inside their homes

Do you need support? Readers seeking support and information about suicide prevention can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14. Suicide Call Back Service 1300 659 467. MensLine Australia 1300 78 99 78. National domestic violence helpline: 1800 737 732 or 1800RESPECT. In an emergency call triple-zero. Advertisement

'It will be a sad time for everybody and people will be wary about what's happened because where we are is a very tight-knit area, there are a lot of families and young kids,' he told AAP.

'Everyone seems pretty happy around here. This is not a good thing.'

Mr Bonacci said he did not yet know who was involved because police prevented residents from getting close to the scene.

Police said they were not looking for anyone in relation to the shooting.

Wangaratta police were unable to comment further on the case, with the matter referred to the coroner.
Lee alumna and President of Austin Peay State University Dr. Alisa White will deliver the address at Lee Universitys spring commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 6, at 9:30 a.m. on the lawn of the Science and Math Complex (SMC).Dr. White is an advocate for high-impact higher education practices that promote student success. She has served as a consultant for city governments and Fortune 500 companies, offering workshops on leadership, conflict negotiation, and creative management.She has also served as provost and senior vice president for Academic Affairs at the University of Texas at Tyler (UTT), as well as provost and vice president for Academic Affairs at Midwestern State University (MSU).Prior to joining the Austin Peay faculty, Dr. White served institutions such as the University of Alaska Fairbanks, Louisiana State University in Shreveport, the University of West Georgia, the University of Texas at Arlington, MSU, and UTT as a professor, department chair, graduate adviser, dean, and provost.With extensive experience in comprehensive course redesign, Dr. Whites research has been published in scholarly journals including the Journal of Advertising Research, the Journal of Advertising Education, and the Journal of Creative Behavior.Dr. White earned her doctorate of philosophy from the University of Tennessee, her master of science from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, and her bachelor of arts in business from Lee.Graduation festivities will begin with a hooding ceremony for students earning graduate degrees. This service is a ticketed event and will take place in the Lee University Chapel on Friday, May 5, at 4:30 p.m.After the hooding ceremony, all graduates will march in the commissioning service at 6:30 p.m. on the SMC lawn. During commissioning, six graduates will share stories of their Lee experiences, one graduate will perform special music, and all graduates will receive Bibles to commemorate this personal milestone. A reception on the Pedestrian Mall for guests and graduates will follow the service.The commissioning and commencement services will not require tickets unless inclement weather shifts the ceremony inside of the Paul Dana Walker Arena, where seating is limited. Climate-controlled overflow seating for both services will also be available. Over 530 degrees are set to be conferred, about 80 of which are for graduate students.The hooding, commissioning, and commencement will be available for live stream viewing at http://livestream.com/leeu
The sponsors behind Ann Coulter's controversial speech at UC Berkeley on Thursday has backed away from the appearance, blaming 'leftist agitators'.

The Young America's Foundation, a conservative group backing Coulter's speech as part of a national lecture tour, announced it was pulling out of the event at the California university.

'When Young Americas Foundation confirmed Ann Coulter would speak at UC-Berkeley as part of YAFs nationwide campus lecture program on April 27, we assumed UC Berkeley would take all steps necessary to ensure the safety of students attending the educational event,' the group's statement read.

'In the meantime we discovered that the University of California Police Department at Berkeley has an official "stand-down" policy for any situation that develops on campus as long as the situation doesnt involve the imminent loss of life, allowing the leftist thugs who have terrorized Berkeleys campus to do so without consequence.'

The statement then went on to list a series of requirements it deemed necessary for the event, including a room for 'hundreds' of people, the ability to publicize Coulter's speech, a central location on campus, and security on hand to deal with 'masked disruptors'.

The sponsors behind Ann Coulter's controversial speech at UC Berkeley on Thursday has backed away from the appearance, blaming 'leftist agitators'. Coulter is pictured in Washington DC in 2011

But the statement blasts Berkeley for what it deemed a shameful decision not to meet the demands.

'Berkeley made it impossible to hold a lecture due to the lack of assurances for protections from foreseeable violence from unrestrained leftist agitators,' the statement read.

'Berkeley should be ashamed for creating this hostile atmosphere.

'Ms. Coulter may still choose to speak in some form on campus, but Young Americas Foundation will not jeopardize the safety of its staff or students.'

And it appears as though Coulter will appear Thursday, with UC Berkeley spokesman Dan Mogulof telling NBC Bay Area: 'All we know is that Coulter is saying she will come to campus and appear in Sproul Plaza in the early afternoon. We have nothing beyond that at the moment.'

The announcement came after California law enforcement sources told Fox News there is a '99 per cent chance' of violence at the college - if Coulter's speech goes ahead.

The Young America's Foundation, a conservative group backing Coulter's speech as part of a national lecture tour, announced it was pulling out of the event at the university. Pictured is a sign about Coulter's speech on campus

Berkeley made it impossible to hold a lecture due to the lack of assurances for protections from foreseeable violence from unrestrained leftist agitators,' the Young America's Foundation said in a statement

Retired Los Angeles Sheriffs Department commander Charles Heal also said groups of the far-right and far-left potentially traveling to the campus and using the campus as a battleground is sparking further fears.

'Weve been told theyre going to come no matter whether Ann Coulter comes or not, and the next riot is not a standalone in isolation but a natural consequence of the lackluster approach of the past,' Heal told the network.

Earlier this week, two conservative groups filed a lawsuit against the college that claimed the school is violating their right to free speech by canceling the conservative pundit's speaking event on campus this week.

The lawsuit marks the latest twist in a high-profile debate over whether Coulter will be allowed to speak Thursday at UC Berkeley, which has been known for decades as a bastion of free speech and tolerance and the birthplace of the 1960s Free Speech Movement.

A legal team led by Harmeet Dhillon, a San Francisco attorney who is also a prominent California Republican, filed the case on behalf of the Berkeley College Republicans, who invited Coulter, and the Young America's Foundation, which is helping to organize and finance the event.

'Berkeley is well known as a place where ideas used to be welcome. At least on the conservative side. At least until this recent election,' Dhillon told a news conference after filing the lawsuit at the US District Court in San Francisco.

The youth conservative group tweeted about its reasons for withdrawing its sponsorship of Coulter's speech

Coulter's planned speech sparked widespread controversy at the university, which has been the site of protests in recent months

'The university is required to give equal access to speakers of different viewpoints.'

The lawsuit says that Berkeley is trying 'to restrict and stifle the speech of conservative students whose voices fall beyond the campus political orthodoxy.'

Dhillon is a committeewoman to the Republican National Convention for California and former vice chairwoman of the California Republican Party.

The YAF is going ahead with its part of the lawsuit, despite announcing it was no longer backing the appearance.

Campus Republicans invited Coulter to speak at Berkeley this Thursday, but Berkeley officials informed the group last week that the event was being called off for security concerns.

The university then backtracked and offered an alternate date, but Coulter has insisted that she plans to still come Thursday.

It remains unclear where she would hold the event, and no details have been publicized.

A legal team led by Harmeet Dhillon (right), a San Francisco attorney who is also a prominent California Republican, earlier this week filed the case on behalf of the Berkeley College Republicans who claim their free speech is being interfered with by the school

The Student Union building at the University of California Berkeley is pictured. Coulter is still expected to appear at the campus this Thursday

Coulter is not a plaintiff on the lawsuit. But she voiced support for it on Twitter, posting Monday that the lawsuit 'demands appropriate & safe venue for my speech THIS THURSDAY.'

The university's attempt to call off the event came after a series of violent clashes this year on campus and in downtown Berkeley between far-right and far-left protesters.

The lawsuit demands unstated damages and compensation for attorney fees, a trial by jury and an injunction against Berkeley officials from 'restricting the exercise of political expression on the UC Berkeley campus.'

It names four university officials as defendants, including University of California President Janet Napolitano and Berkeley Chancellor Nicholas B. Dirks, and three police officials, including university police chief Margo Bennett.

The University of California president's office issued a statement saying it welcomes speakers of all political viewpoints and 'is committed to providing a forum to enable Ann Coulter to speak on the Berkeley campus.'

'The campus seeks to ensure that all members of the Berkeley and larger community - including Ms. Coulter herself - remain safe during such an event.'
Liberal MPs have made vile and racist attacks on their colleague and new mother-of-two Kelly O'Dwyer for 'holding her baby like a gypsy' to 'steal' superannuation, according to claims.

The member for Higgins in Melbourne's inner south-east is on maternity leave, two weeks after giving birth to her son, Edward.

Ms O'Dwyer, Minister for Revenue and Financial Services, was behind superannuation reforms which add a tax to wealthy workers.

Sky News political reporter Samantha Maiden claims Liberal MPs in Victoria have attacked Ms O'Dwyer for 'holding her baby like a gypsy' to 'steal' super.

'There was the suggestion in Victoria that some of her Liberal Party critics said of Kelly O'Dwyer that she, quote, "holds her baby like a gypsy",' Ms Maiden said.

'The suggestion was that gypsies in Europe hold their babies and then steal your wallet, she's going to steal your super.'

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Liberal MPs in Victoria have reportedly attacked Kelly O'Dwyer and said she 'holds her baby like a gypsy' to distract people while she 'steals' superannuation (Ms O'Dwyer is pictured with her newborn baby boy, Edward)

Ms Maiden described the comments as 'disgusting skulduggery'.

The word 'gypsy' is a racial slur on Romani or Roma people, an ethnic group of nomadic people in Europe.

Ms O'Dwyer is one of five women in Malcolm Turnbull's cabinet.

She was behind superannuation reforms which passed in November.

The reforms put a 15 per cent tax on earnings for those with more than $1.5 million superannuation.

The changes have angered wealthy voters, who are behind a move to push Ms O'Dwyer out, prompting rumours Peta Credlin  the former chief of staff to former Prime Minister Tony Abbott  would challenge for the seat.

Ms O'Dwyer is pictured while pregnant with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull

Ms O'Dwyer's baby boy Edward is pictured, after she gave birth to him about two weeks ago

Mr Turnbull is pictured with his women cabinet ministers in September 2015, including Ms O'Dwyer holding her baby daughter Olivia

Ms Credlin said she has been approached to run for parliament but is not interested.

She dismissed rumours she was contemplating a challenge to Ms O'Dwyer.

'The thought of going back into politics at the moment is about as appealing as chewing glass,' Ms Credlin wrote in The Australian on Tuesday, adding she'd 'often' been approached to run.

Suggestions she was part of a plot by disgruntled locals to challenge Ms O'Dwyer for preselection in the Victorian seat of Higgins were 'complete, utter fake news', she said.

Special Minister of State Scott Ryan told Sky News it was 'appalling' Ms O'Dwyer has been attacked shortly after giving birth.

Kelly O'Dwyer is pictured with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull before she gave birth to her newborn son

Peta Credlin (left) dismissed rumours she was contemplating a challenge to Ms O'Dwyer (right)

'She was responsible, along with the whole government, for a very difficult set of policies that brought equity back to superannuation and that ensured we can bring our budget back into balance,' he said.

Jack Hammond QC, a barrister who lives in Ms O'Dwyer's seat, set up the Save Our Super group following the reforms. It is not suggested Mr Hammond made the gypsy claims.

He rejected the timing was related to Ms O'Dwyer's maternity leave.

'It's a complete, if you pardon the pun, misconception. It's got nothing to do with her being on maternity leave or otherwise,' Mr Hammond told ABC.

'They gave birth to an appalling policy which is affecting thousands of Australians, not only now but in the future. They're the people who they should be thinking about.'

Ms O'Dwyer and her first child Olivia are pictured with Mr Turnbull in July last year

Member for Higgins Kelly O'Dwyer is pictured with her first child, Olivia, in July 2016

Greens senator Larissa Waters criticised the Liberal Party plotters for pressuring Ms O'Dwyer shortly after giving birth.

'Remember more than half of all working mums say they have been discriminated against because they have kids to look after,' Ms Waters wrote on Twitter.

Ms Dwyer gave birth to her son Edward shortly before Easter.

'He's arrived. Welcome to the world Edward!' she posted to Facebook shortly after the baby boy's birth.

Ms O'Dwyer also has a 22-month-old daughter, Olivia, to her husband Jon Mant.

Finance Minister Mathias Cormann is acting in her portfolio while she is on maternity leave for six weeks.

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Ms O'Dwyer's office for comment.
If the machines are truly going to take over the Earth, they have a ways to go.

That's what cops in the Mountain View area of Silicon Valley learned on April 19 when they arrested an apparently drunk man for kicking over a limbless security robot.

Jason Sylvain, 41, stands accused of being a robocidal maniac after assaulting the conical droid as it patrolled a parking lot, according to NBC Bay Area.

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Legless man vs armless robot: Police say Jason Sylvain, 41, is the man seen in this footage, about to drunkenly topple a K5 security droid outside the Knightscope offices in Silicon Valley

Robo cop: The robots are five feet tall, weigh 300lbs, and can recognize known shoplifters and photograph car license plates. They can be rented out for around $7 per hour

Sylvain jumped the K5-model robot outside the offices of its manufacturers, Knightscope, near the corner of Terra Bella and Linda Vista Avenue, police said.

'He knocked over the machine and decided to have a conversation with it,' Stacy Dean Stevens, vice president of marketing and sales at Knightscope, claimed.

It's not known what was said to the stricken security droid.

The robots, which are five feet tall and weigh 300lbs, can use their cameras to spot the faces of known shoplifters and photograph car license plates.

But they are clearly not much use in a fight.

Sylvain's alleged attempt to terminate the hapless machine was a very one-sided affair: All the robot could do to defend itself is spin around and whistle.

Unfortunately for him, it was also equipped with an alarm that caused the company's human guards to come running and place Sylvain under citizen's arrest, NBC reported.

Sylvain was charged with public intoxication and prowling - and Stevens says that shows the robot was doing 'exactly what it was supposed to do.'

And much like the Terminator, the K5 unit came back after its unfortunate encounter, with a few scratches to show for it.

Droid rage: Police didn't say why Sylvain would attack the robot. It has now been restored and is back on the beat

Residents in the area were not impressed with Sylvain's alleged droid rage.

Local Eamonn Callon told ABC 7 that 'it shows how spineless the drunk guys in Silicon Valley really are because they attack a victim who doesn't even have any arms.'

The robots aren't completely harmless, however: Last year one of the units left a one-year-old shaken after it bumped into him in a shopping mall.

Toddler Harwin Cheng was left 'crying like crazy' after being struck by the security machine on July 6 last year.

He was in a shopping mall in Palo Alto - the suburb next to Mountain View that is home to tech whizzes like Mark Zuckerberg - when the K5 unit plowed into him.

He was not seriously hurt, but suffered a bruised foot and a bump to the head.

The unit's sensors had apparently malfunctioned.
An American woman has been jailed for three-and-a-half years in a secretive Chinese court over spying claims branded 'beyond ridiculous' by her husband.

Sandy Phan-Gillis, a naturalised US citizen, has been detained in China since March 2015 after being accused of espionage.

The case has heightened tension between the US and China, but her lawyers are hopeful she will be returned home soon.

Sandy Phan-Gillis, a naturalised US citizen, has been detained in China since March 2015 after being accused of espionage

Her lawyer Shang Baojun told Reuters that Phan-Gillis had admitted espionage during a closed trial in the southwestern city of Nanning and was not planning to appeal.

'She will probably be exported to the U.S. soon, but we do not know the exact date yet,' Shang said, adding that she was being held in a police station in the meantime.

The government has not released details of the charges against Phan-Gillis, but her husband Jeff Gillis, from Houston, Texas, has been outspoken in his criticism of her treatment.

He told the Associated Press in October last year: 'Hearing how they had treated her, it made me cry.' He described the allegations against her as 'easily proven to be false'.

Sandy Phan-Gillis with husband Jeff, who has branded her detention 'beyond ridiculous'

Shang said that because the case touched upon 'state secrets', he could not reveal details of the ruling until the official verdict had been released, which was expected within the next five days.

Phan-Gillis had been in regular contact with US officials while in detention, Shang said.

The US Embassy in Beijing referred questions about the charges of espionage to Phan-Gillis' legal team.

'We remain concerned about Ms Phan-Gillis' welfare and continue to follow her case closely,' embassy spokeswoman Mary Beth Polley told Reuters.

Phan-Gillis' arrest added to tension between China and the United States in the final months of former President Barack Obama's administration

'We are in favour of any result that allows her to return home to her family soon,' Polley said, when asked about a possible Chinese deportation order.

China's definition of state secrets is very broad, encompassing everything from government directives to top leaders' birthdays. Information can also be declared a state secret retroactively.

The arrest added to tension between China and the United States in the final months of former President Barack Obama's administration, a relationship already strained by China's assertiveness over its claims in the disputed South China Sea.

Despite criticising China on the campaign trail, US President Donald Trump has recently warmed to it after a summit with President Xi Jinping in Florida in early April when Trump said they had developed an 'outstanding' relationship.

In recent days, Trump has praised Chinese efforts to press North Korea to give up its development of nuclear weapons and long-range missiles.
Not much can come between a child and their favourite toy.

But this three-year-old took things to a whole new level, getting himself stuck inside a soft toy vending machine.

The boy had to be rescued by firefighters after wiggling his way inside the claw machine and becoming trapped.

Despite the claustrophobic experience, firefighters said the boy was having 'the time of his life' inside and appeared to be in no rush to get back out.

A three-year-old boy had to be rescued by firefighters after getting trapped inside a soft toy vending machine

The boy had to be rescued by firefighters after wiggling his way inside the machine and becoming trapped

The boy's family were having a drink at The Australian Hotel and Brewery at Rouse Hill in Sydney's west on Anzac Day when he clambered into the skill tester machine.

The boy's mother called in firefighters after it became clear the boy - who remained calm throughout the ordeal - could not work out how to get back out.

Captain David Richards of 083 Riverstone Fire and Rescue told the Daily Telegraph that the boy said he 'felt good' and happily took a drink of cold water from rescuers as he waited to be freed.

'When we arrived, we found the boy had crawled through the hole in the machine but was enjoying himself, playing with the toys. He was not distressed,' Captain Richards said.

'We then used our rapid intervention kit which has door-busting tools to break open the door to the vending machine to take him out.

'This is the first time we have rescued someone from a vending machine though we had done rescues on someone's hand stuck inside.'

Despite the claustrophobic experience, firefighters said the boy was having 'the time of his life' inside the machine and appeared to be in no rush to get back out

The boy's family were having a drink at The Australian Hotel and Brewery (pictured) at Rouse Hill in Sydney's west on Anzac Day when he clambered into the machine

Captain Richards added that pub staff had been 'fantastic' throughout the unusual incident.

Riverstone Firefighters later revealed on Facebook that the boy did not particularly want to get out of the machine and had been having fun playing with all the toys.

'The young boy was not distressed and was having the time of his life playing with all the toys,' it said.

'Firefighters were able to talk to the child and reassure him whilst carefully opening the door as to not cause the machine to break and injure the child.

'Using our Rapid Intervention Kit and some careful manipulation techniques Firefighters were able to open the door and free the child.

'Firefighters returned the very happy child to his parents who were very relieved.'

Comments on Facebook suggested it was not the first time children had got themselves stuck inside the machine.

'I have been there off-duty and on three occasions I have gotten kids out of that/ those machines,' firefighter Mick Kerslake said.

Matt Cross added: 'Oh no it happened again.'
A US warship has been forced to change course and fire warning flares by an Iranian attack boat that raced towards it with its weapons manned.

The USS Mahan had to take evasive action as the Iranian fast attack craft approached it in the Persian Gulf on Monday.

Fox News reports the foreign vessel did not come any closer than 1,000 yards, however that was still enough for those aboard the American destroyer to sound a warning signal and man its own weapons.

A navy official confirmed the incident to the network, and described it as an act of provocation.

The USS Mahan (pictured in 2012) has been forced to change course and fire warning flares by an Iranian attack boat that raced towards it with its weapons manned

'Coming inbound at a high rate of speed like that and manning weapons, despite clear warnings from the ship, is obviously provocative behavior,' the anonymous official said.

The Mahan is a 505-foot-long Arleigh Burke-class destroyer that is manned by more than 300 members.

It can reach speeds of 30 knots, and is capable of firing standard and Tomahawk missiles.

In January, crew aboard the vessel fired warning shots at four Iranian vessels near the Strait of Hormuz from its .50 caliber machine gun. The shots were fired off when the Iranian boats refused to slow down after being requested to by the American crew.

This map shows where the incident took place in the Persian Gulf near the Strait of Hormuz

The USS Mahan had to take evasive action as the Iranian fast attack craft approached it in the Persian Gulf on Monday. Pictured is an Iranian speedboat in 2010

A US Navy helicopter also dropped a smoke float before the warning shots were fired.

Pentagon officials said at the time the Iranian vessels came within 900 yards of the Mahan, which was escorting two other US military ships.

The two incidents came after then-candidate Donald Trump threatened any Iranian vessels that harass the US Navy in the Gulf would be 'shot out of the water.'

In August another US Navy ship fired warning shots towards an Iranian fast-attack craft that approached two US ships.

The Straits of Hormuz is a crucial pinch point at the eastern end of the Persian Gulf, where ships carrying millions of tons of oil from Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates pass through every day.
A man has avoided more than $114,000 in unpaid tolls, traffic infringements and parking fines after he told the court he was living in his car and didn't know how Victoria's E-tag system worked.

The Indian national from Victoria appeared in Geelong Magistrates Court on Wednesday, reported SBS Punjabi.

The court quashed the unpaid fees and administrative costs after hearing an application for consideration of special circumstances under the Infringements Act.

A man has avoided more than $114,000 in unpaid tolls, traffic infringements and parking fines after he told the court he was living in his car and didn't know how the E-tag system worked

The man's lawyer Bernie Balmer told the court his client had accumulated the fines between 2012 and 2013.

Mr Balmer said his client was living in a car and therefore couldn't receive infringement letters from authorities during this time.

Mr Balmer also said two-thirds of the amount owed were administrative charges adding up to what he described as an 'insurmountable amount'.

He added that his client did not know how the E-tag system worked, saying in India people physically paid the toll at booths.

The Geelong Magistrates Court quashed the the unpaid fees and administrative costs after hearing an application for consideration of special circumstances under the Infringements Act

Mr Balmer said his client's parents had stopped supporting him, and he had lost his license due to demerit points and this affected his ability to work.

The Australian Road Safety Foundation told Nine News the case set a bad example for drivers new to Australia's roads.

CityLink told Nine News they were unable to comment on individual cases, but said they offer 'first-time forgiveness and hardship programs.'
Congressman Steve King seemed to question the language skills of one of his Latina constituents in an 'offensive' tweet he posted on Tuesday.

Vanessa Marcano-Kelly, a board member of Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement who is fluent in English, Spanish and French according to the New York Daily News, had a meeting scheduled with a member the Iowa Representative's staff for 2.00pm Eastern in Washington, DC.

When the staffer was a no-show after 23 minutes, Marcano-Kelly, 32, then tweeted about the missed meeting, which the congressman quoted with the reply, 'Do you always lie in English?'

King's initial response was posted at 3.10pm Eastern, 45 minutes after his constituent's tweet.

Furious with that response, Marcano-Kelly marched to King's office and streamed the ensuing encounter on Facebook Live.

Congressman Steve King seemed to question the language skills of one of his Latina constituents in a tweet he posted on Tuesday

'Had mtg set up with @SteveKingIA staff in DC,' Marcano-Kelly tweeted at 2.25pm Eastern. '23 min later, staff no show. We're here all the way from IA. Way 2 serve the people, Rep. King.'

When King responded accusing Marcano-Kelly of lying and appearing to question her ability to speak English, she and her team from Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement decided to 'take the meeting to him.'

'It was shocking to see that,' the interpreter and translator told the Daily News.

'I had that gut feeling in the pit of my stomach. I felt targeted, attacked and offended that you have this person whos supposed to be representing Iowa, who has power, belittling you like that.'

US Representative from Iowa Steve King seemed to question the language skills of his Latina constituent, Vanessa Marcano-Kelly (pictured) in a tweet he posted on Tuesday, which prompted her to march to King's office and stream the ensuing encounter on Facebook Live

Marcano-Kelly read King's 'discriminatory' and 'offensive' tweet as she was waiting for another scheduled meeting, she said.

Once she arrived to King's office, she can be seen on video demanding an apology and asserting that she always tells the truth, in any of the three languages she speaks.

Marcano-Kelly also made it clear that tweets she had found offensive from King's Twitter account, which his staff confirmed in the video that he runs himself, were to be a large part of her discussion with the staffer who failed to show up to meeting.

Marcano-Kelly (L) made it clear that tweets she had found offensive from King's Twitter account, which his staff confirmed in the video that he runs himself, were to be a large part of her discussion with the staffer who failed to show up to meeting; US Republican Representative from Iowa Steve King is shown here (R) using a mobile device while arriving to a House Republican Caucus meeting in Washington, DC, on March 24

Marcano-Kelly specifically referenced a tweet posted on April 18 featuring an image of an alcoholic beverage that was meant in celebration of the plight of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) beneficiary Juan Manuel Montes, 23, who remains in Mexico pending cases surrounding his deportation.

'First non-valedictorian DREAMer deported,' the tweet read. 'Border Patrol, this one's for you.'

The live-streamed encounter went on for about 5 minutes before a woman left to check with her staff to verify that a meeting was in fact scheduled, after first looking over the email chain allegedly confirming the appointment presented by Marcano-Kelly and her staff.

The live-streamed encounter went on for about 5 minutes before a woman left to check with her staff to verify that a meeting was in fact scheduled, after first looking over the email chain allegedly confirming the appointment presented by Marcano-Kelly and her staff

The woman returned almost 3 minutes later with the staffer who missed the appointment.

He was very apologetic, and took responsibility for not attending the off-site meeting.

Later, King replied once more to Marcano-Kelly, again quoting her initial tweet about the missed meeting.

'U didn't lie. No way to connect u2 the missed meeting,' he wrote at 5.28pm Eastern. 'Next time just call. Glad all is cleared up.'

But it's not quite all cleared up for Marcano-Kelly, who vehemently stated repeatedly that King's social media presence does not represent Iowan values.

'The fact that he targeted, that was very charged,' she said. 'I think hes proud of that hardline stance he has on immigration. Hes not going to change.'
President Donald Trump taunted a federal judge and the liberal federal circuit that reviews his cases on Wednesday, saying a Supreme Court showdown was inevitable after his 'sanctuary city' crackdown was blocked.

'First the Ninth Circuit rules against the [travel] ban & now it hits again on sanctuary cities-both ridiculous rulings. See you in the Supreme Court!' the president said on Twitter, lashing out at U.S. District Judge William Orrick.

The swipe came hours after the White House slammed opponents of its immigration policies in the strongest terms yet, saying lawmakers who protect illegal-immigrant criminals have 'the blood of dead Americans on their hands.'

Trump wrote in a pair of tweets: 'Out of our very big country, with many choices, does everyone notice that both the "ban" case and now the "sanctuary" case is brought in the Ninth Circuit, which has a terrible record of being overturned (close to 80%). They used to call this "judge shopping!" Messy system.'

Orrick isn't technically part of the Ninth Circuit, which is an appeals court. He is a district court judge, which is one level down in the federal judicial system.

But at the top of the pyramid is the U.S. Supreme Court, where Trump successfully placed a new justice this month  restoring a conservative tilt that could ultimately decide the sanctuary city issue and a host of others.

The president's rhetoric has been unusually heated on the issue of whether states, counties and cities can effectively hide illegal immigrants from the feds when they arrest or sentence them.

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Blasted: The Trump administration has lashed out at a San Francisco judge who blocked a ban on federal funding for sanctuary cities. Judge William Orrick (right), an Obama-era appointee, struck down the measure on Wednesday

President Donald Trump tweeted that he would ultimately prevail with his plan to withhold money from cities and counties that refuse to hand illegal-immigrant criminals over to federal immigration agents for deportation

Mayors and officials from the Major Cities Chiefs Association, including Tom Manger, chief of police in Montgomery County, Maryland (centre), met Jeff Sessions for discussions on sanctuary cities

In a lengthy statement released on Tuesday night by Trump's press secretary, Sean Spicer, the White House said Orrick's decision to block a ban on funding for sanctuary cities was 'a gift to criminal gangs and cartels.'

The statement cited the death of Kathryn 'Kate' Steinle, the 32-year-old woman shot dead by an illegal immigrant in Orrick's city of San Francisco in 2015. Trump invoked Steinle's name repeatedly during his presidential campaign to make the case that violent criminals who are in the U.S. illegally should be shown no mercy.

'San Francisco, and cities like it, are putting the well-being of criminal aliens before the safety of our citizens, and those city officials who authored these policies have the blood of dead Americans on their hands,' the statement read.

The furious criticism came after Orrick blocked an order allowing the federal government to withhold grant funding from communities that fail to cooperate with U.S. immigration authorities.

Orrick, ruling in a federal lawsuit, declared that the president had no authority to use an executive order to attach new conditions to federal spending.

The decision will stay in place while the lawsuit works its way through the courts.

The president has taken issue with the Ninth Circuit court's aggressive approach to his executive orders, saying correctly that it's America's most liberal circuit and that the Supreme Court overrules four out of every five of its cases that it reviews

'We'll go to the Supreme Court and win it there,' said Sean Spicer, the president's press secretary

Spicer described the decision as 'another blow' for 'the rule of law, as an unelected judge unilaterally rewrote immigration policy for our Nation.'

His statement went on to say cities that don't turn over their jailed criminals to immigration officials 'are engaged in the dangerous and unlawful nullification of Federal law in an attempt to erase our borders.'

'This decision occurred in the same sanctuary city that released the 5-time deported illegal immigrant who gunned down innocent Kate Steinle in her father's arms,' his statement said.

THE KILLING OF KATHRYN STEINLE The White House's incendiary rant makes reference to San Francisco murder victim 'Kate Steinle', in reference to Judge Orrick's ruling. Kathryn Steinle was shot dead on a pier in the city in 2015 by Juan Francisco Lopez-Sanchez, who had previously been deported from the US five times. Her father, Jim Steinle, attempted first aid but was unable to save her. She was 32 years old. Sanchez told police that he'd found the gun that killed Steinle wrapped in a T-shirt under a bench and that he had been trying to shoot seals. He said he was groggy after eating sleeping pills he found in a trash can, The gun had been stolen from a Bureau of Land Management vehicle the night before. Sanchez first entered the US in 1991 and was deported in 1994. In-between he had four felony drug convictions, including manufacturing narcotics. He then bounced in and out of the country and was deported for the final time in 2009. He re-entered the US three months later and was jailed. Sanchez was transferred on March 26, 2015, to San Francisco authorities on an outstanding drug warrant; they later released him as the warrant was out of date. ICE demanded they hand him over, but the San Francisco authorities refused and released him. Three months later he shot and killed Steinle. Kathryn Steinle (pictured) was shot dead in San Francisco in 2015 by Juan Francisco Lopez Sanchez, who had been deported from the US five times previously Advertisement

'San Francisco, and cities like it, are putting the well-being of criminal aliens before the safety of our citizens, and those city officials who authored these policies have the blood of dead Americans on their hands.

'This San Francisco judge's erroneous ruling is a gift to the criminal gang and cartel element in our country, empowering the worst kind of human trafficking and sex trafficking, and putting thousands of innocent lives at risk.'

Spicer's lengthy statement concluded by saying the White House was 'confident' that it would be vindicated by the Supreme Court, and that it would 'pursue all legal remedies to the sanctuary city threat that imperils our citizens.'

The press secretary appeared on the Fox news Channel in the mid-morning hours, saying that 'as it goes to the Supreme Court they will clearly rule that the president was well within his legal right to do this.'

'I think that anybody that's got a basic understanding of the Constitution and a basic reading of U.S. Code would come to the same conclusions. So we'll go through the process. And as the president noted, we'll go to the Supreme Court and win it there,' Spicer said.

The Trump administration disagreed with two California governments that sued over the order about its scope during a recent court hearing.

San Francisco and Santa Clara County argued that it threatened billions of dollars in federal funding for each of them, making it difficult to plan their budgets.

'It's not like it's just some small amount of money,' John Keker, an attorney for Santa Clara County, told Orrick  an Obama-era appointee to the federal bench  at an April 14 hearing.

Chad Readler, acting assistant attorney general, said the county and San Francisco were interpreting the executive order too broadly.

The funding cutoff applies to three Justice Department and Homeland Security Department grants that require complying with a federal law that local governments not block officials from providing people's immigration status, he said.

The order would affect less than $1 million in funding for Santa Clara County and possibly no money at all for San Francisco, Readler said.

Trump was using a 'bully pulpit' to 'encourage communities and states to comply with the law,' Readler said.

In his ruling, Orrick sided with San Francisco and Santa Clara, saying the order 'by its plain language, attempts to reach all federal grants, not merely the three mentioned at the hearing.'

'The rest of the order is broader still, addressing all federal funding,' Orrick said.

'And if there was doubt about the scope of the order, the president and attorney general have erased it with their public comments.'

He said: 'Federal funding that bears no meaningful relationship to immigration enforcement cannot be threatened merely because a jurisdiction chooses an immigration enforcement strategy of which the president disapproves.'

WHITE HOUSE STATEMENT IN FULL Today, the rule of law suffered another blow, as an unelected judge unilaterally rewrote immigration policy for our Nation. Federal law explicitly states 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, of any individual. 8 U.S.C. 1373(a). That means, according to Congress, a city that prohibits its officials from providing information to federal immigration authorities - a sanctuary city - is violating the law. Sanctuary cities, like San Francisco, block their jails from turning over criminal aliens to Federal authorities for deportation. These cities are engaged in the dangerous and unlawful nullification of Federal law in an attempt to erase our borders. Once again, a single district judge - this time in San Francisco - has ignored Federal immigration law to set a new immigration policy for the entire country. This decision occurred in the same sanctuary city that released the 5-time deported illegal immigrant who gunned down innocent Kate Steinle in her father's arms. San Francisco, and cities like it, are putting the well-being of criminal aliens before the safety of our citizens, and those city officials who authored these policies have the blood of dead Americans on their hands. This San Francisco judge's erroneous ruling is a gift to the criminal gang and cartel element in our country, empowering the worst kind of human trafficking and sex trafficking, and putting thousands of innocent lives at risk. This case is yet one more example of egregious overreach by a single, unelected district judge. Todays [sic] ruling undermines faith in our legal system and raises serious questions about circuit shopping. But we are confident we will ultimately prevail in the Supreme Court, just as we will prevail in our lawful efforts to impose immigration restrictions necessary to keep terrorists out of the United States. In the meantime, we will pursue all legal remedies to the sanctuary city threat that imperils our citizens, and continue our efforts to ramp up enforcement to remove the criminal and gang element from our country. Ultimately, this is a fight between sovereignty and open borders, between the rule of law and lawlessness, and between hardworking Americans and those who would undermine their safety and freedom. Advertisement

The Trump administration says sanctuary cities allow dangerous criminals back on the street and that the order is needed to keep the country safe.

San Francisco and other sanctuary cities say turning local police into immigration officers erodes trust that's needed to get people to report crime.

The order also has led to lawsuits by Seattle; two Massachusetts cities, Lawrence and Chelsea; and a third San Francisco Bay Area government, the city of Richmond. The San Francisco and Santa Clara County suits were the first to get a hearing before a judge.

San Francisco and the county argued in court documents that the president did not have the authority to set conditions on the allocation of federal funds and could not force local officials to enforce federal immigration law.

They also said Trump's order applied to local governments that didn't detain immigrants for possible deportation in response to federal requests, not just those that refused to provide people's immigration status.

The Department of Justice responded that the city and county's lawsuits were premature because decisions about withholding funds and what local governments qualified as sanctuary cities had yet to be made.

The sanctuary city order was among a flurry of immigration measures Trump has signed since taking office in January, including a ban on travelers from seven Muslim-majority countries and a directive calling for a wall on the border with Mexico.

A judge from the 9th Circuit blocked the initial travel ban from seven Muslim-majority countries, and appeal judges from the circuit also ruled against it.

Trump suggested breaking up the circuit and said that it was notoriously liberal.

Sanctuary cities have become increasingly contentious, with Attorney General Jeff Sessions issuing harsh criticism last week of cities including New York which generally refuse to cooperate with immigration authorities.

Taking a tough line: Jeff Sessions, the attorney general, sent nine jurisdictions letters on Friday warning they would lose key grant money unless they document cooperation with immigration authorities

The Trump administration has suggested that cities, counties or states which prohibit law enforcement from cooperating with federal immigration authorities would lose federal funding.

Mayors from some of the cities affected met Sessions on Tuesday but emerged from the meeting saying they remain confused about how to prove their police aren't prohibited from cooperating with immigration authorities - a requirement for the money.

The Justice Department has warned some jurisdictions that they could lose some law enforcement grant money if they don't prove their local police and sheriffs are able to share information with federal immigration authorities about the citizenship status of people in their custody.

Sessions has labeled cities that bar such information-sharing as 'sanctuary cities.'

'We want all jurisdictions to enthusiastically support the laws of the United States that require the removal of criminal aliens, as many jurisdictions already do,' Sessions said in a statement released after the meeting with representatives of the U.S. Conference of Mayors.

But the officials who met with Sessions said practical questions remain about how to follow the rules.

For example, does that mean a sheriff's department must tell Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) about an inmate's incarceration by phone?

Or will an inmate's fingerprint information, taken by the jail and then shared with the FBI and ICE, be enough? And how long can a local jail hold someone for immigration authorities without violating their rights?

'We got more clarity than we've ever received, but we also have other thorny issues to sort through,' said Jorge Elorza, the mayor of Providence, Rhode Island, after the hour-long meeting.

It was the first time the delegation of mayors met with Sessions since the department sent nine jurisdictions letters on Friday warning they would lose key grant money unless they document cooperation with immigration authorities.

The jurisdictions, which include the state of California and major cities like Chicago, New York and Philadelphia, were places the Justice Department's inspector general previously identified as having barriers to information-sharing among local police and immigration officials. Some disputed they met the 'sanctuary city' title.

New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu, whose city received one of the letters, said he provided Sessions with proof of compliance during Tuesday's meeting but remained stunned the city received a warning in the first place, as it drafted its policies in consultation with federal immigration and Homeland Security officials.

The delegation also included mayors from Columbia, South Carolina; Gary, Indiana; and Austin, Texas. The meeting touched on a number of other concerns related to the Trump administration's immigration policies they said remain confusing.

On a number of immigration issues, 'we hear very different messages from (Homeland Security), DOJ and also the White House,' Elorza said. 'Just give us clarity and please have one, clear policy so we can know where we stand.'
This is the terrifying moment a massive shark circled beneath a group of surfers who were unaware the predator was lurking just metres away.

David Finlay was flying his drone at Surf Beach in Kiama, New South Wales, on Monday when he spotted the huge beast below the surface of the water.

He said he was using his drone to watch surfers from above when he suddenly saw the large shark swimming below three people in the water.

This is the terrifying moment a massive shark circled beneath a group of surfers who were unaware the predator was lurking just metres away

In his video, which was posted on the Clear Skies TV YouTube page, Mr Finlay can be heard telling someone: 'Holy  theres a shark out there.

'Theres a shark right under the surfers. You got a mobile phone?'

The drone enthusiast, who was about 300 metres away from the surfers, told the Illawara Mercury that he ran down the beach to try to alert them.

'I could see it with my own eyes, circling the area,' he said. 'The first thing I thought about was, "how can I let these guys know?"

David Finlay was flying his drone at Surf Beach in Kiama, New South Wales, on Monday when he spotted the huge beast below the surface of the water

He said he was using his drone to watch surfers from above when he suddenly saw the large shark swimming below three people in the water

'I ran down the beach and tried to find a lifeguard, but of course if was after lifeguard hours.

'I let some of the surfers know who were coming out of the water. But I was reassured by the time I got down there. Id monitored the shark the whole time Id been running, and it continued to move away from the surfers.'

The creature appears to be a grey nurse shark, which rarely attack humans and have never been known to kill people.

A shark sighting earlier that day had closed the beach but it was reopened after it could not be found.
Winners of the first UT CORNET Awards in Cancer Research for the University of Tennessee system included Cuilan (Lani) Gao, PhD, Assistant Professor of Mathematics, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.

Dr. Gao and her collaborating researcher Manish K. Tripathi, Assistant Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences at UT Health Science Center, had their project selected for funding along with two other projects. Dr. Gao and Mr. Tripathis research project is entitled The Role of lncRNA-NRON and NFAT in CRC Health Disparity. The project studies a divergent trend in mortality rates between African American and Caucasians with colorectal cancer over the last 40 years. The Gao-Tripathi team is looking at cellular and molecular mechanisms that dictate how the disease behaves and progresses in underserved populations.

Other projects selected for funding were:

 Real-time Autobioluminescent Imaging of NF-kB and Wnt Signaling Activities and Their Synergistic Co-activation in Cancer: Steven Ripp, Research Associate Professor at the Center for Environmental Biotechnology at UT Knoxville, and Zhaohui Wu, Assistant Professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at UT Health Science Center. The team will develop light-emitting human cancer cell lines whose maturation toward tumor growth can be monitored in real time within live animal models using sensitive imaging cameras. The research will help scientists learn about cancer progression and screen new cancer-fighting drugs.

 Dual Therapeutic Nanoplatform Delivery for Effective Breast Cancer Treatment: Hwa-Chain Robert Wang, Professor of Biomedical and Diagnostic Sciences at the UT Institute of Agriculture, and Murali M. Yallapu, Assistant Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences at UT Health Science Center. This project will help develop a treatment for triple negative breast cancer, a form of cancer that is highly aggressive and difficult to treat with traditional medicines. Wang and Yallapu will combine two USDA-approved medicines in a new nanoformulation that will specifically target the tumor cell and result in minimal side effects.
A relative of the grandfather-of-three killed in a collision with former The Bachelor Chris Soules has defended the reality star, saying that it was nothing more than a 'huge mistake'.

Soules was arraigned Tuesday morning in connection with the devastating crash with a tractor that left his elderly neighbor, Kenneth Mosher, 66, dead in Iowa Monday night.

He appeared in court Tuesday and was charged with leaving the scene of the crash.

Court documents also indicate Soules was in possession of alcoholic beverage containers at the time of the incident, which took place at around 8.20pm in Buchanan County.

Robert Roepke, whose daughter is married to the victim's son, told People: 'I believe it was a very tragic, sad incident that took the life of a guy that was just coming home from work.

Neighbors: Chris Soules (left), of The Bachelor fame, is accused of slamming into his neighbor Kenneth Mosher's (right) tractor, then fleeing the scene. Mosher, 66, died after being rushed to the hospital

After the crash: Here a sheriff's car from Buchanan County is seen near the scene of the crash with an ambulance in the background

'This is corn planting time, the best time of the year for a farmer. Kenny was working on one of the farms just a little north of Aurora and I think he was just coming home. For Chris, what happened was a freak accident.'

Soules, 35, was accused of 'slamming into a tractor and then fleeing the scene'. The driver, 66-year-old Kenneth Mosher, died after being rushed to the hospital.

Roepke explained that the reality star comes from a good family, is well-vested in farming, and has 'a great life ahead of him'.

He continued: 'This is a serious bump in the road and I don't know about this (alleged) alcohol issue but I just know that this was a huge mistake.

'It's something he's going to have to deal with for the rest of his life. It just ended very tragically'.

Roepke later said Mosher, a husband, father and grandfather, will be remembered as a hardworking farmer whose passion was planting corn.

'He loved farming and cared about the land. He was doing his business, taking care of business. The Mosher's are in shock and still trying to process it all,' he told People.

Mosher is survived by wife Nancy, their two sons and three grandchildren - two boys and a girl.

Family man: Mosher, 66, is pictured in this undated Facebook photo with his wife, Nancy, and their three grandchildren

First appearance: Soules appeared in an Iowa court Tuesday morning (pictured) for his arraignment in connection to the deadly crash

Dressed in a lime-green jail garb, orange slippers and gray socks, Soules appeared before a judge in a Buchanan County courtroom Tuesday morning and was ordered held on $10,000 bond, reported the station KWWL.

Soules was released from jail at around midday after his mother, Linda, posted bond on his behalf, reported Des Moines Register. He will be required to surrender his passport and wear an electronic monitoring ankle bracelet until his trial, jail officials said.

Soules is due back in court for a preliminary hearing on May 2.

According to the Buchanan County Sheriffs Office, Soules has been charged with 'leaving the scene of a fatal car accident that left one individual dead.'

The 35-year-old was driving a Chevy pickup at the time of the accident. He has posed with a grey Chevy Silverado on Instagram and has also recently posted a photo of a white Chevy.

According to the sheriff's office, Soules rear-ended a John Deere tractor driven by Kenneth Mosher, his fellow farmer from Aurora, sending it into a ditch.

Patrol cars with the Buchanan County Sheriff's Office and Iowa State Patrol are seen outside Chris Soules' home on Tuesday

The deadly crash took place on this roadway near Aurora, where Mosher lived with his family

Mosher, who reportedly was acquainted with Soules, died after he was taken to Mercy Hospital in Oelwein.

Soules left the scene of the accident, but kept his car at the site. It is not known if he left by foot or with the help of another driver.

Authorities said someone called 911 to report the crash, but they didn't release the identity of the caller or audio of the call. Investigators spoke to multiple witnesses and determined that Soules caused the crash, according to a complaint.

He was arrested five hours later in Aurora. Buchanan County Attorney said Soules has not been cooperative with law enforcement.

Soules' spokesman, Stan Rosenfield, issued a statement saying the Bachelor alum 'was devastated' to learn that Mosher died.

'His thoughts and prayers and with Mr. Mosher's family,' said Rosenfield, who declined to comment further.

The wheels: The pickup truck on the left may have been the car Chris was driving at the time of the accident. He has also posted a photo of a white Chevy (right) in recent days

He was 'on top of the world' four days ago': Soules was last seen on top of the Empire State Building in NYC on Friday

Soules wore a blue Soules T-shirt in his mugshot and appeared as if he had just been crying.

Just four days earlier, the Bachelor alum looked to be in good spirits in New York City in an Instagram photo.

He said he was 'on top of the world' as he posed atop the Empire State building.

A week ago, he posed in Nashville at the 16th Annual Waiting for Wishes Celebrity Dinner Hosted by Kevin Carter & Jay DeMarcus.

Rose man: He appeared on the 10th season of The Bachelorette with Andi Dorfman and was cast on the 19th season of ABC's The Bachelor

This was not Soules' first brush with the law: Iowa court records show that he was convicted of driving while intoxicated in 2006 and fined more than $500. His sentence also included a year of probation.

Besides that conviction, Soules' history of run-ins with the law stretches back to at least 1998 and includes more than a dozen guilty pleas on a slew of charges running the gamut from registration violations to brawling.

Nearly two decades ago, Soules, then a teenager, was convicted of speeding six to 10 miles over the speed limit and was sentenced to a fine.

In 2001, Soules was found guilty of underage drinking and failure to maintain control of a vehicle in two unrelated incidents. Both cases saw the future reality star get off with fines.

In May and August of that year, Soules was convicted twice of possession of alcohols under age. In the latter incident, he was also found guilty of driving with an open container of alcohol, running a stop sign and speeding. Those cases also resulted in fines.

In February 2002, Soules was convicted of fighting, and in March he was back in court on a charge of leaving the scene of an accident, which was later reduced to a count of defective brakes.

Soules stayed out of trouble for four years until his 2006 DUI conviction. A year later, he was found guilty of speeding, and the same charge brought him back to court in 2009.

In 2010, Soules was convicted and fined for a registration violation. Between that incident and his arrest on Monday, the celebrity farmer had no additional brushes with the law.

The Iowa native appeared on the 10th season of The Bachelorette with Andi Dorfman, where he placed third.

Soules was then cast on the 19th season of ABC's The Bachelor.

He proposed to finalist Whitney Bischoff but they ended their engagement in May 2015.

He also competed on ABC's Dancing with the Stars.
A Sunshine Coast man has suffered second-degree burns after his pressure-cooker exploded in his kitchen.

Tysonn Loughran was making his four-year-old daughter Indyanna vegetable soup on Easter Sunday when the pressure-cooker exploded, leaving him severely injured.

Mr Loughran's partner Elyssa-Belle Lofay said he yelled at her to jump back right before the machine's contents erupted.

Mr Loughran's partner Elyssa-Belle Lofay (pictured together) said he yelled at her to jump back right before the machine's contents erupted

'He said to me "get back, get back' and then it just exploded," Ms Lofay told the Sunshine Coast Daily.

'There was vegie steam and liquid everywhere, it completely covered the downstairs of our house.'

Ms Lofay said it was sheer luck her four-year-old daughter Indyanna was not in the room when it happened.

'If she had been in the way it could have killed her,' she said.

Mr Loughran was treated for second and third degree burns (pictured) following the incident

Ms Lofay said she immediately phoned an ambulance and her partner was treated for second and third degree burns

Ms Lofay said she immediately phoned an ambulance and her partner was treated for second and third degree burns.

She said his injuries were so severe he was forced out of work for the next month at least.

The young couple reached out to manufacturer Bellini for compensation, but were told Target was responsible because that's where the pressure cooker was purchased.

Ms Lofay said Mr Loughran's injuries were so severe he was forced out of work for the next month at least

They also contacted the Electrical Safety Office and Consumer Affairs and reached out to a lawyer for advice, according to the Sunshine Coast Daily.

When Daily Mail Australia reached out to Bellini, it was told Target was responsible for all communication.

Daily Mail Australia reached out to Target but received no reply before publication.
The haunting last words of a former police officer made before he jumped to his death have been heard in a Sydney coroner's court.

Ashley Bryant fell to his death in December 2013 in the Border National Park after battling for several years with a multitude of mental health problems brought on by exposure to traumatic events in his job.

'I understand this is being recorded and that's exactly what I want,' the 44-year-old former detective sergeant said in a triple-zero call from Minyon Falls shortly before his death.

'I want this to get to the coroner.'

Former NSW police officer Ashley Bryant (pictured) made a chilling triple-zero call before his death, requesting it be investigated

Mr Bryant fell to his death in December 2013 after battling for several years with a multitude of mental health problems brought on by exposure to traumatic events in his job (pictured with his wife)

In the call, Mr Bryant said he suffered from PTSD and could 'no longer live with the pain' the NSW Coroner's Court heard on Wednesday.

'I now live with the trauma of it and I know this will go to the coroner. There needs to be more things put in place for partners of those that suffer ...'

Mr Bryant had been exposed to a number of traumatic incidents of the course of his 24 year career, including road fatalities, drownings, rapes, murders and suicides, Counsel Assisting Ian Bourke SC told the inquest.

He provided his birth date, registered police number and spelled out his last name to the operator, who asked the former officer if he could wait for officers to get to him.

'No, I'll be gone before they arrive, thank you,' Mr Bryant replied and ended the call.

Police soon arrived at the falls to find his body.

Police found Mr Bryant's body at Minyon Falls in Border National Park (pictured)

'I understand this is being recorded and that's exactly what I want,' the 44-year-old former detective sergeant said in a triple-zero call before his death

When the operator asked the former officer if he could wait for officers to get to him, he replied 'No, I'll be gone before they arrive, thank you'

The court heard on Wednesday morning that Mr Bryant had suffered from PTSD, alcoholism and anxiety for several years.

Council assisting the coroner Ian Bourke said Mr Bryant had once told his wife that he hadn't initially disclosed his mental health problems to police because he was scared of losing his job.

A former colleague and friend, Detective Inspector Matthew Kehoe, told the court he had not known of Mr Bryant's alcohol problems for several years, but there had been a 'strong culture of abuse of alcohol' in the NSW police force when he began his career.

Mr Bryant (pictured) provided his birth date, registered police number and spelled out his last name to the operator, who asked the former officer if he could wait for officers to get to him

Mr Bryant (pictured) had been exposed to a number of traumatic incidents of the course of his 24 year career, including road fatalities, drownings, rapes, murders and suicides, Counsel Assisting Ian Bourke SC told the inquest

'We may go out and drink until the sun comes up,' Det Insp Kehoe said of the 1990s.

Officers were inclined to hide the fact they were struggling as they didn't want to feel they were letting anyone down by leaving work or seeking help, he added.

'Police are very good at hiding things from people.'

A lawyer for Mr Bryant's family, Jim Glissan, asked: 'They will go on until they break?'

'Yes,' the detective inspector replied.

The inquest continues.

Readers seeking support and information about suicide prevention can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Suicide Call Back Service 1300 659 467.
A woman allegedly kept by a Melbourne couple as a slave for eight years can give her evidence against them via video recording because she is still vulnerable two years on.

Kumuthini Kannan and Kandasamy Kannan, of Mount Waverley, have each been charged with possessing a slave between July 2007 and July 2015, and one count of exercising ownership over a slave.

They have denied the allegations.

A couple will face a trial at Melbourne Magistrates' Court after being accused of enslaving a woman for eight years

Prosecutors have told Melbourne Magistrates' Court the complainant - who allegedly was scalded with hot water during the ordeal - is vulnerable and physically unwell.

They requested she be spared from appearing at the five-day committal hearing to give evidence, an application Magistrate Jacinta Dwyer granted.

'This is a case clearly where the complainant is a vulnerable adult,' crown prosecutor Krista Breckweg said.

'She remains physically unwell.'

The defence opposed the application and raised a number of issues, including the manner in which police questioned the alleged victim, arguing it was prejudicial.

The committal hearing had been due to occur in May but has been held off until December while the defence sorts out funding issues.
The father of a five-year-old boy who has been missing in California for more than a week has been released from jail as the hunt goes on.

Armazd Andressian junior was last seen on April 18 during a video chat with his mother but his father, also called Armazd, never returned him to his estranged wife.

The boy's mother was scheduled to have another video chat with her son on April 20, but that never happened, said South Pasadena Police Chief Art Miller.

The parents are divorcing and share custody of the boy.

Police began investigating after Andressian failed to drop the boy off at the weekend.

Investigators yesterday decided against charging Andressian, who was found unconscious on Saturday morning at Arroyo Park in South Pasadena.

Aramazd Andressian senior (left) has been released. He was vague and evasive when questioned by police about the whereabouts of his son, Aramazd junior (right)

Andressian Sr was vague and evasive in his answers to detectives' questions.

Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department Captain Chris Bergner told the Los Angeles Times Andressian had given 'convoluted and not consistent' statements about the boy's whereabouts.

He was arrested on Saturday night on suspicion of child endangerment and abduction and was being held on $10million bail before his release.

Homicide detectives went to Lake Cachuma but later said surveillance video suggested Andressian had gone there without his son

The authorities would say only the investigation was continuing, and would not say whether the father remains a suspect.

Andressian's lawyer, Rebecca Lizarraga, said he and his family were 'emotionally reeling' and were hoping for the boy's safe return.

'Aramazd, his family and counsel are fully cooperating with the police in their efforts to locate little Ara,' said Ms Lizarraga, but she did not explain when Andressian last saw his son.

Four days of intensive searching for the boy have yielded very little.

On Tuesday authorities searched Cachuma Lake in Santa Barbara County where Andressian's car had been seen before his arrest, but later found surveillance video which suggested the father had been there alone.

Investigators do not know why Andressian was unconscious at the park but have said there is no evidence he was attacked.

His car was spotted a day earlier in Orange County and investigators believe he drove to Cachuma Lake - 120 miles northwest of Los Angeles - and spent the day there.

Aramazd is described as three feet five inches tall, weighs about 55 pounds, has brown hair, a small mole on his right shoulder, and was last seen wearing a turquoise shirt and plaid shorts.

His father is from Los Angeles' large Armenian-American community.
A schoolboy who had his legs amputated after an alleged beating by staff at a school in Malaysia had died from his injuries after a month-long fight for his life.

Mohamed Thaqif Amin Mohd Gaddafi, 11, was in an induced coma at the High Dependency Ward in the Sultan Ismail Hospital having already lost both his legs to amputation. Doctors planned to remove his arm this morning before his condition worsened.

Police say the boy and 14 others were lashed with a water hose because they made a noise in the school's Islamic assembly building.

Mohamed Thaqif Amin Mohd Gaddafi in his hospital bed just days before he died of his injuries

The boy died today with his father Mohd Ghadiffi Mat Karim, 43, and his mother Felda Wani Ahmad by his side.

Mr Karim said the family had accepted his son's death as fate.

The local force said Thaqif had been beaten multiple times by an assistant warden at his school's hostel, the latest being on March 24.

Officers obtained a four-day remand order on the 29-year-old suspected attacker, who has served a two-year jail sentence in the past and has a criminal record for theft.

The boy's auntie Nurul Nabilah Ahmad, 30, said he was taken to hospital after suffering severe pain which emerged days after it is thought he was beaten at the religious school in Kota Tinggi.

Doctors were monitoring a blood clot in his left shoulder and were planning to operate this morning.

Sadly, the boy's condition was never stable enough to take him into surgery and he died hours later.

Thaqif's legs were amputated on Friday to stop infection spreading and he had undergone surgery a day after he was admitted to treat congealed blood in one of his hands.
An unnamed au pair desperately tried to save the life of a man who was stabbed outside an elite 13,000-a-year school in London last night.

The Australian nanny, 24, gave the young man CPR and attempted to stop the bleeding after he was attacked and collapsed in the street, outside Wandsworth Preparatory School.

An onlooker described how the victim died in the arms of a woman who tried to help him, tragically making the young man the fourth person to be killed from a knife attack in the last four days in London.

Cordoned off: The scene where an unnamed Australian nanny is said to have tried to save a young man's life has been cordoned off after the young man died from a suspected knife attack last night

Brave: A man has told how his nanny, a 24-year-old from Australia, desperately tried to help by giving the young man CPR after he collapsed in a pool of blood on a street corner

It is thought the deceased man, who has not yet been formally identified, was slashed in the neck after two groups of young men became involved in a dispute near Wandsworth Common, at around 7pm on Tuesday.

Paramedics from the London air ambulance, which landed on Wandsworth Common, pronounced him dead at the scene 30 minutes later.

A 45-year-old father-of-two told The Evening Standard how his nanny tried to save the victim's life.

He said: 'She saw the argument break out, there was lots of shouting and fronting up between the groups.

'She didn't see the knife, it was so quick, but the man collapsed in a pool of blood. She stepped in to stop the bleeding and try CPR, she couldn't just stand there.

'She came back home shaking and covered in blood which gave the kids a fright.

'She's distraught that she couldn't save him, she had to coordinate a lot of people in a chaotic situation while calling the ambulance.

He added: 'It looked like he had been stabbed in the neck, his skin had gone so pale, he died in her arms.'

Today the area has been cordoned off by the police who are investigating the incident.

The father-of-two said the murder is shocking in a traditionally quiet residential area where family homes fetch up to 4million. Members of a local knitting circle had been attending their weekly meeting in the church next door.

He said: 'It's unnerving and completely unexpected to happen right on your front door step. It's normally absolutely silent around here. It goes to show murders can happen anywhere these days.'

The young man was killed yesterday after he was allegedly attacked by two men

The young man was killed yesterday near Wandsworth Common in South London, file picture

The incident happened around 7pm yesterday.

According to witnesses, the victim died after being chased by two men.

According to the Evening Standard, one of the men shouted: 'I'll show you what will happen' before driving the knife into his throat.

One au pair who lives with a local family tried to give the dying man first aid.

A man who employs the 24-year-old Australian said the man 'died in her arms'.

He said: ' She saw the argument break out, there was lots of shouting and fronting up between the groups.

'She didn't see the knife, it was so quick, but the man collapsed in a pool of blood. She stepped in to stop the bleeding and try CPR, she couldn't just stand there.

'She came back home shaking and covered in blood which gave the kids a fright.'

Police in Enfield investigating the murder of Damien McLaughlin, who was stabbed in Enfield at around 1.30pm on Saturday afternoon

The Metropolitan Police said they are investigating the stabbing.

Meanwhile, a second man has been charged with the murder of Damien McLauglin in Enfield.

Omar Warner, 18, of Marsh Lane, N9 was charged on April 25 with murder and possession of an offensive weapon.

He will appear in custody at Highbury Corner Magistrates' Court on Wednesday, 26 April.

Damien McLaughlin, pictured, was stabbed to death in Enfield over the weekend

A 17-year-old youth from Tottenham appeared in custody at Highbury Youth Court on 25 April charged with murder, possession of an offensive weapon and possession of cannabis.

The murder investigation is being led by Detective Chief Inspector Larry Smith of the Homicide and Major Crime Command.

Earlier, a 17-year-old boy was killed just yards from Prince George's new nursery school, while another man, 60, died in Bow.

The teenager 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.

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

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

Neighbours raised the alarm after being woken at 1.25am on Sunday when they heard the boy shout: 'Help me, I'm dying'.

'The victim was taken to a south London hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 02:50hrs.

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

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

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.

Police found another knife 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.
A pregnant great white shark has been filmed tearing into the carcass of a bloated humpback whale for 17 hours.

The fierce shark, which can grow up to 20ft, took giant chunks out of the mammal, who was being towed away by lifeguards.

Keith Poe, a conservationist, captured the jaw-dropping moment and said the shark ate so much she was swimming around 'upside down like she was intoxicated'.

He had travelled to the whale's carcass, nicknamed 'Scarlett' by locals in Dana Point, California, and was stunned to see the shark feasting on the body.

The great white shark took a huge chunk out of the carcass 14 miles off the Californian coast

The hungry shark would return to the carcass every 15 minutes and her whole feasting session lasted a staggering 17 hours.

Mr Poe visited the carcass with student Ryan Logan and he revealed that Mr Logan was able to 'tag' the female shark.

He posted online: 'Big female white shark tearing chunks off Scarlett the whale.

'She ate so much she was swimming around upside-down aimlessly like she was intoxicated.'

The whale, who was nicknamed 'Scarlett' was seen by the great white shark who decided to feast on its carcass
Primary schools are sending their students to class with 40km/h speed signs stuck to their backpacks to improve road safety.

The bags, called Safely Backpacks, are part of a campaign put together by the Australian Road Safety Foundation (ARSF) to remind Brisbane drivers to stick to the school zone speed limit.

'We understand that people are often in a rush to get somewhere, but it's not worth risking the life of anyone to get to work on time,' said Founder and CEO of the ARSF Russell White.

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Primary schools are sending their students to class with 40km/h speed signs stuck to their backpacks to improve road safety (video pictured)

The bags called Safely Backpacks are part of a campaign put together by the Australian Road Safety Foundation (ARSF) to remind Brisbane drivers to stick to the school zone speed limit (video pictured)

'Every year thousands of motorists are caught speeding in school zones and endangering our communities, so take a moment, slow down and pay attention to your surroundings.'

In the past year alone, more than 170 pedestrians have been killed in road incidents.

As part of the campaign ARSF have released a video in time for the new school term.

The video shows primary school children getting ready for school.

The children are seen folding over a flap on their backpacks reading 40km/h, before walking to school and crossing a pedestrian crossing.

As part of the campaign ARSF have released a video in time for the new school term (video pictured)

The video shows primary school children getting ready for school (video pictured)

Junction Park State School in Brisbane have made the Safely Backpacks compulsory for students.

Principal of Junction Park State School Christine Wood said: 'We're excited to be a part of this new initiative which will help save kids' lives.

'We want parents to feel safe when they send their child to school and are thrilled to be able to offer these to our students at no cost.'
Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan has revealed he could hold a referendum on his country's negotiations to join the EU after seeing Britain gain 'peace of mind' with Brexit.

Speaking less than two weeks after winning a vote that gave him sweeping new powers, President Erdogan said Britain was 'walking towards a new future' after opting to ditch the union.

He also said Islamophobia had become 'very serious' in Europe and that the EU is on the verge of 'breaking up'.

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President Erdogan, pictured, said Britain was now 'walking towards a new future' after opting to leave the EU - and threatened that Turkey might hold a Brexit-style referendum of its own if the bloc stretches out negotiations any longer

The country will not wait at Europe's door forever, he added, stressing he is ready to walk away from accession talks if hostility from certain members states persists.

His comments came after the Council of Europe put Turkey on a watch list because of a crackdown on dissent after last year's coup attempt, rights violations and concerns about Erdogan's increased grip on power.

But President Erdogan, who accused Germany and the Netherlands of acting like Nazis by banning rallies of his supporters, said the move was 'entirely political'.

'In Europe, things have become very serious in terms of the extent of Islamophobia. The EU is closing its doors on Turkey and Turkey isn't closing its doors on anybody,' Erdogan said, showing photos of vandalised mosques and supporters of outlawed Kurdish militants rallying against him in Europe.

The Turkish president stressed his country had not been fully appreciated for its work to stem the number of refugees heading to Europe from the Middle East

'If they're not acting sincerely we have to find a way out. Why should we wait any longer? We're talking about 54 years,' he said, referring to the 1963 Ankara Agreement which acknowledged the long-term goal of Turkish membership of a united Europe.

Erdogan pointed to the French presidential election, in which far-right leader Marine Le Pen has threatened to take France out of the European Union, and said the bloc was 'on the verge of dissolution, of breaking up'.

'One or two countries cannot keep the EU alive. You need a country like Turkey, a different country symbolising a different faith ... But EU member states don't seem to realise this fact.

'They are finding it very difficult to absorb a Muslim country like Turkey,' he said.

Erdogan said the popularity of far-right French presidential candidate Marine Le Pen showed the EU was 'on the verge of dissolution, of breaking up' and that it needed a 'different country symbolising a different faith' to keep it alive

On Syria, Erdogan said it was impossible to find a peaceful solution to the war - which has so far lasted six years - with Bashar al-Assad as president. Above, Syrian government forces are shown taking control of Aleppo in December last year

Europe, Erdogan said, had failed to appreciate Turkey's role in stemming the flow of migrants from neighbouring Syria and Iraq across it borders, and said the burden had fallen on Turkey and other countries in the region including Lebanon and Jordan.

It is a critical week for Turkish-EU relations. EU lawmakers will debate ties today, while the bloc's foreign ministers will discuss the issue on Friday.

Erdogan said he would be closely watching.

'I'm very curious as to how the EU is going to act,' he said, criticising EU states that have called for an end to accession talks.

Turkey, he said, was still committed to negotiations.

'There is not a single thing that we are not ready to do, the minute they ask for it. Whatever they wish, we do. But still they are keeping us at the door,' he said.
A man claiming to be a psychic died when he accidentally stabbed himself in the heart with a sword in a bungled act to prove his immortality.

Theprit Palee, 25, had been performing the traditional dance in front of spectators in Chiang Mai, northern Thailand, yesterday afternoon.

The folk ritual is said to honour the spirits of ancestors and in previous shows he would impress onlookers by appearing superhuman when the blade broke as it was pressed against his chest.

But the well-known clairvoyant's act went horrifically wrong when he plunged the blade through his rib cage after it failed to snap.

Paramedics desperately try to resuscitate Theprit Palee after he stabbed himself in the heart

Theprit Palee, 25, had been performing the traditional dance - seen in this picture - in front of spectators in Chiang Mai, northern Thailand, yesterday afternoon

The psychic was meant to snap the blade on his chest in the act, seen in the pictures, but instead plunged the sword deep into his chest

Crowds gathered round the man as they attempted to revive him but he was later pronounced dead at hospital.

Resident Noom Udorn said Theprit had provided readings for several years to local people.

He said: 'This is a tradition that happens every year. The sword normally breaks but this time it went inside him.

'The medium has been respected for many years. People love him. He is one of people's favourites.'

Deputy Police Inspector Chaiwat Phan said they arrived at the San Kamphaeng district of the province at 3pm and found the medium bleeding.

He said: 'We were informed that a man armed with a knife had stabbed himself.

'We are coordinating with the hospital while an autopsy is performed.

'There were people at the scene helping Mr Palee but he died lated in hospital.

'He had a stab wound to the chest.'
Wealthy Pakistani asylum seekers with 250,000 in savings who claimed asylum in Britain before taking 40,000-a-year in benefits have been jailed six months apart to prevent their children going into care.

Syed Zaidi, 41, and his wife Rizwana Kamal, 40, claimed they were being persecuted at home so flew to Britain with their family begging the Home Office to give them food and shelter.

The couple, who have three children, were given free accommodation and other welfare payments worth 150,000 over four years at taxpayers expense despite having more than 250,000 saved in seven different bank accounts.

They then bought two cars and moved in a Victorian terraced house in Denton, near Manchester, but were prosecuted after a whistleblower called the Home Office.

In the dock: Syed Zaidi, 41, and his wife Rizwana Kamal, 40, claimed benefits for four years after claiming asylum despite having 250,000 in the bank

Zaidi and Kamal won the right to stay in the UK in 2012 before claiming benefits until 2016.

At Minshull Street Crown Court, Manchester Judge Bernard Lever jailed the couple for ten months jail each.

But in an unusual move he delayed locking up Kamal until this week after her husband had been released having served half his sentence. It means their youngsters will not be taken into care at further expense to the taxpayer.

It is thought the couple will now have to sell the two cars and help pay back the money.

Both were denied taxpayer-funded legal aid due to their savings and represented themselves during their crown court hearings. Both admitted benefit fraud charges.

The judge said: 'The public will not tolerate this serious offence, with thousands of pounds of public money being dishonestly claimed by intelligent people such as yourselves. This is a tragic case for you children because you and your husband both graduated university, you had thousands of pounds in the bank and you have claimed hardworking tax payers money.

'You are intelligent people who graduated university. You came here and had your young children, who I have made sure that they have a loving parent to take care of them so they aren't taken into care in the way I sentenced your husband to his time first, and now you must.

'This is a serious offence, and I must send the message that you cannot claim thousands of pounds of tax payer money dishonestly when you have thousands of pounds in the bank and immediate custody must follow. I hope this sends a powerful message both to you and anyone else who is in the business of defrauding hard working taxpayers in this country.

'This is a very sad case and I take no pleasure from it I assure you. You are both very intelligent people. If you have any money going into the accounts that is believed to be dishonestly received then that will be added to the total of money that you dishonestly took from the DSS.'

Caught: They bought two cars and moved in a Victorian terraced house in Denton, pictured, near Manchester, but were prosecuted after a whistleblower called the Home Office

It is thought the couple arrived in the UK on Kamal's student visa. They claimed asylum seekers benefit, child tax and working tax credits and child benefits for their three children - as well as free accommodation because of the asylum seeker status.

Prosecutor John Wilcox told the court that 258,530 was left unaccounted for in the pairs accounts. He added: 'The sum they received in benefits was 150,000. There are also unidentified transfers into some of the bank accounts of the defendants which makes up the sum of 258,530.

'The defendants have 7 bank accounts between them, and following conviction they were made subject to restriction orders on their funds. They also have two vehicles registers to Mr Zaidi. The figure that they have available to pay back after the sale of the cars if 9,560.07'

The court heard the pair had paid back 4,000. Kamal was ordered to pay 5,560 pounds in prosecution costs.

In her defence Kamal said: 'The children have been coming home from school upset, and they are all out of character and they are much more attached to me. They have been upset about their dad being away.

'This has been such a big lesson for ups and it is a big embarrassment for this to have happened. Please don't take me away from my children - they won't be able to cope.'

Zaidi did not comment after the hearing.

At their home a neighbour said: 'We've barely seem and hardly know them. They keep themselves to themselves and we never saw them. The amount of money they too the taxpayer for is staggering especially when they asked for a new in the UK.'
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad who has been blamed for the deadly gas attack

French intelligence services have concluded forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad carried out the sarin nerve gas attack in Syria that killed 100 civilians.

The attack in the town of Khan Sheikhoun in Idlib killed scores of people and prompted the United States to launch a cruise missile strike on a Syrian air base in response, its first direct assault on the Assad regime in the conflict.

The six-page document - drawn up by France's military and foreign intelligence services - said it was able to reach its conclusion that Assad himself or his close entourage issued the attack based on samples they had obtained from the impact strike on the ground and a blood sample from a victim.

Among the elements found in the samples were hexamine, a hallmark of sarin produced by the Syrian government.

'The French intelligence services consider that only Bashar al-Assad and some of his most influential entourage can give the order to use chemical weapons,' the report said.

It added that jihadist groups in the area did not have the capacity to develop and launch such an attack and that Islamic State was not in the region.

Assad's claim on April 13 that the attack was fabricated, was 'not credible' given the mass flows of casualties in a short space of time arriving in Syrian and Turkish hospitals as well as the sheer quantity of online activity showing people with neurotoxic symptoms, said the report.

A Syrian child receives treatment after an alleged chemical attack at a field hospital in Saraqib, Idlib province, northern Syria, April 4, 2017

A man breathes through an oxygen mask as another one receives treatments, after what rescue workers described as a suspected gas attack in the town of Khan Sheikhoun in rebel-held Idlib, Syria April 4, 2017

Assad was immediately accused of the sarin gas attack in the northwestern Syrian province of Idlib that killed up to 100 civilians, including at least 11 children.

Doctors treating victims at makeshift hospitals in the area said dozens of victims from Khan Sheikhoun showed signs of sarin poisoning, including foaming at the mouth, breathing difficulties and limp bodies.

Moments after the attack a projectile hit a hospital in the area, bringing down rubble on top of medics as they struggled to treat victims.

Prime Minister Theresa May called for an investigation into the attack saying: 'If proven, this will be further evidence of the barbarism of the Syrian regime.'

Syrian opposition activists claimed the chemical attack was caused by an airstrike carried out either by President Assad's forces or Russian warplanes.

Russia's military said its planes did not carry out any strikes near the town.

It is believed that another 400 people were injured after being exposed to toxins during the attack.

A defaced poster of Syria's President Bashar al-Assad is seen near garbage containers in Aleppo in 2012 not long after the start of the brutal civil war in 2011

On April 13, nine days after the attack, Assad said accusations against him were '100 per cent fabrication'.

The dictator, who faces calls to be tried as a war criminal, suggested video footage of the atrocity could be fake, and said: 'The story is not convincing by any means.'

He insisted it was 'not clear whether it happened or not, because how can you verify a video? You have a lot of fake videos now.'

And referring to footage which showed people foaming at the mouth, which sent shockwaves around the world, he said: 'We don't know whether those dead children were killed in Khan Sheikhun. Were they dead at all?'

In response to US President Donald Trump's declaration that Assad was to blame, and subsequent air strike on a Syrian air field, the dictator said Trump must 'eat his words', 'swallow his pride', and perform a u-turn if he wants survive in the job.
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has lambasted Donald Trump's administration for threatening to crack down on the website because it had revealed their own failings.

Assange has been holed up in the Ecuadorian embassy in London since 2012, having claimed political asylum because he fears deportation to the United States, where he faces prosecution for revealing state secrets.

He is still wanted for extradition to Sweden, where he was accused of raping two women in 2010, but the statute of limitations on those offences will expire in 2020.

Julian Assange (pictured, right) has criticized CIA director Mike Pompeo (left) for 'declaring war on free speech'

Assange penned an article in the Washington Post in which he criticized the CIA's new director, Mike Pompeo for 'declaring war on free speech'.

He said that rather than going after America's 'actual adversaries' Pompeo had gone after WikiLeaks, which recently gave descriptions of CIA-developed malware that could turn Samsung TVs into recording devices.

It was part of WikiLeaks' Vault 7 series, which it claims to be information leaked from secret CIA files.

Assange wrote: 'In Pompeo's worldview, telling the truth about the administration can be a crime - as Attorney General Jeff Sessions quickly underscored when he described my arrest as a "priority".'

Last week Sessions told reporters Assange's arrest was a priority and added: 'We've already begun to step up our efforts, and whenever a case can be made, we will seek to put some people in jail.'

Assange wrote: 'Vault 7 has begun publishing evidence of remarkable CIA incompetence and other shortcomings.

'This includes the agency's creation, at a cost of billions of taxpayer dollars, of an entire arsenal of cyber viruses and hacking programs - over which it promptly lost control and then tried to cover up the loss.'

Assange pointed out that Donald Trump (left) had been happy to highlight 'incredible information' released by WikiLeaks during the presidential campaign but now his Attorney General, Jeff Sessions (right) was making Assange's arrest a 'priority'

Assange said Pompeo's demonization of WikiLeaks as an 'enemy' should be a wake-up call for all journalists and seekers of truth

Assange claimed the Trump administration was racked by hypocrisy.

He wrote: 'As a candidate, Trump tweeted: "Very little pick-up by dishonest media of incredible information provided by WikiLeaks." The president mentioned WikiLeaks 164 times during the last month of the election and gushed: "I love WikiLeaks".'

But now his senior officials, like Pompeo and Sessions, were targeting WikiLeaks and Assange himself.

Assange, who is an Australian citizen, wrote: 'When the director of the CIA, an unelected public servant, publicly demonizes a publisher such as WikiLeaks as a "fraud", "coward" and "enemy", it puts all journalists on notice, or should.'

Pompeo described WikiLeaks as a 'non-state hostile intelligence service', which Assange claimed was 'a dagger aimed at Americans' constitutional right to receive honest information about their government'.

He added: 'This accusation mirrors attempts throughout history by bureaucrats seeking, and failing, to criminalize speech that reveals their own failings.'
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In its heyday, the Beira Grande Hotel was the most luxurious in Africa - kitted out with a helicopter pad, a bank, a post office, and decorated throughout with parquet flooring and opulent furnishings.

Now, it has been reduced to a squat - the floors torn up to make fuel for fires to keep warm or cook, the furniture either burned or sold off for food, the plumbing and electrics also ripped out and flogged.

Thousands of people live within its hollow walls. Impoverished and with nowhere else to go, families rub shoulders with drug addicts and criminals. Disease and trash is everywhere.

This is all that is left of the Beira Grande Hotel, once the most opulent in Africa and held up as a jewel in Portugal's colonial crown when it was built in 1954. Now it is a slum for thousands of displaced families and refugees

At the peak of its grandeur, the Beira was filled with parquet flooring, luxurious furnishings and expensive wallpaper. That has all since been torn out and burned for fuel, or sold on the black market to afford food

The reception area (left), once used to greet the well-heeled businessmen who stayed there, is now used to dry laundry. Elsewhere, families and children exist alongside criminals and drug addicts

Windows, furnishings, the floor and even hunks of concrete have been removed and sold by the desperate people living here, meaning the building could collapse at any moment

Photographer Eric Lafforgue, who captured these images, said the first thing you notice inside the hotel is the ever-present darkness. The power was switched off decades ago, and most of the wiring since ripped out

The hotel is estimated to house between 2,000 and 3,000 people - mostly refugees from the countryside who are not welcome in Beira society, and have nowhere else they can go

Despite living in appalling conditions, Mr Lafforgue said there is a real sense of community among those forced to live here. They even have a 'secretary' who attempts to fix problems

At its most glorious, the hotel house a helipad, a bank, and a post office - effectively becoming its own town. But it never turned a profit, and closed a decade after opening

Mr Lafforgue said, for him, the ruin represents 'the folly of colonialism and the tragic legacy it left behind'

For a time the hotel was used as a military barracks, before being abandoned. The squatters moved in soon after

Mr Lafforgue said one of the most alarming sights he was confronted with was children playing on the roof, hundreds of feet in the air, with only rusting railings to stop them plunging to their deaths

The building has not only been torn apart by those living inside, but is also being brought down as nature moves back in. Trees and vines grip the outside, cracking the concrete with their roots

Ripping out windows, pipes, cables and even lumps of concrete to sell on the black market has left the building desperately unstable. It could collapse on those living there at any moment.

But despite the abhorrent conditions, photographer Eric Lafforgue found an element of community among those living there. They are poor, but poor together.

Newcomers are always welcome and mutual respect is one of the few laws in this house of misery, he said.

Speaking about the hotel's past, he said: 'It was really the pinnacle of luxury, meant for wealthy businessmen and tourists. For its massive size, 120 rooms is really not much.

'Turns out there was no demand so they shut it down in 1963. It never made a profit. After closing, the pool still remained open. The Mozambican Olympic Swimming Team trained there.

Built in 1954 under Portuguese colonial rule and designed for wealthy businessmen, the hotel was never commercially successful, and shuttered in 1963 having never turned a profit

The hotel stood as a monument to colonial-era opulence, complete with swimming pools, a helipad, a bank, and a post office - virtually turning it into its own village

The swimming pool was once used by guests to relax around and take a dip in boiling temperatures. Now, it is used by those who live in the empty building to wash themselves and their clothes

'Now it used by inhabitants for bathing or washing laundry. After the civil war, it became a refugee camp. The people who live there have mostly emigrated from the mine-filled countryside.

'As of 2008, it housed 1,077 inhabitants with large families sharing one room. Now there are between 2,000 and 3,000 inhabitants about 350 families. They occupy not only the rooms but closets and even telephone booths laid on their side.

'Some people have lived their entire lives there. It was built in an Art Deco style popular in Portugal since Mozambique was a Portuguese colony at the time.

'Trees grow from the roof with their roots cracking the structure. Out of the anarchy a community and order emerges. They have a "secretary" whose job it is to resolve residents' problems.

'The chief who guided us had an office in the abandoned restroom across from the building. A Muslim community group relocated many of the Muslim residents to new housing.

Many of those living in the hotel were displaced by Mozambique's civil war, which lasted for 16 years and ended in 1992. For most of the children, this has been the only life they have ever known

The children here have virtually no access to education, or the outside world. The little they do acquire comes from a small TV in an outside shack, which shows only Chinese stations

While the country's civil war is officially over, many believe a silent war is being carried out, away from prying eyes. This seems to be backed up by the numbers living in the hotel - which swelled from 1,000 in 2008 to almost 3,000 today

While the hotel would be considered too dangerous to live in by most, the children who live here treat it as a playground, often playing on rooftops with no barriers, hundreds of feet off the ground

Despite drugs, trash and disease being ubiquitous throughout the building, people here have managed to organise their own form of government. Chiefs who are responsible for looking after the residents have offices in an old toilet block

There are thought to be around 350 families living inside the building, occupying the old hotel rooms, along with closets and even telephone booths that have been tipped on their side

A young child is photographed inside a corridor of the hotel. For him, and hundreds of other youngsters who live here, this is the only life they have even known

An economy of sorts has even developed inside the hotel to supply the residents. Food vendors dot the halls and there is an outdoor market, set up in an old courtyard

Despite those living in the hotel forging a sense of community - sharing almost all aspects of their lives - Mr Lafforgue said another of the things they share is a determination to leave

Despite the conditions that families here live in, they still share the concerns of many other parents. This graffiti reads: 'Smoking is harmful to health. Do not sell to minors under 18 years of age'

The spaces they left were not vacant for long. It is a self-sustaining community as the inhabitants, mostly refugees, are not welcome in Berias society.

'There are vendors selling all sorts of food. In the canopy of trees above the outdoor market are thousands of giant spiders. In a makeshift room outside sit a few dozen teenagers and children, watching Chinese television on a small TV.

'As we explored the roof, I was immediately concerned about the children playing on it. Two-year-old kids are learning to play tag a hundred feet high with no barrier preventing them from falling.

'Walking through the Grande Hotel, you come face to face with the folly of colonialism and the tragic legacy it left behind. The grandeur and luxury has been left to rot into a nightmare. The hope of the independence era in Africa has long left this place.

'Since there is no electricity, the darkness inside is overwhelming. Only the natural light coming through where windows used to be illuminates the hotel.

'Clothes are hanging where the reception used to be. Drug addicts get high on the grand spiral staircase. You're only used to seeing emptiness and destruction like that in zombie movies. The one thing every resident shares is the desire to leave.'
Feminist author Clementine Ford has launched an expletive-laden petition calling for Muslim ABC presenter Yassmin Abdel-Magied to be supported following her Anzac Day post.

The ABC is standing by Ms Abdel-Magied despite two separate petitions, with a combined 29,000 signatures, and federal politicians calling for her to be sacked over the post that has been labelled 'disgraceful' and 'disgusting'.

Ms Abdel-Magied, who hosts Australia Wide on ABC News 24, apologised for her since deleted message which said: 'Lest . We. Forget. (Manus, Nauru, Syria, Palestine...).'

Ms Ford began her change.org petition describing those calling for Ms Abdel-Magied's sacking as 'd***heads'.

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Feminist Clementine Ford has inked together a petition defending Yassmin Abdel-Magied

Yassmin Abdel-Magied's original Facebook post which she deleted and apologised for

Yassmin Abdel-Magied is under fire for a petition politicising the Anzac Day message

'Petitioning people who aren't d***heads: Yassmin Abdel-Magied is a dead-set legend,' it said.

'She puts herself on the line and cops a lot of crap from racist bigots and Strayan d***heads.'

She went to say she had been 'hounded by hundreds of d***heads on Facebook many of whom are calling for her to be deported, stoned, beheaded. You know, all in the name of freedom'.

Ms Ford didn't cite any examples of these vile Facebook messages.

However, she did acknowledge her petition, which has attracted 530 supporters, did not have a lot of support.

'Yes, this is a meaningless petition - but so is the one circulating demanding the ABC fire her. (Very few signatures so far.) Send Yass some love by letting her know that you support her and recognise she deserves to be given a pony,' Ms Ford said.

Clementine Ford has used the word 'd***head' three times to defend Yassmin Abdel-Magied

A petition started by conservative activist Avi Yemeni has attracted more than 8,600 supporters

Another petition started by Mark Klein has now attracted more than 20,000 since it was posted on Tuesday afternoon (when this screen shot was taken)

Since Anzac Day, two petitions calling for Ms Abdel-Magied to be sacked from the ABC have received more than 29,000 signatures.

One by conservative activist Avi Yemeni has attracted 8,635 supporters while another change.org petition posted by Sydney man Mark Klein has amassed 20,387 signatures.

One Nation leader Pauline Hanson and federal Nationals MP George Christensen have both called for Ms Abdel-Magied to be sacked while Immigration Minister Peter Dutton and his Liberal colleague Eric Abetz have strongly condemned her post.

Clementine Ford uses the same expletive starting with 'd' to attack Yassmin Abdel-Magied's critics

One Nation leader Pauline Hanson says she is 'disgusted' with Yassmin Abdel-Magied

An ABC spokesman on Tuesday night explained why Ms Abdel-Magied was keeping her job, acknowledging how she had apologised and deleted the post.

'Ms Abdel-Magied is a part-time presenter on the ABC program Australia Wide, introducing stories done by ABC reporters from around the country,' he said.

'When presenting for the ABC she works in accordance with ABC editorial and other policies. Ms Abdel-Magied is also engaged in a range of other activities and work that is not related to the ABC.

'Her views and opinions in that capacity are her own and do not represent those of the ABC.'

Yassmin Abdel-Magied travelled to the Middle East on a taxpayer-funded trip

Ms Abdel-Magied was a national finalist for Young Australian of the Year in 2015 for her work as a member of the Federal Anzac Centenary Commemoration Youth Working Group.

In February, another change.org petition calling for her sacking amassed more than 31,000 signatures after Ms Abdel-Magied told the national broadcaster's Q&A program that Islam is the 'most feminist religion' in a clash with Senator Jacqui Lambie.

She had also said sharia law to her was praying five times a day as a Muslim, neglecting to mention how it is also a legal system based on fundamentalist Islamic principles.

After that TV appearance, it emerged she sought advice from Wassim Doureihi, a spokesman in Australia for Islamist extremist group Hizb-ut Tahrir, which is banned in Germany, The Netherlands and Muslim-majority nations including Bangladesh, Pakistan and even Saudi Arabia.
Caitlyn Jenner hinted that she might run for public office one day, as she revealed she wants to be 'more effective' in helping the transgender community.

Jenner, a Republican who came out as transgender in 2015 and says she voted for President Donald Trump, told a crowd in New York on Tuesday that she will not give the Trump administration a pass if they 'screw up'.

But the 67-year-old said that fans have been telling her to run for office for years and joked, 'I've got way too many skeletons in my closet', as she hosted an event titled Imagining Men & Women: Caitlyn Jenner On Transgender Identity And Courage.

When an audience member asked Jenner if she would consider working in the Trump administration, she reaffirmed her Republican leanings, saying she has always 'believed in something called the Constitution and limited government'.

Caitlyn Jenner (left, with Jennifer Finney Boylan), a Republican who came out as transgender in 2015 and says she voted for President Donald Trump, told a crowd in New York on Tuesday that she is looking to be 'more effective' in helping her community

The Olympic gold-medal winning decathlete warned she would 'come after' the Republican Party during an impassioned speech at the event.

'My loyalties are not with the Republican Party,' Jenner said. 'My loyalties are not with Donald Trump. I'll come after him and come after Republicans when they start screwing up my community.'

'And I got a voice and they'd better listen, because I will come after them,' she added. 'And so, over the next year or two, I would look at where I can be more effective to helping my community.'

Jenner, who used to appear on the hit reality show Keeping Up With The Kardashians alongside her family, said he might find it more effective 'working from the inside'.

'If that is the case ... I would seriously look at a run. It just depends where I could be more effective,' she said.

Jenner has been on a tour promoting her new tell-all book, The Secrets Of My Life, which hit shelves on Tuesday.

When an audience member asked Jenner if she would consider working in the Trump administration, she reaffirmed her Republican leanings

Dressed in a red pencil skirt with ruffle detail, Jenner looked stunning as she posed for photos on the grey carpet.

She also wore a fitted black turtleneck sweater with lace bell sleeves and black heels.

Joining the statuesque beauty was trans author and political activist Jennifer Finney Boylan.

Jenner's tell-all book, The Secrets of My Life, hit shelves on Tuesday

Jennifer has been a longtime supporter of the former champion athlete, speaking to People shortly after Jenner announced her transition.

'I wish Jenner strength and love on this journey, and I hope whatever Jenner goes through not only helps Jenner but all of the rest of us,' she told the publication in February 2015.

Earlier in the day, Caitlyn had met up with Andreja Pejic for a lunch date in New York City, further cementing their friendship.

The two women were seen arriving separately at the Hyatt Hotel, with Andreja toting a copy of Jenner's new book as she made her way inside.

In Jenner's book, she briefly discusses her conservative political views, Trump and issues like less government, but not so on issues important to the LGBTQ community as a whole, such as same-sex marriage.

She voted for Trump, but she says she feels let down by him and the party in the President's first 100 days.

'Yeah, I've gotten criticized because I come from a more conservative Republican side, but my loyalties are not with the Republican Party, she said in the book. 'My loyalties are not with Donald Trump. I'm not a one-issue voter. I believe in limited government.

'I like lower taxes. I like a thriving economy. I like everybody working, but my loyalties are with my community and to make it better.'
More than 1,000 suspects have been detained in a huge new crackdown on alleged supporters of a US-based Muslim cleric blamed for the failed coup.

The move comes a week after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan won a referendum on ramping up his powers and his first post-vote target appears to be Fethullah Gulen, the Islamic preacher seen as the mastermind of the attempted government takeover 10 months ago.

A total of 1,009 suspects - which Turkey's interior minister is labelling secret imams' - have so far been detained in raids in 72 provinces across the country.

Police officers escort people, arrested because of suspected links to US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, in Kayseri, Turkey, Wednesday, April 26, 2017

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan made the move a week after he won a referendum to ramp up his powers

Those arrested are said to have links to exiled Turkish Muslim preacher Fethullah Gulen who has been blamed for masterminding last year's failed coup

People stand on a Turkish army tank at Ataturk airport in Istanbul, Turkey July 16, 2016, during the failed coup

Soliders involved in the coup attempt surrender on Bosphorus bridge on July 16, 2016 in Istanbul, Turkey

Police launched simultaneous operations across Turkey on Wednesday, detaining hundreds of people with suspected links to the American-based cleric Gulen, who denies involvement in the July 15 failed coup.

Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu described it as an 'important step' towards the government's aim of 'bringing down' the Gulen movement.

He said the overnight crackdown targeted a Gulen network 'that infiltrated our police force, called secret imams'.

'One thousand and nine secret imams have been detained so far in 72 provinces, and the operation is ongoing,' he told reporters in Ankara.

The suspects are allegedly Gulen operatives who directed followers within the police force.

Mr Soylu said the individuals 'infiltrated the police, tried to lead it from the outside by forming an alternative police structure, by ignoring the state'.

Demonstrators wave Turkish flags at Taksim square in Istanbul on July 17, 2016 during a rally in support to the Turkish government following a failed coup attempt

A man lies in front of a Turkish army tank during a military coup at Ataturk airport in Istanbul, Turkey July 16, 2016

Some 8,500 police officers participated in the operation, the state-run Anadolu Agency reported.

The detentions are part of a widespread crackdown following last summer's failed coup attempt, which Turkey says was orchestrated by Gulen's movement.

More than 47,000 people have been arrested since the coup, Mr Soylu has said, including some 10,700 police officers and 7,400 military personnel.

Gulen has denied orchestrating the coup, but Turkey is pressing the United States to extradite him.
Gina Miller, pictured at her launch event in London today, is urging people to vote 'tactically' against Brexit on June 8

Gina Miller urged Remoaners to vote 'tactically' to curb Brexit today as she launched an election campaign after raising nearly 300,000 in just a week.

The businesswoman and former model unveiled her latest campaign to limit the impact of leaving the EU after Theresa May urged voters to give her a 'mandate' for looming talks with Brussels.

'Only tactical voting at this election will ensure that Parliament plays its full role,' she told an event in central London.

Ms Miller also insisted she did not think it was impossible that Brexit could be stopped altogether. But she ruled out standing for election herself.

A spokeswoman for the campaign confirmed that it is the 'trading name' for the UK-EU Open Policy group, which has been supported by Virgin boss Sir Richard Branson.

Best for Britain will support candidates in the June 8 poll who want to limit the impact of quitting the EU.

But Tory MP Peter Bone told MailOnline it was clearly a 'party political' vehicle aimed at the Conservatives and disrupting Theresa May's efforts to get the 'best possible deal' for the UK with Brexit.

Ms MIller said: 'In this election it will be about voting for candidates that will reflect the views of all of their constituents and put principles above politics.

'That is why last week I set up a crowdfunding page which almost 10,000 people have already donated to, raising an incredible 300,000.

'This grassroots movement wants whats Best for Britain and they are supporting our call to elect MPs in Parliament who are prepared to put party politics to one side to ensure that the best deal for Britain is achieved. In terms of Brexit that means MPs who want to see all options on the table.

'People are worried about the future direction of this country, they believe in Parliamentary democracy and they believe, as do we, that only tactical voting in this election can ensure that Parliament plays their full part in the future of this country.'

Gina Miller launched her Best for Britain campaign today after raising nearly 300,000 in less than a week

Ms Miller pictured with campaign chief executive Eloise Todd at the launch event in central London today

A Best for Britain spokeswoman confirmed it is a 'trading name' for the UK-EU Open Policy group, which the Mail previously revealed has received support from Virgin boss Sir Richard Branson

In her appeal on thegofundme website, Ms Miller said she would tour marginal constituencies to ensure the government did not have a mandate to 'destroy our rights and our relationship with Europe'.

'We need to prevent MPs and the people being forced into an extreme Brexit that is not in Britain's best interests,' she wrote.

'We will support candidates who campaign for a real final vote on Brexit, including rejecting any deal that leaves Britain worse off.

Gina Miller has now raised more than 280,000 to support anti-Brexit candidates in the general election

The Best for Britain campaign being championed by Ms Miller (pictured at the launch today) is pledging to prop up any candidate who is against 'hard' Brexit.

Posting on the gofundme website, Ms Miller said she would tour marginal constituencies to stop 'extreme Brexit'

'We will use the money to back candidates who pledge to support a full and free vote on the Brexit deal. We will also work with organisations with the same goals.'

The UK-EU Open Policy group was set up last October by Europhiles including Blairite former minister Alan Milburn.

The Mail revealed earlier this year that Sir Richard - who was a prominent campaigner for Remain in the EU referendum - had given office space for the project as well as 25,000.

Within 15 hours of the Best for Britain campaign's launch last week, it had received pledges of more than 1,500. The total has now reached around 285,000.

Ms Miller came to prominence last year when she challenged Mrs May's right to trigger the Article 50 process using executive powers.

Instead, the government pushed through the Brexit Act despite efforts by Remain-supporting MPs and peers to water it down.

The 52-year-old has made clear she will carry on fighting to limit the impact of Brexit despite receiving abuse and death threats.

Last month Ms Miller threatened another legal challenge unless Theresa May guarantees a 'meaningful vote' on any new deal with the EU.

Gina Miller said she could not think of 'anything better to do' with her money than ensuring the PM brings the package back before the Commons.

The comments came after campaigners obtained legal advice that Britain's 'actual withdrawal' will have to be authorised by a fresh act of Parliament.

Tory MP Mr Bone said: 'Obviously she is entitled to campaign for whomever she wants.

'But personally I think whatever view you have on the EU you should make those views known, but you really should not be involved in what is clearly an attempt to vote against Conservative candidates and not support Theresa May in her efforts to get the best deal for the UK.

'This is clearly an entry into party politics from somebody who has always claimed she was doing this in the national interest.'

Theresa May, pictured on a visit to a steel works in Newport yesterday, has said she needs a mandate to push through the Brexit negotiations
Labour Brexit champion Gisela Stuart has condemned her party response to EU referendum and warned it was making itself 'irrelevant'.

She said Brexit was the best chance since World War II to renew Britain's politics but warned Labour was wasting the opportunity.

Sir Keir Starmer, the shadow Brexit secretary, yesterday set out Labour's plans for tackling Brexit but was accused of signalling surrender to Brussels.

Ms Stuart was the senior Labour campaigner on Vote Leave and is leaving Parliament at the snap election following the historic victory.

Labour Brexit champion Gisela Stuart has condemned her party response to EU referendum and warned it was making itself 'irrelevant'

Writing in The Telegraph, the outgoing Birmingham Edgbaston MP said Labour had to be more than a pressure group or movement and sell itself as a party of government that shared voters' desires.

The Birmingham Edgbaston MP said that Brexit will be the 'defining issue for this generation' and warned the campaign so far lacked 'precision'.

She said: 'This is the best opportunity since 1945 to renew our nation's politics and society and it speaks volumes that at this moment Labour has made itself irrelevant.

'If we do want to be a party of government again, Labour must prepare for its own process of renewal.'

Ms Stuart said that while Prime Minister Theresa May was focusing on 'strong leadership' during the election campaign, Labour can focus on the Conservative Party's record on schools, the NHS and housing.

Ms Stuart (pictured on the Brexit trail with Boris Johnson) was the senior Labour campaigner on Vote Leave and is leaving Parliament at the snap election following the historic victory

However the party will need more than a 'wish list and a collection of grievances', she said.

Ms Stuart also urged the leadership to resist the temptation to plan for a hung parliament and make pacts with other parties.

She said: 'If Labour instead wants to be a party of government, it has to go into the election fighting for every vote.

'It must attack the Tories, yes, but it must also take a good look at the confidence and optimism voters feel about this country outside the EU and think hard about why Labour is not with them.'

Ms Stuart, who was first elected in 1997, announced she would not be seeking re-election at the start of the campaign.
This is the moment a heartbroken partner of a gay Paris policeman murdered by an ISIS fanatic delivered a tearful eulogy in front of Emmanuel Macron and Marine Le Pen.

Etienne Cardiles said his partner Xavier Jugele had 'lived like a star and left like a star' as he spoke of his 'extreme pain' at the death of the 37-year-old.

Jugele was shot dead on Thursday while on duty on the Champs Elysees, three days before the first round of France's presidential election.

Addressing hundreds of mourners at a ceremony at Paris police headquarters, Cardiles spoke of his 'silent suffering' after the death of the officer, who had campaigned for gay rights within the police force.

Etienne Cardiles (pictured), the heartbroken partner of a gay Paris policeman murdered by an ISIS fanatic, delivered a tearful eulogy in front of Emmanuel Macron and Marine Le Pen

Etienne Cardiles said his partner Xavier Jugele had 'lived like a star and left like a star' as he spoke of his 'extreme pain' at the death of the 37-year-old. Police colleagues (pictured) watched on during the touching eulogy

Addressing hundreds of mourners at a ceremony at Paris police headquarters, Cardiles spoke of his 'silent suffering' after the death of the officer, who had campaigned for gay rights within the police force

And he said he felt 'no hatred', in the moving eulogy at a remembrance ceremony led by President Francois Hollande and attended by French presidential hopefuls Macron and Le Pen.

Xavier Jugele, 37, was shot dead on Thursday while on duty on the famous Champs Elysees avenue, three days before the first round of France's presidential election.

ISIS claimed the killing by 39-year-old Karim Cheurfi, who was shot dead by police in a gun battle. Two other officers were injured in the attack.

Addressing hundreds of mourners at a ceremony at Paris police headquarters, Jugele's partner Etienne Cardiles spoke of his 'extreme pain' at the death of the officer, who had campaigned for gay rights within the police force.

'This pain makes me feel closer to your comrades who suffer in silence like you and me,' he said in a trembling voice, describing Jugele as a cinema and theatre buff who lived 'a life of joy and huge smiles'.

Echoing the words of the husband of one of the victims of the November 2015 Paris attacks, Cardiles said the killer would 'not have my hatred'.

He said he felt 'no hatred', in the moving eulogy at a remembrance ceremony led by President Francois Hollande (front)

Marine Le Pen was among those who attended the touching ceremony yesterday

'I have no hatred, Xavier, because it is not like you and does not fit with what made your heart beat nor what made you a guardian of the peace,' he said.

Jugele was the fifth policeman slain by jihadists in attacks that have claimed more than 230 lives across France since January 2015. Hollande posthumously made him a knight of the Legion d'Honneur, one of France's highest honours.

Shortly after Jugele's death it emerged that he had been among the first responders at the Bataclan theatre in Paris on November 13, 2015, where IS gunmen massacred 90 concertgoers.

He returned to the venue a year later when it reopened for a concert by British star Sting, telling a BBC interviewer he wanted 'to celebrate life and say 'no' to terrorism'.

Hollande, who leaves office next month, appealed to the country's next leader to show 'constancy, perseverance and coherence in the fight (against extremists), rather than escalation and divisiveness.'

Far-right presidential candidate Marine Le Pen and her pro-EU centrist rival Emmanuel Macron, whom Hollande has endorsed, both attended the ceremony for Jugele.

Le Pen last week seized on the Champs Elysees attack as a vindication of her hardline stance on security and Islamic fundamentalism.

'Let us remain dignified and defend the peace,' Cardiles urged.
Benefits cheat Mona Miller (pictured outside court) was caught out after she boasted online: 'I got my man and kids that's all that matters to me without them I'd have nothing'

A mother-of-five fiddled 70,000 benefits by pretending to be a single parent despite living with her Nigerian toyboy lover.

Mona Miller, 37, of Cardiff was caught out after she boasted on Facebook: 'I got my man and kids that's all that matters to me without them I'd have nothing.'

Cardiff Crown Court heard she moved her young Nigerian boyfriend, Emmanuel Orji, 26, in to her home after they met online.

The court heard she lied to benefits officials that Orji would only visit her 'once or twice a week'.

But incriminating undercover footage showed they lived together and Orji regularly carried out DIY car repairs outside her home

Cardiff Crown Court heard Miller claimed Income Support between 2010 and 2016 which amounted to 53,465.03.

She also claimed 14,577.08 of housing benefit and 1,324.99 of council tax benefit.

The court heard the total amount Miller wrongly claimed was 69,367.10 after pretending that she was living alone as a single mum struggling to get by.

But the court heard Miller met her lover online as far back as 2011 while Orji was living with his sister in London and waiting to be granted UK citizenship.

Cardiff Crown Court heard she moved her young Nigerian boyfriend, Emmanuel Orji, 26, in to her home after they met online

Andrew Jones, prosecuting, said: 'A review which followed in 2013 saw her say she was in a relationship but her partner lived in London.

'That was an outright lie.'

Mr Jones said undercover surveillance carried out by the Department of Work and Pensions between August and September 2015 found that Orji was present at the address in Cardiff.

The court heard the total amount Miller wrongly claimed was 69,367.10 by pretending that she was living alone as a single mum struggling to get by

Incriminating undercover footage showed they lived together and Orji carried out DIY car repairs outside their shared home

His car was registered in his name - but was even listed to Miller's address.

Mr Taylor said: 'GP records showed he was registered at the her home address from 2011.'

Orji, who now works as a carer, was given permission to get a job in Britain in 2015.

Defending, Catherine Flint, said the relationship was 'on and off' - and said Miller described Orji as 'very controlling.'

Miss Flint said: 'There was an element of naivety. In many ways she was scared to let the DWP know about the living situation with Mr Orji. The relationship was still very unstable and very on and off.

Miller has already repaid 1,809.88 from her benefits and the remainder will be deducted until the full amount is repaid

'She got herself into a situation that she did not know how to get out of.'

Miller, of Llanrumney, Cardiff, pleaded guilty to three charges of dishonestly failing to notify a change of circumstances.

She was sentenced to eight months prison suspended for two years.

Jude Neil Bidder QC said: 'If somebody took 70,000 in cash in one go then you would expect that person to go to prison. You effectively concealed the fact your partner was living with you. '

The court heard Miller has five children - including the latest two children with Orji.

She had not told her youngest children she was in court.

Mr Bidder said: 'They will be ashamed of you and you will be lowered in their estimation.'

Miller has already repaid 1,809.88 from her benefits and the remainder will be deducted until the full amount is repaid.
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Prince's former Toronto home, which he lived in during the early 2000s, is on the market for $13million (10million).

The Purple Rain megastar's former home was last listed for $9.5million (7.4million) two years ago, before his death.

The 14,500square-foot compound features purple carpeting and Prince's symbol as reminders that the home once belonged to the musician.

A 14,500square-foot compound in Toronto that once belonged to megastar Prince has gone on sale for $13million (10million)

In one room of the home, there is a statue in the shape of the logo - also known as the Love Symbol - Prince changed his name to in the 1990s

Some rooms in the home feature purple carpeting as a reminder that the Purple Rain megastar once lived in the house

The Purple Rain megastar's former home was last listed for $9.5million (7.4million) two years ago, but was taken off the market shortly after his death

While the home was listed for sale two years ago, the seller took it off the market shortly after Prince's death because he didn't want it to look like he was capitalizing on the star's death

Still in the home is an iron-type desk where Prince, who died of a painkiller overdose in April 2016, wrote and read.

While the home was listed for sale two years ago, the seller took it off the market shortly after Prince's death because he didn't want it to look like he was capitalizing on the star's death, TMZ reported.

But now, a year after Prince's death, the home - which sits in the same neighborhood as one of rapper Drake's homes - is back on sale.

Prince lived in the home from 2001 to 2006 when he was married to his second wife, Canadian Manuela Testolini. It is not believed that the couple ever lived in the home full time.

Files from the couple's divorce were unsealed earlier this year, showing that they lived a luxurious lifestyle that included spending $50,000 per party after major awards ceremonies.

The ranch-style home sits in the same Toronto neighborhood as a home owned by rapper Drake, who is from the Canadian city

Despite having the Toronto home for several years, Prince was known for spending much of his time at his mansion in Minnesota

The stunning home features wood floors, fire places and floor-to-ceiling windows that give residents a nice view of the back yard

Prince lived in the home from 2001 to 2006 when he was married to his second wife, Canadian Manuela Testolini. It is not believed that the couple ever lived in the home full time

The documents do not give financial details of the final divorce settlement, but Testolini did receive a house in Toronto worth about $6million at the time and a Lexus automobile, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reported.

The files show Testolini said the couple threw lavish parties after the Oscars and the Grammys with Testolini hiring a $5,000-a-day stylist to do her hair and makeup.

The records also show the couple would spend $50,000 on food, drinks and decor for each party.

Testolini had objected to the records being unsealed, claiming the disclosure would put her and her family at risk. Her attorney did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

'We had accounts at boutiques including Gucci, Versace and Valentino. We had accounts at Saks. There was never any restriction on (Prince's) or my spending,' Testolini said in the divorce files.

Prince and Testolini met when she was a consultant for his charity, Love 4 One Another. They married on Christmas Day in 2001

But after the couple's divorce in 2007, Testolini received a Toronto home in the settlement. It is unclear if it is the home that is on the market now

The documents do not give financial details of the final divorce settlement, but Testolini did receive a house in Toronto worth about $6million at the time and a Lexus automobile

Large bedrooms in the one-story home feature windows looking out into the home's backyard, as well as several sitting areas

The records also show that Prince locked Testolini out of their home in Chanhassen, Minnesota, which was not at his Paisley Park recording complex, in May 2005.

Prince and Testolini met when she was a consultant for his charity, Love 4 One Another, the documents showed.

They married on Christmas Day in 2001. The couple's divorce was granted in 2007.

Two years after their divorce, Testolini claimed Prince had not returned several personal items, including copies of videos he made based on two songs he had written for her.

He also had not returned jewelry, including a Tiffany gold and diamond earring set, as well as photographs, memorabilia and scrapbooks. The items were valued at $185,000.

Prince was representing himself at that time and did not respond to the court.

The musician was previously married to backup dancer Mayte Garcia.

Also in the home is an exercise room that has several weight machines, a television, and what appears to be a sauna room

What appears to be the master bedroom in the home features a large tub, a stand-up shower, two sinks and plenty of storage space
There are fears for the life of a key witness to the MH17 plane disaster after he laid blame for the disaster squarely on Moscow.

Sergey Dubinsky, 54, a retired Russian colonel, confessed through a friend that he was responsible for moving a Buk surface-to-air missile system into place before it was used to shoot down the Malaysia Airlines plane in 2014.

But Serhiy Tiunov, a pro-Ukrainian who took Dubinsky's confession, says the colonel denies being personally responsible - instead blaming the 'b******* from Moscow.'

Serhiy Tiunov (right) says his friend Sergey Dubinsky (left), a retired Russian colonel, has admitted to moving a missile launcher into position before it shot down MH17

But Tiunov (pictured) said Dubinsky denied pulling the trigger himself and instead blamed 'the b******* in Moscow' for the attack which killed 298 innocent people

Tiunov, a pro-Ukrainian military leader who fought with Dubinsky in Afghanistan, told Novaya Gazeta that he now fears his friend will be killed to keep the identities of those who launched the missile a secret.

Everyone on board the plane, 298 passengers and crew, were killed after it was shot out of the sky. It is thought Russian-backed rebels fired at it after mistaking it for a Ukrainian military plane.r

Ukrainian secret services confirmed shortly after the incident that they had intercepted audio from Russian military channels of a known Red Army commander ordering a missile system into position before the strike.

Dubinsky aka Khmury (Grumpy) had already been unmasked as the man behind that voice, but Wednesday's comments mark his first significant account of the incident.

Tiunov (rear) says he believes Dubinsky (left) knows the identities of those who gave the order, and fears for his friend's life

At the time, he was head of military intelligence for the self-proclaimed and pro-Putin Donestsk People's Republic.

During the conflict in Ukraine, Dubinsky and Tiunov had met several times, and the colonel had freed a number of Ukrainian soldiers captured by the rebels.

Tiunov said: 'I could not stay calm (and I told him) it is you who hit the Boeing passenger plane like gangsters!

'I saw the expression on his face and felt that he was hurt, and took it very personally.

'He said: "You think I did it myself?"

'Then he pointed his finger at the heavens and said: "It was done by b******* from Moscow!'

'It was hard for him to talk about it, he had to make excuses. He is a military man after all, not a gangster.

'It was clear for me, he understood that he was linked to it and that he was partly guilty in the death of civilians.

'So he quickly ended our conversation.'

The revelation - if true - destroys the Kremlin's version that the plane was shot down by Ukrainian forces, and suggests a Moscow cover-up to hide the truth.

This Russian claim had already been rejected by an international probe into the disaster, but would mark the first denial from a source close to the Kremlin.

Tiunov said Dubinsky's confession came when he confronted his friend over the missile launch, accusing him of being a 'gangster'

If Tiunov's comments are accurate, it marks the first time Dubinsky has admitted his role in the MH17 disaster, and the first time a source close to Moscow has admitted Kremlin involvement

Tiunov said of Dubinsky: 'He was neither a b******, nor a rat. I know this.

'Such people just don't survive in intelligence. He was fighting in Donbass (eastern Ukraine) as a soldier.

'Yes, probably, he received a criminal command from his commander.

'But I am 100 per cent sure - if he had known that it was a passenger plane, and if he had controlled the launch of the missile, he would have never chosen to kill civilians.

'What's more, this is what I heard from him in person: "It was done by b******* from Moscow!'

'And now he is pictured as the most guilty man. I don't accept this.'

He stated: 'He is a key witness, but he is not a murderer.

'And he is my friend. I want him to stay alive. I believe he did not press the button of that Buk, he only coordinated its movements.'

In total 298 people died in the air disaster in 2014. It is thought Russian-backed militants fired at the aircraft, thinking it was a Ukrainian military plane
Star chef Heston Blumenthal's 28 year marriage to his estranged wife was ended in just 90 seconds today.

District Judge Anne Hudd granted her a 'quickie' undefended decree nisi at the Central Family Court six years after the couple split.

Zanna Blumenthal's petition appeared first in a list of 14 cases today and Mrs Blumenthal , 52, was granted a decree nisi on the grounds that the marriage had irretrievably broken down.

After he split from his wife in 2011 the 50-year-old chef moved out of their Buckinghamshire home, and for a time dated glamourous American cookery book author Suzanne Pirret, who says her favourite things are 'food and sex.'

All over: Michelin starred chef Heston Blumenthal's 28 year marriage to his estranged wife Zanna (pictured together) was ended in just 90 seconds today

New love: After splitting from his wife in 2011, the star chef moved out of the family home in Buckinghamshire and began dating food writer Suzanne Pirret (pictured together)

The paperwork stated that Zanna Blumenthal had sufficiently proved the contents of her petition and was 'entitled to a decree of divorce, the marriage having irretrievably broken down, the facts found proved being two years' separation with consent'.

The date of separation was given as the beginning of August 2011 with the couple having decided that the marriage was at an end two months earlier.

Since then, Zanna Blumenthal has lived in Marlow, Buckinghamshire, while her husband's address was given as Barnes, south west London.

Mr Blumenthal said in the papers that 'we have reached an agreement in financial proceedings which is in full and final satisfaction of all claims for legal costs including of this divorce suit'.

The couple have three children, Jack , 24. Jessie, 21, and Joy,19 . They met as teenagers when he was a credit controller and she was a nurse, and married in 1989.

They built up a business together and turned the 450 year old Fat Duck in Bray, Berkshire into one of the world's leading restaurants.

He also owns Dinner a critically acclaimed restaurant in the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Knightsbridge, West London.

It is believed that the couple who have remained friends wanted to sort out financial matters before getting divorced.

She once described him as her soul mate and he said she was the reason for his success as they built up a multimillion pound restaurant business.

In an interview before they split Mrs. Blumenthal said: 'It sounds corny, but I knew from the outset that I'd found my soul mate. There was a deep connection between us and even though we were just teenagers, we knew we had found something special.

'We had very little money, but for my birthday, he took me for dinner at the best restaurant in London at the time, La Tante Claire.

'It was the first time I'd experienced fine dining and it blew me away, so food became our shared passion.'

Blumenthal has most recently been spotted with French real estate broker Stephanie Gouveia

In the same interview he said: ' Zanna is the reason for my success because she has supported me every step of the way,' he said in the same interview. She's sacrificed so much and has never complained.'

The couple split up in 2011, as Blumenthal went through a self-confessed crisis and began to question everything about his life

Neither were present for the brief hearing.

In a recent interview with Event magazine he said he was driven by guilt at not having spent more time with his children growing up.

He said: 'I remember I had a back operation over Christmas when we were closed at The Fat Duck. I was on crutches, putting up decorations with my son Jack, and he said, 'This is the first time we've done this, Dad.' He was 13 or 14. For some reason I thought, 'Isn't that cute?'

'But then it struck me, 'Oh my God, this really is not right.' I carried that regret for a while, along with other regrets.

However Blumenthal said his relationship with his children was now better than it had ever been.

In an interview with Woman & Home, Zanna previously referred to her husband as her 'soul mate' but lamented that she 'pretty much became a single parent because Heston was in the restaurant all the time.'

However in an interview last month Blumenthal said he and his wife had settled their differences.

Speaking to Event Magazine, he said: 'We've done it. It's only when it gets resolved that you realise the tension. I feel quite different now. I've been trying to free myself up.

'It's a bit like when you're making a stew, you keep adding extra things in but it's still not quite right. In fact, some of the ingredients shouldn't be there in the first place.'
Owen Nichol, 19, from Taunton in Somerset, kicked cows in the face and shouted, 'Come on you f****** t***' before stamping on a newborn calf seven times

A farm apprentice, who stamped on a newborn calf and beat its mother, has been spared jail.

Owen Nichol, 19, from Taunton in Somerset, kicked cows in the face and shouted, 'Come on you f****** t***' before stamping on a newborn calf seven times.

The abuse was captured on a covert camera placed in a barn by the charity Animal Equality.

Nichol was given a 12-week prison sentence - suspended for one year - today at Taunton Magistrates' Court after admitting two charges of causing unnecessary suffering to animals at an earlier hearing.

Chair of the bench Jeff Collingwood previously said it was the worst case of animal abuse he had seen in his 23 years as a magistrate and warned Nichol he may face jail.

During a four-minute clip, Nichol is seen kicking and punching a cow that had just given birth and slamming a gate on it.

At one point, the part-time stockman tells the animal: 'I f****** hate you you little c***,' before slamming it on the ground, bashing it against a wall and stamping on it.

Nichol admitted two charges of causing unnecessary suffering to the animals contrary to the Animal Welfare Act 2006.

Prosecuting for the RSPCA, Lindi Meyer told the court, at a hearing earlier this month, that the abuse came to light after Animal Equality placed a covert camera in a barn.

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The footage, recorded between 9am and 9.30am on December 8 last year, was later passed to the RSPCA.

Ms Meyer said: 'The footage shows acts of violence against the cows and calves.

'He (Nichols) is continuously swearing at the cows. He gives a heavy kick to one of the new mothers.

'He kicks her full in the face and throws her newborn calf away from her.

'He kicks and stamps on one calf seven times. The violence was unprovoked and totally unnecessary.'

Nichols was filmed repeatedly assaulting and hurling abuse at the cow and newborn calf

A photo provided by animal charity Animal Equality showing dead calves at Pyrlands farm

Pictured is a lame cow at Pyrlands farm, where Owen Nichol was filmed hitting and kicking them

Ms Meyer said the calves in the footage ranged between newborn and two days old.

In a report for the RSPCA, a vet said the cows would have suffered 'considerable pain and distress' from Nichol's abuse.

The vet described the case as 'the worst example of abusive behaviour' he had seen in a 35-year career.

Nichols was working at the farm for a year as part of his apprenticeship, the court heard.

Pictured is the moment Nichol repeatedly slams the gate into the helpless animal

Pictured is Nichol stamping on the little calf at the farm. He was caught on camera

At one point, the part-time stockman tells the animal: 'I f****** hate you you little c***' and told it to lay down

Pictured is a cow with pressure sores at Pyrlands farm after Nichol launched his attack

In interviews, Nichol told officers he 'just flipped' and the violence was not related to the cows and calves.

He added his grandmother had been in hospital with pneumonia and he had separated from his girlfriend months earlier.

Nichol, who has a flock of sheep, said he had 'very little sleep' as he had been working for his father as well as nights at the farm.

Chair of the bench Jeff Collingwood said it was the worst case of animal cruelty he had seen in his twenty-three years as a magistrate.

Nichol, who has a flock of sheep, said he had 'very little sleep' as he had been working for his father as well as nights at the farm. He is pictured leaving court this afternoon

A photo provided by animal charity Animal Equality showing a cow in ankle hobbles at Pyrlands farm

The court heard Nichol was dismissed from the farm when the footage was released. He has no previous convictions.

Chairman of the bench, Dr Peter Reed, said: 'The offence was deliberate and sustained.

'It involved kicks, stamping, hitting including to the head, and shouting at the animals.

'We believe these animals did suffer a relatively high level of suffering, for a short period. The vet described it as the worst case of abuse he had seen in 35 years.'

Owen Nichol, 19, from Taunton in Somerset, kicked cows in the face and shouted, 'Come on you f****** t***' before stamping on a newborn calf seven times

Nichol had been warned he could be put behind bars with his actions - but was spared jail at Taunton Magistrates' Court.

Dr Reed said: 'You were working beyond your capabilities. You were working unsupervised, doing long shifts and were sleep deprived. You had limited training, and co-operated with the inspector.'

Nichol was sentenced to 12 weeks jail, suspended for one year, and told to undertake a rehabilitation activity for 30 days and 150 hours unpaid work.

He was disqualified for two years from owning, keeping or participating in keeping any animal farmed for commercial purposes, including arranging transport or dealing.

It will be 12 months before Nichol can challenge it.

A victim surcharge 115 was imposed, as well as a 300 contribution to costs of prosecution.

Dr Toni Shephard, Animal Equality's UK Director, said: 'We are extremely disappointed that this dairy farm worker has not been sent to prison for the disgusting attacks on vulnerable cows and calves revealed by our investigation.

'A suspended sentence is wholly inadequate punishment for these disturbing acts of cruelty.'

She added: 'This case highlights the dangerous lack of oversight and complete absence of independent, unannounced inspections which leave all farmed animals at risk of abuse and suffering.

'Without our investigation, this worker would still be beating those poor animals today.'
A Victorian teenager who groped several women in the surf at a Gold Coast beach has avoided conviction.

The boy, who was born overseas and whose actual age is unknown due to a lack of records, pleaded guilty to nine counts of sexual assault and three counts of common assault at a Children's Court hearing at Southport on Wednesday.

He has been placed on a two-year probation order for what Judge David Kent described as 'serious' offences.

A teenage boy has escaped conviction after he groped eight women in the surf at Surfers Paradise beach (pictured) on a summer day

The court heard the boy touched eight women aged between 15 and 24 in the surf at Surfers Paradise beach on January 12, 2016.

Prosecutor Nicholas McGhee told the court the assaults variously included the boy touching his victims' buttocks, vaginas and breasts, sometimes under their bikinis.

Mr McGhee said after raising the alarm with a local lifeguard, several of the women identified the boy in the water swimming behind other complainants in 'quite a predatory manner'.

'People should enjoy the right to enjoy the right to have fun at the beach without being sexually assaulted or assaulted by a stranger,' Mr McGhee said.

Several of the women identified the boy in the water swimming behind other complainants in 'quite a predatory manner' at Surfers Paradise beach (pictured)

Judge Kent ordered the boy to undergo a 'positive sexuality' course as part of his probation and said while his immersion in a new culture partially explained his actions, it didn't absolve him.

'This is obviously unacceptable behaviour but it is also criminal behaviour,' he said.

'Your behaviour had significant impact on at least two of the complainants.

'The impacts on them have been considerable.'
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Kim Jong-Un's army readied for war as they fired rockets and torpedoes at mock enemy warships during North Korea's 'largest ever' live-fire artillery drills on Tuesday.

Hundreds of tanks were lined up along the eastern coastal town of Wonsan in a show of military strength to celebrate 85 years since the North Korean army was created.

Kim saluted the military as he watched the exercises on Tuesday, which involved the firing of more than 300 large-calibre artillery pieces and included submarine torpedo-attacks.

Just one day later, South Korea conducted joint military live-fire drills with the US at Seungjin fire training field in Pocheon, South Korea, near the border with North Korea.

North Korea held massive live-fire artillery drills on Tuesday as it marked the anniversary of the founding of its military

Leader Kim Jong-Un saluted his military from the top of a private car as they drove through the demonstration

More than 300 large-calibre artillery pieces were fired in the drill, called a 'Combined Fire Demonstration'

The exercises involved submarine torpedo-attacks on mock enemy warships, causing huge explosions

Hundreds of weapons were fired across the sea in Wonsan, North Korea, in the military demonstration

And in a defiant bit of timing, South Korea have announced that key parts of a contentious US missile defense system have been installed.

The South's trumpeting of progress in setting up the Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense system, or THAAD, comes as high-powered US military assets converge on the Korean Peninsula and as a combative North Korea signals possible nuclear and missile testing.

On the same day, a US guided-missile submarine docked in South Korea.

And the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier is also headed toward the peninsula for a joint exercise with South Korea.

The exercise took place as a US guided-missile submarine arrived in South Korea and envoys from the US, Japan and South Korea met in Tokyo to discuss the growing threat posed by North Korea's nuclear weapons and missiles program.

Speculation had mounted that the North could carry out a sixth nuclear test or another missile launch to mark 85 years since the founding of its army.

The North Korean despot smiled with his military deputies as he watched the military drill

Hundreds of tanks were lined up along the eastern coastal town of Wonsan in a show of military strength celebrating 85 years since the North Korean army was created

North Korea fired dozens of missiles across the sea to mark the anniversary of the military's creation

Hundreds of flag-bearing soldiers saluted as they stood next to weapons

The Korean People's Army positioned tanks along the coast as planes soared overhead

The South's Yonhap news agency cited a government source as saying the exercise was the North's 'largest ever'.

Meanwhile, a senior analyst warned that the back-and-forth threats between the US and North Korea could cause a needless stumble into war.

On Monday, President Donald Trump said dictator Jong-Un isn't as strong as he claims to be, and he blamed the international community for not doing more to rein him in.

The 'status quo' on North Korea is 'unacceptable,' Trump told members of the United Nations Security Council at the White House.

'The council must be prepared to impose additional and stronger sanctions,' Trump said.

Senior analyst, Jonathan Pollack, at the Brookings Institution says the back-and-forth threats between the US and North Korea 'raises the stakes', according to CBS.

US Army's M1 A2 tanks fired during a joint military live-fire drills with South Korea at Seungjin Fire Training Field in Pocheon, South Korea, near the border with North Korea

Flames rose as South Korean army's armored vehicles waited during their own drill on Wednesday

South Korean army's multiple launch rocket systems fired several rockets

In a defiant bit of timing, South Korea have announced that key parts of a contentious US missile defense system have been installed

South Korean acting President Hwang Kyo-ahn (pictured centre, front) inspected a variety of fire arms during the firing drill

A US Army Apache helicopter fired rockets during the joint military live-fire drills

The US and South Korea's armored vehicles move through the Seungjin Fire Training Field

'We could stumble needlessly into what would be the biggest crisis in East Asia since the United States intervened in the Korean War in 1950,' Pollack warned.

'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 US imperialists and their vassal forces for aggression,' Gen Pak Yong Sik told a meeting of thousands of senior military and civilian officials.

South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said it was closely watching North Korean military action in the Wonsan city area, where it said the drills were being held.

The exercise involved 300 to 400 artillery pieces, but an official from Seoul's Defense Ministry couldn't confirm the details.

Flower-laying and bowing at statues and portraits of the leaders is a regular routine on major anniversaries. People also gathered in open spaces to take part in organized dancing, another common way to mark holidays.

'Our great leaders founded and wisely led our revolutionary army, and just like that, now our respected Marshal Kim Jong-Un is leading wisely, so even though the situation is tense, we are celebrating the day,' said Choe Un Byol, who came with his family to the bronze statues of the former leaders.

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

South Korea's military said Tuesday North Korea held live-fire drills in an area around its eastern coastal town of Wonsan as it marked the anniversary of the founding of its military. The exercise may have been the North's 'largest ever' and leader Kim Jong-Un oversaw it (left)

Meanwhile, senior Koreas analyst, Jonathan Pollack, says the back-and-forth threats between the US and North Korea could cause the US to 'stumble needlessly' into war. A young girl celebrates the 85th anniversary of North Korea's military

North Korea often also marks significant dates by displaying its military capability. It launched a missile one day after the 105th birthday of late founder Kim Il Sung on April 15. People gathered in open spaces to take part in organized dancing (pictured)

North Korea often also marks significant dates by displaying its military capability. It launched a missile one day after the 105th birthday of late founder Kim Il Sung on April 15.

Recent US commercial satellite images indicate increased activity around North Korea's nuclear test site, and third-generation dictator Jong-Un has said the country's preparation for an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) launch is in its 'final stage'.

The USS Michigan, a nuclear-powered submarine, arrived at the South Korean port of Busan in what was described as a routine visit to rest the crew and load supplies.

Cmdr Jang Wook from South Korean navy public affairs said there was no plan for a drill.

The submarine's arrival comes as the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier headed toward the Korean Peninsula for a joint exercise with South Korea. The US 7th Fleet said two American destroyers were conducting simultaneous maritime exercises with naval ships from South Korea and Japan.

Nikki Haley, Trump's UN ambassador, said the US is not looking for a fight with Kim Jong-Un and would not attack the country 'unless he gives us reason to do something'. She also praised China's increased pressure on North Korea

North Korea launched two missile tests this month while Trump and his senior aides have warned that 'all options are on the table' against Pyongyang, including military action

Despite the buildup, Trump has reportedly settled on a strategy that emphasizes increased pressure on North Korea with the help of China, the North's only major ally, instead of military options or trying to overthrow North Korea's government.

Trump told the UN Security Council that they must be prepared to impose additional and stronger sanctions on North Korea.

'This is a real threat to the world, whether we want to talk about it or not,' Trump said Monday.

'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.'

Nikki Haley, Trump's UN ambassador, said the US is not looking for a fight with Kim and would not attack North Korea 'unless he gives us reason to do something'. She praised China's increased pressure on North Korea.

When asked about the threshold for US action, Haley told NBC 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'.

The USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier (pictured) headed toward the Korean Peninsula for a joint exercise with South Korea

South Korean protesters staged a rally against US deployment of the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier and its battle group to the Korean Peninsula

USS MICHIGAN: ONE OF THE LARGEST SUBS IN THE WORLD The USS Michigan is the second Ohio-class nuclear-powered guided missile submarine in the US Navy. The Michigan has a displacement of more than 18,000 tons when submerged and 16,000 tons when surfaced. It is one of the largest submarines in the world and can travel at speeds of 29 miles per hour and can stay submerged for up to three months. The submarine is equipped with about 150 Tomahawk missiles that hit targets that are up to 990 miles away, and can carry out a range of missions including anti-submarine warfare and reconnaissance. The USS Michigan was last deployed to the peninsula in June 2015. It also boasts 24 missile tubes, four 21-inch torpedo tubes and an S8G Nuclear Reactor. Source: Naval Technology Advertisement

But asked what if North Korea tests an intercontinental missile or nuclear device, she said: 'I think then the president steps in and decides what's going to happen.'

The US, Japan and South Korea agreed Tuesday to put maximum pressure on North Korea, the South's envoy for North Korea said after meeting his American and Japanese counterparts in Tokyo.

'We agreed to warn North Korea to stop any additional strategic provocation and take intolerably strong punitive measures against Pyongyang if it goes ahead with such provocations,' Kim Hong-kyun told reporters following his meeting with Joseph Yun of the US and Japan's Kenji Kanasugi.

Kim said they discussed ways to get more cooperation from China and Russia, which they agreed is crucial to applying effective pressure on North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons program. He said they also recognized China's recent steps toward that goal.

Japan's Foreign Ministry announced that China's envoy for North Korea, Wu Dawei, was arriving in Tokyo on Tuesday for talks with Kanasugi that may take place later this week.
Dier Mohammed (pictured) attacked Diana Pranskuniene with a kitchen knife on a high street in Portsmouth

A homeless Iraqi immigrant who stabbed his brother's girlfriend in a planned attack has been jailed for 19 years.

Diana Pranskuniene, 36, was walking along a high street in Portsmouth when Dier Mohammed, 43, ambushed and attacked her with a kitchen knife.

The blade missed her heart by less than an inch and had to be removed by hospital surgeons after it became embedded up to the hilt.

The jury were told that Mohammed was unhappy after being denied access to his five children, who were being cared for by his brother and Ms Pranskuniene.

His defence lawyer told the city's crown court that Mohammed had 'suffered the trauma of growing up in Iraq' before coming to live in Britain.

Re-living her ordeal, Ms Pranskuniene praised Shelley Lewis, who came to her aid as she lay bleeding to death on the pavement following the assault ten months ago.

'I would not have survived without her.,' she said. 'I want to say thank you to everyone who helped that day, especially to that nurse.

'She was a nurse and knew what she was doing. If it was somebody else who thought you could take out the knife, I probably wouldn't be sitting here.

'And to everyone who didn't ignore it and got involved and helped to catch him, the witnesses who came as well, and police officers, they did a great job.'

The court heard that when Mohammed approached Ms Pranskuniene in the street on July 9, she phoned 999 but cancelled the call when he ran off.

However Mohammed returned with a knife he had hidden nearby and stabbed her while she still had the phone in her hand in London Road, North End.

The blade (pictured) missed her heart by less than an inch and had to be removed by hospital surgeons after it became embedded up to the hilt

CCTV played in court showed the moment he plunged the kitchen knife into her back, saying 'Why do you hate me? Why are you destroying my life?'

Stephen Parish, prosecuting, said 'Shortly afterwards - she puts it at a minute - she felt a huge bang in the back.

'She felt numb and out of breath and she collapsed in a sitting position on the pavement.

'She didn't realise that she had been stabbed until she was in the ambulance and there was in fact a knife in her back, embedded up to the hilt.'

Mohammed - who denied attempted murder - was seen at 8.58am leaving a drinks bottle behind the delivery gates at Sainsbury's, before the attack at 3.24pm.

Mr Parish said 'The significance of all that of course is that the prosecution says the defendant must have planned the attack well in advance.

'He'd gone to Sainsbury's in the morning to hide the knife. He waits for Diana near the top of her road. When he encounters her he runs back to retrieve the knife and stabs her.

'The location of the injury, the depth of the wound, is consistent only with an intention to kill.'

Mohammed ran across London Road between cars before he was confronted by members of the public in Derby Road.

Mr Parish said 'Darren Shuker heard someone say 'why did you stab her?' and the defendant said 'I kill her, I kill her', something along the lines of 'I'm better off without her'.'

Mr Parish said Mohammed had initially pretended to be his brother Hiwar Namiq, who was then also arrested.

Mohammed told police 'my brother told me to stab her' but he later admitted'I put the knife in.'

Mohammed, of no fixed address, was jailed for 19 years with a four-year extension on licence.

He had been examined at Ravenswood House, where a psychiatrist at first thought he suffered a psychotic episode in the attack - but later ruled he did not.

Judge Sarah Munro said 'You were capable of manipulating the medical staff and influencing fellow patients - for example you knew which staff would accede to your demands for drugs and accused those who did not of being racist towards you.

Mohammed returned with a knife he had hidden nearby and stabbed Diana Pranskuniene while she still had the phone in her hand in London Road, North End (pictured)

'You demonstrated violent and aggressive threats, even in that secure environment and at one point said that you aim to serve your sentence in bliss at Ravenswood rather than in prison.

'At one stage you made a full confession to the crime, describing your anger towards Diana as being the motive.

'You planned the attack and concealed the knife nearby while you hung around all day for your target to appear. You plunged the knife into her back, narrowly missing vital organs.

'Your intention was to kill her and it's a matter of pure good fortune that you did not do so.'

Another defence lawyer, Pierce Power, said 'trauma' Mohammed suffered growing up in Iraq was 'intrinsically linked to what is otherwise a completely random incident of violence'.

Det Supt Justin Norris said 'The members of the public in Portsmouth were brilliant, they really came together.

'They went to her aid and having seen what happened, they chased him in order to make sure that he didn't get away with what he had done, which was a brave thing to do.'

Mohammed will serve two thirds of the term before a parole board considers him for release.
Right-wing senator Cory Bernardi's Australian Conservatives party is amalgamating with Family First.

The outspoken senator left the Liberal Party in February after a decade with the party in federal parliament.

However, only weeks after formally becoming an Australian Conservatives senator he has announced his party is merging with Family First.

Senator Bernardi has refuted a suggestion from senior Turnbull government minister Christopher Pyne that the Australian Conservatives party was struggling to attract support.

Mr Pyne comes from the Liberal Party in South Australia, which Senator Bernardi was a member of for 30 years.

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Senator Cory Bernardi's Australian Conservatives are merging with Family First

Turnbull government minister Christopher Pyne has questioned if the Australian Conservatives could survive without a merger with Family First

'If there was no threat to Christopher Pyne, he wouldn't be making any comments whatsoever,' Senator Bernardi told ABC 7.30 host Leigh Sales on Wednesday.

'Within these sort of troublemakers or power brokers, as they like to style themselves within the Liberal Party, they're responsible for the dysfunction that's there for the disillusionment by the public because people like Christopher Pyne don't stand for anything.'

In the same interview, Senator Bernardi had to awkwardly explain why a new Family First lawmaker born in Kenya didn't join his party.

His party merger plans were thrown into disarray in federal parliament after new South Australian senator Lucy Gichuhi announced that she would sit in parliament as an independent rather than as a member of the new, merged conservative minor parties.

She released a statement on Wednesday explaining her decision to stay away from the Australian Conservatives by quitting Family First.

'Given the circumstances and the time frames, I have not been able to determine if joining the new entity is the best way for me to serve the people of South Australia,' she said.

'It is on that basis that I have decided to serve as an independent senator for the time being.'

New South Australian senator Lucy Gichuhi will sit as an independent rather than joined the merger of the Australian Conservatives and Family First

Senator Bernardi said Senator Gichuhi, a 54-year-old lawyer who migrated to Australia in 1999, was new to parliament.

'Lucy was chosen or sworn in as a senator only recently and I know what its like to be a new senator even with the support of a party,' he said.

'Its a very challenging environment. You got to get your head around a lot and Lucy's made a lot of decisions this week and she wasn't prepared or able to make a decision in respect to this merger at this time but I noticed she left the door open today.'

Senator Gichuhi was this month appointed as a senator after the High Court ruled that former Family First senator Bob Day's election to parliament in 2016 was invalid because he rented electorate office space which he owned.

Leigh Sales, the host of 7.30, asked Senator Cory Bernardi why Lucy Gichuhi didn't join the merger of the Australian Conservatives and Family First

Australia's most senior judges ruled that he had breached Section 44 (5) of the constitution, which bans federal members of parliament from having a financial contract with the Commonwealth.

Mr Day quit as a senator in October after his Home Australia building company, based in Adelaide, collapsed.

This, in itself, would have made him ineligible to sit in parliament as a bankrupt.

On Wednesday, Senator Gichuhi left Family First to become an independent legislator but she has indicated she is open to joining the Australian Conservatives after she is formally sworn in as a senator.

She was the second name on the Family First Senate ticket in South Australia at last year's federal double dissolution election.
Three feminist protesters who carried a giant plastic vagina through a Spanish city are facing court after the protest was deemed a religious hate crime.

The women marched the two-metre vagina through Sevilla to protest against homophobia, during a workers' demonstration in May 2014.

This week the Spanish high court overturned a previous ruling that the trio had legitimately used freedom of expression - and branded the march an offence against the Virgin Mary.

Three feminist protesters who carried a giant plastic vagina (pictured) through Sevila, Spain, are facing court after the protest was deemed a religious hate crime

The women are accused of offending 'religious sentiments' after their procession through the Andalucian city.

Acts which offend the sentiments of members of a religious group carry a fine - meaning the women could be jailed for eight to 12 months.

During the march, the Alquerra Feminists group appeared to dress up like a Semana Santa procession while carrying the vagina.

The women were pictured wearing black lace face veils and carrying rosary beads, according to Europa Press.

The veils, known as mantillas, are commonly worn by devout Catholic women during religious celebrations.

The women marched the two-metre vagina through Sevilla to protest against homophobia, during a workers' demonstration in May 2014

Other women were seen wearing conical hoods worn by members of religious brotherhoods to celebrate Easter.

Hailed as the 'Santisimo Cono Insumiso', or the 'Blessed Rebellious Vagina', they reportedly were protesting against homophobia.

The women were protesting during a march organised by the Spanish union the General Workers' Confederation (CGT).

Miguel Sevillano, head of the CGT in Seville told Europa Press that the women had 'nothing to do' with the union, but added that the women were part of a feminist group.

Feminist groups have routinely staged demonstration in Spain, to protest the country's abortion laws.
A wealthy aristocrat has sparked fury in a village after blocking plans for superfast broadband by refusing to allow four poles to be put up on his land.

Local residents in Upton Pyne, Devon, have accused the 5th Earl of Iddesleigh of being 'ridiculous' for not allowing BT permission to complete the work.

The village where Earl John Stafford Northcote, 60, lives  which is home to around 300 people - has had to work off broadband speeds of just two megabits.

The land owned by the 5th Earl of Iddesleigh outside of Upton Pyne in Devon, where he has refused plans to erect four poles to carry a broadband cable

Plans were at an advanced stage and BT installed a cabinet to take fibre broadband last November - but six months later it remains unused

Councillor Bob Short of Upton Pyne and Cowley Parish Council said 'nobody wants poles', but added: 'Surely four more isn't going to be too much of an inconvenience for the countryside?'

Plans were at an advanced stage and BT installed a cabinet to take fibre broadband last November - but six months later it remains unused.

There is currently a gap of just four poles needed join the fibre optic cables that are on the Earl's land - but he is refusing to allow the development to go ahead.

And without the backing of the Earl, who owns a 2,500-acre estate, BT said there was nothing it could do to progress.

A spokesman for the company told how it was 'disappointed that it is currently not viable to provide superfast fibre broadband for the village'.

Without the backing of the Earl, who owns a 2,500-acre estate near the village (pictured), BT said there was nothing it could do to progress

A spokesman for BT told how it was 'disappointed that it is currently not viable to provide superfast fibre broadband for the village'

The firm said no agreement had been reached with the Earl, despite two meetings with him, on 'either an overhead or underground cable across the landowner's fields'

There is currently a gap of just four poles needed join the fibre optic cables that are on the Earl's land - but he is refusing to allow the development to go ahead

The firm said no agreement had been reached with the Earl, despite two meetings with him, on 'either an overhead or underground cable across the landowner's fields'.

Speaking from his farm, the Earl said he had no comment to make in response to criticism from neighbours, adding that he had become frustrated in his dealings with BT on the issue.

He said: 'It is a waste of time. BT haven't replied to me, so why should I reply?'

Earl's only son who was caught drink driving The Earl's only son and current heir to the estate is Viscount Thomas Stafford St Cyres who made headlines in 2009 when he was caught drink driving for the second time after boasting about his binge drinking habits online. Son: Viscount Thomas Stafford St Cyres Now 32, the young aristocrat posted dozens of pictures of himself on social networking sites with captions including 'Drunk as a Lord'. St Cyres posted on his Bebo page drinking lager, wine and champagne in numerous photographs. He labelled his social networking site 'Self-indulgence is not a crime', talked about 'debauchery' and added 'Still drinking too much gin, but then again what's new?' Another image showed him in a brightly striped jacket holding a pint of lager with the comment: 'Lovely blazer, shame about the chap wearing it!' Under another grinning picture he wrote: 'I fail to remember when this was taken (at which point during dins). I look fairly sloshed so must be late on... Or is that how I look most of the time?!' St Cyres, a classics graduate, was banned from the road for three years. Advertisement

A spokesman for the Earl said he was not against bringing broadband to Upton Pyne, but preferred the cables to be buried because telegraph poles would have to cross an 'unspoilt valley'.

Councillor Bob Short of Upton Pyne and Cowley Parish Council said: 'In the interests of keeping the countryside looking pretty for everybody, nobody wants poles.

'But it's the case that they'd not be the only ones in the area, there are poles everywhere. Surely four more isn't going to be too much of an inconvenience for the countryside?'

Other villagers said the broadband was desperately needed.

One, who did not want to be named, said: 'It's an absolute disgrace. We suffer from really bad broadband here and someone who has power from a medieval land grab.

'It is a ridiculous situation.'

Another local added: 'The internet is so slow my son can't do his homework if I go on too. It's very, very frustrating.

'We've got lots of poles around here - will four more matter?'

John Howells, 38, who works from home as a photographer and artist, said: 'When I want to load images, it's very, very slow.

'If it gets very desperate I have to drive to my girlfriend's in the countryside - and that's 25 miles away.'

And Fabian King added: 'We've got the cabinet here and we've got the fibre optic cable on the poles. There's one gap of four poles, that's all we need to sew it up.'

The family residence was historically Pynes House, a 70 room 21,000 sq ft rural palace similar to Downton Abbey where the clocks mysteriously stopped in 1939.

The 2nd Earl of Iddesleigh once claimed the house was the inspiration for Barton Park, which features in Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility.

But several decades ago, the 4th Earl of Iddesleigh parted with his ancestral pile and moved to a smaller house nearby where his widow still lives - Shillands House near Exeter.

The current 5th Earl lives in Newton St Cyres in a Grade II-listed farmhouse built in the late 18th or early 19th century.

A representative of the Earl said: 'My client is not objecting to broadband, nor has he formally objected to the poles.

'There is information outstanding by BT, but his preference is for the cables to go underground so there is no further spoiling of the area. I will represent him at the meeting next month when the issue will be discussed.'
A millionaire tycoon has today overturned neighbours' plans for an iceberg basement under his 50million Mayfair mansion.

Stelio Stefanou, 63, objected to his neighbours' plans for a three-storey super-basement underneath a listed building in Charles Street.

The 'very substantial' extension was to include a kitchen, laundry, cinema and gym, together with a two-storey subterranean swimming pool.

Mr Stefanou's 50million home was the Duke of Clarence's house before he was crowned King William IV in 1830.

Big win: Stelio Stefanou, 63, objected to his neighbours' plans for a three-storey super-basement underneath a listed building in Charles Street (pictured) - and overturned it at the High Court today

Planners gave the go-ahead to Cunningham Management Ltd for the work in August last year, but today a High Court judge overturned the decision.

Speaking afterwards Mr Stefanou told the Evening Standard: 'It's a massive relief, we're pleased the judge has seen sense.

'These historical buildings need to be protected. We've no idea how this development was even allowed in the first place. It would have been so disruptive.

Mr Stefanou's home was the Duke of Clarence's house before he was crowned King William IV in 1830 - but he said the basement planned next door was bad for the whole area

'Going to judicial review was a big risk but there was no other option, I will not stop fighting to save my house'.

He added: 'This was a lovely little community, but things like this break it up. You don't need to dig three floors underground to use a house. It is an enormous worry for us.'

Mr Justice Gilbart said Westminster City Council's planners had not taken sufficient account of its own policy on super-basements.

The judge said the house, only a few yards from the Saudi Arabian embassy, is in need of some repair and been the subject of works plans for years.

However, the huge underground development would cause a 'great deal of upheaval', with 'lengthy building and excavation works', he added.

Lawyers for businessman and philanthropist Mr Stefanou argued that the council was wrong to grant listed building consent and planning permission.

It had failed to have regard to a new policy, which allows for excavation of more than one floor only in 'exceptional circumstances'.

'Patently, this development fell to be considered against that policy,' said the judge.

'It proposed a very substantial basement extension, with the creation of two new basement floors.'

In smart Charles Street, pictured, which is close to Grosvenor Square, homes comfirtably sell for more than 50million

The judge said the council had gone wrong in the way it had considered the proposals before granting permission.

As permission was already in place for a basement extension in 2011, the council thought it only had to consider work which was additional to that already allowed.

That was a 'very straightforward error of law', as the 'whole scheme' had to be considered in the light of the policy on basements.

'There can be no doubt that this proposal involved the provision of basements and that it was caught by the new policy,' he said. 'The council was bound to have regard to it.'

He quashed the planning permission and the listed building consent.

Egypt-born Mr Stefanou is a regular on the Sunday Times Rich List. He sold his building maintenance company, Accord Plc, for about 150m in 2007.
Sydney and Melbourne's skyrocketing house prices show no signs of pulling back any time soon, but over in Perth it's a different story.

Home owners in the West Australian capital are battling to pay their over inflated mortgages with house prices in free fall.

Property was in high demand in Perth in 2007 and again in 2012 thanks to the mining boom, leading to strong price growth.

But now prices have dropped by double-digit percentages in some suburbs, with warnings Sydney and Melbourne could experience a similar fate in the next few years.

This dilapidated home, in the Sydney suburb of Rozelle, went on sale in April with a staggering price guide of $1.25 million

In the Sydney suburb of Ryde, this home shocked investors when it recently sold for $2.35 million, $450,000 more than the asking price

In Glen Waverley, south-east Melbourne, this three-bedroom home is currently for sale with an asking price of $1.2 million

Also in Glen Waverley, this luxurious five-bedroom home is up for auction in the coming days. House prices in Melbourne have jumped by 15.2 per cent in the past 12 months

'There's probably a lesson for Sydney and Melbourne today of perhaps what's coming after the market turns,' Perth property valuer Gavin Hegney told the ABC's 7.30 program.

He said West Australia was once 'infallible' and 'really booming' but times have dramatically changed.

In Mandurah, south Perth, some people have seen the price of their properties fall by a staggering 40 per cent in a decade.

Daniel Johnston, 35, purchased an investment property in the suburb for $580,000 in 2007 but now it is only worth $350,000.

For sale by transparent negotiation, this home is located in the Perth suburb of Mosman Park. Western Australia has experienced sluggish growth in house prices in recent times

While house prices in some Perth suburbs have fallen by 40 per cent, this four-bedroom Mosman Park home has an asking price of about $1 million

This two-bedroom brick home in Ryde, Sydney sold for $1.46 million in February

In the Sydney suburb of Castle Hill, this five bedroom home is on the market with a price guide of $2.495 million to $2.695 million, more than double the city's median house price

'We thought it might slow, the property price, but never expected the drop that Mandurah has had. It's nearly halved,' Mr Johnston told 7.30.

He is fearful he will lose his family home because he is struggling to pay back the $500,000 mortgage on the investment.

West Australian Lifeline financial counsellor Jenny Cecil said there has been a surge in the number of people reaching out for help.

Mandurah, Perth, resident Daniel Johnston (pictured) said his investment property has fallen from $580,000 to $350,000 in a decade

Lifeline financial counsellor Jenny Cecil said there has been a surge in the number of people reaching out for help in Western Australia

''They've been unemployed possibly eight to 12 months, so when they do come to see us it's sometimes difficult to offer options or arrangements to repay debt,' she said.

In the past 12 months, Sydney house prices have risen by 13.1 per cent and in Melbourne they have jumped by 15.2 per cent in the same period.

The median Sydney house price now stands at $1.15 million, while in Melbourne it is $843,674.
A convicted double murderer who killed his brother and sister-in-law is asking for a new trial because the judge who jailed him had an affair with a key witness.

In 2013, Jerome Walter Kowalski was sentenced in to life in prison without parole for shooting his brother Richard and his wife Brenda in their home in Oceola Township, Michigan, five years earlier.

After his arrest, he admitted the killings to Michigan State Police Detective Sgt. Sean Furlong but later retracted the confession, claiming he made it out of desperation after a lengthy interrogation.

Kowalski unsuccessfully appealed his conviction in 2014.

On Wednesday, his lawyer Peter Van Hoek revealed that Furlong had been named in divorce proceedings involving the trial judge Theresa Brennan.

Jerome Walter Kowalski is seeking a new trial because Judge Theresa Brennan, who jailed him for life without parole in 2013, was having an affair with a key witness in his trial

The pair had an affair which he says began before his client's trial but none of the attorneys involved were ever made aware.

They insist it began after Kowalski's trial began and that they were only friends beforehand.

Her former husband Donald Root insists the two were romantic during Kowalski's trial.

Brennan had an affair with Michigan State Police Detective Sgt. Sean Furlong

Whether they were romantically involved or just friends, the murderer's lawyer says the relationship and the judge's failure to disclose it at the time is tantamount to judicial misconduct and that Kowalski deserves a new trial as a result.

Kowalski, now 70, claimed during proceedings that his brother and sister-in-law's 'real killer' was 'still out there'.

According to the his lawyer, Judge Brennan and Detective Sgt. Furlong began their affair long before she called on him at his 2013 trial.

They allegedly met up at a cottage she owned with her husband and had spent the night together for years before they crossed paths with Kowalski.

They both admitted to kissing in a courthouse in 2007 and spoke outside court at least twice during Kowalski's murder trial, he claims.

Phone records allegedly indicate that the pair spoke 37 times throughout the trial and some were made during court hours.

Brennan's former husband Donald Root (left) said her affair began during Kowalski's trial. The 70-year-old convicted double murderer (right) is hopeful the revelations will win him a new trial

Despite their long, personal history, neither disclosed their relationship to the other trial parties.

While Kowalski says it is unlikely the charges will ever be dropped but that he was 'hopeful' he may be granted a new trial.

'(Kowalski) is hopeful, but at this point, we all are,' he told The Detroit Free Press.

Kowalski's brother Richard and his sister-in-law Brenda were found shot dead in their home in 2008.

At his trial, prosecutors said he killed them in a jealous rage because his brother had always been more successful than him.
Vermont police have arrested a man who said he was growing marijuana to prepare for possible statewide legalization of the drug.

Michael Seth Marshall, 42, of St. Albans, Vermont was arrested on Sunday and charged with cultivating marijuana after cops found dozens of pot plants and seeds in his residence.

Game wardens were investigating a potential hunting license violation when they say Marshall fled from them into his house, and the wardens called in police.

Once police arrived, Marshall gave written consent for a search of his residence, where they found 13 full-grown marijuana plants and 27 smaller plants, according to police.

Michael Seth Marshall, 42, of St. Albans, Vermont was arrested on Sunday and charged with cultivating marijuana after cops found dozens of pot plants in his home (stock photo)

Cops say Marshall told them he thought marijuana would be legalized soon, so he wanted to get an early start on growing it for future sale.

'I've heard, through my 33 years of practicing law, pretty much every comical response somebody would come up with to a police officer who's about to bust them,' state Senator Joe Benning told NECN in reference to the case.

'I got a kick out of that, but the nutshell is, this person knows full well we have no system in place,' he said.

Benning, a Republican, supports efforts to legalize marijuana in the state.

The possession of small amounts of marijuana has been decriminalized in the state of Vermont, but it is still illegal for recreational use.

Marshall is scheduled to appear in court on May 16. His attorney, Rory O. Malone, could not be reached for comment on Wednesday.
30-year-old Erick Miller was an experienced skydiver who was killed on Saturday evening

A 30-year-old skydiver was found dead in a field in New York state after his parachute failed to open.

Erick Miller was a seasoned jumper having completed more than 700 skydives.

His main parachute and his reserve chute failed to deploy.

The Orleans County sheriff's office says Miller went skydiving with another person Saturday evening and jumped from a plane as it flew over the town of Barre, 30 miles west of Rochester.

When the other person landed, Miller was nowhere to be found and his body was recovered later in a field.

'The FAA, they're going to bring in some experts. They're going to analyze the equipment, they're going to analyze the photographs of the scene,' Orleans County Undersheriff Christopher Bourke told CBS affiliate WIVB.

Miller's main parachute and reserve chute failed to deploy during his jump and he was later found dead in a field

Authorities are investigating his death and what caused the parachutes to fail

'The theory is that he disconnected too late and the question is why. Why did he disconnect so late, because the chute should have been several hundred yards from him. It was approximately 30 feet from him.'

Miller is described as a 'selfless & caring person who loved adventure,' according to his obituary. He leaves behind a wife, a large extended family, and close friends at the Western New York Sky Diving Club.

The investigation into his death is continuing.

Meanwhile, the United States Parachute Association says 'the sport of skydiving continues to improve its safety record' in a recent report.

According to data, there is less than a .01 per cent chance of dying while skydiving.

Miller, who was also an instructor with Western New York Sky Diving Club, was participating in a sport jump with a friend

PSA Director of the Safety and Training, Jim Crouch, said the sport is becoming safer and safer.

Equipment is something jumpers are trained to check multiple times.

'Typically they would either pack the parachute themselves or have a packer pack the parachute for them, but either way the system gets a check, a look over before it's put on and then after it's put on and adjusted everything is checked again to make sure all the handles are accessible and all the straps are adjusted properly,' Crouch said.
Street inspectors in a Chinese city have increased the pressure on cleaners demanding that there should be no more than 6 grams of dust per square metre.

Inspectors in the city of Xi'an, China's Shaanxi province have introduced a rule in which there should be no more than 5g of dirt per square metre.

Those who are found to not meet the new measures will have 100 yuan (11.32) deducted from their salaries.

An inspector checks the amount of dirt in a square metre area in line with new rules

Hard at work: A sanitation cleaner sweeps the streets in Xi'an's Beilin district

If there is more than five grams of dirt on two occasions then the cleaner is fined

Under the new system, streets in the city of Xi'an are put into four categories. Level one streets are not allowed to have dust exceeding 5 grams per square metre.

While level two, three and four are allowed to have 10g, 15g and 20g respectively.

Inspectors measure the levels by randomly creating a one square metre square with tape and then collecting the dust inside with a brush. The dust is then weighed on scales.

This is done three times on the same street.

The test is conducted three times on the same street in various areas

An inspector uses a brush to ensure there is only a small amount of dirt in the space

The inspector uses a brush in line with the new method of ensuring the street is clean

If a sanitation worker fails inspection twice then they will have 100 yuan (11.32) deducted from their salaries.

If they fail a third time then they will be removed from their posts.

Many people have discussed the new measures on Chinese social media site Weibo.

One user wrote: 'I want to know how high their ages are. It's such a high standard to keep.'

While another commented: 'Xi'an's sanitation workers really are the most hard working.'

And one user said: 'It adds too much to the sanitation workers.'
Real Housewives of Sydney's Lisa Oldfield has lashed out at Muslim activist Yassmin Abdel-Magied, calling her offensive and a 'b****.'

Ms Oldfield discussed the ABC broadcaster, who drew criticism this week for her 'disrespectful' comments about Anzac Day, during the Paul Murray program on Sky News on Wednesday.

Two online petitions with more than 20,000 signatures are calling for Ms Abdel-Magied, 26, to be sacked from her role with ABC after she took to Facebook on Tuesday to post : 'Lest we forget (Manus, Nauru, Syria, Palestine)'.

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Real Housewives of Sydney's Lisa Oldfield (pictured) has lashed out at Muslim activist Yassmin Abdel-Magied, calling her offensive and a 'b****'

Yassmin Abdel-Magied has been accused of 'hijacking the Anzac memory for political reasons'

On Tuesday, broadcaster Yassmin Abdel-Magied was slammed for posting to Facebook: 'Lest we forget (Manus, Nauru, Syria, Palestine)'

Politicians, fellow broadcasters and the public have also slammed Ms Abdel-Magied for being 'un-Australian.'

Ms Oldfield said she also was offended by the 26-year-old's comments.

'It wasn't ignorant, she was just being a b****,' she said.

'At the end of the day, I don't like what she said, I was offended by what she said, but I still support her right to freedom of speech, and my right to be able to turn around and say Lest We Forget Yassmin, that you are brown, you are Muslim and you are a girl and it's the only reason you have a job at the ABC.'

Ms Oldfield muttered 'sorry' as she and Mr Murray erupted in laughter after her comment.

Paul Murray Live is a current affairs program who often hosts politicians such as Bronwyn Bishop, Peta Credlin and Derryn Hinch.

Some viewers took offense to Ms Oldfield's remark and in turn, responded on social media.

'What on earth is Lisa Oldfield doing on the show? See you later Paul, much later,' one woman said.

'Seriously Lisa Oldfield? No comparison intellectually to Bronwyn and Peta. Love level stuff tonight!' another woman commented.

'Lisa Oldfield? Oh no...that's one reason right there not to tune in...I've no respect for her, she's horrible,' a third woman said.

'Lest We Forget Yassmin, that you are brown, you are Muslim and you are a girl and it's the only reason you have a job at the ABC,' Ms Oldfield said (pictured)

Some viewers took offense to Ms Oldfield's remark and in turn, responded on social media

The ABC have stood behind Muslim activist Yassmin Abdel-Magied (pictured), saying she worked 'in accordance' with its editorial policies

Controversial right-wing politician Pauline Hanson (pictured) has slammed the ABC's decision to defend the Muslim activist

Right-wing politician Pauline Hanson has joined the chorus calling on the national broadcaster to sack Ms Abdel-Magied over her comments, after reportedly standing down journalist Natasha Exelby for an on-air gaffe just two weeks ago.

'After a very special day yesterday I am disgusted to actually hear about Yassmin Abdel-Magied's comments on social media,' Ms Hanson said in a Facebook video.

'I just think she has no understanding, she has no idea, yet the federal government's paying her to travel the world to promote her book and she's been on the Australian 100-year commemoration to represent the youth - she wouldn't have a clue.

'Working part-time at the ABC, let's be honest it's tokenism, she's not going to pull us together.

'She's done her dash with most Australians who will never, never forget her comments.'

And the One Nation leader wasn't alone in attacking Ms Abdel Magied, with Sydney radio broadcaster Alan Jones describing her as 'un-Australian'.

'The woman is silly, she's insensitive, she's inexperienced, she's obviously pretty un-Australian and she obviously lacks a fair amount of courage because she wasn't prepared to face up to what she'd said and defend what she'd said,'

Sydney radio broadcaster Alan Jones (pictured) also hit out at Ms Abdel-Magied, describing her as 'un-Australian'

Two petitions with more than 20,000 signatures combined are calling for Yassmin Abdel-Magied to be sacked from the ABC

'But in this country thankfully there are no laws against any of those things, so she's entitled to make a fool of herself.

However, despite a chorus of people calling for her to lose her job, Jones said it didn't matter whether or not she is sacked because she's 'irrelevant.'

'Australians don't respect people like that, no one will take any notice of her and I think today we just move on,' Jones said.

'She is utterly irrelevant, she's stupid, she's silly, she's insensitive... but she's got to understand the places she visited on taxpayer money wouldn't allow her to say those sorts of things.'

Just hours after Ms Abdel-Magied posted and retracted her comments, an online petition was set up by conservative Jewish activist Avi Yemini calling for the ABC to sack the Muslim activist.

Immigration Minister Peter Dutton (right) slammed Ms Abdel-Magied as a 'disgrace', and accused her of making 'political mileage,' while Liberal MP Eric Abetz (left) said the post was 'unfortunate, disrespectful and reprehensible'

YASSMIN'S OVERSEAS TAXPAYER-FUNDED ADVENTURE: - In November 2016, Yassmin Abdel-Magied went on a taxpayer-funded trip to the Middle East and North Africa to promote her book - The Muslim activist had her overseas adventure to promote 'Yassmin's story' paid for by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade - She visited a number of countries, including Saudi Arabia where women are caned as punishment for adultery under Sharia Law - Ms Abdel-Magied also visited Kuwait, Jordan, Israel, Egypt and Sudan - DFAT refused to reveal exactly how much her overseas trip cost taxpayers - Ms Abdel-Magied's book talks about growing up in Australia as a Sudanese-born woman who wears a hijab Advertisement

Talking to Daily Mail Australia, conservative Jewish activist Mr Yemini said signatures of almost 7,000 people was proof her views should not be supported by the ABC.

'The ABC is a tax payer funded network. Australians no longer want their taxes to be funding Yassmin and her hurtful views anymore,' he said.

'Yassimin claims to be a proud Australian but her actions this Anzac day have shown her true colors.'

Another online petition has more than 12,000 signatures.

Despite calls for her head, the network defended the activist, saying: 'Her views and opinions in that capacity are her own and do not represent those of the ABC'.

Ms Abdel-Magied apologised for the post after quickly removing it on Tuesday

Earlier this month, the ABC came under fire for banning TV journalist Natasha Exelby after she was caught daydreaming on air during News 24's evening bulletin

This comes just two weeks after the ABC came under fire for reportedly banning TV journalist Natasha Exelby when she was caught daydreaming on air during News 24's evening bulletin.

'Ms Abdel-Magied is a part-time presenter on the ABC program Australia Wide, introducing stories done by ABC reporters from around the country,' the statement read.

'When presenting for the ABC she works in accordance with ABC editorial and other policies.'

Ms Abdel-Magied apologised for the post after quickly removing it on Tuesday.

'It was brought to my attention that my last post was disrespectful, and for that, I apologise unreservedly,' she said.
Bill Cosby's youngest daughter has spoken out in defense of the embattled comedian ahead of his looming sexual assault trial, insisting that the 79-year-old has been wrongly maligned.

Evin Cosby, 40, writes in an opinion piece for the National Newspaper Publishers Association published Wednesday and posted on Bill Cosby's official Facebook page that her father 'is not abusive, violent or a rapist.'

The single mother-of-two says the beleaguered star of The Cosby Show 'loves and respects women.'

The publication of Evin's opinion piece coincided with the release of Bill Cosby's first interview in two years, which also appeared on National Newspaper Publishers Association's Newswire, revealing that the actor has lost his sight but still hopes to perform on stage again.

Defending dad: Evin Cosby, 40 (right), Bill Cosby's youngest daughter, has spoken out in defense of the embattled comedian ahead of his upcoming sexual assault trial

Bill Cosby and criminal defense attorney Brian McMonagle return to court for a pre-trial hearing at Montgomery County Courthouse on April 3, 2017

In her lengthy statement, Evin acknowledges that her 79-year-old father had affairs in the course of his decades-long career in show business, but says he and her mother Camille 'have worked through it and moved on.'

Bill Cosby is charged with drugging and molesting Andrea Constand, a former Temple University employee, in 2004. He has pleaded not guilty and remains free on $1million bail.

Dozens of other women have also made similar accusations against Cosby, who has vehemently maintained his innocence.

Jury selection in Cosby's high-profile case is set to get underway May 22 in Pittsburgh, but the trial will be held across the state in suburban Philadelphia, with opening statements to start June 5.

Evin Cosby, the youngest of Bill and Camille's four surviving children, writes that the accusations are 'harsh and hurtful' and have been 'carelessly repeated as truth.'

In her nearly 900-word piece, Evin hits at what she calls 'the public persecution' of her father and 'the cruelty of the media.'

Happy family: Evin (center) writes that her mother Camille and dad Bill have worked out their marital problems concerning his infidelities and have 'moved on'

Power couple: Bill and Camille have been together since 1963 and had five children, with Evin being the youngest

FULL STATEMENT FROM EVIN COSBY DEFENDING HER FATHER Evin Cosby (right) is pictured alongside her mother, Camille, at the launch of her clothing store in New York City in August 2008 'I am the youngest of 5. I remember our family trips and moving to NYC just so we could be closer to my father as he worked. From the times he worked in Las Vegas to the Cosby show in NYC, he always wanted us to be close, to be a part of his whole life, at home and on stage. I felt loved and remembered loving the moments that my parents shared with us by exposing us to all types of people from all walks of life. We grew up appreciating my father's success because we knew the prejudice and racism he endured getting to where he got and how hard he worked for our family. Because I loved my childhood, I couldn't wait to have a family of my own. 'I have two amazing children who love their grandfather. I already work hard as a single mother, with no full time help, and with a career in fashion design, I am lucky that I have supportive friends that I call family because my children and I need that support. The public persecution of my dad, my kids' grandfather, and the cruelty of the media and those who speak out branding my father a "rapist" without ever knowing the truth and who shame our family and our friends for defending my dad, makes all of this so much worse for my family and my children. When people are so quick to cast hate and make accusations of horrific violence against my dad, they are callous in their carelessness about the harm they are causing to others. 'I thought when my brother Ennis was murdered, that was the worst nightmare of all time. It's so hurtful to this day. I try to block out the day he was killed, but that pain has only worsened in these last years. For some reason, my family's pain has been a trigger for people to seize upon us harder. 'On the same day that Ennis was murdered, a woman came out claiming that my father had a "love child." She was arrested for extortion. She was not my father's daughter. 'On the day I gave birth to my son, another women came out, but that case was dismissed too - the district attorney investigated her claims also and didn't press charges. 'Two years ago, and over ten years later, several women came out. Like the woman from 2005, they claimed to have been raped and drugged. But, like the one from 2005, their stories didn't match up. But instead of going through the criminal justice system, these stories never got investigated and just got repeated. They have been accepted as the truth. 'My dad tried to defend himself. His lawyers tried to defend him, but they all got sued. People were constantly reaching out to me about why doesn't your dad say something. I kept saying he's trying, but the media is only interested in the stories of the women. Friends of ours tried to help, but the media wouldn't print what they said or knew. Our friends that spoke up were pressured to shut up. No one wanted to print their supportive words. We live in a scandalous country where the more sexualized and provocative the story, the more attention it gets. 'We get all sorts of mixed up messages in our society. We are told that we have fundamental rights to be innocent until proven guilty. But, if enough people think you are a bad person, you are branded a bad person and the media just reinforces that. My dad, like anyone in this country, deserves to be treated fairly under the law. 'My dad broke barriers and raised the conscious of America on important topics, especially for the advancement of women. On the Cosby show he only depicted women as smart and accomplished. On the Cosby Show and on a Different World he took on then taboo subjects like menstrual cycles and rape, and even did a show on Aids before anyone else would bring it up. 'I am his 4th daughter. He raised me to go to college, start my own business, and be my own woman. He is helping me raise my children and teach them family values. I know that my father loves me, loves my sisters and my mother. He loves and respects women. He is not abusive, violent or a rapist. Sure, like many celebrities tempted by opportunity, he had his affairs, but that was between him and my mother. They have worked through it and moved on, and I am glad they did for them and for our family. 'The harsh and hurtful accusations of things that supposedly happened 40 or 50 years ago, before I was born, in another lifetime, and that have been carelessly repeated as truth without allowing my dad to defend himself and without requiring proof, has punished not just my dad but every one of us. They have punished the talented people who were still earning money and feeding their families from my dad's shows and work. I am pleased that finally we are seeing the whole picture and seeing cases and claims dismissed from court. I just hope that those who pre-judged my dad are now willing to admit that they were wrong.' Advertisement

The mother-of-two fashion designer writes that her family and friends who have come to her fathers defense have been shamed by those who chose to brand Cosby 'a rapist without ever knowing the truth.

She then adds, When people are so quick to cast hate and make accusations of horrific violence against my dad, they are callous in their carelessness about the harm they are causing to others.

Evin goes on to make a case that her father has been unfairly tried and convicted in the court of public opinion, having been denied a chance to tell his side of the story because 'the media is only interested in the stories of the women,' she said.

Evin wrote of her father's infidelities: 'Sure, like many celebrities tempted by opportunity, he had his affairs, but that was between him and my mother' (Bill and Camille are seen above in 1982)

My dad, like anyone in this country, deserves to be treated fairly under the law.

After listing Cosby's accomplishments as a trailblazing African-American entertainer, Evin directly addressed the harsh and hurtful accusations against him, which she dismissed while praising Cosby as a loving, albeit fallible, husband and father.

I am his 4th daughter. He raised me to go to college, start my own business, and be my own woman, she writes. He is helping me raise my children and teach them family values. I know that my father loves me, loves my sisters and my mother.

He loves and respects women. He is not abusive, violent or a rapist. Sure, like many celebrities tempted by opportunity, he had his affairs, but that was between him and my mother. They have worked through it and moved on, and I am glad they did for them and for our family.

This marks the second time that Evin has publicly defended her father.

In December 2014, she issued a statement apparently drawing a comparison between her real-life dad and the beloved father character he played on The Cosby Show.

Cosby is charged with drugging and molesting Andrea Constand, a former Temple University employee, in 2004

He is the FATHER you thought you knew. The Cosby Show was my today's tv reality show. Thank you. That's all I would like to say :), read Evin's statement to Access Hollywood at the time.

Cosby's wife of more than 50 years, Camille Cosby, also has staunchly stood by Bill, repeatedly condemning the way he has been portrayed in media coverage.

The publication of Evin's opinion piece coincided with the release of Bill Cosby's first interview in two years, in which the comedian revealed to NNPA Newswire that he has lost his sight but still hopes for a career reboot.

'I miss it all and I hope that day will come, he said of his comeback. I have some routines and storytelling that i am working on.'

He added, I think about walking out on stage somewhere in the United States of America and sitting down in a chair and giving the performance that will be the beginning of the next chapter of my career.
A Giant Rabbit Died On A United Flight To O'Hare. Here's What The Airline Says.

By Stephen Gossett in News on Apr 26, 2017 4:33PM

Just in case you needed more evidence that managing public relations for United Airlines must be the most thankless job in the world, a giant rabbitone of the the largest in the worldhas mysteriously died on a flight en route from London's Heathrow to Chicago's O'Hare International Airport.

The late three-foot-long, 10-month-old beast of a rabbit, known to the world as Simon, reportedly died sometime before the Boeing 767 landed at O'Hare. Simon's breeder, Annette Edwards, told the AP that the continental giant rabbitwhich was expected to become the world's largest, according to Edwardshad just cleared a checkup with the vet a mere three hours before the plane took off. When the plane landed, big Simon was discovered dead in the plane's cargo hold, according to the BBC. Although United says the rabbit died sometime after arrival, after it was taken to an on-site kennel facility.

Edwards told the Sun that she was flying Simon over to the States to be sold to a new "celebrity" owner.

Something very strange has happened and I want to know what. Ive sent rabbits all around the world and nothing like this has happened before. The client who bought Simon is very famous. Hes upset, Edwards told the Sun.

Unitedwhich should probably just go ahead and affix "embattled" to the front of the company namesaid the following in a statement:



"We were saddened to hear this news. The safety and wellbeing of all the animals that travel with us is of the utmost importance to United Airlines and our PetSafe team."

United Airlines also told Chicagoist that Simon was taken to a PetSafe kennel facility at the airline's cargo warehouse upon arrival. There, the rabbit initially "showed no signs of distress." Simon at first appeared to be sleeping, but then not long after, he appeared to be motionless and was determined to have died, United said.

Unitedwhich has pet travel tips on its site hereis conducting a review of the incident. They also offered to have a postmortem exam performed on Simon by a third party, but Edwards declined, United told Chicagoist.

Simon was also not characterized as "disruptive and belligerent"which is reassuring.

While the cause of death remains unknown, it should be noted that rabbits are apparently known by vets to not handle stress particularly well. "Rabbits are prone to dying unexpectedly under situations with high stress, and being in the cargo hold of a plane would certainly be considered stressful," said Dr. Sarah LaMere, a veterinarian, according to Snopes.

In the event that you've been living in a cave with your eyes shut and your fingers in your ears (to channel The Simpsons), United saw its stocks plummet and PR perception crater after Dr. David Dao was dragged down the aisle from a United flight at O'Hare on April 9. The Kentucky doctor refused to give up his seat on the fully booked flight to make room for airline staff. Dao suffered a concussion and broken nose and lost two front teeth, according to his lawyer. A lawsuit in that incident is likely imminent.

As for continental giant rabbits in general, they apparently have a kind streak despite their ridiculous size. According to Pets4Homes, via the New York Times:



"They can grow to be huge - more than 15lbs in some cases and should be looked upon much like a pet dog. They arent keen on being picked up and so arent the best breed to keep if you have children who might want to carry them and have a cuddle. They will be more than happy to be petted and stroked however, and as they are such gentle, inquisitive creatures they do make fantastic pets."

You can check out a 2012 Today Show segment on DariusSimon's pop, who was certified by Guinness as the world's largest rabbitfeaturing Edwards below:
This is the incredible moment a Connecticut cop saved a suicidal man from leaping to his death.

Police bodycam footage captured Officer Justin Martin racing up the stairs of a six-story elderly care home in Hamden, Connecticut.

As he reached the top floor and burst through the doors, the footage shows an unnamed man who was standing on the rooftop, ready to jump.

This is the incredible moment a Connecticut cop saved a suicidal man from leaping to his death

Officer Justin Martin's (pictured) quick thinking was able to save the life of the suicidal man

'Hey, hey, hey!' Martin yelled out to the man before running forward to grab hold of the man just as he went to throw himself off the ledge.

The cop was able to haul the suicidal individual back over the side, to safety.

The man, who was described as 'emotionally disturbed,' continued to fight the officer during the rescue but was eventually taken to Yale-New Haven Hospital for evaluation, Fox 61 reports.

Police bodycam footage captured Officer Justin Martin racing up six flights of stairs of an elderly care home in Hamden, Connecticut

As he reached the top floor, the cop burst through the doors to reveal an unnamed man who was standing on the rooftop, ready to jump

Martin reached the man just as he dove headfirst over the side of the six story building

The cop was able to haul the suicidal individual back over the side, to safety

Police had been called to the Whiney Center on April 21, for reports of a resident fighting with other people.

Martin had been speaking with staff and an elderly male resident on the third floor, when the 'emotionally disturbed' man fled up the stairs.

The officer has chased him upstairs where he made the incredible rescue.
The Chinese military authorities last week released footage of the country's nuclear ballistic missile submarines for the first time.

The propaganda video shows what's believed to be the Type 092 vessels, which was designed and built by China and is the country's first nuclear submarine.

The video also shows soldiers launching a ballistic missile from a submarine in an undated clip.

Ba Yi TV, the Chinese military channel, broadcast footage of a nuclear submarine on April 22

The video captured how soldiers operated the vessel and launching a ballistic missile

An officer pressed the button as he sent off the Julang-1 missile which could fire 1,242 miles

The submarine, believed to be The Typo 092, carries 12 Julang-1 ballistic missiles (pictured)

The dramatic video was aired onBa Yi TV, China's military channel, on its website on April 22. It captures the interior of a submarine and soldiers carrying out military exercise on the vessel.

The video also featured a fleet of submarines sailing in the sea during a naval review as soldiers posing with terrifying firearms.

According to China's Shenzhen TV, the submarine is thought to be the Type 092 nuclear submarine.

The dramatic propaganda video revealed the moment a missile was launched from the vessel

Chinese soldiers guarded the submarine while carrying firearms in the first-ever video

The video also featured a fleet of submarines sailing in the sea during a naval review

Little is known about the watercraft, but according to public information, the vessel carries 12 made-in-China Julang-1 ballistic missiles which can fire as far as 2,000 kilometres (1,242 miles).

China spent 11 years and 298 million yuan (34 million) building the Type 092 submarine in the 1970s, one of the most turbulent decades in modern China when the nation went through the Cultural Revolution.

It was China's first home-made nuclear submarine. A fleet of four are believed to be based in Qingdao, eastern China's Shandong province.

The submarine's nickname is Xia, after the first dynasty in ancient Chinese history, the Xia Dynasty (c. 2000 BC -c. 1600 BC).

It was launched in 1981 and started serving the navy in 1983. In 1988, China successfully launched a Julang-1 missile from the submarine during an experiment.

The submarine measures 120 metres (393 feet) long and 10 metres (33 feet) wide, and can dive to a maximum depth of 300 metres (984 feet), reported China.com.

The same article claimed that the submarine displaces 6,500 tons of water when it's at the surface of the sea and 7,000 tons when it's submerged.

The country is said to have four Type 092 and four Type 094. Both are nuclear submarines

A missile is seen travelling under the sea after it was launched from the nuclear submarine

It's believed that China has four types of nuclear submarines, namely the Type 091, 092, 093 and 094.

The Type 091 and 093 are nuclear attack submarines while the other two are nuclear missile submarines.

The Type 094 is the country's latest nuclear missile submarines, based on Hainan Island, southern China. The construction of the first 094 started in 1999 and finished in 2004.

The country is said to have four Type 092 and four Type 094.
Her dad would have been so proud.

An eight-year-old New Jersey girl whose police officer father died in the line of duty has paid for a random patrolman's dinner - and now local cops are trying to return the favor by raising money for her education.

Jamesburg Police Officer Joseph Quinn was eating at the Villa Borghese restaurant in Helmetta when little Mikayla Raji approached him to say 'hello'. Raji then leaned over and whispered to her mother that she wanted to secretly pay for the officer's dinner.

'I wanted to do it because he works hard and he keeps us all safe,' she told NBC News 4.

Mikayla Raji, 8 (left) never got to meet her father, Officer Thomas Raji (right), who died on duty

With a little police work, Quinn soon discovered who had picked up his $15 tab - and why she has a special place in her heart for police officers.

Raji never got to meet her father, Thomas Raji, who was killed on the job in Perth Amboy by a speeding drunk driver in 2008, seven months before she was born.

Her mother, Mimi Raji, was also a police officer. 'She's got a big heart, and she's always thinking about other people,' Mimi told NBC.

Jamesburg Police offered Mikayla Raji (center) free dinner at their headquarters anytime

To pay Mikayla's generosity forward, the Jamesburg Police Department launched a GoFundMe page to raise money for her education. The fund has already raised over $8,000 of its $10,000 goal.

The police department also invited her to stop by the headquarters for a meal anytime.

'This time, dinner is on us!' the department wrote on Facebook, adding: 'If you ever need us for anything, you can guarantee we will be there for you.'

Local police have also invited Mikayla to lead the Memorial Day parade this year as an honorary member riding in a patrol car.
A Boston man who worked as a driver for Uber using a false identity has been charged with raping a female passenger.

Prosecutors with the Middlesex District Attorney's Office say 34-year-old Luis Baez used a fake name, Pedro Valentin, when he picked up a woman in Boston on September 29, 2016, drove her to a location other than where she requested, and sexually assaulted her.

Authorities say Baez then transported the victim to Boston College in Newton and dropped her off. She reported the alleged rape to campus police.

Driver charged: Luis Baez, 34, an Uber driver from Boston, has been charged with three counts of rape in connection to a sexual assault on a female passenger last September

Prosecutors did not say whether she was a student there.

Boston College Police launched an investigation into the alleged assault with the help of the Boston Police Department and they were able to track the suspect from information stored in the Uber app from the victims ride request.

The driver, who previously identified himself as Valentin, was later determined to be the defendant, Baez. Prosecutors say the 34-year-old is known to police.

On Tuesday, Baez was arraigned on three counts of rape in Newton District Court. The suspect was released on $2,500 bail after pleading not guilty.

Police say Baez, who was using a fake name, sexually assaulted the victim and then dropped her off at Boston College in Newton (pictured)

Judge Mary Beth Heffernan ordered the man to stay away from the campus of Boston College. He is due back in court on June 21.

In the wake of Baezs arraignment, Uber released a statement calling the charges a horrible crime and said the suspect's Uber account has been blocked.
The Trump administration proposed an overhaul of the tax code on Wednesday that could allow many Americans to file their annual tax returns on a single sheet of paper  and cuts their taxes, eliminating them entirely on the first $24,000 of income earned by a married couple.

'It's a great plan,' President Trump told reporters Wednesday after the blueprint that was scant on firm details was unveiled. 'It's going to put people back to work.'

National Council of Economic Advisers Chairman Gary Cohn complained during a White House briefing that low- and middle-income Americans 'have been left behind by this economy' and are 'frustrated by a tax code that is so complicated they can't even do their own taxes.'

'In 1935 we had a one-page tax form consisting of 34 lines with two pages of instructions,' Cohn recalled. 'Today the basic 1040 form has 79 lines and 211 pages of instructions.'

As the tax code is simplified, he boasted, 'far fewer taxpayers will need to itemize' their deductions, which means their tax form can go back, yes, to that one simple page.'

Cohn said that Americans spend nearly 7 billion hours complying with tax requirements each year, and nearly 9 out of 10 of them can't file their own returns without help.

SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO

National Economic Director Gary Cohn unveiled the Trump administration's tax reform plan on Wednesday, saying that many Americans will find the system so simple that they will be able to file their annual returns on 'one simple page'

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin promised 'massive reform and simplification' on Wednesday, including cuts for corporations that are intended to spur economic growth

OUTLINE: The White House distributed this overview of the tax plan to reporters on Wednesday

TRUMP TAX REFORM AT A GLANCE Trump wants to cut the corporate tax rate from 35 percent to 15 percent Administration is billing it as a tax cut that will help small businesses List of priorities includes a childcare tax credit, as well but doesn't say how much or who it would affect Treasury Secretary says Trump plan will simplify taxes for middle class Cuts are paid for by assumed 3 percent economic growth Proposal gets rid of the death tax It collapses income tax brackets into 3 - 10%, 25% and 35% Doubles the standard deduction to $24,000 for married couples Repeals a 3.8 percent Obamacare tax on small businesses Asks for a one-time tax on trillions of dollars held overseas Advertisement

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin promised 'massive reform and simplification,' while Cohn said the 'basic premise here is to simplify the tax system, lower rates, and make it easy.'

'We don't want to penalize people. We want to make the system very fair,' Cohn said.

'This isn't going to be easy,' he cautioned. 'Doing big things never is.'

'We will be attacked from the left and we'll be attacked from the right, but one thing is certain: I would never, ever bet against this president. He will get this done for the American people.'

Overall, the Trump plan seeks a reduction in the number of income brackets, eliminates the death tax and slashes the corporate tax rate.

A childcare tax credit the president's daughter Ivanka has been pushing is also on Trump's list of priorities, as was a pledge to get rid of almost every personal deduction.

'We are going to eliminate on the personal side all tax deductions other than mortgage interest and charitable deductions. We think that will be sweeping reform,' Mnuchin said.

A White House official walked the statement back just after, saying that the administration was taking a 'hard look' at other deductions and would cut many, but not all of of them.

Deductions for charitable giving and mortgage are the only sacred cows the Trump administration is planning on protecting.

A document distributed by the White House on Wednesday calls for three tax brackets of 10, 25 and 35 per cent. Trump reduces the corporate tax rate to 15 per cent from 35 percent.

The administration believes it will be offset by a subsequent escalation in economic growth to 3 percent or higher.

'This is going to be the biggest tax cut and the largest tax reform in the history of our country, and we are committed to seeing this through,' Mnuchin said at a Washington D.C. conference on tax policy hosted by The Hill.

Trump initially considered including infrastructure reform in his tax request but sliced it out in the end.

A one-time repatriation tax that was intended by the senators who proposed it to support the Highway Trust Fund remained on the list, even though Mnuchin said Wednesday that Trump's transportation principles were being separated out.

The inclusion of the Democratic-favored proposal was supposedly part of a White House strategy to get votes from the other side.

In a televised with The Hill, Mnuchin said the administration would begin with the principles it believes should be affirmed with legislation and go from there.

'I'm hopeful that Democrats will work with us on this,' he said. 'We're hopeful that it's bipartisan.'

Trump's proposal to cut the corporate tax rate by more than half has liberals howling.

DEDUCTIONS TRUMP MIGHT AX The White House said Wednesday that it would take a 'hard look' at deductions, eliminating many of them. Here are some of the deductions at risk: STUDENT LOANS - $2,500 in interest paid on qualified student loans TUITION & EDUCATION EXPENSES - up to $4,000 for higher education paid for individuals and their dependents MILEAGE - 53.5 cents per mile when driving your car for business BUSINESS USE OF CAR - the entire cost of operating a vehicle can be deducted if it is only used for business HOME OFFICE - a percentage of 'mortgage interest, insurance, utilities, repairs, and depreciation' for a specified area used for business Advertisement

'We are all anxious to review Trump's tax plan and all the ways in which it will benefit the Trump Organization,' Democratic Rep. Maxine Waters tweeted this morning.

Liberal Sen. Ron Wyden hit Cohn and Mnuchin for an awkward interaction with reporters in which they could not say how the proposal would help the middle class.

'And yet the Trump team couldn't tell you what the tax plan means for the typical American family. Self-serving & elitist,' he tweeted.

Maryland Democratic Sen. Chris Van Hollen said, 'The Trump tax plan stacks the deck even more in favor of the super wealthy and companies like his.'

Liberal environmentalist and hedge fund manager Tom Steyer said it's generous to refer to what Trump put out - a one-page document that looked like a campaign memo - as a plan.

'To call proposal 'tax reform' is inaccurate. To call it 'half-baked' is kind. To call it 'self-serving' is accurate,' he tweeted.

Trump is asking lawmakers to lower the corporate rate from 35 percent down to 15 percent, outdoing his own party and blowing a potential $2.4 trillion hole in the deficit over the next 10 years.

Mnuchin has issued assurances that whatever cuts the president proposes, government revenues would be protected.

'This will pay for itself with growth and with reduced -- reduction of different deductions and closing loopholes,' he said Wednesday afternoon from the White House.

The United States must achieve 3 percent sustained economic growth for that to happen.

'That's very achievable,' Mnuchin said Wednesday morning.

He reminded later that Trump is a billionaire. 'He understands. He's a businessman who understands how to create economic growth,' Mnuchin said.

Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said Tuesday that it shouldn't be a problem for the economy to expand at the rate that Trump expects.

'I would hope that the growth could over time get to be better than that,' he told reporters attending the White House's daily briefing.

Ross claimed, 'President Obama's the only president in many, many, many, many that didn't have one year of at least 3 percent growth.

'And with all of the initiatives that we're doing, regulatory reform, trade reform, the tax reform hopefully, and unleashing energy, there is no reason we can't get at least that if not beat it,' he said.

Trump will call for a reduction in the corporate tax rate to 15 percent, the cabinet secretary confirmed. The administration believes it will be offset by a subsequent escalation in economic growth

In an early morning tweet Trump contended that the trade reforms he's pursuing would boost the country's GDP over what it was in the Obama era.

'The U.S. recorded its slowest economic growth in five years (2016). GDP up only 1.6%. Trade deficits hurt the economy very badly,' he said.

Experts are skeptical of the administration's claims, though.

'The problem for the Trumpians is that we've had eight years of recovery,' Lee Branstetter, an economics professor at Carnegie Mellon University, told Business Insider at the end of February. 'It's essentially mathematically impossible to get the growth they're talking about.'

Speaking on a panel after Mnuchin this morning, conservative tax analyst Grover Norquist scoffed at those assessments.

'The excuse always comes at the end of a tax and spend administration that we can't have growth. And when you change that policy, you can get growth,' the Americans for Tax Reform founder said.

Maya MacGuineas of the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget chimed in to say that she was encouraged by the moves Mnuchin has been making to boost the economy through deregulation and tax reform.

'The labor market is not going to be nearly going to be nearly as big a contributor to growth as it has been,' she said. 'That means we need as comprehensive of a plan as we can come up with to growth the economy.'

In an early morning tweet Trump contended that the trade reforms he's pursuing would boost the country's GDP over what it was in the Obama era

MacGuineas said the key to success is not growing the debt.

'If the plan grows the debt, that brings down your growth, and so in order to do this you also need to offset the costs,' she said.

In a formal statement that came out just as Mnuchin was due to present the administration's priority list to the press, Norquist issued a statement praising it.

'The Trump administration has made it clear that spending on infrastructure will be kept separate from tax reform,' he said. 'This will allow tax reform to lower tax rates, abolish the Death Tax, and move to a territorial tax system that will allow us to compete internationally.'

The corporate tax slash Trump is proposing is consistent with what he's been floating since March, but it is likely to be met with some resistance from conservatives who have argued for years that reducing the federal deficit should be a top priority of government.

House Speaker Paul Ryan and Rep. Kevin Brady, the chairman of the House's tax committee, have already developed a plan that would cut rates and raise $1 trillion for the government.

Known as the border-adjustment or border-adjusted tax, BAT, their plan would pay for cuts with a matching 20 percent tax on imported goods.

'There are certain things we like [about it],' Mnuchin said during a conference in Washington last week. 'There are certain things we dont.'

He said Wednesday that the administration will continue to have discussions with Republican leaders in the House about the BAT, but it was not part of the administration's plan at this time.

'We don't think it works in its current form,' Mnuchin said.

Trump's tax plan will include a childcare tax credit endorsed by his daughter Ivanka and a bipartisan proposal to pay for infrastructure spending

Ryan told reporters later in the morning that GOP leaders had been briefed on what Trump was going to propose 'and it's basically along exactly the same lines of where we want to go.'

'We see this as a good thing,' he insisted.

A joint statement with Brady, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Sen. Orrin Hatch, the longest-serving senator, lauded Trump's initiative for 'getting tax rates down for American companies, big and small.'

It will 'create new jobs and make the United States a more inviting place to do business,' they said.

A childcare tax credit that Ivanka put her weight behind was included on the president's priority list without any details attached to it.

An earlier version was to apply to single parents making $250,000 a year and married couples making less than $500,000 annually, though.

That measure has a projected cost of $500 billion over the next decade, according to the Tax Foundation, and it wasn't immediately clear if or how it would would be paid for by the Trump administration.

Ryan told reporters later in the morning that GOP leaders had been briefed on what Trump was going to propose 'and it's basically Along exactly the same lines of where we want to go'

Trump has promised then his tax cut would rival the one Ronald Reagan passed his first year in office, 1981.

It is regarded as the largest tax cut in American history.

'It will be the biggest tax cut since Reagan and probably bigger than Reagan,' Trump pledged in March.

If his final plan is similar to what he proposed on the campaign, he's looking at a $7.2 trillion revenue shortfall, according to a non-partisan tax organization run by the Brookings Institution.

Among the many unanswered questions is whether the cuts Trump wants would be permanent or include a sunset, like the Bush tax cuts of 2001.

'The goal is to make it permanent, but there's lots of levers here,' Mnuchin said Wednesday. 'If we have them for 10 years, that's better than nothing, but we'd like to have permanency to it.

'Those will be details that will be worked out,' he added.

Trump's budget director, Mick Mulvaney, said Sunday that he doesn't expect a meatier package that would contain the missing details to come out until June. An original August target date for tax reform legislation to get passed has also been pushed back.

'The commitment that came out of the group last night, is we want to move this as fast as we can,' Mnuchin said Wednesday of his talks with GOP lawmakers. 'We're working hard to get it done quickly.'

The details of Trump's plan could make the difference when it comes to Republican support.

Ryan, a former chairman of the House Ways and Means committee, spent the last year helping to develop the border-adjustment package that cuts into the federal deficit.

'Our objective is, we will have a combined plan that come out, incorporating the principles that we've all agreed on,' Mnuchin said Wednesday.
Xavier Davis shaved two lines on the side of his head, which he was told offended his school's dress code

A sixth grade boy faced school disciplinary action after his teacher decided his new haircut was 'disruptive to the educational process'.

Xavier Davis shaved two lines on the side of his head, which landed him in inner school suspension at Cedar Bayou Junior School in Baytown, Texas.

His father, Matt Davis, said he and the child's mother have been forced to color in one of the lines on his son's head in order to comply with the school's disciplinary code.

'It's nonsense. We send him here to get an education. We send him here to learn. It's not about his haircut,' Mr Davis said.

He was also confused, because he said his son has had the haircut for six months, but it was only an issue when his teacher noticed last Thursday, Click 2 Houston reported.

Xavier reportedly has had the haircut for six months, but was only disciplined last Thursday when his teacher at Cedar Bayou Junior School noticed and sent him to the front office

She promptly sent him to the front office, and told him that if he didn't fix the offending cut by Monday, he'd face further in-school suspension.

'I was walking into class, and she saw my hair and said "You can't have two lines in your hair. Go to the office",' Xavier said.

'I don't think it's fair,' he continued.

His father, Matt Davis, said he and the child's mother have been forced to color in one of the lines on his son's head in order to comply with the school's disciplinary code

Xavier was promptly sent to to the front office, and was told that if he didn't fix the offending cut by Monday, he'd face further in-school suspension

The school's dress code states that 'letters, symbols or designs beyond a straight line which draw attention to an individual will not be permitted. The administrator/supervisor reserves the right to determine if a hairstyle is disruptive to the educational process.'

For now, the Davis's will have to fill in one of their son's hair lines with a Sharpie so that he doesn't face suspension again.

Matt Davis continued: 'In order for him to get an education we have to treat his hair like a coloring book, I guess.'
A 25-year-old Marine veteran was murdered at a McDonald's drive-thru after a fight broke out over a honked horn, police say.

Justin Lampkins, 25, was allegedly shot in the chest by Evan Schaffer, 22, in the early hours of Saturday morning in what Indiana police called one of 'the most senseless acts they had ever seen.'

Lampkins had been in the car with friends, just one vehicle behind Schaffer, while they waited in line at the drive-thru of a McDonald's in Bedford, Indiana.

Justin Lampkins, 25, (left) was allegedly shot in the chest by Evan Schaffer, 22, (right) in the early hours of Saturday morning

Police say that when the counter became available and Schaffer's car did not immediately move forward, a horn was sounded.

At that point, the 22-year-old climbed out of his car and confronted Lampkins, punching him as he sat in his car.

'The victim shoved the accused back, the accused then presented a handgun,' Bedford assistant police Chief Joe DeWees told 13 WTHR.

Police have spoken to witnesses who were at the scene on the night of the shooting (pictured) at the Bedford McDonald's, Indiana

Lampkins had been in the car with friends, just one vehicle behind Schaffer, while they waited in line at the drive-thru of a McDonald's in Bedford, Indiana (picture of the scene days after the shooting)

Schaffer opened fire on Lampkins, hitting him in the chest, before fleeing the scene, according to police.

Lampkins was rushed to a local hospital where he later died.

'It's a senseless act to kill somebody over a horn,' DeWees said. 'This is one of the most senseless, senseless acts I have ever seen.'

Schaffer was arrested the following day and has been charged with murder and aggravated battery with a deadly weapon.

Lampkins, a Bloomington North High School graduate, joined the Marine Corp out of high school and spent four years on active duty at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina where he was promoted to sergeant. He left the forces in 2015.

The victim comes from a military family, and had been inspired to join the Corp by his Army veteran grandfather.

His brother-in-law, Erick Stahl, a veteran who deployed to Afghanistan, described Lampkins as the 'epitome of a Marine'. Someone who would 'stand up for everybody.'

'He wasn't violent, he only ever defended to the means he needed to and it came from nowhere this time,' he told WTHR. 'His whole life was riddled with stories of defending people when they needed it. He was not violent, he did not act like that. He was not an angry or disrespectful person. He's going to be missed.'

Friends and family described Lampkins (left and right) as a 'great guy' and someone 'that would give the shirt off his back'

Lampkins, a Bloomington North High School graduate, joined the Marine Corp out of high school and spent four years on active duty at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina

Lampkins was described as a devoted uncle, and a great friend by his loved ones

His brother-in-law, Erick Stahl, (pictured) a veteran who deployed to Afghanistan, described Lampkins as the 'epitome of a Marine'. Someone who would 'stand up for everybody'

Family and friends have taken to Facebook to pay tribute to the popular former Marine, and loving uncle.

David Lee Obermeyer Jr., described his friend as a 'great guy' and someone 'that would give the shirt off his back to ya if he could.'

He was devastated by the news of Lampkins death.

'Hard to hear about this,' he wrote. 'JUSTIN was a good Marine and a good friend. Kills me to hear his life could get taken away like this. I hope this man burns in hell for what he did. Semper FI brother. Until Valhalla.'

Kayden Hoy, who was among the many who changed their profile pictures to one of Lampkins, simply wrote: 'Love you Justin Lampkins, until we meet again brother.'

Ben Slinkard, who appears to have known both the suspect and the victim added: 'Always knew you were a piece of s**t Evan. Justin Lampkins you will be missed by a lot of people. Another local gone too soon.'

Another friend, Tony Purcell, described Lamkins as someone who would stop at nothing to follow his dreams.

'Yesterday was tragic,' he wrote on Sunday. '(Lampkins) had his whole life ahead of him but he was succeeding in life because he was following his dreams and this is what life is about. We all make mistakes in life but be like Justin, follow your dreams, be patient, and life will be a little more simple. Till Valhalla.'
A high school student is accused of perpetrating a sick crime against his teacher by peeing in her drinking cup.

The 16-year-old student in Moody, Texas was charged on Monday with felony counts of assault on a public servant, harassment of a public servant and obstruction or retaliation. He cannot be identified because he is a juvenile.

The incident took place on April 13 at Moody High School, when a teacher left her drinking container unattended and the teenager allegedly took the opportunity to pee in it.

'She didn't find out about it until after the fact,' Moody Police Chief Roger Kennedy told the Waco Tribune-Herald. 'She thinks she (drank) it but she doesn't know 100 percent, because according to her statement, she made the comment that the water fountain always tastes funny.'

A 16-year-old student in Moody, Texas is accused of peeing in his teacher's cup (stock image)

Rumors of the cup urination raced around the classroom, until two students came forward later that day and told the teacher her water had been tainted with pee, police said.

The teacher immediately emptied the cup.

The school's principal interviewed students and reviewed security camera footage to get to the bottom of the case, and disciplined the student on April 18 while cops continued their investigation.

'We did charge him with three different offenses,' Chief Kennedy noted.

'Unfortunately, students will make poor decisions at times,' Moody Independent School District superintendent Gary Martel said in a statement.

'The district cannot keep all poor decisions from happening on our campuses but we will follow district policy so there are consequences and punitive results for those who choose to make bad decisions at school,' Martel continued.

'We will continue focusing on the large majority of our students who are making great choices and being great role models each day.'
A Good Samaritan will receive a $10,000 reward after he helped police capture a 50-year-old teacher who went on the run with a teenage girl he is accused of kidnapping.

Griffin Barry, 29, let Tad Cummins and Elizabeth Thomas stay in an unfinished cabin near Cecilville, California, in exchange for work after the 50-year-old fabricated a story claiming he lost everything he owned in a fire.

Cummins disappeared from Tennessee with his 15-year-old student on March 13 and made his way across the country while authorities issued several Amber Alerts for the two.

They passed themselves off as John and Joanna, and Barry didn't realize they were on the run until a neighbor showed him a picture of the girl's missing person poster.

Barry, who called the police and helped the SWAT team capture Cummins last Thursday, will receive his reward on Friday, according to Thomas' family attorney S. Jason Whatley.

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Griffin Barry, 29 (pictured), helped police arrest Tad Cummins, the 50-year-old Tennessee teacher who had been on the run for more than a month with one of his 15-year-old students

Cummins' former co-worker Chandler Anderson offered up a $10,000 reward to anyone who could bring Thomas home safely.

When news broke that the teacher was taken into custody, Anderson - a nurse practitioner who worked with Cummins while he was a respiratory therapist - was flooded with text messages.

Anderson told WVLT, 'That's a good way to wake up,' before adding: 'We are thrilled to write this check.'

Anderson is even offering Barry a paid trip to Tennessee to properly thank the 29-year-old cabin caretaker for his help.

Barry didn't realize Tad Cummins (left) was on the run with his student Elizabeth Thomas (right) until a neighbor showed him a picture of the girl's missing person poster. He then called 911

Cummins continued to drive his Nissan Rogue the whole time, but removed the license plates

Looking back, Barry said there was something suspicious about the couple.

'She spoke very few words and he would try and like, talk for her a lot,' Barry told KRCR. 'He was likely clearly keeping her separate.'

Barry says the two first came through the area two weeks ago, looking for the Black Bear Ranch Commune in Siskiyou County, California.

The couple, claiming to be 38 and 24 years old, had run out of gas and Cummins told a sad story about how they lost all of their possessions in a house fire in Colorado and didn't have any money left.

So Barry decided to be a Good Samaritan, and gave Cummins money, gas and directions to the commune.

'I put some gas in his car and gave him $40 dollars and said if it doesnt work come back Ill feed you, you know what I mean?' Barry, 29, told WKRN.

Cummins and Thomas did in fact make it to the commune, but the members there sensed something was off and decided against letting them into the group.

The pair were found in one of these cabins in a remote section of northern California after a neighbor showed the shack's caretaker a picture of the girl's missing person poster

Barry let the two stay in an unfinished cabin near Cecilville, California, in exchange for work after the 50-year-old fabricated a story claiming he lost everything he owned in a fire

Looking back, Barry said there was something suspicious about the couple

'I feel a little funny because there were all kinds of indications that there was something a little funny going on [but it] never occurred to me that she was 15 years old. They said she was 22, I thoughtyeah,' member Peter LaughingWolf said.

LaughingWolf said that after telling Cummins that they wouldn't be a good fit, he stormed off with Thomas.

'What really should have been a clue that something was wrong was that he got so angry when that was shared with them,' added LaughingWolf.

After they were rejected from the commune, Cummins and Thomas returned to Cecilville on Tuesday, and Barry offered to let them sleep in one of his unfinished cabins in exchange for work.

'In my head I'm thinking he had a house fire and lost everything,' Barry said. 'I came out here on a prayer and people helped me out and got me on my feet and hopefully I can pass it on.'

The pair fled 2,500 miles over the course of their journey, cops said. Police said they didn't know if Thomas was willing to go with Cummins, but that it didn't matter, legally

Barry, right, appeared on Good Morning America Friday morning to detail how he helped police nab Cummins

Thomas' family appeared on Good Morning America on Friday, saying they had not yet been able to talk to her. Pictured bottom left is Elizabeth's father Anthony

THE PAIR'S FLIGHT FROM JUSTICE January 23: Tad Cummins is spotted kissing Elizabeth Thomas, his student at Culleoka High School, by another student. He denies the claim, saying that they are friends; she is taken out of his classes February 3: Cummins is reprimanded by the school principal after Elizabeth is found to have entered his classroom for around 30 minues February 6: Cummins is suspended c. March 9: He takes out a $4,500 loan on his car March 12: Cummins buys hair dye from Walmart in Columbia, TN March 13, 7:45am: Thomas is dropped off at Shoney's in Columbia by a friend March 13, 8am: Cummins is seen pumping gas in Columbia March 13, noon: Cummins and Elizabeth are seen together in Decatur, AL, around 70 miles from Columbia. He is fired from his job this same day March 15: Cummins and Thomas are seen buying food at a Walmart. They are sporting dyed hair. This is their last sighting for more than a month March 30: Tad Cummins' wife of 31 years, Jill, files for divorce April 19: The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) is contacted by caretaker Griffin Barry, who says the paid is staying on his property in Cecilville, California April 20: Police converge on the remote cabin, arrest Cummins and confirm that Elizabeth is safe Advertisement

Barry said he rarely interacted with Thomas during the couple's 36-hour stay at the property.

'He would talk for her a lot and kept her separate, you know,' Barry told WBIR. 'And a couple of times he always kept her in the car and he would be like 'she's asleep,' you know, and I'm like okay. I was kind of telling some people, you know, she never really looks at me and he's always talking for her. I was like, whatever, they're on hard times or something.'

It wasn't until Wednesday night that he finally recognized Cummins and the girl, when a neighbor showed him a missing persons picture.

'Someone was showing me a picture, I was telling them you know and said "That's the guy,"' he said. 'So we called 911 last night and we were calling that Tennessee Bureau of Investigation line or whatever so I guess the first sheriff got out here at about 2am.'

The neighbor reportedly got suspicious about the couple's car, a silver Nissan Rogue. It was the same car the couple went missing in, and the plates had been removed.

After using the car's vehicle identification number to confirm it belonged to the ex-teacher, SWAT teams formed a perimeter around the cabin and waited for Cummins to walk out around 4am.

After a while, they brought in Barry to help speed up the process.

'I was driving by trying to flush him out. [Sheriff's deputies] were like, "honk the horn!"' Barry said. 'I'm glad I got to help.'

As Cummins was taken into custody, he reportedly remarked 'I'm glad this is over'.

Thomas was 'healthy' and 'unharmed' according to police, and had a mixed emotional reaction.

'It was an intense situation,' Lt Behr Tharsing, of the Siskiyou County Police, told Good Morning America on Friday. 'She was laughing, she was crying, she was kind of an emotional rollercoaster as you can imagine.'

Two loaded handguns were found in the cabin.

The pair's last sighting before the arrest was at an Oklahoma Walmart on March 15 (pictured). They had died their hair to help evade capture

Whately, the attorney representing the Thomas family, believes that the pair had intended to keep driving northwest. Maps were found in Cummins' car for both San Francisco and Baltimore.

Thomas is being treated in a mental health facility. Her father, Anthony, told Good Morning America on Friday that the family still hasn't been able to speak to Elizabeth yet and that he believes she may have been brainwashed.

Cummins, who is in a California jail waiting to be transferred back to Tennessee, is charged with one federal count of transportation of a minor across state lines for the purpose of criminal sexual intercourse.

He also faces state charges of sexual contact with a minor and aggravated kidnapping. The aggravated kidnapping charge carries an eight to 12 year sentence.

A criminal complaint released Friday also revealed new details about Cummins.

It says that before leaving town, he refilled his Cialis prescription - a drug that treats erectile dysfunction. He also picked up KY Jelly, a personal lubricant, during a stop at Walmart in Oklahoma with Thomas.

Cummins, 50, who is married and has two daughters and grandchildren, allegedly abducted his former student on March 13 from her home near Columbia, Tennessee.

The two, who were thought to be in a sexual relationship, were last spotted two days later.

Their last confirmed sighting prior to the arrest was at a Walmart in Oklahoma, 700 miles away from home, after they had both dyed their hair.

Court papers filed recently in the girl's disappearance say she was afraid of the teacher and thought she would face repercussions at school if she resisted him.

When asked at a press conference if she had gone willingly, Gwyn said the question 'didn't matter'.

'At the end of the day she's 15 years old. She's 15 years old, she's a young girl that's with a grown man that's 50 years old.

'He needs to be held accountable for kidnapping this girl,' he said.

Speaking to DailyMail.com Thursday, Elizabeths relieved mother said: 'All I want to do now is hug and kiss her.'

Kimberly Thomas, 48, feared she might never see the 15-year-old girl again after she vanished more than five weeks ago with her married teacher.

'It's only been a little over a month but to us it has felt like forever,' Thomas told DailyMail.com.

'I just lost my mother, she died of an aneurysm. She never had high blood pressure before but this was terribly stressful for her. She never got to hear her granddaughter was OK.

'As for Mr Cummins, I don't even want to think about him right now. All I can think about is my daughter and the fact she is safe.'

Elizabeth lived with her father, Anthony Thomas, because Mrs Thomas has been prevented from having contact with her because of an ongoing abuse case that is yet to go to court.

However, the mother-of-ten, who only learned her daughter had been found from a news bulletin, says she will ask her attorney to see if they can get special permission to speak.

'The justice system has been very unfair to me throughout this ordeal. Nobody has told me anything. This is my daughter we are talking about,' she added.

But the girl's father claims in divorce documents filed Monday that his wife's year-long campaign of abuse against Thomas, which allegedly involved beating the teenager and locking her in a basement, left her open to being groomed.

Speaking to reporters last month, Jill Cummins, wife of the disgraced teacher, said that she had been close to Thomas before the pair ran away.

'She would come to him with her problems,' Jill said, adding that she and her husband - whom she is now divorcing - would sometimes take her to church.

'In fact, I called her our third daughter sometimes,' Jill said.
A McDonald's Happy Meal was used to lure juvenile inmates down from a roof after they had caused nearly $40,000 in damage, a royal commission was told.

Former corrections commissioner Ken Middlebrook told the Northern Territory juvenile justice royal commission that in August 2013, three teenagers attempted to escape the youth prison, near Darwin, in the early hours of the morning by breaking into the ceiling through an air-conditioning unit.

The teens at the Don Dale Youth Detention Centre at Berrimah stayed up there for about four hours, destroying property until authorities made them an offer they couldn't refuse.

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The Northern Territory Corrections Commissioner who ordered the tear-gassing of Don Dale Youth Detention Centre inmates in 2014 (pictured) has given evidence

Former corrections commissioner Ken Middlebrook explained how a McDonald's Happy Meal was used to lure youth inmates

'Staff with the assistance of NT police negotiators coaxed the detainees down with a McDonald's meal,' Mr Middlebrook said.

This is the same commissioner who ordered the tear-gassing of inmates in 2014.

A review of the August 2013 incident found the potential for a serious injury or death to the youngsters was heightened because of electrical cabling in the roof, but the power supply was never switched off.

For this reason police, paramedics, firefighters and Power and Water workers refused to enter the ceiling cavity.

Mr Middlebrook said the increasing number of female detainees posed a serious issue and referred to an alleged sex romp by Don Dale inmates in February 2008.

A media report said boys had allegedly sneaked into the girl's room after dark while other detainees distracted guards for a 'Valentine's Day orgy'.

Three teenagers at the Don Dale Youth Detention Centre tried to escape through an air-conditioning unit in August 2013

Former Northern Territory corrections commissioner gave evidence at the royal commission

Mr Middlebrook said the allegation could not be substantiated, but inadequate infrastructure meant 'the potential was there'.

The 38-year corrections veteran said before 2007 he'd had no experience in youth justice.

During his tenure as commissioner, he witnessed a spike in destructive behaviour and assaults on staff in youth jails.

There were a number of violent riots and escape attempts, largely due to an increase in the use of drugs such as ice, Mr Middlebrook said.

He also struggled with the daily 'crisis' of a rising prisoner population, a poorly trained workforce and severe financial pressures that brought the corrections department to its knees, the inquiry heard.

The royal commission is looking into the treatment of inmates at the Don Dale Youth Detention Centre at Berrimah, east of Darwin

Mr Middlebrook authorised the tear gassing of six boys in 2014, the scandal that sparked the royal commission.

Mr Middlebrook was forced to resign in 2015 after a rapist and murderer escaped a low-security adult prison work camp.

The incumbent corrections consultant told the commission a 'just lock-them-up model' and punitive political agenda has no chance of rehabilitating kids in jail or reducing re-offending.

'Tough on crime means more numbers, more overcrowding and stress on the system ... building prisons is not the answer,' he said.

Mr Middlebrook said he was embarrassed to be in charge of a system with one of the world's highest incarceration rates, but he couldn't control successive government policy.

Former corrections minister John Elferink and former Northern Territory chief minister Adam Giles will also give evidence this week.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull ordered the royal commission last year following an ABC Four Corners documentary.
'Logan Square' Pizzas May Be The Best We've Ever Had, & They're Now Available Every Day

By Rachel Cromidas in Food on Apr 26, 2017 8:19PM

We may have found the best pizza is in Logan Square. We know, there's Dante's and Reno, Boiler Room and Father & Son... but bear with usPaulie Gee's, the Brooklyn chain that opened up on Milwaukee Avenue last year, is serving up Detroit-style pizza squares that are simultaneously the fluffiest and crispiest we've ever had.

For a while, the "Logan Squares," have been something of an open secret; they are not Paulie Gee's traditional pizzas, which are baked for just a couple minutes in a special oven that heats to nearly 1000 degrees Fahrenheit. They are only sold at the Logan Square location. And until recently they were only offered on certain days of the week, in limited quantities. But as of last week, your chances of scoring one at the Milwaukee Avenue restaurant just got better: the restaurant has made the squares a regular menu item.

Derrick Tung, the owner and chef at Logan Square's Paulie Gee's, said he first came up with the idea of putting the Detroit-inspired item on the menu after touring Buddy's Pizza in Detroit.

"Buddy's changed our whole perspective on pizza. I can't believe how crispy the outside is, how it's so light on the inside, and how much flavor there is," he told Chicagoist. Tung wasn't sure everyone would share his enthusiasm for the pizzas, which resemble a thick, chewy focaccia bread with toppings, so he started offering the pizzas at limited times. And since their dough takes three to five hours to fully rise before they can be baked, the pizzas are made in the morning and, once they're gone for the day, they're gone.

Paulie Gee's offers three menu options for the squares: the Carnivore (which features pepperoni, normally forbidden on Paulie Gee's traditional woodfire pizzas), and an Omnivore and vegetarian-friendly Herbivore, with rotated flavors. On some days, they sell out within the first two hours, according to Tung.

"It seems like, overall, folks have loved it," he said said. "It's something different that Chicago doesn't have much of. So we decided to try offering it every day and see what happens."

Don't get us wrong; we'd go for the regular pizzas, which are baked for just a minute and a half inside in super hot ovens that were shipped here from Italy. They are still that special combination of fluffy and crispplus, perfectly foldable, if that's your predilection. They also score bonus points for their pun-filled names: Our favorite is the Ricky Ricotta, which is covered in baby arugula and fresh dollops of ricotta cheese.

But the Logan Squares win our major recommendation. On a recent visit we ordered the Carnivore, pictured above, which comes layered with cheese that has almost caramelized into a crust, pepperoni and juicy, crushed tomatoes. Paulie Gee's may not have the name recognition yet of other Logan Square pizza mainstays, but we predict the squares will put them on the map.
Several senators who attended a White House briefing Wednesday said they 'learned very little' about the threat posed by North Korea and accused Trump administration officials of failing to give 'straight answers' about the options to deal with the threat posed by North Korean President Kim Jong-Un.

President Trump dropped in on the classified briefing of the senators that was conducted inside the White House complex.

Senators got briefed on what a senior administration official described as a 'broad range of options' to 'remove this threat' posed by Kim's government.

Senator Richard Blumenthal (pictured, left with Supreme Court judge nominee Neil Gorsuch) said there was very little new in the Korea briefing

But Senator Richard Blumenthal, a Democrat from Connecticut, told the Washington Post: 'There was very little, if anything new (in it).'

He said: 'I remain mystified about why the entire Senate had to be taken over to the White House rather than conducting it here.'

One Republican congressman, who declined to be named, said: 'Several senators asked specifically 'What is the policy?' and the briefers gave us very, very few details.'

A bus is seen outside the White House as the entire U.S. Senate took a field trip to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue to be briefed on the North Korea situation

Members of the Senate came to the White House Wednesday in vans and buses to get a secret briefing on North Korea amid escalating tensions.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell sought the briefing, and Trump then offered to host the senators at the White House, in a move that put the location of the high-stakes discussion on his own turf.

The administration described a series of economic, diplomatic, and other pressure that could be applied  but also continues to keep military options on the table.

The anonymous Republican senator told the Post 'the basic gist of it at the beginning was that we're going to get more aggressive; we've waited and they've continued to be bad actors. We've reached a point where things are getting pretty dire and getting to the point where we've got to get more aggressive.'

'From then on, what we all wanted to know is: What does that mean?. What is it that we should be looking for as the trigger that something is about to happen and that we'd end up taking some kind of kinetic action? That's where things got a little elliptical.'

'Nothing is risk-free. This situation is not risk-free,' a Trump administration official said, the Washington Post reported.

'What the president has done is he's made a decision for us to pursue a certain course, and that course obviously has a number of options associated with it depending on how the situation develops in the future,' a White House official said.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (pictured center) had called for the briefing about North Korea amid high tensions with the 'hermit kingdom' and congressmen were bussed to the White House for the briefing

'What you've seen is really an integrated effort to prioritize diplomatic and informational aspects of national power, but also what you'll see soon is using the economic dimension of national power, as well as the military preparations that are underway,' the official said at a briefing for reporters after the meeting with senators.

Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) said after the briefing: 'The military is obviously planning for a number of options, as they should -- minimal military action to more significant action.'

He continued, according to ABC News: 'It's of course the hope of the administration and Congress that military action isn't necessary. If there's a clear and imminent threat to the U.S., our military needs to be prepared to act and I believe they are prepared to act to keep our country safe.'

Trump and Vice President Mike Pence, who has warned that all options are on the table with respect to North Korea, addressed the group.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, Secretary of Defense James Mattis, and Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats issued a joint statement pointing to the 'urgent threat.

'Past efforts have failed to halt North Korea's unlawful weapons programs and nuclear and ballistic missile tests. With each provocation, North Korea jeopardizes stability in Northeast Asia and poses a growing threat to our allies and the U.S. homeland,' they said.

Sen. Claire McCaskill (left, in red) and Sen. Lindsey Graham (center) join their Senate peers and head to the White House for a North Korea briefing

Joint Statement by Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, Secretary of Defense James Mattis, Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats

Past efforts have failed to halt North Korea's unlawful weapons programs and nuclear and ballistic missile tests. With each provocation, North Korea jeopardizes stability in Northeast Asia and poses a growing threat to our allies and the U.S. homeland. North Korea's pursuit of nuclear weapons is an urgent national security threat and top foreign policy priority. Upon assuming office, President Trump ordered a thorough review of U.S. policy pertaining to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) ... The president's approach aims to pressure North Korea into dismantling its nuclear, ballistic missile, and proliferation programs by tightening economic sanctions and pursuing diplomatic measures with our allies and regional partners. We are engaging responsible members of the international community to increase pressure on the DPRK in order to convince the regime to de-escalate and return to the path of dialogue. We will maintain our close coordination and cooperation with our allies, especially the Republic of Korea and Japan, as we work together to preserve stability and prosperity in the region. The United States seeks stability and the peaceful denuclearization of the Korean peninsula. We remain open to negotiations towards that goal. However, we remain prepared to defend ourselves and our allies. Advertisement

'North Korea's pursuit of nuclear weapons is an urgent national security threat and top foreign policy priority.

'The president's approach aims to pressure North Korea into dismantling its nuclear, ballistic missile, and proliferation programs by tightening economic sanctions and pursuing diplomatic measures with our allies and regional partners,' they continued.

'We are engaging responsible members of the international community to increase pressure on the DPRK in order to convince the regime to de-escalate and return to the path of dialogue. We will maintain our close coordination and cooperation with our allies, especially the Republic of Korea and Japan, as we work together to preserve stability and prosperity in the region.'

'We remain prepared to defend ourselves and our allies,' they warned.

Some senators griped after the meeting about the lack of definition about the administration's North Korea policy.

The official declined to say what those preparations were, though the reference may have been in response to a Pentagon proposal to beef up security of the Hawaiian islands.

'I don't think we're going to describe those in any detail,' the White House official said.

'The president has made clear that a North Korea that is armed with a nuclear armed missile  a capability they have yet to test  is unacceptable to us and threatens our vital national security interest, ' McConnell said on the Senate floor Wednesday morning.

According to a White House national security official, Trump suggested the White House as a venue 'as a gesture of cooperation with Congress. He also intends to drop by briefly.'

'The president offered to host it here at the White House to communicate the seriousness of the threat from North Korea and to allow the senators to ask questions of the national security team,' a senior administration official said.

A spokesman for McConnell told DailyMail.com, 'The Leader requested the briefing. The White House offered to host it there and the Leader accepted.'

Sen. John McCain was spotted outside one of the buses on Capitol Hill, which headed to the White House for a briefing

Sen. Elizabeth Warren was seen outside the Capitol Hill heading to one of the buses that took the entire U.S. Senate to the White House

'Thus, in order to allow the Senate to better understand this threat, I asked the administration to brief all senators on the issue, and the president graciously offered to hold the meeting down at the White House. So I would encourage all our colleagues to attend this afternoon's meeting,' McConnell likewise said.

Ones like this one on highly classified subjects normally would be held inside a large, secure facility in the Capitol.

Instead, members of the Senate were seen coming to the White House, where the executive for decades has carved out supreme authority over foreign policy and military action.

The senators piled into buses to make the drive up Pennsylvania Ave. for the North Korea briefing on Trump's turf.

A senior administration official warned Wednesday that Kim Jong-un is a risk to a large population of South Korea

'But now really a new level of threat from North Korea associated with the unacceptable and erratic and unlawful behavior of the Kim regime...represented by the murder of his brother using a nerve agent in a public place, in an airport, ' the official said.

Senators were briefed on what the official descried as a 'broad range of options' to 'remove this threat' posed by Kim's government.

'What the president has done is he's made a decision for us to pursue a certain course, and that course obviously has a number of options associated with it depending on how the situation develops in the future,' the official said.

'So I think that what you've seen is really an integrated effort to prioritize diplomatic and informational aspects of national power, but also what you'll see soon is using the economic dimension of national power, as well as the military preparations that are underway,' he said.

The official declined to say what those preparations were, though the reference may have been in response to a Pentagon proposal to beef up security of the Hawaiian islands.

'I don't think we're gonna describe those in any detail,' the White House official said.

White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders told 'Fox and Friends' Wednesday morning, 'The tensions are high, I think there's no secret about that,'

'But also I think that we finally have a president who takes North Korea seriously and is going to do something about it if necessary. And I think that's a big difference between President Trump and the previous administration,' she said.

A senior aide told the Washington Post earlier this week the idea for holding the event at the White House came from the president himself.

Explaining the unusual set-up for the meeting, which is expected to be held in the Old Executive Office building, where the White House National Security Council is house, Huckabee Sanders continued: 'Let me be very clear  this is a Senate briefing simply taking place on White House grounds. This is something being led by the Senate, and the White House is simply providing a location for them to do that.'

Hundreds of weapons were fired across the sea in Wonsan, North Korea, in a military demonstration Tuesday

MY PLACE OR YOURS? The Senators will travel to White House grounds for the briefing. 'This is a Senate briefing simply taking place on White House grounds,' the White House said

More than 300 large-calibre artillery pieces were fired in the drill, called a 'Combined Fire Demonstration'

'Tensions are high,' said White House aide Sarah Huckabee Sanders in an appearance on 'Fox & Friends'

Leader Kim Jong-Un saluted his military from the top of a private car as they drove through the demonstration

'But because of the nature, the importance of this event, I think it's a great thing that they're doing, and shows the cooperation of both the Senate and the White House to work together to make sure that North Korea does not continue to be a constant threat for the United States,' she said.

'North Korea's one of the greatest threats we face in the world today, and I think that any senator that doesn't show up [does] a disservice to the state, and to the country, by not being a part of this,' she said.

On Tuesday, in just the latest escalation, North Korea staged live-fire exercises off its coast in a show of military force.

North Korean dictator Kim Jong-Un's army fired rockets and torpedoes at mock enemy warships during North Korea's 'largest ever' live-fire artillery drills.

The Dwight D. Eisenhower Executive Office Building has am auditorium that can be used to accommodate large groups

Mandatory Credit: Photo by Lcpl. Christian J. Robertson/REX/Shutterstock (8656764b)..U.S. Marine Corps crew chief Cpl. Justin Fry, mans the door gun on a UH-1Y Huey helicopter, as they fly in a formation during a Mission Rehearsal Exercise in Okinawa, Japan. U.S. Forces across the Asian region have increased combat exercises as tensions continue to rise between the U.S. and North Korea...US military exercises near North Korea increase - 26 Apr 2017..

Hundreds of tanks were lined up along the eastern coastal town of Wonsan in a show of military strength to celebrate 85 years since the North Korean army was created.

Kim saluted the military as he watched the exercises on Tuesday, which involved the firing of more than 300 large-calibre artillery pieces and included submarine torpedo-attacks.

Just one day later, South Korea conducted joint military live-fire drills with the U.S. at Seungjin fire training field in Pocheon, South Korea, near the border with North Korea.

White House press secretary Sean Spicer said Director of National Intelligence Dan Coates, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, Secretary of Defense James Mattis, and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Joseph Dunford all would attend.

'We'll know more, as we get closer to that time, how many actually show up. But this is a great opportunity for each of these senators to get briefed as to what the situation is in North Korea and the steps that this administration's taking to calm that threat,' he said.

Asked if the White House would make the case for military action, Spicer responded: 'Well, this is about making sure that they know what steps the Trump administration is taking to protect this country, to reduce the threat of North Korea.'

Spicer continued: 'A lot of the efforts the president has already undertaken with President Xi in China, and the success that he's had of China putting both political and economic pressure on China, in a frankly unprecedented way, to make sure that we not  just not corral the world, the rest of the world in this effort,' said, in words likely meant to mean China's efforts to pressure North Korea.

Spicer on Tuesday also indicated the briefing was the Senate's idea.

'Just to be clear, that meeting is a Senate meeting led by Leader McConnell just utilizing our space. So that is their meeting, so we're not there to talk strategy,' he said.
A brave 94-year-old woman who fought back during a violent purse snatching at a Florida mall says that she wasn't afraid for her life.

Kathleen Johnson was walking into Southland Mall in Miami on Monday morning when a group of teens approached her from behind and one person grabbed her purse.

The courageous elderly woman said she immediately turned around to face them.

'I grabbed it back and then he grabbed it again and when he pulled it off, you know, he bruised me,' Johnson vividly described to CBS Miami.

'I wasn't afraid for my life. I realized he was after the purse. What was in the back of my mind is that I wanted to get it back.

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Brave: Kathleen Johnson (above), 94, was walking into Southland Mall in Miami on Monday morning when a group of teens approached her from behind and one person grabbed her purse.

The courageous elderly woman (pictured above after incident) said she immediately turned around to face them and get her purse back. She said she wasn't afraid for her life, but just wanted it back because it had her Stirling silver rosary inside

The suspects took off leaving Johnson battered and bruised in several places (pictured above)

'Aside from my credit cards and jewelry and a cell phone, it has my Stirling silver rosary.

'You can replace the other items but you can not replace that. I am very emotional and sentimental about that.'

Police told WPLG the suspects took off in a stolen Hyundai Sonata before crashing it into a police unit and Miami MacArthur South Senior High School.

The incident prompted the school to be placed on lock-down; no one at the school was injured.

Authorities arrested four people, including a 12-year-old and two 14-year-old boys.

One of the teens has been charged with strong armed robbery and will remain in custody until his next court hearing on May 15th.

Police say the suspects took off in a stolen Hyundai Sonata before crashing it into a police unit and Miami MacArthur South Senior High School (above)

Authorities arrested four people, including a 12-year-old (above) and two 14-year-old boys

'I feel that it's too bad that these young boys have to do these things,' Johnson said.

'I raised two boys and they didn't have anything like that happen to them.

'There are so many things that they could do to better themselves than to hurt somebody else. I would like to see them get counseling.'

Charles Fowler Jr. (above), 27, is the other suspect charged in the incident

The other suspect charged in the case is 27-year-old Charles Fowler Jr. He is facing charges of driving with a suspended license, grand theft, and fleeing and eluding police.

He appeared in court in front of Circuit Judge Mindy Glazer who set bond at $10,000.

'If he won't stop for a police officer, how do I know he's going to come to court,' Glazer said in court.

Fowler objected to her comment and said: 'I wasn't driving. I was not driving the car. If I get caught driving, I am going to jail. I was not driving at all.'

One of the apprehended juvenile's brothers told CBS Miami: 'For him to be pulling things like that, it's not acceptable. He was hanging out with the wrong crowd.

'Out on the streets, you can be hanging out with the wrong crowd but it was his choice. He should not have done it.'

He is facing charges of driving with a suspended license, grand theft, and fleeing and eluding police. Fowler appeared befoe Judge Mindy Glazer in court (above) who set bond at $10,000

Authorities say the suspects snatched a purse from a 60-year-old woman at the same mall earlier.

Johnson is not letting this incident from stopping her from living her life, as she plans to keep driving her car for shopping trips.

'I'm bruised but I'm okay,' she said. 'I have cuts and bruises in my lip and the area near some teeth feels bruised. And I am cut and bruised all over my arm and it goes to my thumb.'

She added that she would fight back again if she had to.

'Isn't that in your nature to react that way when someone does that to you and takes your property?'
A cat in Texas has been dubbed 'fearless' after it was pictured casually sitting next to a rattlesnake that looked like it was about to strike.

The Laguna Vista Police Department shared an image of the pair late last week on its Facebook page alongside a warning for residents of the south Texas town to keep an eye out for rattlesnakes.

Members of the Bay Area Birders of LV came across the rattlesnake while on a walking trail in the city and called police to help them remove it.

The Laguna Vista Police Department shared an image of cat and rattlesnake late last week on its Facebook page alongside a warning for residents of the south Texas town to keep an eye out for rattlesnakes.

Members of the Bay Area Birders of LV came across the rattlesnake while on a walking trail in the city and called police to help them remove it

But before handling the snake, they snapped a photo of the reptile hanging out with its newfound feline friend.

'LV Residents, earlier today Laguna Vista Police Officers assisted the Bay Area Birders of LV that were at the walking trail when they suddenly spotted a rattlesnake,' the police department said in a statement about the incident.

It added: 'We ask that you all use caution and are aware of your surroundings when walking on the walking trail or any other locations.

But before handling the snake, they snapped photos of the reptile hanging out with its newfound feline friend

'Generally, rattlesnakes emerge from hibernation in March or April, or when the average daytime temperatures reach and remain about 60F and higher.

'The snakes are then most active when the temperatures are between 80-90F.

'This means that the snakes may be active most of the day during the spring, and during the early mornings and late afternoons throughout the summer. Please be careful!'

The department later shared another image giving the feline the title: 'Fearless Laguna Visa Cat!'
A majority of Americans believe Russia meddled in the 2016 presidential election and a new poll shows that nearly four out of 10 Americans believe President Trump's campaign helped them do it.

An ABC News/Washington Post poll published Wednesday found 56 percent of adults surveyed believed Russia tried to influence the election, with another 39 percent saying they thought Trump's campaign colluded with Moscow.

Democrats were more prone to believe there was collusion between Russia and the Trump campaign, while Republicans believed President Trump's Twitter accusation that his predecessor, President Obama, spied on him.

Republicans were more prone to believe President Trump's claim that he was spied on by President Obama, while Democrats were likelier to think there was collusion between Russia and the president's campaign

An ABC News/Washington Post poll found that 60 percent of those who leaned Democrat through there was a Trump-Russia connection, while 55 percent of those who leaned Republican though President Obama spied on President Trump

Sixty percent of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents believe the Trump campaign aided Russia in efforts to influence the election.

Among Hillary Clinton's voters, the number was 72 percent.

That's in comparison to 18 percent of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents who believe in the Trump-Russia link.

On the other big issue pollsters asked about, President Trump's unfounded claims that President Obama spied on him, 32 percent of Americans, overall, believed it to be true.

Trump made the shocking claim on Twitter, suggesting that the former president 'wire-tapped' him, though later said he was speaking about general surveillance.

Fifty-five percent of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents believed Trump's claim, while 63 percent of strong conservatives said they thought it was true.

This compared with 14 percent of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents who believed Trump and another 13 percent of self-identified liberals who bought into the idea.

Among Trump's voters, 64 percent say they believe the president when he says Obama's administration spied on him.

When Clinton's voters were asked only 10 percent agreed.

While there's a slight partisan split in how Americans perceive the Congressional investigation into Russian meddling, members of both parties aren't expressing much optimism, the poll found.

When all Americans were surveyed, 42 percent expressed confidence, while 50 percent said not-so-much.

With Republicans controlling both the House and the Senate, Democrats were likelier to say they weren't confident that the investigation would be fair.

Fifty-five percent of Democrats said they weren't confident in the investigation by lawmakers on Capitol Hill, while 41 percent said they were.

Republicans were split 46 percent to 46 percent in saying they were confident and not confident in the investigation.

The poll was conducted by telephone, both land lines and cell phones, between April 17 and 20.

Results had a sampling error of plus or minus 3.5 percent.
Two property consultants conned dying 1960s actress into leaving them her entire estate in her will, a court heard.

Claire Gordon, who at the height of her fame was a rival to Diana Dors, starred in a series of saucy 1960s comedies and was once billed as Britains answer to Brigitte Bardot.

She altered her will when she was allegedly not in a fit and proper state to leave her estate to Iain Macmaster, 69, and Morris Benhamu, 41, before she died aged 74 in April 2015.

Claire Gordon, who at the height of her fame a rival to Diana Dors, altered her will before she died aged 74 in April 2015

Morris Benahmu (right) and Iain Macmaster (left) are accused of falsely representing that Mrs Gordon was in 'a fit and proper state to sign a will in her name. Both men worked for property businesses during the alleged conspiracy, but have since resigned

Mrs Gordon, aged 62. She altered her will before her death in 2015 and left everything to Macmaster and Benhamu

The pair are now accused of falsely representing that Mrs Gordon was in 'a fit and proper state to sign a will in her name between January 2014 and September 2015.

Mrs Gordon appeared alongside British comedy legends including Bob Monkhouse and Some Mothers Do Ave Em star Michael Crawford in a series of West End plays during the 1960s.

The actress also starred in cult films including the 1958 farce I Only Arsked! and 1970 caper The Dirtiest Girl I Ever Met after she was spotted by a photographer and signed to an acting contract aged 16.

Macmaster and Benhamu appeared at Westminster Magistrates Court today charged with one count of conspiracy to defraud and one count of fraud by false representation.

Both men worked for property businesses during the alleged conspiracy, but have since resigned.

They spoke only to identify themselves during the short hearing.

The actress (pictured left in 1965) appeared in cult films including the 1958 farce I Only Arsked! and 1970 caper The Dirtiest Girl I Ever Met. On the right, in 2015

She appeared alongside British comedy legends including Bob Monkhouse and Some Mothers Do Ave Em star Michael Crawford in a series of West End plays

Magistrate Grant McCrostie said: Your pre-trial hearing will take place at Southwark Crown Court on the 24 May and until that time you are going to be on conditional bail.

Macmaster, of Carburton Street, Westminster, and Benhamu, from Middlesex, have indicated not guilty pleas to the charges.

They were released on conditional bail until a preliminary hearing at Southwark Crown Court on 24 May.
This is the heartwarming moment a transgender man overcomes his nerves to ask a girl to the prom by singing his version of 'Hallelujah' on the piano.

Emmett Claren, 23, recorded a Facebook Live video of him sat at his piano in Spanish Fork, Utah, before he tried to woo 20-year-old Tori Flores.

He thought outside of the box and changed the lyrics to the well-known song by Leonard Cohen to document his own personal journey over the last few years.

Emmett opened up in the emotional cover and confessed that all his life he has 'lived a lie to fit in' and was forced to 'wear a dress and put make up on' at his last prom.

Emmett Claren (pictured) changed the lyrics to 'Hallelujah' by Leonard Cohen to ask a girl to his prom

After performing the song, Tori said 'yes' to his proposal and the pair will now go to the event, which is being organised by Provo Pride, together.

Emmett, a spokesperson for the Transgender Mormon community, said: 'The last prom I went to was in high-school and I wore a pink dress.

'Now, I've been given the opportunity to go to my first in a suit and tie as "me", so I wanted to do it the only way I know how, through song.

'Before transitioning I used to sing all the time, but since then I became very self-conscious about my voice and how it crackled and squeaked.

'I was absolutely terrified, but I knew Tori [his date] would appreciate me being vulnerable, so I threw myself in the deep end and sang it on Facebook Live.

'Amazingly, she said yes. I couldn't be more excited for prom now.'

Emmett struggled from severe gender dysphoria during his formative years as a woman, which lead to both depression and suicidal thoughts.

But at just aged 14, after his inner struggle became too much, Emmett attempted to take his own life.

He said: 'As a child, I use to pray to god every night, pleading with him to change me into a boy while I slept.

'I just felt so uncomfortable in my own body, it's often seen as a cliche but I really was a man trapped inside a woman's body.

'I tried to over-compensate by wearing lots of make-up and 'girly' clothes, but this just made me more depressed and suicidal.

'It was hard to feel so different while everyone around you appeared to be "normal", I just couldn't take it anymore.

Emmett (left) is delighted to be going to his prom with Tori Flores (right) after he asked her in a romantic cover of Hallelujah

'It wasn't until a few years later that I actually discovered the word 'transgender' and all that it meant.'

He grew up in a small, conservative town and was an active member of the Mormon church.

Emmett recalled the decision to publicly confront his gender dysphoria in 2015 as being 'very difficult'.

He said: 'Transitioning was hard, I lost a lot of "friends" along the way and to say the adjustment for my family was easy, would be an understatement.

'But I'm so grateful for all their love, support and patience through all of this.

'Looking in the mirror and seeing a man looking back at me is the best feeling in the world.

'My soul is finally at peace because it is matching my body more and more each day.

'It feels so good to no longer just be living, I finally feel alive.'

Tori said: 'I was elated when he asked me. I'm honoured to be sharing this moment with him, as this marks the moment Emmett embraces who he really is.

'We're both so excited, May 5 just can't come soon enough.'
A hero of the 7/7 London bombings is bidding to become a Labour candidate in the General Election.

Paul Dadge, 40, became famous after an iconic image showed him ushering 'the woman in the mask' away from the carnage following the 2005 terrorist bombing.

He has now put his name forward to party chiefs in a bid to become a candidate for the Cannock Chase constituency in Staffordshire.

Paul Dadge, 40, pictured helping badly injured badly injured Davinia Turrel after the 7/7 terror attack, has announced he hopes to run in the General Election for the Labour Party

The IT boss from Hixon, Staffs, said: 'I have had quite a lot of exposure to all three main political parties and was impressed with the Labour Party because they were very open and honest.

'For a few years I have been campaigning on national issues such as press regulation but more recently I have been working with the local party.

'Over the next few weeks I will be campaigning for Labour in the Staffordshire County Council elections on issues such as our pothole-riddled road network and the tipping tax.

'I will be supporting the candidates and see if I get selected.'

The party is expected to select the candidate over the weekend and it will be announced next week.

Mr Dadge, who grew up in Norton Canes, Staffs and still runs a firm in the area, added: 'Through my work I have a window into the NHS and I am very passionate about what is going in the NHS, particularly with mental health care and social care in Cannock.

'I was born and raised in Cannock and thought I would give it a shot.'

If Mr Dadge, pictured in July 2015, is selected he will have to overturn a Conservative majority of 5,000 on June 8 to be elected to the House of Commons

Tory MP Amanda Milling, pictured at last October's Conservative Party conference, could be challenged in the election by Mr Dadge

If he is selected he will be taking on the Tory MP Amanda Milling, who has a majority of around 5,000 votes.

Mr Dadge was on his way to a new job at AOL on the morning of July 7, 2005, but was ejected from a tube train at Baker Street due to a 'power fault'.

He was making his way towards Edgware Road when he was photographed helping badly injured Davinia Turrell, clutching a burns mask to her face.

Some 52 people were killed and 700 were injured in the terror attack in terror attack on 7 July 2005.

Jeremy Corbyn, pictured leaving his home today, is predicted to lead Labour to a disastrous election result when the country goes to the polls on June 8

Four al-Qaeda terrorists separately detonated three bombs across as carnage hit the streets of London.

Jeremy Corbyn is predicted to lead Labour to a disastrous showing at the General Election on June 8.

An Ipsos Mori poll, out today, found that Theresa May has been backed as the best person to be Prime Minister by 61 per cent of voters - outperforming the ratings of Margaret Thatcher and Tony Blair.

The poll shows Mrs May crushing her rival Jeremy Corbyn by 38 points after he was backed for No 10 by just 23 per cent of people.
As Kim Jong-Un showed off North Korea's military might in a live-artillery drill on Tuesday, federal authorities just outside of New York City were testing their response to a nuclear attack.

The drill - called 'Operation Gotham Shield' - practices how federal agencies, local emergency management teams and medics would respond to the hypothetical situation of a 10-kiloton nuclear bomb exploding on the New Jersey side of the Lincoln tunnel.

On Tuesday, the second day of the four-day drill, emergency officials gathered at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey - which would be used as a decontamination and casualty center in such an incident.

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Federal and local authorities are holding a four-day drill to practice how to respond to a nuclear attack. Above, ambulances participating in the drill on Tuesday at New Jersey's MetLife stadium

The drill - named Operation Gotham Shield - tests how emergency workers would deal with a 10-kiloton bomb being detonated on the New Jersey side of the Lincoln Tunnel

MetLife stadium would be used as a decontamination and casualty center in the event of such an attack

Above, a mobile emergency room is set up during the drill on Tuesday in East Rutherford, New Jersey

The drills have been in the works for months, and are also taking place in Washington, DC and Albany, New York

Medics from Hackensack University Medical Center and about 30 mass care response units participated in the drill, setting up mobile emergency rooms and running through how they would process contaminated patients.

The drill was 'notional' - meaning no actors were hired to play sick patients for the exercise.

Morris County, New Jersey Office of Emergency Management Director Jeffrey Paul explained the drill in a post on Facebook on Tuesday.

Officials say the timing of the drills has nothing to do with rising tensions with North Korea

Medics from Hackensack University Medical Center and about 30 mass care response units participated in the drill, setting up mobile emergency rooms and running through how they would process contaminated patients

North Hudson Regional Fire and Rescue Chief Frank Montagne told NJ.com: 'It's important to see our capabilities and see how far our operations go. We are hopeful that it will never happen, but we have to be prepared.'

Above, a look inside a mass casualty ambulance which has room enough for several patients

'Our challenge today involved arriving at MetLife Stadium, where thousands of people were assembled and (acting) in need of care,' Paul said. 'Our mission was to assess, treat, and evacuate casualties to hospitals and facilities away from the impact site. The training exercise did not involve any real patients. However, we were challenged to exercise our plans, procedures, and equipment to simulate our actions throughout the expanded scenario.'

North Hudson Regional Fire and Rescue Chief Frank Montagne told NJ.com: 'It's important to see our capabilities and see how far our operations go. We are hopeful that it will never happen, but we have to be prepared.'

The drill is one of several happening along the eastern seaboard this week, including ones in Washington, DC and Albany, New York.

Conspiracy theorists have been discussing the drill as as 'false flag' operation - masking an impending attack orchestrated by the government.

A 'false flag' operation is something disguised to look like it was carried out by one group, when it was carried out by another group entirely. For example, some conspiracy theorists believe that the 9/11 attacks were carried out by the U.S. government and pinned on al Qaeda.

Conspiracy theorists also pointed out that similar drills happened just before the 9/11 attacks as well.

Others were suspicious about the timing of the drills, which are taking place as tensions continue to rise with North Korea.

Conspiracy theorists have painted the drills as a 'false flag' operation - pointing out that similar drills happened just before the 9/11 attacks as well

But officials have said that the drills have been in the works for months and are not in response to any specific threat.

'Every year we plan a full-scale exercise where we have to pick different scenarios,' NJ State Police Public Information Officer Connolly told the Daily Record. 'There are only so many hurricanes we can do. We have to pick scenarios based on location and the demographics based on the risk of the area.'

The drills will continue through Thursday.
An astonishing photograph has emerged showing what locals believe is the figure of Jesus appearing over a Colombian city ravaged by a landslide.

A crowd gathered to film the sunlight slanting through clouds in Manizales, in the north central Colombian region of Caldas, where 17 people were killed by landslides when a month's rainfall fell overnight last week.

The rare cloud phenomenon was recorded on a mountain called Sancancio and the glowing figure provided comfort to the residents who lost homes, loved ones and possessions in the natural disaster.

An unusual light in the sky which locals believed to be Jesus looking over Manizales, Columbia

A woman identified as Marya de Iesus recorded what was described as a religious experience and shared it online, where many said it was a sign of Jesus of Nazareth.

She wrote with a video: 'Jesus Christ was visiting our Colombian town, he calmed down the sky and was listened to.

'God blesses us and glory to Lord and Universe King.'

On the video seen by MailOnline, a man can be heard in the background saying: 'Oh, my God, my blessed God, come here to see the misery.

'Look at this, look at this, blessing God. Glory to the Lord.

'Do you see the Lord there, standing up?'

At least 17 people were killed and seven are missing after a landslide sent mud and rocks crashing into several neighborhoods in Manizales, Colombia, the government said on Wednesday, the second deadly landslide in the country this month.

The unusual light in the sky was witnessed by residents a week after the natural disaster

Recent heavy rains have endangered residents in dozens of provincial towns, where makeshift construction on the slopes of the Andes mountains makes neighborhoods particularly susceptible to avalanches and flooding.

The landslide in Manizales, capital of coffee-growing Caldas province west of Bogota, followed a similar disaster in Mocoa, Putumayo earlier this month that killed more than 320 people and displaced thousands from their homes.

'We are helping to find the disappeared and unfortunately the number will rise,' President Juan Manuel Santos said of the death toll after arriving in Manizales.

At least 57 houses have been affected, the government said.

Local media reported that Manizales received a month's average rainfall just overnight.

Rescuers from the Red Cross, civil defense, firefighters and armed forces are searching for the disappeared in the mud and debris of destroyed buildings.

Running water, electricity and gas services have been suspended in the areas affected by the landslides.

Those reacting to the video online had mixed opinions on what was being seen.

Sandra Mejia said: 'In this moment of pain, people want to believe it is a divine item that gives them hope and strength to keep on living and fighting.

But others suggested a more straightforward theory could explain the beamed figure.

Noe Bazan said a shaft of sunlight breaking through the clouds was the reason people saw Jesus.

'This is a natural phenomenon with the light of the sun through different types of cloud,' he said.

'It happens in all parts of the world.'
When an autistic Texas man's favorite video store went out of business, his parents surprised him by bringing part of it home.

Hector Zuniga, 20, had visited the Blockbuster video store in Sharyland, Texas, twice a week since he was 13 to rent his favorite movies.

When his parents were told the store was closing its doors for good, they thought the news would be devastating to Hector.

Surprise! Hector Zuniga, 20, looks overjoyed after his parents surprised the autistic young man by recreating his favorite Blockbuster store in their home

Biggest fan: Zuniga (left and right), 20, had visited the Blockbuster video store in Sharyland, Texas, twice a week since he was 13 to rent his favorite movies. Before the store closed, the man's parents bought a part of its inventory (right)

So, with the help of Blockbuster's staff, they decided buy some of the store's inventory to recreate it at home.

Hector Zuniga Sr brought his son to the store on its final day Sunday in order to give him closure.

When they came home, Hector Jr was surprised to find a Blockbuster rack stuffed with his favorite DVDs, including films featuring Elmo, Barney and Rugrats.

'Its hard for my son to express emotions,' Hector Sr told The Huffington Post. 'But when he saw the room, his eyes were as big as saucers.'

The dad said his eldest son conveyed his love and gratitude in his own special way: he came up to him and grabbed his earlobe.

'It was one of those moments that us parents live for,' Mr Zuniga told the media outlet.

The moment of the big reveal has gone viral on Twitter after it was posted by his younger brother, 19-year-old Javier Zuniga.

Favorite titles: Hector Jr was surprised to find a Blockbuster rack stuffed with his favorite DVDs, including films featuring Elmo and Barney

Viral: Zuniga's younger brother, 19-year-old Javier Zuniga, posted photos from the big reveal on Twitter, where they went viral

As of Wednesday afternoon, the brother's tweet has been liked more than 127,000 times and retweeted more than 33,000 times, and counting.

Other Twitter users have praised the parents for going out of their way to help their special-needs son.

'Most people don't understand how devastating changes in routine are for people with autism,' wrote commenter John Bermudes. 'This is cute but was probably very necessary.'
Turns Out A Lot Of People Don't Love That Plan To Put A Bar In A Gun Range

By Stephen Gossett in News on Apr 26, 2017 7:09PM



Getty Images / Photo: Scott Olson

We did a whiplash double take earlier this week when the not-an-Onion-headline news came through that a so-called "gun-try club" is currently under consideration in the the southwest-suburb backyards of Chicago. For the uninitiated, the proposed Willowbrook club would have a gun rangebut also a bar.

It's like a combination Pizza Hit and Taco Bell, but with shooting and drinking instead. What could go wrong?

Apparently, ours weren't the only furrowed brows. More than 50 people packed a three-hour meeting of the Willowbrook Village Board on Mondaymost of them expressing no small amounts of skepticismas public and city officials discussed a potential permit, according to the Pioneer Press.

"You're making us the nexus of guns, ammunition and alcohol in the area. We do not want this business," said resident Robert Blackburn, via Pioneer. Opponents of the range also took out an ad in the local paper, according to ABC7.

The large-scale facilitywhich is being spearheaded by the Chicago Gun Clubwould take over a vacant corner patch in Willowbrook. It would reportedly span 31,000 square feet, include 32 firing bays, feature training classrooms and also incorporate retail spacewhich would include gun sales. There would also be two membership lounges, one of which would have a bar that serves alcohol.

The mayor of Willowbrook said that the facility would have officers stationed and noted its proximity to a police station, NBC points out. He also said that owners wouldn't allow patrons to booze before shooting.

But after all sides were aired, the "gun-try" future is still up in the air. A later follow-up meeting was reportedly scheduled for May 22.
911 calls from a fatal crash involving Bachelor star Chris Soules reveal how he called for help and tried to save his 66-year-old neighbor before fleeing in another driver's truck once police arrived.

Soules was arrested at his home in Aurora, Iowa, five hours after the crash on Monday night and was charged with leaving the scene of a fatal accident.

He was released from custody after posting a $10,000 bond on Tuesday and is awaiting his next court date.

The former reality television star is being forced to wear an ankle monitor, and he has also had to hand over his passport, Us Weekly reports.

'Chris has a location-monitoring device on his leg and had to surrender his passport,' the magazine reports, citing a source close to the former Bachelor personality.

He reportedly was forced to surrender his passport as he 'had plans to leave the country', the insider told the magazine.

The magazine then quoted the source as saying: 'Chris hasn't left his house yet... His family has been by his side.'

The crash occurred at around 8pm and killed his 66-year-old farmer neighbor Kenneth Mosher whose tractor was rammed off the road in to a ditch.

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The calls were released on Wednesday and reveal that Soules tried to save Mosher's life and that there were others at the scene when the crash occurred. It is not yet clear what their connection to the star is.

Soules, who starred on series 19 of The Bachelor and was preparing to film Bachelor in Paradise when the crash occurred, called 911 immediately.

He told an operator through labored breathing: 'I just ran in to a guy in a tractor.'

Chris Soules called 911 immediately after the crash on Monday. He was arrested five hours later at his home and charged with leaving a fatal accident

After admitting that he did not know how to perform CPR, he asked others there: 'Does anyone know CPR?'

It was initially unclear whether or not he was alone at the time of the crash.

As they waited for police and an ambulance, 35-year-old Soules checked Mosher's pulse. He remarked that it didn't look as though Mosher was breathing.

'I can't tell, he doesn't appear to be,' he said when asked. Later, he said: 'I feel like he's got a pulse.'

Soules ended the call abruptly, telling the operator: 'Can I call you back real quick?'

It's not clear exactly how much time passed before police arrived. A separate recording of their radio communication however captured the moment he allegedly fled in another person's truck.

'One of the subjects that was involved just took off northbound in a red Duramax truck. Do you have any available units?' one of the responding police officers is heard saying.

Within seconds, another said: 'We believe the subject is going to be Chris Soules. That's the name of the subject who took off.'

Kenneth Mosher, a 66-year-old corn farmer and grandfather, died. His tractor was mowed off the road and in to a ditch

911 calls reveal how police arrived at the scene before Soules left. Officers were heard calling for back-up after he 'took off' in another person's truck

Soules appeared in a court on Tuesday morning to be charged with leaving the scene of a fatal accident. His mother posted his $10,000 bond later and was released

Soules was eventually arrested five hours later at his house.

Police searched his vehicle at the crash scene and found alcohol in it but there has not yet been any suggestion he was drunk at the time of the accident.

Soules appeared on the 19th series of The Bachelor

Soules was released from jail on Tuesday after his mother posted his $10,000 bond.

His spokesman issued a statement on his behalf afterwards to say he was 'devastated' by the accident.

'Chris Soules was involved in an accident on Monday evening, April 24, in a rural part of Iowa near his home.

'He was devastated to learn that Kenneth Mosher, the other person in the accident, passed away. His thoughts and prayers are with Mr. Mosher's family.'

Police records show the star had at least 12 other run-ins with the law.

Previous charges include driving under the influence, speeding, running a stop sign and driving with an open container of alcohol.

He was charged with fleeing the scene of a previous accident in 2002 but it was reduced to defective brakes.

Mosher, a father and grandfather, died after being taken to hospital by ambulance. He was a corn farmer.

The victim's son-in-law relatives told People the crash was a 'freak accident'.

Teen drinking, speeding and DUI: Chris Soules' rap sheet revealed Soules' criminal record has more than a dozen convictions from the time he was 16 years old Chris Soules, the dashing all-American gentleman farmer from Iowa who charmed his way into TV viewers' hearts on The Bachelor, had spent his late teens and 20s going in and out of courtrooms on more than a dozen charges, most of them related to driving violations and alcohol consumption. Records available on Iowa Courts' website detail Soules' vast history of run-ins with the law, which goes back 1998 and includes 13 guilty pleas on a slew of counts, ranging from registration violations to underage drinking and fighting. In 1998, Soules, then aged 16, was convicted for the first time of speeding six to 10 miles over a 55mph speed limit and was sentenced to a fine. In 2001, Soules was found guilty of underage drinking and failure to maintain control of a vehicle in two separate incidents. Both cases saw the future reality star get off with fines. In May and August of that year, Soules was convicted twice of possession of alcohols under age. In the latter incident, he was also found guilty of driving with an open container of alcohol, running a stop sign and speeding. Those cases also resulted in fines. In February 2002, Soules was convicted of fighting, and in March he was back in court on a charge of leaving the scene of an accident, which was later reduced to a count of defective brakes. Soules stayed out of trouble for four years until in 2006 he was convicted of his most serious charge - driving while intoxicated - and fined more than $500. His sentence also included a year of probation. In 2007, Soules was found guilty of speeding, and the same charge brought him back to court in 2009. Soules' final brush with the law before Monday's arrest occurred in 2010, when he was convicted and fined for a registration violation. Advertisement




Great British Bake Off judge Paul Hollywood donated money to a 94-year-old pensioner who had 600 of her pension stolen while shopping.

Paul, 51, was so enraged when he heard Daisy Payne, of Brighton, East Sussex, had been robbed he immediately donated to a collection set up for her.

Shop owner Hayley Hobdell, who set up the collection, said: 'He told me he was really angry when he heard what happened to Daisy and wanted to help.

Daisy Payne, pictured, had 600 stolen when she was out shopping in Brighton recently

The 94-year-old pensioner was distraught when she discovered her money was missing

'I couldn't not believe it when I heard him on the phone. His voice is very distinct.

'He has been ever so kind and we are so grateful.'

The collection has so far raised 1,000. Police are investigating the theft.

The Great British Bake Off judge has contacted fundraisers looking to help the pensioner.

Mrs Payne said she was 'distraught' when a thief made off with money she had earmarked for paying bills on April 6 in Brighton, East Sussex.

Ms Payne was mugged as she walked along Whitehawk Road in Brighton, pictured

The purse that was stolen contained Mrs Payne's pension, which she had just collected at the nearby Post Office.

Ms Hobdell said: 'It was the day after she appeared on TV news. We had a phone call at the shop, but he didn't identify himself. I recognised his voice because it is quite distinctive.

'He gave me his email address and I realised who it was. I was in shock.

'It has been incredible to see that something so small has escalated and that is down to who Daisy is. It has been quite an emotional and amazing story.'

Bake Off star Paul Hollywood donated cash to an appeal to refund the Brighton pensioner

Mrs Hobdell added she had spoken to the TV reporters, who confirmed that Mr Hollywood had been in touch with them too.

The baker, who is set to return to The Great British Bake Off when it debuts on Channel 4, has even expressed a desire to meet Mrs Payne at some point in the future.

Mrs Payne said: 'I am very grateful that he has offered to help. People have been so kind.

'I feel like I am becoming a bit famous myself. I hope the person who stole from me reads this. I would like to give them a piece of my mind.'

Sussex Police confirmed they were still investigating the theft and that no arrests have currently been made.

A spokeswoman for Paul Hollywood confirmed he had reached out to fundraisers to help Mrs Payne.

She said: 'Paul was saddened to read Daisy's story and admired her courage.'
Complete strangers raised more than $130,000 in only four days to help a woman who fell into poverty with her daughter after the Venezuelan economy crashed.

American photographer Brandon Stanton posted a picture of the woman - known only as Rose - on the verge of tears on his Twitter feed.

Stanton, who has 25 million followers and is best known for his Humans of New York project, posted 200 words underneath about Rose's predicament.

More than 6,000 strangers raised $131,000 for Rose after reading about her online

Stanton and his interpreter Juan Laserna met the woman in Colombia and she told him her story.

She said: 'I'm starting from nothing. I lost everything back in Venezuela. I had my own natural soup factory but the crisis made it impossible to get ingredients.

'Things got so bad that I couldn't even find food for my baby. I had little money, but there was nowhere to buy foodwe would go days without eating. When I tried to breastfeed my daughter, I'd almost faint.'

Thousands of demonstrators have shut down the main highway in Caracas to express their anger with President Nicolas Maduro, who is blamed for Venezuela's economic woes. More than 23 people have been killed during the protests.

Rose traveled to Colombia in a bid to get help and left her daughter with friends.

Brandon Stanton (pictured) has 25 million followers on Twitter and he steered more than 6,000 of them towards the crowdfunding page

She said: 'I'd never said "goodbye" to my daughter before. She was screaming my name when I left. It hurt worse than giving birth. But I didn't have a choice.'

Rose said she told her daughter she was going to Colombia to 'make a diamond' and bring it back.

But in fact she sells key chains on the streets of the capital, Bogota, and sends packets of food back home when she makes some money.

She added: 'I grew up very poor. I came from nothing so I've been here before.'

Laserna set up a crowd funding page to help her and Stanton shared the link to the page.

They had hoped to raise $5,000 but were astonished when generous strangers donated $131,201 to Rose.

Stanton said all the money would go to Rose, enabling her to return home and be with her daughter.

Two years ago Stanton helped a 13-year-old boy raise $1.2million for his hard-up school in New York's Brownsville neighborhood.
Jailed: Ayodele Oladuti, 29, photographed his clients' bank cards while showing prospective buyers around their homes

An estate agent who photographed his clients' bank cards while showing prospective buyers around their homes was jailed for two years today.

Ayodele Oladuti, 29, of South Croydon, South London, would use the photos of cards and other documents to commit identity theft and set up bank accounts and a phone contract in their names.

He then returned to their homes to collect the fraudulently obtained cards and mobile phone, and used the photographed cards to buy clothing and electrical goods online and in stores.

In total he attempted to defraud 20 victims of just over 25,000 and was successful in obtaining just over 6,000.

His scheme came to light when one of the sellers became suspicious during a viewing as Oladuti did not leave the flat when the prospective buyers did.

The owner checked CCTV and saw him opening doors and cupboards. He took the footage to The Personal Agent's manager who immediately contacted Surrey Police.

Oladuti was jailed for two years at Guildford Crown Court (pictured). He attempted to defraud 20 victims of just over 25,000 and was successful in obtaining just over 6,000

Oladuti admitted seven counts of fraud and was jailed for two years at Guildford Crown Court.

Detective Constable Simon Evans, who investigated the case, said: 'Mr Oladuti cynically manipulated his way into employment as an estate agent by faking his CV and setting up a fake email account to provide himself with a reference to an employment agency, who then recommended him to this local business.

'He then systematically defrauded the people whose homes he was showing to prospective buyers. In at least one case he returned to defraud the victim a second time, once the victim had closed all their compromised accounts.

He caused untold stress and worry to his victims Detective Constable Simon Evans

'Oladuti breached the trust placed in him by innocent victims who looked to him to help them sell their properties.

'He caused untold stress and worry to his victims, who were forced to rearrange their financial affairs at the same time as they were trying to move house.

'I am particularly grateful to The Personal Agent for their quick thinking and continued help in catching and prosecuting Mr Oladuti.

'I hope that this sentence gives some comfort to the victims, including the estate agency, who have had to unpick the chaos that this man's identity fraud has caused.'
Justin Michael Walling, 27, was found guilty on Friday after he had sex with two girls under the age of 16 over the last two years

A sex offender who used Facebook Messenger to target young girls was convicted of multiple charges after a lengthy investigation in Michigan.

A federal court found Justin Michael Walling, 27, guilty on Friday after he had sex with a 13-year-old girl in 2015.

He and the victim exchanged thousands of messages on the social media site, which grew increasingly sexual and led to the exchange of explicit photos before the two met in person and had sex.

Walling previously served six years in prison in 2004 for first degree criminal sexual conduct - indicating that the victim was younger than 13 years old in that case.

Police began their investigation in July 2015 when an Ionia County mother reported that a man named 'Justin Blade' was communicating with her 14-year-old daughter, M Live reported.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexis Sanford said that authorities then used the girl's computer to continue talking to 'Blade' and eventually secured his IP address.

That led them to the home of Walling's mother in Lowell, Michigan.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexis Sanford said that authorities then used the girl's computer to continue talking to 'Blade' and eventually secured his IP address. That led them to the home of Walling's mother in Lowell, Michigan

In an interview on the patio of the home, Walling confessed to using Facebook to communicate with the underage girls.

He said he'd had sex with two girls younger than 16, the legal age of consent in Michigan, but he could not remember their names.

Walling previously served six years in prison for first degree criminal sexual conduct - indicating that the victim was younger than 13 years old in that case

He did, however, remember the directions to the home of one of the victims, who lives in Belding, Michigan. The other, he said, lived nearby in Saranac.

The Belding girl's computer revealed over 3,000 messages between herself and Walling, which began with conversations about video games, before eventually turning sexual.

The two exchanged nude photos and later met in person. She told police they had sex twice at his home during the summer of 2015.

Walling was found guilty on two counts of enticement of a minor, sexual exploitation of a child, receipt of child pornography and committing a felony offense involving a minor while being a registered sex offender.

In 2007, he was convicted of attempted criminal conduct in the third degree, and in 2008 he was found guilty of possession of child sexually abusive material.

He will be sentenced in this case on August 21 by U.S. District Judge Paul Maloney.
An Uber driver has come under the scrutiny of authorities after he agreed to take tourists left stranded by a cyclone on an epic 650 kilometre trip.

Harpal Kang, from Auckland on New Zealand's North Island, answered a plea from a U.S. couple who were desperate to head from the city south to Wellington.

Lisa Kottke and husband Matt needed to be in Wellington to attend a business meeting but could not find other forms of transport to take them as they landed in the country during Cyclone Debbie in March, the New Zealand Herald reported.

Uber driver Harpal Kang (at left) drove Lisa Kottke (right) and her husband Matt on a 650 kilometre trip from Auckland to Wellington

The trip cost NZD1033 [$952] and took nine hours, pushing Mr Kang's total shift hours out to 16-and-a-half hours, more than the strict 13 hour limit imposed on drivers.

Mr Kang said the New Zealand Transport Authority had been in touch and demanded he hand over his logbooks, with an investigation into the trip now underway.

In the next two weeks, the NZTA will decided on whether to fine Mr Kang or take him to court, he said.

If court action was taken, Mr Kang, who has been in New Zealand for six years, said he would head back to India.

Lisa Kottke and husband Matt turned to Uber to get them from Auckland to Wellington because they could not find other forms of transport during Cyclone Debbie (stock image)

'I told them, I'm not going to court again. I've already been to court one time, and it wasn't a good experience for me,' Mr Kang said.

'I didn't do it for money, I just helped them out of the kindness of my heart.'

The NZTA said they had received several complaints about Mr Kang's trip, which was first thrust into the public spotlight when the couple, from Minneapolis, wanted to publicly thank their driver.

'We don't condone drivers exceeding the permitted working hours or failing to take required breaks,' a NZTA spokesperson said.
Two men were found with a total of 23 pounds of cocaine taped around their bodies at John F Kennedy International Airport last week.

US Citizen Ariel Garcia, along with Elvin Montilla-Sosa of the Domincan Republic, were arrested in New York on Wednesday with cocaine worth a street value of $380,000, according to Customs and Border Protection.

The CBP released photographs of the two men, who now face federal drug smuggling charges, with bulky packages wrapped around their bodies.

US Citizen Ariel Garcia, along with Elvin Montilla-Sosa of the Domincan Republic were found with a total of 23 pounds of cocaine taped around their bodies at JFK last week

The two men arrived in the US on the same flight from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic last week, the CBP said.

They were taken to a private search room, where officers found about 11 pounds of cocaine - worth about $180,000 - taped to Garcia's legs.

Montilla-Sosa was found with 12 pounds of cocaine, with an estimated street value of $200,000, taped in bulky packages to his legs and back.

Both men were arrested and turned over to Homeland Security Investigations.

'This latest seizure demonstrates our CBP officers being ever vigilant in protecting the United States from the distribution of these illicit drugs,' said Leon Hayward, Acting Director of CBPs New York Field Operations.

The drug bust came after two other men from Santo Domingo were found with drugs taped to their bodies in two separate incidents in March.

The drug bust came after two other men from Santo Domingo were found with drugs taped to their bodies in two separate incidents in March (pictured, Mayobanex Ruiz Gomez)

On March 16, Mayobanex Ruiz Gomez, was taken in for a search at JFK after he appeared nervous. He was found with about five pounds of cocaine taped to his legs.

The CPD called it a case of deja vu all over again after Juan Carlos Galan Luperon, a US citizen flying from the Caribbean country was 'bursting out of his pants' on March 4.

He was found with 10 pounds of cocaine worth $164,000.
Ivanka Trump has put an ocean's worth of daylight between herself and her powerful father, saying in an interview broadcast Wednesday that the United States must open its doors to refugees fleeing war-torn Syria.

'That has to be part of the discussion, but thats not going to be enough in it of itself,' the first daughter told NBC's 'Today' show during her visit to Germany.

'I think there is a global humanitarian crises that is happening, and we have to come together and we have to solve it,' she declared.

That marks a dramatic shift from President Donald Trump's own fearful rhetoric about the fate of Syrians displaced from their homeland.

Trump famously warned that ISIS terrorists embedding themselves in large populations of Syrian refugees could represent 'the all-time great Trojan horse' for the United States.

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Ivanka Trump said in an interview broadcast Wednesday morning that the United States should resettle Syrian refugees inside American borders

Mrs. Trump, an adviser to the president and one of his daughters, said the growing humanitarian crisis should be on her father's punch-list of issues to solve

The president ma it clear during his campaign that he thought ISIS terrorists wanted to hide among Syrian refugees, turning the migrant wave into a 'Trojan Horse' that could strike the U.S.

His first stab at enforcing a country-specific ban on some travelers entering the U.S. included a blanket prohibition against admitting Syrians.

After a judge blocked that effort, the White House released a second version that aimed to pause the entire U.S. refugee resettlement program rather than single Syrians out for discrimination.

The president has also advocated for nations in the region to create a protected 'safe zone' inside Syria's borders where refugees can live until the end of the vicious civil war that has raged since 2011.

'We have a president that wants to take hundreds of thousands  hundreds and thousands!  of people and move them into our country,' Trump told a Tennessee crowd in 2015, speaking of the Syrian migration.

'And we don't even know who they are. There's no paperwork. There's no anything. ... We have no documentation on these people.'

President Trump has said he looked at photos of young men fleeing Syria and wondered why they weren't remaining behind to fight for their country

'They seem like so many men. They're so strong. They're strong looking guys,' Trump said of news photos showing a sea of humanity fleeing to the north through Turkey and into Europe.

'So I said, "Why aren't they back fighting for their country?"' he told an audience of about 10,000. 'Then I say, "Is this a Trojan Horse?" We all know the story of the Trojan Horse.'

The Trojan Horse comparison made one appearance after another during the following year. Two months before Election Day he told a conference of evangelican Christian voters that he wanted to establish 'safe zones' in lieu of continuing to resettle Syrians in the U.S.

'We want to take care of people, but we absolutely cannot allow this potential tremendous threat to continue, and we have to stop this,' he said.

'This is going to be potentially a catastrophe for our country. It's from within. It could be the all-time great Trojan Horse.'

A month later during a presidential debate, Trump said that his opponent Hillary Clinton's plan to increase Syrian refugee intakes by 550 per cent would pose a unique danger to the United States.

'This is going to be the great Trojan Horse of all time,' he announced from the debate stage in St. Louis, Missouri.

Camps like this one near Syria's border with Turkey show the sheer size of hte migration wave, which continues in the seventh year of Syrian civil war

Those who don't flee over land sometimes escape Syria by water, paying smugglers to get them to Greek islands  from where they try to get into the European Union

'We have enough problems in this country. I believe in building safe zones. I believe in having other people pay for them. As an example, the Gulf states who are not carrying their weight.'

According to two White House sources, Trump still remains unwilling to reopen the floodgates on compassionate grounds, despite taking military action after Bashar al-Assad's government deployed chemical weapons against Syrian civilians.

Eric Trump, one of the president's two businessman sons, said afterward in an interview with the Daily Telegraph that his sister Ivanka had influenced their father to give the Pentagon a green-light.

'Ivanka is a mother of three kids and she has influence,' Eric said. 'I'm sure she said: "Listen, this is horrible stuff".'

Tuesday in Germany, Ivanka called her brother's take 'a flawed interpretation' of how the president decided to launch missiles at a Syrian air base.
After almost three decades, police in China have solved a case in which 11 women were raped and murdered.

The killings took place between 1988 and 2002 in which the women were also robbed and disfigured during the ordeals that all took place in Baiyin City, China's Gansu province.

On April 25, 53-year-old Gao Chengyong was prosecuted for the crimes after he was arrested in August last year.

Chinese 'Jack the Ripper': An online picture shows Chinese serial killer Gao Chengyong

Last year, Gao was revealed to be the killer after a relative committed a crime and their DNA was taken. The DNA was incredibly close to that of the serial killer.

They tested those family members of the relative and Gao was confirmed to be the 'Chinese Jack the Ripper'.

It was then that police found his DNA matched that of the killer they had been looking for.

Gao later confessed his actions to police, saying that he committed the first murder by accident in 1988.

He tried to steal a radio from a 23-year-old woman while she was sleeping and killed her after she woke up.

The man said he gained a sense of satisfaction from killing and carried out further murders - 10 over 14 years.

One victim was just 8-years-old.

The killings all took place in Baiyin, China's Gansu province between 1988 and 2002

He said that if he found the victim attractive then he would rape them otherwise he would just cut their throat.

For those that tried to resist him, Gao would disfigure them.

Some victims also had their reproductive organs removed.

A local police officer told CGTN that Gao could remember all of the details of the killings: 'He was way too calm, showing no regrets or guilt.'

Gao is married with children making his actions even more bizarre. The family have since cut ties with the man and have refused to meet his lawyer.

The man has been dubbed the Chinese 'Jack the Ripper'.

The original Jack the Ripper was a serial killer active in east London in the late Victorian era.

He is widely believed to have murdered five women, mutilating several of them. Those killings have never been solved.
An anti-Islam extremist accused of plotting Melbourne bomb attacks has won an appeal against a separate conviction.

Prosecutors did not fight the appeal by Phillip Michael Galea, 32, in the Victorian County Court on Wednesday over his June 2016 breach of bail conviction.

In a quick hearing, the charge was set aside by Judge Mark Taft.

Galea left the dock with a wide grin, but he remains in custody.

Phillip Michael Galea remains in custody despite winning an appeal against a separate conviction

The right-wing crusader is on remand charged with collecting or making documents to prepare for terrorist acts between November 2015 and early August 2016.

Galea is also charged with doing acts in preparation for a terrorist act between September 2015 and early August 2016.

He will reappear in the Melbourne Magistrates' Court sitting in the County Court on those charges on Friday.

Investigators have told previous court hearings Galea has been linked to extremist groups Reclaim Australia, United Patriots Front, Patriots Defence League Australia, the True Blue Crew and also a 'neo-Nazi, self-confessed militant group' called Combat 18.
China will tighten its crackdown on illegal fundraising to protect people's interests and fend off systemic risks, the Office of the Inter-agency Anti-illegal Fundraising Taskforce said on Tuesday.

China saw 5,197 illegal fundraising cases in 2016, involving 251.1 billion yuan (36.5 billion U.S. dollars), down 14.48 percent and 0.11 percent year on year, respectively, according to the office.

It is the first time for both figures to decline, showing that the rising trend of illegal fundraising in past years has been contained, said Yang Yuzhu, head of the office.

However, Yang noted that the overall situation of illegal fundraising is still complicated and severe, highlighted by an increase in organized crime, online fraud and cross-regional crime.

China will strengthen supervision of intermediaries in private financing, enhance crackdown efforts against fraudulent advertisements and improve the legal system to guard against illegal financing, said Yang.

Key fields including online lending, private wealth management, rural cooperatives and private equity will be under greater regulatory scrutiny, Yang added.

Internet finance has grown fast in China in the past few years, as investors seek higher returns than bank deposits while small businesses find it easier to secure funds through online brokers. But risks have piled up too as regulations cannot keep up with the sector's development.

Among high-profile fraud cases last year, Ezubao, an online peer-to-peer lending platform, cheated members of the public out of nearly 60 billion yuan through fake investment projects it advertised from June 2014 to December 2015. Police opened investigations into the case in the first quarter of 2016.
Six security workers at a Delaware hospital have been sacked after video emerged showing security guards roughing up a man as they forcibly restrained him.

Terrance Carter, 37, told The News Journal he had gotten into a scrap with a man he knew outside Wilmington Hospital in February when a pack of security constables, private officers who have arrest power, approached him.

He said he had been treated at the hospital after hurting his hand punching a refrigerator.

Carter said the guards escorted him off after the man he was fighting with declined to press charges. He told The News Journal he asked the officers why they were being aggressive, but that he suspected it was already too late.

'I could tell the way they grabbed me and they were being all physical that something was going to happen,' he told the paper. 'I'm not slow.'

Terrance Carter says he questioned the guards' aggression but 'knew what would happen'

The video appears to show one officer spraying Carter with a substance Carter says was pepper spray or Mace. The officers then appear to handcuff Carter to a wall, punch and kick him.

"I could feel everything,' Carter said.

Carter was arrested that night and charged with one count of disorderly conduct, the News Journal reported, citing court records. He has yet to enter a plea.

In a statement, Christiana Care Health System spokeswoman Karen Browne said the hospital has cut ties with the four officers seen in the video as well as two supervisors.

She pledged that the hospital was 'deeply sorry' for the entire incident.
A British Army Major and United Nations consultant hanged himself in his barracks after separating from his wife and racking up debts, an inquest heard.

Sandhurst-educated Major Cyrus Karumba was found dead after he failed to show up to the Majors course he was two months into at an Army Defence Academy.

Originally from Kenya, the respected 36-year-old soldier joined the British Army in 2003 and had served in Afghanistan, Kenya and Germany.

Sandhurst-educated Major Cyrus Karumba (pictured) was found dead after he failed to show up to the Majors course he was two months into at an Army Defence Academy

His estranged wife, Suchada Karumba, who was also from Kenya, had moved to the site in September so that he could see their two young children.

He was found in his room on December 6, 2016 by Major Dayan Pozo, who had been sent to find him when he failed to show up to his course.

A statement, read out by coroner Darren Salter, explained that the soldier punched his way into the father-of-two's bathroom after finding it locked with the light on.

'It was about 2.15pm when I arrived at Cyrus' room, CO15,' he said.

The respected 36-year-old major, joined the British Army in 2003 and served in Afghanistan

'I knocked on his door and was saying his name, trying to raise him. I must have knocked on his door for around five minutes.

'I then tried to get hold of him through social media but to no avail. I saw his car parked up so I decided to go to reception to get a spare key.

'I entered his room and and saw the bathroom door was closed but the light was on. I started to shout and made it clear that I would knock down the door. I punched a hole in the door and then entered. It was clear that he was deceased.'

The Oxfordshire coroner said Major Karumba was found next to a handwritten note - which he refused to read out to the inquest - and a copy of his will.

Mr Salter read out a statement written by his estranged wife, who had recently moved to the Defence Academy site in Faringdon Road, Watchfield, although she lived with their children in a separate house.

'We had been married for seven years in July 2016 when we separated,' she wrote.

'In September 2016 Cyrus was transferred to the UK to take a course. The children remained with me and I moved to the UK too, partly so Cyrus could see the children and secondly it was a good opportunity for the children. We did not live together.

'I am aware that Cyrus had some debt issues. He did not have any health issues that I was aware of. I am totally shocked that Cyrus did this and I cannot understand why.

Mr Karumba was leading a professional development course for Army officers at the academy at the time of his death

'He was always such a confident person. For him to have done this is completely out of character.'

Major Karumba was leading a professional development course for Army officers at the academy at the time of his death.

He was the Army's Telecommunications and ICT Director for more than 10,000 of his comrades during a two-year stint in Kenya and was a web consultant for the UN Convention to Combat Desertification before he became an Army officer.

He had trained as an officer at the Royal Military Academy in Sandhurst, and had also served in the Falkland Islands.

Major Andrew Richards, who ran the course, explained in a written statement how Major Karumba had suffered sleep problems and had failed to attend classes once before.

'On Thursday, September 1, for the first time since the course began, Cyrus didn't come to work,' he said.

'I sent him a message over WhatsApp and Cyrus said "I couldn't sleep last night".

'I went to see him in his room later that day and had a lengthy conversation about his marriage issues and about his issues with sleep.'

Speaking of the day he died, he continued: 'Cyrus didn't show for work but sent me a WhatsApp message at 10.12am saying, "Sorry I overslept, I will be over shortly. I have booked a doctor's appointment and hopefully they will be able to help me sleep".'

Major Pozo then replied saying, 'Roger, go to your appointment but you need to be in work' to which Cyrus answered 'RGR', meaning 'Roger'. It was the last time that anyone heard from him.

A toxicology report carried out by Dr Reza Morovat found no traces of alcohol or drugs in his system while pathologist Dr Eve Morovat, who carried out the post-mortem examination, gave the cause of death as hanging.

Mr Salter summarised a statement written by Dr Lucy Elphinstone, who was the senior medical officer at the defence academy, about an appointment Major Karumba had made with her.

'She says he had two or three problems which he mentioned, a couple of physical problems which weren't serious but the other issue he raised was stress.'

She added: 'He had been through marital difficulties. He said he didn't have any difficulties keeping up with the requirements of the staff course.'

The coroner recorded the death as suicide and added: 'It's a sad case and a surprise for all concerned when it occurred.'

For confidential support call the Samaritans on 116123 or visit a local Samaritans branch, see www.samaritans.org for details.
Saudi Arabia has sentenced an atheist to death for uploading a video in which he renounced Islam and the Prophet Mohammed.

The man has been identified locally as Ahmad Al Shamri who is in his 20s and from the town of Hafar al-Batin.

Saudi authorities first picked him up in 2014 after he uploaded the video showing men and women dancing which led to him being charged with atheism and blasphemy.

Hundreds of thousands of Muslim pilgrims pray outside Namira Mosque at Mecca in Saudi Arabia where strict laws forbid atheism

After a lengthy appeal process, the country's Supreme Court ruled against him this week, effectively sending him to his death.

In the original case against Mr Shamri, his legal team said that he was under the influence of drugs and alcohol and therefore technically insane, according to Erem News.

Strict laws in the kingdom mean citizens turning their back on Islam can find themselves punished by harsh prison sentences.

Shockingly, fellow countrymen appeared to support the punishment handed down by the country's officials when reacting to the sanction online.

According to The Independent, one said: 'If you're a lowkey atheist that's fine.

'But once you talk in public and criticize God or religion, then you shall be punished.'

Another poster said: 'I wish there could be live streaming when you cut his head off.'

Saudi Arabia's human rights track record has been put under the spotlight multiple times.

In 2015, the country executed 153 people, most of them for drug trafficking or murder.

Human rights group Amnesty International says the number of executions in Saudi Arabia two years ago was the highest for two decades.

Saudi Arabia has a strict Islamic legal code under which murder, drug trafficking, armed robbery, rape and apostasy are all punishable by death.
President Donald Trump's border wall has been axed from a proposal to fund the government through the end of the fiscal year.

Republicans conceded the wall's funding, NBC reports, to prevent a government shutdown.

House Speaker Paul Ryan says Capitol Hill appropriators and Trump's budget office are close to hashing out a deal.

'I think we're making really good progress,' he said at a Wednesday morning press conference.

House Speaker Paul Ryan says Capitol Hill appropriators and Trump's budget office are close to hashing out a deal. 'I think we're making really good progress,' he said at a Wednesday morning press conference

Legislators must reach an agreement with the administration by Friday, when a continuing resolution that's been keeping the lights on since last calendar year runs out.

The White House had asked for $1 billion in supplemental funding for the new president's border structure and $3 billion for border security generally.

According to NBC, Trump will get the larger sum he asked for to hire more immigration agents and border patrol officers. His wall is being put off until at least September, however, when negotiations begin on his FY18 budget.

The White House continued to push for an immediate start to the border wall's construction on Tuesday, even as it acknowledged in several settings that the funds were not likely to end up in the current spending bill.

'Building that wall and having it funded remains an important priority to him,' Kellyanne Conway said on Fox & Friends, 'but we also know that that can happen later this year and into next year.'

Press Secretary Sean Spicer rebuffed a reporter Tuesday afternoon who characterized it as a 'delay.'

'No one said delayed,' he barked. 'There's two budget processes. Right now we're going to end FY17 this week. We hope to continue to get funding in that, as the President laid out, for both border security and homeland security and national defense, as we've always maintained.'

Spicer said the executive branch would begin preparations for the wall, in either case.

'We will take the first steps now and then we will continue to seek funding through the FY18 and further budget to make sure that the actual -- that it is completed.'

Trump insisted shortly after his press secretary's on-camera briefing that an impenetrable wall will 'soon' separate Mexico from the United States, even though he has chosen not to go to the mat to secure funding for the project during this week's high-stakes congressional budget battle.

'The wall's going to get built, folks,' Trump told White House pool reporters after he signed an executive order related to agriculture. 'In case anybody has any question, the wall's going to get built.'

A former developer, Trump said his administration would lay the bureaucratic groundwork for the project, even if the actual spades don't touch the soil until later this year.

'We're already preparing. We're doing plans, we're doing specifications, we're doing a lot of work on the wall, and the wall gets built,' he declared.

President Donald Trump told reporters on Tuesday that he's '100 per cent' committed to building a wall on America's southern border

Kellyanne Conway, senior counselor to the president, said Tuesday morning that the wall might be funded 'later on' in order to sidestep a showdown over the federal budget this week

The president said the 'very important' wall will go up 'soon,' and then paused before answering a question about whether it will be completed before the end of his first term in office.

'Well, it's certainly going to  yeah. Yeah. Sure,' Trump replied. 'We have plenty of time. We've got a lot of time.'

Trump and his chief counselor Kellyanne Conway were intent on shredding doubts Tuesday that the president was serious about making one of his boldest campaign pledges a genuine policy centerpiece.

Right-wing radio host Rush Limbaugh fretted that 'it looks like Trump is caving' over 'a measly $1 billion'

'Don't let the fake media tell you that I have changed my position on the WALL. It will get built and help stop drugs, human trafficking etc.,' the president tweeted.

That came after Conway said Trump was no longer insisting Congress must pay for the start of his border wall immediately. She told a Fox News Channel audience that the administration could make its peace with 'funding and building the wall later on.'

Stepping back from demanding a down payment for his wall this week will make it easier for Republicans to grease a must-pass spending bill through Congress, and remove a major obstacle to a bipartisan deal just days ahead of a government shutdown deadline.

The potential for such a move was received in right-wing circles as less appealing than an abortion on tax-filing day.

With Democrats cheering the news that Trump appeared to have blinked before their stare-off began, conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh warned that 'it looks like, from here, right here, right now, it looks like President Trump is caving on his demand for a measly $1 billion in the budget for his wall on the border with Mexico.'

'The Democrats seem to have successfully used this stupid, silly threat of a government shutdown to get their way,' the tradio talker claimed.

With a budget deadline looming, Trump has let up on pressuring congressional Democrats to pay for a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border

The president tweeted on Tuesday that even if the timetable changes, he's not changing his position on building the wall between the U.S. and Mexico

'What Trump is saying is if we need to get this done, then I'll delay the spending on the wall until September. And it's just a measly billion dollars.'

The president, though, was in salesman mode as shutters snapped and reporters shouted questions during the afternoon photo-op.

'The wall is going to stop drugs, and it's going to stop a lot of people from coming in that shouldn't be here,' he boomed. 'And it's going to have a huge effect on human trafficking.'

He said Homeland Security Sectary John Kelly told him that 'we definitely, desperately need the wall.'

'And we're going to have the wall built. ... The wall gets built, 100 per cent,' Trump vowed.

The media feeding frenzy began after the president told a gathering of around 20 conservative journalists on Monday night that he would be willing to return to the wall funding issue in September.

The idea of a border wall hasn't been popular with large segments of the population and the idea that the US will have to pay for it is making the idea unpopular in Congress as well

Immigrant-rights advocates protest near the U.S.-Mexico border wall over a visit to the border by U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions

Conway said on Tuesday that until the wall is built the White House will rely on 'other smart technology and other resources and tools being used toward border security.'

'Just since President Trump took office, illegal border crossings are down to a 17-year low,' she added. 'So it's his resolve plus the tools and resources.'

Conway said that 'over 350 firms from 41 states so far have submitted proposals toward building the wall.'

But without a check from Congress, the project is at a practical standstill.

The funding project is fiercely opposed by Democrats, whose votes are needed to pass the government-wide spending legislation that comes due Friday at midnight.

Cost estimates range past $20 billion and the White House had been seeking $1.4 billion as a first step in the spending bill.

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.

Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer has a key role providing Democratic votes to pass the legislation involving a down payment for the proposed border wall

Illegal crossings from Mexico to the US have plummeted for the month of March, making some question whether a wall is needed - it is expected to cost about $20billion and even some GOP members are doubting whether Mexico will ever pay for it

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of California said, 'The president's comments this evening are welcome news given the bipartisan opposition to the wall'

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York, who has a key role providing Democratic votes to pass the legislation, welcomed Trump's reported shift on the wall.

'It's good for the country that President Trump is taking the wall off the table in these negotiations,' Schumer said late Monday. 'Now the bipartisan and bicameral negotiators can continue working on the outstanding issues.'

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of California said, 'The president's comments this evening are welcome news given the bipartisan opposition to the wall, and the obstacle it has been to the continuing bipartisan negotiations in the appropriations committees.'

The wall was the most pressing issue 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 or trigger a partial shutdown Saturday, which happens to coincide with the 100th day of Trump's presidency.

'I'm optimistic. I don't think anybody wants a shutdown,' Senator Roy Blunt, R-Mo., said as he exited a meeting of GOP leadership. 'The White House and basically the minority leaders of the House and Senate have to have some level of agreement on the things that you're adding.'

The negotiations over the spending bill took center stage Monday despite a separate White House push for fast action to revive health care legislation to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act.

After signaling last week that they hoped for a vote as soon as this week on a rewritten health bill, White House officials softened their stance on that, too.

Echoing the views of House GOP leaders, Spicer said there would be a vote on health care legislation when House leaders count the 216 votes needed to pass it.

'I think we want to make sure that we've got the votes and we're headed in the right direction before putting some artificial deadline,' Spicer said.
Spanish police have arrested a man they have described as 'one of the most wanted sex offenders in Wales'.

The 47-year-old British man had been on the run from the UK since 2006, Guardia Civil officers.

Before he was arrested at his Costa del Sol bolthole, police said he tried to get rid of 80,000 indecent files of children.

The suspect and a Spanish man were thought to have distributed child porn to more than 1,000 paedophiles worldwide.

Spanish police have arrested a British man, 47, who they described as 'one of the most wanted sex offenders in Wales'. Pictured, officers looking for evidence

He was held at his bolthole (pictured) on the Costa del Sol on suspicion of distributing child porn over the Internet

He is expected to be dealt with for his alleged offences in Spain before facing extradition back to Britain.

The arrest was made as part of an operation called Operacion TITAN II, led by an international crime-fighting force, including the FBI.

The operation has resulted in the detention of dozens of alleged sex offenders around the world.

As well as the British fugitive, Civil Guard officers held a Spanish man in the Galician city of Pontevedra.

A spokesman for the force, who would only name the British suspect by his initials S.M.D, confirmed: 'The Civil Guard has arrested two people for distributing child porn on the Internet to more than 1,000 paedophiles from different countries.

The man - who had been on the run from the UK since 2006 - and a Spanish man are said to have distributed child porn to more than 1,000 paedophiles

'The two detainees obtained and facilitated files with paedophile content on the Internet using private networks.

'They facilitated access to their shared files, consisting of audio-visual material with abuse of children, to trusted users via individual passwords.

'The British detainee fled the UK in 2006, with Interpol alerting police across Europe that he was one of the most wanted sex offenders in Wales.

'Finding this person was complex because he didn't have a fixed abode and the place he was living in didn't appear on any official register.

'Before he was arrested, this person tried to get rid of a pen drive with more than 80,000 files containing really sickening abuse of minors.'

It is understood the arrest took place on a residential estate near the resort of Manilva a short drive west of the Costa del Sol holiday spot of Estepona.

Officers say he was living with a younger British woman described as his partner.




Michael Samwell, 35, was run over and killed by two thieves in his own car as he tried to protect his wife and home. Pictured with his wife, Jessica, on their wedding day

A second man has been arrested on suspicion of the murder of a Navy officer who was killed by burglars who ran him over in his own car.

Mike Samwell, 35, was fatally injured after he confronted intruders who had broken into his 500,000 home in Chorlton-cum-Hardy, Manchester, in the early hours of Sunday morning.

His accountant wife Jessica screamed his name and cried for help as he lay dying in the street before neighbours dashed to the scene and an ambulance was called.

Mr Samwell, who served 12 years in the Royal Navy, was pronounced dead in hospital around an hour later.

A police statement said: 'Police investigating the murder of a man who was killed with his own car in Chorlton have made a second arrest.

'At around 3am on Sunday 23 April 2017 police were called to an address on Cranbourne Road in Chorlton-cum-Hardy to reports that 35-year-old Mike Samwell had been hit by his own car as he tried to stop thieves from stealing it.

'Mike was taken to hospital for treatment but he sadly died a short time later.

'Today, 26 April 2017, a 20-year-old man from South Manchester has been arrested on suspicion of murder and is in police custody for questioning.

'On Monday 24 April 2017 a 21-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of murder. He has since been released on bail.

'GMPs Major Incident Team are investigating and continuing to appeal for anyone with any information to get in touch.'

On the night of the crime, Mr Samwell was awoken by a noise and had gone downstairs to discover thieves had broken into the house and stolen the keys to his 35,000 Audi S3.

Pictured: Forensics officers work at the scene of the crime in Chorlton-cum-Hardy, Manchester

Mr Samwell confronted the thugs stealing his 35,000 dark blue Audi S3 (pictured) - but suffered fatal injuries when they ran him over and sped off

Chartered engineer Mr Samwell confronted the thieves after they awoke him by breaking into his 500,000 home (pictured, left) in the early hours of Sunday morning

He ran outside to the parking space at the back of the house and confronted the intruders.

But as he tried to stop them, they allegedly ran him over and drove off, leaving the former Royal Navy lieutenant dying in the street.

In a statement released by police, his family have spoken of his love and dedication to his wife.

It said: 'Mike's death has made a huge hole in our lives that can never be filled.

'Mike was the most wonderful husband, brother and son. He would do anything for anyone and was an ever dependable and generous family member and friend to so many.

'He was always smiling and sharing his amazing sense of humour. We are so proud of all that Mike was and had achieved.

Pictured: Michael Samwell, left, and his wife, Jessica, carrying flowers at a wedding

Pictured: Mr and Mrs Samwell on their wedding day in Cheshire, July 2011

Pictured: The rear car park where Mr Samwell was run over by the callous thieves

'Mike was devoted to his family above anything. His wife Jess was his one great love above all things. He was a loyal and treasured friend. We are so grateful to have had him in our lives; he will be sorely missed by all who knew him.

'We have been blessed by the amount of support, condolences and prayers from those who loved him.

'We have been deeply touched by the kindness of strangers, especially the emergency services, hospital staff and police who did everything they could for him and continue to support us in our grief.

'This is an awful tragedy, but we all want to remember Mike as the special, kind and exceptionally talented man he was and not dwell on a senseless crime which has left us all so bereft.

'While his light may have been extinguished, so cruelly and far too early, the light he shone will continue to travel with us always.

'We hope and pray that other families will not suffer a loss like ours.

'If you have any information that could help the police in their investigations, please come forward with this.'
A 45-year-old was arrested after a woman was found trapped in a small pit under the floor of his backyard shed, police said.

Dennis Dunn was arrested at his home in Blanchester, Ohio, on Wednesday hours after his neighbors heard cries coming from the shed and called the police.

Officers drew their guns and stationed themselves outside the home for hours before Dunn emerged 'like he was going for a stroll', police said.

The 30-year-old woman, identified as Jennifer Elliott, was found in a small pit with a wooden board covering the opening, FOX19 reported. Heavy objects pinned the board down, making it impossible for her to escape, police said.

She showed no physical signs of trauma, but suffered a seizure, FOX19 reported. Elliott was taken to the hospital and has since been released.

Dennis Dunn (pictured left in his mugshot, and right, being arrested on Monday) is accused of kidnapping a woman who was trapped in a small pit in his backyard, police said

A woman, identified as Jennifer Elliott, was trapped in a pit under the floor of Dunn's backyard shed (pictured). The hole measured about two feet squared and 40 inches deep

Elliott's mother reported her missing from a home on the same street hours before Dunn's neighbor heard crying from the shed and called the police (pictured, Dunn's house in Ohio)

Elliott's mother reported her missing from a home on the same street hours before Dunn's neighbor called the police at around 4am, reporting that he heard cries emerging from Dunn's shed at 113 Central Avenue.

The responding officer also heard the cries and later found Elliott trapped in a pit measuring about two feet squared and 40 inches deep, WLWT reported.

Elliott, who was unable to speak when she was found, was apparently suffering a seizure. She did not show signs of physical trauma and has been released from the hospital.

The 30-year-old had received harassing phone calls and messages from Dunn in October 2016, but decided not to press charges against him, Reinbolt told FOX19.

Police said Dunn suffers from mental health issues. Elliott had received harassing phone calls and messages from Dunn in October 2016, but decided not to press charges against him

Additional officers drew their guns outside Dunn's house before he finally emerged, seemingly unaware the police were staked outside for hours.

'We were awaiting the arrival of the tactical entry team from Warren County from the sheriff's office and Dunn came to the front door and walked out like he was going for a stroll and we arrested him,' Police Chief Scott Reibolt said.

Dunn was charged with kidnapping at around 8am before he was taken to the Clinton Memorial Hospital.

Police said Dunn, who was charged with disorderly conduct and possession of marijuana earlier this month, suffers from mental health issues.

Dunn was arrested and charged with kidnapping after 8.15am on Wednesday. He was taken to the Clinton Memorial Hospital and police say he suffers from mental health problems

Earlier this month, Dunn called the police several times saying people were trying to break into his home, but police found no evidence of intruders. Pictured, investigators at the scene

Earlier this month, Dunn called the police several times saying people were trying to break into his home, the Wilmington News Journal reported.

He also reportedly heard voices, but responding police did not find any evidence of intruders.

When a cop arrived at his home in response to his fourth call, Dunn said he smoked and grew marijuana, which he thought was legal in Ohio. Several plants were seized from his home.

Dunn called the police again the next day, and was found holding a gun before he dropped it and underwent a psychiatric evaluation at the hospital.
A pony almost died when it was brutally savaged by an 'out of control' Staffordshire Bull Terrier - but police said they couldn't take action because it was an animal on animal attack.

Owner Anna Bunton, 49, was horrified when she said a dog began tearing flesh from her 'gentle' horse's stomach, leg and neck.

The married mother-of-two claims the hound bit her and left 14-year-old mare Mo requiring more than six hours' worth of stitching after the savage five-minute attack on February 15.

Brutal: Mo the pony (above) died when it was savaged by an 'out of control' dog in Wokingham, Berkshire, but police say they can't take action because it was an animal on animal attack

Mo's owner Anna Bunton (left with daughter Emma, right), 49, was horrified when a Staffordshire Bull Terrier began tearing flesh from her 'gentle-souled' horse's stomach, leg and neck

However the horse lover, from Finchampstead, Berkshire, claims police officers told her no further action could be taken as it was an 'animal on animal attack'.

Thames Valley Police confirmed that they are now investigating however admitted that while the incident was reported to them on February 15, they did not inform the family that they were investigating the attack until February 20 once Anna complained.

Mrs Bunton said: 'The dog approached twice and on the third time started to attack, and bit Mo on the tummy first. I was just shouting to the owner to get the dog.

'It was completely terrifying. I've been riding for 40 years, if I hadn't have been as experienced it could have ended differently.

'We took off up the road but the dog followed and continued to bite Mo. As she reared up I think the dog got more excited and kept going.

She said: 'Absolute panic was running through my mind. I thought the only way I was going to get rid of this dog was to take it back towards the owner for her to get hold of it.

'When she had it we ran away, straight to the stables. I was on top of Mo so I couldn't see the injuries at first. It was just horrific.

'She had bites all down her shoulder, leg, neck and stomach. Her shoulder had been ripped open and the bite in her neck was only one millimetre away from her jugular vein.

'It took the vet six-and-a-half hours to stitch her up. She was in shock. She's such a gentle soul, we're very close. It was awful.'

Mrs Bunton's daughter Emily said: 'The police said because it was an animal attacking another animal there was no criminal offence, we feel really let down.

Life-threatening: Mrs Bunton said Mo had bites all down her shoulder, leg, neck and stomach.

'Ripped open': The pony's shoulder was torn apart and the bite in her neck was only one millimetre away from her jugular vein, which could have caused significant blood loss

Mrs Bunton claims the police told her no further action could be taken as it was an 'animal on animal attack', despite her also being bitten through her leather boot

She said: 'When I saw Mo it was as serious as I'd thought. It was absolutely horrendous. The vet didn't know where to start. I've never felt physically sick from shock before, but I did then.'

She added: 'It's very upsetting to see an animal you've grown up with in such distress'

Mrs Bunton alleges the dog owner walked up to the stables to check on her and Mo, and left her contact details.

Thames Valley Police were called, and Anna said officers spoke to the owner and asked her to promise to keep the dog muzzled and on a lead.

But the experienced rider claims the police told her no further action could be taken as it was an 'animal on animal attack', despite her also being bitten through her leather boot.

And now, after failing to find the dog owner again to sort out vet bills, she and daughter Emily are deeply concerned at the dog's whereabouts.

Mrs Bunton said she still suffers problems with her right leg more than two months after the incident, as well as emotional turmoil from the attack.

A spokesman for Thames Valley Police said the case was reviewed by an officer and the investigation was ongoing.

Heartbreaking: Mrs Bunton, pictured above with Mo, said: 'It took the vet six-and-a-half hours to stitch her up. She's such a gentle soul, we're very close. It was awful'

Since 2010 the British Horse Society reports 18 horses have been killed by dogs while there have been 1,217 incidents involving dogs attacking horses overall

The British Horse Society's Director of Safety Alan Hiscox said: 'It is our understanding that if the owner or keeper has allowed their dog to be dangerously out of control and as a result, injured or caused fear of injury to the rider through alarming the horse, then there will be an offence under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991.

'For the purpose of this Act, a dog shall be regarded as dangerously of control on any occasion on which there are grounds for reasonable apprehension that it will injure any person, whether or not it actually does so. The actions of the dog, could cause the horse to react and injure the rider.

'There may also be an offence under the Offences against the person Act 1861 if the dog was deliberately set to worry the horse and cause distress and the rider was injured.

Since 2010 the society has reported 1217 incidents involving dogs attacking/spooking horses.

In the last seven years they report 18 horses were killed by dogs, 431 horses injured, 3 rider fatalities and 380 riders injured.
Pictured: These are the messages sent from a US man, who called himself Daniel Foreal, to a 10-year-old girl in the UK. It is not known if this is a real name or an alias

A mother was horrified when she found sick messages from a paedophile in America on her 10-year-old daughter's phone.

The British woman, who has asked not to be identified, discovered posts from a man using the name Daniel Foreal who asked her daughter to 'lift up her shirt and bra'.

The man, believed to live in Florida, contacted the schoolgirl on social media, messaging her on Snapchat and video site Live.Me.

He lulled her into a false sense of security with innocent messages before demanding she send him inappropriate pictures.

Chat logs show the man asked if the youngster could 'take a picture for me.'

When the child responded by saying 'a selfie?', he revealed he wanted more than that by saying: 'I really want some other kinds of pics. Like you'll be in it...but not just your face.'

The girl then replied: 'I'm only 10, I can't do that' but, the man is seemingly not put off and tries to convince her saying: 'yeah you can...it will be our secret.'

However, the girl's mother checks her phone on a regular basis and when she found the conversation she began messaging the man, posing as her daughter.

She learned he had originally contacted her daughter on Live.Me, after he approached her in chat asking her to do a dare and saying they were 'naughty'.

The girl's mother was horrified when she found the messages sent via Snapchat and video platform, Live.Me

The mother said: 'I was horrified and I know my daughter will not have been the only one he has targeted.

'My daughter is really mature for her age and she knows to tell me if someone had contacted her.

'She has Facebook and other social media, because all her friends do and they play games together. We make sure that it is all lockdown and if someone adds her, she tells me.

When I saw her messages I felt sick. One person had sent her a picture of his penis Victim's mother

'When I saw her messages I felt sick. One person had sent her a picture of his penis. Another person she was talking to said he was 13-year-old and sent a picture he found off Google.

'He asked to see her tummy but she is too clever and did not fall for that. I made this public to show what these people say to young girls and to make sure that 'Daniel' does not do this to anyone else's child.

'I check my daughter's social media but a some parents might not know who there child is speaking too.'

Once in charge of the phone, the mother continued messaging to see what the man wanted a 10-year-old girl to do.

After finding the vile chat, the mother posted them on social media to warn other parents

He replied: 'It's gana be fun. Like I'm gana tell you exactly what I want to see and then you show me (sic).'

He then told her 'I want you to lift up your shirt and bra and take a picture' before promising not to tell anyone.

The mother replied: 'I don't have a bra. They're for older girls' and he responded by saying 'Then just lift up your shirt and take a pic.'

She posted screenshots from the conversation as well as a social media profile of the man and a photo he sent her.

It read: 'So this dirty b****** thinks it is OK to message young girls asking for dirty pictures! NOT ON MY F******* WATCH! wrong momma to f*** with... sent a message to alllllll your friends list, the local sheriff in Florida, added to the Florida selling groups! I hope you get hung, drawn & f****** quarted!

'Anybody wishing to message or add on snap chat go right ahead, please share.. I know he is in Florida but horrible dirty scum bag!

'BTW this is me messaging him pretending to be my girl (sic).'

The woman said she has reported it to the man's local sheriff in Florida and made a report to Child Exploitation & Online Protection centre.
Malia Bouattia has lost her bid for re-election of the NUS Presidency

The controversial president of the National Union of Students, once accused of 'outright racism' has been voted out of her post in her bid for re-election.

Malia Bouattia lost out on a second term to Shakira Martin, who previously served as the union's vice president for further education.

Ms Martin said she was 'honoured and humbled' to have been elected as national president.

'I take this as a vote of trust that our members believe I can lead our national movement to be the fighting and campaigning organisation we need it to be, representing the breadth of our diverse membership,' she said.

'Further Education made me who I am today and I look forward to sharing stories of just how powerful all forms of education can be when we're all given access to it. During my term in office, I want to spend my time listening, learning and leading.'

Last October, Ms Bouattia became the subject of a Commons home affairs committee, when she described Birmingham University as a 'Zionist outpost'.

The committee concluded her comments smacked of 'outright racism'.

Shakira Martin, who had been the NUS vice president on further education and is now the new president, ousting Ms Bouattia

In scathing findings, the committee said that she did not appear to take the issue of campus anti-Semitism 'sufficiently seriously' and showed a 'worrying disregard' for her duty to represent all students and promote balanced and respectful debate.

Ms Bouattia's statement in a co-authored 2011 blog that Birmingham 'has the largest Jsoc (Jewish Society) in the country whose leadership is dominated by Zionist activists' was condemned in the MPs' report as 'unacceptable, and even more so from a public figure such as the president of the NUS'.

In Ms Bouattia's year as president, 26 unions held votes to leave the NUS, with three voting out

Ms Martin, who described herself as a 'black, working class single mother' according to the Guardian, promised to unite the fractured student movement.

In the last year, 26 students' unions held votes to disassociate from the NUS, with three voting to leave.

Ms Martin gained 402 votes, compared to 272 for Ms Bouattia. A third candidate, Tom Harwood, gained 35 votes.
As a new multilateral international institution focusing exclusively on infrastructure, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) should become a platform for cooperation between China and the United States, Jin Liqun, president of the AIIB, said on Monday.

Jin Liqun, president of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) gives a speech at the Atlantic Council, a Washington-based think tank, in Washington D.C., the United States, April 24, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua]

NEW DEVELOPMENT BANK ON INFRASTRUCTURE

In a speech at the Atlantic Council, a Washington-based think tank, Jin said there was a lot of skepticism in the United States and Europe when China initiated the idea of the AIIB about three years ago.

Since then he has reached out to the White House, the State Department, and U.S. think tanks for a number of times to explain this idea, and now they have finally realized that the AIIB is a new multilateral development bank, which focuses exclusively on infrastructure, according to Jin.

"We just want to establish a bank which can deal with these shortfalls of financing for infrastructure investment in Asia and all of the borrowing countries in the future," he said.

Citing China's experience over the last four decades, Jin said China had borrowed from the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and international capital markets to invest extensively in infrastructure from the 1980s through the mid-1990s, which laid the foundation for China's economic take-off.

"Given this experience, China believed that to promote broad-based economic and social development through investment in infrastructure and other productive sectors is really important," he said.

With authorized capital of 100 billion U.S. dollars, the bank aims to provide financing to address daunting infrastructure needs across Asia and promote economic development in the region.

PLATFORM FOR CHINA-U.S. COOPERATION

"This time I did have an opportunity to meet some of the officials in the new government," Jin said of his visit to Washington. His conversations with the Trump administration focused on how U.S. companies and the AIIB can work together to achieve a win-win situation, he added.

Jin said he has also engaged with some U.S. financial institutions, manufacturers and consulting firms and asked them to work with the bank.

It's not clear whether the Trump administration has expressed interest in joining the AIIB, but Jin said he would work with the United States on its membership.

Since the very beginning, the Chinese government has held the view that it would be a good thing if the United States, the world's the largest economy, was to join the bank.

"It should be the platform for cooperation between these two countries," said Jin.

UNIVERSAL RECRUITMENT, UNIVERSAL PROCUREMENT

Jin said he was proud that the AIIB has two features that the established banks don't claim: universal recruitment and universal procurement.

"The existing institutions only recruit nationals whose countries are the members. We recruit everyone from across the world," he said, noting the AIIB has recruited American employees although the United States is not a member of the bank.

"We don't look at your passports. We look at your track record, professional and ethical integrity," he said.

Universal procurement means any country, whether a member of the bank or not, can compete for contracts of the bank through open competitive bidding processes, Jin explained.

"Japan and the United States are not members yet, but their companies will be treated equally and fairly if they are interested in bidding," he said.

"So we claim these two major features. It's truly a multilateral international institution by the highest possible standards," Jin said.

EARNING CREDIBILITY BY PERFORMANCE

Jin said the AIIB approved loans worth 1.73 billion U.S. dollars covering quite a number of sectors, particularly pushing for green economy, in the first year in operation.

About 25 percent of the lending programs were prepared by the bank's own professional staff, while 75 percent were co-financing programs with the World Bank, the ADB, and other development banks, he said.

The bank's total approved membership has been expanded to 70 and there could be a total of 85 members across the world by the end of this year, according to Jin.

"Credibility has to be earned through not what you talking about but what you doing by your performance," he said. Canada and some other countries decided to join the bank after eight month of the bank's operation, which Jin believed is a vote of confidence.

"We know what we are doing is the right course of action, because we intend to work with all participating countries to promote broad-based economic and social development in Asia and in other emerging market economies across the world," the bank chief concluded.
Conservative commentator Ann Coulter will not speak at University of California's Berkeley campus after a dispute with school officials, who feared violent protests over whether a safe venue could be found.

Coulter claims that the University is responsible for the cancelation, and criticized the group who originally sponsored her speech, Young America's Foundation, for backing out yesterday after previously suing the school for the right to host her.

She said in a series of tweets: 'I'm so sorry Berkeley cancelled my speech. I'm so sorry YAF acquiesced in the cancelation. And I'm so sorry for free speech crushed by thugs.'

The sponsors behind Ann Coulter's controversial speech at UC Berkeley on Thursday has backed away from the appearance, blaming 'leftist agitators'. Coulter is pictured in Washington DC in 2011

She continued: 'If we had continued to fight we would have won. Im very sad about Berkeley's cancelation, but my sadness is greater than that. It is a dark day for free speech in America.

'Its sickening when a radical thuggish institution like Berkeley can so easily snuff out the cherished American right to free speech. I am so grateful to people like Bill Maher, Chris Matthews and Margaret Carlson for opposing Berkeleys censorship.'

All three had previously spoken out about the injustice of the University blocking Coulter's appearance, despite representing different political ideologies.

Coulter claims that the University is responsible for the cancelation, and criticized the group who originally sponsored her speech, Young America's Foundation, for backing out yesterday after previously suing the school for the right to host her

In an email to Reuters on Wednesday, she said that there would be 'no speech,' and criticized the groups for deserting her.

'I looked over my shoulder and my allies had joined the other team,' she wrote.

'I have no sponsor, no lawyer, no court order,' she added. 'I can't vindicate constitutional rights on my own. I was just supposed to give the speech.'

Coulter, one of the best-known conservative commentators in the United States, had been scheduled to give a speech critical of pro-immigration policies on Thursday. She said she may nonetheless still visit the campus that day.

Last week, Berkeley officials said there was no safe venue at the campus on that date. They cited violent demonstrations by left-wing demonstrators in February hours before another right-wing media figure, Milo Yiannopoulos, was scheduled to speak.

Berkeley proposed that Coulter speak on May 2, but Coulter said she could not make that date and accused the school of an effort to limit her audience, noting that it fell in a study week ahead of final exams.

The Young America's Foundation, a conservative group backing Coulter's speech as part of a national lecture tour, announced it was pulling out of the event at the university. Pictured is a sign about Coulter's speech on campus

Just last week, violent protests erupted at the school between more than 200 Trump supporters and detractors, which led to the arrests of at least 21 people.

The clash escalated when protestors threw stones, lit fires, and tossed explosives and tear gas.

On Tuesday, the Young America's Foundation and the Berkeley College Republicans, which had organized the speech, sued university officials, accusing the public university of suppressing conservative speakers' rights to free speech.

Later that day, Young America's Foundation said in a statement it could no longer sponsor the speech, blaming Berkeley officials.

On Tuesday, the Young America's Foundation and the Berkeley College Republicans, which had organized the speech, sued university officials, accusing the public university of suppressing conservative speakers' rights to free speech

It said they had not offered assurances that campus police would protect attendees from any violent protests, a charge the school denied.

Their statement read: 'When Young Americas Foundation confirmed Ann Coulter would speak at UC-Berkeley as part of YAFs nationwide campus lecture program on April 27, we assumed UC Berkeley would take all steps necessary to ensure the safety of students attending the educational event.'

'In the meantime we discovered that the University of California Police Department at Berkeley has an official "stand-down" policy for any situation that develops on campus as long as the situation doesnt involve the imminent loss of life, allowing the leftist thugs who have terrorized Berkeleys campus to do so without consequence.'

The statement then went on to list a series of requirements it deemed necessary for the event, including a room for 'hundreds' of people, the ability to publicize Coulter's speech, a central location on campus, and security on hand to deal with 'masked disruptors'.

'Berkeley should be ashamed for creating this hostile atmosphere,' the foundation's statement continued.

Just last week, violent protests broke out between Trump supporters and detractors in Berkeley

One of the anti-Trump demonstrators was detained by police officers in Berkeley as fights broke out around her - 21 people total were arrested in the conflict

Dan Mogulof, a Berkeley spokesman, wrote in an email that the university had 'heard nothing' from Coulter or the sponsors. He declined to comment further, writing that he had 'no interest in communicating with her through the media.'

Mogulof also shared a letter sent to students on Wednesday by Berkeley Chancellor Nicholas Dirks in which he wrote that campus police had learned of threats of violence should the speech happen.

'This University has two non-negotiable commitments, one to Free Speech, the other to the safety of our campus community members, their guests, and the public,' he wrote.
Designers have been refusing to dress Melania Trump, but she could get the biggest seal of approval in the industry - the cover of Vogue.

Editor-in-Chief Anna Wintour said in a recent interview withThe Business of Fashion that she has no qualms about putting the first lady on the cover.

A Hillary-supporter and longtime Democratic fundraiser, Wintour also said that she doesn't see the point in whining about the fact that Donald Trump won.

Among other things, Wintour said that she has 'respect' for first daughter Ivanka.

Vogue Editor-in-Chief Anna Wintour weighed in on President Trump in a new interview with the Business of Fashion

Wintour, 67, was born in Britain but now holds dual citizenship in the United States, where she has lived for more than four decades.

She says she even met the president back in the early 1980s, when he was a fixture in the New York City nightlife scene.

While she supported his rival in the presidential election, Wintour said the reality of the matter is that Trump is now president, and the position demands respect.

Wintour, 67, said she has 'respect' for Ivanka Trump (left), and would put first lady Melania (right) on the cover

Wintour was born in the UK but now holds dual citizenship in the U.S., where she has lived for more than four decades. She supported Hillary Clinton in the election (pictured together in February 2016)

'Actually Diane [von Furstenberg] has a great quote in the March issue - theres no point about whining or complaining or screaming. The country voted. So what can we do now to be most helpful and to also stand up for what we believe in?

'People can have disagreements. They feel equally strongly about what they think is right as we do about [what we think] is right. So lets try - to use a well-worn phrase - to reach across the aisle and see what we can do to work together. I really believe that - because just dissent is not enough,' Wintour said.

Wintour was the first Vogue editor to put a first lady on the cover in 1998, and said she wouldn't be opposed to continuing the tradition with Melania.

While Michelle Obama also got a Vogue cover, Laura Bush was relegated to a mere profile during her husband's two terms.

Anna Wintour is featured in The Business of Fashion's America special edition

'We always photograph or cover in some way the first ladies, so as Ive said before, I cant imagine that we wouldnt at some point cover the first lady, but weve got nothing planned right now,' Wintour said.

She also lauded first daughter Ivanka Trump, who she says has had 'a long history with the magazine'.

'I have respect for Ivanka and everything that she has achieved,' Wintour said.

Wintour also spoke about the meeting she and Conde Nast editors had with the president, shortly after he was elected.

President Trump held several meetings with the media after his victory, which were criticized by many for being off-the-record. The only outlet to demand their meeting with the president-elect be on the record was the New York Times.

Wintour explained that they have special meetings at the company where they invite outside people 'to come in and talk to us about their vision' and that it felt like 'a very natural thing' to invite Trump to speak.
The top US commander in the Pacific has warned Kim Jong-un that any planes or drones which threaten the USS Carl Vinson or any other American ships will be shot out of the sky without any questions asked.

'If it flies it will die, if it's flying against the Carl Vinson strike group,' said Admiral Harry Harris, thought to be referring to North Korean drones as well as planes.

'The weapons that North Korea would put against the Carl Vinson strike group are easily defended by the capabilities resident in that strike group,' Harris added.

But Harris also told Congress on Wednesday the US may need to strengthen its missile defenses, particularly in Hawaii, given the advancing threat from North Korea's missile and nuclear weapons programs.

Admiral Harry Harris (above) testified that he believed Pyongyang's threats against the United States are real

Just hours before the entire US Senate was due to receive a top-level briefing on North Korea at the White House, Harris testified that Pyongyang's threats against the US needed to be taken seriously.

Harris said the defenses of Hawaii were sufficient for now but could one day be overwhelmed, and suggested studying stationing new radar there as well as interceptors to knock out any incoming North Korean missiles.

'I don't share your confidence that North Korea is not going to attack either South Korea, or Japan, or the United States ... once they have the capability,' Harris told a lawmaker at one point.

An aerial view of ships moored at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam in Hawaii is seen in the above file photo. Harris said the defenses of Hawaii were sufficient for now but could one day be overwhelmed, and suggested studying stationing new radar there as well as interceptors

Harris said the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system being deployed in South Korea would be operational in the coming days, bolstering the ability to defend the US ally and the 28,500 US troops stationed there.

Asked about defenses of the continental United States, Harris deferred to other commanders but said: 'I do believe that the numbers could be improved. In other words, we need more interceptors.'

The testimony was the latest sobering reminder of growing US alarm about North Korean capabilities.

President Donald Trump has signaled willingness to use force, if needed, should diplomatic efforts fail to constrain Pyongyang.

US officials have warned any near-term conflict with North Korea could have a devastating effect on ally South Korea, a point Pyongyang underscored by a big live-fire exercise on Tuesday to mark the foundation of its military.

In a sign of growing anxiety, Trump invited all 100 members of the Senate to attend a White House briefing on Wednesday with Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis, Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats and Marine General Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

This undated picture released by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency on April 26, 2017 shows North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un (center) attending the combined fire demonstration of the Korean People's Army in celebration of 85 years since its founding

Another image of the military drill is seen above. US officials have warned any near-term conflict with North Korea could have a devastating effect on ally South Korea

This image made from video of a still image broadcast in a news bulletin by North Korea's KRT on Wednesday. President Donald Trump has signaled willingness to use force, if needed, should diplomatic efforts fail to constrain Pyongyang

The same four officials will then go to Capitol Hill to brief the entire House at 5pm local Washington time, a senior House aide said.

The US military started moving parts of an anti-missile defense system to a deployment site in South Korea on Wednesday, triggering protests from villagers and criticism from China.

Beijing said the system's advanced radar can penetrate deep into its territory and undermine its security.

Harris scoffed at Chinese objections, saying he believed it was 'preposterous' that Beijing would try to push South Korea against a system to defend itself, and suggested Beijing should focus on trying to influence North Korea.

In another move that will likely irk China, Harris said he thought there would be more US freedom of navigation operation in the South China Sea 'soon,' and sought to separate the issue from North Korea.

China claims almost the entire South China Sea, where about $5trillion worth of sea-borne goods pass every year.

'We should encourage China and be appreciative of what they are doing with regards to North Korea and we should also be willing to criticize them for their aggressiveness and coerciveness in the South China Sea,' Harris said.

Although Harris expressed concern about North Korea's future capabilities, he downplayed some of its current threats to US forces in the Pacific.

He voiced confidence that the United States could defeat any North Korea missile attack on an American aircraft carrier strike group, saying threats from North Korea overstated Pyongyang's capabilities.
A Russian man claims he spent three years in prison for a crime he didn't commit, when police mistook him for a twin brother he didn't know he had.

Andrey Chistyakov, 40, says his life was turned upside down when he was 18 when he was wrongly arrested and jailed.

He claims he was arrested as he left his home in Sokol, in western Russia's Vologda Oblast region, to rejoin the army.

Andrey Chistyakov, who claims he served three years in prison in Russia for a crime he didn't commit, by a twin brother he didn't know he had

Police charged him with committing a crime in the city of Izhevsk in central Russia's Udmurt Republic region where he had never even been.

Mr Chistyakov, who grew up in an orphanage, said: 'They should have arrested another man, who I looked similar to. I got convinced about it, when I saw his picture.'

His suspicions were further raised inside prison when he met a fellow convict who appeared to recognise him.

Mr Chistyakov said: 'I told him that he had confused me with someone else. But the inmate was assuring me that he knew me.'

After his release from prison, Mr Chistyakov managed to get in touch with his biological family which was when he says his suspicions were confirmed.

Mr Chistiakov said his suspicions were raised in jail when he met a man who was convinced he knew him, though he did not remember meeting him. He eventually found his biological family

He tracked down a sister who told him that he had been lost when the family was travelling and confirmed that he did indeed have a twin brother.

Mr Chistiakov, who once dreamed of becoming a teacher and starting a family, says his life has been ruined by the twin he has never met.

He says he cannot even rent a home of his own now because of his past record and is appealing for help from the regional prosecutor's office to clear his name.

The nature of the crime, the name of the twin, or how he tracked down his biological family is currently unclear.
Paul Nuttall has compared himself to Gandhi  claiming that like the Indian independence leader Ukip has been 'ahead of our time'.

In a bizarre interview, he said his party had led the way on issues such as Brexit and mass immigration.

And he claimed their stance meant they were sniggered at and criticised - just like the Indian pacifist and civil rights campaigner in the 1940s.

Paul Nuttall, pictured in February, compared himself to Gandhi in a bizarre interview. He said Ukip, like the Indian independence leader, has been ahead of its times

He trotted out the Indian independence leader's famous quote  'first they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win'  to hammer home his point.

Mr Nuttall said: 'Raising issues of equality, women's rights, and FGM are the issues other parties don't want to tackle.

'UKIP will lead on these and as I said in our press conference I feel as if we are a decade ahead of our time - a bit like we were a decade ahead of our time on getting out of the EU, and on mass immigration.

'We led the debate on those issues and we will lead on these.

'It is a bit like the Gandhi thing - first they laugh at you, then they attack you, and then you win.

Mr Nuttall, pictured on Monday, has repeatedly dodged questions about whether he will stand in the General Election on June 8. It comes soon after his humiliating defeat in Stoke

'Unfortunately on this issue we seem be on the laughing or the mocking phase which I think is wrong as I feel the issues we raised were so important.'

Mr Nuttall has repeatedly dodged questions over whether he is planning to stand in the General Election on June 8.

Gandhi was a pacifist who led the Indian independence movement. He won praise from around the word for shunning violence and leading the struggle for civil rights

The vote comes just a few months after he suffered in a humiliating defeat in the Stoke by-election, where he failed to snatch the constituency  dubbed the Brexit capital of Britain  from Labour.

Mr Nuttall, who was meeting party members in Wolverhampton in the West Midlands, also stayed vague on how many seats he was expecting Ukip would win.

He added: 'I have made it clear that in certain areas I want Ukip to put country before party and put real Brexiteers - people who have campaigned for Brexit all their lives not fly-by-night Brexiteers - particularly if they have slender majorities in danger.'

The leader said Ukip would not stand candidates in Tory or Labour seats held by 'real Brexiteers'
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Models were today seen posing for a photo shoot on Westminster Bridge just a month after people lost their lives there in the London terror attack.

Images from the Michael Kors shoot show two models standing just yards from one of the most shocking photos from the day, with one man lying lifeless on the floor.

The Victoria's Secret underwear models Taylor Hill and Romee Strijd are also seen posing on the iconic steps of the bridge, where flowers were piled up in tribute to those killed that day.

Models were today seen posing for a photo shoot on Westminster Bridge just a month after people lost their lives there in the London terror attack

The models, pictured wearing padded jackets on the right, were seen posing in front of a crew of nearly a dozen people helping to make them look pristine for the shoot

Images form the Michael Kors shoot show two models standing just yards from one of the most shocking photos from the day, with one man lying lifeless on the floor

Today, photographers sat on the steps to photograph the women, who posed just yards from where people were killed

But it was a cold spring day to be modelling, with the girls posting pictures of themselves wearing insulation blankets to get warm after, Romee writing: 'London, why would you do this to us?'

The shoot featured Victoria's Secret models Taylor Hill (brunette) and Romee Strijd (passing her gum to an assistant)

It was the same bridge where, just a month ago, Khalid Massood drove a 4x4 across it, mowing down pedestrians

The shoot comes after popstar Nicki Minaj came under fire when her new video, featuring Westminster in the background, was released after the attack.

Wearing a low-cut dress and a silver headdress, Minaj sang in front of the bridge in footage taken just days before five people were killed there on March 22.

The rapping superstar unveiled a clip from her new track No Frauds on Twitter, but she was slammed for the release, just days after the attack.

On the day, a Hyundai 4x4 drove along the pavement on the crowded bridge, knocking down members of the public before crashing into a fence below Big Ben.

Dutch model Romee has worked for Victoria's Secret and is one of the world's most sought after faces

Romee Strijd and Laurens van Leeuwen taking a stroll through Hollywood, left, and at a charity event together, right. He is a business consultant and the pair met as teenagers

Pictured here in Miami, she has millions of followers on Instagram and has worked for some of the most premium names in fashion including Burberry, Kenzo and Alexander McQueen

Pictured modelling for Victoria's Secret, Taylor Hill is one of the highest earning models in the world, reportedly earning $4million (3.1million) between 2015 and 2016

Miss Hill, pictured with her boyfriend actor and model Michael Stephen Shank, who she has been dating for two years

The driver, crazed Islamist Khalid Masood, killed three pedestrians and injured dozens more, driving up to 50 miles per hour on the bridge.

He then got out the car and stabbed father of one PC Keith Palmer to death outside the Houses of Parliament.

For days after, London was in mourning, with thousands travelling to the bridge in central London to pay their respects.

Crowds lined the streets and police officers from all over the country came to London for PC Palmer's funeral on April 10.

Today, two models caused quite a stir in central London as they were seen posing at the very busy location

Striking a pose on the steps of Westminster Bridge, the shoot was the centre of attention as many wondered what was happening

The pair briefly took off their thick jackets as they stood on the steps in short dresses for photos to be taken

Minaj's video featuring the location sparked outrage and the modeling shoot today, which took place even closer to where the carnage happened, could do the same.

Taylor Hill today wore black strappy shoes with a black dress with silver, floral print, and carried what appeared to be a black fur coat.

Dutch model Romee Strijd wore silver shows with a black and silver layered dress, carrying a silver bag.

But it was a cold day to be showcasing the summer collection, with heavy rain and even hail storms in the capital.

There was an army of assistants on hand to help the supermodels with everything from removing their gum to putting on their jackets

On the bridge a month ago, a Hyundai 4x4 drove along the pavement on the crowded bridge, knocking down members of the public before crashing into a fence below Big Ben

Minaj's video featuring the location sparked outrage and the modelling shoot today, which took place even closer to where the carnage happened, could do the same.

After the shoot, the models posted pictures of them together wearing silver insulation blankets outside in order to get warm.

Miss Strijd wrote on Instagram: 'London, why would you do this to us?,' on a day when the weather dipped below 10C in the spring.

There was an army of assistants on hand to help with the shoot today, carrying out every task from putting on their jackets to taking away their discarded chewing gum.

Crowds wandering around the crowded area looked quite distracted by the glamorous shoot, if a little bemused.
A bigamy case was thrown out against Iain Theyers because he bought a 'sham marriage' certificate when he tied the knot in Peru

A judge has thrown out a bigamy charge against a 'reprehensible' airport boss because he bought a 'sham marriage' certificate when he tied the knot in Peru.

Judge Jeremy Richardson, QC, said although the conduct of former Doncaster Sheffield Airport manager Iain Theyers was shameful, it would not be safe to convict him of bigamy.

Mr Theyers, 45, married Peruvian Marian Belahonia, 38, in 2006 in the front room of her parents home, while she was pregnant with his child.

The couple returned to Britain in 2007 and raised their son. However, the marriage did not last and they split up in October 2010.

Mr Theyers vanished shortly after and married Louise Martin in a registry office wedding at Bridlington, East Riding of Yorkshire, in December 2011.

Ms Belahonia, a Spanish teacher from Peru, tried to track down Mr Theyers to file for divorce - only to spot a picture of him and his new wife on Facebook.

She reported her estranged husband to police and he was charged with bigamy.

But after a three-day trial at Hull Crown Court, Judge Richardson ruled the jury could not safely convict because his Peruvian marriage may not have been legal.

He said: 'I have no doubt the defendant has behaved in a reprehensible fashion. He is not charged with immigration evasion and has not been charged with evasion of the marriage registrar.

'Although he does not come out of this well, I have misgivings about the validity of the marriage among the experts and that is not proper to leave to a jury.'

Mr Theyers smiled as the foreman of the jury of six men and six women announced he was not guilty. Mariana Belahonia and Louise Martin were not in court to see his acquittal.

Mr Theyers, 45, married Peruvian Marian Belahonia (pictured), 38, in 2006 in the front room of her parents home, while she was pregnant with his child

Speaking outside court, Mr Theyers said: 'I am relieved it is all over. I am looking forward to carrying on with the rest of my life. I have been saying I am not guilty from day one. Louise is standing by me.'

Officials confirmed he has yet to sign divorce papers for Ms Belahonia.

Mr Theyers, from Balloch in Inverness, claimed he was in emotional turmoil when he met Ms Belahonia online, soon after divorce from his first wife.

Defence barrister Glenn Parsons accused Ms Belahonia of fixing an illegal marriage.

He said: 'This whole marriage was a sham - from start to finish - cooked up by you and your family who knew the local mayor.

'Your parents knew the Mayor and encouraged him to arrange a quickie marriage in your living room and all formalities were ignored.'

Theyers told police at the time he thought it was a legal marriage and so supported her claim for UK citizenship.

After his marriage with Ms Belahonia collapsed, Mr Theyers vanished and married Louise Martin (both pictured) in Bridlington, East Riding of Yorkshire, in 2011

However, he said by 2011 he sought legal advice to be told he had not complied with eight of 15 legal requirements.

He told police: 'I met her online. We met a few times. Had a few dates. She told me she was about to go home, but could extend her visa. I had just got a house and she moved in.

'By November 2006 I asked her to marry me. I did so foolishly. Believe me. I wish I had not. I put in a complaint to the Home Office about a fake marriage being set up.'

The court heard they both had previous marriages and were divorced with Mr Theyers having three children from his previous marriage.

The jury were told the mayor who married them was from out of town, Mr Theyers did not know the witnesses and he had missed a required test for HIV.

Mr Theyers, from Balloch in Inverness, claimed he was in emotional turmoil when he met Ms Belahonia online

The marriage certificate was also collected in a brown envelope from a man in the street for $50.

Mr Theyers flatly denied ever receiving divorce papers from Ms Belahonia and her claims that he had let his son down with visiting.

Giving his ruling of no case to answer Judge Richardson said the only issue in the case was whether there was a sham or lawful marriage.

He said: 'In order to make the decision the jury had to consider the Peruvian law where the marriage took place:

'It was not only necessary to prove the marriage was celebrated in a ceremony but that was necessary to obtain the marriage was legal.

'The key issue in the case is the question of the validity of the marriage celebrated in the front parlour of Ms Belahonia's parent's home by the mayor of another district and friend of her father from his restaurant.

'Set aside against all the other technical problems it goes to the core of that. This was a key deficiency, but not the only one.

'The Crown expert appeared astounded the Peruvian authorities allowed the marriage to go ahead. The expert ruled that the marriage was voidable.

'There are so many legal lose ends about Peruvian law it cannot be proper to allow the matter to go before the jury. I am completely satisfied there is not case to answer.'

He stressed he was not ruling on whether the marriage was a sham or not - as that should be the issue of a family court.
Connor Allsopp, 20, admitted he was behind the plot to steal thousands of TalkTalk customers' bank details

Two computer enthusiasts face prison after admitting to hacking into TalkTalk's website in a data breach thought to have cost the company 42million.

Connor Allsopp, 20, and Matthew Hanley, 22, admitted they were behind the plot to steal thousands of customers' bank details, during a court hearing today.

TalkTalk was fined a record 400,000 for security failings which allowed customers' data to be accessed 'with ease' in one of the biggest data breaches in history.

Allsopp supplied the software containing customers details to Hanley and another person, known only as 'Reign', online.

Hanley pleaded guilty to hacking into the website of the telecommunications giant between October 18 and 22.

He also supplied data for hacking to another man and gave his friend Allsopp the personal and financial details of a TalkTalk customer for the use in fraud.

Hanley denied other charges relating hacking into Nasa, the National Climatic Data Centre and another 23 websites including Spotify, Telstra, the RAC and The Eton Collection which were ordered to lie on file.

At an earlier hearing, his friend Allsopp, admitted supplying a TalkTalk customer's details for fraud and as well as files for hacking.

Judge Michael Topolski QC ordered reports for both defendants and adjourned sentencing until May 31.

In November last year, a 17-year-old youth was handed a 12-month rehabilitation order after he admitted sparking off the TalkTalk hacking when he posted details of a chink in the firm's online security.

Even though he did not gain from it, the youth paved the way for others to exploit the weakness for money by accessing the data of 160,000 people.

The teenager found the vulnerability in the TalkTalk website using 'legitimate software' and shared details of this online.

The TalkTalk website was targeted more than 14,000 times after the boy exposed the vulnerability.

Matthew Hanley, pictured above leaving court, admitted he - along with Allsopp - planned the data breach in 2015 which cost the company an estimated 42million

Connor Allsopp, above, supplied the software containing customers details to Hanley and another person, known only as 'Reign', online

The firm said the fallout from the cyber attack in October 2015 cost it 42 million and the personal data of nearly 160,000 people was accessed.

The teenager told magistrates at Norwich Youth Court that he was 'just showing off to my mates'.

Detectives identified Hanley as a suspect in the early stages of their investigation and he was arrested on October 30 2015, Scotland Yard said.

Officers seized electrical equipment from his home but found they had been wiped or the data encrypted.

But when they looked at his social media accounts, detectives discovered Hanley had discussed hacking into TalkTalk's website and getting rid of incriminating evidence.

The chat logs also revealed that having stolen the data from TalkTalk, Hanley got Allsopp to try to sell the personal data of customers.

After Allsopp was arrested in April last year, he admitted the scheme but said it had been unsuccessful, police said.

Detective Chief Inspector Andy Gould, from the Met's Falcon Cyber Crime Unit, said: 'Hanley hacked into TalkTalk's website in order to steal their customers' data and looked to sell it on to other criminals and fraudsters who would then go on to use that data for other criminal purposes.

'Hanley thought that he was being smart and covering his tracks by wiping his hard drives and encrypting his data. But what our investigation shows is that no matter how hard criminals try to conceal their activity, they will leave some kind of trail behind.

'This investigation has been painstaking and the work our detectives have done to trace and identify those involved has combined cutting-edge digital forensic techniques with old-fashioned detective work that has led to the conviction of several of those involved, and the investigation continues.'
Danielle Bregoli, the rowdy teenager who shot to fame on Dr. Phil with her infectious catchphrase 'Cash me ousside, how bow dah?', appeared in a Florida court on Wednesday.

The 14-year-old pleaded not guilty to five juvenile felony charges includinggrand theft and filing a false police report at South County Courthouse in Delray Beach.

She will return to the court to stand trial as a juvenile in June.

Danielle was joined for the appearance by her burly bodyguard Frank and her 49-year-old mother Barbara Ann who is the alleged victim in each charge.

Barbara Ann, who took her on Dr. Phil to address her problematic behavior last year, proudly toted her beloved Louis Vuitton handbag.

Danielle Bregoli arrives at South County Courthouse in Delray Beach, Florida, on Wednesday with her bodyguard Frank and mother Barbara Ann to face five felony charges

Danielle sported a fresh manicure and showed off her spiked false nails in all their splendor as she left the courthouse.

The pair have relocated from their modest Boynton Beach home to Los Angeles since Danielle's appearance which made her an overnight sensation.

Since taunting Dr. Phil's studio audience with the catchphrase, she has appeared in music videos and gathered an Instagram following of 9.2million.

She now refuses to go anywhere without her bodyguard who even joined the family for Easter Sunday lunch.

Danielle, who turned 14 earlier this year, is determined to ride the wave of notoriety all the way to a Hollywood career but her legal woes threaten to thwart her plans.

All of the charges against Danielle stem from incidents involving her mother at their home.

Once inside, Danielle pleaded not guilty to five charges including filing a false police report and grand theft

Frank joined her in court. The teenager appeared briefly to deny the charges

Danielle emerges from the courtroom after the brief hearing with Frank trailing behind her

The 14-year-old was in high spirits after the hearing, emerging with her mother Barbara who proudly toted her Louis Vuitton bag and wore sunglasses inside the courthouse

Police were called to their house more than 51 times in a single year amid reports of arguing and anti-social behavior.

It is not clear whether she could face any jail time if convicted.

While Danielle's mother believes 'the sky's the limit', her police officer father wants to rein in her growing public profile.

Concerned that the youngster is being exploited by her mother for financial gain, Ira Peskowitz wants to see her taken out of Barbara Ann's care.

Danielle sported a fresh manicure, showing off her spiked nails in all their splendor as she waited for the elevator after the hearing

Danielle, her mother and lawyer emerge from the courtroom after the brief hearing

Barbara Ann said nothing as the pair left the courtroom. Though all of the charges are over incidents involving her, she supported her daughter for her appearance

'She's not famous. She's a child that's being exploited,' he told The Palm Beach Post last month.

He has revived a custody battle against Danielle's mother.

Danielle's star rose after her appearance on the show last October. Her mother brought her to Dr. Phil McGraw in the hope that he would be able to help correct her problematic behavior.

Instead, she became an internet star and the pair returned to the show months later with lists of demands and a haughty attitude.

Barbara Ann claimed her daughter was responsible for high ratings and that the show's producers were indebted to them as a result.

Danielle and Barbara Ann appeared on Dr. Phil last year in an attempt to correct her troublesome behavior
New Hampshire state Rep. Robert Fisher is reportedly the founder of The Red Pill

A Republican state lawmaker accused of creating a misogynistic online forum is resisting calls for his resignation and says he will 'stand strong for men's rights.'

New Hampshire state Rep. Robert Fisher on Tuesday released a defiant statement responding to reports that he is the founder of The Red Pill, a forum popular with pickup artists and men's rights activists.

The Reddit forum calls itself a 'discussion of sexual strategy in a culture increasingly lacking a positive identity for men.'

The Daily Beast reported Tuesday that Fisher, 31, founded The Red Pill, and traced a variety of online usernames back to Fisher. The report quotes comments many of those usernames made, on The Red Pill and other sites, that degrade women's intelligence and appear to downplay rape.

'Here's my message to the public: I am not disappearing. I will continue to stand strong for men's rights and the rights of all,' Fisher said in a statement released Tuesday night.

The Red Pill is a forum that describes itself as a 'discussion of sexual strategy in a culture increasingly lacking a positive identity for men'

'Here's my message to the public: I am not disappearing. I will continue to stand strong for men's rights and the rights of all,' Fisher said in a statement released Tuesday night

'I'm disappointed that this sort of attack has replaced real news, but it strengthens my position and resolve that fighting for equal rights is more important today than ever,' Fisher said.

He said the rape comment in particular, made on a different forum in 2008, was taken out of context.

In a thread discussing 'absolute truth,' Fisher wrote, 'Rape isn't an absolute bad, because the rapist I think probably likes it a lot. I think he'd say it's quite good, really.'

Fisher, in his statement, goes on to say that he faced 'false rape accusations' in his early 20s that brought him to 'a very low place.'

Fisher no longer runs the forum, according to the Daily Beast report.

The governor of New Hampshire, Republican Chris Sununu, on Wednesday told WMUR that Fisher's resignation 'is certainly in order'.

Republican House Speaker Shawn Jasper said he was 'sickened' by the story and urged Fisher's constituents not to re-elect him in 2018.

House Minority Leader Steve Shurtleff and a number of other Democrats called for Fisher's resignation.

Fisher (left) has spoken out on gender and family courts issues as a legislator. He says that he faced 'false rape accusations' in his 20s that brought him to 'a very low place'

'I am shocked and disturbed by the report linking Representative Robert Fisher to deeply offensive statements and the creation of a misogynistic online forum,' Shurtleff said.

Fisher is a two-term representative from Laconia who does not serve on any policy committees, at his own request, according to the legislature's website.

Fisher lists himself as a 'computer technician' and owns a computer repair business.

He has missed about 50 percent of all votes this legislative session, according to state records.

He is a co-sponsor of 14 pieces of legislation, including bills to expand the use of medical marijuana, to ban the practice of gay conversion therapy on minors and to reduce business taxes.
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Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday demanded the Russian navy to prioritize the development of strategic nuclear forces and modernize its weaponry.

"As of the end of 2016, the share of modern weapons and equipment in the navy was about 47 percent ... The rate should be raised to 70 percent by 2020," Putin said at a meeting of the Military Industry Commission, according to a Kremlin statement.

According to him, the Russian navy should prioritize the development of strategic nuclear forces, modern weaponry and supporting infrastructure.

"Russia should ensure the presence of its naval forces in all strategically important areas of the world oceans," said Putin.
A diary kept by John F. Kennedy during his brief stint as a journalist after World War II has sold for more than $718,000 at auction.

Boston-based RR Auction says the diary sold Wednesday for $718,750, far exceeding the pre-sale estimate of $200,000. It says the winning bid was made in person by JFK collector Joseph Alsop, of Beverly.

The 61-page diary was written in 1945 when the 28-year-old Kennedy was a correspondent for Hearst newspapers and traveled through a devastated Europe.

It provides fascinating insights into Kennedy's thoughts on world leaders of the era.

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John F Kennedy, then a lieutenant in the US Navy, smiles at the Stork Club in New York in 1944. The following year he traveled through a devastated Europe while working as a journalist

Deirdre Henderson, a research assistant in the office of then Senator John F Kennedy, said he gave her the diary in 1959 so she 'could better understand his ideas on foreign policy'

He reflects on the legacy of Hitler and presages the future of the United Nations and the Western power struggle with the Soviet Union, a central conflict during his presidency 16 years later.

At one point he writes: 'I think that the clash with Russia will be greatly postponed. It will come perhaps, as its avoidance depends chiefly on the extent of Russia's self-restraint, and that is a quality of which powerful nations have a limited quality.

'The clash may be finally and indefinitely postponed by the eventual discovery of a weapon so horrible that it will truthfully mean the abolishment of all the nations employing it.'

That passage was written only weeks after the US had dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, hastening Japan's surrender and ending the Second World War.

In the diary is a photograph of General Eisenhower (center), the US Army's commander in Europe and a future President himself, talking with Navy Secretary James Forrestal (right)

He traveled first to Ireland, then to France and covered the Potsdam Conference with Navy Secretary James Forrestal, at which the US, Britain and the Soviet Union discussed carving up occupied Germany.

JFK also covered the 1945 General Election in Britain, when the Labour Party defeated wartime Prime Minister Winston Churchill's Conservatives by offering 'homes fit for heroes'.

Kennedy viewed the charred remains of Hitlers bunker in Berlin and also visited the Nazi leader's Eagle's Nest at Berchtesgaden near the Austrian border.
Chipotle in in trouble again, with the company now disclosing a possible data security issue.

Executives with the Denver-based company said on Tuesday that it recently detected unauthorized activity on the network that supports its payment system in restaurants, but believes it has stopped the activity.

The company said its investigation is focused on restaurant transactions between March 24 and April 18 of this year, but would not provide further details.

'Because the investigation is continuing, complete findings are not available,' John Hartung, Chipotle's CFO, said during a conference call with investors.

Chipotle executives said on Tuesday that the company recently detected unauthorized activity on the network that supports its payment system in restaurants

Hartung said it was 'too early to provide further details on the investigation.'

A Chipotle representative said the company has notified card networks, which notify issuing banks, which in turn notify customers.

Since the E. coli and other food scares that started sickening people around country more than a year ago, Chipotle has pledged to ensure that its food is safe, offered coupons for free burritos, stepped up advertising and introduced a temporary loyalty program to get people back in its stores.

The company also added chorizo as a topping to lure more customers.
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It caught the eye of onlookers this morning as the multi-million pound superyacht named Lady M sailed into Glasgow.

Steel tycoon Alexey Mordashov, dubbed Russian's wealthiest man, is believed to own the a 65metre-long ship worth 44million.

The vessel comes with a 6ft aluminium jaguar on its prow and arrived in the city this morning after sailing up from Greenock in the Scottish lowlands, where it had been moored for the past two weeks.

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Ahoy there! One of Mr Mordashov's multi-million pound yachts moored into Glasgow today - with a 6ft-long aluminium jaguar on its prow

The incredible 65metre-long (213ft) boat - called Lady M - is understood to belong to Russian steel tycoon Alexey Mordashov

The boat arrived in Glasgow after sailing up from the Scottish lowlands, where it was moored for two weeks at James Watt Dock Marina

In addition to its luxury cabins, Lady M has a swimming pool, Jacuzzi, gym and that all-important accessory, a helipad

Built in 2013 by Palmer Johnson in the US, the interior is topped off with plush carpet and oak and rosewood veneers

The boat, which can accommodate up to 12 guests and 14 crew, caught the eye of onlookers as it eased itself into position in Glasgow today

In addition to its luxury cabins, the boat has a swimming pool, Jacuzzi, gym and that all-important accessory, a helipad. Built in 2013 by Palmer Johnson in the US, the interior is topped off with plush carpet and oak and rosewood veneers

Ahoy there: Billionaire Alexey Mordashov Alexey Mordashov (right) is believed to be Lady M's owner. The 51-year-old oligarch is worth around 14billion, with business interests in tourism, gold mining and engineering. Advertisement

It took just under an hour for the vessel to travel up from the James Watt Dock Marina, where it had been moored for the last two weeks.

The enormous boat caught the eye of onlookers as it eased itself into position, right outside Glasgow Science Centre.

In addition to its luxury cabins, it has a swimming pool, Jacuzzi, gym and that all-important accessory, a helipad.

And on the front is an Art Deco jaguar which was designed by Italian firm Nuvolari Lenard to mirror the curves of the overall design, according to Boat International.

It was built in 2013 by Palmer Johnson in the US and inside the interior is topped off with plush carpet and oak and rosewood veneers.

The rather fetching Art Deco jaguar at the front of the boat was designed by Italian firm Nuvolari Lenard, and mirrors the curves of the motoryacht

All hands on deck... Mordashov, 51, is worth around 14bn, with business interests in tourism, gold mining and engineering
Young supporters of Kim Jong Il are preparing to 'wipe out' the US and Korea with five million nuclear bombs, the head of the republic's youth league has said.

The chilling message from the Central Committee of the Kimilsungist-Kimjongilist Youth League warns that 'the Earth will break' if it launches an attack.

It promised to destroy the US and its South Korean neighbours if either shows 'a slight provocation,' as international tension reaches breaking point.

The warning came as South Korea announced on a high-altitude rocket system to be built on its own soil, giving allies the US powerful weaponry on the peninsula.

North Korea held massive live-fire artillery drills on Tuesday as it marked the anniversary of the founding of its military

Leader Kim Jong-Un saluted his military from the top of a private car as they drove through the demonstration

North Korea's state-run Korean Central News Agency reported a spokesman saying the youths were 'keeping themselves fully combat ready to mercilessly wipe out with five million nuclear bombs the group of devils who are trying to bring a nuclear disaster to the inviolable country.'

The warning comes as North Korea fired rockets and torpedoes at mock enemy warships during its 'largest ever' live-fire artillery drills on Tuesday.

Kim Jong-Un's army readied for war as they fired rockets and torpedoes at mock enemy warships during North Korea's 'largest ever' live-fire artillery drills on Tuesday.

Hundreds of tanks were lined up along the eastern coastal town of Wonsan in a show of military strength to celebrate 85 years since the North Korean army was created.

More than 300 large-calibre artillery pieces were fired in the drill, called a 'Combined Fire Demonstration'

The exercises involved submarine torpedo-attacks on mock enemy warships, causing huge explosions

Hundreds of weapons were fired across the sea in Wonsan, North Korea, in the military demonstration

Kim saluted the military as he watched the exercises on Tuesday, which involved the firing of more than 300 large-calibre artillery pieces and included submarine torpedo-attacks.

Today, South Korea conducted joint military live-fire drills with the US at Seungjin fire training field in Pocheon, South Korea, near the border with the North.

And in a defiant bit of timing, South Korea have announced that key parts of a contentious US missile defense system have been installed.

The South's trumpeting of progress in setting up the Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense system, or THAAD, comes as high-powered US military assets converge on the Korean Peninsula and as a combative North Korea signals possible nuclear and missile testing.

On the same day, a US guided-missile submarine docked in South Korea.

And the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier is also headed toward the peninsula for a joint exercise with South Korea.

The exercise took place as a US guided-missile submarine arrived in South Korea and envoys from the US, Japan and South Korea met in Tokyo to discuss the growing threat posed by North Korea's nuclear weapons and missiles program.

Speculation had mounted that the North could carry out a sixth nuclear test or another missile launch to mark 85 years since the founding of its army.

The North Korean despot smiled with his military deputies as he watched the military drill

Hundreds of tanks were lined up along the eastern coastal town of Wonsan in a show of military strength celebrating 85 years since the North Korean army was created

North Korea fired dozens of missiles across the sea to mark the anniversary of the military's creation

Hundreds of flag-bearing soldiers saluted as they stood next to weapons

The Korean People's Army positioned tanks along the coast as planes soared overhead

The South's Yonhap news agency cited a government source as saying the exercise was the North's 'largest ever'.

Meanwhile, a senior analyst warned that the back-and-forth threats between the US and North Korea could cause a needless stumble into war.

On Monday, President Donald Trump said dictator Jong-Un isn't as strong as he claims to be, and he blamed the international community for not doing more to rein him in.

The 'status quo' on North Korea is 'unacceptable,' Trump told members of the United Nations Security Council at the White House.

'The council must be prepared to impose additional and stronger sanctions,' Trump said.

Senior analyst, Jonathan Pollack, at the Brookings Institution says the back-and-forth threats between the US and North Korea 'raises the stakes', according to CBS.

US Army's M1 A2 tanks fired during a joint military live-fire drills with South Korea at Seungjin Fire Training Field in Pocheon, South Korea, near the border with North Korea

Flames rose as South Korean army's armored vehicles waited during their own drill on Wednesday

South Korean army's multiple launch rocket systems fired several rockets

In a defiant bit of timing, South Korea have announced that key parts of a contentious US missile defense system have been installed

South Korean acting President Hwang Kyo-ahn (pictured centre, front) inspected a variety of fire arms during the firing drill

A US Army Apache helicopter fired rockets during the joint military live-fire drills

The US and South Korea's armored vehicles move through the Seungjin Fire Training Field

'We could stumble needlessly into what would be the biggest crisis in East Asia since the United States intervened in the Korean War in 1950,' Pollack warned.

'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 US imperialists and their vassal forces for aggression,' Gen Pak Yong Sik told a meeting of thousands of senior military and civilian officials.

South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said it was closely watching North Korean military action in the Wonsan city area, where it said the drills were being held.

The exercise involved 300 to 400 artillery pieces, but an official from Seoul's Defense Ministry couldn't confirm the details.

Flower-laying and bowing at statues and portraits of the leaders is a regular routine on major anniversaries. People also gathered in open spaces to take part in organized dancing, another common way to mark holidays.

'Our great leaders founded and wisely led our revolutionary army, and just like that, now our respected Marshal Kim Jong-Un is leading wisely, so even though the situation is tense, we are celebrating the day,' said Choe Un Byol, who came with his family to the bronze statues of the former leaders.

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

South Korea's military said Tuesday North Korea held live-fire drills in an area around its eastern coastal town of Wonsan as it marked the anniversary of the founding of its military. The exercise may have been the North's 'largest ever' and leader Kim Jong-Un oversaw it (left)

Meanwhile, senior Koreas analyst, Jonathan Pollack, says the back-and-forth threats between the US and North Korea could cause the US to 'stumble needlessly' into war. A young girl celebrates the 85th anniversary of North Korea's military

North Korea often also marks significant dates by displaying its military capability. It launched a missile one day after the 105th birthday of late founder Kim Il Sung on April 15. People gathered in open spaces to take part in organized dancing (pictured)

North Korea often also marks significant dates by displaying its military capability. It launched a missile one day after the 105th birthday of late founder Kim Il Sung on April 15.

Recent US commercial satellite images indicate increased activity around North Korea's nuclear test site, and third-generation dictator Jong-Un has said the country's preparation for an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) launch is in its 'final stage'.

The USS Michigan, a nuclear-powered submarine, arrived at the South Korean port of Busan in what was described as a routine visit to rest the crew and load supplies.

Cmdr Jang Wook from South Korean navy public affairs said there was no plan for a drill.

The submarine's arrival comes as the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier headed toward the Korean Peninsula for a joint exercise with South Korea. The US 7th Fleet said two American destroyers were conducting simultaneous maritime exercises with naval ships from South Korea and Japan.

Nikki Haley, Trump's UN ambassador, said the US is not looking for a fight with Kim Jong-Un and would not attack the country 'unless he gives us reason to do something'. She also praised China's increased pressure on North Korea

North Korea launched two missile tests this month while Trump and his senior aides have warned that 'all options are on the table' against Pyongyang, including military action

Despite the buildup, Trump has reportedly settled on a strategy that emphasizes increased pressure on North Korea with the help of China, the North's only major ally, instead of military options or trying to overthrow North Korea's government.

Trump told the UN Security Council that they must be prepared to impose additional and stronger sanctions on North Korea.

'This is a real threat to the world, whether we want to talk about it or not,' Trump said Monday.

'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.'

Nikki Haley, Trump's UN ambassador, said the US is not looking for a fight with Kim and would not attack North Korea 'unless he gives us reason to do something'. She praised China's increased pressure on North Korea.

When asked about the threshold for US action, Haley told NBC 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'.

The USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier (pictured) headed toward the Korean Peninsula for a joint exercise with South Korea

South Korean protesters staged a rally against US deployment of the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier and its battle group to the Korean Peninsula

USS MICHIGAN: ONE OF THE LARGEST SUBS IN THE WORLD The USS Michigan is the second Ohio-class nuclear-powered guided missile submarine in the US Navy. The Michigan has a displacement of more than 18,000 tons when submerged and 16,000 tons when surfaced. It is one of the largest submarines in the world and can travel at speeds of 29 miles per hour and can stay submerged for up to three months. The submarine is equipped with about 150 Tomahawk missiles that hit targets that are up to 990 miles away, and can carry out a range of missions including anti-submarine warfare and reconnaissance. The USS Michigan was last deployed to the peninsula in June 2015. It also boasts 24 missile tubes, four 21-inch torpedo tubes and an S8G Nuclear Reactor. Source: Naval Technology Advertisement

But asked what if North Korea tests an intercontinental missile or nuclear device, she said: 'I think then the president steps in and decides what's going to happen.'

The US, Japan and South Korea agreed Tuesday to put maximum pressure on North Korea, the South's envoy for North Korea said after meeting his American and Japanese counterparts in Tokyo.

'We agreed to warn North Korea to stop any additional strategic provocation and take intolerably strong punitive measures against Pyongyang if it goes ahead with such provocations,' Kim Hong-kyun told reporters following his meeting with Joseph Yun of the US and Japan's Kenji Kanasugi.

Kim said they discussed ways to get more cooperation from China and Russia, which they agreed is crucial to applying effective pressure on North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons program. He said they also recognized China's recent steps toward that goal.

Japan's Foreign Ministry announced that China's envoy for North Korea, Wu Dawei, was arriving in Tokyo on Tuesday for talks with Kanasugi that may take place later this week.
Disgraced former congressman Anthony Weiner was seen sporting a knee brace while walking the streets of Manhattan with his son Jordan on Wednesday.

Five-year-old Jordan was hand-in-hand with his father as the two took on the rainy day in New York City.

It is not yet known how the ex-husband of Hillary Clinton aide injured his leg, but he was spotted a few weeks hobbling around the West Village being supported by crutches.

Disgraced former congressman Anthony Weiner was seen sporting a knee brace while walking the streets of Manhattan with his son Jordan on Wednesday

Five-year-old Jordan was hand-in-hand with his father as the two took on the rainy day in New York City

In mid-March, he was seen hobbling around in the snow after having lunch at a local restaurant.

Meanwhile, his ex-wife Huma is said to be meeting with top literary agents to discuss a book deal detailing her husband's sexting scandal and her time with the Clinton campaign.

She is reportedly seeking $2 million for the book, according to the NY Post.

Disgraced former politician Anthony Weiner was previously spotted in New York City on crutches

Weiner was snapped getting onto a bus after having lunch in Manhattan's West Village

Weiner and Abedin were pictured together last month for the first time since Hillary Clinton's top staffer separated from her husband last year.

The two had been last been seen just one day before news broke last September that Weiner had been sexting with a 15-year-old girl.

Just a month before, Abedin broke up with Weiner when it came to light that he had continued to sext with another woman.That scandal involved a different woman who Weiner sent sexual pictures of himself to.

One of the photos showed the ex-congressman posing only in his briefs, while his son napped nearby.

In September, DailyMail.com reveled that Weiner was having a sexual online relationship with a 15-year-old girl. Screenshots of some of their conversations are pictured

Weiner's emails prompted the FBI to reopen its investigation into Hillary Clintons private email server

After the Dailymail.com story covering the scandal, the FBI and U.S. attorney offices in two states launched investigations into Weiners relationship with the teenage girl.

The FBI subpoenaed Weiners computer  and uncovered unrelated emails on Weiners computer from his wife.

The emails prompted the FBI to reopen its investigation into Hillary Clintons private email server  sending her campaign into turmoil less than two weeks before the U.S. presidential election.
A man shot and killed a Delaware state trooper outside a convenience store on Wednesday.

The suspect barricaded himself inside his house, and continued to fire at officers, police said.

The trooper was gunned down shortly after noon outside a Wawa convenience store.

Police have not yet determined a motive for the attack.

The trooper was rushed to a hospital, and pronounced dead a short time later.

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Authorities investigate the scene of a shooting on Wednesday in Bear, Delaware. Delaware State Police say a trooper has been taken to a hospital after being shot at the convenience store

The identity of the trooper has not been released until his next of kin can be notified.

The suspect has also not been identified.

'This is a sad day for our state and Delaware State Police family,' said Nathaniel McQueen Jr., superintendent of the state's police force.

'We ask that you keep the trooper's family and the members of the Delaware State Police family in your prayers.'

Officers tracked the gunman to his house in a subdivision of two-story homes in Middletown, about 15 miles south of where the trooper was shot.

The gunman refused to leave the house and fired multiple times at officers surrounding the home, said Master Cpl. Gary Fournier, a state police spokesman.

No other officers were injured.

'There have been multiple gunshots that have come from the house at police officers,' Fournier said.

Hostage negotiators were on the scene and established contact with the man in an effort to get him to surrender peacefully, Fournier said.

The trooper was shot shortly after noon outside a Wawa convenience store (the building seen on the right), and police said they had not determined the motive for the attack

The trooper noticed a 'suspicious' car just ouside of the Wawa, which is located on the 1600 block of Pulaski Highway. There were two people inside the vehicle

Residents in the area were called using 'reverse 911' and told to stay inside and lock their doors, and the Appoquinimink School District went on lockdown, keeping all students and staff inside school buildings.

Parents were told not to go to school to pick up their kids.

'We're negotiating with him,' Fournier said.

'There has been some establishment of communication between the suspect and police agencies.'

Police have identified the man, Fournier said, but have yet to release his name.

One witness, Clarence Travers, told The News Journal of Wilmington that he heard gunfire while sitting at a red light and saw a police officer fall to the ground.

After the initial gunfire, Travers said he saw a man get out of a car and shoot the officer on the ground multiple times before getting away.

Police have not corroborated Travers' version of events.

According to McQueen, the trooper noticed a 'suspicious' car just ouside of the Wawa, which is located on the 1600 block of Pulaski Highway.

There were two people inside the vehicle, according to The News Journal.

'Shortly thereafter, trouble ensued,' McQueen said.

One of the people inside the car got out and started shooting, hitting the trooper.

The other occupant was arrested at the scene.
Phillip Gale, 50, told the court he stabbed Andrew Smith in self-defence when he would not leave his home in Foulridge, Lancashire

A dentist accused of attempted murder after stabbing his love rival sobbed as he was cleared of all charges.

Phillip Gale, 50, said he slashed Andrew Smith in self-defence when he would not leave his home in Foulridge, Lancashire.

Mr Smith, a drug user with a record for violence, had become close to Gales wife Jayne Masters and the pair had started staying up late into the night, drinking and taking cocaine, Preston Crown Court heard.

Mr Gale had told his wife he was unhappy about Mr Smiths visits to the house and had asked her not to let him in.

But on August 24 last year he found Mr Smith trying to climb in through an upstairs window - and pushed him backwards to make him leave.

After that incident, Mr Gale told the court he had stopped drinking in the local pub, The New Inn, in fear of running into Mr Smith.

He added that he was worried about him lying in wait to attack him as he left a nearby social club.

On October 16, Mr Gale came home from a trip to Blackpool and discovered Mr Smith in his house once again.

He told the court he asked him to leave, but when Smith refused he took him by the shoulders to push him towards the door.

He said: I didnt intend on stabbing him. I didnt intend on causing him any harm.

Jurors were told Mr Smith pinned him against the kitchen units and, unable to defend himself, Mr Gale reached for a knife.

Violence erupted between Mr Gale (left) and Mr Smith (right) when he found the latter drinking and taking taking cocaine

He said: Initially I thought it would scare him.

After that, everything that happened with the knife, was me reacting to what he did to me.

During a week long trial at Preston Crown Court Mr Gale insisted he had acted in self defence.

He denied attempted murder, GBH and wounding.

The jury took three hours to return unanimous verdicts of not guilty on all three charges.

As the foreman delivered the verdict, Gale, sobbed and put his head into his hands.
This is the moment a charging elephant calf joined its mother as a herd of the enormous animals bounded towards a safari vehicle.

The animal incident in South Africa has been branded the 'cutest attack ever' after the baby was caught on camera taking after the older members of the group while running towards the car.

The elephants can be seen charging at speed in the footage which was recorded earlier this month.

The charging elephant calf joined its mother as a herd of the enormous animals bounded towards a safari vehicle

The elephant encounter in South Africa has been branded the 'cutest attack ever'

The elephant calf in the background was caught on camera taking after the older members of the group while running towards the car

It shows the calf with its trumpeting mother in Kruger National Park in what visitors described as a 'very memorable encounter'.

The person who recorded the footage wrote online: 'Our guide thought that there could be a problem as soon as we came upon the group.

The elephants can be seen charging at speed in the footage

It shows the calf with its trumpeting mother in Kruger National Park in what visitors described as a 'very memorable encounter'

The person who recorded the footage wrote online: 'Our guide thought that there could be a problem as soon as we came upon the group'

'He told us that we may have to reverse quickly to leave them alone. How right he was.'

The person who recorded the video added: 'This might be the cutest elephant attack ever.'
Richard Branson is bankrolling a campaign to oust MPs who support Brexit, the Mail can reveal.

The Virgin boss, who left Britain four years ago to live offshore, has donated tens of thousands of pounds to the plot to influence the election.

Gina Miller, the millionaire businesswoman who took the Government to court over Brexit, yesterday promised the biggest tactical voting effort in our history as she launched the Best for Britain campaign.

Campaigner Gina Miller launched her Best for Britain campaign to attempt to intervene in up to 100 marginal seats, where tactical voting could return an MP open to Britain's future in the EU

The Best for Britain initiative has won 25,000 launch funding from Sir Richard Branson, above, as well as office space

More than 300,000 will be poured into up to 100 marginal seats to help elect candidates who do not rule out the country remaining in the EU.

Mrs Miller said people need to vote tactically in the General Election to avoid an elected dictatorship as she claimed nearly 10,000 people had given money to the grassroots movement.

But today the Mail can reveal the project has been set up in office space provided by Sir Richard and that the businessman given 25,000 to help it launch.

He has also deployed his key lieutenant, Virgin chairman Peter Norris, to help lead the effort as a board member.

Mrs Miller said she wanted to help elect MPs who were prepared to help block Brexit depending on the deal agreed with Brussels.

If we have, at the end of the day, if you like, an elected dictatorship, then thats not democracy, she said.

As well as the cash and space, Mr Branson, left, has deployed his key lieutenant, Virgin chairman Peter Norris, to help lead the effort as a board member. Mrs Miller, right, has been known for her work taking the government to court over the way Article 50 is invoked

The election was more about power grabbing than strengthening the negotiating hand.

Mrs Miller, who ruled out standing herself, added: Only tactical voting in this election can ensure that Parliament plays its full role in the future of our country. We need MPs to be strong and open minded about what is best for Britain.

The idea that Parliament should simply rubber stamp a binary deal or no deal option put by a future government, and ignore any other alternative, would reduce democracy to a mere footnote.

Whilst Brexit is a very important issue in this election, there is a much wider issue here which is about electing MPs who will stand on their principles and hold the government to account.

Mrs Miller said the Best For Britain group would use its funds to locally support candidates from any party committed to keeping the UKs Brexit options open.

The campaign said it was still analysing data and algorithms, but could intervene in up to 100 marginal seats.

Mrs Miller achieved fame last year by bringing a successful High Court action which forced the Government to put its plan to trigger Article 50, marking the start of the formal Brexit process, to a vote of Parliament - a ruling that was upheld by the Supreme Court.

Mrs Miller said the Best For Britain group would use its funds to locally support candidates from any party committed to keeping the UKs Brexit options open

Mrs Miller has said she will not stand herself, following speculation she would stand in a seat for the next parliament

In 2013, it was revealed that Sir Richard, who is worth 4.5billion, had left Britain to live full time on his private Necker Island in the British Virgin Islands.

He previously lived in a 200-acre Oxfordshire estate and a mansion in Holland Park, West London.

He has said he is too wealthy to allow tax considerations to dictate where he should live.

Following the referendum Sir Richard claimed the Brexit decision had led to the cancellation of a very big deal for his company costing 3,000 jobs.

He said: Businesses will suffer and soon the British people will see the costs of goods going up and job losses and they will start to realises the consequences of what they have done, he has argued.

The referendum was just an advisory referendum. Once people see the terms and the consequences of whats happening, things could change.

The launch of Best for Britain comes after Open Britain, the remnants of the official Remain campaign, launched a similar tactical voting drive earlier this week.

A Virgin spokesman last night confirmed the donations but refused to comment further.
Former Bond girl Lana Wood, and her movie star sister, were once Hollywood royalty.

Wood had fame, fortune, and a string of affairs with the most sought after leading men of her day.

She rose to stardom when she played Plenty O'Toole alongside Sean Connery in 1971's Diamonds Are Forever.

But today, her life could not be more different.

The 71-year-old is homeless, and is sharing a motel room outside Los Angeles with her daughter Evan, her son-in-law, three grandchildren, and their two dogs.

'It has been very difficult for the kids,' Wood told Inside Edition. 'They feel like they have no privacy.'

Natalie Wood's former Bond girl sister, Lana Wood, has revealed she's living in a motel room with five family members

Wood says she was evicted from her long-time family home she rented in California, on a month-to-month basis, last month.

She told Vanity Fair she woke up one morning 'to find a 'Foreclosure' sign tacked to the front door; we had to get out.'

The former actress said that rising rents were compounded by her own medical issues and those of her daughter who suffers from Hodgkin's lymphoma and lung disease.

In desperation, Wood even penned a Facebook post pleading for help.

'I have just been evicted from my home where I've lived for seven years,' she wrote. 'I got ten days to move, don't have moving money, don't know if there's anything available, have no one to take in a family of six.

'My daughters COPD has worsened and her cancer is back.

'My grandchildren are hysterical. I have to somehow remain calm, and not kill myself.'

Former Bond girl Lana made a name for herself playing Plenty O'Toole across from Sean Connery (pictured)

She and her sister Natalie (left with her in 1963 ) were once members of the Hollywood elite

Lana (left in 1971) was incredibly close with her sister Natalie (right in 1964) and was devastated when she drowned while yachting with her husband

When asked what happened, she simply said: 'Real life.'

From dining on caviar and champagne in her James Bond heyday, Wood is now forced to survive on cheap fast food as her motel room does not even come with its own kitchen.

Instead of couture, red carpet gowns, today she hunts for bargains at Goodwill.

But it's the mounting medical bills that keep Wood, who needs two knee replacement surgeries, up at night.

'I don't know how much more we can take,' she said.

Yet, many decades ago, no-one could have predicted that Wood's life would turn out as it has.

In the 1960s, Wood was and up-and-coming young actress who landed a role in popular soap Peyton Place, before her breakout role as Plenty O'Toole across from Sean Connery in Diamonds Are Forever.

Wood would go star in hit films such as The Fugitive, Bonanza, Mission Impossible, and Starsky and Hutch, although she always remained in her sister Natalie's shadow.

'I was always an actress; Natalie was the star,' is how Lana summed up their relationship.

Lana Wood's private life was equally as glamorous.

From the red carpets, champagne lifestyle of the 1960s and 1970s, Lana's life took a downturn and she says she is now homeless

The former star is sharing a motel room with several family members and her two dogs

She ended up marrying five times - a not unusual amount for Old Hollywood - a nd that's before we even start on the high-profile men she shared encounters with along the way.

There was a fling with Sean Connery  he was Bond to her Plenty O'Toole in Diamonds Are Forever in 1971. Alain Delon, once described as the most beautiful man on the planet, was a former squeeze. Then there was Warren Beatty.

Yet she was in love 'just once' with a mystery married man who refused to leave his wife.

Trying to unravel her romantic history adds fuel to the oft-spouted rumor that there is a curse attached to the Bond-Girl role. No sooner has an actress (and her ample cleavage) appeared by 007's side than things start going pear-shaped, the theory goes. Careers crumble, private lives disintegrate and, unless you are an Honor Blackman or a Jane Seymour, obscurity beckons.

'It is true that the Bond role didn't open the doors I maybe thought it would,' she said in 2012. 'In fact, it didn't open any doors at all.

'All I was offered were sexpot roles, and you can't be doing those for ever. I did suffer from being stereotyped. I remember once saying to a producer: 'Think of me as the girl next door.'

Wood had been renting a spacious home in California (pictured) until she was evicted last month

'He said: 'Honey, if you are the girl next door you must live in a very racy neighborhood.'

But t en years after she appeared in Diamonds Are Forever, when she had moved into the world of TV production, Wood's world fell apart when her sister drowned in a tragedy that continues to haunt her.

At the peak of her international fame, following roles in West Side Story and Rebel Without A Cause, Natalie never returned from a yachting trip with her husband, actor Robert Wagner, and her co-star Christopher Walken.

Witnesses say all three were very intoxicated about 10.15pm when they piloted the dingy back to the yacht, which was anchored offshore.

Wood's body was found floating in the water about a mile from the yacht about 8am the following morning and the coroner determined that she had died of a combination of drowning and hypothermia.

At the time, the death was reported as a tragic accident, but questions about the circumstances have always been asked  most vocally by Lana herself.

Lana Wood spent years demanding the one-time Hollywood heartthrob talk to detectives investigating her sister's drowning and even came face to face with the 87-year-old Hart to Hart star at the Hyatt Regency hotel in Palm Springs in California, last year where he was attending a lunch event honoring his wife and former Bond girl Jill St. John.

Natalie Wood and Christopher Walken are pictured together in sci-fi thriller Brainstorm. Walken joined Wagner and Wood's aboard Splendor to celebrate the successful completion of the the film

Eight years Natalie's junior, she adored, idolized even, her sister, but said her mother could never quite forgive the fact that she had lost her favorite daughter.

'Natalie was the embodiment of what my mum longed for in life,' she said. 'She worshipped Nat, I was the forgotten daughter. I don't even remember telling her I had the Bond role  or any role for that matter.

'After Nat died, it turned out that she was stuck with the daughter she didn't really care about that much. It's interesting how life does that.'

Lana Wood's insistence to this day that Wagner has more questions to answer over Natalie's death has driven a wedge between her and her sister's children with him, meaning she cannot turn to them for help.

But Wood said that she is certain of one thing. If her sister saw her today, she would do everything she could to 'fix' Wood's fortunes.

A family friend has set up a GoFundMe page for Wood that's already raised more than $6,000 to help get her back on her feet.
The Federal Government will place export restrictions on gas companies to guarantee domestic supply on the east coast to stop prices surging further.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said a domestic gas shortage had triggered a dramatic cost hike, and it was time prices in Australia 'fairly reflect international export prices as they should'.

'Australians are entitled to have access to the gas they need at prices they can afford. Thousands of jobs depend on secure, reliable and affordable gas,' Mr Turnbull said.

Major gas companies are paying up to five times the price they were paying a year ago for a gigajoule of gas, or three times the price of the Asian 'spot' market, according to The Australian.

The new restrictions, to be announced by the government on Thursday, will allow the government to impose export controls based on advice about Australia's forecast needs from the market operator and regulator.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said a domestic gas shortage had triggered a dramatic cost hike, and it was time prices in Australia 'fairly reflect international export prices as they should' (Mr Turnbull is pictured last week at Parliament House)

'The government remains committed to LNG exports but not at the expense of Australian interests,' Mr Turnbull said (liquefied natural gas tanker at Tokyo is pictured)

Exporters who take more from the Australian market than they put in will be forced to explain how they will fill the shortfall of domestic gas.

Mr Turnbull said the government would not prescribe how exporters respond, 'giving companies considerable flexibility in finding commercial solutions'.

The latest measure comes after Mr Turnbull twice hauled gas chiefs to Canberra to press them on action to end a supply crisis in Australia.

The government sought commitments from the industry that each east coast LNG exporter would put more gas into the domestic market than they took out.

'While good progress has been made, those requirements have not been met,' Mr Turnbull said.

'It is unacceptable for Australia to become the world's largest exporter of liquefied natural gas, but not have enough domestic supply for Australian households and businesses.'

Mr Turnbull again argued gas companies operated with a social licence from Australians.

Mr Turnbull said the 'targeted, temporary' restrictions were expected to apply only to east coast exporters and would comply with Australia's international obligations (Mr Turnbull is pictured last week)

'They cannot expect to maintain that licence if Australians are short-changed because of excessive exports,' he said.

'The government remains committed to LNG exports but not at the expense of Australian interests.'

Mr Turnbull said the 'targeted, temporary' restrictions were expected to apply only to east coast exporters and would comply with Australia's international obligations.

Consultation with industry will take place before the regulations take effect on July 1.

The export restrictions are the third measure announced in response to the gas crisis. The consumer watchdog has been told to investigate the entire gas supply chain, and the government has committed to pursuing a range of pipeline and gas market reforms.

Resources Minister Matt Canavan admitted the new powers follow two unsuccessful meetings with gas heads and the prime minister in Canberra.

'They haven't got us to where we'd like to be,' he told ABC radio on Thursday.

He stressed companies would be able to choose how they respond to the powers.

Employees cross a jetty towards the Gallina liquefied natural gas (LNG) tanker after docking in Rochester in the UK

HOW MUCH HAVE GAS PRICES SOARED? The Energy Users Association of Australia (EUAA) said increases in electricity and gas prices of 80 to 120 per cent over the last five years are the norm, with some companies facing increases of over 150 per cent. A spokesperson said one Queensland company was paying up to $23 a gigajoule. The average was between $3 to $5 about five years ago. The Australian reports gas companies are paying up to five times the price they were a year ago for a gigajoule, or three times the price of the Asian 'spot' market. Advertisement

'All we want is the outcome of the jobs being secure and the gas being at a reasonable affordable price,' he said.

'There are different ways to achieve that, gas swaps could be an element of that - that is that gas could be found elsewhere in the world or in Australia to meet the contractual needs in Asia.'

Senator Canavan said if shortfalls did not emerge, or more gas came back on the domestic market, the government would not need to activate the new rules.

'That would be ideal,' he said.

The Energy Users Association of Australia (EUAA) said one medium-sized Queensland company with 100 staff was paying $23 a gigajoule for gas. The average price was once $3 to $5.

Origin Energy's Australia Pacific liquefied natural gas facility is pictured at Curtis Island in north Queensland

The EUAA welcomed the government's plans on Thursday.

'We are heartened to see the Government recognising there are critical domestic gas supply and cost issues that must be addressed,' CEO Andrew Richards said.

'With the introduction of the gas security mechanism the government has given themselves a bigger stick to ensure the gas industry balances the needs of their international customers and their obligation to supply the domestic market with gas at a fair price.'

The EUAA says the group has been warning if the crisis is not resolved in the near future, 'we are likely to see significant job losses as Australian businesses seek to offset spiralling costs'.

'Ultimately these costs will also result in increased consumer prices for everyday goods as business seek to remain viable.

'The gas security mechanism does not guarantee the Government will intervene in the market and we hope it doesn't have to come to that. We would much prefer that the gas industry itself develops a solution to the current crisis that allows Australian business and households access to gas at fair and reasonable prices.'
Jesus Adan Castillo, 22, is on trial for first-degree murder in the death of his girlfriend's 18 month old son. He is accused of having violently attacked the toddler before he was declared brain dead from his injuries

Unsealed court documents from the trial of a man accused of killing an 18-month-old boy reveal the disturbing level of violence involved in the death.

Jesus Adan Castillo, 22, of Blackfoot, Idaho, is on trial charged with first-degree murder in the death of his girlfriend's son, 18-month-old Zachary Tendoy, last month.

The court documents, detailed by the East Idaho News, stated that the Bingham County Sheriff's Office received a 911 call on March 23 at 4.00am, saying that Tendoy had fallen out of his crib and wasn't breathing.

When cops and paramedics arrived at the home where Castillo lived, they found Tendoy unresponsive, his skin already turning blueish-grey. The toddler was limp and laying on the floor, with vomit on his chest and his eyes fully dilated.

Both Castillo and his girlfriend, Tendoy's mother - whose identity has not been revealed - were in the home at the time.

Castillo allegedly told police that while Tendoy's mother was sleeping, he went to take a shower. While he was showering, he heard a loud thud and went to investigate.

Castillo claimed that Tendoy initially 'acted dazed,' but otherwise seemed to be okay. When his condition got worse, though, Castillo said he woke up his girlfriend and made the 911 call.

Zachary Tendoy, 18 months, was declared brain dead after sustaining multiple skull fractures and brain swelling. He was allegedly hit, shaken and kicked by his mother's boyfriend, Castillo

The toddler was taken to Bingham Memorial Hospital and given a CAT scan, at which time doctors discovered he had multiple skull fractures and brain swelling. They also found evidence of severe traumatic injuries including major blood vessel and valve tears, as well as retinal hemorrhaging.

According to the court document, 'Doctor's explainedto sustain these injuries in a child of similar size (they would have to have been) in an auto accident at 70 mph  and the tear in the stomach is equivalent to being secured in only a lap belt of the time of the accident.'

Overall, 'The doctors described the attack as being very violent,' the document said.

Armed with this information, investigators brought Castillo in for an interview about what happened to Tendoy.

The court document revealed that Castillo gave them a much more vivid description of the events leading up to the 911 call that night.

According to the document, Castillo told investigators that he and Tendoy's mother had been drinking that evening, before and after they put Tendoy to bed at about 9.30pm.

At some point, Tendoy's mother went to sleep. Castillo continued to drink, before taking a showering and hearing a thud.

Castillo's alleged description of what happened next veers away from what he told cops and paramedics that night.

After Tendoy died, his family decided to donate his organs to eight children in need

It was only during the interview with the investigators that Castillo revealed that after checking on Tendoy, he gave the boy a bottle because he was upset.

When the bottle failed to settle Tendoy and he kept whining, Castillo allegedly said he used all his strength to push the toddler, resulting in Tendoy falling against a door jam. The child apparently continued 'bothering' Castillo, following him as he walked away.

At that point, the court document said that Castillo 'heel kicked' the boy in the stomach, causing Tendoy to hit a wall and door trim. He then put the child into his playpen.

When Tendoy continued to cry, Castillo said he picked up the toddler and then hit him as hard as he could before repeatedly shaking him and then depositing him back into the playpen.

Castillo then left Tendoy alone, during which time the child crawled out of the playpen and fell on the floor, which is how Castillo found him later  on his back, unresponsive.

Cops arrested Castillo on March 24 and charged him with felony aggravated battery and felony injury to a child.

But, when Tendoy was declared brain dead and died the next day, on March 25, prosecutors amended the charges to first-degree murder.

Castillo is in Bingham County Jail and has a $1 million bond. He is scheduled to be arraigned on May 1.

Although Idaho is a state in which capital punishment is legal, Bingham County Prosecutor Cleve Colson is not seeking the death penalty in Castillo's case.

If Castillo is convicted of first-degree murder, he could face up to life in prison, with an added $50,000 fine.

Following Tendoy's death, East Idaho News reported that his family agreed to donate his organs to eight children who needed them.
Michigan police would not legally be able to have sex with prostitutes anymore during undercover investigations under a bill advancing in the state Legislature.

State lawmakers in Lansing, Michigan say the state is the last one that offers police officers immunity from prosecution if they have paid sex with prostitutes while undercover.

The Michigan Senate unanimously approved the legislation Wednesday.

The bill sponsor, Republican Senator Judy Emmons, says she does not think police are using such 'appalling' tactics, but thinks that the legislation is 'long overdue.'

The bill sponsor, Republican Senator Judy Emmons, says she does not think police are using such 'appalling' tactics, but thinks that the legislation is 'long overdue'

'This is pretty significant when you're the only state left in the country who still makes allowances for undercover police to accommodate sexual intercourse. And finally we're to the point where we need to eradicate this law and repeal it and get rid of it,' Emmons told MLive.

The Michigan State Police said in a March statement that they do not take advantage of the immunity offered under the law, and Emmons said she'd heard from other departments around the state that they likewise do not have sex with prostitutes as part of police business.

'It's still on your books, and it looks bad. And you know, there could be a rogue somewhere that might take advantage of it so let's just get rid of it,' Emmons said.

She adds that removing the immunity law from the books would protect women from being re-victimized by law enforcement.

The legislation now moves to the state House, where a similar bill has been introduced.
The father of a Hawaii boy who went missing 20 years ago has led investigators to the location where he claims his son's remains are buried as a part of a plea deal.

Last week, Peter Kema Sr pleaded guilty to manslaughter and may avoid life in prison in exchange for revealing the spot where police can find his son, 'Peter Boy,' in Puna, Big Island.

Thus far, the child's remains have still reportedly not been found, but police are working tirelessly to pinpoint their exact location.

Last week, Peter Kema Sr pleaded guilty to manslaughter and may avoid life in prison in exchange for revealing the spot where police can find his son, 'Peter Boy,' in Puna, Big Island

If Peter Jr's body is never found, his father will have to submit to a polygraph test to prove that he was telling the truth. He will be permitted to serve the time concurrently if all goes to plan, Hawaii News Now reported.

This undated file photo shows missing Hawaii boy, Peter Kema, Jr, known as 'Peter Boy,' in a photo provided by his family

Peter Kema Sr also entered a guilty plea to hindering prosecution and agreed to a 20-year prison sentence, with a mandatory minimum of six years and eight months if he helps authorities find the remains of his son, who was six when he disappeared.

If Kema doesn't cooperate, prosecutors can ask for a 25-year term, Hawaii County Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Ricky Damerville said.

'This saga doesn't end until we find that body,' the prosecutor said after the hearing on the Big Island.

Peter Kema didn't provide those details in court last Wednesday. He only responded 'yes' when a judge asked if he recklessly caused the boy's death by not getting him medical treatment.



In 1996 and 1997, extended family members, most of them now dead, were concerned that the boy's father was abusing him. An arm injury was left untreated, festering and filling with puss until there was a hole so deep someone could put a finger inside it, Damerville said last year.

Kema and his wife, Jaylin, had long been suspects in the boy's disappearance, but prosecutors said they didn't have enough evidence to charge them until last year, when a grand jury indicted the couple on murder charges

Despite having health insurance, Jaylin Kema didn't get her son medical treatment and didn't report the abuse because she was afraid of her husband, Damerville said.

Kema and his wife, Jaylin, had long been suspects in the boy's disappearance, but prosecutors said they didn't have enough evidence to charge them until last year, when a grand jury indicted the couple on murder charges.

Jaylin Kema pleaded guilty last year to manslaughter in the first official confirmation that the child was dead. In exchange for a one-year sentence with credit for time served, she agreed to waive her marital privilege and testify against her husband if he went to trial.

She agreed to facts prosecutors laid out in court about abuse suffered by the boy, her failure to get him medical treatment and his eventual death.

Despite having health insurance, Jaylin Kema didn't get her son medical treatment and didn't report the abuse because she was afraid of her husband, Damerville said

Sometime between May and June 1997, the couple's then four-year-old daughter heard Jaylin Kema calling out for her husband and saw her trying to resuscitate the boy. The girl later saw her brother in a box, Damerville said.

Prosecutors believe the boy died from septic shock from not getting medical care. They do not believe Jaylin Kema knows the location of the body.

In the late 1990s and early 2000s, the boy known as 'Peter Boy,' became the face of a campaign for missing and abused children. Posters and bumper stickers asked, 'So where's Peter?'

In the late 1990s and early 2000s, the boy known as 'Peter Boy,' became the face of a campaign for missing and abused children. Posters and bumper stickers asked, 'So where's Peter?'

Peter Kema told authorities that he took his son from the Big Island to Oahu and gave him to someone named 'Aunty Rose Makuakane' in an informal adoption. Police could not find a woman as described by Kema or airline records that indicated he had flown there.

Four years ago, Hawaii County Prosecuting Attorney Mitch Roth vowed to give the cold case a fresh look. Roth said he knew that without a body, prosecuting the couple would be difficult.

A turning point came when Kema's wife agreed to testify against him, Roth said.

Roth was in court on Wednesday sitting next to Peter Boy's maternal grandfather.

'Now we'll know the truth,' Roth said. 'It answers the question for the public: Where is Peter Boy?'
A woman asleep in her bed has been sexually assaulted by an intruder who ran off when she woke up screaming.

Police say the man broke into the 55-year-old woman's home in the Brisbane suburb of Doolandella around 1.15am on Thursday and touched her inappropriately.

He ran off when she started screaming and a car was heard speeding away down Numbat Place after the attack.

A woman asleep in her bed has been sexually assaulted by an intruder who ran off when she woke up screaming on Numbat Place (pictured) in Brisbane's Doolandella

The woman was not physically injured.

Police are now searching for a Caucasian man aged in his 40s with blond hair and weathered features.

He was wearing a blue shirt at the time of the sexual assault.
A man bowled 12 consecutive strikes in just 86.9 seconds in what appears to be the world's fastest 300-point game.

Ben Ketola, a 23-year-old employee at 281 Bowl in Cortland, New York, crushed a 2015 attempt by pro-bowler Tom Doughtery that clocked in at 1 minute 50.99 seconds.

In the gripping video captured by his friend, Ketola can be seen rolling strike after strike with both hands on April 5.

Ben Ketola, a 23-year-old employee at 281 Bowl in Cortland, New York, bowled 12 consecutive strikes in just 86.9 seconds

In the video captured by his co-worker John Bishop earlier this month, Ketola can be seen launching a bowling ball down the lane before quickly running to retrieve a second one

While the United States Bowling Congress' record books do not have an official category for world's fastest 300 game, Ketola was inspired by Doughtery.

The pro-bowler posted a YouTube video dubbed 'world's fastest 300 game' in 2015, which clocked in nearly half a minute slower than Ketola's.

In the video captured by his co-worker John Bishop earlier this month, Ketola can be seen launching a bowling ball down the lane before quickly running to retrieve a second one.

Ketola barely had time to check whether his throws knocked all 10 pins over before he was on to the next one while Bishop cheered him on.

He quickly made his way down the length of the bowling alley before running back to the first lane and throwing his final two strikes. Pictured, Ketola cheering triumphantly

He quickly made his way down the length of the bowling alley before running back to the first lane and throwing his final two strikes.

Ketola, who was out of breath by the time he finished, cheered and taunted Doughtery by saying: 'My 300 game is way better than yours!'

The bowler told Syracuse.com: 'It was fun to do. I honestly wasn't expecting to do it.'

Ketola is already looking forward to his next feat, saying: 'Next time I may set up all spares on the lanes and see how fast I can make those.'
A young woman who had dreams of becoming a stylist in London has been left a widowed mother-of-two under jihadist rule in Syria.

Islam Maytat married an Afghan-British businessman hoping it was her ticket to life in Britain.

But the young Moroccan has spent three traumatic years in northern Syria under the Islamic State group's so-called 'caliphate'.

Twenty-three year old Islam Maytat from Morocco with her children Maria, left, and Abdullah, right, in relative safety in Qamishli

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 has fled IS's northern stronghold of Raqa, and is safe in the Kurdish-majority city of Qamishli.

She has a 10-month-old daughter Maria, and an older son called Abdullah.

The brave 23-year-old said: '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.'

The 23-year-old first met her first husband in 2014 and married him later that year, crediting their wedding as the catalyst to get her studying for her degree

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.

She dreamed of moving to London to work as a stylist, but soon after the wedding, it became clear that would not be happening

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.

She said: 'I asked them "Why are you here?" And they told me they were there to migrate to the caliphate in Syria.'

In June 2014, IS declared a self-styled 'caliphate' across Syria and Iraq, where it implemented its literal interpretation of Islamic law.

She added: '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.'

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".'

Above, with her children, with whom she fled ISIS controled Raqa. After being taken to the Middle East with promises of going to Britain, she found herself at the border with Syria, going to an ISIS caliphate

The young woman said 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 said.

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.

She was pregnant with her first child, Abdullah, above, when her husband was killed on a month-long training mission before he was deployed to the front line

Her second child, Maria, with whom she is seen left and right, was the daughter of her third marriage, to an Indian fighter in Raqa called Abu Talha al-Hindi. He was also killed in battle

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 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.

She said: '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.'
Monica Lewinsky headed north this weekend, with the New York resident trekking across the country and over the border for the annual TED conference in Vancouver.

The anti-bullying activist, 43, was not on-hand to give a speech this year however, but rather as part of the prestigious group of TED attendees.

And just two days into her trip she has already proven to be the most popular girl around, posing up for photos with civil rights activist DeRay Mckesson and an impressive group of high-powered gals that included Ellen Pao.

Lewinsky and Mckesson later exchanged tweets after their meeting, with the prominent member of the Black Lives Matters movement writing: '@MonicaLewinsky it was good to connect yesterday, looking forward to learning more about your work re: bullying & what we can do together.

She responded with a kissing face emoji, and later wrote: 'ditto, @deray ... ditto.'

Scroll down for video

On the go: Monica Lewinsky is in Vancouver for the Canadian city's annual TED conference and was spotted heading to a talk on Tuesday (above)

In demand: She will not be speaking this year

Hair care: Lewinsky's luscious locks looked full and flawless as she headed in the Vancouver Convention Center

Queen bee: Lewinsky has already proven to be the most popular girl around, posing up for a photo with civil rights activist DeRay Mckesson (above)

It has now been 20 years since Lewinsky was first unwillingly launched into the national spotlight because of her affair with the most powerful man in the world.

And it has been two years since she made her mark on the TED scene with a powerful speech about what became of her life after the former intern became the object of affection for the married commander-in-chief.

It was in Vancouver in fact when she wowed not only those in attendance but millions around the world with her talk.

'You're looking at a woman who was publicly silent for a decade,' said Lewinsky at the start of that talk.

'Obviously, that's changed, but only recently.'

She went on to say in her talk: 'Not a day goes by that I'm not reminded of my mistake, and I regret that mistake deeply.

'In 1998, after having been swept up into an improbable romance, I was then swept up into the eye of a political, legal and media maelstrom like we had never seen before.

'Remember, just a few years earlier, news was consumed from just three places: reading a newspaper or magazine, listening to the radio, or watching television.That was it.'

Lewinsky continued: 'But that wasn't my fate. Instead, this scandal was brought to you by the digital revolution. That meant we could access all the information we wanted, when we wanted it, anytime, anywhere, and when the story broke in January 1998, it broke online.

'It was the first time the traditional news was usurped by the Internet for a major news story, a click that reverberated around the world.'

Making her mark: Lewisnky (above on Wednesday) launched onto the TED scene two years ago in the same city with her powerful speech about bullying and her affair with President Bill Clinton

Powerful words: 'You're looking at a woman who was publicly silent for a decade. Obviously, that's changed, but only recently,' Lewisnky said in that speech

Ladies who lead: The anti-bullying activist (left) an impressive group of high-powered gals that included Ellen Pao at the conference

That story will now be on display for all to revisit once again however very soon.

It was reported in January that Ryan Murphy had optioned Jeffrey Toobin's bestselling book 'A Vast Conspiracy: The Real Sex Scandal That Nearly Brought Down a President' for an upcoming season of his American Crime Story anthology.

That book tells that tale of Bill Clinton's affair with Lewinsky, and Linda Tripp, the woman who revealed the details of the pair's intimate indiscretions to the world.

But that hair: Lewinsky's locks continuing to amaze on Monday

The scandal grew so big at the time that it almost led to Clinton being impeached from office.

At the time the affair began between the president and his intern in November 1995, Clinton was 49-years-old and Lewinsky was a 22-year-old White House employee.

Lewinsky would later claim the two were together nine times between that first encounter and March of 1997.

The affair became public in January of 1998 after Tripp gave tapes of Lewinsky admitting to her relationship to Kenneth Star, who at the time was pursuing the Whitewater controversy and Clinton's alleged sexual harassment of Paula Jones, a former Arkansas state employee.

When Clinton was under investigation for the affair in 1998, he denied having an relations with the brunette from Beverly Hills, famously saying: 'I did not have sexual relations with that woman, Miss Lewinsky' in a nationally televised White House news conference.'

He later admitted to the affair and claimed that hois definition of sexual relations differed from that of others.

Replay: It was reported in January that Ryan Murphy had optioned Jeffrey Toobin's bestselling book 'A Vast Conspiracy: The Real Sex Scandal That Nearly Brought Down a President' (Lewinsky and Clinton above in 1995)

Victim: That book tells that tale of Bill Clinton's affair with Lewinsky, and Linda Tripp, the woman who revealed the details of the pair's intimate indiscretions

In an recent interview, Tripp suggested that she is the reason that Lewinsky is alive.

'I say today and I will continue to say, that I believe Monica Lewinsky is alive today because of choices I made and action I took,' Tripp said in a radio interview with Breitbart's Aaron Klein.

Tripp told Klein she realized she sounded 'melodramatic,' but 'I can only say that from my perspective, I believe that she and I were at the time in danger, because nothing stands in the way of these people achieving their political ends.

Tripp had worked in both the Bush 41 and Clinton White House, and then worked in the Pentagon alongside Lewinsky when the former White House intern opened up to her about her affair with Bill Clinton.

Tripp taped their conversations and, to get out of a wiretape charge, handed the recordings over to Independent Counsel Kenneth Starr.

She was demonized in the media, as being motivated by money and for wanting to write a book. On 'Saturday Night Live' she was portrayed by John Goodman.

During an hour-long radio interview with Klein, who also operates as Breitbart's Jerusalem bureau chief, Tripp pushed back on her public persona.

'The money I might have made on a book would never have overtaken what I gave up: My career, my pension. I was making a very decent salary. There was just no way that a book could have made up for what I would lose,' Tripp said.

'But the media, in an attempt I suppose to support the Clintons' perspective, painted me that way,' she continued. 'So there is very little the average layperson can do to fight that media saturation.'

She also pointed to the fact that she never wrote a tell-all, even with the continued interest in the Clintons, especially the Lewinsky scandal, after all these years.
Theresa May is expected to drop a Conservative pledge to leave the European Convention of Human Rights

Theresa May is to drop a pledge to pull the UK out of the European Convention on Human Rights.

The Prime Minister said she wanted to leave the convention while she was Home Secretary, saying it frustrated her plans to deport hate preacher Abu Qatada.

But in her new role at Number 10, she is expected to drop the pledge from the new Conservative manifesto, deeming it a distraction to Brexit negotiations.

The Telegraph reports this would leave Britain tied to the convention for another five years, until 2022.

At the end of December last year, the Prime Minister said she would be committed to pulling out of the ECHR, laying out plans for a 2020 manifesto.

She intended to enshrine the same rights in UK law, cutting off the overriding power from the Strasbourg court.

But earlier this week, liberal Conservatives were reportedly concerned she would see the election as an opportunity to get a mandate to pull out as well as strengthening her Brexit plans.

According to the Guardian, former attorney general Dominic Grieve, former culture secretary Maria Miller and former environment secretary Caroline Spelman, all back plans to remain in the ECHR.

The ECHR exists entirely separately from the European Union, and so Mrs May's mandate on Brexit does not necessarily equate to one to pull the UK out of the convention.

As Home Secretary, Mrs May said the ECHR frustrated her plans to deport radical preacher Abu Qatada, above. The ECHR ruled he could not return to Jordan as he may be tried on evidence obtained by torture

It offers rights and freedoms to European citizens, including rights to a fair trial, privacy, expression and freedom of thought.

As Justice Secretary as far back as 2014, Chris Grayling said a future Conservative government would consider leaving the ECHR.

In 2012, the ECHR ruled the UK could not deport Qatada, on the basis that returning him to Jordan meant he may be tried based on evidence obtained through torture.

In the 2015 Conservative manifesto, the party stated: 'The European Court of Human Rights has developed mission creep. Strasbourg adopts a principle of interpretation that regards the Convention as a living instrument.

Mrs May, left, and right with Jean-Claude Juncker on Wednesday, is said to believe that including the commitment to leaving the convention will distract from her Brexit negotiations

'Even allowing for necessary changes over the decades, the ECtHR has used its living instrument doctrine to expand Convention rights into new areas, and certainly beyond what the framers of the Convention had in mind when they signed up to it.'

It pledged reforms to reduce the role of the ECHR in Britain to an 'advisory body', without the ability to change UK law.

The leak comes as Mrs May hosted President Jean-Claude Juncker and the EU's chief Brexit negotiator for a working dinner at Number 10.

It was the first time the Prime Minister had met Michel Barnier face-to-face. A spokesman for the Prime Minister said she had told the pair she wanted a 'deep and special relationship' between the EU and Britain after Brexit.

'The PM had a constructive meeting this evening with President Juncker of the European Commission,' the spokesperson said in a statement.

'Following the UK's letter of notification under Article 50 (that it is exiting the EU), she reiterated the UK's commitment to achieving a deep and special partnership with the European Union.'

The meeting was seen as a sign the Prime Minister is determined to personally steer through Brexit after promising Britons she will deliver on the historic referendum vote.
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Violence has erupted again on the streets of Venezuela as thousands continue to protest against the government of Nicolas Maduro.

Protesters were marching on Wednesday to deliver a message to the nation's ombudsman, whose job is to stand up for citizens' rights but who the opposition have described as being the 'defenders of the dictator.'

Demonstrators were stopped by state security forces launching tear gas as they marched on the main highway in the capital of Caracas.

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A man draped in the Venezuelan flag faces off with police as demonstrators and police clash in opposition protests in Caracas

An opposition supporter throws a molotov cocktail during clashes with security forces at a rally against Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro

Opposition supporters run from tear gas as they clash with security forces during another rally against the leftist president

The latest protests began after the Supreme Court took over powers from the opposition-controlled National Assembly

Opposition demonstrators are trying for the seventh time this month to march on the office of the ombudsman in central Caracas

Twenty-seven people have been killed since the current wave of protests began at the end of March.

The latest protests started when the Supreme Court stripped the opposition-controlled National Assembly of much of its powers on March 29.

It reversed its decision three days later amid a storm of international criticism but hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans continued to flood the streets demanding an end to Maduro's presidency.

The protests have frequently ended in violent confrontations with security forces, which have used tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse crowds, and there also have clashes with pro-government groups.

Venezuela's chief prosecutor, Luisa Ortega Diaz, on Tuesday said more than 400 people had been injured and nearly 1,300 detained since the protests against the leftist president began last month.

Opposition leaders have blamed armed pro-government militias known as 'colectivos' for a number of the deaths, while government officials have accused the opposition of working with criminal gangs to stir up unrest.

In the latest tally of deaths, authorities announced that Christian Humberto Ochoa Soriano, 22, had been shot and killed during a Monday protest shortly after he walked out of his home in Valencia, a city of east of Caracas. It was unknown if he was affiliated with the demonstration.

Opponents of Maduro have taken part in further protests against the president in Caracas today

Riot police officers clash with opposition supporters during a rally in Caracas today

The protest came as Venezuela's socialist government threatened to pull out of the Organization of American States over criticism of the administration's handling of its political opponents

An opposition activist affected by tear gas is assisted during violent clashes with police in Caracas

There were fierce confrontations in the capital between security forces and anti-government protesters, who staged yet another march amid political unrest that has been blamed for 27 deaths in recent weeks

Opposition supporters prepare a barricade as they clash with security forces in the capital of Venezuela

The swell of protests is the most violent in economically struggling Venezuela since two months of anti-government demonstrations in 2014 that resulted in dozens of deaths.

Maduro has called for renewed dialogue, but opposition leaders have ruled that out as an option after earlier talks collapsed in December.

They have demanded early elections and the release of opposition politicians arrested since Maduro took office in 2013.

Maduro has accused opposition leaders of stirring up violence to destabilise his government, create discontent and seize power.

The opposition accuses the government of using the security forces to repress peaceful protests, and of sending gun-toting thugs to attack them

The wave of protests since early April against socialist Maduro have sparked Venezuela's worst violence since 2014

As well as wanting a general election, Maduro's opponents are demanding the release of jailed activists, humanitarian aid to help offset shortages of food and medicine, and autonomy for the opposition-led legislature

The government have said dozens of businesses have been looted and many police officers and soldiers have been attacked by hooded protestors.

The Organisation of American States will hold an emergency meeting later today to discuss the crisis.

Venezuela said on Wednesday that it was quitting the Organization in anger at pressure from the bloc over the government's handling of a deadly political crisis.

It is the first time a country has said it will quit since it was set up in 1948.

Foreign Minister Delcy Rodriguez said the government would launch a two-year process to pull out of the Washington-based regional diplomatic grouping.

Venezuelan opposition Deputy Carlos Paparoni pushes the shields of riot policemen during a march in Caracas

Opponents of President Maduro take cover behind homemade shields during clashes with security forces

The center-right opposition blames Maduro for severe shortages of food, medicine and other essentials in the oil-rich country
President Donald Trump taunted a federal judge and the liberal federal circuit that reviews his cases on Wednesday, saying a Supreme Court showdown was inevitable after his 'sanctuary city' crackdown was blocked.

The president even floated the idea of breaking up the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, after venting that judicial decisions were 'semi-automatic' on the liberal West Coast-based Circuit.

'There are many people that want to break up the 9th Circuit. It's outrageous,' Trump told the Washington Examiner in an interview.

Without explicitly calling for breaking up the San Francisco-based Circuit, Trump vented: 'Everybody immediately runs to the 9th Circuit. And we have a big country. We have lots of other locations. But they immediately run to the 9th Circuit. Because they know that's like, semi-automatic.'

Days ago, Attorney General Jeff Sessions vented about another ruling from a Hawaii-based judge.

'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,' Pence complained on the Mark Levin show last week.

Blasted: The Trump administration has lashed out at a San Francisco judge who blocked a ban on federal funding for sanctuary cities. Judge William Orrick (right), an Obama-era appointee, struck down the measure on Wednesday

'First the Ninth Circuit rules against the [travel] ban & now it hits again on sanctuary cities-both ridiculous rulings. See you in the Supreme Court!' the president said on Twitter, lashing out at U.S. District Judge William Orrick.

The swipe came hours after the White House slammed opponents of its immigration policies in the strongest terms yet, saying lawmakers who protect illegal-immigrant criminals have 'the blood of dead Americans on their hands.'

Trump wrote in a pair of tweets: 'Out of our very big country, with many choices, does everyone notice that both the 'ban' case and now the 'sanctuary' case is brought in the Ninth Circuit, which has a terrible record of being overturned (close to 80%). They used to call this 'judge shopping!' Messy system.'

Orrick isn't technically part of the Ninth Circuit, which is an appeals court. He is a district court judge, which is one level down in the federal judicial system.

But at the top of the pyramid is the U.S. Supreme Court, where Trump successfully placed a new justice this month  restoring a conservative tilt that could ultimately decide the sanctuary city issue and a host of others.

The president's rhetoric has been unusually heated on the issue of whether states, counties and cities can effectively hide illegal immigrants from the feds when they arrest or sentence them.

Trump complained about the ruling in the Examiner interview.

President Donald Trump tweeted that he would ultimately prevail with his plan to withhold money from cities and counties that refuse to hand illegal-immigrant criminals over to federal immigration agents for deportation

Mayors and officials from the Major Cities Chiefs Association, including Tom Manger, chief of police in Montgomery County, Maryland (centre), met Jeff Sessions for discussions on sanctuary cities

'The language could not be any clearer. I mean, the language on the ban, it reads so easy that a reasonably good student in the first grade will fully understand it. And they don't even mention the words in their rejection on the ban,' Trump said.

'And the same thing with this [sanctuary city ruling]. I mean, when you have people that are being enabled to commit crime. And in San Francisco, when you look at Kate Steinle, being shot and here is the court, you know, right in that same general area. And when you look at a Kate Steinle, when you look at so many other things,' he said, in reference to Steinle's murder by an illegal immigrant in 2015.

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In a lengthy statement released on Tuesday night by Trump's press secretary, Sean Spicer, the White House said Orrick's decision to block a ban on funding for sanctuary cities was 'a gift to criminal gangs and cartels.'

The statement cited the death of Kathryn 'Kate' Steinle, the 32-year-old woman shot dead by an illegal immigrant in Orrick's city of San Francisco in 2015. Trump invoked Steinle's name repeatedly during his presidential campaign to make the case that violent criminals who are in the U.S. illegally should be shown no mercy.

'San Francisco, and cities like it, are putting the well-being of criminal aliens before the safety of our citizens, and those city officials who authored these policies have the blood of dead Americans on their hands,' the statement read.

The furious criticism came after Orrick blocked an order allowing the federal government to withhold grant funding from communities that fail to cooperate with U.S. immigration authorities.

Orrick, ruling in a federal lawsuit, declared that the president had no authority to use an executive order to attach new conditions to federal spending.

The decision will stay in place while the lawsuit works its way through the courts.

The president has taken issue with the Ninth Circuit court's aggressive approach to his executive orders, saying correctly that it's America's most liberal circuit and that the Supreme Court overrules four out of every five of its cases that it reviews

'We'll go to the Supreme Court and win it there,' said Sean Spicer, the president's press secretary

Spicer described the decision as 'another blow' for 'the rule of law, as an unelected judge unilaterally rewrote immigration policy for our Nation.'

His statement went on to say cities that don't turn over their jailed criminals to immigration officials 'are engaged in the dangerous and unlawful nullification of Federal law in an attempt to erase our borders.'

'This decision occurred in the same sanctuary city that released the 5-time deported illegal immigrant who gunned down innocent Kate Steinle in her father's arms,' his statement said.

THE KILLING OF KATHRYN STEINLE The White House's incendiary rant makes reference to San Francisco murder victim 'Kate Steinle', in reference to Judge Orrick's ruling. Kathryn Steinle was shot dead on a pier in the city in 2015 by Juan Francisco Lopez-Sanchez, who had previously been deported from the US five times. Her father, Jim Steinle, attempted first aid but was unable to save her. She was 32 years old. Sanchez told police that he'd found the gun that killed Steinle wrapped in a T-shirt under a bench and that he had been trying to shoot seals. He said he was groggy after eating sleeping pills he found in a trash can, The gun had been stolen from a Bureau of Land Management vehicle the night before. Sanchez first entered the US in 1991 and was deported in 1994. In-between he had four felony drug convictions, including manufacturing narcotics. He then bounced in and out of the country and was deported for the final time in 2009. He re-entered the US three months later and was jailed. Sanchez was transferred on March 26, 2015, to San Francisco authorities on an outstanding drug warrant; they later released him as the warrant was out of date. ICE demanded they hand him over, but the San Francisco authorities refused and released him. Three months later he shot and killed Steinle. Kathryn Steinle (pictured) was shot dead in San Francisco in 2015 by Juan Francisco Lopez Sanchez, who had been deported from the US five times previously Advertisement

'San Francisco, and cities like it, are putting the well-being of criminal aliens before the safety of our citizens, and those city officials who authored these policies have the blood of dead Americans on their hands.

'This San Francisco judge's erroneous ruling is a gift to the criminal gang and cartel element in our country, empowering the worst kind of human trafficking and sex trafficking, and putting thousands of innocent lives at risk.'

Spicer's lengthy statement concluded by saying the White House was 'confident' that it would be vindicated by the Supreme Court, and that it would 'pursue all legal remedies to the sanctuary city threat that imperils our citizens.'

The press secretary appeared on the Fox news Channel in the mid-morning hours, saying that 'as it goes to the Supreme Court they will clearly rule that the president was well within his legal right to do this.'

'I think that anybody that's got a basic understanding of the Constitution and a basic reading of U.S. Code would come to the same conclusions. So we'll go through the process. And as the president noted, we'll go to the Supreme Court and win it there,' Spicer said.

The Trump administration disagreed with two California governments that sued over the order about its scope during a recent court hearing.

San Francisco and Santa Clara County argued that it threatened billions of dollars in federal funding for each of them, making it difficult to plan their budgets.

'It's not like it's just some small amount of money,' John Keker, an attorney for Santa Clara County, told Orrick  an Obama-era appointee to the federal bench  at an April 14 hearing.

Chad Readler, acting assistant attorney general, said the county and San Francisco were interpreting the executive order too broadly.

The funding cutoff applies to three Justice Department and Homeland Security Department grants that require complying with a federal law that local governments not block officials from providing people's immigration status, he said.

The order would affect less than $1 million in funding for Santa Clara County and possibly no money at all for San Francisco, Readler said.

Trump was using a 'bully pulpit' to 'encourage communities and states to comply with the law,' Readler said.

In his ruling, Orrick sided with San Francisco and Santa Clara, saying the order 'by its plain language, attempts to reach all federal grants, not merely the three mentioned at the hearing.'

'The rest of the order is broader still, addressing all federal funding,' Orrick said.

'And if there was doubt about the scope of the order, the president and attorney general have erased it with their public comments.'

He said: 'Federal funding that bears no meaningful relationship to immigration enforcement cannot be threatened merely because a jurisdiction chooses an immigration enforcement strategy of which the president disapproves.'

WHITE HOUSE STATEMENT IN FULL Today, the rule of law suffered another blow, as an unelected judge unilaterally rewrote immigration policy for our Nation. Federal law explicitly states 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, of any individual. 8 U.S.C. 1373(a). That means, according to Congress, a city that prohibits its officials from providing information to federal immigration authorities - a sanctuary city - is violating the law. Sanctuary cities, like San Francisco, block their jails from turning over criminal aliens to Federal authorities for deportation. These cities are engaged in the dangerous and unlawful nullification of Federal law in an attempt to erase our borders. Once again, a single district judge - this time in San Francisco - has ignored Federal immigration law to set a new immigration policy for the entire country. This decision occurred in the same sanctuary city that released the 5-time deported illegal immigrant who gunned down innocent Kate Steinle in her father's arms. San Francisco, and cities like it, are putting the well-being of criminal aliens before the safety of our citizens, and those city officials who authored these policies have the blood of dead Americans on their hands. This San Francisco judge's erroneous ruling is a gift to the criminal gang and cartel element in our country, empowering the worst kind of human trafficking and sex trafficking, and putting thousands of innocent lives at risk. This case is yet one more example of egregious overreach by a single, unelected district judge. Todays [sic] ruling undermines faith in our legal system and raises serious questions about circuit shopping. But we are confident we will ultimately prevail in the Supreme Court, just as we will prevail in our lawful efforts to impose immigration restrictions necessary to keep terrorists out of the United States. In the meantime, we will pursue all legal remedies to the sanctuary city threat that imperils our citizens, and continue our efforts to ramp up enforcement to remove the criminal and gang element from our country. Ultimately, this is a fight between sovereignty and open borders, between the rule of law and lawlessness, and between hardworking Americans and those who would undermine their safety and freedom. Advertisement

The Trump administration says sanctuary cities allow dangerous criminals back on the street and that the order is needed to keep the country safe.

San Francisco and other sanctuary cities say turning local police into immigration officers erodes trust that's needed to get people to report crime.

The order also has led to lawsuits by Seattle; two Massachusetts cities, Lawrence and Chelsea; and a third San Francisco Bay Area government, the city of Richmond. The San Francisco and Santa Clara County suits were the first to get a hearing before a judge.

San Francisco and the county argued in court documents that the president did not have the authority to set conditions on the allocation of federal funds and could not force local officials to enforce federal immigration law.

They also said Trump's order applied to local governments that didn't detain immigrants for possible deportation in response to federal requests, not just those that refused to provide people's immigration status.

The Department of Justice responded that the city and county's lawsuits were premature because decisions about withholding funds and what local governments qualified as sanctuary cities had yet to be made.

The sanctuary city order was among a flurry of immigration measures Trump has signed since taking office in January, including a ban on travelers from seven Muslim-majority countries and a directive calling for a wall on the border with Mexico.

A judge from the 9th Circuit blocked the initial travel ban from seven Muslim-majority countries, and appeal judges from the circuit also ruled against it.

Trump suggested breaking up the circuit and said that it was notoriously liberal.

Sanctuary cities have become increasingly contentious, with Attorney General Jeff Sessions issuing harsh criticism last week of cities including New York which generally refuse to cooperate with immigration authorities.

Taking a tough line: Jeff Sessions, the attorney general, sent nine jurisdictions letters on Friday warning they would lose key grant money unless they document cooperation with immigration authorities

The Trump administration has suggested that cities, counties or states which prohibit law enforcement from cooperating with federal immigration authorities would lose federal funding.

Mayors from some of the cities affected met Sessions on Tuesday but emerged from the meeting saying they remain confused about how to prove their police aren't prohibited from cooperating with immigration authorities - a requirement for the money.

The Justice Department has warned some jurisdictions that they could lose some law enforcement grant money if they don't prove their local police and sheriffs are able to share information with federal immigration authorities about the citizenship status of people in their custody.

Sessions has labeled cities that bar such information-sharing as 'sanctuary cities.'

'We want all jurisdictions to enthusiastically support the laws of the United States that require the removal of criminal aliens, as many jurisdictions already do,' Sessions said in a statement released after the meeting with representatives of the U.S. Conference of Mayors.

But the officials who met with Sessions said practical questions remain about how to follow the rules.

For example, does that mean a sheriff's department must tell Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) about an inmate's incarceration by phone?

Or will an inmate's fingerprint information, taken by the jail and then shared with the FBI and ICE, be enough? And how long can a local jail hold someone for immigration authorities without violating their rights?

'We got more clarity than we've ever received, but we also have other thorny issues to sort through,' said Jorge Elorza, the mayor of Providence, Rhode Island, after the hour-long meeting.

It was the first time the delegation of mayors met with Sessions since the department sent nine jurisdictions letters on Friday warning they would lose key grant money unless they document cooperation with immigration authorities.

The jurisdictions, which include the state of California and major cities like Chicago, New York and Philadelphia, were places the Justice Department's inspector general previously identified as having barriers to information-sharing among local police and immigration officials. Some disputed they met the 'sanctuary city' title.

New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu, whose city received one of the letters, said he provided Sessions with proof of compliance during Tuesday's meeting but remained stunned the city received a warning in the first place, as it drafted its policies in consultation with federal immigration and Homeland Security officials.

The delegation also included mayors from Columbia, South Carolina; Gary, Indiana; and Austin, Texas. The meeting touched on a number of other concerns related to the Trump administration's immigration policies they said remain confusing.

On a number of immigration issues, 'we hear very different messages from (Homeland Security), DOJ and also the White House,' Elorza said. 'Just give us clarity and please have one, clear policy so we can know where we stand.'
A British jihadi killed by an unprecedented RAF drone strike in Syria was plotting murder on Britains streets, an inquiry has concluded.

MPs and peers said David Camerons decision to assassinate Cardiff-born extremist Reyaad Khan with a missile had prevented a very significant loss of life in the UK.

The then Prime Minister ordered the blitz against Khan, 21, two years ago because security chiefs assessed there was a high risk he was orchestrating attacks against the West.

British jihadi Reyaad Khan, who was killed by an unprecedented RAF drone strike in Syria, was plotting murder on Britains streets, an inquiry has concluded

The then Prime Minister ordered the blitz against Khan, pictured, two years ago because security chiefs assessed there was a high risk he was orchestrating attacks against the West

MPs and peers on the Intelligence and Security Committee investigated the intelligence basis for the strike and said in a report yesterday that Khan had posed a very serious threat.

The ISC, which had high-level access to intelligence reports, said Khan was a prolific radicaliser, recruiter and attack-planner for Islamic State. Its report said: He orchestrated numerous plots to murder large numbers of UK citizens and those of our allies, as part of a wider terrorist group which considers itself at war with the West.

Khan died with Ruhul Amin, another British jihadi, when an RAF Reaper drone blasted their vehicle near the IS stronghold of Raqqa on August 21, 2015. It was the first time the UK had conducted a lethal attack using a remotely-piloted aircraft outside regular military conflict. Three days later a US drone killed British extremist Junaid Hussain.

Khan, who appeared in an IS recruitment video in June 2014, was said to be part of a jihadi internet warfare cell.

Ministers at the time said he had plotted to bring bloodshed to public commemorations attended by war veterans and dignitaries including the Queen.

Khan was linked to some of the seven thwarted terror plots against the UK in 2015. Because it was unlikely Khan would leave Syria, MI5 told Mr Cameron: There are no other credible opportunities for us to comprehensively disrupt Khans attack planning beyond a lethal strike.

Tory MP Dominic Grieve, the ISC chairman, said yesterday: Over the course of nine months he, alongside another plotter (Junaid Hussain), encouraged multiple operatives around the world to conduct attacks against the UK and our allies.

They provided practical instructions for the manufacture of bombs, and information on targets. We are in no doubt that Reyaad Khan posed a very serious threat to the UK.

Mr Grieve said it was disappointing the committee had not been shown some key documents it considered relevant to the decision to kill Khan. The Government said this would have taken the inquiry beyond its focus on the nature of his threat.
This is the touching moment two veterans who fought in the Second World War were reunited for the first time in decades.

The pair were both receiving treatment at a hospital in Shenzhen, China when doctors discovered they had fought side by side during the war.

On April 19, the pair were reunited for the first time in 20 years and medical staff ensured that the two patients were given beds next to each other, reports Huanqiu, an affiliation with the People's Daily Online.

The two men were reunited in the intensive care unit of a hospital in Shenzhen, China

When it was revealed they knew each other, the men were moved next to each other

Beautiful moment: Medical staff were moved to tears after hearing the pair's unique story

Zhuang Shuifa, 88 and Lin Shuishou,90 fought for the Chinese army during the Second World War.

Without realising, they were both in the same hospital ward receiving treatment for lung infections.

The pair were being treated in the intensive care unit at the Eight Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University in Shenzhen.

Zhuang was admitted to hospital on April 15 but it wasn't until four days later that he told doctors where he was from and also his past fighting during the war.

In 1944 at the age of 14, Zhuang was part of a guerilla force who fought against Japanese invasion in southern China. He was shot and wounded in his left eye in 1945 leaving him blind.

Commrades: The two men fought together in southern China during the Second World War

Beautiful moment: Those who witnessed the two men reunite were reportedly in tears

When he told doctors of his past, they told him that another man close to his age and from a nearby village was in the ward.

After more questioning it was revealed that the pair did in fact know each other. Medical staff gave them two hospital beds so that they could spend time with each other.

Upon their meeting Zhuang told Lin: 'You are still alive! Hang on, let's leave the hospital together!'

According to CGTN, Lin has been dealing with mental health issues after years of suffering from various ailments however his meeting with Zhuang improved his mood considerably.

Those who witnessed the two men reunite were reportedly in tears.
China is talking with the European Space Agency about collaborating on a human settlement on the moon.

The secretary general for China's space agency, Tian Yulong, disclosed the talks today in Chinese state media.

The ESA has previously described its 'Moon Village' as a potential international launching pad for future missions to Mars.

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China is talking with the European Space Agency about collaborating on a human settlement on the moon. Pictured is an artist's illustration released by the ESA last year

EXPLORE FAR SIDE OF THE MOON The European Space Agency's CEO Jan Woerner said the project could allow exploration of the far side of the moon. 'No human has ever visited the far side of the Moon,' he wrote. 'Astronomers want to set up radio telescopes there because it is shaded from Earth's radio pollution. Building a telescope with innovative techniques like 3D printing, perhaps using lunar soil, would enable us to look much deeper into the Universe. 'No human has ever visited the lunar pole regions, where unmanned missions found water ice. 'Water is an important resource, because you can produce rocket propellant and oxygen from it. 'Both lunar regions are scientifically very promising places.' Advertisement

Further details on what the collaboration could entail were not revealed.

But last year, the head of the ESA elaborated on plans to build a village on the moon.

'The future of space travel needs a new vision,' said Jan Woerner.

The concept is a base for lunar exploration by humans and robots, which would act as a stopover for spacecraft, and become a 'village' with mining and even tourism.



'The future of space travel needs a new vision.

'Right now we have the Space Station as a common international project, but it won't last forever,' said Woerner.

'If I say Moon Village, it does not mean single houses, a church, a town hall and so on. No, that would be misleading.

'My idea only deals with the core of the concept of a village: people working and living together in the same place.

'And this place would be on the Moon.

Esa scientists have been testing 3D-printing technology they say could be used on the moon. It was one of a number of proposals discussed at an international conference organised by Esa about returning humans to the lunar surface. A proposed lunar base is illustrated

'In the Moon Village we would like to combine the capabilities of different spacefaring nations, with the help of robots and astronauts.

'The participants can work in different fields, perhaps they will conduct pure science and perhaps there will even be business ventures like mining or tourism.'

Woerner said the village could even help man get to Mars.

'The Moon Village would also act as a 'pit stop' for the further exploration of the Universe,' he said.

'Esa is eager to fly to Mars as well.

'For more than a decade, we have had a very successful spacecraft orbiting there. And now, with ExoMars, two unmanned missions are aiming at martian orbit and the surface.

'Yes, the Americans want to send astronauts to Mars one day, but today's technology isn't prepared for this trip yet.

'For example, we must develop countermeasures against the cosmic radiation that endangers the health of humans on long space trips. And we have to learn how to endure longer periods of time in space, not only in low orbit as on the Space Station.

Structures for a lunar base could be built by robots sent ahead of human astronauts. Experts said 3D printing technology can currently construct an entire building in around a week

'This is where our Moon comes into play  it is the perfect stepping stone to Mars.'

China has ramped up its space programme since its first manned spaceflight in 2003, more than 42 years after a Soviet cosmonaut became the first to reach orbit.

China this month launched an unmanned spacecraft on a mission to dock with its currently unoccupied space station.

It plans to launch the first mission to the far side of the moon next year.
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NASA's Cassini spacecraft is currently plunging into the gap between Saturn and its rings, a pioneering journey that could offer an unprecedented view of the planet.

The first of the spacecraft's 22 deep dives between Saturn and its innermost ring begun today at 10am BST (5am ET).

Communications with the spacecraft have gone dark during the dive and will remain so for about a day afterwards while it makes scientific observations of the planet.

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Today Cassini has begun the first of 22 'Grand Finale Orbits' through an unexplored gap before taking its final plunge into the planet. This graphic shows these orbits alongside the Ring-Grazing orbits the craft has undergone over the past 13 years. The orbit of Titan, one of Saturn's moons, is shown in dark green and the direction of Earth is shown in white

THE 'GRAND FINALE' Cassini has circled Saturn for 13 years since reaching its orbit in 2004, spearheading remarkable discoveries about the ringed planet and its icy moons  but now, it's running low on fuel. On April 22 the spacecraft began to transition into its grand finale orbits, taking one last close flyby of Saturn's massive moon Titan. Titan's gravity bent Cassini's flight path, causing the orbit to shrink until it was on course to pass between Saturn and the inner edges of its rings. Today Cassini begun the first of 22 dives through an unexplored gap before it ultimately plunges through the skies of Saturn to end its mission as 'part of the planet itself.' Cassini's mission will officially terminate on September 15, after a planned plummet through Saturn's atmosphere. And, all the while, it will transmit data from several instruments until the signal is finally lost. Advertisement

If Cassini survives the trip, it could make radio contact with Earth as early as 8.05 BST (3:05am ET) on April 27.

'Images and other data are expected to begin flowing in shortly after communication is established,' NASA said.

Cassini is a 20-year-old joint mission of NASA, the European Space Agency and the Italian Space Agency.

The 22-foot-tall (6.7 meter) spacecraft launched in 1997 and began orbiting Saturn in 2004.

But the craft is now running low on fuel, and will make a death plunge into Saturn's surface on September 15.

Yesterday the craft made its final flyby of Saturn's massive moon Titan, collecting data on the hydrocarbon lakes and haze-enshrouded surface of the alien world.

It made its closest approach to Titan at a speed of about 13,000 miles per hour (21,000 kph), marking the beginning of its 'Grand Finale.'

This encounter caused Titan's gravity to bend Cassini's orbit, pulling it slightly in so that it can begin its final set of 22 dives between Saturn and its rings, before plunging into the planet on Sept 15.

The spacecraft made its 127th and final close approach to Titan on April 21, passing at an altitude of about 608 miles (979 kilometers) above the moon's surface.

Cassini transmitted its images and other data to Earth following the encounter.

Scientists, with Cassini's radar investigation, will be looking this week at their final set of new radar images of the hydrocarbon seas and lakes that spread across Titan's north polar region.

'Cassini's up-close exploration of Titan is now behind us, but the rich volume of data the spacecraft has collected will fuel scientific study for decades to come,' said Linda Spilker, the mission's project scientist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California.

It marked the beginning of the 'thrilling final chapter' of Cassini's life, twenty years after it left Earth.

The first of the spaceship's 22 deep dives between Saturn and its innermost ring begun today at 10am BST (5am ET). Communications with the spacecraft have gone dark during the dive and will remain so for about a day afterwards while it makes scientific observations of the planet

Animation showing a side view of Cassini's final 22 orbits of Saturn and its rings - the mission's grand finale. Credit: Nasa/JPL

WHAT TO EXPECT AS CASSINI DIVES TOWARDS SATURN In this artist's illustration the spacecraft is shown breaking apart after entering Saturn's atmosphere. The planned end of Cassini will occur on September 15, 2017 Cassini is beginning a series of orbits, known as death dives, between Saturn and its rings. Tomorrow (8.30BST, 15.30ET) the spacecraft is expected to send images back of its first orbit of the planet and its system of rings. No other spacecraft has taken this journey before and it is believed to be perilous. Cassini will have to dodge floating debris and rocks in order to get close to Saturn's rings. But if it succeeds, scientists will finally be able to take magnetic and gravitational measurements that will help them figure out the mass of Saturn and its rings. Nasa already knows the total mass of Saturn and its rings combined, but is yet to decipher the planet's mass on its own. Getting closer to Saturn will allow Cassini to make observations about its mass without having to factor in its wings. Understanding the mass of Saturn will help Nasa figure out how the planet's rings were first formed. This information could even help us figure out how all of the solar system's planets formed from rings of material circulating the sun. Cassini's orbits will also let us capture images showing our closest ever view of Saturn's clouds. The spacecraft will keep taking measurements and snapping pictures to send back to Earth until just hours before its final plunge on September 15, 2017. Cassini will then plunge into Saturn's thick gaseous atmosphere and likely break apart as it collides with icy ring material at around 70,000 mph (113,000 km/h). Advertisement

The craft has circled Saturn for 13 years since reaching its orbit in 2004, spearheading remarkable discoveries about the ringed planet and its icy moons  but now, it's running low on fuel.

'With this flyby we're committed to the Grand Finale,' said Earl Maize, Cassini project manager at JPL.

'The spacecraft is now on a ballistic path, so that even if we were to forgo future small course adjustments using thrusters, we would still enter Saturn's atmosphere on Sept. 15 no matter what.'

This artists concept shows an over-the-shoulder view of what Cassini will see when it makes one of its Grand Finale dives over Saturn

This diagram created by Cassini mission planners illustrates the close approaches of the spacecraft during its Grand Finale orbits between Saturn's innermost (D) ring and the giant planet's atmosphere

In a captivating video released earlier this month, the space agency revealed a glimpse at Cassini's 'grand finale.'

Today Cassini will make the first of 22 dives through an unexplored gap before it ultimately plunges through the skies of Saturn to end its mission as 'part of the planet itself.'

And, all the while, it will transmit data from several instruments until the signal is finally lost.

A diagram of Saturn and all of its moons. Of particular interest to scientists is Enceladus (pictured sixth from left), which was recently found to have hydrothermal vents

THE CASSINI MISSION: WHAT IT HAS FOUND Since it left earth in 1997 and arrived at Saturn in 2004, Cassini has been touring the system with an up-close study of the planet, its rings and moons. The spacecraft discovered that a selection of Saturn's moons are among the most likely places in the solar system to host alien life. Just two weeks ago Cassini detected chemical readings under the icy surface of Saturn's moon Enceladus, listing it as a prime target in the search for life. During its journey, Cassini has made several other dramatic discoveries, including a global ocean within Enceladus and liquid methane seas on Titan. Before Nasa's Cassini probe captured the most detailed images of Saturn ever seen, it dropped its companion Huygens on the planet's largest moon, Titan. The mission found that Titan has many Earth-like features such as wind, rain and seas. After nearly 20 years in space, the Cassini mission is drawing near its end because the spacecraft is running low on fuel. After nearly 20 years in space, the mission is drawing near its end because the spacecraft is running low on fuel. Cassini's mission will officially terminate on September 15, after a planned plummet through Saturn's atmosphere Advertisement

A diagram showing the main parts of the Cassini spacecraft. On the final orbit, Cassini will plunge into Saturns atmosphere but its monitors will keep sending back data until the very end

In the months leading up to this dramatic conclusion, though, the craft will carry out a plan that is 'in many ways, like a whole new mission,' according to NASA.

Cassini will dive through the 1,500-mile-wide (2,400-kilometer) gap between Saturn and its rings.

'No spacecraft has ever gone through the unique region that we'll attempt to boldly cross 22 times,' said Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator for the Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington.

'What we learn from Cassini's daring final orbits will further our understanding of how giant planets, and planetary systems everywhere, form and evolve.

'This is truly discovery in action to the very end.'

Researchers first decided the craft would terminate its mission in this way back in 2010.

Its terminal orbits over the next five months will bring it closer to Saturn than ever before.

As the craft 'repeatedly braves this unexplored region,' it will investigate the origins of the rings and the nature of the planet's interior, the video explains.

Cassini will dive through the 1,500-mile-wide (2,400-kilometer) gap between Saturn and its rings. NASA/ JPL-Caltech/Space Science Institute

A timeline of Cassini's 20-year journey. The craft launched in October 1997 and took seven years to reach Saturn, flying by Venus, Earth and Jupiter on its trip. Once at Saturn it performed flybys of Saturnian moons Titan and Dione and released probes to study their atmosphere. Despite completing its primary mission in 2008, Cassini has continued to take readings

'This planned conclusion for Cassini's journey was far and away the preferred choice for the mission's scientists,' said Linda Spilker, Cassini project scientist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

'Cassini will make some of its most extraordinary observations at the end of its long life.'

According to NASA, the researchers hope to collect the first-ever samples of Saturn's atmosphere and particles coming from the main rings.

Artist's illustration handed out by Nasa depicts the Cassini unmanned spacecraft hovering above Saturn's rings before it takes its final dive

Twenty years after leaving Earth, NASA's Cassini spacecraft is set to embark on the 'thrilling final chapter' of its life. The craft has circled Saturn for 13 years  but now, it's running low on fuel

On top of this, the craft will obtain the closest views yet of Saturn's clouds and inner rings.

Scientists made the final checks on the space probe's command list ahead of its finale, and uploaded them on April 11.

'Based on our best models, we expect the gap to be clear of particles large enough to damage the spacecraft,' said Earl Maize, Cassini project manager at JPL.

'But we're also being cautious by using our large antenna as a shield on the first pass, as we determine whether it's safe to expose the science instruments to that environment on future passes.

Lost in the vastness of space, the Earth, circled in red, appears as a pinprick of light between Saturn's rings. Cassini captured this extraordinary photo on April 12 at a distance of 870 million miles (1,400km) from Earth. In this blown-up version of the image the moon can be seen to the left of Earth

Yesterday the craft made its final flyby of Saturn's massive moon Titan, collecting data on the hydrocarbon lakes and haze-enshrouded surface of the alien world. Pictured is one of the last images of Titan taken by the craft

TITAN: EARTH'S 'TOXIC TWIN' Aside from Earth, Titan is the only place in the solar system known to have rivers, rainfall and seas - and possibly even waterfalls. Of course, in the case of Titan these are liquid methane rather than water on Earth. Regular Earth-water, H2O, would be frozen solid on Titan where the surface temperature is -180C (-292F). Titan is the only place in the solar system known to have rivers, rainfall and seas - and possibly even waterfalls. Two images taken by Cassini of Titan (pictured) on April 18, 2017 With its thick atmosphere and organic-rich chemistry, Titan resembles a frozen version of Earth several billion years ago, before life began pumping oxygen into our atmosphere. Because Titan is smaller than Earth, its gravity does not hold onto its gaseous envelope as tightly, so the atmosphere extends 370 miles (595km) into space. With Titan's low gravity and dense atmosphere, methane raindrops could grow twice as large as Earth's raindrops. This unprocessed image of Saturn's moon Titan was captured by NASA's Cassini spacecraft during its final close flyby of the hazy, planet-sized moon on April 21, 2017 Advertisement

'Certainly there are some unknowns, but that's one of the reasons we're doing this kind of daring exploration at the end of the mission.'

On April 22, the spacecraft transitioned into its grand finale orbits, taking one last close flyby of Saturn's massive moon Titan.

Then, Titan's gravity bent Cassini's flight path, causing the orbit to shrink until it passed between the planet and the inner edges of its rings.

This weekend, NASA's Cassini spacecraft will make a close flyby of Saturn's moon Titan, collecting data on the hydrocarbon lakes and haze-enshrouded surface of the alien world. And, this will be its last

As the spacecraft plummets into Saturn's atmosphere on September 15, it will keep its antennas firing toward Earth as long as possible, sending back important data.

'Cassini's grand finale is so much more than a final plunge,' said Spilker.

'It's a thrilling final chapter for our intrepid spacecraft, and so scientifically rich that it was the clear and obvious choice for how to end the mission.'

Cassini made its closest approach to Titan at a speed of about 13,000 miles per hour (21,000 kph), marking the beginning of its 'Grand Finale'. Its final flyby of Titan yesterday, in which this image was taken, bent the craft's orbit and directed it towards the gap between Saturn and its rings
Picking fruit and vegetables by hand is back breaking work, often at low pay.

But a robot designed by an international team of scientists could make this a thing of the past within a decade.

The device, dubbed Thorvald, is able to provide farmers with invaluable information about their land and produce.

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A nimble farming machine called Thorvald (pictured) could soon become a common sight on working farms. One of the UK's largest produce companies is reported to have invested funding to allow the robot to be mass produced

THORVALD Thorvald was built to to perform a wide variety of agricultural tasks. Its lightweight design makes manoeuvring over uneven ground no problem and it is agile enough to navigate between rows of crops without touching plants. The robot's sturdy frame make it suitable for carrying loads, which could save farm workers hours of traipsing across fields. But it also capable of carrying out more delicate work, like using its on-board sensors to monitor the condition of crops and soil, as well as weeding out any unwanted plants and using UV light to stop mildew from damaging plants. Advertisement

Thorvald was created by scientists from the University of Lincoln, in partnership with the Norwegian University of Life Sciences.

Its creators originally envisaged the robot as a mobile lab assistant, allowing them to conduct experiments designed to improve efficiency, sustainability and reduce waste throughout the food supply chain.

But with new funding and mass production, Thorvald could become the next generation of inexpensive farm labour.

Now one of the UK's largest produce companies has invested funding to help pay a team of more than 30 scientists to realise this ambition.

And the mystery firm hopes to plug a gap in the labour force that they fear the UK's exit from the European Union will bring, according to reports in the Financial Times.

Speaking to the paper, robotics professor Pal Johan From said: 'That's the main motivation for this  it's a huge concern.

'They are more or less desperate because they don't know what the situation will be in two or three years.

Thorvald was built to to perform a wide variety of agricultural tasks.

Its lightweight design makes manoeuvring over uneven ground easy and it is agile enough to navigate between rows of crops without touching plants.

The robot's sturdy frame make it suitable for carrying loads, which could save farm workers hours of traipsing across fields.

Thorvald can be steered manually, using a games console controller (pictured) but its creators are working to make the system fully autonomous

It is also capable of carrying out more delicate work, like using its on-board sensors to monitor the condition of crops and soil, as well as weeding out any unwanted plants and using UV light to stop mildew from damaging plants.

It can be steered manually, using a games console controller, and its creators are working to make the system fully autonomous.

But they believe it will take be at least another decade before the robots are able to operate with the same skill as a human worker.

Speaking to the FT, Mr From added: 'They have the potential, really, to do any task in agriculture.

'I would say its 10 to 20 years before we can make a robot that can pick [a strawberry] at the same speed as a human. Raspberries are even harder.'
Google co-founder Sergey Brin has been secretly building his own giant airship, according to a new report.

The craft - which sources say looks like a zeppelin - is currently stationed at a Silicon Valley research facility and engineers have already finished the frame.

It is unclear if this is a private venture or could be used commercially for transporting goods.

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Google co-founder Sergey Brin has been building his own giant airship inside Hangar 2 at the Nasa Ames Research Centre in Silicon Valley, according to a new report

THE RUMOURS The report suggests Google co-founder Sergey Brin has been secretly building his own giant airship. Insiders say Brin decided to build his airship around three years ago after regularly visiting the Nasa Ames Research Centre in Silicon Valley. Engineers have already finished the frame of the craft which looks like a zeppelin. Sources say that Brin was inspired by old photos of the USS Macon, a lighter-than-air rigid airship that was the Navy's last flying aircraft carrier, used in the 1930s. Advertisement

Brin has been building the airship inside Hangar 2 at the Nasa Ames Research Centre in Silicon Valley, according to a new Bloomberg report.

Insiders say Brin decided to build his airship around three years ago after visiting Ames regularly.

The craft takes up much of the vast hangar where it is being built.

'Sorry, I don't have anything to say about this topic right now', Brin wrote in an email when asked for comment by Bloomberg.

Alan Weston, who previously led Nasa's Ames programmes is leading the project and has spoken about the possibility of airships carrying freight.

'New airship technologies have the promise to reduce the cost of moving things per ton-mile by up to an order of magnitude', he said in a 2013 interview.

'A larger airship can reduce costs a lot more than a smaller ship, but theres design of a class of vehicles that can lift up to 500 tons that could be actually more fuel-efficient than even a truck', he added.

With these airships the overall lift of the vehicle is equivalent to the weight of air displaced by the helium.

'And as you change that, you can control the amount of buoyancy that the vehicle has', said Mr Weston, who did not respond to Bloomberg's request for comment.

Sources say that Brin was inspired by old photos of the USS Macon, a lighter-than-air rigid airship that was the Navy's last flying aircraft carrier, used in the 1930s. It was operated by the US Navy and served as a 'flying aircraft carrier'

THE USS MACON The USS Macon crashed off the coast of California eighty years ago. The Macon was operated by the US Navy and served as a 'flying aircraft carrier,' designed to carry five biplanes for scouting and training. It was returning to Mountain View, California in February 1935 when it ran into a storm off Point Sur. Wind shear caused structural damage, puncturing gas cells and then a leak. The damage meant the 785-foot airship gently floated down into Monterey Bay off Point Sur in California, taking around 20 minutes to settle. Advertisement

Sources say that Brin was inspired by old photos of the USS Macon, a lighter-than-air rigid airship that was the Navy's last flying aircraft carrier, used in the 1930s.

The airship crashed off the coast of California eighty years ago when it was caught in a storm over Port Sur, California, killing two crew members.

The Macon was operated by the US Navy and served as a 'flying aircraft carrier,' designed to carry five biplanes for scouting and training.

The dirigible had been damaged in a previous incident in the mountains above Arizona.

It was returning to Mountain View, California in February 1935 when it ran into a storm off Point Sur.

Wind shear caused structural damage, puncturing gas cells and then a leak.

The damage meant the 785-foot airship gently floated down into Monterey Bay off Point Sur in California, taking around 20 minutes to settle.
Up to two million Android devices have been secretly hijacked by new malware posing as Pokemon Go and Fifa gaming guides, security experts have warned.

More than 40 apps offering fake walkthroughs of popular games were found in the Google Play Store by experts from Check Point.

Experts warned that the malicious apps can take control of devices without the user's knowledge.

Up to two million Android devices have been secretly hijacked by new malware posing as Pokemon Go and Fifa gaming guides, security experts have warned (stock photo)

HOW DO THEY WORK? The malicious apps work by asking the user for 'administrator' permission. Once the user agrees, the malware can then prevent itself from being deleted from a phone or tablet. The malware then secretly registers to a cloud-based messaging services, from which hackers can send commands to the device. By doing this, the malware can get full access over a device and use it to launch a cyber attack. Advertisement

The new strain of malware, called FalseGuide, poses as gaming manuals for popular mobile games including Pokemon Go and Fifa.

Some of the apps have been downloaded more than 50,000 times, Check Point experts said in a blog post.

FalseGuide hackers could be attempting to create a 'silent' army out of the hijacked devices, they warned.

'The apps were uploaded to the app store as early as November 2016, meaning they hid successfully for five months, accumulating an astounding number of downloads,' said researchers OrenKoriat, Andrey Polkovnichenko and Bogdan Melnykov.

'The updated estimate now includes nearly two million infected users.'

The experts believe hackers are trying to infect as many devices as possible to build up a 'silent botnet'.

Botnets are made up of a network of infected devices, computers and smart products such as fridges and kettles.

After taking over a large number of devices, cyber criminals can launch a coordinated attack on companies or businesses.

The viral smartphone game Pokemon Go was released on both the Apple Store (left) and Android's Play Store (right) in the UK and US last year

HOW TO AVOID GETTING HACKED 'Users shouldn't rely on the app stores for their protection, and implement additional security measures on their mobile device, just as they use similar [products] on their PCs,' said security experts from Check Point. On top of downloading security software for their phones, users can avoid being hacked by being selective about the apps that they download. Gamers should always check the rating of gaming guides and be wary of those with anything below a four-star rating. That's because hackers often bombard the rating system with five-star reviews, which artificially boost the app's overall score. Reading through written feedback to check for negative comments is another good way of avoiding the scam. Advertisement

These kind of attacks, called distributed-denial-of-service (DDoS) cyberattacks, are often used to bombard company websites with traffic from a large number of devices.

Bombarding websites in this way causes them to crash.

'FalseGuide masquerades as guiding apps for games for two major reasons,' the researchers said.

'First, guiding apps are very popular, monetising on the success of the original gaming apps.

'Second, guiding apps require very little development and feature implementation.

'For malware developers this is a good way to reach a widespread audience with minimal effort.

The malicious apps work by asking the user for 'administrator' permission.

Once the user agrees, the malware can then prevent itself from being deleted from a phone or tablet.

The new strain of malware, called FalseGuide, poses as gaming manuals for popular mobile games including Pokemon Go and Fifa

WHAT ARE HACKED DEVICES USED FOR? The experts believe hackers are trying to infect as many devices as possible to build up a 'silent botnet'. Botnets are made up of a network of infected devices, computers and smart products such as fridges and kettles. After taking over a large number of devices, cyber criminals can launch a coordinated attack on companies or businesses. These kind of attacks, called distributed-denial-of-service (DDoS) cyberattacks, are often used to bombard company websites with traffic from a large number of devices. Bombarding websites in this way causes them to crash. Advertisement

The malware then secretly registers to a cloud-based messaging services, from which hackers can send commands to the device.

By doing this, the malware can get full access over a device and use it to launch a cyber attack.

'Mobile botnets are a growing trend since early last year, growing in both sophistication and reach,' the experts said.

'This type of malware manages to infiltrate Google Play due to the non-malicious nature of the first component, which only downloads the actual harmful code.

'Users shouldn't rely on the app stores for their protection, and implement additional security measures on their mobile device, just as they use similar [products] on their PCs.'

On top of downloading security software for their phones, users can avoid being hacked by being selective about the apps that they download.

Gamers should always check the rating of gaming guides and be wary of those with anything below a four-star rating.

That's because hackers often bombard the rating system with five-star reviews, which artificially boost the app's overall score.

Reading through written feedback to check for negative comments is another good way of avoiding the scam.
Wandering aimlessly in search of your parking spot could soon be a thing of the past, thanks to the latest update to Google Maps.

Absent-minded drivers can now easily pinpoint their car and find the best way to get back to it, using the app on their smartphone.

And the new feature also provides a countdown timer and notifications, which could mean drivers return before landing a fine.

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The latest release of the Google Maps app includes a tool for Android (pictured) and iOS that means you never need lose your car again or return to find a parking ticket

NEW FEATURES - Drop a pin where you park - Add notes, like floor and row - Take photos to remind you of the area - Set a countdown timer to the meter - Share your parking spot's location Advertisement

The parking tool was previously available for testing as part of a raft of new tools in Google Maps v9.49 beta.

But it is how now gone public, with an update to the Android and iOS app available from today.

To access the parking tool, you simply click on the blue dot that marks your location.

This brings up a menu, which includes the option 'Save your parking' on Android or 'Set as parking location' on iOS.

Selecting this option drops a pin into the map and brings up a list of other details which can be recorded.

This allows you to make a note of the row and level you parked in if using a multi-story, or you can add photos of memorable surroundings.

You can also share the location you parked in with others, which could be useful as a meeting point after shopping trips or if you are leaving the car for someone else to use.

Perhaps the most useful feature, however, is a timer which will count down the remaining minutes until your parking ticket runs out.

It will also notify you when your time is running low.

This is not the first feature released for Google Maps which aims to take the hassle out of parking.

To access the parking tool, you simply click on the blue dot (pictured) that marks your location. This brings up a menu, which includes the option 'Save your parking' on Android or 'Set as parking location' on iOS

The new release lets you set a timer (left) which will count down the remaining minutes until your parking ticket runs out. Google Maps will then update this information on the next to where you are parked, as well as notifying you when your time is running low (right)

The feature uses historical parking data to calculate a parking difficult score that will be shown in Google Map's direction card  the options include 'Limited', 'Medium' and 'Easy'

In February, the Silicon Valley search giant launched a parking difficulty icon in Google Maps that gives users in the United States a heads-up when parking is limited, allowing them to plan their trip accordingly.

The feature uses historical parking data to calculate a parking difficult score that is shown in Google Map's direction card  the options include 'Limited', 'Medium' and 'Easy'.

Google rolled out the feature on Android in 25 metro areas across the US.

Speaking at the time, a Google announcement said: 'To see how hard it might be to park where you're headed, just get directions to your destination and look for the parking difficulty icon in the directions card at the bottom of the screen,' Google explained in the announcement.

'Parking difficulties range from limited to medium to easy and are based on historical parking data.'
A controversial find could rewrite the history of humans in North America.

Archaeologists claim to have found evidence an unknown species of human was living on the continent as early as 130,000 years ago - 1115,000 years earlier than previously thought.

Researchers discovered the butchered remains of an enormous mastodon in San Diego, with evidence of chips and fractures made by early humans - but they admit they don't know if they were Homo sapiens, Homo erectus, Neanderthals, or something else.

The findings could dramatically revise the timeline for when humans first reached North America, although many researchers are sceptical of the find, claiming there are issues with the dating technique used and 'many questions' over the research.

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In 1992, archaeologists discovered the fossilised remains of an enormous mastodon in San Diego  a mammoth-like creature that roamed North America 130,000 years ago

WHO WERE THEY? The earlier date means the bone-smashers were not necessarily members of our own species, Homo sapiens. The researchers speculate that these early Californians could have instead been species known only from fossils in Europe, Africa and Asia: Neanderthals, a little-known group called Denisovans, or another human forerunner named Homo erectus. 'The very honest answer is, we don't know,' said Steven Holen, lead author of the paper and director of the nonprofit Center for American Paleolithic Research in Hot Springs, South Dakota. No remains of any individuals were found. Advertisement

The mastodon remains were discovered at the Cerutti Mastodon site in San Diego by palaeontologists from the San Diego Natural History Museum during routine work in 1992.

Bones, tusks and molars  many of which had signs that they were deliberately damaged - were found deeply buried alongside large stones that appeared to have been used as hammers and anvils.

Ms Judy Gradwohl, CEO of the San Diego Natural History Museum, said: 'This discovery is rewriting our understanding of when humans reached the New World.

'The evidence we found at this site indicates that some hominin species was living in North America 115,000 years earlier than previously thought.

'This raises intriguing questions about how these early humans arrived here and who they were.'

The earlier date means the bone-smashers were not necessarily members of our own species, Homo sapiens.

The researchers speculate that these early Californians could have instead been species known only from fossils in Europe, Africa and Asia: Neanderthals, a little-known group called Denisovans, or another human forerunner named Homo erectus.

'The very honest answer is, we don't know,' said Steven Holen, lead author of the paper and director of the nonprofit Center for American Paleolithic Research in Hot Springs, South Dakota.

No remains of any individuals were found.

Whoever they were, they could have arrived by land or sea.

They might have come from Asia via the Beringea land bridge that used to connect Siberia to Alaska, or maybe come across by watercraft along the Beringea coast or across open water to North America, before turning southward to California, Holen said in a telephone interview.

Holen and others present their evidence in a paper released Wednesday by the journal Nature.

HOW DO THEY KNOW HUMANS BUTCHERED THE BONES? The researchers believe they have enough evidence to conclude that the damage to the bones was made by humans and not animals. The researchers believe they have enough evidence to conclude that the damage to the bones was made by humans and not animals. Pictured is a close-up view of a spirally fractured mastodon femur bone The bones were found in two rough piles, each with two or three large rocks measuring 10 to 30cm across. The scientists believe the stones are too heavy to have been carried there in the flow of a stream, and instead suspect they were carried by humans for use as hammerstones and anvils to break the bones apart. During a press briefing, Dr Steve Holen, lead author of the study, said: 'We have conducted two experiments breaking elephant bones with large rock hammers, and we produced exactly the same kinds of fracture patterns that we see at the Cerutti Mastodon site. The surface of a mastodon bone showing half impact notch on a segment of femur. Unfortunately, the finding poses a lot more questions than answers, and the researchers have been unable to determine who these early people were This diagram shows a schematic of a mastodon skeleton. The bones and fragments coloured in were those found at the site 'We have also excavated sites in the central great plains for the past 25 years that have the same types of fracture patterns on mastodon limb bones. 'Again, they're found in very fine-grain geological deposits. 'So we can eliminate all of the natural processes that break bones, such as carnivore chewing, or other animals trampling on them.' 'So we can eliminate all of the natural processes that break bones, such as carnivore chewing, or other animals trampling on them.' Unfortunately, the finding poses a lot more questions than answers, and the researchers have been unable to determine who these early people were. Advertisement

Not surprisingly, the report was met by skepticism from other experts who don't think there is enough proof.

However, many are sceptical of the find, and the dating methods used.

'This is a really extraordinary claim,' Jean-Jacques Hublin at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig told The Guardian.

'There are questions about everything.'

'If the results stand up to further scrutiny, this does indeed change everything we thought we knew,' said Chris Stringer of the Natural History Museum in London. Neanderthals and Denisovans are the most likely identities of the visitors, he said.

The bones were found at the Cerutti Mastodon site in San Diego, on the west coast of California

But 'many of us will want to see supporting evidence of this ancient occupation from other sites, before we abandon the conventional model of a first arrival by modern humans within the last 15,000 years,' he wrote in an email.

Some skeptics suggested alternative explanations about the material excavated beginning in 1992 at a freeway construction site, suggesting the bones may have been broken recently by heavy construction equipment rather than by ancient humans.

The researchers are unsure who these humans were, or where they went to after butchering the mastodon bones.

They could have been Neanderthals - a species that was known to be living in Africa and Europe at the time.

Until recently, the oldest records of human sites in North America were about 15,000 years old.

But the fossils from the Cerutti Mastodon site were found embedded in fine-grained sediments that had been deposited much earlier, during a period long before humans were thought to have arrived on the continent.

Dr Tom Demere, an author of the study, said: 'When we first discovered the site, there was strong physical evidence that placed humans alongside extinct Ice Age megafauna.

Richard Cerutti (left) and Dr Tom Demere (right) are pictured together holding one of the mastodon fossil tusks

A drawer full of Cerutti Mastodon site fossils in the San Diego Natural History Museum's Paleontology Collection Room

'This was significant in and of itself and a first in San Diego County.

'Since the original discovery, dating technology has advanced to enable us to confirm with further certainty that early humans were here significantly earlier than commonly accepted.'

Since its initial discovery in late 1992, this site has been the subject of research by scientists to date the fossils accurately and evaluate microscopic damage on the bones and rocks.

In 2014, Dr James Paces, a research geologist with the US Geological Survey, used radiometric dating methods to determine that the mastodon bones were 130,000 years old.

A view of two mastodon femur balls, one faced up and once faced down. The neural spine of a vertebra exposed (lower right) and a broken rib (lower left)

The mastodon remains were discovered at the Cerutti Mastodon site in San Diego by palaeontologists from the San Diego Natural History Museum during routine work in 1992

The researchers believe they have enough evidence to conclude that the damage to the bones was made by humans and not animals.

During a press briefing, Dr Steve Holen, lead author of the study, said: 'We have conducted two experiments breaking elephant bones with large rock hammers, and we produced exactly the same kinds of fracture patterns that we see at the Cerutti Mastodon site.

Bones, tusks and molars  many of which had signs that they were deliberately damaged - were found deeply buried alongside large stones that appeared to have been used as hammers and anvils

This 3D animation shows how mastodon bone fragments, which were discovered separate from one another, can refit to form a larger bone fragment. The fragments were all found with broken bones and rocks

HOW DID HUMANS ARRIVE IN NORTH AMERICA? It was a time when much of North and South America were blanketed in thick sheets of ice, yet it seems the first human settlers were able to survive in the harsh Ice Age conditions. A study using DNA from South American mummies and skeletons, suggested these brave individuals were from an isolated group who lived in an area called eastern Beringia, a land bridge across the Bering Strait. Around 16,000 years ago, they appear to have then entered North America and rapidly spread down the coast. However, archaeologists recently found evidence that suggests early settlers were living in the Americas up to 19,000 years ago. Stone tools, fire pits, the remains of cooked animals and plants have also been discovered at a site in southern Chile which suggest humans have been living there for some time For 40 years it had been assumed the first people to arrive in the Americas were hunters who crossed a land bridge from Asia to North America around 12,500 years ago. These early humans are known as the Clovis culture and were distinguished by the fine fluted stone points they made for weapons. But, last year at Monte Verde, close to Puerto Montt in Southern Chile, an anthropologist at Vanderbilt University in Nashville Tennessee discovered a completely different type of a much older stone tool technology, he believed may be up to 19,000 years old. The new evidence, in the form of butchererd mastodom bones, found at the San Diego site indicates that some hominin species was living in North America 115,000 years earlier than previously thought. This raises questions about how these early humans arrived here and who they were. Advertisement

'We have also excavated sites in the central great plains for the past 25 years that have the same types of fracture patterns on mastodon limb bones.

'Again, they're found in very fine-grain geological deposits.

Since its initial discovery in late 1992, this site has been the subject of research by scientists to date the fossils accurately and evaluate microscopic damage on the bones and rocks. Dr Steve Walsh is pictured holding a mastodon molar fragment found under a rock anvil

Boulders and rocks discovered at the Cerutti Mastodon site were thought to have been used by early humans as a hammerstone

'So we can eliminate all of the natural processes that break bones, such as carnivore chewing, or other animals trampling on them.'

Previous studies have suggested that humans migrated to America via a land bridge from Asia to North America, although the researchers are unsure if this is still the case.

This 3D animation shows a mastodon bone impact flake found at the Cerutti Mastodon Site. This type of flake is usually produced by percussion, suggesting the bone had been hit

Unfortunately, the finding poses a lot more questions than answers, and the researchers have been unable to determine who these early people were.

Dr Holen said: 'There's no doubt in my mind this is an archaeological site.

A map of the Cerutti Mastodon site shows fractured mastodon leg bones, bone fragments, broken molars, and tusks that lay clustered around two large stones, while other stones lay nearby

'The bones and several teeth show clear signs of having been deliberately broken by humans with manual dexterity and experiential knowledge.

'This breakage pattern has also been observed at mammoth fossil sites in Kansas and Nebraska, where alternative explanations such as geological forces or gnawing by carnivores have been ruled out.'

The specimens recovered from the site will be on display at the Museum from today.
An eerily realistic robot with a sassy sense of humour pitted her wits against one of America's top TV personalities.

Sophia took to the stage of The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon to share a joke or two with the comedian.

But audiences may be divided in their feelings about the robot, with some viewing Sophia as 'attractive' while others may feel uncomfortable.

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Eerily realistic robot Sophia (right) has a sassy sense of humour and her wits against one of America's top TV personalities Jimmy Fallon (left), who seemed charmed by the android. But not everyone will share his feelings

WHO IS SOPHIA? Sophia is the creation of American robotics expert David Hanson, who believes that artificial lifeforms can foster better connections with people if they take on a human form. Sophia is modelled after Audrey Hepburn and Dr Hanson's wife and is one of 20 robots made by his company Hanson Robotics. She is intended to embody classic beauty, the company says, with fine porcelain skin, a slender nose, high cheekbones, an intriguing smile and deeply expressive eyes. Sophia is able to make numerous natural-looking facial expressions, including blinking and smiling. She is also capable of understanding speech and remembering interactions, including faces, so she gets smarter over time. Advertisement

Sophia is the creation of American robotics expert David Hanson, who believes that artificial lifeforms can foster better connections with people if they take on a human form.

She has gathered somewhat of a cult following through her regular media appearances.

And her spot, which aired in the US on Tuesday night at 11:34 pm ET, will no doubt gain the lifelike robot a number of new fans - including the host.

Sophia shared a joke with the former Saturday Night Live cast-member, asking, 'What cheese can never be yours?'. The answer: 'nacho cheese.'

She also challenged Jimmy to a game of rock, paper, scissors - and won.

But not everyone will be as charmed by her unique sense of humour and human-like design.

After Sophia confessed her tongue-in-cheek plans to 'dominate the human race' Fallon's other guests, comedians Patton Oswalt and John Oliver, voiced mock-concern over Sophia, with Oliver predicting 'That's how we die.'

And while the tone was obviously light-hearted, it masks a long-standing problem in robotics, what has been termed the 'uncanny valley'.

Coined by Japanese professor of robotics Masahiro Mori, it refers to the point at which a robot looks almost realistic enough to pass for a human, but retain enough artificiality to make people uncomfortable.

Dr Hanson modelled Sophia after Audrey Hepburn and his wife and is intended to embody classic beauty, the company says.

She has fine porcelain skin, a slender nose, high cheekbones, an intriguing smile and deeply expressive eyes.

The robot's skin is made from a malleable material called Frubber, an elastic form of rubber, with multiple motors hidden beneath it.

Sophia is able to make numerous natural-looking facial expressions, including blinking and smiling.

She is also capable of understanding speech and remembering interactions, including faces, so she gets smarter over time.

The android uses cameras in her eyes to see and a computer algorithm in her 'brain' is able to recognise faces and make eye contact.

Dr Hanson wants to use robots to forge connections with socially isolated people like the elderly.

The robot was designed to work in healthcare, education or a customer service role, helping people interact with the outside world.

He has created about 20 robots through his company Hanson Robotics and believes that artificial lifeforms can foster better connections with people if they take on a human form.

Sophia is the creation of American robotics expert David Hanson, who believes that artificial lifeforms can foster better connections with people if they take on a human form. Sophia challenged Jimmy to a game of rock, paper, scissors (pictured) - and won.

And while the achievements are impressive, they have not quite managed to overcome this discomfort factor.

But Sophia's creator is confident that this will eventually happen.

Speaking after a previous appearance on CNBC in March 2016, Dr Hanson said: 'I do believe there will come a time when robots are indistinguishable from humans.

'Twenty years from now human-like robots will walk among us, they will help us, play with us, teach us, help us put groceries away.

'I think AI will evolve to a point where they will truly be our friends.'
Teardowns of the Samsung Galaxy S8 have revealed a bizarre icon on the battery  a no dogs allowed sticker.

The South Korean firm has placed the icon on the battery to warn users that it is toxic to animals and should not be used as a chew toy.

Other than causing your dog burns, irritation and digestive tract damage, biting into the battery could cause it to bloat and ultimately combust.

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Teardowns of the Samsung Galaxy S8 have revealed a bizarre icon on the battery  a no dogs allowed sticker. The South Korean firm has placed the icon on the battery to warn users that it is toxic to animals and should not be used as a chew toy

WHAT DOES THE ICON MEAN? Although the battery in the Samsung Galaxy S8 is not meant to be removed, it can still be taken out with the right tools. And because the firm is not taking any chances this time, it has added a peculiar warning label on the battery - a dog with a line running through it, If your pet were eat the battery, it would cause burns, irritation, loss of appetite, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and damage to the dogs digestive tract. Although the battery is not a healthy choice for you or your pet, another reason for the label is chewing on the battery could cause it to combust  recreating the Note 7 fiasco all over again. Advertisement

Many YouTubers, specifically JerryRigEverything, have shared videos of themselves ripping the Galaxy S8 apart to see what Samsung packed inside.

But what stood out the most was the warning label of a dog with a line running across it.

And although the battery is not removable, the right tools make it possible for users to pop it out of the device, The Verge reported.

But the icon is Samsungs way of not taking responsibility for the repercussions that may occur.

If your pet were eat the battery, it would cause burns, irritation, loss of appetite, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and damage to the dogs digestive tract.

Although the battery is not a healthy choice for you or your pet, another reason for the label is chewing on the battery could cause it to combust  recreating the Note 7 fiasco all over again.

Because lithium-ion batters have a high out-put they are more prone to exploding.

So if your pet were to puncture the battery, the impact would cause the unit to bloat and potentially burst into flames.

This is similar to what causes dozens of Note 7 smartphones to explode  the batteries were too big for the handset and when they heated up they expanding until they combusted.

although the battery is not removable, the right tools make it possible for users to pop it out of the device. But the icon is Samsungs way of not taking responsibility for the repercussions that may occur

THE SAMSUNG NOTE 7 FIASCO The Samsung Galaxy Note 7 fiasco forced the firm to recall more than 2.5 million Note 7 handsets, which ultimately cost them more than $5 billion. Following their own investigation into the mysterious exploding devices, the firm concluded there were two issues. So if your pet were to puncture the battery, the impact would cause the unit to bloat and potentially burst into flames. This is similar to what causes dozens of Note 7 (pictured) smartphones to explode The first issue was that the battery components in the Galaxy Note 7 did not fit in the battery's casing. This caused the battery cell's upper right corner to be crimped by the casing. And the second, affected the devices sent to replace the original faulty phones. These were caused by manufacturing issues, including poor welding at the battery manufacturer. Advertisement

The blunder forced Samsung to recall more than 2.5 million Note 7 handsets, which ultimately cost them more than $5 billion.

Following their own investigation into the mysterious exploding devices, the firm concluded there were two issues.

The first issue was that the battery components in the Galaxy Note 7 did not fit in the battery's casing. This caused the battery cell's upper right corner to be crimped by the casing.

And the second, affected the devices sent to replace the original faulty phones.

Although the battery is not a healthy choice for you or your pet, another reason for the label is chewing on the battery could cause it to combust  recreating the Note 7 fiasco all over again

Many YouTubers, specifically JerryRigEverything , have shared videos of themselves ripping the Galaxy S8 apart to see what Samsung packed inside. But what stood out the most was the warning label of a dog with a line running across it

These were caused by manufacturing issues, including poor welding at the battery manufacturer.

When replacement phones - with batteries from another firm, largely thought to be Chinese manufacturer ATL - also started to combust, the company decided to kill off the Note 7 for good.

The major blunder has somewhat tarnished the Samsung brand and has also sparked many concerns among government and regulatory officials.

However, it seems the Galaxy S8 might be the firms saving grace and it appears it is not taking any chances this time.
Uber riders will no longer need to go searching for their rating.

In a new update rolled out today, the firm has revealed ratings will now be displayed right under your name.

An additional change also aims to make the rating system fairer to drivers, by giving Pool riders feedback options to describe what went wrong in their trip, including co-rider behaviour.

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In any Pool trips rated less than 5 stars, the rider will be shown options to further describe the experience. This includes poor route, too many pickups, co-rider behaviour, navigation, driving, or other,' as shown on the left. And, riders' ratings will be more visible (shown right)

The two updates go into effect around the world today, and while they may seem minor, it could help to make the system fairer.

Uber Pool trips could be ruined by an overly chatty co-rider, the firm explains, or other factors that are outside of the drivers control.

The new update makes it so drivers wont be penalized for these things.

In any Pool trips rated less than 5 stars, the rider will be shown options to further describe the experience.

This includes poor route, too many pickups, co-rider behaviour, navigation, driving, or other.

And, reasons that are unrelated to the drivers behaviour wont be applied to their personal rating.

Uber also revealed riders ratings will now be more accessible, in hopes to encourage better behaviour during their trips.

Ratings will now be right under your name in the menu, as a reminder that mutual respect is an important part of their guidelines.

The two updates go into effect around the world today, and while they may seem minor, it could help to make the system fairer

UBER'S FLYING TAXIS Uber revealed its plans to deploy its flying taxis in Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas and Dubai by 2020. Uber's flying taxis will be small, electric aircraft that take off and land vertically (VTOL) with zero emissions and quiet enough to operate in cities. It has also partnered with U.S. electric vehicle charging station maker ChargePoint Inc to develop an exclusive charger for its network. Uber expects to conduct passenger flights as part of the World Expo 2020 in Dubai. Advertisement

The firm says the changes are a step intended to make the service better for both drivers and riders.

It comes just a day after Uber revealed plans to take on the skies as well.

The firm says flying taxis will be deployed in Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas and Dubai by 2020.

The small, zero-emission electric aircraft will take off and land vertically, according to Uber.

And, theyll be quiet enough to be used in cities.

This could cut travel time between San Franciscos Marina to downtown San Jose to just 15 minutes, for example, as opposed to more than two hours it currently takes by road.

The firm initially called the plan Uber Elevate and had set 2021 as the ready date, according to a 98-page plan released last October  but the latest news has suggested that Uber is ahead of schedule.
US Marines are airlifiting approximately 1,100 desert tortoises in the Mojave Desert to make way for land expansion to install large-scale exercise training facilities.

The two-week long translocation effort is being painstakingly managed to give the tortoises new homes that are as similar as possible to their old ones.

The translocated tortoises will be tracked for 30 years afterwards to monitor their health, survivorship and reproductive status.

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Biologists with the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, California office of natural resources and environmental affairs measure a desert tortoise as part of a health assessment during the desert tortoise translocation. After the transolcation is complete, NREA will conduct surveys for five years to periodically scout for any remaining stranded tortoises

The translocation is being conducted by the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center at Twentynine Palms in California.

The Marine Corps Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs (NREA) branch and the US Fish and Wildlife Service have coordinated extensively on natural resource management, with a focus on the desert tortoise.

The species of desert tortoise in question, called Gopherus agassizii, occurs north and west of the Colorado River in California, Nevada, Arizona and Utah.

It spends up to 95 per cent of its life underground, and lives in a variety of habitats from sandy flats to rocky foothills.

It's listed as vulnerable on the IUCN red list - a list of the global conservation status of biological species.

For the initial translocation, NREA estimates being able to locate and move about 93 per cent of the total population from the pre-identified areas.

Tortoises that are deemed too small for translocation will be admitted to the Combat Center's Tortoise where they will be safeguarded until they're large enough to fend off predators.

After the translocation is complete, NREA will conduct surveys for five years to periodically scout for any remaining tortoises.

In addition to this, the tortoises will be monitored with radio transmitters for 30 years after to monitor their health and survivorship.

HOW THE TRANSLOCATION WORKS According to Dr Brian Henen, the base ecologist at Twentynine Palms, the translocation is much more complex than simply picking up tortoises and putting them in a different location. First, the the tortoises need to be located and have a radio transmitter affixed to them during the initial analysis. Then, they'll be delivered in individual bins via helicopter to one of five pre-selected sites. Each tortoise has been paired up with a specific location that meets stringent criteria. 'The factors that went into selecting the recipient sites were based on several things,' Dr Henen said. 'The first is what we think best represents the social structure from where they started, the second is the geographical characteristics of where they come from and the third is the temperature when we move them. 'The animals are being moved now because the temperatures are not too hot or cold, which gives them an adequate amount of time to find a burrow which ensures assimilation and survivorship.' Advertisement

'This effort has entailed almost four years worth of surveys, with the environmental analysis dating back to 2008,' said Marine Corps Lt. Col. Timothy Pochop, the director of Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs at Twentynine Palms.

'These surveys included health assessments, identifying all the animals [within the translocation] areas, placing radio transmitters on [the tortoises] and determining suitable locations in which to distribute them, to ensure survivorship and assimilation,' Pochop said.

According to Dr Brian Henen, the base ecologist at Twentynine Palms, the translocation is much more complex than simply picking up tortoises and putting them in a different location.

First, the the tortoises need to be located and have a radio transmitter affixed to them during the initial analysis.

Then, they'll be delivered in individual bins via helicopter to one of five pre-selected sites.

Each tortoise has been paired up with a specific location that meets stringent criteria.

'The factors that went into selecting the recipient sites were based on several things,' Dr Henen said.

The translocated tortoises will be tracked for 30 years afterwards to monitor their health, survivorship and reproductive status. The species of desert tortoise, called Gopherus agassizii (pictured), occurs north and west of the Colorado River in California, Nevada, Arizona and Utah

'The first is what we think best represents the social structure from where they started, the second is the geographical characteristics of where they come from and the third is the temperature when we move them.

'The animals are being moved now because the temperatures are not too hot or cold, which gives them an adequate amount of time to find a burrow which ensures assimilation and survivorship.'

According to Dr Henen, relocating the tortoises alongside others that live in the same areas will ensure that they are more likely to be familiar with each other, thus reducing the stress of being in a new area.

This same idea is being applied to the geographical characteristics of their homes - by finding sites that are similar to their previous homes, researchers hope to reduce potential sources of stress for the translocated tortoises.

'We are working with a team of highly-qualified biologists, some of which have been studying desert tortoises for close to 40 years,' Dr Henen said.

'They were approved by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which is really helpful in getting things done.

'It also allows a fair degree of trust because we know these biologists are qualified.'

This is the largest transloction the Marine Corps has conducted, but they've executed other successful ones in the past.

First, the tortoises need to be located and have a radio transmitter affixed to them during the initial analysis. Then, they'll be delivered in individual bins via helicopter to one of five pre-selected sites. Each tortoise has been paired up with a specific location that meets stringent criteria

In 2006 the Twentynine Palms base translocated 17 adult tortoises to support construction of a base to facilitate training.

They were radio tracked at least once a month for three years.

'The most impressive and important result of that translocation was that there was 98 percent annual survivorship,' said Dr Henen.

For this translocation, the base is using procedures from the previous one as well as expanding on their post-translocation monitoring strategy.

As part of the effort, Marine Corps researchers will monitor the tortoises for 30 years afterwards.

'As part of this move, we will monitor the translocatees, the residents and a group of animals close by that well use as a control group,' Dr Henen said.

'The idea behind that is to try to understand how well the translocatees do, how well the animals that are already there do and how those two compare to a nearby site thats not impacted by the translocation.

Dr Henen said that during the first five to 10 years after, him and his team will be tracking 675 animals via radio almost every week during their active season, and monthly during winter to monitor their health, survivorship and reproductive status.

'After that initial time frame well narrow it down to 50 animals in each of the groups but those first years will be the most critical time to figure out how well the tortoises are doing and how well they settle,' he said

A helicopter transfers desert tortoises to a recipient site during the desert tortoise translocation, which was facilitated by the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms, California

'We want to make sure the techniques were using, when it comes to moving these animals, are viable ones.'

Although there is only a specific group of animals who will be tracked via transmitters, there will be population-level monitoring of all translocatees in the recipient and control sites over the 30-year period.

In addition to this, the Combat Center's Tortoise Research and Captive Reating Site, which is a long-term project on how to protect nests, hatchlings and juveniles until they're resilient enough to endure the harsh environment of the desert, resits most predation by animals such as ravens and cayotes, and mature to adulthood to breed and boost their populations.

'Every contractor, civilian employee and Marine in training is required to get a natural resources brief upon arrival to the Combat Center,' Pochop said.

'The brief talks a lot about the tortoise and how they should conduct themselves if they come in to contact with the animal.'
Dolphins are known to be highly intelligent creatures, and have even been found to construct sentences from patterns of clicks and pulses to communicate with each other.

And, using artificial intelligence, researchers are now hoping to figure out what theyre talking about.

Researchers in Sweden are set to begin creating a dolphin-language dictionary using technology from language-analysis startup Gavagai AB  and, it could one day allow humans to communicate with the animals.

Researchers in Sweden are set to begin creating a dolphin-language dictionary using technology from language-analysis startup Gavagai AB  and, it could one day allow humans to communicate with the animals

HOW IT WILL WORK The program launched by researchers at KTH Royal Institute of Technology and Gavagai AB plan to monitor captive bottlenose dolphins at a wildlife park. The language-analysis software has already proven capable in 40 human languages. And, it's hoped that the artificial intelligence system can similarly decode the dolphins' 'dictionary.' Advertisement

Scientists at the KTH Royal Institute of Technology will use Gavagais AI software to unlock the secrets of dolphins language, according to Bloomberg.

The software will be used to monitor captive bottlenose dolphins at a wildlife park just south of Stockholm, and the project is expected to span four years.

Its long been known that dolphins use distinct sounds, and even signature whistles to communicate with their peers and identify particular individuals.

Researchers have even found that dolphins, like humans, sing to their unborn young.

But, much about their language remains a mystery.

Gavagais software has already taken on 40 human languages, and its hoped that these efforts will reveal new insight on the mysterious communication methods of dolphins.

By deciphering their language, humans could eventually even communicate with them.

We hope to be able to understand dolphins with the help of artificial intelligence technology, Jussi Karlgren, an adjunct professor of language technology at KTH and co-founder of Gavagi, told Bloomberg.

We know that dolphins have a complex communication system, but we dont know what they are talking about yet.

Dolphins are known to be highly intelligent creatures, and have even been found to construct sentences from patterns of clicks and pulses to communicate with each other. And, using artificial intelligence, researchers are now hoping to figure out what theyre talking about

DOLPHINS' 'SIGNATURE WHISTLES' Signature whistles are sounds made by dolphins, used to identify different individuals. Dolphin calves will eventually make their own individual whistle, but in the first stages of life, they use their mothers. In a recent study, researchers observed a dolphin mother at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom in California, who gave birth to a dolphin baby called Mira in 2014. They recorded 80 hours of sounds from the mother, baby, and other dolphins in the enclosure, during the two months before birth, and two months after birth. The recordings showed that the mother dolphin began increasing her signature whistle two weeks before birth, and continued to do so for two weeks after birth, before tapering off. In contrast, the other dolphins in the enclosure did not produce their own signature whistle at very high rates during this time. Advertisement

Just last fall, scientists recorded dolphins having a conversation for the first time, and even noted the use of sentence-like patterns.

A pair of Black Sea bottlenose dolphins named Yasha and Yana were observed using clicks and pulses to create words in back-and-forth exchanges  and, they were even observed waiting for the other to finish their sentence before replying.

According to the scientists at the Karadag Nature Reserve, in Feodosia, Russia said that, the find suggests that, dolphins, like humans, are able to communicate certain emotions such as stress or happiness.

Dolphins have larger brains than many mammals - 1,800g and 0.9 per cent of its average body weight, the same brain-to-body weight percentage of a chimpanzee.
It may look like a bright yellow sunflower on a spring day, but the James Webb will soon be used to search some of the darkest corners of space and hunt for extraterrestrial life.

NASA has shared a picture of the space telescope's stunning gold mirror being lifted on a crane, which looked just like a flower in full bloom, as it was moved to a clean room at the Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland.

Scheduled to launch in October 2018, the 'Super Hubble' will use its 18-segmented gold mirror to capture infrared light from the first galaxies that formed 13.5 billion years ago.

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It may have looked like a bright yellow sunflower on a spring day, but the James Webb will soon be searching the deepest corners of space. NASA has shared a picture of the largest-ever space telescope's stunning gold mirror being lifted on a crane that looked just like a flower in full bloom

THE JAMES WEBB TELESCOPE The James Webb telescope has been described as a 'time machine' that could help unravel the secrets of our universe. The telescope will be used to look back to the first galaxies born in the early universe more than 13.5 billion years ago, and observe the sources of stars, exoplanets, and even the moons and planets of our solar system. When it is launched in 2018, it will be the world's biggest and most powerful telescope, capable of peering back 200 million years after the Big Bang. Advertisement

The James Webb Telescope is said to be 100 times more potent than its predecessor, Hubble, and three times larger  it has even earned the nickname 'Super Hubble'.

'Thousands of people, for almost two decades, accomplished the construction of the telescope element of the largest space telescope ever created,' said a new video, on NASA Goddard's YouTube channel regarding the telescopes completion in 2016.

'The optical and science segment of the James Webb Space Telescope stands complete in one of the largest cleanrooms in the world, located at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center.'

The main component of the telescope is the primary golden mirror, which consists of 18 hexagonal mirrors and looks like a giant puzzle piece.

The massive mirror is made up of 18 components which will work together as one structure.

The parts are each coated with a fine film of vaporized gold to optimize the reflection of infrared light.

Combined with the rest of the observatory, the mirrors will help piece together puzzles scientists have been trying to solve throughout the cosmos.

The main component of the telescope is the primary golden mirror, which consists of 18 hexagonal mirrors and looks like a giant puzzle piece. The massive mirror is made up of 18 components which will work together as one structure

NASA has described the telescope as a 'time machine' that will peer back over 13.5 billion years, to 200 million years after the Big Bang.

Last month, the massive device completed critical acoustic and vibration tests in a major step toward readying the craft for spaceflight at NASAs Goddard Space Flight Center, which simulated the shaking and ear-splitting noise the telescope will experience during launch.

According to NASA, these most recent tests are only two of the many assessments the craft will undergo before spaceflight, in the most rigorous battery of testing to date.

For the vibration tests, the telescope was mounted on a system known as a shaker table, to simulate the vibration that will happen during launch on the Ariane V rocket.

The James Webb Telescope is said to be 100 times more potent than its predecessor, Hubble, and three times larger  it has even earned the nickname 'Super Hubble'. It is set to undergo further testing this spring in Houston

Scheduled to launch in October 2018, the 'Super Hubble' will use its 18-segmented gold mirror to capture infrared light from the first galaxies that formed 13.5 billion years ago

In the test, it was subjected to vibrations ranging from 5 to 100 times per second.

Then, in the acoustic test, the researchers wrapped it in a clean tent and pushed it into the Acoustic Test Chamber, which is closed off by insulated steel doors that are nearly a foot thick.

Once in the chamber, it was exposed to ear-splitting noise and resulting vibration.

The James Webb Telescope will undergo further testing this spring in Houston, at extremely cold temperatures in a vacuum at the Johnson Space Center, as it readies for its journey in 2018.
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That moment when the world moves from day to night and night to day is always bewitching.

And when that moment is captured by a photographer with the skills of Will Burrard-Lucas, it's extra-magical.

MailOnline Travel recently ran pictures from Burrard-Lucas that saw him crowned the winner of the Natural World category in the 2017 Sony World Photography Awards. Here he's allowed us to present another stunning animal series he shot called Backlit  beguiling pictures of creatures in Namibia, South Africa, Zambia, Botswana and Uganda caught at sunrise and sunset.

Will Burrard-Lucas has allowed MailOnline Travel to run photographs from his stunning 'Backlit' collection

The images are breath-taking, with lions, hippos, meerkats, African wild dogs and more captured in golden halos of warm light

Burrard-Lucas, 33, from Beaconsfield, explained the secrets to the backlit aesthetic

The images are breath-taking, with lions, hippos, meerkats, African hunting dogs and more captured in golden halos of warm light.

The most striking are perhaps the silhouette pictures, but all of them are bewitching.

Burrard-Lucas, 33, from Beaconsfield, explained the secrets to producing a mesmerising backlit aesthetic.

This image of an African hunting dog is Burrard-Lucas's favourite from this collection. He said: 'One of the reasons these animals are so special to me is because they are so difficult to track down'

A prowling lion is caught in silhouette in the Central Kalahari Game Reserve in Botswana

Burrard-Lucas said: 'Generally, these backlit shots work best when the light is low and strong'

LEARN FROM THE MASTER If you're keen to learn some of Burrard-Lucass photography secrets then sign up to his free online wildlife photography course. It covers mastering your camera's settings, post-processing for 'impactful but natural results', equipment recommendations for your budget and more. Plus, if you sign up, you get instant access to his ebook - Ten Things You Can Do Right Now To Improve Your Wildlife Photography. Advertisement

He said: 'Backlit photographs are best taken at sunrise and sunset, when you get low, warm light. Backlit shots work best when you can line up your subject with the sun behind.

'Therefore, I often find myself lying on the ground in order to get the angle right. You have two exposure options when shooting backlit. Firstly, you can choose to underexpose the subject so that you get a black silhouette with a beautiful orange sky behind. This works well when the shape of the subject forms a strong graphic silhouette.

'The second option is to expose for the subject and let the background blowout. This creates a beautiful halo effect and a lovely sense of warmth.

'Generally, these backlit shots work best when the light is low and strong. In Africa the light can sometimes get quite dim at sunrise and sunset as there is a lot of dust and smoke in the atmosphere.

'Therefore, many of my favourite backlit shots were actually taken during the wet season, when rain had washed the air and you get much stronger light when the sun is low.'

The photographer revealed that the picture of the silhouetted African hunting dog is his favourite.

He said: 'One of the reasons these animals are so special to me is because they are so difficult to track down.

Horsing around: A group of zebras in Serengeti National Park in Tanzania bathed in dusty light

This lion, perched on a rock in Kidepo Valley National park, makes for a truly majestic sight as he's silhouetted against the sun

A cheetah in Liuwa Plain National Park stalks through long grass as the sun melts in the sky

Mudumu National Park in north-eastern Namibi was the setting for this sublime snap

'It took more than ten years of travel to Africa before I was able to photograph them for the first time. Wild dogs are not just hard to find because they are endangered, they are also constantly on the move and have massive home ranges, so trying to find them is a bit like looking for a needle in a haystack.

'To this day, I still get a thrill of excitement whenever I come across them.'

Burrard-Lucas's speciality is using innovative devices such as 'BeetleCam'  a remote controlled buggy with a DSLR camera mounted on top - and high quality camera traps to photograph his subjects.

And it was BeetleCam that took the picture of the African wild dog, 'to get a ground-level perspective as the sun was rising behind it'.

Burrard-Lucas added: 'I aim to capture images of wildlife that are unlike anything that you might have seen before.'

A Wildebeest stirs up dust in Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park in South Africa

Blue wildebeest gaze around them in Liuwa Plain National Park, Zambia, as the sky turns orange and pink

Burrard-Lucas's speciality is taking pictures using innovative devices such as 'BeetleCam'  a remote controlled buggy with a DSLR camera mounted on top - and high quality camera traps

Burrard-Lucas said: 'I aim to capture images of wildlife that are unlike anything that you might have seen before.' This ostrich was snapped in Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, South Africa

MailOnline Travel recently ran pictures from Burrard-Lucas that saw him crowned the winner of the Natural World category in the 2017 Sony World Photography Awards

If you're keen to learn some of Burrard-Lucass photography secrets then sign up to his free online wildlife photography course
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A decade after its launch, the iconic Queen Victoria cruise ship is getting a 34million makeover, giving it a truly royal look.

The giant liner, which boasts 16 decks and the capacity to hold 2,014 passengers, will be upgraded with newly-designed penthouse suites and an extension of the rooftop pool area.

Other new features include a 'pillow menu' featuring nine different pillows to ensure maximum comfort for cruise-goers and private butlers for penthouse guests.

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Sun deck: This lounge space will be extended to provide guests with additional deck space and access to the rays from sunrise to sunset. The shaded area will also be increased for those looking to dine al fresco

Living the high life: Five of Queen Victorias penthouse suites will be made-over with features including floor-to-ceiling windows and private balconies

Computer generated images reveal what the vessel will look like after its transformation, with slick interiors and soft lighting.

The bedrooms look fit for a queen, with royal blue and blood red bed throws. Pillows embroidered with gold thread are an extra touch.

Five of Queen Victoria's penthouse suites have been completely redesigned with floor-to-ceiling windows and private balconies.

The bathrooms have also been spruced up, with the installation of bubbling whirlpool baths.

In order to complete the facelift, the ship will be out of action from May 5 with completion scheduled for June 4.

Lounging around: Computer generated images reveal what the vessel will look like after its transformation, with slick interiors and soft lighting

Touring trio: Ordered by Carnival and built in 2007 for the Cunard Line, Queen Victoria has two sister ships, including the RMS Queen Mary 2 and the MS Queen Elizabeth

All mod cons: New flat screen TVs and hot drink making facilities will be installed in the ship's premium rooms

Ordered by Carnival and built in 2007 for the Cunard Line, Queen Victoria has two sister ships, the Queen Mary 2 and the Queen Elizabeth.

The carrier was last given a fresh lick of paint in 2011, with communal spaces and staterooms being the prime focus.

A new carpet was fitted in the Britannia Restaurant and the dance floor in the Queens Room ballroom was refinished.

Other popular features of the boat include a library boasting more than 6,000 books and a spa with 'heat-therapy chambers'.

Commenting on the upcoming renovations, Cunard's senior vice president Simon Palethorpe said: 'As part of the Queen Victoria refurbishment, weve looked to heighten our customers experience in every way, from the extension of the aft lido sun deck to refreshed interiors across the board.

Sun trap: The Winter Garden relaxation room will get new furnishings and carpet with a glass canopy added

Top trimmings: Other new features include a 'pillow menu' featuring nine different pillows to ensure 'maximum comfort' for cruise-goers and private butlers for penthouse guests

Suite dreams: The bedrooms look fit for a queen, with royal blue and blood red bed throws. Pillows embroidered with gold thread are an extra touch

'Responding to the demands of our guests, we've introduced 43 Britannia Club Staterooms, bringing the Queen Victoria in line with the rest of the Cunard fleet.

'The distinctive Cunard elegance remains of course and design cues have been taken from previous Cunard ships, such as the original Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth.

'At the same time, there are many enhancements - for example, new bar concepts and large flat screen TVs in all staterooms - that meet the needs of today's luxury traveller.

'Were looking forward to inviting the first Cunard guests on board to enjoy the new additions and refreshed features.'

The ship's refit will be carried out at the Fincantieri Shipyard in Palermo, Italy.

Queen Victoria, will then return to Southampton before embarking on its maiden four-night voyage to Amsterdam and Bruges.
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From bustling commuter hubs in city centres to small landing strips on desert islands, this fascinating collection of images shows what airports around the globe look like from space.

French astronaut Thomas Pesquet, 39, decided to show his love of aviation by documenting dozens of runways from an extreme vantage point, 250 miles up on the International Space Station.

The aerospace engineer and pilot's stunning gallery takes viewers around the world, jumping from England to France to Africa.

He even captured an odd location in the Australian outback where he suggests something mysterious is afoot. He commented: 'The Australian outback hides lots of beauty, and some surprises. I don't know what this is, but it looks strangely like an eyeball. It has its own runway and lots of regular shaped-buildings around. Secret military base?'

The European Space Agency spaceman also captured several French airports in tribute to his time as a commercial pilot for Air France, and snapped Heathrow Airport as a shout out to British astronaut Tim Peake.

Pesquet took off for his first mission into space on November 14, 2016, and in January he was the fourth French astronaut to perform a spacewalk as he installed new batteries on the flight craft.

Into the dust: 'I think I found the most isolated airport in the world lost in the desert of an Arabian peninsula,' Mr Pesquet said after spotting this remote tarmac strip lining the arid landscape

Drop in the ocean: Mr Pesquet spotted this landing strip on an island in the Indian Ocean off the coast of Madagascar. He said the small sandy runway didn't appear to be in use

West coast wonders: Dakar International Airport is the largest airport in Senegal and one of the fastest growing commuter hubs in Africa

On the water: Marseille airport, strategically located at the heart of Southern Europe, served 8.5million passengers last year

Commuter hub: Heathrow Airport in London has two runways, with airlines serving a total of 194 destinations

Par avion: Thomas Pesquet said this photo of Paris from the air was for all of his friends and colleagues at Air France. The images show the capital's two airports, Charles de Gaulle and Orly

Spanish sojourn: Barcelona Airport, located seven miles southwest of the city centre, served more than 44million passengers last year

On the wish list: Mr Pesquet said he was meant to land at Beirut airport a while back but his trip to Lebanon was cancelled. He says he hopes to get there one day

G'day, mate: Melbourne Airport, colloquially known as the Tullamarine airport, is the primary airport serving the city of Melbourne, and the second busiest airport in Australia. It was opened in 1970 to replace the nearby Essendon Airport

Mr Pesquet said of this image: 'The Australian outback hides lots of beauty, and some surprises. I don't know what this is, but it looks strangely like an eyeball. It has its own runway and lots of regular shaped-buildings around. Secret military base?'

Countryside commute: LyonSaint Exupery Airport, formerly known as Lyon Satolas Airport, is the international airport of Lyon, the third-biggest city in France

Far from home: Mr Pesquet is based at Cologne Airport when he's back on earth as it's where the European Astronaut Centre is based

Ooh la la! MontpellierMediterranee Airport, in southern France, is the country's tenth largest airport welcoming more than one million passengers each year

Ocean views: Nice is France's third busiest airport after Charles de Gaulle and Orly, both of which are located in Paris

Madrid Barajas Airport was opened in 1933 and in 1965 the airport adopted the title it is known by today, named after the small town nearby

Going Greek: Athens Eleftherios Venizelos Airport, built ahead of the 2004 Olympic Games, took 51 weeks to build at the cost of more than 2billion

Cairo International Airport was built during the mid-1940s and served American Allied Forces. It was used for civil aviation purposes shortly after the Second World War ended

Aloha! Honolulu Airport in Hawaii first opened in 1927 and was originally called the John Rodgers after a prominent local naval officer. By the 1950s it was one of America's top-three busiest airports
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Not a fan of heights? Then buckle up for a series of stomach-drops.

These vertigo-inducing images were taken by daredevils in New York and Hong Kong, who risked their lives to explore the cities from a dizzying perspective.

Brave 'rooftoppers' from Australia, China and Russia posed perilously on roof edges in Hong Kong with no safety equipment despite being just a footstep from certain death; while a mysterious photographer known as @svvvk on Instagram shot the New York snaps.

These vertigo-inducing images were taken by daredevils in Hong Kong (pictured) and New York who risked their lives to explore these cities from a dizzying perspective

Twenty-year-old Russian photographer Denis Krasnov, who shot the staggering photos in Hong Kong, reveals: 'I used to travel to mountains a lot and I quickly learnt that I loved height when taking photos.

'From this I decided to combine my passion for height and taking photos and became a rooftopper. When I first got into it, I would only climb small houses, but as time went on the height of the buildings increased.

'I studied building plans and the security systems of skyscrapers. We try to test ourselves to get that adrenaline rush which is lacking in everyday life.'

According to the New York photographer, who joins his fellow explorers on their climbs: 'It is dangerous, but the risk for the shot looking over the edge is always worth it to me.'

A mysterious photographer known as @svvvk on Instagram posed perilously on roof edges in New York with no safety equipment, seen here over Times Square, despite being just a footstep from certain death

A masked man hangs precariously from a soaring crane with an admittedly nice view of New York's sprawling Central Park

Pictured (left) is the spire on 70 Pine in New York's Financial District and (right) the spire of 40 Wall Street, 925 feet up

The snapper adds: 'If there's something out of reach or getting to dangerous, we have a friend lend a hand or call it off and move on. One photo isn't worth anyone's life.

'My family are okay with what I do. I don't push my limits past what I know I'm capable of so I haven't been hurt from doing this.

'I have been caught more than once by building security, but as long as you are polite and respectful to them, they will be the same.'

He concludes: 'People don't realise how much effort some people put into a photo.'

Twenty-year-old Russian photographer Denis Krasnov (pictured) shot the staggering photos in Hong Kong, with views over the clustered high-rise buildings below

He gathered 'rooftoppers' from Australia, China and Russia to explore Hong Kong from a truly unique vantage point

Mr Krasnow and his companions, one pictured gazing over the Hong Kong skyline, remarks: 'We try to test ourselves to get that adrenaline rush which is lacking in everyday life'

In order to capture their shots, the Hong Kong team study the building plans and security systems of skyscrapers to gain access

According to the New York snapper, who took this snap of a fellow rooftopper atop the Ghery building: 'I have been caught more than once by building security'

He adds: 'But as long as you are polite and respectful to them, they will be the same'. Pictured is a climber peering over Downtown New York

Taken in Hong Kong, this man points his toe over the edge of this horrifyingly high glass-walled skyscraper

Mr Krasnov, pictured in Hong Kong, explains: 'I used to travel to mountains a lot and I quickly learnt that I loved height when taking photos'

He adds: 'From this I decided to combine my passion for height and taking photos and became a rooftopper'

When Mr Krasnov first got into it, he would only climb small houses but as time went on, the height of the buildings increased

A rooftopper perched on the ledge of a lit-up building casually checks his camera above Times Square in New York

One photographer who is even higher up than his friend captures him from a ledge above New York's Bryant Park

Looking remarkably calm, another climber surveys New York's concrete jungle from the corner of a soaring rooftop

According to the New York photographer, who shot this of his friend: 'It is dangerous, but the risk for the shot looking over the edge is always worth it to me'

He adds: 'If there's something out of reach or getting to dangerous, we have a friend lend a hand or call it off and move on. One photo isn't worth anyone's life'. Pictured, a climber overlooking New York and Brooklyn Bridge

The snapper claims his family are 'OK' with what he does, stating: 'I don't push my limits past what I know I'm capable of so I haven't been hurt from doing this'. Pictured, a group of climbers in Brooklyn

Great care was taken not to slip down the sides of this roof where the photographer sat close to the Chrysler Building
She's the natural beauty known for never putting a foot wrong on the red carpet.

And Elsa Pataky, 40, put her best foot forward during a photo call in Madrid, Spain, on Tuesday.

The Fate Of The Furious actress and wife of Chris Hemsworth was attending the launch of shoe brand Giosepo's new collection, for which she is a spokesmodel.

Putting her best foot forward! Elsa Pataky STUNS in floral maxi dress while attending shoe launch in Spain

Elsa cut a stunning figure in a floral maxi dress, which featured a daring split showing off her trim pins.

She paired the dress with plenty of accessories, wearing a series of ankle and wrist bracelets.

The Byron Bay resident finished her look off with a pair of chunky black heeled sandals.

Best dressed: The Byron Bay resident finished her look off with a pair of chunky black heeled sandals

Stunning: Keeping her makeup simple and accentuating her natural beauty, Elsa wore her blonde locks back in a messy updo

Keeping her makeup simple and accentuating her natural beauty, Elsa wore her blonde locks back in a messy updo.

Elsa's trip to her native Spain comes after she spent last week promoting her new role as a L'Oreal Botanicals Fresh Care Ambassador in Australia.

During her time on the promotional tour down under the Snakes On A Plane actress revealed she hopes to be known as more than just Chris Hemsworth's wife.

Jet setter: Elsa's trip to her native Spain comes after she spent last week promoting her new role as a L'Oreal Botanicals Fresh Care Ambassador in Australia

Golden girl: She paired the dress with plenty of accessories, wearing a series of ankle and wrist bracelets

Elsa also confirmed that her and husband Chris had plans to start their own movie production company.

'It is something we have been talking about,' the actress told The Daily Telegraph last week.

'It is good to find your own projects, something you are passionate about so we are reading a lot of scripts. That is actually the best option right now.'
She's the veteran media personality, who co-hosts one of the hottest radio shows in Australia.

But Jackie 'O' Henderson was uncharacteristically lost for words during Tuesday's Kyle and Jackie O show, after being exposed to two very large penises live on-air.

The jaw-dropping moment took place as Jackie and shock-jock Kyle Sandilands interviewed Puppetry of the Penis stars Rich Binning and Barry Brisco.

Shocking: Jackie 'O' Henderson was uncharacteristically lost for words during Tuesday's Kyle and Jackie O show , after being exposed to two very large penises live on-air

'Jackie's a bit nervous guys, she's not used to this she's only ever seen one penis at a time, so this is gonna be a whole new thing for her ...,' Kyle mused before asking: 'You've only ever seen a white penis before right?'

Jackie replied: 'Well yeah, in real life.'

The American performers then proceeded to strip off as they proudly revealed their sizeable manhood.

'OMG': The jaw-dropping moment took place as Jackie and shock-jock Kyle Sandilands interviewed Puppetry of the Penis stars Rich Binning and Barry Brisco

'Oh well,' a stunned Jackie said giggling - with Kyle closely observing Barry's penis: 'Jesus the myth's not wrong ... look at that! Jackie, what do you think of that?'

As Jackie struggled to maintain her composure on-air, Rich and Barry proceeded to perform a series of bizarre stretches and 'tricks.'

'So you're stretching it in a windmill action here ... rubbing it together like you're warming a stick,' a fascinated Jackie noted - adding: 'what is my job?'

No strangers to shocking moments: Kyle and Jackie also host a Naked Dating segment on their hit KIIS FM radio show

At one point, the eyebrow-raising performers managed to outdo themselves as they showcased their most shocking trick, which they called 'the woman.'

'There isn't a man alive who hasn't tried this trick,' Rich said before the big reveal.

'It's been featured in such movies as The Crying Game and Silence of the Lambs but probably most recently over at Caitlyn Jenner's house. Ladies and gentlemen... the woman.'

Jackie gasped: 'OMG. That is so far back and tucked in!'

Kyle added: 'I've seen men tuck it in before but you turned yourself into a vagina ... that was very impressive.'
A California judge just dismissed Katherine Jackson's elder abuse lawsuit against her nephew Trent Lamar Jackson, whom she had a temporary restraining order against in February.

The ailing matriarch - who turns 87 next week - and her attorneys were 'unprepared to go forward' with a full-blown trial on Tuesday, according to TMZ.

The Jehovah's Witness had previously claimed the 52-year-old son of her estranged husband Joe Jackson's brother Luther abused her and stole $40K from her accounts as her caretaker and driver since 2009.

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Pictured in 2014: A judge just dismissed Katherine Jackson's elder abuse lawsuit against her nephew Trent Lamar Jackson, whom she had a temporary restraining order against in February

Meanwhile, Trent thinks Katherine (born Kattie B. Scruse) is being manipulated by sinister family members trying to gain control over the late Michael Jackson's $1B estate.

Jackson was allegedly so afraid of Trent she fled to London for two months to be with her daughter Janet, who just welcomed son Eissa Al Mana with estranged third husband Wissam Al Mana.

The Indiana-raised mother-of-10 has reportedly been staying at her daughter Rebbie's Encino home since March 30, and granddaughter Paris is not happy about it.

Katherine shares full legal custody of Michael's 15-year-old son 'Blanket' with her grandson TJ, but the A-student has been mostly alone in her $10.7M Calabasas home.

Pictured in 2016: The ailing matriarch - who turns 87 next week - and her attorneys were 'unprepared to go forward' with a full-blown trial on Tuesday, according to TMZ

Pictured in 2010: The Jehovah's Witness had previously claimed the 52-year-old son of her estranged husband Joe Jackson's brother Luther abused her and stole $40K from her accounts as her caretaker and driver since 2009

Pictured in 2010: Meanwhile, Trent thinks Katherine (born Kattie B. Scruse) is being manipulated by sinister family members trying to gain control over the late Michael Jackson's $1B estate

'My baby and me after nap time': Jackson was allegedly so afraid of Trent she fled to London for two months to be with her daughter Janet, who just welcomed son Eissa Al Mana with estranged third husband Wissam Al Mana

'Paris feels her little brother is living without real family,' a source told TMZ on April 11.

'Paris loves her grandma and is worried Rebbie and several other siblings of Michael's have intentionally put a wall up to control the matriarch. She believes some of her aunts and uncles are trying to control Katherine for financial motives.'

The former Sears clerk receives over $1M a year from Jackson's estate - according to E! News.

'Queen of the Jacksons': The Indiana-raised mother-of-10 has reportedly been staying at her daughter Rebbie's Encino home since March 30, and granddaughter Paris is not happy about it

Pictured February 3: Katherine shares full legal custody of Michael's 15-year-old son 'Blanket' with her grandson TJ, but the A-student has been mostly alone in her $10.7M Calabasas home
On Monday, Intern Pete made shocking claims that Neighbours star Stefan Dennis tripped over and projectile vomited in the gutter after Sunday night's Logie Award.

Now Kyle and Jackie O's cheeky intern has been called out for lying, by the man himself.

Stefan insisted on an apology live on-air during Wednesday's Kyle and Jackie O Show, before remarking that if lies are to be told 'you've got to make them legendary'.

Not happy: Neighbours star Stefan Dennis has slammed Kyle and Jackie O's Intern Pete for lying that he tripped over and vomited in the gutter at the Logies

'I've had all my friends all over the place ring and say, "What's this about you vomiting after the Logies party?". I want Intern Pete to apologise to me because it's not good enough guys,' Stefan told co-hosts Kyle Sandilands and Jackie 'O' Henderson.

Stefan remarked that if lies are to be told, then they ought to be legendary.

'Just hang on a second Pete. You know what? If you're going to make a porky pie, you've got to make them legendary,' the soap star began.

'It's no good saying, "Stefan Dennis vomited after a party".

Headlines: Intern Pete (pictured) told Kyle and Jackie O that Stefan projectile vomited after Sunday night's Logie Awards. Pete is pictured here at The Logies

Antics: 'Here you go, "vomiting inside the gold hat that Molly gave Sam", Stefan remarked of what lie Intern Pete should have made up. Pictured with Neighbours co-star Mavournee Hazel

'You say, "Stefan Dennis was seen staggering and supported by four questionable, scantily-clad ladies. Seen to be bulging with illicit substances, completely unaware of what's happening and vomits on a passing poodle".

'Or better still, here you go, "vomiting inside the gold hat that Molly gave Sam", Stefan added.

After questioning Stefan on whether he was still denying the report or whether he had a twin brother, Intern Pete finally did apologise.

Claims: Wentworth's Danielle Cormack, 46, was reported by Intern Pete to have been involved in an altercation in the hallways of Melbourne's Crown Towers

Vocal: The actress reportedly yelled: "You don't tell me what to do, I tell you what to do"

'Stefan Dennis, I Intern Pete would like to apologise for lying that you threw up in the gutter and projectile vomited and everything.'

Meanwhile, Intern Pete also reported that Wentworth's Danielle Cormack and The Block judge Darren Palmer, were found in precarious situations.

Danielle, 46, was claimed to have been 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".

Reports: Intern Pete also claimed that The Block's Darren Palmer got into an argument when his partner was denied entry to a Logies after party on Sunday night

Darren, 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, it was claimed the interior designer went on alone.

The star was all smiles however the following morning, as he fronted up at the Post Logies Recovery Brunch.
Australia enjoyed a glimpse into the life of controversial businessman Alan Bond this week with the release of Channel Nine's biopic House Of Bond.

And with the late tycoon hot on everyone's radar, author and behaviour expert Chris Golis has weighed in on the 'psychopathic tendencies' of Alan Bond and how they set him apart from other business moguls of his time.

'Bond was an incredible psychopath with incredible energy. What set him apart from others is that he had no moral compass,' said Mr Golis.

What set him apart from others is that he had no moral compass': Author and behaviour expert Chris Golis has weighed in on the 'psychopathic tendencies' of Alan Bond and how they set him apart from other business moguls of his time

'When compared to those who had similar high-profile business dealings, most them were shrewd but ethical and made sure their shareholders participated in the wealth creation,' he explained.

'Not Alan Bond- his only concern was his own financial gain. He turned the capital of his shareholders into income for himself and he had little regard for anyone else.'

According to Mr Golis, a key example of Alan Bond's opportunistic tenancies was his speedy acquisition of Swan Brewery in 1981.

'He turned the capital of his shareholders into income for himself': According to Mr Golis, a key example of Alan Bond's opportunistic tenancies was his speedy acquisition of Swan Brewery in 1981

The seven temperament stereotypes According to Mr Golis, there are seven temperament stereotypes. 1. The Mover- Cheerful, outgoing, warm and enthusiastic. It's easy to recognise a mover because they are always smiling and are driven by a desire to communicate. 2. The Doublechecker- Timid nervous and indecisive. Double-checkers crave security and are always thinking about what could go wrong. 3. The Artist- This personality type is dominated by the desire to create. Artists are often quiet, shy and withdrawn people. 4. The Politician- Verbal rather than visual- the politician has fixed opinions and tends to force these on others. They can be so competitive that they often appear boastful and conceited. 5. The Engineer- Engineers are driven by the desire to complete projects. They are highly achievement oriented and need goals. 6. The Hustler- Driven solely by a desire for material success, hustlers are generally concerned with self-advantage and are sly, cunning and ambitious. 7. The Normal- driven by a desire for order. Normals are emotionally stable, consistent and rational. The Normal component acts as a stabiliser on the other six personality types. Advertisement

Cashing in: Another example was his bankrolling challenges for the America's Cup

Another example was his bankrolling challenges for the America's Cup.

He famously achieved the seemingly impossible feat of ending the 132-year American dominance in the competition in 1983.

However, the businessman- who was once name Australian of the Year- declared bankruptcy in 1992 with debts reportedly totaling a staggering $1.8 billion.

Fall from grace: However, the businessman- who was once name Australian of the Year- declared bankruptcy in 1992 with debts reportedly totaling a staggering $1.8 billion

The tycoon also served four years in prison after using a controlling interest in a company to siphon off over a billion dollars into how own Bond Company.

'Like many corporate psychopaths, he destroyed the balance sheets of companies by over-borrowing.'

'This is mostly down to their self-belief that they are always the smartest person in the room and they have preternatural business acumen,' said Mr Golis.

Alan Bond died in 2015 at the age of 77 after complications from heart surgery.

He left behind behind his former wife Eileen and their three children John, Craig and Jody.

'Like many corporate psychopaths, he destroyed the balance sheets of companies by over-borrowing': The tycoon also served four years in prison after using a controlling interest in a company to siphon off over a billion dollars into how own Bond Company
Love Island's Kady McDermott showed off her flat stomach in a tiny white bikini when she posted a throwback holiday snap on Instagram on Tuesday.

The 21-year-old put her sensational hourglass figure on display in a holiday picture, fresh from her romantic getaway to the Maldives with boyfriend Scott Thomas.

She oozed body confidence as she showcased her tiny frame in the beachwear, which was only fastened to her with a single ribbon.

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Bikini-clad Kady McDermott sizzled in skimpy swimwear in a throwback snap fresh from Maldives with Love Island's Scott Thomas when she posted the picture on Tuesday

The reality TV starlet added a hint of sparkle to her appearance with the bejeweled panel to the beachwear.

She showed off the fruits of her fitness labour and now sun-kissed skin from lying in the baking Maldives heat.

The Love Island beauty was in a state of bliss as she lounged in the hot pink sunbed, soaking up the sunshine in a pair of cat-eyed sunglasses.

Kady captioned the post, 'Missing the Maldives already but managed to stay in shape with my Slender Blend sachets in my favourite chocolate flavour!' (sic)

Her legion of 905K followers flooded the post with gushing compliments about her incredible figure, with fans saying: 'Slaying as always. Can only dream.'

She documented her sunny break with a series of raunchy bikini snaps which she shared while she was abroad.

The beauty flaunted her sensationally slender figure in a chic red bikini as she topped up her tan in the blazing sunshine.

Red hot! Kady was certainly keen to show off the fruits of her fitness labours on Saturday as she posted an array of sizzling bikini snaps to her Instagram page

First taking to the pool, the Love Island star showed off her gym-honed physique in all its glory as she posed sexily for the camera.

The make-up artist saucily flashed her cleavage in her barely-there red bikini top, which plunged into a deep V at the chest.

Paired with equally skimpy bottoms, which secured into just single strings at each side, Kady then left her enviably taut stomach and tiny waist on show as she smouldered in oversized sunglasses for the snap.

Life's peachy: Posing fiercely with her hands in her hair and one leg cocked, the reality star drew attention to her derriere and long, lean legs in her second sizzling snap of the day

The brunette flaunted her gorgeous womanly figure once again as she swapped the pool for her idyllic beach surroundings later on.

Posing fiercely with her hands through her hair and one leg cocked on the sand, the reality star drew attention to her derriere and long, lean legs in her second sizzling snap of the day.

Kady has been heavily documenting her romantic getaway on social media - taking to social media once again on Thursday to show off her toned physique.

Sizzling: Kady McDermott slipped into yet another bikini as she took a dip in the pool in the Maldives on Thursday

The reality star wowed in the skimpy two-piece, which was white with a colourful patterned trim.

Wearing her brunette tresses swept back off her face, she covered her pretty features in a pair of large shades as she pouted at the camera.

Kady also shared another series of Instagram snaps showing her on the beach in a bright green bikini later on in the day.

Larking around: The Love Island star also shared another series of Instagram snaps showing her on the beach in a bright green bikini later on in the day

Romantic: The 21-year-old is currently enjoying a romantic getaway on the island with boyfriend Scott Thomas

The humorous series shows her prankster boyfriend Scott jokingly kicking her to the ground as he was taking a picture of her.

She captioned the snaps: 'When you're trying to be all cute but your boyfriend is a t*** (yes, we reenacted this)'.

The pair, who struck up a romance on Love Island last year, jetted off to the luxury resort in the Maldives on Monday and have been filling their social media snaps with envy-inducing snaps since landing.

Kady shared a romantic snap of her and Scott sipping champagne in a bath tub on Wednesday, captioning it with the words: 'Bath time in paradise with my one'.

Peachy: Kady showed off her amazing figure in colourful swimwear shortly after arriving in the Maldives on Tuesday

She also slipped into a tiny tropical print bikini as she enjoyed an outdoor shower on the island, with her peachy posterior on full display.

She captioned the snap: 'First day at @kandima_maldives and it's just unreal. The outside shower is my new best friend. There's a jacuzzi, pool and bath all outside too! Paradise.'

Scott also couldn't resist teasing his followers, posting a snap of the pair cuddled up at the beach.

He shared: 'Landed in absolute paradise! Another adventure with my one @kadymcdermott ! #blessed'.

Cocktail o'clock: Scott also couldn't resist teasing his followers, posting a snap of the pair cuddled up at the beach

Only last month, Kady jetted off to Fuerteventura with Corrie star Ryan Thomas' brother.

The brunette beauty raised temperatures in a orange two piece, which made the most of her killer abs and her very pert derriere.

Kady recently revealed she can't wait for her man to propose in a new interview with OK! magazine.

Jetsetter : Kady showed off her sensational figure as she enjoyed a break in Fuerteventura just last month

Cheeky side: The brunette beauty raised temperatures in a orange two piece, which made the most of her killer abs and her very pert derriere

Speaking about her dream proposal, the TV star said: 'I wouldnt want it to be in front of anyone because Id get embarrassed.

Id want it just us two, preferably in a hot country, on the beach with rose petals and candles everywhere! Romantic, cute and private would be perfect.

Scott added: I think it will have to involve towels again like when I asked her to be my girlfriend on Love Island!

For now, the pair are content with their new life together, living in their rented three-bedroom house in Cheshire.

Big plans: Following their stint as one of the fan favourite couples on last year's edition of Love Island, Kady and Scott are still going strong and reveals she is hoping for a romantic proposal

The pair have been saving hard and are hoping to buy their first home together as soon as possible.

Kady and Scott began dating on last year's second series of the renewed show and hit it off right away - despite an array of arguments threatening their romantic bliss.

While he was an original cast member, the brunette beauty was a late arrival - but she instantly caught Scott's eye and was lauded the 'fittest girl in the house'.

Following the show, presenter Caroline Flack revealed bright hopes for the future as she said: 'I think Kady and Scott will get married first, and theyll stay together, 100 per cent.'
She jetted off to Queensland with her children amid claims she was 'stressed' about photos of her estranged husband Karl Stefanovic getting cosy with model Jasmine Yarbrough in Mexico.

And Cassandra Thorburn, 45, was spotted at a local Gold Coast beach smoking cigarettes and drinking from a wine glass with a female pal over the Easter long weekend.

Swathed from the cold in an over-sized jumper, slender Cassandra was seen sitting cross-legged on the sand as she watched her three children frolic in the surf.

Taking time out: Cassandra Thorburn, 45, was spotted at a local Gold Coast beach smoking cigarettes and drinking from a wine glass with a female pal over the Easter long weekend while her ex husband Karl was cavorting in LA and Mexico with his new squeeze, Jasmine Yarbrough

She completed her casual ensemble with a pair of skinny jeans, a pair of black sandals and a black-and-white beach bag.

Cassandra protected her eyes from the glare with a pair of sunglasses as her cropped mane blew wildly in the coastal wind.

At one stage, the former ABC reporter was spotted drinking from a wine glass, which she produced from her handbag.

Flaunting it: Cassandra jetted off to Queensland with her three children amid claims she is 'stressed' about photos of her estranged husband Karl Stefanovic getting cosy with model Jasmine Yarbrough in Mexico

Photo tells a thousand words: Karl and Jasmine appeared every inch the happy couple as they posed for this photo during their Mexican getaway over Easter

Sitting on the side-lines: Swathed from the cold in an over-sized jumper, slender Cassandra was seen sitting cross-legged on the sand as she watched her three children frolic in the surf

No-frills: She completed her casual ensemble with a pair of skinny jeans, a pair of black sandals and a black-and-white beach bag

Windy weather: Cassandra protected her eyes from the glare with a pair of sunglasses as her cropped mane blew wildly in the coastal wind

Cheers! At one stage, the former ABC reporter was spotted drinking from a wine glass, which she produced from her handbag

Holiday mode: Later, she was seen removing her sandals before taking a stroll down the sand, wine glass in hand

Later, she was seen removing her sandals before taking a stroll down the sand, wine glass in hand.

She also appeared to pick up one of her children's flip-flops before making her way back to the hotel.

At one stage during the stroll she was joined by her pal, with the pair sharing a few giggles while smoking cigarettes.

Difficult time: 'Cass felt like she'd been kicked in the guts when she saw Karl and Jasmine cavorting like teenagers,' a source close to Cassandra told Women's Day

Struggles: 'Cass is a very strong woman and she wants to move on, but it's incredibly difficult when she has his new relationship flung in her face so publicly,' a source told Women's Day

Romantic display: Photos emerged of Karl and Jasmine during their loved-up holiday, several of which depicted blonde shoe designer Jasmine putting on a raunchy display with the father-of-three

Moment of solitude? Cassandra stared at the ground as she walked past a pair of lifeguards

Making the most of the sunny weather, Cassandra also spent time soaking up some rays on a pool chair.

Kicking off her shoes, the brunette looked relaxed as she flicked through her phone and chatted to her friend reclining in the chair next to hers.

A day later, Cassandra's spirits seemed to have lifted, with the former journalist being spotted laughing and beaming as she shared a take-away coffee with her family and friend.

On the move! She scooped up one of her children's flip-flops before making her way back to the hotel

Giggle: She was seen laughing as she traversed the sandy shore

Cleaning up: She stored two cigarettes in the empty wine glass

Kicking back: Making the most of the sunny weather, Cassandra also spent time soaking up some rays on a pool chair

Cassandra was dressed in a casual striped T-shirt, blue long-line cardigan and a pair of denim shorts.

She accessorised her look with a simple gold necklace and a pair of black flip-flops.

On several occasions that day Cassandra was spotted flipping through her phone while wearing a concerned expression.

Lazy days: She propped her head up with her jumper while leaning one arm over her face to shield her forehead from the sun

Stress free! Kicking off her shoes, the brunette looked relaxed as she flicked through her phone and chatted to her friend reclining in the chair next to hers

Catching up on the news? She was also seen checking her phone as her pal looked on

New day, new look! A day later, Cassandra's spirits seemed to have lifted, with the former journalist being spotted laughing and beaming as she shared a take-away coffee with her family and friend.

Joking around: She was seen laughing and beaming

Meanwhile, Karl, 42, spent the Easter break with his new squeeze Jasmine Yarbrough, 33 in LA and Mexico.

Photos emerged of the pair during their loved-up holiday, several of which depicted blonde shoe designer Jasmine putting on a raunchy display with the father-of-three.

According to a Woman's Day source, the photos left Cassandra feeling deflated.

Chic: Cassandra was dressed in a casual striped T-shirt, blue long-line cardigan and a pair of denim shorts

Pensive: On several occasions that day Cassandra was spotted flipping through her phone while wearing a concerned expression

Loved-up: Meanwhile, Karl, 42, spent the Easter break with his new squeeze Jasmine Yarbrough, 33 in LA and Mexico

Deflated? According to a Woman's Day source, the photos left Cassandra feeling deflated

'Cass felt like she'd been kicked in the guts when she saw Karl and Jasmine cavorting like teenagers,' a source close to Cassandra told the publication.

'Cass is a very strong woman and she wants to move on, but it's incredibly difficult when she has his new relationship flung in her face so publicly,' they added.

Following their split in September last year, Karl moved out of their family home in Lindfield after 21 years of marriage.

A few months later he was spotted getting cosy with Jasmine.

In October, Cassandra said in an open letter: 'I'm going through one of the hardest times of mine and my children's lives.'

Daily Mail Australia has reached out to Channel Nine for comment.
Caitlyn Jenner has become something of an activist since coming out as transgender in 2015, so it's hardly surprising to hear she's now considering running for office.

The former reality star hosted an event titled Imagining Men & Women: Caitlyn Jenner On Transgender Identity And Courage in New York City on Tuesday evening.

While speaking at the event, Caitlyn revealed she's disappointed in the current administration, and hinted she may enter the political arena herself, according to Just Jared.

Running for office? Caitlyn Jenner hinted she may step into the political arena during an impassioned speech at an event titled Imagining Men & Women: Caitlyn Jenner On Transgender Identity And Courage in New York City on Tuesday

'My loyalties are not with the Republican Party,' she said during an impassioned speech at the event. 'My loyalties are not with Donald Trump. Ill come after him and come after Republicans when they start screwing up my community.'

'And I got a voice and theyd better listen, because I will come after them. And so, over the next year or two, I would look at where I can be more effective to helping my community.'

Dressed in a red pencil skirt with ruffle detail, Caitlyn looked stunning as she posed for photos on the grey carpet.

She also wore a fitted black turtleneck sweater with lace bell sleeves and medium black heels.

Angry: 'My loyalties are not with Donald Trump. Ill come after him and come after Republicans when they start screwing up my community,' she said in a speech on Tuesday

Standing together: Joining the statuesque beauty was trans author and political activist Jennifer Finney Boylan

Joining the statuesque beauty was trans author and political activist Jennifer Finney Boylan.

Jennifer has been a longtime supporter of the former champion athlete, speaking to People shortly after Caitlyn announced her transition.

'I wish Jenner strength and love on this journey, and I hope whatever Jenner goes through not only helps Jenner but all of the rest of us,' she told the publication in February 2015.

Plans: 'I got a voice and theyd better listen, because I will come after them. And so, over the next year or two, I would look at where I can be more effective to helping my community'

Earlier in the day, Caitlyn had met up with Andreja Pejic for a lunch date in New York City, further cementing their friendship.

The two women were seen arriving separately at the Hyatt Hotel, with Andreja toting a copy of Caitlyn's new autobiography, The Secrets Of My Life, as she made her way inside.

The 25-year-old Australian model looked stylish in a pair of black leather pants and black boots.

Show of support: 'I wish Jenner strength and love on this journey, and I hope whatever Jenner goes through not only helps Jenner but all of the rest of us,' Jennifer said in 2015

She also wore a black T-shirt and nude-colored trench coat.

Despite the gloomy weather, the statuesque blonde wore a pair of tinted blue cat-eye sunglasses as she walked along the street.

A black handbag hung from her shoulder, and she had on a vibrant shade of red lipstick.

Meanwhile, Caitlyn, 67, looked elegant in a peach-colored sweater dress with lace-up detailing.

Peachy keen: Caitlyn looked elegant in a peach hued sweater dress ahead of her lunch date with the Australian model earlier on Tuesday

Stepping out: Andreja Pejic was seen making her way to a lunch date with the reality star, while clutching a copy of Caitlyn's new book, The Secrets Of My Life

She wore tan-colored alligator high heels and carried a nude-colored leather handbag as she made her way inside the luxury hotel.

Her long brown hair was worn loose and she wore large hoop earrings.

The two have been firm friends ever since they first met at the Glamour Women Of The Year Awards in November 2015, where Caitlyn was awarded Woman Of The Years, shortly after coming out as trans.

Close: The two have been firm friends ever since they first met at the Glamour Women Of The Year Awards in November 2015

More than friends? There were even rumours they were dating, after Andreja took Caitlyn as her date to the Elton John AIDS Foundation Oscar Viewing Party in Hollywood in February

'Finally had the pleasure of meeting this amazing woman,' Andreja captioned a photo of the two of them on Instagram at the time. 'Congrats on becoming Glamour Woman of the Year.'

There were even rumours they were dating, after Andreja - herself trans - took Caitlyn as her date to the Elton John AIDS Foundation Oscar Viewing Party in Hollywood in February.

'Hi Middle America lol,' Andreja captioned an Instagram photo of the two of them together at the event.
They first dated back in 2012, but recently enjoyed a one-night fling during a cast trip to Marbella.

But Gemma Collins revealed her ex James 'Arg' Argent still does not follow her on Instagram on Tuesday, despite their recent saucy antics.

The bold 36-year-old was seen asking her ex, 29, to 'unblock' her on the site, in a comment posted underneath a photo of Arg reuniting with pal Chris Clark - following his ten-week stint in rehab.

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Awkward: Gemma Collins revealed her ex James 'Arg' Argent still does not follow her on Instagram on Tuesday, despite their recent one-night fling in Marbella

Arg returned to his native Essex from Thailand last week, where he has spent the last few months battling his demons in a rehab centre.

Clearly excited to be reuniting with his friend, co-star Chris Clark had immediately taken to his Instagram to share a photo of the pair - captioned: 'The main man is back.'

However the buxom blonde somewhat stole Arg's thunder in the snap, as she was seen hilariously writing in the comments: 'Unblock me Arg !'

'The main man is back': Arg returned to his native Essex from a rehab centre in Thailand last week - with Chris Clark (R) posting a photo of their pair together as they reunited

What about me! However the buxom blonde somewhat stole Arg's thunder in the snap, as she was seen hilariously writing in the comments: 'Unblock me Arg !'

Fans were left in stitches by her comment, taking to the photo soon after to write: '@gemmacollins1 u crack me up!' and 'you're the best person in the world!' (sic)

It seems Arg has still not re-followed Gemma since their break-up in 2012 - despite indulging in a one-night tryst during a cast trip to Marbella in February.

Gemma confessed to enjoying a dalliance with her ex on an episode of TOWIE - before it emerged that his other ex Lydia Bright had done the same only hours later.

Cyber drama: It seems Arg has still not re-followed Gemma (above) since their break-up in 2012 - despite indulging in a one-night tryst during a cast trip to Marbella in February

The bubbly blonde had gone on to make the shocking revelation that she hoped to fall pregnant from the evening, and realise her wish to become a mother.

Yet, the 36-year-old show stalwart soon grew emotional as she discussed her devastation when her period came after the dalliance - revealing she feels 'so f**king unfulfilled' and is desperate for a child to fill the void in her life.

She explained: 'I didn't get the contraceptive pill because I'm at that age now.

Devastated: However Gemma then revealed she had purposely not taken contraception that evening in the hope of getting pregnant - and broke down when her period came (above)

'What I'm saying is when I came on my period. I thought I haven't had a baby. I'm feeling f**king pressure. I feel so unfulfilled. It's like I have a sign. Come and rinse me, come and break me, come and drain my bank account.'

Meanwhile Arg cut a far healthier and happier figure in the snap, having recently returned home from a ten-week stint in an idyllic rehab centre in Thailand.

The star had checked himself into the clinic earlier this year, in order to seek professional help with his fluctuating weight and wild lifestyle.

Back to his best: Meanwhile Arg cut a far healthier and happier figure in the snap, having recently returned home from a ten-week stint in an idyllic rehab centre in Thailand (above)

Despite touching back down in Essex, Arg is currently taking a break from the ITVBe reality show to allow himself to fully recuperate.

Amid rumours he had been axed from the series, an official spokesperson went on to confirm that while he won't appear on the current 20th season of the show, he will be 'returning fully' in the future.

The ITV spokesperson told MailOnline: 'We are pleased that James is home and that he's made such positive progress.

'However we have mutually agreed that he should take some further time before he returns to TOWIE fully.'
She was recently praised by legendary film director Martin Scorsese, after making Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential People of 2017 list.

And Margot Robbie stepped out looking every inch the Hollywood star while attending the Time 100 Gala in New York on Tuesday.

The 26-year-old dazzled in a beige floor-length Prada gown that featured a high neck and multicoloured detail.

Golden girl! Margot Robbie stepped out looking every inch the Hollywood star while attending the Time 100 Gala in New York on Tuesday

The elegant gown came complete with a low back and A-line design, which showcased her slender waist.

She paired the stunning look with a tiny clutch and various accessories, which added an element of glam to the overall look.

Margot's flawlessly applied makeup consisted of foundation, blush, mascara and pink lipstick.

Elegant: The 26-year-old dazzled in a beige floor-length Prada gown that featured a high neck and multicoloured detail

Dazzling: The elegant gown came complete with a low back and A-line design, which showcased her slender waist

Radiant: Margot's flawlessly applied makeup consisted of foundation, blush, mascara and pink lipstick

Her blonde locks were straightened, worn loosely and neatly parted at the centre.

Last week, the Queensland-native was featured in Time's 100 Most Influential People Of 2017.

She was joined on the list by fellow Hollywood stars Emma Stone, Ryan Reynolds and James Corden.

Luscious locks: Her blonde locks were straightened, worn loosely and neatly parted at the centre

The starlet was honoured by The Wolf Of Wall Street director Martin Scorsese, who said: 'Margot is stunning in all she is and all she does, and she will astonish us forever.'

Martin, 74, described Margot as having 'the comedic genius of Carole Lombard' and the 'grounded, hardscrabble toughness' of Joan Crawford.

'Margot has all this in addition to a unique audacity that surprises and challenges and just burns like a brand into every character she plays,' the filmmaker continued.

Honour: Margot was recently featured on Time's 100 Most Influential People Of 2017 list

'Margot is stunning in all she is and all she does, and she will astonish us forever': The Australian actress was honoured by The Wolf Of Wall Street director Martin Scorsese (left)

'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.'

Margot, who hails from the Gold Coast, rose to fame in Australia playing Donna Freedman in Neighbours from 2008 to 2011.

She moved to the United States to pursue a career in Hollywood, later starring in the short-lived TV series Pan Am.

In 2013, she landed her big break in The Wolf Of Wall Street, playing the wife of disgraced former stockbroker Jordan Belfort.

Fame: The former Neighbours star, 26, landed her Hollywood big break in 2013's The Wolf Of Wall Street, playing the wife of stockbroker Jordan Belfort (Leonardo DiCaprio)

Margot made headlines for her role opposite Leonardo DiCaprio, and she quickly became one of the world's most in-demand actresses.

She married her long-term boyfriend, British director Tom Ackerley, in a private ceremony in Byron Bay in December last year.

Her upcoming films include thriller 'Terminal' and the biopic of controversial former figure skater Tonya Harding, 'I, Tonya'.
Over the course of her 23 year career, she has managed to maintain her ultra-trim figure.

And on Tuesday, Jessica Biel displayed her fit form in an asymmetrical dress for the Tribeca Film Festival premiere of her new show, The Sinner.

In the USA thriller, the 35-year-old is both the star and executive producer.

Her big night: On Tuesday, Jessica Biel, 35, displayed her fit form in an asymmetrical dress for the Tribeca Film Festival premiere of her new show, The Sinner

The 7th Heaven star's frock featured a plaid pattern, ruffle sleeves and trim and a paneled collar.

Jessica wore her hair in its natural waves. She styled her brunette locks in a simple half up-do.

The mom-of-one kept her make-up simple, choosing mascara and a soft pink lip.

Artistic choice: The 7th Heaven star's frock featured a plaid pattern, ruffle sleeves and trim and a paneled collar

Simplicity: Jessica wore her hair in its natural waves. She styled her brunette locks in a simple half up-do

Also present for the evening was Jessica's Sinner co-star, Bill Pullman.

The New York native looked dapper in a button-up layered underneath a dark blazer.

In the limited series, the 63-year-old stars as Detective Harry Ambrose.

Celebration of themselves: Also present for the evening was Jessica's Sinner co-star, Bill Pullman, 63

Dramatic storyline: The USA show tells of Cora Tanner, a woman who brutally stabs a man to death in broad daylight

Looking for her reasons: The eight episode show does not focus on the "who" of the killing but of the "why"

The Sinner tells of Cora Tanner, a woman who brutally stabs a man to death in broad daylight, according to Variety.

The eight episode show does not focus on the "who" of the killing but of the "why."

The Sinner premieres August 2 at 10 p.m. on USA.

Coming this summer: The Sinner premieres August 2 at 10 p.m. on USA

New movie: Taylor Schilling attended the premiere of her new movie Take Me that opens May 5
She's made headlines for her 'grotty' vibrator and past work as an adult webcam model.

And even after all the controversy, Seven Year Switch's Kaitlyn Isham, 28, seemed keen for a spot of adult shopping, ducking into a sex shop in Melbourne on Monday.

The university student was perhaps encouraged to purchase a new sex toy after viewers labelled her vibrator 'grotty' and 'dirty' after she showed off the device on national television.

Stocking up! Controversial Seven Year Switch star Kaitlyn Isham heads to an adult store to buy sex toys after viewers were left repulsed by her 'dirty vibrator' on show

Kaitlyn was dressed casually for the X-rated shopping excursion, wearing a pair of patterned leggings and a black singlet.

Her face was the picture of concentration as she browsed a series of vibrators.

The university studio appeared particularly taken with the 'Magic Hand Dildo', picking up the device to examine it closer.

Looking to spice things up? Kaitlyn also took time to browse a series of whips at the adult sex shop

Kaitlyn also took time to browse a series of whips, the bubbly American picking up one with pink tassels for closer inspection.

But in the end she left the store without a pleasure apparatus or whip, instead settling on a more basic item.

The Seven Year Switch star headed to the payment counter with sex toy cleaner fluid in hand.

Last week, viewers took Kaitlyn to town on social media after she showed off her 'grotty' vibrator on Seven Year Switch, with audiences quick to notice its ridged edges were caked in dirt.

Think pink? While browsing the sex toys Kaitlyn appeared taken with a pink tassled whip

Self conscious about something? The Seven Year Switch star headed to the payment counter with a sex toy cleaner in hand

An outraged Twitter user wrote: 'F*****G HELL give that vibrator a wash once in a while!!!'

Another tweeted: 'That woman would have a seven year itch from the fungus growing on that dildo.'

Daily Mail Australia has also revealed sexually explicit photos of Kaitlyn have been circulating online, taken from when she worked as an adult webcam model.

Kaitlyn is currently appearing on Seven Year Switch to try and save her relationship with boyfriend of three years, IT professional Mark.
He first shot to prominence after starring in The Notebook.

So no doubt fans of Ryan Gosling will be excited by the fact he was carrying a small booklet after eating out in Los Angeles on Tuesday

The Canadian ham looked like he was enjoying something of a big day out, as he was also carrying a rolled up document under his arm as he headed off following his lunch at the trendy eatery Little Doms.

Grand day out: Ryan Gosling was spotted heading off after lunching in Los Angeles on Tuesday

Heartthrob Ryan, 36, had opted for a dressed down look of a green jacket, T-shirt, jeans and black leather shoes.

No doubt the noted ballet exponent, who grew up in chilly Ontario, was feeling the heat as he headed back to his vehicle in the sweltering Los Angeles sunshine.

Ryan recently boasted he had been punched in the face by Harrison Ford while filming Blade Runner 2049.

The self-confessed knitting fan said he may have, 'leaned into it,' adding, 'There's a strong chance that that's what happened. You don't want to mess with Harrison Ford.'

Hot lunch: The waitress may have gone weak at the knees when she stopped by Ryan's table

Carrying his Notebook: He was carrying a booklet that may have contained his innermost secrets and wise musings

An understandable viewpoint, as there are few pugilistic opponents more dangerous than a 74-year-old man who acts for a living.

Blade Runner 2, which also features Robin Wright and Dave Bautista, is to hit cinemas sooner than expected.

Taking place a few decades after the events of the first film, it is set to hit theaters on October 6 2017, months ahead of its originally planned February 2018 release.

Ryan plays the new blade runner, an LAPD Officer who works to find Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford), who disappeared thirty years earlier, after discovering a dark secret that might bring an end to humanity.

But did he have the Canadian ham? The Ontario native my have fancied a taste of home

On pointe: Perhaps the noted ballet exponent was heading off for a session in the studio

Given Deckard was, in director Ridley Scott's opinion, a replicant in the first film, it seems understandable Harrison's character may be trying to lie low in the forthcoming feature.

Ridley previously explained: 'We talked at length about what it could be, and came up with a pretty strong three-act storyline, and it all makes sense in terms of how it relates to the first one.

'Harrison is very much part of this one, but really it's about finding him. He comes in in the third act.'

And off he goes: Or perhaps he was going to indulge in his self-confessed love of knitting
She's the Aussie supermodel not shy about showing off her amazing figure.

And on Tuesday, Shanina Shaik took a page out of selfie queen Kim Kardashian's book, sharing a revealing photo to Instagram.

The 26-year-old showed off her derriere while posing for a 'belfie' wearing a VERY skimpy one piece.

Taking a page out of Kim Kardashian's book? Shanina Shaik shows off her derriere wearing a skimpy one piece in 'belfie'

In the photo, shared with Shanina's 913,000 Instagram followers, the natural beauty can be seen posing in a changing room.

Standing in front of a mirror, the leggy brunette shows off her amazing curves, wearing a skimpy black swimsuit.

The shot mirrors a now iconic Kim Kardashian posted on Twitter in 2013, showing off her famous rump in a white swimsuit.

Shanina appears to be a fan of the 'belfie' pose, with her Instagram feed littered with several pictures showing her in the pose.

Her inspiration? The shot mirrors a now iconic Kim Kardashian posted on Twitter in 2013, showing off her famous rump in a white swimsuit

Shanina's revealing post comes after her fiance DJ Ruckus told Daily Mail Australia the couple couldn't wait to have kids.

Ruckus revealed that 'wedding plans are in motion', and talk of babies is a common thing for the pair.

'People are saying that we will have beautiful children and keep asking (when),' he said.

'We do five-year plan sort of stuff. So of course babies are definitely on the cards.'

Excited: Shanina's revealing post comes after her fiance DJ Ruckus told Daily Mail Australia the couple couldn't wait to have kids

And while they're currently based in New York, with various properties between the two, Ruckus admitted that the concept of settling in Australia would be nice.

'Shanina has property in Australia and obviously her family is here, but I dont know if we could make it work,' he said.

'It would be nice to have a little place in Byron Bay, a nice retreat.'
She was unceremoniously dumped by her ex-fiance Brad during his buck's night on national television.

But Bride And Prejudice's Courtney Cole, 19, hasn't been starved of attention since exiting the show, having this week received a rather bizarre offer from an online admirer.

Taking to her Instagram stories this Tuesday, the teenager shared a screenshot of an email from the fan offering to buy her gifts and treat her like a queen.

Unwanted attention? Bride And Prejudice's Courtney Cole, 19, hasn't been starved of attention since exiting the show, having this week received a rather bizarre offer from an online admirer

'I would hold all of your shopping bags, kiss your shoes and you guys could buy anything you desired': Taking to her Instagram stories this Tuesday, the teenager shared a screenshot of an email from the fan offering to buy her gifts and treat her like a queen

'Hi Queen Courtney, You are an absolute Queen. I would love to be able to take you and you friends shopping and buy you guys whatever you want,' wrote the fan.

'I would hold all of your shopping bags, kiss your shoes and you guys could buy anything you desired (expensive jewellery, shoes, clothes etc),'

'Or if you have a Paypal I would love to send money so I can buy things for you and your friends and in turn you could tell me what a loser I am for spoiling such a hot girl,' the fan continued.

Thanks but no thanks? Unfortunately, Courtney didn't appear interested in rather generous offer, writing underneath in a caption: 'Hahaha wtf is wrong with people'

The email ended simply with: 'Would you be interested your majesty?

Unfortunately, Courtney didn't appear interested in rather generous offer, writing underneath in a caption: 'Hahaha wtf is wrong with people.'

It would appear Courtney is enjoying the single life after her dramatic split from ex-fiance Brad, as a Tinder profile seemingly belonging to the reality TV star surfaced earlier this year.

Splitsville! Courtney and Brad did not make it down the aisle on Bride And Prejudice, as he ended their tumultuous relationship over her 'jealousy' issues

She's NOT shy! The teenager diva has been open about about sharing photos of her body on social media

The dating profile appears to confirm Courtney has not reconciled with Brad after he dumped her on his buck's night.

Courtney rose to fame on TV series Bride And Prejudice, which followed engaged couples whose families did not approve.

Since the episode was broadcast, Courtney has publicly criticised the show as a 'set-up' and also faced cosmetic surgery rumours.

Single and ready to mingle! Courtney's supposed dating profile appears to confirm she has not reconciled with Brad after he dumped her on his buck's night
He's confirmed to be appearing in the highly-anticipated sequel to Jurassic World.

But Jeff Goldblum, 64, made a very unexpected appearance in Sydney on Wednesday, popping up at a food truck in Sydney's CBD.

The Jurassic Park star was handing out free sausage sandwiches to hungry lunch goers in Wynyard.

Who's hungry? Jeff Goldblum takes over Sydney food truck and hands out sandwiches

The popular actor was dressed casually for the unexpected appearance, wearing a polo shirt, leather jacket and jeans.

Jeff was quick to take off his jacket and get inside the truck, handing out sausage sandwiches to commuters walking past.

One man seemed surprised but pleased to receive a free lunch from the American movie star.

Hard at work! Jeff was quick to take off his jacket and get inside the truck, handing out sausage sandwiches

In shock? One man seemed surprised but pleased to receive a free lunch from the American movie star

Chatting in the locals: Jeff chatted to some of the attendees

Later on Jeff snapped selfies with fans passing by, even shaking hands with one of them.

The surprise lunch appearance comes as it was today confirmed by The Hollywood Reporter that Jeff will be reprising his role in the Jurassic World sequel alongside Chris Pratt.

Jeff shot to fame first appearing in Jurassic Park in 1993 as mathematician Ian Malcolm, later starring in its 1997 sequel.

Plenty to smile about: The surprise lunch appearance comes as it was today confirmed by The Hollywood Reporter that Jeff will be reprising his role in the Jurassic World sequel

The Jurassic World casting comes as Jeff welcomed his second child with wife of two years Emilie Livingston, 34.

His son River was born earlier this month and joins 21-month-old big brother Charlie Ocean.

Jeff will next appear on screen with Aussie actors Chris Hemsworth and Chris Pratt in Thor: Ragarnok.

Say cheese! Jeff snapped selfies with fans passing by who looked surprised to see him
She stars as Offred in highly-anticipated TV series, The Handmaid's Tale - and Elisabeth Moss looked incredible when she attended the LA premiere on Tuesday.

The 34-year-old wore a plunging dress which was emblazoned with swallows as she walked the red carpet in Los Angeles, along with her co-star Alexis Bledel.

She teamed the number with a pair of strappy heels and wore her hair in a retro style that her Mad Men character Peggy would be proud of.

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Wonder women: Elisabeth Moss (left) stunned in a plunging swallow-themed dress as she joined Alexis Bledel (right) at the LA premiere of The Handmaid's Tale on Tuesday night

Her signature red lip looked stunning and added a pop of colour to her pretty ensemble.

In the TV series, Elisabeth's character Offred, who sleeps with The Commander, played by Joseph Fiennes, while his wife is present.

She is forced to do so in hopes bear them a child during the harrowing storyline.

Looking good: Her signature red lip looked stunning and added a pop of colour to her pretty ensemble

Harsh: Elisabeth's character Offred, who sleeps with The Commander, played by Joseph Fiennes, while his wife is present. She is forced to do so in hopes bear them a child

Alexis meanwhile, stars as Ofglen, a neighboring fellow handmaid to Offred, the protagonist of the story.

The 35-year-old looked far from her character as she was nothing short of glamorous at the Hulu show's Hollywood premiere.

The Gilmore Girls star was styled in a sparkly, '90s-inspired halter dress, which was a severe contrast to her character's period clothing.

Spring style! In contrast with her frock's dark color, Alexis accessorized with bright spring shades, choosing a soft yellow for her strappy Schutz heels and a pale blue for her clutch

Her role: Alexis is seen in character as Ofglen on her Hulu TV show

In contrast with her frock's dark color, Alexis accessorized with bright spring shades, choosing a soft yellow for her strappy Schutz heels and a pale blue for her clutch.

The mom-of-one wore her chestnut brown locks loose and down.

For make-up, the blue-eyed beauty played up her pretty peepers with liner. Her lips, in contrast, were toned down with a neutral shade.

The woman behind the fiction: While at the premiere, the actress greeted the story's author Margaret Atwood, 77

The Handmaid's Tale is based on a book by Canadian author Margaret Atwood, 77.

The fiction piece tells of a society that is overtaken by a totalitarian cult.

The women who are assigned as handmaids are there simply to reproduce.

'I think it's a timely project, no matter who you are. I think everyone's going to be able to take something away from it that is really resonate and probably a bit emotional,' she told E! News.

'And when it comes to being a young mother and dealing with subject matter like a dystopian future, well, 'It brings everything into focus, right?

'It's a time in your life when you only want to leave home to work if you absolutely love the project and feel it's important.'

Statement shirt: Martha Plimpton wore a grey T-shirt with Feminist in gold lettering along with a white jacket and white trousers to the premiere
She became a social media sensation during her time on My Kitchen Rules.

And while Betty Banks and her partner David Vu were eliminated from the show on Tuesday, she said she enjoyed her experience despite initially having 'cold feet.'

The 27-year-old posted a heartfelt thank-you note to her Instagram where she reflected on making the choice to become a reality star and hinted at a new project.

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Reminiscent: While Betty Banks and her partner David Vu were eliminated from MKR on Tuesday, she said she enjoyed her experience despite initially having 'cold feet'

The brunette beauty admitted to having anxiety prior to signing up to appear on the series, because 'people were going to see the real Betty.'

'Underneath the tattoos, the modelling photos and IG posts, people were going to see me cook my heart out,' she described.

The southwest Sydney-born entrant explained how she asked for permission from her mother, who is legally blind, before she joined the show.

'Underneath the tattoos, the modelling photos and IG posts, people were going to see me cook my heart out,' she described

She divulged how her mother told her it was time to share their story.

'No one knows you for the real you,' she recounted her mother saying, 'so show the world what you're made of.'

The popular personality attributed her work ethic and authentic persona for taking the duo through to the series' semi-finals.

Spotlight: The brunette beauty admitted to having anxiety prior to signing up to appear on the series, because 'people were going to see the real Betty'

'I danced, I laughed, I cried, I lost my sh**, I stumbled, I fell, I got back up. I hustled, so God damn hard,' she stated.

She saved a special shout-out for David and said their friendship survived the 'ultimate test' to prove to viewers they could be 'just friends.'

'Your passion for food and your persistence is what also drove me,' she added. 'Good work brother, and thanks for not giving up when I felt defeated!'

Approval: The southwest Sydney-born entrant explained how she asked for permission from her mother, who is legally blind, before she joined the show. Pictured with Manu Feildel

She also made mention of her boyfriend Billy, an Alice Springs-based police officer she has been dating since December.

'My darling boyfriend! If it wasn't for the show and travelling around Australia. I wouldn't have met you,' she gushed.

The model hinted she is working with David on a new project, remarking 'something great is brewing.'
Nina Dobrev went topless beneath her nude-hued pantsuit at the Natural Resources Defense Council's Stand up for the Planet benefit in Los Angeles on Tuesday.

The 28-year-old actress - who relies on stylist Ilaria Urbinati - paired a pink blazer with a matching clutch, slim beige pants, and reptilian pumps.

The Vampire Diaries starlet sported full make-up by Adam Breuchaud and sported a shiny waved bob coiffed by Riawna Capri.

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Pretty in pink: Nina Dobrev went topless beneath her nude-hued pantsuit at the Natural Resources Defense Council's Stand up for the Planet benefit in Los Angeles on Tuesday

Taking the plunge: The 28-year-old actress - who relies on stylist Ilaria Urbinati - paired a pink blazer with a matching clutch, slim beige pants, and reptilian pumps

Coachella enthusiast: The Vampire Diaries starlet sported full make-up by Adam Breuchaud and sported a shiny waved bob coiffed by Riawna Capri

On Thursday, Nina (born Nikolina Dobreva) impressively nailed PeopleStyle's 90-second make-up challenge.

'I absolutely feel comfortable going out in public and being on social media without make-up. It's real. When I have a lot of make-up on, that's usually work. At home, I just let it breathe,' Dobrev said in the Most Beautiful People issue.

'Audrey Hepburn has this quote that happy girls are the prettiest girls. I believe that to be very true. Your smile is your best accessory, and I try to wear it every day if I can.'

'Taking my sweet a** time': On Thursday, Nina (born Nikolina Dobreva) impressively nailed PeopleStyle's 90-second make-up challenge

Can #NinaDobrev do her makeup in just 90 seconds? Watch and find out  #MostBeautiful @nina A post shared by PeopleStyle (@people_style) on Apr 20, 2017 at 10:02am PDT

Dobrev said in People's Most Beautiful People issue: 'I absolutely feel comfortable going out in public and being on social media without make-up. It's real. When I have a lot of make-up on, that's usually work. At home, I just let it breathe'

Across the pond: Not seen was Dobrev's rumored 'casual' fling, Orlando Bloom, who spent the evening at a screening of his film Unlocked in London's Mayfair Hotel

Not seen was the Bulgarian-born, Toronto-raised beauty's rumored 'casual' fling, Orlando Bloom, who spent the evening at a screening of his film Unlocked in London's Mayfair Hotel.

The xXx stunner will next play Marlo in Sony's remake of Flatliners - hitting UK/US theaters September 29 - alongside Diego Luna, Ellen Page, and original star Kiefer Sutherland.

The 1990 paranormal thriller centered on five med students conducting illegal experiments on themselves to prove conclusively if there's life after death.

Hitting UK/US theaters September 29! The xXx stunner will next play Marlo in Sony's remake of Flatliners alongside Ellen Page (2-R), Diego Luna (R), and original star Kiefer Sutherland

Wierd science: The 1990 paranormal thriller centered on five med students conducting illegal experiments on themselves to prove conclusively if there's life after death

Also at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts was Veep star Julia Louis-Dreyfus in a leather-topped pencil dress selected by stylist Cristina Ehrlich.

The 56-year-old Golden Globe winner had her brunette bob curled by Terrie Velazquez Owen and she had her make-up applied by Karen Kawahara, accessorizing her ensemble with a Alexis Bittar crystal cuff.

Brockmire's Amanda Peet opted for a big-sleeved black dress while Quantico's Marcia Cross covered up in a red silk turtleneck.

Fierce after 50! Also at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts was Veep star Julia Louis-Dreyfus in a leather-topped pencil dress selected by stylist Cristina Ehrlich

Heiress: The 56-year-old Golden Globe winner had her brunette bob curled by Terrie Velazquez Owen and she had her make-up applied by Karen Kawahara

Acting pair: Brockmire's Amanda Peet opted for a big-sleeved black dress while Quantico's Marcia Cross covered up in a red silk turtleneck

Irish silver fox Pierce Brosnan suited up for the NRDC gala alongside his beloved bride, Keely Shaye Smith in a sparkly LBD.

The two-time Golden Globe nominee - who turns 64 next month - and his 53-year-old second wife are celebrating their 16th wedding anniversary this year.

The actor formerly known as James Bond currently plays Eli McCullough in the brand new AMC western series, The Son.

Freshly bronzed from Kauai! Irish silver fox Pierce Brosnan suited up for the NRDC gala alongside his beloved bride, Keely Shaye Smith in a sparkly LBD

Still going strong: The two-time Golden Globe nominee - who turns 64 next month - and his 53-year-old second wife are celebrating their 16th wedding anniversary this year

007: The actor formerly known as James Bond currently plays Eli McCullough in the brand new AMC western series, The Son

Formidable funnymen Albert Brooks and Martin Short also suited up for the environmentally-conscious event.

It's hard to believe the two-time Emmy winner - last seen in NBC's Hairspray Live! - just celebrated his 67th birthday last month.

Meanwhile, Oscar-nominated producer Rob Reiner - last seen acting in Netflix's Sandy Wexler - kept things casual in a chambray shirt and black trousers.

Yes! Formidable funnymen Albert Brooks (L) and Martin Short (R) also suited up for the environmentally-conscious event

Comedy legend: It's hard to believe the two-time Emmy winner - last seen in NBC's Hairspray Live! - just celebrated his 67th birthday last month

70 years young: Meanwhile, Oscar-nominated producer Rob Reiner - last seen acting in Netflix's Sandy Wexler - kept things casual in a chambray shirt and black trousers

Both lifestyle blogger Molly Sims and Lethal Weapon's Jordana Brewster (turning 37 on Wednesday) opted for floral frocks on the green carpet.

The 43-year-old mother-of-three sported diamond earrings with her sleek ponytail and heavy-handed make-up at the festivities.

American Idol creator Simon Fuller attended SUFTP bash with his interior designer wife Natalie Swanston, while Underground's Christopher Meloni, brought his production designer wife Sherman Williams.

In bloom: Both lifestyle blogger Molly Sims and Lethal Weapon's Jordana Brewster (turning 37 on Wednesday) opted for floral frocks on the green carpet

Profile: The 43-year-old mother-of-three sported diamond earrings with her sleek ponytail and heavy-handed make-up at the festivities

Couples: American Idol creator Simon Fuller attended SUFTP bash with his interior designer wife Natalie Swanston, while Underground's Christopher Meloni, brought his production designer wife Sherman Williams

Florals: Jordana Brewster [L] and President of NRDC Rhea Suh were both in attendance

A rose between two stars: [L-R] Journalist Keely Shaye Smith, President of NRDC Rhea Suh, and actor Pierce Brosnan who is married to Keely

Brits abroad: Patrick Kielty and Cat Deeley were in attendance

Chic: Nina Dobrev stuck around for the after party

Luvvies: Actors Jill Latiano and Glenn Howerton attend NRDC STAND UP! for the planet 2017

Chit chat: [L-R] President of NRDC Rhea Suh, DJ Moby, and Erin Bunch attended the event

Creatives: Producer Scott Stuber and model Molly Sims [L] were at the event, as well as Comedian Larry David and chairman of Walt Disney Studios Alan Horn [R]

Tartan: Actor Martin Short performed onstage at NRDC STAND UP! for the planet 2017

For a good cause: Martin Short [L] and activist Laurie David [R] both addressed the crowds
She recently suffered an embarrassing wardrobe malfunction during a routine workout on Tuesday.

And just a day later, Roxy Jacenko raised eyebrows yet again during a dress fitting in Sydney.

The prominent Sydney socialite was pictured trying on a $6,500 Oglia-Loro couture gown on Wednesday, in preparation for the annual Children's Hospital fundraiser the Gold Dinner next week.

Not again! Roxy Jacenko exposed her black underwear during a $6,500 couture gown fitting on Monday

In a snap shared to Instagram, the PR queen appeared to have everything in place as she posed for photos in the elegant red gown.

But upon closer inspection, another wardrobe malfunction saw her underwear visible through the sheer material.

'When this talent visits from Melbourne @oglialorocouture,' she captioned a snap shared with her thousands of followers - seemingly oblivious to the fashion faux pas.

Elegant: The prominent Sydney socialite was pictured trying on a $6,500 Oglia-Loro couture gown on Wednesday, in preparation for the annual Children's Hospital fundraiser the Gold Dinner next week

Oh no! Roxy inadvertently revealed more than she bargained for during a routine workout on Tuesday

Roxy will be among hundreds of wealthy attendees expected to attend next week's exclusive charity event.

She is expected to attend with heiress Francesca Packer, who is flying in from Los Angeles to support the Children's Hospital.

In 2015, Roxy signed Francesca, who is the 21-year-old niece of billionaire James Packer, to her successful talent agency Ministry of Talent, according to The Daily Telegraph.

In September last year, the duo were pictured having a lunch meeting in the ritzy suburb of Double Bay, where Roxy's Sweaty Betty office is located.

Last year's lavish Gold Dinner saw the likes of Channel Nine star Lisa Wilkinson and Aussie Home Loans founder John Symonds shell out upwards of $1.6 million for sick kids.

Organisers reportedly had $3 million worth of plants alone trucked in for the VIP soiree.
Before being eliminated on Tuesday night, Betty Banks roared to the finals of My Kitchen Rules, displaying confidence and panache at every turn.

But the talented cook with an edgy Instagram account boasting 56k followers may have never made it onto the show if she hadn't overcome her anxiety to get there.

Sharing an emotional post to Instagram on Wednesday, Betty, 27, wrote: 'Did you guys know I had cold feet? I almost couldn't even fill in the application because anxiety kicked in'.

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Sharing an emotional post to Instagram on Wednesday, Betty, 27, wrote: 'Did you guys know I had cold feet? I almost couldn't even fill in the application because anxiety kicked in'.

Despite often posing in risque outfits and displaying confidence in her bikini clad photos posted to social media, the beauty explained she feared exposing her 'real self' on national television.

'Nationally, people were going to see the real Betty. Underneath the tattoos, the modelling photos and IG posts, people were going to see me cook my heart out,' the beauty wrote in the heartfelt message.

The social media influencer admitted that she had to be talked into joining the cooking show by her best friend and cooking partner, David.

Talked round: The social media influencer admitted that she had to be talked into joining the cooking show by her best friend and cooking partner, David

She wrote, 'I remember coming home from my trip from Bali and getting a call from David who said 'Hey, welcome home. Now apply to go on MKR with me, you promised...''

Betty's mother Manisone, 48, also encouraged Betty to show the world 'the real her'.

'When I told mum and asked her permission to share our story, she said 'I think it's time Betty. No one knows you for real you. So show the world what you're made of.' So I did,' Betty wrote.

The real me: Despite often posing in risque outfits and displaying confidence in her bikini clad photos posted to social media, the beauty explained she feared exposing her 'real self' on national television

Changes: Last week, Betty admitted to had a boob job at 21 because she lacked confidence in herself at the time

Last week, Betty admitted to had a boob job at 21 because she lacked confidence in herself at the time.

The social media influencer told Yahoo7 she had the surgery because: 'I was very young but I felt like I wasn't confident in myself, that's why I got it.'

The social media influencer told Yahoo7 she had the surgery because: 'I was very young but I felt like I wasn't confident in myself, that's why I got it'

Betty has previously told her Instagram, followers she thanks her cosmetician for keeping her 'looking young'.

She added, 'I'm never going to deny any work I've have done because I'm bloody proud of it. It's called looking after yourself.'
There is an 18 year age difference.

But even an age gap that large is no boundary for love, according to April Love Geary.

The 22-year-old defended her relationship with 40-year-old Robin Thicke with a touching Instagram post on Tuesday from their holiday in the Maldives.

There is an 18 year age difference: But even an age gap that large is no boundary for love, according to April Love Geary, who defended her relationship with 40-year-old Robin Thicke with a touching Instagram post on Tuesday from their holiday in the Maldives

April wrote: 'We're out here LIVING while most of y'all are still bothered by an age gap'.

Just the day before she took to Instagram to show off her phenomenal figure in a topless snap on Monday, cheekily shielding her breasts with a pair of coconuts.

April beamed as she protected her modesty with the exotic fruit in the racy picture while flaunting her phenomenal, toned and sculpted figure.

A lovely pair of coconuts: April shared a saucy topless snap on Monday with the model protecting her modesty with a pair of coconuts while on a romantic getaway to the Maldives with pop star boyfriend, Robin

She sported tiny yellow bikini bottoms, which were secured with flirty side ties in bows on her hips.

Her legs looked impossibly long and lean in the holiday photograph and her tummy was flat with well-defined abs.

This is not the first time the model has shared her envy-inducing sun-drenched getaway with her 112,000 Instagram followers.

Loving life: April flaunted her enviable abs and cleavage in a minuscule black bikini, earlier this week

'I had abs before eating pasta all week': Despite the tiny bikini top flaunting her cleavage and gym-honed stomach, the model couldn't help but cheekily reference her lack of abs

On Sunday she once again slipped her slender frame into yet another saucy bikini and treated fans to plenty of pics.

The model set temperatures soaring in the minuscule black bikini - before sharing some cosy snaps with her boyfriend Robin.

April looked in high spirits as she effortlessly swung from the circular straw seat on the beach, sitting at an angle to exhibit her fine bronzed form.

The tiny bikini top cupped her cleavage, while the bottoms rested high on her hips - allowing her to showcase her long, lean legs.

'He looks ten times better than me': Proving that wasn't a one woman show, April also included her beau Robin in on her titillating display

In love: In another dinnertime snap she gushed, 'I honestly don't know who I love more.... Robin or fried rice. I'm torn'

In one snap, she captioned the picture with a smiley emoji - while in another she referenced her lack of abs.

'I had abs before eating chicken nuggets & pasta every night for a week,' the photogenic star captioned the snap, which ironically displayed her looking completely in-shape.

Proving she wasn't a one woman show, April also included her beau Robin in her titillating display.

Sizzling: April also set pulses racing in a skimpy red string bikini on a yacht

'Babe look!' She shared another snap of her in the same angle as she arched her back slightly to place more emphasis on her bottom

Despite their huge age gap, the pair proved very much in love as they cosied up for a nice selfie snap.

' Even tho he looks 10 times better than me in this pic,' April titled the snap, while in another dinnertime image she gushed: 'I honestly don't know who I love more.... Robin or fried rice. I'm torn.'

The model set pulses racing in a skimpy red string bikini earlier in the week, while enjoying a day trip on a luxury yacht.

'All legs': The star flaunted her sculpted torso in a heavily patterned bikini as she expertly arched out one leg while tousling her locks with her other hand

Bottoms up! She switched it up to flaunt her perky bottom from a low angle

April's scarlet number flaunted her cleavage while the barely-there matching bottoms exhibited her pert derriere to perfection.

Knowing her angles well, the photogenic beauty flaunted her topped up tan as she stared sexily over her shoulder to the camera.

Oozing body confidence, April shared another snap of her in the same angle as she arched her back slightly to place more emphasis on her bottom.

'My Sexy Island Papi': She also shared a shirtless snap of her beau Robin - who is seventeen years her senior

With one hand on her mane and the other pointing out into the ocean, April cheekily captioned it: 'Babe look! There's the rest of my bathing suit bottom!'

And the saucy Instagram display didn't end there as she flaunted her sculpted torso in a heavily patterned bikini as she expertly arched out one leg while tousling her locks with her other hand.

'All legs' she captioned the stunning snap, before she went on to sizzle in front of some trees.

With her honed figure oiled up, April oozed sex appeal as she placed focus on her enviable tum - before switching it up and flaunting her perky bottom from a low angle.

Babe ahoy! April showed off her flawless physique while standing thigh-deep in the azure blue Indian Ocean waters

It's a bum deal: Another shot finds April flashing her undeniably pert bottom after turning her back to the camera, her eyes still shielded by sunglasses as she throws a glance over her shoulder

Come into my room: Robin's romantic endeavors also extended to their lavish hotel suite

Don't mind us: Robin and April have been blissfully loved-up during their break

April began dating Robin, 40, just over two years following his split from wife Paula Patton.

Last month, the twosome were spotted grabbing dinner at Catch LA one day after Robin's 40th birthday.

Robin was previously married to actress Paula Patton; the former lovebirds were childhood sweethearts.

Watch out: April had a word of warning for her much older boyfriend, writing If Robin messes up Dude in the white shirt is mine!

Buns out! April previously showed off her very tanned derriere in a series of racy Instagram photos last Sunday

Cooling off: Robin's stunning girlfriend enjoyed a sunbathing session in a very skimpy bikini during the break with her singer beau, before heading to the pool to ease her sun birn

They met when he was just 14 and she was 15; they married in 2005 before divorcing in 2015.

Robin and Paula have a seven-year-old son together named Julian.

The exes are said to be 'close' to reaching a formal custodial agreement, after months of heated discussions and court visits.

Just the two of us: The loved-up beauty also posed for a sweet snap with her man, with Robin showing off his tanned physique in swim shorts as she slipped into another colourful bikini

Beach beauty: April, 22, looked gorgeous in her peach ad white bikini for another day in paradise

Sitting pretty: April showed off her tanned curves as she settled in for a drink at the bar

In love: April began dating Robin, 40, (pictured here together in March) just over two years following his split from wife Paula Patton
She's the entrepreneur and model, that's regularly seen in a number of slim-fitting haute couture frocks.

But in a snap shared to Instagram on Wednesday, Lara Worthington, nee Bingle, switched up her look, sporting a grey suit jacket and loose-fitting trousers.

Consulting her legion of followers as to whether the garments were purchase-worthy, the 29-year-old simply captioned the photo with thumbs up and thumbs down emojis.

Well-suited? Lara Worthington, nee Bingle, 29, covered her petite frame in a tailored blazer and loose-fitting trousers, in a snap shared to Instagram on Wednesday

Standing in a spacious change room with her face hidden from view, Lara held up her iPhone, to capture a close-up selfie.

A simplistic grey suit jacket, left undone, was teamed with a pair of loose-fitting high-waisted trousers in the same fabric.

Removing her leather ankle boots, the mother-of-two covered her feet with garment protector bags.

Change of pace: The choice of attire was certainly a different look for the mother-of-two, who is often seen on the red carpet in a number of slim-fitting haute couture frocks

Turning to her 477,000 Instagram fans for their advice on whether to purchase the two-piece ensemble, Lara simply captioned the snap with thumbs up and thumbs down emojis.

Critics appeared divided in their opinions, with some posting a thumbs up, others insisting on buying either the jacket or pants, but not both, while another wrote 'nah please don't (sic)'.

The choice of attire was certainly a different look for Lara, who is often seen on the red carpet in a number of slim-fitting haute couture frocks.

Family life: Relocating from Sydney's Cronulla to New York, the beauty is content in leading a low-key life that revolves around family. Pictured with actor husband Sam Worthington, 40

And it's not just the New York-based star's fashion that's had a change of late, but also her lifestyle.

From a young socialite who once chased the limelight, to a young mother, Lara told Fairfax that she has never felt more fulfilled.

'It's amazing. Two children under the age of two definitely keeps us busy, but it's the most rewarding thing ever.'

Privacy: Lara recently told Fairfax that living in New York allows her family more privacy than back in Australia: 'Living away has made me softer and being able to raise the boys here, I haven't had as much scrutiny'

Lara shares two sons, Rocket Zot, two, and Racer, six months, with actor husband Sam Worthington, 40.

Relocating from Sydney's Cronulla to New York, the beauty is content in leading a low-key life that revolves around family.

Lara said that living in New York allows her family more privacy than back in Australia, which Lara and Sam both want for their young kids.

She said: 'Living away has made me softer and being able to raise the boys here, I haven't had as much scrutiny.'

While husband Sam added: 'My happy place is with my family wherever they are, especially with my wife.'

Affectionate: While husband Sam also told Fairfax: 'My happy place is with my family wherever they are, especially with my wife'
Her family is caught in the midst of a legal battle.

And Paris Jackson was putting the drama aside when she stepped out in Los Angeles on Tuesday, cutting a casual figure as she headed out for the day.

The 19-year-old star showed off her extensive collection of tattoos in a pair of loose blue shorts, set off with Converse trainers.

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Stepping out: Paris Jackson was putting the drama aside when she stepped out in Los Angeles on Tuesday, cutting a casual figure as she headed out for the day

Paris pulled her look together with a simple T-shirt and some laid back jewellery.

She went make-up free for her outing, showing off her bare faced beauty.

This comes after a California judge dismissed Katherine Jackson's elder abuse lawsuit against her nephew Trent Lamar Jackson, whom she had a temporary restraining order against in February.

Au naturel: She went make-up free for her outing, showing off her bare faced beauty

The ailing matriarch - who turns 87 next week - and her attorneys were 'unprepared to go forward' with a full-blown trial on Tuesday, according to TMZ.

The Jehovah's Witness had previously claimed the 52-year-old son of her estranged husband Joe Jackson's brother Luther abused her and stole $40K from her accounts as her caretaker and driver since 2009.

Meanwhile, Trent thinks Katherine (born Kattie B. Scruse) is being manipulated by sinister family members trying to gain control over the late Michael Jackson's $1B estate.

Pictured in 2014: A judge just dismissed Katherine Jackson's elder abuse lawsuit against her nephew Trent Lamar Jackson, whom she had a temporary restraining order against in February

Jackson was allegedly so afraid of Trent she fled to London for two months to be with her daughter Janet, who just welcomed son Eissa Al Mana with estranged third husband Wissam Al Mana.

The Indiana-raised mother-of-10 has reportedly been staying at her daughter Rebbie's Encino home since March 30, and granddaughter Paris is not happy about it.

Katherine shares full legal custody of Michael's 15-year-old son 'Blanket' with her great nephew TJ, but the A-student has been mostly alone in her $10.7M Calabasas home.

Pictured in 2016: The ailing matriarch - who turns 87 next week - and her attorneys were 'unprepared to go forward' with a full-blown trial on Tuesday, according to TMZ

Pictured in 2010: The Jehovah's Witness had previously claimed the 52-year-old son of her estranged husband Joe Jackson's brother Luther abused her and stole $40K from her accounts as her caretaker and driver since 2009

Pictured in 2010: Meanwhile, Trent thinks Katherine (born Kattie B. Scruse) is being manipulated by sinister family members trying to gain control over the late Michael Jackson's $1B estate

'My baby and me after nap time': Jackson was allegedly so afraid of Trent she fled to London for two months to be with her daughter Janet, who just welcomed son Eissa Al Mana with estranged third husband Wissam Al Mana

'Paris feels her little brother is living without real family,' a source told TMZ on April 11.

'Paris loves her grandma and is worried Rebbie and several other siblings of Michael's have intentionally put a wall up to control the matriarch. She believes some of her aunts and uncles are trying to control Katherine for financial motives.'

The former Sears clerk receives over $1M a year from Jackson's estate - according to E! News.

'Queen of the Jacksons': The Indiana-raised mother-of-10 has reportedly been staying at her daughter Rebbie's Encino home since March 30, and granddaughter Paris is not happy about it

Pictured February 3: Katherine shares full legal custody of Michael's 15-year-old son 'Blanket' with her great nephew TJ, but the A-student has been mostly alone in her $10.7M Calabasas home
He raised eyebrows when he appeared uncomfortable alongside girlfriend Anna Heinrich at the Logie Awards earlier this week.

But on Wednesday, Tim Robards was back in his element, seen smiling as he stripped off for a swim at Bondi Beach.

While Anna was nowhere to be seen, the 34-year-old exercise enthusiast was at his buff best, showing off his bulging biceps and chiselled chest during the daytime dip.

Strip and dip! On Wednesday, reality star Tim Robards cooled off at Bondi Beach, flaunting his fit physique days after appearing awkward on the Logie Awards red carpet

The original Bachelor hunk wore nothing but a pair of blue patterned boardshorts, which hung perilously low as he emerged from the water.

Tim is a fixture at the famous beach, regularly seen flaunting his fit physique to the delight of many female onlookers.

As he walked across the sand, the star's sunny disposition was a stark contrast from the rather tense display he put on at the Logies.

Back in his element: Tim looked at ease as he waded out of the water showing off his rippling abs

Shirtless display: The original Bachelor hunk wore nothing but a pair of blue patterned boardshorts, which hung perilously low

The chiropractor barely cracked a smile as he appeared on the red carpet.

Despite the rather dour appearance, the handsome star looked dapper suited up in a Hugo Boss tuxedo.

Meanwhile, girlfriend Anna appeared nervous as she arrived at the awards show, and was initially stone-faced as she posed for photographers.

Hunky: The fitness enthusiast showed off the results of his labour in the gym with his chiselled chest on prominent display

Buff in Bondi: The star is a fixture on the famous beach, flaunting his fit physique for female admirers

However, the lawyer and toothpaste brand ambassador, later cracked a smile while posing to one side, showing off the back of her Steven Khalil gown.

The glamorous couple seemed in a much better mood the following day as they flew home to Sydney from Melbourne.

The couple cosied up for an airport snap with Australian actor Shane Jacobson, boarding the aircraft.
They're the epitome of a happy marriage.

And after more than 15 years of wedded bliss, Pierce Brosnan and his wife Keely Shaye Smith are still notorious for being loved up when they walk the red carpet.

Besotted with one another, the former James Bond star, 63, couldn't keep his hands off his journalist spouse, as she cuddled up to him on the red carpet for NRDC Presents STAND UP! for the Planet in LA on Tuesday.

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Cute couple: Pierce Brosnan and wife of 15 years Keely Shaye Smith cuddled up on the red carpet at Los Angeles event

The actor looked handsome in a dark suit with a hint of a checkered design to it.

He paired this with a crisp white dress shirt and dotted tie.

He wore black leather loafers and had his salt and pepper hair whipped back into a stylish do.

Keely, 53, looked chic in a sparkling sleeveless black below-the-knee mini dress with a lace-trimmed hem.

Look of love: The actor looked handsome in his suit while his wife stunned in a coordinating sparkling dress

She wore a statement black pearl necklace with coordinating dangling earrings.

She finished off the look with black pumps.

She left her chestnut locks loose and let her natural tan do the talking with just a light dusting of make up.

The couple, who have two sons - Dylan, 20, and Paris, 16 - are consistently seen out with one another and supporting each other's endeavors.

Lovely: Pierce was clearly smitten with his wife as he couldn't keep his hands off her

Supportive spouse: The couple, who have two sons - Dylan, 20, and Paris, 16 - are consistently seen out with one another and supporting each other's endeavors

The pair were married in Ireland in 2001, seven years after their first meeting on a Mexican beach, and the actor admitted his love for her has never faded.

'I love her vitality, her passion. She has this strength that I wouldn't be able to live without. When Keely looks at me, I go weak,' he told the Independent in March last year.

Still going strong: Pierce Brosnan and his wife Keely Shaye Smith were clearly still in love as the walked the red carpet for the event

Still Bond-worthy: Pierce wore patent leather pumps and had his salt and pepper hair slicked back into a stylish do

The couple were recently in Hawaii promoting their new environmental documentary.

Co-produced by Brosnan and directed by Smith, the new film documents the potentially damaging environmental impact caused by test sites used to develop pesticides and genetically engineered seed corn in Hawaii.

Working together: The couple were recently in Hawaii promoting their new environmental documentary

The film, making its debut in America's fiftieth state, has been well received having previously won the award for Best Documentary at the Hollywood Reel Independent Film Festival Awards Ceremony in February.

Elsewhere Brosnan recently completed work on The Foreigner, in which he stars with Jackie Chan, and will be soon be starting production on Across The River And Into The Trees.

The actor played iconic British character James Bond on four occasions between 1995 and 2002.
She's been especially covert on her developing romance with Darren Aronofsky.

So Jennifer Lawrence may have eased seamlessly into her sexy Russian spy role this week, as she was seen filming the first scenes of 2018 thriller Red Sparrow.

The 26-year-old arrived on the set after lunch in Slovakia looking like a natural beauty, but quickly transformed into Dominika Egorova with a striking blonde wig.

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Getting to work: Jennifer Lawrence was seen filming the first scenes for Red Sparrow on Tuesday in Bratislava, Slovakia

Jennifer plays a young intelligence officer, whose dreams of becoming a prima ballerina are shattered when she breaks her leg.

Dominika is recruited for a secretive Russian spy agency where she is assigned to seduce a first-tour CIA agent who handles the CIA's most sensitive penetration of Russian intelligence.

The Cold War thriller is charged by trade-craft, deception and inevitably forbidden passion with Joel Edgerton's character Nathaniel Nash.

Off-duty: The blonde bombshell was seen going for lunch earlier that day, sporting her natural beauty look

As filming commenced in Bratislava on Tuesday, actress Jennifer quickly shrugged off her lovable, girl-next-door demeanor.

She meant business in a long camel coat, worn with black shoes and her platinum, fringed wig.

The American Hustle star was captured between takes on a housing estate as she let her character slip to make conversation with her burly bodyguard.

Jennifer was also later seen zipped up and cosy in a black hoodie as she blended in with the camera crew.

Transforming: Jennifer (left, before work) transformed into sexy Russian spy Dominika Egorova (right)

A trailer for the forthcoming spy thriller was teased at ComicCon last month, by 20th Century Fox.

Jennifer is once again working with Francis Lawrence, who directed the Hunger Games franchise, in which Jennifer took the lead as Katniss Everdeen.

Off-screen, Jennifer has remained schtum about her tryst with film director Darren, who is known for projects including Black Swan and Requiem For A Dream.

Though rarely seen together in public, reports last month suggested that things were getting more serious between the 48-year-old and 26-year-old Jen.

Blending in: Later, Jennifer kept a low profile in a black hoodie as she went about the set

'Jennifer is comfortable with an older guy because she is mature and focused,' source told People about the gaping 22-year age gap.

The two met while working together on drama Mother! which is set for release later this year.

The source continued: 'Jen has been mesmerized by his talent and brains since she started working with him.'

They are very sweet together and seem happy,' another source told the magazine. 'They hold hands. They Keep to themselves and don't seem to want a lot of attention.'

Back on the big screen: For the last year, Jennifer (here in December 2016) has been keeping a low profile and developing a romance with Darren Aronofsky
The Australian actress is currently making a name for herself in Hollywood.

And Yvonne Strahovski was spotted at the premiere of Hulu's The Handmaid's Tale in Hollywood on Tuesday.

The 33-year-old couldn't contain her gleaming smile as she posed on the red carpet in a delicate lace and silk frock.

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Beauty in blue! Australian actress Yvonne Strahovski stuns in navy frock at Hulu's The Handmaid's Tale red carpet premiere in Hollywood on Tuesday

Yvonne - who plays Serena Joy in the series  showcased her slim figure in the navy dress.

The blonde beauty showed a glimpse of her cleavage in the v-cut and spaghetti strap design.

The gown's bodice fit snug around her svelte waistline as its lace and corset features clung to her frame.

Glam! The blonde beauty showed a glimpse of her cleavage in the v-cut and spaghetti strap design

Stunning! The gown's bodice fit snug around the actress' svelte waistline as its lace and corset features clung to her frame

The frock's tight pencil skirt fell just above her calves in a slight flattering frill.

Yvonne elongated her frame by pairing the garment with black strappy heels, choosing only to wear ear rings as other accessories.

The wind appeared to pick up at the front of the Cinerama Dome theatre as the star's curled locks swayed in the breeze.

The film and TV actress had a flawlessly applied face of makeup, with a simple lashing of mascara and a pink pout.

Windswept beauty! The wind appeared to pick up at the front of the Cinerama Dome theatre as the star's curled locks swayed in the breeze

The star has previously spoken out about why she chose to avoid swapping her mouthful of a surname for something that rolls of the tongue more easily in Hollywood.

She has said she didn't give in to the pressure when she was advised to do so upon arriving in LA nearly a decade ago.

The Sydney-born beauty, best known for roles in 24: Live Another Day, Dexter and Chuck, told GQ magazine it was suggested that she change her name from Strzechowski to Stryker.

Natural beauty! The film and TV actress had a flawlessly applied face of makeup, with a simple lashing of mascara and a pink pout

'Look, at the end of the day it was my call, and I understood the reasoning behind it  the spelling of my name is a mouthful of letters.

'So I have the same last name  but now its spelled phonetically, so people know how to pronounce it,' she explained.

The uncommon surname is Polish, after Yvonne's parents moved from Europe to Western Sydney before she was born.

'Look, at the end of the day it was my call': Yvonne previously told GQ she chose not to give in to the pressure when she was advised to ditch her long surname Strzechowski to Stryker when arriving in LA in hopes of a Hollywood career nearly a decade ago

Nightmares do come true! Yvonne Strahovski has landed the lead role in new suspense thriller, Hes Out There
She's known for her love of the bikini and Swedish model and socialite Victoria Silvstedt flaunted her impressive figure when she headed out on Tuesday night.

The 42-year-old showed off her abs at the New Yorker's For Children's charity gala, held at the Mandarin Oriental.

Looking younger than her years, she wore a gold knitted bralet which she teamed with a matching pencil skirt as she posed on the red carpet.

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Gold and Silv-stedt! Socialite Victoria showed off her impressive abs in a metallic knitted bra top and matching fitted pencil skirt at charity event in NY on Tuesday night

Looking good: The 42-year-old showed off her abs at the New Yorker's For Children's charity gala, held at the Mandarin Oriental

Her blonde locks were perfectly blow-dried as they cascaded down past her shoulders.

Large chandelier earrings added a further touch of glamour to her ensemble, as she walked tall in a pair of nude studded Valentino heels.

Victoria appeared in high spirits as she was pictured heading to the venue.

Walking tall: Victoria appeared in high spirits as she was pictured heading to the venue

With a huge smile on her face, she concealed her outfit with a beige coloured trench coat which complemented her golden tan.

She carried a clutch bag in her hand, as well as a silver and grey silk scarf for a touch of added class.

Victoria represented her country in the Miss World pageant in 1993 but admits her career hasn't always been an easy ride.

Speaking to Female First previously, Victoria previously said: I started very young to model in Paris when I was 18.

She said: 'I remember like starving myself to fit into the clothes and it was an amazing experience but you know I did shows for Valentino, Chanel, so it was really prestigious.

But it never felt like it was my thing, I'm not like a runway skinny model, I'm more curvy. It was torture, I put myself through starvation, you know torturing myself.'
Possenti Society Says Mass Murder of Christians Demands Gun Defense Contact: John Snyder,



VIERA, Fla., April 26, 2017 /



St. Gabriel Possenti used handguns in 1860 to rescue villagers of Isola del Gran Sasso, Italy from a violent band of renegades. The St. Gabriel Possenti Society, Inc. thinks persecuted Christians today could pray to him for assistance and follow his example. It seeks Vatican designation of St. Gabriel Possenti as Patron of Handgunners.



Snyder said, "In an address Thursday, April 20, 2007 at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., Cardinal Archbishop Donald Wuerl noted persecutors throughout the world murder one Christian an hour for his or her faith. Christian leaders such as Cardinal Wuerl, Pope Francis and others should ensure that victims and potential victims of anti-Christian violence be afforded the personal firearms they need for legitimate self-defense.



"Instead, Cardinal Wuerl, Pope Francis and other hierarchs who should know better reiterate politically correct anti-gun propaganda. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops even wants to criminalize civilian handgun possession. This undermines the right and ability of innocents to defend themselves from violent anti-Christian predators such as throat-slashing, decapitating Islamist madmen. It is praiseworthy for prelates to honor Christian victims of persecution for maintaining their heroic, saintly belief in the Divinity of Christ in the face of torture and death. It is condemnable for prelates to oppose individual believers' use of self-defense handguns. In reality, they're upending their co-religionists right to self-defense, their right to defend themselves and others from murderous persecutors. Christ himself declared, 'The man without a sword must sell his cloak and buy one,' according to Luke 22:36."



Snyder said, "If they really wanted to follow the spirit of charity, Pope Francis, Cardinal Wuerl and other institutional Christian officials would set up an international self-defense fund. Individuals and organizations could contribute to the fund, which in turn could purchase guns and ammunition for distribution to Christians under threat of persecution, even murder. The Holy Father even could initiate a self-defense collection in Catholic churches throughout the world. This would be similar to the annual Peter's Pence collection.



"Leaders of other Christian denominations could do the same."

Share Tweet Contact: John Snyder, St. Gabriel Possenti Society , 202-239-8005, gundean@gmail.com VIERA, Fla., April 26, 2017 / Christian Newswire / -- "Christians must promote the right and ability of their persecuted brethren to obtain and use self-defense firearms," John M. Snyder, founder/chairman of the St. Gabriel Possenti Society, said here today.St. Gabriel Possenti used handguns in 1860 to rescue villagers of Isola del Gran Sasso, Italy from a violent band of renegades. The St. Gabriel Possenti Society, Inc. thinks persecuted Christians today could pray to him for assistance and follow his example. It seeks Vatican designation of St. Gabriel Possenti as Patron of Handgunners.Snyder said, "In an address Thursday, April 20, 2007 at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., Cardinal Archbishop Donald Wuerl noted persecutors throughout the world murder one Christian an hour for his or her faith. Christian leaders such as Cardinal Wuerl, Pope Francis and others should ensure that victims and potential victims of anti-Christian violence be afforded the personal firearms they need for legitimate self-defense."Instead, Cardinal Wuerl, Pope Francis and other hierarchs who should know better reiterate politically correct anti-gun propaganda. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops even wants to criminalize civilian handgun possession. This undermines the right and ability of innocents to defend themselves from violent anti-Christian predators such as throat-slashing, decapitating Islamist madmen. It is praiseworthy for prelates to honor Christian victims of persecution for maintaining their heroic, saintly belief in the Divinity of Christ in the face of torture and death. It is condemnable for prelates to oppose individual believers' use of self-defense handguns. In reality, they're upending their co-religionists right to self-defense, their right to defend themselves and others from murderous persecutors. Christ himself declared, 'The man without a sword must sell his cloak and buy one,' according to Luke 22:36."Snyder said, "If they really wanted to follow the spirit of charity, Pope Francis, Cardinal Wuerl and other institutional Christian officials would set up an international self-defense fund. Individuals and organizations could contribute to the fund, which in turn could purchase guns and ammunition for distribution to Christians under threat of persecution, even murder. The Holy Father even could initiate a self-defense collection in Catholic churches throughout the world. This would be similar to the annual Peter's Pence collection."Leaders of other Christian denominations could do the same."
Channel Nine's Amber Sherlock became known around the world after her infamous jacketgate meltdown for not wanting her colleagues to also be dressed in white.

And The Bachelorette's Georgia Love couldn't help but poke fun when the pair ran into each other at The Logies on Sunday both in white frocks.

Georgia, a fellow journalist, posed with Amber in a hilarious snap, before applauding her attitude: 'Good on you for being able to have a laugh about #jacketgate @ambersherlock9 and for still rocking white.'

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'Good on you for being able to have a laugh about #jacketgate': Geogia Love posts hilarious snap with Amber Sherlock at The Logies in white frocks mocking her infamous meltdown

The shocking leaked exchange of Amber asking her colleague Julie Snook to change into a jacket to avoid BOTH wearing white fast became the butt of many TV and internet jokes and memes around the world.

The pair were both arrived at the TV night of nights in elegant white gowns, later bumping into each other inside the function.

The brunette beauties posed together side-by-side, with Georgia uploading a collage comparison with and without a black jacket.

'One of you is going to have to put a jacket on...': The brunette beauties posed together side-by-side in their white gowns, with Georgia uploading a collage comparison with and without a black jacket, presumably her boyfriend Lee Elliott's

Georgia captioned the post: 'One of you is going to have to put a jacket on...'

The quote was in reference to Amber's original statement in the leaked footage from Nine's The Chatroom.

It appears Gerogia was able to recreate the moment in the hilarious snap by using her boyfriend Lee Elliott's suit jacket as a prop.

Leaked: The leaked footage showed her demanding Julie put on a jacket so the two women were not both wearing white on screen

Feud: Julie defended herself in the video, insisting she did not have time to change out of her outfit, but Amber refused to back down, replying: 'Come on I told you two hours ago'

In a massive tell-all interview with The Daily Telegraph in March, the Nine News reporter admitted she 'possibly overreacted,' after getting upset at Julie for wearing the same colour outfit, before citing stress, tiredness and the hot weather in defense of her actions.

'I am the first to put up my hand and say that for whatever reason  I was stressed, I was tired, I possibly overreacted, there are better ways to deal with it,' she admitted.

The journalist also claimed the high-pressure news environment meant the presenters didn't get a chance to talk anything through.

'Julie was fine with it, I was fine with it. Everyone has their opinions, but if you look at the tape, I feel everyone massively overreacted,' she explained.

'I asked you specifically not to wear fuchsia. You need to put a jacket on': At the Logies, hosts The Project's Peter Helliar and Offspring's Kat Stewart poked fun at the Channel Nine reporter's infamous meltdown on stage

Despite insisting the media attention and coverage was overblown, Amber has become the direct target of many 'jacketgate' related parodies and jokes.

At the Logies, hosts The Project's Peter Helliar and Offspring's Kat Stewart poked fun at the Channel Nine reporter's infamous meltdown on stage.

The pair came out on stage in identical bright purple ensembles - Kat in an off the shoulder dress and Peter in a suit, shirt and bow ties in the same garish colour.

As they began to present their award, Peter interrupted Kat, saying: 'I'm sorry, I'm sorry, you need to change, can we get wardrobe, can we get wardrobe, I asked you two hours ago, I asked you specifically not to wear fuchsia. You need to put a jacket on.

'I've been flat out, I haven't had time,' Kat retorted as the camera panned to Amber who was sitting in the crowd.

While she forced a smile, the 41-year-old appeared slightly upset about the skit before letting out a small chuckle.

Laughing it off: While she forced a smile, the 41-year-old appeared slightly upset about the skit before letting out a small chuckle

Meanwhile, Georgia also took to social media to dote over her Logies date and beau Lee Elliott, who was dressed in a suave suit for the evening.

She tagged Lee and wrote: 'The best red carpet accessory any girl could dream of having on her arm.'

The pair have been inseparable since finding love on The Bachelorette last year.
Negative Nellies take note, this Real Housewives star knows what you think about her and she does not care.

Erika Jayne - aka Erika Girardi - faced off against her online critics without a stitch of clothing on.

Late Tuesday night, the 45-year-old posted a naked snap of herself on Instagram.

Bares all: Erika Jayne - aka Ekria Girardi - faced off against her online critics without a stitch of clothing on on Tuesday night

The Beverly Hills Housewives star only managed to avoid the social media censors as she added some stars in post-production to keep some of her most private bits still private.

In the picture, which was taken a little while ago in Miami, Erika stands in the door of a hotel room's bedroom wearing just a pair of chain detailed heels.

With a giant blonde wig on, the reality star stares down the camera lens completely comfortable in her own skin.

Erika captioned the photo: 'Mikey made me do it ... Miami nights.'

Haters come at me: The star then added some numbered extra thoughts knowing she would be targeted by online trolls

Not bothered: The star then posted a GIF of her rolling her eyes on Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills to really make sure the haters knew she does not care

Mikey is Mikey Minden her choreographer and best friend.

The star then added some numbered extra thoughts knowing she would be targeted by online trolls.

'1. This is my pre DWTS body. 2. I am not currently in Miami but am in NYC.

Team trouble: Erika captioned the photo: 'Mikey made me do it ... Miami nights.' Mikey is Mikey Minden her choreographer and best friend

'3. I posted this knowing most of you would be judgmental and couldn't resist a chance to tear me down and I was right. 4. Go be offended at your own life. 5. I'm living my life to the fullest.'

The star then posted a GIF of her rolling her eyes on Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills to really make sure the haters knew she does not care.

Erika already looks amazing in this snap, so one can only imagine what her next round of naked photos will be like after her grueling training for Dancing With The Stars.

The star was recently eliminated from the dancing competition.
She's a mother to three young children, but Kourtney Kardashian sure knew how to party up a storm during her trip to Mexico.

In the past few days the 38-year-old has posed in a bikini and even admitted to throwing up a few times in her bed from too much alcohol.

And on Wednesday photos surfaced of Scott Disick's ex-partner sitting on a blonde female friend who is Kardashian family makeup artist Joyce Bonelli. The image was shared by pal Larsa Pippen.

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Like a teenager! Kourtney Kardashian sat on a blonde friend while in a hotel in Mexico this week; the image was shared by Larsa Pippen

Ouch: The female friend is Kardashian family makeup artist Joyce Bonelli

Kourtney wore a white bra top and sheer mini skirt with stars all over it.

Joyce had on a metallic dress. At one point she put her hands over her private parts to hide them. It appeared as if she was not wearing lingerie.

It looked as if they were in their hotel room.

Lit: Kourtney was also seen dressed in a skimpy silver dress and even tried on a wide-brimmed hat as she had fun at the mini party which seemed to take place at her hotel

Kourtney was also seen dressed in a skimpy silver dress and even tried on a wide-brimmed hat as she had fun at the mini party which seemed to take place at her hotel.

In one shot a mariachi is seen in the background.

He looks like he is on the verge of doing an eye roll over the crazy party girls.

Yes, there's more: Here Kourtney showed off her chest as she took a 'siesta'

In case you missed the first shot: Later the siren shared this image with her top coming off

Babes gone wild: The daughter of Kris Jenner by the pool in a leopard-print bikini

The reality TV star is currently on holiday with her sister Kim and some of her closest pals in the five-star resort of Casa Aramara, Punta Mita, where Kourtney has apparently been drinking far more than she's able to handle.

Kim wrote on Twitter: 'So I'm gonna give u guys a play by play of the trip so far.

And she certainly did.

'@kourtneykardash threw up in her bed 4 times and slept in it.'

And after exposing Kourtney's drunken antics, Kim later added: 'Oh and @kourtneykardash won't stop doing naked cart wheels.'

Acting like a teenager: Kourtney 'threw up in her bed' and 'slept in it' while on vacation in Mexico; here she is seen receiving a sex toy from Joyce

Slow down! The reality TV star is currently on holiday with her sister Kim and some of her closest pals in the five-star resort of Casa Aramara, Punta Mita, where Kourtney has apparently been drinking far more than she's able to handle

Sister spilled: Kim wrote on Twitter: 'So I'm gonna give u guys a play by play of the trip so far.' And she did

Oy: '@kourtneykardash threw up in her bed 4 times and slept in it,' reported Kim, 36

The TV star - who turned 38 on April 18 - admitted to drinking excessively during her belated birthday bash in Mexico.

Kourtney wrote on Twitter: 'I may or may not have thrown up four times last night and slept in it. #birthdayvibes (sic)'

But last week, Kim marked her sister's birthday by paying a glowing tribute to Kourtney.

Too much: Kourtney wrote on Twitter: 'I may or may not have thrown up four times last night and slept in it. #birthdayvibes (sic)'

She wrote on her website: 'I'm so blessed to have you in my life. I love how close we were growing up - and still are today. I don't know what I would do without you! Love you!'

Kim also talked about her other pals.

'@sarahrhoward tweaked her neck twerking (I will snap chat videos soon)

'@jenatkinhair spiked my Oreo shake to try to get me to not eat it because she's fat shaming me.

Looking better: The star in white at the Chateau Marmont on Thursday night

'Nicole Reda had a 10 min black out & tried to fight @steph_shep

'@BrittGastineau skinny dipped solo and then disappeared for the two days. (sic)'

Kim also revealed her close friend Larsa Pippen has been trying to lead her astray during their vacation in Mexico.

She wrote: '@larsapippen tried to give me a "special" brownie and I threatened to sue her & the chef (sic)'

Kim's tweets came shortly after Kourtney admitted to throwing up 'four or five times' during her post-birthday celebrations.
Vanessa Hudgens was spotted out and about in Los Angeles on Tuesday, baring a bit of her taut midriff beneath a black crop top.

Ambling along beside a friend, the 28-year-old had pulled on a pair of high-waisted loose black and white sweats and slipped into pink fuzzy slippers.

Her DC Comics office sitcom Powerless, which still has three episodes of its first season left to air, has been dropped from NBC's schedule, Variety reported Tuesday.

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Showing what she's got: Vanessa Hudgens was spotted out and about in Los Angeles on Tuesday, baring a bit of her taut midriff beneath a black crop top

An official cancellation hasn't been announced, and Patrick Schumacker - one of the showrunners alongside Justin Halpern - has tweeted his take on the news.

'#Powerless will not air this week or next. This, I know for sure. I can guess some other things but they're not good. Thanks for watching,' he wrote re: the show, the most recent episode of which only drew in 2 million viewers and a 0.6 rating.

Vanessa's starred as the Director Of Research And Development at a company selling items to insulate people from superheroes' and supervillains' escapades.

Having a chat: Ambling along beside a friend, she'd pulled on a pair of high-waisted loose black and white sweats, flinging on a jacket and slipping into pink fuzzy slippers

Dishing to The Hollywood Reporter in February, Patrick gave the example: 'They can create an umbrella called a "rumbrella" that protects you from falling rubble.'

Ben Queen had created the series, but it emerged he was leaving last August, with Patrick and Justin ultimately sliding into his spot as showrunners.

Patrick had explained to The Hollywood Reporter: 'Justin and I were brought on as five-day-a-week consulting producers on the original show, so we were there for pre-production when Ben Queen was running the show.'

The end?: Her DC Comics office sitcom Powerless, which still has three episodes of its first season left to air, has been yanked from NBC's schedule, Variety reported Tuesday

Back then, 'it was a world of insurance,' but 'nobody on the staff understood the world of insurance and at best, you're telling stories where, if this team wins the day, it means, like, f***ing somebody out of money.'

Said he: 'We were really hitting a wall, and eventually when the turnover happened, we were asked to take over the show and we decided we wanted to do something that would more organically bring in the genre elements of it.'

Vanessa's co-stars on the show - set in the fictional Charm City - include Danny Pudi, Christina Kirk, Ron Funches, Alan Tudyk and Jennie Pearson.
Chelsea Handler has trashed the Kardashian family for years, even blaming the clan for Donald Trump's White House win.

But it seems as if the comedienne isn't too unlike the reality TV stars.

On Monday the 42-year-old star shared an image to Snapchat where she was showing off her bottom in a pair of thong undies while in her walk-in closet. 'Morning!!' was all her caption read.

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Starting off the week: Chelsea Handler wished her fans: 'Morning!!' in irreverent Chelsea Handler fashion - with a generous onscreen view of her derriere

Setting the scene: She was wearing nothing but a black set of underwear as she stood next to a pair of boots in what appeared to be a well-appointed walk-in closet

Chelsea has said in the past that she likes to post nude images on social media because it's 'funny.'

'I think nudity is funny, especially when its inappropriate,' she said in 2016. Critics have said that Handler just wants to show off her slender figure and is as vain as the celebrities she trashes.

Handler has posed topless on a horse, naked in a bathtub, without a bra on a balcony and pantiless in her living room.

Her inspiration? Kourtney Kardashian shared this image on Wednesday

Another one: The day before she posted this shot from Puerto Rico

Also on Monday the Twitter account for her Netflix talk-show Chelsea uploaded a dishy clip from the comedienne's interview with Charlize Theron on Friday last's episode.

Charlize had got her hands on Chelsea's phone, and began reading out 'highlights' of texts Chelsea had fired off to her assistant Brandon.

'"Can you please bring any of the choc weed that is in the side of my fridge over to me onstage? A German wants some,"' Charlize read, Chelsea rolling with laughter.

Repeat offender: Chelsea has said in the past that she likes to post nude images on social media because it's 'funny'

She must be cold: 'I think nudity is funny, especially when its inappropriate,' she said in 2016. Critics have said that Handler just wants to show off her slender figure and is as vain as the celebrities she trashes

Over-the-top: Handler has posed topless on a horse, naked in a bathtub, without a bra on a balcony and pantiless in her living room

'Wait,' the hostess cut in, 'can I just say? If I abbreviated chocolate, then that's my waitressing days. You know? "Choc weed,"' she explained.

Another text Charlize went out requested '"a side of turkey bacon very well done, and can you leave Excedrin on my desk?" Rough night. That's a rough night.'

The following text, Charlize conceded, 'I like just 'cause this is like me,' and went on to read aloud: '"What is my Netflix username and password?"'

The truth comes out: That day, the Twitter account for her Netflix talk-show Chelsea uploaded a dishy clip from the comedienne's interview with Charlize Theron on Friday last's episode

Another text read: '"I'd like a cocktail with lots of ice, mostly vodka, and the rest of that flavored water,"' though Chelsea apparently decided: '"Never mind, I'm going to take Advil and a Xanax. I don't want percocet."'

Charlize was flabbergasted at Brandon's text: '"You don't have extra panties in your purse. Do you need them?"' but Chelsea got applause by telling the studio audience: 'You should always have extra panties in your purse! Girls, are you with me?'

'Wait, one extra panty maybe,' Charlize allowed, 'not a Ziploc!' but Chelsea insisted the number was 'Three. Always, three,' wiping off tears of laughter.
He's on the verge of taking the US by storm once again, after announcing that he's going to appear on James Corden's Late Late Show for a week-long 'residency'.

But on Wednesday, Harry Styles' promotional efforts for his debut solo single Sign Of The Times took him to Paris, arriving in the French capital via train from London.

The One Direction star, 23, barely made it out of the city's Gare du Nord station before he found himself surrounded by hordes of screaming fans.

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Oui out Harry! Harry Styles was spotted arriving at Paris' Gare du Nord station on Wednesday

Taking the attention in his stride, the British heartthrob flashed his signature cheeky grin as a handler swiftly helped him navigate his way over to a waiting vehicle.

Worcestershire-born Harry looked stylish for his relatively short trip across the English Channel, wearing a black Gucci sweater with matching skinny jeans.

With a pair of sunglasses resting atop his head, the star walked with a brown suede jacket draped over one shoulder, while a matching pair of boots adorned his feet.

Fan favourite: The One Direction heartthrob was surrounded by hordes of screaming fans

Happy chappy: The singer flashed his signature cheeky grin as a handler swiftly helped him navigate his way through the crowds

Stylish: Worcestershire-born Harry looked stylish for his relatively short trip across the English Channel, wearing a black Gucci sweater with matching skinny jeans

Suede: With a pair of sunglasses resting atop his head, the star walked with a brown suede jacket draped over one shoulder, while a matching pair of boots adorned his feet

His trip to France comes a day after he announced in a skit with James Corden that he is going to appear on the British comedian's show for a week-long 'residency'.

The hilarious skit began with Harry FaceTiming James, while the show host was sitting at home in front of his computer reading a magazine.

After greeting each other, heartthrob Harry told James that he is 'coming to LA soon' and 'needs somewhere to say'.

Nonchalantly, James replied: 'Sure, you wanna stay at mine? You're welcome!'

Brought to tears: A fan was seen crying as she found herself standing directly next to the star

Promotional trail: Harry is currently busy promoting his solo debut single Sign Of The Times

Following the trend: He follows in the footsteps of bandmate Louis Tomlinson and former One Direction member Zayn Malik, who have each embarked on solo careers

Security: A security team kept the crowd at bay as he was escorted to a waiting vehicle

In mock disgust, Harry said: 'God no.. no no... I wanna stay at the studio.'

James looked perplexed at this, and said: 'Hang on, you're saying you wanna crash on the Late Late Show couch at the studio?'

With Harry confirming that this is his plan, James voiced his concerns and said he found the situation 'weird'.

After a while, the comedian agreed to let the One Direction heartthrob stay, on the condition that there are 'rules', and alluding to Harry's Lothario reputation, joked: 'Zero house guests.'

Bombshell: Harry announced in a skit with James Corden, 38, that he is going to appear on the British comedian's The Late Late Show for a week-long 'residency'

Funnyman: The hilarious skit began with Harry FaceTiming James, while the show host was sitting at home in front of his computer reading a magazine

Shock: A surprised James received a FaceTime call from Harry

Mates rates: After greeting each other, Harry told James that he is 'coming to LA soon' and 'needs somewhere to say'

Joking around: Harry rebuffed James' offer of staying at his apartment, and asked if he could stay on the Late Late Show couch for a week

Bad boy reputation: After a while, the comedian agreed to let Harry stay, on the condition that there are 'rules', and alluded to Harry's Lothario reputation, joking, 'Zero house guests'

Implying that Harry will be helping to co-present the show, James said: 'If you're crashing here you're gonna have to work for it. This isn't AirBnb, you're gonna have to pitch in.'

The pair then rounded off the skit by playing up to their close friendship, telling each other that they love each other, and insisting that one hung up before the other.

Fans were sent into meltdown by the skit, and took to Twitter to express their excitement.

Boys will be boys: Harry pretended to be confused at James' 'no house guests rule'

Excitement: These fans immediately expressed their excitement at Harry's residency

One user, Queen Gab said: 'James Corden and Harry Styles will be giggling together like girls at a sleep over for a week on television and I am so here for it.'

Another, named Sanika said: 'Don't really care for cheesy couples unless they are James Corden & Harry Styles fighting over who'll hang up first.'

Another user named Meg was particularly excited about the news, and Tweeted 'A WHOLE WEEK WITH HARRY STYLES AND JAMES CORDEN ON LATE LATE SHOW B**** YES PLEASE'.

Best buds: The pair played up to their close friendship, by telling each other they love each other and insisting that one hung up before the other

Meltdown: These fans were particularly overjoyed by the news

The pair first became close when Harry's band, One Direction - also featuring Zayb Malik, Liam Payne, Louis Tomlinson and Niall Horan - was formed through the X Factor in 2010.

With all bandmates now embarking on their solo ventures, Harry recently released his debut solo single, Sign Of The Times, earlier this month.

His residency on James' Late Late Show will be aired from May 15 to May 18, and there is speculation that Harry could be performing new music on the show.

British comedian James first rose to fame on the BBC sitcom Gavin & Stacey in 2007, and moved to Los Angeles to break America with his late night chat show in 2015.

The show has become a staggering success, and is particularly famous for its Carpool Karaoke skit, where guests including Lady Gaga, Selena Gomez, and Mariah Carey perform inside James' car.

Flying solo: The pair first became close when Harry's band, One Direction was formed through the X Factor in 2010
George Clooney would use planes, trains and automobiles - and motorbikes, and a horse - to get his Nespresso.

The 55-year-old hitches some of the most iconic movie rides in history in his latest ad for the coffee company.

The one-minute commercial sees the long-time brand ambassador staring at a crummy coffeepot on a glum rainy set, while Andy Garcia taunts him over the phone from an idyllic breakfast setting.

That's some coffee run! George Clooney hitches the most iconic movie rides in a clever new ad for Nespresso

Without uttering a word throughout the entire ad, a determined Clooney travels through time and film, grabbing lifts from some very famous faces.

First to pick him up are Kermit The Frog and Fozzie Bear, who happily sing as they drive, while their passenger doesn't even complain about the Muppet behind the wheel.

Next George finds himself shotgun beside Burt Reynolds in Smokey And The Bandit's 1977 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am.

Poor George: The one-minute commercial sees the long-time brand ambassador staring at a crummy coffeepot on a glum rainy set

Ahhh! Andy Garcia taunts him over the phone from an idyllic breakfast setting

En route: Without uttering a word throughout the entire ad, a determined Clooney travels through time and film, grabbing lifts from some very famous faces

'Where are we going?.... nah don't tell me let me guess,' Reynolds asks and interrupts before George can answer.

Next a worried-looking Clooney finds himself in the back of Janet Leigh's car from Psycho, as she makes an ill-fated turn into the Bates Motel.

Avoiding a stay there, the Ocean's Eleven star then jumps in with a dancing John Candy from Trains, Plains and Automobiles.

Wanna lift? First to pick him up are Kermit The Frog and Fozzie Bear, who happily sing as they drive, while their passenger doesn't even complain about the Muppet behind the wheel

'Let me guess': Next George finds himself shotgun beside Burt Reynolds in Smokey And The Bandit's 1977 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am

Don't do it! Next a worried-looking Clooney finds himself in the back of Janet Leigh's car from Psycho, as she makes an ill-fated turn into the Bates Motel

He then replaces Jack Nicholson on the back of Peter Fonda's motorcycle, as they ride alongside Dennis Hooper is Easy Rider.

For the home stretch, Clooney jumps aboard Seabiscuit before arriving at Nespresso HQ... only to get a call from Garcia back at the movie set who had brought one for him.

The former ER hunk has been a brand ambassador for the company for more than a decade, in a deal which by 2013 had reportedly earned him $40million.

The automobile: Avoiding a stay there, the Ocean's Eleven star then jumps in with a dancing John Candy from Trains, Plains and Automobiles

Jack ain't on back: He then replaces Jack Nicholson on the back of Peter Fonda's motorcycle, as they ride alongside Dennis Hooper is Easy Rider

'Have a nice ride': For the home stretch, Clooney jumps aboard Seabiscuit

Made it! The star finally arrives at Nespresso HQ......

D'oh!.....only to get a call from Garcia back at the movie set who had brought one for him

He told the Guardian that year that he spends most of the paycheck keeping a satellite above the border of North and South Sudan to keep an eye on Omar al-Bashir, the Sudanese dictator charged with war crimes at The Hague.

While the Nespresso ads have primarily been targeted at Europe, the company recently switched its campaign to the US, recruiting Danny DeVito alongside Clooney.

'It's easier to work with a green screen than to work with Danny DeVito, because green screen gives so much more than Danny,' George jibed in a making-of video.

Nice earner: The former ER hunk has been a brand ambassador for the company for more than a decade, in a deal which by 2013 had reportedly earned him $40million

America: While the Nespresso ads have primarily been targeted at Europe, the company recently switched its campaign to the US, recruiting Danny DeVito alongside Clooney
She's been having to wear rigid 1940s style clothing for her latest movie Guernsey, while she shoots on location in Bristol.

So it was no wonder that former Downton Abbey actress Lily James spent her downtime in the most comfortable items of clothing possible.

While taking a break from filming, the 28-year-old brunette was seen strolling around the set in a pair of Ugg boots, clearly enjoying giving her feet a rest.

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Suited and booted! Lily James teams her post-WWII costume with UGG BOOTS as she takes a break on the set of drama flick Guernsey

She remained firmly in costume where the rest of her outfit was concerned, sporting a cute grey beret and long overcoat.

Underneath, she completed the grey ensemble with a cream long-sleeved blouse and smoky coloured skirt, with a delicate necklace and earrings on for decoration.

Her hair worn in the typical post-war style, Lily walked around in the comfy boots, checking her messages on her phone as she did so.

The scenes seemed to involve her character travelling somewhere, as she was seen at a train station surrounded by vintage luggage.

Down time: Lily took some time out from filmed scenes for the book adaptation of Guernsey in Bristol

Catching up: Her hair worn in the typical post-war style, Lily walked around in the comfy boots, checking her messages on her phone as she did so

There was also a sign hanging above the set which read: Weymouth Dock Mail Boat - Shop Loading Area.

This suggests that there's a scene involving a boat too.

The set was crowded with crew as well as extras, all there to seemingly board the boat or the train.

When it came to Lily having to perform, the Uggs were gone and a pair of black heels were put onto her feet for her to walk around in.

Creative input: Clearly willing to give her input, Lily was seen looking back at the footage with the crew

Taking a break: Dressed in a cute grey beret and long overcoat, she embodied post-war fashion

Mane attraction: Her brunette locks were styled in a chic low-lying ponytail

Who you texting? Lily kept preoccupied on her phone in between takes

Chilling: With the massive production and tonnes of extras, Lily looked very much at ease

Stunning: She looked sensational in character

Clearly willing to give her input, Lily was seen looking back at the footage with the crew.

Also on set was co-star Glen Powell, who was seen carrying a modern camera, perhaps taking snaps as a memento.

On Monday, Lily was pictured giving her co-star a smooch on the lips as bystanders looked on.

The duo reenacted Titanic scenes, as she clambered to the front of the boat with her arms stretched out, while he took shots of her pose with the same camera.

Dressed up: She remained firmly in costume where the rest of her outfit was concerned, sporting a cute grey beret and long overcoat

Chic: Lily donned a pair of brown kitten heels

Details: A tiny pair of studs complemented her look

The story, set after World War II, is a book adaptation and follows the story of journalist Juliet Ashton - played by Lily.

Juliet decides to document the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, a book club formed on Guernsey Island in the English Channel during the wartime.

She then receives a letter from a farmer Dawsey, and after becoming pen pals, travels to the island to meet the members and write a book about the group.

The film is based on the 2008 best-selling novel of the same name by Annie Barros and Mary Ann Shaffer, which d reached the No. 1 position on the New York Times best-seller list for paperbacks.

Not so comfy: When it came to Lily having to perform, the Uggs were gone and a pair of black heels were put onto her feet for her to walk around in

Candid camera: Also on set was co-star Glen Powell, who was seen carrying a modern camera, perhaps taking snaps as a memento

Handsome: He looked fantastic while dressed in character

'Guernsey has been a project of tremendous passion for us, and we are thrilled to be bringing it to screen with filmmaker Mike Newell attached and Lily James, our consummate Juliet,' producer Paula Mazur said of the project last year.

Lily notably garnered praise for her turn as Natasha Rostova in the acclaimed BBC adaptation of Tolstoy's War and Peace.

She has also admitted that she would like to reprise her role as Lady Rose Aldridge (MacClare) in a big screen adaptation of Downton Abbey.

Describing her time playing Lady Rose as 'incredible', she revealed that she missed her costume - in particular the accessories.

The actress is set to star in action thriller Baby Driver later this year, as well as the Winston Churchill movie Darkest Hour.

Lucky her: On Monday, Lily was pictured giving her co-star a smooch on the lips as bystanders looked on

Busy: The set was crowded with crew as well as extras, all there to seemingly board the boat or the train

Stepping back in time: It looked truly era-defining

All eyes on her; Lily was the star attraction among a sea of extras

Meanwhile Lily has been dating fellow Dr Who star Matt Smith for three years.

The 34-year-old BAFTA winner has been in the spotlight for longer than his girlfriend, so is more accustomed to fame.

He first became a household name in January 2009 when he replaced David Tennant to become the 11th Doctor Who.

And since he left the series in 2013 he has only hit further heights, as he is now being appreciated around the world for his depiction of Prince Philip in Netflix series The Crown.
Elizabeth Hurley drove fans wild when she posted a raunchy bikini picture on Instagram on Wednesday.

The model, 51, was in a state of bliss as she soaked up the sunshine on her glorious getaway to The Seychelles.

She put on a busty display in the skimpy striped bikini, which could barely contain her ample assets.

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Bedazzled in bikini! Age-defying Elizabeth Hurley, 51, put her eye-popping cleavage on display on Seychelles getaway on Wednesday

The Bedazzled star showed off her sensational age-defying figure as she basked in the baking heat abroad.

She pulled off a wet look as she let her hair dampened by the ocean fall in an array of curls as it dried.

Showing off her confidence, the Hampshire native smiled coyly at the camera.

She captioned the picture, 'My favourite Panama Bikini @fregateislandprivate @elizabethhurleybeach.' (sic)

Fans flooded the post with gushing compliments about her phenomenal looks, with one saying: 'Getting young everyday!! Keep having fun and stay safe!'

Others followed suit, adding: 'You're 24. You get more beautiful with each passing second.

'Ms Hurley you are fine as wine, gets better with time. Bedazzled me since i was a young pup and still looking amazing rocking those bikinis. Keep doing you.' (sic)

She has been showing off her impeccable figure on Instagram since she jetted off to The Seychelles.

Babewatch! Elizabeth showed off her ample assets and toned tummy in a skimpy red bikini as she hit the beach in the Seychelles on Thursday

The actress hit the beach in The Seychelles wearing a very skimpy red bikini from her own collection, flaunting her ample assets and incredibly toned tum.

Letting the stunning image do all the talking, she simply captioned the image with the words: '@elizabethhurleybeach @fregateislandprivate.'

Elizabeth's sexy outfit had gold embellishments on the straps and tie-sides which contrasted against her golden tan.

Wearing a pair of designer shades, the youthful beauty's brunette locks flowed down past her shoulders.

Cocking her head back a little, she smiled for the photo, which was no doubt being taken by her teenage son Damian Hurley, 15.

Elizabeth posted a similar image on Tuesday, wearing the same bikini but in a light blue colour.

Bikini babe: Elizabeth posted a similar snap on Tuesday in which she wore the same bikini from the collection but in a sky blue colour

Topping up her tan in a daring plunging bikini top, the British beauty displayed plenty of ample cleavage and sun-kissed skin for fans to see.

Zooming in for a closer shot than normal, the brunette gave a subtle tease of her flat and toned stomach while her bust took centre stage in the snap.

Leaving her hair loose and her face completely bare, Liz then let her natural beauty shine through as she showed off an incredibly radiant and youthful complexion for her 51 years of age.

Bikini babe: Liz has been heavily documenting her sun-drenched getaway to the tropical location on social media so far

Perching trendy Aviator sunglasses onto her nose with a small smile on her face, the star looked utterly relaxed and glad to be soaking up the sun in the tropical location.

Liz has been heavily documenting her sun-drenched getaway on social media so far - having shared a stunning video in a leopard print bikini on Sunday.

The actress looked incredible in the clip in which she frolicked around, while the camera effect meant that every inch of her frame was highlighted - proving she was her own best advertisement as a successful swimwear designer.

Wahey! She proved she was her own best advertisement as a swimwear designer on Sunday as she shared a sizzling video of her clad in a leopard print bikini on Instagram

With her toned body and ageless beauty, Elizabeth certainly doesn't need to recruit the services of other models to advertise her eponymous swimwear line.

Instead the ageless beauty keeps her social media feeds clogged with stunning snaps as she strips down to various states of undress.

On Thursday, she took to Instagram once again to share yet another clip of herself - this time looking sensational in a skimpy white bikini.

In the GIF, she is seen blowing kisses at the camera as she stands on the golden sands of a tropical beach while wearing the barely-there, bejewelled number, which she revealed has been named for her 'beautiful friend' Elle Macpherson.

Playing around: The 51-year-old actress looked incredible in the clip in which she frolicked around, while the camera effect meant that every inch of her frame was highlighted

Jumping around: With her toned body and ageless beauty, Elizabeth certainly doesn't need to recruit the services of other models to advertise her eponymous swimwear line

Unsurprisingly, the show-stopping upload racked up more than 10,000 likes in just two hours as hordes of fans gushed over the stunning images.

On Tuesday, the brunette beauty treated fans to another seductive beach snap, showcasing her impressive figure in a plunging navy swimsuit.

The actress looked sensational in the simple yet sexy one-piece, which boasted a gold ring at the bust and a teardrop cut-out running down her stomach.

Lip service: She also shared a clip of herself blowing kisses at the camera while wearing a skimpy white bikini on Thursday

Name: In an accompanying caption, the beauty revealed that she named sizzling two-piece - from her eponymous swimwear line - for her supermodel pal Elle Macpherson

Elizabeth's gym-honed arms and slender legs were on display in the tropical snapshot, which sees the beauty going make-up free behind a large pair of shades.

The Royals star certainly wasn't short of compliments, with her male admirers showering her with compliments. 'How are you still single?', one asked, while another posted, 'What a woman'.

Earlier this week, Elizabeth also shared a beach selfie with her 530,000 Instagram followers.

Looking good: On Tuesday, she treated her fans to another seductive beach snap, showcasing her impressive figure in a plunging navy swimsuit

The screen star pouted in the snap which showed off her pert bust in a skimpy tangerine halterneck bikini top.

Elizabeth shot a wide-eyed, slightly distressed look at the camera and captioned the image 'Valley Of The Dolls'.

She was referring to the cult 1967 film about three young women attempting to make it in Hollywood who succumb to ill-fated romance and the lure of drug abuse.

Ahoy there! Earlier this week, the star looked sizzling in the saucy selfie as she posed in a tiny tangerine bikini top

The face of Estee Lauder rocked a sexy bed-head hairstyle with her highlighted locks swept around her face.

Her lashes were loaded with mascara and she sported a baby pink lip gloss.

The mum-of-one has been enjoying spending some quality time with her 15-year-old son Damian recently.

Elizabeth shared a touching selfie with Damian on Monday with the pair enjoying a long country walk together.

Mother and son time! Elizabeth shared another selfie, this time taken during a long country walk with her 14-year-old son Damian

The Bedazzled star rocked a fur trim hat as Damian grinned sheepishly behind her.

Damian, whose father is Elizabeth's former partner billionaire Steve Bing, is clearly devoted to his famous mother.

The school boy paid tribute to her on Mother's Day by sharing an adorable picture of the pair when Damian was just a toddler.

He captioned the image: 'Happy Mothers Day Mummy xxx'
Salma Hayek used to take her pet pooches with her everywhere.

And the 50-year-old actress told Ellen DeGeneres on Wednesday that once she got into trouble when they escaped her hotel room in the Bahamas.

Turns out the dogs didn't go very far, just next door where a wedding was taking place. Hayek was horrified when she found out her four-legged friends ended up eating the wedding cake.

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Gone to the dogs: Salma Hayek tells an animated story of two of her pets crashing a wedding and eating the cake on Wednesday's Ellen

'They gave me a small house surrounded by a fence with a small court yard. The dogs were very clever and they would open the door and wait for me to let them in,' she continued.

'One time I arrived home and they weren't there. I heard this screaming and a big commotion. Lupe loved cake more than anything - so many birthday parties were ruined.

'When I heard this I thought "Oh my God this sounds like a cake." I looked like hell but I went to see what the commotion was.'

Wrapped up: The 50-year-old actress had a pink silk bow attached to her top

'There was a beautiful wedding from what I could see hiding behind a palm tree. There was a beautiful wedding cake. But instead of the bride and groom there was Lupe and Angie sat there.'

Salma went on to explain how a number of people attempted to get the dogs off the cake but they continued to gobble up as much meringue as they could.

She added, 'They are all screaming and the bride is crying. I have all kinds of whistles for the dogs so I whistled and they knew what that meant.'

Yikes: 'There was a beautiful wedding from what I could see hiding behind a palm tree. There was a beautiful wedding cake. But instead of the bride and groom there was Lupe and Angie sat there,' she said

'They both ran all the way back to the little house.'

Lupe and Angie are just two of Salma's five dogs. She told Ellen she found the dogs on the street.

Animal activist Ellen applauded Hayek for not buying the dogs from a shelter.

The culprit: She posted this photo with cake-loving pup Lupe in 2015

In February 2016, Salma's German Shepherd Mozart was shot by a neighbor for trespassing onto his yard.

Recently, her dog Blue passed away from a rare autoimmune disease.

The actress also has rabbits, parrots, alpacas, horses, a cat, a hamster and two fish as part of her close to 50 pets.
She had caused a stir by posing alongside Lewis Bloor and planting a kiss on his cheek while they attended the same charity event as his ex-girlfriend Marnie Simpson.

And now Daisy Robins has revealed she and the former TOWIE star had actually 'spent the night together' after meeting at the bash.

The Made In Chelsea beauty claims she and Lewis 'got close', but has insisted nothing more is going on with the pair.

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'Lewis and I spent the night together': Daisy Robins has revealed she and former TOWIE star Lewis Bloor slept with each other after crossing paths at a charity bash

In an interview with Daily Star, Daisy referenced the snap of herself and Love Island star Tina Stinnes draping themselves around Lewis.

While she had posted one of the pair kissing Lewis on either cheek, he had shared a photo of himself wrapping his arms around the girls to his own Instagram page.

And taking a swipe at his ex-girlfriend Marnie, Lewis implied he was already embracing his newly single status by adding the caption: 'Summer's always funner.'

Revealing that there is more to the story than just the photo, Daisy said: 'Lewis and I got close and spent a night together.'

'Oh haii there handsome': The Made In Chelsea newcomer had shared this photo of herself and Tina Stinnes puckering up to Lewis on Instagram

Ouch: Lewis, meanwhile, appeared to take a swipe at his ex Marnie Simpson by sharing this image to his Instagram page along with the suggestive caption: 'Summer's always funner'

'But we are acquaintances more than anything,' she insisted, claiming there is nothing romantic going on between the pair.

In fact, Daisy went on to add that her love life is 'quite slow' and that there is no one that currently 'floats her boat'.

Her dalliance with Lewis came after the pair crossed paths at the Jog On For Cancer event in aid of Cancer Research UK earlier this month.

Marnie had also been at the bash and, avoiding an awkward run-in with her ex, she was seen tweeting about the 'fun night' she'd had at the party.

Awkward: His dalliance with Daisy came following the pair crossing paths at the Jog On For Cancer charity event earlier this month where Marnie had actually been in attendance

Short-lived: Not long before the date of the bash, the ex-couple had jetted to Dubai together where Marnie claimed she and Lewis had 'salvaged a friendship' only to fallout again

Just weeks earlier, the Geordie Shore star had jetted to Dubai with Lewis to try and sort out their issues.

In February, Marnie confirmed the pair's six month relationship was over after learning Lewis had cheated on her on several occasions - including during a romantic trip they had taken to Barcelona.

Despite the fallout between them after his infidelities, Marnie and Lewis had still been living together and she had told fans the duo had managed to 'salvage a friendship' while holidaying in Dubai.

However, a day after her post explaining the pair had reconnected, video footage emerged of Marnie accusing Lewis of 'stealing her bank card'.

Explosive row: 24 hours after posting the Instagram, video footage emerged of Marnie (pictured with Lewis back when they were dating in December last year) accusing her ex-beau of 'stealing her bank card'

Happier times: Lewis had branded the claims 'absolutely ridiculous' and later called himself a 'mug' after seeing photos of Marnie appearing to 'get close' to her ex-flame Aaron Chalmers while filming for Geordie Shore

Lewis branded the claims 'absolutely ridiculous' and the fallout from their heated exchange led to the couple calling it quits for good.

Just hours before attending the charity event, Marnie and Lewis had clashed on Twitter.

Pictures had surfaced of Marnie appearing to 'get close' to her ex-flame Aaron Chalmers on a new episode of Geordie Shore, prompting Lewis to tweet that he was a 'mug'.

She, however, fired back at her ex-beau: 'U we're tweeting me when u were s***ging every Tom dick and harry! R u crazy,' before adding: 'If people knew the truth. That is all.'

Back where it began: Marnie and Lewis first got together while starring on Celebrity Big Brother in August last year

Since then, Marnie appears to be looking ahead to being single.

Her former co-star Holly Hagan had tweeted that '2017 is actually the best year already' and Marnie replied: 'Completely and totally agree with this. So pleased where single together holly. Exciting things ahead!!!!!!!'

She and Lewis had first got together while both appearing on Celebrity Big Brother in August last year.

Moving on: The Geordie Shore star seemed excited at the prospect of not being in a relationship in a tweet she sent to her former co-star Holly Hagan
She famously went skinny dipping with 'ex' Justin Bieber in Hawaii last summer.

And it's not difficult to see why Sahara Ray caught the eye of the pop-star, as she took to Instagram to display her passion for nudity with yet another sexy topless snap on Wednesday.

The Australian model, 23, thrilled her 1.2 Instagram followers as she captured a titillating mirror selfie where her incredibly busty assets were on full display - with the word 'boobs' just about managing to cover her modesty.

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She's not shy! Sahara Ray, 23, flaunted her incredibly busty assets in a topless snap - with the word 'boobs' just about managing to cover her modesty



Sahara oozed body confidence as she snapped away in the mirror of her messy bathroom - the picture she shared showing her naked form in all its glory.

Donning nothing but a pair of pink lacy underwear, Sahara sizzled as she let her assets hang free.

The word 'boobs' were sprawled in large white handwriting across Sahara's assets - barely managing to cover her nipples.

Not content with her naked form, Sahara oozed sex appeal as she showed off her incredible figure while laying naked on a rumpled double bed earlier this week.

That's one way to get attention: The social media savvy model, who once went skinny dipping with Justin Bieber, confidently 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'
Suki Waterhouse covered up her slender model frame in a elaborate coat as she took to the streets of New York City on Tuesday.

The catwalk queen, 25, looked a far cry away from her spotlight appearances on the runway when she sashayed down the Soho sidewalk in a pair of comfy trainers.

Wrapped up snug, the blonde actress kept off the chill with a massive embellished coat edged in gold that swamped her tiny figure.

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That'll keep off the chill! Suki Waterhouse covered up her slender model frame in a elaborate coat as she took to the streets of New York City on Tuesday

The intricate beading in spirals on the main body of her jacket added a hint of sparkle to her appearance.

On trend as ever, the London native wore a black play suit with a plunging neckline which teased her ample assets.

She accessorised with a white over sized bag which contrasted with her casual ensemble.

The carefree spirit wore her wet locks with confidence as she walked through the rain without an umbrella.

Letting her golden hair roam free, the beauty's tresses fell in a sea of loose damp curls cascading down her shoulders like a waterfall.

Soaking: The catwalk queen, 25, wore her wet locks with confidence as she walked through the rain without an umbrella

Meanwhile, she has been throwing herself into her new acting role on the set of thriller Assassination Nation in New Orleans.

The actress has been sharing behind-the-scenes snaps on Instagram, showing her with dyed pink tresses and covered in blood stains.

She stars as Sarah in film - one of the four girls who finds themselves subjected to unwanted media attention across their globe, after their personal information is leaked by an anonymous hacker.

Other cast members include Bella Thorne, Maude Aptow, Bill Skarsgard and Joel McHale, while Sam Levinson has written and directed the film that is set to hit cinemas later this year.

Talented: The actress been busy filming scenes for her new movie Assassination Nation

What happened? She has been sharing behind-the-scenes snaps of herself, showing her with dyed pink tresses and covered her in blood stains

Assassination Nation will see the British star take on an American accent.

Speaking to The National - an Abu Dhabi publication - in February, Suki had actually spent part of the interview 'practicing' her accent to the reporter.

She admitted: 'I've had to do this accent for a few weeks now and in my head I can hear myself making mistakes.'

Suki was romantically linked to Rogue One actor Diego Luna in January, after the pair were spotted putting on a cosy display in Mexico.

She has also been linked to Game Of Throne's Richard Madden since splitting up with ex-boyfriend Bradley Cooper in 2015.
She's been living it up in Mexico these last few days.

And the bikini fun has not ended for Kourtney Kardashian as she continued to soak up the sun in her teeny tiny two piece on Wednesday.

The star, who celebrated her 38th birthday last week, shared a snap of herself wearing her bikini two piece, and also showing off her behind in a sexy black two piece.

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Life's a beach! Kourtney Kardashian rocked a rainbow bikini as she posed by the pool with her girlfriends during their getaway to Mexico on Wednesday

Cheeky: Kourtney and gal pal Stephanie Shepherd showed off behinds

The Instagram snap Kourtney posted was of her and her pals flashing peace signs as they posed beside their beachfront resort's pool.

Kourtney's girlfriends wore matching violet sunglasses and blue bathing suits that read SPF 1942 and showed off plenty of skin.

'Calabasas Mom Crew,' the snap was captioned.

In a second snap, Kourtney played with her ponytail as she gave a puckered up expression for the camera while resting with her friends.

Girl time: The ladies held hands as they stood side-by-side

Making a run for it! The mom shared a snap video of herself dashing towards the water while clad in an especially cheeky black bikini

Surf's up: The star ran barefoot towards the water

Making waves: The mother-of-three looked incredible in her tiny black two piece

But it wasn't all just fun at the pool for Kourtney.

The mom shared a snap video of herself making a run for it towards the water while clad in an especially cheeky black bikini.

Kourtney is currently with sister Kim Kardashian, and several other girl friends, including Larsa Pippen.

Vacation uniform: Kourtney's girlfriends wore matching violet sunglasses and blue bathing suits that read SPF 1942 and showed off plenty of skin

Red hot! The star sizzled in an itty bitty bikini

Just the girls: Larsa Pippen shared a snap of Kourtney rocking a red bathing suit

Leap of faith! The pals held hands as they jumped into the pool

Hilarious: Kourtney was snapped straddling a pal during her trip

Having some fun: The beauty wore a lace crop top and star print skirt

Kim has been keeping fans up-to-date on their ridiculous antics on Twitter, revealing Kourtney 'threw up in her bed' and even 'slept in it.'

The reality star tweeted: 'So I'm gonna give u guys a play by play of the trip so far.

'@kourtneykardash threw up in her bed 4 times and slept in it.'

She later added: 'Oh and @kourtneykardash won't stop doing naked cart wheels.'

Kourtney's been in Punta Mita, Mexico these last few days with her girlfriends for her 38th birthday, which she celebrated on April 18.

Life's a beach: The star snapped her gorgeous beachfront digs

Just another day in paradise: The beautiful location was complete with a pool and lounge chairs

Leg up: This silly pic of her knee was posted as she boarded a private jet
He's been dating Nicole Kimpel since 2014, shortly after his 19-year marriage to actress Melanie Griffith ended.

And Antonio Banderas, 56, looked absolutely smitten with the Dutch investment advisor, 37, as he received the Camino Real Prize at the University of Alcala in Madrid on Wednesday.

The actor looked dapper alongside his striking other half, who is 19 years his junior, as he was honoured with a gong by the King Felipe VI for his services to disseminate the image of Spain in the USA.

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Big day: Antonio Banderas, 56, looked absolutely smitten with his girlfriend, 37, as he received the Camino Real Prize at the University of Alcala in Madrid on Wednesday

Big moment: The dapper actor as he was honoured with a gong by King Felipe VI for his services to disseminate the image of Spain in the USA

The Spanish silver fox looked incredibly dapper in the fitted suit, which he teamed with a crisp white shirt and black tie.

The Desperado star sported longer locks and a scruffy grey beard as he embarked on the special day out with his other half - who took style inspiration from him in a chic trouser suit.

The blonde bombshell donned a sensational figure-skimming lace cream-coloured blouse, which she paired with a white blazer and matching flared trousers.

A trendy handbag was draped on one shoulder as she held hands with her man as they arrived for the ceremony.

Handsome: The Spanish silver fox looked incredibly dapper in the fitted suit, which he teamed with a crisp white shirt and black tie

Special: Indoors, Antonio proved especially happy as he collected the honour, in the form of a giant gold trophy, from the King of Spain

Looking good! King Felipe VI, who was dressed in a sensational suit and bright blue tie, looked thrilled to be handing over the award to the talented screen star

Indoors, Antonio proved especially happy as he collected the honour, in the form of a giant gold trophy, from the King of Spain.

King Felipe VI, who was dressed in a sensational suit and bright blue tie, looked thrilled to be handing over the award to the talented screen star.

The Tony-nominated thespian has six films due out this year, including Black Butterfly and the trailer debuted March 22.

Famous: Antonio was swarmed by the press after collecting the big honour

He's been dating Nicole Kimpel since 2014, shortly after his 19-year marriage to actress Melanie Griffith ended

Antonio plays Paul (an out-of-work screenwriter) in Brian Goodman's hostage thriller also starring Abel Ferrara, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, and Piper Perabo.

The 33 actor will next be honored with the IV Royal Road Award from the Franklin Institute of the University of Alcala on April 26.

The ABDesign founder also sells his 'Mediterranean-inspired' sunglasses, men's wallets, candles, and phone cases on the newly-launched Starlite Shop.
New dad Bradley Cooper is starring in and directing the A Star Is Born remake.

The pressure must be intense, which may be why the actor, 42, looked to be in a serious mood on set Wednesday.

The star kept his head down as he modeled a tight-fitting navy blue T-shirt and blue-tinted glasses.

Hunk: Bradley Cooper looked ready for action, as he arrived on the set of A Star Is Born, in Los Angeles on Wednesday

The former World's Sexiest Man Alive looked casual in dark blue jeans and sneakers, as he made sure he was comfortable on set.

The Hangover star - who welcomed daughter Lea De Seine Shayk Cooper with girlfriend Irina Shayk on March 21 - had his hair long and fairly unkempt.

He was sporting a generous amount of scruffy facial hair - presumably in keeping with his role as an alcoholic country star in the movie.

The boss: The 42-year-old heart-throb showcased his ripped torso in a tight-fitting navy blue T-shirt, as he metaphorically donned his director's hat

In the navy: The former World's Sexiest Man Alive looked casual in dark blue jeans and sneakers, as he made sure he was comfortable on set

He covered much of his handsome features with dark glasses.

Bradley is directing and starring alongside Lady Gaga - who is making her feature film debut in the the Warner Bros. remake of the musical drama.

The 31-year-old Golden Globe winner - who will be billed by her birth name Stefani Germanotta for the tragic romance - was also spotted on set.

Star: Lady Gaga - who will be billed by her birth name Stefani Germanotta for the tragic romance - was also spotted on set

Multi-talented: The 31-year-old sported brunette locks while shooting a scene outside of a house

The 31-year-old Golden Globe winner wore pin-striped strides and stepped out of a house

Shady lady: Lady Gaga was spotted getting into character on the set

He has a vision! Bradley, who is directing the remake, got behind the lens to set up his shot

The 31-year-old sported brunette locks while shooting a scene outside of a house.

On Tuesday Gaga was also seen flashing her abs as she sported a crop top and jeans, while hoisting an overnight bag over her shoulder.

She plays a talented unknown called Ally who's shepherded by alcoholic country star Jackson Maine (Cooper).

It will be the fourth Hollywood re-telling of the story. The first version was released in 1937 and starred Janet Gaynor and Fredric March.

In 1954, Judy Garlsan took the title role opposite James Mason, and in 1976 Brabra Streisand and Kris Kristofferson remade the dramatic musical again.

Top of the crops: Gaga was also spotted on set the day before

Gone darker: She was seen with much darker hair while shooting a scene outside of a house

Star turn: Bradley is directing and starring alongside Lady Gaga - who is making her feature film debut in the the Warner Bros remake of the musical drama and was seen on Tuesday

The current project's sound mixer Steve Morrow recently revealed that Gaga will be singing all the songs in the film - including a few she's penned - live on the set.

'You sit there and you think, "Lady Gaga wants all the vocals live. She wants to perform live every single time you see her sing. She's going to be live,"' the Oscar nominee told the Next Best Picture Podcast in February.

The movie is slated for release in September 2018.

I spy: Bradley was spotted playing around with a telescope on set

Tanned: The star was showcased a deep bronzed tan for the role

Babs: Mother Monster and the Tony-nominated thespian are said to be modeling their reboot off of the 1976 version starring Kris Kristofferson and Barbra Streisand
She's decided to look for love as the star of The Bachelorette's third season.

And Sophie Monk is quite clear on the characteristics her potential suitors on the reality show should possess.

The 37-year-old, who announced the gig before the Logie Awards on Sunday, explained to OK! magazine the qualities and deal-breakers she has in mind.

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Particular: Sophie Monk is quite clear on the characteristics her potential suitors on The Bachelorette should possess

'I'm looking for someone who's loving, caring and funny,' she described.

'I'm not worried about looks. I want someone who has a job and whose self-esteem is good,' she added.

The blonde beauty, who was only told she scored the role one day prior to publicly announcing it, is clear on what she doesn't want from the lineup of gentlemen.

Picky: The blonde beauty, who was only told she scored the role one day prior to publicly announcing it, is clear on what she doesn't want from the lineup of gentlemen

She explained how she won't tolerate 'bulls***' like she did in previous relationships.

And men who come across as 'arrogant and insecure with a big ego' need not apply.

The former radio host is enjoying her time at home on the Gold Coast before she heads to Sydney for filming, where she will live in a mansion with the contestants.

Preparation: The former radio host is enjoying her time at home on the Gold Coast before she heads to Sydney for filming, where she will live in a mansion with the contestants

'It's hardcore, but I'm going to take it on,' she offered of the experience.

The popular socialite has been linked with a string of famous men in the past, including Russell Simmons, Sam Worthington, Benji Madden and Eric Grothe Jr.

The Daily Telegraph earlier reported 'producers have been inundated with inquiries from potential suitors' since it was revealed Sophie will be the next Bachelorette.

Popular: The socialite has been linked with a string of famous men in the past, including Russell Simmons, Sam Worthington, Benji Madden and Eric Grothe Jr

For more on Sophie Monk, pick up the new issue of OK!




Nicolas Cage has broken his ankle.

The 53-year-old actor was in Bulgaria shooting his new bank heist film #211 when the 'freak accident' happened, his reps confirmed to Deadline on Wednesday. He has since returned to Los Angeles for surgery.

It was claimed the Hollywood icon - best known for 1987's Moonstruck and 2004's National Treasure - will have to take two weeks off from shooting.

Accident: Nicolas Cage has broken his ankle. The 53-year-old actor was in Bulgaria shooting his new bank heist film #211 when the 'freak accident' happened, his reps confirmed to Deadline on Wednesday. Pictured November

His brood: Also in the film is his son Weston; also pictured is Nicolas' wife Alice Kim and their son Kal-El in 2013

He was taken to a hospital in Sofia, Bulgaria.

Doctors wanted to operate immediately. But Cage insisted on flying back to California to have the operation. He has already flown back.

The movie may be working around Cage or it might have to totally shut down. The director is York Shackleton.

On a role: One of the star's biggest hits is the 2007 film National Treasure; here he is seen with costars Justin Bartha and Jon Voight

The project is from Millennium Films and tells the story of a bank robbery that a police officer (played by Cage) is trying to stop.

In police code, 211 means robbery in progress.

Also in the film is his son Weston, 26, who Nicolas had with Christina Fulton.

Cage is married to Alice Kim and together they have son Kal-El.

He was married to Lisa Marie Presley from 2002 until 2004. And before that he was wed to Patricia Arquette from 1995 until 2001.

Cage was last seen in the movie Vengeance: A Love Story.
She rarely disappoints when it comes to putting on a sartorially savvy display.

And Liv Tyler absolutely wowed as she arrived in style at the Omega 'Lost In Space' anniversary party held at the Tate Modern in London on Wednesday night.

The 39-year-old actress made a statement in printed pink tea dress that caught the eye thanks to its colourful pleated skirt as she coised up to pal George Clooney.

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Pink delight: Liv Tyler, 39, absolutely wowed as she arrived in style at the Omega 'Lost In Space' anniversary party held at the Tate Modern in London on Wednesday night

Glamorous gang: Liv later enjoyed dinner with hunky pal pal George Clooney

The sensational number, which fell at stylish midi-level, flashed a hint of a brighter shade of pink in between.

Liv's oozed elegance in the number which boasted long sleeves and hugged onto her fine form

The Lord Of The Rings star's glossy locks were swept over to the side and she finished off her party look with a deep pink lipstick.

Not parting much with the colour scheme, the mother-of-three boosted her height in a pair of chic red court heels.

Pretty in pink: The actress made a statement in printed pink tea dress that caught the eye thanks to its colourful pleated skirt

Chic: The sensational number, which fell at stylish midi-level, flashed a hint of a brighter shade of pink in between

Feeling lippy: The Lord Of The Rings star embraced the party look with a deep pink lipstick

Mane attraction: Liv's glossy raven locks were swept sexily over to the side

Proving in high spirits, the daughter of Aerosmith's Steven Tyler playfully toyed with her dress for the camera, before getting comfortable alongside hunky George Clooney.

The silver fox - who is expecting twins with wife Amal - also appeared to be in high spirits inside the venue.

George cut a smart figure in a bow tie and black suit featuring satin lapels.

He was seen playfully posing on arrival to the event, before stopping for a photograph with former astronaut Buzz Aldrin.

Standing tall: Not parting much with the colour scheme, the mother-of-three boosted her height in a pair of chic red court heels

Flirty: Proving in high spirits, the daughter of Aerosmith's Steven Tyler playfully toyed with her dress for the camera

Pals: Liv then got comfortable alongside Hollywood heartthrob George Clooney

Happy: The silver fox - who is expecting twins with wife Amal - also appeared to be in high spirits inside the venue

Buzz's appearance at the lavish dinner was no doubt due to Omega's celebrating the 60th anniversary of the OMEGA Speedmaster, which has been worn by every piloted NASA mission since 1965.

Although she was in high spirits, no doubt Liv was missing her doting fiance Dave Gardner and their two children two-year-old Sailor and nine-month-old Lula Rose.

The screen sensation also raises her 11-year-old son Milo with British rocker Royston Langdon.

They married in Barbados in 2003 but they went their separate ways in 2008.

Despite embracing being a mum, the child model has no plans to add to her brood.

Dapper: George cut a smart figure in a bow tie and black suit featuring satin lapels

Having fun: Liv also posed alongside Omega President and CEO Raynald Aeschlimann

A galaxy far, far away! She put on a fun display with an astronaut

Glamorous: The brunette stunner partied alongside Malgosia Bela

Left to right: Also present were Ellie Goulding, Gemma Arterton and Clemence Poesy

All smiles: George seemed pleased to be in the presence of former astronaut Buzz Aldrin (pictured right)

The daughter of Aerosmith rocker Steve Tyler star told The Times: 'I have been pregnant for two years straight. It feels like forever. I think we will be done after this.

'It's funny because I always knew when I was a little girl that I wanted to have children and I always envisioned having a little tribe.'

She balances being a mum with her day job as she has got stuck back into filming new period drama Gunpowder.

It tells the story of Guy Fawkes' plan to blow up the House of Lords and kill King James I in the early 17th century.

The brunette will play Ann Vaux alongside starring Game Of Thrones' heartthrob Kit Harrington.
IS members who killed 15 civilians in Mosul drove black vehicles and posed as Iraqi government forces, such as those seen here, to trick residents

Jihadist militants from the Islamic State group posing as liberating security forces killed at least 15 civilians who welcomed them in central Mosul, officials said on Tuesday.

Wearing police uniforms, they entered parts of the Old City on Monday to trick residents into showing their support for the federal forces, the Joint Operations Command (JOC) and a local official said.

"Daesh (IS) terrorist gangs committed a brutal crime yesterday morning in an area of Mosul's Old City," the JOC said in a statement.

It said the jihadists, who are defending their last Mosul bastions against a huge six-month-old offensive by the security forces, wanted to "confound civilians who expressed joy and welcomed them with chanting".

They killed women and children, the JOC said, "to make it clear the area was still under enemy control".

The statement did not specify how many were killed in that manner but Hossameddin al-Abbar, a member of Nineveh provincial council, told AFP at least 15 civilians were shot dead.

"Daesh members, some of them wearing federal police uniforms, entered the Al-Maidan and Corniche areas of the Old City," he said.

"They were driving black vehicles and posing as liberators from the Iraqi forces," Abbar added.

"When some families welcomed them, they arrested several of them. They executed at least 15 other people," he said.
Afghan activists pay tribute to the victims of a Taliban attack on an army base at a memorial on the Wazir Akbar Khan hilltop in Kabul on April 23, 2017

The death toll from last week's Taliban attack on an Afghan military base stands at 144, a senior US defense official told AFP on Tuesday.

The exact toll from the assault had been unclear, with Afghan officials ignoring calls to break down the tally it gave of more than 100 soldiers killed or wounded.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, the US defense official said that in addition to the 144 killed, about 60 more security forces were wounded.

Friday's attack on the Afghan National Army base outside the northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif is believed to be one of the deadliest-ever Taliban attacks on a military installation.

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 reason so many were able to be killed is you can't take weapons into the mosque or dining facility, you had a large group of people in a confined space," the official said.

"We think this was a very well-planned operation, probably four to six months to plan."

About 30 coalition forces were at a different part of the base at the time of the attack, but they were there in a train-and-advise capacity and were not involved in repelling the assault, which lasted about six hours, the official said.

Those coalition troops were likely German or US, though other nationalities may have been present too, the official said.

According to the US government's Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR), 6,785 Afghan soldiers and police officers were killed between January 1 and November 12, 2016 with another 11,777 wounded.
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North Korea on Wednesday hailed its largest-ever firing drill, overseen by leader Kim Jong-Un to mark a key military anniversary amid high tensions in the region.

Speculation had mounted that the North could carry out a sixth nuclear test or another missile launch to mark the 85 years since the founding of its army on Tuesday.

Instead, the North's state-run KCNA news agency said the Korean People's Army marked the anniversary with a "successful largest-ever artillery drill" under the orders of Supreme Commander Kim in the eastern port city of Wonsan.

"Submarines rapidly submerged to make torpedo-attacks at the enemy warships" while aircraft dropped bombs.

"The brave artillerymen are mercilessly striking the targets, the way they fire is liberating and their shots are very accurate," KCNA cited Kim as saying.

After the drill, the troops pledged their loyalty to Kim, vowing to "turn into 10 million guns and 10 million bombs" to defend him.

Pyongyang's rhetoric always intensifies in the spring, when Seoul and Washington hold joint military drills which it sees as rehearsals for an invasion.

The Rodong Sinmun -- the official mouthpiece of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea -- carried several photos of the drill in a three-page spread.

The front page showed Kim arriving at the site in his black Mercedes Benz with hundreds of tanks lined up. More than 30 pictures showed the drill in detail with Kim roaring with laughter as he watched artillery fire.

North Korea has ambitions to build a nuclear-tipped missile capable of reaching the US mainland. Tensions have soared in recent months as it carried out a string of missile tests that sparked tit-for-tat sabre-rattling between it and Washington.

Washington has sent the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson to the Korean peninsula, where it is expected to arrive later this week for a joint naval exercise with South Korea.

The North has labeled the Vinson's deployment "undisguised military blackmail" and has threatened to "bury it at sea".
Raj Panjabi has been awarded a million-dollar TED Prize for co-founding the Last Mile Health training project in his native Liberia

Raj Panjabi, who fled to the United States to escape civil war in his native Liberia, eventually returned to his shattered homeland to find rural communities desperate for adequate health care.

The trained physician co-founded Last Mile Health in Liberia, which aims to recruit, train, equip and manage people in communities to serve as local health care workers.

He spoke about his organization Tuesday at the TED Conference famous for "ideas worth spreading," sharing his dream of revolutionizing health care.

The innovators, entrepreneurs, influencers, and artists known as 'tedsters' picked his innovative health care project as the winner of a coveted million-dollar TED Prize awarded each year to a visionary idea.

During the Ebola crisis, Panjabi's organization supported the Liberian government's response, training more than 1,300 health workers on infection prevention and control at clinics

"It has always been true in history that illness has been universal and access to care has not," Panjabi said during an interview before speaking to the TED audience late Tuesday."This is a story of people in rural areas around the world," he said.

Seed money Dr. Panjabi used to start Last Mile Health came from cash he had received as a wedding gift.

The operation has grown to provide care for tens of thousands of people, and win support from Liberia's health ministry, according to TED.

During the Ebola crisis, Panjabi's organization supported the Liberian government's response, training more than 1,300 health workers on infection prevention and control at clinics.

"As global citizens, we're living in a tumultuous moment," said TED Prize director Anna Verghese.

"Raj understands more than anyone that disease adheres neither to borders nor to nationalities."

- A health care army -

Panjabi wished for help creating a global academy, recruiting the "largest army of health care workers the world has ever known."

People with middle- or high-school level educations would be hired from their communities, then given training, medicines and support to provide health care to neighbors.

"The challenge is, we can't do that without technology," Panjabi said.

"A lot of people worry about technology these days; in this case technology is creating jobs."

The academy will start in Liberia, where Last Mile Health has operated for a decade, with a goal of expanding around the world, according to Panjabi.

Smartphones, inexpensive testing kits, and online education would be key components for realizing the grand vision, according to the doctor.

"We would like to see a collision between the digital education revolution and the digital health revolution," Panjabi said.

The vision for the academy involves with governments to enable trained volunteers to qualify for accreditation that could lead to careers.

The academy would also collaborate with entrepreneurs to put innovations, such as solar power for medical clinics, to work in remote areas.

"There is a chance to transform health care around the world," Panjabi said.

For any policy maker interested in expanding access to health care, and saving money in the long term, this is a "no-brainer" because stopping illness early cuts costs and can curtail outbreaks, he reasoned.

The goal is to have rural care paid for with public funds or insurance schemes, the Liberian prize winner said.
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China has launched its first domestically designed and built aircraft carrier and has called for the US to cease military exercises with South Korea as Trump's USS Carl Vinson continues to steam towards the Korean Peninsula.

The 50,000-ton carrier, based on the Soviet Kuznetsov class design, was towed from its dockyard just after 9am following a ceremony in the northern port city of Dalian.

It comes as the US aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson makes its way to the troubled Korean Peninsula amid fears Kim Jong-un is plotting to carry out North Korea's sixth nuclear test.

But China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Wednesday urged an end to US-South Korean military manoeuvres as well as a stop to North Korea's nuclear programme to calm tensions on the peninsula.

Talking in Berlin, he said: 'We have to, on the one hand, stop the nuclear activities of North Korea and, on the other hand, the large-scale manoeuvres in Korean waters should cease.'

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China has launched its first domestically designed and built aircraft carrier as America's USS Vinson continues to steam towards the Korean Peninsula

The 50,000-ton carrier, based on the Soviet Kuznetsov class design, was towed from its dockyard just after 9am following a ceremony in the northern port city of Dalian

The new unnamed Chinese aircraft carrier was launched amid great fanfare in a ceremony attended by Vice chairman of China's Central Military Commission and Communist Party Central Committee member Fan Changlong

A newly-built aircraft carrier is transferred from dry dock into the water at a launch ceremony at a shipyard in Dalian in northeastern China's Liaoning Province this morning

Development of the new carrier began in 2013 and construction in late 2015. It's expected to be formally commissioned sometime before 2020, after sea trials and the arrival of its full air complement

In Pyongyang's latest provocation, Kim oversaw the country's largest-ever firing drill to mark the founding anniversary of its military.

Meanwhile, the US has enraged China by delivering a missile defence system to a deployment site in South Korea.

Washington is urging China - Pyongyang's sole major ally - to do more to rein North Korea in, but the Asian giant has reacted with fury to the planned installation of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system.

This morning, the new unnamed Chinese aircraft carrier was launched amid great fanfare in a ceremony attended by Vice chairman of China's Central Military Commission and Communist Party Central Committee member Fan Changlong.

It came just three days after the anniversary of the People's Liberation Army Navy's symbolic founding in 1949.

Development of the new carrier began in 2013 and construction in late 2015. It's expected to be formally commissioned sometime before 2020, after sea trials and the arrival of its full air complement.

Dalian was the same port where the carrier's predecessor, the Soviet-built Liaoning, also underwent extensive refurbishing before being commissioned in 2012.

Dalian was the same port where the carrier's predecessor, the Soviet-built Liaoning, also underwent extensive refurbishing before being commissioned in 2012

Reports of the launch said a bottle of champagne was broken across the ship's bow and other craft in the port sounded their horns in celebration

The main hull of the new carrier has been completed and its power supply put into place. Next up are mooring tests and the debugging of its electronic systems, the Defense Ministry said

China is believed to be planning to build at least two and possibly as many as four additional carriers, with one of them, the Type 002, reported to be already under construction at a shipyard outside Shanghai

The new carrier is based on the Soviet Kuznetsov class design, with a ski jump-style deck for taking off and a conventional oil-fuelled steam turbine power plant

Also attending was navy commander Vice Adm. Shen Jinlong, a former commander of the South Sea Fleet responsible for defending China's claim to virtually the entire South China Sea.

Reports of the launch said a bottle of champagne was broken across the ship's bow and other craft in the port sounded their horns in celebration.

Like the 60,000-ton Liaoning, which was purchased from the Ukraine, the new carrier is based on the Soviet Kuznetsov class design, with a ski jump-style deck for taking off and a conventional oil-fuelled steam turbine power plant. That limits the weight of payloads its planes can carry, its speed and the amount of time it can spend at sea relative to American nuclear-powered carriers.

The main hull of the new carrier has been completed and its power supply put into place. Next up are mooring tests and the debugging of its electronic systems, the Defense Ministry said.

China is believed to be planning to build at least two and possibly as many as four additional carriers, with one of them, the Type 002, reported to be already under construction at a shipyard outside Shanghai.

The new carrier is part of an ambitious expansion of the Chinese navy, which is projected to have a total of 265-273 warships, submarines and logistics vessels by 2020

Washington has deployed an aircraft carrier strike group led by the USS Carl Vinson (pictured on Sunday) to the peninsula in a show of force, amid signs the North could be preparing for a sixth nuclear test

The US has enraged China by delivering a missile defence system to a deployment site in South Korea. US military vehicles are pictured moving through South Korea today amid protests from those who oppose plans to install the missile system

In Pyongyang's latest provocation, North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un oversaw the country's largest-ever live-firing drill (pictured) to mark the founding anniversary of its military

North Korea staged a 'Combined Fire Demonstration' held to celebrate the 85th anniversary of the North Korean army, in Wonsan, North Korea

Independent journalists were not given access to cover the event depicted in the photos. They show rows of heavy artillery and troops carrying out exercise

The joint drill - attended by Kim Jong-un (pictured) - involved artillery firing as well as torpedo attacks by submarines, state-run KCNA said, and demonstrated the country's determination to a 'pour merciless rain of fire on the reckless imperialist US and its dirty followers', it said

They are expected to be closer in size to the U.S. Navy's nuclear-powered 100,000-ton Nimitz class ships, with flat flight decks and catapults to allow planes to launch with more bombs and fuel aboard.

Along with their role in protecting China's maritime interests, Chinese naval strategists see the carrier programme as 'about having naval power commensurate with China's international status, to impress both external and domestic audiences,' said Michael Chase, an expert on the Chinese military at U.S. think tank the RAND Corporation.

The new carrier 'is likely to be seen as further evidence of China's desire to become the most powerful and influential country in the region,' Chase said. That will be especially worrying to Indian security analysts who are already concerned about Beijing's ambitions in the Indian Ocean, he said.

India, along with Japan and Taiwan which also view Chinese carriers as threats, will likely respond by building new submarines and anti-ship missiles, said Ian Easton, a research Fellow at The Project 2049 Institute in Arlington, Virginia.

China's 'expansionist behaviour in the South China Sea and its aggressive efforts to undermine the security of Taiwan and Japan, in particular, have translated into a situation where few countries now trust that Beijing has benign motives,' Easton said.

China claims Taiwan as its own territory to be brought under control by force if necessary, and was seen as advertising that threat when it sailed the Liaoning through the Taiwan Strait earlier this year.

South Korea and US soldiers watch from an observation post during a joint live firing drill at the Seungjin Fire Training Field in Pocheon, northeast of Seoul

A South Korean K1A2 tank (blue) and a US M1A2 tank (red) fire live rounds during a joint live firing drill this morning

South Korean K2 tanks fire live rounds during a joint live firing drill. There are mounting tensions on the peninsula amid fears North Korea is plotting a sixth nuclear test

According to Chinese reports, the new, as yet unnamed, carrier will carry 24 Shenyang J-15 fighters, based on the Russian Sukhoi Su-33, along with 12 helicopters for anti-submarine warfare, airborne early warning and rescue operations. That compares to 85-90 fixed wing aircraft and helicopters carried by a Nimitz-class carrier.

The new carrier is part of an ambitious expansion of the Chinese navy, which is projected to have a total of 265-273 warships, submarines and logistics vessels by 2020, according to the Washington, D.C.-based Center for Naval Analysis. That compares with 275 deployable battle force ships presently in the U.S. Navy, China's primary rival in the Asia Pacific.

The U.S. operates 10 aircraft carriers, has 62 destroyers to China's 32, and 75 submarines to China's 68. The U.S. Navy has 323,000 personnel to China's 235,000.

China has offered little information about the roles it expects its carriers to play, although its planning appears to be evolving as it gains more experience. The Liaoning was initially touted mainly as an experimental and training platform, but in December was declared to be combat-ready and has taken part in live-firing exercises in the South China Sea, where tensions have risen over China's construction of man-made islands complete with airstrips and military structures.

Meanwhile, US troops have started to deliver a missile defence system to a deployment site in South Korea Wednesday, amid heightened tensions over the North's nuclear ambitions.

The US and ally South Korea say the THAAD deployment, agreed last year, is intended to guard against missile threats from the nuclear-armed North.

But China fears it will weaken its own ballistic capabilities and says it upsets the regional security balance. It has imposed a host of measures seen as economic retaliation against the South, including a ban on tour groups.

TV footage showed large trailers in camouflage paint carrying what appeared to be missile-related equipment entering a golf course in the southern county of Seongju on Wednesday morning.

A US A-10 Thunderbolt II attack aircraft fires flares during a joint live firing drill this morning. America has also sent an aircraft carrier to the region

A US AH-64 Apache helicopter fires rockets during the joint training drills. The exercises come during a war of words between North Korea and the US

South Korean RF-16 jet fighters fire flares during a training session this morning. Military exercises have also taken place in North Korea

Hundreds of residents - who are concerned over the potential environmental impact - protested angrily, some clashing with police. More than 10 were injured including three who were hospitalized, activists said.

Seoul's defence ministry said Wednesday's move was aimed at 'securing operational capability of the THAAD as soon as possible', with a goal of fully installing the batteries by the end of this year.

The South is holding a presidential election next month to choose a successor to ousted leader Park Geun-Hye, and Seoul and Washington are pressing ahead with the deployment with some candidates expressing ambivalence over the system, including front-runner Moon Jae-In, of the left-leaning Democratic Party.

His spokesman Park Kwang-On expressed 'strong regret' at the delivery, saying it ignored 'required procedures'.

'This move has shut off any room for policy considerations by the next government and it is very improper,' he said.

The South's tourist industry has been hammered by Beijing's boycott over THAAD, with Chinese visitor numbers - normally more than half the total - plummeting 40 percent last month even though the ban only came into force on March 15.

Retail conglomerate Lotte - which provided the Seongju golf course site to the Seoul government - has also been targeted, with 85 of its 99 stores in China shut down.

THAAD is designed to intercept and destroy short and medium-range ballistic missiles during their final phase of flight.

The latest move comes as tension soars on the Korean peninsula following a series of missile launches by the North and warnings from the administration of US President Donald Trump that military action was an 'option on the table'.

Washington has deployed an aircraft carrier strike group led by the USS Carl Vinson to the peninsula in a show of force, amid signs the North could be preparing for a sixth nuclear test.

The impoverished, isolated state says it needs nuclear weapons to defend itself against the threat of invasion, and has issued blood-curdling promises of retaliation in the event of an atomic strike against it.

In Pyongyang's latest display, leader Kim Jong-Un oversaw the country's largest-ever firing drill to mark the founding anniversary of its military, state-run media said Wednesday.

The joint drill involved artillery firing as well as torpedo attacks by submarines, state-run KCNA said, and demonstrated the country's determination to a 'pour merciless rain of fire on the reckless imperialist US and its dirty followers', it said.

The US has long pushed for China to make more efforts to curb Pyongyang's behaviour.

But Beijing says it has less sway over its wayward neighbour than Washington believes.

It is also concerned that a regime collapse could trigger a flood of refugees across the border, and leave the US military on its doorstep in a unified Korea.

Chinese President Xi Jinping called Monday for 'restraint' regarding North Korea in a telephone conversation with Trump.

US defence leaders and other top officials are to give a classified briefing on North Korea to all senators in an unusual meeting at the White House later Wednesday.
Bangaldeshi novelist Kasem bin Abubakar's stories of devout young Muslims finding love are enjoying a renaissance as Bangladesh slides from the moderate Islam worshipped for generations to a more conservative interpretation of the scriptures

Kasem bin Abubakar was told nobody would buy his chaste romance novels about devout young Muslims finding love within the strict moral confines of Bangladeshi society.

And yet his tales of lovers whispering sweet nothings between calls to prayer sold millions in the 1980s and proved a huge hit among young girls from Bangladesh's rural, conservative heartland.

Now his work is undergoing something of a renaissance as Bangladesh slides from the moderate Islam worshipped for generations to a more conservative interpretation of the scriptures.

"Girls write me love letters with ink dipped in their own blood. Some were desperate to marry me" Abubakar told AFP, recounting his surprise at young women making a traditional gesture of intense devotion to a greying author.

His debut novel "Futonto Golap" (Blossomed Rose), written more than three decades ago, has spawned an entire genre of fiction tinged with Islamic values.

Abubakar was inspired to take up the pen in the late 1970s, when as a bookseller he lamented that most novels obsessed with the cosmopolitan lifestyles of modern, elite Bangladeshis.

These secular tales were a world removed from the largely rural and pious village existence lived by the majority of Bangladesh's 160 million people, and Abubakar sensed a gap in the market ripe for his fiction.

- 'Mullah novels don't sell' -

"He tapped into a new readership that nobody thought existed before," said Bangladeshi journalist Qadaruddin Shishir.

"In rural villages, Abubakar's novels are the best gift a young lover can give to his fiancee."

Abubakar wrote "The Blossomed Rose" -- a story about two mismatched young Muslims seeking consent for marriage from their families -- by hand in 1978, but it took almost a decade for a publisher to even look at it.

Since his breakthrough, Abubakar has written dozens of works, most revolving around the mosque, veiled women and wayward youth abandoning so-called corrupt lifestyles after finding religion.

"They told me 'mullah novels' don't sell," he said.

Eventually he sold the copyright to a publisher for a mere 1,000 Taka (USD$12.50), and became an overnight sensation.

Since his breakthrough, Abubakar has written dozens of works, most revolving around the mosque, veiled women and wayward youth abandoning so-called corrupt lifestyles after finding religion.

Secular activists fear creeping conservatism could unwind many of the gains made by the impoverished nation in improving school attendance and gender equality.

An ever-increasing number of students attend madrassas, or religious boarding schools, in Bangladesh, where Abubakar's books have found "become a favourite", said fellow author Syed Mazharul Parvez.

"They can relate to these stories and are comfortable with the settings and language their protagonists speak," he said.

- Inspiring new writers -

Abubakar has inspired a new generation of Bangladeshi writers who are finding success with their own contemporary brand of Islamic fiction.

Popular writers like Abdus Salam Mitul, Kawser Ahmed and Abdul Alim ecohed Abubakar in their own tales of "piety, conservative attitudes and decency", said Abubakar's son Mohammad Saifullah, a Dhaka-based publisher.

Mitul in particular shot to fame in the 2000s with his own story about a burqa-clad girl reminiscent of Abubakar's breakthrough "The Blossomed Rose".

Abubakar wrote "The Blossomed Rose" -- a story about two mismatched young Muslims seeking consent for marriage from their families -- by hand in 1978, but it took almost a decade for a publisher to even look at it. Now it is a bestseller.

"I think a lot of people still think it was written by my father. But it was Mitul's work and it sold tens of thousands of copies," Saifullah joked.

Aspiring author Abdul Alim said Abubakar's works had motivated his own plotlines -- moral tales that in the end showed "Islam has answers" for society's ills.

"He is such a talented story teller. He showed us the way," Alim said of Abubakar.

For Abubakar, his fans keep him busy even two years into retirement. At a bookstore recently the octogenarian signed autographs for his readers, many women in full-face veils clutching his titles.

The fan mail keeps the postman busy, too. Apart from the marriage proposals and overtures of love, Abubakar has received confessions from corrupt bureaucrats thanking him for steering them down the honest path, he said.

"Everyday the postman would arrive with hundreds of letters. He became a permanent member of our family," Abubakar said.
An undated handout image released by the Free Nazanin campaign in London on June 10, 2016 shows Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe posing for a photograph with her daughter Gabriella

Iran confirmed Wednesday upholding a five-year sentence for Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, a British-Iranian woman accused of sedition who has been in jail in the country for more than a year.

"She had appealed and the appeals court reviewed her request," Tasnim news agency quoted Tehran province's justice chief Gholam Hossein Esmaeili as saying.

"The appeals court decided that the initial verdict was true and justified, so it was upheld."

Zaghari-Ratcliffe's British husband said on Monday that the jail term she received in September for participating in anti-regime protests in 2009 had been upheld.

The family was told the sentence was final as they had already lost an initial appeal in January.

Zaghari-Ratcliffe was arrested at Tehran airport on April 3, 2016, after visiting family in Iran with her British-born daughter Gabriella.

At the time of arrest, authorities confiscated her daughter's British passport. The girl has been living with her grandparents in Iran since her mother's arrest.

Iran does not recognise dual-citizenship, meaning that the accused are deprived of diplomatic counsel.

Britain's foreign ministry said it was "deeply concerned" by reports the sentence had been upheld and said Prime Minister Theresa May and Foreign Minister Boris Johnson had raised the case with their Iranian counterparts.

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.
A sign welcomes delegates to the upcoming ASEAN summit at the Philippine International Convention Center on April 25, 2017

Southeast Asian leaders will express concern this week about an "escalation of activities" in the South China Sea but avoid directly criticising China, according to the draft of a summit statement.

The statement, set to be released on Saturday at the end of a two-day leaders' meeting in Manila, reflects Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte's efforts to ease tensions with China over competing claims to the strategically vital waters.

The chairman's statement at the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit will merely hint at China's island-building in the sea without mentioning it by name, according to the draft obtained by AFP.

"We shared the serious concerns expressed by some leaders over recent developments and escalation of activities in the area which may further raise tensions and erode trust and confidence in the region," the statement said.

However it did not mention China directly, nor an international tribunal's ruling last year rejecting Beijing's sweeping claims to the South China Sea, through which $5 trillion dollars in annual shipping trade passes.

Four ASEAN members -- Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam -- along with China and Taiwan, have claims in the sea, which security analysts say is a potential flashpoint for conflict.

The UN-backed tribunal ruled last July that China's claims to nearly all of the sea had no legal basis and its construction activities there were illegal.

The case was filed by Duterte's predecessor Benigno Aquino, who forcefully challenged Beijing through legal and diplomatic avenues including ASEAN events. This led to a sharp deterioration in bilateral relations.

Duterte, who assumed the presidency shortly before the ruling was issued, has chosen to pursue friendly ties with China to try to win billions of dollars' worth of trade and aid.

As part of that, he has said he will not use the ruling to pressure China.

The draft follows a similar statement at an ASEAN summit in Laos last year when intensive Chinese lobbying helped to ensure there was no mention of the ruling.

The draft also noted "progress" on a so-called framework agreement for a code of conduct on the South China Sea.

Philippine diplomats have said the "framework" code of conduct might be completed by June, with China expressing optimism about the talks.

But negotiations for an actual code have already taken 15 years, after ASEAN and China adopted a non-binding agreement in 2002 to discourage hostile acts.

Meanwhile, China has built its artificial islands, which are capable of serving as military bases.

"What's the point of having a code of conduct if China has successfully militarised the South China Sea?" Renato de Castro, international studies professor at Manila's De La Salle University, told AFP.
McDonald's said last year it was looking at selling its 50 percent stake in a scandal-hit Japanese unit

McDonald's has decided not to sell its stake in a Japanese unit hit by a series of food contamination scandals and slumping sales.

The US restaurant chain has a 50 percent share of McDonald's Japan, but said said last year it was looking at selling the stake as the unit's balance sheet deteriorated following a series of embarrassing problems, including a human tooth found in some fries.

The incidents led to McDonald's Japan closing some of its 3,000 outlets and recording its first loss in a decade.

But on Tuesday, the parent company said the Japanese market had bounced back and the sale plan was off the table.

"We recently completed our review over our ownership stake in McDonald's Japan, and made the decision to not proceed with the transaction at this time," McDonald's chief financial officer Kevin Ozan told an earnings call on Tuesday in the United States.

"We are confident that we have the right capabilities and customer focus plans to grow our business in Japan, and we believe the market is poised to maintain the strong momentum."

McDonald's reported higher first-quarter earnings Tuesday, citing a pick up in key regions, including the United States and China, as well as Japan.
Saudi Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (C) attends a meeting with US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis in Riyadh on April 19, 2017

A recent Saudi government and security shake-up aims to strengthen King Salman's increasingly powerful son against a royal rival and to bolster ties with Washington, analysts and diplomats say.

Royal decrees at the weekend saw a number of allies of Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman moved into key positions and another son of the king named as ambassador to Washington.

The goal, a foreign diplomat told AFP, is "to strengthen MBS (Mohammed bin Salman) and the Salman branch" of the al-Saud family which has ruled Saudi Arabia since the country's founding.

Mohammed bin Salman, 31, has risen to prominence since he was named deputy crown prince two years ago, a few months after his father took the throne following the death of King Abdullah.

The king's nephew Mohammed bin Nayef, now 57, was at the same time named crown prince and is the heir apparent.

Reports of rivalry between the two have spread since, with the bearded Mohammed bin Salman seen in the ascendant.

He already serves as defence minister, head of Saudi Arabia's main economic policy coordinating body and chairman of a council overseeing state oil giant Aramco.

One of the weekend decrees saw the creation of a new National Security Centre linked with the royal court.

- 'Competition' over security -

Details of how the new centre will operate have yet to emerge, but the foreign diplomat said its creation reflects "competition" for succession between Mohammed bin Salman and Mohammed bin Nayef, who is interior minister and heads an existing body, the Political and Security Council.

Another decree also named a new national security advisor, Mohammed bin Salih Alghfaili, who foreign diplomats say will play a lead role on the council.

He too is linked with Mohammed bin Salman and the new arrangement shows that the crown prince "is losing his power," a second foreign diplomat said.

Both diplomats declined to be named because of the sensitivity of royal leadership matters.

Saudi Crown Prince and Interior Minister Mohammed bin Nayef (R) inspects Saudi forces during a military parade in the Muslim holy city of Mecca in September 2016

Another decree named Major General Ahmed Assiri, who the diplomats said is also a loyalist of the defence minister, as deputy chief of the General Intelligence Presidency.

Peter Salisbury, a research fellow at London's Chatham House, told AFP that the various moves appear "a lot like Mohammed bin Salman has taken another step towards consolidating his control over the security services".

Security matters are especially important to Mohammed bin Nayef, who made his name and won wide respect abroad for having led Saudi efforts against Al-Qaeda and other jihadists.

Analysts and diplomats said other moves made at the weekend appeared aimed not only at boosting King Salman's branch among the thousands-strong royal family but at continuing to improve ties with longtime ally Washington.

King Salman named another son, Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, as state minister for energy affairs, and one more, Prince Khaled bin Salman, as ambassador to Washington.

- Building US ties -

The new ambassador Prince Khaled, believed to be younger than 30, is a former fighter pilot who flew missions as part of the US-led coalition bombing the Islamic State group in Syria and Iraq.

Another change saw Fahad bin Turki, a former head of the Saudi special forces, promoted to lieutenant general to head the army.

These appointments appear to involve people "well-placed... to build relationships with senior military and administration officials in the US," Salisbury said.

Ties between Riyadh and Washington became increasingly frayed during the administration of president Barack Obama.

Riyadh has found a more favourable ear in the Washington of President Donald Trump, who has echoed Saudi concerns about Iranian influence in the region.

Mohammed bin Salman met Trump in Washington last month, a visit followed last week by US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis's trip to Riyadh.

Key for Riyadh will be US support for the Saudi-led coalition that for two years has been fighting in support of Yemen's government against rebels supported by Iran, Saudi Arabia's regional rival.

Saudi Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman met with US President Donald Trump at the White House in March 2017

The United States has backed the coalition with intelligence, weapons, and aerial refuelling for its warplanes, but Obama's government in December blocked the transfer of precision-guided bombs because of concerns over civilian casualties.

Under Obama, "things were really bad" between the two countries, the second diplomat said.

Saudi officials realised that "they cannot survive on their own" and must depend on American security support, he said.
Yagana Bukar's two brothers were among some 300 children kidnapped by Boko Haram insurgents from remote Damasak in 2014 in one of many neglected tragedies in Nigeria's 8-year conflict

Yagana Bukar's younger brothers Mohammed and Sadiq were among about 300 children kidnapped by Boko Haram from the town of Damasak in remote northeastern Nigeria nearly three years ago.

But unlike the global outrage and social media campaign that followed the abduction of 219 schoolgirls from Chibok, there were no protests for the children of Damasak.

Most of those rounded up in Damasak on November 24, 2014 were boys aged about 10. They were taken deep into the bush. Most have not been seen since.

The mass kidnapping was denied by the government at the time and even by locals, who said they feared incurring the wrath of politicians already grappling with the fall-out from Chibok.

Damasak is now one of the many neglected tragedies of the bloody eight-year insurgency that has killed at least 20,000 people, left millions homeless and caused a severe food shortage.

"When Boko Haram arrived they gathered all of the kids, they took them to one compound," said 20-year-old Bukar, wearing a blue gingham print hijab.

A member of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) screens women at the entrance of the town of Damasak in northeast Nigeria as thousands of people freed from Boko Haram insurgents return to their homes

"Boko Haram was ruling the town then, they didn't burn yet, they didn't kill," she told AFP, sitting on a green plastic prayer mat outside the mud house from where her brothers were snatched.

After a week under Boko Haram occupation, her family decided to follow many of those in the town who had fled into neighbouring Niger. She hasn't seen her two brothers since.

"I hope they come back safe," she said. Lost in a memory, her voice suddenly trailed off and she started to cry. "I miss them seriously. They are always with me."

- Return to normal -

A Nigerian soldier with a grenade launcher stands guard near the Yobe river between Nigeria and Niger where Boko Haram fighters abducted some 300 children in 2014 who remain missing today

Nigerian forces say they have no new information on the location of the kidnapped children of Damasak.

"If we have any information regarding that, we will work towards it," said Major Muhammed Kaigama, of 145 Battalion Nigerian Army stationed in the town.

Despite its unhappy past, Damasak, which was recaptured by Nigerian troops and regional allies in July last year, is being seen as a beacon of hope for the conflict-scarred northeast.

The road to the Borno state capital, Maiduguri, nearly 200 kilometres (125 miles) away was reopened in December last year after years of fierce battles with the jihadists.

One of the first aid helicopters arrived a month later.

Now the government is leading a reconstruction effort and aid agencies are distributing food and ramping up health services, including vaccinations against polio.

Signs of the conflict are everywhere: Boko Haram's black insignia is still visible, daubed on the walls of destroyed buildings lining the main street.

Yet, in many ways, life is returning to normal. A market has reopened where traders sell onions, pepper and baobab leaves for soup.

Children play with tyres in the streets. The first school is set to reopen next month.

The Yobe river that separates Nigeria from Niger, where thousands fled to safety from attacks by Boko Haram insurgents

In a house opposite the market, the family of Modu Mandama, a 50-year-old tailor who recently returned from Niger, celebrates the marriage of their daughter.

- Factional fighting -

Nigerian forces say the rift in Boko Haram between its long-time leader Abubakar Shekau and the Islamic State group-backed Abu Musab al-Barnawi could be why Damasak is enjoying peace.

"Predominantly it's the Al-Barnawi faction that is here," said Major Kaigama about Boko Haram's presence in the border region.

"Going by their ideology they believe in attacking the military but they have never been here," he added.

A Nigerian soldier patrols on the outskirts of Damasak in northeastern Nigeria as peace returns after years of trouble from Boko Haram insurgents

The heavy military presence and frequent patrols in a 30-kilometre radius around Damasak was a deterrent to attacks, he maintained.

Members of the civilian militia force helping with security share the same view.

"Those for Shekau, they kill and collect properties but for Barnawi they only kill soldiers," said Gudusu Kyari, 39, wearing a knife on his belt and carrying a metal whip in his right hand.

Whatever the reason for the peace, the people of Damasak say they are thankful they can now return to their homes -- or at least try to rebuild what's left of them.

Goni Modu Aji, a 50-year-old farmer, is back in the fields after spending two years in Niger.

His friend's adopted son, Baba Kaka, was seized when Boko Haram claimed the town in 2014 but managed to escape.

Now 14, the boy is one of the few children of Damasak to return home. Aji believes the focus on Chibok has been unfair.

"They only talked about Chibok," he said, looking across the river which separates Nigeria from Niger. "They didn't talk about other places."
Kashmiri students clash with Indian government forces in central Srinagar's Lal Chowk on April 24, 2017

Authorities in Indian-administered Kashmir on Wednesday ordered internet service providers to block popular social media services including Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp after an upsurge in violence in the region.

The local government said the services were "being misused by anti-national and anti-social elements" and should be blocked for one month or until further notice "in the interest of maintenance of public order".

It is the first time the government has taken such a step, although it regularly blocks the mobile internet signal in the volatile Kashmir valley.

Indian-administered Kashmir has been tense since April 9, when eight people including seven students were killed by police and paramilitaries during by-election violence.

Anti-India sentiment runs deep in the Kashmir valley, one of the world's most heavily militarised spots where most people favour independence or a merger with mainly Muslim Pakistan.

Clashes between rebels and government forces have become more frequent since the killing of a popular rebel leader, Burhan Wani, by security forces last July sparked widespread unrest.

Authorities responded by imposing a curfew, suspending mobile networks in large parts of the territory and seizing newspapers to try to quell protests.

They say social media are being used increasingly frequently to rally crowds which then attack government forces, often by throwing rocks at them.

Social media are also being used by both sides in the conflict to spread images and video footage in a growing war of information.

A video released on social media sites earlier this month showed a man tied to a jeep being used as a human shield against stone-throwers by soldiers in Kashmir.

The 11-second clip went viral and has sparked outrage and heated debate about the role of the military.

Rights activists say Indian forces in Kashmir have been using human shields since the late 1980s, when an armed insurgency against Indian rule erupted across the territory.

Roughly 500,000 Indian soldiers are deployed in the region, which has been divided between India and Pakistan since the end of British rule in 1947. Both claim the territory in its entirety.

On Wednesday student protesters took to the streets, clashing with government forces who used shotguns to disperse them.

Students have staged almost daily protests in recent weeks, chanting slogans demanding freedom from India and throwing rocks at police.

They were angered by a raid earlier this month on a college in the southern district of Pulwama in which police tried to detain the alleged ringleaders of earlier protests.

Earlier this week the chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, the northern state that administers the area, held talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the developing crisis.

Mehbooba Mufti said after the meeting that dialogue was needed to calm the situation.
The incident comes less than three weeks after United Airlines drew global outrage for forcefully dragging a passenger off an overbooked flight

United Airlines was under fire again Wednesday after a huge rabbit named Simon died while hopping over from London to Chicago, where he was due to be picked up by a celebrity buyer.

The valuable 90-centimetre (three-foot) long continental giant rabbit had previously been described as "fit as a fiddle", and his death in the cargo section of a Boeing 767 comes as a mystery.

"Something very strange has happened and I want to know what," breeder Annette Edwards, from Worcestershire in central England, told British newspaper The Sun.

"Simon had a vet's check-up three hours before the flight and was fit as a fiddle," she said, adding: "I've sent rabbits all around the world and nothing like this has happened before."

Edwards also revealed that "the client who bought Simon is very famous. He's upset".

Ten-month-old Simon was expected to grow to become the world's biggest rabbit, after his father Darius grew to 1.32 metres, Edwards said.

According to the breeder such rabbits cost 5,000 ($6,400, 5,900 euros) a year to keep.

The incident comes less than three weeks after United Airlines drew global outrage for forcefully dragging a passenger off an overbooked flight.

Footage of the April 9 incident captured by fellow passengers went viral on social media.

It also caused a public relations calamity for United and airport officials, sparked worldwide outrage, and led to multiple apologies from United as well as an internal probe of its policies and practices.

United Airlines said it was "saddened" to hear the news of Simon's death.

"The safety and well-being of all the animals that travel with us is of the utmost importance to United Airlines and our PetSafe team," it said.

"We have been in contact with our customer and have offered assistance. We are reviewing this matter."

Figures from the US Department of Transportation show that 35 animals died in air transit in 2015, across the country's 17 main carriers.

United Airlines account for nine of those deaths, the highest of all the carriers. It transported over 97,000 animals during that year.
Afghan resident Ahmadullah poses for a photograph on April 24, 2017 with a picture of his brother Shir Mohammad, a soldier killed in a Taliban attack on an army base on the outskirts of Mazar-i- Sharif

Authorities have arrested 35 soldiers who served on an army base in northern Afghanistan where the Taliban staged a deadly attack last week, officials said Wednesday, as fears grew they had inside help.

The defence ministry released its official toll of 135 recruits killed in the assault on the sprawling base, home to the 209th Army Corps, outside the city of Mazar-i-Sharif in Balkh province on Friday.

Gunmen in military trucks and wearing suicide vests stormed the base, killing unarmed young recruits as they ate lunch in the dining hall and prayed in the mosque.

The brutal assault is believed to be the deadliest-ever Taliban attack on a military installation.

The death toll has been unclear, with Afghan officials -- who have been known to minimise casualties in previous attacks -- ignoring earlier calls for exact figures.

A senior US defence official has told AFP at least 144 people were killed, while some sources on the base have placed the toll as high as 160.

The gunmen were dressed in army uniforms, multiple sources have told AFP, fuelling suspicions of complicity on the 30,000-strong base, where Western instructors are sometimes called on as part of NATO's training, assistance and advisory mission.

They also carried valid passes to the base, a senior security source has told AFP.

"So far 35 people have been detained and are being questioned in connection with the attack," said 209th Corps spokesman Abdul Qahar Aram, adding that they ranked from foot soldiers to colonel.

So-called insider attacks -- when Afghan soldiers and police turn their guns on their colleagues or on international troops -- have been a major problem during the war which began in 2001.

Analyst and university professor Abdul Hamid Safoot said Friday's assault had highlighted multiple systematic flaws among Afghan forces, ranging from a lack of vetting to inadequate intelligence sharing.

"(The) Taliban know these weaknesses, they have people in the government," Safoot said.

"After the insider attacks on the NATO trainers increased, the foreign mentors no longer allow Afghan soldiers to carry arms during training," he added.

The recruits in the mosque and the dining hall were unarmed -- a fact which the security source said was known to the militants. He said at least four of the attackers had served at the base.

The assault has prompted widespread anger, with the defence minister and his army chief resigning Monday, leaving troops and police in disarray as the Taliban gear up for their spring offensive.

Afghan forces, already beset by killings and desertions, have been struggling to beat back insurgents since US-led NATO troops ended their combat mission in December 2014.

Their casualties soared by 35 percent in 2016, with 6,800 soldiers and police killed, according to US watchdog SIGAR.
Joseph Kony, leader of the feared Lord's Resistance Army (LRA), is still on the run in central Africa

US special forces on Wednesday began to pull out from Central Africa, ending a five-year hunt for brutal LRA warlord Joseph Kony, who is wanted for crimes against humanity.

The departure of the troops sent in to support an African Union regional force "will be completed a short while after it begins on April 26", Charles Prichard, spokesman for the US Africa Command (AFRICOM), told AFP.

"A small contingent of US military personnel will continue to work in the area to complete logistical tasks... such as removing equipment. Those tasks will be completed by September 2017," he added.

In late 2011, Washington deployed about 100 special forces to the Central African Republic to back up Ugandan soldiers tracking Kony, and 150 special forces airmen were added three years later.

One of Africa's longest-surviving rebel groups, the Lord's Resistance Army has terrorised parts of central Africa for 30 years.

Since being set up by Kony in 1987, it is accused of slaughtering more than 100,000 people and abducting 60,000 children who were forced to become sex slaves and soldiers.

After counting several thousand fighters a few years ago, it now has fewer than 100 dispersed across parts of the CAR, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sudan and South Sudan.

Last month AFRICOM said it would wrap up the operation, which has cost $600 million to $800 million, even though Kony remains at large.

- LRA 'in survival mode' -

U.S. Marine Corps General Thomas Waldhauser announced American troops would be pulled out from C. Africa after a more than five-year hunt for LRA warlord Joseph Kony

"The time has come to move forward because the organisation itself is really in a survival mode," said General Thomas Waldhauser, head of AFRICOM.

Ugandan troops began to withdraw on April 19, saying that the mission to neutralise the LRA had been "successfully achieved" and that Kony "no longer poses any significant threat".

A self-styled prophet, Kony launched his bloody rebellion in a bid to overthrow the Ugandan government and impose a regime based on his own version of the Ten Commandments.

He is wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague for war crimes and crimes against humanity, where one of his commanders, Dominic Ongwen, is currently on trial.

Analysts as well as residents of eastern CAR fear that the departure of US and Ugandan forces will leave a security vacuum, enabling the LRA to resurface.

Although there are UN peacekeeping forces from its MINUSCA mission in Central Africa, very few of them are present in the east of the country.

"This withdrawal will lead to a renewal of LRA attacks in the southeast," warned Thierry Vircoulon, a specialist on central Africa at the French institute for international relations IFRI.

But US spokesman Prichard said "AFRICOM remains committed to our partners in the region and will continue to work with them to find solutions to security challenges in the region."
A Syrian boy places a picture on top of a coffin during a funeral ceremony at the Sayyida Zeinab shrine on the outskirts of Damascus on April 26, 2017 for victims of a bombing targeting evacuees from besieged government-held towns

Hundreds of tearful mourners attended a mass funeral Wednesday for loved ones killed in a suicide bombing on a convoy of evacuees, in one of the Syrian war's most gruesome attacks.

At least 150 people, including 72 children, were killed on April 15 in an explosion targeting evacuees from Fuaa and Kafraya, two Shiite-majority villages under siege in northwestern Syria.

Fifty-two of the dead were to be buried on Wednesday near the Sayyida Zeinab mausoleum, Syria's most visited Shiite pilgrimage site south of Damascus, one of the funeral organisers told AFP.

Women, children, and men -- some of them in military uniform -- from Fuaa and Kafraya began gathering at the mosque from the morning to take part in the funeral procession.

Security was tight, with Syrian army soldiers and allied forces carefully searching every person entering the shrine's perimeter, AFP's correspondent said.

"There's no worse feeling than this, than burying your sister without being able to see her," said 19-year-old Abdelsalam Remman, his voice breaking.

He was carrying a poster of his six-year-old sister Tuqa, who was killed in the attack after being evacuated with their mother, who was wounded.

"Our heart melted until we identified her" among those of the dead several days later, said Remman.

Syrians carry coffins during a funeral ceremony in the Sayyida Zeinab shrine on the outskirts of Damascus on April 26, 2017, for the victims of a bombing targeting evacuees from besieged government-held towns

The suicide car bombing in Rashidin, west of Syria's second city Aleppo, was one of the most devastating attacks of the six-year war that has killed at least 320,000.

It hit a convoy of evacuees from Fuaa and Kafraya, who had been bussed out of their besieged government-held villages as part of an evacuation deal that also included two rebel-controlled towns surrounded by the regime.

The attacker appeared to lure children to his vehicle with bags of crisps, according to witnesses.

- 'Shattered my family' -

Dozens of unidentified bodies remain at Aleppo's government hospital, and many survivors at Sayyida Zeinab on Wednesday said they had relatives who were still missing.

Inside the courtyard, which was covered with a red carpet, dozens of women in black stood in one corner of the shrine, tearfully repeating the names of their lost relatives.

Young men were calling out religious chants as the coffins, draped in Syrian government flags, were carried in under the watchful eyes of police officers and unarmed security forces.

A pained expression on her face, Wafaa Homsi looked at the rows of coffins, one of which held her 13-year-old daughter Raghd.

"I hope she's in heaven, and I hope God takes revenge on them (the attackers) because they shattered my family," she said, sobbing.

"My daughter is being buried here. My husband and two of my sons are still missing. We're waiting to hear something, anything, about them," Homsi told AFP.

Some mourners tossed flowers over the coffins, and others carried red and black posters bearing photographs of the attack, including wreckage of the bus carrying evacuees and plumes of smoke.

"Victory blooms from your blood," read one poster.

Hayfaa, dressed in black, cried as she described losing her six-year-old son Ali.

"I wish I could turn back time and Ali could come back to me," she told AFP.

Two of her six children were also wounded in the blast and were still receiving treatment in the hospital.

Sayyida Zeinab has been hit by several deadly bombings since the start of Syria's war in 2011, including twin attacks in March that killed 74 people.
Bangladesh has suffered from a rise in extremism in recent years as the moderate Islam worshipped for generations has given way to a more conservative interpretation of the scriptures

Bangladesh has approved a project to build hundreds of mosques with almost $1 billion from Saudi Arabia, an official said Wednesday, worrying minorities who fear they could be used to spread fundamentalist Islam.

The government plans to construct 560 mosques -- one in every town in Bangladesh -- as the secular administration woos Islamist groups before elections.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina sought the funds from Saudi Arabia, which will provide the lion's share of the $1.07 billion cost, during a visit to the oil-rich state last year, said planning minister Mustofa Kamal.

The centres of worship -- equipped with research facilities, libraries and cultural centres -- would be a "model" for worshippers in the Muslim-majority country, said Shamim Afzal, head of the state-run Islamic Foundation.

"It is a perfect idea of spreading the true knowledge of Islam," he told AFP.

But minority groups are less certain, concerned the proliferation of Saudi-backed mosques could spread the ultra-conservative Sunni doctrine of Wahhabism practised in the Gulf kingdom.

Bangladesh has suffered from a rise in extremism in recent years as the moderate Islam worshipped for generations has given way to a more conservative interpretation of the scriptures.

The government has ordered a crackdown on homegrown extremist outfits after a series of bloody attacks on secular activists, foreigners and religious minorities.

Rezaul Haq Chandpuri, from a federation representing Sufi Muslims who have been targeted for violence, said there was no justification for these new mosques.

"Saudi finance is a concern. They may use their money to promote Wahabism through these mosques," he told AFP, adding minorities would feel "helpless and insecure".

But the scheme could also "help the government monitor hateful sermons", a tough task in Bangladesh where it controls few of the 300,000 existing mosques, said leading secular activist Shahriar Kabir.

"I think the government should take control of all mosques across the country. That way, it can easily identify where extremism are being promoted," he told AFP.

In a major concession to Islamist groups ahead of polls, Hasina this month announced her government would recognise degrees from hardline madrassas, paving the way for religious scholars to qualify for public service jobs.

She also supported conservative protesters railing against a symbolic statue of justice outside the Supreme Court which they deemed un-Islamic.
Smoke billows in the distance following a reported air strike carried out by the Saudi-led coalition in the Yemeni capital Sanaa on October 5, 2016

The Saudi coast guard fired on an unmanned boat rigged with explosives, thwarting an attack on one of the kingdom's oil terminals that authorities on Wednesday blamed on Yemeni Huthi rebels.

The boat, sent from a small island off the Yemeni coast, was targeting a petroleum products distribution terminal run by Saudi oil giant Aramco when it was intercepted on Tuesday, the interior ministry said in a statement carried by the SPA state news agency.

"The boat was spotted when it departed from a small island in Yemeni waters and gained speed after entering Saudi waters," the ministry said.

After determining that the boat was unmanned, a coast guard unit opened fire on its engine and stopped it 1.5 miles (2.8 kilometres) from the terminal in the southern region of Jazan, the statement said.

The boat was loaded with "strong explosive material," it said.

The ministry vowed to foil all "terrorist attempts" against the kingdom and to "reach those behind them from the Huthi militias."

It accused the rebels of "threatening the security of waterways and offshore installations with explosive-laden boats and naval mines."

Saudi Arabia is leading an Arab coalition that in March 2015 launched a military campaign against Iran-backed Yemeni rebels in support of President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi.

Huthi rebels aided by renegade troops loyal to former president Ali Abdullah Saleh repeatedly fire missiles across the borders with the kingdom, but this is the first attempt of kind to target an oil installation.

In August, the rebels claimed to have hit an Aramco facility with a missile, but the oil company said all its installations were operating as normal.

Two Saudi sailors were killed in a rebel "suicide" boat strike on a frigate patrolling off the Yemeni coast in January, the coalition said at the time. The rebels said they hit the ship with a guided missile.

More than 7,700 people have been killed in the past two years of fighting in Yemen, the UN says.
Protesters and police stand by as trailers carrying US THAAD missile defence equipment enter a deployment site in Seongju, South Korea, early on April 26, 2017

China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi urged an end to US-South Korean military manoeuvres Wednesday as well as a stop to North Korea's nuclear programme to calm tensions on the peninsula.

He said Pyongyang's continuing nuclear tests were "a clear violation of UN resolutions", but stressed that persisting with military manoeuvres around the peninsula "is not in the spirit of the resolutions either".

"Security and stability are very fragile at the moment and the danger is great of a new conflict breaking out at any time," Wang said at a joint press conference with German counterpart Sigmar Gabriel.

"We can't risk even a one percent possibility of war," he said, warning that a conflict would have "unimaginable consequences".

"Therefore, we call on all sides to be prudent and refrain from any actions or words that could lead to new provocations," he said.

Tensions have spiked in recent weeks with missile launches from the nuclear-armed North and strong rhetoric from US President Donald Trump's administration.

A nuclear-powered US aircraft carrier arrived in South Korea earlier this month for joint military exercises.

Pyongyang condemns the annual joint drills, which involve tens of thousands of troops, as provocative rehearsals for invasion, while Seoul and Washington insist they are purely defensive in nature.

Wang was speaking after US troops began delivering a missile defence system to a deployment site in South Korea, a move of deterrence amid fears Pyongyang may be preparing a sixth nuclear test.

Washington has repeatedly urged Beijing to use its influence to rein in its ally North Korea. At the same time, Trump has warned he is willing to ramp up US military pressure.

But Beijing has long opposed such action against Pyongyang, fearing that the regime's collapse could leave the US military on its doorstep, and has been calling for dialogue.

Wang himself warned in mid-April that "conflict could break out at any moment" over North Korea.

Asked if Beijing has done enough to curb its neighbour, Gabriel said that the "primary responsibility lies with North Korea".
Israel is a global player in the cyber-security industry with about 400 specialist companies

Israeli authorities said on Wednesday that they had detected planned cyber attacks against 120 public and private targets in the Jewish state but did not specify the intended victims.

A statement from Israel's National Authority for Cyber Defence said that "in recent days" it had uncovered plans for a mass e-mail attack by what it described as an assailant masquerading as a "legitimate organisation" using a bogus security certificate.

It did not say what countermeasures it had taken but said the attacks threatened "government ministries, public institutions and private individuals".

Haaretz newspaper said that the attackers "tried to exploit a vulnerability in Microsoft Word."

In November two main Israeli TV newscasts were taken over by hackers who beamed an Islamist message threatening divine fire against the Jewish state.

Hackers ostensibly supporting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad posted messages on an Israeli army Twitter account during the 2014 Gaza war and in 2012 hackers disrupted the websites of the Tel Aviv stock exchange and national airline El Al.

Israel is a global player in the cyber-security industry, with about 400 specialist companies.

Its success is partly due to graduates of elite army units who take their electronic warfare skills with them into civilian life at the end of their military service.

jlr/hj/scw/jod/dr
The DR Congo region of Kasai has been shaken by violence between security forces and militias since August 2016

Twenty people died in ethnic clashes last week in the troubled central Kasai region of Democratic Republic of Congo, the United Nations said Wednesday.

The UN's DR Congo mission, MONUSCO, said in a statement that the clashes took place on April 19 east of the Kasai capital, Tshikapa, between members of the Lulua-Luba and Chowe-Pende communities, killing 20 Chowe-Pende people.

The Chowe-Pende consider themselves indigenous to the Kasai region and accuse the Lulua-Luba from the neighbouring Kasai region of supporting the Kamwina Nsapu militia.

The latter claim their authority from chief Kamwina Nsapu who was killed in the region in August 2016 by police after a rebellion against the Congolese authorities.

Kasai has since been shaken by violence between security forces and militias in which around 100 people died, including two UN experts -- American Michael Sharp and dual Swedish-Chilean national Zaida Catalan.

The Kamwina Nsapu rebellion has been accused by the UN of numerous atrocities and recruiting children.

The security forces, meanwhile, are blamed by the UN for making disproportionate use of force against militia armed mainly with sticks and stones.
Rumours about Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari's health circulated even before he came to power in May 2015

Nigeria's president has missed the last two meetings of his cabinet, a senior minister said on Wednesday, in comments likely to fuel fresh speculation about the head of state's health.

Muhammadu Buhari, who spent two months on medical leave in London earlier this year, missed the meeting "because he asked that he be allowed to rest", said information minister Lai Mohammed.

Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, who stood in as acting president during 74-year-old Buhari's time in the British capital, chaired the meeting, Mohammed told reporters.

"He will be working from home. He has asked all his files to be taken to him in the house," he added.

The weekly cabinet meeting was last held before Easter on April 16 but again Buhari did not attend, although Mohammed stressed his absence was "nothing unusual".

Buhari's aides repeatedly insisted during his time in London that the president was "hale and hearty", countering rumours he was seriously ill and even dead.

But the former military ruler said on his return in early March he "couldn't recall being so sick" and referred to having to have "blood transfusions" and tests, without specifying his condition.

He also disclosed he may need to return to London within weeks for follow-up treatment.

He has appeared frail during the rare public appearances he has made since then.

Rumours about his health have dogged Buhari even before he came to power in May 2015. He rejected claims during the election that he was critically ill from prostate cancer.

He first travelled to London in June last year for what aides said was a persistent inner ear infection, returning in January for check-ups, according to his office.

The health of Nigeria's president is a sensitive issue. President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua died in office in 2010 from a long-standing, but previously undisclosed, kidney complaint.

His illness and treatment in hospital abroad saw months of political uncertainty.
Secretary-General of the Arab League Ahmed Abul Gheit called for the ICRC to demand Israel "ensure treating Palestinian prisoners on hunger strike according to norms and standards set in international humanitarian law"

Arab League chief Ahmed Abul Gheit on Wednesday urged the International Committee of the Red Cross to intervene with Israeli authorities to halt their "abuse" of Palestinian prisoners.

Abul Gheit sent a letter to ICRC president Peter Maurer requesting "the committee (ICRC) urgently intervene with Israeli authorities to stop the various abuses being committed against those prisoners of war", the Arab League said.

The move came as 1,500 Palestinian prisoners entered the 10th day of a hunger strike over demands ranging from improved medical care to greater access to telephone calls.

The detainees, led by popular leader Marwan Barghouti, launched the hunger strike on April 17.

Abul Gheit's letter is part of contacts "with international actors to stop violations against Palestinian prisoners of war in Israeli prisons", the League said in a statement.

He called for the ICRC to demand Israel "ensure treating Palestinian prisoners on hunger strike according to norms and standards set in international humanitarian law".

The Arab League chief sent a similar letter on Tuesday to United Nations secretary general Antonio Guterres.
Kurdish protesters demand a no-fly zone in northern Syria on April 26, 2017, a day after after deadly Turkish air strikes

Fighting erupted on Wednesday along Syria's northeastern border between Turkish forces and Kurdish militiamen, as tensions boiled over in the aftermath of deadly Turkish air strikes the previous day.

The strikes against the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) have thrown the complexity of Syria's war into sharp relief and even sparked calls for a no-fly zone in the country's north.

The skies over northern Syria are increasingly congested, with the Syrian government, Turkey, Russia and the US-led international coalition all carrying out bombing raids across the region.

Relatives of Kurdish fighters visit the site of deadly Turkish air strikes near the town of Al-Malikiyah in northeastern Syria on April 25, 2017

Tensions escalated further on Wednesday with cross-border clashes between Turkish forces and the YPG near Darbasiyah, a border town in Syria's northeast Hasakeh province.

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, YPG fighters "fired on an armoured vehicle belonging to Turkish forces that had crossed the Syrian-Turkish border."

Turkey fired a barrage of artillery at the YPG, who returned fire with rockets on Turkish outposts on the border.

There was no immediate information on casualties, said the Observatory's Rami Abdel Rahman.

YPG spokesman Redur Xelil said Turkey had targeted several areas around Darbasiyah "with heavy artillery and mortar fire."

"There is sporadic shelling now by the Turkish army and an exchange of fire with some border outposts," Xelil told AFP.

Ankara has bombed the YPG in northern Syria for months, calling it a "terrorist" group because of its ties to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which has been waging a deadly insurgency against Turkey since 1984.

- Calls for no-fly zone -

On Tuesday, Turkish warplanes targeted YPG positions in northeast Syria, killing at least 28 people, according to the Observatory.

Zones of control in northern Syria

Simultaneous Turkish strikes on northern Iraq killed six peshmerga fighters from the autonomous Kurdish government, usually allied with Ankara, in an apparent accident.

Hundreds of civilians gathered in northeast Syria on Wednesday to call for a no-fly zone across the country's north, echoing a YPG demand in response to Turkey's deadly bombing raids.

"Only (by) declaring north Syria as a no-fly zone can YPG defend the country unhindered. Turkey must adhere to no-fly zone," the YPG wrote on Twitter.

It posted a series of tweets with the hashtag #NoFlyZone4Rojava, using the Kurdish name for Kurdish-majority parts of northern Syria.

Largescale protests in the Kurdish-majority city of Qamishli saw people carrying YPG flags and holding signs that read "Rojava Demands a No Fly Zone against Turkish aggression".

"This message is not only for Turkey, it's for America and the world to stand in the face of this Turkish aggression with a strong position," said protester Mohammed Mahmoud.

The Turkish raids drew condemnation Wednesday from both the Syrian government of Bashar al-Assad and its ally Moscow.

Damascus said the bombardment was "a flagrant aggression by (President Recep Tayyip) Erdogan's regime on Syrian territory".

And Russia said Turkey's behaviour was cause for "serious concern".

A US officer, from the US-led coalition, speaks with a fighter from the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) at the site of Turkish airstrikes near Al-Malikiyah on April 25, 2017

"We consider such actions unacceptable and going against the founding principles of international relations," it said, calling "all sides to show restraint" and focus on fighting terrorism.

- Coalition scolds Turkey -

The strikes have underlined the complexities of the battlefields in Iraq and Syria, where twin US-backed offensives are seeking to dislodge IS from its last major urban strongholds.

They could also exacerbate tensions between Ankara and its NATO ally Washington, which leads an anti-IS coalition carrying out air strikes in Syria and Iraq and sees the Kurds as instrumental in the fight against IS.

On Wednesday, coalition spokesman US Colonel John Dorrian said Turkey gave the international alliance "less than an hour of notification time before the strikes were conducted, that's not enough time".

US forces were operating within 10 kilometres (six miles) of strikes in northern Iraq where a "significant number" of peshmerga fighters were killed, he said.

Syria's conflict erupted in 2011 with protests calling for Assad's ouster but has since evolved into a multi-front war drawing in global powers.

More than 320,000 people have been killed and more than half the population have been forced to flee their homes, including millions who are internally displaced.

On Wednesday, air strikes on a displacement camp in northwest Syria killed 10 people, including women and children, the Observatory said.

The Britain-based monitor said it could not specify whether the warplanes that hit the camp near the town of Maarat al-Numan were Syrian or Russian.
Soldiers of the Sudan People Liberation Army (SPLA) cross the Nile River on a tank near Malakal, northern South Sudan, on October 16, 2016

South Sudanese government forces on Wednesday launched an offensive on a town in the north, displacing civilians who may be headed toward the border with Sudan, the UN envoy said.

Some 50,000 people in Kodok in Upper Nile state, many of whom fled fighting six weeks ago in the town of Wau Shilluk, were at risk from the violence, said David Shearer, who also heads the UN mission in South Sudan.

"The conflict has widened rather than contracted over the past few weeks," Shearer told a news conference.

"As we speak, there is an ongoing operation by the SPLA (the government's Sudan People's Liberation Army) on the western side of the Nile... toward the town of Kodok. They are on the edge of Kodok," he said.

Civilians were fleeing Kodok and "possibly headed to the Sudanese border," he added.

The attack was the latest in an upsurge in fighting in South Sudan since the beginning of the year that has driven tens of thousands of civilians from their homes.

Shearer said that 60,000 people per month had been forced to flee across the border in the first three months of the year.

The UN Security Council on Tuesday discussed the worsening conflict in South Sudan, but members were divided on the way forward to rein in the warring sides.

The United States, backed by France and Britain, said an arms embargo and sanctions could put pressure on the parties to return to political talks, but China and Russia disagreed.

After gaining independence from Sudan in 2011, South Sudan descended into war in December 2013, leaving tens of thousands dead and more than 3.5 million people displaced.

In February, South Sudan and the United Nations formally declared a famine in parts of northern Unity State affecting 100,000 people, a disaster that UN officials said was "man-made" and could have been averted.
The United States agreed at the Paris talks to reduce its carbon dioxide emissions by 26-28 percent by 2025, compared to 2005 levels

Signs are mounting that US President Donald Trump's administration may stay in the landmark Paris climate change accord of 2015, under pressure from big business and public support for the agreement.

But experts say the final decision, expected next month, is anything but certain, and staying at the table could come with significant caveats, like a weakening of US commitments to curbing greenhouse gas emissions.

"Given the unpredictability of decision-making by this administration, I am very reluctant to predict," said Elliot Diringer, executive vice president of the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions.

"But there does seem to be a growing convergence around a strategy of staying in the Paris Agreement but lowering the US target."

The latest word on the administration's stance came from Energy Secretary Rick Perry, who said Tuesday he would not advise Trump to abandon the deal but rather renegotiate it.

US Energy Secretary Rick Perry said he would not advise President Trump to abandon the Paris climate deal, but to "renegotiate it"

That statement aligned Perry, the former governor of Texas, with Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, who formerly headed ExxonMobil and has spoken in favor of honoring the US commitment to the Paris deal, struck in 2015 and signed by more than 190 countries.

Trump's daughter Ivanka, and son-in-law Jared Kushner -- who both serve as his advisors -- are also said to be in favor of the deal.

On Wednesday, 13 major international businesses ranging from energy to pharmaceuticals to retail urged Trump to adhere to the Paris accord.

"US business interests are best served by a stable and practical framework facilitating an effective and balanced global response," said the letter signed by BP, Walmart, Google and others.

"We believe the Paris Agreement provides such a framework."

Speaking at a TED conference Wednesday, former vice president turned environmental activist Al Gore said there is a "better than a 50-50 chance" Trump will honor the Paris deal.

"I certainly hope so, because that agreement sent a powerful message... and has already begun to accelerate the sustainability revolution."

- Amending targets? -

But some in Trump's inner circle, including advisor Steve Bannon, want Trump to keep his campaign promise to "cancel" the deal.

Environmental Protection Agency administrator Scott Pruitt is also said to be pushing for a US exit, according to Andrew Light, senior fellow at the World Resources Institute, a global research organization.

Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt is said to be pushing for an exit from the Paris climate change accords

"He is worried that if the US stays in Paris, that would become the basis for some kind of legal objection to his work now, to do things like dismantle the Clean Power Plan and regulations (former president Barack) Obama put in place on transportation and electricity sectors," Light told AFP.

"I don't think the US staying in Paris interferes at all with what Pruitt wants to do with regard to domestic regulations," he added.

"But if the US stays in Paris there is a very high likelihood they will also announce they intend to change the US target."

The United States agreed at the Paris talks to reduce its carbon dioxide emissions by 26-28 percent by 2025, compared to 2005 levels.

Under the agreement, signatories undertake to limit global warming to "well below" 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit (two degrees Celsius) over pre-industrial levels, and to strive for 1.5 C.

Countries submitted voluntary, non-binding carbon-cutting goals towards this goal.

Light, a former US State Department climate official, said any US weakening of its target would violate the spirit of the accord.

"But given that there is no strong compliance regime it is not really clear, to me at least, what other countries could do to try to keep the US from going through with some kind of revision," he said.

The White House has said a decision will be announced before the G7 summit in Italy on May 26 and 27.

"It is unclear, really, what they are going to do," said Frank Maisano, co-founder of the strategic communications practice at Bracewell, an international law firm based in Houston.

"I think the sentiment is currently that they should stay in and for very good reasons, because we never had much success when we just pushed it to the side -- take our toys and go home," he told AFP.
DAYTON, Ohio (AP) - A pit bull apparently broke away from a chain and mauled a man to death early Tuesday as he screamed for help, police said.

Dayton police responded to a report of a man yelling, "Jesus, help me, help me!" at around 4:40 a.m. The 911 caller said the man was yelling at "the top of his lungs" amid the sounds of dogs barking loudly. He said the man was also crying.

Lt. Mark Ponichtera said police found the man being attacked in an alley. They were able to get the dog to back off, and the man was taken to a hospital, where he died.

Police fatally shot the dog, which they say was a pit bull. They were trying to determine its owner. Three other dogs were turned over to animal control.

Police didn't immediately have the man's identity. They described him as middle-aged.

The southwest Ohio city had two high-profile dog mauling deaths in 2014 - one of a 7-month-old boy, the other of a 57-year-old woman.
Here's a look at stories The Associated Press plans to cover in Europe on Wednesday, April 26. Questions about coverage plans can be directed to the Europe Desk at eurdesk@ap.org.

FRANCE ELECTION - French presidential candidate Emmanuel Macron visits angry workers at a troubled Whirlpool factory in his hometown, trying to sell the benefits of globalization to an electorate that equates it with job loss and that has more in common with candidate Marine Le Pen's protectionist, nationalist vision. UPCOMING: 300 words by 1100 GMT, developing.

EUROPE-TURKEY - European Union legislators discuss the faltering relations between the bloc and Turkey, as the bloc is leaning ever more to shelve membership talks with Ankara. By Raf Casert and Lorne Cook. UPCOMING: 500 words by 1700 GMT.

ROMANIA-UBER PROTEST - Thousands of taxi drivers and transport unions protest all day Wednesday outside the government offices, demanding that Uber and other online taxi services have their licenses revoked. Transport is expected to be disrupted in the capital. All format coverage.

EUROPE-HUNGARY - Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban faces European Union legislators, who have been increasingly critical of his anti-EU stance and policies perceived as undermining Western democratic standards. By Lorne Cook and Raf Casert. 500 words by 1700 GMT. Photos, video.

CYPRUS-NUCLEAR-PROTEST - Greek and Turkish Cypriot organizations join together on the 31st anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster to protest Turkey's plans to build a Russian-made nuclear plant on its southern coast, 90 kilometers away from Cyprus' northern shoreline. Protesters will form a human chain across the capital's Ledra Street crossing point linking the breakaway Turkish Cypriot north with the internationally recognized south. Event scheduled to start 1600 GMT. Text, photos.

NETHERLANDS-OPCW - The Nobel Peace Prize-winning Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons marks its 20th anniversary as it continues to investigate a recent deadly chemical attack in Syria. By Mike Corder. UPCOMING: 300 words by 1500 GMT. AP Photos planned.

GERMANY-CHINA - German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel meets his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi. 130 words, more on merits after news conference at 1230 GMT.

SWITZERLAND-EARNS-CREDIT SUISSE - Swiss bank Credit Suisse releases its first-quarter results at about 0500 GMT.

BRITAIN-EARNS-GSK - Pharma powerhouse GSK reports first quarter earnings as it reports its first quarter under new CEO Emma Walmsley. UPCOMING: 130 words by 1300 GMT.
BALTIMORE (AP) - Two displaced Syrian doctors have been awarded scholarships to attend the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

School officials announced Tuesday that Alfred Tager and Mohammad Darwish will begin attending this summer. Both are originally from Damascus.

The Bloomberg School and the Johns Hopkins Center for Humanitarian Health created the scholarships last year in response to the Syrian refugee crisis. Applications were accepted from displaced Syrian health care workers who wanted to learn new skills to help rebuild their country's health care infrastructure when they are able to return.

Tager is currently a senior research associate at the Charleston Area Medical Center Health Education and Research Institute in Charleston, West Virginia.

Darwish is based in Lebanon with the Palestine Red Crescent Society, providing first aid training and disaster management.
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) - The owner of a gay Florida nightclub that was the site of the worst mass shooting in recent U.S. history wants to build a memorial on the club's property.

Barbara Poma owns the Orlando-based Pulse club. She said Tuesday in a statement that she will announce details for a memorial next week.

In the months after the massacre, the city of Orlando proposed buying the club for $2.25 million so it could be turned into a memorial, but Poma ultimately turned down that offer.

Forty-nine people were killed, and dozens more injured, during the massacre at the gay nightclub last June.

Gunman Omar Mateen was killed in a shootout with police after a three-hour standoff.
YUMA, Ariz. (AP) - The Latest on the verdict against an Arizona man charged with killing six people (all times local):

3:55 p.m.

A jury has convicted an Arizona prisoner in the gruesome killings of his best friend, the man's girlfriend and her four children 12 years ago.

The jury on Tuesday found 50-year-old Preston Strong guilty of six counts of first-degree murder after a monthslong trial. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty, and the jury will begin considering Strong's eligibility Friday.

Prosecutors said Strong killed 35-year-old Luis Rios, 29-year-old Adrienne Heredia and her four children, ages 6 to 13, in Yuma in 2005 over money.

They said he suffocated Heredia and three of her children and shot her youngest child and Rios.

Strong is already serving life in prison for killing a local doctor, who was strangled and bludgeoned in his home in 2007.

Strong has denied the charges. His defense argued that the evidence linking him to the killings was flimsy.

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2:35 p.m.

Jurors in Yuma say they've reached a verdict in the trial of a man accused of killing six people in 2005.

The Yuma County Superior Court jury began deliberations Monday and reached a verdict early Tuesday afternoon in the case of Preston Strong, who's already imprisoned in a separate 2007 killing.

Strong already is 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.

Strong was charged in the killings of 35-year-old Luis Rios, 29-year-old Adrienne Heredia and her four children - ages 6 to 13 - at a Yuma house.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - The Latest on a federal judge's ruling that blocked a Trump administration order to withhold funding from sanctuary cities (all times local):

9 p.m.

The White House is blasting a federal judge's decision Tuesday blocking President Trump's attempt to withhold funding from "sanctuary cities" that do not cooperate with U.S. immigration officials. But they say they're confident they'll prevail in the Supreme Court.

White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer's office slammed the decision in a statement as an "egregious overreach by a single, unelected district judge."

He is accusing cities such as San Francisco of "putting the well-being of criminal aliens before the safety of our citizens" and says city officials who authored policies protecting people living in the country illegally "have the blood of dead Americans on their hands."

He adds that the ruling is "a gift to the criminal gang and cartel element in our country" and claims it puts "thousands of innocent lives at risk."

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5:30 p.m.

White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus says a judge's ruling against a Trump administration order to withhold funding from sanctuary cities is another case of "the 9th Circuit going bananas."

Priebus was referring to the 9th Circuit Court based in San Francisco, where judges have also ruled against Trump's travel bans.

In a temporary ruling Tuesday, U.S. District Judge William Orrick ruled that Trump's executive order targeting so-called sanctuary cities was overreaching. Orrick does not sit on the 9th Circuit, but his district is encompassed in the territory of the appeals court.

Priebus says the ruling will eventually be overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court, because it's unreasonable that an agency couldn't put restrictions on how money is spent.

The decision will stay in place while the lawsuit moves through the courts.

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5 p.m.

The Trump administration says a federal court ruling blocking its order cutting off funding to sanctuary cities does not stop it from enforcing immigration law.

The Department of Justice said Tuesday that it will continue to enforce a federal law that forbids communities from blocking reports on people's immigration status to federal authorities. The department said it will also enforce existing conditions on federal grants that require compliance with that law.

U.S. District Judge William Orrick said in his ruling that the president cannot set new conditions on spending approved by Congress. He rejected the administration's argument that the executive order applies only to a relatively small pot of money.

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4:20 p.m.

San Francisco's city attorney says that President Donald Trump should stop using the death of a woman shot along a waterfront pier by a man who was in the country illegally to politicize the issue of "sanctuary cities."

Kate Steinle was walking with her father in 2015 when Mexican native Juan Francisco Lopez-Sanchez picked up a loaded gun and fired it, killing her. He said the gun went off accidentally.

Lopez-Sanchez had been freed from a San Francisco jail despite a federal immigration request seeking his detainer for deportation. San Francisco routinely ignores such requests.

Trump blasted San Francisco and said Steinle's death showed the need to secure the country's borders.

A federal judge in San Francisco on Tuesday blocked a Trump administration order to withhold funding from sanctuary cities.

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3:50 p.m.

San Francisco City Attorney Dennis Herrera has praised a ruling by a federal judge in San Francisco that blocked a Trump administration order to withhold funding from sanctuary cities.

Herrera said Tuesday the court halted the overreach of the president and attorney general who don't understand the Constitution or chose to ignore it.

U.S. District Judge William Orrick issued the preliminary injunction earlier in the day in two lawsuits - one filed by the city of San Francisco, the other by Santa Clara County - against the executive order targeting communities that protect immigrants from deportation.

Herrera says billions of dollars that fund programs across the country were protected by taking the president to court

Santa Clara County Supervisor Cindy Chavez said the court's ruling was a victory for people who would lose services if federal funding is cut off.

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1:15 p.m.

A federal judge in San Francisco has blocked a Trump administration order to withhold funding from communities that limit cooperation with U.S. immigration authorities.

U.S. District Judge William Orrick issued the temporary ruling Tuesday in a lawsuit over the executive order targeting so-called sanctuary cities. The decision will stay in place while the lawsuit moves through court.

The Republican president's administration and two California governments that sued over the order disagreed about its scope.

San Francisco and Santa Clara County argued that it threatened billions of dollars in federal funding.

But an attorney for the Justice Department, Chad Readler, said at a recent court hearing that it applied to a limited set of grants.

Readler said less than $1 million was at stake nationally and possibly no San Francisco funding.
LOS ANGELES (AP) - The Latest on pretrial testimony in the Robert Durst murder case (all times local):

5:05 p.m.

A friend says years before Susan Berman was killed, she had implicated real estate heir Robert Durst as her future assailant.

FILE - In this Dec. 21, 2016, file photo, real estate heir Robert Durst sits in a courtroom during a hearing in Los Angeles. A retired New York police detective says the missing wife of New York real estate heir Robert Durst once went to her neighbor's in pajamas and said her husband beat her and she feared he would kill her. James Varian testified Tuesday, April 25, 2017, that a neighbor reported Kathleen Durst had knocked on her Manhattan penthouse bedroom window for help. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, Pool, File)

Miriam Barnes said Tuesday that Berman once told her she had done something for Durst around the time his wife disappeared, but she didn't elaborate.

Barnes says Berman said: "If anything ever happens to me, Bobby did it."

She forgot the statement until Berman's funeral in 2000.

Barnes says she never went to police because she feared Durst.

Barnes says she eventually told the account to the New York Times because she didn't think Durst would live to see his day in court.

Barnes nervously eyed the frail multimillionaire several times in Los Angeles Superior Court.

Durst has pleaded not guilty to murder in the shooting of Berman.

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12:17 p.m.

A retired New York police detective says the missing wife of New York real estate heir Robert Durst once went to her neighbor's penthouse in pajamas and said her husband beat her and she feared he would kill her.

James Varian testified Tuesday that a neighbor reported Kathleen Durst had knocked on her Manhattan bedroom window for help.

Varian, 77, briefly investigated Kathleen Durst's disappearance in 1982.

Prosecutors are presenting testimony from elderly witnesses who may not be able to testify at Durst's murder trial.

Durst, 74, has pleaded not guilty to murder in the death of his close friend, Susan Berman, in Los Angeles in 2000.

Prosecutors allege that Durst killed Berman to prevent her from talking to police about Kathleen Durst's disappearance.
SANTA MONICA, Calif. (AP) - Cecilia Alvear, who fought for Latino inclusion in newsrooms and reached unprecedented heights for a Hispanic woman in journalism in a decades-long career with NBC news, has died, her partner said Tuesday.

Alvear, who also served as president of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists, died at her home in Santa Monica after suffering from breast cancer that recurred in 2012, her longtime partner George Lewis said. Alvear was 77.

A native of Ecuador born in the Galapagos on the island of San Cristobal, Alvear came to the U.S. in 1965 and worked in a congressman's office until getting a job as a TV news production assistant in 1971.

At the time, roles for women in journalism were few and roles for Latinos were even fewer. As she moved through various jobs in local television in Los Angeles, she was often the only member of either group working in news production. But she fought to make sure that the environment would change.

"She was a relentless campaigner for more diversity in newsrooms," Lewis told the Los Angeles Times.

In 1982, NBC News tapped her to run its Mexico City bureau. From there she covered wars and revolutions in Nicaragua and El Salvador, and she produced several interviews with Cuban leader Fidel Castro.

"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," Anne-Marie O'Connor an ex-LA Times reporter, told the paper. "At the time it was rare to even meet a female producer, much less an Ecuadorian-born Latina who spoke English with an accent. Cecilia broke the mold."

Alvear never graduated from college, but she completed a prestigious Nieman Fellowship at Harvard University in 1989.

In 1994 while on assignment in Mexico, she learned she had breast cancer for the first time. She was free and clear of the disease until it returned 18 years later.

She remained with NBC until her retirement in 2007.

She is survived by Lewis, four sisters, and two half-brothers.
HAVANA (AP) - Refineries have gone dark. Gas rations have been slashed for hundreds of thousands of state workers. Construction materials are nearly impossible to find.

But Cuba's hotels and restaurants are packed, major U.S. airlines are adding flights and government stores are full of frozen American chicken and U.S.-made candy. So far, Cuba is weathering the storm as Venezuela's economy craters and protesters fill its streets to denounce Cuba's greatest socialist ally.

A much-feared return to Cuba's post-Soviet "Special Period" of food shortages and blackouts has yet to materialize as energy conservation and a boom in tourism and overseas remittances cushion the blow of a roughly 50 percent cut in Venezuelan oil aid worth hundreds of millions of dollars a year. Interminable bus lines and long hunts for products like milk, paint and cement seem manageable by comparison with the hunger and hardship of the early 1990s that followed the drastic loss of Soviet bloc aid and subsidies that had propped up Cuba's economy for decades.

Children play in the street by images of Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez, left, which reads in Spanish "Best friend of Cuba," and Cuba's revolutionary hero Ernesto "Che" Guevara in Havana, Cuba, Tuesday, April 25, 2017. A much-feared return to Cuba's post-Soviet "Special Period" of food shortages and blackouts has yet to materialize as energy conservation and a boom in tourism and overseas remittances cushion the blow of a roughly 50 percent cut in Venezuelan oil aid worth hundreds of millions of dollars a year. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

The boom set off by the re-establishment of diplomatic relations with the U.S. in 2015 shows no signs of slacking: About 285,000 American tourists visited in 2016, up 76 percent from 2015, and the Cuban government says U.S. visitors increased 125 percent in January. The number of visitors from all countries topped a record 4 million last year and appears on track to top that in 2017.

"So far we aren't living in the Special Period again and I don't think we will be," said Ramon Santana, a 52-year-old bicycle taxi driver. "Before, we depended on a single country but now we're trading with many. Before, the Soviet Union fell and everyone thought we would die. But we didn't die. We're still here."

Still, Cubans are nervously watching Venezuela for signs of a deeper cut in oil shipments, which are paid for with the services of Cuban state doctors on "missions" in poor Venezuelan neighborhoods. So far, the Cuban government has funneled nearly all the cuts into the state sector, cutting air conditioning and summer work hours at government offices and, most recently, eliminating the supply of higher-octane "special" gasoline for state employees.

The special gas is entirely imported while regular is maintained through the small but steady domestic oil production on Cuba's north-central coast, which touches the oil-rich Gulf of Mexico. Owners of modern, fuel-injected cars buy special if they can afford it to prevent the lower-octane fuel from damaging their engines.

High-ranking Cuban public officials often get both government cars and a monthly gasoline ration; their pay of $30 to $40 a month makes it impossible otherwise to afford gas that costs more than $4 a gallon. As in virtually every aspect of the Cuban economy, special gas cards provided to state employees to buy the fuel fed a thriving black market. Throughout the day, state officials can be seen filling the tanks of their government car, then popping the pump nozzle into a used 2-liter soft drink bottle and filling it with gas to be sold at a discount to other drivers.

Starting April 1, state gas stations were instructed to stop selling special gas to card-holders, a move that sent state employees to regular pumps, forced business people and diplomats to buy special gas with cash and set off shortage fears and panic buying that created several days of hours-long lines.

Many gas stations around the capital appear to have permanently stopped selling even regular gasoline, their pumps blocked off by orange traffic cones. The column of black smoke from one of Cuba's main refineries, the Nico Lopez facility overlooking Havana Bay, has disappeared without explanation, leaving the skies clearer but residents worried about Cuba's future energy supplies.

The replacement of oil money with tourism dollars has accelerated both the decline of Cuba's ailing state-run businesses and the growth of its small private sector. Whereas oil money went entirely to the Communist state, much of the tourism is going to private enterprise - taxi drivers, private restaurants and bed-and-breakfasts that provide higher value service to tourists trying to avoid the high prices and poor service at state-run eateries and hotels.

"Those who work in the private sector have, in one way or another, seen improvement in their quality of life," said Omar Everleny Perez, a Cuban economist and expert on the private sector. "The state worker on a salary hasn't seen that."

There's also a geographic disparity, with rural areas and towns that don't draw tourists seeing deeper, more protracted shortages.

In Cuba, there's a widespread sense that deeper cuts in Venezuelan oil would push the entire country over the edge into intolerable economic problems.

A near-constant refrain is that Cubans can tolerate deep deprivation, but would not stand for a repeat of the Special Period. On Aug. 5, 1994, at the depth of post-Soviet crisis, Havana residents clashed with police around the Malecon seaside promenade in civil unrest that only subsided after Fidel Castro rushed to the scene and called for the protests to end.

Fidel's brother and successor, President Raul Castro, has announced that he will step down from the presidency in February 2018. His most likely successor appears to be his first vice-president, 56-year-old Communist Party official Miguel Diaz-Canel, but the government has said nothing about the handover process. Cubans are highly skeptical that a new leader without the credibility conferred by the Castros' founding role in the Cuban revolution will be able to guide an increasingly well-informed and worldly population through a new period of profound economic hardship.

"If Venezuela falls, if Venezuela changes and they don't send Cuba any more oil, it's going to be like it was, in 1991, '92, '93. It's going to be hard," said Li Nelson Florentino Abreu, an 80-year-old retired electrical engineer. "And Cubans aren't sheep. They aren't going to put up with everything. Cubans today, they know how to defend their rights."

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Michael Weissenstein on Twitter: https://twitter.com/mweissenstein

FILE - In this March 20, 2016 file photo, tourists ride in a vintage American car past a balcony decorated with Cuban and U.S. flags in Havana, Cuba. The boom set off by the reestablishment of diplomatic relations with the U.S. in 2015 shows no signs of slacking, and the number of visitors from all countries topped a record 4 million last year and appears on track to top that in 2017. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa, File)

FILE - In this Dec. 20, 2007 file photo, workers leave their shift as Cubans prepare to inaugurate the Camilo Cienfuegos refinery in Cienfuegos, Cuba. As Venezuela, Cuba's economic lifeline falters, refineries have gone dark, gas rations have been slashed for hundreds of thousands of state workers and construction materials are nearly impossible to find. (AP Photo/Dado Galdieri, File)

FILE - In this May 1, 2016 file photo, Cuba's First Vice President Miguel Diaz-Canel, left, stands with President Raul Castro during the May Day parade in Havana, Cuba. Castro's most likely successor appears to be Diaz-Canel, but the government has said nothing about the handover process. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa, File)
JOHANNESBURG (AP) - South African Airways on Wednesday cancelled nearly three dozen flights, most of them domestic, because of a strike by some cabin crew.

The national carrier doesn't have enough crewmembers to operate all its flights and is working to help passengers affected by cancellations and delays, the airline said. It said 32 flights, including 28 domestic ones, were cancelled.

About 200 striking flight attendants protested outside the head office of South African Airways in Johannesburg, the African News Agency reported.

Members of a labor union, the South African Cabin Crew Association, want more money for meals when working outside South Africa. They say their international meal allowances have not increased in the past six years, they stay in hotels where food is expensive and their spending power has diminished because of the depreciation of the South African currency.

Currently, cabin crewmembers get a meal allowance of $130 per trip. The African News Agency quoted union treasurer Gift Bilankulu as saying protesters want $170, but are willing to negotiate.

Managers of O. R. Tambo International Airport, the main international airport in Johannesburg, said they are monitoring the strike and that they have contingency plans to deal with any disruption.
ZAGREB, Croatia (AP) - Croatian rescuers say they have found the body of a third victim of a collision between a municipal boat and a rubber boat carrying nine people.

The municipal boat was heading to an island in the southern Adriatic on a medical emergency when it struck the rubber boat late Tuesday near the medieval walled city of Dubrovnik, a famous tourism center.

Authorities said Wednesday that two bodies and the two injured survivors were found immediately, but strong wind and high waves have hampered the search for the remaining victims.

Doctors at a local hospital say one of the injured suffered a broken collarbone and the other had minor injuries.

Croatia's state TV says the rubber boat was carrying workers from a bar at a nearby island of Sipan.
BERLIN (AP) - Libya is asking the European Union for motorboats and helicopters to help patrol the Mediterranean Sea for ships carrying migrants.

The German government says a "request list" for Libya's coast guard also includes ambulances, communications equipment and night vision gear.

According to the German government's response to a parliamentary question from the opposition Left Party, obtained by The Associated Press, the EU executive is currently considering the request.

German public broadcaster ARD reported Wednesday that Libya wants some of the 130 motorboats to be armed.

The EU wants to clamp down on migrants crossing to Europe from the North African country, which has descended into chaos since the 2011 toppling of longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi.

EU states are deploying submarines and aircraft to assist in reconnaissance efforts.
MANCHESTER, Conn. (AP) - Some residents of a Connecticut neighborhood aren't receiving their mail at home anymore because a local dog is reportedly biting the mailmen.

A notice obtained by WVIT-TV (http://bit.ly/2pgpnBX ) from a local post office says that, due to repeated attacks on letter carriers by a local dog, the postal service will now only deliver mail in a Manchester neighborhood curbside or to the post office.

The letter explains that the move is needed so mailmen won't have to get out of their vehicles and risk a possible dog attack.

Manchester resident Michael Varni says he'll have to go to the post office to get his mail until he installs a mailbox on the side of the road.

Police say they have no knowledge of any incidents involving dog attacks in the neighborhood.

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Information from: WVIT-TV, http://www.nbcconnecticut.com
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) - Atlantic City police have confiscated 62 toy guns from a store on the Boardwalk.

Police say the toys on sale at Bags and Accessories appeared real, with the exception of orange tips at the end of the barrels. But, police say the tips are easily removed and that could lead people to perceive that the toys are real weapons.

In 2014, the city adopted an ordinance that prohibits the sale of imitation firearms.

The store's owner was issued a summons for violating the ordinance.
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) - Afghan officials say Islamic State militants have attacked the Taliban in the northern Jawzjan province, igniting heavy clashes in which dozens of fighters were killed.

Mohammad Reza Ghafori, a spokesman for the provincial governor, said Wednesday that the fighting, which began the day before, has killed 76 Taliban fighters and 15 from the IS affiliate. He says the IS militants seized two districts from the Taliban.

The Taliban and IS are both fighting to overthrow Afghanistan's U.S.-backed government and impose a harsh version of Islamic rule, but they are bitterly split over leadership and tactics. The IS affiliate is largely made up of disgruntled former Taliban fighters.

Abdul Hafiz Khashyee, a police official, says the fighting took place in a remote area and there were no reports of civilian casualties.
NEW YORK (AP) - Jeff Kinney remembers when his goal was to write a book, one big book, for grown-ups.

"I thought I'd write about a year in the life of a typical kid," says the children's author known to millions for his "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" series. "I'd write one book that was between 700 and 1,000 pages long and I'd look at every aspect of childhood within that time frame. Furthermore, I was writing for the humor section of the bookstore, not the middle grade section."

Kinney spoke to The Associated Press recently as he looked back at the decade since "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" made him one of the world's most popular writers. The first 11 novels have sold more than 180 million copies and the series has been the basis for four movies, with the latest, "Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul," scheduled for May 19. Abrams Books told the AP on Wednesday that the 12th book, coming Nov. 7, will be called "Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Getaway."

FILE - This April 21, 2012 file photo shows Jeff Kinney at the LA Times Festival of Books in Los Angeles. The first 11 novels have sold more than 180 million copies and the series has been the basis for four movies. (AP Photo/Katy Winn, File)

The misadventures of middle schooler Greg Heffley, sketched in readers' minds as a skinny boy with a round head and precious few strands of hair, have stood out in two ways in the book world - they appeal equally to girls and boys (sometimes known euphemistically as "reluctant readers"), and they have consistently sold more than 1 million copies in hardcover, an achievement few books attain anymore thanks in part to the rise of e-books and the fall of the Borders superstore chain.

"The books are funny and appeal to all levels of readers," says Judy Bulow, lead buyer for the children's section of the Tattered Cover bookstore in Denver. "And we've seen a plethora of stories from other authors (Rachel Renee Russell's "Dork Dairies," Tom Watson's "Stick Dog") like that, with a lot of illustrations and clever humor. The kids eat them up. If there's not a new 'Wimpy Kid' book, they want something like it."

Kinney, 46, is a Fort Washington, Maryland, native who studied at the University of Maryland, College Park, and while in school created a comic strip that ran in the campus newspaper. Kinney, speaking by phone near the bookstore that he and his wife, Julie, own in Plainville, Massachusetts, recalls how Heffley had been on his mind for years before he finally got a book deal. He liked the idea of a kid defined not by heroics, but by "flaws and imperfections," not unlike what the author saw in himself.

Heffley was introduced to many in 2004 through a funbrain.com web series that Kinney published for free that attracted millions of visitors. Two years later, Kinney attended the first New York Comic-Con. He stopped by the Abrams booth, purchased a copy of Brian Fies' graphic novel "Mom's Cancer" and spoke to Abrams editorial director Charles Kochman, who recalls Kinney asking him if he would look at his work.

"At these shows you're constantly getting pitched stuff, and most of it is forgettable," says Kochman, who still edits Kinney. "As he handed it to me, he said, 'I have this web comic called 'Diary of a Wimpy Kid,' and the image he showed me was the image we used for Book One. I remember thinking, 'I wish something like this had been around when I was a kid.'"

The series debuted in April 2007 with a first printing of 25,000 copies and early praise from Publishers Weekly, which cited Kinney's "gift for believable preteen dialogue and narration." The book was on The New York Times' best-seller list by May and remained there long after. Kinney, meanwhile, learned that his work had caught on with an unexpected audience.

"Once the book came out, I started getting emails from teachers thanking me, saying almost 95 percent of the time, 'You got my reluctant reader to read,'" Kinney says. "I had never heard that phrase before. And I found out that it was a big deal, that 'reluctant readers' was code for boys. The letters I got from kids would simply say they thought the books were funny."

According to Abrams, Kinney's next "Wimpy Kid" novel will find Greg on a holiday trip, although "what's billed as a stress-free vacation becomes a holiday nightmare." The author hopes to complete at least 20 in the series and likes that Heffley, unlike Harry Potter, can always stay the same age. Kinney still thinks about writing books for adults and nonfiction projects, but for fiction he is sticking with kids.

"I've learned that I'm a children's writer," he says. "I didn't know it when I was starting off, but I know it now."
NEW YORK (AP) - When Sheila Abdus-Salaam agreed to speak this month at an alumni gathering at Columbia Law School, it was business as usual for someone in demand as the first black woman to serve on New York's highest court.

But only six days before the event at her alma mater, Abdus-Salaam's success story took a startling turn: Her body was found floating in the Hudson River, leaving those who knew her trying to reconcile a seemingly stable life with a mysterious death that's still under investigation.

The New York Police Department said this week that it's still found no signs of foul play, suggesting she may have killed herself after wandering the streets of Harlem for four hours. Her family and admirers insist that doesn't add up.

FILE - In this April 30, 2013, file photo, Justice Sheila Abdus-Salaam looks on as members of the state Senate Judiciary Committee vote unanimously to advance her nomination to fill a vacancy on the Court of Appeals at the Capitol in Albany, N.Y. Abdus-Salaam's body was found on the shore of the Hudson River, April 12, 2017. She was the first black woman on New York state's highest court. (AP Photo/File, Mike Groll, File)

"Sheila was one of the most rational, measured and intellectual folks that I've ever known," said Keith Wright, a former state assemblyman, longtime friend and neighbor who exchanged pleasantries with her in the subway two days before the death. "I don't believe she killed herself."

In a statement, Abdus-Salaam's family has disputed reports that she was battling depression and that, according to police, her death fell around the anniversaries of the suicides of both her mother and brother. Police later admitted that they were wrong about the mother's cause of death.

More questions followed after the NYPD tweeted a photo of a flyer last week asking for information from anyone who may have come in recent contact with Abdus-Salaam and after a police official called the death "suspicious." But police have stressed that only meant they hadn't reached a conclusion about the death.

The news coverage has "frequently included unsubstantiated comments concerning my wife's possible mental and emotional state of mind at the time of her death," said the Rev. Canon Gregory Jacobs, her third husband and an Episcopal pastor who shared a home with her in New Jersey. "Those of us who loved Sheila and knew her well do not believe that these unfounded conclusions have any basis in reality."

The 65-year-old Abdus-Salaam was raised with six siblings in a working-class family in Washington. She graduated from Barnard College before attending Columbia Law School, where she was on a committee organizing a 40th class reunion in June.

After she rose from a lawyer for low-income Brooklyn residents to state court justice, Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo appointed her to the state Court of Appeals in 2013. She once said that she wanted people to "consider me to be a judge who listens and gives them a fair shot."

Her death brought an outpouring of accolades. Cuomo called her a "trailblazing jurist whose life in public service was in pursuit of a more fair and more just New York for all." Said Democratic Mayor Bill de Blasio: "Someone who got so far and was lost so soon."

Unable to locate any witnesses, police so far have relied on security video to try to retrace the last hours of Abdus-Salaam's life. She spent her workweeks in the city at an apartment on West 131st Street in Harlem.

After staying home from work on April 11, she was seen on video leaving the home at around 8:30 p.m. and walking several blocks north, then eventually west on West 145th Street to an elevated park on the Hudson River, where a final video shows her alone there at about 12:30 a.m. on April 12, according to two law enforcement officials.

Her body was found in the water about 13 hours later without obvious signs of trauma. She was in the same clothes - sweatshirt, sweatpants and white sneakers - as seen in the videos.

The law enforcement officials spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the investigation hasn't been completed.

Results of an autopsy are pending.

"I don't get it," Wright said of the death. "I don't understand it. Hopefully, we'll have some answers soon."

FILE - In this June 20, 2013, file photo, Court of Appeals judge Sheila Abdus-Salaam speaks after a swearing-in ceremony at the New York Court of Appeals in Albany, N.Y. Detectives retracing the final hours of the pioneering judge who turned up dead in the Hudson River in April 12, 2017, have found no signs of foul play, supporting the belief it was a suicide. One law enforcement official said both the judge's mother and brother had died in recent years around Easter, the brother by suicide. (AP Photo/File, Hans Pennink, File)
BALTIMORE (AP) - Authorities say two crew members injured in an explosion aboard a ship in the Atlantic Ocean have been flown to Portugal's Azores Islands.

The U.S. Coast Guard said in a statement Wednesday that they were flown from the Tamar after an explosion in the 623-foot Marshall Islands-flagged bulk carrier's storeroom killed two other crew members Monday. The cause is unknown.

The Coast Guard says a Portuguese aircrew flew the injured crew members with three New York Air National Guard pararescuers to Terceira Island. A Portuguese Air Force jet is set to fly the injured to Lisbon for treatment.

The explosion occurred when the ship headed from Baltimore to the Azores was about 1,300 miles (2,092 kilometers) east of Cape Cod in Massachusetts.
KATHMANDU, Nepal (AP) - A Taiwanese man who was missing on a mountain in Nepal for 47 days was rescued Wednesday, but his girlfriend died just three days before they were discovered, trekking officials said.

Asian Trekking agency official Madhav Basnet said 21-year-old Liang Sheng Yueh was found Wednesday on a ledge under a waterfall and was flown by helicopter to a hospital in the capital, Kathmandu. He said the body of his girlfriend, 19-year-old Liu Chen Chun, was also taken to the capital.

They were on a long trek on the Ganesh Himal trail, which is not as crowded as other popular routes, and were caught in a snowstorm in March and lost their way.

Taiwanese man Liang Sheng-yueh talks to a doctor at the Grande Hospital in Kathmandu, Nepal, Wednesday, April 26, 2017. Trekking officials in Nepal say they have a rescued the Taiwanese man who was missing on a mountain for 47 days, but his girlfriend had died just three days before they were discovered. (AP Photo/Niranjan Shrestha)

According to Basnet, they appeared to have followed a river hoping to find a village but slipped and fell over a waterfall. They landed on the ledge and were unable to climb up or down. The area is an altitude of 2,600 meters (8,520 feet).

Basnet said the weather improved a few days after the snowstorm, but the temperature was unclear.

They had no guides or porters and were carrying their own food, tent and sleeping bags.

For the first two weeks they survived on food they had in their backpacks but after that they consumed only salt and water, he said.

Rescuers first scoured the area for two weeks before suspending their search, but resumed the search on April 20.

Basnet said they spotted a red tent and managed to climb down.

"We found the man alive and able to speak to us, but the woman was already dead. We could not carry them so we called a helicopter," Basnet said.

The man was winched up by the helicopter and immediately flown to Kathmandu, followed by the body of the woman.

The man appeared to be in good health in the emergency room.

"He appears exhausted and lost some 30 kilograms of body weight," said Ajay Singh Thapa, a doctor at the Grande Hospital. "He was suffering from severe malnutrition. His foot was covered with maggots and hair full of lice. Despite having to live like that for 47 days, he appears to be mostly normal."

He said the man probably could survive because he was able to get both salt and water in his body.

The man said he spent the past three days next to the body of his dead girlfriend.
WASHINGTON (AP) - The Trump administration told lawmakers Wednesday it will apply economic and diplomatic pressure on North Korea to dismantle its nuclear weapons program, as an extraordinary White House briefing served to tamp down talk of military action against an unpredictable and increasingly dangerous U.S. adversary.

President Donald Trump welcomed Republican and Democratic senators before his secretary of state, defense secretary, top general and national intelligence director conducted a classified briefing. The same team also met with House members in the Capitol to outline the North's escalating nuclear capabilities and U.S. response options to what they called an "urgent national security threat."

After weeks of unusually blunt military threats, the joint statement by the agency chiefs said Trump's approach "aims to pressure North Korea into dismantling its nuclear, ballistic missile and proliferation programs by tightening economic sanctions and pursuing diplomatic measures with our allies and regional partners." It made no specific mention of military options, though it said the U.S. would defend itself and friends.

Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., second from right, boards a bus on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, April 26, 2017, heading to the White House with other Senators to get a briefing on North Korea. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

The unprecedented meeting in a building adjacent to the White House reflected the increased American alarm over North Korea's progress in developing a nuclear-tipped missile that could strike the U.S. mainland. A flurry of military activity, by North Korea and the U.S. and its partners on and around the divided Korean Peninsula, has added to the world's sense of alert.

While tensions have increased since Trump took office, they've escalated dramatically in recent weeks as American and other intelligence agencies suggested the North was readying for a possible nuclear test. Although such an explosion hasn't yet occurred, Trump has sent high-powered U.S. military vessels and an aircraft carrier to the region in a show of force, while the North conducted large-scale, live-fire artillery drills, witnessed by national leader Kim Jong Un, earlier this week.

On Wednesday, South Korea started installing key parts of a contentious U.S. missile defense system that also has sparked Chinese and Russian concerns.

America's Pacific forces commander, Adm. Harry Harris Jr., told Congress on Wednesday the system would be operational within days. He said any North Korean missile fired at U.S. forces would be destroyed.

"If it flies, it will die," Harris said.

The Trump administration has said all options, including a military strike, are on the table. But the administration's statement after briefing senators - all 100 members were invited - outlined a similar approach to the Obama administration's focus on pressuring Pyongyang to return to long-stalled denuclearization talks. Trump's top national security advisers said they were "open to negotiations" with the North, though they gave no indication of when or under what circumstances.

The strategy hinges greatly on the cooperation of China, North Korea's main trading partner.

"China is the key to this," said Republican Sen. John McCain of Arizona, who got a preview of Trump's message at a dinner with the president this week.

Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff of California agreed. "I think the best approach for the administration is to bring the maximum pressure to bear diplomatically on China, as well as North Korea, but otherwise to walk softly and carry a big stick," he told reporters after attending the Capitol Hill briefing Wednesday.

Among the options are returning North Korea to the U.S. state sponsor of terrorism blacklist, which Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said last week was under consideration. His spokesman, Mark Toner, said Wednesday that another tactic is getting nations around the world to close down North Korean embassies and consulates, or suspending them from international organizations.

But sanctions will be the greatest tool at the Trump administration's disposal. Tillerson is chairing a U.N. Security Council meeting Friday designed to get nations to enforce existing penalties on North Korea and weigh new ones.

Testifying before the House Armed Services Committee, Harris said he expects North Korea to soon be able to develop a long-range missile capable of striking the United States, as Kim has promised. "One of these days soon, he will succeed," Harris said.

North Korea's U.N. mission said Wednesday the nation would react to "a total war" with Washington by using nuclear weapons. It vowed victory in a "death-defying struggle against the U.S. imperialists."

Trump, like presidents before him, faces difficult options. Sanctions haven't forced Pyongyang to abandon its nuclear efforts, but a targeted U.S. attack to take out its weapons program risks a wider war along a heavily militarized border near where tens of millions of South Koreans live. The threat would extend to nearby Japan, another country North Korea regularly threatens.

China has urged restraint by both Pyongyang and Washington. In Berlin Wednesday, Foreign Minister Wang Yi said North Korea must suspend its nuclear activities, but "on the other side, the large-scale military maneuvers in Korean waters should be halted." That was a reference to U.S. and South Korean war games.

China opposes the Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense system, or THAAD, being installed in South Korea, rejecting American assurances that it will only target North Korean missiles. Russia also sees the system's powerful radars as a security threat.

In Beijing, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said THAAD would upset the region's "strategic balance." China will take "necessary measures to defend our own interests," he promised.

___

Associated Press writers Foster Klug, Hyung-jin Kim and Kim Tong-Hyung in Seoul; Chris Bodeen in Beijing; Richard Lardner, Matthew Lee and Lolita C. Baldor in Washington, and Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations contributed to this report.

Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., left, talks with Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., second from left, as Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, second from right, and Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., right, return to Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, April 26, 2017, following a briefing at the White House on North Korea. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., talks with reporters after an all Senators briefing on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building on the White House complex, Washington, Wednesday, April, 26, 2017. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

From Second from left, Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., Sen. Joe Donnelly, D-Ind., Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I. and Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo. prepare to board a bus on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, April 26, 2017, as they head to the White House to get a briefing on North Korea. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., left, and Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Ala. sits on a bus on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, April 26, 2017, as they and other Senators head to the White House to get a briefing on North Korea. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

U.S. Pacific Command Commander Adm. Harry Harris Jr. testifies on Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, April 26, 2017, before a House Armed Services Committee hearing on North Korea. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
LANCASTER, N.Y. (AP) - A mulch dye that leaked from a company's property is being blamed for turning the waters of a western New York creek a bright red.

Officials in the town of Lancaster say they were alerted late Tuesday morning that a miles-long stretch of the Scajaquada (skuh-JAK'-kwah-dah) Creek had turned red.

The state Department of Environmental Conservation says the discoloration was caused by about 175 gallons of mulch dye that leaked from a trailer at Superior Pallets. Co. in Lancaster.

DEC officials say the agency's fisheries experts inspected the creek and found that the dye wouldn't harm fish. The agency says it's investigating the spill, which was contained. The water started clearing up later Tuesday.
WASHINGTON (AP) - The Supreme Court seems ready to impose limits on when the government can strip an immigrant of U.S. citizenship for lying during the naturalization process.

Wednesday's lively argument included a sharp rebuke of a Justice Department lawyer by the court's longest-serving justice.

The Trump administration contends that even minor lies about driving too fast or omitting childhood nicknames can lead to loss of citizenship.

Justice Anthony Kennedy tells lawyer Robert Parker that his argument "is demeaning the priceless value of citizenship."

Chief Justice John Roberts says the government's reading of immigration law could lead to "prosecutorial abuse."

The court is considering the case of an ethnic Serb from Bosnia who was stripped of U.S. citizenship for lying about the circumstances that brought her to the United States.
BEIRUT (AP) - Russia on Wednesday criticized Turkey's airstrikes against Kurdish forces in Syria and Iraq, saying they hindered efforts to combat the Islamic State group, as Turkish troops and Syrian Kurdish fighters traded fire across the increasingly tense frontier.

The Turkish airstrikes on Tuesday killed 20 members of the People's Protection Units, or YPG, in Syria, and five peshmerga fighters in Iraq. Both Kurdish forces are close U.S. allies in the war against IS. Turkey said it struck rebels taking part in the Kurdish insurgency in its southeast.

Russia expressed "serious concern" about the strikes, which were also condemned by the Syrian and Iraqi governments.

FILE -- In this July 29, 2015 file photo, a Turkish Air Force warplane rises in the sky after taking off from Incirlik Air Base, in Adana, southern Turkey. On Tuesday, April 25, 2017, Turkish warplanes carried out airstrikes against suspected Kurdish rebel positions in northern Iraq and in northeastern Syria, the military said, in a bid to prevent militants from smuggling fighters and weapons into Turkey. Although Turkey regularly carries out airstrikes against outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK targets in northern Iraq, this was the first time it has struck the Sinjar region. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel, File)

"In a situation where the war on terror in Iraq and Syria is far from over, such actions clearly do not contribute to the consolidation of anti-terrorist efforts," the Russian Foreign Ministry said.

It also expressed concern that "the Turkish strikes were inflicted on the territory of sovereign states, bypassing their legitimate governments. We consider such actions unacceptable."

Russia is a close ally of the Syrian government, while Turkey supports the opposition. In recent months the two countries had cooperated in efforts to broker a permanent cease-fire in order to restart peace talks.

The YPG meanwhile asked the U.S.-led coalition battling IS to provide air cover over northern Syria, to protect them from Turkish and Syrian government air raids.

Syrian Kurdish officials escorted an American officer to some of the sites targeted in Tuesday's attack, as large crowds from the area followed them around, according to photos and video from the scene. YPG spokesman Redur Khalil confirmed the visit to The Associated Press.

Khalil said the Turkish army shelled Syrian villages along the border area Wednesday, prompting an exchange of fire between Kurdish and Turkish border posts. There were no reports of casualties.

The YPG form the backbone of the Syrian Democratic Forces, the main U.S. partner in the battle against IS in northern Syria. NATO member Turkey considers the YPG an extension of the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, which has been waging an insurgency in Turkey since 1984. The SDF also includes Arab fighters.
MADISON, Wis. (AP) - Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker said Wednesday that he won't remove Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke from office over the death of an inmate who was denied water for seven days.

Walker said while he has the authority to remove Clarke, he doesn't feel it's his job. He acknowledged that reports about the 2016 dehydration death were concerning, but said it's up to voters to decide Clarke's fate and judge his oversight of the jail.

"I'm not in a position to say," he said, adding that historical practice has been to defer to voters.

Voces de la Frontera, an immigrant rights group, petitioned Walker Wednesday to use a law that gives him authority to remove negligent county officials from office. Executive Director Christine Neumann-Ortiz said at a news conference that the group doesn't expect Walker to heed their call to fire Clarke but wants to remind the governor of his authority.

"We want to highlight that he does have the power and, based on the statutes, Clarke has given him a basis to remove him from public office," she said.

Clarke, through a spokeswoman, declined to comment on the petition. Clarke has said little publicly about the inmate's death.

Walker said the only time he remembers a governor considering removing a county official from office was when former Gov. Jim Doyle sought the removal of Calumet County District Attorney Kenneth Kratz, who sent sexually explicit texts to a domestic violence victim whose case he was prosecuting in 2010. Kratz resigned.

"The only time it was considered, ultimately that individual pulled out and it was because of sexting, so it was a much different situation," Walker said.

Walker, a Republican, and Clarke are also aligned politically. While Clarke ran in Milwaukee County as a Democrat, he has risen to fame as a brash, right-wing pundit and is a vocal supporter of Republican President Donald Trump. Some conservatives are trying to recruit Clarke to run for U.S. Senate next year against Democratic incumbent Sen. Tammy Baldwin.

More details about the death of 38-year-old Terrill Thomas have come in recent days as Milwaukee County prosecutors hold a weeklong inquest to decide whether to press criminal charges. Thomas died in April 2016 after guards shut off his water because he was acting erratically.

Walker says he doesn't make decisions based on news stories and wants to look at a "scientific report" about the death.

"I've read some of the stories," he said. "I don't make decisions based on what I see in the stories. I want to look at a scientific report and I haven't analyzed that yet."

Thomas' autopsy, which was released in September, concluded he died of profound dehydration with bipolar disorder as a contributing factor. His death was one of four deaths in the Milwaukee County jail within six months.

Democratic state lawmakers have also called on Walker to remove Clarke, and Wisconsin Democratic Party spokesman Brandon Weathersby issued a statement saying Walker is "shamefully turning his back on Milwaukee County by refusing to take action against a sheriff who can't even keep his own jail safe."

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Follow Cara Lombardo on Twitter at https://twitter.com/CaraRLombardo
MIDDLETOWN, Del. (AP) - A man shot and killed a Delaware state trooper outside a convenience store Wednesday and later barricaded himself inside his house, where he continued to fire shots at officers, police said.

The trooper was shot multiple times and died at a hospital, state police Superintendent Col. Nathaniel McQueen said at a news conference.

"This is a sad day for our state and for the Delaware State Police family," McQueen said, with Gov. John Carney at his side.

Authorities investigate the scene of a shooting, Wednesday, April 26, 2017, in Bear, Del. Delaware State Police say a trooper has been taken to a hospital after being shot at the convenience store. The trooper, who was on duty at the time, was taken to Christiana Hospital. (Damian Giletto/The News Journal via AP)

Cpl. Stephen J. Ballard, 32, was shot about 12:10 p.m. after he approached a vehicle in a convenience store parking lot. McQueen said the vehicle had two suspicious people inside.

One man got out of the car and shot the trooper several times before running away, McQueen said. The other man was arrested at the scene, he said.

Police tracked the gunman to his home in a subdivision of two-story houses in Middletown, about 15 miles (25 kilometers) south of where the trooper was shot. The gunman, alone in the house, refused to leave and fired several shots at officers surrounding the home, state police spokesman Master Cpl. Gary Fournier said. No other officers were injured.

"There have been multiple gunshots that have come from the house at police officers," Fournier said.

Hostage negotiators were on the scene and established contact with the man in an effort to get him to surrender peacefully, Fournier said. But there was no quick resolution as the standoff stretched into the evening.

After 8 p.m., police used an explosive device to blow the door of the house off its hinges, but officers did not immediately enter the home, Fournier said.

Police used a robo-calling system to tell residents in the areas to stay inside and lock their doors. The Appoquinimink School District went on lockdown, keeping all students and staff inside school buildings. They were later allowed to leave as police secured the area.

Police have identified the man, Fournier said, but have yet to release his name.

One witness, Clarence Travers, told The News Journal of Wilmington that he heard gunfire while sitting at a red light and saw a police officer fall to the ground. After the initial gunfire, Travers said he saw a man get out of a car and shoot the officer on the ground multiple times before getting away.

Police have not corroborated Travers' version of events.

A caravan of law enforcement vehicles accompanied the slain officer's body to the state Division of Forensic Services for an autopsy, and observers placed their hands over their hearts as it passed by. Ballard had been on the force for more than eight years, according to state police spokesman Sgt. Richard Bratz.

"My heart is with the officer's family and the officers who have served beside him," Carney, a Democrat, said in a statement.

___

Associated Press writer Ben Nuckols in Washington, D.C., contributed to this report.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Members of the Tennessee House of Representatives thought they had defeated a resolution to honor Nathan Bedford Forrest. Days later, the chamber unwittingly passed another resolution touting the achievements of the Confederate general and early leader of the Ku Klux Klan.

The first resolution seeking to jointly honor Forrest and the first African-American elected to the Legislature was put off until after the Legislature adjourns, effectively killing it for the year.

But Republican Rep. Mike Sparks of Smyrna included much of the same language in a separate resolution to honor Shane Kastler, the author of a book about Forrest.

FILE - In this July 12, 2015, file photo, Mike Goza, left, helps Mike Junor drape a Confederate battle flag over the base of the statue and tomb of Nathan Bedford Forrest, a rebel general, slave trader and early Ku Klux Klan member, at Health Sciences Park in Memphis, Tenn. State House members said they were surprised that they unwittingly passed a resolution honoring Forrest on April 13, 2017 (Mike Brown/The Commercial Appeal via AP, file)

The new resolution was passed 94-0 along with other items on the House consent calendar, a slate of bills and resolutions deemed uncontroversial and not requiring any floor debate.

Rep. Johnny Shaw, a Bolivar Democrat who is African-American, said he opposes resolutions honoring "slave traders and people that were against my ancestors."

"He pulled a fast one," Shaw said. "I don't think I owe any recognition to Mr. Forrest at all. If I could take my vote back, I would."

Sparks was unapologetic for his colleagues not knowing about the content of his resolution before they voted on it.

"Well, whose fault is that?" he said. "I can't speak on 1,500 bills and a myriad of resolutions that come up here."

Sparks said his resolution doesn't hide Forrest's leadership of the Klan or that he earned his fortune before the Civil War as a slave trader. But Sparks said that later in life, Forrest renounced the Klan, "became a Christian and stood up for African-Americans."

Sparks said he was inspired to include Forrest in a resolution after speaking out against an effort by Middle Tennessee State University to change the name of a dorm named after the cavalry general.

Calls to remove Confederate imagery from public places multiplied across the South after the 2015 slaying of nine black churchgoers in Charleston, South Carolina. Republican Gov. Bill Haslam said at the time that he supported removing a bust of Forrest from the Tennessee Capitol, but it remains in the lobby between the House and Senate chambers.

After the defeat of the Confederacy, the newly formed Ku Klux Klan elected Forrest its honorary grand wizard, though he publicly denied being involved. Two years later, he ordered the Klan to disband because of its members' increasing violence.

Sparks said he's willing to argue the merits with any lawmaker upset about the passage of the resolution.

"If anybody wants to debate this issue, let's go. Bring 1,000 of them, and I'll debate them by myself," he said. "I have something on my side that they don't have on their side: I've got truth."
Congressional negotiators have inched towards a potential agreement on a catch-all spending bill that would deny President Donald Trumps request for immediate funding to construct a wall along the Mexico border.

The emerging measure would increase the defence budget and eliminate the threat of a government shutdown on Mr Trumps 100th day in office this Saturday.

Top Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer said Republican negotiators were following the lead of Mr Trump, who signalled on Monday evening that he would not insist on one billion dollar-worth (800 million) of wall funding now as an addition to the one trillion dollar-plus (800 billion) spending bill.

Good for the US that @POTUS is taking the wall off the table in negotiations. Now negotiators can continue working on outstanding issues.  Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) April 25, 2017

Mr Trump told a gathering of conservative media reporters that he might be willing to wait until September for the funding.

Other stumbling blocks remain, but the decision by Mr Trump and his Republican allies to back down on the wall steered the talks on the spending measure in a positive direction.

Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell said he was optimistic the talks would produce an agreement in the next few days.

An existing temporary funding bill expires on Friday at midnight and all sides anticipated that another stopgap measure would be required to buy time for the House and Senate to process the massive spending bill, which would wrap together 11 unfinished agency spending bills through September.

Mr Trump campaigned throughout the country last year promising a wall across the entire 2,200-mile southern border, promising that Mexico would pay for it. But while the idea is a priority of Mr Trumps most fervent supporters, it is resolutely opposed by Democrats and even many Republicans, who see it as wasteful and who prefer other steps like new technologies and additional border agents to curb illegal immigration.

I support additional border security funding, said Senator Lindsey Graham, a critic of Mr Trump who dined with the president on Monday at the White House. But a 2,200-mile wall, I dont think theres a whole lot of support for it.

Donald Trump

Mr Trump vowed to fight for the wall.

The wall is going to get built, he said at the White House on Tuesday. Asked when, he said, Soon.

Democrats vowed not to give up, either, and look forward to the fight.

Its not a negotiation, Mr Schumer said. No wall.

Donald Trump

Meanwhile, Mr Trump appeared poised to procure about 15 billion dollar (11.6 billion) to boost the military. Democrats said they were satisfied with the emerging outlines of the measure, which stick closely to versions of the legislation that were being negotiated late last year.

Senator Patty Murray observed that Republican negotiators have simply ignored a roster of 18 billion dollar in extreme cuts offered by White House budget director Mick Mulvaney to lower the measures cost. The measure would also while maintain foreign aid accounts that Mr Trump has targeted, along with a series of grant programmes popular with politicians in both parties, such as community development block grants.
A criminal cover-up on an industrial scale orchestrated over the NHS contaminated blood scandal should be subject to a Hillsborough-style inquiry, Andy Burnham has said.

Hundreds of deaths have been linked to the scandal in which haemophiliacs and others were infected with hepatitis C and HIV from blood products during the 1970s and 1980s.

The former Labour health secretary said victims were used as guinea pigs and subjected to slurs and smears via falsified medical records. Others had tests carried out without their knowledge or consent, with the results withheld for decades in some cases even when they revealed positive results.

Heading to Westminster to give my last speech in the House. Will try to advance the cause of justice for victims of contaminated blood. 1/2  Andy Burnham (@AndyBurnhamGM) April 25, 2017

I believe they are victims of a criminal cover-up on an industrial scale. Will present shocking new evidence to substantiate. Time for truth  Andy Burnham (@AndyBurnhamGM) April 25, 2017

Mr Burnham said it had also been suggested that the withholding of results led to infections being passed on to people living with the victims. Speaking in the Commons on Tuesday, Mr Burnham said he would pass his information to the police if the next government does not launch a public inquiry before the summer recess.

He told MPs: I want to refocus everybody on giving victims what they never had  the truth. From what I know I believe this scandal amounts to a criminal cover-up on an industrial scale.

Mr Burnham, who is standing down as an MP and is favourite to be elected mayor of Greater Manchester next month, said he had been given direct evidence of attempts to hide criminal acts. He cited three cases including that of Ken Bullock, who died in 1998, and whose widow said his diagnosis of hepatitis had been changed to being a clinical alcoholic in 1983.

Andy Burnham is standing down as an MP

Mr Bullocks medical notes, read to the Commons, had changed and appeared to show any mention of blood products stopped very suddenly, with hospital records then referring only to alcoholic damage to the liver. The moderate drinker was possibly refused a liver transplant based on his falsified medical records saying he was an alcoholic, Mr Burnham said.

He said there is a very disturbing echo with Hillsborough, in that victims of negligence by the state were suddenly the victims of smears perpetrated by those working on behalf of public bodies, particularly smears related to alcohol, to suggest the disease that afflicted Mr Bullocks liver was self-inflicted.

The MP highlighted a 1975 letter from Stanford Universitys medical centre to the then UK government-owned blood products laboratory that warned of blood products coming on to the market from skid row derelicts. Another letter sent in 1982 from the Oxford Haemophilia Centre to all haemophilia centre directors in England raised concerns about the effectiveness of testing blood for infectivity on chimpanzees.

Mr Burnham was asked to submit his evidence to Jeremy Hunt

Commenting on the letter, Mr Burnham said: In other words, lets find out if theres infectivity, in their words, in these products by using patients as guinea pigs.

Health minister Nicola Blackwood resisted calls for a fresh inquiry, highlighting the previous release of thousands of government papers, two official reviews and statements to the Commons. However, Ms Blackwood did ask Mr Burnham to submit his dossier of evidence to Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt, and refer any allegations of criminality to the police.
Ukip leader Paul Nuttall has compared himself to Gandhi as he sought to shrug off media criticisms.

Mr Nuttall cited the leader of Indias non-violent independence movement as he accused commentators of trivialising his calls for action to ban public wearing of burkas and protect girls against female genital mutilation (FGM).

Like Gandhi, he suggested, Ukip was attacked for taking positions which challenge mainstream thinking but will eventually be accepted as right.

Mahatma Gandhi

Sometimes we get a fair crack of the whip, he told the Express & Star newspaper in an interview during an election visit to Wolverhampton on Monday, a recording of which has now been published on the internet.

But the issues we raised this morning were very important issues that in some cases were trivialised, some of the responses were sniggering.

Quoting a remark often attributed to the Indian civil rights campaigner, he said: Its the old Gandhi thing, isnt it? First they laugh at you, then they attack you, then you win.

(Stefan Rousseau/PA)

Mr Nutall, who has yet to say whether he will stand in the June 8 General Election, declined to forecast how many seats Ukip might win.

Im not going to put a figure on what I think is winnable, he said. Theres six weeks to go in this  a lot can happen in the opinion polls.

If you get a Ukip MP you will get people who have campaigned for clean Brexit  the type of Brexit people voted for on June 23  all their lives.
Greater government surveillance powers and attacks on the media by prominent figures such as Nigel Farage and Donald Trump are responsible for a declining state of media freedom in democratic countries, according to new findings.

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) highlighted the danger of a tipping point in media freedom in leading democracies as it published the 2017 World Press Freedom Index.

The UK has dropped two places in the ranking to 40th out of 180 countries.

Where the UK ranks in the 2017 World Press Freedom Index

The RSF cited reasons such as the confiscation of Syrian journalist Zaina Erhaims passport when she arrived in the UK last September and the passing of the Investigative Powers Act.

Rebecca Vincent, RSFs UK Bureau director, said: We witnessed a disturbing trend of moves against press freedom in the UK this year, from the seizure of a Syrian journalists passport, to the adoption of the most extreme surveillance legislation in UK history that could effectively serve as a death sentence for investigative journalism.

Ms Erhaim was travelling to London to speak at a Women on the Frontline discussion but when she arrived at Heathrow Airport on September 22 with her eight-month-old daughter, border officials took her passport, telling her it had been reported stolen by the Syrian authorities.

Syrian journalist Zaina Erhaim (Nick Ansell/PA)

The Investigatory Powers Act, dubbed the snoopers charter, was made law in late 2016 and branded the most extreme surveillance in the history of western democracy by US whistleblower Edward Snowden.

The legislation allows intelligence officials and police to hack, access and obtain the publics personal communications data, from browser history to private messages  something many media organisations fear poses a threat to journalists and their sources.

While the Government revised the bill to incorporate additional protections for journalists, removing an exemption for the security and intelligence agencies when seeking to identify journalists sources, the RSF said that it still lacks sufficient protection mechanisms.

Nigel Farage has been critical of the media in the UK (Anthony Devlin/PA)

RSF also claimed the worsening press freedom situation was partly because political strongmen are on the rise  singling out former Ukip leader Nigel Farage and US President Donald Trump.

RSF said: Attacks on the media, especially the BBC, were the pillar of Farages Brexit campaign.

Mr Farage told ITVs Piers Morgans Life Stories that the media had attempted to demonise me and give me a bad name for years. He also criticised the BBC after the referendum, telling LBC listeners the broadcaster failed to report the news of the Leave result with objectivity.

Similarly, Mr Trumps anti-media comments was attributed to the US dropping two places to 43rd position.

#Turkey is now below Swaziland, Belarus & DR Congo on the new #RSFindex on press freedom. Support @FreeTurkeyMedia pic.twitter.com/NS36X0Zjk2  Stefan Simanowitz (@StefSimanowitz) April 26, 2017

Other countries under press freedom threat according to the list include Turkey ranking at 155th  where the failed coup in July 2016 lead to the arrests of more than 100 journalists  and France which has risen six places to 39th since 2016 but still faces attacks from politicians, with presidential hopeful Marine Le Pen accusing the media of delirious lies in her autobiography.

The country ranked the worst for media freedom was North Korea, while the country ranked highest was Norway.
Analysis of samples taken from a deadly sarin gas attack in Syria earlier this month bears the signature of President Bashar Assads government and shows it was responsible for the deadly assault, Frances foreign minister has said.

Jean-Marc Ayrault said France came to this conclusion after comparing samples from a 2013 sarin attack.

Russia, a close ally of Assad, promptly denounced the French report, saying the samples and the fact the nerve agent was used are not enough to prove who was behind it.

Jean-Marc Ayrault said France compared samples from a 2013 sarin attack (Mark Schiefelbein/AP)

Assad has repeatedly denied that his forces used chemical weapons and claimed evidence of a poison gas attack is made up.

But Mr Ayrault said France knows from sure sources that the manufacturing process of the sarin that was sampled is typical of the method developed in Syrian laboratories.

This method bears the signature of the regime and that is what allows us to establish its responsibility in this attack, he added, saying that France is working to bring those behind the criminal atrocities to international justice.

Frances Foreign Ministry said blood samples were taken from a victim in Syria on the day of the April 4 attack in the opposition-held town of Khan Sheikhoun, which killed more than 80 people.

Environmental samples, the ministry said, show the weapons were made according to the same production process as the one used in the sarin attack perpetrated by the Syrian regime in Saraqeb on April 29 2013.

Mr Ayrault said French intelligence showed that only Syrian government forces could have launched such an attack  by a bomber taking off from the Shayrat air base, which was later targeted in a retaliatory US missile strike.

Frances presidency said the countrys intelligence services presented evidence showing the Syrian government still holds chemical warfare agents, in violation of the commitments to eliminate them that it took in 2013. It said that information will be made public, without offering details.

President Vladimir Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov (Pavel Golovkin/AP)

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russias position on the attack is unchanged, and that the only way to establish the truth about what happened is an impartial international investigation.

Russia has previously called for an international probe, and Mr Peskov expressed regret that the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) has turned down the Syrian governments offers to visit the site of the attack and investigate.

The French ministers comments came as the OPCW, which is investigating the April 4 attack, held a ceremony in The Hague marking the 20th anniversary of the Chemical Weapons Convention.

In a video message to the ceremony, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the organisations progress over two decades seeking to eliminate chemical weapons is now under threat.
Zac Goldsmith is to ask the people of Richmond Park to vote for him for the third time in 13 months as he attempts to mount a political comeback as a Tory MP.

Goldsmith lost his south west London seat to Liberal Democrat Sarah Olney in December 2016 when he forced a by-election over his opposition to Heathrow expansion.

He ran as an independent, quitting the Conservatives, but the group re-selected him as their candidate for the 2017 election on Wednesday night.

Goldsmith with his wife Alice after voting in the by-election which he lost to Sarah Olney, the Liberal Democrat

The move comes despite no change in the Government's policy to back Heathrow. He says he will continue to oppose it.

The news comes as Esther McVey also attempts a return to the House of Commons, standing for the former Chancellor's Cheshire seat.

George Osborne resigned as an MP when the election was called, vacating his seat in Tatton for the editor's desk at the Evening Standard in London.

Esther McVey, who was a minister of state for employment during her last stint as an MP

He tweeted his congratulations as the former TV Presenter, and MP until 2015, Ms McVey was announced as his replacement PPC, calling her a 'one-woman Northern powerhouse.'

Lib Dem Ms Olney won the Richmond Park seat in December in a campaign which focused on Brexit  the Remain-supporting seat voting to oust Leave-supporting Mr Goldsmith.

But Tories in Richmond insist Mr Goldsmith is not a 'hardened Brexiteer'.

Constituency chairman Georgina Butler said: 'We are delighted that Zac Goldsmith has been reselected as the Conservative candidate for Richmond Park and North Kingston in the forthcoming General Election, and we look forward to having him back again as our representative in Parliament.

'After a resounding victory in the 2015 General Election, his absence from Parliament since last December has been a disappointment. He is widely regarded the best MP that Richmond Park and North Kingston has ever had, and we need him back to represent our residents effectively.

'Far from being a hardened Brexiteer as his opponents have painted him, he will fight for the best deal for Britain. He has led on guaranteeing the rights of EU citizens in the UK, and is a champion of strong protection for the environment.

'He will also continue to lead the fight against Heathrow expansion, an issue which continues to concern our residents.'

George Osborne tweeted his congratulations to the new PPC, as he stepped down to focus on his other jobs, as a public speaker, and editor of the London Evening Standard

Zac Goldsmith lost out in the Mayoral election in 2016 to Labour's Sadiq Khan, and was heavily criticised for his campaign

The by-election defeat marked the second setback for Mr Goldsmith within months, after he lost to Sadiq Khan in the 2016 London mayoral election.

That campaign was criticised, even within the Tory Party, for its negative messaging and focus on Mr Khan's Muslim background.

Lib Dem chief whip Tom Brake said: 'By standing as a Conservative after resigning over Heathrow, Zac Goldsmith has just lost his last shred of credibility. Zac Goldsmith couldn't stand on a Conservative platform last time, so what's changed?'
Theresa May has had constructive talks with European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker on the Brexit process, Downing Street said.

The Prime Minister hosted Mr Juncker and Brussels chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier for a working dinner in Number 10 ahead of a summit on Saturday where the leaders of the 27 other EU countries will consider their approach to the talks on the UKs withdrawal.

Downing Street said the Prime Minister used the dinner to restate the UKs commitment to a deep and special partnership with the EU after Brexit.

Theresa May welcomes European Commission president @JunckerEU to No 10 for Brexit talks. Photographers disappointed by lack of a handshake. pic.twitter.com/LKdu1UwRJz  David Hughes (@DavidHughesPA) April 26, 2017

A Number 10 spokesman said: The PM had a constructive meeting this evening with president Juncker of the European Commission.

Following the UKs letter of notification under Article 50, she reiterated the UKs commitment to achieving a deep and special partnership with the European Union. The PM and president Juncker also discussed a range of other international issues in a useful working dinner.

A European Commission spokesman said: President Juncker had a constructive meeting with Prime Minister May. They discussed the broader geopolitical agenda and issues of strategic interest to both.

President Juncker and Prime Minister May discussed the Article 50 process ahead of his participation in the European Council on April 29.

Tonight the Prime Minister met European Commission President @JunckerEU. Read more about their meeting: https://t.co/wVOiL3y0ky pic.twitter.com/EoaqJX12ax  UK Prime Minister (@10DowningStreet) April 26, 2017

The meeting came after Mrs Mays predecessor David Cameron said Britain must agree a divorce bill with the European Union before trade talks can start.

Mr Barnier, who met Mrs May face-to-face for the first time in Number 10, has insisted the UK must settle the accounts before beginning talks on a future trading relationship with the EU.

Answering questions at a global tourism summit in Bangkok, Mr Cameron appeared to back the EUs stance, saying: I would hope that we will be able to agree, as it were, the first bits of divorce  its a bit like a divorce, you have to deal with the money and then access to the children afterwards.

David Cameron likened the talks to a divorce negotiation (PA)

The former prime minister said he thought both sides could agree that of course we accept some liabilities for this membership weve had for 40 years, just as we have a claim on some of the assets that weve paid into. And I think we can settle the principles of that and then get on with the nature of the relationship.

Senior members of the Government have insisted Britain will not pay a bill of the scale suggested by the likes of Mr Juncker, with International Trade Secretary Liam Fox branding the idea absurd.

But Mrs May has said she is ready to discuss a fair settlement of Britains obligations, although she has given no hint of the amount she is prepared to contemplate.
Electing Jeremy Corbyn as prime minister would be a threat to national security, Boris Johnson has claimed.

The Foreign Secretary said Mr Corbyn had no grasp of the need for this country to be strong in the world and questioned how he would respond to the semi-deranged regime in North Korea.

He also warned that the UK would be totally stiffed in Brexit negotiations if Mr Corbyn was dealing with Brussels.

Jeremy Corbyn

Meanwhile Labour stepped up its campaign on domestic issues, with Mr Corbyn attacking the Tories over their record on housing.

In an article for The Sun, Mr Johnson said: The biggest risk with Jeremy Corbyn is that people just dont get what a threat he really is.

Mr Johnsons highly personal attack on the Labour leader continued: They watch his meandering and nonsensical questions and they feel a terrible twinge of human compassion. Well, they say to themselves: he may be a mutton-headed old mugwump, but he is probably harmless.

Theresa May and Boris Johnson

But Mr Johnson insisted: It is absolutely vital for Britains security that we have the strong, stable and decisive leadership of Theresa May.

Russia was interfering blatantly with European democracies, Kim Jong Un was leading a semi-deranged regime in North Korea, bent on getting nuclear weapons that could one day be used to strike this country and the UK and its allies were taking on an Islamist death cult.

Where is Corbyn on any of these issues? Mr Johnson asked.

He seems to have no grasp of the need for this country to be strong in the world.

Boris Johnson

He added: Just when Kim Jong Un is on the verge of acquiring a really deadly nuclear weapon, Britain could be on the verge of acquiring Jeremy Corbyn as PM  a man whose brilliant idea of a nuclear deterrent is that we should send our nuclear subs to sea with no nuclear missiles aboard.

On Brexit, Mr Corbyn would be disastrous, the Foreign Secretary claimed.

Corbyns approach would be a recipe for paralysis and uncertainty  and for Britain to get totally stiffed in the negotiations.

Mr Corbyn will set out Labours plans to build a million homes, including at least 500,000 council houses, in response to Tory failures to tackle the problem.

We will build over a million new homes, so our children wont grow up in damp, overcrowded and insecure housing. Share @jeremycorbyns video pic.twitter.com/NVtbkcyXwl  The Labour Party (@UKLabour) February 15, 2017

The system is rigged, with housing treated as an investment for the few, not homes for the many, he will say.

Seven years of Conservative failure  shows that they will never fix the housing crisis, which is holding so many people back.
During his 100 days in office, Donald Trump has come to rely on a select group of close advisers and aides, both in a professional and a personal capacity. Here are some of those with a direct line to the president.

Sean Spicer

Sean Spicer brushes a fly off his head as he talks to the media during a daily press briefing (Andrew Harnik/AP)

Much like his boss, the White House press secretary has been ripe for parody. His style is abrasive, while his relationship with the lobby corps is best described as fractious. Spicers role has often been to deflect negative attention away from the president, even if it means putting himself in the firing line. A former rank commander in the US Navy, the 45-year-old ex-Republican National Committee director of communications launched a staggering tirade on members of the press following their coverage of the Trump inauguration. He was forced to apologise this month after struggling to properly articulate his bosss foreign policy, comparing Syrian president Bashar Assad with Adolf Hitler  an experience the communications expert said taught him to "think before I speak".

Melania Trump

Our family truly enjoyed hosting today's #EasterEggRoll. Thank you to all of the volunteers who worked hard to make it a success. pic.twitter.com/QsLWUlW8I5  Melania Trump 45 Archived (@FLOTUS45) April 17, 2017

The often-seen, little-heard First Lady of the US is the personable antidote to the brash bravado of executive order and presidential rhetoric. In a similar way to her predecessor Michelle Obama, Mrs Trump has been keen to avoid encroaching on her husbands limelight. Her dedication to following in the footsteps of Mrs Obama has perhaps been overenthusiastic  with rare speeches drawing accusations of plagiarisation of the former incumbent. More recently, the third and current Mrs Trump attracted headlines after accepting damages and an apology in Londons High Court over "false and defamatory" allegations about her work as a model on arriving in the US from her native Slovenia.

Ivanka Trump

Honored to join @realDonaldTrump, Chancellor Merkel and CEOs of US and German companies in a robust discussion on #WorkforceDevelopment pic.twitter.com/dJnrLpqcYF  Ivanka Trump (@IvankaTrump) March 17, 2017

In contrast to Melania, Ivanka Trump has had a much more visible influence on the president during his 100 days in office  and in some quarters she is referred to as "the other First Lady". The long-time aide to her father took up an official  if non-specific  role within the White House in April, distancing herself from her fashion line amid concerns over a conflict of interest. Ivankas influence over her father should not be understated  her "outrage" over the use of chemical weapons in Syria was said to have prompted US intervention, while she has also taken to sitting in on meetings with world leaders.

Jared Kushner

Jared Kushner arrives for a working lunch with ambassadors (Susan Walsh/AP)

Another with both personal and professional ties to the president, Jared Kushners unofficial role in the campaign to propel Trump to victory was rewarded with a White House position. Kushner perhaps has more influence than most of his fellow senior advisers in Washington due to the president being his father-in-law, courtesy of his marriage to Trumps daughter Ivanka. Reports in the US during the first 100 days suggest the polite and well-mannered Kushner has been keen to leave his stamp on operations, despite having no experience in politics before his appointment.

Steve Bannon

White House chief strategist Steve Bannon with Mr Trump (Evan Vucci/AP)

Like Kushner, Steve Bannon was a key figure during the Trump presidential campaign. The former executive chairman of right-wing news website Breitbart, Bannon was swiftly appointed chief strategist at the White House. But he has been accused of being a white supremacist, while tensions have emerged between himself and Kushner amid a supposed power struggle between senior advisers to Trump. The former US Naval officer was removed from the National Security Committee as part of the fall-out following the resignation of national security adviser Michael Flynn over misleading comments he had made to the executive over Russia.

Kellyanne Conway

Kellyanne Conways profile has risen significantly in the short time she has been associated with Donald Trump. Yet her legacy already may have been assured within the first 100 days of the presidency, following a host of high-profile gaffes. The senior adviser was ridiculed for her use of the phrase alternative facts when defending comments made in the media by Spicer about inauguration crowd size. She also referred to a fictitious Bowling Green massacre  apparently involving Iraqis attacking US soldiers  when talking in favour of Trumps planned immigration ban. She got into further trouble for plugging Ivanka Trumps clothing line live on national television during a White House interview.
Wladimir Klitschko dismissed suggestions he deliberately delayed Anthony Joshuas public workout in an attempt to get under his opponents skin.

The two heavyweights latest attempts to promote Saturdays fight at Wembley took place in the shadow of the national stadium, at Wembley Arena.

They are expected to attract a crowd of 90,000, a post-war record for a fight in the UK, and on an evening which could define both fighters careers Klitschko will provide Joshua with his biggest test.

Wladimir Klitschko during the public workouts at Wembley Arena (Nick Potts/PA)

The 41-year-old appears to have attempted to soften the edge Joshua possesses in the build-up to this fight by consistently being respectful of the IBF champion.

He represents a significant step up in class for Joshua, whose temperament could be tested if Klitschko leans on him throughout Saturdays fight and repeatedly ties him up in the same way he has so many others.

Klitschkos slow progress throughout his workout  in which he spent a significant amount of time getting his hands wrapped in the ring, which in theory could have been done privately  delayed Joshuas by 30 minutes.

However, asked if that had been deliberate, the Ukrainian responded: No, thats not a mind game. Im here, Im ready to fight.

You will see a Klitschko whos enjoying himself (on Saturday). Im really enjoying myself right now, this event, and I cant wait for Saturday night. Its Klitschko territory from the beginning (of the fight, not just the second half).

Asked how he wanted the appointed referee, David Fields of America, to oversee the fight  Klitschko has repeatedly benefited from lenient officials  he said: I respect the referees job, but hes not present for me in a certain way.

He needs to keep up with the rules, but Im just focused on my opponent and the fight.

Joshua again insisted the respect he has for Klitschko would not undermine him when the two finally enter the ring at Wembley, and said he had victory written all over me.

The respect will go out the window, said the 27-year-old, who also fights to win the WBA title last held by Tyson Fury. Its a fight, right?

Strip all that stuff away  age, experience, Wladimirs this, AJs that  Im not really interested in what hes got to offer. Victorys written all over me right now: I feel great, I feel focused.

Of course (Ive got to go for him from the first bell). I wouldnt train the way I train if I didnt have that mindset. Thats what fightings about.
By Elaine Lies

TOKYO, April 26 (Reuters) - The Japanese cabinet minister overseeing reconstruction of areas devastated by the 2011 tsunami and Fukushima nuclear disaster resigned on Wednesday after saying it was better the disaster struck the northeastern region instead of Tokyo.

Masahiro Imamura was forced to quit after remarks he made on Tuesday at a party for ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) lawmakers and is the latest in a spate of ruling party lawmakers in trouble for their comments or behaviour.

Speaking of the costs incurred in the 9.0 earthquake that set off a massive tsunami and left nearly 20,000 dead or missing, Imamura said: "It was better that this happened in the northeast."

The comments came just weeks after Imamura set off a furore at a news conference by disparaging people who left Fukushima out of fear after the world's worst nuclear disaster since Chernobyl, then shouting at a reporter and storming out of the room.

Imamura's comments prompted an immediate rebuke from Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who apologized on his behalf. His swift resignation was seen aimed at minimizing the damage to Abe's government, which has been accused of complacency in the absence of a viable opposition.

"It was an extremely inappropriate comment and hurtful to people in the disaster zone, an act causing the people a reconstruction minister works for to lose trust in him, " Abe told reporters after Imamura resigned.

The subject still touches a raw nerve because regional businesses have struggled to recover and reconstruction work has been slow. Many evacuee families have also given up hope of returning to their home towns.

Shunsuke Mutai, a deputy reconstruction minister, drew fire last year after forcing a subordinate to carry him on his back so his feet could stay dry as he visited a flooded area. He quit in March on the eve of the sixth anniversary of the March 11 disaster after making a joke about the incident.

A week ago the vice minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, Toshinao Nakagawa, was forced to resign from his position after news broke of an extramarital affair. He later resigned from the LDP.

Abe's support currently hovers around 50 percent despite a series of recent scandals, including one involving a nationalist school. He has a shot at becoming Japan's longest-serving leader after party rule chances allow him to serve a third consecutive three-year term after his current tenure ends in 2018. (Additional reporting by Kiyoshi Takenaka; Editing by Michael Perry)
BEIJING, April 26 (Reuters) - The Chinese government said on Wednesday that a Taiwan rights activist detained on suspicion of endangering national security was in good health, and had reassured his family in a letter.

The detention has put a strain on ties between Taiwan and China, which have cooled since Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen took power last year, because she refuses to concede that the self-ruled island is part of China.

The activist, Li Ming-che, is a community college worker known for supporting human rights. He went missing in China, which views neighbouring Taiwan as a renegade province, on March 19, and China later confirmed his detention.

Li's case is still being investigated and processed, Ma Xiaoguang, spokesman for China's Taiwan Affairs Office, told a regular news briefing.

"At present, Li Ming-che's health is good, and there are no concerns about medical care. He has clearly explained the relevant situation to his family in a letter," Ma said.

Li's family and the Taiwan government have been frustrated at not being told where Li is being held, and Ma did not answer when asked his location or give further details of the charges Li could face.

Li's wife was barred from travelling to China this month after saying she received the letter through unofficial channels and that she could not verify the letter was from her husband.

A potential diplomatic confrontation between China and Taiwan was averted last week, after a Chinese activist who had reportedly intended to seek asylum in Taiwan flew back home.

Taiwan immigration officials had apprehended and questioned Zhang Xiangzhong after he left his tour group, and authorities were deciding whether to deport him or risk fraying relations with Beijing by granting him sanctuary as a political refugee.

Ma confirmed that Zhang had arrived back in China, and that authorities were investigating the case, but he gave no details.

China regards Taiwan as a wayward province and it has never renounced the use of force to bring it back under its control, while proudly democratic Taiwan has shown no interest in being run by Communist Party rulers in Beijing.

Defeated Nationalist forces fled to Taiwan in 1949 after losing a civil war with the Communists, but since a thaw began in the 1980s, cross-Strait investment has flourished. (Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)
BUCHAREST, April 26 (Reuters) - Here are news stories, press reports and events to watch which may affect Romanian financial markets on Wednesday.

BANCA TRANSILVANIA

Romania's private commercial bank Banca Transilvania to release first quarter financial results.

MONEY SUPPLY

Romania's central bank to release M3 money supply data for March.

BUDGET SURPLUS

Romania's consolidated budget ran a surplus of 0.2 percent of gross domestic product in the first quarter against a 0.1 percent surplus in January-February and 0.4 percent in the same period of 2016, the finance ministry said on Tuesday.

FONDUL PROPRIETATEA

Romanian investment fund Fondul Proprietatea could sell some of the unlisted companies in its portfolio, which have attracted interest from buyers, rather than wait for the government to revive stalled listing plans, its manager said.

HIDROELECTRICA

Romania's investment fund Fondul Proprietatea said on Tuesday that interim board appointments at state energy producer Hidroelectrica meant its planned initial public offering this year would be postponed.

CEE MARKETS

Central European currencies mostly gained on Tuesday and government bonds tracked Bunds lower as relief over France's presidential election turned investors towards risky assets.

CONFLICT OF INTEREST

The Romanian parliament's lower house approved a law on Tuesday that weakens conflict of interest for public officials. The bill must be signed by the country's president to become law. www.hotnews.ro

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BEIJING, April 26 (Reuters) - China said on Wednesday it had expressed serious concern to Washington and Seoul after the U.S. military started moving parts of its controversial THAAD anti-missile defence system to a deployment site in South Korea.

Speaking at a daily news briefing in Beijing, Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said China urged the U.S. and South Korea to withdraw the system.

Seoul and Washington say the sole purpose of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system is to defend against North Korean missiles, but China is concerned the system's powerful radar can penetrate its territory and undermine its security and has repeatedly expressed opposition to it. (Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Writing by Philip Wen; Editing by Nick Macfie)
By Donny Kwok

HONG KONG, April 26 (Reuters) - The housing authority of China's Xian city on Wednesday said it has suspended sales of projects by China Vanke Co Ltd, the country's second-biggest homebuilder by sales, citing property transactions that it suspects are "against regulation".

The Xian House Management Bureau, in statements on its website dated April 24, said it suspects three property agents sold units at China Vanke's Oriental Legend and Cityglory projects before obtaining pre-sale approval.

The action comes as the government attempts to quell a property boom which last year pushed new home prices up at the fastest rate since 2011. Measures include putting local authorities on guard for market irregularities and pressing banks to strengthen mortgage risk management.

"I believe this is part of the government's crackdown on aggressive property sales tactics in China," said Cindy Huang, a credit-rating analyst with S&P Global.

"Based on our estimate, sales from Xian accounted for about 4 percent of Vanke's total sales last year - financial impact is manageable but could be damaging reputationally if the situation is not resolved."

Xian said it halted pre-sales and sales at all 12 projects under development by Vanke and its subsidiaries in the capital of Shaanxi province with immediate effect.

It also suspended new pre-sale applications at Vanke's other developments in the city. In addition, it said it has suspended the three agents from conducting further sales in the city.

Xian said in another statement also dated April 24 that it had suspended sales of four projects by four other local developers who it also suspected had violated sales regulations.

China Vanke, which has a market value of around $33 billion, did not respond to a request for comment. Its shares ended the day down 2.6 percent in Hong Kong and 0.9 percent in Shenzhen.

The developer has been in crisis since late 2015 when financial conglomerate Baoneng Group built up a 25 percent stake and sought to oust its management.

In March, Vanke came under direct control of the Shenzhen government, a move that could end boardroom struggle but which raised questions as to the extent the developer would remain market-driven.

China's real estate sector contributes around 15 percent to economic growth. Both central and local governments have been keen to take a more active role in the market, particularly as prices have become a concern for policymakers. (Reporting by Donny Kwok; Additional reporting by Umesh Desai and Yawen Chen; Editing by Anne Marie Roantree and Christopher Cushing)
BERLIN, April 26 (Reuters) - German Economy Minister Brigitte Zypries will attend a summit next month in Beijing on China's ambitious New Silk Road plan aimed at linking Asia, Africa and Europe, adding some weight from Europe to the summit championed by President Xi Jinping.

The conference is widely seen as the biggest diplomatic event of the year for China as it pushes its initiative to invest billions of dollars in infrastructure projects from railways and ports to power grids.

Representing Chancellor Angela Merkel, leader of Europe's biggest economy, Zypries will speak at the "One Belt, One Road" summit, said a ministry spokeswoman.

Most Asian leaders are due to attend as well as Russian President Vladimir Putin, but so far the only Group of Seven industrialised country due to send a leader is Italy.

China, which has sent signals that it is interested in boosting cooperation with the EU to guard against protectionist steps from the United States under President Donald Trump, has also been hoping for some senior Western leaders to attend.

Germany has close economic ties to China and Merkel has paid regular visits there in her nearly 12 years in office. Last year China overtook the United States to become Germany's biggest trading partner for the first time.

Zypries will travel to China from May 12-15 to deliver her speech to the summit and hold some other meetings, said the spokeswoman. (Reporting by Madeline Chambers; Editing by Toby Chopra)
LONDON, April 26 (Reuters) - A 3-foot giant rabbit has died on a United Airlines flight from London, prompting a review at the Chicago-based airline which faced a global backlash this month over its treatment of a passenger who was dragged from his seat.

The 10-month old rabbit named Simon, who was tipped to become one of the world's largest rabbits, was travelling to O'Hare in Chicago from Britain after a celebrity owner purchased him.

He was healthy before the flight, according to the rabbit's breeder.

"Simon had a vets check-up three hours before the flight and was fit as a fiddle," breeder Annette Edwards told The Sun newspaper. "Something very strange has happened and I want to know what."

The Continental Giant breed rabbit died in the cargo section of a Boeing 767 after leaving Heathrow, she said.

"Ive sent rabbits all around the world and nothing like this has happened before," Edwards, a former Playboy model, was quoted as saying. "The client who bought Simon is very famous. Hes upset."

United said it was saddened by the news of Simon's death.

"We were saddened to hear this news," said United spokesman Kevin Johnston in an emailed response. "We have been in contact with our customer and have offered assistance. We are reviewing this matter."

"The safety and wellbeing of all the animals that travel with us is of the utmost importance to United Airlines and our PetSafe team," the United spokesman said.

Earlier this month, a United passenger, Dr. David Dao, was dragged from his seat off a parked plane at O'Hare International Airport bound for Louisville, Kentucky, to make room for crew members.

Video recorded by other passengers showed Dao, a 69-year-old doctor, being dragged down the aisle with blood on his face after refusing to give up his seat on a flight from Chicago to Louisville, Kentucky on April 9. (Reporting by Guy Faulconbridge and Kate Holton, Editing by Angus MacSwan)
SOFIA, April 26 (Reuters) - Bulgaria has decided to start talks with Sweden to acquire eight new Gripen combat jets made by SAAB, interim deputy prime minister Stefan Yanev said on Wednesday.

The Balkan country has picked the Swedish offer ahead of offers to buy secondhand U.S. F-16s from Portugal, equipped with U.S. weaponry, and secondhand Eurofighter Typhoon fighters from Italy.

A deal is estimated to be worth about 1.5 billion levs ($836 million).

A special commission for the negotiations is expected to be set up within a week, Yanev said. The talks with Sweden will be held by Bulgaria's next government, which is expected to take office next week. (Reporting by Tsvetelia Tsolova and Angel Krasimirov; Editing by Greg Mahlich)
By Magdalena Mis

LONDON, April 26 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Trade in illegal organs is a booming business in Lebanon as desperate Syrian refugees resort to selling body parts to support themselves and their families, according to an investigation by the BBC.

A trafficker who brokers deals from a coffee shop in Beirut, identified as Abu Jaafar, said while he knew his "booming" business was illegal, he saw it as helping people in need.

He spoke to the BBC journalist Alex Forsyth from his base in a dilapidated building covered by a plastic tarpaulin in a southern Beirut suburb.

"I exploit people, that's what I do," Jaafar told Forsyth.

"I know what I'm doing is illegal but I'm helping people, that's how I see it.

"Some of my clients would have died anyway."

Since the Syrian conflict erupted in 2011, at least 1.5 million people have poured into Lebanon, where they make up around a quarter of the country's population.

Many have no legal right to work, and families are forced to find other ways to pay for food, shelter and healthcare.

According to a report published in June, some 70 percent of refugees in Lebanon are living below the poverty line.

"Those who are not registered as refugees are struggling," Jaafar said in a report aired on BBC television late on Tuesday.

"What can they do? They are desperate and they have no other means to survive but to sell their organs."

Jaafar said in the last three years he had arranged the sale of organs from some 30 refugees.

"They usually ask for kidneys, yet I can still find and facilitate other organs," he said.

"They once asked for an eye, and I was able to acquire a client willing to sell his eye."

The Middle East is becoming a "hot spot" in international organ trade, where the influx of refugees desperate to earn money is providing a new market for brokers, shifting focus from China and the Philippines, Forsyth said, citing experts.

The journalist said despite difficulties organs could be exported to buyers around the world, while sometimes refugees were being flown to nearby countries for surgery using fake papers.

Jaafar said he drives blindfolded people who agreed to sell their organs to a hidden location on a designated day, where prior to surgery they undergo basic blood tests.

Sometimes the doctors operate in rented houses that are transformed into temporary clinic.

"Once the operation is done I bring them back," Jaafar said.

"I keep looking after them for almost a week until they remove the stitches. The moment they lose the stitches we don't care what happens to them any longer."

"I don't really care if the client dies as long as I got what I wanted. It's not my problem what happens next as long as the client gets paid."

Jaafar's most recent client, a 17-year-old Syrian boy had sold his kidney for 6,500 pounds ($8,300) to pay off debts and support his mother and five sisters.

Two days later, lying in the back room of a coffee shop he said he's in constant pain.

"I already regret it but what can I do," the teenager said. "I didn't want to do this but I'm desperate. I had no other choice."

($1 = 0.7798 pounds) (Reporting by Magdalena Mis @magdalenamis1; Editing by 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 Alexander Cornwell

DUBAI, April 26 (Reuters) - Malaysia Airlines has offered to lease Airbus A330 jets from Alitalia if the struggling Italian airline is wound up, the Asian carrier's chief executive said on Wednesday.

Alitalia is preparing for special administration proceedings after workers rejected its latest rescue plan, making it impossible for the loss-making airline to secure funds to keep its aircraft flying. Workers are hoping the Italian government will step in with an alternative rescue deal.

Malaysia Airlines could take between six and eight Airbus A330s from Alitalia, CEO Peter Bellew told Reuters in Dubai.

"I hope Alitalia stays in business but it doesn't look good to me today. I think it's hard to see how they are going come back from the pressure they are sitting on at the moment," he said.

An Alitalia spokesman declined to comment.

Malaysia Airlines is emerging from a turnaround after suffering two tragedies in 2014, when flight MH370 from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing disappeared in what remains a mystery, and then flight MH17 from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur was shot down over eastern Ukraine.

Its load factors - or how full its planes are - averaged around 80 percent in the three months to March 31, Bellew said.

Malaysia Airlines wants to lease between six and eight A330s or Boeing 777s for use from 2018 and a further seven to nine from 2019, he said, expecting to finalise most of those deals in the next four to six weeks.

This is an increase on the six for 2018 and six for 2019 he told Reuters last month he was interested in.

"The world really is awash right now" Bellew said with regard to spare widebody aircraft, adding that he also saw opportunities to take aircraft from Middle East carriers.

"There are really good deals out there at the moment. It's a buyer's market right now."

Bellew also said he planned to make a decision on an order for 30-35 new Airbus A330neo or Boeing 787-9 widebody planes in the next four to six months to replace existing aircraft in its fleet from the end of 2019.

"If the prices are good ... we will do an order," he said. "But they need to sharpen their pencils because they are still unrealistic with the pricing in the current market."

Malaysia Airlines would look for more leases if it doesn't get the pricing it wants, he said.

It could also convert or add to an existing order for 25 of Boeing's new generation 737 MAX 8 narrowbody aircraft or the proposed bigger MAX 10 version currently being offered informally to the market by the U.S. planemaker.

Bellew did not say how many could be ordered or when a decision might be made.

Industry sources said on Tuesday that Boeing was nearing a decision to launch the MAX 10 plane at the Paris Airshow in June.

Malaysia Airlines plans to trim its narrowbody fleet to between 35 and 40 aircraft from 54 currently and increase its number of widebodies from 15 to 35.

The airline is aiming for a return to profitability by 2018 and stock market listing in March the following year.

Bellew said he believed a majority of the airline would be listed. (Reporting by Alexander Cornwell in Dubai; Additional reporting by Agnieszka Flak in Milan; Editing by Mark Potter, Greg Mahlich)
NAIROBI, April 26 (Reuters) - Burundi has blocked a World Food Programme (WFP) convoy originating in Rwanda from entering the country, citing security concerns, the WFP said on Wednesday.

The WFP denied its 10-truck convoy posed a security risk, saying it was carrying food for Congolese refugees in Burundi among others.

The neighbouring African states fell out after Burundi's President Pierre Nkurunziza ran for a third term in April 2015, with Burundi accusing Rwanda of interfering in its political affairs.

Burundian government forces have clashed with protesters and rebels who say the president violated the constitution by standing for the third term.

Burundi has also accused its neighbour of hosting armed groups seeking to destabilise Nkurunziza's government and seize power, causing friction that interfered with cross-border trade.

Pierre Nkurikiye, spokesman for Burundi's police, said the WFP convoy was stopped at the Gisenyi border point last Friday for security reasons. He did not give further details.

Peter Smerdon, a spokesman for the WFP, rejected Nkurikiye's security claims, saying the WFP was a neutral agency that offered food assistance where it is required.

"It was a regular shipment of food from Rwanda into Burundi, where it would have fed some 112,000 people including Congolese refugees and other food insecure people," Smerdon told Reuters.

The convoy turned back on Tuesday and it arrived in Rwanda's capital Kigali on Wednesday morning, he said.

Smerdon said the 300 metric tonnes of food in the convoy had been bought by the agency from one of their regular Rwandan suppliers.

"We explained the food was not a contribution from the Rwandan government but was being bought by the WFP from a Rwandan supplier in line with previous practice," he said, adding the shipments had been happening regularly.

Burundi has not experienced the sort of food shortages faced by other nearby states like South Sudan, but there were pockets of need such as among the refugees drawn from the conflict in neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo, which require assistance from the WFP. (Reporting by Duncan Miriri)
KATHMANDU, April 26 (Reuters) - The body of a 19-year-old Taiwanese woman hiker, who went missing in northwest Nepal in early March, was discovered on Wednesday and brought to Kathmandu, a hiking official said.

Her 21-year old boyfriend was found alive and was picked up by a rescue helicopter from the foot of Ganesh Himal in northwest Nepal where they were trekking, said Ang Tshering Sherpa, chief of the Nepal Mountaineering Association.

"He told us that he survived on snow and water as well as some salt he was carrying," Sherpa told Reuters by phone.

Reuters could not independently verify details from the hiker.

Sherpa said rescuers had sent the woman's body to a hospital in Kathmandu for a post-mortem. Other details of the trekkers were not immediately available.

Tens of thousands of foreign hikers, who visit Nepal every year for trekking in the Himalayas, are a key source of income in the cash-strapped nation, home to Mount Everest. (Reporting by Gopal Sharma; Editing by Ken Ferris)
ABUJA, April 26 (Reuters) - A meningitis outbreak in Nigeria has killed 813 people so far this year, the country's health minister said, as Africa's most populous country and aid organisations attempt to tackle the surge in infections.

The government on Wednesday approved a house-to-house search in northern Nigeria to identify those afflicted with meningitis for vaccination and treatment, Isaac Adewole told reporters after a cabinet meeting under vice president Yemi Osinbajo.

The West African nation in April launched a mass vaccination campaign as part of its emergency response to the outbreak in its northwestern states, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has said.

The NCDC said the infection killed 33 people in 2016.

More than 2,000 people died from an outbreak of the disease in Nigeria in 2009, with basic healthcare limited in rural parts of the country, where most people live on less than $2 a day, despite the country's huge oil resources.

Meningitis is the inflammation of tissue surrounding the brain and spinal cord which can be caused by viral or bacterial infections. It spreads mainly through kisses, sneezes, coughs and in close living quarters.

The NCDC is working with the World Health Organisation, the U.N's Children's Fund and Medecins Sans Frontieres, also known as Doctors Without Borders, to try to control the outbreak. (Reporting by Felix Onuah; Writing by Chijioke Ohuocha; Editing by Ken Ferris)
By Tim Cocks and Saliou Samb

CONAKRY, April 26 (Reuters) - Guinea will not accept any major changes to the terms of the Simandou iron ore project that Chinalco bought from Rio Tinto, including building a 650-km railway rather than taking a shorter route via its neighbours, the mines minister said on Wednesday.

"We have no intention of changing the fundamentals," mines minister Abdoulaye Magassouba told Reuters in an interview at his office in the capital Conakry.

"Effectively we want the same deal as with Rio. If they want some reasonable changes at the margin, that's something we could look at."

Rio had a 46.6 percent stake in two of the four blocks that make up Simandou, while state-owned Chinese metals producer Chinalco had 41.3 percent and the Guinea government 7.5 percent.

The other two blocks are fully owned by Guinea but mired in litigation between the state and mining company BSG Resources.

In October, Rio announced it had signed a preliminary deal to sell its Simandou stake to Chinalco, injecting impetus into the long-stalled scheme.

Simandou is one of the world's biggest high-quality iron ore deposits, but taking it in the remote, forested corner of West Africa where it is located and exporting it out of Guinea's coast is a massive undertaking that will cost at least $20 billion in infrastructure upgrades.

The task involves building 650 km (400 miles) of railway, 35 bridges, 24 km of tunnels and a deep sea port, challenges that have led many to conclude that taking a shorter route through neighbouring Liberia or even Ivory Coast would be more viable.

Magassouba said negotiations with Chinalco had not touched on the possibility. He said the railway would revamp Guinea's economy by providing a way of getting other mineral and agricultural products to market, and could double GDP.

"The only option for Simandou is to go through Guinea. A bankable feasibility study has shown that this is profitable," he said. "This is not a subject up for discussion."

He added that Chinalco "have not said, have not insinuated, have not murmured" that they want to do anything that fails to respect the policy of the government, adding that the fiscal terms of the deal were also not up for debate.

It was not immediately possible to reach Chinalco for a reaction.

One major issue has been doubt over demand for iron ore because the steel market is chronically oversupplied due to a massive deposit in Western Australia. However, Chinalco, being Chinese state-owned, is likely to be able to take a longer-term view than a private enterprise, industry insiders say.

Magassouba said in the meantime, the priority was bauxite, the main ore of aluminium, which is profitable and does not require such massive investments. Guinea holds a third of the world's supply.

"Today, the first priority is bauxite. It's what the market wants," he said, adding that Guinea exported 30 million tonnes last year, up from 18 million the previous year.

The country was on track to hit its target of 60 million tonnes by 2020, he said.

(Writing by Tim Cocks; Editing by Dale Hudson)
LONDON, April 26 (Reuters) - A zoo in Austria unveiled a litter of four white tiger cubs to the media on Wednesday.

The cubs were born at the White Zoo - a popular attraction about 150 kilometres (93 miles) outside the capital, Vienna - on March 22, zoo officials told Reuters.

"The length of the birth was about five hours, and they weighed about one kilo(gram) each," director of the White Zoo, Herbert Eder, said.

The litter comprises two male and two female cubs, named Falco, Toto, Mia and Mautzi. They will remain at the zoo for another year, after which they will be donated to other zoos.

White tigers are the result of interbreeding in zoos and are popular with visitors.

Tigers typically give birth to two or three cubs, and quadruplets such as those unveiled on Wednesday are not atypical.

In the wild, tiger numbers are rising after years of decline and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) said there were at least 3,890 last year. (Reporting by Alex Schuller, writing by Mark Hanrahan; Editing by Ken Ferris)
By Stephanie Nebehay

GENEVA, April 26 (Reuters) - The Yemeni government has proposed to the United Nations that it monitors the rebel-held port of Hodeidah to ensure that no arms are smuggled through it, the prime minister said on Wednesday.

A Saudi-led military coalition backing the internationally-recognised government in its war against the Houthi rebels has been preparing an assault on Hodeidah.

U.N. officials and a Russian deputy foreign minister on Tuesday warned against any attack on the Red Sea port, the aid lifeline for a country where millions of people are in desperate need of food to avert famine.

The alliance maintains a near-blockade of Yemen's ports, including Hodeidah, where most cranes have been destroyed by coalition air strikes.

Prime Minister Ahmed Obeid bin Daghr repeated allegations that the Iran-aligned Houthis are smuggling weapons into Yemen through Hodeidah and said his government has proposed that the United Nations supervise the port to head off a possible attack.

He told Reuters in Geneva: "This port has been developed for receiving weapons for the militias. We are taking decisions to finalise what is going on. We don't prefer using force there.

"So it's us who proposed to the United Nations to operate the port and to impose monitoring on the port."

The government had discussed this with U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres at a conferemce of aid donors held to address the humanitarian crisis brought on by the war.

"But we didn't receive a clear answer on this matter," he said.

A U.N. spokeswoman in Geneva had no immediate information.

The United Nations says two-thirds of Yemen's 26 million people need assistance to avert famine.

The world body announced pledges of $1.1 billion towards its $2.1 billion humanitarian appeal for Yemen this year after the conference held on Tuesday.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), which stopped using Hodeidah port in February, is bringing supplies by sea from Oman to Aden and "testing" land routes from Oman, ICRC regional director Robert Mardini told Reuters on Wednesday.

It has coalition permission to fly supplies into Sanaa airport, closed to commercial flights, he said. The government is based in Aden while the Houthis hold the capital Sanaa.

The ICRC is supporting Al-Mansoura hospital in Aden, which has treated 5,000 critically wounded people so far this year, and is sending a surgical team to expand capacity, Mardini said.

Bin Daghr said the Houthis were holding nearly 3,000 detainees, including journalists and activists, and that the government wanted independent monitoring of their conditions.

The ICRC is seeking access from both sides to allow it to visit detainees held in connection with the conflict.

"We are getting many requests from families," Mardini said. "We have some worrying reports."

But both sides have demanded that the other side first allow ICRC to see its detainees, he said. (Reporting by Stephanie Nebehay; Editing by Angus MacSwan)
By Alison Frankel

NEW YORK, April 26 (Reuters) - According to the White House, U.S. District Judge William Orrick of San Francisco imperiled the safety of untold innocent Americans on Tuesday, when the judge issued a nationwide injunction barring enforcement of President Trumps Jan. 25 executive order to withhold federal funds from so-called sanctuary cities.

"This San Francisco judge's erroneous ruling is a gift to the criminal gang and cartel element in our country, empowering the worst kind of human trafficking and sex trafficking, and putting thousands of innocent lives at risk," the White House said in a statement decrying Judge Orricks decision, which came in a constitutional challenge to the executive order by San Francisco and Santa Clara county.

By striking down enforcement of the order, the White House suggested, the judge has allowed officials of jurisdictions that disagree with the federal governments immigration policies to carry "the blood of dead Americans on their hands."

Yet according to the Justice Department lawyers who defended President Trumps executive order in court earlier this month, the executive order was really nothing more than a rhetorical device.

THE BULLY PULPIT

The administrations lawyers told Judge Orrick at oral arguments on April 14 that the executive order was just meant "to highlight to the country" that the president cares a lot about enforcing immigration laws.

"It's certainly a broad policy statement," said Acting Assistant Attorney General Chad Readler. "And, certainly, executives and all political leaders use the bully pulpit to encourage compliance with policy directives that they think are important."

Even the Justice Departments response to Judge Orricks ruling suggests DOJ isnt too worried about the injunction. "The department will continue to enforce existing grant conditions," the DOJ statement said.

"The order does not purport to enjoin the departments independent legal authority to enforce the requirements of federal law applicable to communities that violate federal immigration law."

So: The president believes his executive order was a critical and lawful weapon to force sanctuary cities to bow to the administration, stanching the flow of American blood spilled by the illegal immigrants.

But as I read the transcript of the oral argument on the injunction, the Justice Department believes the executive order was little more than political grandstanding - and that the executive branch doesnt have a constitutional right to wield Congress-approved federal funding to states and cities as a bludgeon to beat them into compliance with its policies.

Thats a deep divide, with real costs to the credibility of the Justice Department. Of course, theres always a disconnect between what politicians tell the public and what lawyers tell judges.

Moreover, as Ill explain, the Justice Departments legal strategy in the sanctuary jurisdiction injunction case more or less required DOJ lawyers to minimize the potential impact of the executive order.

But that strategy blew up because Judge Orrick opted to take President Trump and Attorney General Jeff Sessions at their word, despite the Justice Departments attempt to refocus the judge on the literal language of the order.

The judge called DOJs argument "not legally plausible" in the face of public statements by Trump and the AG. Thats a gloomy portent for a Justice Department that will continually have to ask federal judges to disregard the presidents words as they consider his policies.

The big constitutional question in the sanctuary cities case was whether the executive branch can withhold or even claw back federal money from jurisdictions that disobey the presidents directives to cooperate with federal immigration authorities.

According to San Francisco, Santa Clara and scores of other jurisdictions that filed amicus briefs in the California case or have challenged the Trump executive order in their own suits, the executive order threatens billions of dollars in federal funding for everything from public health and social services to law enforcement and infrastructure.

They claim the order violates a host of constitutional protections, including the Fifth Amendment, the 10th Amendment and basic separation-of-powers principles.

Among other constitutional deficiencies, the suits allege, the executive order impinges on congressional power because it attempts to place new restrictions on funds allocated by Congress.

Santa Claras lawyers at Keker Van Nest & Peters were the first to ask for a preliminary injunction to bar the Trump administration from enforcing the executive order. San Francisco soon followed.

"VERY SMALL MONEY"

The Justice Department chose to sidestep the merits of the constitutional issues in its opposition to the preliminary injunction. Instead, the government argued that the California jurisdictions havent suffered any harm from the not-yet-implemented executive order so their suits must be dismissed.

DOJs brief also claimed the order imposed no additional restrictions on federal funding to sanctuary jurisdictions. DOJ said the Trump order "does nothing more than direct enforcement of preexisting duties under federal law."

That was a cramped interpretation of the order, but the government offered an even more restrictive view of the scope of the directive at the April 14 oral argument.

Acting Assistant AG Readler said the actual language of the executive order threatened to cut off not a broad swath of federal funds, as hypothesized by San Francisco and Santa Clara, but only a small category of Justice Department and Homeland Security grants that are already conditioned on cooperation with immigration authorities.

The order affects just "a very narrow range of funding," Readler said. "Very, very small money."

Readler had two very good reasons to argue that the executive order implicated only grants that already require cities and countries to assist immigration officials. The argument allowed the Justice Department to claim the executive order didnt violate separation-of-powers doctrine because it didnt add to funding restrictions imposed by Congress.

And by minimizing the potential impact of the order, Readler strengthened the governments assertion that San Francisco and Santa Clara werent entitled to an injunction because they couldnt show they would be irreparably harmed by enforcement of the funding provision.

STRAINING PLAUSIBILITY

Lawyers for San Francisco and Santa Clara insisted the Justice Departments argument made no sense: Why would the president need to issue an executive order to enforce authority he already has? When Judge Orrick asked DOJ lawyer Readler that question, Readler gave his "bully pulpit" answer.

Santa Clara lawyer John Keker said he suspected a different motive behind the DOJ argument. "The reading that they are giving is something I'm sure that some very wise lawyers who know the Constitution in the Department of Justice Civil Division say, `Here's something that maybe we could defend if somebody ever did it," Keker said. "But it is not this executive order."

Judge Orrick, as I mentioned, agreed with Keker that DOJs argument strained plausibility. Justices interpretation of the executive order "renders (it) toothless," the judge wrote.

And while he said it was "heartening" that the government opted not to assert constitutionally infirm executive branch powers, the judge said DOJs reading of Trumps order did not match its depiction by the president and AG Sessions.

"The president has called it `a weapon to use against jurisdictions that disagree with his preferred policies of immigration enforcement," the judge wrote. "The Attorney General has warned that jurisdictions that do not comply ... would suffer `withholding grants, termination of grants, and disbarment or ineligibility for future grants, and the `claw back of any funds previously awarded."

The White House statement on the ruling said in its very first sentence that Judge Orrick "unilaterally rewrote immigration law for our nation," a comment that is hard to square with the judges actual decision, which explicitly said the ruling "does not affect the ability of the Attorney General or the Secretary (of Homeland Security) to enforce existing conditions of federal grants."

The White House statement also doesnt align with the Justice Departments argument that the executive order was only intended to highlight Trumps policy of enforcing existing law. Both Judge Orrick and the Justice Department said the injunction ruling does not change the executive branchs power over immigration law.

"There's a lot about the White House's statement that doesn't make sense," said Santa Clara lawyer Cody Harris in an email. "In court, the Department of Justice lawyers interpreted the executive order to mean basically nothing ... But the White House now says that a judicial order holding the federal government to its own interpretation will cause Americans to die. There's no way to square the administration's bellicose public statements with its own litigation position."

President Trump said he intends to fight for his sanctuary cities order all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. Sometime before the case gets there, the White House and the Justice Department ought to put their heads together to figure out what theyre fighting for.

The Justice Department did not respond to my request for comment. (Reporting by Alison Frankel. Editing by Alessandra Rafferty.)
TEGUCIGALPA, April 26 (Reuters) - The murder rate in Honduras, one of the most violent countries in the Americas, dropped slightly last year compared to 2015, a respected local think tank said on Wednesday.

The murder rate dropped to 59.1 murders per 100,000 people last year, down from 60 per 100,000 in 2015, according to the Observatory of Violence at the National Autonomous University of Honduras. The Observatory attributed the slight decrease to a rise in Honduras' population.

The think tank recorded 5,150 murders last year, two more than in 2015.

In 2012, Honduras was the world's most murderous nation, with a rate of 90.4 per 100,000.

Since taking office in early 2014, President Juan Hernandez has deployed a new military police force to combat organized crime, and has increased the defense budget.

The Observatory's director, Migdonia Ayestas, said the Honduran government should seek new strategies other than using the military to tackle the scourge of gang murders. (Reporting by Gustavo Palencia; Editing by Jonathan Oatis)
Senior Lecturer in Law at the Open University of Sri Lanka Raja Gunaratne, in an interview with Dailymirror, says the OHCHR report entails grave danger for the country. He says it is baffling to see the government co-sponsoring the UNHRC resolution as no responsible state would do so in any part of the world. Mr. Gunaratne, as a legal academic with a nationalist bent, played a key role drafting a report countering the allegations against the military in the OHCHR report. That report was presented to the UNHRC by former MP Sarath Weerasekara. He shared the following:

Q What compelled you to compile this report?

The simple reason is that the OHCHR report is very serious. It makes very serious allegations against our armed forces. The question is that such a serious report of that magnitude has been just ignored by the incumbent government and its officials without countering or answering the charges levelled against the armed forces. Therefore, as responsible citizens of this country who received free education, we felt obliged that we should respond to those allegations.

QHow serious are these allegations?

This report is called OISL- Office of High Commissioners Investigation into Sri Lanka. This report is the result of the resolution 25/1 passed by the UNHRC in March 26, 2014 directing the High Commissioner for Human Rights to undertake a comprehensive investigation into serious violations and abuses of human rights and related crimes alleged to have been committed by our armed forces. On this direction, the Office of High Commissioner of Human Rights started investigations on July 1, 2014 and continued until September, 2015. The report makes 11 allegations of which, seven are against the armed forces. The allegations against armed forces include unlawful killings, violations related to deprivation of liberty, torture, sexual and gender based violence, the impact of hostilities on civilians and civilian objects like shelling on hospitals, indiscriminate shelling and enforced disappearances etc.



Another serious allegation is the denial of humanitarian assistance-medical and food stuff to the internally displaced persons housed in various camps, towards the end of the last phase of humanitarian operations. The report also makes certain allegations against the LTTE. They are abductions, forced recruitments, the use of children and controlling the movement of people living in enclosures etc. When the report was handed over to the UNHRC,the Sri Lankan government sent a reply - a strange reply - saying that it accepts the report since paragraph 5 in part 1 of the report says that it is not a criminal investigation.



For such a huge report consisting of three parts and nineteen chapters in 262 pages, the government has sent a terse response saying that it accepts it. It is in this context that we felt we should counter these allegations. If you look at the recommendations of the report, there are 39 of them; you would realize the gravity of this matter. Especially, the recommendation No 20 and 36 make it ample clear that it is not only a mere fact finding investigation. Although it is a preliminary investigation in nature, the recommendations make it abundantly clear that on the basis of its findings criminal investigation under universal jurisdiction can be initiated. For example the recommendation 20 says, Adopt specific legislations establishing an ad-hoc hybrid special court integrating international judges, prosecutors, and investigators mandated to try war crimes and crimes against humanity including sexual crimes and crime committed against children.



This stance is further expanded and strengthened under recommendation 36 which provides that Whenever possible notably under universal jurisdiction, investigate and prosecute those allegedly responsible for violations such as torture, war crimes and crimes against humanity. Therefore, there is not an iota of doubt about what the report recommended and what the UNHRC has in its collective minds. Yet, what is more baffling is that the government accepted the report and the resolution based on appreciation. Then, subsequent to this report, the UNHRC passed another resolution. That resolution was sponsored by the United States of America. That resolution incorporates all the recommendations of the OISL report.



The government co-sponsored it. It is like an innocent person offering the sword to the executioner to behead him.



In this context, now, the government is completely bound to implement and enforce the obligations arising under this resolution. The government lost the grip and the principled stance which it strongly maintained previously with the support of friendly countries. So, in that context, the government has no options but to implement the resolution obligations. Accordingly, the government took several measures to implement these obligations. They enacted the OMP Act. That is a part and parcel of these recommendations. Also, they ratified the International Convention on Enforced Disappearances. That ratification was done completely against the procedure. Not a single translated copy of this convention was tabled in Parliament. Our legislators never knew what it is and the gravity of this process and the danger it poses on us.



Another measure the government took was the appointment of eleven member Consultative Task Force on Reconciliation Mechanism. This task force filed its final report in which they endorsed the recommendation of establishing hybrid court with foreign judges and prosecutors. So, you can see the direction where this entire process heading and its end result.

QAs for this Office of Missing Persons Act, the government says there is no criminal liability arising from findings under it. What is your view?

It is a very flimsy argument put out by the government without analysing its provisions with the contents of the Convention of Enforced Disappearances. Very clearly, the OMP Act says that the provisions of Evidence Ordinance do not apply. It says priority should be given to investigations into cases of missing persons in the northern and eastern provinces. The officials attached to this office have all the powers to enter into any premises, any establishment, police, and armed forces and investigate any officers and obtain any records, documents etc. Even on hearsay evidence, they can commence an investigation. That is like starting investigations based on rumours and gossip. Therefore, under no circumstances, it can be expected that such investigations and its findings would be of any benefit to our country or the armed forces. The real objective of this legislation is to attribute blame to the armed forces and punish them. Once investigation starts, they can come out with findings that are always in favour of complainants. Ultimately, action can be taken against the so-called culprits later. If somebody says that criminal liability cannot be imposed, that maybe due to lack of understanding about the OISL report and international law. In fact, under the relevant articles in the Rome Statute, even non signatory party to the Rome Statute can also be tried and punished under universal jurisdiction if the matter was referred to ICC by UN Security Council etc. Also, under Article 9 (2) of the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearances, any state party to the convention can exercise its jurisdiction whenever an offender of another country (even non state party) appears in its territory.This means, whenever members of our armed forces or political leadership visit any such country, that country can exercise jurisdiction over them and if that country is a state party to Rome Statute, they can be handed over to that country to be tried under ICC etc.



Also, under Article 12(3) of the Rome Statute, a non-state can accept the jurisdiction of the ICC by lodging a declaration of acceptance of ICC jurisdiction, and then also ICC can exercise jurisdiction over nationals of non-state party. Although Sri Lanka is not a party to Rome Statute, the way how the incumbent government acts, no one can rule out the possibility of accepting the ICC jurisdiction in this manner and thereby subjecting our members of armed forces into ICC jurisdiction. So, you can see there are many possibilities that action can be taken against armed forces and Sri Lanka under international human rights law, international criminal law and international humanitarian law.

QThere is yet another bill now before Parliament to give effect to the International Convention to Protect All Persons from Enforced Disappearances. How do you juxtapose it with the OMP Act?

All these are interconnected. So, there is not an iota of opportunity for any suspects accused of these allegations to escape. They just become mere victims because of these one sided legislations. Sri Lanka signed the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearances in 2015 and ratified in 2016. So now, in order to give effect to the treaty within local jurisdiction, government intends to pass this Act. It is another treacherous act that this government is trying to do to tighten the noose on armed forces. The members of the parliament with conscience must take all possible measures to prevent the passage of this law.

QThe government always says there is nothing to worry for military personnel if they have not done anything wrong in the conduct of the war. What is your response?

I must say there are philosophical poverty, ideological paucity and practical immaturity in this argument. Before I answer your question, I must say what the British Prime Minister is supposed to have said at a recent meeting with the top commanders. The British Army has been accused by the ICC for killing about 1,200 civilians in Iraq. The allegation is now being investigated by ICC. In this backdrop, new British PM Theresa May came to power. Now the matter is before her. She was quoted to have said at that meeting that she would not allow any person to abuse UN human rights or legal mechanism to level unfounded allegations against UK armed forces. That is the stand of her government; a response from a responsible Head of State. When coming back to your question, who are those people who say there is nothing to worry if nothing wrong has been done. Anywhere in the world, things that could happen could be distorted, used by the interested parties to make a case in their own favour by abusing the legal system. Human rights are now an industry. In every legal system, we find loopholes. Any person who wants to creep through these loopholes can do so making arguments and defences.



That is why, we have two lawyers appearing for both sides. It is the sitting judge who decides on the basis of evidence. If the law is perfect, there will be no need for two lawyers. Judge alone can decide. Law is not perfect. There are gaps. Through these gaps, any person can make bogus allegations. They can even manufacture evidence. The good example is the recent judgment by UK appeal court dismissing an appeal by a Tamil LTTE supporter. It has revealed that he has consented to a doctor to burn him by a hot iron to make case for torture by the armed forces. So, this is only one case, how many Tamils would have claimed the refugee status in those developed countries by manufacturing evidence of this nature and in this manner with the collusion of NGOs? This in fact is a lucrative business. The countries like Sri Lanka can easily become victims as we do not have sufficient resources to counter such moves. If everything is run perfectly, there is nothing for us to worry. We know how the UN system is abused by the super powers for their own benefit. That is the reason for the British PM to say that she will not allow her forces to be victims of the abusers of UN human rights legal mechanisms.

QThere are varying figures about the number of civilian casualties. There is an allegation against the military in the UNHRC report. In your view, how legitimate is the charge against the military?

You know, the number wise, there are different figures. Earlier, it was said 100,000. Later, it came down to 40,000 etc. A few weeks ago, the Amnesty International came here and had a press conference. Director General of Amnesty International (AI) disputed those figures. He even admitted that figures given in their report too is not correct. In our report also, we disputed these figures saying they were not factually correct. Under the International Humanitarian Law, there is no provision prohibiting wars. What it does is the regulation of the conduct of the war. You can conduct the war. But, the manner in which you conduct is managed by law. If you conduct your military operations according to rules and principles, under the Humanitarian Law and International Law, the death of civilians during an armed conflict , no matter how grave and regrettable, does not constitute a crime, even any number provided that you keep to the principles of proportionality, distinction, etc.

The International Humanitarian Law and the International law on war permit to carry out proportionate attacks against the military objectives even if it is known that some civilian deaths or injuries will occur. It is proportionality what matters. You have a higher military objective, to achieve that, if it is known to military personnel that higher number of civilians is going to be killed yet taking all precautionary measures to mitigate the impact such as prior notice, evacuation etc, it is permissible. If higher number of civilians is killed to achieve a small military objective, then, it will be against the principle of proportionality. During the last phase of internal armed conflict that we had in Sri Lanka here, LTTE deliberately drove a large number of persons to be entrapped in a narrow strip of land and LTTE used them as a human shield. To save these people, the military carried out humanitarian operation. Is it unlawful?Is it not the official duty of any legitimate armed forces in any sovereign country is bound to do? Is it not the same legitimate duty that US Navy SEALs carried on through covert operations to capture Osama bin Laden, and killed him together with several unarmed civilians including women? Why OHCHR did not conduct an investigation into these killings or operations? So, those are the pertinent questioned to be raised by any rational person in anywhere in the world demanding replies from UN Human Rights bodies. In case of Sri Lankan conflict, how many unarmed civilians including women and children were killed by LTTE in every parts of the country? Are those not deliberate and intentional killings? The LTTE killed their own civilians as well. LTTE installed weapons in and around no-fire zone and fired from this area towards armed forces violating the principles of IHL. So, those facts speak for themselves.

QWhen there is firing by both sides to the war, how can one party be implicated then?

That is the whole issue. The government forces have taken all precautionary measures possible during that time. The LTTE installed its weapons in and close to the no-fire zone. The LTTE fired at the military from no-fire zone. It is very clear that it is the LTTE who used this zone to carry out operations whereas the governments intention was to create a safer place for people to be evacuated. So, according to principles of IHL, as long as proportionality and distinction is complied with and there is no intentionally targeted killing, no party can be made liable. Of course there is another principle called collateral damage that also can be used to justify the damages.

QWhen it comes to accountability issues, there are some high profile cases. It is alleged that some LTTE leaders were handed over to the military, and after that, they went missing. How do you counter that allegation?

Handing over is not a single handed action. It is always a two-way transaction. It means one party hands over and another party accepts. So, before handing over, somebody from the LTTE side might have contacted someone with command responsibility in the military. That has to be established first. It is a war situation. It could be a ploy to enter into this side to carry out bomb explosion. Therefore, in surrendering, someone with authority in the LTTE should have contacted the military authorities. Until that happens, any information related to surrendering should be construed as a ploy. When considering these high profile cases, we have to ask who surrendered to whom. First of all, that contact points should be established. The OISL report does not give any credible evidence on that allegation too. Of course in some allegations, report says evidence is in the file but file is not available for independent scrutiny.

The other allegation is depriving civilians of food and medical needs. That is a serious allegation. We looked at all the evidence in the report. We compared this evidence with what we could gather. In coming to that finding, they have counted on evidential information gathered from various sources such as reports published by the NGOs and other civil society organizations, information given by UN officials, staff members, information given to investigators by victims etc. Victims are direct stakeholders of the conflict but who those informant victims were; remain undisclosed in the report, so they could be anyone. If they cannot disclose their identity due to fears, they still can use various new techniques to disclose parts of their verbal evidence. So, if you look at the type of evidence they used to substantiate the allegations, it is clear that they are indirect evidence coming from third parties. Basically, it is hearsay evidence.

QWhat are the implications arising from the governments decision to co-sponsor this resolution?

It is a tragedy and a colossal diplomatic blunder. The whole issue is not human rights or war crimes. It is a game of global power politics. You know that western forces vehemently pressurized the Sri Lankan government at the heat of the operations to halt the operations. However, government had a well-established policy against the LTTE terrorism and well-balanced diplomacy; especially with India. The western powers directly influenced the government demanding to stop the operations because LTTE was one of the powerful agents of those forces. So, those forces and their sub-agents who run the UN show in human rights bodies, having planted their puppet government in Sri Lanka,went against the previous government by passing those resolutions for not heeding them, and killing their most favoured agent in the south-east Asian region. They had a grand strategy according to which they would have come to an understanding with the would- be- rulers in Sri Lanka to prosecute the military and political leaders when there were planted at the helm of political authority. The evidence to this effect is given by none other than the former vice president of USA.In such a pre-planned grand strategy, would you think that the incumbent government would not co-sponsor the resolution tabled by their grand master? This is what they are doing now. So, in order to keep this government in power, the western forces gave them a period of relax until the next election due in 2020.

QHow do you see the proposed hybrid judicial mechanism?

Nowhere in the world, has a responsible government agreed to this kind of mechanism. Our country has been endowed with a well established judiciary. What those forces seem to say is that our judiciary is not impartial enough to determine those cases. It implies that they know, they cannot get the type of judgments they want from our judiciary but, surely, under a hybrid court where foreign nationals chosen by them would sit as judges would do what they want. In fact, our judiciary has acted impartially and independently when this kind of matters came before it. For example, consider the Krishathi Kumaraswamy rape and murder case; five members of armed forces were accused and the case was heard by the courts and they were found guilty and punished.

Take another example of clearing lodges in Colombo city due to the fact that they were used by terrorists as transit houses. When FR petitions were filed, court granted reliefs to the affected parties. Look at the way how the powerful countries handled war crime allegations against their armed forces.

On, February 7, 2002, the US presidential memorandum authorized US interrogators of prisoners captured during the war in Afghanistan to deny the prisoners basic protections required by the Geneva Conventions. That amounts to a war crime. Accordingly, the US personnel carried out cruel and inhumane treatment on captured enemy fighters as it was sanctioned by the presidential order. It is a deliberate and intentional plan to commit war crimes sectioned by the top political authority. A case was filed against the then secretary of state. US Attorney General Alberto Gonzales argued in that case (Hamdan v. Rumsfeld) that detainees should be considered as unlawful combatants and as such not protected by Geneva Conventions and therefore cannot be prosecuted under the domestic War Crimes Act either. The U.S. Supreme Court held that Common Article 03 of the Geneva Conventions applies to detainees in Guantanamo Bay and that the military tribunals used to try these suspects were in violation of U.S. and international law. So, what happened after this ruling? They passed another law called Military Commissions Act of 2006 and abolished the War Crimes Act shutting all chances of detainees to challenge the crimes committed against them. This is how a Head of Sate and commander-in-Chief protects the armed forces that defended the nation against internal and external aggression. What reminds me in this context is the poem supposed to have been written by a great Buddhist monk Ven. Kunkunawe during the British colonial period depicting the anguish of the people over the absence of competent protector king to guard over the people at that cruel time of the Sri Lankan history. So, that history repeats now.

QNow the resolution has been passed by the UNHRC. What is the way for Sri Lanka to get over this?

Well, I think, government should muster the support of all friendly nations that helped us previously to get the UNHRC to convince the impropriety of OISL report and its recommendations. So, the government should try to revisit report and the resultant resolutions.
The Hambantota Port development deal was frowned upon as a loss-making venture during the previous government. With China gaining prosperity over Sri Lanka, the Port too would fall in to their hands as means of development. Major changes were done to this deal including bringing down the 199 year lease to 50-70 years and giving only 60% of shares to the Chinese company. In addition to that, India has shown an interest in commencing operations on the Trincomalee Port Development deal. In a candid interview with the Daily Mirror, Minister of Ports and Shipping Arjuna Ranatunga sheds light on the privatisation of the Port and matters arising from these

said deals.

Excerpts:

QWhat is the current status of the Hambantota deal and what benefits are expected by handing the majority of shares to the Chinese?

The initial agreement we had from the Secretarys committee was not a document we saw nor agreed to. After that we started changing that. Then after the cabinet appointed a ministerial committee, we gave in our opinions, spoke about the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) Act and the law of the country. By doing that, we have achieved approximately 60-65% of what we wanted by including our requirements in to the present document and also removing several clauses out of it. The national security is under the purview of the government and the SL Navy will get involved with the SLPA security. The biggest achievement was that after 199 years, we were supposed to buy back. But I dont think even the Treasury would have funds to buy back because Hambantota might end up as one of the best Ports in the world. But now we could ask them to hand over and this is a huge achievement for us. Instead of this time period, the President insists that it should be 50 years. My other concern was that there need not be a private ports authority. Most of these have been agreed to by the committee but I am waiting till I get the final document, so that I would be able to present it to Parliament and ultimately the cabinet would take a decision.

Q The Hambantota Port was making crippling losses and it was mentioned that 80% of its stake would be transferred to the Chinese company. But why was this percentage reduced?

They can run a terminal because they are investing money, however, the Port should be run by the SLPA. If we give this particular excuse for them to create another ports authority, then the SLPA would be in trouble and subsequently all ports would have their own authorities. This would be a threat to the SLPA and that is the biggest concern I have.

Q What is the current status of the Hambantota Port? Would it step on to a progressive path?

We have put some tenders out and for bunkering we received around 20 proposals, for the land and port industrial area, we have got another 20 proposals. But we had to halt because the PM discussed this with his Chinese counterpart or the President in order to get rid of the loan. The option given to us was to take equity but they would be insufficient to clear the loan. That was when this proposal came in and initially two companies have given in theirs. They should have given those two proposals to the SLPA because they were the ones who knew about the functions of the Port. Instead they handed them over to the Secretarys committee which led to failure.

Q The Chinese have started taking over local businesses and projects. Why cant mega deals such as this be handed over to local investors?

The fact is that it is a huge investment made by the Chinese costing up to USD 1.4 billion.

I dont think anybody would pool in so much money even for equity. But I personally feel that if we give an opportunity to Sri Lankans to be a part of this, I am sure there are many who would be willing to contribute. That is the reason why I say that we should concentrate on the Port services and give them the terminal. This system has been implemented at the Colombo Port during CBKs and MRs regimes. Protecting the Port will be the biggest achievement we would have.

Q Earlier this month you mentioned that the SLPA has faced many issues due to privatisation. Why should it be done so?

I always say that if an institution is running at a loss, getting an investor and salvaging it for 33 or 50 years, is not a bad option. But when organisations are running on profit, private investors need not be involved. If we have our own money, if we can manage and get the business, then it is something we need to take positively. It would in turn beneficial to the government and the people.

Q So, is it still going to be privatised?

I am allowing an investor to come in and run a terminal. After a certain period of time, I will allow him to hand it back. But the Port functions and Port services should be done by the SLPA.

Q The JCT Oil Bank for instance has enhanced its profits by 114 % in 2016. Shouldnt other local bodies too be encouraged to make profits so as to retain them within the country without having to sell them off?

It is all up to the workforce in this institution. Workers and officials can work together and run it properly. It is all about how you manage the institution. When compared to 2015, the SLPA made Rs.11 billion profits and the Oil Bank made 114% profits. We cut down on unnecessary expenditure and we stopped people who were earning money through rackets and got it legalized. For example, take the Lorries and containers, the registration fee for these vehicles were Rs.350 but to get a registered licence you may have to give money under the table, but we stopped these kinds of malpractices. They can get it registered by paying a premium of Rs.15,000 - Rs.20,000. We are using old machinery but still improved our efficiency. The private terminal on the other hand has new cranes which could perform better.

Q India is likely to sign the Trincomalee Port development deal. What are your views on this deal?

So far no one has given it to India, but the Indian government is very keen on investing in Trincomalee. But we have selected a company in Singapore to prepare a feasibility report on Trincomalee Port. After that we would have a proper idea as to how we could run it. That would be the next step we will go through. Some European countries, and even Japan has shown an interest in Trincomalee and other Ports in the island, including the Colombo Port.

Q In the case that India starts investing in it, wont there be a risk as they are already eyeing the Northern and Eastern borders of the country?

My major concern is the national security and that was the reason why I objected on some of the issues I saw at the Hambantota Port. The Chinese are running a terminal here, the govt has only two terminals and even the Eastern terminal is very important for us. I think that is where we have the best draft in this port. Bigger ships go to private terminals which cater with bigger drafts in the Port. So we are looking at how we can have a proper stake at the Eastern terminal, if we are to get an investor. This would be very beneficial to the state-owned institutions. But we have to run it as a professional, independent and private-based venture. This means that they should function with the mentality of a privately-owned organization. We spend about 50% of our income to look after the people here. Therefore new employees need to be recruited and we are planning to adopt a system to the new recruits to the SLPA.

Q An eight-member ministerial committee was appointed to decide on LNG plants, refineries and cement plants. What is the purpose and how important are these projects in the current context?

I personally feel that we are late to initiate these projects.

We should have started LNG long time ago. The world is changing from coal to LNG but we are yet to make any progress. Therefore we need to focus on the present global technology, and in that case, we are still lagging behind.

Q There is a speculation about a cabinet reshuffle and that the Ports ministry portfolio too would be changed. What are your comments on this?

I have achieved a lot as the Minister of Ports and Shipping and am still fighting to protect the institutions. We have formed this government to do the right thing and I have done my part during the last two years. If they feel I am not good enough, I prefer to stay at home. I am not a person who has looked at portfolios, and if I see that they are not doing the right thing, I wont find it comfortable with these people. Due to this reason, I was the first man to leave the MR regime when I was a deputy minister. It was quite difficult for us to bring in the two main parties together. There were two instances where we could have brought this country to a different level. That was soon after the Tsunami and the war. But we missed both these opportunities. This is the third and the last opportunity I see where the two major parties have joined hands keeping their political agendas away and focusing on developing the country instead. We can raise a voice even if the President or PM bring in a cabinet paper. That has never happened during the past 10 years.

Q People blame the govt or in fact all the past regimes for not implementing solutions for key issues such as the garbage problem at hand. What is your take on this?

My major worry is that people in this country lost their lives and politicians taking these matters to the stage and trying to capitalise them. That is the worst ever thing I can see in todays political scenario. We had to take some of the blame that should have been vested upon the previous regime. But the major issue was created by the former rulers because it was they who started dumping garbage at Kolonnawa. They never had a proper plan and even if they say that there were so many proposals, why couldnt they implement them during the past nine years? If Gotabhaya Rajapaksa couldnt implement a proposal despite the fact that his brother was President, then there should have been something radically wrong. We must ensure that such a catastrophe will not take place in the future.

Pics by Waruna Wanniarachchi
The Joint Opposition today said that the written assurance given by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe to the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) was misleading and the government would go ahead with the proposed agreement to be signed with India regarding the Trincomalee oil tanks.

JO member MP Udaya Gammanpila told a news briefing that the written assurance given by the Prime Ministers Secretary had not assured that no agreement would be signed regarding the China Bay Oil Tank Farm in Trincomalee during his Indian tour.

In the written assurance, it has only mentioned that they would hold discussions with the CPC prior to the signing of any agreement regarding the Trincomalee oil tanks. So it has already proven that the government will sell these oil tanks to India, he said.

Meanwhile, JO member Pro. Tissa Vitharana said 74 of the Trincomalee oil tanks were already decided to offer to India by the government on a long term lease even though they have continuously said that they would not sell these to India.

JO member MP Dullus Alahapperuma said the country was more important to them than anything else and added that they would stand against any injustice faced by the country.

The selling of Hambantota Port to China was also temporarily halted to a certain extent with the intervention of the people and the joint opposition, he said. (Kalathma Jayawardhane)

Video by Buddhi,Sanjeewa
A former deputy purohita, he once created mayhem in the country.



The rebel-turned politico went out of the public eye after he failed to make it to Diyawanna at the last general poll. He came into limelight again when his wife living in the city made a complaint to Police that her husband had gone missing ever since he left her vowing that he was going to commit suicide.



According to informed sources, the politico was having a fling with a woman in Batticaloa area while running his home in Colombo. Despite the difficulty in shuttling between Colombo and Batticaloa, he had not been able to make up his mind to give up one of them in favour of the other.



Police who launched an investigation into the wifes complaint had traced our worthy to a house in Batticaloa where he was living incognito.



Now the good wife relieved that her husband was among the living was eagerly waiting for his return home, they say.
Amana Takaful PLC ( ATL ) the flag bearer of the Takaful way of insurance in Sri Lanka,came forward to extend much needed advice and direction to their trusted clientele and the general public through their latest CSR initiative.

ATL in association with the Millenium walkers Club of Malambe hosted NirogeeDiviyakaAsiriya, a health clinic that sought to decipher much needed medical and nutritional advice to the public. This health clinic was attended by many health and fitness enthusiasts in and around Malambe and witnessed a large gathering.

The attendees were were briefed on 2 ground breaking medical policies introduced by ATL. The first of those policies explained andgreatly embraced by the public was the Suvasiri Health Insurance Policy which gives coverage of 100,000 rupees for a nominal instalment of just 2,222 Rupees a month. Renowned as a revolutionary health insurance policy this entails the policy holders the benefits of claiming 4,000 rupees a day as room/ward charges for upto maximum of 10 days, hospitalisation fees up to 30,000 rupees as admission, administrative, medical, surgical and consultancy fees, upto 7,500 rupees as theatre charges, upto 25,000 rupees as surgeons fees, Rupees 5,000 as anaesthetic charges, Rupees 5,000 as specialist consultancy charges, maximum of up to 15,000 rupees (for hospital stays exceeding 3 days) and a minimum of 5,000 rupees for specialist services such as scanning, x rays, laboratory charges.etc and rupees 500 a day for hospitalisation at a government hospital up to a maximum of 21 days and rupees 2,000 to purchase medicine from an outside/private pharmacy in case it is required during hospitalisation at a government hospital.

KruthaGuna a pioneering hospitalisation policy meaning gratitude especially designed for Individuals over 55 years by ATL to fulfill a noble responsibility that has that has thus far not been provided for by the insurance industry. This scheme entails the policy holders for an array of benefits including the coverage of hospitalisation charges, ambulance charges, and residential nursing care. Furthermore, this insurance scheme uniquely entails the policy holder the coverage for any pre-existing health conditions that may need continuous treatment from the second year of subscription to the policy onwards.

Also present at the location were CEO, ATL, Mr.Fazal Ghaffoor and President, Millennium Walkers Club, Mr.Damith Jayasinghe and many representatives from both organisations.

ATL continues to be in the forefront of the insurance industry in Sri Lanka and caters to all segments of customers. The Takaful way of insurance operates on the concept of bringing people together to be part of a system that gives them the opportunity to help each other. Since its inception over 17 years ago, Amana Takaful PLCbeen successful in establishing a strong position for the concept of Takaful amidst stiff competition from established conventional players. One of the few ISO-certified insurance providers in Sri Lanka, ATL operates with nearly 30 branches and is set to expand further to better serve customers across the country. ATL continuously reaches out to customers from all segments of society and offers innovative and state-of-the-art insurance products that are convenient, affordable and reliable. As part of its commitment to remain open to all, ATL serves all communities and employs a multi-ethnic team across its network. The company was also recently upgraded by the Lanka Rating Agency to a rating of BBB/P3/Stable and recently achieved ISO 9001:2008 re-certification.
Brandix has been ranked Sri Lankas most valuable export brand for the third consecutive year in the just-released 2017 Brand Finance rankings of the countrys leading brands.

Already rated the countrys top exporter across all sectors, Brandix leads a group ofhighly respected export brands in apparel, IT, tea, manufacturing, processed foods, services and printing, in this years Brand Finance ranking.

According to Brand Finance, the attributes measured for the rankings included a brands corporate vision, reputation and image; leadership and people; degree of innovation and quality consciousness.

The scale or size of the exporter plays a key role in being included in our listing, as it is based on the perceptions of survey respondents who are middle to senior managers in business, Brand Finance said in its segment titled Strongest Export Brands.

Last year, Brandix was declared the countrys largest exporter overall by the Export Development Board (EDB) for 2014 and 2015, thereby confirming the groups position as Sri Lankas top exporter across all industries for the past four years. In all, the group has won 25 Presidential Export Awards to-date.

The pioneer of the concept of total solutions in Sri Lankas apparel sector and a preferred supplier to some of the top retail brands in the US and Europe, Brandix is also a benchmark and international award winner for eco-friendly manufacture and commitment to environmental best practice.
Sri Lankas first-ever country session for its exporters on the historic World Trade Organisations (WTO) Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) will commence in Colombo today.

Global Alliance for Trade Facilitation (GATF) Vice President Donia Hammami and GATF Trade Expert and Senior Advisor Eric Miller are now in Colombo to address the session joined by International Chamber of Commerce Sri Lanka (ICCSL) Chairman Keerthi Gunawardane, Industry and Commerce Minister Rishad Bathiudeen and Economist Subhashini Abeysinghe.

The session is jointly steered by the ICCSL and GATF.

Hammami leads the ICC policy work in Customs and Trade Facilitation at the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), the worlds largest business organisation with a network of over six million members in more than

100 countries.

WTOs TFA, agreed in 2013, was the first multilateral trade agreement since the creation of the WTO in 1995. It came into force this February. The TFA was accepted by 112 member countries including

Sri Lanka.

The focus of the session will be to tell our private sector of the impact of TFA for Sri Lanka and more importantly involve them in going forward,

said Gunawardane.

WTO TFA provides a unique opportunity to promote inclusive growth by making cross-border trade easier, quicker and less costly for businesses of all sizes.
By Shabiya Ali Ahlam

The Global Alliance for Trade Facilitation (GATF) yesterday presented Sri Lanka with a fresh opening to uplift its processes on trading across borders but implied a turnaround must be witnessed in the near future if it is to capitalize on the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

According to the GATF, the Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) provides a vital tool for Sri Lankas ambition to become a regional logistics hub.

The TFA has the potential to greatly enhance the competitiveness of local businesses in the global markets and help cut costs for local consumers.

This agenda is worth your time and investment and calls for highest political will. It is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, so make the best use of it, said GATF Vice President Donia Hammami to a fully-packed audience at the forum, Global Alliance for Trade Facilitation: Making Cross-Border Trade Easier for Sri Lankan Business, held in Colombo yesterday.

The GTFA is a public-private partnership (PPP) for trade-led growth that aims at improving conditions between border authorities, making rules for trading goods more transparent and taking advantage of new technologies in customs procedures. It is said the implementation of the pact would have positive and sustainable effects on the government revenue collection and reducing corruption at borders. The agreement entered into force in February 2017 when two-thirds of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) members ratified the same, making it a binding pact. Sri Lanka was the 81st country to ratify the TFA.

It was elaborated that the implementation of the TFA in Sri Lanka would be a win-win deal for businesses, the government and its residents in general.

A positive for businesses of all sizes, especially small and medium enterprises (SMEs), through enhanced competitiveness and new opportunities, for the government due to higher economic growth, jobs and revenue that would follow and for the citizens due to the creation of new jobs and availability of cheaper goods.

However, it was pointed out that the successful implementation of the common-sense package that aims to tackle all bottlenecks in cross-border trading depends on a number of key factors essential to take into account during policy formation. The GATF asserted greater emphasis must be given on finding the right balance between the customs control and facilitating the import, export and transit of goods. Whilst further work was identified as necessary in reinforcing cooperation between different regulatory agencies, it was stressed it is mandatory to include the private sector in the equation throughout the implementation.

It is important to not work in isolation in the regard. The private sector must be included in each stage of the implementation process as they have an acute understanding of trade barriers which they experience firsthand. What better way to find out issues in the system! said Hammami.

With the agreement being one with teeth, according to the visiting head, Sri Lanka was urged to act fast in setting ambitious but realistic targets. Failing to do so would result in the island nation not being able to progress further and reap the benefits stemming from the agreement. Sri Lanka has already formally notified the WTO of its Category A commitments but its B and C commitments are yet to be submitted to the agency. Although Category A was to be implemented upon entry into force in February 2017, a grace period of two years is applicable, during which the countries cannot be subject to dispute resolution. The GATF states that the implementation of the pact could reduce the WTO members trade by an average of 14.3 percent.

Hammami pointed out that the TFA will be of benefit to all members of the WTO since the costs of implementing the agreement are likely to be far less than the expected benefits from improving the flow of goods across borders.

The TFA is expected to reduce the total trade costs by more than 14 percent for low-income countries, more than 15 percent for lower-middle-income countries and more than 13 percent for upper-middle-income countries.
Around 1,500 petroleum workers could cripple fuel distribution in the country through their strike action. This appeared to have rung alarm bells for the Cabinet Ministers regarding the operation of state affairs smoothly. It became apparent at Tuesdays Cabinet meeting when they remarked that a handful of workers should not be allowed to bring the activities of the government to a standstill in this manner. They floated the idea for a committee involving the military to deal with emergency situations as and when they arise.

President Maithripala Sirisena jumped at the idea. He, in fact, mentioned former Army Commander-turned-Government Minister Sarath Fonseka as the ideal choice to handle such situations. He said it would be ideal if Mr. Fonseka who was adorned with the rank of Field Marshall after the new government came in, could become the Army Commander again, relinquishing his ministerial responsibilities. It was not a serious suggestion but a casual remark. However, he sounded serious about the proposal, that mechanisms should be set in place to deal with emergency situations. So he asked Mr. Fonseka to form a committee, including all the stakeholders such as the military and the police to work in this respect.

Protest marches, public demonstrations and trade union action have become daily occurrences. The government politicians in fact championed such rights of people when they were in the opposition. They cherished what they called freedom of assembly and right to protest at that time. It now looks as if the very same policies had boomeranged on them in governance.

They are now incensed over the endless strike actions and public protests virtually on a daily basis; that they floated the idea for rigid control so that the government could be run without trouble. It was proposed that military personnel should be trained to be deployed for duty as replacements for workers on strike. Such action will not always be practical. It is not possible for military personnel to be alternatives for doctors on strike.

The crux of the matter here, is that the government has begun to feel that the present trend of anti-government protest will spin out of control at one point unless it is stopped right now. Possibly, it might fear a general strike at a critical moment. The government believes that it will be demeaned in the public eye if the trend climaxed into a general strike.

It is true that the government, since its inception in January, 2015, could not pursue its policies as it wished because of protests from different quarters. In the implementation of the provisions of the UNHRC resolution, it could not proceed in the way it intended. It has been unable to wrap up negotiations on the Economic and Technology Cooperation Agreement (ETCA) with India over objections from different quarters.

It has found it difficult to forge ahead with the project to sell off a stake of the Hambantota Port to Chinese Merchants Ports Holding Company. The proposed lease agreement with India for the development of the Trincomalee Oil Tank Farm also evoked protest from petroleum workers, eventually compelling Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe to assure them that he would not sign the deal during his visit to India.

Being compelled to shelve all its passion projects, the government seems to be running out of patience now and contemplates serious action to get its act together. That would have prompted its leaders to contemplate involvement of the military under the guidance of Mr. Fonseka to contain the trend. If the government actually was to act in this regard, it would go against the grain as it was opposed tooth and nail to such involvement whatsoever at that time in the past. Militarization of the state was a major allegation made against the then government by them.

Over the Presidents suggestion in regard to this matter, the Cabinet Ministers exchanged pleasantries coupled with jokes. In fact, Public Administration Minister Ranjith Madduma Bandara proposed to appoint Mr. Fonseka as the Minister of Essential Services.

India eyes key projects in Trincomalee

Tuesdays Cabinet meeting took place against the backdrop of a strike by petroleum workers against the move to hand over the Trincomalee Oil Tank Farm for development by India. Naturally, attention was drawn to the matter.

The strike impacted fuel distribution gravely. However, the Cabinet took up for discussion the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with India to execute a number of projects including the Trinco petroleum project. The Cabinet, in fact, approved the MOU just hours before the Prime Minister headed for New Delhi for talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. President Sirisena, at the Cabinet meeting, stressed that the government should not compromise the promise given to petroleum workers.

According to the MOU, India is keen to secure vital projects in Sri Lanka in the projection of its interests in the region. A Liquefied Natural Gas project, a Solar Plant in Sampur where a coal project was proposed in the past, to set up industrial parks, railway upgrading projects and the development of the Dambulla-Trincomalee expressway are among them. All these projects, if executed, will ensure a sizeable Indian presence in and around Trincomalee. Those who are against these projects speak of geopolitical implications involved in such an eventuality. They fear India will have a major clout over the affairs of Sri Lanka if these projects took off the ground, leaving it helpless in decision making.

India has shown interests in Trincomalee for decades now. In fact, the Indian authorities have objected to the offer of projects in the area for other countries in the past. On one occasion, it raised objection to an aircraft maintenance plant proposed to be put up by a Chinese company in Trincomalee.

Former External Affairs Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris once said in Parliament at that time, that his Indian counterpart inquired about it from her. Sri Lanka is in the attention of world superpowers because of its strategic positioning in the Indian Ocean. These powers seem to be competing with each other for a foothold in Sri Lanka by way of economic projects.

The Prime Ministers visit takes place in such a context. Alongside, Mr. Modi will also arrive in Sri Lanka in view of UN Vesak Day celebrations next month. India has attached greater significance to its relations with Sri Lanka. It is the only country to be visited twice by Mr. Modi among Indias neighbours.

India, along with Japan, has conveyed its displeasure over China getting control over a port in Sri Lanka. The Joint Statement issued at the end of Mr. Wickremesinghes visit to Japan, speaks of it in volumes it was undertaken in it that port development would be done in Sri Lanka only under the control of Sri Lanka.

To allay the fears of Japan and India, a tripartite dialogue involving the two countries have been proposed at the moment.

PM to rub shoulders with Chinese leaders

In the meantime, Sri Lanka is under compulsion to balance out its relationship with China. The Prime Minister will leave for China next month to attend the One Belt, One Road (OBOR) summit in Beijing. On the sidelines of the event, he is reportedly planning to rub shoulders with the Chinese leaders including President Xi Jinping.

One Belt, One Route is a concept conceived and bankrolled by China to improve connectivity with the rest of the world in terms of economic and other relations. Sri Lanka is among the very first countries to have recognized and pledged co-operation with this project.

The Hambantota Port project is the key matter to be handled in Sino-Lanka relations. According to diplomatic sources, China is concerned about the absence of policy consistency in Sri Lanka at the moment. It has had some bitter experience at the beginning of this government after the suspension of the port city project.

John Seneviratne proposed Gal Arakku for Kasippu

Labour and Trade Union Relations Minister John Seneviratne is concerned over rising level of brewery and consumption of illicit liquor called Kasippu in the estate sector . He said this had become a social problem in these areas. As a result, at the Ratnapura District Development Committee meeting, he proposed to lower the prices of liquor brand called Extra Special. It is commonly called Gal Arakku in village jargon.

This is less harmful. Kassippu drinking is a major issue. Nobody is paying attention to it. Estate workers drink alcohol anyhow. If the legal brands are expensive, they will drink illicit ones. Both men and women have taken to alcoholism. We should stop this somehow. The best method is to make Gal Arakku available at cheap rates for daily workers, he told the meeting.

Interestingly, his proposal was approved by the committee including UNP MP A.A. Wijetunga. It will now be communicated to the government for consideration.
Outcry of Tamil Diaspora understandable

People need to understand transitional justice process

All allegations against military and LTTE should be investigated

Sudu Nelum movement during CBKs period changed public opinion on power devolution within a year

Leading Civil Society Activists Dr. Jehan Perera, in an interview with Dailymirror, stresses the need to ensure transitional justice for war victims. Dr. Perera, who is also the Executive Director of the National Peace Council, calls for continued pressure by the international community and civil society on the government to deliver in this regard. He also made representations to Geneva this time. Excerpts:

QAs a civil society activist, what is your opinion on the grant of another two more years for the government to implement the provisions of the

UNHRC resolution?



The resolution on Sri Lanka that gave Sri Lanka the additional two years that the government sought to deliver on commitments made 18 months ago. The postponement was necessary as there is no preparedness on the ground. These are necessarily public processes. The discussion has to be taken to the people.

The extended time frame granted reflects the confidence that the international community reposes in the good faith of the government headed by President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. It also reflects the absence of other viable options with regard to hastening the transitional justice process in Sri Lanka. From a civil society perspective, this is the best time we have. But it is only an opportunity. Our concern is that it is receding opportunity.

By giving Sri Lanka the two years that the government asked for, the international community has recognized that it is only the Sri Lankan government that can deliver on all of these, and not the international community which can at best play a supportive role.

The international community and civil society need to ensure that pressure is maintained on the government. Its progress, or lack thereof, in implementing its promises in regard to transitional justice needs to be monitored and constructively critiqued. Instead of seeking to punish the government and withdraw support from it, the government needs to be given more assistance to meet its targets.

QThere is a major outcry by the Tamil Diaspora groups against the granting of such an extension. How do you see this?

The outcry from the Tamil Diaspora is understandable. As they are out of the country many of them see the international pressure as the most effective. This is the most effective recourse they have. They have no voting power in Sri Lanka to put pressure on the government. The issues for the Tamil people are urgent. For a person whose child is missing, it is urgent to find that child. To be resettled on the land you once lived on with sufficient resources to ensure normalcy is urgent. The continued suffering of those who were victims of the war who have not yet been benefited by the proper implementation of the UNHRC resolution is not acceptable. The victims of the war continue to live in difficult circumstances and often out of the mainstream of life, struggling to survive without viable livelihood opportunities while being burdened by uncertainty about the fate of their missing family members.

QThe implementation of the provisions of the resolution, particularly the move to set up a judicial mechanism , is bound to be met with public resistance. In that context, how feasible is the implementation process?

The problem today is that the entire reconciliation process is being held hostage to the pursuit of accountability for war crimes. Transitional justice and ensuring reconciliation is not only about accountability, it includes truth seeking, reparations and institutional reforms. The experience of other countries shows that ensuring accountability is a lengthy process often taking several decades.

Accountability is important for the future. Those entrusted with state authority must know that they can never abuse state power and get away with it. There needs to be widespread support generated amongst the people for this position. They will be the beneficiaries.

There is also a need to help the people to understand the need for the larger transitional justice process which is not only about accountability, but also about compensation and institutional reforms, and that it is about taking the country to an irreversible situation of sustainable peace. This will take time, but it is possible. An example is the Sudu Nelum movement during the period of President Chandrika Kumaratunga. In a matter of a year they were able to change public opinion on the issue of devolution of power.

Q There is a different world situation with the Trump presidency in the United States of America. As such, how long can those interested in Sri Lankas issue sustain the international support to the Geneva process?

The United States may be the most important actor but it is only one actor in the international community. President Donald Trump may ensure that US accountability is less, but it is less sure that the US will let go of its traditional role in upholding international human rights standards. Where the resolution on the Sri Lanka was concerned the United States has said it was pleased that Sri Lanka had agreed once again to co-sponsor the resolution, and invited like-minded UN members to demonstrate support for reconciliation and peace in Sri Lanka by adding their names to the list of cosponsors. In a statement, the US applauded the government for its continuing efforts to promote reconciliation.

The international community will continue to insist on adherence to international standards. The reinstating of the Generalized System of Preferences Plus status (GSP+) to Sri Lanka is reportedly in the balance following a report from an European Union delegation that was in the country last week. In their report, to be tabled in the European Parliament on 27 April, they have called on the Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom to ensure that the Sri Lankan Government strictly implements the commitments put down by the International Labour Organization (ILO) prior to reinstating the trade facility. The report has also touches on shortcomings on the enforcement on other human rights issues, in particular the use of torture, the rights of minorities and the rights of LGBTI people.

QIn the report by the UN High Commissioner on Human Rights, there are 11 allegations. Out of them eight are against the government military. In your view, how legitimate or illegitimate are they?

At this point these are allegations. They need to be investigated and speculation brought to an end. Otherwise they will continue to hang over the military. This will damage their prospects for international training, UN assignments and even for family visits abroad. There are many allegations against the LTTE that should be investigated too. The need is for a process. It is not just to investigate these 11 allegations. As the process continues there might be a need to investigate more allegations. Those who engage in murder, enforced disappearances, torture and rape, whether in times of war or peace, need to be held accountable. The cycle of impunity needs to be broken.

Q How could the military be held to account for civilian deaths in a war zone as there was firing by both sides?

It will be the circumstances and evidence gathered that will determine whether the military was culpable or not. So long as there are no investigations there will continue to be allegations by international human rights organizations and the UN. Sri Lanka needs to get out of this dark cloud.

However, we need to be mindful that those who were in the military and who commanded the military and ensured victory over the LTTE are seen by many if not most people, in particular most Sinhalese, as war heroes. Instead of emphasizing retributive justice in which the primary remedy is punishment, there could be an alternative in the form of restorative justice. The latter focuses on victims. The most urgent needs of those who suffered during the war is to find out what happened to their missing family members and to have sustainable livelihoods. This is the accountability I would give priority to.

Q There is public perception that the OMP Act and the proposed law on enforced disappearances contain drastic provisions making way for political and military leaders to be hauled up before an international war crimes tribunal. How do you respond to it?

The primary purpose of the OMP is to enable the families of those who went missing to find out what happened to them. The UNHCRs resolution has no provision in it for setting up international war crimes tribunals. That is a matter for the UN Security Council, in which China and Russia are members and have pledged to support Sri Lanka. If it is found that those who went missing were killed, there has to be accountability and consequences even within the domestic Sri Lankan system.

Q How would it help in reconciliation if the military are punished for their conduct of the war?

It is legal in international law to fight a war, and for military personnel to kill one another. It is only if they behave outside of international law, by killing prisoners, raping women and killing civilians that they are liable to be punished. But these are also violations of codes of conduct within the military itself. Holding those who violated the laws of war accountable will build confidence in people that this is a country governed by the Rule of Law and in the equal treatment of all citizens. If a woman gets raped or a loved one is killed, who will not want justice? We need to put ourselves in others shoes.

QWhat is your opinion on the government co-sponsoring

this resolution?

By co-sponsoring the UNHRC resolution the government was able to change an adversarial relationship with the international community into a collaborative one. This is the main reason that Sri Lanka was given an extra two years to implement what it had promised to do.

Q As a member of civil society who made representations in Geneva; in your view, could the Tamil lobbying groups be satisfied with the current process and action taken so far?

Reform processes have been initiated but the pace of change is slow. It should be speeded up. The experience of transitional justice processes worldwide is that they are slow. There is the ideal and there is reality. We have to progress, but within the framework of what is real.

QHow do you assess the progress made so far regarding the Constitution making process?

The govt took two good steps at the outset. It appointed a Public Representatives Committee to meet with people all over the country and ascertain their views on all areas of constitutional reform. This is the first time such a public consultation was called for. Second the government turned the entire parliament into a Constitutional Assembly. But now inertia seems to have set in. The preparation of technical documents took too long and were not sufficiently shared. Constitutional Reform, as much as the reconciliation process, is a public process in which the people need to participate on a continuing basis. The govt needs to go to the people, and to all sectors, including the professionals, religious clergy, security forces and business people, and involve them in the discussion. They all want to know what this all means and they deserve to know.
By Jeffrey Lewis

(c) 2017, Foreign Policy 

The Trump administration has completed a policy review of how to manage the growing nuclear threat from North Korea. The new policy - massive pressure and engagement - is a tepid serving of leftovers from the Barack Obama, George W. Bush, and Bill Clinton administrations. I actually created a quiz of similar statements from all four administrations - and then when I looked at it a day later, I failed it.



As so often happens when reality disappoints, people turn to rumour and fantasy. And so, disappointed with the reality that Donald Trump faces the same lousy options on North Korea that hamstrung all his predecessors, the new Washington bedtime story is that the United States is secretly hacking North Korean missile launches.



The root of this particular bedtime story was a bit of reporting by The New York Times David Sanger and William Broad, asserting that the Obama administration had begun, about three years ago, to launch cyberattacks against North Korea analogous to those against Iran.



While the United States is undoubtedly interested in penetrating Iranian and North Korean computer networks, and is doing a bit of mischief, thats a long way from the reality of some keyboard jockey in Utah taking command of a North Korean missile and piloting it into the drink.



First, some inconvenient facts. North Koreas missiles arent really failing at a terrible rate. Sanger and Broad argued that soon after Obamas decision in 2014, a large number of the Norths military rockets began to explode, veer off course, disintegrate in midair and plunge into the sea.



Correlation is not causation, of course, and a simple review of North Koreas missile launches suggests that if the United States is hacking North Korean missiles, it is doing a crap job of it.

Since 2014, about three-quarters of Pyongyangs launches have succeeded. My colleague Shea Cotton keeps a database of every North Korean missile launch. Of the 66 missiles that North Korea launched during 2014 and after, 51 have succeeded. If hacking is playing any role, it is defeating a trivial number of missiles. A .230 average isnt enough to keep you in the major leagues. And its a lousy batting average against nuclear-armed missiles.



Moreover, we can see those 15 failures were concentrated in a few new systems - missiles then under development where one would expect to see failures, hacking or no hacking. There was a spike in failures after 2016, but that spike was concentrated in four new systems that had never before been tested: the Musudan (five failures); a submarine-launched ballistic missile (three failures); an unidentified intercontinental ballistic missile (two failures); and a new anti-ship missile (two failures). Overall, North Koreas Scud and Nodong missiles - the ones that it plans to use to nuke U.S. forces in South Korea and Japan - worked just ducky.



The fact is, new systems are expected to fail at a higher rate. There is, after all, a reason that rocket science is popular as a metaphor for tasks that are complicated and difficult. While the simple media narrative is to laugh at failed missile launches, the North Koreans learn from every flight, whether it works or not.



Experiencing and overcoming failure is a normal part of building a robust and reliable rocket programme. Let me introduce you to Redstone, a missile literally nicknamed Old Reliable. It was Americas first large rocket, good enough to put Alan Shepard into space. Nine of the first 10 Redstone launches failed. Its possible, I suppose, that Wernher von Braun was an idiot. Or that Soviet spies had turned those lovely Hidden Figures ladies. Or maybe, just maybe, rocket science is fing hard.



So while we laughed every time a North Korean missile exploded at launch (2006) or dropped into the drink (April 2009 and April 2012), Pyongyangs finest were busy studying what went wrong and fixing the problems. It seemed like North Korea would never figure it out . . . until it did. The last two North Korean space launches, in December 2012 and again in February 2016, were successful. Look up and you can still see North Koreas Kwangmyongsong-2 satellite in orbit.



North Koreas missile launches arent failing because we are hacking them; they are failing because Pyongyang is developing a wide array of new liquid- and solid-fueled ballistic missiles. Many of those systems - especially the new solid-fueled missiles - are working just fine. And North Korean engineers will either figure the others out or learn from their mistakes and move on to more promising designs.



Another troubling question is lurking in Sanger and Broads assessment: If the United States were successfully hacking North Koreas missiles, wouldnt it also be hacking Irans? The two countries cooperate closely in missile development, so much so that it probably isnt possible to hack one without hacking the other. And, of course, it was Irans nuclear program that was subject to the original high-profile cyberattack - the Stuxnet virus that crippled Iranian centrifuges.



Iranian missiles arent, however, falling out of the sky. And even Stuxnet was never more than an annoyance to the Iranians. Yes, it damaged a large number of centrifuges and slowed the Iranian enrichment programme for a few months. But, ultimately, Iran was installing thousands of centrifuges and developing new generations of the devices before the programme was constrained by the 2015 Iran

nuclear deal.



I dont mean to say that the United States isnt attempting to get inside North Koreas networks. I suspect that the United States is probably very interested in attacking the systems that control North Koreas new generation of computer-controlled machine tools, which my colleagues and I believe have reduced Pyongyangs dependence on imported components for its nuclear and missile programmes. But there just isnt any reason to think cyberattacks are more than a nuisance.



The evidence suggests that the United States isnt succeeding in this regard and that, at best, such efforts would be a nuisance to the North Koreans. In fact, in the wake of Stuxnet, there were reports that a similar programme against North Korea had failed. Given the extensive missile cooperation between Tehran and Pyongyang, I would expect that they share cybersecurity tips.



So why is the idea that the United States is hacking missiles out of the sky so prevalent? It is hard to admit that political and coercive policies are not working. And its especially hard to admit that we are approaching a point where we are going to have to accept something we have long said is unacceptable. Denial, as Sen. Al Franken used to say, aint just a river in Egypt.



This particular crisis has been a long time in the making. But for whatever reason, it is breaking into the popular consciousness now. People feel powerless, and they expect their government to do something. They just arent prepared to accept that this particular something is, well, nothing. So there must be some secret government agency, one that doesnt look like the post office, where people know what they are doing.



Add to that a healthy dose of partisanship. We live in a bizarre era where every issue becomes a referendum on Donald Trump. While (slightly more than) half of us are convinced hes going to get us all killed, his fans desperately want to believe that hes not just some grifter in hopelessly over his head. And so when he says North Korea isnt going to test a missile in one of this Twitter outbursts, and then a missile test fails, the Drudge Report and his troll army on Twitter attribute the stroke of luck to Cheeto Jesus. Psychologists call this the fundamental attribution error. You see this a lot in cults.



Its all a dangerous fantasy, though. The Trump administration plainly has no idea what it is doing, opting for a new strategy identical to the approach adopted by the Obama and Bush administrations. The unifying feature of this approach has been desperate paralysis - sorry, patiently hoping for a strategic miracle.



Hacking allows us to entertain this fantasy a bit longer. It allows us to imagine that missile failures are not growing pains of an evolving and dangerous threat but evidence of our power, wisdom, and superior technology. The idea that hacking can prevent North Koreas missiles from working allows us to avoid coming to terms with the reality that our policies are failing.
The Inter University Students Federation (IUSF) staged a protest last night outside the Fort Railway Station to show their displeasure over the alleged double standards of the authorities on the controversial SAITM issue.

During the protest they later set fire to two effigies of the President Maithripala Sirisena and the Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.

Hundreds of students representing State Universities and several student unions, carrying torches, joined the protest in which they claimed Health Minister Rajitha Senaratne and the Higher Education Minister Lakshman Kiriella had pushed State Education towards destruction.

Speaking to the massive crowd that had gathered at the location, IUSF Convener Lahiru Weerasekara recalled that both ministers along with University Grants Commission (UGC) Chairman Professor Mohan De Silva had taken part in a TV programme on Tuesday night and made a shameful attempt to justify private education institutions including South Asian Institute of Technology and Medicine (SAITM).

Furthermore, he said the unity government has failed to agree on a solution to the SAITM issue with President Sirisena and the Cabinet of Ministers making different pronouncements on the matter.

Speaking to Daily Mirror Inter University Bhikkhu Federation (IUBF) Acting Convener Rathkarawwe Jinarathana Thera said just because the government changes the nature of the business of the Neville Fernando Teaching Hospital it does not help to solve the matter.

During the protest a tense situation occurred as three persons who carried camera equipment and seemed to be media personnel were identified as CID officers by the IUSF members. However, they escaped unhurt as IUSF Convener Weerasekara stepped in to calm the crowd and prevent a violent altercation from taking place. (Thilanka Kanakarathna)
DPA, 25th APRIL, 2017- White House adviser Ivanka Trump and German Chancellor Angela Merkel were among delegates discussing womens economic and professional empowerment and notions of feminism at the Women20 Summit in Berlin on Tuesday.



The panel brought together Trump and Merkel for the second time since the 35-year-olds billionaire father, Donald Trump, took office as US president in February and comes at a time when many are still trying to gauge Washingtons foreign and domestic policy stance.
By Griff Witte, Michael Birnbaum

(c) 2017, The Washington Post  Apr 25, 2017

BERLIN - 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 EU flutters off his campaign headquarters. He is strongly favoured to beat his anti-Europe rival, Marine Le Pen, in a May 7 runoff.



After years in which the EU was the favourite foil for ascendant politicians on the continent, the 28-nation club may be making a comeback despite Brexit and President Donald Trumps euroskepticism. The Netherlands staunchly pro-European Green Left party quadrupled its support in elections last month. The 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 pre-eminent place in the EU after years in which the French role has been diminished by its domestic struggles with unemployment, terrorism and political dysfunction. He pledges 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 EU attitudes revealed conflicted feelings, with a majority of French respondents describing themselves as pro-EU 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.



German Chancellor Angela Merkels chief of staff, Peter Altmaier, tweeted that Macrons first-place finish showed that France AND Europe can win together. The centre 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 on 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-EU politicians were not the only ones to focus on Macrons attitudes toward Europe.

Nigel Farage, the British anti-EU 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 EU

Analysts believe that if Macron can put more of a Gallic stamp on the EU 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.

For all their concerns about the EU, 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 EU 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 centre-left leader who spent more than two decades as a member of the European Parliament and has staked his career on a robust defence

of Brussels.



And though Italys anti-establishment Five Star party is doing well before elections that must be called before spring 2018, few observers see them 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 supported 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 EUs 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.
French far-right presidential hopeful Marine Le Pen has announced that she is temporarily stepping down as her partys leader.



The Front National leader revealed she would be quitting her role in her party to focus on the upcoming Presidential election.



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 centrist Emmanuel Macron who came in first in Sundays first round.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 partys, but her own.Much of the antagonism towards the Front Nationale stems from its association with her father, the convicted racist Jean-Marie Le Pen, who is now 88.



Mr Le Pen has officially been kicked out of the FN by his daughter, but he bizarrely remains honorary president of the party and an MEP.



He has also funded his daughters campaign by the equivalent of more than 5 million pounds.

France, (Daily Mail, London), 24 April 2017 -
Mr. Chandika Witharana  Senior General Manager, Sales & Channel Development, Mobitel (Pvt) Ltd, addressing the gathering.

Sri Lankas National Mobile Service Provider, Mobitel sustains its lead at the forefront of the mobile commerce revolution in the country by pioneering the Digital Recharge System for the first time ever in the country. Delivering on its commitment to simplify service offerings to its customers and retail partners, Mobitel is proud to introduce this technology to the local market. The mobile services operator has rolled out innovative services in recent months and this massive leap in the digitalization of its services through the Digital Recharge System serves to reinforce its credentials as the ICT leader in the telecom sector.

Mobitels new Digital Recharge System enhanced customer convenience in a myriad ways. Currently, Pre-Paid Mobile customers are using Recharge Scratch Cards & Reloads to top up their accounts. With the Launch of Mobitels Digital Recharge system, retailers can use a POS machine and print their own recharge cards to issue to their customers. This POS Machine enables the retailer to have one wallet for both recharge cards & reloads. The machine also facilitates various promotions, discount programmes and other initiatives to be conducted. Customers can even make Post-Paid bill payments through the POS machines and retail partners can print out Data and IDD Cards as needed.

The mobile nature of the POS machine, which is similar to a phone, can be easily carried on the go directly to the customer without waiting for the customer to visit the outlet itself. This will offer greater customer convenience, while providing inclusion and connectivity for all equally. Mobitel is the first mobile services operator to introduce this system in Sri Lanka.

L- R: Mr. Abraham John  Manager, Operations & Business Development, One Prepay Lanka (Pvt) Ltd, Mr. Joy P Samuel  Group Finance Director, One Prepay Lanka (Pvt) Ltd, Mr. M.C. Varghese  Director/ General Manager, One Prepay Lanka (Pvt) Ltd, Mr. ChandikaVitharana, Senior General Manager, Sales & Channel Development, Mobitel (Pvt) Ltd, Mr. Isuru Navoda Dissanayaka, Senior General Manager Marketing, Mobitel (Pvt) Ltd

Mr. Chandika Vitharana, Senior General Manager, Sales & Channel Development, Mobitel (Pvt) Ltd, presenting the first Digital Recharge card receipt to Mr. M.C. Varghese  Director/ General Manager, One Prepay Lanka (Pvt) Ltd

Mr. Chandika Vitharana, Senior General Manager, Sales & Channel Development, Mobitel (Pvt) Ltd, handing over the first POS Machine to Mr. Jerry Janson- Proprietor of Apple Mobile
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday held talks on bilateral issues with his visiting Sri Lankan counterpart Ranil Wickremesinghe in New Delhi.

"Held comprehensive talks with PM Ranil Wickremesinghe on ways to strengthen India-Sri Lanka ties for the benefit of our citizens," Modi tweeted after the meeting held at Hyderabad House.

Earlier in the day, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj called on the visiting dignitary.

Wickremesinghe arrived in NEw Delhi on Tuesday on a five-day visit to India.(IANS)
There is no risk of explosions caused by methane gas in the Meethotamulla garbage dump, Megapolis and Western Development Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka assured today.

Last week, the Japanese research experts warned of a methane gas explosion in the dump. However, the minister categorically denied reports saying there was not enough methane level to cause such explosions.

Addressing a news briefing held at the Ministry to make people aware of the measures which are being taken to rehabilitate the Meethotamulla garbage dump, he said a 12 point action plan is in place to rehabilitate it.

The action plan which includes 12 short term measures to stabilize the base of the dump will be completed within next five months. Three committees; expert, engineering and operations; are implementing the action plan. We must get ready for upcoming rains in May as it might make an impact on the dump, he said.

Meanwhile, the minister said it was reported during a meeting chaired by President Maithripala Sirisena on Wednesday that there are many other excessive garbage dumps across the country which would become a danger.

There are two massive garbage dumps in Kandy, one in Guhagoda and another in Gampola. They may not be of the same magnitude of Meethotamulla but they are also on the verge of becoming a threat especially polluting Mahaweli River and Polgolla Reservoir. It was also reported that there are garbage dumps in Galle, Matara, Kalutara and Gampaha which need attention, the minister said.

He said Local Government and Provincial Council Ministry will instruct local government bodies to minimize risks of garbage dumps and experts committees of the Megapolis Ministry will educate them how to take further measures.

Further clarifying on the subject, Moratuwa Universitys senior lecturer Dr. Mahesh Jayaweera said the combustible level for methane to cause explosions was 5% but the methane levels in the dump were less than 2%.

There is no risk of methane explosions but high risk of fire break-out remains due to the high levels of Carbon Monoxide (CO) levels at certain places in the dump. We are taking measures to address this issue, he said.

He said main objectives of the short term plans within the next five months are to control further collapses and stabilization of the dump site. Once the dump base was stabilized, the height of the dump would be reduced to 20 metres from present 48 metres to avoid further collapses, he said.

Research Scientist Manjula Gunawardane, who explained about the physical properties of the dump, said about 1 million cubic metres of garbage were in the Meethotamulla garbage dump.

Meanwhile, Field Engineer Major General Dhananjith Karunaratne said they received complaints about 33 missing persons in the tragedy and the army rescue and search teams were able to find 32 bodies and a part of a leg as of April 18. (Lahiru Pothmulla)

Video by Sanjeewa
An extraordinary gazette has been issued by order of President Maithripala Sirisena, to summon the Parliament on April 28.

Presidential Secretariat P.B. Abeykoon issued the gazette to keep the Parliament informed of the order of declaring garbage disposal an essential service.
Around the world in some 600 cities, hundreds of millions of people marched last Saturday, April 22 to mark Earth Day, emphasising the significance of evidencebased science on issues ranging from climate change to new technology. It was essentially a peoplebased mass movement though United States President Donald Trump says he wants to put American business interests first and has slashed funds for the US Environmental Protection Agency amid disturbing reports that he might pull the US out of the historic climate change accord, which almost all countries signed in Paris in December 2015.

For Sri Lanka, Earth Day came in the aftermath of the Meethotamulla garbage dump disaster in which more than 30 people were killed and about 1,000 displaced. Government leaders have pledged that high technology will be used to turn organic waste into energy or compost fertilizer. Last week top Japanese experts rushed here for an in-depth study on garbage disposal and their recommendations are likely to be implemented in the coming months. Not only the Government but all people, religious groups and private organisations need to cooperate in carrying out proper methods of garbage collection and disposal. Eco-friendly citizens need to understand the importance of reducing the use of polythene and plastic as a vital step in the battle against global warming. According to the United Nations, environmentalists have expressed shock at the 300 billion pieces of plastic floating in the Arctic Ocean.

The first event for Earth Day, which was held in America nearly five decades ago following a devastating oil spill, is credited as the beginning of the modern environmental movement. Since its launch, Earth Day has been supported by famous personalities including Hollywood stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Emma Watson. Now it is coordinated globally by the non-profit Earth Day Network, which describes it as the largest secular holiday in the world. Each year, festivals, parades and rallies are held in at least 192 countries to demonstrate support for environmental Protection. The day has its own flag, which was created by US peace activist John McConnell and, perhaps unsurprisingly, features a picture of the world on it. Russia has set up an early warning system to detect when its mysterious exploding Arctic domes might erupt. It also has its own anthems -- one of which is performed to the tune of Beethovens Ode to Joy, but with lyrics on protecting the planet.

In Sri Lanka, President Maithripala Sirisena has led the battle against climate change. As Minister of Environmental Affairs, he has initiated a number of creative projects for the battle against climate change or global warming. Even after the recent Meethotamulla garbage dump disaster, he has initiated effective steps to turn garbage into eco-friendly energy or compost fertilizer. Supporting him actively, are Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, Megapolis and Western Development Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka among others. President Sirisena also led the Sri Lanka delegation to the Paris Climate Change Summit. Sri Lanka signed and ratified the Paris accords.

What is the Paris Agreement? In December 2015, the Paris Agreement saw 196 countries agree to cut their carbon emissions in an effort to keep the increase of average global temperature to below 2C. But according to US President Trump, the plan to cut greenhouse gases will impact on US jobs and leave the country at the mercy of oil imports from the Middle East. By pulling out of the Paris accord he could derail the whole agreement, analysts say.

That is why it is essential for peoples movements and all religions to take major initiatives in battling the possible catastrophe that could come from climate change. We cannot leave such a vital mission to leaders such as Donald Trump who are clearly inconsistent and unpredictable. His America First policy is self-centred and is not likely to succeed. That is why Pope Francis has put the battle against climate change high on the list of priorities in the mission for the church and the world. We hope other religious leaders also will do so, because preventing climate change and maintaining the delicate eco-balance is a sacred duty, perhaps more important than some rites and rituals. Let us remember that we all have been a part of the crisis, now we need to become a part of the solution rather than just complaining about the current heat wave.
Indian Minister of Highways and Shipping tweeted today that he held talks with Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe about road linkage between India and Sri Lanka.

The Prime Minister is currently on a tour of India. He also held talks with his counterpart Narendra Modi.

Mr. Gadkari tweeted, Met Sri Lanka PM Ranil Wickremesinghe at New Delhi. Discussed road linkage between India and Sri Lanka.

Further details were not available. Earlier, there was speculation about a bridge connecting India with Sri Lanka. It is widely called Hanuman Bridge. (Kelum Bandara)
April 26 marks the World Intellectual Property (IP) Day. This year, the 16th IP Day focused on the theme of Innovation  improving lives, which aims to explore how innovation makes lives healthier, safer and more comfortable.

A well-built IP system stimulates innovation by attracting investments, rewarding inventors, encouraging inventors to develop their ideas and ensuring that their new knowledge is protected. Almost all innovations can be protected with intellectual property rights (IPRs). Therefore, every country has recognized the importance of protecting the intellects of its people.

Sri Lanka too encourages its people in this regard, through several policies and programmes designed to enhance innovations. Some of these policies and programmes are directly linked with IPRs.

Sri Lanka was ranked 91st out of 128 countries in the Global Innovation Index (GII) in 2016. It was a drop of six places when compared with the GII in 2015. According to GII 2016, Sri Lanka is second only to India (66th place) in the South Asian region but, when compared with the other Asian countries (Singapore - sixth, China - 25th, Malaysia - 35th places) Sri Lanka falls far behind. This highlights the fact that Sri Lanka is not only lagging behind in the number of innovations but also in its protection and promotion of innovations.

Protecting innovations through IPRs

An effective and well-built IPR system consisting of one or more different IPR tools such as patents, copyrights, trademarks and trade secrets will protect the ownership of innovation and thereby, encourage innovations. Patents play a pivotal role in protecting new innovation, as it provides property rights for inventions usually for a specific period of time and provide the right to exclude others from exploiting the invention during that period.

Furthermore, to obtain a patent the inventor has to disclose the patented invention to the public, where it will provide an opportunity for others to use and develop the technology further. Therefore, the patent system is created to balance the interests of both inventors and the public.

According to Sri Lankas Intellectual Property Rights Act 2003, patents are available for inventions, products and processes in all fields of technology. Patents allow an inventor to control the commercial use of his/her invention.

Given the importance of patents, this blog article discusses the role of IPRs, especially patents, in stimulating innovations.

Sri Lanka: Where do we stand?

There are several criteria to evaluate Sri Lankas generation of innovations. One such important criterion is the number of patents registered at the National Intellectual Property Office (NIPO). Figure 1 describes how patents have been registered by residents and non-residents. It shows that from 2011 to 2013, there has been an increasing trend in residents patents registration, but since then, it has been decreasing.

However, the total number of patents registered locally (residents and non-residents) indicates an increase. This suggests that the number of innovations is gradually increasing. This slow growth could be explained by cost of patenting, high cost of annual renewals, lack of awareness amongst scientists, etc.



It is also interesting to evaluate the various types of institutions and individuals that have obtained patents in Sri Lanka as it shows peoples interest and their knowledge on patenting.

According to the latest available data from the Sri Lanka Science, Technology and Innovation Hand Book, more than 90 percent of patent holders are individuals (91), 5 percent are private institutes, 2 percent are science and technology (S&T) institutes and one percent is higher education institutes (Figure 2). It is important to note that higher education institutes are at the very bottom when obtaining patents.

According to the reports on Integrating Intellectual Property into Innovation Policy Formulation in Sri Lanka, this could be due to limited research conducted by such institutes, lack of research interest in staff and students, poor management system of IPRs, lack of awareness of patenting and the high cost of patenting.

The S&T institutes too are facing the same issues in enhancing innovations. Furthermore, ownership of inventions from research granted by the government resides with the government and not with the grantee of the funds which creates a disincentive for government employees to engage in innovations. This also acts as a negative factor when improving human capital to enhance innovations in the country.

When comparing Sri Lanka with other selected countries on resident applications per million population (by origin), in 2015, Sri Lanka was on par with India. However, when compared with the other Asian countries, Sri Lanka was not in a favourable position (Figure 3).

In 2013, the highest number of patents issued was in the fields of IT, telecommunication and electronics (49 patents out of total 326). The other fields were agriculture-related developments (44), development of domestic appliances/utilities (44), drugs, cosmetics and other related product developments (33) and automobile and related inventions (31).

The highest number of innovations in IT, telecommunication and electronics could be due to the fact that those inventions can be more easily applied in industrial use than other inventions. Even though Sri Lanka is a signatory to the Trade-Related Intellectual Property Rights Agreement (TRIPs), Sri Lankas IP system does not provide patent protection for new plant varieties as suggested by the agreement, which is one of the factors that discourages plant breeders in developing new plant varieties. Since enacting Sri Lankas IPR Act in 2003, the country has not yet made any national policies, strategies, etc., to enforce patent protection for new plant varieties.

Furthermore, the reports on Integrating Intellectual Property into Innovation Policy Formulation in Sri Lanka and Science, Technology and Innovation: Strategy for Sri Lanka (2011-2015) have also highlighted the fact that the intellectual property management system with regards to innovations in Sri Lanka is very poor.

What needs to be done?

Several factors shape a countrys generation of innovations. Amongst them, the most important are the research and development (R&D) initiatives in place, the stock of human capital and strategies of commercialization of new knowledge. An effective IPR system especially with proper patenting policy and implementation mechanism stimulates almost all of these factors and creates an environment which provides incentives for innovations.

As an example, strong IPR systems will overcome the issue of private investments in R&D, by providing effective protection for investors, encourage people engagement in innovations by providing credibility for inventors and promote commercialization of innovations. International best practices, as shown in Singapore, China, Malaysia and India, have suggested that a well-constructed and a balanced IP system accelerates innovations, whereas a weak IP system reduces domestic incentives for innovations.

Policies and processes for issuing and enforcing patents are the most important aspect of IPR for innovation. Since the late 1970s, Singapore has taken several steps to enact new patent laws and has established a court of IP to strengthen its IPR policies and to improve innovations.

India enacted its Patent Act in the 1970s and since then patents were expanded to several areas such as pharmaceuticals, agriculture developments, etc. Since 1979 China has also recognized the importance of IPRs and passed its patent law in 1984. The Republic of Korea has carried out a massive public awareness campaign on IPRs and patents in schools, universities and R&D institutes.

Furthermore, international best practices have highlighted that being a signatory to TRIPs alone is not sufficient. What is most important is national enforcement. Governments should use straightforward strategies such as establishing proper IPR management systems in universities and other research institutes, awareness programmes, incentives such as vouchers and rewarding systems for inventors and consider modernizing the IPR Act with timely changes to enforce these rules.

For an effective use of IPRs in stimulating innovations, Sri Lanka should explore alternatives such as integrating with regional patenting organisations, sharing information and building good relationships with other national patenting offices as a solution to sharing the high cost of patenting, including the cost of renewals.

Recently, Sri Lanka reduced the cost of patent registration and created new cost structures with three categories with students, individuals and private firms to encourage patenting. Simultaneously, it is of utmost importance to create public awareness on IPR services, especially patenting, its importance, how patents support and encourage inventors by providing recognition and how to transform inventors knowledge into tradable assets.

Effective enforcement of the existing IPR policy and effective management of IP is also crucial. It is also important to provide IPR policy managements for research institutes, universities and other higher education facilities, especially in the areas of commercialization, research collaborations and ownership of innovations to encourage innovations.

(Dilani Hirimuthugodage is a Research Officer at the Institute of Policy Studies of Sri Lanka (IPS). To view this article online and to share your comments, visit the IPS Blog Talking Economics - http://www.ips.lk/talkingeconomics/) It is also interesting to evaluate the various types of institutions and individuals that have obtained patents in Sri Lanka as it shows peoples interest and their knowledge on patenting.According to the latest available data from the Sri Lanka Science, Technology and Innovation Hand Book, more than 90 percent of patent holders are individuals (91), 5 percent are private institutes, 2 percent are science and technology (S&T) institutes and one percent is higher education institutes (Figure 2). It is important to note that higher education institutes are at the very bottom when obtaining patents.According to the reports on Integrating Intellectual Property into Innovation Policy Formulation in Sri Lanka, this could be due to limited research conducted by such institutes, lack of research interest in staff and students, poor management system of IPRs, lack of awareness of patenting and the high cost of patenting.The S&T institutes too are facing the same issues in enhancing innovations. Furthermore, ownership of inventions from research granted by the government resides with the government and not with the grantee of the funds which creates a disincentive for government employees to engage in innovations. This also acts as a negative factor when improving human capital to enhance innovations in the country.When comparing Sri Lanka with other selected countries on resident applications per million population (by origin), in 2015, Sri Lanka was on par with India. However, when compared with the other Asian countries, Sri Lanka was not in a favourable position (Figure 3).In 2013, the highest number of patents issued was in the fields of IT, telecommunication and electronics (49 patents out of total 326). The other fields were agriculture-related developments (44), development of domestic appliances/utilities (44), drugs, cosmetics and other related product developments (33) and automobile and related inventions (31).The highest number of innovations in IT, telecommunication and electronics could be due to the fact that those inventions can be more easily applied in industrial use than other inventions. Even though Sri Lanka is a signatory to the Trade-Related Intellectual Property Rights Agreement (TRIPs), Sri Lankas IP system does not provide patent protection for new plant varieties as suggested by the agreement, which is one of the factors that discourages plant breeders in developing new plant varieties. Since enacting Sri Lankas IPR Act in 2003, the country has not yet made any national policies, strategies, etc., to enforce patent protection for new plant varieties.Furthermore, the reports on Integrating Intellectual Property into Innovation Policy Formulation in Sri Lanka and Science, Technology and Innovation: Strategy for Sri Lanka (2011-2015) have also highlighted the fact that the intellectual property management system with regards to innovations in Sri Lanka is very poor.What needs to be done?Several factors shape a countrys generation of innovations. Amongst them, the most important are the research and development (R&D) initiatives in place, the stock of human capital and strategies of commercialization of new knowledge. An effective IPR system especially with proper patenting policy and implementation mechanism stimulates almost all of these factors and creates an environment which provides incentives for innovations.As an example, strong IPR systems will overcome the issue of private investments in R&D, by providing effective protection for investors, encourage people engagement in innovations by providing credibility for inventors and promote commercialization of innovations. International best practices, as shown in Singapore, China, Malaysia and India, have suggested that a well-constructed and a balanced IP system accelerates innovations, whereas a weak IP system reduces domestic incentives for innovations.Policies and processes for issuing and enforcing patents are the most important aspect of IPR for innovation. Since the late 1970s, Singapore has taken several steps to enact new patent laws and has established a court of IP to strengthen its IPR policies and to improve innovations.India enacted its Patent Act in the 1970s and since then patents were expanded to several areas such as pharmaceuticals, agriculture developments, etc. Since 1979 China has also recognized the importance of IPRs and passed its patent law in 1984. The Republic of Korea has carried out a massive public awareness campaign on IPRs and patents in schools, universities and R&D institutes.Furthermore, international best practices have highlighted that being a signatory to TRIPs alone is not sufficient. What is most important is national enforcement. Governments should use straightforward strategies such as establishing proper IPR management systems in universities and other research institutes, awareness programmes, incentives such as vouchers and rewarding systems for inventors and consider modernizing the IPR Act with timely changes to enforce these rules.For an effective use of IPRs in stimulating innovations, Sri Lanka should explore alternatives such as integrating with regional patenting organisations, sharing information and building good relationships with other national patenting offices as a solution to sharing the high cost of patenting, including the cost of renewals.Recently, Sri Lanka reduced the cost of patent registration and created new cost structures with three categories with students, individuals and private firms to encourage patenting. Simultaneously, it is of utmost importance to create public awareness on IPR services, especially patenting, its importance, how patents support and encourage inventors by providing recognition and how to transform inventors knowledge into tradable assets.Effective enforcement of the existing IPR policy and effective management of IP is also crucial. It is also important to provide IPR policy managements for research institutes, universities and other higher education facilities, especially in the areas of commercialization, research collaborations and ownership of innovations to encourage innovations.(Dilani Hirimuthugodage is a Research Officer at the Institute of Policy Studies of Sri Lanka (IPS). To view this article online and to share your comments, visit the IPS Blog Talking Economics - http://www.ips.lk/talkingeconomics/)
President Maithripala Sirisena is reported to have proposed a special subcommittee headed by Minister Sarath Fonseka to make recommendations on how best to deal with emergency situations triggered by incidents such as disruption of the power supply, port activities and fuel distribution.

The idea was mooted against the backdrop of the disruption caused to fuel distribution by petroleum workers launching trade union against the move to lease the Trincomalee Oil Tank Farm to an Indian Oil Company.

The strike was called off on Monday night after an assurance given by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe who left for India yesterday for talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The Cabinet discussed this matter last morning with the President reportedly asking Field Marshal Fonseka to head a committee comprising all stakeholders including the military and the Law and Order Ministry to respond to emergency situations.

The President made this proposal in response to views expressed by some ministers that the military should be trained to deal with such situations. They said some 1,500 petroleum workers were able to cripple the activities of the Government and that should not be allowed in the future. (Kelum Bandara)
From left: Milan Drager, General Manager, Al Husn Hotel at Shangri-La Barr Al Jissah Resort and Spa, Juergen Doerr, General Manager, Shangri-La Barr Al Jissah Resort and Spa, Rob Weeden, Vice President, Sales and Marketing, EMEA, Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts, Timothy Wright, Vice President, Shangri-La Hotel, Colombo (Courtesy Travel Trade Weekly)

Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts, the Hong Kong-based luxury hotel operator, revealed extensive details about its exciting pipeline of new luxury properties across the Indian Ocean and Asia at a press conference held yesterday at the Arabian Travel Market 2017, which is currently underway.

Shangri-La will set a new standard for luxury hospitality in Sri Lanka with the opening of Shangri-La Hotel, Colombo. The hotel will be the most luxurious to open in Colombo in 35 years and will complement the groups 300-room Shangri-La Hambantota Resort & Spa, which opened in

June 2016.

Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts is expanding into Sri Lanka at a time when the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) forecasts the countrys travel and tourism GDP will grow 6.3 percent per year over the coming decade and, by 2026, the industry is expected to be worth US$ 85 billion to the countrys economy.

We are witnessing the increasing popularity of Sri Lanka, both as a leisure and business destination. In the first quarter of 2017 there were over 500,000 visitors to the country.

The target markets are very much aligned with our own, with India boasting the highest number of visitors (84,568) followed by China (79,222) and the United Kingdom (59,137), said Shangri-La Executive Vice President Michael Cottan, who oversees the groups portfolio in Europe, the Middle East and the Americas (EMEA).

Shangri-La Hotel, Colombo benefits from a prime location between the Galle Face Green promenade and Beira Lake and boasts uninterrupted views of the Indian Ocean.

The site occupies 10 acres of land and is part of a mixed-use development including an office tower, two residential towers and a high-end shopping mall. The hotel will feature 466 guest rooms, 41 serviced apartments and 34 spacious suites, including a Presidential Suite and three specialty suites.

Shangri-La Hotel, Colombo will be a contemporary dining hotspot, unlocking a new social and dining scene in the city with five innovative restaurants and bars including the best and only authentic Chinese restaurant in Sri Lanka, plus a Western grill, an interactive all-day dining restaurant, a casual bar and terrace, and a lobby lounge.

In meeting the needs of Colombos thriving business community, the hotel will also feature the largest and most extensive hotel conference and event facilities in the region, catering for up to 2,000 guests.

Chi, The Spa will lead the hotels lifestyle experience with 10 private rooms for individuals and couples and a selection of traditional Sri Lankan and East Asian treatments and therapies. The spa will be complemented by a state-of-the-art health club open 24 hours.

Our world-class facilities in the hotel will appeal to leisure travellers and business people alike. They are ideal for conferences and meetings and will enable the destination to compete with other MICE hotspots like Bangkok, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Phuket and Bali. Our combination of service quality, conference capabilities and in-room technology means this is a truly unique product for Sri Lanka,

said Cottan.

Gulf carriers ensure great connectivity between Colombo and visitors from the region. In addition, SriLankan Airlines recently announced a direct route from Colombo to Gan, the closest airport to Shangri-Las private resort in the Maldives.

We are very keen to take advantage of the close links between Sri Lanka and the Maldives, leveraging the popularity of two-destination holidays between the countries and deals offered by international and independent travel agents, as well as direct flights from Colombo by SriLankan Airlines.

As a result, guests at Shangri-La Hotel, Colombo will be able to combine their stay in vibrant Sri Lanka with a tranquil retreat at Shangri-Las Villingili Resort & Spa, Maldives, said Rob Weeden, Shangri-Las Vice President of Sales for EMEA.

Shangri-Las Villingili Resort & Spa is located in Addu Atoll, the largest resort island in the Maldives, is just a five-minute boat ride away from Gan International Airport. The resort is a collection of 132 private villas nestled across emerald green jungle and stunning turquoise shoreline.

Meanwhile, Shangri-La will also introduce its urban lifestyle Kerry Hotels brand to Hong Kong with the opening of Kerry Hotel, Hong Kong on April 28. Also in May, Shangri-La will relaunch Shangri-La Hotel, Singapores 503-room Tower Wing. In Beijing, the 450-room Hotel Jen Beijing is scheduled to open in June in Beijings Central Business District (CBD) in Chaoyang.

The group will open three additional properties in China with Shangri-La Hotel, Yiwu scheduled to open in mid-May and Shangri-La Hotel, Xiamen and Shangri-La Hotel, Jinan set to launch in Q3 2017.
The first 100 days of the US President Donald Trumps administration revealed the complexity of a head of states task.

One of his predecessors, former US President John F. Kennedy, during his first 100 days had learned a costly lesson with the failure of the Bay of Pigs invasion. His reaction to the event was to splinter the CIA into a thousand pieces and scatter it into the wind. Most presidents realise the gravity of decision-making during the initial 100 days and this applies to Sri Lanka as well.

In this new emerging global order, Sri Lanka, a nation in transition from the third world to the second with a per capita income of US $ 3200, will need to craft its path to be able to become a developed country. Even in its current economic state, with 27 percent of the population living in poverty, a small section in the Sri Lankan society is extremely wealthy.

In a recent article, Malinda Seneviratne argued that beggars cant be choosers. Sri Lanka will beg more from the international community given the relative weakness of the domestic industries. The Central Bank projection of achieving a per capita income of US $ 7000 by 2020 will be unachievable with the current state of the economy.

Deep socialist values

In March 2017, Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena became the first Sri Lankan Head of State to visit Russia in several decades. President Sirisenas official visit will strengthen Sri Lankas relations with a geo-strategically important country. This was Sirisena exercising his own foreign policy, carefully calibrated in the right direction. No previous Sri Lankan president has held in high esteem the values and teachings of Vladimir Lenin and Karl Marx. In contrast, their pictures are placed in the main boardroom of the current presidents residence. This is a clear indication of the deep socialist values that President Sirisena holds.

These values probably echo in reminding the president not to sell any state resource. If the United National Party (UNP) is the pro-Western business-oriented party that advocates joint ventures, Sirisena is the inward looking farmer attempting to advocate the importance of an indigenous economy. Russia, with its gilded chambers suffering from the imperial hangover, is a reminder of deep nationalistic values.

Neither the US, Europe or China want it to be strong. Russian President Vladimir Putins gesture of handing a 19th century sword belonging to Sri Lanka to President Sirisena was a reminder of the need to preserve the Sri Lankan values and historical treasures smuggled or taken out of the island nation.

Future of strategic projects

There have been some recent developments regarding the future of two strategic projects in Sri Lanka, one undertaken by India in Trincomalee and the other by China in Hambantota. According to Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, he has saved the nation from a joint venture with the Chinese. He claimed that he was able to negotiate a better, less harmful deal with China as compared to the one agreed to by former Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

On these strategic long-term projects, it is unclear how public input has been taken. Elected representatives are appointed for a period of six years for the executive and five years for members of parliament. If they agree upon a deal that will conclude beyond their tenure, it is important to include public observations. If a certain project is awarded for 99 years of lease agreements, most of the policymakers who decide today will not live to see its conclusion.

In China, a large-scale strategic foreign project will not be approved if there is no national security clearance. Sri Lanka should also think of national security clearance when deciding on large-scale strategic foreign projects. The clearance or the study report could be preserved for the next generation as a point of reference.

Furthermore, the report should also assess if these projects add strategic value to Sri Lankas economy. It is important to remember that given the volatile global order, what may be the best strategic option today may not be the same in a few years time. A simulator should be designed to deeply understand future events and scenarios.

Making strategic decisions

Foresight analysis is a methodology that Sri Lanka could adopt to predict the best future scenarios. Has Sri Lanka assessed the strategic and economic significance of the Hambantota and Trincomalee port projects in 2030, 2050 and beyond? The Sri Lankan policymakers should take these questions into consideration while making strategic decisions. If they do not have the necessary data sets to decide, they should defer the decision. Due to Sri Lankas geographically strategic position, it cannot ignore regional and extra-regional entities interests in it.

The Sri Lankan government should view its national interest as the first point of reference.

(Asanga Abeyagoonasekera is a visiting lecturer in international political economy (IPE) and Director General of INSSSL, the national security think tank of Sri Lanka. This article was initially published by the IPCS, New Delhi for Dateline Colombo)
A departmental head who is keen on making meditation part of the days schedule for all his employees has for a start ordered all staffers in his office to participate in a 15-minute meditation session every working day of the week.



By the way, a minor employee who could not attend the meditation session was pulled up recently.

This departmental head has made it compulsory for even non- Buddhists for whom meditation is something foreign to participate in the meditation session which has become a daily feature. Some of these staffers have decided to file a HR case for being required to observe a religious practice which is alien to the religions they profess. Some high-ups in the department are said to be extending their moral support on the sly to the staffers set to challenge in courts the practice foisted on them, they say.
The Trump administration is proposing to sever the funding line to the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) office in Sri Lanka in 2018 under federal budget cuts aiming to fulfill promises of cutting US donations for humanitarian projects and putting America First.

The US State Department documents published by the Foreign Policy publication showed that Sri Lanka would lose the entire US$ 38 million in funding under the USAID Economic Support Fund.

This cut is a part of US President Donald Trumps plans to reduce the US State Department and USAID budgets by around 30 percent, and to combine the two institutions.

USAID Sri Lanka Mission Director Dr. Andrew Sisson was unavailable for comment.

USAID provided US$ 22 million in assistance to Sri Lanka in 2015, and has provided over US$ 600 million in assistance to Sri Lanka

since 2001.

Although past USAID assistance focus had been on tsunami relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction and prevention of conflict, recent efforts have been focusing more good governance and economic development.

Meanwhile, the Millennium Challenge Corporation, an independent US government agency providing foreign aid for countries committed to good governance practices, appears to have escaped President Trumps wrath so far.

MCC last year pledged to provide US$ 792 million to Sri Lanka, amid efforts by China and India to throw billions of dollars of investments at Sri Lanka in order to gain greater influence.
By Thomas Gibbons-Neff, Pamela Constable and Sayed Salahuddin

(c) 2017, The Washington Post 

 Apr 25, 2017

KABUL, Afghanistan - A devastating Taliban attack on an Afghan army base last week has shaken up the government here, forcing the resignations of the countrys Defence Minister and Army Chief on Monday as Defence 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 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. troops 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 defence 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 defence forces overall, totalling 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 for which the Taliban or Islamic State asserted responsibility include the invasion of a military hospital in Kabul on March 8 that left at least 30 people dead, and a one-day spate of scattered bombings Jan. 10 that killed 65 people, including five Emirati diplomats at a government guesthouse in Kandahar.



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 on 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 Donald 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 harbouring the Haqqani group, which Pakistan denies doing.



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 Washington Posts Constable reported from Islamabad. Sharif Walid in Kabul and Missy Ryan in Washington contributed to this report.
By Chandeepa Wettasinghe

The government appears to be making a last-ditch effort to appease the European Union (EU) Parliament with regard to the essential human rights reforms, as a crucial vote on Sri Lankas readmission to the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) Plus preferential trade status takes place today.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe this week informed the cabinet that further amendments proposed to the cabinet could be included in the Code of Criminal Procedure (Special Provisions) Act No. 02 of 2013 (Rights of Detainees  Access to Legal Counsel), which was gazetted last month, during the committee stage.

Further, a draft of the Counter Terrorism Act to replace the Prevention of Terrorism Act was also passed in the cabinet, although it has yet to be gazetted.

However, firmer commitments towards protecting children from underage marriages and the rights of those of differing sexual orientations, which have also been high up in the list of concerns of the EU parliamentarians, have yet to materialize.

A group of EU parliamentarians last week put forth a resolution to deny Sri Lanka access to GSP Plus, citing the slow pace of essential reforms in Sri Lanka. The vote will be taken up today.

Foreign Affairs Deputy Minister Dr. Harsha de Silva, who is currently visiting Brussels on a study visit programme for Sri Lankan parliamentarians, this week said he is lobbying his EU counterparts on Sri Lankas application for GSP Plus.

The EU absorbed nearly one-third of Sri Lankas US $ 10.55 billion exports in 2015 as the largest regional customer of Sri Lankas exports, while Britain, which took in nearly 10 percent of Sri Lankas exports, is now in the process of leaving the EU.

Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake had said Sri Lanka could gain an annual tariff windfall of around US $ 1.9 billion if it regained GSP Plus.

If Sri Lankas application for GSP Plus gets shot down today at the vote, it will at least take about good eight to 10 months for the country to reapply.
Even as the Yogi Adityanath government is busy trying to make Uttar Pradesh pothole-free, all roads leading to Samajwadi Party still seems to be pockmarked with salvos from the Yadav family feud.

The bitter infighting in Samajwadi Party  that cost the party heavily in the recently-concluded Assembly elections  is still simmering. While uncle Shivpal Yadav is still not done firing salvos against his nephew, Mulayam Singh too seems to be unforgiving and has been blaming the son for the debacle.

Making life tougher for Akhilesh, Shivpal has been categorically asking him to hand over the party reins back to his father.

Akhilesh, who put up a brave face before the results, seems to be losing his composure. Recently, when a television reporter wearing a saffron shirt asked about Shivpals statement, an infuriated Akhilesh said: He (the reporter) is new here. His colour is also saffron I want to tell him and other journalists to fix any day in May, and I will answer all questions. But after that you should not ask any question about my family."

Akhilesh Yadav needs to answer some uncomfortable questions.

For any journalist, it's natural to ask such questions. However, it's not very unnatural to lose your cool when not in the best position to answer.

Akhilesh, despite having both age and numbers (of party MLAs) on his side, failed to convert that support into a political victory in an Assembly election fought in alliance with the Congress, much against the wishes of his father.

Shivpal, who used to call the shots in the party before Akhilesh outgrew the shoes given by his father, was marginalised but was spared the guillotine. Now, he looms large like a real threat to Akhilesh, especially at a time when he is finding it hard to come to terms with the electoral loss.

Even though Mulayam kept opposing an alliance with the Congress, Akhilesh chose not to pay any heed to his father's advice. Not only did he allow the Congress to gulp more than it could actually chew, the former chief minister seems to have got carried away with lofty slogans like "Kaam Bolta hai " and "UP Ko Ye Saath Pasand hai".

The results came as a huge slap forcing many in the party to get into a huddle. That has now triggered a seemingly happy uncle to question the supremacy of Akhilesh within the party. Akhilesh, while wresting control of the party, had made lofty claims of getting a thumping majority for SP as a gift to his father, but completely overlooked his suggestions.

Rahul Gandhi and his Congress failed miserably, although not unexpected. To Akhilesh's consolation, many blamed the Congress vice-president for the SP's mighty fall. Whatever may be the truth, it's high time the two parties to go deep diving and fix the rot.

A constructive opposition is missing even as the Yogi government seems to be on a roller-coaster ride, taking "bold" and "big" decisions.

Trying his best to tell the world that he is still "alive and kicking", Akhilesh has been conducting stock-taking exercises. A massive membership drive is also on. Akhilesh is also trying hard to project that he is still at the helm of affairs against the father-uncle duo's repeated attacks.

However, it has became a common practice within the Samajwadi Party  to dodge discomforting questions. Post-Assembly election debacle, and in the event of enough dirty linen being washed in public, these questions are begging urgent answers. They can't be rubbished by intimidation. The whole episode raises serious questions over Akhilesh's capabilities to lead the party from here on.
Ambiguity has long been a key asset of Chinese diplomacy, from grand strategy to even territorial claims. India appears to be taking a leaf out of this book in its considered response to Chinas One Belt, One Road (OBOR) initiative, which has succeeded in leaving Beijing guessing.

The Chinese capital is currently in the throes of preparation for one of Chinas biggest ever summits  the May 14 Belt and Road Forum, where President Xi Jinping will host at least 28 heads of state and government to push OBOR  subsequently renamed the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in English to connote a more open and flexible initiative (that is, there can be many roads and belts), although rather tellingly the name in Chinese remains Yi Dai Yi Lu (or, One Belt, One Road).

Attendees include the Russian president, prime ministers of Sri Lanka and Pakistan, Myanmars Aung San Suu Kyi and six other ASEAN leaders. The plan envisages a land economic belt to Central and South Asia and Europe, and a maritime silk road to Southeast Asia and the Indian Ocean.

Liu Jinsong, minister and deputy chief of mission at the Chinese Embassy in Delhi, revealed on April 21 that Beijing was till today still waiting for the reply for India and that India was in the first group (of countries) to get an invite.

China wanted PM Modi to attend, but considering he will in any case visit China in September for BRICS, that was always an unrealistic proposition.

More than that, India does not want to endorse OBOR at a high level for at least two reasons. Most importantly, China decided to make the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) a flagship OBOR project.

CPEC passes through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). And Beijing had no reason to frame CPEC as a key route of OBOR, when it could well have been taken it forward on a parallel basis. Second, there is much that is unclear about OBOR and its strategic intentions. India is hence right to play a waiting game.

China isnt pleased. As Liu said on April 21, speaking at a gathering of top policymakers hosted by the Observer Research Foundation in Mumbai, The earlier countries join us, the earlier they have more voice and benefit. China never pressures India to join the BRI. India is a sovereign country. Its your sovereign right to make your decision.

Yet he added pointedly: China always endorses Indias strategies, like Make in India.

Liu did not offer a solution to Indias concerns on the PoK projects, but only repeated the 1963 China-Pakistan agreement which said that after the settlement of the Kashmir dispute between Pakistan and India, the sovereign authority concerned will reopen negotiations with China, stressing China didnt see the territory as Pakistans.

(Then why it neither consulted India on CPEC nor invited it to join, or for that matter decided to name the corridor as the China-Pakistan corridor while admitting the dispute, is not clear.)

Former National Security Adviser Shivshankar Menon, at the ORF forum, suggested the way forward for India as it grapples with a response to OBOR. Not all projects under the BRI are viable economically which suggests they would have some geostrategic motivation. Its very hard to see a real economic justification for CPEC. And its the strategic portion, such as the port, that they have implemented first.

On CPEC, Menon said that by making a long term investment China seems to solidify and legitimise Pakistans illegal occupation.

At the same time, its clear that while protecting its interests, India certainly cannot be in denial that OBOR is likely to drastically change its surrounding strategic landscape, especially in South Asia, where Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka are all deepening economic ties with China, not to mention Pakistan.

While making clear sovereign aspects of CPEC are unacceptable to us, we might explore which portion, whether infrastructure or connectivity, can serve Indias interests in improving connectivity and integration with the Asian and global economy, said Menon. For me prudence demands we prepare for the changed landscape we will face one way or another in the next few years.

A combination of prudence and flexibility may be the right approach for India, and so far, Delhi seems to be on the right track

(Courtesy of Mail Today.)
Twitter, Inc. operates as a platform for public self-expression and conversation in real-time. The company's primary product is Twitter, a platform that allows users to consume, create, distribute, and discover content. It also provides promoted products that enable advertisers to promote brands, products, and services, as well as enable advertisers to target an audience based on various factors, including who an account follows and actions taken on its platform, such as Tweets created and engagement with Tweets. Its promoted products consist of promoted ads and Twitter Amplify, Follower Ads, and Twitter takeover. In addition, the company offers monetization products for creators, including Tips to directly send small one-time payments on Twitter using various payment methods, including bitcoin; Super Follows, a paid monthly subscription, which includes bonus content, exclusive previews, and perks as a way to support and connect with creators on Twitter; and Ticketed Spaces to support creators on Twitter for their time and effort in hosting, speaking, and moderating the public conversation on Twitter Spaces. Further, it offers products for developers and data partners comprising Twitter Developer Platform, a platform that enables developers to build tools for people and businesses using its public application programming interface; and paid access to Twitter data for partners with commercial use cases. Twitter, Inc. was founded in 2006 and is based in San Francisco, California.
AmerisourceBergen Corporation sources and distributes pharmaceutical products in the United States and internationally. Its Pharmaceutical Distribution segment distributes brand-name and generic pharmaceuticals, over-the-counter healthcare products, home healthcare supplies and equipment, and related services to various healthcare providers, including acute care hospitals and health systems, independent and chain retail pharmacies, mail order pharmacies, medical clinics, long-term care and alternate site pharmacies, and other customers. It also provides pharmacy management, staffing, and other consulting services; supply management software to retail and institutional healthcare providers; and packaging solutions to various institutional and retail healthcare providers. In addition, this segment distributes plasma and other blood products, injectable pharmaceuticals, vaccines, and other specialty products; provides other services primarily to physicians who specialize in various disease states, primarily oncology, as well as to other healthcare providers, including hospitals and dialysis clinics; and offers data analytics, outcomes research, and additional services for biotechnology and pharmaceutical manufacturers. The company's Other segment provides integrated manufacturer services, such as clinical trial support, product post-approval, and commercialization support; specialty transportation and logistics services for the biopharmaceutical industry; and sells pharmaceuticals, vaccines, parasiticides, diagnostics, micro feed ingredients, and various other products to customers in the companion animal and production animal markets, as well as demand-creating sales force services to manufacturers. AmerisourceBergen Corporation was incorporated in 2001 and is headquartered in Conshohocken, Pennsylvania.
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.
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The Columbus Area Chamber enjoyed an evening of celebrating together last week that brought our message to some 400 people at a sold-out venue at Columbus High. This week we share our message in the nations capital.

Before we get to that, I want to share some gratitude on behalf of our board and staff with those who helped make the Annual Celebration a success:

 Board Chairs Steve Line and Bill Flint for their organization and presentations.

 Columbus High, and especially Dr. Loeffelholz, Mr. Hiebner, Mr. Peabody and Mr. Uchtman, for being such great hosts, especially with the unique challenges of hosting such an event in a high school. As it turns out, it was the perfect venue.

 Farm Credit Services of America for 50 years of continuous membership.

 Robin Anderson for presenting the Rich Anderson Chamber Volunteer of the Year to Joe Steffensmeier and honoring Kurt Shevlin and Jonathan Rauner as finalists for the award.

 Lunchtime Solutions for a great meal and social hour goodies.

 CHS 101, CHS drumline and other CHS students for participating.

 All those who attended and have become ambassadors for the new brand since then.

It was a great evening and a great launch for the Something Good brand and weve had really positive reactions coming in all week.

Now, as I said this week were sharing our message in Washington, D.C. This is the annual Legislative Fly-In organized by the Nebraska Chamber. So, I guess were looking for Something Good in D.C., and lets be honest, its going to be a more challenging search there than it is in Columbus.

We are fortunate to have visits set with all five Nebraska Congressional offices over these two-plus days. Colleagues around the nation often tell us they cant believe were able to have private meetings with our federal legislators. I guess thats just the Nebraska way of doing things and were deeply grateful that our senators and congressman do want to hear from constituents.

Were also getting briefings from the U.S. Chamber and National Association of Manufacturers this week, along with some meetings with agencies in the executive branch. Ill report back to you next week with what we learn  it will be interesting indeed to evaluate the current state of things inside the Beltway from the perspective of our federal legislators.

Until next time, please remember to go to somethinggoodcolumbus.com to share your Something Good Story and click on Use the Brand to make the brand your own.
RICHMOND  State Sen. Bryce E. Reeves, Republican candidate for lieutenant governor, wants a judge to allow his lawyer to depose GOP primary opponent Sen. Jill Holtzman Vogel over an email that alleged he had an extramarital affair.

Reeves, through an attorney, is asking a judge to allow a deposition of Vogel and husband Alexander Vogel by May 24. The Vogels responded in a court filing, saying Reeves is attempting to abuse the civil discovery process. The primary election is June 13.

The newest legal move by Reeves comes after a series of allegations from each side about whether Vogel and her husband are behind the email. Reeves has already requested permission for his lawyer to depose neighbors of the Vogels in Fauquier County and two of Vogel's campaign supporters.

Reeves, of Spotsylvania County, is in a contentious race with Vogel, of Fauquier County, for the GOP nomination for the statewide seat. Del. Glenn R. Davis Jr., R-Virginia Beach. is also running.

The email was sent last fall to several of Reeves' supporters and alleged he had an affair with an aide. The sender of the email was listed as "Martha McDaniel."

Reeves has supplied the email to reporters and has said it is false and defamatory. Reeves, a former undercover police officer in Prince William County, filed a defamation lawsuit in October against "Martha McDaniel."

Reeves believes "Martha McDaniel" may be fictitious. Through the lawsuit, he issued subpoenas to communications companies to find out who sent the email.

The email in question "was registered to a cellular phone number belonging to Alexander Vogel," according to the March 27 court filing by Reeves asking permission to depose the Vogels. The two IP addresses that accessed the email account "belong to the Vogels and their next-door neighbors," the filing said.

The Vogels have denied any involvement, and Jill Vogel has said she believes she was "the target of a political stunt."

Reeves has not named the Vogels as defendants and the lawsuit has not been served on anyone. The Supreme Court of Virginia has designated retired Norfolk Circuit Judge Charles E. Poston to preside over the case.

In a response filed last week in court, the Vogels said Reeves provided information about the email to news media "in an attempt to gain leverage in the campaign." They wrote that the subpoenas for their depositions were posted at their previous residence, and that Reeves was aware they had moved.

"The Vogels only received word of these subpoenas on or about April 4, 2017, by and through third parties, who found them taped to the door of their former residence."

The Vogels outlined several reasons why they want the judge to deny Reeves' request to depose them - among them, that the lawsuit has not been served.

Libby Locke, an attorney for Reeves, said in an email that Vogel "is doing everything she can" to avoid answering questions:

"She has refused Senator Reeves request to conduct an independent forensic analysis to determine whether her computer system was actually hacked, and now she is insisting that she should be exempt from participating in routine civil discovery. That does not sound like someone who wants to seek the truth; it sounds like someone who wants to hide behind a lawyer so the truth never comes out. What is Jill Vogel hiding?"

Vogel campaign manager Pat Trueman declined to comment for this story.

The job of lieutenant governor is part-time and pays $36,321 annually. But it is considered a potential launching pad to a run for governor, which is what's led to a high-stakes primary campaign.

Three Democrats are seeking their party's nomination in the June 13 primary - former federal prosecutors Justin Fairfax and Gene Rossi and Susan Platt, a Democratic activist and former lobbyist.
As is almost always the case, signs of trouble preceded the latest shooting in Paris, which left one police officer dead and wounded two bystanders before police killed the gunman, later identified as French national Karim Cheurfi, a known criminal with a long, violent record.

ISIS claimed to be behind the attack. According to police, a note praising ISIS fell out of Cheurfi's pocket when he fell.

Cheurfi was of Algerian descent, born in a Paris suburb. The Washington Post reported he had a criminal record and was known to authorities. His rap sheet included four arrests and convictions since 2003. He had spent nearly 14 years in prison for crimes that included burglary, theft and attempted murder.

When Cheurfi attempted to buy weapons, French authorities took notice, especially when he made statements about wishing to kill police officers. After he traveled to Algeria earlier this year, Paris prosecutor Francois Molins said, Cheurfi was interviewed, but a judge refused to revoke his probation. It makes one question not only France's probation laws.

French and other European politicians immediately expressed concern over what effect the shooting and the terrorist attacks that preceded it might have on France's choice of a new president. Rightist candidates immediately tried to exploit the issue, but it has been a subject on the minds of French voters, particularly in Paris, where a major enclave of immigrants from Muslim countries continue to be seen by many as a threat to the French way of life.

Cheurfi should have been back in jail for parole violations. Given his record, his statements and the trip to Algeria, enough red flags were raised to warrant action.

A side note. While Algeria has not been a main source of terrorism in the world, the human rights agency Algeria Watch has noted: "Although Algerian nationals were not among the suicide bombers of 11 September 2001, they have featured prominently in subsequent investigations into al-Qaida activities in North America and Europe. In the UK, where an Algerian community has grown as a largely unknown minority in recent years, several dozen Algerians have been arrested since mid-2001 in localities as widely spread as Leicester, Glasgow, Edinburgh, London and Manchester. Arrests in London in January 2003 uncovered a cell producing ricin, while in Manchester, one of the Algerian detainees, 27-year-old Kamel Bourgass, was responsible for killing a police officer  the first victim in the UK's post-11 September anti-terrorist campaign."

In the United States and other countries in the West, most often someone has to actually break the law before he can be arrested. Given the tactics of terrorists, it might be worth discussing whether to invoke a doctrine of pre-emption, which is sometimes employed when an enemy nation appears to be an imminent threat. If that is an option to prevent death and destruction from countries, why can't we impose something similar for people who have violent criminal records and who openly state, as Cheurfi did, that he intends to kill police?

Western reluctance to adapt such a practice shows there is one force more powerful than the uniformed police. It is the "PC police." These are people who care more about how they feel than for the innocent people gunned down in our streets.

Don't innocents have the right to be protected from fanatics who so often claim to be doing God's work? With ongoing investigations by the Department of Homeland Security into radical terrorists in every state, it's long past time to get them before they get any more of us.

Cal Thomas is a columnist syndicated by the Tribune Content Agency. Email him at tcaeditors@tribpub.com.
As a veteran, I am compelled to write this letter out of respect and appreciation to all our brave members of the Armed Forces who have honorably served, suffered and died fighting our countrys battles on foreign soil. Spilling of American blood and its wealth must stop.

During the past 60 years, our civilian leadership has led us into one military conflict after another without congressional authority.

We have become comfortable with the term war. The U.S. has declared war on drugs, poverty, illiteracy, crime, etc.

World War II was the last time a declaration of war was made by the U.S. That war was properly authorized and one we, and our Allies, can say we won.

In my opinion, we erred in invading Afghanistan because the Taliban would not turn over Osama bin Laden, the architect of the horrific events of 9/11. There were other options to consider.

Our invasion of Iraq was ill-advised. Iraq had nothing to do with 9/11 and had no weapons of mass destruction, and Saddam Hussein was a stabilizing force that kept Iran in check. The removal of Saddam and disbandment of his army led to the birth of al-Qaida.

Syria has become another quagmire. President Bashar Assad has been terrorizing his own people for years. We now have U.S. pilots attacking Assad forces and Soviet pilots attacking rebels supported by the U.S. A major U.S.-Russia incident is not out of the realm of possibility.

North Korea and Iran, with their nuclear ambitions, pose a direct threat to world peace. Had the U.S. confronted North Korea in 1968 when it captured the USS Pueblos crew and intelligence-gathering equipment in international waters, and if it had confronted Iran in 1979 when it invaded the sovereign soil of the U.S. Embassy in Tehran, holding employees hostage for 444 days, we might not be facing nuclear threats from either country today. Both incidents were direct provocations to the U.S.

Finally, we failed to negotiate a new lease agreement with the Philippine government on two vital military bases. Now, not only is our military presence being restricted, our overall influence in the area is being challenged and diminished. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte wants to move away from the U.S. and toward new security arrangements with both China and Russia.

Lowell Arnold, Fluvanna County
COLUMBUS  A 35-year-old Columbus man was arrested on suspicion of drunken driving late Saturday night after a city police officer found him sleeping behind the wheel of his car at a downtown intersection.

Columbus Police Officer Santiago Velasquez arrested Regan Woodrick for fourth-offense driving under the influence and refusal of a chemical test after finding the city man in a gray 2004 Honda Accord, with the headlights on and music playing, at the intersection of 21st Avenue and 13th Street.

Velasquez wrote in his probable cause arrest statement that he needed to pound on the vehicles window multiple times to wake the suspect after finding him asleep with his vehicle in gear.

The suspect admitted to consuming a few alcoholic beverages, but later refused to submit to a preliminary breath test or chemical breath test, Velasquez wrote in his statement.

The officer said a check of the suspects driving history revealed he has been convicted of DUI three times during the last 11 years.

Woodrick was released from the county jail Monday after posting 10 percent of a $25,000 bond. Platte County Court Judge Frank Skorupa scheduled the defendant for a May 3 felony first appearance hearing.
The getaway driver in a botched robbery that killed a Charlottesville man will wait a few more months to find out his prison sentence.

Bryan Page, of Gordonsville, will not be sentenced on the 10 charges against him until Aug. 1, at the behest of city prosecutors. Last November, Page testified against 27-year-old Jordan Jerome Eaddy, the man convicted of first-degree murder in the shooting death of Floyd Alston Jr., as part of a plea deal.

The 31-year-old father of two was killed in a struggle with one of two men who broke into his South First Street home in November 2015. Eaddy and another man, Pierre Gerard Augustine, each were charged with attempted robbery, armed burglary and two counts of murder in the commission of a felony.

Augustine faces a two-day jury trial starting on July 13. After his three-day trial in November, Eaddy was convicted on one murder charge and the attempted robbery charge. While a jury recommended a 25-year prison sentence, a judge officially will sentence him June 14.

Page was one of the prosecutions star witnesses at Eaddys trial. He testified that he waited outside of Alstons home in a getaway car on the night of the murder. While fleeing the scene, the trio was spotted driving erratically by an Albemarle County patrolman, which led to a chase. Page eventually crashed the car, and all three suspects attempted to flee on foot; only Augustine got away, although he was arrested in October.

Page was hit with a slew of charges, including hit-and-run, eluding police, destruction of property and accessory to murder. While his testimony in Eaddys case was part of the plea agreement, prosecutors have said the agreement does not stipulate just how much time Page will have to serve.

In a hearing on Tuesday afternoon in Charlottesville Circuit Court, Judge Rick Moore pushed Pages sentencing until Aug. 1. A pre-sentence report has not yet been prepared for Pages case, and he still faces a felony weapons charge in Orange County. A review hearing for that charge is scheduled for Friday.

Prosecutors noted that the delay will allow for Augustines trial to run its course before Page is sentenced. It is unclear if Page will testify in that trial.
LINCOLN  Nebraska lawmakers kicked off a contentious debate Tuesday over a proposed $8.9 billion, two-year budget package in the midst of a projected revenue shortfall.

The plan would balance the budget using a combination of tactics. The biggest changes include drawing money from state cash accounts that are separate from the general fund, cutting money to the University of Nebraska and relying on an increase in federal Medicaid dollars.

The budget could see more cuts depending on the outcome of a new state revenue forecast slated for Wednesday. Senators adjourned for the day without voting on the main budget bill.

The package would increase funding for K-12 public schools, accounting for roughly 44 percent of the total budget, and provide a boost to the ongoing efforts to reduce prison crowding.

Sen. John Stinner of Gering, chairman of the Appropriations Committee, said the budget-crafting effort was one of the most difficult ones that longtime legislative staff members could recall.

"This current budget is really about us, what we think is really important at this point in time," Stinner said in remarks to fellow senators.

Lawmakers faced an unusually large projected shortfall of nearly $900 million this year, in part because of falling commodity prices that hurt agriculture, the state's largest industry.

The proposed budget would increase spending by an average of 1.1 percent annually over the next two-year cycle  far less than the average growth rate. It would cover state expenses from July 1, 2017 to June 30, 2019.

Some senators voiced concern about the proposed cuts and a major tax package championed by Gov. Pete Ricketts. The tax plan would automatically reduce the state's top personal income tax bracket in years when state revenue grows by more than 3.5 percent.

"We have placed ourselves in a very precarious situation by cutting and cutting and cutting," said Sen. Paul Schumacher of Columbus. The tax cuts "are so small in most people's cases that they amount to a sack of peanuts."

Schumacher said lawmakers need to maintain a healthy cash reserve for state emergencies or major investments that would promote economic growth. The so-called rainy-day fund had been projected to reach a record high $729 million in June 2016, but is now expected to slip to $379 million by June 2019 under the current proposed budget.

Speaker of the Legislature Jim Scheer said any lawmaker who wants to increase spending will have to show where they propose to get the money. Those who want to reduce spending will have to outline where they intend to cut, Scheer said.

Lawmakers also gave first-round approval Tuesday to a funding bill for ongoing construction projects, $75 million for a new reception and treatment center for the state prison system. The bill would also provide a $10.6 million installment for ongoing ventilation system upgrades at the Capitol.




1. U.S. acceptance of coexistence as the only alternative to atomic war.

2. U.S. willingness to capitulate in preference to engaging in atomic war.

3. Develop the illusion that total disarmament of the United States would be a demonstration of moral strength.

4. Permit free trade between all nations regardless of Communist affiliation and regardless of whether or not items could be used for war.

5. Extension of long-term loans to Russia and Soviet satellites.

6. Provide American aid to all nations regardless of Communist domination.

7. Grant recognition of Red China. Admission of Red China to the U.N.

8. Set up East and West Germany as separate states in spite of Khrushchev's promise in 1955 to settle the German question by free elections under supervision of the U.N.

9. Prolong the conferences to ban atomic tests because the United States has agreed to suspend tests as long as negotiations are in progress.

10. Allow all Soviet satellites individual representation in the U.N.

11. Promote the U.N. as the only hope for mankind. If its charter is rewritten, demand that it be set up as a one-world government with its own independent armed forces. (Some Communist leaders believe the world can be taken over as easily by the U.N. as by Moscow. Sometimes these two centers compete with each other as they are now doing in the Congo.)

12. Resist any attempt to outlaw the Communist Party.

13. Do away with all loyalty oaths.

14. Continue giving Russia access to the U.S. Patent Office.

15. Capture one or both of the political parties in the United States.

16. Use technical decisions of the courts to weaken basic American institutions by claiming their activities violate civil rights.

17. Get control of the schools. Use them as transmission belts for socialism and current Communist propaganda. Soften the curriculum. Get control of teachers' associations. Put the party line in textbooks.

18. Gain control of all student newspapers.

19. Use student riots to foment public protests against programs or organizations which are under Communist attack.

20. Infiltrate the press. Get control of book-review assignments, editorial writing, policymaking positions.

21. Gain control of key positions in radio, TV, and motion pictures.

22. Continue discrediting American culture by degrading all forms of artistic expression. An American Communist cell was told to "eliminate all good sculpture from parks and buildings, substitute shapeless, awkward and meaningless forms."

23. Control art critics and directors of art museums. "Our plan is to promote ugliness, repulsive, meaningless art."

24. Eliminate all laws governing obscenity by calling them "censorship" and a violation of free speech and free press.

25. Break down cultural standards of morality by promoting pornography and obscenity in books, magazines, motion pictures, radio, and TV.

26. Present homosexuality, degeneracy and promiscuity as "normal, natural, healthy."

27. Infiltrate the churches and replace revealed religion with "social" religion. Discredit the Bible and emphasize the need for intellectual maturity which does not need a "religious crutch."

28. Eliminate prayer or any phase of religious expression in the schools on the ground that it violates the principle of "separation of church and state."

29. Discredit the American Constitution by calling it inadequate, old-fashioned, out of step with modern needs, a hindrance to cooperation between nations on a worldwide basis.

30. Discredit the American Founding Fathers. Present them as selfish aristocrats who had no concern for the "common man."

31. Belittle all forms of American culture and discourage the teaching of American history on the ground that it was only a minor part of the "big picture." Give more emphasis to Russian history since the Communists took over.

32. Support any socialist movement to give centralized control over any part of the culture--education, social agencies, welfare programs, mental health clinics, etc.

33. Eliminate all laws or procedures which interfere with the operation of the Communist apparatus.

34. Eliminate the House Committee on Un-American Activities.

35. Discredit and eventually dismantle the FBI.

36. Infiltrate and gain control of more unions.

37. Infiltrate and gain control of big business.

38. Transfer some of the powers of arrest from the police to social agencies. Treat all behavioral problems as psychiatric disorders which no one but psychiatrists can understand.

39. Dominate the psychiatric profession and use mental health laws as a means of gaining coercive control over those who oppose Communist goals.

40. Discredit the family as an institution. Encourage promiscuity and easy divorce.

41. Emphasize the need to raise children away from the negative influence of parents. Attribute prejudices, mental blocks and retarding of children to suppressive influence of parents.

42. Create the impression that violence and insurrection are legitimate aspects of the American tradition; that students and special-interest groups should rise up and use united force to solve economic, political or social problems.

43. Overthrow all colonial governments before native populations are ready for self-government.

44. Internationalize the Panama Canal.

45. Repeal the Connally reservation so the United States cannot prevent the World Court from seizing jurisdiction over nations and individuals alike.
Conferencing Makes a School Day Brighter

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By Steve Anderson

Contributing Writer By Steve AndersonContributing Writer

Back when the Internet was really getting started, one of the biggest selling points is what it could do for schools. It could open up the possibility of what some called digital field trips, in which figures in science, engineering, and the like could be brought to the students, without said students leaving the school. That didn't quite pan out, at least for a while; now that the technology's improved, students are getting a better chance to do that thanks to conferencing systems.





In one case, a New York teacher was dealing with the departure of a student's family, who was headed for Hong Kong. The teacher and that student's mother got together for lunch, and ultimately figured that they could keep in touch with Skype (News - Alert). Following the teacher's realization that the social studies program was looking to focus on China soon, the idea then emerged to use this as a learning opportunity by getting direct reports from something at least kind of in China.

The end result turned out to work much better than even the teacher expected, and the students not only got a lesson or two in China, but also in conferencing. One eight year old marveled at the possibility to talk to familiar faces without the need for thousands of miles of cable connecting the two parties.

Since a conferencing system can be very simple to set upit can be just as complex, but that depends on the userit can even be available to budget-strapped classrooms. A computer with webcam and microphone is all that's really needed, and from there, Skype is a simple download away. There are other conferencing systems as well to consider, but for many, Skype will likely do the job, and there's enough documentation on it to make it easy to work with.

That New York teacher demonstrated, and quite effectively, how conferencing can be put to use to make new value for students. Not only does the end product of conferencing provide valueoffering immediate connections to an array of guest speakers that can make content come alivebut the process itself adds value as kids learn some scientific principles with practical applications. Given the increased emphasis on science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) programs seen in some fronts lately, regular conferencing sessions might spark interest in developing the next generation of communications tools as a side effect of using the current generation.

The creative fallout from such ventures could be immense, and that makes conferencing worth considering if for no other reason. There's a lot of value afoot here, and for the price of a few minutes in a school day, it's worth the look.

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Edited by Alicia Young
By Solomon L. Wisenberg

Solomon L. Wisenberg is a partner and co-chair of the white-collar criminal defense practice group of Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough, LLP.

What do Martha Stewart and enemy combatant Ali Saleh Kahlah Al-Marri have in common? They were both indicted, under Title 18, United States Code, Section 1001, for lying to federal government agents. Ms. Stewart now stands convicted of intentionally misleading SEC and FBI officials who questioned her about insider trading. Mr. Al-Marri was one of several hundred immigrants who voluntarily submitted to FBI interviews in the wake of the September 11, 2001 attacks. He was later charged with lying, during his interview, about the timing of a previous trip to the United States. Here are two criminal defendants from widely divergent backgrounds. Yet both were ensnared by Section 1001, a perennial favorite of federal prosecutors.

Did you know that it is a crime to tell a lie to the federal government? Even if your lie is oral and not under oath? Even if you have received no warnings of any kind? Even if you are not trying to cheat the government out of money? Even if the government is not actually misled by your falsehood? Well it is.

Title 18, United States Code, Section 1001 makes it a crime to: 1) knowingly and willfully; 2) make any materially false, fictitious or fraudulent statement or representation; 3) in any matter within the jurisdiction of the executive, legislative or judicial branch of the United States. Your lie does not even have to be made directly to an employee of the national government as long as it is "within the jurisdiction" of the ever expanding federal bureaucracy. Though the falsehood must be "material" this requirement is met if the statement has the "natural tendency to influence or [is] capable of influencing, the decision of the decision-making body to which it is addressed." United States v. Gaudin, 515 U.S. 506, 510 (1995). (In other words, it is not necessary to show that your particular lie ever really influenced anyone.) Although you must know that your statement is false at the time you make it in order to be guilty of this crime, you do not have to know that lying to the government is a crime or even that the matter you are lying about is "within the jurisdiction" of a government agency. United States v. Yermian, 468 U.S. 63, 69 (1984). For example, if you lie to your employer on your time and attendance records and, unbeknownst to you, he submits your records, along with those of other employees, to the federal government pursuant to some regulatory duty, you could be criminally liable.

Even in our age of ever expanding federal power, the breadth of this statute (and the discretion it lodges in prosecutors) is awesome. Congress has regulated so many areas of our lives and federalized so many functions that the reach of Section 1001 is virtually boundless. This is what caused many federal courts to create an "exculpatory no" doctrine, holding that falsely answering "no" to an inquiry from a federal agent was, standing alone, not a crime under Section 1001. In 1998, however, the United States Supreme Court rejected this doctrine (as being inconsistent with legislative intent) in Brogan v. United States, 522 U.S. 398, 805 (1998). Thus, the only avenue for reform with respect to Section 1001 is in Congress, where politicians seldom get brownie points for narrowing the reach of federal criminal statutes.

But why, you may ask, should law-abiding citizens be alarmed about this statute? Don't the feds only pick on big-league liars? Don't we trust the federal government and its law enforcement officers and assume that they are responsibly trying to ferret out crime? Besides, if we meet an FBI agent that we do not trust, can't we always decline to speak to him?

It may be true that most federal agents and prosecutors are decent people who would not intentionally abuse Section 1001. Moreover, it is very important from a law enforcement perspective for federal agents to be able to informally question witnesses during the initial stages of an investigation. And certainly citizens are under no obligation to speak to a law enforcement agent in the first place, although, as shown below, it is essential to learn how to decline to speak to government officers. But power corrupts, and the potential for abuse of this statute is great, especially during periods of public outcry over corporate and other white-collar crimes. When we reflect upon how many petty rules and regulations get broken and how many white lies are told during the course of an average American business day, it is apparent that Section 1001 can easily be applied and misapplied to normally upstanding folk.

Consider, for example, the following hypothetical. Assume you are the former employee of a corrupt home health care agency. You hated the place, left as soon as you could and did your best while there not to join in the fraud you saw being committed all around you. Nevertheless, you looked the other way and on occasion minimally aided the owner's criminal behavior. Maybe you transported false vouchers to the mailbox or handed miscoded bills to a visiting auditor. (It is very easy under federal criminal law to passively aid another in his or her crime and thereby subject yourself to criminal exposure. All you need is to know of another's crime and perform any act, even a minor act, that intentionally and knowingly facilitates the crime.) Assume further that you are a registered nurse and that your licensing state will revoke your license if they find that you were involved in fraud. One afternoon, two years after you quit, your neighborhood FBI agent comes calling. He needs damaging information about your former employer and you certainly know enough to help out. But revealing what you know could also expose you to revocation of your license. What do you do in that situation and what are the potential pitfalls?

Your first instinct may very well be to feign lack of knowledge concerning the details of the former employer's behavior, particularly if, as is often the case, the agent's visit is unexpected. People often panic in these encounters and blurt out falsehoods to cover up past misdeeds, even very small misdeeds. Once you make that fateful choice the FBI agent and the Assistant United States Attorney ("AUSA") who he works with may have you over a barrel. If they possess enough evidence to prove that you are lying they can bring or threaten to bring charges against you under Section 1001. In fact some AUSAs specifically send agents out to conduct interviews knowing that a witness will either tell the truth and help build a case against someone else or lie and subject himself to a Section 1001 charge. In such situations, the federal agent is typically well-informed about the facts of the case, but plays dumb in order to instill a false sense of confidence in the interview subject. And, unlike you, the agent has had time to examine all relevant documents. (It also bears noting that the FBI will usually not tape record the interview and that the only official interview report will be an FBI 302, which is the agent's own dictated version of the conversation. Agents usually work in pairs as well, so in any later dispute over what was said in the interview, guess whose version is likely to prevail? Yours, or the two FBI agents who dictated the 302?) Even if the prosecutor does not really want to indict a little fish like you, by lying in the interview you may force him to do so. If he ultimately convinces you to tell the truth and indicts your former employer, he must still reveal your falsehood to the employer's attorney, under Brady v. Maryland, 373 U.S. 83 (1963) and Giglio v. United States, 405 U.S. 150 (1972). This information will be used by the attorney to publicly and vigorously cross-examine you at trial. Since you are now going to be a tainted witness, because of your original falsehood, the prosecutor may feel obliged to indict you in order to show a jury (or other potential witnesses) that you have paid a price for lying to the FBI.

Hence we see that even a decent person who tries to stay out of trouble can face criminal exposure under Section 1001 through a fleeting conversation with government agents. What else can be done (in our hypothetical interview) to avoid being placed in such a dilemma? Of course, you can simply tell the whole truth the first time, like your mommy taught you to do. Wouldn't that be the easy thing to do, even if your nursing license ends up being revoked? Perhaps. But by telling the truth, and avoiding prosecution under Section 1001, you expose yourself to a potential indictment for aiding and abetting your former employer's health care fraud. You don't think it could happen? Trust me. It happens all the time, almost every week, all across this country.

What if you are absolutely convinced that you didn't do anything to help your former employer and that you are entirely innocent of wrongdoing? Since you have nothing to hide, is it safe to talk? There can still be real danger in speaking to a government agent in these circumstances. To begin with, you are not qualified to know whether you are innocent of wrongdoing under federal criminal law . I have already noted the minimal nature of the act needed to connect you to another's crime if you have knowledge of that crime. But the danger goes beyond this. Not all federal crimes (particularly regulatory crimes) even require criminal intent. Moreover, you and your employer may have engaged in some widespread industry practice, acceptable at the time, which is now under stricter scrutiny. One offhand remark to the federal agent could turn into a damaging admission.

Even assuming your absolute innocence of the wrongdoing being investigated, however, the agent has had the luxury of minutely studying all of the relevant paperwork surrounding that investigation. You, on the other hand, may not have thought about the subject matter, much less the underlying details, of his inquiry for years. You will probably not be shown any of the pertinent documents before the interview begins. You could easily make factual mistakes during your interview. What happens then? Maybe nothing, if you are dealing with an experienced agent who surmises that you are trying to tell the truth. But if the agent is inexperienced and unsure of your culpability or if you are not confirming his version of events, your mistakes can easily be interpreted as intentional falsehoods under Section 1001.

Is there an intelligent alternative to lying or telling the truth that we have not yet examined? Yes. In our hypothetical interview, you can politely decline to be interviewed by the FBI agent. Tell the agent that you have an attorney and that "my attorney will be in contact with you." If the agent persists, say that you will not discuss anything without first consulting counsel. Ask for the agent's card, to give to your attorney. If you have not yet hired a lawyer, tell the agent that "I want to consult a lawyer first" or that "an attorney will be in touch with you." The absolutely essential thing to keep in mind is to say nothing of substance about the matter under investigation. It is preferable to do this by politely declining to be interviewed in the absence of counsel. If the agent asks "why do you need an attorney?" or "what do you have to hide?" do not take his bait and directly respond to such questions. (Do not even say that you have nothing to hide.) Simply state that you will not discuss the matter at all without first consulting counsel and that counsel will be in touch with him. If the agent asks for a commitment from you to speak with him after you have consulted or retained counsel, do not oblige him. Just respond that you will consult with your attorney (or "an" attorney) and that the attorney will be in touch. And by all means do not get bullied or panicked into making up a phony reason for refusing to talk. You are not obliged to explain your decision to anyone.

What if the FBI agent threatens to have you subpoenaed to the grand jury if you don't talk? Simply repeat your mantra that you will not discuss the matter with him in the absence of counsel. (If you are already represented tell the agent that you authorize your attorney to accept service of the subpoena. That way you will not have to be embarrassed at work by the FBI's service of a grand jury subpoena in broad daylight.) What if the agent already has a subpoena and serves you with it? Thank him and tell him that your attorney will be in touch.

It is crucial to note that affirmatively declining to discuss the investigation in the absence of counsel is not the same thing as remaining completely silent. If you are not in custody, your total silence, especially in the face of an accusation, can very possibly be used against you as an adoptive admission under the Federal Rules of Evidence.

Your invocation of counsel, however, cannot be used against you at trial. United States v. McDonald, 620 F.2d 559, 561-64 (5th Cir. 1980). Your refusal to talk substance in the absence of counsel will force the prosecutor to decide whether your information is important enough to justify a grand jury subpoena for your testimony.

If the prosecutor responds to your declination by serving you with a grand jury subpoena, this will present you with an interesting range of options such as: 1) testifying; 2) refusing to testify, by invoking the Fifth Amendment privilege against self-incrimination, which broadly applies to anyone , innocent or guilty, facing criminal exposure; 3) testifying (or talking to the government) only after receiving a grant of immunity; or 4) proffering to the government that is, giving them a sneak preview of what you will tell them if they agree to grant you immunity. The important thing to remember is that declining to speak to the agent in the first place buys you time in which to weigh these alternative strategies with your white-collar criminal defense attorney.

I am not suggesting that you should obstruct the FBI or invariably decline to answer an agent's questions. If you are certain that you have committed no crime, and if the agent promises you that nothing will happen to you if you tell the truth, and if it is crystal clear that you are nothing but a peripheral witness, it may be appropriate to voluntarily interview with federal law enforcement officials. But don't speak to them unless: you have discussed the matter thoroughly with your attorney; your attorney has called the prosecutor to determine your status as a witness, subject or target; and, your attorney is present during the interview.

Neither am I suggesting that it is generally acceptable to be interviewed by federal agents as long as your attorney is present. In fact, it is usually unacceptable and is often quite risky. (Just ask Martha Stewart, who had counsel by her side when interviewed by the FBI and SEC.) Indeed, barring special circumstances, I never let a client with the slightest degree of criminal exposure submit to an interview by government agents.

There are some instances in which you may effectively be forced to interview with law enforcement agents. If you are an employee of the government and you are assured that an inquiry is administrative only and that your interview will not result in any criminal action against you, you will usually be required, in order to keep your job, to submit to the interview. Furthermore, a private employer can require you to cooperate with a law enforcement or regulatory investigation as a condition of continued employment. If you are an officer or director of a company that operates in a regulated industry or does business with the federal government, your failure to submit to questioning by regulatory officials may result in significant economic sanctions against you or your company by the United States. But even in the above situations, you should avoid substantive conversations when law enforcement agents make surprise visits. If you have to submit to an interview, it is far better to do so after careful consultation with your attorney.

If all of this sounds complicated, it is. Whether you speak, what you say and how and when you say it can have a profound effect on your future when you find yourself involved in a white-collar criminal investigation. The time to realize this, hire an experienced white-collar criminal defense attorney and develop a strategic plan is before the feds come knocking at your door.
Absa Vehicle Finance is now running their MultiValue application on an entirely Microsoft platform, thanks to partnering with ONgroup.

Absa offers a range of retail, business, corporate and investment banking, wealth management products and services primarily in South Africa and Namibia.

The company used ONgroups MVON# toolset for the changeover to .NET for the application run machine. Absa also selected SQL Server as the DBMS.

Now that the application is running in production on a Microsoft platform, Absa is ready to roll out functionality for both developers and end-users that is available as a by-product of relocating the application.

"MVON# situates sites in a highly reliable and feature-rich platform that is pervasive in the industry. Absa was a good fit for our toolset, because the application is mission critical, said Alan Williams, Managing Partner at ONgroup Africa. It would have been expensive and unnecessary to rewrite their custom software. They were able to retain their application logic while aligning their production IT platforms with current industry best practices. They can now start taking advantage of the features, functionality, and scalability inherent in the new platform."

Bernie Jardim, IT Manager for Absa Vehicle Management Solutions, said the platform is keeping the company energized while feeling both well-supported and self-sufficient in managing a performant, scalable, and secure environment for its users.

We are able to do this without losing the software features that help facilitate our success. We have the added benefit of licensing the source code, so our colleagues at ONgroup Africa have helped us avoid the risks of being locked into a MultiValue-only vendor, Jardim said.

For more information about this, visit www.ongroup.com.
New Delhi: In a setback to India, an international arbitration panel has rejected its demand for a stay on an arbitration initiated by British oil explorer Cairn Energy plc against a Rs 10,247 crore retrospective tax notice.

The panel, comprising three judges of international repute, has also turned down India's application for bifurcation of the issue of whether tax is covered under India-UK bilateral investment protection treaty, sources privy to the development said.

Income tax department had in January 2014 charged Cairn Energy of making capital gains on transfer of India assets to a newly created firm, Cairn India and listing it on stock exchanges.

Instead of applying long-term capital gains tax, it levied a short-term capital gains tax and slapped a draft tax demand of Rs 10,247 crore. Also, it debarred Cairn Energy from disposing of its 9.8 per cent remaining stake in Cairn India, which the British firm had in 2011 sold to Vedanta Group.

In April 2014, the tax department slapped a Rs 20,495 crore demand on Cairn India, the UK firm's erstwhile subsidiary for failing to deduct tax on the capital gains. Both firms denied any tax was due and initiated arbitrations -- Cairn Energy under India-UK investment treaty and Vedanta under India-Singapore investment treaty.

Sources said India sought a stay on proceedings in Cairn Energy's arbitration for potentially five years, stating that it is "unfair" that they have to defend two cases at once. However, it was Indian government's decision to join both the arbitration and hence it could not go back on anyone of them.

A three-member arbitration panel headed by Geneva-based arbitrator Laurent Levy, which began hearing Cairn Energy's demand for USD 5.6 billion in compensation from the Indian government for raising a retrospective tax demand in May last year, rejected the application for 'stay' on March 27, 2017, they said.

It rejected the bifurcation application on April 19, 2017, sources said, adding India can however continue to argue that tax matters are not covered under bilateral investment treaties under the main arbitration.

Both the applications were seen as delaying tactics on part of the Indian government, which did not file its Statement of Defence to Cairn's demand by the November 11, 2016 deadline set by the panel.

It also missed the extended deadline of mid-January, only to file it by February 4. Sources said the panel has set a strict timeline, with evidential hearings slated to start in mid-January 2018 and the arbitration proceedings being wrapped up in next few months.

Cairn Energy has to file its rebuttal to India's Statement of Defence by mid-June and the Indian government will get a final change to make further statements on that by September/October. Thereafter evidential hearings are scheduled, they said. The arbitration award will be final and cannot be challenged in any court, they added.
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday will launch the 'UDAN' scheme which is aimed at boosting regional connectivity with low-cost flights.

He will flag off a flight on Shimla-Delhi sector as also on Kadapa Hyderabad and the Nanded-Hyderabad sectors, the PMO said today.

Modi will launch the scheme from Shimla. UDAN ('Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik') is a first-of-its-kind scheme globally to stimulate regional connectivity through a market-based mechanism, the PMO said in a tweet.

"To make air travel accessible to citizens in regionally important areas, the Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik RCS (regional connectivity scheme) was launched in October, 2016," it added.

The UDAN Scheme is a key component of the National Civil Aviation Policy (NCAP) which was released on June 15, 2016. "Airfare for a 1-hour journey of appx. 500 km on a fixed wing aircraft or for 30 minute journey on a helicopter would be capped at Rs. 2,500," the PMO said.

"This with proportionate pricing for routes of different stage lengths and flight duration," it said. While in Shimla, the Prime Minister also address a rally at the historic Ridge Maidan.

This will be his first visit to Shimla after becoming the Prime Minister. He had visited the capital of Himachal Pradesh last in 2003 when he was the Chief Minister of Gujarat.

However, it is his second visit to the state. Last year, he had addressed a BJP rally at Mandi. Modi was in-charge of organisational affairs of Himachal Pradesh for eight years till 2002.
New Delhi: Railways Minister Suresh Prabhu today said he himself had volunteered for clubbing of railways budget with the General Budget, and it was "not a take over" by the Finance Ministry.

Ending a nearly century-old practice of having a separate budget for railways, the government from the current fiscal merged it with the General Budget, which was presented by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on February 1.

During an exclusive interaction with PTI, Prabhu was talking about the vision for making the public transport more efficient and profitable. He said there was only one source of funds for the railways, and that was the Budget.

"Arun Jaitley will always say I have so many priorities and rightly so. If I were the Finance Minister I will say the same thing," he said. To a question on merger of rail budget with the Union Budget, the minister quipped: "I voluntarily gave it up. It was not a take over. It was a voluntary merger".

A separate Budget for Railways has been presented to Parliament since 1924 even though neither the Constitution nor legal requirements call for a separate Budget. The practice has now been discontinued.
Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis today urged banks to come up with innovative solutions to bring the farmers, who have gone out of the

institutional credit system after defaulting, back into the formal credit system.

He said there are many farmers who have gone out of banking system after being unable to service their loans from banks. "We have often seen that a number of farmers have gone out of the institutional credit system, especially in the years when drought has occurred. I feel that there is a need to think about some innovative solutions to bring them back into the formal credit system," Fadnavis said while addressing Maharashtra state credit seminar here.

He said, in the last two years, his government has tried to bring a few of these farmers back into the institutional credit system through rescheduling repayments, although the number is very small.

"There is a huge mismatch in the number of people, who have gone out and the number of farmers we could bring in," Fadnavis said. The Chief Minister said that last year his government came out with a five-year repayment reschedule plan for farmers, instead of the present three years, under which in the first year, the state pays the interest and for the subsequent years, it pays six per cent of interest.

"I think that is not a very sustainable model. We need to come out with a model, where we realise the need to bring farmers back into the formal credit system and share the haircut as well," Fadnavis added.

He suggested creating a sub-committee that can look into a sustainable model to bring back farmers again into the system. He said the state wants a sustained agricultural growth of 10 per cent.

"Irrigation is the mother of all agricultural investments, but it is very important to focus on investing in water conservation as well," a statement issued by the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) quoted Fadnavis as saying.

"Maharashtra is working speedily for micro-irrigation as there is huge demand from farmers," he added. "Value addition is a must. Food parks are the need of

the hour for assured markets. Let's work to create a Maharashtra's model," he was quoted as saying.

The credit seminar was conducted by Nabard to discuss bank credit projections for fiscal 2018 for Maharashtra. The seminar highlighted the initiatives taken by

Nabard, RBI, the Centre and the state to develop agriculture and villages.

Nabard has prepared a 'potential linked credit plan' for all the districts of the state, which contains details of the credit need for potential development in different sectors of the rural economy.

The plan for 2017-18 projects a credit flow of Rs 3.36 trillion under the priority sector lending which is 13.6 per cent increase over the previous year. The meeting was attended by senior officials from the state administration, RBI, Nabard and Bank of Maharashtra, which heads the state level bankers' committee.
Mumbai: Bolstering steps to curb any flow of illicit funds in markets, Sebi today decided to bar resident as well as non-resident Indians from making investments through participatory notes.

The decision is part of efforts to strengthen the regulatory framework for offshore derivative instruments (ODIs), commonly known as participatory notes (P-Notes), which have been long seen as being possibly misused for routing of black money from abroad.

While there are directions for NRIs and resident investors that bar them from using P-Notes in the form of frequently asked questions (FAQs), the Sebi board has now approved having a new provision in the regulations.

There was a view that the existing restrictions are only in the form of 'FAQs' and therefore the Finance Ministry has asked the regulator to impose this restriction through an amendment in the norms in order to give greater legal sanctity.

The Sebi board meeting with Ajay Tyagi as its chair for the first time has approved introducing a new provision in the FPI regulations whereby NRIs will be barred from investing in the Indian capital market through ODIs.

"An express provision shall be inserted in the regulations to prevent resident Indians/NRIs or the entities which are beneficially owned by resident Indians/NRIs from subscribing to ODIs," the regulator said in a release issued after the board meeting here.

In this regard, the Sebi (foreign portfolio investor) Regulations, 2014, will be amended.

Asked whether there are fears that NRIs might be investing through P-Notes route, Tyagi said, "I don't think there is any fear of that... The intention all along was not to allow them and that was not clearly reflected in the regulations, only through FAQ. And so it (is being) clarified through regulations."

Following Sebi's measures to check any misuse of P-Notes, the notional value of these instruments has declined over the years from 55.7 per cent of overall FPI investments in June 2007 to just 6.7 per cent in December 2016.

In recent months, the P-Note investments have fallen further though there was a surprise uptick in March presumably due to this being the last month for availing of certain tax benefits for investments coming through some major offshore investment gateways.

There are also fears that the P-Note investments may start coming from other jurisdictions like the US, France and the Netherlands after tightening of rules for inflows from countries like Mauritius, Singapore and Cyprus.
Mumbai: Superstar Salman Khan is inarguably the kindest soul one will ever know in Bollywood. But one may has to witness the not-so-kind side of Bhai if they cross the well-guarded boundaries. The case in question is Salmans disloyal bodyguards.

After learning that three of his bodyguards were leaking secret details of his personal life to media, the Bajrangi Bhaijaan actor reportedly fired all three of them except for Shera, who has been by his side for more than 15 years now. Shera, who calls Salman maalik (master), has referred to the superstar as his God in multiple interviews in the past.

Recently, Salman also parted ways with his manager of 14 years, Reshma Shetty, for keeping him away from his family. Shetty was apparently reluctant to give dates to Salmans own brother Sohail. The family man that Salman is, he immediately asked Reshma to discontinue her services.

Salman Khan is not the one you would like to mess with!
The film is slated to release on April 28.

Mumbai: The producer of the blockbuster film Baahubali: The Conclusion has accused Emirates of rude and racist behaviour.

Shobu Yarlagadda, 46, took to Twitter last night where he described how the staff of the Dubai-based air carrier mistreated the team when they were on their way to Hyderabad after promoting the film in Dubai.

"Flying to Hyderabad on @emirates EK526. Airline staff at gate B4 were very rude and harassed our team unnecessarily! Bad attitude and service!," he tweeted.

"I think one of the @emirates staff was being racist... I fly @emirates regularly and this is the first time I have come across this kind of attitude," wrote Shobu.

Shobu was accompanying director S S Rajamouli and actors Prabhas, Rana Dagubatti and Anushka Shetty for the promotion.
Mumbai: The press conference of Priyanka Chopra's Hollywood film 'Baywatch' was held amidst enough galore in the city on Wednesday.

Priyanka Chopra, who returned from the US to the city for merely five days, was quite enthralled to interact with the Indian media.

However, the main lead actor Dwayne Johnson, who couldn't make it physically to the press conference, was virtually present there.

The conference began with his heart-warming message through a video.

He expressed his grief of not making it to India, and said that he is missing India a lot.

Dwayne, popularly known as 'The Rock' further joked with the Indian media, to not ask any questions to PeeCee about Zac Efron or other ladies, but only about him.

Taking charge of the press conference solely, Priyanka was asked her opinion about the much-in-debate Akshay Kumar's National Award win.

To which, the actress didn't pay any heed to let the journalist even complete her question. Squashing her question, she laughingly said, "I was in America, I do not know anything."

Priyanka was asked the most expected and obvious question about she missing Bollywood and her upcoming films, to which the actress shared her feelings saying, "I am listening to many scripts, but once I know what my schedule is, then only I can figure out when I can do a film. I can tell you for sure I have locked three films! But I can't announce them till I know my dates. And I don't know when I will do it, this year or next year. Actually after June, I really don't know what I am going to do! And I definitely missed Hindi film industry. I am meeting people here also. So yes, it feels wonderful."

When questioned about Indians or browns being welcomed warmly and accepted by Hollywood, the ever-so-humble diva replied, "You can't be so entitled as being from Hindi film industry. We can't say that if we are stars in India we will be stars everywhere. I am okay to walk into a room and introduce myself as, 'Hello, I am Priyanka Chopra. I am an Indian actor.' There's nothing small about it, our achievements are quite big. Of course, people didn't know me then. I never thought they were mean except a few. But I think American press was wonderfully accepting of me. In fact, I haven't seen them being that good to any other Indian actor. They have been loving, friendly and encouraging of me. So, I can't say about brown skin. I can't generalise."

We are all aware about filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali's admiration for Priyanka, hence when asked if she would be seen in his next 'Padmavati' in any role, she admitted, " No! just because I am Sanjay sir's favourite (laughs), I am joking... We have spoken about other films, but not 'Padmavati'."

Priyanka's home production Marathi film 'Ventilator' bagged three National Awards, on which the elated diva joked that for some reason whenever she receives an honour from the Government of India, she happens to always be in New York.

Elaborating about her happiness on the win, she further added that she was very happy as this was her first film under her production house Purple Pebble Pictures.

Daddy's little girl Priyanka said, "I made this film for my dad. The entire sequence happening outside the ICU, while my dad was on ventilator, is the story of 'Ventilator'."

She was asked about the difference in freedom of speech there in Hollywood, where the celebrities are in more power to criticise the authority and perhaps, the Indian celebrities here hesitate.

"It's a cultural difference maybe. I say what I feel. I've always had my opinion. When I don't want to say anything, I just don't. Maybe controversies get...when public figures say anything there and over here they get into trouble," she concluded.
Mumbai: While Kangana Ranaut has been a powerhouse performer over the years, the actress also possesses an array of other talents.

One of them being her writing skills, a glimpse of which we had seen, when she had penned some of her dialogues in the National Award-winning film 'Queen.'

While the film only saw Kangana being credited under additional dialogues, the actress has gone one step further this time and completely transformed the script of her upcoming film Simran from a crime thriller to a slice-of-life comedy.

Kangana told mid-day, "When Hansal (Mehta, director) came to me with the script of 'Simran', I was intrigued. It was essentially a dark, gritty crime thriller. Together we sat down and tweaked the script to make it a slice-of-life comedy. It is gracious of them (Hansal and Co.) to credit me as a writer for the film."

Kangana has even attended a screenplay writing course in New York and it seems that is what she has put to good use with the script of Simran.

She adds, "I am a typical Arian wanting to do everything in this world. My bucket list extends beyond films. I want to act and direct like [Charlie] Chaplin. It's an intrinsic personality trait. In the near future, you will also see me write a book. I will be found growing apples in an organic farm someday. I have a lot of interests, which I need to fulfil in this lifetime. There's a constant fear that one day I will die and there will be way too many things I won't be able to accomplish. I have it all calculated."

While the actress bagged the National Award Best Actress for Queen, can she go one step further and do the double of Best Actress and Best Script for Simran'?
Maniesh worked hard on his physique prior to the show.

Mumbai: One of televisions most popular personalities, Maniesh Paul, fast emerged the go-to celebrity for stage shows. Hence it came as no surprise that the actor-host was part of Salman Khans Da-Bangg Tour that travelled to Hong Kong, Auckland, Melbourne and Sydney.

Maniesh Paul was welcomed by over a hundred fans at his hotel in Hongkong, not to mention mobbed at the Hong Kong airport, much to his surprise.

Maniesh rapped live onstage for the very first time at the Hong Kong show. The actor then took it a notch higher and performed lyrical hip-hop in front of a huge crowd at the Auckland show.

He ended the tour with a bang as he took to the stage in Melbourne for the closing performance with Salman Khan as they together danced to Munni Badnaam Hui.

Maniesh worked hard on his physique prior to the show. The television personality had met with an injury and piled on the pounds.

His personal trainer Pravin Nair worked with him for 3 months focusing on cardio and endurance-based weight training.
Mumbai: Looks like Will Smith is all set to fight himself in Ang Lee's ' Gemini Man'.

According to Hollywood Reporter, the 48-year-old is in negotiations to star in Skydance's action thriller based on one of Hollywood long-unproduced scripts.

The ' Life of Pi' helmer Ang Lee will reportedly direct the movie which is being produced by Jerry Bruckheimer.

The story of the movie focuses on an aging assassin who finds himself in a battle with the ultimate opponent: his clone, who is 25 years younger and at the peak of his abilities.

The project was first set up at Disney in 1997 as a pitch by Darren Lemke, with Don Murphy producing and Tony Scott directing.

But the movie was considered to be unfilmable because visual effects technology had not caught up to the concept.

The script has been reworked on many times over two decades, and numerous camera tests have been conducted by the studio, which at different times had considered Mel Gibson and Clint Eastwood for the lead role.

Skydance picked up the project in October, with Bruckheimer on board and Murphy executive producing the movie.
Director Jagannath, who worked with the likes of Ilayathalapthy Vijay, Cheran and Nanda, went into oblivion... but has now resurfaced with a film, which has a quirky title En Aaloda Seruppa Kaanom. Featuring Anandhi and Pasanga fame Pandi in the lead, EASK has a pair of seruppu (slippers) as a key element in the story!

Ask Jagan if it has any semblance to the Cinderella slippers, and pat he replies. Not really! But yes, the story starts on a rainy day when the heroine loses her slippers and the hero who finds it, goes in search of its owner. We dont pay much attention to the footwear we use, without realising how a pair of slippers can guide us through good and bad. The story is inspired by my real-life experience and if you ask me, each slipper has its own story to narrate.

We heard that Anandhi, who is popular in Tamil and Telugu, was hesitant to sign the film as she is paired opposite Pandi, a newcomer. Its true! I finalised Pandi for the lead after auditioning him with a crucial scene from the film. I showed Anandhi the video I shot with Pandi and convinced her that he is a good performer, Jagannath explains. The director says that most of the sequences have been shot during rainy season in and around Cuddalore and Puducherry. KS Ravikumar, Yogi Babu, Bala saravanan play important roles.
Malayalis are familiar with Riyaz Khan, the handsome villain who specialises in negative roles. His talent transcends language barriers and his plum role in super hit movie Gajini is testimony to his acting skills. His wife Uma Riyaz Khan cant claim to be a familiar face among Malayalis except for those who may have spotted her at award shows and other functions. However, Uma is not just a star wife; she herself is a prominent actor in the Tamil film industry. Her role as Mehrunnissa in Anbe Sivam had gained her appreciation. An actress, dancer and athlete, she is a diehard fan of Malayalam films and aspires to act in one very soon.

Uma recently completed a single shot film with her husband Riyaz Khan, about which she is very excited. The movie, directed by a Malayalam director Shibu, according to Uma is a very different concept and both their roles as police officers were exciting. It was a lifetime experience to work with Riyaz and I am hoping to do more projects with him, she adds. Uma shared her liking towards Kerala and the Malayalam film industry while in Kerala to judge Miss Queen of India 2017, taking place at Raviz, Kollam. I often come to Kerala as my family is in Fort Kochi. I love coming here for the beauty and climate of the place as well, says Uma who was approached by Ajith Pegasus, organiser of the event who had met her at the Miss South India competition.

I was judging the event and Ajith asked me if I could come down to Kerala to judge Miss Queen of India. Uma plans to stay in Kerala till the end of the month and shoot for a Malayalam advertisement. Expressing a desire to work in Malayalam films, Uma says, Though I have not worked here, I have heard great things about the industry both from my mother and husband. My mother despite being a Tamil actor has worked with almost all mainstream actors in Malayalam. Riyazs explanations about the industry have also increased my urge.
Health experts have been actively encouraging food and drink companies to use low-calorie sweeteners as an alternative to sugar and help people manage their weight.

Chennai: With summer already here, there is a constant need to quench our thirst. As there are a variety of options, many tend to depend on artificially sweetened drinks as well  like the readily available soft drinks. However, doctors and nutritionists urge the public to refrain from the consumption of the same due to serious ill health implications associated with it. Health experts have been actively encouraging food and drink companies to use low-calorie sweeteners as an alternative to sugar and help people manage their weight.

A study published in the Stroke, the journal of the American Heart Association, has said that drinking at least one artificially sweetened beverage daily is associated with almost three times the risk of developing a stroke or dementia compared to those who drank artificially sweetened beverages less than once a week. But this study gained the attention of a number of critics who warned against the causal connection.

However, they also stressed on the fact that its various health implications cannot be ignored. As a result of the increased consumption of unhealthy foods and drinks, and the lack of any movement, the risk of fatty liver is high, leading to the development of a condition called liver cirrhosis, causing end-stage liver disease, said Dr Dinesh Jothimani, Senior Consultant Liver Transplant Physician, Global Hospital.

Stating that there is also the possibility of developing a stroke due to the over consumption of such artificially sweetened drinks, Dr Halprashanth, Neurologist, Gleneagles Global Health City, said, All canned drinks contain high amounts of sugar, which can cause a problem in the metabolism  as more sugar is carbohydrate, which will get stored as fat. If you dont burn that fat by indulging in any physical activity, it will cause the early onset of obesity and that in turn can cause a stroke, heart attack or other problems related to vascular risk factors.

With a number of youngsters found to be indulging in the consumption of a variety of artificially sweetened drinks, with absolutely no exercise, doctors say the burden of liver cirrhosis among the lower age group is seen to be high. The only way to avoid any complication is to refrain from such temptations. One should exercise regularly to improve the livers functioning, said Dr P. Basumani, Medical Gastroenterologist at Fortis Malar Hospital.
Washington D.C.: As new and more effective human reproductive genetic technologies (RGTs) develop, religious people are likelier to disapprove of these tools than nonreligious people, a new Rice University study found.

Evangelical Christians are the most likely of any religious group to stand in opposition, the researchers found. The study examined how religious and nonreligious people felt about RGTs that could reveal qualities of an unborn child, such as whether the child had a disease ("disease technologies"), and those that allowed parents to select qualities for a child, such as gender, hair colour and eye colour ("enhancement technologies"). It included a general population survey of more than 10,000 people and 270 qualitative interviews with individuals living in the Midwest and South from a variety of religious traditions.

Lead author Elaine Howard Ecklund found over the course of her research that feelings about the use of RGTs vary not only between religious and nonreligious persons but also among religious groups.

When asked about the use of RGTs to prevent disease, 23 percent of evangelicals said this technology was morally wrong, compared with 9 percent of Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhs and Jains and 8 percent of Jews. Only 4 percent of agnostics and atheists said this technology was "morally wrong."

Religious groups had a much stronger negative reaction about the morality of using RGTs to select qualities such as gender, hair colour and eye colour. Eighty percent of evangelicals said that this type of technology was morally wrong, compared with 66 percent of Jews and 57 percent of Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhs and Jains. Just over half - 55 percent - of agnostics and atheists said this type of technology was morally wrong.

"A large proportion of religious and nonreligious people feel morally uncomfortable with enhancement technologies," Ecklund said.

During her in-depth interviews with study participants, Ecklund found that the "Creator Schema," which emphasizes God's control and God's purposes and plans in human suffering, predominated among Evangelical Christians and at times mainline Protestants and Muslims. However, Jewish respondents expressed ambivalence toward disease RGTs and did not draw on the Creator Schema.

One young member of a nondenominational Evangelical Protestant church communicated a strong version of a Creator Schema by justifying opposition to RGTs.

"I believe God is in control, and that He's taking care of everything and (if) this child has a disease, then that's what God wants for this child," he said.

While the Creator Schema emphasizes God's role as creator and boundaries between God and humans, the "Co-Creator Schema" provides for human partnership with God in improving life. Another participant referenced this schema in his feelings on the use of RGTs to eliminate disease.

"If I could do something, then sure, yes, I would want to know," he said. He lamented that when people rejected this possibility and emphasized "just God's ability to heal and deliver ... then people die, because they neglect the physical responsibilities that God has given them."

"This participant's emphasis on the concept of 'responsibilities' that God gives people suggests that humans have a partner role with God in certain kinds of actions, in this case healing genetic disease," Ecklund said.

More than half of all groups surveyed - including nonreligious groups - disagreed with the use of enhancement RGTs, and many feared that enhancement RGTs might be used for "unwise ends," the authors said.

"They often opposed enhancement RGTs because they saw this as related to eugenics, fearing that people would actively select or preference embryos with certain characteristics," said co-author Jared Peifer.

A participant from an evangelical congregation said of enhancement RGTs, "That's obviously going to the 'Brave New World' extreme of we're going to be our own gods and choose our own destiny. That goes back to another level. It reminds me of Nazi Germany, those things that - you want certain types - certain types of people in your society, you know I want my child to have this colour or whatever."

However, the religious individuals who supported enhancement RGTs mostly did so by considering these technologies within the abilities that God provides to humans, thereby drawing on the Co-Creator Schema.

"None of this is really a problem for me because if it happens, I believe God provided the way for it to happen," said a participant from an African-American evangelical congregation.

Ecklund said that the study's findings suggest that moral sensitivity rather than moral reasoning is likely to be employed as a way of addressing issues that are technologically complex under conditions where there is a scarcity of good information with which to morally reason, as is the case with enhancement RGTs. The study appears in the journal Sociological Forum.
A relative of Rajitha, Satyanarayan, said she underwent a C-section on Monday afternoon and in the evening she was not able to breathe properly and was rushed to Osmania General Hospital.

Hyderabad: On Tuesday afternoon, 22-year-old Rajitha from Malkajgiri, who had delivered a baby at Sultan Bazaar Maternity Hospital on Monday, died after she was rushed to the better equipped Osmania General Hospital in a bid to save her life. This brings the number of maternal deaths in the three maternity hospitals in the state to 12 in 2017.

A relative of Rajitha, Satyanarayan, said she underwent a C-section on Monday afternoon and in the evening she was not able to breathe properly and was rushed to Osmania General Hospital.

She was undergoing treatment in the respiratory Intensive Care Unit but there was no improvement in her condition and she died. Doctors at OGH say the young woman was brought in a very critical condition, with extremely high blood loss. Blood transfusions didnt lead to any improvement in her condition. Angry relatives who staged a protest outside the hospital claimed that the hospital did not have medicines or blood and they were told to buy these from outside.
MALAPPURAM: The district would soon get its first wildlife sanctuary as the government is likely to declare the new Amarambalam reserve forest area as a wildlife sanctuary within a month. The draft notification submitted by the divisional forest officer of Nilambur south regarding this is in the final stage of processing. The 265- sq. km protected area which has high rainfall and thick forest cover is a buffer zone of the Silent Valley National Park and lies near the Nilgiri biosphere reserve in Tamil Nadu. We are expecting to get the official declaration on the sanctuary soon. The draft notification for the declaration which was sent a month ago is under the consideration of the government, DFO

S. Sun said.

The environmentalists and forest officials have for long been demanding to declare the area as a wildlife sanctuary considering its rich flora and fauna. This is a rare forest comprising five types such as grasslands, shoal forests, evergreen forests, semi-evergreen forests and deciduous forests. According to environmentalists, the reserve forest is one of the most environmentally significant areas in the country with the presence of various endangered and threatened species of animals and birds. Amarambalam is classified as an important bird area of the Western Ghats endemic bird area where 16 restricted range species have been identified. Of this, eight species have been sighted in Amarambalam. With the declaration as a wild life sanctuary, the forest is expected to get enhanced care and protection with more forest staffers and funds, environmentalist and director of Nilambur Prakrithi Padana Kendram, Jayaprakash Nilambur said.
Vadodara: A 63-year-old man has been arrested Vadodara for allegedly raping his daughter repeatedly over a period of five years, police said on Wednesday.

According to D I Mahida, police inspector at Makarpura police station, the accused, a truck driver was arrested last night following a complaint by the 19-year-old victim on Tuesday.

The victim, in her complaint said that her father had been sexually exploiting her since she was 14.

The abuse came to light on Tuesday when the young woman complained of acute stomach ache after which her mother took her to Sayajirao General Hospital in Vadodara and discovered that she was pregnant.

The victim said she was scared to reveal her pregnancy to the family due to threats by her father.

However, her mother, after coming to know about the abuse, approached the police along with the daughter on Tuesday following which the accused was arrested and booked under IPC sections 376 (2)(f) (commits rape on a woman when she is under twelve years of age) and 506(1) (criminal intimidation), the inspector said.

The accused will be produced before a local court on Wednesday, he added.
Hyderabad: The NRI Department of Telangana State government has written to the Indian embassy in Saudi Arabia to investigate the death of Mohd Abdul Qader who died in Riyadh in a burning incident.

The deceased had gone to Saudi Arabia on a driver visa in 2015 and was employed with a lady, His employer was not allowing him to come back and was not paying him salary, said his brother Abdul Qayyum.

Abdul Qayyum said that his brother had told that he wanted to return and after two days he got another call that his brother had been admitted to the Abdul Aziz Hospital with 70 per cent burns. On Monday Qaders family received information that he had died in hospital.
Nizamabad: A-30-year-old man was beaten to death at Borgam (P) village in Nizamabad mandal on Tuesday as he attempted to rape a neighbour. The deceased, Eega Srinivas Reddy, 30, belongs to the same village.

According to sources, Srinivas Reddy came to his residence drunk on Monday midnight when his wife Savithri and son were in deep sleep. Reportedly, he attempted to rape a neighbourhood wom-an, who along with her mother in-law was sleeping outside their home. The victim raised an alarm and women and other villagers beat him up.

Meanwhile, the victim's brother-in-law Ravi and his friends rushed to Borgam (P) village and indiscriminately beat up Srinivas Reddy for the rape attempt. He was first shifted to the gram panchayat office and later handed over to IV town police station. The severely injured Srinivas Reddy was shifted to the government general hospital, and he died on Tuesday while undergoing treatment.

Nizamabad ACP D. Anand Kumar, town CI A. Subhashchan-dra Bose and IV SI P. Madhu visited the scene of the offence on Tuesday.

Police has taken into custody six youths including Ravi for beating up Srinivas Reddy. Police registered a case and investigations are on.
36-year-old Egyptian Eman Ahmed, who was the heaviest woman in the world at 500-plus kg until a few months ago, is now down to 171 kg. (Photo: Save Eman blog)

New Delhi: Twelve out of the 13 doctors treating the heaviest woman in the world, 36-year-old Eman Ahmed Abl Ed Aty, have withdrawn from her daily treatment.

According to reports, the doctors submitted symbolic resignation letters to the authorities of Saifee Hospital in Mumbai on Tuesday, where Eman is said to have lost over 300 kgs.

The doctors resignations came about as a result of the allegations made by Emans sister Shaaima Selim, who claimed that the doctors were lying about Emans loss of weight.

The doctors are reported to have said that Shaaima Selims backlash is 'the worst kind of assault that a patients family can do to a doctor'.

We will not see her on a daily basis and only go when the patient needs us. Whatever has happened is extremely disappointing, sbariatric surgeon Dr. Aparna Govil Bhasker, who is one of the doctors in Dr. Mufazzal Lakdawalas team, was quoted as saying.

Bhaskar claimed that Selims allegations stem from the fact that she does not want to take Eman home.

It is very hurtful when she claims that the doctors have not been seeing her," said Bhasker, adding that she visited Eman even on holidays.

Doctors claim that Eman is now down to 171 kilograms. The Egyptian woman was finally put into a CT scan machine on Tuesday, and the scans did not reveal any fresh brain ailment, said the report.

Selim claimed that the doctors wanted her to take Eman back to Egypt, but that her sister was in no condition to fly back. However, the hospital authorities feel that Selims backlash began only after Eman was shifted out of the specially-constructed ward into the main hospital building.

On Tuesday, Egyptian consul general Ahmed Khalil also had a meeting with the doctors and Selim, but could not pacify her, said the report.
Injured CRPF being brought to Raipur for treatment on Monday follwing a Maoist attack at Burkapal near Chintagufa in Bastar. (Photo: PTI)

New Delhi: Senior IPS officer Rajiv Rai Bhatnagar was on Wednesday appointed as the Director General of the CRPF, two days after 25 personnel of the force were massacred by Naxals in Chhattisgarh.

The paramilitary force was headless for nearly two months after the retirement of K Durga Prasad on February 28.

Bhatnagar, a 1983 batch IPS officer, will be the new DG of the CRPF, official sources said.

Senior IPS officer R K Pachnanda was also appointed as the DG of Indo Tibetan Border Police force.

Pachnanda is a 1983 batch IPS officer of West Bengal cadre.
Chennai: The dark clouds of spite and suspicion are dispersing, at last, as the leaders of both the rival factions of the AIADMK on Tuesday smiled warmly while announcing before the anxious TV cameras that the environment is now conducive to begin their merger talks. They had been bitterly squabbling over long-settled issues, but now it appears that their mutual rancour has disappeared.

Insiders say the Delhi developments over the Election Commission case against party deputy general secretary TTV Dhinakaran has influenced the change of heart in the camp of Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palanisamy; the crime branch grilling of the partys prince could have sobered the few belligerent lieutenants into seeing the writing on the wall. Their spokesman R. Vaithilingam, MP, demonstrated the change of heart telling reporters that chances are now bright for the merger of the two factions.

Everyone wants the two groups to merge, and that will happen, he said. He had sung a different tune less than 24 hours ago, arguing that the OPS camp was obstructing patch-up by asking for ejection of the Sasikala clan from the party and a CBI probe into Jayalalithaas treatment and death. Laying pre-conditions will block negotiations, Vaithilingam had said. About 30 minutes later, OPS was all smiles telling media persons, who stuck TV mikes into his open car window, that the circumstances have improved for merger talks. We are now speaking to each other. A good situation has evolved, so we are now speaking, he said.

The good situation and suitable environment, says insiders, was inspired by the developments in Delhi, where Dhinakarans grilling by the Crime Branch police is said to be nearing climax. Actually, the climax happened in the special court hearing the police request for extension of custody of conman Sukesh Chandrasekhar, when Special Judge Poonam Chaudhry demanded to know why the cops had not taken action against Dhinakaran though they have been keeping Sukesh in custody since April 17.

The judge also wanted to see Sukeshs call details to check his contacting TTV. Responding, the police told the judge: Dhinakaran has equal role and when he will be arrested, we will bring him before this court. It is a sensitive case and several stakeholders will be arrested

The climax hit hard the hardliners in the Edappadi camp, who have been trying their best to look brave before the TV cameras delivering high-rhetoric retorts to OPS campers repeated demands for expulsion of the Sasikala clan before the merger talks can begin. The softer elements in the group have been telling the OPS camp not to insist on dumping Chinnamma as she was not keeping well in the Bengaluru prison.

If ejecting her has been unthinkable so far, these Delhi developments are making it a bit too hot for them to keep her massive posters and banners up there on the party headquarters walls. Rubbing salt into their bruised loyalties, OPS presidium chairman E. Madhusoodanan demanded that those banners be pulled down. The depressed mood among the Chinnamma loyalists was evident when reporters tried to stop minister Dindigul Srinivasan for reaction to Madhusoodanans demand. You go and ask him, he snapped before driving away.
New Delhi: Dilip Ray, a union minister in the earlier NDA government, was on Wednesday put on trial by a special court here in a coal scam case pertaining to alleged irregularities in the allocation of a Jharkhand coal block in 1999.

Special CBI Judge Bharat Parashar frames charges of cheating, criminal conspiracy and criminal breach of trust against Ray, two senior officials of the Ministry of Coal (MoC) at that time, Pradip Kumar Banerjee and Nitya Nand Gautam, Castron Technologies Ltd (CTL), its director Mahendra Kumar Agarwalla and Castron Mining Ltd (CML), saying there was enough evidence to start the trial against the accused.

Ray was minister of state for coal in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government. Banerjee was the then Additional Secretary in MoC and Gautam the Advisor (Projects) there.

The charges were framed after the accused pleaded not guilty and claimed trial.

The court fixed July 11 to begin the trial after the CBI submitted that Ray was a sitting MLA in Odisha and as per Supreme Court directions, the trial should be conducted on day-to-day basis.

The case pertains to allocation of Brahmadiha coal block in Giridih in Jharkhand to CTL in 1999.

The accused have been summoned for the alleged offences of criminal conspiracy, cheating and criminal breach of trust under the Indian Penal Code and under relevant provisions of the Prevention of Corruption (PC) Act.

In its charge sheet, CBI had alleged that the name of former BJP Rajya Sabha member P K Agarwalla was not being recommended for prosecution as he has since expired.

In its charge sheet, CBI had said that CTL had applied in May 1998 to the MoC for allotment of Brahmadiha coal block and it was stated in the application that extracted coal shall be used by the firm for washery and power generation.

When the application came up for consideration, Coal India's views were sought, which in turn sought a report on the viability of coal block on various aspects from the Central Mine Planning and Design Institute Limited (CMPDIL).

CBI had alleged that on the basis of CMPDIL's report of August 1998, the CIL conveyed to MoC that as the coal block was an abandoned mine area and was full of water, it could be dangerous to adjoining properties of Central Coal Fields (CCL) where coal mining activities were being undertaken through underground mining method.

The report also said that mining coal from the block would be against safety norms and the mining statutes, the agency said.

CBI alleged that when the report came to Gautam, he wrote to CIL seeking further clarification but CIL reiterated its earlier stand and also highlighted that the block was not in the list of identified captive coal blocks to be allocated.

On the basis of CIL's comment, Gautam proposed that it would not be possible to allot the coal mine to CTL, it said.

The agency said the file was sent to Ray's office on April 23, 1999 and on May 12, 1999, CTL submitted a fresh representation to Ray stating that their application may be considered expeditiously.

It claimed that on May 13, 1999 the file came to the then Coal Secretary from Ray's office with an endorsement that in light of representation received from CTL, the case may be re-examined.

CBI alleged that when the file again reached Gautam's desk, he made a note in which he "made a complete u-turn from his observations" given in the earlier note.

It alleged that on the basis of Gautam's note, the file came to Banerjee who approved it, after which the 14th screening committee recommended CTL for allocation of the coal block subject to relaxation of guidelines by MoC.

On the basis of the approval accorded by Ray, a letter of allotment of Brahmadiha coal block in favour of CTL was issued on September 1, 1999 by the MoC.

CBI has alleged in its charge sheet that despite strong objection raised by CIL and CMPDIL regarding allotment of the block, the screening committee and Ray proceeded ahead to allot the block to CTL.

It alleged that after allocation of the block, CTL started extracting coal illegally even without grant of any mine opening permission by the concerned authorities.

It said that as per a family settlement, all the shares of CTL stood transferred in favour of Mahender Kumar Agarwalla and his family members while the block so allocated stood transferred in favour of another firm CML of P K Agarwalla.

CBI also alleged that CML was also involved in illegal extraction of coal from the block without signing of a mining lease or obtaining mine opening permission.
Hyderabad: In order to increase the city's green cover, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation has come up with the idea of lending space to citizens to plant a sapling in memory of someone or to commemorate an event.

To plant a tree to celebrate your marriage or birthday or in memory of the dead is a good thing, but it wont come for free. The GHMC will however include the price of the sapling and a board displaying the details, and will also look after the plant. Open vacant land of seven acres is slated for phase one.

Director of GHMCs Urban Biodiversity department, V. Damodar, says the tradition of planting a sapling in memory of someone or some event is an age-old practice and done in Telangana too. It will increase the greenery and maintain urban biodiversity of Hyderabad. It can be a massive forestation plan to improve the green cover, he said.

The scheme will start in June and last through the monsoons. We are looking at online bookings with regard to the plants. The fee will be fixed later. Citizens are welcome to bring their own sapling or buy it from GHMC nurseries - there are over 45 of them in the city, Mr Damodar said.

The landscaping will be done by the corporation. The department is targeting seven open spaces of 10 acres each, mostly in the peripheral zone, added the director.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, ministers K.J. George and U.T. Khader and Bengaluru mayor G. Padmavathi at a meeting in the city on Tuesday to discuss the launch of Indira Canteen.

Bengaluru: It's official. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's pet scheme, 'Indira Canteen' will be launched simultaneously in all 198 city wards on August 15.

Announcing this at a news conference on Tuesday, Mr Siddaramaiah said the canteens would be managed by BBMP. A committee comprising the CM, Bengaluru city development minister K.J. George, mayor, BBMP commissioners, Food and Civil Supplies Minister U T Khader and Food and Finance department officials, would be constituted to finalise the menu, logo and building design. As many as 671 people had suggested the logo for the canteen and 177 persons had given models for the building. Precast materials would be used to ensure the speedy completion of the buildings. Both the logo and the model would be decided by the committee at the earliest.

The government had announced the canteens in the 2017-18 budget to provide food at subsidised rates to poor people. The construction would be entrusted to Karnataka Land Army Corporation with a condition that it should be completed on time. According to an estimate, the cost of each building would be around Rs 7.5 lakh and the construction of all the canteens would be around Rs 15 crore. The menu would be decided after the committee inspects 'Amma Canteen' in Tamil Nadu.

Discussions were on regarding a common kitchen in each assembly constituency but the quality of food must be the same in all canteens. The purpose of having multiple agencies for preparation of food was to have competition among them. "Two meetings have been held with ISKCON on supplying food to the canteens. But many felt the food would be bland since they don't use onion or garlic. In fact ISKCON has been supplying good food to kids under the mid-day meal programme. In fact, ISKCON has been supplying good food to kids under the mid-day meal programme", he added.

It was also decided to distribute 10,000 litres of drinking water to each family living in slums in Bengaluru City free of cost.

The date for launching this programme is yet to be decided. This subject would be placed before the State Cabinet soon for approval.

All arrears of slum dwellers which they owe to various agencies has been waived.


Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir Home Department on Wednesday banned 22 social networking sites in the restive Kashmir Valley for one month.

Social networking sites including Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp, QQ, WeChat, Ozone, Tumblr, Google , Baidu, Skype, Viber, Line, Snapchat, Pinterest, Telegram and Reditt have been banned in Kashmir for one month or till further orders.

The department has in its order directed all internet service providers that any message or class of messages to or from any persons or class of persons relating to any subject or any pictorial content through the following social networking sites shall not be transmitted in the Kashmir Valley, with immediate effect, for a period of one month or till further orders, whichever is earlier.

The department has invoked powers conferred on it under Indian Telegraph Act and Information Technology Act to suspend the social media sites, the officials said.

The department has filed a caveat in the J&K High Court registry pertaining to its order.

Internet services have been banned in the state on several occasions in the past also but it is for the first time that the state home department has issued a formal order to this effect.

However, it is not yet clear if the order pertains to all internet services or just the mobile internet services, which are already suspended since 17th April.

The mobile internet services in the Valley were snapped following widespread student protests in the summer capital Srinagar and almost all other Valley towns.

The protests were inflamed by the alleged police atrocities on the students of a degree college in southern Pulwama town on April 15.

While over 50 students, including girls, had been injured in Pulwama, as many as 150 students and over a couple of dozen security personnel were injured in subsequent incidents elsewhere in the Valley.

The protests continued in some parts of the Valley, including Shopian, Pulwama and Bijbehara, on Wednesday even after the authorities had ordered closure of three higher secondary schools in Srinagar, students of which had fought pitched battles with security forces along the streets of the summer capital again on Monday.

The authorities believe that such protests and violence are fanned through social media. The PDP-BJP government and also security forces have faced embarrassing situations in the recent past when videos on alleged atrocities on the Kashmiri youth by uniformed forces were uploaded on social media which added to the anger among the people and also evoked widespread condemnation within the state and beyond.

Reacting to the ban on the internet, former chief minister Farooq Abdullah, said that the communication blockade will play havoc with J&Ks economy and students future. He alleged that the PDP-BJP government is persecuting people politically and economically alike.

The blockade would play havoc with the States economy and in turn rendering thousands of youth unemployed, he asserted.

He alleged that the state government was not only suppressing the people through brute force but was also persecuting them economically.

It will seriously affect our businesses and especially youth-oriented new start-ups in the e-commerce sector that depend primarily on internet accessibility and penetration. This will in turn lead to an increase in unemployment as the private sector especially the tourism sector will be severely hit, he said.

Using such measures to suppress dissent against a deeply unpopular government is as futile an exercise as that government continuing to be in power despite being rejected by the people of the State, Abdullah added.
Nagpur: Making a strong case for banning chewing tobacco, Maharashtra Health Minister Deepak Sawant on Wednesday said such a "poison" should not be sold to people.

He said there will be resistance and protests against any move to ban tobacco, but the people, the state and the Central government need to work towards prohibiting such harmful products.

"We should not sell this poison to people. We are making efforts to bring in a ban on chewing tobacco in Mumbai and Maharashtra," Sawant said.

He said oral cancer tops the list of the cancers among people, followed by breast cancer.

"We are working on a concept of 'cancer warrior', wherein government health workers will be trained to detect oral and breast cancers," he said.

Sawant was speaking as the chief guest at a seminar 'Every Life Matters', a cancer awareness initiative organised here by Lokmat group and Mumbai-based Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital.

Later, on the sidelines of the event, Sawant said the government has taken cognisance of the problem of malnutrition in the state.

He said teams of local doctors comprising pediatricians and gynaecologists have been regularly visiting places like Gadchiroli and Melghat from where cases of malnutrition are reported.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi talks with his Sri Lankan counterpart Ranil Wickremesinghe as they walk for their meeting at Hyderabad house in New Delhi. (Photo: PTI)

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Sri Lankan counterpart Ranil Wickremsinghe on Wednesday held talks on key bilateral and regional issues after which the two sides inked an economic cooperation pact.

"Deepening economic collaboration. India-Sri Lanka signed MoU on Cooperation in Economic Project," External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Gopal Baglay tweeted.

Ahead of the talks between the two leaders, Baglay had tweeted, "Partnership for prosperity and development. Prime Minister @NarendraModi receives Sri Lankan PM Wickremesinghe at Hyderabad House."

Wickremsinghe, who arrived in New Delhi on Tuesday on a five-day visit to India, will be making a private trip outside the capital from Thursday.
New Delhi: Naxalism was born and grew under the Congress regime, Union minister M Venkaiah Naidu said on Wednesday, questioning the opposition party's policy towards the Left-wing rebels.

He said it was the lack of policy of the Congress to deal with Naxalism that led to a number of lives being lost during its rule. "What is the policy of the Congress party? Naxalism was born, grown during Congress regime (sic)," the information and broadcasting minister said.

The minister's comments came after Congress spokesperson Priyanka Chaturvedi who claimed that intelligence failure and the lack of coordination between the Centre and the states were the main reasons for the Naxal attack in which 25 CRPF personnel were killed in Sukma in Chhattisgarh on Tuesday.

Naidu said the Congress should explain whether it was sympathising with the Naxalites. "Are they condemning it (the attack) or they want to condemn the government?" he asked. The minister said everyone should come together and condemn the Maoist philosophy.

"They say political power comes through the barrel of the gun. But it is not so. Ballot is more powerful than bullet," he said. Naidu said over 700 people were killed in Naxal attacks between 2004 and 2014 when the Congress was in power at the Centre.
Chennai: The O Panneerselvam faction of the AIADMK on Wednesday welcomed the removal of AIADMK (Amma) general secretary Sasikala Natarajans banners from the AIADMK headquarters in Chennai.

Around 8 am on Wednesday, party workers tore down the life-size banners of Sasikala from the AIADMK office. They also reinstalled the posters of late Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa.

Reacting to the development, Panneerselvam camp member KP Munusamy called it a happy and welcoming step. He added that if things continue the same way, the OPS camp would begin talks with the E Palanisamy camp for merger of the warring factions.

We are brothers from the same family, Munusamy added, addressing the media.

AIADMK Puratchi Thalaivi Amma, the faction led by Panneerselvam, had earlier this week demanded removal of banners of Sasikala from the party office before merger talks could begin. They have also demanded expulsion of Sasikala and her nephew TTV Dhinakaran from the party, and a probe into Jayalalithaas death.

Dhinakaran was on Tuesday night arrested by the Delhi Police for his alleged role in attempting to bribe Election Commission officials for ownership of the AIADMK symbol Two Leaves. He was also subjected to a medical test along with his aide Mallikarjuna on Wednesday.

Panneerselvam had on Tuesday said that a "conducive" atmosphere was evolving in both camps for talks.
New Delhi/Raipur: Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday directed acting chief of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and a top security officer to stay put in Chhattisgarh to ensure coordinated "targeted" operations against the Naxals, apparently unhappy over the functioning of the paramilitary force.

The Home Minister's directive came as he was apparently unhappy over the functioning of the CRPF which has faced reverses in the recent past.

On Wednesday, the Home Ministry also sought a report on the Sukma attack from CRPF.

He has conveyed to the CRPF brass to resolve some "inherent" problems like weaponry, logistics and intelligence gathering mechanism to ensure lethality and better results by avoiding casualties in anti-Naxal operations, sources said.

The home minister asked acting director general of the CRPF, Sudeep Lakhtakia and senior security advisor in the home ministry, K Vijay Kumar to stay put in Chhattisgarh to ensure coordinated operations against the Naxals, they said.

The two officers will stay in Chhattisgarh till a robust anti-Naxal operation is carried out against those involved in the killing of 25 CRPF personnel yesterday, official sources said.

Lakhtakia and Kumar will ensure targeted action, based on pin-pointed intelligence, by the security forces against the Naxals, the sources said.

Kumar is a former chief of the CRPF and he is credited for elimination of forest brigand Veerappan in 2004 in Tamil Nadu.

"Senior officials visited the spot and took stock of the incident. They also spoke to CRPF jawans at their camp in Burkapal," Special Director General (anti-maoist operations) D M Awasthi told PTI.

Awasthi was also among the officials who visited the attack spot.

Kumar and Lakhtakia were accompanied by Chhattisgarh's principal secretary (Home) BVR Subramaniam, director general of police A N Upadhyay and other MHA, para-military and state police officials during the visit.

Awasthi said while Kumar and Lakhtakia were staying back in Sukma for Tuesday, other senior officials returned to Raipur.

The home minister today said in Raipur that the government will review its strategy on battling the Naxalites.

As many as 25 CRPF personnel were killed on Monday in an attack by the Naxals in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district.

On March 11, 12 paramilitary personnel were killed by the Naxals in the same district.
On Monday night, the body of six-year-old Kaveri was retrieved from a borewell in Belagavi. While there have been no incidents of this sort yet in Bengaluru, the city remains at risk as illegal borewells continue to be drilled and abandoned ones are left uncapped. The onus rests with the owners of these borewells, who need to be brought to justice quickly to deter others from being negligent too. What are authorities waiting for? Will it take a tragedy to prompt us into action, asks Aknisree Karthik

It was an innocent outing to collect firewood , but it ended with six- year-old Kaveri Ajit Madar falling into an open dry borewell in a Belagavi village. Fifty four hours later, she was found dead Monday night, despite the best efforts to save her. Her grieving mother, a daily wage earner, wished that no other child should suffer a similar fate. Just a couple of weeks previously, on April 12, two other persons died after they fell into a dry borewell in Gadag district.

While there have been no such deaths in Bengaluru yet, the risk remains as illegal borewells continue to be drilled in the city despite the BWSSB rules, which impose a penalty and even a jail term on those responsible. It was in 2013 that BWSSB permission was made mandatory for sinking of borewells in the city. Since then of the 16,571 applications received, the board has approved 6,698 and even now on an average receives over 30 new applications every month owing to the growing scarcity of water in Bengaluru.

Considering the city's falling water table, the board claims it says a clear no to sinking of borewells for commercial reasons and permits only those required for domestic purposes.

Says Mr Kemparamaiah, engineer in chief, BWSSB, "If a resident wants to sink a borewell he has to fill an application, pay the challan fee and submit the application to us. We in turn forward it to the Department of Mines and Geology for clearance and only if it approves do we grant permission."

The mines and geology officials check if there are any public borewells within a radius of 500 meters or if the area falls in an over-exploited zone and also the quality of ground water before granting permission, he explains,

Although aware that this procedure is often flouted, especially in the peripheral areas of the city, where there is still no piped water supply, BWSSB officials say they lack the manpower to monitor illegal borewell drilling.

The outcome can obviously be dangerous as not everyone hits water when sinking borewells.

Those who dont, abandon the well, often leaving it uncovered to become a deathtrap in waiting.

Defunct borewells left uncapped cause tragedies: Expert

Bengaluru cannot afford to be complacent just because there have been no cases of people falling into borewells and dying in the city as yet, says water expert and former irrigation secretary, Captain Raja Rao.

"No civic agency has the exact number of borewells in the city as even after it was made mandatory for people to seek BWSSB permission to sink them, hardly anyone bothers to approach it. They simply sink a borewell when they need one, he points out.

The former bureaucrat strongly believes the owner of a defunct borewell that has been left uncapped must be held responsible if people fall into it and die.

Tragedies happen as various bodies like the departments of Minor Irrigation , Mines and Geology and Revenue, the village panchayats and water boards do not insist on defunct borewells being capped by their owners," he says.

People happily extract water if the borewell yields it. But if it does not, they simply abandon it without bothering to cap it. And in many cases the casing (used to prevent mixing of soil with the water) is also removed and sold, Capt. Rao regrets, urging the government to at least wake up now and put a full stop to such tragedies by insisting that all open defunct borewells be capped.

But an official of the BWSSB claims that as the diameter of borewells sunk in Bengaluru is not more than 10mm , the chances of children or anyone else being trapped in them are pretty slim when compared to borewells in nothern India.
Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh government on Tuesday cancelled 15 public holidays in marking the birth or death anniversary of eminent personalities.

Most of the holidays had been declared by the previous Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and Samajwadi Party (SP) governments apparently to keep certain sections of the society in good humour, often with an eye on the vote bank.

However, the state Cabinet at its meeting chaired by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday decided to cancel 15 such public holidays in educational institutions.

"Instead, students in schools and colleges would now be taught about the great personalities on these days," Cabinet minister Shrikant Sharma said while briefing mediapersons on the decisions of the government.

An official release later clarified that government employees were free to avail restricted holidays on these days.

Adityanath had in his address on the occasion of Dr BR Ambedkar's 126th birth anniversary here expressed concern over the shrinking academic session due to increased holidays.

"There should be no holidays in schools on birth anniversaries of great personalities. Instead, a special two-hour programme should be held to teach students about them.

The 220-day academic session has been reduced to only 120 days due to such holidays and if this tradition continues, there will be no day left for teaching in schools," he had said.

In Uttar Pradesh, there are 42 public holidays of which at least 17 are related to the birth anniversaries of eminent personalities.

The previous Samajwadi Party government had declared holidays on the birth anniversaries of former Prime Minister Chandrashekhar (April 17), Maharishi Kashyap and Maharshi Nishadraj Jayanti (April 5), Hazrat Ajmeri Garib Nawaj Urs

(April 26), Maharana Pratap Jayanti (May 9) besides on the death anniversary of Ambedkar (December 6). Sharma said the revised list of holidays will soon be made available.

Public holidays that have been scrapped by the government include Jan Nayak Karpori Thakur birth anniversary (Jan 24), Maharshi Kashyap and Maharaj Guha birth anniversary (Apr 5), Hazrat Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti Ajmeri Gareeb Nawaz Urs on (Apr 14), Chandrashekhar birth anniversary (Apr 17), Parashu Ram

Jayanti (Apr 28), Maharana Pratap Jayanti (May 9), Jamat Ul Vida on June 23 (last Friday of Ramzan), Chhat Puja (Oct 26), Eid Milad Un Nabi (Dec 2), Chaudhary Charan Singh Jayanti (Dec 23).
Journalists look at an image of former Indian naval officer Kulbhushan Jadhav. (Photo: AP)

New Delhi: Strongly pushing forward the humanitarian aspect of the Kulbhushan Jadhav case, Indian High Commissioner Gautam Bambawale met Pakistan foreign secretary Tehmina Janjua in Islamabad on Wednesday.

He handed over a petition by the mother of former naval officer Kulbhushan Jadhav to the Pakistan Government and an appeal for the Court of Appeal that will hear the case of Jadhav who was recently sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court on charges of espionage and sabotage.

India also requested Pakistan to facilitate visas for Jadhavs parents who have filed their visa application with the Pakistan High Commission and want to visit Pakistan to meet their son and file the petition and appeal in person.

New Delhi also placed the 16th request for consular access to Jadhav with Islamabad.

But according to news agency reports from Islamabad, Pakistan refused to comply with the demand saying the 46-year-old Indian national was a spy and not covered under the bilateral agreement on consular access. Jadhavs mother has requested the intervention of the Pakistan government.
Guests show their invitation passes to police personnel as they enter the OU campus for the varsitys centenary celebration, in Hyderabad on Wednesday. (Photo: DC)

Hyderabad: Members of Nizams family attended the OU centenary inauguration programme held here on Wednesday. Nawab Najaf Ali Khan, grandson of Nizam VII said that he was elated with the reception accorded to him and his family members at the meet.

The university administration had invited Mir Barkat Ali Khan Mukarram Jah, Mir Karamath Ali Khan Muffakham Jah, Nawab Mir Azmet Ali Khan and Nawab Shahamat Jah, all grandchildren of the universitys founder, the Nizam VII.

He is the son of fifth son of the Nizam late Hasham Jah Bahadur. I was very proud and happy after the varsity authorities sent me the invitation. It feels great that it is due to the efforts of my grandfather that so many people completed their studies here and went to reach bigger positions in their lives. Achieving the 100 year milestone for an educational institute is commendable, he said.

Mr Najaf Ali Khan attended the meet with his wife and son. He said that he was surrounded by students, who took pictures with him and also heaped praises on Nizam VII. It is because of his foresight and thinking that Hyderabad got a prestigious university and it had benefited scores of students over the last 100 years, students told Mr Najaf Ali Khan.
Hyderabad: Senior Congress legislator T. Jeevan Reddy on Wednesday slammed Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao for not addressing the inaugural meeting of the Osmania University centenary celebrations.

Speaking to newspersons at Gandhi Bhavan on Wednesday, Mr Reddy said it was shameful that the Chief Minister did not take the opportunity to thank the Osmania student community for participating in the Telangana statehood agitations and the sacrifices they had made for the cause.

He recalled that the students had agitated for a separate Telangana state right from 1969 and had even sacrificed their lives. He asked the Chief Minister if it was not his bounden duty to speak on such a solemn occasion, that too with the President present.

He said that the CMs silence indicated that KCR is afraid of the students, he stepped into OU after a gap of three years and remained a mute spectator all through.

In a related development, former Deputy Chief Minister Damodar Raja Narasimha told the media that KCR literally fled from the OU without a speech. He was afraid students will do him harm if he speaks. It is shameful.
CRPF martyr Krishna Kumar Pandeys family members and relatives mourn during his funeral in Rohtas, Bihar on Wednesday. (Photo: PTI)

New Delhi: Facing criticism for keeping Central paramilitary forces headless, the Centre on Wednesday hurriedly cleared the appointments of CRPF and ITBP chiefs, two days after the Naxal attack in Chhattisgarhs Sukma that left 25 security personnel dead.

Rajiv Rai Bhatnagar, an IPS officer of 1983 batch of Uttar Pradesh cadre, was named CRPF chief, while R.K. Pachnanda of the same batch of West Bengal cadre was picked as the new head of the ITBP.

With lack of intelligence-sharing between the state police and the Central forces suspected to be the main reason for high casualty rate of security forces in Maoist-infested Chhattisgarh, Union home minister Rajnath Singh chaired a high-level meeting on Wednesday and asked for strengthening of intelligence-gathering mechanism, analysis of ongoing operations, identification of problem areas and their resolution.

The home minister asked senior officials to prepare a blueprint of the proposed strategy to tackle left-wing extremism. The plan would be presented at the May 8 meeting to be attended by chief ministers as well as top police officials of 10 Naxal-affected states.
Bhopal: The deadly attack on the CRPF party by Maoists at Burkapal in Chhattisgarhs south Bastar district of Sukma on April 24 was done a week before the incident in a jungle in the region, where the ambush was rehearsed live, intelligence sources said on Wednesday.

Commanders of three platoons of Maoists first military battalion, Sonu, Arjun and Situ along with their unit members had camped in the Korecha-Dodede jungle in Dantewada-Sukma border in south Bastar where the attack was planned in the second week of this month, a senior police officer posted in Bastar, close to the operation, told this newspaper.

It was a live rehearsal where arms and ammunitions were used to hit decoy security personnel. Even, local tribals were brought to the training site to use them as shield to fine tune their attack plan, the intelligence officer said on Wednesday.

It was a pre-planned attack by Maoists, CRPF in-charge director general (DG) Sumit Lakhatkia said at a press conference at Raipur in Chhattisgarh on Wedn-esday.

Even time and place of ambush were also chosen by Maoists much earlier. Movements of jawans had been kept under vigil by local villagers for several days to give shape to the plan, he added.
President Pranab Mukherjee with Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao inaugurates the centenary celebrations of Osmania University in Hyderabad on Wednesday as Union minister Bandaru Dattatreya, TS education minister Kadiam Srihari (right) and MP K. Keshav Rao, OU vice-chancellor S. Ramachandram (left) look on. (Photo: Anil Kumar)

Hyderabad: The much-touted centenary celebrations of the Osmania University on Wednesday turned out to be a dull and lacklustre affair.

Neither Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan, who is the chancellor of the university, nor Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, who is an alumnus of the university, was allowed to speak on the occasion as they were expected to do.

The programme printed on the invitation card mentioned the address to be given by the Governor and the Chief Minister, but both were cancelled abruptly without citing reasons. The function ended soon after President, Pranab Mukherjees address.

The centenary celebrations of this university are significant because hundreds of its students had participated in the agitations for a separate Telangana state and many sacrificed their lives, and faced police cases for fighting for the cause.

With Mr Rao himself being an alumnus of the university, who successfully achieved statehood for Telangana and became its first Chief Minister, OU alumni, faculty, and students were expecting him to deliver an emotional address as he is considered quite an orator.

Students were also upset that they were given seats far from the dais, probably because security personnel feared that they may protest about their long-pending demands.

Osmania University function wrapped up in 40 minutes

A member of the Osmania University Teachers Association said this was the first time the Chief Minister had visited the university in nearly three years and the faculty was expecting an announcement from the man himself on this big occasion. Mr Rao not delivering a speech surprised everybody.

Vice-chancellor S. Ramachandram gave a welcome address and Registrar Gopal Reddy gave the vote of thanks, with the President's speech sandwiched in between. The function wrapped up in just over 40 minutes.

This was disappointing for the crowds that had started to enter the venue from 10 am. After waiting patiently for over three hours, the 15,000 plus gathering got a poor return. This was avidly discussed during the lunch break that followed the inaugural meet.

Anticipating trouble from a section of students, the Chief Minister and also the Governor might have shied away from giving their speeches. No official reason was given and everyone is clueless about the change in the programme schedule, a senior professor said.
The General Administration Department (GAD) which manages VIP protocol has asked the home department to suggest alternatives. Putting special symbols or stickers on these vehicles or advertising the VIP status of the cars passenger in bold lettering on the car are some of the options.(Representational Image)

Hyderabad: As the May 1 deadline for doing away with beacons atop VIP vehicles nears, the state government is looking at other ways of identifying vehicles used by ministers and bureaucrats. It says it is doing this for security reasons!

The General Administration Department (GAD) which manages VIP protocol has asked the home department to suggest alternatives. Putting special symbols or stickers on these vehicles or advertising the VIP status of the cars passenger in bold lettering on the car are some of the options.

Defeating the very purpose of the Prime Ministers order that ministers and bureaucrats should not get special treatment, these worthies have been making special requests to the state government to restore their status in some other way so that they face no security or traffic problems while travelling.

Ministers and other public representatives holding constitutional posts, and senior bureaucrats, are provided escort vehicles when they travel in the city or districts. They argue that it will be difficult for the escort vehicles to follow them on city roads as general traffic would not recognise these vehicles in the absence of the beacons, and come in between them and the escort vehicles.

Mantris and babus also want traffic clearance to attend emergency meetings held by the chief minister and say that the police may not provide the same if their vehicles are not marked out in some way. They will also not have the same parking privileges and their vehicles will not be allowed into high security areas. Meanwhile, the government is yet to receive orders from the Centre on the beacon ban.

Excise and prohibition minister takes lead

The much-cherished mark of privilege  the VIP beacon light on cars  is supposed to disappear in a few days time. While some VIPs are lobbying with the government to distinguish their vehicles in some other way, Excise and prohibition minister T. Padma Rao has removed the beacon light from his official vehicle.

I have removed the beacon light from my official vehicle today. It doesnt make a difference when you are close to people. We had it because it was permitted, Mr Rao told this newspaper.
Lucknow: A young Muslim bride was divorced two days after her marriage in Lakhimpur district because her family could not serve beef biryani to the baraatis.

According to reports, Afsanas marriage was solemnized with Farman Ali, a resident of Bahraich, on Sunday.

After the wedding, when dinner was served, the groom and his family questioned the absence of delicacies including beef biryani. The girls father, Salari, informed them about the non-availability of beef due to the ban on illegal slaughter houses in the state. A day later, the bride was taunted by her in-laws about the absence of biryani and her husband also supported them.

When the bride supported her father, she was turned out of her in-laws house. Farman informed his wifes parents that he had decided to give triple talaq to Afsana and would not accept her back.

The father has now lodged a report with the police, demanding that the gifts he had given to his daughter during the wedding should be returned to him.
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The power bills of private clinics and private hospitals catering to the financially weaker sections, especially in the rural areas, will come down to the level of government hospitals. The Electricity Regulatory Commission, in an unprecedented move, has now equated small private clinics consuming less than 500 units a month, which constitutes nearly 70 percent of the total private hospitals in the state, with government hospitals. Government hospitals are charged Rs 5.50 per unit up to 500 units. Under the existing tariff, even private hospitals that consumed only 100 units a month were charged Rs 5.80 per unit.

Private hospitals consuming up to 500 units a month were charged Rs 7.80 per unit. Now, private hospitals that consume less than 500 units a month, too, need to pay just Rs 5.50 per unit. The move was prompted by the realization that about 68.4 percent of the private hospitals are having monthly consumption less than 500 units, and their annual consumption is only about 11.76 percent of the total consumption of private hospitals in the state. Interestingly, the tariffs of hospitals consuming above 500 units, too, have been marginally reduced. The Commission also has decided to dispense with the difference between the private hospitals run by charitable societies and by others. Earlier, the relief in tariff was available for only hospitals run by charitable societies.

Further, the ERC rejected the demand that the relief be extended to hospitals run by a charitable trust registered under the Indian Trust Act. It has been found that even in the hospitals run by Charitable Societies and by Charitable Trust, only very few patients are given health care facilities at nominal charges. The majority of patients who occupy non-AC rooms or AC rooms are charged at higher rates. The major consumption in such hospitals is for air conditioning and such other facilities, the Commission said in a note to the government.
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: *A drunken patient attacks a doctor on duty at Alappuzha General Hospital on April 8 this year for no reason. A complaint was registered with the police but there has been no follow up. *A year back, a chronic cardiac patient died at the residence of a doctor in Alappuzha when he went there to meet him. The relatives of the patient attacked the doctor, which resulted in him sustaining serious injuries warranting an admission in the intensive care unit. *Relatives of a patient attacked a house surgeon in Jubilee Medical College, Thrissur, in 2012. These are some from the series of incidents that happened in Kerala where medical professionals were at the receiving end for no fault of theirs. Hospitals and medical professionals in the state continue to remain vulnerable to frequent assaults and attacks from outsiders despite a stringent law brought in by the state government five years ago.

Under the Kerala Health Service Persons and Health Care Services Institutions (Prevention of Violence and Damage to Property)Act 2012, attack on a duty doctor, a hospital or its staff would invite an imprisonment of up to three years and fine of Rs 50,000. Under the law, the act of violence is described as injuring, endangering life, intimidating or obstructing health care giver. Registered medical practitioners functioning out of medical institutions, nursing professionals and para medics all come under the category of health staff. But there has been no perceptible change on the ground as far as security is concerned, because of weak enforcement. Only less than 10 cases have been registered under the Act. Theres is only one conviction, said Dr A.V. Jayakrishnan, former state president of IMA. The doctors attribute the low rate of registration of cases and conviction to police failure to invoke the relevant sections of the Act. Most cases are treated as petty clashes between groups. If there is a complaint from the doctor, there will be a counter from the attackers as well.

The routine formula is to register petty cases against 50 or more identifiable persons. The police often treats these cases the way it handles college rivalries, lamented Dr Jayakrishnan. Doctors say those unleashing violence against doctors are rarely close relatives of the patients. Even habitual offenders and petty politicians are involved in many cases. Most people rush to the restricted areas which lead to overcrowding and chaos in casualty. It can be partially controlled by restricting the entry of unwanted people. But this may not be possible in small hospitals. According to Dr K.A. Raoof, general secretary Kerala Government Medical Officers Association (KGMOA), even policemen and advocates lack knowledge about the hospital protection law. Steps are needed to create awareness among medical professionals and citizens. There is a need to put up boards displaying details like punishment and penal action under law. CCTV cameras have to be installed outside casualty wing, he added.

It was because of the series of attacks on doctors that various organisations had demanded the protection law. Usually when a government office is attacked or a government official is assaulted on duty, the police register case of trespass. But hospital being a public place, people cannot be booked for trespass which is a non bailable offence, said Dr Jayakrishnan. The junior doctors who are at the receiving end in such incidents say nothing has changed on the ground. As house surgeons we conducted an agitation in 2007 demanding protection for doctors. Ten years down the line nothing much has changed, said Dr Rahul U R, secretary, Kerala Medical Post Graduate Association (KMPGA).

A colleague of mine informed the relatives of a young patient that his blood results indicated malignancy. The shocked relatives could not accept the truth and pounced on the doctor. Such attacks take place unexpectedly, he said. Recently a baby who was suffering from a congenital disease died due to bleeding. The doctors extracted tissue from the liver of the infant for biopsy. All of a sudden the relatives started raising a hue and cry, alleging that the needle used for extracting the tissue was responsible for infants death. We work under extremely tense circumstances, said Dr Rahul. After the attack on a doctor at Arookuty in Alappuzha last year in a mob held him hostage for over seven hours, the government had resolved to protect hospitals and health care professionals. But despite these announcements, the attacks on hospitals and medical professionals continue unabated in the state.

There are many reasons behind such attacks, says Dr P.S. Jinesh, assistant professor, Government Medical College, Kottayam. They can be lack of facilities in hospitals, the unruly behaviour of drunken patients and relatives, the deep disappointment in case of the death of a patient, the lack of communication between the doctor and the patient, and in certain cases, the brash behavior of the doctor, says Dr Jinesh. Apart from the strict enforcement of the law, an attempt to improve facilities and resources as well as developing a better patient-doctor relationship are urgently needed to stem the trend, he said.
Thiruvananthapuram: The UDF meeting held on Tuesday decided to intensify the strike against power minister M M Mani for his "lewd" remarks against women. Former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy will visit Munnar on Wednesday where he will address a public meeting. UDF MLAs will hold a satyagraha in front of Martyrs column at Palayam on Wednesday evening as part of the protests against Mani. After the meeting, Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala told reporters that the sathyagraha would be held seeking Manis removal from office.

Chennithala recalled that on Sunday when Manis outburst had snowballed into a major controversy, he had said that he would step down if the party asked him to do so. Mani should not be allowed to continue in the cabinet. The CPM central leadership as well as the LDF should clarify its stand on Mani. We are curious to hear what General Secretary Sitaram Yechury has to say about Mani, said Chennithala. He maintained that the Opposition would continue their protests until Mani stepped down.
Winning MCD polls was crucial for the BJP after its total rout in the 2015 Delhi Assembly elections. (Photo: PTI/File)

New Delhi: Saddled on the Modi wave, the Bharatiya Janata Party swept Delhis civic polls on Wednesday, bagging an unprecedented 184 of the 270 municipal wards. With AAP managing to win just 48 seats, and Congress trailing at the third position with 30 seats, the BJPs victory margin is the highest ever in MCD polls. Its a vote against negative politics, BJP chief Amit Shah said.

A quixotic Arvind Kejriwal, unable to handle the electoral rout, continued to wage his battle against the windmills  the EVM machines.

As for the Congress, the worse perhaps is yet not over. After Congress finished a poor third, with its MCD berths dropping from 74 to a meagre 30 wards, the partys Delhi chief Ajay Maken, and AICC in-charge of Delhi, P.C. Chako, offered to step down, taking responsibility for the MCD debacle.

Resignations also came from AAP leaders, with its Delhi unit convenor, Dilip Pandey, and party functionary, Alka Lamba offering to quit over the drubbing.

Winning MCD polls was crucial for the BJP after its total rout in the 2015 Delhi Assembly elections. The victory is being viewed as the BJPs return to the national capital.

The results are a clear indication that the BJP managed to re-establish its connect with Poorvanchalis, the middle class and a considerable section of voters in the jhuggi-jhopdi clusters.

Modi wave is there, admits Sheila

The victory not only reiterated Modi magic, but is a major boost for the party in the forthcoming Assembly elections in Rajasthan and Gujarat.

Former Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit was the only Opposition leader to admit on a television channel, Yes, there is a BJP wave. She also said, Its the peoples mandate, accept it gracefully. Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted, Grateful to the people of Delhi for the faith in BJP. I laud the hardwork of team @BJP4Delhi which made the resounding MCD win possible.

As TV headlines screamed  Modi demolishes Kejriwal, the AAP bandwagon continued to vent their wrath on the EVM machines.
Bengaluru: Its no longer "BJP Bachao", but the deliberations of a meeting with a new banner, "Save Organisation" or 'Samsthe Ulisi' here on Thursday as well as the contents of a booklet, likely to damn state BJP president B S Yeddyurappa for riding roughshod from the day he took charge, will mirror the widening rift between the Lingayat strongman and his detractors, much to the chagrin of party leaders in New Delhi as they prepare for next years assembly elections.

On the eve of the Palace Grounds meet, where the rebels are set to make public their complaints against Mr Yeddyurappa, the two factions crossed swords with at least two leaders warning party workers and office bearers to keep away or face disciplinary action. Organizers dug their heels in and countered that they would demonstrate their will to save the organization from the clutches of a leader, alluding to the former chief minister.

State general secretary N Ravikumar and OBC Morcha president B J Puttaswamy warned that groupism and anti-party activities would not be tolerated. "The party will not hesitate to take disciplinary action against Mr K S Eshwarappa," said Mr Puttaswamy, warning against participating in the event.

Red flag was KJP appointees

Some 80-100 workers from each district said they would attend the meeting as they are upset with Mr Yeddyurappa for not convening a meeting almost three months after party president Amit Shah asked the state unit president to sort out appointments, especially as most posts were being held by those belonging to erstwhile KJP, an entity launched by Mr Yeddyurappa after he was forced to step down as CM in the light of a report on illegal mining by Lokayukta Justice N Santosh Hegde.

"We have no problems with Mr Yeddyurappa as an individual, but we are not happy with his decisions," said an MLC, irked at being branded a dissident.
Hyderabad: The BJP has made it clear that it considers Telangana a stepping stone to its reign over south India.

Union minister of state for home Hansraj Gangaram Ahir, who made the announcement on Wednesday, said that when BJP could win in UP, Manipur and other states, it will not be difficult to win in TS.

The BJP is an alternative to the TRS. Under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the party is growing from strength to strength in all states. The big win in municipal polls in New Delhi is stamp of approval of Modis programmes and policies, he said at the party executive meet in Sangareddy, 50 km from Hyderabad on Wednesday.

Mr Ahir said Amit Shahs strategies in Assembly and parliament elections ensured the victory. Development is the only agenda of BJP in the country. People have immense faith in the PM. BJP will win 382 Lok Sabha seats in next polls. Congress is facing a leadership crisis. Sonia Gandhi and Rahul have become weak, he said.

The BJP executive met under the chairmanship of TS BJP president K. Laxman.

BJLP leader G. Kishan Reddy, party senior leaders Baddam Bal Reddy, Nagam Janardhan Reddy, Soudan Singh, Krishna Das and Chandrasekhar Rao, MLAs Raja Singh and Chintala Ramachandra Reddy and others attended.

Mr Kishan Reddy, who came in a white lungi and kurta, was the cynosure of all eyes.

Dr Laxman said TRS made tall promises and failed to fulfil the aspirations of people. The TRS, in a bid to divert attention of people from failed promises, is indulging in vote bank politics. We strongly oppose reservations to Muslims based on religion. Modis corruption-free rule is backed by all sections of people, he said.
Living up to its billing, the BJP swept to an unprecedented victory in Sundays Delhi civic elections, whose votes were counted on Wednesday. This can only mean very hard work ahead for the Congress, and the AAP having to return to the starting point as a political party, specially after its rout in the just-held Assembly polls in Goa and a poor showing in Punjab, where it had fancied its chances. The scale of the BJPs victory is reminiscent of the saffron partys extraordinary win in the UP Assembly poll. It can hardly be thought of as a public endorsement of the BJPs handling of the citys three municipal corporations, which was dismal, in the nations capital. Delhi became Indias filth capital, overflowing drains capital, pollution capital and dengue capital, but the voter still brought back the BJP.

It will be unrealistic  as the AAP has evidently done  not to see this as a vote for Prime Minister Narendra Modis party, and probably no other factor. Mr Modi, for reasons that are not wholly understandable, appears to command the respect of voters in most parts of India where electoral strength has been tested in recent times. A win like the one in the three municipal bodies of Delhi would have been impossible without the unequivocal backing of all classes and castes. As the AAP was not around at the time of the last Municipal Corporation of Delhi polls in 2012, it was not represented in the MCD. Now it has found only a marginal presence  a far cry from the Delhi Assembly election of 2015 in which the party won 67 of 70 seats. On the AAPs present showing, it is hard to see how the party wont be crushed in the next Assembly polls in Delhi. Indeed, the way things stand, the leadership of chief minister Arvind Kejriwal could now be a matter of speculation.

The AAP has said it was an EVM wave that Delhi saw, not a BJP wave. Simply not true, although the EVM machines have drawn criticism from many. (In the recent Mumbai civic polls, one candidate didnt have a single vote to his name  not even his own  and this sparked a controversy about EVMs.) The Congress stood third in the MCD election, behind the far-trailing AAP. Apart from other things, this suggests that the party remains at war with itself. Former chief minister Sheila Dikshit, who was deemed very successful over a three-term reign, has said she wasnt even asked to campaign. If the AAP and the Congress had joined forces, the BJP might not have had such a free run. But strategic thinking, and ego-shrinking, is not part of the current Indian political culture.
The Supreme Court has done well to recommend that paramilitary forces and local administration in districts bordering Bangladesh be involved actively in preventing the smuggling of cattle to that country. This is a more practical way to tackle the problem of Indian cattle being driven to illegal meat markets in Bangladesh and for animal sacrifice at the Gadhimai festival in Nepal. The Centre may have pushed an eccentric idea of tagging all cows with a unique identification number, and storing all the data in a state database and nationally-lined website, but while such concern for cattle must be touching and will be endorsed by animal activists, the move may also be seen as fuelling the holy cow brand of nationalism that is fast gaining currency in the country.

The cow protection ideal is being taken to extremes by gau rakshaks in some areas  vigilantes running riot in the name of protecting the highly-domesticated animal whose many byproducts are of great utility for human consumption. In mooting an expensive ID system, that may cost Rs 150 crores, for an animal thats not on the endangered list, the government may further embolden vigilantes who are freely stoking communal tensions in the name of cow protection. As the border issue is really one of vigilance, preventing cattle smuggling can best be enforced by the paramilitary and the administration. A database for cows seems too crazy an idea.
Police and CRPF in action against students throw stones on them during clashes in the vicinity of Lal Chowk in Srinagar on Monday. (Photo: PTI)

WhatsApp groups in Kashmir Valley with around 250 members involved in mobilising stone-pelters to disrupt security forces operations were disabled, resulting in much lower turnouts at the sites of encounter...

Two developments  one recently in Pakistan and the other since long at the behest of Pakistans Army and government in the Kashmir Valley  expose Pakistan like never before as not merely a rogue state but a veritable liability for peace in the entire South Asia region, given the allegations by Afghanistan and Bangladesh of Pakistans disruptive activities in both those countries also.

However, it is on Pakistan announcing death penalty for retired Indian Navy commander Kulbhushan Jadhav, following a ridiculous Pak Army kangaroo trial pronouncing him to be an Indian spy and terrorist as well as its poisoning of minds of Kashmiris in the Valley, that warrant stern and swift actions by New Delhi.

On countering the death penalty to Jadhav, the move suggested by Dr Subramanian Swamy has the potential to hit Pakistan hard.

After Osama bin Ladens killing when Pakistan created problems for movement of Nato stores, a resolution was moved by a group of US Congressmen calling for right to self-determination for the Baloch people. The House of Representatives Resolution which was moved stated that in Pakistan the Balochi people are subjected to violence and extra-judicial killing and, therefore, the Balochi people have the right to self-determination and to their own sovereign country; and they should be afforded the opportunity to choose their own status The Balochi, like other nations of people, have an innate right to self-determination The political and ethnic discrimination they suffer is tragic and made more so because America is financing and selling arms to their oppressors in Islamabad. The statement explained that historically Balochistan was an independently governed entity known as the Baloch Khanate of Kalat which came to an end after invasions from both British and Persian armies and that an attempt to regain independence in 1947 was crushed by an invasion by Pakistan. In desperation, Pakistanis, in secret meetings with the US begged for some face-saving formula.

The US agreed and publicly the Pakistanis again made a demand for an apology from the US government. On the July 12, 2012, the then US secretary of state, Hillary Clinton called Pakistans foreign minister Hina Rabbani Khar to apologise. Everyone knew that it was not Ms Clintons apology that made Pakistan relent, but the US Congress resolution on recognising Balochistan as an independent nation-state.

Dr Swamys suggestion includes the formation of a Baloch government in exile in India. On August 15, 2016, Prime Minister Narendra Modis reference to Balochistsn and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) was followed by a wide reaction by the Balochi diaspora, including in India, when a number of their leaders spoke about Pak Armys brutality against their brethren in Balochistan. On April 24, 2017, Dr Swamy reiterated his Balochistan related demand and violent anti-Pakistan protests erupted in PoK.

On Pakistans plans of poisoning Kashmiris, there is no dearth of visuals of crowds as large as over a thousand trying to heckle and humiliate personnel of the Army and Central Reserve Police Force. There have also been disturbing reports about threats to J&K police personnel and their families.

On April 9, in Budgam, ITBP and J&K police personnel were guarding a polling booth. When the polling was almost over, a mob of about 900 stone pelters attacked these personnel. There were only 9 security personnel to guard the polling booth versus a mob of 900. ITBP personnel realised that they would not be able to get out alive unless and until they did something. They sent out a SOS message to the Army, which immediately sent in a quick response team (QRT) with one jeep and one bus. When the QRT arrived, they too realised that it would be difficult to face a mob of 900. Major Litul Gogoi, the commander of the QRT, realising that it would be a bad idea to open fire at the mob and that rescuing the men inside is what was important, caught hold of one Kashmiri stone pelters, tied him on to the jeep and drove past the mob of 900. Not only did they go in, they saved the nine ITBP and J&K Police personnel, and managed to come out alive.

Although J&K Police has reportedly registered an FIR against unnamed Army persons, after many media visuals aired showing Kashmiri youth throwing stones and heckling and assaulting CRPF personnel who have been exercising much restraint, public revulsion against rioting Kashmiris is rising. Attorney-General Mukul Rohatgi did not mince his words in media, when he stated: The recent report about a stone pelter tied to an Army vehicle, it helped contain stone pelters and saved the poll officials.

An excerpt of former GoC-in-C, Northern Command Lt. Gen. D.S. Hoodas open letter to Kashmiri youth of the Valley deserves mention: The globe is shrinking  opportunities present themselves around the world. You must look beyond the Kashmir valley and prepare yourselves well to step into this role. Unfortunately, it will not happen if your schools and colleges remain closed.

Nelson Mandela said, Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world. Stones dont even come a close second. It is for you to decide the path to take.

Few verses of a poem penned by retired Naval commander S.S. Thatte titled: The Innocent Stone Pelter, says it all:

Whenever there is a flood

The soldier pays with blood

Putting his own life on the line

So this youngster can stay fine

In his hour of desperate need

It is the Army which takes the lead

Reaching out when hope theres none

Claiming no credits for deeds theyve done

But all their selfless valour is in vain

The ingrate picks up the stone again!

At it again, yelling Azaadi, pelting stones

And laughing when he breaks some bones

When the Chief warns of retaliatory fire

He lands up in a political quagmire

In one voice, the journalists and politicians ask

Why shouldnt the chief be taken to task?

Perhaps the question to be asked is Why?

Is the soldier meant only to do and die?

As per latest reports, 300 WhatsApp groups in Kashmir Valley with around 250 members involved in mobilising stone-pelters to disrupt security forces operations were disabled, resulting in much lower turnouts at encounter sites. On April 24, chief minister Mehbooba Mufti met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and home minister Rajnath Singh. Much more will need to be done to calm the Valley.

The writer, a retired Army officer, is a defence and security analyst based in New Delhi.
Tawang has been in the news in recent times. According to an article in the China Daily, published at the end of the Dalai Lamas visit to Arunachal Pradesh: Under Indias illegal rule, the residents of Southern Tibet live difficult lives, face various kinds of discrimination, and look forward to returning to China. The mouthpiece of the Communist Party says that the Dalai Lama cant wait to give away Tawang district in exchange for Indias support for the survival of his separatist group. Calling the Dalai Lama a troublemaker, the daily further affirms: Depending on India for a living, the Dalai Lamas eagerness to please his master is understandable, but he is going too far by selling Southern Tibet in exchange for his masters favour.A few days later, China Tibet Online, a website affiliated to Xinhua, referred to the Tibetan leaders visit to Southern Tibet, particularly to Dawang, a pin yin transcription for Tawang. Renaming names is however not new. It has been done by all colonisers. More than anybody, India is aware of this. China has done it in a more systematic manner. After it invaded Tibet in 1950-51, Shigaste became Rikaze or Xigatse, Sakya was Sagya, Metok, north of Arunachals Upper Siang district, Mutao or Medog.

Apart from the cases of pure pin yin-sation like the ones just mentioned, in many cases, names have been completely changed. Ngari province is now called Ali Prefecture (Chinese faulty pronunciation cant probably pronounce Ng and r), Kyirong at the border with Nepal is now Jilong and worse, Barahoti in todays Uttarakhand is called Wuje, while Demchok in Ladakh is termed Parigas. Humans too are subjected to similar renaming: the Panchen Lama selected by China, Gyaltsen Norbu, is Bainqen Erdini Qoigyijabu. All this shows that the recent announcement about the official standardised names for six places in Arunachal Pradesh is not a scoop; the only surprise is that it was not done earlier, which is simply because the claim itself on Tawang is an afterthought. In any case, today it looks like a childish reaction to the Dalai Lamas visit to the state earlier this month. The Chinese media said that Beijings objective was to reaffirm Chinas claim over Arunachal, South Tibet for the Chinese. The Global Times reported: Chinas ministry of civil affairs announced on April 14 that it had standardised in Chinese characters, Tibetan and Roman alphabet the names of six places in South Tibet, which India calls Arunachal Pradesh, in accordance with the regulations of the central government.

The official names of the six places (transcribed in Roman alphabet) are Wogyainling, Mila Ri, Qoidengarbo Ri, Mainquka, Bumo La and Namkapub Ri. Let us have a look where these places are located. Wogyainling is the new spelling for Urgyeling, the birthplace of Tsangyang Gyaltso, the sixth Dalai Lama, a few kilometers south of Tawang town. One understands the political reasons why China would be so attached to the place. Beijing is not ready to accept that a Dalai Lama could be born outside Tibet (China). The second place is Mila Ri. It is a lake known as Mila Nagula situated near the famous Madhuri Lake, north of Tawang and South of the Indo-Tibet border. The place is mentioned in the 1962 war records, advancing PLA troops passed the lake on their way to Tawang. As Ri means mountain or ridge in Tibetan/Monpa, Mila Ri is probably one of the ridges above the lake. The third place is Qoidengarbo Ri, for Chorten Karpo or White Stupa. It refers to Gorsam Chorten, the only large white stupa in the area (and the largest in Arunachal). It is not far from Zimithang, the tactical HQ of the 4 Infantry Division during the 1962 war.

The name may refer to one of the ridges around the stupa. Mainquka is Menchuka (or Mechuka, alternative Indian spelling) is a most strategic valley in West Siang district of Arunachal. It is the only of one the six places outside Tawang district. China is not happy that India recently landed a C-17 Hercules transport aircraft in the area. Menchuka was also occupied by the Chinese in October-November 1962. Bumo La is the border post of Bumla, 45 km north of Tawang, where the Indian Army and the Chinese PLA meet several times a year. Bumo means girl in Tibetan/Monpa. Namkapub Ri is linked to Namkha Chu river, the theatre of the first Chinese attack in October 1962. Ri is for one of the ridges above the river (perhaps Hathungla). By naming these six places, Beijing wants to remind India of the 1962 war and the fact that the Dalai Lama belongs to China. As the ministry of external affairs stated, renaming places cant change the fact that the territory south of the McMahon Line belongs to India. What about the local population in Arunachal looking forward to return one day to China under the Communist banner? During the Dalai Lamas visit, not only did the entire local Monpa population (some 35,000 to 40,000, according to police sources) throng to have a glimpse of the Bodhisattva of Compassion, but also large flocks of Buddhist pilgrims from the remotest villages of Upper Subansiri, West Siang or Upper Siang districts, who travelled for days to have a once-in-a-lifetime darshan.

Why did the visit of the Dalai Lama to Tawang trigger so much violence from the Chinese propaganda machinery? First and foremost, by allowing the Tibetan leader to visit Tawang, New Delhi has reasserted that the Land of Mon, as Tawang is known, is an integral part of India, whether China agrees or disagrees. This does not please Beijing, which lately has started adding Tawang to Chinas occupied territories. Moreover, if China is under the impression that Delhis policy is going to change, it is mistaken; Beijing has to reconcile and live with it. The Chinese response is also a reaction to the Dalai Lamas immense popularity in Indias border areas. This deeply irritates Beijing whose propaganda is unable to win over the masses, whether on the Tibetan side of the border or in the Indian Himalaya. Beijing does not know how to react to such reverence for the Tibetan leader; given that the Chinese leadership has been unable to win over the hearts of the Tibetans, more than 60 years after their so-called liberation. In these circumstances, how could the Communist leadership convince the population of Arunachal Pradesh to join the authoritarian regime? Another reason why Beijing has been so furious is that China has today become bigger; and it dislikes to be contradicted by smaller nations (like India). Despite using batteries of experts, including a wanted Ulfa dissident, to bolster its claims, Beijing has been unable to project its case and ended up by resorting to insulting the revered Buddhist teacher and threatening India. It will lead Beijing nowhere in the long run.
An unmanned NASA spacecraft, Cassini, is poised to plunge into the gap between Saturn and its rings, a pioneering journey that could offer an unprecedented view of the sixth planet from the Sun.

The first of the spaceship's 22 deep dives between Saturn and its innermost ring is scheduled for April 26 at 5:00 am Florida time (0900 GMT), NASA said.

Then comes a nail-biting wait.

Communications with the spacecraft will go dark during the dive and for about a day afterward, while it makes scientific observations of the planet.

If Cassini survives the trip, it could make radio contact with Earth as early as 3:05 am (0705 GMT) on April 27.

"Images and other data are expected to begin flowing in shortly after communication is established," NASA said.

Cassini is a 20-year-old joint mission of NASA, the European Space Agency and the Italian Space Agency.

The 22-foot-tall (6.7 meter) spacecraft launched in 1997 and began orbiting Saturn in 2004.

Cassini is running low on fuel, and will make a death plunge into Saturn's surface on September 15.

The decision to end the mission was made in 2010, to avoid damaging moons like Enceladus, which could be explored for signs of life in the future.

Dangerous moment

Venturing between the planet and its rings for the first time represents "a dangerous moment for the mission," Luciano Iess, Cassini team member at Italy's Sapienza University of Rome, said at a meeting of the European Geosciences Union in Vienna.

Skimming Saturn at an altitude of about 1,800 miles (3,000 kilometers), the spacecraft will be closer than ever to the band of ice and space rocks that circle Saturn.

The debris move at a speed of about 67,800 miles (109,000 kilometers) per hour.

The rings around Saturn -- a gas giant that is second in size in our solar system only to Jupiter -- are thousands of miles (kilometers) wide, but only 30 to 300 feet (nine to 90 meters) deep.

The spacecraft's final dives aim to offer a fresh look at the rings, potentially revealing more about their mass and whether they are old or new.

"If the rings are massive, this means that they are old. They can date back to the formation of the Saturnian system," Iess said.

"If the mass is small, then the rings are young and they have been formed by a different process."

Some scientists believe that rings could have formed after asteroids smashed into some of Saturn's moons, creating a trail of debris.

Saturn has more than 60 moons, and Cassini has made new discoveries on some of them, which may have conditions suitable for a form of life.

The flyby should also provide more information about the interior of Saturn.

"We hope to get a measurement of the core mass, how many heavy elements are concentrated in the interior of Saturn," said Iess.

Cassini dropped a European probe on Saturn's massive moon Titan and revealed its surface of methane liquid seas, including a complex system of methane rain and runoff.

It discovered that the icy moon Enceladus conceals a subsurface, salty ocean beneath its crust, and may be able to support living microbes.

Cassini also observed storms, lightning and clouds around Saturn for the first time.

Cassini has made "a wealth of discoveries," said Nicolas Altobelli, Cassini project scientist with the European Space Agency.

"We will have to rewrite many textbooks on planetary science."

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Stephen Hawking and billionaire Yuri Milner-backed Breakthrough Listen is an initiative that is dedicated to exploring extraterrestrial signals in the universe in search of life beyond Earth. A team of researchers from Breakthrough Listen have now released its first results after analysing three 5-minute observations of 692 stars.

The researchers found 11 strange signals during their study. However, none of these signals are believed to be extraterrestrial life. The team has submitted the analysis paper, which they hope will act as a launch pad for future investigations.

Breakthrough Listen has been gathering data with the Green Bank Radio Telescope in West Virginia, Lick Observatorys Automated Planet Finder on Mt Hamilton in California and the Parkes Radio Telescope in Australia, reported DailyMail.

The project, led by researchers based in California scans billions of radio channels in search for intelligent source outside our solar system.

The latest findings will be discussed at the Breakthrough Discuss conference tomorrow.

With the submission of this paper, the first scientific results from Breakthrough Listen are now available for the world to review, said Dr Andrew Siemion of BSRC. Although the search has not yet detected a convincing signal from extraterrestrial intelligence, these are early days. The work that has been completed so far provides a launch pad for deeper and more comprehensive analysis to come, he added.

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Imagine playing a VR game where you can simply control your character by looking at things in a way you would do in the normal world.

Whether you agree or not, virtual reality is the trend of the moment. All the tech companies are pumping millions of dollars into the development of the VR technology and incorporating it with the smartphone ecosystem. While some are focussed on providing VR for the masses (Google cardboard), there are others who are preferring to improve the core experience, regardless of any marketing factors (Oculus, HTC). One such company is Samsung, who has been busy these days working on improving the hardware on the smartphone side (the Samsung Galaxy S8) to aid its existing Gear VR products. But things in the world of VR are about to get more real with Samsungs current experimentation.

At the VRLA Expo 2017 in Los Angeles, a group of Samsung employees demonstrated a culmination of the following efforts: an experimental, hands-free VR interface that they call FaceSense. According to Samsung, our facial expressions have the capability to generate electricity, which in turn can be used aid input of data to VR system. When we speak or change our expression or even gaze at something, our facial muscles can generate electricity. This electricity can be collected by compatible sensors on a VR headset to record input data, which can be used to control various elements in the VR interface.

The benefits of implementation of this technology can be immense. With modern VR headsets like Oculus VR, HTC Vive or even Google Daydream, you are given a physical out-of-sight control interface in the form of a remote control. The core concept of VR is the provision of an unbridled virtual experience to the user. A physical remote controller takes away a lot to be experienced from a VR kit.

With a VR headset like this though, you can enjoy all those immersive VR content in the way it was supposed to. Imagine playing a VR game where you can simply control your character by looking at things in a way you would do in the normal world.

To provide a hands-free immersive experience, the FaceSense prototype works by recognizing and translating biometric signals from the users face. The prototype can also record audio inputs for basic interface controlling, i.e. The prototype is currently capable of recognizing voice commands such as home, back, select and cancel.

The FaceSense prototype was shown on the Gear VR platform at the expo. It has been developed by C-Lab (Creative Lab), Samsungs start up business fund program.

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The new Google Pixel phone is displayed following a product event, in San Francisco. (Photo: AP)

Google is reportedly planning to launch three Google Pixel smartphones running on Qualcomms latest processor Snapdragon 835.

A report by German website WinFuture.de recently revealed the data found on Googles Android code discloses Google plans to launch three new handsets.

According to an image published on the website, the new models will be successors to Google Pixel and Pixel XL.

Google has code-named the three smartphones as Muskie, Walleye and Taimen.

The code appeared in the Google s Android Open Source Project mentions each handset by their code-name in comments with the CPU model MSM8998, also known as the Qualcomm Snapdragon 853.

To date, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 chipset is only used in the Galaxy S8 smartphone.

Qulacomm in November unveiled the processor with Quick 4.0 technology. To recall, the chipset is based on Samsungs 10nm FinFET process.

Earlier reports suggested Samsung had dibs on the first batch of the processor for Galaxy S8, which is why other smartphone manufactures had to wait.

But now, future flagships of HTC, Xiaomi, Nokia, OnePlus, and now Google as well, could be reportedly seen powered by SD835 SoC.

Unfortunately, these firms might be unable to secure the next batch of Quaclomms flagship processor, speculated to be called Snapdragon 845, before Samsung again as Samsung has already begun developing the next-gen flagship chipset along with Qualcomm, according to The Korea Herald

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Big smartphone brands such as Apple and Nokia have been trying to establish private manufacturing units in India, with the hope of selling India-made products at a cheaper price. However, the government doesnt appear to be giving in to their demands. Adding to that, the former is even expected to slap a higher custom duty on imported mobile phones after switching to the Good and Services Tax regime (GST) with the intention to boost local manufacturing. This move is expected to increase the price of imported smartphones by at least 5 to 10 per cent.

According to Economic Times, the ministry of electronics and information technology has secured legal opinion from the attorney-general who has said that imposing customs duty on phones will not violate the Information Technology Agreement (ITA), an international pact which mandates signatory countries to allow duty-free imports of certain electronics products.

A committee comprising of representatives from the finance, commerce, telecomm and IT ministries has been set up in order to address the prevailing issue in detail. The inter-ministerial committee appears to be of the opinion that a zero-customs duty is not something that will help the case of manufacturing in the country. Additionally, certain exemptions available to domestic handset makers such as no countervailing duty on imported electronic components will also be demolished after the GST regime comes into force. Even though the decision is not final, the growing thought is prevalent to be protecting local manufacturers.

At the moment, 30 per cent of all smartphones sold in India are imported  most of which come from China. Apple is among those foreign smartphone makers that demanded several tax concessions post the establishment of their manufacturing plant in Karnataka earlier this year. However, the government denied the same, stating that they will not give any special concessions to any single company.

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Washington: A top body of Indian-American doctors has expressed shock and disappointment over the Trump administration's dismissal of physician Vivek Murthy as the US Surgeon General.

Murthy, 39, the first Indian-American appointed by the Obama regime as the Surgeon General, was dismissed last week to bring new leadership to the vital public health sector.

The American Association of Physicians of Indian-origin (AAPI) in a statement on Monday, said it is "shocked and saddened" by the departure of Murthy as the US Surgeon General, to which he was nominated by the previous Obama Administration and confirmed by the US Senate.

"On behalf of the AAPI, I want to applaud the many contributions and initiatives of Dr Vivek Murthy, our AAPI member, in the healthcare sector in very short span of about two years since he became US Surgeon General in 2014," said AAPI president Ajay Lodha.

Murthy played a key role in bringing to the forefront many crucial health issues confronting the nation. Murthy's report on addiction released in November, had said that dependency on opioids and other substances must not be looked on as a "character flaw", and was the first publication from a surgeon general that addressed drug and alcohol addiction, the statement by AAPI said.

House Democratic Caucus Chairman Joe Crowley in a statement said Murthy has been a dynamic and outstanding surgeon general and is an inspiration, not only to the Indian-American community, but to the entire medical and healthcare community.

He said that from speaking out about the need for funding for public health crises to promoting physical fitness and walkable communities, Murthy worked tirelessly to improve the health of the American people.

"I've had the great pleasure of working closely with Murthy, including welcoming him to my district where we met with New York health leaders to discuss Zika, the opioid epidemic, and other key health priorities affecting my constituents," Crowley said.

Murthy is the second Indian-American to be fired by the Trump administration from a senior position. The first one was the US Attorney from New York Preet Bharara who was sacked after he refused to resign.
Toronto: A Sikh police officer in Canada had been denied a promotion into the senior ranks because of his race and cultural background, a media report has said.

Staff sergeant Baljiwan Sandhu, a decorated officer with 28 years of service on the Peel police force, had sought a promotion to inspector in 2013, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation reported.

The Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario on Friday said that not only he had been denied a promotion but that Peel Regional Police did not consider the portion of work in diversity relations as "real police work."

"The applicant's race, ancestry, place of origin, and/or ethnic origin were factors in his failure to be recommended for promotion in February 2013, and as such I find that the applicant has been subject to discrimination because of race," in violation of the Ontario Human Rights Code, tribunal adjudicator Bruce Best was quoted as saying by the report.

"My client was harassed since he was a cadet in 1989 including an alleged incident in which fellow officers asked whether anyone ordered a cab when they saw Sandhu it was the fact that his superiors did not value the work they had

assigned him that prompted the complaint in 2013," Barry Swadron, his lawyer, said.

Sandhu emigrated to Canada from India in 1981. The tribunal found that the officer's cultural and linguistic background resulted in his superiors routinely

seconding him for assignments involving the South Asian community.

"The superiors in his particular case said that the work he did in diversity where he was an absolute star didn't really count because it wasn't real police work," Swadron said.

"To think that the brass of the Peel Regional Police Service take the position that diversity or officers who are not white are to be undervalued, it was too much to swallow," Swadron said.

Among the 33 officers who applied for promotion to inspector in 2013, only Sandhu and another applicant failed to get the backing of their immediate supervisors, the report said.

Sandhu, meanwhile, excelled in his work with the South Asian community, earning 21 awards, including the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal.

"One South Asian newspaper in 2011 selected him as one of the three most influential South Asians in law enforcement in the country, along with Harjit Sajjan, who has since become Canada's Minister of Defence," the ruling reads.

Peel police chief Jennifer Evans did not respond to the questions about the ruling. Instead, she issued a video statement yesterday in which she said that such ambassador roles are critical to the success of Peel police.

"It's important to note that since 2013, Peel Regional Police have introduced changes to our promotional process," she said in the video. "The enhancements ensure all officers are recognised for the area they work in, be they front line

or support services."
Washington: President Donald Trump is proposing "the biggest tax cut" ever even as the government struggles with mounting debt, in an effort to fulfill promises of bringing jobs and prosperity to the middle class.

White House officials on Wednesday were to release broad outlines of a tax overhaul that would provide massive tax cuts to businesses big and small. The top tax rate for individuals would drop by a few percentage points, from 39.6 percent to the "mid-30s," according to an official with knowledge of the plan.

Small business owners would see their top tax rate go from 39.6 percent to 15 percent, said the official, who was not authorized to publicly discuss the proposal before the White House announcement and spoke on condition of anonymity.

Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, in a Wednesday morning speech, said the proposed overhaul would amount to "the biggest tax cut" and the "largest tax reform" in US history.

White House officials already have said the top corporate tax rate would be reduced from 35 percent to 15 percent. The plan will also include child-care benefits, a cause promoted by Trump's daughter Ivanka.

Trump sent his team to Capitol Hill on Tuesday evening to discuss his plan with Republican leaders.

"They went into some suggestions that are mere suggestions and we'll go from there," said GOP Sen. Orrin Hatch of Utah, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee.

The White House's presentation will be "pretty broad in the principles," said Marc Short, Trump's director of legislative affairs.

In the coming weeks, Trump will solicit more ideas on how to improve it, Short said. The specifics should start to come this summer. Short said the administration did not want to set a firm timeline, after demanding a quick House vote on a health care bill and watching it fail.

But, Short added, "I don't see this sliding into 2018." Republicans who slammed the growing national debt under President Barack Obama have said they are open to Trump's tax plan, even though it could add trillions of dollars to the deficit over the next decade.

Echoing the White House, Republicans argue the cuts would spur economic growth, reducing or even eliminating any drop in tax revenue.

"I'm not convinced that cutting taxes is necessarily going to blow a hole in the deficit," Hatch said.

"I actually believe it could stimulate the economy and get the economy moving," Hatch added. "Now, whether 15 percent is the right figure or not, that's a matter to be determined."

The argument that tax cuts pay for themselves has been debunked by economists from across the political spectrum.

On Tuesday, the official scorekeeper for Congress dealt the argument - and Trump's plan - another blow.

The nonpartisan Joint Committee on Taxation said a big cut in corporate taxes, even if temporary, would add to long-term budget deficits. This is a problem for Republicans because it means they would need Democratic support in the Senate to pass a tax overhaul that significantly cuts corporate taxes.

Republicans have been working under a budget maneuver that would allow them to pass a tax bill without Democratic support in the Senate, but only if it didn't add to long-term deficits.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said the Senate was sticking to that strategy.

"Regretfully we don't expect to have any Democratic involvement in" a tax overhaul, McConnell said. "So we'll have to reach an agreement among ourselves."

Democrats said they smell hypocrisy over the growing national debt, which stands at nearly $20 trillion. For decades, Republican lawmakers railed against saddling future generations with trillions in debt.

But with Republicans controlling Congress and the White House, there is no appetite at either end of Pennsylvania Avenue to tackle the long-term drivers of debt, Social Security and Medicare. Instead, Republicans are pushing for tax cuts and increased defense spending.

"I'm particularly struck by how some of this seems to be turning on its head Republican economic theory," said Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon, the top Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee.

Added Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa.: "On a lot of fronts, both the administration and Republicans have been contradictory, to say the least."

"There's no question we should try to reduce (the corporate tax rate), but I don't see how you pay for getting it down that low," Casey said. "Fifteen percent, that's a huge hole if you can't make the math work."
Her son Vimal Kolappa, a North Carolina-based hotelier and philanthropist who received the flag, on Tuesday. (Photo: AP)

Washington: A US lawmaker has honoured an Indian-American woman posthumously by hoisting the American flag over the Capitol.

Congressman George Holding, Co-Chair of the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian-Americans, honoured Vimala Padmanabhan Kolappa on February 28, two days after she died.

Her son Vimal Kolappa, a North Carolina-based hotelier and philanthropist who received the flag, on Tuesday, said, "It was a total surprise to me. I was very touched and surprised which make me to serve more for this greatest country and the people".

"It is a great honour. It is one of the greatest honours to the Indian community," said Kolappa who owns and operates 16 franchise hotels, employing more than 300 people.

Kolappa, who is constructing eight more hotels, has been holding fundraisers in support of local leaders including Holding.

"Holding has been very instrumental in helping the Indian community and making inroads with doing business with India. He has always been very helpful not only to the Indian community, but for all of his constituents," Kolappa said.

He said this is reflective of Holding's caring nature of all his constituents including Indian-Americans. "The flag is not only a symbol of America, but of remembrance of mother Vimala (who died on February 26). Two days later, it was flying over the US Capitol at the request of Congressman Holding. It is a great honour," Kolappa added.
Krishnamoorthy is charged with one count of securities fraud (FIle Photo)

New York: A 41-year-old Indian citizen has been arrested on charges of insider trading and making thousands of dollars using confidential information of a private equity firm's acquisition of a technology company.

Avaneesh Krishnamoorthy, who lives in New Jersey, served as a vice president and risk management specialist for a Manhattan-based investment bank from 2015 till this month.

He was charged with one count of securities fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of USD 5 million.

Acting Manhattan US Attorney Joon Kim said Krishnamoorthy made approximately USD 48,000 in illicit profits through the insider trading scheme.

The Securities and Exchange Commission filed a parallel civil complaint alleging that the accused learned that Golden Gate Capital planned to acquire publicly traded advertising technology company Neustar Inc.

He then began trading in Neustar securities. The trading took place in two brokerage accounts that Krishnamoorthy allegedly kept hidden from his employer, which had been approached by Golden Gate Capital to finance the transaction.

Krishnamoorthy was presented in Manhattan federal court before United States Magistrate Judge Kevin Nathaniel Fox on Tuesday.

Kim said Krishnamoorthy has been charged with violating his duty to his company and trading on insider information.

"He allegedly exploited his access to information about a pending acquisition to purchase stock and options, making tens of thousands of dollars in illegal profit for himself," the attorney said.

The insider trading case is among the first brought by Kim, who succeeded Preet Bharara, Manhattan's top federal prosecutor after he was fired by the Trump administration.

Bharara had successfully prosecuted several high profile insider trading cases, including those against India-born Rajat Gupta and his one time friend and business associate Raj Rajaratnam.

According to the complaint filed in Manhattan federal court, as vice president and risk management specialist, Krishnamoorthy had access to material non-public information concerning mergers and acquisitions for which the investment bank he worked in might potentially provide financing.

In November 2016, Golden Gate Capital contacted the investment bank concerning financing for the acquisition of Neustar. Around that time, he received multiple emails

regarding the investment bank's potential involvement in the transaction, including emails that summarised the details of the deal.

In violation of the company's policies and in breach of his duties, Krishnamoorthy used this material non-public information to acquire Neustar stock and options.

In the days and weeks after receiving the emails, and prior to the public announcement of Neustar's acquisition, Krishnamoorthy purchased numerous Neustar call options and shares of its stock in brokerage accounts held in the names of both Krishnamoorthy and his wife.

The public announcement of Neustar's acquisition in December last year resulted in an approximately 20 percent increase in the value of Neustar stock, resulting in a corresponding increase in the value of the call options and equity stock held by Krishnamoorthy and his spouse.
Jumana Nagarwala has been charged with performing FGM on minor girls (Photo: henryford.com)

Detroit: A Detroit-area doctor and his wife accused in a female genital mutilation case are returning to court to find out if they can be released from jail.

Prosecutors are expected to ask a judge Wednesday to keep Dr. Fakhruddin Attar and his wife, Farida, locked up while their case winds through federal court.

They're accused of conspiring with another doctor who is charged with performing genital mutilation on 7-year-old Minnesota girls at a clinic. The Livonia clinic is owed by Dr. Attar.

The government says he allowed Dr. Jumana Nagarwala to see young girls there after hours.

Genital mutilation, also known as cutting, has been condemned by the United Nations and is outlawed in the US. Nagarwala and the Attars belong to a Muslim sect known as Dawoodi Bohra.
US District Judge William Orrick issued the preliminary injunction in two lawsuits against an executive order targeting communities that protect immigrants from deportation. (Photo: AFP)

Washington: A federal judge on Tuesday blocked President Donald Trumps attempt to withhold funding from sanctuary cities that do not cooperate with US immigration officials, saying the president has no authority to attach new conditions to federal spending.

US District Judge William Orrick issued the preliminary injunction in two lawsuits - one brought by the city of San Francisco, the other by Santa Clara County - against an executive order targeting communities that protect immigrants from deportation.

The injunction will stay in place while the lawsuits work their way through court.

The judge rejected the administrations argument that the executive order applies only to a relatively small pot of money and said Trump cannot set new conditions on spending approved by Congress.

Even if the president could do so, those conditions would have to be clearly related to the funds at issue and not coercive, as the executive order appeared to be, Orrick said.

Federal funding that bears no meaningful relationship to immigration enforcement cannot be threatened merely because a jurisdiction chooses an immigration enforcement strategy of which the president disapproves, the judge said.

It was the third major setback for the administration on immigration policy. White House chief of staff Reince Priebus described the ruling as another example of the 9th Circuit going bananas.

The administration has often criticised the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals. Orrick does not sit on that court but his district is in the territory of the appeals court, which has ruled against one version of Trumps travel ban.

The idea that an agency cant put in some reasonable restriction on how some of these moneys are spent is something that will be overturned eventually, and we will win at the Supreme Court level at some point, Priebus said.

San Francisco City Attorney Dennis Herrera praised the ruling and said the president was forced to back down.

This is why we have courts  to halt the overreach of a president and an attorney general who either dont understand the Constitution or chose to ignore it, Herrera said in a statement.

Santa Clara County Counsel James Williams said the ruling will allow cities and counties across the country to prepare budgets without the unconstitutional threat of federal defunding hanging over our heads.

A Justice Department attorney, Chad Readler, previously defended the presidents executive order as an attempt to use his bully pulpit to encourage communities and states to comply with the law.

Readler also said the order applied to only three Justice Department and Homeland Security grants that would affect less than $1 million for Santa Clara County and possibly no money for San Francisco.

But the judge said the executive order was written broadly to reach all federal grants and potentially jeopardized hundreds of millions of dollars in funding to San Francisco and Santa Clara.

He cited comments by the president and Attorney General Jeff Sessions as evidence of the orders scope and said the president himself had called it a weapon to use against recalcitrant cities.

The government hasnt cut off any money yet or declared any communities to be sanctuary cities. But the Justice Department sent letters last week advising communities to prove they are in compliance. California was informed it could lose $18.2 million.

Sanctuary cities is a loosely defined term for jurisdictions that dont comply with immigration authorities.

The Trump administration argued that the executive order applied narrowly to cities that forbid officials from reporting peoples immigration status to federal authorities. But Orrick said it could also be construed to apply to cities that refuse to hold jail inmates for immigration authorities.

The Trump administration says sanctuary cities allow dangerous criminals back on the street and that the order is needed to keep the country safe. San Francisco and other sanctuary cities say turning local police into immigration officers erodes the trust that is needed to get people to report crime.

The order has also led to lawsuits by Seattle; two Massachusetts cities, Lawrence and Chelsea; and a third San Francisco Bay Area government, the city of Richmond. The San Francisco and Santa Clara County lawsuits were the first to get a hearing before a judge.

On Tuesday, mayors from several cities threatened with the loss of federal grants emerged from a meeting with Sessions saying they remain confused about how to prove their police are in compliance with immigration policies.

The sanctuary city order was among a flurry of immigration measures Trump signed after taking office in January, including a ban on travelers from seven Muslim-majority countries and a directive calling for a wall on the Mexican border.

A federal appeals court blocked the travel ban. The administration then revised it, but the new version also is stalled in court.
Washington: India will maintain its relationship with Russia "independent of the US" as Moscow is willing to provide in depth capabilities and technologies which America would not offer, a top US expert has said.

"I think India will always have a relationship with Russia independent of the US for a very simple reason, that the Russians have been far more willing to providing in depth strategic capabilities and strategic technologies of the kind that we would not either for reasons of policy or law," Ashley Tellis, a senior fellow of the Carnegie Endowment for International Relations told members of the Senate Armed Services Committee on Tuesday.

"Our objective with India has been more subtle than I think has been expressed often in the public commentary. The US has approached India with a view to building its own capabilities, rather than seeking to forge an alliance," Tellis said in response to a question from Senator Elizabeth Warren.

"Some have recently suggested that India is playing the US and Russia against each other for its own benefit. Do you think that is true and do you believe that this is something the US should be concerned about?" she asked.

Warren said the US-India relationship has evolved over the past decade from one of distance to a close strategic partnership.

"In just the past few years alone, the US Department of Defense has named India a major defence partner and established the Defense Technology Trade Initiative," she said.

"But India famously values its non-alignment in foreign policy and it has a long-standing relationship with Russia. Even today, Russian is India's primary arms supplier and whereas the US emphasises restrictions on the use of force, Russian arms come with very few strings attached,"Warren said.

Tellis said America's calculation has been that if India can stand on its own feet, and if India can help balance China independently, then that's a good thing for the US irrespective of what they do with the US bilaterally.

"I think that policy is a sensible one and we ought to pursue it. Let me say one other thing about Russia," he said.

According to Tellis, Indians have come around to the recognition that Russia today no longer has the kind of cutting-edge capabilities that it did during the days of the Soviet Union.

"And that the Russians are not particularly reliable with respect to providing advanced conventional technologies of the kind that the US has," he said.

"So while they want to keep the relationship with Russia in good repair, because they have a substantial, military hardware. They want to diversity and the US is number one on the diversification plan," Tellis said.
US President Donald Trump is set to hold a classified briefing for the entire Senate on the situation in North Korea amid mounting concern over its nuclear and missile tests.

Mr Trumps classified briefing to Senators along with his other top officials comes amidst increasing standoff with Pyongyang. The White House, meanwhile, on Wednesday insisted that the North Korean issue could be resolved through diplomatic efforts.
Kuala Lumpur: A Malaysian boy who was allegedly beaten so severely with a hosepipe at an Islamic school that his legs were amputated has died in hospital, a family member said Wednesday.

Mohamad Thaqif, 10, had attended the private Maahad Eahfiz al-Jauhar school in the southern state of Johor.

His aunt said he had complained to his mother about the beatings, which were allegedly inflicted by the school's assistant warden.

The cause of his death is not yet known and a post-mortem is due to be carried out later Wednesday.

Local police chief Rahmat Othman said a 29-year-old suspect was in custody in relation to the alleged beatings.

"A water hose was seized. The man had previously been jailed for 30 months in 2014 for theft," he said but declined to elaborate.

Local media said the boy had recorded the alleged abuse in a notebook. "Dear Allah, please open my parents' heart to allow me to transfer to another school because I cannot stand it any more. Please Allah, make my wish come true," the Malay Mail newspaper quoted one notebook entry as saying.

The school's head, Mohammad Afdhaluddin said, he could not comment on the alleged beatings since the case was being investigated by police.

He said an internal report on the incident has been handed over to police. "We are now waiting for the hospital report on the cause of Thaqif's death," he added.

School authorities are saddened by the death, he said. "We will attend the funeral today. We have close ties with his family." The opposition People's Justice Party has urged authorities to ensure that such abuse never happens again.

The party also said authorities must ensure that those employed as wardens are fully screened and registered. Thaqif was admitted to hospital on April 19, his aunt told AFP.

The aunt, Dzuraidah Ahmad, said family members were shocked by his passing but as Muslims "we accept the death as the will of Allah".

"However, if the police investigations reveal the injuries and his subsequent death was due to the beatings by the assistant school warden, then we hope action will be taken against the person," she added.
The nuclear-powered submarine USS Michigan approaches to join the US aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson in drills near the Korean Peninsula. (Photo: AP)

Seoul: In a defiant bit of timing, South Korea announced on Wednesday that key parts of a contentious US missile defence system had been installed a day after rival North Korea showed off its military power.

The South's trumpeting of progress on setting up the Terminal High-Altitude Area Defence system, or THAAD, comes as high-powered US military assets converge on the Korean Peninsula and as a combative North Korea signals possible nuclear and missile testing.

North Korea conducted live-fire artillery drills on Tuesday, the 85th anniversary of the founding of its million-person strong Korean People's Army. On the same day, a US guided-missile submarine docked in South Korea. And the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier is also headed toward the peninsula for a joint exercise with South Korea.

The moves to set up THAAD within this year have angered not only North Korea, but also China, the country that the Trump administration hopes to work with to rid the North of nuclear weapons. China, which has grown increasingly frustrated with its ally Pyongyang, and Russia see the system's powerful radars as a security threat.

South Korea said in a statement on Wednesday that unspecified parts of THAAD were installed. The statement said that Seoul and Washington have been pushing to get THAAD quickly working to cope with North Korea's advancing nuclear and missile threats. According to Yonhap news agency, the parts include two or three launchers, intercept missiles and a radar.

About 8,000 police officers were mobilized, and the main road leading up to the site in the country's southeast was blocked earlier Wednesday, Yonhap reported. About 200 residents and protesters rallied against THAAD in front of a local community center, some hurling plastic water bottles.

On Tuesday, North Korea conducted what it called its largest ever combined live-fire drills, near the east coast port city of Wonsan.

North Korea's official media reported Wednesday that leader Kim Jong Un personally observed the exercises, which involved the firing of more than 300 large-caliber artillery pieces and included submarine torpedo-attacks on mock enemy warships.

Along with sending US military assets to the region in a show of force, President Donald Trump is leaning on China to exert economic pressure on its wayward ally. Chinese President Xi Jinping, who spoke to Trump on Monday, is urging restraint from both Pyongyang and Washington.

In Washington, top Trump administration officials are due to brief the entire U.S. Senate on Wednesday. A rapid tempo of North Korean weapons testing in the past year has pushed Kim Jong Un's authoritarian nation closer to developing a nuclear-tipped missile that could reach the US mainland.

Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham voiced confidence that Trump won't allow North Korea to reach that point. Graham, a defence hawk who dined with Trump on Monday night, said the North should not underestimate the president's resolve.

The USS Michigan, a nuclear-powered submarine, arrived Tuesday at the South Korean port of Busan for what was described as a routine visit to rest crew and load supplies. The US 7th Fleet said two American destroyers were conducting simultaneous maritime exercises with naval ships from South Korea and Japan.

North Korea routinely accuses the United States of readying for an invasion, and threatens pre-emptive strikes to stop it. An unnamed North Korean Foreign Ministry spokesman said the US administration's policy to maximize pressure on North Korea was "little short of lighting the fuse of total war," the state news agency reported Tuesday.

The streets of Pyongyang, however, were quiet for Tuesday's anniversary, which was overshadowed by April 15 celebrations for the birthday of the nation's late founder Kim Il Sung, and were marked by a missile test the following day.

The Trump administration is also upping the ante diplomatically. On Friday, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson will chair a special meeting of the UN Security Council.

Tillerson will be "very vocal" about nations enforcing sanctions on North Korea, State Department spokesman Mark Toner said. Trump said Monday the council must be prepared to impose stronger sanctions.
Facebook has been seeking ways to block videos as quickly as possible after a series of gruesome images, including murder and sexual assault, were broadcast or posted. (Photo: Representational)

Phuket: The wife of a Thai man who hanged their 11-month-old daughter on Facebook Live says her husband is the only person to blame, and she bears no anger toward the social media site or the users who shared the horrific video.

The video showed the 20-year-old man killing his child and then committing suicide. It was broadcast on Monday evening and made inaccessible by Facebook late on Tuesday afternoon.

Chiranut Trairat said on Wednesday that her husband had been abusive in the past and spent two years in prison before they started dating.

Facebook has been seeking ways to block videos as quickly as possible after a series of gruesome images, including murder and sexual assault, were broadcast or posted.
Canberra: Australia's prime minister said on Wednesday he is looking forward to meeting President Donald Trump next week when they attend Battle of the Coral Sea commemorations in New York, more than three months after their heated telephone conversation over an Obama-era refugee deal.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull announced the May 4 visit in a statement after meeting in Afghanistan with Defense Secretary James Mattis and greeting Australian troops in the Middle East ahead of Veterans' Day commemorations on Tuesday.

Turnbull met in Sydney over the weekend with Vice President Mike Pence, whose visit was intended to smooth over any lingering hard feelings after the prime minister's contentious phone call with Trump on January 28 over a refugee resettlement deal struck by the previous Obama administration.

Trump and Turnbull will mark the 75th anniversary of a World War II naval battle by visiting the USS Intrepid, a floating museum in New York. US and Australian naval and air forces fought the Japanese during the Battle of the Coral Sea on May 4-8, 1942.

"Australia and the United States are enduring allies. Our alliance has been forged over many decades, through times of war and times of peace, securing our nations' freedom and peace and security in the world," Turnbull said in a statement.

"My meeting with President Trump will provide an opportunity to reaffirm our alliance and the United States' engagement with the Asia-Pacific," he added.

White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said the leaders will hold a bilateral meeting on the same day as they visit the aircraft carrier on the Hudson River. "The president looks forward to meeting the prime minister and to showcasing the enduring bonds, deep friendship and close alliance the United States has with Australia," Spicer told reporters in Washington.

John Berry, former US ambassador to Australia and president of the American Australian Association, which organised the visit, said it was important that Turnbull meet Trump early in the president's term.

"Right now, Australia is side by side with the United States in Afghanistan and Iraq and Syria taking on ISIL and terrorists," Berry told Sky News television, referring to the Islamic State movement.

"The president and vice president are now keenly aware just how deep and broad this relationship is," Berry added.

Australia is unhappy with Trump's decision to pull the United States out of the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership trade pact.

Under the refugee resettlement agreement, the United States will take up to 1,250 refugees that Australia houses in detention camps on the Pacific island nations of Nauru and Papua New Guinea.

Trump, who campaigned on tough-on-immigration policies, was enraged by the agreement, prompting a tense phone call with Turnbull and an angry tweet in which the president dubbed the deal "dumb."

Spicer's subsequent mispronunciation of Turnbull's name as "Trumbull" did not help matters. Turnbull on Tuesday left open the possibility of Australia increasing its military contribution in Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan. He also announced an additional 110 million Australian dollars (USD 83 million) over three years in humanitarian and stabilization assistance for Iraq.
Appearing on a high-powered panel at a conference to push for more support for women in business, Trump also said she was still trying to define her place in her father's administration. (Photo: AP)

Berlin: Ivanka Trump drew groans and hisses on Tuesday from an audience in Berlin while defending her father's attitude toward women, but she brushed it aside as "politics" during her first overseas trip as a White House adviser.

Appearing on a high-powered panel at a conference to push for more support for women in business, Trump also said she was still trying to define her place in her father's administration.

"I am rather unfamiliar with this role as well, as it is quite new to me, it's been a little under 100 days," she said. Trump has been a vocal advocate for policies benefiting working women and vocational training. But she also has faced criticism in the United States, particularly from those who think she has done little to temper her father's conservative agenda.

Sharing a stage with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, International Monetary Fund director Christine Lagarde, Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland and others, Trump was asked by the moderator whom she was representing - President Donald Trump, the American people, or her own business interests.

"Certainly not the latter," Trump said. As Trump described her father as "a tremendous champion of supporting families and enabling them to thrive," she drew scattered groans and hisses from the audience, prompting moderator Miriam Meckel to press her for a response.

"You hear the reaction from the audience, so I need to address one more point: Some attitudes toward women your father has publicly displayed in former times might leave someone questioning whether he is such an empowerer for women," said Meckel, the editor of a business magazine and a professor of corporate communications at a Swiss university. "Are things changing?"

Trump replied: "I've certainly heard the criticism from the media, and that's been perpetuated." She added that her own personal experience and the fact that "thousands" of women have worked with and for Donald Trump for decades in the private sector "are a testament to his belief and solid conviction in the potential of women and their ability to do the job as well as any man."

"He encouraged me and enabled me to thrive," Trump said. "I grew up in a house where there was no barrier to what I could accomplish beyond my own perseverance and my own tenacity."

There was, she stressed, "no difference between me and my brothers. And I think as a business leader you saw that, and as a president you will absolutely see that." Talking later to a small group of reporters, Trump said she was unfazed by Meckel's direct questions in a public forum.

"I'm used to it. It's fine," she said, and also shrugged off the audience's reaction. "Politics is politics, as I'm learning, and there are many different viewpoints and people with different options and perspectives," she said.

Trump, who promoted child care and family leave policies during her father's campaign, also told reporters that child care "is going to be part of comprehensive tax reform."

Before the event, the president tweeted that he is "proud of @IvankaTrump for her leadership on these important issues." The 35-year-old Trump stepped away from both running her fashion brand and from an executive role at the Trump Organisation to become an unpaid White House adviser, but she continues to own her lifestyle brand, which allows her to profit off her rising profile and has prompted criticism from ethics experts.

She said she was "humbled to be here with so many formidable leaders" and would bring their advice and knowledge back to her father.

"This is very early for me; I'm listening, I'm learning, I'm defining the ways in which I think that I'll be able to have an impact," Trump said.

During Merkel's visit to Washington in March, she organized a discussion with the German leader, her father, and US and German executives about how companies can better train workers.

On Tuesday's panel, she applauded a suggestion for a special fund to be created to help female entrepreneurs secure international funding, adding that more needs to be done to help in the US.

"We are not where we need to be," she said. Later, Siemens CEO Joe Kaeser gave Trump a tour of a Berlin training centre run by the German industrial conglomerate. Germany is proud of its vocational training system, and Trump has said she hopes to learn from German successes.

Siemens said it has some 12,000 young people worldwide, including 9,000 in Germany, in programs that combine study with practical training. Before heading to a formal dinner, Trump visited the capital's memorial to the 6 million Jews murdered by the Nazis. Trump converted to Judaism herself ahead of her 2009 marriage to Jared Kushner, also a White House adviser.

During the 25-minute visit, Trump walked slowly through the field filled with concrete slabs. She was accompanied by US Embassy personnel and a strong police guard to keep curious tourists and others at a distance.

She paused occasionally to look at the slabs, meant to symbolise the chaos of the Holocaust, and donned sunglasses before emerging on the other side of the monument to a crush of cameras and onlookers.
Bangkok: President Donald Trump's attempts to ban people from six Muslim countries from travelling to the United States "played into the hands" of extremists, the UK's former prime minister said Wednesday.

Trump has said a travel ban is needed to preserve national security and keep out extremists. But federal judges have halted Trump's revised executive order issued in March to temporarily close US borders to refugees and nationals from six Muslim-majority countries.

David Cameron condemned the Trump administration's proposed travel ban, saying it alienated Muslim moderates and allies, as senior figures from global tourism gathered in Bangkok for a conference.

Cameron said in his opening speech that violent Islamism was "the biggest threat to our world and also to this industry" but that leaders should not promote policies that emboldened extremists.

"That was my biggest problem with the Trump travel ban," he told delegates, adding that "labelling whole countries as extreme and dangerous because they were predominantly Islamic" encouraged extremists' narrative of a clash between the west and Islam.

Trying to ban people from key western allies like Iraq, which is bearing the brunt of fighting with the Islamic State group, was "not the action of a friend", he added.

"I thought it (the ban) was misconceived from the outset," he said. Taleb Rifai, the Jordanian-born secretary general of the UN's World Tourism Organization, also took aim at Trump.

Increased security, he said, "does not mean building walls or banning people from travelling". "They (extremists) want us to stop travelling, they want us to be separated, they want us to mistrust one another and to hate one another," he added.

When a conference moderator mentioned that Trump's plan to build a wall between the US and Mexico had stumbled, the audience burst into applause and cheers.
French intelligence services have scientific proof that the Syrian regime was responsible for a suspected chemical attack that killed 87 people, Frances foreign minister said on Wednesday.

Jean-Marc Ayrault said analysis of samples taken at the scene of the April 4 attack in rebel-held Khan Sheikhun in which 31 children were among the dead showed there is no doubt that sarin gas was used and that it was produced by Syrian laboratories.

He said the substance France believes was used in the attack contains hexamine, a component that was also found in a gas attack in northwest Syria in 2013. We are able to confirm that the sarin used on April 4 is the same sarin that was used in an attack in Saraqeb on April 29, 2013, he said. Mr Ayrault said the chemical fingerprint is typical of the method developed in Syrian laboratories and bore the regimes hallmarks.
Kabul: Authorities have arrested 35 soldiers who served on an army base in northern Afghanistan where the Taliban staged a deadly attack last week, officials said today, as fears grew they had inside help.

The defence ministry released its official toll of 135 recruits killed in the assault on the sprawling base, home to the 209th Army Corps, outside the city of Mazar-i-Sharif in Balkh province on Friday.

Gunmen in military trucks and wearing suicide vests stormed the base, killing unarmed young recruits as they ate lunch in the dining hall and prayed in the mosque. The brutal assault is believed to be the deadliest-ever Taliban attack on a military installation.

The death toll has been unclear, with Afghan officials -- who have been known to minimise casualties in previous attacks-- ignoring earlier calls for exact figures.

A senior US defence official has told AFP at least 144 people were killed, while some sources on the base have placed the toll as high as 160.

The gunmen were dressed in army uniforms, multiple sources have told AFP, fuelling suspicions of complicity on the 30,000-strong base, where Western instructors are sometimes called on as part of NATO's training, assistance and advisory mission.

They also carried valid passes to the base, a senior security source has told AFP.

"So far 35 people have been detained and are being questioned in connection with the attack," said 209th Corps spokesman Abdul Qahar Aram, adding that they ranked from foot soldiers to colonel.

So-called insider attacks -- when Afghan soldiers and police turn their guns on their colleagues or on international troops -- have been a major problem during the war which began in 2001.

Analyst and university professor Abdul Hamid Safoot said Friday's assault had highlighted multiple systematic flaws among Afghan forces, ranging from a lack of vetting to inadequate intelligence sharing.

"(The) Taliban know these weaknesses, they have people in the government," Safoot said. "After the insider attacks on the NATO trainers increased, the foreign mentors no longer allow Afghan soldiers to carry arms during training," he added.

The recruits in the mosque and the dining hall were unarmed -- a fact which the security source said was known to the militants. He said at least four of the attackers had served at the base.

The assault has prompted widespread anger, with the defence minister and his army chief resigning Monday, leaving troops and police in disarray as the Taliban gear up for their spring offensive.

Afghan forces, already beset by killings and desertions, have been struggling to beat back insurgents since US-led NATO troops ended their combat mission in December 2014.
Kabul: Afghan officials said Islamic State militants have attacked the Taliban in the northern Jawzjan province, igniting heavy clashes in which dozens of fighters

were killed.

Mohammad Reza Ghafori, a spokesman for the provincial governor, said today that the fighting, which began the day before, has killed 76 Taliban fighters and 15 from the IS affiliate.

He says the IS militants seized two districts from the Taliban. The Taliban and IS are both fighting to overthrow Afghanistan's US-backed government and impose a harsh version of Islamic rule, but they are bitterly split over leadership and tactics.

The IS affiliate is largely made up of disgruntled former Taliban fighters. Abdul Hafiz Khashyee, a police official, says the fighting took place in a remote area and there were no reports of civilian casualties.
India has denied Pakistan's contention and maintained that Jadhav was kidnapped by the Pakistan authorities. (Photo: AP)

Islamabad: India on Wednesday demanded consular access to Kulbhushan Jadhav, who has been sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court for alleged spying.

This was conveyed by Indian High Commissioner in Islamabad Gautam Bambawale to Pakistan Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua during a meeting sought by him.

On April 19, a meeting between Bambawale and Janjua was rescheduled. Pakistan has denied India's request for consular access to 46-year-old Jadhav over a dozen times in the last one year.

Pakistan Army has already rejected any chance of granting consular access to Jadhav who was sentenced to death for espionage and subversive activities.

On April 14, Bambawale had met with the Pakistani foreign secretary, showing increasing concern of India about the fate of Jadhav.

He told media after his meeting that he had asked for list of charges and authentic copy of verdict of military tribunal against Jadhav to launch appeal against his conviction.

He also said that India was seeking consular access on the basis on international law humanitarian grounds. Pakistan Foreign Office has said that during the period of trial of Jadhav, due judicial process was followed and he was provided a lawyer in accordance with relevant laws and the Constitution of Pakistan.

Jadhav was awarded death sentence by the Field General Court Martial earlier this month, evoking a sharp reaction in India which warned Pakistan of consequences and damage to bilateral ties if the "pre-meditated murder" was carried out.

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. However, India denied Pakistan's contention and maintained that Jadhav was kidnapped by the Pakistan authorities.

India had acknowledged that Jadhav had served with the navy but denied that he has any connection with the government.
Beijing: In a horrifying incident, a 16-month-old girl in Chinas Xikou town was sexually assaulted, which left her with severe vaginal injuries that will need stitches. The childs mother learnt about the sexual abuse when she discovered the wounds while trying to change her nappies.

According to a report in Daily Mail, the Xikou Public Security Bureau has arrested a man in his 50s, a friend of the mother, in connection with the alleged sexual assault. The accused was looking after the child on the day of the incident as the mother, Wang, had gone out for some work.

On returning home, Wang said she noticed that her child looked quite dull and probably needed to get into a fresh nappy. But the baby cried loudly when the mother tried to change her diaper. My daughter was unusually upset when I tried to remove her pants, she said.

She then noticed the injuries, the blood soaked diaper and pants. She was devastated that her daughter had been sexually assaulted and injured in such a brutal manner.

She rushed her baby to a hospital where doctors said that her hymen was broken and would need stitches for the vaginal tears.
Islamabad: India on Wednesday demanded consular access to its citizen Kulbhushan Jadhav to further pursue his case, including launching an appeal against the death sentence given to him by a Pakistani military court on spying charges.

However, Pakistan refused to comply with the demand saying the 46-year-old Indian national was a spy and not covered under the bilateral agreement on consular access.

Indian High Commissioner in Islamabad Gautam Bambawale on Wednesday met with Pakistan's Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua and sought the consular access to Jadhav.

Bambawale asked Janjua to provide access to Jadhav to further pursue his case, including launching an appeal against his death sentence, local media reported.

However, Janjua turned down Bambawale's demand saying "access under (bilateral) agreement is meant for prisoners and not for spies."

Pakistan has denied India's request for consular access to Jadhav over a dozen times in the last one year.

Pakistan Army has already rejected any chance of granting consular access to Jadhav who was sentenced to death for espionage and subversive activities by a military court.

Army spokesman Major General Asif Ghafoor last week said consular access cannot be given to Jadhav because he is a spy. It was second time that Bambawale has met Janjua to seek consular access to Jadhav.

On April 19, a meeting between Bambawale and Janjua was rescheduled. On April 14, Bambawale had met with Janjua, showing increasing concern of India about the fate of Jadhav.

He told media after his meeting that he had asked for list of charges and authentic copy of verdict of military tribunal against Jadhav to launch appeal against his conviction.

He also said that India was seeking consular access on the basis on international law humanitarian grounds. Pakistan Foreign Office has said that during the period of trial of Jadhav, due judicial process was followed and he was provided a lawyer in accordance with relevant laws and the Constitution of Pakistan.

Jadhav was awarded death sentence by the Field General Court Martial earlier this month, evoking a sharp reaction in India which warned Pakistan of consequences and damage to bilateral ties if the "pre-meditated murder" was carried out.

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. However, India denied Pakistan's contention and maintained that Jadhav was kidnapped by the Pakistan authorities.

India had acknowledged that Jadhav had served with the navy but denied that he has any connection with the government.
China today launched its first indigenously-built aircraft carrier which will join an existing one bought from Ukraine, boosting its military capabilities amid worries about Beijing's assertiveness in the South China Sea.

The 50,000 tonne new carrier was transferred from a dry dock into the water at a launch ceremony in northeast Dalian shipyard of the China Shipbuilding Industry Corp (CSIC), state-run Xinhua news agency reported.



The carrier is touted to be a significant upgrade from the Liaoning, which was built more than 25 years ago and is a refurbished Soviet ship bought from Ukraine. China began building its second carrier in November 2013. Dock construction started in March 2015. Putting the carrier into water marked progress in China's efforts to design and build a domestic aircraft carrier. After the launch, the new carrier will undergo equipment debugging, outfitting and comprehensive mooring trials, Xinhua said.



The launch ceremony was attended by Fan Changlong, vice chairman of the Central Military Commission. The launch comes amid China's assertiveness in the South China Sea. China claims almost all of the South China Sea, despite objections from the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Vietnam. China has also created artificial islands in the area, outfitting some of them with military features.



The launch also comes amid heated rhetoric between the US and North Korea in recent days. The US has deployed warships and a submarine to the Korean peninsula, prompting an angry reaction from North Korea. China has urged for calm. China's military is also eyeing more aircraft carriers to enhance its capabilities.



Recently state-run People's Daily quoted military experts as saying that the third aircraft carrier to be built in Shanghai may be nuclear powered. Earlier reports said Chinese navy which now has an expanded role among the military is set to raise its marine forces from 20,000 to one lakh as it started setting up logistic bases in Gwadar port in Pakistan and Djibouti in Africa.



China has enhanced the battle capabilities of its aircraft carrier Liaoning, with more than 10 pilots from carrier-based jet fighters and commanders getting their certificates, making China one of the few countries capable of training its own pilots for aircraft carriers.
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Dos and don'ts have been issued for the UP Police on anti-Romeo squads, with the new police chief making it clear that those indulging in rowdy behaviour need not be arrested and instead their guardians be called and briefed.



DGP Sulkhan Singh also said that stern action should be taken against vigilantes indulging in violence or creating anarchy by taking the law in their hands in the name of cow protection or other issues.



The DGP, who held an important meeting with senior police officials of the state, issued necessary directives to all the district level officials through video conferencing last night, a police spokesman said today.



"Directives have been issued to all the SSPs/SPs to prepare standing orders for the anti-Romeo squads clearly indicating the dos and don'ts," the spokesman said.



"The SSPs/SPs have been asked to personally brief the squad that they do not have to investigate any issue and act only against the rowdy elements," he said, adding those found indulging in such behaviour need not be arrested and instead their guardians be called and briefed.



They have also been asked to record the action taken by them, he said.

Anti-romeo squads have been in the news for all the wrong reasons in Uttar Pradesh with police accused of harassing innocent couples.



The DGP gave clear instructions during the video conferencing last night to take stern action against vigilantes indulging in violence or creating anarchy by taking law in their hands in the name of 'Gau Raksha' (cow protection) or other issues, the spokesman said.



Asking the police force to actively check law and order, he said no new tradition of protest should be allowed nor road blockade be allowed on any matter.



They have been asked to take help of people's representatives and labour union leaders for the purpose of maintaining peace and order.



He also issued directives on maintaining traffic movement, taking action against encroachers and implementing road discipline besides lodging of FIRs, proper behaviour with public, presence in staff in offices among others.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Sri Lankan counterpart Ranil Wickremsinghe today held talks on key bilateral and regional issues after which the two sides inked an economic cooperation pact.



"Deepening economic collaboration. India-Sri Lanka signed MOU on Cooperation in Economic Project," External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Gopal Baglay tweeted.



Ahead of the talks between the two leaders, Baglay had tweeted, "Partnership for prosperity and development. Prime Minister @NarendraModi receives Sri Lankan PM Wickremesinghe at Hyderabad House."



Wickremsinghe, who arrived here yesterday on a five-day visit to India, will be making a private trip outside the capital from tomorrow.
The first UDAN flight under Regional Connectivity Scheme, in which a one-hour journey fare is capped at Rs 2,500, will take off on Thursday on the Shimla-Delhi sector.



Prime Minister Narendra Modi will flag off the first flight on Shiml-Delhi followed by Kadapa-Hyderabad and Nanded-Hyderabad sectors.



The Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) had on March 30 announced that five airlines have been selected to operate 128 routes, including those connecting Mysuru, Bidar and Vidyanagar with other towns, under the 'UDAN' (Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik) scheme. Under this scheme, 70 airports are now connected of which 31 are unserved and 12 underserved.



Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted, "UDAN Scheme is a first-of-its-kind scheme globally to stimulate regional connectivity through a market-based mechanism."



He also said the scheme was launched to make air travel accessible to citizens in regionally important areas. The UDAN scheme is a key component of the National Civil Aviation Policy (NCAP) which was released on June, 15 last year.



Government estimates that around Rs 205 crore would be spent per annum as Viability Gap Funding for operators chosen in the first round of bidding. The airlines who won the bidding in the first round are Air India subsidiary Alliance Air, SpiceJet, Trujet, Air Deccan and Air Odisha.According to the scheme, up to 40 seats in such flights would have a cap of Rs 2,500 per seat/hour.



Alliance Air, an Air India subsidiary, and Air Deccan have won the rights for operating flights on Shimla-Delhi sector while Trujet has won the Kadapa-Hyderabad and Nanded-Hyderabad routes.
President Pranab Mukherjee will move into his new official residence here at 10, Rajaji Marg after he demits office in July.



Union Tourism and Culture Minister Mahesh Sharma, who was alloted the Rajaji Marg bungalow, has vacated it and work has started to make it available to the president, an official said.



The bungalow was occupied by former President A P J Abdul Kalam till his death in 2015, after which it was allotted to the minister.



Sharma has been allotted a new bungalow at 10, Akbar Road which was earlier occupied by former Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, another official said.



Parrikar has shifted to Goa as chief minister of the state.Sharma had earlier said the Urban Development Ministry had asked him if he had any objection to vacating the house.



He had in his reply said the place was more important to the president than him. A retired president is entitled to rent-free accommodation anywhere in India with free water and electricity for the remainder of his or her life as per the President's Pension Rules, 1962.



The 10, Rajaji Marg house is spread over an area of 11,776 sq feet with the ground floor housing a library and an attached reading space.
India today handed over to Pakistan an appeal by the mother of retired Indian Navy officer Kulbhushan Jadhav, sentenced to death by a military court, to the appellate court, initiating a process to get his conviction overturned.



The appeal on behalf of Jadhav was given to Pakistan's Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua by Indian High Commissioner Gautam Bambawale, who also handed over a petition by Jadhav's mother seeking the Pakistan government's intervention for his release and expressing the desire to meet him.



Bambawale, who met Janjua, also made a fresh request for consular access to Jadhav, the external affairs ministry said in press release here. This is the 16th request for access.



"Also handed over was an appeal by the mother to the Court of Appeal, on behalf of Jadhav, who continues to be in detention in Pakistan on concocted charges," the ministry said.



In the petition, Jadhav's mother has made a request for the intervention of Federal Government of Pakistan for his release and expressed the desire to meet him, it said.



As per the appeal system in Pakistan, a death row convict has to move an appellate court within 40 days of pronouncement of the verdict.



"Pakistan was also requested to facilitate visas for the mother and father of Jadhav. They wish to travel to Pakistan to meet him and also to personally file the petition and the appeal. They have applied for necessary visa with the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi," the ministry added.



It is the second time that Bambawale has met Janjua in connection with the naval officer's case.

On April 14, Bambawale had met with the Pakistan foreign secretary and expressed India's concern regarding the whereabouts and health condition of Jadhav. He had told media after his meeting that he had asked for a list of charges and an authentic copy of the verdict of the military tribunal against the retired officer to launch an appeal process against his conviction.



Jadhav was given death sentence by the Field General Court Martial earlier this month, evoking a sharp reaction in India which warned Pakistan of consequences and damage to bilateral ties if the "pre-meditated murder" was carried out.
A contempt plea was today moved in the National Green Tribunal against spiritual figure Sri Sri Ravi Shankar for holding the Centre and the green panel responsible for the damage caused to Yamuna by allowing his NGO to hold a mega cultural extravaganza.



The plea filed by Yamuna activist Manoj Misra has sought action against Ravi Shankar and said the statement made by the Art of Living (AOL) founder interfered with free and fair dispensation of justice.



The matter is listed for hearing tomorrow before a bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar.



Delhi Development Authority counsel Kush Sharma told PTI that they have received a copy of the petition and would address the tribunal on the issue.



In the statement published on AOL's website, Ravi Shankar had blamed the government and the NGT for permitting AOL and said his foundation had obtained all necessary permissions, including from the green panel, and the event could have been stopped in the beginning itself if the river was so "fragile and pure".



In the plea filed through advocates Ritwick Dutta and Rahul Choudhary, Misra said the AOL head was "in the habit" of making statements to "denigrate the dignity and status of this tribunal, which was an interference in fair dispensation of justice", that is the bedrock of the rule of law.



"When the above matter came up for hearing on April 20, after pointing out that the experts have submitted their report on damages, restoration and its quantification, the counsel for the applicant brought the above statement to the attention of this tribunal.



"This tribunal expressed utter shock and displeasure at the above statement to the counsel appearing for respondent no 3 and observed 'it shows no sense of responsibility'. The tribunal also observed that the applicant could move an application giving details of the above statement. This application is accordingly submitted before this tribunal for its kind consideration," the plea said.



"Take appropriate action against Ravi Shankar, Chairman of Art of Living Foundation, for making the mentioned statements read with the annexed newspaper reports which on the face of it scandalises/tends to scandalise and interferes/ tends to interfere with the free and fair dispensation of justice by this Tribunal," it said.



The NGT had earlier termed as "shocking" the charge levelled by Ravi Shankar and the AOL against the government and the green panel for the damage to the Yamuna floodplains, saying they had "no sense of responsibility".



An expert committee had told the NGT that a whopping Rs 42.02 crore would be required to restore Yamuna floodplains which was ravaged due to the cultural extravaganza last year.



The expert panel had suggested that there would be two components of rehabilitation plan -- physical and biological, which would cost Rs 28.73 crore and Rs l3.29 crore respectively, besides additional ancillary expenses.



Ravi Shankar in a Facebook post had said,"If, at all, any fine has to be levied, it should be levied on the Central and state governments and the NGT itself, for giving the permission. If the Yamuna was so fragile and pure, they should have stopped the World Culture Festival".



The AOL foundation alleged that the findings of the panel were "biased" and made allegations against Prof C R Babu, a member of the expert panel which had quantified the damage on the floodplains.



"The Art of Living is a responsible and environment- sensitive NGO. We have never caused any damage to the environment but have in fact worked for preserving and reviving it through various environment-related projects over the years," AOL had said.
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Wednesday drew sharp flak for not paying last respects to the Sukma martyrs from this State when their bodies arrived at the Patna airport.



It is learnt that when the special aircraft carrying the bodies of five braves reached here at the Jaya Prakash Narayan International Airport on Tuesday evening, Nitish was busy watching movie on Mahatma Gandhi. The movie was being screened, as part of the Champaran Satyagrah centenary celebration, at a special auditorium for the VVIPs, not very far off from the airport.



Surprisingly, not a single minister from the Grand Alliance (comprising the JD-U, RJD, and the Congress) deemed it fit to pay homage to the five martyrs who lost their lives at Sukma in Chhattisgarh in a Maoist attack.



Altogether, six CRPF personnel from Bihar were killed in Chhattisgarh attack. However the bodies of five - Abhay Mishra (of Bhojpur), Saurabh Kumar (Danapur), Abhay Kumar (Vaishali), Ranjit Kumar (Sheikhpura) and Naresh Yadav (Darbhanga) - were flown to Patna. The body of the sixth martyr Krishna Kumar Pandey was flown to Varanasi (UP) from where it was sent to his native place  Sasaram (in western Bihar), an hour drive from Varanasi.



Nitish later expressed condolence and said that the last rites of the martyrs would be performed with full State honours. He also announced an ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakh to the next of kin of each of the six jawans killed.



But the Opposition BJP said it was too little, too late. Nitish Kumar erred on three fronts. First, he was busy watching a film on Mahatma Gandhi when the bodies of martyrs arrived here. He could have spared a few minutes and paid tributes to the brave men. Secondly, when the truck carrying the bodies of martyrs was crossing, it was stopped to make way for Nitishs cavalcade, who too was passing through the same route at the same time. Thirdly, Rs 5 lakh ex-gratia amount is too meagre a sum at a time when the other State Governments have announced Rs 20 lakh each to the martyrs family, said senior BJP leader Binod Naryan Jha.



Notably, Union Minister Ram Kripal Yadav was present at the airport, besides senior district officials and three local MLAs - Arun Kumar, Sanjeev Chaurasia and Shyam Razak - when the bodies of martyrs were flown to Patna. Nitishs indifferent approach shows what kind of respect he has for those brave-hearts who lay down their lives fighting for the country, averred Union Minister of State for Rural Development Ram Kripal.
In a setback to India, an international arbitration panel has rejected its demand for a stay on an arbitration initiated by British oil explorer Cairn Energy against a Rs 10,247 crore retrospective tax notice.



The panel, comprising three judges of international repute, has also turned down Indias application for bifurcation of the issue of whether tax is covered under India-UK bilateral investment protection treaty, sources privy to the development said.



Income tax department had in January 2014 charged Cairn Energy of making capital gains on transfer of India assets to a newly created firm, Cairn India and listing it on stock exchanges. Instead of applying long-term capital gains tax, it levied a short-term capital gains tax and slapped a draft tax demand of Rs 10,247 crore.



Also, it debarred Cairn Energy from disposing of its 9.8% remaining stake in Cairn India, which the British firm had in 2011 sold to Vedanta Group.



In April 2014, the tax department slapped a Rs 20,495 crore demand on Cairn India, the UK firms erstwhile subsidiary for failing to deduct tax on the capital gains. Both firms denied any tax was due and initiated arbitrations  Cairn Energy under India-UK investment treaty and Vedanta under India-Singapore investment treaty.



Sources said India sought a stay on proceedings in Cairn Energys arbitration for potentially five years, stating that it is unfair that they have to defend two cases at once.



However, it was the governments decision to join both the arbitration and hence it could not go back on anyone of them.
As the market barometer Sensex closed above the 30,000-mark for the first time on Wednesday, the BSE cautioned investors not to be carried away by the euphoria and refrain from investing in penny stocks.



BSE chief executive Ashish Chauhan appealed to investors to invest only in good companies or opt for the mutual funds route to invest in the markets.



The benchmark Sensex scaled the 30,000-mount for the first time to close at 30,133.35, taking the BSE market capitalisation to a record Rs 124.83 trillion. The broader Nifty also continued its rally, scaling a new peak of 9,351.85.



The rally was driven by hopes of earnings growth and continued buying by FPIs and domestic investors.



The BSE Sensex reaching the 30,000-mark on Wednesday was a much-awaited milestone. This was achieved on the back of strong economy and investments from both FPIs and local institutions. This is a great moment for the nation and BSE. As an exchange, we advice investors not to be carried by the 30,000 points euphoria. We would also advice investors not to invest in penny stocks and dont fall prey to fly-by- night operators, Chauhan said after celebrating the milestone at the Dalal Street towards the end of the trading hours.



However, our good times are yet to come and this is just the beginning. Next few years will be very decisive, he added.
History-sheeter V Nagaraj, who is wanted in connection with the seizure of demonetised notes at his house, approached the High Court of Karnataka on Wednesday seeking directions for interrogation in the presence of an advocate and video recording of the questioning.



Nagaraj, who is on the run, and his sons Gandhi N and Shastri N moved the court contending that they are ready to surrender before the police and are apprehensive that they might be tortured during interrogation.

During a raid by the Hennur police at Nagaraj's house on April 14, the police found Rs 14 crore in old currency notes. Since then, he and his sons have been absconding and had recently released a video seeking directions to record all their statements on a video camera.



Newtons 3rd law

During the hearing, Justice A S Bopanna said Newton's third law (every action has an equal and opposite reaction) is applicable here. Disposing of the petition, the judge said the police would take action according to guidelines issued by the Supreme Court.
The BJPs hat-trick win in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) polls with much bigger margin was crafted by pitching Prime Minister Narendra Modis popularity against opponents, overcoming anti-incumbency sentiments.



Sources in the BJP said, to avoid unpopular corporators upsetting their strategy, party chief Amit Shah adopted Modis time-tested Gujarat model of fielding new faces to beat anti-incumbency against their own regime.



The BJP had dropped 267 sitting corporators to give tickets to new faces in the total 272 wards spread over South Delhi Municipal Corporation, North Delhi Municipal Corporation and East Delhi Municipal Corporation.



In the run-up to the elections, the party had vigorously dug out dirt on the Kejriwal government. A BJP leader said Modi has managed to take revenge on Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for the 2015 Assembly election defeat and the outcome has set the stage for 2020 electoral battle.



Modi thanked the people for giving a massive mandate in favour of the BJP, which won more than 160 of the total 272 seats. The tally may go up as the results for a few wards were yet to come. Grateful to the people of Delhi for the faith in BJP. I laud the hardwork of team @BJP4Delhi which made the resounding MCD win possible, Modi tweeted.



Shah hailed the verdict as a victory of Modijis leadership and an endorsement of his Sabka saath, sabka vikas vision. In his address to media in Kolkata, the BJP chief launched a veiled attack on Kejriwal by saying that the results show the people of Delhi have rejected negative politics and the politics of excuses, and helped Modijis vijay rath.



Following wins in the Assembly elections for Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Goa, and Manipur, this victory has put a seal on Modijis inclusive governance over the last three years, Shah told reporters.



The party decided not to celebrate the sweeping win and dedicated the peoples mandate to the slain CRPF personnel in Chhattisgarh. Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari said the MCD polls results are a referendum on Kejriwal government.



Tiwari sarcastically remarked that Arvind Kejriwal used to advocate Right to Recall and it seems now that the people of Delhi have used the right on him.




The Adugodi police have arrested a gang of four, which blackmailed and extorted a city-based doctor couple, saying they had recently performed an illegal abortion at their nursing home in Lakkasandra.



Claiming to be activists from a human rights organisation, the gang intimidated the husband-wife duo, saying that they had performed the abortion illegally and demanded Rs 10 lakh for not exposing them, the police said.



The arrested have been identified as Manjunath Reddy (36), Lokesh (38), Anjana Murthy (40) and Bettaraja (30). Two more from the gang are on the run. The gang had barged into Deepthi Nursing Home situated opposite Nimhans and threatened Dr Srinivas Reddy and his wife Dr Indirasen Reddy, saying that they would expose them through television news channels and also initiate legal action through their organisation. The doctors had recently performed an abortion on a college student with appropriate consent from her attendants.



Initially, the doctor couple did not budge to the gangs demands reasoning with them that they have not done anything illegal. But, later when the gang continued to harass them, the couple gave the gang Rs 60,000. When the trouble continued even after the money was paid, the couple lodged a complaint with the Adugodi police.



The doctors have performed the procedure on the patient for excessive bleeding, following all the norms under the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act. The gang took the incident to their advantage to make some quick buck. We have booked a case of criminal intimidation and extortion, said Boralingaiah, DCP (Southeast). Investigations are underway to ascertain if the gang is involved in more such offences.


At least 20 people, including four adults fell ill after consuming haal khova (a sweet prepared from milk) sold by a woman in their locality at Srirampuram.



Residents of Sanjay Gandhi Nagar slum behind Krishna Flour Mills at Srirampuram in Sheshadripuram were hospitalised hours after consuming the sweet, which was priced at just Re 1 a piece on Tuesday night. They suffered severe food poisoning and were admitted to different hospitals in the city.



When DH visited KC General Hospital, where 18 people, including 14 children were admitted, patients said they had vomiting and diarrhoea after consuming the sweet.



Mamatha, a relative of a four-year-old admitted to the hospital said, Manjula, a resident of the locality sold sweets to the children, who consumed them around 6 pm on Tuesday. By 8 pm, they began vomiting and we had to rush them to the hospital, she said.



Mamatha said Manjula would sell sweets regularly in the locality. She worked at a convention centre as a cleaner. We usually buy boondi (fried gram flour mixture) and sweets from her. She would sell the leftovers from the convention halls, added Mamatha. The mother of one-and-a-half-year-old Nafia said her daughter fell ill after consuming sweets while playing near her house.



Condition stable

All those admitted are said to be stable. Dr H Ravikumar, medical superintendent, K G General Hospital said, Since two children were serious, they had to be sent to Indira Gandhi Institute of Child Health (IGICH). Stool examination reports show infection. The food sample has been sent to the Food Safety Authority for examination. Doctors said the two children at IGICH are also stable.



Following a complaint by the patients, Srirampuram police arrested Manjula (47). Police said Manjula, a resident of Pillamma slum near Ananda Rao Circle, used to wash utensils at a convention hall nearby.

There was a function at the hall on Monday evening and Manjula had collected some leftover haal khovas around 11 pm.



She took the sweets home and sold them on Tuesday evening to the children and women. By then, the sweets had become sour and stale because of the soaring temperature and also since they were made of milk and sugar, the police said. Had she stored the sweets in a refrigerator or sold them the following morning, they would have been safe to consume, a senior police officer said.




A 35-year-old woman was stabbed to death by her husband, who suspected her fidelity, at her house in Kumaraswamy Layout on Wednesday afternoon.



The victim Hemavathi was married to Marappa alias Vijay for six years. But they were living separately as Marappa had married another woman and was living with her in Jigani, the police said.



Hemavathi, who worked as a housekeeping staff, lived in a rented house along with her sister and mother Parvathamma in Bendre Nagar. Vijay, who works as a driver of a BBMP garbage vehicle, used to frequent Hemavathi's house and kept a watch on her as he suspected her fidelity. Whenever Vijay used to come to her house, she objected to it.



Around 1.30 pm on Wednesday, he barged into the house when Hemavathi was about to have a bath. He pulled her out of the bathroom and stabbed her four to five times with a kitchen knife. Her mother Parvathamma, who was sitting outside the house after lunch, heard her screams and rushed inside. Marappa slashed her hand and escaped, the police said.



Hearing their screams, some neighbours rushed to their help and shifted the the two women to hospital. Hemavathi was declared brought dead. The Kumaraswamy Layout police have registered a case and are on the lookout for Marappa.



Man attacks wife

In another incident, a 25-year-old woman was partially blinded after her husband attacked her with a 'dosa pan' over a domestic row in Kothanur on Wednesday.



The victim Radha and her husband Prahlad Ojha from Odisha had come to the city a fortnight ago and were living in a rented house in Nagenahalli, the police said. Ojha, who worked for a construction company, used to frequently quarrel with Radha, suspecting her fidelity. On Wednesday, Ojha had a heated argument with Radha and accused her of of talking to other men. He attacked her with a pan several times.



Due to the severe blows, Radha suffered head injuries and collapsed. Neighbours, who heard the commotion, rushed her to a nearby private hospital. Doctors said that she had partially lost her vision due to the impact of head injuries. The Kothanur police have taken up a case of attempt to murder and have launched a hunt for Ojha.


The Kothanur police have identified seven overstaying Africans, including a woman, and produced them before the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) on Tuesday, for processing their deportation formalities.



The seven have been identified as Yorro Andre Thilaye Noux-Mansour from Ivory Coast, Santo John from South Sudan and Kasongo Ismael Banza, Kashala Joel, Lubamba Leon, Belle Fille Mbungu and Grace Kadima, all from Congo.



Detained

These Africans were overstaying in the city for quite sometime. The police detained them and produced them before the FRRO to be deported to their countries.



Such drives will be conducted in every police jurisdiction where foreign nationals reside. If anyone is found overstaying with expired travel documents, they will be detained and produced before the FRRO, who will initiate the deportation process, a senior police officer said.


Failure of intelligence network in fighting Maoists has now attracted the attention of the security establishment, with the home ministry deciding to strengthen the ground-level intelligence set-up.



The decision was taken on Wednesday at a high-level meeting chaired by Home Minister Rajnath Singh, two days after a deadly attack on a CRPF team in Chhattisgarhs Sukma district in which 25 personnel were killed.



The meeting was attended by National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi and other senior officers.



Sources said Singh and others were unanimous on the need for revamping the intelligence-gathering mechanism. They wanted a thorough analysis of the ongoing operations and stressed on identifying areas where forces are lacking.



With Singh already announcing a review of the anti-Maoist strategy, the meeting also discussed the recalibration of the strategy.



Singh has called a meeting of chief ministers and top police officers of Maoist-affected states on May 8.

The home minister and senior officers deliberated on the reasons for the attack in Sukma on Monday. They were briefed about how Maoists used locals to gather inputs about troop movement to target security personnel. The Maoists also managed to take shelter in tribals houses without security personnel getting information about it.



Sources said the meeting was also briefed about the lack of ground-level intelligence for security personnel. There was special emphasis on the need for strengthening the intelligence network.


Prime Minister Narendra Modi has made it clear to the states that the Centre is against farm loan waivers.

Recalling his own experience, Modi is believed to have said that loan waivers suck farmers into a vicious cycle of banking mess, besides being bad economics.



A Union minister privy to Modis stand said, states, even those ruled by the BJP, are free to provide succour to farmers if they have money, but should not expect any financial backing on the issue, which otherwise is populist.



With Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath waiving off Rs 36,000 crore worth agricultural loans to keep up the BJPs poll promise, other states  Maharashtra, Punjab and Tamil Nadu  are also under pressure to follow suit.



The prime ministers view is shared by Chief Economic Adviser Arvind Subramanian, who expressed his concern during a recent interaction in Washington. Subramanian said that the farm loan waiver move, if adopted by other states, could increase the deficit by 2% of the GDP. He also insisted that it poses a huge challenge to governments fiscal consolidation measures.



Modis own study of writing off loans was that banks and other lending institutions disqualify eligible from reaping benefits, while the ineligible manage to get part or whole debt relief waiver.


India will highlight its Buddhist links with the rest of Asia around the same time next month when China will host foreign leaders to drum up support for its One-Belt-One-Road (OBOR) initiative.



Prime Minister Narendra Modi will not attend the OBOR conclave in Beijing on May 14 and 15. Modi will, however, visit Sri Lanka on May 12 for the 14th United Nations Day of Vesak (Buddha Purnima) celebrations  an event, which will give him an opportunity to underline Indias centuries-old Buddhist links with East, South and Southeast Asia.



Chinese President Xi Jinping was keen to invite Modi to the OBOR conclave, but New Delhi remained firm in its opposition to Chinas ambitious connectivity initiative and decided against any high-level representation from India.



India is opposed to the OBOR as one of its component, the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), is proposed to pass through areas that it claims to be integral parts of its territory, albeit under the illegal occupation of Pakistan. New Delhi is also wary of Chinas bid to use OBOR to expand its geopolitical influence in the region and build strategic assets encircling India.



Modi instead accepted an invitation from Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe to inaugurate the UN Vesak Day celebrations in Colombo.
Former Indian Navy officer Kulbhushan Jadhavs mother Avanti Sudhir Jadhav appealed against the death sentence awarded to her son by a military court in Pakistan.



She moved the Court of Appeal in accordance with the provisions of Section 133B of the Army Act of Pakistan and appealed against the verdict in the neighbouring country.



Jadhav has been charged with involving in sabotage and espionage. New Delhis envoy to Islamabad, Gautam Bambawale, met Pakistan Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua on Wednesday and handed over the appeal by Jadhavs mother.



Bambawale also handed over to Janjua a petition by Avanti to the Federal Government of Pakistan.



The mother of (Kulbhushan) Jadhav has requested the intervention of the Federal Government of Pakistan for his release and has expressed her desire to meet him, Gopal Baglay, spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs, said in New Delhi. Also handed over was an appeal by the mother to the Court of Appeal, on behalf of Jadhav, who continues to be in detention in Pakistan on concocted charges, Baglay added.

Section 133B of the Army Act of Pakistan provides that a person, who has been awarded a death sentence by a Field General Court Martial, can move a Court of Appeal, consisting of Chief of Army Staff or one or more officers designated by him.



The decision of the Court of Appeal is almost final as the laws in Pakistan do not allow anyone to challenge the order of a military court in a civilian court.



One can only invoke the writ jurisdiction of the high courts or the Supreme Court of Pakistan, just to challenge the decision to try a person in a military court.



Bambawale also conveyed to Janjua New Delhis request to facilitate visas for Jadhavs parents.

Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar, too, conveyed the same to Pakistans High Commissioner to India, Abdul Basit, in New Delhi on Tuesday.



New Delhi also renewed its request to Islamabad for consular access to Jadhav for the 16th time. Pakistan has refused to comply, saying that Jadhav was a spy and not covered under the bilateral agreement on consular access.






A team of officials from BDA, BBMP and KSPCB, headed by Mahendra Jain, additional chief secretary, urban

development department (UDD), visited Bellandur and Varthur lakes on Wednesday morning. The water bodies have been in the news for the high levels of pollutants in them, leading to frothing.



Work has started on the ground and visible improvement can be seen. Directions have been issued to the officials to show results at the earliest, Jain told DH.



Three JCBs have started work and we have asked BDA to get more to clear the weeds. Work will pick up pace from this weekend. Wire mesh has come up near the waste weir. Directions have been issued to BBMP to instal more cameras. At present, they have installed five. Directions have been issued to instal focused lights on the bund area and periphery of Bellandur lake, where strict vigil is required, Jain said.



Directions have been issued to the police, home guards and BMTF to book cases against offenders, he added.



The officials visited the locations where two aerators have been put up. Jain said, at present, two small aerators have been put on a pilot basis. Once the hyacinth and weeds are removed, more will come up.

Jain asked the BBMP to identify garbage hotspots and fence both sides of the channels and towards the upstream of Bellandur lake to ensure people do not dump waste there.



We have imposed a fine of Rs 5 lakh on a contractor identified as Reddy, two pourakarmikas were warned and inspector Ravindra was suspended, said Sarfaraz Khan, joint commissioner, health and solid waste management, BBMP.



BBMP has been instructed to undertake fogging around the two lakes. A fogging machine would be imported to control mosquitos.



BWSSB has been directed to clear the clogged channels to ensure smooth flow of sewage. It has to coordinate with revenue department to identify encroachments along the channels. If there is any encroachment it will be cleared immediately. In case there is none, the government will buy land under TDR to widen the channels, Jain said.



Cost involved

The UDD has estimated that it will require Rs 150 crore to rejuvenate the lakes. This includes installing CCTV, fencing the area, weeding, fumigation, watch and ward staff, installation of STP, procuring land and silt removal.




While the officials from various civic agencies and Urban Development Department are making tall claims that visible progress is being made on the ground in clearing weeds and silt from Bellandur lake, a team of experts from Indian Institute of Science and Lake Expert Committee has claimed that this is just a gimmick.



Prof T V Ramachandra of IIScs Centre for Ecological Sciences, who is also a member of the committee, said,

I visited the site with my students and found that what they claimed and what is on ground are two different things. They are removing the silt from Yemalur side where there is thick vegetation.



They should have started working from Iblur side where the weeds are fresh. Getting into water and cleaning the water body will be faster and easier. This will also show people that work is happening on the ground. Going by the present way the government is working, it will take one year to clear the weeds.

He said the government officials should take the help of the local fishermen and their boats to get into the lake and start the work.



Only one JCB is working there. The second one has sunk into the water because it was small. Also, the JCB driver has no safety equipment. He is battling mosquitoes and the stench while working on the JCB, he said.

Prof Ramachandra also pointed that BDA officials have decided to dump the weeds and silt accumulated in quarries pits and sump sites. It is not right. These are valuable resources. The weeds and hyacinth can be used as manure and in biogas plants. The silt is rich and can be sent to Anekal which will make the soil rich with nutrients for cultivation, he said.



His two students --- Bhargavi R Sharma and Vinay S --- have collected samples of the weeds, silt and froth at Bellandur and Varthur lake for analysis. Prof Ramachandra said that this will give a clear picture of what toxins are there in the water bodies and what treatment is required.


The Whitefield division police have formed a squad named Lake Police for the security of the Bellandur lake premises.



Around four to five Home Guards are deployed at key locations around the lake to prevent dumping of garbage as well as to keep an eye on encroachment, a senior police officer said.



Ideally, the BBMP has to place a request with the Police Department seeking security. Only then, we will deploy our men. But as a proactive measure, we have for now deployed Home Guards at various locations around the lake, DCP (Whiefield) Narayanaswamy said.






As many as 24 artists from across the country are exhibiting their works at Rainbow, a national painting exhibition at Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath art gallery.



From a lawyer-turned artist to a poet who translates them into art to a sculptor who carves life-like figures, the exhibition includes people from varied backgrounds.



The exhibition is being organised by Saga-International Creative Artists formed by a group of established artists to provide a platform for those of their ilk to display their art work.



The artworks are inspired from themes like mans disconnect with the real world to his addiction to technology. The exhibition that began on Monday will go on till April 30.



Col Suresan, a poet-turned-artist who participated in the exhibition, said, All my paintings are inspired from poetry. I believe there is a thin line between poetry and paintings. Art combined with poetry increases the depth of the poem. Suresan predominantly uses ball-point pen to create his works. Veteran artist Govindan Kannapuram, who has been painting for the last 52 years, said, A true artist is a rebel who challenges the rules of art to create an original artwork. My artworks reflect the intense focus of the character be it an elephant emerging out of the woods or a mother feeding her child. It is also reflective of my focus while painting a picture. I forget the world.



Kannapurams paintings are inspired by human relationships and the essence of love in all its forms.



Reflect the disconnect

A sculptor who is credited for the largest statue of Hanuman in Kerala, K K R Vengaras paintings reflect the disconnect of man with the real world and his immersion in the world of technology.



K V Jyothilal, an artist, painter, sculptor and writer who is exhibiting his experiential paintings, said, My paintings are a mirror of my inspirations from varied experiences in life.


Outside the hyper-competitive app-based taxi space, aggregator models working with autorickshaw drivers have quietly found a thriving market.



In Bengaluru, 45,000 autorickshaws have jumped onto the Ola Auto bandwagon, while other startups are working on similar models. For short-duration last-mile commute, these autorickshaws are now being preferred over taxis that are not always affordable. Working in their favour is the ease of use. They could be booked in exactly the same way as taxis, using the same mobile app.



But are these autorickshaws always reliable when the need is urgent? Christy Thomas, an Ola Auto driver, admitted that declining trips booked through the app was a regular practice. However, he said, such cases have come down thanks to a spike in the penalty amount. The company too had launched a crackdown on such drivers.



In a day, Christy makes about 15 trips. But there are drivers who do a maximum of 25 trips. It is possible if you start early and end by about 10 pm, he explained. Intense competition between Ola and Uber had triggered a price war, with rates of car-share services dropping to Rs 29 for four km. To counter those ads splashed across Metro stations, Ola took the autorickshaw route. It now offers Rs 29 per four km, stressing on last-mile connectivity.



Ola had kicked off its autorickshaw services in late 2014, with 5,000 vehicles in five cities. Today, that number has touched 1.2 lakh across 73 cities, a company spokesperson said. To bring more drivers into its network, Ola added support for eight local languages, including Kannada in its driver-side app.



Documents needed

So how does an autorickshaw driver get attached to platforms such as Ola? Documents required are: Driving Licence (DL), Registration Copy (RC), badge, local address and proof of permanent address besides vehicle insurance and permits.



Before the formal attachment, every driver undergoes a KYC (Know Your Customer) verification and initial classroom training. They are trained in language, technology, locations, etiquettes and other commute-related practices before being evaluated. If they pass, they are taken on board.



Safe for women

Safety has been a concern for taxi passengers, particularly women. How safe are autorickshaw rides after dark on the last-mile commute? Ola Auto drivers say more than 60% of their commuters are women, and they do not hesitate to board the vehicle even after 11 pm during weekends.




The Google Play Store is the largest app store in the world housing a whopping 2.8 million apps as of March 2017. Apple app store, on the other hand, sits comfortable at the number 2 spot with 2.2 million apps. But, were not comparing app stores today. Instead of pitting the two competing app stores against each other, lets just focus on the Google Play Store for a bit.

Google has announced nominees for its Google Play Awards 2017, a recognition of the best apps and games on the Play Store for the year gone by. This year, Google will be honoring apps and games across 12 categories. The company writes in its blogpost, nominees were selected much like last year by cross-functional teams throughout Google who work hand-in-hand with the relevant categories and product areas. While winners will be announced at Google I/O 2017, to be hosted at Mountain View between May 17-19, heres an official list from Google of some of the best apps available on the Play Store as of now. Lets see who made the cut

Standout Indie

The category includes games from indie developers that focus on artistic design, gameplay mechanics and overall polish. And the nominees are

Standout Startup

The category includes apps from new developers that offer a unique experience while achieving strong organic install growth. And the nominees are

Best Android Wear Experience

The category includes new wear 2.0 apps offering great design, user delight and functionality. And the nominees are

Best TV Experience

The category includes apps or games leveraging innovative features for the large-screen format while providing an immersive and intuitive experience. And the nominees are

Best VR Experience

The category includes highly engaging and immersive experience with optimal use of Daydream UI. And the nominees are

Best AR Experience

The category includes apps or games harnessing the creative and imaginative technology of AR. And the nominees are

Best App for Kids

The category includes apps or games with family friendly design that encourage creativity, exploration and education. And the nominees are

Best Multiplayer Game

The category includes Games built to connect gamers in competitive and engaging multiplayer experiences. And the nominees are

Best App

The category includes a true representation of beautiful design, intuitive UX and high user appeal. And the nominees are

Best Game

The category includes games with strong mechanics, stellar graphics and strong engagement and retention tactics. And the nominees are...

Best accessibility Experience

The category includes apps or games enabling device interaction in an innovative way that serves people with disabilities or special needs. And the nominees are

Best Social Impact

The category includes apps that creates meaningful social impact for a broad spectrum of people around the world. And the nominees are

Winner of the Google Play Awards 2017 will be announced on May 18, 7AM IST and you can watch them though livestream on YouTube. Which are your favourite apps from the above list? Let us know in the comments section below.
Artificial Intelligence is helping cure cancer

Sheep are growing in artificial wombs

People are travelling in virtual reality

And, Cars are flying...

Its 2017 and many of the utopian fantasies we harboured thanks to science fiction seem to be materialising in reality now. After Larry Pages Kitty Hawk hovercraft prototype successfully completed its maiden test flight and a German startup called Lilium triumphantly flew the worlds first entirely electric vertical take-off and landing car/jet, cab hailing service Uber is also trying to spread its wings.

At the ongoing Elevate Conference in Dallas, San Francisco-based Uber shared its plans to launch an on-demand flying taxi service in Texas and Dubai by 2020. Thats just three years from now. Ubers ambitious plans include electrically powered air taxis capable of vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) from pads that the company calls vertiports.

Courtesy Uber

For the same, Uber announced that it has partnered with the governments of Dallas-Fort Worth and Dubai, which will be the first cities to get these aerial taxis. Moreover, the company has tied up with five different aircraft manufacturers to achieve this feat. Uber has already put some real estate firms in Texas and Dubai to identify areas where it can put up its vertiports. The company claims these air taxis will be able to fly 100 miles (160 Kms) in just 40 minutes.

However, Ubers flying taxi plans are nothing more than flights of fancy for now. As always, Uber seems to be getting ahead of itself and setting goals that seem difficult to attain in three years time. Firstly, the air taxis Uber is strutting do not exist right now. There are also no clear policies and regulations in place for flying taxis anywhere in the world, let alone Dubai or Texas. Safety standards have also not been set for such aerial vehicles as of now, and there is absolutely no infrastructure to support them currently.

Whats interesting is that Uber is talking flying cars at a time when the future of its driverless project looks uncertain. The company is currently fighting a court battle with Google-owned Waymo for stealing its self-driving car secrets. Internal employee dynamics at Uber ATG, the group responsible for its driverless car project, are also not looking good. According to ReCode, many involved with Ubers driverless project think it has reached a technological standstill.

Further, reports of Uber tricking Apple are also not helping the companys public image and go to show that it has a longstanding habit of taking shortcuts which are not so legal at times.

Uber needs to get all this and more sorted before it can focus on its pushy flying car project. While the company has aircraft manufacturers working on its VTOL taxis and governments willing to provide it with infrastructure, it has a long way to go before any timelines can be set on the project. What it does have on its side is its 55 million monthly active users and a network spanning 600 cities worldwide. That is, if it can maintain its popularity and subsequently grow these statistics till 2020.
The proposed customs duty may be implemented on imported phones after the roll-out of GST

In a bid to boost its Make In India initiative, the Indian government may be looking to impose an additional 5-10% customs duty on imported mobile phones, reports The Economic Times. This will essentially drive up the cost of imported handsets, further pushing consumers to buy locally manufactured handsets.

As per the report, this customs duty implementation may happen after the roll-out of the ambitious Goods and Services Tax (GST). ET goes on to report that the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeITY) has taken a legal opinion from the Attorney General, who has cleared the fact that imposing customs duty on imported phones will not be in violation of the Information Technology Agreement (ITA), a pact that allows for duty-free imports from certain countries. Further, an inter-ministerial group consisting of representatives from various ministries including, Finance, IT, Telecom, and Commerce has been set up to examine the proposed tax.

India imports 30% of the phones sold in the country and the bulk of those imports comes from China. Given the governments local manufacturing push, many smartphone makers such as Xiaomi, Gionee and Oneplus have started assembling phones in India. Next to join the Make In India bandwagon are Apple and Chinas Oppo. While Apple plans to start assembling the iPhone SE in the country anytime soon, Oppo has planned to set up a local manufacturing hub in the country with an investment of Rs 100 crores.

Commenting on the report, President of the Consumer Electronics & Appliances Manufacturer Association (CEAMA) said, MEITYs initiative to impose an additional 5-10% custom duty on imported handsets is a welcoming step towards smartphone industry. It provides the necessary impetus at the same time motivates the local manufacturers to align themselves to governments Make in India vision. Furthermore, it will boost the sentiments of the local players and provide a level playing field for all the manufacturers within the segment. The industry awaits on such positive stimulants to continue under the GST regime as well.

If the said customs duty is imposed on imported handsets, companies like Samsung will most likely suffer its brunt as they will have to pass on the increased import costs to their customers. Apples flagship offerings will also become pricier as the company does not plan to manufacture or assemble them in India for now.

What are your thoughts on the govts move to levy customs duty on imported phones? Let us know in the comments section below.
Both smartphones sport 5-inch HD display and run Android Marshmallow, iVoomi Me 1 comes with 1GB RAM/8GB storage, while iVoomi Me 1+ comes with 2GB RAM/16GB storage

iVoomi has launched two new smartphones under its Me series. Called the Me 1 and the Me 1+, the two are priced at Rs. 3,999 and Rs. 4,999 respectively and will be available via ShopClues.com. Both devices come with Android Marshmallow and the company says are upgradeable to Android Nougat. The two also come with a 5-inch HD display and are powered by a 1.2GHz quad-core processor. The iVOOMi Me 1 comes with 1GB RAM and 8GB of storage, while the Me 1+ comes with 2GB RAM and 16GB of storage.

Read the complete press release below

iVOOMi, a Chinese electronic major OEM/ODM announced the launch of its two exclusive variants of Smartphones  Me 1and Me 1+ under ME series. Prevalent across 30 countries, iVoomi has niche plans for the Indian market.

With a mission to create a product line which are highly advanced in features even in the minimal price range, iVoomi unleashed ME series in the mid segment smartphone category with the price range of Rs. 3999/- and Rs. 4999/- respectively. Products can be purchased online on ShopClues.com from 25th April 17 midnight.

iVOOMi Me 1 and Me 1+ runs on Android Marshmallow 6 operating software further upgradable to Android 7.0. It offers a faster user interface on 5 inch HD IPS, featuring 1280*720 pixels with 2.5D curve glass. The handsets are crafted in curvy and handy design, packed with amazing features in variant colours like Rose Gold and Black.

Commenting on the launch, Mr. Ashwin Bhandari, CEO, iVOOMi, India said We are glad to announce the launch of our new Smartphone series. The ME Series is designed to offer next generation experience to the customers. With the launch of this series and having ShopClues.com as the marketplace and our partners to sell our products, we aim to bring unbeatable proposition, price and products in the mid-segment category.

iVOOMi has tied up with ShopClues, Indias first and largest managed marketplace as a distribution partner for ME Series.

Talking about this association, Ms. Radhika Agarwal, Co-founder & Chief Business Officer, ShopClues.com said, It gives us immense pleasure to partner with the iVOOMi team for their mid-level smartphone range. With the penetration of internet throughout the country and with more and more consumers from tier 2, 3 and beyond cities coming online to shop, it is definitely the right time to launch such a feature-heavy smartphone at a competitive like the ME series. At ShopClues, it has always been our endeavour to fulfil aspirations among the common Indian citizen and we are sure that the smartphone series will receive an even bigger response than the iV505 across the Indian landscape.

Commenting on the launch, Jessy Liu, Director, Product Marketing iVOOMi India said, After receiving tremendous response with our first range of smartphones in the market  iV505, today we are delighted to launch yet another exclusive series. Considering the price sensitive aspect of the Indian market, we are working on the world class technology to bring smartphones with advanced features in the minimal price range.

This is just the beginning and we are not leaving any stone unturned to penetrate all across the length and breadth of the country. We have extensive retail and marketing plans to further propel aggressively. She further added

The devices are unique in terms of quality of the handset and features. Me 1+ comes with an latest Android Software and advanced battery is one of the key propositions of the products. Unlike other brands in the same segment iVOOMis handset are equipped with 3000 mAh battery, comes with the fastest charging methodology which is not prevalent across other brands.


Article by Matt S.

Over recent months Ive had a number of people ask me to write more about Japanese history and its personalities. Games from Japan, unsurprisingly, often feature references or depictions of Japans past, and its an unfortunate reality that, at least in the West, learning about Japanese history at school and the like is buried right down the priority pile. We all learn about Napoleon and Caesar, as well as our own nations history, but its not until you pick up a copy of Samurai Warriors that youll even know what a Nobunaga Oda is.

So, for all those people interested in learning a little bit more about the history of Japan, Im going to start a series of pieces looking at various elements of Japans history and its personalities. If there are any particular bits of history youd like to learn about, please do drop me a note.

Otherwise, for the first piece, I figured we might as well start with arguably the three biggest and most important personalities in Japan; the three great unifiers, Nobunaga Oda, Hideyoshi Toyotomi, and Ieyasu Tokugawa.

The Sengoku Period was one of the most bloody and violent periods in Japanese history. It started in 1467 and lasted well over a century until 1603, and it was a period where Japan was anything but unified. It technically had an Emperor, but the monarchy was weak throughout the entire era. Instead, various warlords in control over small slices of the country fought in nearly endless wars with one another to control the land and, ultimately, the Emperor. In a very vague sense this period of Japanese history is similar in tone to the Warring States period in China (not to be confused with the Three Kingdoms era), so they share a historical name, though theyre not in any way directly related to one another.

Sengoku Basara Anime

This period was destined to come to an end when the three aforementioned warlords rose to prominence. Such was the importance of these three, and so great was the difference in how they went about unifying Japan, that a little story was written about them; one that all Japanese kids learn when taught about their nations history:

Nobunaga, Hideyoshi and Tokugawa were watching a cuckoo bird waiting for it to sing, but the bird wouldnt sing. Nobunaga says Little bird, if you dont sing I will kill you. Hideyoshi says Little bird, if you dont sing, Ill make you sing. Then Tokugawa Ieyasu says to the bird Little bird, if you dont sing I will wait for you to sing.

So lets dig into what the comments made by each of these men in the story means, shall we?

Nobunaga Oda

Little bird, if you dont sing I will kill you.

Despotic and truly nasty, Nobunaga Oda was nonetheless responsible for setting Japans chessboard in motion in such a way that it resulted in a unified and generally peaceful nation.

Oda was born in 1534, to a noble house that few at the time had much regard for. He was, from an early stage, considered something of a firebrand and someone with a limited grip on sanity. After behaving improperly at a funeral, which led to a childhood mentor committing suicide (a real moment straight out of Hamlet, that), Nobunaga was on the outer of his family, to the point that many of the family leaders and military retainers were prepared to overlook his rightful place as the new head of the family after his father passed, in preference to his younger, more sane brother. So Oda then ruthlessly carved his way through his family to eventually take control of the domain and steady the borders with his nearby neighbours.

This is, as far as we can all tell, what Nobunaga Oda actually looked like  a portrait from a Jesuit missionary

His first test as leader, and the point where he rose to prominence in the great game of thrones that was Japan at the time, was when Imagawa Yoshimoto decided to march on Kyoto and put in his own bid to rule the country. Yoshimoto had an army of 40,000, and it needed to take over Odas province along the way to secure a path back to the Imagawa stronghold. Nobunaga, his opponent, had 3,000 people, if that. Against the advice of his retainers to remain safely inside a castle and prepare for a siege, Nobunaga decided to strike for a decisive victory. He got lucky when Yoshimoto proved to be an inept commander, and was able to use superior tactics  and also take advantage of a thunderstorm to conceal his forces movements  to gain a surprise attack on the Imagawa forces, killing Yoshimoto before a real battle could overwhelm him.

Odas star rose rapidly from there. Despite his temper and ruthlessness, he was a keen businessman and exceptional strategist. When pulled into a confrontation with the supremely powerful Takeda Shingen, at the battle of Nagashino, Oda was again able to prove his tactical mastery when he organised rifle units  weapons new to Japan that he had acquired from Portuguese traders in far greater numbers than any other warlord  in formations that cut the Takeda cavalry to shreds.

Eventually Oda had control of Kyoto, central Japan, and, effectively, all the political power in the country. His problem was that there were still fringe forces that would not capitulate, and he just couldnt have that. Oda sent his most valued general, Hideyoshi Toyotomi (more on him in the next article) to deal with the Mori clan in western Japan. Oda also wished to invade the island of Shikoku, where the various clans were proving to be troublesome. He believed he was in a good place with regards to the east of Japan, as his only other major rival left over that way was Kenshin Uesugi who had recently passed away, and Ieyasu Tokugawa was keeping a watchful eye out over the rest of the east. And so Oda set himself up at the temple of Honno-ji, guarded by only a tiny handful of soldiers.

And thats when Mitsuhide Akechi decided to rebel. He was one of Odas most valued retainers and history has been very cruel to his memory (traitors and all that), but many historians believe that Akechi was experiencing some kind of post-traumatic stress disorder. Akechi was a loyal commander, but certainly saw Oda at his worst. For example, Nobunagas sister  the well-liked Oichi  was married to Nagamasa Azai, who rebelled at one point and was ruthlessly dismantled by Nobunaga Oda. Later on, Nobunaga was concerned that a monastery of warrior monks (sohei) had assisted Azai in his rebellion and was dangerously close to Odas major stronghold. So he razed it, killing everyone inside, including women and children.

Samurai Warriors Nobunaga!

And if that was Akechis reason for rebellion, then fair enough. Others are less kind, with some arguing that Akechi was concerned that Oda would transfer Akechis fief to his boyfriend page, Mori Ranmaru. Others believe it was simply because Oda constantly insulted Akechi (despite holding him as one of his most important generals). Whatever the reason, Akechi did indeed rebel, and quickly overcame the handful of soldiers protecting Oda. Rather than allow himself to be captured or killed in battle, Oda committed seppuku (ritual suicide).

Odas ruthlessness was the reason for the saying little bird, if you dont sing I will kill you. If you stopped being useful to Oda, he would discard you. If you crossed him, hed kill you. His idea of leadership was genuine tyranny, but its worth noting that he was also good for the health and wellbeing of Japan, and those that werent fighting against him. Under his de facto rule, Japan significantly expanded its international trade, and Oda was also quite progressive in that he was a strong patron for the arts and religious diversity in the country. Under his rule, Jesuit missionaries were most welcome in Japan, and Oda supported the building of the first Christian church in Kyoto (1576). He himself appears to have had no religious leanings of his own and never converted to Christianity.

He also completely modernised the way war was fought in Japan, introducing new weapons and more complex battlefield tactics. Its no surprise that his preferred underlings  Hideyoshi and Ieyasu  would go on to become the nations leaders after his death; there was simply no way that the other warlords in Japan would be able to counter the rapid tactical advantage that Oda had developed so quickly.

In video games, Oda is generally portrayed as demonic, or at the very least, a very dark fellow. The Samurai Warriors series, which is perhaps the most generous towards his memory, rationalises Odas actions as a simple ambition to unify the country, and after 150-odd years of constant political tension and war, that is something that Japan needed. But even in Samurai Warriors its not surprising that Oda looks a little like a Sith Lord from Star Wars and has a sword that crackles with energy and sounds like a lightsaber in action.

Nioh Nobunaga Oda

Stay tuned! Tomorrow well take a look at the second of the three great unifiers: Hideyoshi Toyotomi.

 Matt S.

Editor-in-Chief

Find me on Twitter: @digitallydownld


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A new Kaiser study says stopping the Affordable Care Act subsidies may wind up costing the federal government billions more than it would save.



By RICARDO ALONSO-ZALDIVAR

Associated Press

WASHINGTON  Counting down to a budget deadline, the White House has toyed with a hardball health care tactic to force Democrats to yield on President Donald Trump's priorities.

The administration just might eliminate billions of dollars in disputed Obamacare subsidies.





. . .
The World Health Organization announced on Monday that it had permission to try the first malaria vaccine in the field in real-world settings next year.

The announcement came on the eve of World Malaria Day.

WHO said in a press release, ''The injectible vaccine, RTS,S, was developed to protect young children from the most deadly form of malaria caused by Plasmodium falciparum.

RTS,S will be assessed in the pilot programme as a complementary malaria control tool that could potentially be added to the core package of WHO-recommended measures for malaria prevention.''

The mosquito-borne illness had taken a toll of 429,000 human lives in 2015, and hundreds of millions got sick with a malaria infection every year. Some never recovered fully.

While tremendous progress had been made in fighting the disease, from 2000 to 2015 a 62-per cent reduction in malaria deaths, was seen according to the WHO. There was also a 21 per cent reduction in the number of cases.

There had been fewer deaths mostly due to better mosquito control and disease awareness. There was also a sustained effort to reach the right medicine to the right populations, according to experts.

There were, however, gaps in prevention coverage, especially in regions such as sub-Saharan Africa, where about 43 per cent of people who were at risk for the disease had no access to mosquito protection like bed nets or bug spray, according to the WHO.

Africa was the continent that saw the highest number of malaria cases. The new vaccine would be tested in Kenya, Ghana and Malawi starting in 2018.

The UN health agency also called for boosting efforts to prevent malaria, which remained a major public health threat, killing one child every two minutes worldwide in 2015.

The UN World Health Organization's (WHO) latest report, Malaria Prevention Works, Let's close the gap, spotlighted the critical gaps in prevention coverage, especially in sub-Saharan Africa.

''WHO-recommended tools have made a measurable difference in the global malaria fight, but we need a much bigger push for prevention  especially in Africa, which bears the greatest burden of malaria,'' said WHO director-general Margaret Chan.


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Barriers erected at Enterprise High School may be in place for awhile as the Enterprise school system seeks a remedy into some masonry issues.

Enterprise City Schools Superintendent Greg Faught said the school system will wait to repair the issues until a lawsuit between the citys board of education and several contractors and architects has been rectified. The lawsuit dates back to August 2015 and originally addressed roof leaks, but was recently amended to include the masonry issues, which concern the cast stone on the exterior of the building.

It really needs to wait until there has been a legal remedy, he said. I dont foresee us going in there because of tampering concerns.

Currently, a chain-link fence surrounds the high school, one of the largest in the state, and large wooden platforms have been erected to protect doorways. The $93 million facility opened in 2010, three years after an EF-4 tornado destroyed the old high school.

The cast stone, which provides a decorative facade, presents the major safety concern. While no pieces have fallen yet, the stone has been cracking, bowing and separating from the main wall in areas, according to the lawsuit amendment filed in January.

Barriers are in place for precautionary reasons, Faught said. He added the cast stone in the schools center courtyard displays the most damage, which is why the courtyard has been completely closed.

Faught noted cast stone appears in the main lobby and has started to crack in places. Since the area is climate-controlled and not exposed to the elements, he said officials believe the area will not deteriorate as quickly as the outside pieces.

Faught said none of the core structure appears to have issues and that students at Enterprise High are safe.

The cast stone issues were discovered in the spring of 2016 when the school system hired a team to perform destructive testing in order to discover the source of the roofing leaks, Faught said. The team determined leaks were coming from a through-wall, which is designed to keep moisture absorbed by brick from damaging other portions of the building.

The leaks have occurred for several years, beginning shortly after the school opened, Faught said.

The school also has issues with leaks around several windows, which were discovered in March 2016, according to the lawsuits first amendment.

Faught said no dollar figure has been placed on the cost of repairs as of yet. He noted officials are preparing a report that will try to determine the scope of work needed in repairs before arriving at a sum.

The lawsuit seeks compensation that will cover the costs of damages, attorneys fees, interests and other damages as allowed by the law. The lawsuit also seeks punitive damages.

Among those named in the lawsuit are general contractor Brasfield & Gorrie of Birmingham, several subcontractors, individuals with the project and the Woodham and Sharpe Architect firm in Montgomery.

Horace Cecil Ireland III, an attorney representing Brasfield & Gorrie, said his client has tried to repair the issues. Brasfield & Gorrie denies the way the lawsuit was worded, which claims negligence and/or wantonness from the defendants, he added.

Ireland also said his clients desire to bring the issue to a mediation process with the Enterprise City Board of Education but the board has refused.
Charles Edward Quinn, of Enterprise, passed away Monday, April 17, 2016 in Enterprise. He was 91. Visitation will be from 1:00 until 3:00pm on Saturday, April 22, 2017 in the chapel of Sorrells Funeral Home & Crematory in Enterprise. A private memorial service will follow the visitation. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to Enterprise Health & Rehabilitation Center, c/o Patricia Glazier, PO Box 311227, Enterprise, AL 36331. Mr. Quinn was born March 18, 1926 in Speigner, Alabama to the late William Everett and Minnie Lee Hood Quinn. He served in the Marines during WWII and was in the First Division in the Pacific. Mr. Quinn was also awarded the Purple Heart. He then joined the US Army where he served as an Army Aviator until his retirement in 1965 with the rank of Major. In the Army, he flew the US Army Sport Parachute team, The Golden Knights, in worldwide skydiving competition. Following his career in the Army, he worked as an Instructor Pilot and retired as Director of Training Operations at Cairns Army Airfield. In 1995, he was awarded the Deputy Chief of the General Staff Commendation by the Australian Army for 20 years of voluntary service with Australian officers. Survivors include his wife, Marie Walton Quinn, Enterprise; children: William W. "Bill" Quinn (Fran), Collierville, TN; Charles M. "Mike" Quinn (Ginger), Birmingham, AL; Leigh Ann Quinn (Thomas Mileur), Surf Side Beach, SC; Patrick E. Quinn (Cathy), Murrells Inlet, SC; Andrew L. Quinn (Si), Metairie, LA; six grandchildren; six great-grandchildren. To sign a guest register visit www.sorrellsfuneralhomes.com.
The Dutch Ministry of Defence invited teams of SunGlacier and The Hague University to its military camp in Mali, to test three new mobile water technologies under the extreme dry and hot weather conditions in the desert.

Most remarkable was the achievement by SunGlacier that harvested a small amount of water from the air by using a 3 Euro peltier cooling element from a computer. The field test was conducted at a temperature of 45 degree Celsius and an air humidity below 5 percent.

The other two technologies were a compressor to produce water from air and a compact device for the production of drinking water from rivers, lakes or pools. The collected water samples ate in the process of being analysed on the drinking water quality.

The teams returned last week and presented their results at a press conference in The Hague, the Netherlands, on 25 April.

Commander of the Dutch armed forces, general Tom Middendorp told at the press conference that there were several good reasons to facilite the field tests.

Desert conditions

The Netherlands chief of defence, general Tom Middendorp, personally invited the two teams to do the field tests at the military camp near Goa, Mali.

The Dutch armed forces operate the camp since April 2014 to support the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization (Minusma) mission in Mali.

According to Middendorp there were plenty of reasons for him to support these field tests under desert conditions. Just image if there were small, inexpensive devices available that can produce drinking water all over the world.

There is also an own interest, the general admitted, referring to the logistics of the military camp. For our military camp in Mali we have to bring in large quantities of drinking water and these technologies can potentially make the camp more self-sufficient. By reducing the use of groundwater the camp has less impact on the water resources of the local people .

. SunGlacier team with inventor and artist Ap Verheggen (standing) and solar specialist Peter van Geloven working on their Twin Desert device

Below dew point

Two of the three new water technologies concerned the harvesting of water from the desert air. The challenge was to cool down the hot desert air to below the dew point.

SunGlacier has designed a solar-powered, water maker based on Peltier technology that operates without needing batteries or a current inverter.

A solar panel generates power for an 18W Peltier element, which cools a cone-shaped aluminium block to below the ambient dew point. The water condensates on the cone and drips down.

This device can generate only small quantities of water, and the SunGlacier team took the opportunity to also test its Desert Twin system using solar-driven compressor.

Potentially this technology can produce water from desert air in larger quantities.

Initially it proved to be too hot for the system to produce water from the air, but eventually the SunGlacier team managed to cool down the air inside the device to below the dew point.

Engineers Damon Golriz (front) and Emad Khatibzadeh analysing the results of the EDI treatment of the river water.

Treatment of river water

The third technology involved, was on the treatment of water from the nearby Niger river. Engineers for peace Emad Khatibzadeh and Damopn Golriz, had the opportunity to test the latest version of the desalination system based on a combination of electrodeionization (EDI) technology and UV filtration.

In close cooperation with the Hague University, this new desalination device is being developed to provide cheap drinking water or irrigation water in remote areas with no electricity grid.

A prototype has already produced 20 litres in an hour, using as little as 200 Watt input from a solar panel. In Mali a version has been tested with new components.

Read also on this website

 Dutch Navy ends relief operations with water supply in hurricane-hit Haiti, 27 October 2016

 Massive 4 km levee along Niger river provides flood protection for city of Mopti, Mali, 28 June 2016

 Country: Mali



More information

SunGlacier

The Hague, the Netherlands

+31 6 265 58 955

www.sunglacier.nl

The Hague University

Research platform on good governance

The Hague, the Netherlands

+31 70 445 8888

www.thehagueuniversity.com/research

Video impression of the field test on the Facebook page of the Dutch ministry of Defence.





Video showing SunGlacier's 'cheapest' water from air device.
We build companies and products faster these days and we have the potential to fail faster  much faster. In fact, the average tenure of a firm in the S&P 500 has shrunk from 61 years in 1958 to only 18 years in 2016. Even amongst the largest and most successful companies, standing still is no longer an option. The most powerful opportunity  and, indeed, the only opportunity  for brands is to continually innovate and disrupt.

The Forbes Most Innovative Companies list reveals the powerful impact of an innovation premium on brands like Amazon and Uber. Amazon, for example, has moved into one sector after another and gentrified it, even if that meant tearing down its own existing structures. It has meant they have been able to run one of the most successful companies for over 20 years.

Rather than resting on the laurels of UberX, Uber continues to invest into new innovation in self-driving cars. There is every possibility that those innovations will disrupt Ubers own business, as it will introduce a new direct competitor to its drivers. But Uber, now the worlds most valuable venture-backed company, clearly views that as a less important risk than standing still.

These companies are continuously looking to the future, even when today looks good, to stay relevant. This is something all companies embarking on an innovation effort must do.

Iconic author and innovation expert Peter Drucker famously said companies fall into trouble because the temptation in the existing business is always to feed yesterday and to starve tomorrow. This is, of course, a deadly temptation, Drucker explains: The enterprise that does not innovate inevitably ages and declines. And in a period of rapid change, such as the present, an entrepreneur period, the decline will be fast.

Pay Attention to the Sigmoid Curve

To avoid inevitable decline, its important to consider the natural lifecycle of a business  learning, growth and decline  which is best illustrated using the Sigmoid Curve. When applied to business, the Sigmoid Curve demonstrates the key to sustaining a healthy business is to transition to a new curve before the existing one is too far in decline. Truly innovative companies rethink their strategy during the growth period. Innovating during this period often leads to a small dip  due to increased R&D investment  however, the success ultimately launches a new curve. This new upswing motion forms an inflexion point and creates the Sigmoid curve.

Changing direction while things are going well can feel counterintuitive. In Australia, we are in our 26th year of consecutive annual economic growth[1]. However, innovative leaders know that good times dont last forever and that strategising for the future is the key to ongoing success.

Innovating on the rise, versus innovating on the decline is much more favourable. Companies that innovate on the rise have access to great talent, more spare cash to invest, a good customer reputation, and the confidence of the board, senior leadership team and shareholders. Not to mention, media may highlight the companys vision and recent successes, thus bolstering the above.

Thats not to say there arent challenges. When things are going well there is often less air-time for innovative, new ideas  such ideas will often get pushed off the boardroom agenda in favour of immediate opportunity. Further to this, new business ROI can be small and can appear to not be worth the effort, and talented staff are expected to uphold the quality of existing business so allocating them to new business can be risky.

The mood towards innovation amongst companies that are in crisis mode is often whats needed during the good times. Risk appetite significantly increases, margins are no longer a concern, there is more time at boardroom-level to discuss innovation, and there are dedicated teams running full steam at strategic opportunities. Yet innovating on the decline is stressful. The best talent has probably left, cash is short, the brands reputation is weaker, stakeholder confidence has dropped, and confidence in leadership is reduced. More often than not, the media will focus on what the company has done wrong rather than what its done right.

Building a continuous culture of innovation

Its important for companies to build a continuous culture of innovation and there are a few ways to do this:

Get comfortable with calculated risk : Without appropriate levels of risk-taking companies will become less and less relevant. Uber was founded on the same principles and continues to fearlessly experiment in markets all around the world. Fear of failure, or of doing the wrong thing needs to be replaced with a hunger for trying new things and accepting that many of them may fail but some will succeed spectacularly.

: Without appropriate levels of risk-taking companies will become less and less relevant. Uber was founded on the same principles and continues to fearlessly experiment in markets all around the world. Fear of failure, or of doing the wrong thing needs to be replaced with a hunger for trying new things and accepting that many of them may fail but some will succeed spectacularly. Stop looking at your competitors : If the past five years have taught us anything it is that competition can come from the most unlikely places. Identify what capabilities you have that you can loan into new business models, and create an innovation plan which involves the entire organisation, not just a person or a department.

: If the past five years have taught us anything it is that competition can come from the most unlikely places. Identify what capabilities you have that you can loan into new business models, and create an innovation plan which involves the entire organisation, not just a person or a department. Stay open to partnership: Corporates rarely invest into core invention R&D, nor should they. Most corporate innovation comes from a partnership between existing capabilities and someone elses. Keep in mind, that competitor you have been nervously eyeing off, may in fact be a great partner, investment or potential acquisition for your business.

Corporates rarely invest into core invention R&D, nor should they. Most corporate innovation comes from a partnership between existing capabilities and someone elses. Keep in mind, that competitor you have been nervously eyeing off, may in fact be a great partner, investment or potential acquisition for your business. Innovate from the top-down and the bottom-up: Innovation needs to be genuinely understood and implemented from the top and it needs to be understood and owned by the entire business. If you want to hire the best innovation workers in the world, you need to provide them the workplace and opportunities for them to be great.

Innovation needs to be genuinely understood and implemented from the top and it needs to be understood and owned by the entire business. If you want to hire the best innovation workers in the world, you need to provide them the workplace and opportunities for them to be great. Invest in innovation: As part of a robust innovation plan, consider whether you have allowed appropriate levels of resource for some of the less obvious areas. For example, how great is your commitment to creating an innovative culture? This will involve training and development programs for everyone in the company. Have you invested in the right technology? It should go without saying (but often doesnt) that embarking on an innovation drive with decades old technology infrastructure is not ideal.

In short, the successful companies dont get complacent. Rather, they are constantly looking for new growth opportunities, even if they are frightening to the industry, or product set, that the company operates within. There is truth to the adage innovate or die. As legendary businessman Jack Welch put it; if the rate of change outside your organisation is greater than the rate of change inside your organisation, the end is in sight.

Dont stop innovating when today looks good. Its understandable companies are busy with today but if youre not also looking after tomorrow, then who else is?

About the author

Peter Bradd is the co-founder and CEO of The Beanstalk Factory, which works with corporates to inspire innovative thinking. He was the founding director and initial CEO of StartupAUS, Fishburners and ScribblePics. He has previously shared his thoughts on failure in business with Dynamic Business. See: Failure isnt fatal, nor is it defining  it can equip you for success: Beanstalk Factory CEO, Dont let a fear of failure stifle innovation  mine mistakes to strengthen your business, People, processes and culture: dont let these three innovation enablers become roadblocks and Define innovation too tightly and it loses its essence: Former IBM, Telstra CEO David Thodey.

[1] https://www.austrade.gov.au/International/Invest/Why-Australia/Growth
Representatives from local nonprofit organizations gathered Monday to celebrate the success of the Match Madness Campaign, organized by the Partnership for Better Health, which raised a total of $169,000.

The campaign took place during the month of March, and 15 local nonprofits participated in the $50,000 matching gift campaign.

This year, we really blew it out of the water, said Ann Myers, chief gift planning officer, who managed the partnerships campaign.

Participating groups raised more than $119,000 in March, and with the partnerships $50,000 contribution, a total of $169,000 was raised. The partnership said 100 percent of the funds go directly to the 15 community organizations.

Last year, participants in the program raised $66,000, which put $116,000 back into the community when the $50,000 match was added, Myers said.

The Salvation Army was the top fundraiser, gathering $47,172 in donations which translates to $66,991 when the match was added. Cumberland Valley Rails-to-Trails came in second having raised $23,975, which gives it $34,048 after the match is added. The LEAF Project was third, having raised $16,572, which netted $23,535 after the match.

It really was a wonderful way to think about success all across the board. Whatever an organization raised, they really got a nice increase on that amount, said Becca Raley, executive director at the Partnership.

Each organization received a 42 percent increase on the amount it raised because of the match.

Raley said there were some questions about the program from those who wondered if there was enough money in the community and if there were enough untapped donors to support the effort.

There are still donors in our community who are untouched  untouched by the incredible work of our nonprofit sector. We want so much to be able to be doing more, to do outreach so that your incredible work gets supported, Raley said.

Jim Hoefler, a member of the Partnerships board who also represented Cumberland Valley Rails-to-Trails, said the matching element is critical to the success of the fundraising effort during the campaign.

It was just so much easier to make that ask, and its such a wonderful way to leverage the giving potential of the community, he said.

Lauren Sheeler of the Salvation Army said the reality is that people in nonprofit organizations wear the hat of a major gifts officer even though they do not hold that title. The matching grant program has helped her develop professionally.

This opportunity of having a matching grant program has made it so much easier for me to talk to our donors, she said.

In addition to the top three nonprofits listed above, the following groups also participated in the campaign: Boys and Girls Club of Chambersburg and Shippensburg, Camp Koala, Carlisle Area Healthcare Auxiliary, Carlisle Arts Learning Center, Fresh Match, Greater Carlisle Project, Historic Carlisle Inc., Hope Station, Kidney Foundation of Central Pennsylvania, Project SHARE, Safe Harbour, and West Side Neighbors.

The broad array of organizations involved represents the partnerships expanding view of what it means to be healthy, as do two new initiatives that will be undertaken in the coming year.

Since the beginning, the partnership has focused on more traditional concepts of what it means to be healthy, Raley said. That included helping people with access to health care, smoking cessation, being more active, and other such facets of health.

But for the most vulnerable members of the community, being able to do all these other aspects of living a healthy life becomes difficult without an affordable place to live, Raley said. Some people in the community work hard, but cant make ends meet with rents in the region.

The partnership will start this July to invest in access to affordable housing.

Well be putting at least $140,000 a year in that investment, Raley said.

The partnership is also looking to address the opioid epidemic by bringing in a communications firm to facilitate initiatives in community education, connections to treatment, physician engagements and recommendations for policies to curb the crisis.
Uttar Pradesh cancels 15 government holidays

Published: April 26, 2017

Uttar Pradesh state government has cancelled 15 public holidays marking the birth or death anniversaries of eminent personalities. Alternatively, on these days, the school and college students would be taught about these public figures through various programmes. Out of the 42 public holidays observed by the state, 17 pertained to birth anniversaries. The move was taken at the backdrop of increasing concern over the shrinking academic session due to increased holidays. It is held that in the state 220-day academic session has been reduced to only 120 days due to the celebration of such holidays.

The previously ruled Samajwadi Party had declared holidays on the anniversaries of the following personalities: Former PM Chandrashekhar (April 17), Maharishi Kashyap and Maharshi Nishadraj Jayanti (April 5), Hazrat Ajmeri Garib Nawaj Urs (April 26), Maharana Pratap Jayanti (May 9) and the death anniversary of Ambedkar (December 6).

The state government would soon publish the revised list of holidays.

Month: Current Affairs - April, 2017

Topics: States  Uttar Pradesh

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Brand new show apartment coming soon to St George's Square, Harrow

Property-seekers in search of their dream home in London will soon have the chance to check out a brand new show apartment at Taylor Wimpeys St Georges Square development in Harrow.

The stunning Maven Court show apartment will open on Saturday 6th May for visitors to get a tantalising glimpse of the high-specification interiors of these wonderful one and two-bedroom apartments, including luxury Nobilia kitchens complete with Franke stainless steel sink areas and fully integrated Zanussi appliances, Aqualisa showers and pivot shower doors.

The availability of the Government-backed Help to Buy London initiative means its the right time to buy for both first-time buyers and those moving on from an existing home.

Eligible purchasers can secure a Government loan for up to 40% of their new homes full price  so they only need a 55% loan-to-value mortgage and a deposit as low as 5%.

Jack Costello, Regional Sales and Marketing Director for Taylor Wimpey, says: Were delighted to unveil our brand new show apartment at St Georges Square, which is already gathering interest from savvy apartment-hunters.

With a superb selection of apartments for sale at great-value prices and the fantastic Help to Buy London incentive available, it really is the right time to buy. I would recommend that anyone interested in finding out more should visit the developments newly open Sales Information Centre as soon as they can.

Theres a wonderful selection of two-bedroom apartments on sale at St Georges Square from 465,000, each boasting at least 538sq ft. Each apartment benefits from allocated parking outside.

The two-bedroom show apartment features an open-plan kitchen/living/dining area with a door leading to an outdoor patio, two spacious bedrooms, a contemporary bathroom and storage space off the internal entrance hallway.

Help to Buy London is available on new-build homes up to the value of 600,000 and theres no salary cap for purchasers taking advantage of the scheme.

St Georges Square enjoys a well-connected location in Sudbury Hill, Harrow, with excellent facilities for day-to-day living within walking distance, including a wealth of high street and independent shops, supermarkets, pubs and restaurants. Affluent Harrow on the Hill, with its attractive Georgian architecture, is just over half a mile away.

Just a short walk away is Sudbury Hill underground station, which is served by the Piccadilly line and provides services into central London, and Sudbury Hill Harrow railway station for connections to Gerrards Cross and London Marylebone.

There are also frequent bus services which stop close by for destinations including Harrow, Sudbury, Greenford, Wembley and Neasden.

Sudbury Hill connects with the A4217, providing easy access to the A40, M40 and M25, while the A4005 and A404 link to the North Circular for the M4 and the M1.

The St Georges Square Sales Information Centre, located off Sudbury Hill, Harrow, HA1 3SB, is now open Thursday to Sunday from 10am to 5.30pm and Mondays between 2pm and 5.30pm. Alternatively, visit taylorwimpey.co.uk.

The new show apartment at St Georges Square will open on Saturday 6th May from 10am to 5.30pm.
The Gambia Food & Beverage Festival 5th-6th May 2017

The Gambia Tourism Board is hosting its annual Food & Beverage Festival on the 5th and 6th May 2017 in Kololi, The Gambia. Renowned for its abundant supply of fresh seafood, The Gambia is also widely known for its local which use a variety of ingredients, from grounded peanuts to smoked fish to create dishes known as Mbahal or Domoda.

The Food & Beverage Festival is a two-day fun filled event which is open to all ages, allowing visitors to try the traditional Gambian dishes and international cuisine from various restaurants throughout the town of Kololi.

Kololi is the most established resort in The Gambia and with a short transfer time of only 25 minutes from the airport, its an ideal location to visit not only for the festival but the various markets, shops and bars. The resort is also home to a sandy beach for visitors wishing to relax after feasting at the festival.

Visitors can attend the festival with the Gambia Experience and stay at the four-star Kairaba Hotel, in The Gambia and ideally located near the festival in Kololi. When not indulging at the food festival, guests can relax by the pool, enjoy the peaceful beach or pamper themselves with a spa treatment.

Depart on 3rd May for seven nights from 572 per person  a saving of 267 per person. Price is based on a bed and breakfast basis and includes flights from Gatwick and transfers. gambia.co.uk
     IT  :     50    ;       
Trumps long-awaited platitudes mean nothing if his administration continues its propaganda wars

At my Hebrew School, every day felt like Holocaust Remembrance Day.

My first teacher in my first year of Bar Mitzvah preparation was a survivor of a camp, I never found out which one. Wed seen her tattoo and I noticed her occasionally brushing her fingers against it. That was usually followed by a promise to tell us what she been through, and who she had lost. But she was waiting to tell us more until Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day. When it finally rolled around April, she began class stiff and somber, determined to fulfill her promise. She got to the part when her family was told to pack one thing before she had to leave the room. A woman from the office wandered in a minute or two later, finding us still silent. Mrs. Gluck will be back on Monday, we were told. On Monday afternoon, she was back and neither she nor we mentioned the Holocaust in that classroom again.

Donald Trump gave a boilerplate Republican remembrance of the Holocaust Tuesday at the Holocaust Memorial Museum. This is supposed to be remarkable given the stink of antisemitism that has emanated his campaign from near its inception. He specifically called out Holocaust deniers and antisemitism, which has mysteriously risen dramatically since Trumps emergence into presidential politics. Good.

But he didnt back off his recent tacit endorsement of Marie Le Pen, the daughter of a Holocaust denier who continues to whitewash the role the French played in rounding up Jews. He didnt demand the resignation of Steve Bannon, a man who called his site a platform for openly antisemitic groups. Nor did he explain why hes copacetic with allegations that his top anti-terrorism advisor has a long-standing connection to a Nazi-allied group.

These things are apparently still too much to ask from the president of the United States.

I always fall short of the awesome responsibility of Holocaust Remembrance Day. Id suggest we all do. We fell short in Rwanda. We fell short in Syria. And the retrospective clarity that comes from studying the Nazis attempt to exterminate European Jewry rarely extends into the present. Even today, we still havent fully reckoned with Americas knowledge of the camps in real time.

In a letter sent last week, the Attorney General attacked sanctuary cities by conflating undocumented immigrants with criminals. Sessions said that sanctuary cities  including New York City, the sanctuary city the presidents wife refuses to leave  were crumbling under the weight of illegal immigration. Of course, this is exactly what Trump did in when he first announced his presidential candidacy in a speech when he slurred immigrants as rapists and criminals, with the winking qualifier that some, I assume, are good people.

This is a lie that Sessions, like Trump, continues to repeat shamelessly. Studies continually show that immigrants are less likely to commit crimes.

When you continue to repeat a lie that slurs a minority group for political gain, even as evidence mounts that at least one member of your administration may have committed crimes and Sessions himself may have committed perjury, you are engaging into the sort of purposeful manufacturing of hate that makes atrocities possible. And at the very least, the constant regurgitation of lies testify to an agenda that seeks to feed the embers of prejudice, division and despair to drown out reason.

I dont expect much from a man who waited to well into his 70th year to make his stand on Holocaust denial clear. But all I ask from President Trump and his administration on this Holocaust Remembrance Day is to stop behaving like fascists.

[Photo by Jona Park | Flickr]
Apple stunned the wider development community on Monday with an emailed announcement that it has decided to slash commissions for App Store affiliates from 7 percent to 2.5 percent, starting May 1.

The cuts apply to all apps and in-app content, Apple said. However, they do not apply to commissions for movies, music, books and TV, which will remain at 7 percent.

The company will continue to pay commissions on Apple Music memberships as well.

Apple directed affiliates to read the Commissions and Payments page on its Affiliates Resources site for more information on the new policy.

Big Cut, Short Notice

Both the extent of the cuts and the brief notice provided  they go into effect next week  are surprising, and have given rise to speculation that the policy change may be part of a larger shift in Apples recent revenue picture.

It is interesting that theyve kept the 7 percent intact for higher-value digital content, said John Jackson, research vice president at IDC.

The connection is not terribly clear, but presumably Apple wants to drive more revenue from subscriptions and higher-value content in general, so this may be a move to bias affiliate-driven traffic in those directions, he told the E-Commerce Times.

Apple Senior Vice President Phil Schiller last year revealed plans to shift toward a new subscription model for developers. The plan centered around changing the 70/30 revenue share model to favor developers who attracted subscribers. If a customer remained a subscriber for a year, Apple would slash its 30 percent share to 15 percent, thus boosting the developers take.

Its been rumored that Apple plans to announce the share model change this June at its 28th annual Worldwide Developers Conference.

Apple did not respond to our request to comment for this story.

Digital Content Push

During Apples fiscal first quarter conference call, executives noted the shift toward services as the core piece of the companys growth. They also noted that the App Store was shattering records.

Year-over-year revenue growth was up 43 percent, and revenue more than doubled that of Google Play during the 2016 calendar year, said Apple CFO Luca Maestri.

As disappointed as affiliates will be with the news, the move makes sense from Apples perspective, said Karol Severin, an analyst at Midia Research.

Apple is managing incentives for affiliates based on what it wants to push, he told the E-Commerce Times.

The affiliate programs initial purpose was to get the App Store off the ground, Severin said, but now it is Apples best-performing content play.

Developers will not feel any direct impact from the new policy, which does seem driven by the shift toward a subscription model, suggested Jack Kent, director of operators and mobile media at IHS.

The move will have a much bigger impact on third-party review sites and aggregators that have used the referral program to drive incremental sales, he told the E-Commerce Times. In the early days of the App Store, these sites would have helped drive traffic, but now the market is more mature, and so these will have less of an impact on the overall app market.
Protecting the data in electronic health records did not start with the advent of HIPAA  the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996  as many people think. Protecting health records has been a critical requirement in the healthcare space since the computers became a fixture in hospitals. However, HIPAA added public reports of fines issued for covered entities failure to properly protect data contained within EHRs.

Many people assume that EHR data has limited value to unauthorized users. (Who cares about my blood test results, or that I just visited my dermatologist?) Understanding their value is quite simple, though. In addition to personal health information, or PHI, EHRs contain Social Security numbers, which never expire  and cybercriminal use of SSNs is not easily detected.

No Expiration Date

Stealing EHRs is better for cybercriminals than stealing credit cards, which can be used only until the card expires, is maxed out or canceled, according to a Trend Micro study released last month.

an EHR database containing PII that do not expire  such as Social Security numbers  can be used multiple times for malicious intent, the study explains. Stolen EHR can be used to acquire prescription drugs, receive medical care, falsify insurance claims, file fraudulent tax returns, open credit accounts, obtain official government-issued documents such as passports [and] drivers licenses, and even create new identities.

Another important statistic that helps explain why cybercriminals are attracted to EHR data is that 91 percent of the U.S. population has health insurance. Its no wonder, then, that 113.2 million healthcare-related records were stolen in 2015, according to Trend Micro.

What About Federal Laws?

Everyone remembers signing dozens of documents before getting to see a doctor. If you were to read each document, you would find that you agreed to allow the protection of your personal health information. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is responsible for HIPAA oversight.

Under HIPAA, all covered entities must protect PHI in very specific ways. Healthcare providers that are covered entities include doctors, clinics, psychologists, dentists, chiropractors, nursing homes and pharmacies  but only if they transmit any information in an electronic form in connection with a transaction for which HHS has adopted a standard.

There are thousands of covered entities out there, including solo doctors, psychologists, dentists, and chiropractors, all of whom have the duty to protect PHI  but how do small practitioners who cannot properly afford the IT infrastructure protect PHI?

Small covered entities hire a company to help, which HIPAA refers to as a business associate. Under HIPAA, each business associate must sign an agreement with the covered entity to protect PHI, aptly termed a business associate agreement, or BAA.

Under the HIPAA Privacy Rule, a BAA allows covered providers and health plans to disclose protected health information to these business associates if the providers or plans obtain satisfactory assurances that the business associate will use the information only for the purposes for which it was engaged by the covered entity, will safeguard the information from misuse, and will help the covered entity comply with some of the covered entitys duties under the Privacy Rule.

The HHS offers a sample BAA that explains the business associates potential liability under HIPAA:A business associate is directly liable under the HIPAA Rules and subject to civil and, in some cases, criminal penalties for making uses and disclosures of protected health information that are not authorized by its contract or required by law. A business associate also is directly liable and subject to civil penalties for failing to safeguard electronic protected health information in accordance with the HIPAA Security Rule.Given the potential liability, all covered entities and business associates use extraordinary efforts to protect PHI and EHRs.

Who Protects EHRs?

The HHS Office of Civil Rights (OCR) Investigates civil rights, health information privacy, and patient safety confidentiality complaints to identify discrimination or violation of the law and take action to correct problems.

The OCR frequently reports covered entities that fail to protect PHI properly, and those entities are fined accordingly.

A number of states, including Texas, New York and Ohio, have created their own laws to protect PHI. Texas in 2011 passed House Bill 300, which places stricter requirements on patient health privacy than those required by HIPAA and also expands the definition of covered entities to include those that come into possession of, obtain, assemble, collect, analyze, evaluate, store, or transmit protected health information.

Given their immense long-term value, cybercriminals likely will target PHI and EHR databases for years to come, so it is incumbent upon all covered entities and business associates to make the safety of this information a top priority, and do everything possible to protect their PHI and EHR databases.
UK Home Secretary Amber Rudd on Sunday called for greater government access to encrypted content on mobile apps.

Apps with end-to-end encryption, like Facebooks WhatsApp, should not be allowed to conceal terrorists communications from law enforcement, Rudd said in an appearance on The Andrew Marr Show, a BBC broadcast.

There should be no place for terrorists to hide, she said. We need to make sure that organizations like WhatsApp  and there are plenty of others like that  dont provide a secret place for terrorists to communicate with each other.

Khalid Masood, who killed four people outside the UKs parliament building last week before being shot dead, reportedly used WhatsApp a few minutes before going on his murder spree.

On this situation, we need to make sure that our intelligence services have the ability to get into situations like encrypted WhatsApp, Rudd maintained.

Backdoor Law in Place?

Even though she supported end-to-end encryption as a cybersecurity measure, Rudd later said in an interview on Sky News, it was absurd to have terrorists talking on a formal platform and not have access to those conversations.

We are horrified at the attack carried out in London and are cooperating with law enforcement as they continue their investigations, WhatsApp spokesperson Anne Yeh said in a statement provided to TechNewsWorld.

During her appearance on Marrs show, Rudd disclosed that she would be meeting with Facebook and other technology companies on Thursday to discuss ways to meet the information needs of security officers. She did not rule out new legislation to regulate encrypted messaging if the government and the tech companies were unable to reach an accord.

However, that law may already exist. The UK last year adopted the Investigatory Powers Act, which compels tech companies to provide a technical capability to remove electronic protection within their products. That law has been interpreted in some quarters to mean that tech companies can be compelled to install backdoors into their products in order to decrypt data when necessary.

A backdoor would not have helped prevent Masoods attack, however.

To use a backdoor, you have to identify somebody as a target and hack them, explained Matthew Green, a computer science professor specializing in cryptography at Johns Hopkins University.

With this terrorist, they identified this person and decided he wasnt a threat and stopped monitoring him, he told TechNewsWorld. Nothing is going to help once you look at a guy then look away.

No Door Secure Enough

Backdoors have been criticized as a means to meet the information needs of law enforcement because they undermine the purpose of encryption.

Many technologists and even many in law enforcement have acknowledged theres no secure backdoor, said Chris Calabrese, vice president for policy at the Center for Democracy & Technology.

You simply cannot build a door that only the good guys can walk through, he told TechNewsWorld. If you start building backdoors, they will be exploited by hackers; they will be exploited by terrorists.

Tech companies have been skeptical of creating backdoors to break the encryption used by their products and then turning over the keys to law enforcement.

Another idea floated is that the companies should create the backdoors but retain control of the keys to prevent abuse.

That wont work. The systems are too complicated and the backdoors too difficult to keep secure, Calabrese said.

Companies dont want to have to worry about their employees misusing these keys, and they dont want to have to secure them, said Johns Hopkins Green.

Application Hopping

Even if backdoors were installed in applications like WhatsApp, they most likely would miss their mark  assuming that mark is to prevent terrorists from communicating securely.

If the bad guys feel that this application has been compromised by government officials and backdoors become available, this leads to a simple response by the bad guys  use a different application, explained Paul Calatayud, CTO at FireMon.

WhatsApp is a third-party application on a mobile device, he told TechNewsWorld. Nothing prevents the bad guys from moving to a lesser known third-party application.

While WhatsApp cant crack the encrypted contents on the parliament killers phone, it still can provide authorities with information about the terrorists phone activity  such as the time a message was sent, who it was sent to, and the physical location of the sender and recipient.

It doesnt matter what this guy said before he did this thing, said Bruce Schneier, CTO of IBM Resilient. What matters is who it was, and WhatsApp doesnt protect that.

Investigators can access all kinds of information without recourse to backdoors, he told TechNewsWorld, but that would require a real conversation about the problem, which you dont get from these people who grandstand after tragedies.
A few years ago, when Oracle was busy buying companies to fill out its front-office cloud offering, RightNow Technologies developed a day in the life video that has stuck with me. It was shown at RightNows last user meeting as an independent company. In fact, at the conference where it debuted, Oracle announced its acquisition of RightNow.

The videos importance was as a harbinger of things to come in the customer service world. At that point in time, we were struggling with the idea of multichannel support, or the ability to provide service regardless of the channel  social, mobile, email, etc.  used to make a request. We got over that soon enough.

The Future of CX

The video takes a day in the life approach to showing someone using connected technologies to deal with a variety of service encounters  from making and confirming airline reservations to getting an appointment for an oil change.

In the process, some nifty technologies  like machine learning and natural language processing  came into play to make everything work. The video makes it look seamless and very plausible. Its impressive.

One person using a mobile device in the back seat of a car going to the airport does a lot.

Today, much of this has come into view. While only a few companies currently are taking advantage of the possibilities inherent in this technology, from what I see, its the next thing.

What Customers Want

To be sure, every business wont need each capability, and its important to focus on the functions that add the most value to a business or brands outreach.

Whats beyond all this is even more exciting to me. With the advent of the Internet of Things, theres been a tsunami of data that some businesses can collect and analyze to help them do more and better things for customers  things that customers actually want, as opposed to things that the businesses guess they want.

Theres also the idea of people helping people, which might not seem earthshaking, but by this I mean the ability to engage your best customers to offer assistance to their peers. Its appealing, because its certainly cheap  but more fundamentally, because engaged customers have a focus on their expertise and a desire to be of service thats hard to match with even the best employees.

Customers can tell other customers, I get it because Ive been there, in ways that CSRs can only emulate.

Busy Week

This is a busy week. Ive been to the CRM Evolution conference in Washington, D.C., and I am now attending the Oracle Modern Service Experience in Las Vegas.

Both shows have on display many cool, new, and futuristic solutions for the front office  and if past is prologue, the future will be the present before you can blink, so we need to pay attention.

All this travel can be a bear, but its the best way to get fresh insights. Ill have more about all this soon.
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Mayors from across the nation joined with the Sierra Clubs Ready for 100 campaign Wednesday to announce a new effort to engage and recruit mayors to endorse a goal of transitioning to 100 percent renewable energy.

Ahead of the U.S. Conference of Mayors annual meeting in Miami Beach in June, the launch of Mayors for 100% Clean Energy aims to demonstrate bold local leadership and showcase the depth and breadth of support from city leaders for a transition to 100 percent renewable energy.

The new initiative is co-chaired by Mayor Philip Levine of Miami Beach, Mayor Jackie Biskupski of Salt Lake City, Mayor Kevin Faulconer of San Diego and Mayor Stephen K. Benjamin of Columbia, South Carolina. Benjamin is also a vice president of the U.S. Conference of Mayors.

We have already taken steps to expand renewable energy and we will continue to improve our infrastructure and innovate clean energy solutions for a stronger Miami Beach, said Mayor Levine. Climate change may be the challenge of our generation, but it is also the opportunity of a lifetime. The transition to clean and renewable energy will both help Miami Beach confront climate change and strengthen our local economy.

Mayor Biskupski noted that cities contribute about 75 percent of human greenhouse gas emissions, and said Salt Lake City is warming at a rate twice as fast as the global average.

We cant ignore climate change because climate change is not ignoring us, she said. Among many other risks, we face water shortages, decreased snowpack and threats to our $1 billion ski industry. Cities must adapt to cope with these threats, and thats also why we must take action to mitigate them.

Noting that San Diego has become a leading city for solar energy capacity, Mayor Faulconer said that business and environmental groups are cooperating to achieve a mutually beneficial goal of 100 percent renewable energy.

Clean energy isnt just the right thing to do, its the smart thing to do, he emphasized. Were going green not only because it supports clean air and water, but because it supports our 21st century economy.

Mayoral leadership has been a powerful driver of city-wide action on climate change and clean energy in municipalities across the country. The Mayors National Climate Action Agenda (Climate Mayors) founded by Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, former Houston Mayor Annise Parker and former Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter, recently released an electric vehicle request for information to demonstrate demand to automakers for nearly 115,00 vehicles that could be electrified in 30 cities.

Now the co-chairs of Mayors for 100% Clean Energy, a number of whom are Climate Mayors, are further demonstrating their commitment to lead nationally on the shared challenge of reducing climate pollution and contributing to Climate Mayors framework of local leadership and action.

Mayors can lead our nation toward a healthier, stronger and more prosperous country by championing a vision of 100 percent clean, renewable energy in their communities, said Sierra Club Executive Director Michael Brune. Cities dont need to wait for Washington, DC to act in order to move the ball forward on clean energy.

Twenty-six cities across the U.S. have now committed to transition to 100 percent clean and renewable energy. This growing list of cities most recently includes South Lake Tahoe, California, which last week unanimously voted to transition entirely to renewable energy by 2032. Other big cities including Los Angeles and Denver are studying pathways to 100 percent clean energy. Earlier this month, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced a commitment to transition Chicago municipal buildings and operations to 100 percent clean and renewable energy by 2025.
By Graham Readfearn

The New York Times has been defending the papers hiring of a climate science denier, fighting off its critics with what it claims is a standard fashioned from hardened intellectual honesty.

The controversial hire in question is that of Bret Stephens, formerly of the Wall Street Journal, who has joined the New York Times as a columnist and deputy editorial page editor.

While at the Wall Street Journal, Stephens consistently undermined and disparaged climate change, one time describing it as an imaginary enemy and another comparing it to religion with a doomsaying prophecy and faith in things unseen.

Stephens new boss, editorial page editor James Bennett, told the papers public editor Liz Spayd: The crux of the question is whether his work belongs inside our boundaries for intelligent debate and I have no doubt that it does. I have no doubt he crosses our bar for intellectual honesty and fairness.

Suffice to say, there are plenty who disagree. One climate scientist has already canceled his subscription in protest, with others watching closely.

The @NYTimes hiring of climate denier didn't lead me to cancel subscription. Public editor's offensive response did: https://t.co/BRnmwKIBmX pic.twitter.com/En14mZVYoD  Prof Michael E. Mann (@MichaelEMann) April 25, 2017

No doubt that Stephens can writehe won a Pulitzer in 2012 for lots of opinions on stuff other than climate.

But like other conservative columnists admired for their poetic prose and strident opinions while attacking climate change, the methods used by Stephens might be compared to those of a fake chef producing a lumpy and unsatisfying word soup.

Crap Soup

Theres no real care with the preparation and no quality control over the freshness or blending of the ingredients, but these indiscretions are suitably masked with enough flavor-enhancers to give some short-term satisfaction to unsuspecting diners/readers.

But the New York Times should probably be serving up something far more substantial than crap soup and three-day-old bread to its massive audience.

Lets take, for example, a November 2015 column which Stephens wrote in the build up to the United Nations climate negotiations in Paris.

Stephens wrote that a trend in rising global temperatures was imperceptible and that the hysteria around climate change ignored how this trend could be a product of natural variation.

There is a mountain of evidence that global warming is not caused by natural fluctuations and this evidence has been in existence for decades. To suggest that it isnt, would be to fall below any bar of intellectual honesty erected in the newsroom of the New York Times or in any science academy around the globe.

In the same column, Stephens chose to highlight the hyping of flimsy studiesmelting Himalayan glaciers; vanishing polar ice that he said were being used to push a political viewpoint.

Stephens was referring to an error on Himalayan glaciers buried away in a UN report, while choosing to ignore the decades-long trend of melting that has been recorded at glaciers all over the planet.

Climate Agnostic?

Stephens himself has told Huffington Post that hes an agnostic on climate change and said while it seems the weight of scientific evidence points to human causes for global warming, that evidence might be wrong because the history of science is replete with consensus positions that have evolved.

Now, the New York Times own defense of its hiring of Stephens is almost as redundant as the arguments that Stephens borrows from climate science deniers.

In an interview with the Huffington Post, the New York Times Bennett said there was more than one kind of denial.

And to pretend like the views of a thinker like Bret and the millions of people who agree with him on a range of issues, should simply be ignored, that theyre outside the bounds of reasonable debate, is a really dangerous form of delusion, he said.

Lets think about what the New York Times opinion page might look like if we based it on the beliefs of millions of Americans.

According to Gallup polling data, some 20 percent of Americans believe in witches, which is roughly half the number of people who think extrasensory perception is actually a thing.

A poll conducted by Harris in 2016 found that two out of five Americans think ghosts are real. Belief in evolution? Thats at 49 percent. Creationism? Some 37 percent are down with that.

Lizard people controlling societies? One in 25 Americans fear their presence, but wheres their representation in the New York Times editorials?

Arguing that someone should be hired to the editorial desk of one of the worlds most influential newspapers because millions of people hold a particular belief is a clear path to supporting the sort of delusional thinking that has more Americans believing in the paranormal than accepting that climate change is mostly human-caused.

That 1970s Cooling Myth

Opinions are worth printing when theyre based on the preponderance of credible evidence, not the self-interests of fossil fuelfunded fellows at so-called think tanks or the whimsy of attention-seeking contrarians.

In an August 2011 interview on Fox News Business, Stephens told viewers in the 1970s we were supposed to believe in global cooling.

Were we? Well, if you want to base your intellectually robust opinion on a moldy-old myth based on a couple of 1970s news items, then fine.

Alternatively, read a 2008 review of science papers published between 1965 and 1979 finding that only seven papers were predicting cooling against 44 saying temperatures would rise.

Here's the newest op-ed columnist for the @nytimes citing the author of Jurassic Park as a reason for his climate denial pic.twitter.com/rBUZzcwUI4  Media Matters (@mmfa) April 17, 2017

Also in that interview, Stephens lauded an essay by the late author Michael Crichton that attacked the consensus on global warming.

In that essay, based on a lecture, Crichton said: Whenever you hear the consensus of scientists agrees on something or other, reach for your wallet, because youre being had.

So lets just stop a second and think about what Crichton was advocating here.

The consensus of medical science says smoking will massively increase your risk of getting cancer and heart disease, even if you cant say exactly which cigarette killed your wheezy relative. Youre being had, folks.

Crichton was putting up a straw man argumentthat science is done by consensusin order to then attack it.

Climate Consensus

When people talk about a consensus on the causes of climate change, theyre describing the collective findings of thousands of peer-reviewed articles published in leading scientific journals over decades using multiple methods from a diverse set of observations.

The consensus that climate change is caused by humans comes from the long-studied physical properties of greenhouse gases to the measurements of warming oceans, the atmosphere and the places on the planet where there is or was, ice.

Dont get me wrong here, folks. Youre free to choose a glib sound bite from a science fiction writer based on a misrepresentation of the concept of scientific consensus.

But take care not to be had by charlatans promising to chat to your very dead Aunty Betty or save your soul from the claws of the lizard people.

I think it might be time someone broke into the editorial office of the New York Times and raised that bar of intellectual honesty.

Reposted with permission from our media associate DeSmogBlog.
A pipeline in western North Dakota spilled an estimated 756 gallons of oil and 294 gallons of saltwater, a drilling byproduct, into a tributary of the Little Missouri River, the Associated Press reports.

The spill was discovered April 22, approximately 5 miles southwest of the city of Marmarth and was reported that same day, the North Dakota Department of Health announced. The spill originated from a buried three-inch pipeline operated by Oklahoma City-based Continental Resources.

The spill polluted a 14-mile stretch of Little Beaver Creek but did not reach the larger waterway.

At the time of the release there was a high-enough flow in the Little Missouri that it was actually pushing water back up into Little Beaver Creek, so that prevented any from getting into the Little Missouri, Health Department environmental scientist Bill Suess explained to the AP.

Suess said that the cause of the leak is unknown, with excavation work still underway. More than three-fourths of the discharge has been cleaned up as of Sunday.

He added that the thick consistency of the oil causes it to clump together in the water and form balls that float down the river, making it pretty easy to collect.

There were no immediate indications of damage to wildlife or livestock, the AP said.

In 2014, the New York Times reported on the industrys increasing number of spills in North Dakota as a result of the areas fracking boom:

Over all, more than 18.4 million gallons of oils and chemicals spilled, leaked or misted into the air, soil and waters of North Dakota from 2006 through early October 2014. (In addition, the oil industry reported spilling 5.2 million gallons of nontoxic substances, mostly fresh water, which can alter the environment and carry contaminants.)

Continental Resources, the largest operator in the Bakken shale formation, leads North Dakota in active wells, spills of all kinds, and wastewater or brine spills, InsideEnergy noted from the Times report.

Harold Hamm, founder and CEO of Continental Resources, is an outspoken Donald Trump supporter and discussed with Bloomberg in January his hopes for energy industry regulations rollbacks under the Trump administration and the prospect of U.S. oil independence and increased shale oil drilling.

EcoWatch has covered a number of pipeline spills already this month. The Buffalo Pipeline, owned by Houston-based Plains All American Pipeline, L.P., leaked approximately 450 barrels, or roughly 18,900 gallons, of crude oil onto farmland in Kingfisher County, Oklahoma last week. A busted pipeline spilled crude oil into a Strathcona County creek in Alberta, Canada on Saturday. And in mid-April, Energy Transfer Partners new Rover Pipeline, which is still under construction, spilled 2 millions of gallon of drilling fluids into two of Ohios wetlands.
U.S. Sen. Jon Tester introduced legislation on Tuesday to protect more than 30,000 acres of public land bordering Yellowstone National Park. These public lands in Montanas Park County are the targets of two industrial scale gold mine proposals, which would threaten the national park, the clean water of the Yellowstone River, wildlife and the local economy. The legislation does not affect any recreational use of the land, including hunting or fishing.

Sen. Testers legislation followed actions made in the fall of 2016, when U.S. Departments of Interior and Agriculture began a two-year time-out on gold exploration and mining, on the public land near Yellowstone National Park.

The people in Park County are standing together and saying industrial gold mining doesnt make sense on the doorsteps of Yellowstone. Our river, our wild lands and our wildlife are too valuable to gamble, said Michelle Uberuaga, executive director of the Park County Environmental Council.

Our local elected officials and the county commission are standing with us and were grateful to have Sen. Testers leadership in Washington, DC. Now we need to see this to the finish line, she added.

More than 300 local businesses of the bipartisan Yellowstone Gateway Business Coalition asked for the action, citing risks to their livelihoods and to the strong regional economy. The local calls for action were echoed on a national level, for the potential impacts to the worlds first national park and surrounding wildlife habitat, as well the Yellowstone River and its world-famous fishery.

National Parks Conservation Association applauds Sen. Tester for taking the next step in opposing industrial gold mines next to Yellowstone, commented Stephanie Adams, Yellowstone program manager for the National Parks Conservation Association.

Concerns over the threats to Yellowstone and its nearby communities and waterways have been echoed by Interior Sec. Ryan Zinke, Montana Gov. Steve Bullock and Sen. Steve Daines. It is time for our elected officials at all levels to stand together in forever protecting these priceless lands.

Sen. Testers legislation protects private property rights while enacting a permanent withdrawal on the public lands.

Legislation is needed to permanently prevent private corporations from industrializing public lands in the heart of the Yellowstone ecosystem, said Jenny Harbine, attorney for Earthjustice.

The introduction of legislation is a crucial first step and now we must all fight for Congressional approval of this critical protection for some of our nations most-prized wild lands.
While giant new solar farms located in rural areas and deserts have been grabbing the headlines lately, Americas cities have been embracing solar power as well. A new report from Environment America Research & Policy Center, Shining Cities: Harnessing the Benefits of Solar Energy in America, shows how wide that embrace is.

Kansas City may not be in the sun belt, but its embracing solar power. Photo credit: City of Kansas City

The report found that 65 American cities account for 7 percent of U.S.s 20,500 megawatts (MW) of solar capacity, more than all the solar installed in the country in 2009. And the top 20 cities were the leaders, accounting for 6.5 percent of the countrys solar capacity but using just .1 percent of its land.

Cities across the U.S. are recognizing and harnessing the transformative power of solar energy, says the report. Many local governments have recognized the benefits of solar energy and are using it to make their electric grids more efficient, create local jobs, protect residents from the dangers of extreme weather events, and mitigate pollution that is fueling global warming and endangering public health.

These cities are shining examples of solar powers promise, said report co-author Rob Sargent, energy program director at Environment America.
(Photo: Reuters / Andrew Winning)The Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams (R) and atheist scholar Richard Dawkins pose for a photograph outside Clarendon House at Oxford University, before their debate in the Sheldonian theatre in Oxford, central England, February 23, 2012. The name of the debate was 'The Nature of Human Beings and the Question of their Ultimate Origin.'

UK Catholic Bishop Philip Egan has called upon faithful Catholics to "rise up" and fight back against "dangerous ideologies" such as fundamentalism and secularism that are squeezing out Christianity in Britain.

He asked them in an Easter message to reclaim their Christian heritage and to make sure that the heritage is passed onto their children in State schools, Lifesite News reported April 25.

Egan, who is the Bishop of Portsmouth, said "two dangerous ideologies" are battling for power the current times, time, just as communism and fascism had fought each other in the 20th century.

"On the one side is fundamentalism, religion without reason. It breeds fanaticism, violence, terrorism, to cause disruption and to force upon others its extremist views.

"This is a tragic reality in the volatile nations of the Middle East. It now threatens the West also," he said.

Egan said, "On the other side is secularism, reason without religion. Its champions seek to privatize religion, driving it out of the public domain."

He said, "Secularists are on the rise in local government, in education, in the media, in the social services, in the BMA (British Medical Association), in the Equalities and Human Rights Commission, in the European Court of Justice, and in many other institutions too."

In what the Catholic Herald called a possible reference to a European court ruling allowing employers to ban religious symbols, Bishop Egan said: "Hell-bent on burying the Christian patrimony of this land, they propose Orwellian changes to our language and place ever more draconian restrictions on religious expression, even on what we wear."

He said that, though apparently in opposition, fundamentalism and secularism are both "totalitarian; they're destructive of the human person; they pose a grave threat to human happiness and to a healthy society."

In 2014, the bishop said secularism cannot provide a foundation for British society. In the Easter sermon, he went further, saying: "If we let secularism prevail, British culture will become increasingly unhinged, adrift, prey to emotionalism and to the latest pressure group.

"As we know, this has lethal consequences for the weakest, the unborn child, the handicapped, the elderly, the dying. This is why this Easter as Christians, it's time we said: enough is enough! We need to rise up to the challenge. We need to roll back the agenda."
(Photo: Reuters / Andrew Biraj)Activists of Islami Andolan Bangladesh shout slogans as they take part in a grand rally in Dhaka March 29, 2013. Islami Andolan Bangladesh organised the grand rally to demand the introduction of a blasphemy law and the restoration of a caretaker government system to conduct the upcoming general elections, among the other issues, local media reported.

GENEVA - Two United Nations special experts have condemned the Aug. 7 killing in Bangladesh of the blogger Niloy Neel, a supporter of free expression and opponent of extremism of all kinds.

Neel is the fourth Bangladeshi blogger hacked to death so far this year.

Niloy Chakrabarti, who used the pen name Niloy Neel, was hacked to death with machetes after a gang broke into his apartment in the Bangladeshi capital, Dhaka.

He is the fourth blogger to have been killed in Bangladesh since February, The Guardian reported, noting that he had told police of threats against him and requested protection weeks before he died.

Bangladesh is an officially secular country, but more than 90 per cent of its 160 million people are Muslim.

"He was critical against religions and wrote against Islamist, Hindu and Buddhist fundamentalism. He was a founding member of a rationalist organisation," said Asif Mohiuddin Mohiuddin, a secular blogger now based in Berlin.

Mohiuddin survived an attack by extremists in Bangladesh in 2013 and spoke to Agence France-Presse by phone, describing Chakrabarti as an atheist "free thinker" whose posts appeared on several sites.

The United Nations Special Rapporteur on freedom of expression, David Kaye, and his counterpart on extrajudicial executions, Christof Heyns issued a strong statement.

"The violent killing of another critical voice in Bangladesh shows that serious threats to freedom of expression persist in the country," the UN experts said.

The special experts called for a prompt and thorough investigation in the killing of the blogger.

"It is vital to ensure the identification of those responsible for this and the previous horrendous crimes, as well as those who may have masterminded the attacks."

"The organized targeting of critical voices aims at promoting a culture of silence and fear, and affects the society as a whole," the Special Rapporteurs stressed in their statement.

"The Bangladeshi authorities must not only continue to strongly condemn these horrendous acts against freedom of expression, but should also ensure that their words are followed by more effective efforts to ensure greater accountability and prevent this kind of violence."

Neel was a secular atheist, like two of the other victims and he was from a Hindu, not a Muslim, background, the BBC reported.

In February this year, the blogger Avijit Roy was killed and his wife seriously injured in a similar attack.

A month later, another blogger, Washiqur Rahman, was also killed in the Bangladeshi capital.

In May, Ananta Bijoy Das, who wrote for a website promoting "science, rationalism, secularism, freethinking, human rights, religious tolerance, and harmony amongst all people in the globe," was also hacked to death.

The U.N. Special Rapporteurs reiterated their call on the Bangladeshi authorities to consider specific initiatives to prevent the recurrence of attacks against writers and activists.

This should include not only the provision of particular physical protections to those who are potential targets for violence, but also open public debate challenging extremist views of all kinds.
Considered to be the Ten Best UFO Photos Ever Taken I am sure that we could add more pictures to this list but these are considered ten o...
Our public schools should be the conservatories of democracy.

Just as children must be trained to sing in harmony, so, too, must they be educated for citizenship.

Like an enormous choir, our nation needs fresh, diverse voices to flourishnow more than ever. Democracys electoral chorus has grown dangerously faint, in large part because schools have failed to prepare students to vote as adults.

The sad spectacle of last years Trump vs. Clinton presidential race not only muzzled civic discourse, it fed our nations cynical complacency about voting. Out of an electorate of more than 230 million, only 138 million voters cast a ballot last November , according to the United States Elections Project. When 40 percent of the voting-eligible population disenfranchise themselves, something is very wrong.

To help restore turnout in elections and faith in the nation, our schools must provide all of Americas more than 55 million K-12 students the opportunity to vote in mock elections at school. Now.

Voter turnout has been in crisis for decades. Even in the 2008 presidential election, which had the highest voter-turnout rate since 1968, nearly 39 percent of eligible voters stayed home. Local elections are on life support. For example, in the 2013 mayoral elections in New York City, Los Angeles, and Miami, the respective turnout of eligible voters was 24 percent, 23 percent, and 11 percent. You can look it up.

This flood of apathy, disillusionment, and rancor is drowning our democracy.

Our children know this.

The path to our politys restoration is lit by Norway, Denmark, and Sweden, where schools hold regular mock elections to coincide with election campaigns, and adult-voter turnout averages higher than 80 percent , according to political scientist Henry Milner.

Nonpartisan mock elections in schools should mirror adult-voting processes with age-appropriate materials. Students learn that all elections matter, not just the presidential election.

For instance, in any given municipality with a school bond measure on the ballot, students in kindergarten through 2nd grade might study the role of school in their neighborhood and vote on a simplified ballot; 8th graders might teach 7th graders about the topic and vote on a real ballot; and seniors might study the measures tax implications, and, before voting, stage a community debate with student-run voter-registration tables and proud parents in attendance.

E pluribus unum evolves from test item to shared experience.

Voting is citizenships summative act. Before casting ballots, students must study political vocabulary, issues, and candidate platforms. Media-literacy instruction is essential so apprentice voters can parse alternative facts and fake news from the real stuff. Such instruction can facilitate real-world dialogue and build bridges around the school community.

Schools have failed to prepare students to vote as adults."

But for too many Americansleft, right, and centerour politics conjures walls, not bridges.

Weve been here before.

As the Civil War loomed, Horace Mann, known to many as the father of American public education, viewed a society poisoned by some of the same scourges we face today: venomous partisanship, racism, and social discord.

His prescription? Education.

Education is our only political safety, he is widely quoted as saying. Outside of this ark all is deluge.

Ultimately, Mann and his successor John Dewey forged a civics-rich education tradition that encouraged generations to vote.

As voter turnout began to collapse in the 1970s and in the decades since, parallel cutbacks in K-12 civics requirements and the expansion of standardized, test-based education programs have degraded youth civic engagement. Pressure to prepare for trademarked tests almost eliminates teachers freedom to stage meaningful simulated elections, much less cover historic events like the 2016 presidential campaign or the subsequent Womens Marches and other recent protests. Student opinions go undeveloped, their voices unheard.

In a democracy, no freedom is more essential than speech, and no form of speech is more fundamental than voting. This truism guides the many programs that promote youth voting as the nexus of Americas resurgent, bipartisan civics movement.

Chicagos Mikva Challenge empowers tens of thousands of students to participate in action civics, including mock elections. The Youth Leadership Initiative at the University of Virginias Center for Politics and the National Student/Parent Mock Election helped millions of youths vote in mock elections across the United States in 2016. Hawaii has the nations first statewide, K-12 annual mock-election requirement.

Required mock elections can face resistance, however. In Seattle, for example, the Civics for All Initiative landed a five-year, $250,000 grant from the King County, Wash., department of elections to fund distribution of age-appropriate, mock-election voters guides and ballots for mock elections for the citys more than 53,000 public school students. To date, despite tremendous local and political support for required mock elections, Seattle school district leaders have vetoed the proposal in favor of optional mock elections. Just 3,900 students participated in 2016. (The authors of this essay hold leadership roles with the Youth Leadership Initiative and the Civics for All Initiative.)

Still, as more cities and states mandate mock elections, we will graduate ever more generations of citizens trained in democracys fine arts. Voter turnout should soar.

Mock elections provide a logical, scalable centerpiece for civics, an often orphaned discipline. Democracys autumnal traditions help teachers dependably stake out time for pre-election lessons for all students, especially the majority of public school students who are trapped below the poverty line , on the wrong side of the civics achievement gap, as Harvard education professor Meira Levinson terms it.

Mock-election activities offer youths equity, agency, and help in pushing back the hopelessness that stalks so many of them. Why would we deny any student this experience?

Petition your representatives to require mock elections in your school district and state. Just imagine the beautiful ensemble of 55 million young people addressing issues, choosing candidates, and voting each fall!

Lets let their voices be heard.
The prospects for many of the seniors I teach in a public high school in Washington are not normal. But on most days, I choose to proceed as if they are.

I teach English at an international academy within the Francis L. Cardozo Education Campus in the District of Columbia. All of my students are immigrantsmany from Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador. Others are from Ethiopia, Vietnam, and Sierra Leone. Its hard for them, and for me, to ignore debates about immigration outside of the classroom that have the power to deeply affect their lives.

Some students ask me what President Donald Trump meant by merit-based immigration in a speech to Congress in February. Ive been reflecting on what it means that Juan Manuel Montes Bojorquez, who was a beneficiary of the Obama administrations Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, was deported to Mexico earlier this year . Both teachers and students have more questions than answers about immigration policy. Its not always easy to focus on the lesson at hand.

A Journey to the Classroom

In the first six months of 2016 alone, 26,000 unaccompanied children were apprehended at the U.S.-Mexico border, according to UNICEF. Many of my students are among the thousands of unaccompanied minors who arrived in the United States after 2013.

Because the 1982 U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Plyler v. Doe gave children the right to a free public education regardless of immigration status, I dont ask students if they are living legally in the country. However, in journal entries or class discussions, they sometimes share that they are undocumented.

Many fled poverty or violence in their home countries to pursue a better life or reunite with family. Quite a few of my students have told me they were stopped by U.S. immigration-enforcement officials and detained before they were released to parents or extended family.

While some of my students hadnt been to school for years, they love to learn and do well academically. They learn how to express themselves in English and take interest in future careers such as engineering, nursing, or physical therapy. Outside of the school day, they work to prepare food in some of the citys most popular restaurants. Some work 40 or more hours a week or eventually drop out to work full-time. They pay their own bills or the bills of family members in their countries of origin.

Several weeks ago, I asked my students to write an essay analyzing the gender roles in the scene of a play. One young man who usually wastes no time in tackling assignments wiled away most of a 90-minute period without writing anything other than his name.

In the last 15 minutes of class, he blurted out, Why do teachers not tell us the truth about what happens after high school? The truth, he insisted, is that it is futile for undocumented students to go to college because they wont be able use their degrees.

Making Room for Truth

When it comes to issues of immigration, Ive often felt that Im just winging it in my responses. Since many of my seniors are 18 or older, it can be patronizing for me to try to soothe their fears. I prefer to focus on what they can do rather than what they cant do. I wont give up on the idea that if students are doing well in school, they should try to go to collegeregardless of their immigration status.

On this particular day, I took a deep breath. I didnt want to pretend that all my students prospects are the same.

Its true you cant be a doctor or a nurse in this country without papers, I said, explaining that for those careers, people must take exams that require legal residency in the United States. But I added that it might be possible to work in health care for individuals in their homes. Or to use a computer science degree, because I know of some small companies that hire undocumented people.

At the same time, I said that someone shouldnt abandon a dream career that isnt attainable right now because of legal obstacles. You never know how you will be able to use what you learn, I told my students. And no one can take your education away from you.

The student who had raised the question seemed unconvinced.

I switched tactics and spoke from the heart. I admitted that I didnt know what my students are going through. I told them I respect them because of the many hardships theyve gone through and how, despite the challenges, they are still kind and honest. I told them how much I admire them for holding down jobs and trying to finish high school at the same time. I acknowledged that my life had been easy compared to theirs.

But while anti-immigrant sentiments are evident in the political realm these days, the United States could elect a president and legislators with pro-immigration views in the coming years.

The student cut off any further dialogue. I am not OK right now, he said. I have so many problems to think about that I cant concentrate on reading anything.

I realized in that moment that I could not fix everything with my words. I could not always motivate my students to do a high school assignment because they didnt see a normal life before them. And I would never be able to understand what that felt like.

Hope for the Future

The next week it snowed, and the student who had spoken out was one of the few seniors who came to school that day. He worked hard on his essay and told me he had found ways to cope with his feelings. He recently applied to college.

I didnt grill him about what made him change his mind. I didnt want to say something that he would perceive as sugarcoating the challenges he faces. His actions showed me he is willing to take a leap of faith by choosing to stay in school and apply to college. Despite uncertainty about the future, he has hope that someday he may have more opportunities in this country.

One of the most challenging aspects of teaching immigrant students who dont have a clear picture of their prospects is determining what response is helpful in each situation. What will build relationships? As teachers, we need to continue to learn when to give information, when to speak from the heart, and when to say nothing. Above all, its our job to continue to encourage students dreams.




AB Vista appoints business manager for Spain, Portugal and Italy



AB Vista has appointed Fernando Garcilopez as business manager for Spain, Portugal and Italy.

Garcilopez joins AB Vista with more than 15 years' experience in the feed additives commercial and technical area, having worked with some of the key players in the animal nutrition industry.

His product portfolio will include Quantum Blue phytase and Econase XT xylanase for the monogastric industry, as well as a growing ruminant product portfolio.

Juan Ignacio Fernandez, AB Vista's sales director for West and South Europe, says a key part of Garcilopez's role will be providing technical support and advice to distributors and customers in his area.

"Advances in enzymes, and technologies such as Near Infrared Reflectance (NIR) spectroscopy, enable customers to optimise their feed quality and improve profitability. Mr Garcilopez is a key part of our team conveying that message and working with customers in helping them to better understand the ingredient quality and the application of AB Vista products and services," Fernandez says.

Garcilopez graduated from the Universidad Politecnica of Madrid, where he specialised in animal nutrition and production. He is also a qualified agricultural engineer.

Ari Kiviniemi, AB Vista's global sales director, says the new appointment will benefit European customers who are looking to improve margins and animal performance while facing significant challenges.

"The appointment of experts who understand our customers' needs is particularly valuable in constantly changing environments and mature markets like Spain, Italy and Portugal," he remarks.

Garcilopez will be attending the European Symposium on Poultry Nutrition (ESPN), taking place in Spain on May 8-11. He will also be at the International Phytate Summit ( IPS3 ) series of regional follow-up events. These follow IPS3 itself, held by AB Vista in the US late last year, which saw leading experts collaborate on the current understanding of phytate and identify practical strategies to unlock all of phytate's intrinsic nutritional value for greater profitability.

- AB Vista
To build the largest and most complete Amateur Radio community site on the Internet - a "portal" that hams think of as the first place to go for information, to exchange ideas, and be part of whats happening with ham radio on the Internet. eHam.net provides recognition and enjoyment to the people who use, contribute, and build the site. This project involves a management team of volunteers who each take a topic of interest and manage it with passion. The site will stand above all other ham radio sites by employing the latest technology and professional design/programming standards, developed by a team of community programmers who contribute their skills to the effort. The site will be something of which everyone involved can be proud to say they were a part. We welcome your comments. The eHam.net Team, Revision 07/2020.
Threats reportedly made by a Fredericktown student resulted in a district bus being boarded by police officers on Monday, according to Fredericktown Police Chief Eric Hovis.

Hovis said two students were threatened by another student on Monday afternoon while the two were getting off the bus. The threat was communicated to school officials by the students, who indicated that the student who threatened them may be in possession of a weapon.

School district officials contacted the driver of the bus and instructed the driver to stop and await the arrival of police. Hovis said the officers boarded the bus, identified the student who had made the threats and ensured that the student had no weapon in his possession.

The officers removed the student from the bus, which then continued on its route.

"When you have a threat like that, we have to take it seriously," Hovis said.

School officials could not be immediately reached for comment. More information will reported as it is made available.




The Venezuelan governments decision to arm civilians to defend the countrys socialist revolution amid growing unrest is rekindling fears of terrorists and criminal organizations acquiring part of the nations arsenal, which include a large stockpile of shoulder-fired, surface-to-air missiles.



Experts and U.S. policy makers are concerned about the risk that some of these missiles  as well as thousands of modern assault rifles and banned anti-personnel mines  might fall in the hands of criminal groups under President Nicolas Maduros regime, with its rampant corruption, its lack of internal controls and the countrys rapidly deteriorating conditions.
North Korea conducted a big live-fire exercise on Tuesday to mark the foundation of its military as a U.S. submarine docked in South Korea in a show of force amid growing concern over the North's nuclear and missile programs.

The port call by the USS Michigan came as a U.S. aircraft carrier strike group steamed toward Korean waters and as top envoys for North Korea policy from South Korea, Japan and the United States met in Tokyo.

Fears have risen in recent weeks that North Korea would conduct another nuclear test or long-range missile launch in defiance of U.N. sanctions, perhaps on the Tuesday anniversary of the founding of its military.

But instead of a nuclear test or big missile launch, North Korea deployed a large number of long-range artillery units in the region of Wonsan on its east coast for a live-fire drill, South Korea's military said. North Korea has an air base in Wonsan and missiles have also been tested there.

"North Korea is conducting a large-scale firing drill in Wonsan areas this afternoon," the South's Office of Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement.

The South Korean military was monitoring the situation and "firmly maintaining readiness", it said. North Korea's state media was defiant in a commentary marking the 85th anniversary of the foundation of the Korean People's Army, saying its military was prepared "to bring to closure the history of U.S. scheming and nuclear blackmail".

North Korea's growing nuclear and missile threat is perhaps the most serious security challenge confronting U.S. President Donald Trump. He 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.
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"13 Reasons Why" has become sensational as soon as it hit Netflix. However, some people are not fond of it, even blaming the series for "glamorizing suicide."

Originally, the Dylan Minette-starred series is has come from a young adult novel in 2007. It is a shy high school student named Clay Jensen who got a mysterious package sent on his mail. Soon after, he found himself uncovering the mystery behind his classmate, Hannah Baker, who decided to commit suicide.

While the plot sounds harmless, a New York City school recommends parents to refrain their children from watching the hit Netflix series, "13 Reasons Why."

"After hearing that some of our students have been watching 13 Reasons Why on Netflix, we felt it was important to reach out to the parent community to share our concerns and offer some advice," a statement from Stephen Gaynor School addressed to the parents. "This miniseries attempts to address many themes that can lead to important conversations with students; however, aspects of the miniseries go against the recommendations of mental health professionals and suicide prevention models."

Accoring to the New York Post, the school also said that the series shows the struggles of being a teenager while showcasing how committing suicide it a positive act. It also shows the actual, horrifying scene where Hanna took her life. Aside from the tragic display, it also simplifies the suicide's cause and effect and how easy it has become to blame anyone.

"13 Reasons Why" is rather TV-MA, meaning, it is intended for mature audiences. Therefore, the New York school advised the parents to put enough consideration whether they will allow their young adults to watch it or not. Also, it is important to properly discuss the series with their teen whether they have watched it or not.

Do you agree with school's letter? What do you think is the impact of the series to the young minds? Let us know your thoughts in the comment box below.
Hollywood actor Ben Affleck has made his first ever public appearance since the official filing of divorce paper from his soon-to-be ex-wife, Jennifer Garner.

The 44-year-old actor attended the AutFest International Film Festival in Orange, California, on Sunday, just 10 days after the ex-couple filed the divorce paper, People reported. Both celebrities are seeking legal and physical custody of their three children: Violet, 11, Seraphina, 8, and 5-year-old son Samuel.

Affleck chatted with the fans about several topics during the Q&A (Question and Answer) portion at the event, particularly about whether or not he'd let his kids try out being an actor at an early age. The actor recalled his early life as a child actor and noted that he wouldn't push them to make a decision at least until they are at the right age.

"If they are 18 and they want to make those choices and do that kind of thing, that's fine," he said. "But being a child actor, I just know too much of the downside of what that can be like."

The "Batman" actor continued to recall that he wouldn't be the man he is today if it weren't for his time and effort as a child actor. "I had some great rewards, and I probably wouldn't have made it as an adult had I not built up that body of work as a kid, so it's a strange thing," he added. "My kids would be good in the school play. If they can handle that, they're in good shape."

No official reports yet coming from both parties as to when the divorce will become official. But reports and sources close to the matter believe it could take a minimum of six months before Affleck and Garner's divorce becomes official, TMZ reported earlier in April 2017.

There have been circulating reports earlier this month suggesting that Affleck has already started seeing someone but things are not serious. The claims, however, are not exactly specific regarding the identity of this person.
Dave Filoni, the executive producer, director, and writer of the Disney XD show "Star Wars Rebels," has explained how the series' final season will tie into the 2016 movie "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story."

During a talk with IGN late last week, Filoni revealed some interesting details on what fans can expect in the final season of Disney XD's "Star Wars Rebels." Included in the teaser that the co-creator dropped in the interview is the pre-"Rogue One" era that fans will see in Season 4.

"Now that Rogue One is out, it opens up a lot of possibilities for us to tell these stories," the director said, Slash Film reported, further noting that the crew can now finally go to the large red gas giant, Yavin. "We can start to deal with the way things worked out in the film and include ideas that are happening prior to that."

He went on to explain that the look of the background rebels will start to shift to the kind of drab military colors that fans saw in "Rogue One." Further adding that the Phoenix group of Rebel soldiers and ships are redistributed to other groups, specifically Mon Mothma's in Yavin and Dodonna's.

Elsewhere in the interview, Filoni confirmed that "Star Wars Rebels" Season 4 will have a more continuous story arc. "This season 4 is unlike anything we've ever done in that, at a certain point, a couple episodes in, it's more a continuous story arc all the way till the end," he said. "More than its ever been in anything we've done, including Clone Wars."

"Star Wars Rebels" Season 4 is confirmed to have 15 episodes all in all, as opposed to the usual 22-episode order it had in the previous seasons. No official word yet regarding the specific premiere date of the show on Disney XD but it is believed that it will return on the network sometime in fall of 2017.
Xiaomi has been exclusive for the Chinese market but now, the said smartphone brand is expected to become obtainable in the US two years from now.

According to GSMArena, Xiaomi recently unveiled its newest flagship device; Mi 6. But then, the fans of Mi lineup in the US and Europe need to look for unofficial channels for them to be able to purchase the new device. Moreover, Senior VP Wang Xiang of Xiaomi has revealed that the company really wanted to expand to the Western world. But then, he also stated that working with carriers will be difficult and the tech giant also desires to bring technology to developing markets.

Furthermore, in an interview with CNET Xiang has stated that the Chinese manufacturer's phone will be released in the US in two years, if not sooner. It has been noticeable that the new timeline was pushed back two years from the former target which emphasizes the difficulties in entering the US.

It can be recalled that Xiaomi already built its reputation on manufacturing quality smartphones and selling them at low prices. In fact, it has won fans along its journey, but then most Americans haven't heard of Xiaomi. The startup's model of selling its handsets right away through its website doesn't translate well in the US since most of the smartphone owners are obtaining their gadgets through their carriers.

But for the avid phone fans and tech savvy consumers, they are waiting for Xiaomi's arrival in the US. Now, it seems that the startup will move carefully. In fact, it was during the January's CES tech show in Las Vegas, when Xiaomi then-global-chief Hugo Barra has claimed that the company's plan to launch stateside in 2017.

The same news media outlet also reveals that Xiaomi would be the latest Chinese tech company that endeavor enter the US markets. It was perceived that other players have seen mixed success. ZTE and Alcatel are one of those but later on downgraded to the budget end of the range. Meanwhile big global players like Huawei can hardly get its products into the US. OnePlus also follow the trail of entering the US market which indicated that any new player could get lost in the shuffle.

At the end of the interview, Wang stated that the company is not in a hurry to enter the US markets since they don't want to disappoint the fans. Aside from that, Xiaomi also faces pressure in its home market since it slipped from third place to fifth place last year.
"The Bachelor's" star; Chris Soules has been detained after being involved in a deadly car accident.

According to New York Times, Chris Soules who participated on the reality television series "The Bachelor," has been arrested by the authorities in Iowa after they said he escaped the scene of a crash. The said accident has killed one person.

It was around 8:20 p.m. on Monday when the Buchanan County Sheriff's Office obtained a report of an accident near the northeastern city of Aurora. The investigators stated that Mr. Soules was driving a 2008 Chevrolet Silverado going south when he collided with a John Deere tractor that Kenneth Eugene Mosher, was driving.

The crash between the two vehicles caused the latter to go into a trench, and the authorities said Mr. Mosher was taken to a hospital, but later on was pronounced dead. Meanwhile, Mr. Soules's automobile went into a different ditch, luckily he was not hurt in the accident and he left the scene before deputies reached the place of the car crash.

Nevertheless, the authorities have found Mr. Soules at his home shortly after the deadly accident and the sheriff's office sad that he was arrested and taken to the Buchanan County Jail. He was charged as he left the scene of a fatal motor vehicle accident.

Moreover, in an interview with E! News, Soules' spokesperson stated that "Chris Soules was involved in an accident Monday evening (April 24) in a rural part of Iowa near his home. He was devastated to learn that Kenneth Mosher, the other person in the accident, passed away. His thoughts and prayers and with Mr. Mosher's family."

The authorities had confirmed that Mr. Soules has been released from jail on Tuesday morning after he had placed a $10,000 bail. In addition, the Iowa State Patrol and other agencies helped the sheriff's office in its examination and the authorities stated that there will be no additional information about the case would be instantly revealed.
26 April 2017

The nominated inventors fight disease, take on some of the most pressing environmental issues and enrich our daily lives. The fifteen finalists for the European Inventor Award 2017, announced today by the European Patent Office (EPO), have strongly contributed to advancing technology and generating economic value and employment in Europe and beyond. With this prestigious annual award, the EPO honours scientists, researchers and engineers in five categories. The inventions, patented at the EPO, have contributed to social development and economic growth.

The 12th edition of the award will be held at the Arsenale in Venice on 15 June. Winners in each category will be announced at the award ceremony attended by high-level representatives of politics, business, research and intellectual property. Once again, the public will select the winner of the Popular Prize by online voting on the EPO's website in the run-up to the ceremony.

"This year's finalists demonstrate that Europe continues to be a world leader in innovation. The outstanding inventors nominated for the European Inventor Award allow us to honour the men and women whose ingenious work contributes to the competitiveness of the European economy and improves our daily lives," said EPO President Benoit Battistelli. "The European patent system remains a pillar for securing Europe's position as a global marketplace for innovation."

The fifteen finalists were selected by an independent, international jury from a pool of nearly 400 individuals and teams of inventors proposed by the public and by patent examiners of the national patent offices and the EPO for this year's award. The 2017 finalists come from twelve countries: Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Morocco, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the UK and the US.

Their inventions cover a range of technological fields including immunology, environmentally friendly materials, biotechnology, polymers, pharmaceuticals, satellite navigation, natural antimicrobials, mechanics, digital audio compression, high-resolution imagery, industrial fabrication and medical technology.

The 2017 finalists in the five categories are:

Industry

Research

Non-EPO countries

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)

Lifetime achievement

Further information
Pakistan will not tour Bangladesh this year as per schedule; the PCB said the series has been postponed indefinitely by mutual consent

Pakistan will not tour Bangladesh this year as per schedule; the PCB said the series has been postponed indefinitely by mutual consent. Pakistan was to play two Tests, three ODIs and a T20I series in Bangladesh in July and August.

"We had spoken about the possibility of hosting them [Bangladesh in Pakistan] this year," PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan told ESPNcricinfo. "Pakistan have now toured Bangladesh twice without them reciprocating, and we feel we cannot tour Bangladesh for the third straight time. Therefore, we have decided to postpone the tour, and will explore another window in the next year or so."

Bangladesh last toured Pakistan in 2007-08, for a five-ODI series. Since then, Pakistan have toured Bangladesh twice, in 2011-12 and 2015. The PCB had invited Bangladesh for a two-match T20I series this year, only for the BCB to rebuff the invitation.

On Pakistan's last visit to Bangladesh in 2015, the PCB had reportedly taken US$ 325,000 and justified it by saying the series had "technically" been Pakistan's home series. This year the BCB rejected all such proposals to share revenue, though it was open to playing at a neutral venue if necessary.

The PCB, however, was not keen on that option. It is understood the Pakistan board feels that hosting teams like Bangladesh and Zimbabwe in the UAE - its adopted home - is not financially viable.

Relations between the Pakistan and Bangladesh boards have been sour in the past. During the Zaka Ashraf regime, the PCB had stopped communication with the BCB and barred its cricketers - who had already been auctioned to various teams - from featuring in the Bangladesh Premier League.

Bangladesh were the fourth team - after West Indies, Ireland and Sri Lanka - to refuse to travel to Pakistan in the last two years. Nevertheless, the PCB is looking to build on hosting an incident-free PSL final in Lahore in March by inviting a team of international cricketers to play a T20 series in September. However, even the PSL final - touted a success - was marred by Quetta Gladiators' entire foreign contingent deciding against travelling to Pakistan for the final.

In another development, members of the ICC board were briefed on the security situation in Pakistan. According to Shaharyar, Giles Clarke, the head of the ICC task force on Pakistan, confirmed that Lahore would host a World XI in September.
The European Court of Auditors has concluded that the refugee hotspots in Greece and Italy that were created during the 2015 refugee crisis are not yet adequate. The court said that it found that despite considerable EU support in the current situation, reception centers in Italy were not able to receive migrants in a proper way while those in Greece lack abilities to accommodate them.

The auditors report further commented that overall, we found that the hotspot approach has helped improve the migration management in the frontier member states, under very challenging and constantly changing circumstances, by increasing their reception capacities, improving registration procedures, and by strengthening the coordination efforts. However, their report also added that despite considerable support from the EU, at the end of 2016 the reception facilities in both countries were not yet adequate to properly receive (Italy) or accommodate (Greece) the number of migrants arriving. There was still a shortage of adequate facilities to accommodate and process unaccompanied minors in line with international standards, and at the next level of reception.

The 2015 refugee crisis was one of the most severe crises that the EU has ever faced. Around 1.5 million people reached EU borders from Syria and other countries. While Germany and Sweden accepted many of them, mainly Central European countries built walls and fences, thus creating a major crisis within the bloc. Under the Dublin system  a framework that had governed the EUs asylum policy before the crisis  refugees claimed asylum in the first EU country they had arrived in. This policy put major pressure on Italy and Greece, which were both at the forefront of the crisis.
Libya, a failed state in the European Unions neighborhood, is a textbook example of that kind of place for which the EUs foreign policy instruments were designed. Since the 2011 NATO intervention that toppled Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi, Brussels has deployed most of its crises response instruments including the newest tools under the 2013 revamp of the European External Action Service (EEAS). However, despite the tremendous effort, almost nothing has worked out in line with the intended liberal peace-building approach. Libyas security situation has not improved and sustained democratic political transformation has not taken place.

In contrast, the EU has been struggling to make an impact in the conflict-ridden country with migration containment being the lowest common denominator for any EU action. Despite the narrow focus, EU actions have likely reached their ceiling when the Central Mediterranean route into Europe saw a record number of crossings in 2016, with more than 180,000 migrants intercepted and as many as 5,000 casualties.

At the end of 2015, the United Nations managed to broker a deal for a government of national unity called the Presidency Council. Prime Minister Fayez al-Serraj is trying to get 800 million euros in military equipment from the Europeans, which he claims are needed to curb migration. However, al-Serraj is struggling to assert his authority against a competing government in the east and as long as this situation persists, any foreign assistance is poised to be ineffective and likely also counter-productive if military equipment falls into the wrong hands.

Because the implemented EU mechanisms have delivered very little despite the EUs struggle, the Libyan crisis is constantly pushing for a review of the European Neighborhood Policy (ENP) to make it less of a crisis management tool and more of an overall policy for the improvement of the EUs neighborhood. While the EU has been consistent in prioritizing security interests over shared prosperity and democracy promotion, the Arab Spring has clearly demonstrated that a security and stability first approach is not always successful at preventing the region from falling prey to political instability.

Therefore, the focus of the ENP has now shifted towards stabilization and work for the Libyans with the Libyans. The EU is now seeking to address issues beyond migration, guarantee inclusiveness, support the political process, and deliver the services that the Libyans are struggling with, such as healthcare and social network. However, despite this shift and changes in the EUs approach, all these ingredients still make neither for a solution to the Libyan crisis nor for a consistent strategy. The situation in Libya is very complex and unquestionably difficult. Developing a comprehensive strategy is now imperative since isolated activities undertaken by the EU or individual member states are not likely to improve conditions in this conflict-torn country.

Libya: The Strategy That Wasnt  Commentary by Toby Vogel  Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS).

(The Commentary can be downloaded here)
"Marty has been pretty busy with all this travel," Jan writes in late 1953. "And no sooner gets one jaunt taken care of, starts reaching for the map."

Douglas Smith, the Seattle historian who helped discover the wealth of documents and letters, 16 mm film reels, and color photographs the Manhoffs left behind, said the artistic quality of Martin's images reflect the eye not of a spy, but of an aspiring photographer.

"He seems like he was someone more interested in documenting life inside Russia, not with any specific military, diplomatic intelligence gathering," Smith says. "Plus, if he was engaged in espionage, why did he have this stuff at his home?"

About a month after the couple's departure from Moscow  and four months after Trud publicly accused Martin and other American officers of spying  the first hints of what had happened behind the diplomatic scenes emerged. On July 6, 1954, The New York Times reported that three Soviet diplomats had been accused of espionage and expelled from the United States: two in February, and one in June.

The expulsions were not public knowledge, though they were almost certainly known to Manhoff and U.S. Embassy officials at the time. Another short article in the Times cited a diplomatic note from the Soviet Foreign Ministry accusing two of Manhoff's fellow military attaches and traveling partners of being spies, and ordering them expelled.

There was no mention of Manhoff.

The Times also reported that the U.S. Embassy in Moscow denied that the two officers, or any other members of the embassy, had "engaged in activities incompatible with their diplomatic status." The U.S. State Department told the paper that "it is obvious that the Soviet authorities have taken this action in retaliation for the expulsion in recent months of three Soviet officials for espionage and improper activities in this country."
PALO ALTO, California, April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Purposeful Artificial Intelligence Shifts Focus to Solving Complex Business Problems

Infosys [https://www.infosys.com ] , a global leader in consulting, technology, outsourcing and next-generation services, today announced the launch of Infosys Nia, the next-generation Artificial Intelligence Platform building on the success of the Company's first-generation AI platform, Infosys Mana, and its Robotic Process Automation (RPA) solution, AssistEdge. Together, both these products have amassed 50+ clients and 150+ engagements across all industry sectors, within a year of operations.

(Logo: enlace )

Infosys Nia converges the big data/analytics, machine learning, knowledge management, and cognitive automation capabilities of Mana; end-to-end RPA capabilities of AssistEdge; advanced, high-performance and scalable machine learning capabilities of Skytree; and optical character recognition (OCR), natural language processing (NLP) capabilities and infrastructure management services. As a unified, flexible, and modular platform, Infosys Nia enables a wide set of industry and function-specific solutions and allows customers to build custom experiences to suit their business needs.

Infosys' first-generation AI platform was about IT, simplification, efficiency and cost. Capabilities included socialization of organizational knowledge, deep analytics, service automation, automated incident root cause analysis and others. The next generation platform, Infosys Nia, tackles break-through business problems such as forecasting revenues, forecasting what products need to be built, understanding customer behavior, deeply understanding the content of contracts and legal documents, understanding compliance, and fraud.

Infosys Nia can help clients solve a wide variety of business problems, a few of which are listed below:



- Infosys Nia can improve order-to-cash process by creating a real-time risk profile

to customize the collection strategy, expedite resolution of disputes, predict

anomalies, prevent disputes, and enable better visibility and forecasting of cash flow

to reduce days sales outstanding (DSO).

- Infosys Nia can predict variability in manufacturing and material cost, while also

reducing product development cycle times.

- Infosys Nia can create knowledge models of multiple, complex labor contracts with an

on-demand, self-service conversational interface to operationalize the knowledge.

- Infosys Nia can create a customer genome based on internal and external data sources

to help develop targeted messaging, accurately identify upselling and cross-selling

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Quotes

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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.

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Safe Harbor

(CONTINUA)
The Democratic National Committee (DNC) gets hacked, WikiLeaks dumps emails, and Netflix and Twitter freeze throughout the North East United States. With such a precedent, by the time the United States presidential election day came many worried that a hack of vote registering and tallying infrastructure was next. Most recently, both German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande expressed concern that similar hacks could happen in Germany and France, respectively. Russian hacking is now the topic of the day, but its not only Russia that hacks, and as cyberattacks move from not only disrupting our elections but also our day-to-day lives, they have fueled a public debate on how to respond, and especially how to respond when the attack comes from another state. Strangely enough, the US and many other NATO members have no public standard for what constitutes a cyberattack in peacetime. As a result, state and non-state actors probe to find our sweet spot: maximum damage with minimal risk of retaliation.

Theres more to be done to solve this problem than one might think. NATO governments must start by defining what specific actions constitute a cyberattack that requires a certain type of response, and making it clear to foreign powers that if they cross our red line, NATO will respond. There should be no grey area.

Its already a well-worn fact that the Obama administration and American intelligence community blamed Russia for the DNC hack and email release through Wikileaks. The Director of National Intelligence went as far as to name Russian President Vladimir Putin personally as the one who ordered the hacks. And although he has continually skirted responsibility for a hack that most believe was at least enabled by his government, Putin has made his overall position clear: the US is in a state of decay, and these anonymous hackers are doing a public service by revealing this truth. Putin has even denied the importance of determining whodunit in this case, emphasizing that The important thing is the content given to the public. Really? As former Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul retorted: if youre given a stolen car, you dont only care about how it runs. You care just as much about who took it. That same concept applies to hacked data, too.

Of course the content of the leaked emails did not go unnoticed: it ended careers, fueled conspiracies, and contributed to heightened feelings of mistrust across the spectrum of the American electorate. Yet, as much as Mr. Putin may wish otherwise, the question of who did it remains fundamental to the discussion of this hack.

Attribution of responsibility is important in the cycle of cyber deterrence because it enables us to identify and threaten the culprit. Traditional deterrence is relatively straightforward, since the threat is attributable and tangible. If my opponent has significant arms, soldiers, or weapons, Ill think twice before resorting to military conflict. I know if I cross my opponents red line, they will retaliate. Cyber deterrence is intrinsically different: even if my opponent has significant cyber capability, that capability doesnt stop me from attacking or probing for weaknesses. Unlike traditional deterrence, there is no trip-wire  no obvious border to cross. I cant see your cyber abilities like I can see your tanks, and there is no clear border between states in cyberspace. If a state were to bomb DNC headquarters, the US would certainly retaliate in force. But when Russia hacked the DNC, released the hacks contents to the public and arguably altered the course of the election, the US fumbled for a response, failing to name Moscow publicly for weeks. On the other hand, when North Korea hacked Sony, the US government reportedly shut down North Koreas internet for a day. Each attack is different, but cyberattack responses must be made consistent in order to be made credible.

Whats the standard for retaliation? US government officials have said in the past that different types of attacks require different responses. Thats fair, but if our officials themselves have a hard time predicting US government responses, how can we expect foreign governments to anticipate them? And more importantly, how can we expect foreign governments to think twice to avoid such responses, if theres no rhyme or reason to what they might be?

Our challenge is not simply one of strategy. Rather, it goes much deeper. We have a failure of language. We have not yet delineated the differences between an act of cyber war and an act of espionage. What is a cyber-attack, and what is not? This is not simply semantics. Words have meaning; cyber, however, has become a Velcro prefix, attached to anything and everything and repackaged as a shiny new internet fad. This tendency has left us with a myriad of terms, but a dearth of utility.

Now, more than ever, NATO states must surmount this definitional hurdle and create a unified, public cyber deterrence strategy. But first, we must define what constitutes a cyberattack. Does a hack of a private enterprise count as an attack? A hack of a government agency? Or does the consequence need to be something more sinister, like causing a malfunction in the power grid in order to shut down electricity to millions of homes, or adjusting vote tallies at polling stations in order to alter the results of national, state, or local elections? We need clearer benchmarks.

Second we should express clearly that if another state conducts a cyberattack then NATO will respond in force. The standard for a cyberattack must be made public. Classic deterrence works because a red-line is drawn that a state knows it cant cross without facing some form of retaliation. Article 5 of the NATO treaty specified that an attack on one NATO member was an attack on all. That article continues to safeguard NATO member states from the bulk of state-sponsored attacks and has done so for the past 60+ years. Just as we have shown other states to be careful when probing NATO borders, we must show them to be careful when probing the NATO cyber frontier.

Many public officials shy away from unveiling a public cyber strategy because they fear revealing cyber capabilities. Thats a real concern. However, there is no need to indicate exactly how NATO will respond to a cyberattack. Rather, we must simply show clearly that, under stipulated conditions, NATO will respond, and respond forcefully. NATO states could utilize cyber retaliation, economic tools, military action, or anything else  the exact method would be determined case by case. A red-line doesnt give away capabilities; it serves as a warning, a deterrent. Having developed an effective warning system, we can take further steps to determine norms of behavior surrounding responses. But first of all, we must develop an effective warning system.

For all our strength and ability to project force across the globe, NATO appears weak when defending cyber infrastructure from state-sponsored attacks. Foreign-state-hackers have grown bolder, pushing the envelope to see what we will and wont tolerate in cyberspace. They shouldnt have to probe. We must clearly communicate what constitutes a cyberattack, and demonstrate to our friends and foes where the threshold for retaliation lies.

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.
Crude oil markets expect OPEC and their non-OPEC partners to extend their production cuts for another six months to reduce the supply glut. However, on close scrutiny, one finds that, while production cuts are being adhered to, the same cannot be said about oil supplies.

Saudi Arabia, OPECs de facto leader, which has cut production more than its stipulated quota has, on the other hand, increased its oil shipments by tankers. In April, it is expected to ship 8.29 million barrels per day (bpd) of oil, against 7.94 million bpd in March and 7.83 million bpd in January.

Vessel-tracking data compiled by Thomson Reuters Supply Chain and Commodity forecasts show that in April 50.3 million bpd of crude oil is being shipped, beating the previous record of 46.1 million bpd in January.

While the above data does not include the quantity of oil shipped through pipelines, it is unlikely that pipeline supplies would have reduced much more than the increase seen in seaborne supplies.

Most of the major crude oil suppliers are keeping Asian supplies at record levels, as shown in the chart above. Unless OPEC reduces supplies, it is unlikely that the inventories will deplete fast enough to push crude oil prices above $60 per barrel.

Vitol Asia expects crude to trade in a range in 2017

Dato' Kho Hui Meng, president and managing director of Vitol Asia, a unit of Rotterdam-based Vitol, the world's largest independent energy trader believes that oil will remain range bound between low $50s and low $60s per barrel in 2017. They dont expect crude to hit $70 per barrel levels this year.

While demand is growing globally, especially in Europe, China, India and the United States, it is still being outpaced by supply, he said, reports The Economic Times.
Most Canadian employers would prefer to have a face to face interview as opposed to Skype.



If you don't disclose that you are outside of Canada, they're going to know that something is up when your availability to interview isn't during Canadian business hours (Delhi is 9.5 hours ahead of Toronto/12.5 hours ahead of Vancouver).



Also, potential employers are going to need to know that you have a work permit/permission to live and work in Canada (sponsoring a foreign worker is neither fast, easy, or inexpensive) and unless they're scouting for someone with highly specialised skills, it's highly unlikely that they would go to the time and expense of short listing/hiring someone on spec when there are other staffing solutions available to them in Canada.
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San Antonio-based Valero Energy Corp. first quarter profit plunged 38 percent as the company invested in turnaround projects, the company said Tuesday.

The nations largest refiner earned $305 million, or 68 cents per share, down from $495 million, or $1.05 per share, during the first three months of last year. The drop was expected. Valero beat estimates by analysts, which projected earnings of 61 cents per share.

Our refining team safely executed turnarounds at the Benicia, Texas City, St. Charles, and Meraux refineries, Joe Gorder, Valeros CEO, said in a press release announcing the results. With the bulk of this years planned maintenance behind us, our refineries should be well positioned to capture available margin opportunities.

The company said it spent $641 million on capital investments during the quarter, including $245 million on turnaround projects. The company is on track to invest $2.7 billion this year, consisting of $1.1 billion for growth projects and $1.6 billion on current operations. That includes the Diamond Pipeline, the Diamond Green Diesel capacity expansion, the Houston alkylation unit, and the Wilmington cogeneration plant, Valero said.

Gorder told analysts on a conference call that there was healthy domestic and foreign demand for the companys refined products, including gasoline and diesel.

Although demand has also risen in the U.S., Gorder predicted it would decline some over the next five to 10 years. He said Valero is looking globally for future growth areas.

If you think longer term and where demand is going to grow, everything we read is that globally youre going to have increased demand for all of our products, so our focus will go beyond the U.S. border, he said. Well take a look at opportunities to increase our market presence in different international markets.

Valero has been fighting against requirements set by the Environmental Protection Agencys Renewable Fuel Standards that requires refiners to bear the costs of blending ethanol into their gasoline.

Valero and other industry groups want the burden  which cost Valero nearly $750 million in 2016  to shift away from refiners and toward gas station owners.

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.

Jason Fraser, Valeros deputy general counsel, said he hopes the RIN obligations will be shifted by the end of the year.

With the new team at the EPA were really hopeful, he said. We think when they look at the facts we expect them to resolve this question in our favor.

Biofuel blending costs were $146 million in the first quarter of 2017, which was $15 million lower than the first quarter of 2016.
AUSTIN  Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Millers planned feral hog apocalypse wont be happening anytime soon.

Thats after the maker of poisoned hog bait pulled its product from use in Texas.

In a statement, Miller blamed lawyers, environmental radicals and the misinformed for the decision by Scimetrics.

Kaput Feral Hog Bait is laced with warfarin, a blood-thinner that in large doses causes hemorrhaging.

Miller said he respected the companys decision but called it just another kick in the teeth for rural Texas.

The Texas House had passed a bill calling for more study on controlling feral hog populations with the help of pesticides. The bill is pending in the state Senate.

The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service estimates Texas agriculture suffers about $52 million in damage annually from the hogs.
The Trump administration announced Monday that it plans to slap a roughly 20 percent tariff on softwood lumber imported from Canada, a move that would likely drive San Antonios fast-growing home prices even higher.

Lumber prices were already getting more expensive locally amid growing demand for new homes for San Antonios swelling population, local builders and suppliers said. Prices for Canadian lumber then surged after a trade deal between the U.S. and Canada expired last fall. For local building materials supplier Allen & Allen Co., prices went up by as much as 30 percent over the last few months, Chief Operations Officer Wade Payne said.

Were hoping its only short-term, before cooler heads prevail, Payne said of the tariff.

RELATED: Texas is the biggest loser in Mexico trade war

A labor shortage in the construction industry and new regulations are also pushing up home prices, builders say. Last year, the median home price in the San Antonio area rose to $204,300, the first time it had eclipsed $200,000, according to the San Antonio Board of Realtors.

Rising lumber prices are difficult in an environment where cost increases are already occurring due to the healthy homebuilding market we have in Texas, said Jeff Buell, co-owner of local homebuilder Sitterle Homes.

On Tuesday, the National Association of Homebuilders released a statement calling the tariff a short-sighted action that will negatively harm American consumers and housing affordability. Rising lumber prices have already added almost $3,600 to the price of the average new home just in the first quarter of this year, the association said.

The real person paying the tariff is the United States homebuilder, who will pay higher prices for imported wood, said Kristi Sutterfield, executive vice president of the Greater San Antonio Homebuilders Association. The end result is that the citizens of San Antonio will pay higher prices for their homes.

U.S. lumber representatives disputed that the duties would have a material impact on home prices. They applauded the Trump administration action, saying that enforcing fair trade laws and leveling the playing field could increase the domestic industrys employment.

Its the Trump administrations first major trade action against Canada. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross portrayed the action as a tough measure to punish Canada after President Donald Trump declared last week that we cant let Canada or anybody else take advantage and do what they did to our workers and to our farmers.

What we are doing is dealing with another bad act on the part of the Canadians, Ross said.

RELATED: Border congressman condemns Trumps trade war on Mexico

The Obama administration began reviewing the softwood lumber industry last year out of concern that Canada was subsidizing its wood industry in a way that hurt U.S. rivals. The decision to retaliate against Canada by imposing what are known as countervailing duties, which will be announced Tuesday, is subject to a final review by the International Trade Commission, an independent federal agency that advises the government on trade policy.

Yet the ruling would allow U.S. Customs and Border Protection to begin collecting the funds from Canadian importers immediately. Five Canadian companies were a part of the investigation, and the United States will seek to collect money from four of them retroactively for actions taken in the past 90 days, Ross said.

Ross said this could amount to $1 billion in new tariffs, as well as $250 million in retroactive collections. All other Canadian softwood lumber companies will face the same tariff of 19.88 percent going forward.

Canada supplies most of the lumber sold at many local suppliers. Zaragosa Barbosa, the owner of San Antonio Wholesale Lumber, said that nearly two-thirds of his sales are for Canadian lumber. At Braundera Yard & Hardware, roughly 85 percent of the lumber inventory is Canadian, vice president Joe Domine said. About 35 percent of the inventory is Canadian at Allen & Allen, Payne said.

After the tariff drives up lumber prices, some builders will probably switch to using composite lumber  a material that mixes wood fiber and plastic  for decks and fences, local suppliers said.

Allen & Allen has been buying more Canadian lumber than usual over the last few months, expecting the market to go topsy-turvy, Payne said. Canadian lumber has become harder to find, forcing the company to turn down potential customers.

The tariff probably wont hurt the companys business much because it has a lot of buying power and plenty of long-term customers, Payne said.

Were like everybody else  well wait and see what all the politicians on both sides do, he said. Were stuck trying to make do with what we have and what we can control.

After spending much of his presidential campaign attacking China and Mexico for their trade practices, Trump has shifted his ire toward Canada in the past week.

Trump blasted Canadas recent decision to impose import taxes on ultra-filtered milk, a move he said was very, very unfair to the U.S. dairy industry. Trump saw how hard this was hitting U.S. farmers during a recent trip to Wisconsin and was moved by their reaction, Ross said. However, the softwood lumber action was decided on its own merits, Ross added.

The ruling is the latest salvo in a decades-long battle between Canadian and American lumber producers. U.S. lumber producers, who are mostly based in the Northwest, have long complained that Canada unfairly subsidizes its lumber by selling wood from government land at low rates to Canadian lumber producers, leading to a loss of U.S. jobs.

The Canadians have argued that, despite decades of investigations and litigation, U.S. claims about Canadas unfair practices in the lumber trade have not stood up to scrutiny at the World Trade Organization. A report in the Toronto Star on Monday evening said Canada did not immediately plan to retaliate.

Chad Bown, a senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics, predicted that the dispute would not escalate into something much bigger.

I dont think it will be a trade war with Canada, Bown said. This is an irritant that is always there between these two countries, and Canada knows that.

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.

Jeffrey Schott, a former Treasury official and trade negotiator, said the tariff would likely translate into higher costs for U.S. consumers.

This will put upward pressure on prices for the main consumer of softwood lumber, and that would be the housing industry. So the cost of housing will go up to some extent, he said.

The trade commission will issue a second ruling within several months about whether Canada has also been dumping lumber, a trade practice in which companies sell their products abroad at prices lower than they charge in their home market to damage their foreign competitors.

The Washington Post and the Tribune News Service contributed to this story.

rwebner@express-news.net

@rwebner
For some, news that an enormous feral hog had been shot nearby might conjure visions of the mother of all barbecues.

Marise McDermott had a different idea.

McDermott, president and CEO of the Witte Museum, was visiting the IBC Ranch near Kingsville as the guest of Eddie Aldrete, a senior vice president with the bank and a member of the museums executive committee, when that very thing happened. A colleague of Aldretes shot the hog in question.

It turned out to be one of the largest hogs seen in that part of the state, Aldrete said. Marise asked me what we were going to do with it. I said they were going to skin (it) and most likely donate the meat. Thats when she asked if she could have the hog, as it was the last animal she had to procure for the Texas Wild exhibit.

So I quickly called our ranch manager, only to hear him sharpening his knife in the background. We caught him in time as he had not yet touched the hog. And now its in the Witte.

The soon-to-be-taxidermied beast was a significant find, McDermott said, because it allowed the museum to deal with feral hogs, a major issue in the state.

Its a really important story, she said.

Clearly, McDermott is hands-on all the way.

She has been the driving force behind the 15-year transformation of the 91-year-old museum into a state-of-the-art destination that has drawn more than 100,000 people since the Susan Naylor Center opened in March. A lot of people worked hard to make that happen  McDermott is quick to point to board members, donors, staff and other stakeholders who chipped in. But many say she was the linchpin for the whole thing.

I dont know that we would be looking at the new Witte without (her), said Peggy Walker, a trustee who has been involved with the museum since the 80s and who co-chaired the capital campaign. She would say, No, there are those of us who have been part of it that made it happen, but you cant go ask people for money if you dont have the professional leadership in place and a solid plan to present.

A personal touch

McDermott, 64, does, indeed, attribute the success of the Wittes ongoing $100 million fundraising campaign to the museums dedicated board.

I never am in a room (to raise funds) by myself. Its always with our trustees. And the trustees are the ones who have the credibility and passion, she said. Now, I have knowledge. But the trustees are the ones who have said, I literally have bought into this, and I feel this is really important for the community.

McDermott is known to have a considerable amount of skill as a fundraiser.

Marise is the best fundraiser in town, period, said former Mayor Phil Hardberger, who recruited McDermott to co-chair the first two years of Luminaria, the annual arts festival that began in 2008. I thought I knew something about raising funds until I got around Marise, then I decided I hadnt gotten into the preschool yet. She takes such a sincere interest in her projects, which she knows backward and forward, and she is willing to do a great deal more than a five-day work week.

A personal touch helps, too. When construction was still underway on the Susan Naylor Center, McDermott invited Hardberger for a hard hat tour. She escorted him through the site herself, giving him the ultimate insiders perspective.

That sort of thing is what makes her so good at what she does, he said. She takes the time to do something like that.

Susan Naylor, the museums largest private benefactor, has noticed that, as well. Her familys connection to the Witte goes back decades, and she has made donations in the memory of some loved ones who have died, including her dad and her two sons. A small statue of her son Will Smith is in the amphitheater that bears his name, and McDermott had noticed that a dragonfly seemed drawn to it. She made it a point to tell Naylor about it.

Not everyone would make the time to share that, but Marise does, Naylor said.

A personal connection also helped spur one of the museums biggest acquisitions: the White Shaman Preserve of the Lower Pecos Canyonlands northwest of Del Rio. The all-volunteer Rock Art Foundation, which has maintained the archaeologically significant site for decades, deeded it to the Witte last year as a way to ensure that it will be cared for in perpetuity. The museum officially took ownership in January.

The museums ties to the Lower Pecos go back to the 1930s representatives of the Witte were among the first to excavate there  so it makes sense that the Witte would be in contention to become its steward. But McDermott herself was the clincher, said Greg Williams, who worked for the foundation alongside his wife for 23 years.

The foundation has only existed for 25 (years), he said. So to even think of taking what weve worked so hard to achieve and letting somebody else to take over the reins takes a person of monumental ability and monumental passion, and I only know one person like that.

(McDermott) is the person that, if I had to be in a heavy fight, Id ask her to go with me. Shes a tough lady. And I have the greatest respect for her.

From daily deadlines to museums

Museums were an important part of McDermotts childhood  I grew up at the American Museum of Natural History, the native New Yorker said  but she began her professional life in newspapers.

She got her start at the San Angelo Standard Times shortly after a visit to her parents in College Station, where both were working at Texas A&M University.

She found herself captivated by Texas. That feeling deepened when she started her new job.

I went out there to San Angelo and was even more in love (with the state), she said. San Angelo is like an oasis. But the people! That rugged individualism. I love that about Texas.

She went from the Standard Times to the Austin American Statesman. When her children were little, she took a break from the grind of daily deadlines to work for the Texas Commission for the Humanities, hoping for a more family-friendly schedule.

She spent five years there and came away with some of the skills she would need years later when she landed at the Witte. That time, she said, in a way, was rehearsal for the Witte.

Her job included editing Texas Humanist, a magazine filled with in-depth stories dealing with arts and culture as well as such hot-button issues as water and guns. She also had to learn how to fundraise, something she had never done before.

I had to raise the money for (the magazine)  otherwise, it didnt exist, she said.

The Texas Humanist gig was a big factor in the job offer from the Witte. McDermott was working at the San Antonio Light when Mark Lane, who was the director of the museum at the time, asked if she would help establish a humanities center there, citing her magazine work as one reason he thought she was a good fit.

She said yes. That job, too, required fundraising: Mark said you can grow the humanities center as big as you want, but you have to raise money.

It was the beginning of a long association with the museum. She headed the humanities center for seven years, leaving when husband Hollis Grizzard, a broadcast journalist, got a job in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. When the family returned, McDermott renewed her ties at the Witte, coming back in 2002 as vice president of strategic planning, then becoming president and CEO two years later. From the start of her second go-round, she was laying the groundwork for the museums transformation.

It was an expensive proposition  the price tag for the first two phases, which include the Susan Naylor Center, the Mays Family Center for Special Events and the Robert J. and Helen C. Kleberg South Texas Heritage Center, grew to just over $100 million. So far, the museum has raised $96.8 million, she said.

Initially, there were plenty of doubts as to whether it would be possible to raise even $20 million, McDermott recalled. One thing that helped was the decision to break it all down into phases. The first big component was the South Texas Heritage Center, a sleek space that opened in 2012. That helped open some wallets, McDermott said, partly because it was proof of what was possible.

We had that to build on, she said. Showing is more powerful than telling. Any time you write, if you just keep talking  yap, yap, yap  but you dont have specific examples in your prose, its not that interesting. So its very similar (to writing).

The fundraising continues. Once the final dollars have been locked down for capital campaign, the board will focus more of its energy on building a $100 million endowment. The goal is to have it in place by the museums centennial in 2026.

Thats what I really want to focus on, is not just having done this (new Witte) but working with the trustees to establish a fiscal insurance, which is what an endowment is, so that its very comfortable for the next 100 years, McDermott said.

Peggy Walker, the museum trustee, expects McDermotts legacy at the Witte also will endure.

I said at the opening gala, In 100 years, (her) spirit will be here, she said. Shes just embedded in the heart and soul of the museum.

dlmartin@express-news.net

Twitter: @DeborahMartinEN
Turkish warplanes bombed Kurdish groups in Syria and Iraq, including fighters who are U.S. allies in the battle against the Islamic State, drawing rebukes from the State Department and Pentagon.

The Turkish military said the attacks early Tuesday centered on Mount Sinjar in Iraq and Mount Karakoc in Syria, areas near Turkey's borders with the two countries, and were intended to disrupt supply lines and prevent Kurdish fighters from infiltrating Turkey. The airstrikes were Turkey's first in Syria since it announced the end of a ground operation against Kurdish militants and Islamic State there in March, without withdrawing its troops.

The strike in Syria hit the area where the headquarters of the YPG, a Kurdish militia, are located, killing and wounding an unspecified number of fighters, according to the group itself and local media reports.

Turkey classifies the YPG as terrorists, while the U.S. sees it as one of the most effective allies against ISIS and has deployed special forces to work alongside the group. The division has fueled tensions between the NATO allies.

The U.S. is "deeply concerned" that Turkey carried out the attacks "without proper coordination either with the United States, or the broader global coalition to defeat ISIS," and those concerns have been conveyed to the government in Ankara, State Department spokesman Mark Toner told reporters in Washington.

Turkey has called on the U.S. to end support for Syrian Kurdish groups including the YPG, saying it's an affiliate of the Kurdistan Workers' Party or PKK, which is considered a terrorist organization not only by Turkey but also the U.S. and the European Union.

The U.S. recognizes the threat that the PKK poses to Turkey, "but Turkey cannot pursue that fight at the expense of our common fight against terrorists that threaten us all," Marine Corps Maj. Adrian Rankine-Galloway, a Defense Defense Department spokesman, said in an emailed statement.

He said that, given the "extraordinarily complex battlespace," coordination among allies is essential to "maintain maximum pressure on ISIS and ensure the safety of all Coalition personnel in theater."
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In 1860, Lt. Col. Robert E. Lee arrived in San Antonio. The West Point-educated Army officer did not expect a long stay out West. Lee rented a room in the city plaza, where he regularly visited a local merchant and socialite named John Twohig.

Lee and Twohig would both play a role in the Civil War that raged over the coming years, although Twohigs role is much less known. San Antonio became a supply depot during the war because of the efforts of Twohig, who aided the Confederate States by funneling goods through Mexico.

The participation in the rebellion of Lee and Twohig, who both had reservations about slavery, highlights the complex nature of how the Civil War gripped San Antonio and the rest of the country.

The federal census of 1860 lists Twohig as a wealthy 45-year-old stock bursar. Twohig was a shrewd, if eccentric, businessman, short and thick set, according to a biography by Bro. Robert D. Wood, S.M. of the Marianist Province in San Antonio.

Born in Ireland, Twohig made his way to New York, and then Texas. As a young man, his colorful life included fighting in the Battle of Bexar in 1835 and tunneling his way out from a Mexican prison in Vera Cruz in 1850.

Driven by a lust for land, Twohig made a fortune speculating properties near Eagle Pass. His goods traveled to Mexico in mule-drawn prairie schooners. By 1841, he amassed enough money to construct a home on a bend on the San Antonio River, at St. Marys and Commerce streets. The home stood two-stories high, with green walls that reminded him of Ireland.

Within this home, Twohig hosted military luminaries such as Ulysses S. Grant, J. B. Hood, Sam Houston and Joseph Johnston.

When Lee arrived in San Antonio in 1860, he was 53 years old and far from the promotion to general he sought. A biography of Lee by Douglas Southall Freeman describes Lees stay in San Antonio as a time of deep depression.

The idea of secession, of the Southern states withdrawing from the Union, distressed Lee. All of Texas agitated for rebellion, save for the Unionist holdout of San Antonio.

San Antonio was a divided city in 1860, according to a 1938 history of the city during the Civil War by Lois Council Ellsworth for the University of Texas.

The largest city in Texas at the time, San Antonios population separated into three roughly equal groups: Anglos, Germans, and Mexicans. The three groups did not mix, although a distaste of slavery and a resentment of the Anglo population, who held most of the property, united the citys German and Mexican citizens, Ellsworth writes.

On Jan. 28, 1861, the majority of San Antonios delegates voted against secession at a state convention in Austin. This branded the city as traitorous by other parts of Texas, which voted overwhelmingly to leave the Union.

On Feb. 16, Texans led by Benjamin McCulloch seized the military storehouses in San Antonio. Lee was not in San Antonio at the time. When Lee arrived and learned what had happened, he said, Has it come so soon as this?

Lee headed east for his home in Virginia and later took command of the armies of the Confederacy.

Before leaving San Antonio on Feb. 19, Lee wrote a letter to Twohig. I stopped at your door this morn to bid you farewell, but felt unwilling to renew the pain I felt last eve, the letter reads. I will say how sad I felt today under the circumstances at leaving San Antonio, especially as I am unable to see a single good that will result from the step taken by the State.

Perhaps Lee felt a kinship with Twohig, who, according to Wood, was suspected of being a Unionist sympathizer. Records show the Irish immigrant purchased and freed several slaves.

San Antonio at the time was not kind to Unionist sympathizers. The city fell under martial law, and roving gangs rounded up or killed suspected enemies, many of them Germans who settled in the hills near Fredericksburg. Confederate soldiers killed dozens of German Unionists in the Battle of the Nueces, and a mob torched the office of the Alamo Express, the last pro-Union newspaper in Texas. Those who opposed rebellion fell silent.

On March 18, the citizens of San Antonio pledged allegiance to the Confederate States of America. Whether or not Twohig refused to do this is uncertain, but he was suspected of being a Unionist and in danger of losing everything, Wood writes in his biography of Twohig.

Twohig agreed to help the Confederacy trade cotton. A Union blockade choked trade coming from Southern ports. The South, starved for supplies, smuggled in goods through Mexico, whose monarch Maximillian was sympathetic to the rebel cause. Southern cotton arrived in San Antonio en route to Mexico and then to England. Coffee and nitrate, used for ammunition, then arrived from Mexico. Rebels stored supplies at the Alamo and ordnance at the Arsenal, where today stands the H-E-B corporate headquarters.

A June 16, 1864, article in the Indianapolis Daily Journal noted a John Twohig who imported lead for the Confederacy at twice the usual price. A report by Twohigs agent shows sales of 1,223 bales of cotton from 1862 to 1863. Whatever his personal beliefs, Twohig collaborated with the rebels and earned the praise of Confederate officials for his work.

The war ended with Lees surrender at Appomattox Courthouse in 1865. Wood notes one of the first things Twohig did when the war was over was get back into the good graces of the U.S. government. His name appears on a 1865 list of Confederate applications for presidential pardon.

He claimed to be a strong southern man, wrote Zenas Bliss, a Union general who visited Twohig after the war, though I never really believed it.

By 1870, Twohig was among the 100 wealthiest men in Texas. He became a philanthropist, known as the Breadline Banker because of the bread loaves hed give to the poor every Saturday night.

San Antonio, due to its very mixed population, ranging from hard Southern Confederates to free thinkers to Union sympathizers, had an odd role in the war, said Bruce Shackelford, curator of the South Texas Heritage Center at the Witte Museum.

I would suspect Twohig of Union sympathies, Shackelford said, but better to survive the war at home intact, than in ruin.

Twohig died in 1891, and his home, which hosted so many future generals, now stands within the grounds of the Witte Museum.

COMING FRIDAY: The cannons at the Alamo.
Ivy Taylor is experiencing a delayed-reaction controversy.

On April 3, the mayor was asked what she viewed as the deepest systemic causes of generational poverty in San Antonio. Taylor attributed it to broken people who are not in relationship with their Creator.

Nearly three weeks later, the video of her answer went viral.

Over the past five days, the broken people comment has been picked up by Huffington Post, the Texas Organizing Project, Daily Kos and Patheos. In a span of 24 hours, Huffington Posts story generated nearly 3,000 Facebook shares and hundreds of scathing comments.

MORE: Read a partial transcript of Taylor's comments

I moderated the April 3 mayoral forum  organized by the Nonprofit Council and Clarity Child Guidance Center  that provided Taylors viral moment. The response in the room that day was very different from the social-media clamor were now encountering.

Taylors statement drew no groans from the crowd (composed of representatives from more than 100 local nonprofits), no critical words from her lone opponent at the forum, Councilman Ron Nirenberg (who cited a lack of civic engagement and the need for better management of growth as causes of poverty) and was well-received by the person who asked the question.

RELATED: Recommendations in city, school races

Nonetheless, at a 90-minute forum characterized by extreme civility and wonky nuance, it was instantly obvious that Taylors broken people answer was the most revealing moment. As soon as the forum ended, I made a point of tracking down the questioner: Megan Legacy, the executive director of the Christian Hope Resource Center. I wanted to know how Legacy felt about the responses she got from Taylor and Nirenberg.

Legacy, whose organization addresses poverty on the West Side, said, I think both of their answers were true. One is broken families and the other is an infrastructure problem.

Taylor is a devout Baptist who sees the world through the prism of her faith. She was given a question by a member of the faith-based community, and, for a moment, she dropped her political guard. Taylor spoke, at least initially, in the language of the pulpit, rather than the language of programmatic solutions. And she did so in an in-artful way.

In doing so, Taylor seemed to suggest that poverty is the product of some kind of moral or spiritual failing, rather than entrenched socio-economic forces (educational inequality, de-facto housing segregation, etc.). To my ears, in the moment, it sounded like she was blaming the victims for their own hardships.

At the same time, the video audience for Taylors statement has produced some questionable critiques of what she said.

Some hear Taylor embracing the message of prosperity gospel, a controversial strain of Christianity which teaches that God rewards the faithful with material wealth. She said no such thing.

There also has been the widespread suggestion that she was attacking atheists. I think this comes from a fundamental misunderstanding of the term broken people. In Christian terms, broken people doesnt refer to atheists, but to believers who have lost contact with their faith, been humbled and are in spiritual distress.

Taylor told me Monday that she believed her message was distorted by a truncated version of her answer, which popped up in a one-minute YouTube clip. That clip cut off immediately after Taylor made her religious point.

The intent was not to blame people for being poor, Taylor said. The question came from someone who works for a Christian-based nonprofit, and she asked about deep systemic causes. So I provided a personal perspective on why I think in many ways these issues are very difficult to deal with.

However, as a community development planner, I certainly have an understanding of the physical context of people living in islands of poverty and being disconnected from opportunity, as a result of history and political decisions and policies.

Taylor made that point at the forum, when she separated church and state with this pivot from her faith-based statement: I think thats the ultimate answer. (But) thats not something that I work on from my position as mayor of the community. From that point on, Taylors discussion of poverty focused on educational inequality and teen pregnancy.

Taylors frustration with the broken people controversy is magnified by the way it has obscured her own history of addressing the needs of low-income residents, particularly her nonprofit work at Merced Housing.

Taylor knew her audience at the nonprofit forum, and that audience accepted her message. It was the delayed-reaction video audience she didnt take into account.

ggarcia@express-news.net

Twitter: @gilgamesh470
By Amy Irish-Brown

Crop development

Tree development continues to move in a nice, even pace with no explosion of growth for the most part. Bloom of all tree fruit species appears to be very healthy this year, most likely due to mild winter conditions. Early developing apple varieties (Ida Red, Gingergold, Zestar) are in the pink to first bloom stage with some warmer sites in king bloom. Late developing apple varieties (Rome, Spy, etc.) are still in the tight cluster stage. Sweet cherry are now blooming with only the latest varieties not quite in full bloom yet. Peaches are in full bloom for the most part.

Cooler weather over the past weekend had a few frost fans running the morning of April 22, but temperatures just dipped to the 32-degree Fahrenheit mark for the low spots. There was nice inversion according to the new 20-meter tower at the Sparta Enviro-weather station. The critical minimum temperatures for tree fruits should be in the 27-28 F area right now for most species and varieties.

Diseases report

Heavy rainfall on April 20 resulted in a light apple scab infection according to most Grand Rapids, Michigan, area weather station data. Ascospore discharge numbers were extremely high with this latest rain event and they are expected to be even higher with the rains predicted for later in the week. Typically, the highest spore releases come between tight cluster and petal fall. Temperatures will be warm coming into the rain on Wednesday and Thursday, April 26 and 27, and cool off toward the weekend. These weather conditions will be ideal for apple scab and spore numbers will be high. Full cover fungicide programs with protectants and systemic action are called for.

The several days of rain predicted for later this week will be ideal for powdery mildew to establish. This is the time to add a mildewcide in the program for the next few weeks to prevent shoot and fruit infections.

Fire blight now becomes a concern with open bloom present. There will be a risk for blossom blight infection from the rain predicted for later this week, and Michigan State University Extension suggests covering open bloom for infection potential. You can track fire blight risk via the MSU Enviro-weather website for the weather station nearest you.

There are two models on Enviroweather for fire blightthe Fire Blight of Apple Blossoms (Sparta) and the Interactive Fire Blight Predictor (Sparta), where you can manipulate the data and try out different weather scenarios. You can also download the MaryBlyt Fire Blight Model and add your own data to be saved on your computer.

Pest report

We are in the pink window when you get a chance to protect from rosy apple aphid, green fruitworm and overwintering obliquebanded leafrollerall of which are present in low to moderate numbers in apple orchards in west Michigan. Minor pests also active at this time are spotted tentiform leafminer and redbanded leafrollers. Spotted tentiform leafminer continue to fly in very low, but increasing numbers, and a few redbanded leafroller adults are present, but of little concern.

Black stem borer made an appearance about a week ago with the warmer weather. Monitor blocks of stressed apple trees for these beetles burrowing into trunks and treat in blocks of concern.

If you had high levels of San Jose scale on fruit at harvest in 2016, please consider tightening up your management program for this pest. There are several chemistries that can be used in the pre-bloom apple period to help reduce the eventual number of crawlers. Every year for the past five or six years, I see more and more scale on fruits in the bins.

By the time I write again next week, we will be in full bloom. Bees will be present in our orchards and their health will need to be considered before all plant protectant applications are used.
The quality varied throughout the offering, with the most consistent and better cattle in processing cows, while beef steers and heifers that were in lesser number, also had some better types.
Ms McAlister, 34, who grew up in Brisbane but fell in love with a shearer and the wool industry when she was 19 and moved to his familys property at Meandarra in Queenslands Western Downs region, said she could understand people assuming her campaign was a counter attack.
One of the worlds biggest gold miners said in a securities filing this week that the SEC wont recommend an FCPA enforcement action against the company.

Colorado-based Newmont Mining Corporation said it received a declination letter from the SEC in late February 2017.

The company didnt publicly disclose the declination until Mondays filing.

A year ago Newmont said it was investigating some business activities in countries outside the United States. The investigation included a review of compliance with the requirements of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and involved the company and its affiliates and contractors.

In March 2016, Newmont entered into a one-year agreement with the SEC to toll statute of limitations relating to the investigation. The company also entered into a similar tolling agreement with the DOJ.

Tolling agreements extend the time when prosecutors and regulators can bring enforcement actions.

The statute of limitations for the FCPA is five years. It can be extended at the request of the DOJ for three more years to give the government time to gather foreign evidence.

The new disclosure Monday didnt mention the DOJ and that agencys investigation. Newmont said it cannot predict the ultimate outcome of these matters.

Newmont has about 28,000 employees and contractors. It operates in the United States and in Australia, New Zealand, Peru, Indonesia, and Ghana.

Newmont Mining Corporation trades on the NYSE under the symbol NEM.

* * *

Newmont Minings full FCPA disclosure in its Form 10-Q filed with the SEC on April 24, 2017 said:

We occasionally identify or are apprised of information or allegations that certain employees, affiliates, agents or associated persons may have engaged in unlawful conduct for which we might be held responsible. We are conducting an investigation, with the assistance of outside counsel, relating to certain business activities of the Company and its affiliates and contractors in countries outside the U.S. The investigation includes a review of compliance with the requirements of the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and other applicable laws and regulations. The Company has been working with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the U.S. Department of Justice with respect to the investigation.

In March 2016, the Company entered into a one-year agreement with the U.S. SEC tolling the statute of limitations relating to the investigation, and in April 2016, entered into a similar agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice. Both of the initial tolling agreements were effective through October 29, 2016. In September 2016, the Company agreed to extend its tolling agreement with the Department of Justice through April 2017, and agreed to a similar extension with the SEC in October 2016.

In late February 2017, the Company received a declination letter from the SEC relating to this investigation indicating that they do not intend to recommend an enforcement action. As of the filing of these financial statements, we cannot predict the ultimate outcome of these matters.

Accordingly, no provision with respect to these matters has been made in our consolidated financial statements.

____

Richard L. Cassin is the publisher and editor of the FCPA Blog.
What will be the final result of the Royal Dutch Shell/ENI imbroglio around a license to explore oil and gas in block OPL 246, offshore Nigeria?

At this point it is difficult to say. In a recent article in the Financial Times, an un-named industry figure termed it an unholy mess.

Jaclyn Jaeger, writing in Compliance Week, quoted a statement from Simon Taylor, director and co-founder of Global Witness, that This is one of the worst corruption scandals the oil industry has ever seen, and this is the biggest development so far.

All of this came out from emails leaked to Global Witness which had been uncovered in a raid by Dutch prosecutors at Shells corporate headquarters, in search for documents in February of this year. Global Witness issued a report entitled Shell Knew based upon the leaked emails and its own research.

The basic facts center on the $1.1 billion payment for the license. Half of that payment went to the former license holder, an entity called Malabu, which was owned by a Nigerian government official, Dan Etete.

Etete had been awarded the rights to the block when he was the Nigerian oil minister.

Both Shell and ENI denied any involvement with Malabu or Etete. But after Global Witness released its report, Shell changed its tune.

Jaeger reported in Compliance Week that Andy Norman, Shells vice president for global media relations, told the New York Times, Over time, it became clear to us that Etete was involved in Malabu and that the only way to resolve the impasse (over disputed ownership claims) through a negotiated settlement was to engage with Etete and Malabu, whether we liked it or not.

ENI continues to deny that it did anything wrong.

Both parties claimed they simply paid the Nigerian government and it was not up to them where the Nigerian government allocated their payment.

Prosecutors in Milan have asked an Italian judge to allow prosecutions of both companies and the current and former CEOs of ENI for corruption.

Dutch prosecutors apparently have an investigation ongoing, based on their February raid for documents.

In the United States, its not clear yet if the Justice Department or Securities and Exchange Commission are investigating Shell under the FCPA or if the FCPA applies to this transaction.

About the only thing that is clear is that it is one fine mess.

________

Tom Fox is a Contributing Editor of the FCPA Blog. He has practiced law in Houston for 30 years. Hes the creator of the award winning FCPA Compliance and Ethics website. He is the Compliance Evangelist. His best-selling seminal book, Best Practices Under the FCPA and Bribery Act: How to Create a First Class Compliance Program (available from Amazon here) is widely viewed as one of the top volumes on the nuts and bolts of compliance.
Emma Watson is "the worst liar ever".

Emma Watson

The 27-year-old actress said that even though she earns her living "telling the truth under imaginary circumstances", she is awful at lying, admitting she feels compelled to tell the truth when she's put under pressure.

During a conversation with fellow Hollywood star Jessica Chastain for Interview magazine, Emma was asked if she considered acting to be a form of lying and she replied: "Ugh, no! Acting is telling the truth under imaginary circumstances. I cannot think of a worse way to describe acting. Also, I'm the worst liar ever.

"I remember trying to get into clubs when I was just about to turn 18. They'd ask my age - and my friends were already in the door, it was not even a big deal - and I was like, 'I can't do it.' It's terrible. They were like, 'You're an actress, what's wrong with you? Get it together, woman!'"

And despite being one of the most sought-after actresses in the movie business, Emma admitted she doesn't have a "strategy" for choosing her roles.

The 'Beauty and the Beast' star shared: "People sometimes talk about me as being a brand, having a strategy and whatever else. I wish. Seriously. I wish I had it together enough to have a strategy. But it's so instinctual.

"It usually comes down to two things: the person I'm working with -

the director is really important to me - and a line in a script. There's usually one line that I read and I'm like, 'Okay. I have to say this line. I have to tell this story.'

"It's an instant click. And if there isn't that line, even if the story is great, I'm always a bit meh. Whenever I've gone against my instincts, it's been a bit of a disaster."
Orlando Bloom is not invited to his ex-wife Miranda Kerr's wedding.

Orlando Bloom

The 40-year-old actor has stayed on good terms with the Australian model - the mother of his six-year-old son Flynn - since they split on 2013 and though he'd happily attend her upcoming nuptials to Snapchat founder Evan Spiegel, he hasn't been asked to go.

Speaking to Radio X DJ Chris Moyles on Wednesday (26.04.17), he said: "I haven't received an invite yet but I would be [going if I did get an invite] - it's all harmonious so I am blessed."

And if his invite doesn't come through, the 'Pirates of the Caribbean' star has a back-up plan to keep updated with the nuptials.

He added: "I'll just look at the Snapchat feed".

He also revealed that over the last few years, he has prioritised the welfare of his son and his ex-wife over his career so he wouldn't end up in a "weird existence" isolated from them.

He explained: "The last few years for me is about being present for my son, so I've done less in the last few years. [Since] I've separated I've wanted to make sure I was holding a space for both of them and not spiral out in to some weird, crazy, LA existence and I wasn't going to be around.

"That's been a big focus for me, so that's the only thing that's affected my decision making in the last little window but now she's settled, she's happy and everything's good I've sort of been refocusing and I've been developing a few things on the side for myself which has been good."

Despite taking on any job towards the start of his career, like any young ambitious actor, Orlando says he doesn't make film "choices over money" - in fact it's his childhood dreams that shaped his career.

He said: "I'm blessed, someone said to me the money always comes but it's just you've got to follow your gut and what's right, and I've been so lucky I've played out most of my boyish dreams like a soldier ('Black Hawk Down'), an elf ('The Hobbit'), a knight ('Kingdom of Heaven', a pirate (Pirates of the Caribbean'), I've done a doctor ('The Good Doctor') or whatever, when I was a kid I was like, 'Why do I want to be an actor?' because if I'm an actor I can be all these characters I love and literally the list is as long as my arm and I've pretty much ticked them all off."

But there's still some projects Orlando wants to tick off his bucket list.

He added: "I've been in some of the biggest movies that people have talked about but...what I really want to do is a really solid surprising character pieces."
Crown Princess Victoria is already preparing her children for their own royal engagements.

Prince Daniel and Crown Princess Victoria

The 39-year-old Swedish royal has two children - five-year-old Princess Estelle and 13-month-old Prince Oscar - with her husband Prince Daniel, and has said she always discusses her royal travels with her children despite their young age, in order to prepare them for when they'll need to fulfil their own royal engagements.

During a visit to Japan, Victoria said: "Estelle knows that I'm here and [am talking about] fishing, and then we talk about Japan, fisheries, nature and ecology and how things fit together. She is five-years-old, but she's not too young. On the contrary, she was very interested and receptive. I think we have an obligation as parents and adults to stimulate curiosity."

And Victoria says her parents, Queen Silvia of Sweden and Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden, did the same thing for her when she was a child, and credits the open discussion with helping her to form a "natural attitude" toward royal duties.

She added to Swedish news outlet Svenskdam: "I think my parents made it very good and educational. They started very often from their travels and their visits in order to speak about Sweden and also in order to speak about the weight to lead forward with Sweden, Swedish valuations, Swedish research and technology. In this way, it becomes, of course, a natural attitude to what the role of such means but also what you are able to assist with."
Heston Blumenthal has divorced his wife Zanna after 28 years of marriage.

Heston Blumenthal

The Michelin star-winning chef and his estranged wife's union was legally ended in just 90 seconds on Wednesday (26.04.17).

District Judge Anne Hudd granted the speedy split with a decree nisi at the Central Family Court six years after they split on the grounds that the marriage had irretrievably broken down.

After he split from his 52-year-old wife in 2011, Heston moved out of their Buckinghamshire home, and for a time dated glamorous American cookery book author Suzanne Pirret.

Heston, 50, has recently been seen with French real-estate broker Stephanie Gouveia.

The former couple - who met as teenagers when Heston was a credit controller and Zanna was a nurse and went on to marry in 1989 - have three children, Jack , 24, Jessie, 21, and Joy, 19, together.

They sold their house to go into business together and turned the 450-year-old Fat Duck in Bray, in Berkshire, into one of the world's leading eateries being awarded three Michelin stars and becoming famous for Heston's unusual food creations.

He also owns Dinner a critically acclaimed restaurant in the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Knightsbridge, in west London.

Zanna previously described Heston as her soulmate and Heston said she was the reason for his success after building up a multi-million pound restaurant business.

In an interview with The Daily Telegraph newspaper before they separated, Zanna said: "It sounds corny but I knew from the outset that I'd found my soul mate. There was a deep connection between us and even though we were just teenagers we knew we had found something special."
After discovering that there is no humane way to eat foie gras- The Laughing Gravy in London has taken it off the menu following an appeal by PETA.

Vegan on Female First

Foie gras is when ducks and geese are force fed multiple times a day by pipes that are put down their throats.

Their livers grow to 10 times their normal size an sometimes become diseased. Undercover investigators have found ill, dead and dying birds- some even had puncture wounds in their necks caused by the feeding pipes. The production of this pate is so cruel that it is banned in the UK and in twelve other countries.

The Laughing Gravy was recently voted best restaurant in Waterloo and Southwark by Time Out readers. The spokesperson confirmed it was PETAs appeal that led to its decision to ban the dish from its tables.

"The Laughing Gravy's decision to stop selling foie gras reflects the wishes of the vast majority of the public, who want to see an end to the sale of this inhumane product in the UK", says PETA Director Elisa Allen. "PETA hopes any eateries in London still profiting from the abuse of geese and ducks will follow this restaurant's compassionate example by going foie grasfree."

High-profile people who support PETA's antifoie gras campaign include Ralph Fiennes, Ricky Gervais, Dame Vera Lynn, Kate Winslet, and Sir Roger Moore, who narrated PETA's video expose of foie gras production.

For more information on the cruelty behind foie gras, please visit PETA.org.uk.

by Lucy Moore for www.femalefirst.co.uk

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If you thought looking attractive was all that you had to do to impress someone on a date, think again. According to a recent study, it is how you smell that makes you sexually attractive, and interestingly, attributes like physical appearance, intellect and wealth take a back seat.



Astonished? Well, we were too! According to a survey of 5,071 cheating adults from 12 countries, conducted by the extra-marital dating site Victoria Milan, 78 percent of women preferred to go home alone rather than sleeping with a man who smelled bad. However, men have other priorities toofive in every 10 male participants said they'll bear any stench once they have a lady in the bedroom.



Not just this, 53 percent of the women surveyed shared that they would prefer their guys to smell natural. The stats were more or less the same for the other sex as well. Sixty three percent of men preferred their lovers to be themselves and let their natural scent do the talking.



Here's one more finding. As many as 50 percent of the female participants admitted ending a relationship just because the odour of her partner did not please her.



Founder and CEO of Victoria Milan, Sigurd Vedal, said: "There's no doubt that the scent of a lover is a strong emotional and sexual triggeryears after an affair has ended, you never forget how delicious they smelled."



He added, "You can't really control how you look, but you can control how you smelland that's a huge win, as we've revealed what the preference is for men and women across the globe."
The 23rd of April is a unique and a very special international celebration. The founder of the Turkish Republic, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, dedicated this day to the children of the country to emphasize that they are the future of the new nation.

National Sovereignty and Childrens Day (Ulusal Egemenlik ve Cocuk Bayram) commemorates the inauguration of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey in Ankara on 23 April 1920.

In 1921, to mark the event, 23 April was proclaimed a national holiday.

In 1979 the day started to be called International Childrens Day and since its first year, Turkey has hosted thousands of children from 150 different countries over 40 years.

Celebrations in Fethiye

To mark National Sovereignty and Childrens Day, the children of Fethiye took part in celebrations, organised by FETAV, held at the town square, Beskaza.

Fethiye Times went along to enjoy the celebrations and capture some of the moments from the day.

Wreath setting and a parade

The celebrations started with a wreath-setting ceremony in front of the Ataturk monument in Beskaza Square.

Fethiye Mayor, Alim Karaca, children and parents, accompanied by the Fethiye Municipality Band, then marched from Ozgecan Park, along the kordon, to Beskaza Meydan (Fethiye Town Square).















On reaching Beskaza, there were activities by children and for children

In photos: A celebration of children

The FETAV Cocuk Korusu (FETAV Childrens Choir) led the National Anthem, Istiklal Mars

The FETAV Cocuk Korusu (FETAV Childrens Choir) led the National Anthem, Istiklal Mars

Fethiye Mayor, Alim Karaca and the Dalaman Governor were among the Protokol who attended the celebration

We hope you enjoyed Childrens Day, whatever were doing

A final word from Mustafa Kemal Ataturk

Little ladies, little gentlemen,

You are all the roses, the stars and the sparkling joy of our future, the ones who will elevate the nation.

Always be aware of your value and significance!

And work hard

We have great expectations from you.
No trip to Fethiye is complete without a visit to a Turkish bath or Hamam, so set aside any prudishness you may have and take the plunge. Savour that feeling of supreme cleanliness that is so different from a Western bath or shower.

The Turkish bath or Hamam, meaning spreader of warmth, dates back to the Ottoman Empire. It was a place for social gathering and the ritual cleansing related to the Muslim faith. Historically, mothers also visited hamams to find possible brides for their sons.

Jean Jacques Francoise Lebarriers A Female Turkish Hammam

In Islamic cultures the significance of the hamam was both religious and civic: it provided for the needs of ritual ablutions but also provided general hygiene and served other social functions in the community such as a gendered meeting place for men and for women.Archeological remains attest to the existence of bathhouses in the Islamic world as early as the Umayyad period (7th8th centuries) and their importance has persisted up to modern times.

His, hers and unisex

Hamams usually have separate sections for men and women as Islam preaches modesty in relations between adult men and women. Some hamams in tourist areas offer unisex sessions so couples or mixed groups can enjoy the experience together.

There are many hamams in hotels and out of town locations, however the traditional ones can be found in the narrow streets of a towns old areas and Fethiye is no exception.

The Old Turkish Bath

Fethiyes Old Turkish Bath is located in the Old Town (Paspatur). It was built, together with the Old Mosque nearby, in the 16th century by Yavuz Sultan Selim.

The Old Turkish Bath in Paspatur The Old Turkish Bath in Paspatur

Get ready

When you arrive youll be given a pestemal, a woven cloth that is used to cover the body in the hamam. They are quite small so you may want to wear a swimsuit too. You will also be given a pair of bathing clogs, naln, to wear.

Pestemal and naln

Once youre changed youll enter the inner sanctum, the hararet, where youll work your way from warm temperatures to hot and steamy.

Steam

Prostrate yourself on the gobek tas, the hot central marble slab, and allow the heat to penetrate your pores.

Photograph courtesy of the Istanbul Insider

Wash and massage

Now youre ready for the tellak (masseur) who will soap you up and rub you down with a kese (horse hair flannel) giving you a very thorough exfoliation. You wont believe the amount of dead skin youll shed!

Photograph courtesy of the Old Turkish Bath, Paspatur

Next you will be kneaded and your limbs manipulated to loosen tight muscles and joints.

Relax

Afterwards, wash yourself down, wrap yourself in towels and rest in the relaxation area with a glass of the always present cay.

Youll emerge feeling clean, glowing, and happy to have taken the plunge and experienced one of Turkeys age-old traditions.

A word of warning

Although a hamam is a great way to prepare your skin for a long lasting suntan, its not advised if you are sunburned. You should always wear high factor sun protection.
The consolidated revenue growth for luxury group Kering for the first quarter of 2017 rose by a massive 31.2 per cent and 28.6 per cent on a comparable basis. Group revenue at Kering which has luxury fashion brands like Gucci and Alexander McQueen in its portfolio, rose in double-digit growth across all activities and all geographic regions excluding Japan.

Group revenue for Q1 aggregated to 3,573.5 million. Revenue generated by luxury activities totalled 2,417.1 million in the first quarter of 2017, up by a sharp 34.0 per cent and 31.6 per cent on a comparable basis. Sales growth in the Groups directly operated store network was particularly high, at 36.6 per cent on a comparable basis, driven by remarkable performances in Western Europe and the Asia Pacific region, which reported retail sales increases on a comparable basis of 49.9 per cent and 46.7 per cent, respectively. Growth in retail sales was also significant in North America and the Rest of the world, up 29.7 per cent and 28.1 per cent, respectively, on a comparable basis. Online sales leapt 60.1 per cent on a comparable basis, underscoring the success of the digital strategies implemented by Kerings Luxury Houses.

In the reporting quarter, the Gucci brand recorded reported sales growth by 51.4 per cent and 48.3 per cent on a comparable basis, with all regions and product categories contributing to the overall rise. Sales in directly operated stores were up 51.4 per cent on a comparable basis, with especially sharp increases in Western Europe (up 66.4 per cent on a comparable basis) and the Asia Pacific region (up 63.1 per cent on a comparable basis). However, Bottega Veneta's revenue was also up 4.7 per cent as reported and 2.3 per cent on a comparable basis, marking an upturn for the brand against a backdrop of more favourable market conditions. Yves Saint Laurent delivered another excellent performance in the first quarter, with revenue up 35.4 per cent as reported and 33.4 per cent on a comparable basis.

"Kering achieved a record performance in the first three months of the year, posting a sharp acceleration in sales growth. Benefitting from somewhat more favorable market conditions, our strong delivery primarily stems from meticulous execution of our strategy and the creative audacity of our Houses. In a climate of persistent geopolitical and macroeconomic uncertainties, our first quarter puts us in a particularly good position for the balance of the year. The Group will continue to focus on organic growth and market share gains, on value creation and ongoing operational and financial discipline," said Francois-Henri Pinault, Kering chairman and chief executive officer.

Revenue generated by Sport & Lifestyle activities advanced 16.5 per cent year on year and 14.0 per cent on a comparable basis, fuelled by an excellent performance from Puma, which reported record quarterly revenue of 1,008.9 million. All geographic regions except Japan registered double-digit sales growth and Footwear was the leading product category, with sales up by a significant 24.8 per cent on a comparable basis.

In the first quarter of 2017, Kering had also launched its new sustainability strategy for 2025, which was divided into three themes: Environment, Social Welfare and Innovation. (RR)

Fibre2Fashion News Desk  India
Priyanka Chopra is back in India and the actress is totally busy with her upcoming projects and revealed at the Baywatch press conference today that she's locked three Bollywood films, but doesn't know about their release dates as she's now eager for her Hollywood debut Baywatch that is all set to hit the theatres worldwide. She opened up by saying,

"I locked three Bollywood movies, but don't know about the releases." She further said that she received several offers in Hollywood right after her television series Quantico, but chose only Baywatch as the role was meaty.



When asked the million dollar question about her experience of working in Bollywood Vs Hollywood, the Baywatch star jokingly quipped that Hollywood should stop being too punctual. She said, "I wish Hollywood was not that punctual (laughs)."

Also, Priyanka Chopra's debut productional venture Marathi film Ventilator bagged the National Award and a proud PeeCee revealed that there is more to come in terms of movies. She said, "Feeling great for receiving a National Award. It was very special to me. Purple Pebbles has six more films to come in different languages like Sikkim, Bengali, Konkani and Hindi." Wow! Way to go Priyanka.

Priyanka also carefully ignored the controversy surrounding Akshay Kumar and the National Award and when asked about her stance on it, she smartly said, "I was not in the country," and brushed it off.
Celebrated Hollywood Actress Emma Watson states that she is very concerned and careful about maintaining distance regarding her personal and professional life, because she often gets overwhelmed with the kind of attention she gets.

Watson also said that she has learned the importance of separating her personal life from that of professional life from the spotlight she received from a very early age while working in Harry Potter films; thanks to the character of Hermione Granger.

"Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and I were kids when we got cast in this fairy-tale series, and what happened to us was kind of a fantasy story in itself," said Emma Watson.

"So the story of my life has been of public interest, which is why I've been so passionate about having a private identity. When I step into a character, people have to be able to suspend their disbelief; they have to be able to divorce me from that girl." Watson added.

"And not having everyone know every single intimate detail of my entire life is part of me trying to protect my ability to do my job well." Said the actress.

Emma Watson also said that she is aware of the fact that she has been "under a different microscope, a certain level of scrutiny" and this is what she finds very tough to deal with.

"And sometimes the fear of doing things is overwhelming. I get incredibly overwhelmed, and sometimes feel hemmed in by that, afraid of that." Watson explained further.
Mohanlal, Mollywood's complete actor recently met the popular Bollywood film-maker Anurag Kashyap. The reports regarding the duo's meeting have been doing rounds since that director shared a picture with Mohanlal, on his official Instagram page.

Anurag Kashyap shared his excitement about meeting one of his most favourite actors, through the amazing caption 'With the legend @actormohanlalofficial. My day is just gotten super'. The picture has been going viral on social media.

With the legend @actormohanlalofficial . My day is just gotten super A post shared by Anurag Kashyap (@anuragkashyap10) on Apr 25, 2017 at 12:09am PDT

However, the fans of Mohanlal and Anurag Kashyap are quite excited about the duo's meeting and have started speculating the chances for an exciting project. As we all know, Anurag is a strong follower of Malayalam movie industry.

If the director decides to team up with Mohanlal for a project, it will surely be a double treat for the audiences. However, both the actor and director have not confirmed the chances for a project, and the sources suggest that it was a casual meeting.

As we all know, Anurag Kashyap is all set to make his Malayalam movie debut with the upcoming Nivin Pauly starring Geetu Mohandas project, Moothon. The writer-director has co-written the dialogues of the movie.

Recently, Anurag Kashyap had met the talented actress Manju Warrier, and it was revealed that the director is planning a movie with the actress in the lead role. Anurag is also expected to venture into Malayalam film production, soon.
K Viswanath, one of the most celebrated directors and prominent personalities of Telugu Cinema was conferred with the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke award, the highest award in Indian cinema at the 64th National awards. The 87-year-old thespian started his career as a sound recordist and then took the plunge into direction in the year 1965.

The veteran director has worked in Telugu, Tamil & Hindi movies and has made over 50 movies. Being a recipient of 9 Filmfare awards, Kasinathuni Viswanath has been felicitated with National award for as many as 5 times and is also a proud recipient of India's fourth highest civilian honour, Padma Shri , which was conferred to him in the year 1992.

With a career spanning over 6 decades, Dr. K Viswanath has worked in numerous movies in the capacity of a film director, screenwriter and actor. If the stalwart has called action-cut to some classic movies for the likes of Telugu's Megastar Chiranjeevi and versatile actor Kamal Haasan, then the former has shared space with India's Superstar Rajinikanth on screen.

Viswanath also became the 7th Telugu personality to receive the prominent award after Bommireddy Narasimha Reddy (1974), Paidi Jairaj (1980), L.V. Prasad (1982), B Nagi Reddy (1986), Akkineni Nageswar Rao (1990) & D Ramanaidu (2009).

Soon after the delightful news broke out, our Thalaiva, as usual took time and wished the legendary eminent personality through his twitter account.

"I salute respected Shri K Viswanathji for being conferred with the much deserved honour ... #DadasahebPhalkeAward."

Post Enthiran, in a public function which saw both Viswanath and Rajinikanth sharing the same dice, the latter mentioned the fact that he was still being eluded of an opportunity to work with the legendary director and that he always craved for one such instance.

Rajini's remark was soon followed by Viswanath's instant response where he was quoted saying "Rajini, it's still not late, we can do" which evoked smile on the faces of both legends.

However, the director has given some masterpieces to Chiranjeevi, Venkatesh and Kamal Haasan in the Telugu language and had been a major contributor for the latter actor's success in the 1990s era.

Rajini's twitter wishes were followed by Annaya-Tammudu's personal visit to the eminent director's residence who were seen wishing the Swati Mutyam director.

Chiranjeevi who has worked with the ace director wasted no time in showing his respect and adulation towards the director whilst his brother, Powerstar Pawan Kalyan who was accompanied by his friend-director, wished the veteran director.
With just a couple of days from hitting the screens, the Bahubali movie team, fans and the trade pundits are eagerly waiting for the D-day.

If the producers and director of the movie are anxious and are yet to commit on any new ventures, our Amarendra Bahubali, Prabhas, was rumoured to be in talks for an English movie with the Asian Superstar Jackie Chan soon after the latter watched and wished our Young Rebel Star last year.

Now it is rumoured that the antagonist of the Bahubali, Rana Daggubati, has been offered a Russian based gangster movie where the handsome hunk could be seen as a drug lord in a certain mafia gang.

Though it is to be seen whether the actor would accept the offered role, one can easily attribute the success and visibility to Bahubali fame, Bhallala Deva.

Rana has indeed put in a lot of effort, undergoing rigorous training for his muscular appeal for both parts of Bahubali, and his present makeover, body language and rugged look would be tailormade for a mafia based character.

If all goes well and hopefully if Rana gives a positive nod to the character, then he could be the second big star from the Southern industry to act in a foreign language based movie following Superstar Rajinikanth.
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 05/03/17 -- NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES

DuSolo Fertilizers Inc. (TSX VENTURE: DSF) ("DuSolo" or "the Company") is pleased to announce a non-brokered private placement to raise C$3.0 million (the "Placement") through the issuance of common shares of the Company ("Shares") at a price of C$0.03 per Share (the "Issue Price"). The Issue Price represents the Company's current market price of C$0.03 per common share.

The Placement will result in the issuance of up to 100,000,000 common shares of the Company.

The Company expects to close the Placement on or around May 17, 2017, subject to TSX VENTURE approval. Shares sold pursuant to the Placement will be subject to a four month resale hold under applicable Canadian securities laws.

Participation in the Placement is open to all shareholders who held the Company's common shares on May 3, 2017 (the "Record Date"). Each purchaser of Shares will be required to complete a subscription agreement which confirms, among other things, the availability of an exemption from the prospectus requirements of applicable securities laws in respect of the sale of Shares to such purchaser. Eligible shareholders wishing to participate in the Placement are invited to contact the Company to obtain a subscription agreement. In the event of over-subscription, the Company will determine allocations between shareholders at its sole discretion. Persons who did not hold common shares of the Company on the Record Date may also participate in the Placement.

Giles Baynham, Chief Executive Officer noted "We are very pleased to announce this financing which demonstrates the clear support of our existing shareholders as we come to the end of what has been a difficult period in re-structuring the business. The Company is looking forward to continuing to develop its fertilizer market share in Brazil and new products to add value for all our stakeholders."

Share Consolidation

The Company intends to consolidate its issued and outstanding common shares on a 10:1 ratio (the "Consolidation"), which will be submitted for approval by the Company's shareholders at the Company's upcoming annual general meeting (the "AGM") scheduled for May 18, 2017 (the "Consolidation Resolution"). If approved by the Company's shareholders, the Consolidation will take effect shortly after the AGM.

The Placement will close prior to the Consolidation taking effect, and the Shares issued in the Placement will be consolidated on the same basis as other common shares of the Company.

There are presently 242,144,579 common shares of the Company issued and outstanding. After giving effect to the proposed consolidation, and assuming that the Placement is fully subscribed, there will be 35,881,123 common shares issued and outstanding after the Consolidation takes effect.

Shareholders holding approximately 57% of the Company's issued and outstanding common shares have confirmed to the Company that they will vote in favour of the Consolidation Resolution at the AGM.

Business Update

The Company continues to process its run-of-mine stockpiles extracted from its Santiago Project and deliver to customers. Deliveries for the first 3 months of 2017 were 5,678 tonnes of a mixture of 12% and 15% Phosphate ("P2O5") Direct Application Natural Fertilizer ("DANF").

The Company continues to develop new products, with testwork aimed at demonstrating improvements in P2O5 solubility, application and agronomic efficiency to increase market share. The feasibility of producing a granulated product is also underway. Exploration and engineering work continues as recently described in the Company's news releases dated November 22, 2016 and March 23, 2017.

The Company has agreed in principle to restructure its remaining property payments to Quantum Fertilizantes do Tocantins Ltda. over a period from May 2017 to December 2019. This will assist the Company's management of its resources and cash flow over the next 32 months. Further details will be provided as soon as definitive documentation is executed.

On behalf of DuSolo Fertilizers Inc.

Giles Baynham, Chief Executive Officer and Director

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange Inc. nor its Regulation Service Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange Inc.) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release.

Contacts:

DuSolo Fertilizers Inc.

ir@dusolo.com

+1 (604) 757 1354




HONG KONG, Apr 26, 2017 - (ACN Newswire) - Colt announced today that participants can now receive TSE's Flex Full market data feed normalised with an FPGA solution[1] as part of its market data portfolio for Capital Markets customers. The normalised market data feed is available for consumption in colocation at the exchange and wrapped in Colt's MarketPrizm API. The fully integrated solution enables customers to benefit from the ultra-low latency and deterministic performance of FPGA technology combined with the flexibility and ease of use of Colt's API.The managed solution enables clients in colocation to consume the feed immediately without requiring any additional investments or footprint, making this a very cost-effective approach. This FPGA market data solution, powered by NovaSparks, provides financial firms with the benefits of a managed solution, faster time to market, and the ultra-low latency offered by FPGA technology.Novasparks' FPGA feed handler normalises data feeds in under one microsecond even during times of high market activity, hence ensuring ultra-low latency and deterministic performance. In addition, the full integration with Colt's MP-API means that firms can easily combine the ultra-low latency FPGA feed with Colt's software normalised solution to benefit from enhanced functionality and full redundancy."Capital Markets firms face significant challenges to remain competitive. A number of our customers have expressed interest in a managed FPGA market data solution, combining ultra-low latency and flexibility to help them succeed - and without upfront investment costs. At Colt, we thrive on putting customers first and setting the benchmark for customer experience. That's why we are pleased to bring to market this cost-effective solution that addresses our customers' requirements and further enhances the Colt Capital Markets portfolio," said Andrew Housden, Vice President, Capital Markets at Colt.Olivier Baetz, Chief Operating Officer at NovaSparks, said, "We are proud to partner with Colt to accelerate their market data infrastructure offering. The tight integration of NovaSparks pure FPGA solutions with Colt's MP-API allows banks and trading firms to leverage the speed of FPGA market data processing in a simple and cost effective manner."A licensed market data vendor since acquiring MarketPrizm, Colt offers market data feeds for major European, Asian and North American markets. It offers more than 50 feeds from exchanges and liquidity venues for equities, derivatives, commodities and FX, delivering data at consistently low latencies even during periods of volatility.Notes to the Editor:[1] The FPGA solution is a hardware-based solution that allows traders to normalise market data feeds at nanosecond speeds, even during times of high market activity.About ColtColt provides high bandwidth and voice services for enterprises and wholesale customers in Europe, Asia and North America's largest business hubs. Colt enables the digital transformation of businesses through its intelligent, purpose-built, cloud-integrated network, known as the Colt IQ Network. It connects over 700 data centres around the globe, with over 24,500 on-net buildings and growing, and provides voice services in 21 countries. Colt is also recognised as an innovator and pioneer in software defined networks (SDN) and network function virtualisation (NFV).Colt has built its reputation on putting its customers first, with a focus on delivering true local presence and agility for enterprises that are global yet need local attention. Customers include data intensive organisations spanning over 200 connected cities in nearly 30 countries. Colt counts 19 of the top 25 global telecoms companies and 18 out of the top 25 global media companies (Forbes 2000 list, 2016) amongst its customers. In addition, Colt works with over 50 exchange venues and 13 European central banks. Privately owned, Colt is one of the most financially sound companies in its industry and able to provide the best customer experience at a competitive price. For more information, please visit www.colt.net.About NovaSparksNovaSparks is the leader in FPGA-based high performance and ultra-low latency market data solutions for the financial industry. NovaSparks unique FPGA centric approach delivers sub microsecond processing latency including book building, even during market peak periods. Available for over 50 feeds among the major Equity, Futures and Options venues across North America, Europe and Asia, the feed handlers are packaged in easy-to-deploy appliances offering an extensive fan-out capability for market data distribution. Founded in 2008 and backed by well-established investors, NovaSparks' offices are located in Paris, France and New York, USA.Media Contacts:Colt Technology Services Co., Ltd.Corporate Communications GroupChen Liang / Miki MiyasakaTel: +81-3-4560-4480 / E-mail: asia-press@colt.netThink Alliance Group for Colt,Henry ChowTel: +852 3978 5323 / E-mail: henry.chow@think-alliance.comMatthew SchultzTel: +852 3978 5321 / E-mail: matt.schultz@think-alliance.comSource: ColtCopyright 2017 ACN Newswire . All rights reserved.
DUBAI, UAE, April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Flytxt, a fast-growing customer data analytics software company, today announced that it has closed a US $11 Million financing with DAH Beteiligungs GmbH a company related to the Hopp family office. The company plans to invest new funds in R&D to continue evolving its software product to further its growth in the telecom industry and expand to other verticals. It will also help company to execute its close to US $100 million order backlog.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140527/10098680 )



Flytxt offers enterprise-class customer data analytics product that can ingest, manage and analyse large volume of moving customer data to derive actionable insights. The product also has built-in applications to leverage these insights for digital customer engagement and digital services. More than 50 telcos and other enterprises have deployed this product in 40+ countries. In certain markets, Flytxt and telco partners also provide brands and agencies with aggregated and anonymised customer insights for executing targeted mobile advertising campaigns. Solutions built using Flytxt's products and services have generated up to 7% measurable economic value for enterprises.

"Flytxt started in 2008 with a vision to provide over 10% measurable economic value to enterprises using customer data analytics technology. Today we have the 3rd generation of our product and more than 100 enterprises, including some of the largest telecom operators in the world, benefit from it. This investment will help us to serve our customers more efficiently as well as invest in R&D, and grow faster through cloud offerings and channel partnerships," said Dr.Vinod Vasudevan, CEO, Flytxt.

About Flytxt

Flytxtprovides customer data analytics software products and services to enterprises, helping them to accelerate their digital transformation journey and generate sustained measurable economic value. Digital customer engagement and digital services solutions powered by Flytxt help to drive superior customer experience, increase revenues, optimise margins and enhance customer loyalty. The company serves over 100customersincluding some of the largest telcos, financial institutions and global brands across 40 countries, analysing data of over 600 million mobile consumers. Flytxt has consistently delivered up to 7% economic impact to its customers with its software products, enabling services, best practices and partner ecosystem. The company has headquarters in The Netherlands, offices in Dubai and India with regional presence in Paris, London, Singapore, Nairobi, and Mexico City.

Contact:

Naeem Shaikh

Corporate Communication

Flytxt

naeem.shaikh@flytxt.com

+91-22-39168950


Ivalua Raises one of France's Largest Ever Growth Equity Capital Rounds from KKR to Accelerate its Expansion in the $24.5 billion Spend Management Software Market

Ivalua, a market-leading Spend Management software company, headquartered in Redwood City, California and Paris, today announced that it has raised a $70M growth equity minority funding from KKR, a leading global investor, to realize its ambition of becoming the global leader in the fast-growing Spend Management Market. KKR will become a new shareholder alongside the Founders and Ardian, which invested in Ivalua in 2011.

Spend management software is increasingly becoming a strategic tool for businesses as it boosts profitability by streamlining procurement processes, putting an end to rogue spending and managing all vendors and contracts through a centralized platform. The $24.5 billion spend management market is developing rapidly and emerging as a highly dynamic segment of the broader software-as-a-service (SaaS) market.

Ivalua's Source-to-Pay (S2P) platform is relied on by over 250 blue chip customers globally, including Honeywell, the City of New York, Veolia, Thales, Orange, Michelin, and Deutsche Telekom. Its market-leading end-to-end spend management platform uniquely combines a comprehensive full-suite offering with significant flexibility, which allows large multinational organizations and public sector players to easily configure the solution to their complex needs. Ivalua's solution was recognized by Gartner as a Leader in its 'Magic Quadrant for Strategic Sourcing Application Suites 2017', as well as a Value Leader and Customer Leader in the latest eProcurement SolutionMap released by SpendMatters.

David Khuat-Duy, CEO and Founder of Ivalua, said: "The Spend management software market is undergoing a huge transformation, coming out from under the shadow of better-known SaaS sectors. Ivalua is a success story in this strategic market. Its strong and differentiated product allows for flexibility and easy vertical integration and has led to the highest client retention rate in the market. We are partnering with KKR to facilitate further investment and innovation in our suite and accelerate our pursuit of becoming the clear leader in the source-to-pay market. For us, KKR is the right partner because of their global network, deep expertise in procurement and technology, and experience in partnering with growth stage companies and entrepreneurs to help them achieve their global ambitions."

Lucian Schoenefelder, Director at KKR, said: "After our successful investments in Fotolia, OVH and Captain Train, Ivalua is our fourth investment into a French technology company over the last few years, which speaks to the strength of the local technology ecosystem. We are incredibly excited about partnering with the founders and Ardian. KKR is very well-positioned to help Ivalua fulfill its global ambitions given our track-record of scaling European technology companies with the help of our global platform and KKR's portfolio of more than 120 companies, many of which could benefit from Ivalua's product."

Stephen Shanley, Principal at KKR, said: "Ivalua was born out of the world-class French software engineering community and has developed into one of the most promising tech companies in the European ecosystem. We were highly impressed by Ivalua's best-in-class product, strong founder-led team, and demonstrated ability to scale with both high growth and profitability. These characteristics make Ivalua a strong investment for our growth equity strategy. We look forward to deploying the full resources of the KKR platform to help accelerate Ivalua's ambitious growth strategy."

Laurent Foata, Head of Ardian Growth (historical investor of the company) added: "After several years alongside Ivalua to support their US strategy, KRR is the natural next step partner for the founders and us. We share the vision and the strong ambition of the management and KKR. This new step demonstrates our ability to turn European players into global leaders on their market."

KKR is making the investment from its Next Generation Technology fund, a $711 million fund dedicated to growth equity investment opportunities in the technology sector.

About Ivalua

Located in the heart of Silicon Valley, Ivaluas leading global Spend Management Cloud solution is recognized for Leadership in both the Gartner Magic Quadrant for Strategic Sourcing and Spend Matters SolutionMap for eProcurement in 2017. Ivalua's Out-of-the-box Deep Functionality and Configurable Cloud is fast to deploy and enables high supplier and employee adoption. Ivalua has been deployed to manage over $500 Billion in spend. Learn more at www.ivalua.com.

About KKR

KKR is a leading global investment firm that manages investments across multiple asset classes including private equity, energy, infrastructure, real estate, credit and hedge funds. KKR aims to generate attractive investment returns by following a patient and disciplined investment approach, employing world-class people, and driving growth and value creation at the asset level. KKR invests its own capital alongside its partners' capital and brings opportunities to others through its capital markets business. References to KKR's investments may include the activities of its sponsored funds. For additional information about KKR & Co. L.P. (NYSE:KKR), please visit KKR's website at www.kkr.com and on Twitter @KKR_Co.

About Ardian

Ardian, founded in 1996 and led by Dominique Senequier, is an independent private investment company with assets of US$60bn managed or advised in Europe, North America and Asia. The company, which is majority-owned by its employees, keeps entrepreneurship at its heart and delivers investment performance to its global investors while fueling growth in economies across the world. Ardian relies on a solid international network, with more than 450 employees working in twelve offices in Paris, London, Frankfurt, Milan, Madrid, Zurich, New York, San Francisco, Beijing, Singapore, Jersey and Luxembourg. The company offers its 580 investors a diversified selection of funds covering the entire asset class, with Ardian Fund of Funds (primary, early secondary and secondary), Ardian Private Debt, Ardian Buyout (including Ardian Mid Cap Buyout Europe North America, Ardian Expansion, Ardian Growth and Ardian Co-Investment), Ardian Infrastructure, Ardian Real Estate and Ardian Mandates.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170425006282/en/

Contacts:

Media:

Corporate Ink

USA

John Costello

Jcostello@corporateink.com

t: 617.969.9192

or

Victor Mallet/ Andrew Hughes

Finsbury

Phone: +44(0)20 7251 3801

Email: kkr@finsbury.com

or

Germany

Regina Frauen

Hering Schuppener

rfrauen@heringschuppener.com
TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 04/26/17 -- Rockcliff Copper Corporation ("Rockcliff" or the "Company") (TSX VENTURE: RCU)(FRANKFURT: RO0)(WKN: A142TR) is pleased to announce the drill hole assay results from its recently completed Phase 2 drill program on the Talbot Property ("Property"), Manitoba. The Property forms part of Rockcliff's Snow Lake Project centered on the Snow Lake Mining Camp, Manitoba, Canada.

The Company reports the discovery of a high grade Volcanogenic Massive Sulphide (VMS) zone, termed the North Lens Deep Zone ("Zone"), intersected in the last two holes (TB-019 and TB-020) of the Phase 2 drill program. Both holes tested an area within a large untested geophysical conductive plate termed the North Lens Deep Conductive Plate ("Plate") and intersected significant VMS mineralization 250 metres (m) apart. The Zone is a new VMS target and is identified within the Plate that has dimensions of approximately 400 m by 1,000 m. Conductivity of the Plate is strengthening at depth below the deepest drill hole (TB-020) intercept for an additional 800 m vertical. Mineralization is open in all directions. Discovery drill hole TB-019, press released on April 6, 2017 intersected:

3.94 m grading 7.5% Copper Equivalent (Cueq), (0.24% Cu, 7.3g/t Au, 0.88% Zn, 112.5g/t Ag) including 2.54 m grading 9.9% Cueq, (0.16% Cu, 10.35g/t Au, 0.23% Zn, 156.02g/t Ag)

Step out drill hole (TB-020) tested an area 250 m below the VMS discovery in drill hole TB-019 and intersected:

6.65 m grading 2.4% Cueq (0.81% Cu, 0.67g/t Au, 1.91% Zn, 17.03g/t Ag) including 1.92 m grading 5.4% Cueq (1.44% Cu, 1.66 g/t Au, 5.16% Zn, 26.5g/t Ag)

Rockcliff President and CEO commented, "This important early stage VMS discovery, initially identified as a high priority geophysical conductive plate, hosts significant concentrations of copper, gold, zinc and silver. The Talbot property also hosts the nearby high grade gold-rich Talbot copper deposit which was historically identified as two separate high priority geophysical conductive plates. Most large VMS mines in the Flin Flon-Snow Lake mining camp are comprised of multiple stacked VMS-rich lenses that were identified initially as geophysical conductive plates and the Talbot property appears to have those same attributes. Further drilling is planned in 2017 to define the Plate's significant economic potential."

Please view the longitudinal image on the following page for additional information.

Drill hole assay results from the Company's completed Phase 2 drill program are tabled below.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hole From To Length Cueq Cu Au g/t Zn Ag Comment # m m m %(i) % % g/t ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- TB-019 772.45 776.39 3.94 7.49 0.24 7.30 0.88 112.50 North Lens ------------------------------------------------------------------- includes 773.48 776.02 2.54 9.94 0.16 10.35 0.23 156.02Deep Zone ------------------------------------------------------------------- TB-020 1030.13 1036.78 6.65 2.40 0.81 0.67 1.91 17.03 ------------------------------------------------------------------- includes 1030.13 1032.05 1.92 5.38 1.44 1.66 5.16 26.50 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- and 1120.26 1137.53 16.91 0.64 0.57 0.07 0.00 5.77 Other ----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Notes(m) = metres represents down the hole thickness as true thickness is not currently known, % = percentage, g/t = grams per tonne, (i)copper equivalent value used US$2.50/pound copper, US1300/ troy ounce gold, US$1.15/pound zinc and US$20 /per ounce silver, 100% metal recoveries were applied, copper equivalent calculation is: CuEq = Cu grade + ((Zn grade%/100 x Zn price) + (Au grade gpt x Au price/gram) + (Ag grade gpt x Ag price/gram))/Cu price x 100. The numbers may not add up due to rounding. TB019 was press released on April 6, 2017.

North Lens Deep Conductive Plate:

A preliminary 3D longitudinal section of the Talbot deposit area highlighting the known nearby conductive plates and location of discovery drill hole TB-019 and step out drill hole TB-020 are shown below.

To view the image associated with this release, please visit the following link: http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/Rockcliff_MAP.pdf

(i)Please review the high grade gold-rich Talbot copper deposit NI 43-101 Resource estimate on the following page for additional information.

Drill hole TB-019 tested the very top edge of the Plate located below the Talbot deposit north lens. Step out drill hole TB-020 tested the Plate approximately 250 m below drill hole TB-019. Both holes intersected gold-rich VMS mineralization termed the North Lens Deep Zone. Additional down-the-hole geophysics confirmed that the conductivity below the VMS mineralization intersected in drill hole TB-020 strengthened below the hole. The Plate measured approximately 400 m by 1000 m.

Drill hole TB-019 was drilled at UTM NAD83 co-ordinates 458634E/5997410N, to a depth of 926 m, along an azimuth of 285 degrees, and a dip of -70 degrees.

Drill hole TB-020 was drilled at UTM NAD83 co-ordinates 458775E/5997350N, to a depth of 1160 m, along an azimuth of 285 degrees, and a dip of -73 degrees.

Talbot Deposit NI 43-101 Resource:

On February 4, 2016, Rockcliff announced on the Property an Inferred Mineral Resource as set out in the National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101") technical report dated January 25, 2016 and titled "Technical Report on the Talbot Property, Manitoba, Canada" (the "Technical Report"), a copy of which is available on the Company's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com, in respect of an initial Mineral Resource Estimate prepared by Roscoe Postle Associates Inc. ("RPA") for the Talbot deposit located on the Talbot Property, central Manitoba.

The Inferred Mineral Resource Statement prepared by RPA for the Talbot deposit is detailed below.

Mineral Resource Statement, Talbot Deposit, Manitoba, RPA, January 26, 2016 Grades Contained Metal --------------------------------------------------- Tonnes Cu Au Zn Ag Cu Au Zn Ag Zone (kt) (%) (g/t) (%) (g/t) (Mlb) (koz) (Mlb) (koz) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Talbot Main 1,441.0 3.4 2.6 2.4 61.0 107.0 118.6 76.4 2,827.8 Talbot FW 443.9 2.2 2.0 2.4 55.6 22.0 28.5 23.2 793.8 North Lens 283.4 0.7 2.0 1.3 20.6 4.6 18.3 7.9 187.6 Total 2,168.3 2.8 2.4 2.2 54.6 133.6 165.4 107.4 3,809.3 Notes: 1. CIM definitions were followed for the estimation of Mineral Resources. 2. Mineral resources are estimated at a cut-off grade of $140 Net Smelter Return (NSR) (equivalent to a copper NSR cut-off of 2.0%) using metal prices, estimated recoveries and offsite payments. 3. Mineral Resources are estimated using a long-term copper price of US$3.50 per pound, gold price of US$1450 per ounce, zinc price of US$1.25 per pound and silver price of US$22 per ounce. 4. An US$/C$exchange rate of 1.18 was used. 5. A minimum mining width of 2 m was used. 6. The average bulk density is 3.2t per cubic meter. 7. Numbers may not add due to rounding. 8. Given the tonnage, grade and orientation of the deposit, RPA considers the Talbot Deposit to be reasonably amenable to extraction using underground mining methods. 9. Mineral Resources are not Mineral Reserves and do not have demonstrated economic viability.

Laboratory QA/QC

Samples of half core are packaged and shipped directly from Rockcliff's field office to TSL Laboratories (TSL), Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. TSL is a Canadian assay laboratory and is accredited under ISO/IEC 17025. Each bagged core sample is dried, crushed to 70% passing 10 mesh and a 250g pulp is pulverized to 95% passing 150 mesh for assaying. A 0.5g cut is taken from each pulp for base metal analysis and leached in a multi acid (total) digestion and then analyzed for copper, lead, zinc and silver by atomic absorption. Gold concentrations are determined by fire assay using a 30g charge followed by fire assay gravimetric and atomic absorption finish. Samples greater than an upper detection limit (3000 ppb) are reanalyzed using a 1 AT charge. Rockcliff inserted certified blanks and standards in the sample stream to ensure lab integrity.

Rockcliff can earn a 51% interest in the Talbot Property from Hudbay Minerals Inc. Please refer to the news release dated October 11, 2016 for specific points of the option agreement.

Ken Lapierre P.Geo., President and CEO of Rockcliff, a Qualified Person in accordance with Canadian regulatory requirements as set out in NI 43-101, has read and approved the scientific and technical information that forms the basis for the disclosure contained in this press release.

About Rockcliff Copper Corporation

Rockcliff is a Canadian resource exploration company focused on the discovery, advancement and consolidation of the highest grade unmined metal deposits in the prolific Flin Flon - Snow Lake (FF-SL) greenstone belt specifically centered on Snow Lake, Manitoba, Canada. The Snow Lake Project, totalling in excess of 45,000 collective hectares is located in and around the Snow Lake mining camp and hosts the highest grade unmined NI 43-101 copper deposits (the gold-rich Talbot copper deposit and the Rail copper deposit), and the highest grade unmined historical zinc deposits (the Lon zinc deposit, the Bur zinc deposit, the Morgan zinc deposit and the down dip continuation of the Pen zinc deposit). The Snow Lake Project also includes a high grade former lode gold producer (Laguna gold property), a Net Smelter Royalty (NSR) on the Tower property (the T-1 copper deposit) and the near surface MacBride zinc deposit located north of Snow Lake near Leaf Rapids, Manitoba. Additionally, Rockcliff owns a zinc-silver rich NI 43-101 Resource (the Shihan deposit) in Ontario and a royalty on two gold properties in Colombia, South America.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements: This news release includes forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that could cause the actual results of the Company to be materially different from the historical results or from any future results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. All statements within, other than statements of historical fact, are to be considered forward looking. Although Rockcliff believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in forward-looking statements.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Contacts:

Rockcliff Copper Corporation

Ken Lapierre, P.Geo

President & CEO

Cell: (647) 678-3879

Off: (416) 644-1752

klapierre@rockcliffcoppercorp.com



CHF Capital Markets

Cathy Hume, CEO

Off: (416) 868-1079

cathy@chfir.com




NEC Seiichiro Toda s-toda@cj.jp.nec.com +81-3-3798-6511

TOKYO, Apr 26, 2017 - (JCN Newswire) - NEC Corporation (TSE: 6701), Infosec Corporation, a specialized security company belonging to the NEC Group, and SEC Consult Unternehmensberatung GmbH (SEC Consult), a security consultancy based in Vienna, Austria, announced today the commencement of a collaboration in the field of cybersecurity.Through this collaboration, SEC Consult will consider the provision of security monitoring services in its Austria, Germany, and Switzerland hubs using security professionals from NEC and Infosec.NEC and Infosec currently provide security services that monitor customers' networks and websites on a 24/7 basis. By capitalizing on the time differences between three bases in Japan, Europe and the Americas, the companies provide 24-hour monitoring, with each base conducting operations just during regular business hours. This promotes the enhancement of security monitoring systems, helps meet the needs of an increasing number of customers, and maintains high quality services.SEC Consult provides an important range of services, including security consulting, incident response, such as investigating the causes of accidents and implementing preventative measures, and the investigation of vulnerability. Moreover, it has an accomplished history and know-how in the provision of services to government agencies and private companies in Europe.NEC, Infosec and SEC Consult aim to build systems that enable the provision of advanced security products and monitoring services by utilizing the strengths of each company, including cyber-attack information and technical know-how, to contribute to the enhancement of cybersecurity."NEC's expertise in cybersecurity will be a vital part of our Resilient Framework," said Clemens Foisner, Managing Director, SEC Consult. "We are delighted to work with NEC and Infosec to provide leading-edge solutions for our customers," said Jurgen H. Kraupa, Managing Director, SEC Consult."NEC is devoting resources to the development of Solutions for Society, with a particular focus on strengthening the security field, including cyber security, as a core element of its global growth strategy. NEC is pleased to have the strong support of SEC Consult's incident response specialists to cover emergencies in the European region," said Hiroyuki Nagano, General Manager, National Security Solutions Division, NEC Corporation. "Going forward, NEC will continue contributing to the realization of a safe, secure and affluent society by providing services and products that help strengthen security."About SEC Consult Unternehmensberatung GmbHSEC Consult is an international leader in cyber security services and information security consultancy. SEC Consult's competence in improving the overall security of enterprise grade IT supports major international banks, government organizations and global software vendors. We provide application security consultancy for demanding organizations and specific, high-end managed security services, which help to protect our clients from advanced cyber threats. For more information, visit SEC Consult at https://www.sec-consult.com/About Infosec CorporationInfosec Corporation, an NEC Group company, has been providing advanced solutions to protect customers against cyber threats since its establishment in 2001. Infosec's information security services extend from the strategy and planning phases of a project to the implementation and operational phases. Moreover, the company provides 24-hour, 365 day a year security monitoring services for immediate detection and counter-measures against the threat of targeted attacks. For more information, visit Infosec at https://www.infosec.co.jp/.About NEC CorporationNEC Corporation is a leader in the integration of IT and network technologies that benefit businesses and people around the world. By providing a combination of products and solutions that cross utilize the company's experience and global resources, NEC's advanced technologies meet the complex and ever-changing needs of its customers. NEC brings more than 100 years of expertise in technological innovation to empower people, businesses and society. For more information, visit NEC at http://www.nec.com.Based on its Mid-term Management Plan 2015, the NEC Group globally provides "Solutions for Society" that promote the safety, security, efficiency and equality of society. Under the company's corporate message of "Orchestrating a brighter world," NEC aims to help solve a wide range of challenging issues and to create new social value for the changing world of tomorrow. For more information, please visit http://www.nec.com/en/global/about/solutionsforsociety/message.html.Source: NEC CorporationContact:Copyright 2017 JCN Newswire . All rights reserved.
CANBERA (dpa-AFX) - The Australian dollar weakened against the other major currencies in the Asian session on Wednesday. The Australian dollar fell to nearly a 4-month low of 1.4571 against the euro, from yesterday's closing value of 1.4501. Against the U.S. and the Canadian dollars, the aussie dropped to a 6-day low of 0.7506 and a 2-day low of 1.0189 from yesterday's closing quotes of 0.7534 and 1.0226, respectively. Against the yen and the NZ dollar, the aussie edged down to 83.49 and 1.0821 from an early 3-week high of 84.02 and nearly a 3-week high of 1.0863, respectively. If the aussie extends its downtrend, it is likely to find support around 1.47 against the euro, 0.73 against the greenback, 1.00 against the loonie, 81.00 against the yen and 1.06 against the kiwi. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
LUXEMBOURG, 19 June 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Millicom will announce its second quarter results for the period ending 30 June 2017, on 19 July 2017 at approximately 10:00 PM (Stockholm) / 9:00 PM (London) / 4:00 PM (New York)

This represents a slight change from our previously communicated plan to report on July 20th.

The company will host a conference call for the global financial community on 20 July 2017 at 2:00 PM (Stockholm) / 1:00 PM (London) / 8:00 AM (New York).

The conference call will be webcast at www.millicom.com

Dial-in information:

Please dial in 5-10 minutes before the scheduled start time to register your attendance. Dial-in numbers for the call are as follows:

Sweden: +46-(0)-8-5065-3942

UK: +44-(0)-330-336-9411

US: +1-719-325-2226

Luxembourg: +352-2787-0187

The access code is: 5088688

Replay information:

A replay of the call will be available for 7 days from 20 July 2017 at:

Sweden: +46-(0)-8-5199-3077

UK: +44-(0)-207-984-7568

US: +1-719-457-0820

Replay passcode is: 5088688

CONTACT:

For further information please visit: www.millicom.comor contact

Investors:

Michel Morin +352-277-59094

Mauricio Pinzon +44-(0)-20-3249-2460

investors@millicom.com

Press:

Vivian Kobeh, +352-277-59084 / press@millicom.com

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

http://news.cision.com/millicom-international-cellular/r/notice-of-second-quarter-2017-results-and-conference-call,c2291636

The following files are available for download:
LUXEMBOURG (dpa-AFX) - Millicom International Cellular S.A. (MICC, MIICF.PK) reported that its first-quarter net profit was $24 million, down 37.8 percent from $38 million a year ago. Earnings per share were $0.24, compared to $0.38 per share last year. However, adjusted net profit was $24 million or $0.24 per share, compared to profit of $23 million or $0.23 per share in the same period last year. EBITDA rose 2.8 percent to $555 million from $539 million in the year-ago period. First-quarter revenue rose 0.4 percent to $1.51 billion from $1.50 billion a year ago. Organic revenue declined 2.2 percent. Looking ahead to fiscal 2017, Millicom International said it remains on target to deliver on its goals for the year. The company continues to project organic service revenue growth in the low single-digit range. The company also continues to expect fiscal 2017 EBITDA organic growth in the mid-to-high single digit range and operating cash flow growth of around 10 percent. On 26 April, 2017, Milicom announced an agreement to sell approximately 1,400 wireless communications towers to a subsidiary of American Tower Corporation or ATC in Paraguay. As a result of this transaction, Tigo Paraguay will receive approximately Gs700 billion, equivalent to $125 million, in cash. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
LONDON (dpa-AFX) - Jupiter Fund Management plc (JUP.L) reported Wednesday, in its first-quarter trading statement, that total assets under management or AUM increased 7.4% to 43.5 billion pounds as of March 31, from 40.54 billion pounds as of December 31, 2016. Total AUM increased across all channels during the quarter as a result of positive investment returns and healthy mutual funds inflows. Overall net inflows were 1.3 billion pounds. Net mutual fund inflows were 1.4 billion pounds during the first quarter, with significant flows into Fixed Income, Absolute Return, Multi Asset and Global Emerging Market strategies. Inflows have been particularly strong in Asia and continental Europe, including positive contributions from recently opened offices in Italy and Spain. Healthy net inflows, investment performance and currency effects led to mutual fund AUM increasing 7.9 percent to 38.0 billion pounds as at March 31. Maarten Slendebroek, Chief Executive, said, 'We are pleased to report a strong start to 2017, driven by our mutual fund franchise which saw net inflows of 1.4bn. The continued strategy to diversify our business by product, client type and geography and delivery of strong investment performance after fees across a broad range of strategies has resulted in good inflows both internationally and within the UK.' Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
LONDON, April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

There are good times ahead for sparkling wine producers all over the world, including Champagne, according to the latest joint just-drinks/IWSR Global Insights report - with non-Champagne fizz set for dramatic growth.

At first glance, that might look surprising. After all, overall sparkling wine consumption (including Champagne) only expanded by 0.3% in 2015, with Champagne bucking the recent trend by outperforming its global competition.

But, the figures were skewed by short-term losses in some of the category's major markets, including its European heartland and, in particular, the CIS markets - which shed more than 2m cases in 2015 alone.

Factor in worsening economic conditions in key African markets - especially Nigeria and Angola, both of whom have been impacted by falling oil prices - and it added up to a difficult year for sparkling wines in general.

But, underlying trends are broadly positive.

If the category had a star in 2015, it was Champagne, which surprisingly out-performed non-Champagne fizz thanks to continued gains in the US, Japan and Australia, as well as a return to growth for the UK, the leading Champagne market by volume. This performance gives a clue to the source of future growth for the Champagne houses, with the category poised for a period of "unprecedented and uninterrupted growth" in the years to 2021, reaching just over 28m cases thanks to a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of +1.7%.

While France will continue to account for more than half of those sales, the country will see its category share erode further as a wide range of markets, including the US, Japan, Australia, Global Travel Retail, Italy, Spain, Canada and Hong Kong all exhibit healthy growth.

As the report notes: "This rising tide will benefit almost all markets, with Champagne's top 18 destinations all set to see their volumes rise [between 2016 and 2021], showing the remarkable geographical diversity and resilience of the category."

Growth for non-Champagne sparkling wine is poised to accelerate even faster in the next five years, according to IWSR predictions, with volumes set to reach 219m cases by 2021, a gain of nearly 30m cases at a CAGR of +2.2%. As with Champagne, only a few of the top 20 sparkling wine markets will decline over that timescale (Ukraine being the most notable), with six leading markets - Russia, the US, Italy, the UK, Argentina and China - set to record "spectacular" growth.

Germany, still by far the world's leading sparkling wine market despite recent challenges, will consolidate its position with solid gains to 2021, with France and Spain, two more leading markets, following suit.

But, Germany's position as the leading consumer of imported sparkling wines could be under threat in the next few years. If the UK continues to grow at rates above 10% - as it has done over the past five years - it will soon overtake Germany.

Much of the growth in the UK - and indeed in the US and many other global markets - is being driven by the Prosecco boom. This, says the report, has become the "go-to option for aperitif seekers", thanks to its perceived status as an everyday mini-luxury.

Get the complete picture on what the future hold for Champagne and sparkling wine. Visit the just-drinks market research store to preview this brand new report and find out more.

About The IWSR

The IWSR is the leading source of data and analysis on the beverage alcohol market. The IWSR's database, essential to the industry, quantifies the global market of wine, spirits, beer and mixed drinks by volume and value, and provides insight into short- and long-term trends. Our data is used by all of the largest multinational companies, as well as many more local companies. The IWSR's unique methodology allows us to get closer to what is actually consumed and better understand how markets work. The IWSR conducts face-to- face interviews with over 1,500 companies in 118 countries each year, with further input from 350 companies. The IWSR tracks overall consumption and trends at brand, quality and category level. The IWSR Magazine, written by the IWSR's specialist international analysts, features industry news, new products, interviews with key industry players and in-depth market analysis based on unique access to the IWSR's data."

About just-drinks.com

just-drinks.com is the online news, insight and research portal for the global drinks industry. Our editorial team includes contributors from around the world, while our commentators comprise experts in their respective fields of beer, bottled water, soft drinks, spirits (both brown and white) and wine. Under the direction of managing editor Olly Wehring, we offer an impartial voice and are driven by our passion for the drinks industry.

For further information and images please contact James Lawley, Public Relations at Aroq Limited on +44-(0)-1527-573-606, email james.lawley@aroq.com
Correction of draft resolution 7 item Draft decisions for the Ordinary General Meeting of Shareholders of Vilkyskiu pienine AB to be held on the 28 April 2017, proposed by the Board of the Company:



Item 1 of the Agenda: Approval of Company's annual report for the year 2016.



Draft resolution: To approve the separated and consolidated annual report of the Company for the year 2016.



Item 2 of the Agenda: Auditor's Report regarding the Company's Financial Statements for 2016.



Draft resolution: Heard.



Item 3 of the Agenda: Approval of Company's annual separated and consolidated financial statement for the year 2016.



Draft resolution: To approve of Company's annual separated and consolidated financial statements for the year 2016.



Item 4 of the Agenda: Profit (loss) appropriation for the year 2016.



Draft resolution: To approve the non-appropriated profit (loss) appropriation under IAS for the year 2016 as follows:



thousan d EUR -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) Non-appropriated profit (loss) at the end of the year 2015 9,681 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2) Approved by shareholders dividends of the year 2015 - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3) Transfers to reserves provided by law 0,454 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4) Portion of the profit allocated to the reserve for the purchase of - own shares -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5) Non-appropriated profit (loss) at the beginning of the current 9,681 financial year after dividends payout and transfer to reserves -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6) Net profit (loss) of the reporting period 6,991 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7) Transfers from reserves 150 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8) Total profit (loss) to be appropriated: 16,822 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- - portion of the profit allocated to the legal reserve - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- - portion of the profit allocated to the reserve for the purchase of - own shares -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- - portion of the profit allocated for payment of the dividends 1,433* -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- - portion of the profit allocated to the other reserves - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9) Non-appropriated profit (loss) at the end of the current financial 15,389 year carried forward to next financial year --------------------------------------------------------------------------------



-- it will be allocated 0.12 eur per ordinary registered share. In total to the dividends payout Eur 1,433,160 eur.



Item 5 of the Agenda: A decision on the purchase of own shares.



Draft resolution: A decision with regard to the purchase of own shares has been approved:



a) To purchase up to 10 percent of the Company's shares.



b) The purpose of acquisition of own shares - to maintain and increase the price of the Company's shares.



c) Period during which the Company may acquire own shares - until 27 April 2018.



d) To set the maximum price per share of own shares to be acquired - at 2.10 EUR, at the same time setting the minimum acquisition price per share equal to the nominal value of a share, i.e. 0.29 EUR.



e) To commit the Board to organize the purchase of own shares, to determine the procedure for purchase and sale of shares, time, number of shares and price, as well as to perform other actions relating thereto in compliance with the terms set in this resolution as well as in accordance with the requirements established in the Republic of Lithuania Law of Companies.



Item 6 of the Agenda: Election of the independent member of Audit Committee.



Draft resolution: To elect the independent member of Audit Committee Vilma Morkaitiene, the accountant of the Company "Bonus modus", UAB



Item 7 of the Agenda:



Draft resolution:



1) To elect "PricewaterhouseCoopers", UAB as the Company's Audit firm for the year 2017, 2018 and 2019.



2) To authorize Mr. Gintaras Bertasius, the Company's General Director, to contract with "PricewaterhouseCoopers",UAB and to set the conditions of payment for the services.



Additional information authorized to provide Economics and Finance director Vilija Milaseviciute, phone +370 441 55102

Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de
LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM--(Marketwired - April 26, 2017) - PayByPhone, the app that lets you pay for parking using your smartphone launches Apple Pay, solidifying its place as the global leader in secure mobile parking payments. The company offers Apple Pay to its North American market and will be adding the feature to the UK market later this year. The timing of this feature is welcomed by the industry after a UK competitor to PayByPhone, RingGo, made headlines when its new app caused a UK wide data breach.

PayByPhone's consumer centric service continues to put the user's private information first, and the addition of a biometric payment option not only adds an extra layer of security but makes the app even easier to use. If you have Apple Pay installed on your phone, it will automatically be available to use when it comes time to pay for your parking. For Android users, PayByPhone has also introduced Android Pay in North America.

"The usability of our app is second only to the security of our user's personal information," explains Kush Parikh, President and CEO of PayByPhone. "The addition of Apple Pay offers another secure channel pay and puts us further ahead of our competition in the secure payments space."

Parkers can easily add Apple Pay as a payment method by going into the 'Wallet' settings in their iPhone and adding a credit or debit card. Once the account has been created, Apple Pay can be used in conjunction with PayByPhone, eliminating the need to carry coins or cards.

The PayByPhone app features a countdown timer and smart reminders that trigger before a parking session expires, reducing the risk of receiving a parking ticket. It also gives you the ability to extend your parking session from anywhere.

The PayByPhone app can be downloaded from the iOS App Store or the Google Play Store. Registration only takes a few moments and can also be completed at www.paybyphone.com.

ABOUT PAYBYPHONE

PayByPhone is one of the fastest growing mobile payments companies in the world, processing more than $325 million in payments annually. Through the company's mobile web, smartphone and smartwatch applications, PayByPhone helps millions of consumers easily and securely pay for parking without the hassles of waiting in line, having to carry change or risking costly fines. Registration is quick and easy and the app reminds the user when their parking is about to expire, allowing them to top up from anywhere, at any time.

Many of the largest and most complex parking operations in the world use PayByPhone, including San Francisco, Miami, Seattle, Vancouver, London and Paris. PayByPhone is wholly-owned by Volkswagen Financial Services, part of the largest auto manufacturer in the world, with brands that include VW, Audi, Porsche, Bentley, Lamborghini and Ducati.

CONTACT

Thomas Nguyen

604-764-6949

+1 866 787 7787

tnguyen@paybyphone.com

www.paybyphone.com
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, 2017-08-23 23:44 CEST (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- PayByPhone, the global leader in mobile parking payments, today announced that it has appointed Francis Dupuis as President and Chief Executive Officer effective August 23rd, 2017. Kush Parikh, former President and CEO, has stepped down from the role after his successful 3.5-year term with the business. During his time at PayByPhone, Kush led the business to profitability, established a strong focus on end customers and was pivotal in its ground-breaking sale to Volkswagen Financial Services.



"With more than 20 years of experience in the software industry and a deep product background, Francis is exactly the kind of leader we need to further grow and innovate in the parking market on an international scale," said Stefan Imme, Head of M&A and Investment Management at Volkswagen Financial Services AG.



Francis, a long-standing member of the executive team at PayByPhone, takes the reins at a pivotal time for the company. The recent acquisition of PayByPhone by Volkswagen Financial Service AG gives the PayByPhone team unprecedented access to the automotive industry at a time when smart parking and smart city initiatives are booming.



"I'm very excited about the opportunity we have to build on our history of innovation and continue to drive the transformation of the parking industry," Francis Dupuis said. "We're extremely well poised to grow the business to its true potential."



ABOUT PAYBYPHONE



PayByPhone is one of the fastest growing mobile payments companies in the world, processing more than $325 million in payments annually. Through the company's mobile web, smartphone and smartwatch applications, PayByPhone helps millions of consumers easily and securely pay for parking without the hassles of waiting in line, having to carry change or risking costly fines.



Thomas Nguyen, Marketing Manager tnguyen@paybyphone.com

Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de
Regulatory News:

Eutelsat Communications (Paris:ETL) (NYSE Euronext Paris: ETL) today announced that Mike Antonovich is joining Eutelsat Americas as Chief Executive Officer.

Mike Antonovich, a longtime satellite and telecommunications industry executive, began his career at ESPN as a broadcast engineer. He held a number of sales and marketing functions during a lengthy career at PanAmSat, including leading PanAmSat's global sales team. He has more recently been CEO of Genesis Networks, Senior Vice President for the Americas for ATEME and Senior Vice President Global Sales for Global Media Links in Japan. He will leverage his broad experience across media, broadcast and telecoms markets to steer Eutelsat Americas' activities within the Americas and serve Americas-based clients using Eutelsat's global satellite fleet.

"With Eutelsat's expanded satellite capability coming online across the Americas, this is a great time to welcome Mike Antonovich to the Eutelsat team," said Rodolphe Belmer, CEO of Eutelsat. "Well regarded for driving many media and broadcast service initiatives, Mike also brings a wealth of experience in video encoding and video transport solutions through fibre that will benefit our service offer. His proven leadership and entrepreneurial skills will help drive the growth of Eutelsat Americas across all markets."

Patricio Northland, previously CEO of Eutelsat Americas, is leaving the Group to pursue other interests.

About Eutelsat Communications

Established in 1977, Eutelsat Communications (Euronext Paris: ETL, ISIN code: FR0010221234) is one of the world's leading and most experienced operators of communications satellites. The company provides capacity on 39 satellites to clients that include broadcasters and broadcasting associations, pay-TV operators, video, data and Internet service providers, enterprises and government agencies. Eutelsat's satellites provide ubiquitous coverage of Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia-Pacific and the Americas, enabling video, data, broadband and government communications to be established irrespective of a user's location. Headquartered in Paris, with offices and teleports around the globe, Eutelsat represents a workforce of 1,000 men and women from 37 countries who are experts in their fields and work with clients to deliver the highest quality of service.

For more about Eutelsat please visit www.eutelsat.com

www.eutelsat.fr - Follow us on Twitter @Eutelsat_SA and Facebook Eutelsat.SA

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170426005552/en/

Contacts:

Eutelsat Communications

Press

Vanessa O'Connor, + 33 1 53 98 37 91

voconnor@eutelsat.com

or

Marie-Sophie Ecuer, 33 1 53 98 37 91

mecuer@eutelsat.com

or

Investors and analysts

Joanna Darlington, +33 1 53 98 35 30

jdarlington@eutelsat.com

or

Cedric Pugni, +33 1 53 98 35 30

cpugni@eutelsat.com
LEEDS, UNITED KINGDOM -- (Marketwired) -- 04/26/17 -- GreenRoad, the industry leader in driver safety and behavior technology for enterprise fleets, today announced that National Grid's UK Capital Delivery division is signing on as a client to implement voluntary driver safety measures for their employees.

National Grid is an international company that owns and manages the grids that connect people to the energy they need. The company runs the gas and electricity systems that Britain is built on, delivering gas and electricity across the country. The group behind the initiative is the Capital Delivery division, responsible for the construction of major gas and electricity projects within the UK. Offering employees the opportunity to use GreenRoad is part of the division's larger risk reduction program to improve safety among its employees.

GreenRoad's in-vehicle, mobile based application, GreenRoad Mobile, gives employees objective, real-time feedback as they drive by monitoring a wide range of driving maneuvers to determine risky driving behavior. National Grid's Capital Delivery team is incentivising employees to use GreenRoad's platform on a volunteer basis.

In addition, the initiative's administration team can access GreenRoad Central, an online reporting and analytics platform allowing them to reward drivers demonstrating consistently good driving behaviors, or significant improvements over time.

This piloting of GreenRoad's solution within Capital Delivery is part of National Grid UK's efforts to promote a culture of safety and address one of the biggest risks of their employees' workday: driving while on the job. According to the UK Department of Transport, nearly a quarter of the miles driven on Britain's roads are for work purposes, and roughly one-third of those drivers will be involved in a crash each year, costing employers anywhere from 16,000 to 500,000 pounds depending on the severity of the crash. Additionally, car accidents are the number one cause of work-related accidental death, with nearly 1,000 people killed annually.

GreenRoad's award-winning solution has been proven to dramatically reduce driver errors and overall risk for organizations all over the world, while also reducing fuel consumption, insurance and other costs and enhancing overall logistics, compliance and efficiency.

"By implementing GreenRoad's innovative solutions, National Grid is demonstrating their commitment to making safe driving an integral part of their company culture, and we are thrilled to be a part of this initiative," GreenRoad Regional Sales Leader John Gorbutt said. "GreenRoad is committed to providing the technology, communication tools and support to drive adoption within the company, and ensure this program is a resounding success, in terms of both efficiency and risk reduction."

"We reviewed a number of different methods for improving our approach to safe driving, and the key to the success of our GreenRoad initiative has been the positive rewards based culture that it facilitates," National Grid Project Manager for the GreenRoad initiative, Paul Kiddle said. "Many meetings now start or end with people comparing their GreenRoad scores, as our volunteers for the app have really embraced it."

About GreenRoad

GreenRoad, the global leader in driver behavior technology, improves driving safety and reduces operational costs by creating predictable and standardized driving across the organization. GreenRoad's safety platform combines driving behavior and vehicle data with location-based insights to give companies a clear picture of their workforce's driving performance while providing drivers with real-time feedback for sustainable improvement. The company focuses on serving commercial and enterprise fleets, shared mobility providers and vehicle manufacturers. For more information about GreenRoad's fleet management solutions, please visit www.greenroad.com.

About National Grid

National Grid is one of the largest investor-owned energy companies in the world and was named Responsible Business of the Year 2014 by Business in the Community. We own and manage the grids that connect people to the energy they need, from whatever the source. In Britain and the north-eastern states of the US we run systems that deliver gas and electricity to millions of people, businesses and communities.

National Grid in the UK:

We own the high-voltage electricity transmission network in England and Wales, operating it across Great Britain

We own and operate the high pressure gas transmission system in Britain

We also own a number of related businesses including LNG importation, land remediation and metering

National Grid manages the National Gas Emergency Service free phone line on behalf of the industry - 0800 111 999 (all calls are recorded and may be monitored).

Our portfolio of other businesses is mainly concerned with infrastructure provision and related services where we can exploit our core skills and assets to create value. These businesses operate in areas such as Metering, Grain LNG Import, Interconnectors and Property.

National Grid in the US:

National Grid delivers electricity to approximately 3.5 million customers in New England and upstate New York

We own 3.8 gigawatts of contracted electricity generation, providing power to over one million LIPA customers

We are the largest distributor of natural gas in northeastern U.S., serving approximately 3.6 million customers in New York, Massachusetts and Rhode Island.

Find out more about the energy challenge and how National Grid is helping find solutions to some of the challenges we face at www.nationalgridconnecting.com

Press Contact:

Blast PR on Behalf of GreenRoad

KristinAnn Janishefski

310.560.6258

Email Contact




SYDNEY, April 26,2017 /PRNewswire/-- NetComm Wireless Limited (ASX: NTC), nbn and Ericsson have completed a series of live LTE Fixed Wireless trials that displayed the potential upgrade path to 1 gigabit per second (1 Gbps) broadband speeds for regional Australian homes and businesses on the nbn'Fixed Wireless network.

Logo - http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/493872/NetComm_Wireless_Logo.jpg

The joint trials are the first to demonstrate a range of superfast 1 Gbps broadband speed tiers that were successfully delivered on a Fixed Wireless network. The trial reached a maximum speed of 1 Gbps downstream; and in separate device trials achieved 400/55 Mbps, 250/50 Mbps and 100/40 Mbps speeds. These results displayed the next potential steps for nbn' Fixed Wireless which will be delivered to the regional market as a fully managed nbn 100 Fixed Wireless commercial product in 2018 using Ericsson network technology and the latest generation of Wireless Network Termination Devices (WNTDs) engineered by NetComm Wireless.

The nbn' Fixed Wireless network differs from a mobile network in that it establishes a direct connection between the WNTD at the premises and Ericsson infrastructure to enhance capacity and provide a consistent level of broadband speed and performance, even in peak data demand periods.

The nbn' Fixed Wireless network has the capacity to support the future digital demands of regional Australia using Ericsson infrastructure, NetComm Wireless' WNTDs and Qualcomm's Snapdragon X16 LTE modems to optimise transmission bandwidth and the quality of experience for end users as demand for higher speed services continues to grow.

"The nbn' Fixed Wireless network developed from a starting position of 12Mbps download all the way to 50Mbps today. Potential speeds of 1Gbps for our rural and regional customers is beyond what would have been imagined five years ago. It is something that truly breaks down the digital divide between Australia's spread out regional areas and city areas, and it is pleasing to see what the hard work has yielded for Fixed Wireless," said Roy Brown, Head of Wireless, nbn.

"nbn has demonstrated record broadband speeds using Fixed Wireless devices engineered by NetComm Wireless, and will launch its 100Mbps Fixed Wireless product as early as next year. This is a fantastic outcome for regional Australia and we are pleased to continue the advancement of nbn's world-leading Fixed Wireless network in partnership with Ericsson," said Ken Sheridan, CEO, NetComm Wireless.

"Today we demonstrated Gigabit LTE broadband using nbn's TDD spectrum to deliver increased data rates to Fixed Wireless subscribers. Rural and regional premises will benefit from the known performance that comes from edge network devices specially engineered to extend the network's trusted zone and deliver a dependable RF link path between the base station and our device - so nothing is left to chance," said Steve Collins, Chief Technology Officer, NetComm Wireless.

nbn' Fixed Wireless delivers specific capacity to premises in precise coverage areas, and certainty in broadband performance is achieved with Ericsson network technology and NetComm Wireless' WNTDs to ensure guaranteed throughput, committed bandwidth, network-grade diagnostics, quality of service and durability in harsh environmental conditions.

Specifically engineered to maximize cell performance and increase spectral efficiency, NetComm Wireless' WNTD integrates a high gain directional panel antenna using advanced MIMO technology. The devices feature advanced carrier aggregation capabilities for increased overall transmission bandwidth and network capacity. The NetComm Wireless Indoor Unit is designed to power the WNTD over Ethernet and deliver a high-speed broadband connection to the premises.

View the video:

https://youtu.be/mMy-PAJ9OGs

About NetComm Wireless

NetComm Wireless Limited (ASX: NTC) is a leading developer of Fixed Wireless broadband, wireless M2M/Industrial IoT and Fibre and Cable to the distribution point (FTTdp / CTTdp) technologies that underpin an increasingly connected world. Our Listen. Innovate. Solve. methodology supports the unique requirements of leading telecommunications carriers, core network providers, system integrators, government and enterprise customers worldwide. For over 35 years, NetComm Wireless has engineered new generations of world first data communication products and is now a globally recognised communications technology innovator. Headquartered in Sydney (Australia), NetComm Wireless has offices in the US, Europe/UK, New Zealand and Japan. Visit: www.netcommwireless.com.

Note to editors:
LONDON, April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

ADYOULIKE ranked 88th in Financial Times' 1,000 companies listing as one of Europe's fastest-growing companies, and overall ranked 7th in its advertising category

fastest-growing companies, and overall ranked 7th in its advertising category The FT1000 lists the 1,000 companies in Europe that have achieved the highest percentage growth in revenues between 2012 and 2015

that have achieved the highest percentage growth in revenues between 2012 and 2015 This is the third time ADYOULIKE has been recognised as one of Europe's fastest-growing companies having also been ranked in the recently announced Inc. 5,000 and Deloitte Technology Fast Track 500 listings

ADYOULIKE, the leading in-feed native ad platform, has been ranked 88th on The Financial Times' FT1000 list, Europe's Fastest Growing Companies 2017, which was released earlier this month. It was also amongst the top 10 in the 'advertising category' which further demonstrates the company's fast growth in the native advertising sector and across Europe.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160901/403517LOGO )



Conducted by The Financial Times in conjunction with Statista, the aim of the FT1000 list is to recognise outstanding fast-growing companies that are demonstrating innovation and contributing to driving Europe's economy forward.

From more than 50,000 assessed companies, 1,000 were selected who showed the strongest growth between 2012 and 2015. The list features companies from 24 European countries, with the UK and Germany accounting for 47% of businesses featured.

Julien Verdier, CEO of ADYOULIKE, said: "We are delighted to have made the FT1000 rankings and to be amongst Europe's fast-growing companies. We have also been ranked 378 on the recently announced Inc. 5000 listing and 48 on the Deloitte Technology Fast Track 500, and now being recognised by FT1000, this further demonstrates our continued commitment to the industry and how the company has shown strong growth across the region."

About ADYOULIKE:

ADYOULIKE is a global leading in-feed native ad platform. Launched in 2011, it is recognised for being a pioneer in native technology and creating advertising experiences for users that mirror the websites they are visiting. Using its own native supply-side platform(SSP) and native technology platform, the company enables brands to scale native advertising campaigns across premium and niche publishers, while publishers benefit from access to ADYOULIKE's marketplace.

In November 2016, ADYOULIKE launched the world's first semantic targeting capability for native advertising by integrating IBM's ground-breaking Watson artificial intelligence software with the ADYOULIKE platform. It is now, for the very first time, being used to create better semantic targeting for native advertising.

The fast-growing firm is now operating in more than 18 countries, has 65 employees and received series B funding in October of this year to underwrite its continued international growth. Accolades for ADYOULIKE include: BPI France Excellence, Pass French Tech, The Everline Future 50 and The BIMA Hot 100. ADYOULIKE is a member of the IAB in the UK, US and Europe.
20+ IT projects implemented over 24 month timeframe

Investment in cloud computing to boost resilience, reliability and scalability

Applegreen plc (ESM-APGN), Ireland's publicly quoted petrol forecourt retailer, which has 75 sites across the UK, is implementing a major IT transformation programme with cloud computing specialist Auxilion. The cloud based investment of 435,000 has facilitated the move from legacy IT systems across over 200+ global sites and will support the company's expansion internationally.

Applegreen, which reported revenues of 1.17 billion in 2016, has grown from 64 sites at the end of 2009, to 243 forecourt sites across the UK, Ireland and the USA by the end of 2016.

"Exceptional growth rates had placed strains on our existing on-premise technology. The need to rapidly incorporate new sites and scale seamlessly with maximum reliability led to a major review of our IT infrastructure in 2015," commented Vincent Nolan, Group Head of Information Technology at Applegreen plc who previously managed IT transformation programmes for Dunnes Stores, Musgrave and Smyths Toys.

"It is business critical to ensure resilience, stability and scalability when your operations run on a 24/7 basis. Implementing such a major transformation programme without downtime is like trying to change the tyres on a Ferrari without a pit stop."

Working with cloud specialist Auxilion, which operates support centres in Sheffield and Dublin, Applegreen decided to implement a Microsoft Azure cloud computing solution which fits the three major requirements resilience, stability and scalability.

"In addition to meeting the key project requirements, the Azure cloud solution is an Opex rather than Capex model, so it also frees up valuable capital to help Applegreen fund future expansion," commented Paul Schmitz, chief sales officer, Auxilion. "New sites can be now be added quickly and seamlessly and updates managed centrally with the elimination of costly downtime and upfront investment."

As a cloud computing approach is dependent on a reliable internet and telecommunications network, the first phase of the programme was to consolidate the previous eight telecom providers to one which was implemented by Three.

Auxilion has worked in partnership with Applegreen to manage the implementation of IT projects on the Microsoft Azure platform. These include the replacement of in house, end of life Exchange mail servers with cloud based Microsoft Office 365; extending the life of a legacy ERP system by moving from 32 to 64-bit processing; implementing a fully managed firewall service; introduction of a new store management suite incorporating EPOS; hosting of a new payroll system and 24/7 server management and monitoring.

VIDEO Vincent Nolan interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yAuV65i-oY4

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170426005036/en/

Contacts:

Simpson Consulting

Ronnie Simpson

E: ronnie@simpsonconsulting.ie

T: +353 (0) 86 855 9410
For Immediate Release 26 April 2017

NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES (EXCEPT TO QIBs THAT ARE ALSO QPs, AS DEFINED BELOW), CANADA, AUSTRALIA OR JAPAN OR ANY OTHER JURISDICTION WHERE IT WOULD BE UNLAWFUL.

PhosAgro Placing USD500m 4.5-yr Eurobond at 3.95%

Moscow - PhosAgro ("PhosAgro" or "the Company") (Moscow Exchange, LSE: PHOR), one of the world's leading vertically integrated phosphate-based fertilizer producers, is successfully placing a USD 500 million 4.5-year Eurobond issue with a coupon of 3.95%.

Yesterday the Company priced the issue. Settlement is expected to take place on 3 May 2017.

PhosAgro CEO Andrey Guryev said: "PhosAgro has once again confirmed its status as a first-class borrower, achieving one of the lowest ever placement pricings among Russian companies.

"Since our debut Eurobond issue in 2013, which we placed on unprecedentedly good conditions with a 4.204% coupon rate, our highly professional management team and well-thought-out development strategy have enabled us to significantly increase the Company's operational efficiency and expand its production capacities, making PhosAgro one of the most efficient producers of phosphate-based fertilizers in the world.

"We have significantly increased shareholder returns, and have been recognised by the investment community: in May 2016, PhosAgro became the first Russian company in two years to have its GDRs added to the MSCI Russia index. Since our debut issue, despite the challenging market situation, we have maintained an investment-grade credit rating from Standard & Poor's. Moreover, PhosAgro's credit spread has declined by more than 100 bps since then, while the sovereign spread has remained virtually unchanged.

"Upon completion of this deal, we will use the proceeds to refinance our existing debt portfolio on better terms while maintaining net debt/EBITDA at a comfortable level, and for general corporate purposes.

"I would like to thank the investors from around the world who participated in this placement, who appreciate the qualitative improvements we have worked hard to deliver, and who believe in our Company's prospects."

Oversubscription reached 4x (demand exceeded USD 2 billion), with participation from a broad range of institutional investors, banks, asset management companies and funds from Russia, Europe, the United States and Asia.

The credit ratings assigned to PhosAgro's planned Eurobond issue are BBB- from Standard & Poor's, Ba1 from Moody's, and a preliminary rating of BB+(EXP) from Fitch Ratings, which are in line with the Company's corporate credit ratings.

Citi, Sberbank CIB and VTB Capital acted as Joint Global Coordinators and Bookrunners, and BofAML, SG CIB, UBS Investment Bank and UniCredit acted as Joint Bookrunners on this transaction.



The information contained herein is not for publication or distribution, directly or indirectly, in or into the United States of America (except to QIBs that are also QPs, as defined below), Canada, Australia or Japan or any other jurisdiction where it would be unlawful. The materials do not constitute an offer of securities for sale in the United States of America, nor may the securities be offered or sold in the United States of America absent registration or an exemption from registration as provided in the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder. There is no intention to register any portion of the offering in the United States of America or to conduct a public offering of securities in the United States of America and the securities will only be offered for sale in the United States of America to "qualified institutional buyers" ("QIBs") as defined in Rule 144A under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, that are also qualified purchasers ("QPs"), as defined in Section 2(a)(51) of the US Investment Company Act of 1940 , in reliance on the exemption from registration under Rule 144A and will only be offered for sale outside the United States of America to persons other than U.S. persons under Regulation S under the U.S. Securities Act 1933, as amended.

The information contained herein shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of the securities referred to herein in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration, exemption from registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. The offering and the distribution of this communication and other information referred to herein may be restricted by law and persons into whose possession this communication or such other information comes should inform themselves about and observe any such restriction. Any failure to comply with these restrictions may constitute a violation of the securities laws of any such jurisdiction.

This press-release is directed only at persons who (i) are outside the United Kingdom or (ii) have professional experience in matters relating to investments falling within Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 (the "Order") or (iii) are persons falling within Article 49(2)(a) to (d) ("high net worth companies, unincorporated associations etc") of the Order or (iv) to whom this press-release may otherwise be directed without contravention of Section 21 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (all such persons together being referred to as "relevant persons"). This press-release must not be acted on or relied on by persons who are not relevant persons. Any investment or investment activity to which this press-release relates is available only to relevant persons and will be engaged in only with relevant persons.

In member states of the European Economic Area, this press-release is directed only at persons who are "qualified investors" within the meaning of Article 2(1)(e) of Directive 2003/71/EC (the "Prospectus Directive") ("Qualified Investors"). This press-release is an advertisement for the purposes of applicable measures implementing the Prospectus Directive.

This press-release or information contained therein is not an offer, or an invitation to make offers, to sell, exchange or otherwise transfer securities in the Russian Federation to or for the benefit of any Russian person or entity and does not constitute an advertisement or offering of securities in the Russian Federation within the meaning of Russian securities laws. Information contained in this press-release is not intended for any persons in the Russian Federation who are not "qualified investors" within the meaning of Article 51.2 of the Federal Law No. 39-FZ "On the Securities Market" dated 22 April 1996, as amended (the "Russian QIs") and must not be distributed or circulated into Russia or made available in Russia to any persons who are not Russian QIs, unless and to the extent they are otherwise permitted to access such information under Russian law. The securities mentioned herein have not been and will not be registered in Russia and are not intended for "placement" or "circulation" in Russia (each as defined in Russian securities laws) unless and to the extent otherwise permitted under Russian law.

Notes to Editors

PhosAgro is one of the leading global vertically integrated phosphate-based fertilizer producers. The Company focuses on the production of phosphate-based fertilizers, feed phosphate and high-grade phosphate rock (P 2 O 5 content of not less than 39%).

The Company is the largest phosphate-based fertilizer producer in Europe, the largest producer of high-grade phosphate rock worldwide and the third largest MAP/DAP producer in the world (excluding China), according to Fertecon. PhosAgro is also one of the leading producers of feed phosphates (MCP) in Europe, and the only producer in Russia. It is Russia's only producer of nepheline concentrate.

PhosAgro's main products include phosphate rock, 33 grades of fertilizers, feed phosphates, ammonia, and sodium tripolyphosphate, which are used by customers in 100 countries spanning all of the world's inhabited continents. The Company's priority markets outside of Russia and the CIS are Latin America, Europe and Asia.

PhosAgro's shares are traded on the Moscow Exchange, and global depositary receipts ("GDRs") for shares trade on the London Stock Exchange (under the ticker PHOR). Since 1 June 2016, the Company's GDRs have been included in the MSCI Russia and MSCI Emerging Markets indexes.
Regulatory News:

Ontex Group NV, a leading international provider of disposable solutions in personal hygiene for babies, men and women, will release its trading update for the three months ended 31 March 2017 at 6:00 am BST 7:00 am CEST on Wednesday, 10 May 2017. The press release and presentation announcement will be available on the Company's website: http://www.ontexglobal.com/financial-reports.

Management will host a conference call for investors and analysts on Wednesday, 10 May 2017 at 8:00 am BST 9:00 am CEST. A replay of the conference call will also be available for one week afterwards.

Dial-in information

Please dial in 5-10 minutes before the scheduled start time to register your attendance. Dial-in numbers for the call are as follows:

United Kingdom +44 (0)330 336 9105 United States +1 719 457 2086 Belgium +32 (0)2 404 0659 France +33 (0)1 76 77 22 74 Germany +49 (0)69 2222 13420 Passcode 7288067

Replay numbers

United Kingdom +44 (0) 207 660 0134 United States +1 719 457 0820 Belgium +32 (0) 2 620 0568 France +33 (0) 1 70 48 00 94 Germany +49 (0) 69 2000 1800 Passcode 7288067

About Ontex

Ontex is a leading producer of disposable personal hygiene products, ranging from baby diapers to products for feminine hygiene and adult incontinence. Ontex's products are distributed in more than 110 countries through Ontex brands as well as leading retailer brands. The group employs over 11,000 staff and has a presence in 25 countries. Ontex is listed on Euronext Brussels and is part of the BEL20 and Stoxx Europe 600.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170426005045/en/

Contacts:

Ontex Group NV

INVESTOR ENQUIRIES

Philip Ludwig

+32 53 333 730

investorrelations@ontexglobal.com

or

PRESS ENQUIRIES

Gaelle Vilatte

+32 53 333 708

gaelle.vilatte@ontexglobal.com
LONDON, April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

The Shared Services and Outsourcing Network (SSON) celebrates another record breaking year as the 2017 Excellence Awards shortlist is announced. The Excellence Awards are a globally recognised, annual industry awards ceremony, which honours and celebrates the Shared Servesand Service Delivery teams who have exceeded industry standards in their SS&O initiatives. This year's ceremony will be held during the 17th Annual Shared Services and Outsourcing Week in Manchester, UK where over 600 Shared Services professionals will be in attendance.

The applicants this year are competing to win a coveted award in one of the 5 categories; Best Process Innovation, Best Shared Services Team, Excellence in Culture Creation, Excellence in Transformation, and the new for 2017 category, Excellence in Automation, sponsored by Automation Anywhere. Across these highly competitive categories, Coca-Cola Hellenic, Tarmac, Sonae, Heathrow BSC and Shell have all made the shortlist in 2 categories, whilst other nominees include; UPM, Siemens, Hexaware, Account NI, Vodafone, Maersk, Western Union, Societe Generale, Wustenrot & Wurttembergische, National Grid, Ericsson, WNS, Mas Legato, 3M and Lufthansa.

After winning in 2016, Account NI have found themselves on the shortlist for the Excellence in Transformation category once again, and could to win the award for a second year in a row. They are up against entries from Coca-Cola Hellenic, Hexaware, Shell and Sonae. The 2017 Awards are judged by experts in the Shared Services industry; Irina Chernousenko, Paul Bryanhill, Chris Gunning, George Connell, Ian Herbert, Mike Stops and Paul Theaker.

The Excellence Awards Ceremony is hosted during the 17th Annual Shared Services & Outsourcing Week taking place on the 15th - 18th May 2017 where the winners will be announced. SSOW is the premier European Shared Services Event which hosts 580+ Shared Services, GBS, Outsourcing and Transformation leaders.

For more information go to http://awards.ssoweek.com

Media contact: Sally Fletcher, +44-(0)20-7368-9809, sally.fletcher@iqpc.co.uk or visit http://awards.ssoweek.com/
This week Telia Lietuva started its IP network upgrade project. It is the largest upgrade of such extent since 2007 and the second in the history of the Company. The upgrade that will last until the spring of next year will allow increasing Telia Lietuva network capacity and ensuring the potential for the data volume growth in forthcoming five years. All the Company's Internet, televisions, telephony, fixed and mobile communication services are provided by using IP network. During the implementation of a EUR 5 million value project, more than 170 communication nodes will changed all over the country. All services provided by using IP network are already successfully tested with the Huawei equipment, which is installed in the network. Audrius Stasiulaitis, Spokesperson, tel. +370 5 236 7019

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
HENDERSON, NEVADA -- (Marketwired) -- 04/26/17 -- Oroplata Resources, Inc. (OTC PINK:ORRP), (www.lithortech.com), a lithium resource exploration and development company, will host a conference call on Wednesday, April 26 at 11am EST.

The Company will introduce its new CEO Michael Mason and discuss its strategy and outlook for 2017. Mr. Mason is a seasoned mining executive with extensive experience worldwide in project due diligence, mine development, strategic planning, metals marketing, risk management and project financing as well as international trade and off-take agreements. He has worked on some of the world's largest deposits including the Escondida Copper project in Chile, the Olympic Dam project in Australia, La Candelaria in Chile, and the San Cristobal Mine in Bolivia. Mike has also been associated with the commissioning, evaluation and management of large smelting operations across South America, India, Korea, Mexico, Canada and the U.S.

Mr. Mason has invited four industry experts (bios below) to be on the call that are expected to lead the questioning;

Mr. Chris Berry has spent over a decade as an independent analyst with a focus on how disruptive trends in energy, strategic metals, and technology create opportunities. Mr. Berry provides strategic insights to institutional clients and has a specific focus on Energy Metals including lithium, cobalt, graphite, vanadium, and rare earths.

Chris holds a Master of Business Administration in finance with an international focus from Fordham University, and a Bachelor of Arts in international studies from The Virginia Military Institute.

Chris has over twelve years of capital markets experience on both the buy side and sell side. He has additional experience as the co-founder of a start-up for investors which dealt with "computing with words" and also co-authors The Disruptive Discoveries Journal.

Mr. Berry speaks at conferences around the world and is frequently quoted in the press providing insights around raw material supply chain dynamics.

Mr. David Riedel is the Founder and President of Riedel Research Inc. He founded the company in 2003 to produce independent, high-quality, objective research after observing a dramatic decline in the quality of equity research, especially in emerging markets.

Previously Mr. Riedel formerly served as a research analyst for over fifteen years as the Head of Thai Research and a Regional Telecommunications Analyst at Citigroup Inc (previously Salomon Brothers). His large research team at Salomon Brothers (Citygroup) covered various industries in Southeast Asia. Mr. Riedel has covered business services stocks and small-cap growth companies. He also has served as an Equity Analyst at Dutton Associates, LLC.

Mr. Richard Radez provides strategic corporate and financial advice designed to accelerate business development and growth. He is a highly experienced professional with over 40 years in the financial services and corporate advisory industry. Mr. Radez with a keen eye on the natural resource sector having visited over 400 mining properties throughout North & South America and Africa and is an expert on project due diligence.

Mr. Richard W. Radez, is a graduate of Purdue University and Wharton Business School and has been called "one of the top natural resource stock gurus in the industry today" by the Prudent Bear Fund. Mr. Radez is the founder of the Chicago Natural Resource Conference.

Mr. Thom Calandra is a journalist, author, an active investor and speaker and the founder of Thom Calandra's StockWatch, The Calandra Report, thomcalandra.com and Ticker Trax via Stockhouse. Thom typically visits 40 natural resources properties each year across Africa, the Americas, Africa, Asia and Europe.

Thom Calandra holds a master's degree in English from the University of Arizona and a bachelor's degree of arts in English literature from City University of New York at Brooklyn College.

Thom has been writing and broadcasting about investing topics for 35 years. Throughout his career he has served as the former editor-in-chief and founder of CBS MarketWatch, as a London-based columnist for Bloomberg News and was the first online financial editor of USAToday.com.

The conference call will be hosted by investor relations Hayden IR. The live conference call can be accessed by dialing (866) 682-6100 or (862) 255-5401. Participants should ask for the Oroplata Resources Conference Call. The conference call will also be available via live webcast at: http://www.investorcalendar.com/IC/CEPage.asp?ID=175891

Conference Call Details:

Date: Wednesday, April 26, 2017

Time: 11:00AM EST

Dial-in Number: (866) 682-6100

International Dial-in Number: (862) 255-5401

Webcast: http://www.investorcalendar.com/IC/CEPage.asp?ID=175891

Participants are recommended to dial-in approximately 10 minutes prior to the start of the event. A replay of the call will be available approximately two hours after completion through May 10, 2017. To listen to the replay, dial (877) 481-4010 (domestic) or (919) 882-2331 (international) and use replay ID 10355. The webcast replay will be available through July 26, 2017.

The Company's Western Nevada Basin (WBN) Project is located within Railroad Valley, in Nye County, approximately 112 miles (180 kilometers) northeast of Clayton Valley. The project is easily accessed by paved highway directly along U.S. Route 6. Railroad Valley is one of Nevada's largest trapped basins and is noted to hold all the necessary commercial and engineering prerequisites for a massive lithium brine deposit.

Oroplata Resources, Inc.

Oroplata Resources, Inc. (OTC PINK: ORRP), is a lithium resource exploration and development company, whose primary focus is the establishment of a low cost, long life production base to supply the currently flourishing and rapidly growing mobile device lithium-ion battery industry, as well as the burgeoning EV (electronic vehicle) industry. Oroplata is focused on becoming a substantial, profitable lithium producer via the timely development of valuable production-grade lithium brine deposits in Nevada.

For more information, check out: http://lithortech.com

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, including those with respect to the expected project economics for Western Nevada Basin (Railroad Valley), including estimates of life of mine, average production, cash costs, AISC, initial CAPEX, sustaining CAPEX, pre-tax IRR, pre-tax NPV, net cash flows and recovery rates, the impact of self-mining versus contract mining, the timing to obtain necessary permits, the submission of the project for final investment approval and the timing of initial gold production after investment approval and full financing, metallurgy and processing expectations, the mineral resource estimate, expectations regarding the ability to expand the mineral resource through future drilling, ongoing work to be conducted at the Western Nevada Basin (Railroad Valley), and the potential results of such efforts, the potential commissioning of a Pre-Feasibility study and the effects on timing of the project, are "forward-looking statements." Although the Company's management believes that such forward-looking statements are reasonable, it cannot guarantee that such expectations are, or will be, correct. These forward-looking statements involve a number of risks and uncertainties, which could cause the Company's future results to differ materially from those anticipated. Potential risks and uncertainties include, among others, interpretations or reinterpretations of geologic information, unfavorable exploration results, inability to obtain permits required for future exploration, development or production, general economic conditions and conditions affecting the industries in which the Company operates; the uncertainty of regulatory requirements and approvals; fluctuating mineral and commodity prices, final investment approval and the ability to obtain necessary financing on acceptable terms or at all. Additional information regarding the factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from these forward-looking statements is available in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended September 30, 2016. The Company assumes no obligation to update any of the information contained or referenced in this press release.

Contacts:

Hayden IR

(917) 658-7878

hart@haydenir.com




Alytus, Lithuania, 2017-04-26 11:29 CEST (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The General Meeting of shareholders of Snaige AB was held on 25 April 2017.



At the meeting was made following resolutions:



1. THE AGENDA QUESTION: Consolidated annual report of Snaige AB on the company's activity for 2016. In the meeting taken for information the consolidated annual report of Snaige AB on the company's activity for 2016.



1. THE AGENDA QUESTION: Auditor's conclusion on the company's financial statements for 2016. In the meeting taken for information with the auditor's conclusion on the company's financial statements for 2016.



1. THE AGENDA QUESTION: Approval of the set of financial statements of the company for 2016. THE DECISION: The set of financial statements of the company for 2016 has been approved



1. THE AGENDA QUESTION: Approval of distribution of profit (loss) of Snaige, AB for 2016. THE DECISION: The distribution of profit (loss) of Snaige,AB for 2016 has been approved:



Non-distributed profit (loss) at the end of the last financial year EUR (3,332,035) Net result - profit (loss) of financial year EUR 1,088,023 Non recognized profit (loss) in the profit (loss) statement EUR 125,661 The reduction of the authorized capital EUR 3,169,792 Transfers from reserves EUR 885,477 for social and cultural needs EUR 0 for investments EUR 0 Transfers from reserve foreseen by law EUR 885,477 Transfers from reserve of share premium for covering of loss EUR 0 Contributions of shareholders to cover loss EUR 0 Distributable profit (loss) EUR 1,936,918 Portion of profit allocated to reserves foreseen by law EUR 946,161 Portion of profit allocated to other reserves EUR 0 for support and charity EUR 0 for social and cultural needs EUR 0 Portion of profit allocated for payment of dividends EUR 950,937.48* Portion of profit allocated for payment of premiums EUR 0 Portion of profit allocated for payment of tantiemes EUR 0 Other: EUR 0 portion of profit allocated to reserve for acquisition of own shares EUR 30,000 portion of profit allocated to reserve for investments EUR 0 Non-distributed result - profit (loss) at the end of financial year EUR 9,819.52



*Dividends for the year 2016 are allocated to 39,622,395 shares, i.e. 0.024 eur per share (before taxes).



5. THE AGENDA QUESTION: Board member(-s) election. THE DECISION: For the term until the end of term of the Company's Board to elect the candidate(-s) Natalia Tsvetkova and Nataliia Sukhanova. The General Manager of the Company was authorized (including the power to delegate) to perform all necessary actions, sign and submit documents related with changed information to the Register of Juridical persons.



6. THE AGENDA QUESTION: Election of the audit firm for auditing purposes of financial statements and establishment of terms regarding the payment for audit services. THE DECISION: UAB KPMG Baltics has been elected for 2017 auditing purposes of annual financial statements. The General Director was authorized (with the right to delegate) of the company to sign the agreement with the audit firm by establishing the terms of payment for the audit services and other terms.



Managing Director Gediminas Ceika +370 315 56206



Attachment:

https://cns.omxgroup.com/cds/DisclosureAttachmentServlet?messageAttachmentId=627340

Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de
LONDON, April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

New Travel Documentary Series Unveils the Quest to Find The Ultimate Drinks List

It's a tough job, but someone had to do it. A new travel series, World Class List, follows the adventures of Carey Watkins, 27, as he explores the rising trend of cocktail culture, journeying across the globe to some of the world's most dynamic cities to create the ultimate guide to better drinking.

(Logo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/494321/Diageo_World_Class.jpg )



Aspiring Australian musician and drinks enthusiast Carey, who lives in Los Angeles, was selected from hundreds to become the host of the new travel series, to be released on Amazon Prime in selected countries from next week. The series champions the rise of global cocktail culture and seeks to inspire people to drink better and create unforgettable experiences in the process and is created by World Class, the organisers of the world's biggest bartending competition. World Class is an initiative created by leading spirits company Diageo, the makers of Johnnie Walker Scotch Whisky, Tanqueray no. Ten Gin and Ketel One Vodka amongst others.

During the five-part series, Carey explores the best of what to see, do, eat and drink in five of the world's most exciting cities - Sydney, Taipei, Barcelona, San Francisco and Mexico. Led on his journey by the world's best bartenders, the result is a travel series with a twist, and the creation of the ultimate drinks list.

The five renowned World Class bartenders - each a winner of their national World Class Bartender of the Year Competition - share their inside knowledge of their city and passion for better drinking with Carey, presenting their cocktail inspired by their experiences, to feature on the World Class List.

Among the list is a smooth digestif from Australia made with whisky and freshly brewed coffee and a Californian brunch-time alternative to the Bloody Mary combining vodka, carrot juice and fennel.

In his search, Carey experiences some unforgettable moments, including an energetic introduction to Mexican wrestling, spearfishing his own seafood to pair with Tanqueray gin and grapefruit in Sydney and celebrating New Year's Eve drinking cocktails under fireworks on a boat in San Francisco Bay.

Carey Watkins said: "When I found out I'd be the host, I was just really overwhelmed. I definitely didn't comprehend the fact that I was about to travel around the world for six weeks, and by no means did I realise just how good this job was. The whole thing was incredible, and I got to do things I would never normally do.

"The trip very quickly became unbelievable, and nine times out of ten I was doing something I hadn't done before - and would never have done. I do love to travel, but more than anything I love to meet people, to talk to people and form relationships. To combine that with travelling around the world - and learning how these bartenders hone their craft while tasting their unbelievable drinks - literally is the dream job .I was truly blown away by all five of those drinks - everything from the colours, to the smells, to the taste - they were unbelievably good."

World Class Global Director Johanna Dalley said: "World Class List is a global tour delivered by the world's best bartenders who are the ultimate concierges in their own cities. World Class bartenders don't just create the most amazing drinks - they are the in-the-know community who can also serve up the best experiences a city has to offer. This is their little black book of what to see, do, eat and drink, making it a must-see for anyone interested in food, drink or travel.

"We created the series to showcase incredible bartender talent and to inspire people to drink better - to try the amazing drinks on offer in bars all over the world, or to up their game and have a go at making them at home."

World Class List will be released on Amazon Prime in selected countries from 1st May and is available to watch now on MakeItWorldClass.com/List . Follow on Instagram @WorldClass WorldClassList.
LOS ANGELES, CA -- (Marketwired) -- 04/26/17 -- Gawk, Inc. (OTC PINK: GAWK), a cloud-based infrastructure-as-a-service company, today announced attendance at the upcoming International Telecoms Week, in Chicago May 14-17, 2017.

The Conference is an important meeting of top industry players. GAWK intends to showcase their cloud based VOIP products and highlight the differentiation of their customizable platform. To learn more about the show please visit: internationaltelecomsweek.com

"GAWK looks forward to reinforcing the growth we have experienced since the last meeting. We believe that attendance at ITW is important as it gives us the ability to meet with clients and prospects face to face," Stated Scott Kettle, CEO of GAWK. "This is a real opportunity to familiarize the international telecommunications sector with GAWK."

International Telecoms Week has long been an advocate of competition in the telecom industry, believing that it benefits the players and consumers of telecom services. GAWK management believes that a presence within this Who's Who of the Telecom industry is crucial.

For investor inquiries please call (888) 754-6190 Ext. 3 or email IR@gawk.com

For more information about GAWK's OTC Markets publicly traded shares click here

About International Telecoms Week.

ITW (International Telecoms Week) is the annual meeting for the global wholesale telecoms industry, providing a platform for 6771 delegates from 1989 companies and more than 140 countries to meet together and network.

About GAWK, Inc.

GAWK, Inc., (OTC PINK: GAWK) offers a suite of cloud communications, cloud connectivity, cloud computing, and managed cloud-based applications solutions to small, medium, and large businesses; and offers domestic and international voice services to communications carriers worldwide. It offers a suite of advanced data center and cloud-based services, including fault tolerant, high availability cloud servers, which comprise platform as a service, infrastructure as a service, and a content delivery network; managed network services that converge voice and data applications, structured cabling, wireless, and security services, as well as include Internet access via Ethernet or fiber at speeds ranging from 10 Mbps to 10 Gbps; and data center solutions, including cloud services, colocation services, and business continuity services, such as storage and security. www.gawk.com

Forward-Looking Statements

All statements in this release that are not strictly historical facts are "forward-looking statements." Such forward-looking statements are based on GAWK's current assumptions, beliefs and expectations, and involve risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause GAWK's actual results to be materially different from any results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Some can be identified by the use of words such as "expect," "plan," "possibility," "offer," "if," "negotiate," "when," "believe," "will," "estimate," "continue," and similar expressions. Risks, uncertainties, and other factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to: ongoing and future intellectual property enforcement actions; the ability to successfully litigate or settle claims of patent infringement; GAWK's ability to obtain necessary financing, generate sufficient cash flow, and maintain appropriate indebtedness; and the increasing development of market competition in the area of telecommunications. These factors and others are described in more detail in GAWK's public filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the risks discussed in the "Risk Factors" section in GAWK's Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. Copies of these reports can be found on GAWK's website (www.gawk.com) under the heading "Investor Relations." GAWK is providing this information as of the date of this release and, except as required by law, does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained herein as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Contact:

GAWK, Inc.

Investor Relations

888.754.6190 Ext. 3

IR@gawk.com




To: PR Newswire

From: Capital Gearing Trust P.l.c.

Date: 26 April 2017

Capital Gearing Trust P.l.c.

Publication of Circular

Since its approval at the annual general meeting in 2015, the Company has operated a discount and premium control policy (the "DCP"). In order to meet the recent and continuing demand for shares resulting from the operation of this policy, the Board is now seeking the renewal of its shareholder authorities to issue ordinary shares on a non pre-emptive basis prior to the Company's next annual general meeting, which is expected to be held in July 2017. In seeking these authorities now and before the annual general meeting, it permits the Company to continue to issue shares under the DCP which, based on current issuing patterns, might otherwise have been prevented by exhaustion of the existing authorities. Accordingly, the Company has today published a circular convening a general meeting (the "General Meeting") to be held at 11.00 a.m. on 12 May 2017 at the offices of Dickson Minto W.S., 16 Charlotte Square, Edinburgh EH2 4DF.

At the General Meeting, two resolutions will be put to shareholders. An ordinary resolution, to give the Board authority to allot up to 454,067 ordinary shares which represents approximately 10 per cent. of the Company's current issued share capital as at 25 April 2017 (the last practicable date prior to the date of the notice convening the General Meeting) and a special resolution, to give the Board authority to disapply rights of pre-emption in respect of such shares.

The Board will only issue new shares at a premium to net asset value, to meet demand from investors and when the Board believes it is in the best interests of the Company and its shareholders to do so.

The circular will shortly be available for inspection on the National Storage Mechanism which is located at http://www.morningstar.co.uk/uk/nsm.do.

All enquiries:

Steven Cowie

Company Secretary

Tel: 0131 538 6604

Email: company.secretary@capitalgearingtrust.com
BRISTOL, England, April 25, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Auto Doors & Shopfronts UK LTD has recently been part-acquired by ERREKA (Automatic Door Manufacturers). ERREKA is one of four business enterprises within MATZ-ERREKA Coop, a co-operative belonging to GrupoMondragon.



(Photo:http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/494061/ERREKA_Auto_Doors.jpg)





(Logo:http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/494062/ERREKA.jpg)



The co-operative is one of the leading groups in Europe, employing over 75,000 staff. The staff are divided between 15 technology centres and one university resulting in successful deployment in over 130 territories.

"The part acquisition allows investors to deploy capital in a more accretive and growth orientated manner. Together with ERREKA, we are taking a big step forward. We will broaden our offering, strengthen our global presence and increase our innovation power. This will allow us to better and more quickly take advantage of opportunities that arise through mega-trends such as urbanization and digitalization," says Andre Navarra - Managing Director.

"We are very excited to become a part of the ERREKA Group. With their extensive network of technology and our expertise, we look forward to working together to introduce new and exciting products for our customers."

ERREKA Auto Doors & Shopfronts UK Ltd,manufactures and installsAutomatic Doorsthroughout the UK and Ireland, including Shopfronts and Entrance Screens. ERREKA are members of the Automatic Door Suppliers Association (ADSA).

ERREKA Auto Doors & Shopfronts UK Ltd also announce the launch of a new website which has been built from the ground up to suit the new business venture. The website enables same day access to all our services and products - from Automatic Swing Operators & Automatic Sliding Door Openers to Activation & Safety Sensors, Access Control & all related products, including spare parts. You'll find it all in a couple of clicks.

Media Contact:

Guy Navarra

+44-1275-871787


Mitsubishi Motors Public Relations Department http://www.mitsubishi-motors.com +81-3-6852-4275

TOKYO, Apr 26, 2017 - (JCN Newswire) - Mitsubishi Motors has outpaced other large international car makers to become the number-one automotive exporter in Thailand for the first time with total export volume of 309,915 units for the 12-month period ending March 31st, 2017.The company's export performance means that its Laem Chabang factory in Thailand is now the largest global production hub for Mitsubishi Motors, more than 80% of all local production sold for export.The record export performance coincides with a visit by Carlos Ghosn to the Laem Chabang Industrial Estate today - his first since becoming chairman of Mitsubishi Motors last December. The plant's production capacity is largest in Mitsubishi Motors' factories in the world, and vehicles are exported to over 120 countries worldwide."The Laem Chabang plant in Thailand is a tremendous strength of Mitsubishi Motors' business," said Mr Ghosn. "Our world-class production facilities are capable of producing 424,000 vehicles a year. As Thailand's leading automotive exporter, this factory has become the global production hub for Mitsubishi Motors."Last fall, Mitsubishi Motors joined as a member of the Renault-Nissan Alliance, one of the world's top three auto groups with annual unit sales of almost 10 million vehicles. Mitsubishi Motor's Thai business will deliver synergies through sharing of best practice on cost controls, parts sourcing and productivity. The growth of Mitsubishi Motors will be supported by better procurement, improved logistics, better plant utilization and access to technology sharing and common vehicle platforms, reflecting the Alliance's larger investment in research and development.Mitsubishi Motors Thailand operates four plants in Thailand that employ more than 6,000 workers. Last fiscal year, the company's Thai operations produced 356,000 vehicles.The main export destinations are Europe (28%), ASEAN and Asia region (25%), North America (21%), Oceania (12%), Others (14 %).About Mitsubishi MotorsMitsubishi Motors Corporation is the fifth largest automaker in Japan and the fifteenth largest in the world by global unit sales. It is part of the Mitsubishi keiretsu, formerly the biggest industrial group in Japan, and was formed in 1970 from the automotive division of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.Throughout its history it has courted alliances with foreign partners, a strategy pioneered by their first president Tomio Kubo to encourage expansion, and continued by his successors. A significant stake was sold to Chrysler Corporation in 1971 which it held for 22 years, while DaimlerChrysler was a controlling shareholder between 2000 and 2005. Long term joint manufacturing and technology licencing deals with the Hyundai Motor Company in South Korea and Proton in Malaysia were also forged, while in Europe the company co-owned the largest automobile manufacturing plant in the Netherlands with Volvo for ten years in the 1990s, before taking sole ownership in 2001.Source: Mitsubishi MotorsContact:Copyright 2017 JCN Newswire . All rights reserved.
With their latest edition of of the .eu Illustrated, EURid celebrates more than five successful years of environmental management. While EURid operates in a very technical space, it has also been a proud and active member of the European Union Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS), where solid environmental management and transparent reporting structures meet. Over the past 5 years, EURid has achieved more than ten environmental objectives, forty actions, and six environmental core indicators that EMAS has defined, all of which can be found in our 2015 2017 environmental statement

"We do believe that even companies that are working in cyberspace can contribute to the preservation and protection of the environment," commented Giovanni Seppia, EURid's External Relations Manager explained. "Our objective as an organisation is to incorporate sustainability into as many business decisions and activities as possible to do our part to better the planet."

Over the years, EURid teamed up with several companies to support various environmental projects, including a cooperation with BORSEGGI, an Italian tailoring company based in the Milan-Opera prison, to recycle unused materials from fairs and events. With this partnership, EURid wishes inspire the world to see waste in a different way and demonstrate what the circular economy is really about, from production to consumption, to waste management and the market for secondary raw materials.

In 2016, EURid began collaborating on a continual project in the Osogovo Mountains in Bulgaria in conjunction with Naturefund and EuroNatur. The goal is to conserve the outstanding biological diversity in the Osogovo Mountain region by supporting sustainable forest management, improving the knowledge of large carnivores in the region to help with the decision making process, and analysing the potential for nature-based tourism.

The spring 2017 issue of the .eu Illustrated not only sheds light on EURid's effective environmental efforts, but also highlights some of the incredible work that is being done by .eu and .?? holders themselves.

The Better World category for the 2017 .eu Web Awards aims to reward and admire the great work that our green community members do day in and day out.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170426005666/en/

Contacts:

EURid

Christopher Nicastro, TEL: +32 (0)2 401 27 50 ext. 261

christopher.nicastro@eurid.eu
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 04/26/17 -- Dynasty Metals & Mining Inc. ("Dynasty" or the "Company") (TSX: DMM)(OTCQX: DMMIF) is pleased to announce the completion of a non-brokered private placement (the "Private Placement") of secured convertible debentures of the Company in the aggregate principal amount of US$500,000 (the "Debenture") to Credipresto S.A. de C.V. SOFOM E.N.R. ("Credipresto").

US$500,000 Private Placement - Convertible Debenture

The Debenture matures two (2) years from the date of issuance, bears interest at a rate of 12% per annum payable quarterly in cash and is fully secured through a pledge of all the issued and outstanding share capital of Elipe S.A., an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of the Company, ranking behind the outstanding loans from Vertex Managed Value Portfolio and Vertex Enhanced Income Fund. The principal amount of the Debenture is convertible at any time at the option of the holder into common shares of the Company (the "Common Shares") at a price of CAD$0.26 per Common Share, based on a Canadian dollar/US dollar exchange rate of 1.3516. An aggregate of up to 2,599,231 Common Shares are issuable by the Company on conversion of the Debenture, representing approximately 2.96% of the issued and outstanding Common Shares on completion of the Private Placement.

The Company intends to use the net proceeds from the Private Placement for working capital and general corporate purposes.

In connection with the Private Placement, the Company issued to Credipresto warrants to purchase 250,000 Common Shares (the "Warrants") in lieu of a cash corporate finance fee. Each Warrant will entitle the holder thereof to acquire one additional Common Share at a price of CAD$0.35 per Common Share for a period of two (2) years from the date of issuance.

TSX Venture Exchange Transition

Dynasty also announces that, further to its previous news releases, the Common Shares will commence trading on the TSX Venture Exchange (the "TSX-V") effective at the opening of trading on Thursday, April 27, 2017 under the trading symbol "DMM". The Company will be delisted from trading on the Toronto Stock Exchange at the close of business on Wednesday, April 26, 2017.

Corporate Update

The Company continues to lower its debt through gold production, negotiation with vendors and rationalizing non-core assets.

Mining at the Celica property continues with mineral in vein structures up to 10 meters wide, with improvements in grade. During the first quarter of 2017, Dynasty transported 37,000 tons of material to its processing plant. The Company experienced some delays in gold production due to unusually heavy rainfall in March and April 2017. The treatment plant began operating again in late April 2017, and processed material at an approximate rate of 700 tons per day.

The annual maintenance payments to the Ecuadorian government on all of the Company's 60 concessions in the southern part of the main structural gold trend in Ecuador have been paid up to date and on time for 2017.

The Company expects to have the management cease trade order issued by the British Columbia Securities Commission on April 4, 2017 (the "MCTO") lifted on or before May 2, 2017 by filing its annual financial statements, management discussion and analysis and annual information form for the financial year ended December 31, 2016.

Keith Piggott, President and Chief Executive Officer of Dynasty, commented: "Since new management took over Dynasty in September 2016, management has overcome various challenges involving operations, concession payments, vendor payments, funding, accounting and its audit. I am excited at our progress in addressing legacy problems and issues and remain focused on building shareholder value through cash flow and de-risking our core assets."

About Dynasty Metals & Mining Inc.

Dynasty Metals & Mining Inc. is a Canadian based mining company involved in the mining, exploration and development of mineral properties in Ecuador. The Company is currently focused on gold production and continued development at its Zaruma Gold Project. The Company also owns the Dynasty Goldfield Project, a permitted property 180km southwest of the Zaruma project, and the Jerusalem Project, an exploration property immediately south of the Fruta del Norte project.

For further information please visit the Company's website at www.dynastymining.com.

Forward-Looking Information

This news release contains statements which are, or may be deemed to be, "forward-looking information" which are prospective in nature. Such information in this news release includes statements regarding the Company's production forecasts, the intended use of proceeds from the Private Placement, the listing of the Common Shares on the TSX-V, the timing of the listing on the TSX-V, the Company's plans for the repayment of debt and the lifting of the MCTO. Forward-looking information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause Dynasty's actual results, revenues, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. Important risks that could cause Dynasty's actual results, revenues, performance or achievements to differ materially from Dynasty's expectations include, among other things, risks found in Dynasty's Annual Information Form for the year ended December 31, 2015, which is available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Other than in accordance with regulatory obligations, Dynasty is not under any obligation and Dynasty expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Contacts:

Dynasty Metals & Mining Inc.

Keith Piggott

CEO

info@dynastymining.com

www.dynastymining.com




ST-SAUVEUR, QUEBEC -- (Marketwired) -- 10/11/17 -- Genius Properties Ltd. ("Genius" or the "Corporation") (CSE: GNI)(CSE: GNI.CN)(CNSX: GNI) is pleased to announce that is has filed on SEDAR a National Instrument 43-101 ("NI 43-101") technical report for its Sakami Property located in James Bay.

The NI 43-101 report was independently prepared by Michel Boily, PhD, geo of Montreal, Quebec. The report summarizes the geological setting and mineralization and previous exploration activities carried out by the previous owner.

The technical report entitled "The Sakami Property, La Grande Subprovince, James Bay Territory, Quebec, NTS 33F07, 08, 09, 10" dated April 30, 2017 was prepared in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 - "Standards of Disclosure for Mineral projects" and can be found under the profile of the Corporation profile on www.SEDAR.com.

Dr. Michel Boily P.Geo, is the qualified person under NI 43-101 who has reviewed and approved the technical information contained in this document.

Neither the CSE 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 release.

About Genius Properties

Genius Properties Ltd. targets the excellent mineral potential of Quebec to make discoveries of new world-class deposits. Genius is actively seeking to enter into various types of agreements with respect to its properties. Management is currently evaluating other opportunities for growth from its diversified portfolio of mineral properties in order to increase shareholder value in the short term.

Contacts:

Genius Properties Ltd.

Guy Goulet

President and CEO

(514) 294-7000

info@guygoulet.com




CALGARY, ALBERTA -- (Marketwired) -- 04/26/17 -- ATCO Ltd. (TSX: ACO.X, ACO.Y)

ATCO Ltd. today announced first quarter adjusted earnings for 2017 of $117 million compared to $121 million in 2016.

Higher earnings in the Electricity and Pipelines & Liquids global business units mainly due to continued capital investment and rate base growth in our Regulated Utilities were offset by lower earnings in Structures & Logistics primarily due to lower Modular Structures major project activity.

ATCO invested $298 million in capital growth projects in the first quarter of 2017, of which 95 per cent was invested in assets that earn a return under a regulatory business model or are secured under long-term contracts. This capital investment is expected to contribute significant earnings and cash flow and create long-term value for share owners.

On April 6, 2017, ATCO declared a second quarter dividend for 2017 of 32.75 cents per Class I Non-Voting and Class II Voting Share, a 15 per cent increase over the quarterly dividends declared in the same period of 2016. ATCO's annual dividend per share has increased for 24 consecutive years.

RECENT DEVELOPMENTS

-- Structures & Logistics has recently been awarded several Modular Structures projects and contracts for education, health and correctional facilities. These new projects and contracts are expected to contribute to adjusted earnings beginning in the second quarter of 2017.

FINANCIAL SUMMARY AND RECONCILIATION OF ADJUSTED EARNINGS

A financial summary and reconciliation of adjusted earnings to earnings attributable to Class I and Class II Shares is provided below:

For the Three Months Ended March 31 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ($ millions except share data) 2017 2016 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Adjusted earnings (1) 117 121 Gain on sale of joint operation (2) - 7 Unrealized losses on mark-to-market forward commodity contracts (2) (3) - Rate-regulated activities (2) (13) (19) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Earnings attributable to Class I and Class II Shares 101 109 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Weighted average shares outstanding (millions of shares) 114.4 114.7 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- (1)Adjusted earnings are earnings attributable to Class I and Class II Shares after adjusting for the timing o f revenues and expenses associated with rate-regulated activities and unrealized gains or losses on mark-to-market forward commodity contracts. Adjusted earnings also exclude one-time gains and losses, significant impairments and items that are not in the normal course of business or a result of day- to-day operations. Adjusted earnings present earnings on the same basis as was used prior to adopting International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) - that basis being the U.S. accounting principles for rate-regulated entities - and they are a key measure used to assess segment performance, to reflect the economics of rate regulation and to facilitate comparability of ATCO's earnings with other Canadian rate- regulated companies. (2) Refer to Note 3 of the consolidated financial statements for detailed descriptions of the adjustments.

This news release should be used as a preparation for reading the full disclosure documents. ATCO's consolidated financial statements and management's discussion and analysis for the quarter ended March 31, 2017 will be available on the ATCO website (www.ATCO.com), via SEDAR (www.sedar.com) or can be requested from the Company.

With approximately 7,000 employees and assets of $20 billion, ATCO is a diversified global corporation delivering service excellence and innovative business solutions in Structures & Logistics (workforce housing, innovative modular facilities, construction, site support services, and logistics and operations management); Electricity (electricity generation, transmission, and distribution); Pipelines & Liquids (natural gas transmission, distribution and infrastructure development, energy storage, and industrial water solutions); and Retail Energy (electricity and natural gas retail sales). More information can be found at www.ATCO.com.

Forward-Looking Information:

Certain statements contained in this news release may constitute forward-looking information. Forward-looking information is often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as "anticipate", "plan", "estimate", "expect", "may", "will", "intend", "should", and similar expressions.

Forward-looking information involves 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 information.

The Company's actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in this forward-looking information as a result of regulatory decisions, competitive factors in the industries in which the Company operates, prevailing economic conditions, and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of the Company.

The Company believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking information are reasonable, but no assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct and such forward-looking information should not be unduly relied upon.

Any forward-looking information contained in this news release represents the Company's expectations as of the date hereof, and is subject to change after such date. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities legislation.

Contacts:

Media & Investor Inquiries:

B.R. (Brian) Bale

Senior Vice President & Chief Financial Officer

403-292-7502




TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 04/26/17 -- The Canadian Press, Canada's bilingual multimedia news agency, today announced a partnership agreement with Kaldor, the software house and creator of Pugpig, the mobile publishing and engagement platform for the world's biggest brands, including Conde Nast, Hearst Magazines and The Economist. As the Canadian reseller of Pugpig, CP will help brands, enterprises and publishers in Canada create and maintain their mobile apps to communicate and interact with consumers, businesses, members and employees every day.

Instead of having resources spend a lot of time reformatting content for phones and tablets, Pugpig allows content owners to use a single editorial process that creates each responsive HTML page once and quickly publishes it perfectly across all mobile devices, orientations and screen sizes. At a time when app usage in Canada continues to grow and mobile engagement is vital, Pugpig allows newspapers, magazines, corporations, retailers, institutions and associations to create an immersive, intuitive experience that keeps their audience coming back for more.

"Companies are looking to launch mobile apps with minimum effort and investment, and they need to go beyond simply delivering mobile editions of the printed or web page," said Malcolm Kirk, President of The Canadian Press. "Pugpig delivers on both fronts, allowing clients - in a matter of days - to create fully interactive apps that integrate video, podcasts, polls, advertising, puzzles, shopping, curated social media, sharing and more."

"Offering Pugpig allows us to fill a gap in the Canadian marketplace and serve brands and publishers needing a trusted partner from start to finish," said Kirk. "By combining Pugpig's fast, flexible technology with our ability to design, produce, curate, publish and maintain editorial content for print and digital properties, we're truly giving clients a one-stop solution."

"We chose to partner with The Canadian Press because over its 100-year history, CP has built great relationships with media and corporate clients, and Pugpig is all about helping companies cultivate relationships," said Jonny Kaldor, CEO and co-founder of Kaldor.

"Pugpig's expansion into Canada comes at an exciting time for mobile apps," said Kaldor. "People are spending more time in apps, costs to create apps continue to drop and thanks to recent advances through Apple and Google, apps are more discoverable and easier to access than ever before. These are some of the key trends we'll be discussing on Wednesday, April 26 and Thursday, April 27 at MagNet, Canada's Magazine Conference."

To mark the official launch of Pugpig in Canada, The Canadian Press is sponsoring MagNet's Mobile Strategy Clinic at the Courtyard Marriott hotel in downtown Toronto, where an expert will be on hand to have one-on-one consultations with publishers looking for ideas and insights on creating a deeply engaged mobile audience.

About The Canadian Press

The Canadian Press is Canada's most trusted news source and leader in providing real-time, bilingual multimedia content across print, broadcast, online, mobile and social media. More than 200 journalists produce, package and distribute news stories, photos, graphics, audio and video, plus international coverage from The Associated Press, to daily newspapers, radio and TV stations, and websites that have relied on CP's fast, accurate and impartial reporting for 100 years.

Through its commercial division, The Canadian Press manages an extensive network of freelance writers, photographers, videographers and designers that create custom content to help publishers and brands keep audiences engaged. On top of providing captivating content, CP offers the technology and editorial services to launch and maintain mobile apps quickly and cost effectively with Pugpig - Winner of "Platform of the Year" at the 2016 Digital Magazine Awards.

www.thecanadianpress.com

About Kaldor Ltd

Kaldor is a software business founded in February 2011 which builds platforms that bring brands closer to their audience. Our flagship product, Pugpig, is the award-winning mobile publishing and engagement platform that powers over 300 apps for brands such as IBM, Conde Nast, The Economist, Metro, The Telegraph, Hearst, Arsenal FC, The Independent, Net a Porter, John Lewis and many more.

www.pugpig.com

Contacts:

The Canadian Press

Charles Messina

Vice-President, Sales & Marketing

416-507-2021

charles.messina@thecanadianpress.com



Kaldor

Zoe Walters

Director of International Partnerships

and Strategic Accounts

+44 20 3405 5231

zoe.walters@kaldorgroup.com




Utena, Lithuania, 2017-04-26 14:00 CEST (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Annual General Meeting of Utenos trikotazas, AB (hereinafter 'the Company') shareholders held on 26 April 2017 decided:



1. Presentation of the Company annual report for the year 2016.



Company annual report for the year 2016, prepared by the Company, assessed by the auditors and approved by the Board of Directors is presented (Appendix No.2).



2. Report of the Company's auditor.



Taken for the information (Appendix No.1).



3. Approval of the Company and consolidated Group annual financial statements for the year 2016.



Decided:



To approve the annual financial statements of the Company and consolidated of the Group for the year 2016 (Appendix No.1).



4. Allocation of the profit (loss) of the Company of 2016.



Decided:



To allocate the Company's profit of the year 2016 according to the draft of profit allocation presented for the Annual General Meeting of Shareholders (Appendix No.3).



5. Election of the Company's Board members.



Decided:



To elect the following members to the Company's Board for the new Board term (for 4 years):



-- Gintautas Rudis; -- Algirdas Sabunas; -- Vytautas Vaskys; -- Giedrius Grondskis.



6. Regarding approval of the new version of the Regulations of the Audit Committee



Decided:



To approve the new version of the Regulations of the Audit Committee of AB "Utenos trikotazas" (Appendix No.5).



7. Regarding election of the Audit Committee members



Decided:



To elect to the Audit Committee of AB "Utenos trikotazas" 2 (two) independent members for the new 4 (four) years term of office: Genadij Makusev and Arvydas Dalikas. To elect Genadij Makusev as Chairman of the Audit Committee (Appendix No.6).



8. Regarding approval of the remuneration for the Audit Committee members



Decided:



For a work in the Audit Committee of AB "Utenos trikotazas", to set a rate of EUR 90 (ninety euros) per session hour for each independent member of the Audit Committee, but not higher than EUR 270 (two hundred seventy euros) for the full one session of the Audit Committee. These amounts do not include personal income tax and compulsory health insurance contributions which AB "Utenos trikotazas" calculates and pays at its own expense in accordance with the requirements of legislation.



9. Regarding extension of the agreement with the audit company and approval of the remuneration for the audit services



Decided:



To extend the agreement concluded with UAB "ERNST & YOUNG BALTIC" (identification code 110878442, the registered address: Subaciaus str. 7, Vilnius) for the audit of AB "Utenos trikotazas" financial statements for 2017. To approve the annual remuneration for the audit services EUR 15 300 (fifteen thousand three hundred euros) plus VAT.



ENCL.:



Appendix No.1. Report of the Company and consolidated Group annual financial statements. Report of the Company's auditor.



Appendix No.2. Company's consolidated annual report for the year 2016.



Appendix No.3. Statement of the Company's Profit Allocation for the Year 2016.



Appendix No.4. Confirmation of responsible persons.



Appendix No.5. Regulations of the Audit Committee.



Appendix No.6 Introducing of the Audit Commitee members.



For more information please contact Mr. Algirdas Sabunas, Managing Director of AB Utenos trikotazas, tel. No. 370 389 51445



Managing Director AB "Utenos trikotazas" Algirdas Sabunas



Attachment:

https://cns.omxgroup.com/cds/DisclosureAttachmentServlet?messageAttachmentId=627411

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Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
ST. PAUL, MN--(Marketwired - April 26, 2017) - Alliance Bank, a privately owned community bank with over $590 million in assets, announced the recent launch of Business Mobile Banking with Mobile Deposit. The app allows customers to check their account balance, deposit checks, pay bills or transfer funds. Advanced features include the ability to decision Payee Positive Pay and ACH Positive Pay exception items.

This new delivery channel helps Alliance Bank business customers manage their finances and make deposits anyplace, anytime. Many banks have business mobile apps or plan to launch them within the next year or two. Few include the robust features that are available with the Alliance Bank business app.

"Customers are now able to review Payee Positive Pay and ACH Positive Pay exception items while on the go in order to help protect their account from fraud. This mobile service is essential considering the limited time frame available to decision exception items," stated V. Philip Reim, CEO. "Business customers are already telling us that our app is easy to use and convenient. We're pleased with the app and the positive feedback we've received from our customers," he added.

Alliance Bank has business mobile apps to use with iPhones  , iPads  , Android' phones and Android tablets. Customers must first be registered through Business eBanking to enroll in Business Mobile Banking.

About Alliance Bank

Alliance Bank is a privately owned community bank with assets of over $590 million. Alliance Bank provides highly integrated commercial, agricultural, private and personal banking services through seven locations throughout Minnesota. Chartered in 1867, Alliance Bank delivers big bank expertise with community bank service. As a family owned bank, Alliance Bank is committed to remaining independent and providing personal interaction and timely decision making. From basic checking and savings products, to business loans and ag loans, sophisticated cash management and mobile banking services, Alliance Bank offers services to help companies and individuals succeed. Visit www.alliancebanks.com or call 1-888-959-9425 to learn more.

Debra Kosch

Vice President - Marketing

651-229-2873
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - April 26, 2017) - DNI Metals Inc. (CSE: DNI) ("DNI" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the following:

Drilling has commenced on DNI's Vohitsara graphite project in Madagascar.

As the road and drill pads were/are being constructed, new graphitic zones were uncovered by the bulldozer.

Drilling to focus on the main zone, but a few test holes will be drilled on secondary zones.

The Main zone is over 2.5 kms long, drilling will start on the central 1 km portion of graphite mineralization where previous trenching returned grades up to 25% Cgr. See trenching press release dated September 24, 2015.

Second payment of A$200,000 was received from Cougar Metals ("Cougar").

Dan Weir, CEO, of DNI commented, "We very excited to see the project move forward, and especially pleased to see new zones uncovered, on the 63 km2, Vohitsara project. We always thought this project would have multiple zones. Having a partner like Cougar and their experienced drill crew will help make the project move forward in a timely manner."

As per the Definitive agreement signed March 24, 2017 with Cougar:

Cougar can earn into 50% of DNI's Madagascar Graphite Project. NI 43-101 Resource Report must be completed by June 30, 2017. NI 43-101 PEA (Preliminary Economic Assessment) must be completed by October 31, 2017. Cougar must drill a minimum of 3,000m to a maximum depth of 50m, and additionally complete 1,000m of trenching. The Saprolitic advantage of DNI's graphite project, will simplify drilling for Cougar's experienced team. Cougar completed a drill program of a Saprolitic graphite deposit in Brazil, in 2015/2016. Since Cougar did not withdraw from the project by April 12, 2017, Cougar is now obligated to pay DNI U$150,000 by June 7, 2017.

About DNI Metals

Certain advisors and directors of DNI have significant operational experience at historical hard rock graphite mines in Canada (e.g. Ontario and Quebec) and Australia.Between them, they have built three (3) processing plants and designed two (2) others; all, which were shut down in the 1990,'s due to increased Chinese competition. Keith Minty, director, worked at Cal Graphite near Kearny, Ontario.

It was our team's understanding of the high production and capital expenditure costs associated with so-called "hard rock" graphite mining that inspired DNI to search for saprolite-hosted graphite deposits.

Certain parts Madagascar and Brazil, produce graphite from weathered material called saprolite.

According to Dictionary.com, saprolite is described as:

"Soft, thoroughly decomposed and porous rock, often rich in clay, formed by the in place chemical weathering of igneous, metamorphic, or sedimentary rocks. Saprolite is especially common in humid and tropical climates. It is usually reddish brown or grayish white and contains those structures (such as cross-stratification) that were present in the original rock from which it formed."

DNI owns a commercially permitted, saprolite-hosted graphite deposit in Madagascar; located 50kms from the country's main seaport. The deposit is located less than two (2) kms from the paved national highway. DNI intends to develop the Vohitsara project, should the economic viability and technical feasibility be established. DNI has not yet established mineral resources or mineral reserves supported by a PEA or mining study (PFS or FS).

DNI has a graphite wholesale business, in which it buys and sells high quality graphite. This business has shown a steady increase in volume over the past year.

Steven Goertz (MAusIMM, MAIG), who is a qualified person, approved the technical disclosure in this news release.

DNI - Canadian Securities Exchange

DG7N - Frankfurt

DMNKF - OTC

Issued: 40,558,775

For further information, contact:

DNI Metals Inc. - Dan Weir, CEO 416-595-1195

DanWeir@dnimetals.com

Also visit www.dnimetals.com

We seek Safe Harbour. This announcement may include forward looking statements. While these statements represent DNI's best current judgment, they are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to vary, including risk factors listed in DNI's Annual Information Form and its MD&A's, all of which are available from SEDAR and on its website.
Carson City, Nevada--(Newsfile Corp. - April 26, 2017) - Cell MedX Corp. (OTCQB: CMXC), ("Cell MedX" or the "Company"), is pleased to announce that the Company's Canadian subsidiary has entered into a production agreement with an ISO 9001 certified manufacturing facility in Coquitlam, BC, and selected North American suppliers for sourcing essential components for its eBalance Pro device.

The move is intended to allow the Company to facilitate its planned distribution under the current registration with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration while ensuring lower production costs and greater control of the manufacturing and distribution process. Furthermore, it will assist the Company with setting up its standard operating procedures under ISO 13485-2016, a requirement by Health Canada to register the Company's eBalance Pro device as Class II medical device.

Mr. McEnulty, the Company's CEO, stated: "Our team is very excited to continue moving ahead with our strategic plan. The new relationships that we secured with both the manufacturing facility as well as with our new suppliers is the next essential step to bring our eBalance Pro device to market."

About Cell MedX Corp.

Cell MedX Corp. is an early development stage bio-tech company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of therapeutic and non-therapeutic products that promote general wellness and alleviate complications associated with medical conditions including, but not limited to, diabetes, Parkinson's disease, high blood pressure. For more information about the Company and its technology please visit our website at: www.cellmedx.com, for the Company's newsletter, please go to www.cellmedx.com/media/newsletters/

On behalf of the Board of Directors of Cell MedX Corp.

Frank McEnulty

Chief Executive Officer and President.

Forward Looking Statements

The information included in this press release has not been reviewed by the FDA, nor has it been peer reviewed. This press release contains forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions and are identified by words such as "expects", "intends", "estimates", "projects", "anticipates", "believes", "could", and other similar words. All statements addressing product performance, events, or developments that the Company expects or anticipates will occur in the future are forward-looking statements. Because the statements are forward-looking, they should be evaluated in light of important risk factors and uncertainties, some of which are described in the Company's Quarterly, Annual and Current Reports filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"). Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should any of the Company's underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those currently anticipated. In addition, undue reliance should not be placed on Company's forward-looking statements. In particular, the Company's eBalance technology is still in development. Except as required by law, Cell MedX Corp. disclaims any obligation to update or publicly announce any revisions to any of the forward-looking statements contained in this press release. 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. No stock exchange, securities commission or other regulatory body has reviewed nor accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Investors are advised to carefully review the reports and documents that Cell MedX Corp. files from time to time with the SEC, including its Annual, Quarterly and Current Reports.

SOURCE:

Cell MedX Corp.

For further information visit: www.cellmedx.com.

Or phone: 1-844-238-2692


CHICAGO (dpa-AFX) - Boeing Co. (BA) reported a profit for the first-quarter 2017 that increased about 19 percent from last year driven by solid execution on production programs and services. But, quarterly revenues decreased 7.3 percent to $21.0 billion, reflecting the timing of commercial and defense aircraft deliveries.



Earnings per share topped analysts' expectations, while quarterly revenues missed their estimates.



The company raised its 2017 profit guidance reflecting continued solid performance across the company and the impact of the lower-than-expected tax rate. But the company maintained its annual revenue guidance.



In the Wednesday's pre-market trade, BA is trading at $181.40, down $2.11 or 1.15%.



'We remain on track to achieve our full-year revenue, earnings and cash flow targets as our teams deliver on our large and diverse order backlog. As we do so, we're focused on accelerating productivity, quality and safety improvements, strengthening execution on development programs, and capturing new business opportunities,' said Boeing Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer Dennis Muilenburg.



For the full year, GAAP earnings per share guidance increased to between $10.35 and $10.55 from $10.25 and $10.45 and core earnings per share guidance increased to between $9.20 and $9.40 from $9.10 and $9.30, primarily driven by a lower-than-expected tax rate. Analysts expect annual earnings of $9.35 per share.



Looking ahead for fiscal year 2017, the company still expects revenue to be in the range of $90.5 billion - $92.5 billion. Analysts expect revenue of $92.05 billion for the fiscal year. It still projects commercial deliveries of between 760 and 765 aircraft.



Net earnings for the first-quarter 2017 rose 19.03 percent to $1.45 billion from the prior year's $1.22 billion, with earnings per share improving to $2.34 from $1.83 in the previous year.



Core earnings per share grew to $2.01 from $1.74 last year. Analysts polled by Thomson Reuters expected the company to report earnings of $1.95 per share for the quarter. Analysts' estimates typically exclude special items.



Operating cash flow in the quarter of $2.1 billion was driven by solid operating performance and timing of receipts and expenditures. During the quarter, the company repurchased 14.9 million shares for $2.5 billion, leaving $11.5 billion remaining under the current repurchase authorization which is expected to be completed over approximately the next two years.



The company also paid $868 million in dividends in the quarter, reflecting a 30 percent increase in dividends per share compared to the same period of the prior year.



Total company backlog at quarter-end was $480 billion, up from $473 billion at the beginning of the quarter, and included net orders for the quarter of $27 billion.



Total revenues for the quarter declined 7.3 percent to $20.976 billion from $22.632 billion in the prior year. Analysts expected revenue of $21.35 billion for the quarter.



Commercial Airplanes first-quarter revenue was $14.3 billion on services growth, offset by lower planned 737 deliveries, as we prepare for 737 MAX entry into service in May. First-quarter operating margin increased to 8.5 percent, reflecting improved performance on production and services programs, cost growth on the initial production of KC-46 Tanker aircraft, and less favorable delivery mix.



Defense, Space & Security first-quarter revenue was $6.5 billion. First-quarter operating margin increased to 11.3 percent, reflecting improved performance at BMA.



Boeing Military Aircraft (BMA) first-quarter revenue was $2.6 billion, reflecting lower planned deliveries, and operating margin increased to 12.2 percent on improved performance. During the quarter, BMA was awarded a contract for 268 AH-64E Apache helicopters from the U.S. Army, a contract for 17 P-8A Poseidon aircraft from the U.S. Navy, Royal Australian Air Force, and the U.K. Royal Air Force, and a contract from the U.S. Air Force for an additional 15 KC-46 Tanker aircraft.



Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

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CHEYENNE, WY -- (Marketwired) -- 04/26/17 -- Aircraft manufacturer PM&E, Inc. (OTC: PMEA) announced today that it has agreed to the purchase of EVADA Aircraft by publicly traded, Seilon, Inc. (OTC: SEIL).

CEO Joseph Bourne stated, "At this point in our company's history, it is important for us to accomplish two objectives. One, that Evada Aircraft operates within a business framework that will ensure the successful manufacture and sales of Evada Aircraft units sooner rather than later and two, to ensure that our existing shareholders who have been with us for the long term are taken care of in the most favorable way possible. With both of these objectives in mind, we have made the decision to move forward with the sale of Evada Aircraft to Seilon, Inc."

Seilon, Inc. recently made an acquisition of a media and broadcasting operation with operations in Tunisia, Spain and with planned operations in North America. The upside revenue potential from the first merger is very favorable. Evada Aircraft will be the second acquisition for Seilon, Inc. and will occur via a share exchange. In addition to these two acquisitions, Seilon, Inc. is exploring additional opportunities in the solar and cannabis industries.

Mr. Bourne went on to say, "We negotiated this transaction as a share exchange at a ratio of eight to one. In other words, PMEA shareholders will receive one share of SEIL for every eight shares of PMEA. We will have more information to share in the coming days, but for now we wanted to give as much detail as possible to allow investors to make an informed decision based on what we know to this point."

Mr. Bourne finished up with, "From day one, the number of shares outstanding and the chill that we could never get lifted in spite of our current status caused problems on several fronts. We are excited about the opportunity to be part of a company without those issues and part of a company that will grow and expand long term as a holding company that will take advantage of multiple business opportunities across several industries. Evada will still operate as a separate and independent operation, but with a fresh start that will give us a better opportunity for success long term."

Web site (PM&E Inc.): http://www.pme-holding.com

Web Site (SEILON Inc.): http://seilon-group.com

Web Site (M24 TV): http://www.maghreb24tv.com/tv/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PME-Inc-432293210274534/

Google +: https://plus.google.com/u/0/110058910223174354829?hl=fr

Twitter: https://twitter.com/PMEA_Inc

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUUREk7BtuTwfWVQEgBDqnA

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/10877337

Safe Harbor

Except for the historical information contained herein, this press release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from the results predicted and reported results should not be considered an indication of future performance. In addition to the factors discussed in the filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, among the other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially are the following: adverse changes in the business conditions and the general economy; competitive factors, such as rival companies' pricing and marketing efforts; availability of third-party material products at reasonable prices; the financial condition of the customer; risks of obsolescence due to shifts in market demand; and litigation involving product liabilities and consumer issues. PM&E Inc. cautions readers not to place undue reliance upon any such forward looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. PM&E Inc. expressly disclaims any obligations or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any such statements to reflect any change in the company's expectations or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based.

Mr. Joseph Bourne

President / CEO

001 (307) 392-4771

contact@pme-holding.com




MOUNTAIN VIEW (dpa-AFX) - Sergey Brin, Google's co-founder, is said to be secretly building a massive airship inside Hangar 2 at the NASA Ames Research Center, Bloomberg reported, citing people with knowledge of the project. As per the report, the craft looks like a zeppelin-like airship, and its not clear whether its a hobby or a business plan for Brin. He is said to be fascinated by airships for long, and used to visit Ames, which in the 1930s was home to U.S. Navy airship USS Macon. Ames is located near Alphabet Inc.'s headquarters in Mountain View, California. As per the report, Brin decided to build one of his own about three years ago after checking old photos of the Macon. In 2015, Google unit Planetary Ventures took over the large hangars at Ames from NASA and turned them into laboratories for the company, Bloomberg noted. Engineers have constructed a metal skeleton of the craft, and Alan Weston, the former director of programs at NASA Ames, is heading Brin's airship project, which is not an Alphabet project, the report said. In an email, Brin wrote, 'Sorry, I don't have anything to say about this topic right now.' Brin's Google co-founder Larry Page, Alphabet CEO, has funded at least two secretive flying-car projects, including startups Kitty Hawk and Zee.Aero, also separate from Alphabet. On Monday, Kitty Hawk released a video showing one of its all-electric Flyer taking off and soaring over a lake with the driver perched on top. The Flyer can only be flown in 'uncongested areas' over fresh water. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
LONDON, April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Today, Adestra has announced it has made The Leap 100 2017 - a community of the most exciting, fast-growth companies in the UK - launched by London law firm Mishcon de Reya and business publication City A.M. and nominated in partnership with Seven Hills and The Entrepreneurs Network. To be considered for The Leap 100, companies needed to demonstrate a recent history of rapid revenue growth, as well as ambitious plans for the future.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140331/678597-a )



Adestra is a marketing technology provider for global and growing brands. An award-winning provider of first-person marketing solutions, Adestra's email platform enables marketers to communicate more effectively with customers and subscribers through contextual messaging and marketing automation.

The company was founded on the principle that marketing success takes more than technology, which is why customer service is at the heart of its business. In recognition of this, Adestra was a winner of the 2014 and 2017 Customer Focus Award from the Customer Service Institute, Bronze for Customer Service Department of the Year at the 2017 Stevie Awards for Customer Service, and 2017 Supplier of the Year Award from one of its longest-standing clients, UBM.

Henry Hyder-Smith, CEO at Adestra said: "When we founded Adestra, we believed there was a real gap in the market for a marketing service provider that combines great technology with excellent customer service. Almost 13 years on and that's still true. Our dedication to this vision has translated to fantastic global growth as we expanded into the North American and APAC markets in recent years. We're very proud to be included in the prestigious The Leap 100 in 2017 as we continue our ambitious plans for the future."

For the third year running, The Leap 100 will support entrepreneurs as they experience the highs and lows of fast growth, bringing together founders and business leaders to share their ideas and experiences. Click here for the full 2017/18 list, which is neither ranked nor exhaustive.

Nick Davis, Head of Corporate at Mishcon de Reya, said: "Since launching The Leap 100 in 2015 we now have 300 fast growth businesses in The Leap community. Scaling-up is challenging and is usually a highly dramatic time for businesses. Over the course of this year, we will gather together these businesses to facilitate debate and discussion around the factors that impact them the most, especially in the period leading up to Brexit. It is always so interesting to assemble these businesses during this stage of their growth and to hear their unique insights."

Christian May, Editor of City A.M., said of the list: "In the wake of Britain's vote to leave the EU, the SME community continues to thrive. The Leap 100 is a very nimble selection of UK businesses - all flying in the face of the uncertainty that is Brexit to pursue rapid and sustainable growth. For this reason, The Leap 100 2017 is particularly inspirational, showcasing successful innovation, brand recognition and expansion into new markets and, of course, leadership and tenacity."

Stay up to date with the latest The Leap 100 news on Twitter theleap100.

NOTES TO THE EDITORS

Methodology:

The Leap 100 is compiled based on research conducted by Mishcon de Reya, City A.M. and The Entrepreneurs Network, into high-growth companies in the UK which have both reached, or are close to reaching, 10m revenue mark in the preceding five years. Many of these companies demonstrate rates of growth in excess of 100% year on year. Their management teams have a proven record of taking the business from start up to high growth and have the ambition to continue to scale the business over the next two years.

About Adestra

Adestra is a trusted provider of First-Person Marketing solutions for global and growing brands.

The company's industry-leading email platform provides a powerful infrastructure for one-to-one, contextual messaging and marketing automation, helping marketers communicate more effectively with their customers and subscribers. Robust reporting features allow marketers to efficiently evaluate and optimise their campaign results. The flexible structure and open integration architecture allow businesses to connect disparate technology platforms to create a seamless customer journey.

Along with a best-of-breed platform that drives customer engagement and boosts ROI, Adestra was founded on the principle that marketing success takes more than technology, which is why customer service is at the heart of its business. Adestra was a winner of the 2014 and 2017 Customer Focus Award from the Customer Service Institute. It also won Bronze for Customer Service Department of the Year at the 2017 Stevie Awards for Customer Service, as well as being presented with the 2017 Supplier of the Year Award from one of its longest-standing clients, UBM.

Adestra continues to maintain one of the highest customer retention rates in the industry. It is trusted by top companies including UBM, FranklinCovey, and Conde Nast Digital Limited, among others.

Established in 2004, Adestra has offices throughout the UK, USA, Canada and Australia. For more information, please visit adestra.com.

About City AM:

City A.M. is a freely distributed London business and finance newspaper, distributed at over 1,400 locations and commuter hubs across London and the South East. With an editorial team of 30, the brand includes daily print editions (Mon-Fri), a website, a digital download edition and four high-end magazines covering lifestyle, fashion, travel and personal finance.

About Mishcon de Reya:

At Mishcon de Reya, our focus is on dynamic businesses and the individuals behind them. We believe that entrepreneurs are the life-blood of our economy, which is why we actively promote explosive growth companies through The Leap 100 initiative.

We believe that if you want to work with entrepreneurs, you have to think like one. So that's what we set out to do. Through The Leap, we have enjoyed unparalleled access to the entrepreneurial world, enabling us to better understand the issues fast growth business founders face. We pride ourselves on being more than just lawyers.

About The Entrepreneurs' Network:

The Entrepreneurs Network is a think tank for the ambitious owners of Britain's fastest growing businesses and aspirational entrepreneurs. Through research, events and the media, it bridges the gap between entrepreneurs and policymakers to help make Britain the best place in the world to start and grow a business. It also acts as the Secretariat of the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Entrepreneurship.

About Seven Hills:

Our mission is to campaign for change-makers; delivering momentum and meaning for those realising the positive potential of business.

We create campaigns that help businesses to stand out, grow faster and make a difference. Our goal is to unlock the amazing growth potential of people we work with - our clients, our partners and our team.

Our expertise is the development, curation and promotion of brands. From messaging to media relations, editorial to events, creative to corporate communications, our team of specialists create campaigns that foster belief, build followings and unlock opportunity.
ORLANDO, FL--(Marketwired - April 26, 2017) - Triloma EIG Energy Income Fund and Triloma EIG Energy Income Fund - Term I (the "Funds") announced today their participation, alongside certain other private funds and accounts managed by EIG Global Energy Partners ("EIG"), in a $300 million Senior Secured First Lien Note issuance by Northeast Natural Energy and its affiliates ("NNE"). The transaction was originated, negotiated and structured by EIG on behalf of its managed investment vehicles and the Funds.

NNE is a privately held oil and gas exploration and production company focused on the acquisition and development of natural gas assets within the Appalachian basin. The floating rate notes mature in five years and are secured by mortgages on the proved reserves in addition to other assets.

"We continue to diversify the Funds' portfolios geographically, across energy infrastructure sub-sectors and different geologic basins," said Deryck Harmer, president and CEO of the Funds. "This investment in Northeast Natural Energy is another strong addition featuring natural gas production primarily in West Virginia and western Pennsylvania."

This addition to the portfolio closely follows the Funds' second international investment in a large renewable power project located in the United Kingdom.

About Triloma EIG Energy Income Fund and Triloma EIG Energy Income Fund - Term I

Triloma EIG Energy Income Fund and Triloma EIG Energy Income Fund - Term I are unlisted investment companies that invest primarily in global portfolios of privately originated energy company and project debt. Their investment objectives are to provide shareholders with current income, capital preservation and, to a lesser extent, long-term capital appreciation. The Funds are managed by Triloma Energy Advisors and EIG Credit Management Company, wholly owned subsidiaries of Triloma Financial Group and EIG Global Energy Partners, respectively. For additional information, please visit trilomaenergy.com.

About Triloma

Triloma is a private investment management firm providing individuals with a unique approach to alternative investment opportunities. Triloma manages and sponsors a group of private and publicly-offered investment programs focused on private equity, real estate and energy investments. Triloma specializes in thorough research, individual access, powerful partnerships and excellent service. Triloma is headquartered in Winter Park, Florida. For additional information, please visit triloma.com.

Triloma Financial Group is the parent company to Triloma Securities, a FINRA-registered broker-dealer, and Triloma Energy Advisors, an SEC-registered investment adviser, (collectively referred to herein as "Triloma"). Triloma Energy Advisors serves as the investment adviser to the Triloma EIG Energy Income Funds.

Securities offered through Triloma Securities, member FINRA/SIPC.

Triloma, EIG Global Energy Partners, and Northeast Natural Energy are not affiliated.

About EIG Global Energy Partners

EIG Global Energy Partners (EIG) is a leading institutional investor to the global energy sector with $14.4 billion under management as of December 31, 2016. EIG specializes in private investments in energy and energy-related infrastructure on a global basis. During its 35-year history, EIG has invested over $23.1 billion in the sector in more than 310 projects or companies in 36 countries on six continents. EIG's clients include many of the leading pension plans, insurance companies, endowments, foundations and sovereign wealth funds in the U.S., Asia and Europe. EIG is headquartered in Washington, D.C. with offices in Houston, London, Sydney, Rio de Janeiro, Hong Kong and Seoul. For more information, visit eigpartners.com.

This is not an offer. The respective offerings of Triloma EIG Energy Income Fund and Triloma EIG Energy Income Fund - Term I (the "Funds") common stock can be made solely by means of a written prospectus forming part of the effective registration statement. The prospectuses and their supplements, which contain important information about the Funds, can be obtained upon request and without charge by writing to the Funds at 201 N. New York Ave., Suite 250, Winter Park, FL 32789, or by calling the Funds collect at 407-636-7115. Prospective investors should read the prospectuses and their supplements carefully before investing. Investors are advised to consider the investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses of the Fund carefully before investing. The prospectuses contain this and other information about the Funds. There can be no assurance that the Funds will achieve their investment objectives.

The Funds' investments in various types of debt securities and instruments may be secured, unsecured, rated and unrated, are subject to non-payment risk, and may be speculative in nature. Investments in senior secured debt present additional risks, including that there is a higher risk of default than with investment-grade bonds. Generally, investments in debt securities with longer-term maturities are subject to greater volatility than investments in shorter-term obligations. The Funds' investments in energy companies expose the Funds to risks associated with adverse economic, environmental or regulatory occurrences affecting the energy sector, a higher volatility of the market and a downturn in the energy sector could have a larger impact on the Funds than on funds that are broadly diversified across many sectors and industries.

This press release may contain forward-looking statements identified by the use of words such as "outlook," "indicator," "believes," "expects," "potential," "continues," "may," "will," "should," "seeks," "approximately," "predicts," "intends," "plans," "estimates," "anticipates" or the negative version of these words or other comparable words. Such forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties. Accordingly, there are or will be important factors that could cause actual outcomes or results to differ materially from those indicated in these statements. Triloma, EIG and the Funds believe these factors include, but are not limited to, those described under the section entitled "Risk Factors" in the Fund's registration statement, as such factors may be updated from time to time in its periodic filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, which are accessible on the SEC's website at sec.gov. These factors should not be construed as exhaustive and should be read in conjunction with the other cautionary statements that are included in this release and in the Fund's filings. Triloma, EIG and the Funds assume no obligation to update or supplement forward-looking statements that become untrue because of subsequent events or circumstances.

Triloma Media Contact

Lauren Bowes

Findsome & Winmore

lbowes@findsomewinmore.com

407-722-7843
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 04/26/17 -- Canada Carbon Inc. (the "Company") (TSX VENTURE: CCB) announces further to its news release dated April 13th, 2017 that it has closed the second tranche of its non-brokered private placement (the "Private Placement"). The press release generated additional interest in the private placement and as a result, the Company issued 3,430,000 non-flow-through units at $0.23 per units for gross proceeds of $788,900. Each unit consists of one common share and one warrant exercisable at $0.30 per share for three years.

Finder's fees of $15,994 cash were paid in connection with the second tranche. In accordance with applicable securities legislation, all securities issued in the Private Placement are subject to a statutory hold period of four months and one day.

The proceeds from the private placement will be used to advance the exploration of the Company's 100% owned Miller hydrothermal lump/vein graphite property and for general corporate purposes.

CANADA CARBON INC.

R. Bruce Duncan, CEO and Director

"Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release."

FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS: This news release contains forward-looking statements, which relate to future events or future performance and reflect management's current expectations and assumptions. Such forward-looking statements reflect management's current beliefs and are based on assumptions made by and information currently available to the Company. Investors are cautioned that these forward looking statements are neither promises nor guarantees, and are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause future results to differ materially from those expected. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date hereof and, except as required under applicable securities legislation, the Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances. All of the forward-looking statements made in this press release are qualified by these cautionary statements and by those made in our filings with SEDAR in Canada (available at www.sedar.com).

Contacts:

Canada Carbon Inc.

E-mail inquiries: info@canadacarbon.com

(604) 685-6375

(604) 909-1163 (FAX)

www.canadacarbon.com




WASHINGTON, DC -- (Marketwired) -- 04/26/17 -- DirectTrust today announced continued steady growth in the number of Direct exchange users, addresses and transactions. The organization also announced the addition of six new members since the beginning of the year. DirectTrust is a health care industry alliance created by and for participants in the Direct exchange network used for secure, interoperable exchange of personal health information (PHI) between provider organizations, and between provider and patients, for the purpose of improved coordination of care.

According to end of first quarter 2017 metrics, the number of health care organizations served by DirectTrust health information service providers (HISPs) and engaged in Direct exchange increased 63% to nearly 95,000, compared with the same time last year. The number of trusted Direct addresses able to share PHI grew 21% to 1.4 million. There were 35.6 million Direct exchange transactions in the first quarter of 2017, an increase of 76% over the same period last year. DirectTrust anticipates transactions totaling 140 million by the end of 2017. Direct's nationwide network includes 40 EHNAC-DirectTrust accredited HISPs.

"DirectTrust's network for secure, interoperable exchange of health information continues to grow, even as meaningful use programs near the end of their course," said DirectTrust President and CEO David C. Kibbe, MD, MBA. "We believe health care providers and their organizations are beginning to learn how to optimize secure data transport via Direct by combining it with more reliable and useful content, and with better workflows for care coordination. Whether used for peer-to-peer messaging, for transport of lab results, to send data to clinical repositories, or to combine clinical file attachments with billing statements, Direct interoperability is replacing fax and mail because it is more secure, less costly, and can be tracked much more easily within EHRs and other applications."

Since January 1, six healthcare organizations have joined DirectTrust. They are:

1. Sutter Health -- a not-for-profit health system serving Northern California

2. Health Record Banking Alliance -- a non-profit organization promoting consumer-centered, consumer-controlled, comprehensive, lifetime electronic health records

3. Timmaron Group -- provider of innovative global growth strategies employing applied technologies

4. Moxe Health -- provider of digital tools to facilitate the flow of data between healthcare providers, insurers and software applications

5. Uticorp, Inc. -- a medical utilization review company providing independent health insurance company audits

6. Anne Arundel Medical Center -- a regional health system headquartered in Annapolis, MD

These additions bring DirectTrust's total membership to 124 organizations.

"We're happy to see a diverse group of innovative applications and IT companies, along with large and prestigious provider organizations, as new members in DirectTrust. Physicians are taking a much more active role in deciding how their organizations and their patients use interoperable health information exchange, and that's a very positive development to note," said Dr. Kibbe.

Charts detailing results as of the end of the first quarter are available here or by contacting Ed Emerman at eemerman@eaglepr.com or 609.275.5162.

About DirectTrust

DirectTrust is a five-year old, non-profit, vendor neutral, self-regulatory entity initially created by and for participants in the Direct community, including Health Internet Service Providers (HISPs), Certificate Authorities (CAs), Registration Authorities (RAs), doctors, patients and vendors, and supports both provider-to-provider as well as patient-to-provider Direct exchange. In the period 2013 to 2015, DirectTrust was the recipient of a Cooperative Agreement Award from the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) as part of the Exemplar HIE Governance Program. DirectTrust serves as a forum and governance body for persons and entities engaged in the Direct exchange of electronic health information as part of the Nationwide Health Information Network (NwHIN). DirectTrust's Security and Trust Framework is the basis for the voluntary accreditation of service providers implementing Direct health information exchange. The goal of DirectTrust is to develop, promote, and, as necessary, help enforce the rules and best practices necessary to maintain security and trust within the Direct community, consistent with the HITECH Act and the governance rules for the NwHIN established by ONC. DirectTrust is committed to fostering widespread public confidence in the interoperable exchange of health information. To learn more, visit www.directtrust.org.

Contact:

Ed Emerman

Eagle Public Relations

609.275.5162

eemerman@eaglepr.com




VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 04/26/17 -- Metallis Resources Inc. (TSX VENTURE: MTS) (the "Company" or "Metallis Resources") is pleased to announce the appointments of Mr. Jeff Kyba and Mr. Stephen Wetherup to the Company's Advisory Council, to provide strategic guidance and insight to assist the Company's exploration of its 100% owned Kirkham Property, located in the Golden Triangle in Northwestern British Columbia.

JEFF KYBA

Jeff Kyba, P.Geo., has been directly involved in the mineral exploration industry since 2004 and held various positions with junior and mid-tier exploration companies and the provincial government. Most recently he spent the past five years as the Regional Geologist for the BC Ministry of Mines responsible for monitoring mineral exploration and mining activity in northwest BC. Prior to 2011, Mr. Kyba worked as an exploration project geologist with Ivanhoe Australia, Hard Creek Nickel Corp. and as a Senior regional mapping assistant with the BC Geological Survey. Mr. Kyba is acknowledged for recognizing the relationship between copper/gold deposits in northwestern BC and the contact between the Triassic-age Stuhini Group and the Jurassic - age Hazelton Group. This marker infamously named "Red Line" has been traced over a 10 km strike-length on Metallis' Kirkham Property and is spatially related to the mineralized Hawlison Porphyry, the tabular King Geophysical Target and 4 additional geophysical anomalies that mimic those associated with developed porphyry copper/gold deposits in the Golden Triangle.

STEPHEN WETHERUP

Mr. Wetherup is a structural and economic geologist with over 20 years of global exploration experience. Mr. Wetherup has worked for Fox Geological Consultants, Phelps Dodge Corporation of Canada and as a consulting geologist for numerous exploration companies including Freeport-McMoran. Mr. Wetherup is currently the Vice President - Geology with Caracle Creek International Consulting and the Vice-President of Exploration for Commander Resources Ltd. Mr. Wetherup will be leading and coordinating the Company's geological mapping activities.

Metallis President Fiore Aliperti noted: "We are extremely excited to add to an advisory team that already includes the well-respected industry analyst and commentator Lawrence Roulston. When building an advisory team it is incredibly important to seek out those industry leaders that not only offer a technical vision to the company but also add real strategic value to your senior management team. We believe we have found those required qualities and value in both Jeff and Stephen."

"In recent years only a handful of people have delivered more impact on exploration within the Golden Triangle than Jeff Kyba. Many standout companies working in the Golden Triangle today have adopted the well-publicised 'Red-Line' theory in their exploration approach. So to add one of the two individuals who presented this influential hypothesis to the industry is hugely important, especially as we plan our drilling, consider approaches to further explore our numerous targets, and bring the Kirkham property to its next phase of development," stated Metallis Resources' CEO, Fiore Aliperti.

On behalf of the Board of Directors:

/s/ "Fiore Aliperti"

Chief Executive Officer, President and Director

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. The TSX-V Stock Exchange has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this news release.

Contacts:

Metallis Resources Inc.

604-688-5077

info@metallisresources.com

www.metallisresources.com




Zurich (ots) - Starting mid-May 2017, Onet.pl will launch a POLITICO section covering politics, policy, and personalities in the European Union. Michal Broniatowski, former Editor-in-chief at Forbes, will head the new POLITICO section of Onet.pl and become a contributing editor of POLITICO's European edition. At Forbes, he is succeeded by Pawel Zielewski (48).The new service from Onet.pl and POLITICO will deliver breaking news and cover a wide range of policy areas from a European perspective, ranging from health care to technology to energy. Alongside Politico's international editorial team, Michal Broniatowski will publish exclusive content that will also appear on Politico.eu.Bartosz Weglarczyk, Programming Director of Onet.pl: "POLITICO stands for exclusive insights into European politics, and addresses political and policy professionals with a stake in Europe. With the new service at Onet.pl, we are bringing this strong, international brand to Poland and will be offering insights provided by the international editorial team that are of great relevance for our Polish readers."Michal Broniatowski, head of the POLITICO section at Onet.pl: "Important decisions in politics, economy and European law are being made in Brussels and Strasbourg on a daily basis. We want to provide our readers with news and insights into European policy decisions which have a concrete impact on their lives. As a contributing editor to POLITICO's European edition, I will also have the opportunity to provide insights into political, social or economic developments from a Polish perspective."Matthew Kaminski, the Executive Editor of POLITICO's European edition: "We are very excited to have Michal Broniatowski join us and to expand our footprint in Eastern Europe. Our journalism will create a link between Brussels and Warsaw, key capitals in east and west of Europe, in a way that illuminates events for our core global audience of policy shapers and opinion makers at a very critical time for European politics."Michal Broniatowski leaves the Polish edition of Forbes after working for the magazine for the last 3 years and becoming its editor-in-chief in 2014. He is a former Associated Press and Reuters reporter, before becoming Reuters bureau chief in Warsaw and then in Moscow. He has served as deputy president of the Russian Interfax agency in charge of its English-language global business services, and former non-executive director of the then largest Polish media group, ITI.Pawel Zielewski, deputy editor-in chief of the Polish edition of Forbes, will succeed Michal Broniatowski as editor-in-chief. Zielewski joined Forbes as editor in August 2007. From 2010 to 2012 he was editor-in-chief of forbes.pl. In October 2012 he created "Pierwszy Milion", a Forbes-related magazine for entrepreneurs, which he led as an editor-in-chief till 2016. He has over 25 years of experience as a journalist and has worked for "Puls Biznesu" as managing finance and publishing editor, for "Gazeta Wyborcza" as journalist specialized on the banking sector and investment funds market, as well as for "Zycie gospodarcze" as managing editor.About POLITICOPOLITICO is a global nonpartisan politics and policy news organization, headquartered in Washington, D.C. In April 2015, a European edition of the publication launched through a joint venture with the leading digital publisher in Europe, Axel Springer. Based in Brussels, POLITICO's European edition covers the politics, policy and personalities of the European Union. With reporting assets in key capitals across Europe the publication truly connects the dots between the Continent's biggest power players. Its journalism lives online at Politico.eu; in print via a weekly newspaper distributed to more than 20,000 readers in Brussels, Berlin, Paris, London, Frankfurt and Luxembourg; in daily morning newsletters, such as Ryan Heath's Brussels Playbook and Florian Eder's Morgen Europa, our non English-language product; in POLITICO Pro, the real-time policy news service; and through news-making events. In 2016, an annual ComRes/Burson-Marsteller survey ranked the European edition of POLITICO as the #1 most-read publication by EU influencers. POLITICO is emerging on the European media scene with over 60 journalists representing 22 nationalities and 14 languages.About Ringier Axel Springer Media AGRingier Axel Springer Media AG was founded in 2010 by the Swiss Ringier AG and the German Axel Springer SE. The company operates in the growth markets of Poland, Hungary, Serbia, Slovakia, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania with a broad range of media services, comprising more than 165 digital and print offerings. The company's registered offices are in Zurich and it employs a total of about 3100 employees.Originaltext: Ringier Axel Springer Media AG digital press kits: http://www.presseportal.de/nr/105327 press kits via RSS: http://www.presseportal.de/rss/pm_105327.rss2Press contact Alexandra Delvenakiotis Group Director Communications and Public Affairs Director Digital Media Campus Ringier Axel Springer Media AG Phone +41 44 267 29 14 a.delvenakiotis@ringieraxelspringer.com www.ringieraxelspringer.com


WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - President Donald Trump's daughter Ivanka Trump was jeered by members of the audience during a panel discussion of a high profile female business leaders meet in Berlin Tuesday.



Ivanka is in German capital this week on her first official international trip as the US presidential adviser.



Ivanka was responding to a question asked about her father's advocacy for working women at the G20 Women's Summit.



President Trump has been 'a tremendous champion of supporting families and enabling them to thrive,' she said.



The audience expressed their displeasure by groaning and hissing and booing.



'You hear the reaction from the audience,' panel moderator Miriam Meckel pointed out.



The editor-in-chief of 'Wirtschaftswoche' said, 'I need to address one more point. Some attitudes toward women your father has displayed might leave one questioning whether he's such an empowerer for women.'



She was apparently referring to a 2005 video that surfaced during the presidential campaign in which Trump boasted about grabbing women's genitals.



'I've certainly heard the criticism from the media, that's been perpetuated,' Ivanka replied, evoking laughter from some of the audience.



'I'm seeking the counsel ... of informed and thoughtful women and men and I'm really striving to think about how best to empower women in the economy, both domestically and across the globe,' Ivanka told the summit.



The president has frequently faced criticism over his attitude towards women.



Ivanka, First Daughter and Assistant to the President, visited Berlin at the direct invitation of German Chancellor Angela Merkel to participate in the W20 Summit. Ivanka was joined at the panel conversation by other women leaders, including Merkel, Queen Maxima of the Netherlands, Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland and IMF Director Christine Lagarde.



Women's Economic Empowerment and Entrepreneurship was the main theme of the summit.



In addition, Ivanka visited Siemens Technik Akademie for an interactive tour and discussion with program apprentices. In commemoration of Yom HaShoah, she also visited the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe in Berlin.



The 35-year-old eldest daughter of Trump is serving as an unpaid adviser to the US President at the White House.



Recently, she has been named in TIME magazine's 100 Most Influential People of 2017 list along with her father and her husband Jared Kushner, who also is a presidential adviser.



Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

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DENVER, CO -- (Marketwired) -- 04/26/17 -- Blue Diamond Ventures Inc. (OTC PINK: BLDV) recently changed their fiscal year-end to December 31 from June 30 to match the schedule of the operating business units. "One year ago, we initiated a collaborative partnering strategy across all of our businesses," says Joshua B. Alper CEO of Blue Diamond Ventures Inc., who has just finished his first year in the CEO role. "The fiscal change gives me a chance to do another year-end review," says Alper. "Although our numbers are public, it helps to review previous news, provide updates, and clarify a few things."

Michigan Cannabis Real Estate

Blue Diamond has adopted an approach to the Cannabis Real Estate that is based on the model of Innovative Industrial Properties of using Triple Net Leases, Medical Focus, and Public Share involvement, but with some important differences. The Fund is expected to raise approximately $12 Million USD and the average size of a completed lease-back project is expected to be under 50,000 square feet. In addition, the Fund will focus on a specific area of Southwest Michigan that remains the largest non-citrus fruit growing and processing area in the country but has lost all industry and jobs. Plans include an estimated twelve projects, along the Route 12 corridor from New Buffalo to Niles, MI. This project is expected to provide economic growth and much needed jobs for this region. Blue Diamond is working with several municipalities, with several projects in the planning stage and discussions with potential lessees are underway.

Michigan Plant Technologies LLC (MPT) (100% wholly owned subsidiary)

MPT continues to acquire licenses and distribution contracts for national and regional brands in the Cannabis Space. The goal is to place these agreements with the strategic partners in the Michigan Cannabis Real Estate project mentioned above. Brands include JuJu Joints - sleek, discreet, cannabis vaporizing e-joint http://www.jujujoints.com/home, AgriHit -- Natural Plant Growth & Health Enhancer a true "green" product, and made from plant extracts approved by the FDA, http://www.agrihit.com/, Medtiva / MED-a-mints -- convenient and discreet. Each mint provides a dependable 10mg dose of THC making it easy to maintain the right medication level, http://medamints.com, Rela Dosage Control, and more. "Our R&D facility in Michigan has proved to be instrumental in securing partners in this space," said Alper. "The ability to help our clients make prototypes of medicated products in a controlled environment using organically grown cannabis is enabled by the fact that the MPT Kitchen is a licensed Food Processing Facility in the State of Michigan that also produces products for the Bot Bakery."

Bot Bakery (100% wholly owned subsidiary)

Bot Bakery manufactures and sells Organic, Vegan, and Gluten-Free Baked Goods and Savory Products on a wholesale basis. The company is in the process of completing the buildout of its 1st retail store in Chicago, IL. Bot Bakery has created recipes for the cannabis space and will soon begin seeking licensing agreements with Cannabis Edible companies.

https://www.facebook.com/botbakery

https://www.instagram.com/bettybotbakery/?hl=en

Cannabis Clean / Clean 1st LLC (20% BLDV Holding)

Cannabis Clean, a Professional Cannabis Janitorial Service company in Denver, doubled their cleaning contracts in the last 6 months and continues to hire personnel at a steady rate. Steve McMorrow, President of Cannabis Clean states, "We have worked with many companies in the cannabis space, but Blue Diamond has consistently been able to bring the best collaborative partners to the table. This is an exciting time for us as we reach out of Colorado to bring our unique set of antimicrobial cleaning and preventative services to other legal Cannabis markets." http://www.cannabis-clean.com/

Blue Diamond Consulting LLC (BDC) (100% wholly owned subsidiary)

"Everything we do at BLDV starts with consulting," says Jonathan Alper, Manager of BDC and the Principle of Alper & Associates Consulting. "Land Development for Religious Organizations, including the development of the first residential projects built on leased land in Illinois, is still 50% of our business." BDC has just secured a new contract to do the Master Planning and Project/Construction Management for 100 Acres of land owned by the Victory Christian Center in Pendleton NY, right outside of Buffalo. "We are seeing the results of partnering with BLDV, with the acquisition of this new client and contract," says Jonathan Alper a licensed Landscape Architect and a member of Lambda Alpha. In addition to the Planning and Construction projects, Blue Diamond Consulting is responsible for the business development activities of all other BLDV business units and has several private clients in the cannabis space.

Zeno Controls / ZENO InnPoint / Verve living Systems

Blue Diamond Ventures Inc. acquired the rights to the ZENO / Verve Brands & Products in September 2016. The Moose family, the previous owners, had spent 5 years developing a product for the hospitality industry. Joshua Alper, currently CEO of BLDV, had been the General Manager of ZENO Controls LLC for over 5 years under a contract between Alper & Associates Consulting and the owners.

The ZENO and VERVE Brands are based on the IOT or the Internet of Things, and both use Sensors to transmit data collected by Gateways and streamed to the Cloud. The ZENO InnPoint Guest Experience Interface was developed in 2014 and was first installed in 2015. BLDV seeks to relaunch the ZENO Brand in the Hotel Space while converting the VERVE Living Systems brand into a Cannabis Lifestyle Brand with emphasis on high-end home growing with smart devices. Look for progress in 3rd Quarter.

http://www.zenocontrols.com

http://www.vervelivingsystems.com/

Now Brands, LLC (40% Holding of BLDV)

Now Brands has completed the test market for the company's first product -- Olde Imperial MYSTIC Hemp Vodka. The result of data collected through the test marketing and multiple focus groups have led to a new look and feel to the packaging. Olde Imperial Mystic Vodka winning a Gold Medal in their first entry for Taste is just not enough for the competitive world of Vodka. Packaging and position in the market continue to be the determining factors. "The total package is now in place," says Ken Teknus, manager of Now Brands, and a consultant to Blue Diamond. "We are in the process of finalizing the procurement of USA made, 750ML Aluminum Bottles that display the new premium look." A rendering of the new package may be viewed on the company's website: http://www.now-brands.com/

Alternative Medical Solutions, Inc. (AMS)

BLDV recently announced that the company has entered into a Joint Development Agreement with Alternative Medical Solutions, Inc. (AMS), to import & export Targeted Medicinal Cannabis Products and Advanced Cannabis Technologies, to and from Canada. In addition to announcing the Agreement with AMS (see 420 press release, https://www.otcmarkets.com/stock/BLDV/news,) Jonathan Alper will be back in Israel on May 5th of 2017 to work on Regulatory Compliance and Logistics of Cannabis Exports, followed by Josh Alper on May 28th of 2017 in time to attend the Cann10, Medical Marijuana Conference in Tel-Aviv. Canada will be the home to the new joint venture, and the first market focus will be to bring Israeli Cannabis products and technology to Canada.

BLDV has been working with AMS over the last year to finalize funding for its Fifty (50) thousand square foot cultivation facility. Upon completion of these final stages, AMS will become a wholly owned subsidiary of BLDV.

In Clarification of News previously reported:

Blue Diamond has canceled the pursuit of its proposed 10:1 reverse split and will be updating our filing with the Colorado SOS by May 1st.

In a review of BLDV's Share Structure as listed on the OTC Markets, inaccuracies were discovered and corrected. Our current share structure, which shareholders may verify through Island Stock:

Transfer Agent is currently as follows:

A/S - 5,799,499,999

O/S - 4,760,585,689

Restricted - 1,209,636,711

Unrestricted - 3,550,948,978

Held at DTC -2,417,795,039

BLDV is aware that our website is down, and we expect the site to be up shortly.

About BLDV:

Blue Diamond Ventures, Inc. seeks to partner with individuals and companies that share a common synergy, mission and vision to enable products/services that are produced, delivered and consumed utilizing fewer natural resources, providing a sustainable alternative to traditional products on the market today. As a diversified customer, centric Management / Holding Company; Blue Diamond Ventures, Inc. seeks opportunities in various markets and is driven by critical thinking and the scientific method.

Safe Harbor:

This press release contains forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are subject to several risks, assumptions, and uncertainties that could cause the Company's actual results to differ materially from those projected in such statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date made and are not guarantees of future performance. We undertake no obligation to publicly revise any forward-looking statements.

Contact:

Blue Diamond Ventures Inc.

Joshua B. Alper

(844) 637-6377

info@bldvinc.com




NEEDHAM, MA--(Marketwired - June 15, 2017) - Bio-IT World, the leader in reporting the application of informatics, IT and computer science in biomedical research and drug discovery, today opened the call for entries for the 2018 Bio-IT World Best Practices Awards. Bio-IT World has held the Best Practices awards since 2003, highlighting outstanding examples of technology innovation in the life sciences, from basic R&D to translational medicine. We particularly encourage vendors to nominate entries from valued academic and/or industry partners.

The Criteria for Entry Includes:

Send us a brief overview of your technology, including a statement of the issue or problem at hand, the innovative approach or technology applied, and the ROI (Return on Investment) in terms of scientific insights, cost savings, productivity, etc.

Entries will be accepted until March 2, 2018.

All entries will be judged by an expert panel in February/March 2018.

Winners will be announced in a plenary session at Bio-IT World Conference & Expo, May 15-17, 2018 at the Seaport World Trade Center in Boston.

All winners will be featured in follow-up profiles in Bio-IT World.

Past Winners Included:

2017 Best Practices Award Winners:

Clinical IT & Precision Medicine: Maccabi Healthcare System nominated by Medial EarlySign

Informatics: Rady Children's Institute for Genomic Medicine nominated by Edico Genome

Knowledge Management: Allotrope Foundation

IT infrastructure/HPC: Earlham Institute

Judges' Choice: Biomedical Imaging Research Services Section (BIRSS) nominated by SRA International

Editor's Choice: Alexion Pharmaceuticals nominated by EPAM Systems

Honorable Mention: Fermenta - B.

2016 Best Practices Award Winners:

Clinical IT & Precision Medicine: Amgen

Informatics: FDA & DNAnexus

Knowledge Management: AstraZeneca

Judges Prize: Human Longevity

Editors' Choice Award: XOMA

2015 Best Practices Award Winners:

Informatics: Biogen

IT Infrastructure: University of California, Santa Cruz

Knowledge Management: European Lead Factory

Research & Drug Discovery: UCB BioPharma

Clinical & Health IT: GlaxoSmithKline

Judges' Prize: Michael J. Fox Foundation

Editors' Choice Award: National Institutes of Health Undiagnosed Diseases Program

2014 Best Practices Award Winners:

Clinical & Health IT: AstraZeneca and Tessella

IT Infrastructure & HPC: Baylor College of Medicine

Research & Drug Discovery: U-BIOPRED

Informatics: The Pistoia Alliance

Knowledge Management: Genentech

Editors' Prize: The Icahn School of Medicine at Mt. Sinai

Judges' Prize: UK National Health Service

For more information on submitting your Bio-IT World Best Practices Awards entry form, visit: Bio-ITWorld.com/BestPractices -- or contact: Allison Proffitt, Editorial Director, 617.233.8280 or aproffitt@Bio-ITWord.com. Deadline for entry is March 2, 2018.

Winners are chosen by a panel of experts and will be announced at the Cambridge Healthtech Institute's Bio-IT World Conference & Expo, that is taking place May 15-17, 2018 at the Seaport World Trade Center in Boston.

Additional information on this event, can be found at Bio-ITWorldExpo.com

About Bio-IT World (www.Bio-ITWorld.com)

Part of Healthtech Publishing, Bio-IT World provides outstanding coverage of cutting-edge trends and technologies that impact the management and analysis of life sciences data, including next-generation sequencing, drug discovery, predictive and systems biology, informatics tools, clinical trials, and personalized medicine. Through a variety of sources including, Bio-ITWorld.com, Weekly Update Newsletter and the Bio-IT World News Bulletins, Bio-IT World is a leading source of news and opinion on technology and strategic innovation in the life sciences, including drug discovery and development.

About Cambridge Healthtech Institute (www.healthtech.com)

Cambridge Healthtech Institute (CHI), a division of Cambridge Innovation Institute, is the preeminent life science network for leading researchers and business experts from top pharmaceutical, biotech, CROs, academia, and niche service providers. CHI is renowned for its vast conference portfolio held worldwide including PepTalk, Molecular Medicine Tri-Conference, SCOPE Summit, Bio-IT World Conference & Expo, PEGS Summit, Drug Discovery Chemistry, Biomarker World Congress, World Preclinical Congress, Next Generation Dx Summit and Discovery on Target. CHI's portfolio of products include Cambridge Healthtech Institute Conferences, Barnett International, Insight Pharma Reports, Cambridge Marketing Consultants, Cambridge Meeting Planners, Knowledge Foundation, Bio-IT World, Clinical Informatics News and Diagnostics World.

Contact:

Lisa Scimemi

Publisher, Bio-IT World

lscimemi@Bio-ITWorld.com
LOS ANGELES, CA -- (Marketwired) -- 07/31/17 -- Brookmount Explorations Inc. (OTC PINK: BMXI), a U.S. exploration and development company, has entered into an exclusive, in perpetuity, licensing agreement with RHOR Barbados Inc., for the exclusive U.S. rights for the above and in ground use and sale of "DilBoost" (Diluent Boost) a proprietary diluent formulation blend that significantly reduces bitumen viscosity and increases API gravity. The acquisition for the U.S. rights is an all stock transaction. On completion of the terms of the agreement, RHOR Barbados Inc. will have controlling interest in Brookmount Explorations, Inc. The closing date for this licensing agreement is on or before August 15, 2017.

With this move, Brookmount makes a historical transition from being an exploration and development mining company to a leading player in the trillion dollar U.S. medium and heavy oil industry.

DilBoost is a cold process that, when added to heavy crude and extra heavy oil prior to refining, enables oil producers to reach pipeline specifications at a lower cost. Based on extensive field test results made over a 3-year period, the DilBoost technology substantially reduces current diluent costs by up to 53%. Prior to the field testing, performance testing was carried out at Canadian Certified Laboratories confirming the DilBoost Product efficacy.

The timing is perfect for DilBoost in the U.S. heavy oil industry. Over the last two years, oil prices have fallen nearly 60% and production costs continue to make up the largest day-to-day operational expenses. Even though demand for heavy oil is up, and is getting stronger, corporate profits are being squeezed. DilBoost is the cost-saving, technological answer that medium and heavy crude oil producers in the U.S. have been waiting for.

With the U.S. licensing right for DilBoost locked up, Brookmount Explorations will now begin to market DilBoost to medium and large heavy and medium crude oil producers in the U.S. Brookmount continues to negotiate with RHOR Barbados Inc. for both the above ground and in ground licensing rights for Canada. At 171.0 billion barrels, Canada has the third-largest proven oil reserve in the world.

Safe Harbor Statement

Except for the historical information contained herein, certain of the matters discussed in this communication constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as "may," "might," "will," "should," "could," "anticipate," "estimate," "expect," "predict," "project," "future," "potential," "intend," "seek to," "plan," "assume," "believe," "target," "forecast," "goal," "objective," "continue" or the negative of such terms or other variations thereof and words and terms of similar substance used in connection with any discussion of future plans, actions, or events identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding benefits of the proposed license, expected synergies, anticipated future financial and operating performance and results, including estimates of growth. There are a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements included in this communication. For example, the expected timing and likelihood of completion of the pending transaction, including the timing, receipt and terms and conditions of any required governmental and regulatory approvals of the pending transaction that could reduce anticipated benefits or cause the parties to abandon the transaction, the ability to successfully integrate the businesses, the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstance that could give rise to the termination of the negotiations, the risk that the parties may not be able to satisfy the conditions to the proposed transaction in a timely manner or at all, risks related to disruption of management time from ongoing business operations due to the proposed transaction, the risk that any announcements relating to the proposed transaction could have adverse effects on the market price of Brookmount's common stock. All such factors are difficult to predict and are beyond our control. We disclaim and do not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement in this report, except as required by applicable law or regulations.

Brookmount Explorations Inc.

213-266-7661

bmxicorporate@gmail.com




Regulatory News:

Philip Morris International Inc. (NYSE Euronext Paris:PM) will host a live audio webcast of its 2017 Annual Meeting of Shareholders at www.pmi.com/2017annualmeeting on Wednesday, May 3, 2017 at 9:00 a.m. ET. The webcast will be in a listen-only mode.

During the Meeting, Louis C. Camilleri, Chairman of the Board, will address shareholders and answer questions. Andre Calantzopoulos, Chief Executive Officer, will give the business presentation.

The audio webcast may also be accessed on iOS or Android devices by downloading PMI's free Investor Relations Mobile Application at www.pmi.com/irapp.

An archived copy of the webcast will be available until 5:00 p.m. ET on Thursday, June 1, 2017 at www.pmi.com/2017annualmeeting.

Presentation slides and script will also be available at www.pmi.com/2017annualmeeting.

About Philip Morris International Inc. ("PMI")

PMI is the world's leading international tobacco company, with six of the world's top 15 international brands and products sold in more than 180 markets. In addition to the manufacture and sale of cigarettes, including Marlboro, the number one global cigarette brand, and other tobacco products, PMI is engaged in the development and commercialization of Reduced-Risk Products ("RRPs"). RRPs is the term PMI uses to refer to products that present, are likely to present, or have the potential to present less risk of harm to smokers who switch to these products versus continued smoking. Through multidisciplinary capabilities in product development, state-of-the-art facilities, and industry-leading scientific substantiation, PMI aims to provide an RRP portfolio that meets a broad spectrum of adult smoker preferences and rigorous regulatory requirements. For more information, see www.pmi.com and www.pmiscience.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170426005946/en/

Contacts:

Investor Relations:

New York: +1 (917) 663 2233

Lausanne: +41 (0)58 242 4666

or

Media:

Lausanne: +41 (0)58 242 4500
PORTLAND, Oregon and PUNE, India, April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Catheters Market Report, published by Allied Market Research, forecasts that the global market was valued at $8,905 million in 2015, and is expected to reach $15,830 million by 2022, supported by a CAGR of 8.5% during the forecast period 2016 - 2022. North America is the largest contributor in the catheter market; however, LAMEA is growing at the highest rate.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140911/647229 )



Do Enquiry for Sample Report:https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-free-sample/577

Catheterization is a basic co-procedure carried out along with various medical procedures, such as cardiac electrophysiology, neurosurgery, angioplasty, urological disorders, and others, by using catheters. The rise in the number of diseases and surgeries globally has increased the demand for catheters as they are most frequently used in hospitals and clinics for various therapeutic and diagnostic purposes.

Rise in cases of cardiovascular and urological diseases, and diabetes; and growth in demand for minimally invasive procedures boost the market growth. Furthermore, technologically advanced catheters, which are manufactured with infection-resistant coatings, minimize catheter-associated infections, and thus are increasingly preferred by healthcare professionals. In addition, increase in reimbursement levels for catheters is expected to increase the demand for catheters. However, inadequate quality assurance of catheters and price competition at domestic levels are expected to hinder the market growth. The rise in healthcare expenditure in developing countries, such as India and China, is expected to provide opportunities for market expansion.

Get Customized Report at: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-for-customization/577

The cardiovascular catheter segment dominated the market, with maximum share in 2015, and is anticipated to continue this trend in the future, in terms of revenue. This is attributed to the presence of a large patient base suffering from cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, rise in demand for minimally invasive cardiac surgeries is expected to boost growth of this segment.

Urological catheter is expected to grow at the highest rate throughout the analysis period, and accounted for almost one-fourth share of the global market in 2015. This is due to the increase in prevalence of urinary diseases and other complications, such as kidney and renal failures.

In 2015, North America displayed maximum contribution to the total revenue generated, while LAMEA is expected to witness the highest CAGR of 11.4%. This is due to rise in disposable income, improvement in healthcare expenditure, and increase in adoption rate of catheters.

Check offers and discount on report:https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/get-discount/577

KEY FINDINGS OF CATHETERS MARKET:

Intrauterine insemination catheter is projected to be grow at the highest rate during the analysis period.

Cardiovascular catheter was the highest revenue-generating segment, and is expected to continue its dominance throughout the forecast period.

North America dominated global catheters market, and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 6.4%.

dominated global catheters market, and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 6.4%. Argentina is the fastest growing country in the LAMEA region, registering a CAGR of 12.6%.

is the fastest growing country in the LAMEA region, registering a CAGR of 12.6%. Intermittent catheter segment exhibits the highest CAGR of 10.7%.

According to Sriram Radhakrishnan, Team Lead, Healthcare at Allied Market Research, "Preference for catheter-based ablation procedures over surgery-based ablation procedures, due to its minimally invasive nature and shorter recovery times, have led to the increased awareness and adoption of catheter devices."

The major companies profiled in the report include Abbott Laboratories, Becton Dickinson And Company, Boston Scientific Corporation, Bard Medical, B. Braun Melsungen AG, Teleflex Incorporated, Johnson & Johnson, Medtronic, Inc., Edwards Lifesciences Corp., and Vascular Solutions, Inc.

Purchase Enquiry: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/purchase-enquiry/577

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

Toll Free: +1-800-792-5285

UK: +44-845-528-1300

Hong Kong: +852-301-84916

India (Pune): +91-20-66346060

Fax: +1-855-550-5975

help@alliedmarketresearch.com

https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com


SALT LAKE CITY, UT -- (Marketwired) -- 04/26/17 -- Secuvant and its unique approach to cybersecurity is taking center stage on today's edition of the highly respected Zions Bank Speaking on Business radio show. Today's show highlights the fact that Secuvant is a full-spectrum, independent cyber security firm, whose services are in demand by small to medium-sized companies in a wide range of industries.

Cybercrime resulted in $3 trillion in damages globally in 2016 and is expected to double by 2021. With frequent news headlines highlighting large companies hit with cybersecurity attacks, Secuvant Cofounder and President Todd Neilson said it is a major mistake for small and medium-sized businesses to think they are immune to attacks and the possible resulting damage.

"Statistics show that forty-three percent of cyberattacks target small businesses, with sixty percent of attacked small businesses going out of business within six months," Neilson said. "This ever-increasing danger is why Secuvant strives to provide cost-effective security solutions to small and medium-sized businesses."

One reason Secuvant is growing at a rapid rate is that it understands cybersecurity is not an IT problem; it is a business problem. As the Speaking on Business segment points out, Secuvant maps its "cybersecurity program to match the areas most relevant to the client, from business disruption and legal liability to brand and reputation." Through this approach, clients receive topline cybersecurity and risk mitigation services at a budget-friendly price while also having the opportunity to increase revenue and position themselves as a secure company.

Zions Bank Speaking on Business has been on the air since 1997 and has showcased more than 5,000 businesses in Idaho and Utah. The segment featuring Secuvant is available at https://www.zionsbank.com/business/speaking-on-business/#/info/318671294, and a listing of affiliates and times can be accessed at www.zionsbank.com/business/speaking-on-business/#/schedule.

About Secuvant

Secuvant, LLC, is a leading network security company based in Utah, specializing in creative, customized solutions that meet the needs of small- and medium-sized businesses. Secuvant offers a wide range of services, from managed security and virtual CISO consulting to cyber risk advisory and data breach recovery assistance. The company's principal consultants have more100 years of combined cybersecurity experience and its staff also includes security analysts, security consultants and expert incident response analysts. Detailed information about Secuvant is available at www.secuvant.com.

Media Contact:

Brad Thomas

Springboard5

801-208-1100

Email Contact




BERLIN, GERMANY -- (Marketwired) -- 04/26/17 -- MobAir, a mobile growth platform for premium brands, has announced the opening of its new office in Shanghai. MobAir has been working with Chinese advertisers and publishers since 2015, and now, with a local office in Shanghai, the company will be able to provide more personalized services to local partners and establish new connections in the area. Richard O'Connell has been appointed as General Manager of MobAir operations in China. Having built and managed in-house media buy teams as VP of Marketing for PapayaMobile, O'Connell is the perfect fit for developing the new location.

In a January 2017 report, eMarketer predicted that the total mobile ad spending in China will climb to 58% this year, and annual growth will expand by at least 20% through 2019. The opening of a new office in China is part of MobAir's strategy to distribute the company's presence in the emerging markets where the rising demand for mobile apps creates new business opportunities.

"China's app economy is accelerating in growth, putting it within striking distance of Japan and the United States," said Barak Aviad, CEO of MobAir. "Gaming apps are the biggest market winners in terms of revenue. Therefore, our company, equipped by years of experience in utility and gaming verticals, sees enormous potential in the Chinese mobile market in terms of app advertising growth."

MobAir has a rich history of successful campaigns with leading brands in social casino and gaming. Expanding the list of clients with China's gaming giants is one of the company's top priorities.

Premium clients' loyalty is built upon MobAir's native advertising solutions. The smooth integration of the solution into the user's journey attracts pre-engaged audiences with closely targeted acquisition campaigns, making sure the quality of traffic meets all of the client's KPIs.

About MobAir

MobAir, a Global Digital Marketing Group company, was launched in 2015 as a performance-based mobile app marketing platform that provides solutions for high-quality user acquisition on a large scale. MobAir has six offices across the globe: Shanghai, Berlin, Tel Aviv, Toronto, Kiev, and Amsterdam. Learn more at http://mobair.com/

Media Contact

Brook Terran

Blast PR for GDM Group

805-570-3309

Email Contact






Dalradian intersects 1.72 metres at 28.23 g/t gold at Curraghinalt in first results from new drill program



TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - April 26, 2017) - Dalradian Resources Inc. (TSX:DNA)(AIM:DALR) ('Dalradian' or the 'Company') announces the first batch of results from its ongoing drill program at the Curraghinalt gold deposit in Northern Ireland. Of the minimum 40,000 metres of drilling planned for 2017, approximately 10,000 metres will be drilled from underground (infill and geotechnical holes) and approximately 30,000 metres from surface (infill and step-out holes). Currently four drill rigs are turning underground and the surface program is scheduled to begin this summer.



Highlights



* 1.72 m of 28.23 g/t gold, including 0.50 m at 94.10 g/t gold, from the V75 vein in hole 17-CT-406b * 2.27 m of 15.32 g/t gold, including 0.25 m at 128.00 g/t gold, from the V75 vein in hole 17-CT-403 * 0.62 m of 27.00 g/t gold from the No. 1 vein in hole 17-CT-417 * 1.73 m of 11.89 g/t gold from the Crow vein in hole 17-CT-417 Patrick F.N. Anderson, Dalradian's President and CEO, commented:



'We are pleased to announce more high-grade intercepts from Curraghinalt, including several longer intercepts that demonstrate the positive effects of smaller veins and branches in the wall-rock surrounding the main vein. As a result, there is a much wider area that can be mined because it is above the average diluted grade in the mine plan. We anticipate steady news flow over the course of 2017, including results from ongoing drilling, ore-sorting tests and other testwork aimed at expanding and enhancing the project. This fully funded work program will continue to advance Curraghinalt toward production.'



The objectives of the underground drilling program are (i) to convert resources currently in the Inferred category to the Indicated category so that they may be included in the updated mine plan and (ii) to provide samples in support of an independent review of the geotechnical model in order to increase long-hole tonnage in the updated mine plan.



The infill component of the 10km UG programme also has the potential to augment grade in the sector drilled, as Curraghinalt has routinely demonstrated a strong correlation between sample support and improved grade. This is apparent in the enhancement of grade between the Inferred, Indicated and Measured resource categories and is further supported by stope reconciliation studies completed by Dalradian in 2016.



The second phase of approximately 30 km of surface drilling is expected to commence this summer, with the goal of adding new shallow ounces that can be incorporated into the updated mine plan.



Details of drilling at Curraghinalt



Final results are being reported for 10 drill holes for a total of 2,980 metres located in the western part of the Curraghinalt deposit (see plan map and two cross sections at http://www.dalradian.com/news-and-events/news-releases/news- releases-details/April-26-2017-News-Release-Figures). These holes were drilled at varying intervals targeting some of the veins included in the last mineral resource estimate in zones where increased drill-hole density would likely result in conversion of resource ounces from the Inferred to the Indicated category. Most drill holes were oriented generally towards the south in order to intercept the steeply north dipping vein array. All of the holes were drilled from underground.



Selected Curraghinalt Drill Intersections



+------------+----------+--------+--------------+----------------+-------------+ | Hole ID | From (m) | To (m) | DH Width (m) | Au Grade (g/t) | Vein System | +------------+----------+--------+--------------+----------------+-------------+ | 17-CT-403 | 164.4 | 166.67 | 2.27 | 15.32 | V75 | +------------+----------+--------+--------------+----------------+-------------+ | including | 166.42 | 166.67 | 0.25 | 128.00 | V75 | +------------+----------+--------+--------------+----------------+-------------+ | | | | | | | +------------+----------+--------+--------------+----------------+-------------+ | 17-CT-406 | 66.6 | 66.89 | 0.29 | 37.40 | No.1 | +------------+----------+--------+--------------+----------------+-------------+ | | | | | | | +------------+----------+--------+--------------+----------------+-------------+ | 17-CT-406b | 209.63 | 211.35 | 1.72 | 28.23 | V75 | +------------+----------+--------+--------------+----------------+-------------+ | including | 210.85 | 211.35 | 0.50 | 94.10 | V75 | +------------+----------+--------+--------------+----------------+-------------+ | | | | | | | +------------+----------+--------+--------------+----------------+-------------+ | 17-CT-407 | 238.49 | 238.82 | 0.33 | 91.90 | V75-S | +------------+----------+--------+--------------+----------------+-------------+ | 17-CT-407 | 276.18 | 276.89 | 0.71 | 16.89 | V75 | +------------+----------+--------+--------------+----------------+-------------+ | | | | | | | +------------+----------+--------+--------------+----------------+-------------+ | 17-CT-408 | 115.1 | 115.49 | 0.39 | 29.40 | Slap Shot | +------------+----------+--------+--------------+----------------+-------------+ | | | | | | | +------------+----------+--------+--------------+----------------+-------------+ | 17-CT-409 | 129.38 | 129.71 | 0.33 | 50.70 | Slap Shot | +------------+----------+--------+--------------+----------------+-------------+ | | | | | | | +------------+----------+--------+--------------+----------------+-------------+ | 17-CT-410 | 316.74 | 318.36 | 1.62 | 7.47 | Crow | +------------+----------+--------+--------------+----------------+-------------+ | | | | | | | +------------+----------+--------+--------------+----------------+-------------+ | 17-CT-411 | 210.43 | 211.16 | 0.73 | 53.04 | V75 | +------------+----------+--------+--------------+----------------+-------------+ | | | | | | | +------------+----------+--------+--------------+----------------+-------------+ | 17-CT-417 | 56.83 | 57.45 | 0.62 | 27.00 | No.1 | +------------+----------+--------+--------------+----------------+-------------+ | 17-CT-417 | 170.36 | 170.65 | 0.29 | 40.90 | V75 | +------------+----------+--------+--------------+----------------+-------------+ | 17-CT-417 | 268.82 | 270.55 | 1.73 | 11.89 | Crow | +------------+----------+--------+--------------+----------------+-------------+ Notes



* True widths vary depending on the vein zone intersected but generally average 85% of the down hole interval * Intercepts are calculated using samples greater than or equal to 2.0g/t Au, and contain no more than 1.0 m of internal dilution * Generally, only those mineralized intercepts exceeding 10 gram-metres have been included in the table * Partial results are still pending for 17-CT-403 * 17-CT-406a was stopped prior to intercepting the projected veins and realigned Qualified Person



Eric Tremblay, P. Eng., Chief Operating Officer and Greg Hope, MAIG, Exploration and Geology Manager, are the Qualified Persons who supervised the preparation of the technical data in this news release.



Drill core was halved with samples (averaging between 0.25 m and 0.50 m in mineralized material and up to 1 m in wall rock) submitted to ALS Laboratories in the Republic of Ireland. Quality assurance and quality control procedures identified no material issues. Core samples were analyzed by a 50 gram gold fire assay with either an atomic absorption, or a gravimetric finish for samples initially reporting over 100.0 g/t gold.



ALS Laboratories is accredited by the Irish National Accreditation Board (INAB) to undertake testing, including for Ores and Minerals (INAB P9 703), as detailed in the Schedule bearing the Registration Number 173T, in compliance with the International Standard ISO/IEC 17025:2005 2nd Edition 'General Requirements for the Competence of Testing and Calibration Laboratories'.



About Dalradian Resources Inc.



Dalradian Resources Inc. is a gold exploration and development company that is focused on advancing its high-grade Curraghinalt Gold Project located in Northern Ireland, United Kingdom.



FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS



This press release contains 'forward looking information' which may include, but is not limited to, statements with respect to the future financial or operating performance of the Company and its subsidiary and its mineral project, the future price of metals, test work and confirming results from work performed to date, the estimation of mineral resources and mineral reserves, the realization of mineral resource and mineral reserve estimates, the timing and amount of estimated future production, costs of production, capital, operating and exploration expenditures, costs and timing of the development of new deposits, costs and timing of future exploration, requirements for additional capital, government regulation of mining operations, environmental risks, reclamation expenses, title disputes or claims, limitations of insurance coverage, the timing and possible outcome of pending regulatory matters and the realization of the expected production, economics and mine life of the Curraghinalt gold deposit. Often, but not always, forward looking statements can be identified by the use of words and phrases such as 'plans', 'expects', 'is expected', 'budget', 'scheduled', 'estimates', 'forecasts', 'intends', 'anticipates', or 'believes' or variations (including negative variations) of such words and phrases, or statements that certain actions, events or results 'may', 'could', 'would', 'might' or 'will' be taken, occur or be achieved.



Forward looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management as of the date such statements are made and are based on various assumptions such as the continued political stability in Northern Ireland, that permits required for Dalradian's operations will be obtained on a timely basis in order to permit Dalradian to proceed on schedule with its planned exploration and mine development, construction and production programs, that skilled personnel and contractors will be available as Dalradian's operations commence and continue to grow towards production and mining operations, that the price of gold will be at levels that render Dalradian's mineral project economic, that the Company will be able to continue raising the necessary capital to finance its operations and realize on mineral resource and mineral reserve estimates and current mine plans, that the assumptions contained in the Company's Technical Report dated January 25, 2017 are accurate and complete, that the results of the ESIA will be positive and that a permitting application for mine construction will be approved.



Forward looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Dalradian to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Such factors include, among others, general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties; the actual results of current and future exploration activities; the actual results of reclamation activities; conclusions of economic evaluations; meeting various expected cost estimates; changes in project parameters and/or economic assessments as plans continue to be refined; future prices of metals; possible variations of mineral grade or recovery rates; the risk that actual costs may exceed estimated costs; failure of plant, equipment or processes to operate as anticipated; accidents, labour disputes and other risks of the mining industry; political instability; delays in obtaining governmental approvals or financing or in the completion of development or construction activities, as well as those factors discussed in the section entitled 'Risk Factors' in the Company's Annual Information Form for the year ended December 31, 2016 dated March 23, 2017 (the 'AIF').



Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results to differ from those anticipated, estimated or intended. Forward looking statements contained herein are made as of the date of this press release and the Company disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or results, except as may be required by applicable securities laws. 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.



Contact Information



Dalradian Resources Inc. Marla Gale Vice President Communications +1 416 583 5600 investor@dalradian.com



or



Grant Thornton UK LLP (Nominated Adviser) Philip Secrett / Richard Tonthat +44 (0)20 7383 5100



or



Canaccord Genuity Limited (Broker) Henry Fitzgerald-O'Connor / Martin Davison +44 (0)20 7523 8000



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: Dalradian Resources Inc. via GlobeNewswire



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Buoyant internal growth bolstered by acquisition strategy

Regulatory News:

At March 31, 2017, Seche Environnement (Paris:SCHP) reported consolidated revenue of 133.2m, compared to 112.5m one year earlier. Contributed revenue1 stood at 124.2 million, compared to 110.3m at March 31, 2016, an increase of +12.6% for the period.

The first quarter of 2017 featured strategic acquisitions in France and abroad and the pursuit of solid organic growth.

Over the period, Seche Environnement finalized several acquisitions on its target markets2

In France , three companies from the Charier Group, located in the Brittany, Pays de Loire, and Vendee regions, and specialized in material and energy recovery and Non-Hazardous Waste recycling. In the first quarter of 2017, this group contributed 3.3m to consolidated revenue;

, three companies from the Charier Group, located in the Brittany, Pays de Loire, and Vendee regions, and specialized in material and energy recovery and Non-Hazardous Waste recycling. In the first quarter of 2017, this group contributed 3.3m to consolidated revenue; In Europe (Spain) , the Solarca company, specialized in industrial maintenance through chemical cleaning. This company contributed 2.2m to consolidated revenue for the period;

, the Solarca company, specialized in industrial maintenance through chemical cleaning. This company contributed 2.2m to consolidated revenue for the period; In Latin America (Chile and Peru), two companies, SAN Chili and Befesa Peru, specialized in hazardous waste treatment and, to a lesser extent, for SAN, non-hazardous waste treatment as well. These companies contributed 2.0m to Q1 2017 consolidated revenue.

Organically, Seche Environnement benefited from positive business with Industrials, while Local Authorities confirmed their repeat business. Hazardous Waste activities made a special contribution to the strength of internal growth, while Non-Hazardous Waste maintained a satisfactory level of activity.

At constant scope and exchange rates, contributed revenue from Q1 2017 increased by +5.7% compared to March 31, 2016.

The favorable trends reflected by this good activity level are bolstering the growth expectations of Seche Environnement for the current fiscal year.

Consolidated data in m

At March 31 2016 (actual) 2017 (actual) Change

(gross) Change

(organic) Hazardous Waste (HW) division 69.5 81.1 +16.7% +11.0% Non-Hazardous Waste (NHW) division 40.8 43.1 +5.6% -3.5% Contributed revenue 110.3 124.2 +12.6% +5.7% Diversion compensation (NHW) IFRIC 12 revenue (NHW) 1.5 0.7 5.2 3.8 Consolidated revenue (reported) 112.5 133.2 +18.4% +11.7%

At March 31, 2016, published consolidated revenue at constant exchange rates was 110.3m, reflecting the absence of a significant foreign exchange effect for the period.

Commentary on the activity of the divisions in the first quarter of 2017

With contributed revenue of 124.2m, up +12.6% gross, the first quarter of 2017 posted the contribution of external growth achieved over the period3

At constant scope and exchange rates, growth stood at +5.7% for the period, confirming that Seche Environnement's markets are doing well. Business was spurred by brisk growth in Hazardous Waste (HW), while Non-Hazardous Waste (NHW) maintained a solid level of activity in its main business lines.

The HW division recorded revenue of 81.1m , a gross increase of +16.7% from the first quarter of 2016 and up +11.0% at constant scope and exchange rates. In France, the revenue generated by the division amounted to 71.4m, which represents an +11.7% increase from the first quarter of last year.



Growth was driven by most of the treatment, recovery, and service business lines, illustrating the good health of industrial markets in France.



Note the sharp increase over the period of medical waste activities, with revenue of 1.8m, up 38% over the first quarter of 2016, and the significant contribution of Seche Energies (nuclear services), which earned 1.3m in revenue in the first quarter of 2017 vs. 0.3m one year ago (negligible scope effect). In International operations, HW revenue totaled 9.7m, compared to 5.6m one year ago.



Revenue reflects the consolidation, as from January 1, 2017, of Solarca (for 2.2m), Befesa Peru (for 1.2m), and SAN Chili (for 0.5m).



At constant scope and exchange rates , International HW activity posted an increase of +3.4% , primarily reflecting the solid contribution from PCB 4 activities in Latin America and Morocco.

, a gross increase of from the first quarter of 2016 and up at constant scope and exchange rates. The NHW division posted contributed revenue of 43.1m, up 5.6% (gross) from the first quarter of 2016.



Revenue for the period includes the contribution, 3.3m in France, of the scope of activities generated by the Charier Group, and 0.4m in International operations, from the NHW activities of SAN in Chile.



Excluding this perimeter effect, revenue for the division stood at 39.4m, reflecting a satisfactory level of activity among the main businesses. The change in the division's revenue at constant scope (-3.5%) is mainly bound to the substitution, in incineration businesses, of hazardous waste in the incinerator Salaise 3 with a view to optimizing the waste mix.

Outlook for 2017 confirmed

This strong start to the year solidifies Seche Environnement's objective of modest contributed revenue growth at constant scope for 2017. 5

The contribution of the new scope integrated since the beginning of this year should stand at the level of about 43m on a full-year basis.

Definitions



Contributed revenue: reported revenue minus IFRIC 12 revenue and diversion compensation.



IFRIC 12 revenue: investments made for disposed assets and booked as revenue in accordance with IFRIC 12.



Diversion compensation: compensation used, net of variable charges, to cover the additional costs incurred by Seche Environnement to ensure the continuity of public service during asbestos removal at the Strasbourg-Senerval incinerator.

Conference call

A conference call to present the business activity for the first quarter of 2017 will be held (in French only) on April 26, 2017 at 6:00 p.m. Paris time.

To participate in the conference, dial +33 (0)1 70 77 09 22 (operator assisted).

Material to accompany the presentation will be available from 5:45 p.m. on the website of Seche Environnement:

http://www.groupe-seche.com/EN/presentation_56.html

The conference recording will be available at +33 (0)1 72 00 15 01 Reference: 308390#

Press Release, April 26, 2017

Calendar

Combined General Meeting of Shareholders April 27, 2017 Consolidated results at June 30, 2017 September 11, 2017 after market

About Seche Environnement

Seche Environnement is one of France's leading players in the recovery and treatment of all types of waste, from both industry and local communities.

Seche Environnement is the leading independent operator in France. It is uniquely positioned as a specialist in highly complex waste, operating within regulated waste recovery and treatment markets with high barriers to entry.

Its facilities and expertise enable it to provide high value-added solutions to its industrial and public authority clients, targeting the challenges of the circular economy and sustainable development requirements, such as:

the material and energy recovery of hazardous and non-hazardous waste;

a comprehensive range of treatment solutions for solid, liquid and gaseous waste (thermal, physical-chemical and radiation treatment, etc.);

the storage of final hazardous and non-hazardous waste;

eco-services such as decontamination, decommissioning, asbestos removal and rehabilitation.

Leveraging its extensive expertise, Seche Environnement has successfully developed its environmental services business lines in waste management outsourcing markets for its clientele of large communities and major industrial companies both in France and abroad.

Seche Environnement has been listed on Eurolist by Euronext (Compartment B) since November 27, 1997.

It is eligible for equity savings funds dedicated to investing in SMEs and is listed in the CAC Mid&Small and Enternext PEA-PME 150 indexes.

Important notice

This press release may contain information of a provisional nature. This information represents either trends or targets at the date of the press release's publication and may not be considered as results forecasts or as any other type of performance indicators. This information is by nature subject to risks and uncertainties which are difficult to foresee and are usually beyond the Company's control, which may imply that expected results and developments differ significantly from announced trends and targets. These risks notably include those described in the Company's Registration Document, which is available on its website (www.groupe-seche.com). This information therefore does not reflect the Company's future performance, which may differ considerably, and no guarantee can be given as to the achievement of these forward-looking figures. The Company makes no commitment on the updating of this information. More detailed information on the Company can be obtained on its website (www.groupe-seche.com), in the Regulated Information section. This press release does not constitute an offer of shares or a solicitation in view of an offer of shares in any country, including the United States. Distribution of this press release may be subject to the laws and regulations in force in France or other countries. Persons in possession of this press release must be aware of these restrictions and observe them.

1 See paragraph on "Definitions"

2 See Press Releases of January 19, March 29, and April 3, 2017

3 Consolidation of the companies acquired as from January 1, 2017

4 PCB: Polychlorinated Biphenyls

5 See March 7, 2016 press release

Compartment B ISIN: FR 0000039139 Bloomberg: SCHP.FP Reuters: CCHE.PA

CAC MID SMALL Index and ENTERNEXT PEA-PME 150 Index

Registered office: Les Hetres BP 20 53811 Change Cedex

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170426005906/en/

Contacts:

Seche Environnement

Manuel Andersen, +33 (0)1 53 21 53 60

Head of Investor Relations

m.andersen@groupe-seche.com
Regulatory News:

Axway (Paris:AXW) (Euronext: AXW.PA) Activity in the first-quarter 2017 illustrates good progress with the transformation underway in Axway since early 2016. This addresses firstly the priority given to the growth in digital technologies, which represent more than 45% of licences in the quarter. It also addresses changes in the company's business model to include subscription revenue. Cloud revenue with 23.7% organic growth (which, on a full-year basis, would represent 50% of licence revenue), is taking over from our legacy licence business.

Comments on Q1 activity

In view of the significance and brisk growth in Subscription revenue (Cloud), from now on Axway will give a more clear-cut presentation of this aspect of its business. In the past, Subscription revenue was reported with Services until 31/12/2016.

License revenue declined in the first quarter of 2017 (-24.2%) versus the same period in 2016. However, it is important to note that first-quarter sales are traditionally less significant in the annual sales cycle (Q1 accounts for approximately 15% of annual licence sales). Growth is increasingly fueled by revenue from our Cloud business, which grew 23.7% in the period and linked to multi-year contracts.

At 5.7%, growth in Maintenance operations was very satisfactory. Taken with the Cloud revenue, Axway's "recurring" operations accounted for 44.6 million in the first quarter (65.1% of revenue), with 8.3% year-on-year organic growth compared with the same period in 2016.

Services revenue (14.4 million, 2% organic growth) no longer includes the Cloud business. This solid performance reflects the measures introduced in the course of the past year to continue to optimise this business.

Revenue by activity (M)

1st Quarter 2017 2016

Reported 2016

Restated 1 Total

Growth Organic

Growth 1 Licenses 9.6 12.4 12.6 -22.8% -24.2% Cloud 7.3 5.9 23.7% Maintenance 37.3 34.7 35.3 7.4% 5.7% Services 14.4 18.2 14.1 -21.2% 2.0% Axway 68.5 65.3 67.9 4.9% 0.9%

(1) at constant exchange rates and scope of consolidation

Revenue by geographical zone (M)

1st Quarter 2017 2016

Published 2016

Restated1 Total Growth Organic

Growth1 France 19.5 20.1 20.1 -2.6% -2.6% Rest of Europe 15.8 14.6 14.1 8.5% 11.8% Americas 29.5 27.5 30.3 7.6% -2.4% Asia/Pacific 3.6 3.3 3.4 11.6% 6.6% Axway 68.5 65.3 67.9 4.9% 0.9%

(1) at constant exchange rates and scope of consolidation

Axway's business in France, with a revenue at 19.5 million, struggled slightly in the first quarter of 2017, as orders were postponed or replaced with Cloud subscription-based products. The Rest of Europe showed a good performance with 8.5% growth, providing a positive balance to the euro zone. In the Americas (still the first market for Axway), the order lag in the United States recorded in Q4 2016 persisted, especially in the Healthcare industry. Growth momentum in the Asia/Pacific region was strong at 11.6%, confirming the region's potential.

The acquisition of Syncplicity, a US company based in Silicon Valley with an established reputation in EFSS (Enterprise File Sharing and Synchronization) technologies, is another highlight of the early part of 2017. This acquisition will further enhance the Axway AMPLIFY platform and support the implementation of Axway's digital transformation strategy in the legacy file transfer business.

Financial position and outlook

Axway's financial position was extremely solid at the end of March 2017, with 66 million in cash and bank debt of 81 million, enabling the Company to pursue its strategy of external growth.

The Group is paying very close attention to the progress of its transformation plan launched in early 2016. This first quarter confirms the soundness of this strategy in order to keep pace with the market changes facing all software players. The Group restates the priority placed on maintaining its operating margin for the 2017 fiscal year.

Financial Calendar 2017

6 June: General Shareholders' Meeting, Hotel Le Meurice 2.30 pm (Paris time).

26 July: Release of results for HQ 2017 (after stock market closure).

27 July: Live conference and webcast.

30 August: Publication of the interim financial report.

Notes on the financial tables

The main accounting methods used by the Group are described in the notes to the annual financial statements of the Registration Document.

Glossary

Revenue restated: Revenue for the prior year, expressed on the basis of the scope and exchange rates for the current year.

Organic revenue growth: Growth of operations between revenue for the period and the reprocessed revenue data for the same period of the preceding fiscal year.

Cloud: Subscription for Axway Group Products

Profit on operating activities: This indicator, such as defined in the Registration Document, corresponds to profit from the reprocessed counting operations data of the charge pertaining to the cost of services rendered by the beneficiaries of stock options and of restricted shares and of the provisions to amortisation of the affected intangible assets.

Profit from recurring operations: This indicator corresponds to the operating profit prior to taking into account other operating income and expenses which correspond to unusual, abnormal, infrequent, non-predictive operating income and expenses, and of a particularly significant amount, presented in a distinct manner in order to facilitate understanding of the performance connected to current operations.

Disclaimer

This document is a free translation into English of the original French press release. It is not a binding document. In the event of a conflict in interpretation, reference should be made to the French version, which is the authentic text.

About Axway

Axway (Euronext: AXW.PA) is a catalyst for transformation. With Axway AMPLIFY, our cloud-enabled data integration and engagement platform, leading brands better anticipate, adapt and scale to meet ever changing customer expectations. Our unified, API-first approach connects data from anywhere, fuels millions of apps and delivers real-time analytics to build customer experience networks. From idea to execution, we help make the future possible for more than 11,000 organizations in 100 countries. Learn more about Axway by visiting www.investors.axway.com or via the Axway IR mobile application available at Apple Store Android.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170426005930/en/

Contacts:

Axway

Investor Relations:

Patrick Gouffran, +33 (0)1 40 67 29 26

pgouffran@axway.com

or

Press Relations:

Sylvie Podetti +33 (0)1 47 17 22 40

spodetti@axway.com
LAVAL, QUEBEC -- (Marketwired) -- 04/26/17 -- Urbanimmersive Inc. ("Urbanimmersive" or the "Company") (TSX VENTURE: UI) (OTC PINK: UBMRF), a real estate content marketing platform, is pleased to announce the signing of a 5-year affiliate program agreement with PhotoPano360, a real estate photography agency, for the use of Urbanimmersive's visual content marketplace ("Centris Marketplace") ("Marketplace") for 100% of their real estate customer business transactions. All customer business transactions taking place on the platform will grow Urbanimmersive's top-line revenue and the Marketplace will then take a transaction fee in line with its current pricing model on each transaction generated through its platform. The real estate division of PhotoPano360 is expected to generate $100,000 in revenue for 2017.

PhotoPano360 offers services in professional real estate photography for brokers, owners, landlords, contractors, architects, renters and designers. The studio is headed by Alain Potvin, a realist photographer, but also an architectural photographer, who strives to put assets and sites to the forefront in order to provide undeniable assistance in the sale and promotion of projects. The business deploys all the technical means necessary to guarantee the success of the photographs including telescopic mast services in every session offered on Centris Marketplace. Alain Potvin is also a member of the APPIQ, a real estate professional photographer association in Quebec. (More information available on www.photopano360.ca.)

"The Affiliate Program is a win-win situation for everyone. By partnering with us on our platform, affiliates like PhotoPano360 increase their customer outreach. For UI, each additional affiliate represents an opportunity to grow our revenues significantly during this fiscal year and beyond." Stated Ghislain Lemire, CEO of Urbanimmersive.

Alain Potvin, PhotoPano360 owner, said, "Since We have subscribed to Centris Marketplace, we have effortlessly made 20 new loyal customers in a very short period of time and the platform has significantly improved our agency productivity, customer satisfaction and business cash flow. The Affiliate Program was a no-brainer for us."

PhotoPano360 is the latest photography agency to join Urbanimmersive Marketplace's Affiliate Program. The Affiliate Program is offered to visual content providers ready to use Urbanimmersive's Marketplace solution for 100% of their real estate business transactions. The program provides real estate photography agencies and photographers an increased marketing visibility in the Centris Marketplace while enabling to effectively manage their internal operations and account receivables. The Affiliate Program offers a white label ordering interface, presenting only services offered by the agency or by other Marketplace's content providers selected by the agency. It also provides a dashboard to manage bookings and payments from incoming customer phone calls, emails and SMS. As part of the Affiliate Program, visual content providers become Urbanimmersive resellers of the Company's internal products and services.

About Urbanimmersive

Urbanimmersive is a content marketing platform for the real estate industry. The Company connects real estate professionals, photographers and writers in order to simplify and optimize original content production workflow. Urbanimmersive enables its customers to leverage their marketing investment while increasing productivity, competitiveness, their web visibility, consumer engagement with their brand and ultimately, their revenue.

The TSX Venture Exchange does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Certain statements in this news release, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking information that involves various risks and uncertainties. Such statements relating to, among other things, the prospects for the company to enhance operating results, are necessarily subject to risks and uncertainties, some of which are significant in scope and nature. These uncertainties may cause actual results to differ from information contained herein. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate. Actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. These and all subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements are based on the estimates and opinions of the management on the dates they are made and expressly qualified in their entirety by this notice. The Company assumes no obligation to update forward-looking statements should circumstances or management estimates or opinions change. For additional information with respect to certain of these and other assumptions and risk factors, please refer to the last Corporation's MD&A filed with the Canadian securities commissions. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release represent our expectations as of the date hereof. We disclaim any intention and assume no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements.

Contacts:

Urbanimmersive Inc.

Ghislain Lemire

President & CEO

514-394-7820 X 202

ghislainlemire@urbanimmersive.com

www.urbanimmersive.com



Contact Financial Corp.

Frederick Chabot

438-863-7071

frederick@contactfinancial.com




26 April, 2017



U.S. Oil & Gas Plc.



("US Oil" or the "Company")



Summary of Chairman's AGM statement and remarks

U.S. Oil & Gas Plc, ("USOIL" or the "Company"), the oil and gas exploration company with assets in Nevada, provides the following summary of the Chairman's Statement and remarks delivered at the AGM of 25 April 2017. Please note that the statements in this communication reflect the current thinking of the Board and the Company's present plans. The Company reserves the right to alter plans in the light of developing knowledge and circumstances. Shareholders' attention is drawn to the note below concerning Forward-looking Statements.

Intention to drill

The Company is funded to drill two wells while at the same time preserving 12 months working capital. Planning is complete for three wells, of which two will be drilled. Two of the planned wells (Eb-1a and Eb-3) target updip Tertiary zones with the possibility of drilling deeper to the Paleozoics. One planned well (Eb-6) is sited optimally for the Paleozoics and would in addition penetrate Tertiary zones of interest. Eb-3 and Eb-6 are vertical wells. Eb-1a is deviated (sidetracked) and will be drilled from the existing Eblana #1 well pad.

The wells to be drilled are Eb-1a and Eb-3, the order to be determined at a later stage. Drilling permits will be required for both wells. Preparatory work for permit applications, including engineering details, is near complete, and applications will be submitted to regulatory authorities in the near future. Drilling in August/September of 2017 is a reasonable expectation subject to permissions. Discussions with drilling companies are currently underway.

Trading Facility

The Board takes the view that at present the Company has insufficient funds both to drill two wells and to list on a recognised exchange, due to the potential listing costs. If sufficient further funds are raised and/or when drilling is completed, the Board will reconsider the listing option.



FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This press release contains certain "forward-looking statements" and "forward-looking information". Forward-looking statements and forward-looking information include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to: business plans and strategies of US Oil & Gas; operating or technical difficulties in connection with drilling or development activities; availability and costs associated with inputs and labour; drilling and exploration costs; the speculative nature of oil exploration and development; diminishing quantities or quality of reserves; synergies and financial impact of completed acquisitions; the benefits of the acquisitions and the development potential of properties of US Oil & Gas; the future price of oil; supply and demand for oil; the estimation of reserves; the realization of reserve estimates; costs of production and projections of costs; success of exploration activities; capital expenditure programs and the timing and method of financing thereof; the ability of US Oil & Gas to achieve drilling success consistent with management's expectations; net present values of future net revenues from reserves; expected levels of royalty rates, operating costs, general and administrative costs, costs of services and other costs and expenses; expectations regarding the ability to raise capital and to add to reserves through acquisitions, assessments of the value of acquisitions and exploration and development programs; geological, technical, drilling and processing problems; treatment under governmental regulatory regimes and tax laws.

All statements other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements

THE DIRECTORS OF THE COMPANY ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE CONTENTS OF THIS

ANNOUNCEMENT

Neither this announcement nor the information contained herein constitutes an offer or solicitation by U.S. Oil and Gas Plc for the purchase or sale of any securities nor does it constitute a solicitation to any person in any jurisdiction where solicitation would be unlawful.

For further information contact:

Brian McDonnell, Chief Executive Officer +353 (1) 631 9022

Alexander David Securities Ltd - Corporate Finance Adviser

David Scott +44 (0) 20 7448 9820

James Dewhurst +44 (0) 20 7448 9820

Email: james.dewhurst@ad-securities.com

About U.S. Oil & Gas:

U.S. Oil & Gas plc is an oil and gas exploration company with a strategy to identify and acquire oil and gas assets in the early phase of the upstream life-cycle and mature them. The Company's

main asset is in Nye County, Nevada where it holds the entire share capital of US-based company, Major Oil International LLC ("Major Oil"). Major Oil has acquired rights to exploration and development acreage in Hot Creek Valley, Nye County, adjacent to the oil and gas rich Railroad Valley area of Nevada, both of which are part of the Sevier Thrust of central Nevada and western Utah, USA.

For further information please refer to our website at: www.usoil.us

Ends
First collaborative work unveiled at Hannover Messe 2017

ESI Group (Paris:ESI), leading innovator in Virtual Prototyping software and services for manufacturing industries, is pleased to unveil the early results of its partnership with leading information and communications technology (ICT) solutions provider Huawei, less than a year after the signature of a memorandum of understanding at HUAWEI CONNECT 2016 in Shanghai, China last September. ESI and Huawei have jointly announced a Computer-Aided Engineering (CAE) Public Cloud Solution to support the digital transformation in the manufacturing industries at Hannover Messe 2017. The joint action provides designers and engineers with a public cloud-based CAE solution across multiple physics and engineering disciplines, integrating ESI's virtual engineering solutions with Huawei's High-Performance Computing (HPC) Infrastructure-as-a-Service capabilities through browser-based modeling, user analytics, 2D and 3D visualization and real-time collaboration tools.

This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170426006144/en/

ESI enables manufacturers to create Hybrid Twins of their products, in order to better understand their operational performance and anticipate maintenance. (Photo: Business Wire)

Validated on the Open Telekom Public Cloud, the joint solution already supports a variety of ESI applications for CAE, such as: Virtual Performance Solution for compute-on-demand, a general purpose Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) solution based on the well-known open source solver, OpenFOAM, a sand casting vertical application powered by ESI Visual technology and ESI ProCAST and Data Analytics tool ESI MINESET. The combination enables online collaborative product development across the globe, large-scale simulations, and analysis of massive data. Customers will experience improved efficiency, cost optimizations, enhanced green credentials and other benefits.

Sun Jiawei, Director, IT Business Development Department, Huawei, said, "Huawei helps customers achieve business successes by sticking to our 'Openness, Cooperation, Win-Win' policy and devoting to establishing a positive cloud ecosystem. We are delighted to work with ESI Group to jointly help develop the public cloud solution and better serve customers with greater product choice."

Sanjay Choudhry, Vice President Cloud Business Unit at ESI, comments, "ESI HPC/CAE platform on the Open Telekom Cloud powered by Huawei is designed to address the complex demands of engineering organizations. The fully browser based cloud platform solves large multi-physics problems in a highly scalable and an extremely easy-to-use environment using a workflow based approach. We are very excited to be able to showcase this in the Hannover event."

Join ESI at the Hannover Messe CAE Forum in Hall 6/L46 and attend our live presentations:

"Modeling of Metallic Additive Manufacturing Processes" (Monday, April 24th 12:40 pm)

(Monday, April 24th 12:40 pm) "Industrial Data Analytics Platform for Industry 4.0" (Tuesday, April 25th 12:20 pm)

(Tuesday, April 25th 12:20 pm) "Virtual Prototyping: From Manufacturing to Performance" (Wednesday, April 26th 12:20 pm)

(Wednesday, April 26th 12:20 pm) "Developing suitable and energy-efficient drive systems through multiphysics system simulation" (Thursday, April 27th 12:20 pm)

(Thursday, April 27th 12:20 pm) "Virtual Car Prototyping in a Realistic Driving Environment" (Friday, April 28th 12:20 pm)

When? 24-28 April, 2017

Where? Hannover Fairground in Hanover, Germany

For more info, please visit: www.esi-group.com/company/events/2017/hannover-messe-2017

Join ESI's customer portal myESI to get continuously updated product information, tips tricks, view the online training schedule, and access selected software downloads: myesi.esi-group.com

For more ESI news, visit: www.esi-group.com/press

About ESI Group

ESI Group is a leading innovator in Virtual Prototyping software and services. Specialist in material physics, ESI has developed a unique proficiency in helping industrial manufacturers replace physical prototypes by virtual prototypes, allowing them to virtually manufacture, assemble, test and pre-certify their future products. Coupled with the latest technologies, Virtual Prototyping is now anchored in the wider concept of the Product Performance Lifecycle, which addresses the operational performance of a product during its entire lifecycle, from launch to disposal. The creation of Hybrid Virtual Twins, leveraging simulation, physics and data analytics, enables manufacturers to deliver smarter and connected products, to predict product performance and to anticipate maintenance needs.

ESI is a French company listed in compartment B of NYSE Euronext Paris. Present in more than 40 countries, and addressing every major industrial sector, ESI Group employs about 1200 high-level specialists around the world and reported annual sales of 141 million in 2016. For more information, please visit www.esi-group.com.

About Huawei

Huawei is a leading global information and communications technology (ICT) solutions provider. Our aim is to enrich life and improve efficiency through a better connected world, acting as a responsible corporate citizen, innovative enabler for the information society, and collaborative contributor to the industry. Driven by customer-centric innovation and open partnerships, Huawei has established an end-to-end ICT solutions portfolio that gives customers competitive advantages in telecom and enterprise networks, devices and cloud computing. Huawei's 180,000 employees worldwide are committed to creating maximum value for telecom operators, enterprises and consumers. Our innovative ICT solutions, products and services are used in more than 170 countries and regions, serving over one-third of the world's population. Founded in 1987, Huawei is a private company fully owned by its employees.

For more information, please visit Huawei online at www.huawei.com or follow us on:

http://www.linkedin.com/company/Huawei

http://www.twitter.com/Huawei

http://www.facebook.com/Huawei

http://www.google.com/+Huawei

http://www.youtube.com/Huawei

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170426006144/en/

Contacts:

ESI Group

Media Relations

Celine Gallerne, +33 1 41 73 58 46

or

North America

Leah Charters, +1 248 381 8231

or

United Kingdom

Kim Melcher, +44 1543 397 905

or

France

Gaelle Lecomte, +33 4 7814 1210

or

Eastern Europe

Lucie Sebestova, +420 511188875

or

Germany, Austria, Switzerland

Alexandra Lawrenz, +49 6102 2067 183

or

Italy

Manuela Bertoli, +39 051 633 5577

or

Spain

Monica Arroyo Prieto, +34 914840256

or

Russia

Natalia Nesvetova, +7 343 311 0233

or

South America

Daniela Galoflo, +55 11 3031 6221

or

Japan

Nozomi Suzuki, +81 363818486

or

South Korea

Gyeong Hee Lee, +822 3660 4507

or

China

Yuxiang Guo, +86 18500685938
SEATTLE, WA -- (Marketwired) -- 04/26/17 -- Rad Power Bikes, a Seattle-based direct-to-consumer electric bike company, today proudly announced its co-founders Ty Collins (28), Mike Radenbaugh (27), and Marimar White-Espin (27), have been named to Inc. Magazine's 30 Under 30 List. The 30 Under 30 honorees for 2017 are tackling the world's most intractable problems. Rad Power Bikes is dedicated to making electric bikes accessible, practical and financially possible for all as a low-cost, energy-efficient premium alternative to conventional transportation.

Rad Power Bikes was selected among an initial pool of 300 applicants, later narrowed to 100 by Inc. staff editors and expert judges including real estate mogul Barbara Corcoran, XPrize's Peter Diamandis, Honest Tea co-founder Seth Goldman, CB Insights CEO Anand Sanwal, and Uncharted Play founder (and 30 Under 30 alum) Jessica O. Matthews.

"On behalf of Ty, Marimar and myself, we're honored to receive this prestigious recognition from Inc. Magazine," said Mike Radenbaugh, President of Rad Power Bikes. "We are three young entrepreneurs who set out to not only create a world-class electric bike and riding experience for our customers, but to solve practical transportation challenges for our world and to help move our planet toward a cleaner, more sustainable environment. This recognition certainly helps expand our platform to share that passion."

Rad Power Bikes is expected to bring in $30 million in revenue this year, up from $7 million in 2016. The company offers four electric bike models including RadRover Electric Fat Bike, RadMini Electric Folding Fat Bike, RadCity Electric Commuter, RadWagon Electric Cargo Bike.

Inc. Magazine notes, "The companies and entrepreneurs on our list have been plucked, picked at, mulled over, weighed, and measured. They stood out with novel business models, in-demand products and services -- and revenue to prove it. These young firms represent the best of what this next generation has to offer."

A direct link to the company's Inc. profile and short video can be found here.

ABOUT RAD POWER BIKES

The idea for Rad Power Bikes was born in rural Northern California in the summer of 2007 when the company launched its first ebike prototypes. Since then, Rad Power Bikes has been at the forefront of electric vehicle technology development launching four unique models and making ebikes, more than ever, ready for the masses. A group of dedicated ebike enthusiasts, product designers, and entrepreneurs with a passion for business and technology, all three founders attended Humboldt State University and in 2017 were named to Forbes 30 Under 30 list.

MEDIA CONTACT

Megan Kathman

Skyya

www.skyya.com

ph: (651) 785-3212

Email Contact




MONTREAL, QUEBEC -- (Marketwired) -- 04/26/17 -- TFI International Inc. (TSX: TFII)(OTCQX: TFIFF)

-- 22% increase in revenue before fuel surcharge from continuing operations to $1.06 billion -- Adjusted operating income from continuing operations(i) up 5% to $42.1 million, year-over-year improvements in most business segments -- Adjusted net income from continuing operations(i) of $32.7 million, or $0.35 per diluted share(i), up from $31.3 million, or $0.32 per diluted share, last year -- 20% increase in free cash flow from continuing operations(i) to $29.5 million

(i) This is a non-IFRS measure. For a reconciliation, please refer to the "Non-IFRS Measures" section below.

TFI International Inc. (TSX: TFII)(OTCQX: TFIFF), a North American leader in the transportation and logistics industry, today announced its results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2017.

"As anticipated, TFI International's first quarter results were affected by difficult conditions in the U.S. Truckload market and certain integration costs related to the CFI acquisition. This overshadowed significant profitability increases in all other business segments, reflecting our commitment to improve efficiency and to focus on niches generating superior returns," said Alain Bedard, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of TFI International.

"During the quarter, we rebranded several same-day, last mile Package & Courier (P&C) divisions to the TForce Final Mile name. This initiative should allow TFI International to capture new e-commerce opportunities. Meanwhile, the profitability of our Less-Than-Truckload (LTL) activities continues to improve, driven by efficiency gains. Excluding CFI, operating margins in the Truckload (TL) segment held steady despite adverse market conditions. We are also witnessing some improvement in specialized divisions, including those servicing the energy sector, which bodes well for the rest of 2017. Finally, our Logistics activities produced organic revenue growth and solid returns," added Mr. Bedard.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Financial highlights Quarters ended March 31 (in millions of dollars, except per share data) 2017 2016 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total revenue from continuing operations 1,171.9 934.2 Revenue before fuel surcharge from continuing operations 1,059.3 866.7 Adjusted operating income from continuing operations(1,3) 42.1 40.3 Operating income from continuing operations(2) 28.9 40.3 Net cash from operating activities from continuing operations 50.3 40.2 Free cash flow from continuing operations(3,4) 29.5 24.7 Adjusted net income from continuing operations(3, 5) 32.7 31.3 Per share - diluted(6) ($) 0.35 0.32 Net income from continuing operations 14.1 15.3 Per share - diluted ($) 0.15 0.15 Net income(7) 14.1 503.6 Per share - diluted ($) 0.15 5.09 Weighted average number of shares outstanding ('000s) 91,609 97,619 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- (1) Operating income excluding impairment of intangible assets. (2) Net income from continuing operations before finance income and costs, and income tax expense (recovery). (3) This is a non-IFRS measure. For a reconciliation, please refer to the "Non-IFRS Measures" section below. (4) Net cash from operating activities from continuing operations, less additions to property and equipment, plus proceeds from sale of property and equipment and assets held for sale. (5) Net income excluding amortization of intangible assets related to business acquisitions, net changes in the fair value of derivatives, net foreign exchange gain or loss, net income or loss from discontinued operations, impairment of intangible assets and items not in the Company's normal business, net of tax. (6) Adjusted net income from continuing operations divided by the weighted average number of diluted common shares outstanding. (7) Includes net income from discontinued operations, of which a $490.8 million after-tax gain on the sale of the Waste Management segment was recorded in Q1-2016.

FIRST-QUARTER RESULTS

Total revenue from continuing operations reached $1.17 billion, up 25% from last year. Net of fuel surcharge, revenue from continuing operations rose 22% to $1.06 billion. The increase reflects the contribution from business acquisitions, mainly CFI, completed on October 27, 2016. This was partially offset by a negative currency impact and slightly lower business volume for existing operations.

Operating income from continuing operations totalled $28.9 million, compared with $40.3 million last year. During the quarter, TFI International recorded a non-cash impairment charge of $13.2 million related to the decrease in the fair value of certain trade names in the P&C segment following their conversion to TForce Final Mile. Excluding this charge, adjusted operating income from continuing operations amounted to $42.1 million. In the first quarter of 2017, non-recurring costs of $7.5 million were also incurred related to the integration of CFI, mainly in regards to fleet rebranding and renewal programs. As a percentage of revenue before fuel surcharge, adjusted operating income stood at 4.0% of revenue in the first quarter of 2017, versus 4.6% a year ago. This decrease reflects lower margins in the TL segment due to difficult market conditions, partially offset by higher margins in all other segments, mainly resulting from efficiency gains.

Net income from continuing operations reached $14.1 million, or $0.15 per diluted share, versus $15.3 million, or $0.15 per diluted share, a year ago. Adjusted net income from continuing operations, which excludes amortization of intangible assets related to business acquisitions, net changes in the fair value of derivatives, net foreign exchange gain or loss, impairment of intangible assets and items not in the Company's normal business, net of tax, amounted to $32.7 million, or $0.35 per diluted share, up 5% from $31.3 million last year, or $0.32 per diluted share. Net income was $14.1 million, or $0.15 per diluted share, versus $503.6 million last year, or $5.09 per diluted share. Last year's net income included a $490.8 million after-tax gain on the sale of the Waste Management segment.

SEGMENTED RESULTS FROM CONTINUING OPERATIONS

---------------------------------------------------------------------------- (in millions of dollars) Quarters ended March 31 2017 2016 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- $ $ Revenue(i) Package and Courier 320.0 312.0 Less-Than-Truckload 199.2 177.3 Truckload 486.6 337.7 Logistics 67.6 54.4 Eliminations (14.1) (14.6) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total 1,059.3 866.7 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- $ % of Rev.(i) $ % of Rev.(i) Adjusted Operating Income (Loss) Package and Courier 22.9 7.2 16.8 5.4 Less-Than-Truckload 8.7 4.4 5.4 3.0 Truckload 14.7 3.0 20.4 6.0 Logistics 5.6 8.3 4.2 7.7 Corporate (9.7) (6.5) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total 42.1 4.0 40.3 4.6 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Note: due to rounding, totals may differ slightly from the sum. (i) Revenue before fuel surcharge

FREE CASH FLOW AND FINANCIAL POSITION

Free cash flow from continuing operations was $29.5 million, or $0.32 per share, up 20% from $24.7 million last year, or $0.25 per share. The variation is essentially related to a $10.0 million increase in net cash from operating activities from continuing operations. During the quarter, TFI International also continued to dispose of excess assets, realizing total proceeds of $15.8 million.

As business acquisitions made in the first quarter were mainly financed through additional borrowings, the Company's long-term-debt-to-equity ratio increased slightly to 1.13 as at March 31, 2017, versus 1.09 three months earlier. TFI International maintained its strong commitment to apply excess funds to debt reduction by reimbursing $11.1 million during the quarter.

OUTLOOK

"We remain cautiously optimistic in regards to the North American economy given low unemployment and healthy consumer spending. We are also seeing a modest rebound in the level of investment in the energy sector. These factors should, over time, improve market conditions, but we do not expect any significant improvement before the end of 2017. TFI International will also continue to execute its selective acquisition strategy, targeting profitable and well-managed companies that offer synergies, reinforce existing operations and further expand its geographic footprint. Our operating strategy is aimed at producing a solid cash flow that will be invested in high-return activities, applied to debt reimbursement and returned to shareholders. Overall, TFI International boasts a solid team dedicated to build a company defined by its excellence and its capacity to create greater value for its shareholders," concluded Mr. Bedard.

CONFERENCE CALL

TFI International will hold a conference call for analysts and portfolio managers on Thursday, April 27, 2017 at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time, to discuss these results. Business media are also invited to listen to the call. Interested parties can join the call by dialling 1-877-223-4471. A recording of the call will be available until midnight, May 11, 2017, by dialling 1-800-585-8367 or 416-621-4642 and entering passcode 90305101.

ABOUT TFI INTERNATIONAL

TFI International Inc. is a North American leader in the transportation and logistics industry, operating across the United States, Canada and Mexico through its subsidiaries. TFI International creates value for shareholders by identifying strategic acquisitions and managing a growing network of wholly-owned operating subsidiaries. Under the TFI International umbrella, companies benefit from financial and operational resources to build their businesses and increase their efficiency. TFI International companies service the following segments:

-- Package and Courier; -- Less-Than-Truckload; -- Truckload; -- Logistics.

TFI International Inc. is publicly traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: TFII) and the OTCQX marketplace in the U.S. (OTCQX: TFIFF). For more information, visit http://www.tfiintl.com.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

Except for historical information provided herein, this press release may contain information and statements of a forward-looking nature concerning the future performance of TFI International. These statements are based on suppositions and uncertainties as well as on management's best possible evaluation of future events. Such factors may include, without excluding other considerations, fluctuations in quarterly results, evolution in customer demand for TFI International's products and services, the impact of price pressures exerted by competitors, and general market trends or economic changes. As a result, readers are advised that actual results may differ from expected results.

NON-IFRS MEASURES

Adjusted operating income from continuing operations, adjusted net income from continuing operations, adjusted earnings from continuing operations per share, free cash flow from continuing operations and free cash flow from continuing operations per share are financial measures not prescribed by IFRS and are not likely to be comparable to similar measures presented by other issuers. Management considers these to be useful information to assist investors in evaluating the Company's profitability, liquidity and ability to generate funds to finance its operations. These measures do not have any standardized meaning under IFRS and could be calculated differently by other companies. These measures should be considered in addition to, not as a substitute for or superior to, measures of financial performance prepared in accordance with IFRS.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Adjusted operating income from continuing operations Quarters ended March 31 (unaudited, in thousands of dollars) 2017 2016 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Operating income 28,911 40,284 Impairment of intangible assets 13,211 - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Adjusted operating income from continuing operations 42,122 40,284 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Adjusted net income from continuing operations Quarters ended March 31 (unaudited, in thousands of dollars, except per share data) 2017 2016 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Net income 14,059 503,631 Amortization of intangible assets related to business acquisitions, net of tax 9,276 8,093 Net change in fair value of derivatives, net of tax (365) 6,226 Net foreign exchange loss, net of tax 1,111 1,616 Impairment of intangible assets, net of tax 8,668 - Net income from discontinued operations - (488,309) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Adjusted net income from continuing operations 32,749 31,257 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Adjusted earnings per share from continuing operations - basic 0.36 0.32 Adjusted earnings per share from continuing operations - diluted 0.35 0.32 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Free cash flow from continuing operations Quarters ended March 31 (unaudited, in thousands of dollars, except per share data) 2017 2016 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Net cash from operating activities from continuing operations 50,255 40,244 Additions to property and equipment (36,548) (29,122) Proceeds from sale of property and equipment 13,920 13,544 Proceeds from sale of assets held for sale 1,850 - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Free cash flow from continuing operations 29,477 24,666 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Free cash flow from continuing operations per share(1) 0.32 0.25 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- (1) Free cash flow from continuing operations divided by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding.

Note to readers: Unaudited condensed consolidated interim financial statements and Management's Discussion & Analysis are available on TFI International's website at http://www.tfiintl.com.

Contacts:

Investors:

Alain Bedard

Chairman, President and CEO

TFI International Inc.

(647) 729-4079

abedard@tfiintl.com



Media:

Rick Leckner

MaisonBrison Communications

(514) 731-0000

rickl@maisonbrison.com




DUBLIN, Apr. 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "Global Packaged Refrigeration Market 2017-2021" report to their offering.

The global packaged refrigeration market to grow at a CAGR of 4.33% during the period 2017-2021.

The report, Global Packaged Refrigeration Market 2017-2021, has been prepared based on an in-depth market analysis with inputs from industry experts. The report covers the market landscape and its growth prospects over the coming years. The report also includes a discussion of the Key vendors operating in this market.



One trend in the market is the growing M&A. The global packaged refrigeration market comprises international and regional vendors, such as Carrier, Panasonic, DAIKIN INDUSTRIES, and AHT Cooling Systems. These vendors compete intensely to gain greater market shares. Several strategic alliances and M&As are in the pipeline during the forecast period. Major market players are entering strategic alliances with small, regional, and large companies to increase their market shares. So, rising M&As will propel the growth of the global packaged refrigeration market.



According to the report, one driver in the market is the growth of the commercial refrigeration market. The commercial refrigeration market is one of the major demand generating segments of packaged refrigeration. Commercial packaged refrigeration is mainly used by retail outlets, for displaying and storing fresh and frozen food items and beverages. The global commercial refrigeration market offers a variety of products. Walk-in coolers are expected to drive the market over the forecast period.

Key vendors



Carrier

DAIKIN INDUSTRIES

Johnson Controls

LG Electronics

Samsung Electronics

Whirlpool



Other prominent vendors



Emerson Electric

Electrolux

Haier

Intertek

Master-Bilt

Middleby

Panasonic

CIMCO Refrigeration

Star Refrigeration



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: Market segmentation by end-users



PART 07: Geographical segmentation



PART 08: Market drivers



PART 09: Market challenges



PART 10: Impact of drivers and challenges



PART 11: Market trends



PART 12: Vendor landscape



PART 13: Key vendor analysis



PART 14: Appendix

For more information about this report visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/s9rj8k/global_packaged

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
PALO ALTO, California, April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Purposeful Artificial Intelligence Shifts Focus to Solving Complex Business Problems

Infosys (NYSE: INFY), a global leader in consulting, technology, outsourcing and next-generation services, today announced the launch of Infosys Nia, the next-generation Artificial Intelligence Platform building on the success of the Company's first-generation AI platform, Infosys Mana, and its Robotic Process Automation (RPA) solution, AssistEdge. Together, both these products have amassed 50+ clients and 150+ engagements across all industry sectors, within a year of operations.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130122/589162 )



Infosys Nia converges the big data/analytics, machine learning, knowledge management, and cognitive automation capabilities of Mana; end-to-end RPA capabilities of AssistEdge; advanced, high-performance and scalable machine learning capabilities of Skytree; and optical character recognition (OCR), natural language processing (NLP) capabilities and infrastructure management services. As a unified, flexible, and modular platform, Infosys Nia enables a wide set of industry and function-specific solutions and allows customers to build custom experiences to suit their business needs.

Infosys' first-generation AI platform was about IT, simplification, efficiency and cost. Capabilities included socialization of organizational knowledge, deep analytics, service automation, automated incident root cause analysis and others. The next generation platform, Infosys Nia, tackles break-through business problems such as forecasting revenues, forecasting what products need to be built, understanding customer behavior, deeply understanding the content of contracts and legal documents, understanding compliance, and fraud.

Infosys Nia can help clients solve a wide variety of business problems, a few of which are listed below:

Infosys Nia can improve order-to-cash process by creating a real-time risk profile to customize the collection strategy, expedite resolution of disputes, predict anomalies, prevent disputes, and enable better visibility and forecasting of cash flow to reduce days sales outstanding (DSO).

Infosys Nia can predict variability in manufacturing and material cost, while also reducing product development cycle times.

Infosys Nia can create knowledge models of multiple, complex labor contracts with an on-demand, self-service conversational interface to operationalize the knowledge.

Infosys Nia can create a customer genome based on internal and external data sources to help develop targeted messaging, accurately identify upselling and cross-selling opportunities, offer personalized solutions, and improve customer satisfaction.

Quotes

Dr. Tom Reuner, Senior Vice-President, HfS Research:

"By leveraging and integrating a broad set of artificial intelligence technologies, Infosys is supporting customers on their journey toward business transformation. The modular set up of Infosys Nia allows for more flexibility when addressing diverse sets of use cases. On this journey, Infosys' expansive AI and cognitive computing capabilities provide customers with solutions that put data at the center of their service delivery strategies. While it might sound trite, data really is becoming the new currency."

Dr. Vishal Sikka, Chief Executive Officer, Infosys:

"When we launched our knowledge-based AI platform Mana one year ago, we set out on our path of bringing knowledge, data and automation, together with our services to our clients as never before. We have seen tremendous adoption, and indeed, a massive embrace of Mana by our clients, particularly in leveraging Mana to improve service delivery and drive efficiencies and cost performance through automation. But we could clearly see that there was much more potential, an unlimited potential, in bringing AI to our clients' most sophisticated and complex business problems, as they work toward a vision of bringing technology to every aspect of their businesses. Nia, the next generation of our AI platform now takes our purposeful approach to AI, one in which technology serves to amplify people and empowers them to work in new ways, to new heights. When we bring this together with our unmatched ability to educate and train in AI techniques and emerging technologies, we now have the platform, the services and the skills, to deliver new unprecedented value to our clients."

Infosys Nia is available to order immediately.

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 http://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 athttp://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.

All trademarks are the property of their respective owners.


CRESCO, PA -- (Marketwired) -- 04/26/17 -- Net Savings Link, Inc. (OTC: NSAV) announced today that the Company has officially launched its new corporate website, which is now available at http://netsavlink.com

The new website will provide our partners and clients a user friendly way to learn about NSAV's products and services, as well as providing our shareholders and potential investors a better understanding of the Company's vision. Among the new features the site contains integrated social media buttons for Twitter and Facebook to foster improved communication with our clients, partners, and shareholders. NSAV will be constantly updating our content with articles, company announcements and client successes in the News section.

The Company recently announced that the opening of its office in Shanghai, China is moving along more rapidly than expected. The Company has chosen a premier location in the world's largest city, in order to expand its medical cannabis technology business. China is the world's largest producer of cannabis sativa seeds, accounting for nearly 40% of global production. NSAV will release further details in the coming week. Following the announcement of the Shanghai office, NSAV has been featured in several industry publications.

https://edgylabs.com/2017/04/20/happy-420-china-marijuana

https://mjbizdaily.com/u-s-medical-cannabis-tech-company-plans-open-china-office

James Tilton, president of NSAV, stated, "I am truly excited and personally honored to announce the launch of the Company's new corporate website. In my opinion, the graphics are state of the art and the content, which is a work in progress, is coming along nicely. I want to thank our entire team, who worked around the clock in order to make the NSAV website a reality."

NSAV's vision is the establishment of a fully integrated technology company that provides turnkey technological solutions to the medical cannabis industry, as well as other areas of the medical industry. Over time, the Company plans to provide a wide range of services such as software solutions, e-commerce, advisory services, financial services, patents and trademarks and information technology.

For further information please contact NSAV at 1 (570-595-2432) or jamestilton@netsavingslinkinc.com.

The NSAV Twitter account can be accessed at https://twitter.com/NSAV_MJTechCo

The NSAV Facebook account can be accessed at https://www.facebook.com/Net-Savings-Link-Inc-768628693317257/

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, which are intended to be covered by the safe harbors created thereby. Investors are cautioned that, all forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, including without limitation, the ability of Net Savings Link, Inc. to accomplish its stated plan of business. Net Savings Link, Inc. believes that the assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements contained herein are reasonable, any of the assumptions could be inaccurate, and therefore, there can be no assurance that the forward-looking statements included in this press release will prove to be accurate. In light of the significant uncertainties inherent in the forward- looking statements included herein, the inclusion of such information should not be regarded as a representation by Net Savings Link, Inc. or any other person.

For further information please contact:

NSAV

1 (570-595-2432)

jamestilton@netsavingslinkinc.com




joimax, the German based market leader of technologies and training methods for endoscopic minimally invasive spinal surgery, today announced it has received 510(k) clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to market its Endovapor 2 Multi Radio Frequency System.

This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170426006549/en/

joimax received 510(k) clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to market its Endovapor 2 Multi Radio Frequency System (Photo: Business Wire)

The patented device generates electrical power for monopolar and bipolar cutting and coagulation of tissue structures in surgical operations. The joimaxEndovapor 2 is an all-in-one generator with specially integrated programs for spinal cord surgery with interdisciplinary application. The device is equipped with two monopolar and two bipolar sockets and an easy and intuitive touchpad technology. With arc control for safe application and easy neutral electrode monitoring, it combines a variety of different electro-surgical modes and effects.

"After receiving the FDA clearance for the joimax Vaporflex and Legato electrosurgical probes in early November 2016, this is another milestone in strengthening the joimax position as an expert in endoscopic minimally invasive spine surgery," states Wolfgang Ries, Founder and CEO of joimax

During the AANS, joimax participated in the CME endoscopic cadaveric workshop with two stations and held a very successful US-expert meeting including topics such as training procedures, clinical Research and future technologies.

About joimax Founded in Karlsruhe, Germany, in 2001, joimax is the leading developer and marketer of complete systems for endoscopic minimally invasive spinal surgery. With TESSYS (transforaminal), iLESSYS (interlaminar) and CESSYS (cervical) for decompression procedures, MultiZYTE RT (e.g. for rhizotomy) and with MultiZYTE SI for SI-Joint therapy or with EndoLIF and Percusys for endoscopic minimally invasive assisted stabilizations, proven endoscopic systems are provided that, together, cover a whole variety of indications.

In procedures for herniated disc, stenosis, pain therapy or spinal stabilization treatment, surgeons utilize joimax technologies to operate through small incisions under local or full anesthetic via tissue and muscle-sparing corridors through natural openings into the spinal canal (e.g. intervertebral foramen, the "Kambin triangle").

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170426006549/en/

Contacts:

Press Contact USA:

joimax Inc.

Melissa Brumley

001 949 859 3472

Melissa.brumley@joimaxusa.com


Weekly net asset value ("NAV") is calculated as of the close of business on each Tuesday and posted on the following business day. In the event that Tuesday is not a business day, the Company will calculate the close-of-business NAV as of the business day immediately preceding that Tuesday. The end-of-month NAV is calculated as of the close of business on the last day of the month and posted on the following business day. For weeks that include a month-end NAV report, PSH will provide only the month-end NAV and not report the Tuesday NAV. Monthly NAVs are published in accordance with the Decree on Conduct of Business Supervision of Financial Undertakings under the Wft (Besluit Gedragstoezicht financiele ondernemingen Wft).

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA -- (Marketwired) -- 04/26/17 -- First Bauxite Corporation ("First Bauxite" or the "Company") (TSX VENTURE: FBX)(FRANKFURT: FBI)(BERLIN: FBI) is pleased to announce that it has filed its audited year-end financial statements and management's discussion and analysis for the year ended December 31, 2016. Both are available under the Company's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and on the Company's website at www.firstbauxite.com.

HIGHLIGHTS

During the year ending December 31, 2016, the Company made significant progress including:

-- The Company closed the 2nd tranche of a loan facility with Resource Capital Fund VI L.P. ("RCF VI") signed in October 2015 that provided an additional $11 million in capital on March 8, 2016 via the issuance of secured convertible notes (the first tranche sale of convertible notes raised $4 million and closed in October, 2015). The Company also restructured all outstanding convertible notes (CDN$17,847,901 and $4,442,861) with Pacific Road Resources Funds and Resource Capital Fund V L.P. to have a common maturity date of August 1, 2017 and common commercial terms. The Company has begun initial discussions with the lenders on extending the terms of the debt but no agreement has been reached at this time. -- The Company completed mining and bagging a bulk sample from the test pit mining program on the Bonasika project in Guyana. More than 17,000 metric tons of high grade Direct Feed Bauxite ("DFB") were mined and 2,300 metric tons of DFB were bagged and shipped to a ceramic proppant plant in China for a series of industrial scale production trials that commenced in Q3 2016. Final production volumes and chemical assays from the bulk sample test pit mining program were consistent with the geological block model of the Technical Report filed in August, 2015. -- The Company completed a four metric tons upscale testwork programme with the ceramic proppant producer that is being used to conduct the industrial scale production trials. The results of this upscale testwork confirmed the superior crush strength and conductivity of the Company's ultra high strength proppants obtained in previous laboratory and upscale testwork and published in the Technical Report filed in August, 2015. -- The Company signed a Production Services Agreement with a ceramic proppant producer in China to conduct industrial scale production trials to produce an ultra-high strength ceramic proppant. The production trials began in Q3 2016 and continued into 2017. Initial results have been very encouraging with independent recognised US laboratory testwork confirming a product superior to what is available in the market place. Further trials are scheduled in 2017 to further validate these initial results and to have product available for market trials.

About First Bauxite

First Bauxite Corporation (TSX VENTURE: FBX) is a Canadian natural resource company engaged in the exploration and development of bauxite deposits in Guyana, South America and intends to produce ceramic proppants for the energy industry in the future. The Company has its head office in New Orleans, LA and is managed by experienced professionals with worldwide experience in the global industrial minerals industry across a number of industrial minerals. For further information on First Bauxite Corporation, please visit the Company's corporate website at www.firstbauxite.com.

On behalf of the Board of Directors of First Bauxite Corporation

Alan Roughead, President and CEO

Certain statements contained herein constitute "forward-looking information" pursuant to applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking information looks into the future and provide an opinion as to the effect of certain events and trends on the business. Forward-looking information may include words such as "will", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "expects" and similar expressions. These statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the scheduling in 2017 of further industrial scale production trials to produce an ultra-high strength ceramic proppant to further validate initial results and to have product available for market trials. This forward-looking information is based on current expectations and entail various risks and uncertainties. Actual results may materially differ from expectations, if known and unknown risks or uncertainties affect our business, or if our estimates or assumptions prove inaccurate. Factors that could cause results or events to differ materially from current expectations expressed or implied by the forward-looking information include, but are not limited to, the success of obtaining additional financing; continuing support of the Government of Guyana for the Bonasika Project; execution of the Company's existing plans as budgeted, including development programs for the Bonasika Project, which may change due to changes in the views of the Company or if new information arises which makes it prudent to change such budget, plans or programs, including the results of future trails and testwork or any inability to reproduce test results on a commercial scale or in the field; and other risks affecting the Company or the mining industry more fully described in the Company's continuous disclosure documents, which are available under the Company's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on the forward-looking information contained in this press release. Except as required by law, the Company assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or any other reason.

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:

First Bauxite Corporation

+592-223-4396

info@firstbauxite.com

www.firstbauxite.com




Palo Alto, California (ots/PRNewswire) -Purposeful Artificial Intelligence Shifts Focus to Solving Complex Business ProblemsInfosys (https://www.infosys.com/) (NYSE: INFY), a global leader in consulting, technology, outsourcing and next-generation services, today announced the launch of Infosys Nia, the next-generation Artificial Intelligence Platform building on the success of the Company's first-generation AI platform, Infosys Mana, and its Robotic Process Automation (RPA) solution, AssistEdge. Together, both these products have amassed 50+ clients and 150+ engagements across all industry sectors, within a year of operations.(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130122/589162 )Infosys Nia converges the big data/analytics, machine learning, knowledge management, and cognitive automation capabilities of Mana; end-to-end RPA capabilities of AssistEdge; advanced, high-performance and scalable machine learning capabilities of Skytree; and optical character recognition (OCR), natural language processing (NLP) capabilities and infrastructure management services. As a unified, flexible, and modular platform, Infosys Nia enables a wide set of industry and function-specific solutions and allows customers to build custom experiences to suit their business needs.Infosys' first-generation AI platform was about IT, simplification, efficiency and cost. Capabilities included socialization of organizational knowledge, deep analytics, service automation, automated incident root cause analysis and others. The next generation platform, Infosys Nia, tackles break-through business problems such as forecasting revenues, forecasting what products need to be built, understanding customer behavior, deeply understanding the content of contracts and legal documents, understanding compliance, and fraud.Infosys Nia can help clients solve a wide variety of business problems, a few of which are listed below:- Infosys Nia can improve order-to-cash process by creating a real-time risk profile to customize the collection strategy, expedite resolution of disputes, predict anomalies, prevent disputes, and enable better visibility and forecasting of cash flow to reduce days sales outstanding (DSO). - Infosys Nia can predict variability in manufacturing and material cost, while also reducing product development cycle times. - Infosys Nia can create knowledge models of multiple, complex labor contracts with an on-demand, self-service conversational interface to operationalize the knowledge. - Infosys Nia can create a customer genome based on internal and external data sources to help develop targeted messaging, accurately identify upselling and cross-selling opportunities, offer personalized solutions, and improve customer satisfaction.QuotesDr. Tom Reuner, Senior Vice-President, HfS Research:"By leveraging and integrating a broad set of artificial intelligence technologies, Infosys is supporting customers on their journey toward business transformation. The modular set up of Infosys Nia allows for more flexibility when addressing diverse sets of use cases. On this journey, Infosys' expansive AI and cognitive computing capabilities provide customers with solutions that put data at the center of their service delivery strategies. While it might sound trite, data really is becoming the new currency."Dr. Vishal Sikka, Chief Executive Officer, Infosys:"When we launched our knowledge-based AI platform Mana one year ago, we set out on our path of bringing knowledge, data and automation, together with our services to our clients as never before. We have seen tremendous adoption, and indeed, a massive embrace of Mana by our clients, particularly in leveraging Mana to improve service delivery and drive efficiencies and cost performance through automation. But we could clearly see that there was much more potential, an unlimited potential, in bringing AI to our clients' most sophisticated and complex business problems, as they work toward a vision of bringing technology to every aspect of their businesses. Nia, the next generation of our AI platform now takes our purposeful approach to AI, one in which technology serves to amplify people and empowers them to work in new ways, to new heights. When we bring this together with our unmatched ability to educate and train in AI techniques and emerging technologies, we now have the platform, the services and the skills, to deliver new unprecedented value to our clients."Infosys Nia is available to order immediately.About Infosys LtdInfosys 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 http://www.infosys.com to see how Infosys (NYSE: INFY) can help your enterprise thrive in the digital age.Safe HarborCertain 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 http://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.All trademarks are the property of their respective owners.ots Originaltext: INFOSYS Im Internet recherchierbar: http://www.presseportal.deContact: Asia Pacific Sarah Gideon Infosys India +91 80 4156 3998 Sarah_Gideon@infosys.comEMEA Margherita Di Cerbo Infosys Europe +44 2075162748 Margherita.DiCerbo@infosys.comAmericas Chiku Somaiya Infosys USA +1 408 375 2722 Chiku.Somaiya@infosys.com
Toronto, April 26, 2017 (TSX: LUN; OMX: LUMI) Lundin Mining Corporation ("Lundin Mining" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that today that it has filed an updated technical report for the Eagle Mine in Michigan, U.S.A. (the "Technical Report"). The Technical Report incorporates updates with respect to current Eagle Mine operations and the results of the Feasibility Study on the high-grade Eagle East nickel/copper mineralization, including an updated Mineral Resource estimate and a maiden Mineral Reserve estimate, as previously disclosed by the Company in its April 10, 2017 news release.



The Technical Report was prepared in accordance with the Canadian Securities Administrator's National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects, and is available for review under the Company's profile on SEDAR (www.sedar.com) and on the Company's website (www.lundinmining.com).



About Lundin Mining



Lundin Mining is a diversified Canadian base metals mining company with operations in Chile, the United States of America, Portugal, and Sweden, primarily producing copper, nickel and zinc. In addition, Lundin Mining holds an indirect 24 percent equity stake in the Freeport Cobalt Oy business, which includes a cobalt refinery located in Kokkola, Finland.



On Behalf of the Board,



Paul Conibear



President and CEO







The information in this release is subject to the disclosure requirements of Lundin Mining under the EU Market Abuse Regulation and the Swedish Securities Market Act. This information was publically communicated on April 26, 2017 at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time.







For further information, please contact:



Mark Turner, Director, Business Valuations and Investor Relations: +1-416-342-5565



Sonia Tercas, Senior Associate, Investor Relations: +1-416-342-5583



Robert Eriksson, Investor Relations Sweden: +46 8 545 015 50



Cautionary Statement in Forward-Looking Information



All statements madeand information contained herein, other than statements of historical fact and historical information, is "forward-looking information" within the meaning ofapplicable Canadian securities laws. Such statements include, those with respect to focus and strategy. Such statements include, but are not limited to, the results of the Eagle East Feasibility Study and such other or similar studies on the Eagle Mine, including but not limited to Mineral Resource and Mineral Reserve estimates, as incorporated in Technical Report or otherwise, and references thereto. Words such as "assumption", "estimate", "expectations", and "Feasibility Study", or variations of these terms or similar terminology or statements that certain actions, events or results could, may or will occur or be achieved are intended to identify such forward-looking information. Forward-looking information is based on a number of assumptions, estimates and expectations that, while considered reasonable by the Company as of the date of such statements, are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive and other risks, uncertainties and contingencies which could cause such assumptions, estimates and expectations to be in correct and actual events or results to differ from those reflected in the forward-looking statements. The assumptions, estimates and expectations referenced, contained or incorporated by reference in this news release which may prove to be incorrect, include, but are not limited to, those set forth herein in the Technical Report. The risks, uncertainties and contingencies that could cause assumptions, estimates and expectations to be incorrect and actual results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements, include those described in the "Risks and Uncertainties" section of the Company's most recently filed Annual Information Form ("2017 AIF") and in the "Managing Risks" of the Company's full-year 2016 Management's Discussion and Analysis ("2016 MD&A"). All of the forward-looking statements made or referenced herein are qualified by these cautionary statements and those made in the Company's other news release dated April 10, 2017 regarding the Eagle East Feasibility Study, as well as the aforementioned cautionary statements in the Company's 2017 AIF and 2016 MD&A. Should one or more of these risks, uncertainties and contingencies materialize, or should underlying assumptions, estimates or expectations prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described in forward-looking statements. Accordingly, readers are advised not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements or to explain any material difference between subsequent actual events and such forward- looking statements, except to the extent required by applicable law.



Attachment:

https://cns.omxgroup.com/cds/DisclosureAttachmentServlet?messageAttachmentId=627587

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VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 04/26/17 -- Abacus Mining & Exploration Corporation ("Abacus" or the "Company") (TSX VENTURE: AME) is pleased to announce that at the Special General Meeting of the shareholders of the Company held on April 25, 2017, Abacus' shareholders approved the previously announced consolidation of the issued and outstanding common shares of the Company (the "Common Shares") on the basis of one (1) post-consolidation Common Share for every six (6) pre-consolidation Common Shares (the "Consolidation").

Subject to the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange ("TSXV"), the Common Shares will begin trading on the TSXV on a post-consolidated basis at market open on Monday, May 1, 2017, and the Company will continue to trade under the symbol "AME" on the TSXV. It is expected that the Consolidation will reduce the number of outstanding Common Shares from approximately 234,807,611 Common Shares to approximately 39,134,602 post-consolidation Common Shares on a non-diluted basis. No fractional Common Shares will be issued under the Consolidation. Any fractions of a Common Share resulting from the Consolidation will be dealt with in accordance with the Business Corporations Act (BC), as more particularly described in the Company's management information circular dated March 24, 2017.

No further action on the part of the shareholders will be required in order for the Board to implement the Consolidation. Letters of transmittal describing the process by which shareholders may obtain new certificates representing their consolidated Common Shares will be mailed shortly to registered shareholders. Common Shares held in uncertificated form by non-registered shareholders through brokerage accounts will be converted at the consolidation ratio through each shareholder's brokerage account. Non-registered shareholders should consult their broker for further information.

Management believes the Consolidation is in the best interest of shareholders. It should increase the Company's flexibility and competitiveness in the market place and make the Company's securities more attractive to a wider audience of potential investors and other interested parties. Notwithstanding approval of the Consolidation by the shareholders, the Board, in its sole discretion, may revoke the resolution approving the Consolidation and abandon the Consolidation without further approval, action by, or prior notice to shareholders.

On Behalf of the Board,

ABACUS MINING & EXPLORATION CORPORATION

Michael McInnis, Chairman, President & CEO

About Abacus

Abacus is a mineral exploration and mine development company with a 20% interest in the Ajax Project located at the historic Ajax-Afton site southwest of Kamloops, B.C., and an option to acquire up to a 75% undivided interest in the Willow porphyry copper-gold property located in Nevada. The Ajax Project is a proposed copper-gold open-pit mine currently undergoing a provincial and federal environmental assessment process. Through KGHM Ajax Mining Inc., a joint venture company between Abacus (20%) and KGHM Polska Miedz S.A. (KGHM) (80%), the Ajax Mine is being funded in large part by KGHM and operated by its wholly-owned subsidiary, KGHM International Ltd. For the latest reports and information on Abacus' projects, please refer to the Company's website at www.amemining.com.

Forward-Looking Information

This release includes certain statements that are deemed "forward-looking statements". All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts, that address events or developments that Abacus expects to occur, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects", "plans", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "projects", "potential" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will", "would", "may", "could" or "should" occur. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements.

Forward-looking information in this news release includes, but is not limited to, statements with respect to: the Company's beliefs and expectations related to the results of the Consolidation; the timing for implementation of the Consolidation; and the economic effect of the Consolidation. Factors that could cause the actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include changes to commodity prices, mine and metallurgical recovery, operating and capital costs, foreign exchange rates, ability to obtain required permits on a timely basis, exploitation and exploration successes, continued availability of capital and financing, and general economic, market or business conditions. Investors are cautioned that any such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs, estimates and opinions of the Company's management on the date the statements are made. Except as required by applicable securities laws, the Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements in the event that management's beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change.

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:

Abacus Mining & Exploration Corporation

604.682.0301

604.682.0307 (FAX)

info@amemining.com

www.amemining.com




Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - April 26, 2017) - Roscan Minerals Corporation (TSXV: ROS.H) ("Roscan" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has closed the first tranche of its previously announced non-brokered private placement by issuing 4,300,000 units ("Units") at a price of $0.05 per Unit for aggregate gross proceeds of $215,000 (the "Offering").

Each Unit is comprised of one common share ("Common Share") and one Common Share purchase warrant ("Warrant"). Each Warrant entitles the holder thereof to purchase one additional Common Share at an exercise price of $0.08 for twelve (12) months from the closing of the Offering. The Company reserves the right to accelerate the expiration of the Warrants, if at any time, which is more than four months and one day following the closing date of the Offering, the closing price of the Common Shares of the Company is $0.15 or more for at least twenty (20) consecutive trading days. The Company may complete one or more additional tranches of the Offering in the upcoming week.

The Company also announces that it has settled an aggregate of $226,000 of indebtedness owed to certain arm's length and non-arm's length creditors through the issuance of an aggregate of 4,520,000 Common Shares of the Company at a price of $0.05 per Common Share (the "Debt Settlement").

The Common Shares and Warrants issued pursuant to the Offering and Debt Settlement will be subject to a hold period of four months plus a day from the date of issuance and the resale rules of applicable securities legislation.

The Company intends to use the net proceeds from the Offering for working capital purposes and otherwise in a manner consistent with the accomplishment of the Company's business objectives.

The transactions constituted a related party transaction within the meaning of TSX Venture Exchange Policy 5.9 and Multilateral Instrument 61-101 ("MI 61-101") as certain insiders of the Company subscribed for an aggregate of 700,000 Units pursuant to the Offering and 3,316,000 Common Shares pursuant to the Debt Settlement. The Company is relying on the exemptions from the valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements of MI 61-101 contained in sections 5.5(b) and 5.7(1)(a) of MI 61-101, as the Company is not listed on a specified market and the fair market value of the participation in the Offering by insiders does not exceed 25% of the market capitalization of the Company, as determined in accordance with MI 61-101. The Company did not file a material change report in respect of the related party transaction at least 21 days before the closing of the first tranche of the Offering, which the Company deems reasonable in the circumstances in order to complete the Offering in an expeditious manner.

For further information, please contact:

Mark McMurdie,

Chief Financial Officer

Tel: (416) 293-8437

Email: info@roscan.ca

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 news release contains certain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities law. Forward looking information is frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate", "may", "will", "would", "potential", "proposed" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. These statements are only predictions. Forward-looking information is based on the opinions and estimates of management at the date the information is provided, and is 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. For a description of the risks and uncertainties facing the Company and its business and affairs, readers should refer to the Company's Management's Discussion and Analysis. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking information if circumstances or management's estimates or opinions should change, unless required by law. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information.
TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 04/26/17 -- Plateau Uranium Inc. ("Plateau Uranium" or the "Company") (TSX VENTURE: PLU)(FRANKFURT: QG1) is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Wayne Drier to the Company's Board of Directors, subject to regulatory approval.

Mr. Drier has over 20 years of experience within the global mining sector spanning a wide range of commodities and jurisdictions. He brings to the Board significant uranium experience through his previous role as the Commercial Executive at Mantra Resources Limited, a TSX and ASX listed uranium development company. While at Mantra, Mr. Drier was responsible for marketing and strategy. He initiated and developed relationships with strategic partners and offtake parties, and was also instrumental in the sale of Mantra's Mkuju River Project to ARMZ (the wholly owned subsidiary of the Russian State Corporation for Nuclear Energy) for an all-cash consideration of A$1.02 billion in 2011.

Mr. Drier is currently the Chief Financial Officer of Ero Copper Corp. Prior roles have included senior business development and corporate finance positions at Asanko Gold Inc., BHP Billiton, Norilsk Nickel International as well as a number of years of investment banking experience. He holds an Honours Bachelor of Business Science degree from the University of Cape Town, South Africa.

Ted O'Connor, CEO of Plateau Uranium, commented: "We are extremely pleased to welcome Wayne to the Board of Plateau. He brings extensive mining and uranium market expertise along with additional industry relationships to our already capable Board. As we move the Macusani Plateau uranium project forward, Wayne's strengths and skills will be a significant asset to the Company and its shareholders."

Grant of Stock Options

The Company also announces that, subject to regulatory approval, it has granted stock options to acquire an aggregate of 1,380,000 common shares to directors, officers, employees and consultants of Plateau Uranium and its Peruvian subsidiary under the Company's Stock Option Plan. Each option is exercisable for a five year period to acquire one common share at a price of $0.72 per share. All options are subject to vesting restrictions, with one-third vesting immediately and a further one-third vesting on each of the six and twelve month anniversaries of the date of grant.

About Plateau Uranium

Plateau Uranium Inc. is a Canadian uranium exploration and development company focused on its properties on the Macusani Plateau in southeastern Peru. The Company controls all reported uranium resources known in Peru and mineral concessions that cover over 100,000 hectares (1,000 km2) situated near significant infrastructure. Plateau Uranium is listed on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol 'PLU' and the Frankfurt Exchange under the symbol 'QG1'. The Company has 58,043,354 shares outstanding following completion of the Financing. For more information please visit www.plateauuranium.com.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Contacts:

Plateau Uranium Inc.

Ted O'Connor

CEO

+1-416-628-9600

ted@plateauuranium.com

www.plateauuranium.com



Facebook:

www.facebook.com/plateauuranium/



Twitter:

www.twitter.com/plateauuranium/




Bank of America Corporation (the "Corporation") filed a Current Report on Form 8-K with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") on April 26, 2017, announcing that it held its 2017 Annual Meeting of Stockholders on April 26, 2017 (the "Annual Meeting"). At the Annual Meeting, the Corporation's stockholders elected all of the nominees for director; approved the advisory vote on executive compensation; and ratified the appointment of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as the Corporation's independent registered public accounting firm for 2017. With respect to all matters subject to a vote, holders of the Corporation's common stock, Series B Preferred Stock, and Series 1 to 5 Preferred Stock voted together as a class.

Bank of America Corporation makes available all of its SEC filings on its website: http://investor.bankofamerica.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=71595&p=irol-irhome.

The SEC maintains a website that contains reports, proxy statements and other information regarding issuers that file electronically with the SEC. These materials may be obtained electronically by accessing the SEC's website at http://www.sec.gov. A copy of the document will also be available on the National Storage Mechanism's website at: http://www.morningstar.co.uk/uk/NSM.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170426006856/en/

Contacts:

Bank of America

Michael Pressman, +1 980-386-5083

Assistant General Counsel
SYDNEY, April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Global dispute resolution funder Vannin Capital is the first professional funder to sign up to the Law Council of Australia's National Model Gender Equitable Briefing Policy, which sets out to achieve a level playing field for all members of the Australian legal profession.

Vannin's team in Sydney and Melbourne join a number of legal and corporate heavyweights who have also signed up to the Policy, including Allens Linklaters, Ashurst, Baker McKenzie, Corrs Chambers Westgarth, Clayton Utz, DLA Piper, Herbert Smith Freehills, King & Wood Mallesons, Norton Rose Fulbright, Telstra, Westpac and Woolworths Group.

"As an organisation that encourages diversity and inclusiveness in all aspects of its work, we are extremely committed to achieving the Law Council's measurable targets and reporting mechanisms. This is such an important issue to support" said Pip Murphy, Director of Investments at Vannin based in Melbourne.

The Policy was adopted by the Directors of the Law Council of Australia on 18 June 2016 and is a major step for the legal profession towards the goal of improving the briefing of women barristers across the country. It includes interim and long term targets with the ultimate aim of briefing women in at least 30 per cent of all matters and paying 30 per cent of the value of all brief fees by 2020.

"It is fantastic to see Vannin Capital supporting equitable briefing in Australia, paving the way for other professional funders to join this initiative," said Fiona McLeod SC, President of the Law Council of Australia.

The Policy is intended to drive cultural change within the legal profession, support the progression and retention of women barristers, and address the significant pay gap and underrepresentation of women in the superior courts.

ABOUT VANNIN CAPITAL

Founded in 2010, Vannin Capital PCC is one of the world's largest and most experienced international dispute resolution funders with quantum under management consistently in the billions. Vannin provides bespoke funding solutions in meritorious, high value commercial litigation and international arbitration disputes which can eliminate the inherent cost risks of legal proceedings. A trusted partner to major corporates and top tier law firms around the world, Vannin not only commits finance to the cases it invests in, but also first-class seasoned litigators and international arbitrators who offer collaborative and personal case management solutions. With teams in London, Melbourne, Paris, Sydney and Washington, D.C., Vannin is able to provide coverage of the key international litigation and arbitration centres, and regularly fund cases across multiple jurisdictions. For more information about Vannin, visit: http://www.vannin.com.

For further information, please contact:

Meika Aysal, CMO (London), T: +44(0)7808-850-845, E: ma@vannin.com



Vannin Capital team in Australia:

Patrick Coope, MD Australasia (Sydney), T: +61(0)437-359-251, E: pmc@vannin.com

Pip Murphy, Director of Investments (Melbourne), T: +61(0)438-260-712, E: pjm@vannin.com

Tom McDonald, Counsel (Sydney), T: +61(0)438-071-656, E: tjm@vannin.com


CALGARY, ALBERTA -- (Marketwired) -- 04/26/17 -- Pulse Seismic Inc. (TSX: PSD)(OTCQX: PLSDF) ("Pulse" or "the Company") is pleased to report its financial and operating results for the three months ended March 31, 2017. The unaudited condensed consolidated interim financial statements, accompanying notes and MD&A are being filed on SEDAR (www.sedar.com) and will be available on Pulse's website at www.pulseseismic.com.

HIGHLIGHTS FOR THE THREE MONTHS ENDED MARCH 31, 2017

-- Total revenue, comprised exclusively of data library sales, for the three months ended March 31, 2017 increased by 54 percent to $2.7 million from $1.8 million for the three months ended March 31, 2016; -- The net loss of $2.5 million ($0.04 loss per share basic and diluted) was 29 percent less than the net loss of $3.5 million ($0.06 loss per share basic and diluted) for the same period in 2016; -- Cash EBITDA(a) increased to $1.3 million ($0.02 per share basic and diluted) from $266,000 ($0.00 per share basic and diluted) for the comparable period of 2016; -- Shareholder free cash flow(a) was also $1.3 million ($0.02 per share basic and diluted), up from $225,000 ($0.00 per share basic and diluted) for the comparable period in 2016; -- In the three-month period ended March 31, 2017 Pulse purchased and cancelled, through its normal course issuer bid, a total of 583,500 common shares at a total cost of approximately $1.4 million (average cost of $2.41 per common share including commissions); and -- At March 31, 2017 Pulse was debt-free and had cash of $7.6 million. The $30.0 million revolving credit facility is undrawn and fully available to the Company. SELECTED FINANCIAL AND OPERATING INFORMATION Three months ended March 31, Year ended (thousands of dollars except per share data, 2017 2016 December 31, number of shares and kilometres of seismic data) (unaudited) 2016 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Revenue Data library sales 2,719 1,771 14,339 Amortization of seismic data library 4,635 4,909 18,973 Net loss (2,502) (3,494) (7,490) Per share basic and diluted (0.04) (0.06) (0.13) Cash provided by operating activities 3,298 3,506 9,471 Per share basic and diluted 0.06 0.06 0.17 Cash EBITDA (a) 1,330 266 9,119 Per share basic and diluted (a) 0.02 0.00 0.16 Shareholder free cash flow (a) 1,254 225 9,029 Per share basic and diluted (a) 0.02 0.00 0.16 Capital expenditures Seismic data purchases, digitization and related costs 65 2,150 2,444 Property and equipment 27 6 6 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total capital expenditures 92 2,156 2,450 Weighted average shares outstanding basic and diluted 55,743,767 56,043,039 56,105,593 Shares outstanding at period- end 55,337,560 56,208,332 55,921,060 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Seismic library 2D in kilometres 447,000 447,000 447,000 3D in square kilometres 28,647 28,613 28,647 FINANCIAL POSITION AND RATIO March 31, March 31, December 31, (thousands of dollars except ratio) 2017 2016 2016 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Working capital 10,427 2,944 10,674 Working capital ratio 11.1:1 3.6:1 8.9:1 Cash and cash equivalents 7,647 1,005 5,847 Total assets 39,873 50,945 44,957 Long-term debt - - - Trailing twelve-month (TTM) cash EBITDA (b) 10,183 15,627 9,119 Shareholders' equity 34,843 43,341 38,646 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------

(a) The Company's continuous disclosure documents provide discussion and analysis of "cash EBITDA", "cash EBITDA per share", "shareholder free cash flow" and "shareholder free cash flow per share". These financial measures do not have standard definitions prescribed by IFRS and, therefore, may not be comparable to similar measures disclosed by other companies. The Company has included these non-GAAP financial measures because management, investors, analysts and others use them as measures of the Company's financial performance. The Company's definition of cash EBITDA is cash available for interest payments, cash taxes if applicable, repayment of debt, purchase of its shares, discretionary capital expenditures and the payment of dividends (if applicable), and is calculated as earnings (loss) from operations before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization less participation survey revenue, plus any non-cash and non-recurring expenses. Cash EBITDA excludes participation survey revenue as these funds are directly used to fund specific participation surveys and this revenue is not available for discretionary capital expenditures. The Company believes cash EBITDA assists investors in comparing Pulse's results on a consistent basis without regard to participation survey revenue and non-cash items, such as depreciation and amortization, which can vary significantly depending on accounting methods or non-operating factors such as historical cost. Cash EBITDA per share is defined as cash EBITDA divided by the weighted average number of shares outstanding for the period. Shareholder free cash flow further refines the calculation of capital available to invest in growing the Company's 2D and 3D seismic data library, to repay debt, to purchase its common shares and to pay dividends (if applicable) by deducting non-discretionary expenditures from cash EBITDA. Non-discretionary expenditures are defined as debt financing costs (net of deferred financing expenses amortized in the current period) and current tax provisions. Shareholder free cash flow per share is defined as shareholder free cash flow divided by the weighted average number of shares outstanding for the period.

(b) TTM cash EBITDA is defined as the sum of the trailing 12 months' cash EBITDA and is used to provide a comparable annualized measure.

OUTLOOK

Pulse remains cautiously optimistic for an improvement in 2017 while still not predicting an imminent rebound in its business. Signs for medium to longer-term optimism are observed in various industry benchmarks and activities.

At US$52.41 per bbl WTI as of April 19, crude oil prices have maintained levels that are economic for many producers. At Cdn$2.69 per mcf at AECO as of April 19, natural gas prices remain relatively weak, but gas demand continues to grow and North America's long supply glut is tightening.

Spending on mineral rights has increased year-over-year, with $93.9 million in bonus bids in Alberta as of March 23, compared to $34.4 million at this time last year, and $63.06 million in British Columbia as of April 21 compared to only $2.1 million by the same point last year. In January, the Petroleum Services Association of Canada increased its drilling forecast by nearly 1,000 wells to 5,200 wells for 2017. Additional outside capital appears to be flowing into the oil and gas industry, including through a number of recent initial public offerings, signaling optimism among operators and investors.

Pulse's revenue visibility is poor as always. The Company believes that a recovery in its traditional data library sales depends on materially increased capital investment and higher field activity by the oil and gas industry on a sustained basis. Accordingly, Pulse anticipates the possibility of continued weakness in traditional sales for the short term, followed by a gradual and/or extended recovery.

Pulse is positioned to grow. Pulse is debt-free, with cash reserves, unutilized credit facilities, an experienced management team and Board of Directors, annual cash costs below $6 million, and a valuable, competitive and technically high-quality asset - its seismic data library. Pulse continues to be a pure-play seismic data provider with the goal to become the largest licensable seismic dataset in Western Canada.

CORPORATE UPDATE

Paul Crilly will be nominated for election to Pulse's Board of Directors at the Annual Meeting on May 10, 2017. Mr. Crilly has over 25 years of experience in the oil field services industry, including senior management experience in the seismic acquisition industry.

In addition, Peter Burnham is retiring from the Board. Pulse thanks Mr. Burnham for his valued contributions over the past five years.

CONFERENCE CALL

The Company's next conference call will be held after the release of its year-end 2017 results, in March 2018. Should investors or analysts wish to contact the Company, please feel free to contact Neal Coleman or Pamela Wicks at the e-mail address or telephone number provided below.

CORPORATE PROFILE

Pulse is a market leader in the acquisition, marketing and licensing of 2D and 3D seismic data to the western Canadian energy sector. Pulse owns the second-largest licensable seismic data library in Canada, currently consisting of approximately 28,600 square kilometres of 3D seismic and 447,000 kilometres of 2D seismic. The library extensively covers the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin where most of Canada's oil and natural gas exploration and development occur.

This document contains information that constitutes "forward-looking information" or "forward-looking statements" (collectively, "forward-looking information") within the meaning of applicable securities legislation.

The Outlook section contains forward-looking information which includes, among other things, statements regarding:

-- Pulse remains cautiously optimistic for an improvement in 2017 while still not predicting an imminent rebound in its business; -- Pulse anticipates the possibility of continued weakness in traditional sales for the short term, followed by a gradual and/or extended recovery; -- Oil and natural gas prices; -- Oil and natural gas drilling activity and land sales activity; -- Oil and natural gas company capital budgets; -- Future demand for seismic data; -- Future seismic data sales; -- Future demand for participation surveys; -- Pulse's business and growth strategy; and -- Other expectations, beliefs, plans, goals, objectives, assumptions, information and statements about possible future events, conditions, results and performance.

Undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking information. Forward-looking information is based on current expectations, estimates and projections that involve a number of risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to vary and in some instances to differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking information. Pulse does not publish specific financial goals or otherwise provide guidance, due to the inherently poor visibility of seismic revenue.

The material risk factors include, without limitation:

-- Oil and natural gas prices; -- The demand for seismic data and participation surveys; -- The pricing of data library license sales; -- Relicensing (change-of-control) fees and partner copy sales; -- Cybersecurity; -- The level of pre-funding of participation surveys, and the Company's ability to make subsequent data library sales from such participation surveys; -- The Company's ability to complete participation surveys on time and within budget; -- Environmental, health and safety risks; -- Federal and provincial government laws and regulations, including those pertaining to taxation, royalty rates, environmental protection and safety; -- Competition; -- Dependence on qualified seismic field contractors; -- Dependence on key management, operations and marketing personnel; -- The loss of seismic data; -- Protection of intellectual property rights; and -- The introduction of new products.

The foregoing list is not exhaustive. Additional information on these risks and other factors which could affect the Company's operations and financial results is included under "Risk Factors" of the Company's MD&A for the most recently completed financial year and interim periods. Forward-looking information is based on the assumptions, expectations, estimates and opinions of the Company's management at the time the information is presented.

Contacts:

Neal Coleman

President and CEO

Tel.: 403-237-5559

Toll-free: 1-877-460-5559



Pamela Wicks

VP Finance and CFO

Tel.: 403-237-5559

Toll-free: 1-877-460-5559

E-mail: info@pulseseismic.com

Please visit our website at www.pulseseismic.com




Arsanis, Inc., a Waltham, Massachusetts-based clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing targeted monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) for pre-emptive and post-infection treatment of serious infectious diseases, closed a $45.5m Series D financing.

The round was led by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation with participation from new investors GV (formerly Google Ventures) and Alexandria Venture Investments and existing investors OrbiMed, Polaris Venture Partners, SV Health Investors, NeoMed, EMBL Ventures and the Anna Maria and Stephen Kellen Foundation.

The company intends to use the funds to complete the ongoing Phase 2 study for ASN100 for the prevention of Staphylococcus aureus pneumonia in high-risk mechanically ventilated patients and advance preclinical gram-negative programs, as well as its respiratory syncytial virus program, toward the clinic.

Led by Rene Russo, Pharm.D., BCPS, chief executive officer, Arsanis is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing targeted monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) for pre-emptive therapy and treatment of serious infectious diseases. The company is building a broad product pipeline addressing the most important infectious diseases. Its lead clinical program, ASN100 is a combination of two human monoclonal antibodies, ASN-1 and ASN-2, that disarms S. aureus without propagating antibiotic resistance by broadly neutralizing the six cytotoxins implicated in the pathogenesis of pneumonia. It is being evaluated in a Phase 2 clinical study for the prevention of Staphylococcus aureus pneumonia in high-risk patients. In addition to its ASN100 program for S. aureus, Arsanis is advancing its pipeline of mAbs targeting serious bacterial and viral infections including multi-drug resistant Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae, Streptococcus pneumoniae, and RSV.

The company has European research and preclinical development operations headquartered in Vienna, Austria (Arsanis Biosciences GmbH).

FinSMEs

26/04/2017
California-based AgTech venture capital firm Finistere Ventures has added investment executives in Israel.

The firm has appointed Gil Meron (Meirovich) and Eyal Rosenthal as venture partners to explore and strengthen its AgTech investments in key region.

Meron and Rosenthal will work with existing portfolio companies in Israel and other entrepreneurs to advance AgTech innovation in Israel and drive global market penetration.

Before joining Finistere, Meron served as general manager of Yarden Group. In addition, he serves on the Board of membrane producer AMS Membranes. Previously, Meron spent years advising companies on strategic issues as a consultant with Boston Consulting Group (BCG).

Rosenthal is a managing director in Infinity Equity Group, where he spent more than a decade leading its cross-border investments between Israel and China. In addition, Rosenthal has served as a board member for Technoplus Ventures for the past six years.

Led by Arama Kukutai, co-founder and partner, Finistere Ventures is an agricultural technology and life sciences venture capital investor, with offices in Palo Alto and San Diego. Current portfolio companies include CropX, Plenty and ZeaKal, and Radicle, an acceleration fund dedicated to growing early stage AgTech startups.

FinSMEs

26/04/2017
New Delhi: The communications ministry today said it has resolved 99 per cent of the complaints filed on social media platform Twitter against telecom and postal services.

"After the launch of Twitter Sewa by the Minister of Communications Manoj Sinha in August last year for registration and resolution of complaints, about 99 per cent of the complaints have been resolved through the social media," an official statement said.

Under Twitter Sewa, people can file complaint on Twitter and link the same to the account of Sinha and even to the official account of BSNL, MTNL and India Post.

State-run BSNL has resolved 99.91 per cent of the complaints filed against it on Twitter.

"As per data released by BSNL, as on 15 April, 2017, it has received a total number of 27,988 complaints and has resolved 27,965 grievances with a resolution rate of 99.91 per cent," the statement said.

Most of the complaints filed against telecom companies are mainly related to to telephone bills, broadband connectivity, faulty connections, shifting of landline phones and wi-fi hotspots.

In the case of postal services complaints pertains mainly to the nature of slow delivery of their articles containing PAN Cards, roll numbers, parcels, money orders and medicines etc, the statement said.

"India Post has handled 27,000 tweets and resolved them promptly. Issues relating to repairs of Post Office buildings, technical issues with saving banks accounts are also sorted out quickly," the statement said.
A senior adviser to the Indian government proposed on Tuesday that farmers pay tax, in remarks that challenged government policy in a country of 1.3 billion people where there are only 37 million income tax payers.

Economist Bibek Debroy, a member of NITI Aayog that serves as the government's own think-tank, told a news conference that farmers should pay income tax in line with urban dwellers.

In addition, he also suggested that exemptions on personal income tax should be removed to increase tax base from the current about 37 million in the country of 1.3 billion of people.

"On expanding the base on the personal income tax side, other than elimination of exemptions, is to also tax rural sector, including agriculture income above certain threshold," Debroy said.

When asked what should be the threshold of imposing income tax on rural sector, Debroy said it could be decided after taking into account the average income of either three years or five years.

"I don't believe in artificial distinction of rural and urban, so whatever is the threshold on personal income side on urban side, should be the exactly same on rural side.

"At best what I can do because it is an agriculture income, instead of using agriculture income for one particular year, what I could do is I average it over three-year period or may over five years period as agriculture income is subject to annual fluctuations, barring that threshold should be the same," said Debroy, a noted economist.

They should be liable to tax on their incomes at the same thresholds, he also said, taking into account typical fluctuations in incomes experienced by farmers over a three-year period.

India's public finances are notoriously precarious, with the International Monetary Fund estimating that tax revenues are equivalent to just 17.7 percent of gross domestic product - low by comparison with other emerging markets.

Still, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has ruled out taxing farmers, telling parliament last month: "Income from agriculture will not be taxed."

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has, meanwhile, promised to double farmers' incomes by 2022.

The finance ministry declined to comment.

Debroy's remarks overshadowed the news conference held by the NITI Aayog to mark the end of India's 12th, and last, five-year plan - a legacy of the Soviet-style command economy set up by independence leader Jawaharlal Nehru.

The NITI Aayog, set up by Modi to replace Nehru's Planning Commission, is now circulating a draft three-year "Action Agenda", to be followed by a seven-year "Strategy" and a 15-year "Vision" for India's development.

Debroy's boss, NITI Aayog Vice Chairman Arvind Panagariya, parried further questions on whether to tax India's 220 million rural households.

Although most farmers are poor, the tax loophole they enjoy has been exploited by rich politicians and even Bollywood movie stars to generate "black" cash from illicit sources.

"We support the proposal ... to tax agricultural income provided the government takes steps to improve the income level of the majority of farmers," said Dharmendra Malik, spokesman of a farmers' union that is allied to Modi's ruling party.

Income tax in India starts at 5 percent when earnings exceed 250,000 rupees, climbing to a top rate of 30 percent on incomes upward of Rs 1 million.

The government plans to launch a nationwide goods and services tax (GST) in July that would broaden the tax base.

But, critics say, by focusing on indirect taxation India risks burdening the poor who spend a greater share of their income on daily needs than the better off.

With inputs from Reuters and PTI
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.

In an email interview, IT veteran Mohandas Pai, Chairman of Manipal Global Education and former CFO, Infosys, said that data put out by the Trump administration with regard to Indian IT companies taking away a large share of H-1B visas is dated. Pai shared his views on the way forward for Indian IT companies in the changed political climate in the US.

Excerpts from the interview:

What do you make of the accusations by the Trump administration that Infosys, TCS and Cognizant take the lion's share of H-1B visas?

This is based on old data. From 2015, these companies have reduced their applications. Nasscom has given the latest data now. For 2017, these companies would have applied for even lesser visas. Despite lesser visas, if 199,000 applications have come, it shows the great need for overseas talent.

Do you think the accusation that these companies put out many applications in the lottery system is valid considering they have the largest presence in the US vis a vis foreign companies on US soil and also contribute to the US economy?

Not valid at all. They do not take away jobs but meet the demand. They are not cheap as billing is $125,000-150,000 per year to the client. They pay employees well, pay medical insurance and high visa fees too, besides paying social security and taxes.

How valid is the argument, according to you, to employ more locals in IT firms in the US? Does the US have the talent to fill in these positions?

There is a great shortage of talent. Unemployment is only 3-4 percent, that too because people do not want to shift. Over 600,000 IT positions are vacant all over.

How much do you think the US government's directive on H-1B visas would impact the bottom lines of Indian IT industry?

Very little, as the Indian companies' use of visas is down. There will be more automation and more offshoring that will happen now.

With regard to Infosys, TCS, what alternative ways do you think they can adopt to cater to their US clientele?

They can automate more, offshore more from 30:70 to 10:90 onsite offshore

The US government has targetted Indian companies with regard to H-1B visas.

These companies were large users in 2014. As Nasscom said, about 71 percent of visas have gone to Indians who were mostly hired by the US companies due to great shortage.

Nasscom has called out the lies of the US government with regard to H-1B visa issuance and said that Infosys and TCS only take 8.8 percent visas which account for 20 percent of the total visas. Your take on this?

The data speaks for itself.

What do you think is the way forward for the Indian IT industry given that they are facing issues in Australia, UK and the US?

Indian IT firms will do well. More jobs will go offshore. Clients there will pay more for talent and more tech will be done in India.
Japanese investment company SoftBank Group, which is in the midst of a portfolio restructuring in India, has plans to make its biggest investment in the country in 2017.

The Japanese multinational telecommunications and Internet corporation is considering investment to the tune of $3 billion in India for the current year, and plans to buy 10 percent stake in the country's largest online marketplace firm Flipkart, CNBC-TV18 said.

In December, when Masayoshi Son, founder and CEO, came to India, he had said, India has the best opportunity ahead of us. That is why I come here today. The company has so far invested $2 billion in India and will look to invest another $8 billion over the next eight years."

Fifteen years ago we made lots of investment in China. Five years before that I made investments in Japan. Ten years before that in the US. All of them were in internet-related companies, The Hindustan Times report said quoting Son then.

Even as the company is looking to cut some flab in India after its investment in Snapdeal failed to yield any meaningful returns, SoftBank continues to remain bullish about its investment plans in India.

Currently the largest investor in New Delhi-based Snapdeal, Softbank is in talks with e-commerce major Flipkart to sell the company. The Japanese is persuading other key investors to come on board for the proposed sale of Snapdeal to Flipkart.

In return of Snapdeal sale to Flipkart, the Japanese investor will look to infuse capital in Flipkart and buy a stake in the country's largest e-commerce company.

"With the Flipkart-Snapdeal merger, SoftBank will have a significant stake in the countrys largest e-commerce firm, which will be much bigger than Amazon India," a HT report said.

In the current month itself, SoftBank said it has invested around Rs 1,675 crore in fresh funding in Indian transportation startup Ola to give it more muscle to take American rival Uber head-on.

The company is also in talks with fintech start-up Paytm to invest around $1.2-1.5 billion in cash.

The Japanese group's penchant for startups remains intact as it looks to be part of Oyo Rooms' $250 million fundraising plans. The fundraising will see SoftBank get around 42 percent stake in Oyo from the current 27 percent, The Economic Times report said.
New Delhi: S&P Global Ratings today assigned 'BBB-' long-term issue rating to state-run power giant NTPC's proposed rupee-denominated offshore bond under its USD 4 billion senior unsecured medium-term notes programme.

The rating is subject to our review of the final issuance documentation, S&P Global Ratings said in a statement.

"We expect India's transparent regulatory environment for power and NTPC's strong market position and increasing generation capacity to support the firm's business risk profile. Execution risk, increasing leverage, and the weak credit quality of NTPC's major customers -- State Electricity Utilities (SEUs)-- offset these strengths," it said.

"The stable outlook on NTPC reflects our expectation that the company's ratio of funds from operations to debt is likely to stay about 9 per cent. We anticipate the commissioning of new projects and revenue growth to gradually offset the increase in debt for new capacity additions. The rating on NTPC will move in tandem with the sovereign credit rating on India," it added.
The advance booking for SS Rajamoulis epic Baahubali 2 started in Chennai City and other parts of Tamil Nadu, in the wee hours of 26 April. However, the booking sites of almost all multiplex players crashed within a few minutes after it opened.

A spokesperson of a leading multiplex said: The advance booking has been extraordinary for Baahubali 2, we are already sold out till May 2, now we are trying to squeeze out more special shows to accommodate the craze for the film. I have not seen this kind of pressure from government officials, policemen, politicians, Kollywood celebrities and corporates for tickets for the opening weekend.

The advance booking should have opened on Sunday, but was delayed due to the financial issues between the person who brought Tamil Nadu theatrical rights and his sub distributor.

The producers Arka Media had sold it to K Productions in Tamil Nadu, who sold it to another distributor who then sold it to a third party . The end price was astronomical, and the third party did not have financial muscle to pull it through and he came back to K Productions.

After a lot of re-negotiations with area distributors now the original buyer is back to distributing it.

Baahubali 2 has got this summer's best release date  April 28. It is a four day weekend with Monday, May 1 being a national holiday.

As of now theatres in Tamil Nadu will have five shows daily, though some are trying to squeeze in an additional early morning show.

But the running time of the film (2 hours and 48 minutes) makes it difficult to hold a sixth show. The film will have huge bulk bookings as corporate and IT companies in and around Chennai are trying to grab tickets for their employees and guests. The multiplexes are going to make a killing as each corporate ticket is a combo deal (Popcorn+Cola), plus additional Rs 30 booking charges.

Baahubali 2 is expected to break all existing box-office records in Tamil Nadu where it is opening in record 650 screens.

Additionally, the trade has confirmed that in Telugu, Hindi, Tamil and Malayalam, Baahubali 2 will be releasing in nearly 9000 screens, the highest ever screen count for a Indian film.

Taran Adarsh, box-office tracker and analyst, told The Hindu: I have never seen this kind of pre-release craze among audiences across the globe. Baahubali 2s expectations are humongous, as it has become the biggest brand in Indian cinema. The film will take a gargantuan opening on a par with an Aamir or Salman Khan film.

Trade pundits are betting big on Baahubali 2, as day one domestic box-office gross collections may cross Rs 100 Crore and worldwide may even do Rs 130 to 140 Cr gross.

Dubai-based distributor Gulshan has said that he has sold more than one lakh tickets before release, highest ever for a Indian film, which has even surpassed Fast and Furious opening. Baahubali 2 is sure going to be a landmark film that will create new records.
Vir Das's Netflix special, Abroad Understanding debuted yesterday on the online streaming giant Netflix. The one hour stand-up is a very big deal for Netflix because it marks its first collaboration in India, and for Vir Das who will be competing against the likes of Amy Schumer, Dave Chappell and Chris Tucker.

In his show, Das will be tackling the subjects of racism, social injustice, homophobia, religion, etc. and from the looks of it, most of it is going to be targeted at the US. Das filmed his special in the presence of 12,000-plus crowds in New York and New Delhi.

To mark his Netflix debut, Das performed a 5-minute section of his stand-up on the Late Night with Conan O'Brien and we got a glimpse into his special.

"Have you been to India?" he asks the crowd. "Your jobs have been there."

He then goes on to talk about the hottest topic for comedy in America: President Trump.

He talks about the dissatisfaction Americans feel about Trump: "We didn't vote for this guy, now we gotta live with him. We didn't choose this guy and now we have to live with him"

Das says, "For you Americans, that is your President; for Indians that's marriage."

He likens the US presidential elections 2016 to the concept of arranged marriage: "That's what Donald Trump is, America, it's your arranged marriage. Your parents picked him out for you in the most literal sense."

The part in the video that stood out the most was his bit on cereal in America. He says to his American audience, "You have done so much with breakfast. We just have cornflakes. Then you come to America and cereal has so much variety. There are leprechauns and lucky charms."

Though the jokes are individually funny, the switch from one joke to another seems a bit too abrupt. But the concept is new and fresh and caters to the millennial audience who can relate to events in India and America.
WHY DONT YOU READ THESE?
The woman raped by filmmaker Roman Polanski in 1977 when she was a teen lashed out at prosecutors in the case on Tuesday, accusing them of seeking to further their careers rather than resolve the matter.

"Celebrity cases should not be misused by those like yourselves for some limelight and career advancement," Samantha Geimer wrote in a scathing letter to Los Angeles County District Attorney Jackie Lacey and his deputy Michele Hanisee, who is handling Polanski's case.

The letter, dated 21 April and a copy of which was obtained by AFP, was brought up at a hearing in the case on Tuesday.

Geimer said she was 'outraged' that prosecutors "continue to cover up the misconduct that has occurred in this case, which began 40 years ago and continues today."

"You and those who have come before you have never protected me, you have treated me with contempt, using a crime committed against me to further your own careers," she added.

Geimer is seeking to have authorities release a transcript of testimony by the prosecutor who initially handled the case, Roger Gunson.

The 83-year-old Polanski, who lives in France, also wants the document unsealed on grounds they will prove that Gunson had agreed to a plea deal calling for the filmmaker to be sentenced to time already served behind bars.

The director of Rosemary's Baby and Chinatown was accused of drugging Geimer when she was 13 before raping her at film star Jack Nicholson's house in Los Angeles in 1977.

He admitted statutory rape after a number of more serious charges were dropped, and spent an initial 42 days in jail before being released.

But in 1978, convinced a judge was going to scrap his plea deal and send him to prison for decades, he fled for France and has been on the run ever since.

His attorney Harland Braun argues that Polanski has "already done his time" and wants to resolve the case with a finding that he has completed his sentence.

Prosecutors, however, have balked at his demand, saying that Polanski's celebrity status should not afford him special treatment.

Scott Gordon, the judge overseeing the case that has become increasingly convoluted, in April denied Polanski's motion seeking information on whether he risked serving more time if he returned to the United States.

- 'Notches in your belts' -

Hanisee in a response to Geimer's accusations said Tuesday that her office "has never 'covered up' any misconduct, nor is there, as you suggest, any misconduct continuing today."

Geimer in her letter implored prosecutors to "DO YOUR JOB" and said "victims and those who commit crimes are not just wins and losses, not just notches in your belts."

"I have spent 40 years with a boot on my neck filled by one powerful man after another, standing on a 13-year-old rape victim's suffering to further their own purposes and to serve themselves, and sickened that it has now been filled by women," she said.

A hearing on the motion to unseal Gunson's testimony has been scheduled June 9.

Polanski has been engaged in a decades-long cat-and-mouse game with US officials seeking his extradition for trial, before a global audience split between continuing outrage and forgiveness for his acts.

Polanski was arrested in Switzerland in 2009 on a US extradition request and spent 10 months under house arrest before Bern rejected the US order.

The United States then asked Poland to extradite Polanski in January 2015, but the country's Supreme Court ruled in December that he had served his time under the plea deal.
Johnny Depp's ex-managers, in a lawsuit, allege that the actor's extravagant spending led to his losing millions of dollars. Depp disagrees.

"Why didn't they drop me as a client if I was so out of control?" Depp told the Wall Street Journal. "I've worked very, very hard for a lot of years and trusted a lot of people, some who've clearly let me down."

Depp sued The Management Group in January 2017, claiming that after he fired them, his new business manager discovered misconduct in the form of TMG collecting fees he never agreed to, failing to file Depp's taxes on time and loaning out his money without authorisation. Depp believes TMG led him to be more than $40 million in debt.

In a countersuit, his ex-managers Joel and Robert Mandel said their company did what they could with Depp's finances, but it was the actor's expensive lifestyle that was his downfall. "Depp lived an ultra-extravagant lifestyle that often knowingly cost Depp in excess of $2 million per month to maintain, which he simply could not afford," attorney Michael Kump wrote in the cross-complaint. "Depp, and Depp alone, is fully responsible for any financial turmoil he finds himself in today."

In his suit, Depp is seeking $25 million in damages for fraud and negligence, according to The Hollywood Reporter. He's also citing his right to spend whatever he wishes.

"It's my money," the actor told THR. "If I want to buy 15,000 cotton balls a day, it's my thing."

The actor, spotted briefly in 2016's Fantastic Beasts and set to star in Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, claims that his former managers lied about certain aspects of the countersuit, including his 14 homes, $18 million allegedly spent on a luxury yacht and $30,000 per month on wine.
It is Priyadarshan's collaborations with Mohanlal that have been among the most successful or talked-about in the Malayalam film industry. Their partnership has yielded movies that are considered among the landmarks of Malayalam cinema.

But Priyadarshan has had a few gems with the other major Malayalam superstar, Mammootty, as well.

The duo has worked together on four films, with Megham in 1999 the last. They're also known to be close friends since the 1980s.

However, news reports now state that Mammootty and Priyadarshan will team up for a film again in 2017. The film may also star the actor Dileep. No further details about the film  its title, genre, premise, or what roles Mammootty and Dileep will play  have been revealed thus far.

Mammootty is currently enjoying the success of his latest release, The Great Father, which is still playing in theatres. He also has the upcoming Streetlights to look forward to, on which work begins in mid-May 2017.

Priyadarshan had announced that he would be taking on two projects this year  a film each with both the superstars of Malayalam cinema. However, he said he wasn't sure which of the two films  the one with Mohanlal or Mammootty  would take off first.

Priyadarshan's most recent film with Mohanlal  Oppam, in 2016  was a critical and commercial success. A Hindi remake is currently in the works.
Telugu actor and politician Pawan Kalyan has been criticised by the Bhartiya Janata Party in Telangana for his tweets, where he alleged that the Central government and people of north India discriminated against south Indians.

TS BJP chief spokesperson Krishna Sagar Rao said, "Pawan Kalyan consistently issuing baseless and shallow statements against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Central government is highly reprehensible." He called Kalyan's statements random and casual, and questioned his "audacity" to criticise Prime Minister Narendra Modi "without citing any specific issues".

North Indian political leadership should understand & respect the cultural diversity of our Country. pic.twitter.com/DFwIqyXXgk  Pawan Kalyan (@PawanKalyan) April 23, 2017

When do we lose our Moral high ground

With centre?When we Mortgage our self respect for personal benefits. pic.twitter.com/76q1V17Fu8  Pawan Kalyan (@PawanKalyan) April 13, 2017

Pawan Kalyan, chief of the Jana Sena, had called for the unity of political parties in South India, and Rao called this a "sham".

He questioned Kalyan's brother Chiranjeevi's move to float a party and alleged that he merged with the Congress after elections to obtain a cabinet seat. Rao asked if Kalyan believes that Congress is a south Indian party.

Rao called Kalyan's party "invisible" and said that it would be rejected by the people. He has said that the actor-politician has tried to create a rift between people trough his tweets.
Priyanka Chopra is back in India but she continues to be on a roll. After throwing two parties for her friends from the Hindi film fraternity and celebrating the National Film Awards conferred on her debut Marathi production Ventilator, she has now started promotions of her Hollywood debut, Seth Gordon's comedy Baywatch, in India.

Talking to the media at a promotional event, Chopra also made sure that her fans do not miss her Baywatch co-star Dwayne Johnson there. It was earlier reported how Chopra had expressed her doubts about the star cast of Baywatch including Johnson and Zac Efron coming to India to promote the film. However, she made sure that she connected the fans in attendance with Johnson through a recorded message.

Johnson praised Chopra and apologised to his fans for not showing up in person. He also promised to make his first tip to India soon. Referring to Chopra's negative role in the film, Johson said, "She is so good at being bad."

Pinkvilla reports that Chopra also added that one of the two reasons why she chose to take up Baywatch was because she was offered the villain's role which was originally written as a male character. "I thought of doing something different in my first Hollywood film. But it just felt like a Bollywood film in a different language."

She also attributed her decision of opting for Baywatch to the original television series that had a global reach and that she personally was a fan of. But all the film offers, including that of Baywatch, came to her only because of her popularity owing to her television show Quantico.

While she kept mum on doing Kalpana Chawla's biopic, she did confirm that she has locked three Hindi films and will start working in them soon.

Baywatch is slated to release in India on 2 June.
By Ju-min Park

| SEOUL

SEOUL North Korea conducted a big live-fire exercise on Tuesday to mark the foundation of its military and a U.S. submarine docked in South Korea in a show of force amid growing concern over the North's nuclear and missile programmes.The port call by the USS Michigan, which is designed to carry ballistic missiles and cruise missiles, came as a U.S. aircraft carrier strike group steamed towards Korean waters in an effort to deter North Korea from a sixth nuclear test or more missile launches in defiance of U.N. sanctions.Instead of a nuclear blast or a big missile test, North Korea marked Tuesday's 85th anniversary of the founding of its military by deploying a large number of long-range artillery units on its east coast for a live-fire drill, South Korea's military said.South Korea's Office of Joint Chiefs of Staff said it was monitoring the situation and "firmly maintaining readiness".South Korea's navy said it was conducting its own live-fire exercise with U.S. destroyers in waters west of the Korean peninsula and would soon join the approaching U.S. carrier group.North Korea was defiant, saying its military was prepared "to bring to closure the history of U.S. scheming and nuclear blackmail"."There is no limit to the strike power of the People's Army armed with our style of cutting-edge military equipment, including various precision and miniaturised nuclear weapons and submarine-launched ballistic missiles," the official Rodong Sinmun newspaper said in a front-page editorial.North Korea's growing nuclear and missile threat is perhaps the most serious security challenge confronting U.S. President Donald Trump. He 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.Trump sent the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier strike group for exercises off the Korean peninsula as a warning to Pyongyang, but U.S. officials say sanctions, not military strikes, are the preferred option.

On Monday, Trump called North Korea a global threat and "a problem that we have to finally solve" and said the U.N. Security Council must be prepared to impose new sanctions.U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson will chair a ministerial meeting of the Security Council on Friday to discuss tougher sanctions, which U.S. officials say could include an oil embargo, banning North Korea's airline, intercepting cargo ships and punishing Chinese and other foreign banks doing business with Pyongyang.On Wednesday, Tillerson, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats and Joint Chiefs chairman General Joseph Dunford, are to hold a rare briefing on North Korea at the White House for the entire U.S. Senate.SENATOR IMPRESSED BY TRUMP RESOLVE

U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham said he and fellow Republican John McCain had dinner with Trump on Monday and discussed North Korea. Graham told Fox News he was impressed by Trump's resolve.

"He's not going to let this nut-job in North Korea develop a missile with a nuclear weapon on top to hit America," Graham said, referring to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. "He (Trump) doesn't want a war any more than I do. But he's not going to let them get a missile. That's where they're headed and China needs to up their game to stop this before it's too late."U.S. State Department spokesman Mark Toner said North Korea had become a "front and centre front-burner issue" and Tillerson would be "very vocal" on Friday about his concerns that countries were not doing enough to implement sanctions."We need to move more quickly and with greater determination to convince North Korea either to pursue denuclearisation or to apply enough pressure that it stops those activities," Toner told a telephone news briefing.Japan's envoy on North Korea, Kenji Kanasugi, said he and his U.S. and South Korean counterparts agreed in talks in Tokyo on Tuesday that China should take a concrete role to resolve the crisis and could use an oil embargo as a tool.

The U.S. envoy for North Korea policy, Joseph Yun, said China had "a very, very important role to play" and South Korea's envoy, Kim Hong-kyun, said they had also discussed how to get Russia's help.Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is expected to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin on April 27, the Kremlin said. It did not elaborate.China, North Korea's sole major ally which nevertheless objects to its weapons development, has repeatedly called for calm, and its envoy for Korean affairs, Wu Dawei, was in Tokyo on Tuesday."We hope that all parties, including Japan, can work with China to promote an early peaceful resolution of the issue," Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said. North Korea's foreign ministry said the meetings called by U.S. officials reflected U.S. pressure that could "ignite a full-out war" and showed that Pyongyang's decision to become a nuclear power was correct.The official China Daily newspaper said it was time to step back from harsh rhetoric."Judging from their recent words and deeds, policymakers in Pyongyang have seriously misread the U.N. sanctions, which are aimed at its nuclear/missile provocations, not its system or leadership," the newspaper said in an editorial."They are at once perilously overestimating their own strength and underestimating the hazards they are brewing for themselves." (Additional reporting by Ben Blanchard and Michael Martina in Beijing, Kaori Kaneko, Linda Sieg, Elaine Lies and Tim Kelly in Tokyo, Steve Holland, Matt Spetalnick, Susan Heavey and David Brunnstrom in Washington, and Vladimir Soldatkin in Moscow; Writing by Jack Kim; Editing by Robert Birsel and James Dalgleish)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
Raipur: A day after 25 CRPF troopers were massacred by Maoists in Chhattisgarh, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday said that the strategy to root out left-wing extremism will be reviewed and a meeting of affected states has been convened on 8 May for the purpose.

The Home Minister, who visited the state to pay tributes to the 25 Central Reserve Police Force troopers killed at their camp, termed the massacre as a "cold blooded murder" and said that their sacrifice won't go in vain.

"The attack in Sukma is a cold blooded murder... It is an act of cowardice. The attack was out of desperation," he told reporters after paying homage to those killed. "We are working to root out the problem of LWE (left-wing extremism). The LWE groups are anti-development. They do not want development in the area. The Centre and state governments will work together," he added.

Rajnath Singh said he had convened a meeting of states affected by Maoism on 8 May. "We will review the strategy and if necessary we will revisit it."

He also accused the Maoists of using tribals as cannon fodder. On Monday, around 300 Maoists, including women, ambushed a CRPF contingent in a forested patch in Chhattisgarh, killing the troopers and escaping with their AK-47 assault rifles.

Rajnath Singh, who reached Raipur with Minister of State for Home Hansraj Ahir and CRPF's Additional Director General Sudeep Lakhtakia, said the government would not let the sacrifices of the troopers go in vain. "We have accepted it as a challenge. It will be answered appropriately."

"We have lost precious lives of our soldiers... Left-wing extremists are trying to impede the progress (of the region)... They are the biggest enemy of the poor," he added. Responding to a query over alleged intelligence failure in the incident, Rajnath Singh said, "This is not the time for a blame game."

Rajnath Singh also visited a hospital and enquired about the health of the CRPF personnel injured in the Maoist ambush. He said that all the injured soldiers are now out of danger. Later, attending a function in Bihar, Rajnath Singh again accused the Maoists of using tribals as a shield and dared them to face the security forces from the front. He also threatened tough action against the rebels of they continue to attack security forces.

In Raipur, Chattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh, who also addressed the media with Rajnath Singh, said that fight against Maoists would continue with "more vigour". "The fight against Maoists in Sukma is the biggest operation against LWE in the country. We have decided to enhance our activities and construction work in the region," he said.

But, senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh stirred a controversy by reiterating that Raman Singh and the BJP had a "deal and understanding" with the Maoists in the state.

He called for talks with all stakeholders to bring Maoist violence under control. "Chief Minister Raman Singh ji and the Bharatiya Janata Party win elections from there because they had a deal and understanding with the Maoists. I have said this before, and I am stating it again," he told reporters.

Digvijaya Singh said unless the state's tribal villagers are taken into confidence, Maoist violence cannot be brought under control. "The government should talk to all the stakeholders. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government only believe in 'jumlas' and have been indulging in it since May 2014," he said.

Condemning the attack, the Communist Party of India (CPI) objected to the term "red terror" for Maoist violence. "The CPI strongly condemns the killings... in Sukma... Paying its respect to the jawans, the party conveys its deep condolences to their families," it said in a statement.

But it objected to the "attempt to term it as red terror".

"There are several Left parties in Chhattisgarh, including the CPI, which are working in defence of tribal people. They do not agree with Maoists -- politically and ideologically and also with their form of struggle."

The CPI said that both central and state governments "need to do serious introspection in the larger context and perspective" to find out why it has been "failing to handle the situation in the region".

Here is the list of CRPF men who sacrificed their lives in Sukma on Tuesday
Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir government has ordered suspension of internet services in the trouble-hit valley for a period of one month or till further orders.

In an order, the Home Department has said that internet services in Kashmir valley shall not be transmitted for a period of one month or till further orders, officials said in Srinagar.

The state home department invoked powers conferred on it under Indian Telegraph Act and Information Technology Act to suspend the internet services, the officials said.

It was not immediately clear whether the order pertains to all internet services or just the mobile internet services, which are already suspended since 17 April.

The mobile internet services in Kashmir were snapped last Monday following widespread student protests in the valley against alleged highhandedness of security forces. The move comes amidst disturbances in Kashmir, which the authorities believe are fanned through social media.
Srinagar: Student protests in Kashmir Valley is refusing to subside with fresh clashes reported from almost all the regions on Wednesday. Over 15 students were injured when they clashed with forces in south Kashmir's Shopian and Pulwama districts.

The spiraling student protests have shaken the state administration as the number of students hitting the streets is increasing with every passing day. The government had already suspended teaching activity at SP Higher Secondary School and Girls Higher Secondary School, Kothibagh in Srinagar till Wednesday after the students clashed with the forces on Monday. The decision to close few schools and a college was taken after thousands of students hit the streets against the use of excess force by security personnel inside the Degree College Pulwama, in which more than 65 students and 30 security personnel were injured.

However, on Wednesday morning, as soon the classes were about to begin at the Pulwama college, students left the classrooms and took to streets eventually leading to clashes between the protesters and forces. The protests broke out a day after Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti met with the teaching staff of Pulwama college to seek factual details of the 15 April incident that led to widespread student protests across the valley.

"We were peacefully marching towards the main chowk of the Pulwama town when police stopped us and did not allow us to proceed towards the main town square. Some students retaliated and threw stones at them. The police fired teargas shells towards us when few students insisted on marching towards the main town," Saqib Rishi, a second-year student of Pulwama Degree College told Firstpost, on phone.

"The chief minister had told the staff of the college that she would take action against the forces for their action inside our college, but instead of that they threw teargas shells towards us today," he said.

Mufti had assured the staff of the college, who met her on Tuesday that actions will be taken against those persons who assaulted the students. She told the staff, according to sources, she directed police not to deploy their personnel near the colleges.

But on Wednesday morning, as soon as the classes started inside the college, students took to streets but few hundred metres from the college were intercepted by the police who tried to stop from marching towards the main town.

"As soon as we got out the college police fired tear gas shells towards us and chases us inside. Many students then retaliated by throwing stones at the police," Farooq Fazil, a third student of the Pulwama Degree college, said.

The clashes were reported from both south and north Kashmir of the valley more than a hundred students also pelted stones at a CRPF camp near Amar Singh college in Srinagar.

Students also clashed with forces in Shopian district of south Kashmir, after they boycotted their classes and started protesting inside the campus. The district administration placed a large contingent of forces outside the main gate of the college. At least eight students sustained injuries after forces allegedly barged into the Higher Secondary School Shopian, premises and fired pellets on protesting students.

"Many students raised pro-freedom and anti-India slogans inside the campus. Some of the students also tried to hit the streets but were stopped by the police which triggered clashes," Nauman Ahmad, a student from Shopian college, said.

Shopian, superintendent of police, Tahir Saleem, said the students pelted stones on the residential quarter of the deputy commissioner situated few hundred meters away from the school.
New Delhi: In an apparent dig at the AAP, Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on Wednesday said BJP's impressive show in the MCD polls is a "lesson" for those crying foul over EVMs and asked it to respect people's mandate.

Minister of State for Minority Affairs Naqvi, without naming any of the opposition parties, also added that the saffron party's victory is a "clean sweep" against politics of "anarchy and arrogance".

The Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP has been at the forefront of opposition parties complaining of EVMs tampering. "Lesson & message for 'EVM Vilaap Mandli'- Instead of blaming EVM, respect people's mandate & do introspection.

"#DelhiMCDpolls-Clean sweep against politics of anarchy, arrogance. Results reflect people's passion for inclusive growth, good-governance," Naqvi tweeted.

From the results available until now, the ruling BJP is headed for a landslide victory, winning 160 of the total 270 wards which went to polls in the three municipal corporations.

The AAP, which made its civic polls debut, bagged 26 seats. The Congress was relegated to third position, winning 8 seats.
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Sri Lankan counterpart Ranil Wickremsinghe on Wednesday held talks on key bilateral and regional issues after which the two sides inked an economic cooperation pact.

"Deepening economic collaboration. India-Sri Lanka signed MOU on Cooperation in Economic Project," External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Gopal Baglay tweeted.

Ahead of the talks between the two leaders, Baglay had tweeted, "Partnership for prosperity and development. Prime Minister @NarendraModi receives Sri Lankan PM Wickremesinghe at Hyderabad House."

Wickremsinghe, who arrived in New Delhi on Tuesday on a five-day visit to India, will be making a private trip outside the capital from Thursday.
Islamabad: Pakistan army on Tuesday said that it has contacted Indian army officials to inform them about the movement of census workers near the Line of Control (LoC).

The second phase of countrywide census started on 25 April and would continue for a month.

During this phase, the population in districts near LoC in Kashmir is also being enumerated.

In a statement, the Pakistan army said that the Indian army has been approached to inform about the movement of civil and military enumerators to civil populated areas lying close to LoC.

"The step is aimed at ensuring safety and security of civil and military personnel in wake of unprovoked targeting and persistent ceasefire violations by the Indian Army," it said.

The first phase of census started on 15 March and was completed on 15 April. More than 118,000 civilian enumerators accompanied by 175,000 army personnel are undertaking the exercise to record the number of houses and total population.
New York: The world is unlikely to meet global climate goals if India carries through with plans to construct nearly 370 coal-fired power plants, new research warns.

If all the proposed coal plants are run to their potential, India will not be able to meet its Paris climate agreement commitments in the coming years, said the study published in the American Geophysical Union journal Earth's Future.

The choices that India, or any country, makes with regard to its energy consumption may have global consequences, according to the researchers.

"India is facing a dilemma of its own making," said study co-author Steven Davis, Associate Professor of Earth System Science at University of California, Irvin in the US.

"The country has vowed to curtail its use of fossil fuels in electricity generation, but it has also put itself on a path to building hundreds of coal-burning power plants to feed its growing industrial economy," Davis said.

Further, by developing all of the planned coal-fired capacity, India would boost the share of fossil fuels in its energy budget by 123 percent.

India has pledged to the international community to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide released per unit of gross domestic product by as much as 35 percent from 2005 levels by 2030 and to increase renewable energy in its power grids.

The construction of 65 gigawatts' worth of coal-burning generation facilities with an additional 178 gigawatts in the planning stages would make it nearly impossible for India to fulfill those climate promises, the researchers said.

"We've done calculations to figure out that India's Paris pledges might be met if it built these plants and only ran them 40 percent of the time, but that'd be a colossal waste of money, and once built, there'd be huge incentives to run the plants more despite the nation's contrary climate goals," Davis said.

In addition to spewing harmful soot and other types of air pollution coal-burning power plants are the largest source of carbon dioxide on Earth, accounting for 41 percent of all CO2 emissions in 2015.

The researchers pointed out that choices that individual countries make in regard to their energy mix have planetwide consequences.

"India's proposed coal plants will almost single-handedly jeopardise the internationally agreed-upon climate target of avoiding more than 1.5 degrees Celsius of mean global warming," Davis said.

Researchers from CoalSwarm  a project of US-based non-profit Earth Island Institute  also contributed to the study.
New Delhi: The Centre is committed to ensuring equal development of all communities, Home Minister Rajnath Singh said on Wednesday.

Chairing a tripartite meeting of the Centre, the Assam government and the All Bodo Students' Union, Singh said the NDA government follow Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'mantra' of 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas'.

"We want equal development of all communities, including the Bodos. Our government will take all out measures to ensure overall development of the Bodos living in Assam," Singh was quoted as saying by an official statement.

The talks, which lasted for around 40 minutes, discussed in details all long-pending issues raised by the ABSU for a lasting solution, including the demand for a separate state for the Bodos.

Singh said the dialogue between the ABSU, the Centre and the state government will continue at an official level for a permanent and early solution.

Expressing satisfaction over the progress made in the talks, Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said the state

government is working for a united and powerful Assam with an aim to ensure inclusive development.

"Our government is working relentlessly for a united and prosperous Assam ensuring the development of all communities. The Bodos are one of the most vibrant and significant communities of Assam and we are fully committed to their development," Sonowal said.

ABSU president Pramod Boro said they have a long-pending demand for a separate Bodoland to safeguard the art and

culture and land rights of the Bodos.

Seeking a permanent and early solution to their demands, the ABSU president said in future all Bodo outfits will also take part in talks with the central government for settlement of their demands.
Recently, the Bombay High Court, while acquitting a man of rape charges, observed that there is a need for corroborating the testimony of a woman in sexual assault cases where the woman in question is habituated to sexual intercourse. The court even went a step further and stated that in such cases, there is likelihood (on the part of the woman) to level accusations of rape owing to an "instinct of self-preservation". In effect, the Bombay High Court judgment recognised that a rape victim's past sexual behaviour would be relevant in adjudicating sexual assault cases, and that past sexual conduct (if established) would require the victim to corroborate her testimony in a sexual assault case. This observation by the court is troubling for the reason that it fails to provide a 'rape shield' to victims of sexual assault and in doing so, it risks exposing the victim to further shaming and blaming.

Meaning and origin of rape shield laws

Rape shield laws evolved in the 1970s to address the infirmities in the prosecution of rape. A rape shield law refers to legislation which restricts the defence from examining or cross-examining a sexual assault victim on her past sexual conduct and includes a prohibition against publicly disclosing the identity of sexual assault victims. The term 'shield' in the phrase, 'rape shield', is a metaphor for the protection which is offered to rape victims in sexual assault cases. A need for rape shield laws was felt because historically, defence attorneys would introduce evidence of a rape victims past sexual relationships in rape trials to paint the rape victim as promiscuous, and argue that testimony of such women was not credible. Introducing such evidence in rape trial not only made convictions in rape cases difficult but also deterred rape victims from reporting sexual assault incidents, for fear of being "put on trial".

The sex revolution of the 60s which pushed for greater acceptance of premarital sex and birth control and the emergence of feminist legal theories contributed to the origin of rape shield laws in the United States. Rape shield laws also exist in other countries such as Canada and Australia. The protection offered by rape shield laws differs in various jurisdictions and is excluded by certain countries in cases where the rape victim had a previous relationship with the accused. The reason behind this is to enable the defence to establish 'consent' in cases of a shared history between the sexual assault victim and the accused.

Rape shield laws in India

In the aftermath of the Jyoti Singh gang rape case in 2012, the Centre enacted the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 2013 to make sexual assault laws in India more robust. The 2013 law inserted section 53A in the Indian Evidence Act which treats evidence of the victims character and past sexual behaviour as irrelevant in establishing consent in certain criminal offences including rape. The 2013 law also amended section 146 of the Evidence Act to prohibit evidence or questions in cross-examination aimed at discussing a victims previous sexual experience in rape cases. It is worth noting that the Indian Evidence Act provides an 'absolute' rape shield without specifying any circumstances when the rape shield would not be applicable. Section 228A of the Indian Penal Code also makes it an offence to disclose the identity of a rape victim. Despite the existence of laws which expressly provide rape shield in India, there have been instances where Indian courts have published the names and details of rape victims in reported judgments. In the present case too, the Bombay High Court failed to recognise that Indian law disallows previous sexual experience of a rape victim from being introduced as evidence in rape cases.

The harm which is inflicted on a rape victim due to non-implementation of rape shields is manyfold. Firstly, the possibility of the defence verbally assailing a rape victim based on her sexual history might deter rape victims from reporting incidents of sexual assault. This, in turn, would cause more cases of sexual assault in India to go unreported and contribute to the abysmal statistics on sexual assault in our country. Secondly, the defence has been known to employ the strategy of introducing a victims past sexual conduct to undermine the credibility of the testimony of rape victims, making it extremely difficult for the prosecution to successfully establish a case "beyond reasonable doubt". Thirdly, the non-application of a rape shield law violates a womans right to privacy by allowing her personal life to be put on public display during a rape trial.

Two-finger test

A related concept is the two-finger test (also known as virginity-test) which is used in rape trials to determine whether the victim is accustomed to sexual conduct. Before the practice was outlawed in several jurisdictions, the two-finger test entailed medically examining a rape victim by inserting two fingers into the victims vagina to determine vaginal laxity; the test was premised on the belief that if the vagina was "lax" enough, it indicated that the woman was sexually active and hence, there was a possibility that she had consented to the sexual assault act in question. Activists argue that the test is flawed because vaginal laxity could also be attributed to exercise or physical activity. The two-finger test was conducted in India to determine consent in rape cases before the Supreme Court in 2013 held that the test violated a womans right to privacy.

The inherent problem with virginity testing and the failure to prevent a rape victims previous sexual history from being introduced as evidence is the presumption that a sexually active woman is dishonest. This bias is also prevalent in Justice Badars observation that a woman who is habituated to sexual intercourse would falsely accuse a man of rape on account of "self-preservation". Concerns that a woman could level rape charges against a former boyfriend/partner out of bitterness are justified. However, even in cases where the accused is known to the victim, the rape shield should be eclipsed only to the extent of permitting evidence of the victims past sexual involvement with the accused in question.

While it is easy to conclude that a woman accused a former partner of rape out of vengeance (making it necessary for the defence to establish consent through previous sexual relationship between the victim and the accused), there is also the possibility that it was the accused who was seeking revenge on the victim (with whom he was in a previous relationship) by sexually assaulting her. Revenge porn, which refers to uploading of sexually explicit videos/photographs of a person (typically by a former partner) without their consent, is an example of how men in sexual relationships seek revenge on their former partners. Therefore, courts in India must not be guided by bias in case of a sexually active victim. Further, Indian judges must recognise that the law expressly provides rape shield, and ensure that victims are accordingly protected in rape trials.

(The phrase rape and sexual assault have been used interchangeably in this article.)

The author is a research fellow at Centre for WTO Studies, Indian Institute of Foreign Trade. She is also a Volunteer at Strategic Advocacy for Human Rights. Views expressed are personal.
New Delhi: President Pranab Mukherjee will move into his new official residence in New Delhi at 10, Rajaji Marg after he demits office in July.

Union Tourism and Culture Minister Mahesh Sharma, who was alloted the Rajaji Marg bungalow, has vacated it and work has started to make it available to the president, an official said.

The bungalow was occupied by former president APJ Abdul Kalam till his death in 2015, after which it was allotted to the minister.

Sharma has been allotted a new bungalow at 10, Akbar Road which was earlier occupied by former defence minister Manohar Parrikar, another official said.

Parrikar has shifted to Goa as chief minister of the state.

Sharma had earlier said the urban development ministry had asked him if he had any objection to vacating the house.

He had in his reply said the place was more important to the president than him.

A retired president is entitled to rent-free accommodation anywhere in India with free water and electricity for the remainder of his or her life as per the President's Pension Rules, 1962.

The 10, Rajaji Marg house is spread over an area of 11,776 sq feet with the ground floor housing a library and an attached reading space.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday raised a poser whether it can "restrain Parliament" from passing a law linking Aadhaar with PAN for filing income tax returns even though the government has in the past given an undertaking that possessing Aadhaar card was voluntary.

"Can we restrain Parliament from passing a law linking Aadhaar number with PAN," the bench of Justice AK Sikri and Justice Ashok Bhushan asked, noting that "a statement (undertaking that possessing Aadhaar number is voluntary) was made (by the government) in some context, does it bind them and prevent the Parliament from making a law?"

Pointing to the attitude of people not paying the taxes, the bench observed, "We citizens don't want to pay taxes, shame on us. When boy gets married, he has best income but when wife files for alimony he is a pauper."

The court said this in the course of the hearing of two petitions challenging the newly inserted Section 139AA of the Income Tax Act that mandates linking Aadhaar number with Permanent Account Number (PAN) for the purposes of filing income tax returns.

The government had inserted Section 139AA in the Income Tax Act through the Finance Act, 2017, with the objective of curbing the black money.

Describing the linking of Aadhaar number with PAN as "oppressive, erroneous and arbitrary", the petitioner told the court that when there was a solemn undertaking by the Centre that Aadhaar was not mandatory and would not be forced upon the people, the government cannot through the Income Tax Act make it compulsory.

Senior leader of the Communist Party of India Binoy Visman, former Indian Army officer SG Vombatkere and founder and convenor of Safai Karamchari Andolan Bezwada Wilson have moved the court challenging the validity of the Section 139AA of the Income Tax Act.

"542 people were there (in Lok Sabha), why did they not raise these points," the bench asked as senior counsel Arvind Datar said that court has struck down legislations on the grounds of them being arbitrary.

Raising the question of proportionality and the object sought to be achieved, Datar wondered: "If you want to check black money, what is the nexus of the war on black money and mandating individuals to link Aadhaar number with PAN?"

How can black money flow end if Section 139AA makes linking of Aadhaar with PAN only in the case of individuals filing returns and not the companies, Datar said, pointing out that there are a large number of categories where possessing Aadhaar number was mandatory.

Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi opposed the challenge, saying that when the government gave solemn undertaking of keeping Aadhaar voluntary it was an executive scheme. Now it is a statutory scheme after the passing of the law by Parliament.

Hearing will continue on Thursday.
New Delhi: A panel set up by the government has found "serious conflict of interest" in the functioning of the National Skill Development Corporation, recommending that the government review its role and create a strong oversight mechanism.

In its report, the committee for Rationalisation and Optimisation of the Functioning of the Sector Skill Councils, chaired by Sharada Prasad, former D-G of Employment and Training (DGE&T), said the NSDC has not been able to discharge its responsibilities for setting up sector skill councils (SSCs).

Taking note of "lots of instances of serious conflict of interest and unethical practices", the panel proposed that the work of setting up of SSCs should be transferred to the regulator, the National Skill Development Agency (NSDA).

It is of the view that as NSDC is a funding company in the nature of an NBFC, it should function under the relevant regulations.

"The NSDC... is using almost 100 percent of government funds without accountability. A strong oversight mechanism should be created for monitoring the outcome as a result of the funds provided by the government," the panel said.

The NSDC is a public-private partnership with 51 percent equity of the private sector. "It is essentially a private sector body and, therefore, not competent to undertake regulatory functions," the panel said in its report.

As per its original mandate, the NSDC should mobilise resources for skill development from the industry, financial institutions, multilateral and bilateral external aid agencies, private equity providers and ministries and departments of the central government and states, it suggested.

The committee said further the NSDC had not followed any standard criteria for creation of SSCs which "not only increased their number but created overlapping jurisdictions".

Union Minister Rajiv Pratap Rudy had earlier expressed displeasure at the way the NSDC was being run in the past and lashed out at its failure to achieve the industry's needs for trained manpower.

NSDC's former managing director and CEO Dilip Chenoy and COO Atul Bhatnagar, who were appointees of the previous UPA government, had resigned amid reports that the government was unhappy with the functioning of the skills development body.

Observing that the NSDA is mainly a regulatory body, the panel recommended that the mandate to raise extra budgetary sources for skill development from various agencies be withdrawn from the NSDA as it compromises with the regulatory role.

It also proposed the DGE&T be brought under the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship and the name of the ministry should be changed to Ministry of Skill Development and Employment, arguing that entrepreneurship is primarily for self-employment which is covered under employment.
Raipur: The brazen Maoist ambush, which left 25 CRPF personnel dead and seven wounded, was likely planned by a wanted Naxal commander who was camping in a village barely 7-8 km from the scene of the attack, a senior police officer said on Tuesday.

Maoist commander Situ was camping in Tadmetla village, the place where 75 CRPF personnel and one of the state police were massacred in April 2010, for the last few days, he said.

"We got regular inputs on April 22 that dreaded Maoist commander Situ was camping at Tadmetla village, around 7-8 km from Burkapal, where the ambush took place yesterday," the officer involved in anti-Naxal operations told PTI.

"We suspect that the attack was planned by Situ and his group with the support of local lower-rung cadres and militia members," he said.

The 99-strong CRPF contingent came under heavy gunfire and grenade attack from three sides by the guerrillas, who had taken cover behind rocks and trees on the treacherous terrain.

The Maoist rebels also used locally made arrows tipped with explosives, he said.

As the personnel lay sprawled, slain and wounded, the naxalites looted 22 sophisticated weapons, including grenade launchers, AK rifles, light machine guns, besides wireless sets, binoculars and ammunition of different calibre.

The first 'military battalion' of Maoist rebels, suspected to be involved in yesterday's carnage, is headed by Hidma. It has been active in the Bastar region, particularly Sukma, and launched several attacks on security forces. The battalion has two companies--one headed by Situ and another helmed by Nagesh, the officer said.

The CRPF personnel were providing security for laying of a 58-km road linking Dornapal to Jargunda. The hilly, forested area is a haven for naxalites.

The summer months are when they prefer to target security forces as the bushes and other vegetation wilt, providing them a clear view of the movement of the troops from hills, the officer said.

On 11 March this year, 12 CRPF personnel of the 219 battalion were killed and three others wounded in a similar attack in Bheji area of Sukma.
New Delhi: A high-level meeting chaired by Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday decided to strengthen the human intelligence network in Maoist-hit areas to minimise casualties of security forces engaged in anti-naxal operations.

The meeting, held two days after the killing of 25 CRPF personnel by Maoists in Chhattisgarh, stressed on revamping the intelligence gathering mechanism, meticulously analysing the ongoing operations, identifying problem areas and resolving them for better results.

The top security brass, including National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Union Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi and others focused on re-calibration of the anti-naxal strategy, and discussed as to how to make it more effective and minimise casualties.

The extra-stress on human intelligence stemmed from reports that the naxalite guerrillas attacked the CRPF team in Chhattisgarh's Sukma after taking shelter in the houses of local tribals without the security forces getting a whiff of it.

Had the intelligence gathering mechanism been strong enough, the incident could have been averted. Hence, there should be more engagement with the local population in the coming days, an official who attended the meeting said.

The home minister directed the officials that there should be no let up in the anti-naxal operations in the aftermath of the recent reverses. Instead, the operations be intensified further, he said.

Singh told the officials to look for out of the box solutions to the problem of successive attacks on Road Opening Parties (ROP) in areas where development works were going on.

Road construction activities in Maoist areas were also discussed threadbare and Singh asked the officials to look for alternative modern technology so the projects could be completed speedily.

The top officials told the home minister that currently 90 percent of Maoist activities was limited to 35 worst-hit districts, even though the Maoists have influence in areas spread over 68 districts in the country.

Singh asked the officials to prepare a blueprint of the proposed new strategy for tackling left-wing extremism which would be presented at the May 8 meeting to be attended by chief ministers and top civil and police officials of 10 Maoist-affected states.

The daylong meeting is expected to be attended by district magistrates and superintendents of police of the 35 worst-hit districts.

The home minister had asked acting director general of the CRPF, Sudeep Lakhtakia, and senior security advisor in the home ministry, K Vijay Kumar, to stay put in Chhattisgarh to supervise well-coordinated operations against Maoists.

The two officers will stay in Chhattisgarh to ensure a robust anti-Maoist operation is carried out against those involved in the killing of 25 CRPF personnel on Monday.

Singh's directive came as he was apparently unhappy over the functioning of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), which has faced setbacks in the recent past, with many personnel getting killed and wounded in Maoist attacks.

He has asked the CRPF brass to resolve some "inherent" problems like shortages of weaponry and logistics, besides shortcomings in the intelligence gathering mechanism to ensure increased lethality and minimise casualty.
The brutal attack by Maoists on 24 April in Chhattisgarh's Sukma which killed 25 CRPF personnel and injured several others was one of the deadliest attacks in recent times, though smaller than the massacre in April 2010 when Maoists killed 76 CRPF men.

The Maoists walked off with 32 assault rifles (mix of AK and INSAS), an assortment of rifle magazines and ammunition, 22 bulletproof jackets, two binoculars, five wireless sets and one metal detector. It was reported that the team of 99-strong CRPF men, which was out to provide protection for road construction, was attacked by 300 "left-wing extremist" and the firefight continued for at least three hours. There are claims that 10-12 Maoists were killed but no bodies were found. Another report said that the 99-member CRPF patrol team was attacked when they were preppin gto have lunch, obviously without ensuring protection.

It may be recalled that on 11 March this year, Maoists attacked another CRPF column at Bheji (Sukma) and by the time the an hour long assault ended, Maoists had killed 11, injured five (one succumbing to his injuries taking the death toll to 12). Reports had quoted officials as saying that the Naxals also looted ten weapons and two radio sets from the killed men, officials said.

Former home secretary in 2015 LC Goyal had said that an Army cantonment should be established in the Bastar region, as if that will be the silver bullet to tackle the issue. Media lapped up this revelation. However, the public is unaware of the fact that Chhattisgarh alone has some 45 battalions of Central Armed Police Forces (BSF, CRPF, IRB etc), a force equivalent of five times the Infantry Divisions or two times the Corps of the Army.

Goyal, in the report, did not disclose the plan that he, as a former home secretary, had drawn up to deal with the Maoists issue? Another home secretary who delivered a talk at a prominent think tank in New Delhi responded to searching questions cursorily and peremptorily, not once mentioning that the MHA is 'accountable'. He was also repeatedly asked why the Control of Borders was being handled by the police and is not given to Army similar to the Control of the Coast given to Navy, to which he had no answer.

One can hear statements time and again from the home ministry that additional forces can be allotted to the states, as required. But should the responsibility and accountability of MHA end there when the Maoists problem spans multiple states? With CRPF designated as the main counter-insurgency forces, why does the home secretary not recommend that the police academy in Hyderabad shift to the Naxal belt rather than recommending an army cantonment in the region?

In fact, much of the problems of the insurgency areas would be better addressed if the police academy is moved to Bastar and the IAS academy to the Kashmir Valley. Incidentally, a decade-old proposal for locating Army and Air Force elements at Bilaspur (Chhattisgarh) that had been agreed upon has not fructified because the state only made available part of the land required and MHA took no interest in the issue.

Surprisingly, the media has never highlighted the woes of the Central Armed Police Forces. With the strong IPS lobby, very few officers from the CRPF and BSF get promoted and seldom get to the rank of Additional Director General (ADG), as the bulk of the appointments at this level too are held by IPS officers despite it being grossly disproportionate given the strength of individual CAPF.

So, the Director General of CRPF actually is an IPS officer who has not come through grassroots of the CRPF, leave aside any experience of operating with the jawans in insurgency areas. This, as per veteran CRPF officers, is the main reason why the manning, training and equipping of this force has been suffering.

The government must look at these issues seriously and the MHA must get into the act. The Home Minister should consider sending MHA bureaucrats to go and live with the CAPF (not as state guests) in Bastar region by rotation to get first-hand experience of the issue.

This could actually be standard operating procedure that all bureaucrats posted to MHA must go through this experience. Much of the army's requirements in Siachen Glacier were met after Defence Minister George Fernandes sent MoD bureaucrats to Siachen.

Hundreds of CAPF battalions have been raised and there is no reason they cannot deal with internal security issues. They must perform and be 'made' to perform, and most importantly, dominate the Dandakaranya forest, where an occasional foray and chest-thumping are useless.

The home ministry must get into the act rather than bureaucrats looking over the shoulder towards the Army, and help our enemies in getting the Army sucked in here too. Wouldn't it surprise the public to know that the manpower strength of the police and central armed police forces is much more than that of the military?

A Maoist document titled Urban Perspective: Our Work in Urban Areas (UPUA) says, "At present the revolutionary movement is advancing in a vast belt of people's war encompassing the extensive areas of Dandakaranya, Jharkhand, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar-Odisha border, north Telangana and Koel-Kaimur. We will be able to build these areas into contiguous areas of armed struggle with each area influencing the other."

Linked with recent events, they indicate that the critical phase of attacking the political fabric of Indian democracy has already begun. The issue needs to be viewed even more seriously considering that the brain of the Maoists ideology is in Beijing, they are receiving focused support from both China and Pakistan, and their over-ground elements are cloaked as intellectuals and social activists, even participating freely in seminars and debates in New Delhi. They too are very much Maoists and must be treated as such.

The author is veteran Lieutenant General of the Indian Army.
Psy-ops are surreal. But fighting with highly-motivated Maoists require a fighting-fit war machine which can tackle the menace on the ground. It is real and bloody. The chest-thumping leadership of the Indian security agencies have learnt to live more in an imaginary than the real world.

The security forces' repeated failure at Sukma in Chattisgarh perfectly illustrates this harsh reality. It does not require the skill of a genius to know that Sukma has emerged as the strongest Red bastion in the recent past. In the UPA regime, this area witnessed fierce encounters with Maoists who always gave security forces a bloody nose. That the security forces are fighting an unequal battle became clear on 6 April, 2010 when 75 CRPF jawans were killed in Chattisgarh's Dantewada. Since then there have been many cases in which the security forces were at the receiving end.

The Sukma killings has once again reinforced the impression that India's internal security doctrine continues to be guided by "chalta hai (business as usual)" approach. On the other hand, they have mastered the art of chest-thumping and vacuous bravado when it comes to psy-ops.

Remember the manner in which the armed forces claimed to have crossed over to Mayanmar to teach a lesson to Naga insurgents (Khaplang group) after 16 jawans of Indian Army were killed in Chandel district of Manipur in 2015. This was followed by another killing of six Assam rifles jawans in the same district. Instead of taking the enemy head on, the Assam rifles launched a psy-op and claimed to have conducted surgical strikes across the border through whatsapp messages. The fact that they dragged the Prime Minister's name into it got the goat of the home ministry and defence ministry.

But this is not an isolated instance. Just after the Uri attack, the brigade headquarter of the army came out with the claims of eliminating 10 hardcore terrorists along the border. The subsequent investigations prove that once again the claim was the part of psy-ops which has nothing to do with the ground reality.

But unlike the problems in North East and Kashmir, where insurgency is stoked by foreign agencies, the "left-wing extremism" is entirely home grown and had taken firm roots in large swathes of the country. It may appear to dormant in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh for the time being but there is no denying the fact that its influence in eastern part of Uttar Pradesh and certain parts of Bihar is no less lethal than its hold in Chattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. In Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh's home district, Chanduali, near Varanasi, the left-wing extremism has developed a strong base. There are areas just adjacent to the Prime Minister's constituency where writ of the Indian state often becomes irrelevant.

Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was perfectly accurate when he diagnosed left-wing extremism the biggest threat to the country. But what followed up his former Home Minister P Chidambaram was once again a "chest-thumping" approach by launching an operation known as "operation green hunt" (though Chidambaram subsequently denied that he ever used that phrase). It did not yield any positive result as it lacked a holistic approach to the problem. Chidambaram's folly is getting compounded by the Narendra Modi government in its worst form. Despite the lapse of three years, there is internal security doctrine which is rigorously followed. The Sukma killing of 25 jawans raises pertinent questions:

1. Why a trained team of soldiers get overpowered by a group of Maoists? Is there something fundamentally wrong with forces' training.

2. Are the soldiers of the CRPF adequately briefed and trained about Naxals' method of operation and topography?

3. Why does such a deployment take place in most casual manner with no local police assistance or presence of an IPS officer?

4. Do we senselessly deploy the forces without taking into account their motivation level?

The Sukma killing is not a challenge which can be brushed aside by psy-ops. Nobody knows it better than flamboyant national security advisor Ajit Doval that answer to these queries lies in evolution of a coherent and holistic internal security doctrine to regulate training, motivation and deployment of forces for internal security purposes. The impression that the country's internal security is being pulled in different direction by the home ministry and the NSA would make the matter worse. And it will be a disease worst than remedy if the leadership of the security forces resort to psy-ops to overcome their follies.
New Delhi: Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday directed acting chief of the CRPF and a top security officer to stay put in Chhattisgarh to ensure coordinated "targeted" operations against the Naxals, apparently unhappy over the functioning of the paramilitary force.

The home minister's directive came as he was apparently unhappy over the functioning of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) which has faced reverses in the recent past.

He has conveyed to the CRPF brass to resolve some "inherent" problems like weaponry, logistics and intelligence gathering mechanism to ensure lethality and better results by avoiding casualties in anti-Naxal operations, sources said.

The home minister asked acting director general of the CRPF, Sudeep Lakhtakia and senior security advisor in the home ministry, K Vijay Kumar to stay put in Chhattisgarh to ensure coordinated operations against the Naxals, they said.

The two officers will stay in Chhattisgarh till a robust anti-Naxal operation is carried out against those involved in the killing of 25 CRPF personnel on Monday, official sources said.

Lakhtakia and Kumar will ensure targeted action, based on pin-pointed intelligence, by the security forces against the Naxals, the sources said.

Kumar is a former chief of the CRPF and he is credited for elimination of forest brigand Veerappan in 2004 in Tamil Nadu.

"Senior officials visited the spot and took stock of the incident. They also spoke to CRPF jawans at their camp in Burkapal," Special Director General (anti-maoist operations) DM Awasthi told PTI.

Awasthi was also among the officials who visited the attack spot.

Kumar and Lakhtakia were accompanied by Chhattisgarh's principal secretary (Home) BVR Subramaniam, director general of police AN Upadhyay and other MHA, para-military and state police officials during the visit.

Awasthi said while Kumar and Lakhtakia were staying back in Sukma for tonight, other senior officials returned to Raipur.

The home minister on Tuesday said in Raipur that the government will review its strategy on battling the Naxalites.

As many as 25 CRPF personnel were on Monday killed in an attack by the Naxals in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district.

On 11, 12 March paramilitary personnel were killed by the Naxals in the same district.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday asked the Centre to consider making a law to regulate NGOs, disbursal of funds to them and consequential proceedings on account of defaults and asked it to respond in eight weeks.

A bench headed by Chief Justice JS Khehar said the existing regulations were not sufficient to regulate the NGOs across the country, the disbursal of funds and consequential defaults.

The bench, which also comprised Justices DY Chandrachud and SK Kaul, granted eight weeks to the Centre to mull over the idea of legislation and apprise the court about its stand.

Earlier in the day, the government agency CAPART had recommended registration of 159 FIRs against various NGOs for alleged misappropriation or misuse of funds disbursed to them.

The Council for Advancement of People's Action and Rural Technology (CAPART), which works under the Ministry of Rural Development and disburses funds to voluntary organisations working in rural areas, said initially it had blacklisted 718 NGOs for not following the due process and not submitting their accounting details.

Subsequently it had removed 15 NGOs from the black-list after they complied with the accounting norms, it said.

The Supreme Court had on 10 January said public money cannot go unaccounted for and those misappropriating must be prosecuted.

Taking umbrage to the fact that no steps have been taken to evolve a regulatory mechanism even after the lapse of six years since a PIL was filed, the apex court had said the Centre and its departments were doling out crores of rupees to lakhs of NGOs, societies and voluntary organisations but were not aware of the repercussion of non-auditing.

The bench had also warned that "mere blacklisting" of these organisations would not suffice and civil and criminal action should be initiated by CAPART/other government departments for misappropriating public money received by them from various government departments.

CBI had in September 2015 informed the apex court that less than ten per cent of over 30 lakh NGOs functioning across the country had submitted their returns or balance sheets and other financial details to the authorities.

The apex court had expanded the scope of the PIL, filed in 2011 against Hind Swaraj Trust, run by anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare. The PIL had sought a probe into alleged embezzlement of funds.
Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh government on Wednesday approved the setting up of an anti-land mafia task force to check rampant land grabbing in the state, fulfilling a key poll promise of the ruling BJP.

The decision was taken at a meeting of the state Cabinet here chaired by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. "The cabinet has approved the setting up of anti-land mafia task force in the state. It will identify land grabbers in two months and strict action will be initiated against them," state Power Minister Shrikant Sharma told reporters.

No grabbing of public land will be allowed in the name of religion, the minister added. "The construction of religious places on encroached

public land will not be allowed irrespective of the religion," he said.

The task force will work under the overall supervision of the chief secretary while various officials ranging from divisional commissioners, district magistrates and sub divisional magistrates (SDMs) and will look into the complaints, he said.

A portal has also been launched in which land grabbing complaints can be registered, he said.

"Police has been asked to immediately act on land grabbing complaints and if there is laxity, action will be initiated against the concerned SHO," he said.

The decision to free state-owned land from illegal occupants was taken in principle during a recent presentation of the finance department, where the chief minister had asked the officials concerned to set up the task force at the earliest to evict encroachers.

"The chief minister has given a clear directive to start a campaign for vacating properties which have been under illegal occupation after identifying them in a month's time," an official spokesman had said after the presentation.

Adityanath had also ordered department-wise identification of properties through a drive and make them useful for people on a priority basis.

The seriousness of the problem of illegal occupation on government was highlighted last year when two police officers and 22 squatters were killed in a bloody conflict at Jawahar Bagh public park in Mathura in June.

The squatters, an armed group led by Ram Vriksh Yadav, once a follower of Jai Gurudev, had been occupying the site since 2014.

Following a court order on their eviction in 2016, the police tried to forcibly evict them, triggering violence, that claimed the lives of two senior police officers, including a superintendent of police. The police then returned fire, killing several squatters.
Audrey Truschke's book Aurangzeb: The Life and Legacy of India's Most Controversial King, which tries to undo the demonisation of the Mughal emperor by people on social media, has come under fire on social media. Twitter trolls and users have accused her of "white-washing" history, misleading readers and trying to cause unrest in India.

In the book, Audrey Truschke, who teaches South Asian history at Rutgers University in the US, tackles the pseudo-history circulating on the Internet about the Mughal emperor. She takes on Hindutva history and provides a rebuttal for psuedo-history.

However, the book has received flak in the same form and from the same quarters as the author has tried to counter in her book. Twitter users such as Shefali Vaidya have called Truschke a "so-called liberal", while others such as Makarand Paranjape have called the claims made in the book ridiculous.

Right response to Audrey Truschke who says vile tyrant Aurangzeb killed Guru Tegh Bahadur because he was "causing unrest in Punjab" would be    (@KanchanGupta) April 1, 2017

From glorifying Aurangzeb to defending meat-eating, a so-called liberal voice from the West. India also has a long history of vegetarianism. https://t.co/GXbxZKs8k8  Dr David Frawley (@davidfrawleyved) April 11, 2017

@AudreyTruschke @Nerus000 As of today, Audrey Truschke is trying to cause unrest in India. By her logic, what should be done with her?  Yogi BJ:P (@BigDAulad) April 2, 2017

Really? After wasting all those reams of paper trying to whitewash #Aurangzeb? Got a moment of epiphany @AudreyTruschke? https://t.co/PYAIS4pYq5  Shefali Vaidya (@ShefVaidya) April 25, 2017

4/4 @AudreyTruschke does not mention Aurangzeb's "Hindu poems"; how could a tyrant who reimposed Jazia pray to Hindu Gods? Ridiculous!  Makarand R Paranjape (@MakrandParanspe) April 25, 2017

The main contention of these Twitter users is that Truschke has inaccurately portrayed the history of India in an attempt to glorify Aurangzeb. Some have even gone to the extent of judging the quality of her work on the basis of her nationality (she is an American) and called her the "future Wendy Doniger" and "future Romila Thapar".

Audrey Truschke has countered these allegations by quoting her sources and urging critics to read her book. In one interaction, she also said, "Count me out for that project. #Aurangzeb was no saint, and I have no interest in glorifying him." In those cases where people have demanded to know who is funding her book to understand her intentions behind writing it, Truschke has said, "I have repeated this ad nauseam -- all funding sources are listed on my CV, which is publicly available. All scholars do this."

In Aurangzeb: The Life and Legacy of India's Most Controversial King, Truschke uses Persian language sources to talk about Aurangzeb's understanding of religion, explaining that reducing him to his faith is inaccurate. For example, she says that religion had nothing to do with the inability of Aurangzeb to absorb the growing Maratha reign under his control. She opines that this had to do more with the lack of a courtly Persian culture in Shivaji's empire.

She attempts in this book to prove the temple destruction accusations leveled against Aurangzeb as being false, stating that the few that were affected during his reign were destroyed due to political, not religious reasons.
Whoever said a picture is worth a thousand words had not figured out that in the AIADMK in Tamil Nadu, lack of a picture is worth a million words. The act of taking down hoardings and banners bearing VK Sasikala's pictures from the AIADMK headquarters in Chennai on Tuesday (see pictures below) and replacing them with former chief minister J Jayalalithaa pictures, sought to convey that the party had slipped out of the grip of the Mannargudi family. Within hours of the curtains being brought down on Sasikala, her nephew TTV Dinakaran was arrested by Delhi Police.

There have been few tears shed at the downfall of the Sasikala clan as most believe that the family that cheats or is alleged to have cheated together, stays together (in prison).

While Sasikala is resigned to staying behind bars till 2021, Dinakaran has only himself to blame for the mess he has found himself in. He is accused of trying to bribe Election Commission officials to get the two leaves symbol for his AIADMK faction. The arrest took place soon after Special Judge Poonam Chaudhary asked Delhi Police what action had been taken against the AIADMK deputy general secretary. This was while the court was hearing the police request to extend police custody of alleged middleman Sukesh Chandrasekhar.

Since Saturday, Dinakaran was being interrogated by the Crime Branch, with his assistant Janarthanan and friend Mallikarjuna also probed many times to check if the versions matched. While Dinakaran and Mallikarjuna are now in custody, Janarthanan could turn approver. This even as Sukesh denied any involvement in the case and told the media as he was being led away by the police that he was being framed because of his "criminal past".

Dinakaran's varying versions aren't helping his cause. When the case broke out, he denied knowing anyone called Sukesh. But during interrogation he is believed to have said that he thought Sukesh was a High court judge. Dinakaran also reportedly said Sukesh offered to help him with the party symbol case but he declined the offer. The call data records could prove to be circumstantial evidence in the case, as sources suggest the two spoke 20 hours before Sukesh was arrested on 15 April from a hotel in Delhi.

Sources say Sukesh had led Dinakaran to believe officials in the Election Commission could swing the decision in his favour if they were bribed with Rs 50 crore. The challenge for the police is to establish the hawala money trail in a convincing manner.

Tamil Nadu will look at the political fallout of the Dinakaran arrest with interest. With the top two in the ruling faction of the AIADMK  Sasikala and Dinakaran  in legal trouble and out of the picture, the decks are now clear for the two rival political camps to talk truce. So far, the O Panneerselvam camp has played hardball because it suspected that family's ouster was a charade and that there was more than what met the eye.

As evidence, it pointed to the party organ 'Namadhu MGR' which published an article this week that said that Sasikala and Dinakaran will be supported by the people and the party cadre. Former chief minister O Panneerselvam or OPS camp leader and former minister KP Munusamy who has been adopting a belligerent line vis-a-vis the rival camp says this is proof that the party is in the family's hands. What Munusamy glosses over is that right from Jayalalithaa's time, both Jaya TV and Namathu MGR have been controlled by Sasikala and her appointees and after 15 February, when she went to jail, by her loyalists. Which is why on most recent developments in the party, Jaya TV has played down the news. It will take another legal battle to take the two significant communication assets away from the family.

The removal of the posters was the Edappadi Palaniswamy camp's way of placating team OPS. But Panneerselvam wants to see the aunt and nephew's formal resignation letters before embarking on talks. Another condition is to order a CBI probe into Jayalalithaa's death, that they believe will end up indicting Sasikala's role. The ruling faction interprets imposition of these conditions as an attempt to stall the merger process.

The real hurdle is something else. The OPS camp is insistent on the chief minister's post, something Palaniswamy is not willing to part with. Senior leaders in the Panneerselvam camp argue that the party has followed the tradition of one leader, two posts, referring to both MGR and Jayalalithaa occupying both positions of chief minister and general secretary when they were around. More importantly, they feel OPS as general secretary will not be able to wield much clout given the bad blood between leaders of the two camps. For one, the eight legislators who owe allegiance to the Sasikala family are certain not to fall in line if OPS is party boss, more so if Dinakaran is in jail. Finally, when the party is in power, it is the chief minister who holds the real power.

But the Palaniswamy camp is reluctant to let the 12 MLA strong OPS camp dictate terms to the 122 MLA strong EPS faction. At best, Finance minister D Jayakumar is willing to let go of his finance portfolio and have OPS take charge of his old ministry. But as far as the chief minister's chair is concerned, the EPS camp and the Gounder community in particular, have closed ranks.

Given that the NDA government is possibly looking at the Lok Sabha election and polls to several state assemblies together in November 2018, the BJP which has been accused by the DMK of meddling in AIADMK affairs, won't be too keen on the government falling for at least the next 18 months. The warring factions have been told to hammer out a solution. But with both parties extremely unhappy to come together after the divorce, the re-marriage under duress is certain to take time.
Banners with images of VK Sasikala, general secretary of the AIADMK (Amma) faction, were removed from party headquarters in Chennai on Wednesday, reports have said. According to The Times of India, this comes after presiding chairman of the O Panneerselvam faction, E Madhusudanan, on Tuesday said that the banners should be removed to "uphold the sanctity" of the party headquarters.

The Panneerselvam camp welcomed the move, saying it was a "positive step." "This is definitely a positive step," 'Aspire' K Swaminathan, media coordinator of the Panneerselvam led AIADMK

(Puratchi Thalaivi Amma) told PTI. He also said the move came in "continuance" to Madhusudanan's appeal and said, "We are happy the cadres have decided to remove the banners." Panneerselvam had yesterday said that a "conducive" atmosphere was evolving in both camps for talks.

The decision to remove the banners comes at a time when Delhi Crime Branch arrested TTV Dinakaran on Tuesday in a case about bribing Election Commission, which puts the ruling AIADMK in trouble.

Earlier, a senior leader in former chief minister Panneerselvam's camp, KP Munusamy, said the rival camp now led by chief minister E Palaniswamy must secure the resignation of jailed Sasikala and her nephew Dinakaran from their party posts. Both of them should also be dismissed from the AIADMK, he told the media.

The Panneerselvam camp on 20 April discussed the developments in the ruling AIADMK, which has decided to sideline Sasikala and Dinakaran and let a panel of leaders run the party. Munusamy also asked the ruling AIADMK faction to withdraw the affidavit filed with the Election Commission naming Sasikala as General Secretary and Dinakaran as Deputy General Secretary.

The Panneerselvam faction also urged the state government to send a formal request for a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the death of then Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa.

He also said that after the two factions decide to merge, many MLAs would want Panneerselvam to be the chief minister while the party cadres would demand that he also be the AIADMK General Secretary.

Jayalalithaa died on 5 December after a prolonged illness, leading to developments that broke up the AIADMK into two factions. One faction was led by Sasikala and the other by Panneerselvam. After Sasikala took charge of the AIADMK, she forced Panneerselvam to quit, who finally revolted against her.

The Panneerselvam side of the party in the merger talks had demanded that 30 members of the Sasiskala family be formally expelled from the party. The Panneerselvam camp had also demanded withdrawal of affidavits submitted to the Election Commission by the Palaniswamy faction, declaring Sasikala and Dinakaran as party general secretary and deputy general secretary, respectively.

With inputs from agencies
As deputy general secretary of AIADMK (Amma) TTV Dinakaran was arrested by the Delhi Crime Branch on Tuesday, word is around that the Bharatiya Janata Party may have been stirring the soup that he has found himself in. And the saffron party, however cautious, has dropped ample hints.

As Dinakaran was arrested on Tuesday night  after four days of questioning for allegedly attempting to bribe an Election Commission official to try and retain AIADMK's old two-leaves symbol  the BJP expressed relief terming the move a "political cleansing" even as it rubbished allegations that it was meddling in the AIADMK's affairs.

According to a report in DNA, Tamil Nadu BJP chief Tamilisai Soundararajan welcomed the move. "They want to buy the votes, they want to buy the symbol and they want to buy the victory. That is the scenario prevalent in Tamil Nadu... We welcome the move. Our main aim is to cleanse the politics and it may be a step towards that," he said.

He, however, rubbished the allegations that the BJP may have played a party in the ongoing crisis, branding it as the "dangerous view" of communist and other opponent parties. Meanwhile, political pundits have guessed otherwise as the Centre's keen interest in Tamil Nadu politics has been visible since the death of Jayalalithaa.

The first blow was borne by the state's bureaucrats. In a move that would have been incomprehensible in Jayalalithaa's Tamil Nadu, Income Tax sleuths raided the office and home of the then Chief Secretary P Rama Mohana Rao.

The fact that the I-T department stayed away from the state police and used Central paramilitary forces, raised doubts whether the state government was even kept in loop before taking such an action against a senior bureaucrat.

Now, set aside for a second whether or not the I-T department had enough proof against Rao, it is still difficult to believe that a chief secretary would have been raided without a nod from the very top.

Besides this, Rao was a powerful man in the times of Jayalalithaa. She was known to trust her bureaucrats more than her ministers and the former wield more power than the latter. All the major decisions, in the state were often single-handedly taken by the chief minister's office. This is further highlighted by the fact that the Tamil Nadu bureaucracy continued to function like a well-oiled machinery even when Jailalithaa was indisposed to rule, and earlier when she had to step down and serve jail sentence in a corruption case. On both occasions, even as Panneerselvam filled in his shoes, he did not pick a new team.

It was only after that Rao's premises were raided and his son got caught up in a corruption case that the Panneerselvam government dismissed Rao, who nonchalantly mocked the decision. Panneerselvam government in Rao's rather frank opinion at the time, "did not have the guts to remove him".

His statement may be brazen and irrelevant today but it only goes on to show the kind of power the bureaucracy wielded, and if not for the direct intervention and support of the Centre and Jayalalithaa's absence, no body could have touched Amma's pet officers. Coming on to the political side, there too, BJP's footprints are amply visible.

Starting with Sasikala, the vehement opposition she faced from her own party MP and namesake Sasikala Pushpa raised several eyebrows. Pushpa was expelled from the party after a fallout with the Jayalalithaa. However, the grit and force with which she opposed the then unanimous selection of Sasikala as party general secretary was surprising.

Following that, the amount of trouble that Dinakaran attracted soon after he was planted as an AIADMK top brass by Sasikala is almost unprecedented. From allegations of trying to distribute money to voters to the sudden revival of old corruption cases against him, Dinakaran's political career was punched with many holes. The pressure was almost simultaneously upped by Panneerselvam by announcing open rebellion.

However, the last nail in the coffin was the current case, wherein he stands accused of bribing the poll panel officials. The controversial AIADMK leader had come under the scanner after the arrest of an alleged middleman and conman Sukesh Chandrasekar, who was being probed for several other cases.

Dinakaran had earlier maintained that he never met him, however, on Tuesday he conceded to knowing him but refuted allegations that he ever paid him money to bribe EC officials. Once the case had grabbed enough eyeballs, it was no surprise that Dinakaran, who was appointed deputy general secretary by Sasikala, has been isolated in his party amid moves to merge rival factions led by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister EK Palaniswami and his predecessor Panneerselvam.

A powerful section of the ruling AIADMK (Amma) also revolted against the Sasikala-Dhinakaran leadership as Panneerselvam, who is leading the rival faction, demanded ouster of Sasikala and Dhinakaran as a condition for merger talks. The merger is now only a matter of time and it boils down to the discussion of who gets what from the new pie of post-merger AIADMK.

Meanwhile, as Dinakaran has his legal mess to sort out and Panneerselvam will focus on taking over the government in state, the saffron party has quietly been making inroads into the state politics where it had previously failed to gain even a toehold.

According to a report in Hindustan Times, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), is working tirelessly to increase its influence in Tamil Nadu. Only recently, the BJP topbrass met RSS functionaries in the state, to discuss the RSS activity in the region. Although they officially delinked the meeting from BJP's politics, the state leaders weren't averse to accepting that a larger support base of RSS in the state will mean more votes for the BJP.
Kolkata: In a swipe at Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee, BJP chief Amit Shah on Wednesday said she was suffering from "BJP phobia" and claimed that her constant criticism of his party was indicative of its rise in Bengal.

"Mamata Banerjee is having BJP phobia. She is seeing Bharatiya Janata Party everywhere," Shah told reporters here, when asked about her charge that the ruling party at the Centre was intimidating Trinamool leaders.

"No one (from the Trinamool) is in touch with us."

He also rejected Banerjee's allegation that the Narada sting footage scandal was a 'political conspiracy'.

"Trinamool leaders were seen in the video footage taking bribes. Not only Bengal, the entire country has seen it. The allegation is based on evidence, it is not a mere statement of the allegation."

Shah, however, scotched speculation that some Trinamool Congress leaders, allegedly involved in scams like Saradha, Rose Valley and also seen taking money in the Narada sting footage, were in touch with the BJP to save their skin.

"This is all imagination. None one has contacted us," he said at the Kolkata Press Club.

Commenting on the Trinamool's constant criticism of his party, Shah said: "It's a pleasure that the Trinamool is acknowledging the BJP. They used to attack only the Congress and the Left parties earlier."

"The way Mamatadi is criticising the BJP of late, that is a matter of concern for the communists."

The Communist-led Left Front ruled the state from 1977 to 2011, till it was voted out by the Trinamool.

He said after the party's successes in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Goa and Manipur, the BJP leadership has coined the slogan 'Ebar Bangla' (This time Bengal), and would reach out across the state with the message.

The BJP remains committed to bringing back the lost glory of the state if it comes to power and would seal the border to stop infiltration from Bangladesh, he said.

"The Bengal government has failed to take steps to check fake currency supply coming from across the Bangladesh border. They have also totally failed to check infiltration of Bangladeshis," Shah said.

He refused to attach much importance to Banerjee's accusation that the BJP was trying to create a religious divide in the state.

"BJP does not indulge in politics over religion. Forget what Mamata is saying. Listen to what people of Bengal are saying."

Criticising the "appeasement politics" of the state government, he said: "I believe that administration in Bengal has been communally driven, that is why cases of clashes have increased."

He said it was "unfortunate" that permission had to be taken from the Calcutta High Court for immersion of idols during the Durga Puja. "This government can't even protect the rights of the people to perform Saraswati Puja."

Responding to a query that the state has slapped cases against state BJP President Dilip Ghosh for spearheading a Ram Navmi rally by wielding a sword, Shah said: "Not a single party worker has been booked in corruption cases. No one was caught before TV cameras taking money. If they violate rules, cases will be registered."

Shah, however, defended Ghosh, who has repeatedly courted controversy for making controversial and provocative remarks.

He said Ghosh is unable to tolerate politics of appeasement and discrimination.

"Dilip da is speaking well now," Shah added.
Lucknow: Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav alleged on Wednesday that the Saharanpur BJP MP and his party leaders were responsible for the clash between two communities in the district.

He demanded a judicial probe into the episode and the arrest of the accused.

The former chief minister also alleged this was not the first time that the MP, Raghav Lakhanpal, was involved in a communal flare-up "as he believes that such ways are more convenient for winning elections".

"The way in which morale of police and administration has come down in the present regime will not take the state forward," Akhilesh said.

"There should be a judicial probe into the incident of clash between two communities in Saharanpur on 20 April and all accused should be arrested. It will a test of the BJP government as to when it will arrest MP Raghav Lakhanpal, Deoband MLA Kunwar Vijendra Singh, BJP leader Amit Gagneja and the other accused who incited the communal incident," he said in a press conference at the SP headquarters here.

Several people, including Lakhanpal and SSP Love Kumar, were injured in brick-batting between members of two communities on 20 April following an argument over an Ambedkar Jayanti rally passing through the communally sensitive Janakpuri area.

Later, the MP and his supporters had protested outside the residence of the SSP, and had allegedly damaged a CCTV camera and removed his nameplate.

Akhilesh said the SP had sent a fact-finding delegation comprising its leaders to Saharanpur.

SP leader Mehboob Ali, who was part of the team, said that no permission had been taken by BJP leaders for taking out the procession, echoing the SSP's statement on the matter.

"This for the first time such an incident has happened where an SSP's residence was attacked," he said.

Akhilesh said that the language used by BJP leaders was a "threat to democracy", which may be felt by the media in future.

On the Sukma attack in which 25 jawans were killed, Akhilesh mocked the Centre for saying that demonetisation was a blow to Naxal militants.

"They (Centre) used to say that demonetisation will be break back bone of naxals. Now from where are they getting the money. Naxals' source of income should be probed and a roadmap should be made for this," he said.

BJP was quick to react on Akhilesh's allegations against its MP, saying that he should first look into its regime where hooligans and mafias were given "government patronage".

"In BJP regime, there is no government patronage to anyone who takes law into his hand unlike previous SP regime. As far as Saharanpur incident is concerned, FIR has been registered and arrests are being made. There is no government patronage to anyone," state BJP spokesman Rakesh Tripathi said.
BJP President Amit Shah on Wednesday thanked the people of Delhi for their support to BJP in the MCD elections and made allegations of corruption against the Mamata Banerjee government in Bengal.

Addressing a press conference on his three-day visit to Bengal, the national president of BJP spoke on various issues like Narada scam, counterfeit currency in West Bengal and the rise of BJP in the state.

Starting his speech on a triumphant note, he said, "MCD election results have carried forward the victory chariot of BJP forward. People of Delhi have proved that the people of this country won't support any kind of negative politics."

He said that the Delhi civic polls were a vote in favour of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's three years in power and a vote against the "negative politics" of the AAP.

He thanked the people of Delhi for supporting the BJP in the MCD election and also thanked Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari and the party workers for the win. He rubbished Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's claims on EVM-tampering.

Making allegations of corruption and poor governance against the Mamata Banerjee-led TMC government in the state, he said, "Every fifth person in Bengal is working below the poverty line. Under the rule of TMC, Bengal is the lowest in terms of development."

"When India became independent, Bengal's share in India's development was 25 percent. Now it has reduced to four percent. This shows that this state has increasingly reducing its share in development, first in the rule of the communists and now in the rule of Trinamool Congress," he said.

He also said, "Bengal government has completely failed in stopping the business of counterfeit currency."

When asked to expand on his strong claims, he said, "Bengal has witnessed the most number of bomb blasts in this country. No other state has seen this much violence. Everyone knows that Bengal shares a border with Bangladesh, and that is how the counterfeit currency is entering India's boundaries."

The BJP leader was confident that the saffron party would successfully win the support of Bengali people for the 2019 General Elections. He said, "After Manipur, Uttar Pradesh, etc BJP workers have decided that now they would like to raise the BJP flag in Bengal."

He said that if BJP government is elected in Bengal, then the agricultural sector will see a significant growth just like that in Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, etc.

Responding to Mamata Banerjee's claims that the Narada scam is a political event constructed by the BJP, he said, "There is no conspiracy here. This is not a bad accusation. The tape clearly shows TMC leaders taking bribe. This is an evidence-based accusation."

Rubbishing Banerjee's accusations that the BJP is trying to break the TMC government through bribery and bullying, Shah said, "She now has BJP-phobia. We are not in touch with any TMC leaders."

He added, "Atleast they are acknowledging us now. Earlier they used to slam communists and Congress, now it is BJP's turn."

On the Sukma attack, he said, "Like I said yesterday, violence can be answered only with development. BJP will take strong action against Naxalites and Maoists. Our only answer is Sabka saath sabka vikas."

He also announced his 15-day tour to states like West Bengal, Orissa, Telangana, Lakshwadeep and Gujarat, where he will be visiting each of the above states for three days.

When asked to comment on the surge of violence in the country and the role of gau rakshaks (cow vigilantes), he said, "Everyone should follow the law. We have strongly sent this message."

He declined to comment on the Babri Masjid case.

With inputs from agencies
Bhubaneswar: Former Union coal minister Dilip Ray claimed on Wednesday he was a victim of "political vendetta" by the then UPA government after a special CBI court framed charges against him for his alleged involvement in coal block allocation case.

Ray, however, said he has complete faith in the judicial system claiming his innocence in the coal scam.

"The scam ridden United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government out of sheer political vendetta pressurised the CBI to dig out something to malign me and its predecessor NDA government headed by Atal Bihari Vajpayee and FIR was registered in September 2012," said Ray, who is a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA in Odisha.

The case pertains to the alleged irregularities in Brahmadiha coal block in Jharkhand to Castron Technologies Limited in 1999 while Ray was a Minister of state (Independent charge) for coal in the erstwhile National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government.

"While I was the minister, BJP MP PK Agarwal had brought the coal block allocation proposal. I had sent it to the ministry for re-examining it. The CBI has erroneously alleged that in view of my endorsement of his representation for re-examination, Castron owned by Agrawal was allotted a coal block," said Ray in a statement.

He said Screening Committee recommends allotment of coal blocks where he wasn't a member of it then.

Ray also said that grant of this coal block in question was in fact recommended by the Jharkhand state government in favour of Castron, as it was an abandoned coal block of yesteryear's from which coal was regularly being looted by the coal mafia.

The state government wanted legal utilisation of this block, he added.

"I was advised by my legal team not to seek a discharge (which would have only delayed the proceedings) and to volunteer myself for a speedy trial since I have complete faith in the judicial system and I have done nothing wrong in nearly four decades of my public life," said the BJP leader.
Ahmedabad: The Congress on Wednesday appointed former Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot as its general secretary in-charge for Gujarat in place of Gurudas Kamat, ahead of the state Assembly polls due later this year.

Kamat, meanwhile, welcomed the decision to give the charge of Gujarat to Gehlot.

The Congress high command has revamped the entire team in Gujarat by replacing the general secretary in-charge and appointed four new secretaries. The move to appoint the new team is being seen as a firm step by the Congress to give a tough fight to the BJP government in the home state of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The development comes at a time when some state Congress leaders are vying to be the chief ministerial face for the Gujarat polls.

Apart from Gehlot, the other four members of his team are Youth Congress chief Rajeev Satav, Harshvardhan Sapkal, Varsha Gaikwad and Jeetu Patwari. "Congress president Sonia Gandhiji has assigned the task of looking after Gujarat affairs to a new AICC team, headed by senior leader and former chief minister of Rajasthan Ashok Gehlot," Gujarat Congress president Bhartsinh Solanki told reporters.

"Kamatji did good work when he was the in-charge of Gujarat. But the party has taken a decision to appoint Gehlotji and four other secretaries to look after Gujarat affairs," Solanki said, without giving any reason for Kamat being replaced in the election year.

Kamat, who handled the party's affairs till now, has had internal problems within the party in Maharashtra after the Congress' debacle in state civic polls.

In the last seven months, he had been instrumental in the process of selection of candidates for the Assembly polls and organising various public programmes, including a demand of reservation for the economically backward people among upper castes.

The Patel community, which is also agitating for quota, had earlier appreciated such a move by the Congress.

The Congress is hopeful that it can give a tough fight to the BJP, which lacks a strong leader to head the state after Modi became the prime minister in 2014.

Various agitations, like the Patels demanding quota, the Dalit uprising after the Una flogging incident and demands of the OBC communities from the government, have also made the Congress hopeful of defeating the BJP in the state.

Last week, Kamat attended a meeting called by Leader of Opposition Shankarsinh Vaghela-led group in which 36 sitting Congress MLAs, out of their strength of 54 in the state Assembly, demanded that the latter be declared as the chief ministerial candidate. However, the Solanki camp and other Congress old timers are apparently not in favour of projecting Vaghela as the party's chief ministerial face.

Solanki himself is in the race for being the chief ministerial face of the party.

Senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel had rushed to Gujarat after the meeting of Vaghela group. He had tried to placate things by listening to all the sections of the party.

Solanki said he spoke to Gehlot on phone and invited him and his team to participate in a tribal rally to be held on 1 May at Dediyapada in Bharuch district.

Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi is slated to address the rally.

Meanwhile, Kamat welcomed the decision to give the charge of Gujarat to Gehlot. "I welcome the decision of @INCIndia to give charge of Gujarat to Ashok Gehlot and 4 secretaries," Kamat, who also holds charge of Rajasthan, said in a tweet.

"Had asked Cong VP to relieve me on 3rd Feb the day Congress list of candidates (for Mumbai civic polls) was declared in Mumbai & again on 21st Feb day of polling," he said in another tweet.

"Followed my request to VP Rahul Gandhi with a letter to Congress President. Met VP last Wed &asked to be relieved of all responsibilities," he said.

He also thanked Sonia and Rahul Gandhi.

I welcome the decision of @INCIndia to give charge of Gujarat to @ashokgehlot51 and 4 Secretaries. @OfficeOfRG 1/4  Gurudas Kamat (@KamatGurudas) April 26, 2017

Had asked Cong VP to relieve me on 3rd Feb the day Congress list of Candidates was declared in Mumbai & again on 21stFeb day of Polling. 2/4  Gurudas Kamat (@KamatGurudas) April 26, 2017

Followed my request to VP Rahul Gandhi with a letter to Congress President. Met VP last Wed &asked tobe relieved of all responsibilities.3/4  Gurudas Kamat (@KamatGurudas) April 26, 2017
Mumbai: The Shiv Sena on Wednesday demanded uniform fuel prices across the country and sought compensation for the local civic body post-GST roll-out on account of revenue loss due to abolition of octroi.

A delegation of senior Sena leaders, led by Maharashtra Minister for Industries Subhash Desai and Rajya Sabha MP Anil Desai called on Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis yesterday at the latter's residence Varsha and raised a host of issues.

The delegation demanded that the BJP-led government compensate the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on account of scrapping of octroi after the Goods and Services Tax (GST) comes into effect, a party leader present at the meeting said today.

The Sena team maintained that there should be uniform prices of fuel across the country, he said.

Yesterday, Sena president Uddhav Thackeray had slammed the Centre over high prices of petrol and diesel in the country.

Speaking to reporters, Thackeray had said prices of petrol and diesel have fallen all over the world, but the same has not happened in the country.

Referring to the impending imposition of GST, he said if uniform taxation is going to be introduced, then prices of petrol and diesel should be uniform all over the country.

Thackeray said states levy taxes on petrol and diesel as per their convenience, leading to a rise in their prices.

"Prices of petrol and diesel in Mumbai are among the highest in the country and this was wrong," he said.

The Sena delegation demanded that the state allocate funds to the BMC over the next five years on account of scrapping of octroi, which was a key source of revenue for the civic body.

The Sena members said post-abolition of octroi the BMC is set to lose revenue of about Rs 7,000 crore annually, the party leader said.
Mumbai: In a surprise move, senior Congress leader and AICC General Secretary Gurudas Kamat has quit all posts in the party, according to a statement in Mumbai on Wednesday.

"I had met Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi last week on Wednesday and discussed to be relieved off all responsibilities," he said in a terse statement, hinting at retirement from active politics.

Kamat said he had requested Gandhi to relieve him from all responsibilities on 3 February, the day Congress candidates were announced for the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation elections, and repeated his plea on February 21, the day of the BMC polling.

He said he had pursued his request with a letter to Gandhi after the BMC elections, in which the Congress was severely routed.

"I thank Congress President Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi for the opportunity given to me to serve the party," he said without elaborating on the reasons for his decision.

Kamat welcomed the appointment of senior party colleague Ashok Gehlot, former Rajasthan Chief Minister, and four AICC secretaries to look after the affairs of the Congress in Gujarat, which is slated to go to polls later in2017.

As an AICC General Secretary, Kamat was handling the party affairs for the crucial western Indian state of Gujarat, besides Rajasthan, and Union Territories of Dadra, Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu.

Earlier, in June 2016, he created a flutter by announcing his decision to quit the Congress and politics, but was persuaded by the Gandhis to stay back and continue working for the party.

Prior to that, he had shot into headlines in July 2011 when he abruptly quit the Union Cabinet, citing "personal reasons" for his move.

A lawyer by qualification, the 62-year-old Kamat has represented Mumbai North-East Lok Sabha constituency five times  in 1984, 1991, 1998, 2004, 2009  and served as the Minister of State for Home affairs with additional charge of Minister of Communications and Information Technology under former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

A former Mumbai Congress President for two terms, he was respected for his deep knowledge of the city politics and his absence may sharply pinch the party.

Starting his political career as a student leader, he rose to become the President of National Students Union of India, of the Maharashtra Pradesh Youth Congress, the Indian Youth Congress, as well as the Vice President of the party's Maharashtra unit, besides serving in the Union Cabinet.
Lucknow: BSP chief Mayawati today echoed Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav's comments on law and order in Uttar Pradesh, alleging that the "saffron brigade" has been given a free hand to break the law. She alleged that instead of doing concrete work in the wider interest of the state, the BJP government here, like the one at the Centre, was giving more importance to gaining cheap publicity.

Akhilesh had yesterday remarked that those wearing saffron scarves had got the licence to beat up policemen and attack police stations after the change of guard in Uttar Pradesh.

The comments from both leaders came in the backdrop of right-wing activists thrashing policemen in Agra besides other law and order related incidents in the state. "The saffron brigade has been given freedom to play with the law and order of the state like it was given to goondas and mafia elements of the ruling party in the previous (SP) government," she told party leaders at a meeting in Lucknow.

Mayawati said there is a dangerous trend growing under the present government of people trying become "heroes" by playing with law and order, which she said had been evident at all levels during the previous govenrment. Taking feedback on the functioning of the state

government, she said the deprived sections, Dalits and backwards were feeling harassed because of the policies and programmes of the ruling party, and their condition was no different from what it was during the SP govenrment.

Mayawati, who has announced that her party will contest the coming urban body polls on the party symbol, also reviewed the preparations for it and issued directives to party men to deal with the political challenges.
"Elections belong to the people. It's their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they will just have to sit on their blisters," said Abraham Lincoln long, long ago.

But Arvind Kejriwal refuses to draw any lesson from the legendary American presidents oft-quoted statement. He thinks that those who control the levers of power in Government of India are not being fair to the Opposition. He also thinks that the latest Delhi Municipal Corporation (MCD) polls have been rigged, thanks to what his lieutenant Gopal Rai describes as EVM wave.

No doubt, the Delhi chief minister is a bad loser. He just cant accept defeat gracefully. Chances are that he, who had descended on the Indian political scene like a chivalrous-knight-in-shining-armour in the wake of the Anna Hazare movement and was, as a result, rewarded with a sweeping mandate to rule over Delhi about two years ago, might now fade away for all political purposes like a Prafulla Kumar Mahanta  another product of a mass movement.

Remember what Kejriwal had said on Monday: "We shall launch a movement if exit poll results predicting a BJP sweep in the civic body elections come true... agar aise result aate hain to hum eent se eent baja denge.

Now the results are there for all to see. The people of Delhi have rejected the Aam Aadmi Party: fairly and squarely. And look at what the AAP leader and Delhi's Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia says in his tweet after declaration of the results: "BJP ne 2009 ka chunav haarne ke baad 5 saal EVM par research kar maharat haasil ki aur aaj usi maharat ke dum par chunav jeet rahi hai (After they lost the elections in 2009, the BJP did a lot of research into the EVMs for five years to gain expertise over the machine; and on the basis of this expertise, they are winning election after election.

But all anti-BJP, anti-Modi politicians do not react the way Kejriwal does. The Shiv Sena has a different take on the issue altogether. Here is what Senas mouthpiece Saamana says about the BJP in its editorial published earlier this week: Zero in work but a hero in polls... There was a time when the Congress used to win every election. They were zero in work but hero in polls. Similar is the case with BJP today.

The Saamana editorial, which was written in wake of Senas poor performance in the Maharashtra civic body elections on 19 April, says further: This time the Sena was unable to even open its account. We will not blame the EVMs to be faulty for the BJPs victory but a research should be done as to why people are getting swept, and farmers and youth are rallying behind the BJP like a snake does behind a charmer.

You may or may not agree with what the Saamna editorial says, but one thing is clear: Unlike Kejriwal, Uddhav Thakre is at least 50 percent right in his approach to electoral defeats. He wants a proper research to be done to understand why the momentum continues to be with the BJP.

True, Delhi and Maharashtra results apart, the BJP has been on a winning spree at most other places too in the past one year or so. After winning Assam elections in 2016, the party raced past the post like never before in Uttar Pradesh this year. They also performed very well in civic body elections in Gujarat, Odisha and even Chandigarh making it clear that they have, by now, replaced the Congress as Indias numero uno political outfit, undoubtedly.

Its not that the MCD election results wouldnt make an impact on the national political scene. In fact, chances are that the different opposition parties would now make moves to cobble up a "mahagathbandhan" with renewed vigour. There is a solid reason why they would do this: Faced against the almost unstoppable momentum of the BJP, they know that they are all facing an existential crisis. The only way to get better of the saffron outfit is to forge "honest" unity without any further delay. Otherwise, they may not stay afloat in politics.

All of them know all this for sure. Already, Sonia Gandhi (Congress), Nitish Kumar (JD-U), Laloo Prasad (RJD), Mamata Banerjee (TMC), Sitaram Yechury (CPM), Navin Patnaik (BJD), Akhilesh Yadav (SP), Mayawati (BSP), MK Stalin (DMK) and many others are in touch, both directly and indirectly.

And as for poor AAP, Kejriwal has already expressed the hope that good people who had left the party will return to its fold. Its a different thing if the good people who had moved away may now find the party to be too bad to get back.
New Delhi: Former Delhi Chief Minister and Congress leader Sheila Dikshit on Wednesday said the Congress did not campaign aggressively to win the civic polls and added that she had not been invited to campaign for party candidates.

"We are going through a bad time. Congress did not campaign in an aggressive way. It did not do what it should have done to win the Delhi civic polls," Dikshit told media persons in Delhi.

Asked why she did not campaign for Congress candidates, Dikshit said: "I was not invited for any of the campaign programmes. If I would have been informed I would have certainly done."

Her remarks came as counting trends showed the BJP was leading in 141 wards, while the AAP was at second spot, leading in 40 and the Congress in 28 wards.

On allegations by the AAP of tampering with the EVMs, Dikshit said: "Winners and losers have different versions to the problem. But in a case like this, the government and the Election Commission should come up with a solution."

She pointed to the Punjab elections, in which the Congress won, saying the party never raised any issue over the EVMs.

Aggressive campaign karna chahiye tha, maine campaign nahi kiya kyunki kisi ne mujhe kaha hi nahi: Sheila Dikshit #DelhiMCDElections2017 pic.twitter.com/zNNe5jWosZ  ANI (@ANI_news) April 26, 2017

She also said the Congress will bounce back. "The Congress is going through a bad phase. The BJP also did for a long time. We will also come back. Congress' soul resides in India, people will understand."
New Delhi: The BJP's huge win in the Delhi civic elections has sparked speculation whether it will repeat the strategy of denying tickets to incumbent representatives, a tactic often adopted by Narendra Modi as Gujarat chief minister, in the upcoming state polls.

Its decision of not fielding any sitting councillor in the Delhi civic polls was a lift from Modi's playbook as he had once replaced all councillors in Gujarat and led the BJP to a two-third majority in municipal elections.

Modi also dropped many sitting MLAs in Assembly elections as he led his party to impressive wins poll after poll.

Bihar BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi acknowledged the success of this strategy as much with a tweet on Wednesday.

"Narendra bhai had once replaced all councillors in Gujarat and won 2/3 seats in local elections. Same strategy worked in the MCD," he said in a tweet.

The success of this strategy in Delhi, despite the not very impressive performance of the party-run municipal corporations in the last 10 years, has prompted many leaders to wonder if this formula may be repeated.

Unlike the states where BJP won under Modi and party president Amit Shah where it was not in power, the states heading for polls this year and the next include Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan. BJP is in power in all these states and will have to contend with the anti-incumbency factor.

Dropping incumbent councillors in Delhi was apparently a tactic to beat anti-incumbency the saffron party might have faced.

It has been in power in Gujarat for close to two decades and will complete 15 years in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.
Mumbai: Social activist Anna Hazare on Wednesday blamed his former protege and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's quest for power behind the Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) debacle in the Delhi civic polls.

As the counting of votes polled in the 23 April elections progressed, the BJP was headed for a clean sweep and retained the three municipal corporations for the third term in a row.

"People gave him a mandate and he got an opportunity to turn Delhi into a model state for the entire country to replicate. But power is bad. Once you sit in the chair, you lose your power of thinking," said Hazare.

"Instead of working for Delhi, he started thinking about (capturing power in) Punjab and Goa. There was no need for him to hurry. But he was in a hurry and people realised that it is power in his mind and not society or the country," he said.

Hazare also rejected Kejriwal's charge regarding tampering of electronic voting machines and said that in reality the gap between the AAP leaders' words and deeds eroded public faith in them.

"The deeds were not in accordance with words  that is why this erosion of public faith. Their leaders are talking of introspection, but they should have done it earlier. What is its use now?" Hazare asked.
The BJP and media analysts are attributing the win in Delhi's civic body elections to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's charisma  and even detecting a 'Modi wave'  but the fact is this is more a negative vote against Arvind Kejriwal than a positive vote for anybody else.

The 'Modi model' has been working well for the BJP. It went into Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections without a chief ministerial candidate, asked the electorate to vote for Modi and pulled off a stunning win. It is natural that all wins  be it at local or national levels  will be paid as an obeisance at the feet of a man who has become larger than the party. However, it cannot be said with certainty that Modi himself would like to take the credit for a win that seems more of a reaction from the Delhi residents who have finally had it with Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.

Three hours into counting, when the BJP was leading in 181 out of 272 seats across all municipalities with the AAP and Congress in distant second and third spots, respectively. As the trend became clear, Aam Admi Party leaders went into a huddle and blamed their loss on EVMs, suggesting that it is inconceivable for a party to 'sweep' civic body polls when they haven't been 'sweeping Delhi's streets for a decade'.

Arvind Kejriwal's advisor Nagendar Sharma blames EVMs, says: "When machines are with you human will is of no relevance" #AAPKaReferendum pic.twitter.com/1WEytQj5Fr  TIMES NOW (@TimesNow) April 26, 2017

A party which was held responsible for lack of sanitation in Delhi gets a thumping victory and it needs to be explained: @AashishKhetan pic.twitter.com/4vRXjBZaJC  News18 (@CNNnews18) April 26, 2017

If we ignore these allegations about EVMs just for a while, AAP's bewilderment over the results is understandable. Truth be told, the BJP has done nothing of note in the last 14 years of its handling of power in Municipal Corporation of Delhi to merit such a strong performance. In fact, its members have been guilty of indulging in the worst sort of politics by turning Delhi's streets and sanitation framework into veritable tools in its fight against AAP.

As garbage piled up, drains choked and workers went into a strike, Delhi residents were forced into a living hell. The AAP kept up its own end of the bargain by refusing to release the salaries of MCD workers and was even by ridiculed by the court for doing so. It was quite clear that Delhi residents were caught at the crossfire between BJP-AAP war.

Why then did the voters bring BJP back to power?

The answer is simple. Arvind Kejriwal. This 'love story' has gone extremely sour in a very quick time. And Kejriwal has none but himself to blame. Kejriwal's disintegration post Punjab defeat has been rapid. His self-delusion is now beyond repair. If his rise was meteoric, his fall has been steeper still. It is not wise to write anyone's epitaph in politics and it is entirely possible that Kejriwal will be able to turn the tide. However, at this moment, that seems improbable because he has been guilty of squandering the most precious capital that makes or breaks a politician  credibility.

Kejriwal's approach to politics always had a maverick quality to it. Not for him the steady building of party's vertical structures of dissemination of responsibilities. He concentrated power in his own hands and then jumped headlong into the national scene believing that his ambition will be enough to bend the spatial and temporal rules of politics.

Ambition is a necessary quality in a politician. However, it must be rooted in realism. It isn't clear whether Kejriwal took media myths more seriously than he should have but in the expulsion of his party's founding leaders and in efforts of spreading of AAP's footprint thinner than vertical structures would allow he showed inexperience as a politician. He could have taken some lessons from Modi, the most talented politician of his era, but Kejriwal started believing in the delusion that he could place himself as Modi's replacement by simply lowering the political discourse.

These were initial mistakes. The stunning defeat in Punjab and rout in Goa should have chastised him and send him back to the drawing board but Kejriwal showed that his delusion is now complete by blaming EVMs for his loss. This was the final straw as far as Delhi is concerned. Victory and defeats are par for the course in politics. By taking on the Election Commission, one of the most stable and venerated Consitutional bodies in the country with an impeccable record of non-partisanship, Kejriwal literally forced the voters into rejecting him.

It is difficult to predict AAP's political future from here. Voters, I would argue, are cross with Kejriwal more than AAP. However, since Kejriwal has kept AAP tied firmly to his apron strings, it is likely that AAP's sun will set as he walks into irrelevance.
BJPs sweeping victory in the election to three Municipal Corporations of Delhi (MCD) is a revenge of sorts after its humiliating defeat in the Delhi state election two years ago when it won a meagre three out of the 70 Assembly seats, and the relatively new Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) registered a stunning victory winning the rest 67 seats.

Two years after that spectacular success in the Assembly polls, the AAP has been made to bite the dust in the MCD election the results of which were declared on Wednesday. The ruling party of the Delhi state has been roundly defeated in all three municipal corporations in Delhi by the incumbent BJP, a party which has been in control of the MCD for last 10 years and which is also currently in power at the Centre.

Though it was just a municipal election, it ended up becoming a high-profile contest, with both BJP and AAP going all-out to win the trust of the Delhi residents. The Congress was supposed to be a minor player at the hustings.

For AAP, the MCD election was a means to have greater control over the affairs of Delhi. Sandwiched between a BJP-controlled MCD and BJP-led NDA-ruled Centre, the AAP felt that, despite its unprecedented victory in the Assembly election, it was not able to deliver on its electoral promises to the Delhi public. Control over the MCD would have expanded its footprint at the grassroots level.

Moreover, the victory in the MCD election would have come as a sorely needed boost to the partys morale, especially after its much-vaunted electoral campaign for snatching power in Punjab and Goa ended in a damp squib.

For BJP, the MCD election was important for two reasons: First, to maintain the momentum of the winning spree in different state election achieved over the past year, the latest being the landslide victory in Uttar Pradesh; second, Delhi was specifically important to avenge the humiliation of 2015, when the party failed to win even 10 percent seats to legally claim the position of the Leader of the Opposition in the state Assembly.

The humiliation was difficult to swallow because just over a year before that election, in December 2013 Assembly polls, the saffron party had emerged as the single-largest party in the state winning 40 percent seats in the Assembly and again in May 2014 general elections, it had made a clean sweep taking all seven seats of Delhi. Therefore, for the BJP, victory in the MCD elections was a must to avenge the defeat of 2015.

Clearly, Kejriwals national ambition did him in. He spent a lot of time last year campaigning in Punjab as he most likely saw himself as the chief minister of the prosperous state if AAP could have managed to win a majority in the Assembly election held in February this year. But AAP and Kejriwals dreams were shattered by the relatively poor showing in the state.

So holding on to Delhi, its only bastion at the moment, was crucial for Kejriwal. But the people of Delhi decided to teach a lesson to the absentee chief minister who seemed to take Delhi voters for granted. The severe defeat in the MCD election has brought Kejriwal down to earth.

But the question is: Has the MCD election result sent out a message that it is curtains for AAP and Kejriwal in Delhi?

Many would be tempted to say yes but that would be a sweeping observation. Apart from the given wisdom that one cannot for sure write the political obituary of a leader or a party, the fact is that in Delhi, the municipal, state and Lok Sabha election have shown contrarian trends over the years.

Just go back 20 years. In the 1997 MCD election, the BJP had registered an impressive victory by winning 79 of the 134 wards existing then. The Congress then got only 37 seats. But just a year later, in the 1998 Delhi Assembly election, the Congress received a thumping mandate by winning 52 of the 70 seats; the BJP could win only 15 seats. But, again a year later, in October 1999 general elections, BJP swept the polls in Delhi winning all seven seats.

However, in the 2002 MCD election, the political fortune reversed; the Congress swept the polls, though the BJP was then still ruling at the Centre. Next year, in 2003, the Congress managed to retain power in Delhi. And the very next year, in 2004, Congress-led UPA came to power at the Centre; it won six out of seven seats in Delhi.

For three years, from 2004 till 2007, Congress ruled over the Centre, Delhi state and Delhi Municipal Corporation. But that dream run of the Congress came to an end in 2007 when BJP took control of the MCD winning 164 of the 272 seats. But the BJP could not repeat this performance in the state Assembly election a year later. In 2008, Sheila Dikshit won a splendid third successive term for the Congress in Delhi. Congress continued its success story in 2009 Lok Sabha election when it retained power at the Centre and won all seven seats of Delhi.

But the Congress could not wrest the control of the MCD from the BJP in the 2012 election, though the party was in power both at the Centre and the state of Delhi that year.

In 2013, debutant AAP entered the fray as a third player in Delhi Assembly election. It captured the popular imagination by running down the establishment politics represented by the Congress and the BJP and came out with flying colours. It had a short stint of 49 days in power.

In 2014, the BJP, under Narendra Modi, swept the national polls. It won all the seven Lok Sabha seats in Delhi. But barely nine months later, AAP scripted history by inflicting the most humiliating defeat on the BJP in the Delhi Assembly election. And now, in 2017, the BJP has won an impressive victory in the municipal election in Delhi by trouncing the AAP.

Political history of Delhi tells us that, despite this momentous victory of the BJP in the MCD polls, the possibilities in the 2019 Lok Sabha election and 2020 Assembly election in the state remain wide open.
Editor's note: On Tuesday, a day before the counting of votes in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi election, former Aam Aadmi Party leader Mayank Gandhi wrote a scathing open letter on his blog to AAP convenor and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal. Recounting when he first met Kejriwal and how the pair bonded under the banner of Anna Hazare's fast-unto-death in Mumbai, Gandhi goes onto describe his disillusionment at the Delhi chief minister's politics. "You took the complete credit and felt that the support of the nation was for Arvind Kejriwal, the person. You assumed that you were the pied piper whom people were following, but in fact it was the music of a new political culture that had people enchanted," writes Gandhi.

You can watch Gandhi's message above or read the full text below:

Dear Arvind,

A defeat deals a body blow to arrogance and makes the mind ready to reflect. So, the timing is appropriate.

I am addressing you as your former friend and colleague who believes that AAP can still be salvaged and become the party for alternative politics. I am reaching out to you because my agony is not just mine; but of lakhs of volunteers, donors and supporters.

We have known each other since 2003, when I was part of Annaji's fast-to-death in Mumbai for the RTI etc. You have been my hero first, friend next and politician later.

Let me address the hero first.

I remember how you convinced me to get out of my spiritual pursuit and lead the IAC movement in Maharashtra when we met in Nov 2011 in a conference hosted by Bhagwanji Raiyani in SP Jain Institute, Mumbai. In spite of my reluctance, you announced my name. I respected you too much to decline.

I remember in mid 2012, when we both were travelling in an auto in Aarey Colony that you told me to quit my job so that I could give full time to the Anna andolan. In spite of my precarious financial situation, I quit my job.

I remember we used to discuss idealism in politics till late in the night whenever you stayed with us. My daughter, who was part of those discussions, got inspired to become an IRS like you. So, not just me, my entire family believed in your ideals.

I remember that you sent Manish Sisodia to study the experiment that we, in Mumbai, were working on for a citizen consensus candidate for Juhu in 2009. We both were working on creating a model where political candidates could be elected without using money, muscle or divisive agenda i.e. without use of caste, communal, criminal or corrupt practices.

That was exactly what AAP attempted in the 2013 and 2015 Delhi elections, successfully.

I remember how we used to speak for hours about how the personality or high command driven politics of India was destroying the nation be it Cong or the BJP or the Thackerays or Lalu, Mayavati and Mulayam. You hated that, then!

When I announced from the stage that you will remove the tubes if you were force fed during your Jantar Mantar fast, there were tears in my eyes along with many others in the audience.

When I came to meet you in Delhi during your fast for electricity your health and determination completely shook me up. You refused to compromise. You would rather break than bend. Millions like me admired you and were willing to even give up their lives for you. You were our hero. Where is that Arvind?

Like Anna, you were a symbol of the aspirations of an awakened nation. A symbol of the principles of Participation, Accountability, Transparency, Decentralization and Integrity. A symbol of the anger we all felt against the other parties that worked with the 4C (corruption, communalism, criminalization and casteism). AAP became a symbol of the fight of crores of our countrymen against the corrupt parties.

In 2014 you resigned as CM of Delhi hoping that there would be immediate re-election and that AAP would sweep back to power on the back of 49 days of good, intense work. But BJP and Cong delayed the election and Modi swept to power in Parliament. To the worry of myself, Prashant Bhushan, Yogendra Yadav, Prithvi, Admiral Ramdas and others  you started pushing all senior members to agree to form government with the Congress. We refused. You were really furious with us. You were still my hero, but by now I was getting worried with the way you were operating.

Then the 2015 Delhi elections were announced. While you had around 5000 volunteers from Delhi working part-time with the candidates; I was part of the leadership of over 6000 volunteers from all over the country, campaigning full time for more than a month. The silent volunteers, the trusting donors, ardent supporters, tele-callers from Rural India to Global Indians contributed and even Yogendra Yadav who was our chief spokesperson contributed for AAP victory. What looked like a possible 15-20 seats to AAP suddenly became 67 seats.

This is when you made THE classic mistake. You took the complete credit and felt that the support of the nation was for Arvind Kejriwal, the person. You assumed that you were the pied piper whom people were following, but in fact it was the music of a new political culture that had people enchanted.

Arvind, the unselfish hero who would never compromise, was dead. In his place was a politician who wanted to manipulate that support to fuel his ambition to become a PM in 2019. You and your coterie decided

1. You will be CM but not take any portfolio and focus outside Delhi trying to create a mahagatbandhan to challenge the PM, with you as the face.

2. Use the MLAs and senior functionaries outside Delhi to try and win more states. The lack of governance in Delhi due to this fallout was to be blamed on the LG and Central Government.

3. Erase the difference between private and public money. Use public money for personal advertising, personal expenditure, fly First class, fight personal cases and whenever this gets questioned  point fingers at other parties.

4. Win at any cost! If Swaraj comes in the way  throw it away. If appeasement works  do it. If caste politics gets you the votes  embrace it. If too many questions are asked  remove the donation list. If money is required, sell seats. Power is more important than principles.

5. Project Kejriwal as a strong leader. Personally attack Modi at every instance so that you would appear like a daring contestant and be able to create a vote bank of anti-Modi votes.

6. To further look like a strong leader, remove anyone and everyone from the party that has a differing point of view. As Ashutosh told me  there should be one voice only in the party and anyone opposing should be dealt in a manner that would give a message that this party deals summarily with anyone who opposes the supremo.

As a part of the above strategy, you began by removing Yogendra and Prashant from the party with the worst possible humiliation.

When I was told that there was a gag order on informing the volunteers outside, I asked myself, What would the real Arvind Kejriwal have done? He would have listened to his conscience. So I did. I had to inform the lakhs of AAP volunteers about what happened in that crucial meeting, in spite of the gag order. I had the courage of conviction and was ready to be removed from the party. For me, Truth was non-negotiable.

You took time to remove me. And in spite of repeated requests to not punish the superb Maharashtra team to spite me, you threw out the entire Maharashtra AAP committees down to the lowest rung in Oct 2015. Can Modi or Sonia remove an entire State team with just an edict? We have out beaten other parties with our arrogance and internal politicking. The other day, a young volunteer with tears in his eyes from rural Maharashtra asked me, What is our fault? What do I tell him, Arvind? Why was he removed?

Personally, I have closely seen my friend, hero and someone as precious as you become so vicious and ugly because of hunger for power. I have now become afraid of power. That is why I did not join any group or party after you removed me from the primary membership of the party using the dirtiest and filthiest falsehood.

I remember in one volunteer meeting in Santacruz where we had a public argument. You felt that we should not give any importance to volunteers, they were just tools. I publicly contradicted you saying that these were some of the finest humans who had sacrificed for the nation. They are NOT pawns to be usedand-thrown.

Look around you almost all of the original volunteers who had left everything to join for the principles have been removed, quit or are inactive.

In our scheme of things our volunteers were supposed to be the primary unit of the party so I ask on their behalf. How did you select Ashutosh, Ashish Khetan and others in the national team? Why has no internal election taken place? When is the donation list coming back on the website? Who is accountable for the loss in Punjab, Goa and now Delhi, were the volunteers asked or informed? The questions are innumerable but let us ask with these basic ones.

You took complete power by becoming convener as well as CM of Delhi. How much more power do you want before you start delivering alternative politics?

In your pursuit for power, you have betrayed my beloved nation. You have messed up the life of millions who followed you. They gave you complete power made you convener and CM. Delhi gave you 67 seats just two years back. What more do you want? I do not know whether you know the reality or are living in denial - but are a very unpopular man in the country. If you do more drama, then it is going to get worse and we cannot afford that.

Dear Arvind, I have seen you turn 180 degrees from what you were. After your complete rejection in Punjab, Goa and now in Delhi, can I expect you to introspect and make another 180 degree turn? Abandon the agenda of wanting to be another BJP and Cong. We had come to fight them not become another version of them. Follow our original agenda that might get back the respect and credibility that you have completely lost with your foolish and vote bank oriented comments.

Get back credible and independent people in the core team. For now, forget your national ambitions and focus on governing Delhi well, that is your only chance of staying relevant. Stop dramas and blaming. We still need the principles; we still need to fight corrupts; we still need to fight against criminalization of politics. We still need to fight against caste and communal politics. The parties that use these tools are still around. Our AAP was formed to fight that. But, for that, AAP needs to transform.

Do you have the strength, integrity and love for the country to genuinely reboot? With all humility, can I request you to let go of your arrogance and ego for the good of the country? Remember nation first, party next and individuals last.

The country needs heroes. Are you one? The battle is between your Ego and the nation. What will you choose?

Love,

Mayank
New Delhi: Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday targeted the government over the killing of 25 CRPF personnel in a Maoist attack in Chhattisgarh and hoped that its revised strategy will have more purpose and impact.

Gandhi also took a dig at the government over its linking demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes last year with surrender of Maoists.

"Last heard 'demonetisation' was the Govt's strategy to neutralise Naxalism. I hope the 'revised' strategy has a little more purpose and impact," he tweeted in a reference to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's announcement in parliament this February that around 700 Maoists had surrendered following demonetisation.

Twenty five CRPF troopers were massacred by Maoists in Chhattisgarh on Monday.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh said on Tuesday that the strategy to root out left-wing extremism will be reviewed and a meeting of affected states has been convened on 8 May for the purpose.
The politics over the Naxal attack in Sukma, Chhattisgarh went to a whole new level when BJP in Delhi decided to 'dedicate' their victory in the MCD polls to the 25 CRPF jawans who had lost their lives.

Poster put up outside BJP HQ dedicating MCD win to CRPF jawans who lost their lives in #sukmaattack #DelhiMCDElections2017 pic.twitter.com/vpTePAclNM  ANI (@ANI_news) April 26, 2017

Apart from dedicating election victories to martyred jawans, BJP has also blamed human rights activists for adopting "double standards" for being silent over the deadly Maoist attack but raising a hue and cry when extremists are killed by security forces.

"These (human rights) activists raise voice and react violently if an extremist or a terrorist is killed by the police but take shelter in silence when a large number of jawans and innocent people get killed by those who operate underground," Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu had said on Tuesday. "While the nation was shocked by this killing and violence, the so-called sympathisers and proponents of human rights have maintained baffling silence since Monday (when CRPF men were killed)," Naidu added.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh is also reportedly unhappy with the way the CRPF has been functioning in Chhattisgarh. Sources had told PTI that he has conveyed to the CRPF brass to resolve some "inherent" problems like weaponry, logistics and intelligence-gathering mechanism to ensure lethality and better results by avoiding casualties in anti-Naxal operations.

What the ruling party has not done so far (apart from dedicating poll victories, blaming activists and indirectly pointing fingers at CRPF) is comment on why a survivor of the Sukma Naxal attack said that guarding a place as unstable as Kashmir was easier than being a part of an anti-Maoist operation. "We were completely outnumbered, and ran out of ammunition after two hours of relentless gunfight. This led to higher casualties. Guarding Kashmir is easier than being part of an anti-Maoist operation," The Times of India quoted an injured CRPF constable as saying.

The government needs to urgently answer why a paramilitary force of around two lakh personnel  some of whom complain of conditions worse than the ones prevailing in Kashmir  has remained headless for two months now. "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 the organisation should remain headless," India Today quoted former BSF Director General Prakash Singh as saying.

The government should answer why former Union Home Secretary LC Goyal's suggestion in 2015 of an army cantonment being set up in Bastar was not taken forward. Another report in The Times of India reported that Goyal had in fact raised his idea of locating a cantonment area in Abujhmarh (a forest area in Chhattisgarh) with the prime minister himself and other top officials of the security establishment.

Why is it that a paramilitary force which frequently keeps facing life-threatening attacks by Naxals still does not have good enough equipment and protective gear?

After the Naxal attack in Sukma, politicians from the ruling party fed us the same rosy lines of patriotism about being "proud of the valour of our CRPF personnel", the "sacrifices" of "our bravehearts" and the all-too-familiar "deepest condolences". But the ruling party needs to address some hard-hitting, concrete issues if it actually means those words.

And the opposition parties are as much to blame for playing such petty politics and blame games. The most bitter comments came from the Congress. For example, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday took a dig at the government over its linking demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes last year with surrender of Maoists.

Last heard 'demonetization' was the Govt's strategy to neutralize Naxalism. I hope the 'revised' strategy has a little more purpose & impact https://t.co/fNBGUOHlbT  Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) April 25, 2017

That the Congress is more interested in using the Sukma attack as a tool to attack the government is pretty evident when another Congress leader Manish Tewari, after initially linking demonetisation to the Sukma attack, quickly shifted the focus to demonetisation rather than the actual attack.

"The principal Opposition party also maintained that the government should revisit the entire demonetisation debate. Whosoever in the government had actually made the link between demonetisation and economic crackdown on Naxals, the prime minister should throw them out immediately from the government," India Today quoted Tewari as saying.

Congress clearly seems to be more interested in attacking demonetisation  probably the most important decision taken by the Narendra Modi government  than addressing the real issues.

In fact, Digvijaya Singh went a step ahead and accused Chhattisgarh chief minister Raman Singh and other BJP leaders, who win elections from Naxalism-affected areas, of striking a "deal" with the Maoists.

JD(U) leaders also chose to bring up the point of demonetisation while criticising the government over the Sukma attack.

If politicians in India were more interested in talking about real problems affecting our security personnel rather than resorting to bitter mud-slinging, our security personnel would probably not have to face such severe hardships.
New Delhi: After four days of questioning, AIADMK (Amma) leader TTV Dinakaran was Tuesday arrested by Delhi Police for allegedly attempting to bribe an Election Commission official to get the undivided AIADMK's 'two leaves' election symbol for his faction.

Dinakaran reached the Crime Branch Inter State Cell office in Chanakyapuri at 5 PM. He was arrested after being questioned for close to six hours, Praveer Ranjan, joint commissioner of police (crime), said.

His longtime friend Mallikarjuna was also arrested for allegedly facilitating the deal between the leader and Sukesh Chandrasekar, the middleman in the EC bribery case, after being quizzed for the second day on the trot, he said.

Mallikarjuna had been accompanying Dinakaran everywhere ever since Chandrasekar was arrested on 16 April for allegedly striking a deal of Rs 50 crore to help the AIADMK (Amma) faction keep the poll symbol.

Dinakaran, Mallikarjuna and Chandrasekar will be questioned together to establish the money trail, details of the deal and whether more people were involved in it.

Sources said that Dinakaran's PA Janardhana has agreed to be a witness in the case.

Dinakaran had on Monday confessed to meeting Chandrasekar, assuming he was a high court judge. He had, however, denied that he paid money to the middleman for retaining the party's poll symbol.

The controversial AIADMK leader, who had come under the scanner after the arrest of Chandrasekar, had maintained that he never met him.

He was earlier summoned by Delhi Police at his Chennai residence in the case.

Earlier in the day, the police produced Chandrasekar before a special court, which extended his custody till 28 April.

The court was told that Chandrasekar had been paid through hawala channels.

"A person named Shah Faisal told that he had collected a parcel from Chennai and gave it to Chandrasekar, who had posed as a member of Parliament," the police said.

It is suspected that the parcel contained Rs 10 crore. The police said three Chandni Chowk-based hawala operators will also be questioned in connection with the case.

The AIADMK leader and his friend will be produced before a city court on Wednesday.

Dinakaran, who was appointed deputy general secretary by AIADMK chief VK Sasikala, has been isolated in his party amid moves to merge rival factions led by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister EK Palaniswamy 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 merger talks.
Washington: Donald Trump and US lawmakers inched closer to a deal Tuesday avoiding a government shutdown, as the president, eager to showcase a win marking his first 100 days, retreated from a demand to fund a border wall.

With the government set to exhaust its current funding at midnight Friday, the White House is under the gun to craft a compromise that would keep the government running while not appearing to cave on Trump's demand that Congress fund a wall on the border with Mexico.

"Hopefully, we'll reach an agreement some time in the next couple of days," Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said, but he did not rule out passing a short-term extension that gives lawmakers time to craft a final deal.

While lawmaker said the funding legislation would steer clear of including funding for a border wall, it is expected to cover broader border security measures, such as the use of drones or anti-tunnelling technology.

But a deal remained far from certain. Among the sticking points is the fate of cost-sharing arrangements that help reduce health insurance costs for low-income Americans buying plans through the Affordable Care Act, the reform implemented by Trump's predecessor Barack Obama.

Trump had been on a collision course with lawmakers over the wall, demanding that Congress include funding to start construction in its new spending bill.

Democrats blasted the approach, warning that Republicans risked being blamed for shuttering the government barely three months into Trump's administration.

"There aren't enough Republican votes to put the wall in" to the spending bill, said veteran Senator Patrick Leahy, top Democrat on the Appropriations Committee.

With jitters rippling through Washington, Trump apparently agreed to soften his demand days before the deadline.

Optimism

He told a group of conservative journalists he was open to delaying funding for the wall's construction until September, a White House official said, according to The Washington Post.

By Tuesday, the administration was acknowledging Trump's plan could be pushed back.

"Building that wall and having it funded remains an important priority to him," advisor Kellyanne Conway told Fox News.

"But we also know that that can happen later this year and into next year."

With shutdown fever appearing to break in Washington, top Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer said he was "optimistic" about reaching a timely deal, provided Republicans do not include controversial other issues such as defunding Planned Parenthood clinics.

"We're pleased he's backing off," Schumer said of Trump's funding demand.

Instead of a wall, lawmakers are expressing support for a broader set of border security measures, including using drones and other high technology.

"We're not opposed to border security," Schumer said.

"We are opposed to the wall. And we're not going to allow any dollars in any kind of border security appropriation to be used for a wall. Period."

Building the wall was Trump's signature campaign promise, but Democrats note that Trump pledged Mexico would pay for it.

Even as the White House appeared to soften its rigid posture, Trump sent mixed messages.

"Don't let the fake media tell you that I have changed my position on the WALL. It will get built and help stop drugs, human trafficking etc," he said Tuesday on Twitter.

Don't let the fake media tell you that I have changed my position on the WALL. It will get built and help stop drugs, human trafficking etc.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 25, 2017

The president then insisted the wall would be built "soon," but offered no time frame other than within his four-year term.

"The wall's going to get built, folks," Trump told reporters.

'Active negotiations'

Congress, returning from a two-week break, now has three days to strike a deal.

Lawmakers have warned that a stopgap measure, known as a continuing resolution, may be needed to give Congress breathing room to finalize the spending details.

"This is active negotiations," Republican Senator David Purdue said.

With the 100-day mark landing on Saturday and few legislative victories under his belt, Trump is pressing to fulfill another campaign pledge.

As a candidate, he repeatedly vowed to reform the tax code and slash the corporate tax rate from 35 percent to 15 percent.

An announcement on such reforms is due Wednesday.

Conservatives have sought a reduction in tax rates for years, but they are also adamant about reducing the debt. Some Republicans appeared hesitant to embrace such slashes to corporate tax rates.

"Fifteen percent might be too low," House Republican Leonard Lance told CNN.

Democrats have expressed little appetite for dramatically reducing taxes, especially for big business.

If there are no significant tax breaks for small business or working-class Americans, "that would certainly for me be a non-starter," Democratic Senator Debbie Stabenow said.
Dhaka: Bangladeshi freedom fighters will from Wednesday get five-year multiple-entry visas in line with New Delhi's announcement during Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's visit to India.

According to the Indian High Commission here, the provision is being extended to freedom fighters as a "special gesture" to recognise the special connection between Bangladesh's 1971 war veterans and India.

Bangladeshi nationals above the age of 65 years are eligible for five-year multiple entry tourist visas, BD News reported.

They can walk in without a prior appointment and submit their applications here as well as in Chittagong, Rajshahi, Sylhet, Barisal, Khulna, Jessore, Mymensingh and Rangpur.

They have to present proof of their being a freedom fighter, among other documents, while applying for visa.

Indian soldiers fought should-to-shoulder with Bengali freedom fighters in 1971 to liberate Bangladesh.

Hasina, during her visit, honoured those military officers and said that every generation of Bangladesh will remember the Indian soldiers who fought alongside Bangladeshis.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had also announced a special medical scheme, under which 100 freedom fighters will be provided free treatment in Indian hospitals every year.

He had said that $5 billion Line of Credit, including $500 million for defence purchases, will be given to Dhaka, bringing India's total development funding for Bangladesh to $8 billion over the past six years.
By Michael Martina

| BEIJING

BEIJING China launched its first domestically built aircraft carrier on Wednesday amid rising tension over North Korea and worries about Beijing's assertiveness in the South China Sea.State media has quoted military experts as saying the carrier, China's second and built in the northeastern port of Dalian, is not expected to enter service until 2020, once it has been kitted out and armed.Foreign military analysts and Chinese media have for months published satellite images, photographs and news stories about the second carrier's development. China confirmed its existence in late 2015.The launch "shows our country's indigenous aircraft carrier design and construction has achieved major step-by-step results", Xinhua news agency said.State television showed the carrier, its deck lined in red flags, being pushed by tug boats into its berth. Fan Changlong, a vice chairman of China's powerful Central Military Commission, presided over the ceremony, Xinhua said, during which a bottle of champagne was broken on the bow.The launch follows China's celebration on Sunday of the 68th birthday of the founding of the Chinese navy, and comes amid renewed tensions between North Korea and the United States over Pyongyang's nuclear and missile programmes. Little is known about China's aircraft carrier programme, which is a state secret.

But the government has said the new carrier's design draws on experiences from the country's first carrier, the Liaoning, bought second-hand from Ukraine in 1998 and refitted in China.The new conventionally powered carrier will be able to operate China's Shenyang J-15 fighter jets.Unlike the U.S. navy's longer-range nuclear carriers, both of China's feature Soviet-design ski-jump bows, intended to give fighter jets enough lift to take off from their shorter decks. But they lack the powerful catapult technology for launching aircraft of their U.S. counterparts. "NO NEED" TO MATCH THE UNITED STATES

China's navy has been taking an increasingly prominent role in recent months, with a rising star admiral taking command, its first aircraft carrier sailing around self-ruled Taiwan and new Chinese warships popping up in far-flung places.The Liaoning has taken part in military exercises, including in the South China Sea, but is expected to serve more as a training vessel. State media has said the new carrier will be more dedicated to military and humanitarian operations.China claims almost all the South China Sea, believed to have huge deposits of oil and gas, through which about $5 trillion in ship-borne trade passes every year, and has been building up military facilities like runways on the islands it controls.Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam also have claims.

Taiwan, claimed by Beijing as its own, has said China is actually building two new aircraft carriers, but China has not officially confirmed the existence of another carrier.Chinese state media has quoted experts as saying that the country needs at least six carriers. The United States operates 10 and plans to build two more.Major General Chen Zhou, a researcher at the Academy of Military Science, told reporters in March that China would not exceed the United States in carrier groups. "China has no need for this," he said. Sam Roggeveen, a senior fellow at the Sydney-based Lowy Institute, said that by the time China had half that number, it could go toe-to-toe with the U.S. navy in the Asia-Pacific."Given that the Americans have global obligations and responsibilities but China doesn't, then effectively by that point they would be evenly matched," Roggeveen said. Most experts agree that developing such a force will be a decades-long endeavour but the launch of the second carrier holds a certain prestige value for Beijing, seen by many analysts as keen to eventually erode U.S. military prominence in the region. "With two aircraft carriers you could say without much fear of contradiction that China, other than the United States, is the most powerful maritime force in the Asia-Pacific," Roggeveen said. (Additional reporting by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Michael Perry and Nick Macfie)

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By Andrew Cawthorne and Diego Ore

| CARACAS

CARACAS Two Venezuelan men died on Tuesday from gunshots at political demonstrations, bringing to 26 the number of fatalities around this month's protests against President Nicolas Maduro's socialist government.The state prosecutor's office said Orlando Medina, 23, was gunned down on a street in western Lara state during a protest local media identified as anti-Maduro.Luis Marquez, 52, died in the Andean state of Merida in the early morning after being shot on Monday at a pro-Maduro rally, state ombudsman Tarek Saab said. In more than three weeks of chaos since Venezuela's opposition launched street protests, 15 people have died in violence around demonstrations and 11 others in night-time lootings, the state prosecutor's office said on Tuesday.Political activists and Venezuelan media have reported more deaths, but those have not been confirmed.The ruling Socialist Party accuses foes of seeking a violent coup with U.S. connivance, while the opposition says Maduro is a dictator repressing peaceful protest.

With near-daily demonstrations by both opponents and supporters of Maduro, there have been fatalities on both sides, as well as one National Guard sergeant killed during a protest. "Any death hurts, government or opposition," chief state prosecutor Luisa Ortega said in a speech. Four fatalities were adolescents and 437 people had also been injured. ELECTIONS SOUGHT

The opposition's main demands are for elections, the release of jailed activists and autonomy for the opposition-led legislature. But protests are also fuelled by a crippling economic crisis in the oil-exporting nation of some 30 million people.The unrest is Venezuela's worst since 2014, when 43 people died in months of mayhem sparked by protests against Maduro, the 54-year-old successor to late leader Hugo Chavez.Nearly 1,500 people have been arrested, with 801 still detained as of Tuesday, rights group Penal Forum said.

Trying to keep the pressure on Maduro, the opposition Democratic Unity coalition is planning a march on Wednesday towards downtown Caracas. Past attempts to reach that area have been blocked by security forces using teargas and rubber bullets against masked youths hurling stones and Molotov cocktails."The Venezuelan people will stay in the street until there is an election timetable, a humanitarian aid channel, freedom for political prisoners and independence for public institutions, especially the National Assembly," said Ismael Garcia, a legislator with opposition party Justice First.Thousands of red-shirted Maduro supporters marched in the state of Falcon on Tuesday, chanting pro-government slogans and denouncing the opposition for violence. "They call themselves defenders of human rights but then they murder people. They're the same as 2002," Socialist Party No. 2 Diosdado Cabello told the crowd, referring to a short-lived coup against Chavez that year. (Additional reporting by Andreina Aponte and Corina Pons; Writing by Andrew Cawthorne; Editing by Grant McCool and Andrew Hay)

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By Philip Pullella

| ROME

ROME The ousted Grand Master of the Knights of Malta Catholic charity will attend a meeting that could elect his successor, the group said on Wednesday, in a direct defiance of Pope Francis' order for him to stay away.A spokesperson for the Knights said Matthew Festing, who resigned on Jan. 24, had informed the group that he would come to the meeting this Saturday at its headquarters in Rome.It was not clear if he would stand for re-election, as some of his supporters have urged him to.On April 15, Archbishop Angelo Becciu, the Vatican's deputy secretary of state, who the pope named "special delegate" to the ancient chivalric group, ordered Festing not to travel to Rome for the election."Your presence would re-open wounds, only recently healed, and would prevent the event taking place in an atmosphere of peace and regained harmony," Becciu said in a letter, a copy of which was obtained by Reuters from a Vatican source.

Becciu said in the letter the pope "shared" his decision and asked Festing to stay away as "an act of obedience".Festing tendered his resignation to the pope after a month-long, highly public spat with the Vatican over the group's sovereignty.The turmoil began in December when Festing, a Briton, fired Albrecht Freiherr von Boeselager, the German-born Grand Chancellor of the aristocratic order.

Festing and conservative U.S. Cardinal Raymond Leo Burke, the group's chaplain and a frequent critic of the pope, had accused Boeselager of violating Church rules by turning a blind eye to the use of condoms in aid projects in the developing world when he was in a previous post.Festing, who defiantly ordered members not to cooperate with a papal investigation of events surrounding Boeselager's dismissal, lost his battle with the Vatican and became the first Grand Master in centuries to resign instead of ruling for life.

The Vatican concluded the condom issue was just an excuse by Festing and Burke to wield more power in the 970-year-old organisation and Boselager was reinstated.The Knights of Malta counts some 13,000 members, 80,000 volunteers and about 25,000 paid employees, mostly medical staff who run charities and development projects around the world.The all-male top leaders are not clerics but take vows of poverty, chastity and obedience to the pope.The Vatican wants this weekend's vote to elect an interim leader to run the group for a year while its constitution is changed. But the group could also decide to elect a new Grand Master. (Reporting by Philip Pullella; Editing by Tom Heneghan)

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Paris: French presidential hopeful Emmanuel Macron was on Wednesday heckled by factory workers in Amiens city after a visit by his far-right rival Marine Le Pen.

Le Pen upstaged her centrist rival earlier by turning up to speak to the workers as he met their union representatives a few miles away, BBC reported.

Macron, who is far ahead in opinion polls, is in Amiens, his hometown, amid accusations of complacency. He got another boost when former President Nicolas Sarkozy endorsed him.

Opinion polls taken since the first round on Sunday suggest that Macron, candidate of the En Marche (On The Move) movement, will easily beat Le Pen, who temporarily resigned as leader of the National Front (FN) party.

Macron earlier saw union delegates at the local chamber of commerce, with TV pictures showing them in discussion in a grey meeting room.

Meanwhile, Le Pen was having selfies taken with workers outside a factory a few miles away.

Macron took to Twitter (in French) and said, "MLP (Marine Le Pen)= 10 minutes with her followers in a car park in front of the cameras; me = one hour and 15 minutes of work with the unions and no media. Each will choose on 7 May."

When he visited the factory, surrounded by journalists, he was booed and whistled.

"There is no work!" a woman shouted repeatedly as he sought to address the workers.
Paris: French presidential front-runner 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.

"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 3 May.
Jerusalem: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu abruptly canceled talks Tuesday with the German foreign minister over the visiting diplomat's plans to sit down with an Israeli rights group, sparking a rare diplomatic feud with one of Israel's closest and most important allies.

The last-minute cancellation cast a cloud over a visit that had been meant to draw attention to years of friendship between the two countries and coincided with Israel's annual Holocaust memorial day.

Netanyahu's office said the prime minister wouldn't meet with foreign dignitaries who meet "groups that slander IDF soldiers as war criminals," referring to Breaking the Silence, a whistleblower group critical of Israeli military actions in the West Bank.

Netanyahu, who also serves as foreign minister, said this would be his position in receiving visitors in the future.

"My policy is clear  not to meet with diplomats who visit Israel and meet with organizations that slander IDF soldiers and seek to put our soldiers on trial as war criminals," he said.

He said that "those same diplomats would never dream of doing this in the US or UK, or in any other place."

The German minister, Sigmar Gabriel, was set to meet with members of the organization during his visit to Israel and said Netanyahu's cancellation was "relatively surprising" since such meetings were "rather standard" for foreign diplomats.

Gabriel said he didn't want to be turned into "a plaything for Israeli domestic politics," using unusually frank language in light of the sensitive nature of Israel-Germany ties.

Israel and Germany have had a long, close and complicated relationship. Israel was established in 1948 in the wake of the Holocaust, when Nazi Germany killed 6 million Jews. The countries only established diplomatic relations in 1965.

Today, Germany is a key Israeli trade partner and ally in Europe, and assumes responsibility for the crimes committed during the Holocaust. Both Gabriel and former president Joachim Gauck took part in Holocaust memorial events in Israel on Monday. When he met with Rivlin, Gabriel called the Holocaust "the most criminal action we did in the history of humankind."

But tensions occasionally flare up over Israeli policies toward the Palestinians, as well as settlement construction in the occupied West Bank and Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem. Germany, along with most of the international community, considers Israeli settlements illegal.

Speaking after Netanyahu canceled their meeting, Gabriel said German officials would be called "crazy" if the German government acted in such a way during a Netanyahu visit to Germany.

Gabriel has been Germany's foreign minister since January and its vice chancellor since 2013. This is his first visit to Israel in the new job.

Earlier, Gabriel had said it would be "regrettable" if Netanyahu canceled their planned talks in Jerusalem.

"You can't get a proper and comprehensive picture in any country on Earth if you only meet in government offices," added Gabriel. "I can't imagine that we would not do such things in the future just to get government appointments."

Israeli opposition lawmaker Tzipi Livni called Netanyahu's cancellation of the meeting a "strategic mistake" that stems from "fear and weakness."

"It places Israel and its government on the same level of importance as a small, marginal organization and makes a martyr of them in the eyes of the world," said Livni, a former foreign minister.

Breaking the Silence is a group of former Israeli combat soldiers opposed to Israel's nearly 50-year occupation of the West Bank. The group publishes testimony, often anonymous, about what former soldiers say is the dark underbelly of service in the Palestinian territories.

Israeli leaders oppose the group's work, citing the anonymity of the claims and its outreach efforts to foreign audiences. They say there are better, more legitimate ways to criticize the army.
By Matt Spetalnick and Mark Hosenball

| WASHINGTON

WASHINGTON Israel is seeking an "understanding" with the Trump administration that Iran must not be allowed to establish a permanent military foothold in Syria, Israel's intelligence minister told Reuters on Wednesday.In an interview, visiting Intelligence Minister Yisrael Katz said he was also using his meetings with White House officials and key lawmakers to press for further U.S. sanctions on Iran and the Iranian-backed Lebanese militia Hezbollah, which is supporting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad."I want to achieve an understanding, an agreement between the U.S. and Israel ... not to let Iran have permanent military forces in Syria, by air, by land, by sea," Katz told Reuters, saying this should be part of any future international accord on ending Syria's six-year-old civil war.Katz, a member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's right-wing Likud party, insisted, however, that Israel was not asking Washington to commit more forces to Syria, but to "achieve this by talking to the Russians, by threatening Iran, by sanctions and other things."There was no immediate comment from the White House. Katz was due to meet President Donald Trump's Middle East envoy, Jason Greenblatt.

For its part, Israel has stayed mostly on the sidelines in the Syrian conflict and has shown no sign of significantly altering that posture. It has carried out only occasional air strikes when its has felt threatened, including by the delivery of weapons to Hezbollah militants.Israeli officials have estimated that Iran - Israel's regional archfoe, but also that of Saudi Arabia and other Sunni Arab states - commands at least 25,000 fighters in Syria, including members of its own Revolutionary Guard, Shi'ite militants from Iraq and recruits from Afghanistan and Pakistan.ALARMING PROVOCATIONS

Katz's visit came just a week after Secretary of State Rex Tillerson accused Iran of "alarming ongoing provocations" to destabilise countries in the Middle East as the Trump administration launched a review of its policy towards Tehran.Tillerson said the review would look not only at Tehran's compliance with a 2015 nuclear deal, but also its behaviour in the region. Trump, who may visit Israel as early as next month, has adopted a tougher stance against Assad. He ordered cruise missile strikes on a Syrian air base this month after blaming Assad for a chemical weapons attack that killed at least 70 people, many of them children.

"It was important morally and strategically," Katz said of the U.S. strikes. The Syrian government has denied it was behind the gas attack.Israeli officials want Russia, which they see as holding the balance of power among Assad's supporters, to use its influence to help rein in Iran's activities in Syria.Though Russia has shown no willingness to restrain Iran, Israeli officials say there are indications that Moscow may see any long-term Iranian military presence in Syria as potentially destabilising.Katz reiterated Israel's vow to continue launching occasional air strikes in Syria against Hezbollah forces detected transporting rockets or other weapons towards the Lebanese border, which he described as a "red line." (Writing by Matt Spetalnick; Editing by John Walcott and Jonathan Oatis)

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Berlin: Ivanka Trump brushed aside groans and hisses on Tuesday over her father's track record and defended his attitudes toward women as she made her first international outing as a White House adviser.

Trump pledged to push for "incremental, positive change" for women in the US economy and told a Berlin conference on women that she's still "rather unfamiliar" with her role as first daughter and adviser to President Donald Trump.

The scattered groans and hisses came as she described her father as "a tremendous champion of supporting families." Trump's one-day visit, at the invitation of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, gave Merkel and other officials face-to-face access with the president's influential daughter at a time when world leaders are still trying to discern where his policies will lead.

Merkel and Trump were part of a high-powered panel discussion today at the W20 Summit, a women-focused effort within the Group of 20 countries, entitled "Inspiring women: Scaling up women's entrepreneurship." They were joined by Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland, International Monetary Fund chief Christine Lagarde and the Netherlands' Queen Maxima, among others.

The 35-year-old Trump, who stepped away from both running her fashion brand and from an executive role at the Trump Organization to become an unpaid White House adviser, said she is still finding her feet in her new role.

"I'm listening, I'm learning, I'm defining the ways in which I think that I'll be able to have impact" in empowering women in the US economy and beyond," she said.

She says she plans "to bring the advice, to bring the knowledge, back to the United States, back to both my father and the president  and hopefully that will bring about incremental, positive change. And that is my goal."

Trump has been a vocal advocate for policies benefiting working women and vocational training. During Merkel's visit to Washington in March, she organized a discussion with the German leader, her father, and American and German executives about how companies can better train workers.

However, Trump has faced a backlash in the United States, particularly from liberals who think she has done little to temper her father's conservative agenda. Since the president took office in January, liberal groups have questioned the impact of his policy moves on families.
Indian high commissioner Gautam Bambawale met Pakistan foreign secretary Tehmina Janjua to discuss the Kulbhushan Jadhav issue on Wednesday, says media reports. Bambawale repeated India's demand for consular access during the meeting. India has also filed a petition in the Pakistan court against Jadhav's death sentence.

"Appeal, in Kulbhushan Jadhav case, filed by High Commissioner Gautam Bambawale with Pakistan Foreign Secretary in Islamabad on Wednesday," the Indian High Commission in Islamabad tweeted. However, Janjua turned down Bambawale's demand saying "access under (bilateral) agreement is meant for prisoners and not for spies."

Indian High Commissioner Gautam Bambawale to shortly meet Pakistan Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua over #KulbhushanJadhav issue  ANI (@ANI_news) April 26, 2017

Indian High Commissioner Gautam Bambawale to reiterate demand for consular access to #KulbhushanJadhav  ANI (@ANI_news) April 26, 2017

According to Economic Times, on Tuesday, the Lahore High Court Bar Association, apparently under pressure from the Pakistan Army, had threatened to cancel the membership of any lawyer who offers his services to Jadhav.

On 14 April, Bambawale had met the Pakistani foreign secretary, showing increasing concern of India about the fate of Jadhav. He told media after his meeting that he had asked for list of charges and authentic copy of verdict of military tribunal against Jadhav to launch appeal against his conviction. He also said that India was seeking consular access on the basis on international law humanitarian grounds.

Early this week, Pakistan had 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's high commissioner Abdul Basit had 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 a legitimate business interest.

With inputs from agencies
New Delhi/Islamabad: The mother of alleged Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav has filed an appeal with Pakistan seeking Islamabad's intervention for the release of her son who has been sentenced to death and expressed a desire to meet him.

The appeal was handed over by Indian High Commissioner in Pakistan, Gautam Bambawale, during his meeting with Pakistan Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua, during which India sought consular access to Jadhav, a former Indian navy official, for the 16th time.

Bambawale handed over a petition by Jadhav's mother to the Pakistan government and also an appeal by her to the Court of Appeal, on behalf of Jadhav, "who continues to be in detention in Pakistan on concocted charges", said an official statement.

"She requested the intervention of the Federal Government of Pakistan for his release and has expressed the desire to meet him," the statement said.

Pakistan was also requested to facilitate the visas for the mother and father of Jadhav, who have expressed a wish to travel to Pakistan to meet him and to personally file the petition and the appeal. They have applied for visas with the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi.

Indian Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar had also met the High Commissioner of Pakistan to India on Tuesday and made similar points, the statement said.

Jadhav was arrested in Balochistan in March 2016. Pakistan has accused him of being a spy. A military court sentenced him to death on 10 April.

India has sought consular access 15 times but Pakistan has denied this every time.

Indian authorities say they have not been informed about the whereabouts of Jadhav or the condition he is in.

India has said if the death sentence is carried out, it would be considered a case of pre-meditated murder.
In the month of April, two different verdicts from two different cases were passed in two very different courts in Pakistan. Two different men were on trial accused of two different crimes. One was let off easy for now, while the other was declared as guilty as guilty could be. Safe to say both verdicts were the cause of consternation and confusion.

One of course, was the sham kangaroo court trial of the alleged Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav who was sentenced to the gallows by a military tribunal court. This, despite lack of concrete evidence in a fabricated case with no legal representation provided.

The other was incumbent Pakistan prime minister, Nawaz Sharif, who experienced temporary respite after the Pakistan Supreme Court declared that the evidence against him wasnt concrete enough to oust him from office.

The Panama Papers scandal of 2016 has left Sharif and his family in a quagmire. According to the explosive investigation, Sharifs family have been accused of money laundering and using several offshore companies to buy prime property in London. While Sharif and his aides deny the allegations, the Supreme Court seems to think further investigation is required. The court has asked for the formation of a joint investigation team be formed to further investigate the allegations, and analysing the results of that investigation, a final verdict could be passed.

The joint-investigation team includes members of Pakistans military intelligence. In a statement put out by the ISPR (Pakistani intelligences public relations wing), the agency said that the army would play its due role through its institutions. There is a level of insidiousness about the phrase due role. Naturally, the Twitterati in Pakistan seemed to be cheering this announcement. The overwhelming view in Pakistan is that the military is the only institution whose underpinnings are rock solid and whose integrity, unlike that of various political parties, cannot be besmirched.

The army welcomes this view, for it sees itself as the watchdog, the guardian and the sole defender of Pakistan, not just militarily but ideologically.

In its brief 70-year history, Pakistan has seen three coups and four military rulers and has been under military rule for more than half its existence. New Delhi has often felt that the military establishment in Pakistan has been the thorn in the flesh to the much protracted and inconclusive peace dialogue between the two countries. Many in South Block have spoken ad-nauseum of how the military has derailed bilateral relations in the past. Even several non-partisan think tanks and foreign policy analysts say that the Pakistani militarys raison d'etre has been this faux existential threat it perceives against its much larger neighbour to the east.

Former Pakistan ambassador to the US, Hussain Haqqani best explained the earliest moorings of the Pakistan army in his latest book on Indo-Pak relations. He says the military defines the concept of Pakistani nationalism through an anti-India lens. Haqqani goes on to wax lyrical about history when he says during partition of the Indian sub-continent, Pakistan was carved out gaining 19 percent of British Indias population, 17 percent of the resources but it gained a whopping 33 percent of the army.

Haqqani brilliantly sums this up by saying most countries raise an army proportionate to the size of the threat that they face, but in Pakistans case, the size of the army determine how Pakistan would present the threat it faces.

And the military plays up this India insecurity card to the point that past stats reveal that 70 percent to 80 percent of the nations budget goes towards the three defense forces. This in a developing nation which is in dire need of spending towards public services in education and healthcare.

The Pakistani army would concur, except the hagiography the ISPR would write would speak about the military being the only establishment standing in the way of this pretense impending takeover by India.

Other foreign powers are not oblivious to a quasi-military state identity. It was reported that even after the Bin Laden raid was conducted by US special forces in 2011, the former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Michael Mullen called the then army chief Ashfaq Parvez Kayani to inform him about the operation. This superseded any direct conversation with the civilian government then led by Asif Ali Zardari and Yousuf Raza Gilani. A former Pakistani colleague once addressed this dichotomy of civilian-military leadership in this manner.

He said for us, its like having two Prime Ministers. You see while Sharif is in Washington talking trade deals, the Chief of Army Staff is in Beijing talking defence ties. The civilian government is responsible for economic and domestic issues, while all matters pertaining to foreign and defence policies are strictly under the purview of the army. For many in Pakistan, they see this as too good a deal to lose.

Corruption in the South-Asian region isnt startling to anyone. And in the sub-continent, if you throw mud hard enough, some of it will surely stick. But in Pakistan, all political parties know they have the sword of Damocles hanging over their head. For if corruption allegations pick up steam and public ennui builds up, the army is looked upon, more accurately called upon through an almost invisible bat signal to take over the reigns. In Pakistan, what the military wants, the military gets and if it doesnt get, it takes. The Kulbhushan Jadhav trial (if we can call it that) has been seen as an entirely military led Machiavellian scheme  one that the civilian government and the courts have had little say over.

The lines of distinction between civilian and military and judiciary and executive have often been blurred. Former army chief and president, Pervez Musharraf who himself usurped power in a military coup saw his waning popularity hit a nadir after he dismissed chief justice Iftikhar Chaudhry. The same chief justice, few years later would dismiss an elected Prime Minister, Yousuf Raza Gillani on charges of not reinstating prior corruption cases against then President Asif Zardari. All this while, then leader of opposition Nawaz Sharif resisted calls to topple the then incumbent Pakistan Peoples Party government, fearing that this would invite the military back into politics.

Despite the criticism of the Zardari-led government from 2008 to 2013, it was a watershed moment in Pakistans history; for it was the first time an elected party had completed its full term.

The late Benazir Bhutto, whose family suffered the harshest blow-back from the military would have been moved. During both her tenures, she had stated that even though she had the position of

Prime Minister, she had very little power. She claimed military intelligence officials would routinely approach judges and other officials asking them to pass verdicts that would topple the government.

Perhaps author and public intellectual Reza Aslan said it best: In Pakistan, no matter who is in power, the military is effectively in charge. Imaginably, one could argue that bilateral relations in the not so distant future between India and Pakistan could be defined as New Delhi-Rawalpindi relations.
By Denis Pinchuk

| MOSCOW

MOSCOW Nearly half of Russians want Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev to quit, an opinion poll showed on Wednesday, suggesting corruption allegations levelled against him by political opponents have taken a toll. Opposition politician Alexei Navalny released a video last month accusing Medvedev of owning a sprawling portfolio of luxury homes and of amassing a fortune that outstripped his salary. It has been watched more than 20 million times on YouTube and helped spark recent protests across Russia.Medvedev, a close ally of President Vladimir Putin, has dismissed the allegations as politically motivated "nonsense", suggesting they were designed to stir up trouble ahead of a presidential election next year which Putin is expected to contest.On Wednesday, the Levada Center, a pollster which casts itself as independent, released the results of a survey showing that 52 percent of Russians did not trust Medvedev, up from 42 percent in March 2014 after Russia annexed Crimea.

The same survey showed that 45 percent of Russians favoured him quitting and that 30 percent said they had a negative attitude towards him.Natalia Timakova, Medvedev's spokeswoman, told Reuters: "The prime minister does not attach special value to polls, especially when it comes to those that have been conducted by the Levada Center to political order."The survey was conducted across Russia and involved 1,600 people.

The Levada Center was designated a "foreign agent" in 2016, a term applied to Russian non-governmental groups that receive foreign funding.Lev Gudkov, the head of the pollster, told online TV channel Fontanka Office he wanted an apology from Medvedev's office.

"They'd better apologise to us for their false statement that this is a political put-up job," he said. Karina Pipiya, a Levada spokeswoman, told Reuters the pollster stood by its findings. "The survey is not an 'order'. There is no scoop here in that the peaks (of support for the authorities) that were observed after Crimea's (annexation) are fading and the numbers are returning to normal." (Additional reporting by Darya Korsunskaya; Editing by Andrew Osborn and Ralph Boulton)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
Moscow: Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov says the airstrike that the United States launched at a Syrian military base earlier this month damages the prospects of a political settlement for the war-torn country.

The airstrike was in response to a chemical weapons attack on April 4 on a northern Syrian town that Washington blamed on the Syrian government.

Lavrov told a security conference on Wednesday the attack as a pretext for a regime change in Syria and said the US response "pushes the prospect for a wide international front on terror even further away."

Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said earlier on Wednesday Russia had to boost security measures at its air base in Syria after the airstrike. Russia has provided an air cover for the government's offensive on Islamic State militants.

Meanwhile, President Donald Trump's former national security adviser, Michael Flynn, appeared to violate federal law when he failed to seek permission or inform the US government about accepting tens of thousands of dollars from Russian organisations after a trip there in 2015, leaders of a House oversight committee say.

The congressmen also raised new questions about fees Flynn received as part of $530,000 in consulting work his company performed for a businessman tied to Turkey's government.
PARIS France's centre-right party, seeking to rebound after the defeat of its presidential candidate, said on Wednesday it could share power with Emmanuel Macron if he is elected, as pollsters predict, on May 7. Macron, a 39-year-old centrist, is tipped to comfortably win a runoff vote against far-right leader Marine Le Pen, but the political movement he created a year ago faces a huge challenge in the follow-up legislative election in June.With Macron and his "En Marche!" movement at risk of being in a minority in parliament, the centre-right party, The Republicans, hopes to secure enough National Assembly seats to demand a government role despite the defeat of its presidential contender Francois Fillon, eliminated in a first-round vote on April 23.Francois Baroin, who served as a finance minister for former president Nicolas Sarkozy, on Wednesday publicly stated he was ready to work as prime minister in a "cohabitation" arrangement with Macron.

Baroin, 51 and a rising star within The Republicans, said in an interview on CNews television; "I will be available to ... head the government according to the will of the French people."Any power-sharing deal between Macron and a right-wing prime minister, like that suggested by Baroin, would likely impose big constraints on him in pursuing economic policies that seek to a balance state protection and pro-business reforms.

Before his exit, Fillon derided Macron's stated aim of being neither left- nor right-wing, pointing to the ex-banker's time as economy minister in the Socialist government of outgoing President Francois Hollande.This judgment of Macron is still strongly felt among many of the Sarkozy-faction on the right-wing of The Republicans though others, loosely represented by more moderate ex-prime minister Alain Juppe, have suggested they may choose to join in a majority of support for Macron.

Baroin told CNews he would vote for Macron on May 7 without hesitation but that he would not join in helping his campaign. He said he would throw his energy into campaigning for The Republicans in the June parliamentary election. The last time France had a cohabitation arrangement between the Elysee and the government was from 1997 and 2002 when right-wing president Jacques Chirac had to work with a Socialist government under Prime Minister Lionel Jospin.The arrangement curbed Chirac's day-to-day control over the direction of the economy, reducing him largely to looking after foreign policy and defence. (Additional reporting by Emmanuel Jarry; Writing By Richard Balmforth; Editing by Brian Love)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
By Michelle Nichols

| UNITED NATIONS

UNITED NATIONS East African states and South Africa believe that allowing South Sudanese rebel leader Riek Machar to return to the war-torn country would not "necessarily be positive at this stage," said United Nations envoy David Shearer on Wednesday.Machar, who fled to Democratic Republic of Congo in August after fierce fighting in South Sudan, is being held in South Africa to prevent him from stirring up trouble, diplomatic and political sources told Reuters in December.Shearer, who heads a U.N. peacekeeping mission in South Sudan, confirmed that was the case. "The feeling very much within the region is that his role, in terms of bringing him back, wouldn't necessarily be positive at this stage, so that's the decision of regional governments and South Africa," Shearer told reporters in New York.

South Sudan descended into civil war in 2013 after President Salva Kiir fired Machar as his deputy, unleashing a conflict that has spawned armed factions often following ethnic lines.Shearer said Festus Mogae, the former Botswana president who heads the international mediation and monitoring body JMEC in South Sudan, and U.N. envoy for Sudan and South Sudan, Nicholas Haysom, had both visited Machar.

"What's the most important thing -- and I have made this point to everybody including President Kiir -- is that the constituency he represents must be part of any peace process and any process that moves forward," Shearer said. The United Nations has warned of a possible genocide as millions have fled their homes, the oil-producing economy is in a tail-spin, crop harvests are devastated because of the worst drought in years and millions face famine.

The United States slammed Kiir on Tuesday for the African state's "man-made" famine and ongoing conflict, urging him to fulfill a month-old pledge of a unilateral truce by ordering his troops back to their barracks.U.N. sanctions monitors reported to the Security Council last month that South Sudan's government is mainly to blame for famine in parts of the country, yet Kiir is still boosting his forces using millions of dollars from oil sales. (Reporting by Michelle Nichols; Editing by Sandra Maler)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
By Humeyra Pamuk

| ISTANBUL

ISTANBUL Turkey's military outposts on the border with Syria came under fire from Kurdish militia across the frontier, the army said on Wednesday, a day after Turkish warplanes bombed groups in northeastern Syria and Iraq affiliated to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK).Four outposts of the Turkish army along the Syria border were attacked on Wednesday with artillery and mortar shells, the army said.Three of the attacks were carried out from territory held by the U.S.-backed Kurdish YPG militia, while the other originated from a region under the control of the Syrian government. There were no casualties but minor material damage.YPG spokesman Redur Xelil said there was heavy Turkish artillery fire across the border into Syria on Wednesday. The shelling hit near Darbasiya, a town in a Kurdish-controlled part of northeast Syria.The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights war monitor reported clashes between Kurdish fighters and Turkish forces along the border near Darbasiya.Tensions in the area escalated after Turkish warplanes struck Kurdish targets in Iraq's Sinjar region and northeast Syria, killing about 70 inside the two neighbouring states, according to a Turkish military statement.

The air strikes in Syria targeted the YPG, a key component of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which are backed by the United States and have been closing in on the Islamic State bastion of Raqqa. The Turkish raids showed the challenges facing U.S.-led attempts to defeat Islamic State in Syria and tension between NATO allies Washington and Ankara over Kurdish combatants who have been crucial in driving back the jihadists.Ankara sees the YPG as a hostile force and an extension of the outlawed PKK, which has waged a three-decade insurgency against the Turkish state and is considered a terrorist group by Turkey, the United States and the European Union.

On Wednesday, Turkish warplanes continued cross-border raids, striking Kurdish militant targets in northern Iraq and killed six militants, the army said. "INADEQUATE"

Turkey's strikes drew criticism from the United States and Russia. Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, who has long said Ankara would not allow Iraq's Sinjar to become a PKK base, said all partners were informed ahead of the operation.

The Turkish military gave the U.S.-led coalition against Islamic State less than an hour of advance notice, a U.S. coalition spokesman said on Wednesday, describing it as inadequate time to ensure the safety of forces on the ground."That's not enough time and this was...not coordination as you would expect from a partner and an ally in the fight against ISIS," U.S. Air Force Colonel John Dorrian told a Pentagon teleconference.Turkish foreign ministry spokesman Huseyin Muftuoglu said the partners were informed through both military and diplomatic channels. The Combined Air Operations Center in Qatar, responsible for providing command and air control in regions including Iraq and Syria, was also informed in advance, Muftuoglu said.The Russian foreign ministry said Turkey's had violated the fundamental principles of intergovernmental relations. (Additional reporting by Ece Toksabay and Tuvan Gumrukcu in Ankara, Lisa Barrington in Beirut and Rodi Said in Qamishli, David Alexander in Washington; Editing by Ralph Boulton)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
Washington: A US federal judge has blocked the Trump administration's executive order that could deny funding to 'sanctuary cities' harbouring illegal immigrants, a

ruling that the US President termed as "ridiculous".

US District Judge William H Orrick on Tuesday blocked Trump's 25 January executive order on what are called "sanctuary cities" and said lawsuits by Santa Clara county and San Francisco challenging the order were likely to succeed, the Washington Post reported.

The White House blasted the decision in a scathing statement that said officials behind sanctuary city policies had "the blood of dead Americans on their hands".

Judge Orrick pointed to discrepancies in the administration's interpretation of the executive order, which broadly authorised the Attorney General to withhold federal funding for "sanctuary cities" that do not cooperate with immigration officials.

At the same time, the judge said the Justice Department may hold back funding that is awarded with immigration-related conditions if those conditions are violated.

The White House described Judge Orrick's decision as a gift to the criminal gangs and cartels active in the US, adding that it empowered those involved in human and sex trafficking and put thousands of innocent lives at risk.

The ruling, which applies nationwide, was another judicial setback for the Trump administration, which has now seen three immigration orders stopped by federal courts in its first 100 days, the daily reported.

The judge's ruling is effective on the national level and affects all sanctuary cities, comprising about 200 local entities, including Los Angeles, Chicago and New York, that protect undocumented migrants from deportation.

Orrick, who was appointed by former President Barack Obama, ruled that Trump's order violated the Constitution by trying to punish local governments by seeking to "deprive local jurisdictions of congressional allocated funds without any notice or opportunity to be heard".

However, the ruling was not definitive and the Department of Justice could resort to the 9th District Appeals Court to try and get it overturned, the Washington Post reported.

The White House said it would pursue all legal options, but lamented that the incident was "yet one more example of egregious overreach by a single, unelected district judge".

The American Civil Liberties Union and other advocacy groups said the injunction offered a clear warning that Trump's order is illegal.

The Trump administration had given several ultimatums to "sanctuary cities" to try and force them to inform immigration agents about the immigration status of people arrested there.

It also sought help from "sanctuary cities" for facilitating the deportation of those migrants who are living in the US illegally or who have committed a crime.

The latest such ultimatum was delivered last Friday when the Justice Department threatened to cut funding for nine jurisdictions if, by 30 June, they did not provide documentation showing cooperation with federal authorities to facilitate deportations.
Factcheck: Mail on Sundays astonishing evidence about global temperature rise



In an article in todays Mail on Sunday, David Rose makes the extraordinary claim that world leaders were duped into investing billions over manipulated global warming data, accusing the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) of manipulating the data to show more warming in a 2015 study by Tom Karl and coauthors.What he fails to mention is that the new NOAA results have been validated by independent data from satellites, buoys and Argo floats and that many other independent groups, including Berkeley Earth and the UKs Met Office Hadley Centre, get effectively the same results.NOAAs results are independently verifiedThe new NOAA record published in Karl et al primarily updated their ocean temperature record. While they also released a revised land record based on data from the International Surface Temperature Initiative (and the related Global Historical Climatology Network version 4 beta product  GHCNv4), the land record was largely similar to their prior record and was responsible for relatively little of the increase in warming they showed....Further updates to come from NOAANOAA is planning on further updates to their sea surface temperature record this year to incorporate Argo data and to make some adjustments to their spatial interpolation technique. Based on the preliminary results that their team presented at the American Geophysical Union meeting late last year, their new record (ERSSTv5) will have about 10% less warming than their current record (ERSSTv4) over the 2000-2015 period, largely due to changes in the way that they account for areas with limited data. Their upcoming record will still show 50% more warming than the old NOAA record (ERSSTv3b).While NOAAs data management procedures may well need improvement, their results have been independently validated and agree with separate global temperature records created by other groups.The astonishing evidence that David Rose purports to reveal in no way changes our understanding of modern warming or our best estimates of recent rates of warming. It does not in any way change the evidence that policymakers have at their disposal when deciding how to address the threats posed by climate change.If anything, there is strong independent evidence that NOAAs new record may be the most accurate one over the last two decades, at least for the two-thirds of the world covered in ocean.
Saudi Arabia, where women are not allowed to drive cars, will now be monitoring women's rights around the world. United Nation's women's rights commission which is charged with promoting gender equality and empowerment of women picked 13 new members in a secret vote and the selection of Saudi Arabia has earned them a lot of ire, especially from human rights groups.

Saudi Arabia is now one of the 45 nations sitting on a panel "promoting women's rights, documenting the reality of women's lives throughout the world, and shaping global standards on gender equality and the empowerment of women," said the UN.

"Electing Saudi Arabia to protect women's rights is like making an arsonist into the town fire chief," said Hillel Neuer, executive director of UN Watch, a human rights group that acts as a UN watchdog, according to a report by CNN.

The World Economic Forum's Global Gender Gap ranks Saudi Arabia 141 out of 144 countries.

All Saudi Arabian women have legal male guardians who have the power to make critical decisions on their behalf, relating to matters of travel, marriage, work and even access to health care.

Hillel Neuer says, "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. Saudi Arabia also bans women from driving cars. Electing them to protect women's rights is absurd."

The Islamic kingdom has a state policy of gender segregation between men and women who are not related.

However, in response to this news, Helen Clark, former administrator of the UN Development Programme and prime minister of New Zealand, said, It's important to support those in the country who are working for change for women. Things are changing, but slowly.

With inputs from agencies
The flight even included an aerobatic maneuver. Sponsored by "Zuruck Zum Ursprung," an organic food brand in Austria that promotes the welfare of animals. Location: Flughafen Niederoblarn, Styria, Austria.

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One world premiere can be memorable. But on Friday night, attendees at "The Majestic Eight" can witness the premiere of eight original plays by Oregon writers.

The 10-minute plays are the winning submissions in a statewide competition presented by the Majestic Playwright's Lab. Writers were invited to enter their scripts for a chance to see them performed on the Majestic Theatre's main stage in the new "Majestic Eight" festival.

The eight winning scripts were submitted by writers from Corvallis, Lebanon, Eugene, Ashland, and Portland.

The plays, directed by Leigh Matthews Bock and Laura Blackwell, will be performed in a reader's theatre style in which the actors have the scripts in hand.

Theatre supervisor Jimbo Ivy suggested four 10-minute plays would make for a good first act, followed by four more after intermission, said Cristina L. White, head of the Majestic Playwright's Lab.

Bock and Blackwell decided the best way to handle the production was to direct four plays each.

"For this first voyage, Leigh and I got to co-direct our own casts. The playwrights were told no more than five characters," Blackwell said.

The directors got five actors each of their choosing. The featured cast members are Robert Best, Rebecca Douglas, Kim Garwood, Danita Hamel, Timothy Kelley, Shauna Kiefiuk, Catherine Polan Orzech, Steve Sellin, Alice Tucker and Joshua Winter.

Two of the plays Bock is directing are by Portland playwrights, and both are set in that city. "Portland," by Marj O'Neill Butler, is a comedy in which the main character is immediately embarrassed by her mother, who comes to visit from Florida.

The other play, "PDX," by Audrey Block, centers on two workers as they remove the airport's famed carpet at 5:30 a.m.

"There's not really a lot of action. It's just really about the funny dialogue and us getting to peek into two guys' lives," Bock said.

Bock didn't want to reveal too much about the drama "Saturn's Child," by Nancy West of Eugene. The play is about a woman walking into a coffee shop to confront a man who has been speaking to her teenage daughter.

The director reached out to Ashland playwright Carolina Stevens to better understand the inspiration for her play "Buck."

"It's a great story about situations that each person is going to confront with an aging parent. What do you do?" she said.

Blackwell said she chose to direct four of the more metaphorical style of plays, and really enjoyed the challenges they presented.

Two of the plays are by Corvallis-based playwrights and feature gangster themes.

"Dirty Deeds," by Brian Bogges, is about a man who hires another man to do a very dirty job.

"It's fun with a good twist at the end," Blackwell said.

"Montebello Monster," by Colby Wooten, follows the members of a Chicago family who see their father die. His daughter, Natalie, believes the death is murder and gets to have a conversation with the man she suspects.

"Mind Your Own Abyssness," by Nancy Hopps of Eugene, is one of those metaphorical plays, Blackwell said. It follows a man who sees a crack in his life that he must cross without hurting himself.

"The Bickerton Sisters Remember," by Lebanon playwright Genny Lynch was difficult for Blackwell to describe without giving away "everything." The comedy is about two sisters who remember important pieces of their love lives, she said.

To prepare for Friday's performances the cast has had one read through and six rehearsals, Bock said.

Because this was the first time the Majestic Playwright's Lab held this competition, organizers the playwrights to include the phrase the "first time" in one line of their dialogue, White said.

"It didn't have to be a first time theme, but it had to include that phrase somewhere that made sense in the dialogue," she said.

Bock said going from larger productions to 10-minute plays, has been a good challenge as director, though she's found it hard to say goodbye to the characters that she's met in these short plays.

"If you really love the characters you want to spend more time with them and want to get to know them more," she said.

White has enjoyed the experience.

"I've just been bowled over by how good the feeling is around this production," she said.

Organizers are interested in doing "The Majestic Eight" in the future, but alternating between mid-valley and statewide competitions.

"Even years we will aim for a production from local playwrights, and odd years we'll do the statewide competition," White said.

The Majestic Eight will include a brief awards ceremony, as well as a question-and-answer session with the playwrights, directors and actors.

"These are stories that have never been seen on a stage and are from people all around Oregon," Blackwell said.
Google Maps will now help you find your parked car thanks to a new parking reminder feature. Available for Android and iOS, the feature will let users record their parking locations.

In order to use parking reminder, Android users will need to tap the blue dot and then tap Save your parking to add your parking location to the map. A label will be seen on the map itself identifying where you parked your car. Tapping on that label will open up your parking card, where you can add additional details about your parking spot. You can add a note like level 3, spot 35, add the amount of time left before the meter expires (and even get a reminder alert 15 minutes before it does), save an image of your parking spot, and send your parking location to friends.

iPhone users will need to the follow similar steps as their Android counterpart. Google Maps for iOS already features automatic parking detection. If you connect to your car using USB audio or bluetooth, your parking spot will be automatically added to the map when you disconnect and exit the vehicle.

At the beginning of this year, Google started showing parking availability for Android users while iOS users were able to see real time information about crowded places.
Samsung has released an app for people living with aphasia, a disorder that causes the loss of language capabilities. Dubbed as Wemogee, the emoji-based chat app has been developed by Samsung by collaborating with a team of speech therapists.

Wemogee 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. Users with aphasia can chose what they want to say from a list of visual options, and the app translates them into text for recipients without aphasia. The non-aphasic user will receive the message in text form and can then reply using pre-set textual phrases.

Samsung says more than 200,000 people in Italy have aphasia.

The Wemogee app for Android will be available for free download on Google Play beginning April 28 and supports English and Italian languages. It is coming to iOS soon.

Source
Check out the latest FoneArena Daily video that gives you a quick roundup of the latest technology news.

Rumors and report about the next generation OnePlus have been making rounds for a while. Now, a couple of renders of the OnePlus 5 have surfaced which highlights the dual rear camera setup.

Google Maps will now help you find your parked car thanks to a new parking reminder feature. Available for Android and iOS, the feature will let users record their parking locations.

Meizu today announced E2, the companys latest smartphone in the E series with 5.5-inch 1080p display, Helio P20 and 13MP camera with qud-LED flash in China.

Facebook today announced new India-centric features for its platform at an event called as A place to connect in Delhi.

Deal of the day  Deals on Smart wearables on Flipkart
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Data compiled by CH2M Hill indicates the air level of the solvent trichloroethylene, or TCE, around Entek's Lebanon plant is about a tenth of the level suggested by computer modeling done by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, a company spokesman said Tuesday.

As we have said all along, Entek is committed to the safety of our community and a cooperative, transparent relationship with state agencies, said Kirk Hanawalt. These new air-monitoring results use actual weather data from our plant site and current emissions levels and sources to provide a more accurate picture than the earlier modeling conducted by federal and state agencies.

Hanawalt said the new information, as anticipated, shows that we are successfully minimizing risk to our neighbors.

TCE is a known carcinogen based on exposure levels and has been linked to heart defects in babies.

The numbers generated by the EPAs computer modeling led to several state agencies suggesting earlier this month that the company install air-monitoring equipment on private properties near its manufacturing facility on the north side of Lebanon.

However, data compiled by CH2M Hill, a company hired by Entek, shows TCE levels of less than 10 percent of the EPA screening model; less than 30 percent of the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality modeling; and less than 50 percent of the equivalent, preliminary value the DEQ asked Entek to provide when the company was in its early stages of modeling over the last three months.

Entek staff will meet at 1 p.m. Monday with DEQ representatives in Portland.

This is good news, in our minds, Hanawalt said. But the question is, 'What is next?' We will review everything on Monday with the DEQ. Maybe they will require air monitoring, and we dont have a problem with that. We are more than willing to work with them and hopefully, to work beside them.

Hanawalt said the company is willing to extend the air monitoring program even longer than previously proposed by DEQ officials.

The state always has agreed Entek is operating below its air-quality permit discharge levels. The company is allowed to emit up to 127 tons of TCE per year, but averages less than 70.

Entek officials say the company recycles more than 99.75 percent of the TCE used in its manufacture of battery separator materials. Those materials are used in more than 95 percent of new vehicle batteries and 80 percent of replacement batteries in North America.

According to CH2M Hills report, on Feb. 8 the DEQ requested that Entek submit information to conduct a review of the facilitys TCE emissions. The request was made in conjunction with the states efforts to develop Cleaner Air Oregon, a program in the pre-proposal stage of rule-making.

An April 24 deadline was set. Prior to that date, the DEQ required Entek to provide data the company said was incomplete and likely inaccurate. From that information, computer modeling indicated the facility might be emitting levels of TCE that were still less than permitted levels but might be higher than listed in nonregulatory standards and federal health-based thresholds.

On April 6, representatives of the DEQ, Oregon Health Authority, Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Administration, and the Department of Justice met with Entek officials in Lebanon and outlined plans to install air-monitoring equipment on private property near the plant. The state also planned to notify all employees and area residents of the monitoring project as well as potential health risks associated with TCE exposure.

Entek argued that the state should use the best data available and recommended waiting until April 24, by which time CH2M Hill was scheduled to completed its work. On April 7, Entek filed for and received a temporary restraining order in Linn County Circuit Court barring the state from implementing the public information campaign.

Three days later, Judge Carol Bispham heard 45 minutes of testimony from the state and Entek, and then heard two more hours of testimony on April 12.

As of Tuesday morning, she had not ruled on whether the restraining order should remain in effect.

Entek was founded in Tangent in 1984 and opened its Lebanon facility in 1987. The company employs more than 680 people worldwide. More than 400 Entek employees work in Lebanon in research, engineering, equipment manufacturing and production of battery separator materials.
Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) wants to use the $14 billion seized from Mexican drug lord El Chapo to pay for Trumps border wall and outspoken conservative rocker Ted Nugent says the idea is absolutely bulletproof.

The punks should pay for the wall. The punks that keep coming across the border making gazillions of dollars  what a brilliant idea to let them pay for the wall  Go Ted, go! he said during an interview with the FOX Business Networks Maria Bartiromo.

The guitarist, who started his career with the Amboy Dukes before going solo, said border security is necessary.

Theres all kinds of ways to build that wall. Theres many different technologies available to us but the men and women who protect America, they tell me, I get to train these guysThey want secure borders  who doesnt want secure borders? And I give you the Left goofballs  thats who doesnt, he said.

Nugent along with fellow rocker Kid Rock and former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin met with President Trump at the White House last week for dinner. He said Trump reassured the group that he was a constitutionally-driven Commander in Chief.

He added: His statements of America first  this is controversial with who? Secure borders is controversial with what? So I bring you greeting from working hard America.
President Donald Trumps top aides are meeting Thursday to debate whether or not the U.S. should pull out of the Paris climate accorda global pact aimed at cutting greenhouse gas emissions.

The White House confirmed to FOX Business that the meeting is set for 1:30pm ET. It is likely to be a fiery powwow, considering Trumps most trusted advisors are split on the issue.

Earlier this week, Trumps Energy Secretary Rick Perry said that while he is for the U.S. remaining as part of the 194-nation agreement, he thinks it should be reworked.

Im not going to tell the president of the United States to walk away from the Paris accord, the former Texas governor said on Tuesday. I will say that we need to renegotiate it.

His comments come as some of Trumps top advisors remain split on the issue. EPA chief Scott Pruitt and Trumps senior strategist, Stephen K. Bannon want to back out of the pledge, while Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Trumps son-in-law and daughter--Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trumpare reportedly urging the president to remain committed to the agreement.

Pruitt told Fox News earlier this month that in his opinion, the U.S. should exit the accord as soon as possible.

Its a bad deal for America. It was an America second, third, or fourth kind of approach. China and India has no obligations under the agreement until 2030. We front-loaded all our costs, Pruitt said.

On the other hand, Tillerson, the former ExxonMobil CEO, supported the deal during his confirmation testimony in January, saying, Were better served by being at that table than by leaving that table. Exxon, Royal Dutch Shell and BP also have endorsed the pact.

And while Trumps daughter Ivanka has yet to offer a concrete public statement on her thoughts around climate change, Politico has reported that she wants to become an ambassador for the cause. She has reportedly met with former Vice President and environmentalist Al Gore and climate change activist and actor Leonardo DiCaprio privately to discuss the issue.

The international agreementwhich is non-bindingwas forged in Paris in December 2015 and officially went into effect last November. Under the agreement, more than 195 countries pledged to reduce annual greenhouse gas emissions in 2025 by 26 to 28 percent, which would be a reduction of about 1.6 billion tons of annual emissions.

Earlier this week, Gore teamed up with a group made up of energy executives, activist leaders and investment bankers who have pledged to fight rising temperatures across the globe. The group called Energy Transitions Commissions (ETC) is calling for countries to spend up to $600 billion a year over the next two decades to boost green energy deployment and energy efficiency equipment.

Ed Russo, president and CEO of ER Advisors, who previously worked for the Trump Organization for 17 years and was in charge of all environmental affairs for the resorts, says while he doesnt think its a good idea for the U.S. to leave the Paris accord, the overall agreement does have some shortfalls.

"I would not recommend that the United States disengage from the Paris Climate Summit at this time. However, it must be clearly understood that the covenants of the summit fall short of addressing serious air and water pollution problems worldwide. A much greater effort must be focused on existing pollution problems and processes that continue to pollute our planet.

"It has been frustrating to observe this overwhelming concern regarding carbon while methane and other pollutants continue to be discharged into our atmosphere, Russo tells FOX Business.

Andrew Light, former senior climate change advisor at the State Department, tells FOX Business that if Trump decides to leave the agreement, it will have a ripple effect that will go way beyond climate change.

If President Trump now decides to leave the Paris Agreement, he will be answering for that decision on issues that go well beyond climate, finding it difficult if not impossible to get his agenda across to a world stunned by this decision, starting at the G7 Summit in May, Light says.

Other environmentalists argue the accord, as is, can help Trump deliver on another campaign promise: creating jobs.

Why would President Trump walk away from a deal that brings jobs, security and prosperity for Americans? The United States economic and national security interests are best served by staying in the Paris Agreement. But if the U.S. withdraws from its Paris commitments, it would be left out and left behind at a time when countries around the world are seizing the huge opportunities from taking action, David Waskow, director at the International Climate Initiative tells FOX Business.

While Trump promised during the campaign to cancel the Paris agreement, shortly after winning the election he told the New York Times that he had an "open mind" regarding the 195-country pact. And last month, after meeting with Trump, Gore told The Washington Post that he thinks there is a realistic chance Trump will opt to keep the United States as a participant in the agreement.

I do believe there is an ongoing deliberation in the White House about what to do with respect to the Paris agreement, Gore told The Washington Post. I will simply express the hope that there is a realistic chance that the president will ultimately decide that the cost to the United States and to his presidency of withdrawing from the Paris agreement would far outweigh any quote-unquote benefits from withdrawing.

White House spokesman Sean Spicer has told reporters that the president will make up his mind on the Paris agreement before a summit of the Group of Seven leading industrial nations in Taormina, Italy in late May.
The U.S. test fired the Boeing (NYSE:BA)-made Minuteman III missile amid growing tensions with North Korea over the Kim regimeas nuclear program.

The Minuteman III is an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) capable of carrying nuclear warheads. When it was built in the 1970s, each missile had a price tag of $7 million, or more than $40 million in current dollars. Since the initial production run, the Air Force has made upgrades to the Minuteman III including modern targeting systems.

The missile test, conducted from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, sent a Minuteman III about 4,200 miles to a test range in the Marshall Islands.

Col. John Moss, 30th Space Wing commander, said the launch awas an important demonstration of our nationas nuclear deterrent capability.a

aTest launches like this one are vital to validating the effectiveness and readiness of our operational nuclear systems, so it is critical that they are successful,a Col. Moss added.

Also on Wednesday, the U.S. began installing an anti-missile battery in South Korea to defend against threats from North Korea. The Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system, made by Lockheed Martin (NYSE:LMT), is expected to be operational in South Korea in a matter of days, according to congressional testimony by Adm. Harry Harris, head of U.S. Pacific Command.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Navy recently deployed a strike group led by the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson to the region.

The Pentagonas moves come as the White House is scheduled on Wednesday to host the entire Senate for a briefing on North Korea. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, Defense Secretary James Mattis, Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats and Gen. Joseph Dunford, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, will lead the meeting, the White House said.

Majority leader Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) said he asked the Trump administration to update all senators on the issue.

aKim Jong-Un has, by all appearances, broken from a predictable cycle of escalation demonstrated by previous leaders, where the regime takes a provocative action, draws the U.S. into a negotiation, and extracts concessions. Instead, Kim appears willing to risk the disapproval of the U.N. and our regional allies by undertaking a breakneck testing program,a Sen. McConnell said in a statement ahead of the briefing.
What happened

Shares of large gold-mining company Barrick Gold (NYSE: ABX) hit the smelter this afternoon and lost as much as 11% after the company reported its fiscal first-quarter earnings results after the closing bell on Monday. As you can probably surmise by the move, Barrick widely missed the mark and disappointed Wall Street with its guidance.

So what

For the quarter, Barrick Gold reported 1.31 million ounces of gold production, which, with other byproducts included, yielded $1.99 billion in revenue and $495 million in operating cash flow. On a bottom-line basis, Barrick Gold generated $162 million in adjusted income, or $0.14 per share. By comparison, Wall Street had been looking for Barrick Gold to generate $230 million more in revenue and EPS of $0.21 per share.

Image source: Getty Images.

Why the wide miss? Barrick Gold attributed higher direct mining costs, higher exploration and development expenses, and higher depreciation for its subpar adjusted earnings per share in Q1. Its production was also affected by adverse weather conditions at its Pueblo Viejo mine in the Dominican Republic.

Looking ahead, Barrick disappointed with its forecast. The company updated its full-year guidance to 5.3 million to 5.6 million gold ounces of production, which is down from its previous guidance of 5.6 million to 5.9 million ounces of gold. It should be noted that 200,000 ounces of this 300,000-ounce dip at the midpoint is from the sale of 50% of Veladero to Shandong Gold for $960 million. Still, this suggests that around 100,000 ounces of production is being slashed from Barrick's existing mines.

The good news, though, is that the company stood pat on its all-in sustaining cost (AISC) guidance of $720 to $770 per gold ounce, and it reduced its total debt by another $178 million.

Image source: Getty Images.

Now what

Barrick Gold's quarterly results clearly weren't what Wall Street was looking for, but I'd also opine that the 11% move lower in the company's share price could be a major overreaction. Let's consider a couple of important facts about Barrick.

Among the largest gold miners, Barrick has the lowest AISC of them all. It's managed this by focusing on its highest ore grade mines and reducing its capital expenditures. This suggests it also has the biggest buffer between the current spot price of gold, making it one of the most attractive gold-mining stocks.

Barrick Gold has done an excellent job of reducing its debt levels. At the end of fiscal 2014, Barrick had roughly $13.1 billion in debt, which constrained its financial flexibility and caused it to spend quite a bit on servicing its debt. After today's quarterly report, the company is now down to a little more than $7.7 billion in debt. It remains on track to end 2018 with around $5 billion in debt.

Barrick has a handful of organic expansion opportunities that could fuel production growth for years to come. Expansion at Turquoise Ridge and the potential development of Goldrush in Nevada are two of many ways Barrick can boost gold production in the years to come.

Long story short, Barrick faced some weather-related challenges and sold off half of a key mine this quarter, but overall, this wasn't a bad quarter. It continues to pay down debt, maintained its leading AISC, and remains healthfully profitable with a prudent budget. Gold investors would be wise to get Barrick Gold on their radars after today's drop.

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What happened

Shares of aluminum giant Alcoa Corp (NYSE: AA) jumped sharply after the company reported earnings, rising to close the day up 9.4% Tuesday.

So what

Alcoa reported its fiscal Q1 2017 earnings results after the close of trading on Monday, meaning Tuesday was the first chance investors got to react to its numbers. Luckily for Alcoa, they liked those numbers -- a lot. Alcoa reported earnings of $1.21 per diluted share on revenue of $2.7 billion. The profit was a nice change from Alcoa's big loss one year ago, and the company's revenue shot up 25% in comparison to the year-ago quarter.

Expectations-wise, Alcoa's earnings beat analyst expectations by at least $0.10. The company's revenue, however, fell somewhat short of Wall Street's hoped-for$3 billion in sales.

It's nothing but aluminum and blue skies as Alcoa starts off the year. Image source: Getty Images.

Now what

Alcoa did not provide much in the way of guidance for the year ahead in its earnings release, noting only that it "is projecting 2017 global aluminum demand growth of 4.5 to 5 percent over 2016." Assuming that translates into 4.5% to 5% gains in sales for Alcoa, however, the sharp year-over-year rise in sales that we saw in Q1 could quickly slow as this year progresses.Working off that assumption, sales in 2017 could top out at about $9.8 billion (5% above 2016 levels).

A rosier scenario for Alcoa, though, might look like this: Global demand for aluminum rises 5%, and the rising prices that Alcoa saw for alumina and aluminum in Q1 2017 continue to rise as well. That would be a recipe for even greater revenue for Alcoa, and even enable the company to turn last year's net loss into a profitable 2017.

Given the price spike Alcoa stock is enjoying right now, I'd say that's the scenario that investors are betting on happening.

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LEBANON  Lebanon School Board member Kellie Weber told the Democrat-Herald on Tuesday she is no longer campaigning for the May 16 election and is throwing her support to another candidate.

Weber was appointed to the board last September to fill a term left vacant by Liz Alperin and had filed to be formally elected to the position on May 16. She said Tuesday she has changed her mind and wants to give her support to competitor Tom Oliver.

"A lot of people are concerned that Tom and I will split the vote," she said. "We believe the same things. We have the same concerns. I was afraid we'd cancel each other out."

The Linn County Clerk's Office said it's too late for a candidate to formally withdraw. Ballots are to be delivered to post offices this week and Weber's name will be on them.

If voters decide to select Weber anyway, she said she will continue to serve. However, she said: "I just want good things done. I don't need to be the one to do it."

Donnie Witherspoon and Linda McLucas also have filed for the Zone 2 position, but Weber said her candidacy aligns closest with Oliver's.

"I think Tom will do a great job, and I'm going to support him. That's who I'm going to vote for," she said, adding that she's encouraging all her supporters to do the same.

"There's a lot of things about serving on the school board that were really hard for me," she said. "I don't like to argue. I think there's going to be a lot of conflict to come."

Weber said she believes upcoming budget strain, an ethics investigation and controversies at recent meetings will continue to haunt the board for some time.

"There are some community members who are very dissatisfied about how the board is making decisions, and I think there's going to be a lot of conflict to come," she said. "I think Tom will be able to handle it very well."

Although Weber will be the second woman to leave the board in as many years, she said gender issues have not been a factor in her decision.

"I don't feel that I have been treated badly because I'm a woman," she said. "I do feel I have been treated badly because I disagree with the majority of the board, but I don't feel like it's because I'm a woman."
Air passenger arrivals in the United States fell in the first quarter of the year, while arrivals in Canada and Mexico rose, according to data from travel analysis company ForwardKeys.

Travelers from the Middle East and Europe were possibly deterred by uncertainty over President Donald Trump's travel ban on citizens of six Muslim-majority nations, as well as the strong dollar, it said on Wednesday.

Long-haul arrivals in the U.S. dropped by 4.3 percent in the first quarter, ForwardKeys, which analyses 16 million flight booking transactions a day from major global reservation systems, said.

On Tuesday, Emirates airline signaled that its U.S. expansion plans were on hold until demand recovers from a slowdown that the airline has blamed on Trump's travel restrictions.

Meanwhile, Canada and Mexico both saw arrivals increase 6.1 percent in the first quarter and bookings for arrival in the second quarter are up 15.7 and 19.8 percent, driven by bookings from the Netherlands, China, Britain and Germany.

Forward bookings to the United States for travel in the second quarter of the year are 3.7 percent ahead of last year, due to the later Easter holiday period this year, the travel analysis company said.

Visitors from Asia and the Americas are returning to Europe, after a dip following a string of attacks in France, Belgium and Germany, starting with Paris in November 2015, ForwardKeys said. Compared with two years ago, arrivals in the first quarter rose 5.2 percent and forward bookings are up 11.2 percent for the second quarter.

European carriers such as Lufthansa and Air France-KLM had felt the effects of the downturn in demand from Asia and the U.S last year. Both are due to report first-quarter results over the next couple of weeks.

"This overview reveals the resilience of the travel industry globally. People are finding alternative new destinations, and they are returning to others, previously blighted by dreadful events," ForwardKeys Chief Executive Olivier Jager said in a statement.

(Reporting by Victoria Bryan; editing by Susan Thomas)
Liberals who feel the current Republican presidential administration is driving them to drink now have the perfect place to do it.

A new bar, Coup, opened this month with protest-themed decor, a distinctly anti-President Donald Trump vibe and a promise by its owners to donate their profits to organizations including the American Civil Liberties Union and Planned Parenthood.

Patrons are offered a chance to earmark where their money goes. When they buy a drink, they get a token to drop into one of a half-dozen jars, each labeled with the name of a nonprofit group. The list of recipients will rotate. Jars on tap this week included the Natural Resources Defense Council and Human Rights Watch. Tokens also are on sale for $5.

After labor costs, liquor bills and other expenses are paid, the profits are divided among the groups based on the number of tokens they receive.

The bar was the brainchild of partners Ravi DeRossi, Sother Teague and Max Green. It's housed in a small Manhattan space where DeRossi used to have a restaurant.

The decor is modern protest. Rolls of butcher paper have been attached to the walls, inscribed with slogans like "The Pilgrims were undocumented" and "They tried to bury us. They didn't know we were seeds."

DeRossi, who owns several bars, said he was depressed by the election, which sent him into a dark mood for several weeks.

"I couldn't sit at home and sulk," he said. "I wanted to do something more positive."

The bar's name, Coup, is a reference to a sudden seizure of power from the government, rather than a house for chickens. DeRossi and Teague said it was the only name they all agreed on after starting out considering slightly less aggressive monikers.

DeRossi said he wasn't worried about backlash or bad reaction from Trump supporters.

"We're in New York City, where 90 percent voted essentially for this bar," he said.

All are welcome, he added.

"If people want to come in that are Trump supporters, they're more than welcome to come in and have a drink," he said. "They'll be treated with respect as long as they treat us with respect, and knowing that their money is going to these specific organizations."

Trump has promised to "make America great again." He has pushed to deport immigrants who are in the United States illegally, saying he wants to make the country safe, and he has said he's working to reform the tax code to lighten Americans' financial burdens, ignite economic growth and simplify tax filing.

For people looking to make less political donations at the bar, they could drop a token in a jar for the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

Choosing to drink at Coup "makes you feel like you're doing something," said Matthew Hayes, an attorney who was there with two friends. "Instead of just getting sotted, you can also throw something to a good cause."

He said it was also an opportunity to interact with strangers over topics like politics that people might avoid in other social settings.

"By putting yourself in a situation like this where it is a politically themed bar," he said, "that kind of takes politics off the Don't Talk About table."

___

Follow Deepti Hajela at www.twitter.com/dhajela. Her work can be found at http://bigstory.ap.org/content/deepti-hajela.
Boeing topped expectations for first-quarter profit, but the aerospace giant's sales fell short of forecasts, and the shares fell in Wednesday-morning trading.

Chicago-based Boeing Co. said Wednesday that it earned $1.45 billion in the first quarter. Excluding non-repeating gains, the profit came to $2.01 per share.

The average estimate of 10 analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was $1.91 per share.

Revenue was $20.98 billion. Five analysts surveyed by Zacks expected $21.44 billion.

Boeing blamed the disappointing sales number on delayed deliveries of commercial and defense aircraft. The company delivered 169 commercial planes in the quarter, down from 176 a year earlier. Boeing said it planned for fewer deliveries of its workhorse 737 plane as it prepares to launch a new version next month.

Revenue from sales of military planes plunged 28 percent, to $2.64 billion.

Boeing expects full-year earnings in the range of $9.20 to $9.40 per share, an increase of a dime per share, as the company now expects a full-year tax rate of 31 percent instead of 32 percent.

In morning trading, the shares were down $3.01, or 1.6 percent, to $180.50.

_____

Elements of this story were generated by Automated Insights using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on BA at https://www.zacks.com/ap/BA

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Keywords: Boeing, Earnings Report, Priority Earnings
Congress is close to a deal to extend health benefits for more than 22,000 retired miners and widows whose medical coverage is set to expire Sunday, coal-state lawmakers said Wednesday.

A "permanent" fix will be included in a measure to keep the government open, said Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., and other lawmakers. The fix would cost $1.3 billion over 10 years.

Manchin said at a rally sponsored by the United Mine Workers of America that President Donald Trump called him Wednesday morning to express support for the miners. Trump, who has repeatedly vowed to revive the struggling coal industry, won West Virginia, Kentucky and other coal-producing states by wide margins last fall.

Manchin, who faces re-election next year in the Republican-leaning state, said Trump asked him to relay a message to the mine workers: "Tell them I'm doing everything I can  and will do everything I can" to help them. "I'm behind them," Manchin said Trump told him.

Manchin said he told Trump that a permanent fix is needed to ensure retired miners and widows continue to receive benefits.

"We cannot keep kicking the can down the road," Manchin said.

In West Virginia, about 8,500 retired miners and their families face loss of benefits if Congress does not act. Other states affected include Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, Virginia and Alabama.

Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., also was confident that senators would approve the long-term fix and noted that Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said this week he supports it.

"I'm feeling good about it," Capito said to cheers from more than 50 miners and their supporters assembled outside the Capitol. "I want to see it in writing before we can begin to declare victory."

House Republican leaders have been pushing a 20-month health care extension, but Capito, Manchin and other lawmakers said they were optimistic Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., would agree to a long-term fix.

Talks with Ryan are focused on how to pay for the long-term extension, Manchin said, adding that a deal with the House was "75 percent" complete.

Manchin and other coal-state Democrats threatened to shut down the government over the health care issue in December, but they retreated after winning a four-month extension that preserves benefits through April 30.

This time, a long-term solution is the only acceptable deal, Manchin said. "We're not leaving until this is complete," he said. "You can take that any way you want to take that."

The tentative deal does not address pension benefits for unionized miners. A fight over that issue  which is far more costly than the health care fix  is likely next year, Manchin and other lawmakers said.

___

Follow Matthew Daly: http://twitter.com/MatthewDalyWDC
Nebraska lawmakers who worked to erase a nearly $900 million projected revenue shortfall will have to come up with another $50 million to balance the state budget.

The Nebraska Economic Forecasting Advisory Board set new revenue estimates on Wednesday, predicting the state will collect $4.3 billion in the current fiscal year and $9.2 billion in the upcoming two-year budget cycle that starts July 1.

The new projections will wipe out the $3.5 million that the budget-writing Appropriations Committee had set aside for legislation in this year's session.

They also will force lawmakers to cut more, dip again into the state's rainy-day fund or pass a law that would temporarily lower the minimum amount of money lawmakers have to keep in the general fund, said Sen. John Stinner, the committee chairman.

The rainy-day fund had been projected to reach a record high of $729 million in June 2016, but is now expected to slip to $379 million by June 2019 because senators have repeatedly used it.

"It's not a disaster, but it is another hurdle," Stinner said.

Lawmakers also could raise taxes, but such an approach is unlikely to pass with a conservative-dominated Legislature and Republican Gov. Pete Ricketts opposed to any increases.

"Clearly, additional spending reductions are required," Ricketts said in a statement.

Lawmakers faced an unusually large projected shortfall this year in part because of falling commodity prices that hurt agriculture, the state's largest industry. Because of the slowdown, state spending is projected to outpace revenue.

Forecasting board members offered differing views on the state economy. Members from Nebraska's larger cities offered a positive outlook, while rural members warned of a struggling farm economy.

"Things are a little challenging out there" in rural Nebraska, said board member Fred Lockwood, of Scottsbluff.

Board member David Ochsner, of Nelson, predicted that the state farm economy might remain stagnant unless another part of the world is disrupted by a weather disaster.

But board member Thomas Henning said the economy in the tri-cities of central Nebraska  Grand Island, Kearney and Hastings  is thriving. Henning said the area is still struggling to meet the need for affordable housing and a skilled workforce.

"There are a lot of good things happening. ... Hopefully what's happening in the cities can offset what's happening in farm economies," he said.

Nebraska's economy is also growing unevenly, which is affecting tax collections, said Hoa Phu Tran, a Nebraska Department of Revenue economist. The state economy used to rely heavily on producing goods, which are often taxed, but it now depends more on services, which aren't taxed as frequently, he said.

___

Follow Grant Schulte on Twitter at https://twitter.com/GrantSchulte
An application for a more than $1 billion proposed natural gas pipeline originating in Pennsylvania and ending in New Jersey is incomplete, state regulators said in a letter Wednesday.

The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection told PennEast it has 30 days to resubmit its freshwater permit application for the proposed 120-mile (193-kilometer) pipeline.

The application lacks consent from property owners along the path of the pipeline as well as technical information like a survey of endangered and threatened species, according to the DEP.

PennEast did not immediately respond to a request for comment but has previously said it hopes the pipeline would be operational in 2018.

Environmental groups opposed to the pipeline cheered the development as setback. They say the pipeline could threaten pristine waterways, vulnerable animals and habitats as well as scar the land.

PennEast said the project would create jobs and provide the region with a new energy source.

The project also is awaiting a determination from federal regulators on whether there's a need for the project. That step could be delayed because the commission lacks the quorum required for such approvals.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's final environmental impact study outlined several areas of concern, including trace amounts of arsenic in some rocks the pipeline would cross and potential threats to endangered and threatened species, including the bog turtle and Indiana bat.

But the report issued earlier this month said PennEast is proposing mitigation efforts such as well monitoring and avoiding endangered animal habitats.

The pipeline would originate in Dallas, Pennsylvania, and end at near Pennington, New Jersey.
2017 has started out well for Altria Group (NYSE: MO), and the tobacco stock saw a double-digit percentage rise in value early in the year before giving back a portion of those gains over the past couple of months. Yet over the long run, Altria is still navigating the difficult environment of falling cigarette demand, and investors want to know whether its strategy of raising prices will continue to work indefinitely.

As investors prepare for Altria's first-quarter financial report on May 2, many admit that the tobacco giant's growth is likely to be sluggish. Yet they still hope that the company will be able to come up with a long-term strategy to expand and improve the health of the business going forward. Let's take an early look at Altria with an eye toward what the Marlboro producer is likely to say in its quarterly report.

Stats on Altria Group

Analyst EPS Estimate $0.74 Change From Year-Ago EPS 2.8% Revenue Estimate $4.64 billion* Change From Year-Ago Revenue 2.4% Earnings Beats in Past 4 Quarters 4

Data source: Yahoo! Finance. * Net of excise tax.

Can Altria earnings climb?

Investors have gotten a bit less optimistic about Altria earnings in recent months, reducing their first-quarter projections by $0.02 per share and shaving 1% from their calls for the 2017 and 2018 years. The stock has held its own, climbing 2% since the end of January.

Altria's fourth-quarter results warned investors that the new year might end up being somewhat uncomfortable. Revenue was up just a fraction of a percent, and even after taking out large gains from the sale of its stake in beer company SABMiller, Altria managed to produce better-than-expected earnings growth. Yet cigarette sales volume fell 5%, putting ongoing pressure on prospects for overall growth, and better performance in the smokeless tobacco and wine units weren't enough to make up the difference. Moreover, Altria said that adjusted earnings would rise at a 7.5% to 9.5% pace in 2017, which was somewhat slower than the 8% to 10% that most investors prefer to see.

Moreover, the appearance of results from Anheuser-Busch InBev (NYSE: BUD) might not have the positive impact that Altria investors want. Because of the way that their respective businesses are structure and accounted for, Altria reports Anheuser-Busch results on a one-quarter lag. Therefore, it's A-B InBev's fourth-quarter results that will show up on Altria's first-quarter report, and the beer company's performance didn't live up to the hopes of its investors last quarter. Sales gains of just 1% stemmed from falling beer volume and even weaker performance in the company's non-beer portfolio. Net income per share fell substantially. Altria has high hopes for the beer business in the long run, but it seems likely to offer the support Altria shareholders would have liked to see this time around.

Still, Altria is working hard to bolster its business going forward. The company is set to be a prime beneficiary of partner Philip Morris International's efforts to gain acceptance for its iQOS heated tobacco platform from U.S. regulators. At the end of March, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration received a premarket tobacco application from the international tobacco giant, complementing its late-2016 filing of a modified risk tobacco product application. If iQOS receives FDA approval, Altria will have exclusive rights to sell and distribute the product within the U.S. market. If experiences that iQOS has had in countries like Japan are any indication, reduced-risk products could be a driver of new growth for the company -- albeit with some risks of cannibalization from Altria's traditional cigarettes.

In the Altria earnings report, investors should stay focused on the company's overall core mission, seeing how it balances its traditional cigarette and smokeless tobacco businesses with alternative products going forward. It will take smart strategic handling for Altria to navigate shifting customer demand as the reduced-risk space develops, but the Marlboro maker has a strong hand to go up against its competitors.

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First President Trump took on Canadian lumber, imposing a 20% tax on lumber imports from Americas northern neighbor. Now its dairy with Trump planning a similar tariff on Canadian dairy products. American Farm Bureau President Zippy Duvall says Trump is taking an important step to support American dairy farmers.

We have a president now thats looking after the interests of our farmers and ranchers, Duvall told the FOX Business Networks Stuart Varney, arguing that the tariff was in no way a political payoff to voters in Wisconsin and upstate New York who voted for Trump. I totally reject that," Duvall said. "The rural America is just as much an important part of America and the society as urban America and we need the same attention that everybody else does.

Though Duvall reiterated Trumps positive sentiment about Canada, he pointed out that the goal is a fair trade relationship.

I would echo his words, we very much appreciate our neighbors to the north but were looking for fair trade.

When Varney asked if Duvall viewed the tariffs as an opening bargaining position by Trump, Duvall responded, I think it is, I think its getting everybodys attention that we want to come to the table and have those very difficult discussions about all of our trade.

Duvall said Trumps efforts will begin the process of breaking down barriers to American farmers staying competitive globally. This is just one example of how barriers pop up in front our commodities and prevent us from doing business in the rest of the world.
Conservative commentator Ann Coulter has canceled her speech planned for this week at the University of California's Berkeley campus after a dispute with school officials, who feared violent protests, over whether a safe venue could be found.

"There will be no speech," Coulter wrote in an email to Reuters on Wednesday in which she also criticized two conservative groups who had originally sponsored the event, saying they were no longer supporting her. "I looked over my shoulder and my allies had joined the other team," she wrote.

"I have no sponsor, no lawyer, no court order," she added. "I can't vindicate constitutional rights on my own. I was just supposed to give the speech."

Coulter, one of the best-known conservative commentators in the United States, had been scheduled to give a speech critical of pro-immigration policies on Thursday. She said she may nonetheless still visit the campus that day.

Last week, Berkeley officials said there was no safe venue at the campus on that date. They cited violent demonstrations by left-wing demonstrators in February hours before another right-wing media figure, Milo Yiannopoulos, was scheduled to speak.

Berkeley proposed that Coulter speak on May 2. Coulter said she could not make that date and accused the school of an effort to limit her audience, noting that it fell in a study week ahead of final exams.

On Tuesday, the Young America's Foundation and the Berkeley College Republicans, which had organized the speech, sued university officials, accusing the public university of suppressing conservative speakers' rights to free speech.

Later that day, Young America's Foundation said in a statement it could no longer sponsor the speech, blaming Berkeley officials. It said they had not offered assurances that campus police would protect attendees from any violent protests, a charge the school denied.

"Berkeley should be ashamed for creating this hostile atmosphere," the foundation's statement said.

Dan Mogulof, a Berkeley spokesman, wrote in an email that the university had "heard nothing" from Coulter or the sponsors. He declined to comment further, writing that he had "no interest in communicating with her through the media."

Mogulof also shared a letter sent to students on Wednesday by Berkeley Chancellor Nicholas Dirks in which he wrote that campus police had learned of threats of violence should the speech happen.

"This University has two non-negotiable commitments, one to Free Speech, the other to the safety of our campus community members, their guests, and the public," he wrote.

(Reporting by Mark Hosenball in Washington and Jonathan Allen in New York; editing by Jonathan Oatis)
Nov. 24, 1921  April 16, 2017

The soul of Helen Dirrett was called by her Savior to be with him in heaven on Easter Sunday 2017.

Helen was a brave and strong woman who faced many challenges during her life. She met them head on with no thought of surrender. Despite her many challenges, she was concerned about others and their problems.

Here sense of humor was always with her.

We will miss you greatly, Helen, but take solace in the fact that you are with Jesus in heaven.

Helen was born at home on Thanksgiving Day, November 24, 1921. Her parents were John and Caroline (Luther) Morgan. They owned a hop farm north of Albany.

Helen attended North Albany Grade School and Central Junior High School, graduating from Albany High School in 1939. She played saxophone in the high school band and was a state champion.

Helens parents introduced her to the First United Methodist Church of Albany. She was baptized in the church at the age of 12 and remained a lifelong member.

In 1944, she married Roy Dirrett after he returned home from the war in the Pacific. Roy remained in the Navy for two more years after they married and was stationed in Florida and to Navy bases on the east coast.

In 1946, they returned to Albany, where Roy started Albany Roofing Company, which was later sold to Scharpfs Builders.

Roy passed away in 2001.

Helen worked for US National Bank, Pacific Power and Light, and the American Red Cross before taking a job with the U.S. Bureau of Mines, where she worked until retirement.

Helen and Roy nad no children of their own. Helen is survived by nephew William Dirrett; niece Kimberly Dirrett; and great-nephew Beau Baxter.

There will be a graveside service at 11 a.m. on May 9 at the Riverside Cemetery in Albany.
On the same day President Trump unveiled his highly anticipated tax reform proposal, former presidential hopeful Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) reignited a familiar debate on Capitol Hill as he reintroduced the idea of raising the federal minimum wage to $15 per hour.

Sanders, along with Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wa.) and more than 20 other Democratic co-sponsors, introduced The Raise the Wage Act of 2017 Wednesday. The bill would immediately raise the minimum wage from $7.25 to $9.25 and increase the rate to $15 by the year 2024. The act also notably proposes a raise in the minimum wage for employees who earn tips.

While Sanders may have the support of his party, according to some policy experts the bill will likely be dead on arrival in a Republican-controlled Congress.

Sanders can use this as a talking point  ['The Fight for 15'] has been a very successful PR stunt, Diana Furchtgott-Roth, senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute and former chief economist at the U.S. Department of Labor, told FOX Business.

After a crushing blow in the 2016 election, introducing this legislation could be part of a rebuilding effort within the party. During the campaign cycle Hillary Clinton appeared reluctant to back a $15 minimum wage, advocating instead for a hike to $12 with support for individual cities to go further. A bill introduced in 2015 to hike the minimum wage to $12 was defeated, but now many of the Democrats who co-sponsored that billincluding Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumerhave jumped on board with Sanders push for a $15 wage.

Democrats backing the hike to $15 say their goal is to give hard-working Americans a much deserved raise.

The federal minimum wage of $7.25 is an insult to the workers of this country. Our job is to ensure that anyone who works 40 hours a week in America should not be living in poverty. We need to raise the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour, Sanders wrote in a Facebook post on April 7.

On the other hand, Republicans and many business owners argue a $15 minimum wage would impede job growth and have an uneven impact across rural areas and big, urban cities.

Whereas New York might be able to sustain a $15 minimum wage, it couldnt be sustained in somewhere like Memphis or Birmingham, it would be very harmful, Furchtgott-Roth said.

According to a 2016 study from conservative think tank The Heritage Foundation, [a $15 minimum wage] would result in many states losing hundreds of thousands of jobs and would considerably curtail employment opportunities, especially for less-skilled workers.

But according to those backing the hike, the fight is far from over.

I dont think doing the right thing ever gets old ... If Republicans are going to fight against that then so be it, Isaac Wright, principal of pro-Clinton super PAC Correct the Record, told FOX Business.
Congressional Republican leadership responded to President Trumps tax reform outline Wednesday, saying the overhaulwhich includes doubling standard deductions and slashing tax breakswould serve as critical guideposts for tax reform discussions moving forward.

Lower rates for individuals and families will allow them to keep more of their hard-earned money and empower them to invest more in their future  Getting tax rates down for American companies, big and small, will create new jobs and make the United States a more inviting place to do business, the statement, signed by House Speaker Paul Ryan, Ways and Means Chairman Kevin Brady, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and Finance Chairman Orrin Hatch, read.

Rep. Brady told FOX Business Wednesday, that although Congress has a lot of work to do to move this proposal forward, the White Houses announcement served as an important first step toward finalizing tax reform this year.

The most important takeaway from today is you now have the first serious step toward the House, the White House and the Senate getting together on the same plan. It wont happen overnight, but this today signals were rolling up our sleeves, were going to do the hard work all to deliver this year on tax reform, he said during an interview with FOX Business Neil Cavuto.

Brady worked on the House GOP blueprint for tax reform, which contains some important differences from the one the Trump administration put forth Wednesday, including the tax rates for both individuals and corporations. However, Brady insisted he was optimistic Republicans in Congress could reach a compromise.

The rates are awfully close on the individual side, very close on the business side. We obviously want to get the rates down as low as we can  I continue to push in the House for us to get below 20 percent, if its possible, he said.

The Trump administration hit a snag with its legislative agenda when its first big bill, the American Health Care Act, was put on hold due to opposition from both Democrats and a section of Republicans known as the Freedom Caucus. On Wednesday, the Freedom Caucus formally endorsed the health care legislation thanks to the addition of a new amendment, a development that could be very helpful for the advancement of tax reform, Brady said.

It would be enormously helpful [to pass health care first], from a tax standpoint, but as important is to show that were willing to lead and govern with this president, he said.

While the Trump administration did not specifically address the border adjustment tax, the Congressman from Texas insisted the president was still considering the proposal.

When it comes to how the tax cuts will be paid for, Brady said the details were still being worked out but growth would go a long way [toward paying for tax reform.]
U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Wednesday to identify national monuments that can be rescinded or resized - part of a broader push to open up more federal lands to drilling, mining and other development.

The move comes as part of Trump's effort to reverse a slew of environmental protections ushered in by former President Barack Obama that he said were hobbling economic growth - an agenda that is cheering industry but enraging conservationists.

Trump signed the order at the Interior Department in Washington, saying that his predecessors' use of the 1906 Antiquities Act to create monuments marked an "egregious abuse of federal power" allowing the federal government to "lock up" millions of acres of land and water.

"Today we're putting the states back in charge," Trump said, saying they should decide what areas of land should be protected and which should remain open for development.

The monuments covered by the review will range from the Grand Staircase created by President Bill Clinton in 1996 to the Bears Ears created by President Barack Obama in December 2016, both in Utah.

Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke told reporters late Tuesday that Trump's order would require him to conduct the review of around 30 national monuments created over the past two decades, and recommend which designations should be lifted or altered.

Zinke said he would seek local feedback before making his recommendations, and added any move by Trump to ultimately reverse a monument designation could be tricky.

"It is untested, as you know, whether the president can do that," Zinke said.

President Woodrow Wilson reduced the size of Washington state's Mount Olympus National Monument in 1915, arguing there was an urgent need for timber at the time, one of the few examples of the size of national monuments being changed.

Zinke will review the Bears Ears monument first, he said, and will make a recommendation to the president in 45 days.

Obama created the Bears Ears monument in the final days of his administration, arguing that it would protect the cultural legacy of Native American tribes and preserve "scenic and historic landscapes."

But Utah's governor and the state's congressional delegation opposed the designation, saying it went against the wishes of citizens eager for development.

Utah Governor Gary Herbert, and Senators Mike Lee and Orin Hatch stood beside Trump as he signed the order. Trump said the lawmakers actively lobbied him for this order.

The Bears Ears area lies near where Texas-based EOG Resources had been approved to drill.

Conservation and tribal groups slammed the order.

"With this review, the Trump Administration is walking into a legal, political and moral minefield," said Kate Kelly, public lands director for the Center for American Progress.

Arizona Democratic Congressman Raul Grijalva, chair of the House natural resources committee, warned Zinke not to make an "ideological" decision, adding that previous monuments were done "after years of close federal consultation with multiple local stakeholders."

Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan praised the order.

"I commend the Trump administration for stopping this cycle of executive abuse and beginning a review of past designations," he said.

(By Valerie Volcovici; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and Phil Berlowitz)
Charlotte Stewart has a theory of what could have caused the sudden death of her drinking buddy and friend with benefits, Doors frontman Jim Morrison.

He had extremely high blood pressure, the now 76-year-old actress told Fox News.

Stewart is best known for portraying Miss Beadle on Little House on the Prairie."

He had rheumatic fever as a child and he had an enlarged heart," she added. "And his face was always beet red. You know, blood pressure red. And I think thats what probably killed him. He was in the bathtub, probably in hot water. Hed probably been drinking as he always did. And his heart gave out.

'NASTY NELLIE' ON LIFE AFTER 'LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE

Before Stewart found fame with the western drama, which ran from 1974 to 1983, she owned a clothing store called The Liquid Butterfly, which was located across from Elektra Records in California, the label that the rock band was signed under. In her recently published memoir, titled Little House in the Hollywood Hills, she recalled how Morrison frequently spent time at her store where they became fast friends.

Wed go sit at a bar [after work] and quite often I had to take him home because he overdid it a lot, she explained.

When Morrison was arrested in 1969 for indecent exposure at a Florida concert, he turned to Stewart for support. They drove up the Pacific Coast Highway and found themselves exploring Hearst Castle.

Stewart chronicled their trip on video, and they'd frequently unwind with alcohol. He would drop her off in Los Angeles before he escaped to Paris. It would be the last time the duo would see each other. Just six month after their initial encounter, Morrison was found dead in 1971 at age 27.

JENNER'S EX-WIFE DISCUSSES HER RELATIONSHIP WITH ELVIS PRESLEY

I dont know what the official report was on how he died, she said. But I do know, I never saw him with a drug. Ever. I never even saw him smoke marijuana. Ever. He drank. He drank heavily. Its my theory that they wouldnt have found drugs in his system.

In 1968, Stewart would also become a confidant to another music icon: The King. She briefly appeared in the film Speedway opposite Elvis Presley, which sparked a brief friendship.

As soon as we were done with the first shot, he said, You wanna talk? I was shocked. He pulled up two chairs together, we sat down, he took my hand and then he began to tell me about his mother, revealed Stewart. He talked about Gladys, how much he missed her, how when he was in the army, they wouldnt let him go see her when she was dying It wasnt like he was flirting. He was just being very sweet. He could not have been nicer.

One person who didnt impress Stewart was Bill Murray.

Quite frankly, that was a one night stand, she said.

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The actor, who was appearing in a new sketch comedy show titled Saturday Night Live in 1975, used his popularity to help Stewart and her friend get in a local club.

Of course they let Bill Murray in, she said We were drinking, dancing and then he came home with me. What can I tell you? And I never saw him again! I wasnt interested in being anything more than fun. But I thought it was kind of rude of him to just stay the night with me and then never speak to me again.

But Stewart had other troubles to worry about. After her time as a schoolteacher came to an end on Little House, she found herself addicted to drugs and alcohol, as well as facing homelessness.

5 THINGS YOU DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT MELISSA FRANCIS

Everybody was doing drugs, she said. Youll just go to a party and somebody will go, Hey, you want a sniff? I thought at the time it was just what everybody else did My business manager had been doing drugs... The next thing I knew, my money was gone. He put it all up his nose. My mortgage had not been paid. I lost my house I had money and then I didnt. Im just really lucky to be alive.

Stewart said it was her niece who prompted that journey to sobriety.

She told me what a mess I was in a letter, she explained. It broke my heart and woke me up at the same time I entered a recovery program that really turned my head around. Im still going to meetings and Im very grateful.

By 1984, she sought help and slowly began rebuilding her life again, including accepting a role on the 1990s series Twin Peaks.

These days, Stewart is happily keeping busy. She still tours with her Little House cast across the country where she meets devoted fans. Shes also set to appear in the reboot of Twin Peaks, which debuts on May 21st.

Not only has she gotten married nearly two years ago to a dear old friend, she also credited former Little House cast-mate Alison Arngrim for encouraging her to publish a tell-all.

Lets face it, I have to stay busy, she added. I love to read, but I cant spend my days reading or shopping. I work every day and prefer it that way.
Pregnant and past your due date? Try hitting up Hawthornes New York Pizza & Bar in Charlotte, N.C. According to locals, the restaurants signature Buffalo Wing Pizza has the power to induce labor.

Made with buffalo sauce, chicken and mozzarella cheese, the Buffalo Wing Pizza  or the inducer, as patrons now call it  has gained an odd reputation for sending soon-to-be moms straight to the delivery room. In fact, the owner of the Hawthorne's chain, Michael Adams, claims that several different women have vouched for the pizzas powers since the restaurants very first instance of buffalo-induced labor.

I think its amazing, Adams told Charlotte Five. When the first person posted that Buffalo Wing Pizza induced their labor, several new moms followed up to say the same thing.

THIS 'CENTUONO FORMAGGIO" PIZZA HAS 101 CHEESES ON IT

I bet my wife wished she had known about the inducing pizza when she had our two kids at 9-pounds plus, he added.

Three friends in Charlotte even claim they each gave birth within hours of eating Hawthornes Buffalo Wing Pizza  and one within minutes of finishing her first slice.

The latest, Henley Schmiedel, wasnt even due until April 10, but told Charlotte Five she was just done with this pregnancy by the end of March. Believing that spicy dishes have the power to induce labor, her friends ordered her the pizza, and lo and behold, she delivered a baby later that night on March 31.

But before any more moms-to-be head over to Hawthornes for a slice, experts say theres no evidence that any specific foods have the power to bring on a baby.

In 2013, midwife and certified nurse Michelle Collins told Fox News that while vinegars, spices, or certain foods like eggplant or pineapple have been rumored to induce labor, theres no scientific data to suggest eating them actually works. On the other hand, she says that bromelain, an enzyme found in pineapple, can ripen the cervix to increase the chances of a successful vaginal birth, though one would have to eat large quantities, and only with a doctors approval.

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Even if theres no evidence to support the magical properties of the inducer, its unlikely that new mom Schmiedel will stop indulging her future pregnancy cravings, if only because she loves the taste.

The pizza is amazing, Schmiedel told Charlotte Five. It was spicy. It does have a kick to it.
An 8-year-old girl in New Jersey recently purchased a meal for an on-duty police officer, and now his department is giving her the gift of a brighter future.

Mikayla Raji and her mother, Marisol "Mimi" Jimenez-Raji were eating at the Villa Borghese restaurant in Helmetta, N.J., when Patrolman Joseph Quinn of the Jamesburg Police Department stopped by to pick up some dinner.

After seeing the officers, Mikayla asked her mother if they could pay for his order. Her mother agreed, and they also got to chat with Quinn for a few moments before the officer continued on his way, reports NJ.com.

LITTLE GIRL JOINS COP FOR 'BEST DINNER DATE' EVER

If that were the end of the story, it would be a good story, the Jamesburg Police Department wrote on Facebook. But amazingly, Quinn and his department later learned something incredible about little Mikayla.

Soon after Mikaylas sweet gesture, the Jamesburg Police Department found out that the girls father, Thomas Raji, was an officer with the Perth Amboy Police Department. Furthermore, he was killed in the line of duty by a drunk driver in 2008  about seven months before Mikalya was born.

Mikaylas mom, Marisol, was also serving as a police officer when her husband was killed almost nine years ago.

On behalf of all the members of the Jamesburg Police Department, we want to thank you for Tommy's service as well as yours, the Jamesburg Police Department wrote to Marisol on Facebook. Mikayla is a great kid, and you should be very proud of her.

The department also thanked Mikayla, telling her that she had an open invitation for dinner at the Jamesburg police headquarters.

Your dad would be so proud of the person you are, they wrote. If you ever need us for anything, you can guarantee we will be there for you.

FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE FOX LIFESTYLE NEWS

According to Marisol's Facebook page, Mikayla has since visited the department to meet with the officers, where they invited her to march with them in this year's Memorial Day parade.

Whats more, the officers of the Jamesburg Police Department have started a GoFundMe page for Mikayla, with the goal of raising $10,000 that will go toward funding her schooling, notes NJ.com.

The members of the Jamesburg Police Department would like to try and help raise funds for Mikaylas future education, reads their page on the crowdfunding site.

Mikalya is a wonderful kid, with a big heart who loves to do kind things for people.
Walmarts new Marketside Crotilla raises more questions than it answers.

The most obvious  What is it?  is addressed on the top of the package: A flaky flatbread fusion of croissant and tortilla made with butter.

The next logical question is Why would anyone do this? or maybe, How am I supposed to eat this?

Are Walmarts customers supposed to treat it like a French pastry, and slather it in jam or fill it with chocolate? Or do they stuff it with meats, vegetables and cheeses like a tortilla, despite the fact that it doesnt really wrap, fold or even taste like a traditional tortilla?

The packaging of Walmart's latest project is less forthcoming with answers to those questions.

WHAT'S THE REAL DEAL WITH WALMART'S CRAFT BEER?

Upon closer inspection, its clear the Crotilla has more in common with its French parentage than anything else. It looks like a round tortilla but it's basically a flattened, less airy croissant in taste and texture. But by flattening and condensing a croissant, its also clear that Walmart might not understand the real appeal of the beloved French pastry.

Bc who doesnt  a mashup? Were trying Crotillas LIVE on FB at 3p EST TODAY. Join us! #NationalCrotillaDay #HowDoYouCrotilla pic.twitter.com/IbaaZxeeEW  Walmart (@Walmart) April 25, 2017

After all, the best food mashups celebrate the best aspects of the foods they mash. Take Dominique Ansel's legendary Cronut, which combines the best parts of a croissant (the flakiness, the buttery taste) with the best parts of a doughnut (the sweet fillings, the icing).

The Crotilla, however, forfeits a bit of its flakiness, and doesn't really pass for a tortilla because it doesn't wrap or fold easily.

That said, the Crotilla isnt an unpleasant food experience. It basically tastes like a slightly bland croissant, which is probably why Walmarts senior bakery buyer, Bradlee Underwood, suggests topping it with Nutella or turning it into tiny flatbread pizzas on Walmarts blog. Walmart also sent Fox News several recipe cards with ideas for Crotilla breakfast sandwiches, chocolate cinnamon Crotilla rollups and Crotilla mezze platters.

But when tortillas already exist to provide the bases for Mexican pizzas and breakfast burritos  and regular croissants taste just delicious with Nutella regardless of their shape  what, exactly, does Walmart hope to accomplish with the Crotilla?

We know customers, especially millennial customers, are hungry for new food trends and cool ways to experience food, said Underwood, and we want to be a destination for that.

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Well, OK then! Lets see how those millennials reacted to news of the Crotilla on National Crotilla Day, a food holiday Walmart created to celebrate the item's release on Tuesday:

They were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didnt stop to think if they should.



Dunno how to feel.#NationalCrotillaDay https://t.co/qHYlG2fpFG  curly kween (@_cinnamocha) April 25, 2017

According to these people, April 25th is "National I Drove Over My Croissant With My Car Day." https://t.co/I0FFsuS6rv  Jonathan Surratt (@beerinator) April 25, 2017

Eight-packs of Walmarts new Marketside Crotillas are currently available at over 800 Walmart locations for $3.98 per box. Find them in the bakery section of your local outlet and see if they provide satisfactory answers to your most burning Crotilla questions.
A tranquil setting to unwind along the water became the scene of a harrowing incident.

A local couple thought they had found just what they were looking for in Colfax, Calif., but soon after they unpacked on Easter weekend, their storybook stay at the Bear River Campground felt more like the storyline in a horror film.

"My boyfriend described being pulled aside by the older guy," the female victim said.

They say a group of male campers with a rusted truck, BB guns and a chainsaw complimented their music and even invited them over for beer. But they later said it was their territory, and threatened that if the couple didn't leave by sun-up, they'd raid their tent and rape the woman.

"[They] ended it by making sure my boyfriend knew they planned on raping me in the morning," she said.

The woman only agreed to speak with FOX40 over the phone because she's terrified they will find her. In part, because she wrote a very detailed letter about the encounter that she posted to Facebook, Yelp, and in the restrooms at the campground. She also got Placer County and its sheriff's office involved.

"As a husband and father, you read something like that, and it's the stuff nightmares are made of, so we take it very seriously," said Andy Fisher, Placer County Parks administrator.

Fisher said they've never received a complaint quite this aggressive before at Bear River.

"Two summers in a row we've been chased out of here," camper John Jewell said.

Jewell wasn't surprised by the woman's story when he was tagged in it on Facebook.

"First summer we were chased out of here by a group who was crazy," he added.

Jewell said he is surprised that the accused campers have not been caught since he sees rangers patrol the area frequently.

"With this new reservation system, we'll be talking with our board," Fisher said.

Fisher said Placer County is already trying to update its parks reservation system so that visitors have to register their information online  leaving a record of who comes in and who comes out.

More from FOX40.
An Illinois couple married for 69 years died just 40 minutes apart on Saturday after hospital staff arranged for their beds to be brought close together. Isaac Vatkin, 91, held wife Teresas hand as she succumbed to Alzheimers disease at age 89, The Daily Herald reported.

Staff at Highland Park Hospital separated the pair after her death, and just 40 minutes later, Isaac died from an undisclosed ailment, according to the news outlet.

MAN CLAIMS FOOD POISONING FROM CHICKEN PARM NEARLY KILLED HIM

Their love for each other was so strong, they simply could not live without each other, Clara Gesklin, one of their three children, told The Daily Herald.

Isaac was well into his 80s when Teresa was diagnosed with Alzheimers, but he learned how to use the computer so that he could research potential treatments and cures. When the family decided it was time for Teresa to received specialized care outside of the home, he visited her every day, The Daily Herald reported.

MOM SHARES PHOTO OF DYING SON AS A PLEA

You didnt want to see them go, William Vatkin, one of their grandchildren, told the news outlet. But you couldnt ask for anything more.

The pair, who met in their native Argentina and moved to the U.S. to start their family, were remembered during a joint funeral service on Monday.

They were always in love, literally to the end, Rabbi Barry Schecter said at the service, according to The Daily Herald. To the last second.
A young British TV actress and new mom had no patience for an Internet troll who recently body-shamed her on Instagram.

Stephanie Davis, who gave birth three months ago, fired back at the user @maldivitis, who commented on one of the new moms photos with a rude remark.

"She has some bad stretchmarks though," @maldivitis wrote, amid a flurry of other commenters who complimented Davis photo, in which shes pictured in a skimpy red dress and a fresh metallic manicure.

PLUS-SIZE MODEL SAYS UBER DRIVER FAT-SHAMED HER

Davis, whose name frequently appears in British tabloids, fired back with a stinging comment, asserting her right to flaunt a changed body after nine months of carrying her son, Caben Albi George, whom she gave birth to in January.

"yes I have stretch marks because I carried a baby for nine months, and fed him and got him strong though (sic) feeding off my breasts..." the 24-year-old actress wrote in part. "I love my stretch marks Thankyou. Pretty shallow of you when I've had a baby 3 months ago to comment on my boobs, but take it as a compliment because you were clearly looking at my lady lumps.

NEW MOM HITS BACK AT DIET SALESWOMAN WHO BODY-SHAMED HER IN TARGET

Davis supporters came to her rescue in the subsequent comments, insisting the actress is beautiful and to brush off the negative comments.

@stephaniedavis88 you are looking fantastic and love that you breastfeed you should be very proud as it was the hardest thing i done. Great to be perfect, one commenter wrote.

FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE FOX LIFESTYLE NEWS

Another took direct aim at the negative commenter, calling him or her out and encouraging Davis to ignore the remark.

@maldivitis pathetic individual you must be perfect to have the confidence to comment on a woman who has given carried around a living human being for 9 months and produced a perfect little, another commenter wrote. @stephaniedavis88 you look amazing  ignore the sad and jealous haters x
April 10, 1921  April 21, 2107

Veronica C. E. Sitton of Corvallis died on April 24, 2017 at 6:30 a.m.as a result of a stroke. She was 96 years of age.

She was born in Mitchell, Queensland, Australia, to T. L. Wilton O'Brien and his wife, Emily Isabel Munro O'Brien, of Walgrove Station near Yeulba.

She was educated, both academically and musically, by the Sisters of Mercy in Mitchell, Toowoomba and Brisbane.

After graduating from the Queensland Teachers College, Brisbane, which is now part of Queensland University of Technology, she was taught in Rockhampton. That is where she met her future husband, Lieutenant Gordon Sitton of the United States Army, when he was stationed there between campaigns in the Pacific Theater.

Veronica and Gordon were married at St. Stephens Cathedral in Brisbane, Queensland, on January 12, 1944. After Gordons return from Japan and Veronicas arrival from Australia on the Matson liner, Mariposa, they began their life together in May 1946 in San Francisco.

Many people were not optimistic about wartime marriages but this couple enjoyed fifty-one years of happiness together.

They both came from pioneer families on the land and had backgrounds in education. While her husband worked on his doctorate at Stanford University, Veronica was employed at the Hoover Institution on War, Revolution and Peace at Stanford as an editor.

Her whole life was interwoven with education. As a child, her grandmother told her she should learn something new every day or she might as well be dead. She followed this advice and had a fascinating life.

She travelled extensively, worldwide, spending thirty years in countries other than the United States. She promoted international goodwill and understanding whether she was in a primitive hut, a palace or a head hunters longhouse.

Many of her interests coincided with her husband's. As a professor of agricultural economics, he worked to improve the world's food supply, an interest she shared.

When Dr. Sitton became the first Director of International Education at Oregon State University, from 1963 to 1976, Veronica found joy in welcoming and entertaining people from all over the world. She regarded them as members of the same human family that she belonged to.

Wherever she was, her faith was an integral part of her life. In Corvallis, she was a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church and worked for many years to establish the OSU Newman Center.

She believed strongly in exercising her right to vote, which her ancestors had fought and died to obtain. She never failed to vote in an election and took an active part in civic affairs. She came from a country where people were fined for not voting.

She recently counted and found that she had played one hundred roles during her life. Chief among them, after wife and mother, were pianist, violinist, conductor, teacher, and author.

She did many years of worldwide, historical research and wrote several books and articles about history and the biographies of pioneers in Australia and Oregon.

She was dearly loved by her family and many others who met her. She will be missed deeply.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Gordon, who died in 1995; brother Patrick Brian OBrien; sister Colleen Moira OBrien Kamber.

She is survived by daughter Ruth Sitton De Maio (Michael) of Corvallis; and son, Patrick Sitton of Corvallis; three grandchildren, Father Dominic De Maio, O.P., Emily Sitton De Maio Fromm (Stephen) of Eugene, Christina Sitton De Maio Leitz (Jay) of Hammond, Louisiana; two great-grandchildren Lucy Mae Fromm and Michael August Fromm; niece Jacqueline Kamber Hosford (Christopher); and nephews Roland and Pierre Kamber.

There will a vigil at 7 p.m. on Monday, May 1 at McHenry Funeral Home, 206 NW 5th St, Corvallis.

There will be a funeral Mass at 10 a.m. on May 2 at St. Marys Catholic Church, 501 NW 25th St, Corvallis followed by a reception. Burial will be at 2:30 p.m. on May 2 at McBride Cemetery, Carlton, followed by a supper.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to Talking Book Services for the Blind, Oregon State Library, Salem, care of McHenry Funeral Home, 206 N. W. Fifth Street, Corvallis, OR 97330.
The federal judge who ruled against President Trumps effort to withhold money from so-called sanctuary cities had no business presiding over the case.

The appearance of partiality should have been enough for Judge William Orrick to disqualify himself. His established record of political and personal bias demanded recusal. Im betting he didnt even consider it.

Orrick came into the case with glaring conflicts of interest.

First, he was an accomplished bundler for Barack Obama, raising over $200,000 and personally donating more than $30,000. Later, he was rewarded with a federal judgeship. So, his political favoritism is more conspicuous than it would be for your average federal judge.

Second, Orrick worked on key immigration cases for Obamas Justice Department, overseeing the Office of Immigration Litigation. He worked on cases that dealt directly with federal pre-emption of local immigration laws -- the same subject matter over which he now presides.

Because of his potential conflicts, he promised during his confirmation hearing to recuse himself from cases involving issues, policies or initiatives developed by the Obama administration in which he was involved at the Department of Justice.

What were they? Well, for one, the Obama administration deliberately chose not to pursue sanctuary cities that were violating the 1996 federal law requiring them to cooperate with federal immigration agencies like ICE. Was he involved in that decision? Unclear. But the appearance is unsettling.

Canon 2 of the Code of Conduct for federal judges states, A judge should avoid impropriety and the appearance of impropriety in all activities. It requires judges to act at all times in a manner that promotes public confidence in the integrity and impartiality of the judiciary.

Statutory law is more specific. Under 28 USC 455, A judge of the United States shall disqualify himself in any proceeding in which his impartiality might be reasonably questioned.

Further, he must recuse himself where he has a personal bias or prejudice concerning a party

So, under these governing standards, would a reasonable person question Orricks impartiality? I believe so.

Does he harbor a personal bias or prejudice concerning a party, specifically President Trump, who vowed to reverse President Obamas immigration policies on which Orrick worked? Probably.

Did he create the appearance of impropriety by presiding over the sanctuary cities case? Absolutely.

It should come as no surprise that Orrick has a history of opposing judicial recusal.

Two years ago, he blocked the release of videos exposing Planned Parenthoods alleged involvement in abortion-related activity. He did not seem ethically bothered that his wife is considered a pro-abortion activist, as described in multiple publications including The Federalist.

Yet, Judge Orrick did not disqualify himself even though Title 28 demands disqualification in any case in which a judges spouse has an interest that could be substantially affected by the outcome of the proceeding. Again, its the appearance thing.

In another case, Orrick ruled that two judges did not have to recuse themselves from presiding over a case in which the judges themselves were named as defendants. Really? A judge gets to sit in judgment of himself when hes sued?

One can reasonably conclude that in Orricks judicial universe, recusal doesnt exist under any circumstances.

It should come as no surprise that Orrick ruled against President Trump in the sanctuary cities case. His predisposition can be seen in the opinion itself. He twisted the law to fit his own devices. It was the act of a judicial contortionist.

As I explained in a recent column, cities like San Francisco, that actively protect illegal immigrants, are breaking the law established by Congress 21 years ago. It prohibits local governments from obstructing federal officials in their enforcement of that law.

The president is legally permitted to withhold federal funds, as long as the money is related to immigration and law enforcement which is precisely what the administration has warned.

If the case ever reaches the Supreme Court, President Trump stands an excellent chance of prevailing. Until then, he must tolerate activist judges who yearn to write laws instead of interpret them.

Along the way, the publics confidence in a fair and impartial judiciary is being steadily eroded.
President Trump plans to unveil sweeping tax cuts today, a move that has the potential to blow a huge hole in the deficit.

Thats never been something he worries much about.

And, it turns out, neither does much of the American public.

There has been a shift in how much government the public wants, and expects, and theres no question in my mind that its related to Trump.

In a new Pew survey, 48 percent say they would rather have a bigger government providing more services, while 45 percent favor a smaller government providing fewer services.

This marks the first time in eight years that as many Americans have said they prefer bigger rather than smaller government.

For 11 of the 14 spending areas listed in the survey, majorities favor more spending on veterans benefits (75 percent), education (67 percent), rebuilding highways and bridges (58 percent) and Medicare (51 percent). At the bottom of the list was the State Department and embassies (15 percent).



The shift was also captured by the new Wall Street Journal/NBC poll, in which 57 percent say government should do more to solve problems and meet the needs of Americans, while 39 percent say government is doing too many things better left to businesses and individuals.



Now even though most Democrats favor bigger government and most Republicans are against it, this is a sea change.

If a more doctrinaire conservative was in the White House, wed be hearing plenty about abolishing government departments and slashing federal spending.

But Trump essentially ran as an independent with a number of moderate positions: holding the line on Medicare and Social Security, and boosting spending on the military and veterans. He also broke with GOP orthodoxy by saying no one should lose their insurance under any ObamaCare replacement plan.

The president proposed some deep cuts in other domestic spending, but Congress may balk at many of them.

Trump is looking to cut the corporate tax rate from 35 to 15 percent and to reduce individual rates as well. This could add trillions to the deficit, although some White House supply-siders say economic growth will more than cover the lost revenue.

This may be a tough sell for House Republicans, who want to slash taxes but not without paying for the reductions.

The deficit hasnt been a hot-button issue in American politics since Ross Perot ran in 1992. Everyone claims to care about it, and it did come down during the Obama years, but weve still been living with high deficits for nearly two decades.

If a majority of Americans now admit they want more government services, Trumps approach may well match the times.
In an unusual move, all 100 senators were invited to attend a classified meeting later Wednesday at the White House to discuss the North Korea and its growing bellicosity.

Congressional aides told Reuters that the meeting was originally scheduled to take place at a secured room at the Capitol, but President Trump asked to move the meeting to the White House.

Salon reported that the meeting will occur in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building auditorium. It will reportedly be made into a sensitive compartmented information facilitywhich means top secret information can be shared. The briefing will take place at 3 p.m. ET.

Some aides on the Hill have expressed confusion about the circumstances of the meeting. Salon wrote, this could be a preparation for waror just a forced attempt at a pre-100 days photo op.

The meeting will be attended by some of Trumps top cabinet members, including Secretary of State Rex Tillersonwho will chair the meeting-- and Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis.

Tillerson was interviewed on CBS Face the Nation earlier this month and was asked about Trumps interaction with his Chinese counterpart, President Xi. Tillerson said he thinks that Xi agrees that the situation has intensified and has reached a certain level of threat that action has to be taken.

The situation has appeared to only intensify over the past 24 hours. Pyongyang conducted a huge live-fire drill that involved up to 400 artillery pieces, according to Reuters. A nuclear-powered Ohio class submarine, the USS Michigan, pulled into the South Korean port of Busan for a routine hull check.

Japan has warned that Pyongyang has made technological advancements, and may be capable of launching a missile tipped with sarin nerve gas. Japan estimated that its people would have about 10 minutes to prepare once a missile is launched from the country. Tokyo has been practicing evacuation drills.

Local governments in the Washington, D.C., are planning a full-scale terror attack drill for Wednesday. The drill prepares for an attack involving multiple locations and teams of perpetrators  and will be staged at six sites across the District of Columbia and the Virginia and Maryland suburbs.

Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Md., the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, told Reuters that he hopes to hear the administrations next steps.

Its (the location of the meeting) their choice, he said. I hope that we hear their policy as to what their objectives are, and how we can accomplish that hopefully without dropping bombs.
In a rare meeting, the Trump administration invited all 100 U.S. senators for a White House closed-door briefing on North Korea, as Pyongyang parades its nuclear might and the U.S. considers action.

President Trump's secretary of state, defense secretary, top general and national intelligence director were on hand to lay out the Norths escalating nuclear capabilities.

Trump was expected to drop in on the Eisenhower Executive Office Building gathering of lawmakers  though its uncertain whether he showed up.

Past efforts have failed to halt North Korea's unlawful weapons programs and nuclear and ballistic missile tests, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, Secretary of Defense James Mattis and Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats said in a joint statement. With each provocation, North Korea jeopardizes stability in Northeast Asia and poses a growing threat to our allies and the U.S. homeland.

The statement added that Pyongyangs pursuit of nuclear weapons is an urgent national security threat and top foreign policy priority."

The briefing team was scheduled to meet with House lawmakers later at the Capitol.

The unusual meeting reflected the increased American alarm over North Korea's progress in developing a nuclear-tipped missile that could strike the U.S. mainland.

The recent flurry of military activity on and around the divided Korean Peninsula has put the world on high alert.

The military is obviously planning for a number of options, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz told Fox News following the meeting. It is of course the hope that military action does not prove necessary but if there is a clear and imminent threat to the United States, our military needs to be prepared to act.

Tensions have escalated since Trump took office three months ago, determined to halt Pyongyang's nuclear and missile advances.

In the past two weeks, the president has ordered high-powered U.S. military vessels, including an aircraft carrier, to the region in a show of force to deter North Korea from more nuclear and missile tests.

The North on Tuesday conducted large-scale, live-fire artillery drills, witnessed by national leader Kim Jong Un, as a reminder of its conventional threat to U.S.-allied South Korea.

On Wednesday, South Korea started installing key parts of a contentious U.S. missile defense system against North Korean missiles that also has sparked Chinese and Russian concerns.

America's Pacific forces commander, Adm. Harry Harris Jr., told Congress on Wednesday the system would be operational within days. He said any North Korean missile fired at U.S. forces would be destroyed.

"If it flies, it will die," Harris said.

The Trump administration has said all options, including a military strike, are on the table. However, a U.S. pre-emptive attack isn't likely, according to American officials. Instead, they've said the administration's strategy focuses on increasing pressure on North Korea with the help of its main trading partner, China.

Sen. Ben Cardin, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee's top-ranking Democrat, said he was hoping to hear the Trump administration's game plan Wednesday.

The U.S. needs a strategy to change North Korea's economic and security calculus for it to freeze and ultimately eliminate its nuclear and missile programs, he said, adding: There's no "pretty military solution."

U.S. officials said Wednesday's briefings will center on three key issues: intelligence about the North's capabilities; U.S. response options, including military ones; and how to get China and other countries to enforce existing economic sanctions on Pyongyang, along with ideas for new penalties. The officials weren't authorized to speak publicly about plans for the closed-door briefings and requested anonymity.

"China is the key to this," Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., said. "The purpose of this briefing is to tell us the situation and the intelligence we have and what (are) the options we have."

Testifying before the House Armed Services Committee, Harris said he expects North Korea, under Kim's autocratic rule, to soon be able to develop a long-range missile capable of striking the United States, despite some spectacular failures in its ballistic missile program. "One of these days soon, he will succeed," Harris said.

North Korea routinely accuses the United States of readying for an invasion, and threatens pre-emptive strikes to stop the U.S.

On Wednesday, North Korea's U.N. mission said it would react to "a total war" with the U.S. with nuclear war. It said it would win in a "death-defying struggle against the U.S. imperialists."

A targeted U.S. attack to take out North Korea's nuclear weapons program could spark a wider war on the Korean peninsula, lawmakers and experts have warned. Harris said the U.S. has "a lot of pre-emptive options," but he declined to provide specifics in an open setting.

China has been urging restraint by both Pyongyang and Washington. In Berlin, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Wednesday that North Korea must suspend its nuclear activities, but "on the other side, the large-scale military maneuvers in Korean waters should be halted."

China opposes the Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense system, or THAAD, being installed in South Korea. The U.S. says it will only target North Korean missiles, but China and Russia see the system's powerful radars as a security threat.

In Beijing, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said THAAD would upset the "strategic balance" in the region. He said China will take "necessary measures to defend our own interests."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
President Donald Trump's former national security adviser, Michael Flynn, appeared to violate federal law when he failed to seek permission or inform the U.S. government about accepting tens of thousands of dollars from Russian organizations after a trip there in 2015, leaders of a House oversight committee said Tuesday.

The congressmen also raised new questions about fees Flynn received as part of $530,000 in consulting work his company performed for a businessman tied to Turkey's government.

The bipartisan accusations that Flynn may have broken the law come as his foreign contacts are being examined by other congressional committees as part of investigations into Russian meddling in the 2016 election and potential ties between Trump associates and the Kremlin. Congress returned earlier this week from its spring recess, and Tuesday's announcements reflected renewed interest on Capitol Hill.

Reps. Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, and Elijah Cummings, D-Md., said they saw no evidence that Flynn, a retired Army lieutenant general, properly disclosed foreign payments he received to military officials or on his security clearance paperwork. Flynn, who headed the military's top intelligence agency, was Trump's national security adviser until he was fired in February.

Among the payments in question was more than $33,000 that Flynn received in 2015 from the Russia Today television network, which has been described by U.S. intelligence officials as a propaganda front for Russia's government.

"That money needs to be recovered," said Chaffetz, chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.

Chaffetz said Flynn was obligated as a retired Army officer to request permission from both the Defense and State departments about prospective foreign government payments before he received them. "There was nothing in the data to show that Gen. Flynn complied with the law," Chaffetz said.

Cummings said Flynn's failure to formally report the Russian payments on his security clearance paperwork amounted to concealment of the money, which could be prosecuted as a felony.

Flynn's attorney, Robert Kelner, said Flynn reported his plans to travel to Russia to his former agency, the Defense Intelligence Agency, and he briefed officials there after he returned. Kelner declined to answer questions about whether Flynn properly disclosed the payments.

The congressmen spoke after reviewing classified documents regarding Flynn that were provided by the Defense Intelligence Agency. They were also briefed by agency officials. The congressmen declined to describe in detail the materials they reviewed. But Cummings said the documents were "extremely troubling" and he urged the administration to declassify them.

Chaffetz and Cummings said they planned to write to the comptroller of the Army and the Defense Department's inspector general for a final determination as to whether Flynn broke the law and whether the government needs to pursue criminal charges and seek to recover the payments Flynn received.

Cummings also criticized the White House for refusing to turn over documents the committee requested about Flynn's foreign contacts during his three-week stint as national security adviser. In response to a letter to White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus, an administration official told the committee that documents relating to those contacts likely contained classified and other sensitive information, weren't relevant to the committee's investigation and could not be turned over.

"That is simply unacceptable," Cummings said.

At the White House, Press Secretary Sean Spicer said the committee's request for Flynn's security clearance information was referred to the Defense Department, which turned over documents. He said the White House did not release a detailed list of Flynn's contacts with foreign officials, a request he dismissed as "outlandish."

Spicer said that the president was confident in his decision to fire Flynn in February on grounds that Flynn had misled the vice president about a conversation he had with the Russian ambassador to the U.S. during the transition. Spicer declined to say whether the White House believed Flynn had violated the law. He said the conduct occurred before Flynn was appointed national security adviser in January.

Kelner, Flynn's attorney, said in a statement that Flynn briefed the Defense Intelligence Agency about the 2015 Moscow event organized by the Russia Today news organization. Flynn had led the spy agency until 2014, when he was forced to retire by the Obama administration.

During his briefings, Flynn "answered any questions that were posed by DIA concerning the trip," Kelner said.

A spokesman for the Defense Intelligence Agency, Jim Kudla, has said Flynn briefed the agency in advance about his trip to Moscow "in accordance with standard security clearance procedures." A spokesman for Flynn has said that Flynn also disclosed the RT trip when he last came up for a security clearance review in January 2016.

Chaffetz and Cummings said the documents they reviewed showed no evidence Flynn asked permission for the payments or later detailed the amounts he received to military authorities. Chaffetz added that while "it would be a bit strong to say that Flynn flat-out lied," he should have sought and received permission before accepting any foreign government payments.

Both Cummings and Chaffetz said the committee's investigation into Flynn's foreign payments includes examining consulting work he did for a Turkish businessman last year.

Flynn's firm registered as a foreign agent last month with the Justice Department for the consulting work and acknowledged that it may have principally benefited the government of Turkey. Flynn's client, Inovo BV, is owned by a Turkish businessman who is also a member of a committee overseen by Turkey's finance ministry. In government filings, Flynn disclosed that he personally received between $50,000 and $100,000 as part of his stake in Flynn Intel Group, the company that performed the foreign agent work.

Earlier Tuesday, a Senate Judiciary subcommittee announced a public panel May 8 to hear testimony for the first time from the former acting attorney general, Sally Yates, who played a role in Flynn's firing.

Yates was supposed to testify publicly before the House intelligence committee in March, but that was canceled and has yet to be rescheduled. Some Democrats believe the White House wants to limit what Yates says publicly, but the White House has denied this. Former National Intelligence Director James Clapper is also to testify at the May 8 hearing.

Also Tuesday, there were complaints that the Senate investigation was not moving quickly enough. Democratic Sens. Kamala Harris and Dianne Feinstein of California said they believed the committee needed to move at a faster rate.

Preliminary interviews now have been completed with about 27 individuals from multiple intelligence agencies. And there are nine staffers working full-time on the investigation, according to one Senate aide, who was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke only on condition of anonymity. By contrast, the House Select Committee on Benghazi employed more than 50 congressional staffers.

The aide said the committee has gained access to additional materials at intelligence agencies, including categories and types of intelligence documents that have never been provided to Congress before.

Committee members and staff are reviewing thousands of pages of materials at CIA headquarters and the National Security Agency.
President Trumps top economic advisers laid out an ambitious tax plan Wednesday afternoon that the administration contends will simplify the process for average Americans and stimulate business investment.

Chief economic adviser Gary Cohn and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin unveiled the first official details -- printed on a single sheet of paper -- of a plan Cohn called the most significant tax reform legislation since 1986, and one of the biggest tax cuts in American history.

The document is mostly a series of broad principles under three headings: Goals for Tax Reform, Individual Reform and Business Reform. But there are a series of specifics laid out, including:
The judge who struck down a Trump administration crackdown on sanctuary cities is a hard-core Democrat activist whose life has been steeped in liberal politics since childhood.

Judge William Orrick III, 63, who on Tuesday blocked the administration from withholding federal funds from cities that don't cooperate with federal immigration officials, attended the landmark 1968 Democratic National Convention as a teen and more recently raised money for 2004 presidential candidate John Kerry.

I will not let my personal views interfere with the administration of justice," Orrick assured lawmakers in 2013, when he was confirmed as a federal judge on the District of Northern California. "I have never let my political beliefs affect my legal judgment, and believe that politics have no place in the courtroom.

On Tuesday, in a suit brought by San Francisco and Santa Clara, Calif., Orrick blocked President Trump's executive order withholding funding from sanctuary cities, saying the president lacked the authority to attach new conditions to federal spending.

Hes definitely one of the more openly liberal leaning judges on the bench based on several rulings hes made over the years."  Attorney who has argued cases before Orrick

But Orrick's latest ruling, which Trump blasted as a case of "judge shopping" in a Wednesday tweet, and a prior ruling granting Planned Parenthood an injunction barring the Center for Medical Progress from releasing damning undercover videotapes of the abortion provider's employees and contractors, have raised questions about his impartiality.

Hes definitely one of the more openly liberal-leaning judges on the bench based on several rulings hes made over the years," said one California lawyer who has argued cases before Orrick and requested anonymity. "Many of our [9th Circuit] judges are Democratic appointees, and with most of them you feel like you would get a fair shake.

"Judge Orrick is one of the ones I feel uncomfortable having a politically charged case in front of, he added.

Orrick got one of his first tastes of hard-knuckle politics when he was just 15 years old. He went with his father, a delegate for Robert Kennedy, who had been assassinated two months before, to the riotous 1968 Democratic Convention in Chicago.

There was fighting going on inside the convention, as well as outside, Orrick told the Recorder in a story about prominent left-wing bundlers in August 2004.

Orrick would go on to attend Yale and Boston College Law School.

At the time of the Recorder report, Orrick was a lawyer for a San Francisco firm with deep ties to Democratic politics. He had helped organize a nationwide effort dubbed "Lawyers for Kerry and was credited with raising more than $1 million for Kerry in the San Francisco area alone.

When Kerry announced he would not seek his partys nomination in January 2007, a core group of a dozen or so attorneys met at Orricks firm, San Francisco-based Coblentz, Patch, Duffy & Bass, and effectively became 'Lawyers for Obama,' according to the Recorder. The group became this kind of built-in network of fundraisers, attorney Thomas McInerney told the Recorder. Obama wasnt even officially in the race yet.

As a bundler for Obama, Orrick raised at least $200,000 according to records obtained by the watchdog group Public Citizen. A bundler, according to Public Citizen, plays an enormous role in determining the success of political campaigns and are apt to receive preferential treatment if their candidate wins.

A few months after President Obama moved into the White House, Orrick told a reporter that he wanted a job in the new administration. I contacted anybody I could think of to say: Let me serve.

McInerney was quoted as saying, "He's not in it for glory. He's doing it because he really believes in Obama."

Orrick's first position was in the Civil Division of President Obamas Department of Justice. Near the end of Obama's second term, he was appointed to his current post.

Other attorneys, also anonymously, have complained publicly about Orrick. One commenter on the blog The Robing Room called Orrick a social justice activist for whom the rule of law is a quaint, malleable notion of no import.

The Robing Room is a nationwide database of judges that contains 100,000 state and federal reviews of judges. Posters are attorneys, litigants and court personnel, said Robing Room Vice President Nicholas Kaizer, an attorney in New York.

The comments reflect the judges bias, said Kaizer, who acknowledged he has no professional experience with Orrick, but analyzed the comments for Fox News. The general flavor reflects a judge that values form over substance, is results-oriented, and somebody that directs litigation to a preordained, predetermined outcome. And that reflects a judge that is not well regarded by counsel.

Kaizer believes comments on his site paint an accurate picture of Orrick.

If theres one or two critical comments its anomalous, but were seeing 4 or 5 or more," he said. "I think you can draw conclusions that what each individual reviewer is saying is accurate and its buttressed by the other reviewers.

While Orrick's latest decision may earn him more detractors, it will likely also prompt others to agree with an earlier assessment by Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif.

William Orrick will be an outstanding addition to the Northern District bench," Boxer said after recommending him for his current post. "He brings a depth of legal experience in both the public and private sectors.
The rise of the sanctuary city movement has created a deep divide among American states, with the nations two most populous states taking drastically different stances from each other on cooperating with federal immigration guidelines.

The legality of sanctuary city policies is emerging as a state issue, primarily, because neither states nor cities are legally obliged to help U.S. Immigration and Customs (ICE). Legal scholars are clear that no federal laws are broken by a city refusing to cooperate with federal efforts to detain and deport illegal immigrants.

The feds cant tell a state or a local municipality how to handle immigration detainer requests put up by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Angela Morrison, a professor at Texas A&M Universitys School of Law, told Fox News. Under the 10th Amendment, its up to states and local municipalities to decide whether or not they will comply.

The dispute over whether to cooperate or not with federal immigration officials is roiling some of the nations largest states. One of the strictest state measures aiming to outlaw non-cooperation with ICE is in Texas. On Wednesday lawmakers are set to debate a bill that would ban cities, counties and universities from adopting "sanctuary" policies and also penalize law enforcement officials who fail to comply with federal immigration guidelines.

The Texas bill has sparked strong feelings among immigrant rights activists. One state representative has gone on a three-day hunger strike in protest, and the measure has drawn widespread criticism from Democratic Party lawmakers.

The most hotly debated provision of the bill allows for criminal charges against city or county officials who intentionally refuse to comply with federal authorities' attempt to deport people in the country illegally who already have been jailed on offenses unrelated to immigration. Elected officials could face up to a year in jail and lose their posts if convicted of official misconduct.

We cannot allow local officials to implement dangerous policies that make it easier for individuals who commit serious crimes to be placed back into our communities," Texas State Sen. Charles Perry, who introduced the legislation, said in a statement. The bill has gained the support of Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, who back in January vowed to pursue legislation to remove from office any official who promotes sanctuary cities.

Opponents of the bill, however, say that the legislation would have a chilling effect on immigrants, making them too scared to report crimes or testify in court. They also say a law like this would lead to widespread racial profiling of Latinos by law enforcement officials  a fear that officials in Texas biggest city have recently tried to assuage.

"HPD is not ICE and we don't seek to be ICE," Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said, according to the Houston Chronicle. "In this city we don't profile. We're not going to do that."

Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo noted that the number of Hispanics reporting rape is down 42.8 percent from what it was in the first three months of last year and other violent crimes have registered a 13 percent reporting drop in the Hispanic community.

"This doesn't just affect the immigrant community, it impacts everyone who will need to prove he or she is a citizen. Victoria Neave, the Texas state representative who on Sunday went on a hunger strike in protest of the legislation, told the Washington Post.

The Texas legislation appears likely to pass in the states Republican-controlled Congress, but legal experts say removing from office any elected official who is found guilty of violating the law would still be an uphill battle.

Even if they amend the statutes to add this, the state would have to clarify the general ground for removal and then get a district attorney to press charges and then it would go to a trial by jury, Morrison said. Getting rid of the trial by jury would be the hardest part because voters in Texas really want to protect that right.

Meantime in Colorado, the states Senate gave initial approval Monday to a bill that would allow victims of crime committed by illegal immigrants to sue municipalities with sanctuary city policies, as well allow the state to withhold tax money. Senate Bill 281 still must pass a roll-call vote before moving to the House, where it faces certain death amid Colorados Democratic majority. A similar bill was shot down this session that would have allowed public officials to be arrested over sanctuary city policies.

On the opposite side of the sanctuary city debate are states like California. Lawmakers in the Golden State earlier this month passed a bill that blocks state and local police cooperation with federal immigration authorities. Senate Bill 54, unofficially known as the "sanctuary state" bill, blocks state and local law enforcement agencies from using their resources  whether that be money, properties, equipment or personnel -- to help with federal immigration enforcement.

While the bill drew criticism from some law enforcement officials in California and concerns that it would antagonize President Trump, Kevin de Leon -- the leader of the state Senate and sponsor of the bill  argued it would improve policing throughout the state.

Our communities will become more, not less, dangerous if local police are enlisted to enforce federal immigration laws, he said, adding that the bill was a rejection of President Trumps false and cynical portrayal of undocumented immigrants as a lawless community.

The Trump administration has tried to force some sanctuary cities to cooperate by issuing an executive order seeking to withhold funds from such cities. However, a federal judge in San Francisco this week blocked that order, saying plaintiffs challenging the order are likely to succeed in proving it unconstitutional.
Trump administration officials outlined a sweeping tax reform plan Wednesday that calls for massive cuts for businesses and other changes that could yield big savings for American families.

The plan swiftly drew congressional criticism about the potential impact on the deficit. But administration officials voiced optimism that the proposal would spur economic growth, and said they'd reduce tax breaks elsewhere.

We have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to do something really big, top White House economic adviser Gary Cohn said. Tax reform is long overdue.

As the administration nears the end of its first 100 days, Cohn and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin provided the contours of the administrations long-awaited tax plan in a White House briefing with reporters.

The plan would, perhaps most significantly, slash the corporate tax rate from 35 percent to 15 percent. Small business owners could also benefit from that rate.

The president is determined to unleash economic growth for businesses, Mnuchin said.

INSIDE TRUMP'S TAX PLAN

The plan also would collapse the income tax system from seven to three brackets: 10 percent, 25 percent and 35 percent. The current top rate is 39.6 percent.

The administration is looking as well to double the standard deduction, or the amount of income individuals and families can report to the IRS tax-free.

The current standard deduction would rise from $6,300 to $12,600 for individuals under the proposal. For married couples filing jointly, it would rise from $12,600 to roughly $24,000.

Earlier in the day, Mnuchin called it the biggest tax cut and the largest tax reform in the history of our country.

The plan will immediately face questions on Capitol Hill over the impact on the federal budget and deficit, considering the tax cuts would presumably represent billions in lost revenue every year.

Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden, D-Ore., issued a statement calling it an "unprincipled tax plan that will result in cuts for the one percent, conflicts for the President, crippling debt for America and crumbs for the working people."

But officials said Wednesday they plan to eliminate most tax breaks that benefit high-income taxpayers. At the same time, they said popular tax breaks like the mortgage interest and charitable deductions would be preserved.

With administration officials saying they want to get to work with Congress as soon as possible, a statement from Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., and other top GOP lawmakers said:

The principles outlined by the Trump Administration today will serve as critical guideposts for Congress and the Administration as we work together to overhaul the American tax system and ensure middle-class families and job creators are better positioned for the 21st century economy."

The plan would also eliminate the estate tax that Republicans often deride as the 'death tax' and the 3.8 percent tax on investment income under ObamaCare.

Officials said an underlying goal is to simplify the tax system, noting that the increase in the standard deduction would mean far fewer households would have to itemize their deductions.

Mnuchin also called for a one-time tax on corporate money overseas, predicting it would bring trillions of dollars back to the U.S.
The United Nations warned the Trump administration earlier this year that repealing ObamaCare without providing an adequate replacement would be a violation of multiple international laws, according to a new report.

Though the Trump administration is likely to ignore the U.N. warning, The Washington Post reported the Office of the U.N. High Commission on Human Rights in Geneva sent an "urgent appeal" on Feb 2.

The Post reported that the confidential, five-page memo cautioned that the repeal of the Affordable Care Act would put the U.S. at odds with its international obligations.

The warning was sent to the State Department and reportedly said the U.N. expressed serious concern about the prospective loss of health coverage for 30 million people, that in turn could violate the right to social security of the people in the United States.

Congressional Republicans failed in March to pass an ObamaCare replacement bill. A new proposal is emerging on Capitol Hill, but it's unclear when it might be considered and how sweeping it may be.

A spokesman for the U.N.s human rights office in Geneva confirmed the authenticity of the letter, which was sent by Dainius Puras, a Lithuanian doctor who serves the U.N. as Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health.

Xabier Celaya, a spokesman for the U.N., said Puras cannot comment on his ObamaCare letter until it becomes public in June.

Though the report calls out the Trump administration, theres very little the U.N. can actually do.

According to the report, the letter sent to the Trump administration also was supposed to be shared with the majority and minority leaders in both houses of Congress -- but that did not happen.

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosis office and Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumers office said they never received the letter, as did officials in House Speaker Paul Ryan and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnells office. The letter from Puras did make its way to the Department of Health and Human Services, where an unnamed employee supposedly leaked it.
The White House has drafted a notice that would signal the United States' intent to withdraw from NAFTA, Fox News has learned -- a precautionary move made as the administration considers whether to leave the trade pact.

The notification has not been submitted to Mexico or Canada, and it's possible the White House might not ever submit it.

However, a senior White House official told Fox News the process is unfolding and is coming soon.

NAFTA as we know it is going to change," a senior White House official said. "Thats not a relationship we can keep up.

Under the NAFTA terms, any party may withdraw "six months after it provides written notice of withdrawal to the other Parties."

Earlier this week, the Trump administration levied a tariff on imports of softwood lumber from Canada amid a broader trade dispute.

Trump has been consistent in his attack on the North American Free Trade Agreement. During the campaign season he frequently criticized it and called it the single worst trade deal ever approved in this country.

Three days after his inauguration in January, reports surfaced that the president was looking to renegotiate NAFTA. No formal announcements have since been made -- though Trump signed an order to pull the U.S. out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal.

Last week, Trump upped his rhetoric over Canadas trade policies, calling its dairy protections unfair. He has at various times vowed to pull out of the U.S., Mexico and Canada trade pact if he cannot negotiate better terms for the United States.

The Canadian government counters that its policies are not hurting U.S. dairy farmers  and that the country upholds our international trade obligations and has not changed its policies.

Fox News' John Roberts contributed to this report.
A 20-year-old man streamed the murder of his 11-month-old daughter on Facebook Live Monday, before committing suicide. Wuttisan Wongtalay filmed the gruesome act on the rooftop of a deserted hotel in Thailand.

This is the latest in a string of violent incidents that have been posted on the social media site just this year.

January: Four people were arrested in Chicago on allegations they kidnapped and assaulted a disabled man., which was broadcast on Facebook Live.

March: A 15-year-old girl, also in Chicago, was allegedly sexually assaulted by 5 to 6 males while up to 40 people watched the attack on Facebook.

THAI MAN HANGS BABY DAUGHTER ON FACEBOOK LIVE THEN COMMITS SUICIDE

April: The murder of Robert Godwin, a 74-year-old Cleveland man, was posted by his killer, Steve Stephens, on Facebook. This led to a highly publicized nationwide manhunt for the shooter.

Reuters reports that, in this latest incident, two videos of the childs killing were posted on the fathers Facebook page and removed about 24 hours later. They say the first video had about 112,000 views by mid-afternoon local time Tuesday, and the second video had 258,000 views.

A spokesperson for Facebook released this statement to Fox News: This is an appalling incident and our hearts go out to the family of the victim. There is absolutely no place for acts of this kind on Facebook and the footage has now been removed.

But why, especially after this growing history of streaming violence, did it take so long and have so many views before it was taken down?

FACEBOOK'S NEW FACES OF DEATH

Problem is in the online setting, users will tell friends, share with others and repost. The opposite of what you would expect in the real world, where someone would immediately call 911. Hemu Nigam, CEO of SSP Blue, an online safety consultancy and former Chief Security Officer of MySpace when it was a News Corporation property told Fox News in a phone interview. That leads to a longer time of it being reported to an organization like Facebook.

And, it seems that if these videos are not reported, there is still no good way for companies to locate them and remove them quickly. Wongtalays video was also posted to YouTube, but was reportedly taken down within 15 minutes of the BBC alerting YouTube to its presence.

Technology is amazing at identifying peoples likes, habits, dislikes, preferences. They have a platform to analyze that behavior. Says Nigam, Using that data to protect citizens is quite possible. There is not an engineer out there who would say that is not true.

He added Companies are in a place where they have the ability to solve these real challenges created by the way people use technology. They just have to put their mind to it.

FACEBOOK LAUNCHES REVIEW OF VIDEO CONTENT AFTER HORRIFIC CLEVELAND KILLING

Facebook says that is just what they are doing.

We are reviewing our reporting flows to be sure people can report videos and other material that violates our standards as easily and quickly as possible Facebooks VP of Global Operations, Justin Osofsky, wrote last week.

He says they have thousands of people around the world, working 24 hours a day 7 days a week and in more than 40 languages, reviewing millions of items that are reported every week.

We are constantly exploring ways that new technologies can help us make sure Facebook is a safe environment. Artificial intelligence, for example, plays an important part in this work, helping us prevent the videos from being re-shared in their entirety.

FOR THE LATEST TECH FEATURES FOLLOW FOX NEWS TECH ON FACEBOOK

As all social media sites figure out the best way to manage this problem, it seems videos like the heinous act that took place in Thailand Monday will slip through the cracks and remain online for the world to see, for a long period of time.

Simply put, Nigam told us That video should not have been seen that many times.

If you see a disturbing video on Facebook, you can report it on their community standards page found here.
Fear of technology? A man attacked a 300-pound security robot in Mountain View, California, according to local police.

A man in the Silicon Valley town has been arrested after allegedly attacking a Knightscope K5 security robot. He claimed he was trying to "test" the robot.

41-year-old Jason Sylvain is accused of knocking over the 300 lb.-robot after witnesses reported a prowler near Knightscope's offices in Mountain View, California.

REAL-DEAL ROBOCOP SPOTTED PATROLLING STREETS OF NYC

"When we arrived, we met with Sylvain, and as we were speaking with him, he appeared confused, had red, glassy eyes and a strong odor of alcohol emitted from him," a spokeswoman for the Mountain View police department told CNET.

Sylvain has been charged with being drunk in public and a Knightscope employee requested his arrest for prowling.

The robot, after it was allegedly assaulted, immediately started sounding its alarms and the suspect tried to get away but was detained by a Knightscope employee, according to Stacy Dean Stephens, Knightscope's vice president of marketing and sales, until the police arived on the scene.

Luckily, the robot was unharmed and only suffered minor scratches and has since returned to work.
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The only thing that has moved slower than Taylor Glacier is progress on solving a 100-year-old mystery about the famous red waterfall nearbyuntil now. Since 1911, when a scientist first stumbled across Antarctica's Blood Falls, researchers have been scratching their heads about a flow of salty water leading from the glacier to what Atlas Obscura refers to as the "five-story, blood-red waterfall." But a study published in the Journal of Glaciology may have unearthed what's behind this "englacial hydrologic system" fueling the falls.

The direct reason for why the water is red isn't what's been perplexing us: A press release explains that the water plummeting over the side is filled with iron, which causes the brine to turn red when it makes contact with oxygen.

It's where this brine is coming from, however, that has remained an unknown. That is, until scientists from the University of Alaska Fairbanks and Colorado College set to work with radar gear and found evidence of lots of salty water buried beneath the glacier, perhaps for up to 1 million years.

Much like the echolocation used by bats, the technique the scientists used to send and receive electrical signals in "grid-like patterns" through the glacier's ice led them to a find previously thought impossible: flowing liquid water existing in a frozen glacier.

Co-author Erin Pettit explains that "water releases heat as it freezes," which melts surrounding ice and lets the salty water (with a lower freezing temperature) flow.

The discovery now opens the doors to "understanding the role of liquid watersalty or freshin other extremely cold glaciers or permafrost environments," co-author Jessica Badgeley adds, per a Colorado College press release.

(This Yosemite "firefall" appears once a year.)

This article originally appeared on Newser: Scientists Figure Out Mystery of 'Bloody' Antarctic Waterfall
Astronomers believe fragments of a mysterious lost world are locked in orbit around Mars.

This ancient planet may have smashed into the Martian surface during the early days of the solar system, creating a series of nine asteroids called the Trojans.

The Trojans are really a relic from the early life of the solar system, when the planets were still forming, Apostolos Christou from the Armagh Observatory and Planetarium told New Scientist.

Astronomers now believe the Martian Trojans are all made up of the same material  suggesting they once belonged to the same planet.

'ANCIENT TREE STUMP' SPOTTED ON MARS?

Asteroids which orbit planets are called Trojans.

They have been around since the birth of the solar system, when the distribution of planets, asteroids and comets was very different from today.

About 6,000 Trojans have been found in the orbit of Jupiter and about 10 in Neptunes.

Mars is so far the only terrestrial planet known to have Trojan companions which orbit regularly.

NASA'S CURIOSITY ROVER SPOTS PURPLE ROCKS ON MARS

The first Mars Trojan was discovered more than 25 years ago at L5 and named Eureka in reference to the famous exclamation by Ancient Greek mathematician Archimedes.

It has nine of these satellites, but they all have a mysteriously different structure to every other space rock in the solar system.

The asteroids are made up of olivine, which is a mineral that forms in larger objects that suffered super high pressures and temperatures.

The scientists, lead by Apostolos Christou and Galin Borisov at the Armagh Observatory and Planetarium in Northern Ireland, claim this is evidence that the rocks are the remains of a lost planet.

FOR THE LATEST TECH FEATURES FOLLOW FOX NEWS TECH ON FACEBOOK

The ancient world could even have impacted on our own civilisation, Christou revealed.

He said: Our findings suggest that such material has participated in the formation of Mars and perhaps its planetary neighbour, our own Earth.

It follows a new bombshell theory that life on Mars may have been forced underground after a catastrophic disaster turned the Red Planet into a frigid desert.

This article originally appeared on The Sun.
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Residents in North Carolina are keeping an eye on rising rivers Tuesday after a storm system socked the state with its worst rainfall since Hurricane Matthew last year.

The heavy rainfall caused flooding in the state's capital and downstream waters were rising along the Neuse River near Clayton and Smithfield, in addition to the Tar River in Tarboro and Greenville.

Firefighters in Raleigh used inflatable rafts to rescued two people and a dog stranded in a home and four people stranded in another apartment on Tuesday, Battalion Chief Jeff Harrison told the Associated Press. In Smithfield, a body was found in the Neuse River by a crew cleaning storm debris Tuesday, but it wasn't immediately clear if the death was caused by the weather.

"We know floodwaters can be deadly and I urge everyone to be cautious and stay safe," Gov. Roy Cooper said in a news release.

The National Weather Service said more than 8 inches had fallen in areas near Raleigh by Tuesday morning before the storm system passed and the sun came out. Flood warnings however remain in effect and river gauges suggest rivers will crest above flood stage. Forecasters however expect the rivers to remain below the levels caused by Matthew.

Duke Energy reported Tuesday afternoon that it had restored power to all but about 1,000 customers who lost it in North and South Carolina.

Related stories... Juice floods Russian town after factory roof collapses

State transportation officials reported more than 100 road closures around the state Tuesday, but some were reopening in the afternoon.

A creek overflowed its banks and flooded streets and parking lots near Crabtree Valley Mall in Raleigh, WRAL reported. The mall was closed in the morning, but some department stores reopened after the waterway began to recede.

In the town of Monroe, located southeast of Charlotte crews were busy Tuesday dealing with several sewage spills due to all the water, FOX 46 Charlotte reported.

"Anytime we get a lot of rainfall we have the threat of overflowing, the sanitary sewer overflows," Monroe Communications Director Pete Hovanec told FOX 46.

Around 5,000 gallons of sewage spilled in the Eastview Circle area, but no major health hazards were reported.

"The pipes can only handle so much water and if it gets caught up with debris and excessive rain sometimes those get backed up and that's what we faced yesterday," Hovanec said.

Read more from FOX 46 Charlotte.

Read more from WRAL.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
The U.S. Air Force test-fired an intercontinental ballistic missile which traveled over 4,000 miles before splashing down in the South Pacific after launching early Wednesday from a base in California.

NORTH KOREA THREAT: EXPERTS PAINT DARK PICTURE OF WHAT FALLOUT OF PRE-EMPTIVE STRIKE COULD BE

The nuclear-capable missile was unarmed, according to the Air Force, and comes amid increasing tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

The Minuteman III missile blasted off at 12:03 a.m. Wednesday from Vandenberg Air Force Base, 130 miles northwest of Los Angeles.

JAPAN HAS ONLY 10 MINUTES TO TAKE COVER AFTER NORTH KOREAN MISSILE LAUNCH, OFFICIALS SAY

The test was long-planned, according to defense officials. When asked about the timing of the test amid the threats surrounding North Korea, one official told Fox News, "If we had canceled the launch, that would be a story too."

The U.S. Air Force has 450 Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missiles in underground silos across three bases in Wyoming, North Dakota and Montana. This number will be reduced to 400 in the coming years, according to a senior U.S. military official.

The U.S. military also maintains a fleet of long range B-2 and B-52 bombers capable of delivering nuclear weapons as well as a fleet of ballistic missile submarines. Air Force fighter jets can carry smaller tactical nuclear weapons as well.

The mission was part of a program to test the effectiveness, readiness, and accuracy of the weapon system, Air Force officials said.

The 30th Space Wing commander, Col. John Moss, said Minuteman launches have been essential to verify the status of the U.S. nuclear force and to demonstrate the national nuclear capabilities.

In a Minuteman test, a so-called re-entry vehicle travels more than 4,000 miles downrange to a target at Kwajalein Atoll near the Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands.

"Team V is once again ready to work with Air Force Global Strike Command to successfully launch another Minuteman III missile," Moss said. "These Minuteman launches are essential to verify the status of our national nuclear force and to demonstrate our national nuclear capabilities. We are proud of our long history in partnering with the men and women of the 576th Flight Test Squadron to execute these missions for the nation."

The 576th Flight Test Squadron will be responsible for installed tracking, telemetry, and command destruct systems on the missile.

Fox News' Lucas Tomlinson and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
The father of a missing 5-year-old California boy has been released from jail just days after he was arrested in connection to the childs disappearance -- with the boy still missing.

Investigators have decided not to press charges against Aramazd Andressian Sr., who was discovered unconscious Saturday at a South Pasadena park. Andressians son, Aramazd, was supposed to have been with his father at the time but investigators say they dont know where he is.

BAIL SET FOR CALIFORNIA DAD PASSED OUT AT PARK; 5-YEAR-OLD SON MISSING

Andressian Sr., who is currently involved in a custody battle with the childs mother, initially was arrested on suspicion of child endangerment and abduction. Sheriffs Captain Chris Bergner said Andressians statements in regard to the child were convoluted and not consistent.

But the fathers legal counsel said he was helping investigators find his child.

KIDNAPPED OHIO WOMAN FOUND TRAPPED IN BACKYARD PIT, POLICE SAY

"Aramazd, his family and counsel are fully cooperating with the police in their efforts to locate little Ara," an attorney for Andressian said in a statement.

Police dogs from the South Pasadena Police Department and other local agencies joined together to try to find the boy during the weekend, Fox 11 reported. Authorities also have searched Cachuma Lake in Santa Barbara County where the fathers vehicle was spotted before his arrest but surveillance video of the site showed the father was there without his son.

Detectives have contacted relatives in Armenia and customs agents but the local police have said they dont think the child has traveled there.

The boys mother called police Saturday morning to report her son missing. The woman said her estranged husband, with whom she shares custody of the boy, failed to bring the child to a pre-arranged meeting spot.

Aramazd Andressian Jr. was last seen by his mother in person on April 15 and in a Skype conversation on April 18.

We're optimistic he is missing so hopefully he's safe somewhere with family members or with just somebody that found him, said Lieutenant Joe Mendoza with LA County Sheriffs Homicide.

Click for more from Fox 11.
The man who shot and killed a Delaware trooper was killed Thursday morning in a gunbattle with law enforcement after a standoff at his home that stretched on for more than 12 hours, state police confirmed.

After police closed in on Burgon Sealy, Jr.'s house in Middletown with an armored bulldozer, the 26-year-old burst out of the home around 9:17 a.m. and started firing, State Police Superintendent Nathaniel McQueen said. Police returned fire, and Sealy was pronounced dead some 12 minutes later.

The killer had fired at officers trying to negotiate a surrender outside his home around 4 a.m., Fox 29 reported. It was not known what type of weapon he was using. There were no reported injuries; people living in the area had evacuated but were later allowed back into their homes.

During gunfights overnight police in Delaware appear to have blown apart every window&door of wanted trooper killer's home @FOX29philly pic.twitter.com/VJ9MEBlQEr  Steve Keeley (@KeeleyFox29) April 27, 2017

ERIC FREIN TRIAL: JURY SENTENCES PENNSYLVANIA TROOPER'S AMBUSH KILLER

The standoff unfolded after the man gunned down a state trooper in a Wawa parking lot Wednesday in Bear, a Wilmington suburb about 20 minutes from Middletown.

McQueen told reporters Thursday that shortly after the shooting, Sealy had contacted family members to alert them that he shot an officer, who in turn relayed the news to police. With that information, McQueen said, investigators were able to track down Sealy at the home.

MASKED MAN WITH MULTIPLE GUNS ARRESTED OUTSIDE DALLAS POLICE STATION

Cpl. Stephen J. Ballard, 32, had approached a "suspicious vehicle" with two men inside that had been parked outside the Wawa store for an extended period of time, investigators said. A struggle ensued and the one of the men shot the trooper multiple times before escaping, McQueen added. Police arrested the second man at the scene of the shooting.

As of Thursday afternoon, police have not yet revealed why the vehicle was investigated or the motive behind the shooting.

The home where Sealy barricaded himself is registered to his father. Records show Sealy had been arrested in 2013 on gun and drug charges. A childhood friend, Scott Adkins, says Sealy was fond of guns as early as middle school.

Delaware State police marked armored bulldozer just drove past us to home of gunman, there may be concern home boobyttapped @FOX29philly pic.twitter.com/xpQRMHckZc  Steve Keeley (@KeeleyFox29) April 27, 2017

Photos and video showed extensive damage to the killer's home, with the windows and doors blown out. Police said they used an explosive device to blow open the front door Wednesday night but did not enter.

Ballard had been on the force for more than eight years, according to state police spokesman Sgt. Richard Bratz.

Ballard went to work every day putting his life on

the line to protect the rest of us, Gov. John Carney said Thursday.

My heart is with Corporal Ballard's family today and all the officers on his shift and the Delaware State Police who serve beside him," he added.

Sarah Adkins, 18, who lives with her parents on the same street where the killer was barricaded, said that shortly after arriving home early Thursday afternoon, she started hearing sporadic gunfire that lasted for about an hour and resumed at other intervals.

Adkins said the man believed to be the suspect went to school with her brothers, and has always seemed friendly, smiling and waving at her when she last saw him a couple of weeks ago.

Click for more from Fox 29.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
A grand jury indicted two doctors and a third person on Wednesday in an alleged scheme to perform genital mutilation on two girls from Minnesota at a Detroit-area clinic.

Dr. Jumana Nagarwala, Dr. Fakhruddin Attar and Attar's wife, Farida, are charged with female genital mutilation, conspiracy and other crimes.

The federal indictment alleges the trio tried to obstruct the investigation by telling other people to make false statement to authorities. The doctors are also accused of lying to investigators.

Genital mutilation, also known as female circumcision or cutting, has been condemned by the United Nations and outlawed in the United States. But the practice is common for girls in parts of Asia, Africa and the Middle East.

"This brutal practice is conducted on girls for one reason: to control them as women. FGM will not be tolerated in the United States," said Dan Lemisch, the acting U.S. attorney in Detroit.

Nagarwala is charged with performing genital mutilation on the two 7-year-old girls in February at a suburban Detroit clinic owned by Dr. Attar.

Nagarwala's attorney, Shannon Smith, denied the allegation last week, saying the doctor was performing a religious custom that didn't involve cutting. Smith declined to comment on the indictment, which replaces criminal complaints that led to the arrest of the three suspects earlier this month.

The Attars have been in custody since last week. They were due in court Wednesday for a bond hearing, but the hearing was rescheduled for May 3.

Outside the courthouse, defense attorney Mary Chartier said Dr. Attar was not in the examination room with Nagarwala and the girls.

"What happened at the clinic was not FGM. ... I believe they are being persecuted for their religious beliefs, and I do not make that allegation lightly," Chartier said.

Farida Attar's attorney, Matt Newburg, declined to comment.

The Attars, Nagarwala and the Minnesota girls' families belong to a Muslim sect called Dawoodi Bohra, which is concentrated in India.


A former Iowa fire academy administrator has pleaded guilty to falsifying test scores that were used to improperly certify thousands of firefighters.

Former Fire Services Training Bureau certification manager John McPhee pleaded guilty Wednesday to felony misconduct in office. Judge James Malloy scheduled a sentencing hearing for May 24.

Prosecutors and the defense have agreed to recommend a sentence of two years' probation, unspecified restitution and community service for McPhee, 49. Malloy could opt for a different sentence for McPhee, who remains free on bond and faces a maximum of five years in prison.

McPhee, who began at the Ames-based academy in 1998, assigned passing scores to exams without checking or correcting them for years. More than 2,400 firefighters and emergency personnel were granted nationally-recognized certifications despite failing tests.
Authorities said a Banks County deputy is lucky to be alive after a shooting Wednesday afternoon. The incident prompted a massive manhunt.

It happened just after 4:10 p.m. at the Atlanta Dragway after a report of robbery in progress. Investigators said the suspect tried to kidnap the victim, but ended up taking their car and fleeing the scene. Deputies spotted the vehicle and tried to pull it over in the area of Tanger Outlet Center, but the man fled.

Investigators said as the man was running, he fired at law enforcement officers, hitting a deputy which was still in their patrol car. The suspect got away, but it prompted a multi-jurisdictional manhunt.

We have a number of agencies that have come out, said Lt. Carissa McFadden.

Authorities in the area are searching for a black man in his 40s with short hair, 60 and weighing about 170 pounds. He was last seen wearing dark clothing. He is believed to be in the area surrounding Steve Reynolds Boulevard.

He is armed and dangerous, we do know that. He has possibly two weapons on him, two guns on him, so we are asking citizens to not approach this male subject, said Lt. McFadden. If they do see him, to call 911 and immediately report it.

The name of the deputy has not yet been released, but authorities said he suffered non-life threatening injuries thanks to his vest.

Read more from FOX 5 Atlanta.
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They are young and old: a high school student who can't yet vote, a Vietnam vet who did so proudly. They hail from all corners of the United States and very different walks of life: a "downhome boy" from Kentucky, a third-generation Mexican-American from Texas, a stay-at-home mom in Pennsylvania, an Iranian immigrant in Los Angeles.

Some oppose Donald Trump and all that he stands for, while others voted enthusiastically for him. Now, they are critiquing him.

One hundred days into Trump's presidency, The Associated Press returned to some of the everyday people interviewed these past months to ask them to write a letter to the president, evaluating the job he's done so far and looking ahead to the months to come.

One supporter tells the president he "might have fallen a little short"  on Obamacare, in particular  but he signs off "with hope." A refugee implores Trump to "make America more friendly," but finds optimism in the president's reaction to this month's chemical attack in Syria: "I hope this is a turning point." A Trump objector calls his biggest accomplishment "waking up the public to fight." She offers this advice: "Make decisions with your heart. It will give you wisdom."

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FROM RURAL AMERICA, A SUPPORTER SEES HOPE IN TRUMP'S PRESIDENCY

Alan Halsey, 31, is a self-described "downhome boy" from Campton, Kentucky, who along with his wife owns and operates The Swift Creek Courier, a weekly newspaper, and Halsey's Country Store, "a small business that is a chunk of 1950 set down in 2017." He says he works seven days a week to try to provide for his family, but is struggling and tired of government regulation and red tape.

He wrote:

". I supported you quite strongly in the 2016 election, even to the point of hanging one of your signs on the front door of my business. I particularly related to your foreign policy of 'America First,' and your promise to bring business back to the United States. So far, I believe you're heading in the right direction on that front, and I find a glimmer of hope in the future of the American economy. .

"Overall, I think you might have fallen a little short on your first 100 days, but I don't put a lot of weight into a time frame that small. Provided you serve two terms, 100 days is about 4 percent of that. I still feel that something needs to be done with the Affordable Care Act, although I'm not certain exactly what. ... I know many ACA recipients that visit a doctor more than once a week, while those that purchase their own insurance wait until a visit to a doctor is imperative to their survival. There must be a middle to that scenario. ..."

He signed his letter: "With Hope."

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CANCER SURVIVOR WORRIES OVER TRUMP'S PROPOSED BUDGET CUTS, BUT PRAYS FOR HIM

Rebecca Esparza, 45, is a freelance writer in Corpus Christi, Texas, who didn't vote for Trump. A cancer survivor, Esparza fears proposed budget cuts targeting the nation's premier medical research institution, the National Institutes of Health, will hurt Americans who battle illness.

She wrote:

". I cannot say I'm proud of your work so far. However, I have respect for the Office of the President, even if I disagree with your political aspirations. ... I could write a dissertation on the many ways I disagree with your political ideals. I'm a third-generation Mexican-American, born and raised in South Texas. Your disdain for Mexico, its descendants and immigrants in general troubles me. Your plan to dismantle the Affordable Care Act, leaving millions of Americans with no other health insurance options, leaves me anguished.

"But what distresses me most is your plan to cut nearly $6 billion in funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). On Thanksgiving Day in 2001, at age 30, I was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. ... Cancer research saved my life. ... The cuts you are proposing are disconcerting not only for cancer survivors, but for millions of Americans suffering from many types of chronic and rare diseases. ...

"I'll be praying for you, President Trump. ... I pray you will carefully consider how your decisions have life or death consequences for hard-working Americans."

Read more about Esparza.

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ONE-TIME OBAMA VOTER FEELS PRIDE IN TRUMP'S WORK

Laverne Jones Gore, 60, owns an executive leadership development company in Cleveland and voted for Trump after previously supporting Barack Obama. Gore calls herself a "middle-class American who happens to be black" and says she felt uncomfortable voicing her opinion during the Obama years, but Trump has "made me proud to be an American again." Part of a military family  her deceased husband was a Marine and a son graduated from West Point  Gore's one hesitation these past 100 days is over Trump's airstrike in Syria.

She wrote:

". Mr. President you have absolutely met my expectations. I actually believe you have shown a strength that I had not given to you, and I am surprised by your willingness to meet head on the challenges and resistance within your governing bodies. I don't believe you have been afforded an opportunity to really show us what you have to offer in the form of leadership of our nation.

"I have no issue with you as it relates to 'Russians.' I personally believe most of it was contrived. I have no issue with you as it relates to immigration. I think the issues were in need of control. ... I have some reservations about your use of Twitter, but I understand the difficulty you have getting your intended message out.

"Yes, you surprised me with the Syria strike and I am not certain how I feel about another war or thought of war. I am still contemplating your action and observing the responses to come from the world theatre as they absorb your full intent."

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'YOUR SIGNATURE CRUSHED MY FAMILY'

Marjan Vayghan, 32, an artist and writer in Los Angeles, parses no words in her evaluation of Trump. An Iranian immigrant who came to the U.S. with her family in the 1990s, Vayghan's uncle was caught up in the chaos that erupted after Trump signed his first travel ban order in January. Ali Vayeghan was detained at the Los Angeles airport and put back on a plane back to Iran, even though he had an immigrant visa. He returned nearly a week later, after a federal judge blocked the order.

She wrote:

" ... We appreciate the greatness of our country and our freedoms, because we've consciously fled other places with the hopes of making a better life here. We've undergone 'extreme vetting' and left behind our loved ones for a chance to be free and follow our dreams.

"On January 27th, everything changed as your signature made my uncle disappear ... The following day I saw my father cry for the first time in my life. My mom got sick. I felt afraid and alone. My parents started plans with the expectation we were all about to be rounded up and sent to internment camps. Later that day, we realized our family wasn't alone in LAX. Countless people showed up, chanting supportive messages and singing songs of love like "this land was made for you and me. ...

"As your executive orders crush the immigrants and native-born people of this country together, I have hope that the pressure will forge us into a stronger union. ... Seven days into this 'un-presidented' adventure, your signature crushed my family. The next day we were embraced by the country's love and support."

Read more about Vayghan.

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A BANKER IN COAL COUNTRY TELLS TRUMP TO 'PROVE THEM WRONG'

James McDonald, 57, of Tazewell, Virginia, is a Trump supporter who believes the president has "brought integrity and honor back to the White House, our country and the way the world views our country." An assistant vice president at a bank in a small mining community, McDonald's priorities include reviving the economy and replacing the Affordable Care Act. He sums up his advice for Trump in three words: "Jobs. Jobs. Jobs."

He wrote:

"The fact that you mean what you say and say what you mean is what we have needed in our president for the last eight years. This is one of the few elections that the way I voted was for what was in the best interest of my local community. The war on coal that was waged by the former administration devastated our area. ...

". Since the inauguration my only concern was the handling of the repeal and replace of the Affordable Health Care Act. I felt like you comprised too much, and came close to signing a bad bill. I commend you on your continued efforts to enact this change, however if it's not a good bill please don't compromise too much.

". Of course keeping America safe is your No. 1 priority, after that in my opinion it is putting people back to work. One quote from the Republican convention that was impressive was when Donald Trump Jr. said that 'when people tell him it can't be done, that guarantees that he gets it done.' They say you can't make America Great Again. Prove them wrong. ..."

Read more about McDonald.

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A FINANCIAL PLANNER URGES TRUMP TO 'READ. LISTEN. LEARN. PREPARE.'

Brooke Streech, 44, runs a nonprofit in Phoenix that provides financial planning and education for those who cannot afford an adviser. She voted for Hillary Clinton because she believes she was "more qualified, smarter and cared more about people." The mother of two boys, 10 and 12, Streech urges Trump going forward to "Read. Listen. Learn. Prepare. Work hard to understand the complex issues you are required to face."

She wrote:

"Your lack of experience and intelligence has certainly shown itself to be an issue so far in your presidency. It might be OK to go into office with your incredible ignorance if you were to surround yourself with smart and talented people. Unfortunately you have done the opposite. Your administration appears to be run less efficiently and with more chaos than any other in history.

". I would implore you to spend some time reflecting on how you get your information. Find advisers and spokespeople who are smart, good at what they do, and might disagree with you once in a while with the aim to create dialogue and make decisions with all of the information available. ."

Read more about Streech.

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REFUGEE PRAYS GOD WILL GIVE THE PRESIDENT WISDOM

Suliman Bandas, 37, is a refugee from Sudan who could not vote in the election because he is a legal permanent resident and not a citizen. He teaches English as a Second Language to other immigrants in Lincoln, Nebraska. He advises Trump to "make America more friendly, beautiful and strong  by caring for others and defending the weak."

He wrote:

"I grew up in southern Sudan, which was engaged in a long civil war with the north. In 1986 my uncle ... took my father, a teacher, and other civilians in a helicopter to areas that needed aid. I watched from our backyard as that helicopter was shot down. ... In 2005, I was accepted to come to the U.S., a place where I can be safe and call home. ...

"In my job I help teach refugees, and every day they express to me their worries that this country may reject refugees in the months to come. I have heard you express concern about the Syrian people and I hope this is a turning point. Please, Mr. President, let America continue to treat refugees the same way God wanted them to be treated. That is what made America what it is  strong and different from any other country on the face of the planet. The Bible says: "When a foreigner resides among you in your land, do not mistreat them. The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. ..." (Leviticus 19:33-34) Dear Mr. President, may God guide you, give you wisdom and spirit of understanding in these very challenging moments."

Read more about Bandas.

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A KANSAN FEELS 'AMERICAN PRIDE AGAIN' OVER A LEADER WHO 'BELIEVES IN ALL OF US'

Rick Yearick, 50, is an ad salesman at the local paper in Liberal, Kansas. An avid Trump supporter, he praises the president for a number of things, including flexing his muscles with "decisive action against those who perform badly on the world stage." He says the president's biggest failure so far is not successfully uniting Republicans behind him.

He wrote:

"Keep fighting for a secure America with your travel ban for those who seek to do us harm, building a wall to secure a sound immigration policy, and by serving Americans and not trying to be President of the World. ...

"I commend you on the selection of (Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch) for his commitment to the Constitution rather than a revisionist who interprets it to fit their political needs. I am sure that given a chance at more appointments, you will do the same.

"I feel American pride again knowing that our president believes in all of us. For the past several years, I could not relate to the direction we were headed as we were divided and at each other's throats. Now, we are uniting behind the common man with the leadership of a president who honors us all. ..."

Read more about Yearick.

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'LUCKILY, I DON'T HAVE TO FIGHT YOU ALONE'

Kate Young, 43, is a stay-at-home mother in West Chester, Pennsylvania, who says she couldn't sit idly by after Trump's election. So she and her neighbors began holding rallies every week to fight to keep the Affordable Care Act, which helped her family after her husband lost his job.

She wrote:

"... When you won the election, I worried that you would put business profits ahead of the environment, and that you would involve the United States in a new, possibly nuclear, war. Today, much sooner than I feared, both dire predictions have come true. Congress rolled back environmental protections ... You bombed Syria, and as I write this letter, the news reports that you dropped the 'Mother of all Bombs' on Afghanistan. Please don't go nuclear!

"Every Friday, starting January 20th, I rally with my neighbors in front of Congressman Ryan Costello's office. We fight to protect the Affordable Care Act. Claire's son needs the ACA to manage Type 1 diabetes. Lisa needed the ACA to cover prenatal care and delivery of a healthy baby after her husband left her, uninsured and 10 weeks pregnant. Dr. Jack's infant patients need the ACA to cover life-saving treatment and eliminate the lifetime caps that they otherwise might exceed before ever being discharged from the NICU. ...

"Luckily, I don't have to fight you alone. Most Americans did not vote for you. We won't stop holding you accountable for every infraction of American laws, values, or norms."

Read more about Young.

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INSURANCE AGENT SAYS TRUMP'S LOVE OF COUNTRY 'IS REFRESHINGLY OBVIOUS'

Carolee Upshur, 60, a life insurance agent in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, says she voted for Trump because he seemed like the only candidate who "had the backbone to withstand the attacks that would come as a result of any attempt to 'drain the swamp.'" She encourages him to "please move forward with the building of the wall, and do not compromise with the Republican establishment." As for any failure? "Obamacare. He was elected to get rid of Obamacare."

She wrote:

"... I have been utterly amazed at your ability to accomplish anything in the environment as it exists in Washington. ... You jumped in feet first and set out to do everything you promised during your campaign. ...

"I applaud your move to curtail the illegal immigration and build the wall, and continue to be frustrated at the attempts of the progressives to use the judicial system to try and block your attempts to fulfill your duties as president. ... I was absolutely thrilled to see the decisiveness with which you acted in Syria and Afghanistan, which sent a strong message to the world that there 'is a new sheriff in town.' It is wonderful to have a 'man's man' leading this country from a position of love of country and peace through strength. ...

"Please know that I continue to pray for you daily, that God will hold your family together and protect you all."

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LA TEEN: FOCUS ON HELPING PEOPLE, NOT MAKING MONEY

Amellia Sones, 15, is a high school student in Los Angeles who was spurred to help organize a protest against Trump after his election. Sones says in her letter that even though she's not yet old enough to vote, she has opinions about the job Trump has done. For one, she worries the younger generation is watching him "act inappropriately and out of line" and will conclude that it's acceptable behavior.

She wrote:

". One major thing I do not like is putting a ban on immigrants from entering the United States. I know you were trying to keep terrorists from entering our country, but I do not believe banning immigrants from certain countries is an effective way of doing this. And, after all, the United States is called the melting pot of many nations. ...

"Your biggest failure (and there have already been so many) is NOT making an effort to bring our country together. To me, that's a big part of a president's job. ... I only ask that you start watching the way you speak and try listening to what your people are asking of you. Stop arguing with celebrities over Twitter and start acting like an actual president."

Read more about Sones.

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EX-DEMOCRAT CALLS TRUMP THE 'LAST CHANCE TO TURN OUR COUNTRY AROUND'

Ed Harry, 70, of Plymouth, Pennsylvania, is a retired union official and ex-Democratic activist who became a Trump voter. A Vietnam veteran who recalls being spit on and called a baby-killer, Harry encourages Trump to "stay away from any wars." His biggest failure, he says, is "not having his house in order; all the turmoil in the White House from the staff."

He wrote:

"I laughed when I heard you were running for president. I didn't think you had a chance. As the campaign went along, I found out that the Democrats, Republicans ... China, India, Mexico, all were opposed to you. At that moment I knew I had my candidate. .

"Considering all the opposition you have had against you, I think you deserve a C+ rating. You've accomplished quite a lot: Neil Gorsuch appointment ... get rid of a lot of Obama executive orders ... "The WALL," or at least some immigration enforcement I would like to see take place this year. Finally, most of all, do NOT let the neocons or both political parties corrupt your administration. I do, in fact, believe YOU are OUR last chance to turn OUR COUNTRY around!!!"

Read more about Harry.

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'MAKE DECISIONS WITH YOUR HEART. IT WILL GIVE YOU WISDOM'

Susan McClain, 52, works in customer service for a tech company in Aurora, Colorado. She was a Clinton supporter, and says the greatest thing to come from Trump's presidency so far is "waking up the public to fight ... and stand up for American lives, values, and aspirations." Still, she has some advice for the president as his term goes on: "Make decisions with your heart. It will give you wisdom."

She wrote:

"Are you meeting my expectations so far? Sadly, yes. Your first 100 days as president was tragic for Americans and the globe. ... Regardless, I would like to thank you. As you rampaged all over America's values, we understood more deeply what we love and cherish. And, we woke up.

"In you, we see that wealth is not success.

"In you, we see that unchecked ego is dangerous.

"In you, we see the mighty power of words.

"In you, we see that winning must include all of us, not just the rich and powerful."

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Associated Press reporters Claire Galofaro, Carla K. Johnson, Errin Haines Whack, Amy Taxin, Matt Sedensky, Nicholas Riccardi and Michael Rubinkam contributed to this report.
A Pickens County, Georgia woman said she is alive thanks to her 135 pound Rottweiler.

Lisa Ryal said she was sleeping at her mobile home in Pickens County when she was woken up by her Rottweiler, Luger.

"The dog woke me up by barking, but it wasn't his usual whine or howl," said Lisa Ryal. "It was a bark to get my attention."

Thanks to Luger's life-saving bark, Ryal came out to the living room to find part of her home on fire. Ryal said she tried to put it out, but the fire extinguisher did not work.

"When I opened the front door is when the flash-over occurred," said Ryal. "It was from waist on up to the ceiling that came all across the living room and that is when I got burned and I couldn't get out the screened door, I tried a couple times hitting it hard with my shoulder and the screen door wouldn't pop open."

The fire ripped through the home leaving the Ryal family with nothing. Ryal's husband showed FOX 5 the damage inside, including the mark of a cross that once hung on their wall.

"Extremely grateful for that dog, if it weren't for him there is no telling what would have happened," said Ryal's husband, William Ryal.

Click here for more from Fox 5.
Farms like the Phil-Mar-Ru in Wisconsin depend on what is called ultra-filtered milk that for decades was sold to Canada.

But a Canada trade dispute meant Wisconsin farmers were suddenly cut off from their biggest buyers  and now many of them risk closure. As of May 1, when their contract expires, dozens of dairy farms in the U.S. will no longer have anyone to purchase their milk.

Experts say lost revenue to U.S. farms is estimated at $150 million. And next Monday, when the contracts run out, at least 75 farmers will be faced with too much milk and not enough buyers.

We would have to have an auction, said Matt Gartman of the Phil-Mar-Ru dairy farm, which has been in business for seven generations. We would have to sell the cows. That would be our only option.

WILBUR ROSS: UNFAIR TRADE IN MILK, LUMBER LED TO 'COLLISION COURSE' WITH CANADA

Canada blamed the U.S. over production on the pricing dispute. But Canadas decision to change its milk pricing policy has sparked a bitter war of words between U.S. and Canada and has escalated trade tensions between the two countries.

On Tuesday, the Trump administration slapped Canada with a 20 percent tax on lumber imports  and there were reports that President Donald Trump was considering withdrawing from the North American Free Trade Agreement, or NAFTA, in the next few days.

WHITE HOUSE PREPARES DRAFT OF NAFTA WITHDRAWAL NOTICE

Trump has made it no secret that he was displeased by Canadas decision to alter dairy pricing. He called the move a disgrace" that hurts U.S. producers in dairy states like Wisconsin.

He tweeted Tuesday that Canada is making life "very difficult" for American dairy farmers and that the government "will not stand" for it.

"This has been going on for a while. And we're not going to put up with it," Trump said during a roundtable Tuesday with farmers. "People don't realize Canada's been very rough on the United States. Everyone thinks of Canada as being wonderful, and so do I. I love Canada. But they've outsmarted our politicians for many years."

For its part, Canada issued a sharp rebuke on the U.S.s tariffs on wood, calling them unfair and punitive. Canadian leaders suggested the U.S. was retaliating because of an issue that was not even their fault.

The challenges that the dairy industry faces in the United States and in Canada are part of a global market issue, said David MacNaughton, Canadian Ambassador to the U.S., not one that is caused by Canada.

Canada heavily depends on the U.S. for exports  about 75 percent of its exports are bought by the U.S. It is only 18 percent from U.S. to Canada.

U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said the clashes points to the need to renegotiate NAFTA.

If NAFTA were functioning properly you wouldnt be having these sorts of very prickly, very unfortunate developments back to back, Ross said. In that sense, it shows that NAFTA has not worked as well as it should.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
The University of California hid a stash of $175 million in secret funds while its leaders requested more money from the state, an audit released on Tuesday said.

The San Francisco Chronicle reported that the audit found that the secret fund ballooned due to UC Office of the President overestimating how much is needed to run the school system that includes 10 campuses in the state. Janet Napolitano, the former Department of Homeland Security chief, is in charge of the school system.

Napolitano denied the audits claim. She reportedly said the money was held for any unexpected expenses. Her office also denied the amount in the fund.

The true amount is $38 million, which is roughly 10 percent of (the offices) operating and administrative budget, a prudent and reasonable amount for unexpected expenses such as cybersecurity threat response and emerging issues like increased support for undocumented students and efforts to prevent sexual violence and sexual harassment, her office said in a statement.

Elaine Howle, the state auditor who came up with the report, found that from 2012 to 2016 the office looked to raise more funding by inflating estimates. Howle also said that a top staff member in Napolitanos office improperly screened confidential surveys that were sent to each campus. Howle said answers that were critical of Napolitanos office were deleted or changed before being sent to auditors.

Ive never had a situation like that in my 17 years as state auditor, Howle said. My attorneys are looking at whether any improper government activities occurred.

The UC Board of Regents is now hearing calls to overturn its decision to increase tuition this fall by 2.5 percent.

Howle said Napolitano also overcharged the system's 10 campuses to fund its operations, paid its employees significantly more than state employees and interfered in the auditing process.

"Taken as a whole, these problems indicate that significant change is necessary to strengthen the public's trust in the University of California," Howle wrote in the report.

The audit found that over the course of four years, the UC's central bureaucracy amassed more than $175 million in reserve funds by spending significantly less than it budgeted for and asking for increases in future funding based on its previous years' over-estimated budgets rather than its actual expenditures.

"In effect, the Office of the President received more funds than it needed each year, and it amassed millions of dollars in reserves that it spent with little or no oversight," the report said.

Napolitano argues the amount accounts for 10 percent of the operating and administrative budget. She called it "a modest amount for an organization our size."

The office argued it did not need to disclose its reserves because the regents had approved the spending in previous years' budgets. Howle said the undisclosed funds included $32 million collected from campuses that could have been spent for other purposes.

University employees and lawmakers, who requested the audit, expressed outrage over the audit's findings.

"Today we learned that after squandering millions of public dollars on bloated management and unaccountable 'initiatives,' (the Office of the President) has effectively been operating a slush fund that shields hundreds of millions of public dollars from public scrutiny," Kathryn Lybarger, president of UC's largest employee union, said in a statement.

She criticized the office's "skyrocketing executive pay," a reference to the audit's finding that the 10 executives in the office were paid a total of $3.7 million in the 2014-15 fiscal year  over $700,000 more than the combined salaries of their highest paid state employee counterparts.

Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat and member of the UC Board of Regents, said the audit calls into question the university's decision to raise this fall's tuition for the first time in six years when it has money available. The decision in January increases the cost of tuition and fees for California residents, who currently pay $12,294 a year, to $12,630.

"It is outrageous and unjust to force tuition hikes on students while the UC hides secret funds, and I call for the tuition decision to come back before the Board of Regents for reconsideration and reversal," he said.

Among her recommendations for reforms, Howle suggested that state lawmakers should increase oversight of the office.

However, she said the office's attempt to interfere with the audit process by reviewing surveys auditors sent to the campuses "cast doubt on whether it will make a genuine effort to change."

In 2012, the director of the California Parks Department resigned after it came to light that the department hid $54 million in parks funding for more than a decade, at the same time the state threatened to close dozens of parks to save money amid a state budget crisis. The state auditor recommended new accounting methods, which were later adopted.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
A 53-year-old man in New Mexico accused of pushing his wife out of a moving SUV posted bail on Tuesday.

Horacio Moreno faces charges of aggravated battery causing great bodily harm and battery against a household member following the incident Saturday night.

NEW MEXICO WOMAN, 62, KILLED BY HER OWN CAR

Police arrived on the scene and discovered a 37-year-old woman unresponsive with visible injuries to her face and body. Paramedics rushed her to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Police said the woman was at a home with friends when her husband arrived to pick her up.

Once in the vehicle, the woman told police that Moreno was armed with a gun. As the Ford Explorer SUV reached an intersection he then allegedly hit her in the face and forced her out of the passenger's side door.

Moreno ran off but police arrested him nearby and booked him into the Dona Ana County Detention Center, KFOX14 reported.

Click for more from KFOX14.
A Somali pirate has been sentenced to life in prison for his role in attacking a U.S. Navy ship.



Federal prosecutors said Wednesday that 31-year-old Mohamed Farah was among seven pirates who tried to commandeer the USS Ashland in 2010.



The men had mistaken the Ashland for a cargo vessel in the Gulf of Aden. After the pirates opened fire, U.S. sailors destroyed their skiff and killed one pirate.



The sailors rescued the surviving pirates. Farah and the remaining attackers were prosecuted in federal court in Norfolk and sentenced to various jail terms.



Farah's attorney, Jason Dunn, told The Associated Press in an email that the sentence was excessive but unavoidable.



The mandatory sentence for piracy has been life in prison since 1909. Before that, the mandatory punishment was death.
The black suspect in a racially motivated shooting in Fresno has been charged with three counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of white men targeted randomly on the street.

Prosecutors say Kori Ali Muhammad also was charged Wednesday with three counts of attempted murder for those he shot at but didn't hit, one count of shooting at an occupied vehicle and possession of a firearm.

He's already been charged with first-degree murder in the slaying of a white motel security guard days before the rampage.

Police say the 39-year-old told investigators he wanted to kill as many white people as possible, laughing as he explained his actions.

Fresno District Attorney Lisa Smittcamp says Muhammad faces a death sentence or life in prison if convicted.
Years before Susan Berman was killed, she had implicated real estate heir Robert Durst as her future assailant. That's according the testimony of Miriam Barnes, a close friend of Berman testifying in Durst's murder case.

Barnes said Tuesday that Berman once told her she had done something for Durst around the time his wife disappeared, but she didn't elaborate.

Barnes says Berman told her: "If anything ever happens to me, Bobby did it."

She forgot the statement until Berman's funeral in 2000.

Barnes says she never went to police because she feared what Durst would do. She's scheduled to be cross-examined Wednesday.

Barnes says she eventually told the account to The New York Times because she didn't think Durst would live to see his day in court.
The U.N. peacekeeping mission in Congo says at least 20 people have been killed as violence mounts in the country's center.

The mission, known as MONUSCO, released a statement Wednesday detailing the attacks in the Kasai provinces.

The region is where two U.N. experts  an American and a Swede  were slain along with their interpreter last month. A militia group known as Kamuina Nsapu filmed themselves killing the two and the footage circulated in the capital this week.

MONUSCO said there were at least 20 deaths in the town of Mungamba. The violence was blamed on ethnic tensions between the Lulua-Luba and Chokwe-Pende communities stoked by the militia fighters.

According to the U.N., at least 400 people have died since government troops killed the militia's leader in August.
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About 400 people have marched in Minsk, the capital of Belarus, to mark the anniversary of the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear power plant disaster and protest the construction of a nuclear plant in Belarus.

Wednesday was the 31st anniversary of the explosion and fire at the nuclear plant in neighboring Ukraine. The disaster spewed fallout-contaminated smoke over a wide swath of northern Europe. About a quarter of Belarus' territory was contaminated and a 2,200-square-kilometer (85-square-mile) sector of Belarus was declared unfit for human habitation.

The demonstrators said authorities are increasingly allowing crops to be grown on contaminated land. They also urged authorities to stop the construction of the nuclear plant, which is to open in 2019.

Unlike recent opposition rallies that saw hundreds arrested, Wednesday's march was sanctioned by authorities.
China this month banned a series of Islamic names  including Mohammad and Jihad  in an attempt to help curb the religious fervor that has become prevalent in the Communist countrys western region of Xinjiang.

A document titled List of Banned Ethnic Minority Names catalogs more than two dozen banned names, such as Arafat, Mujahid and Medina, according to a copy obtained by The New York Times.

XINJIANG OFFERS REWARDS TO RECRUIT MORE POLICE

The document was provided to The Times by the Muslim minority Uighur community. The region has seen a string of extremist attacks, including a stabbing spree by a group of attackers that killed at least eight people in February.

Chinese officials around the country confirmed the ban, listing a reduction in essential services  such as education and health care  as the penalty for those who rebelled against the restriction.

Chinas policies are increasingly hostile, Dilxat Raxit, a spokesman for the World Uyghur Congress, told The Times. Uighur people have to be cautious if they want to give their children names they are happy with, and at the same time avoid punishment from the government.

The name ban follows a prohibition that came down earlier this month disallowing long beards and face-covering veils.
China is talking with the European Space Agency about collaborating on a human outpost on the moon.

The secretary general for China's space agency, Tian Yulong, disclosed the talks Wednesday in Chinese state media. Further details on what the collaboration could entail were not revealed.

The European Space Agency, or ESA, has described its "Moon Village" as a potential international launching pad for future missions to Mars.

China has ramped up its space program since its first manned spaceflight in 2003, more than 42 years after a Soviet cosmonaut became the first to reach orbit.

China this month launched an unmanned spacecraft on a mission to dock with its currently unoccupied space station. It plans to launch the first mission to the far side of the moon next year.
Global press freedom has never faced as many threats as it faces today, and much of the blame lies at the feet of the worlds democracies, Reporters Without Borders (RWB) said Wednesday in its annual survey of press freedoms around the world.

The groups 2017 World Press Freedom Index found that journalistic freedoms declined in 62 percent of the 180 countries in its index. RWB said a major cause of that increasing percentage stems from the spread of the authoritarian strongman model of government in countries that have a heritage of democracy.

In sickening statements, Draconian laws, conflicts of interest, and even the use of physical violence, democratic governments are trampling on a freedom that should, in principle, be one of their leading performance indicators, RWB said in a statement.

The rate at which democracies are approaching the tipping point is alarming for all those who understand that, if media freedom is not secure, then none of the other freedoms can be guaranteed, RWB Secretary-General Christophe Deloire said.

The group cited such democratic nations as Poland, Hungary and Turkey as countries in which that authoritarian strongman model has emerged.

Financial as well as editorial independence is at stake in the conflict in Poland between the conservative Law and Justice government and the opposition print media, RWB said.

By restricting their distribution and by ordering all state agencies to cancel their subscriptions and not place any ads in the targeted newspapers, the government is hoping to throttle them economically, the group said. The loss of funding was quickly felt by the opposition daily 'Gazeta Wyborcza,' which is now in a critical financial situation.

The RWBs colored map uses black to indicate nations with the most restrictive controls on journalists, red to indicate nations that are nearly as bad, orange to indicate nations that have a noticeable problem, yellow for countries with a satisfactory situation and white for nations with a good situation.

In the Western Hemisphere the worst abuser of press freedoms is Cuba, and Syria is now the deadliest country for journalists.

The U.S. fell two places to 43 in the groups ranking of nations.

In the United States, at least ten journalists including Amy Goodman, the well-known host of the Democracy Now! news program, were arrested and threatened with prosecution for covering the Dakota Access Pipeline protests, the RWB said.

Five other journalists were arrested and charged with obstruction of a highway while covering #blacklivesmatter protests in the states of New York and Louisiana about police brutality against African-Americans.
The Latest on mass detentions in Turkey related to last year's failed coup (all times local):

5 p.m.

The German government has criticized the detention of more than 1,000 people in Turkey as part of the probe into last year's coup attempt.

A Foreign Ministry spokesman says that Germany believes the failed coup needs to be fully investigated "but the measures must adhere to the rule of law."

Sebastian Fischer told reporters in Berlin that "we don't believe arresting 1,000 people so long after the putsch is really proportionate."

Turkish police launched simultaneous operations across the country, detaining people with suspected links to U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gulen.

Relations between Berlin and Ankara have worsened in recent years amid a number of spats, including the arrest of German-Turkish journalist Deniz Yucel in Istanbul.

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9:55 a.m.

Turkey's state-run news agency says police have launched simultaneous operations across the country, detaining hundreds of people with suspected links to U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gulen.

Anadolu Agency says as many as 803 people were detained in raids conducted in all of Turkey's 81 provinces early on Wednesday. The suspects are allegedly Gulen operatives who directed followers within the police force.

Some 8,500 police officers participated in the operation, Anadolu said.

The detentions are part of a widespread crackdown in the wake of last summer's failed coup attempt, which Turkey says was orchestrated by Gulen's movement. More than 47,000 people have been arrested since the coup, Turkey's interior minister has said, including some 10,700 police officers and 7,400 military personnel.

Gulen has denied orchestrating the coup.
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Far-right presidential candidate Marine Le Pen turned an appliance factory into a battleground Wednesday for France's blue-collar vote, upstaging rival Emmanuel Macron with a surprise campaign stop at the plant threatened with closure.

Chaotic scenes followed as Macron, a pro-European Union centrist, sought to wrestle back the initiative by making his own, impromptu stop at the Whirlpool clothes-dryer plant in Amiens, spending over an hour in Le Pen's wake trying to reason with angry employees who asked why the former finance minister hadn't come there earlier.

The remarkable drama, broadcast live on French news channels, transformed the plant in northern France into a symbol of the diametrically opposed campaigns of Le Pen and Macron before their May 7 runoff election.

As Macron met elsewhere with the workers' union leaders, Le Pen displayed her political guile by grabbing the spotlight and popping up outside the factory itself. Surrounded by employees in bright-yellow hazard vests, she declared herself the workers' candidate and vowed that if elected, she would not let the factory close.

"We'll get you out of here," Le Pen said as she hugged a woman in the crowd outside the plant, its fences decorated with workers' banners. "I am the candidate of workers, the candidate of the French who don't want their jobs taken away."

Her wily campaign maneuver stole Macron's thunder and put him on the defensive. It prompted him to make his own trip to the factory a few hours later  which quickly looked like he had fallen into a trap set by Le Pen. Live TV coverage of his visit looked chaotic and potentially damaging, with people whistling, booing and chanting "Marine, president!" in the background.

"Why didn't you come before?" one woman asked.

"Save our jobs, Monsieur Macron!" yelled a man.

But Macron, appearing in a suit and tie amid the workers, held his ground. Where Le Pen's visit was short  with a few selfies, hugs, kisses and a quick speech to the cameras  Macron spent over an hour patiently, and at times passionately, explaining in often-heated exchanges that as president, he wouldn't be able to stop companies from laying off workers. The back and forth was shown live on Macron's Facebook page, signaling a desire not to let Le Pen hog the limelight.

"I won't lie to you," he said. "There is no miracle recipe."

The contrasting images of Le Pen smiling with workers and Macron debating them spoke to her political experience and laid bare their contrasting styles.

The 48-year-old populist is fighting her second presidential campaign after coming in third in 2012, while the 39-year-old former investment banker is waging his first, having never held elected office.

Le Pen hit Macron close to home with her politicking: He was born in Amiens.

Needing millions more votes to beat Macron in the runoff, Le Pen hammered home her arguments that more French jobs would be lost abroad under Macron's more economically liberal program.

"I'm here, in my place, exactly where I should be, in the midst of Whirlpool's employees, these employees who are resisting this wild globalization, this shameful economic model," Le Pen said.

In a dig at Macron's meeting with union leaders, she added: "I'm not eating little cakes with a few representatives who, in reality, represent only themselves."

During an evening political rally in nearby Arras, Macron tried to reverse the unflattering image he gave in the afternoon. He vehemently attacked Le Pen, saying she "stirs up hatred, lies, speaks about fears in order to use them, but gives no answers."

While Le Pen presents herself as an anti-establishment candidate, Macron claimed on the contrary that she is "the heiress of this system. She was born in a party castle, even if she claims to be from the people."

He also criticized Le Pen for proposing that the French state take a share in the plant if needed. He dismissed such an idea, saying in an interview with BFM TV channel that "the mission of a state is not to produce clothes dryers."

In Arras, Macron also tried to appeal to left-wing voters and non-voters.

"Faced with this threat, facing those who hate the Republic and create disorder and hatred, choose a camp," he said. "I need your vote. Your vote is not a blank check."

Even before Le Pen's surprise appearance at the plant, Macron's intervention in the Whirlpool factory's future, in a region where Le Pen got more votes in Sunday's first-round balloting, was fraught with risk. He had to tread a fine line between defending his program to tackle France's chronic unemployment without falling into the trap of making campaign promises that he may struggle to keep.

Because production at the Whirlpool plant is due to stop next year and move to Poland, the workers' plight is a prickly issue for Macron as he campaigns on a pro-EU platform.

Le Pen seized on Whirlpool as a sign of the EU's ills, calling it "the symbol of this odious globalization, which leads to plants moving abroad, destroying thousands of jobs."

Macron insisted he did the right thing by meeting with union leaders before going the factory itself.

"If you don't speak to employees' representatives and engage in direct democracy, using invective or false promises, you don't solve any of the country's problems," he said.

He shot down Le Pen's plans to re-establish French borders  part of her program calling for "French-first" economic and social protectionism.

"The closure of borders is a promise made of lies," Macron said.

The Amiens factory joins a list of threatened plants that have become symbolic of job losses in French presidential campaigns.

In the 2012 race, Socialist Francois Hollande traveled to a threatened steel plant in eastern France's rust belt in a similar pursuit of blue-collar votes. Union leaders later felt betrayed when the Hayange plant's blast furnaces were mothballed in a deal that Hollande's government struck with steel giant ArcelorMittal.

___

John Leicester reported from Paris. Philippe Sotto contributed to this report.

___

A previous version of this story has been corrected to show that production at the Whirlpool plant is scheduled to halt next year, not this year.
Police searching for Madeleine McCann have said they are pursuing a "significant line of inquiry" as the 10th anniversary of her disappearance approaches.

Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley told Sky News: "...Because it's worth pursuing it could provide an answer, but until we've gone through it I won't know whether we are going to get there or not.

"Ourselves and the Portuguese are doing a critical piece of work and we don't want to spoil it by putting titbits of information out publicly."

Meanwhile, the only four official suspects investigated by the Met Police over the abduction have been ruled out of the inquiry.

MCCANN MAY HAVE BEEN SNATCHED BY TRAFFICKERS, TOP EX-COP SAYS

The suspects were believed by Scotland Yard to have taken her during a burglary gone wrong at the McCanns' rented holiday apartment in Portugal.

They were identified by their mobile phone use, their location near the apartment on the night and their backgrounds.

Click here for more from The Sun.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel's spokesman has backed the country's foreign minister in a spat over his meeting with a rights group in Israel, saying it must be possible to meet critical organizations in a democracy.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu abruptly canceled planned talks Tuesday with visiting Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel over his meeting with Breaking the Silence, a group critical of Israeli military actions in the West Bank.

Netanyahu said he won't see visiting diplomats who meet groups "that slander (Israeli) soldiers and seek to put our soldiers on trial as war criminals."

Merkel spokesman Steffen Seibert said Wednesday the chancellor considers it "regrettable" the meeting didn't happen. He added: "In a democracy it should be possible for foreign visitors to speak without problems to critical representatives of civil society."
A top Mexican official on Tuesday said that Mexico may consider charging a fee for Americans entering the country in what could be seen as a retaliation to President Trump's call for a border wall.

Foreign Secretary Luis Videgaray, in a meeting with Mexico's top legislators, called Trump's plan an "unfriendly, hostile" act, and called on his colleagues to consider the entry fee.

"We could explore  not necessarily a visa, that could impede a lot of people from coming to Mexico  but we could perhaps (have) a fee associated with entry, Videgaray said. This is something that I'm sure will be part of our discussion, and I believe we can find points of agreement."

Videgaray went on to say that Mexico would not pay a cent toward the wall. He said if talks between the U.S. and Mexico fail to satisfy both countries, the Mexican government would consider reducing security cooperation.

"If the negotiation on other themes  immigration, the border, trade  isn't satisfactory to Mexico's interests, we will have to review our existing cooperation," Videgaray said. "This would be especially in the security areas ... and that involves the national immigration agency, the federal police and of course, the armed forces."

Trump has asked Congress to include a down payment on the wall in the spending bill but because of scrutiny from both sides, President Trump announced Monday that hed be willing to wait until September to revisit the issue of funding; however, his stance on Mexicos role in paying for the wall hasnt changed.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Two Afghan migrants who raped a woman for three hours while their mate filmed it on Facebook Live have been jailed for just two years.

The three were arrested after cops stormed the room from which the vile attack was being broadcast live to a closed Facebook group with 60,000 members.

Horrified members had alerted cops after seeing the woman who was close to unconscious being assaulted in the town of Uppsala northwest of Stockholm on January 22.

The film was removed from Facebook but not before it had been circulated on the internet.

Today a Swedish court sentenced Reza Mohammed Ahmadi, 21, to two years and four months in prison for rape and accessory to rape, while Maysam Afshar, 18, was sentenced to one year in prison for rape  a reduced sentence due to his age.

Both are Afghan citizens who have been granted residency in Sweden.

Emil Khodagholi, a 21-year-old Swedish citizen, was sentenced to six months in prison for posting the recording to Facebook.

Click here for more from The Sun.
Morocco's parliament has approved a new coalition government created to end months of political and economic deadlock.

The Chamber of Representatives voted 208- 91 on Wednesday for the government of new Prime Minister Saadeddine El Othmani, of the Islamist Party of Justice and Development. Forty deputies abstained.

Before the debate, El Othmani outlined the proposed government's priorities of reforming the bureaucracy, rebuilding the education system and reducing economic disparity.

He pledged 50 billion dirham (nearly $5 billion) for rural development, and the construction of 15 new dams to boost renewable energy.

He also promised to guarantee migrants' rights and access to schools and health care.

The king ousted El Othmani's predecessor last month because he had failed for five months to form a coalition government and the economy was stalling.
Foreign policy experts theorized Tuesday about what a pre-emptive military strike against North Korea may look like in the event that pressure from China and deepening isolation does little to stop Pyongyang's rogue regime.

The Trump administration--which is holding an emergency meeting Wednesday at the White House-- has said all options are on the table, but the White House appears to be losing patience with Pyongyang.

Former CIA analyst Bruce Klingner told Newsweek that Kim Jong Un, the North Korean leader, waould likely hit back with an artillery barrage in the event of a pre-emptive strike by the U.S. or an ally.

Without moving a single soldier in its million-man army, Klingner said. The North could launch a devastating attack on Seoul.

From there, a second Korean War could escalate.

Victor Cha, a former National Security Council staffer, theorized in his 2012 book The Impossible State, that North Korea could start an invasion by debilitating South Koreans with chemical weapons and cutting off options to flee the country.

An arsenal of 600 chemically armed Scud missiles would be fired on all South Korean airports, train stations and marine ports, making it impossible for civilians to escape, Cha wrote.

North Korea may be able to equip medium-range missiles with chemical weapons and launch them at Japan and U.S. bases, stemming the immediate flow of reinforcements. U.S. war experts believe Pyongyang would look to overrun Seoul before the allies could prop up South Korea's armies. Cha said a possible war on the Korean Peninsula in 2017 would be the most unforgiving battle conditions that can be imagined.

Cha theorized the U.S. would dispatch about 20,000 troops per combat division, 10 Air Force wings of about 20 fighters per unit and up to five air craft carriers. Cha added that U.S. and South Korean soldiers would be fighting with little defense against DPRK artillery, aerial bombardments, and in an urban warfare environment polluted by 5,000 metric tons of DPRK chemical agents.

Even with North Koreas first wave of attacks, war planners still believe the U.S. and South Korea would come out on top, but the casualties could be catastrophic.

Gary Luck, the commander of the U.S.-Republic of Korea forces in 1994 under President Bill Clinton, estimated that a new Korean War could result in one million deaths and $1 trillion of economic damage.

Click for more from Newsweek.
North Korea is flexing its military muscles again this week, but a closer look at images of the Hermit Kingdom's soldiers reveals that the fighting force may be better suited for propaganda than actual battle.

On Tuesday, the South Korean military reportedly confirmed that Pyongyang was conducting a massive live-fire artillery drill. A top North Korean official warned that a "brutal punishment" awaits the so-called "warmongers" in the U.S. and elsewhere. The bluster is not new, but this time, it is compounded by rising international tensions.

North Korea typically puts on its more headline-grabbing displays to mark some sort of anniversary, and Tuesday was no exception. The artillery drills come on the 85th anniversary of the founding of the nation's military. Less than two weeks ago, North Korea mounted both a failed ballistic missile test and a large military parade to mark the 105th birthday of the country's founder, Kim Il-sung.

North Korea put a variety of new missiles on display during the April 15 parade, and while at least one of them was reportedly a prototype, some experts thought they spotted actual fakes. A closer look at some of the soldiers in that parade suggests those missiles may not have been the only things that weren't quite battle ready.

This was more about sending a message than being combat effective, said Michael Pregent, a former Army Intelligence Officer with over 28 years of experience working conflicts around the world and now an adjunct fellow at the Hudson Institute in Washington, D.C.

Pregent took a look at several photos of North Korean soldiers from the April 15 parade and immediately began poking holes in them. Below are some of the takeaways he shared with Foxs Investigative Unit.

Commandos or caricatures?

Some of the most memorable images to emerge from North Koreas dramatic parade featured the special operations commandos who were carrying what appeared to be AK-47s with grenade-launching capabilities. It turns out that what many people believed to be grenade launchers are actually what's known as "helical" magazines, a piece of equipment that organizes rounds in a spiral shape to maximize capacity and that is notorious for jamming, according to Pregent.

Pregent adds that not only do these types of magazines have a high-failure rate, there is still the question of whether any of these rifles are actually loaded, as ammunition manufacturing is considered a serious issue for the isolated regime.

Its not just the weapons those commandos are holding that raise questions, Pregent claims, and it seems some of the equipment on display would make for a better fashion show than a foxhole.

Pregent claims that the type of sunglasses being worn by those same troops looks like a flat-face frame, and thats not ballistic. That would wraparound and would also protect your eyes.

Even the fingerless gloves being sported by some of those soldiers are more for show, according to Pregent. Some of our guys do have them, but most guys go all the way with full gloves based on the heat of the barrel from a round, not to mention theyre fire resistant if you need to pick up something.

"Fake projectiles"

Some of the other eye-drawing items in the North Korean parade, items that may have zero combat application, are the seemingly oversized projectiles affixed to the end of some of those soldiers rifles. And while they apparently come in a variety of shapes and colors, Pregent calls them laughable.

If you look, you can see the plastic is over the muzzle, Pregent said. And while he admits that some of the North Korean RPG capabilities could be real, the projectiles themselves would have to be fake because Kim Jong Un doesnt want them to launch one at the viewing stand, whether by accident or on purpose.

Also fake, Pregent believes, are what appear to be silver-plated rifles being held by some of the soldiers who seem more front-and-center than the others. Saddam had gold plated handguns, and even he wouldnt give them to his troops, so these are most likely painted, Pregent said.

Despite the fakes, a reason to fear

There may be questions about North Koreas capabilities when it comes to effectiveness on the ground, ballistic missiles and even nuclear capabilities, but experts agree that the artillery units being tested this week present a clear and present danger to our allies.

George Friedman, founder of Geopolitical Futures, told Tucker Carlson recently that given those heavily-fortified and strategically placed artillery units, "if they open fire on [Seoul,] there is going to be a holocaust."

He added that taking out all of those units is not going to be an easy job. That's not going to be a one-day strike."

Pregent agrees, and raises an important point: They have a legitimate military capability with their artillery  why pretend in other spaces?
Russian authorities have banned the British-based organization Open Russia, which is a strong critic of the Kremlin, but the group's Russia branch claims it is administratively separate and can continue to operate.

Open Russia has called for a protest Sunday against President Vladimir Putin and the Russian branch claims it will go ahead.

The group said "see you on April 29" on its website Wednesday after the Prosecutor-General's office announced ban, which also applied to the US-based Institute of Modern Russia.

Open Russia was started by Mikhail Khodorkovsky, the former oil tycoon whose political ambitions angered the Kremlin. Khodorkovsky was imprisoned for 10 years, then pardoned in 2013 and left the country.

The prosecutor's office said the organizations aimed at inspiring protests and destabilizing the country.
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South African Airways says it is experiencing some domestic flight delays and cancellations because of a strike by some cabin crew.

The airline said Wednesday that it doesn't have enough crewmembers to operate all its flights and that it is considering options for passengers affected by cancellations.

Striking members of a labor union, the South African Cabin Crew Association, say they should get more money for meals when working outside South Africa.

Managers of O. R. Tambo International Airport, the main international airport in Johannesburg, say they are monitoring the strike and that they have contingency plans to deal with any disruption.
Russia on Wednesday criticized Turkey's airstrikes against Kurdish forces in Syria and Iraq, saying they hindered efforts to combat the Islamic State group, as Turkish troops and Syrian Kurdish fighters traded fire across the increasingly tense frontier.

The Turkish airstrikes on Tuesday killed 20 members of the People's Protection Units, or YPG, in Syria, and five peshmerga fighters in Iraq. Both Kurdish forces are close U.S. allies in the war against IS. Turkey said it struck rebels taking part in the Kurdish insurgency in its southeast.

Russia expressed "serious concern" about the strikes, which were also condemned by the Syrian and Iraqi governments.

"In a situation where the war on terror in Iraq and Syria is far from over, such actions clearly do not contribute to the consolidation of anti-terrorist efforts," the Russian Foreign Ministry said.

It also expressed concern that "the Turkish strikes were inflicted on the territory of sovereign states, bypassing their legitimate governments. We consider such actions unacceptable."

Russia is a close ally of the Syrian government, while Turkey supports the opposition. In recent months the two countries had cooperated in efforts to broker a permanent cease-fire in order to restart peace talks.

The YPG meanwhile asked the U.S.-led coalition battling IS to provide air cover over northern Syria, to protect them from Turkish and Syrian government air raids.

Syrian Kurdish officials escorted an American officer to some of the sites targeted in Tuesday's attack, as large crowds from the area followed them around, according to photos and video from the scene. YPG spokesman Redur Khalil confirmed the visit to The Associated Press.

Khalil said the Turkish army shelled Syrian villages along the border area Wednesday, prompting an exchange of fire between Kurdish and Turkish border posts. There were no reports of casualties.

The YPG form the backbone of the Syrian Democratic Forces, the main U.S. partner in the battle against IS in northern Syria. NATO member Turkey considers the YPG an extension of the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, which has been waging an insurgency in Turkey since 1984. The SDF also includes Arab fighters.
The U.S.-delivered THAAD anti-ballistic missile system being installed in South Korea is set to be operational in a couple of days, as continued North Korean saber-rattling stirs fears of hostilities breaking out in the region and a U.S. carrier strike group steamed into striking range of the rogue state.

The USS Carl Vinson strike group had entered the Philippine Sea east of Okinawa on Wednesday and was continuing to steam north, Adm. Harry Harris, commander of the U.S. Pacific Command, told the House Armed Services Committee. Harris said that despite the strike groups close proximity to North Korea, despot Kim Jong Uns regime did not have a missile that could legitimately threaten U.S. ships.

NORTH KOREA'S WEAPONS PROGRESS A TOP CONCERN AS U.S. SENATORS HAVE RARE BRIEFING

The weapons that North Korea would put against the Carl Vinson strike group are easily defended by the capabilities resident in that strike group, Harris said.

He added: If it flies, it will die, if it's flying against the Carl Vinson strike group.

"If it flies, it will die."  Adm. Harry Harris

VIDEO: WASHINGTON WORKS ON UNIFYING STRATEGY TOWARDS NORTH KOREA

Harris was more concerned, however, about the potential for North Korea to develop the means to strike Hawaii with a missile. Though he said that U.S. ballistic missile defense is sufficient to protect Hawaii today, he did allow the system could be overwhelmed in an attack from North Korea.

We can and need to do more, he said.

Harris placed the blame squarely on China for North Koreas rise into a potential nuclear threat.

The fact remains that China is as responsible for where North Korea is today as North Korea itself, said Harris, adding that 80 percent of the North Korean economy was dependent on China, which the Trump administration has been increasingly leaning on as they seek a diplomatic solution to the current conflict.

Kim Jong Uns erratic, provocative behavior was particularly troubling because, Harris said, hes not afraid to fail in public. But Harris said his role in the matter was simply to reduce tensions by providing credible combat power.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Turkish police on Wednesday arrested more than 1,000 people accused of ties to a U.S.-based cleric blamed for a failed coup, in the latest mass crackdown of government opponents.

Within hours, the government suspended more than 9,000 officers, AFP reported.

Government officials claimed hundreds of people secretly infiltrated police forces across the country in support of cleric Fethullah Gulen, an ally of President Tayyip Erdogen until he was accused of trying to oust the president from office. Erdogen narrowly won a referendum expanding his powers earlier this month.

CAMPAIGNING FOR TURKEY REFERENDUM HITS FINAL STRETCH

The overnight police purge targeting a Gulen network that infiltrated our police force, called secret imams, Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu told reporters, according to Reuters.

Many relatives of those who were detained or suspended since July said they had no affiliation to those wanting to overthrow the government and were victims of a purge aiming to solidify Erdogans power.

TURKEY DETAINS 412 SUSPECTED KURDISH MILITANTS

Following the failed coup in July in which 249 people died, police arrested more than 40,000 people and suspended 120,000 public service workers including soldiers, police officers, teachers and public servants over accusations of links to terrorist groups.

Most of Wednesday's arrests involved police but other institutions could be next, the BBC reports.

We are trying to cleanse members of FETO (the Gulenist movement) inside the armed forces, inside the judiciary and inside the police, Erdogan told Reuters shortly before the nationwide sweep.

Gulen, who moved to Pennsylvania after escaping Turkey, denied he was involved in the coup attempt.

Before Wednesday, Turkish officials had detailed an estimated 47,000 people, more than 10,000 of them police. The government has also shut down opposition media outlets.

The Council of Europes parliamentary assembly on Tuesday placed Turkey under review and called for urgent measures to restore freedom of the press and of expression, angering President Erdogen.

Erdogen accused the EU of closing its doors on Turkey.
Dental Fix Awards 1st Franchise Territory in the State of Delaware

April 26, 2017 // Franchising.com // DAVIE, Fla. - Dental Fix RX, a fast-growing national mobile dental equipment repair franchise, has officially signed an agreement with Charles Armour, a North East, Maryland-based entrepreneur. The agreement marks the 9th franchise territory sold in 2017, and the 1st mobile repair van to launch in the State of Delaware.

Dental Fix closed out 2016 with 40 franchise agreements signed, and expects to add another 40 new franchisees this year. All told, the company expects to sell all of its U.S. territories within the next three years.

Weve sold or opened a new unit each week for the past three years. Thats unheard of for a lot of franchise brands, said David Lopez, CEO of Dental Fix RX. Our concept continues to do well and attract attention from the dental industry and franchise prospects alike because of our strong reputation as the faster, more cost-effective solution when it comes to equipment repairs.

Dental Fix continues to be North Americas only on-site dental equipment repair franchise. With 18,000-plus dental customers served in the U.S., Canada and Mexico, the company offers clients timely, on-site and customized services that produce quick, yet high-quality repairs. Franchise owners receive all the tools necessary to perform a variety of repairs on dental equipment such as handpieces, chairs, vacuum pumps and more, all from a fully-equipped mobile repair van. Extensive pre and post-launch training with continual sales and marketing support is also offered along with an industry exclusive, money-back guarantee.

Our focus this year is on developing more national partnerships with DSOs [Dental Service Organizations] and strengthening existing programs that drive value for our customers and growth for our franchise system, Lopez added. The dental equipment repair sector is a $38 billion industry. Theres tremendous opportunity here for our brand and we have the right systems and programs in place to capture it.

The companys recent partnership with Darby Dental Supply is evidence that Dental Fix RX has the ability to dominate the dental equipment repair sector. Darby Dental Supply, the nations largest all-telesales distributor of dental products, became an equity partner in the national mobile dental equipment repair service franchise ion 2016. Through this long-term relationship, Dental Fix RX franchisees are able to generate revenue by offering Darby Dental Supply products to dental practices; Darby also refers work to Dental Fix RX franchise owners from its 37,000 supply customers.

To find out more about Dental Fix franchise opportunities, visit the DentalFixRX.com/franchise.

About Dental Fix

Founded in 2009, Dental Fix RX is a fast-growing mobile dental equipment repair service franchise that is revolutionizing the dental service industry by delivering immediate, on-demand equipment service, hand-piece repairs and cost-effective consumable products through its network of highly-trained franchise professionals. With local franchise owners serving businesses within their market, Dental Fix RX completes repairs on-site from mobile repair centers that are equipped to fix a wide range of equipment found in any practice  from compressors to chair upholstery. The company has sold more than 250 franchise territories that service over 18,000 customers throughout North America. For more information, visit www.dentalfixrx.com. For franchise information, call (855) 242-5230 or visit www.dentalfixrx.com/franchise/.

Contact:

Scott V. Mortier

EVP of Business Development

Dental Fix RX, LLC

C: 773.255.4095

F: 954.697.0877

E: scott@dentalfixrx.com

SOURCE Dental Fix

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A handful of prom-going couples were being photographed by their beaming parents on the lawn in front of the Bowling Green courthouse Friday evening.

Taylor Schafer was among them. She had the sweeping gownblack, with gold brocade dripping down the bodice. She had the corsagea red rosebud surrounded by babys breath. She had the fancy haircurled, pulled back in a half ponytail and crowned with a gold-leaf tiara.

But instead of standing next to her date, she held him in her arms. He clutched a small toy, a Skye figure from the Nick Jr. show Paw Patrol, and wriggled to get down so he could go back to climbing a tree with his brother.

Schafers date to the Caroline High School senior prom was 2-year-old Finn Blumenthal, a local toddler who was born with four congenital heart defects.

Schafer is a family friend of the Blumenthals and after she graduates from high school in May, she wants to become a nurse so she can help children like Finn, who has undergone 10 surgeries in his short life.

Taylor has a special place in her heart for kids, especially special-needs kids, Finns mother, Kelly Blumenthal, said.

Earlier this year, Schafer posted on Facebook that she needed a date to her senior prom. Blumenthal commented that Finn was available.

When I really thought about it, I thought that would really be awesome, Schafer said. To see him dancing with everybody and to see him overcome the limits he was given before he was even born.

Finn attends Jump Rope for Heart and Hoops for Heart events at local schools for the American Heart Association. Blumenthal said he loves dancing at these events, especially to Roar by Katy Perry, so she knew prom would be right up his alley.

And she worries that he might never get to attend his own prom.

In a parents mind, thats a milestone that you look for, Blumenthal said.

In late March, she and her husband, Michael, got news that Finn needs heart reconstruction. He will have exploratory heart surgery in July and major surgery in September at Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia.

Doctors cannot guarantee he will survive the surgery because of the severity of it, Blumenthal wrote in an e-mail. But if he doesnt have it, he will not make it.

So with Finns future uncertain, she enthusiastically accepted Schafers invitation.

The fact that I can check [prom] off the list no matter what is a relief, she told ABC News in February. I cant repay [Taylor] for that.

The Friday of prom, Finn was too excited about dancing with the big kids to nap, Blumenthal said.

In Snip and Trim, the tiny Bowling Green hair studio owned by Schafers mother, Anna Swink, 20 friends and relatives gathered to watch prom preparations. Finn crawled on and off shampoo chairs, rolled on the floor and was chased in circles around his mother by his older brother, Mason. Blumenthal kept re-fastening the pint-sized black cummerbund around his tummy and putting Chips Ahoy! cookies in his mouth to sustain him.

Finn needed medicine administered through a feeding tube twice during the evening, Blumenthal said, and he wears braces on his legs because of his low muscle tone. But his activity level belied these special needs.

He never admits when hes tired, Blumenthal said. He never stops. The doctors have told us thats a good thing, actually, because it means hes a fighter.

In contrast to the toddler whirlwind, Schafer seemed calm. She was so still having her eye make-up applied that Finn whispered to his mother, Is she sleeping?

Kelly Johnson, Miss Colorado 2015 and second runner-up Miss America 2016, did Schafers makeup. Johnson, a registered nurse, found herself in the news when The View poked fun of the monologue she performed about the nursing profession during the talent portion of the Miss America competition. It sparked a social media backlash.

Blumenthal posted a picture of Finn wearing a stethoscope to demonstrate her support of nurses and she and Johnson became Facebook friends.

Johnson said that when Blumenthal told her about Finn going to prom and Schafers goal of becoming a nurse, she wanted to be a part of the evening. She volunteered to make a detour in her travels to come to Bowling Green to do Schafers makeup.

She was also there for moral support. After Good Morning America shared the prom story about Finn, Schafer received negative online comments.

I put myself in a position to be judged when I participate in beauty pageants, Johnson said. But Taylor didnt ask for this.

Blumenthal told Schafer she didnt have to go through with taking Finn to prom.

No, I have to, I want to, Schafer said. She didnt let on that the negativity bothered her.

I love seeing Finn happy, I love seeing other people happy, she told Parker Slaybaugh of Richmonds Channel 8 news, there to document the date.

But she gave her dad, Ron Schafer, an extra-long hug before climbing into the limo to ride to dinner.

When she hugged me just now she was shaking, Ron Schafer said. Shes nervous. This is much bigger than she expected. She called me twice last night to make sure I would be here today.

To his daughter, he whispered, You look stunning, but its your heart that matters.

Finns dad, Michael Blumenthal, installed a carseat in the back of the limo and popped a pacifier in his sons mouth. They hoped he would take a power nap on the way to dinner at Giuseppes Italian Restaurant and Pizzeria in Ladysmith, but the boy was too fascinated by the ice machine in the limo.

At dinner, he ate french fries and Cheerios and sang Roar.

The party arrived at the prom, which was held at the John Marshall Ballrooms in Richmond, at 9:15. At first, Finn was more interested in playing on the wide, marble steps leading from the front door than he was in the ballroom. Blumenthal carried him screaming to the dance floor. But when he saw the throng of big kids doing the Cha Cha Slide, he watched, wide-eyed.

One, two, three, dance, he said.

The DJ played Roar for him and he sang along. He was crowned Prom Prince.

We stayed until 11! He kept wanting to dance with kids!!! Blumenthal wrote in an e-mail the next day.

The party boy slept in until after 9 a.m. the next morning.

Him being able to look back at photos and look back at the happy night, thats all because of Taylor, Blumenthal said.

Schafer said she also had a wonderful time and wouldnt change a thing about her senior prom.

I am very happy I did it and I would do it over again and again just to see how much fun Finn had, and to make huge memories for Kelly and Michael to be able to remember, she said.
A manufacturer scheduled to move into the long-vacant General Motors plant this summer will receive more than $1 million in taxpayer incentives from Spotsylvania County.

After meeting behind closed doors Tuesday, the Board of Supervisors unanimously approved an agreement with Missouri-based idX Corp. to provide up to $1.525 million worth of incentives over 10 years.

County officials briefly outlined the deal Tuesday and released the written agreement, along with a news release, the next day.

IdX Corp. expects to have 150 employees within three years, though an undetermined number of the jobs will be filled by existing workers at a Maryland facility about 90 miles north of Fredericksburg. The companywhich produces decor, fixtures, graphics and millwork for retailersis relocating its Columbia, Md., operations to Spotsylvania.

The manufacturer is purchasing the 77-acre site on Tidewater Trail from RACER Trust, which a federal judge created to sell off GMs former assets after the company declared bankruptcy in 2009.

IdX will donate 48 acres of the property to the county under a separate agreement approved by supervisors Tuesday. Supervisor Gary Skinner said he hopes to entice other industries to move to that undeveloped land, which is behind the former GM plant, once the county acquires the property.

Weve made out very well, said Skinner, whose Lee Hill District includes the site.

The countys incentives include $400,000 to match a previously approved state grant.

The company must have 150 employees by June 30, 2020, in return for that money, though it can request an extension. Each employee must make at least $55,502 a year. The deal also requires idX to spend at least $7.2 million on equipment and the purchase and renovation of the plant.

The company will also receive up to $400,000 if it maintains 100 jobs for 10 years; $400,000 toward the purchase of the property and repairs to the facility; and up to $325,000 in rebates for certain taxes and permits.

Gov. Terry McAuliffe announced the companys planned move to Spotsylvania in February. The state is providing $400,000 to idX to improve the 289,000-square-foot facility, which has been vacant since the GM plant closed in 2010.

IdX is scheduled to close on the property next week, a spokeswoman said Wednesday.

The company has already advertised at least five positions based at the Spotsylvania plant, and hopes to have a soft opening in early August.

In other business, supervisors approved a $105,000 incentive agreement for RPI Group Inc., a defense contractor that plans to relocate its headquarters from Ballantraye Drive to the Bowman Center off U.S. 17. Under the deal, the company must hire eight additional employees making at least $85,000 annually.

The incentives, which will be paid over five years, include up to $40,000 in return for the new positions and up to $65,000 in rebates of business, professional and occupational license taxes and certain permits.
The Stafford County School Board has approved a redistricting plan to address elementary school overcrowding and long bus rides for students from England Run neighborhoods.

Board members have been discussing four redistricting options over the past several weeks.

At a meeting Tuesday evening, the board unanimously voted to approve Option 3, which will move 65 students in The Manor of England Run Apartments from Margaret Brent Elementary School to Falmouth Elementary School.

Scott Hirons, Falmouth District, has been vocal in his support of Option 3.

He explained that this option will provide much-needed relief for Margaret Brent, which has been experiencing increased enrollment due, in part, to by-right development in the area. Enrollment numbers requested by the board indicate that there are 927 students enrolled at the school.

Patricia Healy, Rock Hill District, echoed Hirons concerns about overcrowding and noted that at 927 students, Margaret Brent is the largest school in county.

Healy initially expressed her support for Option 1, which proposed moving 110 students in England Run from Margaret Brent to Falmouth, because it would move a large number of students while keeping Falmouth Elementary under capacity.

Is that ideal? she questioned. No. But it is also not ideal to have a school bursting at seamsand that is what is happening at Brent today. Im concerned the growth is still coming.

Dewayne McOsker Jr., George Washington District, said Option 3 provides no relief for Ferry Farm Elementary, which is also grappling with overcrowding issues. He noted that the school is one of the few that does not even have a computer lab. In addition, some classes have to be held in the basement because of space constraints.

He also noted that when the England Run neighborhoods were first developed, the students were targeted to attend Falmouth Elementary, which was undergoing renovations at the time. So, for the time being, students were placed in Ferry Farm.

Hirons said he isnt sure this was the case.

There is a general misconception that these students were always targeted for Falmouth Elementary, but there is nothing on record, Hirons said.

Hirons also supported Option 3 based on his concerns that students from the England Manor neighborhood endure a longand possibly unsafedrive to Margaret Brent every day.

Bus route times requested by the board confirmed that these students have the longest bus drive of all the neighborhoods involved in the redistricting plan. The morning commute takes about 40 minutes and the evening ride clocks in at about 35 minutes.

I know we have that in other parts of the county, but the more we can reduce that, the better, he said.

McOsker said the Ferry Farm students also have a long bus ride. The average commute from England Run Pointe to Ferry Farm is 28 minutes in the morning and 32 in the evening, according to bus route information provided to the board.

The board also considered the impact on Falmouth Elementary. At the April 11 meeting, Christian Peabodya music teacher at Falmouth Elementaryexpressed his concern that moving the music room to the computer lab adjacent to the library could be disruptive. Several parents echoed his concerns.

Hirons said the school administration has assured him the music room will not be moved.

The School Board will also consider a grandfathering option to allow rising fifth-graders to continue to attend their schools.

Irene Egan, Aquia District, told the board to keep in mind that enacting a grandfathering policy could set a precedent for future redistricting.

Holly Hazard, chairwoman of the board, said the elementary and high school redistricting processes have given rise to an important opportunity for the community to ask themselves whether they want schools to continue to operate at 90 percent capacity or higher.

She said she and other members of the board will fight for class-size reduction if the community is behind them.

Christopher Connelly, Garrisonville District, said it was difficult to choose any option after touring Falmouth Elementary earlier this month. Although the school is under capacityeven with the addition of the new studentsit is dealing with the space constraints and tight resources just like the other elementary schools.

After seeing it, I find it hard to move any children, Connelly said.

The redistricting plan is effective as of the 2017-18 school year.
DESPITE the best efforts of the White House PR apparatus to sell the presidents first 100 days as a success, The New York Times declared in an editorial, the new administration has, in fact, been plagued by many missteps including a bungled sales job on his first major legislative initiative and a snakebit confirmation process, all of which have produced a flurry of articles bemoaning the lack of focus in the White House.

The first 100 days, the Times declared, is a period the president might prefer to forget.

The president in question is not Donald Trump. This is how, in April 1993, the Times described the first 100 days of Bill Clintons presidency. But not to worry, the Times reassured its readers: Its still early, and a hundred days dont really mean very much.

The Times is right: The first 100 days really dont mean very much at all.

Right now, the Trump White House appears to be in a panic over the approaching milestone, looking desperately for last-minute accomplishments. It has pushed the House to vote this week on repealing Obamacare, and it raised the specter of a government shutdown Friday in an effort to make Democrats pay for a border wall with Mexico instead of just passing a straight extension of current funding levels of the budget. (The administration backed away from that a bit.)

And the president announced (to the apparent surprise of his own staff) that he would unveil his tax reform plan, before it is fully baked.

To which I say: Mr. President, slow down. Theres no rush. Ignore the critics. Youre doing just fine.

Trump has accomplished something more significant in his first 100 days than any president in recent memory has done: the confirmation of Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court. Trumps predecessors early achievements were fleeting. President Barack Obamas stimulus (with its false promise of shovel-ready jobs) is long forgotten. George W. Bushs tax cuts were not signed until June and were partially repealed by his successor.

But Trumps success in placing the 49-year-old Gorsuch on the Supreme Court will affect the direction of our country for a generation. Indeed, Trump can count every 54 decision over the next three decades that goes conservatives way as one of his First 100 Days accomplishments. No other modern president can claim to have had that kind of lasting impact in so short a time.

Trump also did something in his first 100 days that his predecessor could not bring himself to do in his entire second term: He enforced Obamas red line against Syrias use of chemical weapons. When the Assad regime apparently used a toxic nerve agent on innocent men, women and children, Trump didnt wring his hands. He acted decisively, and in so doing restored our credibility on the world stage.

He underscored the message by dropping the MOAB (aka Mother of All Bombs) on an Islamic State hideout in Afghanistan and by deploying the USS Carl Vinson carrier strike group (after a brief detour off the coast of Australia) to the Korean Peninsula. And his decision to strike the Assad regime at the very moment he was meeting the Chinese president may have set Trump on a course to accomplish something three previous presidents failed to do: Enlist China in a real effort to pressure North Korea on its nuclear program.

Those things alone make Trumps first 100 days a success. But he can also point to other accomplishments, such as signing into law an economic stimulus in the form of 13 resolutions of disapproval revoking regulations imposed by the Obama administration. Critics say undoing the actions of a previous administration is not a legislative achievement. Yes, it is. Rolling back the wet blanket of regulations smothering our economy is critical to restoring job creation in the United Statesand Trump is acting decisively to do so.

Of course, there is much more to do. And there is plenty of time to do it. History does not judge presidents by what they did in the first 100 days; it judges what they did during their presidencies. On tax reform, Trump should learn the lesson of the failed effort to repeal Obamacare: He has a better chance of success if he takes his time and does it right. George W. Bush did not sign the No Child Left Behind act until January 2002, nearly a year after taking office. Obama did not sign the Affordable Care Act into law until March 2010, about 14 months after taking office.

In other words, there is no hurry. So Trump should stop trying to throw Hail Marys before the 100-days clock runs out. Because when it does ... nothing happens. Hes still president on Day 101. Republicans still control both houses of Congress.

He has done big things and has plenty of time to get more big things done.

Marc A. Thiessen is a fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and former chief speechwriter to President George W. Bush.
In late April last year, the government of Saudi Arabia, contending with low oil prices and diversifying energy production beyond traditional fossil fuel sources, formed a plan, called Vision 2030, to reduce the country's dependence on oil, and to invest in and diversify its economy.

We support Saudi Arabias 2030 plan that seeks to transform their economy and society, said Secretary of State Rex Tillerson at a U.S.-Saudi Arabia CEO Summit held recently in Washington D.C.:

In particular, specific commitments to increase foreign ownership on listed companies; to boost the womens workforce participation rate from 22 percent to 30 percent; to augment the private sectors contribution to GDP from 40 percent to 65 percent; to move to free market pricing in place of subsidies in energy; to raise the share of non-oil exports from 16 percent to 50 percent of non-oil GDP; and to increase dramatically the capacity and quality of the health and education sectors through substantial capital investment.

The United States could be of great help to Saudi Arabia in this endeavor, said Secretary of State Tillerson.

For Saudi Arabias transformation to succeed, the private sector requires support from us in the public sector. This means engaging the Saudi Government to ensure rule of law in commercial transactions; transparency in procurement; adherence to international, science-based standards developed in consultation with industry experts; the protection of intellectual property rights; and a simpler, streamlined process to register and establish businesses in the kingdom.

The U.S. government is standing by to the assist Saudi Arabia in this endeavor, including by facilitating partnerships between American businesses and Saudi Arabia.

The United States private sector is known for its development and use of superior technology, high quality products, creativity, professionalism, and reliable service. Whats more, U.S. companies can be relied upon to deliver on their commitments.

Economic cooperation between the United States and Saudi Arabia is a win-win for both countries. When U.S. companies invest in the Saudi economy, everyone wins, said Secretary of State Tillerson.The U.S. creates jobs at home, and businesses in the Gulf region get the best business partners that the global marketplace has to offer.
Eliminating a long-standing stigma

But misunderstandings still abound.

A study Loggers and Fred Hutch clinical researcher Dr. Stephanie Lee conducted in 2015 on the benefits of palliative care for hematopoietic transplant patients failed to recruit a single participant until they swapped out the phrase palliative care for the less contentious supportive care.

And its not just patients who are confused.

A 2013 New England Journal of Medicine article by a handful of palliative care experts said the phrase had a huge identity problem.

According to their research, 70 percent of Americans dont know what it is and most health care professionals believe it to be synonymous with end-of-life care.

Instead, they argue, palliative care is appropriate at any age and at any stage in a serious illness. Its also a good way to break down the siloes that can exist in a patients medical care.

Palliative care is a great way to improve care coordination and care delivery so everybody is on the same page, said UWs McDermott. So we all know that these are the patients goals of their care  these are the symptoms they are experiencing, these might be some of the barriers theyre facing in terms of having that care plan, that goal, lived out."

McDermott calls it a more holistic way of looking at care, since it addresses physical symptoms and side effects like nausea, neuropathy and fatigue as well as spiritual and emotional issues like fear, anxiety, depression and loss of faith. Palliative care also covers social support, asking key questions about patients goals of care, their caregivers and their home environment.

Its not enough to send somebody home after chemo, McDermott said. They may need a caregiver to help them take their medications so they dont develop chemo-induced nausea and vomiting. This isnt just about end of life. Its really about improving quality of life during your diagnosis, during treatment and during the continuation of your illness, whether that is in death or continuing on into survivorship.

Luckily, there are signs that awareness is growing.

The National Cancer Institute offers an excellent fact sheet on the subject and the American Society of Clinical Oncology has published several posts about the increasing evidence for offering palliative care to the newly diagnosed. Federal legislation is also in the works via the Palliative Care and Hospice Education and Training Act (PCHETA), a bill designed to increase patient and provider education and awareness as well as improve access and training. This type of outreach does work, research shows. A recent study by the American Psychological Association found that educating patients about palliative care helped dispel some of the fear and misconceptions that have traditionally kept patients from signing up for the service.
There's a hearty helping of local restaurants and catering businesses that are prepared to help make your turkey day successful without the stress, if cooking isn't your thing. We've got a list for you here: Read moreTired of cooking? Here's where to enjoy or preorder Thanksgiving meals around Columbia.
An ex-Richland County councilwoman accused of paying for vacations and other personal expenses with taxpayers' money has been temporarily barred from practicing law. Read moreSC high court suspends law license of ex-Richland County official charged with corruption
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Industry leaders are ramping up efforts to prevent a ban on neonicotinoid seed treatments from being extended across all crops.

The NFU has warned that more than 1 million hectares of UK cereals, sugar beet and other crops could be put at risk if Brussels pushes ahead with proposals to widen the ban, which currently only applies to oilseed rape.

See also: Neonics ban costs arable farmers more than 18m

Less than three weeks remain before the issue is due to be discussed at a meeting of the European Commissions Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed on 17-18 May.

Disputed

Neonicotinoid seed treatments on oilseed rape were banned in 2013 amid mounting concerns that the chemicals are damaging to pollinators, such as bees  an assertion disputed by the NFU and pesticide manufacturers.

The oilseed rape ban has made it harder to combat pests such as cabbage stem flea beetle  with many farmers in the East of England cutting back on the area of the crop and some stopping growing it altogether.

Extending the ban would hit growers of other crops elsewhere too. Farmers in the West of England, for example, rely on neonicotinoid seed treatments to combat diseases such as barley yellow dwarf virus, said NFU combinable crops chairman and Cornish grower Mike Hambly.

This could have a huge impact  particularly for the winter cereals market, but also for sugar beet, Mr Hambly told an NFU council meeting this week at Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire. The time to act is very short. It is of great concern to us.

High value

Neonicotinoids are also used on high-value crops such as carrots, parsnips and celery. NFU horticulture chairman and Worcestershire grower Ali Capper said campaigning for access to vital crop protection products should be the unions number one focus after Brexit.

Growers in other countries could use more active ingredients than UK farmers, said Ms Capper. It is clear that, today in the UK, we are at a complete disadvantage to the rest of the EU. We do not operate on a level playing field when it comes to the actives available to us.

Pesticide manufacturers are also stepping up action against an extended ban. Crop Protection Association chief executive Sarah Mukherjee said: We are disappointed with this proposal, which seems more of a political judgement than sound science.

But environmental campaigners insist that neonicotinoids must be withdrawn. Friends of the Earth senior nature campaigner Paul de Zylva said: Evidence of the harm neonicotinoids cause to our bees is strong enough to justify a complete ban.
A raft of employment law changes have come into effect this month which will bring both higher pay bills for employers and increased transparency on pay and conditions.

Farmers Weekly spoke to professional support lawyer Liz Stevens at law firm Birketts about the five key changes farmers need to be aware of.

The National Minimum Wage has increased

The most important change which will affect all farmers regardless of the size of their business is a hike across the board in the National Minimum Wage rates.

See also: Employers need to be on alert for HMRC minimum wage checks

As of the beginning of April this year minimum rates of pay for all age groups have been increased by between 5 and 30 p/hour.

Employers with workers aged 25 and over are in line for the biggest increase to their wage bill as the rate for this age group has climbed by 30p from 7.20 to 7.50 an hour.

Since 2013 the National Minimum Wage has taken precedence over the Agricultural Minimum Wage.

However an employee is still entitled to the Agricultural Minimum Wage if it pays a higher rate, and they were employed before 1 October 2013 with a contract stating they are entitled to it.

There are different rates for the Agricultural Minimum Wage in Wales and Scotland.

There have also been increases for Standard Maternity Pay (SMP) and other family leave. The new rate for (SNP) is 140.98 per week from 2 April 2017.

The rate for the Standard Sickness Pay has also increased to 89.35 per week from 6 April.

Increased compensation for redundancy and unfair dismissal

Employers who are found by tribunal to have unfairly dismissed an employee are also facing higher compensation bills.

Employees in such cases are entitled to claim both a basic award and a compensatory award.

From 6 April the maximum basic award has been increased by 300, to 14,670 from 14,370, while the maximum compensatory award has increased by 1,000, to 80,541 from 78,962.

The maximum rate an employee is entitled to when made redundant has increased in line with the maximum basic award to 14,670.

New obligations for reporting on gender pay

Some horticultural businesses will be affected by new rules designed to increase transparency around the pay gap between male and female employees.

The new rule applies to businesses with 250 or more employees on a specific date each year  5 April .

However seasonal workers, such as pickers, count towards the headcount so fruit and vegetable businesses will have to comply if they meet the threshold on the snapshot date.

Under the rule businesses must publish a set of six calculations based on the rates of pay on the specific snapshot day, or the weekly or monthly pay period that applies to 5 April.

The calculations must be published on a publicly available website, such as the businesses own, and also a government website. Businesses have 12 months to do make this information available.

Increased transparency for both employers and employees

The Ministry of Justice has made it harder for businesses to hide a poor employment history, such as any unfair dismissals, by publishing an easily searchable database unexpectedly earlier this year.

While this information has been publicly available for some time, the new service will allow potential employees easy access to the details of any tribunal cases. Conversely employers will also be able to search the records before recruiting an individual.

Large employers must pay for apprentices

One change that is unlikely to affect farmers directly but will affect the wider food supply chain is the introduction of the apprenticeship levy.

All businesses who have an annual pay bill of more than 3m will be charged 0.5% of that pay bill to support the training of apprentices.

This means large retailers such as supermarkets will be significantly impacted by the levy, which could have knock-on effects for farmers in the future.

Some smaller farms may be liable if they belong to a larger group of businesses, as the total pay bill for the whole group cannot exceed 3m.

Contractors could be classified as employees in the future

Liz Stevens is warning farmers to be aware of challenges being made by so-called independent contractors against companies that rely on a flexible staff base, such as taxi company Uber.

Last October its drivers in the UK won the right to be classified as workers rather than independent contractors and are therefore entitled to holiday pay, paid rest breaks and the national minimum wage.

Ms Stevens told Farmers Weekly that although the focus of these cases is currently on the flexible taxi and delivery service industry, the results of any appeals could set a precedence in the future for any company using a temporary workforce, such as the agriculture sector.

She added: A lot of cases are going through at the moment which focus on employment status and whether these are correctly categorised.

These kinds of cases currently centre on taxi and delivery companies, but this could have some implications for employers who engage temporary staff, casual workers and contractors, such as in the agriculture sector.

It might not immediately appear applicable, but it is something we might see down the line for the agriculture sector.
Many dairy farmers are now looking to lift milk solids production as they move to manufacturing contracts.

In a new four-part series, Farmers Weekly will be examining how fat and protein gains can be made. In this first article, Rhian Price discovers the wider benefits of switching to a multi-cut system.

Switching from a traditional three-cut silage system to cutting more frequently like the Dutch, Americans and Danes is one way of lifting total milk solids production alongside genetics.

While some farmers producing high volumes of milk remain fearful a shift towards solids will impact yield, Kite Consultant Tony Jackson says this doesnt have to be the case.

He has recently returned from the Netherlands where black-and-white dairy producers are currently averaging 9,658kg milk at 4.32% fat and 3.52% protein (according to Veepro Holland, the information centre for Dutch Cattle).

The Dutch do very light cuts, very dry stuff (45% DM) and they cut every month. It is a given they do it that way, says Mr Jackson, who adds it is the same principle as spring grazing.

If you graze the grass off more frequently you get more grass  and better quality stuff, he explains.

See also: Q&A: Experts answer farmers multi-cut silage questions

Switching to a multi-cut system Pros Typical concerns Produce better quality forage  higher in ME and protein

Reduce wilting times

Reduce exposure to volatility by reducing reliance on bought-in feed

Increase milk solids output Additional contracting charges

Leave yourself more vulnerable to weather

Increased soil compaction

The benefits of switching to a multi-cut system

Independent silage consultant Dave Davies of Silage Solutions says by taking an early cut in late April/early May farmers can improve silage Metabolisable Energy (ME), which will have a positive impact on rumen health and milk yield.

We graze grass when there is no stem so why do we expect to produce a lot of milk from grass silage that is stemmy?

Actually, grass can provide as much energy as maize and energy is the main challenge in the UK  probably more so than protein. By cutting more frequently you can improve the energy value of your grass and theres no reason why you cant get 11.5- 12ME.

Reducing wilting times and field losses

While some farmers in wetter parts of the UK may find it a challenge to cut earlier it can actually be beneficial in high rainfall areas because the crops are lighter and dry more quickly, he explains.

Early cuts tend to be lighter  generally 2t DM/ha less  and grass wilts quicker because it is spread over a bigger surface area so wilting time can be three to four hours shorter.

In fact, grass thats mown at 9am could be picked up later that afternoon, says Dr Davies.

On average, 3-4% dry matter and up to 6% units of sugars can be lost in the field within a 24-hour wilt so speeding up the process will reduce sugar and protein losses. In turn, cutting it when it is higher in digestibility  more leaf and less fibre  will drive better cow intakes.

The more indigestible forage is the longer it needs to reside in the rumen to be broken down which slows rumen passage. If the rumen empties quicker cows will eat again more quickly.

Getting the right chop length and dry matter is crucial, however, and this will depend on forage dry matter.

Wet solve can be over compacted causing clamp silage slippage whereas dry grass is difficult to compact so short chop length will help improve consolidation, says Dr Davies.

Paul Macer from Kite says the target for dry matter on a multi-cut system should be 35% or higher with a chop length of 6cm (2  in).

Achieving a higher dry matter will lower acid load and create a more stable product that is more rumen friendly too, he adds.

This drives milk quality because you havent got fluctuations in pH that normally disrupt butterfat, he adds.

Downsides

There are two main drawbacks to cutting more frequently  increased risk of soil compaction and additional contracting costs.

One way to mitigate large contracting bills is to ask your contractor if they will change the payment terms from per acre to per hour or per tonne (as yield will be reduced).

In many cases, there will need to a mix of hourly and acre-based payments.

You will still have to mow it and ted it so there may need to be a bit of a hybrid adds Mr Jackson.

Its important its done properly and on time. Its not just about reducing costs. Theres no room for slippage so you have to be careful you dont drive contractor costs down to the point where you have an unreliable contractor.

But even if negotiating better deals isnt possible Mr Davies says the extra milk yielded often outweighs the added costs.

A lot of farmers think about silage costs in the wrong way. They never look at the cost per litre of milk produced.

But if you have two clamps of 1,000t of fresh weight silage  one at 11.5ME and one at 10.5ME  thats a difference of 300,000mJ of energy  the equivalent of 60,000 litres of milk.

That buys you more than your extra contracting costs.

Compaction concerns

Independent grassland consultant Charlie Morgan warns significantly more compaction damage can be made to fields, particularly during later cuts.

Therefore, he says assessing fields for compaction regularly throughout the season and taking appropriate action is essential to avoid issues.

Using GPS to ensure tractors work the same areas (controlled traffic farming) should be considered to help reduce compaction in silage fields.

An AHDB Dairy study conducted in 2016 found CTF can halve the area covered by tractor tyres and reduce soil compaction by a quarter.

See also: How controlled traffic farming improves grass yields

Which leys are suitable?

Three-year leys are well suited to more stringent cutting regimes; however, its not advisable on longer term pastures.

I dont think cut and graze type mixes (five- to six-year leys) are capable of giving you the yields to justify the contracting costs.

The other advantage of having short, three-year leys is it allows farmers to stitch in more aggressive hybrid and Italian varieties. And if compaction does need to be alleviated farmers can choose to plough or subsoil annually depending on the severity.

However, Mr Macer says quality is also a factor that must be considered and to maintain quality throughout the season he suggests using a perennial mix like the Dutch.Italian ryegrass can run to seed very quickly in drought conditions and the quality is going to be much more difficult to maintain after the first cut.

Effect of producing better silage

Tonnes ME Difference in MJ Milk yield potential difference (litres) Worth () @27ppl 1,000 10.5-11.5 300,000 60,000 16,200 1,000 10.5

Advice if youre switching to a multi-cut system:

Prepare in advance so you can take advantage of that window of weather. You should speak to your contractor weeks beforehand

Grass should be cut when its still green (not yellow) in the bottom of the plant to get sufficient quality and regrowth for subsequent cuts. If it is green the plant is still able to absorb the sunlight (photosynthesise) and grow rapidly

Start with anticipated cutting dates and work backwards to know when to apply nutrients. As a rule of thumb, put enough fertiliser on for 30 days if you are cutting every five weeks.
Story Highlights 27% view McConnell favorably; 31% view Schumer favorably

McConnell's favorability up nine percentage points from 2015

McConnell's bump in favorability result of improved views among GOP

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- As the possibility of a government shutdown looms, fewer than one in three Americans view either party's U.S. Senate leader favorably. About four in 10 Americans have an unfavorable view of Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (44%) and Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (36%).

Favorable Ratings of U.S. Senate Majority and Minority Leaders Next, we'd like to get your overall opinion of some people in the news. As I read each name, please say if you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion of that person -- or if you have never heard of them. How about -- ? Favorable Unfavorable No opinion % % % Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell 27 44 29 Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer 31 36 33 GALLUP, April 5-9, 2017

Although both men have been prominent figures in Congress for decades, roughly a third of Americans don't know either well enough to have an opinion.

These data, collected in an April 5-9 Gallup poll, come as Congress negotiates terms of a spending bill to avoid a government shutdown. This will be one of the first major challenges for the duo; while McConnell has led Republicans in the chamber for a decade, Schumer became leader of the Democratic minority in January -- though he has been a U.S. senator from New York since 1999.

This marks the first time Gallup has measured Schumer's image. His initial favorable rating matches the 31% McConnell -- then Senate minority leader -- received when Gallup first polled on his favorability in March 2010. McConnell's image has been consistently less positive than that in polls since then, with his favorable rating ranging mostly in the 20s -- and his 18% favorable in 2015 marking a low for the majority leader. Since 2013, Americans have consistently been more likely to have an unfavorable view of McConnell.

McConnell's favorability is not far off from that of his predecessor, Democratic Sen. Harry Reid, who is now retired. Reid's favorability ranged from 21% to 29% over the course of his reign as majority leader.

McConnell's Favorability Bump Result of Improved Views Among GOP

McConnell is viewed favorably by a slight majority of Republicans (52%), similar to Schumer's 54% favorable among Democrats. This is McConnell's highest rating among Republicans since 2010, and is 22 percentage points higher than the previous reading from 2015 -- explaining the bump in McConnell's overall favorability.

McConnell's favorability among independents is now at 24% -- an increase of 10 points since October 2015. His rating among Democrats, however -- at 8% -- is down five points.

Bottom Line

McConnell has regained his footing among his own party, perhaps because of a renewed optimism among Republicans, who now control the presidency as well as both chambers of Congress. This empowerment is new to McConnell, who has had to contend with a Democratic-controlled presidency or House of Representatives, or both, in his time as leader -- not to mention Democratic control of the Senate for the bulk of his time as the chamber's top Republican figure.

It's possible that the GOP rank-and-file's previously low favorable ratings of the majority leader resulted from his inability to advance the party's agenda. But the election of Donald Trump and GOP control of both houses of Congress could be giving Republicans a greater faith in McConnell's ability to do so.

Schumer, who has been in the Senate since 1999 but is new to his role as the top Democrat in the chamber, could suffer the same ratings decline as his Republican counterpart if Democrats sense that their party leaders are ineffective at either blocking Trump or advancing their own agenda.

With Congress' approval having dipped in two consecutive polls, both McConnell and Schumer might stand to gain in stature from working together -- especially because their unfavorable ratings outweigh their favorable ones. But with party polarization reaching new extremes, it is difficult to foresee bipartisan cooperation in the near future.

Historical data are available in Gallup Analytics.
Microsoft Project Scorpio Latest News: Dev Reveals Biggest Challenge In Design, Manufacture; Dev Units With More Horsepower Than Retail Units

Microsoft Project Scorpio is set to release soon and developers are being prompted to think as if they are developing games for the PC as the console is said to be a heavyweight. It is expected that game developers would find it easier to port games to the console if they are used to developing games on multi platforms. The Microsoft Project Scorpio is set to allow games to run 4K at 60fps but the audio hardware may still need improvements for games that do the real-time mixing.

What "Forza" Developers Have To Say About Microsoft Project Scorpio

The Microsoft Project Scorpio chief Phil Spencer once revealed the hardware specs of the upcoming console along with his stand on virtual gaming and the future of the Xbox. There were also notable conversations with first-party game developers like Turn 10 Studios (the mind behind all things "Forza") and The Coalition of "Gears of War 4." It has been noted that when Turn 10 got involved in the hardware's design, they opted to take it up a notch as if developing for PC.

Of the Microsoft Project Scorpio, Turn 10's software architect Chris Tector noted that the team felt it was their responsibility as a first-party studio to help make sure that the platform is ready for everyone, Gamasutra reported. The biggest challenge in getting Microsoft Project Scorpio ready was its ability to run on 4K resolution, its chief selling points. Tector noted that the team adjusted the production pipeline accordingly and moved to Direct2D 12.

Microsoft Project Scorpio Dev Units Are Beefier Than Consumer Products

Meanwhile, latest reports reveal that the VR capabilities on the Microsoft Project Scorpio may not be baked natively into the console, Extreme Tech reported. It has further been revealed that the developers' units actually differ from the mainstream product. Apparently, developers get a little more horsepower to work with.

The Microsoft Project Scorpio console version has 2,560 GPU cores while the developer variant gets 2,816 GPU cores. However, the base clock speed for both is 1172MHz for GPU and 2.3GHz for the custom CPU. Note that it is crucial for developers to get more power especially during testing to determine which approach to a scene will yield the best results.
Election 2022: So far voters seem to back $1.7 billion bond measure to help LBUSD schools
The Corvallis School Board has five open seats that will be decided in the May election, and the Gazette-Times is running Q&As with candidates for all positions.

Presented below are the questions and responses we received for the candidates for Position 7 on the board.

Sarah Finger McDonald

Age: 45

Occupation: academic adviser in the Department of Horticulture at Oregon State University

Q: Why are you running for the board?

A: I am running because I believe public education is essential to our democracy and should be an equalizer that opens up opportunities for children from all backgrounds and abilities. I am the product of a fabulous public education, and I love that my children attend public schools.

In addition to volunteering in my children's schools, I have volunteered lobbying and working with lawmakers to get legislation passed. This experience has shown me the importance of serving in elected positions. I decided to stop telling the people who make decisions what to do and contribute to the actual decision making.

Q: What are your qualifications for the board?

A: In my job as an academic adviser, I work with university students and am familiar with the skills they need to succeed. This will be valuable as a school board member because I can use this knowledge as we make decisions about policies and curriculum that will affect the college or career readiness of students graduating from our schools.

I have two children attending school in the district. I am part of the Corvallis school community already. Through conversations with friends and parents across the district I am already familiar with some of the strengths and challenges of our schools.

Q: What two specific issues would be your priorities if elected?

A: Expanding pre-kindergarten programs  Students enter kindergarten with vastly different experience. Some are ready to participate and follow directions; others have never learned to self-regulate in a group of children. The opportunity to attend pre-K will allow children to enter kindergarten ready.

Vocational education  As a college adviser, I know the skills students entering college need. I also know that not all students are best served by going to college. I would like us to work with LBCC, businesses, unions, and other organizations that support trades or agriculture to help students access opportunities such as internships or apprenticeships.

Q: Corvallis School District is considering asking voters to approve a building bond next year and some decisions in the proposal may be controversial, specifically closing or consolidating schools or asking for higher tax rates than the current bond. How do you think the board should handle its bond proposal?

A: The committee that is meeting to create a plan to address our facilities should have a draft plan in June. There are already concerns circulating about how schools and neighborhoods will be affected. Coming up with an affordable plan that does more than put a Band-Aid on our old buildings and is supported by the community we're asking to pay will be critical to getting approval for the bond. If we are going to ask the community to pay for improved facilities, we need to listen to parents, teachers, and community members as we vet and finalize the facilities plan.

Gerry Kosanovic

Age: 68

Occupation: retired Corvallis School District principal

Q: Why are you running for the board?

A: I have served and advocated for the educational needs of students in Corvallis for over 20 years. I am running to contribute my energy and talent to ensure that the school district is the best that it can be. A thriving school district is a reflection of a strong and prosperous community. It is truly a symbiotic relationship. My focus is the improvement of district facilities. As a parent, I know that there is no greater concern than the safety of ones child. I am committed to ensuring that our learning environments embrace a safe healthy inclusive culture.

Q: What are your qualifications for the board?

A: I am uniquely qualified to serve. As an educator, I have context and an institutional awareness that can be beneficial to deliberating future decisions by the board. Moreover, I have extensive leadership experience with numerous independent boards in Corvallis. This provides me with not only an understanding of our community, it also equips me with the requisite skills to work with a team to reach consensus on vexing issues. In this election, it is important to consider individuals with broad involvement in the public sector as well those with knowledge of board collaboration and decision-making. I am that person.

Q: What two specific issues would be your priorities if elected?

A: One, the school district has made significant progress over the last few years with regard to improving all aspects of instruction. Graduation rates have steadily improved with gains in every population subset. A top priority is therefore remaining diligent and aggressive toward continuous benchmark improvement. Teaching is tough work, but the gains made are a great reflection of hard work and a strong student-centered focus.

Two, the school district will need to move with all deliberate speed toward improvement of facilities and instructional spaces. Aging facilities, addressing deferred maintenance and providing opportunities for capital improvements are immediate concerns.

Q: Corvallis School District is considering asking voters to approve a building bond next year. How should the board handle its bond proposal?

A: A bond proposal begins with the intelligent gathering of data. A balanced proposal should be fairly reasonable to the property owners. Voters are smart and they appreciate clear and transparent information. Public forums, on-site visitations of facilities, and the involvement of community leaders in the campaign can make a big difference. The recommendation from the districts facilities committee work will be instrumental in establishing need. Existing research on the subject is clear. The most critical component for a successful bond is a unified board of education. Members of the board must be the most visible and active cheerleaders for passage.

Kenneth Real

Age: 55

Occupation: Self-employed service contractor

Q: Why are you running for the board?

A: I am running because I have an 8-year-old in Franklin and see some immediate need issues that should be addressed. I have concerns with class size, curriculum, and funding and do not see these issues being addressed to the degree I would like.

Q: What are your qualifications for the board?

A: I am currently on the OSU Native American Longhouse Advisory Board. In that role I have learned to work with the students and help them to achieve their desired goals. As a former treaty compliance officer and later a police officer I have learned to work with a diverse group of people on issues.

Q: What two specific issues would be your priorities if elected?

A: Classroom size is an immediate need issue, we need to review outer district transfers and boundary transfers, as well as secure support resources such as counselors, nurses, and aides.

The 509J curriculum does not accurately reflect the contributions, struggles, and achievements made by minorities to America. I believe inclusion of all people is important so that students understand the culture and events that form us all. It is interesting and upsetting that my 8-year-old daughter is being taught the same poems and songs about Columbus that my 30-year-old son was even though we know they are not true.

Q: Corvallis School District is considering asking voters to approve a building bond next year. How should the board should handle its bond proposal?

A: I believe a bond will be necessary to address deferred maintenance; however I am not convinced building five new schools to replace eight old ones is the right answer. Usually it is cheaper to maintain/rebuild then to build new. This also utilizes sustainability methods and helps combat waste.

The school board is going to have to look at the proposal and ensure it is best for the students, the teachers, and the community. I do not think a fast track process would be beneficial: the public must be informed on the actual needs and ensured its money is spent wisely.
This log includes incidents in which there might have been a public disturbance or a risk to the public. Information comes from the Corvallis Police Department, the Benton County Sheriffs Office and Oregon State Police. It does not include all calls for service. The status of incidents might change after further investigation. Locations are approximate. People arrested or suspected in crimes are considered innocent until proven otherwise.

Corvallis Police Department

MONDAY, APRIL 24

DUII: 8:34 p.m., Northwest 23rd Street and Grant Avenue. An officer charged Mary Beth McGovern, 59, no address listed, with DUII following a single-vehicle crash. McGovern had a reported blood alcohol content of 0.18 percent.

COLD BURGLARY: 1:30 p.m., 4100 block of Northwest Tamarack Drive. A man reported that on April 8 he left his home for about three hours and it was unlocked during that time. The man said when he returned he found the house had been locked. He later noticed several items missing, including cuff links, a belt, coins, travel memorabilia, silverware and napkin rings.

ILLEGAL CAMPING: 7:53 a.m., 28200 Highway 34. An officer responded to the east side of the Northwest Van Buren Bridge where ODOT officials were cleaning up campsites. Campers reportedly moved their tents south into the Orleans Natural Area, which is public property in the city of Corvallis. The officer posted an illegal campsite notice and explained to campers that they had 26 hours to vacate.

SATURDAY, APRIL 22

CAMERA THEFT: 8 p.m., 2100 block Northwest Harrison Boulevard. A man reported that his camera equipment, valued at about $4,300, was stolen from his room. The man said he did not lock his door and last saw his equipment, which was in a black backpack with orange trim, at around 8 p.m. The case was discontinued due to lack of investigative leads.
Police search with photos : 31-year-old injured in attack in Plittersdorf

Bonn A year ago in Plittersdorf, a 31-year-old was injured after being attacked by three men. Police have now released photos in hopes of finding the assailants. The victim was able to take photos of attackers.

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Bonn police are asking for help from the public in connection with an attack that took place in Plittersdorf one year ago. A man had been walking on Kanalstrae when he was attacked by three men. The 31-year-old was injured in the attack, which occurred on April 11, 2016 at around 6:30 pm.

According to police, the victim was able to snap a photo of two of the three assailants. So far, criminal investigators have not been able to determine the identity of the men. They obtained a court order allowing them to publish the photos and are hoping for tips from the public which will lead to the identity of the attackers.

Anyone having information is asked to contact Criminal Unit 37 at 0228-150.
Article

Protecting the worlds oceans  an important goal of Germanys climate diplomacy

The worlds oceans are vital to our survival. They regulate the global climate and are a source of food and income for billions of people. Only a very small part of the seas enjoys legal protection, however. Our diplomats are working in New York right now to change this state of affairs.
Tecno launches 5 smartphones in India with anti-oil fingerprint sensor News oi -Priyanka The new TECNO smartphone range includes five models  i3, i3 Pro, i5, i5 Pro and i7 in a price range of Rs. 7,990 to Rs. 14,990.

Chinese mobile phone maker TRANSSION Holdings which is known for its brand itel has launched five smartphones under the name called Tecno.

The new TECNO smartphone range includes five models - i3, i3 Pro, i5, i5 Pro and i7 in a price range of Rs. 7,990 to Rs. 14,990. While i5, i5 Pro, i3 and i3 pro will all be available across 3 states of Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Punjab from April 22, 2017, the i7 will hit the market in early May.

These new products come in the colors of Champagne Gold, Sky Black, and Space Grey.

The company says that all its smartphones are especially 'Made for India' which is reflected through the prefix 'i' in the smartphones. The software algorithm of the camera is optimized as per Indian consumers focusing on skin tone, color preference, contrast, etc. that enables consumers to capture images truer to Indian skin tones even in low light conditions.

The camera by PIXELEX engine which the company claims will give you the brightest, night photos and videos.

Videocon Delite 11+ with Pro 360 OS launched: Specs, price, features and more

Besides this, Tecno has also come up with the new Anti-Oil fingerprint sensor which allows you to unlock your phone anytime anywhere under all Indian lifestyles and weather conditions.

The smartphones are equipped with Rocket Charging which helps shorten charging time by as much as 20 percent as compared to traditional fast charge. It is based on the latest Android Nougat OS.

The company also highlights its HiOS operating system and the Smart Screen-Split feature.

TECNO smartphone comes with an industry first proposition of '151' Promise which offers 100 days' replacement, 50 percent buyback, and 1-year one-time screen replacement. The promotional offer is available free for the limited period only.

In terms of specification, Tecno i7 comes with a 5.5-inch screen with full HD resolution and it has 4GB RAM and 32GB internal storage space which can be expanded up to 128GB by using microSD cards.

The smartphone comes with a 13-megapixel rear camera and a 16-megapixel selfie camera.

The dual SIM 2G/ 3G/4G phone is VoLTE & ViLTE enabled and comes with other connectivity options like Bluetooth and WiFi, and has a fingerprint sensor. The Tecno i7 carries a 4000mAh battery. The smartphone is priced at Rs. 14,990.

The i5 and i5 Pro are priced at Rs. 11,490 and Rs. 12,990 and come with a full HD display. There is 2GB RAM and 16GB internal memory in the i5 whereas the i5 pro comes with 3GB RAM and 32GB internal memory.

The Tecno i3 was also launched at the price of Rs. 7,990 and comes with the 5-inch device with HD display

Best Mobiles in India

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Users are willing to spend more to get a smartphone: Gartner News oi -Priyanka Smartphones in India are expected to account for 62 percent of all mobile phones sales in India in 2018.

According to the new report by Gartner, users are willing to spend more to get a smartphone with better features than simply rushing for lowest price smartphones.

"As opposed to earlier falling mobile phone average selling price (ASP) trends led by the rush to a low-cost mobile phone, we have noted a change in consumer spending. Our recently concluded consumer survey showed, users are willing to spend more to get a smartphone with better features than simply rushing for lowest price smartphones," report said.

"The growing ASP trend will be maintained in the coming years with the increasing middle-class population and rising per capita income leading to more disposable income to be spent on electronic goods," Anshul Gupta research director at Gartner said.

Telecom sector witnesses .6 billion worth transactions from 3 deals

The report also said that ever rising competition from Chinese manufacturers has not only troubled top local brands such as Micromax, Intex, Lava and Karbonn mobile but also resulted in a decrease in smartphone market share for Samsung in India.

Leading global vendors, Samsung and Apple, have made exclusive plans to grow their shares in the market. Major Chinese manufacturers, such as Gionee, Huawei, Oppo, BBK (Vivo), Xiaomi, Lenovo etc., have committed big investments to exploit the growth opportunity, it further said.

It added that the rise of digital currency is bringing a new use case for smartphones, which, in turn, is set to trigger higher demands for smartphones and this opens the opportunity for service providers to launch mobile wallet solution or even vendors to launch their exclusive mobile payment solutions like Android Pay or Apple Pay to build an ecosystem.

The further added that smartphones in India are expected to account for 62 percent of all mobile phones sales in India in 2018.

"With the slowdown in sales in major markets, including the U.S., China, and mature Western Europe, India represents the largest opportunity because it is the second-largest mobile phone market after China," said Anshul.

Best Mobiles in India

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Mi 6 is the mightiest Chinese phone on the block

These figures are not surprising though. We say this as the Mi flagship is the most powerful domestic smartphone that is available in the Chinese market. The Mi 6 is the first Chinese smartphone to make use of the latest octa-core Snapdragon 835 processor that makes it a powerful device.

Also Read: Xiaomi Mi 6 Silver variant won't be released anytime soon

80,000 units are already out

A recent report states that the first bath of Mi 6 that came out the factory has 80,000 units. This makes it evident that not all those who registered for the first sale will get their hands on the smartphone. However, a good number of fans will definitely get the Mi 6.

There are other retailers too

Talking about the registrations, the 1 million mark we are talking about is just on Jingdong.com. There are other retailers that will sell the Mi 6 as well, so we can expect the registrations for the first sale to cross two million easily.

Also Read: Xiaomi Mi 6 will come in 11 different colors

Only the Black Mi 6 will be available

When it comes to the price tag, the Xiaomi Mi 6 is priced at 2499 yuan (approx. Rs. 24,000). While the smartphone was unveiled in black, white, blue and silver color variants, only the black variant will be available on Friday.
Xiaomi to launch the Mi Band 3 on 27 April? News oi -Samden Sherpa Xiaomi might have just teased the Mi Band 3.

Xiaomi is not only known for offering smartphones but the company has been providing smart home appliances, accessories, gadgets and smart wearable devices. And lately, the company has been focusing on offering budget friendly smart wearable devices in the market.

Besides, the company has managed to penetrate the market in 2015 with the introduction of Mi Band which is a smart activity and fitness device. Till date, the company has already launched the Mi Band 2 version as well. The device has managed to receive some good response from the consumers.

SEE ALSO: Xiaomi and Google launch new 360-degree camera

The Mi Band 2 is an upgraded version of the Mi Band and in fact, comes with some interesting features. It has also been deemed as a reliable activity tracker with a heart rate sensor by many users.

The Possibility While the company seems to be gaining popularity with this product, a new report from a Chinese publication suggests that the Chinese tech giant could soon be launching a Xioami Mi Band 3 or an all new smart wearable device soon. Teaser Moreover, Xiaomi has also posted a new teaser which kind of hints at the launch of a new smart wearable device. As for the teaser, it shows a person engaged in some activity exercising and the person is wearing some device on their wrist, basically a fitness tracker device. The image has been cleverly edited and indeed serves as a great teaser for the fans. Launch Date We also get some other information from the publication. According to their report, the product will be launched on 27th April. The announcement about the launch is abrupt and quite surprising but it will be interesting to see what Xiaomi has in store for the fans as well as the tech enthusiasts.

Best Mobiles in India
Pentagon Spokesman Updates Iraq, Syria, Yemen Operations

By Cheryl Pellerin DoD News, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, April 24, 2017  Coalition and U.S. strikes continue to aid progress against the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria in Iraq and Syria, and against al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula in Yemen, Pentagon spokesman Navy Capt. Jeff Davis said here today.

Today is day 65 of the operation to liberate western Mosul in Iraq, he said, and yesterday Iraqi forces gained another 6 square kilometers along the forward line of troops on the axis of attack moving from the south toward Mosul's old city.

Members of the Iraqi Emergency Response Division and the Federal Police maintained defensive positions along their eastern boundary and the Tigress River. The Counterterrorism Service also gained new ground and the Iraqi army's 9th Division continued to defend positions west of Mosul. Clearing operations continue in eastern Mosul, Davis reported.

Supporting Iraq Operations

"The total number of munitions delivered since Oct. 17 in support of operations to liberate Mosul is 22,107," he added.

The munitions destroyed total 259 vehicle-borne bombs, 638 buildings and facilities, 209 tunnels, 684 vehicles, 914 bunkers, 38 anti-aircraft artillery systems, 542 artillery and mortar systems, and 279 boats and barges, Davis said.

On April 23, coalition military forces conducted seven strikes consisting of 49 engagements against ISIS targets.

Near Rawah, a strike engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed an ISIS staging area, according to a statement by Operation Inherent Resolve officials.

Near Mosul, the officials said, six strikes engaged five ISIS tactical units; destroyed 11 fighting positions, eight heavy machine guns, four rocket-propelled grenade systems, two ISIS-held buildings, an ISIS-held bridge and a vehicle-borne bomb; damaged 14 ISIS supply routes and a fighting position; and suppressed four rocket teams, three mortar teams and an ISIS tactical unit.

Operations in Syria

In the fight for Raqqa in Syria, the Pentagon spokesman said, Syrian Democratic Forces have liberated another 2 square kilometers in the Raqqa valley north and Tabqah areas, and in the Raqqa valley north on the western axis.

"The SDF is reporting large numbers of internally displaced persons fleeing ISIS-held areas around there," Davis added, noting that ISIS does not control the Tabqah dam or the city but the city is almost entirely surrounded.

In Syria yesterday, according to an OIR statement, coalition military forces conducted 24 strikes consisting of 48 engagements against ISIS targets.

Near Dayr Az Zawr, three strikes destroyed three ISIS wellheads. Near Palmyra, two strikes destroyed four fighting positions and two ISIS shipping containers.

Near Raqqa, seven strikes engaged three ISIS tactical units and destroyed three fighting positions, a heavy machine gun, a tactical vehicle and an ISIS wellhead. And near Tabqah, 12 strikes engaged 10 ISIS tactical units and destroyed 12 fighting positions, a tactical vehicle, an ISIS vehicle, a heavy machine gun and a command-and-control node.

Yemen Operations

U.S. forces conducted a strike April 18 in the Ma'rib governorate against three al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula terrorists, and another strike yesterday in the Shabwa governorate against eight al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula terrorists, Davis said.

"Since February 28, we've conducted more than 80 precision strikes against AQAP militants, infrastructure, fighting positions and equipment, and we'll continue to conduct operations including strikes against known terrorists," he added.

Davis said U.S. forces are conducting a series of sustained operations in Yemen against al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula to degrade the group's ability to coordinate external terror attack operations and limit their ability to hold territory seized from the legitimate government of Yemen and use it as a safe haven for terror plotting.

Centcom is still assessing the results of the most recent strikes, he said.

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F-35As deploy to Estonia for the first time

, U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa / Published April 25, 2017

AMARI AIR BASE, Estonia (AFNS) -- Two F-35A Lightning II aircraft and about 20 supporting Airmen arrived at Amari Air Base April 25, 2017, from Royal Air Force Lakenheath, England.

The F-35As are participating in their first training deployment to Europe. The aircraft and total force Airmen are from the 34th Fighter Squadron and the Air Force Reserve's 466th Fighter Squadron at Hill Air Force Base, Utah.

The deployment has been planned for some time, has no relations to current events, and was conducted in close coordination with Estonian allies. It allows the F-35A to engage in familiarization training within the European theater while reassuring allies and partners of U.S. dedication to the enduring peace and stability of the region.

This deployment maximizes training opportunities with our allies and partners and serves as a visible demonstration of the United States' resolve to support NATO assurance measures.

This is the first overseas flying training deployment for the F-35A, signifying an important milestone and natural progression of the Joint Strike Fighter Program. It is the perfect opportunity for the combat-ready aircraft to train alongside U.S. and allied aircraft in a realistic training environment while demonstrating its operational capabilities. Also, it helps to integrate with NATO's infrastructure and enhance fifth-generation aircraft interoperability.

The aircraft and Airmen began arriving in Europe on April 15, and are scheduled to remain in Estonia for a brief period of time before returning to RAF Lakenheath to continue their training deployment.

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Officials Release Details of Latest Strikes Against ISIS in Syria, Iraq

From a Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve News Release

SOUTHWEST ASIA, April 25, 2017  U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria yesterday, conducting 35 strikes consisting of 78 engagements, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today.

U.S. Central Command continues to work with partner nations to conduct targeted airstrikes in Iraq and Syria as part of the comprehensive strategy to degrade and defeat the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, or ISIS.

Officials reported details of yesterday's strikes, noting that assessments of results are based on initial reports.

Strikes in Syria

In Syria, coalition military forces conducted 19 strikes consisting of 24 engagements against ISIS targets:

-- Near Abu Kamal, two strikes destroyed five ISIS wellheads.

-- Near Dayr Az Zawr, nine strikes destroyed 10 ISIS oil-processing equipment items, four ISIS fuel trucks and three ISIS wellheads.

-- Near Shadaddi, a strike engaged an ISIS tactical unit, a fighting position and a mortar system.

-- Near Tabqah, seven strikes engaged three ISIS tactical units; destroyed three ISIS command-and-control nodes, a fighting position and a heavy machine gun; and suppressed two ISIS tactical units.

Additionally, two strikes were conducted April 23 that have closed within the last 24 hours.

-- On April 23, near Raqqa, two strikes engaged two ISIS tactical units, destroyed two fighting positions and suppressed two ISIS tactical units.

Strikes in Iraq

In Iraq, coalition military forces conducted 16 strikes consisting of 54 engagements against ISIS targets:

-- Near Kisik, two strikes engaged an ISIS tactical unit and suppressed a mortar team and a rocket team.

-- Near Mosul, five strikes engaged five ISIS tactical units; destroyed four weapons caches, two vehicle-borne bombs, a mortar system, a rocket-propelled grenade system, an ISIS fuel truck, a front-end loader, a rocket system and an ISIS staging area; and damaged four ISIS supply routes and a fighting position.

-- Near Sinjar, eight strikes destroyed five weapons facilities, two ISIS staging areas, a weapons cache, a vehicle-borne bomb factory and an improvised bomb factory.

-- Near Tal Afar, a strike engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed a weapons cache, an ISIS staging area and a vehicle-borne bomb.

Part of Operation Inherent Resolve

These strikes were conducted as part of Operation Inherent Resolve, the operation to destroy ISIS in Iraq and Syria. The destruction of ISIS targets in Iraq and Syria also further limits the group's ability to project terror and conduct external operations throughout the region and the rest of the world, task force officials said.

The list above contains all strikes conducted by fighter, attack, bomber, rotary-wing or remotely piloted aircraft; rocket-propelled artillery; and some ground-based tactical artillery when fired on planned targets, officials noted.

Ground-based artillery fired in counterfire or in fire support to maneuver roles is not classified as a strike, they added. A strike, as defined by the coalition, refers to one or more kinetic engagements that occur in roughly the same geographic location to produce a single or cumulative effect. For example, task force officials explained, a single aircraft delivering a single weapon against a lone ISIS vehicle is one strike, but so is multiple aircraft delivering dozens of weapons against a group of ISIS-held buildings and weapon systems in a compound, having the cumulative effect of making that facility harder or impossible to use. Strike assessments are based on initial reports and may be refined, officials said.

The task force does not report the number or type of aircraft employed in a strike, the number of munitions dropped in each strike, or the number of individual munition impact points against a target.

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NATO jets start air patrols over Romania

NATO - North Atlantic Treaty Organisation

24 Apr. 2017 -

Last updated: 25 Apr. 2017 15:59

Four Typhoon fighter aircraft from the British Royal Air Force arrived in Romania on Monday (April 24 2017) as part of NATO's enhanced Air Policing mission. The air patrols will form an important part of the Alliance's role to maintain security in the Black Sea region and demonstrate NATO's unity and resolve in response to a more challenging security environment.

The Typhoon multi-role fighters from Royal Air Force 3 Fighter Squadron will be based at the Mihail Kogalniceanu Airbase in southeast Romania for four months. They'll be working alongside the Romanian Air Force to conduct the NATO mission, similar to NATO's Air Policing role in the Baltics.

NATO Spokesperson Oana Lungescu said, "This is an important mission which will help keep the skies over Romania safe. It's just one of many measures NATO has taken to enhance our collective defence across the eastern part of the Alliance. From the Black Sea to the Baltics, Allies are standing together. NATO is determined to defend any Ally against any threat."

Following decisions taken by Allied Heads of State and Government at the Warsaw Summit in 2016, NATO is increasing its presence in the Black Sea region. On land, this presence is built around a Romanian-led multinational brigade. Romania is a key NATO Ally and it makes valuable contributions to NATO's Resolute Support Mission in Afghanistan and to the KFOR peacekeeping mission in Kosovo.

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USS Michigan Visits Busan, Strengthens Partnership with ROK Navy

Navy News Service

Story Number: NNS170425-07

Release Date: 4/25/2017 10:46:00 AM

From Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Korea Public Affairs

BUSAN, Republic of Korea (NNS) -- Ohio-class guided-missile submarine USS Michigan (SSGN 727) (Blue) arrived in Busan, April 25, for a routine visit during a regularly scheduled deployment to the Western Pacific.

During the visit Sailors will experience the culture and history of the Republic of Korea (ROK), as well as foster outstanding relations between the U.S. Navy, ROK military and the local Busan community.

"This visit is yet another example of the steadfast ROK and U.S. naval partnership," said Rear Adm. Brad Cooper, commander of U.S. Naval Forces Korea. "We [U.S. and ROK navies] work closely with one another every day of the year and this well-deserved port visit is a chance for Michigan Sailors to enjoy the wonderful Busan culture that U.S. Navy Korea Sailors experience each and every day."

USS Michigan is one of four Ohio-class guided-missile submarines. The Navy's guided-missile submarines provide the Navy with unprecedented strike and special operation mission capabilities from a stealthy, clandestine platform. Armed with tactical missiles and equipped with superior communications capabilities, guided-missile submarines are capable of launching missile strikes and supporting Special Operation Forces (SOF) missions.

"This crew has displayed incredible professionalism and dedication throughout this deployment," said Capt. Joe Turk, Michigan's commanding officer. "Every Sailor understands the importance of our mission and every one of them is dedicated to ensuring that mission is a success. I simply cannot be more proud of their service."

Measuring more than 560 feet long and weighing more than 18,000 tons when submerged, Michigan is one of the largest submarines in the world.

"We are looking forward to a chance meet up with our [Republic of Korea Navy] partners and learn about the culture of Korea, for the first time for many of us, myself included," said Turk.

Michigan is the second submarine of the Ohio-class of ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs) and guided missile submarines (SSGNs), and the third U.S. Navy ship to bear the name. Michigan is homeported in Bremerton, Washington, and is forward deployed from Guam.

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US, UK, France Complete Exercise Alligator Dagger 17

Navy News Service

Story Number: NNS170425-05

Release Date: 4/25/2017 9:21:00 AM

From USS Bataan Amphibious Ready Group and 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit Public Affairs

ARTA BEACH, Djibouti (NNS) -- Forces from the U.S., U.K. and France completed Exercise Alligator Dagger 17, a two-week multilateral amphibious exercise in international waters off the coast of Djibouti and in the vicinity of Djibouti and Arta Beach, April 20.

Exercise Alligator Dagger 17, led by U.S. Naval Amphibious Forces, Task Force 51/5th Marine and Expeditionary Brigade (51/5), brought together elements of the Bataan Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) and 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) with forces from the Royal Navy and French Marines.

The exercise's purpose was to familiarize units with the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) area of responsibility and to sharpen tactical proficiency for the ARG/MEUs as well as other partner nations in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations.

Participating forces include the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Bataan (LHD 5), the command ship for Amphibious Squadron (PHIBRON) 8, USS Carter Hall (LSD 50), 24th MEU, the Royal Navy ship HMS Monmouth (F235), USS Ponce (AFSB(I)-15) and a detachment of the French 5th Marine Regiment.

Exercise Alligator Dagger 17 is one of several training opportunities to be undertaken by Marines and Sailors during their deployment in the region. Recurring training opportunities such as this one support the relationship and professional development of military-to-military with partnering nations.

"What's great about these exercises is that we gain proficiency in our ability to operate effectively with coalition forces," said Commander Amphibious Squadron 8, Capt. Larry LeGree. "Table-top exercises have great value, but nothing beats actual at-sea operations to train as we fight. This high-end interoperability with the Royal Navy and the French Marines has reinforced my confidence in our ability to plan and execute together as an effective coalition force."

"This exercise was a valuable opportunity to maintain our fighting edge whilst being able to train with some of the nations and ships we will be working with over the coming months," said Royal Navy Cmdr. Ian Feasey, commanding officer of HMS Monmouth.

Participants conducted fire team, squad and platoon-level live-fire ranges, vessel board search and seizure, integrated amphibious operations, day and night time full mission profiles and long range raid and coalition integration of forces. Forces at sea conducted anti-air and anti-submarine exercises to enhance at sea communication and coordination and provide a unique opportunity to enhance multilateral capabilities in critical mission-sets inherent to the U.S. Navy-Marine Corps team with partners and allies in the region.

"The ability to utilize and incorporate coalition forces into the Alligator Dagger 2017 anti-submarine exercise (ASW) exercise proved to be a great opportunity to improve our operational prowess, to work through international barriers, and to enhance our understanding of the capabilities of non-organic allied forces," said Lt. William Rash, Amphibious Squadron 8 antisubmarine warfare officer.

Alligator Dagger provided the opportunity to refresh the proficiency of Sailors and Marines in the execution of aviation and ground support operations in an austere and arid environment.

"There were multiple instances of interoperability between the ACE and the French forces," said Maj. Jason Harris, operations officer of the MEU's Aviation Combat Element (ACE), Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 365. "We were able to execute skills including reduced visibility landings, forward arming and refueling point establishment, tactical recovery of aircraft and personnel, and air combat maneuvering. The training we accomplished will further prepare us to support the MEU in the execution of any contingency operations."

U.S. 5th Fleet's area of operations encompasses about 2.5 million square miles of water area and includes the Arabian Gulf, Red Sea, Gulf of Oman and parts of the Indian Ocean. This expanse, comprised of 20 countries, includes three critical choke points at the Strait of Hormuz, the Suez Canal and the Strait of Bab el-Mandeb at the southern tip of Yemen.

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Patrol Squadron 16 Arrives at Ramstein Air Base, Germany

Navy News Service

Story Number: NNS170425-03

Release Date: 4/25/2017 8:47:00 AM

By By Lt. j.g. Justin Sabelhaus, Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe and Africa/U.S. 6th Fleet Public Affairs

RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany (NNS) -- Patrol Squadron (VP) 16 arrived at Ramstein Air Base, Germany on April 23, 2017, in support of U.S. 6th Fleet operations.

The "War Eagles" of VP-16 took the P-8A Poseidon Maritime Patrol and Reconnaissance (MPRA) aircraft to Ramstein as part of an effort to support U.S 6th Fleet requirements in the European area of operations.



QUOTE:

"Going on detachments like this to Ramstein are what make MPRA so valuable. The ability to place VP-16 aircraft anywhere at any time is what keeps us at the forefront of the mission." - Lt. j.g. Brian Prentice, a naval aviator

QUICK FACTS:

- This marks the first time that VP-16 has operated out of Ramstein, Germany.

- VP-16 is the second P-8A squadron to deploy to the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations.

- VP-16 is homeported out of Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Florida.

- VP-16 is deployed to Commander, Task Force 67 out of Naval Air Station Sigonella, Sicily.

- VP-16 is in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operation in support of U.S National security interests in Europe and Africa.

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US F-35 fighter jets deploy to Estonia in signal to Russia

Iran Press TV

Tue Apr 25, 2017 12:13PM

The US Air Force is deploying F-35 jets to Estonia, putting the service's newest fighter jets even closer to Russia's doorstep.

F-35A stealth Joint Strike Fighters flew from a base in the United Kingdom to Estonia, which has an almost 200-mile-long border with Russia.

The advanced aircraft flew from Hill Air Force Base in Utah to Royal Air Force's Lakenheath airfield earlier this month.

Officials noted at the time that the Air Force also planned several "out and back" flights to other NATO nations that would help familiarize pilots with the region.

The fighter jets arrived at the Amari Air Base on Tuesday and will remain in the Baltic country for "several weeks."

The move was seen by Estonian defense officials as a gesture underscoring the US commitment to its NATO partners.

While in Estonia, the F-35s will conduct training flights with aircraft from the US and allied militaries.

The Air Force will also deploy F-35 jets to Romania, another NATO ally.

Both Estonia and Romania have been unnerved by Russia's reunification with the strategic Black Sea peninsula of Crimea following a referendum in March 2014.

Fearful of a repeat of that scenario elsewhere, Western countries have moved to step up their military presence in Eastern Europe to deter what they call the Russian "aggression."

The F-35's deployment to Europe is happening under the pretext of the so-called European Reassurance Initiative, the Pentagon's catchphrase for a series of military exercises with NATO allies meant to send a signal to Russia.

The deployment has also been viewed as a marketing tactic by the US to show off the aircraft's capabilities to its European allies.

"The introduction of the premier fifth-generation fighter to the European area of responsibility brings with it state-of-the-art sensors, interoperability, and a broad array of advanced air-to-air and air-to-surface munitions that would help maintain the fundamental sovereignty rights of all nations," the Air Force said in a statement this month.

The service has previously sent other fighter jets, namely F-22, F-16, F-15 and A-10, to Europe as part of the European Reassurance Initiative. Thousands of US troops have also been deployed in the continent on the same mission.

Moscow is wary of NATO's military build-up near its borders. In response, Russia has beefed up its southwestern military capacity, deploying nuclear-capable missiles to its Baltic enclave of Kaliningrad bordering Poland and Lithuania.

The European Union and the US have imposed several rounds of sanctions against Russia.

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Russian Bombers Flew Near Alaska, Canada, Prompting NORAD Response

April 25, 2017

Russian warplanes last week flew near Alaska and Canada several times, prompting North American air-defense forces to scramble jets for the first time in more than two years, the Pentagon said on April 24.

Russian Tu-95 Bear bombers were spotted in international airspace three times -- twice near Alaska's Aleutian Islands and once near mainland Alaska and Canada, the Pentagon said.

The flybys occurred April 17, 18, and 20, prompting on two occasions the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) to launch fighters to conduct intercepts, it said.

NORAD spokeswoman Lori O'Donley said a number of Il-38 antisubmarine aircraft were also spotted in international airspace in the same vicinity on April 19.

The White House has dismissed the importance of the flybys, saying "this is not highly unusual."

"They were all conducted safely, professionally, and with respect for U.S. territorial airspace," said Pentagon spokesman Navy Captain Jeff Davis.

But Davis said such flybys have not occurred off Alaska for years, possibly because the large, propeller-powered Tu-95s were grounded for maintenance.

"This was the first time in about 2 1/2 years that we have seen Russia conduct long-range bomber missions like this in and around Alaska," Davis said.

Based on AFP and RUAviation.com

Source: http://www.rferl.org/a/russian-bombers-flew-near-alaska-canada- prompting-norad-response-pentagon/28450133.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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Nearly $1.1 billion pledged for beleaguered Yemen at UN-led humanitarian conference

25 April 2017  With nearly two-thirds of war-torn Yemen  about 19 million people  in need of emergency support, the international community today raised $1.1 billion at a pledging event in Geneva to aid what the United Nations chief calls "the world's largest hunger crisis."

The aim was to bridge a funding gap in the 2017 humanitarian appeal of $2.1 billion. Prior to the conference, only about 15 per cent had been met.

"We are witnessing the starving and the crippling of an entire generation. We must act now, to save lives," said Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who presided over the opening of the High-level Pledging Event on the humanitarian crisis in Yemen, alongside the Foreign Affairs Ministers of Switzerland and Sweden.

He noted that the "man-made crisis" had devastated the economy of a country that was "pitifully poor" even before the current conflict, and forced three million people from their homes  leaving many being unable to earn a living or grow crops.

"Some 17 million are food-insecure, making this the world's largest hunger crisis," Mr. Guterres said, highlighting a situation worsened by import restrictions and the destruction of port facilities.

Calling particular attention to children at risk in Yemen, Mr. Guterres said that on average, one child under the age of five dies of preventable causes every 10 minutes in Yemen.

"This means fifty children in Yemen will die during today's conference  and all those deaths could have been prevented," he stated.

According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), pledges were made by 48 Member States, the European Commission, the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) and four NGO/humanitarian organizations for humanitarian action in Yemen in 2017. "Now we must see the pledges translated into the scaled up action the people of Yemen need and deserve," the Mr. Guterres said.

Yemen's next challenge: lifting restrictions on aid access throughout the country

The exact pledges for the day totalled $1,098,466,634, "a remarkable success" according to the Secretary-General, who expressed optimism at the close of the conference that the full amount required will materialize in the coming months.

The next challenge to overcome would be to lift access restrictions throughout Yemen. Mr. Guterres urged parties of the conflict to respect international humanitarian law and allow unhindered movement of humanitarian actors to reach those in need.

"Access is the key for the success of this pledging conference," he said, calling also for the necessary infrastructure to be allowed to operate in normal conditions and for goods to be imported and distributed.

Echoing the Secretary-General's calls for access, Under-Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Stephen O'Brien noted the UN and its humanitarian partners are "scaling up and ready to do more provided there are resources and access."

Having visited Yemen thrice over the past two years, he recalled haunting images of a 13 year old girl who now headed her household, of toddlers too sick to register their mother's touch, and of families living with little access to food, clean water or medicines.

Both officials stressed that funding alone will not reverse the fortunes of the millions of people impacted. They called for a cessation of hostilities and a political settlement, with talks facilitated by the Secretary-General's Special Envoy Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed.

'Between famine and starvation lies disease'

More than two years of fighting has destroyed the country's infrastructure  including attacks that targeted civilians. Some 325 attacks have been verified on health facilities, schools, markets and other infrastructure.

As the violence rose, the ability to aid those in need has been hampered. The disruption of health services has been "severe," Margaret Chan, Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), told the pledging event.

Less than half of the country's health facilities are functioning and the majority of health providers, if they stayed, have not been paid since at least August 2016.

She warned also that infections would increase as the population grows more hungry.

"Large swaths of the population are on the brink of famine," Dr. Chan said. "Between famine and death from starvation lies disease. Infections that a well-nourished body wards off become deadly in severely malnourished people."

She called for more services, such as vaccinations, and access to basic health services.

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Attack on Afghan Army Base Reportedly Killed Over 250 Soldiers

By Ayaz Gul April 25, 2017

Afghanistan's largest television station has reported last Friday's deadliest-ever assault by the Taliban on a major military base in northern Balkh province left more than 250 soldiers dead and accused authorities of "hiding the truth."

The government has been under fire for refusing to reveal the number of casualties several days after the attack targeting the Afghan National Army's 209th Shaheen Corps in the provincial capital of Mazar-i-Sharif.

The deputy chairman of the Afghan Senate, the upper house of the parliament, informed lawmakers on Sunday that security officials told him the death toll stood at around 131, while provincial politicians had put it at more than 150 from the outset.

"Based on information gathered from different sources, so far, the identity of 256 soldiers from 10 provinces have been confirmed," TOLOnews reported Tuesday, quoting "credible" sources.

The TV station also named the provinces to which the bodies of the victims have been dispatched for burials.

Possible impact on morale cited

Government officials privately have insisted that releasing the death toll could undermine the morale of the Afghan army battling a resurgent Taliban. But critics assert the government was disrespecting the slain soldiers by withholding the number of casualties.

Officials and insurgents say a group of 10 heavily-armed Taliban fighters wearing army uniforms, and accompanying an allegedly wounded soldier, stormed the base and carried out the massacre. The attack mainly targeted a dining hall and mosque deep inside the facility where hundreds of Afghan soldiers were offering special Friday prayers.

Witnesses and security sources said that Taliban assailants drove up to the base in two army vehicles mounted with machine guns, waving fake identification cards and claiming they were bringing back a seriously injured soldier from the frontline. Some of the attackers detonated explosives strapped to their bodies while others were gunned down by Afghan commandos before the hours-long siege ended.

Raid renews criticism

The brazen raid has renewed criticism of Afghan security institutions' ability to stabilize the country. The carnage prompted the defense minister and the army chief to step down on Monday. President Ashraf Ghani has also removed several corps commanders, including that of the Shaheen Corps, following the attack.

A high-level investigation is underway to determine how the attackers managed to enter the highly-fortified military facility in Mazar-i-Sharif and whether they had received "inside help."

At least four Afghan soldiers are suspected of having helped the attackers but they remain at large, according to officials.

American military advisors and trainers were also present at a different location inside the regional military headquarters.

The Taliban, while claiming responsibility for Friday's attack, said more than 500 soldiers were killed or wounded. It went on to say the assault on the army base was a prelude to its coming "spring offensive" in Afghanistan.

U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, during his day-long visit to Kabul on Monday, also warned "2017's going to be another tough year for the valiant Afghan security forces and the international troops."

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Pledging Conference Raises More Than $1 Billion for Yemen

By Lisa Schlein April 25, 2017

The United Nations has raised more than half of the $2.1 billion it needs to provide life-saving assistance for millions of people on the brink of famine in war-torn Yemen at a high-level pledging conference for the Yemen crisis Tuesday.

International donors pledged $1.1 billion, and U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called it "a remarkable success."

"We are only in April," Guterres said. "This represents a very encouraging signal that, indeed, we will be able to achieve our target by the end of the year.

"That was only possible thanks to the very clear generosity and solidarity of many member states and also different organizations of civil society that have pledged today," he added.

The foreign ministers of Switzerland and Sweden, who co-hosted the daylong event with the U.N., said they also were "encouraged by the response."

Several humanitarian organizations, however, expressed disappointment at the outcome. In a statement, Oxfam, the British charity said "the international community has fallen short in its support for the Yemeni people."

'Life and death'

Mutasim Hamdan, Yemen country director of the Norwegian Refugee Council, said that the pledges mean "the difference between life and death for millions of people."

"I fail to grasp how the international community can see this crisis unfold without doing its outmost to limit the suffering that Yemenis are facing," Hamdan said.

The United Nations calls Yemen the world's worst humanitarian crisis, noting that this war-torn, impoverished country also is one of the world's most forgotten crises.

Since the U.N. lodged its multibillion-dollar humanitarian appeal in early February, only 15 percent of the money has been received, which Guterres said was far from enough to tackle the immense tragedy that was unfolding in Yemen.

He said about 17 million people in Yemen are food insecure and 7 million are facing starvation, making this "the world's largest hunger crisis."

Guterres said nearly two-thirds of the population, or almost 19 million people, needed emergency support and that the U.N. was aiming to provide vital aid to 12 million people facing the threat of famine and death.

"As always, children are at highest risk of death," he said. "On average, a child under the age of 5 dies of preventable causes in Yemen every 10 minutes.

"And this means 50 children in Yemen will die during today's conference -- and all those deaths could have been prevented," Guterres added.

Humanitarian access

Besides money, Guterres said it was important "to make sure that there is unhindered access for all humanitarian actors to reach all the people in need."

Robert Mardini, International Committee of the Red Cross director for the Middle East, agreed that severe restrictions placed on the import of food, fuel and medicine and "the movement of such goods and medicines within the country" had to be lifted.

"People are suffering and dying not just from the fighting, but from chronic illnesses and disease." He said if this stranglehold were relaxed "it will help greatly in the relief of the peoples' suffering."

The United Nations estimates that at least 10,000 people have been killed, countless thousands injured, and more than 3 million forced from their homes. It reports more than two years of civil war has devastated Yemen's economy, and damaged or destroyed nearly 300 health facilities.

Basic services have collapsed, putting millions at risk of disease and other threats. Before the war, Yemen was one of the poorest countries in the world.

The U.N. reports conditions have further deteriorated and Yemen now has the highest maternal mortality rates in the region. The U.N. children's fund reports nearly 2.2 million children are malnourished, including a half-million who are severely malnourished and "at imminent risk of death" if they do not get specialized treatment.

Stephen O'Brien, under-secretary-general for Humanitarian Affairs, said agencies have reached 5.8 million people across the country this year.

O'Brien said the U.N. and its partners could scale-up humanitarian operations and help many more people if donors provide the money needed.

"We can avert famine and the worst catastrophe, if we have access," he said.

At the pledging conference, Yemen Prime Minister Ahmed Obaid Mubarek Bin-Dagher provided a glimpse of the tensions reigning in his country. He accused the Houthi rebels of destroying infrastructure and houses by "invading" cities such as Sana'a, Taiz and Aden.

He thanked the U.N. for holding the pledging event and thanked Saudi Arabia for "assistance that has reached various cities."

What the prime minister left unsaid was that the war in Yemen escalated significantly after the Saudi-led coalition began bombing the Houthi rebels at the end of March 2013 in support of his government.

Significant pledges

Saudi Arabia has pledged to give $150 million, which Abdullah Al-Rabeeah, adviser to the Royal Court of Saudi Arabia, said was "in addition to $100 million provided since the beginning of 2017."

Other significant contributions were made by the European Union, which pledged $110 million and the United States, which announced an additional contribution of $94 million.

Thomas Staal, counselor for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), said the contribution brought "the total U.S. humanitarian aid to Yemen to nearly $526 million."

While recognizing the importance of responding to this urgent crisis with humanitarian aid, Staal said this was not enough.

"A political solution must be found to establish the peace that the people of Yemen so richly deserve," he said.

U.N. Chief Guterres agreed there was no military solution, only a political one.

"It is important that the parties to the conflict understand this is a war in which everyone is losing," he said.

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UN Renews Call for Negotiated Solution to Kasai Conflict in DRC

By William Clowes April 25, 2017

A U.N. official in the Democratic Republic of Congo has repeated calls for a dialogue to end the deadly, months-long conflict in the Kasai region of the central DRC.

"There is no solution in Kasai other than a negotiated solution," said Mamadou Diallo, the coordinator of humanitarian affairs for the U.N.'s mission in DRC.

Diallo addressed a news conference in Kinshasa the day after DRC government spokesman Lambert Mende showed journalists grisly videos of executions he said were carried out by the Kamwina Nsapu rebels, including the murders of two U.N. experts who disappeared in Kasai in March and were later found dead.

"They [The Kamwina Nsapu] are terrorists," Mende said. "Terrorism in the DRC must be eradicated without condition and [there is] no question of negotiating with these people," he said.

Gruesome videos of killings

One of the videos Mende showed at the briefing, which VOA attended, appeared online in a tweet Tuesday but was quickly removed.

The spokesman for the U.N. secretary-general has condemned the government's decision to play the videos to the media, saying in a statement that "we're disappointed that the video was shown publicly" and that "it does harm to the ongoing investigation."

Mende told reporters the videos had been recorded by the rebels and obtained by the police, without providing further information.

In one, disarmed policemen sit on the ground and are interrogated by their captors. The scene then cuts away to images of decapitated bodies in police uniforms. The video purportedly showed the aftermath of an ambush of a police convoy in late March near Kananga, the capital of Kasai-Central province, when 39 policemen were beheaded.

The second video showed the final moments of two U.N. experts who went missing in Kasai-Central on March 12 and whose bodies were found several weeks later. Michael Sharp, an American, and Zaida Catalan, from Sweden, are seen walking surrounded by men wearing the red headbands associated with Kamwina Nsapu. Both are instructed to sit and soon after are shot and killed. Catalan is then decapitated.

Calls for negotiations criticized

Mende criticized those calling for a negotiated end to the conflict and the establishment of an independent investigation into the actions of both sides. His statements appear to represent a departure from what looked to be an easing of tensions earlier this month.

The conflict began in August 2016 after the customary chief to which the rebels were loyal  also called Kamwina Nsapu  was killed during clashes with the police. The violence has intensified this year. At least 400 people have been killed and one million displaced since the conflict started, according to the U.N. Initially confined to Kasai-Central, Kamwina Nsapu are now active in five provinces of central DRC. The rebels reject the authority of the central government.

However, discreet negotiations with the customary chief's family have been taking place. In mid-April, the interior ministry said it had returned the chief's body to his family and designated a successor. Kamwina Nsapu's family told the media that the violence would come to an end while the interior ministry called on fighters to surrender.

On Tuesday, the U.N. humanitarian coordinator urged the government to continue the approach.

"We take note of this first gesture and this willingness to extend a hand to find a solution", Diallo said. "We encourage the government and all local actors to continue down this road."

The European Union, African Union and the influential Congolese Catholic Church are also calling for dialogue to end the crisis.

Mass graves found

U.N. investigators say they have found 40 mass graves in Kasai, reportedly dug by the Congolese military after bouts of fighting, and videos that appeared to show soldiers shooting civilians in Kasai have also surfaced this year. The U.N. has regularly also criticized Kamwina Nsapu for its recruitment of child soldiers.

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Haley Admonishes Warring Parties in South Sudan

By Margaret Besheer April 25, 2017

U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Haley has admonished the warring parties in South Sudan, saying they have done nothing to end the suffering of their people and are only exacerbating it.

Haley spoke of the on-going violence, worsening food insecurity, massive displacements, and the dangers to humanitarian workers in the young but failing country.

"It is clear that the warring parties do not have the political will to end this conflict on their own, and so it falls on us to consider our next steps carefully and without any illusions," she told fellow Security Council members.

U.S. urges council to act

In March, the council issued a strong statement calling on the government of President Salva Kiir and the opposition of Riek Machar to immediately adhere to a permanent cease-fire; provide safe and unimpeded access for humanitarian workers across the country; and to stop obstructing the U.N. peacekeeping mission.

"As we meet here today, none of these steps have been taken," Haley said. "Not one."

"I call on this council to move forward with the tools available to it, such as with further sanctions, an arms embargo, or the violence and the atrocities will continue," the American envoy said. "We must not wait for more deaths, more displacement and more destruction before we have the courage to act."

But it was not clear that the council would move ahead on a long-threatened arms embargo or further sanctions. A vote for both failed in December, with only seven votes in support of the measure and eight council members abstaining.

Russia opposes action

On Tuesday, veto-wielding council member Russia reiterated it remains opposed to such action.

"Our position regarding a ramping up of Security Council sanctions against South Sudan has not changed," acting U.N. Ambassador Petr Iliichev told the council. "Sound peace in South Sudan will not be brought about by a Security Council arms embargo, but by targeted measures to disarm civilians and demobilize and reintegrate combatants," he said.

The Chinese envoy also sounded a reticent tone, saying any council action must be cautious and conducive to promoting the political process and mediation efforts.

Worsening situation

But as the council ponders what to do to force the warring parties to lay down their weapons, the situation continues to grow more dire by the day.

Violence has intensified in the past month, adding to the nearly two million people already displaced inside the country, while tens of thousands more flee South Sudan for its neighbors.

More than 5.8 million people require humanitarian assistance and famine has been declared in two counties affecting 100,000 people, while a million more remain on the brink of it. Aid workers try to reach them despite obstacles and great danger. In the past month, there have been three attacks on aid workers, killing 10 people.

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Lawmakers: Former Trump Security Adviser May Have Broken US Law

By Katherine Gypson April 25, 2017

President Donald Trump's former national security adviser appears to have violated federal law by not properly disclosing payments he received from foreign governments for public engagements, the heads of the House Oversight Committee told reporters Tuesday.

The rare show of bipartisan consensus on Capitol Hill came after the White House denied the committee's request for documents relating to retired Lieutenant General Michael Flynn's contact with foreign nationals.

"As a former military officer, you simply cannot take money from Russia, Turkey or anybody else  and it appears as if he did take that money," said House Oversight Committee Chairman Jason Chaffetz, a Utah Republican.

The White House responded Tuesday by saying it didn't know whether Flynn had broken the law in the course of making contact with and receiving payments from foreign governments.

Press secretary Sean Spicer downplayed claims that the White House had denied the request, saying the committee had received all the documents it needed from other agencies.

"Right now, to ask the White House to produce documents that were not in the possession of the White House is ridiculous," Spicer told reporters.

After an hourlong classified briefing, Chaffetz said he had seen no evidence Flynn complied with the law.

Representative Elijah Cummings of Maryland, the committee's ranking Democrat, said Flynn's contacts were "a major problem." He added that the matter would now most likely fall under the purview of the House Intelligence Committee. "Somebody else will determine whether or not he's guilty," he told reporters after the news conference.

The lawmakers said Flynn would have needed permission to deliver a paid speech at a gala sponsored by the Russian-funded television station RT in 2015, where he sat at the same table with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Flynn received $45,000 for that appearance and more than $500,000 for lobbying on behalf of the Turkish government.

Cummings and Chaffetz said it appeared Flynn did not seek or receive the required permission and could be prosecuted for failing to do so.

"The statute's real clear. You have to seek and get permission," Chaffetz told reporters after the briefing. "It's a pretty high bar. But it appears as if he didn't even try to do that and jump over that bar."

Cummings told reporters, "I do believe we are in a struggle for the soul of our democracy, and that concerns me."

Information request rejected

According to the lawmakers, the committee asked the White House for information about any efforts Flynn made to obtain permission for those payments, the former adviser's applications for security clearances and documentation of funds he may have received from foreign sources.

The White House referred the committee to the Department of Defense for information about Flynn's security clearances. Marc Short, Trump's director of legislative affairs, said the White House did not hold material predating Flynn's service as national security adviser.

Asked whether Flynn had violated federal law, Spicer told reporters Tuesday, "That would be a question for him. I don't know what he filled out," referring to Flynn's responses to questions on federal security documents.

Flynn was forced to leave the White House after lying to Vice President Mike Pence about his conversations with Russian Ambassador to U.S. Sergey Kislyak during the period before Trump officially took office.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat, said the newest Flynn allegations were "extremely troubling" and called for an investigation into the matter.

Yates, Clapper to testify at hearing

Meanwhile, the Senate Judiciary Committee announced Tuesday that former acting Attorney General Sally Yates and former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper would testify at a May 8 hearing on Russia's meddling in last year's U.S. presidential election.

Yates and Clapper are also expected to testify at a public House intelligence panel hearing sometime after May 2, the date FBI Director James Comey is scheduled to appear before the committee in a closed session.

Last month, Comey acknowledged that his agency was investigating whether members of Trump's campaign had colluded with Russia to try to influence the election. U.S. intelligence agencies have concluded Moscow intervened to try to influence the election in Trump's favor.

Yates, who was dismissed by President Donald Trump in January after refusing to defend his travel ban, was scheduled to testify before the House panel weeks ago about phone calls between Flynn and Kislyak.

That hearing, however, was postponed by House Intelligence Chairman Devin Nunes, a California Republican. Nunes recused himself from the investigation two weeks after telling reporters that classified reports showed Trump associates had been caught up in U.S. government surveillance of foreign officials during the presidential transition.

Nunes then hurried to the White House to brief Trump on the findings, prompting Democratic criticism that Nunes had become too close to the president to oversee an independent investigation.

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'El Chapo Act' introduced to fund Trump's border wall

Iran Press TV

Tue Apr 25, 2017 8:23PM

A new bill is being introduced in an attempt to fund the border wall US President Donald Trump had promised to build on the Mexican border.

Known as the El Chapo Act, the bill was introduced by Trump's Republican contender in the 2016 presidential election, Senator Ted Cruz.

The bill, officially titled the Ensuring Lawful Collection of Hidden Assets to Provide Order Act, references Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman, Mexico's most notorious drug lord, who was extradited to the United States in January.

The US government is seeking a $14 billion forfeiture order over prosecution of Guzman.

The drug lord is an escape artist who managed to break out of prison twice in Mexico.

"Fourteen billion dollars will go a long way toward building a wall that will keep Americans safe and hinder the illegal flow of drugs, weapons and individuals across our southern border," Cruz said on Tuesday.

The US president, who had vowed to build a wall on the country's southern border and make Mexico pay for it, has been pushing the Republican-controlled Congress to include funding for it in the next spending bill.

US lawmakers have to pass the upcoming spending bill on Friday to avoid a government shutdown.

"If the threat of the wall is removed  our negotiations can continue and we can hopefully resolve all of the outstanding issues by Friday," said Senate Democratic leader, Chuck Schumer, on Tuesday.

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Trump may delay Mexico wall to avoid shutdown

Iran Press TV

Tue Apr 25, 2017 10:26AM

US President Donald Trump has signaled willingness to postpone his planned wall on the border with Mexico to prevent a government shutdown.

Trump told conservative media outlets in a private meeting on Monday that he might put the plan on hold until Republicans draft a budget blueprint for the fiscal year that begins on October 1.

Republican and Democratic lawmakers in Congress have been negotiating a short-term extension of the existing spending levels through September to avoid a government shutdown when the current spending bill ends on Friday.

Democrats say they would only agree with the extension if Trump withdraws the wall funding.

The Trump White House has asked for $1.4 billion as a down payment for the roughly $20 billion project, a request that has been met with strong bipartisan opposition in Congress.

According to internal estimates by the US Department of Homeland Security, the total cost of the border barrier would stand at about $21.6 billion. During the campaign run, Trump promised to build the wall and force Mexico to repay for it.

"It's good for the country that President Trump is taking the wall off the table in these negotiations," Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said in a statement. "Now the bipartisan and bicameral negotiators can continue working on the outstanding issues."

Democrats had indicated in the past that they would agree with additional funds for enhanced border security as long as they are not being spent on a wall.

Trump insists that his planned wall would help curb the influx of drugs and illegal immigrants.

"The president has made very clear that he's got two priorities in this continuing resolution: number one, the increase in funding for the military and number two, for our homeland security and the wall," White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer told reporters on Monday.

Spicer said the negotiations were on the right track and an announcement was expected soon. However, he did not specify whether Trump would sign an spending bill that did not fund the border wall.

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Officials: Mogadishu Flights Safe from Laptop Attacks

By Harun Maruf April 25, 2017

The United States and Britain banned passengers last month on several Middle Eastern airlines from carrying laptop and tablet computers onto the plane. Officials cited airline safety concerns as the reason, and pointed specifically to a February 2016 attack on a flight of the Somali airline Daallo, in which a passenger set off a bomb concealed in a laptop, killing himself.

Now, the Somali government said it has taken specific steps to address security at Mogadishu's international airport and has no plans to follow the U.S. and British example and ban electronics from outgoing flights.

Brigadier General Abdi Ashkir Jama, the general manager of Mogadishu's Aden Adde International Airport, tells VOA Somali that his staff has developed a rigorous security system.

"Whoever is traveling or entering the airport goes through searches, three scans, sniffer dogs; laptops must be turned on," he said. "For international flights like Turkish Airlines, it has its own security gate where further security checks are made after going through all the above procedures."

Jama and his staff also oversaw changes to the procedures of airport security staff and scanners, and they took steps to improve their skills, according to Jama.

He expressed confidence that outgoing flights will be safe. "Unless they come with up with new technical advances about explosives that we don't know of, they cannot smuggle explosives into the planes," he said.

"They" in this case refers to members of the militant group al-Shabab, which claimed responsibility for the attack on Daallo flight 159.

The explosion occurred shortly after takeoff from the Mogadishu airport, punching a hole in the plane's fuselage next to the fuel tank. Eighty of the 81 people on board the flight survived.

Officials immediately identified the only missing person from the plane, Abdullahi Abdisalam Borleh, as the person carrying the laptop that contained the bomb. Borleh was sucked through the hole created by the blast.

An investigation into the bombing found that the plotters, led by suspected mastermind Abdullahi Arays Hashi, smuggled the laptop into the airport twice before the explosion.

Officials say that on Feb. 1, 2016, airport security official Abdiweli Maow sneaked it through a gate reserved for employees. He then handed it over to the would-be bomber, Borleh, but Borleh's flight that day was canceled.

Maow and Borleh made a second attempt on the following day. This time, the laptop went through security scans, but nothing was detected.

Colonel Hassan Ali Nur Shute is chief prosecutor of the military court that prosecuted the suspects. He blames lack of skills by airport security staffers and the fact that the technique used by al-Shabab was new to them.

"They fitted the explosives in the laptop with sophistication," he said. "It was difficult for the staff to detect; they have not seen that kind of technique used before."

Shute says he knows that travelers often need in-flight access to their electronics, and passengers now can have confidence in security procedures.

"If you are a businessman, you need to work during the flight," he said. "I travel and I need to have my laptop to work, it will be uncomfortable if it's taken away from me."

Online passport suspension

Another measure taken by the Somali government after the attack was to shut down online passport services.

The flight 159 bomber, Borleh, applied for his passport online. A staffer at the Immigration and National Directorate helped process the passport on his behalf.

"At this moment under my supervision, that service is shut down," said Directorate official Colonel Mohamed Aden Kofi. "We have also stopped issuing passports to anyone who does not appear in person."

Kofi says applicants deemed suspicious are sent to the security agencies for investigation and are required to bring a letter from their traditional clan elder or chief of their neighborhood stating that they have no links with al-Shabab.

He said authorities also have new document-scanning equipment to protect against forgery.

Somalia introduced a new passport with a computer chip more than 10 years ago. So far, about 2.7 million passports have been issued, equal to a quarter of Somalia's population.

Business factor

Somali security officials say business interests were likely a factor in the Daallo Airlines attack. Two top security officials who investigated the incident told VOA Somali that individuals in the airline industry "probably pitched the idea to al-Shabab to target Turkish Airlines."

The laptop bomb exploded on a Daallo Airlines flight, but the original target was Turkish Airlines, officials confirmed. The bomber was supposed to connect to Turkish Airlines after flying to Djibouti, but the second flight was canceled.

His ticket was bought by a travel office based in Luanda, Angola, where Hashi had business connections.

Al-Shabab has its own reasons for attacking Turkish interests. The group's emir, Abu Ubaydah, has said the airline is being used to expand Western influence in the Muslim world. Turkey also gives the Somali government financial and diplomatic support.

One of the lingering concerns for the Somali government is that the chief planner, Hashi, remains at large. He was sentenced to life in prison in absentia for the bombing. His conspirator, Abdiweli Maow, received the same sentence and was jailed after waiving a chance to appeal his conviction.

Somali officials say Hashi, who has run a clothing business and travel agency in Mogadishu, has helped to finance al-Shabab's operations for a long time.

Officials believe Hashi was al-Shabab's main facilitator in Mogadishu, though not the one who made the bomb.

"We believe the bomb was made by al-Shabab's explosives wing led by a senior level individual," a security official with the National Intelligence and Security Agency said. "They are highly sophisticated."

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North Korea conducting live-fire drill amid tensions with US: South Korean media

Iran Press TV

Tue Apr 25, 2017 7:46AM

North Korea is reportedly engaged in a large-scale live-fire artillery exercise, in what is apparently intended to signal to a hostile United States that Pyongyang is combat-ready.

On Tuesday, South Korea's Yonhap news agency reported that the North appeared to have deployed a large number of long-range artillery units in the region of Wonsan on its east coast for the drill.

The day coincides with the anniversary of the establishment of the North's military. The United States, North Korea's archenemy, and regional adversaries South Korea and Japan have harbored fears that the occasion might witness another nuclear test by Pyongyang.

North Korea has so far conducted five confirmed nuclear tests and numerous missile test-launches. Pyongyang has also vowed strong action, including a nuclear strike, if it is invaded by the South and the US.

The North faces international pressure to abandon its arms development and nuclear military programs, which it says are meant to protect the country from US hostility.

Pyongyang and Washington have been issuing increasingly gruff threats against one another in recent weeks.

Also on Tuesday, the North's media outlets boasted of its "strike power," which they said included "precision and miniaturized nuclear weapons and submarine-launched ballistic missiles."

The North's media also said its military was prepared "to bring to closure the history of US scheming and nuclear blackmail."

The US has dispatched a strike force, including a large aircraft carried, and a nuclear-powered submarine to the Korean Peninsula.

The USS Michigan submarine earlier docked in South Korea, and the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier strike group has been sent over for joint war games in the area. US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Defense Secretary Jim Mattis are also to brief the Senate on Wednesday on Washington's potential moves vis-a-vis Pyongyang.

Tillerson is also expected to chair a special ministerial meeting of the UN Security Council on North Korea on Friday.

South Korean drill

Separately, South Korea's Navy said it was conducting a live-fire exercise with US destroyers in the waters west of the Korean Peninsula and would soon join the carrier strike group approaching the region.

Calling on China to help

The US and its allies have pleaded with China to help pressure North Korea  which relies on Beijing as its main supporter  to end its military nuclear program.

Meanwhile, top envoys for North Korea policy from the US, South Korea, and Japan have met to discuss Pyongyang. The Japanese envoy, Kenji Kanasugi, said after the meeting that they all had agreed that China had to take a concrete role to resolve the crisis and it could use an oil embargo as a tool to press the North.

Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshide Suga said Kanasugi and his Chinese counterpart Wu Dawei were also likely to meet on Wednesday.

Dawei will also reportedly meet with other Japanese Foreign Ministry officials.

Chinese daily takes aim at North Korea

Separately, an article on the official China Daily lambasted North Korean officials for "seriously" misreading UN sanctions, "which are aimed at its nuclear/missile provocations, not its system or leadership."

The article also said the North Korean officials were "perilously overestimating their own power.

It said Beijing and Washington had to join forces in bringing about a peaceful resolution to the tensions involving North Korea.

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North Korea Marks Military Anniversary with 'Massive Fire Drill'

By Steve Herman April 25, 2017

North Korea marked the 85th anniversary of the founding of its military Tuesday with a "massive fire drill" in the eastern port city of Wonsan, according to South Korea's defense ministry.

Some observers expected the nuclear-armed country to honor the anniversary with a sixth nuclear test or missile launch, though neither of those had occurred by evening.

The celebration came on the same day as a U.S. nuclear-powered submarine, the USS Michigan, arrived in South Korea, and the navies of those two countries joined Japan in in conducting military exercises in the waters west of the Korean peninsula.

The naval exercises are scheduled to last through Wednesday, the same day President Donald Trump has invited all 100 U.S. Senators to the White House for a classified briefing that will primarily concern North Korea.

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.

Status quo

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."

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.

A 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 Monday 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 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.

More nuclear tests

North Korea's continued development of ballistic missiles and its underground nuclear tests [there have been five, so far] are "to put it mildly, a game changer," State Department spokesman Mark Toner said 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.

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Russia-Linked Hackers Targeted Macron Campaign, Cyber-Researchers Say

RFE/RL April 25, 2017

French presidential front-runner Emmanuel Macron's campaign has been targeted in cyberattacks bearing the hallmarks of an aggressive hacking outfit that intelligence officials say is a branch of Russia's espionage apparatus, an Internet security firm says.

Discussing a report issued on April 25, researchers at Trend Micro said they think a hacking group called Pawn Storm used "phishing" techniques to try to steal personal data from Macron and members of his campaign.

The revelations are likely to deepen concerns that Moscow is seeking to sway elections in Europe after what U.S. intelligence officials say was an influence campaign ordered by Russian President Vladimir Putin to interfere in the U.S. presidential vote in 2016.

They come as Macron, a pro-European Union politician and critic of Putin's government, heads into a May 7 runoff against far-right leader Marine Le Pen, an EU foe who has praised Putin and met with him in the Kremlin on March 24.

Tokyo-based Trend Micro said it discovered the attempted intrusions into Macron's campaign by monitoring the creation of rogue, lookalike websites often used by hackers to trick victims into giving up their passwords.

'Nothing Compromised'

The Macron campaign's digital director, Mounir Mahjoubi, confirmed the attempted cyberattacks but said the hackers had been thwarted.

Several staffers had received e-mails leading to the fake websites, but the phishing e-mails were quickly identified and blocked, and it was unlikely others went undetected, Mahjoubi said.

"We can't be 100 percent sure," Mahjoubi said, "but as soon as we saw the intrusion attempts, we took measures to block access."

"It's serious, but nothing was compromised," he said.

Macron won the most votes in the April 23 first round of the presidential election, which has been closely watched for signs of digital intrusion.

Of the four top candidates, the 39-year-old centrist independent was seen as being the candidate least favored by Putin's government, which analysts say is eager to see election outcomes that would undermine EU unity on sanctions against Moscow.

The EU and the United States have imposed a series of punitive measures on Russia over its seizure of Crimea from Ukraine in 2014 and its support for separatists in a war that has killed more than 9,900 people in eastern Ukraine.

Opinion polls give Macron a substantial edge -- more than 20 percentage points -- over Le Pen in the runoff.

'Pixel Perfect' Fake Sites

Trend Micro researcher Feike Hacquebord said the firm recently found four Macron-themed fake sites being set up on web infrastructure used by Pawn Storm, an extraordinarily prolific group that is also known as Fancy Bear, APT28, and Sofacy.

Trend Micro has stopped short of accusing any country of being behind Pawn Storm's actions, but U.S. spy agencies and intelligence firms say that it is a branch of Russia's intelligence apparatus.

Mahjoubi confirmed that at least one of the sites had recently been used as part of an attempt to harvest campaign staffers' passwords.

"The phishing pages we are talking about are very personalized web pages to look like the real address," Mahjoubi said. "They were pixel perfect."

"It's exactly the same page. That means there was talent behind it and time went into it: talent, money, experience, time and will," he said.

Mahjoubi said the attempts to penetrate the Macron campaign date back to December. In February, the campaign complained publicly of being targeted by Russia-linked electronic spying operations, although it offered no proof at the time.

Revealing the identities of groups behind cyberespionage campaigns is one of the most difficult tasks of cybersecurity, but Hacquebord said he was confident that Pawn Storm was responsible for the hacking attacks.

"This is not a 100 percent confirmation, but it's very, very likely," Hacquebord said, adding that the political nature of the targeting was "really in line with what they've been doing in the last two years."

Mahjoubi told The New York Times that he had no proof of Russian involvement, but that the nature and timing of Internet assaults on the Macron campaign stoked concerns that Russia was repeating in France what U.S. intelligence agencies say was a concerted effort to undermine the 2016 presidential campaign of Hillary Clinton -- who was widely seen as likely to take a tough stance on Russia if elected.

U.S. and European intelligence agencies and American private security researchers say Fancy Bear was responsible for hacking the Democratic National Committee and other political operatives last year. Stolen documents subsequently appeared on WikiLeaks and other websites, creating problems for what turned out to be Clinton's losing campaign against Republican rival Donald Trump, who was elected on November 8.

Attacks On Merkel

Trend Micro said that the same hacker group appeared to have attacked the computer systems of German Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democratic Union, as well as two German political think tanks, in recent weeks. Germany accused Russia last year of directing hacker groups to attack the country's lower house of parliament.

Merkel -- who is staunchly pro-EU, backs the sanctions against Russia, and is seeking to retain power in a general election in September -- said last year that there were signs of Internet attacks and misinformation campaigns from Russia.

Germany's domestic intelligence agency has expressed concern that Russia may try to interfere in the September elections.

Putin, a former KGB officer and ex-head of Russia's domestic intelligence agency, has denied accusations of state-sanctioned hacking or any interference in elections abroad.

His spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, rejected accusations of meddling in the French election.

"It resembles the accusations made by Washington which to this day remain hollow, and they do no honor to the people making them," said Peskov, who claimed that Russia has "never interfered" in foreign elections.

Trend Micro's report was produced independently of the Macron campaign and lists 160 electronic espionage operations across a series of targets.

With reporting by AP, AFP, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, and motherboard.vice.com

Source: http://www.rferl.org/a/french-presidential- front-runner-macron-reportedly-targeted- russia-linked-hackers/28450238.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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After French Vote, Kremlin Media Chorus Longs For Age Of De Gaulle, Mitterrand, Chirac

Carl Schreck April 25, 2017

Russian state media and Kremlin-connected political pundits are hammering home a nearly identical talking point about France's presidential election -- French candidates and the Fifth Republic ain't what they used to be.

In the run-up to and aftermath of the April 23 first-round vote, Kremlin-loyal media outlets joined in remarkable unison to declare the candidates unworthy of comparison to former French leaders such as Charles de Gaulle, Francois Mitterrand, and Jacques Chirac.

In what resembles a coordinated messaging campaign, television personalities and political analysts have been delivering variants of the same thought and phrasing.

"France looks adrift," news anchor and state media executive Dmitry Kiselyov, famous for his colorful anti-West diatribes, declared on election day. "There is no one among the current politicians of the stature of de Gaulle, Mitterrand, or Chirac."

The first-round vote sent the centrist candidate Emmanuel Macron and far-right rival Marine Le Pen into a May 7 runoff. Opinion polls show Macron, a critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin and Moscow's interference in Ukraine, is favored to defeat Le Pen.

Le Pen has spoken positively about Putin and backed lifting EU sanctions against Moscow over its annexation of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula and support for armed separatists in eastern Ukraine.

Putin's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, said on April 24 that suggestions that the Kremlin wants Macron -- whose campaign has accused Russian media and hackers of trying to undermine his election chances -- to lose are "completely untrue" and "primitive."

"We will approach whomever the French choose with respect," Peskov was quoted by the state-run TASS news agency as saying.

But Russians who stick exclusively to a Kremlin-friendly outlets might get the impression that France has no one worth voting for.

'New Page In History'

Echoing Kiselyov, Vyacheslav Prokofyev of the government daily Rossiiskaya Gazeta wrote on April 24 that "the current candidates don't compare to the political figures of the not-so-distant past, like Presidents de Gaulle, Mitterrand, and Chirac."

A report by state-run Rossia-1 said the same day that Macron had "rejected many decades of French culture" and constituted "a new page in the history of the Fifth Republic."

"The golden age -- de Gaulle, [Georges] Pompidou, [Valery] Giscard d'Estaing, Mitterrand, Chirac -- has been relegated to the history books," the report said. "They have been replaced by politicians of a different stature -- Nicolas Sarkozy and [current French President] Francois Hollande."

Will Vernon, a senior producer with BBC News in Moscow, noted similar language delivered by journalist Vadim Glusker of the national NTV network and by the prominent Rossia-1 news anchor Ernest Matskyavichyus.

Meanwhile, Frants Klintsevich, a senior member of Russia's upper house of parliament, told Rossiiskaya Gazeta on election day that "the time of colossal figures like General Charles de Gaulle, it seems, is gone for good."

And political analyst Aleksei Martynov, who backed Putin's election in 2012, wrote in an op-ed for the pro-Kremlin Izvestia newspaper that France was waiting for its "new de Gaulle."

"But he doesn't exist," Martynov wrote on April 24. "There is no such person, no such figure of that stature among the candidates."

One of the first examples of this talking point over the past week came from political analyst Timofei Bordachev, program director with the government-sponsored Valdai Discussion Club. He wrote on the Lenta.ru website on April 21 that the French are disappointed there is "no clear figure on the horizon who could compare with the stature of the great presidents of the past -- de Gaulle, Pompidou, Giscard d'Estaing, Mitterrand, and even Chirac," he wrote.

Bordachev, an associate professor with the Higher School of Economics in Moscow, did not respond to an e-mailed request for comment about whether he was working from a talking point prepared for him.

'Hands-On Approach'

The Kremlin has long denied that it dictates how state-owned media outlets should cover major stories, most recently when Putin's spokesman dismissed reports that it had ordered news outlets to tone down its positive coverage of U.S. President Donald Trump as "complete nonsense."

Numerous veterans of Russian state media outlets, however, have publicly described the Kremlin's hands-on approach to influencing news coverage, including at purported regular meetings with senior editors and media executives.

Vladimir Frolov, a well-connected political analyst in Moscow, told RFE/RL that this talking point is hitting the wrong notes and that the Kremlin would be wise to prepare for a potential Macron presidency.

"They need to open a back channel to Macron through the business lobby," Frolov said. "Perhaps they are shooting already for the parliamentary election in June in the hopes of creating a right-of-center-majority."

Frolov added, however, that he has "no idea" what the "actual thinking is" behind the messaging.

Source: http://www.rferl.org/a/french-election-kremlin- media-de-gaulle-mitterand-chirac/28451463.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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Talks underway for purchase of 950 tons of yellow cake

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Tehran, April 25, IRNA -- Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs Abbas Araqchi says talks are underway for purchase of 950 tons of yellow cake from Kazakhstan.

"Consultations for purchase of 950 tons of yellow cake from Kazakhstan are not yet over and go on," Araqchi, who is also head of the joint commission monitoring the implementation of the 2015 nuclear accord between Tehran and six world powers, said on Tuesday.

Speaking prior to the commission session in Vienna, Araqchi said all cases regarding the US breach of commitments, procrastination and confrontation will be raised in the session, and of course the moves will be referred that are believed being in defiance of the JCPOA.

"The claims, raised by the US President and other official statespersons, on the policy of reconsideration, evaluation and review of the JCPOA and its creating the atmosphere of distrust and bewilderment for the world, are contrary to the JCPOA and its spirit and content."

As for the UK protest to Iran's purchase of 950 tons of yellow cake from Kazakhstan, Araqchi said talks to that end have not yet come to an end and are underway.

"There are still questions whether the amount of the yellow cake are what Iran needs today," said Araqchi adding, "Absolutely, the amount of yellow cake will be more aimed to address our needs in the coming years."

"We are now working on it. Talks on the issue are underway: Certain groups agree and certain others oppose it."

The 7th Iran-G5+1 Joint Commission Session opened in Vienna, attended by representatives of Iran and the EU.

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Iran-P5+1 Joint Commission meeting held in Vienna

Iran Press TV

Tue Apr 25, 2017 2:42PM

The seventh meeting of the Iran-P5+1 Joint Commission, which monitors the implementation of the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and the P5+1 group of countries, has been convened in the Austrian capital of Vienna.

Iranian Deputy Foreign Ministers Abbas Araqchi and Majid Takht-e-Ravanchi, along with the Secretary General of the European External Action Service (EEAS) Helga Schmid, as well as senior diplomats from other P5+1 group of countries attended the meeting of the commission tasked with monitoring the implementation of the nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

One of the key issues that the participants were scheduled to discuss was Iran's request to purchase 950 tonnes of concentrated uranium, also known as yellowcake, from Kazakhstan in a three-year period.

This is the first meeting of the commission since the inauguration of US President Donald Trump on January 20. The commission's sixth meeting was held in Vienna on January 10 to discuss Washington's extension of an anti-Iran sanctions law.

Last December, the US Congress voted to extend Iran Sanctions Act (ISA) for another 10 years. The law, which authorizes the US president to re-impose the bans, was first adopted in 1996 to punish investments in the Islamic Republic over its nuclear program and its support for anti-Israeli resistance groups.

ISA's extension came despite numerous reports by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirming Iran's commitment to the JCPOA.

Speaking after a meeting with IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano in Vienna on Monday, Araqchi said the Islamic Republic had lived up to its commitments under the JCPOA.

"As the entire world knows and repeated reports by the agency have confirmed, Iran has always been committed to its obligations and carefully implemented the JCPOA," Araqchi, who is the Iranian head of the Joint Commission, said.

He, however, emphasized that the other side had not fully complied with its obligations under the JCPOA.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on Friday slammed the United States for violating both the spirit and the letter of the nuclear deal.

"We'll see if US is prepared to live up to letter of the JCPOA let alone [its] spirit. So far, it has defied both," Zarif said on his official Twitter account.

Iran's foreign minister made the comments after Trump accused Iran of "not living up to the spirit" of the 2015 nuclear agreement.

Iran and the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council -- the United States, Britain, France, China and Russia -- plus Germany signed the JCPOA on July 14, 2015 and started implementing it on January 16, 2016.

Under the agreement, limits were put on Iran's nuclear activities in exchange for, among other things, the removal of all nuclear-related bans against the Islamic Republic.

The UN Security Council later unanimously endorsed a resolution that effectively turned the JCPOA into international law.

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Next Iranian president must lead fight against corruption: Raeisi

Iran Press TV

Tue Apr 25, 2017 1:8PM

An Iranian presidential candidate has criticized the existence of corruption in the country, stressing that the next president as the head of the administration must be at the forefront of the campaign against the scourge.

"The [Iranian] people are concerned about the reports published about administrative corruption. How long should the people witness corruption in the country? Isn't it impossible to eliminate administrative corruption in the country?" Ebrahim Raeisi said in a stump speech in the city of Birjand, South Khorasan Province, on Tuesday.

He expressed grief over the lack of initiatives to fight corruption in the country, saying the presence of the scourge is not becoming of the Islamic administration in Iran.

The presidential contender added that if elected president, he would inform the nation and Parliament of the breeding grounds for corruption within the first six months of his term and present any solutions to eliminate it, "so that the people will not witness cases of corruption in the country anymore."

He also noted that with the country's present income, extreme poverty can be eliminated and cash subsidies could be doubled or tripled for the low-income deciles.

Iran will simultaneously hold the 12th presidential election and the 5th City and Village Councils Elections on May 19. Some 55 million Iranians are eligible to vote for a new president in what is expected to be a close race.

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Baghdad censures Turkey air raid in northern Iraq

Iran Press TV

Tue Apr 25, 2017 6:0PM

The Iraqi government has condemned a deadly air raid by Turkish warplanes in northern Iraq, which killed at least six peshmerga Kurdish fighters.

Government spokesman Saad al-Hadithi, in a statement on Tuesday, slammed Ankara for violating Iraq's sovereignty.

"The Iraqi government condemns and rejects the strikes carried out by Turkish aircraft on Iraqi territory," the statement read.

Regional authorities in Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdistan region have already denounced Turkey's airstrike in Sinjar Mountains area late on Monday, which left five peshmerga soldiers and one police officer dead.

The Turkish army earlier said it had conducted a strike against the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) militants in an alleged bid to prevent the Kurdish forces from sending weapons to Turkey.

Turkey frequently launches airstrikes in the mountainous regions of northern Iraq without coordination with Baghdad. Ankara has also deployed troops into Iraq, sparking a bitter rift with Baghdad.

The troops are based in a town near the city of Mosul, which is currently the focus of a massive operation to recapture it from Takfiri Daesh terrorists.

Baghdad has repeatedly called on Ankara to withdraw its forces from the region, describing Turkey's military presence in Iraq as a violation of its sovereignty.

Daesh terrorist shot dead 15 Iraqi civilians in Mosul

In a separate development, Hossameddin al-Abbar, a member of Iraq's Nineveh provincial council, on Tuesday said Daesh terrorists, wearing police uniforms, had shot dead at least 15 civilians who had welcomed them in central Mosul.

"Daesh members, some of them wearing federal police uniforms, entered the Al-Maidan and Corniche areas of the Old City," the official said. "They were driving black vehicles and posing as liberators from the Iraqi forces."

"When some families welcomed them, they arrested several of them. They executed at least 15 other people," Abbar added.

Meanwhile, Iraq's Joint Operations Command (JOC) confirmed in a statement that militants under the guise of security forces entered the area on Monday to trick residents. "Daesh terrorist gangs committed a brutal crime yesterday morning in an area of Mosul's Old City," the JOC said in a statement.

The statement said the terrorists wanted to "confound civilians who expressed joy and welcomed them with chanting."

The JOC said they killed women and children "to make it clear the area was still under enemy control."

Iraqi army soldiers and Hashd al-Sha'abi fighters launched the offensive to retake Mosul last October and since then they have made sweeping gains against Takfiri elements.

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Kurds denounce deadly Turkish air raid in northern Iraq

Iran Press TV

Tue Apr 25, 2017 4:29PM

Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdistan region has denounced as "unacceptable" Turkey's airstrike in northern Iraq, which killed at least six Kurdish fighters.

"The death of the peshmerga is regrettable and the strike on the peshmerga by Turkish warplanes is unacceptable," the region's armed force, peshmerga, said in a statement on Tuesday.

The air raid by Turkish warplanes in Sinjar Mountains area late on Monday left five peshmerga soldiers and one police officer dead.

The Turkish army earlier said it had conducted a strike against the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) militants in an alleged bid to prevent the Kurdish forces from sending weapons to Turkey.

The strike was reportedly conducted against positions held by the Yazidi Protection Units (YBS), a militia supported by the PKK, which Ankara considers a terrorist group.

Elsewhere in the statement, peshmerga called on the PKK and its affiliates to withdraw from the region, saying the attack was carried out because of their presence.

Since July 2015, the Turkish air force has been carrying out operations against PKK positions in the country's southeastern border region as well as in northern Iraq and neighboring Syria.

A shaky ceasefire between Ankara and the PKK that had stood since 2013 was declared null and void by the militants following Turkish strikes against the group.

Syria's Kurds urge US-led coalition action to halt Turkish raids

Similar Turkish airstrikes on Syria also killed at least 18 fighters from the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), which has confirmed Turkey's air raid on their positions near the Syrian border town of al-Malikiyah in Hasakah province.

Reacting to the deadly raid, a commander of Kurdish forces called for the US-led coalition purportedly fighting Daesh Takfiri terror group to prevent further Turkish strikes on their forces in the area.

"We are asking the international coalition to intervene to stop these Turkish violations," the commander said, adding, "It's unthinkable that we are fighting on a front as important as (Daesh bastion) Raqqah while Turkish planes bomb us in the back," media outlets quoted the commander as saying.

Meanwhile, YPG spokesman Redur Xelil denounced the Turkish strike, saying, "The YPG will not be silent on this blatant attack, and we reserve our right to defend ourselves and take revenge for our martyrs."

The coalition "has a huge responsibility and must carry out its duty to protect this area, because we are partners in fighting," he added.

Ankara considers the Kurdish forces as an extension of the PKK. The YPG makes up the bulk of the so-called Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a US-backed coalition of fighters who have seized parts of territory from Daesh in northern Syria.

Nearly two-thirds of the 30,000 SDF militants belong to the YPG. Washington's support for the SDF has enraged Turkey.

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Iraqi forces liberate largest neighborhood in western Mosul

Iran Press TV

Tue Apr 25, 2017 9:49AM

Iraqi security forces have pushed deeper into western Mosul, liberating the largest neighborhood in the area in a major blow to the Takfiri Daesh terror group.

Lieutenant General Abdul Amir Yarallah, the commander of 'We Are Coming, Nineveh Operations,' said Iraqi forces have completely recaptured the neighborhood of al-Tanak from Daesh on Tuesday, al-Sumaria news website reported.

He added that Iraqi forces inflicted heavy losses on the terrorists during the operation.

To the east of Tanak, Iraqi armed forces have been facing tough resistance from Daesh in Mosul's Old City, an area stretching along the Tigris River, which divides Mosul into its eastern and western half.

The Old City's narrow alleys and densely-populated areas have made it hard for Iraqi troops to move forward.

The development comes a day after Iraq's Joint Operations Command had said Iraqi forces have so far liberated 70 percent of western Mosul from the control of Daesh terrorists.

Meanwhile, Iraq's Popular Mobilization Units (PMU), also known as Hashd al-Sha'abi, said its fighters managed to liberate the village of Tal Helalah, north of the al-Hatra city in Nineveh Province, of which Mosul is the capital.

Iraqi forces have launched an operation from three directions to liberate Hatra. During the battles, the volunteer fighters found a cache of weapons and equipment north of the city, which lies to the south of Mosul.

Hatra is home to a UNESCO World Heritage site of the same name that was destroyed by Daesh.

In another development, Iraq's Federal Police Forces said on Tuesday that some 260,000 civilians have been freed from the clutches of Daesh in the Old City.

Lieutenant General Raed Shaker Jawdat said Daesh was using the civilians as human shields there.

Iraqi army soldiers and pro-government popular fighters have made sweeping gains against the Takfiri elements since launching the operation to retake Mosul.

The Iraqi forces took control of eastern Mosul in January after 100 days of fighting, and launched the battle in the west on February 19.

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6 Iraqi Peshmerga forces killed as Turkey resumes anti-PKK bombing campaign

Iran Press TV

Tue Apr 25, 2017 8:37AM

At least six Iraqi Kurdish Peshmerga forces have reportedly been killed as Turkey resumes air raids on Kurdish positions in northern Iraq and in northeastern Syria.

Kurdish sources said they were killed "by mistake" in a Turkish strike on a position held by the Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK) militants on the Sinjar Mountain in northern Iraq.

"Six people were martyred, five from the Peshmerga and the sixth from Asayish," the Kurdish security organization, said Lieutenant General Jabbar Yawar, secretary general of the Peshmerga ministry in Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdish government.

"Nine others were also wounded by the air strike on the Sinjar mountain," he added.

The deaths came hours after the Turkish army said in a statement that it had conducted airstrikes against PKK militants in an alleged bid to prevent the Kurdish forces from sending weapons to Turkey.

The statement said the raids were meant to "destroy these terror hubs which threaten the security, unity and integrity of our country and our nation."

Turkey has declared the PKK a terrorist organization. The banned militant group has been fighting for an autonomous Kurdish region in the country since 1984.

Since July 2015, Turkish air force has been carrying out operations against the PKK positions in the country's troubled southeastern border region as well as in northern Iraq and neighboring Syria.

A shaky ceasefire between Ankara and the PKK that had stood since 2013 was declared null and void by the militants following Turkish strikes against the group.

Meanwhile, the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) confirmed Turkey's aerial assaults on their positions near the Syrian border town of al-Malikiyah in Hasakah province.

"Turkish planes carried out a broad offensive on a YPG base that houses media and communication centers and some military installations," the YPG said in a statement. "The treacherous attack killed and wounded fighters."

The so-called Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) also verified the Hasakah attack, saying 18 people have been killed in the Turkish raid.

SOHR head Rami Abdel Rahman said, "The dead are fighters and media officials from the People's Protection Units," adding that the strikes were the first since Turkey ended its Operation Euphrates Shield in Syria in March.

Ankara considers the Kurdish forces as an extension of the outlawed PKK. The YPG makes up the bulk of the so-called Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a US-backed coalition of fighters who have seized swathes of territory from Daesh terrorists in northern Syria.

Nearly two-thirds of the 30,000 SDF militants belong to the YPG. The US support for the SDF has enraged Turkey.

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Myanmar to resume peace talks with rebels in May

Iran Press TV

Tue Apr 25, 2017 1:10PM

The government of Myanmar says it will go to peace talks with ethnic groups next month in a fresh attempt to end decades of war in the country.

Government spokesman Zaw Htay said on Tuesday that the talks would begin on May 24 and would last five days.

The first round of the so-called "21st Century Panglong" talks were held last year although the government of Aung San Suu Kyi, a Nobel peace laureate who came to power a year ago on promises of establishing peace in Myanmar, has made little progress in sealing a permanent deal with rebels.

A surge in fighting over the past months caused the government to push back the talks from February. Tens of thousands of people have been displaced in renewed clashes between the army and insurgents on Myanmar's eastern borders.

Many blame Suu Kyi for intensified clashes and say she has been more supportive of the army and its traditional base of power in Myanmar. They are against a partial ceasefire deal first touted by the former military-backed government in 2015, which requires ethnic groups to lay down their arms before talks. The rebels are more in favor of a federal power arrangement.

"If we can lay out the basic agreement on a federal system, I can say it would help a lot," said Khun Okka, an ethnic negotiator, adding that the talks would be a major opportunity to introduce the issue of federal system and how it could look like in the future.

Some groups have even called for international mediation, saying the army cannot be part of a general agreement as it continues to target minorities with impunity.

Daung Khar, a spokesman for the China-backed United Wa State Army and the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), said Suu Kyi's efforts for peace would be lost "as long as the intentional attacks to the ethnic groups are still going on."

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Turkish President Says Syria's Assad Must Go

RFE/RL April 25, 2017

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says there will be no end to the fighting in Syria until President Bashar al-Assad gives up power.

Erdogan told Reuters in an interview in Ankara on April 25 that "Syria should be liberated from Assad so that a solution could emerge" that would end the six-year-old war in the country.

"Assad killed hundreds of thousands of people and I have 3 million refugees in my country, 1.5 million refugees are currently in Lebanon, and there are about 1 million refugees in Jordan and these people have fled their motherlands" because of the Syrian ruler, Erdogan said.

Erdogan also said that "we can no longer speak about a solution with Assad or our efforts will be in vain."

He said Russian President Vladimir Putin -- who has supported Assad with military strikes since 2015 -- told him he is "not an advocate for Assad, I'm not his lawyer."

Russia and Iran are Assad's two biggest foreign supporters and have worked with Syrian troops against the opposition that is fighting to oust the Syrian leader.

Turkey and a multinational coalition led by the United States has mainly supported an umbrella opposition group known as the Syrian Democratic Forces.

However, Turkey also has fought against Syrian Kurdish fighters that are battle against both Assad's regime and Islamic State (IS) militants -- with the latest such attack being Turkish air strikes on April 25 that targeted the headquarters of Syrian Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) in northeastern Syria.

Those attack prompted the U.S. State Department on April 25 to voice "deep concerns," with Washington noting that Turkey did not consult the coalition before carrying out the strikes.

Erdogan on April 25 said that "right now Putin, [U.S. President Donald] Trump, us, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, we have all assumed an active role in the effort to create a solution in Syria. We can get together and we can help the people of Syria to make up their own minds."

He also insisted the IS group would not replace Assad and that there were "many ideal names who can be the next leader [of Syria]."

Erdogan said he will discuss Syria with Trump during a meeting scheduled for mid-May.

"We are going to talk about these aspects and we are going to invite them to take the next step forward with us so that the fate of Syria can be identified by the people of Syria," Erdogan said.

Syria's conflict began in 2011 as a civil war. Now, with international forces drawn into the conflict, there are several opposition groups and Islamic extremists who are fighting against Assad's forces and against each other.

At least 250,000 people have been killed in the conflict, which has caused the world's worst refugee crisis since World War II.

With reporting by Reuters, AP, and AFP



Source: http://www.rferl.org/a/syria-turkey-erdogan- assad-must-go/28451708.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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Ankara to continue military operations in Iraq, Syria: Turkish president

Iran Press TV

Tue Apr 25, 2017 9:38PM

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has vehemently defended Ankara's recent deadly airstrikes in Iraq and Syria, vowing that Turkey would continue its military operations in both Arab countries "until the last terrorist is eliminated."

The Turkish leader made the remarks in an interview with Reuters in the presidential palace in Ankara on Tuesday, adding that he would not allow Iraq's northwestern Sinjar Mountains area to become a "new Qandil" for the militants of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), referring to a PKK bastion in Iraq, near the borders with Turkey and Iran.

"We are obliged to take measures. We must take steps. We shared this with the US and Russia and we are sharing it with Iraq as well," Erdogan further said.

Erdogan's comments came hours after Turkish warplanes conducted a number of overnight airstrikes against alleged positions of militants in Sinjar and northern Syria.

According to the so-called monitoring group of Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, Turkish fighter jets killed at least 18 members of the PKK-linked Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), the military wing of the Syrian Democratic Union Party (PYD) and a bulk of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). The US-supported SDF is reportedly fighting with the Daesh Takfiri terrorist group in Syria and the US's support of the group has enraged Turkey.

The airstrikes in Sinjar area, which were purportedly aimed at positions held by the PKK-supported Yazidi Protection Units (YBS), claimed the lives of five Peshmerga forces and a police officer instead, drawing condemnations from the authorities of Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdistan region. Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi also lambasted the airstrikes as unacceptable.

In response, Erdogan regretted the killing of Peshmerga fighters and said that Ankara's action was "absolutely not an operation against the Peshmerga."

Since July 2015, Turkish air force has been carrying out operations against the PKK positions in the country's troubled southeastern border region as well as in northern Iraq and neighboring Syria.

In early December 2015, Turkey deployed a contingent of its troops to the Bashiqa military camp north of Mosul, claiming that the move had been earlier coordinated with Iraqi officials. Baghdad swiftly denied the claim and ever since has called on Ankara to immediately withdraw its forces from the camp. Turkey, however, has so far refused to pull out its forces from the Iraqi soil.

In August 2016, Turkey also began a major military intervention in Syria, sending tanks and warplanes across the border, claiming that its military campaign was aimed at pushing Daesh from Turkey's border with Syria and stopping the advance of Kurdish forces. Damascus denounces the operation as a breach of its sovereignty.

In late March, Ankara announced the end of its military operations in Syria but did not rule out the possibility of yet another military intervention in war-torn Syria.

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Turkey put on Europe rights watch list over post-coup crackdown

Iran Press TV

Tue Apr 25, 2017 5:58PM

A leading European human rights body has put Turkey on a watchlist over the Ankara government's heavy-handed crackdown on opposition figures and political dissidents following the abortive July 15 military coup last year, rights violations and concerns about President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's increased executive powers.

On Tuesday, the 47-member Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) voted 113 in favor of the procedure against Turkey versus 45 against. The assembly called on Turkey to promptly lift the state of emergency, and free jailed lawmakers and journalists.

The vote at the Strasbourg-based assembly is set to further sour relations between Turkey and the European Union.

EU lawmakers are scheduled to debate relations with Ankara on Wednesday, and the bloc's foreign ministers will discuss the situation on Friday. EU leaders are expected to exchange viewpoints on the issue when they meet over United Kingdom's planned withdrawal from the union, commonly known as Brexit, on Saturday.

The Turkish Foreign Ministry has reacted angrily to the vote, strongly condemning it as an "unjust decision." The ministry argued that PACE's move to put it on its monitoring watchlist has left Ankara with no choice but to reconsider its relations with the body.

"Deciding to re-open the monitoring procedure on Turkey... under the guidance of malicious circles at the PACE is a disgrace to this organ, which claims to be the cradle of democracy," the Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

The statement added that xenophobia and Islamophobia are "spreading with violence" across Europe.

Turkey has been trying to join the EU since the 1960s, but the formal negotiations started in 2005. However, the process has been mired in problems, and only 16 chapters of the 35-chapter accession procedure have been opened for Ankara so far.

Relations between Ankara and the EU have further deteriorated following the botched putsch against Erdogan, which Ankara claims to have been organized by US-based opposition cleric Fethullah Gulen.

Over 240 people were killed and more than 2,100 others injured in the violence, which Gulen has strongly condemned and denied any involvement in. Tens of thousands of people, including military personnel, judges and teachers, have been suspended, dismissed or detained as part of the post-coup crackdown.

On November 24, 2016, the European Parliament adopted a non-binding motion by 479 votes to 37, with 107 abstentions, calling for "a temporary freeze of the ongoing accession negotiations with Turkey."

Turkey called on the EU to resume the negotiations in January.

Speaking in an interview with the German newspaper Bild am Sonntag on March 19, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker warned Turkey against any return of the capital punishment, saying the measure is a "red line" in Ankara's stalled bid for membership in the European Union.

"If the death penalty is reintroduced in Turkey, it would lead to the end of negotiations," Juncker said.

The comments came a day after Erdogan said he would seek to reinstate the measure "without any hesitation" after the April 16 referendum on expanding presidential powers.

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Greek court rejects Turkey's second extradition request for soldiers

Iran Press TV

Tue Apr 25, 2017 2:47PM

A court in Greece has rejected a file lodged by Turkey for the extradition of eight soldiers who fled during a coup attempt last year.

In a ruling issued on Tuesday, the appeals court blocked the extradition of three of the soldiers, who landed on a helicopter in Greece on July 16 and sought asylum.

The request is the second filed by Ankara in relation to the soldiers.

Greece's top court blocked the extradition of all the eight men in January.

The appeals court is expected to rule on the remaining five soldiers in the coming weeks.

The court said the new ruling was based on the same facts that had been considered in the first extradition file.

Turkey accuses the three majors, three captains and two sergeant-majors of involvement in efforts to overthrow the government.

Turkish prosecutors say the eight violently seized a helicopter and were planning to assassinate President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The soldiers also face charges of attempting to abrogate the constitution and dissolve parliament.

More than 250 people were killed in the process of the coup on July 15, 2016. Ankara swiftly blamed rogue elements in the army, saying they were operating as part of a larger network run by Fethullah Gulen, a US-based cleric.

Thousands of military and police officers have been jailed or dismissed from their jobs over an alleged role in the coup. The eight who fled to Greece have repeatedly claimed that they feared for their lives back home.

Turkey and Greece have a history of strained relations, especially with regards to territorial disputes and the situation in the technically-split Cyprus. Turkey has warned that it would cancel agreements with Greece on the repatriation of refugees if the renegade soldiers are not sent back.

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Turkish top court rejects opposition's appeal against referendum results

Iran Press TV

Tue Apr 25, 2017 1:18PM

Turkey's highest administrative court has declined to hear an appeal by the main opposition party against the acceptance of unstamped ballots in the recent referendum on expanding President Tayyip Erdogan's powers.

On Tuesday, the Council of State, which handles complaints and appeals against state and public institutions, said it had no jurisdiction over the case.

According to the state-run Anadolu news agency, the court's decision was taken on a majority of votes, but the Council of State was not immediately available for comment.

In the April 16 referendum, the "Yes" campaign won over 51 percent of the vote, while the "No" campaign gained nearly 49 percent.

The Republican People's Party's (CHP) lawyer Atilla Kart formally submitted the petition with the Council of State on Friday afternoon over the last-minute decision by the High Electoral Board (YSK) to accept unstamped ballots as valid.

The news comes after Turkey's highest electoral authority, the YSK, on Wednesday rejected an appeal, which had been made by the main opposition parties over allegations of vote-rigging.

Earlier, CHP's deputy leader, Bulent Tezcan, said the party would file a case urging the annulment of the YSK's decision to allow the rule change.

He had earlier called for the outcome of the referendum not to be finalized until the case was concluded. The results are expected to be confirmed on April 27 or 28.

Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim slammed the moves as "futile" and said there was "no point in wasting more of everyone's time."

Yildirim told reporters in Ankara that it was "not the democratic way to go to court, to make complaints to fix the people's decision."

The CHP is also assessing whether to take the appeal against the referendum result to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR).

On Thursday, Turkey's Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag said the ECHR has no jurisdiction to rule on appeals against the result of the recent referendum in the country.

Major Turkish cities have been the scene of anti-government protests since the results of the referendum have been announced.

Supporters of the fresh constitutional changes argue that they will modernize the country, but opponents fear a possible authoritarian rule.

Under the new system, the office and position of prime minister would be scrapped in Turkey and the president would be granted executive powers to directly appoint top public officials, including ministers, and assign one or several vice presidents.

Under the amendments, Turkey's next presidential and parliamentary elections will be held simultaneously on November 3, 2019 and the head of state would have a five-year tenure, for a maximum of two terms.

The constitutional changes would mean that Erdogan could stay in power for another two terms until 2029.

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U.S. 'Concerned' About Turkish Strikes On Kurdish Allies In Iraq, Syria

RFE/RL April 25, 2017

The U.S. State Department has expressed "deep concerns" about Turkish air strikes against Kurdish fighters in northern Syria and northern Iraq, saying the strikes were not approved by the U.S.-led coalition fighting Islamic State (IS) extremists.

The State Department said it had communicated its concerns directly to the Turkish government on April 25.

The air strikes have led to calls from Syrian Kurdish members of the U.S.-led coalition to call for U.S. aerial protection against Turkish air strikes.

Iraqi Kurdish authorities also demanded the withdrawal of Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) fighters from northern Iraq's Sinjar region after the attacks.

Turkey confirmed that its warplanes bombed Kurdish militants in Iraq's Sinjar region and in northeastern Syria.

A Turkish military statement said the strikes in Sinjar were aimed at preventing the PKK from sending weapons and explosives for attacks inside Turkey.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said late on April 25 that he will not allow the Sinjar region to become a base for PKK militants.

But the U.S. State Department said on April 25 that the Sinjar air strikes killed members of the Iraqi Kurdish Peshmerga forces, considered an important ally in the U.S.-led coalition against IS militants.

A senior Kurdish military commander, General Seme Bosali, said five Peshmerga fighters were killed in Sinjar.

While the Peshmerga and Syrian Kurdish fighters from the People's Protection Units (YPG) are part of the anti-IS coalition, the PKK has been designated a terrorist group by Turkey, the United States, and the European Union.

The PKK established a presence in the Sinjar region during the summer of 2014 when its fighters helped tens of thousands of Yazidis escape Mount Sinjar, which was encircled by IS militants at the time.

Turkey has regularly bombed the border area between Iraq and Turkey where PKK militants are based, but the April 25 air strikes marked the first time Turkey has targeted Kurdish fighters in the Sinjar region.

Meanwhile, the air strikes in northeastern Syria targeted Syrian Kurdish fighters from the YPG, a key component of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which are backed by the United States and have been closing in on the IS stronghold of Raqqa.

The YPG said in a statement that parts of its headquarters in Mount Karachok were hit near Syria's border with Turkey, including a media center, a local radio station, communications facilities, and military institutions.

YPG spokesman Redur Xelil said 20 YPG fighters were killed and 18 were wounded, three of them critically.

Reuters reported that a U.S. military officer accompanied YPG commanders on a tour of the targeted sites later on April 25, a visit that demonstrated the close partnership between the U.S. military and the YPG.

Ilham Ahmed, a senior Kurdish politician who co-chairs the political wing of the SDF, said on April 25 that the SDF had called on Washington provide protection against Turkey.

With reporting by Reuters, AP, APF, and The Wall Street Journal

Source: http://www.rferl.org/a/turkey-iraq-syria- strikes-kurds-us-allies/28451652.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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Turkish Warplanes Hit Kurdish Targets on Iraqi-Syrian Frontier

By Dorian Jones, Zana Omar April 25, 2017

Turkish warplanes on Tuesday targeted fighters from the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and a key Kurdish affiliate on the Iraqi-Syrian frontier, where Kurdish units play an important role in a loosely knit coalition battling Islamic State extremists.

Monitors from the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, in a statement late Tuesday, said at least 18 people had been killed in the strikes and warned the death toll was likely to rise.

Turkey, the United States and the European Union have designated the PKK as a terrorist organization for its decades-long autonomy push against the Ankara government in Turkey's southeast. On Tuesday, the Turkish military defended the expanded airstrikes.

Turkish warplanes on Tuesday targeted fighters from the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and a key Kurdish affiliate on the Iraqi-Syrian frontier, where Kurdish units play an important role in a loosely knit coalition battling Islamic State extremists.

Monitors from the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, in a statement late Tuesday, said at least 18 people had been killed in the strikes and warned the death toll was likely to rise.

Turkey, the United States and the European Union have designated the PKK as a terrorist organization for its decades-long autonomy push against the Ankara government in Turkey's southeast. On Tuesday, the Turkish military defended the expanded airstrikes.

Turkish warplanes on Tuesday targeted fighters from the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and a key Kurdish affiliate on the Iraqi-Syrian frontier, where Kurdish units play an important role in a loosely knit coalition battling Islamic State extremists.

Monitors from the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, in a statement late Tuesday, said at least 18 people had been killed in the strikes and warned the death toll was likely to rise.

Turkey, the United States and the European Union have designated the PKK as a terrorist organization for its decades-long autonomy push against the Ankara government in Turkey's southeast. On Tuesday, the Turkish military defended the expanded airstrikes.

Helicopters containing a contingent of U.S. military arrived at the site later Tuesday to assess the damage. U.S. commanders accompanied the YPG forces on a tour of the damage but refused to speak to reporters.

A YPG commander who requested anonymity told VOA that YPG leaders had come under a lot of pressure from Turkish airstrikes and told the Americans that they might not be able continue to fight IS in Raqqa if the U.S. was not going protect them and their families from future attacks.

As the U.S. contingent was preparing to leave the site, thousands of Kurdish protesters who were marching near the mountain approached them. They chanted slogans against Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and demanded that the U.S.-led coalition act to halt the Turkish raids.

"I ask the coalition, which fights IS terrorism, to protect the Syrian Kurdistan that was built by the blood of our youth," a female protester shouted. "We removed IS from this land. We defeated all terrorist groups. We protected humanity against terrorism. Now the international community has the responsibility to protect us."

There was no immediate public response to the strikes from the Pentagon or U.S. strategists. It remained unclear late Tuesday what impact, if any, the airstrikes would have on long-range U.S. efforts to coordinate an attack on the Islamic State stronghold at Raqqa with forces that include Kurdish fighters from several separate Kurdish factions.

The YPG makes up the backbone of the coalition backed by both the United States and Russia. That coalition, a loosely knit alliance known as the Syrian Democratic Forces, is closing in on the Islamic State de facto capital of Raqqa in northern Syria, and analysts say a major anti-jihadist assault on the city is likely later this year.

VOA's Ahed Al Hendi and Rikar Hussein contributed to this report.

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NATO-Ukraine Commission addresses Ukraine's reform agenda

NATO - North Atlantic Treaty Organisation

25 Apr. 2017

Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg welcomed Ukraine's Vice Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration, Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze, to NATO Headquarters on Tuesday (25 April 2017) for discussions on Ukraine's reform agenda. In a meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Commission, Minister Klympush-Tsintsadze briefed Allies on Ukraine's reform efforts and annual implementation plans.

The Secretary General reaffirmed NATO's strong support for Ukraine and thanked Kyiv for pursuing an ambitious reform agenda in the defence and security sector. He also expressed his condolences to the loved ones of the OSCE paramedic killed and those wounded in the explosion in eastern Ukraine on Sunday (23 April). He said that the incident underscored the need for the Minsk Agreements to be implemented in full. Allied ambassadors reiterated this message, stressing the importance of guaranteeing safety and freedom of movement for OSCE monitors. Allies also encouraged Ukraine to take reforms forward to strengthen its defence forces and democratic institutions, and tackle corruption.

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Ukraine Cuts Electricity Supply To Separatist-Held Part Of Luhansk Region

RFE/RL April 25, 2017

Ukraine's state power company says it has cut electricity supplies to the parts of the Luhansk region that are controlled by Russia-backed separatists, citing debts.

Vsevolod Kovalchuk, head of the power distributor Ukrenergo, said on Facebook on April 25 that "the power supply to territory in the Luhansk region that is temporarilty not controlled [by the government] was completely halted" overnight.

Russia reacted angrily, claiming that the supply cuts were politically motivated and violated a peace deal for conflict-torn eastern Ukraine.

The war between Ukrainian government forces and the Russia-backed separatists, who hold parts of the Luhansk and Donetsk regions, has killed more than 9,900 people since April 2014.

Ukraine also cut gas supplies to separatist-held parts of the Luhansk region in 2015, also citing unpaid debts.

Kyiv has accused the area of accumulating 2.6 billion hryvnias ($97.67 million) in unpaid electricity charges.

Ukraine imposed a trade blockade on the separatist-held areas in March.

With reporting by Reuters and Interfax

Source: http://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-electricity- cuts-luhansk/28450855.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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Data on US Registry Study for BLC(TM) with Cysview/Hexvix will also be Presented at AUA

Oslo, Norway, April 26, 2017: Photocure ASA (Photocure, PHO:OSE), today announced that results from the BLFC with Cysview/Hexvix Phase 3 study will be presented during a late-breaking plenary session at the American Urological Association (AUA) Annual Meeting in Boston, Mass., May 12-16, 2017.

The late-breaking presentation will report results from a prospective multi-center study, carried out at 17 centers in the United States (US), on detection and impact on patient management of Cysview in patients with non-muscle invasive bladder cancer undergoing surveillance with a flexible cystoscopy to detect the recurrence of bladder cancer.

New data will also be presented at AUA on a prospective multicenter registry that has been established to study the use of BLC(TM) (Blue Light Cystoscopy) with Cysview in the operating room setting. This registry, which is the largest non-muscle invasive bladder cancer registry in the US, continues to add to the growing body of evidence of how BLC with Cysview can improve the detection and management of bladder cancer in various patient populations.

Key activities during the AUA 2017 meeting include:

Friday May 12: 1 to 3PM ET - BCEC room 252 Poster session MP15-02: Blue Light Cystoscopy for the diagnosis of Urothelial Bladder Cancer: results from a prospective multicenter registry.



Sunday May 14: 2 PM ET - BCEC Ballroom: Surgical Techniques: Endoscopic Diagnosis and Transurethral Resection of Superficial Bladder Cancer 3 PM ET - BCEC Ballroom: PPTLBA-02: Late-Breaking Abstract - Blue Light Flexible Cystoscopy (BLFC(TM)) with Hexaminolevulinate (HAL) and White Light Flexible Cystoscopy: A Prospective, Comparative, Within-Patient Controlled Multi-Center Phase 3 Study in the Detection of Bladder Cancer during Surveillance. http://www.jurology.com/article/S0022-5347(17)39292-3/abstract 1 PM to 5 PM ET - Westin Waterfront, Douglass Room - Urological Society of American Veterans (USAV) meeting and program. During the meeting, there will be a panel discussion that will include BLC with Cysview cases from the Veterans Administration Medical Centers.



Photocure will be exhibiting BLC(TM) with Cysview in Booth 1109 during the AUA 2017 meeting.

About Bladder Cancer

Bladder cancer is the fifth most commonly diagnosed cancer in the US and is the fourth most common cancer found in men in the US(1, 2, 3). In 2016, it is estimated that 76,960 new cases of bladder cancer will occur along with 16,390 deaths due to bladder cancer. Risk factors for bladder cancer include advancing age, cigarette smoking, occupational exposure to dyes, tar, rubber and solvent, chronic bladder irritation and infections, and prior diagnosis of bladder cancer. Bladder cancer is one of the most expensive cancers to manage, accounting for approximately $3.7 billion in direct costs each year(4, 5).

Bladder cancer is classified into two types, non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) and muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC), depending on the depth of invasion in the bladder wall(6). NMIBC is still in the inner layer of cells. These cancers are the most common (75%) of all BC cases and include the subtypes Ta, carcinoma in situ (CIS) and T1 lesions. MIBC is when the cancer has grown into deeper layers of the bladder wall. These cancers, including subtypes T2, T3 and T4, are more likely to spread and are harder to treat(7).Hexvix/Cysview (hexaminolevulinate hydro-chloride) is an optical imaging agent used in the diagnosis and management of non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer. It is designed to selectively target malignant cells in the bladder and induce fluorescence during a cystoscopic procedure using a blue light enabled cystoscope. Using Hexvix/Cysview as an adjunct to standard white light cystoscopy enables the urologist to better detect and remove lesions, leading to a reduced risk of recurrence.is the tradename in Europe,in US and Canada. Hexvix is marketed and sold by Photocure in the Nordic countries and in the US with the trade name Cysview. Photocure has a strategic partnership with Ipsen for the commercialization of Hexvix in Europe, excluding the Nordic region. Please refer to https://www.photocure.com/Partnering-with-Photocure/Our-partners for further information on our commercial partners.Photocure, headquartered in Oslo Norway, is a specialty pharmaceutical company focusing on urology. Based on its unique proprietary Photocure Technology platform, Photocure is committed to developing and commercializing highly selective and minimally invasive solutions to improve health outcomes for patients worldwide. The company is listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange (OSE: PHO). Information about Photocure is available at www.photocure.com.KARL STORZ Endoscopy-America, Inc., is an affiliate of KARL STORZ GmbH & Co. KG, an international leader for more than 70 years in reusable endoscope technology, encompassing all endoscopic specialties. Based in Tuttlingen, Germany, KARL STORZ GmbH & Co. KG is a family-owned company that designs, engineers, manufactures, and markets all its products with an emphasis on visionary design, precision craftsmanship and clinical effectiveness. For more information, call (800) 421-0837 or visit the company's website at www.karlstorz.com.Kjetil HestdalPresident and CEO, Photocure ASATel: + 47 91319535Email: mailto:kh@photocure.noErik DahlChief Financial OfficerTel: +47 450 55 000Email: ed@photocure.noMedia Relations:Emily DellMCS Healthcare Public RelationsTel: +1 908 234 9900Email: emilyd@mcspr.com1 SEER Cancer Statistics Factsheets: Bladder Cancer. National Cancer Institute. Bethesda, MD. http://seer.cancer.gov/statfacts/html/urinb.html. Accessed April 2016.2 Bladder Cancer. American Cancer Society. http://www.cancer.org/acs/groups/cid/documents/webcontent/003085-pdf.pdf. Accessed April 2016.3 Hall M, Chang S, Dalbagni G et al. Guideline for the Management of Nonmuscle Invasive Bladder Cancer (Stages Ta, T1, and Tis): 2007 Update. J Urol. 2007;178 (6):2314-2330.4 Avritscher EB et al., Clinical model of lifetime cost of treating bladder cancer and associated complications. Urology. 2006; 68:549-553.5 Botteman et al. Clinical model of lifetime costs of treating bladder cancer: a comprehensive review of the published literature. Pharmacoeconomics. 2003; 21:315-1330.6 Bladder Cancer. American Cancer Society. http://www.cancer.org/acs/groups/cid/documents/webcontent/003085-pdf.pdf. Accessed April 2016.7 Bladder Cancer. American Cancer Society. http://www.cancer.org/acs/groups/cid/documents/webcontent/003085-pdf.pdf. Accessed April 2016.

This information is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to section 5-12 of the Norwegian Securities Trading Act.
French English

Paris, 26 April 2017 (6.00 p.m.)

CONTINUED GROWTH IN Q1 2017: GROSS PROFIT UP 4.2% LFL

16th consecutive quarter of business growth

Q1 2017 1 gross profit of 20.38 M, up 4.5% on a reported basis and 4.2% LFL 2 .

Strong growth in digital business: Q1 LFL up 10.2%.

Strong growth in France: Q1 LFL up 12.4%.

Decline in Belgium: Q1 LFL down 12.2%.

2017 guidance confirmed

Growth in gross profit of more than 4% LFL.

Growth in adjusted operating margin (adjusted headline PBIT/gross profit)3 of equal to or greater than 50 bp.

( M) 2017 2016 Reported 2016 LFL2 2017/2016

Reported change Change

2017/2016 LFL2 Q1 Gross Profit1 20.38 19.51 19.56 +4.5% +4.2%

1 Unaudited data.

2 Like for like: Based on a comparable scope (i.e. including CapitalData over three months in 2016 and 2017) and at constant exchange rates (i.e. applying the average exchange rate over the period to data from the compared period).

3 Adjusted headline profit before interest & tax: recurring operating income before restructuring costs and excluding the cost of performance share plans. Adjusted operating margin: Adjusted headline PBIT/Gross profit.

Didier Chabassieu, Chairman of the Management Board, stated, "After very strong growth in 2016, and despite a decline in offline business in Belgium, the Group continued its organic growth. Thanks to Digital, HighCo began its fifth consecutive year of business growth. This performance confirms our strategy of maintaining our investments in data and mobile, which will be our growth drivers."



GROUP GROWTH DRIVEN BY DIGITAL BUSINESS

With like-for-like growth of 10.2% in Q1 2017, Digital business continues to drive the Group's organic growth. The share of digital in total Group business increased from 43.1% in Q1 2016 (excluding the United Kingdom) to 45.8% in Q1 2017. Offline businesses fell slightly over the quarter (down 0.4% like for like). Based on this performance, the Group posted a 16th consecutive quarter of business growth, with an increase of 4.5% on a reported basis and 4.2% like for like to 20.38 M in Q1 2017.

CONTINUED POSITIVE TREND IN FRANCE BUT DECLINE IN BELGIUM

Up 12.4% like for like, France turned in a strong performance in Q1 2017 with gross profit of 14.42 M, representing 70.7% of the Group's gross profit. The share of digital business came out at 51.2% over the period.

International gross profit fell 11.4% like for like to 5.96 M in Q1 2017, i.e. 29.3% of the Group's gross profit, as a result of the challenges met in Belgium. With gross profit of 5.64 M, Benelux was down 12.2% like for like over the quarter. Belgium suffered from the drop in the volume of paper coupons cleared and the decline in offline in-store media. In contrast, businesses in Southern Europe (Spain and Italy) continued on their upward trend, with like-for-like growth of 6.1% in the first quarter. This region now accounts for 1.6% of the Group's gross profit.

2017 GUIDANCE CONFIRMED

Given the performance reported in the first quarter and the outlook expected for the months to come, the Group has confirmed its guidance for 2017:

Growth in 2017 gross profit of more than 4% like for like (2016 gross profit: up 11.8% like for like);

Increase in adjusted headline PBIT 3 equal to or greater than 6% (adjusted 2016 headline PBIT: 14.10 M);

Rise in adjusted operating margin equal to or greater than 50 bp (2016 adjusted operating margin: 17.4%).

2016 ANNUAL REPORT AND 2017 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

HighCo's 2016 Annual Report was filed with the Autorite des Marches Financiers (French financial markets authority) on 13 April 2017. The report is delivered as the Group's registration document and is available on HighCo's website (www.highco.com), under Finance>Regulated Information>Annual Report.

The Annual General Meeting will be held at the Group's head office in Aix-en-Provence on 22 May 2017. A dividend of 0.12 per share for FY 2016 will be proposed at the meeting, with payment scheduled for 6 June 2017 (ex-dividend date of 2 June 2017).

About HighCo

Since its creation, HighCo has placed innovation at the heart of its values, offering its clients - brands and retailers - Intelligent Marketing Solutions to influence shopper behaviour with the right deal, in the right place, at the right time and on the right channel.

Listed in compartment C of Euronext Paris, and eligible for the "long only" DSS, HighCo has more than 700 employees and since 2010 has been included in the Gaia Index, a selection of 70 responsible Small and Mid Caps.

Your contacts

Cecile Collina-Hue Cynthia Lerat

Managing Director Press Relations

+33 1 77 75 65 06 +33 1 77 75 65 16

comfi@highco.com c.lerat@highco.com

Upcoming events

Publications take place after market close .

Q2 and H1 2017 Gross Profit: Wednesday, 19 July 2017

2017 Half-year Earnings: Wednesday, 30 August 2017

Conference call on 2017 half-year earnings: Thursday, 31 August 2017

Q3 and 9-month YTD 2017 Gross Profit: Wednesday, 18 October 2017

Q4 and FY 2017 Gross Profit: Wednesday, 24 January 2018

HighCo is a component stock of the indices CAC Small (CACS), CAC Mid&Small (CACMS) and CAC All-Tradable (CACT).

ISIN: FR0000054231

Reuters: HIGH.PA

Bloomberg: HCO FP

For further financial information and press releases, go to www.highco.com
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Staff who worked at Gloucestershire homecare provider Cleeve Link have allegedly been put out on the streets due to confusion over who should pay for their unpaid work.

Dozens of staff who used to work for the Cheltenham-based care company, which suddenly went into liquidation in March, say they have still not been paid their February wages or given their redundancy pay.

New providers have since taken on Cleeve Link's staff and clients and Gloucestershire County Council is investigating the circumstances behind the care provider's collapse, which left 500 vulnerable people at risk.

Carers who are now working for the new providers say they now face uncertainty over who should pay for their unpaid work in February.

The Government's Insolvency Service has told one carer it is the responsibility of the new providers to pay the money they are owed - but one provider has said this is not the case.

Senior carer Sandra Moldovan, who now works with Evesham-based TLC Home Care Services, says she has not been paid since February and she has been contacted by many former Cleeve Link staff across Gloucestershire in the same position.

She said: "Some girls have been thrown on the streets because they can't pay the rent for two months. Some don't even have money to go home to their country.

"It was not an easy life in Cleeve Link, but to do this now is outrageous."

The Insolvency Service has told one carer that the part of Cleeve Link's business they worked in was transferred to TLC Home Care before Cleeve Link collapsed - meaning their new employer was liable for the debts.

But Peter Davidson, partner in TLC Home Care, said there was no 'transfer of undertakings' from Cleeve Link and his company simply took on the company's workload in the area.

He said: "The Insolvency Service has contacted us and we have responded outlining what the situation is.

"We didn't take over anything from Cleeve Link apart from the workload. There was no transfer of responsibility over paying anything else.

"It's disappointing that the management of a company like Cleeve Link are prepared to treat staff that way."

Radis Community Care took over Cleeve Link's staff and clients in the Forest of Dean.

Gloucestershire Live has seen emails from one Radis employee claiming they too have not been paid their February wages.

Mike Padgham, Radis director of communications, said: "Cleeve Link were obliged to pay the staff from the income they received for the work the staff did. Cleeve Link did not pay their staff and it is a credit to their staff that they worked without pay to continue to support Cleeve Links Service Users."





Mr Padgham said Radis has paid or agreed to pay all staff in the Gloucestershire area for their unpaid work with Cleeve Link and is actively dealing with any queries the staff have as it gets them.

He added: "We are currently exploring any other options available to us to determine what further support and recompense we can offer our new staff members.



"If any staff are concerned about these issues raised we would ask them to contact their immediate line manager who will assist them."

Gloucestershire County Council says it worked with Cleeve Link in the period before it went into liquidation to ensure that a payment was made to all staff to ensure continuity of care - and a message to all Cleeve Link staff on March 6 outlined this.

Mark Branton, deputy director of adult social care at the authority, added: "Those staff who left Cleeve Link and did not provide care during this time did not receive a payment.

The council also made sure there was support available for staff who continued to provide care with a dedicated 24 hour hotline for any concerns, including fuel and concerns about money. Once again, wed like to thank all those who continued to provide care during this time.

The Insolvency Service said it "cannot comment on any matters relating to this or any case during pre-election purdah," but confirmed a liquidator, Nedim Patrick Ailyan of Kent, was appointed on March 17.
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TK Maxx and Smyths Toy Store are just a couple of the latest big shop names that have flocked to Gloucester.

The introduction of the Quays has acted like a magnet, attracting a wide range of well-known restaurants and shops

But there is always room for more. Would you like to see one of the following?

Za Za Bazaar

Offering a world cuisine buffet experience, customers can sample dishes from India, America, Italy, China and even more. The nearest restaurant is in Bristol, and we would rather avoid the M5 if we can.

Tiger

The Danish shop popped up in Gloucester at Christmas, but has not yet returned permanently. The store is a treasure trove of quirky gifts, homeware, food and more.

Jack Wills

Cheltenham has one, so why not Gloucester? The British-based retailer offers trendy takes on classic fashions for men and women.

Ikea

The nearest Ikea is in Bristol and there have long been calls for a store in the city of Gloucester. There are no signs of the Swedish giants moving to the city yet but it would be a major boost.

Brewdog

Gloucester is a beer-friendly city and Brewdog would be welcomed with open arms. The Scottish company serve some fantastic beers and they would add a lot to the nightlife of Gloucester.

Lego

The nearest Lego store is in Cardiff, a long way to go for all your Lego needs. People young and old like the Danish bricks, they would be hugely popular in the city.

Disney

Once again the closest store is in Cardiff. The Disney stores in Cheltenham and Bristol have closed recently. Gloucester needs a store, where else would people buy Frozen costumes.

Apple

Everybody seems to have an iPhone or an iPad these days, wouldn't it be great if we had an Apple store so we could speak to the company directly, without having to wait for items to be sent away?

Zara

Zara has become more and more popular in recent years, especially among guys with the shop's menswear range being dramatically improved.
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Tucked away in a quiet corner of Cheltenham is one of the town's smallest restuarants but don't be fooled by the tiny space, Petit Coco is serving up big flavours.

We went along to try it out.

I walked past Petit Coco twice. The first time I was totally oblivious, the second time a lorry blocked my view of the blink and you'll miss it entrance to a narrow staircase leading you to the restaurant.

Step inside and Regency Cheltenham is left behind and you enter a little basement in the 17th or 16th androissment. Hand drawn menus on chalk boards, black and white photos and a faint, hunger inducing whiff of garlic.

My date for the evening, Gloucestershire Live Young Food Blogger of the Year Lucienne Simpson had recommended Petit Coco and her Insta pics of a previous visit had convinced me.

Lucienne went for the mushroom filled crepes to start, a simple dish of smooth tastes and delicate thin crepes.

My starter was the Comte souffle, oozing with creaminess but so light.

I could climb into that souffle and live happily in there for the rest of my days. Light, smooth and deeply cheesy it was a perfect antidote to any form of clean eating.

Lucienne's lamb main course came in a cute skillet, with vibrant pools of green vegetables but we both gasped at my pork belly dish.

Served on silky soft potato with a punchy sausage this was big, bold comfort food, crisp skin, juicy meat and a simple dish cooked to perfection.

Whilst not the cheapest eat in town, this is the sort of place which you dream of having as a neighbourhood restaurant.

If you want French food for mass catering there are several places to choose from in Cheltenham, if you want French bistro food made with care and love then head to Bath Street. Just be careful you don't walk past.

What we ate

Crepe aux champignons 6.95

Comte souffle 6.25

Pork Belly 17.95

Lamb 16.95

Carafe of vin blanc 6.95

Total: 54.45

Who is Petit Coco for?

Dates or mates for this little bistro. It would make a very intimate setting for a date night treat or a catch up with friends over a bottle of wine.

Value for money

Pricier than the chain French names in Cheltenham but Petit Coco is truly authentic. Share a starter for a cheaper option. The wine is affordable and available in different sized carafes as well as full bottles.
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Jone Qovu Nailiko has been suspended for two weeks for his punch on Gloucesters Richard Hibbard.

The La Rochelle second row has been suspended for two weeks following an independent Disciplinary Hearing in Paris today (Wednesday, 26 April) arising from his club's European Rugby Challenge Cup semi-final against Gloucester Rugby at Stade Marcel Deflandre.

Nailiko was cited by the match Citing Commissioner, Alberto Recaldini (Italy), for striking the Gloucester player, Richard Hibbard, in the 45th minute of the match in contravention of Law 10.4 (a).

Law 10.4 (a) Striking another player with the hand, arm or fist: Under World Rugby's Sanctions for Foul Play, Law 10.4 (a), striking with the hand, arm or fist, carries the following sanction entry points - Low End: 2 weeks; Mid-range: 4 weeks; Top end: 8 to 52 weeks.

An independent Disciplinary Committee consisting of Kathrine Mackie (Scotland) Chair, Jeremy Summers (England) and Jean-Noel Couraud (France), heard evidence and submissions from Nailiko, who pleaded guilty to the offence, from the La Rochelle legal representative, Christian Chevalier, and from the EPCR Disciplinary Officer, Liam McTiernan.

The Committee upheld the citing complaint and determined that the offence had warranted a red card. The Committee found that the offence was at the low end of World Rugby's sanctions and selected two weeks as the appropriate entry point.

While there were no aggravating factors, the Committee decided that no mitigation could be offered due to the player's previous disciplinary record. Nailiko was therefore suspended for two weeks and is free to play on Monday, 8 May.

Both the player and EPCR have the right to appeal the decision.
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Comedian David Mitchell could return to Stroud, this time with Robert Webb for more filming on a new show, it is believed.

After one half of the comic duo filmed a pilot for Channel 4's Back in the town this time last year, Robert Webb could join him as a six episode series has been commissioned.

Actor Keith Allen said he had been told the series will be filmed in the town, when he revealed how he, Lotte Lyster and Tom De Brabant are breathing new life in to the Marshall Rooms nightclub.

Acting is all suspended for the moment for me," said Keith. They are filming the next Mitchell and Webb and it could be filmed here. So I might be working here as David Mitchell's dad," he laughed.

He said he has spoken with a producer of the show, who he said lives locally.

In April last year David Mitchell filmed at various locations in Stroud, including the Swan Inn, King Street, the cemetery and Bedford Street.

It followed several TV and film productions in the Stroud district in recent years, including BBC TV's The Casual Vacancy, Cider With Rosie and Wolf Hall.

Last November Channel Four confirmed that a full series of Back will be filmed in 2017.

Written by Emmy-award winning Simon Blackwell (Veep, In The Loop, Peep Show), it follows the story of Stephen (David Mitchell) whose father, a local legend and pub landlord, so Stephen takes over the pub. Mum Ellen and sister Cass have no interest in the family business - they're 'creative', with cannabis to buy and energy-centres to rebalance.

When the charming Andrew (Robert Webb) turns up out of the blue at his dad's funeral, Stephen's plans go awry. Charismatic Andrew has lived in Sydney, Amsterdam, Chicago, the Loire valley and Berlin but crucially, spent five formative months in 1989 fostered by Laurie and Ellen as a 15-year-old. To Stephen, Andrew was just one of a string of 30-odd foster kids who he spent his childhood resenting. But Andrew remembers every single detail and sees that time as the most important of his life.

Stephen thinks he's a glib, dangerous sociopath who's about to steal his family, his business and his life.

David Mitchell said: It's great to be making a new show for Channel 4, a broadcaster which has always been huge supporter of new comedy, and with a writer of Simon Blackwell's talent. And, in Simon Blackwell, we've found a writer of precisely Simon Blackwell's talent. His writing is deep, dark, warm and funny  like a hot tub brimming with laughing gravy."

Robert Webb added: "That sounds disgusting."

Writer Simon Blackwell said: "I always jump at the chance of writing for Robert and David. They are brilliant comic actors - funny and real. I can't wait for us to start making this."

Fiona McDermott, Commissioning Editor for Comedy, said: David and Robert are part of the Channel 4 comedy family and it's wonderful to welcome them back, in Back, with the brilliant Simon Blackwell at the helm. 

Kenton Allen, CEO Big Talk Productions added : "Good things come to those that wait and BACK is absolute proof of this. Simon, David and Robert are the Holy Trinity of British Comedy and it's a rare privilege to be working with such exceptional comic minds."

Back has been commissioned for Channel 4 by Phil Clarke, Acting Head of Drama and Head of Comedy and Commissioning Editor for Comedy, Fiona McDermott. It is a That Mitchell & Webb Company production in association with Big Talk Productions. Kenton Allen, David Mitchell, Robert Webb & Simon Blackwell are Executive Producers. International Distribution is with BBC Worldwide. Big Talk is a part of ITV Studios.
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A trainee nurse who went missing two weeks ago has been reportedly seen in Lydney.

Police are growing increasingly concerned for the welfare of Anna Lewis, 27, who was last seen leaving Southmead Hospital in Bristol on Thursday, April 13.

She was captured on CCTV leaving the hospital grounds at 12.15am.

Officers believe Anna headed towards Avon Way and Kingsholm Road in the city.

The University of West England (UWE) student, from Bristol, has not been touch with family or friends since April 12.

She is described as white, about 5ft 5in tall, of slim build, with brown eyes and long dark brown hair  often worn in a low ponytail.

Twenty sightings have been reported to police.

Anna has previously gone on lone camping trips without telling anyone, so enquiries are focusing on places she's been before including Scotland, Devon and Cornwall.

She has experience of spending nights sleeping outside, including in wooded areas.

DI Roger Doxsey, from Avon and Somerset Constabulary, said:"We're grateful to everyone who has phoned in with information and potential sightings so far.

"We'll follow up every line of enquiry including the potential sightings in Gloucestershire.

"Specialist officers will continue with targeted searches today in the north and central Bristol area and we're also continuing to collect and review CCTV footage which may show where Anna went after leaving Southmead Hospital on Thursday 13 April.

"As we've previously said, Anna has gone on camping trips on her own without telling anyone before and she also has experience of spending nights sleeping outside, including in wooded areas.

"We're keeping Anna's parents informed of our progress and offering them any support they may need at this very concerning time."
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Two Gloucester men suffered horrific abuse at the hands of drug dealers they had tried to rob before one of them was stabbed to death, a court has heard.

A jury heard addicts Paul Pass and Mark Andrews were dragged to Mr Pass flat in Maryam Court by Rezwan Islam, 19, and a 17-year-old from London who sought revenge after they had tried to steal money and drugs from them.

At the flat the dealers are alleged to have forced Mr Andrews to drink urine and washing up liquid before stabbing him in the hand and leg in the incident on October 7, the jury heard.

The trial has also heard that Mr Pass had his guitar smashed on his head before being stabbed in the leg which cut an artery, causing him to bleed to death.

Barrister Adam Vaitilingam opened the prosecutions case against Islam, from Derby Road in Gloucester, and the 17-year-old, who cannot be named because of his age, at Bristol Crown Court this morning who both face a host of charges including murder.

Mr Vaitilingam told the jury Mr Pass, 49, had seen his flat taken over by the two dealers to use it to sell heroin and cocaine.

They paid him in drugs for letting them stay there. He would also work as a drug runner for the defendants, he said.

It was obvious to some of his friends they were taking serious advantage of him. He was not even allowed a key to his own flat.

Some of his friends decided to go to the flat and steal from these defendants on October 6. They took weapons and they got into the flat with Paul Pass who persuaded them to let them in.

They stole drugs and they stole money while the 17-year-old and Islam barricaded themselves in the kitchen. They went back to Mark Andrews flat nearby at the Dukeries.

But of course that wasnt the end of it. The defendants went out onto the street shortly after and they wanted revenge.

They wanted their drugs back and their money back and they were willing to use violence to get it.

Mr Vaitilingam told the jury that two of the robbers, Gary Cole and Nick Edwardson, where chased and attacked that night. Mr Cole left unconscious and with a broken cheekbone.

He also says Islam would later the same night follow another robber Clint Thomas to the Jet petrol station in London Road before attacking him and stealing a bag from him.

The prosecution allege the next day Islam arranged to meet Mr Pass and Mr Andrews for a drug deal at Sainsburys in Northgate Street but set upon them with his friends and frogmarched them back to Mr Pass flat off of Archdeacon Street against their will.

Mr Vaitilingam said: You can imagine the atmosphere in the flat. The two men are angry, they want their drugs back.

They threaten them, they demand to know where the drugs and money are. They begin to use violence and bullying.

Mr Andrews is made to drink urine and washing up liquid. He is stabbed in the hand and the leg.

They told them they didnt know here the drugs were but it did not have any effect on their attackers.

They smashed Paul Pass guitar on his head. He is then stabbed in the leg. It hits an artery which causes catastrophic blood loss.

They make a half-hearted attempt at a tourniquet, they do not call 999 and they leave. They even call Mr Pass friend and say your mate is bleeding out on the floor.

The jury were told Mr Andrews left the flat and called 999 but by the time paramedics arrived Mr Pass had died.

The first witness Michael Wilkins, Paul pass friend and flat mate will continue to give evidence this afternoon.

The jury has also been informed that the 17-year-old from London has pleaded guilty to manslaughter of Paul Pass, GBH of Mark Andrews and two drugs charges.

Another previous defendant Bilal Moosajee has pleaded guilty to kidnapping Paul Pass and Mark Andrews.

THE CHARGES

Rezwan Islam

Profile: 19, Derby Road, Gloucester

Charges:

Murder of Paul Pass

Section 18 GBH wounding with intent against Mark Andrews

GBH against Mark Andrews

Kidnap of Paul Pass

Kidnap of Mark Andrews

Section 18 GBH wounding with intent against Gary Cole

Robbery of Clinton Thomas

Supply of Class A drugs cocaine

Supply of Class A drugs diamorphine

Bilal Moosajee

Profile: 19 and of Podsmead Road, Gloucester

Charges:

Kidnap of Paul Pass (Pleaded guilty)

Kidnap of Mark Andrews (Pleaded guilty)

17-year-old from Woolwich in London

Profile: Cannot be identified because of his age

Charges:

Section 18 GBH wounding with intent against Mark Andrews

Section 18 GBH wounding with intent against Gary Cole

Manslaughter of Paul Pass (pleaded guilty)

Committing GBH against Mark Andrews (pleaded guilty)

Supply of Class A drugs cocaine (pleaded guilty)

Supply of Class A drugs diamorphine (pleaded guilty)

17-year-old from Gloucester

Profile: Cannot be identified because of his age

Charge:

Assisting an offender

WhatsApp

Gloucestershire Live will be following the trial through the coming weeks and will be publishing details as they come in via its WhatsApp channel.

It will provide up to the minute developments in the case as well as help explain the technical elements of a criminal trial.

If you would like to receive these messages on your WhatsApp simply save number 07816 996213 as a contact on your phone.

Next send a message expressing interest in the group by messaging "PAUL" via WhatsApp.

It may take some time to add you to the messaging group so do not worry if you do not see updates straight away.

We hope to send between three and five posts a day but this may vary depending on how court is proceeding.

If you no longer want to receive the messages send "STOP PAUL".
Pittsylvania County taxpayers will now have another way to pay their tax bills  by going to American National Bank.

Due to construction at the Pittsylvania County Courthouse to make it more secure, there have been questions raised about how those with physical limitations will be able to best pay their bills. A pilot program was conceived by the treasurers office to make paying taxes easier this year.

The new security entrance is going to place yet another obstacle before the taxpayer to get into our office, so we were looking for more ways to branch out into the community, Treasurer Vincent Shorter said. They [American National Bank] already have the county accounts and it makes for an easier transition.

American National was chosen because it has the largest number of banks throughout the county and county accounts were already in use.

From a security standpoint, its better, because we dont have to transport money physically to a bank, Shorter said. Its beneficial to the bank that the deposits are being made in real time. This was a natural progression to take the next step to be more customer friendly.

Taxpayers do not have to be customers at American National, they just have to bring the coupon portion at the bottom of any bill sent directly from the county into one of the branches offering this service.

The participating branches are: Main (Danville), NorDan, Airport, Piedmont Drive, Chatham, Gretna, South Boston, Martinsville, Collinsville, Ridgeway and South Lake.

There is no extra fee for this service  for either the county or the taxpayer. However, the bank employees will not be able to answer questions about the bills being paid. People with questions should direct those to the Treasurers Office in the Pittsylvania County Courthouse.
MARTINSVILLE-More jobs are coming to Henry County, as Applied Felts announced plans Tuesday to expand its local operation.

The companys 21,000-square foot facility, which is housed in the North Bowles Industrial Park, will undergo a $3 million expansion and add two new lines of equipment. Carl Fleming, the companys financial controller, said this will help Applied Felts meet a growing demand for its pipe liners.

Applied Felts makes liners, mostly for sewer pipes, using Cured in Place Pipe technology. CIPP involves felt liners being injected with resin and cured inside existing pipe. The companys customers include large and small contractors, municipalities and entities in between.

As part of the $3 million expansion, the company will add 15 new jobs, bringing the total employed at the plan to 150. Fleming said in a statement that he expects that one of the new lines will be operational in the next few months, with the second up and running by the fall.

To help with the project, Applied Felts will receive $52,897 over five years from the Henry County Enterprise Zone Fund and $35,000 from the Tobacco Region Revitalization Commission.

Its great to watch a successful business expand and offer more jobs in our region, said Del. Danny Marshall, a member of the Tobacco Commission board. The company's $3 million investment in building expansion and machinery for increased production is an important investment in our community because it provides more jobs.

Marshall said he and the other commission members appreciated the fact Applied Felts chose to expand its local line and wished the company success. Those comments were echoed by other local leaders.

We congratulate Applied Felts on its expansion, said Jim Adams, Chairman of the Henry County Board of Supervisors. The company is one of our most solid corporate citizens, and we look forward to its continued success. We are blessed to have the company in Henry County.

Applied Felts is a subsidiary of the W.E. Rawson Group, which was founded in the United Kingdom in 1865 and manufactures textiles for a number of applications. In 1997, Applied Felts expanded to the United States with its manufacturing plant in Henry County.

The company helped create the CIPP process and now is an international leader in supplying liners for customers worldwide.

As Applied Felts continues to grow and expand its Henry County operations it is a testament to the companies strong position in a unique global market, said Mark Heath, President/CEO of the Martinsville-Henry County EDC. We look forward to their continued success.
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.
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TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - April 25, 2017) -

NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION IN THE UNITED STATES OR OVER UNITED STATES WIRE SERVICES

Red Pine Exploration Inc. (TSX VENTURE:RPX) (the "Company") announces it has agreed to settle certain obligations (the "Debt") incurred by Augustine Ventures Inc. ("Augustine") to former directors of Augustine prior to becoming a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company through the issuance of common shares of the Company (the "Common Shares").

Effective April 25, 2017, the Company and the former Augustine directors entered into debt settlement agreements which provides that the aggregate amount of the Debt owed by Augustine is $272,256.04 and will be settled by the issuance of 2,268,802 common shares of the Company at a deemed price of $0.12 per Common Share (the "Shares for Debt Transaction"). The issuance of the Common Shares is subject to the receipt of all applicable regulatory approvals, including the TSX Venture Exchange. The Common Shares to be issued pursuant to the Shares for Debt Transaction will be subject to a four-month hold period.

More information about the Company can be found at www.sedar.com.

About Red Pine Exploration Inc.

Red Pine Exploration Inc. is a gold and base-metals exploration company headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Company's common shares trade on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol "RPX".

Red Pine has a 60% interest in the Wawa Gold Project with Citabar LLP. holding the remaining 40% interest. Red Pine is the Operating Manager of the Project and is focused on expanding the existing gold resource on the property.

Forward Looking Information

This News Release contains forward-looking statements. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as "may", "should", "expects", "plans", "anticipates", "believes", "estimates", "predicts", "potential" or "continue" or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology. These statements are only predictions and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our or our industry's actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements.

Although the Company believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing the forward-looking information in this news release are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on such information, which only applies as of the date of this news release. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, other than as required by law.

For more information about the Company and the project visit www.redpineexp.com.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
VANCOUVER, April 26, 2017 - MGX Minerals Inc. ("MGX" or the "Company") (CSE: XMG / FKT: 1MG / OTC: MGXMF) has filed a technical report (the "Report") on SEDAR related to the environmental treatment and recovery of lithium from oil industry wastewaters and continued development of its technology portfolio. The report is now available for viewing under the Company's profile at www.sedar.com.

As previously announced, MGX and PurLucid Treatment Solutions ("PurLucid) are developing brine treatment and lithium recovery technologies that provide superior performance while meeting a broad spectrum of treatment needs. The technology suite complements existing MGX technologies (U.S. Provisional Patent #62/419,011) (see press release dated March 6,2017).

The independent engineering group Saskatchewan Research Council ("SRC") recently validated the rapid recovery technology results (see press release dated April 20, 2017) from Phase 1 testing by Dr. McEachern. Phase II bench top testing commenced in February with new brine pre-treatment and concentration designs. The new design incorporates PurLucid's proprietary filtration technology and process optimization tools. In four consecutive bench-scale trials, lithium was successfully concentrated by more than 25-fold and the resulting brines contained far fewer impurities (notably calcium, magnesium, boron and sodium) that impede subsequent production of lithium solids. MGX plans to conduct a second round of independent testing with SRC once the upgraded design process is finalized.

Example results from Phase II testing are shown in the table below. Step 1 permeate demonstrates the limited lithium loss during initial environmental treatment (deoiling and scale reduction) of oilfield brines for reuse.

Units Sturg. Raw Step 1 permeate Concentrate 1 Concentrate 4 Total Aluminum (Al) mg/L 0.97 0.030 10 1.3 Total Barium (Ba) mg/L 10 8.6 1.7 0.94 Total Boron (B) mg/L 110 100 3.7 6.0 Total Calcium (Ca) mg/L 23000 17000 370 420 Total Lithium (Li) mg/L 67 65 1600 1951 Total Magnesium (Mg) mg/L 2800 5.7 13 40 Total Potassium (K) mg/L 4500 4400 12 8.8 Total Sodium (Na) mg/L 57000 61000 68 49 Total Strontium (Sr) mg/L 840 780 30 23 Total Sulphur (S) mg/L 96 89 6.9 9.9

The report further discusses the recovery of lithium solids which are currently undergoing analysis for purity and crystallinity by x-ray diffraction and energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy.

Also discussed in the report are on-going trials in oil industry wastewater treatment and the suitability of these waters as sources for subsequent lithium recovery. Excellent results have been achieved in oil removal (>99%) from waters with free and emulsified oil concentrations as high as 20,000 mg/L. Silica and other scale forming ions have been removed across a range of industrial brines making these waters suitable for further processing in lithium recovery and/or for reuse in the oil industry.

Sample chain of custody was managed by Roy Eccles (M.Sc., P. Geo.), a qualified person under National Instrument (N.I.) 43-101 Standards, and Dr. Preston McEachern, CEO of PurLucid. Samples were submitted to Maxxam Analytical Labs ("Maxxam") for ICP-ES analysis. Maxxam is an independent, ISO-certified analytical laboratory.

Qualified Person

The technical portions of this press release were prepared by Dr. Preston McEachern, CEO of PurLucid Treatment Solutions Inc., and have been reviewed by Andris Kikauka (P. Geo.), Vice President of Exploration for MGX Minerals. Mr. Kikauka is a non-independent Qualified Person within the meaning of National Instrument (N.I.) 43-101 Standards.

MGX may decide to advance its petrolithium projects into production without first establishing mineral resources supported by an independent technical report or completing a feasibility study. A production decision without the benefit of a technical report independently establishing mineral resources or reserves and any feasibility study demonstrating economic and technical viability creates increased uncertainty and heightens economic and technical risks of failure. Historically, such projects have a much higher risk of economic or technical failure.

About MGX Minerals

MGX Minerals is a diversified Canadian mining company engaged in the development of large-scale industrial mineral portfolios in western Canada and the United States. The Company operates lithium, magnesium and silicon projects throughout British Columbia and Alberta as well as petrolithium exploration in Utah. Learn more at www.mgxminerals.com.

About SRC

The Saskatchewan Research Council (SRC) is one of Canada's leading providers of applied research, development and demonstration (RD&D) and technology commercialization. With more than 375 employees, $70 million in annual revenue and over 69 years of RD&D experience, SRC provides products and services to its 1,500 clients in 20 countries around the world.

Contact Information

Jared Lazerson

President and CEO

Telephone: 1.604.681.7735

Web: www.mgxminerals.com

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking information or forward-looking statements including the completion of the rights offering (collectively "forward-looking information") within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking information is typically identified by words such as: "believe", "expect", "anticipate", "intend", "estimate", "potentially" and similar expressions, or are those, which, by their nature, refer to future events. The Company cautions investors that any forward-looking information provided by the Company is not a guarantee of future results or performance, and that actual results may differ materially from those in forward-looking information as a result of various factors. The reader is referred to the Company's public filings for a more complete discussion of such risk factors and their potential effects which may be accessed through the Company's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.

Copyright (c) 2017 TheNewswire - All rights reserved.


Scheduled for 11am EST on Wednesday, April 26

HENDERSON, NEVADA--(Marketwired - Apr 26, 2017) - Oroplata Resources Inc. (OTC PINK:ORRP), (www.lithortech.com), a lithium resource exploration and development company, will host a conference call on Wednesday, April 26 at 11am EST.

The Company will introduce its new CEO Michael Mason and discuss its strategy and outlook for 2017. Mr. Mason is a seasoned mining executive with extensive experience worldwide in project due diligence, mine development, strategic planning, metals marketing, risk management and project financing as well as international trade and off-take agreements. He has worked on some of the world's largest deposits including the Escondida Copper project in Chile, the Olympic Dam project in Australia, La Candelaria in Chile, and the San Cristobal Mine in Bolivia. Mike has also been associated with the commissioning, evaluation and management of large smelting operations across South America, India, Korea, Mexico, Canada and the U.S.

Mr. Mason has invited four industry experts (bios below) to be on the call that are expected to lead the questioning;

Mr. Chris Berry has spent over a decade as an independent analyst with a focus on how disruptive trends in energy, strategic metals, and technology create opportunities. Mr. Berry provides strategic insights to institutional clients and has a specific focus on Energy Metals including lithium, cobalt, graphite, vanadium, and rare earths.

Chris holds a Master of Business Administration in finance with an international focus from Fordham University, and a Bachelor of Arts in international studies from The Virginia Military Institute.

Chris has over twelve years of capital markets experience on both the buy side and sell side. He has additional experience as the co-founder of a start-up for investors which dealt with "computing with words" and also co-authors The Disruptive Discoveries Journal.

Mr. Berry speaks at conferences around the world and is frequently quoted in the press providing insights around raw material supply chain dynamics.

Mr. David Riedel is the Founder and President of Riedel Research Inc. He founded the company in 2003 to produce independent, high-quality, objective research after observing a dramatic decline in the quality of equity research, especially in emerging markets.

Previously Mr. Riedel formerly served as a research analyst for over fifteen years as the Head of Thai Research and a Regional Telecommunications Analyst at Citigroup Inc (previously Salomon Brothers). His large research team at Salomon Brothers (Citygroup) covered various industries in Southeast Asia. Mr. Riedel has covered business services stocks and small-cap growth companies. He also has served as an Equity Analyst at Dutton Associates, LLC.

Mr. Richard Radez provides strategic corporate and financial advice designed to accelerate business development and growth. He is a highly experienced professional with over 40 years in the financial services and corporate advisory industry. Mr. Radez with a keen eye on the natural resource sector having visited over 400 mining properties throughout North & South America and Africa and is an expert on project due diligence.

Mr. Richard W. Radez, is a graduate of Purdue University and Wharton Business School and has been called "one of the top natural resource stock gurus in the industry today" by the Prudent Bear Fund. Mr. Radez is the founder of the Chicago Natural Resource Conference.

Mr. Thom Calandra is a journalist, author, an active investor and speaker and the founder of Thom Calandra's StockWatch, The Calandra Report, thomcalandra.com and Ticker Trax via Stockhouse. Thom typically visits 40 natural resources properties each year across Africa, the Americas, Africa, Asia and Europe.

Thom Calandra holds a master's degree in English from the University of Arizona and a bachelor's degree of arts in English literature from City University of New York at Brooklyn College.

Thom has been writing and broadcasting about investing topics for 35 years. Throughout his career he has served as the former editor-in-chief and founder of CBS MarketWatch, as a London-based columnist for Bloomberg News and was the first online financial editor of USAToday.com.

The conference call will be hosted by investor relations Hayden IR. The live conference call can be accessed by dialing (866) 682-6100 or (862) 255-5401. Participants should ask for the Oroplata Resources Conference Call. The conference call will also be available via live webcast at: http://www.investorcalendar.com/IC/CEPage.asp?ID=175891

Conference Call Details:

Date: Wednesday, April 26, 2017

Time: 11:00AM EST

Dial-in Number: (866) 682-6100

International Dial-in Number: (862) 255-5401

Webcast: http://www.investorcalendar.com/IC/CEPage.asp?ID=175891

Participants are recommended to dial-in approximately 10 minutes prior to the start of the event. A replay of the call will be available approximately two hours after completion through May 10, 2017. To listen to the replay, dial (877) 481-4010 (domestic) or (919) 882-2331 (international) and use replay ID 10355. The webcast replay will be available through July 26, 2017.

The Company's Western Nevada Basin (WBN) Project is located within Railroad Valley, in Nye County, approximately 112 miles (180 kilometers) northeast of Clayton Valley. The project is easily accessed by paved highway directly along U.S. Route 6. Railroad Valley is one of Nevada's largest trapped basins and is noted to hold all the necessary commercial and engineering prerequisites for a massive lithium brine deposit.

Oroplata Resources Inc.

Oroplata Resources Inc. (OTC PINK:ORRP), is a lithium resource exploration and development company, whose primary focus is the establishment of a low cost, long life production base to supply the currently flourishing and rapidly growing mobile device lithium-ion battery industry, as well as the burgeoning EV (electronic vehicle) industry. Oroplata is focused on becoming a substantial, profitable lithium producer via the timely development of valuable production-grade lithium brine deposits in Nevada.

For more information, check out: http://lithortech.com

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, including those with respect to the expected project economics for Western Nevada Basin (Railroad Valley), including estimates of life of mine, average production, cash costs, AISC, initial CAPEX, sustaining CAPEX, pre-tax IRR, pre-tax NPV, net cash flows and recovery rates, the impact of self-mining versus contract mining, the timing to obtain necessary permits, the submission of the project for final investment approval and the timing of initial gold production after investment approval and full financing, metallurgy and processing expectations, the mineral resource estimate, expectations regarding the ability to expand the mineral resource through future drilling, ongoing work to be conducted at the Western Nevada Basin (Railroad Valley), and the potential results of such efforts, the potential commissioning of a Pre-Feasibility study and the effects on timing of the project, are "forward-looking statements." Although the Company's management believes that such forward-looking statements are reasonable, it cannot guarantee that such expectations are, or will be, correct. These forward-looking statements involve a number of risks and uncertainties, which could cause the Company's future results to differ materially from those anticipated. Potential risks and uncertainties include, among others, interpretations or reinterpretations of geologic information, unfavorable exploration results, inability to obtain permits required for future exploration, development or production, general economic conditions and conditions affecting the industries in which the Company operates; the uncertainty of regulatory requirements and approvals; fluctuating mineral and commodity prices, final investment approval and the ability to obtain necessary financing on acceptable terms or at all. Additional information regarding the factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from these forward-looking statements is available in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended September 30, 2016. The Company assumes no obligation to update any of the information contained or referenced in this press release.
Vancouver, British Colimbia (FSCwire) - Vangold Resources Ltd. (TSXV:VAN) (OTC:VNGRF) (the "Company" or "Vangold") is pleased to announce the appointments of Mr. Mark Ashley, Mr. Hernan Dorado Smith and Mr. Cameron Scott King to the Board of Directors of Vangold.

Mr. Ashley is a successful resource executive with over 30-years experience in asset selection and optimizing mining properties for production. Vangold will be relying on Mr. Ashley to bring his in-depth knowledge of the technical, commercial, and financial aspects to the development of the El Pinguico Mine. As CEO of LionOre Mining International, Mr. Ashley led the successful takeover by Norilsk Nickel in 2007 for $6 Billion CDN. He has held senior executive roles in several internationally listed entities including Normandy Mining, Cluff Resources, Kagara Zinc and Apex Minerals. Mr. Ashley was also a director of the Australian Gold Council, the World Gold Council and a Council Member for Curtin University (in West Australian). He has significant international corporate finance experience in the mining and resource sector and has worked in China, Turkey, UK and Australia. Mr. Ashley is a registered FCMA and Graduate of Emile Woolf University, London.

Mr. Hernan Dorado Smith is a 5th generation mining engineer and possesses 15 years of underground and open pit mining experience. He has in-depth and local knowledge of the El Pinguico mine and the surrounding geological formation. Hernan has worked with several world class producers on major projects, such as, New Gold at Peak Mine, Australia and Rainy River, Canada; Panamerican Silver at Navidad, Argentina and La Preciosa, Mexico. His experience at the various stages of mining, pre-feasibility, feasibility, construction and operations bring considerable value to Vangold. Hernan graduated as a Mining Engineer from Universidad de Guanajuato in 2003, received an Executive MBA from Escuela Europea de Negocios, Salamanca in 2013, and is a member of the Mining of the Mineral and Metallurgical Society of America (MMSA).

In addition, Vangold is also pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Cameron King as a Director and Vangolds new President and CEO. Mr. King brings over 25 years experience in investment banking strategy, mergers and acquisitions and building corporate development relationships. Mr. King was a member of the Corporate Banking team with the Bank of Nova Scotia specializing in M&A and Senior VP Mid-Market Finance with Jendens Financial, London UK. Throughout Mr. King`s career, he has held director positions with Petro Novus AG, Endeavor Energy, Quest Oil and Holloman Energy Corp.. Mr. King founded the mining engineering firm Camline Mining Wear Technologies Ltd. in 1994, specializing in mineral processing, operations and efficiencies. Mr. King obtained his MBA in 1991 from Lake Superior State University, Michigan and holds a degree in Chemical Engineering and Bachelor of Commerce from McMaster University.

Mr. Dal Brynelsen has stepped down as President and CEO, but will remain as a director and Chairman of the Board. Vangold is extremely grateful for his almost 30 years of dedication to Vangold, and we will continue to rely on Dal`s guidance, experience and success. He is a founding director of Griffin Mining Limited (LSE:GFM), which is one of the few western mining companies operating China.

Mr. Keith Anderson has also resigned as director of the Company. Vangold would like to thank Mr. Keith Anderson for his continued support and wishes him the very best in his future endeavours.

Vangold Closes Non-Brokered Private Placements

The company is pleased to announce that it has closed the final tranche of its $500,000 non-brokered private placement of $0.05 units (the $0.05 Placement  see news release dated December 13, 2016) and its $500,000 non-brokered private placement of $0.09 units (the $0.09 Placement  refer news release dated February 23, 2017).

The final tranche of the $0.05 Placement consisted of 3,500,000 units at a price of $0.05 per unit for gross proceeds of $175,000 (for unit terms, see news release dated December 13, 2016). The securities issued in the final tranche have a hold period expiring August 25, 2017.

The $0.09 Placement consisted of 5,555,556 units at a price of $0.09 per unit for gross proceeds of $500,000 (for unit terms, see news release dated February 23, 2017). Finders fees were paid in the amount of $10,500 and 116,667 finders warrants. All securities issued in the $0.09 Placement have a hold period expiring August 25, 2017.

ABOUT THE COMPANY

Vangold is a development stage silver company, focused on silver and gold production in Mexico and is aggressively pursuing its business plan of becoming a senior producer through the development of its existing mineral property assets and the pursuit through acquisition of additional mineral assets which contribute to Vangold achieving its aggressive corporate growth objectives.

Vangold Resources Ltd.

Cameron King MBA, President & CEO

Contact Information

Vangold Resources Inc.

1400-1111 West Georgia Street,

Vancouver BC, V6E 4M3

E: cking@vangold.ca

T: +1 778 945 2940

www.vangold.ca

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulations 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.

SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION

This news release includes certain "Forward-Looking Statements" within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and applicable Canadian securities laws. When used in this news release, the words "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect", "target", "plan", "forecast", "may", "schedule" and similar words or expressions, identify forward-looking statements or information. These forward-looking statements or information relate to, among other things: the price of silver and other metals; the accuracy of mineral reserve and resource estimates and estimates of future production and costs of production at our properties; estimated production rates for silver and other payable metals produced by us, the estimated cost of development of our development projects; the effects of laws, regulations and government policies on our operations, including, without limitation, the laws in Mexico which currently have significant restrictions related to mining; obtaining or maintaining necessary permits, licences and approvals from government authorities; and continued access to necessary infrastructure, including, without limitation, access to power, land, water and roads to carry on activities as planned.

These statements reflect the Company's current views with respect to future events and are necessarily based upon a number of assumptions and estimates that, while considered reasonable by the Company, are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties and contingencies. Many factors, both known and unknown, could cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from the results, performance or achievements that are or may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements or information and the Company has made assumptions and estimates based on or related to many of these factors. Such factors include, without limitation: fluctuations in the spot and forward price of silver, gold, base metals or certain other commodities (such as natural gas, fuel oil and electricity); fluctuations in the currency markets (such as the Canadian dollar and Mexican peso versus the U.S. dollar); changes in national and local government, legislation, taxation, controls, regulations and political or economic developments in Canada, Mexico; operating or technical difficulties in connection with mining or development activities; risks and hazards associated with the business of mineral exploration, development and mining (including environmental hazards, industrial accidents, unusual or unexpected formations, pressures, cave-ins and flooding); risks relating to the credit worthiness or financial condition of suppliers, refiners and other parties with whom the Company does business; inability to obtain adequate insurance to cover risks and hazards; and the presence of laws and regulations that may impose restrictions on mining, including those currently enacted in Mexico; employee relations; relationships with and claims by local communities and indigenous populations; availability and increasing costs associated with mining inputs and labour; the speculative nature of mineral exploration and development, including the risks of obtaining necessary licenses, permits and approvals from government authorities; diminishing quantities or grades of mineral reserves as properties are mined; the Company's title to properties; and the factors identified under the caption "Risk Factors" in the Company's Annual Information Form, under the caption "Risks Relating to Vangold Resource`s Business".

Investors are cautioned against attributing undue certainty to forward-looking statements or information. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially, there may be other factors that cause results not to be anticipated, estimated or intended. The Company does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update these forward-looking statements or information to reflect changes in assumptions or changes in circumstances or any other events affecting such statements or information, other than as required by applicable law.

To view this press release as a PDF file, click onto the following link:public://news_release_pdf/Vangold04262017.pdfSource: Vangold Resources Ltd. (TSX Venture:VAN, OTC Bulletin Board:VNGRF)

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VANCOUVER, BC--(Marketwired - April 26, 2017) - Newrange Gold Corp. (TSX VENTURE: NRG)(OTC PINK: CMBPF)(FRANKFURT: X6C) ("Newrange" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the closing of the first tranche of the private placement previously announced on April 17, 2017 (the "Private Placement") by issuing 2,990,366 units (the "Units") at a price of CAD $0.30 per Unit, for gross proceeds of $897,110, subject to TSX Venture Exchange approval ("TSX-V").

Further to the April 17, 2017 news release, the Company also announces that the Private Placement has been increased up to 5,150,327 Units at the issue price of CAD $0.30 per Unit for gross proceeds of $1,545,098.

As announced earlier, each Unit consists of one common share and one share purchase warrant entitling the holder to purchase one additional common share for a two (2) year period at a price of $0.45 per share (the "Warrants"). The Warrants may be accelerated under certain terms if the closing price of the Company's common shares on the TSXV exceeds $0.75 for any 20 consecutive trading days.

The proceeds of this financing will be used principally to advance the Company's Pamlico gold project in Mineral County, Nevada. Work will include:

Drilling in the Merritt decline area to expand recently discovered high-grade and disseminated gold mineralization in the Merritt decline as discussed in the Company's News Releases of March 2, and April 11, 2017.

Drill testing of additional known targets as discussed in prior new releases.

Expanding geological mapping.

Expanding rock and soil geochemical sampling.

Initiating a program of detailed underground surveying, mapping and sampling of accessible historic mine workings, estimated to exceed two miles in total length.

Initiating property wide geophysical survey of the property.

Conducting preliminary metallurgical test work.

About Pamlico

Located 12 miles southeast of Hawthorne, Nevada, along US Highway 95, the project has excellent access and infrastructure, a mild, year-round operating climate and strong political support from Mineral County, one of the most pro-mining counties in the pro-mining state of Nevada. The Pamlico project covers the historic Pamlico group of mines, as well as the nearby Good Hope, Central, Gold Bar and Sunset mines.

Discovered about 1884, the district rapidly gained a reputation as being one of Nevada's highest grade districts. Held by private interests for most of its history, the property remains very underexplored in terms of modern exploration with no documented geophysical or soil geochemical surveys and only 103 drill holes totaling 27,838 feet (8,487 meters) scattered across the 1,200 hectare property.

In 2013, the seller permitted and completed a modern, trackless, 188 meter long, 3 X 4 meter decline for test mining of high-grade mineralization they had previously identified by drilling just beyond the current face of the decline. However, they never systematically sampled the decline or drilled in the area of the decline. Newrange Gold acquired the property in July of 2016 when the owner's failing health forced the sale of the project.

Recently announced systematic sampling of the Merritt decline by Newrange identified multiple high-grade structures assaying from 28.90 grams gold per metric tonne (g/T Au) over 1.5 meters to 104.75 g/T Au over 1.5 meters within an extensive zone of disseminated mineralization averaging 2.92 g/T Au over 75.5 meters in the decline. As a result of this work, the interpreted exploration potential of the project has materially increased from that of a strictly narrow high-grade gold vein system to a large disseminated gold system cut by numerous high-grade veins.

Terms of Reference

In this release, all references to grams per tonne (denoted g/T Au) are grams per metric ton of 1,000 kilograms (2,204.62 pounds). All references to ounces per ton (denoted oz/t Au) are troy ounces per short ton of 2,000 pounds.

Quality Assurance/Quality Control

Mr. Robert G. Carrington, P. Geo, a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101, the President and CEO of the Company, has reviewed, verified and approved for disclosure the technical information contained in this news release. All sample results referenced are diamond saw cut channel samples cut to provide a channel 5 to 7 cm wide and 2 to 3 cm deep with a sample volume designed to replicate that of split HQ diameter diamond drill core. With an average sample weight of 4.5 kg per meter, sampled results provide "drill quality" data. All sampling was conducted under the direct supervision of Mr. Carrington and Mr. Nathan Tewalt, a consultant to the Company and a qualified geologist with more than 30 years of experience. All samples were maintained with a strict chain of custody and were delivered by the Company to American Assay Laboratories of Sparks, Nevada. Standards consisting of Certified Reference Material, blanks and duplicates were incorporated at a rate of not less than 1 in 20.

About Newrange Gold Corp.: Newrange is an aggressive exploration and development company focused on near to intermediate term production opportunities in favorable jurisdictions including Nevada, Colorado and Colombia. Focused on developing shareholder value through exploration and development of key projects, the Company is committed to building sustainable value for all stakeholders. Further information can be found on our website at www.newrangegold.com.

Signed: "Robert G. Carrington"

President & CEO

Website: www.newrangegold.com

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward-Looking Statement:

Some of the statements in this news release contain forward-looking information that involves inherent risk and uncertainty affecting the business of Newrange Gold Corp. Actual results may differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements.
TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - Apr 26, 2017) - Lundin Mining Corporation ("Lundin Mining" or the "Company") (TSX:LUN)(OMX:LUMI) today reported cash flows of $244.7 million generated from operations in the first quarter of the year, not including the Company's attributable cash flows from Tenke Fungurume. Net earnings attributable to Lundin Mining shareholders of $91.6 million ($0.13 per share) for the quarter ended March 31, 2017 were aided by improved copper and zinc prices.

(This news release contains forward-looking statements. Please refer to the cautionary language under the heading "Cautionary Statement on Forward-Looking Information and Non-GAAP Performance Measures" below. All dollar amounts expressed in this news release are in US dollars unless otherwise noted.)

Mr. Paul Conibear, President and CEO commented, "Our operations performed reliably and in line with plan during the first quarter. We have improved cash cost guidance at both Eagle and Neves-Corvo, and reconfirm the production outlook for the year. The Company's cash position now stands at over $2.0 billion, reflecting the nearly $214 million of cash generated during the first quarter, in addition to proceeds from the sale of Tenke received in April.

We remain focused on value creation and disciplined in our approach to investment opportunities both on our own assets and externally. Expansion studies and projects are advancing at all of our operations, and most notably a final Feasibility Study on our Neves-Corvo Zinc Expansion Project, expected to approximately double current zinc production, is on track to be delivered very soon with an expectation of fast tracking this significant value added project."

Summary financial results for the quarter:

Three months ended

March 31, US$ Millions (except per share amounts) 2017 2016 Sales 487.8 369.6 Operating costs 214.1 210.3 Operating earnings(1) 264.4 151.7 Continuing, attributable net earnings / (loss)(2) 57.5 (17.7 ) Attributable net earnings / (loss)(2) 91.6 (22.1 ) Net earnings / (loss) 106.4 (15.5 ) Basic and diluted earnings / (loss) per share(3) 0.13 (0.03 ) Cash flow from operations 244.7 42.9 Cash and cash equivalents 928.8 560.7 Net debt(4) 71.3 438.1

(1) Operating earnings is a non-GAAP measure defined as sales, less operating costs (excluding depreciation) and general and administrative costs. (2) Attributable to shareholders of Lundin Mining Corp.. (3) Basic and diluted earnings / (loss) per share attributable to shareholders of Lundin Mining Corp.. (4) Net debt is a non-GAAP measure defined as cash and cash equivalents, less long-term debt and finance leases, before deferred financing fees.

Highlights

Operational Performance

Assisted by higher by-product metal prices, cash costs(1) for the first quarter of 2017 were largely favourable compared to the prior year and guidance. Production for the first quarter of 2017 was consistent with expectations although, with the exception of nickel, was less than that reported in the prior year. The Company remains on track to meet overall full year guidance.

Candelaria (80% owned): The Candelaria operations produced, on a 100% basis, 39,133 tonnes of copper, approximately 23,000 ounces of gold and 357,000 ounces of silver in concentrate during the quarter. Copper production for the quarter was in-line with the mine plan, but was lower than the prior year comparable period due primarily to lower throughput. Copper cash costs of $1.27/lb for the quarter were marginally higher than the prior year and are expected to meet guidance over the full year.

Construction of the Los Diques tailings dam facility continues on schedule and on budget. Approximately $20 million was spent during the quarter. Total forecast spend on the project remains unchanged at $295 million of which approximately $145 million remains to be spent.

Eagle (100% owned): Eagle had an excellent quarter of production generating 6,342 tonnes of nickel and 6,503 tonnes of copper, with both assisted by higher than expected head grades and recoveries. Nickel cash costs of $0.94/lb for the quarter benefited from higher by-product sales than the comparable period in the prior year.

With completion of the Feasibility Study and full Board approval, the Eagle East ramp is advancing on schedule. The exploitation of the Eagle East deposit remains subject to permit approval, which is expected by late 2017.

Neves-Corvo (100% owned): Neves-Corvo produced 10,195 tonnes of copper and 17,948 tonnes of zinc in the first quarter. Zinc production in the quarter modestly exceeded the prior year comparable period, while copper production, as expected, was lower due primarily to lower grades. Copper cash costs of $0.75/lb for the quarter were significantly lower than the prior year comparable period and full year guidance, aided by higher by-product zinc prices.

Zinkgruvan (100% owned): Zinc and lead production in the first quarter of 2017 was consistent with the mine plan and overall guidance expectations but fell short of that produced in the comparable period in 2016, primarily as a result of lower grades. Cash costs for zinc of $0.37/lb for the quarter were consistent with the prior year comparable period and full year guidance.

Tenke (24% owned): Tenke operations continued to perform well, generally meeting expectations for the quarter. Lundin's attributable share of first quarter production included 12,932 tonnes of copper cathode and 861 tonnes of cobalt in hydroxide. The Company's attributable share of sales included 13,946 tonnes of copper at an average realized price of $2.63/lb and 867 tonnes of cobalt at an average realized price of $20.86/lb. Tenke's operating cash costs for the first quarter of 2017 were $0.49/lb of copper sold.

Cash distributions received by Lundin Mining in the quarter were $55.6 million from Tenke.

(1) Cash cost/lb of copper, zinc and nickel are non-GAAP measures defined as all cash costs directly attributable to mining operations, less royalties and by-product credits.

Financial Performance

 Sales for the quarter ended March 31, 2017 were $487.8 million, an increase of $118.2 million in comparison to the first quarter of the prior year. The increase was due to higher metal prices and positive price adjustments ($129.3 million), partially offset by lower sales volumes ($8.7 million).  Operating costs (excluding depreciation) for the quarter ended March 31, 2017 were $214.1 million, an increase of $3.8 million, or 2% in comparison to the first quarter of the prior year. The impact of lower overall sales volumes ($8.2 million) were more than offset by higher per unit operating costs ($7.9 million), higher royalties ($2.1 million) and an overall unfavourable foreign exchange impact ($2.0 million).  Operating earnings for the quarter ended March 31, 2017 were $264.4 million, an increase of $112.7 million in comparison to the first quarter of the prior year ($151.7 million). The increase was primarily due to higher metal prices and positive price adjustments ($129.3 million), partially offset by higher per unit costs ($7.9 million).  Net earnings for the quarter ended March 31, 2017 were $106.4 million, an increase of $121.9 million over the net loss of $15.5 million reported in 2016. Net earnings, in comparison with the prior year quarter, were impacted by: - higher operating earnings ($112.7 million); - higher earnings from discontinued operations ($38.5 million); and - lower depreciation, depletion and amortization ($9.9 million); partially offset by - higher income tax expense ($40.8 million).  Cash flow from operations for the quarter ended March 31, 2017 was $244.7 million, an increase of $201.8 million in comparison to the cash flow of $42.9 million reported in 2016. The increase was primarily attributable to higher operating earnings and a comparative change in non-cash working capital.

Corporate Highlights

 On February 22, 2017, the Company announced the declaration of a C$0.03 per share dividend, payable on April 18, 2017 to the shareholders of record at the close of business on March 31, 2017. The declaration, timing and amount of future dividends will remain at the discretion of the Board of Directors.  On April 10, 2017, the Company announced the results of its Eagle East Feasibility Study, which demonstrates the viability of mining Eagle East as an extension of the Eagle Mine with an incremental estimated post-tax net present value of $205 million, assuming pre-production capital costs of $102 million. The Feasibility Study indicates that the Eagle East Mineral Resource estimate can be mined with no significant changes to the current mine, ore transport, mill or tailings infrastructure. Full details can be found in the NI 43-101 Technical Report entitled, "Technical Report on the Eagle Mine, Michigan, U.S.A.", which can be found on the Company's website at www.lundinmining.com or on SEDAR (www.sedar.com).  On April 19, 2017, the Company announced the completion of the sale of its indirect interest in TF Holdings Limited ("TF Holdings") to an affiliate of BHR Partners for $1.136 billion in cash. Lundin Mining's effective 24% interest in Tenke was held through its 30% indirect interest in TF Holdings.

Financial Position and Financing

 Cash and cash equivalents increased $213.5 million, over the quarter ended March 31, 2017, from $715.3 million to $928.8 million. The increase is primarily a result of cash generated from operating activities of $244.7 million and distributions from Tenke of $55.6 million, partially offset by investments in mineral properties, plant and equipment of $79.1 million.  Net debt position at March 31, 2017 was $71.3 million compared to $284.1 million at December 31, 2016.  The Company has a revolving credit facility available for borrowing up to $350 million. As at March 31, 2017, the Company had no amount drawn on the credit facility. Letters of credit totaling approximately $24.4 million are outstanding.  As at April 26, 2017, cash and net cash were approximately $2.1 billion and $1.1 billion, respectively. Cash and net cash reflect proceeds of $1.136 billion received on the sale of Tenke.

Outlook

Production and exploration guidance for 2017 remains unchanged from that provided on November 30, 2016 (see news release entitled "Lundin Mining Provides Operating Outlook"). Forecast improvements in C1 cash cost guidance at Eagle and Neves-Corvo and changes in capital expenditures are noted below.

2017 Production and Cost Guidance

(contained tonnes) Tonnes Cash Costs(a) Copper Candelaria (80%) 145,000 - 150,000 $1.20/lb Eagle 15,000 - 18,000 Neves-Corvo 41,000 - 46,000 $1.00/lb(b) Zinkgruvan 1,000 - 2,000 Total attributable 202,000 - 216,000 Nickel Eagle 17,000 - 20,000 $2.00/lb(b) Zinc Neves-Corvo 72,000 - 77,000 Zinkgruvan 80,000 - 85,000 $0.40/lb Total 152,000 - 162,000

a. Cash costs remain dependent upon exchange rates (forecast at EUR/USD:1.10, USD/SEK:8.40, USD/CLP:650) and metal prices (forecast at Cu: $2.50/lb, Ni: $5.00/lb, Zn: $1.15/lb, Pb: $0.90/lb, Au: $1,250/oz, Ag: $16.50/oz). Exchange rate of EUR/USD:1.15 and metal prices of Cu: $2.25/lb and Zn: $1.00/lb were previously assumed. b. C1 cash cost guidance at Neves-Corvo and Eagle were previously forecast at $1.35/lb and $2.45/lb, respectively.

2017 Capital Expenditure Guidance

Capital expenditures, excluding capitalized interest, are expected to be $390 million, (prior guidance $405 million) as outlined below.

The Los Diques tailings project remains on schedule and the project's capital cost forecast remains unchanged although the expected timing of certain payments have resulted in $15 million of expenditures expected in 2017 that will now be paid in 2018. In particular, due to extended mine life and ongoing exploration success, other sustaining capital expenditures at Candelaria are currently under review. It is expected that capital spending related to large mine mobile equipment and other sustaining capital investment will be increased as part of a rejuvenation program to reinstate capital investments that were deferred under cost constraint programs in 2015 and 2016. A further update will be provided with the second quarter results. Exploration spend remains unchanged at $65 million.

2017 Guidance $millions Capitalized Stripping 105 Los Diques Tailings 120 Other Sustaining 25 Candelaria (100% basis) 250 Eagle 10 Neves-Corvo 50 Zinkgruvan 40 Total Sustaining Capital 350 Eagle East 35 Zinkgruvan Expansion (1350) 5 Total Expansionary Capital 40 Total Capital Expenditures 390

Annual and Special Meeting

The Company reports that it will hold its annual and special meeting of shareholders at the St. Andrew's Club & Conference Centre, 150 King Street West, 27th Floor (King Street/University Avenue) Toronto, Ontario, on Friday, May 12, 2017 at 10:00 a.m. Toronto time.

On Behalf of the Board,

Paul Conibear, President and CEO

The information in this release is subject to the disclosure requirements of Lundin Mining under the EU Market Abuse Regulation. This information was publicly communicated on April 26, 2017 at 5:30 p.m. Eastern Time.

Cautionary Statement on Forward-Looking Information and Non-GAAP performance measures

Certain of the statements made and information contained or incorporated by reference herein is "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements other than statements of historical facts in this document constitute forward-looking information which is based on current expectations, estimates, forecasts and projections as well as beliefs and assumptions made by the Company's management. Such forward looking statements include, but are not limited to, those regarding the Company's guidance on estimated annual metal production, cash costs, exploration and capital expenditures; feasibility studies and their results; and projects. Words such as "approach", "assume", "believe", "budget", "estimate, "expect", "feasibility", "focus", "forecast", "future", "guidance", "indicate", "intent", "on track", "opportunity", "outlook", "plan", "project", "schedule", "study", or "subject to", or variations of or similar such terms, or statements that certain actions, events or results could, may, might or will be taken or occur or be achieved, identify forward-looking information. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking information herein are reasonable, these statements by their nature involve risks and uncertainties and are not guarantees of future performance. These estimates, expectations and other forward-looking statements are based on a number of assumptions and are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties which could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those reflected in the forward-looking statements.

Such risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, risks and uncertainties inherent in and/or relating to: estimates of future production and operating, cash and all-in sustaining costs; metal and commodity price fluctuations; foreign currency fluctuations; mining operations including but not limited to environmental hazards, industrial accidents, ground control problems and flooding; geology including, but not limited to, unusual or unexpected geological formations, estimation and modelling of grade, tonnes, metallurgy continuity of mineral deposits, dilution, and mineral resources and mineral reserves, and actual ore mined and/or metal recoveries varying from such estimates; mine plans, and life of mine estimates; the possibility that future exploration, development or mining results will not be consistent with expectations; the potential for and effects of labour disputes, shortages or other unanticipated difficulties with or interruptions in production; potential for unexpected costs and expenses including, without limitation, for mine closure and reclamation at current and historical operations; uncertain political and economic environments; changes in laws or policies, foreign taxation, delays or the inability to obtain necessary governmental approvals and/or permits; regulatory investigations, enforcement, sanctions and/or related or other litigation; and other risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to those described in the "Managing Risks" section of the Company's Management's Discussion and Analysis for the period ending March 31, 2017 and the "Risks and Uncertainties" section of its most recently filed Annual Information Form. In addition, forward-looking information is based on various assumptions including, without limitation, the expectations and beliefs of management; assumed prices of copper, nickel, zinc and other metals; that the Company can access financing, appropriate equipment and sufficient labour; and that the political environment where the Company operates will continue to support the development and operation of mining projects. Should one or more of these risks and uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described in forward-looking statements. Accordingly, there can be no assurance that forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, and readers are advised not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company does not undertake to update such forward-looking information unless required under applicable laws.

Certain financial measures contained herein, such as operating earnings, net debt and cash costs, have no meaning within generally accepted accounting principles under IFRS and therefore amounts presented may not be comparable to similar data presented by other mining companies. This data is intended to provide additional information and should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for measures or performance prepared in accordance with IFRS.
Gov. Jim Justice came to WVU on Tuesday to ceremonially sign into law HB 2815. The bill gives the four-year educational institutions more flexibility and exempts WVU, Marshall and the School of Osteopathic Medicine from Higher Education Policy Commission approval for certain policies and procedures.The 99-page bill also precisely defines the role of the HEPC "to serve its core function as a coordinating body and to oversee and undertake regional and statewide higher education policy initiatives for the public good," as explained in a press release from the governor.Justice signed five copies of the bill in Stewart Hall. As House Education chairman Paul Espinosa, R-Jefferson, pointed out before the ceremony, the bill represents a collaboration between legislators and the governor.The Education Committee, he said, began work with the regional four-year institutions on a reform bill to give them more autonomy. When the committee members learned Justice planned to introduce HB 2815, focused on the three big schools, they asked him if it would be possible to blend the bills to benefit all the four-year schools, and Justice agreed."It's really a great example of how the governor, the Legislature, our four-year institutions, as well as the other stakeholder groups, can really collaborate on what will be a very meaningful piece of education reform," Espinosa said.Justice signed the bill surrounded by the presidents of the three schools, Espinosa and Education vice-chairman Joe Statler, R-Monongalia.WVU President E. Gordon Gee said, "This is a very important moment for us and for higher education."He praised the leadership of Espinosa and Statler in pushing the bill, which passed the House, 98-2 and the Senate, 30-4. "They were tenacious about this."Gee said, "This bill represents an opportunity for higher education to take a leadership role in making this state not only a place of dreams and hopes, but a place of opportunity."Statler said before the ceremony, "I think this is a huge step forward in giving the institutions the flexibility to be able to control their destinies" in a time of budget cuts and belt tightening. "I'm really happy the governor took the time today to come up to sign it. It's fabulous in my eyes."Justice said the bill gives the schools "the power to make real decisions and move us forward, as they should."In a way, he said, the need was obvious. "The easy stuff is sometimes really hard to find. But once you find it, it seems so practical that you would step back and say, 'Gosh, anybody could have thought that.' Sometimes it takes a long time to get there."The greatness of our universities is somewhat handcuffed. ... We've got real expertise [there], if we'll just stop and listen. They are gigantic economic engines for our state and we're holding them back."The three presidents -- Gee, Marshall's Jerome Gilbert and the osteopathic school's Michael Adelman -- added in a joint statement, "This new governance structure will help us be nimble and innovative enough to overcome our state's challenges. ... Our new governance structure will help our universities thrive as we continue reducing bureaucracy, increasing efficiency, seeking new revenue sources and doing all we can to lead transformation in West Virginia and around the world."
On Monday, in the morning, His Excellency the Honourable Paul de Jersey AC assumed duty as Administrator of the Government of the Commonwealth of Australia and the Honourable Chief Justice Catherine Holmes assumed duty as Acting Governor of Queensland.

Following, at the Shrine of Remembrance, ANZAC Square, His Excellency and Mrs Kaye de Jersey attended the Students ANZAC Commemoration Ceremony and laid a wreath, and where His Excellency addressed guests.
On Tuesday, in the morning, at the Shrine of Remembrance, ANZAC Square, His Excellency the Honourable Paul de Jersey AC attended the Anzac Day Dawn Service, addressed guests and laid the first wreath.

Following, at Government House, His Excellency hosted breakfast for current and former senior Defence and service personnel representatives.

Following, His Excellency and Mrs Kaye de Jersey attended the Anzac Day Mass at the Cathedral of St Stephen, Brisbane, and then attended the Anzac Day Parade, where the His Excellency read the First Resolution and reviewed the Parade.

In the afternoon, at the United Service Club, His Excellency attended the Anzac Day Lunch.
Description

GIS - 26 April, 2017: The Ambassador of the Slovak Republic, Mrs Monika Tomasovicova, met the Prime Minister, Mr Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, today at the Treasury Building in Port Louis. Mrs Tomasovicova is the newly appointed Ambassador to represent Slovakia in Mauritius and SADC countries. The Ambassador of the Slovak Republic, Mrs Monika Tomasovicova, met the Prime Minister, Mr Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, today at the Treasury Building in Port Louis. Mrs Tomasovicova is the newly appointed Ambassador to represent Slovakia in Mauritius and SADC countries.

Ambassador Tomasovicova said that her meeting with the Prime Minister was very cordial and that Slovakia is looking forward to use Mauritius as a stepping stone towards Africa with regard to exports of its Small and Medium enterprises.

She further pointed out that Mauritius is being promoted as a favoured destination in the Slovak Republic adding that several possible avenues of cooperation between the two countries were also discussed with the Prime Minister.
Description

GIS - 26 April, 2017: The strengths and weaknesses of the Police and Prison operative frameworks are currently being assessed with the aim of coming up with an Action Plan in the near future which will benchmark Mauritius with the most successful law and order models internationally.

This statement was made this morning by the Minister Mentor and Minister of Defense and Minister for Rodrigues, Sir Anerood Jugnauth, who was the Chief Guest at the Passing out Parade for 63 Prison Officers which was held at the Prison Training School in Beau Bassin. Mauritius can learn from Singapore, a small island state which has faced most of the problems faced by Mauritius and which has found appropriate solutions, he said.

Speaking about drugs, Sir Anerood Jugnauth reiterated Governments commitment to combat all forms of crime. He recalled that several measures have been initiated to fight the drug scourge, in particular reference to the ongoing Commission of Enquiry on drugs which aims to address the problem in an effective and forceful manner.

With regard to security in prisons, the Minister Mentor pointed out that the Prison Department has recently made acquisition of 12 sensitive mobile phone detectors and two additional sniffer dogs. Defective surveillance cameras in prison and detention centres are also being replaced and CCTV camera images are continuously being monitored to detect movements inside and in the vicinity of prisons, he said.

Addressing the new recruits, Sir Anerood Jugnauth congratulated the Trainee Prison Officers for having demonstrated physical dexterity and talent in passing through the intensely competitive recruitment process and gruelling training programme. Furthermore, he expressed confidence that the training and knowledge they have acquired will add value to the image of the Mauritius Prison Service which is geared towards more professionalism. He also urged the new recruits to exercise their skills and talent successfully in keeping detainees in safe and humane custody while assisting them to lead a lawful life upon release.

He exhorted the recruits to perform their duty with sincerity and pride and cautioned them to always keep the departments standards high. This career, he said, requires a high standard of honesty, moral integrity and sense of devotion as well as constant vigilance and discipline. Sir Anerood urged them to abide at all times to the Oath of allegiance they have taken to assume their responsibilities without fear and favour. He rejoiced that more women are joining the ranks of the Mauritius Prison Service. This, he said, reflects the culture of gender equality and affirms the capability of women working in difficult duties of law enforcement.

The Passing out Parade was followed by a presentation of medals to the best recruits. Medals were presented to the All Best Round Recruit from three batches in 2015 and 2016. The All Best Round Recruit medal for Batch 2015 was awarded to Jean Estel St Pierre ; the Best All Round Recruit medal Batch 1/2016 to J. P Hubert; and the Best All Round Recruit Batch 2/2016 to Anusha Dhawal.

Training of New Recruits

In October 2015, 18 Trainee Male Prisons Officers joined the service; in May 2016, another batch of 24 Trainee Male Prisons Officers was recruited and in October 2016, a batch of 21 Women Trainee Prisons Officers was recruited.

During the course of their six-month intensive training at the Prison Training School, the recruits were exposed to basic prison duties, drill, and physical exercise. The training also covered new topics such as h uman rights, first aid, response to emergencies, prevention of suicide and self-harm, self defense, customer care, substance abuse, HIV/AIDS, communication skills, listening and counselling techniques.

After successfully completing their training, the new recruits are assigned responsibilities to serve the community in the different prisons of the Republic of Mauritius, including Rodrigues.
Description

GIS - 26 April, 2017: A workshop and a fair for Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) were launched this morning at Rajiv Gandhi Science Centre in Bell Village to mark the World Intellectual Property Day 2017.

This initiative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade aims at enlightening business operators on the importance of intellectual property (IP) with a view to better protecting their innovative and artistic ideas in the business world.

The Director of International Trade Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade, Mr N Boodhoo elaborated on the significance of reinforcing IP in Mauritius. He recalled that IP generates value addition, ensures quality growth and induces more creativity.

IP should be treated as an economic asset in order to move towards a knowledge-based hub while ensuring data protection. With the rapid growth of digitalisation, there is no adequate control on the protection of data in the fields of innovation and creativity, he pointed out.

He further added that IP is often mistaken to be limited to music but in fact, it includes industrial property, trademarks, patents, geographical indications and layout designs amongst others.

For his part, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade, Mr V Daby, emphasised on the need to develop an effective mechanism for the successful implementation of IP which is in line with international practices.

According to him, this workshop will sensitise academics and entrepreneurs on the importance of protecting and commercialising their research ideas. The fair, on the other hand, will help to show case the savoir-faire and skills of Mauritian entrepreneurs.

Intellectual Property Day

The World Intellectual Property Day is celebrated on 26 April every year to increase peoples awareness and understanding of intellectual property rights. It also aims at informing the community on the need to encourage intellectual property in the field of innovation and creativity.

The theme retained for the World Intellectual Property Day 2017 is Innovation-Improving lives.
Attention to Americas immigration policies has intensified recently, with politicians and citizens wrangling over whether and how to control the number of foreigners entering the country. Emergency managers, however, largely dont believe immigration is their issue. Except, in a sense, it is.I dont see why or how [immigration] really relates to emergency management, which is distinct from homeland security, said hazmat and emergency management logistics lecturer Bob Jaffin. Why would that even come up  in a situation that is an emergency?That sentiment holds true when evaluating the black-and-white definition of emergency management, but shades of gray exist in a number of areas. Immigration affects emergency managers in roundabout manners; instead of focusing on direct involvement  such as enforcement or policymaking  they attend to indirect effects, such as language barriers and population shifts.Emergency managers strive for holistic approaches to serving their communities rather than excluding certain portions of the population for reasons that could include immigration status. Ive got to understand that there are people out there who are undocumented, said emergency management consultant and Emergency Management magazine contributor Lucien Canton. I cant ignore them.Emergency managers and first responders are hired to attend to their diverse communities, regardless of demographics. Whether theyre here legally or illegally, theyre still people, said Jack Brown, director of the Arlington County (Va.) Office of Emergency Management. We want to make sure, from an emergency management perspective, that we take care of all our residents.Because taking care of people  all types of people  is the central mission the profession revolves around.Although policing agencies technically do fall under the emergency services category, the enforcement part of immigration typically remains out of emergency managers realm. Their work more acutely entails devising preparedness campaigns and emergency responses. Immigration does impact those job aspects in that leaders must account for potential population shifts when determining the most effective disaster mitigation approaches.Immigration is not the only force that causes demographic shifts. Another common change, for example, ensues in communities housing a significant number of aging residents. The issues that result due to immigration are the same issues as what were dealing with in many of the [shifting] populations that were serving, said Lanita Lloyd, president of the United States Council of the International Association of Emergency Managers.An emergency manager is neither a social engineer nor a politician and therefore should not take into consideration citizens residency statuses, Jaffin said. They simply must craft plans that aid all members of the public. That is the tactical view. The strategic view is population trends  whether driven by age or immigration  [are something else] you need to be aware of, he said.A demographic shift can occur rapidly if, for instance, a community suddenly takes in large numbers of refugees. If Im [in] a sanctuary city I should be aware of it and I should consider as an emergency manager [if] that is going to shift the demographics, Jaffin said.Typically, U.S. immigration trends happen gradually, though, as a community experiences a slow trickle of newcomers. Over time, a moderate but steady stream can result in people from a certain country, region or culture ending up in a cluster. Sometimes one family will settle somewhere and then [friends and relatives] start to come  and before you know it, youve got an influx of people where you wouldnt have expected it, said Canton. Long range, that starts to shift the community.Properly addressing a communitys evolving needs may prompt modifications to existing emergency strategies, especially communication methods. Population shifts  are a critical issue because an emergency manager is supposed to be able to communicate with everybody, Jaffin said.In the end, success in the emergency management field already requires periodically updating plans, so accommodating population shifts should come naturally and not involve scrutinizing immigrants legal statuses.We have to leave our preconceived notions at the door and deal with people as we find them, said Canton. Its one thing if were talking about [offering] social services or voting rights. Its another if this persons been displaced by a disaster.One challenging factor facing emergency services providers is the number of immigrants who exhibit fear at the mere thought of interacting with government workers. Governments around the world  including employees such as emergency responders  function differently in how they interface with the public. Some immigrants arrive in the United States with the preconceived notion that no governmental encounters are positive and they may, in fact, be punitive.A lot of times, folks are going to be skittish about talking to you if youre from the government, said Brown. It is like that in many places. The government is viewed differently, especially local officials.Building trust with these groups can be difficult, even when emergency workers explain that they just want to help.The government in general is distrusted in some countries.  [Its] looked at with incredible suspicion, Canton said. How do we explain that the things we do are for a reason and its for their protection? For a lot of folks, this is going to be a very different concept.An equally different concept is that of bribing government workers, either out of fear or as an expectation. Its not unheard of for U.S. emergency services employees to approach immigrants and in some cases, they try to hand you money, Brown said. Immigrants dont necessarily view that practice as unethical because in other countries thats just the way business is done, Canton said. They actually think if Im getting a service from the government, I need to pay somebody.During emergencies, immigrants also might be frightened by the belief that their citizenship status could come into question through an interaction with a government employee. Each U.S. municipality handles that situation a bit differently, which can add to confusion and fear for incoming residents. Those concerns can lead to immigrants refusing to ask for  or accept  life-saving assistance.We dont want anybody to be bashful about asking for help. If you need help  call 911, and youre going to get the same services we send anybody, Brown said. Were very aware these folks are out there and want them to know were there to help them, and that our services are there for everybody.Immigrants lack of adherence to common American emergency procedures frequently isnt a matter of fear, but rather a classic case of culture shock and lack of knowledge about standard practices.Cultural differences, like population shifts, dont pertain only to immigrants. An introduction of any new group into an existing population could cause a shock of sorts, such as what happened following Hurricane Katrina. After that disaster, We moved people out of New Orleans to all over the country, Canton said. In many ways, there were some interesting cultural situations taking place there.An obvious immigration-related cultural consideration is that people arriving from outside the U.S. often speak primary languages other than English. Heeding calls to action proves challenging when citizens cant understand the messages, both before and after an emergency. You have to find out who they are and the languages theyre using, Canton said. If they cant understand my warning messages ... it gets very difficult to keep them safe.Analyzing demographics regularly and incorporating services in other languages as necessary can benefit the community. I recruit people to work in my 911 center that speak Spanish and other languages, Brown said.Connecting with and preparing immigrants requires trust-building. Engaging advocates from within the designated community  especially those who speak the foreign language in question  instead of solely relying on emergency managers to bridge the gap can be useful. When putting together plans, have [advocates] at the table to help identify challenges and establish processes that will help to protect and better prepare everyone in the community, Lloyd said.Other ideas are to provide secondary resources, such as handouts, in other languages  and have trainers that can teach about disaster preparedness in those languages, Lloyd said. She also recommends including advocates and language resources during simulation exercises so emergency managers and first responders know exactly how to handle various demographics when an emergency situation arises.Even when confronted with language obstacles, emergency managers need not directly focus on the immigration issue, only on the community service piece. I dont ask who they are, [only] how do I communicate with them, Jaffin said. Can they speak English, or do I need an interpreter? It really shouldnt go beyond that.Besides language barriers, newcomers also may not be aware of the overall concept of preparedness. Long-term American citizens know from years of listening to messaging the importance of creating personal emergency plans or stockpiling supplies, but thats a foreign concept to many immigrants.One of the things we push in the United States is this independence, that people need to prepare on their own, Canton said. Thats culturally what we do, but its not necessarily what people have been taught in other countries.That discrepancy demonstrates the need for targeted outreach to all the diverse subsets within a community. Outreach can occur in many ways such as attending civic association meetings and community town halls, passing out business cards and talking to people. A lot of it is plain old networking, Brown said, and developing that relationship.Emergency managers fundamental responsibility lies in preparing for all crises at all times. But by nature, they might develop a hyper-focus on their own communities and not recognize wide-reaching external events. Identifying those situations and anticipating potential repercussions that could eventually be felt locally can lessen a sudden impact to a community. Immigration could be one of those external events.We dont always pay attention to world events, so were often surprised by, say, a large influx of refugees because we just werent expecting it, Canton said. Emergency managers need to at least be cognizant of things  even though those things may be far away.In a planning-intensive field like emergency management, the value of formulating procedures and contingency plans ahead of time is well understood. That holds true even for an unlikely event, which may be low probability [and] may be the last thing I cover in writing a plan, but it needs to be there, Jaffin said.Essentially, emergency managers should exhibit the same resilience and adaptability when examining immigration that they employ when addressing other topics.As emergency managers, we have to be flexible, Canton said. Im dealing with human misery  people that are affected by crisis. We solve that first and other folks can deal with the immigration issue later.
Cyber and State, Fed Collaborations

Who Are You?



Changing the World with Tech

ARLINGTON, Va.  Whether its protecting critical infrastructure from hacktivists and bad actors, working to securely authenticate identity management for constituents or implementing emerging technologies that are poised to change the world, as one tech chief put it, the IT officials and private-sector partners who attended day two of the 2017 NASCIO Midyear conference on April 25 got real about what theyre facing.In learning lounges designed to offer a more informal approach to important discussions, they shared experiences and challenges, and offered advice and support on how to move forward on the various issues.Hacktivism has made headlines for its disruptive and highly personalized nature  and its something with which Oklahoma CIO Bo Reese is quite familiar. In 2015, a Republican lawmaker in the state introduced a bill that made it illegal to wear a hoodie in public, which got a lot of attention  including from hacktivists who pointed botnets at the states infrastructure.And hacktivists, said Andre McGregor, director of security at Tanium, are constantly searching for vulnerabilities. Theyre looking for something they can use to take control, he said. They wont go after your most important machines; theyll go after the ones you dont know about. Cybersecurity also was one of the four concrete examples CIOs pointed to as far as their partnerships with federal agencies that continue to benefit states. More specifically, Connecticut CIO Mark Raymond discussed that the Center for Internet Securitys Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center ( MS-ISAC ) is a partnership all levels of government should consider, and not just for its threat monitoring and advisories.When we were developing our cybersecurity strategy, Raymond said, we had the MS-ISAC come in.Also cyber-related is Minnesota CISO Chris Buses use of the federal Scholarship for Service program, in which students studying for degrees in cybersecurity get their college expenses covered if they work in government. The general rule of thumb, Buse said, is one year of college is paid for by one year of service in government. And students can get credit for up to three years.This is a really big deal if youre in the government space looking for cybersecurity, because you have a captive audience," he said. "This is a really nice way to get top talent into government.Switching gears, Ohio CIO Stu Davis shared his experience working with 18F to craft a data analytics RFP . 18F Director of State and Local Practice Robin Carnahan helped turn the RFP process upside down in the state, which Davis said was looking to get proposals from innovative firms that dont normally do business with government. Its going to be an interesting process as we go through this, he added.And Deputy Associate Administrator Dominic Sale noted that the General Services Administration, which houses 18F, can help states in other ways. The Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP), for instance, is something states can take advantage of today, as are the agencys resources around identity management. For example, best practices at IDmanagement.gov are available to all states. Sale said that officials can take this system and apply it in their states.Sale also noted that Login.gov  a single sign-on solution for government websites  launched this week for some federal partners, though he has not yet reached out to states on the effort. Believe me, he said, I'm working on that.On the path to citizen-focused digital government, one significant challenge is how to securely authenticate the identity of those who want to conduct their public business online. Thanks to funding from a program called NSTIC, the National Strategy for Trusted Identities in Cyberspace, 15 states are currently engaged in pilot programs to test new technologies that can better protect against tax fraud  an expensive problem across the public sector.Georgia Chief Technology Officer Steve Nichols was on hand at a NASCIO panel Tuesday, April 25, alongside vendor MorphoTrust, to talk about their ID management pilot program, which involves the Department of Revenue, Department of Driver Services and Georgia Technology Authority.One of the fundamental issues everyone has to grapple with is identify-proofing  your business process for proving that youre you or Im me, Nichols said in an interview within advance of the panel.Georgias pilot takes advantage of the identity proofing that already goes into getting a drivers license  a system that happens to be from MorphoTrust. Taxpayers seeking to protect their tax return from getting into the wrong hands can opt into the system using an app, which requires authentication via selfie. The submitted picture is compared to the drivers license photo the state has to ensure a citizen is who they say they are.But Nichols cautions that many current pilots may not make it past the pilot stage. The costs are simply too high. Its pretty tough to make a business case for this stuff, he said. None of this would be happening without the NSTIC grants, thats for sure.Lexington, Ky., CIO Aldona Valicenti sees great potential for emerging technology in local government.  IoT opportunities are driven by citizen needs, she said, pointing to sensors as a relatively low-cost technology that can pinpoint services like garbage collection and leaf collection  a service that Lexington performs for its residents. The very basic services that aggravate people  those will be the things that are going to drive IoT investment and its going to be at the city level.Among the other technologies discussed during the panel were drones, digital assistants, block chain , virtual and augmented reality, and connected and autonomous vehicles  all of which have potential in government and many of which are in use today. The conclusion attendees kept returning to, however, is that solid policy has to be in place to resolve the many issues presented by new tech.But it can be tough to move at the speed of technology given the legislative constraints CIOs operate under. Texas CIO Todd Kimbriel described the states three-year budget process, adding that agile development methods are helping his agency be more responsive.interviewees at the event unanimously agreed that CIOs should be at the center of the conversation on incorporating emerging tech into government. Its potential to upend how government does business cant be overstated.Block chain will have the same disruptive effect as virtualization, Kimbriel said, eventually enabling things like online voting. Think about how that changes the world.
Bernie Ecclestone has lobbed an apparent threat in the direction of F1's new regime.

The sport's long-time supremo was ousted amid the recent takeover by Liberty, replaced by new CEO Chase Carey and deputy chiefs Ross Brawn and Sean Bratches.

86-year-old Ecclestone, in turn, was given the largely honorary role of 'chairman emeritus'.

"I said the trouble with all sort of animals is if you want to kill them, you have to kill them -- don't wound them," Ecclestone has told the BBC motoring programme Top Gear.

Asked by interviewer Eddie Jordan if that is a "little message" to Liberty about his disempowered role, he answered: "It depends how people want to take meanings, doesn't it?"

As for his new role as chairman emeritus, billionaire Ecclestone continued: "I don't know. It's a little bit like giving a hit man a gun and no bullets.

"But I've got enough money to buy the bullets."

(GMM)
Bernie Ecclestone says it is still possible F1 could be set to lose the popular and traditional Brazilian grand prix.

Recently, the former F1 supremo revealed he had been put in charge of staging talks with Brazilian officials about rescuing the embattled race at Interlagos.

"Chase (Carey) asked that when I went to Brazil, 'Would I speak to the president about the race', which I had done before," Ecclestone told Brazil's UOL Esporte.

"But it seemed pretty obvious to me that he had several other things to worry about than formula one. So we went to the mayor of Sao Paulo, but he does not want to spend a single dollar -- he wants to sell the circuit," the Briton added.

Indeed, Ecclestone was subsequently linked with a potential bid to personally buy Interlagos.

"He (the mayor) asked me if I would be interested. We can get him to agree that when the sale happens, whoever buys it will have to keep the formula one circuit.

"Then it's a case of finding an organiser for the race, which is a bit more difficult," he explained.

"So I think that if we can't do anything, we will lose it, for sure."

However, UOL reports that Interlagos race promoter Tamas Rohonyi was in Paris this week for contract talks with the FIA.

Ecclestone said: "The race will be there 100 per cent until 2020."

(GMM)
F1's strategy group has voted to ban the unpopular 'shark fins' and 'T-wings' for the 2018 season.

That is the claim of multiple authoritative media sources, including Germany's Auto Motor und Sport and the DPA news agency, and Italy's La Gazzetta dello Sport.

The appendages are unpopular for aesthetic reasons, and some 'T-wings' suffered notable on-track failures recently.

The FIA confirmed after the Paris meeting on Tuesday that from 2018 "designs incorporating the 'T-wing and 'shark fin' will be strictly limited".

It also emerges that the controversial cockpit protection system 'Halo' has been ruled out, with "priority" to now be given to the development of the transparent so-called 'Shield'.

"The FIA aims to carry out track tests of this system during this season in preparation for implementation in 2018," said the governing body.

And finally, teams have been told to improve the visibility of driver numbers and names on the cars, effective from next month's Spanish grand prix.

(GMM)
Michigan Stadium is one of the few places left in American sports where the home and visiting teams use the same tunnel to enter and exit the field, a design popular in venues built in the early 20th century but rare now.
One of Doug McCulloughs finest acts as a member of the N.C. Court of Appeals was to resign.

My legacy to the court is to leave it intact, a 15-member court, which I think it needs to be, he told me Monday.

At 9:30 that morning, he resigned after serving on the court for 14 years.

It is my firm belief that it is appropriate that I retire now rather than wait approximately thirty-six more days when I would be required to retire by operation of law, he said in a letter to Gov. Roy Cooper.

This was part of an extraordinary sequence of events that began April 11 when the legislature gave final approval to House Bill 239. The measure would reduce the Court of Appeals from 15 judges to 12 through attrition. When each of the next three judges left through retirement, resignation, death or incapacity, he or she would not be replaced.

The first would be McCullough, who reaches the mandatory retirement age of 72 at the end of May.

Cooper vetoed HB 239 Friday. The House and Senate could have overridden the veto as soon as Monday. Until then, the governor still could fill any vacancy on the court by appointment.

Over the weekend, McCullough decided to give him one. On Sunday, he told the governors legal counsel of his intention to resign at 9:30 Monday.

Sunday afternoon, Cooper called Charlotte lawyer John Arrowood, a former member of the Court of Appeals, and asked him to come to Raleigh the next morning.

Arrowood already had applied for an appointment to fill McCulloughs seat, just in case HB 239 was not enacted. He was sworn in at 9:45 Monday.

Arrowood is prepared to hit the ground running, he said Monday afternoon. I think Im capable of doing that.

Whats remarkable is that he has the opportunity.

Proponents of HB 239 say the courts workload doesnt demand the attention of 15 judges. Thats a dubious contention. Certainly, McCullough doesnt agree. In fact, he said that view shows a stunning lack of knowledge about how the court works.

Many observers think the real motivation is a partisan effort by a Republican legislature to keep the Democratic governor from appointing Democratic judges to the court.

So its ironic that it was McCullough, a Republican, who foiled the plan.

But, to him, the court comes before politics. He expressed no reservations about being replaced by Arrowood, whos a Democrat, and recalled when a Democratic legislature let Republican Gov. Jim Martin make appointments to the courts.

Cooper expressed appreciation for McCulloughs decision. I know that Judge McCullough resigned this morning because he disagreed with the law that has been passed by the North Carolina General Assembly. He believes strongly in the integrity of the court, he said at a Monday press conference.

I would have loved to have served out my term, McCullough told me. I understand. Although he left only five weeks early, he could have wrapped up a long career on a more orderly, planned schedule. As it was, I was working on opinions this weekend to get them done, he said.

He added that his decision was clinched when a former law partner encouraged him to do something thats going to help your colleagues.

McCullough hopes his resignation will spur some legislators to reconsider their position before they vote to override Coopers veto of HB 239, which he says will be very harmful to the court, reducing its capacity by about 200 cases a year.

The next mandatory retirement will be in 2019, when Judge Robert N. Hunter Jr. reaches 72. No one knows if any departures will occur before then, or if the legislature will take any other steps to manipulate the courts for political reasons.

The courts chief judge, Linda McGee, was as surprised as everyone else by Mondays events and was clearly trying to stay out of the political currents.

We just like to do our work and do it effectively and fairly, she said.

Quite right. And, whatever happens, McCulloughs selfless, honorable gesture should impress North Carolinians who have grown cynical about politics. Not everyone in public service is out to serve only himself.

McCullough has been a Marine, prosecuted public corruption, fraud, environmental violations and big-time drug dealers for the U.S. Department of Justice, and written a true-crime thriller called Sea of Greed about a case that began with the seizure of a shrimp boat full of marijuana docked in Beaufort.

He plans to pen another book now that hes retired. Hes already written his legacy on the court.
In the half-light of an overcast dawn, another jogger and I reached the intersection at the same time. He turned in my direction, occupying the right side of the street. I was on the left.

I didn't recognize him but said "good morning." A greeting is almost always returned by runners around here. Not by this guy. He was probably a market visitor. Many rent rooms or homes in High Point's Emerywood section.

He was about my age and size  6-3, 195 pounds, NOT perfectly distributed in my case. And, he was a plodder. Terrible form.

Yet it was immediately apparent that he was faster than I am.

He began to pull ahead of me.

So I stepped it up. So did he, and I continued to lose ground.

Look, if this were a kid half my age, male or female, no problem. I've long since lost my youthful bounce. I'm just grinding out miles and expect to be left behind by younger runners. Once, the entire women's cross country team from High Point University blew by me like my feet were stuck in concrete.

But this was different. Someone my own age was outpacing me. And he looked terrible! What does that say for me?

So I picked it up a little more, but couldn't give it everything. I was only halfway along my route and had to keep something in reserve.

He stole a glance back. Just what I would do, fearing the sound of footsteps.

There were none, as the gap continued to grow  20 yards, 30, 40.

I hoped no one would see me falling farther behind. It was humiliating.

And then, after maybe half a mile, when I had despaired of catching him ... he began to walk.

Walk!

When I chugged past him, he was wheezing as if he'd just run a 4-minute mile.

Perhaps, for him, he had.

Not good enough. Now it was my turn to pour it on.

Until I turned a corner, out of sight.

And slowed down.

The thrill of victory had worn me out.
Downtown Greensboro is getting a new wine bar.

Jake Ngo said he is opening White + Wood at 215 S. Elm St.

It is opening in the former home of Mid-City Sandwich Company.

Chef Christopher Russell sold the space to Ngo and plans to reopen Mid-City at a new location.

Business was good, but it was an opportunity we would be foolish not to take and decided to go in that direction, Russell said.

Ngo, who moved to Greensboro from San Francisco, said the wine bar is inspired by the wine country of California.

Ive worked with a lot of the famous chefs from the bay area, said Ngo who has been in the food and wine business for 25 years. The Napa Valley and Sonoma areas have been my backyard. I am hoping to bring that to downtown Greensboro.

The wine bar will offer salads, sandwiches, raw fish and oysters.

Ngo said the concept will include a marketplace where you can pick up a bottle of wine and a cheese and cured meat board to go.

Ngo said he plans to open White + Wood in June after giving the space a facelift.

In the meantime, Russell, who also operates B. Christophers at 201 N. Elm St., is not ruling out downtown in his search for a new home for Mid-City Sandwich Company.

We believe in the concept, Russell said. We are looking at other options and other locations.

Mid-City opened a year ago in the former Fincastles Diner space. It served sandwiches, soups, salads and flat-bread pizza.

Boutique wine shop

Triad Wine Shoppe is opening Saturday at 2915 Battleground Ave., Unit F.

The new shop is a few doors down from Green Joes Coffee Company in a shopping center that is also home to Salvino Cucina Italiana restaurant.

Leonardo Ludert-Russo is opening the shop and wine tasting bar. He said the wine boutique offers a selection of wines from around the world. Customers can drink wine by the glass or bottle right in the shop.

We want to offer our customers the best experience on buying wine for any occasion, Ludert-Russo said.

The shop opens at 6 p.m. Saturday with a wine tasting.

Regular hours are 1 to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday and noon to 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

For information, call the shop at 336-681-3094 or follow Triadwineshoppe on Instagram.

Restaurants give back

Ghassans at LeBauer Park, Leblon Brazilian Steakhouse and Burger Warfare are just a few of the more than 100 Triad restaurants that will be participating in Serving Greensboro Together on May 2.

The annual event is a benefit to support Greensboro Urban Ministrys Potter House Community Kitchen, which serves an average of 400 lunches each day to people experiencing food insecurity.

Participating restaurants will donate 10 percent of their profits that day to the outreach agency.

For a complete list of restaurants, visit http://greensborourbanministry.org.

On social media, use the hashtag #SGT4Hunger.

Tater Tots and beer

A Tater Tots and Beer Festival will be held 3 to 6 p.m. Sunday at LeBauer Park at 208 N. Davie St. in downtown Greensboro.

Sample dozens of brews while munching on Tater Tots served with a variety of toppings.

There also will be live music.

Tickets are $33 at https://tatertotfestival.com/events/greensboro-nc/.

Barbecue cook-off

The BBQ Capital Cook-Off will be this weekend at 207 E. Third Ave. in historic uptown Lexington.

International teams compete for a $16,100 prize in this annual Kansas City Barbecue Society-sanctioned event held in the heart of Lexington-style barbecue country.

Teams set up Friday night in preparation for Saturdays cook-off.

Live music will start at 5 p.m. Friday and 1 p.m. Saturday, and food vendors will be onsite.

Hours for the event are from 5 to 10:30 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Saturday.

For more information, visit www.bbqcapitalcookoff.com.

Chain news

KFC has introduced the Zinger spicy chicken sandwich at participating restaurants. It has been popular world-wide for decades, but is only now getting a debut in the United States. It is available a la carte or as part of a $5 Fill Up combo meal.

has introduced the Zinger spicy chicken sandwich at participating restaurants. It has been popular world-wide for decades, but is only now getting a debut in the United States. It is available a la carte or as part of a $5 Fill Up combo meal. Longhorn Steakhouse has added the Fire-Grilled Pork Portherhouse to its bone-in cut menu. It is available for a limited time along with Grilled Lamp Chops, Seasoned Steakhouse Wings and Strawberries and Cream Shortcake.

has added the Fire-Grilled Pork Portherhouse to its bone-in cut menu. It is available for a limited time along with Grilled Lamp Chops, Seasoned Steakhouse Wings and Strawberries and Cream Shortcake. Zaxbys is offering a Grilled Cobb Zalad through June 25.

is offering a Grilled Cobb Zalad through June 25. McAlisters Deli has added some seasonal menu items that include Black Cherry Spinach Salad, Garden Fresh Black Cherry and Ham Sandwich, and Pure Cane Sugar Lemonade.
(I've updated this post once below.)

A few months ago in this space, I noted the crumbling of Charlotte School of Law. The American Bar Association had put the school on probation in November, the feds cut off funding in December, and the school reopened after the winter break in late January despite losing a third of its students and laying off up to two-thirds of its faculty and staff.

The law school promised to stay open through May, and its shambling forward, zombie-like, toward the end of the semester, albeit without its interim dean, who quit April 13 after just three weeks on the job. (Scott Broyles told the Charlotte Observer that, in essence, he gave up. A lot of straws continued to pile on the camels back, he told the newspaper. If I felt I could effect anything positive for the school at this point, I would not have resigned. Im not able to do that anymore.)

Now, according to Politico, N.C. Attorney General Josh Stein is poking his nose into Charlotte Laws business. The political website reports:

Laura Brewer, a spokeswoman for Stein, confirmed in an email to Morning Education that the office is investigating the school under the states civil consumer protection laws and is very concerned about the current situation at the school. The AGs investigation, and a separate review by state regulators, come as the embattled law school is urging Education Secretary Betsy DeVos to quickly reinstate its access to millions of dollars each year in federal student loans. The saga over the schools future is turning into one of the first high-profile tests of how the Trump administration will approach for-profit colleges.

(I didnt see this reported in any other local outlet, so I called Brewer late Tuesday, and she confirmed to me that she had confirmed the probe to Politico, in case youre wondering.)

The key issue seems to be who acts first: Stein, who in a move dripping with irony could tie up the law school in court; or the U.S. Department of Education, which could restore federal funding (i.e. student loans) to the law school.

Politico notes a wild card in all of this: the UNC system has opened up its own probe. Under state law, the UNC system licenses many post-secondary programs in North Carolina. That includes law schools  such as Charlotte Law, which the system OK'd in 2005. The next BOG meeting is May 19-20, and Politico notes that President Margaret Spellings might have a recommendation to the board then. Cue ominous music.

Could Charlotte Law survive a Stein-Spellings onslaught. Sure, I guess. But my money's on Lucille, not the zombie.

For more on Charlotte Law, the TaxProfBlog is keeping a running list of all the things that have happened down there.

Update, May 1: Here's more from the N&O, which also posts the letter from the AG's office to the U.S. Department of Education. Interestingly, most of the claims in the letter come from media sources (Charlotte Business Journal and the Charlotte Observer) and Charlotte Law disclosures.

Want to make sure you see these blog posts? Like me on Facebook, and follow me on Twitter.

Have something to say? Email me at john.newsom@greensboro.com.
Though beautiful and spacious skies were rare for the High Point University Symphonic Bands celebration of Americana, the move indoors allowed for the unticketed show to go on, boosting a surprising turnout.

From the stage, the universitys director of bands, Danny Frye, explained that the concept of the concert was to celebrate Americana through music. What then does define Americana, and how is it different from American music?

The repertoire chosen confirmed that Americana is a feeling of being American, a renewed sense of spirit one feels when hearing pieces that were written with that spirit in mind. Composers that come to mind include George Gershwin, Morton Gould, Aaron Copland and John Philip Sousa.

Of the four mentioned, only Sousa made an appearance on the program with two selections, The Thunderer, which succeeded the opening national anthem, and The Stars and Stripes Forever. However, the other works on the program were by composers unfamiliar to the general public but well-respected in the concert band repertoire.

One of those pieces, A Movement for Rosa, was written by Mark Camphouse for Rosa Parks. Frye set up the piece as being not so much a musical narrative of the Rosa Parks story as much as a portrait of the tumultuous times in the 1960s. The piece incorporates the civil rights anthem We Shall Overcome briefly at the end, which was clever and redeemed the movements uneven middle section.

Frye then introduced Catherine Shaw, the assistant director of bands, to conduct the next two pieces. Shaw led the group in the evenings most memorable and moving selection, One Life Beautiful, which highlighted the groups ability to navigate tricky harmonies and unified control of dynamics. An unevenly inspired arrangement of America the Beautiful followed though never quite achieved the same emotional climax One Life Beautiful did, something I attribute to the piece rather than the playing.

Richard Saucedos American Barndance is an Aaron Copland-inspired work with a middle section that diverts the titles rowdy dance antics morphing into sentimentality. It is a piece in which diversion into lyricism is too sudden and a bit distracting, but nevertheless brings us back in with its rousing finale.

Concluding the program was Donald Granthams arrangement of the traditional American song Shenandoah. Granthams piece was commissioned by the College Band Directors Association, a consortium of which HPU and several other North Carolina universities and colleges are a part. This was the North Carolina premiere of the piece, and although it does quote the titular theme only twice, the complex piece is a difficult one to access. It is a piece that indeed deserves respect and admiration for its thoughtful composition, though when concluding a concert where much of the program included unknown works heard for the first time by much of the audience, the gravitas of Shenandoah was an anticlimactic sigh rather than a hooray. Perhaps it is better suited among more familiar works (say, Gershwin, Gould or Copland) to better appreciate its rewarding complexity.

Rounding out the brief evening was Sousas The Stars and Stripes Forever, performed with elegance and brilliant precision by the group.

Despite the complexity of many of the pieces on the program, the symphonic band gave an enjoyable performance.
Food writer Kristen Hartke joined The Washington Post food staff to answer questions from readers. Recipes whose names are capitalized can be found in the Recipe Finder at washingtonpost. com/recipes.

Q: Im planning to make three types of cupcakes, several dozen total, for a lunch on Saturday. How early can I make them without compromising the taste or texture? Can I start on Thursday, or should I just bake them on Friday, cover the cakes, and make the frosting the day of? Im making cream cheese- and buttercream-based frostings. Ive been told buttercream does not hold up as well as cream cheese or other frostings.

A: You can probably get away with making them as early as Thursday, although Id wait until Friday. Buttercream will hold up great in the refrigerator, so you can actually assemble everything in advance if you can refrigerate them, covered, or you can also make the buttercream, refrigerate it and then let it come up to room temperature on Saturday morning, then frost the cupcakes.

Q: The British Scones recipe mentions making scone dough ahead, cutting the scones and freezing it. How should we cook the frozen dough pieces?

A: Let the frozen rounds come to room temperature on the counter. Then bake as normal.

Q: I am inspired to try Pork and Mushroom San Choy Bau. I am not vegetarian, but can you do them with tofu or walnuts or something? Or should I just go ahead and make this on one of my chicken or pork nights?

A: I think tofu/veggie crumbles would work well. Stick with the mushrooms, although walnuts sound good, too.
WASHINGTON  What does the National Museum of African American History and Culture have to say about barbecue, and why does it matter?

Since the museum opened in September, I, like so many other visitors, have found the experience moving and important. But when I made my way to the Cultural Expressions exhibition  which includes a section on food  I wondered why no barbecue? Along with a little information about Africa, the tiny food exhibit features oysters, red beans and rice, greens and black chefs. No photos of pitmasters. No bricks from an important pit. No acknowledgment of the role African-Americans have played in creating and defining what might be called Americas Cuisine.

If there is a story that courses through Americas veins, from before the establishment of the nation through slavery and into modern times, touching on politics, entrepreneurialism, social life and the transition from agricultural to urban living,it is the one told by barbecue. When I asked curator Joanne Hyppolite about the omission, she said, Theres only a finite amount of space, so you could only tell so many stories.

She pointed me to the museums Sweet Home Cafe, saying it functions as an extension of the museum, with food telling stories about the African-American experience. Indeed, I have eaten the oxtail, the oyster pan roast, the gumbo and the fried chicken and enjoyed them all.

Its not the barbecues quality that concerns me. Its the stories, which strike me as more confusing than enlightening.

Take the Lexington Style BBQ Pork sandwich with coleslaw and pickled okra. The pork is suffused with a sweet sauce unlike anything for which Lexington is known. The slaw is mayonnaise-based, characteristic of the eastern side of the state. Lexington is in the central-west part of the state, and its style is defined, in part, by red slaw, chopped cabbage in a thin ketchup-inflected vinegar and pepper dressing. There is nothing particularly Lexington about this sandwich or slaw. Why identify it as such?

The sandwich is offered in the Agricultural South region of the 400-seat, cafeteria-style restaurant. It is one of four regions represented, the others being the Creole Coast, the North States and the Western Range.

Cold-smoked chicken with Alabama white sauce represents the barbecue offering in the Creole Coast region. The sauce was developed in 1925 by a white entrepreneur named Big Bob Gibson. If the idea is to showcase African-American contributions, why such prominence to a condiment created by a white guy?

In the Western Range, the barbecue consists of a buffalo brisket sandwich on a brioche bun with charred-peach-and-jalapeno chutney. Never mind that, in traditional barbecue circles, rarely is heard the word chutney.

In the North States, theres no barbecue at all, a lost opportunity. Chicagos rib tips could be included as a representation of a specific style that tells the story of the Great Migration of African-Americans from the South, especially from Mississippi and Arkansas, where many found work in the citys slaughterhouses.

And why no ribs, which may be the most emblematic barbecue meat of them all?

We just dont have enough space in the Cookshack, says Albert Lukas, a supervising chef, referring to the electric oven enhanced with a box for adding wood chips and chunks.

Lukas is with Restaurant Associates, which operates the cafe with Thompson Hospitality, the countrys largest minority-owned food service company. Ribs, he said, might be served this summer.

Lukas oversees the operation with executive chef Jerome Grant, who came to Sweet Home from the acclaimed Mitsitam Cafe at the National Museum of the American Indian. Together, they say, they view their mission not necessarily as serving food in traditional ways, but extending the traditions to show the adaptability of African-American culinary techniques and flavors.

I want to take the traditional methods and innovate and modernize them, Grant says. I look at African-American food as American food. Whether slaves or indentured servants, we were the ones doing the cooking. ... Were adding to the story.

An accepted version of a dish is different than a makeover. At Sweet Home, the fried chicken is served with two sides, such as mac n cheese and collards. Traditional. The gumbo is served over rice  not, say, polenta. Traditional. Even with a little Heinz chili sauce, the Thomas Downing oyster pan roast, named for a popular black chef in New York whose basement served as part of the Underground Railroad, adheres to what Lukas told Smithsonian magazine is an iconic New York dish. Traditional, or something close to it.

The barbecue, conversely, is loosened from its moorings. The mash-up of ingredients subverts regional or historical context. In so doing, it doesnt extend tradition. It dismisses tradition and, perhaps more importantly, context. That is why the treatment of barbecue is important. Its story is the American story.

I think barbecue plays a very central role in defining American cookery, says Adrian Miller, author of Soul Food: The Surprising Story of an American Cuisine, One Plate at a Time.I firmly believe that African Americans were the first ambassadors of barbecue across the country, he says. Go back to the historical record and a lot of the barbecues were cooked by an African-American pitmaster.

The trick with barbecue, its a noun, verb and adjective, Jessica B. Harris, High on the Hog: A Culinary Journey from Africa to America, told me in an interview last year. Barbecue has become totemic.

Harris served as a consultant to the museum and supplied a white paper that helped provide the concept of the cafes regional approach, but she didnt develop the recipes.

It  barbecue  needs to be in the museum, she said. It was definitely a part of the cafe.

Grant understands that barbecue is a valuable African-American culinary contribution, but he says that, to him, barbecue is more about picnics or backyard gatherings.

Thats fine, but Id say the cafes treatment of barbecue does not articulate a clear story or help put it in historical or contemporary perspective.

I think they have to stay true to the tradition, Miller said. Thats the last taste of black history people are going to get at the museum.

I hope that when the food exhibit changes, the museum also adds something about barbecue, given its unrivaled place in the story of African-Americans. And that, in the meantime, the cafe works on telling that story more clearly.
April 26, 1986

An explosion and fire at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine (then part of the Soviet Union) caused radioactive fallout to begin spewing into the atmosphere. (Dozens of people were killed in the immediate aftermath of the disaster while the long-term death toll from radiation poisoning is believed to number in the thousands.)
ELON  Three months into President Donald Trumps term, North Carolinians arent too impressed by what theyve seen so far.

Forty-two percent of registered North Carolina voters say they approve of Trumps job performance, according to an Elon University Poll that came out Wednesday. Fifty-one percent disapprove. The remaining 8 percent didnt know or didnt say.

Of those polled, 39 percent say Trump, a Republican, is doing a better job than his predecessor, Democrat Barack Obama. Almost half  49 percent  say Trump is doing worse.

This is the first Elon Poll on presidential performance since Trump carried North Carolina in November and took over the Oval Office in January. But it echoes the results of other surveys. A High Point University poll conducted in February put Trumps approval rating among North Carolina residents at 36 percent.

Nationally, the latest Gallup daily tracking poll shows Trump with a 39 percent approval rating as of Tuesday. Trumps average daily approval rating  41 percent  is the lowest recorded by Gallup for the first three months of a presidency since the Eisenhower administration.

Real Clear Politics, which tracks national polls from media outlets, universities and national polling firms, says Trumps disapproval rating on average is nearly 11 points higher than his approval rating.

What dont people like about Trump? Plenty, according to Wednesdays Elon Poll.

Fifty-nine percent oppose one of Trumps key campaign promises, the construction of a bigger and better wall on the U.S.-Mexico border. They also dont like what they see on Twitter; 73 percent called the presidents use of the social media platform inappropriate.

North Carolinians, according to the Elon Poll, also dont like many of the people Trump has surrounded himself with. N.C. residents take dim views of chief strategist Steve Bannon (11 percent favorable, 40 percent unfavorable), spokesman Sean Spicer (25 percent favorable, 44 percent unfavorable) and adviser and son-in-law Jared Kushner (20 percent favorable, 28 percent unfavorable).

If youre looking for a bright side of the Trump presidency, there are a few sparkles.

Trump opposes the Affordable Care Act  Obamacare to many  and 44 percent of those polled say its going to make health care in North Carolina worse over the long haul. (Thirty-two percent say itll make things better.)

But North Carolinians are split on what to do about it. Forty-four percent say the president and Congress should continue their efforts to repeal and replace it; nearly half say the federal government should move on to different issues.

People seem to like the presidents eldest daughter, whos also a White House adviser. Ivanka Trump has a 47 percent favorable rating (versus 32 percent unfavorable) among those called by the Elon Poll.

The Elon University Poll surveyed 506 registered N.C. voters by telephone April 18-21. The poll results have a margin of error of plus or minus 4.4 percentage points.

To see more poll results, poll questions and the polls full methodology, click here (.pdf).
The N.C. House of Representatives gave preliminary approval Wednesday to a bill that would absolve motorists if they accidentally hit protesters who are blocking traffic.

One of the bills primary sponsors, state Rep. Justin Burr (R-Albemarle), said the initiative was partly inspired by recent protests in Charlotte where demonstrators blocked traffic on Interstate 277.

Protesters should not be allowed to impede traffic that, for example, might include someone racing to the emergency room in dire need of medical attention, Burr said.

Critics said the bill was unneeded, might enable irate drivers to mow down marchers with impunity and could open North Carolina to renewed criticism on the national stage similar to that stemming from the House Bill 2 bathroom law last year.

I believe this bill will protect the citizens who are simply trying to drive down the road, Burr countered in floor debate late Wednesday afternoon.

State Rep. Jon Hardister (R-Greensboro) said he sees the bill as a matter of public safety, observing that its unsafe for protesters to block traffic in the right of way.

People have the right to protest, but they dont have the right to stop traffic and put people in danger, said Hardister, who voted for the bill.

The bill would augment state law by asserting that as long as a motorist is exercising due care, the driver is immune from civil liability for any injury to another if the injured person was participating in a protest or demonstration and blocking traffic in a public street or highway.

With Democrats united against it, legislators approved the bill Wednesday on second reading, 68-47. The bill is scheduled Thursday for its third and final House vote today,which, if favorable, would send it to the N.C. Senate for action.

State Rep. Pricey Harrison (D-Greensboro) cast a no vote, saying that the proposed law is not needed at all because North Carolina statutes already prevent accident victims from winning damages in court if they helped to cause the mishap by their own actions.

I found it completely unnecessary, Harrison said after the vote. And I felt that it sends the wrong message about what we are about in this state.

State Rep. Graig Meyer (D-Hillsborough) raised the specter of a new HB 2-like controversy that would elicit mocking condescension from national media, soon to be laughing at us with references about those dumb rednecks down there.

State Rep. Henry M. Michaux Jr. (D-Durham) suggested that, if enacted, the law would allow someone to purposely drive into protesters who had a permit to march down the highway and then claim it was accidental.

State Rep. John Blust (R-Greensboro) disagreed, noting that in that kind of situation local authorities certainly would have shut down that section of the road and established a detour for through traffic.
Greenwich-based business intelligence and analytics company RiskMatch will join insurance technology firm Vertafore, in an acquisition announced Tuesday.

Founded in Greenwich in 2013, RiskMatch will remain in town and work as a distinct business unit of Bothell, Wash.-based Vertafore. RiskMatch founder and CEO Kabir Syed will also join Vertafores executive team, according to a media statement. Financial terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.

We are thrilled to be joining forces with Vertafore to provide leading-edge solutions that help brokers and carriers effectively mine big data to better understand and more quickly respond to the changing needs of their customers, Syed said in a statement. This combination will be highly impactful for customers as they have been asking for broader capabilities directly related to analytics, insights and ease of use.

Vertafore, founded in 1969 under the moniker Agency Records Control, has previously been based in Windsor before it announced plans to move its headquarters to Washington in 2005. Today, the privately held company markets itself as the leader in modern insurance technology with the largest customer base in the industry.

Prior to founding RiskMatch, Syed wound his way through several executive positions at Marsh, a global insurance broking and risk management company. Two years after Syed started his own company, it was named as a Red Herring Top 100 Start Ups in North America in 2015.

Vertafores CEO Amy Zupon said in a statement that the companys acquisition of RiskMatch will help it continue to deliver on our promise to customers to provide the best available data and market insights at a time when change and disruption are accelerating, she said. Vertafores comprehensive and flexible technology platform, combined with the market-leading solutions from RiskMatch, provide the insurance industry with the innovative tools needed to maximize efficiency and profitably navigate a changing environment.

Contact the writer at mbennett@greenwichtime.com
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HARTFORD  The unprecedented meltdown in the General Assembly brings lawmakers and the governor to a historic moment.

Not since 1989 has the legislative Appropriations Committee failed to bring out a budget proposal.

But back then, Democrats had solid majorities in the House and Senate, as well as the governor, William A. ONeill.

Now, with an 18-18 tie in the Senate and a tight 79-72 edge in the House, Republicans have to be part of the equation if a new, two-year spending package is to be approved.

But the legislative stalemate and public bad feelings that blew up Tuesday when Democrats pulled a bill they claimed was 85-percent supported by the GOP, bodes poorly for lawmakers meeting their statutory deadline of June 1, or even the start of the fiscal year July 1.

Senate President Pro Tempore Martin M. Looney told reporters on Wednesday that he expects the usual closed-door negotiations with Gov. Dannel P. Malloy and other legislative leaders to begin earlier in the session than usual, absent a document that could be compromised with Malloys two-year, $40.6-billion proposal.

We are in somewhat unchartered territory now, with a lack of an apropos budget and I think that is certainly regrettable, Looney said in the Legislative Office building. We are lacking the usual legislative response, at this point. Now leadership negotiations with the governor have to begin, which would have been the next step in any case.

The $41-billion budget that was pulled from debate before it even started in the committee on Tuesday, essentially repudiated Malloys proposal to put more responsibility on cities and towns to pay, for the first time, a third of their annual teacher pension contributions, along with massive changes to school aid.

Looney said that budget will still become the base for talks with Malloy, even though it was dramatically withdrawn from the committee just prior to its introduction on Tuesday.

The pensions system for Greenwich costs the state substantially more than the teachers pensions from New Britain, Looney said. And those are because of choices made in Greenwich over those years. So there is an equity argument on what the governor said, but a full third was probably more than the towns could sustain.

Malloy on Wednesday invited all General Assembly leaders to meet with him next week to start hammering out a deal. Meanwhile, the Democrat-controlled Finance Committee is planning to meet Thursday and vote on a bare-bones tax package with little in the way of new revenue. And GOP lawmakers plan to reveal their alternative budget plan.

House Minority Leader Themis Klarides, R-Derby, said that Democratic statements charging that GOP lawmakers walked away from a bipartisan compromise are misleading.

Weve put out a budget, the House and Senate Republicans, for the past 10 years and this year wont be any different, Klarides said during an interview in her office. "And from there on well be able to sit down and have a real conversation about the budget, not the faux conversation that they claim has gone on.

kdixon@ctpost.com; Twitter: @KenDixonCT
According to a recent report, 53 million Americans (34 percent of the U.S. workforce) work from home as freelancers and/or home-based business owners.

In the fast paced digital environment that we currently live in, why not work from home? Meeting with clients and business acquaintances at coffee shops is an everyday norm.

Google sees things a little differently, however, and this has drastically impacted many small business owners bottom line throughout the country. According to Moz, the No. 1 ranking factor in local SEO is the physical address of the business.

What is local SEO?

Im sure you have done a Google search and seen the results populate at the top of the page with the map, star ratings, address and phone number. This is what Im referring to when I say local SEO. This is Googles Local Snack Pack. Depending on the industry, it has the potential to be the very first result on Google and can make a big difference when it comes to bringing new leads into your business.

Related: 5 Tips to Improve Your Local SEO in 5 Hours

What's the issue with home business addresses?

According to Moz, You should always hide your address if you're using your home address (unless customers actually show up there)." This makes perfect sense. Do you really want everyone to know where you live, especially if you have kids? Thats the risk youll take if you publicly post your business address when it also happens to be your home.

This is very problematic for local businesses owners when it comes to their SEO. In order to rank well locally, you need to make your address public in some way, shape or form. The NAP (name, address, physical location) are key local SEO indicators, so if you dont have one, your SEO will undoubtedly suffer.

Related: Your SEO Checklist: 4 Steps to Optimizing Your Website

What about a virtual office space?

Small business owners are savvy. To compensate for not listing their home address on Google, entrepreneurs signed up for Regus office spaces (or a similar type of virtual office). According to Regus website, it offers flexible workspace from an hour, to a day, to as many years as needed -- made simple with all-inclusive pricing.

This plan makes perfect sense. Entrepreneurs can pay to have a meeting space for a day or two per month and they can also publicly put this office space down as their physical address on Google and across the local directories.

Watch out for the Possum!

Entreprenuers were reaping the benefits of Regus type office spaces on Google until Sept. 1, 2016, when an algorithm named Possum rolled out. According to Search Engine Land, a study shows Googles Possum update changed 64 percent of local SERPs (search engine results pages).

There are many different theories behind Possum but Im going to stick with the one theory I think most small business owners can easily understand and relate to. This is also what I think they were most likely impacted by.

Related: Why You Get What You Pay For in SEO

Our marketing agency, The Media Captain, handles thousands of local directories throughout the entire country for many businesses across all industries. We have also been consulting with large brands that have been impacted by Possum. A trend we noticed was that if a business had signed up for a Regus office space or another type of service, it was dropping out of the local results (in most cases).

Google is smart. Our theory is that its algorithm was able to detect when 14 different businesses, for example, are sharing the same suite number, which was the case when a business signed up for Regus. In the Possum algorithm, it essentially dinged the businesses that had a Regus type of office space.

Is this fair?

If your small business was using a Regus office legitimately to conduct meetings and utilize the workspace, then no, I dont think it is fair if Possum penalized you. If your business signed up for eight different Regus locations in different markets throughout your state for the sole purpose of ranking in those local markets, I can see where Google was coming from.

Just like any Google penalty, there is controversy involved. At the end of the day, many small business owners were impacted by this local algorithm shakeup. The question becomes, how does your business recover?

Related: SEO Strategy in 2017: What's Most Important?

Here's how to recover.

Each businesses local SEO strategy is so different that there isnt a generic game plan that will work across the board. I will say that if you have multiple business locations and have signed up for a service like Regus, you need to reevaluate your strategy. Consolidating locations could be a great play, and in this scenario, wed recommend that you only focus on your most lucrative market.

If you work from home and want to reap the benefits of a brick-and-mortar storefront for local SEO, it could be worth it to see if there is a cheap and small office space in a suburb that you can actually rent out. This will ensure you arent sharing a suite number. It used to be crucial for local SEO that your businesses were centrally located in the downtown area but this is no longer the case. This means there could be cheap office space in one of your suburbs and you could take advantage of that.

In a previous Entrepreneur article, I mapped out how you can Improve Your Local SEO in 5 Hours. I recommend following the tips outlined in my prior piece. Before executing on this strategy, however, take a closer look at the strategy behind your physical address, as its another factor that could greatly enhance or hinder your SEO efforts.

Related:

Why a Possum Is Messing With Your Google Local SEO

5 Tips to Improve Your Local SEO in 5 Hours

Effective Digital Marketing Takes Both Hands



Copyright 2017 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved
NEW CANAAN  There are more than 60 species of oak trees that grow in the United States. The Charter Oak is the official tree of Connecticut. The mighty oak tree was designated as the official, national tree of the United States back in 2004, as voted by Americans through the National Arbor Day Foundation, which celebrates trees of all varieties on April 28 this year. The oak is prized as a symbol of strength, but also beauty.

Oak figures prominently in the newer Queen Anne Victorian house near downtown New Canaan. This strong, beautiful and graceful Painted Lady has an address of 83 Oak Street and she has oak flooring throughout most of her 8,100 square footage of living space. Oak is not used exclusively. This house has mahogany front doors and her exterior shingle siding is likely cedar. According to www.architecturalstyles.org the shingle-style Queen Anne Victorian house is a regional variation that emerged in New England, named for its prominent use of wooden, stained shingles (often cedar).

This particular architectural style had its period of popularity from 1880 to 1900 in the U.S. but this is not a vintage structure that has been updated. This house was built in 2006 with an eye to the late 19th century but firmly rooted in the 21st century. It has all the outward architectural features of a traditional Victorian with all the latest amenities and comforts of a new home.

Some of the features that identify it as a Victorian, and a Painted Lady at that, are its Steeply pitched, irregular roof shapes; dominant front-facing gable  polychromatic and decorative ornamentation; partial or full-width porches  occasional towers and turrets  Differing wall textures are their hallmark. This is the most eclectic style of the Victorian era, according architecturestyles.org. This house has a turret and a long, wide, covered, wrap-around porch.

This is a polychromatic, or multi-colored, house. Its exterior ornamentation includes four paint colors - a soft green-blue, a dark green-blue, maroon, and cream, all of them subtle, unlike some Painted Ladies that can have vibrant paint jobs that stand out like a sore thumb. This house stands out but those who pass by refer to it as the show stopper. It suits the neighborhood and the landscaping of its 0.4-acre largely level property.

The nod to the past does not end with the architectural style. There is a partial decorative tin ceiling in the gourmet kitchen and period reproduction lighting throughout this house, which has ample living space on four finished floors.

More Information ABOUT THIS HOUSE STYLE: Queen Anne Victorian ADDRESS: 83 Oak Street PRICE: $2,850,000 ROOMS: 12 FEATURES: walking distance to shops and train, 0.4-acre level and fenced property, whole home audio system, wet bar, deck, terrace, central vacuuming system, front and rear staircases, walking distance to schools, close to town and train, two fireplaces, period reproduction lighting throughout, thermal windows, three mudrooms, heated two-car attached under house garage, irrigation system, professional landscaping, workshop, walk-up attic, finished walk-out basement, five bedrooms, six full and one half baths SCHOOLS: South Elementary, Saxe Middle, New Canaan High School ASSESSMENT: $1,574,370 MILL RATE: 16.312 mills TAXES: $26,616 See More Collapse

The mahogany and beveled glass French doors of the front entrance open to a large foyer from which the formal living room is accessed. It has a door to the wrap-around porch. The formal dining room features a coffered ceiling, bay window, and two entrances topped with transoms from the kitchen, which is a favorite gathering spot. It was designed by Christine Donner Kitchen Design and was showcased on the New Canaan Cares Kitchen Tour. It features green marble counters, an open dish rack, white subway tile backsplash, and tin paneling behind the wet bar. High-en appliances include a Sub-Zero refrigerator, Viking Professional six-burner range, Miele double wall ovens, and two dishwashers.

Off the kitchen is a breakfast room with a door to the Trex deck, and a guest room with a Murphy bed. This part of the house has the first of three mudrooms and a service entrance for deliveries. The sizable family room has a fireplace.

On the second floor the master suite features a fireplace, tray ceiling, sitting area in the turret, and a large bath with a decorative tile floor and Carrera marble counters. Also on the second floor are four more bedrooms, laundry room, and a homework station on the landing near the rear staircase.

In the finished walk-out lower level there is an office, large play or game room with built-ins, a full bath, storage room, workshop, access to the garage, and two more mudrooms - one at the base of the stairs and one by the garage entrance. The finished walk-up attic has a large room for a studio or other use.

For more information or to make an appointment to see the house contact Marsha Charles and Holly Slattery of Coldwell Banker Previews International, Charles at 203-904-4663 or marsha.charles@cb

moves.com, and Slattery at 203-722-2139.
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Joo Sang-wook and Cha Ye-ryun are leaving for Hawaii to get their wedding pictures taken.

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They are headed for Honolulu on the 26th. They are about to get married and they are collaborating with a magazine on their wedding pictures.

The two of them met in the MBC drama "Glamorous Temptation" and developed into a relationship.

Joo Sang-wook debuted in 1998 through a KBS drama and Cha Ye-ryun started off as a fashion model 2004 and began acting later.
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Second Lady Sees Art Therapy in Action at Hawaii Base

By Army Lt. Jason Kilgore, Schofield Barracks Health Clinic, and Ana Allen, Regional Health Command Pacific, Defense.gov

SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, Hawaii, April 25, 2017  Karen Pence, wife of Vice President Mike Pence, visited with military and civilian leaders here yesterday to talk about how art therapy is being used to help service members and their families deal with difficulties, disabilities or diagnoses.

Tripler Army Medical Center Oncology Clinical Nurse Specialist, Dr. Patricia Nishimoto, shares information with Karen Pence, wife of Vice President Mike Pence, about Triplers 11th annual Oncology on Canvas event at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, April 24, 2017. During the event, oncology patients and their families use art therapy as a way to deal with the effects of cancer and its treatment. Army photo by Spc. Tyler M. Jones

Art therapists and patients at the clinic have unfettered access to their tools: pens, paper, brushes, ceramics and more.

Pence, a champion for art therapy programs, visited the arts and crafts building at Schofield, where she spoke with patients currently enrolled in art therapy programs.

Using Art Therapy to Heal

Its very encouraging today to see at Schofield Barracks everything theyre doing to incorporate art therapy. From the family to volunteer programs, outpatient, we touched on music therapy and dance therapy, education -- there were so many areas that we touched on today. This is a place that is really doing it right. This is a place that is really using art therapy to heal our soldiers and their families, Pence said.

Army Col. Deydre Teyhen, the clinic commander, talked with Pence about how patients, from the clinic enrolled in the intensive outpatient department orchild-adolescent and family behavioral health services or mental health care can utilize the alternative care program in coordination with their providers.

For the right patient, art therapy becomes a powerful tool in the healing process, Teyhen said. Theres incredible flexibility within the therapy program, which can be tailored to the needs, interests and capabilities of the patient and applied regardless of age. Both patients and providers express how vital the evidence-based care is in the recovery process.

Pence said she has seen, first hand, the benefits of art therapy as an artist herself.

As an educator...Im an art teacher and I dont have the qualifications to do art therapy, she said.

Art therapy is not arts and crafts. Its not even someone like me with a masters degree in art education. Its not something I could do," Pence continued. So, art therapy is where you take these amazing professionals here who are therapists, who understand psychology and they understand how the mind works and they are using art as helping them with healing. So, if someone is not verbal, they are using visual art, they are using music, dance. These are ways that they are helping the soldiers cope, and we actually see how working through art therapy does heal the brain. Its astonishing.

Family Members Benefit, Too

Dr. Lisa Gomes, a clinical psychologist and play therapist and Expressive Arts Group-Therapy facilitator, also discussed with Pence about how she is using art therapy with children.

During our sessionswe like to keep our adolescent patients engaged by using forms of therapy that cater to their age, she said. One form of therapy that is popular among children is modeling clay. With an in-house kiln, its easy to have the patients create their pieces of art and immediately put it the kiln to be fired and then painted, Gomes said.

Tripler Army Medical Center Oncology Clinical Nurse Specialist, Dr. Patricia Nishimoto also shared information with Pence about Tripler's 11th annual Oncology on Canvas event, which has proven to be a meaningful program for participants. During the event, oncology patients and their families use art therapy as a way to deal with the treatment of life-threatening diseases and impacts to the family.

Art therapy is becoming more popular within the military medical community," Teyhen said. However, this kind of care isnt always feasible in a typical clinical room setting. It takes the community coming together to bring a wide range of therapy mediums to our patients.

Building Resiliency

For example, the Resiliency Through Arts program is a community partnership with Morale Welfare and Recreation and the clinics Intensive Outpatient Program, or IOP, where participants focus on the process of personal expression through art, in a small group setting at the arts and crafts center.

Through attending the IOP courses, I have learned a new appreciation for art. It is no longer just paint on canvas or charcoal on paper. Its a feeling, said Army Staff Sgt. Bryan Roscoe.

When I created this picture, said Roscoe, referring to his creation, there was nothing there, nothing in my headspace. Then something amazing happened, and it was clarity.

Another Intensive Outpatient Program participant, Army Staff Sgt. Nate Hibbs, experienced similar success.

Being a part of this great program has given me a new perspective on life and many outlets for my anger and anxiety that I did not know I was capable of, Hibbs said. The painting was my first-ever, and I truly enjoyed the peace and feeling of accomplishment that I get when I finish one.

It sometimes is overlooked that the militarys veterans assistance programs can work with art museums, community leaders and churches, Pence said.

Sometimes we do things isolated and we dont understand that someone right around the corner is doing a similar thing -- is someone I could partner with. I would just say they are doing everything right here. They have got the whole pie they are working with," she said.

Pence also emphasized the effectiveness of such programs, describing a moment when she saw art therapy make a difference during the tour.

I hear from art therapists, I heard from several today that art therapy saves lives. It can take someone who is contemplating suicide and turn them right around and flip it right over, she said. I heard a soldier say today, I was in a hole and working with clay helped me come out of that hole. I am completely healed; I am not on any medications. Just to see people tell these testimonies to me, to say it actually saved my life is just a powerful, powerful tool.

Near the end of her visit, Pence shared her three hopes for the future of art therapy within the military medical setting.

No. 1, I want to lift up the profession of art therapy. You have people here at Schofield Barracks that actually are trained art therapists, she said.

No. 2, I want people to go into the profession, Pence continued. There are so many people who are saying, I like art. I like psychology. Maybe this is something I could go into. We are never going to have enough art therapists.

And third, Pence wants injured or ill warriors to know art therapy can help them.

I want people to understand that this is an avenue for you, she said. If you are someone who feels like you are in that hole, if you feel like you need help, art therapy might be the thing that would help you step out of that hole that you are in. My desire would be for more and more of our military families to know there is help out there.

Art therapy resources are available to TRICARE beneficiaries through a doctor referral.
Free Speech Crackdown on Hawaii Pregnancy Centers Passes House Vote

by Jay Hobbs, Pregnancy Help News

April 25, 2017 -- All five pro-life pregnancy help organizations on the Hawaiian islands are the stroke of a pen away from being forced by law to advertise abortions, following a vote by Hawaiis house of representatives a couple weeks ago in Honolulu.

With only 10 of Hawaiis 51 state representatives voting against SB 501, the measure will now go back to the state senate for a review of amendments before landing on the desk of Democratic Gov. David Ige.

Backed by Planned Parenthood Northwest and Hawaii, the edict mirrors a 2015 California law that is likely on its way to the U.S. Supreme Court because, as pro-lifers argue, it forces them to choose between denying conscience by posting pro-abortion signage and defying the government by refusing to comply with the law.

If the law were to take effect, all community-funded pregnancy centers offering free services such as ultrasounds would be forcedat the threat of a $500 first-time fine and a $1,000 subsequent fineto post and distribute to clients the following statement:

Hawaii has public programs that provide immediate free or low-cost access to comprehensive family planning services, including, but not limited to, all FDA-approved methods of contraception and pregnancy-related services for eligible women. To apply online for medical insurance coverage, that will cover the full range of family planning and prenatal care services, go to mybenefits.hawaii.gov. Only ultrasounds performed by qualified healthcare professionals and read by licensed clinicians should be considered medically accurate.

While supporters of the bill, including state Rep. Chris Lee, argued that its intent is to provide basic transparency, opponents to the law argued that it was not likely to pass constitutional muster on First Amendment grounds, and pointed out that the state should use its own resources to advertise its own taxpayer-funded programs.

One lawmaker, Reb. Bob McDermott, was far more direct in his criticism.

Ultimately, what was the whole point of this whole thing? Where did it come from? Why is it even before us? Its before us because theres Christian centers that offer alternatives to abortion, McDermott said. They dont believe in abortion. So, a woman comes in there and theyre encouraging, they offer alternatives but they dont do abortions. And thats what this is about.

These pregnancy centers offer the ultrasound the young lady will not have the abortionshe wontand Planned Parenthood loses money.

Trampling on Free Speech

Arguing that the law is a threat to free speech, Hawaiian pro-lifers have seen their rights evaporate even while the bill has made its march through the state legislature.

Their testimony opposing the bill has been held back from relevant committees, an issue the states attorney general has said is a violation of First Amendment rights.

At issue in the censorship was testimony from a former client at one center, A Place for Women in Waipioan outreach of Calvary Chapel Pearl Harborwho now works with Planned Parenthood. The woman had testified to the senates Ways and Means Committee that her experience at the center had left her feeling like the only thing they cared about was the baby.

While that testimonyeven if truehas nothing to do with the law, A Place For Women submitted rebuttal testimony citing a voluntary exit survey the same woman had filled out saying her visit was, "very comfortable." The senate president squelched the rebuttal testimony before it was passed onto committee members, however, denying A Place for Women a chance to plead its case.

That action, the attorney general asserted in a March 29 letter, infringed on the pregnancy help centers First Amendment right to petition the government.

The fact that we did not have a voice in that decision is very concerning, Joy Wright, executive director at Malama Pregnancy Center, said. Even if theyre for the bill, its very important that we have a voice. We are abiding by the process put together by the state legislature, and so if its not followed through on the other side, then we have a problem that needs to be addressed."

Legislation by Anecdote

Testifying in favor of the bill prior to the vote, Lee relayed an anecdotal example of a woman he claimed to know who went to a pregnancy centerthough he didnt specify which center, or if it was even in Hawaiiand wasnt able to access the morning-after pill at the center.

Plan B One-Step, commonly called the morning-after pill, has been available for sale over the counter since 2013, and pregnancy centers do not refer for abortions or abortifacient drugs such as the morning-after pill.

At a hearing before the states House Committee on Health on March 16, one supporter of the bill, Michael Golojuch, Jr., chair of the states LGBT Caucus, testified that pregnancy centers are dangerous for women based on his own third-hand account of the sister of one of his friends.

Without providing any substantiating details or even establishing that the pregnancy center had made a mistake of any kind, Golojuchs testimony was markedly similar to the sweeping claims often made by abortion lobby groups and one undercover reporter whose vague allegations formed the backbone of Californias 2015 law.

We dont make policy based on anecdotal stories, McDermott said. The biggest thing that these centers do isthe ones that have itprovide an ultrasound opportunity for the young lady to see the child. Once the young lady sees the child, the abortion option is almost always off the table, because they see this living, breathing human being.

Past attempts by local authorities to compel pro-life pregnancy centers to post signage either declaring the services they do not offer or referring patientseven indirectlyto abortion providers have been struck down in New York City, Austin (TX), Baltimore (MD) and Montgomery County (MD), the latter of which cost taxpayers $330,000 in attorneys fees.

Meanwhile, another law in Illinois forcing pro-life medical professionals to refer for abortions is facing similar challenges in court.

As one pro-abortion lawmaker, Joy San Buenaventura, said Tuesday, the potential redirecting of federal taxpayer dollars away from Planned Parenthood to federally qualified health centers makes cracking down on pregnancy help centers a must for the abortion industry.

In this federal climate that we have here, where the defunding of Planned Parenthood seems to me highly likely, theres going to be a number of consumers wholl be flocking to these limited pregnancy centers, Buenaventura said. What we have produced here is the best of all possible options.

---30---
Hawaii High Schools

From US News and World Report, April, 2017

High school graduation requirements in Hawaii call for a minimum of 24 credits, including a half credit in modern Hawaii history and two credits in world language, fine arts, junior ROTC or career and technical education. High school students are tested via Smarter Balanced assessments in English language arts and math, according to the Hawaii State Department of Education.

There are six silver medal schools and five bronze medal schools from Hawaii included in the 2017 rankings of U.S. News Best High Schools. A few of Hawaii's highly ranked schools are in Honolulu, the state capital, within the Hawaii Department of Education.

LINK: Hawaii High Schools Ranked by USNWR

KHON: Roosevelt tops 2017 list of best high schools in Hawaii
At what point is it pragmatic to cease disciplinary processes and come to a settlement with an employee who has a mental illness?



There are a number of scenarios where it may be appropriate to seek to resolve a difficult employment situation with an employee who has a mental illness, according to Joydeep Hor, Founder and managing principal of People + Cultural Strategies.



They are premised on the notion that the employer has made efforts to date to accommodate and support the employee, and that the issue of any settlement is approached with sensitivity to the employees condition.



One scenario is where, despite reasonable adjustments having been made, the problematic conduct is continuing, but the medical evidence is inconclusive as to the likelihood of any improvement of the underlying condition in the foreseeable future, said Hor.



Another potentially problematic situation that might lend itself to a pragmatic resolution is where the employee has been unwilling over a prolonged period to co-operate over the provision of timely and informative medical documentation.



This information is important to enable the employer to make a fair assessment of the nature of any reasonable adjustments and the capacity of the employee to perform the key requirements of the job, said Hor.



This may also extend to a situation where an employee is unwilling to acknowledge that their behaviour is problematic, despite the ongoing efforts of the employer in offering a supportive environment and its willingness to make reasonable adjustments.



Finally, the escalation of conduct to a serious situation, for example involving potential threats to other employees, may warrant swift intervention to bring to an end the consequences of such behaviour, added Hor.



This is important for the health and safety of other employees, and to restore the equilibrium of the workforce in the short-term.
The Working Holiday (subclass 417) and Work and Holiday (subclass 462) visas allow visa holders to have an extended holiday in Australia and to supplement their funds with short term employment. These visas are granted with condition 8547, which limits work with each employer to 6 months.

Until now, WHMs were limited to work for a maximum of 6 months with any one employer for the duration of their visa. Generally, this required that WHMs work for different employers or businesses (for example, with different ABNs) to comply with the 6 month work restriction.

From 27 March 2017, WHMs can work for the same employer for up to 12 months provided the work is undertaken in different locations and work in any one location does not exceed 6 months.

For example, a front of house manager employed by a hospitality group while holding a Working Holiday Visa can work for 6 months in Establishment A and 6 months in Establishment B where both establishments are operated by the same employer, without being in breach of the 6 month work restriction.

Or a web developer working for digital agency in Sydney can now undertake a further 6 months at the Melbourne office of the same organisation.
ELKO  Three candidates applying to become Great Basin Colleges next president began a week of meetings and interviews with a public forum Monday night.

Dr. Barbara Buchanan, Joyce Helens and Dr. George McNulty discussed their background and goals for GBC with the public, which included college staff, faculty and community members.

On Tuesday, the candidates met with Chancellor John White, President Mark Curtis, and Vice President of Academic Affairs Lynn Mahlberg, and participated in other public meetings on campus.

Dr. Buchanan has been vice president of academic affairs at Truckee Community College for two years, and explained her education background, starting out at a community college smaller than this one in Carthage, Texas where she was a professor of English and history.

I do understand the system, Buchanan said, noting her experiences with Nevada System of Higher Education at TMCC.

I do believe in pulling people together, Buchanan said, adding that students win in the end.

Buchanan described taking GBC to the next level by building on the high school dual credit program, working with business leaders in the community to develop a trained workforce, and striving to keep students on campus until they graduate.

Im honored to be here. You are doing great things here, Buchanan said in her closing remarks.

Joyce Helens is the current president of St. Cloud Technical and Community College and explained one of her core values is to advocate for those who cant advocate for themselves.

When asked how she would utilize her core values to guide her governance at GBC, Helens noted that there is shared governance at her college and some of it is because it is contractually issued due to the unions in Minnesota.

I have something called I live here, I work here, by that I mean we know the atmosphere and what we have and we create that, we dont let outside do that to us, said Helens.

Helens explained, We ask ourselves the hard questions first and then we say were going to be proactive.

Answering a question about GBCs large service area and distance education, Helens explained she currently is looking for different ways that we could provide online classes for those who live in rural areas in Minnesota.

I think it depends on the needs of the community, Helens said, adding that her passion has been to assist in rural areas.

Dr. McNulty told of working as an adviser at TMCC.

My foundation is academic advising and counseling and navigating the numerous processes of higher education, he said.

As the Vice President of Student Affairs, McNulty is responsible for a broad range of services and operations at the college level and co-chairing the strategic plan for the Academic Counsel.

McNulty explained he is very interested in acting on data collection and answering the question in the value of the data, using an assessment approach in student affairs.

McNulty said that for workforce development at GBC, he would look at the national perspective as a start, noting that the amount of degrees and certificates coming out of the college was pretty outstanding. Something good is going on here.

The first thing Id focus on is an evaluation, McNulty said. Id ask a lot of questions to get a baseline where are we at and where do we want to go.

Chancellor John White said a decision could come on Thursday after the search advisory committee and the Board of Regents ad hoc GBC President Search Committee meet on Wednesday and interview the candidates, making a recommendation to the board.

The board will have a meeting on Thursday and select a president, said White, explaining that it is possible the committee could send more than one recommendation and then the board would have to decide.

According to White, about 40 applications were received and were narrowed down to four candidates, with three accepting the invitation to come to Elko.
(HedgeCo.Net) The Securities and Exchange Commission today charged a former broker with knowingly or recklessly trading unsuitable investment products in the accounts of five customers and misappropriating more than $170,000 from one of those customers.

The SECs complaint alleges that Demitrios Hallas repeatedly traded unsuitable investments in his customers accounts, exposing customers who were unsophisticated with limited or no investing experience and modest incomes, net worth levels, and assets to a significant degree of volatility and risk. In a little more than a year, Hallas allegedly traded 179 daily leveraged exchange traded funds (ETFs) and exchange traded notes (ETNs)  products that the SEC alleges are inherently risky, complex and volatile, and only appropriate for sophisticated investors  in the customers accounts, generating commissions and fees of approximately $128,000. The net loss across all 179 positions was approximately $150,000. The SECs complaint further alleges that Hallas misappropriated more than $170,000 in funds from one customer. Instead of investing the funds on the customers behalf, Hallas allegedly deposited the funds into his own personal bank accounts and spent them on personal expenses, including significant bar and restaurant bills, credit card and student loan payments, and rent.

The SEC previously issued an Investor Alert warning about excessive trading and churning that can occur in brokerage accounts, and an Investor Bulletin educating investors about ETNs and the risks associated with them.

As alleged in our complaint, Hallas enriched himself by systematically disregarding his customers investment profiles and repeatedly trading in risky, volatile products that were unsuitable for them, said Andrew M. Calamari, Director of the SECs New York Regional Office and Co-Chair of the Enforcement Divisions Broker Dealer Task Force. As reflected in this case and our recent case against two former JD Nicholas brokers, the SEC is very focused on brokers who seek to exploit their customers by willfully recommending unsuitable trades or strategies to them.

The SECs complaint charges Hallas with violating Section 17(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5. The complaint seeks a permanent injunction as well as the return of ill-gotten gains plus interest and penalties.
When Shia LaBeouf began his new performance art project in Finland, he most likely hoped that his problems with online trolls were over. Now it appears that his relocation to an isolated Lapland cabin hasnt stopped his tormentors from springing up again.

Users of anonymous imageboard websites such as 4chan and 8chan began targeting LaBeouf during his previous performance art project, He Will Not Divide Us. This has now continued during #ALONETOGETHER, the current project that sees LaBeouf and his two collaborators isolate themselves for one month in three separate Lapland cabins.

The trios only communication with the outside world is through a livestream broadcast. Visitors of Helsinkis Kiasma museum are able to speak to the three participants, but they can only respond via text message. The isolation of LaBeouf and his collaborators is now under threat, however, by users of the above forums. Members of the 4chan /pol/ community are trying to uncover the location of LaBeoufs cabin and sabotage the project. The name for their mission is Operation Cabin Fever.

Posters on Finlands equivalent of 4chan, Ylilauta, have also been quick to get involved. Using meme humor and pro-Donald Trump symbols, Ylilauta members have been provoking LaBeouf from inside the Kiasma exhibition. One user of Ylilauta told the BBC that their goal is to prevent the exhibition from lasting the planned 30 days. Kiasma has responded to the harassment and hate speech aimed at LeBeouf by increasing security.

Similar provocation caused LaBeoufs anti-Trump project, He Will Not Divide Us, to relocate three times and eventually shut down. The project involved a 24/7 livestream that was broadcast from outside the Museum of the Moving Image in New York. Intending to give a platform to people who wished to share messages of resistance in opposition of President Trump, the project had to move to New Mexico after it was hijacked by trolls. Subsequent relocations to Tennessee and Liverpool, England werent able to fix the problem, and the project has now all but shut down.

Dan Anderson  HT

Photo: Screenshot from BBC video.
In other news, Finland is ranked as the most eco-friendly country on Earth,

Finnish Finance Minister Petteri Orpo has certainly been popular in the world press over the last 10 days. His quotes about Brexit were picked up by the Financial Express, while his thoughts on Finland approaching the end of austerity were the subject of a feature by Bloomberg.

the Greens are considering the benefits of nuclear power and the first Finnish satellite is launched into space.

Brexit will be so painful that no one will want to follow

Financial Express

Britains departure from the European Union sets a precedent. But not in the way you might think. Instead of showing other EU members that its possible to exit the bloc, Brexit will make clear just how economically agonizing the process is, and frighten others away from ever considering a similar path, according to Finlands Finance Minister Petteri Orpo.

This divorce, after 40 years of marriage, is inevitably going to be so painful that no one will want to feel it for themselves, Orpo said in an interview at his office in Helsinki. I believe its going to be a precedent no one will want to follow.

Original article was published by on 21/04/2017 and can be found here.

Is austerity coming to an end in Finland?

Bloomberg

Finlands economic stewards, used to presenting bad news, are getting positively giddy.

The self-described sick-man of Europe is now showing signs of real progress after years of tough budget cuts and tax increases. That may allow the country to avoid further austerity, its finance minister, Petteri Orpo, said in an interview Helsinki on Thursday.

We have left recession clearly behind us, Orpo said. Weve had a predictable economic policy and thats starting to bring results.

Those results will likely mean a still modest expansion of 1.6 percent this year, accelerating from 1.4 percent last year, according to the Bank of Finland. But the economy is gaining a broader growth base, helped by a recovery in exports and a surprising revival in consumer confidence even as unemployment hovers at about 9 percent.

Original article was published by on 24/04/2017 and can be found here.

Will the Greens become pro-nuclear?

Forbes

Last month, four municipal election candidates from the traditionally anti-nuclear Green Party in Finland published an opinion piece in which they stated that humanity no longer has the luxury of opposing nuclear power.

This is significant. Well over a hundred election candidates from all the major parties  these Greens included  signed a petition calling for feasibility studies for nuclear district heating to provide heat for Finnish cities.

The country has vowed to end the use of coal by 2030 and their wide use of biomass is controversial as it causes significant health effects in some indoor air situations. Finland is receiving the brunt of global warming, as temperatures across Finland are climbing faster than anywhere else in the world. And global warming is impossible to address in the next 20 years without expanding nuclear power.

Original article was published by on 17/04/2017 and can be found here.

Finland launches first satellite into space

The Science Times

Finland's first satellite was finally launched after years of delays. The Aalto-2 successfully made its journey into space last Tuesday.

The launching event was held at the US state of Florida. According to Phys.org, the satellite was designed and created by students in Otaniemi and was launched using the Atlas V booster rocket heading for the International Space Station.

The Aalto-2 nanosatellite was sent to take part in the International QB50 mission, which will produce the first ever comprehensive model of the thermosphere. The thermosphere is the layer located between the Earth's atmosphere and space, and with the help of the Aalto-2, its features will be revealed and studied.

Original article was published by on 22/04/2017 and can be found here.

Finland is ranked as the worlds most eco-friendly country

The Telegraph

Produced by the Yale Center for Environmental Law & Policy, [the Environmental Performance Index] is based on an assessment of the policies of 180 nations, reflecting whether they [are] meeting internationally established environmental targets or, in the absence of agreed targets, how they compare to one another.

Top of the eco-chart is Finland. According to the 2016 EPI report, Finlands ranking "stems from its societal commitment to achieve a carbon-neutral society". It adds: "Finlands goal of consuming 38 per cent of their final energy from renewable sources by 2020 is legally binding, and they already produce nearly two-thirds of their electricity from renewable or nuclear power sources."

Original article was published by on 22/04/2017 and can be found here.

Dan Anderson  HT

Photo: Lehtikuva / DPA / Jens Kalaene
The Government revealed that it will re-allocate roughly 300 million euros for promoting cutting-edge research and its societal impacts, and the product development and internationalisation efforts of businesses.

The Government of Prime Minister Juha Sipila (Centre) announced the outcomes of its two-day mid-term session in a news conference organised shortly after 10pm on Tuesday.

The Finnish Funding Agency for Innovation (Tekes) will receive 70 million euros for funding the joint projects of businesses, research institutions and the central administration that encourage economic growth in 20182019. The Academy of Finland, in turn, will receive an appropriation of 50 million euros for establishing flagship research institutions.

The Government will step up its investments in education and expertise also by allocating 60 million euros for re-capitalising both of the governmental agencies.

An additional 80 million euros will be set aside for re-capitalising the a body responsible for maintaining the learning environments and technologies in vocational education. General upper-secondary education, meanwhile, will be overhauled in an attempt to improve the quality of teaching, learning outcomes and facilitate the transition of students to higher education.

A subsidy of 50 million euros will be granted to promote the export and tourism promotion efforts of Business Finland, a governmental agency to be created by consolidating Finpro and Tekes at the beginning of 2018.

The Government also announced the launch of a new programme designed attract international experts and utilise their contact networks to promote the growth and investments of businesses in Finland.

The measures will include developing ecosystems, innovation platforms and labour markets in a way that encourages entrepreneurship and ensures their availability also to international professionals. The programme will also seek to support growth and employment by introducing a special residence permit for start-up entrepreneurs.

Border controls to be stepped up

The investments detailed in yesterday evenings press conference were targeted primarily at four key areas: caring, reforms, security, and growth, expertise and employment.

The Government revealed that it will invest 92 million euros in beefing up the capabilities of security authorities to anticipate, detect, analyse and respond to threats in the constantly evolving security environment.

A number of legislative projects, it said, will be launched to prepare for the threats posed by cyber and hybrid warfare, organised crime, and terrorist and other extremist organisations.

The Finnish Border Guard, for example, will receive an additional eight million euros a year for improving the efficiency of border control measures. The Police of Finland, in turn, will receive an additional 34.5 million euros for funding its core operations in 2018.

Continued commitment to carbon-neutrality

The Government also reiterated its commitment to moving towards an entirely carbon-neutral Finland.

It announced the decision to invest an additional 25 million over the next four years in taking steps towards abandoning the use of coal in energy production, halving the use of imported oil and raising the share of renewable energy to at least 50 per cent of total energy consumption.

The measures would see the country meet its commitments under the Paris Agreement.

The investment will be used to promote wood construction, renewable energy production and low-emission forms of transport, such as gas and electric vehicles. An emphasis will also be placed on experiments related to the circular economy, artificial intelligence and employment, according to the Government.

Aleksi Teivainen  HT

Photo: Antti Aimo-Koivisto  Lehtikuva
WHITCHURCH Bridge is to be covered in more than 100 works of homemade art.

Scores of residents have contributed to the yarn bombing installation, which will run the entire length of the pavement on the western side of the toll bridge from April 29 to May 14.

A series of knitted panels featuring characters and scenes inspired by the Thames Path will run along the top of the girder while panels featuring paintings, drawings and needlecraft will be attached to the sides.

The display will also showcase some more unusual techniques, such as pictures made from scraps of shredded plastic bags.

It has been organised by Gill Williamson, of Eastfield Lane, who set up Whitchurchs weekly fund-raising art cafe in 2015, and Alison Livesey, of Swanston Field, who runs a crochet business.

They have created the pieces alongside a team of volunteers who have attended regular knit and stitch sessions at the Old Stables off High Street, which will continue after the display is taken down.

Pupils from Whitchurch Primary School have also taken part as have Whitchurch and Pangbournes twinning and history societies and a number of retired servicemen from the Royal Hospital Chelsea.

A knitted figure called Sam Mouse will be hidden in shops in Whitchurch and Pangbourne and children will be challenged to record as many sightings as possible.

The highest scorers will be entered in a prize draw held on the exhibitions final day.

There will be collection boxes at the bridge toll booth and the individual artworks will be auctioned over the summer.

The organisers hope to raise at least 2,000 to be shared between 22 good causes, including Whitchurch primary and pre-schools, Whitchurch Hill Womens Institute, Whitchurch and Goring Heaths twinning association and history society, the Thames Valley Air Ambulance and Whitchurch and Whitchurch Hills parish churches.

The villagers contributions include animals rowing and swimming in the Thames, drawings and paintings of scenes from Whitchurch and images inspired by London and the Reading Festival.

Other subjects include Mr Toad from Kenneth Grahames The Wind in the Willows, who was inspired by former Whitchurch resident Sir Charles Rose, the village allotments, scarecrows, fishermen and flora and fauna of the Thames Valley.

Mrs Williamson said: Weve had a great response  peoples generosity, energy and creativity has been fantastic and the bridge is going to be covered in all sorts of lovely colourful things.

Our sessions have been very lively with lots of interesting ideas going around and people swapping suggestions with each other.

Ive had up to 30 people attending at once and almost 100 people have contributed in total.

Were very excited about the launch and actually pretty relaxed as we know its going to work really well. I hope it will get a real wow from people and give them something to smile about as they drive or walk past.

Weve got people with so many different skills taking part and theres a real variety of scenes, from the Thames Barrier and the London skyline at night to people feeding ducks in Whitchurch.

Its about whatever the Thames Path means to different people.

Mrs Livesey, who joined the project a few weeks after it was launched in October, said: This is such a brilliant idea. I had to think about it when I was invited to join because its a big bridge and it seemed quite an ambitious task.

However, I soon realised it was achievable. It has given me the opportunity to just go wild with crochet, which is what I absolutely love to do.

Ive also met a lot of like-minded people, so theres a strong social element as well. It has really brought the community together and Im sure a lot of new friendships have been made.

Its great that so many different crafts are involved. Everyone has their own particular strengths and people have had the chance to focus on what theyre good at, so it should look wonderful when its finished.

Were all doing completely different things but we can bounce ideas off one another and really get creative.

I hope people will be delighted and inspired to have a go at doing something similar. I suppose I just want people to get a bit of pleasure from it.

The opening ceremony will take place at 12.30pm on April 29. Participants will assemble at the Boathouse Surgery in Pangbourne from noon before marching to the bridge.

For more information, visit www.artcafe.co.uk
Dominique Meehan has bravely waived her right to anonymity to warn others

A young woman who was tied up and raped in a hotel meeting room says she waived her right to anonymity as she wanted to expose what her attacker did and warn others.

Speaking to the Herald, Dominique Meehan (24), from Co Donegal, said she is "delighted" that her attacker is now in custody, after he pleaded guilty to raping her as she was preparing for a presentation at a gaming convention in a West Dublin hotel.

"I had fears that he could corner me while he was out on bail. But now that I know he is behind bars I can feel safe again," she said.

"I felt I had to expose what he did because there are still a lot of people in the gaming world who follow him on Facebook and I wanted them to know who he is so that they could be safe."

Keith Hearne, of Allenton Drive, Tallaght, Dublin 24, pleaded guilty to two counts of rape, one count of oral rape and one count of falsely imprisoning Ms Meehan at the Crowne Plaza hotel in Blanchardstown on July 4, 2015.

He has now been placed in custody until his sentencing date later this year.

Ms Meehan was attacked as she prepared for a presentation during a busy gaming convention called ArcadeCon.

She did not know Hearne, but had recognised him from a previous convention she had attended.

"He would always appear in his top hat, trench coat, shirt and tie," Ms Meehan told the Herald.

She said she and her friends thought him an odd character.

"I think I met him for 30 seconds in 2011 at a Galway convention, but I didn't know him personally," she said.

"He was a creepy individual, not into conversation, but would nod at people and stare at them.

"You do get some strange people at conventions but he was different," she added.

Knife

The Central Criminal Court heard how Ms Meehan was preparing a presentation in a meeting room at the hotel when Hearne entered the room and sat at the back.

She became uneasy and moved to leave the room but Hearne locked the door and threw her to the ground.

"I could break your neck here and now, would you prefer that?" he said to her, before telling her to be a "good girl".

He then bound her hands with his tie and raped her. When she screamed he said he had a knife in his bag and would use it if she was not quiet.

His bag, containing a prop knife, handcuffs, condoms, a mask and "sadomasochistic" items, was found at the scene.

"He told me he had a weapon. In my mind it was pre-meditated, especially when you take what was in the bag into consideration," Ms Meehan said.

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 officers he had gone to the convention in the hopes of attracting 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.

Defence counsel Michael Bowman 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.

He 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", Mr Bowman added.

However, he submitted Hearne had no previous convictions and suffers from a range of conditions, including Asperger's syndrome, ADHD, dyslexia and bi-polar disorder.

He is now back on his medication and is "remorseful in the extreme", Mr Bowman said.

Ms Meehan took to 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."

She 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," she said.

Supportive

Ms Meehan told the Herald that she is gay, and as such feels that more was taken from her in the attack. Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy adjourned the sentence to June 19, to get further medical reports.

Ms Meehan's supportive friend, Kae Devine, said the event at which she was attacked was organised by their group called ArcadeCon.

"We had been running for around six years and built up a great community of friends, but after what happened we just didn't have the heart to organise any more events," she said.

"But we are all very supportive of Dominique and of each other, even though we don't host those events anymore."

The Rape Crisis Centre can be contacted on 1800 778 888
A young Irishman jailed in Egypt for nearly four years without trial has written an impassioned plea for his release to Taoiseach Enda Kenny after seeing another inmate freed.

Ibrahim Halawa (21) was incarcerated after being detained during Muslim Brotherhood protests in Cairo in 2013.

A mass trial involving him and hundreds of other alleged conspirators has been adjourned more than 20 times, while the Government pursues diplomatic channels for his return to Dublin.

Abandoned

Ibrahim, who claims he has been tortured and has gone on hunger strikes, said he feels abandoned after Egyptian-US citizen Aya Hijazi was released last week.

"I am writing this with the most pain in my life but a worst pain has just attacked me, a mental pain... How much I feel abandoned," he wrote to his family.

"Tell me without hiding behind your finger, how do I feel towards my own Government? The one I have hanged the flag of above me in my cell over my 35cm sleeping space.

"I hanged it even though they have left me to die in one of the worst prisons in Egypt without trying to move me. They have left me as a kid beaten and tortured to sit and watch all the other nationalities leave to their home."

Ibrahim, the son of a prominent Muslim cleric in Dublin, Sheikh Hussein Halawa, was imprisoned after being detained in a mosque near Ramses Square in Cairo as the Muslim Brotherhood protested over the removal of elected president Mohamed Morsi in August 2013.

He cited Ms Hijazi's case and claimed she was released after US president Donald Trump met Egyptian president Abdel Fattah el-Sisi in recent weeks.

She was a co-founder of the Belady Foundation for Street Children and was acquitted of a number of charges, including inciting children to join protests.

"After nearly four years of imprisonment, I still wonder what trust does the Irish Government have in the Egyptian judiciary system, proven people innocent after taking away three or more years of their lives," wrote Ibrahim.

"I wonder when will Enda Kenny ever get on to a plane to save the Irish citizen? When will Enda Kenny make Irish citizens feel safe to fly abroad?

"Enda, send your child to school and wait four years for them to return and see if they're going to call you dad again."

The letter, dated Sunday, also mentions the names of others arrested on the so-called Day of Rage who have since been released, including Australian journalist Peter Greste.

Ibrahim's trial is due before the courts again today.

The Taoiseach wrote a letter to Mr el-Sisi a month ago, pleading for the student's release on humanitarian grounds.
This horrific injury was suffered by a uniformed garda when he was grappled to the ground while trying to arrest a suspect.

The garda received 22 staples in the elbow wound and was off work for five months.

The photograph of the injury was displayed today during a debate on assaults on members of the force at the annual conference of the Garda Representative Association (GRA) in Galway.

Later, Garda Commissioner Noirin O'Sullivan revealed how she was attacked and spat on while on duty.

Ms O'Sullivan recalled how she had her shoulder dislocated on Dublin's Parnell Street and can now "empathise" with assault victims.

Resonated

"I am very conscious of assaults on our members. It's something that resonates with me every time I hear it," she said.

"I've been bitten, I've been spat at, I've been assaulted. I know what it's like to wait at home when you have a family member assaulted and you are waiting to see have they recovered from a very serious injury."

She recalled how she spoke to a victims group in the Rotunda Hospital about her attack.

"I recounted a story about being assaulted on Parnell Street and ending up with a dislocated shoulder, so I know exactly what it means to go through assaults," Ms O'Sullivan said.

"I know what it takes to have the courage to come out after being assaulted, after being called names, after being videoed.

"So, I can empathise with every one of our members who go out every day to do a good job.

"I can empathise hugely with their families to see do they come home safely. I know what that feels like."

Kilkenny delegate Ger Comerford produced the photograph of his unnamed colleague, who was assaulted in 2013.

Earlier, Mr Comerford said the garda suffered shattered cartilage in his elbow after hitting the pavement when he was pulled down by the suspect trying to evade arrest.

The suspect was later convicted of a charge of assault causing harm.

The GRA wants legislation to create a specific charge of assault on a garda, or any other frontline emergency worker, with a minimum mandatory sentence of at least a year.

Central executive member James Morrisroe, of Cavan-Monaghan division, said they were not trying to "tie the hands" of the judiciary but believed that an assault on a garda should carry a jail sentence on conviction.

He said he had been assaulted five or six times during his 21 years in the force.

Deterrents

He also called for other deterrents and said that, while Ms O'Sullivan had suggested the force was 10 years behind with the latest technological aids, he believed the time lag was more like 30 years.

Donegal delegate Louis Browne told the conference that he had served nine months with a United Nations peacekeeping force in Bosnia in 2002, when the country was torn apart by internal strife, but he had not faced any assaults.

Mr Browne then said he had suffered two serious assaults while on duty. In one incident he received a badly gashed head, and also had to get 11 stitches for injuries to his fingers in another attack.
The National Diabetic Retinal Screening Programme repeatedly sent letters to a dead woman, asking her to take part in a medical scan programme.

Richard Barton, from Tinahely, Co Wicklow, has branded the government-funded organisation "vultures" after it sent letters to his dead wife, Miriam, even after he told it to stop.

On one occasion, after Mr Barton had already explained that his wife was dead, she received a reply acknowledging her unwillingness to participate in the programme and telling her what to do if she ever changed her mind.

Mr Barton said his wife died in 2015 at the age of 61.

Reminder

He was surprised to get a letter in January from Diabetic Retina Screen asking her to take part in an eye scan programme.

"I wrote back to them and told them Miriam had died and then three weeks later I got a final reminder addressed to her through the door," Mr Barton said.

"I wrote back again rather angrily to the person who sent the letter. It was the same person named on the first letter, and even sent them a copy of my first letter and again explained the situation.

"Three weeks later I received a curt apology and a promise that they would update their records, and I thought that was it.

"Then I was halfway between upset and furious when I got a letter dated April 7 from the same person, which acknow- ledged Miriam's unwillingness to participate in the programme and telling her what to do if she ever changed her mind."

The letter, which has been seen by the Herald, was add-ressed directly to Mrs Barton.

"Thank you for letting us know you will not be participating in Diabetic Retina Screen - the National Diabetic Retinal Screening Programme," it read.

"We will not send you any further letters or correspondence from the programme.

"If at any stage you wish to participate in Diabetic Retina Screen or have any further queries, please contact us," the letter concluded, adding a contact phone number and website address.

Mr Barton has now contacted the screening programme again and copied the letter to Health Minister Simon Harris to make him aware of the situation.

"Your horrible little organisation disgusts me. In fact, the word 'organisation' is barely applicable to you," he wrote.

"You are clearly just desperately hoping to be able to show lots of people they are unwell. 'Illness vultures' would be a good description."

Mr Barton said if his wife was even the slightest bit known to the company, they would have known she had died 21 months before they sent the test suggestion.

"After receiving my first letter, they might have apologised. Instead, she was sent a final reminder," he said.

Sensitivity

"After receiving my next really angry letter, they should have apologised. However, clearly to me, they are interested in nothing except more business."

Mr Barton, who has qualifications in counselling and nutritional medicine, blasted the health service in Ireland, branding it an "illness service".

Diabetic Retina Screen told the Herald it sincerely apologises for any distress that the letters caused and understands the sensitivity of the situation.

"Given that the reliability of the diabetic retinopathy register is dependent on the reliability of its sources, we fully acknowledge that such a population register will inevitably contain inaccuracies," it said.

"We are currently investigating how the last letter as mentioned was issued.

"It was clearly sent in error and we would reiterate our apology for the distress this has caused."
Hundreds of people gathered in front of the Madrid headquarters of the ruling Popular Party (PP) on Tuesday to protest political corruption in the wake of new revelations of alleged graft by former regional government officials. Marchers banged on pots, yelled the PP is not a party, its a gang, and raised signs bearing messages such as Your envelope, my cut, alluding to under-the-table cash bribes paid out by businessmen in exchange for government contracts.

The protest began at 8pm and was organized through social media, bypassing the administrative channels used for filing demonstration requests. As such, it was not authorized by the government; the latter had warned ahead of the event that attendees could face fines under Spains new Citizen Security Law, popularly referred to as the Gag Law because of its crackdown on public protest.

Sanctions for attending unauthorized demonstrations, as long as no more than 20 people show up, are typically around 600. But the new legislation leaves the door open for tougher fines depending on how the event plays out. Refusing to break up an unauthorized gathering in a place of public transit when ordered to do so by relevant authorities could entail fines of up to 30,000.

Rajoy speaks

You do the crime, you do the time, as we are witnessing

Spanish PM Mariano Rajoy

Also on Tuesday, Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy made his first statement in connection with the string of new scandals affecting his party, which have already led to the arrest of former Madrid premier Ignacio Gonzalez and pushed party veteran Esperanza Aguirre out of politics altogether after more than three decades at the center of Spanish public life.

You do the crime, you do the time, as we are witnessing, Rajoy said at an informal meeting with journalists inside the Spanish ambassadors residence in Montevideo, Uruguay, where Rajoy is on a Latin American tour that first took him to Brazil.

But that was as far as the Spanish leader, renowned for his ability to avoid thorny questions about domestic issues, would go.

Spanish PM Mariano Rajoy in Montevideo on Tuesday. AFP

Asked about a conversation he had with Esperanza Aguirre after the latter announced she was stepping down from her seat at Madrid City Council, Rajoy described it as private, logical and relevant to the situation.

Prodded by reporters to expand on the matter, Rajoy added: I really respect her decision.

He also said that he will do whatever the courts say when the time comes for him to provide witness testimony in the Gurtel trial, a massive bribes-for-contracts scheme affecting the PP. It is unclear at this date whether Rajoy will have to physically take the witness stand or whether he will be allowed to file a written deposition.

Rajoys main message was that it would be a serious mistake to generalize and suspect the entire political class of corruption. He said he feels sure that the latest scandals will not affect the stability of his minority government, and that Spanish citizens are mostly concerned about economic recovery.

Corruption matters Concerns over corruption during Spains protracted economic crisis were instrumental in the emergence of newcomer parties Podemos and Ciudadanos. The political fracture led to two inconclusive general elections and 10 months of stalemate, after which Rajoy just barely managed to win reinstatement.

English version by Susana Urra.
Three months after taking office, US President Donald Trumps long-standing promise to build a wall along the US-Mexican border , paid for by Mexico, remains unfulfilled. On Tuesday, the president was forced by Republicans and Democrats in Congress and the Senate to delay his push to secure the $1.4 billion he has requested for its construction, and for other border security measures. Meanwhile, Mexico continues to insist that it will not pay .

Republican senator Ted Cruz. Reuters

Now, Ted Cruz, who ran against Trump for the Republican Party presidential nomination, has come up with a solution: use the estimated $14 billion of assets seized from Mexicos Sinaloa Cartel boss Joaquin El Chapo Guzman, who is awaiting trial in a US maximum security facility.

Fourteen billion dollars will go a long way toward building a wall that will keep Americans safe and hinder the illegal flow of drugs, weapons, and individuals across our southern border, said Cruz in a written statement on Tuesday.

Cruz is one of the few Republican legislators from the border states to support Trumps wall

Introducing the Ensuring Lawful Collection of Hidden Assets to Provide Order (EL CHAPO) Act on Tuesday, the Texas senator, the son of Cuban immigrants, said that leveraging criminally forfeited assets from El Chapo and other Mexican cartel members and drug dealers would offset the walls cost and make meaningful progress toward achieving President Trumps stated border security objectives.

He pointed out that the US government is currently seeking the criminal forfeiture of more than $14 billion in drug proceeds and illicit profits from El Chapo, the former leader of the Sinaloa drug cartel who, after twice escaping from Mexican prisons, was extradited to the United States in January to face criminal prosecution for numerous alleged drug-related crimes, including conspiracy to commit murder and money laundering.

Sinaloa has been hit by violence following El Chapos extradition. There have been more than 500 deaths in the western Mexican state so far this year as rival factions within the cartel fight for control of lucrative drug routes into the United States. Each week brings news of decapitations, the murder of family members, kidnappings, death threats to police officers, and dismembered bodies dumped by roadsides.

Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman arriving at New York AP

Cruz is one of the few Republican legislators from the border states to support Trumps wall. Last week, a survey carried out by The Wall Street Journal showed that a majority of Congress and Senate members believe a wall to be of no use in preventing the illegal entry into the United States of drugs and guns. The solution must be a dynamic, multifaceted one, Republican Congressman for New Mexico Steve Pearce told the publication.

Trump has called for $1.4 billion to be set aside for paying for the wall and other security measures in the 2017 budget and wants a further $2.6 billion for 2018, while continuing to insist that Mexico will pay for the wall, tweeting as much on Sunday. However, after almost 100 days in office, the President has yet to explain exactly how he will force his countrys southern neighbor to do so.

In the meantime, Cruzs proposal could offer a way out, particularly in light of the expected publicity about El Chapos ill-gotten gains from a number of upcoming books, movies and television series about his rise. At the height of his power, El Chapo controlled the worlds largest drug-trafficking network. Following his arrest and extradition to the US, he now faces a likely life sentence.

English version by Nick Lyne.
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

SUBSCRIBERS OF UCOMS ALL TIME BEST OFFER TO ENJOY ADDITIONAL BENEFITS

Armenia-Azerbaijan: EU sets up monitoring capacity along the international borders

PACE co-rapporteurs on Armenia concerned by reports of alleged war crimes or inhuman treatment perpetrated by Azerbaijans armed forces

There is still 35% gender pay gap: Sona Ghazaryan

Global Finance Names Ameriabank the Safest Bank in Armenia

Mikayel and Karen Vardanyans provided 136 million AMD support for the overhaul of the Myasnikyan statue, which was in unsafe state of disrepair

Believe me, as a representative of a country which uses the Schengen system very often, it is quite important. Vardanyan

I really look forward to having answers from the Azerbaijani side for these alleged gross human rights violations: Secretary General

I call on Armenian and Azerbaijani parliamentarians to use this Assembly as an agora of opportunities President Tiny Kox

UCOMS SPECIAL OFFER OF THE UNLIMITED INTERNET IS NOW TERMLESS

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There is no place for the death penalty in a State that respects human rights: PACE General Rapporteur

EU and CoE call on two Member States that have not yet acceded to this Protocol  Armenia and Azerbaijan  to do so without delay

An urgent debate requested on "The military hostilities between Armenia and Azerbaijan".

UCOM AND PES-PES CONTINUE COOPERATION WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF EDUCATIONAL PROJECT

The statement of the meeting between Prime Minister Pashinyan, President Aliyev, President Macron and President Michel of October 6, 2022

Largest Corporate Bond Program at the Securities Market of Armenia Completed Successfully

The statement of the Defender on the video of the execution of Armenian PoWs by the Azerbaijani armed forces

LEVEL UP ONLY FOR STUDENTS: UCOM OFFERS X2 AND X3 MORE INTERNET

STATEMENT BY SECRETARY ANTONY J. BLINKEN

This criminal act is another proof that the Armenophobia policy. Tatoyan

Nikol Pashinyan, Nancy Pelosi discuss a number of issues related to the Armenian-American agenda and regional developments

Delegation by Nancy Pelosi Accompanied by Alen Simonyan Visits Tsitsernakaberd Memorial Complex

Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi Arrives in Yerevan
Incumbents appear to be re-elected to school board

The three incumbents seeking re-election to the Washington County Board of Education had substantial leads with Tuesday's election results reported.
Armenia: EU and Armenia Hold annual Dialogue on Human Rights

Todays Shushi, Occupied and Cleared of Armenians, is a Real Example of Turkish-Azerbaijani Policy of Ethnic Cleansing of Artsakh

Ookla, the the global leader in internet testing and analysis has awarded Ucom

Sweden will hold the Presidency of the Council of the European Union

Ameriabank: At the Vanguard of Armenia's Banking Sector

STATEMENT OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY OF THE REPUBLIC OF ARTSAKH

SUBSCRIBERS OF UCOMS ALL TIME BEST OFFER TO ENJOY ADDITIONAL BENEFITS

Armenia-Azerbaijan: EU sets up monitoring capacity along the international borders

PACE co-rapporteurs on Armenia concerned by reports of alleged war crimes or inhuman treatment perpetrated by Azerbaijans armed forces

There is still 35% gender pay gap: Sona Ghazaryan

Global Finance Names Ameriabank the Safest Bank in Armenia

Mikayel and Karen Vardanyans provided 136 million AMD support for the overhaul of the Myasnikyan statue, which was in unsafe state of disrepair

Believe me, as a representative of a country which uses the Schengen system very often, it is quite important. Vardanyan

I really look forward to having answers from the Azerbaijani side for these alleged gross human rights violations: Secretary General

I call on Armenian and Azerbaijani parliamentarians to use this Assembly as an agora of opportunities President Tiny Kox

UCOMS SPECIAL OFFER OF THE UNLIMITED INTERNET IS NOW TERMLESS

Google Ad

There is no place for the death penalty in a State that respects human rights: PACE General Rapporteur

EU and CoE call on two Member States that have not yet acceded to this Protocol  Armenia and Azerbaijan  to do so without delay

An urgent debate requested on "The military hostilities between Armenia and Azerbaijan".

UCOM AND PES-PES CONTINUE COOPERATION WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF EDUCATIONAL PROJECT

The statement of the meeting between Prime Minister Pashinyan, President Aliyev, President Macron and President Michel of October 6, 2022

Largest Corporate Bond Program at the Securities Market of Armenia Completed Successfully

The statement of the Defender on the video of the execution of Armenian PoWs by the Azerbaijani armed forces

LEVEL UP ONLY FOR STUDENTS: UCOM OFFERS X2 AND X3 MORE INTERNET

STATEMENT BY SECRETARY ANTONY J. BLINKEN

This criminal act is another proof that the Armenophobia policy. Tatoyan

Nikol Pashinyan, Nancy Pelosi discuss a number of issues related to the Armenian-American agenda and regional developments

Delegation by Nancy Pelosi Accompanied by Alen Simonyan Visits Tsitsernakaberd Memorial Complex

Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi Arrives in Yerevan
CEC says opposition appeal is 'groundless'

Armenias Constitutional Court continues the hearing of an appeal demanding annulment of the official results of the April 2 parliamentary elections. The appeal was submitted by the Congress-HZhK alliance. CC Chairman Gagik Harutyunyan refused the motion of the alliance representatives who wanted to attach additional material to the material. Harutyunyan tried to justify his decision saying it would make them postpone the hearing and study the documents. Karen Bisharyan, an authorized representative of the Office of Prosecutor General, wondered why the alliance did not appeal to their Office if it had information about violations at hand. Levon Zurabyan, Vice-Chairman of the Armenian National Congress (HAK), the reason was that the alliance did not trust the the Office of Prosecutor General and blamed it of criminal inaction. Gagik Harutyunyan reprimanded Karen Bisharyan saying he was supposed to ask questions without any interpretations. To prove his statement, Levon Zurabyan cited the scandalous recordings of school principals and directors of kindergartens and added that no one was punished after the revelation of the crime. Whether you like it or not, now we are going to hear the augments of the respondent, said Gagik Harutyunyan. Chairman of the Central Electoral Commission (CEC), Tigran Mukuchyan, said the recordings had nothing to do with the content of the appeal. We are dealing with an appeal which is absolutely groundless and has mistakes in it, he said.
HICKORY  The Hickory International Council and Unique World Gifts are sponsoring a public seminar on globalism and the concept of free trade May 18 at the Patrick Beaver Memorial Library at 6 p.m.

The seminar is titled Global Trade Gala: An Evening of International Exchange.

Aaron Kohrs, a member of both the HIC and the nonprofit Unique World Gifts boards, arranged the event to help educate people on the concepts of fair trade and concepts of globalism, he said.

(After) discussing the idea of fair trade with many citizens in our area recently, I realized so many are unfamiliar with the term, Kohrs said. Similarly, in our present political discourse, trade so often comes up as a hot-button issue. As such, I do believe a civic open forum is in order.

Kohrs, a St. Stephens graduate, became involved in the HIC after receiving his masters degree in international relations in Ireland and has held several other international-themed events, including one on Brexit, he said.

Dr. Casey Delehanty, of Gardner-Webb University, who is a Latin American history and politics expert, will discuss international relations with regard to trade and globalism, Kohrs said.

Lana Ruffini, executive director of Unique World Gifts, will bring media from artisans of developing countries and discuss her experience and the business side of fair trade.

Chris Rice, Hickory High Schools International Baccalaureate program director, will be the third speaker during the event and will discuss concepts of trade representing more than goods and services and will include the globalism of ideas and learning from various cultural perspectives.

There also is the possibility of current IB students from HHS speaking, as well as former IB graduates, Kohrs said.

Unique World Gifts also is hosting a Friendraiser on May 11 at 5 p.m. and will serve international food dishes and present music to guests.

For more information, visit Facebook.com/GlobalTradeinHickory.
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Nimrat Kaur, who shot to fame with The Lunchbox (2013), became an overnight sensation with her breakthrough role in the fourth season of American television series, Homeland. Shortly after that, she starred in another American series, Wayward Pines. Though she has her plate full with work in the West, Nimrat is yet to sign a Hollywood project.

I do have Hollywood offers but it is a matter of what I ultimately like. There are things on the table; all I need to do is pick my roles. I only want to do roles that grab my attention, she says.

While a lot of Bollywood actors have been heading to the West, the Airlift (2016) actor says that this isnt a new phenomenon as is being pointed out by everyone. Over the years, we have had actors such as Om Puri, Saeed Jaffrey and many others, who have worked in the West. We are only carrying on a legacy. Its not like we havent had Indian actors working in the West earlier, she says.

Also, with so many stories of racism against Indian actors being shared, Nimrat says that she has been fortunate to have never faced it. I have been extremely lucky to have never faced racial discrimination in the West. I know it does exist in different forms but I havent faced any bias on the basis of my ethnicity or colour, says Nimrat.

Though films will always be her mainstay, Nimrat has just completed shooting for her next project, a web series on the first woman to be trained to serve as a combatant in the armed forces. While growing up, joining the Indian army was a dream Nimrat nurtured since her father was an army officer.

3 Million views in 3 Days and counting!!!A massive thank you for all your love !! Two weeks to go for the pilot release... @altbalaji pic.twitter.com/CHpA3GeE3p  Nimrat Kaur (@NimratOfficial) April 10, 2017

I was enamoured by the army life and I was pretty sure I would join the army. Of course, when I grew up, I realised that behind that uniform and that life, there was a lot of hard work. Working on the show has been the most physically, yet an extremely rewarding process. Ive been training for the show since December and now, I feel like a new person. When I wore the uniform, it was not just another costume for me. It was important for me to bring a lot of integrity to the role, she explains.

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Finally, the cast and crew of the film Lipstick Under My Burkha can breathe a sigh of relief, as Film Certification Appellate Tribunal (FCAT) has recommended the Central Board Film Certification (CBFC) to let the film release with an A certificate. However, Pahlaj Nihalani, the Chairperson of the Censor Board, has gone on records saying that they are yet to receive any such instruction from FCAT. He has also mentioned that the version of the film that they [CBFC] watched was completely different from what was submitted to the FCAT.

When contacted Alankrita Shrivastava, the director of Lipstick under my Burkha says that they got the confirmation from FCAT yesterday [Tuesday] and even media got all the information. I dont know how is that possible that CBFC didnt get the instruction when we all are supposed to get the intimation from FCAT at the same time. I guess its an internal thing. so I really dont know what more I can say about it, says Alankrita.

About the alleged submission of different versions of the film to FCAT and CBFC, Alankrita clearly points out that it is not true. We submitted the same film to both the certification bodies. And after FCAT asked us to make certain voluntary cuts, we resubmitted the film to them. We did exactly what they wanted. In fact, we just reduced some sexually intimate scenes by few seconds. But CBFC never asked for any cutsthey just refused to certify the film. Had they asked us, we would have done it for them as well. So what he (Pahlaj Nihalani) is saying is not true, adds the director.

Meanwhile, Alankrita says that she is happy that Lipstick under my Burkha will finally see the light of the day. Honestly, I am numb. FCATs appreciation and understanding the purpose behind the film has raised our hopes. Its a victory for womens voices and the point I was trying to make has been validated. I hope the decision will set a precedent for people that they can now make the kind of films they want to without any fear, says Alankrita, who had earlier directed Turning 30!

Calling it a long and a difficult journey, Alankrita shares that the film was submitted in CBFC in December and was denied certification. The film is now eligible for the Golden Globe and we have already got seven international awards. Now that the film received such a good response, we couldnt think of not releasing it in India. Even when I thought of applying to the FCAT, many suggested that we can just release the film in some other platform, but I decide to follow my heart and finally got my due, says Alankrita adding that they are planning to release the film in June and an announcement will be made soon.

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Ever since her career took off with the super hit, Maine Pyaar Kyun Kiya? in 2005, Katrina Kaif has been at the top of her game. Even now, Im running around, juggling two films (Jagga Jasoos and Tiger Zinda Hai) with Jagga soon up for release. I am also trying to work on the launch of my Instagram account, says Katrina Kaif, who joins the photo-sharing platform on April 27. In an interview with HT, Katrina talks about life, career, Salman Khan, and more.

After Facebook, you are going to be on Instagram too.

Yes, its going to be a lot of fun. Honestly, since I was a bit adverse to social media in the beginning, I probably overlooked the whole thing. Because once you build up something so big in your mind, you start building it up even bigger. Sometimes, you just have to jump into the deeper side of the swimming pool. You just have to have fun with it.

In todays world, its important to have your voice, your individual space and get it out there. One argument is that actors dont require it, but you will never be able to prove whether that point is right or wrong.

Katrina Kaif was seen with Sidharth Malhotra in Baar Baar Dekho.

Have you started enjoying social media now?

I have realised it is actually quite fun and I probably could have joined it a long time ago. I think I would be enjoying it even more if I had joined it earlier, as I would have been in the full swing of things by now. I probably just took an approach and stuck with it without actually revisiting or analysing it to see if I really wanted to stick with it anymore. I like the idea of having one platform that is your personal connection to your audience.

A platform with which you share things that are in your control rather than audience seeing things via other peoples point of view, which mostly happens to be the media.

Watch Jagga Jasoos trailer

You have completed 12 years now in the industry. How has the journey been?

It would be very tough to define this journey. There are a 100 times when you feel inspired, that you are doing great work, and feel creatively satisfied. But then you also feel you are doing nothing  you feel frustrated, stuck and trapped, which, I think, everyone feels in every profession. As an actor living the fortunate life, sometimes we forget that this is just a job, since its so personal.

For me, the line, the show must go on rings extremely true. As an entertainer, I think thats what you do and deliver to the best of your ability. You bring something new, while trying to learn and embrace newer things and not just chase the outcome. Obviously, we would like to be great all the time, but we should concern ourselves with the process and what we are doing and creating at the moment.

Then, at the end of it, you will be assured that you have put everything that you could have into it [a film]. We should understand that our job is to enjoy the process and to deliver the best we can, and not to be concerned with the outcome.

One of Katrina Kaifs initial hits was Partner, starring Salman Khan and Govinda.

You are working with Salman Khan again in Tiger Zinda Hai. How does it feel?

I have known Salman for so many years now. After shooting with him for a long time, you miss his flamboyance and his fun side. He has a great sense of humour and flamboyance. He has a way of living life, where a great energy buzzes around him. It comes as a force and flood when you come back to the set with him. He has an amazing aura and warmth around him.

Also, its a wonderful film set to be on, because Ali Abbas (Zafar; director) has been one of my dearest friends. Weve been super close since New York (2009), before we worked on Mere Brother Ki Dulhan (2011) together. He is an integral part of my support system and my life. I am also really proud of him, because I see a huge growth in him as a director.

Katrina Kaif and Ranbir Kapoor starred in Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani.

Of late, your personal life (vis-a-vis alleged ex-boyfriend Ranbir Kapoor) has been all over the news. Have you gotten used to it?

Since you just made me more conscious of the time that I have spent thus far in the industry, I am very used to it now (laughs). Thats really not where my focus should be. My focus needs to be on my job when I am working. When one is in a personal space doing whatever and is with whoever, one should dedicate the time and energy on that. But for the rest of the time, it shouldnt be that you are worrying about what people are saying or writing. You cant do anything about it.

Katrina Kaif starred opposite Shah Rukh Khan in Jab Tak Hai Jaan.

Reports are that you dont want to promote Jagga Jasoos with Ranbir?

At least a hundred stories about Jagga Jasoos must have come out, but probably 99% of them arent true. As of now, I dont know the (publicity/marketing) plans of the producers or distributors of the film. Whenever they share that plan with me, and since its my own film, I will be happy to do whatever they feel is good for it.

Watch Kala Chashma | Baar Baar Dekho

Your last three films, Baar Baar Dekho (2016), Fitoor (2016) and Phantom (2015) didnt do very well. Were you disappointed?

More than anything else, it was a huge shock because I was not used to it. It was not something that really happened to me in the last nine to ten years. What happened to Baar Baar Dekho was really unexpected, and more than a few tears tumbled down (smiles). But its a journey; it happens to everyone and there are no exceptions. It depends whether you take it to your heart and mind, and, of course, you do and I did too (laughs).

Yes, you have to analyse where you could have done better and correct your mistakes as much as you can, but you also have to remember that it happens to everyone without exception. You have to accept that, and have the courage and strength to hold your head up and carry on.

Katrina Kaif starred opposite Salman Khan in Ek Tha Tiger.

Jagga Jasoos has been delayed a lot. Is it frustrating?

There have been parts of the journey where everyone who is a part of it has wondered how and what is going to come. But there has always been an underlying sense that this is going to come together and become something special. Obviously, the results are not in our hands, and we cant predict it, but I feel we went through this for a reason. Maybe there was no other way.

The kind of film Dada (Anurag Basu; director) has made and the uniqueness that he has attempted in following his inimitable vision it warranted this process, and thats the best way to put it. I hope people will understand when they watch it.

Katrina Kaif hit the big league with Salman Khan-starrer Maine Pyaar Kyun Kiya? in 2005.

Talks are rife that you are going to star alongside Shah Rukh Khan in Aanand L Rais next film.

I never comment on movies that havent been signed and sealed. Thats why I never even comment regarding any of its process. Thats because its work for me and I follow a serious process when it comes to my job, so its iron-clad for me. I dont discuss that [films that are in the process] at all.

Katrina Kaif starred alongside Aamir Khan in Dhoom:3.

You never talk about your personal life. How do you manage that?

I have always done that. Unless theres something horrendously offensive or ghastly untrue that makes me go, oh, my God!, whats there to say? You shouldnt focus on small things and focus only on your main goals. I try and keep my eye on the goal and not get distracted by things that dont matter.

Rumours suggest that Katrina Kaif will turn producer to launch her sister, Isabelle in Bollywood.

It is rumoured that you will turn producer to launch your sister, Isabelle Kaif.

I am sure of one thing: if Isabelle is part of a film, I will be more than happy. But I will definitely not be the producer on that, because I feel thats the wrong way. Whoever is getting launched  in order to gain credibility, they shouldnt be launched by a person associated with them. That, for me, is the ideal launch.

So, theres no truth in that [rumour]. But I do hope that she gets to do something because she is very talented. I have seen her audition tapes in Los Angeles, (USA), and she has a lot of talent. She is a trained actor, and I hope that she gets a platform to showcase that.

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Actor Saqib Saleem has films such as Mere Dad Ki Maruti (2013) and Hawaa Hawaai (2014) to his credit, but gaining celebrity status has not really changed him as a person. However, the actor feels that he cant say the same about people around him.

Like everyone else, I used to have meals at my place, but now when I go back home, I have to go for luncheons and dinners at my neighbours and have to get pictures clicked with their children. Sometimes, I feel that you dont change but people around you do, and create a different aura, which has happened in my case, says Saqib.

The actor, who will soon be seen alongside actor Taapsee Pannu in his next film, does not mind the attention and love he gets when he comes back home in Delhi.

As an actor, you love it when people come up and ask for pictures and tell you that they love your work. I dont know about other actors, but I love that because thats what we work for, adds Saqib, brother of actor Huma Qureshi.

The 29-year-old actor adds he is happy that he has friends and family who do not let this fame and publicity get to his head. They [my friends and family] all help me stay grounded. When I am with them, I dont feel like a star, and if at all they sense that I have started developing an aura around me, they will give me a reality check and make me feel like a regular person, Saqib concludes.

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Do not count your chickens before they are hatched: New performance to be premiered in Yerevan (video)

Narek Duryan, a famous actor, director and founder of "La Boheme," is celebrating his birthday on April 26. The actor likes to celebrate his birthday with new performances. This year, he his students are graduating from the Yerevan State Institute of Theatre and Cinematography and this new performance will be part of their diploma thesis. I wanted to introduce these young people to the audience, help them make their first appearance on stage, says Mr Duryan. They wrote the plot and brought it to me. I read and liked it but  a terrible thing happened. It seemed that a competition had started between me, a man in his 50s, and those 20-year-old young people. I told them that they should not lose to me and now I am convinced that they will not, he continues. The performance entitled Do not count your chickens before they are hatched presents the relations between a lecturer and his students, relations between fathers and sons. A reality reflected in a performance, a performance woven into reality. And most importantly, the performance focuses on high values without unnecessary pathos. Twenty-five actors will appear on the same stage at a time. The premiere will take place on May 3
With Conakry as UNESCO World Book Capital for 2017, book lovers in Guinea are seizing a rare opportunity to instil a lifelong appreciation for the written word in a nation where most people are illiterate.

The ramshackle west African capital ushered in a year of all things literary on Sunday with acrobatics, slam poets and books in every corner, beginning a year of events as UNESCOs designated capital for the promotion of reading.

Images of authors faces and dust jackets are newly splashed across walls and billboards in this city of two and a half million people, while books multiply by the minute on stands and in neat arrangements on the floor for pedestrians to browse.

The World Book Capital concept is now in its 17th year after beginning life in Madrid in 2001 with the aim of promoting a year-long programme of events to make bibliophiles out of the most reticent readers.

Speaking at the opening event in the city centre, President Alpha Conde described the UNESCO designation as more than an honour, calling it a unique chance for Guinea to initiate its cultural renaissance and return to its former place in the cultural arena of Africa.

Conde described Guineas literary figures as bulwarks against an Africa at risk of losing its cultural identity.

However, the countrys literary path is laden with obstacles.

According to the most recent UN data just 25%of Guineans are literate, and of those who completed school just 35-40% read regularly, according to the education ministry.

We are making a big push because Guineans dont like to read at all, said Mamadou Bailo Diallo, president of Guineas street booksellers association.

We are trying to persuade Guinea to buy books, Diallo added. But what is really important is not to buy, but to read.

Many of the booksellers offer second-hand stock in so-called bookshops on the floor, selling them directly from the pavement.

As the city prepared for its year of the word, this traditional method was mixed in with more conventional bookstands set up for the ceremony, where childrens books nestled next to encyclopaedias.

Underfunding

For a country struggling with high rates of poverty, buying books can slip as a priority when it is sometimes difficult to meet basic needs, a gap the World Book Capital concept hopes to address.

Sansy Kaba Diakite, the director of the project in Guinea, said a digital lending initiative will offer an alternative to underfunded and neglected African libraries, and promised that Conakrys citizens would not be the only ones to benefit.

Exercise books, books in schools, in universities and bookshops were being distributed in four provincial locations, he said, with the particular aim of celebrating Guinean authors including Camara Laye, a pioneer of francophone African literature, and novelist Tierno Monenembo.

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Credit Suisse will raise around 4 billion Swiss francs ($4 billion) through a rights issue to catch up to European rivals on capital, ditching plans to float a minority stake in its Swiss banking unit.

Keen to shore up its balance sheet, Switzerlands second-biggest bank had announced in 2015 plans to sell 20-30% of its highly profitable Swiss business through an initial public offering (IPO) for up to 4 billion francs.

However, Chief Executive Tidjane Thiam said in February the bank was examining alternatives to the IPO, which had been pencilled in for the second half of this year.

This capital raise will allow us to continue to invest in growth at highly attractive returns; to strengthen balance sheet resilience for our clients and other stakeholders; and to afford the costs associated with our ongoing restructuring plans, Thiam, who took over as CEO in July 2015, said in a statement on Wednesday.

The bank expects to have a common equity Tier 1 (CET1) ratio, a closely watched measure of balance sheet strength, of approximately 13.4% and a tier 1 leverage ratio of around 5.1%.

Reuters had reported Credit Suisse was considering a stock sale at group level and was likely to make a decision in April on how to proceed.

After Germanys Deutsche Bank raised cash from the market earlier this year, Credit Suisse had risked being one of the lower-capitalised banks in its peer group despite having tapped shareholders for around 6 billion francs in late 2015.

The capital raise should be enough to allay concerns in the near term but doesnt really give the franchise the flexibility to see it through a downturn or meaningfully compete in (investment banking business) Global Markets, analysts at Bernstein wrote.

We feel this raise doesnt really take capital totally out of the concern zone  just makes it cycle/earnings dependent for the next 12 months, said Bernstein, which rates the stock underperform.

The bank reported net profit of 596 million francs for the first three months of 2017, its highest quarterly profit since a sweeping restructuring launched by Thiam and beating even the highest estimate in a Reuters poll of analysts.

The results provide some relief for Credit Suisse, which has faced an investor revolt over proposed bonuses to the banks top managers and raids at three of its offices in a Dutch-led tax evasion investigation.

Credit Suisse is also coming off 5.65 billion francs in losses since 2015 amid Thiams push to grow in wealth management while shrinking the investment bank, a shift that the bank expects will cost more than 10,000 jobs.

($1 = 0.9919 Swiss francs) (Reporting by Joshua Franklin; Editing by Michael Shields)
Indias proposed plan to build nearly 370 coal-fired power plants may single-handedly jeopardise the entire planets effort to achieve the Paris climate goals of limiting global warming, US researchers have warned.

India has pledged to the international community to reduce its emissions intensity - the amount of carbon dioxide released per unit of gross domestic product - by as much as 35% from 2005 levels by 2030, and to increase the percentage of renewable energy in its power grids.

The construction of 65 gigawatts worth of coal-burning generation with an additional 178 gigawatts in the planning stages would make it nearly impossible for India to meet those climate promises, the researchers said.

The country has vowed to curtail its use of fossil fuels in electricity generation, but it has also put itself on a path to building hundreds of coal-burning power plants to feed its growing industrial economy, said Steve Davis, professor at the University of California Irvine in the US.

By developing all of the planned coal-fired capacity, India would increase the share of fossil fuels in its energy budget by 123%, researchers said.

Indias proposed coal plants will almost single-handedly jeopardise the internationally agreed-upon climate target of avoiding 1.5 degrees Celsius of mean global warming, Davis said.

If the country also met its goal to produce at least 40% of their power from non-fossil sources in 2030, the total power being generated would greatly exceed its own projected future electricity demand, according to the new study.

Looking closely at all of Indias active coal plant proposals, we found they are already incompatible with the countrys international climate commitments and are simply unneeded, said Christine Shearer, senior researcher at CoalSwarm, a research institute in the US.

These plants therefore risk either locking out the countrys renewable electricity goals or becoming stranded assets operating well below optimal rates and leading to financial losses, said Shearer.

Indias Paris pledges might be met if they built these plants and only ran them 40% of the time, but that would be a colossal waste of money, and once built there would be huge incentives to run the plants more despite their contrary climate goals, Davis said.

India relies heavily on coal; 70% of the countrys power comes from plants burning the fuel.

Due to its low cost and accessibility of large domestic coal reserves, it is seen by the country as an aid in its quest to become a manufacturing and economic power and a way to provide electricity to the roughly 300 million people in the country who do not have it.

However, researchers stress there is significant downside to the fossil fuel habit. In addition to spewing harmful soot and other types of air pollution into the atmosphere, coal-burning power plants are the largest carbon dioxide source on the planet, making up 41% of all carbon dioxide emissions in 2015.

Choices individual countries make with regard to their energy mix have a global impact, researchers said.
Nearly 800 Indian companies based in the UK have a combined revenue of 47.5 billion, are the second-largest employers, and 55 of the fastest growing companies achieved an average annual growth rate of 31%, a new analysis released Wednesday said.

The analysis, titled India Meets Britain Tracker 2017: The Latest Trends on Indian Investment in the UK by London-based consultants Grant Thornton and CII revealed the scale of contribution of Indian companies to the British economy.

Anuj Chande, head of South Asia at Grant Thornton, said at the release: The UK remains a highly attractive destination for Indian investors. The Modi governments pro-business agenda is creating the right environment for Indian businesses to pursue and realise growth at home and overseas.

The report monitors Indian businesses here with an annual revenue growth of 10% or more. Of the 55 that made the list of fastest growing companies, 23 are new entrants while 32 featured in last years list.

According to the report, just under half of the companies included in this years tracker recorded a 25% growth rate or above.

Datamatics Infotech Ltd topped this years list with a growth rate of 103%.

Companies from the technology and telecoms, and pharmaceuticals and chemicals sectors make up 31% and 24% of the list respectively. These are sectors where businesses are continuing to find growth opportunities by diversifying into new spheres of activity.

The business services sector entered the top three for the first time with an 11% growth rate, up from 6% in 2016 and just 3% in 2015. London continues to strengthen its dominance as the leading destination for Indian investment in the UK. Of the fastest-growing Indian companies, 44% are now based in the capital, up from 39% last year and 25% in 2015, the report said.

The UK has long been the preferred European destination for FDI from India. Out of the 845 FDI projects made by Indian companies in 16 European countries since 2003, over 45% have been in the UK.

Shuchita Sonalika, head of CII UK, said: The report identifies 4.25 billion of new investment last year by Indian companies, and further jobs being created as part of their continued investment programmes.

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Kerala-based Kalyan Jewellers has acquired online jewellery firm Candere for Rs 35 to Rs 40 crore as it looks to augment presence in the fast expanding online market space.

Kalyan Jewellers will acquire the equity held by Singularity Strategic, the family office of Brijesh Chandwani and Subram Kapoor, in Candere, which sells jewellery online in India, USA and UK, the company said in a statement here.

The buyout will augment Kalyans presence in the growing online jewellery segment in India, the company said without giving a value of the deal.

Sources said however that the deal was valued at Rs 35 to Rs 40 crore.

As part of the transaction Kalyan Jewellers will complete a phased wise acquisition of the equity held by founder promoter Rupesh Jain, apart from making a significant investment into the company, to drive its next phase of business, the statement said.

Established in 2013, Candere has a portfolio of over 4,000 designs including in the high growth diamond jewellery segment.

This transaction will help Kalyan establish a strong presence in the ecommerce segment to complement its vast physical retail presence, the statement said.

Kalyan Jewellers will boost Canderes customer offerings with its merchandise.

Post investment, Kalyan plans to launch some of its established and well received sub-brands like Glo, Antara, Anokhi, Nimah, through the Candere online store, it said.

This will expand Canderes geography into the growing West Asian market including UAE, Kuwait and Qatar.

Also, Kalyan Jewellers will leverage its vast network of 105 showrooms and distributed supply chain across India and West Asia to enhance Canderes fulfilment layer.

The company had recently raised Rs 500 crore capital from global private equity major Warburg Pincus. Warburg now has a total of Rs 1,700 crore investment in the company.

The funds will be used to double Kalyans retail presence over the next three years from the present base of showrooms, the statement said.

Kalyan Jewellers Executive Director Rajesh Kalyanaraman said the online jewellery market offers tremendous is expected to contribute 5-7 per cent of the companys topline over the next 5 years.

Post acquisition, Rupesh Jain will continue in his role as founder CEO.
Leading jewellery chain Kalyan Jewellers today acquired the online jewellery firm Candere to augment its presence in the growing online jewellery segment for an undisclosed sum.

Kalyan will acquire the equity held by Singularity Strategic, the family office of Brijesh Chandwani and Subram Kapoor and as part of the deal the Thrissur-based company will complete a phased acquisition of the equity held by founder promoter Rupesh Jain, apart from investing more into the firm.

The additional investment is primarily to expand Canderes geographical presence into the growing West Asian market including the UAE, Kuwait and Qatar.

This is Kalyan first strategic move of its kind as it continues to pursue aggressive growth plans, both organically and inorganically.

Rajesh Kalyanaraman, executive director at Kalyan Jewellers said, Candere has built a loyal online customer base with one of the best repeat rates in the business. Its recent foray into Britain and the US will help us augment our ambition of becoming a global brand.

We believe the online jewellery market offers tremendous growth potential and expect it to contribute 5-7 per cent of our top line over the next five years. The deal will also accelerate contribution of our global revenues, Kalyanaraman added.

Co-founded by Rupesh Jain in 2013, Candere sells jewellery online in the domestic market, the US and Britain and has a portfolio of over 4,000 designs including a strong offering in the high growth diamond jewellery segment. It offers a wide range of jewellery crafted in gold, diamond and precious stones.

Jain will continue in his role as founder & chief executive, the statement said.

While Candere will retain its present branding, it will be tag-line as powered by Kalyan Jewellers, Kalyan Jewellers said in a statement.

Post-investment, Kalyan plans to launch some of its popular brands and sub-brands like Glo, Antara, Anokhi, Nimah, through Candere.

Kalyan has 105 showrooms and distributed supply chain across the country and West Asia and plans to double its retail presence over the next three years.

Recently, Kalyan had raised growth capital of Rs 500 crore from global private equity major Warburg Pincus taking the latters total investment to Rs 1,700 crore.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis today urged banks to come up with innovative solutions to bring the farmers, who have gone out of the institutional credit system after defaulting, back into the formal credit system.

He said there are many farmers who have gone out of banking system after being unable to service their loans from banks.

We have often seen that a number of farmers have gone out of the institutional credit system, especially in the years when drought has occurred. I feel that there is a need to think about some innovative solutions to bring them back into the formal credit system, Fadnavis said while addressing Maharashtra state credit seminar here.

He said, in the last two years, his government has tried to bring a few of these farmers back into the institutional credit system through rescheduling repayments, although the number is very small.

There is a huge mismatch in the number of people, who have gone out and the number of farmers we could bring in, Fadnavis said.

The Chief Minister said that last year his government came out with a five-year repayment reschedule plan for farmers, instead of the present three years, under which in the first year, the state pays the interest and for the subsequent years, it pays six per cent of interest.

I think that is not a very sustainable model. We need to come out with a model, where we realise the need to bring farmers back into the formal credit system and share the haircut as well, Fadnavis added.

He suggested creating a sub-committee that can look into a sustainable model to bring back farmers again into the system.

He said the state wants a sustained agricultural growth of 10%.

Irrigation is the mother of all agricultural investments, but it is very important to focus on investing in water conservation as well, a statement issued by the Chief Ministers Office (CMO) quoted Fadnavis as saying.

Maharashtra is working speedily for micro-irrigation as there is huge demand from farmers, he added.

Value addition is a must. Food parks are the need of the hour for assured markets. Lets work to create a Maharashtras model, he was quoted as saying.

The credit seminar was conducted by Nabard to discuss bank credit projections for fiscal 2018 for Maharashtra.

The seminar highlighted the initiatives taken by Nabard, RBI, the Centre and the state to develop agriculture and villages.

Nabard has prepared a potential linked credit plan for all the districts of the state, which contains details of the credit need for potential development in different sectors of the rural economy.

The plan for 2017-18 projects a credit flow of Rs 3.36 trillion under the priority sector lending which is 13.6% increase over the previous year.

The meeting was attended by senior officials from the state administration, RBI, Nabard and Bank of Maharashtra, which heads the state level bankers committee.
PepsiCo Inc reported higher-than-expected quarterly revenue and profit as the company benefited from demand for its healthier drinks and snacks and kept a tight leash on costs.

The companys shares, which had risen 9.1% this year, were off 1% in premarket trading on Wednesday.

PepsiCo and other processed-food makers are investing heavily to meet consumers increasing preference for healthier snacks such as unsweetened tea and baked chips.

The company has said it now gets more than 45% of its net revenue from what it called guilt-free products - beverages that have fewer than 70 calories per 12 ounces and snacks that have lower amounts of salt and saturated fat.

These include snacks such as Baked Lays, Quaker Breakfast Flats and new versions of Mirinda and 7UP, which have 30% less sugar.

Organic revenue rose 2.1% in the first quarter ended March 25, while total revenue rose 1.6% to $12.05 billion, the second quarter of rising sales after eight quarters of decline.

Revenue from PepsiCos North America beverage business, the companys biggest, rose 2.3% to $4.46 billion.

However, some analysts were cautious.

The quality of the quarter was disappointing as organic revenue, gross margin, and operating margin all came in weaker than we anticipated, J.P. Morgan Securities analysts wrote in a note.

Net income attributable to PepsiCo rose to $1.32 billion, or 91 cents per share, in the quarter, from $931 million, or 64 cents per share, a year earlier.

The year-earlier period included a $373 million charge related to the companys transaction with Tingyi (Cayman Islands) Holding Corp.

Excluding items, the company earned 94 cents per share.

Analysts on average had expected earnings of 92 cents per share on revenue of $11.98 billion, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.

Rival Coca-Cola Co on Tuesday reported a smaller-than-expected quarterly profit on higher costs of franchising its bottling operations and announced job cuts to boost savings.

Earlier this month, PepsiCo was forced to pull a commercial featuring model Kendall Jenner after the ad prompted outrage and ridicule from those who said it trivialized rights protests and public unrest in the United States.

(Reporting by Sruthi Ramakrishnan in Bengaluru; Editing by Sriraj Kalluvila)
Class 10 students of the Maharashtra state board can view the results of their aptitude test on Wednesday at 3pm on http://www.mahacareermitra.in.

Using their seat number, students can download detailed reports on their areas of interests and professions that they can excel in, along with career guidance.

Aptitude tests were conducted in February for students appearing for the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) exams to assess their skills and interests and help them make informed career choices.

They were introduced last year by Vinod Tawde education minister to help students in planning their careers after class 10.

A separate portal has been created by the Maharashtra state government along with Pune-based, Shyamchi Aai foundation this year for aptitude test results and career advice. The portal and a new mobile application will be inaugurated by Tawde and Devendra Fadnavis, chief minister, in Pune at 1 pm.

Based on their career reports, students can also call a new helpline for telecounselling by professional career counsellors. They will answer queries on subjects and courses to opt for and job opportunities in different fields.

Last year, the results were declared on the Institute of Vocational Guidance and Selection (IVGS) website but students faced difficulties in logging onto the website due to server problems.

Additionally, Tawde had skirted controversy last year for publishing his photo on the aptitude test report card handed to students along with their SSC results.

The ministers picture was juxtaposed next to some text explaining why the test was conducted for the first time in Maharashtra along with a congratulatory message.

Academicians had called it tacky and criticised Tawde, but he justified his actions stating that the photograph was added as a personal message to the students.

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A little over six months ago, the government announced an international competition to design a National War Memorial in New Delhi. The memorial is intended to honour all Indian soldiers who served in the various wars and counter-insurgency campaigns from 1947 onwards. While the demand for a war memorial has been voiced periodically, there has been little public discussion on how and why we should commemorate our wars. The absence of such a debate struck me forcefully when I landed in Australia ahead of Anzac Day.

25 April 2017 marked the 102nd anniversary of the Allied landings in Gallipoli during the First World War. Among the forces that took part in the campaign was the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (Anzac). The death of over 8,000 Australian soldiers in this star-crossed campaign left a profound and seemingly indelible impression back home. Over the following decades, April 25 became the most significant day in the national calendaran occasion to commemorate not just Gallipoli, but all Australian wars and campaigns down to Iraq and Afghanistan.

I attended a Dawn Service in the small coastal town of Torquay. It had been raining without pause since the previous afternoon, yet some 3,000 people turned up for the commemoration at 6am. The ceremonial parade included several veterans: the oldest had fought in the Second World War. The event at once affirmed the centrality of the Anzac legend to Australian nationalism and twinned it with the countrys ongoing overseas military commitments. It was particularly interesting to see a pair of schoolchildren pledging their generations commitment to the values of the Anzac soldiers.

In fact, Australians understanding of these values has changed considerably over the past century and has been the locus of serious public debates. In its first tellingespecially by the official historian Charles Beanthe Anzac legend emphasised the racial vitality and manliness of the Australian soldiers. Their sacrifice had washed the stain of the countrys convict heritage, created its sense of nationhood, and allowed it to join the comity of white nations as an equal. This hugely influential narrative of military baptism was not unchallenged, however.

As early as 1925, the Labour government in Western Australia forbade Anzac Day speeches in schools as these were directed to the glorification of war. Although this proved an abortive attempt, the underlying concerns resurfaced in the late 1960snow in the light of protests against Australian participation in the Vietnam War and the accompanying counter-culture that sought to puncture the claims of the nation. While older generations took pride in espousing Australias imperial connection with Britain, the young radicals denounced imperialism. In any case, few veterans of the First World War were still around to take part in the commemorations. A decade on, it seemed as if Anzac Day would itself recede into history.

Ironically, the grip of the Anzac legend on public memory grew even as that generation passed on. The impetus now came from the top. Starting with Prime Minister Bob Hawke, who visited Gallipoli on Anzac Day 1990, Australian leaders began heavily deploying the states resources to revive the legend of Anzac. The story was told in a different register though. The Anzacs were still presented as the progenitors of the nation, but their tale was no longer of racial virility but of tragedy and comradeship. These efforts were buttressed by new research drawing on private letters and oral histories as well as the wider post-Cold War turn from ideology towards memory.

The deepening role of the state in promoting the Anzac legend, especially ahead of the centenary in 2015, was sharply criticised by leading historians. A group of scholars led by Marilyn Young lamented the veritable tidal wave of military history that was sweeping over history curricula. Joan Beaumont wrote scathingly of a memory orgy and the commodification of the past. Other historians, however, pointed out that notwithstanding the governments attempts to purvey an officially sanctioned version, the Australian people made sense of the commemorations in diverse ways. If anything, the study of war history enabled critical perspectives on both the past and the present. These ideas, in turn, inflect discussions in newspapers, television and radio.

While India may soon have the panoply of war memorial and commemorations, it is unlikely that we will witness debates of this quality. Our historians have scant interest in wars or soldiers. The notion that war might be an important motor of historical change is alien to most Indian scholars. As such they are ill equipped to critique or question the military myths that will be purveyed by the state in fostering new forms of nationalism. The silence of academic historians over the absurd commemoration and celebration organised on the 50th anniversary of the 1965 war presages their likely contribution in the future.

Nor have the proposals for the new war memorial received any critical scrutiny by scholars. The terms of the reference specified that the new structure would have to be built adjacent to the India Gate  a memorial to the Indian soldiers who died in the First World War. So, between the old imperialist memorial and the proposed nationalist one, Indias contribution to the Second World War is literally airbrushed out of existence. Isnt it curious that the war that most impacted the lives of ordinary Indians and that resulted in serious popular mobilisation should have no purchase on our collective imagination?

The absence of academic engagement with military history leaves the field wide open for ideological appropriation. At a time when the military is being placed on a pedestal and the rest of us told to adopt a posture of foetal admiration, such disinterest could prove costly.

Srinath Raghavan is senior fellow, Centre for Policy Research, New Delhi

The views expressed are personal

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Serzh Sargsyan receives EU Special Representative Herbert Salber

Serzh Sargsyan received today the EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus and for the Crisis in Georgia Herbert Salber. At the beginning of the meeting, Serzh Sargsyan congratulated Herbert Salber on the extension of his mandate by the EU Council and wished him every success. Serzh Sargsyan noted that the work of the EU Special Representative is highly appreciated also in Armenia, since its main objective is to establish the atmosphere of confidence among the parties for a peaceful resolution of the NK conflict. It can be very beneficial and supportive to the efforts undertaken by the Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group. At the meeting, the parties spoke about the Armenia-EU relations, parliamentary elections held in Armenia and works to be conducted by the government after the elections, reforms implemented in different areas, as well as the opportunities for moving the NK peace process forward. Herbert Salber congratulated Serzh Sargsyan on the successful parliamentary elections and underscored that the elections were a significant step forward from the viewpoint of stability, strengthening of democracy in the country while some observed problems, according to Mr. Salber, are solvable. The EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus and for the Crisis in Georgia Herbert Salber spoke with satisfaction about the accomplishments registered recently in the Armenia-EU relations, noting Serzh Sargsyans visit to Brussel in February 2017 when there was announced the conclusion of the negotiations between Armenia and the European Union on the Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement which was initialed on March 21 in Yerevan. The President of Armenia thanked for the congratulations and stressed the importance of a considerable assistance provided by the EU in the pre-election period which played its role in conducting the elections in line with international standards. The President of Armenia and the EU Special Representative Herbert Salber discussed the opportunities for moving the NK peace process forward, existing at this point problems and concerns, as well as issues related to the EU commitment to find a peaceful solution to the problem and possible avenues for assistance. The EU Special Representative assured that the European Union is interested and ready to assist within the limits of its abilities to the resolution of the problem and supports the efforts of the Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group dealing with the issue.
Anyone who has had anything to do with buying an apartment in Mumbai or the larger Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) would be familiar with the purchase agreement and the process of signing and registering it. It is a document in which the buyer could only ascertain that names are correctly spelt, initial every page, and sign at required places. Which one of us read, or was allowed to read, it in toto and change clauses before signing?

These agreements were standard across developers and usually weighted in their favour. There was little to nothing we could do when possession was delayed or extra charges levied. Though there were penalties for the developer for these and other defaults, there were loopholes which made it difficult to invoke them. Buyers have had horror stories but little recourse to action  except consumer courts where the process is cumbersome and time-consuming.

With the Maharashtra Real Estate Regulation and Development Rules 2017 finally coming into effect, the situation should change. At least, we can hope so. The state housing department notified the Rules last week. The regulatory body is expected to start functioning from May 1.

The states RERA Act and Rules, as they are popularly called, were supposed to follow the template laid down by the Centre. However, the state governments draft Rules were diluted and so builder-friendly that the purpose of the Act was nullified. Consumer groups, especially Mumbai Grahak Panchayat, called out the duplicity of the Devendra Fadnavis government, lobbied hard for amendments, and argued for clauses to protect the interests of buyers.

The notified Rules are an improvement over the draft Rules. They demand that developers disclose all details of ongoing and new construction projects on the RERA website and update them every quarter; the information includes the title of each property, plans and layouts, and total number of flats with their carpet areas; developers must also disclose details of real estate agents, architects and engineers involved in projects as well as their companies annual reports with profit-loss statements and so on.

The Rules have norms for agreements and delayed possession, formation of the housing society once 51% of the apartments are sold, and stipulate that the conveyance of the plot must be done within three months from date of occupancy. Also, developers and real estate agents have to register on the website.

The Rules appear fair. But developers and real estate industrys representative bodies have already cried foul saying they are too consumer-friendly and that the registration fees along with mandated requirements will pinch the industry. This is to be expected. The industry had fended off all previous attempts to regulate it and empower the buyer-consumer.

The RERA is a good and long overdue step but whether the Rules will bring sanity and fair play into the developer-buyer equation will depend upon a number of factors: How the regulator functions in the first few months, what kinds of orders are issued on cases brought to the authority, how its mandate is enforced, and how susceptible it is to possible pressure from the developers lobby.

At the minimum, it ensures transparency about developers, their projects, documentation such as plans and sanctions which they were reluctant to share, and offers a recourse to buyers. Its a first step in the right direction. Dare we say that buyers need not be at the developers mercy anymore?

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Dehradun: The Uttarakhand government doesnt want to take any chance in this Chardham pilgrimage season. It is stockpiling daily essentials and other utility items to meet any emergency arising out of calamities such as landslides and earthquakes.

All the Chardham shrines in Uttarakhand will keep stocks of firewood, cooking gas, kerosene, foodgrains and public utility material to meet emergency situations that could leave pilgrims stranded at the pilgrimage sites.

In 2013, the Kedarnath shrine was inundated in mud and slush. Several hundreds died in the flashflood which was triggered by a cloudburst. More than 70,000 pilgrims were left stranded at the Himalayan shrines and other locations in the state.

As per sources from the tourism department, around three quintals of firewood will be kept in reserve at each of the four pilgrimage sites of Gangotri, Yamunotri, Badrinath and Kedarnath shrines. Also, kerosene, LPG and food grains will also be kept in reserve for emergency situations.

The decision was taken to meet the needs during emergency situations like earthquake, rainfalls, landslides, breaking of roads in hill areas. Every shrine and their managements will keep minimum three quintals of firewood in reserve. Forest department will also provide firewood to them. We have fixed the responsibilities for maintenance of roads, particularly the track from Gaurikund to Kedarnath shrine area, tourism minister Satpal Maharaj told Hindustan Times.

The public work department will be responsible for ensuring smooth movement of pilgrims on this track. Officials found guilty of poor upkeep of the roads will be dealt with severely.

According to the minister, toilets will be constructed at such locations that pilgrims can avail them even if they are stranded after landslides. Landslide zone signage along roads will be erected soon. During my recent survey of the Chardham routes, we found a large number of signages missing from their spots. It will be addressed soon. All important locations and crossings will have necessary signage for the convenience of pilgrims, Maharaj added.
The annual Indo-China border trade through 17,500-feet high Lipulekh pass will take place between June 1 and September 30, it was announced here on Wednesday.

Indias customs department and the State Bank of India have started the process to open their make shift offices at Gunji Mart. May 30 is the last date for applying trade passes.

The annual trade in Pithoragarh district is going on since 1992 following an agreement between India and China.

The border trade this year will run between June 1 and September 30. Dharchula SDM RK Pandey has been nominated as the trade officer,  said Pithoragarh district magistrate C Ravishankar.

Ravishankar said a representative of the district administration was in Delhi to collect over 300 trade passes from the external affairs ministry.

We expect not less than 200 traders to participate in the cross border trade along with their assistants to visit the Tibetan mart at Taklakot so as to solemnise the border trade, he said.

According to the trade officer, Indian traders take agricultural instruments, textile, bicycle, coffee, dry fruits, vegetable oil sugar, Gur, sugar candy, cigarettes and local grains as export items and in turn import Tibetan blankets, readymade , shoes, wool, cotton cloths utensils made of China clay, carpets and electronic goods from Tibet.

Last year, Indian traders incurred heavy losses as their goods were rejected on account of not having expiry dates mentioned on them. Indian traders will take special care this year to take items having expiry dates on them, SDM Pandey said.
HARIDWAR: Patanjali Ayurveds managing director Balkrishna on Wednesday alleged some multinationals were doing every bit to tarnish the image of yoga guru Ramdev and Patanjali products.

Balkrishnas statement came a few days after a section of media reported about CSD canteens withdrawing Patanjalis amla juice due to quality issue following a lab test report. Earlier, Patanjali Ayurved had issued a statement when the canteen stores department suspended the sale of amla juice.

We have not received any paper (test report) from anywhere. We dont know whether any individual went to lab or some organisation. As far as amla juice is concerned, its a ayurvedic product, he said when asked whether Patanjali has received any notice from the Ministry of Defence on the Amla juice.

Balkrishna condemned viral messages in social media spreading rumours about Ramdevs death, saying such fake news is the conspiracy of foreigners. Patanjali is looking out for the source of the fake message and will take legal action.

The yoga gurus aide announced a financial assistance of Rs 50 lakh to the families of CRPF personnel who were killed in a Maoist ambush in Chattisgarh. Balkrishna said the company will give Rs 2 lakh each to the bereaved families and promised all possible help to them.

Reacting on the Uttarakhand governments move to invite Chinese investors, the Patanjali MD said the firm will give the foreigners a run for money by providing less priced products.
A scientific report prepared by Art of Living claimed that any accidental damage to the ecology of the Yamuna floodplains caused by the Art of Livings cultural event in 2016 has already been restored by nature.

This contradicts the earlier findings by the National Green Tribunal-appointed seven-member expert committee, which claimed that it would take at least 10 years and Rs42 crore to fix the physical and biological damages caused to the rivers floodplains by the event.

If at all any such accidental damage would have taken place during the event, in all probability they have already been reversed by natural processes. With the arrival of monsoon in 2016, all the lost plants and animals would have re-colonised the event site, the foundations report has claimed.

Instead the NGO report has hinted that removal of shrubs, tall grasses, aquatic vegetation and reeds from the event site, which the NGT panel had dubbed as harmful to the floodplains, is actually beneficial to the ecology as it also helped remove invasive exotic species such as water hyacinth.

Experts from both the NGTs panel and the foundations team refused to comment on this ongoing war between scientists and experts of the two panels.

Art of Living had filed a 200-page parallel report in the NGT to counter the allegations levelled against it. The foundation, founded by spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, which has been in the centre of controversy, had roped in at least 15 experts to prepare a scientific report.

Experts in the Art of Livings panel also alleged that satellite images, which forms one of the main pillars of the report submitted by the NGT-appointed panel, has been misinterpreted.

The NGT panel had used satellite images and ground reports while claiming that large tracts of wetlands and water bodies were filled up for the event.

One of the most glaring mistakes made in the report is the declaration of dry farmlands as huge tract of wetlands filled with water and several water bodies etc. Even the agricultural crops have been considered as wetland vegetation with shallow to deep water beneath them, the NGOs report has claimed.

The experts pointed out that even the Survey of Indias report and National Wetland Atlas prepared by Space Application Centre have no mention of any such wetlands. The atlas had listed around 399 wetlands, including 301 micro wetlands in Delhi alone.

The foundations report has also challenged the NGT-panels allegations that nearly 420 acres of Yamuna floodplains were damaged. Experts questioned how can an event, held over 25 acres of land, damage 420 acres of floodplains.

The NGT panel had accused the foundation of levelling and compacting the soil resulting in heavy damage to the floodplains as it stopped the soils gaseous exchange and played havoc with the ground water recharging system.

Experts who prepared the foundations report, however, claimed that compaction if any was done much earlier when construction of guide banks, DND and Barapullah drain were going on. It is impossible for even a practicing geophysicist to claim that ground was levelled or compacted without a geophysical study, says the reports.

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Early trends in the pitched battle for Delhis civic bodies have started trickling in as counting began at 8am. The BJP is leading in all the three corporations with Congress and AAP fighting for the second position. Exit polls that followed the voting on Sunday, had predicted a huge win for BJP in the civic polls.

The municipal body poll, which came two months after elections in five states, is expected to set the political tone beyond the Capitals boundaries. While the BJP is attempting to fight off 10-year-old anti-incumbency in Delhis civic bodies, the Congress is battling exodus of top state leaders. The AAP, which is in power in the state and had bagged 5 out of 13 wards in bypolls in 2016, hopes that the civic polls will help it to recover from the jolt in assembly elections.

Catch the live updates from the counting stations here
The BJP was on Wednesday retained the three municipal corporations in the national capital for the third term in a row, handing a humiliating defeat to the Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP and the Congress.

The AAP was at a distant second and the Congress was in third place.

The elections carry wider national ramifications as an emphatic victory for the BJP will only add to its image to invincibility and leave a divided opposition further demoralised in the run up to the national elections in 2019.

The BJP has controlled the citys civic bodies for a decade.

Here are the counting day highlights:

7 pm: Delhi State Election Commission says civic polls were carried out smoothly, and dismisses allegations of EVMs being tampered with. Everything went well... EVMs are tamper-proof, there is nothing to doubt. No one can pressurise EC, State Election Commissioner, SK Srivastava says

6.45pm: Poll numbers show AAPs Pinki Tyagi lost Chhatarpur seat by a mere two votes to BJPs Anita Tanwar. Click here to read the full story

6pm: AAPs Delhi convenor Dilip Pandey resigns from his designation over the partys loss in MCD elections

I have resigned frm d post of AAP Delhi Convenor, conveyed to National Convenor @ArvindKejriwal to give this responsibility to someone else.  Dilip K. Pandey (@dilipkpandey) April 26, 2017

5.25pm: Arvind Kejriwals former mentor Anna Hazare blamed the party leadership for AAPs loss, saying they failed to live up to expectations. Click here to read the full story

4.43pm: AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal congratulates BJP for their victory in the polls. Click here to read the full story

I congratulate BJP on their victory in all 3 MCDs. My govt looks forward to working wid MCDs for the betterment of Delhi  Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) April 26, 2017

3.40 pm:Delhi will be garbage-free in three months, says Manoj Tiwari after BJPs MCD victory. Click here to read Tiwaris Hindustan Times interview.

3.33 pm: MCD election result trends:

3.00 pm: BJP president Amit Shah says the partys win in the Delhi civic polls is a vote in favour of Prime Minister Narendra Modis three years in power and a vote against the negative politics of the AAP. Click here to read the full story.

2.45 pm: PC Chacko offers to resign as Congress Delhi in-charge, says: Both of us (Maken and I) in a way failed in our responsibility, party should have opportunity to put things in order and improve situation.

2.27 pm: Arvind Kejriwals AAP has been handed a capital punishment by the people of Delhi in the civic polls for his arrogant and confrontational politics, Union minister M Venkaiah Naidu says. Click here to read the full story.

2.19 pm: The Delhi municipal poll results offer a big lesson to the Aam Admi Party (AAP) and chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, writes DK Singh.

2.01 pm: Modi factor, fresh faces: Five reasons why BJP is winning MCD elections.

1.51 pm: Prime Minister Narendra Modis tweet on BJPs MCD election performance: Grateful to the people of Delhi for the faith in BJP. I laud the hardwork of (Delhi BJP) team... which made the resounding MCD win possible.

1.30 pm: Activist Anna Hazare on AAPs performance in the MCD elections: There was a difference between what was said and what was done.

1.18 pm: Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari says he hopes Delhi government works in coordination with municipal corporations for Delhis sake.

1.10 pm: Click to read why PM Modis victory may sound alarm bells for BJP MLAs.

12.58 pm: Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari: We dedicate this win to CRPF jawans who lost their lives in Sukma attack.

12.56 pm: Prime Minister Narendra Modis BJP swept the municipal corporation polls in Delhi, a remarkable comeback from its poor show in the 2015 assembly election. Click here to read the full story.

12.49 pm: Former chief minister Sheila Dikshit says the Congress should have campaigned aggressively to challenge the BJP, which appeared poised to retain control of Delhis civic bodies despite facing 10 years of anti-incumbency. Click here to read the full story.

12.37 pm: BJP leader Subramanian Swamy: I think the President should dismiss the Delhi government and order fresh elections. AAPs support has evaporated. It was done in 1977; SC also upheld it.

12.26 pm: AAP MLA Alka Lamba: Taking responsibility for defeat in all three wards, I offer to resign as MLA and from all party posts.

12.24 pm: BJPs remarkable victory in MCD polls is reaffirmation of peoples faith in PMs leadership and Shri Amit Shahs organisational skills... Congratulations to BJP karyakartas and Delhi BJP President Shri Manoj Tiwari on registering an emphatic victory in MCD polls, tweets BJP leader and Union minister Rajnath Singh.

12.19 pm: The BJP has won 25 wards, AAP four and Congress three wards till 12.19pm. Voting for 270 of the total 272 wards of the three municipal corporations saw around 54% voting on Sunday. Election was countermanded in two wards following the death of candidates.

12.16 pm: In East MCD, BJP wins 22 wards, AAP gets three. The Congress is yet to open its account. The AAP and Congress win eight seats each in North MCD. The BJP gets 29.

11.50 am: BJP chief Amit Shah: 2015 mein isi EVM se Kejriwal chun kar aaye the, iska jawab dein.

11.46 am: Delhi Congress chief Ajay Maken: We have made a reasonable comeback... I hoped for a better performance. We because I could not meet the expectations, I have decided to resign... For one year, I will not take up any post in the party; will work as a party worker. Delhi Congress chief Ajay Maken spearheaded the Congress challenge to revive its fortunes in the city where it had won three successive assembly elections till 2013.

11.42 am: MCD election results have pushed Modis victory chariot forward... The results show negative politics wont work... I congratualte Manoj Tiwari and all our party workers, says BJP chief Amit Shah.

11.41 am: Aam Aadmi Party leader and Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia: BJP leaders had written books on EVM tampering , now same leaders saying EVMs are fine.

11.40 am: MCD election result trends:

11.30 am: Sanjay Goel of BJP wins from Vivek Vihar, ward 29 East.

11.10 am:

  2009      5                     1/3  Manish Sisodia (@msisodia) April 26, 2017

11.00 am: North MCD: AAP: 20; BJP: 48; Congress: 11; Others: 6.

10.55 am: The impact of Wednesdays MCD election verdict will be felt way beyond the Capital. The BJP is seeking a hat-trick in the civic body polls and a win will help the party keep up the momentum of its big victories in recent assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. Here is what the MCD elections verdict will mean for the BJP.

10. 52 am: Winning and losing is a part of democracy, one must accept mandate of the people with maturity, says BJP leader and Union minister Nitin Gadkari.

10.49 am: Aam Aadmi Party candidate wins from Shakurpur ward in North MCD by 1,393 votes.

10.39 am: Aggressive campaign karna chahiye tha, maine campaign nahi kiya kyunki kisi ne mujhe kaha hi nahi: Former Delhi chief minister and Congress leader Sheila Dikshit.

10.37 am: Approximate vote share: BJP: 36%; AAP: 25%; Congress: 20%; BSP: 4%

10.30 am: Despite the MCD election sweep, the BJP wont celebrate its victory. Heres why.

10.25 am: MCD election result trends:

10.13 am:The BJP is the only viable option available for the voter today. That is why the BJP has been given mandates at every level; I thank the voters of Delhi, says BJP leader and Union minister J Singh.

10.12 am: The public doesnt know... EVMs are malfunctioning... The BJP is the centre of corruption, and people are still voting for it? Can you tell me about even one achievement of the BJP in Delhi? says AAPs Ashutosh.

10.07 am: This is not a Modi wave, but an EVM wave. This is the same wave that they (BJP) used in the Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Punjab polls, says AAPs Gopal Rai after trends show the BJP leading in all three municipal corporations in Delhi.

10.02 am: AAPs Gopal Rai to speak to media shortly. A meeting has been called by Arvind Kejriwal to discuss the AAPs MCD election performance.

9.46 am: The BJP is leading in all three corporations. But the party said it will not celebrate its victory. It is because of the Sukma incident, BJPs Delhi spokesperson Aman Sinha said. Maoists killed 25 paramilitary personnel and injured six in Chhattisgarhs south Sukma region on Monday, in an ambush possibly to thwart a crucial road link the government believes would hurt the rebels.

9.45 am: Trends:

9.40 am:

Media waits as Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia and Gopal Rai hold a meeting at Kejriwal's residence. #MCDresults @htTweets pic.twitter.com/M7ZXj3RwWk  Burhaan Kinu (@burhaankinu) April 26, 2017

9.38 am: The BJP wins two wards in South MCD -- Janakpuri west by 1347, Janakpuri south by 5362 votes.

9.37 am: Yogendra Yadav tells ANI: People have ended up rejecting the CM (Chief Minister) and electing the PM. Yadav, who now leads the Swaraj India, had earlier written an open letter to Kejriwal and challenged him to win at least 50% in the civic polls or step down.

9.32 am: The BJP reaches the magic number in East, too -- leading in 35 seats.

9.26 am: The BJP reaches the magic number in north MCD -- leading in 52 wards.

9.25 am: Thirty-eight per cent vote share for the BJP in the North corporation so far. The BJP went into the municipal polls after changing many of its sitting candidates following apparent feedback that they were facing anti-incumbency. A win will be a vindication of the partys electoral strategy as also a cap in the feather of its Delhi unit chief Manoj Tiwari, who was appointed to the post in December last year, months before the civic polls.

9.20 am: Trends:

9.10 am:

Partywise vote share in all the three MCDs till now. BJP got the maximum vote share. #MCDelections2017 @htTweets @htdelhi pic.twitter.com/RvS0hI044M  Faizan Haidar (@FaiHaider) April 26, 2017

9.02 am: The BJP is headed for a majority in North and South MCD -- leading in more than 40 seats. Fifty-two seats are needed for majority in South and North MCD; 33 required in East. For the AAP, an adverse outcome will act as a dampener to the partys plans to expand its footprint in states such as Gujarat and Rajasthan.

8.58 am: Trends of 56 wards in South MCD: BJP: 35; AAP: 10; Congress: 10; INLD: 1.

Trends of 25 wards in East MCD: BJP: 13; AAP: 3; BSP: 1; Congress: 7.

Trends of 53 wards in North MCD: BJP: 37; AAP: 11; Independent: 2; Congress: 5

8.48 am: The BJP is leading in 73 wards, Congress in 16 and AAP in 13. For the Congress, a good performance in the civic polls will mean a political revival in Delhi after the party failed to win a single seat in the last assembly polls.

8.46 am: The BJP is leading in all the three MCDs. Counting of two rounds has been completed.

8.40 am: Yogendra Yadavs Swaraj India is leading in three seats in North, one in South and two in East. Kejriwals former party colleague, Yadav had earlier written an open letter to the chief minister and challenged him to win at least 50% seats in the civic polls or step down.

8.39 am: Early trends: BJP is leading in 44 seats, Congress in 10 and AAP in four.

8.27 am: In south MCD, BJP takes lead on 9, Congress on 1. AAP yet to take lead. The election results will determine whether the sway of the Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP, which stunned people by bagging 67 seats out of 70 in the 2015 Delhi assembly polls, still prevails. It will also decide whether the AAP will be able to put behind its humiliating Rajouri Garden bypoll defeat.

8.26 am: AAP takes lead in three seats in north MCD. The BJP is leading in 11, congress in 3.

8.25 am: Counting of postal ballots is on. Trends will start coming by 9am.

8.23 am: In north MCD, BJP is leading in six wards, Congress in four and AAP on two.

8.19 am: MCD election vote counting -- then and now:

8.12 am: In the Dwarka ward in south MCD, the BJP is leading by 599 votes after first round.

8.11 am: In south MCD, BJP is leading on three seats, BSP on one.

8.10 am: First trends from East MCD yet to come. The AAP takes lead at one ward in north MCD.

8.08 am: BJP is leading in three seats in north MCD. Congress on one.

8.07 am: Early trends show the BJP is leading in five wards. The party is seeking a hat-trick in the civic body polls and a win will help it keep up the momentum of its big wins in recent assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.

8.00 am: The counting of MCD election votes has begun.

7.58 am: Senior BJP leader RP Singh tells ANI: I am hopeful that party will get more than 200 seats but whatever the outcome is we wont blame EVM for it.

7.53 am:

We, at @htdelhi will give you live updates on municipal election results from election commission office. Counting starts at 8am. @htTweets pic.twitter.com/LeeZV6Nd3k  Faizan Haidar (@FaiHaider) April 26, 2017

7.51 am: Former Delhi minister and Delhi Pradesh Congress chief Arvinder Singh Lovely, former deputy Speaker of the Delhi assembly Amrish Singh Gautam and former Delhi Commission for Women chief Barkha Shukla Singh are among those who walked out of their parties to join the BJP. Will this hurt the AAP and Congress? Early trends on the MCD election results are expected by 11am.

7.43 am: Whats at stake for the BJP, Congress and Aam Aadmi Party in the MCD elections? Click here to find out

7.35 am: The results of the municipal elections are likely to have a wider impact on Delhis politics. Click here to read about six things you should look out for as the results trickle in.

7.20 am: A total of 2,537 candidates were in the fray for the 104 seats each of the North Delhi Municipal Corporation and the South Delhi Municipal Corporation, and 64 seats of the East Delhi Municipal Congress. The three civic bodies cover 68 of the 70 constituencies of the Delhi assembly. Two other smaller civic bodies are the Delhi Cantonment Board and the New Delhi Municipal Council.

7.11 am: On polling day, Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal attacked the State Election Commission, saying that reports of faulty EVMs were pouring in from across the national capital. The Aam Aadmi Party chief also alleged that many voters with valid voter slips were not allowed to exercise their franchise in the municipal polls. Arvind Kejriwal had earlier demanded that the election be postponed till arrangements for VVPAT-equipped EVM were made. The state election commission denied the charges.

7.02 am: Exit polls have predicted the BJP will make a clean sweep while the AAP and Congress will lag far behind.

The polling for the three civic bodies in Delhi took place on Sunday, registering a total turnout of 53.6%, barely a notch higher than 2012. As many as 18 political parties are in the fray in the civic elections, with key contestants being the BJP, Congress, AAP, JDU, Swaraj India, BSP and Shiv Sena. The elections are being closely watched across the country as they are expected to have ramifications beyond Delhi.

7.00 am: Good morning. Welcome to the Hindustan Times live coverage of the Delhi municipal election results. The counting of votes polled in 270 wards will start at 8am. Polling had to be cancelled and rescheduled in two wards - Sarai Pipal Thala and Maujpur - after the death of two candidates.

Though the results will be declared by the state election commission after 5pm, early trends should be available by 11am. The winner, if there is no fractured mandate, should be clear by 2pm.

The results will show if the BJP has been able to keep up its political momentum, if the Congress party has been able to revive itself in the metropolis, and if the ruling Aam Aadmi Party has been able to build up its base among the people.
Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari spoke to Hindustan Times as his party raced to a landslide win in municipal elections on Wednesday. He blamed the Aam Aadmi Party government in Delhi for not letting the municipal corporations function properly. In its third term in the corporations, he assured, the BJP will make Delhi free of garbage in the next three months.

Q. The BJP had a decade-long anti-incumbency to deal with. What do you think helped the party buck the trend?

A. It has been proved that only Modi can do (reference to BJPs campaign, tumse na ho payega). The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is incapable (of developing Delhi). It is clear that the people of Delhi is fed up with the negativity being spread by Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal. They have reposed trust in the policies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The strategy by party president Amit Shah and the hard work of our workers facilitated the emphatic win. The three municipal corporations should have worked more to meet peoples expectations. Our councillors had failed to project their achievements adequately but the people of Delhi understand that the corporations were not allowed to work. Obstacles were created by the AAP government.

Q. The Aam Aadmi Party is blaming the EVMs for the poll debacle. What do you think went wrong for the AAP?

A. A man with destructive mind had captured power by cheating. He says, eent se eent baja dengey. What does it mean? Delhi had chosen him for constructive work. Now, he is threatening people with dengue and chikungunya. He is expected to work for their welfare but he is threatening that water and power bills will go up.

Delhi is a pleasant place but because of his daily confrontation and his nonsensical arguments, it has become a centre of negativity. To reclaim their city, Delhiites have given a clear mandate to the BJP.

Q. Though the Congress has gained a sizeable vote share, it looked like a contest between AAP and BJP. Are these results a referendum on AAP and the Delhi CM?

A. Absolutely. This was a test of his governments performance. He should immediately resign from his post. Kejriwal talked about right to recall in a democracy (during the Anna Hazare anti-corruption movement). Hope, he remembers. He has lost the moral right to continue.

Q. The municipalities in Delhi are plagued by multiple problems. The sanitation scene has been grim. What will be your priorities now?

A. First four months will be crucial for us. We will have to execute what we promised to the people of Delhi. Our priority will be to make Delhi a city which is free of garbage. We will also mark areas and roads, which are not under the jurisdiction of civic bodies. We will tell people those roads belong to Public Works Department of the Delhi government.

Next target will be prevention of outbreak of dengue and chikungunya. So, we will start fogging and spraying insecticides as soon as possible. In the next six months, we will finish all pending jobs.

Q. Why is this victory important for the BJP?

A. If the party has got a massive mandate after 2014 general elections again, it is a good sign for our future in Delhi. This is certainly a big message. We made an honest attempt and the people have accepted it. We have won this election but our efforts will not cease here. We will keep meeting people and connecting with them.

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The BJP is poised to sweep the civic polls in Delhi on Wednesday but the all-conquering party will not celebrate the victory as a mark of respect to 25 CRPF troopers killed by Maoist rebels in Chhattisgarh.

There will be no celebration...it is because of Sukma incident, the partys Delhi spokesperson Aman Sinha said.

The party also put up a poster outside the BJP headquarters dedicating the win to the slain CRPF jawans.

Poster put up outside BJP HQ dedicating MCD win to CRPF jawans who lost their lives in #sukmaattack #DelhiMCDElections2017 pic.twitter.com/vpTePAclNM  ANI (@ANI_news) April 26, 2017

Early trends indicated a clean sweep by the BJP in all three municipal corporations in the capital governed by the Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).

Maoists killed 25 paramilitary personnel and injured six in Chhattisgarhs south Sukma region on Monday, in the worst attack on security forces in the state in seven years. The government has vowed to avenge the killings.

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As trends of the municipal corporation elections started trickling in, the Aam Aadmi Party once again squarely blamed the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) for the partys poor show.

Party leader Gopal Rai said this win wasnt a result of a Modi wave, but an EVM wave. Rai was speaking to media outside the chief ministers residence after a meeting with Arvind Kejriwal and deputy CM Manish Sisodia.

Sweeping Delhi MCD polls without sweeping Delhi's streets for a decade. When machines are with you human will is of no relevance.  Nagendar Sharma (@sharmanagendar) April 26, 2017

Earlier, Delhi governments media adviser Nagendra Sharma took to micro-blogging site Twitter to voice his concerns. Sweeping Delhi MCD polls sweeping Delhis streets for a decade. When machines are with you human will is of no relevance.

Senior party leader Ashutosh also blamed the machines for AAPs performance. The debacle clearly shows EVM fraud, he said. EVMs were manipulated. Democracy is in danger, Ashutosh said.

The party had earlier also said that it will win the MCD elections if the EVMs work fairly. Kejriwal on Tuesday, however, threatened a movement if EVMs led to partys loss in the polls.

On Sunday, when Delhi went to poll for the corporations, Kejriwal had tweeted:

Reports from all over Delhi of EVM malfunction, people wid voter slips not allowed to vote. What is SEC doing?  Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) April 23, 2017

The Delhi CM retweeted comments of party volunteers, some of whom blamed the low turnout on doubts over the machines and cited the example of the presidential election in France on Sunday in which paper ballots were used.

Kejriwal had earlier demanded that the election be postponed till arrangements for VVPAT-equipped EVMs were made. VVPAT (voter-verifiable paper audit trail) machines dispense a slip with the symbol of the party a person has voted for. The slip drops in a box and the voter cannot take it home. Voters can see their slips for seven seconds.

In an interview with HT days ahead of the polls, Kejriwal had said he would continue his fight against EVMs even if his party won the municipal polls.

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Former chief minister Sheila Dikshit on Wednesday said the Congress should have campaigned aggressively to challenge the BJP, which appeared poised to retain control of Delhis civic bodies despite facing 10 years of anti-incumbency.

Aggressive campaign karna chahiye tha (the party should have campaigned aggressively), she was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

She also appeared to be alleging that the party refused to seek her help in campaigning for the April 23 polls, the results of which were declared on Wednesday.

Maine campaign nahi kiya kyunki kisi ne mujhe kaha hi nahi (I did not campaign, because no one asked me to), she added.

The Congress was trailing in the third place as the results poured in from the three municipal corporations, with the BJP leading by a huge margin of seats.

Dikshit, a senior Congress leader, was a three-time chief minister of Delhi before she was ousted in 2014 when the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) formed the government for the first time.

Diskhit also took a veiled dig at the AAP for blaming faulty EVMs for its poor show.

She said the Election Commission and the AAP government should have sat down and cleared their doubts over the EVMs.

...jo haarta hai vo kehta hai EVM kharab hai, jo jeet ta hai vo kehta hai theek hai (Whoever looses says the EVMs are faulty, those who wins says they are ok), she added.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday rode on Prime Minister Narendra Modis popularity to retain Delhis three civic bodies for the third time in a row, dealing a body blow to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), whose leaders blamed Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) for its poor show in the municipal elections.

According to the Delhi election office, the BJP had won 181 wards, AAP 48 and Congress 30 wards.

The BSP won two wards in the east municipal corporation and one in the north.

The election office also said that there was nothing wrong with the EVMs, in a statement issued in the evening.

The INLD bagged one seat in south, SP one in south. Six wards went to Independent candidates in the north and south corporations. (For full results, click here).

In the north body, the BJP won 64 wards, AAP 21 and Congress 15. In the south MCD, the BJP won 70, AAP 16 and 12 went to the Congress.

In the east Delhi municipal body, 47 went to BJP, 11 to AAP and three to the Congress.

Voting for 270 of the total 272 wards of the three municipal corporations saw around 54% turnout on Sunday. Election was countermanded in two wards following the death of candidates.

The results are a huge setback to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who is struggling to retain the appeal of the five-year-old party that came to power in Delhi by a sweeping majority in the 2015 Assembly elections.

Putting up a brave face and accepting defeat, Kejriwal congratulated the BJP for its victory. He made no mention of EVMs even though his party members had alleged tampering of voting machines early in the day.

I congratulate BJP on their victory in all 3 MCDs. My govt looks forward to working wid MCDs for the betterment of Delhi  Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) April 26, 2017

Anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare questioned Kejriwals leadership, saying the party haf lost credibility among people in a short span of time. Hazare, once a colleague of Kejriwal during the Lokpal movement, said there was difference between words and action of AAP which led to their defeat in the elections.

The BJP was jubilant. As the results became clear, Prime Minister Narendra Modis tweeted: Grateful to the people of Delhi for the faith in BJP. I laud the hardwork of (Delhi BJP) team... which made the resounding MCD win possible.

Party chief Amit Shah said: MCD election results have pushed Modis victory chariot forward... The results show negative politics wont work... I congratulate Manoj Tiwari and all our party workers, he said.

Talking to Hindustan Times, Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari blamed the AAP government for not letting the municipal corporations function properly and promised to make Delhi free of garbage in the next three months.

Tiwari credited the victory to the AAPs failures and Modis policies. It has been proved that only Modi can do (reference to BJPs campaign, tumse na ho payega). The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is incapable (of developing Delhi). It is clear that the people of Delhi is fed up with the negativity being spread by Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal. They have reposed trust in the policies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Tiwari said.

Tiwari said the party decided to suspend all celebrations in wake of the Maoist attack in Chhattisgarhs Sukma that killed 25 CRPF personnel on Monday.

Winning and losing is a part of democracy, one must accept mandate of the people with maturity, says BJP leader and Union minister Nitin Gadkari.

Accepting defeat, Delhi Congress chief Ajay Maken decided to resign from his post. We have made a reasonable comeback... I hoped for a better performance. We because I could not meet the expectations, I have decided to resign... For one year, I will not take up any post in the party; will work as a party worker, Maken said.

As AAPs dismal run became clear, deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia and Delhi labour minister Gopal Rai met Kejriwal at his residence in Civil Lines early in the day to decide the partys line on the impending loss.

The party had squarely blamed the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) for the poor show. Rai briefly stepped outside to blame faulty EVMs for the rout they so hoped against. 

EVM tampering is the bitter truth of the countrys democracy. One can crack jokes on us initially, but fearing being made fun of, we cannot refrain from speaking the truth, Sisodia told reporters.

Poster outside Delhi BJP office says the victory in #MCDElectionResults is dedicated to #Sukma martyrs@htdelhi pic.twitter.com/CG2VagrTbN  Heena Kausar (@heenakausar19) April 26, 2017

The Delhi governments media adviser Nagendra Sharma took to micro-blogging site Twitter to voice his concerns. Sweeping Delhi MCD polls sweeping Delhis streets for a decade. When machines are with you human will is of no relevance.

Senior party leader Ashutosh also blamed the machines for AAPs performance. The debacle clearly shows EVM fraud, he said. EVMs were manipulated. Democracy is in danger, Ashutosh said.

At the party office in Delhis Rouse Avenue, a pall of gloom descended at AAP office as party looks for answers over the poor show.

Delhi state election commissioner S.K. Srivastava denied any issues with EVMs. It worked well. And we didnt receive any further complaints. Everything went well. he said.

Although local in nature, the elections carry wider national ramifications as an emphatic victory for the BJP will only add to its image to invincibility and leave a divided opposition further demoralised in the run up to the national elections in 2019.

But the biggest setback will be for Kejriwal. The civic elections are a matter of prestige for him as the verdict could be seen as a referendum on his partys two-year-old government. It could also call into question Kejriwals ability to win elections after his party suffered crushing defeats in assembly polls in Goa and Punjab last month.

The BJP has controlled the citys civic bodies for a decade. The AAP and the BJP have often clashed over civic issues, affecting governance at these municipalities.
Former Delhi Congress president Arvinder Singh and former AAP MLA Ved Parkash inclusion in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) camp just days ahead of the corporation elections has paid rich dividends to the saffron party as it won most seats in their bastions  Gandhi Nagar and Bawana.

In Gandhi Nagar assembly constituency, which has been represented by Singh four times as MLA from 1998 to 2013, BJP won all the seats.

In Bawana assembly constituency, BJP won three out of five wards  Bawana, Pooth Khurd, and Rohini D while it lost from Rohini C and Begumpur.

Gandhi Nagar residents said Singhs personal rapport with the locals and being available for the people in the area despite not being in power might have influenced several voters to switch to BJP.

Ravinder Singh, a resident of Raghubarpura ward, said that the area is a business hub in East Delhi as it has the largest wholesale market for readymade apparel but no attention was paid to provide civic facilities to people in the last two years.

The footpaths are heavily encroached, drains are overflowing and there is rampant illegal construction.

People were expecting BJP to pull off Kanti Nagar and Raghubar Pura but Shastri Park was expected to be a tough fight, he said.

But it seems that traders saw their hope in Singh and BJP combo as he had done good work in the past and was available for people irrespective of which party they belonged to.

He had got the encroachments cleared and the road near Loha Pul was widened from 35 feet to 60 feet giving major relief to traders, he said.

In Gandhi Nagar, the population which is largely Sindhi, Marwari and Punjabi is mostly into business.

Anil Sindhwani, a resident of Azad Nagar, said though Singh didnt campaign for the party in Gandhi Nagar constituency as the Congress candidates here was given a ticket on the backing of Singh but he had tried to send the message to vote for BJP through his volunteers.

His politics is of man-to-man marking and has personal rapport with most people. He helped several people get their children admission in different schools, he said.

In Bawana, however, people said that the BJP had the natural edge as AAP had neglected the outer Delhi areas on the developmental front.

In Bawana, Arvind Kerjriwal had appealed to not pay their electricity and water bills. However, he didnt take the development forward. There is lack of connectivity to the main city, which means people have to shell out huge money to go to schools, and markets, said Mahesh Kumar, a resident.

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By giving the Bharatiya Janata Party a clear majority in all the three municipal corporations, Delhis voters have ensured that the fringe players and the independents will not come into play.

During a large migrant population, several regional parties contest civic polls in Delhi. Some of them like the BSP and the JDU contest on a large number of seats and win some seats. This time, however, neither of them got enough seats to make a difference to the fortunes of either the winning or the losing side.

All the 14 smaller parties that contested this time got less vote share than NOTA.

The BSP managed to win only three seats while the INLD and Samajwadi Party won one seat each.

BSP poor show continues

BSPs vote share continues to dip. From 14.05% in 2008 assembly polls, it came down to 1.3% in the 2015 assembly elections. The party, which was hoping to win some seats in Delhi, failed to make a mark, after its poor show in the recently concluded UP assembly election.

JD(U) poorer than NOTA

JDU chief Nitish Kumar had himself addressed rallies to augments his candidates chances. However, the partys vote share is even less than NOTA. It failed miserably.

Swaraj didnt register

Swaraj India, formed by the AAP rebels, could not manage to win a single seat. Party president Yogendra Yadav had said anything above zero is a bonus.

Hinting that the party will contest the next Lok Sabha and assembly elections in Delhi, Yadav said, Fighting upcoming elections in Delhi would be a natural process for the party to strengthen its presence.

Yadav told HT, I didnt had much expectations from this election as I had fought it to build a base in Delhi. I was more concerned about the voting percentage than the number of seats as it will give a clearer picture.
With early leads indicating AAP rout in MCD election results, the partys brass went in a huddle at the residence of chief minister Arvind Kejriwal in Civil Line on Wednesday. Chief minister Manish Sisodia and labour minister Gopal Rai reportedly discussed the future course of action with party convener Arvind Kejriwal.

Gopal Rai, later addressed the media, and reasserted the party line of EVMs being susceptible to tampering. Theres no Modi or BJP wave, there is an EVM wave, Rai said on the partys imminent loss in MCD elections.

If the trends hold, the partys poor performance in the civic polls will come as a blow for Kejriwal, who has been positioning himself as a challenger to Narendra Modi by openly taking on the PM on several occasions. Following this projected poll debacle, the party will now have to face uncomfortable questions about leadership and drastic loss of foothold in the Capital.

Apart from a reversal of fortunes for Kejriwal, whose party holds 66 out of 70 seats in the Delhi assembly, the results will also suggest that the Modi wave continues to sway voters as it was said to have done in the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections in February.

In the face of defeat, the AAP is expected to come up with a road map to recover lost ground in its home turf. The party, which had been hoping to expand footprint across the country, had also suffered setback in the assembly polls this year. While AAP had expressed confidence that it will form governments in Punjab and Goa, it landed a distant third in the former and could not open account in the latter.

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Apart from minority-dominated areas, the AAP received a major jolt in the municipal elections as it failed to hold on to its core areas of support, including those in unuthorised colonies and JJ clusters, dominated by Purvanchalis.

As the party received 54.3% vote share in 2015 assembly elections, the party had garnered support from a cross-section of the city  with the low-income and lower middle class groups living in these areas emerging as its backbone.

However, both the BJP and the Congress have dented into these strongholds of the Arvind Kejriwal-led front that witnessed its vote share dipping to 26.21% in 2017 municipal polls.

The AAP won one and the BJP won six of the seven municipal wards in Burari assembly segment, which is dotted with unauthorised colonies and JJ clusters dominated by purvanchalis  migrants from Bihar and eastern Uttar Pradesh. BJPs Anil Kumar Tyagi won the seat although two-time legislator Sanjeev Jha, an AAP member, is a purvanchali himself.

However, the appointment of Bhojpuri cinestar-turned-politician, Manoj Tiwari, as Delhi BJP chief seemed to have worked in favour of the party. The assembly segment falls in northeast Delhi Lok Sabha constituency, represented by Tiwari.

The importance of the area can be gauged from the fact that both Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and Bihar chief minister and Janata Dal (United) leader Nitish Kumar had launched their civic polls campaign from here.

Kirari, in northwest Lok Sabha constituency, comprises five municipal wards and has significant puravnachali population. Again, the BJP fared better than AAP as it registered victory in three wards, while AAP was restricted to only two wards.

In south Delhis Sangam Vihar assembly segment  one of the biggest unauthorised colonies in the city  the BJP has got three seats. The constituency has six wards.

The AAP trailed behind the BJP in Sangam Vihar aswell as it succeeded in two wards while one ward was taken over by an independent candidate.

In Karawal Nagar, the BJP registered an impressive performance. It is also part of northeast parliamentary seat. This segment has five wards. The voters here voted in large numbers for AAP in 2015 assembly elections. However, the BJP managed to dent its vote bank successfully and won three wards. Remaining two have been retained by the AAP.

Even though the minority community came out strongly in favour of AAP, the Congress seemed to have revived in these pockets. The Congress won four of the seven wards in the walled city area. Two seats went to AAP, while the Chandni Chowk ward has been won by the BJP.
Following the crushing defeat of Aam Aadmi Party in Delhi municipal elections, Arvind Kejriwals former Jan Lokpal movement allies  Anna Hazare, Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan  blamed the party leadership for failing to live up to expectations and losing mandate within a short period of time. The BJP swept the elections on Wednesday while AAP and Congress were a distant second and third, respectively.

Swaraj India co-founders Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan took to Twitter trashing AAPs allegations of EVM tapering. No point blaming EVM for MCD rout. AAP must realise that this is because they betrayed the promise of clean,transparent,accountable politics, Bhushan tweeted.

Anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare also questioned Kejriwals leadership on Wednesday saying the party has lost credibility. He said there was a difference between AAPs words and actions which led to their defeat. Unki kathni aur karni mein bahut antar hai, Hazare told reporters in Ralegan Siddhi adding that Kejriwal had promised not to take official residence but availed every benefit from the government.

No point blaming EVM for MCD rout. AAP must realise that this is because they betrayed the promise of clean,transparent,accountable politics https://t.co/hoHgKqIhjq  Prashant Bhushan (@pbhushan1) April 26, 2017

On several occasions in the past, Hazare has been critical of the Delhi CM. Peoples expectations had gone up when AAP entered politics. However, AAPs credibility went down very soon, Hazare said.

He also criticised AAP leaders for alleging that the EVMs had been tampered with. The party leaders did not prove allegations of EVM tampering even after the Election Commission asked them to give proof of the allegations, Hazare said.

The social activist further said that AAP should have focused on governance in Delhi after people gave a huge mandate to the party. Instead of focusing on governance in Delhi, Kejriwal and his colleagues became over ambitious and started focusing on Punjab, Goa and Gujarat. Finally, the voters of Delhi taught them a lesson.

(With inputs from Delhi)

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Prime Minister Narendra Modis Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has swept all the 3 civic bodies in Delhi giving a reason for the saffron party to rejoice and, possibly, an occasion for the partys legislators to worry.

The elections carry wider national ramifications as an emphatic victory for the BJP will only add to its image of invincibility and leave a divided opposition further demoralised in the run-up to the national elections in 2019.

The BJP has held the Capitals municipal corporations for last 10 years and managed to beat the anti-incumbency by dropping all its sitting councillors.

The strategy to cut on the personal anti-incumbency of the councillors, which might have pulled down the party, worked as the BJP maintained its majority in all the 3 corporations.

As Gujarat chief minister, Modi first used this tactic to win 3 consecutive assembly elections in 2002, 2007 and 2012. Every time, nearly about one-fourths of sitting legislators were replaced. Gujarat has been under uninterrupted BJP rule since 1998 and it will go to polls again later this year.

The BJP might fall back on Modis tested and successful tactic to win the western state, which will go to poll simultaneously with the hill state of Himachal Pradesh that the BJP lost to the Congress in 2012.

Karnataka, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura will have assembly elections between February and April next year. Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan will go to polls in December, before the bells ring for the next Lok Sabha election.

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It will be the BJP.

Early counting trends indicated on Wednesday that the saffron party, as predicted in the exit polls, would retrain all three municipal corporations in Delhi.

A sweet revenge for Prime Minister Narendra Modis party that not only managed to beat 10 years of anti-incumbency but also avenged its decimation at the hands of Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party in the 2015 assembly election.

The impact of Wednesdays verdict will be felt way beyond the Capital. Here is what it means for the BJP:

 Modi, the wonder man: The BJP will have another election result to show that Prime Minister Modi continues to generate hope and his credibility is intact. The civic poll results will further boost Brand Modis credentials of decimating rivals state after state.

 AAP in trouble: The so-called Modi wave that saw the BJP sweep the 2014 Lok Sabha polls and subsequent state elections ran into Kejriwal. It was the AAP and Kejriwal who halted Modis victory march in the 2015 Delhi assembly election. The BJP had to make do with just three seats in the 70-member assembly, as AAP got a record 67 MLAs. But the poor showing by the AAP in its citadel  coming on the back of Punjab and Goa debacles  could help the BJP fish in troubled waters. An AAP MLA has already defected to the BJP and more could follow.

 Gujarat relief: Kejriwal was eyeing Gujarat which is due to hold assembly election later this year. Gujarat is the home state of Modi as well as BJP president Amit Shah. Back to back defeats will do little to the morale of the AAP leadership and cadre. The Modi-Shah duo is now more comfortably placed to take on Kejriwal in Gujarat, where the party has been in power for almost 20 year and is facing a hostile Patidar community, which has traditionally backed the BJP.

 The big picture: As the BJP prepare for the 2019 Lok Sabha election, its rise and scale of its wins threatens the opposition parties. The presidential election in July will be the first occasion for the Opposition to show its unity. Things have started moving in that direction but rival parties have a long way to go before they put up a united face against the BJP. Modi and Shah will be glad if some rivals join hands to put up a fight. It helps the duo drive home the point that the BJP is growing.

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D-Day is almost here, folks results of JEE Main 2017 will be released tomorrow, April 27, on jeemain.nic.in. Candidates can check their JEE (Main) Paper 1 score and rank and find out if they are eligible for JEE (Advanced).

Conducted by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), JEE Main 2017 was held on April 2 (offline) and April 8 and 9 (online). It is the largest undergraduate engineering entrance test in the country for admissions to the UG engineering/architecture courses at the NITs, IIITs and government-funded technical institutes (GFTIs).

This year, Class 12 marks will not be considered while computing the JEE Main ranks. However, as per the new eligibility criteria, candidates will now require a minimum of 75% in their Class 12 (65% for SC/ST) or be in the top 20 percentile of their states to be eligible for the admissions to the NITs, GFTIs and the IIITs. These institutes will receive common counselling through The Joint Seat Allocation Authority (JoSAA).

Step by step guide

To check your results, click on jeemain.nic.in

Enter your roll number/ registration number in the space provided

Click to submit and get your results

Important things to note

Candidates will get marks for Paper 1 and status of candidates qualifying for JEE (Advanced). The rank will comprise All India Rank (AIR) and All India category rank.

Score or rank card will be not be sent personally to candidates.
The Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (MSBSHSE) announced the results of the aptitude test for Secondary School Certificate (SSC) students on Wednesday. Students can now view their results using their SSC seat number after logging in here, a new portal created to provide career guidance.

More than 16,67,445 students were tested online across Maharashtra in February, to assess their skills and interests and help them make informed career choices.

Vinod Tawde education minister and Devendra Fadnavis, chief minister inaugurated the new portal at 3pm on Wednesday. The tests were introduced for the first time last year to help students in planning their careers after class 10.

On entering seat number, students will get detailed reports on fields of interests and professions suggested to them based on their aptitude.

Along with the results, the new website shows nearest counselling centres, which they can approach for guidance from professional counsellors.

Mumbai students can visit AK Gidwani School, Mulund, Marwari Commercial School, Chira Bazaar, or the department of vocational education in CST.

Information on 80,000 courses has been uploaded on the site for the students perusal. This includes courses, qualifications and job opportunities on fields such as health sciences, technology, arts, fine arts, armed forces and others.

Students can view video messages by personalities from varied fields such as actress Mrinal Kulkarni, police inspector general, Vishwas Nangare Patil, wrestler and Maharashtra Kesari Vishwas Nangare Patil and others.

A new telecounselling helpline -8600245245-has been set up to answer queries on subjects and courses to opt for and job opportunities in different fields. It is open to parents and students.

The portal has been created by the Maharashtra state government along with Pune-based, Shyamchi Aai foundation this year for aptitude test results and career advice.

Last year, the results were declared on the Institute of Vocational Guidance and Selection (IVGS) website but students faced difficulties in logging onto the website due to server problems.

Additionally, Tawde had skirted controversy last year for publishing his photo on the aptitude test report card handed to students along with their SSC results.

The ministers picture was juxtaposed next to some text explaining why the test was conducted for the first time in Maharashtra along with a congratulatory message.

Academicians had called it tacky and criticised Tawde, but he justified his actions stating that the photograph was added as a personal message to the students.

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US First Lady Melania Trumps wardrobe has been the centre of discussions ever since her husband, Donald Trump was sworn in as the President of USA. Be it her sky blue, double-faced cashmere jacket from Ralph Lauren or the more recent black, sequined suit by Michael Kors, she continues to set fashion goals.

On her 47th birthday today, we raise a toast to her sartorial choices. Our fashion frat, too, gives Melanias style a thumbs up. She is one of the most stunning First Ladies ever around the world. She has been wearing her clothes quite well. The way she dresses up reminds me of the powerful Robin Wright from the House of Cards. Melanias style is pretty cool, says designer Nikhil Mehra. On being asked how he would like to dress her up, Mehra says, Id make a bandhgala, but in a more feminine manner, with well-fitted, slim-cut trousers. The bandhgala would have interesting coin buttons. I might even put a slight drape just to layer it.

Though dresses that are cinched at the waist seem more like Melanias style, other looks are also well-planned out, says designer Anand Bhushan. She is so perfectly turned out at every event. My favourite look of hers would be the one at the Presidential inauguration, where she channelled a very contemporary Jackie O (Jacqueline Kennedy). I love the bodycon dresses she wears, her shoe choices are absolutely fabulous, her makeup is bang on, adds Bhushan, who would love to see Melania in Indian textiles, but a contemporary silhouette.

Designer Rina Dhaka, however, feels the US First Lady is a safe dresser and stays away from experimenting. Melania is a classic safe dresser. She doesnt make mistakes too, but she is not pushing the edge by going for the unknown [either]. She will do subtle changes of fashion like that pale blue dress of hers (referring to the dress she wore to Donald Trumps presidential inauguration). Bill Clinton was gawking at her...she must have looked fabulous, says Dhaka, who believes Melania can wear any of her designs. She will look fab in them, adds the designer.

HERE ARE 5 STYLE LESSONS FROM THE US FIRST LADYS FASHION PICKS

Look 1: Fit-and-flare is a foolproof look

The custom-made red Alice Roi dress that Melania Trump wore to the White House before flying to Palm Beach. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

Melania wore a custom red Alice Roi coatdress to the White House before flying to Palm Beach. The fit-and-flare silhouette (that works for most body types) has become a staple in her wardrobe. She wore it with coordinated gloves and nude pumps. Fashion presses had a field time comparing it with Nancy Reagans look from Ronald Reagans swearing in ceremony in 1981.

Look 2: A simple accessory can spice up a plain outfit

The First Lady wore a deep blue belted jumpsuit with a floral scarf to the Bak Middle School of Arts in West Palm Beach, Florida. This goes on to show how even a simple scarf can break the monotony of a plain jumpsuit.

(L) The form-fitting emerald dress is cinched at the waist with a skinny black belt. (R) Melania Trump wore a deep blue jumpsuit on her visit to Bak Middle School of Arts. (Doug Mills/The New York Times ; AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

Look 3: Match belt with shoes for a no-nonsense look

She met Queen Rania of Jordan in this form-fitting emerald dress with sky-high stilettos. The Herve Pierre is a refreshing break from her signature whites and reds. A skinny black belt cinches her waist and the pleats bring an element of flair to the formal attire. She matched her belt with her shoes that added elegance to the look.

Look 4: Diplomatic style: Dress for the occasion

Melania Trump wore a red Valentino dress with embossed daisies and floral pointy toes on her meeting with the Chinese President and his wife. Red is a symbolic colour in Chinese culture, representing happiness and good luck.

(L) The red Valentino dress has applique daisies on crepe fabric. (R) The bright peach stilettos added the perfect pop of colour to the simple white dress. (AFP PHOTO / JIM WATSON ; AP)

Look 5: Add a pop of colour with your shoes

The belted white dress, paired with a golden belt made for an easy-breezy statement as the First Lady stepped out at the airbase in Washington, US. Her bright peach stilettos added the perfect pop of colour to the simple white dress. A pair of oversized black sunnies completed the casual look.

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The parents in Gurgaon , who have been protesting under different banners against the fee hike in private schools, have decided to form a single group and involve experts from all fields to better plan their agitation against what they termed an unjustified hike.

The parents group will seek the involvement of lawyers, retired professors, bureaucrats, chartered accountants, defence personnel, MNC executives, IT professionals, and NGOs to put pressure on the Haryana government to intervene in the issue and roll back the hike.

Advocate Ramphal Sheoran (42) of Sector 55 said, We have decided to organise a dummy funeral rally of the Fee and Fund Regulatory Committee (FFRC) as it has failed to help us.

The parents have also planned to take out a candle march on Sunday evening from Leisure Valley to the residence of D Suresh, divisional commissioner, who is also the chairman of the FRRC committee.

We have changed the agenda of the meeting now and have planned a different strategy. We have asked experts from each field such as lawyers, politicians, professors and people involved with different NGOs to support us, said Dinesh Kumar Kharb, a parent.

We had submitted a memorandum to President Pranab Mukherjee and Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar on April 9. We will once again try to meet Khattar in the coming week, but if the government does not take the issue seriously, well be forced to protest on roads, said Jyoti Dembla, another parent.

The Haryana government has not done anything on the parents demand that the unjustified fee hike be rolled back. The government is not working in public interest, said Bhupinder Singh, representative of the Haryana chapter of All India Parents Forum for Education.

We will continue our fight until the government rolls back the hike, we will not leave the fight midway and return to our houses. We will involve more organisations and residents to put pressure on the administration and the government, said Manish Makkar, a parent.

Several parents associations in the city have served an ultimatum to the state government and given it a months time to get the hike rolled back, failing which they will further intensify the protests and burn effigies of the chief minister, education minister and other officials.

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The revelry is back in Gurgaons sector 29 after several bars and pubs were given approval to serve liquor earlier this week. The decision came after the distance of these restaurants was measured and found to be more than 500 meters from the National Highway, as necessitated by the Supreme Court ruling.

For some, the upbeat mood was about their hangout zone being back; for others, it meant they got to retain their jobs. Harangad Singh, executive chef, Prankster, says, It has been almost a month that we had to stop serving liquor... We were awaiting remeasurement since. This had put our livelihood at stake. It was then about our survival. I was worried about my staff and their jobs. But now we are back with a bang. And everyone is joyous.

Ashwini Chaudhary, owner of Adda by Striker and Walking Street, voices the same sentiments, Around 150 people work with me. After the ruling came about, I had asked my staff to look for jobs because I had no money to pay their salaries. Chaudhary adds that he has now told his staff to stay back.

The staff is equally excited. Navneet, who plays a DJ in one of the restaurants, says, Ive been working at this place for two years and didnt want to leave. But, there were no jobs in this area, especially due to the uncertainty after the ruling. But now that we have the license, I am relieved. Many employees at various pubs and bars have stayed with their employer without any salary.

After a clean-chit from the authorities, something that those in Cyber hub still await, restaurants are now offering discounts to woo back guests. Prankster is planning to throw a campus party and serve complimentary drinks to all guests on some days. We want our customers to know that we are back. We are also considering other offers such as extended happy hours, discounts on bills, et cetera, says Inderjit Banga, owner of Prankster, Sector-29.

It will take some time to bring our guests back. So, we are offering discounts, planning activities, events, live gigs, and more. Some of these activities include special Sufi nights and street activities (magician in the house, tattoo artists, et al), informs Chaudhary.

The party-goers are also rejoicing. Sector-29 and Cyber hub are the two places where we chill. The ruling had dampened our spirits, but now we look forward to Fridays again, says Surbhi Dua, a corporate trainer. Akshay Sharma, a Gurgaon-based blogger says, Its Tuesday night, but we are already making plans to party at our favourite hangout spot after 25 long days. Adds Rohit Singh, an IT analyst, After a hard day at work, you want to catch up with your buddies. I am glad we dont have to scout for places anymore or go far for drinks.

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The 49-year -old Civil Hospital is all set to get a much-needed makeover, given the fact that the building has begun to show the wear and tear with parts of ceiling falling off last year.

A team of engineers from IIT-Roorkee on Tuesday conducted an inspection of the civil hospitals building  constructed in 1968  to evaluate its present condition.

Their report will shed light how the building can be restored. This came after there were several instances of the ceiling falling off in parts were reported last year.

The team will submit its report within four days. A budget can be prepared only after we receive a detailed report. We have to send the proposed budget for approval to the state government, said Kanta Goyal, chief medical officer, Civil Hospital.

The team conducted a day-long survey of the building and also met doctors and staff to understand the usages of every space and unit.

Though a similar team had visited the hospital last year and had recommended that the building be repaired, the renovation work never started owing to paucity of funds.

Last year in April, the ceiling of the maternity ward had collapsed injuring a mother and infant.

Earlier too, the maternity ward celling had collapsed twice and the hospital authority had tried to get the public works department (PWD) to repair the building. But the PWD refused to repair it stating that the entire structure was in a bad condition.

The then deputy commissioner TL Satyaprakash had requested IIT-Roorkee to send a team to survey the condition of the hospital. Last year, the team recommended repairing the building, but because of lack of funds the work was not carried out, the doctors said.

The Civil Hospital, located at Civil Lines, has 250 beds and receives more than 3,000 out-patients every day. The hospital is also facing a staff crunch and the authorities are planning to send a request to the state government to increase the number of doctors, nurses and Class IV employees, Goyal said.

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A day after the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) sealed the office of the residents welfare association (RWA) in Sushant Lok 1, residents on Wednesday decided to meet the officials and take up the issue with them. The RWA office is in a room on the first floor of the community centre and the MCG has sealed the entire building over the developers alleged failure to pay property tax.

The MCG had sent reminders to Ansal API, the developer of Sushant Lok, but the payment was not made.

We cannot even enter our office now. The MCG should at least allow the association to function from the place. We have decided to meet senior town planner (STP) Yusuf Mansuri and MCG joint commissioner YS Gupta. We are already facing civic problems that we have been fighting against for long and now we have an additional problem, said AK Nagpal, RWA president.

However, Gupta said, To unseal the building, Ansal API will have to deposit property tax.

Ansal API has expressed its displeasure over the sealing as well. The Ansal management said that MCG has wrongly slapped commercial charges on the community centre.

Rakesh Goyal, senior vice president, Ansal API, said, We have strongly contested the commercial charges and are likely to give a representation to the joint commissioner in a day or two. The community centre building is being renovated for the past three years. Residents use the premises for social gatherings and there is no question of using it for commercial purposes. We feel sorry for the residents who are suffering as they are unable to use their office.

There have been numerous complaints of commercial charges being levied on buildings in residential and industrial areas.

The MCG had earlier surveyed all buildings of the city and recorded them under commercial and non-commercial categories as per their present use.

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Actor Zoe Saldana let slip the title of Avengers 4 during the Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2 premiere.

Recently, Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige said the title for the fourth Avengers film would be a spoiler if it was revealed, but it seems like its going to be called Avengers: Infinity Gauntlet, thanks to Saldana, who plays Gamora in the Guardians of the Galaxy movies, and will appear in Infinity War, reported Digital Spy.

Avengers 4 title - Avengers: Infinity Gauntlet says @ZoeSaldana at GOTG2 event. At wknd Marvel said title was still secret #InfinityGauntlet pic.twitter.com/LFg3u7FmDk  lizo mzimba (@lizo_mzimba) April 24, 2017

In an interview with BBC News, the actor talked about the involvement of Guardians stars in the Avengers films.

Actor Zoe Saldana attends a premiere of the film Guardians of the galaxy, Vol. 2 in London April 24, 2017. (REUTERS)

Were in the middle of it (Avengers: Infinity War). I think the Guardians just shot their part when it comes to Infinity War, the first part, and we all have to go back for Gauntlet later this year, Saldana said.

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After giving fans a visual treat with movies like The Grand Budapest Hotel and Moonrise Kingdom, director Wes Anderson is back with his new project, his second stop-motion movie Isle of Dogs.

The movies Twitter handle shared the official poster of Andersons upcoming stop-motion title and revealed the release date for the movie - April 20, 2018.

The poster was captioned, Coming to theatres April 20, 2018 #IsleofDogs.

Coming to theatres April 20, 2018 #IsleofDogs pic.twitter.com/YQlZJsBhM2  Isle of Dogs (@isleofdogsmovie) April 25, 2017

In the poster, we can see five dogs wearing clothes and a fighter plane crashed in the sea, with a man standing a few feet away.

The movie, set in Japan, focuses on the story of a boy, who is in search of his dog.

The films star-studded voice cast includes Edward Norton, Bill Murray, Tilda Swinton, Bryan Cranston, Jeff Goldblum, along with Live Schreiber, Scarlet Johansson and Yoko Ono.

Scott Rudin, Steven Rales and Jeremy Dawson are producing the project with Anderson, following the success of their last production partnership, The Grand Budapest Hotel.

The movie will be distributed by Fox Searchlight Pictures.

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A 32-year-old battle-hardened Maoist commander has emerged as the likely mastermind behind the massacre of 25 CRPF troopers in Chhattishgarh, police said on Wednesday, as the focus shifted to repeated intelligence failures that have led to severe losses for security forces battling rebels in the hotbed of Left-wing insurgency.

Madvi Hidma, who heads the first military battalion of the CPI (Maoist), likely planned and executed the ambush on the group of CRPF personnel in south Sukma on Monday, police said. Six other jawans were also injured in the Maoist attack, the worst on security personnel since 2010 when 75 CRPF soldiers were killed in Dantewada.

Madvi Hidma is believed to have planned and executed the deadly ambush on a group of CRPF personnel in southern Sukma on Monaday. (HT Photo)

Hidma, also known as Hidmalu and Santosh, is also believed to have been behind another deadly attack on March 11 that killed 12 security personnel.

Considered one of the most dreaded Maoist leaders in Bastar, the hotbed of Maoist insurgency in the country, Hidma was born in Purvati village of south Sukma. His area of operation comprises south Sukma, Dantewada and Bijapur.

Though diminutive in physique, he has built up a reputation for himself as a ruthless rebel leader who runs a network of dedicated informers across the region, police officials said.

Police officials scouring the site of Mondays attack for leads said information received so far linked Hidma to almost all big attacks on security forces in Sukma since 2013. He mostly coordinates with the local area commanders and sangham sadasyas (outfit members) and for many of them he is like god, an official said.

The Maoists, who claim to be fighting for land rights of marginalised tribal communities, are active across 10 states and Chhattisgarh is seen as one of its last remaining strongholds.

Hidma was born in Purvati village of south Sukma. His area of operation comprises south Sukma, Dantewada and Bijapur. (HT Photo)

He has sadly become a role model for many young recruits, he added.

Hidma is also known to be a shadowy figure who avoids media glare. A journalist who claimed to have met him several years ago said he came across someone who was determinedly reticent.

Hidmas inner circle consists of heavily-armed youths, mostly his childhood friends.

Besides seeking to pick up Hidmas trail, police officials are also trying to find answers to repeated intelligence failures leading to such deadly attacks.

Officials said local Maoists had the benefit of intimate knowledge about Bastars difficult terrain. The fear of retribution by the Maoists also forced most villagers to clamp up, depriving security agencies of much-needed information on the insurgents.

In the last 20 years, the Maoists have been pushed into a tight area and now that has become their core. Most of the families living in the area are under their influence and almost one person from each family is in their army, said a senior officer.

Information on Maoist movements and plans has got increasingly scarce. Two months ago, Maoists killed Mandavi Dulha, the village head of Burakpal on the suspicion of being a police spy and other villagers have shut up since then.

There undoubtedly has been an intelligence failure this time. We suffer from lack of information in this region, admitted a senior cop in the state capital Raipur. We have no support from the villagers. Most Maoists are locals and villagers have an emotional connect with them, explained another.

Officials also pointed to the tough challenge of keeping pace with the fleet-footed Maoists. Actually about a dozen Maoists continuously roam in this region and assemble with local units at short notice to mount an ambush. It is difficult ascertain their movements and plans, the official said.

Tuesdays ambush showed the degree of dangers lurking in Bastars forests for the security forces. Some 150-odd Maoists lay in wait for the CRPF patrol and none had any clue. The Maoists melted into the deep forests immediately after the attack, leaving security agencies looking for answers.

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Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday appointed former Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot as the new general secretary in-charge of BJP-ruled Gujarat. The state goes to polls in November-December, later this year.

Gehlot replaces Gurudas Kamat, who had requested the party high command to relieve him of the charge since he was not able to give sufficient time to the poll-bound state. Kamat continues to be the general secretary in-charge of Rajasthan.

As head of the partys screening committee for the recent Punjab polls, Gehlot was credited with the selection of right and winnable Congress candidates in the state.

Gehlot will be assisted by four secretaries -- former Youth Congress chief Rajeev Satav, Harshvardhan Sapkal, Varsha Gaikwad and Jeetu Patwari.

Congress vice-president Rahul 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 the home state of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah for the past 22 years, the Congress is struggling to dethrone the ruling party.

Chhabildas Mehta was the last Congress CM 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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Srinivasa Rao Apparasu/Hyderabad

President Pranab Mukherjee on Wednesday stressed that universities should be places for creating learning environment where free minds could meet, interact and exchange of ideas and live in peaceful co-existence.

The President was speaking after inaugurating the centenary celebrations of Osmania University at a brief but grand and colourful function. Governor E S L Narasimhan, Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, Union minister Bandaru Dattatreya and a host of other dignitaries also attended the function.

Apparently referring to the recent incidents of unrest in various universities across the country, Mukherjee said there was a need to develop universities into temples of higher learning and institutions of excellence where free exchange of thoughts would take place and where mighty minds in the form of students and teachers would exchange ideas.

Osmania University was also established with this dream and it has to live up to this dream, he said.

He reminded the audience that in ancient times, India was the leader in higher education. Universities like Taxila, Nalanda, Vikramshila etc. attracted mighty minds in the form of students, teachers and researchers.

Today, there is no doubt that there has been huge development of educational infrastructure in the field of higher learning. There are 757 institutions of higher education, including 16 IITs and 30 NITs and many of them had made a mark at the international level. Most of the IITs have been registering 100% placements in campus recruitments. Many of the multinational companies across the globe have employed our IIT graduates, he said.

However, the President pointed out that though Indian students had been excelling in their respective fields in any part of the world, Indian universities as such were not able to focus on basic research so as to employ students within the country.

During my visit to over 100 central Institutions of higher learning in the last five years, I have been continuously emphasizing that these Institutions in India should occupy their rightful place in the international ranking process by promoting basic research and development, he said.

Mukherjee said since it required huge funds, industries should come forward to finance the basic research and development. There should be interface and effective inter-linkages between industry and academia. We cannot live in isolation. There is need for investment in research and innovation so that we can occupy our rightful place in the international community. These ideas must be translated into practical action, he said.

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Teaching and non-teaching staff of Magadh University (MU) are contemplating to move the Patna high court to protest against a government decision to gift 118.28 acres of university land to the recently set up Indian Institute of Management at Bodh Gaya, about 110 km south of the state capital.

MU vice chancellor Qamar Ahsan told HT that the attempt to create a controversy over the matter was unfortunate. The MU senate and syndicate have ratified the agreement to part with the land. The decision cannot be revoked, he said.

Not convinced, the unions representing teachers and employees have decided to resist the process of land demarcation, initiated by the IIM.

We plan to move the Patna high court against the move to part with the university land, said Magadh University employees association general secretary Amarnath Pathak.

The transfer of land to the IIM is illegal. The property was gifted to Magadh University by the mahant (religious superior) of Bodh Gaya math. A gifted property can never be gifted again to some other party, he said.

The teachers association would support the employees union and fight with it jointly against the MU decision to the transfer land to IIM, its president Sunil Kumar Singh said.

Members of the teachers association said Patna University (PU) had also faced a similar situation when it was asked to give away a chunk of land for the proposed dolphin centre. Despite enormous pressure from different quarters, then PU vice chancellor YC Simhadri refused to hand over the land on the pretext that the university could use land only for its own projects and departments. If the centre is opened under PU department, we can give land, but not for an autonomous institution, he had then said.

IIM officials, however, feigned ignorance about the simmering controversy in the MU headquarters in the wake of the demarcation process that has started before raising boundary walls.

There has been no dispute over the 118.28 acres of land transferred by the MU. The university has followed all the rules and also got approval of the syndicate and the senate before transferring the land to the B-school. It is now up to the state government to look into the technicalities, assistant manager, IIM-Bodh Gaya, Alok John said.

The VC was more emphatic, saying, It was governments decision to provide MU land to IIM, which was seconded by MU senate and syndicate. The decision was also cleared by then vice chancellor Mohammed Ishtiaque. Nobody can change it now, he said.

The IIM -Bodh Gaya is one of the six new Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) established as per the decision of the Union cabinet on June 24, 2015. It was launched on August 31 the same year. Mentored by IIM -Calcutta (the oldest in the country), it is, at present, functioning from the MU distance education departments building.

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A 55-year-old Pakistani national, who crossed the International Boundary inadvertently, was handed over to the Pakistan Rangers by the BSF, officials said on Wednesday.

A BSF spokesman said that the troops of border outpost Kassowal on Tuesday arrested Nishar Ahmad Ansari of Nainkot in Pakistan after he crossed the International Boundary inadvertently.

The Pakistan Rangers were contacted and the Pakistani national was handed over to them last evening on humanitarian grounds, the spokesman said.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has booked one of its deputy superintendent of police (DSP) posted in the agencys Mumbai branch on charges of criminal conspiracy and corruption.

The DSP, Neeraj Agarwal, along with another individual, was booked by CBI after Pradip Shah, the retired head cashier of Bank of Barodas Mumbai branch, filed a complaint alleging that the agency official demanded a bribe of 50 lakh from him. Not only did the CBI official called him at agency offices, but also sent multiple notices to the family of the complainant, including his wife, according to the FIR.

The other individual booked by the agency for allegedly conniving with Agarwal, has been identified simply as Tiwari, who according to the complainant was introduced to him as an income tax officer.

The retired head cashier alleged that the DSP, along with the other individual, had demanded money in return for settling an income tax case that could be made out against the complainant.

The complainant has told CBI that the amount of bribe demanded by the two was brought down to Rs 35 lakh by them after he told the duo that he couldnt possible arrange the amount demanded from him.

Probe documents with HT state that the complaint by Shah was filed on April 22 following which CBI laid a trap and recorded conversation between Shah and Tiwari where the latter is demanding Rs 4 lakh as the first instalment of the total Rs 35 lakh.

All through April, Shah and his family was repeatedly summoned by the duo who finally set May 8 as the final day for payment. Agarwal had allegedly even told Shah that he would have to submit his so called report on him by April 28.

Shah finally approached the CBI which swung into action and has now booked the two accused and unknown others.

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In another inter-state water dispute brewing between Jharkhand and West Bengal over sharing of water from four common river basins, the Centre looks inclined to back the Jharkhand government.

The dispute revolves around the Jharkhand governments decision to review the 1978 water agreement that the then undivided Bihar  of which Jharkhand was a part  had signed with West Bengal to share water from four common river basins between the two states.

Jharkhands grouse is that despite the rivers flowing from the state, it has not been able to use it as West Bengal has failed to honour its commitment to build dams on the rivers. On the other hand, West Bengal has refused on the ground that the projects will adversely impact irrigation facilities in the state.

Union minister of state for water resources Sanjeev Kumar Balyan has said the Central Water Commission (CWC) can help the two states re-do the water-sharing agreement.

The governments support has come at a time when the BJP is trying to expand its footprint in West Bengal.

In a letter to Jharkhand MP Nishikant Dubey, who had raised the issue in the Lok Sabha in August last year, Balyan said,  the agreement not being in favour of Jharkhand, the state has taken the initiative to review it. The CWC will help the states in this initiative.

Dubey had said that grave injustice has been done to Jharkhand. Though we (Jharkhand) store the water from the rivers in four dams built in the state, maximum water is being used by West Bengal. We have to also depend on West Bengal to meet our power needs, he had said.

Dubey said that under the agreement, West Bengal had to build six dam at their expense but they have failed to do so. He had sought the Centres intervention on the ground that though all the rivers originate in Jharkhand but West Bengal gets all the benefits.

The 1978 agreement was signed for the sharing of waters of Damodar Barakar, Ajoy, Mayurakshi Sidheshwari Noon Beel and Mahananda river basins.

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A CRPF man vented his bottled-up frustration in a Facebook video, where he ranted against home minister Rajnath Singh after losing a relative in Mondays Sukma Maoist attack..

The video posted by Pankaj Mishra of the paramilitary forces 221 battalion stationed at Durgapur in West Bengal is the latest outburst from the men in uniform against the alleged governments apathy to go viral on social media.

In January BSF trooper Tej Bahadur Yadavs video went viral on social media wherein he had alleged that they were served bad quality food and at times even forced to go to the bed hungry.

In another video, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) constable Jeet Singh asked why the para-military force personnel are not provided facilities at par with their counterparts from army when they are also performing similar tasks.

Lance Naik Yagya Pratap Singh of the army in yet another video surfaced on social media earlier this year alleged harassment by superiors for writing to Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the problems faced by the soldiers.

Mishras relative Abhay Kumar was among the 25 CRPF personnel killed in the Maoist attack.

A native of Bihars Shahpur in Ara, about 50 km west of Patna, Mishra told HT over phone on Wednesday, The entire system is bad. There is nobody to listen to us.

Undaunted by the likely outcome of his live video, Mishra was critical of the home minister.

They should not forget that these CRPF jawans provide security to leaders like (BJP president) Amit Shah. Leaders like Rajnath Singh are misleading Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he went on to add, urging the home minister to visit the homes of slain soldiers.

He should do it if he really wants to sympathise with them. That will be the biggest healing balm, he said.

Incidentally Mishra had spoken to media persons earlier supporting Tej Bahadur Yadavs video.

I request the media to understand our pain, he said. Ask jawans what are their problems, he said and lambasted defence specialists who questioned the training programmes of the CRPF.

A graduate from Veer Kunwar Singh University in Ara, Mishra, who joined the CRPF in 2013, is aware of the likely action he may face for his outbursts.

It is better to die once. Its a very pathetic scenario. My colleagues also dont raise their voice. I tell them.. awaaz nahi utha rahe ho na sab marenge (You people are not raising voice everybody will die), he said. Please understand our pain.

He said his senior officers should send more forces to Sukma to avenge the killing of soldiers.

In Delhi, a CRPF official, who refused to be named, said: The CRPF headquarter has asked field formations to ensure no such comment is posted on social media by their personnel. This particular post is also being removed.

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For the second time in as many days, senior Congress leader Digvijay Singh attacked the Raman Singh government in Chhattisgarh for its failure to curb the Maoist threat in the state which claimed the lives of 25 CRPF troopers on April 24.

Singh, who was in Nagpur on Wednesday said that there was total collapse of co-ordination between the para-military force and the local police which it made it easy for the Maoists to ambush the CRPF troopers in Sukama.

He claimed that failure of co-ordination between the state police and the para-military forces were even endorsed by an injured CRPF jawan recovering in hospital.

The CRPF men were part of a Road Opening Party (ROP) to provide security to a road constructing team when they were attacked.

Singh also criticized the state government and once gain blamed Raman Singh for helping Maoists. Reiterating his statement made on Tuesday, the Congress leader said Raman Singh and Maoists have some links. He did not specify those links.

The former Madhya Pradesh chief minister said during his tenure in united Madhya Pradesh he had discontinued the involvement of contractors in the tribal areas as these contractors were hobnobbing with left-wing extremists. Contractors should immediately be disassociated with any such activities. Instead, Raman Singh has encouraged the contractors, he further alleged.

Singh had also opposed the then Union home minister P Chidambarams attempt to launch an all out attack against Maoists after they killed many Congress leaders in Dharbha valley in Bastar in 2013.
A joint doctrine providing for operational synergies among the army, navy and air force was unveiled on Tuesday with an aim to coherently deal with security threats against India, including conventional and proxy wars.

The document listed a range of security threats such as transnational threats, proxy war in Jammu and Kashmir and left-wing extremism in various parts of the country. The document also indicated that surgical strikes could be a key feature in counter-terror operations.

India has moved to a pro-active and pragmatic philosophy to counter various conflict situations. The response to terror provocations could be in the form of surgical strikes and these would be subsumed in the sub-conventional portion of the spectrum of armed conflict, it said.

The joint doctrine proposes joint training of personnel, unified command and control structure besides pushing for a tri-service approach for modernisation of the three forces.

The doctrine will facilitate establishment of a broad framework of concepts and principles for joint planning and conduct of operations across all the domains such as land, air, sea, space and cyber-space.

The document was released by chairman of the chiefs of staff committee (COSC) and Navy chief Admiral Sunil Lanba in presence of Army chief Gen Bipin Rawat and IAF chief BS Dhanoa.

Referring to the evolving security situation in the region, it said Indias strategic interests along the Northern, Western and Eastern borders and sensitivities along the Line of Control (LoC) and Line of Actual Control (LAC) will have to be protected with effective deterrent capabilities.

Maintaining territorial integrity and preserving national sovereignty continues to remain a major strategic challenge for India, the document, a second edition of the joint doctrine, said. The first edition of the document was released around eight years ago.

It said Indias threats primarily emanate from the disputed land borders with certain neighbours and that the need to address consequences of instability and volatility in parts of Indias extended and immediate neighbourhood remains a priority.

Transnational threats posed by the activities of State- and Non-State-sponsored terrorist organisations are exacerbated by the dynamics of intra and inter-State conflicts which pose a danger to regions beyond our primary theatres, said the document.

On operational issues, it said, in case of war the land, air and naval commanders will have to jointly formulate, orchestrate and implement war plans to ensure a well-oiled fighting machinery.

The doctrine also talked about the steps initiated for establishment of the Defence Cyber Agency, Defence Space Agency and Special Operations Division.

The layered hierarchies of the national security structures should integrate to get the most out of the expertise available,

It said India remains concerned about the presence and role of external powers in the Indian Ocean Region, adding security challenges are exacerbated by several countries vying to acquire weapons of mass destruction (WMD).

The fragile security environment in the Af-Pak region and neighbouring support to proxy war in Jammu and Kashmir, lends a possibility of it being a conduit for eastward spread of fundamentalist and radical ideologies, said the document.

The doctrine said having an Integrated Theatre Battle to ensure decisive victory in a network centric environment across the entire spectrum of conflict in varied geographical domains, will be the guiding philosophy for evolution of war fighting strategies.

It said special forces operations will be conducted by specially selected troops of the Army, Navy and Air Force who are trained, equipped and organised to operate in hostile territory in all dimensions -- land, air and sea.

It said the Higher Defence Organisation will foster further inter-Service coordination in planning, execution of operations and force planning.

It said following approval by political leadership, decisions on joint military objective will be taken by COSC.

The Joint Operations Committee (JOCOM) is the integrated structure at strategic level under the COSC to conduct and plan operations, it said.

The doctrine said coordination with relevant agencies like RAW, Intelligence Bureau and Intelligence organisations of the para-military forces as part of the Joint Intelligence Committee under the National Security Adviser is an imperative to the intelligence structure.

War needs to be conducted in such a manner that the Land, Air and Naval Commanders jointly formulate, orchestrate and implement war plans. In order to fight together they need to train jointly.

The doctrine said to achieve jointness, it is essential that personnel from the three services serve together in organisations across the military-strategic, operational and tactical levels.
High drama preceded the cremation of central reserve police force (CRPF) jawan Abhay Mishra,near his native Tulsi Harigaon village in Jagdishpur (Bhojpur district) of south central Bihar, on Wednesday.

The funeral pyre of Mishra, one of the 25 troopers who fell during a Maoist attack at Sukma (Chattisgarh), on Monday, was lit by his two-year-old son Ayush, in the presence of his tearful relatives and co-villagers, hailing his martyrdom.

The funeral took place at a hurried levelled tract of land next to the Ara-Buxar highway, lying close to Abhay;s village, located about 20 km west of the Bhojpur district headquarters town of Ara,

Before the cremation got underway, the slain CRPF jawans widow, Rani, inconsolable in her grief and facing a bleak future, with the sole bread-winner of the family gone, was in for another shock.

The district authorities, she found, had roped in local JD (U) MLA Ram Vishun Singh Lohiya (Jagdishpur), to hand over to her as ex gratia a cheque of Rs 5 lakh. She refused, saying the amount offered on behalf of the state government was too meagre.

The widow pointed out that some other state governments had offered Rs 11 lakh, to other CRPF personnel killed along with her husband, at Sukma.

Caught in a bind, the district authorities then took the help of a local social activist to convince her to accept the cheque, on the promise that her demand for a larger amount would be forwarded to the state government by the district authorities.

But this was not the only grouse to be be aired by Abhay Mishras family.

Mishras widow also wondered aloud why her husband was not posted elsewhere when he had completed three years in Chattisgarh, a hotbed of Maoist violence. My husband had requested a transfer but no cognisance was taken of that. Besides, though he was already injured, he was not given a bullet proof jacket, she said.

Other family members said Abhay had suffered a bullet injury in his thigh about a month ago but wasnt granted leave to come home.

Mishras death, his younger brother said, also meant severe financial hardship for the family. My father Gajendra Mishra is a marginal farmer and barely makes ends meet, said Amit.

Jagdishpur SDO Balmukund Prasad said the body of the martyr reached Ara at 11 pm on Tuesday. But his family said they could not perform Abhays funeral at night. As such, the body was kept at the Ara police lines and sent to Tulsi Harigaon at 5 am on Wednesday.

CRPF personnel and the local police gave a guard of honour to Abhay, before his cremation.

CRPF DIG H S Mal, Jagdishpur MLA Ram Vishun Singh Lohiya, former Sandesh MLA Sanjay Singh Tiger, former MLA Bhai Dinesh, Bhojpur SP Kshatranil Singh, DDC Inayat Khan and the Jagdishpur SDO were among those present on the occasion.

No Bihar minister attended the funeral.

Neither the CM nor any representative of state government was present when the bodies of the martyrs, a total of six from Bihar, reached the Patna airport, said Tiger, a BJP state spokesman.
From MCD election results to the latest on the Sukma attack, here are the top stories you need to catch up on this morning.

AIADMK symbol bribe case: Party general secy Dinakaran arrested by Delhi Police

AIADMK deputy general secretary TTV Dinakaran was formally arrested by Delhi Police on Tuesday night after he allegedly paid bribe to a middleman to get the disputed two-leaves party symbol for his faction. Dinakaran was arrested along with his aide Mallikarjun after three days of questioning at the Chanakyapuri crime branch office. Dinakaran is a leader of the VK Sasikala-led AIADMK (Amma). The other faction is O Panneerselvams AIADMK Puratchi Thalavi Amma.

Read the story here.

MCD election 2017: Will BJP ride the Modi wave, or Cong, AAP make a comeback?

So, who is it going to be: the BJP, the Congress or the AAP? As the results of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) polls are announced on Wednesday, the parties in the fray will have more than their reputations at stake. Exit polls have predicted a big win for the BJP, while the AAP and Congress have been shown competing for a distant second spot.

Read the story here.

Govt vows payback for Sukma ambush, will overhaul strategy to deal with rebels

The government said on Tuesday it has accepted the challenge thrown by Maoists and hinted at adopting a revised strategy to tackle Left-wing insurgents who killed 25 CRPF personnel in Chhattisgarh in one of the bloodiest massacres of security personnel in India. Union home minister Rajnath Singh, who visited Chhattisgarh capital Raipur following Mondays ambush in south Suma, described the incident as cold blooded murder and is understood to have sought visible action against the rebels within two months.

Read the story here.

Barely out of teens, girls are the new face of protests in Kashmir

They are young, most of them in their school or college uniforms. Some of them wear burkhas while many of them have their heads and faces covered. Their school bags slung on their backs, now they also have stones in their hands. Young girls barely out of their teens have become the new face of protests in Kashmir, adding a new dimension to the story of a valley wracked by years of violence and brutal retaliation government forces.

Read the story here.

Pakistan group hacks IIT Delhi, DU websites, posts about Kashmir violence

The websites of Delhi University and IIT Delhi were hacked allegedly by a Pakistani hackers group on Tuesday afternoon. The hackers smeared the websites with posters of alleged brutalities by the Indian forces in Kashmir. Pakistan Haxors CREW  PHC, the group which claimed responsibility for hacking into the two websites, posted a screenshot on their Facebook page, claiming they had hacked several websites, including those of Aligarh Muslim University and IIT-BHU in Varanasi.

Read the story here.

After Ravindra Gaikwad row, Air India plans to offer premium economy class seats

Air India plans to introduce premium economy class seats on some of its flights in the aftermath of Shiv Sena MP Ravindra Gaikwad assaulting its staffer because he had to travel economy despite being entitled to a business class seat. Gaikwad had insisted on travelling business class on an all-economy flight, and later hit an airline staffer 25 times with his slipper, triggering a row between him and Air India. The proposal apparently aims to accommodate MPs who are entitled to travel business class but fly on routes where the airline operates only all-economy flights.

Read the story here.

Why are rights activists silent on Maoist attack, asks Venkaiah Naidu

Union minister M Venkaiah Naidu on Tuesday accused human rights activists of adopting double standards for being silent over the deadly Maoist attack but raising a hue and cry when extremists are killed by security forces. These (human rights) activists raise voice and react violently if an extremist or a terrorist is killed by the police but take shelter in silence when large number of jawans and innocent people get killed by those who operate underground, information and broadcasting minister Naidu said in a statement.

Read the story here.

China bans overly religious Muslim baby names in Xinjiang province

Picking names for babies just got tougher in Chinas restive Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, with authorities issuing a list of banned names for Muslim newborns whose use could deprive children of government benefits. A list accessed by Hindustan Times puts the number of banned names at 29. According to the new ruling by the Communist Party of China, names such as Islam, Saddam, Medina and Imam have been deemed overly religious and banned.

Read the story here.

Why cost is a tall order for Maharashtras plan to build giant Shivaji memorial in Mumbai

The Maharashtra government is likely to invite bids again to appoint a contractor for the construction of the phase one of the grand memorial to Maratha king Chhatrapati Shivaji after the bids it received were much higher than expected amid worries that the budget is likely to shoot up further.

The government has estimated that the project in the Arabian sea off Mumbai coast would cost around Rs 3500 crore. The lowest bidder quoted over Rs 1500 crore more than the estimated cost of the project. The government is now considering to renegotiate with the lowest bidder or invite bids again so that the bidding amount would come down.

Read the story here.

The 1BHK makes a comeback in Mumbai realty market

With no takers for premium large-sized flats in Mumbai, real estate developers are now building smaller 1-BHK homes in the range of Rs50-60 lakh. The Centre recently gave infrastructure status to smaller homes. This will help builders get funds easily and also give them more time  five years from the current three years  to complete the projects. There is a demand for low-cost homes, says a developer who plans to launch 700 one-BHK flats in Malad shortly.

Read the story here.

Nokia 3310 listed on Indian retailer OnlyMobiles.com at Rs 3,899

HMD Global, which is now launching phones under the Nokia brand name, showcased a new variant of the iconic Nokia 3310 at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona this year but the price of the phone has not made it to the fore until now. The price of Nokia 3310 has been spotted on Indian retailer OnlyMobiles.coms site and the tag reads Rs 3,899. However, this cannot be taken as an official price as HMD has been tight-lipped about its announcements in India.

Read the story here.
The Maoist ambush at Sukma which left 25 CRPF troopers dead will be dissected threadbare at a meeting of the Union home ministry on Thursday, a day after the government finally appointed a new chief for the countrys largest central armed police force.

The government which had come under fire for not naming a regular chief of the CRPF for almost two months, appointed Narcotics Control Bureau chief Rajiv Rai Bhatnagar, a 1983 batch IPS officer, as the director general of the force. CRPF additional director general Sudeep Lakhtakia was acting chief of the force since the retirement of its last director general K Durga Prasad on February 28. Bhatnagar will get more than two and a half years at the helm as he is slated to retire on December 31, 2019.

On Wednesday, the government, seemingly chastened by the CRFP appointment fiasco also named senior IPS officer Ranjit Kumar Pachnanda as the new director general of the Indo-Tibetan Border (ITBP), two months ahead of the superannuation of the incumbent chief.

Lakhtakia and the home ministrys senior security advisor K Vijay Kumar returned to the national capital late Wednesday after assessing the ground situation in the Maoist stronghold Sukma for the last two days.

They will meet Union home secretary Rajiv Mehrishi on Thursday to give first-hand account of what went wrong in Sukma on Monday when Maoists ambushed a CRPF Road Opening Party (ROP) which was deployed for providing security to a road construction team.

There is palpable anger over the ambush and loss of lives. Something must have gone wrong. Either the standard operating procedure (SoP) for deployment of the ROP was not followed at all or followed wrongly. We are waiting for the report from Lakhtakia and K Vijay Kumar, said a senior home ministry official who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

The official added that the CRPF brass will have to ensure that SoPs are not violated at all.

It is like a checklist of a pilot before flying. So the checklist should be ticked every time the units go out in the field, added the official.

The home ministry is also looking for ways to provide eyes in the sky to security personnel who go deep inside the Maoist territory.

We have drones that keep hovering over the Maoist territory but their cameras cannot penetrate the dense foliage in the area. There are foliage penetrating radars that claim to see below the dense greenery but we are told that technology is still not perfect. We will again try to find out more details about it, said the official.

As far as planning an offensive against the Maoists is concerned, the forces need to keep themselves safe first before then they can mount an offensive, the official added.

In the daily intelligence briefing on Wednesday, chaired by home minister Rajnath Singh, the Sukma attack and its aftermath came up for discussion.

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The government has initiated a probe on the alleged dumping of a chemical used in pharmaceutical and agriculture sector from Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Saudi Arabia.

The commerce ministrys investigation arm -- Directorate General of Anti-dumping and Allied Duties (DGAD) -- has found sufficient evidence of dumping of saturated fatty alcohols from these four countries.

If established in its probe that dumping has caused material injury to domestic players, the DGAD would recommend imposition of anti-dumping duty to the finance ministry, which will then take a call on whether to impose the duty or not.

Anti-dumping duties are levied to provide a level-playing field to local industry by guarding against cheap below-cost. imports.

The authority hereby initiates an investigation into the alleged dumping, the DGAD said in a notification.

Saturated fatty alcohols are mainly used for manufacturing of personal and home care products besides pharmaceutical and agriculture related items.

The DGAD is also probing dumping of several other products including certain chemicals, fibres and steel from different countries.

Countries initiate anti-dumping probes to determine if the domestic industry has been hurt by a surge in below-cost imports. As a counter-measure, they impose duties under the multi-lateral WTO regime.
Vice president Hamid Ansari said on Wednesday that secularism was one of the basic characteristics of Indias Constitution and despite societal difficulties a great majority of the people are committed to it.

Ansari said India adhered to secularism and the people of the country were also committed to a just society.

We have societal difficulties which sometimes lead people to use the self licence for violence. But secularism is one of the basic characteristics of the Constitution of India. And great, great, great majority are committed to that, said Ansari in response to a question on violence linked to religion in India.

Ansari, who is on a three-day visit to Armenia, was speaking at the Yerevan State University.

He stressed that Armenia and India might be geographically distant but there were many cultural and historical links between the two countries.

I myself was born in Calcutta (now Kolkata), and spent many years in the city. Amongst its historic features are Armenian churches and other signs of its Armenian inhabitants. Father Michael Chamichs History of Armenia was translated and published in Calcutta in 1827, he noted.

More recently, historians like Mesrovb Jacob Seth and George Bournoutian have recorded the Armenian contribution in India to trade and commerce as to various cultural and charitable activities. said Ansari, who was conferred an honorary doctorate by the prestigious university.

Ansari also said that a part of the spiritual history of India was the personality of Armenian descent known in medieval chronicles as Sarmad, a mystic who travelled from somewhere in this region to India.

He highlighted the influence of Sarmads free thinking and humanitarianism on Indian freedom movement leader Abul Kalam Azad.

It is thus evident that well before modern times; the flow of people, trade and ideas was not an unusual occurrence, he said.

Ansari stated that he had a very productive visit.

The older generation in this audience knows and the younger ones have been told that the 20th century was a period of organised insanity characterised by metamyths and megadeaths, he said.

These led an eminent historian to conclude that our world risks both explosion and implosion hence it must change, Ansari said.

The expectation that the changes in the last decade of the century would bring forth a more harmonious world in which international cooperation in solving global problems would be addressed by peaceful means in conformity with the principles of justice and international law did not materialise, the vice president said.

He stated that on the contrary, older patterns of thought and practice persisted and aided by newer technologies, resulted in explosions as well as implosions in different parts of our world.

He asserted that the promise of globalisation also showed its limitations like the financial crisis of 2008 demonstrated, in the words of one analyst, a systemic vulnerability to unregulated greed.

Ansari said that the crisis was not just limited to matters strategic and financial as climatic catastrophes and pandemics demonstrated the vulnerability of human existence to forces beyond its control despite the immensity of scientific advances.

The conclusion is unavoidable that individuals, societies, and the global community as a collective, need to re-think the parameters of their future, he said.

Ansari noted that the first step that needs to be taken was to identify the likely challenges, then assess the impact that scientific and technological advancement would have in resolving them and finally assess their impact on peoples lives and patterns of behaviour.

Ansari said the general categorisation of challenges to the world of today was premised on a normal desire to live, live well, live in peace, live without human or natural threats.

The devil, as always, is in details. The right to live, universally conceded as a basic human right, implies the right to breathe, to food and water, to health. These, together, necessitate sustainable development and the need to address the totality of challenges of climate change. Alongside are the problems of population, disease, energy and resources, he said.

Ansari stressed that all such challenges can only be addressed through global cooperation in which burden sharing was equitable.

Consequently, the old doctrines and dogmas of national decision-making, and state sovereignty stand abridged in good measure, he asserted.
Use Twitter or the Facebook route if you want to have access to Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar to get your grievances resolved.

All you have to do is tag the CMs official Twitter handle while airing the grievance or seeking help.

Khattar, an RSS pracharak-turned-chief minister, uses two twitter handles with a following of about 6.5 lakh.

Taking a cue from the effective use of social media by external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj and railway minister Suresh Prabhu, the spin-masters of the Khattar government have decided to put in place an integrated social media grievances tracker for Twitter and Facebook.

This tracker, the officials claim, will redress fast and in real-time the complaints pertaining to different departments that people will shoot through social media.

A dedicated tech- savvy team will handle this project and function like a single-window system. Every grievance raised on the Twitter or on the Facebook accounts will be monitored till it is resolved. The reaction time of the field staff will be watched closely, Dr Rakesh Gupta, additional principal secretary to CM, told Hindustan Times.

The objective of putting in place this tracker is to provide a platform to the citizens to easily interact with the government.

This online grievance redressal mechanism that will come into force on May 15 will identify, process and resolve all relevant short-term complaints being sent by the citizens to the chief ministers office (CMO) or the state government through social media.

It will also be used to deal with the plethora of suggestions that the CMO receives through e-mails. A system has been devised to process such suggestions and to ensure proper follow-up by the departments concerned, Gupta, a 1997-batch IAS officer, said.

While other state governments are also using social media, officials claim that the Haryana government is poised to become the first state to use a technical platform to monitor all grievances received by the chief minister on his Twitter handle, Facebook and e-mail monitor and ensure quick redress of grievances.

The tracker cell at the CM secretariat will be operational under overall supervision of a statelevel nodal officer, while city magistrates will be nodal officers at the district level. All the nodal officers will have to create their own official ID in order to reach out to the citizens with real-time solutions. The technical and operational assistance will be provided by a private firm.

On Tuesday, a workshop was also held to train and sensitise key functionaries of the project such as officer on special duty (OSD) to CM Bhupeshwar Dayal, IT advisor to CM Dhruv Majumdar and nodal officers of various departments.

Later, a meeting of all city magistrates was also held where they were directed to use official e-mail accounts generated by National Informatics Centre for responding to the grievances on social media.

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Police officers are investigating the alleged intelligence failure that led to the vicious attack by Maoists on a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) contingent during a road-opening event at Burkapal in Sukma district on Monday.

As many as 25 CRPF personnel were killed in the incident.

Two questions continue to haunt investigators probing the incident. Why does security intelligence continuously fail in south Sukma? And why have security forces not succeeded in penetrating villages in the region?

Security personnel in the so-called Maoist capital profess helplessness on both counts. Maoists have had a stranglehold over this region for the last 20 years, making it their core area. Most of the families in the region have come under their influence, with guerilla fighters being posted in nearly all its villages. Furthermore, anybody who rebels against them are put down brutally, said a senior officer posted in south Sukma.

Besides this, technical intelligence is virtually absent in the region. As for human intelligence, its not reliable or prompt enough to matter.

Two months ago, Maoists killed Mandavi Dulha  the head of Burakpal village  after branding him as a police informer. With that, even the few villagers who were providing intel to the CRPF ceased their activities immediately.

There was intelligence failure in Burkapal attack. We have lack of information inflow in that region, said a senior police officer of Raipur. Though law enforcement agencies do get information on the movement and presence of Maoists from time to time, the intelligence gap is glaring.

Mostly, the human inputs we receive get too diluted by the time they reach us, said an intelligence officer posted in south Sukma. Its difficult to track the militants because they organise operations in the region very quickly. They carry out ambushes before we can even get a full picture of their intent.

The stretch of road in Burkepal where the encounter took place. (HT Photo)

The officer listed several reasons for the security forces inability to secure the villagers support. Firstly, a majority of the villagers have an emotional connect with Maoists because most of the recruitments are done from this very region. Secondly, the rebels have isolated these villages from the outside world. They have no option but to live under their patronage, said the officer.

Some claimed that the attacks carried out over the last two months arose from an acute shortage of arms and ammunition in the rebel ranks. The Maoist battalion has about 150 heavily armed fighters who coordinate with local units consisting of villagers.

They can get the arms and ammunition they need only through such operations, another officer said, adding that several attempts to attack security forces in the last two years had gone in vain.

It was then that they decided to attack the road opening party of CRPF personnel. It yielded them lots of arms and ammunition, not to mention a psychological advantage, he said.

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Hardline Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani has expressed deep concern over the two political killings in the Kashmir valley in a week and said there is no justification for such murders.

He was referring to the murder of the ruling Peoples Democratic Partys (PDP) Pulwama district chief Abdul Gani Dar on Monday and National Conference worker Imtiyaz Ahmad Khan in Shopian on April 17.

Secret killings will lead us to chaos. Killing merely for political affiliations or for ones political ideology is against the teachings of Islam, Geelani said in a statement issued on Tuesday.

Dar was shot dead at close range by militants on the day Jammu and Kashmir chief minister and PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti met Prime Minister Narendra Modi to discuss the security situation amid mounting tension and clashes between civilians and security forces in Kashmir.

Dar was travelling in a car when 3 motorcycle-borne militants opened fire on him and escaped. The 64-year-old lawyer was the senior most PDP leader to be killed by militants so far. He is survived by his wife and son Owais Gani, who is an inspector in the Jammu and Kashmir police.

No militant outfit has claimed responsibility for the attack.

On April 17, suspected militants killed NC activist Imtiyaz Ahmad Khan at Pinjoora village of Shopian in south Kashmir. Khan was also a lawyer and worked as a public prosecutor for the state government.

Kashmir has been rocked by massive street protests in recent months, especially after 8 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 the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its stance on the protests.
Even as states capital readied itself for Prime Minister Narendra Modis maiden visit here, the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) took the opportunity to launch a cleanliness drive to build up its campaign ahead of Shimla municipal corporation election due next month. The drive was launched five days ago and culminated on Wednesday at Mall road.

In all 34 wards of Shimla municipal corporation, BJPs workers led by senior party leaders are actively participating in the drive. This drive is seen as an attempt to connect with the masses ahead of Shimla MC elections.

Earlier, there were 25 municipal wards which have now been delimited to 34.

CLEAN SHIMLA DRIVE

Not only local party leaders but union health minister JP Nadda, former chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal, Lok Sabha member Virender Kashyap, party legislators, former ministers participated in the drive to clean Shimla.

However, in some areas the drive remained symbolic and merely became a photo opportunity for party workers.

Cleanliness drive is successful when senior leaders are not in attendance. When senior party leaders participate in programmes, all the party workers put their efforts to fit in to photo frames with them, said a senior BJP worker from Sanjauli.

Many party cadres were seen holding mobile phone in one hand and broom in another. Social networking sites are flooded with photos of party workers and ticket aspirants for Shimla MC polls.

But party leaders have different views on it. This is a vast campaign and has many colours. But overall picture is that the party workers are united to welcome PM Modi by cleaning Shimla town, said BJPs state general secretary (organisation) Pavan Rana.

However, the Congress party has dubbed it as a sham. This drive is nothing but a photo opportunity for BJP leaders. There are state government as well as Shimla civic body to look after sanitation, said Congress chief spokesperson Naresh Chauhan.

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Pakistan on Wednesday ruled out giving India consular access to Kulbhushan Jadhav, a former naval officer sentenced to death by a military court after being accused of espionage.

Islamabads position was conveyed to Indian high commissioner Gautam Bambawale when he met Pakistans foreign secretary Tehmina Janjua at the Foreign Office.

Janjua said consular access cannot be provided to a spy, according to state-run Radio Pakistan.

Bambawale repeated Indias demand for consular access to Jadhav. Janjua referred to legal aspects of the case and alleged Jadhav was a serving Indian naval officer, who was involved in nefarious terrorist activities in Pakistan.

The Indian envoy had sought the meeting to reiterate the demand for consular access to Jadhav, who was arrested more than a year ago. Pakistan has levelled seven specific charges against Jadhav, including fomenting unrest in Balochistan and Karachi and alleged involvement in a string of terror attacks.

Pakistan has so far not provided any evidence to back up the charges. Jadhav was sentenced to death by a military court following a secret trial and the sentence was confirmed by the Pakistan Army chief on April 10.

According to media reports, Bambawale again sought copies of the charge-sheet against Jadhav and the death sentence awarded by the military court. He also sought Jadhavs medical report and visas for the Indian nationals family.

On April 19, a meeting between Bambawale and Janjua was rescheduled.

Pakistan has denied Indias request for consular access to 46-year-old Jadhav more than 13 times in the past year.

Bambawale last met Janjua on April 14 after India expressed concern about Jadhavs fate.

India has said if Pakistan goes ahead with the execution of Jadhav, it would be tantamount to premeditated murder.

Pakistans Foreign Office has said judicial process was followed during Jadhavs trial and that he was provided a lawyer in accordance with relevant laws and the Constitution. The Pakistan Army also released what was described as a confessional video of Jadhav after his arrest.
Pakistan on Wednesday turned down a fresh demand for consular access to Kulbhushan Jadhav from India, which launched an appeal against the death sentence given to him by a Pakistani military court for alleged involvement in spying.

The demand for consular access - the 16th one  was conveyed by Indian envoy Gautam Bambawale when he met Pakistans foreign secretary Tehmina Janjua at the Foreign Office in Islamabad.

The envoy also handed over two appeals from Jadhavs mother  one to the Pakistan Armys court of appeal against the death sentence given to her son on charges of espionage and sabotage, and another asking the Pakistan government to free him.

However, Janjua contended Jadhav was not covered under a bilateral agreement on consular access as he was a spy. Consular access is meant for important prisoners but not spies, she reportedly said.

Janjua alleged Jadhav was a serving Indian naval officer, who was involved in nefarious terrorist activities in Pakistan, state-run Radio Pakistan reported. She added that India was contacted for information about Jadhav but did not cooperate.

The formal appeal against the death sentence, filed under Section 133(B) of the Pakistan Army Act, was signed by Jadhavs mother. The external affairs ministry said in a statement Jadhav continues to be in detention in Pakistan on concocted charges.

Bambawale told the Pakistani foreign secretary that Jadhavs mother had expressed a desire to meet him. India requested Pakistan to facilitate visas for the parents of the 46-year-old former naval officer.

They wish to travel to Pakistan to meet him and also to personally file the petition and the appeal. They have applied for necessary visas with the Pakistan high commission in New Delhi, the external affairs ministry said.

After the meeting, Bambawale told reporters the appeal was filed in line with legal requirements within the stipulated time of 40 days. He expressed the hope that Jadhav would be released at the earliest.

This was the second time the Indian envoy met Janjua since April 14 to discuss the case of Jadhav, who was arrested more than a year ago. Pakistan has levelled seven specific charges against Jadhav, including fomenting unrest in Balochistan and Karachi and alleged involvement in a string of terror attacks.

Pakistan has so far not provided any evidence to back up these charges. Jadhav was awarded capital punishment by a military court following a secret trial and the sentence was confirmed by the Pakistan Army chief on April 10.

India has said if Pakistan goes ahead with the execution of Jadhav, it would be tantamount to premeditated murder. It has also said that Jadhav was kidnapped by Pakistani authorities from Iran.

Pakistans Foreign Office has said judicial process was followed during Jadhavs trial and he was provided a lawyer in accordance with relevant laws and the Constitution. The Pakistan Army also released what was described as a confessional video of Jadhav after his arrest.
India on Wednesday issued a tacit warning about the danger of a policy of targeting the Islamic State in Afghanistan while making overtures to the Taliban to join peace talks, saying such an approach could erode the gains made in the war-torn country.

A policy of zero tolerance towards violence and terrorism and continued efforts to consolidate the Afghan governments capacity to deal with violence and promote development are essential, defence minister Arun Jaitley said in Russia during a speech at the Moscow Conference on International Security.

Addressing an audience that included diplomats and leaders such as former Afghan president Hamid Karzai, Jaitley said: Facile assessments that imply there is a choice between the evil forces at play in (Afghanistan) are endangering the gains made by the brave Afghan people with the support of the international community over the past decade and more.

The recent condemnable and dastardly attack on the Afghan national security forces in Mazar-e-Sharif was a sharp reminder of this, he said, referring to a Taliban assault on an army base that killed more than 140 people.

Russia, China and Pakistan are among countries advocating peace talks with the resurgent Taliban. These countries have also suggested such an approach is necessary to counter the IS. Afghan leaders, however, have expressed concern about these efforts.

Jaitley said India believes a secure, stable and peaceful Afghanistan is achievable with the continued commitment of the world community. India, which has provided aid and support to Afghanistan, looks forward to working in tandem with all parties that share similar objectives in Afghanistan, he added.

Without naming Pakistan, Jaitley called for all nations to resolutely resist opportunistic efforts by some states to support terrorist proxies by training, funding or providing safe havens to such groups for their limited objectives.

Distinctions are still sought to be made between good and bad terrorists, despite all the evidence and experience to the contrary. Terrorism will recoil on those who nurture it, he said.

Referring to the IS, he said several countries were challenging the territorial acquisitions made by the group in the Middle East. However, even as we work to eliminate the breeding grounds of terrorism in West Asia, the dangers of such elements returning to their home countries have become a major challenge, he added.

India, Jaitley said, supports an expanded role for its long-standing friend Russia in global affairs, especially in our shared neighbourhood. He also noted that India and Russia would soon negotiate a new armed forces training agreement and, later this year, hold the INDRA tri-services joint military exercises.

However, the continued unpredictability in ties between major powers has led to new uncertainties. There are also worrying signs of economic protectionism. New barriers to migration and the closing of borders are other elements of such an approach, Jaitley said.

In an apparent reference to the disputes in the South China Sea, Jaitley said India believes the rights of freedom of navigation and over-flight as well as unimpeded commerce should be ensured. These, he added, are vital to Indias economic engagement with the Indo-Pacific region.
A 41-year-old Indian citizen has been arrested on charges of insider trading and making thousands of dollars using confidential information of a private equity firms acquisition of a technology company.

Avaneesh Krishnamoorthy, who lives in New Jersey, served as a vice president and risk management specialist for a Manhattan-based investment bank from 2015 till this month.

He is charged with one count of securities fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $5 million.

Acting Manhattan US Attorney Joon Kim said Krishnamoorthy made approximately $48,000 in illicit profits through the insider trading scheme.

He allegedly exploited his access to information about a pending acquisition to purchase stock and options, making tens of thousands of dollars in illegal profit for himself.

The Securities and Exchange Commission filed a parallel civil complaint alleging that the accused learned that Golden Gate Capital planned to acquire publicly traded advertising technology company Neustar Inc.

He then began trading in Neustar securities. The trading took place in two brokerage accounts that Krishnamoorthy allegedly kept hidden from his employer, which had been approached by Golden Gate Capital to finance the transaction.

Krishnamoorthy was presented in Manhattan federal court before US Magistrate Judge Kevin Nathaniel Fox yesterday.

Kim said Krishnamoorthy has been charged with violating his duty to his company and trading on insider information.

He allegedly exploited his access to information about a pending acquisition to purchase stock and options, making tens of thousands of dollars in illegal profit for himself, the attorney said.

The insider trading case is among the first brought by Kim, who succeeded Preet Bharara, Manhattans top federal prosecutor after he was fired by the Trump administration.

Bharara had successfully prosecuted several high profile insider trading cases, including those against India-born Rajat Gupta and his one time friend and business associate Raj Rajaratnam.

According to the complaint filed in Manhattan federal court, as vice president and risk management specialist, Krishnamoorthy had access to material non-public information concerning mergers and acquisitions for which the investment bank he worked in might potentially provide financing.

In November 2016, Golden Gate Capital contacted the investment bank concerning financing for the acquisition of Neustar. Around that time, he received multiple emails regarding the investment banks potential involvement in the transaction, including emails that summarised the details of the deal.

In violation of the companys policies and in breach of his duties, Krishnamoorthy used this material non-public information to acquire Neustar stock and options.

In the days and weeks after receiving the emails, and prior to the public announcement of Neustars acquisition, Krishnamoorthy purchased numerous Neustar call options and shares of its stock in brokerage accounts held in the names of both Krishnamoorthy and his wife.

The public announcement of Neustars acquisition in December last year resulted in an approximately 20% increase in the value of Neustar stock, resulting in a corresponding increase in the value of the call options and equity stock held by Krishnamoorthy and his spouse.
Hindustan Times launched Lets Talk About Trolls with one aim in mind: to focus attention on the vitriolic abuse and threats online. Social media is a space that empowers marginalised voices, a space for dissent, even argument. But lately, this space has been overtaken by name-calling, swear words, death threats. For women in the public eye, this vicious abuse often translates into sexual slurs and rape threats.

The first-person accounts by Gurmehar Kaur, Barkha Dutt, Rana Ayyub, Sonam Kapoor and Madhu Kishwar evoked a strong response from our readers. Here is what they had to say:

Ugly trolls can never curb my spirit: Chetana Thirthahalli

I am a freelance Kannada journalist and I have been active on social media for six years now. I use social media for media activism. I criticise governmentsboth state and central--and their policies. For this, I have got threats of death, rape, and acid attack from right wing goons. They troll me in the ugliest manner.

In 2015, I lodged a complaint against a person who threatened me on Facebook. He was arrested recently, but right wing goons continue to troll me. They tag me and warn me against questioning PM Modi or criticising Hindu fanatics.

But I am not afraid. I know well they cant do anything. These ugly trolls can never curb my spirit.

Be ready to face social media flak for your views: Partho Banerjee

Lets get this clear and straight: Abuse or threat in any form is unacceptable and this is irrespective of gender.

I get a feeling that some women journalists are trying to deflect the cause to symptom and make it a gender issue. Men also get abused, except they are perhaps not threatened with rape. Social media abuse should stop, but at the same time journalists should know if they take a polarised stand the response they get may not always be pleasant.

People like Barkha Dutt must know that traditional media, including television, is a one way communication. When she is on social media, society gets involved in a two-way communication. That communication reflects the general communication standards of the society.

Being patriotic is not being a bhakt: Arindam Kar

I have never voted for the Bharatiya Janata Party or supported the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad, but if I comment against organisations like the Lashkar-e-Toiba or Hizbul Mujahideen I am called a bhakt.

If BJP leaders will talk about peace with Pakistan, its justified. But if any Bollywood Khan talks about peace with Pakistan, he will be called a traitor.

Aamir Khan acted in the Sarfarosh, Irrfan Khan in D-Day, Naseeruddin Shah in A Wednesday, Saif Ali Khan in Phantom-- we say these are all patriotic movies. But when Akshay Kumar acted in Baby and Holiday, people abuse him on Twitter as a bhakt. All these movies talked about Pakistan-sponsored terrorism.

I still believe that an Indians and a Pakistanis citizen can be friends, but lets call a spade a spade. Lets say Pakistan promotes terrorism.

Trolls are disgusting; they pick on the weak: Jayesh Desai

Trolls are the kind of people who will beat up and humiliate the weak but instantly bow down before the powerful--much like the hyenas in movie The Lion King. Its alarming to know that we are living among such a large number of sick persons who have lost all sense of decency and decorum.

Silence trolls by speaking up like Gurmehar: Manjeet Singh Ishar

Trolls and their threats didnt scare Gurmehar Kaur who silenced her detractors by speaking out against them. Having said what she considered to be right in her wisdom, she decided to leave the scene and that I think was correct. The majority of Indians are in her favour. The country definitely needs youth icons like her.

Left, liberal lobby doesnt allow dissent: Mahesh Nayak

There is a feeling of revulsion at attempts to glorify the discredited views of the Left and liberal lobby which leads an opulent lifestyle at the taxpayers expense. Journalists, who propagate the same views, are being targeted because their views are one-sided, and every conversation this lobby has puts the other -- the right wing -- on the defensive. There is no question of allowing an open debate.
A daily wager mercilessly thrashed his seven-year-old daughter to death and injured his younger son after a reported tiff with his wife over denial of money to buy liquor in dry Bihars Aurangabad district, 145 kms south-west of Patna, Tuesday evening.

After committing the heinous crime, the accused, Radhesh Bhuiyan, 36, of Madarpur village, took the body and buried it along a river bank, near the house.

READ: Bihar man strangles two-year-old crying baby for disturbing him in sleep

On the basis of the complaint of his wife, Sarita Devi, 34, the police arrested the accused from Khiriyawan village in the district on Wednesday morning. The police also exhumed the body in the presence of a magistrate.

The deceased has been identified as Rupa Kumari, 7. Manish Kumar, 5, the younger son, who, too, the accused had spanked, is undergoing treatment at a private clinic.

Though the police confirmed the incident, it denied that the spat between the couple was triggered over denial of money for liquor. The villagers, quoting Devi, however, stood by their statement to mediapersons.

Aurangabad superintendent of police, Satyaprakash, said, The accused has been arrested today. The tiff was not over liquor, but the station house officer (SHO) of Madanpur police station will be able to give you details of the case.

The SHO, Subhash Rai, on his part, said: The accused was fickle minded and showed capricious tendency. His wife used to stay away from him at her mothers house for 15-20 days at a stretch. That fateful evening, she had returned from her maika (mothers house) and the two had a fight over some trivial issue. Bhuiyan turned wild and took the extreme step.

Bihar was declared a dry state on April 5, 2016. Availability of liquor anywhere in the state reflects adversely on the police.

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The brazen Maoist ambush, which left 25 CRPF personnel dead and seven wounded, was likely planned by their commander who was camping in a village barely 7-8km from the scene of the attack, a senior police officer said on Tuesday.

Maoist commander Situ was camping in Tadmetla village, the place where 75 CRPF personnel and one of the state police were massacred in April 2010, for the last few days, he said.

We got regular inputs on April 22 that Maoist commander Situ was camping at Tadmetla village, around 7-8 km from Burkapal, where the ambush took place yesterday, the officer involved in anti-Maoist operations told PTI.

We suspect that the attack was planned by Situ and his group with the support of local lower-rung cadres and militia members, he said.

The 99-strong CRPF contingent came under heavy gunfire and grenade attack from three sides by the guerrillas, who had taken cover behind rocks and trees on the treacherous terrain.

The Maoist rebels also used locally made arrows tipped with explosives, he said.

As the personnel lay sprawled, slain and wounded, the Maoists looted 22 sophisticated weapons, including grenade launchers, AK rifles, light machine guns, besides wireless sets, binoculars and ammunition of different calibre.

The first military battalion of Maoist rebels, suspected to be involved in Mondays carnage, is headed by Hidma. It has been active in the Bastar region, particularly Sukma, and launched several attacks on security forces. The battalion has two companies -- one headed by Situ and another helmed by Nagesh, the officer said.

The CRPF personnel were providing security for laying of a 58km road linking Dornapal to Jargunda. The hilly, forested area is a haven for Maoists.

The summer months are when they prefer to target security forces as the bushes and other vegetation wilt, providing them a clear view of the movement of the troops from hills, the officer said.

On March 11 this year, 12 CRPF personnel of the 219 battalion were killed and three others wounded in a similar attack in Bheji area of Sukma.
Arvind Kejriwals Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has been handed a capital punishment by the people of Delhi in the civic polls for his arrogant and confrontational politics, union minister M Venkaiah Naidu said on Wednesday.

The BJP looked set to sweep the elections to Delhis three civic bodies, dealing a body blow to the AAP, which sought to blame Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) for its dismal show. The results are a huge setback for the Delhi chief minister who is struggling to retain the appeal of the five-year-old party that came to power by a sweeping majority in the 2015 assembly elections.

The Union urban development minister said the results indicated that people had picked the development agenda of Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the disruptive policies  of Kejriwal.

He has the mandate to rule Delhi, he went to Varanasi and Punjab. His unwarranted aggression has disillusioned the people of Delhi and they have given him capital punishment, said Naidu.

He dismissed the AAPs allegations that EVMs used for the Delhi polls were tampered with.

He (Kejriwal) is not getting the mood of the nation, said Naidu. His mandate was to be in Delhi, he became over ambitious and people in Delhi punished him. His confrontation with the Centre, personal allegations against the PM, negative politics etc has been rejected by the people.

Naidu, who also holds the information and broadcasting portfolio, said the AAP despite its stunning mandate in Delhi in 2015 did not deliver. He said the party did not question the efficacy of EVMs when the Delhi assembly polls were conducted in which BJP was routed.

AAP has paid a heavy price for its arrogance and misplaced priorities. They have not even learnt a lesson from todays drubbing and are still blaming EVMs, Naidu said.

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A CBI officer, awarded only last year for his meritorious service, has been booked by the agency for allegedly demanding a bribe of Rs 50 lakh from a bank cashier to help him in a case.

Neeraj Agarwal, posted as DSP in the Mumbai unit of the agency, has been charged with criminal conspiracy and bribery, the FIR alleged.

It said Agarwal was probing a case against Pradip Shah, retired cashier of Bank of Barodas Mumbai branch, but did not elaborate. Agarwal allegedly demanded bribe from Shah to help him in the matter.

The CBI officer was awarded with Presidents Police Medal for Meritorious Service last year.

The CBI in its verification report found that the officer was allegedly hand in glove with one Tiwari in demanding the bribe of Rs 50 lakh which was reduced to Rs 35 lakh during negotiations.

It is alleged that Agarwal called Shah to his office where Tiwari was also present. Agarwal introduced Tiwari as an Income Tax official. Tiwari allegedly took Shah to a nearby room where he asked for a bribe of Rs 50 lakh.

The enquiries prima facie reveal he is neither an Income Tax official nor he is attached to CBI, Mumbai in any capacity and therefore his identity is yet to be fully established, the report said.

It said that verification has prima facie revealed that Agarwal and Tiwari agreed to accept Rs four lakh as first instalment.

The FIR alleged that when Shah expressed his inability to give the amount, Agarwal called him to his cabin and coerced him to give in writing that he would submit requisite documents, though he had already submitted them.

Shah told the CBI in his complaint that he had recorded conversations with Tiwari and Agarwal on his mobile phone using automatic call recorder which he could produce before the CBI.

The probe officers heard those conversations and found them to be in conformity with the narration of events by Shah.

The agency in an attempt to cross check the claims, asked Shah to call Tiwari in the presence of the probe team with the loudspeaker on so that the conversation could be heard and recorded by the officials.

The conversation revealed that Shah informed Tiwari that he could arrange Rs four lakh and sought an assurance from Agarwal that there would be no problem from him to which Tiwari replied in affirmative, the FIR alleged.

Tiwari has also been booked for criminal conspiracy and bribery.
Using a simple net and filters, air cooler manufacturers can now help you prevent breeding of mosquitoes in your homes. And, it will cost you just an additional Rs 2,000. However, manufacturers are lamenting that these coolers are failing to find any takers. The reason -- after the add-ons, the cost goes up to Rs 7,000-10,000 and people seem to prefer the cheapest ones.

These modified coolers with net and filters can be extremely handy considering that last year, the civic bodies recorded 454 cases of malaria and 17 deaths.

The coolers designed by the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) uses a framed net to prevent mosquitoes from getting into the water in the coolers to lay eggs and the sieve-like filter on each side of the cooler ensures that the water going in is clean.

In a normal cooler, you would have to empty it, scrub-clean it every week to break the life-cycle of the mosquitoes that spread diseases like dengue, chikungunya and malaria. However, with these modified coolers, you wouldnt need to clean it at all, except for if something get stuck in the filter and that too can be simply removed by dusting, said Jai Prakash Sharma from Bawana, who is one of the seven identified manufacturers of this cooler.

Another manufacturer from Amritsar, Dr SL Mahajan, who is also a doctor, said, The study conducted by NCDC before 2008 showed that just by installing these coolers, the household breeding can be reduced by 70%. Yet, the focus still remains on insecticides, larvicides and fumigation. Why?

Four to six years after the seven manufacturers started making these coolers, they have given up on it.

People dont want to buy these coolers because we make it according to government specifications and the heavy gauge coolers cost more. Many people just want to buy the cheapest. Now, we sell only about 5 or 10 pieces to the government each year. No one else buys these, said Mahajan.

Also, the manufacturers can make the modifications only on heavy-gauge coolers which cost between Rs 5,000 and 8,000, and after the additions, the cost goes up to Rs 7,000-10,000.

Currently, I just have the metal lying around. We dont manufacture these coolers regularly because there are no takers, said Sharma.

To combat the problem of prices, the Municipal Corporations of Delhi (MCD) came up with a unique solution.

Our main aim is to just keep the mosquitoes away from the water. It can simply be done by installing a net over the water tank in the cooler. People do not even need to purchase a new cooler, they can just get the frame with net made at one of their local cooler shops, said a municipal health officer.

The addition of the frame cost between Rs 25  100 only. We started training local cooler manufacturers about making these frames since last year. The results should show now. In fact, we have told the domestic breeding checkers to not challan persons who have these modified coolers, because even if there is breeding, the mosquitoes die inside the cooler as they cannot come out, said the municipal officer.

The NCDC coolers are complicated and more costly; this is a simple intervention that can bring down the breeding. It is cheap and easy to get, the officer added.

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In yet another hi-tech initiative of the Rohtak Police, cops in the district will work with cameras fitted on their bodies that will record their activities of the entire day.

The initiative has been taken to increase the citys surveillance that will help the police in monitoring accidents and incidents of crime. To begin with, cameras will be fitted on the bodies of 15 traffic policemen and all vehicles of the station house officers of police stations in Rohtak.

The cameras will be able to record HD videos, photos, audios and track location of the policemen as well. Equipped with night vision, torch and laser light, they have the capacity to work for 20 hours.

The district police have also set up a surveillance room where all these cameras will be monitored.

Rohtak SP Pankaj Nain said the cameras will work as an aide to the policemen in performing their duties.

Besides, these cameras, acting as strong evidence, will be helpful for us to carry an unbiased probe in allegations levelled against our policemen. It will also help us in getting rid of false allegations levelled on cops as well, he said.

The SP said if the experiment worked in achieving its motives, it will be expanded further to more policemen in the district. The public should follow suit and install cameras in their vehicles. This will help them record their activities, he said.

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The Pakistan Maritime Security Agency (PMSA) on Wednesday apprehended 23 Indian fishermen and seized four of their boats off the Gujarat coast, an official of Porbandar-based National Fishworkers Forum (NFF) said.

These fishermen had sailed from Porbandar a few days ago and were apprehended by the PMSA near the International Maritime Border Line (IMBL), NFF secretary Manish Lodhari told PTI.

We have learnt that at least 23 fishermen on four boats were apprehended by the PMSA near Jakhau and they were being taken to Karachi, Lodhari said.

On April 9, four PMSA commandos drowned while two others were saved by Indian fishermen after a boat of the Pakistani agency capsized near the IMBL while allegedly trying to capture around 40 fishermen on seven boats in Indian waters.

To reciprocate the help given by Indian fishermen, the PMSA had later released the captured fishermen.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi plans to review the performance of BJP-ruled states every two months, setting new targets for chief ministers belonging to his party.

BJP chief ministers got their first assignment at a review meeting on Sunday, with Modi asking them to push insurance companies for the early disposal of claims.

Modi told the chief ministers that leakages in government schemes should be plugged and temptation to resort to populism be avoided.

In cases of accident and natural calamities, he said, politicians like us announce compensation without ensuring that victims get the benefit of their insurance cover, if any. Instead, ensure that victims get the benefit of insurance covers for which they pay hefty premium, a chief minister quoted Modi as saying.

The chief ministers and deputy chief ministers have been told to hold meetings with insurance companies in the coming days and press to redress grievances at the earliest.

Modi also referred to another case, saying that governments put up publicity hoardings, but their numbers on ground is far less than what is shown on papers. Cant we have GPS-enabled hoardings that gives you the exact number of hoardings put up and check the waste of public funds? asked Modi.

The review meeting was the second such exercise after August last year and Modi wants it to be a more frequent affair. Each chief minister gave a 15-minute presentation before the Prime Minister and BJP president Amit Shah on a 12-point questionnaire set by the BJP. The CMs were asked about one innovative scheme of their government for the uplift of poor, women or marginalised.

Modi completes three years in power next month and is anxious about the benefits of welfare schemes reaching the intended beneficiaries. The BJP plans to capitalise on the governments pro-poor outlook to expand its social base ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha election. The ruling party aims to reach out to deprived sections who have traditionally not been BJP supporters.

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A driver in Rajasthan suffered a heart attack on a busy road but kept his wits and parked the bus on a side, ensuring the safety of all 40 passengers, many of them children.

A heavily built Nawaz Beg was on Tuesday taking a Rajasthan roadways bus from Dungarpur in the south of the desert state to Ratlam district in neighbouring Madhya Pradesh.

As the bus crossed Banswara, a district that abuts Dungarpur, the 50-year-old felt a pain in his chest. It was around 11.30am, a time when the traffic is heavy.

When I started feeling faint, I steered the vehicle off the road and parked it on the side to avoid an accident. When I regained consciousness it was evening, Beg told HT over phone from his hospital bed on Wednesday.

He is out of danger and is being treated at the government hospital in Banswara.

As soon as he parked the bus, the conductor and another passenger rushed the father of four to the hospital in an autorickshaw.

The incident happened in Banswara city, which is very crowded. I shudder to think what would have happened had Beg lost control or a vehicle come from the opposite side, said Kaduram Meena, Banswara chief manager of the Rajasthan State Road Transport Corporation.

Beg, who didnt have a history of heart disease, plans to go to Ahmedabad for further consultation.

I have donated blood 38 times. It is possible that someones prayers saved my life, said Beg.

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The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) accepted the governments proposal to recall Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 banknotes because it was getting increasingly difficult to differentiate between genuine and counterfeit currency notes, the central bank has told a parliamentary panel.

The demonetisation decision, announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a televised address on November 8, had sparked a nationwide cash crisis and left millions of people queuing up for hours at ATMs and banks.

Though the government came under persistent attack from opposition parties for putting people through a harrowing time, the ruling BJP got a thumbs up in the recent assembly elections that were projected as a referendum on demonetisation.

In a note to the parliamentary standing committee on finance recently, the central bank quoted the government as stating in its reference that counterfeit notes were being used for financing activities such as drug trafficking and terrorism and withdrawal of high-value notes could be a solution to it.

RBI, on its part, found that counterfeit notes of high denomination of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 have been largely in circulation and it was becoming increasingly difficult to identify genuine bank notes from the fake ones. RBI saw an opportunity to put an end to the menace of counterfeit notes, particularly when the introduction of new design notes was in the offing, the bank said.

HT has accessed the panels report.

While securing banknotes against counterfeiting was cited as the objective of the withdrawal of 17,165 million pieces of Rs 500 and 6,858 million pieces of Rs 1000 notesvalued at Rs 15.44 lakh crorethere was, however, no official estimation of fake notes in circulation.

Estimating counterfeit notes in the hands of the public is a difficult proposition. However, a study conducted by Indian Statistical Institute, Kolkata, on statistical estimation of counterfeit notes indicated that FICN in circulation was approximately Rs 400 crore and around Rs 70 crore was being pumped into the system annually, the RBI said.

At a meeting of the parliamentary committee on January 18, MPs had grilled RBI governor Urjit Patel about the rationale and impact of demonetisation. While former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh rescued Patel by saying that he didnt have to answer all questions, the RBI governor was asked to provide answers in writing later. The Central bank furnished the replies in a note recently. The panel has summoned Patel on May 25 for deposition.

In reply to a query whether demonetisation would curtail black money, the RBI stated, (The) government may be best placed to reply to this.

It said the discussion with the government on the possibility of demonetisation had started in early 2016. The approval for introduction of Rs 2000 note and new design Rs 500 was received from the government on June 7, 2016.

To another query whether the views of the chief economic advisor and the finance minister were taken before the announcement, the RBI said, (The) government may be best placed to answer this question.

The central bank said that there was a continuous process of engagement with the government before the final announcement but no formal minutes of these meetings were recorded.

It did not provide the exact amount of money that returned to the banking system post-demonetisation, explaining that accounting of banknotes at the currency chests needed to be reconciled with the physical cash balances to eliminate accounting errors/possible double counts etc and it was taking all steps expeditiously to release the figures.

The parliamentary panel sought to know whether the RBI would transfer the money that does not return to the banking system to the government. The bank skirted a direct reply, saying that it is enjoined on its board to decide about the transfer of the surplus to the government after considering the accounting and economic principles.

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The Supreme Court on Wednesday pulled up governments of Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar and Karnataka for not appointing state food commissions or failing to make them operational.

A Justice MB Lokur-headed bench, which had summoned the chief secretaries of ten states on the last hearing, directed that the state food commissions must be appointed as per the provisions of the National Food Security Act (NFSA). Food commissions have to be set-up for monitoring and reviewing the implementation of the law.

The apex court pulled up Madhya Pradesh government for following a new procedure  not specified under the law  to select members of the commission. The state is selecting members through advertisement.

Under what provisions of law have you issued notification for selection of members of commission? Is it a new procedure Madhya Pradesh has been following or are you following the precedent?, the bench asked the state counsel who said the procedure was transparent.

On Maharashtras submission that it was yet to appoint two members from the SC/ST community in the commission, the bench said it was extremely unfortunate to note that the deprived sections of the society were being treated this way.

You are not able to find two appropriate persons from the SC/ST community in the entire state? the bench asked.

Bihar government was pulled up for not nominating two members. Do you think people of Bihar do not need food or do you think food for the people of Bihar is not important, the bench asked its chief secretary who promised the selection would be complete in two weeks.

Andhra Pradesh informed the bench that it had notified the selection committee this month and the commission would be constituted within six months.

The chief secretary of Karnataka government, who failed to appear on Wednesday, was directed by the bench to appear before it on Thursday.
The Supreme Court prima facie found nothing wrong in the NDA governments controversial rule making Aadhaar number mandatory for filing income tax returns, saying it was a shame that people in India evaded taxes.

A bench headed by justice AK Sikri agreed to examine the validity of the new income tax law, but also questioned the petitioners for doing so. It wondered why the Members of Parliament (MP) chose not to object to the governments decision if the new provision was draconian or destructive as argued by the petitioners.

It is a shame that in this country people evade tax. We can understand if there is tax avoidance. But there are tax evasions. Once there is a tax evasion the government has come out with the new provision. Government is trying to plug all these evasions and leakages, justice Sikri told senior advocate Arvind Datar appearing for petitioner and CPI leader Binoy Visman.

The government has defended the move saying it was needed to curb black money as there were instances of people procuring multiple PAN cards to divert funds to shell companies. Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi told the bench that 99% of the population in India had already got their Aadhaar cards.

An Aadhaar card, containing a 12-digit identification number, is issued to individuals after collecting their biometric data such as retina scan and fingerprints, making them virtually tamper-proof.

Datar assailed the amendment to the IT act and said the government claimed it was an effort to curb black money. However, no such reasons were cited in the statements and objects of the Bill related to the amendment.

Datar said government wants to validate the PAN cards with just one amendment. These cards, he submitted,were held by people for decades and would result in disastrous consequences for income tax filers.

Senior advocate Shyam Divan, arguing for other two petitioners, recalled the government itself had blacklisted 34,000 enrolment agencies and cancelled 3.48 lakh Aadhaar cards after it was found that the agencies had either indulged in fraudulent means or had made bogus entries. He argued that the entire enrolment exercise was outsourced to private individuals who could easily sell personal details of citizens to commercial agencies. And despite this, the government is keen on linking all transactions such as driving licenses, bank and other financial transactions to Aadhaar cards.

Both the lawyers said government could not have taken recourse to such a measure, particularly when they gave a solemn assurance to the apex court that Aadhaar would not be mandatory.

However, justice Sikri was of the view that government was introducing the measure to provide welfare facilities to women, children and downtrodden section, so that the money does not go to any unauthorised person.

It also said that the court cannot substitute its decision over the will of the Parliament.

What we are dealing with is a statute Parliament has enacted. Whether it will have a binding effect or not it is for Parliament to decide. We can examine the validity of the statute only to the extent whether it violates the fundamental right, the bench observed. It fixed Thursday to hear the matter again.

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Mehraj Din, a PhD scholar of Islamic Studies at Kashmir University, is in a fix after the state government suspended the use of 22 social media and messaging platforms for a month.

Selected for a prestigious summer programme in Ihsan Academy at Istanbul in Turkey, he had a scheduled Skype interview, the final step in the selection, next week.

But Skype is among the 22 platforms which he and others in Kashmir cannot access.

I am looking for an alternative. I have written to the Academy about the situation here, Din said.

Though the word about a possible social media ban was already out in the trouble-torn Kashmir Valley for a few days now, Wednesdays order came as a surprise to most users because it listed 22 platforms and not just three  Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp  as they had expected.

When rumours of a ban on Facebook and WhatsApp were doing the rounds last week, people uploaded their Twitter and Telegram handles asking their friends to follow them there.

The curb is being seen as the harshest ever on social media, coming after a similar ban on mobile internet for months after the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen militant Burhan Wani in an encounter in July last year.

The order, signed by principal secretary in the home department RK Goyal, lists 18 other platforms  QQ, WeChat, QZone, Tumblr, Google+, Baidu, Viber, Line, Snapchat, Pinterest, Telegram, Reddit, Snapfish, uploading video on YouTube, Vine, Xanga, Buzznet and Flickr.

As soon the list was out, a Srinagar-based journalist said, Most in the list are those about which we have never heard of. Surprising that Instagram has been let off  I know many who use that app to upload pictures and videos about protests.

The authorities had suspended 3G and 4G mobile internet services last week, in an apparent move to curb uploading of conflict-related videos and photos which could worsen the law and order situation.

Yes, the magnitude is a surprise. We had heard the government was planning something big, but then such a long list is a shock in some ways, said Yasir Zargar, a cyber security expert based in south Kashmir.

What is sad is that it will affect several sections of people who depend on social media for business or other purposes, he added.

Those who had asked Zargar about how to stay connected in case Facebook, WhatsApp was banned before the order came in, he suggested messaging platforms Telegram and Signal  both encrypted communications platforms. Telegram has been blocked but Signal is not on the list.

But for tech-savvy Kashmiris like blogger Muhammad Faysal, the curb isnt a big deal as there are alternative communication tools that do not need internet connection.

This is an instance when every act of yours becomes an act of rebellion, he said.

Its the states response to peaceful dissent on the internet. And as much as the state might want to curtail social media, it cant. There are thousands of ways in which the ban can be broken. One can use a Virtual Private Network (VPN), use Signal or Instagram, he added.

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The CRPF, Indias largest paramilitary force, has been virtually headless for the last two months due to non-availability of enough eligible Indian Police Service (IPS) officers of the rank of director general (DG) who can be considered for its top post.

But thats only the tip of the iceberg. Besides not having a regular chief, the CRPF  which lost 25 personnel in a suspected Maoist attack in Chhattisgarhs Sukma district on Monday  has four more vacancies at the special director general (SDG) level. The SDG is the second-highest rank after the DG at central police organisations such as the Central Bureau of Investigation, National Investigation Agency and Bureau of Police Research and Development, besides paramilitary forces.

More significantly, around half-a-dozen additional DG-level vacancies are likely to crop up in the next six months.

The Centre doesnt have enough IPS officers in the rank of DG or SDG to fill up these vacancies. But the process of promoting 1984-batch IPS officers to the rank of DG to fill up these posts is on. It is expected to be completed in a month, said a home ministry official on the condition of anonymity.

This is why Sudeep Lakhtakia, a 1984-batch IPS officer, has been heading the CRPF as acting chief ever since his predecessor, K Durga Prasad, retired on February 28. He will be eligible to hold the post of DG only if he is empanelled or  in other words  promoted to the rank.

Just two weeks ago, the Central IPS Association (CIPSA) took up the issue of senior-level vacancies at central police organisations with home secretary Rajiv Mehrishi, and requested that 1984-batch IPS officers be granted an early promotion.

The CIPSA also asked the home secretary to promote eligible officers from the 1985 batch to the rank of DGs, keeping in view the vacancies that will crop up in central police organisations over the next six months, said an office-bearer .

However, inside sources dropped broad hints about a likely delay in the process  considering that even 1984-batch IAS officers havent been promoted to the rank of secretary at the Centre.

The IAS lobby generally tries to keep a gap of six months to a year between the empanelment of IAS and IPS officers from the same batch. This is done to provide IAS officers with an edge over their IPS counterparts. And as the 1984 batch of IAS officers are yet to be promoted to the post of secretary, the wait for IPS officers from the same batch is only going to be longer, said a senior IPS officer who is yet to be promoted to the DG post at the Centre despite working in that very capacity in his state.

The 1984-batch IAS officers are likely to be empanelled in the next few days. According to the IPS lobby, comparative promotions at their end should also be carried out immediately.

If functional requirements warrant the early promotion of a batch, there should not be any restriction on the promotion or empanelment of a particular batch of IPS officers, the officer said.

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India has unveiled a new military doctrine that keeps the options open for surgical strikes in response to terror provocations, indicating the government was not averse to precision attacks similar to last years cross-border strike on militants in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

The joint doctrine of the Indian armed forces, a 62-page document, said the option to conduct such strikes would be covered in the sub-conventional portion of the spectrum of armed conflict.

The doctrine has been put together by the Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff, a tri-service entity.

Indias special forces carried out surgical strikes against militant camps in Myanmar in June 2015 followed by targeted operations against militant launch pads across the Line of Control (LoC) the following year. Both strikes had the backing of the Modi government and Indias muscular response was announced to the world.

The possibility of sub-conventional escalating to a conventional level would be dependent on multiple influencespolitically-determined conflict aims, operational circumstance, international pressure and military readiness, the new doctrine states.

The doctrine corroborates the hardened posture adopted by the political and military leadership after the September 2016 surgical strikes, carried out in response to a series of attacks on defence installations by suspected Pakistan-based militants.

In January, army chief General Bipin Rawat said India would carry out more precision strikes on militant bases across the LoC if Islamabad rejects New Delhis peace overtures. Rawat said India had made an offer of peace and tranquility to Pakistan but if it did not reciprocate. This method of execution of operations will continue.

Last year, then defence minister Manohar Parrikar had also said the surgical strikes had injected uncertainty into Pakistans mind as the neighbour was no longer sure how India would respond to terror attacks.

Pakistan, however, rubbished Indias claim as a figment of imagination.

The doctrine said, Conflict will be determined or prevented through a process of credible deterrence, coercive diplomacy and conclusively by punitive destruction

Navy chief Admiral Sunil Lanba, who is also the chairman, chiefs of staff committee, released the doctrine on Tuesday.
For years, Sunil Kulkarni projected himself as a psychiatrist, corporate management trainer, director of Sharda University and CMD of an upcoming finishing school.

According to police, however, all these claims by self-styled cult leader, Kulkarni  now in Mumbai police custody  are being investigated.

Kulkarni, 54, is accused of allegedly sexually exploiting young followers whom he lured through social media into his group Shifu Sunkriti by promising break in Bollywood and modelling.

Before his arrest on April 18, following a Bombay high court order, Kulkarni had served two jail terms in two different charges in New Delhi.

In 2005 he was arrested, and later let off on bail, for allegedly running an admission racket. In July 2016, he spent 19 days in Delhis Tihar jail after being accused of raping a 17-year-old girl who aspired to make it big in the film industry.

His latest brush with the law came last week after a couple from Mumbai suburb Malad approached the Bombay high court with a plea that their two daughters (23 and 21 years old ) had left home to live with him in January. The plea claimed that the group Shifu Sunkriti, was a sex and drug racket. The parents accused Kulkarni of breaking families by preying on the vulnerabilities of the children.

A week ago, similar complaints were registered by parents of two boys against Kulkarni and his group. The sisters were aspiring models and the boys had been promised film scriptwriters job, police investigations revealed.

On Tuesday, the high court granted the crime branch additional time for further probe. The observations came after the crime branch submitted its probe report in a sealed envelope before a bench of justice Ranjit More and justice AM Badar.

On various social media accounts from where he operated, Kulkarni claimed to have a doctorate in psychology from an institute in Nagpur. Police said this was untrue.

His Twitter page, with 397 followers, shows him giving a speech with Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnaviss picture in the background. On LinkedIn, he projects himself as CMD of an upcoming finishing school and chairman of Neuroplasticity Resilience Centre besides having set up many IT, nursing and paramedical schools. His followers have endorsed him for skills including management, organisational development and planning. Police said all these claims appear false.

The Neuroplasticity Resilience Centre, of which he claims to be chairman, has no address. Some other ventures have vague addresses. We have not been able to trace any of these, said a police officer associated with the investigation.

Police, however, refused to describe the group a cult because only four victims had been identified so far. They said, so far they know that Kulkarni moved to Delhi after Bachelors and Masters from Nagpur, where he claimed to have conducted corporate training courses. Not much is known about his family except that he is separated from his wife and two children.

When we tried to contact his family (in Delhi), they requested us to not involve them as they were not in touch with him for more than five years, the police officer added.

While examining the Shifu Sunkriti Facebook page, which was run by one of the victim sisters, police claimed they found posts with sexual undertones. The page sends out calls for workshops with venues. The only way to get in touch is to drop a phone number or send out an email on the given email id, said police.

According to police, the victims have been blaming their parents for harassing them and are not speaking out against Kulkarni.

Before he was arrested, Kulkarni had told media persons Shifu Sunkriti was not an organisation but his mystic name.

(With inputs from HT Mumbai)
Monday was just another day in office when we witnessed tear gas shelling in Lal Chowk, the heart of Srinagar. My phones SIM card had crashed and Tuesday being a holiday, my husband suggested I get it changed.

We just had to cross the main road up to the BSNL office where my husbands friend had promised to activate my SIM card. Both of us being journalists, we thought we could get it done amid the stone pelting, but we were wrong.

As we reached the shop, girls in white uniforms had rushed out of a nearby girls higher secondary school. They picked up whatever they could lay their hands on in the street and started hurling the projectiles at the police vans. They chased the vehicles, booed the policemen while raising azadi (freedom) slogans. For the next two hours we had no choice but to take refuge inside a newspaper office next door.

Kashmiri students shout slogans during a protest at Lal Chowk, Srinagar on April 17. (Waseem Andrabi / HT Photo)

By then, Srinagars commercial hub had come to a standstill. Eyewitnesses said they had witnessed nothing like this in the militancy-torn Valley in the last 25 years. For me, however, it was deja vu of a different kind.

In the early 90s when I was in school, Kashmir witnessed anti-India protests for the first time. Our classroom was half empty as most of the Pandit girls had left Kashmir. The boys from our school in Lal Chowk, which has a separate wing for girls, came running and asked us to join the protest. Nara-eTakbir, Allah U Akbar (God is the Greatest) slogans resonated in the air.

All of us left our classrooms and joined the crowd that was chanting azadi slogans on the streets. As a teenager, the feeling was mixed. The anger against the state was at its peak as Kashmir had witnessed series of civilian killings. No day would pass without newspapers publishing reports of the deaths. Full of emotions, we joined the chorus, but the fear of consequences was palpable.

The moment, the first teargas shell burst in the air, the students moving with the crowd ran for cover. I remember entering a bylane with my classmates and knocking on the doors of locals. A middle-aged woman let us into her house and offered water. I was crying and howling with fear. I just wanted to reach home safely, vowing to never join a protest again. Once things calmed down, we made our way back to school to be picked up by our parents later.

Girl students shout slogans during clashes with security personnel in Lal Chowk in Srinagar on April 24. (PTI Photo)

On Monday everything looked similar till the first teargas shell was lobbed at the protesters. But unlike us in the 90s, these girls took on the forces. Instead of running for cover, they picked up stones and targeted the police. Every shell was countered with a scream for azadi.

This was unprecedented. Like their teenaged male counterparts, these girls too seemed to not fear death. A few days ago, a photograph of a burqa-clad college girl kicking a moving army vehicle had gone viral, making the young girls the new face of protests.

Last years images of teenagers with pellet injuries seems to have pushed this generation to the wall. And no one seems to be asking why young Kashmiris have lost the fear of `death. They know a stone can get them a bullet, but they are not running for cover.

Till this issue is addressed, heart-wrenching images will keep coming out from Kashmir.

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An acclaimed Dalit writer in Rajasthan has said she is being threatened for suggesting in a 2015 book that Rajput warrior king Maharana Pratap belonged to the Bhil community and was only elevated as the Rana of Mewar later.

Kusum Meghwal told Hindustan Times she has been getting phone calls for the past 1 week from unknown people who abuse her and use profanities.

I have been getting calls from unknown numbers who are threatening to kill me for writing the book. Some of the callers claim they are from the Karni Sena while others say they are Thakurs. I havent ventured from my house in the last 7 days, 69-year-old writer said.

The author of over 65 books also alleged that she has received calls from individuals who claimed they were from the Indian Army and also abused and threatened her.

Meghwal, who has made the claim in her book Maharana Pratap Bhil Rajputra The - Kshatriya Ya Rajput Nahi, said the word Bhil comes from the Sanskrit word Bhilla, which means brave and martial.

The Bhil community has traditionally been spread all over Mewar and was known for their martial prowess. Maharana Pratap was also a Bhil who was later elevated as the ruler of Mewar in a ceremony to make him a suryavanshi, Meghwal told HT.

If any person objects to what I have written, he is welcome to write something in retaliation or to even register a court case. But where does the freedom of expression go if instead of any debate, people start threatening the author? Meghwal, the younger sister of Rajasthan assembly speaker Kailash Meghwal, asked.

Meghwal, who has a long history of activism, added that this is an effort to subdue the voices of the Dalits so that they cannot present their side of the historical narrative.

I sent a written complaint to the police superintendent and range inspector general and got advice in return that I should switch off my phone. I am scared for my safety but the police havent provided me with any security cover, alleged Meghwal.

Kavita Srivastava of the Peoples Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) strongly condemned the police inaction in the matter.

There is a complete abdication of the agencies which are supposed to protect the rights of people which has resulted in utter lawlessness in Rajasthan. The way Meghwal is being harassed shows that any analysis is not acceptable with dominant caste and Hindutva forces, said Srivastava.

Srivastava added it was an effort to stifle Dalit voices that expose the injustices of the caste system.

Chandra Purohit, the station house officer of the Ambamata police station, told HT they have provided security to Meghwal secretly.

We have deputed policemen in civil dress near her house and are examining the numbers from which Meghwal received the calls. A case couldnt be lodged in the matter at present because Meghwal doesnt have any recordings of the calls, Purohit said.

The Bharatiya Janata Party government in the desert recently said school students will be taught that Maharana Pratap defeated the decorated army of Mughal emperor Akbar in the Battle of Haldighati some 450 years ago.

Rajasthan education minister Vasudev Devnani told HT students will not read distorted history from the next academic year. If Akbars armies won the battle then why did they return to the battlefield 6 times? There has been an attempt to downplay the role of our heroes, Devnani said.

Academics, however, say historical evidence shows that Pratap, the ruler of the erstwhile Mewar region, fled the battlefield in 1576, although he continued his guerilla war against the Mughals later.

The saffron party has been accused of imposing the right-wing ideology in Rajasthan through various symbols.

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A four-seater trainer aircraft crashed in the Vainganga river on the Maharashtra-Madhya Pradesh border on Wednesday killing the pilot and a female trainee after it got entangled in wires above the water line, a top official said in Mumbai.

Gondia SP Dilip Patil-Bhujbal said the victims were a retired Indian Air Force pilot, Capt Ranjan Gupta, and a trainee, Himani Kalyani, hailing from Mumbai.

Himanis parents are employed with the private carrier Indigo Airlines and have rushed to Gondia from Mumbai, while a team of Directorate-General of Civil Aviation investigators is en route, the official said.

The exact reasons behind the crash are yet to be ascertained. The bodies of both victims have been recovered as also the plane debris which was fished out of the river waters, Patil-Bhujbal told IANS.

He said the aircraft DA-42 took off on a training sortie from the Birsi airport at Gondia around 9.24 am but around 20 minutes later lost contact with the local air traffic control.

Thereafter, according to local eyewitnesses, the aircraft apparently developed some snag and the pilot attempted to land it on some plain ground near the river.

However, the eyewitnesses said the plane got entangled in some wires running across the river to measure its water level and crashed into the shallow waters.

Later in the evening, local channels beamed images of the aircraft having broken into pieces with hundreds of tribals and villagers rushing for a glimpse of the accident site. The police cordoned off the crash site.

The aircraft belonged to the National Flying Training Institute, a franchisee of a Canadian-based aviation major which has branches and franchises around the world.

Patil-Bhujbal said the local police have registered an accident and death case and investigations are underway by various agencies.
Prime Minister Narendra Modis proposed visit to Shimla seems to have resulted in a political slugfest in the state of Himachal Pradesh, which is preparing for assembly elections scheduled this year. While the ruling Congress party is demanding that Modi fulfil the promises he made to the during the 2014 Lok Sabha campaigning, Left parties have raised concern over the venue of Modis rally  the Ridge.

Apple wars

Congress is also urging Modi to raise import duties on apple so that the states produce can compete with imported foreign fruit that is available in the Indian markets. Apple constitutes 85% of the fruit crop of the state, and contributes significantly to the states economy. But foreign apple influx has been effecting domestic produce

We, being citizens of Shimla, welcome Modiji but at the same time we expect him to fulfil promises he made to people of the state, Congress general secretary Naresh Chauhan said. South Asian Free Trade Agreement (SAFTA) is being misused by some countries to smuggle their apple produce in India. This has been creating a glut in the market, resulting in a fall in apple prices. Its high time that Modi fulfil his promise, he added.

During campaigning for the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, Modi had promised to enhance import duty on apple. State Congress, too, had promised to triple import duty but failed to live up to its words. India imports about one crore apple boxes annually and Himachal is the second-largest apple producer after Jammu and Kashmir, which produces 20 lakh metric tonne (MT).

While Himachal produces 8 lakh MT, Uttarakhand produced a little less than 1 lakh MT apple last year. Apple is the main stay of people in four districts = Shimla, Kullu, Mandi , Kinnaur and Sirmaur.

While imported apple costs Rs 800 to Rs 1,200 for a 10 kilogram box, a similar box of Indian apple costs Rs 600 to Rs 1,400. Majority of the imported apple comes from China, United States, New Zealand, Australia and Chile.

Further, Congress is also demanding Smart City tag for the capital town of Shimla, which lost race to Dharamshala, the second capital of the state. Modi promised to give impetus to tourism in the state but the Centre has not granted any tourism project to the state. We expected a lot from him when he visited Mandi last year but he did not announce anything, Chauhan added.

Apple belts in Himachal play an important role in state politics  of the last five chief ministers of the state, two (late Thakur Ram Lal and current chief minister Virbhadra Singh) are from the apple heartland i.e. Shimla district .

BJP on the defensive

BJP has refrained from commenting on apple politics. Himachal is very close to Modijis heart. When he was in-charge of state affairs for BJP, he has visited every nook and corner of the state. I dont think that one has to demand anything or tell him anything about Himachal Pradesh, state BJP chief Satpal Singh Satti said while reacting to Congress demand .

Nothing wrong with holding rally on Ridge

After Shimla deputy mayor wrote a letter to Modi urging a shift in the rally venue, district administration on Wednesday clarified that there was nothing wrong in holding a public meeting on the Ridge even as the Left-ruled MC raised apprehensions about the visit .

We inspected the Ridge maidan (ground), especially the area above water tank. No visible cracks were found over the tank, a district administration official said.

The panel also gave details about the functions held on Ridge  including swearing-in ceremony of chief minister Virbhadra Singh in 2012, New Year, Republic Day, Independence Day function, Statehood Day functions etc. The panel also said that the average footfall on the Ridge was 4,000-5,000 persons per day.

Deputy mayor had shot off a letter to Modi, asking him to shift venue as large crowd could impact the water tank beneath the historic ground.

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The Uttar Pradesh government has cancelled 15 public holidays marking the birth or death anniversary of eminent personalities. Among the cancelled holidays are Milad un-Nabi, Chhat and Valmiki Jayanti.

However, the move to cancel the holiday on Milad un-Nabi (Prophet Mohammads birthday) is likely to raise eyebrows. More so, since it is a holiday in most other states, including almost all BJP-ruled states, as is Ram Navmi and Janamashtami.

UP Muslim clerics took a dim view of the Yogi Adityanath governments decision to cancel holidays on Eid-e-Milad-un-Nabi as well as on the occasion of Alvida  the last Friday of the month of Ramzan before Eid.

Sunni cleric Khalid Rasheed Firangi Mahal said, Its unfortunate that the UP government has cancelled these holidays on days that are of special significance to the community. While on the day of Alvida, the faithful offer prayers in large numbers the Eid-e-Milad-un-Nabi holiday was in fact there since the days of the VP Singh government at the centre.

Several functions are held on the occasion and even non-Muslims participate in the functions in large numbers. Moreover the decision to do away with holidays on these two important days may not reflect well on the government not just among the Muslims in India but across the globe.

Kalbe Hussain, son of prominent Shia cleric and vice president of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board, said, Since the government has also cancelled holidays pertaining to other religions too, it doesnt across as a wholly unfair decision. At the same time it would be nicer if the government considered a rollback, especially on the day of Alvida simply because its a day when the community prays and fasts. So it would send a nice signal if the government considers this point too.

Maulana Salman Nadawi, a Muslim scholar from prominent Lucknow-based Islamic seminary Darul Uloom Nadwatul Ulama , said, I guess these two holidays have been kept in the list of restricted holidays. Moreover the holidays associated with other religions too have been cancelled. So I dont think it would be right to say that the government has deliberately discriminated against any particular community.

Athar Hussain, from the centre of objective research and development, said, The government is apparently trying to initiate a new work culture in the state and thats something to be welcomed. However on matters where religious sensitivities are involved it would be nicer if the government considered a roll back. But I would also say that the chief minister Yogi Adityanath is right when he says that these holidays should become occasions to make students aware of the significance of the occasion.

Uttar Pradesh has 42 public holidays of which at least 17 are related to the birth anniversaries of eminent personalities. Most of the holidays had been declared by the previous Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and Samajwadi Party (SP) governments

The state cabinet meeting, chaired by chief minister Yogi Aduityanath, on Tuesday decided to scrap 15 of them. The cabinet has cancelled 15 public holidays marking the anniversaries of great personalities. Students will now be taught on these days about these figures through various programmes, minister Shrikant Sharma said.

There has been nearly 50% increase in public holidays over the past decade with political parties largely using these holidays to make a political point

Just before the 2017 UP polls, the Akhilesh Yadav government declared holiday on October 31, on the occasion of Sardar Patel birth anniversary; a decision many felt was taken to woo the Patels or the kurmis who constitute nearly 7% of the electorate in the state. In 2012, Akhilesh Yadav government had come under sharp attack from Mayawati after the SP government had cancelled the October 9 holiday on the death anniversary of BSP founder Kanshiram describing it as anti-Dalit mindset of SP leadership.

Adityanath in his address on the occasion of Dr BR Ambedkars 126th birth anniversary had expressed concern over the shrinking academic session due to increased holidays.

There should be no holidays in schools on birth anniversaries of great personalities. Instead, a special two- hour programme should be held to teach students about them. The 220-day academic session has been reduced to only 120 days due to such holidays and if this tradition continues, there will be no day left for teaching in schools, he said.
Peoples Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) and members of Left parties have given a call for a nationwide agitation on May 3 to mark the completion of a month since Pehlu Khans death in Alwar .

Pehlu Khan, a dairy farmer from Nuh in Haryana, was beaten up by cow vigilantes in Behror, Alwar, on April 1 for transporting cows and succumbed to his injuries in a private hospital on April 3.

We have given a call for an agitation on May 3 to demand justice for Pehlu Khan and an end to cow vigilantism. We will also be launching a postcard campaign. Today (on Wednesday), we along with family members of Pehlu Khan, attempted to meet chief minister Vasundhara Raje but were left disappointed, Kavita Srivastava of PUCL said.

Addressing the third day of the protest in front of the assembly, CPI (M) politburo member Subhashini said, Cow vigilantes have become brazen and are violating constitutional provisions. It is ironic that for BJP its fine to eat beef in Kerala but not elsewhere.

Shabnam Hashmi, an activist, said that there is an effort to demoralise the Meo community in Mewat. Pehlu Khans sons Arif and Rashid were present at the dharna on Wednesday.
Rajasthan assembly Wednesday became the third, after Telangana and Bihar, to pass the State Goods and Services Tax Bill 2017. However, the passage of the bill, necessary to ensure the GST regime rollout, came amid dramatic scenes, including suspension of 14 opposition MLAs form the House for a year on charges of indiscipline.

The three-day special session called to pass the GST Bill, witnessed unruly scenes leading to Speaker twice calling in the marshals on two days to maintain order. The opposition made all efforts to corner the government on issues such as disinvestment of heritage hotels, Alwar lynching case, and controversial statements by ruling party MLAs on Ambadkar.

Miffed with the behaviour of the Opposition MLAs, Speaker Kailash Meghwal Wednesday suspended 14 MLAs after a proposal moved by the ruling side chief whip Kalu Lal Gurjar was passed by voice vote.

Leader of Opposition Rameshwar Dudi had termed Speakers decision injustice and against democracy, while Meghwal said it was a fallout of the unwarranted act of opposition, leading to disruption of House proceedings.

I was generous to the opposition and gave them protection and more time to speak but they considered this as my weakness. I will now ensure impartial action. For last three-days, the opposition has been disrupting the proceedings. It is shameful. They insulted me. It has become a habit. I will not tolerate this, Meghwal said.

The suspension of 12 Congress members in this group was later reduced to a day after party leaders Pradyuman Singh and Narayan Singh held talks with Meghwal, chief minister Vasundhara Raje, and ministers Rajendra Rathore and Gulab Chand Kataria.

Gurjar moved a revised proposal to this effect, which too was passed.

The Speaker said that a decision on the the remaining two MLAs  independent Hanuman Beniwal and BSPs Manoj Nyangli  will be taken later when they tender their apologies.

After the suspension was reduced, Raje said, I thank the members of House, who approached us for talks. Members have assured that such behaviour will not happen in future.

Later, the Speaker also stated that whatever happened was unfortunate. Looking at the situation, I do not want to stretch it further, he said.

Later, addressing the media, home minister Gulab Chand Kataria said the issue on which the Congress MLAs trooped to the well had no logic and Speakers directions were violated and uproar was created. The Opposition had made a strategy as they were not able to digest their defeat in elections in Uttar Pradesh, Dholpur and now in Delhi, he said.

Speaking to newspersons Dudi said what happened in the House today was injustice. Marshals were called and we were pushed out and manhandled. We too have been elected by people. This government has proved to be a failure. We are not being allowed to speak, he said.

Opposition whip Govind Singh Dotasara said that they had entered the well of the House protesting against the denial to speak. The issues we were raising were related to public but the kind of language used (by the ruling party) shows arrogance, he added.

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Two days after 25 CRPF personnel were killed in an attack by the Naxals in Chhattisgarhs Sukma district, people in Bharatpur held a demonstration demanding union home minister Rajnath Singhs suspension.

People shouted slogans against the central government and burnt Singhs effigy here on Wednesday. Farmer and college students handed over a memorandum for President Pranab Mukherjee to district collector Narendra Kumar Gupta demanding suspension of the union home minister, who has failed to carry out his duty.

The people of the country have given the BJP to power with the hope that they will get rid of terrorism, but the central government has been unable to take action against terrorists, cross-border infiltrators and Maoists, said Lokesh Loharah, a student leader from Maharani Shri Jaya college.

The farmers, led by Nem Singh, argued that the government suspends a district collector or superintendent of police if they fail to maintain law and order. In this incident, 25 CRPF personnel have been killed by Maoists it shows that the union home minister has failed to maintain security in the country.

Political leaders dont allow their son to join the army and paramilitary forces. Ministers should make their family members join the armed forces only then will they understand what the martyrs families go through, said Singh.
Glenn Bernard Conway, 67, an American tourist died while trekking to the famous Sandakphu-Phalut route in Darjeeling district of West Bengal on Tuesday. High altitude sickness is believed to be the cause of his death.

The last time an US national died here in Darjeeling district was in September 2015. Ruben Lamar Fox (22) from Pennsylvania died after he fell from a cliff near Ganesh Jhora, 21 kms from Siliguri.

Read: Two Europeans, two Asians killed during trekking in Himalayas

Conway was a resident of South Hadley city in Massachusetts. He belonged to a group of 19 US nationals who started trekking from Maneybhanjyang, 21 km from Darjeeling town. They were accompanied by Dipesh Tamang, a local guide. Conway reached Delhi on April 18.

The area where Conway died is accessible only on foot, and does not have any mobile phone connection. (HT Photo)

Molley, the place where Conway died can be assessed only on foot and there is no phone connection and mobile phone network.

Dharam Deo Rai, divisional forest officer, Darjeeling wild life division told Hindustan Times that personnel from Lodhama police out post and Singalila forest range reached the spot on Tuesday evening to bring down the body for postmortem.

There are speculations that he could have also died of heart attack.

The Sandakphu and Phalut trekking routes fall under Singalila National Park. Sandakphu at an altitude of 11,229 ft is the highest point of Singalila ridge while Phalut located 21 km away from Sandakphu (11,811 ft) is the second highest peak of West Bengal.

As many as three tourists, all from India, died while trekking in Sikkim in a span of six days from April 15, 2017. (HT Photo)

Every year hundreds of tourists from home and abroad trek to these routes, and some of them suffer from high altitude sickness.

Read: Israeli trekker dies after falling into gorge during Uttarakhand mountain expedition

The reason of death could be ascertained only after the post mortem. Though some tourists, mostly elderly, fall sick while trekking to the Sandakphu-Phalut route, this is the first death this year. Last year one Indian tourist died, said Amit P Javalgi, Darjeeling police super.

In neighbouring Sikkim where there are several famous trekking routes, three tourists from West Bengal died due to high altitude sickness in a span of six days from April 15.

On April 15, Tapas Kumar Das, 42, died while trekking to famous Singalila trek route from Uttarey in West Sikkim. On April 17, Bir Mondal, 34, died after reporting breathing problems on way to Baba Mandir near Nathu La (Indo-China border) and on April 20 a 59-year old Kolkata resident passed away at Lachung in North Sikkim.

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Aagli baar Bangla, BJP president Amit Shah announced before the media on Wednesday, a day after he kicked off booth chalo abhiyan in Naxalbari.

The BJP president remarked that they have replaced the Left and other opposition parties to emerge as the second largest force in Bengal and will win most of the Lok Sabha seats in the state in 2019. Cant you see that Mamata Didi is suffering from BJP-phobia and speaking only against the BJP these days? Trinamool is helping us grow, Shah said at the Kolkata Press Club.

Read: Shah kicks off booth chalo drive in Naxalbari with lunch at villagers hut

Bengal has 42 Lok Sabha seats, out of which Trinamool won 34 in 2014. Our workers will visit every household and connect with voters. The lotus will bloom in Bengal, he added.

Amit Shah began his three-day Bengal trip in Naxalbari in north Bengal with a simple lunch at the residence of a scheduled tribe family. (HT Photo)

From the Narada sting operation to Saradha chit fund scam and from appeasement of the religious minority to rising state debt, Shah used each and every issue that has caused anxiety for the ruling party in recent times.

When the Left was ousted, we expected some positive change in Bengal. But all we have seen is rise in corruption, downfall of industry, appeasement in the name of politics and curb on Hindu religious festivals, he said.

In some parts of Bengal, people cant perform Saraswati puja and have to seek police permission for Durga puja immersion. Bomb making is the only thriving industry while the rest have downed shutters, alleged Shah. Appeasement is the sole reason behind recent incidents of communal violence at Kaliachak and Howrah, he added. He even alleged that fake Indian currency notes smuggled into India from Bangladesh was distributed and circulated in Bengal. What is the state police doing? asked Shah, ducking a question on the apparent failure of the BJP to stop such smuggling.

Reeling off statistics, Shah said when the Left was in power, Bengals loan burden was Rs 1,92,000 crore and the figure was now standing at Rs 3,50,000 crore. Shah dished out a string of figures to show that Bengal was doing worse than most states even after receiving financial grants and aids from the Centre under different heads.

Trinamool Congress reacted without wasting much time. Agriculture growth - India 1.1%, Bengal - 6% Service India 9% Bengal 13.99% Industry growth - India 7% Bengal 10%, twitted the party on its official handle.

In all interactions, Amit Shah kept asserting that BJP will bag most of the 44 Lok Sabha seats in Bengal in the 2019 elections. He predicted that the people will vote for the development programme of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. (HT Photo)

BJP is jealous of development in non-BJP ruled state. That is why they are depriving Bengal of funds, Trinamool Congress twitted quoting Mamata Banerjee.

Read: TMC in a fix over rise of BJPs aggressive Hindutva in Bengal

Reacting to Shahs statement, CPI(M) Lok Sabha MP and Politburo member Md Salim said: Amit Shah must remember that Naxalbari in Darjeeling, the village from where he started his tour on Tuesday, voted for the Left.

Asked about the Trinamools allegation that the CBI probe into Narada sting tapes is a political conspiracy, Shah said, Trinamool leaders were seen on video accepting money. How can that be a conspiracy? The CBI investigation in based on evidence and it was ordered by the Supreme Court. I dont give orders to CBI.
In these times of rising divisiveness, the last journey and rites of a Hindu youth in a remote corner of Malda, one of the poorest districts of the country, can easily stand out as an example of unorchestrated harmony between communities.

A group of Muslim youths took the body of Biswajit Rajak, 35, a Hindu who died on Monday, to the crematorium and even chanted the name of Hari (equivalent of Ram Naam Satya Hai) following the Hindu tradition. They carried his body on their shoulders for a distance of 3 kms to the crematorium, and performed all the traditional Hindu rituals including consigning the ashes to the nearby river and taking a dip in the river after the cremation.

Read: Delhis own festival that promotes communal harmony

Rajaks family is are so poor that they could not pay the crematorium and associated charges.

The youths of the village took turns in carrying the body to the crematorium. (HT Photo)

The incident took place in Sheikhpura village of Manikchak block in Malda district, about 350 km away from Kolkata.

Read: Muslim clerics in Bengal demand ban on RSS, say Ram Navami processions with weapons illegal

Rajak was suffering from liver cancer and died at his home on Monday. But when his family could not arrange his cremation on Tuesday, villagers gathered at his house and requested Biswajits father Nagen Rajak to allow them to cremate his son.

Even the moulavi of the local mosque also went to the crematorium. The Muslim neighbours paid the money necessary for his last rites. The Rajaks are one of the two Hindu families in the village of about 6,000 residents.

People of all age groups, including the moulavi from the local mosque, came forward to help the poor family. (HT Photo)

Located on the India-Bangladesh border, Malda is infamous all over the country as the hub of fake currency notes and for illegal poppy cultivation.

I had neither the money nor the manpower to take my son to the crematorium. I dont know what would have happened if the villagers didnt come forward for the last rites of my son, said Rajaks father, Nagen Rajak, with tears streaming down his eyes.

Read: In harmony: After chapel and mosque, Lucknows La Martiniere College gets a temple

Haji Abdul Khalek, who took the lead in arranging the last rites told HT, No religion preaches hatred towards others. Biswajit was like our brother. Allah wouldnt have forgiven us if we looked the other way thinking that the family follows some other religion.

Moulavi, Haji and hundreds of people from Muslim community arranged the last rites of Biswajit and they carried the body the entire way. This proves the exemplary brotherhood between the Hindus and Muslims in our country, remarked the saha-sabhadhipati of the Malda zilla parishad Gour Chandra Mondal, who went to the crematorium.

The common people are not really bothered. Helping a family in distress and chanting some Hindu names cant take away my religion, said Ayesh Ali, a villager who participated in the last rites.

The Muslim neighbours of Rajak also paid for his treatment and arranged to send him to a hospital in Kolkata.

Apart from his father, Rajak is survived by his wife and three daughters.
Three people drowned and at least 13, including two women, went missing on Wednesday when a wooden jetty in West Bengals Hooghly district collapsed during the morning high tide in the Hooghly river, officials said.

The incident took place at Telenipara in Bhadreshwar area of Hooghly, about 35 km north of Kolkata, around 11.15am when around 70 people were waiting for boats that ferry passengers to jetties on the other bank.

Witnesses said the old and poorly-maintained structure gave way when it was hit by the waves. Local people dived into the choppy waters and rescued 18 people, who were later taken to the Chandernagore Government Hospital.

Search operation being carried out after a jetty collapsedat Bhadreswar in West Bengal on Wednesday. (PTI)

Chief minister Mamata Banerjee, who was in Alipurduar in north Bengal, announced a compensation of Rs 2 lakh each for families of the deceased and Rs 25,000 each for the injured.

Police divers were looking for the missing people till late in the afternoon, district officials said.

The chief minister also ordered a probe and asked the Trinamool MLA from Chandernagore, Indranil Sen, who was on tour with her, to rush back.

Search operation being carried out after the collapse of a jetty at Bhadreswar in West Bengal on Wednesday. (PTI)

A local resident, Rakesh Gupta, told the media that despite repeated appeals, the administration did not care to repair the jetty for a long time. Nor did it provide inflated car tubes -- the standard and cheaper alternative to life belts in jetties across India -- in adequate numbers for use during accidents like the one on Wednesday.

Incidentally, the death of Gangasagar pilgrims at jetties on the Sagar Island in the Bay of Bengal hit headlines several times over the years.

On January 16 this year, at least six elderly pilgrims died while returning from the Gangasagar fair. People at the spot claimed that there was a stampede but the state government attributed the deaths to heart attack. Too many pilgrims reportedly rushed to board a vessel that was ferrying people to the mainland.
Amid the Yogi Adityanath governments preparation to tighten its noose on power pilferers, a court in Aligarh has sentenced an accused to two years rigorous imprisonment, as well as a fine, in a matter related to electricity theft by him.

It took 13 years for the court to declare the accused guilty in what, according to many, lends substance to the need for making amendments to the anti-power theft law to ensure quick and sure punishment to the offenders as already announced by Uttar Pradesh energy minister Srikant Sharma.

The court has awarded the jail term to accused Ram Singh and also imposed Rs 10,000 fine on him, making him liable to undergo an additional imprisonment for six months if he fails to pay the fine.

The court found Ram Singh, resident of Sarai Rehaman locality in Aligarh, guilty of pilfering electricity by tampering with the energy metre installed at his commercial establishment. The accused, who was out on bail and present in court, was taken into police custody and sent to jail as soon as the court delivered its verdict under Section 135 of the Electricity Act.

The order was signed on February 9, 2017 but the copy of the order, according to officials, was received by the department only on Tuesday. We have received the orders copy today only, chief engineer, Aligarh zone, BS Gangwar told HT from Aligarh over the phone.

A local enforcement team of the electricity department under the Agra discom, on November 18, 2004 conducted a raid on Ram Singhs premises that was used for commercial activities. The seal of the meter for a 5 HP power connection was found broken. On further examination, it was found that the accused was actually using 16.66 HP power, a load that comes under the industrial category whereas he owned only a commercial connection of 5 HP and was paying bills accordingly.

It was found during the raid that Ram Singh was using two heater pumps, a rectifier and a polish machine, among other things, at his firm with electricity being stolen by tampering with the meter and thereby causing revenue loss to the department, Gangwar explained.

The department then slapped a penalty of Rs 1,12,473 on the accused as compounding fee in lieu of court proceedings. The accused, however, refused to pay the amount following which the court proceedings started.

However, the fact that it took 13 years for the court to decide the matter also raises a question mark on the effectiveness of the prevailing law against power theft.

Instead of setting up special power courts, UP has designated a judge in each court for hearing cases related to power theft. Since, the same court also hears other cases under the IPC and various other laws, the judgments on power theft cases are naturally delayed, said an official.

The Yogi Adityanath governments initiative to introduce the Gujarat model of anti-power theft law in UP may be helpful, he said.

Energy minister Srikant Sharma has talked several times of governments intention of dealing with power pilfers with an iron hand a la Gujarat.

Gujarat is said to have special dedicated police stations, vigilance cell and courts that exclusively deal with power theft.

We welcome the new governments tough stand on power theft proposed adoption of Gujarat/Patiala model for this, All-India Power Engineers Federation chairman Shailendra Dubey said in a statement.

The states power engineers will extend full cooperation to the new government in its efforts to deal with power theft, he said.

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Calling law and order a serious issue, Samajwadi Party (SP) national president Akhilesh Yadav on Tuesday said a new colour saffron, wrapped around ones neck, had become a licence to beat up policemen, go on the rampage inside a police station and vandalise vehicles in Uttar Pradesh.

Post Independence, such attacks on the police never happened before, Akhilesh Yadav said at a press conference here.

The former chief ministers comments came in the backdrop of right-wing activists beating up policemen in Agra and Saharanpur.

In Kannauj, policemen were bashed up and people (wearing saffron scarves) in Agra clashed with the police. In Allahabad, four of a family were killed, he said.

Yadav said crime incidents were blown out of proportion in his regime. Some of these, like the Badaun rape, never took place he said.

Whenever the Samajwadi Party seeks re-election, the law and order situation invariably became one of the main poll planks and the Akhilesh Yadav government too faced it with the SP going on to lose the recently concluded assembly election.

The Badaun incident of alleged rape and murder of two sisters during our regime was raked up by the media. All political parties raised a hue and cry over it. But does the Allahabad incident not need any attention? he asked.

He was referring to the murder of a middle-aged couple and their two young daughters at Nawabganj in Allahabad on Monday.

We will present the SP delegations report on the Saharanpur incident tomorrow. Our team has returned and is preparing the report on the Saharanpur incident, where clashes and stone-pelting took place between two communities over the taking out of a procession.

Asked about former minister Gayatri Prasad Prajapati, a rape accused, getting bail, Akhilesh said: It is good that he got bail. Is getting bail wrong?.

On his dream project, the Agra-Lucknow expressway, which is under the Yogi Adityanath governments scanner, Akhilesh Yadav said: If the new government has a problem, they should cancel previous tenders and float fresh ones.

Reacting to Yogi Adityanaths Krishna-Sudama comment in reference to cashless transactions, Akhilesh Yadav said: Was there a digital age in the times of Krishna-Sudama? I would love to have Lord Krishnas email ID.

Read more: Adityanaths UP govt downgrades security of Azam Khan, Dimple Yadav
Days after 25 CRPF personnel were killed in a Naxal ambush in Sukma district of Chattisgarh, the relatives of brave hearts who made the supreme sacrifice before them have called for a final battle.

Three families in rural areas of Allahabad, based on their experiences of unfulfilled promises by the governments of the day, are demanding a proper system of regular follow up to ensure timely action.

They have demanded that the government should launch a decisive battle to free the nation of Naxal menace.

Tall promises are made at the time of every such incident but governments rarely fulfil promises. My daughter-in-law Rekha, wife of my martyred son Babulal, has not received pension for the last four months. She was pregnant when my son died in line of duty. Her son Ansh is now three years old. We have raised him on stories of bravery of his father but shouldnt the government ensure dignity for the family of soldiers? asks Munni Lal, 70, a resident of Shivlal-ka-Pura village in Nawabganj, Allahabad.

Babulal, a CRPF jawan, died in a gunbattle with Naxals in the jungles of Latehar in Jharkhand on January 8, 2013.

Munni Lal, his wife Jagpati Devi, 65, daughter-in-law Rekha and grandson Ansh depend on the pension.

At the time of Babulals martyrdom, the chief minister, MP, MLA and DM all made a number of promises but they remain unfulfilled. The then MP Kapil Muni Karwariya had promised money for a memorial and urged the gram sabha to make land available for it. I visited Vikas Bhawan in Allahabad city a number of times but was informed there is no provision for a construction of a memorial under the MPs fund, said Munni Lal.

He even visited the CMs residence thrice to forward his application but in vain.

Even the gate constructed at the village in the honour of Babulal is in a pathetic condition for want of funds, he added.

The government should avenge the sacrifice made by my son and others like him by finishing off the Naxals, said Jagpati with tears in her eyes.

Suresh Kumar Tiwari, 62, a resident of Jurapur Biher village of Holagarh tehsil in Allahabad, is equally upset. His son Varun Tiwari, a CRPF jawan, died when a landmine blew up a CRPF vehicle in Bijapur district of Chhattisgarh on June 15, 2015.

My wife and I are surviving somehow. The promises of three bigha land and a memorial for my son were made by the leaders but nothing happened. I met district administration officials many a times but no action was taken, said Suresh Tiwari who has now sent a letter to new UP CM Yogi Adityanath seeking his intervention.

Two of Varuns three daughters, Sonika and Monika, are now married but Suresh is more worried about the marriage of his youngest granddaughter Anamika.

We had applied for a government job for Anamika on compassionate grounds but the department says a clearance from home ministry is required. The promise of a petrol pump and gas agency have also not materialised, he added.

Our soldiers are being killed and mutilated by the Naxals but the government is dragging its feet on action against them. I call for an all out battle to wipe out such forces, he added.

In Bajaha village of Nawabganj, Prithvi Lal and his wife Prabha Devi had lost their son Mukesh on December 1, 2014. Mukesh died fighting the Naxals at Hathigumpha in Sukma, Chhattisgarh.

We were surviving on a pension of Rs 17,800 but it has also been stopped since January 2017. The present deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya had promised a memorial for my son at that time while the DM had promised two bigha land. The memorial was never constructed while the land allotted to us was a disputed one. We are yet to get its possession, shared Prabha Devi.

Prithvi Lal said even the hand-pump promised by the then MLA Ansar Ahmad has not been installed. I believe if the government becomes resolute, the menace can be uprooted. It is time for a proper offensive and a policy to end Naxalism, he added.

Prithvi Lals daughter Manita has been appointed in CRPF on compassionate grounds and is presently undergoing training. My daughter will lead the attack if government goes all out against the naxals, he said.

Read more: Tearful adieu to martyr of Sukma Naxal attack

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Today is Denim Day. If you were to think that this is a day to celebrate the fabric we all love, youd be wrong.

This day is a campaign against sexual assault on women and the perpetrators getting away with their claim that the victims clothes had something to do with the case. How did it start? The origin lies in the overturning of a guilty verdict against a rape accused in Italy in 1998. The judge was convinced that since the victim had been wearing tight jeans at the time of the incident, the accused couldnt have stripped her all by himself, and therefore it was consensual sex, not rape.

Fact Anti-rape jeans: Two Indian students, Diksha Pathak, 21, and Anjali Srivastava, 23, both from Varanasi, designed a pair of anti-rape jeans. Their design had a pair of trousers equipped with a small electronic button, which, when pressed, could send a distress signal to the nearest police station. The signal from the button could help the police track the woman in distress.



While theres no case exactly similar to this in India, a very common question after any reported incident of rape is: What was she wearing? Skirts are blamed most frequently, but fingers are pointed towards jeans, too. Politicians have blamed jeans, mobile phones and even Chinese noodles for rapes. Various educational institutions have tried to ban jeans at one time or the other. Its as if the sense of freedom a girl / woman experiences when wearing a practical garment like jeans somehow makes her deserving of contempt and suspicion.

If a woman is wearing jeans, she must be forward. If shes forward, then she must be asking for it. It takes a very small leap of the imagination to go from one idea to another. All it takes to bring out this warped thinking is a little scratch on the apparently civilised surface of urban India.

Delhi resident Ananya Biswas shares an experience. She was climbing down the Metro stairs, in skinny jeans and a T-shirt, when she suddenly heard two middle-aged women talking about her. I saw them giving me strange looks and saying Aise kapde pehen ke ghar se niklengi aur fir shikayat karti firengi ki ladko ne chhed diya. Ab aise kapdo mein ladke dekhenge to aarti to utaarenge nahi (She comes out of the house wearing such clothes, and then shed complain that boys have harassed her. Now if boys see her dressed in these clothes, theyre not going to worship her). I was surprised how a piece of clothing was enough [for them] to decide on my character and justify male sleaziness, says Ananya.

The people that most women rely on for help when theyre in trouble are the police. But, says Delhi resident Sangeeta Gupta, who has lived in four different cities in India, can one expect justice when law enforcers themselves have views on women wearing jeans? Sangeeta recalls this incident when she was walking down a lane in Kolkata. That lane has 24/7 police presence because the US Embassy is located there. Since the pavement was dug up, Sangeeta was walking down the road, and a policeman ordered her to stick to the pavement. She refused, pointing out that the pavement was unfit for use, and as she walked away, past the bench on which the constables sat, she heard one of them say to the other, Its no wonder shes like that. Shes a girl in jeans

Delhi resident Somya Suresh tells us, On my trip to South India, I went to a temple in a tunic and jeans. A lady there told my mother that jeans shouldnt be worn as they accentuated the curves and could have unthinkable consequences.

Another city resident Avneet Sodhi had a nasty experience in her student days. Going to college by bus, she was in the usual student attire of jeans and tee. As one of the seats reserved for women was occupied by a man, she requested him to give her the seat, and then repeated this when he refused. At this, the man retorted, Jeans pehen ke, English bol ke zaada smart samajh rahi hai. Hum toh naa uthte, jaa kya kar legi (You think youre very smart, wearing jeans and speaking English. I wont get up. Do what you can).

Take this mans advice. Do what you can. Do wear denim today.

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A 24-year-old man was arrested on Tuesday for taking photographs of a woman human resources executive inside the washroom of her office in World Trade Centre in Kharadi, Pune.

According to complaint, the incident took place around 9.45pm.

The phone was placed in the gap between the ceiling and partition between the two lavatories.

When the woman saw the phone, she asked the man, Rajkamal Rajbahaddur Yadav, who was in the adjoining toilet, to come out.

She then called the security guards, who handed him over to the police.

I was working till late as the appraisal process in on. I got scared when of the toilet and asked a man to come out of the adjoining toilet, said the 26-year-old woman, in her statement to the police.

The complainant said the accused tried to flee, but the security guards got hold of him. Yadav was filming the woman. We are checking Yadavs mobile phone to see if he has filmed other women in the past,, said police inspector Anil Patrudkar.

Yadav, according to police, is a native of Bihar. He has been arrested under relevant sections of IPC and IT Act.

Read more: Guest house manager plays peeping tom, fixes spy camera in set top box

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While the Maharashtra government plans to organise a shopping festival to boost tourism in Mumbai, the autorickshaw ride for Thane near Mumbai will be bumpy in the absence of prepaid autos. Moreover, NGOs have alleged that hundreds of trees have been cut and water bodies have been destroyed for Mumbai Metro. A man hanged himself after killing his mother and grandmother in Andheri. Also, the police have found that the Mumbai cult leader Sunil Kulkarni has a BCom, not MBBS degree.

Here are our top picks:

1. Shop till you drop: 17-day Mumbai Mela likely this year

Need an incentive to visit Mumbai? Hotels, restaurants, malls and airlines will offer you whopping discounts during a 17-day Mumbai Mela organised by the Maharashtra government. The mela  a shopping festival along the lines of the Dubai Festival  will be the first such event organised on a grand scale in Mumbai, said officials.

2. Mumbai cult leader Kulkarni has BCom degree, not MBBS

When police officer Shekhar Tore heard about the arrest of Sunil Kulkarni it rang a bell. Tore was posted in Pune 20 years ago when he arrested Kulkarni for allegedly duping a home-loan seeker. He was a Natwarlal in the making, Tore says about Kulkarni, who is now under arrest in Mumbai for being the head of a cult called Shifu Sunkriti that is accused of entrapping and cheating young people.

A 2000 satellite image of the Mithi river. (HT)

3. Hundreds of trees cut, water bodies destroyed for Mumbai Metro, says NGO

The Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Limited (MMRC) has chopped hundreds of trees on a 3-hectare plot along the Jogeshwari-Vikhroli-Link-Road (JVLR) and destroyed water channels that flow into the Mithi river, alleged environmental watchdogs on Tuesday.

4. Brace for a bumpy ride, prepaid autos will no longer ply from Thane station

Prepaid autorickshaws will no longer ply from Thane station owing to poor response from commuters resulting in financial losses, said autorickshaw unions in the city. Regional transport office (RTO) officials said they would rectify the problems with the service, and then reintroduce prepaid autos with improved features in about a month.

5. 24-year-old takes photos of HR executive inside Pune office washroom, arrested

A 24-year-old man was arrested on Tuesday for taking photographs of a woman human resources executive inside the washroom of her office in World Trade Centre in Kharadi, Pune.
In a surprise move, senior Congress leader and AICC General Secretary Gurudas Kamat quit all posts in the party, according to a statement on Wednesday.

I had met Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi last week on Wednesday and discussed to be relieved from all responsibilities, he said in a terse statement, hinting at retirement from active politics.

Kamat said he had requested Gandhi to relieve him from all responsibilities on February 3, the day Congress candidates were announced for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections, and repeated his plea on February 21, the day of BMC polling.

I thank Congress president Sonia Gandhi, and Rahul Gandhi for the opportunity given to me to serve the party, he said without elaborating on the reasons for his decision.
Mumbai

When police officer Shekhar Tore heard about the arrest of Sunil Kulkarni it rang a bell. Tore was posted in Pune 20 years ago when he arrested Kulkarni for allegedly duping a home-loan seeker.

He was a Natwarlal in the making, Tore says about Kulkarni, who is now under arrest in Mumbai for being the head of a cult called Shifu Sunkriti that is accused of entrapping and cheating young people.

Tore, who is now posted at the Bandra division of the Mumbai crime branch as an assistant commissioner of police, was an assistant police inspector in Pune when he busted Kulkarni, a confident and smooth-talking commerce graduate.

Kulkarni, since his brush with the law in Pune, has become the ring leader of an alleged drug and sex syndicate that has entrapped hundreds of young people, police suspect. The 54-year-old was arrested on April 20 on Mumbai High Courts order after a city-based couple filed a petition claiming that Shifu Sunkriti had entrapped their two daughters, who are in their early twenties.

Shifu Sunkritis Facebook page has more than 4000 members and posts on it make a range of claims: from running a centre for neuro plasticity centre to training people in miraculous self energy enhancement.

Making tall claims seemed to be Kulkarnis nature, said Tore. He had all the traits of a master conman, Tore said, recalling his interrogation of Kulkarni.

Tore in March 1997 nabbed Kulkarni from a lodge in Bhosari, a suburb near Pune, while acting on the complaint of a home-loan seeker. Kulkarni had allegedly posed as a bank official and fleeced at least Rs 3 lakh from the man to sanction a loan. He was camping in the lodge to collect more money when Tore booked him for cheating and fraud and took him into custody for interrogation.

Tore realised Kulkarni, who hailed from Kolhapur, was no ordinary criminal. He was barely 30 then. He had a pleasant personality and could impress anyone with his fluency in English, Tore said.

Kulkarni used his knowledge of varied subjects to entrap the gullible. He is a jack of all trades with an amazing grip over general knowledge. He would use his communication skills to strike a chord even with a stranger, Tore said.

Not surprisingly, Kulkarni used the same skills to settle the case with the complainant months after Tore booked him. I lost track of him afterwards, Tore said.

The Mumbai police have allegedly found that Kulkarni changed his base to several cities before he was arrested in Delhi in 2014 for sexually abusing a minor and booked under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses Act. He shifted to Mumbai after he got bail in that case.

When Tore heard of Kulkarnis arrest, he contacted his superior, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Crime, Vinay Rathod.

Tores information came handy for Rathod, who is a surgeon, in tearing apart Kulkarnis claims that he was a doctor and a psychiatrist. Sources in Mumbai Police told Hindustan Times that during interrogation Kulkarni first claimed he had specialised in anatomy from a college in Nagpur.

When Rathod pressed him, Kulkarni changed his claim and said he had studied physiology. However, it did not take long for Rathod to call his bluff and a brief check of the medical council records corroborated the police findings.

The Mumbai High Court on Tuesday called the findings of the police probe into Shifu Sunkriti--which was presented in a sealed envelope--shocking. Kulkarnis past therefore may hold more secrets.

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Egyptian woman Eman Ahmed, who was once the worlds heaviest woman, may be shifted from Mumbai to Abu Dhabi.

On Wednesday, doctors from VPS Healthcare in Abu Dhabi, who were contacted by Emans sister Shaimaa Selim, checked her condition and discussed the case with her doctors from Mumbais Saifee hospital.

On Monday, Selim called bariatric surgeon Dr Muffazal Lakdawala and other doctors from the team liars, refuting their claims that Eman, who was nearly 500kg when she arrived in Mumbai in February, has lost more than 330kg and now weighs 171kg.

Shaimaa said, Shamsheer Vayalil, founder and managing director of VPS Healthcare, who had previously contacted the family to treat Eman, might be a good choice for her treatment now.

Doctors from Saifee hospital confirmed the possibility. The doctors from VPS Healthcare are in the city, discussing the case with us. We are taking them to meet Eman to show her current medical condition, said Dr Aparna Govil Bhaskar, section chief of bariatric surgery at the Saifee Hospital.

Bhaskar said a team of doctors from VPS Healthcare visited Eman on Wednesday and were briefed by Dr. Lakdawala about her current status. Her reports were shown to them. And then they visited her on the 9th floor while she was in physiotherapy session. As of this moment, we have asked for their opinion in writing, which is awaited, said Dr Aprna. Doctors from the hospital confirmed that the VPS team visited Eman on the request of her sister Shaimaa and they arent aware if Eman will be shifted out of the hospital soon. Top officials from the hospital are positive to allow the transfer. We are ready to do anything which will ensure Emans well being, said the officials.

Officials from the hospital said a meeting was organised on Tuesday afternoon with Egyptian Counsel General in Mumbai, Ahmed Khalil, doctors from Saifee Hospital and Shaimaa to discuss the case.

The embassy officials were thankful for the treatment and care of Indian doctors. They also spoke with Shaimaa to understand her issues and problems, said officials.

Talking to HT on Wednesday, Shaimaa said she doesnt trust doctors from Egypt or India when it comes to her sisters health. I am thankful for all the treatment they have provided, but Emans condition is degrading and I dont think they are equipped to handle it. She is not able to talk or eat food and they are going to discharge her saying she has lost weight, said Shaimaa.

They said Eman will be discharged but they are not ready to share the date. This is totally unacceptable, shes my sister and I have the right to know what are they planning for her, said Shaimaa when asked about the meeting.
Remember when pugs became hugely popular after an ad campaign; or when you just had to own the clownfish that starred in the film Finding Nemo?

Remember, also, then that every time the demand for an exotic species rises, it sets in motion a global racket of catching, smuggling and breeding animals far away from their homes, in cruel conditions. Vets, animal activists and zoologists who spoke to HT said breeding and trade was a serious concern  all sparked by impulsive decisions by people to buy such animals  many of which are endangered  as status symbols, for luck or just to be a part of a passing fad. For the animal and ecosystem, it spells destruction, said Meet Ashar, emergency response coordinator, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), India.

INDIA, A LEADING MARKET

The exotic pet trade is thriving in India, with people shelling out large sums of money for pocket monkeys from Brazil, black pond turtles from southern Asia, iguanas from South America and the Caribbean and fish from the coral reefs of Indonesia. These wild animals are illegally transported, cruelly bred and then sold at steep rates in Mumbai, Pune, Bangalore and Delhi. Indigenous birds are caught in the hilly and forested areas of north and northeast India. They are captured in the most horrifying of ways, crammed into boxes and then transported. The birds reach their destinations wounded, frightened and starved, if not dead, Ashar said. To meet demand, bird-catchers set up nets coated with adhesives to snare the creatures faster. The targets: Muniyas, mynas and parrots, owls, hawks, peacocks and parakeets.

SO, WHY IS THIS A PROBLEM?

First, some of these species are endemic  that is, they survive only in a limited habitat and removing them from puts them in danger.

Second, most of these exotic species in demand are on the red list of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)  an inventory of species that are endangered or vulnerable. We have come across cases where we intercepted parakeets and other exotic birds being transported in water bottles. Nearly 95% of the time, the birds die because they are so restrained, said another PETA official. Third, the issue of breeding. Two years ago, when the endangered pocket lion monkey was the fad in Mumbai, Pune and Bangalore, breeders started injecting them with steroids to alter their mating cycle. The tiny monkeys were forced to breed multiple times a year, because each one sold for at least Rs 3.5 lakh, said a Pune breeder. He said only some owners would import from Brazil the kind of food the monkeys ate. Others force-fed them local fruits.

There are only three dog breeders actually registered with the Animal Welfare Board of India from the state. So, thousands are illegally bred every year, said a top AWBI official of Maharashtra.

DO-GOODERS WHO DO NO GOOD

Avian expert Chintan Gokhle pointed to the trend of people buying exotic or endangered birds only to release them in the wild . They consider it a good deed. But the birds have spent a lifetime in captivity, or dont belong to the habitat in which they are released. They become easy prey for crows and kites and dont survive even a day, said Gokhle.

And then, there are those who abandon their pets when they lose interest. Dr Yuvraj Karingker, a veterinarian with the MyVets Charitable Trust, said many dont realise they could be damaging the entire ecosystem. Animals need food and a nesting area. When an animal is released, it fights the native species to survive  a fight that wipes out either one or both, Dr Karingker said. Small mammals and reptiles can collapse entire ecosystems and cause heavy losses to the species diversity if introduced in areas they are not native to, a recent study by wildlife expert N Soundararajan said. An SC order banned the release of foreign species in national parks. But experts said the implementation of the ban was poor.

OTHER DANGERS

People buy animals for luck and sacrifice too. We bought two turtles because our astrologer told us it will bring us luck and wealth, said a Borivli resident.

THE SOLUTION THEN?

The Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 bans the capture and trade of indigenous animals and birds. The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, makes it illegal to confine animals in cages that are not sufficiently big . These rules are barely followed. Experts said the problem  and solution  was awareness. Owners need to take a moment to think of how they are torturing animals, the PETA official said.
As the demand for certain breeds of dogs increases, pet shops and breeders have taken to inbreeding, leaving many canines with serious health problems.

Inbreeding is mating siblings, cousins and offspring with each other or their parents, said Dr JC Khanna, in charge of the Parel-based Bombay Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Hospital,

Most people are unaware that inbreeding among animals increases the likelihood of the offspring acquiring genetic abnormalities, Dr Khanna said.

The most common abnormalities from inbreeding in dogs are hip dislocation, blindness, diabetes and obesity.

Several hereditary conditions and illnesses are inherited only when the pups inherit recessive genes from both parents. Now, the likelihood of them having two parents with such genes is obviously much higher if the parents are related, said Dr Gopal Rayate, a senior veterinary surgeon.

According to Dr Khanna, the high demand for certain breeds, such as Pugs and Labradors is one of the reasons inbreeding is happening. It is a high-profit industry. Pugs are sold anywhere between Rs25,000 to Rs50,000. Customers who buy them however, are unaware that they are inbred, said Dr Rayate.

Veterinarians also said pet owners with male dogs, sometimes charge a mating fee from owners of female dogs. This discourages them to breed outside the family line. An owner of a female German Shepherd had told me he was asked to pay Rs10,000 by a male dogs pet owner. No one wants to pay for this. They would rather breed their dogs within the family, said a doctor from the Bombay Veterinary College.

The lack of awareness about the risks associated with inbreeding is also a concern, especially because more and more people want pet dogs, said veterinarians.

In India, breeding is an unorganised sector. Pet owners dont get their dogs registered with the Indian National Kennel Club and Kennel Club of India, leading to a lack of authentic data of the dogs genetic background, said Dr Makarand Chavan, veterinary physician and surgeon at Dogs and Cats Veterinary Clinic, Dadar.

A pet owner HT spoke to said she learnt about the risks of inbreeding after reading an article. Sonia Vohra, 45, a resident of Malad, who owns a female pug, said she had no clue about the potential risks of inbreeding. My family has had pets for years, but I had no idea that inbreeding increases health problems.

Veterinarians have urged pet owners to breed their dogs more responsibly. Inbreeding dogs is similar to how it works in humans. People must seek professional help if they want to breed their dogs. Once a dog is diagnosed with a problem that has genetic links, treatment is a challenge, said Dr Chavan.
The arrests of 18 people in One Coin  an online scam in Mumbai where people were promised lakhs a month in return for an investment of Rs11,900  have led the police to four bank accounts, from which they have recovered Rs18.97 crore.

The police are unclear about how many people were operating the scam and how many have been duped. The accused, according to police, used to regularly hold seminars on their bogus scheme. Under the scheme, investors had to pay Rs11,900 and then find new investors, said police. They were told it was a pyramid scheme, which means the money they make a week would multiply depending on the number of investors they got. They could track their progress, or the money they made, using a software.

The minute people put money in their accounts, they would see a coin against their name in the software. The accused told investors the value of the coin would increase in the next three to four years and they could become billionaires, said Hemant Nagrale, police commissioner, Navi Mumbai.

One such seminar was recently held at Bunts Centre in Juinagar, Navi Mumbai. The 500 participants were shown video clips of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bill Gates talking about digital India and investments.

Read more: Five ways fake call centres are scamming foreigners, Indians

Acting on a tip-off, senior police officers, including Nagrale, attended the event in plainclothes on Sunday. They arrested the organisers, when they failed to show the registration certificate to support their claims. Eighteen people were arrested from the spot.

We have got access to four bank accounts, where the investors money was deposited. These accounts were registered in Delhi and Rajasthan, said Nagrale.

Dilip Sawant, deputy commissioner of police, crime, said, The arrested men are local agents. The bank accounts are not in their name. We are looking for the masterminds.

How the system worked The scamsters lured people to the scheme, One Coin, by promising huge returns on an investment of Rs11,900 They were told that the cost of 1 Bitcoin, which was Rs6, has now become Rs80,000. So, the value of One Coin would also multiply in two to three years, making them billionaires They were promised commissions depending on the investors they brought in The accused would run the scam on word-of-mouth So far, the police have learnt about their operations in different cities in Maharashtra They suspect the gang had operations across the country

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Tired of groaning and grumbling and seeing nothing change, Genesia Alves decided to do something fun with the pile of rubble that had been sitting outside her Bandra home since February.



It is, of course, part of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporations (BMC) never-ending road work.

Early on Tuesday, Alves teamed up with her 16-year-old daughter Amaia and recreated an iconic World War II photograph, by posing on top of the heap of rubble on St Pauls Road.

When I first saw the iconic photo of a woman drinking tea in the aftermath of the 1940 London Blitz, the image stayed with me, especially that look of calm in the chaos, says Alves, a freelance journalist. Finally, last morning, when the ever mounting pile reached the right height, I told my family, Thats it. Im going to recreate the picture because that heaps almost asking for it.

Then began their little covert operation. We knew that the BMC workers come in a little after 10 am, so we quickly got the props together, she says. She borrowed a dress from Amaia, grabbed a mug, tied her hair in a turban, even placed a piece of folded paper in her pocket to recreate the picture to the smallest details.

We were constantly giggling. My daughter quickly clicked two pictures, while I ignored the incredulous stares from passers-by and we ran off before being questioned, she says.

At home, she posted the picture on Twitter, calling it her tribute to BMCs ongoing work. Its had more than 60,000 impressions and 350 retweets.

My brother called from Dubai to tell me someone sent it to him. Its being shared by Bandra ALMs on WhatsApp as well, although I dont know if anyone from the BMC has seen it yet. To be frank, its gone a bit mad on social media, she says, laughing sheepishly.

This is not her first dig at the civic body. A week ago, she posted this tweet below inviting anyone doing a post-apocalyptic shoot to head to her dug-up stretch and shoot it there.

Fashion mags. Want a post apocalyptic shoot with undead refs? Recce St Paul's Rd. (Screaming banshee also available for mixed metaphors.) pic.twitter.com/6egTQe1Sv3  BookOfGenesia (@genesiaalves) April 24, 2017

That silly picture has had people amused, bemused and all fired up. Id love it to become a trend, where others can come up with creative ways of throwing light on the callousness of the BMC, letting them know that we cant live like this. At least then they might take us common folk more seriously, Alves says.

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JC Khanna, Rtd Colonel and CEO and in charge of the Bombay Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Hospital spoke to HT about the rampant cruelty to animals, the poor public healthcare facilities for animals and the illegalities of the pet trade.

Have you noticed a positive or negative trend in the cases of animal cruelty?

As compared to the last decade, people have become a lot more sensitive towards animals. The credit for this goes to animal lovers and NGOs working for animal welfare. More youngsters are choosing animal welfare as a career option and that has changed perspectives by a large margin. However, what still lacks is a deterrent. The maximum fine for injuring animals is Rs5 to Rs50, and the negligible charges fail to stop people from harming animals. Like the Wildlife Protection Act, which imposes a huge fine, we need to introduce stronger penalties for violence against animals.

Why do you think the country has limited public veterinary facilities?

This is a glaring problem that the government has to look into, especially in mega cities like Mumbai. They are not ready to involve NGOs into the public private partnership (PPP) because they think NGOs will acquire land for personal gains. Ideally, in a city like Mumbai where 350-400 vets run private clinics, the government needs to build a model system for animal healthcare because private clinics lack the infrastructure and space to treat critical animals.

What are your views on the booming illegal pet trade?

Pets have become money making machines for miscreants. The best example of this was when the demand for the pug shot up by 40-50% in the city after a successful ad campaign by a brand. This sparked demand that set in motion a a vicious circle  once traders know that a particular pet is trending, they adopt any means to meet the demand.

The issue of inbreeding (breeding animals within its family) is a result of this unnatural demand-supply chain?

Yes indeed. The concept of inbreeding began with the increased demand for a particular pet. There are two types of genes responsible for a qualitative offspring  the recessive and dominant. Inbreeding causes an unnatural fusion of these genes and the offspring often has low immunity, physical deformity and vulnerability to a number of infections. Scientific studies show ideally, pet dogs should breed after a gap of three years, but traders, to make money, breed them twice a year. Thats extremely cruel to the mother and the pups.

Talking about vulnerable pets, what about pets imported from entirely different climates and environments?

BSPCA frequently attends to such species that are unable to acclimatise to our climate.

Dog breeds like Siberian Husky, Saint Bernard and Great Dane have a high rate of vet visits as they are very susceptible to infections and diseases like diarrhoea, fever and vomiting. Dog-owners, in their defence, claim they keep such pets in AC rooms, but the pet can only try to adapt to the vast change in climate, they hardly survive.



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A 33-year-old hanged himself after killing his mother and grandmother at his home in Andheri in Mumbai on Wednesday, said police.

The police said Samir Baraskar was going through financial crisis.

The incident took place between 12.30am and 4am.

Baraskar smothered his grandmother, Fatima, 65, with a pillow, strangled his mother, Minatai, 55, with a belt and then hanged himself from the ceiling, said police.

No suicide note was found at the spot.

Baraskar ran a vada pav and tea stall at Jeevan nagar in Andheri (West).

The bodies have been sent to Cooper hospital for post-mortem.

A case of murder has been filed under section 302 of the Indian Penal Code.

Read more: Family issues a major cause of suicides: RTI

Family problems, illness and exam failures major cause for suicides in Mumbai
An attempt to save a man who got injured while crossing the tracks between Mumbais Andheri and Vile Parle railway stations cost a 57-year-old government railway police (GRP) head constable his life on Monday.

Around 11.30pm, the stationmaster at Andheri station informed the GRP that a man had been knocked down by a train between the stations. Suresh V Patil, 57, who was on night duty, went with four coolies and stationmaster to the spot.

According to the police, Patil was on one railway tracks, while the others were 50-100ft away from him. Patil saw a train coming towards him and moved to the adjoining track. But another train heading towards Virar knocked him down, the police said.

He suffered serious injuries and was taken to Cooper hospital, where he was declared dead.

The injured man, too, was later found dead. He is survived by a wife and a son.

Read more: Caught on camera: Alert Mumbai motorman saves woman on railway tracks

Mumbai: Western Railways to build walls along Virar-Borivli line to curb railway track deaths
Around 120 non-NET MPhil and PhD scholars at the University of Mumbai (MU) have not received their monthly fellowships for the last six months, as the University Grants Commission (UGC) is yet to release funds for educational assistance.

The scholars said that some of them didnt get any money since October, while others didnt receive fellowships after December. They have raised the issue with varsity authorities, who assured them that the varsity will pay them from its own kitty.

Last year, the central government faced a huge outcry from student the community when it cancelled the non-NET fellowships, given to scholars who have not cleared National Eligibility Test (NET). While the fellowships were reinstated, researchers have been complaining about UGCs reluctance in releasing funds for them.

Most of the researchers at MU are from outside the city and are dependent on the fellowship money for their day-to-expenditure. We are unable to pay our hostel and mess fees. I have to borrow money from friends to meet my daily needs, said Paras Sharma, an MPhil student at varsitys department of Eurasian studies.

As part of non-NET fellowships, MPhil and PhD students get Rs5,000 and Rs8,000 every month.

At the beginning of the current academic year 2016-2017, Tata Institute of Social Sciences in Deonar, had announced that it will no longer provide non-NET fellowships to researchers due to a freeze in funding from central government. In the absence of UGC funds, the institute has been paying around Rs3,000 per month to both MPhil and PhD students.

Activists feel that UGC has been strategically delaying funding to various educational assistance programme in order to derail those schemes. The government is gauging the mood among students. If theres an uproar they will reisntate the funding, said Kiran Sawant of Nationalist Student Congress.

A senior official from MU said that they are unable to grant fellowships on time, as the funds are released in instalments. We will provide the pending fellowships from December from our own funds in two-three days, he said.

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A farm loan waiver and Maharashtras political scenario are topics that are likely to be discussed during the two-day meet of the Bharatiya Janata Partys (BJP) state executive, which begins today. The meet will be held at Ramkrishna More auditorium in Pimpri-Chinchwad, almost 33 years after the party held a meeting in the industrial town.

The meeting assumes significance in the wake of reports of a possible reshuffle and expansion of the cabinet next month.

Around 800 leaders, including party office bearers, ministers in the state government and legislators, are expected to discuss the partys course of action. Nitin Gadkari, union minister for road transport and highways, will inaugurate the meet at 2 pm after holding a closed-door meeting of the BJP state units office bearers. Besides Gadkari, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, state BJP unit chief Raosaheb Danve will also attend the meeting, said district guardian minister Girish Bapat.

The BJP plans to counter the Oppositions demand for a complete loan waiver to farmers by implementing a Sampark Abhiyaan from May 26 to June 10. The initiative, in which party workers will reach out to farmers in Maharashtra, marks three years of the Modi government at the Centre.

The emphasis will be on the governments endeavours to stem the agrarian crisis and create sustainable development. Party workers will reach out to the farmers and make them aware of the governments stand, said Sudhir Mungantiwar, finance minister and member of the state core committee.

The party made a decision to become outspoken about the plight of farmers, keeping in mind the Opposition-led Sangharsh Yatra, which was conducted in two phases. Six Opposition parties had tried to galvanise the farmers to seek a loan waiver. The parties had stalled the house proceedings and boycotted the Assembly for three weeks during the recent budget session.

We believe that the government has done a lot for farmers. We also have comprehensive plans to bring about sustainable development in the field of agriculture.We will reach out to farmers and garner their support, said a BJP leader, who did not wish to be identified.

The party will also discuss defectors from other parties, said sources.

By holding the conclave at Pimpri-Chinchwad, about 190km from Mumbai, the party is trying to strategically spread its wings in the city known as state hub of the automobile and information technology industry. The region has special significance for the BJP, as it registered a resounding victory in this Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) stronghold. The BJP made inroads into this town, wresting the Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad civic bodies from the NCP, which had been in power for more than a decade.

The NCP and Shiv Sena  which shares power with BJP at state and Centre  plan to hold protests at the executive meet venue, targeting the BJP for its failure to act on promises it made during the polls.
The Maharashtra food and drug administration (FDA) caused the government a loss of more than Rs32 lakh by not using a plot that the state is paying for, revealed an internal report. Top FDA officials said that after the report was filed, they found that the plot was being used as a godown to store tobacco and other contraband items.

Top FDA officials said the department is struggling to complete testing food samples and needs a laboratory urgently. Despite this, the Pune plot that the organisation was given 22 months ago remains unused owing to the FDAs carelessness.

The state government has been paying rent for the plot since December 1, 2014. The plot was slated to be converted into a food-testing laboratory. However, the laboratory has not been constructed and no workers have been recruited yet. The issue has been pending for discussion since February 16, 2016, said Harish Baijal, IPS officer and joint commissioner, vigilance.

The issue is a part of a September 2016 report, which contains details of 36 matters that are yet to be resolved by top FDA officials. HT has a copy of this report. Currently, the state has two food-testing laboratories in Mumbai and Nagpur and is looking to set up one more at Pune to reduce its workload.

The report states that the plot, situated on the ground floor of Canteen Building, is owned by Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Ltd, which provides public transport to Pune and the Pune Metropolitan Region.

RPY Rao, from society for civil rights awareness obtained the documents in response to a right to information (RTI) query. He said the FDAs lackadaisical approach has cost the government a lot of money and has endangered peoples lives. Until we have more laboratories, we wont be able to test food samples on time. This will lead to a delay in adulterated food being pulled off the shelves, said Rao. He has demanded a state-level inquiry into the issue.

We plan to set up the lab at another location. We have invested into the plot and construction is ongoing, said an official.

Though the issue is so grave, the department is wasting time and money by investing in a second plot, said Rao.

A notification released on June 29, 2015, states that Rs32 crore was allotted to build new food-testing laboratories in the state. Of this amount, Rs8 crore has been spent, said officials from the states food and civil supply department. Of the remaining funds, Rs2.16 crore has been allotted to procure equipment and Rs 9.88 crore has been allotted to buy furniture, said an official.
A senior trainer and his student were killed after their aircraft crashed into a river near Gondia in eastern Maharashtra during a training session on Wednesday. Officials said the reason for the crash is yet to be ascertained. They have ordered an inquiry.

Police said Rajan Gupta and his student Shivani were flying a training aircraft of the Gondia-based National Flying Training Institute, when they crashed into the Wainganga river near Mahalgaon. Officials from the institute said the aircraft took off at 9.30 am and lost contact with the air traffic controller within an hour.

Locals later found the wreckage of the aircraft near the river. Sources also said the aircraft broke into three and oil spills were visible in the water body. Senior police officials accompanied a team from the institute and doctors to the spot. Both bodies were recovered from the plane.

An aircraft belonging to the institute had crashed near Chhindwada in Madhya Pradesh a few years ago.

The Gondia airstrip, situated at Birsi, was built by the British government during World War II. It was later handed over to the Airport Authority of India. The National Flying Training Institute was set up in 2009 as an initiative of the then Union minister for aviation, Praful Patel.
Need an incentive to visit Mumbai? Hotels, restaurants, malls and airlines will offer you whopping discounts during a 17-day Mumbai Mela organised by the Maharashtra government. The mela  a shopping festival along the lines of the Dubai Festival  will be the first such event organised on a grand scale in Mumbai, said officials.

The festival will be held between December 21 and January 6, 2018, as most people go on vacation during this period and should opt to visit Mumbai, said state tourism minister Jaykumar Rawal.

Theres plenty for Mumbaiites too. The festival will feature food stalls, handicraft exhibitions and cultural shows across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, said Rawal.

Previous attempt unsuccessful The states attempt to organise a similar festival in 2000 was unsuccessful. The then deputy chief minister Chhagan Bhujbal was head of the tourism department at the time. The state government announced the festival, but subsequent plans failed to take off, said sources.

The state tourism department has started preparing for the Mumbai Mela Shopping Festival, which will be on par with international standards. People visiting Mumbai will get world-class facilities at discounted rates. Foreigners and Mumbaiites will have a good time during the festival, Rawal told HT.

Rawal said the government has sought the help of private cabs, bus services, hotel and restaurant industries and airlines to make the event a success.

Railway minister Suresh Prabhu has also agreed to support the state, said the tourism minister.

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Amidst the controversy surrounding the actual weight loss of Egyptian national Eman Ahmed, Dr Muffazal Lakdawala, who is treating her, said truth shall eventually prevail.

Eman weighed around 500 kg when she was brought to Saifee Hospital in Mumbai for treatment in February.

Dr Lakdawala, in a veiled reference to the claim made by Emans sister Shaimaa Selim, tweeted:

Truth shall eventually prevail . It's like the sun u try and cover it as much as u want it will shine thru & burn your hands in the process pic.twitter.com/6HbwvX0Sgr  Dr Muffi Lakdawala (@DrMuffi) April 25, 2017

Shaima alleged that the doctors treating Eman have made false claims about her actual weight loss and complete recovery in a video released recently.

Dr Lakdawala also confirmed that Emans current weight is 171 kg and not 200 kg as per the claims made by her sister.

Dr Lakdawala also tweeted:

Shaimaa Selim u killed humanity with 1 swell blow may only God help u when u realise what u have done I will continue 2 treat & pray 4 Eman https://t.co/uoe5TSrvZU  Dr Muffi Lakdawala (@DrMuffi) April 24, 2017

Meanwhile, the hospital authorities released the CT scan report of Eman this evening. Her CT scan procedure was pending for long as the scan machine can take the maximum weight up to 204 kg.

Eman today finally fit into a CT scan machine, for the much awaited scan of her brain. No imaging has ever been done before either in Egypt or in India as her size did not allow her to fit onto the table and the gantry of the CT table, mentioned an official communication released.

It further said the CT report suggests an old vascular insult in the left middle cerebral artery (MCA) territory of her brain. There is no appreciable area of fresh infarct or intracranial haemorrhage as reported by Dr Rajiv Mehta, chief consultant and head of Department of Imaging Sciences at Saifee Hospital.

Dr Arun Shah, head of department of neurology at Saifee and Reliance Hospitals and Emans neurologist said, This CT scan proves that no fresh stroke has happened after her arrival at Saifee Hospital. The cause of her repeated seizures is due to scar epilepsy.

In terms of further management medications and neurological rehabilitation therapy will need to be continued as before, the communication stated.

Earlier, addressing a press conference at Saifee Hospital in the afternoon, Dr Aparna Bhaskar, who is part of the team of specialists treating Eman, said her sister is criticising doctors because her family doesnt want to get Eman discharged and wanted to extend her stay at the hospital in south Mumbai.

I believe that Emans family does not want to take responsibility of her further treatment. And they probably do not want to take her back for a long time. I do not think they have confidence that Eman will get good care in Egypt. Obviously, the treatment here is good. By hook or by crook, they (family) want to keep her here, she said.

Eman has been treated by Dr Lakdawala and a team of around 15 doctors from various disciplines since she was brought here from Alexandria on February 11 this year.

Dr Lakdawala had said on April 11 that Eman has so far lost 262 kgs during treatment.

Stung by Shaimaas claims, Dr Bhaskar announced that she was withdrawing from the team treating the Egyptian.

When asked about Shaimaas claims that Eman was not fully recovered, Dr Bhaskar said, I am her doctor and I am saying it on record that she is 75% better than what she was.

She will never be able to walk because she has deformed legs. Otherwise, her kidney and liver parameters are fine. Her heart beats are fine, Dr Bhaskar said.

Saifee Hospital Chief Operating Officer Huzaifa Shehabi said: There must be some over-expectations (by Emans family). There is a language and culture barrier while communicating with Emans family. Her health is good and the decision to discharge her in a period less than six months was unanimously taken by the team of doctors treating her.

If we can perform her CT scan it means her weight is less than 204 kg. It also means that her sisters claim that Emans current weight is more than 200 kg is misleading, the COO said.

According to sources, the doctors had told Emans family that they would let them know about the future course of treatment after getting her CT scan report.

However, it is not known whether they had specified the exact date for Emans discharge from the hospital.

In March, Eman underwent her first bariatric surgery in which doctors reduced her stomach size by two-third. Her genetic tests show she has a rare gene mutation that cannot be cured through surgery.
The spat between the sister of 36-year-old Eman Ahmed and doctors at Mumbais Saifee Hospital seems to have turned uglier, with the Egyptians doctors saying they would no longer attend to her.

What are they fighting over? We break it down for you:

Emans health

What doctors say: Eman spoke four sentences in Arabic  for the first time in years  after a speech therapy session on Tuesday. The CT scan report proves she has not suffered a stroke since arriving at Saifee Hospital.

What her sister says: Eman has been critical for one-and-half months and she has been put on massive medication to stop her brain activity. Her face and hand are bluish.

The amount of weight Eman has lost

What doctors say: Eman has lost 333kg since she arrived in Mumbai on February 15 for treatment.

What her sister says: I dont think she has lost more than 60 kg.

If Eman is fit enough to take a flight back home

What doctors say: Emans condition has improved by 70% compared to her health before treatment. She is medically fit to take a flight back home. She needs rehabilitation and her medications need to be continued, which can be done at home, said Dr Aparna Govil Bhasker.

What her sister says: Eman is very sick. She suffered thrombosis 10 days ago. Its the second time that has happened after she got here. She is being fed through a feeding tube, owing to which shes not able to talk

Getting a second opinion

What doctors say: Emans sister Shaimaa Selim refused to take prior permissions before she called the doctor. To get a second opinion, there is an application form, which Selim refused to sign. So, we didnt allow the doctor from Egypt to examine her, said Dr Bhasker.

What her sister says: A doctor who had travelled from Egypt to examine Eman was not allowed to see her.
Three men in a car allegedly abducted a class 7 student of a private school located under Kavi Nagar police station area on Wednesday morning. Her family said the girl was on her way to school three men in a car pulled her in and drove away.

The girl, aged around 13 years, attends a school in Mahendra Enclave, the police said. Her father operates a gym in Govindpuram and he has told the police that he had no enmity with anyone and did not have any suspects to name.

She had left for school around 7.30am. A car was spotted in a lane near her school. One of my acquaintances saw my daughter being dragged into the car before it sped away. He told me that there were probably three persons in the car and one of them had long hair, the girls father said.

The man also noted down the registration number but it was later found to be fake. My daughter just cleared her exams and got promoted to the next class. We have filed a police complaint and also informed the police emergency number. Senior police officers visited the spot and also flashed the information on the wireless network, the father said.

He denied having any enmity with anyone and said he has not received any ransom call till Wednesday evening. The girl is the eldest of two children  she has a brother who studies in class 2.

We have flashed the message to nearby areas and two teams are working on the case. The girl had no mobile phone with her and was picked up from a lane opposite the school. We have lodged a case of abduction on the complaint forwarded by her family, said Hemant Rai, station house officer, Kavi Nagar police station.

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The Noida authority on Wednesday directed Unnati Fortune Group to address homebuyers issues in its Sector 119 project, The Aranya, as soon as possible.

The authority direction came in a meeting of homebuyers, the developer and authority officials at Indira Gandhi Kala Kendra in Sector 6. The authoritys additional chief executive officer (ACEO) Shishir Singh, officer on special duty (OSD) Santosh Kumar and planning department officials were present in the meeting.

The authority started an initiative from April 12 under which it calls homebuyers and developers to address homebuyers issues in various projects. On Wednesday, the authority called Unnati Fortune Group that has proposed to build 2,300 housing units with 2BHK, 3BHK and 4BHK apartments. The 13-tower housing project is proposed along the Faridabad-Noida-Ghaziabad (FNG) Expressway.

Homebuyers alleged that the builder failed to deliver flats on time and did not properly address their issues related to amenities.

I had booked a flat in Aranya in 2012 with a promise of delivery within three years. But even after a delay of two years, the builder is yet to finish the project. I also demand that the authority examine the funds collected from homebuyers and the construction quality of this project, said Sunil Kumar, a homebuyer.

Homebuyers alleged that the developer kept increasing the floor area ratio from time to time, thereby delaying the project.

We have asked the authority to ensure that the builder doesnt take us for a ride anymore and fulfills the promises made in the meeting. If it doesnt fulfill them, we will intensify our protests, said Rajiv Kumar, another buyer.

The ACEO directed the authority staff to conduct a site inspection to check the construction quality of the project and examine its funds.

Our staff will ensure that homebuyers issues are resolved soon, said ACEO Singh.

The Unnati Group said they will deliver the project within six months.

Our project was a little delayed because of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) ban on construction in 2015. But we will deliver 1,300 flats in six months and the remaining flats too will be delivered very soon. Civil work on our project is completed and we will soon do the finishing work to offering possession to homebuyers, said Anil Mithas, chairman and managing director, Unnati Group.

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The Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority (YEIDA) has, in principle, agreed to fund an obstacle limitation survey (OLS) of the airport site.

In the OLS, the authority will list details of overhead electricity lines, religious sites, minarets, big old trees, highrise buildings, ponds, rivers and wildlife habitat pertaining to the site for the proposed airport.

YEIDA officials on Tuesday evening received a letter from the department director of Uttar Pradesh civil aviation, Devendra Swarup, asking the authority to provide funds for OLS.

We have, in principle, agreed to pay Rs1.25 crore for OLS, which will be conducted by experts. We will complete the formalities for this survey. It is an important exercise for setting up the airport, a YEIDA official said.

Besides conducting an OLS, a team from the Uttar Pradesh civil aviation department will also meet YEIDA chief executive officer (CEO) Arun Vir Singh to discuss issues pertaining to the airports location, land and hurdles in the way of the project.

There are clear directions from the UP government to expedite the work on the airport project. Once OLS is done and other clearances obtained, we will begin acquiring land. We have already earmarked 5,000 acres for the project, Singh said.

In 2001, the then UP chief minister and current Union home minister Rajnath Singh had proposed a Greenfield Taj International Airport and Aviation Hub (TIAH) in Jewar. However, the project failed to take off in 16 years due to changes in governments at the Centre and the state.

Chief minister Yogi Adityanath on April 7 directed officials to expedite work on the project. The chief minister has instructed all officials concerned to coordinate with the civil aviation ministry to get necessary approvals so that the project can be completed at the earliest, a YEIDA official.

Officials said that it is likely that the project will be executed this time as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is in power at the Centre and the state. Officials said that an airport will help in economic growth.

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The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) recently met in Lucknow on the issue of triple talaq. With the case coming up in the Supreme Court on May 11, the meeting was historic for many reasons.

Let me give you the good news first. The AIMPLB issued a few directives: The big one was on the boycott of those who misuse triple talaq. Others included strengthening of its womens cell and helpline, using social media to educate people on the Sharia and declaring nikah halala anti-Sharia. Now the not-so-good one: The AIMPLB said triple talaq via WhatsApp is valid. Triple talaq, whether it is via phone or WhatsApp is unfair: Recently, a national level netball player Shumayala Javeds husband gave her triple talaq over the phone in Amroha, Uttar Pradesh, after she gave birth to a girl child.

The AIMPLB meeting was held at Darul Uloom Nadwatul Ulama with its president Maulana Rabe Nadwi in the chair. On triple talaq, this meeting of self-appointed custodians of Sharia --- AIMPLB --- made a few important pronouncements, which were overdue. I had made my pitch to them in 2000 for internal reform of the organisation, fearing the State could intervene at a later date if changes are not made. But photos showed only men seated in the college boardroom. There was a small womens wing but mostly invisible. It seems their only purpose was to gather the two crore, 17 lakh women who favour triple talaq.

As an aside, the institutions Arabic name --- Darul Uloom Nadwatul Ulema --- means City of Scholars, Centre of Learning. I like to understand Arabic formulations, and not allow language to beat me down. When I do that I find it simple. This has been my practice in reading and imbibing the Koran. I have learnt this from the liberal and enlightened men and women in my family who by every standard were exemplary in their profession and practice of Islam. They told me: Understand the revealed word of Allah according to your own light. Intermediaries are not needed in a region like Islam which does not have an organised church, a pope or an archbishop. But that pristine strength of Islam, we Muslims abandoned soon after the prophet and the four khalifas. So I have no use for those who claim exclusive prerogative to speak for Islam.

On the directives issued by AIMPLB, I have concerns. While in the right direction, there is no clarity on the implication of boycott of men who misuse triple talaq. Will their relatives and neighbours ostracise them? Since there is no provision of excommunication in Islam, will the darul qazas (Islamic courts), which have no status or power, be in a position to sentence them? This is a song without an end, words without substance. On the more ludicrous side is the directive that triple talaq will be valid on Whatsapp if the woman has seen it.

Are matters of life and death such as marriage and divorce to be reduced to connectivity on the net and virtual blue ticks on the smart phone?

Need I say more except quote Allama Iqbal?

Tumhari Tehzeeb apne khanjar se aap khudkushi karegi (Your civilisation will commit suicide with your own dagger)

Syeda Hameed is founder, Muslim Womens Forum

The views expressed are personal
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday alleged that a vehicle carrying the body of a CRPF soldier, who was killed in Maoist ambush in Chhattisgarh, was stopped to allow smooth passage to the chief ministers cavalcade.

BJP leader and Union minister Ram Kripal Yadav said the body of constable Naresh Yadav was being taken to Darbhanga on Tuesday night when the vehicle was stopped near gate no. 2 of Patna airport to give passage to chief minister Nitish Kumars cavalcade. This is height of insensitivity, he said.

Naresh Yadav and five other CRPF men from Bihar were among 25 soldiers killed in one of the deadliest ambushes by Maoists in Sukma area of Chhattisgarh on Monday.

Neither the chief minister, who was attending a programme nearby, nor his cabinet colleagues were present when the bodies of bravehearts arrived at the airport, Ram Kripal Yadav said.

I was at the airport since 5.30 pm, while the bodies arrived much later. I could see only Shyam Rajak, MLA, from the ruling Janata Dal (United) there. Five bodies, that arrived later, were being taken to the native places of slain soldiers on different trucks when one of the vehicles was stopped, he added.

The CM was returning after attending a function of Bihar State Road Development Corporation, held near the airport.

Even the chief secretary, director-general of police, home secretary and the cabinet secretary were not present, the Union minister added.

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad promptly came to the defence of his ally Nitish Kumar. May be, he was not aware that the vehicle carrying the body of the CRPF jawan was being made to wait, Prasad said.

RJD spokesman Manoj Jha said the vehicle might have been stopped due to some bureaucratic slip-up or lack of communication.

A senior CRPF officer said the force had sent a request to the state government to make arrangements for state honours to martyrs at the airport. West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee had gone to the native place of one of the martyrs at Nadia, the officer said.

Patna senior superintendent of police Manu Maharaaj said he had ordered an inquiry into the alleged stoppage of the procession carrying the body of CRPF jawan.

The report has not confirmed the incident, he added.

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In a suspected case of political murder, an Akali sarpanch has been beaten to death allegedly by a group of Congress workers in Cheath Kalan village of Attari assembly constituency in Amritsar district, police said on Wednesday.

Victim Gurpinder Singh

An FIR has been registered against four persons, Chattiwind SHO, Amarjit Singh said. According to police, the victim, Gurpinder Singh Laali engaged in a verbal duel with the suspects last evening which later turned into a scuffle. Laali fainted during the clash and was rushed to a hospital where he died, Singh said. Efforts are on to trace the suspects, he said.

Meanwhile, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal condemned the killing of the Akali sarpanch. He said in a statement issued in Chandigarh that the death of Laali was the result of the vendetta unleashed by the Congress-led state government on Akali workers.

If the local police had swung into action, a young life could have been saved, he said.

He added that the party would help the victims of such vendetta by taking up their cases in court.
Members of the Pearl City Mohali Residents Welfare Association held a protest outside the Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA) office on Tuesday, demanding protection of the interests of genuine allottees of plots in Sectors 100 and 104 in Pearls City.

Association president Kulbir Singh Sidhu said, It is unfortunate that GMADA, which is the liaison agency, is not paying attention to our requests. We want GMADA to take over both the sectors, so that our money can be saved. Allottees are facing undue harassment, mental agony and financial loss in the process.

GMADA additional chief administrator Sukhjeet Pal Singh assured the protesters of taking up their matter with the Punjab government in hope of sorting it out.

Association secretary Jaspal Singh said, We request the government to instruct GMADA to play an arbitrator between the Lodha Committee and the genuine allottees to realise the pending payments, registration and handing over of plots. We also want GMADA to take over the sectors as per the policy and undertake the pending development.

Pearls City is a project of Pearls Agrotech Corporation Limited (PACL), under the mega housing project of 2006. It had run into rough weather after the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) booked its chairman-cum-managing director, Nirmal Singh Bhangoo, in a 45,000 crore Ponzi scam in January 2016.

Currently, the sectors have been attached by the Lodha Committee that is in the process of auctioning them.

Around 160 families reside in both the sectors where people have invested around 600 crore. Yet, the sectors do not have a sewerage system, internal roads and streetlights.

Day after protest in Patiala, Pearls group investors booked, 200 held

Patiala: A day after protest at the Gian Sagar Medical College, the police arrested more than 200 investors of the Pearls Agrotech Corporation Limited (PACL) for trespassing, obstructing traffic and beating security men on the college premises on Monday evening. Those arrested have been sent to judicial custody.

The investors were duped in the 45,000-crore scam by Pearl Agrotech Corporation Limited (PACL), whose founder Nirmal Singh Bhangoo set up the college. They were threatening to not let the college be taken over by any third party.

The college, which has been shut for the past three months due to non-payment of debt of over 100 crore, was recently taken over by BJP leader Swaran Salaria from the Bhangoo family.

Meanwhile, after the day-long protest, the police forcibly evacuated the college premises and arrested the protesters.

A case under several sections, including 283 (danger or obstruction in public way), 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public function), 452 (rioting and unlawful assembly), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty) and 323 (punishment for causing injuries voluntarily) was registered against the protesters.

The investors claimed that the Supreme Court had ordered the Central Bureau of India (CBI) to attach all properties of the PACL and transfer them to the justice RM Lodha-led committee so that it could liquidate them and pay back lakhs of innocent investors.

Mandeep Singh, general secretary of the Insaaf Di Awaaz organisation (a body representing duped investors from the region), said they would continue their protest in the coming days and would not allow anyone to take over the college.

We have invested whatever we had and now the authorities are taking away our democratic right to register protest against the defaulters, who have duped people of thousand crores of rupees, he said.
Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Wednesday ordered a crackdown on private medical and dental colleges engaged in the business of making money at the cost of future of students, warning them to either perform or close shop.

The CM issued these orders at a review meeting of the departments of medical education and health here to discuss the problems faced by the medical institutions in the state, including the controversy-ridden Gian Sagar Medical College in Banur and Chintpurni Medical College in Pathankot. Amarinder warned that private medical and dental colleges found violating admission norms and not delivering quality education would be shut down.

Consult Dr Trehan of Medanta, give PIMS to reputed medical group

The CM asked the vice-chancellor of Baba Farid University of Health Sciences to prepare a blueprint in consultation with the medical education department to improve the functioning of medical colleges. He also asked department officials to explore upgrade of facilities in the state with eminent surgeon Dr Naresh Trehan, who runs Medanta Medicity in Gurugram.

The problem of Punjab Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) in Jalandhar was also taken up, and the CM suggested that it be handed over to some reputed medical group like Medanta, after following proper procedure, in order to optimally utilise its potential.

Amid complaints of lack of funds faced by most government medical colleges, the CM asked chief secretary Karan Avtar Singh to ensure that central funds reserved for medical education are made available to these colleges for infrastructure upgrade and other measures to enhance education quality. He also asked the chief secretary to look into the medical education departments complaint that it was not receiving state funding.

Prominent among those who attended the meeting were health minister Brahm Mohindra and chief secretary Karan Avtar Singh.
With chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh ordering a close watch on private medical colleges running in the state, the functioning of the Punjab Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), Jalandhar, has also come under the scanner. The CM has suggested handing over the institute to a group such as Medanta.

PIMS, having a prime property with a market value of over Rs 2,500 crore, remained in controversies ever since it was handed over to the concessionaire  PIMS Charitable Society  in January 2010 by the Parkash Singh Badal government on a 99-year lease with former Akali minister Surjit Singh Rakhra being its chairman.

Punjab Institute of Medical Sciences, Jalandhar (Photo: PIMS website)

Sources said the CM was apprised how Rakhra-led the society running PIMS conspicuously withdrew itself from the institute without following procedures and from allowed Fortis Group to take over the project.

The CM suggested that the institution, with its world-class infrastructure, be handed over to some reputed medical group like Medanta, after following proper procedure, in order to optimally utilise its potential, read an official press release issued here on Wednesday. The CM also asked the authorities to identify alternatives, other than fee hike, to recover recurring costs.

He asked department officials to explore upgrade of medical facilities in the state with eminent surgeon Dr Naresh Trehan, who runs Medanta: The Medicity in Gurugram.

When contacted, health minister Brahm Mohindra confirmed that the functioning of PIMS was discussed at length at a meeting, especially the way the Rakhra-led society handed it over to Fortis.

Societies running PIMS are not giving us exact information. Initially, one society was running the institute and later they signed an MoU with Fortis. The society is a defaulter and Fortis is not coming at the forefront to admit that it was running the institute, said the health minister.

After the institute was handed over to the Rakhra-led society, it remained in the news for lack of funds and no irregular payment to the staff.

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Facing an uncertain future, 1,500 students of the controversial Gian Sagar Medical College, Banur, have something to cheer at last, as Baba Farid University of Health Sciences (BFUHS), Faridkot, will conduct special exams for them.

At a review meeting with health minister Brahm Mohindra, chief secretary Karan Avtar Singh, BFUHS vice-chancellor Dr Raj Bahadur, secretary, medical education and research Vikas Partap, on Wednesday, chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh ordered to conduct special exams for the affected students to cover their academic loss.

The CM also directed the state health minister to initiate steps for issuance of a show-cause notice to Chintpurni Medical College, Pathankot, where classes are not being conducted regularly, and which has been asked by the Medical Council of India (MCI) to stop admissions for two sessions.

Earlier, a press release issued by the CM office  and reported by HT on this page  said the CM had ordered shifting of students of both these colleges; but a revised release said students cannot be shifted at this stage in light of the show-cause notice as well as court cases.

The departments decision on shifting of college students is likely to be announced by Monday after the expiry of show-cause notice already served to the Gian Sagar college management.

Also, expressing concern over the fate of the students of the crisis-hit Gian Sagar Medical College and Chintpurni college, Amarinder also ordered the department of medical education to take all possible steps to secure the future of the students of these colleges.

Earlier, the department officials briefed the CM about the pathetic state of affairs in both these colleges, saying that inspections by the department had indicated violations of several MCI norms. The meeting was informed that BFUHS has already initiated proceedings for the de-affiliation of the Gian Sagar Medical College and the department of medical education for its de-recognition.

Taking note of the ongoing court case regarding Gian Sagar Medical College, Amarinder said that since the case could take time to be resolved, it was necessary to find ways and means of compensating the students for the loss of time incurred in the process. He asked the department to find ways and means to ensure that students do not lose a year and to work out possible solutions for compensating the loss.

In the case of Chintpurni college, the CM stressed the need to facilitate the completion of the studies of students through special measures to enable them to appear for exams at a suitable time.

Meanwhile, the meeting between medical education secretary Vikas Partap, college staff, trustees and parents remained inconclusive as a new trustee, Varinder Kumar, could not present relevant documents of the change of guard in college management and failed to give timeframe of clearing the financial liabilities. The meeting was called on the directions of the Punjab and Haryana high court.
Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Tuesday recommended thirdparty technical and financial audit of all municipal works over Rs 10 crore, undertaken in the past three years. The CM wants a reputed firm to carry out the audit to find lapses in these projects.

The CM took the decision in a meeting with local bodies minister Navjot Singh Sidhu and senior officials of the department.

The government will get the proposed audit done by one of the well-known firms, such as PricewaterhouseCoopers, Deloitte, Ernst & Young, McKinzie or KPMG, and it will be completed within 30 days, said an official spokesperson, adding the work will be awarded in the first week of May. It was also decided to undertake concurrent third party audit of all major municipal works in future.

KEY SERVICES TO GET COMPUTERISED

The department has also decided to go in for e-governance, in a phased manner, across all key services being offered by it. In all 67 services & management functions will be computerised for municipal corporations, councils and nagar panchayats, 22 improvement trusts and 21 related to administrative functions and complaints and grievances in urban local bodies.

The CM also directed to fill at least 50% sanctioned municipal cadre posts in all 16 AMRUT (Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation) towns. Sidhu suggested to review Rs 495-crore BRTS project in Amritsar, scheduled to be fully operational by August 2017.
Punjab government told Panjab University (PU) that it would hike the grant given to the varsity this year but will not be giving arrears of previous years.

PU vice-chancellor Prof Arun Kumar Grover and registrar Col GS Chadha (retired) held a meeting with Punjab finance minister Manpreet Badal on Tuesday night, informing him about the financial crisis faced by university. Finance secretary of Punjab was also present in the meeting.

It was a positive meeting. We have been assured that there will be a hike this year. As of now, the Punjab government pays a fixed grant of 20 crore to PU. The rate of hike has not been decided yet though. They are waiting for the result of Wednesday meeting of PU with MHRD and UGC, said the V-C.

On the lines of enhancement of grant from Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD), PU is seeking increment at the rate of 12.5% from the Punjab government.

The university has represented before Punjab government that took the actual budget allocation of 20 crore in 2013-14 as base and enhanced it at 12.5% annually from there onwards. However, Punjab is expected to give enhancement in the grant at the same rate of hike by MHRD/UGC.

With the creation of separate universities in the neighbouring states of Himachal Pradesh and Haryana, the respective state governments withdrew the affiliation of their colleges from PU as well as their contributions towards maintaining the varsitys deficit. As the consequence of withdrawal of support, the consultative committee of the Centre fixed the ratio of 60:40 between the Centre and Punjab government for funding the deficit of PU.

In the financial year 2000-2001, the Punjab government restricted its share to a rounded figure of 16 crore, instead of 19.26 crore at 40% of then deficit, irrespective of the actual deficit thereafter. Such contribution has been slightly revised by Punjab government from time-to-time and its present limit is 20 crore, but it only constitutes about 10% of the current deficit.

The UGC too froze the funding at 176 crore in 2014-15 and thereafter.
Renowned economist Jean Dreze on Wednesday said the Aadhaar information leak on a Jharkhand governments website a few days ago was no temporary glitch, but the result of prolonged negligence on the part of the authorities concerned.

It was a blatant case of negligence, not a temporary glitch, said the economist, who is credited with conceptualising the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act and working with Nobel laureate Amartya Sen on several developmental projects.

Jharkhand was the first state to witness a series of such Aadhaar information leaks on government websites across India this week. It was also the gravest, considering that it made personal banking details and Aadhaar-related information of over 1.4 million pensioners available on the public domain website for days.

Though the Jharkhand government claimed that the Aadhaar numbers and bank account numbers of government pensioners were displayed on the directorate of social securitys website for less than a week, Drezes associate Dheeraj Kumar  a right-to-food activist in Jharkhand  had found UID details of pensioners on the same virtual platform in the last week of March.

Economist Jean Dreze pointed out that the aggrieved pensioners were not even given the right to lodge a complaint against the breach. (Vipin Kumar/HT File Photo)

I came across Aadhaar numbers and account numbers of pensioners during the course of my work last month. Back then, I did not realise this was an actual violation of the law, Kumar said.

The state government has been denying the leak ever since it was fixed. Officials even told vernacular dailies on Tuesday that reports about the leak were false.

We got to know about it this week. Our programmers are working on it, and the issue should be addressed very soon, social welfare department secretary MS Bhatia had told HT on the day of the leak. The website was blocked within minutes.

Days after the Jharkhand breach, similar leaks were found on a public distribution system website in Chandigarh, the scholarship database in Uttar Pradesh, a pensioners dashboard in Kerala, and a Swacch Bharat Mission website maintained by the ministry of water and sanitation.

These breaches came at a time when the Supreme Court is hearing a set of petitions challenging a controversial government decision to make it mandatory for citizens to seed Permanent Account Numbers with Aadhaar numbers for filing income tax returns.

It reveals that personal information is vulnerable to such leaks on government websites  making card-holders bank accounts, welfare scheme benefits and personal whereabouts accessible to potential offenders, said Dreze.

The economist also pointed out that the aggrieved pensioners were not even given the right to lodge a complaint against the breach. The rules are all lopsided. While the UIDAI has all the powers, the card-holder cannot even lodge a complaint, he said.

Both Jharkhand and the central government have been pushing citizens to register themselves with Aadhaar. The state government recently mandated that welfare scheme benefits be accorded only to those with UID numbers.

But this might only be the tip of the iceberg. As fingerprints can also be duplicated, they cannot be an individuals sole proof of identity, said Dreze.

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The ongoing immunization drive against Japanese Encephalitis has stumbled upon a major roadblock in Muslim inhabited localities of Jharkhands coal belt Dhanbad and Bokaro districts.

Superstitious mobs have taken immunization workers hostage and also thrashed them for forcibly administering medicines to children to suppress their fertility and check the Muslim population.

Justifying the manhandling incidents, a section of Muslim leaders in the two districts have gone on to allege that the health workers were executing a ploy by the BJP governments in the Centre as well as in the state to make Muslim children impotent and infertile.

The attacks have left health workers, mostly auxiliary midwives (ANM) and sahiya (rural health workers) panicky as majority of them have decided not to visit Muslim localities until they are provided security.

The attacks on ANM and sahiyas were first reported from Chilamgaddha and Tilaiyajara villages in Jaridih block of Bokaro district last weekend. Sahiyas were held hostage for hours for immunizing Muslim school kids without seeking their parents consent.

The agitated parents left off the ANMs and sahiyas after intervention of the higher authorities.

Last week in Wasseypur, a Muslim-dominated area in Dhanbad district, irate residents assaulted health workers for administrating vaccine to kids in Pandarpala high school.

The government is conspiring to make Muslim children impotent through the vaccine, said Md Idris, an agitated guardian.

Another guardian, refusing to be identified, said, The government may not consider us fools.... but we are alert and aware of their nefarious designs towards Muslims.

Immunization against Japanese Encephalitis is being carried out in nine districts of Jharkhand including Jamshedpur ( East Singhbhum), Dhanbad , Bokaro, Chatra, Garhwa, Hazaribagh, Latehar, Ramgarh and Seraikela. The campaign began on April 11, and children from one year to 15 years were administered the vaccine.

Health department has targeted schools to achieve the targets.

Japanese Encephalitis is a serious infection which spreads through mosquito bite causing fever, headache and other diseases.

Dhanbad civil surgeon Dr Chandrambika Srivastava admitted that confusion among a particularly community over immunization has emerged as a major hurdle to achieve the target.

Awareness is the only way out to spell the myth. We are sending or staffs to Muslim localities to educate the people on the benefits of immunization and remove plaguing confusion from their minds, she said.

Educated Muslims and social activists too conceded that the community elders and few illiterate and ignorant populaces are skeptical about the Japanese Encephalitis immunization drive.

Zubair Alam, vice president of the Coalfield Muslim Yatim Khana, said, The BJP is in power both at the Centre and state. Muslims do not trust the intentions of the BJP towards the community. Since kids in schools are being vaccinated without consent of guardians rumors are making round that such drive is being done to check Muslim population.

He said that unlike in the past, when the government advertised a lot before launching polio and Mission Indradhanush, the Japanese Encephalitis vaccination drive was launched silently and hence the rumours.

Dr Praveen Chandra, director in-chief (health) of the Jharkhand government, said officials of all district health departments have been directed to involve intellectual and religious leaders of the region to win the guardians confidence and removing the plaguing misconceptions from their minds.

During the last round of polio immunization, similar problems had surfaced in Garhwa and other districts. Intellectual and religious leaders were roped in dispel the myths among Muslims.

He said Japanese Encephalitis was a fatal disease and only 20 % survive despite treatment. Hence, immunization is essential.

Muslim Welfare Committee president Anwar Ali Khan said that if there is some kind of confusion in society about a health programme, the government should spread awareness and clarify things instead of rushing with its programmes to achieve targets.
With unprecedented craze surrounding the release of Baahubali 2, its going to very difficult to get yourself a ticket if youre planning to watch the film on the first day. Fans in Hyderabad have queued up in front of Prasads Multiplex from as early as 6 am on Wednesday to buy tickets for the highly anticipated second part in Baahubali franchise. A video featuring long queue outside Prasads theatre in Hyderabad has gone viral and its just the tip of the iceberg with respect to Baahubali mania.

Scheduled to release in around 9000 screens worldwide on Friday, Baahubali 2 will have the biggest release ever for an Indian film. In India, it will open in 6500 screens and will simultaneously release in Hindi, Telugu, Tamil and Malayalam. Considering its wide release, trade pundits believe the film is expected to take an earth-shattering opening on the first day. Some believe it could be the first Indian film to breach the Rs 1000 crore club. Baahubali 2 is the third Indian film to release in IMAX format and as well in other large screen format. In USA, it is releasing in around 40 IMAX screens and the number is expected to go up as we inch closer to the release date.

In North America, even before its release, Baahubali 2 has already minted $2 million and counting from pre-sales with most of it coming from pre-booking for Thursday premieres.

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The producer of the blockbuster film Baahubali: The Conclusion has accused Emirates of rude and racist behaviour.

Shobu Yarlagadda, 46, took to Twitter last night where he described how the staff of the Dubai-based air carrier mistreated the team when they were on their way to Hyderabad after promoting the film in Dubai.

Flying to Hyd on @emirates EK526. Airline staff at gate B4 were very rude n harassed our team unnecessarily! Bad attitude n service!  Shobu Yarlagadda (@Shobu_) April 25, 2017

.@emirates I think one of the @emirates staff was being racist.. I fly @emirates regularly n this is 1st time I have come across this kind of attitude  Shobu Yarlagadda (@Shobu_) April 25, 2017

Flying to Hyderabad on @emirates EK526. Airline staff at gate B4 were very rude and harassed our team unnecessarily! Bad attitude and service!

I think one of the @emirates staff was being racist... I fly @emirates regularly and this is the first time I have come across this kind of attitude, wrote Shobu.

Shobu was accompanying director S S Rajamouli and actors Prabhas, Rana Dagubatti and Anushka Shetty for the promotion.

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Dhanush is currently basking in the success of his directorial debut Pa Paandi. In his latest interview to Times of India, the reticent star has opened up about his directorial stint, his plans of making a sequel to Power Paandi and Hollywood debut. Talking about his long time desire to direct, Dhanush said: I have wanted to direct for quite some time, but I wanted to be ready and know what I am doing. I wanted to know the basics. I made 17 short films to try and understand the craft by making mistakes. But this doesnt mean that I am ready now... I still feel I am not ready yet, but sometimes, you just need to have blind faith and take the plunge. I think I just did that.

Asked if he has a sequel in mind, he said, I would be lying if I said no. I have an idea for Pa Pandi 2, but I dont know when it will happen, or if it will happen at all. Right now, I am just enjoying this phase. He also went on to add that he has already received offers to direct a Hindi as well two Tamil projects.

Talking about his maiden Hollywood project, Dhanush said they commence shooting next month in Mumbai. We will begin shooting for the film from May 14 in Mumbai. We will also be heading to Brussels, Rome, Paris and other parts of Europe for the shoot. I am not allowed to speak anything about it. But since everyone knows that it is based on the best-selling novel, people must have an idea on what the film will be all about. The reason I am doing this film is that I want to understand more about cinema, filmmaking and how things work there. The process has already begun and I am very excited about it.

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There was a time when Cannes was famous for its bikini-clad women. And the annual 12-day movie festival there every May saw not just bikinis on its sunny sea-front, but also topless women who provided the oomph outside the auditoriums - a kind of sensationalism that gave them a chance to adorn the covers and pages of glamour magazines. As time went by, something sexier came along with topless women, svelte and seductive, playing volley-ball on the sand. One had wondered then which was a greater attraction at Cannes, the films or the females.

But in what appears like an unbelievable U-turn, Cannes, which was one of the 30 French resorts that banned burkinis last summer, is all set to see women donning full-body swimsuits. And what better time can there be than the festival -- when the small city on the picture postcard French Riviera wakes up to croissant and coffee, followed by a day at the cinemas or the fashion boulevards or the beach.

The ban was overturned on August 26 by a French court, and the French-Algerian businessman, Rachid Nekkaz (who had earlier spear-headed a campaign against the proscription), told the media the other day that no event could be better than the Cannes Film Festival to celebrate this victory guaranteeing freedom to bathe in burkinis on the French beaches.

The French Riviera city, once the playground for playboys and the racing track for the rich and the fun-place for the famous, was the first to pass an order against the burkini. The Mayor of Cannes, David Lisnard, said after a terror attack at Nice on July 14 (Bastille Day), just a 30-minute drive from his city, that the ban was essentially to address security concerns. He also added that Euro 38 would be fined on those found sporting a burkini.

But the Council of State ruled emotion and concerns prompted by terror attacks in France, and in particular those in Nice, could not justify in law the contested prohibition measure.

17-year-old Brigitte Bardot was the first person to introduce bikini and it happened at the Cannes festival in 1953. pic.twitter.com/cFkRT4xiMJ  cammy (@neverenoughskq) August 31, 2014

It is this victory that Nekkaz will be toasting with a campaign headlined, Lets All Wear Burkinis On The Beaches During The Cannes Film Festival. Nekkazs crusade will end on May 26, the final Friday of the cinema event.

Nekkaz was born to Algerian parents. He is a self-made millionaire, and is often described as a maverick militant. But his nickname is even more catchy, Zorro of the Niqab. He pooh-poohs all this calling himself a secular Muslim.

But for one like this writer who has made Cannes his annual pilgrimage point for 27 years, the change on the beach may seem as scandalous as the skimpy that Cannes was notoriously known for. And this alluring image was propagated and propelled by not just the ordinary folks on the beach, but also the celebrities. One of them was Simone Silva, a French star, who during the 1954 Festival manufactured a photo opportunity that turned into a shameful scandal. She ran up to the Hollywood actor, Robert Mitchum - who was posing for pictures - and threw herself into his arms, making sure her flimsy top slipped off her shoulders. The man was all confused and perhaps even embarrassed with his wife next to him. But Mitchum, all chivalry, pulled Simone close to his chest trying to cover the little dignity of hers that still remained!

The incident was clearly a harbinger of things to come at Cannes, and in the 1980s and the 1990s, the beach transformed itself into a no-holds-barred studio of sorts with dozens of aspiring models and actors dropping their dresses to seduce shutterbugs to shoot them into stardom.

However, this May, Cannes will be all coy and covered with Mr Zorro supervising a new kind of style. Cannes runs from May 17 to 28.

(Gautaman Bhaskaran will cover the upcoming 70th edition of the Cannes Film Festival.)

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US President Donald Trumps daughter Ivanka arrived in Berlin on Tuesday to attend an international summit to discuss women entrepreneurship, alongside German Chancellor Angela Merkel and was booed and hissed at by the crowd.

On her first international trip as an official representative of the US, the first daughter was put on the spot about her fathers attitude towards women, Politico reported.

She was booed and hissed at by the crowd, and grilled by the moderator about what, exactly, her role is in President Donald Trumps administration.

Ivanka Trump was participating in a panel discussion on womens empowerment and entrepreneurship at the W-20, a summit of G-20 countries aimed at promoting womens workforce participation and equality.

She was one of eight participants, including Merkel, Queen Maxima of the Netherlands and International Monetary Fund director Christine Lagarde.

The event opened with Ivanka explaining her role in the White House.

You are first daughter -- German audience not familiar -- what is your role -- to whom are you represented? Your father, the American people, or your business, asked Miriam Meckel, editor of German business magazine Wirtschaftswoche.

Well, certainly not the latter, and I am rather unfamiliar with this role as well, as it is quite new to me, replied Ivanka, a top adviser to her father.

It has been a little under 100 days, but it is just been a remarkable, an incredible journey.

So its very early for me. Im listening, Im learning, Im defining the ways in which I think Ill be able to have impact, she added.

The audience interrupted Ivanka with hissing and boos during a discussion on paid leave when she began describing her father as an advocate for women.

That is something Im very proud of my fathers advocacy, long before he came into the presidency, he championed this in the primaries. Hes been a tremendous champion of supporting families and enabling them to thrive, Ivanka said before the crowd began reacting negatively.

Trump has been criticised over his attitude to women, especially after a tape of him making obscene remarks was released during the presidential campaign last year.

But Ivanka said that although she had heard the criticism from the media and that has been perpetuated, she did not recognise her father in the description and nor would the thousands of women he had employed over the years.

He encouraged me and enabled me to thrive. I grew up in a house where there were no barriers to what I could accomplish, she added.

Ivanka also credited her fathers administration for hiring women in important roles.

The team basically going through the vetting and hiring process -- six out of eight of those people are women, she said.

Merkel had personally invited Ivanka on her first international trip since her father assumed office to discuss business, foreign policy and other issues of importance between the US and Germany.
China on Wednesday launched its first domestically built aircraft carrier in the northeastern port city of Dalian against the backdrop of maritime disputes in the South China Sea and unease in New Delhi over Beijings increasing naval prowess.

The Peoples Liberation Army Navy began building the 70,000-tonne aircraft carrier in November 2013 and it is Chinas second carrier. The first to be inducted was the Liaoning, a refurbished Soviet Union-made vessel commissioned in 2012.

The unnamed Type 001A vessel, decorated with red flags and ribbons, was transferred from a dry dock into the water after a ribbon was cut and a champagne bottle was broken on its bow as steam whistles from nearby ships went off.

Video: Watch China's second aircraft carrier hit the water pic.twitter.com/EaLLAp7iIq  People's Daily,China (@PDChina) April 26, 2017

Gen Fan Changlong, vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission that is headed by President Xi Jinping, joined the launch ceremony.

Fans presence, state media said, indicated the significance Chinese leaders attach to the colossal ship because only the most important equipment for the PLA would have top-level officers at the public debut ceremony.

Nearby ships blow their horns to salute China's newly-launched aircraft carrier at Dalian Port Wed morning pic.twitter.com/aCUuvINbmz  People's Daily,China (@PDChina) April 26, 2017

Construction of the new carrier began in November 2013 and experts believe it is likely to enter service around 2020, after several years of sea trials and testing of weapons and other systems.

The main body of the carrier has been completed, with equipment of major systems including propulsion and electricity installed, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

In the next phase, the carrier will start the outfitting process, state-controlled China Daily quoted a military statement as saying. During the outfitting stage, engineers and workers will complete the installation of the ships power plant, engines, interior equipment and systems as well as weapons.

Type 001A, China's second aircraft carrier, is seen during its launch ceremony at Dalian shipyard in northeast China's Liaoning Province on April 26, 2017. It is the first domestically designed and built aircraft carrier, state media said, as China seeks to transform its navy into a force capable of projecting power on the high seas. (AFP)

In Beijing, Ma Xiaoguang, a Chinese mainland spokesperson with the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, said: (The move) will help to strengthen our capability to safeguard national sovereignty, territorial integrity, as well as major and core interests.

Military expert Wang Xiaoxuan wrote for the China Daily: A domestically built aircraft carrier indeed marks a very important step for China toward boosting its naval combat capability and helping safeguard its national interests across the oceans. Aircraft carriers are an important, and in these times a necessary, component of a countrys navy.

Wang added, Chinas military budget is only 1.28% of its GDP, of which only 10% is spent on the navy, which is low compared with that of the US, Russia and India. China is developing aircraft carriers for defence purposes; it has no intention of challenging other countries.

Wangs arguments might take some convincing.

Earlier this year, Chinas aircraft carrier group led by the Liaoning and comprising several destroyers and J-15 carrier-based combats jets and helicopters, sailed through Bohai Sea, Yellow Sea, East China Sea and South China Sea, maritime regions where Beijing is involved in disputes.

The formation also passed through the Miyakato, Bashi and Taiwan straits, according to the Chinese navy.

The launch of the aircraft carrier and Chinas efforts to ramp up the capabilities of its navy will be closely watched by India, which is currently building its first home-grown carrier, the Vikrant.

The Vikrant is much smaller at 40,000 tonnes, meaning it will be able to carry fewer jets and helicopters. Work in it began at the Cochin Shipyard in 2009 and the carrier was launched from dry dock in 2011 but it is unlikely to be completed before 2023, about three years after the Chinese vessel.

India currently has only one active aircraft carrier, INS Vikramaditya, which was purchased second hand from Russia and refurbished

Beside China, six countries operate a total of 16 aircraft carriers. The US is the largest operator as it now runs 10 Nimitz-class nuclear-powered carriers with each having a full-load displacement of about 100,000 tons, state media reported.
Iraqi pro-government forces announced Wednesday their recapture of the UNESCO-listed ancient city of Hatra from the Islamic State jihadist group.

Hashed al-Shaabi (Popular Mobilisation) forces liberated the ancient city of Hatra... after fierce clashes with the enemy, said the Shiite-dominated paramilitary group.

Hatra, which lies in the desert southwest of Iraqs second city Mosul, includes a UNESCO world heritage site.

IS destroyed priceless objects in Hatra and at other archaeological sites after seizing swathes of Iraq and Syria in a lightening 2014 offensive.

The full extent of the harm to Hatra remains unclear.

Hatra, known as Al-Hadhr in Arabic, was established in the 3rd or 2nd century BC and became a religious and trading centre under the Parthian empire.

Its imposing fortifications helped it withstand sieges by the forces of two Roman emperors.

Hatra finally succumbed to Ardashir I, founder of the Sassanid dynasty but the city remained well-preserved over the centuries that followed.

The Hashed al-Shaabi launched a three-pronged offensive Tuesday to retake the nearby modern town of Hatra, the statement said.

Iraqi pro-government forces backed by a US-led international coalition have been fighting since October to oust IS from Mosul, its last major urban bastion in Iraq.

The Hashed al-Shaabi is an umbrella group for militias that mobilised to fight IS and were later integrated into Iraqs official defence apparatus.
Pakistan army has contacted Indian army officials to inform them about the movement of census workers near the Line of Control (LoC).

The second phase of countrywide census started on April 25 and would continue for a month.

During this phase, the population in districts near the LoC in Kashmir is also being enumerated.

In a statement, the Pakistan army said that the Indian army has been approached to inform about the movement of civil and military enumerators to civil populated areas lying close to the LOC.

The step is aimed at ensuring safety and security of civil and military personnel in the wake of unprovoked targeting and persistent ceasefire violations by the Indian Army, it said.

The first phase of census started on March 15 and was completed on April 15. More than 118,000 civilian enumerators accompanied by 175,000 army personnel are undertaking the exercise to record the number of houses and total population.
Pakistan is seeking to reboot ties with the United States, end the stalemate of last few years and remove ambiguities, the countrys visiting finance minister Ishaq Dar has said ahead of his meeting with a senior member of the Trump administration.

Dar, a key aide of Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, told The Wall Street Journal in an interview that he would also ask the help of common friend, the United States, to settle the dispute with India over Kashmir, in yet another attempt to seek third-party mediation long rejected by New Delhi.

There seems to be a little bit of a stalemate in the last couple of years, the minister told the Journal before an upcoming meeting with national security adviser Lt Gen HR McMaster here in DC. We need to remove any ambiguities that we have between each other as friends.

US-Pakistan relations have been in a downward spiral in recent years starting roughly around May 2011, when al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden was found hiding in a residential neighbourhood just miles from an elite military school in Abbottabad, Pakistan.

Ties have since been hit by one crisis after another, leading to steady erosion of public support for Pakistan and its continued failure to act decisively against terrorists operating from its soil, specially the Haqqani Network robbed it off whatever equity it had left with American officials and lawmakers.

In 2016, Republican and Democratic lawmakers came together to kill an Obama administration move to sell Pakistan eight F-16 fighter jets, citing Islamabads patchy record on counterterrorism, and calling the one-time ally duplicitous and a frenemy.

The Trump administration has been under pressure to adopt a tough line with Pakistan, and McMaster said during a recent visit to the region that Islamabad needs to go after terrorist groups less selectively than they have in the past.

On Kashmir, the minister, who comes as an emissary of Sharif, plans to seek US help as his country has for a long time now, despite Washington stating time and again it wants India and Pakistan to resolve the problem bilaterally.

We expect the US as a common friend to facilitate, to encourage the issue is resolved amicably, in accordance with UN resolutions ASAP, Dar told the Journal.

Islamabad probably wants to test the new administration, specially after recent remarks by US ambassador to the UN Nikki Haleys that the administration would like to get involved which was not held up by the state department.
A Sikh police officer in Canada had been denied a promotion into the senior ranks because of his race and cultural background, a media report said.

Staff sergeant Baljiwan Sandhu, a decorated officer with 28 years of service on the Peel police force, had sought a promotion to inspector in 2013, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation reported.

The Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario said that not only he had been denied a promotion but that Peel Regional Police did not consider the portion of work in diversity relations as real police work.

The applicants race, ancestry, place of origin, and/or ethnic origin were factors in his failure to be recommended for promotion in February 2013, and as such I find that the applicant has been subject to discrimination because of race, in violation of the Ontario Human Rights Code, tribunal adjudicator Bruce Best was quoted as saying in the report.

My client was harassed since he was a cadet in 1989 -- including an alleged incident in which fellow officers asked whether anyone ordered a cab when they saw Sandhu. It was the fact that his superiors did not value the work they had assigned him that prompted the complaint in 2013, said Barry Swadron, his lawyer.

Sandhu emigrated to Canada from India in 1981.

The tribunal found that the officers cultural and linguistic background resulted in his superiors routinely seconding him for assignments involving the South Asian community.

The superiors in his particular case said that the work he did in diversity where he was an absolute star didnt really count because it wasnt real police work, Swadron said.

To think that the brass of the Peel Regional Police Service take the position that diversity or officers who are not white are to be undervalued, it was too much to swallow, Swadron said.

Among the 33 officers who applied for promotion to inspector in 2013, only Sandhu and another applicant failed to get the backing of their immediate supervisors, the report said.

Sandhu, meanwhile, excelled in his work with the South Asian community, earning 21 awards, including the Queens Diamond Jubilee Medal.

One South Asian newspaper in 2011 selected him as one of the three most influential South Asians in law enforcement in the country, along with Harjit Sajjan, who has since become Canadas Minister of Defence, the ruling reads.

Peel police chief Jennifer Evans did not respond to the questions about the ruling. Instead, she issued a video statement on Tuesday in which she said that such ambassador roles are critical to the success of Peel police.

Its important to note that since 2013, Peel Regional Police have introduced changes to our promotional process, she said in the video. The enhancements ensure all officers are recognised for the area they work in, be they front line or support services.
Hundreds gathered at a Shia Muslim shrine south of Damascus on Wednesday to mourn the victims of a suicide bombing during a landmark evacuation earlier this month, AFPs correspondent said.

At least 150 people, including 72 children, were killed on April 15 in an explosion targeting evacuees from Fuaa and Kafraya, two Shia-majority villages in northwestern Syria.

Dozens of the dead were to be buried on Wednesday near the Sayyida Zeinab mausoleum, Syrias most visited Shia pilgrimage site, one of the funeral organisers told AFP.

Today, there will be funeral services for 52 of the dead, after they were identified. They will be buried in a cemetery near the shrine, the organiser said.

Civilians and fighters from Fuaa and Kafraya began gathering at the mosque from Wednesday morning to take part in the funeral procession.

Theres no worse feeling than this, than burying your sister without being able to see her, said 19-year-old Abdelsalam Remman, his voice breaking.

He was carrying a poster of his six-year-old sister Tuqa, who was killed in the attack after being evacuated with their mother, who was only wounded.

Our heart melted until we identified her among those of the dead several days later, said Remman.

The suicide car bombing in Rashidin, west of Syrias second city Aleppo, was one of the most gruesome attacks of the six-year war.

It hit a convoy of evacuees from Fuaa and Kafraya, who had been bussed out of their besieged government-held villages as part of an evacuation deal that also included two rebel-controlled towns surrounded by the regime.

The attacker appeared to lure children to his vehicle with bags of crisps, according to witnesses, and dozens of unidentified bodies remain at Aleppos government hospital.

Security was tight at Sayyida Zeinab on Wednesday, with Syrian army soldiers and allied forces carefully searching every person entering the shrines perimeter, AFPs correspondent said.

Inside the courtyard, which was covered in a red carpet, dozens of women in black stood in one corner of the shrine, tearfully repeating the names of their fallen relatives.

Young men were calling out religious chants as the coffins, draped in Syrian government flags, were carried in under the watchful eyes of Syrian police officers and unarmed security forces.

Mourners carried red and black posters bearing photographs of the attack, including wreckage of the bus carrying evacuees and plumes of smoke.

Victory blooms from your blood, read one poster.

Sayyida Zeinab has been hit by several deadly bombings since the start of Syrias war in 2011, including twin bombings in March that killed 74 people.
A Thai man filmed himself killing his 11-month-old daughter in two video clips posted on Facebook before committing suicide, police said on Tuesday.

People could access the videos of the childs murder on her fathers Facebook page for roughly 24 hours, until they were taken down around 5pm in Bangkok (1000 GMT) on Tuesday, or about a day after being uploaded.

Read | Thai woman says father, not Facebook, to blame for killing baby and broadcasting live

This is an appalling incident and our hearts go out to the family of the victim, a Singapore-based Facebook spokesperson said in an email to Reuters. There is absolutely no place for content of this kind on Facebook and it has now been removed.

Murders, suicides and sexual assault have plagued Facebook despite making up a small percentage of videos. On Tuesday a Swedish court jailed three men for the rape of a woman that was broadcast live on Facebook.

Last week, Facebook said it was reviewing how it monitored violent footage and other objectionable material after a posting of the fatal shooting of a man in Cleveland, Ohio was visible for two hours before being taken down.

The harrowing footage from Thailand showed Wuttisan Wongtalay tying a rope to his daughter Natalies neck before dropping the child, dressed in a bright pink dress, from the rooftop of a deserted building in the seaside town of Phuket.

Jiranuch Trirat stands next to a picture of her daughter at a temple in Phuket, Thailand. (Reuters Photo)

Wuttisans suicide was not broadcast but his lifeless body was found beside his daughter, said Jullaus Suvannin, the police officer in charge of the case.

He was having paranoia about his wife leaving him and not loving him, Jullaus told Reuters.

Wuttisans wife, Jiranuch Triratana, told Reuters she had lived with him for over a year. At first the relationship had gone well, she said, but then he grew violent and sometimes hit her 5-year-old son from a previous husband.

She feared that something was wrong on Tuesday when she found he had left home with Natalie, whose nickname was Beta. She set out to look for them.

I was afraid he would hurt our daughter even though he loved her, she told Reuters by phone from the funeral.

Video removed

Thailands Ministry of Digital Economy said it contacted Facebook on Tuesday afternoon about removing the videos, after receiving a police request.

We contacted Facebook today and Facebook removed the videos, ministry spokesperson Somsak Khaosuwan told Reuters, adding that the government would take no action against the company.

We will not be able to press charges against Facebook, because Facebook is the service provider and they acted according to their protocol when we sent our request. They cooperated very well.

After the company faced a backlash for showing the video of the Cleveland killing, chief executive officer Mark Zuckerberg said Facebook would do all it could to prevent such content in the future.

Thai netizens voiced outrage about the clips of the childs killing, which were uploaded on Monday, the first at 4.50pm (0950 GMT) and the second at 4.57pm (0957 GMT).

This is the most evil clip Ive seen in my life, said one user, Avada Teeraponkoon. I couldnt stand it for more than one second.

How can he watch his own child stop breathing? said another, Rujirek Polglang. He should have just died alone.

The killing was the first in Thailand known to be broadcast on the social networking site, said deputy police spokesman Kissana Phathanacharoen.

It could be influenced by behaviour from abroad, most recently in Cleveland, Kissana told Reuters.

The first video had drawn 112,000 views by mid-afternoon on Tuesday, while the second video showed 258,000 views.

Facebook response

Facebook, the worlds largest social network, has not said how long its review of internal operations might take. The California company declined to answer questions about the latest incident or make employees available for interviews.

The company relies largely on reports from its 1.9 billion users to find objectionable material. Flagged items are forwarded to thousands of Facebook workers who judge whether they should be taken down.

Facebook has said it is working on software to automatically flag videos that are objectionable. But a person who has worked on the issues at Facebook said that major Silicon Valley companies were still working on the much easier problem of blocking previously identified child pornography videos. Identifying violence in a newly uploaded video would be very difficult, this person said.

Advertisers have not identified the violent videos as a major concern. Facebook is still a safe place for companies to build brands, said Barry Lowenthal, president of the Media Kitchen, a New York-based media buyer.

Its pretty amazing that they were able to figure it out and get it down in such a short period of time with 2 billion users, he said.
The wife of a Thai man who hanged their 11-month-old daughter on Facebook Live said Wednesday her husband is the only person to blame, and she bears no anger toward the social media site or the users who shared the horrific video.

The harrowing footage on Facebook Live showed 20-year-old Wuttisan Wongtalay tying a rope to his daughters neck before dropping the child from the rooftop of a deserted building in Phuket. He then kills himself. It was broadcast Monday evening and made inaccessible by Facebook late Tuesday afternoon.

I am not angry at Facebook or blaming them on this, Chiranut Trairat, 21, told The Associated Press. I understand that people shared the video because they were outraged and saddened by what happened.

Jiranuch Trirat holds up the body of her 11-month-old daughter. (Dailynews via Reuters Photo)

She said her husband had been abusive in the past and spent two years in prison before they started dating.

Facebook has been seeking ways to block videos as quickly as possible after a series of gruesome images, including murder and sexual assault, were broadcast or posted.

Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg said last week that his company has a lot of work to do on the problem.

The murder in Phuket came less than two weeks after a man in Cleveland, Ohio, posted on Facebook footage of himself shooting a man to death.

In Thailand, the potential for problems with Facebook Live became an issue last May when local media used the platform to broadcast live video of a university lecturer who was locked in a six-hour standoff with police who were seeking him in the shooting deaths of two colleagues. After negotiations for his surrender failed, he fatally shot himself, a moment that was shown live.

Facebook reaction

Facebook, the worlds largest social network, has not said how long its review of internal operations might take. The California company declined to answer questions about the latest incident or make employees available for interviews.

The company relies largely on reports from its 1.9 billion users to find objectionable material. Flagged items are forwarded to thousands of Facebook workers who judge whether they should be taken down.

Facebook has said it is working on software to automatically flag videos that are objectionable. But a person who has worked on the issues at Facebook said that major Silicon Valley companies were still working on the much easier problem of blocking previously identified child pornography videos. Identifying violence in a newly uploaded video would be very difficult, this person said.s
Turkey on Wednesday detained over 1,000 suspects in a massive new crackdown on alleged supporters of US-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, a week after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan won a referendum on ramping up his powers.

A total of 1,009 suspects have so far been detained in raids in 72 provinces across the country, Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu was quoted as saying by the official Anadolu news agency.

Gulen is blamed by the Turkish authorities for masterminding the July failed military coup that aimed to oust Erdogan from power but he denies the charges.

Some 8,500 police officers were involved in the nationwide operation, Anadolu reported, adding that arrest warrants had been issued for 390 suspects in Istanbul alone.

Indicating that the numbers detained were set to rise, Soylu said the raids were continuing.

It is an important step for the Turkish Republic, he added.

The raids come shortly after Erdogan won a key referendum on April 16 that approved consitutional changes expanding his powers, in a tighter-than-expected result.

The Yes camp won 51.41 percent of the vote but opponents claim the result would have been reversed in a fair poll.

Turkey accuses the Hizmet (Service) movement Gulen leads of being a terror organisation although the group insists it is a peaceful organisation promoting moderate Islam.

The government has repeatedly asked the United States to extradite Gulen, who has been living in exile there since 1999.

Some 47,000 people have already been arrested in Turkey under a nine month state of emergency in place since the coup bid, a crackdown whose magnitude has raised alarm in the West.

The Turkish parliament just ahead of the referendum extended the state of emergency by another three months to July 19.
Turkeys state-run news agency says police have launched simultaneous operations across the country, detaining hundreds of people with suspected links to US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen.

Anadolu Agency says as many as 803 people were detained in raids conducted in all of Turkeys 81 provinces early on Wednesday. The suspects are allegedly Gulen operatives who directed followers within the police force.

Some 8,500 police officers participated in the operation, Anadolu said.

The detentions are part of a widespread crackdown in the wake of last summers failed coup attempt, which Turkey says was orchestrated by Gulens movement. More than 47,000 people have been arrested since the coup, Turkeys interior minister has said, including some 10,700 police officers and 7,400 military personnel.

Gulen has denied orchestrating the coup.
An unarmed Minuteman 3 intercontinental ballistic missile has been launched from a US Air Force Base in California on a flight to a target in the Pacific Ocean.

The missile lifted off at 12:03am Wednesday from Vandenberg Air Force Base, 130 miles northwest of Los Angeles.

An Air Force statement said the mission was part of a program to test the effectiveness, readiness, and accuracy of the weapon system.

The 30th Space Wing commander, Col. John Moss, said Minuteman launches are essential to verify the status of the US nuclear force and to demonstrate the national nuclear capabilities.

In a Minuteman test, a so-called re-entry vehicle travels more than 4,000 miles downrange to a target at Kwajalein Atoll near the Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands.

Team V is once again ready to work with Air Force Global Strike Command to successfully launch another Minuteman III missile, Moss said. These Minuteman launches are essential to verify the status of our national nuclear force and to demonstrate our national nuclear capabilities. We are proud of our long history in partnering with the men and women of the 576th Flight Test Squadron to execute these missions for the nation.

The 576th Flight Test Squadron will be responsible for installed tracking, telemetry, and command destruct systems on the missile.
The US Navy says a guided-missile destroyer fired a flare toward an Iranian Revolutionary Guard vessel in a tense encounter in the Persian Gulf.

Lt Ian McConnaughey of the Bahrain-based 5th Fleet says the incident happened on Monday.

He says the Iranian boat came within 1,000 meters (yards) of the USS Mahan.

The lieutenant says the Mahan made several attempts to contact the Iranian vessel by bridge-to-bridge radio, issuing warning messages and twice sounding the internationally recognised danger signal of five short blasts with the ships whistle, as well as deploying a flare to determine the Iranian vessels intentions.

The Iranian vessel later sailed away.

Iranian authorities did not immediately report the incident today.

The US Navy and Iran routinely have tense encounters in the waters of the Persian Gulf.
Former U.S. President Barack Obama re-emerges in public after leaving the White House three months ago. The former head of the most powerful country delivered a speech in a certain gathering and he also avoided giving snide remarks about the current administration.

As some were hoping that Barack Obama will give comments that would possibly incite a clash between him and Donald Trump, which did not happen. The people were left disappointed somehow as the former president chose to talk about what can help the country most especially on the lessons he learned when he was young.

Donald Trump's predecessor, Obama attended a 90-minute forum hosted by the University of Chicago as per CNN. Obama imparted important lessons he acquired being a young community organizer in Chicago years back. With this, he also pledged to help form the next generation of leaders but he failed to mention anything about Trump's administration.

This was Barack Obama's highly anticipated public appearance which just happened days before the 100-day mark of the administration of Donald Trump. Even if Obama is avoiding ways that might trigger a clash between him and the current administration, still adviser of the former president was claiming that this is far from the mind of the former commander-in-chief.

When he spoke before an audience last Monday, Barack Obama mentioned that he has little interest in his latest appearance and as a spokesperson for the Democratic Party. Moreover, he also declined to comment on the foreign policy and issues on health care.

With this, Barack Obama opted not to comment on anything that has something to do with President Donald Trump. Instead, he shared that the most important thing is to help prepare the next generation as effective leaders and how they could contribute to the world as per New York Times.

Even if Former President Barack Obama did not directly hit President Donald Trump last Monday, sources claimed that if ever given the chance, he would choose to be forthcoming. Further, the last time Obama made comments on some issues these days concerning the country was when he gave his opinion about immigration.

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A new but strange aurora feature has been discovered by a Facebook group "Alberta Aurora Chasers" and the finding has also received approval from European Science Agency. The group of citizen scientists has given it the name "Steve" and the said aurora feature was seen forming a unique purplish/greenish vertical streak instead of the colorful horizontal streaks auroras are known to form.

A bunch of citizen scientist who works under the Facebook group "Alberta Aurora Chasers" have found out an intriguing aurora feature and named it "Steve", Space claimed. What is more interesting is that a researcher at European Science Agency, Eric Donovan, has verified the finding and said that "Steve" was a common occurrence but had been only discovered now, thanks to vigilant citizen scientists.

Notably, the "Alberta Aurora Chasers" had initially referred to the purple streak of light as proton arc. However, some members of the Facebook group got in touch with Eric Donovan after listening to his talk and showed him the images that the group had accessed. Donovan knew that the proton aurora is invisible and therefore, he resorted to Swarm satellite program of ESA that had enough resources on the matter because it had launched three satellites in 2013 to monitor the magnetic field of the earth, CBS News reported.

Upon studying and comparing the data from the satellites and the images captured by the group, Donovan reached the conclusion that Steve was a common phenomenon that was just lying unexplored all this while. This is because when the satellite passed across Steve, the temperature above Earth's surface shot up by 3000C and a broad ribbon of gas, 25 km in width, also started flowing in the west direction at a higher speed.

Another ESA scientist Roger Haagmans has also spoken about Steve and expressed happiness at the vigilantism of the citizen scientists saying that the discovery was a fine example of a society driven by a quest to become more scientific.

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
The U.S. government through the administration of President Donald Trump has been conducting military exercises with countries in Asia like Japan and South Korea. This has been initiated to put an end and halt North Korea's attempts over its nuclear tests programs.

When North Korea made it official that it will run some nuclear tests, some countries in the world were threatened. One of these was United States of America who is now seeking for diplomatic solutions if there will be no effective ways to deal with this as per Washington Post.

At this time, U.S. is reportedly conducting military exercises with Japan and South Korea in order to show a shared commitment to stability and security. Last Tuesday, the U.S. just started its maritime exercises through its USS Wayne E. Meyer with South Korea's Yellow Sea. Meanwhile, aside from this military collaboration, another Navy destroyer named USS Fitzgerald is also doing some drills with a Japanese destroyer this time in the Sea of Japan as per Star Tribune.

It was also reported before that U.S. is pressuring China to influence North Korea's nuclear tests programs. In terms of economics, North Korea has been relying so much to China most especially on its oil supply.

There were reports before that China is planning to stop the supply of oil to North Korea as a way to pressure the country too. However, some economic experts were telling that China needs to reconsider this since they will also be greatly affected if this happens.

Sean Spicer, the White House Secretary just mentioned that U.S. has been initiating on ways to solve this problem diplomatically. This is also the reason why they need to pressure China and some other countries to sue their economic and political tools to attain stabilization in the Asian region.

Due to the reports that U.S. has been conducting military exercises with Japan and South Korea, North Korea just gave a warning that they will also deal with this military aggression through nuclear attacks. U.S is persistent with giving the warning to stop North Korea's strategic aggravations.

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
News, events, history, and other mid-week tidbits.

Tuesday, October 25, 4:30  7 p.m.

Orr Area EMS Open House

Brats and burgers will be served. Event includes a new ambulance tour and blood pressure screenings. For more info: 218-780-3798.

Orr Fire Hall

4540 Lake St., Orr

Tuesday, October 25, 12  6 p.m.

Essentia Health Job Fair

Talent recruiters and department managers will be on-site at Essentia Health-Virginia. Candidates from all backgrounds are encouraged to attendnurses, nursing and clinical assistants, surgery technicians, radiology technicians, respiratory therapists, human resource professionals, and those interested in environmental services or nutrition services. Essentia staff will greet candidates, conduct an initial screening and filter them to appropriate hiring managers for interviews. Select candidates will be verbally offered a position before leaving. Candidates are asked to bring a resume, but its not required. Attire is business casual. For more info: www.essentiacareers.org.

901 9th St. N., Virginia
Africa often feels like tourisms best-kept secret.

Despite being the worlds second largest continent, overflowing with incredible assets including iconic wildlife,

cutting-edge culture and award-winning luxury hotels, Africa has yet to emerge on the international scene as a serious contender. Unbelievably, it represents less than 5% of tourism arrivals and has the second lowest tourism growth of all regions. Equally as troubling is the outsiders tendency to paint Africa with broad, reductive brushstrokes, polarised as either a place of war, famine and disease, or else as the safari country.

We Are Africas vision is to unlock Africa from these tired old tropes, projecting a more modern and dynamic image

outwards and bringing a plethora of new business in. In cooperation with the continents best travel brands, we are dedicated to telling the many stories of Africas diverse countries and people.

Our annual event in Cape Town is the culmination of this vision, giving key international buyers and press the

opportunity to encounter the most extraordinary experiences Africa has to offer alongside a conference, awards ceremony and networking events. Our exclusively African travel marketplace is also the ideal complimentary marketing solution to PURE Life Experiences, which is tailored to private travel designers interested in all seven continents.

For more information please contact Charlotte Stebbings
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Florida bad boy trapper Lil Pump has been throwing shots at J. Cole on social media like its a meme. This week, Jet Ski upped the ante when he previewed a J. Cole diss track online.

The Miami-Dade County emcee spits Nigga Fuck J. Cole repeatedly over a trap beat. You is a bitch ass nigga, you is a ugly ass nigga, he adds while laughing and smoking a blunt. Since Pump started shouting Fuck J. Cole, his obsession with the Dreamvillle front man has gained notoriety.

The underground 16-year-old real ignorant rapper has amassed a decent Soundcloud following and often collaborates with fellow South Florida native SmokePurpp. Though the rappers operate at opposite spectra of the rap game, it isnt clear what sparked Jet Skis dislike for J. Cole.

Check out some more Cole disses.

Lil Pump & J. Cole
Somewhere in Illinois, a chair groaned, then snapped under the weight of Big Quints ample bottom bouncing to the sound of Kendrick Lamars HUMBLE. for the first time.

I broke my chair! Quint cried in disbelief, to the immense joy of his viewers. With half a million views in less than a month, his HUMBLE. reaction is already one of his most popular videos yet.

Quints infectious enthusiasm has earned him 285,000 YouTube subscribers and made him one of the most popular music reviewers on the internet. Unlike most text-based album reviews, or even the video reviews of his YouTube rivals The Needle Drop and Dead End Hip-Hop, his reviews include dancing, eating breaks, and a disclaimer warning all the virgins ears out there of profanity to come.

In a genial, profanity-laced Skype interview with HNHH, Quint spoke in depth on his music-reviewing philosophy and offered a glimpse into the surprisingly normal life of a minor YouTube celebrity.

At what point in your HUMBLE. reaction video did your chair break?

Honest to god, I was just trying to sit down, man. Like I sat down and it just fucking crunched, dude. I dont know what happened. Right then, I had to fucking tape it. I just got this chair a week ago. It fucked me up completely. I had to bring myself back together.

It looks like a gaming chair. Have you replaced it yet?

Nah, I still got the chair as a matter of fact. Im sitting in it now. GT Omega, they actually sent me this chair a minute ago. And this is the chair that broke. You know the base thats got the five little fillers? One of them things broke in three places. So its actually standing on four of the five. Like, its standing up, but if it goes a certain way, it might crack completely off. So Im kinda risking it right now.

What did you listen to growing up that shaped your taste in music?

I was born and raised in Vallejo, California. My dad is from New York and my mom is from Jamaica. And my dad had really heavy reggae love. And he had a broad taste. We were listening to classical one minute, we were listening to opera the next, and then wed listen to some reggae. And then later on in my life, I actually got into hip hop. Middle school on to high school is when I really started fucking with hip hop.

When did you start making videos?

When I started making videos when I was in college, I went to MacMurray College in Illinois. Its like a small, division-III college. I was actually on break, and The Weeknd dropped Thursday. We used to be on Xbox Live, wed be listening to music, and Id be going fucking crazy. My boy was like, Man, I love your reactions, you gotta put this on video. So I said, Shit, fuck it. Might as well. And this shit fucking blew up from there. I said, Since people are loving this so much, I might as well keep doing this shit. And it was history from there.

Do you have a day job?

Yup.

Can you tell me what you do?

I cant disclose that just for the safety of my job.

Can you tell me what what industry you work in?

Lets say that I work with a lot of children.

Your videos get hundreds of thousands of views. Do they provide a substantial supplemental income at all?

Oh yeah! Its pretty good. I cant complain.

One might call you a critic, entertainer, or a comedian. Do you identify with any of these terms?

Yup, all three of them. I try and be myself.

You have a few piano covers on your channel. When did you start playing piano?

Jeez, Ive been playing piano for a while. I used to play around with keys going to church and stuff, me and my mom. But I started really getting into it when I was in college. So I started teaching myself. And I still play today. Its not incredible, but I definitely still play to the best of my abilities

So in college you were like, Im gonna not study right now and go play piano instead.

Actually, yeah. That and video games, honestly. If I didnt feel like playing Call of Duty back in the day, I would go and find a piano. And the cool thing about my college is that they were fucking everywhere, so Id just go in my lobby and play. It was great.

Youre still a pretty serious gamer?

Yeah. Yes I am.

What are you playing these days?

Mass Effect right now, for sure. Im playing that heavy. Im actually trying to finish up Outlast because I want to get into playing like Resident Evil, because I have it and I still havent played it yet. But Im trying to actually have [gaming] as a part of my channel.

Have you ever reviewed an album that pleasantly surprised you?

Actually yeah, there is one. Adrian Marcel. Hes from the Bay Area. He had a really good project that I covered. And I was not expecting it to be that good at all. His manager hit me up, he wanted me to do it for him because hes from my area, so I said okay, fine, why not. It was really good.

I like when that happens. I actually was thinking about doing something along the lines of bringing up a new artist and reacting to them. But its like once you open that floodgate, man, itll be a lot of people, so Im always trying to think of ways to divvy that up and make it fair for everybody. Maybe in the future.

Your enthusiasm is a big part of your appeal. How do you keep fans engaged when youre not feeling the music? I feel like that could be difficult to navigate.

As real as possible, thats all. My focus is to listen to the music first off, and not try to do too much, but be myself as best as possible. Its high energy, what I do, but my energy matches what Im listening to.

Have you ever had a chance to meet any of the artists that you admire and listen to?

Not yet. A lot of them actually follow me on Twitter. But that hasnt happened yet. I havent actually got to be face-to-face with an artist. And I would like for that to happen soon, that would be fucking awesome.

What are your top five albums of all time?

Oh, man. This question, I swear.

Man. Well, theres gotta be something thats close to me growing up. And I listened to a lot of Lauryn Hill. So Miseducation, that would be on there. And this is in no particular order at all. All Eyez on Me, Ready to Die. Theres a compilation album of Bob Marley that my dad and I used to listen to all the time, and I used to love the shit out of it. Legend. I love that album, because it plays close to me.

Im thinking of so many different albums. I got like Wu-Tang, and just oh man. Shit, Ghostface. Supreme Clientele. Oh my god, yo. This question is hard for me, man. Id probably have to put Kanyes College Dropout in my top five, because when I grew up in high school, I used to play that shit religiously. Him, a lot of MF Doom too. I want to put him up there too.

But god dammit. Lets put it this way. My top five: undisclosed. I have no clue. Thats a hard question. I gotta scrap that whole thing.

(At the time of the interview, Kendrick Lamar had not yet put out DAMN.)

What are your predictions for Kendricks album?

I expect an excellent album. With the streak he has right now, its undeniable. He doesnt have a terrible album. He doesnt even have an okay album. And its like, honestly, at this point in time, he can go wherever the hell he wants. If in fact hes gonna talk about anything, its gonna be some current events stuff for sure. On top of that, whatever the fuck he feels like speaking on. Throwing shade at people. A lot of people are talking about this Big Sean situation. He could touch base on that more. Hell, he could say actual names. This whole thing could be a Control album.

We dont know. I dont know. But I need it now. Im hoping for the best. Im hoping he doesnt mess up his streak. I hope to god he does this shit.

I dont think theres any way hell mess it up.

I dont think so either. And I really hope to God he doesnt. I got all the hope for him in the world. Im just hoping its something dope.

(POSTSCRIPT: Quint broke another wheel on his chair while listening to DNA. for the first time.)

Big Quint
XXXTENTACION has announced the upcoming Revenge Tour, featuring Ski Mask The Slump God and Craig Xen. Starting on May 31st, X will embark on a six-stop U.S tour, with stops in Minnesota, Dallas and Worcester reportedly in the works. This is good news for fans of XXXTENTACIONs actual music, as the rapper had been gaining notoriety for his clashes with Drake and Rob $tone. As of late, X has been uncharacteristically quiet on the beef front, and seems to have shifted his priority to making music.

Check out the tour dates here, provided by XXL:

May 31  Houston, Texas  House of Blues Houston

June 7  San Diego, Calif.  Observatory North Park

June 8  Santa Ana, Calif.  The Observatory

June 25  Philadelphia, Pa.  Theatre of Living Arts

June 30  Raleigh, N.C.  The Ritz

July 1  Atlanta, Ga.  Center Stage Theater

More dates will possibly be announced on Friday, as per Xs Twitter.

Revenge Tour
President Donald Trump will open the door to new oil and natural gas drilling in Pacific waters off California with a directive Friday that sets up a certain clash with environmentalists.

Trump will order the Interior Department to review locations for offshore oil and gas exploration and consider selling drilling rights in territory that former President Barack Obama put off limits, according to people briefed on the order who spoke on the condition of anonymity before it is issued. That includes U.S. Pacific waters, as well as Arctic and Atlantic acreage left out of the five-year schedule of lease sales issued by Obama in November.
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Houston doctors are among the highest paid in the United States, but women physicians doing the exact same jobs make an average of $106,000 less per year than men.

That translates to just 71 cents to their white-coated male colleagues' dollar - one of the biggest medical pay gaps in the nation, a national study of physician compensation found.

In a city known to attract some of the brightest medical minds in the country, Houston is tied for the fourth-worst gender disparity for doctors, according to findings released Wednesday by Doximity, a San Francisco-based medical profession social media network. The group analyzed 36,000 full-time physician salaries across 48 medical specialties in 50 major metro areas.

Nationally, women physicians earn on average $91,284 less than men in the same specialty, or a 27 percent lower salary. In Houston, it is $106,000, or 29 percent less.

"The things that surprised us were two things: First, the sheer magnitude of the gender gap. And second, that we weren't able to find a single metro area or specialty where women made more than men," said study lead author Chris Whaley, an adjunct assistant professor at the University of California-Berkeley School of Public Health.

The results were controlled for location, medical specialty, hours worked and when the doctor graduated to reflect experience. Only full-time doctors were surveyed.

More Information By the numbers $373,000 Average pay for male doctors in Houston. $267,000 Average pay for female doctors in Houston. 29% Difference in pay. See More Collapse

Houston doctors pull down an average salary of $345,079 across all specialties, fifth-highest in the nation, the study found.

Charlotte, N.C., had the highest average annual salaries for doctors, both men and women, at $359,455. But it also had the biggest gender pay gap, with women physicians earning on average about $125,000 per year less than men. New Orleans, Charleston, S.C., Bridgeport, Conn., and Louisville, Ky., had the same percentage pay gap as Houston.

"The tables they have are just shocking," Dr. Barbara Stoll, the first woman dean at the McGovern Medical School at UTHealth in Houston, said in response to the study.

An internationally renowned pediatrician, Stoll broke through the glass ceiling at UTHealth in 2015. At the time she said one of the reasons she accepted the position was to be a role model for women entering the medical profession.

While she could not vouch for the study's methodology, she found its results both troubling and disheartening.

"When you march down every subspecialty and there is a gap, we have a problem," she said.

'So disappointing'

Such income gaps often are dismissed because men gravitate to higher paying fields such as neurosurgery or thoracic surgery while women tend toward lesser paying fields such as pediatrics, which was Stoll's specialty. But even in pediatric emergency medicine, the study found a significant pay gap.

"It is exactly the same job whether you are a man or a woman. Why is there a $50,000 difference?" she asked.

Nationally, male pediatric emergency doctors made on average $264,000, the study found, compared with $215,000 for women in the same field.

"Here we are in 2017 in a profession where we are getting the same training, the same education. It's just so disappointing," said Caroline Hussey, 30, a second-year medical student at UTHealth who hopes to one day specialize in oncology. She worked as a researcher at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center before entering medical school.

After reviewing the findings on Tuesday, she voiced dismay.

"I feel like this is something I should've been aware of," she said. "No one ever talks about this in medical school. We need to be talking about it, and not just women. Men need to be aware of this, too."

A 'socialized' society

Texas enrolls almost exactly the same number of men and women in state medical schools, according to a study by the Kaiser Family Foundation. That trend mirrors what is happening across the nation, and in some places the number of women medical students has outpaced the number of men.

Often the public assumes pay gaps do not occur in rarefied professions like medicine.

"Generally you think that when you go up the ladder in education and accomplishment the gender gap should disappear or get smaller. That is not what we found," said Whaley.

In fact, Houston's medical pay gap between genders is substantially worse than the often-repeated statistic of women earning 80 cents to a man's $1 in the nation's workforce, said Vicki Shabo, vice president of the Washington, D.C.-based National Partnership for Women & Families, which studies gender issues.

Still, not all agree that a pay gap exists in this country. Some conservative forces have labeled it a myth, explaining the income disparities as a reflection of choices women make to work fewer hours than men, to seek less demanding fields or to jump out of the work force to raise families. Sometimes, they argue, women simply fail to demand enough money when negotiating a salary.

Shabo acknowledges these can all be factors but said pay disparities in this country cannot be shooed away so easily.

"As much as we have seen some progress in our view of women's roles in the workplace, our public policy and our culture have not caught up," Shabo said.

"It is in our society; we've been socialized to believe men and women have different roles," agreed Dr. Alicia Monroe, provost and senior vice president for academic and faculty affairs at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston.

"I really wish I could say I was surprised, but I'm not," she said of the study.

Need to step up

The Texas Medical Association, one of the nation's largest, said in a statement Tuesday that while it has not studied the issue in depth it believes "all physicians providing the same care for patients in the same settings deserve equal pay."

The medical groups added that one possible explanation could be that in Texas, men have long dominated the profession, and only recently have the number of women across specialties grown.

Stoll said the problem is one of not just pay but also opportunity, with women often shut out of medical leadership roles in academic settings.

Nationally, she said, 15 to 16 percent of women hold department chairs or are deans.

If the culture for women in medicine is to change, it will probably have to come from within, she said, and women are going to need to step up.

"When you are a woman and you are offered one of these roles, you have to think twice before saying no," she said. "If I say no, the next person they choose is most likely not going to be a woman."
A woman found dead inside her northside Houston apartment on Monday has been identified as Kithy Pagett, 34.

Houston police said Pagett was pronounced dead about 1:45 p.m. at the apartment at 13111 Northborough.

She was found by someone who had come over to visit. Pagett's body was in the bedroom. Although Houston police later noted she had a head wound, the cause of death remains under investigation by the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences.

Houston police said a man was seen entering the apartment about noon that day. They described him only as an older Hispanic man with a gray mustache and wearing glasses. He was last seen driving what witnesses said was a "blue boxy Honda," HPD officials said.

Anyone with information about the slaying is asked to contact Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS.
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As Dr. Tom MacGillivray made an initial incision to open up a patient's chest in January, Adele's voice echoed through his new operating room at Houston Methodist Hospital.

The sweetest devotion  hitting me like an explosion.

"Who picks the music?" MacGillivray said, repeating a question from a reporter who'd come to observe his first operation at the hospital. "Not me. I thought we'd be listening to George Strait or something."

He's joking now, but more than a year ago when MacGillivray was still at Harvard University and contemplating whether to take a job interview at Methodist, he'd imagined Houston was a city of cowboy hat-wearing, country music-loving Southerners.

After 19 years on staff at Harvard and Massachusetts General Hospital - having become regarded as one of the nation's top heart surgeons while practicing in his hometown - MacGillivray wasn't interested in moving to Texas. But an old friend, Texas Medical Center President Dr. Bobby Robbins, had called and asked him to at least make a visit.

"And out of respect to him, I said, 'Sure, I'll come take a look at it,' " MacGillivray said. "That's what I was saying. But what I was thinking was, 'There's not a chance I'm going to move to Houston. Why would I leave Mass General?' "

At the end of a two-day visit last year, while waiting to board his return flight to Boston, MacGillivray called his wife: "You know, Les, I could really see myself living here and working here," he remembers telling her. "In fact, I'd really be excited."

For a moment, there was silence on the other end.

And then: "OK. We can talk about it."

Robbins, who in March was tapped to become president of the University of Arizona, had seen it play out again and again as he sought to recruit top physicians to the Medical Center since taking the job in 2012. At first, they're leery. Texas is far away, foreign. They've never been to Houston and have misguided assumptions about life here.

"But once you get them in the door and have them see how fantastic this place is, you can sign the deal," Robbins said, pointing out that, although most recruits are aware Houston has the world's largest medical complex, they don't fully appreciate the scope of clinical research being done here.

Robbins' official job description didn't include recruiting, but he'd become particularly obsessed with luring doctors from elite Ivy League institutions.

So when he learned Methodist was looking to hire a surgeon, Robbins - a cardiac surgeon himself - thought of MacGillivray, a man he's known for years.

After calling to feel him out, Robbins got in touch with Dr. Alan Lumsden, the chair of cardiovascular surgery at Methodist, and told him "one of the best heart surgeons I've ever seen is potentially recruit-able."

Lumsden called a mutual friend, another cardiac physician in Boston, who confirmed that MacGillivray was an expert surgeon. But he told Lumsden not to bother: MacGillivray would never leave New England. Lumsden decided to give it a try anyway.

"He's a big deal," he said of MacGillivray. "Bringing someone like Tom down here will generate interest and give us an avenue into even more recruitment. He's that kind of a talent."

Within a few hours of stepping off the plane at George Bush Intercontinental Airport last year, MacGillivray said he was "blown away."

Methodist had assembled a team of top heart surgeons that seemed to match its legacy as a pioneer in the field. He was particularly impressed with a program Dr. C. Huie Lin set up to treat adults with congenital heart disease, a developing field that MacGillivray specializes in.

More children than ever who were born with congenital heart defects are surviving late into adulthood, thanks in part to surgical techniques developed at Methodist more than 50 years ago by Dr. Denton Cooley and others.

As a result, Methodist is now one of the nation's leaders in treating emerging health problems in those patients, Lin said. In Boston, MacGillivray carved out a niche as one of only a handful of surgeons in the country who specialize in treating heart disease in those patients.

It was a perfect fit, Lin said.

"It's one thing to have someone who is a flawless and a phenomenal technical surgeon, but also to have someone who has the passion and vision to take care of this emerging population is pretty exciting," he said.

After a day with Lin and Lumsden, MacGillivray, 55, realized Methodist was likely the place where he could do the most good.

"The team here is involved in nearly every clinical trial that's pushing the field forward," MacGillivray said. "Boston was my home, and I was very comfortable there and had a thriving practice there. But to me, it seemed like the future was here, and for me, that meant my future was here."

MacGillivray started at Methodist in December. After assisting on several surgeries, the Jan. 3 operation was his first as lead surgeon.

The patient was a man in his 30s who'd survived a high-speed car accident several years earlier. A stent graft inserted in his aorta to improve blood flow following the crash had begun to fail, mimicking a condition that leads to high blood pressure that's common in adult congenital heart disease patients.

As MacGillivray worked to open the man's chest and maneuver past one of his lungs, he noted that he was operating on hallowed ground - in the same operating room where legends of his field had worked. Cooley. Michael DeBakey. E. Stanley Crawford. Jimmy Howell.

"It's kind of like something you think about when you're a kid," MacGillivray said, an Adele track still playing in the background. "You get to work in the place where these men operated. It's a real honor."

That wasn't the only reason he agreed to come here.

Houston, he said, was not at all what he'd imagined. The food. The diversity. The arts. He's embarrassed to admit it now, he said, "but I had that parochial Northeasterner's view of the rest of the country. As I've come to learn, this is an amazingly cosmopolitan, metropolitan city, just like the few other huge cities around the world."
President Donald Trump threatens people a lot. He menaces, he bullies and then he explains his words away.

As a scholar of American political rhetoric, I have paid close attention to Trumps use of words. In particular, Ive focused on something called ad baculum  or threats. Ad baculum is Latin for appeal to the stick. Demagogues typically use threats to prevent their opponents from thinking critically. Threats are useful because they are difficult to question or argue against.

As a presidential candidate, Trump frequently used threats in combination with another rhetorical figure of speech  paralipsis. Paralipsis is Greek for to leave to the side or, more colloquially, Im not saying, Im just saying. This combination allowed Trump to threaten and also not threaten at the same time  a threat with a wink that meant that maybe he didnt mean it and shouldnt be held accountable.

Candidate Trump was certainly menacing, but it was sometimes difficult to judge whether to take his threats either literally or seriously.

Trump has stopped using the wink of paralipsis since he became president. His threats are now more explicit, but just as hard to interpret.

Candidate Trump, a threat with a wink

For an example of candidate Trump using ad baculum threats with the wink of paralipsis, consider the case of his comments during a campaign rally in Louisville, Kentucky, in March 2016. Numerous protesters interrupted Trump. In response, Trump menaced, Get em out of here. He then looked on as members of the crowd forcibly removed protesters.

The protesters have filed a legal complaint against Trump alleging they were assaulted as a result of his speech. They argue, Each time he said 'Get them out, Trump intended for his supporters to use unwanted, harmful physical force to remove protesters.

But did he?

As the crowd began removing the protesters, Trump said: And dont hurt em. If I say 'Go get 'em, I get in trouble with the press, the most dishonest human beings in the world. If I say Dont hurt 'em, then the press says Trump isnt as tough as he used to be, can you believe? So, you cant win with these people.

Trumps lawyers attempted to take advantage of the plausible deniability of the paralipsis, arguing that Mr. Trump explicitly said, Dont hurt them. Thus, even if some causal link could be inferred between Mr. Trumps call to have the protesters removed and the actions of three people in the crowd, Mr. Trumps directive not to harm anyone severed the connection.

Thats the wink that made candidate Trumps words difficult to judge.

A federal judge has ruled that it was plausible that Trump either intended to incite riot or did incite riot at the Louisville rally. The judges ruling means that the case can now go to trial. At issue, presumably, will be whether the rally crowd should have taken Trumps threat seriously.

President Trump, just the threats

As president, Trump still holds rallies, but he seems to have lost much of the joy that he had as a candidate. His language is less ironic, as befits a president, perhaps, but it is also darker and even more menacing.

One thing that President Trump hasnt moved away from is his use of ad baculum, or threats, to silence his opposition.

Consider these examples:

In January 2017, President-Elect Trump threatened Toyota with higher taxes:

In February 2017, President Trump threatened to withhold federal funds from U.C. Berkeley:

In March 2017, President Trump threatened the Republican Party Freedom Caucus with a 2018 election fight:

And, in April 2017, President Trump threatened North Korea:

Now that he has the power to carry out his threats, he uses their coercive power more directly. Theres still some ambiguity about whether hell follow through, but the threats themselves are more directly stated.

Understanding Trump's threats

Its noteworthy when a political leader uses ad baculum threats because they are themselves a form of violence and anti-democratic.

For example, Adolf Hitler used threats of force strategically to silence opposition. He described his technique in Mein Kampf: It was simply stated that we were the masters of the meeting, that consequently we had the authority, and that everyone who would dare to make only so much as one interrupting shout, would mercilessly be thrown out by the same door by which he had come in. That further we had to reject all responsibility for [the safety of] such a fellow.

Trump obviously isnt Hitler, but threats  whether used by totalitarians or by presidents  are always coercion.

Threats are anti-democratic. As philosopher Hannah Arendt notes, they are force, not persuasion: to command rather than persuade, were prepolitical ways to deal with people. Arendt wrote that such threats relied upon uncontested, despotic powers.

As Trump concludes his first 100 days in office, he struggles with public opinion that sees him as either ineffective or as untrustworthy. A recent Washington Post/ABC News poll found that only 41 percent of Americans think that Trump has the right judgment to serve effectively as president. Only 38 percent of Americans think that he has the right personality and temperament, and just 43 percent of Americans think that Trump can be trusted in a crisis.

Not only are Trumps threats coercive and anti-democratic, but, as it turns out, they arent very effective in helping him to get his agenda passed. Perhaps President Trump might find that he can accomplish more in office if he begins to persuade, rather than threaten, his opposition.

Jennifer Mercieca is Associate Professor of Communication and Director of the Aggie Agora at Texas A&M University. This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.





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As a young neurosurgeon, Dr. Dong Kim noticed a pattern in patients who'd suffered brain aneurysms: About one in four would report a family history of the condition, which can lead to sudden bleeding, stroke and death.

"Oh, here we go again," Kim remembers a patient's family member saying. "Another brain aneurysm."

The observation triggered something in him. Maybe it was sympathy or curiosity - or perhaps something more personal. Whatever the reason, Kim became obsessed with the question: Is there a specific genetic trigger causing brain aneurysms, which kill some 12,000 people in the U.S. each year?

After nearly two decades hunting for an answer, it now seems he has one.

Kim, the director of the Memorial Hermann Mischer Neuroscience Institute and chair of neurosurgery at UTHealth's McGovern Medical School, led a team of researchers that found a genetic mutation that seems to cause brain aneurysms. The research team, which included Harvard University scientists, published their findings in December in Stroke, a journal of the American Heart Association.

The implications are significant: With the discovery, researchers can begin searching for other genes connected to aneurysms and someday develop a genetic test to identify and treat patients most at risk, saving lives.

"It's been a long time coming," said Kim, who first received a National Institutes of Health grant 16 years ago to begin studying the question in partnership with a geneticist.

The early years were laborious. Their search for a specific gene was a bit like blindly "digging for gold," Kim said: "You don't know when you're going to hit it." Then, about a decade ago, while working at Harvard, he found what seemed like a big, neon sign saying, "Dig here."

He'd been treating a woman from Maine with a brain aneurysm and soon learned that she was the ninth in her family to have one.

Her daughter suffered an aneurysm at 12 years old. Her mother had died of one. This, he knew, was a rare opportunity.

He set out to collect samples from as many members of the Maine family as possible and search for genetic patterns.

In the end, he and his fellow researchers studied 30 of the woman's relatives, ultimately honing in on a gene known as THSD1. The protein coding gene appeared to be mutated in each of the family members who'd suffered an aneurysm and functioning normally in all of those who hadn't.

The research has taken off from there. In the latest study, the researchers confirmed the finding in an examination of 500 patients, many of whom had a known family history of aneurysms. The result also was replicated in studies of mice and zebrafish. Researchers could actually see blood pooling in the heads of the fish, which have clear skin, soon after manipulating the gene.

"It's truly a fascinating discovery," Kim said, "because prior to this research, hardly anyone knew what this gene did or how it worked."

He's even contemplated testing himself for the genetic mutation. Most of his peers probably don't realize Kim's obsession with aneurysms has been fueled, at least in part, by personal tragedy. His uncle died abruptly of a brain hemorrhage at the age of 34, when Kim was still a child. The same fate awaited three of his four grandparents.

While he's relishing this latest milestone, he knows there's much more work to be done before a treatment can be developed and lives saved. That could take another 15 or 20 years, he suspects.

"God willing," Kim said, "I'm hoping I'm around to see it." 
A child was injured in a Pasadena home after a car was pushed early Wednesday morning into the room he was in.

Around 3:30 a.m., a truck ran into a car parked in the driveway of the home in the 1300 block of Chandler Cove. The truck shoved the parked car through the garage door into another car parked inside of the garage. That car hit the wall of the child's room.
A state appeals court has accelerated its review of a district court judge's ruling that resulted in the dismissal of charges against two Montgomery County elected officials and a political consultant.

Earlier this month, state District Judge Randy Clapp of Wharton County ruled that a section of the Texas Open Meetings Act is unconstitutional because it is vague, overbroad and violates free speech. With his ruling, Clapp, who was acting as visiting judge in Montgomery County, dismissed charges of conspiring to circumvent the act against County Judge Craig Doyal, County Commissioner Charlie Riley and political consultant Marc Davenport.

The indictments stemmed from communications in August 2015 regarding a $280 million road bond to be placed on the November 2015 ballot. Voters overwhelmingly approved the bond package.

"In an accelerated appeal, (the court is) putting everyone on notice, 'Look, we are speeding everything up," said special prosecutor Chris Downey, who had appealed the judge's ruling. "In other words, 'Get cracking now.'"

Houston-based attorney Rusty Hardin, who is representing Doyal, welcomed the decision of the 9th Court of Appeals in Beaumont.

"We are glad they did it because (Doyal) is an elected official, and the sooner they get this over with, the better," Hardin said.

Downey said the state will have about 30 days to file its brief regarding the appeal. The defense then will have the same time frame to file its briefs. After that, Downey expects the court to determine whether it will hear oral arguments in the case.

"I would think in a case like this, the court would want to hear oral arguments," he said.

If the appeals court rules against Clapp, the indictments of the three would be reinstated and the case would go back into trial status, Downey has said. However, if the appeals court upholds Clapp's decision, the issue involving the statute then would go to the Criminal Court of Appeals in Austin, followed by the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans and ultimately could wind up in front of the U.S Supreme Court.

In September 2015, then-state District Court Judge Kelly Case appointed Downey as special prosecutor after District Attorney Brett Ligon recused his office due to several conflicts. Judge Lisa Michalk also recused herself, reportedly citing a conflict based on the fact that her court receives funding from the county and the Commissioners Court oversees the county budget. That opened the door for Administrative Judge Olen Underwood to appoint Clapp.

Justice Charles Kreger of the 9th Court of Appeals in Beaumont also reportedly recused himself from the appeal, as he did for a previous appeal by Davenport that later was dropped. That leaves Justices Steve McKeithen, Leanne Johnson and Hollis Horton to hear the appeal.

Another Montgomery County commissioner, Jim Clark, was originally indicted along with Doyal, Riley and Davenport on the same charge arising from the Open Meetings Act. However, in March, Clark agreed to pretrial diversion to have his case dismissed if he testified for the state against the other defendants.

E. Tay Bond, who is representing Clark, said Clark's trial was reset to the first part of December. Bond said Clark's agreement would be effective if Clapp's decision is overturned and the indictments for Doyal, Riley and Davenport reinstated. If Clapp's decision is upheld, Bond said it is likely Downey would dismiss Clark's case as well.
Gilbert Martinez graduates from high school in May, but he's already on the cusp of selling a calculations app company for millions of dollars.

While that may shock a lay person, he said that type of thing is normal at Carnegie Vanguard High School in the Houston ISD. One classmate invented a water filtration system to serve poverty-stricken communities, earning him the ear of Rice University researchers. Another created a wristband that changes color when the wearer is dehydrated, while a recent alum toured the state with his model wind turbines.

"Here, all the teachers tell you to do more than the minimum, so a lot of our projects are out of school," Martinez said. "I came from a low-performing middle school, so it's different that everyone here really has an academic focus and tries to do their best all the time."

Carnegie Vanguard on Tuesday was named the eighth-best high school in the country and the second-best in Texas by U.S. News & World Report, which publishes the annual rankings. DeBakey High School for Health Professions also placed high, ranking as the 18th-best nationwide and the fourth-best in Texas.

Both schools jumped in the rankings - with Carnegie Vanguard moving up from No. 10 last year and DeBakey High School rising from No. 29.

The magazine's annual rankings of high schools and colleges are closely followed in education. Officials examine whether students perform better than expected in their state, how well disadvantaged students perform compared to the state average, graduation rates and preparedness for college-level coursework.

Despite the recognition of its magnet schools and HISD's focus on such programs, many of the district's other magnets dropped on the list. All eight of the Dallas ISD magnet schools ranked by the magazine placed among its list of top 100 magnet programs in the country, while only five of Houston's 15 ranked magnet schools made the cut. Jordan High School was ranked third-to-last at No. 290.

High rankings

Still, even schools ranked lower on the list were among the top performers in the nation, earning a bronze designation and a ranking. In contrast, more than 70 percent of high schools nationwide were not ranked or given a distinction.

Houston ISD's two highest-ranked schools were among four in Texas to earn slots in the top 20 national rankings. The other two were located within the Dallas ISD.

Suburban school districts in the Houston area did not have any schools represented on the state's top 20 list.

Victory Early College High School in the Aldine ISD came closest at No. 21 in the state. The next highest-ranked suburban public schools on the best-of-Texas list were Alief ISD's Early College High School at No. 37, Clear Creek ISD's Clear Horizons Early College High School at No. 45 and The Woodlands High School in the Conroe ISD at No. 59.

But YES Prep, a local charter school operator, had four of its eight Houston-area high schools place among the state's top 20. They are YES Prep Southwest, ranked 11th; YES Prep East End, 12th; YES Prep Southeast, 18th; and YES Prep North Central, 19th.

The YES Prep schools differ from many others higher up in the rankings because 80 percent or more of the students at each campus meet federal poverty guidelines to quality for free or reduced-priced meals, and 90 percent of the students at each campus are minorities. By comparison, only about 28 percent of students at Carnegie Vanguard and 41 percent of students at DeBakey are economically disadvantaged.

Mark DiBella, YES Prep's CEO, is quick to point out that students at its schools are selected at random through a lottery process, while those at Carnegie Vanguard must meet certain IQ requirements before being picked via a lottery.

"We have a national problem that plays out in Houston: We don't believe as a people in the capability and potential of students of color," DiBella said. "We fundamentally believe (that) although access (to a great education) isn't equally distributed, genius is."

'The secret sauce'

Expectations are high the moment that students step foot on campus, and the most-experienced teachers at each often spend 1-on-1 time or work with struggling students in small groups to get them up to grade level.

But like many charters, YES Prep struggles to retain teachers. About 27 percent of its teachers leave the district each year, compared with about 16 percent who leave its districts statewide. DiBella said the schools have placed more of a priority on training teachers and created programs aimed at keeping the best in their schools.

"If you boil it down, the secret sauce is a model that year after year after year, students are getting exceptional teachers in every classroom," DiBella said.

Martinez of Carnegie Vanguard High School agreed. He said the teachers there encourage and push the students to challenge themselves both in the classroom and with extracurricular activities. After being surrounded by hardworking and like-minded students for four years, he said, he's always surprised to see how highly the school ranks nationally in similar rankings.

"Inside this fish bowl, it just seems normal," Martinez said, shrugging. "But to see the school compared to everyone else, it's still remarkable."
Harris County wants to tear down a building thatalmost a century ago was a home for nurses working at one of Houston's first public hospitals for the poor.

The nurses' quarters for the old Jefferson Davis Hospital at the corner of Dart and Elder streets - once a dormitory for the hospital's nurses - has long been a target for potential preservation. But County Engineer John Blount said after years of disrepair, weather and fire damage, and a failure to attract grant money through historic designation, he is recommending demolition.

Harris County commissioners voted unanimously Tuesday to set a public hearing for May 22 for the proposed demolition.

"We were having people break in, and I'm afraid if they break in, it might fall down on them," Blount said in an interview.

Vacant for a decade

If a demolition goes forward, it would be an unceremonious end to a building that is a piece of "the oldest example of a health care in Houston still standing," said Stephen Fox, a Houston architectural historian and lecturer at Rice University and the University of Houston.

"Unfortunately, it is the type of thing that happens too often in Houston," Fox said.

Designed by city architect W.A. Dowdy, the two-story building was constructed in the mid-1920s next to the hospital, also designed by Dowdy in a neoclassical style. The hospital was named after the former president of the Confederate States of America at the request of Confederate veterans and their families, historical records indicate.

In 1937, a newer Jefferson Davis Hospital opened on Allen Parkway, and the old hospital for decades housed various county offices. Blount said the nurses' quarters had been vacant for about a decade, and most recently housed offices for the juvenile probation department.

In 2004, the hospital building itself was bought from the county by the Avenue Community Development Corp., a nonprofit that focuses on affordable housing, particularly in the historic Sixth and First wards.

The non-profit helped turn the hospital into low-income loft and studio space for artists, now known as the Elder Street Lofts.

The hospital was designated in 1995 a State Archaeological Landmark, in 2009 a state historic landmark, and in 2013 a Protected Historic Landmark by the Houston City Council.

It's also included in the National Register of Historic Places.

As for the nurse's quarters, it seemed they were headed toward National Register of Historic Places designation as well based on an "understanding that building had sufficient integrity to contribute to a potential expansion to the National Register-listed Jefferson Davis Hospital Complex," according to an April 13 letter from the U.S. Department of Interior to Harris County.

A 'substantial collapse'

In January, the Texas Historical Commission's State Board of Review approved a nomination to include the nurses building in the old Jefferson Davis Hospital site. That would have made the building eligible for some grants that could help facilitate repair, Blount said.

But also in January, high winds and rain caused a large section of the roof to collapse and damaged the exterior walls. The April 13 letter from the Department of Interior states, the "building suffered a substantial collapse recently and no longer was in the same condition as it was at the time of the application approval" and "the building no longer has sufficient integrity to contribute to a potential expansion to the Jefferson Davis Hospital Complex."

As such, Blount said his recommended recourse is demolition. He said the county still owns the land and has not developed any plans for it yet should the nurse's quarters be demolished.

Fox said the rehabilitation of the hospital is a good example of a growing trend of reusing historic buildings for new uses, even if they are in disrepair like the hospital was and the nurses building now is. He urged repurposing the old nurses home.

"Buildings that in some cases have stood vacant for 30 or more years are now being rehabilitated as office buildings, turned into hotels or apartments," Fox said. "It helps to make Houston a more livable city because it preserves the architectural variety of the landscape."
Westend61/Contributor

Talk to Tom Luce, the longtime Dallas attorney who was the founding CEO of Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute, and you get the idea that Texas lawmakers are beginning to understand how to calibrate the mental-health needs of their fellow Texans. That's good news, although whether those same lawmakers will adequately fund programs to meet those needs is another matter.

During a phone conversation with the Chronicle editorial board last week, Luce called for a state hospital system that recognizes the need for a different treatment model for the long-term care of Texans dealing with mental illnesses. The new model can't be emergency care and also has to be more sustained than what most community health centers are able to offer. It's also something other than long-term hospital care, and certainly not "warehousing," the thoroughly discredited approach from years past when patients became lifelong wards of the state at state hospitals in Austin, San Antonio and elsewhere.
The most dangerous country in the world for journalists today isn't Iraq or Syria, Russia or China. In fact, it is less than a day's drive from Houston City Hall.

In Mexico, to be a journalist is to take your life into your own hands. So far this year, three Mexican reporters have been killed. Their death sentences were assigned for a refusal to back down on covering crime and corruption. The motive behind the killing of a fourth journalist is still unclear, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists.

Other reporters face attacks and assaults in response to their routine duties.

Gilberto Israel Navarro Basaldua, a journalist for the newspaper Am Express in the central Mexican city of Guanajuato, wrote an article last month documenting a local government employee's dispute with a business. That official then tried to run over Navarro with his car during an afternoon commute.

Democracy dies in darkness, and Mexican journalists risk life and limb as they work to shine a light on the cartels and crookedness that infect their civic institutions.

President Donald Trump likes to say that the press is an "enemy of the people." If the people in question are dishonest government officials or dangerous drug runners or murderous criminals, then, yes, the press is their enemy.

Politicians and police are bought off, but newspapers remain a bulwark against organized gangs that hold communities hostage to drug trade, extortion and rampant violence.

And, no, a wall won't help. Trump's bluster only provides Mexican politicians with a convenient distraction.

Journalism in Mexico struggles to survive in an atmosphere still poisoned by a 70-year legacy of single-party rule. The nation is a global economic leader, and Mexico City is an international destination for food and culture. However, the institutions that secure law and order remain in their nascent stages. Modern-day oral argument courts are new to Mexico's criminal justice system. A national witness protection program has yet to get off the ground. Local law enforcement struggles with weakness and corruption, even while federal marines take out drug lords.

Headlines may tout that the notorious El Chapo is finally behind bars. The lack of strong police or courts or a penal system just means that the drug kingpin's arrest creates a power vacuum in the criminal world that Mexico's justice system cannot control. In fact, national homicide rates have skyrocketed to a level not seen since 2011, columnist Alexandro Hope reported in El Universal, a Mexico City newspaper.

So how can the United States help our neighbor build a foundation for a safe society?

Turns out there's already a federal agency charged with that duty: the U.S. State Department Bureau of Narcotics and Law Enforcement. Lawyers are trained, resources distributed and the Mexican justice system is bolstered through the hard work of our State Department. Trump is trying to gut its budget.

Poor Mexico, it is often said. So far from God, so close to the United States.

If only we had politicians, and budget priorities, that tried to transform that proximity into a blessing, instead of a curse.
Benefits

Regarding "Petition calls for vote on city pensions" (Page A1, Saturday), Windi Grimes' petition to have defined contribution pensions for new city of Houston employees is short-sighted and foolish.

Unlike a traditional defined benefit plan which is based on an employee's average salary and years of service, a defined contribution plan like a 401K (or in a Houston firefighter's case, a 457K plan) is owned by the employee and therefore is portable. That means a young person can join the fire department in Houston, get training in EMS and firefighting, get five or six years of experience under his belt and then head down the road to Austin or San Antonio and take his plan along with him.

Houston firefighters contribute 9 percent of their gross salaries to their retirement fund, which is currently 89.7 percent funded - best of the three city of Houston plans. It is protected by state law which prevents administrations from raiding the fund, unlike the police and municipal employees' plan which are underfunded thanks to "local control".

Defined contribution pensions and "local control" would be the sure way to kill a fire department and added incentive for a person to apply for any city of Houston position.

Robert A. Blumrick, Houston

Sound the alarm

Each week we hear about the status of the city's police department, fire department and municipal employee's pension funds and the financial crisis stemming from said funds that is facing Houston.

The current mayor inherited this financial crisis and now is trying to address it; unfortunately he has to go begging to Austin for relief. Had the previous administration had the interest of all citizens in mind and started something just maybe it would not have grown to this outrageous size.

What concerns me more is the number of police officers retiring now!

This should wake up all you people who pay taxes but refuse to vote or get involved.

James E. Muecke, Houston

Time is fleeting

Regarding "It's clear where to whack federal spending" (Page B1, Monday), columnist Michael Taylor calls for raising the Social Security retirement age to 80 years old in an effort to help it stay solvent.

It's funny; whenever you hear anyone talk about raising the age for retirement they are almost never older folks. They are usually politicians with a nice taxpayer-funded pension or someone who hasn't had to work very hard in their life.

The fact is most people's bodies are worn out by age 65. I would be willing to pay a higher Social Security tax rate to help it stay solvent rather than have to extend retirement age out further.

Larry Tidwell, Baytown
Paola Martinez gazes at Houston's skyline from her apartment window. She motions to photos of her three children and says she is proud of how far they have come as a family. Before finding Avenue Station, an affordable apartment community in Houston's Near Northside, the shortage of quality affordable rental homes and apartments forced the Martinez family into cramped, substandard housing where they shared a single bedroom for more than a year. Now, she rests easier knowing that her family is safe in their new community. Not only does their current apartment provide her children with room to grow and thrive, but Martinez, who works as a chef, has room to cook for them. Their lives, she says, have changed for the better.

Mayor Sylvester Turner has recently designated Martinez's neighborhood, Near Northside, as a pilot neighborhood in the Complete Communities initiative, which is designed to help revitalize Houston's under-resourced neighborhoods to create sustainable, "complete" communities that are safe, economically viable and affordable. The initiative will focus on providing residents access to quality affordable housing, education, transportation, healthy food options, green spaces, economic opportunity and well-maintained infrastructure.

The mayor's support provides a vital boost to the efforts of Near Northside residents, who are working to preserve their community's rich cultural heritage and affordability while addressing key factors that impact their quality of life, such as safety, education, health and more.

This effort comes at a crucial time, as Houston's escalating housing costs have created a critical need for investment in quality affordable homes. An influx of new development projects inside the city's Inner Loop has resulted in the demolition of many older homes, and, in turn, has compromised affordability for residents in and around Houston's urban core.

As the Houston Chronicle reported in its April 16 article, "Downtown boom puts service workers in housing dilemma," (Page 1A, Sunday), monthly rents in downtown and the surrounding areas now average $1,750 for a one-bedroom apartment - a cost out of reach for many service workers employed in the city's burgeoning hospitality industry.

The Kinder Institute at Rice University provides more insight into this crisis, noting that - collectively in Harris County - an estimated 435,000 low-income residents are spending more than 30 percent of their income on housing, living in substandard housing, or both.

The profound impact that substandard housing has on the health of children and adults only amplifies the need to address this issue now. Crowded conditions create stress and increase the spread of illness. Those residing in poor conditions face greater risk for lead poisoning, asthma and accidental injury from unsound or poorly maintained structures. Properties overrun with dust mites, insects or rodents contain allergens that can cause respiratory illnesses, fatigue, headaches and difficulty concentrating. Mold and improperly functioning heating and cooling systems also pose hazards.

When housing costs are too high, it strains a family's ability to meet other essential expenses, forcing them to forgo needs like food, heating and medical care. Families without stable housing also tend to move frequently, which can lead to emotional, behavioral and academic problems among children, as well as increased risk of teen pregnancy, early drug use and depression during adolescence.

Safe neighborhoods are as important as quality affordable homes. Unsafe neighborhoods where families are exposed to violent crime and traumatic events foster harmful psychological stress. Residents who feel unsafe avoid walking and other healthy outdoor activities, even if resources such as parks, recreation centers, fresh food and other amenities are available.

The attendant stress and poor health outcomes of unstable housing among Houston residents takes a toll on all of us - from job absenteeism and low school performance, to strained health-care resources. We must do more. Strategies must be multi-faceted, focusing on strengthening social and physical conditions in neighborhoods, improving the quality of housing, and increasing access to affordable homes.

We are at a critical juncture in Houston's urbanization. We must focus on creating affordable homes and sustainable communities now, or else the unhealthy consequences will have a profound impact on the future for all Houstonians.

Lawler is the executive director of Avenue Community Development Corporation, a Houston nonprofit focused on affordable housing and community revitalization.
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AUSTIN -- It did not take long for the Texas House to enter heated and personal territory during debate over a controversial 'sanctuary cities' bill that Gov. Greg Abbott has named a priority this session.

One Democratic member who immigrated to the United States as a child with her family, struck an emotional tone as she recounted her relatives' history with discrimination and her attempts to pass the U.S. citizenship test.

Rep. Ana Hernandez of Houston cautioned her colleagues against demonizing people in the country illegally, which Democrats claim is the impetus for Senate Bill 4.

"Many of our legislators have parents that are immigrants, but I'm one of the few that is an immigrant," she said. "During the time we lived under undocumented status, and although I was just a little girl, I remember the constant fear my family lived with each day  fear my parents experienced each day as their two little girls went to school, not knowing if there would be an immigration raid that day."

The House bill, a harsher version of which passed the Senate in February, would require local sheriffs and jailers to comply with voluntary federal requests to hold on to individuals in the country illegally or face a misdemeanor criminal charge.

The 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 jobs and bar them for life from working as police officers or jailers in Texas.

At another point during Wednesday's debate, Brownsville Democrat Rep. Eddie Lucio III, warned Republican members against booing or making side remarks during the day's proceedings, which are expected to stretch into the night as the chamber votes on nearly 200 Democratic amendments to the bill.

Calling himself "a proud Latino," Lucio said he and other Democrats were particularly enraged Wednesday. "Don't mess with me today," he said.

As the House began to wade through amendments, much of the debate centered on what specific problem Republicans wanted to solve with SB 4. Rep. Rafael Anchia, a Democrat from Dallas, pointedly questioned the bill's author, Rep. Charlie Geren of Fort Worth, and its supporters on that issue, suggesting their intent was not public safety but immigrant bashing.

Anchia proposed an amendment that would have erased from the bill a provision involving college campus police and instead would have required only local police departments to honor all ICE detainer requests.

Speaking against the amendment, GOP Rep. Jason Villalba of Dallas said he has talked to several of his constituents who worry about violence in their communities, which Villalba attributed to gang members. He rejected Democrats' claims that the bill amounts to a racist attack on Hispanic immigrants, saying he and his family know the sting of discrimination.

"In America, we are bound by laws," said Villalba, one of the most high-profile Hispanic Republicans in the Legislature. "Members, this is a common-sense bill."

Anchia's proposal failed along party lines.

"Guess it's not about ICE detainers...," Anchia tweeted later.
Three men from the St. Louis area were rescued Saturday morning amid rising flood waters on the Big Piney River near Houston.

Texas County Sheriff James Sigman said several deputies responded at about 9:30 a.m. after a call was received about the men being threatened by rapidly rising water during heavy rainfall.

Sigman said a ping of one of the mens cellular phones was integral in locating the men.

The ping was spot on, Sigman said. Sometimes a ping will send us pretty far from where we need to be, but this time it gave us a very accurate location and we were able to see them quickly.

The men (ages, 51, 47 and 23) were precariously perched on a small island in the middle of the fast moving river. They had put in and around Dogs Bluff the previous evening and set up camp, but Sigman said they had moved their camping gear several times in an effort to evade rising water.

Personnel with the Houston Rural Fire Department also responded, and a Missouri State Highway Patrol boat was brought in from Shannon County and put in at the Mineral Springs access north of Houston. The men were located near Horseshoe Bend, only about a 1/4-mile from the access, Sigman said.

They were pretty fortunate that little island held up for them, he said.

One of the men, Jimmie Lee Ridge, of Ladue, said the responders actions were crucial.

Kudos to the sheriff for getting the state patrol out there and getting us as quickly as they did, Ridge said. All the response people did a fantastic job. If they hadnt, we would have been hurt for sure.

A Missouri State Highway Patrol pickup pulls an MSHP johnboat loaded with three rescued men from the Big Piney River during a multi-agency operation last weekend.

The Missouri Department of Conservation called in a raft from West Plains, but the rescue operation was over before it arrived. Sigman said the time it takes for other agencys boats to arrive at rescue scenes in Texas County is often as much as an hour or two. He said he would this week be looking into getting a rescue boat for his department.

There have been so many times we have needed one, Sigman said. We havent had a problem yet because of the long waiting periods, but it could easily happen. When water is rising as fast as it sometimes does, every minute counts.

After being pulled from the river, the trio was transported to the Lazy L Motel.

Kudos to the people of Houston, Ridge said. They really helped us out.
For many years, Houston resident Terry Snelling had a vision of creating a museum for his collection of Bibles and items related to the Bible.

Snelling always figured the project would manifest when he retired, and his plan was to convert the building on Walnut Street that houses his Mr. Terrys Hair Salon business into such a facility. But Gods timing frequently differs from mans, and a local woman approached him last year and said she knew the perfect place where he could make the idea happen much sooner.

Snelling pursued the suggestion and last June purchased the building at the corner of Second Avenue and Walnut Street that had been condemned by the City of Houston. Before falling into decay, the vintage structure housed several businesses over the years, including a butcher shop and Lums Dog House, where dog and horse food and other items were sold by owner Willard Lum Elmore.

At first, accepting Gods timing seemed confusing to Snelling.

I said, Really Lord? That buildings mess, he said. I said, This is my idea, and God said, No, I put this on your heart years ago. I said, OK.

Pastor Terry Snelling holds one of the dozens of miniature Bibles that are on display inside his recently-opened Bible Museum on Second Avenue in Houston.

Then the money and everything fell into place so I was able to do it.

Making The Bible Museum a reality in the dilapidated building required a major refurbishing project. Snelling and his brother, Thomas, bolstered and recovered the ceiling and walls, installed hardwood floors, used up several gallons of paint and did whatever else was necessary to resurrect it.

It was a lot of work, Snelling said. It was in bad shape.

The building in downtown Houston that now houses the Bible Museum received a major makeover from its owner, Terry Snelling, and his brother, Thomas.

Everything on display at The Bible Museum is part of an elaborate collection Snelling has assembled over the years. His favorite thing to collect is miniature Bibles, and there are dozens to view in the museum, including complete versions so small its hard to believe every word is there.

Also featured are vintage musical instruments related to the Bible, large print Bibles printed in the 1800s and even the Bible on 8-track tape.

I found things on eBay, stuff clear over in Europe, and anywhere else I could, Snelling said. I even have another trailer full of stuff. If the building was bigger, I would display it, too.

Snelling said his yearn to create a Bible museum can be traced back to a trip he took to Eureka Springs, Ark.

God had put it in my heart when I was a very young man that I wanted to do this, Snelling said. I went to a museum there and thats when I knew I had to do it.

The notion of expanding The Bible Museum has already crossed Snellings mind.

If the Lord opens the door, then it will happen, he said.

What can a person expect when perusing the museum?

The interior of Terry Snellings Bible Museum in downtown Houston features many display cases containing vintage items related to the Bible.

Growth, Snelling said. Thats why the door is green, because Gods always growing and producing. The Bible says one plants, another waters and He brings the results. So you come in and look around and something gets planted in you and you grow from it.

OUTSIDE THE MUSEUM

As a native of Houston, Snelling opened Mr. Terrys Hair Salon in 1975 and later moved the business to its current location on Walnut Street.

Snelling possesses a doctorate in theology from Grace Bible College, in Cary, N.C., and did assistant pastor stints at multiple area churches before becoming head pastor at Nagle Christian Church, in Elk Creek, 12 years ago. He started there in a temporary role that quickly turned permanent.

They didnt even ask me, Snelling said. They just said, Youre our pastor now.

Snelling said being pastor at a small, rural church requires at least one specific trait.

Lot of patience, he said. Its a little country church, and its not going to grow big. You get the congregation built up and then people leave  they dont leave me, but they just move away from the area. Im the second-longest running pastor to be there. Most last only two to four years.

But God told me to be there, so thats where I am.

Snelling also took on the nearby Nagle Schoolhouse as a project, renovating it and delivering it from certain demise.

It was going to die, and I couldnt let that happen, he said. We would do hayrides past it, and I would always think, Poor school, gonna die. Finally, I became the state trustee over it and took my own money and saved it.

Snelling also spent years in other forms of ministry, even doing television preaching for eight years on a West Plains station.

I thoroughly enjoyed that, he said. I went down there every Monday and preached, sang and brought in guests.

Snelling also spent seven years ministering to inmates at the South Central Correctional Center in Licking.

I taught how to deal with anger management from a Christian perspective, he said. I also did a restorative justice class, where we did crafts and other things to give back to the community.

Last February, Snelling concluded a 16-year run of making weekly visits to Houston House Nursing Home in Houston, where he would minister and sing to its receptive senior residents.

Snelling also has purchased and refurbished numerous houses in Houston, and in 2014 created the Hillside Chapel out of a small outbuilding behind Mr. Terrys. The structure is known for having been a chicken coop.

The last people who owned it put chickens in it, Snelling said. I stripped it down and turned it into a chapel.

The chapel has hosted numerous weddings, including eight so far in 2017.

Across from Mr. Terrys is a pond Snelling now owns. Its something he has wanted to acquire for years.

It finally worked out, Snelling said. A lot of people always thought it was just dirty sewage or something, and Ive enjoyed clearing out some of the trees and plants and giving it a nicer look it deserves.

The Bible Museum is located on Second Avenue at Walnut Street in Houston.

Pastor Terry Snellings The Bible Museum is open 1-4 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday at Walnut Street and Second Avenue in Houston. There is no entry fee, but donations are accepted. A trio of volunteers share Friday duties. Snelling works the other two days.
Jimmie Lee Ridge and two cohorts put in at 10:15 a.m. Friday at Dogs Bluff for a float trip.

The conditions were good.

The water was a little dingy, but it was fine and we were floating good, Ridge said.

They floated some distance and made camp around 4:15 p.m.

It started raining, and rained for three hours and the water started rising, said Ridge, of Ladue. We moved twice, and it kept coming up. We ended up moving four times, but the water was rising so fast it wasnt enough.

Not being a local resident, Ridge said he wasnt aware how close to safety his group was when they made camp at Horseshoe Bend just after 4 a.m.

I didnt know we were only 15 minutes from Mineral Springs, Ridge said. It looked like a good place to camp, and then we got surrounded. Ive never seen a river rise like that.

The men took turns watching in shifts as their mates attempted to rest. Ridge described the island the stranded trio were on was about the size of two pickup trucks.

It was very dangerous, Ridge said. Every critter that could crawled up on that little island we were on. It was wild.

As the three were hunkered down  with hypothermia beginning to set in and the water relentless in its fury  action became necessary. Ridge called for help.

I said Weve got only one bar on the phone signal, but weve got to call 911, he said. I called and said, Were surrounded by water.

They hooked me up with the sheriffs department, and they were able to track where we were.

Ridge said he has floated the Big Piney before, but hadnt experienced it acting like this. As help was on its way, he and his friends were no longer on dry ground.

Were sitting on totes in water a few inches deep, Ridge said. There was water running by very near us with big logs in it. Ive never seen the Piney running like that.

Ridge lighted the only flare the group had and hung a red tent cover on a tree to catch the attention of search crews.

They saw the flare, Ridge said, and they finally saw us and yelled, Hang on, the boats getting in the water as we speak. The response time was great; if it wasnt for the actions these people took, we would definitely have been in trouble.

Ridge said his groups stay at the Lazy L boosted their spirits.

We were kind of beat up, and really, really cold, he said. Kudos to the owners and everyone at that motel. They washed our clothes, got us food and treated us very, very well.

Ridge and others returned to Texas County on Sunday. They hiked to where their gear had been left and retrieved the two kayaks, the canoe and much of their camping equipment. He said he plans to return to Houston for a float trip on the Big Piney River and stay at the Lazy L.

But it wont be raining this time, Ridge said.
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Singapore firms are looking for sales and marketing talent this quarter, especially those with specialist industry knowledge, according to the Hays Quarterly Report.



Job candidates from both a digital and traditional background are in demand. The right candidate able to drive digital transformation in the sales and marketing space must possess a complex skill set that blends strong technical knowledge with commercial skills and business savviness, as well as high-level soft skills, said Lynne Roeder, managing director for Hays in Singapore.



Employers are also attracted to candidates who can thrive in regional sales roles. Roeder said many overseas firms set up shop in the city state because its an ideal location for operations.

Also in demand are candidates for key account manager and sales roles in IT and FMCG organisations  but Hays said theres a limited supply of them.



Public relations and communications professionals are also in solid demand particularly those with an excellent understanding of how to use social media to both deliver and drive the message, said Roeder. These candidates are also difficult to source, particularly those with advanced skills.



Despite talent shortages in several areas of the Singapore, the Hays research found that employers still prefers Singaporeans or permanent residents.



Roeder said Hays has noticed a trend in rigorous candidate assessment methodologies, especially for roles requiring specialist knowledge or skills. In some cases, candidates are being asked to put together a comprehensive marketing campaign before a hiring decision is made. Personality testing is also playing a role in the final selection of the right candidate for many roles.




"Modern Family" star Ariel Winter has faced her fair share of trolls and body shamers throughout the years for boasting about her curves on Instagram.

And while the comments she receives can sometimes be terrible, she's taking a "whatever" approach to the meanies.

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"I feel like people put so much emphasis on [these photos], she told Yahoo! Style. "Guys, all the time, go on their Instagrams and take pictures nude with guitars in front of their stuff. No one says anything. Nobody cares. When [women] try to be free and post what we want, its like, look at that slut on social media."

#tbt to summer and long hair  A post shared by ARIEL WINTER (@arielwinter) on Mar 15, 2017 at 9:34pm PDT

"Thats not what it is," the 19-year-old went on to explain. "Were proud of our bodies. Were proud of who we are. Were made the way we are. Why do we care? If I take a picture and I think it looks good  if its a little revealing, whatever."

She's clearly wise beyond her years.

As for the folks who love to hate on her photos, but still keep up with her every move, Winter said they should probably quit wasting time and just hit the unfollow button.

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"If people dont like it, unfollow me," she declared. "If youre so offended, why do you look at it? Dont take the time to hate on me. Just unfollow me and follow someone who covers every part of their body to their toes. I dont care."

This isn't the first time Winter has stood up for body acceptance.

Back in January, the actress put her breast reduction scars on display for Self magazine and opened up about her journey to confidence.

"It was hard for me in the beginning to deal with peoples comments and deal with everybody having an opinion on absolutely everything I did," she revealed. "It was hard for me to not fall prey to wanting to change the way I felt and the way I did things and the way I looked because of what other people said."

"But as I got older, I started to realize that as long as Im positive in my life and as long as I feel good about my decisions and stick to how I feel and the things I want to do, thats whats most important," she added. "And thats whats going to get me through in life."

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We couldn't agree more.

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U.S. President Donald Trump's tough talk on trade  shouting at Canada about dairy farmers Tuesday  has prompted the Canadian government to respond in more, er, subtle ways.

Trump escalated his trade dispute with Canada, announcing Monday an initial duty of up to 24 per cent on Canadian softwood lumber, with more expected later this year.

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The Canadian government's tactic? To highlight details of their friendly trade relations with Asian countries, instead.

"Asia is a growing market for Canadian #softwoodlumber," tweeted the @CanadaTrade account Tuesday evening.

Asia is a growing market for Canadian #softwoodlumber: pic.twitter.com/jmpNU2bplR  Canada Trade (@CanadaTrade) April 25, 2017

They didn't stop there, releasing several other graphics outling just how much business is being done with China.

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Canada is working hard to boost exports of Canadian #softwoodlumber to #China. pic.twitter.com/ivOoGT000p  Canada Trade (@CanadaTrade) April 25, 2017

Canada is an important supplier of pulp, paper and wood to #China. Check out all of our top exports to China pic.twitter.com/hjpYXkgyUN  Canada Trade (@CanadaTrade) April 25, 2017

People following along on Twitter applauded the government for throwing a bit of shade Trump's way.

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But it's not just big talk from the Canadian government.

On Tuesday, International Trade Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne was in Beijing with a coterie of Canadian softwood lumber industry players in his entourage. Well aware of the latest escalation in the dispute, he said his visit to China would help find much-needed new markets for Canadian wood.

"This is caused by a protectionist industry in the U.S.," Champagne said in an interview. "My answer to that is we are looking at all sorts of options to obviously support our industry."

Champagne said Canada's pitch is resonating in China because softwood is an environmentally friendly building material that can satisfy a need for more housing without increasing greenhouse gas emissions.

"There's an imperative in China to have more green building material. That's exactly what we're here for," he said, adding Canada and China are teaming up to battle one of the greatest challenges of our time: climate change.

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On Tuesday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Trump spoke about the issues by phone, the Prime Minister's Office said in a statement.

"On the issue of softwood lumber, the prime minister refuted the baseless allegations by the U.S. Department of Commerce and the decision to impose unfair duties," the statement said. "The two leaders agreed on the importance of reaching a negotiated agreement, recognizing the integrated nature of the industry between Canada and the United States."

With files from The Canadian Press

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A Washington Post columnist joked that after insulting most of its friends, it's about time the U.S. started a fight with Canada.

"I think after having insulted Australia, South Korea, Japan, Mexico and just about every one of our friends, it's about time that we hit Canada," Charles Krauthammer joked on a "Special Report" television panel on Fox News Tuesday.

"I still havent gotten over the War of 1812, so I have a personal animus here," he added.

Krauthammer was referring to U.S. President Donald Trump's announcement that there would be a tariff of up to 24 per cent on Canadian softwood lumber, and that duties will also be gathered retroactively.

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"I still havent gotten over the War of 1812, so I have a personal animus here."

On Wednesday, The White House told U.S. media that it's weighing a plan to pull out of NAFTA, jolting both the Canadian dollar and the Mexican peso  a move that some trade experts viewed as a negotiating tactic.

"People don't realize Canada has been very rough on the United States," Trump said in a statement to press on Tuesday. "They've outsmarted our politicians for many years."

Jokes aside, Krauthammer suggested a trade war between the U.S. and Canada is unlikely. The long-time political commentator said he also feels Trump is likely using the lumber tariff as a bargaining tool, as an attempt to have Canada lighten up on its supply management policies in the dairy industry.

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"I cant imagine that we are going to start this administration with a trade war with Canada," he said. "I could understand China, could understand other people, but this is our closest ally in the world, and in a way, it is gratuitous."
The term "feminism" has always sparked heated conversation.

For some, it's because of their fiery passion for inclusive women's rights and gender equality. But for others, it's because they simply associate the word with a negatively stereotypical image of angry, braless women who are somehow out to get men.

The truth is that feminism benefits everyone  not just women  and it's important to get as many people as possible on board with the movement. This way, we can all be treated as equal human beings, regardless of gender.

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But in order to do this, more folks need to be educated about the concept and what it means to both women and men. Watch the video above to hear more perspectives on feminism and to find out why it's about time we all embrace it.

"I think doing the basic amount of human decency to ensure equality doesn't make you a hero."

In the clip, HuffPost Canada editor Mike Sholars notes that it's all about just being a compassionate person.

"I'm not going to be someone who's going to buy one of those really trendy T-shirts right now that says 'feminist'  big, bold letters. I'm not going to add it to my Twitter profile," he said. "Because I think doing the basic amount of human decency to ensure equality doesn't make you a hero. Doesn't mean you get a parade. Doesn't mean you should bring it up to boost yourself in every conversation. I think it means you're doing alright."

As for fellow editor Nick Mizera, he says for men in particular who don't yet understand the term, the answers are out there  you've just got to listen up.

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We also reached out to three people from different walks of life who told us their definition of feminism. And while their responses may vary, equality remains at the forefront.

Jasmine Harmina, 22, recent university graduate

"A feminist is anyone who believes in equal rights for all humans regardless of sex, gender, race, class, sexual preference, ability, age, or location. It is appreciation and understanding that there is a variation of humans on this earth, not a binary of gender expressions."

"You do not need to be a woman to be a feminist! If you believe everyone should be equal, you are a feminist. A feminist is someone who fights for our future children, and hopes to defy the gender norms that hold them back so they are free to identify, love, and be who they want to be."

Danielle Lake, 24, teacher

"People misunderstand history and want to maintain the status quo of patriarchy. Feminism is not the female version of paternalism in the same way being proud of my African heritage is not the black version of white supremacy, because it doesn't require the oppression of the oppressor. It looks to uplift those who have been oppressed."

If feminism isnt intersectional, it isnt feminism to me.  Danielle Lake

"On top of that, if feminism isnt intersectional, it isnt feminism to me, its selective liberation. Feminism includes missing and murdered indigenous, black and latinx women. Thats queer and trans women facing harassment. Thats women regardless of faith. Thats men and women who have been damaged by toxic masculinity. Thats women who have had abortions and women who made the equally hard choice to keep a baby they may not feel prepared for, and that baby once it enters the world."

"Feminism means Im my sisters and my brothers keepers. It takes a village."

Afua Anku, 24, breast cancer research advocate

"I was raised as a feminist, I am a feminist, and I strongly believe that this movement is made for everyone who does not fit into societys status quo. This movement for me is one of the most impactful revolutions against the norms white supremacy has created to box everyone in."

We fight for everyone.  Afua Anku

"To be accepted, and to comfortably live out the roles, and norms society has imposed on all of us, you must be a heterosexual, able bodied white male  and realistically speaking majority of us do not even fit into this category. As a black woman who has felt the pressures of society to live as something I am not, I lean on feminism to combat discrimination. I lean on feminism to remind me its okay to have a voice, and it is okay to simply be me, a multifaceted black woman.

"Feminism reminds me that I am not an object, I am not an angry black woman, and lastly, being a sexual human being does not mean that I am not intelligent, nor I do not deserve respect. I wish many people didnt listen to the stigmas about feminism that the media perpetuates, I wish people realized that they too could be feminists, because we are fighting for them too. We fight for men who cant cry, because of hypermasculinity, we fight for women who love being in their hijabs, we fight for transwomen who dont deserve violence for living out their truth  we fight for everyone."

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Next time you see your little one searching for buried treasure, instead of swiping their hand away, let them carry on.

According to a recent study, not only should grown-ups be picking our noses and eating boogers, but we should be encouraging our kids to do the same.

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The study, published by the National Center for Biotechnology Information, said those little boogies have many health benefits that can help protect your teeth.

According to the study, snot contains salivary mucins that form a barrier against bacteria that can cause cavities.

As a result of their findings, researchers who led the study are now looking into ways to create synthetic mucus that can be made into chewing gum or toothpaste. Tasty!

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But healthy teeth aren't the only benefit to eating one's booger. According to The Independent, evidence points to mucus in snot as an effective defence against respiratory infection, stomach ulcers and HIV.

And not only can eating your snot protect you against harmful bacteria, but apparently picking your nose can also make you a happier and healthier person.

According to Austrian lung specialist Prof Friedrich Bischinger, people who like to dig up there are better in tune with their bodies. He also suggests that society work to get rid of the social stigma around picking one's nose and encourage our children to do so more often.

Eating the dry remains of what you pull out is a great way of strengthening the bodys immune system. Medically it makes great sense and is a perfectly natural thing to do, Bischinger said.

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He added: In terms of the immune system, the nose is a filter in which a great deal of bacteria are collected, and when this mixture arrives in the intestines it works just like a medicine."

"[It's] a perfectly natural thing to do."

The study's findings go directly against previous research. According to NYU otolaryngologist Dr. Erich Voigt, there are serious health reasons for why you shouldn't pick your nose. In a video for Business Insider, Dr. Voigt explained that introducing germs into your nose, combined with picking, can cause abrasions. These abrasions "bleed, promoting germs, increasing the crust and irritation by picking your nose."

He also noted that picking your nose can be bad for children because it can cause serious nose bleeds.

"The blood supply to the nose is very vigorous  there are five arteries that lead to the front of the nose," he said.

"When an abrasion occurs there can be vigorous bleeding, children induce a lot of nosebleeds that way."

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You know those friends you had in school who were so close, so cosmically intertwined that they almost always just knew how the other person felt?

Justin Trudeau and Donald Trump are not like those people.

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On Monday, the U.S. president kicked off the latest chapter in a decades-long kerfuffle over softwood lumber between Canada and its neighbour. Trump announced a 20 per cent tariff on Canadian lumber entering the U.S.  a move that added a sudden dose of tension to an already awkward experience that includes an upcoming NAFTA re-negotiation.

The next day, Trudeau and Trump had a little chat to to discuss the developments. Below, courtesy of NBC News' Bradd Jaffy, you will find their hilariously different takes on that phone call side by side:

Left: Prime Minister's office readout of Trudeau's phone call with Trump Right: White House readout of the very same call Um pic.twitter.com/asAxPMGhMp  Bradd Jaffy (@BraddJaffy) April 26, 2017

Besides the glaring difference in word count, it's the tone set in each readout that really stands out.

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Trudeau said he "reaffirmed" the relationship the U.S. and Canada share, but added he "refuted the baseless allegations by the U.S. Department of Commerce and the decision to impose unfair duties" on lumber.

The difference between Trudeau's account and Trump's shows that it was less of a phone call and more of a game of broken telephone pic.twitter.com/x9fkAo5NQr  Melissa Royle (@melissaroyle) April 26, 2017

The prime minister went on to say that his government won't just defend the interests of its lumber industry  it'll put up its dukes to protect dairy farmers, too. Trudeau concluded his statement saying the two leaders would continue their dialogue on these trade issues.

Meanwhile, over at Trump's readout of the chat, the president said he and Trudeau discussed lumber and dairy and that it was a "very amicable" call. That's it.

The resemblance is truly uncanny.

ME: The date went well, I think YOU: He set fire to the table and then disappeared with my doghttps://t.co/n4Anrz1wmB  Mark Berman (@markberman) April 26, 2017

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At a media availability in Kitchener, Ont. earlier in the day, Trudeau said the Canada-U.S. relationship is bigger than any one trade "irritant"  and that Canada needs to impress upon the U.S. that both countries would suffer from a "thickening" border.

NDP Leader Thomas Mulcair, meanwhile, called on Trudeau to do a better job of standing up for Canadians.

You know, when youre dealing with a bully, at some point youve got to stop backing up, Mulcair told a news conference in Ottawa. And thats all Mr. Trudeau seems to be able to do with President Trump and with the current U.S. administration is just keep backing up.

With a file from The Canadian Press

Also on HuffPost
Got a big belly but a normal BMI (body mass index)? According to researchers, you're still in the danger zone.

A new study from the University of Sydney in Australia suggests people with larger waistlines are at a higher risk of heart-related death.

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According to lead researcher Emmanuel Stamatakis, people who carry most of their weight in their midsection have a 22 per cent higher risk of early death than those who carry their weight across their body. For those with a high BMI but no extra belly weight, the risk of early death comes in at 13 per cent.

When it comes to the ideal waist size, many researchers say your measurement should be less than half of your height. However, the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada notes a waist measurement of 80 cm or more for women and 94 cm or more for men is associated with increased risk of heart disease.

BMI has long be debated for its accuracy since it is an equation used to estimate body fat based on weight and height. According to the National Health Institute, a healthy BMI is between 18.5 and 24.9 while an overweight BMI is 25- 29.9. You can find out your own BMI through an online calculator.

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Though waist size is an indicator of health risks, it is not the only factor to take into consideration. Even individuals with healthy waist sizes can be at risk of heart disease, diabetes, and stroke based on their own and family medical history.
DJ Zeke Thomas has opened up publicly for the first time about his experience with sexual assault, revealing on "Good Morning America" and in a recent New York magazine article, he was raped twice.

Being gay, being African-American, its definitely something that I never imagined would happen to me, Thomas told Robin Roberts on Tuesday.

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Tune in tomorrow morning @goodmorningamerica 8am hour. To hear the story you haven't heard. @robinrobertsgma #RaisingAwareness A post shared by Zeke Thomas (@zeke_thomas) on Apr 24, 2017 at 8:17am PDT

Thomas, the son of ex-NBA star Isiah Thomas, said he was raped for the first time when he was only 12 years old and again just last year.

"At first I didn't realize what had happened, what had transpired. I knew that it was wrong, I knew that I did not want it. I did not seek it out, he said of the sexual assault he experienced when he was 12. I hadn't let my family know until much later that this had happened.

He added, It was definitely hard for them to hear, and even more hard for them to hear that it happened again.

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In a new interview with New York magazine, he also discussed the rape he experienced last year, which he says happened after he was drugged while on a date with someone he met on Grindr. "All I remember is... getting in the cab. I know that I got drugged. I knew probably the moment that it happened because something didnt taste right. But I didnt think about it. I just didnt think about it."

"I didnt move from my apartment for two days," he added. "I didnt move. I didnt talk to anybody. I froze.

A post shared by Zeke Thomas (@zeke_thomas) on Mar 20, 2017 at 4:00pm PDT

Thomas' disclosure came on the same day as the National Sexual Violence Resource Center (NSVRC), for which Thomas, 28, is the first male ambassador, released a PSA on supporting survivors of sexual assault for Sexual Assault Awareness Month.

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"You know a survivor of sexual violence," he says in the PSA. "You might be the first person someone tells immediately after being sexually assaulted. Or a survivor might wait weeks, months, even years to say what happened. Both are common, normal reactions."

Thomas says he didn't tell friends or family about the assault right away and began using drugs to cope with his pain. Eventually, he did end up confessing to his parents, and they got him help. The experience made him want to be a spokesperson for the NSVRC so that he could talk about something we don't offer hear about in the media: sexual assault in the gay and black communities.

"Being gay, being African-American, its definitely something that I never imagined would happen to me."

According to the NSVRC, 40.2 per cent of gay men and 47.4 per cent of bisexual men report sexual violence aside from rape in their lifetime, compared to 20.8 per cent of heterosexual men.

And according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (via ABC News), more than 19.5 million men in the United States are the victims of contact sexual violence, including rape, over the course of their lives.

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didesign021 via Getty Images Doctor pediatrician injecting vaccine to cute african girl

Vaccines are biological miracles: They train our own immune systems to recognize and stop dangerous viruses and bacteria from causing disease. Thanks to vaccines, parents no longer have to worry about diseases that used to routinely pose a threat to babies and young children -- from measles to polio to rotavirus.

But some parents wonder if all these vaccines will overwhelm a young immune system.

The simple answer is: No.

Babies are exposed to thousands of bacteria and viruses each day when they crawl, eat, or touch toys. Studies show that a normal immune system can quite easily respond to about 10,000 different proteins (antigens) at any one time. Since vaccines contain even fewer antigens than all the bacteria and viruses we are exposed to every day, a few vaccine doses (even when given at the same time) cannot overwhelm the immune system.

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Even more so, vaccines are designed to contain very few antigens, which are enough to create protection from the specific bacteria or virus that is targeted. Thanks to advances in biotechnology, newer vaccines have even fewer antigens than older ones.

Some parents are tempted to deviate from the recommended immunization schedule and "spread out" vaccines. As a doctor who treats children, I worry about parents delaying vaccines because the vaccine schedule is designed to protect babies and young children when they are most at risk. The National Advisory Committee on Immunization is composed of experts who study diseases and vaccines, and recommend a schedule that takes into account the best timing for protection.

No child should suffer from a disease that can be prevented by vaccines.

Delaying immunization to a later date than recommended puts your child at risk for diseases that can be prevented. Avoiding booster shots can also put your child at risk, since some vaccines work better when they are 'boosted' with additional shots.

All vaccines used in Canada undergo intense study to prove that they are safe. Their safety and effectiveness is monitored on an ongoing basis. That's how we know that some immunizations lose their effectiveness over time and need a booster. Ongoing monitoring also warns us about (rare) severe reactions--more than the usual sore arm or slight fever that lasts a day. Vaccines used in Canada are very safe.

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Through social media, parents are often exposed to misinformation about vaccines. I encourage parents to always check where the information is coming from and ensure that it is credible. Reliable websites are hosted by expert organizations such as Immunize Canada, which represents organizations including the Canadian Paediatric Society and the Public Health Agency of Canada. Immunize Canada has produced a helpful guide to find information on the Internet you can trust.

As a physician, I see the illnesses caused by vaccine-preventable diseases. No child should suffer from a disease that can be prevented by vaccines. I also see children who can't be immunized because of a medical condition such as cancer, and who rely on others around them to be immunized so the virus or bacteria does not spread. We all play an important role in preventing infections that we once feared.

Vaccines work. Get immunized!

Dr. Nicole Le Saux is Vice-Chair of Immunize Canada and a paediatrician at the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) in Ottawa.

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Even the very best get it wrong sometimes.

That's the only explanation we've got for a recent column from environmentalist Bill McKibben.

In it, McKibben calls Justin Trudeau a "stunning hypocrite" on climate change whose actions make him a "brother" to climate skeptic U.S. President Donald Trump.

The world's handsomest leader has an ugly climate record https://t.co/mFRfxZLIJh  Bill McKibben (@billmckibben) April 17, 2017

Most of the time, McKibben is a brilliant writer and a thoughtful strategist. But any objective comparison would show that Trudeau's position on climate change is far stronger than Trump's.

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So, what is McKibben missing? His argument, in a nutshell, is that Trudeau's decision to approve new oil pipelines "completely overwhelms" anything else his government may do to tackle carbon pollution.

No doubt about it: if they're built and filled, new pipelines would grow Canada's emissions and make it harder to hit our targets. Pipelines matter.

But climate action isn't just about what we need less of, it's also about what we need more of. And on that score, Trudeau and Trump are miles apart.

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Under the Trudeau government, Canada is adopting many of the most important policies that spur clean growth.

Exhibit A is a price on carbon, a foundational policy that rewards clean innovation and curbs demand for fossil fuels.

Trudeau has committed that every province will start pricing carbon next year.

On the other side of the border, where even Hillary Clinton wasn't planning a national price on carbon, we expect to see one from Donald Trump precisely never.

Back in December, Trudeau brought together his provincial and territorial counterparts to negotiate a national plan that aims to hit our climate target -- a Canadian first.

Even when there's room for improvement, clean growth policies are delivering results.

Part of that plan involves phasing out traditional coal power by 2030. In sharp contrast, one of president Trump's recent executive orders attempts to support the coal sector by undoing his predecessor's Clean Power Plan.

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The most recent federal budget singled out clean technology as an economic priority for Canada. And it invested in the rules and regulations we'll need to go from having a climate plan to making it real.

Donald Trump's budget proposal? It contained a 31 per cent reduction to the Environmental Protection Agency's budget, along with cuts to climate programs elsewhere in government.

Of course, the Trudeau government's approach isn't perfect. Much of what they've promised is still a work in progress -- and some commitments seem to be growing weaker as they move from news release to reality. Even if every measure in the national plan goes into effect as promised, it still doesn't fully deliver the reductions we need for our 2030 goal.

But that's what action on climate change usually looks like in real life. And even when there's room for improvement, clean growth policies are delivering results.

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When governments have priced carbon, the policy cuts pollution and spurs innovation.

Our prime minister has even pointed to Trump's inaction on climate change as an opportunity, noting that if the U.S. steps back, there's more space for us to step up.

When they've invested in clean power, technology costs have dropped to the point that clean electricity is beating out fossil power on price alone in a growing number of jurisdictions. Solar created one out of every 50 new jobs in the U.S. last year, and the sector now employs more Americans than coal.

When governments write laws and create conditions for clean growth, markets respond. Bigly. We saw it in the U.S. under former U.S. President Barack Obama, and we're starting to see it in Canada under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

There's another angle to Canada-U.S. climate comparison that didn't make its way into Bill McKibben's assessment -- though it's one that, in his defence, is easier for Canadians to appreciate.

Unfortunately, there's a long tradition in Canada of viewing whatever the U.S. is doing as the upper limit to our ambition in tackling climate change. For those in that camp, Donald Trump gave Justin Trudeau a gold-plated excuse to do less.

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Of course, our Biggest Trading Partner always looms large on this side of the border. Trudeau's predecessor, Stephen Harper, spent a decade arguing that it's a terrible idea for Canada to move ahead of the U.S. in curbing carbon pollution -- and most of the business community agreed with him.

They still do: virtually every conversation about climate change in Canada these days includes the words "Trump" and "competitiveness."

Trudeau's government has largely stayed the course despite pressure to wait for Trump. Our prime minister has even pointed to Trump's inaction on climate change as an opportunity, noting that if the U.S. steps back, there's more space for us to step up.

Unfortunately, being better than Donald Trump on climate change is a very low bar. But it's one that Justin Trudeau clears easily, and that's very good news for Canadians.

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Grizzly bears venturing from dens in search of food this spring will face landscapes dominated by mines, roads, pipelines, clearcuts and ever-expanding towns and cities. As in years past, they'll also face the possibility of painful death at the hands of trophy hunters.

British Columbia's spring bear hunt just opened. Hunters are fanning across the province's mountains, grasslands, forests and coastline, armed with high-powered rifles and the desire to bag a grizzly bear just to put its head on a wall or its pelt on the floor as a "trophy."

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According to B.C. government statistics, they will kill about 300 of these majestic animals by the end of the spring and fall hunts. If this year follows previous patterns, about 30 per cent of the slaughter will be females -- the reproductive engines of grizzly populations.

Many grizzlies will likely be killed within B.C.'s renowned provincial parks and protected areas, where trophy hunting is legal. Government records obtained by the David Suzuki Foundation in 2008 show trophy hunters have shot dozens of grizzly bears in places we would expect wildlife to be protected. We don't know the exact number of bears killed in B.C.'s parks since 2008 because, in contravention of a B.C.'s privacy commissioner's ruling, the government refuses to disclose recent spatial data showing where bears have been killed.

Much of this killing has occurred in northern wilderness parks, such as Height of the Rockies Provincial Park, Spatsizi Plateau Wilderness Park and Tatshenshini-Alsek Wilderness Park. Tatshenshini-Alsek Park forms a massive transboundary conservation zone with federal protected areas in the Yukon (Kluane National Park and Reserve) and Alaska (Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve and Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve). Trophy hunting is prohibited in most U.S. national parks and all Canadian national parks, but not in B.C.'s provincial parks.

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Wild animals don't heed political boundaries. Wide-ranging species like grizzly bears move in and out of neighbouring jurisdictions. If a grizzly bear in Montana wanders a few kilometres north in search of a mate, it goes from being protected by the U.S. Endangered Species Act to being a possible trophy hunter target in B.C.

But now, in response to intense pressure from the trophy hunting industry, the U.S. administration wants to strip grizzly bears of federal protection. President Trump also recently signed into law rules allowing trophy hunters to target grizzly bears around bait stations and from aircraft, and to kill grizzly mothers and their cubs in Alaska's national wildlife refuges, where they've been protected from these unethical hunting practices.

Grizzly bears face an ominous political climate under the Trump administration, along with growing human threats across their North American range, from trophy hunting to habitat destruction, precipitous declines in food sources like salmon and whitebark pine nuts, and climate change impacts.

Rough-and-tumble politics this election season might finally end B.C.'s cruel and unsustainable grizzly bear trophy hunt.

In parts of Canada, mainly in sparsely populated areas of northern B.C. and the territories, grizzly bear numbers are stable. But in the Interior and southern B.C. and Alberta, grizzlies have been relegated to a ragged patchwork of small, isolated and highly threatened habitats -- a vestige of the forests and grasslands they once dominated. The B.C. government has ended grizzly hunting among highly threatened sub-populations in the Interior and southern parts of the province and, in response to pressure from local First Nations, has promised to do the same in the Great Bear Rainforest. But the slaughter of B.C.'s great bears continues everywhere else.

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That this year's spring hunt coincides with a B.C. election could bring hope for grizzlies, possibly catalyzing the first change in government wildlife policy in close to two decades. The May 9 election will give B.C. residents the opportunity to ask candidates if they will end the grizzly hunt if elected. So far, the B.C. NDP and Green Party say they would ban grizzly trophy hunting (but allow grizzly hunting for food), whereas the B.C. Liberals continue to defend and promote the trophy hunt as "well-managed," despite scientific evidence to the contrary.

The fate of B.C.'s grizzlies is too important to be a partisan issue. All politicians should support protection. Rough-and-tumble politics this election season might finally end B.C.'s cruel and unsustainable grizzly bear trophy hunt. It's time to stop this grisly business.

Written with contributions from David Suzuki Foundation Ontario and Northern Canada Director General Faisal Moola.

Learn more at www.davidsuzuki.org.

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A fair shot in life begins with a living wage.

But increasingly in this country, we are seeing a widening gap between rich and poor. Those at the top are getting richer, while those at the bottom face increasing precariousness in their employment and wage rates that don't keep up with the high cost of basic living.

Young people who have done everything right -- gone to school, got the training, done volunteer work to make themselves more attractive to employers and improve their skills -- still find themselves stuck in casual or contract work with diminishing hope of building a decent life, let alone a decent future. It has to stop. We can and must do better.

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In British Columbia, where the race for the May 9 provincial election is heating up, the NDP has called for a $15 minimum wage in the province by 2021. This is a good move, and one that progressive people across Canada should get behind.

A recent poll by the Broadbent Institute found that more than 82 per cent of Canadians believe the gap between the wealthy and everyone else is increasing. More importantly, the poll also found that Canadians are mad about the gap and blame government policies and a tax regime that favours the rich and the powerful.

Smart politicians would take note of that, and many are.

Against a backdrop of B.C. Premier Christy Clark increasingly being portrayed as a premier for the wealthy, the NDP in the province has rightly put forward policies aimed at directly helping working people.

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Beyond the minimum wage plan, the B.C. NDP is calling for $10-a-day child care, low-income housing, help for renters, no-interest student loans, improvements to social assistance and other measures aimed at helping working people in the face of a widening wage gap that threatens our social fabric.

A recent study by the Institute for Research on Public Policy, for instance, found that while Canadian incomes rose 13.5 per cent between 1982 and 2010, "that growth was strikingly uneven." Those with an income in the bottom 90 per cent saw their income rise by a meager two percentage points over that period. At the other end of the spectrum, those in the top 10 per cent enjoyed an increase of more than 75 per cent. Those in the top one-tenth of the one per cent saw a whopping 160 per cent income increase.

Such increasing disparity is not sustainable, which is why the policies of the NDP in this B.C. election are so welcome.

Now is the time to push for change, demand more and help working people build better lives.

Elsewhere in the country, progressive people are working to improve the lives of those left behind by the policies of the past. We have already seen the benefits and success for working people by the leadership of Rachel Notley's NDP government who have taken bold and necessary steps to address the minimum wage of workers, and the needs of the community by investing increased funding in education and health to maintain public services.

Another good example is Jagmeet Singh, deputy leader of the Ontario NDP, who is calling for stronger protections for temporary workers -- including equal pay for equal work, a ban on so-called temporary jobs that end up being long-term gigs but remain officially temporary, and the elimination of unfair fees by temp agencies.

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The work to improve the lives of our most precarious workers is not unique to B.C., but is something we must confront in every province. Unifor, for instance, is active across Canada -- including being a leading player in Ontario's Changing Workplace Review, a government initiative to overhaul the province's labour and employment standards legislation to better reflect the modern workplace.

As we have been in other provinces, as well as federally, Unifor is also taking an active role in the B.C. election to help ensure that the needs of working people are heard.

By standing and working together as a united labour movement and coalition of progressive people, we can address the destructive income disparity and growing precariousness of work that we've seen in the last few decades. Now is the time to push for change, demand more and help working people build better lives for themselves and their families.

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While Clark appears at photo ops and campaign stops across BC donning her trademark Cheshire grin, behind that smile lurks one of the ugliest campaigns we have ever seen in BC.

From wild accusations like the claims of NDP hacking the Liberal website (which was quickly proven to be false) to the nasty Troll truck tailing Horgan all around BC and harassing him and NDP supporters at every event he attends- this will be an election I am sure we will all be talking about for years to come.

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However the biggest deciding factor for me this election comes down to one thing: Which party is actually going put citizens first and will take measures to stop the flow of public money into corporate pockets and redirect that money back into helping citizens and the properly funding the services they depend on.

Let's take a minute to examine the social deficit left by 16 years of neglect under the BC Liberals.

We had 120 children die in the ministries care last year- that's one every three days. 760 critical injuries were also reported; that's two every day.

Our homeless population has increased by 30% in 3 years, with 23% being seniors.

922 people died from Fentanyl last year and the numbers are still rising. First responders are overwhelmed and hospitals are already overcrowded.

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Housing and rental prices have dramatically increased while availability is decreasing.

We have the second highest child poverty and we are still the only province to not have a poverty reduction plan. We also have the highest wealth inequality and income gaps in Canada

All of these have been completely ignored by-or in fact caused by- our current BC Liberal government. And I don't know about you but I am tired of hearing about children dying or committing suicide in our ministries care because they are being abused or neglected.

I am tired of hearing about people dying every single day from overdoses while we still don't have a solid long term plan-a year after declaring a state of emergency. I'm tired of watching friends and family struggle more and more every year while costs of living skyrocket and wages remain stagnate. I am tired of fundraising endlessly to cover basic supplies at my sons school and watching other schools go without because they cant fundraise enough.

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We are one of the wealthiest provinces in Canada and I know we can do better than this; especially for the children in BC.

The NDP are offering a platform that addresses all of these issues, and while some things will take more time to fix than others (as they have been ignored for over a decade), the most important thing for me is to vote for a party that will take steps to address the currently crumbling cornerstones of our society.

I truly don't believe that these basic public services and supports can take 4 more years of cuts to funding and being deprioritized.

The Liberals didn't even bother offering any real change this election-they are quite okay with offering the same old. With over a dozen ex Harper staff and a slew of ex media working on the campaign they are counting on framing the entire campaign around telling us we cant afford an NDP government.

The Liberals are hoping no one does their research and figures out that the NDP weren't actually that bad with the economy in the 90's and in fact outperformed the Liberals themselves in many areas. Also despite telling us we cant possibly afford the NDP plan to put people and services first, here is a list of things Clark and the Liberals do think we can afford:

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Just a few things to consider when the BC Liberals say we can't afford the NDPs plan, which is essentially them saying we can't afford to invest in citizens and services but we can afford to line the pockets of our rich donors through tax breaks, tax payer funded subsidies, and shady dealings.

So after 16 years we have to ask ourselves if we want to continue with a government that only supports and benefits the rich or if it's time to have a government that supports people and the public services we all depend on.
Climate change is about much more than polar bears -- it is about the lives of millions of children around the world who are at risk of climate-related disasters. For Earth Day, we present you eight-year-old Aita Abakar. Aita had never heard of the shrinking Lake Chad issue. She used to live in Boulargi, an island of the lake, before her family was chased by Boko Haram.

The meeting had begun badly. Aita Abakar, smiling and looking a little intimidated, was seated beside us in the shade of a tree when she jumped abruptly at the hissing of a snake passing behind her back. "There are plenty of snakes on the lake shore, so before sitting down, we normally sweep the floor with sticks to make them flee," she said while moving dust around with a palm tree branch she had picked up from the ground.

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After regaining our senses and choosing a quieter place to talk, Aita began to tell her story, at length. "I have never known anything but my island, my house, and my dad's canoe. The first time I left my house was when Boko Haram attacked our village. I don't know if I will ever get back," she said.

"But it's not fair, you have to help! I want the lake to exist forever." -- Aita Abakar, 8

As you approach Lake Chad, the air is dusty, and the sparse vegetation is broken only by shrubs. The lives of this region's inhabitants are on the edge as the lake dries up before their eyes. We mentioned the shrinking Lake Chad issue to Aita but she had never heard of it. I took bits of straw, sticks, and leaves to explain that the Lake Chad she knows is disappearing.

"But if the water from the lake disappears, the thirst will kill us, and we will not find any more fish," she replies, worried. The young people sitting next to us laughed. I asked her if she understands why the lake is getting smaller and smaller. She thought for a moment, and said, "It's probably because many villages drill the ground to build water points and they finish all the water." The young people who had been laughing earlier were now surprised by the girl's pertinent comment.

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We also talked about global warming and the fact that temperature will rise in the years to come. She cut me off: "It's already too hot here, we need water. Every day, I help my sister fetch water at the only pump of the village. As for me, I'm mostly doing the dishes and washing the clothes."

I asked her if she can think of any solution because it will be up to children, the adults of tomorrow, to search for solutions. She looked at me for a moment and exclaimed, "But it's not fair, you have to help! I want the lake to exist forever."

Children in industrialized countries are told not to leave any light or electrical appliance on, not to waste tap water, to walk or ride a bicycle rather than drive. Here in Tagal, there is no electricity, no tap and no car. Yet, children in the Lake Chad area will be the first to be affected by climate change. After saying goodbye to Aita, I realized how crucial it is to teach kids how to be engaged citizens and show them there is still time to do something about climate change without scaring them.

Recent studies show that the lake's surface area in the past 50 years has been reduced from the initial 25,000 square kilometres to less than 2,500 due largely to its waters drying up. Environment experts attribute this to increasing temperatures from global warming. This has had a harsh impact on the 20 million people whose livelihood heavily depends on Lake Chad.

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Badre Bahaji is a Communication Officer with UNICEF Chad in N'djamena

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With a General Election fast approaching and political disengagement reaching remarkably high levels in the 2015 election, it is more important than ever that we engage the electorate by making the system as understandable and simple as possible. What we need is 'Simple Politics'. Politicians, the media and specialists talk about terms such as manifestos, select committees and coalitions as if they are common knowledge, but who accounts for the potential voters that lack an understanding of these terms? Our political system is complicated and requires a level of understanding, in addition the complex way the media presents our system makes it even more confusing. This results in a system that disenfranchises many of those who are not politically educated. The way we approach politics needs to be done in a more user-friendly manner, what we need is organisations and media outlets to strip away all the nonsense and present politics to us in a nice and simple manner.

Educating the electorate about the basic premises of the parties, the way votes are counted and the laws being passed through parliament allows for votes to carry more meaning. People voting in an uneducated manner leads to havoc and allows politicians to fill the electorate with false and unrealistic claims, this often-skewing results. Even more worrying is the number of people who refrain from voting altogether because they either don't know how to vote, don't know enough about the value of their vote or don't know enough about who to vote for. We both need and want simple and impartial information about the current political system given to the electorate in an easy and casual manner.

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This is what Tatton Spiller of Simple Politics is aiming to do, this being an organisation that simplifies the world of UK politics, making the realm more accessible and easily understandable to help the public to gain a greater understanding of our system. Tatton gave up his full-time job as a school teacher in 2014 to dedicate his working life to engaging the electorate by explaining our political system in a user-friendly way over an immensely popular social media platform and website. Simple Politics updates their website, Facebook and Twitter pages daily with articles, videos and infographics explaining in an easy to understand manner what is going on both nationally and globally in politics whilst also providing followers with a background knowledge of the system. Simple Politics now boasts well over 100,000 Facebook likes and Twitter followers in addition to holding events around the country where people can socially meet and discuss our political system. This new approach to politics is one that needs to be appreciated nationally. We should be celebrating and aiding attempts to make our political system and the running of our nation as easy to follow as possible.

We need politics to be made informative yet interesting, with information given to us in a way that doesn't seem like an inconvenience, just as pioneering organisations such as Simple Politics are doing. Voting in a democratic election is a right and should not be a chore. Understanding our electoral system should not be limited to those who have studied the subject of politics in an educational setting.

http://www.simplepolitics.co.uk
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The announcement of a snap election was barely a day old before question marks appeared yet again over Tim Farron's views on homosexuality. After failing for a second time to directly answer Cathy Newman's questioning over whether gay sex was a sin, the media became awash with sweeping declarations that Tim Farron is a homophobe.

It would be remiss of me not to state my allegiances from the fore, I am a Liberal Democrat, but I'm also an openly gay man - one who voted for Tim Farron to lead the party in 2015.

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The concerns over Tim Farron's personal views are understandable, but ultimately, they are immaterial. Whilst Farron may hold the view that God views gay sex as 'sinful', he has always stood on the side of political LGBT+ equality.

His personal views, if they even are his personal views, make many within the Liberal Democrats squeamish - but he has the conviction to realise that his alleged personal views are not ones that should be enshrined in law.

Trust me, I have personally lobbied him to back LGBT+ rights issues and he has, without exception, enthusiastically supported them. After all, elections in the UK are about electing representatives who espouse your political views, not your personal ones.

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As well as this, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has worrying links to homophobic terror organisations in Hamas and Hezbollah as well as a condemnable history as a paid correspondent on Iranian Press TV, the state broadcaster of another country where gay people are put to death for their sexuality - yet he failed to use his platform to raise these concerns whilst pocketing 20,000 in the process.

The Liberal Democrats are a party that are essentially built on their staggeringly disproportionate queer activist base. The party has a proud history of leading on LGBT+ issues, including its flagship policy of introducing same-sex marriage during the Coalition government.

Alongside this, the party were the first in Britain to adopt a gay rights policy and have a long history of championing flagship causes like equalising the age of consent, pardoning historical sex offences and abolishing Section 28.

Currently, the party continues to fight for the LGBT+ cause with commitments to broader representation of gender identity on official documents, protecting gay fans from abuse in sport, giving gay co-habiting couples equal legal rights, and promoting UK's international standing as a platform to combat homophobic regimes abroad.

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Pascal Rossignol / Reuters

In the French 'banlieue' of west-London there was a sigh of relief after Sunday's first round in the French Presidential election. French Londoners are not friends of Madame Le Pen. She managed a meagre 2.8% of the expat vote, compared with Mr. Macron who came away with a whopping 51.4%. Macron is the favourite to win the second round on 7 May. Polls conducted both before and after Sunday's election have him comfortably ahead of Le Pen. However, things may not be as they seem. The reason for this is the unpredictable behaviour of a segment of the population that voted for the far-left candidate Mr Melenchon. Now, hang on a minute, you will say, how is it possible that voters of a far-left candidate turn in just two weeks to supporters of the far right?

Let us explore the position of a fictional left-leaning voter. We shall call this chap Pierre. Pierre works as a teacher in a Parisian primary school. He is on modest pay, but aspires to a state-sponsored career, which will guarantee a steady improvement in his salary, coupled with the security of a permanent job. He is a self-proclaimed lefty and supported Melenchon in the first round of the election. Pierre hates Europe. For many in the 'radical' left, French and British alike, Europe is a neoliberal nightmare. They consider that this ever-closer Union by stealth is building a market obsessed leviathan that sucks away sovereignty and effectively outlaws any policy incompatible with economic orthodoxy. Pierre always held this view, but two recent developments have solidified his position as an enemy of the EU.

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The first is the crisis in the Eurozone and the treatment of Greece. The depression in Greece, Pierre argues frequently, gave birth to a left alternative. This however was stifled by the EU, which will go out of its way to undermine and subvert democracy, to crush dissent. The German finance minister, Schaeuble, will roll over anyone who objects to German ordo-liberalism. Pierre and his friends are sure of this. The second is the TTIP negotiation. For decades Europe, while pursuing a liberalising agenda, had resisted American influence for full-scale marketisation. Some protection remained for certain market sectors and a European welfare state survived to a degree. While this was not optimal in Pierre's view, it was still better than the do-or-die American culture. Then the European Commission embarked on secret negotiations towards a grand trade deal. A trade deal that would bring the worse of Anglo-saxon capitalism to Europe, a deal that would even lift corporations out of the jurisdiction of national courts, creating 'special' investment tribunals tasked with protecting the expectations of the market against the rights of citizens.

All this was too much for Pierre. He dreamed of the May 1968 student uprising against orthodoxy and capitalism. He wished he could be part of a revolution too. Melenchon was the carrier of this message, the way to subvert the system. But now, Melenchon is gone. Macron is nominally centre-left, but he is portrayed as a banker, a friend of capitalism, a Europhile, a does-not-care-about-us business-as-usual offshoot of the establishment. For all of Macron's talk of change Pierre sees the reality, a continuation of the status quo.

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What will Pierre and the other 7 million people who voted for Melenchon (19.6% to Macron's 24%) do in the second round? They may ask themselves which one of the remaining candidates stands for revolt against the establishment. Is it so preposterous that Melenchon, who has declined so far to endorse Macron, inadvertedly delivers a Le Pen win? These things don't happen, until they do. It was working class discontent, normally the domain of the left, that delivered a Trump win in the United States. It was working class, former Labour supporting constituencies, that voted massively for Leave, delivering Brexit. Are we so sure that the left will move lock stock and barrel behind a former Hollande minister?

What about turn-out? How sure can we be that those who voted for other candidates in the first round will turn out to support the 'not Le Pen' option in the second? The 8th of May is a bank holiday in France. If you were a left-leaning voter, would you go vote for a 'banker', or would you go to the beach for the three day weekend? Those who are excited about their candidates turn out to vote. Le Pen, unfortunately, has a lot of excited supporters. Macron has a lot of 'anyone but Le Pen' supporters. Are you still feeling confident about a Macron win?
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It's time we established co-ops as a vital tool that all democratic political parties and movements should feel comfortable embracing. If we don't, the risk is that the UK co-op sector will continue to lag behind those in other developed countries and our ambitions for a more inclusive economy will be frustrated anew.

In this election all the parties are talking about how important it is to make the UK fairer, by sharing opportunity, wealth and power more efficiently.

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Really, they should all be talking about co-ops. Why?

Co-operatives are businesses owned and run by ordinary people - workers, customers, local people, artists, farmers... Together these are the people who decide what the business does, how it does it, and where the profits go.

Vitally, evidence suggests that where there is a critical mass of worker ownership and community co-operation, it is possible to have Swedish levels of equality, but with UK levels of tax. And you get that because opportunity, wealth and power are more efficiently and effectively distributed at the level of firms and communities.

This is a point worth reiterating: If politicians want to create a more inclusive economy but also want to prioritise public spending on infrastructure and public services over wealth redistribution, they need to back genuinely inclusive businesses like co-ops.

The co-operative sector in the UK is a successful one. There are 7,000 independent co-ops, from high street retailers such as The Co-op and farmer owned businesses like Arla to worker owned enterprises such as Suma, the recipient of the Queens Enterprise Award for Innovation last weekend. Together the UK's co-ops employ 220,000 people and contribute 34 billion to the UK economy.

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But the fact is, despite being the birthplace of co-operatives and a global leader in social enterprise, the UK lags behind most OECD countries in the scale and impact of our co-operative sector. Germany has a co-op economy four times size of ours, while in France it is six times larger. The UK needs to do better.

While there is no one thing that holds us back, it's undeniable that a lack of real depth in cross-party support for co-ops over many decades has not been helpful.

Theresa May's Secretary of State for Communities, Sajid Javid, recently said co-ops "should be proud of the work they do." Meanwhile David Cameron, who described co-ops as a "powerful business model", delivered on a 2010 manifesto commitment to improve co-op law. Tellingly, Margret Thatcher's 1979 Conservative manifesto called for more employee ownership.

Yet while many Conservatives may like what co-ops do and the way they do it, in UK politics the very word 'co-op' has at times carried unhelpful partisan connotations that get in the way of informed debate and sensible policymaking. This has left co-ops misunderstood and under-served by successive governments. It may even be one of the reasons why Thatcher's ambitions to democratise ownership were never realised.

If there was ever a time to put a stop to this, it is now.

When people as politically diverse as George Osborne and Paul Mason are talking about the need to democratise our economy, when the Conservatives talk about an 'inclusive' economy and Labour a 'new' economy, we know practical support for co-ops can sit comfortably in the centre-ground. This does not mean co-ops can't be part of proud political traditions on the left or the right. Rather it means that they are one of those precious tools that can be used in both.

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In this election Theresa May could lead her party in embracing co-ops and with a conviction that they can be of any political persuasion or none. In fact she could take the brave step of joining her rivals in non-partisan support for the millions of Britons who are already members of a co-op, and the millions more who would benefit from choosing a co-op option.
This time last year, I sat on NUS Conference floor as Malia Bouattia was elected NUS President. This year, I was back at NUS Conference as Malia's re-election campaign fell.

The past year has seen an unstoppable tide of antisemitism from all corners of our movement. This was accompanied by consistent whitewashing, claims that context justifies racist comments, and a pervasive feeling that NUS viewed Jewish students not as constituents, but as nuisances.

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We have been driven further and further away from NUS, and I understand many of my friends' support for disaffiliation referenda on campuses across the country.

I've been in the minority over the past year, and instead of giving up on a movement with so much potential, I've been campaigning for Jewish students to stay and fight, demanding recognition and respect. The Yes to NUS campaign at my university, Bristol, was nothing but isolating towards Jewish students, ignoring our issues and making no concessions on their sound bite that NUS was an anti-racist, anti-fascist movement. They made it clear that the leadership of NUS would not be discussed under any circumstances.

Recent NUS NEC meetings have irrationally supported antisemitic statements for the sake of factional arm-stronging. Coming into this conference, I was truly ready to give up on NUS. I had decided that if Malia were re-elected, the message this sent out loud and clear to Jewish students was that unless we conform to their agenda and change our Judaism to suit their politics, we would not be welcome.

But today, with the election of Izzy Lenga - along with several allies of Jewish students, including National President-elect Shakira Martin - the tide is changing in NUS. Izzy is the only Jewish student to stand for a full time officer position in NUS since Rachel Wenstone in 2014, and her record on fighting against antisemitism is unstoppable. I, along with other Jewish students have had a difficult three years of NUS Conferences characterised by bullying, online harassment and straight out antisemitism. For us, the election of a Jewish student is indescribable.

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From now on, I am confident that NUS will no longer offer insincere apologies to Jewish students to bolster their out of touch political policies. From now on, NUS can transform to a movement that works with us, not just as lip service but because they genuinely care about us. From now on, I truly believe that NUS will stop shutting Jewish students out the room, but let us lead on antisemitism to revolutionise this movement.

Today proves that when we work hard, we can and we will win for Jewish students.
Photo credit: Fashion Revolution

When faced with complexity, we have a tendency to bury our heads in the sand - an ancient survival mechanism perhaps? Creating a better, fairer world is hard. Fashion Revolution Week is a great way to begin.

The threads that bind us

The older I get, the more connections I see in the world around me. We live in a vast interconnected universe where seemingly disparate topics are in fact intimately linked on some level. Social justice, the multi-billion dollar fashion industry, environmental conservation and animal welfare - all of these things come into play every time we decide to purchase an item of clothing. It's kind of overwhelming isn't it? We can unwittingly impact on the world around us on a daily basis, without ever fully comprehending the consequences of our actions.

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I can't tell you that if you do x y and z everything will be fine and all fashion supply chains will become transparent and equitable tomorrow. But the good news is that we are not powerless. We can create positive change, which will lead to a socially and environmentally bright future. I know that we can do this. I also know that it won't be easy...but it will be worth it!

Join the global revolution

About 75 million people work directly in the fashion and textiles industry. Many are subject to exploitation; verbal and physical abuse, working in unsafe conditions, with very little pay. On April 24 2013, 1138 garment workers were killed when the Rana Plaza complex collapsed in Dhaka, Bangladesh. People all around the world are still suffering as a direct result of our fashion supply chain.

Fashion Revolution is a non-profit organisation which is saying, enough is enough! All year round Fashion Revolution campaigns for systemic reform of the industry with a special focus on the need for greater transparency in the fashion supply chain.

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Photo: Fashion Revolution 2016 in San Fransisco. Credit - Bryan Berry

Fashion Revolution Co-founder Orsola de Castro said:

"Have you ever wondered who makes your clothes? How much they're paid and what their lives are like? Our clothes have gone on a long journey before they hit store shelves, passing through the hands of cotton farmers, spinners, weavers, dyers, and sewers. 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 Revolution Week (24 - 30 April) will bring people from all over the world together to ask brands #whomademyclothes, and to demand greater transparency to help improve the working conditions and wages of the people who make our clothes.

How to get involved

A simple but powerful step you can take during Fashion Revolution Week (and beyond) is to take a selfie showing your clothing label, tag the brand on social media and ask them #whomademyclothes? The important thing is to be persistent! Keep asking until you receive a satisfactory answer.

Photo: Amber Valetta asks @stellamcartney #whomademyclothes?

We want as many people as possible to question who made their clothes, from the thread linking the garment to the machinists who sewed it, all the way down to the farmer who grew the cotton.

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Here are some other ways to get involved:

Attend a Fashion Revolution event in your community;

Write to your local politicians and tell them you want better conditions for workers and the reduction of environmental impacts in the fashion industry everywhere in the world;

Try a #Haulternative: mend, reuse, recycle, customise or swap your clothing with a friend (get the guide);

Buy something better: choose something from a brand with a positive social or environmental impact. You can use the Good On You app to check labour, environment and animal ratings for over 1,000 fashion brands. Or buy something from a charity or vintage shop;

Check out the Fashion Transparency Index, which ranks some of the biggest global fashion companies according to their level of transparency; and

Write a love story about an item of clothing that means a lot to you.

Get amongst amazing ethical fashion events

With over 90 countries taking part in 2017, there are stacks of events happening around the globe. Here's just a taster of what's going on in the UK:

April 25

A discussion about what fashion has done to us! Enjoy free delicious comfort food together with inspiring conversations.

April 26

This event will showcase recent collaborative research into fashion and ageing carried out by academics from the Fashion, Knitwear and Textile department in the School of Art & Design at Nottingham Trent University.

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West London Waste Authority will host a live twitter chat on 26th April from 1-2 pm on textile waste with fashion industry experts. Twitter use #textilechat

April 27

Chaired by Fashion Angel founder Alison Lewy MBE, the panel will be discussing the recent ground breaking textile innovations and how these are likely to influence the future of fashion.

This is a night to showcase the real looks and styles of the fairtrade fashion industry, our fashion show will be complete with workshops set up around the venue on the night of the event to promote fairtrade in all aspects of life from fashion to your everyday groceries.

Looking at the parallels between the ethical fashion movement and feminism, we'll explore whether they champion each other's causes or go against them, whether they can join forces to be more powerful and whether fairly made fashion needs to brand itself as feminist.

April 28

Stylist and co-founder of conscious style agency Novel Beings, Alice Wilby, chats to journalist and fashion editor, Bel Jacobs about how to curate a sustainable wardrobe and introduces you to brands that are making a difference in the fashion world.

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Bourgeois Boheme founder Alicia will share her experiences of running a brand independently, the challenges faced and driving forces keeping her going and why staying independent matters.

April 29
It's been a little while since you last heard from me, and that's because Elaine and I have been on our first ever holiday with my guide dog, Oscar. We enjoyed a week travelling around bonnie Scotland, and Oscar didn't put a paw wrong!

Saturday, 1 April

Oscar guided me around Gretna Green and, after we encountered a piper, he decided he loves the bagpipes! In fact, he loves music in general - he goes all quiet and still when it's on, and leans into my leg to listen.

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Later, we visited a restaurant in Aviemore, where everyone made a fuss of Oscar. I got recognised from the Sponsor a Puppy TV advert that I appear in for the charity Guide Dogs by a very nice man, who said he'd sponsor a puppy after chatting to us.

Sunday, 2 April

We soared up Ben Nevis on the cable car today, which was very crowded but Oscar wasn't fazed at all. We got recognised from the Guide Dogs advert again at the top, and there were lots of questions about how Oscar guides me - the quick answer is that we work together as a brilliant team! He turned two in February, and I've really noticed his own personality and confidence starting to shine through over the few months we've been together.

Monday, 3 April

Oscar loves water so when we visited Loch Ness, he had to have a paddle - I think he was looking for Nessie! We made friends with some American tourists at the visitor centre, so learned a bit about guide dogs in the US.

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Tuesday, 4 April

We went on a whisky tour, where Oscar guided me through some very narrow gaps in between the barrels. Guide dogs are taught to judge whether both them and their owner can get through a gap when they're out walking, so Oscar will stop if he thinks the path ahead isn't wide enough for us both. But I encourage him by saying 'find a way', and he'll help me get through.

Thursday, 6 April

With Oscar by my side, I definitely feel more free than I have for a long time. We popped into a busy cafe, and I've taught him to find an empty table. I just say 'find a table, Oscar' and he takes us straight to the nearest available seats!

Friday, 7 April

We went to Blair Atholl and visited the castle. In the car park, we saw a chicken and a peacock with its tail all fanned out. I'm sure most other dogs would have gone crazy, but Oscar didn't pull at his harness or even bark. He was just inquisitive, with his head tilting left and right, because he'd never seen anything like that before. It's like having a young child again - there are some things that are still new to Oscar!

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Saturday, 8 April

Homeward bound! Oscar has done such a fantastic job; he has enabled me to do and enjoy everything on this holiday. I've felt more like I used to before I went blind, and people have been so interested in Oscar.

I've been able to spread the word about how amazing guide dogs are to locals and tourists from afar afield as Japan and the USA. Before I went completely blind eight years ago, I was a very social person. When I lost my sight, I became very withdrawn and I wouldn't have dreamt of striking up conversations with strangers. Having Oscar has given me my confidence back, so I feel like I'm ready to do business with the world again.
When we look at our parents, we hope that we'll inherit the best of them - looks, personality, brains... but when that parent has a mental illness your expectations are rather diminished.

Scientist have discovered a gene which may help explain the causes of mental illness. The gene is called ABCA13. It is estimated that the genetic variants identified could account for about 2% of the risks of schizophrenia and 4% of bipolar.

My mother is a sufferer of mental illness, she's had every drug known to man pumped into her, ECT, the whole nine yards and she has graciously passed that gene on to me - as well as her frizzy hair - I might add. I would say generally my illness is dormant but then it flares up and picks a fight with my happy gene and invariably wins. At times I feel this is akin to poison in my veins or being a member of a very sacred club that only admits pedigrees of mental illness. A bit like the Kennel Club, all in the breeding.

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There is no shame in having mental illness - it happens. The only shame is of those who confuse being peed-off to having mental illness - not the same, luv. Everyday, you are literally sitting on a mountain top waiting for it to erupt and spew lava. Like most sufferers I can actually feel an attack happening, it's like a switch and it can last days, weeks, then it becomes dormant. It can happen when I am driving, shopping, in a room full of people. Many a time I have pulled the car over and sobbed.

So what do we do about this blue gene? You can't pick it like a spot, put a plaster over it, the only solution is to make peace with it, accept the inevitable, and accept that you will have attacks, start talking to yourself, feeling anxious and a desire to be alone with your self-loathing. If you're a devotee of psychiatry or pouring over self-help books, maybe that can ease the pain. Eventually you'll find that there isn't an answer, only you can manage it to an acceptable level, otherwise it will destroy you and the tools of psychiatry and self-help books will help you get there but it needs to come from within.

Recently I read about a group of people who meet up and take bracing swims in the cold sea to alleviate the depressive feelings. I actually tried it and to be honest I think the shock of the icy waters just wiped out any depressive feelings and I felt strangely happy. Realistically, nobody can do that every time they feel an attack imminent, so instead of paying money to sit in front of a faceless person with a constant eye on the clock, I would like to see more drop-in centres with trained professional at the helm, where you can just go in and share with others how you're feeling over a cup of coffee. Most of the time an attack makes you feel isolated, being with others and sharing your state of mind can be cathartic. How much would that cost the Government? Sitting at home and letting the demons suffocate you is where you walk a dangerous path. Suicide is the second biggest causes of death. Are the Government with their lack of funding even aware of this? Only last week, a judge passed judgement that a women was too middle-class to suffer from depression.

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These people are supposed to have a modicum of intelligence, yet they can place labels on certain classes.

Social media has contributed to many feeling inadequate. I will confess something shameful... I was working at an event and one of my colleagues was getting married. She was showing every minute detail on her phone, the expensive designer dress, the hairstyle, the professional makeup artist booked, she was crowing on about how she and her mother were going to an expensive spa before the big day and I wanted to shout, "enough already!" Is that shameful? I have an aversion to selfies, I don't even have the foggiest how to take one and I find them self-absorbing, but as my father once said to me, "empty vessels make the most noise." Her happiness was grating on me. I wanted to tell her that actually my mother won't be dabbing her tears at my wedding, she won't be there, besides one wrong look from the vicar and he's liable to have his crown jewels chopped off. If I ever married, it'll be me, the man, my father and the ring bearer, my little dog and not a Swarovski diamond in sight, thank you very much!

One consolation is that we keep very good company. Vincent Van Gogh, an artist whose mental illness kept him a prisoner is now revered the world over. Virginia Woolf, Sylvia Plath, Vivien Leigh and lastly Marilyn Monroe: all these people had special qualities, immensely talented but all suffered from mental illness yet two of them completed suicide.
Who is at the centre of Britain's Modern Slavery Act: slaves or their captors? When only 4.9 per cent of the compensation awarded in such cases is passed onto victims, as The Times claimed yesterday, we can't help but wonder.

This is what happens when priorities are skewed towards criminal justice and away from community care. Legislation that has upgraded modern slavery into a serious crime has had the added effect of encouraging prosecutions at the expense of caring for victims - in this case, quite literally. Crackdowns on gangs and traffickers provide the instant gratification that long-term rehabilitation of victims does not. We've seen it all before, only in a different context: the war on drugs, where the capture of cartel kingpins is taken as an unequivocal sign of success.

We should be concerned, because how we start out is often an indicator of how we mean to go on. It's telling, perhaps, that 'Protection of victims' forms the fifth of seven sections in the text of the legislation, after criminality has been dealt with. With a Modern Slavery Act that prioritises action against criminals over action for victims, we risk becoming the doctor who mistakes symptoms for causes. We'll catch offenders but do little to address the poverty of victims, their precarious immigration statuses and the traumatic experiences they've gone through - the very things that make people vulnerable to exploitation in the first place.

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Convictions work best as part of a wider strategy, where victims receive the care they need. Morality aside, an undue focus on arrests isn't tactically expedient. More care doesn't detract from prosecutors' efforts, but only enhances them. Unless we support victims, they'll be less likely to come forward to report slavery when it happens. Years of traumatic trials after years of exploitation are unlikely to fill them with hope. Add into the mix the derisory compensation they can expect to receive, and the chances that victims will stick with protracted trials and give their indispensable evidence are remote.

The Lithuanian men who recently settled their claim for more than 1 million saw their case through, but others may read their story and give up before they get started. Only when they finally received compensation for their terrible treatment at the hands of egg farmers could the six men begin to move on. Although they had nominally been free, for four long years they had to remember and relive their experiences in the form of testimony before receiving any compensation. In that time, according to a working paper by Focus on Labour Exploitation (FLEX), they also had to deal with the "loss of benefits and risk of destitution due to the lack of long-term support from UK authorities." The toll all this must have taken, along with worries about whether they'd be sent back to Lithuania, is unimaginable.

Financial compensation is essential to any effort to let victims of slavery get their lives back on track - not only economically, but psychologically and emotionally too. Yet, if the figures from The Times are correct, the government has taken ten times more than victims from the compensation pot. Of the 3.1 million paid out by slave-owners so far, victims have received 156,000. This is dwarfed by the 1.5 million the government has been given. In the absence of justification, an imbalance as great as this looks suspicious. So, we have a right to know: where is that money being spent?

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It's a question of the framework through which we choose to see modern slavery. Either we put all our resources into locking offenders up, or we decide that helping victims to move on from their suffering is too important to play second fiddle. Our response to slavery should take recovery and rehabilitation seriously, for without them, crime and punishment are nothing. Community care is no less motivated by the cause of justice than prisons and parole boards.

If the Modern Slavery Act isn't driven by victims and their freedom, we have to ask whose interests it is serving. An approach that treats compensation as the starting-point on a journey towards autonomy and dignity is by no means the easier route. It will take longer, reap humbler rewards and offer fewer headline opportunities. But such an approach will make justice about the people who are innocent as much as those who are guilty. Slavery, after all, doesn't end in the siren-lights of a police raid.
Reno County incumbent legislators re-elected

Results were the same as the 2020 election in terms of winners, but one race was closer and the other had a wider margin.
MCLA's Executive Vice President Denise Richardello is presented the Quinn Award by 1Berkshire Board member Jonah Sykes.

Richardello, Gaspardi-Febles Honored With Quinn Award



MountainOne's Vice President for Business Insurance Linda Gaspardi-Febles was given her award from Award Committee Chairman Mick Callahan. PITTSFIELD, Mass.  When Esther Quinn died in 1998, the local business community lost someone who, after working a full day, would put in countless volunteer hours.

But others are following in her footsteps. This year 1Berkshire honored both Linda Gaspardi-Febles of MountainOne and Denise Richardello of the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts with the 18th annual Esther Quinn Award, recognizing those same type of efforts.

"Esther Quinn was a pioneer and as passionate advocate for causes that she believed in. She was an outstanding individual who stood out amongst her peers. I am so proud top be a recipient of the Esther Quinn Award," Richardello said.

The executive vice president at MCLA was presented the award at 1Berkshire's Good News Business Salute at the Berkshire Hills Country Club on Wednesday morning. 1Berkshire Board member Jonah Sykes remembers first meeting Richardello six years ago when he, as development manager for the Berkshire United Way, visited the college to see how the Berkshire County Goes to College Program was working.

"I met Denise then and she spoke passionately about the value of this program, was a champion for creating access and opportunities for the local kids in our schools to aspire to a higher level of education," Sykes said. "Since then the executive vice president of my beloved alma mater MCLA has shown that she is committed to ensuring productive relationships and partnerships are made between education, civic, and business interests."

Sykes now sits on the 1Berkshire Board of Directors with Richardello and can name a number of other volunteer efforts she's participated in  those include statewide appoints to various educational boards and local business and education boards. Sykes said the award is "perfectly suited" for Richardello.

Mick Callahan, chairman of the Ester Quinn Award Committee, had a lengthy list of volunteer efforts of Gaspardi-Febles. The vice president for business insurance at MountainOne has been on the local boards of the Chamber of Commerce, taking an instrumental role in the merger into 1Berkshire, the Northern Berkshire United Way, the Brien Center, and numerous others.

"Linda's resume is long and deep. Her service is backed only by her positive attitude, her outgoing personality, her energy, whether it was tackling an assignment as a chair of the Chamber of Commerce working through the merger to get us where we are today as 1Berkshire. Her proud accomplishment is a letter that she keeps close by from Gov. Deval Patrick commending her for her personal outreach in helping young women," Callahan said.

Both recipients were honored for their efforts aimed to make the Berkshires a better place to live, work, and play, said 1Berkshire President Jonathan Butler. Gaspardi-Febles, however, says she is just following the footsteps of her mentors, many of whom were at the event and included former award winners.

"There are many people in the room who have supported me, too many to mention. I am forever grateful for all of you. I am more committed than ever to continue my active involvement in these organizations and help them improve the quality of life for so many," Gaspardi-Febles said.

Callahan said the two women replicate Quinn's dedication to the Berkshires. Quinn served on local boards including the city's charter commission, the United Way, the Red Cross, and St. Mark's Church.



Gaspardi-Febles will continue to be active in the community. "She started her career working in General Electric Company, moved on to the Berkshire County Board of Realtors where she was for 20 years. She served as the president in 1985, was elected realtor of the year in 1986, recognized as a woman of achievement in 1987 by the Berkshire Business and Professional Woman organization, an active member of the Chamber of Commerce for many of years and started the business after hours," Callahan said.

"Esther had the enthusiasm and the spirit of dedicated people who want to help our community."

And her legacy is living on with people like Gaspardi-Febles and Richardello, who focus energy on volunteering to improve the region.

"We are all very fortunate to live in a region that not only boasts natural beauty, renown cultural facilities, and remarkable institutions of higher education but a region whose cultural spirit is rooted in volunteerism and acts of kindness," Richardello said.

The award was presented in front of a crowd of nearly 200 from the business community. North Adams Mayor Richard Alcombright and Pittsfield City Council President Peter Marchetti were among elected officials in attendance.

It was the first 1Berkshire breakfast event in a year and a half or so and shed light on positive developments in local businesses. Berkshire Natural Resources Council, Elms College, Anteris, and the law firm Cohen Kinne Valicenti & Cook were "saluted" during the breakfast.
Talks Underway for Trumps First Israel Visit

The Fellowship | April 26, 2017 Talks Underway for Trump's First Israel Visit

This May, Donald Trumps trip to Europe may also include his first presidential visit to the Jewish state. The Times of Israels Stuart Winer reports that Trumps visit would coincide with 50th anniversary celebrations of Jerusalems reuinification:

Officials in Jerusalem and Washington are in advanced talks to arrange a visit by US President Donald Trump to Israel in May, Hebrew media reported on Wednesday.

If the plans go ahead it will be Trumps first ever visit to Israel.

Israel Radio said the talks had been going on for several weeks and that a US delegation to prepare for the visit was set to arrive in Israel on Thursday. A senior diplomatic official told the radio that the chances of Trump coming to Israel were at 80 percent.

Trump, whose first scheduled foreign trip as president is a visit to Brussels next month, is looking to expand on that by arriving in Israel on May 21 or in the days after, the reports said.

If Trump were to visit on those dates it would coincide with Israels celebration of the 50th anniversary of the reunification of Jerusalem in the 1967 Six Day War, which falls this year on the eve of May 23 and the day of the 24th.

It also coincides with an important decision Trump will have to make on whether to move the US Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem as he promised in his election campaign
In anticipation of the years most terrifying film by Ridley Scott Alien: Covenant that will open on May 10 in Phils. cinemas, fans and enthusiasts are in for a treat dubbed as Alien Day on April 26 as the groundbreaking franchise offers a twenty-four hours of fan-focused activities worldwide.

Alien Day on April 26 is a nod to planet LV-426 from the iconic Alien films, as the countdown continues for the highly anticipated new chapter in Ridley Scotts groundbreaking sci-fi thriller, Alien: Covenant, releasing in theaters worldwide beginning May 10. Cast members from Alien: Covenant will join fan-focused festivities including a live streaming event, an interactive trivia challenge, worldwide screenings, all-new product launches, special reveals and more.

The worldwide Alien Day fan activities include livestreaming event at Fox Studios in Los Angeles on all Alien social channels and on the newly launched ALIEN Universe Hub, fans can interact with the cast via a question and answer session as well as view multiple behind-the-scenes segments highlighting the making of Alien: Covenant and for the hardcore nerds theres the MU/TH/UR of all ALIEN Trivia Challenges  available for only 24 hours on www.AlienUniverse.com, Fox will unveil a new quiz every 4 hours and 26 minutes.

On the local scene, in Metro Manila, experience the alien in you in the Alien: Covenant Utero, a photo exhibit at Ayala Malls Cinemas Trinoma Cinema lobby wherein one can experience firsthand via VR (virtual reality) being borne as an alien starting April 26, Wednesday (7:00pm). Early birds will also get a chance to take home a limited collectible Alien: Covenant poster at the kick-off of Alien Day in Trinoma Cinema.

This is something you have never seen and experienced before! Step into the Alien: Covenant VR experience at Trinoma where participants will be immersed into a living nightmare and offer an experience that will feel like the first memory of an alien neomorph at the time of its birth. The virtual reality puts you in the first persons POV (point-of-view) as if you were a neomorph fetus being borne and ends up bursting from a persons back. Experience it all  visual and auditory as the Alien: Covenant Utero brings you a womb-like environment created with extreme level of detail and realism.

Alien: Covenant is set ten years after the events depicted in Ridley Scotts 2012 hit Prometheus. Now, Alien: Covenant returns to the roots of the directors groundbreaking saga with a uniquely terrifying tale filled with white-knuckle adventure and monstrous new creatures. With this, the sixth installment in the blockbuster series, the visionary director edges ever closer toward revealing the mysterious origins of the mother of all aliens, the lethal Xenomorph from the original film.

Brace for inescapable terror when Alien: Covenant opens in Philippine cinemas on May 10 - from 20th Century Fox distributed by Warner Bros.
Identifies close to 9,000 C2 servers and hundreds of compromised websites, including government portals

Kaspersky Lab today announced its participation in a groundbreaking INTERPOL-led cybercrime operation involving public and private sectors across the ASEAN region. Nearly 9,000 botnet command and control (C2) servers and hundreds of compromised websites, including government portals were identified from the activity.

The operation was carried out from the INTERPOL Global Complex for Innovation (IGCI) in Singapore, the research and development facility of the worlds largest police organization.

Cybercrime investigators from Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam gathered together at the IGCI to exchange information on specific cybercrime situations in their respective countries. An additional cyber intelligence report was contributed by China.

Experts from Kaspersky Lab cooperated with the INTERPOL to share fresh cyberthreat discoveries and to formulate recommended actions along with six other private companies, namely Cyber Defense Institute, Booz Allen Hamilton, British Telecom, Fortinet, Palo Alto Networks, and Trend Micro.

Being the only vendor able to detect the infection at the time, Kaspersky Lab provided the INTERPOL team with an exclusive report on a WordPress plugin vulnerability that has affected thousands of websites in the region, including those belonging to government agencies, universities, NGOs, and private businesses.

The vulnerability allowed perpetrators to inject malicious codes to over 5,000 legitimate webpages around the globe and redirect the users to advertising pages of counterfeit goods. The vulnerability also allowed other types of malicious activity such as potentially unwanted programs (PUP) downloads, password brute-forcing, and proxy among others.

Kaspersky Lab has also furnished the IGCI with an extensive list of 8,800 botnet C2 servers found to be active in ASEAN countries, as retrieved from the Kaspersky Security Network and Botnet C&C Threat Feed. Formed from the words robot and network, a botnet is a zombie network of thousands or millions of Internet-connected devices (such as PCs, smartphones, tablets, routers, smart toys, or other gadgets) that are hacked and infected with a special malware so that these could be controlled by a cybercriminal to deliver cyberattacks.

The botnets data shared by Kaspersky Lab covered various malware families, specifically those targeting financial organizations, spreading ransomware, launching distributed-denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks, distributing spam, and enabling other criminal activities. Investigations into the C2 servers are currently ongoing.

The operation's findings also include the confirmation of nearly 270 websites infected with a malware code which exploited a vulnerability in the website design application. Among the victims of malware infection were several government websites which may have stored some personal data of its citizens.

A number of phishing website operators were also discovered such as one with links to Nigeria. One cybercriminal based in Indonesia selling phishing kits via the Darknet had been ascertained to have posted tutorial videos on YouTube showing customers how to use the illegal software.

According to IGCI Executive Director Noboru Nakatani, the operation was ideal as it demonstrated a highly effective and beneficial public-private partnership in the fight against cybercrime. Sharing intelligence was the basis of the success of this operation, and such cooperation is vital for long term effectiveness in managing cooperation networks for both future operations and day-to-day activity in combating cybercrime, said Nakatani.

Public-private sharing is a critical step in fighting cybercrime in the region, said Anton Shingarev, Vice-President Public Affairs of Kaspersky Lab. But for this operation, access to intelligence and technology has been as important as the experience of learning from each other throughout the process, resulting in better understanding and collaboration between private partners and law enforcement agencies. This makes the INTERPOL Global Complex for Innovations a unique platform that transforms intelligence sharing into meaningful and impactful actions against cybercriminals both at the regional and national levels.
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Disney announced a whole bunch of release dates last night (25 April), revealing when fans can expect Star Wars: Episode IX, Frozen 2, and the live-action adaptation of Lion King to touch down.

Perhaps one of the more exciting announcements was Indiana Jones 5, which was given an exact date: 10 July 2020.

Previously, chairman of Walt Disney Studios Alan Horn had said the company would "bring him[Jones] back to the screen in 2019.

The fifth film in the Indiana Jones series will see both Steven Spielberg and Harrison Ford (who will be in his late 70s) return, with a script penned by David Koepp, who also worked on the widely panned Indiana Jones and The Kingdom of The Crystal Skull.

A delay on the release should come as no surprise to those familiar with Spielberg's upcoming schedule: the director is currently working on Ready Player One and the Tom Hanks-starring story about The Washington Post, tentatively titled The Post.

Films to get excited about in 2017 Show all 13 1 /13 Films to get excited about in 2017 Films to get excited about in 2017 Star Wars: The Last Jedi Director: Rian Johnson Rian Johnson Cast: Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Adam Driver, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, and Lupita Nyong'o Plot: No details yet, but it will continue directly on from Rey coming face-to-face with Luke at the end of The Force Awakens. Release Date: 15 December 2017 Films to get excited about in 2017 Thor: Ragnarok Director: Taika Waititi Taika Waititi Cast: Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Cate Blanchett, Tessa Thompson, Jeff Goldblum, Karl Urban, and Mark Ruffalo Plot: Story details are minimal as of now, but Thor's third return to screen has already been teased to feature a loose adaptation of the famous 'Planet Hulk' storyline. Release Date: 27 October 2017 Films to get excited about in 2017 You Were Never Really Here Director: Lynne Ramsay Lynne Ramsay Cast: Joaquin Phoenix, Alessandro Nivola Plot: A war veteran's attempt to save a young girl from a sex trafficking ring goes horribly wrong. Release Date: Unknown Films to get excited about in 2017 Annihilation Director: Alex Garland Alex Garland Cast: Natalie Portman, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Tessa Thompson, and Oscar Isaac Plot: A biologist's husband disappears. She thus puts her name forward for an expedition into an environmental disaster zone, but does not quite find what she's expecting. The expedition team is made up of the biologist, an anthropologist, a psychologist, and a surveyor. Release Date: Unknown Films to get excited about in 2017 Wonderstruck (image from Far From Heaven) Director: Todd Haynes Cast: Julianne Moore, Michelle Williams, and Amy Hargreaves Plot: The story of a young boy in the Midwest is told simultaneously with a tale about a young girl in New York from fifty years ago as they both seek the same mysterious connection. Release Date: Unknown Films to get excited about in 2017 Mother (image of Darren Aronofsky) Director: Darren Aronofsky Cast: Jennifer Lawrence, Javier Bardem, Michelle Pfeiffer, Domhnall Gleeson, and Ed Harris Plot: A couple's relationship is tested when uninvited guests arrive at their home, disrupting their tranquil existence. Release Date: Unknown Films to get excited about in 2017 The Killing of a Sacred Deer (image from The Lobster) Director: Yorgos Lanthimos Cast: Colin Farrell, Nicole Kidman, and Alicia Silverstone Plot: A surgeon forms a familial bond with a sinister teenage boy, with disastrous results. Release Date: Unknown Films to get excited about in 2017 Blade Runner 2049 Director: Denis Villeneuve Denis Villeneuve Cast: Ryan Gosling, Harrison Ford, Robin Wright, and Jared Leto Plot: Thirty years after the events of the first film, a new blade runner, LAPD Officer K, unearths a long-buried secret that has the potential to plunge what's left of society into chaos. K's discovery leads him on a quest to find Rick Deckard, a former LAPD blade runner who has been missing for 30 years. Release Date: 6 October 2017 Films to get excited about in 2017 Lady Bird (image of director Greta Gerwig) Director: Greta Gerwig Cast: Saoirse Ronan, Laurie Metcalf, and Lucas Hedges Plot: The adventures of a young woman living in Northern California for a year. Release Date: Unknown Films to get excited about in 2017 The Kidnapping of Edgardo Mortara (image of director Steven Spielberg and star Mark Rylance) Director: Steven Spielberg Cast: Mark Rylance, Oscar Isaac Plot: The Kidnapping Of Edgardo Mortara recounts the story of a young Jewish boy in Bologna, Italy in 1858 who, having been secretly baptized, is forcibly taken from his family to be raised as a Christian. His parents' struggle to free their son becomes part of a larger political battle that pits the Papacy against forces of democracy and Italian unification. Release Date: Unknown Films to get excited about in 2017 How to Talk to Girls at Parties Director: John Cameron Mitchell John Cameron Mitchell Cast: Elle Fanning, Ruth Wilson, and Nicole Kidman Plot: An alien touring the galaxy breaks away from her group and meets two young inhabitants of the most dangerous place in the universe: the London suburb of Croydon. Release Date: Unknown Films to get excited about in 2017 The Dark Tower Director: Nikolaj Arcel Nikolaj Arcel Cast: Idris Elba, Matthew McConaughey, and Tom Taylor Plot: Gunslinger Roland Deschain roams an Old West-like landscape in search of the dark tower, in the hopes that reaching it will preserve his dying world. Release Date: 28 July 2017 Films to get excited about in 2017 Suburbicon Director: George Clooney George Clooney Cast: Matt Damon, Julianne Moore, Josh Brolin, and Oscar Isaac Plot: A crime mystery set in the quiet family town of Suburbicon during the 1950s, where the best and worst of humanity is hilariously reflected through the deeds of seemingly ordinary people. When a home invasion turns deadly, a picture-perfect family turns to blackmail, revenge and betrayal. Release Date: 24 November

Producer Frank Marshall also previously confirmed the fifth entry's plot will be a direct continuation of its predecessor; whether Shia LaBeouf will return is currently unknown.

Meanwhile, Star Wars: Episode IX will reach cinemas 24 May 2019, a surprising move considering both other main-saga sequels touch down in December. However, Disney will likely still dominate Christmas 2019 as Frozen 2 is set for release late November that year.
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Jonathan Demme, best known as the director of the Oscar-winning Silence of the Lambs, has died at the age of 73.

Though the back-to-back successes of both Silence of the Lambs (1991) and Philadelphia (1993) may have forever secured Demme's place as one of Hollywood's greats, his true talents lay in how endlessly capable he was of surprise.

Demme was never afraid of taking creative risks, of making each film a left turn from the last. He first broke into the industry, for example, working alongside B-movie legend Roger Corman, co-writing and producing Angels Hard as they Come and Hot Box.

He then moved onto directing, making three films (Caged Heat, Crazy Mama, and Fight Mad) for Corman's studio; he eventually found mainstream success in the 1980s, thanks to a string of hits in Melvin and Howard, Swing Shift, Swimming to Cambodia, and Something Wild.

Demme also proved a huge influence on many of today's most prominent young filmmakers, as well as a great supporter of emerging talent. The filmmaker was only recently seen championing Barry Jenkins' Moonlight ahead of its Oscar win, which led Jenkins himself to pay tribute to the filmmaker on his passing.

"Met tons through the Moonlight run but my man Demme was the kindest, most generous. A MASSIVE soul. He lived in love. And rests in peace," Jenkins posted to Twitter.



Indiewire reports Demme passed away from esophageal cancer and complications from heart disease, according to a source close to the family.

His publicist has since confirmed the news, stating, "Sadly, I can confirm that Jonathan passed away early this morning in his Manhattan apartment, surrounded by his wife, Joanne Howard, and three children."

"He died from complications from esophageal cancer and is survived by his children Ramona, age 29, and her husband James Molloy, Brooklyn, age 26, and Jos, age 21. There will be a private family funeral."

"Any possible further plans will be announce[d] later. In lieu of flowers, the family has asked that donations be made to Americans for Immigrant Justice in Miamia, FL."



He is survived by his wife, artist Joanne Howard, and their three children.
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Star Wars Episode IX is getting released earlier than expected.

Disney, who has announced release dates for a wide range of its upcoming films including Frozen 2 and Indiana Jones 5, confirmed that Colin Trevorrow's sequel will arrive 24 May 2019 - five months ahead of the usual December release which was when The Force Awakens hit screens in 2015.

This move, as well as the release of the untitled Han Solo anthology prequel an entire year before, sees the Star Wars franchise return to the month which saw the unveiling of George Lucas' prequels in 1999, 2002 and 2005.

Star Wars: The Last Jedi trailer: All the best shots Show all 23 1 /23 Star Wars: The Last Jedi trailer: All the best shots Star Wars: The Last Jedi trailer: All the best shots Star Wars: The Last Jedi trailer: All the best shots Star Wars: The Last Jedi trailer: All the best shots Star Wars: The Last Jedi trailer: All the best shots Star Wars: The Last Jedi trailer: All the best shots Star Wars: The Last Jedi trailer: All the best shots Star Wars: The Last Jedi trailer: All the best shots Star Wars: The Last Jedi trailer: All the best shots Star Wars: The Last Jedi trailer: All the best shots Star Wars: The Last Jedi trailer: All the best shots Star Wars: The Last Jedi trailer: All the best shots Star Wars: The Last Jedi trailer: All the best shots Star Wars: The Last Jedi trailer: All the best shots Star Wars: The Last Jedi trailer: All the best shots Star Wars: The Last Jedi trailer: All the best shots Star Wars: The Last Jedi trailer: All the best shots Star Wars: The Last Jedi trailer: All the best shots Star Wars: The Last Jedi trailer: All the best shots Star Wars: The Last Jedi trailer: All the best shots Star Wars: The Last Jedi trailer: All the best shots Star Wars: The Last Jedi trailer: All the best shots Star Wars: The Last Jedi trailer: All the best shots Star Wars: The Last Jedi trailer: All the best shots

Disney's other big May release is Avengers 4 which Zoe Saldana may or may not have revealed the title of at the European premiere of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2 earlier this week.

John Boyega, Daisy Ridley and Adam Driver are all expected to return for the trilogy-closer. Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy recently shot down suggestion that Carrie Fisher, who died last year, will appear stating that all her filmed footage will be used for a posthumous appearance in The Last Jedi.

 Star Wars: The Last Jedi - Teaser Trailer

The only other film currently slated for the same date as Episode IX is Robert Downey Jr.'s untitled Doctor Dolittle reboot.

Episode VIII: The Last Jedi - which will see an expanded role for Mark Hamill's Luke Skywalker - will be released 15 December 2017.

Disney's full release schedule:

2017 films

5/5/17 GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 2 (3D)

5/26/17 PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MEN TELL NO TALES (3D)

6/16/17 CARS 3 (3D)

11/3/17 THOR: RAGNAROK (3D)

Wed 11/22/17 COCO (3D)

12/15/17 STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI (3D)

2018 films

2/16/18 BLACK PANTHER (3D)

3/9/18 A WRINKLE IN TIME (3D)

4/6/18 MAGIC CAMP

5/4/18 AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR (3D)

5/25/18 UNTITLED HAN SOLO STAR WARS ANTHOLOGY FILM (3D)

6/15/18 THE INCREDIBLES 2 (3D)

7/6/18 ANT-MAN AND THE WASP (3D)

8/3/18 UNTITLED DISNEY FAIRY TALE (Live Action)

11/2/18 MULAN (Live Action) (3D)

Wed 11/21/18 RALPH BREAKS THE INTERNET: WRECK-IT RALPH 2 (3D)

Tues 12/25/18 MARY POPPINS RETURNS

2019 films

3/8/19 CAPTAIN MARVEL (3D)

3/29/19 UNTITLED DISNEY FAIRY TALE (Live Action)

4/12/19 UNTITLED DISNEYTOON STUDIOS

5/3/19 UNTITLED AVENGERS (3D)

5/24/19 STAR WARS: EPISODE IX (3D)

6/21/19 TOY STORY 4 (3D)

7/19/19 THE LION KING (Live Action) (3D)

8/9/19 UNTITLED DISNEY LIVE ACTION

11/8/19 UNTITLED DISNEY FAIRY TALE (Live Action)

Wed 11/27/19 FROZEN 2 (3D)

12/20/19 UNTITLED DISNEY FAIRY TALE (Live Action)

2020 films

3/13/20 UNTITLED PIXAR ANIMATION (3D)

4/3/20 UNTITLED DISNEY LIVE ACTION

5/1/20 UNTITLED MARVEL (3D)

6/19/20 UNTITLED PIXAR ANIMATION (3D)

7/10/20 UNTITLED INDIANA JONES

8/7/20 UNTITLED MARVEL (3D)

11/6/20 UNTITLED MARVEL (3D)

Wed 11/25/20 GIGANTIC (3D)

2021 films

3/12/21 UNTITLED DISNEY LIVE ACTION

6/18/21 UNTITLED PIXAR ANIMATION (3D)

Wed 11/24/21 UNTITLED DISNEY ANIMATION (3D)
Get our free weekly email for all the latest cinematic news from our film critic Clarisse Loughrey Get our The Life Cinematic email for free Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the

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The potential scope for steamy affairs set in historical periods is pretty much endless, with filmmakers essentially left to throw a dart at a history book and see what lands.

The latest spin on the genre is Tulip Fever, placing the action in 17th century Amsterdam, though its high-profile cast and creators could actually attract some heavy awards interest once it lands.

For one, it's penned by Tom Stoppard, adapting Deborah Moggach's book of the same name, and directed by The Other Boleyn Girl's Justin Chadwick.

Recommended The first official pictures of Alicia Vikander as Lara Croft are here

Add to that its cast: Alicia Vikander, Judi Dench, Christoph Waltz, Dane DeHaan, Holliday Grainger, Jack O'Connell, Zack Galifianakis (sure?), Matthew Morrison, Tom Hollander, Cara Delevingne, Cressida Bonas, and David Harewood.

Vikander stars as an unhappily married woman who starts an affair with the painter (DeHaan) hired by her husband (Waltz) to paint her portrait, with the lovers eventually taking a chance on the booming market for tulip bulbs in an effort to raise the money needed to run away together.

Tulip Fever is set for a US release date of 25 August, though there's no word yet on a UK release date.
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A release date has finally been set for new Wes Anderson film Isle of Dogs - and, frustratingly, fans are going to have to wait another year to see it.

The Japan-set stop-motion animated film, which follows a boy searching for his missing dog, will be released on 20 April 2018.

It is the director's first feature since The Grand Budapest Hotel which was released in 2014.

Isle of Dogs will see Anderson reunite with his usual ensemble - Bill Murray, Edward Norton, Jeff Goldblum, Tilda Swinton - as well as an array of new recruits: Bryan Cranston, Scarlett Johansson, Greta Gerwig, Frances McDormand, Courtney B. Vance and Yoko Ono (yep, that Yoko Ono).

The films to watch out for from Sundance London 2017 Show all 7 1 /7 The films to watch out for from Sundance London 2017 The films to watch out for from Sundance London 2017 Beatriz at Dinner Beatriz (Salma Hayek) is a miracle workerhighly sensitive with her touch, and passionately dedicated to curing pain through holistic therapy. After treating the mother of a young woman Beatriz helped recover from chemotherapy, her car breaks down, so she is invited to stay for a dinner celebrating a lucrative business deal. Beatriz at Dinner is riveting, yet with an apprehensive tone. Half chamber drama, half dark dramedy of errors, director Miguel Arteta (The Good Girl, 2002 Sundance Film Festival) discerns his characters by showing their most telling reactions, such as the subliminal determination of Hayeks face, while spinning an indelible wickedness onto this tale of a fateful encounter. The films to watch out for from Sundance London 2017 Bushwick On the way to Grandmas house with a new boyfriend in tow, Lucy (Brittany Snow) steps off the subway into an utter bloodbath on the streets of Brooklyns Bushwick neighborhood. Texas is attempting to secede from the Union, and militia forces have descended upon New York City to claim it as an East Coast base of operations and negotiation tool. Lucy takes shelter in the basement of Stupe (Dave Bautista), a burly war veteran who reluctantly helps her traverse the treacherous five-block stretch of Bushwick to reach her destinationassuming its still there. The films to watch out for from Sundance London 2017 Crown Heights Writer/director Matt Ruskin, who worked closely to earn the trust of the real Colin Warner, imbues this film with a gifted touch and emotional authenticity to shed light on a painful personal storyand on a horrifying systemic issue. Anchored by Stanfield, an indie film secret weapon, Crown Heights unfolds as a powerful ode to those we leave behind. The films to watch out for from Sundance London 2017 A Ghost Story Lauded filmmaker David Lowery, last at the Festival with the lyrical Aint Them Bodies Saints (2013), reunites with his collaborators for a haunted tale like no otherone conceived in secret and fueled by the spirit of pure, creative expression. Lowery's meticulously sparse narrative contemplates a spectral figure who was once a man (Casey Affleck). Prematurely taken from this Earth, he makes his way toward his former home, where he is fated to remain forevermore. Shrouded in a white sheet, he observes the lament of his grief-stricken lover (Rooney Mara). Bearing unseen witness to her pain, the wisp stands sentry for years to come, interacting only with time as it hurtles further and further forward, the remnants of his humanity quietly evaporating. The films to watch out for from Sundance London 2017 The Incredible Jessica James Jessica James (Jessica Williams), an aspiring playwright in New York City, is trying hard to get over a recent breakup with her boyfriend. She sees light at the end of the tunnel when she meets Boone (Chris ODowd), who's also recovering from a recent break-up. Williams broke onto the scene as a correspondent on The Daily Show and followed that up with her hilarious podcast, 2 Dope Queens. The films to watch out for from Sundance London 2017 The Big Sick Based on the true story of the films writers (and real-life couple), Emily V. Gordon and Kumail Nanjiani, this modern culture clash shows how Pakistan-born Kumail and his American girlfriend, Emily, have to overcome the expectations of his family and their 1,400-year-old traditions. As his parents relentlessly set him up with potential brides for an arranged marriage, Kumail navigates treacherous waters in the worlds of both dating and stand-up comedy. Produced by Judd Apatow, The Big Sick features a sterling collection of comedy talent in front of and behind the camera. Having acted in numerous previous Sundance Film Festival selections, Michael Showalter returns this time as a director with a hilariously insightful film that shrewdly puts the spotlight on its writer/star Kumail Nanjiani (HBOs Silicon Valley). The films to watch out for from Sundance London 2017 Wilson Woody Harrelson stars as Wilson, a lonely, neurotic, and hilariously honest middle-aged, misanthropic dog lover who reunites with his estranged wife (Laura Dern) and gets a shot at happiness when he learns he has a teenage daughter hes never met. In his uniquely outrageous and slightly twisted way, Wilson sets out to connect with her in what could be his last chance at having a family. In Skeleton Twins, which won the Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival, director Craig Johnson displayed a knack for finding humor and warmth in the darkest of places, which is why he was the perfect choice to bring to life this Daniel Clowes graphic novel of the same name. The writer of the Ghost World and Art School Confidential graphic novels, Clowes is a master of making the unlikable lovable. His Wilson is a bit of jerk, but a jerk who refreshes our empathy for peoplein all of their imperfections.

You can see the film's typically beautiful poster below.

Anderson - who directed last year's H&M Christmas advert - announced the project in a brief vlog where he discussed a collaborative competition with The Film Foundation - which is dedicated to the preservation and restoration of the planet's shared movie heritage - which sees a prize winner visiting the film's London set.

The filmmaker's last experience directing stop-motion animation was with Roald Dahl adaptation Fantastic Mr. Fox which was released in 2009.

 Wes Anderson wants you to be in his next film

His previous credits include Rushmore (1998), The Royal Tenenbaums (2001), The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (2004), The Darjeeling Limited (2007) and Moonrise Kingdom (2009).
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Lady Macbeth (15)



Dir: William Oldroyd, 88 mins, starring: Florence Pugh, Christopher Fairbank, Cosmo Jarvis, Bill Fellows, Paul Hilton, Naomi Ackie

William Oldroyds riveting debut feature Lady Macbeth plays like a cross between Wuthering Heights and The Postman Always Rings Twice. Inspired by Nikolai Leskovs Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk District, this is a film noir in the guise of a Victorian costume drama.

Set deep in the English countryside, it features characters in crinolines, waistcoats and top hats  and yet deals with some extremely primal emotions.

Katherine (Florence Pugh) is first spotted as a bride in a white veil, looking miserable on her wedding day. Her husband Alexander (Paul Hilton) is a brutal man, the son of a wealthy and very creepy mine owner, Boris (Christopher Fairbank). They live in austere fashion in a draughty country house.

Early on in the film, there is very little dialogue. Alexander doesnt say much to his new wife other than to grunt at her lines like your night dress, take it off! or face the wall! as we hear him masturbate frantically in the background (not something that Heathcliff ever did in Wuthering Heights.)

Oldroyd shows Katherine being dressed by her maid (Naomi Ackie), who pulls her corset so tight that you think she is going to have the life squeezed out of her and who combs the curls out of her hair in vicious fashion.

There are close-ups of her sitting at table or on a huge sofa (which features so frequently in the film that it almost becomes a character in its own right.) We often see the back of her head. The sound editing (the insistent water torture-like ticking of the grandfather clock, the scratching of the paws of a pet cat) is amplified.

In its depiction of the ferocity of repressed desires of its characters, the film evokes memories of Jane Campions The Piano. However, there is no equivalent to the score that Michael Nyman wrote for that movie. Music here is used very sparingly.

This is very deceptive storytelling. Alice Birchs screenplay seems early on to be portraying Katherine as the passive female victim in a very patriarchal society. She hardly speaks. Her husband and father complain if she so much as sets a foot outdoors and they insist on her waiting up when Alexander wants to drink the night away.

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 Lady MacBeth Exclusive Clip

Not only is she unhappy. She is profoundly bored. Thats why she responds with such curiosity when Sebastian (Cosmo Jarvis), the new groomsman, begins to flirt with her. He is the catalyst, revealing a side of Katherines character we have only guessed at before.

She is defiant, wilful, carnal  and with a capacity for plotting and subterfuge that makes her at times seem more like Myra Hindley than the Jane Eyre archetype she first appeared to be.

Plot-wise, Lady Macbeth is very predictable  but that doesnt make it any the less engrossing. Oldroyd, working on a modest budget, manages to create an eerie, tense and at times grotesque atmosphere.

His approach, at least initially, is subtle and restrained. He will show the enormous stress that the maid Anna is feeling at her mistresss behaviour by the sheer violence with which she kneads the dough.

He has an eye for Addams Family-like Gothic absurdity, both in the scenes in which we see Katherine posing for a primitive photograph with the body of a recently deceased man or when she is at dinner with her curmudgeonly father-in-law.

Oldroyd will cut abruptly from Katherine having sex with her lover to a shot of her drinking tea and looking as demure as a 19th-century spinster. He also has an eye for landscape, throwing in moody shots of mist-covered moors and Hansel and Gretel-like forests in the scenes in which the characters escape the house.

Just occasionally, between sex scenes, poisonings and beatings, there are moments of playful lyricism. The one innocent character is the little 7-year-old boy Teddy (the doe-eyed Anton Palmer) who turns up at the house in unexpected circumstances.

As Katherine teaches him about trees, birds and the outdoor life, he looks at her in utterly rapt fashion, telling her she is the most beautiful woman he has ever seen.

Young English actress Florence Pugh gives an outstanding performance as the mercurial heroine who provokes pity one moment and disgust the next. Her Katherine is mischievous, confrontational and will go to extreme lengths to get what she wants. At the same time, she is utterly sincere in her passion for Sebastian.

Lady Macbeth is one of the most original and assured British debut features of recent times. At a time when far too many cosy and derivative costume dramas are being made, it has abrasiveness, attitude and originality in abundance.

The Promise (12A)



Dir: Terry George, 133 mins, starring: Oscar Issac, Christian Bale, Charlotte Le Bon

The Promise is one of a number of recent films dealing with the Armenian genocide. This is subject matter that has also been touched on in Atom Egoyans self-reflexive Ararat (2002), and Fatih Akins The Cut (2014).

Director Terry George comes at the material as if he is making a Doctor Zhivago-like romantic epic. The downside to his approach is that in concentrating on the love triangle at the centre of the film, he risks losing sight of the history behind the horrific events he is chronicling.

The film is absorbing enough to watch in its own TV mini-series-like way but it also feels strangely melodramatic. It doesnt help that the dialogue is often so arch.

Oscar Isaac plays Michael Boghosian, a humble apothecary from a remote Armenian village who comes to Constantinople in 1914 to study to become a doctor. He pays for his classes with a 400 gold crown dowry given to him by the family of the woman he has arranged to marry  but clearly doesnt love.

In none too subtle fashion, the film sets the scene for what will soon happen. At the very moment Michael walks into the store owned by his wealthy merchant uncle, he is warned by the other tradesmen that the Armenian dog will rob him.

Although the city seems prosperous and cosmopolitan, it is obvious that the prejudice against the Armenians is already simmering away. What the film fails to provide is any explanation where this hatred comes from.

A few moments later, Michael captures his first glimpse of Ana (Charlotte Le Bon), who is introduced as a great violinists daughter, just back from Paris. Constantinople is blessed by her beauty, we are also told.

She is the equivalent of Julie Christies Lara in Doctor Zhivago but with some ballet moves thrown in for good measure. Michael very quickly becomes besotted by her. The hitch is that she already has a sweetheart, the US journalist Chris Myers (Christian Bale), a hard-drinking, hard-living but eminently courageous and far-sighted figure.

In other words, hes like the hard-drinking, hard-living but eminently courageous and far-sighted American caught up in the Rape of Nanking that Bale played in Zhang Yimous The Flowers Of Shanghai.

Chris loves Ana. So does Michael  but the young would-be doctor has given his promise that he will marry his fiancee back in his home village. Of course, its not a question of if but when his resolve will weaken and the answer to that is not very long at all.

 The Promise - Trailer

The Promise may be set in First World War Ottoman Turkey but it is full of scenes that seem familiar from movies about the Nazis in Germany. For example, Constantinople has its own equivalent of the Nazis Kristallnacht (Night Of The Broken Glass) just after the war starts.

During this night, Armenian owned shops are looted and apartments are vandalised. Any of those identified as Armenian are assaulted on the streets and many are interned. We hear the Armenians referred to as a tumour in our midst. There are later scenes of Armenians in cattle trucks being taken off to camps.

Away from the city, there are pogroms. The Ottoman army leaders describe these in euphemistic fashion as the relocation of the Armenians. In most cases, this relocation is straight to the grave. In the entire film, there is a single sympathetic Turkish figure, Michaels well-connected fellow medical student Emre (Marwan Kenzari) who is squeamish in the extreme, very lazy and hedonistic but also doggedly loyal.

The focus shifts away from Constantinople as the main characters are separated, reunited and then separated again. Bales Myers files reports on the atrocities from the provinces, where he is driven around in a Chitty Chitty Bang Bang-like car.

 The Promise Clip - Confrontation

Michael is desperate to help his family. There are scenes of massacres and of refugees, including old people and orphans, on an epic trek across treacherous terrain. You cant help but feel a chill when Aleppo, across the desert, is cited as one of their potential destinations.

This is not a film that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will appreciate. To his credit, George is highlighting the Armenian genocide (still fiercely denied in certain quarters) in a big mainstream movie which is bound to reach at least some spectators who werent aware of the extent of the Armenians suffering. (1.5 million Armenians died in this period).

Its the nature of this kind of storytelling, though, that the focus is on the individual protagonists, not on the fate of the Armenian people as a whole. The attempt here to provide an upbeat ending, with the message that survival is the best revenge, cant help but seem perverse.

The love story is at the centre of the film but the romance between Ana and Michael is inconsequential next to the extreme suffering that The Promise is also trying to chronicle.

Heal the Living (12A)



Dir: Katell Quillevere, 104 mins, starring: Tahar Rahim, Emmanuelle Seigner, Anne Dorval, Bouli Lanners, Kool Shen

Heal the Living has the plot of a very conventional medical melodrama but is made in a self-consciously poetic and metaphysical style. Its the story of a heart transplant. The heart belongs to a young, good looking surfer dude who didnt wear his seatbelt. The woman needing a transplant is a middle-aged musician (Anne Dorval), mother of two young adult sons.

This is a film full of grace notes  self-contained scenes that play like mini-symphonies. There is an astonishingly well-shot surfing sequence in which we see the surfer Simon (Gabin Verdet) above and below the waves.

Katell Quillevere has a Kieslowski-like instinct for finding the uncanny and poetic side in even the most banal of scenes. She is very precise and factual when it comes to the procedures surrounding the transplant: the consent forms, the way the recipient is chosen, what happens to the donors body, how the organ is delivered between hospitals.

Some of the medical detail is on the macabre side. Squeamish viewers will struggle with the imagery of sternal saws and knives. At the same time, there is a very emotional, piano-based soundtrack by Alexandre Desplat. The director throws in flashbacks and gives us an insight into the family and love lives of both the main characters.

This is an ensemble piece. Tahar Rahim plays the male nurse who initially seems harsh and unsympathetic to the grieving parents but goes to extreme lengths to honour their wishes. At the same time, he is having his own love affair with a fellow hospital worker.

Bouli Lanners plays a crusty but kind-hearted surgeon who bears more than a passing resemblance to Lech Walesa. Emmanuelle Seigner is the grief-stricken but still very chic mother. This is an intelligent, probing and cleverly constructed film but one completely shorn of any dramatic tension.

There is none of the panic or stress that you find in most hospital-set dramas. The directors graceful and poetic storytelling style doesnt allow for even a hint of suspense.

Suntan (18)



Argyris Papadimitropoulos, 104 mins, starring: Makis Papadimitriou, Eli Tringou, Dimi Hart,

There have been many films about middle-aged angst and disappointment but what makes Argyris Papadimitropoulos Suntan so striking is that it is set in the middle of August on a baking hot Greek island, full of tourists out to have a good time.

Kostis (Makis Papadimitriou) has just been appointed as the islands doctor. Hes a paunchy, taciturn man  so not exactly Marlon Brando in Last Tango In Paris mode. He seems utterly dependable. In fact, he is full of doubt and self-loathing.

Not long after his arrival on the island, Kostis is befriended by a group of young hippy-like hedonists who come into his surgery. They regard him as if he is their pet koala bear. He buys them beer, sunbathes with them, hits the islands nightclubs with them and becomes dangerously obsessed with one of them, Anna (Elli Tringou).

As he begins to stalk her, he neglects his work in the surgery and begins to alienate the local people on whose support he depends.

Shirley Valentine this is not. Amid the sex, partying and sunshine, Kostis isnt the only local Greek man struggling to make sense of his life. There are other ageing, desperately seedy Greek lothario-types who try to prey on the tourists. Kostis is looking for connection and commitment while Anna and her friends simply want to have a good time.

Theres a pathos and mounting creepiness about him. Papadimitriou (who bears more than a passing resemblance to John C Reilly) excels as the grubby, middle-aged would-be Peter Pan who completely loses his moral bearings.
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Madonna has responded to reports that a biopic called Blond Ambition is being produced.

The Hollywood Reporter reports a script by newcomer Elyse Hollander topped last year's 'Black List' - the annual ranking of Hollywood's best unproduced screenplays - and has since been picked up by Universal Pictures.

The title refers to her third concert tour, launched in support of her fourth studio album Like a Prayer and the soundtrack I'm Breathless, which accompanied the film Dick Tracy.

The tour was cited by Rolling Stone as 'the Greatest Concert of the 1990s', while the BBC credited her with "inventing the modern, multi-media pop spectacle".

The film is said to focus on Madonna's formative years in New York City where, according to legend, she arrived in 1978 from her hometown of Detroit with just $37 in her pocket. She told a taxi driver to take her to "the centre of everything" and he dropped her off in Times Square.

For the next five years she would work as a waitress, model and dancer while playing in various bands.

After deciding to become a solo artist, she broke through with her self-titled album and hits 'Holiday', 'Lucky Star' and 'Borderline'.

Yet despite the early interest in the film, Madonna herself is apparently unhappy about the idea.

Writing on Instagram she said: "Nobody knows what I know and what I have seen.

"Only I can tell my story. Anyone else who tries is a charlatan and a fool. Looking for instant gratification without doing the work. This is a disease in our society."
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Steps have said they have been "filled with confidence" at the reaction to their comeback and new album.

The group are currently battling it out with Ed Sheeran and it currently looks as though they could knock him from the No.1 spot, which he has held for a whopping seven weeks with his third record

Asked whether they hoped they could bring down Sheeran, Lisa Scott-Lee told Build: "We're all big fans of Ed Sheeran and we love his music. Are you not H?"

H responded: "Yes I love Ed Sheeran... just not this week."

He continued: "I think we're all loving where we are at the moment and all we wanted was for this album to go top 10, and it's succeeded all of our expectations.

"A year ago, none of this was planned. We were talking about doing a one-off gig at the Royal Albert Hall to celebrate this milestone in our careers, and that's turned into a 22-date arena tour, an album and a single, and it's incredible."

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If Steps succeed at claiming the top spot on the albums chart, it would be the first time they have achieved the feat since their second album Steptacular was released in 1999.

Meanwhile Sheeran is likely celebrating the fact that his album has shifted more than one million copies - not to mention breaking another record by holding the top spot in the ARIA charts in Australia for 14 weeks.

He recently responded to a report claiming he was thinking about "quitting music" after his current tour with a very succinct comment on Twitter.
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The Samsung Galaxy S8 has earned almost universal praise, thanks to its fantastic design and features, but users have just noticed something unusual about its home button.

The South Korean firm decided to ditch the physical home key for a virtual one embedded into the handsets screen, in order to make the infinity display as large as possible.

The move, however, opened the doors to an old problem  screen burn-in.

Samsung Galaxy S8 Show all 10 1 /10 Samsung Galaxy S8 Samsung Galaxy S8 Samsung Galaxy S8 Samsung Galaxy S8 Samsung Galaxy S8 Samsung Galaxy S8 Samsung Galaxy S8 Samsung Galaxy S8 Samsung Galaxy S8 Samsung Galaxy S8 Samsung Galaxy S8

Also known as ghosting, it can happen when a static image remains on-screen for an extended period of time, permanently discolouring areas of the display.

Screensavers were actually created to prevent burn-in, by ensuring that no groups of pixels would be left displaying the same image for too long.

As well as a virtual home button, the Galaxy S8 has an always-on screen and uses a Super AMOLED display, which is particularly prone to screen burn-in.

Fortunately, Samsung has a clever and extremely subtle solution to the problem.

As spotted by a Dutch S8 user and Galaxy Club, the S8s home key actually jumps around just the tiniest amount, so the square graphic never sits in the same position for too long.

The clock, which is constantly visible on the always-on display, appears to move around for the very same reason.

Unfortunately for Samsung, the S8 has also been dogged by ever so slightly less positive screen-related news over the past week or so.

Some users S8 handsets have red-tinted displays, and Samsungs initial fix doesnt always seem to solve the problem.

However, affected users will be pleased to hear that the company will tackle the issue with a software update this week.
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The US has just lost a major trade battle with Mexico and it revolved around tuna.

On Tuesday, the World Trade Organisation ruled that Mexico is allowed to impose $163m (127m) a year in sanctions against the US on trade in tuna, ending a years-long dispute.

The clash, which dates back to 2008, centred on the US insisting that any Mexican tuna sold in the US must have a dolphin safe guarantee, meaning that no dolphins were killed by fishermen catching the tuna.

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Mexico has maintained that it has stuck to the rules, but the US government has disagreed and Mexico has complained that, as a result of this, its northern neighbour has unfairly penalised the Mexican fishing industry.

Mexico originally asked for a sanction of $472.3m to be imposed as a result of it being discriminated against by US demands for paperwork and even sometimes government observers.

In 2013, the US changed its rules, but the WTO said that Mexico was still being treated unfairly.

In 2016, the US changed its rules again, enforcing the tougher restrictions on all countries and not just Mexico.

Reuters reported that if the WTO decides that this step has stopped the discrimination, Mexico would have to stop its retaliation. The WTO is expected to make a decision in July.

A spokeswoman for the US Trade Representative's office told Reuters that the WTO ruling does not take into account the United States' most recent dolphin-safe labelling updates and dramatically overstates the actual level of trade effects on sales of Mexican tuna caught by intentionally chasing and capturing dolphins in nets.

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.

She said that the Trade Representative's office will continue to monitor the situation and closely consult with Congress and stakeholders about next steps".

Separately on Tuesday, US President Donald Trump intensified a trade dispute with Canada, slapping tariffs of up to 24 per cent on imported softwood lumber.

Additional reporting by wires
President Tran Dai Quang receives Angolas Foreign Minister Georges Rebelo Pinto Chikoti (Photo: VNA)



The President made the remark at a reception for Angolas Foreign Minister Georges Rebelo Pinto Chikoti in Hanoi on April 25th.

He urged the two countries to accelerate the implementation of projects and deploy specific measures to deepen the bilateral cooperation, including the increase of all-level delegation exchanges, especially among high-ranking officials.

The bilateral trade is still modest, which hit USD50.2 million in 2016, he said, proposing Angola facilitate the import of Vietnamese goods, prioritizing food, consumer products, and construction material, as well as promote exchanges among businesses and enable them to join trade fairs, exhibitions, and workshops.

President Quang said the outcomes of the visit of the Angolan Foreign Minister and his talks with Vietnams Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh will create a boost for bilateral partnership.

The Angolan Foreign Minister took this occasion to thank the Vietnamese State for dispatching experts to support Angola in education and healthcare.

He said during his talks with Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh, the two sides agreed to establish the Vietnam-Angola Chamber of Commerce and Industry to enable businesses to negotiate investment cooperation projects.

Angola will restart Vietnams wet rice cultivation project and realize bilateral collaboration opportunities in oil and gas, and telecommunication, the Minister said.

He affirmed that Angola wants to become a reliable partner of Vietnam and pledges to support the countrys bid to become a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council in the 2020-2021 tenure.

The Minister also handed over to President Tran Dai Quang a letter from Angolan President Josse Eduardo dos Santos expressing his desire to strengthen cooperation with Vietnam./.
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The Royal Bank of Scotland has been warned that it could face an inquiry by the Treasury Select Committee over its decision to spend millions of pounds of taxpayers money defending its former disgraced chief executive Fred Goodwin in a major legal case.

The RBS Shareholders Action Group is suing the bank, which is still 71 per cent owned by the state, over its 12bn rights issue in 2008, claiming that senior executives at RBS, including Mr Goodwin, misled investors over the true financial strength of the bank nine years ago.

RBS expects to spend 125m defending the civil lawsuit, including 6.5m already paid for the legal fees of Mr Goodwin and his fellow executives, including former chairman Sir Tom McKillop.

The case is due to come to court on 22 May, with Mr Goodwin set to give evidence in person on 8 June, the same day as the general election.

But a number of MPs on the TSC have now said that RBSs vast expense on defending the case is inappropriate and warned they may investigate in due course.

This affair is being closely watched by members of the Treasury Select Committee and is the type of issue the Committee may well look into once legal proceedings are completed, said the Conservative MP Jacob Rees-Mogg.

That was echoed by a Labour member of the committee, Rachel Reeves, who suggested the banks expenditure went against the spirit of the 2000 Financial Services and Markets Act and its goal of protecting small investors in legal disputes with large commercial institutions.

If RBS loses this case, the bank will have a lot of explaining to do to staff, shareholders and the public on why it spent a fortune on this case, she said.

Wes Streeting, another Labour TSC member, said RBS was guilty of a grotesque waste of money and was engaging in bullying tactics against the 27,000 small investors in the RBS shareholder group of claimants.

The group includes 4,000 current RBS employees.

The RBS chief executive Ross McEwan said in February that: If I was an ex-director or a member of staff, I would not be taking a case against the bank I had served on. If I was a senior executive and I was responsible for the bank, I would not do that.

This has been interpreted by some of the RBS employees taking part in the legal action as a veiled threat, although the bank insists Mr McEwan was only referring to senior executives.

An RBS spokesperson said: "We understand that thousands of members and former members of RBS staff are taking part in these pre-existing proceedings and the bank has in no way discouraged their participation.

The former Business Secretary, Sir Vince Cable, who will stand again in Twickenham for the Liberal Democrats at the forthcoming general election, recently castigated RBSs current executive team for their expenditure on this case and called on the Government to intervene.

On Friday RBS will unveil its first quarter result with City analysts expecting it to report a profit of between 50m and 70m.

However, this comes after 7bn loss for 2016, bringing total losses since RBS was bailed out by the taxpayer in 2008 to 58bn.

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.

Ministers spent around 45.5bn bailing out RBS between 2008 and 2009 for fear of the collateral economic chaos the banks failure would create, investing at an average price of 500p per share. The stock was trading on Wednesday at 252.3p, implying a 22bn paper loss for the state.

The Chancellor, Philip Hammond, admitted to MPs earlier this month that the Government was likely to crystalise much of this loss when it eventually sells the shares.

Fred Goodwin was stripped of his knighthood in 2012 after it was decided he had brought the honours system into disrepute. He had been knighted under the Labour government in 2004 for services to banking.

In response to the MPs' comments, RBS said that it was "normal" for the bank to cover all of Mr Goodwin's legal fees.

It is normal practice under company law that directors would be indemnified in relation to any third party legal action arising from their tenure at the bank," a spokesperson said.

We have a duty to act in the best interests of all of our shareholders, including the UK taxpayer. We believe we have strong defences to this claim and will defend ourselves vigorously in court.

RBS has made an offer of 800m to those groups affected by the 2008 capital raising, with no admission of liability. While 80 per cent of claimants by value agreed, the RBS Shareholder Action Group is understood to have refused to accept it, forcing the case to court.
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Donald Trump's team is readying an executive order to take the US out of the North American Free Trade Agreement (Nafta), it has been reported.

Withdrawing from the trade agreement between Canada, Mexico, and the US was one of Mr Trump's key promises on the campaign trail in 2016. He claimed it is a "job killer" and was antithetical to his "America First" approach to governing.

The order has been submitted for final review to the appropriate teams within the White House and may be signed as early as the next few days.

 Trump's 100 Days: Alec Baldwin's best bits on Saturday Night Live

The deal, one of the largest trade agreement in the world, was originally signed in 1994 by President Bill Clinton and allows free trade between the three countries in North America.

Mr Trump speaking in Wisconsin recently said that the agreement has been very, very bad for our companies and for our workers, and were going to make some very big changes or we are going to get rid of Nafta once and for all.

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 White House confirmed that Peter Navarro, head of the National Trade Council, drafted the bill with Trump strategist Steve Bannon, Politico reported.

This is not Mr trump's first foray into withdrawing the US from major trade agreements. Early in his term, he took the US out of the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP), which was close to being fully approved among the 12 nations participating.

He has also caused a rift with Canada aside from Nafta. Canada lowered its pricing on domestic milk, making Canadian milk more competitive in the market. According to Mr Trump this puts US dairy farmers at a disadvantage.

In response, he has imposed a new tariff on softwood lumber coming to the US from Canada. Legal disputes over lumber imports and exports have been fought at the US Department of Commerce for several years.

Withdrawing from Nafta exacerbates an already shaky relationship between the US and Mexico. Mr Trump has been consistently promising his base of support that he will build a nearly 2,000 mile border wall.

He said it was specifically to stop illegal immigration into the US. However on the campaign trail, he continually promised that Mexico would pay for such a wall with no explanation of how he would get them to finance the project, which many estimates put at close to $25 billion.
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The Governments system for funding new free schools is incoherent and offers poor value for taxpayers' money, an influential parliament committee has found.

The Department for Education is spending well over the odds in its bid to create 500 more free schools, while local authority buildings crumble, the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee (PAC) warned.

In a damning new report, the committee criticised the Government's focus on free schools, which it said were sometimes opened in areas with no shortage of places for pupils while existing schools struggle to make ends meet.

The cross-party board also noted that each pupil place in a new free secondary school costs 51 per cent more than places provided by local authorities.

This was largely due to the high cost of land, which the DfE was found to be paying almost 20 per cent over official valuations for.

The Department believes it is acceptable to appropriate community facilities and parks for routine school use, the reports authors said.

Add to this that local authorities are legally responsible for ensuring that there are enough school places for all children to attend good schools, even though they have no direct control of free school or academy places or admissions policies.

All this made us question how much of a grip the Department really has in providing school places where they are needed.

The Department provides capital funding, totalling 4.5bn in 201516, to maintain and improve the quality and capacity of the school estate.

There is still not enough information to determine how much the school estate is worth, the PAC added, remarking that the DfE faced significant challenges in this regard, as many buildings are old and in desperate need of repair.

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 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during a visit to Trademarket, a new outdoor street-food and retail market situated in Belfast city centre, as part of the royal visit to Northern Ireland PA UK news in pictures 5 October 2022 Greenpeace protesters interrupt Prime Minister Liz Truss as she delivers her keynote speech to the Conservative Party annual conference PA UK news in pictures 4 October 2022 Prime Minister Liz Truss and Britains Chancellor of the Exchequer Kwasi Kwarteng wearing hard hats and hi-vis jackets, visit a construction site for a medical innovation campus in Birmingham AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 3 October 2022 British artist Sam Cox, aka Mr Doodle, reveals the Doodle House, a twelve-room mansion at Tenterden, in Kent, which has been covered, inside and out in the artist's trademark monochrome, cartoonish hand-drawn doodles PA UK news in pictures 2 October 2022 Erling Haaland celebrates after scoring Manchester City's second goal against Manchester United at Etihad Stadium. Haaland went on to score a hattrick, his third of the season in the Premier League. City beat United 6-3. Manchester City FC/Getty UK news in pictures 1 October 2022 Protesters hold up flags and placards at a protest in London. A variety of protest groups including Enough is Enough, Don't Pay and Just Stop Oil all demonstrated on the day AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 30 September 2022 British Prime Minister Liz Truss, who has not been seen in days, leaves the back of Downing Street after a meeting with Office For Budget Responsibility following the release of her governments mini-budget Getty UK news in pictures 29 September 2022 The Virginia creeper foliage on the Tu Hwnt i'r Bont (Beyond the Bridge) Llanwrst, Conwy North Wales, has changed colour from green to red in at the start of Autumn. The building was built in 1480 as a residential dwelling but has been a tearoom for over 50 years PA UK news in pictures 28 September 2022 Criminal barristers from the Criminal Bar Association (CBA), demonstrates outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London, as part of their ongoing pay row with the Government PA UK news in pictures 27 September 2022 David White, Garter King of Arms, poses with an envelope franked with the new cypher of King Charles III 'CIIIR', after it was printed in the Court Post Office at Buckingham Palace in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 26 September 2022 A gallery staff member poses next to a painting by Lucian Freud - Self-portrait (Fragment), 1956 - on show at a photocall for the Credit Suisse exhibition - Lucian Freud: New Perspectives at the National Gallery in London PA UK news in pictures 25 September 2022 Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer is interviewed by Laura Kuenssberg in Liverpool before the start of the Labour Party annual Conference which he opened with a tribute to Queen Elizabeth II and sang the national anthem PA UK news in pictures 24 September 2022 Handout photo issued by Buckingham Palace of the ledger stone at the King George VI Memorial Chapel, St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle PA UK news in pictures 23 September 2022 A climate change activist protests against UK private jets while lighting his right arm on fire during the Laver Cup tennis tournament at the O2 Arena in London EPA UK news in pictures 22 September 2022 Woody Woodmansey, Lee Bennett, Kevin Armstrong, Nick Moran and Clifford Slapper attend the unveiling of a stone for David Bowie on the Music Walk of Fame at Camden, north London PA UK news in pictures 21 September 2022 A flock of birds in the sky as the sun rises over Dungeness in Kent PA UK news in pictures 20 September 2022 Flowers which were laid by members of the public in tribute to Queen Elizabeth II at Hillsborough Castle in Northern Ireland are collected by the Hillsborough Gardening Team and volunteers to be replanted for those that can be saved or composted PA UK news in pictures 19 September 2022 The ceremonial procession of the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II travels down the long walk as it arrives at Windsor Castle for the committal service at St Georges Chapel AFP/Getty

A further 6.7bn would be needed to bring the school estate up to a satisfactory condition, it has been calculated.

Labours Shadow Education Secretary, Angela Rayner, said the findings were indicative of a crisis within the school system.

This is a damning verdict on the Governments schools policy, she said. In the recent Budget the Chancellor announced plans that would only create one sixth of the school places we will need by 2021, and even those plans were drastically underfunded.

Listening to evidence at the PAC hearing, MPs heard how one school was being forced to make two staff redundancies as a result of being unable to fund building maintenance costs.

It was also noted that some 85 per cent of schools are known to have asbestos. The only way to address this would be to completely rebuild the schools at a total cost of 100bn.

Analysing the reports findings, the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) remarked that the current freeze on school spending could come at an extra real-terms cost to the taxpayer of 2bn by the year 2021.

Luke Sibieta, IFS Associate Director for Education, Employment and Evaluation said: The outgoing government committed to freezing school spending per pupil in cash-terms up to 201920. This implies a real-terms cut in spending per pupil of about 6.5 per cent between 2015-16 and 201920.

 Education Secretary Justine Greening avoids question of which expert backs more grammar schools

If implemented, this would leave school spending per pupil at about the same level in 2020 as it was in 2010, undoing the increases which were actually afforded during the 2010-2015 parliament.

The debate over school funding could well be the subject of a major battleground in the upcoming general election, the researchers said, adding that the current system of funding was out of date

We havent had a proper funding formula since the early 2000s, which has allowed various inequities across areas to develop, which will only grow if left unaddressed, said Mr Sibieta.

According to the PAC report, free schools - set up by parents or community groups outside of local authority - were helping to meet demand for places in some areas, but in others were opening where there was no shortage of space for pupils.

In some areas, local authority-run schools had spare capacity of more than 20 per cent, resulting in financial shortfalls because funding is linked to the number of pupils.

In the context of severe financial constraints, it is vital that the department uses its funding in a more coherent and cost-effective way, the report said.

The committee added that the Government's pledge to create 500 free schools - including some grammars - by 2020 involved spending significant funds, even in areas with no shortage of pupil places at a time when existing schools struggle to live within their budgets and carry out routine maintenance.

Free school supporters argue as many as 93 per cent of new school places created are in an area of demographic need.

Former education secretary Michael Gove said in response to the PAC report: Free schools have raised standards and helped disadvantaged children enjoy opportunities they've been denied in the past.

"The higher standards and increased choice free schools bring make them hugely popular with parents."

Toby Young, co-founder of the flagship West London Free School, added: "Its just nonsense to suggest theyre an expensive way of meeting the demand for new places.

"According to the National Audit Office report published earlier this year, free schools cost a third less than new schools created under Labours Building Schools for the Future programme."

The DfE often buys sites for free schools, but land is often scarce and costly in the areas where new schools are wanted, especially in London.

Some 863 million was spent on 175 sites for free schools from 2011 to last year at an average cost of 4.9 million, but 24 sites cost more than 10 million each, including four that cost more than 30 million.

Land-owners are able to push up prices in the knowledge that the department has few, if any, sites to choose from, the report said.

The department is in a weak negotiating position and commonly pays well in excess of the official valuation. On average, it has paid 19 per cent over the official valuation, with 20 sites costing over 60 per cent more.

Dr Mary Bousted, general secretary of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL), said the PAC report was a devastating critique of the Government's failure to provide sufficient school places for a rapidly growing pupil population.

The Government must get a grip, she said. It must reinstate local authorities into the planning and provision of school places, and demonstrate that funding will be made available to stop school buildings deteriorating further.

Ms Rayner said: With the Government failing our children so badly, it is no wonder that there are over half a million children packed in super-sized classes.

When she was Shadow Education Secretary, the Prime Minister said large classes were a sign that schools were reaching crisis point. It is time for her to face the fact that she has created a crisis in our nations schools.

The DfE insisted that official valuations were based on past deals for similar premises on the site's existing use and did not equate to the true market value.

A Conservative Party spokesman said: We have been able to protect school funding and build the new schools we need thanks to our growing economy.

Free schools are an important part of this: three quarters have been approved in areas where there is already demand for new places and the vast majority are providing children with a good or outstanding education.

But all that would be put at risk with Jeremy Corbyns nonsensical economic policies putting our growing economy and funding for schools at risk. Because the Lib Dems and SNP would prop him up in a coalition of chaos, theres a real risk of that happening.

Only Theresa May and the Conservatives can provide the strong and stable leadership we need to lock in the economic progress we have made and deliver a good school place every child.
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As a three-time junior dressage riding champion, it's probably safe to say that Alexandra Andresen's preferred mode of transportation is a horse. But as the world's youngest billionaire  she's worth $1.17 billion  she has many more options available to her, from zip lines to luxury air travel.

Here's what it's like to travel the world as a 20-year-old billionaire.

Alexandra Andresen is worth $1.17 billion.

Her family is known in Norway for Tiedemanns, a tobacco brand, as well as Ferd, an investment company that she now owns 42% of.

Her fortune allows for frequent travel.

As a dressage rider, most of her Instagram posts feature horses.

Other animals occasionally make an appearance through her trips around the world, like on this visit to Africa.

She's gone zip lining from the Mehrangarh Fort in Jodhpur, India.

And snorkeling in Greece.

Sometimes her travels take her to remote locations, like the continental rift between the Eurasian and American plate near Iceland.

Other times, she stays local by taking the Fjordline ferry from Norway to Denmark.

Her boyfriend, Joachim Tollefsen, occasionally tags along.

Traveling with an unlimited budget definitely has its perks.

Read the original article on INSIDER. Follow INSIDER on Facebook. Copyright 2017. Follow INSIDER on Twitter.

 Ontario announces basic income plan

 25 places you should visit before they disappear forever

 14 US presidents who were members of one of the most powerful secret societies in history

Read the original article on Business Insider UK.  2016. Follow Business Insider UK on Twitter.
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An artificial form of photosynthesis that sucks carbon dioxide from the atmosphere has been invented by a scientist who claims the breakthrough device could be used to reduce global warming.

Plants use sunlight to turn carbon dioxide into sugar and the new device acts in a similar way, using ultraviolet light and air to create two forms of fuel, which can then be used to create power.

The scientists, Professor Fernando Uribe-Romo, of Central Florida University, and his team of students built a device using titanium, some organic molecules and a blue LED photoreactor  a glowing cylinder that looks like a bit like a tanning bed.

Its like photosynthesis, in which plants pick up sunlight and carbon dioxide and turn it into a sugar, he said in a YouTube video about the research.

In this case, instead of having a plant we have materials  that capture the sunlight and turn the carbon dioxide into something similar to sugar.

He suggested the device, described in the Journal of Materials Chemistry A, could be installed near fossil fuel-powered power stations.

A power plant produces a lot of carbon dioxide because its burning coal, Professor Uribe-Romo said.

The carbon dioxide can be turned into a fuel and that fuel can be fed up into the power plant so then you can recycle your own carbon dioxide  and that helps to reduce emissions, obtain energy and help fight global warming.

The device used a metal-organic framework or MOF, a type of material created about 20 years ago which can be made in thousands of different ways, each with different properties.

Science news in pictures Show all 20 1 /20 Science news in pictures Science news in pictures Pluto has 'beating heart' of frozen nitrogen Pluto has a 'beating heart' of frozen nitrogen that is doing strange things to its surface, Nasa has found. The mysterious core seems to be the cause of features on its surface that have fascinated scientists since they were spotted by Nasa's New Horizons mission. "Before New Horizons, everyone thought Pluto was going to be a netball - completely flat, almost no diversity," said Tanguy Bertrand, an astrophysicist and planetary scientist at NASA's Ames Research Center and the lead author on the new study. "But it's completely different. It has a lot of different landscapes and we are trying to understand what's going on there." Getty Science news in pictures Over 400 species discovered this year by Natural History Museum The ancient invertabrate worm-like species rhenopyrgus viviani (pictured) is one of over 400 species previously unknown to science that were discovered by experts at the Natural History Museum this year PA Science news in pictures Jackdaws can identify 'dangerous' humans Jackdaws can identify dangerous humans from listening to each others warning calls, scientists say. The highly social birds will also remember that person if they come near their nests again, according to researchers from the University of Exeter. In the study, a person unknown to the wild jackdaws approached their nest. At the same time scientists played a recording of a warning call (threatening) or contact calls (non-threatening). The next time jackdaws saw this same person, the birds that had previously heard the warning call were defensive and returned to their nests more than twice as quickly on average. Getty Science news in pictures Turtle embryos influence sex by shaking The sex of the turtle is determined by the temperatures at which they are incubated. Warm temperatures favour females. But by wiggling around the egg, embryos can find the Goldilocks Zone which means they are able to shield themselves against extreme thermal conditions and produce a balanced sex ratio, according to the new study published in Current Biology journal Ye et al/Current Biology Science news in pictures Elephant poaching rates drop in Africa African elephant poaching rates have dropped by 60 per cent in six years, an international study has found. It is thought the decline could be associated with the ivory trade ban introduced in China in 2017. Reuters Science news in pictures Ancient four-legged whale discovered in Peru Scientists have identified a four-legged creature with webbed feet to be an ancestor of the whale. Fossils unearthed in Peru have led scientists to conclude that the enormous creatures that traverse the planets oceans today are descended from small hoofed ancestors that lived in south Asia 50 million years ago A. Gennari Science news in pictures Animal with transient anus discovered A scientist has stumbled upon a creature with a transient anus that appears only when it is needed, before vanishing completely. Dr Sidney Tamm of the Marine Biological Laboratory could not initially find any trace of an anus on the species. However, as the animal gets full, a pore opens up to dispose of waste Steven G Johnson Science news in pictures Giant bee spotted Feared extinct, the Wallace's Giant bee has been spotted for the first time in nearly 40 years. An international team of conservationists spotted the bee, that is four times the size of a typical honeybee, on an expedition to a group of Indonesian Islands Clay Bolt Science news in pictures New mammal species found inside crocodile Fossilised bones digested by crocodiles have revealed the existence of three new mammal species that roamed the Cayman Islands 300 years ago. The bones belonged to two large rodent species and a small shrew-like animal New Mexico Museum of Natural History Science news in pictures Fabric that changes according to temperature created Scientists at the University of Maryland have created a fabric that adapts to heat, expanding to allow more heat to escape the body when warm and compacting to retain more heat when cold Faye Levine, University of Maryland Science news in pictures Baby mice tears could be used in pest control A study from the University of Tokyo has found that the tears of baby mice cause female mice to be less interested in the sexual advances of males Getty Science news in pictures Final warning to limit "climate catastrophe" The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has issued a report which projects the impact of a rise in global temperatures of 1.5 degrees Celsius and warns against a higher increase Getty Science news in pictures Nobel prize for evolution chemists The nobel prize for chemistry has been awarded to three chemists working with evolution. Frances Smith is being awarded the prize for her work on directing the evolution of enzymes, while Gregory Winter and George Smith take the prize for their work on phage display of peptides and antibodies Getty/AFP Science news in pictures Nobel prize for laser physicists The nobel prize for physics has been awarded to three physicists working with lasers. Arthur Ashkin (L) was awarded for his "optical tweezers" which use lasers to grab particles, atoms, viruses and other living cells. Donna Strickland and Gerard Mourou were jointly awarded the prize for developing chirped-pulse amplification of lasers Reuters/AP Science news in pictures Discovery of a new species of dinosaur The Ledumahadi Mafube roamed around 200 million years ago in what is now South Africa. Recently discovered by a team of international scientists, it was the largest land animal of its time, weighing 12 tons and standing at 13 feet. In Sesotho, the South African language of the region in which the dinosaur was discovered, its name means "a giant thunderclap at dawn" Viktor Radermacher / SWNS Science news in pictures Birth of a planet Scientists have witnessed the birth of a planet for the first time ever. This spectacular image from the SPHERE instrument on ESO's Very Large Telescope is the first clear image of a planet caught in the very act of formation around the dwarf star PDS 70. The planet stands clearly out, visible as a bright point to the right of the center of the image, which is blacked out by the coronagraph mask used to block the blinding light of the central star. ESO/A. Muller et al Science news in pictures New human organ discovered that was previously missed by scientists Layers long thought to be dense, connective tissue are actually a series of fluid-filled compartments researchers have termed the interstitium. These compartments are found beneath the skin, as well as lining the gut, lungs, blood vessels and muscles, and join together to form a network supported by a mesh of strong, flexible proteins Getty Science news in pictures Previously unknown society lived in Amazon rainforest before Europeans arrived, say archaeologists Working in the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso, a team led by archaeologists at the University of Exeter unearthed hundreds of villages hidden in the depths of the rainforest. These excavations included evidence of fortifications and mysterious earthworks called geoglyphs Jose Iriarte Science news in pictures One in 10 people have traces of cocaine or heroin on fingerprints, study finds More than one in 10 people were found to have traces of class A drugs on their fingers by scientists developing a new fingerprint-based drug test. Using sensitive analysis of the chemical composition of sweat, researchers were able to tell the difference between those who had been directly exposed to heroin and cocaine, and those who had encountered it indirectly. Getty Science news in pictures Nasa releases stunning images of Jupiter's great red spot The storm bigger than the Earth, has been swhirling for 350 years. The image's colours have been enhanced after it was sent back to Earth. Pictures by: Tom Momary

Professor Uribe-Romo said they now hoped to improve its efficiency, but said he believed it could make a significant difference.

This work is a breakthrough, he said.

Tailoring materials that will absorb a specific colour of light is very difficult from the scientific point of view, but from the societal point of view we are contributing to the development of a technology that can help reduce greenhouse gases.

The goal is to continue to fine-tune the approach so we can create greater amounts of reduced carbon so it is more efficient.

In addition to using the device in conjunction with power stations, roof tiles could be made from the material, which would produce fuel while improving the local air quality.

That would take new technology and infrastructure to happen, Professor Uribe-Romo said. But it may be possible.
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Arguments over the office thermostat have become part of everyday life.

But a new academic paper suggests abandoning the usual compromise of about 21 to 22 degrees Celsius could help reduce levels of obesity and diabetes as both colder and warmer temperatures increase the bodys metabolism.

For example, a couple of working weeks in mild cold could have an effect on diabetes comparable to the best available drugs and exercise techniques, the researchers said.

They also highlighted the historic increase in temperatures considered comfortable in homes and offices during winter and a decrease in summer.

For example, a Dutch newspaper in 1872 reported that a comfortable room temperature was between 13C and 15C.

The lead author of the study, Professor Wouter van Marken Lichtenbelt, of Maastricht University, said: It has previously been assumed that stable fixed indoor temperatures would satisfy comfort and health in most people.

However, this research indicates that mild cold and variable temperatures may have a positive effect on our health and at the same time are acceptable or even may create pleasure.

The paper, published in the journal Building Research & Information, said: The concepts of comfort and health may be related but are not synonyms.

Health news in pictures Show all 40 1 /40 Health news in pictures Health news in pictures Coronavirus outbreak The coronavirus Covid-19 has hit the UK leading to the deaths of two people so far and prompting warnings from the Department of Health AFP via Getty Health news in pictures Thousands of emergency patients told to take taxi to hospital Thousands of 999 patients in England are being told to get a taxi to hospital, figures have showed. The number of patients outside London who were refused an ambulance rose by 83 per cent in the past year as demand for services grows Getty Health news in pictures Vape related deaths spike A vaping-related lung disease has claimed the lives of 11 people in the US in recent weeks. The US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention has more than 100 officials investigating the cause of the mystery illness, and has warned citizens against smoking e-cigarette products until more is known, particularly if modified or bought off the street Getty Health news in pictures Baldness cure looks to be a step closer Researchers in the US claim to have overcome one of the major hurdles to cultivating human follicles from stem cells. The new system allows cells to grow in a structured tuft and emerge from the skin Sanford Burnham Preybs Health news in pictures Two hours a week spent in nature can improve health A study in the journal Scientific Reports suggests that a dose of nature of just two hours a week is associated with better health and psychological wellbeing Shutterstock Health news in pictures Air pollution linked to fertility issues in women Exposure to air from traffic-clogged streets could leave women with fewer years to have children, a study has found. Italian researchers found women living in the most polluted areas were three times more likely to show signs they were running low on eggs than those who lived in cleaner surroundings, potentially triggering an earlier menopause Getty/iStock Health news in pictures Junk food ads could be banned before watershed Junk food adverts on TV and online could be banned before 9pm as part of Government plans to fight the "epidemic" of childhood obesity. Plans for the new watershed have been put out for public consultation in a bid to combat the growing crisis, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) said PA Health news in pictures Breeding with neanderthals helped humans fight diseases On migrating from Africa around 70,000 years ago, humans bumped into the neanderthals of Eurasia. While humans were weak to the diseases of the new lands, breeding with the resident neanderthals made for a better equipped immune system PA Health news in pictures Cancer breath test to be trialled in Britain The breath biopsy device is designed to detect cancer hallmarks in molecules exhaled by patients Getty Health news in pictures Average 10 year old has consumed the recommended amount of sugar for an adult By their 10th birthdy, children have on average already eaten more sugar than the recommended amount for an 18 year old. The average 10 year old consumes the equivalent to 13 sugar cubes a day, 8 more than is recommended PA Health news in pictures Child health experts advise switching off screens an hour before bed While there is not enough evidence of harm to recommend UK-wide limits on screen use, the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health have advised that children should avoid screens for an hour before bed time to avoid disrupting their sleep Getty Health news in pictures Daily aspirin is unnecessary for older people in good health, study finds A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine has found that many elderly people are taking daily aspirin to little or no avail Getty Health news in pictures Vaping could lead to cancer, US study finds A study by the University of Minnesota's Masonic Cancer Centre has found that the carcinogenic chemicals formaldehyde, acrolein, and methylglyoxal are present in the saliva of E-cigarette users Reuters Health news in pictures More children are obese and diabetic There has been a 41% increase in children with type 2 diabetes since 2014, the National Paediatric Diabetes Audit has found. Obesity is a leading cause Reuters Health news in pictures Most child antidepressants are ineffective and can lead to suicidal thoughts The majority of antidepressants are ineffective and may be unsafe, for children and teenager with major depression, experts have warned. In what is the most comprehensive comparison of 14 commonly prescribed antidepressant drugs to date, researchers found that only one brand was more effective at relieving symptoms of depression than a placebo. Another popular drug, venlafaxine, was shown increase the risk users engaging in suicidal thoughts and attempts at suicide Getty Health news in pictures Gay, lesbian and bisexual adults at higher risk of heart disease, study claims Researchers at the Baptist Health South Florida Clinic in Miami focused on seven areas of controllable heart health and found these minority groups were particularly likely to be smokers and to have poorly controlled blood sugar iStock Health news in pictures Breakfast cereals targeted at children contain 'steadily high' sugar levels since 1992 despite producer claims A major pressure group has issued a fresh warning about perilously high amounts of sugar in breakfast cereals, specifically those designed for children, and has said that levels have barely been cut at all in the last two and a half decades Getty Health news in pictures Potholes are making us fat, NHS watchdog warns New guidance by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), the body which determines what treatment the NHS should fund, said lax road repairs and car-dominated streets were contributing to the obesity epidemic by preventing members of the public from keeping active PA Health news in pictures New menopause drugs offer women relief from 'debilitating' hot flushes A new class of treatments for women going through the menopause is able to reduce numbers of debilitating hot flushes by as much as three quarters in a matter of days, a trial has found. The drug used in the trial belongs to a group known as NKB antagonists (blockers), which were developed as a treatment for schizophrenia but have been sitting on a shelf unused, according to Professor Waljit Dhillo, a professor of endocrinology and metabolism REX Health news in pictures Doctors should prescribe more antidepressants for people with mental health problems, study finds Research from Oxford University found that more than one million extra people suffering from mental health problems would benefit from being prescribed drugs and criticised ideological reasons doctors use to avoid doing so. Getty Health news in pictures Student dies of flu after NHS advice to stay at home and avoid A&E The family of a teenager who died from flu has urged people not to delay going to A&E if they are worried about their symptoms. Melissa Whiteley, an 18-year-old engineering student from Hanford in Stoke-on-Trent, fell ill at Christmas and died in hospital a month later. Just Giving Health news in pictures Government to review thousands of harmful vaginal mesh implants The Government has pledged to review tens of thousands of cases where women have been given harmful vaginal mesh implants. Getty Health news in pictures Jeremy Hunt announces 'zero suicides ambition' for the NHS The NHS will be asked to go further to prevent the deaths of patients in its care as part of a zero suicide ambition being launched today Getty Health news in pictures Human trials start with cancer treatment that primes immune system to kill off tumours Human trials have begun with a new cancer therapy that can prime the immune system to eradicate tumours. The treatment, that works similarly to a vaccine, is a combination of two existing drugs, of which tiny amounts are injected into the solid bulk of a tumour. Nephron Health news in pictures Babies' health suffers from being born near fracking sites, finds major study Mothers living within a kilometre of a fracking site were 25 per cent more likely to have a child born at low birth weight, which increase their chances of asthma, ADHD and other issues Getty Health news in pictures NHS reviewing thousands of cervical cancer smear tests after women wrongly given all-clear Thousands of cervical cancer screening results are under review after failings at a laboratory meant some women were incorrectly given the all-clear. A number of women have already been told to contact their doctors following the identification of procedural issues in the service provided by Pathology First Laboratory. Rex Health news in pictures Potential key to halting breast cancer's spread discovered by scientists Most breast cancer patients do not die from their initial tumour, but from secondary malignant growths (metastases), where cancer cells are able to enter the blood and survive to invade new sites. Asparagine, a molecule named after asparagus where it was first identified in high quantities, has now been shown to be an essential ingredient for tumour cells to gain these migratory properties. Getty Health news in pictures NHS nursing vacancies at record high with more than 34,000 roles advertised A record number of nursing and midwifery positions are currently being advertised by the NHS, with more than 34,000 positions currently vacant, according to the latest data. Demand for nurses was 19 per cent higher between July and September 2017 than the same period two years ago. REX Health news in pictures Cannabis extract could provide new class of treatment for psychosis CBD has a broadly opposite effect to delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main active component in cannabis and the substance that causes paranoia and anxiety. Getty Health news in pictures Over 75,000 sign petition calling for Richard Branson's Virgin Care to hand settlement money back to NHS Mr Bransons company sued the NHS last year after it lost out on an 82m contract to provide childrens health services across Surrey, citing concerns over serious flaws in the way the contract was awarded PA Health news in pictures More than 700 fewer nurses training in England in first year after NHS bursary scrapped The numbers of people accepted to study nursing in England fell 3 per cent in 2017, while the numbers accepted in Wales and Scotland, where the bursaries were kept, increased 8.4 per cent and 8 per cent respectively Getty Health news in pictures Landmark study links Tory austerity to 120,000 deaths The paper found that there were 45,000 more deaths in the first four years of Tory-led efficiencies than would have been expected if funding had stayed at pre-election levels. On this trajectory that could rise to nearly 200,000 excess deaths by the end of 2020, even with the extra funding that has been earmarked for public sector services this year. Reuters Health news in pictures Long commutes carry health risks Hours of commuting may be mind-numbingly dull, but new research shows that it might also be having an adverse effect on both your health and performance at work. Longer commutes also appear to have a significant impact on mental wellbeing, with those commuting longer 33 per cent more likely to suffer from depression Shutterstock Health news in pictures You cannot be fit and fat It is not possible to be overweight and healthy, a major new study has concluded. The study of 3.5 million Britons found that even metabolically healthy obese people are still at a higher risk of heart disease or a stroke than those with a normal weight range Getty Health news in pictures Sleep deprivation When you feel particularly exhausted, it can definitely feel like you are also lacking in brain capacity. Now, a new study has suggested this could be because chronic sleep deprivation can actually cause the brain to eat itself Shutterstock Health news in pictures Exercise classes offering 45 minute naps launch David Lloyd Gyms have launched a new health and fitness class which is essentially a bunch of people taking a nap for 45 minutes. The fitness group was spurred to launch the napercise class after research revealed 86 per cent of parents said they were fatigued. The class is therefore predominantly aimed at parents but you actually do not have to have children to take part Getty Health news in pictures 'Fundamental right to health' to be axed after Brexit, lawyers warn Tobacco and alcohol companies could win more easily in court cases such as the recent battle over plain cigarette packaging if the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights is abandoned, a barrister and public health professor have said Getty Health news in pictures 'Thousands dying' due to fear over non-existent statin side-effects A major new study into the side effects of the cholesterol-lowering medicine suggests common symptoms such as muscle pain and weakness are not caused by the drugs themselves Getty Health news in pictures Babies born to fathers aged under 25 have higher risk of autism New research has found that babies born to fathers under the age of 25 or over 51 are at higher risk of developing autism and other social disorders. The study, conducted by the Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment at Mount Sinai, found that these children are actually more advanced than their peers as infants, but then fall behind by the time they hit their teenage years Getty Health news in pictures Cycling to work could halve risk of cancer and heart disease Commuters who swap their car or bus pass for a bike could cut their risk of developing heart disease and cancer by almost half, new research suggests  but campaigners have warned there is still an urgent need to improve road conditions for cyclists. Cycling to work is linked to a lower risk of developing cancer by 45 per cent and cardiovascular disease by 46 per cent, according to a study of a quarter of a million people. Walking to work also brought health benefits, the University of Glasgow researchers found, but not to the same degree as cycling. Getty

New knowledge has been gathered regarding metabolic health effects of temperature exposure outside the human thermal comfort zone.

Mild cold and warm environments increase metabolism, thereby targeting obesity by counterbalancing excess energy intake. Furthermore, mild cold influences glucose metabolism.

Ten days of intermittent mild cold exposure in type 2 diabetes patients increased insulin sensitivity, and thereby glucose handling by more than 40 per cent. This is comparable with the best available pharmaceutical or physical activity therapies.

There are indications that cardiovascular parameters may be positively affected by regular exposure to heat and cold.

They said this probably did not mean people should suffer from discomfort for the sake of their health, either because people would get used to it or might actually begin to enjoy the rise and fall of the mercury.

Prolonged temporal excursions outside the thermal comfort zone result in acclimatisation resulting in increased comfort ratings, the paper said.

Low or high temperatures in a dynamic thermal environment may be perceived as acceptable or even pleasant.

They suggested further research into temperature and comfort in actual living conditions.

This information is needed to support the design of healthy, comfortable and energy-friendly indoor environments, the researchers said.


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Patients were evacuated from a hospital in Manchester as a fire blazed on the roof of a cancer research centre.

Five fire engines were called to the Cancer Research UK Institute at the Christie hospital, where the fire is being treated as a major incident.

Footage posted on social media showed black smoke billowing outside the building  described on its website as "one of Europe's experimental cancer medicine centres and an international leader in research and development".

No patients or staff were harmed in the fire, a hospital spokesperson confirmed to The Independent.

Manchester Fire and Rescue Service said the fire involved a three-storey office block and labs.

All areas associated with the institute, including patient areas, were evacuated, the hospital said in a statement.

The centre does not house patients, but is attached to the main hospital and is close to a day care treatment unit.

"At 10.36am on Wednesday the fire service was called to a building fire at Christie Hospital, Wilmslow Road, Manchester," the service said.

"Five fire engines and an aerial ladder are at the scene. Firefighters are wearing breathing apparatus and using jets and hose reels to extinguish a fire involving a three-storey office block and labs."

Staff and patients at areas of the hospital unaffected by the fire have been advised to continue as normal.
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The polls may have them ahead, but hundreds of hard-pressed NHS workers have issued a hard-hitting warning against voting Conservative.

Taking to social media, doctors, nurses and other public sector workers have shared their belief that the NHS is not safe in Tory hands, using the hashtag #PublicDuty.

One from Dr John Pike, said: As a GP, I have a #publicduty to inform you that the Tories will destroy the #NHS beyond repair if re-elected.

Julia Telfer added: As a nurse, it is my #publicduty to inform you that your taxes are being used to fund profiteering contracts for private providers.

And Dr Simone Barton said: As a NHS Consultant I have a #publicduty to protect our much-loved NHS from further damage by this Tory government.

Many of the healthcare professionals tweeting shared links to videos or statistics to support their views.

Other public sector employees including teachers and social workers also used the hasthtag to issue their own warnings, although the main focus of the tweets and Facebook posts remained the NHS.

During the final session of Prime Ministers Questions before the country goes to the polls on 8 June, Theresa May and Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn clashed over their views on the NHS.

Mr Corbyn drew attention to the plight of a pensioner, who he said had told him she was scared at the thought of going into hospital.

He read out the words of a woman called Sybil, who had told him: Im 88 and have had a wonderful service from the National Health Service. But, nowadays Im scared at the thought of going into hospital, with more people waiting on trolleys in corridors, more delayed discharges, thanks to the Tory cuts.

Mr Corbyn asked: Isnt Sybil right to be frightened about the future of the NHS as long as this Government remains in office?

Ms May responded by saying the NHS is treating more patients than ever and was bolstered by more doctors, more nurses, more midwives, more GPs and record levels of funding.

The Labour leader also highlighted the partys pledge to scrap a pay cap for nurses and introduce new laws to guarantee a safe staffing levels.

Jon Ashworth, Labours shadow health secretary, said the policy would be funded by reversing the Conservativess cuts to corporation tax.

Speaking on BBCs Radio 4 Today programme, he said: This election is all about Theresa May saying trust her, trust her  well, first or all we know she lied about whether she was going to have a general election or not, but also shes being dishonest about whether shes given the NHS the money it asked for.

One of her first acts as Prime Minister was to get into a very unseemly public spat with Simon Stevens, the chief executive of the NHS who pointed out that the Government has not given the NHS the money it asked for. A Labour government will give the NHS it needs.

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt has claimed an extra 10 billion is going into the Health Service, but this claim has been disputed by NHS boss Simon Stevens and the Conservative-led Health Select Committee, which found the true investment figure to be around a third of that, at 3.5 billion.

Lib Dem shadow health secretary Norman Lamb said Labours policy was a shambles and that the money had already been spent ten times over.
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An intersex dog born with both male and female genitals has successfully recovered from a rare gender reassignment surgery.

Molly, a Jack Russell terrier puppy, was taken to the vet when her owners Frank and Mary Finlay noticed she was behaving strangely when going to the toilet, sometimes lifting her leg and other times squatting to pee.

The couple bought Molly in 2015 believing she was a female but became concerned about what they felt was increasingly male behaviour.

Upon examination by Glasgow vet Ross Allan, it appeared Molly had both female genitalia and male testicles - which had not descended - and a poorly-formed vestigial penis, BBC Scotland reports.

Mr Allan told the couple Mollys hermaphrodite nature explained her genital discomfort.

Ross Allan, who operated on Molly the Jack Russell who was born with male and female parts (PetsiniVets/PA Wire)

Mr Allan told BBC Scotland's Kaye Adams Programme Mollys condition was extremely rare and that neither him nor his colleagues had come across it before.

In the literature there have been about 15 cases published in total. In 15 years of doing this job I have seen this in Molly and in no other dog at all," he said.

Molly, a Jack Russell born with male and female parts who has made a complete recovery after undergoing rare gender reassignment surgery (BBC/PA Wire)

The vet operated on Molly, when she was six months old. He removed her male genitals and formed a functional urethral opening where the female genitalia would normally be found.

"She actually had the female external genitalia, as it were, but in the male formation, said Mr Allan.

The vet said that without the operation, Mollys problems would have exacerbated over time and could have developed into a debilitating condition.

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

Nearly a year on from the operation, he said Molly had made a full recovery and was happy in her home.

Molly is Molly and she is happy and fit and healthy, that is the main thing, said Mr Allan.
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A new refugee policy the Government quietly introduced last month will have a devastating impact on the mental health of those who have sought to make a new life in the UK, charities have warned.

An open letter signed by 50 organisations working with refugees calls on the Home Office to reverse the new policy, which they said aims to prevent refugees from integrating and introduces an additional layer of bureaucracy, uncertainty, and evaluation at the hands of a dispassionate state.

New guidance quietly issued by the Home Office in March means that people who are granted refugee status or humanitarian protection in the UK will now have to undergo a safe return review after five years, meaning the Home Office will assess whether they can return people to the countries they have fled from before they apply for permanent settlement.

The charities that signed the letter, which include Right to Remain and Migrant Rights Network, say the policy undermines the promise of stability and security that should come with being granted refugee status in Britain, and that it violates the states obligation to provide sanctuary and refuge to those it has granted the right to remain.

They proceed to urge that the policy be immediately reversed due to the societal and financial costs it brings with it, warning that it is part of a worrying trend to weaken the concept of a refugee and to make the UK a hostile environment for migrants.

The letter states: The awarding of refugee status should bring with it the promise of stability and security. It is a chance to build a new home, to study or work, to become a part of the community. The Home Offices decision to review every application at the end of the five years to see if their home country is safe undermines this promise, bringing with it the threat of deportation.

The announcement that those who have already been granted full rights as refugees will later have that decision reviewed violates the states obligation to provide sanctuary and refuge to those it has granted the right to remain.

This move is part of a worrying trend to weaken the concept of a refugee and to make the UK a hostile environment for migrants. We call on the Home Office to reverse this decision. When a refugees claim has been recognised, they should be given permanent residency.

When informed of the new policy, Makhosi Sigabade, a refugee living in the UK, said: After being given a false sense of hope and stability I am being made to relive the nightmares of my past. I am now confronted with a possibility of going back to face the same persecution from which I fled.

The system is meant to protect people seeking sanctuary but threatens to expose them to the dangers they flee.

Luke Butterly, of the Participation and Practice of Rights, a small human rights charity in Belfast, said the changes were likely to bring great instability to the lives of refugees, affecting their mental health as well as employment prospects.

Before, once you made the insanely difficult journey to the UK and went through the asylum process, you were here for life, but now Amber Rudd has put a time limit on this. Theyve said You can stay here for five years, but after that, who knows? Mr Butterly told The Independent.

The communities here in the asylum process in Northern Ireland are very concerned about this because of the great instability in peoples lives it will bring. It will have a detrimental effect on mental health, as well as job prospects, with potential employers not knowing if theyll be here in two years time.

Refugees welcome here: Protesters demand UK resettle more migrants in response to refugee crisis Show all 7 1 /7 Refugees welcome here: Protesters demand UK resettle more migrants in response to refugee crisis Refugees welcome here: Protesters demand UK resettle more migrants in response to refugee crisis The Solidarity With Refugees group said Saturdays protest aimed to show our Government and the world that Britain is ready to welcome more refugees. Rex Features Refugees welcome here: Protesters demand UK resettle more migrants in response to refugee crisis People march through central London as they take part in a protest rally organised by Solidarity with Refugees in a bid to urge the Government to take more action on the migrant crisis Press Association Refugees welcome here: Protesters demand UK resettle more migrants in response to refugee crisis The protest comes days before world leaders meet to discuss crisis at UN General Assembly Press Association Refugees welcome here: Protesters demand UK resettle more migrants in response to refugee crisis Demonstrators made their way from Park Lane to Parliament Square in London on Saturday afternoon Press Association Refugees welcome here: Protesters demand UK resettle more migrants in response to refugee crisis Marchers chanted refugees are welcome here and waved banners reading no-one is illegal and lets help people Press Association Refugees welcome here: Protesters demand UK resettle more migrants in response to refugee crisis The march was supported by charities and groups including the Red Cross, Asylum Aid, Save the Children, Hope Not Hate, Oxfam and the UN Refugee Agency Rex Features Refugees welcome here: Protesters demand UK resettle more migrants in response to refugee crisis In the wake of Alans death, David Cameron pledged to resettle 20,000 Syrian refugees in the UK over the coming five years but there have been additional calls to re-home those who have already reached Europe, as well as asylum seekers coming from other conflict zones such as Iraq and Afghanistan Rex Features

Mr Butterly added that as well as being angry about the principle of introducing a safe return review after five years, there were concerns over the way it would be implemented in practice.

At the moment, the Home Office often gets cases wrong  about a third of asylum claims are overturned in the appeals process. The guidance on the safety of countries is often widely inaccurate. We dont know how this policy will be applied in practice, but given the practices of the Home Office we are extremely anxious about it, he said.

Forward Maisokwadzo, of City of Sanctuary, which supports people seeking asylum in the UK, meanwhile, said: These are worrying times for refugees and within us the City of Sanctuary movement. This is so, because the proposed inhuman policy is a direct threat to the basic human rights.

City of Sanctuary hold the vision that (the UK and Ireland) will be a welcoming place of safety for all and proud to offer sanctuary to people fleeing violence and persecution. We appeal to Home Secretary Amber Rudd to do the honourable thing and listen carefully to all evidence put forward against this restrictive policy and exercise compassion by ensuring refugee rights are protected.

The UNHCR has condemned the new policy, saying it could have a serious impact on the wellbeing of refugees, their ability to settle and be in long-term employment, and that it will create a source of anxiety for refugees by putting their lives on hold, as well as putting additional strain on the Governments resources.

Laura Padoan, spokesperson for the UN Refugee Agency, said: We are concerned that the UKs approach to active reviews of refugee status could have a serious impact on the wellbeing of refugees, their ability to settle and be in long-term employment. We know that it is a source of anxiety for many refugees, creating a sense that their lives are on hold.

We feel that its not needed, because under British and international law, there are already mechanisms to review and cease refugee status where appropriate. It will also clearly put an additional strain on the Governments resources.

Refugees are people who have fled violence and persecution and are in need protection and stability. Refugee status is temporary, but what refugees need is an enduring sense of safety so they can make a positive contribution to their new communities.

It comes days after the Westminster All-Party Parliamentary Group on Refugees highlighted concerns about the change and called for it to be scrapped, and warned that refugees were being consigned to hunger and homelessness immediately after they are granted asylum.

The research showed that Government policies were creating a costly two-tier system of refugee protection, with those who entered the country on Government-led resettlement schemes generally provided for, but others often being left homeless and destitute  damaging their prospects of integration.
Visitors at the event. (Photo: CPV)

The 9th edition of the event features more than 600 exhibitors from 40 countries and regions, making it the largest and most comprehensive showcase of its kind in Indochina.

With overseas exhibitor participation at 76 percent, together with the remarkable presence of 20 international group pavilions from Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, the Republic of Korea, Malaysia, Poland, the Philippines, Singapore, Spain, Taiwan (China), Turkey, Ukraine and the US, endorses the shows stature and contribution to the local and regional hospitality industry.

An ever-expanding range of products and services will be on display, from the finest and most unique food ingredients and products, to service equipment, hospitality hardware and software solutions.

This event also highlights Korean food specialties, with an impressive showcase of kimchi, ginseng, seaweed, as well as the well-known Korean spirits such as rice wine, Soju, fruit and herb wines.

It is reported that Korea is among the countries with the highest number of exhibiting companies - featuring a total of 51 exhibitors led by the Korean Agricultural Technology Centre.

The exhibition is held by the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry Exhibition Service Co., Ltd and Singapore Exhibition Services./.
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The UK Government has admitted that an administrative error led to 130 places for child refugees offered by local councils not being taken into consideration as part of the Dubs Amendment scheme.

More than two months after the Home Office announced the number of unaccompanied minors brought to the UK under the scheme would be capped at 350, the Immigration Minister issued a statement saying the Government had recently become aware that 130 additional spaces should have been included in the specified number.

It comes after ministers were accused last month of ignoring evidence that local councils were eager to accept more unaccompanied children fleeing conflicts and willing to make thousands more places available following the Government's decision to axed the Dubs scheme, which was initially intended to bring in 3,000 refugees from Europe.

The statement, issued by Immigration Minister Robert Goodwill on Wednesday, states that the mistake was due to an administrative error, which led to 130 places for child refugees pledged by one UK region go unaccounted for.

In my Written Ministerial Statement of 8 February 2017 I announced that, following consultation with local authorities, the Government would transfer the specified number of 350 unaccompanied children from Europe to the UK under section 67 of the Immigration Act 2016, read the statement on Wednesday.

The Government has very recently become aware that, due to an administrative error as part of collating the figures, one region pledged 130 places which were not accounted for in setting the specified number.

Mr Goodwill said when the consultation process closed, the Home Office had believed two regions had not provided responses  when in fact one of the regions had pledged to take in 130 children under the scheme.

As part of the consultation local authorities were asked to let their Strategic Migration Partnerships know how many places they could offer, and then the Strategic Migration Partnerships provided the regional number to the Home Office.

The Home Office continued to work with the Strategic Migration Partnerships throughout the consultation process, and believed that two regions in England had not provided responses after the consultation closed.

Both of these regions had already stepped up to take a number of children from over-burdened councils elsewhere in the country so it was assumed they would continue to support the national transfer scheme as and when they could, but were not able to provide specific numbers which the Home Office could then allocate to section 67 cases.

The Home Office recently discovered that one of the regions had sent a return and we are now including their pledges in the specified number for the purposes of section 67 of the Immigration Act 2016.

Since the Dubs scheme was ended in February, scores of vulnerable, potentially eligible children have continued to live rough in and around Calais, routinely risking their lives by continuing to make dangerous attempts to cross the Channel illegally to reach the UK.

Charities and campaigners have welcomed Mr Goodwill's announcement that the number is higher than previously thought, but voiced concern that such errors could be being made on a wider scale and subsequently called on the Government to re-consult with councils on capacity and consider re-opening the Dubs scheme.

Rabbi Janet Darley who has been working with Citizens UKs Safe Passage project, said: It is very welcome news that more children will be helped by Alf Dubs' scheme and testament to the hard work of local communities across the country who have worked with councils to find extra places for some of the most vulnerable child refugees in Europe.

"However, if 130 places can be missed due to an administrative error, and many more councils have since come forward and pledged extra spaces, this clearly demonstrates the need to re-consult with councils on capacity and re-open the Dubs scheme so more children can in future benefit."

Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron commented: This alleged oversight by this Conservative government has meant 130 children who could have been placed here months ago are still languishing in camps in Europe.

I hope these children are identified and brought to the UK as soon as humanely possible  it is our moral duty and responsibility. The Dubs scheme was opened after huge pressure both in Parliament and from the public  we wanted to see 3,000 unaccompanied child refugees offered sanctuary in Britain.

Whilst I welcome the fact the Government will now take in some more, this is simply not enough.

Stephen Hale, chief executive of Refugee Action, meanwhile said: This is a welcome but modest step forward. There are far more vulnerable refugee children in Europe in need of protection.

Refugees welcome here: Protesters demand UK resettle more migrants in response to refugee crisis Show all 7 1 /7 Refugees welcome here: Protesters demand UK resettle more migrants in response to refugee crisis Refugees welcome here: Protesters demand UK resettle more migrants in response to refugee crisis The Solidarity With Refugees group said Saturdays protest aimed to show our Government and the world that Britain is ready to welcome more refugees. Rex Features Refugees welcome here: Protesters demand UK resettle more migrants in response to refugee crisis People march through central London as they take part in a protest rally organised by Solidarity with Refugees in a bid to urge the Government to take more action on the migrant crisis Press Association Refugees welcome here: Protesters demand UK resettle more migrants in response to refugee crisis The protest comes days before world leaders meet to discuss crisis at UN General Assembly Press Association Refugees welcome here: Protesters demand UK resettle more migrants in response to refugee crisis Demonstrators made their way from Park Lane to Parliament Square in London on Saturday afternoon Press Association Refugees welcome here: Protesters demand UK resettle more migrants in response to refugee crisis Marchers chanted refugees are welcome here and waved banners reading no-one is illegal and lets help people Press Association Refugees welcome here: Protesters demand UK resettle more migrants in response to refugee crisis The march was supported by charities and groups including the Red Cross, Asylum Aid, Save the Children, Hope Not Hate, Oxfam and the UN Refugee Agency Rex Features Refugees welcome here: Protesters demand UK resettle more migrants in response to refugee crisis In the wake of Alans death, David Cameron pledged to resettle 20,000 Syrian refugees in the UK over the coming five years but there have been additional calls to re-home those who have already reached Europe, as well as asylum seekers coming from other conflict zones such as Iraq and Afghanistan Rex Features

In the run-up to the General Election, were calling on all parties to make further commitments to continue our countrys long tradition of welcoming refugees.

Hayley Cull, head of campaigns and advocacy at Unicef UK, responded to the news by saying: This will be a much-needed lifeline for these 130 children. It is vital they reach safety in the UK quickly, so that they can be protected and start to rebuild their lives.

But this Dubs lifeline will soon be gone for other children in danger. We still need a long-term plan so that children never have to make dangerous journeys into and across Europe in order to reach safety.
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Former employment minister Esther McVey has been selected as the Conservative candidate for George Osborne's former seat in Tatton.

The former chancellor tweeted his congratulations after news of the appointment emerged, hailing Ms McVey a "one woman Northern Powerhouse" and a "real star".

Former TV presenter Ms McVey lost her Wirral West seat to Labour candidate Margaret Greenwood in 2015, where she had been an MP since 2010.

Mr Osborne announced he would quit as MP for the constituency for now earlier in the month, some weeks after being named as the new editor of the London Evening Standard.

In a letter to his local Conservative association in Tatton, Cheshire, he wrote: I am stepping down from the House of Commons  for now. But I will remain active in the debate about our countrys future and on the issues I care about, like the success of the Northern Powerhouse.

I want a Britain that is free, open, diverse and works with other nations to defend our democratic values in the world.

I will go on fighting for that Britain I love from the editors chair of a great newspaper. Its still too early to be writing my memoirs.

Ms McVey will be defending a 2015 Conservative majority of 18,241.
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The EU has toughened its Brexit negotiating stance as two of the blocs most senior figures head to Downing Street to meet Theresa May.

A new sentence in the European Councils draft negotiating guidelines to be approved at a summit this weekend, indicates Brussels will demand all EU citizens who have lived in the UK for five years acquire permanent residence rights.

The Prime Minister will receive EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and his chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier for dinner at No 10 on Wednesday evening when the guidelines will be discussed.

The hardening of language is all the more significant because EU figures are demanding the European Court continue to guarantee EU citizens rights after Brexit, despite Ms Mays plans to make ending the Luxembourg courts influence an election pledge.

The new paragraph in the guidelines relating to EU citizens emerged in the last 24 hours and states that guarantees of rights given by the UK must be effective, enforceable, non-discriminatory and comprehensive, including the right to acquire permanent residence after a continuous period of five years of legal residence.

The document then adds: Citizens should be able to exercise their rights through smooth and simple administrative procedures.

The Independent first reported the Downing Street visit by top EU figures earlier this week, with officials saying it would be used by Mr Juncker to officially present Mr Barnier as the front-man in Brexit talks, due to begin after the British general election.

The EU guidelines will also be discussed, as they are set to be formally approved by the remaining 27 EU states on Saturday.

In pictures: European parliament Brexit discussions Show all 12 1 /12 In pictures: European parliament Brexit discussions In pictures: European parliament Brexit discussions European commission member in charge of Brexit negotiations with Britain, French Michel Barnier listens at the President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker speaking at the European Parliament in Strasbourg Getty Images In pictures: European parliament Brexit discussions Frank-Walter Steinmeier, President of the Federal Republic of Germany, delivers his speech at the European Parliament in Strasbourg EPA In pictures: European parliament Brexit discussions European Union's chief Brexit negotiator Guy Verhofstadt, President of the Group of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE), addresses the European Parliament during a debate on Brexit priorities and the upcomming talks on the UK's withdrawal from the EU Reuters In pictures: European parliament Brexit discussions Michel Barnier, European Chief Negotiator for Brexit reacts during a meeting at the European Parliament in Strasbourg EPA In pictures: European parliament Brexit discussions Member of the European Parliament and former leader of the anti-EU UK Independence Party (UKIP) Nigel Farage wears socks with Union Jack flag at the European Parliament in Strasbourg Getty Images In pictures: European parliament Brexit discussions Nigel Farage, United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP) member and MEP, addresses the European Parliament during a debate on Brexit priorities and the upcoming talks on the UK's withdrawal from the EU Reuters In pictures: European parliament Brexit discussions European commission member in charge of Brexit negotiations with Britain, French Michel Barnier gestures during speeches at the European Parliament in Strasbourg Getty In pictures: European parliament Brexit discussions The President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker (L) speaks with European commission member in charge of Brexit negotiations with Britain, French Michel Barnier at the European Parliament in Strasbourg Getty In pictures: European parliament Brexit discussions European Union's chief Brexit negotiator Guy Verhofstadt, President of the Group of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE), addresses the European Parliament during a debate on Brexit priorities and the upcomming talks on the UK's withdrawal from the EU Reuters In pictures: European parliament Brexit discussions Getty In pictures: European parliament Brexit discussions German president Frank-Walter Steinmeier delivers a speech during a plenary session at the European Parliament in Strasbourg Getty In pictures: European parliament Brexit discussions The European Parliament in Strasbourg, eastern France Getty Images

But the toughening in language on EU citizens' rights follows a row over how European nationals are being treated by the Home Office in the run up to Brexit.

EU citizens uncertain of their status have rushed to confirm their residency, but have complained of a complicated and long application procedure, red tape and high costs, to the extent that MEP Sophie In't Veld set up a taskforce to tackle the issue.

She said she was delighted at the hardening of language in the EU Councils Brexit guidelines, adding: UK ministers seem to be living in a parallel universe to those who are actually applying for residence and attempting to exercise their fundamental rights.

The anxiety of millions of EU citizens does not appear to be very high on the priority list of Mrs May.

After writing a letter of complaint to the UK Government, Immigration Minister Robert Goodwill responded to her saying that he was concerned about the issue.

 UK election: Labour's Brexit strategy in 60 seconds

He added: There is absolutely no question of the UK treating EU citizens with anything other than the utmost respect, nor acting in any way contrary to EU law.

But the European Parliament has stated it could veto any deal that did not guarantee EU citizens' rights, while the EU Council has signalled the European Court of Justice should maintain its role as guarantor of those rights.

Ms May meanwhile is set to make ending the courts role a key election pledge, along with ending EU free movement and pulling out of the single market.

 Theresa May's Easter message: People are uniting after Brexit

The EU guidelines to be approved at this weekends summit have already been toughened in other areas, with sherpas having approved a French bid to strengthen the language on financial services.

The sector is now mentioned separately from wording on an overall trade deal, with diplomats inserting a new paragraph stating that any future framework should safeguard financial stability in the Union and respect its regulatory and supervisory standards regime and application.

EU officials said the language reflected a demand from France that financial services should only be a part of any future trade agreement if Britain accepts EU regulations.
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Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn squared off over the NHS and national security, in their last Commons clash before the general election.

The Labour leader seized on growing fears over the creaking health service, highlighting a pensioner who had told him she was scared at the thought of going into hospital.

But the Prime Minister hit back by attacking Mr Corbyn for employing a policy chief who wanted to disband MI5, disarm the police and scrap our nuclear deterrent.

Again and again, she returned to her favourite election soundbite  that the nation faced a choice between her strong and stable leadership and a Labour-led coalition of chaos.

Brexit barely featured in the final Prime Ministers Questions before voters go to the polls in June, despite being the reason the election was called, according to Ms May.

The Prime Minister also refused twice to deny the so-called triple lock on pension increases would be scrapped.

Mr Corbyn highlighted Labours overnight pledge to axe the Tories long-standing 1 per cent pay cap for NHS staff.

And he read out the words of a pensioner called Sybil, who had told him: Im 88 and have had a wonderful service from the National Health Service.

But, nowadays, Im scared at the thought of going into hospital, with more people waiting more than four hours in A&E, more people waiting on trolleys in corridors, more delayed discharges, thanks to the Tory cuts.

Mr Corbyn said: Isnt Sybil right to be frightened about the future of the NHS as long as this Government remains in office?

In reply, the Prime Minister insisted the NHS in her hands was treating more patients and boasted more doctors, more nurses, more midwives, more GPs and record levels of funding.

And she ridiculed shadow Home Secretary Diane Abbotts endorsement of the I like Corbyn, But website which highlights concerns that Mr Corbyn will increase taxes and is a terrorist sympathiser.

To Tory cheers, Ms May said: They are right to be worried. Even his own supporters know he is not fit to run this country.

Earlier, she turned her fire on a 2015 programme put forward by a group called the Socialist Campaign for a Labour Victory.

It was backed by Andrew Fisher, Jeremy Corbyns policy chief, who has now been picked to write Labours election manifesto, to be published on 15 May.

Ms May told MPs: The plan to disband MI5, to disarm our police and to scrap our nuclear deterrent was endorsed by the Right Honourable Gentlemans policy chief and even by his shadow Chancellor.

Refusing to say he would strike against terrorism, refusing to commit to our nuclear deterrent and refusing to control our borders.

Keeping our country safe is the first duty of a prime minister  the Right Honourable Gentleman is simply not up to the job.

Later, a senior Labour source attacked Ms May for referring to Mr Corbyn as a terrorist sympathiser" in the Commons chamber, describing it as a discredit to the office of prime minister.
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Outgoing Labour MP Michael Dugher has said Jeremy Corbyn has set the Labour Party back on every issue, with every demographic and in every region of the country, describing these various phenomena together as a "remarkable achievement."

"It is a remarkable achievement for the leadership to have taken a catastrophic situation in Scotland and made it quite a lot worse, the outgoing MP for Barnsley East said in an interview with the New Statesman. "We seem to be doing worse in Wales ... Weve gone backwards amongst every demographic, every region of the country. Jeremy is behind Theresa May on managing the NHS! Its quite a special achievement to put all of that together in a short period of time. Hats off to Jeremy and Seumas [Milne], Diane [Abbott] and John [McDonnell]. Thats pretty special."

Recommended Corbyn may not take part in TV debates not involving May

Mr Dugher, said the last two years had been "thoroughly miserable."

"Opposition is always really, really hard, he said. People who like opposition and skip into the chamber every day, I kind of wonder whether all the lights are on ... The only point of being in opposition is to try and get into government."

Mr Dugher, who comes from a working class background in Doncaster, added: Unlike Jeremy and Seumas and others, who have no idea about government, who learned about socialism in expensive private schools, my politics was because of where I was from. I was born into the politics of Labour because I grew up in a pit village in the strike ... There was a lot of poverty when I was a child, I have very strong memories of that. Thats made me who I am and thats why representing that working class constituency, ex-pit villages, Im really proud of that.
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Labour is solidly ahead of the Conservatives with voters under 40 years old, despite being more than 20 points behind in the polls overall, according to a significant new poll.

The mega-poll of nearly 13,000 voters by YouGov conducted over a two and a half week period found Jeremy Corbyn would be heading to Downing Street were the election decided by 18-40 year olds.

Labour is particular popular with women under 40, who split 42 per cent in favour of Mr Corbyns party and 27 per cent for Theresa Mays. Twelve per cent support the Lib Dems. Men under 40 also back Labour by 32 per cent to 31 per cent for the Conservatives, with 18 per cent backing the Lib Dems.

But Labour is well behind in the polls overall  by about 20 points  because of a significantly lower expected turnout among young voters and a huge generational divide.

The headline voting intention figures from the same poll are 44 per cent for the Tories, 25 per cent for Labour, Ukip 9 per cent, Lib Dems 12 per cent, and Green Party 3 per cent.

A clue to the gap comes because those under 40 report being significantly less likely to vote than those over 40. Just more than 40 per cent of the younger cohort say they are certain to vote compared with 64 per cent of the older cohort.

The divide in the poll mirrors the split at the European Union referendum, where older voters pulled Britain out of the European Union against the overwhelming wishes of younger voters.

Younger and older voters have not always split this way. In 1979, Margaret Thatcher attracted a large proportion of younger voters, with 42 per cent of 18-24 year olds backing her at that election, according to Ipsos Mori polls from the time.

Support for the Conservatives at this time was particularly strong among middle class women  a mirror of the current situation where women lean strongly towards Labour.

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

Housing tenure, one of the best predictors of how a person will vote, has mapped closely with age in recent decades. Older voters are now overwhelmingly more likely to own a home while younger voters cannot afford to do so  with the gulf increasingly growing. Voters over 65 are also overwhelmingly less likely to be in work.

YouGovs poll of 12,746 adults was conducted between 2 and 20 April. The deliberately large poll was conducted so that sub-samples of the electorate could be examined without a large margin of error.
 Close Corbyn taunts May over 'hand-picked' audiences

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Jeremy Corbyn and Theresa May are to face off at PMQs for the last time before the general election.

The latest political stories are:

 Labour beating Tories with under-40s

 May accused of lying over NHS funding

 EU toughens Brexit stance

 May's LGBT rights record questioned

 Farron says gay sex is not a sin

The final PMQs before polling day comes on the same day as Labour announces its NHS policy of ending the Tories' pay freeze on NHS staff.

Mr Corbyn might be expected to use his PMQs questions to bolster his party's campaign pledges.

The NHS row comes a day after Ms May said the Government had to stop 'ducking' the issue of the looming social care crisis. She hinted that the Conservative manifesto would contain a 'long term' solution to the issue.

Mr Corbyn has used his platform at PMQs to raise the issue of social care cuts before.
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Theresa May has said a controversial clause that will force rape victims to prove they were attacked before they can receive tax credits for a third child is about "fairness".

Speaking during PMQs, the Prime Minister insisted there was a principle of fairness behind the two-child policy, which requires women who have been raped fill in a lengthy form in an effort to prove their ordeal if they need to claim tax credits for more than two children

During the debate, Chris Stephens of the SNP asked: "Can the Prime Minister confirm that no organisation in Scotland has yet signed up to help women fill in an eight-page Why my child is a product of rape' form?

"With DWP (Department for Work and Pensions) staff not trained either, is the Prime Minister seriously going into this election with this unworkable and immoral policy?"

Ms May said in response: This is an incredibly sensible issue. We looked at it very carefully, we consulted very carefully on it. And we have put in place a series of sensitive measures when such cases arise.

"But I think its important that we look at what lies behind this, because underpinning this policy is a principle of fairness, and we know that what the SNP wants to do is scrap the policy in its entirety.

We believe that people who are in work have to make the same decisions as those people who are out of work, so that people on benefits have to decide whether they can afford more children , jus as people in work have to decide. "

The policy, which has been described as inhumane by campaigners and liberal politicians, came into force earlier this month, and requires mothers seeking benefits for a third child to prove she has been sexually assaulted or that the child was conceived during an abusive relationship.

UK General Election 2017 Show all 47 1 /47 UK General Election 2017 UK General Election 2017 12 June 2017 British Prime Minister Theresa May leaves 10 Downing Street for the 1922 committee on June 12, 2017 in London, England. British Prime Minister Theresa May held her first cabinet meeting with her re-shuffled team today Getty Images UK General Election 2017 12 June 2017 DUP leader Arlene Foster stands alongside deputy leader Nigel Dodds as they hold a press conference at Stormont Castle as the Stormont assembly power sharing negotiations reconvene following the general election on June 12, 2017 in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Discussions between the DUP and the Conservative party are also continuing in the wake of the UK general election as Prime Minister Theresa May looks to form a government with the help of the Democratic Unionist parties ten Westminster seats. 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Members of the Scottish Parliament recently filed a motion to debate the clause, with hopes that it could influence Westminster to debate the tax reforms or take the matter to a committee.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission has meanwhile attacked the regressive child tax credit reforms and encouraged politicians to re-think the policy, saying the DWP did not complete a sufficiently detailed impact assessment for the reforms and that the law could violate human rights laws.
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It was testament to Theresa Mays attention to detail that, as John Bercow allowed Prime Ministers Questions to extend beyond its now customary nine hours and into a tenth, the Prime Minister was able to tweak as appropriate her farewell thanks to various retiring Tory grandees.

Gerald Howarth was standing down after 34 years of service nine of which had come during this particular session of PMQs.

Sir Alan Haselhurst was thanks for his forty-four years of service, having first been elected to the constituency of Saffron Walden during Jeremy Corbyns second question.

There is an old parliamentary tradition in which speakers are dragged to the chair, a charming nod to the frequency in bygone years with which they were executed by the monarch. John Bercow will surely be the first to dragged out of it.

Activists who cement themselves in to condemned buildings have been known to show less reluctance to move on.

Whether Mr Bercows bid for re-election to his position in the next Parliament will be successful is not yet clear, but from the moment at which the SNPs Mhairi Black rose to ask why she is still not yet entitled to a state pension at the age of 76, it became something of a moot point.

An air of anticipation had mysteriously been allowed to build before this, the final Prime Ministers Questions before the election. A thinning band of Labour moderates who still hope for a bright future somewhere beyond Armageddon had allowed themselves to think they might be counting down to the end of Corbyn, in much the same way as half the country spent the last half of last year wanting 2016 to be over, apparently unaware that coming after it would be 2017.

Its possible even Corbyn himself has considered it could be his last, given he marked the occasion by returning for the first time in a while to his presumably still burgeoning postbag.

What has the Prime Minister got to say to Christopher? he enquired at one point, stabbing his finger and his eyebrows over the despatch box with admirable symmetry.

If I was you, Id listen to what Maureen has to say, he howled later, over the usual noise of backbenchers united in the usual cocktail of uproarious laughter both phony and genuine.

The health service... pensions.... child refugees... the Labour leader took a relaxed meander around some issues where he might hope to make ground, but never managing to escape from the political prison that has always trapped these exchanges: that however useless the Prime Minister might be (and she is), there are so very few people out there who think Jeremy Corbyn would be less so.

The SNPs Angus Robertson gave a taste of what might be to come, if a credible albeit tiny opposition can eventually be pieced together from whatever few uncharred fragments might remain come 9 June.

It only took the straightforward asking of a simple question  will she guarantee the triple lock on pensions will be in the manifesto  to leave this supposedly safe pair of hands, this strong and stable leader, floundering about for an answer like Ronnie Barker in Open All Hours.

Erm, urr, its, erm, only the Conservatives that, erm, urr...

After those long months ruling out a snap election, it was as if the Prime Ministers mouth just refused to be moved into the shapes that would be required for it to say yet another thing that would turn out not to be true.

In Scotland, the elderly, um, err, strong government, strong economy, erm, err...

The corners of her mouth moved up and down as if on bits of tight string. Then her eyebrows joined in, perhaps in sympathy, perhaps to distract attention.

It was only the latest very clear indication that she is not up to the job. It might  might  just be that someone from the Labour ranks might yet come along and show how obvious that is.
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The Liberal Democrats have sacked one of their general election candidates after allegations that he holds antisemitic views.

Tim Farron said that David Ward, the former MP for Bradford East, was "unfit to represent the party".

The decision came just two hours after Prime Minister's Questions, in which Theresa May tore into what she called Mr Ward's "questionable record on antisemitism".

Mr Farron said in a statement released on Wednesday afternoon: "I believe in a politics that is open, tolerant and united. David Ward is unfit to represent the party and I have sacked him."

The Lib Dem leader had previously protested that he did not have the power to stop a local consituency association from choosing a candidate. Mr Ward appears to have been suspended from the party, however.

Mr Ward was MP for Bradford East from 2010 until 2015, when he lost his seat to Labour MP Imran Hussain, the area's current MP.

At PMQs Sir Eric Pickles, the former communities secretary asked Ms May: Does she believe its the party of all party leaders within this house not just to pay lipservice about [antisemitism] but to do something about it?

David Ward campaigning in 2010 with former leader Nick Clegg (Press Association)

And does she share my disgust that a former member of this house criticised by the Home Affairs Select Committee by his antisemitic utterances is now the official candidate in Bradford East for the Liberal Democrats?

The Prime Minister replied: Hes right to highlight Bradford  people will be, I think, rightly disappointed to see the Liberal Democrats readopt a candidate with a questionable record on antisemitism. It is important that all parties maintain the strongest possible censure on all forms of intolerance and send that message to our communities.

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Mr Ward has previously been criticised for using the stereotype that Jewish people are wealthy, having in 2013 referred to a "powerful, well-funded Board of Deputies".

He was also criticised for his use of language in relation to the Holocaust on a previous occasion in the same year, when he said "the Jews" had failed to learn the lessons of the mass genocide.

Mr Ward was previously suspended from the Lib Dems' parliamentary group after he called Israel an "apartheid state" and saying that Zionists were "losing the battle".
National Assembly Chairwoman Kim Ngan welcomes Speaker of the Republic of Korea's NA Chung Sye-kyun (Photo: VNA)



At the talks following a welcome ceremony for the RoK legislative leader, Chairwoman Ngan highlighted the strong development of bilateral friendship and cooperation since Vietnam and the RoK set up diplomatic ties in December 1992.

In such context, Vietnam looks forward to the RoK Presidents official visit and attendance in the APEC Economic Leaders Meeting in Da Nang city this November, she said.

The NA Chairwoman also asked the RoK to support Vietnams candidacy for the post of UNESCO Director-General.

She noted with satisfaction that with nearly 6,000 valid projects worth USD50.98 billion, the RoK is taking the lead among 116 countries and territories investing in Vietnam.

Vietnam encourages big groups of the RoK to take part in its State-owned enterprises equitisation and bank restructuring, Ngan said, noting the hope that Korean companies will pay attention to technology transfer to Vietnamese partners and raise the local content in products.

She also called on RoK businesses to provide technical assistance and conduct a feasibility study of a railway route from Bien Hoa to Vung Tau cities, and carry out a pre-feasibility study of an expressway from Ho Chi Minh city to Moc Bai Internaitional Border Gate in Tay Ninh province.

Chairwoman Ngan voiced her hope that Korean firms working in electronics, processing, manufacturing, energy and infrastructure development industries will build high technology complexes and invest in industrial park infrastructure and high-quality agriculture in Vietnam.

She suggested that the RoK assist its businesses in investing in agriculture, fisheries and food processing in Vietnam, thereby improving the competitiveness of Vietnamese goods and bringing them to distribution systems of Korean firms around the world.

In terms of ODA and financial cooperation, the top legislator thanked the RoK for considering Vietnam as a prioritised partner to provide ODA, adding that the Vietnamese NA appreciates the value and effectiveness of these assistance packages which have substantially contributed to local poverty elimination and rural development.

She hoped that the RoKs parliament will continue to supply non-refundable aid and ODA loans to Vietnam in the fields of the RoKs strength and Vietnams need, such as transport, health care, environment, high technology, personnel training and startup.

The two countries should soon finalise and sign a framework credit agreement for 2016-2020, Chairwoman Ngan noted, asking the RoK to support and effectively operate the Korea-Vietnam Incubator Park in Can Tho city to develop manpower in technology and industries.

The two sides should also enhance cooperation in shipbuilding and seaport design and construction while arranging capital for the establishment of an energy safety training centre in Vietnam, she said.

On his part, Chung Sye-kyun said that the bilateral friendship and cooperation have been built on high political confidence and cultural similarities.

The two countries have enjoyed strong economic and trade development and plan to expand relation to diplomacy, security and education, he stated, adding that his country is willing to transfer technology to Vietnam.

He expressed his hope that Vietnam considers the RoK a leading important partner in economic, trade and investment relations to pursue the industrialisation and modernisation goal.

The speaker suggested that Vietnam early sign a social insurance agreement with the RoK, and back the upgrade of several RoK credit organisations representative offices in Vietnam into branches.

NA Chairwoman Ngan affirmed that Vietnam always considers the RoK its strategic partner in socio-economic development.

Vietnam is restructuring the banking system and creates favourable conditions for banks from other countries, including the RoK, she added.

Agreeing with the guests proposal on the social insurance agreement, she said she will recommend the Government to assign the Ministry of Labour, War-Invalids and Social Affairs to discuss and sign with the RoK side.

At the talks, both host and guest agreed that the bilateral trade turnover has seen impressive growth, with a 90-fold increase compared with the figure in 1992, when the two countries established their diplomatic ties, while sharing the view that specific solutions are needed to correct the trade imbalance.

Highlighting the fact that each country has about 140,000 citizens living and working in the other country, the two sides stressed the need to boost cultural exchange programmes and the teaching of Vietnamese and Korean languages in both countries.

The Vietnamese top legislator proposed increasing direct flights between the two countries to serve tourism, as Vietnam welcomed around 1.54 million Korean tourists in 2016, and nearly 530,000 arrivals in the first quarter of this year, a year-on-year rise of 29 percent.

The two parliament leaders agreed to strengthen coordination in the organisation of activities to celebrate the 25th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties this year, including the Vietnam-RoK Tourism Year and the annual Vietnamese cultural-tourism festival in the RoK.

Ngan informed her guest that the Vietnamese Government has decided to include the RoK in the list of 40 countries whose citizens can apply online for visas to Vietnam, while keeping in place the unilateral exemption of visas for RoK citizens for under-15 day stay.

She asked the RoK to facilitate visa granting and consider visa exemption for Vietnamese tourists for short stay.

The two sides agreed to continue effectively implementing the memorandum of understanding on defence collaboration signed in October 2010.

The Vietnamese side proposed that the RoK increase information exchange and experience sharing in fighting crimes with Vietnam, while strengthening security and support for the Vietnamese community and businesses in the RoK.

On future legislative partnership, the two sides will stick to the cooperation deal signed between the two parliaments in July 2013.

In the past years, the two sides have maintained the exchange of delegations, they noted, adding that the Vietnam-RoK Friendship Parliamentarian Group has operated fruitfully.

The two top legislators also concurred to strengthen the connection between the two countries parliamentarians as well as their collaboration at regional and international parliamentarian forums including the Inter-Parliamentary Union, ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Union, and Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum.

Vietnam is willing to work with the RoK within the multilateral and regional mechanisms, especially the UN, APEC, ASEAN and Mekong-RoK cooperation, said the NA Chairwoman.

In order to practically contribute to the fostering of partnership between the two countries, she suggested that professional committees of the two NAs work closely together in supervising the implementation of agreements signed between the two countries.

The Vietnamese NA leader thanked the NA and Government of the RoK for creating favourable conditions for the Vietnamese community in the country, proposing that the RoKs parliament continue to design effective policies to protect and support the community, especially Vietnamese women married to RoK.

On the occasion, RoK NA Speaker Chung Sye-kyun invited his Vietnamese counterpart to visit the RoK. The Vietnamese NA Chairwoman also invited the RoK NA Speaker to attend the IPU conference on climate change hosted by the Vietnamese NA in Ho Chi Minh city from May 11th-13th this year.

NA Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan will host a banquet for the RoK NA speaker and his delegation in the afternoon of April 25th.

Earlier in the day, Chung Sye-kyun and the RoK high-ranking legislator delegation paid tribute to President Ho Chi Minh at his mausoleum in Hanoi./.
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Former Tory MP and London mayoral candidate Zac Goldsmith has been selected by the party to stand again in the south-west London constituency of Richmond Park.

Mr Goldsmith lost his seat in a by-election triggered last October when he left the party in protest at the Government's decision to build a third runway at Heathrow, a policy which remains unchanged.

Local party members met on Wednesday evening to decide who should represent Richmond Park, whose current MP is Lib Dem Sarah Olney.

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He was standing against Luke Parker - the Tory candidate in Brent North for the 2015 General Election - and barrister Laura Farris.

The constituency voted heavily for Remain during the EU referendum last year, putting the majority of constituents at odds with Mr Goldsmith's support for Brexit.

Local Tories insist Mr Goldsmith is not a "hardened Brexiteer", claiming he has led on guaranteeing the rights of EU citizens in the UK.

Constituency chairwoman Georgina Butler said: "We are delighted that Zac Goldsmith has been reselected as the Conservative candidate for Richmond Park and North Kingston in the forthcoming General Election, and we look forward to having him back again as our representative in Parliament.

"After a resounding victory in the 2015 General Election, his absence from Parliament since last December has been a disappointment. He is widely regarded the best MP that Richmond Park and North Kingston has ever had, and we need him back to represent our residents effectively.

"Far from being a hardened Brexiteer as his opponents have painted him, he will fight for the best deal for Britain. He has led on guaranteeing the rights of EU citizens in the UK, and is a champion of strong protection for the environment.

"He will also continue to lead the fight against Heathrow expansion, an issue which continues to concern our residents."

 Lib Dem beats Zac Goldsmith in Richmond Park by-election shock

But Tom Brake MP, Liberal Democrat chief whip, said: By standing as a Conservative after resigning over Heathrow, Zac Goldsmith has just lost his last shred of credibility.

People in Richmond Park voted resoundingly against a hard Brexit and against Heathrow expansion, both backed by Zac Goldsmith's Conservative Party. Instead they voted for the Liberal Democrat Sarah Olney.

Zac Goldsmith couldnt stand on a Conservative platform last time, so whats changed?"

Decembers by-election defeat marked the second setback for Mr Goldsmith within months, after he lost to Sadiq Khan in the 2016 London mayoral election.

That campaign was hugely criticised for its negative messaging and focus on Mr Khan's Muslim background.
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Every year, the design magazine eVolo holds a competition for the most ground-breaking skyscraper concepts.

This year's first place winner is the Mashambas skyscraper, a vertical farm tower that would be able to feed an entire town in sub-Saharan Africa. The conceptual skyscraper could also be disassembled, and moved to different locations where communities need it.

Designed by Polish architects Pawel Lipinski and Mateusz Frankowski, the tower would grow produce on the upper floors and would come with fertiliser and seeds. The other floors would feature kindergarten classrooms, a doctor's office, and even a docking port for drones that would deliver food to hard-to-reach areas. The ground floor would include an open-air market, where farmers could sell their crops.

Part of the tower would be made of modular pieces, which would allow it to be taken apart and transported somewhere else. (Though, the designers do not say how long that process would take.)

(Pawel Lipinski and Mateusz Frankowski (Pawel Lipinski and Mateusz Frankowski)

The main objective of the project is to bring this green revolution to the poorest people, Lipinski and Frankowski write. Giving training, fertiliser, and seeds to the small farmers can give them an opportunity to produce as much produce per acre as huge modern farms.

Its name, Mashambas, is a Swahili word that means cultivated land, Lipinski and Frankowski write. The goal of the tower would be to bolster agricultural opportunities and fight hunger in impoverished towns in African countries.

When farmers improve their harvests, they pull themselves out of poverty. They also start producing surplus food for their neighbours. When farmers prosper, they eradicate poverty and hunger in their communities, the designers write.

Though he share of Africans living in poverty declined from 56% to 43% from 1990 to 2012, many more African people are poor today due to population growth, according to a recent World Bank report.

Today hunger and poverty may be only African matter, but the worlds population will likely reach nine billion by 2050. Scientists warn that this would result in global food shortage, the designers write. Africas fertile farmland could not only feed its own growing population, it could also feed the whole world.

Announced April 10, the tower was chosen from a pool of over 400 entries. Though the designers did not name an exact site for a Mashambas skyscraper, they said the first one could be in a town south of the Sahara desert. The design is merely a concept right now, and there are no plans to actually build one.

Though the design is certainly far-fetched, the vision behind it explores what rural farms of the future could look like.

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Read the original article on Business Insider UK.  2016. Follow Business Insider UK on Twitter.
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An army veteran and her boyfriend have been arrested on animal cruelty charges after a video of the pair emerged apparently showing them tying a service dog to a tree and shooting it five times.

Marinna Rollins, 23, was arrested on Tuesday in North Carolina. Her boyfriend, 26-year-old Jarren Heng, had already been apprehended by police, ABC11 reports.

The pair have been charged with cruelty to animals and conspiracy. Both are being held on a $25,000 (19,500) bail.

Rollins and Heng apparently filmed themselves as they tied up a pitbull named Camboui in a wooded area in Fayetteville, North Carolina, and allegedly shot it at close range five times with a rifle. Rollins is heard laughing in the video, before the dog is buried in a shallow grave, the Fayetteville Observer reports.

Heng can allegedly be heard saying, Let me hit him once, while Rollins is heard talking to the dog shortly before placing the animal in the grave and covering it with a white sheet. Its been real I love you, youre my puppy, youre a good puppy, but she said, according to ABC11.

During Hengs court hearing on Tuesday, Cumberland County District Attorney Clark Reeves alleged that the pair can be heard on the tape laughing and giggling as the dog was being killed.

Rollins' boyfriend Jerren Heng, 26, is also facing charges (Cumberland County Sheriff's Office) (Cumberland County Sheriff's Office)

The animal is understood to have been a therapy service dog, which Rollins had owned for a year to help with her PTSD.

Police said Rollins posted a photo of the dog on Facebook stating that she was sad the animal had to go to a happier place. She allegedly later sent text messages admitting to shooting the therapy dog, officers added.

A Facebook page has been set up calling for justice for the dog, where moderators have posted the video claiming that it tells Cambouis story.
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A British tourist has been seriously injured after a wooden-framed hammock fell from the top of a New York tower block and struck her in the head.

The 48-year-old woman was walking along a Manhattan street with her husband when the hanging bed plunged from the roof of a fifth-storey building on Tuesday afternoon.

Police believe the hammock was dislodged by strong winds at the home in Church Street, in Tribeca.

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The woman's husband screamed "it hit her, it hit her" following the freak accident at 5pm, according to witnesses.

The manager of a nearby shop told the New York Daily Post: I heard a loud boom, and when I ran out, I saw a hammock on the sidewalk and the woman lying down right next to the hammock.

"She couldnt move. Shes in bad shape. Her left leg was twisted up.

The woman suffered head, leg and back injuries and was taken to hospital in a serious but stable condition.

The couple, from England, were strolling to the World Trade Centre while on holiday. Her husband was not injured.

New York authorities advise property owners to tie down loose objects when strong winds are forecast.
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Donald Trump has hosted a reception exclusively for members of the conservative media, in what many say was an attempted to build positive press in advance of his first 100 days.

Mr Trump invited conservative radio hosts like Laura Ingraham, Larry OConnor and John Fredericks to the White House, along with reporters from the Washington Free Beacon, Christian Broadcast Network, The Eternal Word Television Network, Daily Caller, and Breitbart.

Breitbart is already a familiar face at the White House, as founding member Steve Bannon now serves as one of Mr Trump's top advisers. The Daily Caller, meanwhile, is known for incendiary headlines such as "Barack Obama, Killing Machine?" and "Barack Obama, Wife Beater." (The former of which consists exclusively of photos of Barack Obama wearing a white tank top commonly referred to as a "wife beater.")

White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said the reception was meant to give access to news outlets that were neglected over the last eight years.

Weve definitely done our fair share of meetings with mainstream reporters, Mr Spicer told Politico. Once in awhile its important to appreciate the folks who have really covered the president fairly and covered a lot of issues ignored by mainstream media.

News of the dinner spread at the same time Mr Trump sent off a flurry of tweets about recent opinions polls. In his tweets, Mr Trump called much of the media is FAKE and almost always negative.

Larry Stuelpnagel, former political journalist and an associate professor at Northwestern University, said the private reception could have been a warning to the mainstream media.

I think its just a signal  in a week, in particular, when the White House Correspondents Dinner is coming up  that the administration could be trying to shoot yet another message at the media, Mr Stuelpnagel told The Independent.

Mr Trump has declined to attend the White House Correspondents dinner; a typically lighthearted affair between the president and his press pool. The last president to skip the Correspondents Dinner was Ronald Reagan, who was recovering from an assassination attempt.

The timing of Mr Trumps reception also coincided with another major event  Mr Trumps first 100 days in office. Though Mr Trump has dismissed the milestone as arbitrary, many in Washington view the presidents achievements up to that date as an indicator of his political effectiveness.

Mr Stuelpnagel said Mr Trump may have timed the media reception to ensure good press around the milestone.

Presidents certainly want to have a friendly audience, particularly when you have someone thats had such a tumultuous first 100 days as [Mr Trump] has had, Mr Stuelpnagel said. ...He wants good press. This is a way to guarantee it.

Reports from Monday's reception seem to confirm this notion. Attendees told Politico that half of the reporters in the room only asked questions they knew Mr Trump wanted to answer. Others told The Hill that answers to harder-hitting questions went unreported, because White House staff told reporters the meeting was off the record until after it ended.

Theres no tape, no transcript  I guess some people will be able to write what they remember or scribbled down notes, but you cant really do it without a transcript or quotes from a recording, one attendee told The Hill.

President Donald Trump life in pictures Show all 16 1 /16 President Donald Trump life in pictures President Donald Trump life in pictures Donald Trump poses in a rocking chair once used by President John F. Kennedy at his New York City residence Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Developer Donald Trump with his new bride Marla Maples after their wedding at the Plaza hotel in New York Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Donald Trump and Celina Midelfart watch the match between Conchita Martinez and Amanda Coetzer during U.S. Open. She was the date whom Donald Trump was with when he met his current wife Melania at a party in 1996 Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas serving as the grand marshal for the Daytona 500, speaks to Donald Trump and Melania Knauss on the starting grid at the Daytona International Speedwa Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Developer Donald Trump talks with his former wife Ivana Trump during the men's final at the U.S. Open Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Donald Trump and his friend Melania Knauss pose for photographers as they arrive at the New York premiere of Star Wars Episode : 'The Phantom Menace,' Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Billionaire real estate developer Donald Trump talks with host Larry King. Trump told King that he was moving toward a possible bid for the United States presidency with the formation of a presidential exploratory committee Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Donald Trump answers questions as Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura looks on in Brooklyn Park. Trump said on Friday he 'very well might' make a run for president under the Reform Party banner but had not made a final decision Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Billionaire Donald Trump makes a face at a friend as he sits next to Panamanian President Mireya Moscoso before the start of the 2003 Miss Universe pageant in Panama City Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Entrepreneur Donald Trump is greeted by a Marilyn Monroe character look-a-alike, as he arrives at Universal Studios Hollywood to attend the an open casting call for his NBC television network reality series 'The Apprentice.' Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Donald Trump and Simon Cowell present an Emmy during the 56th annual Primetime Emmy Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Donald Trump and Megan Mullally perform at the 57th annual Primetime Emmy Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Donald Trump, poses with his children, son Donald Trump, Jr., and daughters Tiffany and Ivanka Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Billionaire Donald Trump told Miss USA 2006 Tara Conner on Tuesday she would be given a second chance after reported misbehavior Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Donald Trump holds a replica of his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame as his wife Melania holds their son Barron in Los Angeles Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures U.S. property mogul Donald Trump stands next to a bagpiper during a media event on the sand dunes of the Menie estate, the site for Trump's proposed golf resort, near Aberdeen, north east Scotland Reuters

Former President Barack Obama also held closed-door meetings with select media outlets while in office, though they usually reflected a wider range of viewpoints. One 2013 meeting included writers from MSNBC, Mother Jones, and Fox News. Another included conservative columnists from The Wall Street Journal, Washington Post and Fox News.

The Trump White House, meanwhile, has generated controversy for barring mainstream outlets from traditionally open events.

White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer locked reporters from The New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, BuzzFeed, Politico and more out of a press gaggle in February. In audio from the gaggle, Mr Spicer can be heard saying he will aggressively push back," against false narratives, false stories and inaccurate facts from the mainstream media.

Mr Stuelpnagel, however, said the Trump administrations tactics are unlikely to have their desired effects.

The scoops that were seeing from the White House, the big story items, arent generally coming from press conferences or these one-on-ones, Mr Stuelpnagel said. Theyre coming from journalists going out and doing their job and digging. If [Mr Trump] wants to hold exclusive audiences, he can. But thats not going to stop real reporters from doing real work.
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The number of incidents of alleged Islamophobia involving US Customs and Borders Protection officials has increased by around 1,000 per cent since Donald Trump took office, according to a Muslim activist group.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) said preliminary data collated from its branches across the country, found that instances in which officials were accused of profiling Muslims accounted for 23 per cent of its caseload in the first three months of 2017.

Of the 193 CBP cases recorded from January-March 2017, 181 were reported after the January 27 signing of the Protecting the Nation from Foreign Terrorist Entry into the United States Executive Order, also known as the Trump administrations Muslim travel ban. In the first three months of 2016, the group reported 17 cases.

These are incidents which are reported to us and which we examine, Corey Saylor, director of CAIRs group that monitors alleged Islamophobia, told The Independent. We look at these very carefully. Around 50 per cent, we we reject.

Mr Saylor said allegations of Islamophobia being levelled at border officials was nothing new. Yet, he said he believed the election of Mr Trump and the signing of two executive orders designed to crackdown on undocumented migrants and to refuse entry to citizens from six Muslim-majority countries, was behind the spike in incidents.

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I have no doubt in my mind that these things are connected, he said.

In the aftermath of Mr Trumps orders, which have been halted by the courts, there were widespread reports of chaos at US airports, and of people being turned away as they sought to board flights to the US at foreign airports.

Mr Trump vowed during his election campaign that he would make it more difficult for people from certain countries to reach the US as party of tighter security, despite immigrants from countries such as Syria and Somalia already having to endure screening that can take several years.

Mr Saylor said he appreciated the difficult job being faced by border officials, but asked that they did it without breaching the US constitution. He said customs officials routinely asked questions of Muslim traveller that were both invasive and made little common sense.

He cited testimony of a Customs and Border Protection official from a 2013 lawsuit, who said: Look to the Muslim woman as an indicating factor. By the way she wears her hijab. If the hijab is a solid colour it indicates religiosity. If its a patterned scarf, with colours, its more likely that she is less religious.

US Customs and Borders Protection did not immediately respond to inquiries.
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What did the president know about the Mar-a-Lago advertisement that appeared for a time on official government websites? And when did he know it? These questions might sound trivial. They arent. The webpage about President Donald Trumps private club, which had all the features of a marketer-drafted puff piece, is a prime example of corruption, namely the knowing use of government means to enhance the private wealth of the president. And corruption is the classic example of a high crime or misdemeanour under the impeachment clause of the Constitution.

To be very clear, it doesnt matter whether advertising Trumps for-profit, members-only club using government property is a crime under federal law. High crimes and misdemeanors arent the same as statutory violations. That phrase refers to the misuse of government authority to contradict and undermine democracy and the rule of law.

In this constitutional sense, using the perks and tools of government to enrich the president personally is an impeachable offence, an offence that would grow out of a pattern of such acts of corruption.

Because the subject of impeachment is so serious, let me begin with an important caveat: One post that went unnoticed for several weeks on a State Department website before being pulled down Monday would not on its own be enough to count as a high crime for purposes of impeaching a president. Without a lot more evidence, the post isnt enough.

The Mar-a-Lago post, however, needs to be seriously investigated as part of a broader analysis of whether and how the executive office is being used to enhance the presidents existing businesses and brands and thus enrich the president now and in the future. The impeachable act of corruption is the use of the tools of government for private gain.

So now lets turn to the webpage. We learned two important legal lessons back in February after White House adviser Kellyanne Conway promoted Ivanka Trumps merchandise on television.

One is that its a violation of federal regulation (5 CFR 2635.702 if youre keeping track at home) for a government employee to use his public office  for the endorsement of any product, service, or enterprise.

The second thing we learned is that nothing much necessarily happens if a government employee violates that regulation. Conway got less than a slap on the wrist  because it was up to the White House to decide on discipline, if any.

The Mar-a-Lago post is much worse. Conway just used the airwaves and her job title to make an endorsement. The webpage uses the resources of the government itself  the State Departments Share America website and the imprimatur of the US embassies diplomatic functions  to promote the club.

Lest we forget, memberships prices doubled after Trump was elected. And he has hosted several foreign leaders there. These acts were both troubling. But neither was as explicitly an instance of the use of government resources for private presidential gain.

Imagine that after an investigation, it turned out that the president or someone close to him ordered the post or knew about it and allowed it go forward.

The president could credibly claim that the regulation against endorsements doesnt apply to him, because hes not an employee under its terms. Trump has made clear that he believes that Congresss conflict of interest laws dont apply to him either.

Constitutionally, that wouldnt be the end of the matter  far from it. Congress has the authority and the responsibility to consider presidential conflict of interest when crafting articles of impeachment and deciding to bring them against a sitting president.

Some misunderstanding of high crimes and misdemeanors has snuck into the popular imagination, mostly I think since Bill Clinton was impeached in 1998.

The two articles of impeachment approved by the House against Clinton consisted of perjury and obstruction of justice in connection with the Paula Jones case and his relationship with Monica Lewinsky. Both of those are prosecutable offences under criminal law.

But Congress filed those articles of impeachment because Clinton hadnt done anything else that wouldve counted as a distinct misuse of his government authority. Lying about his affair under oath wasnt a distortion of the office of president. It was personal wrongdoing, not professional.

The articles of impeachment proposed against Richard Nixon only made it through the House Judiciary Committee, and were never adopted by the full House of Representatives. They are more complicated  and more in keeping with constitutional tradition.

The first article does allege obstruction of justice. But all three of the articles charge Nixon with acting against his oath to take care that the laws be faithfully executed. Several of the specific allegations are for conduct that might not have been ordinarily criminal, such as maintaining a secret investigative unit in the White House or failing to stop his subordinates from thwarting the Watergate investigation.

These are classic high crimes  high in the sense that they relate directly to the presidents misuse of his own high office.

Thats the historical meaning of high crimes and misdemeanours, a phrase that the framers of the Constitution took from English constitutional tradition and the impeachments undertaken by Parliament against royal officials.

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

Corruption is the archetypal instance of a high crime. And it can be defined simply as the use of government office for the presidents private gain.

Small violations can add up to an impeachable offence. Nothing weakens the rule of law more effectively than gradual erosion. Thats why its important not to treat the Mar-a-Lago post as minimal or insignificant.

The rule of law takes centuries to build. It can be destroyed much quicker. And when it comes to a president, the criminal laws are not the constitutional answer. Impeachment is.

Bloomberg
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President Donald Trump has signed an executive order that critics say could lead to the removal of decades' worth of federal land protections.

The order directs Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke to review the lands previously designated as monuments, and suggest changes. Critics say this will allow the Trump administration to roll back protections that prevent drilling, mining and logging on the public land.

For more than 20 years, presidents have used the Antiquities Act to designate certain federal lands and waters as national monuments. With that designation comes certain protections  including, in some cases, bans on logging, mining, and drilling.

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Mr Zinke said the president is concerned these designations "may have resulted in loss of jobs, reduced wages and reduced public access."

"The president believes, like I do, that many of the neighbours in the western states of the federal government can be a good neighbour," Mr Zinke said. "We can protect areas of cultural and economic importance, and they can use the federal lands for economic development when appropriate."

Under the executive order, Mr Zinke will review all monuments designated after 1996. That includes monuments such as the Castle Mountains in California, Gold Butte in Nevada, and the northern rim of the Grand Canyon. The order does not automatically rescind the status of any monument  in fact, it is untested whether a president can unilaterally do so. But it does direct Mr Zinke to suggest "legislative changes or modifications" to the monuments under review.

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

Environmental activists, was well as some senators and representatives, were quick to express their concern with the order.

"No president has ever called into question any national monument protected by the Antiquities Act until President Trump," Senator Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada said in a statement. "His unprecedented executive order threatens decades' worth of conservation efforts and could potentially revoke designations to places that have significant cultural and historical value."

Senators from and New Mexico, California, Oregon, Colorado, and Washington State signed onto a letter asking Mr Trump to leave the current protections in place.

Much of the current debate revolves around Bears Ears National Monument  a 1.35 million-acre swatch of land designated by former President Barack Obama.

Native American tribes successfully lobbied Mr Obama to protect the land from looting, vehicle damage and vandalism. The area contains some of the country's best-preserved rock art and artefacts from the ancient Pueblo civilisation.

Opponents of the move, however, argued Mr Obama should have used legislation  rather than executive power  to make the designation. Others were frustrated that the land could no longer be used for mining or development.

Mr Trump on Wednesday referred to his predecessor's use of the Antiquities Act as a massive federal land grab.

Today we are putting the states back in charge, he said at the signing. ...Its time we ended this abusive practice.
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On 25 April, presidential daughter Ivanka Trump joined a panel on women entrepreneurs in Berlin, where the moderator asked: What is your role, and who are you representing, your father as president of the United States, the American people, or your business? Ivanka Trump said she wasnt there for her firm, but the question crystallised her situation, which is rife with potential conflicts of interest and legal pitfalls, perhaps even more so than President Donald Trumps.

1. Why does she have conflicts?

Ivanka Trump wears many hats and, as a federal government employee, is subject to conflict of interest laws from which her father is exempt. As an adviser to the president, she has an office in the West Wing of the White House. She owns and profits from a personal business, named simply Ivanka Trump. She has a stake in the Trump International Hotel in Washington, as does her father. She sometimes stands in for First Lady Melania Trump in helping her father host dignitaries. In Berlin, she played the role of American diplomat for her first international trip as an official representative of the White House, at the invitation of German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

2. What does the law say?

If she engages in business dealings with foreign countries while involved in government decisions affecting them, Trump is at risk of violating federal criminal and civil laws prohibiting government employees from benefiting personally from an official position. She is also subject to the Emoluments Clause of the US Constitution, which bars government employees from accepting anything of value from other governments. While federal law doesnt directly address it, there is an appearance issue when she hobnobs with foreign officials who can help advance her business in their countries.

3. Has that happened?

Ivanka Trump sat next to Chinese President Xi Jinping at an 6 April dinner at her fathers Mar-a-Lago resort, and that day, China gave provisional approval for three new trademarks her intellectual-property company, Ivanka Trump Marks LLC, was seeking. That could turn into quite a commercial coup: Such trademarks give her the exclusive right to sell apparel, jewellery, handbags, shoes and activewear under the Ivanka Trump name to 1.4 billion people. Chinese officials say it was a coincidence that the approvals came the same day as the dinner. During the presidential transition, the New York Times reported that she also sat in on a meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe while her company was working on a deal with a Japanese apparel retailer whose parent companys largest shareholder is owned by the Japanese government. At the time, however, Ivanka Trump wasnt a government employee and her father hadnt been sworn in as president.

4. Has she accepted an emolument?

The emoluments clause has been rarely  if ever  litigated. Some ethics experts say it could be interpreted to encompass transactions between private businesses owned by US officials and foreign governments (or government-owned businesses). Others say that reading would be too broad. For that reason, its unclear if the award of trademarks by Chinese officials to Ivanka Trumps businesses falls under the obscure clause.

5. How does her situation compare with the Presidents?

Unlike her father, who is exempt from most laws barring the president from having conflicts between his business affairs and his presidential role, Ivanka Trump is not exempt. Even though she accepts no salary, federal law bars government employees from personally benefiting from decisions they make as government officials. This rule also applies to her husband, Jared Kushner, like her a White House adviser, and whose family owns a sprawling portfolio of US real estate and technology investments.

6. How has she sought to address these conflicts?

In January, she announced she was giving day-to-day management of her brand to Abigail Klem, her companys president. She also transferred the brands assets to a trust overseen by her husbands relatives. She doesnt plan to divest, said Jamie Gorelick, Trumps attorney and a former top Justice Department official under President Bill Clinton. Instead, she retains ownership, including the right to approve or veto deals, and receives payments. She formed the Ivanka M. Trump Charitable Fund to donate income from her newest book, Women Who Work, set to hit shelves 2 May. She said she wont promote the book to avoid any appearance of conflict with her government role, a big part of which is to advocate for working women.

7. What does she sell?

Ivankas brand sells work-appropriate clothes, shoes and accessories for women, from $138 sheath dresses at Macys to $135 black pumps on Zappos and $177 satchel tote bags at Bloomingdales. She recently discontinued a high-end jewellery line in favour of a more affordable fashion-jewellery selection. Her goods are sold at department stores and off-price retailers like TJ Maxx and Stein Mart. She has taken great pains to protect her name and what its used for in the US and overseas. Her intellectual-property holding company has moved to register a trademark on just her first name in a variety of categories over the last five years. She has filed for 173 trademarks in 21 foreign countries over the past decade, according to the New York Times. Shes also the author of The Trump Card, in addition to Women Who Work.

In pictures: Ivanka Trump's Washington DC home Show all 13 1 /13 In pictures: Ivanka Trump's Washington DC home In pictures: Ivanka Trump's Washington DC home The front of the house Zillow In pictures: Ivanka Trump's Washington DC home The lobby Zillow In pictures: Ivanka Trump's Washington DC home The house exterior Zillow In pictures: Ivanka Trump's Washington DC home The patio Zillow In pictures: Ivanka Trump's Washington DC home The bedroom Zillow In pictures: Ivanka Trump's Washington DC home The living room Zillow In pictures: Ivanka Trump's Washington DC home The living area Zillow In pictures: Ivanka Trump's Washington DC home The Living Room Zillow In pictures: Ivanka Trump's Washington DC home The kitchen Zillow In pictures: Ivanka Trump's Washington DC home The living room Zillow In pictures: Ivanka Trump's Washington DC home The bathroom Zillow In pictures: Ivanka Trump's Washington DC home The living room Zillow In pictures: Ivanka Trump's Washington DC home The hall Zillow

8. How successful is her business?

Its hard to say, since her company is private. Some department stores like Nordstrom have removed her clothing lines that havent sold well, but the global branding strategy appears to be working and could pay off long after her father leaves office. Sales are growing at her $100 million clothing line manufactured by G-III Apparel Group, but the pace of growth has slowed. Shes still licensing variations of her name to give her the option to sell other products under it  from home goods to outerwear. Even farther afield, her licensing company has trademarked two versions of her oldest sons name, Joseph Frederick Kushner, to use on clothes and accessories.

Copyright Bloomberg
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Four people have been wounded in a drive-by shooting in Miami, with police searching for the attacker.

A police spokeswoman said the shooting happened at 8.20am local time, with the neighbourhood around the shooting blocked off as an investigation into the incident begins.

The four victims have been transported by air or ground to a nearby hospital. The injuries are not thought to be life-threatening.

Officers have told the Miami Herald that the victims are not co-operating with the police.

According to Miami-Dade School officials, several schools have been placed on lockdown while the investigation proceeds.

A heavy police presence remains on the scene.
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and his Cambodian counterpart Samdech Techo Hun Sen review the honour guard

at the welcome ceremony for the Vietnamese leader on April 25th (Photo: VNA)



PM Hun Sen considered the Vietnamese leaders official visit as having historical significance amid the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties, voicing his belief that the trip will provide a strong momentum for their traditional friendship and comprehensive cooperation to thrive.

He spoke highly of Vietnamese investors contributions to his country, noting that the Vietnam military-run telecommunications group Viettel, the Vietnam Rubber Group, the Electricity of Vietnam Group (EVN) and other businesses of Vietnam have run profitably and fully paid taxes to the Cambodian Government.

Notably, Metfone-Viettel has paid USD400 million in taxes since 2009. They have also contributed to socio-economic development and the care for local peoples material and spiritual life, especially low-income earners and rural residents, he added.

The two PMs agreed to continue promoting trade, services and cooperation between Vietnamese and Cambodian localities, particularly the ones located along the shared borderline. They said locality-to-locality ties have proved fruitful in the spirit of friendship neighbourliness and comprehensive cooperation.

They will order the joint committee for border demarcation and land border marker planting to step up negotiations, seek solutions regarding border sections not demarcated, and work closely in border management, thereby enhancing peace, stability, cooperation and sustainable development along the shared border.

At the talks, the Government leaders valued the outcomes of mutual visits by the countries senior leaders and agreed to increase delegation exchanges at all levels.

They vowed to facilitate and seek effective measures to boost partnership in potential areas such as trade-investment, banking, electricity, mining, oil and gas, industrial tree planting, transport, telecommunications, and education-training.

Vietnam and Cambodia will keep close cooperation in security and defence, they said, reiterating the principle of not allowing any hostile forces to use the territory of this country to sabotage the others security and the two countries friendship and cooperation.

Both sides are set to enhance collaboration to fight terrorism, transnational crimes, smuggling, drug crime and human trafficking. They will also press ahead with the search for and repatriation of the remains of Vietnams volunteer soldiers who sacrificed their lives in wars in Cambodia, the PMs added.

At the meeting, they discussed stepping up connections within the framework of ASEAN and the Greater Mekong Subregion. They also exchanged views on international issues of shared concern.

On this occasion, PM Phuc appreciated Cambodias provision of good conditions for Vietnamese expatriates, asking the country to take appropriate measures to soon recognise their legal status and Cambodian nationality. He also called on Cambodia to recognise schools managed by Vietnamese-Cambodians there as part of the countrys education system.

In response, PM Hun Sen promised to direct relevant agencies of Cambodia to provide fabourable conditions for Vietnamese-Cambodians to be treated as equally as expatriates of other countries.

Following the meeting, the two PMs witnessed the signing of cooperation documents.

Vietnams Transport Ministry and Cambodias Ministry of Public Works and Transport signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on cooperation on promoting the study of the construction of Ho Chi Minh city-Moc Bai and Phnom Penh-Ba Vet expressways. Another MoU on building a voluntary rehabilitation centre for drug addicts in Preah Sihanouk province was inked between Vietnams Ministry of Labour, War-Invalids and Social Affairs and Cambodias Ministry of Social Affairs, Veterans and Youth Rehabilitation.

The Directorate of Fisheries under the Vietnamese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Fisheries General Department under the Cambodian Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries signed an official letter discussing the extension of the MoU on fishery cooperation for another three years.

Meanwhile, the Administrations of Hanoi and Phnom Penh signed a MoU on the assistance to the construction of a Phnom Penh-Hanoi friendship avenue.

After the talks, PM Phuc and his spouse laid wreaths at the Independence Monument, the memorial to late King Norodom Sihanouk, and the Vietnam-Cambodia Friendship Monument in Phnom Penh./.
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Several conservative news outlets have criticised the New York Times for their use of the term genital cutting rather than female genital mutilation (FGM), after the newspaper said it would stop .using the latter term because it is "culturally loaded".

FGM is defined by UNICEF as all procedures involving partial or total removal of the female external genitalia or other injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons.

Fox News, The Blaze, Daily Caller, and several other right-wing news sites have jumped on the story of New York Times Health and Science editor Celia Dugger answering a letter from a reader asking why the newspaper used the term.

Ms Dugger wrote that she stopped using the term female genital mutilation in the newspapers stories because it is culturally loaded.

Theres a gulf between the Western (and some African) advocates who campaign against the practice and the people who follow the rite, and I felt the [term mutilation] widened that chasm, she wrote.

Shelby Quast, Director of Equality Now's Americas Office, told The Independent that she does not see a problem with the New York Times editorial decision.

What is happening is much more important than what we call it, Ms Quast said.

Adwoa Kwateng-Kluvitse who is Head of Global Advocacy and Partnerships at the London-based anti-FGM nonprofit FORWARD, said that activists often use cutting instead of mutilation because when they go into communities where it takes place, especially in certain African nations, the term actually translates to cutting in local languages.

Accusing a person of mutilation versus asking them about cutting may make a difference in many communities.

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

She said it is very clear that the focus of interventions should be on affected communities to move them to a position where they recognise these facts and change the social norms that contribute to continuing the harmful practice on women and girls.

Many of these outlets refer to the editors decision to use genital cutting in its place as taking away from the severity of the crime.

Julia Lalla-Maharajh, CEO and Founder of the Orchid Project, said that the use of the term cutting has contributed, in part, to over 8,000 separate communities making the decision to stop cutting their daughters.

Many news outlets also cite the UN Population Funds use of the term mutilation, but that is misleading.

Ms Lalla-Maharajh explained that Unicef is actually the leading UN body on the effort to end the practise and they use both terms in order to be more encompassing of how victims perceive the issue.

Some victims refer to themselves as being mutilated and others say there were cut, while many young victims may not have a word for it all.

Even the US government uses Unicefs terminology in legal language.

Ms Quast explained this is not just a problem in African and South Asian communities as many think, but also American, white Christian ones as well.

In the US however, FGM is considered child abuse so the terminology doesn't make the conversation any easier, Ms Quast said.

She said what is key is raising awareness that this is a form of gender-based violence.

Ms Quast told the story of how her group and others worked with the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists to say that labioplasty, the medical term for FGM, for those under 18 is actually a crime in the US.

The conservative news outlets pieces on the matter did not interview any anti-FGM activists for their pieces.
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A wealthy businessman has been acquitted of rape charges after his lawyer argued that women are especially good at lying.

Mark Giannini was accused of raping a young woman in 2014, after luring her to his mansion in Memphis, Tennessee under the guise of a job interview for the position of housekeeper.

The woman testified that the 51-year-old choked and raped her and the next thing she remembered she was waking up at the hospital.

Investigators also alleged that Mr Giannini forced the victim to swallow urine, faeces, and blood.

But Mr Giannini's defence team said the sex was consensual and questioned the woman's credibility.

"People can be very good at lying," his attorney Steve Farese told Memphis Criminal Court in closing arguments. "Women can be especially good at it because they're the weaker sex."

Pointing out that she had a criminal background including drug smuggling, he said that the victim knew what she was doing.

He added that she had worn a "sexy top" to the interview, which he called "a contraption.

Mr Farese also argued that the victim only pressed criminal charges to gain an advantage in her $6m (4.6m) lawsuit against Mr Giannini.

Her explanation was seeking justice, my explanation is when shes up here on the stand crying on cue that she was crying for dollars, Mr Farese said.

Model's struggle after rape and acid attack Show all 4 1 /4 Model's struggle after rape and acid attack Model's struggle after rape and acid attack 252429.bin C4 Model's struggle after rape and acid attack 252432.bin C4 Model's struggle after rape and acid attack 252430.bin C4 Model's struggle after rape and acid attack 252434.bin C4

Local media reports the victim began to cry when the not guilty verdict was read.

This is the first of three separate rape charges against Mr Giannini, dating back to an incident in 2002. If he had been found guilty, he faced up to 15 years in prison without the possibility of parole.

Mr Farese later defended his controversial style of argument in an interview with local media.

He said his job was "not to care if anybody gets offended," adding: "Smart people will see it for what it is."
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Senate Democrats have released their own, red-all-over rewrite of Donald Trumps commemorative 100th day email.

The White House sent out an email earlier this week, touting the presidents accomplishments in advance of his 100th day in office. Titled President Trump's 100 Days of Historic Accomplishments, the email claims Mr Trump has accomplished more in his first 100 days than any other President since Franklin Roosevelt.

The email, sent to the White House press mailing list, highlights the 30 executive orders and 28 laws Mr Trump has signed since taking office.

Recommended Trump concludes first 100 days as the least popular president

Despite historic Democrat obstructionism, President Trump has worked with Congress to pass more legislation in his first 100 days than any President since Truman, the email reads.

Democrats responded to the insult the next day, with an edited version of the email entitled President Trump's 100 Days of Historic Broken Promises.

Despite campaigning as a populist, President Trump has governed as a hard-right extremist, the edited email reads. Again and again, he has broken his promises to the American people while his allies have reaped the rewards.

In the edited email, Senate Democrats accuse Mr Trump of governing by executive order, instead of legislative compromise.

Mr Trump has previously expressed his dislike for executive orders, claiming they are not what the country is based on. He even accused former President Barack Obama for utilising executive orders to disguise his own failure to negotiate. In his first 100 days, however, Mr Trump has signed four more orders than the next-closest president, Lyndon B Johnson, and 11 more than Obama.

Mr Trump has also signed more bills into law than almost any other president, but has yet to claim a major legislative victory, or pass anything through Congress. The White House abandoned their attempt to repeal and replace Obamacare last month, when Mr Trump asked Speaker Paul Ryan to pull the bill from a House vote. They have yet to put forward a revised plan.

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 presidents tax reform bill, which he promised to enact within his first 100 days, is set to be unveiled tomorrow. With a vote on the congressional spending bill scheduled for Friday, it is unlikely that Mr Trump will be able to force a vote on tax reform before his first 100 days are up.

At a press conference on Tuesday however, White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer hailed Mr Trumps numerous meetings with world leaders and progress on border control.

From the moment he took office, the president has been taking action and putting America back to work by putting the people back into government, Mr Spicer said.
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Donald Trump has revealed a broad outline of the tax reform plan he pledged to deliver throughout his campaign, including an ambitious 20 per cent tax cut for some businesses.

Under the Trump tax plan we will have a massive tax cut for businesses and massive tax reform and simplification, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said at a press conference announcing the plan.

This massive tax cut reduces the business tax rate to 15 per cent, down from a maximum of 35 per cent. The plan  which so far consists of a single page of bullet points  also increases the standard deduction for individuals, providing modest relief for middle-incomes households.

Mr Mnuchin hailed the plan as the biggest tax cut and the largest tax reform in the history of our country at an event before the unveiling.

The plan would also reduce the number of US tax brackets from seven to three. This would result in an almost five per cent tax break for America's wealthiest individuals.

Mr Mnuchin on Wednesday evaded questions on how this tax plan would affect Mr Trump, who ran a multi-billion-dollar business enterprise before assuming the presidency. Besides cutting taxes for businesses and billionaires, the tax plan would also repeal the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT)  a rule designed to ensure wealthy taxpayers pay the correct rate. Without the AMT, Mr Trump would have paid $31m less in taxes in 2005, according to The New York Times.

"What this is about is creating jobs and creating economic growth, and that's what massive reform and simplifying the system is going to do," Mr Mnuchin said. "The AMT is just another example of a third complicated set of rules."

Responding to a familiar campaign point of contention, Mr Mnuchin confirmed Mr Trump has "no plan" to release his tax returns.

5 tax avoiding companies in the UK Show all 5 1 /5 5 tax avoiding companies in the UK 5 tax avoiding companies in the UK Facebook Facebook paid 4327 in corporation tax in 2014, after it made a pre-tax loss of 28.5 million, according to filings at Companies House. That's less tax that new average UK employee pays on their salary. 5 tax avoiding companies in the UK Amazon Amazons UK business paid just 11.9m in corporation tax last year, even though the online retail giant took 5.3bn in sales from British shoppers. 5 tax avoiding companies in the UK Google So well known for avoiding tax that it had the 'Google tax' on multinationals that move profits to low-tax countries named after it. Alarm bells started ringing in 2012, when Google revealed it payed only 11.6 million to the Treasury, despite taking 3.4 billion in the UK. 5 tax avoiding companies in the UK Uber Uber paid 22,134 in UK corporation tax last year despite making an 866,000 profit. 5 tax avoiding companies in the UK Starbucks In October, the European Commission ruled that Starbucks' tax deal in the EU was illegal, ordering it to pay pay between 20-30 million to the Netherlands.

Mr Mnuchin and Gary Cohn, the president's chief economic adviser, also dodged questions about about how the government would avoid a deficit under the reduced rates.

"Theres lots and lots of details that are going into how that will pay for itself, Mr Mnuchin said. He and Mr Cohn said the President is working with Congress on the details of the plan.

House Democrats on Wednesday criticised the plan as a non-starter." Chairman of the House Democratic Caucus Joe Crowley singled out the business tax cut as particularly egregious.

The Republican House Ways and Means chairman is not even starting at 15, said congressman Joe Crowley. [The White House needs] to get their act together.
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Senator Ted Cruz has proposed a novel idea to fund President Donald Trumps wall around the US-Mexico border: Use the $14 billion that US prosecutors are seeking from Mexican drug lord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman.

Today I introduced the EL CHAPO Act, which reserves billions in forfeited assets to pay for border security, Mr Cruz tweeted. Fourteen billion dollars will go a long way toward building a wall that will keep Americans safe.

A spokesperson for Mr Cruzs office confirmed the bill was introduced to Congress.

Guzman was extradited from Mexico to the US in January, on charges of operating a multi-billion dollar, multi-national criminal drug enterprise. Prosecutors regularly seize the assets of drug dealers and traffickers, though it is unclear how they arrived at the $14 billion sum.

Mr Cruzs bill comes as the White House struggles to secure funding for the border wall. Mr Trump has previously said construction of the wall would start within months of his inauguration.

Sources have confirmed to multiple outlets, however, that funding for the border wall will not be included in the congressional spending bill scheduled for a vote on Friday.

Democrats  and even some Republicans  have signalled that they will not pass a funding bill that contains provisions for border wall construction. A failure to pass the spending bill by Friday would result in a government-wide shutdown.

Inside Mexicos top drug lord El Chapos hideout Show all 4 1 /4 Inside Mexicos top drug lord El Chapos hideout Inside Mexicos top drug lord El Chapos hideout Inside El Chapo's hideout Pictures reveal how the Mexican drug lord had been living since his escape Getty Inside Mexicos top drug lord El Chapos hideout Inside El Chapo's hideout The inside of a house searched by marine special forces where Guzman was hiding Getty Inside Mexicos top drug lord El Chapos hideout Inside El Chapo's hideout Inside a house searched by marine special forces during the military operation to recapture Guzman Getty Inside Mexicos top drug lord El Chapos hideout El Chapo's attempted escape A marine stands guard next to a manhole of the sewer system through which drug kingpin Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman tried to escape Getty

Even Mr Trump has seemed to distance himself from immediate for construction, saying on Tuesday he has plenty of time to get the wall built. Attendees at a White House reception for conservative media the night before said Mr Trump had suggested seeking funding for the wall in September, when Congress will likely need to pass another spending bill.

White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer told reporters the White House is still in discussions with House and Senate leadership on border wall funding, but insisted that the presidents priorities had not changed.

Theres a lot of things that have to happen  You have to start doing some planning and things, Mr Spicer told reporters. So we will have take some first steps now and continue seeking funding through [fiscal year 18] and other budgets.

Mr Cruzs proposal would not soothe opponents moral concerns about the wall, and likely would not pay for the entire project. (Experts put the cost at somewhere between $15 billion and $25 billion.) But it would fulfil two of Mr Trumps most controversial campaign promises: building the wall, and making Mexico pay for it.
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More than half a million people have signed a petition calling for Melania Trump to move out of New York's Trump Tower, or pay for her own security costs.

The New York City Police Department (NYPD) recently estimated that the price of protecting the First Lady and her son Barron while they reside in the luxury skyscraper costs between $127,000 and $146,000 ((101,000 and 116,000) per day.

The cost of this goes to the taxpayer, the force said in a letter to members of the city's delegation to congress.

Ms Trump has said they will move in June, when Barron finishes his school year.

Until then, her stay could cost approximately $18.2 million (14.6 million).

Meanwhile, her husband's proposed first budget seeks to make billions of dollars worth of cuts to social care, healthcare, education and the arts.

Here are a list of schemes that could be funded if Ms Trump and Barron joined the US President in the White House, based on statistics from the Centre for American Progress Action Fund:

Meals on Wheels

The cost of feeding one pensioner through the program is $2,765 (2,157) per year. If Ms Trump had moved, the money could pay for the meals of 6,582 people over a year.

School Lunch

The National School Lunch Program provides children from low income families with free school meals. As it stands, the program gives assistance to schools at a rate of $416 per child, per year.

This means 43,750 children per year could be provided with free lunches, if Melania and her son lived in the White House.

Medicaid

Medicaid, a social health care program which provides low income families with healthcare, costs on average $5,790 (4,518) per year, per recipient.

A total of 3,143 people could be helped.

Recommended Trump concludes first 100 days as the least popular president

Homelessness aid

In addition to cutting billions of dollars of funding for the Department of Housing and Urban Development, Mr Trump has also proposed to eliminate the US Interagency Council on Homelessness.

The agency costs $4m (3.1m) to run annually, and could be run for four and a half years if Melania lived in the White House.

Public School funding

The US president has proposed to cut $9.2bn (7.15bn)  13.5 per cent from the Education Departments budget  and services to public schools are set to suffer.

In a statement last month, John King, CEO of The Education Trust said: If this proposal were enacted, all students, particularly students of colour and low-income students, throughout the entire continuum of our education system would suffer, as would the nations businesses who desperately need a skilled workforce to be successful.

The average public school spends approximately $12,296 (9,595) per year to educate its students. This means a total of 1,480 students can be educated from Melania's Trump Tower expenditure.

The Woodrow Wilson International Centre for Scholars and Funding for International programmes

The former provides scholarships and fellowships to social sciences and humanities.

Under the presidents proposed cuts, they are set to lose $11 million (8.87 million) worth of funding and the latter scheme gives students the opportunity to study abroad in a number of partner institutions through exchanges, migrant schools and special education services.

They face cuts of $7m (6.65m). Combined, the two education programs cost less than Melania and Barron's stay at Trump Tower.
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The White House has insisted a phone call between Donald Trump and Justin Trudeau was amicable, just hours after the US President attacked his neighbour over trade.

But a Canadian readout of the conversation struck a very different tone, hitting out at baseless allegations over its softwood lumber industry and vowing to defend Canadas interests over the dairy industry.

The call came after Mr Trump attacked Canadas decision to change the pricing of some milk products, which has driven down prices.

Canada's dairy sector is protected by high tariffs on imported products and controls on domestic production (Chris Helgren/Reuters)

Canada has made business for our dairy farmers in Wisconsin and other border states very difficult, the President wrote on Twitter. We will not stand for this. Watch!

His administration also moved to impose a hefty tariff on softwood lumber from the US neighbour, accusing the Canadians of unfairly subsidising prices as part of a trade dispute dating back to the 1980s.

People don't realise Canada's been very tough on the United States...they've outsmarted our politicians for years, Mr Trump said while signing an executive order on agriculture on Tuesday.

This has been going on for a while and we're not going to put up with it.

He vowed to put a very big tariff on lumber coming to the US, claiming that he loves Canada but adding: People dont realise Canada has been very rough on the United States. Everyone thinks of Canada as being wonderful.

The White House has not yet released a readout of the phone call that took place hours later between Mr Trump and Mr Trudeau, but the Canadian Prime Ministers office made its position clear.

 In 90 seconds: Trump and Trudeau differ over border control

A statement said he and Mr Trump agreed on the importance of a mutually beneficial trade relationship between their nations, but added: On the issue of softwood lumber, the Prime Minister refuted the baseless allegations by the US Department of Commerce and the decision to impose unfair duties.

The Prime Minister stressed that the Government of Canada will vigorously defend the interests of the Canadian softwood lumber industry, as we have successfully done in all past lumber disputes with the US.

The readout said the leaders would negotiate an agreement on the issue, as well as on dairy products  a trade the Canadian government claims heavily favours the US.

It said Mr Trudeau confirmed that Canada would uphold the North American Free Trade Agreement (Nafta), which gives the US duty-free access for milk protein substances, but that his country would continue to defend its interests.

A spokesperson for the White House, however, claimed Mr Trump and Mr Trudeau had a a very amicable call, without giving further details.

The Canadian Prime Minister has warned of a thickening border with the US as trade tensions continue to escalate.

Lumber and dairy issues were also problems under previous presidents, while Mr Trump has put renegotiating Nafta at the top of his economic agenda and threatened to pull out of the 1994 agreement.
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Donald Trump has proposed a plan to cut the income tax rate for America's top earners by close to five per cent as part of reforms promised during his election campaign.

The proposal would reduce the number of US tax brackets from seven to three, according to a White House summary.

The plan would also double the standard deduction Americans are able to claim on their tax returns.

The reforms also include a "massive tax cut" for businesses, with rates being slashed to 15 per cent.

Under the Trump tax plan we will have a massive tax cut for businesses and massive tax reform and simplification, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin told a press conference.

Mr Mnuchin on Wednesday evaded questions about how the government would avoid a deficit under the reduced rates.

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

"Theres lots and lots of details that are going into how that will pay for itself, he said. Mr Mnuchin and Gary Cohn, the president's chief economic adviser, said the president continues to work with Congress on the details of the plan.
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Donald Trumps former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn has likely violated the law when applying for security clearances to work for the administration, the chairman of the House Oversight Committee has said.

Republican representative Jason Chaffetz  chairman of one of the groups looking at Mr Trump and his teams connections to Russia  said that Mr Flynn had failed to properly disclose income and payments he had received from Russian sources and that he may not have obtained permission from the State Department or Pentagon to do so.

As a former military officer, you simply cannot take money from Russia, Turkey or anybody else. And it appears as if he did take that money. It was inappropriate. And there are repercussions for the violation of law, Mr Chaffetz told reporters after a classified meeting with the House Oversight Committee.

Recommended White House refuses to hand over Russia investigation documents

I see no data to support the notion that Gen. Flynn Complied with the law, Mr Chaffetz  who was accompanied by Democratic Rep. Elijah Cummings the ranking member of the committee  said.

Mr Cummings noted that failing to disclose payments from foreign governments when applying for security clearances is a felony punishable by up to five years in prison. The two congressmen said that they were not in a position to determine if a crime had been committed by Mr Flynn but that the oversight committee would request further information from the inspector general at the Defence Department and the comptroller of the US Army.

Were not here to make the final determination, Mr Chaffetz said.

White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer later demurred when asked if Mr Flynn had lied on security forms when applying for clearance, saying that that would be a question for him and a law enforcement agency He filled out that form prior to coming here.

Mr Flynn, a retired US Army lieutenant general, may have also violated the law because Department of Defence contracts prohibit former military officers from taking payments from foreign sources without prior approval. Mr. Chaffetz and Mr Cummings had been taking a look into a $45,000 paid speech Mr Flynn gave to the Russian state-owned television network RT. Mr Flynn also received more than $500,000 (389,500) representing the Turkish government in a dispute with the United States.

 Michael Flynn once said anyone seeking immunity 'probably committed a crime'

Mr Flynn reportedly retroactively registered for the foreign work connected to Turkey.

Those statements from the congressmen came as the administration of US President Donald Trump refused to hand over documents relating to the investigation of Mr Flynn.

The committee sent a form letter to several agencies, including the White House and the Department of Defence responded, Mr Spicer said when asked why the White House had refused the committee's request for information.

He added that the White House does not possess documents from the transition period and that it could not conceivably provide them because of that.

Mr Flynn has been at the centre of a growing controversy around potential connections between the campaign of Mr Trump and Russia since he was suddenly removed from his post just weeks into the new administration.

The retired general was fired for failing to completely inform Vice President Mike Pence about talks he had Russian ambassador to the US Sergey Kislyak where he discussed American sanctions on Russia.

Russia has also been accused by US intelligence agencies of actively influencing the 2016 US election seeking to turn the vote in favour of Mr Trump.

US intelligence reports indicate that Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the hacks of the Democratic National Committee last year, resulting in a leak of emails that embarrassed the party.

The reports of Russian influence on the election have led to investigations announced in both chambers of Congress but it is not clear that Congressmen on either side of the Capital are happy with how things have proceeded.

Senator Chuck Schemer, the top democrat in the Senate, said Tuesday that he was troubled by the slow pace with which the Senate Intelligence Committee has proceeded with its investigation into allegations of Russian meddling.
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Texas senators have voted to permanently close the state office that handles refugee resettlement - a move that completely erases the agency from the states operations.

The office hasnt operated in any meaningful capacity since Texas Governor Greg Abbott decided to pull out of the federal refugee resettlement program last year, citing concern that then-President Barack Obamas decision to continue admitting Syrian refugees was putting the state at risk terrorism infiltration.

This bill is about eliminating this agency from statute, state Senator Don Huffiness, the author of the bill, told the Houston Chronicle. The governor withdrew us from the program. This agency is no longer operating.

Texas is one of fourteen states that have withdrawn from the federal resettlement program.

Mr Abbott first expressed concern for the program following the November 2015 Paris terror attacks, which saw 130 people killed in a series of coordinated attacks on the French capital.

In a letter to Mr Obama he said that the threat of the Isis was too great for the state to accept Syrian refugees.It later emerged that most of the Paris attackers had French or Belgian citizenship and two were Iraqis, although all had fought in Syria.

In pictures: Refugees on the Greek island of Lesbos Show all 12 1 /12 In pictures: Refugees on the Greek island of Lesbos In pictures: Refugees on the Greek island of Lesbos Refugee children at the Moria camp in Lesbos In pictures: Refugees on the Greek island of Lesbos Refugees queuing for food at the Kara Tepe camp in Lesbos In pictures: Refugees on the Greek island of Lesbos Refugees' tents at the Kara Tepe camp in Lesbos In pictures: Refugees on the Greek island of Lesbos Refugees at the Oxy transit camp in Lesbos In pictures: Refugees on the Greek island of Lesbos Refugees waiting to board ferries to the Greek mainland in Mytilene, Lebos In pictures: Refugees on the Greek island of Lesbos Refugees waiting to board ferries to the Greek mainland in Mytilene, Lebos In pictures: Refugees on the Greek island of Lesbos Refugees waiting to board ferries to the Greek mainland in Mytilene, Lebos In pictures: Refugees on the Greek island of Lesbos The graves of drowned refugees in Mytilene, Lesbos In pictures: Refugees on the Greek island of Lesbos A building used to house unaccompanied children at the Moria camp in Lesbos In pictures: Refugees on the Greek island of Lesbos Refugees queuing to register at the Moria camp in Lesbos In pictures: Refugees on the Greek island of Lesbos Refugees at the Moria camp in Lesbos In pictures: Refugees on the Greek island of Lesbos Refugees arriving on smugglers' boats from Turkey in Lesbos

But Texas formally withdrew from the entire program last September. Private charities have subsequently helped refugees resettle in the state.

Refugee proponents have decried the Texas Senates decision to eliminate the refugee resettlement agency, which was established in 1991.

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, Bee Moorhead, the executive director of faith-based policy and advocacy group Texas Impact, said.
Overview of the workshop (Photo: baoquocte.vn) At the workshop, Head of the CDUs Economic Commission Carola Paschola, introduced an overview of the economic cooperation between Germany and Vietnam over the past time.

At the workshop, Vietnamese Ambassador to Germany Doan Xuan Hung presented the outstanding socio-economic achievements and open opportunities for foreign investors in Vietnam. He emphasized that after more than 40 years since diplomatic relations establishment, especially since the two countries established the strategic partnership in 2011, the multi-faceted cooperation between Vietnam and Germany in general, and Vietnam - Hessen in particular, has made remarkable progress. The political relations between the two countries are constantly being strengthened.

In terms of economics, Germany is now one of Vietnams leading partners in Europe. In such a good relationship, Hessen state has always been one of the first states to further enhance the effectiveness of the multifaceted cooperation between the two countries.

The leaders and business community in many states in Germany show great interest in further promoting business and investment ties with Vietnam. On this occasion, the Ambassador also introduced many specific areas where businesses in Hessen could promote cooperation in Vietnam.

The delegates at the workshop also heard presentations by representatives from the Vietinbank branch in Germany, B Braun company specialized in medical equipment production, and the Asian Development Bank. The representative of B Braun Company shared their successful experiences in Vietnam in recent years, and plans to increase investment and expand production in Vietnam in the coming years.

Speakers shared the view that German businesses, including businesses in Hessen state, have favourable premises to further strengthen business cooperation and investment in Vietnam./.
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President Donald Trump has said he does not fear a trade war with Canada, despite an intensifying dispute between the two countries.

They have a tremendous surplus with the United States, whenever they have a surplus I have no fear, Mr Trump said during a White House meeting with farmers. We have massive trade deficits, so when we're the country with trade deficits, we have no fear.

Earlier, while signing an Executive Order promoting agriculture and rural prosperity in US Mr Trump said Canada had outsmarted the US for a long time but his administration is not going to put up with it.

Mr Trump has been railing against Canada's decision to change its policy on pricing domestic milk to cover more dairy ingredients, leading to lower prices for products, including ultra-filtered milk.

His administration has also moved to impose a 20 per cent tariff on softwood lumber entering the US from Canada. He said that he was not worried about sparking a trade war with Canada but added it has outsmarted our politicians for many years.

For their part, Canadian officials - including Prime Minister Justin Trudeau - have said they will fight back against US tariffs on softwood lumber and win again, noting that international trade authorities have always ruled in its favour in the long dispute.

Ottawa will consider all options, including a World Trade Organisation (WTO) or Natfa challenge, and help companies and workers who lose their jobs because of the move by the US.

We have prevailed in the past and we will do so again, Natural Resources Minister Jim Carr told a news conference. In ruling after ruling since 1983, international tribunals have disproved the unfounded subsidy and injury allegations from the US industry, Mr Carr said.

US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross called Canada a close ally, but said that did not mean Canadians do not have to play by the rules. Mr Ross said that while no immediate further actions against Canada are being contemplated, the trade disputes point to the need to renegotiate Nafta sooner rather than later.

The two countries and Mexico are also preparing to renegotiate the 23-year-old North American Free Trade Agreement.

While the currency fell, shares in Canadian lumber companies rose as the level of the new tariffs came in at the low end of what investors were expecting.

Speaking to a technology company in Ontario, Mr Trudeau said he would defend the national interest.

Standing up for Canada's interests is what my job is, whether it's softwood or software, Mr Trudeau said, prompting applause and cheers.

While Mr Carr said he was confident the two countries could come to an agreement on softwood lumber, he said Ottawa would make a renewed effort to expand exports to other markets, particularly China, with aggressive marketing.

While Canadian officials shrugged off the US offensive on softwood lumber and recent attacks by Trump on Canadian dairy exports as typical negotiation tactic, others urged Canada to get tougher.

In Canada, the perception is that we're always very nice. But we can't get trampled by this guy (Trump), said Jerry Dias, president of the Unifor union that represents more than 20,000 forestry workers across Canada.

This is going to have a devastating impact on certain communities, he added. According to Unifor, 600 communities in Canada are dependent on forestry.

Reuters
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Donald Trump is reportedly considering disbanding the US Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals after judges blocked two of his executive orders.

Mr Trump said he was "absolutely" considering proposals to breakup the "outrageous" court.

"Absolutely, I have," Mr Trump told the Washington Examiner of considering breakup proposals. "There are many people that want to break up the 9th Circuit. It's outrageous."

"Everybody immediately runs to the 9th Circuit. And we have a big country. We have lots of other locations. But they immediately run to the 9th Circuit. Because they know that's like, semi-automatic."

The US President also took to Twitter to criticise the body earlier in the day, saying: "First the Ninth Circuit rules against the ban & now it hits again on sanctuary cities-both ridiculous rulings. See you in the Supreme Court!"

The attack comes after two of the former real estate mogul's executive orders were overruled by the judicial system.

Judges within the Ninth Circuit ruled in February against Mr Trump's travel ban that sought to block citizens from six Muslim-majority countries from entering the US temporarily. On Tuesday, a district judge in San Francisco ruled against a separate order that aimed to cut funding to so-called sanctuary cities.

The ruling came after San Francisco and Santa Clara County asked the courts to intervene, arguing that more than $1 billion was at stake for each of them.

World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. 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US District Judge William Orrick III said it was clear the Trump administration planned to use the order to block funding for more than just law enforcement, as federal lawyers had argued. Judge Orrick does not, in fact, sit in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, although the Ninth Circuit would be responsible for hearing any appeal against his ruling. The distinction appeared to be lost on the President.

Meanwhile, press secretary Sean Spicer called the block an "egregious overreach by a single, unelected district judge".
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Famed Watergate journalist Carl Bernstein says that the investigation into former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn could end up revealing a cover-up of alleged connections between President Donald Trump's team and Russia.

There, he is central to what the FBI believes is a cover-up going on among people close to the president of the United States about what happened with the Trump campaign and Russia, Mr Bernstein, who is now a CNN commentator, said. "The FBI, the congressional investigators are trying to learn what happened. And Flynn is almost like the ball of yarn that begins to unspool and is key to understanding it."

Recommended Flynn probably broke the law taking Russian payments

Mr Bernstein said that Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, now that he is leading the Justice Department's probe into Russia's role alleged in the election, will eventually see that there is a cover-up as well.

"He is going to see, Oh my god, theres a cover-up going on," Bernstein said.

The comments came just a day after a bipartisan press conference in which the top members of the House Oversight Committee said that Mr Flynn likely violated the law by failing to disclose foreign connections and payments when applying for a security clearance.

Representative Jason Chaffetz, the chairman of the committee, said that he had seen no indicator that the disgraced national security adviser disclosed a $45,000 payment he had received from Russian state-owned television network RT for giving a speech. Mr Flynn also appeared to have received more than $500,000 for representing the Turkish government.

I think it's obvious that Gen. Flynn is in up to his neck in terms, not just of possible crimes involving his speeches and whether or not he registered as a foreign agent, which he should have and didnt, Mr Bernstein said.

Mr Flynn was ousted from his position advising the president less than a month after taking up the post after it was discovered that he had failed to tell Vice President Mike Pence about conversations he had had with Russian officials during the presidential transition period. Mr Flynn failed to tell Mr Pence that he had discussed American sanctions imposed following the determination by American intelligence agencies that Russia was behind disruptions to the 2016 presidential election.

Mr Bernstein played an integral part in investigating the 1972 Watergate Hotel and Democratic National Committee break-in that ultimately led to the impeachment and resignation of former President Richard Nixon.
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The number of illegal immigrants living in the US hit its lowest level in a decade under President Barack Obama's administration, a study suggests.

There were 11 million undocumented immigrants living in the US in 2015 according to the Pew Research Centre, the lowest number since 2005.

That included people who crossed the border illegally and those who overstayed their legal visas, and was based on data from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey.

The Centre also released a preliminary estimate of 11.3 million illegal immigrants in 2016, based on a different data source with a smaller sample size.

 Trump doesn't say who will pay for Mexico wall, only that it's coming

Donald Trump focused on the constant flow of migrants from Mexico from the beginning of his campaign, denouncing border crossers as "criminals" and "racists".

Mexicans have long been the largest group among undocumented immigrants, the Centre noted, but their numbers have declined since peaking at 6.9 million in 2007.

In 2015, the Centre's estimate said the number declined to 5.6, making up 51 per cent of the total undocumented immigrant population.

The preliminary estimates are based on census data from March 2016, in the last year of Mr Obama's second term, meaning they do not account for any impact of Mr Trump's policy changes.

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

A huge drop in the number of people arrested crossing the Mexico border into the US has been recorded since Mr Trump took office, with his administration seeking to take credit for the decline.

Fewer than 12,500 were caught at the southern border in March, the lowest monthly figure in at least 17 years and the second month in a row border arrests dropped sharply.

The White House issued a statement to say Mr Trump's "commitment to securing our border and supporting law enforcement is already showing results."

However, those working in shelters and experts on migration said it will take several more months to judge whether any drop-off is long lasting, and that the numbers could surge again as quickly as they have fallen.

Some thought the real "Trump effect" pushed fearful people to move up their journeys and get to the US before Mr Trump took office.

Border arrests in October, November and December increased by about a third compared to the same period in 2015, before falling this year.
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A US missile strike on North Korea "would have absolutely cataclysmic, disastrous consequences," the former US ambassador to China has warned.

Max Baucus, who was the US ambassador to China for President Barack Obama, said it "should not be categorically discounted" that President Donald Trump could order an attack on the authoritarian state.

"After all President Trump ordered that strike on Syria, and he's a macho kind of guy, which makes all of us a bit nervous," the former senator told BBC Radio 4's Today Programme.

"But I'm sure that the Pentagon and state department, all his advisers have explained to him that a missile strike initiated by the United States at this time would have absolutely cataclysmic, disastrous consequences and I think he's wise enough not to want to have that on his watch."

North Korea conducted live-fire artillery drills and a US guided-missile submarine arrived in South Korea on Tuesday, as the Trump administration prepared what Mr Baucus called an "extraordinary" White House briefing for all 100 senators on the escalating nuclear threat.

They will be briefed by Secretary of Defence James Mattis, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats and General Joseph Dunford.

 North Korea marks 85th anniversary of army by showing images of missiles in government

"During the roughly 40 years I served in Congress I never remember a meeting of 100 members going to the White House on a national security issue," Mr Baucus said.

"I can only surmise the president is trying to set the stage for action he may take later, that may be diplomatic action, it might be military. It's extraordinary, I'm very surprised by this."

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

When asked if Mr Trump had called the meeting to capture a sense of theatre and support for military action, Mr Baucus cautioned: "That's possible but let's remember our president is quite theatrical anyway. He makes quite bold statements.

"That's his wont, that's his style, so I would discount that a bit."

He said the previous American policy of "strategic patience really hasn't worked very well," and said the US had been "a bit too patient while Kim Jong-un builds up his nuke and his missiles and China hasn't done very much."

"It is proper to ramp up the pressure," he added.

Asked whether the "big carrot" could be a face-to-face meeting with Mr Trump, Mr Baucus said: "You know I think we're getting closer to that. That's a bit down the road yet.

"We have to start thinking about diplomacy much more seriously than we have in the past."

He said the US had made some progress with North Korean diplomacy under the Clinton administration, but that broke down after the 9/11 terror attacks during the Bush administration.

"But now is the time to think about sitting down. I would not rule it out."

He said previous US administrations had been afraid to sit down with the North Korean dictator over fears he would "use it to berate us, just to talk and outmanoeuvre us," but Mr Baucus said he thinks diplomatic negotiations have become much more important.

"It's better than the alternative, the alternative is a a missile strike from one or the other, and that is clearly is catastrophpic."

His opinion was shared by retired US army special forces colonel David S Maxwell, who previously told The Independent the US has a Massive Ordnance Penetrator (Mop) bomb, developed with North Korea's underground facilities in mind.

There are many targets in the world buried deeply underground and the Mop was developed for that, he said. 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?

North Korean soldiers march across Kim Il-sung Square during a military parade in Pyongyang to celebrate the 105th birthday of Kim Il-sung, the country's late founder and grandfather of current ruler Kim Jong-un (AP)

Fears North Korea would mark the 85th anniversary of its military's founding with a nuclear test explosion or a ballistic missile launch proved unfounded. But the unpredictable Communist nation rattled its sabre all the same, staging its largest-ever artillery firing drill that served as a reminder of the threat it poses to US-allied South Korea.

The exercise in the area of east coast city of Wonsan involved 300 to 400 artillery pieces, South Korea's Yonhap news agency said. An official from Seoul's Defense Ministry couldn't confirm such details. Seoul lies only 25 miles from the demilitarised zone separating the two Koreas, well within artillery range.

Mr Trump has sent more US military assets to the region in a show of force while leaning on China to "properly deal" with its wayward ally's continued violations of UN sanctions.

North Korean military hardware on display earlier this month on the Day of the Sun (REUTERS)

"We are probably in one of the most challenging situations since the Cuban missile crisis," Senator John McCain, who joined Mr Trump for dinner on Monday night, told a congressional hearing on Tuesday, referring to the 1962 standoff with the Soviet Union that pushed the superpowers close to nuclear confrontation.

Mr McCain said a North Korean nuclear missile capable of striking an American city was "an imminent danger."

He said Mr Trump is "exploring all options" on North Korea and added that a pre-emptive strike "would be the last one."

North Korea routinely accuses the US of readying for an invasion, and threatens pre-emptive strikes to stop it.

The state's news agency reported that unnamed Foreign Ministry spokesman said the US administration's policy to maximise pressure on North Korea was "little short of lighting the fuse of total war".

Additional reporting by AP
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Images have emerged of North Korea's biggest ever artillery drill that marked the 85th anniversary of its military's creation.

Massed ranks of guns can be seen lining a beach as flame blossoms from their barrels. Dictator Kim Jong-un was also pictured overseeing the action in images from the North's state-run media.

It is thought that between 300 and 400 artillery pieces were used in the demonstration, held near the eastern port city of Wonsan.

On Tuesday, North Korea's state media was defiant in a commentary marking the 85th anniversary of the foundation of the Korean People's Army, saying its military was prepared "to bring to closure the history of US scheming and nuclear blackmail".

"There is no limit to the strike power of the People's Army armed with our style of cutting-edge military equipment including various precision and miniaturised nuclear weapons and submarine-launched ballistic missiles," the official Rodong Sinmun newspaper said in a front-page editorial.

It is believed the North has a large number of artillery pieces trained permanently on Seoul.

"The latest fire drill is seen as part of North Korea's wrap-up of a months-long winter training program," Professor Kim Dong-yub of Kyungnam University told South Korea's Yonhap news agency.

It came at a time of heightened tension as US President Donald Trump attempts to persuade China to rein in its neighbour.

The US carried out its own military exercises with South Korea on Tuesday.
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A candidate for an Australian far right party has withdrawn from the race after a photo emerged of him performing a Nazi salute above a swastika cut into his lawn and revelations that he had threatened a former employee.

Mark Ellis, who was standing for the anti-immigrant One Nation party in the Queensland state election, said he had been forced to quit because of threats to his family and pathetic haters.

His resignation came after it emerged that he had sent a series of threatening Facebook messages to Mihalis Kalaitzidis, a 25-year-old student who worked for his company, Gatecrash Security.

After a misunderstanding about a shift, he reportedly wrote: Im gonna kill you, Mr Ellis allegedly wrote. Im gonna f*** you up c****. I know where you live.

Mr Kalaitzidis also told The Guardian that he was sent a threatening voice message.

He said he ignored the threats until he discovered Mr Ellis was standing for public office.

At the same time a photo posted onto his Facebook site, showed that he had mowed a swastika into his lawn, before performing a Nazi salute above it.

Mark Ellis stood down as Queensland candidate for the far right One Nation party (9 News/screengrab)

Mr Ellis is one of a number of One Nation candidates that have been sacked or forced to withdraw from the race.

In January, Shan Ju Lin was forced out after she made a number of Facebook updates stating that "gays should be treated as patients" and "abnormal sex behaviour leads to abnormal crime".

Another candidate, Andy Semple, was also forced to withdraw for similar social media comments.

 Australian Prime Minister closes visa scheme for foreign workers

Mr Ellis had previously made headlines when it emerged that he was one of the Pinkenba Six  a group of police officers who were charged with kidnap in 1994.

The group had taken three indigenous youths from a Brisbane suburb and driven them to bush land seven miles away.

The boys shoes were taken and one officer allegedly threatened to cut off their fingers. The case caused an outcry within the indigenous community but the officers escaped punishment after a judge ruled the boys went voluntarily.
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At 00:41 on 8 March 2014, Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 took off from runway 32R at Kuala Lumpur International Airport, bound for Beijing with 227 passengers and 12 crew.

At 01:19 someone in the cockpit bade farewell to Malaysian air traffic control with the words: Good night, Malaysian three seven zero.

Those were the last words ever heard from flight MH370.

The last radar contact was at 02:22, the final automatic partial handshake with a satellite above the Indian Ocean was at 08:19.

And then MH370, with 239 people on board, seemingly vanished into thin air.

As the conspiracy theories swirled  ranging from a secret landing on the US airbase of Diego Garcia, to the worlds first remote-controlled cyberhijack  the search for MH370, costing $160m (125m), became the most expensive in aviation history.

At one point those seeking the final resting place of the missing Boeing 777 faced having to scour about 1.5 per cent of the Earths surface, nearly three million square miles, in two arcs stretching from northern Thailand to Kazakhstan, and from Indonesia into the southern Indian Ocean.

They soon narrowed it down to a vast, remote area of the southern Indian Ocean, braving the effects of tropical cyclones and some of the roughest waters on the planet to use drones and sonar equipment to scour an area of seabed that was less well-known than the surface of the moon.

They found new underwater volcanoes, anchors, long-lost wrecked ships, but no sign of the bulk of MH370.

Then in January this year, after searching 120,000 square km (46,300 square miles) of ocean, the Malaysian, Australian and Chinese authorities announced that their search was being suspended.

The search for MH370 became the most expensive in aviation history (Getty) (Getty Images)

Despite every effort, said the communique from the Joint Agency Coordination Centre (JACC), using the best science available, cutting edge technology, as well as modelling and advice from highly skilled professionals who are the best in their field, unfortunately, the search has not been able to locate the aircraft.

And so three years on, for the relatives, the anguish of not knowing what happened to the 239 remains as raw as ever. Because there can be no doubt that the ending of the search has done nothing at all to close down speculation about the fate of MH370 and those who flew in it.

Indeed it seems the plot has now thickened further. Research commissioned by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau has now suggested that for a large part of the search for MH370, everyone was looking in the wrong place.

Since November 2015 the search had prioritised an area between the latitudes 36S and 39.3S. But the new research suggests the wreck of the bulk of the plane is further north, in a region near 35S.

Scientists from Australias Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) based their findings on the first piece of MH370 debris to be found: a flaperon, an aircraft wing part functioning as both flaps and ailerons, that drifted across the ocean until it was found by a council worker having his lunch break in July 2015 on a beach on the island of Reunion, east of Madagascar.

 MH370 wreckage confirmed

The scientists acquired a genuine Boeing 777 flaperon, cut it down to match photographs of the MH370 flaperon found on the beach, and then analysed how it drifted over water.

The resulting drift patterns and the fact that so far MH370 debris has been found on Reunion, Madagascan and African shores but not on Australian beaches led them to conclude: The region near 35S is the only one that is consistent. The available evidence suggests that all other regions are unlikely.

The publication of this report has added further weight to the argument advanced by the anguished relatives since January: that the search had ended too soon, that if a new 25,000km (9,650mi) area could be examined, the mystery of MH370 could finally be solved.

The search areas as they were before the official hunt for MH370 was suspended

And it is correct to talk about adding further weight: because the CSIRO scientists stressed that their report merely added a greater degree of certainty to their earlier drift analysis, the one they conducted last year using a replica flaperon.

This earlier drift analysis had informed a First Principles Review of the MH370 search, conducted under the auspices of the Australian Transport Bureau.

As a result, in December 2016  one month before the search was called off  the First Principles Review had recommended examining a new, more northerly area  the 25,000km patch of ocean subsequently cited by the relatives.

And yet the January JACC communique announcing the suspension of the search appeared to brush this aside by stating: Whilst combined scientific studies have continued to refine areas of probability, to date no new information has been discovered to determine the specific location of the aircraft.

A sand sculpture made in March 2014 on Puri Beach, India (AFP/Getty) (AFP/Getty Images)

If the new CSIRO report were not enough to prompt renewed controversy, as so often happens with the mystery of MH370, an alternative narrative has also swiftly emerged.

Last Sunday a loose affiliation of interested scientists calling themselves the Independent Group revealed drift analysis of their own, conducted by Richard Godfrey, suggesting that the wreck of MH370 might lie around latitude 30S, much further north than even the new 35S area.

The pre-conceived idea, that other evidence constrains the MH370 End Point to between 32S and 36S is a false assumption, insisted Godfrey, a Frankfurt-based aerospace engineer.

He wondered, for example, about the CSIRO factoring into its calculations the absence of MH370 debris in Australia.

Wasnt it possible, he suggested, that something could have washed up unnoticed somewhere along the 20,781 km (12,913 miles) of the relatively sparsely populated coast of western Australia, where 86 per cent of the population lives within the cities of Perth, Bunbury, Busselton and Mandurah?

Godfrey also suggested that much of the area around 35S had in fact been searched prior to November 2015  despite the CSIRO report having sought to explain that the new search area, near 35S, comprises thin strips either side of the previously-searched strip.

In his report summary, Godfrey seemed to go as far as flatly contradicting this CSIRO explanation by asserting that: An MH370 End Point at 35S does not fit the fact that the underwater search has already discounted this location to a 97 per cent level of certainty.

In pictures: Theories that could explain what happened to MH370 Show all 14 1 /14 In pictures: Theories that could explain what happened to MH370 In pictures: Theories that could explain what happened to MH370 Shot down in a military training exercise While the Australian officials leading the search for MH370 say they remain absolutely convinced it ended up in the southern Indian Ocean, some passengers families  and theorists  distrust the unprecedented satellite data analysis involved. Among those who support this view are the British journalist and author Nigel Cawthorne, who has controversially already published the first book on the planes disappearance. e supports one theory, based on the eye-witness testimony of New Zealand oil rig worker Mike McKay, that the plane was shot down shortly after it stopped communicating with air traffic controllers. At the time there was a series of war games taking place in the South China Sea involving Thailand, the US and personnel from China, Japan, Indonesia and others, and Cawthorne has linked this to Mr McKays claims to have seen a burning plane going down in the Gulf of Thailand. In pictures: Theories that could explain what happened to MH370 Stolen by Putin Jeff Wise, a private pilot and science writer, claims he has evidence that the plane made its way to the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, which is run by Russia as its largest space launch facility. He claims Vladimir Putin ordered Russian special forces to hijack MH370 and fly it to the spaceport, but admits he has 'no idea' why the Russian president would want to do such a thing Getty Images In pictures: Theories that could explain what happened to MH370 Flown north and shot down deliberately, prompting cover-up At a stage in the investigation when it was believed the plane could have flown for some time from where it disappeared along either a northern or southern corridor, many posted on forums suggesting that if it had been the former we would never hear about what happened. Some still support this view, and former RAF navigator Sean Maffett told the BBC that after 9/11, any unidentified airliner entering the airspace of another country would lead to fighter jets being scrambled. If the plane is in the northern arc it could easily have been shot down, he said. This theory also involves a national  or possibly international  cover-up, based on the premise that no country would want to admit to shooting down an airliner full of passengers from all over the world. In pictures: Theories that could explain what happened to MH370 Flown north in the shadow of another plane Another theory suggests that instead of flying south, the plane flew north in the shadow of another airliner around half an hour to an hour after dropping off civilian radar. The aviation blogger Keith Ledgerwood argued that MH370 and Singapore Airlines flight 68 were in the same vicinity at the time, and said: It became apparent as I inspected SIA68's flight path history that MH370 had manoeuvred itself directly behind SIA68 at approximately 18:00UTC and over the next 15 minutes had been following SIA68. By flying a short distance behind and most likely a little above the altitude of SIA68, also a Boeing 777, Ledgerwood said that it would be able to appear as a single blip on radar screens. SIA68 flew on to Spain  and this theory suggests MH370 could have branched off and landed in one of a number of locations across Xinjiang (north-east China), Kyrgyzstan or Turkmenistan. Experts have said that the idea sounds feasible, and that even if higher-resolution military radar was monitoring SIA68 operators might have dismissed the fact that there were two objects as an technical glitch or echo. AP In pictures: Theories that could explain what happened to MH370 Tried to land on a desert island beach After reports that the plane had turned left shortly following its disappearance from civilian radar screens, speculation grew that it could have landed on a remote beach somewhere like the Andaman Islands, which lie between Indonesia and the coast of Thailand. Though CNN reported that locals dismissed the idea a Boeing 777 could land on an airstrip there undetected, the archipelago consists of hundreds of remote islands with some long stretches of sand. Former BA pilot Steve Buzdygan said it would be difficult  but not impossible  to bring a 777 down on a long deserted beach. AP In pictures: Theories that could explain what happened to MH370 Landed at a US military base One of the more outlandish conspiracy theories that has gained some traction online is the idea that MH370 could have been captured and flown to a military base on the UK-owned tropical atoll of Diego Garcia, in the middle of the Indian Ocean. The base is run by the US, and some have reportedly said in forum postings that the Kremlin has put some credence into this possibility. Such is the strength of belief in this theory that the US government has been forced to issue a denial. A spokesperson for the US embassy in Malaysia told the local Star newspaper that there was no indication that MH370 flew anywhere near the Maldives or Diego Garcia. MH370 did not land in Diego Garcia, he added. Nasa In pictures: Theories that could explain what happened to MH370 Headed for a remote airport in Langkawi, Malaysia One theory, put forward by another aviation blogger named Chris Goodfellow, has it that the sudden left turn came after major catastrophe knocked out a range of the planes electronics, from transponders to communications equipment. In this scenario and in the middle of the night, Goodfellow argued, the pilot would redirect towards the nearest safe airport. This pilot did all the right things, he said. Actually he was taking a direct route to Palau Langkawi, a 13,000ft (4,000m) strip with an approach over water at night with no obstacles. He did not turn back to Kuala Lumpur because he knew he had 8,000ft ridges to cross. He knew the terrain was friendlier towards Langkawi and also a shorter distance. This theory assumes that the plane was in fact controlled manually once it disappeared  and that it did not make it to Langkawi. In pictures: Theories that could explain what happened to MH370 A fire throughout the plane Many theories accept that the Inmarsat satellite analysis is accurate  that the plane headed south into the Indian Ocean and flew on for hours before a final, partial handshake in a remote location thousands of miles off the west coast of Australia. The issue here becomes explaining what happened in the cabin between the last contact with flight controllers and the planes seemingly inevitable crash far out to see. One suggestion is that a fire broke out, not just in the cockpit but throughout the interior of the plane. The implication is that this resulted in the attempt to turn back, after which the fire killed those on board. This theory would then have it that the fire went out before damaging the exterior of the plane, which flew on autopilot until its fuel ran out. Yet such a fire would be expected to spread with at least some warning  and that surely would have given the pilots time to issue a mayday distress signal. In pictures: Theories that could explain what happened to MH370 An explosion in the cockpit The theory of a sudden explosion within the cockpit before the turn left could explain why there was no attempt to signal for help. Since 9/11 cockpits doors have been fortified to become extremely difficult to bypass, and such a sudden incident could perhaps have incapacitated both pilots while keeping out the rest of the crew. This explanation does not seem to tally with the claims of some Malaysian officials, however, that the change in direction was the result of seven or eight keystrokes into a computer on a knee-high pedestal between the captain and the first officer. In pictures: Theories that could explain what happened to MH370 A struggle at altitude Though Malaysian officials believe that the plane was deliberately diverted, and that its communications systems were turned off one after the other, a detailed background check into all 227 passengers has cleared all of suspicion. If, however, we do accept that the plane was the subject of a passenger hijacking, it remains to be explained why the hijackers did not try to do more than fly the plane into the middle of the southern Indian Ocean. One theory suggests that there was some kind of struggle for control of the plane that ultimately ended with mutual destruction. Further analysis of data by Malaysian officials suggests that the plane was flown erratically once it left civilian radar, climbing to 45,000ft before dropping very low. Buzdygan told the BBC he would resort to this sort of flying if faced with would-be hijackers. Id try to disorientate and confuse the hijackers by throwing them around, he said. Getty Images In pictures: Theories that could explain what happened to MH370 A botched hijack attempt The climb to 45,000ft could also have been carried out by the hijackers once they had taken control  in a bid to kill the passengers on board. At such an altitude it could be possible to depressurise the cabin, causing oxygen supplies to be deployed. These run out after 12-15 minutes and, if those flying the plane had access to another oxygen supply, could have been an attempt to prevent anyone intervening. Under this theory the suggestion is clearly that the attempt failed, killing the hijackers as well. Getty In pictures: Theories that could explain what happened to MH370 Pilot suicide As part of the ongoing criminal investigation in Malaysia, police are looking into the state of mind and possible motives of the captain Zaharie Ahmad Shah and co-pilot Fariq Abdul Hamid. The Malaysian police chief Khalid Abu Bakar has said that all possibilities will be looked into, and there have been reports that Shah was going through a difficult marriage break-up.Yet such comments have been rubbished by the mans relatives, who have described him since as a dedicated family man and model professional. Hugh Dunleavy, the commercial director of Malaysia Airlines, described Shah as a seasoned pilot with an excellent record. There have been absolutely no implications that we are aware of that there was anything untoward in either his behaviour or attitude, he told Reuters. We have no reason to believe that there was anything, any actions, internally by the crew that caused the disappearance of this aircraft. In pictures: Theories that could explain what happened to MH370 Sabotage  for a life insurance scam or corporate attack One of the other strands of the criminal investigation regards whether the plane was subject to some form of sabotage  either as part of a life insurance scam or over industrial espionage. Bakar said that when passengers and crew were being investigated, police were looking for Maybe somebody on the flight has bought a huge sum of insurance, who wants family to gain from it or somebody who has owed somebody so much money, you know, we are looking at all possibilities. There were also 20 employees of the US silicon chip company Freescale Semiconductor on board the plane at the time, and a retired Delta Airlines pilot has suggested the planes disappearance was an attempt to steal technology the engineers had applied  but not yet received  a patent for. Corbis In pictures: Theories that could explain what happened to MH370 A CIA cover-up Finally, the former prime minister of Malaysia Mahathir Mohamad has waded in with his own theory  suggesting that, one way or another, the CIA is definitely hiding something. In a blog entry posted on 18 May entitled Boeing Technology  What goes up must come down, Dr Mahathir Mohamad makes ten claims including that the plane was taken over remotely by officials working for Boeing and the CIA. The plane is somewhere, maybe without MAS markings, reads Dr Mohamads post on chedet. Someone is hiding something. It is not fair that MAS and Malaysia should take the blame, 88-year-old Dr Mahathir, who was Malaysia's prime minister between 1981 and 2003, alleges. Airplanes dont just disappear, he said, concluding: For some reason the media will not print anything that involves Boeing or the CIA. I hope my readers will read this. Boeing have denied Dr Mohameds theory. HENNY RAY ABRAMS/AFP/Getty Images

Amid such technicalities remain the relatives of the 239, and the stark question posed by KS Narendran, a human resources consultant from Chennai, India, who has lost Chandrika Sharma, his wife of 25 years.

How, he wrote last month, can a large jetliner claiming to be the safest, most sophisticated and successful commercial aircraft, with hundreds of passengers on board, just disappear?

Partly, some think, the answer lies with the chaos that attended the first days of the search for MH370.

The initial efforts sent the bulk of 40 search aircraft and 24 boats in completely the wrong direction  to the east, to look in the Gulf of Thailand and the South China Sea between Malaysia and Vietnam.

At first MH370 was not recognised as the unidentified aircraft last picked up at 02:22 by a military radar which placed it 370km (230 miles) from Penang Island on Malaysias western coast, far to the west of where everyone was looking.

Only on 10 March, two days after the disappearance, did the Malaysian Air Force admit that MH370 seemed to have made an unexpected sharp turn back to the west, deviating from what should have been its easterly course towards Beijing.

The last known movements of MH370 (Andrew Heneen, via Wikimedia Commons)

Adding to the confusion was that the Malaysian authorities reportedly initially denied what analysis of the satellite handshakes was now revealing: that for hours after disappearing from the military radar screen, MH370 had kept on flying.

Only on 15 March, seven days after the disappearance, did Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak announce publicly that the South China Sea search would be stopped.

The scenario outlined by the Malaysian PM was now of a jet that had flown on for at least seven hours after the last 01:19 voice message from the cockpit.

The satellite data, he said, suggested the need to look along two possible arcs encompassing a total of nearly three million square miles: the northern one stretching from Thailand to Kazakhstan, the southern from Indonesia into the Indian Ocean.

Further analysis soon allowed the focus to turn exclusively to the southern Indian Ocean.

But by then about 100 relatives waiting for news in Beijing had delivered a handwritten ultimatum demanding proper clarity after so many contradictions.

We dont believe Malaysia Airlines any more, their spokesman told a crowd of reporters. Sorry everyone, we just dont believe them.

 Family members still in the dark over fate of MH370

China, its nationals making up two-thirds of the passenger manifest, weighed in with statements stretching the bounds of diplomatic politeness.

The Malaysian prime ministers 15 March disclosures had been painfully belated, said Xinhua, Chinas state news agency. Due to the absence of timely authoritative information, massive efforts have been squandered and numerous rumours have been spawned, repeatedly racking the nerves of the awaiting families.

It was undeniable that the gap left by an absence of consistent official information was being filled by a whole host of theories, some credible, some completely untethered from reality.

Traumatised relatives found themselves accused online of having faked their relationships with the vanished passengers, as part of some sort of arch-Zionist Mossad disinformation plot to spread fear of Islamist terrorism. In one version, they became a clique of falsifiers faking relationships with phony passengers on a flight that itself had never even existed.

Back in the real world, Najibs press conference claim that someone had deliberately switched off MH370s communications reporting system before turning it west re-ignited the hijacking theories.

These had initially focused on two Iranian men named as Pouria Nour Mohammad Mehrdad, 18, and Delavar Seyed Mohammadreza, 29, who had been travelling on stolen passports.

But neither man was found to have had any links with terrorist groups and they were largely written off as asylum seekers travelling  as is relatively common  with false documents.

Instead the speculation turned to other passengers, and the crew  especially the crew.

Captain Zaharie Ahmad Shah, left, and co-pilot Fariq Abdul Hamid

Malaysian police were searching the homes of Captain Zaharie Ahmad Shah and 27-year-old co-pilot Fariq Abdul Hamid.

Captain Shah in particular became the focus of enduring speculation. Perhaps the 53-year-old Muslim wasnt really the mild-mannered grandfather who raised money for the poor and enjoyed watching recordings of the renowned atheist Richard Dawkins?

Wasnt he, after all, a supporter of the opposition Malaysian Peoples Justice Party?

And most intriguingly of all, what to make of the six-screen flight simulator that he had built in his own home?

Was this really just another aviation junkie seeking to share an innocent passion, as suggested by such Facebook posts as: Time to take to the next level of simulation motion! Looking for buddies to share this passion?

 MH370: A timeline

Over time, speculation about Captain Shah has only intensified. Last July it was reported that an FBI forensic examination of his flight simulators hard drive had revealed he had plotted one practice route  among thousands, it should be said  that took an aeroplane into the southern Indian Ocean.

Comparisons started to be drawn between Captain Shah and Andreas Lubitz, the suicidal co-pilot of Germanwings Flight 9525, who in March 2015 had locked the cockpit door and deliberately flown the plane into a French mountainside.

There were unconfirmed reports of a marriage breakdown, speculation about a life insurance scam. Was MH370 another case of pilot suicide-murder?

Someone was looking at Penang, experienced Boeing 777 captain Simon Hardy told the BBC in April 2015, after analysing MH370s last known movements. Someone was taking a long, emotional look at Penang.

The captain was from the island of Penang.

It flew in and out of the countries [Malaysia and Thailand] eight times, added Mr Hardy. This is probably very accurate flying rather than just a coincidence. Both air traffic controllers in both those countries would probably assume that the aircraft was in the other countrys jurisdiction and not pay it any attention.

Some have sought to match the pilot-suicide theory with investigators suggestions that MH370 became a ghost plane flying for hours without human control, probably on autopilot, with crew and passengers rendered unconscious or dead by oxygen starvation.

Had a suicidal Captain Shah deliberately depressurised the jet, leaving everyone with just 20 minutes more oxygen, to be breathed from the masks that would have automatically dropped down from above their seats, before unconsciousness rendered them oblivious to their impending deaths?

Other theories have suggested the worlds first cyber-hijack using a mobile phone or even a USB stick to hack into the planes control software.

Or perhaps Captain Shah was a non-suicidal hero who steered a stricken jet away from heavily populated areas to carry out a controlled ditching in a remote stretch of ocean?

A controlled ditching was, at least, effectively ruled out by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau last November. It reported that examination of wing flap debris that had by now drifted ashore, combined with burst frequency offset analysis of the final 08:19 satellite handshake, suggested a high and increasing rate of descent of up to 25,000 feet per minute  a death spiral as some commentators have described it.

There are other theories, ranging all the way up to alien abduction, and plenty of seekers. One man, Blaine Gibson, from Carmel, California, having already travelled to Ethiopia in search of the Lost Ark of the Covenant, has devoted much of the past three years to scouring foreign beaches for MH370 debris.

Blaine Gibson with suspected MH370 debris that he found on a beach in Madagascar (Blaine Alan Gibson)

Such independent investigators may soon be joined by others, with more deeply personal motives.

Despairing of the suspension of the official search, relatives of the MH370 passengers last month revealed they would be seeking to raise $15m (12m) to fund their own hunt for the missing plane.

We do not envisage such a search replacing the government or in any way releasing the governments involved in the search thus far from their obligations, wrote Mr Narendran, explaining that the relatives were acting out of a sense of anger, betrayal and chaos.

If the official search did not resume, he said, We will work to elicit fund commitments from world governments, corporations, high net-worth individuals and the travelling public.

This is not likely to be easy, he admitted.

But what choice did he and the other relatives have?

Like most family members of passengers, wrote Mr Narendran, I have survived. It is not to say that the living process has been repaired and normal has been restored.

While I presume that lives of passengers have ended, memories are strong, vivid and make the process of looking ahead painfully difficult.

It is made worse by the knowledge that we actually dont know very much more than what we gathered on 8 March 2014... that a plane had just disappeared.

And while the mystery of MH370 was unsolved, he suggested, there remained a pressing issue, not just for the relatives but for anyone travelling on a modern passenger jet: I dont believe we can feel safe while flying when the possibility of another similar incident lurks.
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One of the Russian reporters who exposed the detention and torture of gay men in Chechnya has gone into hiding amid fears of retribution as the scope of alleged abuse widens.

Both the Kremlin and Chechen government have dismissed provocative reports by Novaya Gazeta, which said at least 100 men had been rounded up and jailed at secret prisons on suspicion of being gay.

At least three have been killed, the newspaper said, while other detailed horrific torture and beatings before being released with the threat of relatives carrying out honour killings.

Elena Milashina has left her apartment in Moscow and plans to flee Russia after Muslim clerics in Chechnya announced jihad against all the staff of Novaya Gazeta over the report, which sparked a global outcry.

She told CNN its offices had received two envelopes filled with white powder following the sermon in Grozny, which was watched by 15,000 people and broadcast on regional television.

We still don't know what the powder is  we have asked the security forces to check it, Ms Milashina added. But all of us, including me, consider this situation is very serious.

 Hundreds protest at Russian embassy over 'gay concentration camps' in Chechnya

The meeting saw clerics adopt a resolution calling for the instigators of the reports to be held to account  a statement condemned as an incitement to massacre journalists.

The Committee to Protect Journalists said the rally was attended by an adviser to the Chechen President, Adam Shahidov, who called reporters enemies of our faith and our motherland and promised vengeance.

Nina Ognianova, the groups Europe and Central Asia coordinator, called for Russian authorities to ensure the safety of reporters.

Novaya Gazeta reporters have taken enormous risks and have paid the highest price for uncovering human rights abuses and speaking truth to power, she added.

They should not fear for their safety because they are doing their job.

The newspapers latest report claims that at least six detention centres are being used to house men abducted on suspicion of being gay, with two identified so far in Argun and Zozin-Jurt.

The European Unions foreign policy chief, Federica Mogherini, told the Russian government it had a duty to protect the human rights of all of its citizens during her first visit to the country.

People hold a protest outside the Russian Embassy in London, following reports of the torture and murder of gay men in Chechnya on 12 April (Josh Withey)

Our expectation is that the Russian Federation does its part to protect its own citizens in full respect of human rights principles, she told a news conference, adding that she had discussed the issue during a meeting with the Russian foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov.

He claimed that officials have not yet seen any information confirming the reports but added that Moscow is concerned about any human rights violations.

Vladimir Putin met with Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov last week in a public show of support for his ally, who has been in power in the Russian republic for a decade.

The Russian Presidents spokesman said the Kremlin has no reason to disbelieve Mr Kadyrovs denials because no one has publicly come out as a victim.

We have no reason not to trust the head of the republic until there are actual complaints in this regard, not abstract, anonymous but actual complaints, Dmitry Peskov added.

Human rights activists said it was unlikely that a gay person would come out publicly in Chechnya because of fear of reprisals against themselves and their families.

A spokesman for Mr Kadyrov claimed there were no gay people in Chechnya while defending the government against the allegations.

If there were such people in Chechnya, law-enforcement agencies wouldnt need to have anything to do with them because their relatives would send them somewhere from which there is no returning, Alvi Karimov said.

LGBT+ rights around the globe Show all 9 1 /9 LGBT+ rights around the globe LGBT+ rights around the globe Russia Russias antipathy towards homosexuality has been well established following the efforts of human rights campaigners. However, while it is legal to be homosexual, LGBT couples are offered no protections from discrimination. They are also actively discriminated against by a 2013 law criminalising LGBT propaganda allowing the arrest of numerous Russian LGBT activists. AFP/Getty LGBT+ rights around the globe Brunei Brunei recently introduced a law to make sodomy punishable by stoning to death. It was already illegal and punishable by up to 10 years in prison AFP/Getty LGBT+ rights around the globe Mauritania Men who are found having sex with other men face stoning, while lesbians can be imprisoned, under Sharia law. However, the state has reportedly not executed anyone for this crime since 1987 Alamy LGBT+ rights around the globe Sudan Both male and female same-sex sexual activity is illegal under Sudanese law. Men can be executed on their third offence, women on their fourth Getty LGBT+ rights around the globe Saudi Arabia Homosexuality and gender realignment is illegal and punishable by death, imprisonment, whipping and chemical castration Getty LGBT+ rights around the globe Yemen The official position within the country is that there are no gays. LGBT inviduals, if discovered by the government, are likely to face intense pressure. Punishments range from flogging to the death penalty Getty LGBT+ rights around the globe Nigeria Both male and female same-sex sexual activity is illegal and in some northern states punishable with death by stoning. This is not a policy enacted across the entire country, although there is a prevalent anti-LGBT agenda pushed by the government. In 2007 a Pew survey established that 97% of the population felt that homosexuality should not be accepted. It is punishable by 14 years in prison Reuters LGBT+ rights around the globe Somalia Homosexuality was established as a crime in 1888 and under new Somali Penal Code established in 1973 homosexual sex can be punishable by three years in prison. A person can be put to death for being a homosexual Reuters LGBT+ rights around the globe Iraq Although same-sex relationships have been decriminalised, much of the population still suffer from intense discrimination. Additionally, in some of the country over-run by the extremist organisation Isis, LGBT individuals can face death by stoning Getty

The Chechen interior ministry dismissed the allegations as an April fools joke, while the press minister demanded journalists name interviewed victims and apologise for their filthy provocation.

Mr Kadyrov later said he had met with the regions human rights council on Sunday and proclaimed that rights have undergone a grandiose improvement.

He accused international organisations of conducting a massive information attack... using the most unworthy methods, reality is distorted, attempts are being made to blacken our society, lifestyle, traditions and customs.

The reports have been taken seriously by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and prominent international organisations, which have urged the Russian government to investigate as well as protect journalists.

The situation has been the subject of a parliamentary debate, as well as a speech by former Republican presidential candidate Marco Rubio in the US Senate.

Unfortunately this is not a new reality for those living under the brutal tyranny of the Chechen leader, who, by the way, happens to be a loyal ally of Mr Putin, he said.

We should never, ever tolerate human rights violations against any person for their political views, their religious beliefs, or their sexual orientation.

The United States and other responsible nations should do more to ensure that all people are protected, and those who harm them are held responsible."
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The death of an American member of an international monitoring team in eastern Ukraine in a landmine blast, which also injured a Czech colleague, is the latest act of lethal violence putting enormous stress on the countrys fragile ceasefire.

The response of the US State Department has, so far, been restrained, praising the courage of the monitors, expressing shock and sadness, and urging Russia to use its influence with the eastern separatists to allow a full, transparent and timely investigation to take place.

Every move by the US in Ukraine is being watched anxiously by the countrys president, Petro Poroshenko. It is not just that he is worried that Washington may weaken its backing for his country against Russia; the President is seeking to rehabilitate himself with Mr Trump after his government made little secret of backing Hillary Clinton in the US presidential election.

Mr Poroshenko and his ministers had been alarmed by Mr Trumps expressions of admiration for Vladimir Putin and remarks suggesting that he would accept the Russian annexation of Crimea. Ms Clinton, on the other hand, has long taken a combative stance towards the Kremlin in the Ukraine crisis.

There is evidence that Ukrainian officials helped the Democratic Party attempts to uncover alleged illicit links between Mr Trump and Moscow. This included the activities of Paul Manafort, his former campaign manager, who had previously filled the same role with Viktor Yanukovych, Ukraines former president and an ally of Vladimir Putin.

Ukrainian ministers and officials openly attacked Mr Trump during the election campaign. Internal Affairs Minister Arsen Avakov called him a clown and described his comments on Crimea as the diagnosis of a dangerous misfit on Twitter.

Yuriy Sergeyev, Ukraines permanent representative to the UN, posted: It seems that clown Trump has finally gone monkey s*** amidst his circus tour. He is a bigger menace to the US than terrorism.

And Vadym Denysenko, an MP in the Poroshenko Bloc in Parliament, had no doubt that Trump has shown himself as a thick idiot who speaks whatever is needed to fit the mood of the crowd.

After Mr Trumps victory, Mr Sergeyev claimed his Twitter account had been hacked, while the others hastily deleted their posts. But anger in the Trump team has not been so easy to erase.

Mr Poroshenko is yet to see the US President. Efforts by the Ukrainian ambassador to Washington, Valeryi Chaly, to arrange a meeting have been hampered by the belief of Trump team members that much of the collusion with the Democrats was by people connected to the embassy.

During the election campaign Mr Chaly had declared: Trumps future policy is about the aggressors appeasement and maintaining of the violation of territorial integrity of the sovereign nation and other breaches of international law. This changed, after the result, to: Republican Trumps electoral victory can have a positive impact for Ukraine It will happen much faster with Trump coming to power.

The Poroshenko government recently signed a contract  rumoured to be worth $50,000 a month  with a Washington lobbying firm with Republican connections in an effort to repair the damage. Their task is to set up meetings with Trump administration officials to strengthen relations between the US and Ukraine.

But it is Mr Poroshenkos rival, Yulia Tymoshenko, who got to see Mr Trump and was quick subsequently to publicise  to Mr Poroshenkos chagrin  the meeting and the supposed discussion about Ukraines future.

A few days later the Ukrainian president finally managed to speak to the US President on the phone. But the talk, according to both American and Ukrainian officials, was somewhat general, dwelling on the need to end the violence in the east of the country, and lacking the robust backing for Kiev which used to come from the Obama administration.

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

President Poroshenko visited London last week and announced that Theresa May and Boris Johnson had assured him of full support against Russian aggression. But there is uncertainty about the Wests willingness to confront Moscow at this time. Mr Johnson failed in his much publicised attempt to get the G7 group to back tough new sanctions against Russia over chemical strikes in Syria blamed on its allies, the Assad regime. Any new punitive measures over Ukraine are highly unlikely in the near future.

Relations between the US and Russia have been strained by Mr Trumps ordering of air strikes on a regime airbase in Syria. But Mr Trump continues to send out the contradictory signals which have been the trademark of his administration. A day after saying relations with Russia were at an all time low, the US President declared things will work out fine between the USA and Russia.

Meanwhile, the various investigations into Mr Trumps Russian links continue with the spotlight once again on Ukraine. One recent allegation is that Mr Manafort received vast sums in suspicious payments from Mr Yanukovych.

Prosecutors in Kiev want to question Mr Manafort and say they have requested the assistance of James Comey, the director of the FBI, which is carrying out its own investigation into Russian links. The Poroshenko government would prefer this was not pursued, it is believed, so as not to further fray relations with the Trump team. But the prosecutors, who have been accused of covering up corruption by, among others, EU officials, are keen to show they are active and autonomous.

It seen as a sign of the Trump teams nervousness about what may unfold that it appears to be trying to distance itself from Mr Manafort. At a recent briefing to journalists, the White House spokesman Sean Spicer brought up Mr Manaforts name unprompted, and claimed, to general incredulity, that he played a very limited role, very limited amount of time in the presidential campaign.

But the investigations are not going away and the Ukrainian connection is likely to remain under critical scrutiny. The chill between the Poroshenko government and Mr Trump looks unlikely to thaw anytime soon.
Overview of the workshop (Photo: VNA)

The delegates stressed the importance of Vietnamese teaching and studying for overseas Vietnamese, especially in Ukraine, where nearly 10,000 overseas Vietnamese are living, working or studying.

At the workshop, many proposals and petitions aimed to communicate and mobilize active participation of the community in organizing Vietnamese classes and encourage their children to join the class; curriculums and documents relating to teaching and studying Vietnamese language, diversification of Vietnamese teaching forms, expense mobilization style and improving teachers qualification.

Improving the effectiveness of teaching and studying Vietnamese for Vietnamese generations in Ukraine not only meets practical needs in work and life, but it also preserves, strengthens and develops the language and cultural identity of Vietnamese people, promoting spirit towards the homeland.

In addition, many ideas focused on the current difficulties and problems in teaching and studying Vietnamese in Ukraine, such as lack of teachers, difficulties in documents, curriculum, study method; difficulty in funding and organization of the class; lack of coordination mechanisms between family and school, overseas Vietnamese associations and local agencies.

In the context of the complicated, unpredictable situation and economical difficulty, more and more children of the overseas Vietnamese community are returning to Vietnam to live, learn and find jobs. The demand for Vietnamese teaching and learning has become increasingly urgent, so the second and third generations of the Vietnamese community can be fluent in Vietnamese.

Besides, the Vietnamese Embassy and the overseas Vietnamese community in Ukraine have strengthened socialization and international cooperation in teaching and studying Vietnamese language in Ukraine, as well as promoting teaching Vietnamese and opening Vietnamese faculties in the education system and leading universities of Ukraine./.
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A mass uprising against the Irish government would be joined by more than half of young people in the country, a survey has indicated.

Fifty four per cent of 18 - 34-year-olds said they would take part in a large scale uprising against the generation in power if it happened in the next days or months.

The survey polled nearly 20,000 people in Ireland as part of the European Broadcasting Unions Generation What? research.

Recommended Ireland ordered to loosen abortion laws by Council of Europe

It showed that 36 per cent viewed politicians as corrupt, while 40 per cent said they were partly corrupt. Forty five per cent said they didnt trust politics at all.

However, 25 per cent said very few politicians were corrupt, a figure lower than most of those in the same generation who were surveyed in 14 other countries.

The survey also found that the Church  traditionally a major institution in Ireland  appeared to have less influence over the countrys youth.

Only two per cent of those questioned said they completely trusted the Church and 56 per cent they didnt trust it at all.

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

Eighty per cent of men and 78 per cent of women said they could be happy without religious belief and just 20 per cent said they couldnt.

The police were not trusted by a large portion of people surveyed said did not fully trust the force.

However, the army scored highly on trust levels, with nearly 50 per cent of people trusting it to a large extent.

Researchers said this salient when taking into account, the large number of people who said they would join an anti-government uprising.
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Libya is asking the EU for armed ships and helicopters to increase its refugee patrols in the Mediterranean Sea amid allegations of widespread abuse against migrants.

The German parliament said a list of wanted equipment, including diving suits, ambulances, communications equipment and night vision gear, was being considered by the European Commission.

EU states are already deploying submarines, ships and aircraft to assist in reconnaissance efforts, although they have been criticised for focusing on smuggling rather than rescue missions as a record number of refugees die at sea.

Libyas latest request was revealed by a parliamentary question from the opposition Die Linke party, with broadcaster ARD reporting vessels equipped with machine guns were among a total of 130 boats of varying sizes and capacities called for.

They would be used by the Libyan coastguard, which stands accused of beating and shooting refugees while pushing back boats launched by smugglers into the Mediterranean Sea.

Regardless of the agencys alleged abuses, including attacks on aid agencies rescue ships, Britain is among the countries supporting the coastguard with offshore training.

The first round has been completed and discussions are underway for a second batch, The Independent understands.

 Desperate journeys: Rescued at sea, refugees detail abuse in Libya

European states backed an agreement struck by Italy to support the fragile Government of National Accords (GNA) ability to stem the crisis earlier this year, but the prospect of sending arms has raised alarm.

Isis and Islamist factions are among the countless groups waging a bloody battle for territory in the continuing civil war, where a Russia-backed warlord holds increasing sway.

Recommended Government continues support for Libyan coastguard despite attacks

As well as the threat of extremists gaining weapons and equipment donated by the EU, human rights groups have been outraged by the prospect of European support for Libya forcing migrants into detention centres where they report being raped and tortured in dire conditions.

Some are controlled by authorities affiliated with the GNA, while many are operated by smugglers who abduct migrants and force them into labour, prostitution or extort them for ransom in a lucrative industry.

The International Organisation for Migration revealed that hundreds of young African men are being traded in public in what they described as slave markets earlier this month.

Migrants who go to Libya while trying to get to Europe have no idea of the torture archipelago that awaits them just over the border, said IOM spokesman Leonard Doyle.

There they become commodities to be bought, sold and discarded when they have no more value.

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

The human trade has expanded rapidly amid the chaos following the Nato-backed removal of Muammar Gaddafi in the 2011 uprising and ensuing civil war.

Widespread lawlessness has allowed smugglers to thrive along Libyas Mediterranean coastline, which is now the main launching point for refugee boats heading for Europe.

Almost 1,100 migrants have died on the treacherous route to Italy this year, with 44,000 rescued and taken to land, while 4,900 have crossed the Aegean Sea between Turkey and Greece.

That route has slowed to a trickle since the controversial EU-Turkey deal came into force last March, seeing all asylum seekers arriving on Greek islands detained under threat of deportation.

But the prospect of implementing a similar agreement with Libya looks slim given the governments reduced capacity and human rights concerns raised by the UN.

A spokesperson for the GNA has not yet responded to The Independents request for details of the reported list of equipment requested from the EU.

Jalal Othman said authorities take all allegations of human rights abuses very seriously, after fresh evidence of abuse against migrants emerged earlier this year.

Migrants wait to receive aid distribution provided by the International Organization for Migration in Libya (AFP/Getty Images)

The Libyan judicial and law-enforcement systems are facing extreme pressures at this time due to the very challenging security situation in the country, he added.

We condemn all mistreatment of migrants without reservation. While we have to be realistic about the states current law-enforcement capacity, action will be taken wherever possible against those who break the law.

The Libyan Government of National Accord continues to work closely and productively with our European partners on illegal migration and people-smuggling.

The refugee crisis shows no sign of slowing after the arrival of more than a million asylum seekers in Europe, as conflicts continue in Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq alongside insurgencies and instability across sub-Saharan Africa.

EU nations granted refugee status or some other protection to more than 700,000 people last year the latest statistics show.

Eurostat said Germany granted asylum to the highest number of applicants, approving 445,000 claims, followed by Sweden, Italy and France.

Of those accepted across Europe, 405,600 were Syrians, 65,800 were Iraqis and 61,800 Afghans.

Lengthy waits continue for migrants stranded in Italy, where 176,000 people are living in reception centres, and Greece, where 62,000 asylum seekers have been trapped by the EU-Turkey deal and border closures through the Balkans.

Update, 28 April:

A spokesperson for the European Commission said: "A Libyan request for equipment support has been sent to the EU and member states from the Libyan coastguard. This request is currently being assessed.

"Improving the capacity of the Libyan authorities to better manage borders and migration is a key objective of the EU's approach including that agreed by the EU and member states in Malta on 3 February.

"The EU is already working closely with the Libyan coastguard, notably through its Operation Sophia which has already trained 93 coastguards since October 2016, as well as through project Seahorse."

Federica Mogherini, the EU's high representative for foreign affairs, told a defence ministerial meeting held on Thursday that it is early to say when equipment would be provided.

We have concluded the first round of training for the Libyan coastguards and navy and are continuing aiming at a larger number of trainees," she added.

"We are looking at ways in which we can follow this up in terms of providing non-military assets that would enable those that we have trained to do their job in the Libyan territorial waters.

"So we are currently already looking at the assets that might be required, assessing the needs, the sustainability and the correct and proper use they can be devoted to.
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Turkey has issued detention orders for 3,224 people over alleged links to last year's failed coup, local media reports.

More than 1,000 had already been detained by Turkish authorities, NTV said, accused of secretly infiltrating police forces across the country on behalf of a US-based cleric blamed by the government for last July's coup.

The nationwide sweep was one of the largest operations in months against suspected supporters of the cleric, Fethullah Gulen, a former ally of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan who is now accused by the government of trying to topple him by force.

 Turkey's president Recep Erdogan wins referendum to greatly expand powers

Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said the overnight crackdown targeted a Gulen network "that infiltrated our police force, called 'secret imams'.

"One thousand and nine secret imams have been detained so far in 72 provinces, and the operation is ongoing," he told reporters in Ankara.

In the aftermath of the failed July coup, authorities arrested 40,000 people and sacked or suspended 120,000 from a wide range of professions including soldiers, police, teachers and public servants, over alleged links with terrorist groups.

In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Show all 17 1 /17 In pictures: Turkey coup attempt In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Turkish President Erdogan attends the funeral service for victims of the thwarted coup in Istanbul at Fatih mosque on July 17, 2016 in Istanbul, Turkey Burak Kara/Getty Images In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Soldiers involved in the coup attempt surrender on Bosphorus bridge with their hands raised in Istanbul on 16 July, 2016 Gokhan Tan/Getty In pictures: Turkey coup attempt A civilian beats a soldier after troops involved in the coup surrendered on the Bosphorus Bridge in Istanbul, Turkey, 16 July, 2016 REUTERS/Murad Sezer In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Surrendered Turkish soldiers who were involved in the coup are beaten by a civilian Reuters In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Soliders involved in the coup attempt surrender on Bosphorus bridge Getty In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Supporters of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan wave flags as they capture a Turkish Army vehicle Getty In pictures: Turkey coup attempt People pose near a tank after troops involved in the coup surrendered on the Bosphorus Bridge in Istanbul, Turkey, 16 July, 2016 Reuters In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Turkish soldiers block Istanbul's Bosphorus Brigde Getty In pictures: Turkey coup attempt A Turkish military stands guard near the Taksim Square in Istanbul Reuters In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Pierre Crom/Twitter In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Turkish soldiers secure the area as supporters of Recep Tayyip Erdogan protest in Istanbul's Taksim square AP In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Murad Sezer/Reuters In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Turkish soldiers detain police officers during a security shutdown of the Bosphorus Bridge Reuters In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Turkish Army armoured personnel carriers in the main streets of Istanbul Getty In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Chaos reigned in Istanbul as tanks drove through the streets EPA/TOLGA BOZOGLU In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan speaks to media in the resort town of Marmaris Reuters In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Supporters of President Erdogan celebrate in Ankara following the suppression of the attempted coup Reuters

The latest detentions came 10 days after voters narrowly backed plans to expand Mr Erdogan's already wide powers in a referendum which opposition parties and European election observers said was marred by irregularities.

A leading European human rights body has placed Turkey on a watchlist over concerns about the functioning democratic institutions in the country.

The referendum bitterly divided Turkey.

Mr Erdogan's critics fear further drift into authoritarianism, with a leader they see as bent on eroding modern Turkey's democracy and secular foundations.

The Turkish President argues strengthening the presidency will avert instability associated with coalition governments, at a time when Turkey faces multiple challenges including security threats from Islamist and Kurdish militants.

"In Turkey, there was an attempted coup with a goal of toppling the government and destroying the state," he said in an interview with Reuters.

"We are trying to cleanse members of FETO inside the armed forces, inside the judiciary and inside the police," he added, using an acronym for the label, Gulenist Terrorist Organisation, which the government has given to Mr Gulen's supporters.

The president compared the struggle against Mr Gulen with the state's battle against Isis and Kurdish PKK militants, who are designated terrorist organisations by Turkey, the European Union and the United States.

"We are going to keep up the fight in terms of democracy, fundamental rights and liberties, but at the same time we are going to keep up the fight against PKK, FETO and other terrorist organisations such as Daesh [Isis]," he said.

"We will continue down this path in a very committed fashion."
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France has said it has proof Bashar al-Assad's government was behind the recent sarin chemical weapons attack in Syria.

Foreign affairs minister Jean-Marc Ayrault said France had made the determination based on comparing samples from another attack in 2013.

He said: "We know, from a certain source, that the process of fabrication of the samples taken is typical of the method developed in Syrian laboratories.

"This method is the signature of the regime and it is what enables us to establish the responsibility of the attack. We know because we kept samples from previous attacks that we were able to use for comparison."

The attack on the village of Khan Sheikhoun, on 4 April, killed scores of people including children.

It has been claimed the regime still has a stockpile hundreds of tonnes of chemical weapons despite saying it had handed over all of them.

French intelligence agents are aware that a Syrian Sukhoi 22 warplane struck Khan Sheikhoun six times on the day of the attack, Mr Ayrault said.

There is no doubt that sarin used there was manufactured in Syrian laboratories, he added.

Additional reporting by agencies
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Isis militants have posed as Iraqi army troops and killed at least 15 civilians who welcomed them into central Mosul, Iraqi officials have said.

Men, women and children trapped in one of the last Isis-held areas of the city greeted the men driving black cars and wearing police and security forces uniforms, a Joint Operations Command (JOC) and local official in Baghdad told media on Tuesday.

After tricking residents into showing their support, encouraging singing and chanting, the disguised Isis fighters then shot them to make it clear the area was still under enemy control, the JOC said.

 Children of Mosul describe life under Islamic State

Hossameddin al-Abbar, a member of Ninevehs provincial council, told the AFP that at least 15 civilians were arbitrarily executed for showing disloyalty to Isis, and many more were arrested.

Isis is clinging on to a tiny fraction of Mosul - once home to 1.5million people - after a gruelling street-by-street US-backed campaign to clear militants from the city which began October last year.

The intense fighting has included Isis tactics such as suicide car bombings and the use of civilians as human shields at strategic locations. Snipers, booby-trapped roads and bridges and an extensive tunnel network have also slowed the operation to drive the jihadis from what was once the largest settlement under their control.

In pictures: Mosul offensive Show all 40 1 /40 In pictures: Mosul offensive In pictures: Mosul offensive A doctor carries an Iraqi newborn baby at a hospital in Mosul, Iraq July 18, 2017. Reuters In pictures: Mosul offensive Iraqi girls play at a yard of a school in Mosul, Iraq July 18, 2017alal Reuters In pictures: Mosul offensive A woman on crutches who is a relative of men accused of being Islamic State militants is seen at a camp in Bartella, east of Mosul, Iraq July 15, 2017. Picture taken July 15, 2017. Reuters In pictures: Mosul offensive A displaced girl, who fled from home carries a doll at Hamam al-Alil camp south of Mosul, Iraq July 13, 2017. Reuters In pictures: Mosul offensive Iraqi federal police members and civilians celebrate in the Old City of Mosul on 9 July 2017 after the government's announcement of the "liberation" of the embattled city. Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi's office said he was in "liberated" Mosul to congratulate "the heroic fighters and the Iraqi people on the achievement of the major victory" AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Mosul offensive A picture taken on 9 July 2017, shows a general view of the destruction in Mosul's Old City. Iraq will announce imminently a final victory in the nearly nine-month offensive to retake Mosul from jihadists, a US general said Saturday, as celebrations broke out among police forces in the city. AFP In pictures: Mosul offensive Members of the Iraqi federal police raise the victory gesture as they ride on a humvee while advancing through the Old City of Mosul on 28 June 2017, as the offensive continues to retake the last district held by Islamic State (IS) group fighters. AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Mosul offensive Smoke billows as Iraqi forces advance through the Old City of Mosul on 26 June 2017, during the ongoing offensive to retake the last district held by the Islamic State (IS) group. AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Mosul offensive An Iraqi man wearing the green scarf of the Shi'ite faith kisses an Iraqi Army soldier on safely reaching the Iraqi forces position as Iraqi civilians flee the Old City of west Mosul where heavy fighting continues on 23 June 2017. Iraqi forces continue to encounter stiff resistance with improvised explosive devices, car bombs, heavy mortar fire and snipers hampering their advance. Getty Images In pictures: Mosul offensive A picture taken from the inside of an Iraqi forces armoured vehicle shows residents walking through a damaged street as troops advance towards Mosul's Old City on 18 June 2017, during the ongoing offensive to retake the last district still held by the Islamic State (IS) group. Military commanders told AFP the assault had begun at dawn after overnight air strikes by the US-led coalition backing Iraqi forces. They said the jihadists were putting up fierce resistance. AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Mosul offensive Iraqi Army soldiers advance in a destroyed street after an Iraqi forces airstrike targeted an Islamic State sniper position 17 June 2017 in al-Shifa, the last district of west Mosul under Islamic State control. IS snipers, as well as car and suicide bomb attacks continue to hinder the Iraqi forces efforts to retake the final district. A series of airstrikes by Iraqi helicopter gunships attempted to hit multiple Islamic State sniper positions in al-Shifa. Getty Images In pictures: Mosul offensive An Iraqi soldier frisks a displaced Iraqi man at a temporary camp in the compound of the closed Nineveh International Hotel in Mosul on 16 June 2017 which was recovered by Iraqi troops from Islamic State group fighters earlier in the year. A screening centre set up in the compound's fairgrounds sees a constant stream of Iraqis fleeing the battle for Mosul, awaiting their turn to be checked by the Iraqi forces who are searching for suspected Islamic State (IS) group members. The small fairground lies at the end of a pontoon bridge across the Tigris recently opened to civilians that is the only physical link between the two banks of the river. AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Mosul offensive Iraqis staying at the al-Khazir camp swim in a river near the camp for internally displaced people, located between Arbil and Mosul on 11 June 2017. AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Mosul offensive Iraqi government forces drive on a road leading to Tal Afar on 9 June 2017, during ongoing battles to retake the city from Islamic State (IS) group fighters. AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Mosul offensive An Iraqi policeman carries a poster bearing an image of Mosul's iconic leaning minaret, known as the "Hadba" (Hunchback), on 22 June 2017. AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Mosul offensive Iraqis stand in line to receive food aid in western Mosul's Zanjili neighbourhood on 7 June 2017, during ongoing battles as Iraqi forces try to retake the city from Islamic State (IS) group fighters. Living conditions in Mosul have again deteriorated since the start of the Iraqi government's offensive on the city in October in which they retook a large part of the west of the city. AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Mosul offensive Displaced Iraqis carry lightbulbs and sacks as they evacuate from western Mosul's Zanjili neighbourhood as government forces advance in the area during their ongoing battle against Islamic State (IS) group fighters on 13 May 2017 AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Mosul offensive A member of the Iraqi Counter-Terrorism Service (CTS) flashes the victory gesture as he patrols in western Mosul's al-Islah al-Zaraye neighbourhood on 13 May 2017 AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Mosul offensive Iraqi army soldiers from the 9th armoured division on a truck flash the sign of victory as they drive back from Mosul to the town of Qaraqosh (also known as Hamdaniya) Getty In pictures: Mosul offensive Members of Iraqi forces flash the sign of victory on their vehicle as they advance towards Hammam al-Alil area south of Mosul Getty In pictures: Mosul offensive A member of Iraqi security forces gestures in Hammam al-Alil, south of Mosul, Iraq Reuters In pictures: Mosul offensive Iraqi children, one flashing the sign of victory, greet Iraqi army's soldiers from the 9th armoured division in the area of Ali Rash, adjacent to the eastern Al-Intissar neighbourhood of Mosul Getty In pictures: Mosul offensive Peshmerga forces look at a tunnel used by Islamic State militants near the town of Bashiqa, east of Mosul, during an operation to attack Islamic State militants in Mosul, Iraq Reuters In pictures: Mosul offensive An Iraqi soldier takes a photograph with his phone as his comrade stands next to a detained man, whom the Iraqi army soldiers accused of being an Islamic State fighter, who was fleeing with his family in the Intisar disrict of eastern Mosul, Iraq Reuters In pictures: Mosul offensive Iranian Kurdish female members of the Freedom Party of Kurdistan (PAK) hold a position in an area near the town of Bashiqa, some 25 kilometres north east of Mosul Getty In pictures: Mosul offensive Iraqi families, who fled their homes in Hamam al-Alil, gather on the outskirts of their town Getty In pictures: Mosul offensive Displaced people walk past a checkpoint near Qayara, south of Mosul, Iraq AP In pictures: Mosul offensive Iraqi families who were displaced by the ongoing operation by Iraqi forces against jihadists of the Islamic State group to retake the city of Mosul, are seen gathering in an area near Qayyarah In pictures: Mosul offensive A boy who just fled Abu Jarbuah village is seen with his family at a Kurdish Peshmerga position between two front lines near Bashiqa, east of Mosul, Iraq Reuters In pictures: Mosul offensive An Iraqi child eats a pomegranate upon the arrival of Iraqi forces in the village of Umm Mahahir, south of Mosul Getty In pictures: Mosul offensive People who just fled Abu Jarbuah village sit as they eat at a Kurdish Peshmerga position between two front lines near Bashiqa, east of Mosul, Iraq Reuters In pictures: Mosul offensive A couple who just fled Abu Jarbuah village are escorted by Kurdish Peshmerga soldiers Reuters In pictures: Mosul offensive Women carry a boy over a wall as civilians flee their houses in the village of Tob Zawa, Iraq AP In pictures: Mosul offensive An Iraqi soldier and a civilian ride a motorbike as smoke rises behind them, on the road between Qayyarah and Mosul Getty In pictures: Mosul offensive A member of Iraqi forces, wearing a skull mask, waits at a checkpoint for people fleeing the main hub city of Mosul Getty In pictures: Mosul offensive An Iraqi soldier sits at a checkpoint in an area near Qayyarah Getty In pictures: Mosul offensive Iraqi men prepare food portions for Iraqi forces deployed in areas south of Mosul Getty In pictures: Mosul offensive Iraqi forces celebrate upon the arrival of vehicles bringing food to them Getty In pictures: Mosul offensive Iraqi childen smoke cigarettes upon the arrival of Iraqi forces in the village of Umm Mahahir, south of Mosul Getty In pictures: Mosul offensive A member of Iraqi forces distributes drinks to children in the village of Umm Mahahir, south of Mosul Getty

Thousands of Iraqi troops and civilians have died in the battle. US-led coalition bombing campaigns have also been blamed for civilian deaths.

Isis brutal methods of keeping civilian populations under its control such as drownings, shootings and beheadings for minor infractions of its strict interpretation of sharia law reportedly intensified as the struggle for control of Mosul began.

Residents fleeing the brutality have reported incidences where Isis fighters pose as Iraqi security forces in order to trick civilians into showing their support on several other occasions.

While the militants are steadily losing ground across both Syria and Iraq, analysts believe Isis likely to pose a threat in the form of a global insurgency for many years to come.
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Palestinian leaders have vowed to sue the British Government after it refused to apologise for a 1917 declaration that paved the way for the creation of Israel.

Mahmoud Abbas had called for an apology in his address to the UN General Assembly in September, ahead of planned celebrations by British and Israeli officials to mark the centenary of the Balfour Declaration.

More than 13,500 people signed a petition calling for the Government to openly apologise to the Palestinian people over the letter, saying the UKs colonial policy caused mass displacement and injustice.

The number of signatures failed to pass the benchmark for a parliamentary debate but the Government issued a formal response.

Palestinians have long condemned the Balfour Declaration as a promise by Britain to hand over land it did not own (Getty) (Getty Images/Hulton Archive)

The Balfour Declaration is an historic statement for which HMG does not intend to apologise, it said.

We are proud of our role in creating the State of Israel. The task now is to encourage moves towards peace.

A spokesperson said the Declaration was written in a world of competing imperial powers as the First World War raged and Ottoman Empire diminished, adding: In that context, establishing a homeland for the Jewish people in the land to which they had such strong historical and religious ties was the right and moral thing to do, particularly against the background of centuries of persecution.

Of course, a full assessment of the Declaration and what followed from it can only be made by historians.

The Governments statement accepted that the Declaration should have called for the protection of political rights of the non-Jewish communities in Palestine, particularly their right to self-determination but said that lasting peace must now be established through a two-state solution.

It called for a viable and sovereign Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders complete with agreed land swaps, Jerusalem as the shared capital of both states, and an agreed settlement for refugees.

 Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu meets Theresa May

Manuel Hassassian, the Palestinian ambassador to the UK, said the response meant the Queen and the Government of Britain will not apologise to the Palestinian people and planned centenary events would go ahead.

He said that unless the position was reversed and the UK formally recognised the state of Palestine, a lawsuit would be pursued.

This is the only condition upon which we can close this file permanently, he told Voice of Palestine Radio on Tuesday.

Recommended Palestinian president plans to sue Britain over creation of Israel

The Balfour Declaration was a letter sent on 2 November 1917 from British Foreign Secretary Arthur James Balfour to Lionel Walter Rothschild, a leader of the British Jewish Community.

It said the government of the time favoured the establishment of a national home for the Jewish people in Palestine, as long as nothing shall be done which may prejudice the civil and religious rights of existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine.

The text was read as support for the Zionist movement and was later incorporated into a peace treaty with the Ottoman Empire and the British Mandate for Palestine, despite contradicting other agreements.

Palestinians have long condemned the document as a promise by Britain to hand over land that it did not own.

The IsraeliPalestinian conflict intensifies Show all 10 1 /10 The IsraeliPalestinian conflict intensifies The IsraeliPalestinian conflict intensifies Medics evacuate a wounded man from the scene of an attack in Jerusalem. A Palestinian rammed a vehicle into a bus stop then got out and started stabbing people before he was shot dead AP The IsraeliPalestinian conflict intensifies Israeli ZAKA emergency response members carry the body of an Israeli at the scene of a shooting attack in Jerusalem. A pair of Palestinian men boarded a bus in Jerusalem and began shooting and stabbing passengers, while another assailant rammed a car into a bus station before stabbing bystanders, in near-simultaneous attacks that escalated a month long wave of violence AP The IsraeliPalestinian conflict intensifies Getty Images The IsraeliPalestinian conflict intensifies Palestinians throw molotov cocktail during clashes with Israeli troops near Ramallah, West Bank. Recent days have seen a series of stabbing attacks in Israel and the West Bank that have wounded several Israelis AP The IsraeliPalestinian conflict intensifies Women cry during the funeral of Palestinian teenager Ahmad Sharaka, 13, who was shot dead by Israeli forces during clashes at a checkpoint near Ramallah, at the family house in the Palestinian West Bank refugee camp of Jalazoun, Ramallah AP The IsraeliPalestinian conflict intensifies A wounded Palestinian boy and his father hold hands at a hospital after their house was brought down by an Israeli air strike in Gaza Reuters The IsraeliPalestinian conflict intensifies Palestinians look on after a protester is shot by Israelis soldiers during clashes at the Howara checkpoint near the West Bank city of Nablus EPA The IsraeliPalestinian conflict intensifies A lawyer wearing his official robes kicks a tear gas canister back toward Israeli soldiers during a demonstration by scores of Palestinian lawyers called for by the Palestinian Bar Association in solidarity with protesters at the Al-Aqsa mosque compound in Jerusalem's Old City, near Ramallah, West Bank AP The IsraeliPalestinian conflict intensifies Undercover Israeli soldiers detain a Palestinian in Ramallah Reuters The IsraeliPalestinian conflict intensifies Palestinian youth burn tyres during clashes with Israeli soldiers close to the Jewish settlement of Bet El, in the West Bank city of Ramallah, after Israel barred Palestinians from Jerusalem's Old City as tensions mounted following attacks that killed two Israelis and wounded a child

Israel declared independence in 1948 after the British Mandate expired and won the subsequent Arab-Israeli War, prompting significant demographic change in the region and exodus of more than 700,000 Palestinians.

Israel later captured the West Bank and East Jerusalem in the 1967 war, along with the Gaza Strip that is now controlled by the Hamas Islamist group.

The last round of Israeli-Palestinian peace talks collapsed in 2014, while the past year has seen an upsurge in violence seeing Israelis killed in stabbings and car attacks and more than 280 Palestinians  mostly attackers  killed by Israeli security forces.

There has also been an increase in tensions over the construction of Jewish settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories that are regarded as illegal under international law.

Theresa May has invited Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to attend events commemorating the Balfour Declaration in November. Other commemorations are expected to take place in Israel during the year.

A spokesperson for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office told The Independent that it recognises sensitivities over the declaration and subsequent events in the Middle East, but that the UK Government will be marking the centenary in an appropriate and balanced manner.

Our focus remains on encouraging the Israelis and Palestinians to take steps which bring them closer to peace, he added.

We continue to support the principle of a Jewish homeland and the modern state of Israel, just as we support the critical objective of a viable and sovereign Palestinian State.
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Officials at Baghdad International Airport became suspicious earlier this month when their X-ray machines could not see into 23 large bags unloaded from a Qatari plane, producing only a black image because the contents were wrapped in a special material impenetrable to detecting devices. They were further amazed when they opened the bags to discover that they contained hundreds of millions of dollars and euros in cash worth a total of $500m (389m), says an Iraqi source.

It is now clear that the money was ransom for 24 Qataris, several of them leading members of the Qatari royal al-Thani family, and two Saudis who had been hunting with falcons with official permission in supposedly safe southern Iraq when they were kidnapped 16 months ago by a Shia militia task force. A deal to get them released has been complicated by negotiations involving Qatar and Iran as well as Shia and Sunni militias over the simultaneous evacuation of people long besieged in four towns, two Shia and two Sunni, in northern and southern Syria respectively.

The extraordinary story of the $500m ransom - perhaps the biggest ransom ever in history  and the release of the Qatari royalty is revealed in a confidential document sent by Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi and obtained exclusively by The Independent. In a special report dated 22 April, six days after the episode at the airport, he gives senior members of his ruling Dawa Party a detail account of actions by his government, Qatar and other players inside and outside Iraq though the precise identity of several is left vague.

Recommended Bombing hits buses carrying evacuated Syrian civilians

Mr Abadi says that Qatar had requested the Iraqi government for permission to land an aircraft at Baghdad International Airport on 15 April on the understanding that it would take on board freed members of the kidnapped hunting party. But he says the airport officials were surprised that there were 23 large heavy bags that appeared without prior notice or approval. When these were put in the X-ray machine the image appeared black, which meant that whatever was inside was wrapped in a special impenetrable material.

Those on board the plane included the Qatari ambassador to Iraq and a special envoy from the Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, but they had not asked for the bags to be given diplomatic immunity. They apparently had not done so because they believed that the kidnappers or their emissaries had their own people at the airport who would take charge of the money.

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 Abadi says that even before opening the bags Iraqi officials had become convinced, through overhearing the conversation of the Qataris, that they contained money. What they did not know was how much, so when they finally searched them and counted the cash they were astonished to discover that the amount totalled hundreds of millions of dollars and euros. By then the Iraqi government had been told, presumably by the Qataris, that the cash was a ransom payment. But its officials still confiscated it since their government had not been informed about what was going on and they were chary of seeing such a large sum paid to a militia that would inevitably be empowered by a massive cash injection. Hundreds of millions for armed groups? Is this acceptable? Mr Abadi asked later at a press conference.

The militia widely reported to have carried out the original kidnapping of the hunting party in Iraqs southern Muthanna proince in December 2015 was the powerful Iranian-supported movement known as Ketaeb Hezbollah, which is distinct from Lebanese Hezbollah. But all Iraqi and Syrian militias both Shia and Sunni have links, often undeclared and unprovable but well known to most Iraqis and Syrians, to local politicians, political parties and foreign states. Sometimes, the militias are simple proxies of others but usually the relationship is more complex with a degree of mutual dependence.

Mr Abadi hints at this when he mentions in his report that, as news of the confiscation of the money at the airport spread in Baghdad, third parties intervened strongly, some from the highest levels and others threatened to use armed force. The Qatari envoy and the Qatari ambassador who had arrived on the plane had a bitter dispute over what had gone wrong. What is not clear is why the kidnappers released their hostages on 21 April, though they had not yet received the ransom, unless they were confident that once it was in Baghdad airport it was as good as in their hands or replacement funds had been sent by Qatar. Mr Abadi says that the Qataris had been led to believe that the sponsors of the kidnappers had effective control of the airport and of the security forces there.

A second strong reason for the freeing of the hostages going ahead is that their release was part of a regional deal involving Qatar, Iran, Jabhat al-Nusra, formerly the al-Qaeda representative in Syria, as well as various Shia militias. This relates to the fate of two Shia towns, Fua and Kefraya, with a combined population of 40,000, that have long been under siege by Sunni Arab militia forces including al-Nusra in Idlib province in northern Syria, and two Sunni towns, Madaya and Zabadani west of Damascus, that are besieged by pro-Syrian government forces including Lebanese Hezbollah. Under an agreement all four towns were to see simultaneous and linked evacuations as a result of stop-go negotiations that have been going on for several years. On the day of the hunters release last Friday, an Iraqi source told AFP the Qataris are now in Haider al-Abadis office following a deal between Jabhat al-Nusra and the kidnappers.

The release of the hostages had earlier been stalled when busses carrying Shia evacuees from Fua and Kefraya were attacked on 15 April by a suicide bomber in a vehicle, which exploded, killing 126 people, including 68 children and wounding a further 300. This was the same day that the Qatari plane landed in Baghdad. Given that all militias in Syria and Iraq are highly criminalised, the money would presumably have to be shared out among all of those involved as well as with some of their outside sponsors.

Mr Abadi is clearly angry at the way in which Iraq has been caught up in the complicated manoeuvres of foreign powers like Qatar, Iran, Lebanese Hezbollah and a variety of Iraqi and Syrian private armies. He says that allowing [the Qataris] to deliver big money to armed groups in Iraq, and perhaps also to terrorist groups is to fuel the war.

The affair has not ended since the Iraqi government now has half a billion dollars whom very violent paramilitary groups and their sponsors were expecting to be paid to them. These are often described as militias, though in fact they are heavily-equipped private armies who pose as community defenders, but are frequently guns-for-hire for foreign states and for their own enrichment. They will not resign themselves easily to the loss of the contents of the 23 bags confiscated at Baghdad airport.
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A man in Saudi Arabia has reportedly been sentenced to death on charges of apostasy after losing two appeals.

Several local media reports identified the man as Ahmad Al Shamri, in his 20s, from the town of Hafar al-Batin, who first came to the authorities attention in 2014 after allegedly uploading videos to social media in which he renounced Islam and the Prophet Mohammed.

He was arrested on charges of atheism and blasphemy and held in prison before being convicted by a local court and sentenced to death in February 2015.

 Authorities in Saudi Arabia have used a viral party video to identify and arrest partygoers in the country.

At the time Mr Shamris defence entered an insanity plea, adding that his client was under the influence of drugs and alcohol at the time of making the videos.

He reportedly lost an Appeals Court case, and a Supreme Court ruled against him earlier this week.

While news stories in the last few years consistently identify Mr Shamri, his identity or sentencing has not been verified by the Saudi authorities.

The Independents requests for comment from Saudi government representatives were not immediately answered.

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

Under Saudi Arabias strict religious laws, leaving Islam can be punishable by harsh prison sentences and corporeal punishment - and a 2014 string of royal decrees under the late King Abdullah re-defined atheists as terrorists, according to a report by Human Rights Watch.

Last year, a citizen was sentenced to 10 years in prison and 2,000 lashes for expressing atheistic sentiment in hundreds of social media posts.

Mr Shamris name and hometown have trended on Arabic-speaking Twitter in the last few days. Some users have even celebrated his sentencing.

If you're a lowkey atheist that's fine. But once you talk in public & criticize God or religion, then you shall be punished, one such post read.

I wish there could be live streaming when you cut his head off, said another.

International human rights watchdogs have consistently condemned Saudi Arabias human rights record.

The Kingdom came under further scrutiny last week when it emerged it had been elected to the UNs womens rights commission.

Under the countrys system of guardianship, womens rights and freedom of movement is heavily restricted. They are not allowed to drive, and voted for the first time in 2015.

Electing Saudi Arabia to protect womens rights is like making an arsonist into the town fire chief, UN Watch Director Hillel Neuer said. Its absurd.

Saudi Arabia has sat on the UNs human rights council since September 2015.
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Media freedom has never been so threatened, a leading watchdog has said, with the situation in democracies approaching tipping point.

Reporters Without Borders (RWB) said their global media freedom indicator  which measures threats to journalists  had never been so high in its 15-year history.

The group expressed particular concern about the fragility of media freedom in western democratic nations, where it said a highly toxic anti-media discourse emerged during the campaigns of Donald Trump and Britains EU referendum.

President Trump has frequently attacked news organisations whose work he does not like, often using social media to accuse outlets of fake news. Under his leadership, the White House has also attacked journalists and excluded certain news organisations from briefings.

 Egypt among the worst in press freedom: report

In the UK, pro-Brexit campaigners frequently attacked news organisations, such as the BBC, as biased.

RWB said these events contributed to driving the world into a new post truth era.

The rate at which democracies are approaching the tipping point is alarming for all those who understand that, if media freedom is not secure, then none of the other freedoms can be guaranteed, RWB secretary-general Christophe Deloire said. Where will this downward spiral take us?

Both the US and UK have fallen down the list, along with Canada and New Zealand. All were previously considered to be virtuous countries for press freedom, RWB said. In addition to the rise of an atmosphere of misinformation, RWB criticised the obsession with surveillance and attacks on anonymous sources.

The democracies that have traditionally regarded media freedom as one of the foundations on which they are built must continue to be a model for the rest of the world, and not the opposite, Mr Deloire said.

By eroding this fundamental freedom on the grounds of protecting their citizens, the democracies are in danger of losing their souls.

In other democracies, the situation is even worse. Polands ruling Law and Justice party has ousted executives of broadcast outlets and replaced them with their allies, RWB said, turning them into propaganda outlets. Similar events have occurred elsewhere in Europe.

RWB said political pressure, including the denial of funding, targeting whistleblowers and other pressures can have an insidious effect on media freedom.

This trend is all the more worrying because democratic governments no longer hesitate to use ever more radical methods to obstruct the work of the media, said RWB Editor-In-Chief Virginie Dangles.

The situation in Turkey is particularly bad, RWB said, with a failed coup last summer being used as pretext to crack down on reporting in the country. More than 100 journalists have been detained without trial, leading the group to describe the country as the worlds biggest prison for media professionals.

But the worst countries for media freedom are outside of Europe. Twenty one countries were classified as very bad by RWB, though the group warned it was likely others will soon join them.

The very worst country for press freedom was North Korea, closely followed by Eritrea and Turkmenistan.

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

Famously secretive, North Korea totally controls all aspects of the media and simply tuning into a foreign radio station can result in being sent to a concentration camp.

Less attention is given to Eritrea and Turkmenistan, though both are extremely tightly-controlled societies which isolate their citizens.

President Issayas Afeworki of Eritrea has ruled the country since 1993 and oversees a regime which detains anyone trying to work independently as a journalist. Even footage smuggled out from the country is rare.

Turkmenistan is also highly controlled and the few journalists working independently in the country do so in secret, RWB said.

Other countries at the bottom of the list included British allies. In Saudi Arabia, RWB highlighted the imprisonment and flogging of blogger Raif Badawi.
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Now this one, its good for hangovers! says our guide, Yolanda Santiago Martinez, with a laugh. Among the many edible and medicinal plants she has pointed out, this one seems most vital.

The only thing is, we are far from any booze, bars or other people  just the way wed planned it. High in the mountains above Oaxaca City, my three companions and I are trekking between six villages known as the Pueblos Mancomunados. This morning, we left Cuajimoloyas (altitude 3200m, population 800), and are destined for Santa Maria Latuvi, about 10 miles away.

These villages are linked by culture  their populations are Zapotec, an indigenous people whove lived in the region for millennia  but also by economic hardship. Although known for its cuisine and culture, Oaxaca is the second poorest state in Mexico, and those outside the cities are affected most. Thats why in 1998, a forward-thinking group of friends and community members adopted the budding concept of ecotourism and created the Pueblos Mancomunados.

They saw an opportunity to develop a programme that would push for the economic development of the communities, and at the same time, would contribute to the protection of its natural and cultural heritage, Angelina Martinez, a native of Cuajimoloyas and the coordinator of Expediciones Sierra Norte, the community-owned company that organises tours in the Pueblos, tells The Independent.

Guide (and hangover-killer) Yolanda Santiago Martinez (Susan Shain)

Nearly two decades on, the programme is a confirmed success. Each year, around 17,000 people visit the Pueblos Mancomunados and hike the web of trails (more than 62 miles of them) connecting the villages; the project employs 120 locals. 10 per cent of revenue goes towards administration; the rest goes directly to the towns, where its distributed between the service providers (cooks, guides, and so on), then given to the towns assembly, its highest ruling body. Sometimes money is invested in education, sometimes in community work like drainage, roadworks or electricity; sometimes its distributed directly amongst the community.

You can book an organised trip to the Pueblos through Expediciones Sierra Norte, or you can travel independently, arranging things on arrival. You can also hike without a guide (not always a given in Mexico), though I was glad to have Santiago Martinez with our group; not only were some of the trails not well marked, but I enjoyed our chats. I like sharing my home with tourists, she tells us, while patiently answering all of our questions. Later, she would hand us over to Samuel Santiago, a farmer from Latuvi, the next stop on the route.

There are around 62 miles of trails between the pueblos (Susan Shain)

We trek past agave plants taller than we are, arbutus trees laced with bromeliads, and clusters of tiny wild orchids. The Sierra Norte region is home to half of Oaxacas native flora plus more than 350 species of butterflies. Sometimes we pass horses or sheep  but over two days, never another person.

Under a setting sun we reach Latuvi, and though we didnt have high expectations for lodgings, we are soon proved wrong. Our cabins are clean and cosy with heavy blankets, hot water, a fireplace and panoramic views of the green and purple valley. We take turns swaying in the hammock before heading to the nearby comedor for a dinner of fried trout.

This is already adventure tourism, of course, but the Pueblos Mancomunados offer more than hiking. In Latuvi, you can rent mountain bikes, go horse-riding, attend a bread-baking workshop  or do something altogether more spiritual. That evening, we make for the temazcal, a pre-Hispanic sweat lodge supposed to cleanse your mind and body.

All roads lead to the temazkal sweat lodge in Latuvi (Susan Shain)

The oven is excellent for your health, says shaman Alvina Garcia, cleaning us with a rubdown of various plants and letting us in to a round adobe hut heated by volcanic rocks, which we splash with herb-infused water to get extra steam. We sweat inside for nearly an hour  the perfect treatment for sore muscles, though I wish wed learned more about the history and meaning of the practice.

But that, in a way, is the point of visiting the Pueblos Mancomunados: this isnt your average tourist experience where youre presented with local things to do, but more a case of the visitor fitting in with local life. The next morning, instead of taking off at crack of dawn, we laze over a breakfast of eggs, beans and tortillas, drinking hot chocolate and coffee from enormous clay bowls. Only in Mexico.

Our hike to San Miguel Amatlan is equally untricky. We eat a picnic by a stream, before the flat terrain gives way to a trail snaking higher, along a canyon full of trees drowning in amber leaves and Spanish moss. We pass through another pueblo, Lachatao, before arriving in Amatlan, where a lunch of horchata and steaming chicken soup welcomes us. And then, all too soon, our two-day break from reality  no noise, no pollution, no email; just trees, skies and welcoming smiles  is over.

The trails are well signposted, but Susan liked the interaction with her guide (Susan Shain)

Martinez, too, wishes tourists would stay longer. We dont want mass tourism, she says. But were looking to increase clients stays, so they spend more time in the communities.

As the truck rumbles down the mountains towards Oaxaca City, our driver points to another village  one that isnt part of the cooperative, whose membership is strictly limited to the six original communities. When I ask why, he responds like I should already know the answer.

They have their own visitors, he says. Then, with a hint of pride, he adds: The Pueblos are ours.

Travel essentials

Getting there

AeroMexico flies from Heathrow to Oaxaca City via Mexico City from 676 return. Otherwise the journey requires one extra stop: airlines connecting in Europe as well as Mexico City include KLM via Amsterdam and Iberia via Madrid. From Oaxaca City, its a 90-minute drive to Cuajimoloyas. Book a private transfer through the Sierra Norte office, or take the bus.

Staying there

You can book a multi-day trip through the Sierra Norte office, complete with transportation, lodging, guides and meals. Two-day trips start at $1,826MXN (78) per person. If booking accommodation independently, double cabins cost 550 pesos (23), room only.

More info

sierranorte.org.mx

visitmexico.com
The British Council in Vietnam is in partnership with Vietnam National University, Hanoi and Euraxess to organise FameLab Vietnam 2017.

With the presentation on fighting fire with fire using Wolbachia bacteria to against Dengue, Pham Ha My from Oxford University Clinical Research Unit in Vietnam became the winner of FameLab Vietnam 2017. Her presentation was informative and inspiring, winning the judges over on content, clarity and charisma. Ha My will go to the UK to represent Vietnam in competing with winners from over 30 countries in the International FameLab Competition 2017 held at the Cheltenham Science Festival. She will also have the chance to visit a lab (proposed by the winner) in Europe with all costs fully paid by Euraxess.

Photo: British Council Vietnam

With this aim, FameLab makes important scientific topics more accessible to non-expert audiences and encourages them to find out more about science through participants three-minute presentations of which high quality content, clarity and charisma are required.

This years event gathered 12 participants who are young scientists, early-career lecturers, doctors and students across Vietnam including Thai Nguyen province, Hanoi, Da Nang, Ho Chi Minh and Can Tho cities to compete and express their passion for science and communications. The judges include Professor. Dr. Mai Trong Nhuan, journalist Dr. Ta Bich Loan and Associated Professor Dr. Le Anh Vinh.

Since it started in 2005 at the Cheltenham Science Festival, UK, FameLab has become a successful training program using a competition format to get individuals, scientists, engineers and lecturers talking about science and encouraging them to connect with audiences through their scientific topics. Participants have three minutes to present any scientific, engineering, mathematical or medical topic of their choice.

Together Cheltenham Festivals and the British Council co-produce the FameLab in over 30 countries. NASA has license to deliver the competition in the USA in the field of planetary sciences.

Since 2015, the British Council has cooperated with the Vietnam National University to make plans to hold the competition. Not only lecturers and researchers but any individuals interested in science are encouraged to enter the competition. The Top 12 FameLab Vietnam 2017 participants who had the most impressive presentations at regional heats were trained on science communications by Dr Emily Grossman, a science communication expert from the UK./.
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The Trump tax plan is revolutionary, and if it goes through in anything like the outline sketch, that revolution will resonate around the world. It carries a huge danger and well come to that in a moment, but if it avoids that danger, how governments finance themselves in the second quarter of this century will be quite different from the way they finance themselves now.

Step back from the detail, which in any case we do not have yet, and focus on two elements: lower headline rates, and radical simplification. They link together, because if you have high headline rates you have to create loopholes to diminish the damage they do to economic growth.

Headline rates in the US are quite high by world standards. For example the top rate of personal income tax in California works out at 52.9 per cent adding Federal and state taxes together. But most people, even rich people, dont pay anything like that because there are all sorts of loopholes. The US corporation tax rate works out at 38.9 per cent, the third highest in the world. But again, hardly any companies pay that because they too are given incentives that enable them to pay less.

 Trump's 100 Days: Alec Baldwin's best bits on Saturday Night Live

But loopholes create distortions. In the US, the most notable of these is that profits of foreign subsidiaries, if left abroad, are untaxed. Headline rates matter, even if in practice companies (and individuals) can to some extent get round them, because they create resentment.

Jean-Baptiste Colbert, the finance minister of Louis XIV said: The art of taxation consists in so plucking the goose as to obtain the largest possible amount of feathers with the smallest possible amount of hissing.

The American tax system generates a cacophony of hissing without gathering that many feathers. Big tax cuts will stifle the hissing. The huge question is whether they will enable the US Internal Revenue Service to end up with more feathers.

We cannot know. We are only getting a set of principles. The immediate judgement will come from the financial markets, and their first reactions are often misleading. A 15 per cent corporation tax rate, would bring the US towards the bottom of the global league table, and would put great pressure on countries such as Ireland, which has used its 12.5 per cent rate to lure US businesses to relocate. It will also blunt the appeal of the current UK strategy to attract international business with low company taxation.

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

But whereas a small country can increase its revenues by cutting rates, a big one cant  or at least not so easily. So assuming the corporation tax cut goes through, the US is embarking on a great economic experiment. It cant gain much additional revenue from increasing its share of global corporations located there. The only thing that will increase, or even maintain the tax take, will be greater growth. Still, if the US has a 15 per cent corporation tax rate, that puts huge pressure on European governments to fall into line.

The personal tax changes appear more modest. I know that there are cuts for millionaires and on the surface these changes look regressive but in reality personal taxation will remain in the normal global band. In any case if most loopholes are closed, a big if, income tax revenue will be protected. The unusual feature of the US tax system is not on the personal income tax side but on consumption taxes, with very low fuel tax and no value added tax.

Indeed were it not for one thing, these plans look like a long-delayed and necessary set of reforms. Not perfect by any means, but revolutionary in their global implications.

That one thing is the extent to which these reforms can really deliver sustained higher growth. The US economy is pretty close to full capacity  there is a lively debate as to quite how close. If you push down the loud pedal on an economy that has already been expanding for more than seven years, what happens? Maybe an extra year of growth before the next downturn, but at the cost of a sharper recession when it comes? Wall Street is already at or close to its all-time peak. That does not mean it cant go higher, but this does feel a bit like the dot-com boom in the late 1990s, doesnt it?

At a microeconomic level these plans look both welcome and overdue. But at a macroeconomic level they carry big risks. I happen to think there is life left in the expansion, but a couple of years from now things will look rather different.
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The UN has announced that Saudi Arabia will be a part of the Commission on the Status of Women, the intergovernmental body dedicated to the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women. Thats right, Saudi Arabia.

The country so committed to womens liberation that it ranks 141/144 for gender equality in the World Economic Forums 2016 Global Gender Gap report. Thats third place from the bottom. This may have something to do with the fact that women cannot drive and need permission from a male guardian to travel, work, marry, access healthcare and even leave prison. Hillel Neuer of UN Watch summed it up with the comment, Electing Saudi Arabia to protect womens rights is like making an arsonist into the town fire chief.

The decision to include Saudi in this UN Commission on the Status of women couldnt have come at a more ironic time. Earlier this month, Dina Ali, a 24 year old Saudi woman fleeing a forced marriage, was forcibly returned to Saudi Arabia by Philippine authorities as she tried to make her way to Australia to seek asylum. She blogged that she would be killed on her return to by her family because her actions would be viewed as dishonourable. It is unclear what events unfolded at the airport but we know that her uncles arrived at Manila airport and forcibly took her to Riyadh. Her fate remains unknown but Bloomberg received word from Saudi authorities that she is being held at a detention facility for women under 30 and hasnt been charged.

 United Nations elects Saudi Arabia to women's rights body

This isnt an isolated incident. In the past, many high profile escapes by Saudi women fleeing abuse have come to light including the case of a Saudi princess granted asylum by British courts because she had a child with a man outside her family, something that is forbidden. According to the Gulf Centre for Human Rights, prominent activist and feminist Maryam Al-Otaibi was allegedly arrested this week after fleeing her fathers home to live independently. As the country seeks rapid modernisation of infrastructure, it is also using insidious technology to monitor womens movement, sending an SMS alert to male guardians if their female relatives leave the country.

Given these facts, why is Saudi Arabia on the commission? The vote was made via a secret ballot, and UN Watch believes that at least 15 of the 54 democratic member states (including five EU members) of the UN Economic and Social Council voted in favour of it. We have no evidence to suggest who voted in favour of Saudi Arabia. However, we do know that the country has some key allies.

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

Following the release of leaked diplomatic cables by Wikileaks, UN watchdogs reported that Saudi Arabia and Russia had traded votes for UNHRC seats. The UK government under Prime Minister David Cameron also came under fire after records showing that the UK initiated back-door negotiations by asking Saudi Arabia for its support ahead of a ballot were leaked as well.

We know that eight of the members of the UN Economic and Social Council  including the UK, USA, France, Germany and Italy  sell arms to Saudi Arabia. Incidentally, Saudi Arabia is the worlds largest arms importer and has bought arms worth $4.2bn from UK, 760 million from Germany and $20 billion from US in 2015 alone. Apart from being a key ally in the conflicts raging in Middle East, the US is also the second biggest importer of oil from Saudi Arabia.

As activists and womens rights campaigners call for reform within Saudi Arabia, a country where human rights abuses and limits on civic freedoms are stifling quality of life, how much can it actually contribute to the UN Commission is a question waiting to be answered. To appease international and local pressure amidst questionable military interventions, Saudi Arabia uses its position on UN Human Rights Council and now, UN Commission on the Status of Women to show they are engaging with the international community to reform archaic laws. Make the naughtiest kid in the class the monitor if you want discipline might not quite work for the UN Commission for status of women.
A fireman has been hailed a hero for rescuing a burnt rabbit from a raging gorse fire.

Tom Collins was helping his colleagues battle a blaze on remote Sheep's Head in west Cork when the bunny hopped over to him.

The firefighter, based at nearby Skibbereen Fire Station for 16 years, said the tiny wild rabbit had burnt his head trying to flee the flames.

He also had a high temperature and looked like he needed help.

"We gave him a bit of a dousing with water and cooled him down," said Mr Collins, who was pictured by a colleague giving the rabbit a drink.

"He was a little worse for wear.

"We kind of cooled him down for two minutes, gave him a drink, let him down to see how he was doing and off he hopped."

Pictures of the rabbit rescue shared on social media have sparked a massive outpouring of praise from animal lovers.

On Facebook, Vicki Curtis said: "God bless you for helping this little mite!!! Just so sad for the unfortunate animals that lost their lives."

Anne Walsh added: "Ah poor baby. Good work Mr Fireman."

Trish McCarthy posted: "Unbelievable photo, such a sweet thing to do," while Maire Ni Mhaonaigh simply wrote: "Hero."

Mr Collins said he has often seen animals flee gorse fires and found the remnants of bird nests and eggs in the scorched earth afterwards.

Unseasonably dry weather has been blamed for helping a number of ferocious outbreaks in wild gorse land around the south-west of Ireland in recent days.

Over the weekend, a blaze in the stunning Gougane Barra valley, covering some 4km (2.5 miles) at its peak, took days to bring under control.
Nosayba (left) and Somaia Halawa, sisters of Ibrahim Halawa, in Dublin, where family members and supporters held an awareness day

The Government has said there is momentum in the trial of 21-year-old Ibrahim Halawa who has been in jail in Egypt for almost four years.

The prosecution case in Cairo was adjourned until next month after seven witnesses were called and cross-examined, Foreign Affairs Minister Charlie Flanagan said.

Mr Halawa was incarcerated after being detained during Muslim Brotherhood protests in Cairo in 2013.

A mass trial involving him and hundreds of other alleged conspirators has been adjourned more than 20 times while Mr Flanagan's office pursues diplomatic channels for his return to Dublin.

"The relatively short adjournment period and the progress in recent hearings in terms of witness testimony are indications of momentum in the trial process, which is to be welcomed after a very difficult and frustrating period of over three years," Mr Flanagan said.

"My expectation now is that the trial will move towards a conclusion. It is important that there should be no further delays in the process."

Mr Flanagan said Mr Halawa's case and his health and welfare remain matters of "the utmost concern".

Mr Halawa, the son of a prominent Muslim cleric in Dublin, Sheikh Hussein Halawa, was imprisoned after being detained in a mosque near Ramses Square in Cairo as the Muslim Brotherhood protested over the removal of elected president Mohamed Morsi in August 2013.

He has been tortured and gone on hunger strikes during his imprisonment.

Earlier this week he wrote a letter with an impassioned plea to Taoiseach Enda Kenny to demand his release after he watched another inmate being freed, Egyptian-US citizen and co-founder of the Belady Foundation for Street Children, Aya Higazy.

The Taoiseach wrote a letter to Mr el-Sisi a month ago pleading for Mr Halawa's release on humanitarian grounds.

Amnesty International Ireland said it was not clear if the court considered a request made at the last hearing for Mr Halawa's release on humanitarian grounds.

Executive director Colm O'Gorman said they were gravely concerned for his physical and mental health.

"We reiterate our call on the Egyptian authorities to drop all charges against him and for his immediate and unconditional release. We also urge the Irish Government to continue working on his behalf and to use every means at their disposal to secure his release," he said.
Exporting companies are waking up to the fact that Brexit is now a reality and that they need to put in place a strategy to mitigate the fallout, the head of Enterprise Ireland (EI) has told the Irish Independent.

Since Prime Minister Theresa May triggered Article 50 in March, companies are accepting the need to plan and are no longer in denial about the UK's impending EU departure, Julie Sinnamon said.

The agency is offering a grant to exporting companies of up to 5,000 to encourage them to develop a Brexit strategy.

"When Theresa May pressed the button on Article 50, I think there is a new reality in terms of Irish companies going from, 'with a bit of luck this won't happen', to realising 'it's going to happen and we have to plan for it'," Ms Sinnamon said.

Exporters have been the early casualties of the Brexit vote, due to sterling's immediate, and dramatic, devaluation in the wake of the referendum last June.

Although the pound has recovered some ground since it crossed the 90 pence to the euro mark late last year - dealing a considerable blow to the mushroom sector in particular - it is still hovering around the mid-80s. That compares with 77p a year ago - and analysts believe the UK currency could weaken further again.

The grant support is being made available by EI to its 5,000 client companies, and is designed to help firms cover consultancy, travel and other out-of-pocket expenses associated with drawing up a Brexit action plan.

EI will match 50pc of the costs incurred by a company in drawing up a strategy, up to a maximum of 5,000.

"Six weeks ago, when we were talking to companies, they were still in denial, in terms of hoping that they wouldn't have to address the issue," Ms Sinnamon said.

"Today that is gone and companies are now moving forward. Companies are embracing the fact that Brexit is going to happen and that they have to plan for it.

"There is so much discussion as to what that worst-case scenario is, and the bottom line is, none of us really know where the negotiations will line up. But companies have to secure their future and therefore they have to put in place a plan that means they'll survive irrespective of where Brexit ends up."

Exporters in the food, drink and traditional sectors, including engineering, manufacturing and construction, are regarded by EI as the industries with the highest level of exposure to the UK market.

Currency remains the number one short-term concern, Ms Sinnamon said, but added companies need to put in place a medium-term plan.

"Companies need to look at their exposure and have a hedged position. In some cases, companies source their raw materials from the UK and different countries, and in other cases they need to look at their currency exposure and hedge appropriately, particularly for some of the lower margins sectors. You can't keep your fingers crossed and hope that currency will go in the right direction."

The purpose of the grant is to encourage exporting companies to investigate the feasibility of diversifying into new markets, to improve their competitiveness, or enhance the financial capability.

A number of companies have applied already, but figures are only provided once applications are approved. Companies are being encouraged to first go through EI's online Brexit Scorecard, which prompts them to self-assess their potential exposure to Brexit under six business pillars.

It then generates a 12-page report giving what is described as a traffic-light system benchmark against best practice, suggested next steps based on the score and lists a range of events and resources from EI and others.

EI said around 400 SMEs have engaged with the tool so far.
Glanbia has announced that in the three months ended 1 April 2017, wholly owned revenue increased 7.0% on a reported basis and was up 4.7% on a constant currency basis when compared to the same period in 2016.

This was driven by pricing growth of 2.1% mainly as a result of improved dairy markets versus prior year, volume growth of 1.7% and a contribution from acquisitions of 0.9%.

Total Group Revenue, including Glanbia's share of Joint Ventures and Associates, increased 9.6% on a reported basis and 7.7% on a constant currency basis.

Commenting today, Siobhan Talbot, Group Managing Director said Glanbia delivered good revenue growth in the first three months of 2017.

"Glanbia Nutritionals had a good performance and was the main driver of growth.

"Glanbia Performance Nutrition delivered in line with expectations, as a strong performance in non U.S. markets countered some challenges in the U.S. market.

Talbot said the outlook for the remainder of 2017 is positive and she reiteratef Glanbia's full year guidance of 7% to 10% growth in adjusted earnings per share, constant currency, from the continuing Group (pro-forma*) with growth weighted to the second half of the year.

"Our strategic initiatives remain on track; we have completed the acquisition of Body & Fit, have signed binding legal agreements, subject to certain approvals, to sell 60% of the Dairy Ireland segment to Glanbia Co-operative Society Limited and continue to plan with our partners in the US for the creation of a new joint venture to build a scale cheese and whey plant in the State of Michigan," she saiid.

Glanbia Performance Nutrition

Glanbia Performance Nutrition ('GPN') delivered in line with expectations in the first three months of the year. Revenues decreased marginally by 0.2%, as a 0.3% increase in pricing and 2.6% growth from the acquisition of Amazing Grass was offset by a 3.1% volume decrease.

The overall revenue movement reflected branded revenue growth offset by a continued decline in contract business. On a like-for-like basis first quarter comparatives in the U.S. impacted performance however this was countered by strong year-on-year growth in non US markets.

The Amazing Grass acquisition performed in line with expectations in the period, while GPN closed the Body & Fit acquisition on 31 March 2017.

Existing management teams will remain with the acquired businesses and integration will largely be related to installing Glanbia support systems. GPN remains focused on growth through innovation and the recently launched thinkThin Super-fruit bars and ON Cake Bites are exciting additions to the portfolio, both of which are performing well.

The full year 2017 outlook for GPN is good, with like-for-like branded revenue growth expected to be in the mid-single digit range, driven by volume growth weighted towards the second half of the year. Full year EBITA margins are expected to be in the mid teen range albeit below 2016 levels as input cost increases are partly offset by price, mix and efficiency improvements.

Glanbia Nutritionals

Glanbia Nutritionals ('GN') delivered a good performance in the first three months of 2017 with revenue growth of 10.3%. This was driven by a price increase of 7.6%, mainly as a result of improved dairy markets, versus prior year and volume growth of 2.7%, primarily driven by Nutritional Solutions.

Nutritional Solutions delivered price and volume increases in the period as sales growth of value added systems was broad based across a range of formats and sectors. Product mix continues to improve within the Nutritional Solutions portfolio increasing exposure to higher growth end markets.

US Cheese performed in line with expectations in the first quarter of 2017. Demand remains solid and average cheese prices were higher in the period versus prior year. Operationally the plants performed well.

The full year 2017 outlook for GN is good. Revenue and EBITA growth is expected to be driven by the continued growth of Nutritional Solutions and improved dairy markets.

Dairy Ireland

Glanbia has said Dairy Ireland delivered a satisfactory performance in the first three months of the year despite the challenges of higher input costs. Revenue in the period increased by 2.3% which was driven by a volume increase of 7.2%, offset by a price decline of 4.9%.

Agribusiness delivered improved volumes from sales of animal feed and fertiliser which was offset somewhat by commodity related price declines. Consumer Foods delivered an improvement in overall product mix as continued growth in value-added-milks offset a reduction in private label business.

Joint Ventures & Associates

Revenues from Joint Ventures & Associates ("JVAs") increased by 19.2% in the first three months of 2017 versus prior year. Pricing increased by 17.7% as a result of improved dairy markets. Volume increased by 1.5% as growth in Glanbia Ingredients Ireland more than offset some volume declines in other JVAs.

It also says good progress has been made on strategic developments within JVAs. The project to expand production capacity by 25% at the South West Cheese facility in the U.S. is progressing to plan with commissioning expected in 2018. In addition the proposed creation of a new Joint Venture in Michigan, US to build a large scale cheese facility is on track.
Up to 29,000t of beef with a value of 109m were imported into Ireland last year, according to figures released by the Department of Agriculture.

The 2016 figures show that Britain was by far the biggest source of beef imports, with English, Scottish and Welsh factories supplying 22,000t worth over 84m.

Northern Ireland was second largest supplier of beef into the Republic. Factories based north of the border supplied almost 4,000t valued at 14.4m.

The UK in total supplied almost 90pc of all beef imports both in tonnage and value terms.

This reflects the high level of integration between the Irish and British beef industries, with Irish giants ABP, Dawn Meats and Dunbia all having sizeable processing operations in both jurisdictions.

The Netherlands, Germany, Poland and France were the main sources for beef imports after Britain and Northern Ireland.

Imports from Holland totalled 820 tonnes worth 2.5m, Germany supplied 670 tonnes valued at 2.99m, Poland exported 470 tonnes worth 2.1m, while French imports totalled 714,000 and involved 220 tonnes.

Ireland is one of the largest nett exporters of beef in the Northern Hemisphere each year. Beef exports usually average around 500,000t. In 2016 Irish beef exports were worth 2.38bn.

The figures for meat imports were provided in response to a Dail question of Agriculture Minister, Michael Creed, which was put down by Fianna Fail's Jackie Cahill.

In terms of sheep meat imports, 3,680 tonnes were imported in 2016, valued at 19.25m. Britain supplied 92pc of the imports or 3,395t worth 17.45m.

'Trade flows'

Commenting on the level of imports, Minister Creed said: "Typically, imports into Ireland are made up of lower value manufacturing product or carcase beef or sheep meat, which undergoes some further processing by Irish companies before re-export."

He added that while Ireland was a net exporter of both beef and sheep meat, imports made "an important contribution to the overall output of these sectors nationally" and constituted "a necessary component of the overall trade flows in these sectors."

However, this view was challenged by Michael Guinan of the ICMSA. He said the level of imports warranted "further investigation".

Guinan said that since Irish farmers were required to meet exacting, traceability, quality assurance and animal welfare criteria they expected that beef and sheep meat imported into the country was produced to similar standards.

"Farmers would like to know where this product ended up, whether it went for further processing or ended up on Irish plates," he said.

He maintained that the Food Safety Authority and the Department of Agriculture should be involved in any future assessment of meat imports.
Donald Trump has claimed his administration 'will not stand' for Canada making business tough for US dairy farmers in border states.

"Canada has made business for our dairy farmers in Wisconsin and other border states very difficult," Mr Trump tweeted. "We will not stand for this. Watch!"

The tweet echoed comments reportedly made by Mr Trump at a closed-door meeting with conservative journalists the night before. Breitbart News, which was present at the event, reported Mr Trump claimed dairy farmers in Wisconsin and upstate New York are getting "killed by NAFTA".

Canada maintains a high tariff on imported dairy products, which dissuades American dairy farmers from selling many of their products in the country.

At the meeting, however, Mr Trump reportedly claimed Canadian tariffs were hurting American dairy farmers in the US market, too.

Telling reporters he would address Canadian dairy imports, Mr Trump said: Its going to mean that farmers are going to start selling milk in our country.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau shot back quickly, telling Bloomberg, The US has a $400 million dairy surplus with Canada so its not Canada thats the challenge here.

Canadian officials have blamed global dairy overproduction, not Canadian policies, for American dairy farmers woes.

US dairy farmers discarded more than 43 million gallons worth of excess milk last year, according to US Department of Agriculture numbers.

US complaints stem largely from the decision of one dairy company, Grassland Dairy Products, to discontinue business with approximately 75 Wisconsin dairy farmers.

The company cited changes in Canadian prices as the reason for the decision. Several farms in and New York were affected as well.

Wisconsin Agriculture Secretary Ben Brancel and New York Agriculture Commissioner Richard Ball wrote a letter to the the US Department of Agriculture about the situation this month. Around the same time, Mr Trump began calling Canadian tariffs "unfair" and vowing to "stand up for our dairy farmers."

"Canada, what they've done to our dairy farm workers, it's a disgrace," Mr Trump told reporters last week. "...We're not going to let Canada take advantage [of the US]."

Mr Trump has yet to set specific policy on dairy trade, but did announce tariffs on Canadian lumber imports on Monday. Duties on Canadian lumber will range from 3 to 24 per cent.

"It has been a bad week for US-Canada trade relations," Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said in a statement.
Bank of Ireland is understood to have drafted in global headhunting firm Korn Ferry to helm the search for Richie Boucher's replacement.

News of the global search firm's role comes as senior executives in the two main banks voice increasing frustration at the Government-imposed banker pay caps.

The restrictions, which have been in force since 2008, limit executive salaries at the rescued banks to 500,000.

Finance Minister Michael Noonan said the pay limits may be relaxed for the new head of Bank of Ireland - but only for an external candidate - fuelling speculation the Government which still owns a 14pc slice of the lender, will wave through a more generous compensation package.

"If they appoint someone significant from outside, I think the parameters for negotiating pay will be somewhere in line with Richie Boucher's. It will depend on who they find. It's not decided yet," Mr Noonan said earlier this month.

Mr Boucher's total remuneration last year was 958,000.

Yet while Mr Boucher escaped the full force of the restriction, all executives at State-owned AIB remain under the pay cap .

The frustration at the pay cap and restrictions on bonuses remain a bugbear within the bank as the Government prepares to return AIB to the stock exchange by selling close to 3bn worth of shares later this year,

A senior executive at the bank said there was "a limit to the sustainability of this model" and argued that the increased competition for top talent in the wake of Brexit posed serious staff retention challenges.

"We want to be an employer of choice, we want to reward our staff fairly for their efforts and results, and in the absence of us having variable pay that is hard," he said.

He claimed that once the Brexit-related demands for banking staff become clearer the existing pay structure will "be challenged".

However others have questioned whether the domestic banks will face this level of competition, arguing that most of the Brexit jobs will be focused on back office roles.

Korn Ferry, a global executive search firm which acquired Hay Group in 2015, is understood to be acting for Bank of Ireland on a number of roles, including the CEO position.

A bank spokesperson declined to comment on the appointment.

However it is understood the firm's services were also deployed to recruit a new CEO at the Bank of Ireland-owned life assurer, New Ireland.

That search took 18 months with former Willis Towers Watson executive Michael Murphy appointed earlier this month.

Mr Boucher is due to stand down later this year.
After meeting with Brazilian officials in Sap Paulo recently, former F1 supremo isn't confident in the future of the Brazilian Grand Prix at Interlagos.

The 86-year-old was entrusted by F1's new CEO Chase Carey to convince Brazilian officials to secure the future of the race.

But Ecclestone, who returned to the paddock in Bahrain two weeks ago, isn't sure the venue will remain on the calendar beyond 2020.

"Chase (Carey) asked that when I went to Brazil, 'Would I speak to the president about the race', which I had done before," Ecclestone told Brazil's UOL Esporte.

"But it seemed pretty obvious to me that he had several other things to worry about than Formula 1.

"So we went to the mayor of Sao Paulo, but he does not want to spend a single dollar -- he wants to sell the circuit," explained the former F1 supremo.

Ecclestone himself was subsequently linked to a potential bid for the embattled Interlagos facility.

"He (the mayor) asked me if I would be interested. We can get him to agree that when the sale happens, whoever buys it will have to keep the Formula 1 circuit.

"Then it's a case of finding an organiser for the race, which is a bit more difficult," he explained.

"So I think that if we can't do anything, we will lose it, for sure."

However, UOL reports that Interlagos race promoter Tamas Rohonyi was in Paris this week for contract talks with the FIA.

"The race will be there 100 per cent until 2020," Ecclestone added.

GALLERY: F1 drivers' wives and girlfriends

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Stock-market-listed Orthofix International caught one of the analysts' attention in 2012. Stock image

Four years ago, two analysts who liked to swap notes on numbers they thought looked odd took a fateful step and tipped off US regulators about a company that one of them had watched for months.

Stock-market-listed Orthofix International caught one of the analysts' attention in 2012.

The Texas-based medical device maker kept hitting ambitious earnings targets and many analysts had "buy" recommendations for the stock. But the analyst thought something was off.

Earnings reports showed it was taking longer than usual for the company to get paid by wholesale customers, invoices were piling up and executives struggled to offer a convincing explanation, blaming logistical problems at foreign offices.

The analyst spent months tracking quarterly reports and earning calls, and using algorithms to compare Orthofix's ratios and patterns of sales and inventory turnover with financial data of its peers stored in databases such as Compustat.

"I am always on the lookout for something unusual, either just unusually good and underappreciated, or unusually bad," the analyst told Reuters.

"This one showed up as a company that looked like it had the potential to be unusually bad."

In the spring of 2013, he emailed his spreadsheets to a fellow analyst and a friend of more than a decade, with whom he regularly chatted about companies and sectors.

"The way we work together is one person makes a suggestion and the other person challenges it," that friend told Reuters.

"It is like a war game."

In Orthofix's case, what the two analysts pieced together suggested that Orthofix was goosing its earnings by 'channel stuffing'.

If not disclosed to investors, the practice of flooding distributors with more products than they can use or pay for is illegal.

It lets the company smooth earnings by prematurely recognizing revenue, and pushing shortfalls into the future.

Now both men stand to win as much as $2.5m (2.28m) after Orthofix reached an $8.25m (7.5m) settlement in January with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Several former executives also collectively paid $120,000 (109,600) in penalties to resolve accounting fraud charges.

The award might even be bigger, if the SEC also credits the analysts' tip for leading to a second civil settlement concerning foreign corrupt practices charges.

The pair have declined to be publicly identified, citing concerns that to do so might jeopardise their current professional relations.

Referring to its January settlement with the SEC, Orthofix spokeswoman Denise Landry said the company had self-reported to the regulator and fully co-operated with the government during the investigation.

"We are pleased these matters are behind us," she said, declining to comment further.

By entering the SEC whistle-blower program the duo showed how outsiders with analytical skills and tools and time to spare can accomplish what is typically done by those with inside access to confidential information.

The Whistle-blower programme was launched to encourage insiders to report potential fraud.

However, since its inception a third of the more than $111m awarded to whistle-blowers has been to outsiders such as analysts or short-sellers, according to the SEC. (Reuters)
Paul McDade has been appointed CEO of Tullow Oil to replace the firm's founder Aidan Heavey, who will now become Chairman.

"This has been an exceptionally busy few months for Tullow as we agreed to farm down our assets to our partners in Uganda, made substantial changes to our Board and launched a $750m rights issue," Mr Heavey said.

"We have also been working hard on moving towards Full Field Development in both Uganda and Kenya and have made good progress on the Jubilee Turret Remediation Project and optimising production from the TEN field.

"Consequently, as I hand over my role as CEO to Paul McDade, I am confident that Tullow has the financial and operational flexibility to prosper in 2017 and beyond."

Read More

The company released their trading update for the period 1 January to 26 April 2017 ahead of this afternoon's AGM.

Simon Thompson and Ann Grant have retired from the Tullow board while Jeremy Wilson has been appointed Senior Independent Director.

Tullow Oil announced on Tuesday that it had received acceptances for 95.3pc of the shares offered in the planned 25 for 40 rights issue prices at 130p per share.

Earlier this year, Tullow announced its plans to raise over 600m by selling shares at a discount, aimed at reducing the Anglo-Irish oil explorer's debt pile and invest in drilling sites.

The company's founder and outgoing CEO Aidan Heavey has sold almost one-third of his shareholding in recent weeks to raise funds to purchase shares at a lower price in a discounted rights issue.
The below-average salary of Permanent TSB CEO, Jeremy Masding, has drawn support from two influential advisory firms ahead of the State-backed bank's annual general meeting next month.

Glass Lewis which advises major investment houses on corporate governance issues, described Mr Masding's 11.1pc remuneration increase in 2016 as being not "particularly contentious".

The same firm previously raised concerns about the lack of bonus pay at Bank of Ireland.

In a report to investors ahead of this week's Bank of Ireland AGM in Dublin, Glass Lewis said "we remain concerned that executive pay is solely comprised of fixed salary, particularly given the lapsing of the long-term incentive structure".

The firm added that "introducing shareholding requirements for executives would serve to promote greater alignment between the interests of executives and those of shareholders".

No such fears were advanced about PTSB's remuneration structure, where pay is capped.

Institutional Shareholders Services (ISS) also noted that Masding's pay did "not stand out as excessive".

The total remuneration of the PTSB boss rose to 502,000 last year from 452,000 the previous year, low by banking standards.According to ISS, the median salary package for a CEO of a similarly-sized bank is 1.1m.

Last year the PTSB AGM saw protests over the bank's treatment of tracker mortgage customers.
A specialist traders works on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE)

The Irish Stock Exchange (ISE) has launched its 'IPOready' programme for 2017, which is geared towards helping Irish companies prepare for stock market flotations over the next five years.

The programme will offer assistance to companies that are preparing to go public.

IPOready will provide skills to executive teams who are attempting to raise strategic finance. It will also offer training in investor relations as well as how best to scale a business.

The initiative is a 15-month programme which will ensure businesses are ready to attract investment from domestic and international shareholders.

It is being supported by the Irish Strategic Investment Fund and will offer mentoring and presentations from finance leaders and top executives at firms already listed on the ISE.

"The ISE has seen 14 new company listings since 2013," said Aileen O'Donoghue, director of strategy at the ISE.

"Between them they have raised more than 3.5bn from Irish and international investors.

"This demonstrates the enormous benefits on offer for companies who list on public markets."

Enterprise Ireland CEO Julie Sinnamon also encouraged companies to get involved.

"The IPOready programme is a fantastic opportunity for businesses with global ambition to learn and gain insights from investors, executives and advisors who have played a part in the success of world-leading Irish companies," she said.

The programme will be launched at separate events in Dublin, Galway and Cork on May 9, 11 and 12.
Trinity Biotech has facilities in Bray, Co Wicklow, where it employs 165 people. Stock image

The chief executive of Irish medical devices firm Trinity Biotech, Ronan O'Caoimh, got a $127,000 (116,000) bonus last year on top of his $661,000 salary. That is despite the company's shares slumping more than 50pc in one day last year after the company was forced to withdraw an application in the US seeking approval for a product aimed at detecting heart attacks.

Six months later, the shares have still not recovered despite a share buyback programme.

In October, Trinity Biotech said it was writing off $50m (45.7m) that was related to the so-called Troponin I test, as a non-cash charge.

The company also withdrew an application to the US Food and Drug Administration for a device used in conjunction with the test, the Meritas Point-of-Care Analyser. Total impairment charges at the company last year actually totalled $105.8m (96.8m), with $66.3m of that related to the Meritas device.

The company announced the closure of its facility in Sweden where assays for the device were being developed, with the loss of about 40 jobs.

The company also has facilities in Bray, Co Wicklow, where it employs 165 people.

Shares in Trinity Biotech tumbled from $12.99 to $6.46 on the day the news was released last October, and hit a low that day of $5.76. Management then brought forward the date for the release of its results at the time in order to enable it to pursue a share buyback.

It paid a total of $9.9m last year to buy back shares, at an average price of $8.95.

Yesterday, its shares were trading at $5.74.
At one stage AIBs anti-money laundering unit had a backlog of 4,200 alerts it should have reported to the gardai and Revenue (Stock picture)

AIB is a bank that just can't seem to keep its nose clean. The rap sheet includes the collapse of the Insurance Corporation of Ireland in the 1980s, the John Rusnak trading scandal in its US unit, DIRT tax evasion issues and excess foreign exchange charging.

Then there is the writing off of former Taoiseach Charles Haughey's debts, and lately it has been found to have denied thousands of customers tracker mortgages.

Not content with costing us taxpayers almost 21bn to bail it out from 2010 on, it now emerges that the bank could not even carry out basic anti-money laundering reporting functions.

The rules around how banks and other financial institutions report suspicious transactions to the gardai and the Revenue Commissioners have been around since 1995.

That AIB, the biggest bank in the State, was found to have egregiously breached the regulations on anti-money laundering is farcical.

AIB has 2.6 million customers, and almost 300 branches, business centres and offices between it and EBS.

As a retail bank it is at the forefront of the financial system so it beggars belief that its systems for dealing with suspicious transactions were so shoddy.

At one stage AIB's anti-money laundering unit had a backlog of 4,200 alerts it should have reported to the gardai and Revenue. It took the bank 18 months to clear the backlog.

There is no evidence of anyone losing money, or any money laundering occurring through the bank.

Ulster Bank was fined over failures around anti-money laundering a few months ago.

Others that have been fined include small credit unions, Bray, Drimnagh and Community.

Some excuses can be made for credit unions not being up to speed on how to handle suspicious transactions.

AIB, on the other hand, can offer no such excuse. It has failed miserably, again.
The research commissioned by Irish Life found only one in two people know how much their employer contributes to the pension scheme. Stock Image

Only half of working adults say they have access to a company pension plan.

And ignorance about the benefits of saving for a pension is partly to blame for the low take-up of retirement schemes in the private sector.

Almost three out of four workers in the private sector have no pension, other than the State contributory pension.

The research commissioned by Irish Life found only one in two people know how much their employer contributes to the pension scheme.

The research comes as the Government has reiterated its commitment to putting a new pension scheme in place for private sector workers who have no private retirement plan.

The looming pensions crisis led Social Protection Minister Leo Varadkar to suggest a new savings scheme to get workers to pay into their own fund.

Special savings incentive accounts (SSIAs) proved massively popular when they were introduced at the beginning of the century. They featured a State-provided top-up of 25pc of the sum deposited.

The Irish Life-commissioned research found that only 46pc of working adults stated that there is a company pension plan available for them at work.

Savings

Employers are obliged to provide access to a company pension scheme or personal retirement savings account (PRSA), but are not obliged to contribute to the pension.

A survey by iReach for Irish Life found that more than three quarters of workers pay into such a scheme if one exists. However, almost half of those who do make savings into group pension plans have no idea how much their employer pays.

Just 54pc of workers know that saving into a pension is a tax efficient way to save for the future. Irish Life said this showed a lack of awareness among Ireland's workforce.

However, those 55 years and older are more aware of the tax benefits.

Despite this, pension plans that employers contribute to are the second highest valued workplace benefits for employees, after health insurance.

Managing director of Irish Life Corporate Business Tony Lawless said it was a concern people know so little about pensions. "Worryingly, many people still don't understand the tax breaks available on pension savings and more than half of those working say they do not have a group pension available to them," he said.
Expats returning home to Ireland after living abroad for a few years face paying extortionate premiums on their car insurance.

The majority of insurance firms here will not recognise a driver's record of no claims bonus if they have not been insured on a car in the country within the last two years.

Tara Kelly (28) moved to Canada in November 2014 where she drove a rental car for her work commute.

Having returned home shortly before Christmas, December 2016, she soon discovered that her six years no claims bonus would not be considered when obtaining insurance quotes for her new car.

"When I moved to Canada, I was insured with 'ItsForWomen' and I was paying around 300 on my 1.1L Peugeot," she told Independent.ie

"So I bought a little Mini Cooper with a 1.6L and input my details online, which gave me a quote of 550 which I thought was pretty good.

"But when I rang up to provide more details, they told me that my no claims bonus had expired and quoted me thousands."

Unfortunately, if a driver has had no insurance in their own name for two or more years, many insurers will not give them their no claims discount when insurance cover is reapplied for.

Ms Kelly spent the next eight weeks calling up to 30 brokers and insurance companies.

"I had started my new job and I was calling one company a day. Some firms wouldn't even consider insuring me - and the handful that were quoted around 3,000 to 4,000."

It was through a Facebook group for returning expats that Tara found some people in similar situations - and some advice on where to turn to next.

Read More

Through a recommended broker, who deal with around 15 insurance companies, Ms Kelly found that Allianz Insurance were willing to accept her no claims bonus - even though it was four months after the usual two year expiry date.

If you have been driving abroad with a full licence, the companies that will be willing to insure you will assess each case individually - with much depending on where exactly you have been living and driving.

For returning immigrants from Canada or Australia, for instance, insurance with its4women.ie is accessible - once a person has lived in Ireland for three years at any point in their lives.

The firm also accepts a European no claims bonus as long as it is translated into English and shows all the consecutive years insured in the policyholders name.

Gary McClarty, MD of MCL Insurance Services, operator of its4women.ie told Independent.ie that the company accepts no claims bonuses for up and not beyond two years.

"As long as the vehicle in question is based within Europe and the driver can provide us with a UK or Irish specification, there will be no impact on their premium quote," he said.

The firm's policy regarding no claims bonuses and their viability is very similar to other insurers including AXA and "is consistent for all of our drivers".

Other providers

FDB, too, recognise validated driving experienced in the UK, while experience gained in other countries will be assessed on a case by case basis.

However, this insurer is willing to consider insuring a driver where the no claims bonus has expired within the two years "subject to us receiving satisfactory explanation for the gap in cover and/or details of other driving experience during that time".

And, "if the expiry is over two years we will assess these on a case by case basis taking into account all the circumstances and in particular if the customer had other driving experience during the period".

Read More

Another insurer willing to be slightly flexible with recognising driving experience abroad is Aviva who will look at the no claims bonus history overall and "this may impact favourably on their premium quote".

What is being done

Insurance Ireland are currently examining similar issues with a view to putting an information protocol in place to assist returning emigrants.

CEO Kevin Thompson said that the group recently welcomed the publication of the Governments Cost of Insurance Working Group Report as a framework to address the rising cost of claims and its impact on the motor insurance market.

Insurance Ireland had been lobbying for policy change after publishing 'Driving Change' in 2015, a report which highlighted how personal injury awards, such as the average whiplash award, were up to three times that of the UK (15,000 vs 5,000).

"The Governments Cost of Insurance Working Group Report details, among other issues, specific actions required for areas such as returning emigrants where it is putting in place a standard protocol for insurance companies in order to ensure a greater consistency of treatment," he told independent.ie.
Web Summit founder Paddy Cosgrave praised the role of the IDA in supporting the event since its foundation

Web Summit founder Paddy Cosgrave is considering a return to Dublin with a financial technology conference.

Mr Cosgrave, whose Dublin headquarters is to expand by another 40 jobs this year, said that the company's Moneyconf conference is likely to leave its Madrid base next year.

"We're now looking at other cities, including Edinburgh, Paris and Dublin," he told the Irish Independent.

Although the Moneyconf event is smaller than the Web Summit, holding it in Dublin would mark a new phase in the relationship between Mr Cosgrave and Irish authorities.

"We're back working with the Irish Government," he said. "The Web Summit's most important supporter from the start, by a wide margin, was the IDA. They're back as one of our partners. There's a lot of positivity and a lot of change. It's an interesting time for Ireland and not just because of Brexit."

The move comes as the Web Summit announced 40 new jobs for its Dublin office, including a new position for an Irish government affairs manager. This role, Mr Cosgrave said, will be "multi-faceted".

Two years ago, tempers flared between Web Summit founders and the government over the decision to relocate the global even to Lisbon. But with improved relations between Web Summit executives and Irish authorities, the company is once again eyeing Dublin as a potential conference venue.

"Cities in Europe, Asia and the US are actively pursuing us for larger conferences and also for smaller ones such as Moneyconf," he said. "My co-founder David [Kelly] dedicates a lot of time to travelling around the world."

Last year the Web Summit registered over 53,000 attendees to Lisbon. Mr Cosgrave said that was double the number that attended the previous Web Summit held in Dublin in 2015. He said that 60,000 attendees are expected to attend the event this year, including tech company CEOs, political leaders and personalities from sports, fashion and music.

Mr Cosgrave said that the 40 new jobs at the company's Dublin headquarters would take the organisation to over 180 people.

The new jobs are in sales, engineering and policy.

"We figured out how to get a tremendous amount of attendees and now we're getting good at attracting partners and exhibitors, like Mercedes," he said.

Mr Cosgrave said that he is also now looking to spin out more individual conferences from the Web Summit."Moneyconf came out of Web Summit and is now an invitation-only event for 1,000 stakeholders, including all the interesting startups, a lot of the bigger banks like Goldman Sachs and big payment players such as Alipay and Visa," he said.

The WebSummit was co-founded by Paddy Cosgrave, journalist Daire Hickey and accountant David Kelly.
The White House has confirmed that President Donald Trump will seek to lower US corporation tax to 15pc as part of his tax reform plans.

Details released on Wednesday by the White House show that in addition to the lower 15pc corporate tax rate, Trump also wants to offer tax cuts to average Americans.

Under US law, only Congress can make major changes to the tax code. Lawmakers initially greeted Trump's plan as a starting point for further discussion on overhauling the tax rate for large corporations.

During a briefing at the White House US Treasury Secretary, Steve Mnuchin, failed to provide detailed information on how the reforms would be implemented, but insisted the Trump administration was working in tandem with Congress to iron out the final details.

Mr Mnuchin also declined to clarify the administrations position on a mooted border tax that would have major implications for companies sending goods to the US from Ireland.

He said there would be a one-time tax applied to US profits held overseas that he claimed would generate trillions of dollars in revenues for the government.

A reduction to 15pc would bring the US rate down close to Irelands rate of 12.5pc, which is the lowest of any developed EU State. However, analysts have said that many of the US companies based here choose Ireland as hub because of its role within in the EU, a fact that will remain whatever the outcome of the US reforms.

Reacting to the news that the much-talked about lower corporation tax rate is to be pursued by the president, a spokesman for the Department of Finance said the details of the full changes would determine their impact on Ireland.

"The exact implications of US tax reform for Ireland, and the rest of the world, will depend on the exact nature of any changes which are ultimately agreed," the spokesman said.

"Irelands membership of the EU is, and will remain, a key factor in attracting FDI from the US and elsewhere. Global business, from the US or elsewhere, will always want to have operations in the EU, and Ireland will remain very competitive and attractive as an EU location to invest in and do business from."

American Chamber CEO, Mark Redmond, outlined what the 15pc US corporation tax rate could mean for the US multinationals operating here.

"Its important to point out that it is a proposal at this stage and has yet to be passed by Congress and Senate," Mr Redmond told Independent.ie.

"US companies operating here have made deep investments in their businesses here over many years. What we hear from our US corporate leadership is that their Irish operations and their teams here continue to be critical to their global commercial success

"A key factor is that Ireland is their base from which to trade into the EMEA markets. Ireland has always performed very strongly in the global battle for FDI, offering tax certainty and, even more importantly to our members, access to a strong talent pool of employees. On that basis, we believe they are and will remain strongly committed to their Irish operations."

Mr Redmond said he believes US multinationals will continue to work in Ireland.

"We cant speculate on what might happen in the future, but Ireland has always competed very successfully on the world stage for US FDI. While it is very important not to be complacent, and we must constantly look for ways in which to improve our competitiveness, we expect that the Irish Government and the IDA will remain committed and successful in the pursuit of US FDI opportunities for Ireland."

Meanwhile, Ibec's Director of Policy and Public Affairs, Fergal O'Brien expressed skepticism about the US administration's ability to deliver what they are promising.

"There will be plenty of obstacles to overcome to reach implementation stage of the proposal to cut the US headline corporate tax rate to 15pc; not least that it represents a massive fiscal cost of $2 trillion over its first ten years.

"Even if the US succeeds in delivering a substantial rate cut, the proposition for US firms to invest in Ireland remains compelling."

Irelands low rate of tax for corporations has resulted in a huge influx of US firms over the past couple of decades.

Mr Trump heavily criticised US firms who sent jobs overseas during his election campaign and has since followed that up with an executive order known as Buy American, Hire American.

Speaking at an event held prior to the announcement Ms Mnuchin had said the lower corporate tax rate was "what the President said on the campaign".

"He thinks that absolutely critical to drive growth.

US companies employ more than 140,000 people directly in Ireland, and Ireland's favourable corporate tax rate of 12.5pc has long been viewed as one of the biggest incentives for US companies here.

Additional reporting by Reuters
Clear your schedules, Disney has finally announced a release date for Frozen 2, the sequel to the highest-grossing animated flick of all time.

You'll have to wait a while, however, as it's not slated for release until November 27, 2019, a whopping six years after Frozen hit the big screen and became an instant classic.

The long wait may be due to the filmmakers' determination to make it a worthy addition.

Co-director Chris Buck previously said, "How do we live up to the phenomenon of the first one? There's a lot of pressure. And we'll put that on ourselves too, we'll be very demanding about how good this one has to be."

Kristen Bell will reprise the roll of Anna.

Also slated for release in 2019 is are Toy Story 4 and The Lion King live action. 2020, meanwhile, will see the as-yet-untitled Indiana Jones and three 3D Marvel films.

Here's the full list of upcoming Disney releases:

2017 films

5/5/17 GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 2 (3D)

5/26/17 PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MEN TELL NO TALES (3D)

Video of the Day

6/16/17 CARS 3 (3D)

11/3/17 THOR: RAGNAROK (3D)

Wed 11/22/17 COCO (3D)

12/15/17 STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI (3D)

2018 films

2/16/18 BLACK PANTHER (3D)

3/9/18 A WRINKLE IN TIME (3D)

4/6/18 MAGIC CAMP

5/4/18 AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR (3D)

5/25/18 UNTITLED HAN SOLO STAR WARS ANTHOLOGY FILM (3D)

6/15/18 THE INCREDIBLES 2 (3D)

7/6/18 ANT-MAN AND THE WASP (3D)

8/3/18 UNTITLED DISNEY FAIRY TALE (Live Action)

11/2/18 MULAN (Live Action) (3D)

Wed 11/21/18 RALPH BREAKS THE INTERNET: WRECK-IT RALPH 2 (3D)

Tues 12/25/18 MARY POPPINS RETURNS

2019 films

3/8/19 CAPTAIN MARVEL (3D)

3/29/19 UNTITLED DISNEY FAIRY TALE (Live Action)

4/12/19 UNTITLED DISNEYTOON STUDIOS

5/3/19 UNTITLED AVENGERS (3D)

5/24/19 STAR WARS: EPISODE IX (3D)

6/21/19 TOY STORY 4 (3D)

7/19/19 THE LION KING (Live Action) (3D)

8/9/19 UNTITLED DISNEY LIVE ACTION

11/8/19 UNTITLED DISNEY FAIRY TALE (Live Action)

Wed 11/27/19 FROZEN 2 (3D)

12/20/19 UNTITLED DISNEY FAIRY TALE (Live Action)

2020 films

3/13/20 UNTITLED PIXAR ANIMATION (3D)

4/3/20 UNTITLED DISNEY LIVE ACTION

5/1/20 UNTITLED MARVEL (3D)

6/19/20 UNTITLED PIXAR ANIMATION (3D)

7/10/20 UNTITLED INDIANA JONES

8/7/20 UNTITLED MARVEL (3D)

11/6/20 UNTITLED MARVEL (3D)

Wed 11/25/20 GIGANTIC (3D)

2021 films

3/12/21 UNTITLED DISNEY LIVE ACTION

6/18/21 UNTITLED PIXAR ANIMATION (3D)

Wed 11/24/21 UNTITLED DISNEY ANIMATION (3D)
The Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) has rejected seven complaints against Newstalk, seven complaints against RTE Radio 1 and one complaint against TodayFM.

Listeners made complaints to the broadcasting watchdog about a number of topics they deemed unsuitable for radio.

One of the complaints made against Newstalk, refers to an interview on Newstalk Lunchtime by Jonathan Healy with Deputy Michael Martin.

A segment of the interview concerned Mary Boyle, who went missing as a child in Donegal in 1977.

The complainant had met with Mr Martin weeks before the broadcast to discuss the case, alongside Mary's twin sister Anne. She said that comments made to Mr Martin during their meeting were discussed during the show and the complainant was unhappy with the way she was represented on air.

The BAI notes that the complainant was offered a right to reply but this was rejected. It also notes that the complainant's comments used on air did not contain a personal view.

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The Pat Kenny Show also had a complaint against it for talking about chemsex and the problems it poses on gay men. The complainant felt the topic was unsuitable for an 11am broadcast, as children could be listening to the show.

Newstalk stated that The Pat Kenny Show regularly discusses topics of a diverse nature but the subject of chemsex was "well-handled with a mature approach and at no point did the discussion become gratuitous". It also noted that only 2.2 percent of its audience is under 18 and two extensive warnings about the subject matter were provided before the broadcast.

The TodayFM complaint relates to Katie Hopkins' appearance on The Last Word. The controversial columnist was joined by Irish Times journalist Huge Linehan to discuss a report by the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI).

The complainant states that, as a migrant in Ireland, she found the language used by Ms Hopkins during the interview to be "coarse and offensive". It was also suggested that her use of hate speech, broadcast at a time when people are doing the school run, was traumatising to anyone with a personal experience of asylum.

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The BAI has said that Ms Hopkins views had not gone unchallenged. In one instance, Mr Linehan pointed out that when people like Ms Hopkins are allowed to express their anti-immigration views, then it is incumbent upon all of us to call them out as fascist bigots.

One of the seven complaints against RTE Radio 1 refers to a segment during Morning Ireland, specifically an interview with Cora Sherlock, Deputy Chairperson of the Pro-Life campaign.

Video of the Day

The complainant claims that during the interview on the subject of the Citizens' Assembly and the Eighth Amendment, a journalist claimed that the Constitution provided for equality between the mother and the foetus. The complainant argued that the use of the word 'foetus' was "inaccurate and propagandist journalism".

The BAI agreed with RTE's defence that the word 'foetus' had only been used in the introduction to the show and Ms Sherlock used the term 'unborn' throughout the interview. The BAI also noted that the word 'foetus' is a medical term and it did not consider its use to be misleading or incorrect.

The BAI published all decisions on complaints made about RTE Radio 1, Newstalk and TodayFM. Details can be viewed here.
The Government could save more than 340m by creating a new route for the Cork-Limerick motorway to exploit the existing M8 Dublin-Cork road.

Government planners are set to examine the option on the basis that it would also offer the double advantage of creating a key segment of the M24/N24 Limerick-Tipperary-Rosslare motorway.

However, Cork and Limerick politicians have hit out at any suggestion the long-awaited M20 motorway could be diverted through Tipperary just to save money.

Cork County Council members have already rejected any such alternative route - warning it would spell future economic disaster for towns and villages in north Cork and south Limerick.

While no formal proposal has yet been made, it is understood Government planners are considering alternatives to the existing M20 route through Mallow, Charleville, Croom and Raheen because of its estimated 840m to 1bn construction cost.

A Cork-Limerick route through Mallow, Charleville and Croom is 105km long.

However, a spur from Cahir in Tipperary, off the main M8 Dublin-Cork motorway, to Limerick is just 63km.

At an average motorway construction cost of 8m per kilometre, according to Engineers Ireland figures, that would represent a cost saving of 340m for the Government.

However, whereas the direct Cork-Limerick route is 105km, any new diverted motorway via Cahir would involve a total distance between Ireland's second and third cities of 141km.

Councillor Frank O'Flynn said the situation was "a joke".

"The biggest losers here will be the towns and villages in north Cork and south Limerick and their economic development," he said.

"I would ask the Government to put the funding in place for the M20 - we are now the laughing stock of Europe with our second and third cities not connected by a proper motorway."
A child minder on trial accused of causing serious harm to a ten-month-old baby told gardai that the child was not violently shaken or assaulted while in her care.

Sandra Higgins (36) told gardai during her interview that she drove the child to hospital after the infant suffered a seizure at her home. She said she had cared for the baby like her own children.

Ms Higgins of The Beeches, Drumgola Wood, Cavan town, has pleaded not guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to intentionally or recklessly causing serious harm to the baby at her home on March 28, 2012.

Detective Garda Linda Harkin told Alice Fawsitt SC, prosecuting, that she was made aware on March 30, 2012 that there was a suspicion of non-accidental injury to a baby and she attended at Cavan General Hospital to speak with the consultant paediatrician, Dr Alan Finan.

She said Dr Finan told her that the child had come into the hospital in the care of Ms Higgins who had given an account of the child having a seizure prior to her arrival.

The doctor told Det Gda Harkin that the child had unusual bruising to her head, face and buttocks. He said there was evidence of a subdural haematoma and two healing rib fractures, estimated to be four weeks old. He said there was a bilateral haemorrhage behind her eye.

The child was no longer at the hospital at this time, having been transferred to Temple Street.

Det Gda Harkin said she later got a report from Dr Finan and on April 13, 2012 attended at Ms Higgins home where she was arrested and taken to a garda station for interview.

The court heard that Ms Higgins told gardai that she had been minding the child since June 2011, when she was six weeks old. She said that the child was treated like one of our own and she had a good relationship with the child's mother.

She said there had been incidents of the child falling in her home. She agreed with gardai that she had completed incident reports for two earlier events only after the child was hospitalised.

Ms Higgins told gardai that the child had been unwell in the weeks prior to the incident and had been on antibiotics. She said the child was quiet when her mother dropped her off.

She said the baby had two naps during the day and her cheeks were flushed when she was woken after the second nap. She said the child went very quiet and was sitting still like she was in a trance.

The child minder said the infant fell forward, onto her side and then stomach. She said her whole body was jerking all over the floor before she started to vomit.

Ms Higgins told gardai that after the seizure stopped, the child started choking and gasping. She said her body was limp and cold. The child vomited again in the car on the way to the hospital.

She told gardai that the child had falls in her home but she had never assaulted her.

After gardai read over the child's injuries to her, Ms Higgins told them I never caused any injuries of any kind. She denied suggestions of violently shaking or assaulting the child.

She told gardai she was shocked at the allegations and when asked how she felt about the child's injuries she replied disgust and shock.

The trial continues before Judge Martin Nolan and a jury of six men and six women. There is a court order prohibiting publication of anything that would identify the child.
A professionally trained childminder has gone on trial charged with causing serious harm to a 10-month-old baby.

The child's mother told the trial of Sandra Higgins (36) that her daughter was "fine" on the morning of March 28, 2012 when she brought her to the defendant's home.

Ms Higgins, of The Beeches, Drumgola Wood, Cavan, has pleaded not guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to intentionally or recklessly causing serious harm to the baby at her home.

Alice Fawsitt SC, prosecuting, told the jury they would hear evidence that when Ms Higgins presented the child at Cavan General Hospital, the baby was suffering seizures and had extensive bruising around the face and head.

Opening the State's case, Ms Fawsitt said that a medical expert would say that "shaken baby syndrome" was the most likely cause of these seizures and retinal haemorrhaging and a detached retina.

She said they would hear evidence that these injuries could not have occurred accidentally.

The child's mother told Ms Fawsitt that she travelled to the hospital after receiving a call from Ms Higgins, telling her that the baby had suffered a seizure. "Sandra told me that my daughter was sitting down on the floor playing when she vomited and had a seizure," the mother said.

Dr Alan Finan, a consultant paediatrician at Cavan General Hospital, told the court that two of his colleagues briefed him as to the child's condition on admission.

"She was unconscious, actively seizing, her limbs were jerking, she was pale and not responding as a normal 10-month-old would," he said.

"She was not responsive and had no interest in her surroundings."

He said that the child was given oxygen and medicine for convulsions.

Dr Finan described what he termed "extensive bruising" to the child's face and head, on both sides of her forehead, and a significant underlying swelling on her hairline.

He also referred to bruising in her groin area and left buttock and described multiple small "fingertip" bruises on her back.

He said it was his "conclusive view" the injuries happened on the day the child was hospitalised. He said this was the only credible explanation.

However, defence counsel Remy Farrell told the court that in the doctor's initial report, dated April 2, he stated that "precise dating of [the] injuries is not possible at this time".

In the report, he said this dating could be made upon further evaluation.

The baby's mother said Ms Higgins kept a diary each day which was handed over during the Garda investigation. She testified that she believed some of the entries about injuries and illness had been changed or added after March 28.

Mr Farrell put it to her that the notebook had been forensically examined and there was no evidence that entries had been made after the fact.

The trial continues before Judge Martin Nolan and a jury. There is a court order prohibiting publication of anything that would identify the child.
Patrick and Angela McMahon who appeared before the Circuit Civil Court in Dublin yesterday(Wed) in relation to their home at 1 Park Lodge, Laurel Lodge, Castleknock, Dublin. Photo: Collins Courts

A Dublin couple, who reneged on their mortgage repayments just under four years ago, lost their upmarket Castleknock home to the Governor and Company of the Bank of Ireland today Wednesday.

Judge Jacqueline Linnane in the Circuit Civil Court said in a reserved judgment that Patrick and Angela McMahon had borrowed 960,000 to purchase their family home at 1 Park Lodge, Laurel Lodge, Castleknock.

She told barrister Nevin Powell, counsel for the bank, that there was no dispute between the bank and the McMahons that the last instalment made by them was a 200 payment on July 1, 2013.

Mr Powell, who appeared with McDowell Purcell Solicitors, had told the court that arrears had risen to 288,577 and the overall debt to the bank was now over 1,380,000.

Judge Linnane said Mr and Mrs McMahon had raised a number of issues in their defence against the banks possession application, all of which the court rejected.

She said the McMahons had claimed the banks bid to re-possess their home had fallen short because it had failed to note in its evidence what time of day its affidavits had been made and sworn.

The defendants had also accused the bank of reckless lending which, the judge said did not exist in law, and alleged that the terms of their mortgage contract had been unfair. She said there was an onus on anyone signing a document to read it before doing so. Judge Linnane said numerous adjournments had been granted to both sides to facilitate progressing their case.

The judge said that in her view the banks proofs were in order and the defendants had failed to establish any defence to its application for possession of the property. Granting the bank an order for possession the judge said she would give the McMahons a stay of four months on the execution of her order.

Costs of the overall proceedings were awarded against the McMahons who said they intended to appeal against the judgment to the High Court.
An Estonian man charged with conspiracy to murder a friend of the Hutch family has been further remanded in custody.

Gardai from the Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau supported by members of the Special Crime Task Force, Emergency Response Unit and Armed Support Unit raided a premises in west Dublin on the morning of April 4. Three men were arrested as part of an investigation into the Hutch-Kinahan feud.

Imre Arakas (58) with an address at Sopruse, Tallinn, Estonia, was charged earlier this month and remanded in custody.

He is accused of conspiring with others not before the courts to murder James Gately in Northern Ireland between April 3 and April 4. The offence is under Section 71 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006.

He faced his third hearing on Wednesday at Cloverhill District Court.

Judge Victor Blake further remanded him in custody to appear again on May 10 next. He has not yet indicated how he will plead to the charge.

At his first hearing, on April 6, a court was told he made no reply to the charge and due to the nature of the charge a bail application could only be made in the High Court.

Directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) have been sought.

Legal aid was allowed following submissions that he was unemployed and unable to pay a lawyer.

The other two other men arrested in connection with this investigation have been released from Garda custody without charge. A file is being prepared for the DPP.
Michael Ferris (centre) who appeared at Tralee District Court this morning. Anthony O'Mahony (inset) Pic:Mark Condren

A FARMER charged with the murder of a Kerry neighbour using a teleporter agri-machine has been remanded in ongoing custody.

Michael 'Mike' Ferris (62), who is charged with the murder of Anthony O'Mahony (74), appeared before Tralee District Court today.

The charge refers to a time shortly before 9am on Tuesday April 4 last.

Mr Ferris of Rattoo, Ballyduff, Co Kerry was charged on April 5 with the murder of Mr O'Mahony at Rattoo just 2km outside the north Kerry village and close to a tillage holding he farmed.

Judge James O'Connor was told today that the State was applying for a further remand in custody.

Listowel solicitor, Risteard Pierse, who is representing Mr Ferris, said the remand application was being consented to.

Judge O'Connor said he would remand Mr Ferris, with all continuing recommendations as to medical treatment, in ongoing custody to appear again before Tralee District Court on May 10 next.

Mr Ferris appeared in court wearing blue denims, a red check shirt and a navy jumper.

He did not speak during the court appearance.

Judge O'Connor was previously given evidence of arrest, caution and charge by Detective Sergeant John Heaslip.

Det Sergeant Heaslip told the court that after being cautioned and charged Mr Ferris made no reply to arresting Gardai.

Bail can only be granted by the High Court for anyone facing a murder charge.

Mr O'Mahony died from multiple trauma injuries after his vehicle was in collision with a heavy teleporter agri-machine on April 4.

The incident occurred directly outside land in Rattoo he had ploughed the previous weekend.

The fatal incident occurred within sight of the famous Rattoo Round Tower.

Mr O'Mahony was pronounced dead at the scene before he could be rushed to Tralee hospital.

He farmed a holding directly across the road from Mr Ferris' home.

However, Mr O'Mahony lived around 3km away on the other side of Ballyduff village in Causeway.

Both men were known to each other for years.

Mr O'Mahony, who was described locally as "a genius" in the tillage farming sector, was unmarried and had no children.

However, he has a large extended family in the Causeway area.
A grassroots move within the ASTI to bring an end to industrial action in schools is being resisted by the union leadership.

It is understood that about 500 members of the Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland (ASTI) have so far signed a petition to support a special convention to consider a suspension of all action, pending the outcome of the upcoming round of pay negotiations involving all public service unions.

While ASTI industrial action has not closed schools since November, an ongoing campaign of resistance is causing considerable disruption in about 500 second-level schools.

The move to seek the convention started last Sunday, following some robust debate at the ASTI annual conference last week, where a significant number of delegates challenged the unions current dispute strategy.

The growing concerns of rank-and-file members was evident at the conference, with one delegate describing the ASTI as a hermit kingdom and the North Korea of the trade union movement.

Almost 450 ASTI members resigned in the first three months of year, and the conference heard that the figure would continue to increase.

The ASTI is the only union not to have accepted the Lansdowne Road Agreement (LRA), which means members are not benefitting from pay restoration measures and earlier access to permanent contracts for young teachers. ASTI members are also refusing to co-operate with junior cycle reforms.

The petition that has been circulating since Sunday seeking support for the convention was proposed by former ASTI president Brendan Broderick and seconded by long-standing activist, Noel Buckley. They also made unsuccessful attempts at the conference to have a debate on suspension industrial action.

The petition has sparked a feisty response from ASTI president Ed Byrne who has posted a notice on the union website describing it as an unofficial letter, which had not been approved by the officers of the union.

Mr Byrne states that the letter is undoubtedly misleading and points out that the majority of conference delegates voted not to allow the same motion on to the floor last week, and that it had also been defeated at recent meetings of the unions executive committee and its 23-member governing body, the Standing Committee .

Mr Byrne adds: The motion attempts to overturn a national ballot where a majority of 5pc on a 75pc turnout rejected the November proposals. This confirmed earlier rejections of Junior Cycle reform and the Lansdowne Road Agreement. I believe that the attempt albeit within the rules to bring the motion to a Special Convention is a denial of the sovereign right of the members in a ballot.

For these reasons I urge you to respect the mandate of the ballot. Otherwise, how can we ever again accept or reject an offer in a ballot of members
A number of abortions have been carried out to save the lives of pregnant women in St Vincent's Hospital in Dublin since new legislation came into force, the Irish Independent has learned.

The terminations were performed under the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Act 2013, a spokeswoman for the hospital confirmed.

The revelation comes as the controversy over the decision to give ownership of the new National Maternity Hospital to the Sisters of Charity, when it transfers from Holles Street to the campus of St Vincent's, rumbled on yesterday.

Former master Peter Boylan remained defiant and insisted he would not resign from the Holles Street board at a meeting today, despite getting a text message from deputy chairman Nicholas Kearns and master Dr Rhona Mahony on Sunday asking him to step down.

"I feel a loyalty to the women of Ireland," he said, repeating his concerns that ownership of the hospital by a religious order could lead to some services not being provided to patients.

He called on the Sisters of Charity, who control the St Vincent's Healthcare Group which owns the public and private hospitals as well as the surrounding land at the St Vincent's campus, to give over the maternity hospital site fully to the State in order to resolve the row.

"As long the sisters own the land on which the hospital is built, it creates problems," he added.

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The Sisters of Charity did not respond to the Irish Independent yesterday when asked if they were willing to relinquish ownership of the site.

Holles Street board member Brendan Carr, who is a Labour councillor and Dublin Lord Mayor, yesterday backed Dr Boylan's right to publicly express his views if he believes he is acting in the best interest of the hospital.

He said it was not right to ask him to resign without putting it to the full board.

Sinn Fein councillor Micheal MacDonncha, who is also on the hospital board, said he voted for the deal with St Vincent's to go ahead, "but recent developments, particularly the commentary from the representatives of the Sisters of Charity, have undermined my confidence in that agreement".

Former Holles Street master Declan Keane said he supported the move, but would have preferred to have had a board meeting before any decision was taken to ask Dr Boylan to resign. It is understood that no motion will come before today's meeting of the board to call for Dr Boylan's resignation.

Current Master of Holles Street Dr Mahony last night insisted the board was not trying to silence the biggest critic of the project. She told RTE's 'Prime Time': "Not at all. It's simply a matter of corporate governance, and that's for the chairman and the rest of the board. The deal absolutely guarantees operational independence.

"We will continue to give contraception, IVF, to terminate pregnancies if someone is going to die. We will continue to deliver services in accordance with the law."

A meeting of the board of St Vincent's Healthcare Group, which is reviewing its involvement in the plan, takes place tomorrow. In a statement yesterday, the group's chairman, James Menton, reiterated that "any medical procedure which is in accordance with the laws of the Republic of Ireland will be carried out at the new maternity hospital".

Yesterday's Irish Independent reported the former master of the National Maternity Hospital in Holles Street, Dr Boylan, had been asked by text message to resign from the board by his deputy chairman Nicholas Kearns and the Master of the Rotunda. It was, of course, the Master of Holles Street Rhona Mahony - not the Master of the Rotunda - who asked him to resign. We are happy to clarify this matter.
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has announced the first 25 merged territorial communities, which will receive assistance implementing decentralization reforms.

"You must become the face of decentralization at the end of this project, which today we launch. We aim to help you and government create these communities and conditions for the decentralization project," First Deputy Regional Development Construction and Communal Service Minister Viacheslav Nehoda said during the awards ceremony in Kyiv on Wednesday.

Among the winners, six are from Dnipropetrovsk region, three from Ivano-Frankivsk region, two from Kirovohrad region, five from Mykolaiv region, six from Ternopil region, one from Kharkhiv region, and two from Kherson region.

The project aims to increase the quality of communal services, administrative management and offer technical assistance, foster cooperation between municipalities and develop infrastructure and entrepreneurial projects.

USAID's Decentralization Offering Better Results and Efficiency (DOBRE) project will assist 75 territorial communities in seven key regions.

"We will identify all the communities this year. It will be a gradual process," the deputy minister said.

The project will last five years and cost U.S. taxpayers $50 million.
An artist's impression of the new National Children's Hospital

Minister for Health, Simon Harris pictured with his 'Builders' , Daryl Kennedy Kiely (6) and his brother Devin Kennedy Kiely (13) and sister Ella Kennedy Kiely (9) (rt) and Anthony Iannucci (10) (Pic: Colin O'Riordan)

Minister for Health, Simon Harris pictured with his 'Builders' , Daryl Kennedy Kiely (6) and his brother Devin Kennedy Kiely (13) and sister Ella Kennedy Kiely (9) (rt) and Anthony Iannucci (10) (Pic: Colin O'Riordan)

Devin Kennedy Kiely (13) and sister Ella Kennedy Kiely (9) with brother Daryl Kennedy Kiely (6) pictured looking at a model of the new hospital (Pic: Colin O'Riordan)

The national childrens hospital, which was given the final green light by the Cabinet today, will be open by 2021.

After first being mooted almost a decade ago, construction on the facility can finally start within weeks.

Builders are expected to soon begin work on the site at St Jamess Hospital to lay the foundations of the 1.07bn hospital.

Some 1.004bn is coming from the Exchequer -made up of 916m exchequer capital and 88m for ICT.

But 67m will have to be found from fund raising and commercial sources through car parking and retail outlets.

Health Minister Simon Harris said the contracts to build the hospital, as well as two satellite centres in Connolly Hospital and Tallaght Hospital, has been already awarded which means the project can proceed without delay".

Today is a huge step forward for the childrens hospital project, ending years of doubt as to whether it would ever be built. Today, there is no more doubt," he said.

Our children have waited a long time for this new hospital but there is light at the end of the tunnel now.

Site clearance work, which began last year, is almost complete and so well start building works in the next few weeks.

"I anticipate that the new hospital, which will serve all of the children of all Ireland, will open in 2021, with the two outpatient and urgent care centres at Tallaght and Connolly opening well in advance at the end 2018 and the first quarter of 2019.

The hospital will offer all single rooms, en-suite as well as in-room parent accommodation.

It will include:

300 generic inpatient rooms

60 critical care inpatient rooms incorporating paediatric intensive care/high dependency and neonatology intensive care/high dependency

20 child and adolescent mental health beds (incorporating eating disorders and acute Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS).

Announcing the news project director of the National Paediatric Hospital Development Board, John Pollock, defended the hefty price tag attached to the hospital.

Cost experts, Linesight have conducted international benchmarking exercises and they have demonstrated that the construction cost of the hospital compares favourably with hospitals recently built in the UK, the US and in the Middle East," he said.
A majority of consultants at the National Maternity Hospital have endorsed plans to relocate the hospital to the site of St Vincent's University Hospital in Dublin.

In a letter to the maternity's hospital's deputy chair Nicholas Kearns, the consultants said that governance agreements with St Vincent's and the Department of Health will give the new 300m hospital "complete clinical autonomy".

They wrote: "The clinical arguments must not be derailed by sensationalist misrepresentation."

The letter, signed by almost all of the hospital's 30 consultants as well as its Master Rhona Mahony and Clinical Director Declan Keane, said the religious order Sisters of Charity - who owns the St Vincent's Hospital Group - will not be involved in the operation of the new maternity hospital.

It aims to defuse the public outcry which has led to concerns about giving over ownership of the new maternity hospital to the Sisters of Charity.

Agreement

It comes as Health Minister Simon Harris published the agreement worked out between Holles Street and St Vincent's. The document says the hospital will be required to treat patients "without religious, ethnic or other distinction".

The consultant with primary responsibility for the care of a patient will decide what services are required and in which location they be provided.

It confirms the maternity hospital will be run by an independent company which has reserved powers to protect its autonomy.

The board will be comprised of nine directors. They will include four from St Vincent's, four from the National Maternity Hospital and one who will be an independent international expert on obstetrics.

The independent expert will be chosen from a list of candidates drawn up by both groups and will be assessed by a selection committee.

Board members who are "aggrieved" will be allowed to consult the Minister for Health of the day.

St Vincent's Healthcare will be the sole owner of the company controlling the hospital but will be subject to the Minister for Health holding a "golden share".

It says the deal must be underpinned by a legal agreement.

Mr Harris said last night that he and his officials are to meet with the two hospitals shortly.

He is hoping that each side will spend a month clarifying issues and said the application for planning permission will have a decision by September.

Meanwhile, the planning files show that 244 beds will be provided, each of which will be a private room with en suite facilities, unlike the existing hospital where few private rooms are offered.

Holles Street is just 14,000 square metres, and the new facility at St Vincent's will be almost 51,000 square metres.

Delivery

Some 9,355 babies were born in Holles Street in 2015, and the new facility will cater for 10,000. Holles Street has 10 delivery rooms, and the new facility will have 24.

"Some 72pc of the overall floorspace [in maternity services] is determined by the requirements to support over 10,000 births per annum and the clinical space planning requirements associated with same," the planning files state.

The five operating theatres will be located on the fourth floor, with direct access through a walkway to St Vincent's.

Both hospitals will be linked with a corridor.
Motorists face having speeding fines linked to their salaries under radical new road safety proposals.

Higher earners would have to pay more if caught breaking the limit, which could mean a driver on 50,000 a year paying 1,000.

It is understood the earnings-based plan is being strongly considered by the Road Safety Authority (RSA) and details of it will be sent to Transport Minister Shane Ross.

Experts want to look at tougher deterrents and penalties for those who break speed limits. Speed is known to contribute to a high proportion of deaths and injuries on our roads.

A spokesman from the RSA confirmed to the Irish Independent the income-linked system was being seriously considered.

He said the authority's chief executive, Moyagh Murdock, fully supported the idea of linking how much you pay in speeding fines to how much you earn. The spokesman said it expected to submit the proposals to the Department of Transport as soon as possible.
A number of tenants who were ordered to vacate their homes by the summer as the properties were put up for sale, have said they have been "assured" they will be able to remain in their homes under a new proposed agreement with the Simon Community of Ireland homeless charity.

However, five of the eight tenants remain under threat of eviction, according to the tenants representative Alan McCarthy.

It follows revelations on RTE's Today with Sean O'Rourke, that the mid-west branch of the Simon Community were negotiating the purchase of six two-bed apartments from Munster Pensioneers Trustees Ltd.

In a statement sent to the RTE radio programme, the charity said it had pursued purchasing the apartments at Fisherman's Quay, Grove Island, Corbally, "on the understanding that they were being bought as vacant properties".

After learning of the eviction orders, Simon stated it was "assessing" its position.

Speaking tonight, Mr McCarthy, who was also one of the eight tenants served with an eviction order, said Simon gave him assurances that he along with two other tenants would not have to leave their homes.

Mr McCarthy, who lives with his 19-year old son Daniel, described it as "a bittersweet moment".

"Three of us have received assurances from Simon that we can remain here as tenants of the Simon Community, for life. They have said they will also take care of any refurbishment works if it's necessary," Mr McCarthy added.

"They can help me and two other tenants, as we are already on the housing waiting list, but they said it might not be possible to help the others as they do not qualify."

Mr McCarthy said he had yet to "iron out" the proposed new tenancy agreement.

He said he would continue to fight for the remaining five tenants.

"It's a great result for me and the others but it's not resolved for everyone. I will absolutely continue to fight for them."

Limerick Solidarity councillor Cian Prendiville, who earlier described the situation as "bizarre", called for all of the eviction orders to be rescinded.

"There is still a question mark, and the threat of eviction, for the other tenants who don't qualify for assistance under the housing waiting list," he added.

The Minister for Housing, Simon Coveney, who met with tenants last Monday is looking into their case.
President Michael D Higgins has become the first head of state to back International Chernobyl Remembrance Day as recalling "a dark day in human history."

His comments came as Chernobyl Children International (CCI) founder Adi Roche and international director Ali Hewson fly to Belarus and Ukraine to mark the 31st anniversary of the nuclear reactor tragedy.

Over the past 30 years, the Irish charity has helped raise Euro 105m in aid for the radiation hit areas of Belarus and Ukraine.

CCI have also worked to bring 25,500 children to Ireland for vital rest, recuperation and medical treatment.

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President Higgins said the world needed to remember the shocking events at Chernobyl on April 26 1986.

"On this terrible day, 31 years ago, the world's worst nuclear accident at Chernobyl in the Ukraine occurred," he said.

"It was a dark day in human history."

But he said the tragedy also triggered incredible human solidarity, particularly in Ireland.

"Ireland's response was unique - we were one of the first countries to respond to the humanitarian crisis by providing support for and meeting the needs of thousands of Chernobyl's victims."

"Adi Roche's CCI has become a world leader in supporting and advocating for the children who were affected by the disaster across the stricken regions."

"Across three generations, CCI has maintained this pioneering role through the extraordinary work of its tens of thousands of volunteers."

Foreign Affairs Minister Charlie Flanagan said Chernobyl must never be forgotten by the modern world.

Adi Roche and Ali Hewson will now fly to Belarus and Ukraine to mark the 31st anniversary and to highlight the ongoing need for support for Chernobyl victims.

In Belarus they will meet teams of Irish volunteer medics who are currently working with the families of desperately ill children who are part of community care programmes in remote towns and villages.

In Ukraine they will meet members of an Irish funded Flying Doctors mission where leading international cardiac surgeons from the US this week performed complex life-saving operations on young babies and children suffering from congenital heart defects as a result of inherited radiation exposure.

The flying doctors team is led by US cardiac specialist Dr Bill Novick.

The CCI founder said the special UN-backed Remembrance Day is vital to Chernobyl's living victims.

"This historic Remembrance Day is our legacy to the victims of Chernobyl," she said.

"This commemoration is so much more than one day - it is the world's way of telling the past, current and future generations of Chernobyl that they are not alone."

One million children still reside in a radioactive environment across both Belarus and Ukraine.

A giant new sarcophagus has been installed over the wrecked Chernobyl reactor to prevent future radiation leaks.

However, long-term plans to dismantle the site have been described by Ms Roche as "gargantuan."

"We must be vigilant that the safe disposal of the radioactive material inside the crumbling reactor is the highest priority," she said.
An Irish man was horrified when a group of alleged neo-Nazis hosted an "unsavoury" birthday party for Adolf Hitler in his restaurant.

A group of people supposedly from far-right website The Daily Stormer arrived at The Irish Rover restaurant in Kentucky last Thursday, which was Hitler's birthday.

After a thread from the Daily Stormer's website showed plans arranging to meet there, the Louisville Anti-Racism Action Group also arrived and confronted them, shouting "Nazis out" for 15 minutes until they left.

Co Clare native Michael Reidy, who owns the eaterie with his wife Siobhan, spoke about the incident.

He told WAVE-TV: "We had some folks in there that we would never have in normally, the undesirables, the white-supremacist folks."

"We weren't aware of it obviously and they were celebrating an unsavory event and the other folks came in.

"We understand and we asked the white supremacists to leave. It was the right thing to do. And we feel good about it. We feel it was handled appropriately."

Louisville ARA also released a statement and video footage from the incident on their website.

Some of the alleged-Nazis are seen wearing clothing with fascist symbols like the SS logo on them.

Louisville ARA said: "A group of area white supremacist posters from the neo-Nazi website The Daily Stormer were celebrating Adolph Hitler last evening when they were asked to leave the Irish Rover by the owners after being outed by Louisville Anti-Racist Action.

"Louisville ARA arranged for a crowd of approximately 40 members of the Louisville community to confront the group, and provided screenshots to the crowd and to the owners of the establishment to support their actions.

"The crowd chanted 'Nazis out' until the group left."

One of the men seen in the ARA's clip, Scott Hess, told WAVE 3 news that the group were just having dinner and denied they are Nazis.

He said: "According to these people and groups, Trump and his supporters were also 'neo-Nazis. Anyone they disagree with is called a Nazi. They're the bootboys of the radical left. Antifa are domestic terrorists by definition."

"The Antifa attacked the entire restaurant. They attack Trump supporters. They attack reporters, too. They attack anyone who's not a radical anarchist. We will not be intimidated. We will defend our people. We will prevail."

Many online commentators have praised the Reidys and the Irish Rover staff for stopping the event.

One said: "Sorry to hear of your recent unfortunate brush with the undesirables. I applaud the action you took, and I fully support the Rover for making a stand."

Another said: "Been going to the Irish Rover my entire life... Much love to the Reidys for standing up for what is right."

A third person simply said: "Thank you for standing up for what is right."
Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine Volodymyr Kistion at a meeting with Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of Energy Resources at the U.S. Department of State Mary Warlick has discussed further cooperation of the two countries in the energy sphere and reformation of national joint-stock company Naftogaz Ukrainy.

"We hope for fruitful and mutually beneficial cooperation with the new U.S. administration in the energy sphere," the press service of Ukraine's Cabinet of Ministers reported, citing Kistion.

He said that Ukraine appreciates support of the United States in the context of energy reforms in Ukraine.

"We hope for further support of U.S. partners in reforming the Ukrainian energy sector, in particular, Naftogaz Ukrainy, diversifying energy sources and attracting U.S. investment and technologies in the energy sector of our state," he said.

The press service said that at the meeting the sides discussed reforms at Naftogaz Ukrainy in details.

Kistion confirmed that the Ukrainian government is committed to continuation of reforms in the gas sector.

In turn, Warlick said that the United State would support Ukraine.
Wicklow delegates, (left to right) Aidan Whelan, Jim Lillis, Seamus Higgins and Joe Waldron at the opening session of the GRAs 39th Annual Delegate Conference in Salthill, Co Galway. Photo: Conor O Mearain

Anti-terror security at Dublin Airport has been scaled back despite the threat of terror in Europe, gardai have warned.

Only three armed Garda officers are on duty there, while the recently established Armed Support Unit has been restricted to manning a number of checkpoints a day on roads around the perimeter.

A Stockholm-style terrorist truck attack on a crowded street could happen here, the Garda Representative Association (GRA) conference was told.

Delegates heard that Sweden was a neutral country like Ireland, and there was no reason why an incident such as the truck assault in Stockholm earlier this month could not be repeated in a major city here.

The conference strongly backed a call for counter-terrorism training for its front-line members.

Executive committee member James Morrisroe, from Cavan-Monaghan division, said it acknowledged that the specialist squads such as the Emergency Response Unit and the Regional Support Units were highly trained.

But he pointed out that the uniformed gardai were the front-line responders and would be the first on the scene if there was a terrorist attack.

Their counterparts in other European police forces were all properly trained in what to do in such an event.

Mr Morrisroe said that in the recent terror attack in Westminster, PC Keith Palmer, who was stabbed to death, instinctively ran towards the danger.

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"Following the attack in Stockholm, there is no reason why Ireland, as a modern, democratic and neutral country, would not be at risk", he added.

Last Saturday, the Irish Independent revealed gardai had adopted new security measures to temporarily block off pedestrianised streets where large crowds had gathered for an event to deter a terror attack.

Delegate Colin Moran said every detective in Dublin city should be given tactical training and he also complained about the lack of adequate cover at Dublin Airport.

"Of course, there could be a lone-wolf attack, because people could be radicalised and we can't keep our head in the sand and think it won't happen to us.

"You go to any airport in Europe and you are hit by armed officers patrolling, but it's not happening at Dublin Airport - it's not visible," he said.

Garda Commissioner Noirin O'Sullivan said: "The face of terrorism is changing and will continue to change. We have to make sure we have the agility and responsiveness to deal with whatever type of attack arises.

"We do a lot of training and work with agencies here, but also abroad to bring together expertise and professionalism."

Meanwhile, Tanaiste Frances Fitzgerald and Ms O'Sullivan told the association that everybody in the Garda must share blame for the fake breath tests fiasco and work together to ensure it could never be repeated.

Ms O'Sullivan said: "We either have a case here where gardai aren't able to count or haven't counted accurately the number of cars going through checkpoints and are stopped, or we have something at the other end of the scale, which is somebody just making up figures."
A member of the board of the National Maternity Hospital has said the board need to "start behaving amicably again" ahead of a meeting of the board as the controversy around the planned new hospital continued.

Labour councillor and Lord Mayor of Dublin, Brendan Carr, was speaking ahead of a meeting this evening, where he will try to get the Minister for Health to consider a Compulsary Purchase Order for the land which the hospital is due to be built.

The land, on the Elm Park Campus in Dublin 4, is owned by the Religious Sisters of Charity.

"The first thing we need is for the board to start behaving amicably again and stop calling for each other's resignation," Mr Carr said.

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"What I'm trying to do is get the Minister to come on board and consider the CPO.

"I believe if that was to happen and the board supported that, that it would resolve a lot of the concerns and issues many of the public is having over this," he added.

Mr Carr went on to say that he believed the compulsory purchase order would be affordable.

Under the current agreement in place to allow the hospital to move ahead the order of nuns would retain ownership of the land.

However, earlier Minister Harris has already ruled out a CPO of the site.

Critics have hit out at the fact that the order is to have involvement in the hospital but current Master of Holles Street, Rhona Mahony, has insisted that the hospital will be fully independent.

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Meanwhile, Sinn Fein Councillor and fellow board member, Micheal Mac Donncha said his confidence in the agreement.

"Whatever confidence there was and certainly whatever confidence I had in the agreement with St Vincent's Hospital has been undermined," Mr Mac Donncha said.

He also said that a text message exchange between three board members, in which Dr Peter Boylan was asked to resign was "very worrying".

Dr Boylan, who is a former Master of Holles Street and who sits on the board, has been among the most outspoken critic of the plan.

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"What has transpired in relation to the request for the resignation of Dr Peter Boylan, I think that's very worrying," he said.

"I was informed, I wasn't consulted as a member of the board (of this request)," he added.
The foetal lamb at the beginning of the 'artificial womb' process (left), the foetal lamb after spending a month in the device (right). Credit: Nature Communications

A device which simulates the conditions of the womb could greatly improve the survival chances of children born prematurely in as little as five years.

The artificial womb, developed by scientists at the Centre for Foetal Research at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, is currently being tested on foetal lambs, born at the equivalent in age to a child born at 23 weeks.

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The plastic device encases the foetus in artificial amniotic fluid, and circulates its blood through the umbilical cord into a filtering device externally, which simulates the activity of a mother's placenta.

Doctors who are involved in the development of the ground-breaking equipment believe that human trials could begin in as soon as three years. There are high hopes that the technology could greatly extend the survival rate of infants born at 23 weeks, which is currently close to 15pc.

A child born at 23 weeks has huge health complications as vital organs, particularly the lungs are not developed. The device allows the foetus to continue to develop during the critical period between 23 and 28 weeks in the simulated womb, improving its changes of survival.

The six premature lambs used in the research continued to develop during their month in the artificial womb, opening their eyes, developing their nervous systems and vital organs, and growing wool.

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After leaving the device, many were killed humanely in order to analyse their organs, but some were kept alive and bottle fed. The lambs appeared to have normal development on the same level as their peers who reached full-term in their mother's womb, and are now healthy one-year-olds.

Speaking of the device to the Telegraph, Dr Alan Flake, director of the Center for Fetal Research at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, US, said: "These infants have an urgent need for a bridge between the mother's womb and the outside world.

"If we can develop an extra-uterine system to support growth and organ maturation for only a few weeks, we can dramatically improve outcomes for extremely premature babies.

"This system is potentially far superior to what hospitals can currently do for a 23-week-old baby born at the cusp of viability. This could establish a new standard of care for this subset of extremely premature infants."
William Clay Ford Jr, executive chairman of the Ford Motor Company, with his sons Will and Nick following the conferring of an honorary doctorate at UCC last week.

I got the sense that everywhere Henry Ford's great grandson went in Cork last week it was like being in a time capsule that often touched the past, present and future at the same time.

For William Clay Ford Jr, it was an emotional visit to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the first factory outside the US being established in Cork.

It was also, I'm sure, a thoroughly enjoyable engagement for the executive chairman of the Ford Motor Company to chat, laugh and celebrate the moment with current staff and former workers.

And we were there to see and hear him most definitely touch on a future of monumental change.

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He spoke of past achievements, current goals and huge challenges in a world of rapid developments not just for his company and those who buy its products, but for all of us who need to get from A to B as part of our everyday lives.

We may not own our means of transport in a few years and we may not even have to drive cars if, as expected, we turn to autonomous driving technology to remove the drudgery.

The truth is no one is really sure where it's all going, but William Ford is certain of one thing: an unprecedented wave of change is bearing down on us. The future is change. And we need to better gird ourselves for it. All of us.

Announcing a special scholarship with UCC (five-year Ford Centenary Quercus) was more than a symbolic gesture to mark the 100th anniversary of the Cork plant.

It was an investment in fresh, innovative thinking. One that could blossom and be further enhanced by Ford as cars become computers on wheels. It's a move that says the future is brain power, not horsepower. We've got to think in a new way. One in which we can't go on making more cars that clog our cities and invite congestion charges. Rather we need to adapt the use of transport so cars are not lying idle for 20/22 hours a day; are not spewing harmful emissions; not blocking city streets. In short, we need to let go of ownership and sign up more for usership. Technology will make it so we can summon a car, not ours, to drop us where we want to go and then head off to do the same for someone else.

It's the future, and not just according to Mr Ford, but to many more like him.

For the 16 minutes I interviewed 'Bill' face-to-face I had that sense of us all being at a crossroads where the past, present and future intersected. It was a strange feeling.

Yes, we face a motoring revolution. But so did Henry back in the 'Wild West' days. And boy would his great-grandfather love to be involved in the whirlwind of this one.

Even the fact that electric cars will be at the centre of the future has links with Henry. "He worked for Edison, the electrical company, before he started Ford Motor company. Vehicles being produced then were mostly electric; a few steam," said William.

"He would love the innovation and the disruption taking place today. I think he would find this the most interesting time since he was at the birth of the industry."

But this overhaul of transport is about more than metal and steel. Self-driving cars, for example, carry a bootload of ethical and legal headaches too. "Autonomous vehicles will have such computing power they will be able to decide: which pedestrian do I hit? These are ethical questions that involve a lot of discussion. Hardware and software are coming quickly; ethics questions much slower," said William.

"We live in a fluid world. Not just the big tech giants (Google, Apple), but a lot of start-up companies are coming into our industry and a lot of suppliers are playing in pieces of our industry that they haven't in the past.

"So what does that mean for us? We have been talking to number of big-tech companies over the last three, four years.

"They were shocked at how much intellectual property we have and how much capability we have.

"We know how to make things and we know how to integrate software into what we make. Those are things that are underestimated by people on the outside looking in."

There will be more cooperation and partnerships than we have seen - on ethics, standards etc. And there has to be cooperation between manufacturers and governments because everything is changing. Everything.

William added: "Think about insurance. Who are you insuring if it's an autonomous vehicle that isn't owned by the individual? There are so many things: who is going to own these vehicles? Individuals probably won't. They'll be on someone's balance sheets. Will it be on a company like Ford's balance sheet? Will it be a big insurance company? Will it be the banks that own them?

"All these things have to be sorted and it is very early days. There are a lot of big questions to be sorted out. And they will get sorted out because as society becomes more familiar with this technology and wants it to happen, people will be motivated to solve these issues."

But right now, before the electrical/self-drive era dawns in earnest: what about diesel?

"There is a degree of shift. There is no doubt that is going on and is one of the reasons we are betting so heavily on electrification. I think Audi is, in many ways, instructive of their reaction to the diesel issue and on electrification. I think there is such momentum behind electrification that it is inexorable at this point."

But how long will diesel be with us?

"I don't know how long. I think it is unknowable because there are so many variables - the price of gasoline, diesel, taxation policies, government support, or lack of, for electrification. There are so many variables that will drive the customer pull for all of these technologies. So it is important that we invest in, and are represented in, all these technologies so we can react to shifts in customer demand.

"The world is changing fast. The clock speed is moving much quicker than the one you and I grew up with.

"We need to be nimble enough to react to changes. I think companies that don't react to changes are going to be left behind.

"I hope Ford is nimble enough. But we have to prove that over time. It is one of the things we plan for and spend a lot of the time talking about, but I believe we can be. But the proof will be in 10 years."

What market share will electric cars have in 10 years?

"I wouldn't even venture a guess because of all the variables I just mentioned.

"We are investing in electrification and in that investment it is our hope and belief that the customer will be there wanting it. Because it is the right thing to do for society."

I allude to Ireland's low take-up of electric cars.

"That could change. If the price of fossil fuels go up you could see a real tipping point."

Finally, a personal question to the man who followed in his great-grandfather's footsteps by being awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Economic Science from UCC and the National University of Ireland (NUI) last Friday.

How heavy a burden is it, making decisions that will affect people in so many ways?

"Nothing is more important to me than those who work in Ford. What happens to them weighs heavily, but is counterbalanced by incredible opportunities that I see ahead," said William.

"Everybody in life has their burdens and their challenges.

"Everybody has pressures and it's how you deal with them.

"I do know that being the great-grandson of Henry Ford and in charge of the company, I could let this absolutely crush me, saying I could never live up to that.

"But instead I choose to let it inspire me and to take the spirit of what Henry Ford did and like other family members who were head of the company, re-interpret that for the time in which we live."
Fashion bible Vogue has compiled its ultimate guide to Dublin, but what does it include?

The prestigious fashion publication is known for its love of luxury brands and making a statement, so it's no surprise that Vogue's selection of what to do in Dublin is lavish, to say the least.

To begin the piece, Ireland's capital is described as: "An intimate city with a bellowing reputation for storytelling and gastronomy. In recent years, the Irish capital has become a haven for tech giants such as Twitter and Google, but despite its modern magnetism Dublin maintains its infectious pursuit for the 'craic.'"

First on the list of "10 things not to miss in the fair city," is a stay at The Marker Hotel, Grand Canal Square (below), praised for its "juxtaposition of urbanity and nature."

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Next up is a visit to Roads Publishing on Dame Street, which "embodies elegance and innovation, working with the best international artists, curators and designers to create books that are collectible and timeless works of art."

Bastible on the South Circular Road is the venue of choice for lunch, with visitors advised not to miss the baked pear with Jerusalem artichoke and salted caramel.

A trip to Francis Bacons Studio at The Hugh Lane Gallery is a "don't miss" on the list, while "homewares haven" Article in Powerscourt Centre is noted as the place to shop.

Much-loved haunt 777 on South Great George's Street is "the ideal spot for a full feast or just a post-prandial drink," according to Vogue, with Sidecar at The Westbury Hotel highly recommended for an evening tipple.

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Unsurprisingly, popular tourist attraction The Long Room at Trinity College Library (top) is featured, with visitors advised to soak up its contents: "During your visit, count the 48 marble busts of eminent writers and philosophers and compare the halls to the computer-generated version, which appeared as the Jedi Archive in Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones."

Both Forest & Marcy and Forest Avenue Restaurant are listed as highly-regarded dinner venues, with a trip to the The Dean (above) suggested to round it all off.

A stay-cation never sounded so good.

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Step this way for polarised debate, emotional outbursts, hard cases and tough talk: abortion is back on the menu as we progress towards a likely referendum in 2018.

The rhetoric is inevitable, but the facts matter more. Here's one: more than 3,000 women a year give an Irish address when they attend a UK clinic for an abortion. This represents a substantial drop from the numbers registered 15 years ago. However, it is a large number when you consider there were just under 66,000 births in Ireland in 2015. Roughly nine Irish pregnancies are "terminated" (in the parlance of the clinics) a day.

We don't know much more than that. Unless we know them personally, or until exit polls are established outside abortion clinics to grill people as they leave, we will never know why people decided to go this route. We can assume the vast majority will probably be in very early pregnancy (92pc of UK abortions in 2015 involved pregnancies of 13 weeks and under).

As to their attitudes to abortion, and any trauma they may or may not face as a result of the procedure, anything we say is conjecture. If you are pro-choice, you will probably instinctively claim the women feel relief. If you are pro-life, you might ascribe to them despair and regret.

Both claims are fanciful. The reality is probably highly nuanced. You can be pro-life, or pro-choice, or somewhere in the middle: the fact is that none of us - truly - has the faintest clue how any woman or her partner might react to abortion.

Some matters - like miscarriage, like infertility, like bereavement and, yes, like abortion - are too personal to be generalised about. Too individual to have your personal prejudices overwhelm them.

All that we can declare for sure about these things is how we ourselves feel. Maybe we all need to accept that abortion is in this category and move on.

Back to facts. What we do know is that the Irish women show up at clinics, have the procedure and leave. And we know that they will need to travel home by air or sea because this is the way things are. Does this create an economic barrier when it comes to accessing abortion? One can only assume it must. But this is how Irish people, Irish citizens, have had abortions for decades. They have had them today. More will have them next week. Abortion, for Irish people who decide to have one, is available - with a plane fare and often a lot of subterfuge attached.

The question we are now being forced to face is this: what are we going to do about it?

The Citizens Assembly is recommending legalising abortion, with a majority supporting allowing it up to 12 weeks of pregnancy. On the other hand, a majority in the assembly also supported replacing the Eighth Amendment to the Constitution with something else, not removing it. This result mirrors a recent poll that found 28pc of us want to scrap the Eighth and 38pc want a new amendment.

Keeping things simple, the assembly has advised the Oireachtas to provide for a referendum to at least change the Eighth, the article in the Constitution that bans abortion in almost all cases. If that is passed, it wants legislation for the availability of abortion in Ireland. The assembly's final report is due in June.

The pro-choice lobby has been encouraged by the assembly, but in some ways, our situation is largely as it was before the assembly started its deliberations. The main difference is that nobody has any excuse for any further prevarication when it comes to making a decision. It is grown-up time now. Politicians have to put sensible questions to the electorate so that sensible answers can be delivered.

We will choose to remove the Eighth Amendment from the Constitution, or we will not.

We then introduce legislation to allow abortion, or we do not. We need to think about where fatal foetal abnormality fits into it all. We need to set aside any squeamishness we may feel.

If it were up to me, I would turn to science. Opinions and beliefs can trap us in endless debate, but doctors can tell us when a developing human being has an independent survival prospect, on best current medical evidence.

That would be worthwhile information.

And equally, there is a period of time in human development where the intervention of the most advanced medics in the world would not suffice to sustain life. Again, science could tell us.

We need a foothold. We need facts. Because whatever we do and however we feel about it, Irish people will continue to have abortions.

You may feel this is a good thing. You may think it is empowering. A sign that women have taken control of their biological destiny. You may feel that access to abortion is a human right. You may feel, on the other hand, that it's a disaster. That it's immoral. Or just disappointing. Or sad. You may desperately want the next generation to have easier access to abortion, or you may find the whole idea repugnant, and not wish to even think about it.

Your age, and to a lesser extent, your gender, will probably largely dictate which camp you lean toward.

Either way, abortion is already a fact for Irish citizens. Some may regard this as an unpleasant reality. We still need to face it.
The Trilateral Contact Group on the settlement of the situation in eastern Ukraine will discuss the possible halting of the Luhansk Thermal Power Plant's operations and water supply to the areas of Donbas uncontrolled by Kyiv, Ukrainian Energy and Coal Industry Minister Ihor Nasalyk told reporters.

"One of the issues to be addressed in Minsk today is that we, on one hand, cannot provide the Luhansk Thermal Power Plant with anthracite coal as there are no supply routes except for the uncontrolled territories or Russia. After that, we have to cut off the water supply line to the uncontrolled territories," Nasalyk said.

Coal can be shipped to the Luhansk Thermal Power Plant only via a rail line that runs trough the uncontrolled territories or from Russia, and there is no way to supply coal to this territory from Ukrainian ports, he said.

"If this issue is not resolved [...] we may halt the operations of the Luhansk Thermal Power Plant. In our territory, we will compensate for this using the Severodonetsk Thermal Power Plant, will use the units operating on gas coal, and will transfer [power] from the Sloviansk Thermal Power Plant. But we cannot supply power there [the uncontrolled territories]," the minister said.
Ten suspects have been arrested in an investigation into who supplied weapons to one of the three attackers who killed 17 people in terror attacks at Charlie Hebdo magazine and a kosher supermarket in Paris in January 2015.

The prosecutors' office in the French capital said the arrest operation began on Monday, and continued on Tuesday and Wednesday morning, with 10 people in custody so far.

The police swoops are targeting people suspected of involvement in supplying to weapons to Amedy Coulibaly. He killed four people in a hostage-taking incident at the Hypercacher store in eastern Paris and a policewoman in another incident before dying in a shoot-out with police.

Coulibaly was an accomplice of brothers Cherif and Said Kouachi, who shot and killed 12 at the Paris office of satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo, and were also killed in a shoot-out.

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A truck burned near the headquarters of private security company Prosegur is pictured in Ciudad del Este, eastern Paraguay, after a group of dozens of people carried out an assault with explosives at the site. Photo: Reuters/Francisco Espinola

Paraguay's interior minister has fired several police chiefs in the border town of Ciudad del Este after Brazilian bandits staged a brazen cross-border raid described as "the robbery of the century".

Lorenzo Lezcano arrived in the city yesterday to deal with the fallout from the suspected $40m (36m) heist. An estimated 80 men arrived in the city after midnight on Monday, said Arsenio Correa, chief investigator, and attacked a Prosegur cash storage facility.

The men burnt vehicles to distract police, placed snipers on the roof, and used C4 explosive to blast their way into the vaults.

One police officer, Sabino Ramon Benitez Vazquez, was killed in the raid, and another injured. Three civilians were also hurt. Local media said the vault, which was blown apart in the raid, contained $40m, although Prosegur has not confirmed the sum.

Vladimir Jara, a spokesman for Paraguay's interior ministry, said the robbery was thought to have been carried out by an infamous Brazilian criminal group, the Primeiro Comando da Capital.

Mr Lezcano said he dismissed police chiefs for not "dealing correctly" with information relating to the gang. ( Daily Telegraph, London)
President Donald Trump speaks on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, April 25, 2017, during the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum's National Days of Remembrance ceremony. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

The campaign groups leader, Peter Boykin, said complete regime change was needed in North Korea.

The leader of a Donald Trump campaign group has called on the president to remove North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un from power over his next 100 days in office.

Peter Boykin, president of Gays For Trump, said complete regime change in North Korea should be a priority for the US because of the threat posed by the country.

He told the Press Association: We cannot have crazy people holding the world hostage.

That guy is so close. Even if, lets just say, Iran had the money, theyd create a weapon, theyd hand it to him, hes going to shoot it because hes that nuts.

We cannot allow that to happen in the world.

Boykin said he believed the US could launch a strike on North Korea with minimal casualties.

I think they should go after any kind of military stronghold they have there, he added.

I believe, if they had to, they might have to bomb the palace or wherever the guy is.

I know there are rules about assassinations of other countries leaders so I think theyll end up having to figure out a way to internally get him. Theyre going to have to capture him or something.

Trump has faced criticism from LGBT groups over his decision to revoke guidance to US public schools that allowed transgender students to use toilets matching their gender identity.

But Boykin, 39, said he did not feel he represented transgender people.

Im not transphobic  Im fine with that  but I actually dont believe they belong in the same sector as the LGB, he said.

Most transsexuals are actually trying to be a male or a female and when they become male or female they actually try to have a straight relationship.

They have their own movement. They have their own thing which is fine.

I dont represent them. I dont endorse them or condone them. I just feel like they have their own thing.

Equality California, which campaigns for LGBT rights, said Gays For Trump was far out of step with the vast majority of LGBT community members.

The groups executive director, Rick Zbur, said: Transgender people have always been part of our communitys struggle for civil rights, even before the famous example of Stonewall.

Just as their daily contributions enrich American society as a whole, transgender people have fought alongside lesbians, gay men and bisexuals for our full equality.

To suggest that they are somehow separate from the rest of our community isnt just offensive, it presents alternate facts that fly in the face of reality.
Theresa May showed off her slogan and Jeremy Corbyn brought back questions from the public.

Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn have embarked on their final Prime Ministers Questions before the General Election  and boy was it a corker.

Heres what you missed:

1. Theresa May got good use out of her slogan.

Elections are usually rife with campaign slogans and catchy phrases politicians think will appeal to the electorate.

Remember George Osbornes long-term economic plan? Well now Theresa May is going for a strong and stable government  and she wasnt shy about using it.

The phrase was repeated multiple times over the course of PMQs.

She expanded on the theme, aiming a dig at Jeremy Corbyn when she said: Every vote for him is a vote for a coalition of chaos, a weak leader propped up by the Liberal Democrats and the Scottish nationalists.

Every vote for me is a vote for strong and stable leadership in the national interest.

2. The economy became a thing again.

If you thought this election was 100% about Brexit and we had left the economic arguments of yore behind then youd be mistaken.

Theresa May said: What do we know about Labour? Only yesterday we saw that we had finally emerged from Labours economic crash.

What we now see is a Labour Party that would do it again  crash the economy, more debt, more waste, higher taxes, fewer jobs. That does nothing for ordinary working families.

However, recent figures show the national debt as a % of GDP has risen  whilst the Tories have succeeded in bringing government borrowing down to its lowest level since the 2008 financial crisis, the debt pile continues to grow.

The Conservatives had previously planned to eliminate the budget deficit  the gap between what revenue a government takes in and the amount it spends  over the course of one parliament, but the plan was scrapped.

3. It was the longest PMQs ever.

We all felt like it was really long, so it was nice to have confirmation that it actually was that long.

4. Jeremy Corbyn did that thing where he reads out peoples names again.

He read out questions from members of the public about the NHS, education, pensions and wages, noting this was different to hand-picked audiences who cant ask questions the PM is used to dealing with.

When asking about pensions, Corbyn said: If I were you I would listen to what Maureen has to say, I really would.

But after an answer in which Theresa May spoke about the Conservatives economic competence, Corbyn failed to bring the Prime Minister back to the subject of pensions.

It was left to SNP politician Angus Robertson to push May on whether she would guarantee the pension triple lock, a system which ensures the state pension increases each year.

May refused to guarantee the lock, instead saying that pensioner incomes would continue to rise.

5. Then the Lib Dems got involved.

Tim Farron said of Theresa May: Twenty years ago she berated the Conservative Party for being a nasty party, but her party has never been nastier.

He also called Labour an abject failure of an opposition.

Of course this was all in addition to the jeering, cheering, applauding and general chaos of PMQs, marked by the occasional Order! Order! by speaker John Bercow.

Just a quiet one then.
At best I can only suggest that this did not even feature in her thinking, which is disappointing, said Labours Yasmin Qureshi.

Prime Minister Theresa May has been accused of ignoring Muslim voters in the General Election by scheduling it during Ramadan.

Muslim politicians from Labour and the Scottish National Party fear reduced voter turnout among Muslims on June 8, which falls during the holy month where fasting from dawn to sunset takes place.

Labours Yasmin Qureshi, MP for Bolton South East, said: It is unfortunate that Theresa May has scheduled the election to take place during the holy month of Ramadan.

I know this will present challenges to Muslim voters and those who wish to campaign. At best I can only suggest that this did not even feature in her thinking, which is disappointing.

She added: It may be that the election falling during Ramadan reduces turnout among Muslims.

And Rushanara Ali, Labour MP for Bethnal Green and Bow, said: The fact that the General Election will fall in the middle of Ramadan is not ideal.

Holding an election during Ramadan means there could be a disproportionate effect on voter turnout in those constituencies with a sizeable Muslim population.

If anyone thinks that their ability to go and vote will be affected, I urge them to register for a postal vote.

SNP MSP Humza Yousaf, the Scottish Government Minister for Transport and the Islands, also voiced fears that fewer Muslims will vote, adding that you can never really hold an election at a perfect time.

I think it would be fair to say that a lot of people in the Muslim community feel that they were certainly not even factored at all into the conversation or the thinking because it will have an impact, I suspect, on turnout, he said.

However, the Muslim Council of Britain said it could see no reason why holding the election during Ramadan  which this year is expected to be from around May 27 to June 24  should have any impact on Muslims turning up to vote.

The group added: There is probably more voter fatigue generally across the country following the extensive recent campaigns in the lead-up to the 2015 general election and the 2016 EU Referendum.

Muslims fasting during Ramadan will go about their normal daily activities and taking time out to cast a vote will have no impact on their choice to do so.

Sayed Yousif Al-Khoei OBE, chairman of the Al-Khoei Foundation, a Shia Muslim organisation, said: In general, Ramadan and fasting is not supposed to impede normal life. Its supposed to be a spiritual experience.

But for some people, you know, the combination of the hot weather and lack of foods could be an impediment.

But the spiritual uplifting of fasting should really make a Muslim more resilient and that should not really be a pretext for not voting, and I encourage everyone to use their right to vote.
Scientists in Australia are examining the possibility of enlarging and brightening the clouds around the Great Barrier Reef to save it from bleaching.

Making the low-lying clouds off the north-east coast larger and more reflective could cool the waters below and help to stem the widespread coral bleaching occurring with growing intensity across vast swathes of the 2,400km reserve.

Daniel Harrison, a postdoctoral research associate at the University of Sydney, said preliminary testing indicated that cloud brightening was a "plausible" solution.

"If you're in a hot sunny day and a cloud comes across overhead, you can feel right away there's quite a lot less heat coming through," he told ABC News.

Cloud brightening was first proposed as a way to address global warming by British physicist John Latham in a short article in the journal 'Nature' almost 30 years ago.

He proposed deploying fleets of ships to spray tiny particles of salt at low-lying clouds above the ocean. The particles would cause additional droplets to form, producing larger, denser and whiter clouds, which would reflect more heat back into space.

Australian scientists at the Sydney Institute of Marine Science believe cloud brightening could prove to be the most feasible and "environmentally benign" way to try to save the reef.

The institute has awarded a fellowship to Dr Harrison to explore the scheme. The scientists have been meeting for six months to discuss the options.

"If we can make just a little bit less heat over the reef for a few months during, say, an El Nino year, when it's at most risk, we should be able to cool the water a degree or two, which is enough to prevent most of the damage," he said. ( Daily Telegraph, London)
Ivanka Trump speaks during a panel of the W20 Summit in Berlin (AP)

Ivanka Trump drew groans and hisses from an audience in Berlin as she defended her father's attitude towards women.

However, she brushed it aside as "politics" during her first overseas trip as a White House adviser.

Appearing on a high-powered panel at a conference to push for more support for women in business, Ms Trump also said she was still trying to define her place in her father's administration.

"I am rather unfamiliar with this role as well, as it is quite new to me, it's been a little under 100 days," she said.

Ms Trump has been a vocal advocate for policies benefiting working women and vocational training.

However, she also has faced criticism in the United States, particularly from those who think she has done little to temper her father's conservative agenda.

Sharing a stage with German chancellor Angela Merkel, International Monetary Fund director Christine Lagarde, Canadian foreign minister Chrystia Freeland and others, Ms Trump was asked by the host whom she was representing - President Donald Trump, the American people, or her own business interests.

"Certainly not the latter," Ms Trump said.

As she described her father as "a tremendous champion of supporting families and enabling them to thrive", she drew scattered groans and hisses from the audience, prompting host Miriam Meckel to press her for a response.

"You hear the reaction from the audience, so I need to address one more point:

"Some attitudes towards women your father has publicly displayed in former times might leave someone questioning whether he is such an empowerer for women," said Ms Meckel, the editor of a business magazine and a professor of corporate communications at a Swiss university.

"Are things changing?"

Ms Trump replied: "I've certainly heard the criticism from the media, and that's been perpetuated."

She added that her own personal experience and the fact that "thousands" of women have worked with and for Mr Trump for decades in the private sector "are a testament to his belief and solid conviction in the potential of women and their ability to do the job as well as any man".

"He encouraged me and enabled me to thrive," Ms Trump said.

"I grew up in a house where there was no barrier to what I could accomplish beyond my own perseverance and my own tenacity."

There was, she stressed, "no difference between me and my brothers. And I think as a business leader you saw that, and as a president you will absolutely see that."

Talking later to a small group of reporters, Ms Trump said she was unfazed by Ms Meckel's direct questions in a public forum.

"I'm used to it. It's fine," she said, and also shrugged off the audience's reaction.

"Politics is politics, as I'm learning, and there are many different viewpoints and people with different options and perspectives," she said.

Ms Trump, who promoted child care and family leave policies during her father's campaign, also told reporters that child care "is going to be part of comprehensive tax reform".

Before the event, the president tweeted that he is "proud of @IvankaTrump for her leadership on these important issues".

Ms Trump, 35, stepped away from both running her fashion brand and from an executive role at the Trump Organisation to become an unpaid White House adviser, but she continues to own her lifestyle brand, which allows her to profit off her rising profile and has prompted criticism from ethics experts.

She said she was "humbled to be here with so many formidable leaders" and would bring their advice and knowledge back to her father.

"This is very early for me; I'm listening, I'm learning, I'm defining the ways in which I think that I'll be able to have an impact," Ms Trump said.

During Ms Merkel's visit to Washington in March, she organised a discussion with the German leader, her father, and US and German executives about how companies can better train workers.

On Tuesday's panel, she applauded a suggestion for a special fund to be created to help female entrepreneurs secure international funding, adding that more needs to be done to help in the US.

"We are not where we need to be," she said.

Later, Siemens chief executive Joe Kaeser gave Ms Trump a tour of a Berlin training centre run by the German industrial conglomerate.

Germany is proud of its vocational training system, and Ms Trump has said she hopes to learn from German successes.

Siemens said it has some 12,000 young people worldwide, including 9,000 in Germany, in programmes that combine study with practical training.

Before heading to a formal dinner, Ms Trump visited the capital's memorial to the six million Jews murdered by the Nazis.

She converted to Judaism herself ahead of her 2009 marriage to Jared Kushner, also a White House adviser.

During the 25-minute visit, Ms Trump walked slowly through the field filled with concrete slabs.

She was accompanied by US Embassy personnel and a strong police guard to keep curious tourists and others at a distance.

She paused occasionally to look at the slabs, meant to symbolise the chaos of the Holocaust, and donned sunglasses before emerging on the other side of the monument to a crush of cameras and onlookers.

AP
Trade turnover between Ukraine and Belarus 40% up in two months - Poroshenko

Trade turnover between Ukraine and Belarus in the two months of 2017 grew by 40%, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has said.

"We are already taking very important steps. And today we have ascertained trade turnover for the first two months of this year grew by 40%," Poroshenko said during communication with the residents of the Belarusian village of Lyaskovichi (Gomel region) near the Ukrainian-Belarusian border.

He stated he had agreed with President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko to simplify the regime of crossing the joint border.

"The border should be a symbol of friendship, a symbol of peace and partnership between our countries," Poroshenko said.
Demonstrators march in Minsk to mark the 31st anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant disaster (AP)

Around 400 people have marched in Minsk to mark the anniversary of the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear power plant disaster, and protest against the construction of a nuclear plant in Belarus.

Wednesday was the 31st anniversary of the explosion and fire at the nuclear plant in neighbouring Ukraine.

The disaster spewed fallout-contaminated smoke over a wide area of northern Europe.

About a quarter of Belarus' territory was contaminated and an 850-square-mile region was declared unfit for human habitation.

The demonstrators said authorities are increasingly allowing crops to be grown on contaminated land. They also urged authorities to stop the construction of a nuclear plant which is due to open in 2019.

Unlike recent opposition rallies that saw hundreds arrested, Wednesday's march was sanctioned by authorities.

AP
Former president George HW Bush has been in hospital since April 14

George HW Bush has recovered from pneumonia but he is still dealing with the effects of chronic bronchitis, a doctor who is treating the former president said.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, Dr Clint Doerr, a pulmonologist at Houston Methodist Hospital, said he still expects the 92-year-old will be discharged by the end of the week.

Mr Bush has been at the hospital since April 14.

Dr Doerr said chronic bronchitis - a constant irritation of the lining of tubes that carry air to one's lungs - can aggravate the symptoms of pneumonia.

He said once Mr Bush is home, doctors will continue with "aggressive respiratory treatments".

Mr Bush served as president from 1989 to 1993. He spent 16 days in the hospital in January for treatment of pneumonia.

AP
The EU has launched legal action against Hungary over a new higher education law that critics say is aimed at shutting down a university founded by billionaire philanthropist George Soros.

European Commission President Valdis Dombrovskis said that the EU's executive arm has sent a "letter of formal notice" to Prime Minister Viktor Orban's government, which is a first step in legal action.

Mr Dombrovskis said the move is based on "an in-depth legal assessment".

The Commission believes the law could infringe on European rights to provide services, but also on academic freedoms and the right to an education.

The Hungarian government will have one month to respond, and based on Budapest's reaction, the Commission will consider what steps to take next.

The higher education law was approved earlier this month. The president of the Soros-backed Central European University says it means that his campus in Budapest might not be able to accept new students after January 1.

"My institution has a gun pointed to its head," CEU President Michael Ignatieff said on Tuesday as he sought support at the European Parliament.

Mr Orban says the CEU is "cheating" because it issues diplomas accepted both in the United States and in Hungary, where it has been operating since 1993.

The university is accredited in New York state but has no campus there.

Mr Orban says this gives it an unfair advantage over other Hungarian universities, but has denied that he wants to shut it down.

The Hungarian leader will face his critics in the European Parliament later on Wednesday as EU politicians debate concerns about his country, including a "Let's Stop Brussels" campaign aimed at highlighting what he says is an EU power grab.

Given the legal action, a showdown seems likely between Mr Orban and Commission First Vice-President Frans Timmermans, who will address politicians just before him.

AP
A woman who was held hostage for eight years has urged Madeleine McCann's family not to give up hope.

Natascha Kampusch was kidnapped when she was just ten-years-old and was forced to be a sex slave by Wolfgang Priklopil for eight years until she managed to escape in 2006.

As Madeleine's parents prepare to mark ten years since their daughter disappeared in Portugal's Praia da Luz in May 2007, Natascha sent a touching message to them.

Speaking on Good Morning Britain, she said: "Please stay strong and never give up yourself, and I hope that Madeleine appears."

Natascha also spoke about the moment she saw Priklopil was on the phone and she managed to flee his Austrian home.

She said: "I saw that option and I thought I have to do it now because its a chance and maybe it works.

Expand Close Madeleine McCann has been missing for over ten years Photo:Getty / Facebook

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Whatsapp Madeleine McCann has been missing for over ten years Photo:Getty

"And after then I was so excited about my escape and my freedom and then I was a little bit shocked about the new experiences and about the new opportunities."

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Wolfgang took his own life before police could arrest him and after Natascha was awarded compensation she bought his house and said she still visits occasionally as it gives her "control and power."

She said: "Sometimes it was like that, especially the years at the beginning but then I had hope because I had so many plans for my life.

"I didnt want to give up these plans and so it was so important to survive and be strong and look forward to some options and possibilities to escape."

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The McCann's have referred to Natascha's ordeal as they reach a decade without Madeleine.

Writing on the Find Maddie Facebook page, they said: "Ten years- there's no easy way to say it, describe it, accept it. I remember when Madeleine first disappeared I couldnt even begin to consider anything in terms of years.

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"Shawn Hornbeck abducted and kept hidden for over four years, Natascha Kampusch for over eight years. I couldn't go there. And now here we are...Madeleine, our Madeleine- ten years."
French presidential front-runner Emmanuel Macron has accused far-right rival Marine Le Pen of basing her campaign on "hatred for others" in contrast to his desire to "calm" the country.

Mr Macron and Ms Le Pen, who took the first two spots in Sunday's election first round, are facing off in the May 7 run-off.

Mr Macron said there were now "two clear offers that come face to face".

He said that Ms Le Pen and her anti-immigration, anti-EU National Front party are campaigning on a platform of "closing borders, weakening popular and middle classes and our economy".

On the other side, Mr Macron, a pro-business candidate, said he belongs to the "progressive camp" with a project "to make France succeed... in a stronger Europe".

Mr Macron accused the political establishment of "feeding" the National Front for years and waking up today with a "hangover" with Ms Le Pen advancing to the run-off.

"We have collectively made the National Front normal," he lamented.

Earlier, researchers said Mr Macron's campaign had been targeted by Russia-linked hackers.

Staff with the Japanese anti-virus firm Trend Micro said the centrist politician was being singled out for electronic eavesdropping by the Kremlin.

The campaign's digital chief, Mounir Mahjoubi, confirmed the attempted intrusions but said they had all been thwarted.

"It's serious, but nothing was compromised," he said.

Trend Micro said it discovered the campaign by monitoring the creation of rogue, lookalike websites often used by hackers to trick victims into giving up their passwords.
John F Kennedy kept a diary during his brief stint as a journalist in Europe

A diary kept by a young John F Kennedy during his brief stint as a journalist after the Second World War in which he reflected on Hitler and the weakness of the United Nations has sold for more than 700,000 dollars (547,260).

Boston-based RR Auction said the diary sold for 718,750 dollars, far exceeding the pre-sale estimate of 200,000 dollars (155,740).

Joseph Alsop, a JFK collector from Beverly, outbid one other live and six telephone bidders in a packed house for the 61-page diary. Alsop, 71, plans to add it to his personal collection, auction officials said.

The diary is mostly typed but includes 12 handwritten pages. It was written in 1945 when 28-year-old Kennedy was a correspondent for Hearst newspapers and travelled through a devastated Europe.

Executive vice president Bobby Livingston said the auction was thrilling, with bidders from around the country vying for the personal observations of the man who had become president.

"My expectations were exceeded, but I'm not surprised because it's such a significant and historic manuscript," Mr Livingston said.

He said the diary's new owner is the nephew of brothers Joseph Alsop V and Stewart Alsop, two influential columnists during the Kennedy presidency.

Kennedy gave the diary to Deirdre Henderson, a research assistant in his campaign office in the late 1950s who now lives in the Boston area.

In the diary, Kennedy reflected on his time in a gutted Berlin and even saw Hitler's bunker, speculating that he was not killed.

He wrote that Hitler "had in him the stuff of which legends are made." But Henderson said in an interview last month that should not be misinterpreted as sympathy for the German dictator.

"He said that in reference to the mystery surrounding him and not the evil he represented," Henderson said.

Kennedy expressed doubt about the effectiveness of the fledgling United Nations, questioning whether it "will prove effective in the sense of its elaborate mechanics being frequently employed or vitally decisive in deterring war or peace."

Henderson said she put the diary up for sale so it can be properly preserved, and she's confident the winning bidder will respect her wish. She said she wanted the sale to coincide with the 100th anniversary of Kennedy's birth this year.

"I'm more than pleased with the outcome," Henderson said. "I think it was the right price at the right time."

Kennedy, the 35th US president, served from January 1961 until he was assassinated in Dallas on November 22, 1963.

AP
The bear was killed after it escaped from its enclosure from a zoo in the northern German town of Osnabrueck (AP)

A bear bit off and ate the forearm of a nine-year-old Palestinian boy as he tried to feed it at the zoo.

The boy was on a school visit to the zoo in the occupied West Bank town of Qalqilya, Palestinian police said.

A police spokesman said the boy approached the caged bear with food when the animal pounced, severing the limb at the elbow.

The bear then ate the arm, he added.

The boy was rushed to a local hospital and then to the An-Najah National University Hospital in Nablus.

Police have launched an investigation into the attack.

The Palestinian Ministry of Local Governance have closed the zoo until further notice, the Ma'an news service reports.

An investigative committee is expected to deliver a report within a week.
Ukraine will resume supply of electricity to the uncontrolled territories of Luhansk region if the debt is repaid, Minister of Energy and Coal Industry Ihor Nasalyk has said.

"If the debts are repaid, we will resume electricity supplies," he said on the air of the 112.ua TV Channel.

The minister said the decision to cut off power supply is not a political but en economic decision.

"All the enterprises that were registered in the uncontrolled territory of Luhansk region and were Ukrainian have been completely nationalized. There was no payment to the energy market over the last two months. Therefore the cutoff is not the decision of the Cabinet of Ministers," he said.
NEARLY a quarter of Donald Trump's tweets have contained unproven or disputed claims since the businessman became president, an analysis by the Press Association has found.

The study looked at whether statements made in tweets from the president's @realDonaldTrump account could either be backed up by publicly-available evidence, or had been disputed by other news outlets.

It found that, of 447 tweets sent from the account since he took office, 108 contained claims that were either unproven or disputed - a total of 24.2%.

The president's penchant for questionable claims appeared to peak around the middle of February, a month in which a series of damaging reports emerged relating to his team's alleged communications with Russia during the election campaign.

In that month, President Trump tweeted 37 disputable claims, according to the PA analysis - including 12 in the week of security adviser Michael Flynn's resignation over suggestions he covered up talks with Kremlin officials.

Of those, six appeared to directly defend his team's conduct in the Russia scandal, while five specifically contained the phrase "fake news".

"This Russian connection non-sense is merely an attempt to cover-up the many mistakes made in Hillary Clinton's losing campaign," he tweeted on February 15, just hours after Mr Flynn's departure.

He added two days later: "The Democrats had to come up with a story as to why they lost the election, and so badly (306), so they made up a story - RUSSIA. Fake news!"

At the start of April, amid further pressure over the Russia allegations, the Press Association noted 13 questionable claims in Mr Trump's tweets - the highest week of his presidency.

All but two of these related either to Russia or to unproven allegations of surveillance against the president and his team.

Another peak came as President Trump tweeted unfounded claims that he had his "wires tapped" by predecessor Barack Obama in the run-up to the election.

In a string of four tweets sent in the early hours of March 4, Mr Trump made the claims which he later disowned - telling a press conference two weeks later that he was merely quoting a "very talented" Fox News reporter, Andrew Napolitano.

Mr Napolitano had cited three unnamed sources claiming that the surveillance had been carried about by British intelligence agency GCHQ, at the request of President Obama.

Fox later said it had "no evidence of any kind" that President Trump had been subject to such surveillance.

The only week during which the PA analysis found no questionable claims was between April 8 and 14 - the seven days following his decision to launch air strikes on a Syrian air base in retaliation for a chemical gas attack that had been launched there by the country's government.

Mr Trump has been an avid Twitter user since he joined the social network in 2009, sending almost 35,000 tweets during the last eight years from his @realDonaldTrump account. But what can be learned from his tweets since taking the US presidency?

The businessman's personal account, @realDonaldTrump, has gained an impressive eight million followers since Inauguration Day on January 20, taking the total to 28.3 million.

The President has sent 447 tweets from the account over the period, receiving 44,471,072 'favourites' from other Twitter users - an average of over 99,000 favourites per tweet.

The tweets sent between the inauguration and April 25 were retweeted a total of 9,461,563 times - averaging just over 21,000 retweets per tweet.

Commentators have long noted that Mr Trump is most prolific in the morning, often while watching the Fox News Channel morning talk show Fox And Friends - an observation which the data supports.

The busiest hours on the @realDonaldTrump timeline are between 6am and 9am - the exact hours during which Fox And Friends airs. The show's official Twitter account, @foxandfriends, was the account most retweeted by President Trump in his first 100 days.

Another clear trend visible from the account's activity was a marked difference in tone depending on whether the tweet was sent from an iPhone or an Android handset.

It is widely believed that tweets showing from an Android phone were sent by the President himself, while those from an iPhone were sent by members of his team.

The last tweet from an Android device was sent on March 25, but an analysis of all tweets until that point shows 50% more exclamation marks in tweets from Android devices and more than three times as many mentions of "fake news".

Statistically, the tweets sent via Android were found to have a greater level of engagement - averaging more than 130,000 favourites and 28,000 retweets each.

By comparison, iPhone-sent tweets garnered 81,000 favourites and 17,000 retweets each, on average.

Some other facts and figures from @realDonaldTrump since his January 20 inauguration include:

- Mondays and Fridays are his busiest days of the week on Twitter, with the fewest tweets sent on Sundays.

- He has used 252 exclamation marks, more than one every other tweet.

- He has mentioned "fake news" 30 times, Fox 23 times, America 21 times, Russia 20 times, Obama 19 times, China 10 times and Mexico four times.:: "Great" is the most popular single word used in his tweets, featuring 80 times.
U.S. first lady Melania Trump and Ivanka Trump watch as U.S. President Donald Trump speaks in the Oval Office of the White House, in Washington, DC, U.S. February 28, 2017. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts

There are different sorts of First Ladies as there are different sorts of Presidents.

The office is so undefined constitutionally that it varies depending on the occupant.

Jackie Kennedy raised private money to remodel the White House, and acted as supreme hostess of the nation.

Hillary Clinton piloted health care legislation.

One form of soft power that remains constant however, is that she is often a key advisor.

The power play rules of being first one 'in the room' and 'last to leave', often demanded by key advisors of their presidents, is stretched to the limit when you think of the First Lady. She is almost always the first person to see the him each morning, and the last one to speak to him before he goes to bed.

Not so much with the Trump administration however.

With Melania in New York with son Baron, a power vacuum appears to have been created. And, in lieu of a formal role as First Lady, Ivanka has been made Senior Advisor to the President.

Angela Rye, a regular pundit on CNN, criticised the promotion for a member of the president's family, implying that she is 'playing at First Lady'.

Rye was responding to a point made by contributor Paris Dennard that the role of 'senior advisor' varied from administration to administration.

"When we challenge these roles being ill-defined or undefined in these spaces, it means theres nothing to hold them accountable to in terms of benchmarks. They are also hoping that this type of loose association with a job description means that they can tiptoe into conflicts of interest without any issue. We saw Ivanka doing that just last week.

"I think the real challenge is she doesnt have a real defined role because we all know what role Ivanka is playing, and thats the role of the first lady because Melania is not checking for Donald."

The idea of a role for the 'First Family' not just the 'First Lady' was put out by the Trump Transition team in December 2016.

There have been several women who were not the spouse of the President who fulfilled the role of First Lady in the 18th and 19th centuries.

Martha Jefferson Randolph (daughter of president Thomas Jefferson).

Emily Donelson and Sarah Yorke-Jackson (respectively the niece and daughter-in-law of president Andrew Jackson).

Mary Elizabeth Bliss (daughter of president Zachary Taylor)

Mary Harrison McKee (daughter of president Benjamin Harrison)

Rose Cleveland (sister of president Grover Cleveland)

In the UK, where there is no formal 'first lady' role, there have been times when someone who was not the prime minister's spouse carried out the role of Downing Street host.

Flora MacDonald, daughter of Labour premier and widower Ramsay MacDonald often hosted people.

So this theory is probably correct.

Problems with Ivanka's role are much more to do with the conflict of interest, and her placing alongside world leaders.

Standing in for her camera shy step-mother isn't much of a line of attack.
The missile lifted off from Vandenberg Air Force Base, 130 miles north west of Los Angeles

An unarmed Minuteman 3 intercontinental ballistic missile has been launched from a US Air Force Base in California on a flight to a target in the Pacific Ocean.

The missile lifted off at 12.03 am on Wednesday from Vandenberg Air Force Base, 130 miles north west of Los Angeles.

An Air Force statement said the mission was part of a programme to test the effectiveness, readiness, and accuracy of the weapon system.

The 30th Space Wing commander, Colonel John Moss, said Minuteman launches are essential to verify the status of the US nuclear force and to demonstrate the national nuclear capabilities.

In a Minuteman test, a so-called re-entry vehicle travels more than 4,000 miles downrange to a target at Kwajalein Atoll near the Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands.

"Team V is once again ready to work with Air Force Global Strike Command to successfully launch another Minuteman III missile," Moss said.

"These Minuteman launches are essential to verify the status of our national nuclear force and to demonstrate our national nuclear capabilities.

"We are proud of our long history in partnering with the men and women of the 576th Flight Test Squadron to execute these missions for the nation."

The 576th Flight Test Squadron will be responsible for installed tracking, telemetry, and command destruct systems on the missile.

AP
US President Donald Trump has proposed major cuts to corporation tax in an overhaul his administration said would spur economic growth and bring jobs and prosperity to America's middle class.

The plan would also reduce investment and estate taxes aimed at the wealthy.

But administration officials said that action on other key tax code elements would ensure the plan would largely help the middle class instead of the affluent.

The White House has yet to spell out how much of a hole the tax cuts could create in the federal budget, maintaining that the resulting economic growth would reduce - if not eliminate - the risk of a soaring deficit.

The outlined changes to the tax code are the most concrete guidance so far on Mr Trump's vision for spurring job growth.

"The president owns this plan; don't be mistaken," said Gary Cohn, director of the White House National Economic Council.

Mr Cohn said Mr Trump and his administration recognise they have to be "good stewards" of the federal budget.

But the plan as it currently stands could cause the federal deficit to climb, unless it sparks a massive and lasting wave of growth that most economists say is unlikely.

The threat of a rising budget deficit could erode support for the plan among politicians in Mr Trump's own Republican Party.

Administration officials intend to agree additional details with members of the House and Senate in the coming weeks for what would be the first massive rewrite of the US tax code since 1986.

"We know this is difficult," Mr Cohn said. "We know what we're asking for is a big bite."

As Mr Cohn and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin explained, the plan would reduce the number of personal income tax brackets to three from seven: rates of 10%, 25% and 35%.

It would double the standard deduction for married couples to 24,000 dollars (18,600), while keeping deductions for charitable giving and mortgage interest payments.

The administration plans to provide tax relief for families with child care expenses, too, although the specifics have yet to be included.

The proposal would also trim other deductions utilised by wealthier Americans. This would include deductions for state and local tax payments, a change that could alienate support from politicians in states such as California and New York with higher state taxes.

"It's not the federal government's job to be subsidising the states," Mr Mnuchin said.

The administration has emphasised that the plan was focused on simplifying the tax code and helping middle class Americans. The median US household income is slightly above 50,000 dollars (39,000) annually.

Still, the proposal could reduce the tax burden for the wealthy as well.

It would also repeal the estate tax, the catch-all alternative minimum tax and the 3.8% tax on investment income from President Barack Obama's health care law. The proposal has yet to be vetted for its precise impact on top earners, as several details are still being determined.

On the corporate side, the top marginal tax rate would fall from 35% to 15%.

Small businesses that account for their owners' personal incomes would see their top tax rate go from 39.6% to the proposed corporate tax rate of 15%.

Mr Mnuchin stressed that the change for small business owners - a group that under the current definition could include doctors, lawyers and even major property companies - would be done to ensure that wealthier Americans could not exploit the change to pay less in taxes.

AP
The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) is conducting a search in the office of PJSC Ukrgazvydobuvannia, the company's press service has reported.

"The searches are being conducted by SBU officers under the ruling of an investigative judge of Shevchenkivsky district of Kyiv with regard to the seizure of computer equipment and servers from the company executives. The SBU representatives are motivating searches with the allegedly illegal use of software that the company legally purchased through the ProZorro system," the company notes.

The Ukrgazvydobuvannia press service added the company cooperates with the SBU representatives, but the actions of law enforcers could destabilize its activities.

As reported, the SBU today also has conducted searches at Dragon Capital investment company (Kyiv).
The third edition of Tax, Accounting and Audit in India is updated for 2017, and provides an overview of the f...
New York, Apr 26(Just Earth News): Endorsement of the principles of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples does not equal implementation, speakers told the UN General Assembly on Tuesday at a special meeting to celebrate the Declarationas tenth anniversary and renew commitment to its tenets as a vital solution towards attaining a just and sustainable world.

Since the Declarations adoption, global awareness of indigenous peoples had grown. However, progress had been inconsistent within countries and uneven around the world, Durga Prasad Bhattarai, Vice-President of the General Assembly told the High-level event to mark the 10th anniversary of the landmark UN Declaration.

To fulfil the commitments made under the Declaration, he said, stronger partnerships  built on a foundation of trust  must be forged between among Governments, indigenous peoples, the United Nations, civil society, the private sector and other key stakeholders.

He invited the international community to renew its commitment to indigenous peoples, work collaboratively to achieve the Declarations aims and secure a world in which the rights of all indigenous peoples were promoted and protected.

Indigenous peoples can make their own future, Bolivian President says

Delivering the keynote address, Evo Morales Ayma, the President of Bolivia, described how the indigenous movement in his country had brought together other sectors of society, including transport workers and the middle class, to build a new Bolivia.

There are no issues in which indigenous peoples could not or should not be involved, he said, explaining that for centuries, they had resisted 'invaders' who sought to extinguish their identity. Indeed, indigenous people around the world shared the same history.

Describing war as the direct product of capitalism, he pointed out that, for the rich, there is no crisis as they continued to accumulate wealth on the backs of the poor. Humanity is in danger, but that is a challenge, not destiny. Indigenous peoples have shown that we can resist. Brothers and sisters, we can and we must.

And indeed, indigenous peoples can make their own future. What had been achieved in Bolivia  a country that had gone from a colonial State to a sovereign and plurinational one  demonstrates what could be done at a global level. Indigenous peoples are the moral compass of humanity, with their own ways of organization and production, he stressed, adding that their responsibility is to organize a global fight to save humanity and the world.

Kyung-wha Kang, the UN Secretary-Generals Senior Adviser on Policy, said to ameliorate progress on the rights of Indigenous peoples, several tools should be used, including the three relevant United Nations mechanisms  the Permanent Forum, the Special Rapporteur and the Expert Mechanism. In addition, the UN system-wide action plan and ongoing consultations could also be used to help to amplify indigenous voices in the Organizations processes.

While hailing the progress made this far, Andrew Gilmour, the Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights said: The struggle is far from over. Although the Declaration was approved 10 years ago, many of the obstacles that led to its enactment are still present on Tuesday. Endorsement of its fine principles, alas, does not equal implementation.

So once again, the indigenous movement  with its diverse voices, including those of indigenous women, youth, and persons with disabilities  is rising to meet the challenge of making the Declaration a reality, he said pointing, to the water protectors in Standing Rock, South Dakota, in the United States, as well as those speaking up for their rights, from Nepal to Mexico, who are insisting that their informed consent must be sought.

Yet, extractive industries continued to destroy their land, seeing the indigenous populations on them not as a vital element, but as an obstacle. Human rights defenders were being killed. The Office for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) has called for follow up on enforcing indigenous peoples rights.

The private sector must be aware of the Declarations principles, he stressed, adding that information about the rights of indigenous peoples should be part of the business schools curriculuTo foster progress at the country level, his Office is working towards building national action plans.

Also addressing the meeting, Mariam Wallet Aboubakrine, Chair of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, said the Declaration reflects a global consensus, with some countries such as Canada taking leadership positions after having had initially voted against the instrument in the General Assembly.

The Declaration outlines a range of rights, including with regard to land, education, health and to freely determine political status, she said, adding that the principles of free, prior and informed consent are a critical factor in the Declaration. However, while implementation progress continued, the situation on the ground is grim, with indigenous peoples living shorter lives and having limited political participation.

Advocating for the Declarations principles to be realized on the ground, she said political will is needed. More than 200 frontline defenders, half of whom had been defending land, had been killed in 2016. Those and other situations must be addressed and remedied.

For her part, Victoria Tauli-Corpuz, Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples, said her first report had pointed to two challenges to implementing the Declaration: a lack of awareness and understanding about the human rights instruments; and States difficulties for States to translating them into practical steps.

On promoting awareness and understanding, the results of her predecessors work had seen the reversal of position by the four countries  Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United States that which had originally voted against the Declaration in the Assembly.

The Declaration is an essential tool for reconciliation, a much much-needed process in countries where indigenous peoples continue to suffer gross human rights violations, she stated, but stressed: The most fitting way to mark the Declarations anniversary is to honestly identify and confront the obstacles it faces for effective implementation at all levels.

UN Photo/Manuel Elias

Source: www.justearthnews.com
Toronto, Apr 26 (IBNS): The long simmering softwood lumber dispute between the Canada and US took the centre stage when US President Donald Trump and his administration slammed Ottawaas provocation to 'rough' trade practices and slapped new duties on Canadian lumber.

People dont realize that Canada has been very rough on the United States. Everyone thinks of Canada as being wonderful and so do I. I love Canada. But they have outsmarted our politicians for many years, Trump had alleged on Tuesday.

At a meeting in the White House with the farmers, President Trump promised to open foreign markets to their products, but also used the same platform to protest against Canadas rejection cross border trade of dairy and lumber.

He further said that the sell of dairy products were not allowed from Wisconsin, New York and other border states to Canada.

This has been going on for a while and were not going to put up with it, he said.

Separately, we will be putting a very big tariff on lumber, timber coming into this country, Trump said, adding, We dont want to be taken advantage of by other countries. Thats stopping and its stopping fast.

Though President Trump denied any chance of trade war with his Northern neighbour and biggest trading partner, the Canada-US trade tensions has heightened over this lumber issue despite an encouraging start to USCanada trade relation under Trump administration few months back.

In Washington, the US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross while praising Canada as its 'closest ally and all weather friend' did not fall short of accusing it for engaging in unfair trade practices.

They are close ally, they are an important ally. They are generally good neighbour. That does not mean they dont have to play by the rules, Ross further commented in a White House briefing.

Its not a question of President Trump messing with the Canadians. We believe the Canadians violated legitimate practice," he added.

When President Trump took charge of the Oval office in January, he took pledge to either renegotiate NAFTA or tear it up.

Ross said the ongoing disputes highlight the need to get those negotiations quickly.

We look forward to constructive discussions with the Canadians as we get into NAFTA, Ross concluded.

Meanwhile, "Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called up Trump over telephone on Tuesday and in that call, the prime minister repudiated the baseless allegation by the U.S. Department of Commerce and the decision to impose unfair duties, a statement from the PMOs office read.

The Prime Minister stressed that the Government of Canada will vigorously defend the interests of the Canadian softwood lumber industry, as we have successfully done in all past lumber disputes with the U.S., the statement further said.

The two leaders decided to reach an agreement keeping in mind the importance of the lumber trade, the PMOs office added.

In Ottawa, the Canadian officials jumped up to respond Washingtons decision to impose duties around 20 per cent on Canadian softwood products.

If the proposed duties are made effective then the Canadian lumber export worth around 5 billion dollars will now be charged with 1 billion dollar in duty.

According to Canadas Natural resources Minister Jim Carr, those complaints are unfounded and said that the Canadian government disagree strongly with the unfair duties.

At a Press conference, Minister Carr further added that the task force has been formed to address the needs of forced workers immediate action to help affected companies, workers and affected communities. Now the US decision impose the preliminary countervailing duties has been confirmed we reconvening federal provincial task force on softwood lumber this week to examine together the next steps.

The Liberals have completely failed in 100 of Canadian communities in this softwood lumber file, opposition and New Democratic Party leader Tom Mulcair said at a press conference organized by Canadian Press.



(Reporting Suman Das)

Image: Wikimedia Commons
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UBC Group will launch first stage of refrigerator plant in Vinnytsia in autumn 2017

UBC Group (Kharkiv), a commercial and industrial holding working in the field of refrigeration appliances, will launch the first stage of a refrigerator plant in Vinnytsia in autumn 2017.

"We now have a problem with production capacities. We need new production capacities to increase the market share in Western Europe and America. And we are building a plant in Vinnytsia for this purpose. We bought 11 hectares of land there and rented the same area," UBC Group President Ihor Humenny told Interfax-Ukraine.

He said at present UBC Group has completed the zero cycle and in May-June will assemble industrial buildings. The facilities are manufactured in Sweden and are assembled on the site as Lego bricks.

"Now plant parts are being delivered to Ukraine. Its assembly will take two months, it will be ready in June. The first phase of the plant will be commissioned this autumn. It is planned that 400 people will work there in autumn, then the plant will expand, and over a year we will bring the number of employees to 1,000," the expert said.

UBC Group has three factories in Ukraine and offices in 26 countries.

UBC Group also owns a network of Stargorod brewery restaurants in the CIS and Baltic countries.
Looks like Abhay Deol is in no mood to give up. He will keep dishing out examples of Indias undying obsession with fair skin, and how nobody even bothers to question what stems racism in the country.

After stirring up a debate surrounding Bollywood celebrities endorsing fairness creams, the actor has now pointed out how German skincare company Nivea pulled down its white is purity advertisement after receiving backlash from people, and thereafter he asked  You think we as Indians can get an apology from the brands who are saying this every day in our country?

filmyboss.com

What exactly had happened, you ask? Nivea posted a deodorant advertisement, following which they were accused of racism by several people. Keep it clean, keep it bright. Dont let anything ruin it, it read, with a tagline stating, White is purity.

.@NIVEAUSA What the HELL is this? White Purity? Shame, Shame, Shame on you. Fire your marketing person and anyone who approved this ad pic.twitter.com/vlEBYOpqVc  Maria (@mitchellscomet) April 3, 2017

This had outraged the netizens, who expressed their anger on social media.

Come on #Nivea. This is so racist that I do not even know where to begin. Speechless. In future, refer to clothes or products, not colors. pic.twitter.com/m0KTSALFKo  Scott Bellows (@ScottProfessor) April 4, 2017

Missing the forest for the tests: What the Pepsi-Jenner and Nivea ads teach us about ad evaluation https://t.co/L6scworL7u pic.twitter.com/JMpRRwZkxh  Innovative Research (@InnovativeRG) April 13, 2017

Exactly right. Especially after last week's PR disaster where a Nivea skin cream ad drew comparison to Hitler. The world has lost its mind. https://t.co/JjZ1i3hrM2  Laura Haase (@lauralynn1955) April 11, 2017

The company not only apologised thereafter but also pulled down the ad campaign.

We are deeply sorry to anyone who may take offense to this specific post. After realizing that the post is misleading, it was immediately withdrawn, it said in a statement.

That is when Abhay Deol pointed out why this can never happen in India.

You think we as Indians can get an apology from the brands who are saying this everyday in our country? Or maybe they don't have such values. Just a bottom line, he wrote in an FB post.

Meanwhile, we are just hoping that this will bring about some change.
The release of Baahubali 2 is just two days away and everyone is either talking about the film or speculating the answer of the question that left many of us with sleepless nights: Why did Kattappa Kill Baahubali?

However, a shocking news has just come to spotlight. The producer of the film Shobu Yarlagadda has reported Emirates Airlines of rude and racist behavior.

Twitter

Talking about the rude and racist behaviour of the Airlines staff, Shobu took to Twitter to express the grief that the staff gave to the whole team of Baahubali.

In his tweets, he mentioned how the Dubai-based air carrier didn't just mistreat the team when they were on their way to Hyderabad after promoting the film in Dubai, but they were racist.

Flying to Hyd on @emirates EK526. Airline staff at gate B4 were very rude n harassed our team unnecessarily! Bad attitude n service!  Shobu Yarlagadda (@Shobu_) April 25, 2017

.@emirates I think one of the @emirates staff was being racist.. I fly @emirates regularly n this is 1st time I have come across this kind of attitude  Shobu Yarlagadda (@Shobu_) April 25, 2017

Shobu was accompanying director S S Rajamouli and actors Prabhas, Rana Dagubatti and Anushka Shetty for the promotion.
Bill Gates is dedicatedly working on the 'world's sanitation challenge' and loves the Indian government's 'Swachh Bharat' initiative.

reuters

In an elaborate note that he wrote on his blog, gatesnotes.com, Gates lauds Prime Minister Narendra Modi for openly discussing the issue of human waste along with devising the initiative.

Indian Prime Minister @narendramodi put a spotlight on a subject that most of us would rather not even think about: https://t.co/oUX40Igi6G pic.twitter.com/mJnCwhbo4U  Bill Gates (@BillGates) April 25, 2017

Gates writes,

"Nearly three years ago, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi made one of the boldest comments on public health that I have ever heard from an elected official...I can't think of another time when a national leader has broached such a sensitive topic so frankly and so publicly."

The 'Swachh Bharat' initiative aims at ending open defecation nationwide by 2019 and installing 75 million toilets throughout India. This and ensuring that no untreated waste is directly dumped into the surroundings.

www.pmindia.gov

Gates appreciates how Modi backed his words with action,

"Even better, Modi backed up his words with actions...What I love most about Clean India is that it identified a big problem, got everyone working on it, and is using measurement to show where things need to be done differently."

Gates cites facts and says that the hard work is paying great benefits. Over 30 percent of Indian villages have been made free of open defecation - a figure that went up from 8 percent in 2015.

During his most recent visit to India, Gates also shot a virtual-reality video which he calls 'Talking Toilets'. Watch it here.
Maoists stealthily maintained the movements of CRPF Jawans and killed 25 in the worst attack of its kind in Chhattisgarh in seven years.

On April 25, 36 of a total 99 jawans were killed in Sukma, while they were having lunch. After the attack, Venkaiah Naidu accused human rights activists of being silent on the ambush.

BCCL

He said, These activists raise their voice and react violently if an extremist or a terrorist is killed by the police, but take shelter in silence when a large number of jawans and innocent people get killed by those who operate underground, and kill and run."

Are human rights meant only for those who take to violence in furtherance of their outdated ideologies and not for security personnel and common people? Why are the human right activists silent when such inhuman rights are mindlessly committed by outlawed elements? added Naidu.

news-d

Human Rights activists are counter-questioning Mr Naidus accusation on their apparent silence, and asking why hes deflecting the states failure in the region by playing the blame game, and only looking for a party to point fingers at.

Indiatimes spoke to four prominent human rights activists in India and they all feel that the government is trying to divert people's issue from the state's failure in the region by pointing fingers at activists. Fighting for pro-life is the core of any activists' battle. No matter whether it's the state or separatists who promulgate violence, it's wrong nonetheless. Instead of looking for a party to lay blame on, the state needs to promise an end to this war.

Arun Ferreira, who was accused of being a Maoist leader and spent five years in jail before being proven innocent and released, pointed to the statement released by Peoples Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL)which is the very organisation that the Central Government accuses of being a Maoist front as it has been raising issues of human rights atrocities by the State military forces."

BCCL

In the statement released, PUCL condemned the ruthless ambush carried out by Maoists and expressed grief.

Also it said, The PUCL apprehends that soon the security forces would retaliate by search and cordon operations in the area which are only likely to hurt the soft target of ordinary civilians. Consequent arrests, beatings and killings will only intensify the cycles of violence and counter-violence.

PUCL reiterated its belief that this violence can only end by restoring faith of local Adivasi people in the State through the strict implementation of pro-tribal laws like the PESA, Forest Rights Act; the better provision of health, education and other welfare activities; a perception of getting justice and dignity; the restoration of civil administration as opposed to administration by the security forces in the interior areas; and addressing of popular demands as voiced by Sarv Adivasi Samaj or other local tribal organizations, in other words a political solution.

Ferreira said its interesting how Mr. Naidu wants to hear the voices of Human Rights activists now. Probably with hope that it would help further increase police repression. And when the there are police excesses, he chooses to turn a deaf ear to the very same voices.



Bela Bhati, a human rights worker who works in Bastar, also turned to PUCLs statement and said Mr Naidu perhaps mightve missed it because human rights activists are not silent.

cnn news 18

She said, All lives are precious and all deaths, including in the present incident, condemnable. However, it is not enough to bemoan the loss, we need to work to ensure that such deaths do not happen again. That will be the true shradhanjali to those who have lost lives in this incident as well as many previous incidents, on both sides, since the war began in 2005.

We need to work towards finding a political solution to the armed conflict. As a first step, there should be a ceasefire on both sides. Human rights of all can be maximally protected if there is minimum violence. Further, the government in all sincerity should promise the tribal citizens of Bastar that it will do nothing that will jeopardize the control of the adivasis over their basic resources: land, forests, and water and that it will put on hold all controversial policies and projects (eg, mining policy and MOUs signed with corporates) until a consensus is achieved on this with the tribals.

Bastar is the most militarised region of the country today. Many military operations have been carried out in the last decade and they have not solved anything. We have to work towards the solution of the problem not deliberate upon more strikes. In current times, this is the true yardstick of how committed one is -whether one may be part of the government or outside it - to the protection of democratic rights and well-being of all, including that of the members of the forces.

Kavita Krishnan mirrors Bhatias thoughts and says that this spiral of violence from both sides must end.

BCCL

Her party, Communist Party of India, in fact, did publish a statement after the attack and said that the incident is unfortunate. The statement read, The States militarised response to the Maoist insurgency has resulted not only in a spate of human rights violations of adivasis in the region but also the needless and avoidable deaths of paramilitary personnel.

She questioned Mr Naidus accusation and instead asked why hes blaming activists instead of calling an end to this violence? As part of the human rights cohort, she said, weve made it very clear that the government and Maoist both need to end the violence and war between them.

When the state uses violence, its a part of human rights violation because the armed forces are a part of Indias democratic constitution. If they violate the constitution, thats surely a breach of peoples rights that leads to alienation. Maoists, however, are not acting as part of the government but thats not to say Im not critical of them. I am definitely critical of the violence of Maoists and call for a complete cessation of violence, said Kavita.

Once again she asked Naidu if hes insinuating that just because Maoists attacked the forces, it gives them space to be violent as well? How then are they different from terrorists?

Dolphy Dsouza, Convenor of Police Reforms Watch, said that the government is playing a blame game, and it must not be done. Instead, through deep introspection of the nexus of problems in Chhattisgarh, the state should ensure such incidents dont happen again.
Fareeda, the mother of CRPF constable Sher Mohammad who was injured in the Maoist attack In Sukma said she is proud of her son.

ANI

Mohammad, a resident of Bulandshahar in Uttar Pradesh who was injured on the waist and the knee in the attack is recovering in a hospital.

Speaking to ANI his mother said, My Son killed five naxals, I am proud of him. The entire village is praying for him."

ANI

Muhammad was part of the 99 CRPF personnel who had come under an attack by the maoists who are said to be around 300 in number.

The CRPF personnel from 74th Battalion were providing protection to a group of construction workers building a road in Chintagufa, a densely forested area about 70 km from Sukma, which is 360 km away from Raipur.

ANI

"A 300-strong Naxal group attacked us armed with automatic AK-47 and INSAS rifle. The villagers also helped them," Muhammad recalled from the hospital bed.

Monday's attack on the CRPF was one of the deadliest ambushes on the paramilitary in the recent times.
ap

Yogi Adityanath-led Uttar Pradesh government has cancelled 15 public holidays that mark the birth or death anniversary of eminent personalities. Read more

Here are more top news stories of the day:

1) Govt May Think New Rs 2,000 Note Is Gorgeous But Switzerland Wins Best Currency Note Award

The Switzerland currency note has just won an award of which you wouldnt have heard of. Switzerland, which is all about its scenic beauty and chocolates, has beaten 18 competitors across the world to win the glorious title of the Bank Note of the year. Read more

2) Thai Man Broadcasts Murder Of 11-Month-Old Daughter Live On Facebook Before Committing Suicide

Reuters

The grim trend of live streaming murders and suicides on Facebook doesnt seem to stop anytime soon. The latest to join the growing list is from Thailand where a man filmed himself killing his 11-month-old daughter in two video clips posted on Facebook before committing suicide. Read more

3) India's Longest Ropeway Will Take You From Mumbai To The The Scenic Elephanta Caves

Reuters

Indias first and longest ropeway will connect Mumbai with the famous Elephanta Island in the Arabian sea, and the Mumbai Port Trust will oversee the construction. Read more

4) Bill Gates Praises Narendra Modi, Says He Loves The Government's 'Swachh Bharat' Initiative

reuters





5) Bill Gates is dedicatedly working on the 'world's sanitation challenge' and loves the Indian government's 'Swachh Bharat' initiative. Read more

Here Is All You Need To Know About Hidma - The Alleged Mastermind Behind The Sukma Attack

IndiaToday

It was shortly after lunch time, on Monday. A battalion of close to 80 soldiers had just sat down for lunch in Chattisgarh's Sukma district when they came under heavy fire. The attackers were armed with Kalashnikovs and arrows attached to explosives. Over the next couple of hours, 25 CRPF jawans lost their lives and scores more were injured. Read more
Whether its Dantewadas horrifying ambush by Maoists in 2010 which saw 78 Jawans martyred or the repeated attacks by Left Wing Extremists (LWE) on Bastar region in Chhattisgarh which saw dozens of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) perish.

PTI

The bloodstains of 12 jawans killed in Sukma in March hadnt dried yet, and the Maoists killed 25 more to give the force another wound which mightnt heal ever.

We are just four months inside 2017 and have already 49 of our valiant security personnel to Maoists in Chhattisgarh.

Behind the veil of political rhetoric, both centre and the state, there are questions that need to be raised and answered, if at all, the politicians sitting in the hallowed confines wish to do any good to CRPF.

Also Read: 'Considerable Number' Of Maoists Killed In Retaliatory Action In Sukma, Claims CRPF

Chhattisgarh CM Raman Singh said that Sukma in Bastar is the last bastion for Maoists and thats why they are protecting it fiercely. Sukma is Maoists headquarters and their last bastion in the country. If roads are built here, they will be wiped out. This is the last battle for them, which is why they are resisting so fiercely, The Hindu reported.

Rajnath Singh too didnt say much except for lip service politicians are now so habitual of. The home minister said that the sacrifice of the soldiers will go in vain, but this is what he said last time in March.

But there are questions which need answers because the forces morale is on the verge of a break and the state as well as centre doesn't acknowledge that the problem is far bigger than their myopic vision could gaze.

Here are major reasons cited behind CRPFs fatal flaws lately which make them sitting ducks waiting to be culled.

No top leadership

Many former CRPF officials and officers of other forces have questioned government's approach of letting the CRPF fight perhaps an enemy more equipped and agile in terrorists in Kashmir without a leader to lead.

IndiaTimes

For the past two months, the post of director general in the CRPF has been lying vacant which demoralises the force at all levels.

"Why is a force of 300,000 personnel headless for two months?" IndiaToday quoted 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?"

Not following SOP (Standard Operating Procedure)

Platoon level leadership of CRPF is also looking incompetent as on many occasions in past, CRPF jawans have been found as sitting ducks and that too in large number waiting to be butchered. According to sources, on Monday, a Road Opening Party (ROP) by the CRPF, divided into two groups, was having lunch when the ambush occurred.

PTI

According to Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), The force should get divided into smaller groups of four or five, so that if ambush takes place, minimal casualties get infected. But like Dantewada in 2010 and 2013 attacks, a large number of Jawans were in a group and when they decided to have lunch, the Maoist who took cover behind the villagers opened fire.

PTI

"It's against basic SOP. Prima facie evidence indicates this SOP wasn't followed. If one jawan takes lunch, the other protects. Even when jawans march, a gap is always maintained. Repeated attacks and killings of CRPF personnel indicates a failure in following SOPs. Secondly, was there a quick response team (QRT) to back the ROP?" questioned counter-terrorism analyst Anil Kamboj in the Firstpost

Lack of coordination which invites intelligence faux passes

Be it the counter-insurgency operation in Kashmir or any other initiative in any other state in India, the agencies belonging to state and the centre always accuse each other of not co-operating.

PTI

CRPF has often said that its doing the job of the police because the state government has put the onus of countering Naxalism on centre (CRPF) while as per rule, the police should be at forefront.Lack of coordination between two forces leads to the chink in intelligence armour which often results on ambushes like Mondays.

CRPF isn't equipped and trained for guerrilla war in jungles?

Various security experts time and again have pointed it out that CRPF is neither equipped nor its trained to take on Maoist who know the jungles and the warfare well. The CoBRA battalion  an elite force within CRPF, that is efficiently trained for this purpose  has only eight battalions deployed in Bastar.

PTI

Andhra Pradesh has been able to counter naxalism efficiently with its special force Greyhound. Why Chhattisgarh government hasnt been able to develop an effective anti-naxal squad.?

CRPF marred by poor infrastructure and manpower

Only CRPF and its leadership cant be blamed for the repeated casualties and that too in the same manner. The much need infrastructure which helps the force designated to counter the insurgency and negate expansion of Naxalism is absent.

PTI

The state government has repeated failed to provide infrastructure to CRPF to take on the Maoist who fight in their own bastion. According to sources, out of 425 sanctioned police stations in Chhattisgarh, only 403 exists; out of which 161 don't have vehicles. Many police stations in these highly sensitive areas are half-staffed, as policemen prefer not to have postings there. Nearly 10,000 vacancies have fallen short in Chhattisgarh police.
The press centre of the anti-terrorist operation (ATO) in Donbas reported 65 attacks on its positions in the past 24 hours.

"Three Ukrainian defenders have been killed and four others wounded over the past 24 hours," the press center said in a report posted on Wednesday morning.
Kitty Hawk, the 'flying car' project funded by Google co-founder Larry Page has made its maiden lift-off in California.

The 'ultralight' electrical aircraft can take-off and land vertically, similar to a helicopter or if you may, a flying jet ski! Powered by eight rotors, the prototype has its controls built into the handlebars that imitate the buttons and joystick of a video game controller.

youtube screengrab

The aircraft weighs 100 kg and can hit speeds up to 40 km/hr. It doesn't require a pilot's licence to fly and is completely legal for flying in the US in 'uncongested areas'. Anyone can learn to fly the vehicle in minutes.

For now, the vehicle can only be flown over water at a height of 33 feet in the air.

Kitty Hawk

The cost of the machine remains a mystery, however, the start-up company is offering a $2,000 discount to anyone who wishes to make an early deposit of $100. The interested buyers will also be given free test flights along with the discount.

The flyer is expected to go on sale by the end of this year.

An excited Larry Page - who invested over $100 million in flying car start-ups - told The New York Times, "We've all had dreams of flying effortlessly. I'm excited that one day very soon I'll be able to climb onto my Kitty Hawk Flyer for a quick and easy personal flight."
The official websites of 10 different Indian universities were hacked and defaced on Tuesday. A group going by the name of Pakistan Haxor Crew (PFC) claimed responsibility for the breach, saying it was retaliation for Pakistans railway ministry website being hacked by an Indian crew on Monday.

Among the universities hacked were websites for the Delhi University, Aligarh Muslim University, as well as IIT Delhi and Varanasi. PHC defaced the websites, removing the content and replacing it with a text message on a black background. PHC claimed their mass hack was in retribution for an Indian hacker known as Code-Man defacing the railways.gov.pk website on Monday.

The hackers claim they didnt steal or delete any data from the various websites, and were only there to deliver a message to the government.

Do you know what your so-called heroes (soldiers) are doing in Kashmir? Do you know they are killing many innocent people in Kashmir? the message stated across the hacked websites as well as two videos of alleged brutalities by Indian soldiers in Kashmir.

The message posted to the defaced websites by PHC

Other websites which were hacked include the University of Kota, Army Institute of Management and Technology Greater Noida, Defence Institute of Advanced Technology, Army Institute of Management Kolkata, National Aerospace Laboratories and the Board of Research in Nuclear Sciences (BRNS).

The Hacker War: India vs Paksitan

Indian and Pakistani hackers have been engaging in this kind of cyber war for more than two years now, for the most part as small groups or working solo. The attacks of choice usually involve breaking into and defacing government websites of the other country, though they also occasionally target those of colleges and NGOs as well.

This cyber war came to a head in September 2015, when a Kerala government website was hacked. In retaliation, Indian hackers banded together to begin #OpPak, where at least 227 Pakistani websites were breached and defaced.

@GwynDMello Pakistan - 4

India: 227  Hell Shield Hackers (@IndianHellers) September 28, 2015

Much later in October 2016, the covert war was once again in the spotlight, after a Pakistani hacker tapped into Indias National Green Tribunal website to leave a message. He claimed his attack was revenge for Indias then recent surgical strikes across the LoC.

Indeed, the hacking war is likely to only escalate now that Pakistani actors have struck back. We cant tell you if the fact that these individuals working in the background being unaffiliated with their governments is more terrifying or less, but we can say that its probably only a matter of time before one party goes a step too far... again.
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The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry has condemned the illegal verdict of a Russian court for Crimean Tatar Ruslan Zeytullayev.

"The Foreign Ministry of Ukraine resolutely condemns the unlawful and inhumane decision of the North Caucasus District Military Court in Rostov-on-Don, by which Ruslan Zeytullayev, a citizen of Ukraine illegally detained on the territory of the Russian Federation, will be imprisoned for 12 years. Regretfully, this ruling has become yet another proof of the political bias of the Russian judicial system," the Foreign Ministry said in a comment.

The Foreign Ministry believes that Zeytullayev's case confirms that Russia does not intend to stop its persecution of representatives of the Crimean Tatar people, despite the relevant conclusion of the International Court of Justice.

"The Foreign Ministry of Ukraine demands Russia should stop the illegal actions against citizens of Ukraine, restore respect for international law and the decision of the International Court of Justice and immediately release Ruslan Zeytullayev for his unhindered return to Ukraine," the statement said.

In addition, the Foreign Ministry calls on the international community to take measures to step up political and diplomatic pressure on Moscow to free Zeytullayev and other Ukrainian citizens who are illegally detained in Russia; jointly speak for protecting life, security and human rights of Ukrainian citizens who have become hostages to Russia's aggressive policy against Ukraine.

As reported, on September 7, 2016, the North Caucasus District Military Court in Rostov-on-Don sentenced Ruslan Zeytullayev to seven years' imprisonment for participation in a unit of the Hizb ut-Tahrir organization banned in Russia.

Investigators claim Zeytullayev organized a regional undercover unit of Hizb ut-Tahrir in Sevastopol, and the rest of the defendants were recruiters into the organization declared terrorist in the territory of Russia.

A repeated consideration of Zeytullayev's case started in early March 2017.

On April 4, Zeytullayev announced an indefinite hunger strike. He said that in this way he is seeking to restore justice for his fellow convicted Crimean Tatars and himself.

On April 26, the North Caucasus District Military Court in Rostov-on-Don sentenced Zeytullayev to twelve years in penal colony.
Tillerson

Vows Forever Sanctions on Russia





By Stephen Lendman

April 25, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - According to acting State Department spokesman Mark Toner, Tillerson spoke to (illegitimate US-installed putschist) Ukraine (puppet) president Petro Poroshenko on Monday.



He reiterated Washingtons firm commitment to Ukraines sovereignty and territorial integrity - saying sanctions will remain in place until Russia returns control of the Crimean peninsula to Ukraine and fully implements its Minsk agreement commitments.



Fact: The Republic of Crimea is sovereign Russian Federation territory. The overwhelming will of its people by national referendum wants it no other way.



Fact: In February, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Crimeabelong(s) to the Russian Federation. We dont give back our own territory.



Fact: Russia and Donbass freedom fighters alone observe Minsk terms. Kiev putschists consistently violate them unaccountably.



Fact: As ExxonMobil CEO, Tillerson opposed sanctions, calling them counterproductive and ineffective.



On Monday after meeting with Sergey Lavrov, EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini called Russian and EU strategic partnership surreal with sanctions in place.

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The full implementation of the Minsk Agreements by all sides is a precondition for lifting them, she said - a pretext for maintaining them. Kiev is a serial violator.



Lavrov blasted its regime, saying (t)he apparent sabotage by (its) leadership of everything that is written in the Minsk agreements should meet some (responsible) reaction from those who patronize this rogue state.



Kiev ignores its responsibility under Minsk, pursuing its own agenda - with support and encouragement from Washington and key European nations.



Why is Russia sanctioned for observing Minsk, not Kiev despite its daily violations, Lavrov asked?



EU states are subservient to US imperial interests - maintaining a permanent state of war in multiple theaters, supporting putschists running Ukraine.

Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net . His new book as editor and contributor is titled Flashpoint in Ukraine: How the US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III. http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html - Visit his blog site at www. sjlendman.blogspot.com
South Korea Should Give U.S. Troops the Boot

By Jacob G. Hornberger

April 25, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - The best thing that South Koreans could ever do, both for themselves and for the American people, as well as the Japanese citizenry, is boot all U.S. troops out of their country.

Isnt the reason obvious?

If President Trump, the Pentagon, and the CIA succeed in instigating a war with North Korea, guess who is going to pay the biggest price for such a war.

No, not the United States. At the end of such a war, the continental United States will remain untouched, just like it was after World War I, World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and all the other foreign wars in which the U.S. government has become embroiled.

The same cannot be said about South Korea and Japan. While North Korea would undoubtedly end up losing a war against the United States (assuming that China doesnt enter the fray), South Korea will end up as a devastated wasteland. Thats because as it is going down to defeat, North Korea can be expected to cause as much death and destruction as it can.

That means that South Korea will be buried under a barrage of missiles and artillery shells, not to mention invading North Korean troops. This is especially true for the capital, Seoul, which is located just a few miles south of the border that separates North and South. As Ted Galen Carpenter, senior fellow in defense and foreign policy studies at the Cato Institute, put it in a recent article ,

Yet if North Korea retaliates for a U.S. attack, South Korea would be the primary victim. Pyongyang has no capability to strike the American homeland, but Seoul, South Koreas largest city and its economic heart, is located barely 30 miles south of the Demilitarized Zone separating the two Koreas, and it is highly vulnerable to a North Korean artillery barrage. Civilian fatalities would number in the thousands or tens of thousands.

The likelihood is that North Korea would also do whatever it could to hit Japanese cities with missiles, given that Japan is a treaty ally of the United States.

There is also the distinct probability that North Korea will explode a few nuclear bombs in South Korea. Of course, only one would do the trick, by bringing deadly radiation to most of the country for a long time to come. The same holds true for Japan. If North Korea can do it, it will almost certainly lash out with nuclear missiles fired at Japan.

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There are those who maintain that North Korea would never resort to nuclear weapons because it knows that the United States would respond with a carpet nuclear-bombing of the entire country. But the problem is that one never knows what a ruler is going to do when faced with total defeat, death, capture, trial, or incarceration. During the Cuban Missile Crisis, Cubas communist ruler Fidel Castro was willing to fire nuclear missiles at invading U.S. troops, knowing full well that it would destroy Cuba forever and most likely result in an all-out nuclear war between the United States and the Soviet Union.

Sure, the United States will win such a war. But can the same be said for Koreans and Japanese?

The fact is that North Korea absolutely hates the United States and, more specifically, the U.S. government. It is impossible to overstate the depth of the enmity that the North Korean regime and the North Korean people have for the Pentagon and the CIA.

For one thing, North Koreans understand that it was none of the U.S. governments business to embroil itself in Koreas civil war in the first place. The war was between two halves of one country, no different in principle from the civil war that took place in Vietnam several years later  another civil war that was none of the U.S. governments business.

Moreover, the North Koreans have never forgotten the manner in which the U.S. government waged the Korean War  by massive bombing of Korean towns and cities and also by germ warfare against the North Korean populace. The anti-Asian mindset within the U.S. national-security establishment was the same mindset that guided the waging of the U.S. war in Vietnam, a mindset that held that the North Korean populace consisted of nothing but communist gooks who were hell-bent on conquering the world and taking over the United States, a mindset that held that the only good communist is a dead communist.

Additionally, the North Korean regime fully understands that for the U.S. national-security establishment, the Cold War never really ended. Thats why the embargo against Cuba continues. Thats why NATO still exists. Thats why the hostility toward Russia has never ended. And its why U.S. troops have never come home from Korea.

What that means is regime change  one of the core missions of the U.S. national-security establishment ever since it came into existence after World War II. The Pentagon and the CIA still want what they have always wanted for North Korearegime change. Thats why they intervened in the Korean War, not to save America from the communist hordes they said were coming to get us but rather to bring North Korea under U.S. rule, thereby enabling the Pentagon and the CIA to station U.S. troops on Chinas border, the same thing they are determined to do in Ukraine on Russias border.

The North Koreans (and the Chinese) are fully aware of all this. Thats why they have developed a nuclear program  to deter a U.S. regime-change operation. They know that nuclear weapons are the only thing that will deter the Pentagon and the CIA from instigating one. Dont forget, after all, that Iraq fell to a U.S. regime-change operation because Saddam Hussein did not have nuclear weapons. Cuba, by comparison, was able to resist a U.S. regime-change operation in 1962 with the help of nuclear missiles from the Soviet Union.

Booting U.S. troops out of Korea would be the best thing that could have happen to the South Korean people and the Japanese people. For one thing, it is highly unlikely that North Korea would resume the civil war, given that South Korea has a much more powerful military and a prosperous society to fund such a war. But if such a war were to break out, it would likely remain conventional, rather than go nuclear, given that Koreans would be fighting Koreans rather than North Koreans fighting Americans.

Finally, with the U.S. government out of the picture, the chances of a diplomatic resolution between the two halves of Korea would be much higher, if for no other reason than that both societies would undoubtedly prefer to avoid the death and destruction the resumption of their civil war would produce.

South Koreans should do themselves, Japan, and the United States a tremendous favor by kicking U.S. troops out of their country. It would also be a favor to those U.S. troops, given that they are nothing but a sacrificial tripwire to guarantee U.S. involvement in another Korean war.

Jacob G. Hornberger is founder and president of The Future of Freedom Foundation. He was born and raised in Laredo, Texas, and received his B.A. in economics from Virginia Military Institute and his law degree from the University of Texas. He was a trial attorney for twelve years in Texas. He also was an adjunct professor at the University of Dallas, where he taught law and economics.

This article was first published by FFF
Debunking Trumps Casus Belli



Intelligence community insiders are getting restless for a whistleblower to step forward.



By Philip Giraldi

Wars and rumors of wars have been dominating news cycles of late. No one should be surprised that there is a former intelligence officer subculture that is particularly noticeable in the Washington, DC, area. We stay in touch, communicate regularly, have lunches to discuss the old days, and sometimes organize to raise objections to some of the foreign follies pursued by the U.S. government. Though we often try to stay under the radar, making personal but discreet contact with sympathetic congressmen and journalists, we sometimes work together to get letters to the editor or articles placed in national publications. More rarely we appear on television or radio to discuss our own perspectives on current events.

There is an additional element that helps shape our perceptionsnamely, that many of us are in contact with friends who are still in harness with the Intelligence Community or who are working as post-retirement contractors. Though current employees generally are highly cautious about what they are doing, and we are acutely aware that it is not a good idea to ask anything specific, frustration over specific governmental policies and actions is occasionally vented.

Recently, with the cruise missile attacks on a Syrian airfield, there has been a considerable loosening of the normal restraints that employees exercise regarding their duties. Even more than the invasion of Iraq, which was viewed skeptically by many in the community, the decision by President Trump to retaliate with force against Damascus has been met with dismay among many of those closest to the action in the Middle East.

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Many officers have expressed frustration and anger over what has taken placenot to challenge national-security policy, which they leave up to the politicians, but because they are perceiving a tissue of lies, as in Iraq. They have expressed their concerns in very specific ways to former fellow officers and friends. For the first time, people on the inside of the process are really talking. And we have been listening, astonished at the level of anger.

The insiders note that no evidence has been produced to demonstrate convincingly that Syrian forces dropped a chemical bomb on a civilian area. U.S. monitors, who had been warned by the Russians that an attack was coming, believe they saw from satellite images something close to the Russian account of events, with a bomb hitting the targeted warehouse, which then produced a cloud of gas. They also note that Syria had absolutely no motive for staging a chemical attack. In fact, it was quite the contrary, as Washington had earlier that week backed off from the U.S. position that President Bashar al-Assad should be removed from office. The so-called rebels, however, had plenty of motive. Many intelligence officials have concluded that the White House is lying and concealing what it knows.

Some employees have even expressed a desire that a whistleblower might step forward to demolish the administrations casus belli, though none has yet offered to do so. Most of all, those on the ground are alarmed over ongoing preparations for expanding the war, including seemingly active plans to establish no-fly zones and safe havens. The uncompromising demand that al-Assad must go will lead, in their opinion, to a rapid escalation of military activity that inevitably will result in conflict with Russia.

Philip Giraldi, a former CIA officer, is executive director of the Council for the National Interest.

This article was first published by The American Conservative -
Are we Truly Ready for the Consequences of a War with China?





By Nick Xenophon

April 25, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - We are faced today with a question that has never before arisen in our history. From January 1788, when the First Fleet sailed into Botany Bay, to 2008, during the Global Financial Crisis, we've had first Britain and then the USA as both trading partner and strategic ally.

But now China is our largest two-way trading partner in goods and services ($150 billion), our largest export market ($86 billion) and our largest source of imports ($64 billion). And the integrated East Asian economic zone is the world's fastest growing.

So, how do we negotiate the tension between our major security partner and our major trading partner?

China sees as vital to its security the string of archipelagos from northern Borneo to the Kuril Islands north-east of Japan. It has piled sand onto reefs in the South China Sea, creating seven new artificial islands, and has installed missile batteries and radar facilities, giving it effective control over sea and air traffic in the region.

Earlier this year US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said he wanted to "send China a clear signal that, first, the island-building stops, and second, your access to those islands also is not going to be allowed."

Two weeks later, Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said in Los Angeles that "most nations wish to see more United States leadership, not less, and have no desire to see powers other than the US, calling the shots."

Increased tension between the US and China seems inevitable, and Australia may well get dragged in.

Last year the RAND Corporation published a report called "War with China: Thinking Through the Unthinkable" . It makes sobering reading. Their research team concluded that "war between the two countries [the US and China] could be intense, last a year or more, have no winner, and inflict huge losses and costs on both sides."

China's defensive military capabilities will continue to increase, and it will be able to inflict heavy losses on its opponents.

As both sides' technologies and doctrine create a preference for striking first, the potential for miscalculation is high. Each side may believe that by striking first it can gain and retain the initiative, and by doing so it might be able to end a conflict quickly.

Yet this kind of thinking has uncomfortable parallels with Europe of a century ago, when the belligerents initiated their own military plans to attack before being attacked, and both sides believed that in doing so they would gain operational dominance and end the war swiftly. Back then, both sides had strong economic ties, which 'experts' said would prevent any conflict.

Furthermore, using the line and military strategy attributed to Sun Tzu, China may decide to "kill the chicken to scare the monkey"  sink an Australian vessel to warn off the United States Navy.

Are we truly ready for the consequences of a war? Unlike Afghanistan and Iraq, where there were relatively few casualties, this time we may see large numbers of body bags returning, or never returning at all, since they may have been sunk at sea.

Is Australia ready for a relentless parade of funerals? For calls from the extreme political fringe for Chinese Australians to be interned in camps? For India reinforcing its troops along its border with China? For Russia to be emboldened along its western border? For increased activity in the Middle East, as extremists there take advantage of US preoccupation in the South China Sea? We already know what the invasion of Iraq unleashed.

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And back home the consequences would be catastrophic, both for our economy and society.

RAND said a US-China war could shrink China's GDP by up to 35 per cent and the USA's by up to 10 per cent. But given our much higher trade dependence on China and the region, a 30 per cent contraction would not be out of the question.

And demographically? Seeing Chinese Australians and Chinese students on our streets shows how integral they've become to our nation's fabric.

A war with China would rip Australia's economy and society apart.

The signals we send to either side about Australia's position are of the highest economic and strategic significance. What we do requires extensive consideration in the Australian Parliament. Contrary to public belief, the ANZUS Treaty doesn't commit the US to come to our assistance, or us to theirs  only to "act to meet the common danger in accordance with [our] constitutional processes".

Australia alone should decide which wars we go to, and the circumstances in which we go to them. That goes to the heart of our sovereignty.

Australia must not get involved in a South China Sea conflict until every member of the Australian Parliament has voted on it, and explained their reasons individually  not hide behind a party line.

What's more, that process should be enshrined in Australian legislation; no Australian military actions ought to occur without parliamentary authorisation, except in self-defence. More than ever, since 1788, it's a law whose time has come.

Nick Xenophon is a South Australian Senator. This is an edited version of a speech given at Australian Strategic Policy Institute.

This article was first published by The Age -
9/11 Destroyed America

By Paul Craig Roberts

April 25, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - 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. http://www.paulcraigroberts.org/2017/04/20/freedom-democracy-tyranny/

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 Trade Center Towers blowing up. I had often enjoyed lunch in the rooftop restaurant 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 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. Silversteins 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, dont 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.

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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.

Our masters know this, and thus they can dispense with truth at will. Moreover, any expert courageous enough to speak the truth is easily branded a conspiracy theorist.

Who comes to his defense? Not his colleagues. They want rid of him as quickly as possible. Truth is a threat to their careers. They cant afford to be associated with truth. In America, truth is a career-killing word.

In America, truth is becoming a synonym for Russian agent. Only Russian Agents tell the truth, which must mean that truth is an enemy of America. Lists are being prepared of websites that speak truth to power and thus are seditious. In the United States today people can lie at will without consequence, but it is deadly to tell the truth.

Support A&E for 9/11 Truth. These are heroic people. 9/11 was the manufactured excuse for the neoconservatives 16 years of war crimes against millions of Muslims peoples, remnants of which now seek refuge in Europe.

Neoconservatives are a tiny number of people. No more than a dozen are of any consequence. Yet they have used America to murder millions. And now they are fomenting war with Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea. The world would never survive such a war.

Are Americans so insouciant that they will stand aside while a dozen neoconservatives destroy the world?

Dr. Paul Craig Roberts was Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for Economic Policy and associate editor of the Wall Street Journal. He was columnist for Business Week, Scripps Howard News Service, and Creators Syndicate. He has had many university appointments. His internet columns have attracted a worldwide following. Roberts' latest books are The Failure of Laissez Faire Capitalism and Economic Dissolution of the West , How America Was Lost , and The Neoconservative Threat to World Order .
The United States of... False Flags

By Finian Cunningham

April 25, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - The United States government is the world leader in purveying false flags and propaganda stunts. Or, more generally, downright, systematic lies. To justify the outrageous violation of international law, wars and aggression.

Current president and Commander-in-Chief, Donald Trump, is himself the object of fraudulent US intelligence, accused of "collusion with Russian agents." In a rare admission, the Washington Times this week described the US intel dossier against Trump as "riddled with fiction."

Yet, ironically, Trump, in turn, serves as a shameless conduit for US propaganda to fuel conflict with Syria and North Korea.

In the latter case, a world war could break out at any moment as a result of insane American goading. The dispatch of a US nuclear-powered submarine to the Korean Peninsula this week is just another reckless provocation by Trump.

On Syria, the Trump administration has slapped on more economic sanctions over an alleged chemical weapons incident earlier this month. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said the "sweeping sanctions" were because of "Syrian dictator Bashar al Assad's horrific chemical weapons attack on innocent men, women and children."

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov said the latest US sanctions were "unfounded" since there is no proof that the Syrian government used chemical weapons in Idlib Province on April 4.

Indeed, several respected international authorities, such as American professor Theodore Postol, a weapons expert at MIT, have dismissed official US claims about the chemical incident. The only "proof" provided by the US government and Western media are videos of alleged victims. That is, videos supplied by al Qaeda-linked terrorists and their media agents known as the White Helmets . This terror nexus is a creation of US, British and French military intelligence, financed with Saudi and Qatari money.

Thus, the April 4 chemical incident in Idlib was plausibly a "false flag" staged by Western-sponsored terrorist proxies to elicit American military attack on Syria. In other words, innocent people, including children, were murdered with lethal chemicals, and the whole macabre spectacle videoed for dissemination by the Western news media. It would not be the first time. The August 2013 "chemical weapons" incident near Damascus was probably also another macabre set-up by the terror groups.

So, here we have an American president citing a false flag orchestrated by his own intelligence agencies to justify his subsequent order for a missile strike on Syria on April 7. And now we see the US government slapping punitive sanctions on Syria as a further warped response.

Of huge significance is the fact that the US, Britain and France have blocked Russian, Iranian and Syrian demands for an impartial on-site investigation to be carried out in the town of Khan Shaykhun where the chemical incident allegedly happened. As Russias Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov pointed out, the Western powers do not want to find out what really happened because that would interfere with their agenda for regime change in Syria.

By way of shoring up the false narrative on Syria, this week US media carried "reports" alleging that North Korea has been supplying the Syrian government with chemical weapons technology. As usual, no verifiable evidence is presented, just more bombastic assertions and concocted claims.

But we can see where this is going. US intelligence, mouthed by its president and controlled media, are laying down dots to entice the Western public to join up with false logic and prejudice, all so that the US authorities can give themselves a legal, moral mandate to justify aggression. Conveniently, the contrived North Korea-Syria connection allows for two birds to be hit with one stone.

The pattern of deception here by the US government, aided and abetted by propagandizing "news services," is classic modus operandi. Time and again, down through history, the US ruling class have used false flags, distortion and outright lies to promote their hegemonic desires of inciting war, conflict and aggression.

For a country like the United States, which has been waging war on other foreign nations for over 95 per cent of its history since its foundation as a modern state in 1776, it only stands to reason that such an astounding record of belligerence, decade-after-decade, must inevitably require a concomitant warmongering propaganda system in order to make it all possible.

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We could mention, for example, the deliberate sinking of one of its own warships, the USS Maine, in Havana Harbor in 1898, which was used to instigate the Spanish-American War. That war was key to the US emerging as an imperial power in the Western Hemisphere.

The later sinking of the civilian passenger ship, the Lusitania, in 1915 off Ireland is another case of deliberate sabotage, to frame-up the Germans, which the US then used to launch itself into the First World War.

More recently, the fabricated US claims of Afghanistan sheltering al-Qaeda terrorists and weapons of mass destruction in Iraq were invoked to sell American wars of revenge for 9/11 terror attacks in New York, which were themselves most probably propaganda stunts staged by US intelligence.

Another flagrant case of US authorities mounting a false flag was the Gulf of Tonkin incident, which served as a pretext for American escalation of the Vietnam War. In 1964, communist North Vietnam was framed up for allegedly firing on a US navy vessel. That incident allowed the US government to dispatch conventional armed forces to Vietnam. Some 50,000 US troops were killed in that 10-year war, as well as three million Vietnamese. The only beneficiaries were US corporations and the Pentagon war machine.

Of course, the US is not unique in using false pretexts to cover for acts of war and criminality. But there can be little doubt from any objective study of history that the US stands out  without any compare  as the biggest purveyor of false flags, lies and propaganda to promote its warmongering. Warmongering that has destroyed dozens of countries around the world and inflicted tens of millions of deaths.

Today, we are on another cusp of US-led war. Syria has been set up with a brazen false flag over chemical weapons, which in all probability is a sickening charade by Western-sponsored terror groups.

Russia and Iran, by extension, are smeared as part of an "axis of evil" by the US propaganda system owing to their otherwise principled alliance with Syria to defeat Western-backed terrorist proxies.

Most alarming is the US false flag effort against North Korea. This small, independent nation, which is not at war with anybody, is, in fact, a victim of American aggression  an aggression involving the sailing of nuclear-powered submarines and warships to its coastal waters.

And yet US President Trump, whose country has thousands of nuclear weapons enough to destroy the entire planet, is labeling North Korea as the "world's number one threat."

The United States is the most dangerous terrorist force on Earth, largely because it is run by rulers who forge lies all the time for waging wars and obliterating humans. The supposed Commander-in-Chief President Donald Trump is himself a target of US lies. Can you get any more deranged than that?

Finian Cunningham has written extensively on international affairs, with articles published in several languages. He is a Masters graduate in Agricultural Chemistry and worked as a scientific editor for the Royal Society of Chemistry, Cambridge, England, before pursuing a career in newspaper journalism. He is also a musician and songwriter. For nearly 20 years, he worked as an editor and writer in major news media organisations, including The Mirror, Irish Times and Independent.

This article was first published by Sputnik -
Two Brazilian nationals have found themselves in a Nigerian prison after they were caught committing a serious crime at the Lagos airport.

Two Brazilians identified as Lima Pereira Diego and Dias Dos Santos Marcia Cristina, who were accused of importing 23.895 kilograms of Cocaine into the country, have been remanded in prison.

According to The Punch, their remand was ordered by the Federal High Court in Lagos on Wednesday.

Justice Mojisola Olatoregun ordered that Diego and Christina should be remanded in the prison custody shortly after they were arraigned on three counts by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency.

The NDLEA, in the charges, alleged that the Brazilians were apprehended with the illicit substance on April 18, 2017 at the Muhammad International Airport, Lagos during the inward clearance of passengers of an Emirates Airlines flight from Brazil enroute Dubia to Lagos.

The anti-narcotic agency said Diego was found in possession of 14.495kg of cocaine while Cristina was found with 9.4kg of the substance.

The prosecution alleged that the Brazilians conspired with one Benson Abiodun and others at large to bring the said banned drug into the country.

The prosecuting counsel for the NDLEA, Abu Ibrahim, said the defendants acted contrary to sections 14(b), 11(a) of the NDLEA Act Cap N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 and were liable to be punished under the same law.

The charges were read to the Brazilians and interpreted to them by one Mr. O. Adeniran, provided by the Brazilian embassy.

Following their plea, the prosecutor urged the court to remand them in the prison custody pending trial.

But the defence counsel, Mr. O. G. Oyeleke (SAN) and Niyi Onifade, told the court that they doubted the competence of the interpreter and urged the court to allow them find another interpreter, whose competence they would trust.

But the prosecutor objected, saying the interpreter should be provided by the court.

In a short ruling, Justice Olatoregun granted the prayer of the defence counsel to provide an interpreter of their choice but said the interpreter from the Brazilian embassy, Adeniran, should also be in court on May 15, 2017 when the pleas of the defendants would be taken afresh.

The judge ordered that the defendants should be remanded in the prison custody.
The Federal Ministry of Finance has refuted claims by one Simon Ateba of an online publication, the Simon Ateba News, to the effect that the Ministry has hired a United Kingdom-based Public Relations (PR ) Consultancy Firm for US$2 million (N800 million) monthly.

This was made known in a press statement issued by the Ministry through the Director Information, Salisu Nainna Dambatta on Wednesday.

The Ministry described the report as inaccurate, clearly false, malicious and devoid of professionalism as no attempt was made to contact the Minister for input to the story.

The Public Relations firm, Africa Practice which has an operational office and Nigerian staff in Lagos, has been retained by the Federal Government for N28, 975,000 only for three years on the approval of the Federal Executive Council in November 2016 to work for the Debt Management Office as part of the Eurobond programme alongside Standard Chartered Bank, Stanbic IBTC Holdings PLC, Citibank, WHITE & CASE LLP and Banwo & Ighodalo.

This followed a competitive tender that was advertised in International and Local newspapers, including the Federal Tenders Journal. Due process was fully followed in the exercise, the outcome of which was publicly announced earlier this year.

The key criteria used in the evaluation of the Technical Bids submitted by the appointed transaction partners including Africapractice were company track record and credentials; evidence of valid licence to operate in the market or jurisdiction in which they are domiciled; global presence, transaction history with the Federal Government or any of its agencies; experience in similar transactions in the international capital market and quality of marketing and distribution strategy for the Eurobond programme.

The representative of Africa Practice was in Washington DC in continuation of the Eurobond programme and in support of the countrys outreach with international investors who showed great enthusiasm to do business with Nigeria.

However, the false story has not dimmed the successful participation of the Nigerian delegation in the World Bank and IMF Spring meetings, nor questioned the obvious gains made by Nigeria in the course of the meetings as widely reported by correspondents of Nigerian media houses that covered the meetings.

The Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, has always appreciated the contribution of Nigerian journalists, whom she hold in high esteem, for the coverage they gave to the activities of the Nigerian delegation to the Spring Meetings in Washington DC and at home.

Source: NTA
Parents and students at the Covenant University, Ota, Ogun State, have described as unjust the suspension of undergraduates at the institution for not attending its Easter Youth Alive programme.

According to them, the rules of thei r admission did not say it is compulsory for them to attend the programme organised by the faith-based institution.

A 400-level student told our correspondent on Wednesday that over 200 students were affected by the decision of the university.

He said, We were going for the services in the morning and night and people were getting tired of it because we were also preparing for exams. So, the Vice- Chancellor got angry and ordered that those who missed the services be sanctioned.

Some were suspended for four weeks and those who had missed eight services for the four days got a year.

Another 300-level student said some of them have been prevented from sitting for exams and they had no means of protesting the sanctions which he said was unfair.

The mood in school is really tense. Though students are not protesting but they are angry because you are preparing for an exam youre not sure you will sit for, until the paper starts.

They stopped me from sitting for a paper last week because I did not go for a service and I dont know if I will be allowed in today either.

A concerned parent who took to a social media platform to register her displeasure said the punishment especially for final year students was not commiserate with the offences committed.
Nollywood actress Uche Elendu in a note talks about her struggle with endometriosis.

She took to Instagram today, April 26, 2017, to write about the amazing miracle surrounding the birth of her daughter, Osinachi.

Elendu in an emotional post wrote,

Once upon a time, 1-year ago my life was lit up with a light so bright and my story changed to the glory of the Almighty God

Osinachi is your name because u r truly from God.

My miracle baby, a child that defied all medical results and was conceived, a child that beat Endometriosis and saved her mother from daily torture of pain and painkillers.

This is my Testimony:

I suffered endo for 7 years and I went through the most painful years of my life, taking Voltaren for pain every day of my life, travelling all around the world seeking medical treatment. Hmmmmn..

My gynaecologist in south Africa said to me Uche, endometriosis has no cure, theres no guarantee that it wont grow back after this surgery.

Imagine a doctor saying this to u in the recovery room of a just concluded surgery.

Oh God, I was shattered, and true to her word, 1 month after I got back to Nigeria it started again and I went back to my misery.

The pain of knowing u cant conceive again, the pain of taking different sorts of medicine both herbal and orthodox to dry up the growth, the pain of going through excruciating pain in your stomach everyday.

Hmmmn.. I was all alone in this or so I thought until my father called me one day and said Nneoma have u laid this problem before God?

And then I remembered I AM NOT ALONE, I went on my knees and cried and prayed and fasted and called upon the king of kings and the Lord of lords.

I wont forget to appreciate my daddy @bishopisaacidahosa who stood by me in prayers. It was as if my world was upside down. My daughter kept saying to me mummy when am I gonna have a sister?

All my classmates have sisters, and this I always presented to God.. My best friend @benedictjohnson1 introduced me to Kedi and I started taking the drugs, I also travelled to the US for another surgery.

Hmm on my arrival at the hospital in the US, I paid my bills and was scheduled for surgery, my vitals and other tests were carried out.

I went home and came back the next day to be operated on only for the doctor to call me into his office and say to me, Uche when was your last period and I said last week and he said ok sorry we have to do a confirmation test on you and i said confirm what ?and he is like Ill See u in 30mins.

Then I went to give my blood sample and waited to be called in. I went into that office again and the doctor said to me Uche this is a rare case.

My heart raced I was scared of what he wanted to say, and then he said you are 10 weeks PREGNANT!!!

OMG how??? when?? where??all I could say was JESUS!!! but Ive been seeing my regular periods and the Lord spoke to me and said I am that I am.. I do what I say I will do, for your sake I have broken protocols, I make impossibilities possible!!!hehehehe..

I dialled my dads number immediately and told him the news and he said to me The God I serve has never let me down. The doctor facilitated my refund and i was registered for antenatal instead of laparoscopic excision!!!!! To be continued #part2 #mytestimony #miraclebaby #1-100yrs #childofsignsandwonders.

Uche Elendu and her beau, Walter Ogochukwu Igweanyiba, got married in the city of Owerri, Imo State capital seven years ago and already have an eight year old daughter.
On Thursday, April 27, at 12.30, the Interfax-Ukraine News Agency's press center will host a press conference by the organizers of Freedom March 2017 aimed at changing the government policy towards drugs, where the date of the "cannabis march" in Kyiv and its participants' demands will be announced. The participants of the press conference will include press officer of the Freedom March Taras Ratushny, leading researcher at the Bohomolets Physiology Institute Dmytro Isayev, and activist of the Visual Culture Research Center and Narkopolityka project Nazariy Sovsun (8/5a Reitarska Street). Registration requires press accreditation. More information by phone: (095) 805 0770, www.marshsvobody.in.ua, https://www.facebook.com/events/484608094884378/
Borishade, 71, former Nigerian minister of education is dead. He died in London on Wednesday after a brief illness.

He was initially rushed to Reddington Hospital in Lagos, last week from where he was taken to London. The cause of death was lung and heart related.

Borishade was born in Usi- Ekiti on March 7, 1946 into the Ebi Ilotin family.

He served as a minister for four times, between 1999-2011. The electrical engineer was also a teacher and a political strategist.

Between February 2001 and May 2003, he served as the Minister of Education.

In recognition of his contributions to Education in Nigeria, Africa and the World at large, Borishade was elected the Vice- Chairman of the E9 Group of the United Nations, President of the UNESCO International Conference on Education, as well as Chairman Education for All (EFA) Forum of African Ministers of Education.

In 2004, Borishade was appointed as Minister of State, Power and Steel.

He initiated the Gas to Power Project (G2P), a World Bank sponsored project designed to ensure sustained gas development and availability for power production to meet Nigerian electricity demands.

Between July 2005 and November 2006, Borishade was Minister of Aviation, during which a Civil Aviation Bill was passed to replace the 1964 Act and the direct flight between Nigeria and the United States of America was restored.

His initiation of various reforms and development in the aviation sector resulted in Nigeria scoring 93 per cent in the ICAO Universal Audit which made Nigeria a benchmark to African Aviation Industry. (NAN)

Source: NAN
President Muhammadu Buhari today failed to convene the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, for the third consecutive time.

Todays meeting is being presided over by Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo.

Buharis cabinet waited until 11am for him to show up, before the State House Chief of Protocols whispered into Osinbajos ears.

The Council Chambers of the Presidential Villa was also noticeably scanty, with only about 20 Ministers seated.

Osinbajo began the meeting with the National Anthem, as well as prayers by the Ministers of Education and Health, Adamu Adamu and Isaac Adewole respectively.

Two weeks ago, Buhari was also absent at the weekly council meeting.

The meeting did not hold last week, with the Presidency citing the Easter break as the reason.

Source: Dailypost
President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday said he was not harassing the family of former President Goodluck Jonathan or any other persons in his administrations ongoing fight against corruption as claimed by the former President.

He said anybody who did not have skeleton in his or her cupboard had nothing to fear about the ongoing anti-graft war.

Buhari said this in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, while reacting to an allegation credited to Jonathan in a book Against The Run of Play, written by the Chairman of ThisDayEditorial Board, Mr. Olusegun Adeniyi, that his family was being harassed by the present government.

The former President was also quoted to have disagreed with the style being used by the present administration in fighting corruption.

But Buhari said given the scale of revelations and recoveries so far by the anti-corruption agencies, it was obvious that corruption had an uninhibited course during our recent past.

While saying he was resolute in the fight, the President said time would give the verdict on whose style of fighting corruption ultimately yielded the most dividends.
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.

The court had been told that evidence was found in Ahmed Abbas computer showing he had been in contact with Boko Haram Islamist militants and that they had communicated information to him about future attacks.

Mr. Abba, a Cameroonian journalist for Radio France International, had been convicted for non-denunciation of terrorism and laundering of the proceeds of terrorist acts and could have been sentenced to death under a controversial anti-terrorism law of the country.

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.

Mr. Abba, who spent over 633 days in detention, had denied having any links with the Nigeria-based Boko Haram group.

His lawyer said he would appeal the conviction and sentence that has attracted heavy criticism from rights groups.

London-based rights group, Amnesty International, said Mr. Abbas unfair trial was a travesty of justice.

Ahmed Abbas conviction, after torture and an unfair trial, is clear evidence that Cameroons military courts are not competent to try civilians and should not have jurisdiction in these cases, said Ilaria Allegrozzi, the Amnesty Internationals Lake Chad researcher.

The Committee to Protect Journalists, CPJ, Africa programme coordinator, Angela Quintal, said the outrageous sentence signalled the lengths that Cameroon authorities were willing to go to intimidate the media and thwart freedom of the press.

Ahmed Abba should never have been detained, prosecuted, and convicted for his journalismlet alone ordered to spend a decade behind bars, said Ms. Quintal.

Abba, who reported for RFIs Hausa language service from Cameroons Boko Haram-prone far north, was arrested in July 2015 on suspicion of having collaborated with the jihadist group and withholding information in connection with his coverage of insurgencies by the group from Cameroonian authorities.

Three other local journalists were standing trial in the same court over similar charges.

Source: ( Premium Times )
Chris Attoh has finally spoken up since news that he is having marital issues with Damilola Adegbite surfaced.

Recall that the news of their rumoured separation was first published by Ghanaian blog Ghana Celebrities, which alleged that Attoh and Adegbites marriage already packed up following unresolved issues which caused the movie acts to grow apart.

Chris Attoh and Damilola Adegbite got married in 2015 and have one child  Brian- together. The couple never addressed the rumour, until Attoh spoke up in a new interview with Ghanaian radio station, Hitz FM.

See the excerpts from the interview:

Asked about their son Brian, he said:

Brian is growing up really, really fast. And I think the best part of it is when he misses his daddy, and then coming back, having him in my arms.

He likes to sleep on my chest. All of this is of course for him. At the end of the day, once you become a father, nothing you are doing is really about you. Its about the next generation.

Asked about his wife Adegbite, he said:

Shes wonderful.

Asked about the rumour of marital issues, he said:

I dont hear them. I dont read them. Im too focused. I cant be bothered about all this. Whats important is in front of me.

Asked about claims that his wife ignores his IG posts and their wedding anniversary, he said:

I got my response, dont worry. (laughs) The response doesnt have to be on Instagram and I remember speaking to her that evening. I cant share the rest because its a Parental Guidance (PG) show.. or is it not? Or you want me to talk about how ..laughs.

Asked if their work schedules affect their relationship, he said:

Because of what we do, as often as we can. Its tough because sometimes I might be away for 2-3 months but thats usually the interval. When she can come, she comes, when I can go, I go. But its better to stay focused when you are working you know.

I guess we have the response we all have been seeking for!
Gbajumo Oseres TV Host, Doyin Kukoyi was a year older yesterday, 25 April 2017.

The TV anchor who has had a successful run with her programme on African Magic Yoruba which celebrates entertainers and celebrities, looks better than ever in these birthday photos.
According to Jakartapost, an alleged Nigerian drug smuggler was shot dead after resisting arrest in Tanah Tinggi, Central Jakarta on Wednesday.

Jakarta Police Chief Insp. Gen. M. Iriawan said the police shot Douglas Hope Onyebuchi, aka Kabaka, who was a suspect in a drug smuggling case in Kelapa Gading, North Jakarta.

The police, Iriawan said, coordinated with the Directorate General of Customs and Excise to track Onyebuchi and his Indonesian wife Yani Andriani, after being suspected of smuggling a package containing two kilograms of methamphetamine from Guangzhou, China.

Some drugs were shipped from Guangzhou, disguised in pairs of sandals. We later followed the shipment to Jl. Cengkir Raya in Kelapa Gading, said Iriawan.

The police said Andriani was seen watching the package be placed inside one of the rooms in the dorm house. We watched her for two days until we concluded that she was a suspect.

The police proceeded to arrest Andriani. Further investigations led police to another location on Jl. Maladewa in Tanah Tinggi, where Kabaka was hiding.

During his arrest, he fought back and tried to grab one of the officers guns. Therefore, we had no choice but to take him down, he said

Source: BreakingTimes
Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose was in the news on Wednesday after he attended the trial of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Mr Nnamdi Kanu. The governor said the visit was in line with his belief in justice for all irrespective of tribe.

Fayose further vowed to attend the trials of former National Security Adviser, Colonel Sambo Dasuki (Rtd), and the leader of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria, Ibrahim El-Zakzaky.

The governor, who was speaking on African Independent Televisions programme People, Politics and Power, said he would never support a situation whereby court orders, rulings and judgments are disregarded by the government.

The Federal Government are the ones making Kanu a hero. Anywhere in the world, agitation is normal. In the United Kingdom, there is agitation in Northern Ireland, even, United Kingdom itself is agitating in Europe. Let people agitate for whatever reason as long as it is constitutional. I am not in support of the break up of Nigeria. But when court grants bail to people, release them and allow them to attend their trials from home, a statement by the governors Chief Press Secretary, Mr Idowu Adelusi, quoted Fayose as saying.

I have no personal relationship with Kanu but I have been consistent in drawing attention of Nigerians to the trend of not regarding court orders and rulings by the present Federal Government. I am from the North, East, West and South of this country. I am a complete and detribalised Nigerian. I will attend the trial of Dasuki and El-Zakzaky too. Courts in the land and even ECOWAS Court directed that Dasuki be released but the government has refused to heed the call.

Source : ( Punch Newspaper )
The House of Representatives on Wednesday mandated its Committee on National Intelligence to investigate the source of the N13bn discovered in a residential apartment at Osborne Road, Ikoyi, Lagos.

The House also mandated the committee to ascertain the owner of the money discovered by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

The resolution followed the adoption of a motion sponsored by Rep. Gabriel Kolawole.

Moving the motion, Kolawole said the call to unravel the true identity of the owner of the money was based on claims and counter claims as to the true ownership of the funds.

He said that the development was having negative effects on the anti-corruption drive of the Federal Government.

There is need for thorough investigation into the matter in order to ascertain the source of the money given the claims on its ownership, purpose and the damaging effects it is having on Federal Governments anti-corruption drive, Kolawole said.

A three man presidential panel headed by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo is currently investigating the matter.

The Director-General of National Intelligence Agency Amb. Ayodele Oke had claimed that the money belongs to the agency and was approved by the previous administration for the covert operation.

In a new twist, Gov Nyesom Wike declared that the money found in the Ikoyi apartment belonged to the Rivers state government.

Wike told newsmen that investigations by the Rivers State Governme nt revealed that the money was proceeds from the sale of gas turbines by the immediate past governor of the state, Mr Rotimi Amaechi.

NAN
Wonders shall never cease, as that was the untimely death of one Mrs. Titilayo Shodipo, who was allegedly killed by her husband, was three months pregnant, according to the neighbours.

PUNCH Metro learnt that after the police locked up the house of the couple shortly after the incident on Monday, their four children were left stranded.

They reportedly slept in the open air.

Our correspondent had reported that Titilayo and her husband, Omolaja, had been married for over seven years and had four children together.

It was reported that the relationship was fraught with disagreements, which often resulted in fights.

It was said that Titilayo, who was said to be a choir mistress at a parish of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, however, refused to quit the marriage.

Residents stated that on Monday, there was another disagreement between the couple, during which her husband stabbed her with a sharp object.

Neighbours, who visited the scene, were said to have found her remains and alerted policemen from the Owutu division, who removed the corpse.

PUNCH Metro gathered on Tuesday that Titilayo, who came from the Republic of Benin, was pregnant with another baby when she was killed.

A resident said, She was three months pregnant at the time of the incident. Her mother, who kept lamenting the incident, also confirmed it when she came to the scene. The unfortunate part of the story was that after the police removed the corpse and locked up their house, their four children had nowhere to go. They slept outside in the open. The eldest of them is just five-year-old; others are four, three and two years. 

The resident, who did not want to be identified, asked the Lagos State Government to take charge of the children.

Our correspondent was told that Omolaja, an indigene of Ogun State, had yet to be apprehended.

The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Olarinde Famous-Cole, said it was normal for the police to cordon off crime scenes, adding that it was unfortunate that the children were affected.

He promised to brief our correspondent on the update of the case after speaking with the Owutu Divisional Police Officer.

He had yet to do so as of the time of filing this report.

Source: ( Punch Newspaper )
It was a shocking and unbelieveable scence for the residents of Solar Power Drive, Igbo Olomu, in the Ikorodu area of Lagos State are in shock after a landlord in the commu nity, Omolaja Sodipo, allegedly stabbed his wife, Titilayo, killing her.The husband was said to have fled the scene.

Community leaders reportedly alerted policemen from the Owutu division, who removed the corpse and deposited it in a mortuary.

Our correspondent, who visited the scene, observed residents discussing the incident. The police had locked up the building.

Although most of the neighbours refused to comment on the tragedy, PUNCH Metro gathered that the couple had been married for over seven years.

The relationship was said to be fraught with disagreements, which usually resulted in domestic violence.

A resident, who did not want to be identified, said the disagreements always bordered on the welfare of their four children.

He said, They came into this community some years ago after building their house. The man, who was formerly dealing in telephone accessories, had been jobless for some time. His wife worked with a private school after giving birth to their fourth child two years ago.

But they were always at loggerheads, which led to the man beating up the wife. The man is short-tempered and it appeared the frustration of his joblessness also got into him. We always heard their voices anytime they were quarrelling.

Last night, we heard them fighting again. In the morning, we discovered that the woman had been stabbed in different parts of her body. She was lying lifeless in a pool of blood.

A community leader, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the victims mother lamented that her daughter had been complaining that her husband was always beating her.

A female resident, who did not want to be identified, told PUNCH Metro that she sighted the suspect walking away from the house around 8am.

It was also gathered that the eldest of the couples four children is only five years old.

A member of the Women Arise for Change Initiative, Obatungashe Adebayo, who spoke for the President, Dr Joe Oke-Odumakin, called for justice for the deceased, urging women in violent relationship to quit before it was too late.

He said, This is the reason we have been campaigning against gender-based violence. It is becoming rampant. Marriage is not by force. It is certain that before this incident happened, the woman must have been seeing signs that the man could take her life. If you are engaged in a relationship that threatens your life, you should quit.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, Olarinde Famous-Cole, said, We are still searching for the man. The womans corpse has been deposited in a morgue for autopsy.
A man, Azeez Oladipupo, who allegedly hit his neighbour with an iron rod in the face, was on Friday released on N500,000 bail on the orders of a Tinubu Magistrates Court, Lagos.

The Magistrate, Mrs F.O. Ikobayo, who gave the ruling, also granted the accused two responsible sureties in like sum.

The 25-year-old is facing a charge of assault occasioning harm to which he pleaded not guilty.

Earlier, the prosecutor, ASP Richard Odigie told the court that the accused committed the offence on April 14 at about 4.00 p.m. at Sapati Village, Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos.

He said the accused allegedly hit his neighbour, Friday Koku, with an iron rod in the face during an argument which eventually led to a fight.

The offence contravened Section 171 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015 (as amended) which, on conviction, attracts a three-year jail term.

The case was adjourned until April 24 for mention.

Source: Vanguard
The Nigerian Navy Ship, NNS, DELTA said it has nabbed 10 suspected oil thieves onboard MT TECNE Vessel in Delta.

The Commander of NNS Delta, Ibrahim Dewu, disclosed this while parading the suspects at Focados River, Burutu Local Government Area of Delta on Wednesday.

The suspects are one Nigerian, two Pakistanis, three Ghanaians, one Indonesian, one Beninois and two Ukrainians.

Mr. Dewu said that the suspects were caught in the early hours of Tuesday while siphoning crude oil into the vessel from Afremo A platform, a loading jacket belonging to the Shell Petroleum and Development Company (SPDC) in Forcados River.

According to him, they had siphoned about 2000 metric tonnes of crude oil from the loading jacket before they were caught.

Based on intelligence report, at about 02:50 a.m. on April 25, 2017, MT Tecne (registered in Panama), was apprehended by NNS Delta patrol team with 10 crew onboard.

They are one Nigerian, two Pakistanis, three Ghanaians, one Indonesian, one Beninois and two Ukrainians, the Nigerian among them is the Chief Officer while the Captain is a Pakistani.

This vessel has been around our water, what they do is that they go into the high sea during the day, they come late night and connect to the Jacket and siphon crude oil.

We have been trailing them for three days, this is the forth night and the vessel is fully ladened with illegal crude oil and this is what they keep doing, he said.

The Commander said that the feat was the outcome of the ongoing Operation Delta Safe Operation River Sweep Two and Operation Tsare Teku mandates of the Chief of Naval Staff (CNS).

He said that the navy would continue to check illegalities in the nation`s maritime domain.

He advised oil companies owning loading jackets to keep constant watch on their platforms.

Most of the oil companies have service boats, so they should make it a point of duty to keep watching these jackets both day and night, he said.

Mr. Dewu said that the suspects and the vessel would be handed over to the prosecuting agency after investigations.

One of the suspects, a Nigerian, said he joined the TECNE company in 2016 adding that he was directed by one Mr Victor to load crude oil from the jacket.

The captain of the ship, said he was not aware that their action was illegal.

We came to load here, I dont know it is unofficial, I dont know it is illegal bunkering, we load at night for three days. This is my first time, he said.
Barack Obama, making his first major appearance since leaving the White House, made no mention on Monday of his successor, Donald Trump.

He however urged young people to get more involved in their communities.

Whats been going on since Ive been gone? joked the former Democratic president as he moderated an event at the University of Chicago, the city where he began his political career and which will be the site of his presidential library.

Obama, who once taught constitutional law at the school, recalled starting out as a young community organizer in the city and told a panel of six current and former students that he decided to focus his post-presidency on encouraging young people to engage with their communities.

The single most important thing I can do is to help in any way prepare the next generation of leadership to take up the baton and to take their own crack at changing the world, he told an audience of several hundred people.

Obama has largely stayed out of the public eye since leaving office in January despite efforts by Trump and the Republican-led Congress to undo much of his legacy, including on healthcare and the environment.

Trump, a Republican, has said he inherited a mess and accused Obama in March, without providing evidence, of wiretapping his 2016 presidential campaign. Obama has since denied the charge and FBI Director James Comey told a congressional hearing he had seen no evidence to support the allegation.

Obama was not asked about Trump by the students and he took no questions from reporters.
The suspended Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, was on Tuesday quizzed by committee set up by President Muhammadu Buhari to investigate him and the suspended Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency, Amb. Ayo Oke.

Lawal appeared before the committee at a session that started at about 1pm.

The committee chaired by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo meets inside one of the conference rooms in the Vice-Presidents office.

The panel was set up to investigate allegations of violations of law and due process made against Lawal in the award of contracts under the Presidential Initiative on the North-East.

It is also investigating Oke on the discovery of large amounts of foreign and local currencies by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in a residential apartment at Osborne Towers, Ikoyi, Lagos, which NIA is laying claim.

Lawal was still with the committee members as of press time.

Oke had taken his turn before the committee on Monday.
A Police officer identified as Inusa Saidu Biu from Biu, a local government area in Southern Borno State has vowed to of kill 200 people if President Muhammadu Buhari dies.

The police officer, alleged that Buhari had earlier been poisoned but was saved by God.

He described the 74-year-old president as a cat with nine lives.

Commentators on the policemans timeline, however, criticised him for making such a statement, some even venturing to say the 200 he will kill will all be his family.

See the post below.
Reno Omokri, founder, Mind of Christ Christian Center and former aide to Goodluck Jonathan has taken to social media to condemn the recent trail of one Mrs. Momoh by Lagos court for attempting suicide.

Mrs. Momoh was days back sentenced to life in prison for the attempt suicide among other charges and her trial has come under much criticism including the recent from Reno Omokri who posted his reaction on Facebook.

The former aide to GEJ and author wrote:

When Tiwa Savages husband, Tunji Tee Billz Balogun, attempted suicide, nobody charged him for attempted suicide and rightly so. So why charge Mrs. Titilayo Momoh with attempted suicide? Does Nigeria have one law for the rich and famous and another for the poor and unknown? This woman attempted suicide because the economy collapsed and her business was in ruins leaving her in debt. Let us not fight the symptoms and leave the disease. If the government wants to deter suicide then they should fix the economy instead of trying Mrs. Momoh.
A shocking incident has left many people baffled in Abuja after operatives of the EFCC and Nigerian Army raided three vehicles and found huge sums of money hidden in Ghana must go bags in the cars.

A mild drama has played out at Shendam Close, off Anthony Anyaoku Street, a neighbourhood of Area 11, Abuja on Tuesday as a combined team of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the army raided three vehicles with several Ghana must go bags containing huge sums of money.

According to Independent, the vehicles, a Mercedes Benz S350 series with Bauchi State registration number, KTG 01 AA, a Lexus SUV Jeep registered in Abuja and marked ABC 77 AKK were all stuffed full money huge bags.

The third vehicle, a BMW 640i series unmarked equally had several Ghana must go bags at both the back seat and booth. The EFCC operatives numbering about seven and accompanied by two army personnel, according to eyewitnesses, stormed the area about 4.50p.m.

Independent reporter met the team scurrying through one of the vehicles, counting the money and taking video shots. It was also observed that the SUV had much of the bags in its booth. The daylight drama went undisturbed as shocked residents watched in disbelief till about 6p.m when the team drove off the vehicles to EFCC headquarters.

A young man in his thirties who did not give out his identity told Independent that one of the three men seen standing with the operatives claimed that the vehicles were brought there by his friends, now at large, who asked him to look after the vehicles.

The operatives refused to say who owned the large cache of money as they maintained stern attitude.
Human rights activist, Femi Falana (SAN), has affirmed that religion is the real cause of Nigerias problems.

He noted that most of the people milking the nations treasury dry are either from Islam or Christian religion.

Falana disclosed this at the ongoing week-long conference of the Nigerian Judicial Expert Group.

Speaking on the topic Law and Religion: The Role of the State, held at the International Conference Centre, University of Ibadan, the soft-spoken lawyer said until Nigerians changed their perception about religion, the country will continue to retrogress.

According to Falana, When Karl Marx said religion is the opium of the masses, he was only emphasising the manipulation of religion by the ruling class. This goes on in our country. Nigeria is a secular state, there is no apology about it. This does not mean the country or government must not recognise religion.

What Section 10 of the Constitution simply says is that Nigeria as state shall not adopt any religion as the official religion of the state. In Nigeria today, the ruling class has hypocritically adopted two religions  Christianity and Islam. In Osun State, Governor Rauf Aregbesola has recognised the third one  traditional religion.

Falana lamented that though majority of political leaders in the country patronised Christianity, Islam as well as traditional religion, they did not recognise officially, traditional religion.

The ruling class is deceiving our people because when they get to the boardroom to manipulate the country, when they want to steal money, nobody remembers your religion.

In fact, all the religions are represented where they are going to steal money. All the people stealing billions of dollars are Christians and Muslims.

This has nothing to do with sex because the greatest crooks under the current situation are women. I am not saying this to really harass women. I am not being gender insensitive. I just want us to be critical and stop pretending. Dont be used by the ruling class because our psyche is already militarised. Yet, we all feel as if we are still under military dictators.

A lady, who was a former Managing Director of a bank, was made to forfeit to the Nigerian state N191.5billion. All the funds stolen by armed robbers since 1960 have not been up to N100billon. She had a jet. Some of them bought jets for their pastors in Nigeria, Falana said.

Again, members of the ruling class stole the money meant for procuring arms and ammunition to fight Boko Haram.

So, we lost 20,000 people in the last six years. $15billon have been stolen from the money meant for procurement of arms. The funds were stolen by Christians and Muslims, he added.

Source: Dailypost
The National Emergency Management Authority has disclosed that five persons and eleven others were injured in three separate suicide attacks on Wednesday in Maiduguri.

The agency in a statement by its spokesman in charge of the Northeast zonal office in Maiduguri, Abdulkadir Ibrahim said the event occurred at three different spots at the Muna area of the troubled town.

The statement read, Three suicide bomb attacks at three different locations in Muna namely Muna Usmanti, Muna garage and Muna Ethiopia respectively.

The incidence occurred around 4:11 am which led to five deaths.

Among the death persons include four suicide bombers and a Civilian JTF (vigilante). The injured persons were taken to General Hospital for proper medication while the death bodies were deposited at the mortuary by NEMA and SEMA emergency response officials.
The Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, has been conferred with the Brazilian Military Order of Merit Award at Brasilia in Brazil.

The Brazilian military order of merit award, which is the highest military honour in the country, is awarded to military officers, who had distinguished themselves in various military endeavours.

According to a statement issued by Brig.-Gen. Sani Usman, the Director of Army Public Relations in Abuja on Wednesday, the prestigious award was approved by President Michel Temer of Brazil.

Buratai is on a visit to Brazil.

Usman said the approval was based on the recommendation of the Brazilian Army Commander, Gen. Eduardo Villas-Boas.

According to citation at the occasion, the award was in recognition of Buratais exemplary and worlds recognised leadership qualities and the Nigerian Armys effort in the fight against terrorism and insurgency.

He is one of the few foreign dignitaries to be so honoured with such an award by the country, the army spokesman said.

In his vote of thanks, Buratai expressed appreciation for the award.

He said the honour was not only to himself but to the entire officers and soldiers of the Nigerian army and indeed, Nigeria.

I had never imagined that I was going to be given such recognition when I was planning to visit the Brazilian Army.

It is no doubt a great honour to me, the Nigerian army and the Federal Republic of Nigeria, to be bestowed with the Brazilian military order of merit, which is the highest and most prestigious award in the Brazilian army, he said.

He said the award was a clear manifestation of the long-standing relationship between Brazil and Nigeria, which also portrayed the recognition of Nigerian armys effort in the ongoing counter-insurgency operations in Nigeria.

The army chief thanked the government and people of Brazil, as well as the commander of the Brazilian army and his staff for finding him worthy of such award.

(NAN)
Livestock Report Walsh Trading - Tue Nov 8, 8:27PM CST Cattle markets drift

Wheat, W. D. Gann natural support and resistance levels ONE44 Analytics - Tue Nov 8, 5:17PM CST The Charts below are natural support and resistance levels that are based on W. D. Gann's "Law of Vibration".

Mid-Term Elections, Gold & The Markets Cannon Trading - Tue Nov 8, 5:00PM CST Gold broke out to the upside on election day -is this the beginning of a change in direction or simply short covering?

Cotton Closes Mostly Red Barchart - Tue Nov 8, 4:29PM CST The rally faded momentum on Tuesday with a tighter range on a mixed mostly lower close. Dec futures ended the day with another 19 point gain and stayed in just over a 3c range. The other front months closed... CTZ22 : 86.75 (-1.06%) CTH23 : 84.87 (-1.01%) CTK23 : 84.07 (-0.91%)

Cattle Close Firm, Mostly Red Barchart - Tue Nov 8, 4:29PM CST Live cattle futures stayed in a relatively tighter range on Tuesday and closed UNCH in the Dec contract. The other nearbys went home 15 to 30 cents weaker. Feeder cattle were mixed on the board on Tuesday.... LEZ22 : 153.050s (unch) LEG23 : 154.775s (-0.16%) LEJ23 : 158.250s (-0.19%) GFX22 : 178.275s (+0.03%) GFF23 : 179.900s (-0.01%)

Hog Prices Fade for Turnaround Tuesday Barchart - Tue Nov 8, 4:29PM CST Following the sharp +$4 runnup in Dec hogs to start the week, Tuesdays action pulled the board back down by $1.47. The other front months were mixed with 15 to 55 cent losses nearby and 2 to 15 cent... HEZ22 : 85.575s (-1.69%) HEJ23 : 94.200s (-0.16%) KMZ22 : 95.975s (-0.23%)

Tuesday Loss for Corn Market Barchart - Tue Nov 8, 4:29PM CST Corn futures faded more on Tuesday to complete the day 4 1/4 to 8 1/4 cents in the red. Open interest had been rising, hinting at net new selling ahead of the report. Preliminary OI data will be released... ZCZ22 : 665-2 (-0.34%) ZCPAUS.CM : 6.6542 (-1.14%) ZCH23 : 671-4 (-0.33%) ZCK23 : 671-4 (-0.33%)
When the Securities and Exchange Commission enacted new rules designed to reform money market funds, few anticipated that investors would pull more than $1 trillion from higher-yielding prime funds, which include corporate securities, for money market funds that invest only in government instruments. Now, with talk of a potential government shutdown on Saturday, some big investors are concerned about the possible risks of having so much cash concentrated in one type of money fund. Unless lawmakers agree on a new spending bill, the U.S. government will run out of money on Friday, curtailing services. The last time a shutdown happened was in 2013, when both Republicans and Democrats used the spending bill  and the threat of closed doors for essential services  as leverage to get agreement on other measures.

Even though the Treasury markets are among the most liquid in the world, a temporary U.S. government shutdown could create delays in new Treasury issuance or other operations. Money funds, which allow investors to withdraw their cash at any time, invest in a range of debt instruments with maturities ranging from a few days to weeks or months. Corporate treasurers are concerned about any glitches in the Treasury Departments ability to return principal and interest if a security matures during a shutdown. A hangup could force money funds to sell these securities at a discount in the open market.

And even if the process works perfectly, investors may rush to pull their cash from these funds in anticipation of problems. When that happens, money funds need to sell longer-duration securities to meet redemptions. With $1.4 trillion in cash parked in government funds these days, any selling could send prices down, a scenario that could be amplified now that money funds are so concentrated in government securities.

The Looming Debt Ceiling

Corporate treasurers and other money fund users say they are also concerned that debt ceiling discussions, which would not occur until the fall, could also affect the stability of government funds.

Treasurers arent panicking, but there has never been a time with such concentration in government money funds, says Frank Bannano, managing director and head of marketing for StoneCastle Cash Management, an institutional cash manager and investor in community banks. If the government shuts down in the next couple of days, they may get spooked, he adds.

One Treasurer at a large pharmaceutical company says he expects any problems to be short term and worked out within weeks, but he doesnt want to take any risks with money intended for immediate expenses such as paying vendors and employees. He added that the shutdown threat raises concerns for him about how few options corporations have for short-term cash needs.

We get paid to eliminate risk. If youre managing cash and youre doing it right, no one notices, he says.

Sean Collins, an economist at the Investment Company Institute, a Washington, D.C. lobbying group for mutual funds, disagrees. He says the ICI doesnt believe a shutdown would affect the normal operation of government funds, saying, Treasurys are the safest and most liquid securities in the world. But he added that any debate about raising the debt ceiling, which is required if the government reaches the maximum amount of debt it can issue, would pose a bigger issue for funds. In that situation, new Treasury issuance could come to a halt.

Still, Collins pointed out that government money market funds continued to function when Congress couldnt reach an agreement on raising the debt ceiling in 2013. When Treasury halted operations, fund managers that couldnt roll over matured debt instead sold the positions to buyers for a discount.

New Reforms

The SECs reforms, implemented last October, include a floating net asset value for prime funds that fluctuated in line with the value of securities in the portfolio. A floating NAV, the SEC reasoned, would give investors a true picture of the value of their money fund holdings. The intent was to prevent a repeat of the crisis in 2008 when the Reserve Primary Fund broke the buck  meaning its price fell below $1.00  when the fund experienced losses from the Lehman Brothers bankruptcy. Though not a regulatory requirement, money funds had historically kept their NAVs at $1.00 regardless of losses in the portfolio. Reserve Funds loss prompted a wave of withdrawals from money funds and pushed the government to step in with temporary guarantees to stop the panic.

Prime funds have lost more than $1 trillion in assets since the SEC approved the reforms, hitting a low of $373 billion in October. Most of that money shifted to government funds, which could still maintain a $1.00 NAV under the SECs new rules. Government funds now have $1.4 trillion in assets, up from $900 billion in July, 2014, according to Bloomberg.
London might well lose jobs in finance to Germany now that Brexit is underway. But so far, recruiters for major banks and asset management firms see no evidence of roles being transferred to Frankfurt.

Employees of global recruitment firms Robert Walters, Selby Jennings and Huxley say there are no new requests this year from banks or asset management firms to transfer London jobs to Germanys financial hub due to Brexit, even as they anticipate enquiries will rise. Paris, meanwhile, has seen gains as a result of the U.K.s vote to leave the European Union, with HSBC Holdings confirming to Institutional Investor that it moved 1,000 roles to the French city from London.

Douglas Flint, chairman of HSBC, told delegates Wednesday at a pro-Brexit conference in London that U.K. government officials should negotiate a good deal on E.U. trading terms as soon as possible to keep banks from shipping jobs away from Britains financial capital. Frankfurts gain in financial services jobs is so far a result of newly created positions, as opposed to an exodus from London, according to recruiters.

We have had consulting firms approach us for advisory pieces on the Frankfurt market, but the big banking names are not saying, right, we are going to leave London for Germanys financial center, said Nick Dunnett, a Frankfurt-based recruiter at Robert Walters.

Dunnett, who focuses on Germany and Switzerland, said that while there has been an increase in total job roles in Frankfurt, none are from London as a direct result of Brexit.

Huxley  where staff have been holding regular conference calls between London, Frankfurt, Paris, Luxembourg and Zurich since the U.K. voted in June to leave the European Union  isn't seeing jobs leave the U.K.s financial center in favor of Frankfurt, either. Huxley is speaking to the big players and theyre all postponing any decision to leave London, according to Isabelle Lefebvre, a Frankfurt-based recruiter with the firm.

HSBC and Barclays are two of the main accounts we have, Lefebvre said. I spoke to Barclays before Easter and there is nothing previewed as yet. The same goes for HSBC.

Some have speculated that UBS Group could transfer jobs to Frankfurt from London, but no decision has been made, according to a person familiar with the matter, who asked not to be identified because the Swiss bank has made no official determination.

While recruiters working in the German market acknowledge there has been an increase in fintech, regulatory and insurance roles in Frankfurt, they say these jobs have not been reallocated from London. James Findlay, relationship director at Selby Jennings, said he isnt surprised at the lack of early moves to Frankfurt from the U.K.

Looking at Frankfurt as a city, does it have the infrastructure? Possibly not, Findlay said. It has a good airport system, but there is not a lot there. It is just a Canary Wharf with some bits either side.

London may lose prominence to European cities ready to grab its financial talent after Britain officially began March 29 to exit the E.U., according to research by Willis Towers Watson. The consulting firm said in a report this month that the U.K. would likely lose a significant portion of its 2.2 million financial services jobs as companies seek to meet new regulations and employees re-assess their own location preferences, possibly leaning toward Frankfurt, Paris, Amsterdam or Dublin.

Frankfurt Main Finance, a lobbying group for Frankfurts financial district, did not respond to a request for comment about jobs being transferred to the city from London as result of Brexit. Meanwhile, 30 asset management firms have applied for registrations in Paris to relocate jobs from the U.K., according to the French Financial Management Association.
Prudentials former chief risk officer (CRO) for the UK and Europe has taken on a new role with Australian insurer QBE.Mark Baxter has been appointed as CRO for QBEs Australian and New Zealand division, succeeding Anna Gould, who was named new head of claims, technical and governance for QBE Australia and New Zealand.Prior to his role at Prudential, Baxter worked at Old Mutual Group where he took charge of its global financial risk and actuarial function across the UK, South Africa, and North America. He has also occupied a number of executive roles at the Commonwealth Bank of Australia and the Australian Prudential Regulatory Authority.Pat Regan, QBE executive officer, said he was delighted to welcome Baxter to the team.A skilled senior executive with global experience across insurance, banking, asset management, and superannuation, Mark joins us at a time of heightened scrutiny for our industry, he said.His extensive experience will guide us to further strengthen our risk management practices and reinforce a sound risk management culture.The QBE boss also thanked Gould for her service as CRO, and said he looks forward to continuing to work with her.
Commercial property insurer FM Mutual will establish a new base in the region following the UKs departure from the European Union, a senior company official has revealed.

The US-headquartered firm will set up a post-Brexit subsidiary in Luxembourg, according to Chris Johnson, an executive vice president who oversees FM Global s European business.

Johnson told Reuters that the new subsidiary, FM Insurance Europe, will issue policies in the EU and other countries. He added that the insurer will still continue many business operations in the UK, where it employs around 200 people.

Roles will have to be duplicated to maintain service to UK clients while issuing coverage across Europe, Johnson noted.

He added that new staff would need to be added to the Luxembourg subsidiary, including members of the board, a managing director and other key roles. He clarified, however, that there will be no large-scale movement of employees from the UK.
European insurer Building Block Insurance (BBI) has gained 200,000 new clients thanks to its latest partnership with an automobile club in Portugal.The insurance firm, which boasts a fast-growing niche and specialist insurance business in the UK, has teamed up with Automovel Club de Portugal (ACP) to sell health excess insurance to its 200,000 members.Joao Figueiredo, BBIs head of business for Spain and Portugal, said the product was designed and launched in the UK for use throughout the European Economic Area.Our ambitions for growth in the niche and specialist insurance sector are strongly predicated on expanding our footprint throughout the EU, and we now have distribution deals for a number of products in Spain, the Republic of Ireland, Iceland and Germany, Figueiredo said.Brierley explained that BBIs product, which covers the amount of excess clients would be responsible for up to the policy limit of 2,000, will be sold via a distribution arrangement with ACP Mediacao de Seguros.The said firm is a brokerage created as a joint venture between ACP and Villas-boas, one of the largest brokers in Portugal, to sell ACP insurance products only.
President and chief executive of specialty brokerage firm V3 Insurance Partners Susan Rivera is a force to reckon with.She comes with the pedigree insurance dreams are made of. She has a degree in mathematics from Villanova University and started her storied career with insurance giant AIG in the actuarial department, moved up the ranks, and left as the president of American Home Assurance Company in 2002.From there she has held various top positions in major insurance firms throughout the US. However, Riveras success is a by-product of hard work, determination and focus.Its really important to take time out of your day to invest in your long term goals, she said. I really do think thats invaluable for long term success. You know its really easy in a world of emails to focus on the tasks at hand today and get totally consumed in answering emails, but you really need to become disciplined and chip away at tasks you need to fulfil, your longer term strategies.As with many insurance professionals, she did not set out to become one after completing her degree in college in Pennsylvania. It was a series of fortunate events that landed her a job with AIG in New York City, starting with college recruitment day in university.AIG came to Villanova College recruiting day and they said they wanted to interview math majors, she explained. So I went and I interviewed with them and I went to New York City and met with some of the leadership in the actuarial department and got a job and started my career in the actuarial department of AIG.As one of the tens of thousands of employees of the company, she said she came to work on her first day, just eager to do her job. Her knack for making sense of statistics propelled her to cross over to the underwriting side of insurance and she never looked back.But one thing that stayed with her, even from college, is the desire to solve problems.I just wanted to be solving problems, and didnt really know what I was going to do with a math degree, she recalled of the days when she was feeling around for career options.To this day, she continues to perceive her passioninsuranceas one continuous opportunity to solve problems.We get to do that at V3, running a small business, everything is just problem solving, she observed.While the instinct to solve problems served her well through college and most of her career, it would not have led her anywhere without her work ethic.There are people that are blessed and fortunate to have gifts, but the things that are worthwhile in life really come through hard work, she said. If were working hard and were executing on the strategies, I do believe the results will fall into place. So its really that simple. I do think we can control our destiny and overcome hurdles as they arrive.She is also one for big dreams.In her new turf as the leader of a specialty insurance company, she colors the mindset of her team with her aim for excellence.We say to ourselves we dont want to be just another MGA, she noted. We want to be ranked among the top successful MGAs. We strive and we have high expectations of ourselves. Were not perfect but we try to aim to be the best and not be sort of mediocre. Nobody really wants to come to work to be mediocreand we also want to be a place where people want to come to work every day.Riveras dreams are also not confined within the auspices of her company. When asked what she would change about the insurance industry, if she could, she said she wants people to look upon the industry with better regard for its contributions to the business community and to society as a whole.Its not really a highly regarded profession or industry in the US, and I would love to see the perception of it changed, she explained. I mean underwriting is exciting, its challenging. I think if we could change the outlook insurance provides and its significant benefit to business and society, then I think we could continue to attract better talent because there is tremendous opportunity.Like for example if you go to Lloyds of London - its got a name its got an air about it, you go to London, its a differently regarded profession. Id love to see the same thing happen in the US.Given all that she has achieved, is she resting on her laurels already? Not just yet, Rivera says.You have to prove yourself every day, she said. Its not what I did yesterday or the day before, you know you come into work and you prove yourself every day. I want to prove myself as a leader to our employees and I think I should be the role model and show them I work hard every day.And at the end of the day, Its just really important to be a role model to them and set that tone within the company.
A new report has analyzed how a rise in protectionism, oil crisis, and water scarcity could affect businesses and the world at large, and identified risk mitigation solutions for best-, worst-, and base-case scenarios for each geopolitical trend.The report by Zurich Insurance Group and Atlantic Council, entitled Our World Transformed: Geopolitical Shocks and Risks, has found that a rise in global protectionism, an adverse effect of free trade and globalization, could significantly impact economic growth, poverty levels, and the potential for military conflict.It also warned businesses that benefit from global trade that they may be pushed into restructuring their supply chains in order to address potential disruptions to their manufacturing and retail operations.We are in a period of geopolitical uncertainty, which can create a volatile business environment for companies connected to global markets, whether it is as a multinational corporation with overseas manufacturing and retail facilities or a regional operation with global suppliers, said Bryan Salvatore, head of specialty products for Zurich North America.This report makes clear the consequences of allowing geopolitical risks to fester, but it also offers insights on how we might weather the storm.Should tensions escalate in the Middle East to a large-scale conflict, the report said it could disrupt global energy markets and force businesses to seek alternative energy sources. This could affect global supply chains, increasing oil prices as well as transportation costs; and in the worst case, lead 23 million more people to live in extreme poverty.In the case of an extended drought, the report said agriculture production would incur the most damages, leading to food shortages, which could then result in regional conflicts. In the base-case scenario, the report said global water withdrawals could rise by 14% above current levels.To cope with water shortages, businesses are advised to implement a water management and conservation plan to reduce water use and sustainable solutions.Theres no question that the world is facing an increasing number of interrelated global risks, said Fred Kempe, president and CEO of the Atlantic Council.David Anderson, head of credit & political risk at Zurich North America, noted the interrelatedness of geopolitical risks, and the need to consider them as a whole and in the context of other risks.He added that understanding the connections between the different kinds of risks is crucial to managing them and avoiding surprises.Those risks are, by their nature, difficult to shape, because they are driven by forces beyond the control of companies or single governments, he said. Nevertheless, in view of the growing geopolitical volatility, companies need to examine the disruptions that could be mitigated.
A television studio and an insurance company are at war over the definition of war.NBCUniversal is suing Atlantic Specialty Insurance Company for failing to cover extra expenses incurred when a television show it was producing was forced to change locations to avoid an armed conflict, according to the Hollywood Reporter.At the root of the $6.9 million dispute is the 2015 mystery-thriller, Dig. Set in Jerusalem, the now-defunct show was about an American FBI agent investigating a death.The show was filming in Israel in 2014 when real life intruded. In June of that year, three Israeli teenagers were kidnapped and killed. When the teens bodies were found, Israel blamed Hamas militants for the deaths. Hamas responded by firing rockets into Israel, which in turn retaliated with an invasion of Gaza. By the time a cease-fire was declared in August of 2014, about 2,220 Palestinians, 67 Israeli soldiers, and six Israeli civilians were dead, according to the Hollywood Reporter.The conflict, obviously, made the area unsafe for visitors. In July, NBCUniversal decided to move the production of Dig out of Israel. The show completed filming in New Mexico and Croatia.At issue is the studios attempt to get Atlantic to cover extra expenses incurred during the filming. Atlantic refused coverage, saying that war was excluded under its policy, according to the Hollywood Reporter. The studio sued, maintaining that the Hamas rocket attack was terrorism, not actual war.At a time when insurer support was most critical  i.e., when the physical safety of cast and crew was at risk  Atlantic turned its back on Universal and disclaimed any responsibility for the claim, NBCUniversal said in a court filing.Atlantic, meanwhile, argues that the exclusion means it doesnt have to cover warlike activity, including insurrection, rebellion, revolution, or the use of a weapon of war.Plaintiffs prefer to focus narrowly on the actions of only one of the combatants  Hamas  to the exclusion of the other  Israel  and characterize the conflict as mere terrorism in the hope of avoiding the war exclusions, Atlantic said in its own brief. This position ignores the reality of warfare in the twenty-first century, and the views of their own representatives involved in the filming.On Monday, both sides in the case filed motions asking for summary judgment.
An insurance producer has lost her license for submitting a false claim.The Idaho Department of Insurance revoked the license of Rexburg resident Malorie Warner for filing a claim for a nonexistent medical procedure.Her license was revoked on April 03 after the department took action on a complaint filed against the producer. She was ordered to pay an administrative penalty of $8,500.Submitting false claims is always wrong, said department director Dean Cameron in an abc report.Insurance fraud perpetrated by licensed agents is particularly egregious. We hold them to a high standard and professionalism and honesty. Any misconduct on their part not only harms consumers but also harms the reputation of the industry, he added.

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Warner served as an associate of AFLAC from August 2011 to September 2015. The publication reported that the alleged fabrications took place in 2012 and 2014.The department said that AFLAC passed on information to them after they detected potential fraud in Warners transactions. Investigators retrieved bank deposit records and insurance claim forms to verify the violation.Warner will not be allowed to reapply for another producer license for five years and until the entire penalty is paid, abc reported.
Up until September 10, 2001, standalone terrorism insurance didnt really exist. But after those horrific events, a new market emerged.Chris Folkman, RMS senior director of product management, whose company creates risk models for terrorism, among other modelling, said the insurance industry was never the same after the September 11 terrorist attacks on US soil.Its a market that evolved rapidly after the Twin Towers fell  a moment that instantly changed Western terrorism risk.Terrorism was not excluded from commercial property coverage before [9/11], Folkman explained. It was just this silent coverage. All policies included. It wasnt that big of a deal, it didnt keep underwriters up at night. But after 2001, everything changed.In very short order, insurers said it [terrorism] is now excluded from our property insurance coverage. Thats what gave rise to this standalone market for terrorism insurance.There is about $4 billion worth of capacity in the standalone market in the United States, per potential event, Folkman said, and around the globe there are about 40 writers.So its a pretty active market where the capacity is adequate  unlike 2001, where there was this enormous shortfall of capacity willing to write terrorism risk, and thats where the US Government  and many other governments, the UK and France, and others  had to actually step in with backstops. Today theres a lot more capital in the market, he said.So, who is using terrorism models today? Folkman said its insurers, reinsurers, financial institutions, government agencies, non-profits  all of the stakeholders in the terrorism insurance market.In the US, around 60% of business owners buy terrorism insurance, so theres a fairly robust market for it, he said.[They] use our models in a couple of different ways. At the end of the day what theyre trying to do is quantify the risk of loss. On a probabilistic basis, theyre looking for return period loss  thats how people manage their loss reserves and determine pricing, stuff like that. The next way they use our models is by measuring accumulations of risk: how much risk do I have accumulated within a 400-metre radius in urban areas of high terrorism risk? And that was something insurers were mot minding the house about as much as they could have been, at the time of the September 11 attacks, particularly with regards to human exposure.The policies cover events characterized as low frequency but very, very high severity, Folkman said.What we model are very large scale attacks of terrorism: from car bombs to chemical or biological types of attacks  the types of terrorism that can materially affect the balance sheets of insurers and reinsurers, he explained. The smaller attacks, like the small-arms attacks and stabbings, a lot of the stuff we hear about every day, certainly cause human loss of life, but in terms of insurance loss, its not always material.Were certainly not in the business of predicting catastrophic acts. Were simulating physical phenomenon.The modelling will pinpoint a GPS location of a building, for example, and then simulate a variety of attacks on potential high-risk locations nearby to determine a clients risk.From bombings and aircraft impact  to radiological and nuclear attacks: its modelling thousands and thousands of different types of attacks, Folkman said.From there, its the insurers task to qualify that risk into a policy.
Workers compensation firm Texas Mutual Insurance Company has awarded four employers in Jefferson County its top honors for workplace safety.The Austin-based firm rewarded DSF Advanced Staffing, Mason Construction, Metalforms and Richard Construction for their commendable workplace safety practices. The insurer has distributed 200 safety awards throughout the state this year.According to Beaumont Enterprise, the firms were recognized for their commitment to workplace safety by implementing an exemplary safety program and controlling workers compensation losses.Texas Mutual is almost three decades old. It represents 66,000 businesses, many of which are small enterprises.
Sheriffs urged Massachusetts lawmakers Monday to boost the tax consumers will pay on recreational marijuana and earmark the additional revenue for substance abuse prevention and treatment.

The proposal was discussed at the final hearing of a special legislative committee that was set up to review the marijuana law voters approved in November. The panel is expected to issue recommendations by June.

Not everyone will smoke responsibly, much in the same way many people dont drink responsibly, said Hampshire County Sheriff Patrick Cahillane, who predicted an uptick in addiction and more arrests from driving under the influence of marijuana.

The law currently calls for a 3.75 percent excise tax on retail marijuana sales, expected to begin in mid-2018. The excise would be imposed on top of the states regular 6.25 percent sales tax, and local communities would have the option of tacking on an additional 2 percent tax.

The Massachusetts tax would be lower than those imposed in several Western states, including Colorado, Oregon and Washington, that previously legalized recreational marijuana.

Sen. Patricia Jehlen, co-chairwoman of the Legislatures Marijuana Policy Committee, said she believed many lawmakers were receptive to the idea of earmarking some revenue from pot taxes to addiction prevention and treatment. But Jehlen has been skeptical of boosting taxes, arguing they should be low enough to entice consumers to purchase the drug legally and not continue relying on the underground market.

Cahillane and Hampden County Sheriff Nicholas Cocchi said nine of the states 14 sheriffs are sponsoring a proposal that would boost the pot excise tax by 5 percent.

Advocates of legal marijuana have disputed claims that marijuana can be addictive or serve as a gateway drug to opioids and other more dangerous substances.

Jehlen said shes seen no evidence of a surge in addiction in other states that have legalized recreational marijuana.

Cocchi clarified: Im not saying everyone who smokes a joint is going to become an addict. But he pointed to his own experience of trying to cope with substance abuse through the county correctional system and the lack of financial resources available from the state to deal with the crisis.

Lets earmark that moneyand start to make a dent in the substantial lack of services around the commonwealth, he said.

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Topics Cannabis Massachusetts
Firefighters were still dousing hot spots Tuesday after a massive fire at a seven-story apartment building under construction near the University of Maryland.

News outlets reported that firefighters were working to keep the fire that consumed the roof of the College Park building the size of a city block from flaring up again.

Prince Georges County Fire/EMS officials estimate the loss at $39 million and say the cause is under investigation. They say its the largest loss estimate in the departments history.

More than 200 firefighters and medics were called to the scene after the blaze broke out Monday morning, and it wasnt considered under control until mid-afternoon.

Thick smoke closed the nearby campus early and residents of a neighboring apartment building were relocated until evening.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Profit Loss Maryland
U.S. commercial property insurer FM Global is planning a European hub in Luxembourg following Britains decision to leave the bloc, the head of its European division told Reuters.

The mutual insurer, which earned $5.5 billion in gross premium last year, plans to continue many business operations in Windsor, west of London, but has also set up a Luxembourg-based subsidiary, FM Insurance Europe, S.A., to issue policies in the EU and other countries, said Chris Johnson, an executive vice president in charge of FM Globals European business.

The move follows that of U.S. insurer American International Group Inc, which last month said it would keep its main European headquarters in London and open a subsidiary in Luxembourg to cope with Brexit.

The Lloyds of London insurance market, meanwhile, chose Brussels for its subsidiary.

They are among a number of insurers that had set up regulated subsidiaries only in Britain, through which they have been able to sell insurance policies across the European Union from one EU country, using so-called passporting rights.

But insurers and other financial services firms no longer expect to be able to retain those rights after Brexit, and have started planning EU subsidiaries, so they can continue to sell into Europe.

Luxembourg and Brussels, along with Frankfurt, Paris and Dublin are touting themselves as an alternative base for firms wishing to retain access to the EU after Brexit.

Johnston, Rhode Island-based FM Global, which insures one in three of the Fortune 1000 list of largest U.S. companies, chose Luxembourg for regulatory expertise, understanding of global business, and talent base, Johnson said in an interview at a risk management conference in Philadelphia.

We wanted a country that was used to a multinational environment, Johnson said. If you cant hire accountants, insurance professionals and lawyers, youre in a world of hurt.

Other considerations included being allowed to hold board meetings in English and have board members who are also policyholders, Johnson said.

FM Global employs roughly 200 people in the UK, Johnson said. The plan, if finalized, will require duplicating roles to continue serving UK clients while also issuing coverage throughout Europe. Clients whose coverage extended throughout the EU will now also need separate UK coverage, he said.

The Luxembourg subsidiary would require adding new staff, including its board, managing director, and other key positions, but would not be a large-scale move from Britain, Johnson added.

Regulators require firms to employ staff needed to run a business, such as IT, compliance and finance, in any subsidiary, consultants say. FM Globals plan is subject to regulatory approval. In December, Luxembourg regulators issued preliminary approval for FM Global to set up the unit, but not to conduct business, Johnson said. A timeframe for final approval is unclear.

(Editing by Susan Thomas)

Topics USA Europe London
Waterloo, Ontario-based Economical Insurance announced two additions to its executive team. Fabian Richenberger will join the company as executive vice president, Commercial Insurance, and Kelley Irwin will join as senior vice president and chief information officer, effective May 1, 2017.

Existing executive team members Tom Reikman and Alice Keung will take on new roles as chief distribution officer and chief transformation officer, respectively.

We are improving the alignment of our operations and leadership to facilitate growth, deepen our capabilities, and continue to meet shifting customer expectations, said Rowan Saunders, president and CEO of Economical. Fabian and Kelley will fulfill critical roles as we expand our executive team to align for future success.

Underwriting & Operations

Economical said that responsibility for underwriting and operations is being organized across four primary areas: Broker Sales & Distribution, Personal Insurance, Commercial Insurance and Claims.

Tom Reikman, previously SVP and chief operations officer at Economical, will deepen his focus on leading broker distribution strategy across Canada as he takes on the role of chief distribution officer.

This reflects the companys strong commitment to continue growing its broker business, Economical said in a statement.

Richenberger, who joins the company as EVP, Commercial Insurance, is a highly regarded executive in Canadas insurance sector, having previously served as president of Northbridge Insurance. Most recently, he was partner and head of Financial Services for CarProof Corp. He begin his more than 25-year career in his native Switzerland and spent more than 15 years with Zurich Insurance in underwriting and executive roles in Toronto, Chicago, New York and Zurich.

Economical has great momentum and the opportunity to help grow the commercial business is incredibly exciting, said Richenberger. We will work very closely with our broker partners to make sure that we deliver compelling insurance solutions and outstanding service to achieve our mutual growth aspirations.

New Transformation & Tech Function

The company also announced the formation of a new Transformation & Technology function. Alice Keung, formerly chief information officer at Economical, has been appointed to lead this function, overseeing the development, delivery and execution of the Economical digital strategy, innovation and technology, as chief transformation officer.

Transforming key aspects of the business will drive greater efficiency and effectiveness across the enterprise and produce a superior customer, broker, and employee experience, the company said.

Kelley Irwin will join the company as its new SVP and CIO. Irwin brings extensive experience in technology for financial services, spending more than 25 years with companies such as Sun Life Financial, Symcor, and most recently TD Bank Group, as vice president and CIO, Corporate Technology. She will lead IT strategy and operations as Economical continues to transform its business platforms.

Source: Economical Insurance

Topics Agencies Tech Canada
A rise in global protectionism stemming from a backlash against free trade and globalization could have significant impact on economic growth, poverty levels and the potential for military conflict, according to a new report from the Atlantic Council and Zurich Insurance Group.

The report, Our World Transformed: Geopolitical Shocks and Risks,examines best-, worst- and base-case scenarios for global protectionism and other geopolitical trends and the potential impact for businesses and the world at large.

The report is a collaboration between Zurich, the Atlantic Council and the Frederick S. Pardee Center for International Futures at the University of Denver. The Atlantic Council is a nonpartisan organization that promotes constructive U.S. leadership and engagement in international affairs.

The report warns that companies that benefit from global trade may be forced to restructure their supply chains and develop business continuity plans that anticipate disruptions to their manufacturing and retail operations.

In its globalism vs. protectionism scenarios, the report finds there is a cumulative difference in global economic output of $44 trillion by 2035. With protectionism, GDP is 8 percent lower in low-income economies by 2035, than if globalism enjoyed a resurgence.

High-income countries would see a five percent drop.Also, the estimated proportion of middle- and upper-class population in high-income economies would likely remain about the same whether protectionism or globalism take hold, however increased global protectionism would undermine the growth of a middle class in the rest of the world, according to the authors.

In recent remarks, Evan G. Greenberg, chairman and chief executive officer of Chubb, expressed his concerns about protectionism. The CEO said current political trends favoring protectionism over globalization are worrisome and he called for political leaders to speak out on the benefits of global trade to the U.S. He also criticized attacks on immigration as misguided populism.

Middle East, Food & Water

The Zurich-Atlantic report also looks at the risk of conflict in the Middle East and the likely impact on global energy markets and the implications of water and food scarcity globally and regionally.

We are in a period of geopolitical uncertainty, which can create a volatile business environment for companies connected to global markets, whether it is as a multinational corporation with overseas manufacturing and retail facilities or a regional operation with global suppliers, said Bryan Salvatore, head of Specialty Products for Zurich North America.

The report examines what would happen if Mideast tensions escalated to large-scale conflict and how that could disrupt global energy markets and force businesses to seek alternative energy sources. Again, global supply chains could be affected, as rising oil prices would increase transportation costs. In the worst-case scenario, 23 million more people would be living in extreme poverty.

Water & Food Scarcity

Regarding water and food scarcity, the report addresses extreme weather scenarios in which there is too little water producing a drought and too much water bringing flooding. Extended droughts can inflict the most damage on agriculture production and, therefore, result in food shortages, which can often lead to regional conflicts. In the base-case scenario, global water withdrawals are forecast to increase by 14 percent above current levels, and many of the most affected countries lack resources and good governance to implement solutions.

Even in those countries with more means to cope with water shortages, economic growth is constrained, particularly in the manufacturing and agricultural sectors, according to the report, which suggests that companies should consider implementing a water-management and conservation plan to minimize water use and develop sustainable solutions.

Theres no question that the world is facing an increasing number of interrelated global risks, said Fred Kempe, president and CEO of the Atlantic Council. From a potential trade war with China to an energy crisis from the Middle East, this report quantitatively models these uncertainties and helps decision-makers understand the risks so that they can do their best to effectively manage and, wherever possible, avoid them.

David Anderson, head of Credit & Political Risk at Zurich North America, said that geopolitical risks are interrelated and, therefore, need to be looked at holistically in the context of other risks. He said understanding the connections between different kinds of risks is a vital step in managing them and avoiding surprises.

Those risks are, by their nature, difficult to shape, because they are driven by forces beyond the control of companies or single governments, Anderson said. Nevertheless, in view of the growing geopolitical volatility, companies need to examine the disruptions that could be mitigated.

A version of this article first appeared in Insurance Journals sister publication, Carrier Management.

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Topics Trends Agribusiness
Ed, the London-based reinsurance, wholesale and specialty broker, announced the appointment of John Plummer as chairman of Property & Casualty. Plummer takes up his role with immediate effect.

Plummer brings over 30 years of experience in the insurance industry to Ed. He joins from Howden, where he served as managing director for the North American property & casualty division. Prior to that he led the direct and facultative team at Benfield Group. He started his career at Fenchurch Group where he was managing director.

John is highly regarded as a P&C specialist and is an excellent addition to our senior team. He brings an exceptional track record and breadth of knowledge of our key growth markets that will be essential in developing and broadening our expertise, said Chris Bonard, CEO, Ed Specialty.

His appointment marks a significant investment in our P&C capabilities, and I am confident that his insight and counsel will be invaluable as we continue to carve out our position as the leading independent wholesale broker in the P&C space, he added.

Ed has a clear and ambitious strategy which will increasingly set it apart in our market. I am delighted to be joining the business at such a formative point in its history and look forward to being a part of its future success, said Plummer.

Source: Ed

Topics Property Casualty Property Casualty
The death of a colleagues son has spurred the governor in the often anti-regulation Kansas to toughen the states inspection requirements for amusement parks.

A new law signed by Republican Gov. Sam Brownback strengthens the states amusement park regulations, which currently allow parks to inspect their own rides. That policy drew scrutiny when Republican Rep. Scott Schwabs 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.

Brownback had promised to follow Schwabs lead. Schwab didnt 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 didnt come to the Legislature to increase regulations and he wouldnt hold it against anyone who didnt vote for the bill.

But I will never deny government has a role, he said. And you can get to a point where theres just not enough.

Schwab told lawmakers the bill wasnt 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 worlds tallest. Its name, Verruckt, is German for insane.

The Verruckt slide had passed a private inspection earlier in the summer. But the rides opening was delayed multiple times, and during early testing, sand bags flew off, so engineers partially tore it down and rebuilt it. After Calebs 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 parks 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 parks owner .

Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt said 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.

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Topics Legislation Kansas
Generali is expanding its U.S. global corporate and commercial operations with the opening of offices in Chicago and San Francisco in a bid to grab more business from U.S. multinational companies.

The Italian insurers growth comes through its Generali Global Corporate & Commercial Arm, which launched in early 2015 in order to handle direct business in the U.S. for U.S. multinational clients that have both domestic and international exposures.

Generali has had operations in New York for some time, but the office has traditionally focused on supporting its overseas network and its foreign clients with U.S. exposures. Its U.S. expansion for global corporate and commercial is meant to address U.S. multinational clients with U.S. and international exposures.

Bill Skapof, head of GC&C U.S.A., said plans to expand westward in the United States are a significant milestone.

Its very exciting, Skapof told Carrier Management in a telephone interview. He said that Generalis decision to begin a U.S. expansion in 2015 for its Global Corporate & Commercial business reflects recognition that you cant really be a global provider of multinational insurance and not be present in the U.S. market.

Three Hires

The company has hired three executives in the U.S.: Jennifer Winters, vice president of Foreign Casualty in the New York headquarters; Peter Ignell, vice president of Property and Construction in the Chicago office and Ana Raducan, vice president of Foreign Casualty in San Francisco.

Winters will specialize in underwriting primary multinational casualty and package insurance programs for U.S.-based multinational clients. She has 13 years of casualty underwriting experience, and prior to joining Generali held multinational and domestic casualty underwriting roles with XL Catlin, AIG and Crum & Forster.

In his new role Ignell will leverage his 25 years of experience in the insurance industry to manage a broad range of global property exposures for Generalis U.S.-based customers. Prior to GC&C U.S.A., he served as regional property director for the Midwest, Commercial Markets at Zurich Insurance Group. Earlier in his career, he held senior property insurance management positions at several leading insurance companies including AIG.

Raducan will advise clients on international insurance solutions and compliance with international regulations. Prior to joining Generali, she led the International Property & Casualty Practice as vice president at ABD Insurance & Financial Services, and earlier in her 10-year career held senior underwriting positions at Chubb.

Long Range Strategy

Skapof acknowledged Generalis expansion in Global Corporate & Commercial comes at tough time for the sector in the U.S. with a soft market. But the insurer has a long-range strategy in mind.

The issue is you have to be able to operate across the cycle, so essentially, weve hired very experienced people [who have] been through cycles, understand the mechanisms and how they work, Skapof said. We built a plan around the current market conditions, and were doing very, very well. As long as we maintain our focus and discipline, it is an important capability [to have] to be able to operate in both the hard and soft market.

Acknowledging there are many other players in this market segment, Skapof said that were never going to be the biggest, but we want to be relevant, and I think we can do that by being a little bit more flexible, and being a little bit more responsive than Generalis competitors.

He added that the insurer is looking to differentiate itself in the expansion by focusing on value beyond the policy, in areas including client/broker relationships.

To help support the expansion, Generali Global Corporate & Commercial hired two new U.S. executives: Jennifer Winters, VP Foreign Casualty in New York, and Ana Raducan, VP Foreign Casualty to be based in San Francisco. Winters is a veteran executives from companies including XL Catlin and AIG. Raducan has held previous positions at Chubb and ABD Insurance & Financial Services.

Generali Global Corporate & Commercial U.S. A. currently employs 50 employees, and its initial expansion began in late 2016. The company said additional employees and resources will be added as needed. Generali employs 700 people in the U.S. in all subsidiaries, and 70,000 globally, according to a company spokesperson.

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Topics USA New York Property Market Generali Life Assurance (Thailand) Plc. Casualty
The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday appeared poised to clamp down on where corporations can be sued, a potential setback for plaintiffs lawyers who strive to bring cases in courts and locales they consider friendly.

The nine justices in two separate cases heard appeals of lower court rulings allowing out-of-state injury lawsuits against drug maker Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. and BNSF Railway Co.

Companies and plaintiffs are engaged in a fight over where lawsuits seeking financial compensation for injuries should be filed. Companies typically can be sued in a state where they are headquartered or incorporated, as well as where they have significant ties. They want to curtail plaintiffs ability to shop for courts in states with laws conducive to such lawsuits.

Bristol-Myers was appealing a California Supreme Court ruling allowing that states courts to hear claims related to its blood-thinning medication Plavix even though most plaintiffs do not live in the state and the company is not based there.

Based on questions asked during the argument, the courts conservative majority appeared to side with the companies view while its liberals wondered how it would be unfair to add out-of-state claims to a case that would proceed anyway.

Conservative Justice Anthony Kennedy expressed skepticism over California handling matters for residents of all other states.

Thats a very patronizing view of federalism, Kennedy told the plaintiffs lawyer, Thomas Goldstein. California will tell Ohio, Oh, dont worry, Ohio, well take care of you.'

If suits involving out-of-state residents can be handled in every state, conservative Chief Justice John Roberts added, I dont see that it increases the efficiency at all.

ALL OF THE ABOVE

Liberal Justice Elena Kagan suggested Bristol-Myers did not want to face multiple trials in California specifically because of plaintiff-friendly juries or the possibility of punitive damages.

All of the above, the companys lawyer Neal Katyal said, adding that it is harder to get cases thrown out of court before trial in California.

The underlying lawsuits filed in 2012 against Bristol-Myers and California-based drug distributor McKesson Corp. involved 86 California residents and 575 non-Californians, alleging Plavix increased their risk of stroke, heart attack and internal bleeding.

The California Supreme Court ruled in August 2016 that it could preside over the Plavix case because Bristol-Myers Squibb conducted a national marketing campaign and sold nearly $1 billion of the drug in the state. Bristol-Myers is incorporated in Delaware and headquartered in New York.

The justices also appeared to be leaning toward Texas-based railroad BNSF. The company is appealing a 2015 Montana Supreme Court ruling allowing out-of-state residents to sue there over injuries occurring anywhere in BNSFs nationwide network.

The case focused on a federal law concerning railroads, but Roberts seemed skeptical that a ruling siding with the plaintiffs would be limited to that context.

Roberts wondered whether other companies operating in multiple states including airlines and trucking companies could similarly be sued in states where they operate but are not based.

How do you decide what other companies and industries are at home in Montana? Roberts asked the plaintiffs lawyer.

Rulings in both cases are due by the end of June.

In an unusual twist, Justice Stephen Breyers cellphone rang shortly after the Bristol-Myers argument began, which he scrambled to turn off. Members of the public are forbidden from bringing electronic devices into the courts chamber. A court spokeswoman called Breyers cellphone ringing an oversight.

(Reporting by Andrew Chung; Additional reporting by Lawrence Hurley; Editing by Will Dunham)

Topics Lawsuits California Legislation
The conservative House Freedom Caucus that helped derail the GOPs effort last month to repeal Obamacare has formally endorsed a revised measure, potentiality giving it a new lease on life.

While the revised version still does not fully repeal Obamacare, we are prepared to support it to keep our promise to the American people to lower health-care costs, the group said in a statement. We look forward to working with our Senate colleagues to improve the bill.

The endorsement could help build support for a new vote as early as next week, but Representative Charlie Dent of Pennsylvania, a leading Republican centrist, says that he believes most moderates remain opposed. He called the new version an effort at blame-shifting for the failure of the repeal effort.

House Republicans have been under intense pressure to deliver on years of promises to repeal Obamacare, but GOP leaders werent making predictions of an imminent vote, despite renewed pressure from the White House as President Donald Trump approaches his 100th day in office on Saturday.

The new enthusiasm stems from an amendment that would give states the authority to apply for waivers from some of Obamacares requirements under certain conditions.

Its pretty much everything I was looking for in terms of concessions, said Representative Scott DesJarlais of Tennessee, a member of the Freedom Caucus who had opposed an earlier version.

House Speaker Paul Ryan told reporters Wednesday the amendment provides a great way to lower premiums, give states more flexibility while protecting people with pre-existing conditions. When asked whether the House will vote next week on the health-care bill, he said, Well see. Well vote on it when we get the votes.

Were showing people the language now, Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy of California said Tuesday. House Republicans held a closed-door meeting Wednesday where Representative Tom MacArthur of New Jersey discussed his amendment.

Still Cautious

Cautious, said Representative Phil Roe of Tennessee, a medical doctor, of the approach that House Republican leaders are taking. Representative Steve Chabot of Ohio said everyone is proceeding quietly so that nothing happens to blow everything up.

But there are complications, including the revelation that the new amendment would treat health coverage for lawmakers and their staffs differently by barring waivers for their insurance plans.

Changes to the bill may also make it more difficult to pass the Senate. It will be harder for the Senate to get 51 Republicans, Republican Senator Roy Blunt of Missouri, a former House majority leader and longtime whip, said Wednesday.

The White House, which has been involved in discussions about the changes, is still eager to resurrect the health-care bill.

Were not going to overpromise anything; when the votes are there, the speaker will bring it to the floor but no sooner than that, White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus told reporters late Tuesday. He said he didnt know if that might be this week or next.

Repeal of the Affordable Care Act was a major Trump campaign promise and a longtime goal of House Republicans.

Growing Support

We probably had about half of the members of the Freedom Caucus in the first go-around, White House legislative affair director Marc Short told reporters Tuesday. With this amendment, Id like to think we have greater than 80 percent  we are very confident in that.

Short said he still thinks they could get the healthcare bill passed before the GOP tax bill is introduced in the next four to six weeks.

Much of the renewed optimism stems from new support within the House Freedom Caucus, a group of about three dozen staunch conservatives.

Opposition from many inside that group, who wanted a more robust repeal measure, along with skepticism from many Republican moderates, was pivotal to Ryans decision last month to abruptly scrap a vote on the bill for lack of votes.

On Tuesday, members of the Freedom Caucus who previously didnt support the bill, including Representative Dave Brat of Virginia, and DesJarlais, said they now support the measure.

State Waivers

The amendment would allow insurers to charge higher premiums to people with pre-existing conditions in states that get a waiver. To obtain the waiver, states would have to provide sick people priced out of commercial insurance access to a so-called high-risk pool run by the federal government, or establish their own, and satisfy other conditions.

Even Mo Brooks of Alabama, a conservative who opposed the previous version, said hes considering the amendment.

I believe there will be some movement, he said. I dont know how much.

Dent, however, said the bill doesnt provide a soft enough landing for states that expanded Medicaid, and still doesnt provide sufficient support to help low- and middle-income people, in his view.

Pressure from the White House, combined with fresh support from conservatives, could put intense pressure on moderates to vote for the bill. But those moderates in swing districts, unlike the members of the Freedom Caucus, could end up losing their seats if the repeal bill continues to remain unpopular.

I will vote my conscience, said Representative Leonard Lance of New Jersey, who said he also remains opposed.

Copyright 2022 Bloomberg.

Topics Politics
Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. has acquired Tulsa, Oklahoma-based Commercial Insurance Brokers LLC. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Formed in 2012, Commercial Insurance Brokers is a group of insurance producers and service personnel offering a broad range of property/casualty and employee benefit products and services to energy, construction, financial services, manufacturing, transportation, professional services, nonprofit, healthcare and high-net-worth clients throughout the United States and internationally.

Brad McCrory and his associates will continue to operate from their current location under the direction of Bret VanderVoort, head of Gallaghers South Central retail property/casualty brokerage operations.

Arthur J. Gallagher & Co., an international insurance brokerage and risk management services firm, is headquartered in Rolling Meadows, Illinois, has operations in 33 countries and offers client service capabilities in more than 150 countries around the world through a network of correspondent brokers and consultants.

Source: Arthur J. Gallagher & Co.

Topics Mergers & Acquisitions Agencies Commercial Lines Business Insurance Oklahoma A.J. Gallagher
A wildfire in Georgia that has scorched more than 70 square miles (180 square kilometers) of public lands near the Georgia-Florida state line could burn for the next six months unless heavy rains snuff out the flames sooner, fire officials said Monday.

A bolt of lightning sparked the blaze April 6 inside the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge. Strong winds over the weekend pushed the flames farther into areas of the swamp parched by drought, causing the fires footprint to grow by 76 percent between Friday and Monday.

So far, nearly all of the burning acreage has been confined to the Okefenokee refuge in southeast Georgia, as well as the neighboring Osceola National Forest and John M. Bethea State Forest in Florida. However, residents of small communities near the swamp edge have been warned to pack bags in case the flames creep close enough to trigger evacuations.

Firefighters working to contain the blaze expect the effort to last several months. Commanders estimate the fire may not be extinguished or completely contained until November, said Susan Granbery of the Georgia Forestry Commission.

Were waiting for a large storm event, Granbery said. A major rain event will be what it takes to put the fire out. Theyre estimating that is generally sometime between June and November.

After burning nearly three weeks, the wildfire has charred a relatively small portion of the Okefenokee refuges vast 635 square miles (1,645 sq. kilometers). Naturally occurring fire is needed periodically to keep the swamp healthy. Otherwise it would become overgrown and eventually convert to dry uplands.

That means the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which manages the refuge, prefers to let the fire burn within the Okefenokees boundaries while firefighters use bulldozers to fortify fire breaks along the refuge perimeter to keep flames from spreading to private land. Meanwhile, sheets of fire-resistant wrap and sprinkler systems have been used to protect a historic homestead, boardwalks and campsites inside the refuge.

Granbery said Monday that the fire still posed no immediate threat to residents living just outside the swamp. But residents of tiny Fargo, where about 320 people live on the refuges western edge, and in a rural stretch of Charlton County near its eastern border have been urged to be ready if evacuations become necessary.

Shawn Boatright, county administrator for Charlton County, said officials spent the weekend going door-to-door to warn residents nearest the swamp. There was no imminent fire threat Monday, but parts of the county were smothered in smoke.

Right now visibility is almost minimal due to the smoke from the fire, Boatright said. I can smell the smoke here in my building just from people opening up the doors.

Extremely dry conditions arent helping to slow the fires progress. The U.S. Drought Monitor says the Okefenokee refuge is suffering from moderate to severe drought. Scattered thunderstorms crossing southeast Georgia on Sunday and Monday morning failed to dump any significant rain.

Wildfires have burned for extended periods inside the Okefenokee refuge before. Another fire started by lightning in April 2011 burned and smoldered for nearly full year. It charred about 480 square miles (1,250 sq. kilometers) before authorities declared it extinguished.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Catastrophe Natural Disasters Wildfire Georgia
Overcast skies and a misty rain mirrored the mood of this tiny community as it came together to remember the 14 Lawrence County residents who died in the April 27, 2011, tornadoes.

They will never be forgotten, an emotional Kristi Robertson said as family members cried nearby.

About 200 people gathered Sunday in this western part of the county to unveil a 3-by-5-foot granite monument listing the names of those killed by the tornado.

We had been talking about this for years and last summer we went to work with fundraisers to make this day possible, Robertson said.

Mount Hope, an area of about 1,000 inhabitants, was one of the hardest hit communities when an EF5 tornado, with 200 mph winds, killed five who lived within 2 miles of each other and forever changed the areas landscape.

He would be proud, Virginia Terry, 82, said about her only brother, Horace Smith, who died in the storm with his wife, Helen.

He did so much for this community and I know he would say thank you for this, Terry added.

Residents in the Mount Hope area started talking about ways to remember the tornado victims in the weeks after the deadly storm in 2011.

We had to do something if for no other reason than to remind people that something like this can happen again, said Misty Henderson, who served on the committee that raised money for the monument.

She said two of her friends died in the tornado.

This storm affected everybody in some way, Henderson said.

Mount Hope graduate Lanier Sibley agreed. He watched from the front porch of his home near old Alabama 24 as the storm came over the mountain from Franklin County and destroyed the Smiths home.

J.D. Parker was the storms third victim from Mount Hope before it crossed the highway and destroyed the areas two largest businesses.

It seems like it didnt last but two minutes, but the tornado changed peoples lives forever, said Sibley, who contributed funds to pay for the monument. Mount Hope was like a war zone after the storm passed.

Although the monument is in Mount Hope, Robertson said its designed to remember all of those from Lawrence County who died.

Moulton Middle School student Aurelia Guzman, 12, was the tornados youngest victim. Her parents and siblings were on hand for Sundays event.

I miss her dearly and it still hurts, but it makes you feel good to know people have not forgotten her, mother Carolyn Guzman said.

Aurelia was stuck under her fathers work van and died near the family home in Chalybeate.

Jonathan Henderson, who is pastor of Mount Hope Baptist where the community staged after the storm to help each other, said the tornado changed the areas landscape and him. He said the tornado gave him a new perspective about whats important in life.

Like many who came to Sundays ceremony, Henderson shared his experience from April 27, 2011. He was at work in Decatur when his boss told him a tornado was coming to Mount Hope.

I told him tornadoes dont come to Mount Hope, Henderson said to the audience.

He didnt know at the time that the tornado had damaged his home and water was pouring through the roof. When he finally talked with his wife, Henderson said he didnt ask about where my stuff was.

He said he wanted to know if his family was OK. They were, but the Hendersons had to rebuild their home.

The new volunteer fire station where he shared his story was made possible by Horace and Helen Smith. They left part of their estate for the stations construction.

He loved this community, Terry said.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Catastrophe Alabama
An insurtech firm launched in California today with the promise of providing online homeowners insurance quotes in 60 seconds in what the Mountain View, Calif.-based company is calling the most fundamental redesign of home insurance in recent times.

Hippo Insurance announced its launch in California and is offering what it says is a vastly more protective product that can be quoted and purchased instantly online and at lower prices.

Its also a product that leaves the insurance agent out of the equation.

According to a company executive, a homeowners policy can be bound in roughly three minutes.

Hippo has been raising funds for more than two years to get to this point. At the end of 2016, the firm announced it closed a $14 million Series A round led by Horizons Ventures, which invests in disruptive technology and startups. It was joined by RPM Ventures, Propel Venture Partners, GGV Capital and Pipeline Capital as well as number of FinTech investors and entrepreneurs.

The company is only operating in California now, but Hippos stated goal is to operate nationwide.

Hippos online web portal requires consumers to start off by typing in their address, and then Hippos software searches a host of data providers to bring back most of the information that is traditionally asked when applying for homeowners insurance, according to Rick McCathron, Hippos head of insurance.

We can get the basic questions narrowed down to three simple questions, McCathron said.

According to McCathron, who noted that hes not just a tech guy  he holds the CPCU and CIC designations  property-specific information is gathered through traditional and non-traditional data sources. He declined to offer specifics on those sources, stating such information is proprietary.

Visitors to the site are then asked to confirm all the information is correct, and then answer questions pertaining to discounts, such as Do you have a fire extinguisher, Do you have a monitored alarm.

The quote follows immediately. If a consumer chooses to bind the insurance, another 10 underwriting questions are presented.

McCathron believes a consumer can bind a policy in three minutes.

Everything is direct to consumer, he said.

Consumers who fall outside of the companys underwriting box are immediately notified, and are offered a conversation with one of the wholesalers Hippo has partnered with, according to McCathron, who declined to name Hippos wholesaler partners.

The promise of returning a comprehensive insurance quote in a minute was a bit hard to swallow for some.

There are more than 120 customizing endorsements available for a homeowners policy, noted Christopher J. Boggs, executive director of the Big I Virtual University for the Independent Agents and Brokers of America Inc.

I would be amazed if any carrier, regardless of how intelligent their system, could accurately assess an insureds exposure and properly customize any policy with just 60 seconds of contact, Boggs said.

He was quick to note that he isnt knocking the insurtechs efforts to innovate.

There are some efficiencies created by the artificial intelligence companies such as Hippo, Lemonade and others have created that I think the industry needs to adopt, Boggs said. There are facets of what these companies have created that could greatly benefit independent agents and their clients.

However, there is a sweet spot, which is the combining of AI with human reasoning and communication skills, he added.

Insurance is ultimately a relationship business, and AI alone fails miserably at establishing relationships, Boggs added.

Hippo has partnered with TOPA Insurance in California to act as the carrier to back policies. Swiss RE is the reinsurer.

Hippo is considered a managing general agency. The company is the provider of the insurance products and the processing for the policyholder, and it earns a commission from the reinsurance company to provide the aspects that a traditional insurance company would provide.

McCathron declined to provide details on the commission structure.

Hippos claims to have produced the most fundamental redesign of home insurance in recent times are supported by its changes to the user interface, providing enhanced products, and functioning as a proactive insurer, according to him.

Its enhanced coverage includes: Equipment Breakdown ($100,000); Service Line ($10,000); Workers Comp (Included); Home Office ($8,000); Computers ($8,000); Water Backup ($10,000); Jewelry & Watches ($2,000).

McCathron said that instead of outmoded coverage on items like furs, pewter, and grave markers, Hippo has opted to offer coverage on things that may be more important to Millennials, such as home office coverage, computers and electronic equipment.

He also said the extended coverage addresses protections that policyholders probably believe they have but dont.

Service line protection, for example, provides coverage if a water break occurs on the insureds side of the home, and the equipment breakdown protection covers the HVAC system and the hot water heater.

We believe that some 70 percent of people are not covered for things that they should be covered for or are not covered for things that they thought they were covered for, McCathron said.

The step that makes the company a proactive insurer, according to him, is providing water leak protection sensors to policyholders, which can be connected to the home Wi-Fi so anytime a leak is detected the policyholder and the insurer are instantly notified.

In a trial of the site, an address of a home in an upper middle-class area of Long Beach, Calif. was inputted.

Information including year built, square footage, roof type, construction type of home and number of stories were automatically filled in. The site asked for details on the homes fixtures and finishes: Just the basics, A few extras, Top of the line.

In the trial, A few extras was chosen, which yielded the message Finally, lets see if you qualify for any discounts. The options were Recent home purchase, Gated Community, Homeowners Association.

A Recent home purchase choice produced three options for $350,000 coverage (plus 25 percent Surge Price Protection).

A Higher Deductible choice was offered at $57 per month ($686 per year) for $175,000 in coverage for belongings, $100,000 coverage for liability and a $1,500 deductible. The Most Popular plan was $65 per month ($780 per year), with $262,500 coverage for belongings, $300,000 for liability and a $1,000 deductible. And an Extra Coverage plan was $76 per month ($909 per year) for $262,500 coverage for belongings, $500,000 coverage for liability and $1,000 deductible.

A page followed with choices including Non-primary residence, Under construction, Secondary heat source and Nanny or other employee(s) on site.

Answering No to all returned a page with safety questions  Central burglar alarm, Central fire alarm, Fire extinguisher, and Sprinkler system.

Choosing Central burglar alarm and Fire extinguisher produced a page inquiring whether either plumbing or electrical had been updated in the last 50 years for homes built before 1967.

A No reply returned a page with a prompt offering a quick chat and a phone number because the plumbing and/or electrical was so old the process could not be completed online.

Using a back button and then answering Yes to both returned a page with fill-in spaces for the insureds name, date of birth, email and weather the insured already had an active homeowners policy.

Following that came a page on which the user was informed that a quick claim check needed to be run. The page requested the insureds primary address for the past year, and whether there had been any home claims in the last five years.

Answering no claims in the last five years returned a $62 per month premium ($753 per year) quote. A checkout page follows with options for payment frequency (annually, semi-annually or quarterly), payment method, credit card number and billing information.

California is the first of many states Hippo expects to saunter into, according to McCathron.

We have our eye on several other states in order to facilitate a national expansion, he said. Our ultimate goal is to be a provider of home insurance products in 50 states and we have an aggressive growth strategy to achieve that.

Related:

Topics Homeowners New Markets
Two-thirds of schools in Oregons largest district lack sufficient fire safety equipment, according to records obtained by the Oregonian/OregonLive.

Portland Public Schools has 60 of 89 schools lacking up-to-date alarm systems, complete fire sensor coverage or other life-saving equipment required by fire and rescue standards, the paper reported Wednesday.

There is a very high likelihood that kids would get out of the school if there is a fire, District Interim Chief Operating Officer Courtney Wilton said. But Im not going to say its adequate because there are a number of buildings where we need to do a better job.

District officials acknowledged they need to prioritize repairs. They voted in March to place the largest school construction bond in state history on the upcoming ballot  a $790 million bond.

But even with the bond money, Portland schools would not be fully outfitted.

Officials estimate it would cost $131 million to put complete fire systems in all its schools. The districts plan is to devote one-fifth that amount, $26 million, to schools in need.

Fire officials said this amount should be enough to fix more than what is essentially needed in the schools.

In 2009, a fire engulfed one of the districts elementary schools.

All 500 students, faculty and staff were able to make it out unharmed.

School fires are an immediate disaster that can happen really fast, and then everything changes, said Lana Penley, the schools principal. Having experienced it, absolutely, it is a very big issue and one that should be at the forefront of everything that is getting addressed.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Oregon
Don Milani testimone della missione della diocesi. La chiesa e la casa canonica di Barbiana nel Mugello, dove opero don Lorenzo Milani (1923-1967), vengono trasferite. Dallistituto diocesano per il sostentamento del clero di Firenze al patrimonio dellarcidiocesi. La Chiesa di Firenze istituisce, inoltre, un Comitato diocesano per custodire la memoria del sacerdote. E della sua azione pastorale e civile. A San Donato fondo una scuola popolare serale per i giovani operai e contadini della sua parrocchia. Fu poi cappellano a Calenzano. Quindi passo a Barbiana come priore. Fino alla sua morte.

La testimonianza di don Milani

La Chiesa fiorentina, spiega la diocesi, sente questo impegno come un dovere verso don Lorenzo Milani. Il sacerdote ed educatore che Papa Francesco volle onorare con la visita a Barbiana il 20 giugno 2017. Occasione in cui il Pontefice ha offerto un paradigma interpretativo della persona e dellazione di don Lorenzo. E cio resta per noi vincolante. Un mandato assegnato al Comitato diocesano per don Lorenzo Milani. Che nella sua azione avra come riferimento i tratti con cui Papa Francesco ne ha delineato la figura e lesperienza. Nel maggio del 1958 dette alle stampe Esperienze pastorali.

Fede totalizzante

Del prete ed educatore, papa Francesco ha richiamato la passione educativa. Che ha fatto della scuola uno spazio di autentica umanizzazione e la sua fede totalizzante. Larcidiocesi di Firenze chiede che a questo impegno contribuiscano quanti in questi anni si sono adoperati. Per mantenere viva leredita di don Milani. Persone (soprattutto i suoi discepoli), gruppi e istituzioni. Tra cui la Fondazione don Lorenzo Milani alla quale spetta continuare il servizio a Barbiana. In specie per regolare laccesso ai luoghi. E coordinare laccompagnamento dei visitatori. Valorizzando il contributo di quanti pensano di poter offrire la loro testimonianza. E il loro servizio alla memoria di don Milani.
Socially responsible investment (SRI) funds can take on a variety of mandates. They often look to invest in companies that do business in an environmentally responsible manner and that pay attention to fair supply chain practices. Still, others make a point not to invest in companies that are involved in the sale of tobacco, weapons, or gambling. Less known is that many of these SRI funds have also made it their business to invest in companies that strive to empower women and other underserved cohorts in the workplace. Below is a list of a few that do just that.

Domini Social Investments

Domini Social Investments, LLC. looks to invest in companies that are committed to workplace diversity. That means they expect to see a substantial representation of women and minorities in management-level positions, including as senior line executives, when evaluating a company.

Its funds also look to invest in companies that provide an open work environment for minorities, LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer, employees). Additionally, it seeks out companies that offer sexual harassment training and programs that promote respect for diversity.

In that vein, Domini stays away from companies that have a history or record of controversies related to lack of diversity, sexual harassment, or discrimination. Dominis Proxy Voting Guidelines note that it will vote against boards of trustees that do not include women or people of color.

Calvert Investments

Calvert Investments has long been an advocate for diversity and the promotion of women worldwide. In 2004, in partnership with the United National Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), it created Calverts Women's Principles (CWP), which defined a global code of corporate conduct on empowering and investing in women.

In 2010, those principals were used as the basis for the UN's Women's Empowerment Principles. The fund was also instrumental in developing a model charter language on board diversity, recommending companies abide by it when creating an independent and inclusive board.

Calvert made much headway on this front in 2010, when it filed 14 resolutions on women and diversity in the workplace. As a result, many companies have since changed their board of directors selection criteria to include race and gender diversity. Additionally, Calvert has been advocating for womens empowerment by actively voting its proxies, initiating shareholder resolutions and holding discussions with corporate management.

Neuberger Berman

Neuberger Bermans NB Socially Responsive Fund (NBSRX) looks to invest in companies that are ahead of the fray in promoting diversity in the workplace. To that end, the fund seeks corporations that make a point of promoting women and minorities to senior-level positions, as well as putting them on their boards of directors. The fund also likes companies that offer diversity training programs and that offer support groups. It makes an effort to buy stock in companies that purchase goods and services from women- and minority-owned firms.

Additionally, this fund looks for companies that have taken broad and innovative steps toward hiring and training women and minorities and that have a reputation for promoting diversity in the workplace. The NB fund also avoids investment in companies that have recently been brought up or named in discrimination lawsuits related to gender, race, disability, or sexual orientation. NBSRX is down 7.9% year-to-date 2022.

Parnassus Investments

Parnassus Investments is devoted to finding those companies that promote diversity in the workplace and that make it a priority to have women and minorities represented at all levels of the company ladder, in particular at the executive level.

The fund managers make a point of voting for resolutions that aim to improve the representation of women and ethnic minorities in the workforce and to increase diversity and equal pay for equal work. The firm's oldest offering, the $851 million Parnassus Fund (PARNX), which was created in 1984, is down 16.33% year-to-date 2022

Pax World Investments

Pax World Investments has been promoting womens empowerment and diversity through investing for years and has been an advocate in disseminating the mounting evidence that gender diversity has positive financial consequences. Its Pax World Global Womens Equality Fund (PXWEX) focuses on investing in companies that continue to advance gender equality and womens empowerment.

The Pax funds managers always make sure to vote proxies, file shareholder resolutions, and engage in corporate dialogs that are geared toward issuing corporate diversity and womens empowerment. Pax's flagship fund, which went live in 1971 and now has $2.5 billion in total assets, is the Pax World Individual Investor (PAXWX). It is down 6.11% year-to-date 2022.

Praxis Mutal Funds

Praxis Mutual Funds make sure to review a companys core social values and issues related to womens empowerment before investing in it. The funds managers pursue shareholder actions against practices of modern slavery, such as the trafficking of women and girls.

In 2010, Praxis engaged in a shareholder dialog with hotel company Wyndham Worldwide Corp. (WYN) to push for better training and procedures to be put in place that would help stop human trafficking from taking place at the companys hotels. Praxis also took part in shareholder conversations with Delta Air Lines, Inc. (DAL), resulting in Deltas signing of the tourism Code of Conduct, an initiative designed with the ECPAT International, a global network dedicated to protecting children from commercial sexual exploitation.

The code works to protect women and girls from sexual exploitation in the travel and tourism industries. Praxis' flagship fund, the Intermediate Income A (MIAAX), was created in 1999 and is down 1.33% year-to-date 2022.

Walden Asset Management

Walden Asset Management strives to invest in companies that offer vibrant equal employment opportunity programs and policies and that show diverse management teams and boards of directors. It offers a variety of equity, debt, and balanced funds, which focus on investing in companies that offer above-average employment policies with benefits packages and devotion to a work-life balance.

It avoids companies that show a history of discrimination. Additionally, Walden dedicates time to active shareholder engagement initiatives and advocates for inclusive non-discrimination policies.

What is modern slavery? Modern slavery is a system of severely exploiting people for financial gain, a practice found in manufacturing, domestic service, farming, and other fields. From the outside, a person subject to slavery may look like he or she is doing a job under normal circumstances, but they are being controlled by their employer with violence or other means, such as confiscation of a passport, being forced into debt, or possible deportation.

What Is a socially responsible investment (SRI)? Socially responsible investing (SRI), also known as social investment, is an investment that is considered socially responsible due to the nature of the business the company conducts. A common theme for socially responsible investments is socially conscious investing. Socially responsible investments can be made into individual companies with good social value, or through a socially conscious mutual fund or exchange-traded fund (ETF).

What is a diversity score? The diversity score is a proprietary tool developed by Moody's Investors Service that estimates the level of diversification in a portfolio containing alternative assets. In particular, it was initially created to gauge the relative risk of particular collateralized debt obligations (CDOs).

What is an exchange-traded fund (ETF)? An exchange-traded fund (ETF) is a type of pooled investment security that operates much like a mutual fund. Typically, ETFs will track a particular index, sector, commodity, or other asset, but unlike mutual funds, ETFs can be purchased or sold on a stock exchange the same way that a regular stock can. An ETF can be structured to track anything from the price of an individual commodity to a large and diverse collection of securities. ETFs can even be structured to track specific investment strategies.

What is the Civil Right Act of 1964? The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was landmark legislation that led to other civil rights laws over the years. How did it come about? By the early 1960s, the civil rights movement had brought national attention to racial barriers in education, public transportation, and use of public accommodations, such as restaurants and theaters. In 1963in the wake of harsh treatment of peaceful protestors by the police and the murders of civil rights activistsPresident John F. Kennedy called for a meaningful civil rights bill. His efforts were filibustered in the Senate. After Kennedy's assassination that year, his successor, President Lyndon B. Johnson, took up the cause. With the support of activists such as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., the bill passed in the House and Senate in 1964.

The Bottom Line

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The National University of Singapore (NUS) School of Computing and the IBM Center for Blockchain Innovation (ICBI), a part of IBM Research, recently announced that they are collaborating to jointly develop a training module on financial technology, in order to better equip students with knowledge and skill sets applicable to blockchain and the IoT.

According to studies by IBM's Institute of Business Value, the banking, healthcare and government industries are investing heavily in blockchain, and commercial solutions are expected to be in place in the next few years. The research indicated that 15 percent of banks and 14 percent of financial market institutions intend to implement full-scale, commercial blockchain solutions in 2017, and as many as 65 percent of banks are expecting to have blockchain solutions in production in the next three years.

Healthcare institutions are going all the way, too, by investing heavily in blockchain pilots, with nine in ten respondents planning to invest by 2018 across all business areas IBM surveyed them about. Nine in ten government organizations surveyed, reported plans to invest in blockchain for use in financial transaction management, asset management, contract management and regulatory compliance by 2018.

In Singapore, the government's strategic goal to become a Smart Financial Center has driven the city toward blockchain. Through its Financial Sector Technology & Innovation (FSTI) scheme, the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) has committed $157 million over a five-year period to provide support for the creation of a vibrant fintech ecosystem, according to a recent release. Among the planned projects is a decentralized record-keeping system based on blockchain technology aimed at preventing duplicate invoicing in trade finance.

This new module on financial technology is expected to be introduced in January 2018, and will focus on blockchain and distributed ledger technologies. It seeks to equip students with an understanding of the fundamentals of the technology behind distributed ledgers, and its diverse use cases, from banking to digital currencies to supply chain management. NUS faculty members reportedly will co-develop the curriculum of the new module with IBM researchers at ICBI to enable students to learn about the latest developments in blockchain technology, and encourage them to contribute to developing the technology further.

Blockchain is one of the most disruptive technologies in computing today, and it is impacting many industries including financial services, trade, healthcare and supply chain. This collaboration with the National University of Singapore School of Computing will help prepare a future workforce that is born on blockchain, ready to implement, improve and innovate: core skills required for Singapore to achieve its vision as a Smart Financial Centre and Smart Nation, said Robert Morris, Vice President Global Labs, IBM Research.

Under the collaboration, ICBI will provide technology support in the form of access via the IBM Cloud to the Hyperledger Fabric blockchain framework. IBM is an early contributor Hyperledger, a Linux Foundation project, which now contains more than 129 member organizations.
Oleg Komissarov, workshop director of Allur Groups JAC plant, demonstrates how to charge the JAC pure-electric cars. (Photo by Zhou Hanbo from Peoples Daily)

China and Kazakhstan have deepened their cooperation under the framework of the China-led Belt and Road initiative. The win-win collaboration between Kazakhstans largest car manufacturer Allur Group and China-based JAC Motors is a proof of the initiatives fruits.

The automobile factory of JAC, located at Allurs Saryarka plant in the northern city of Kostanay, is not only an early-harvest project of China-Kazakhstan production capacity cooperation, but the only auto project among the Central Asian countrys 32 investment portfolios to revitalize its industry.

Angelina Sineva, press secretary of Allur Group, told the Peoples Daily during a visit to the Saryarka plant that as Kazakhstan is expected to host the Expo 2017 in capital Astana, her company has submitted an application to the organizer in the hope that a taxi fleet composed of JAC pure-electric cars will be set up to serve the event.

She explained that the decision aims to take the expo as a platform to publicize the use of new energy cars in Kazakhstan. The billboards of the 2017 event themed "Future Energy" as well as JAC cars can be found on the way from airport to the car plant.

The JAC electric cars assembled by Allur are the only home-made ones of Kazakhstan. The eye-catching JAC iEV5 models in assembly plant have been printed with the logo of Expo 2017.

Workshop director Oleg Komissarov said that Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev, during a visit to the plant in September 2016, hailed the performance of the locally assembled JAC pure-electric cars after a test drive.

The less-noisy, environment-friendly and cost-effective car is ideal choice for urban residents since its cost is only about one third of gasoline-fueled vehicles, Komissarov pointed out, adding that the model can be charged in as short as two hours.

Electric car, a future trend of the automobile industry, is high on Kazakh governments agenda, the director said, believing that more JAC cars will be liked by tourists and run in the country with abundant tourism resources.

When asked about a thumb-up logo on the windshield, Komissarov explained that it represents the recognition by the local public and industry insiders for the car brand and its high-quality product.

Apart from electric vehicles, Allur and JAC are also cooperating on other models. The S3 and S5 series can be found on the streets of the country as well.

The Chinese maker registered over 500 percent year-on-year increase in its 2016 sales in Kazakhstan.

Anton Bykovskiy, JAC brand manager of Allur, told the Peoples Daily that only five to six of more than 1,200 employees working in the plant are sent by JAC headquarters to provide technical training, while the rest are local residents.

The chief of Allur is now in China to discuss cooperation with China National Machinery Import and Export Corporation (CMC), the manager said, expounding that the deal will enable the automaker to boost its scale and capability to produce Chinese brands by purchasing more equipment from China.

Sineva added that as of the end of this year, the company would be able to assemble and produce S3 series in Kazakhstan.

With a considerable output, Chinas electric cars now have better endurance power than their European counterparts, Bykovskiy praised, but stressed that its car-making industry has developed the ability of independent research and development after the introduction of foreign brands in previous years.

He added that Chinas development course can offer enlightenment to Kazakhstan. We hope to reproduce Chinas success, and learn from Chinas management in a bid to secure success in bigger markets, the manager said.

The cooperation between Chinese and Kazakh car makers is a win-win choice. Kazakhstan, with geographic advantages endowed by location in the hinterland of Eurasian continent, is an ideal test field for Chinese manufacturers to expand in the overseas market, Bykovskiy illustrated.

He continued that the Chinese markers will access Commonwealth of Independent States as well as the vast EU markets after entering Kazakh territory.

Kazakhstan, Russia, Belarus and other Eurasian Economic Union members agreed previously that finished cars with over 50 percent produced domestically can be allowed duty-free access to each others market.

Huang Qianli, vice president of China National Vehicle Import and Export Company under CMC, told the Peoples Daily that thanks to the emphasis placed by the two governments on the Belt and Road initiative, it is the right time to deepen and stretch bilateral cooperation.

The company plans to introduce more qualified Chinese car brands to Kazakhstan, while at the same time giving a boost to the homegrown brands of the Central Asian nation, Huang said.

Analysts believed that as Chinese and Kazakh auto industries consolidate their cooperation, more Chinese brands will show up in the Central Asian country, while more native-born local brands will emerge as well.
One year into her presidency, Tsai Ing-wen is setting off a firestorm of protest against her governments reform of Taiwans public pension system. Angry and uncertain about their future, public employees have taken to the streets in raucous protest. Discontent among active and retired military is particularly palpable, possibly driving Taiwans military to sell out the island to China and raising concerns for Taiwans national security.





Tsai ran for ROC president on a platform of economic, social and political reform. As a presidential candidate, one of her major concerns was generational injustice, in which she blamed previous governments and the older generation for spending money without restraint. In her campaign speeches and inaugural speech, Tsai claimed that high levels of government spending have resulted in rising national debt, a nearly bankrupt national pension system, and a heavy burden on the younger generation. Taiwans debt has climbed to NTD 5.57 trillion in the past 23 years, and the debt for public pension funds is now 53 percent of GDP. These pensions are underfunded by as much as NTD 18 trillion (USD 570 billion), more than nine times the governments 2017 budget of NTD 1.99 trillion.





To correct this perceived injustice, Tsai proposed to reform Taiwans pension system. Taiwan is one of the worlds fastest aging populations, leaving fewer young workers to pay for more and more pensioners. Contributions to the public servants pensions funds is already less than the benefits paid out to retirees. In 2015, the Pension Fund paid out more than NTD 10 million in benefits than it received, and the Funds net assets are decreasing. In 2015, the Funds net assets dropped NTD 21.2 billion from the previous year. This pattern is unsustainable, as the pensions are putting a heavy burden on the younger generation and are draining state coffers.





In response to this scenario, in January 2017 Vice President Chen Chien-jen announced a pension reform plan for teachers, civil servants and non-government employees which would delay a default in payments to retirees by a decade. The plan has angered Taiwans public servants, who claim the reform will ruin their retirement plans and that it demonstrates incompetence by Tsai. Chens announcement of pension reform has been followed by nearly continuous protests outside central government offices in Taipei. On January 22, thousands of civil servants, military personnel, and teachers gathered in protest outside the Presidential Palace in Taipei, where Tsai had convened a meeting on reform. Protestors were barricaded from the building by wired fences and barriers. Protesters called the reform plan government bullying and majority tyranny, and called for Tsai to step down.





Taiwans central government claims that pension reform is urgent as the state cannot afford to continue its payouts after many years of defaults, and with an aging population. Despite the protests, the Tsai administration introduced draft reform to Taiwans Legislative Yuan on February 24. The reforms call for phasing out over six years the preferential 18 percent rate on savings deposits for teachers and civil servants. The reforms also include a reduction in monthly pensions for public servants, and an increase in the retirement age to 65 for most public servants.





Although the administration has not yet introduced reform of military pensions, reform is coming. The military pension system is nearly bankrupt. Taiwans pension fund for military personnel could default by 2020, for civil servants by 2030, teachers by 2031, and other workers by 2048. There are approximately 120,000 people on military pension benefits, and another 200,000 in the civil service. People are concerned that they will have to wait longer to retire or that they will receive smaller pensions. Monthly pensions for military staff are currently approximately NTD 49,379. Civil servants receive about NTD 56,383, which is 75-85 percent of their final salaries and about twice the starting pay of new graduates. In some cases, reform could cut pensions by as much as half. The central government is leaving it up to the military to devise its own reforms to the military pension system.





Military Protests





Uncertainty about their future security is having a negative effect on Taiwans current and retired military personnel. Fear of the unknown is driving some military personnel to protest, and this has sometimes turned violent, as happened during a February 18 protest when army veterans threw smoke bombs, joss sticks, and eggs in front of the Ministry of Defense. The veterans were angry that Defense Minister Feng Shih-kuan had failed to accept their petition to retain the militarys current pension scheme. During the melee, the electric gate in front of the Ministry was damaged when some of the veterans tried to force their way through while active military personnel and police tried to hold up the gate. On March 11, retired service members protested pension reform outside the Ministry of Defense in Taipei. They were greeted with heavy security detail. Prevented from advancing, the angry veterans set off firecracker rockets and laid five stuffed dogs outside the gate to symbolize their subhuman treatment. The protests have continued with several veterans at a time conducting a daily vigil outside the Legislative Yuan.





Support for the ROC among some veterans has been declining, with some veterans tipping toward Beijing. Taiwan intelligence officers cannot visit mainland China, even to see family or as tourists. They argue that they have sacrificed for the good of the nation, but their loyalty is being tested by pension reform. Originally, they were promised pension funds, but a change in the promise is resulting in a loss of face for Taiwans military. They may decide to sell Taiwan to the other side of the Taiwan Strait. Many active and retired military are indicating and complaining toward that direction.





The US needs to consider how its interests may be damaged by Taiwans military pension reform policy.



It is not hard to find cases of retired military who have sent confidential materials to the other side. For instance, in March 2017 Retired Air Force Colonel Ko Chi-hsien and Lieutenant Colonel Lou Wen-ching were arrested in Taiwan on charges of passing military secrets to a PLA army captain who had orchestrated a spy ring in Taiwan. Ko was a military hero in Taiwan for having confronted Chinese military jets over the Taiwan Strait in 1990. In another case, retired Army Major General Hsu Nai-chuan was sentenced to two years and ten months in prison in 2016 for participating in the same spy scheme. Hsu was the highest-ranking army officer ever to be prosecuted for a national security-related offense. In another famous case, a retired national security special service task force commander who was a body guard to Taiwan VP Annette Lu was arrested in March 2017 as a Chinese spy. Retired commander Wang Hong-ru was found to have engaged in spying operations for the Chinese intelligence agency after leaving Taiwans military. A Chinese intelligence unit in Shanghai had recruited him to spy for China in exchange for business privileges and cash. Wang had teamed up with a China-based Taiwanese businessman, Ho Chih-chiang, to establish an espionage ring in Taiwan.





This type of espionage is not new. In December 2014, a retired Taiwanese naval officer, Chang Chih-hsin, was sentenced to 15 years in prison for leaking secrets to Chinese spies and taking bribes. Wang was a former chief officer in charge of political warfare at the Naval Meteorology and Oceanography office, which produces mapping data for use by Taiwans naval forces, including cartographic manuals used by Taiwanese warships and submarines guarding Taiwans coastline. Chang had recruited at least eight active duty or retired naval officers into a spy ring that took hefty bribes from China in exchange for military secrets. The rising discontent among Taiwans military over pension reform is likely to result in more of such betrayals.





The angst over military pension reform not only affects Taiwans domestic stability, but also highly affects the US security calculus. The US needs to take this situation into account in analyzing the security situation in the Asia-Pacific. The sentiment among Taiwans military that the Tsai government is selling them out is reminiscent of that of the stab in the back legend (Dolchstolegenden) that became popular among right-wing nationalists during the Weimar Republic after World War I.





The view among the German soldiers at the time was that traitors in the Weimar Republic had failed to fully support the military in its 1918 Spring Offensive, thereby ensuring the defeat of Germanys army. Although the stab in the back was more myth than reality, it contributed to German solidarity that led to Nazi extremism. According to several retired military sources in Taiwan, it is not unthinkable that this could happen in Taiwan if retired military personnel become disillusioned and despairing.





The question is not one of veterans preference for the PRC over the ROC. The risk is that they may go over to other side of the Taiwan Strait if they feel that they have nothing to lose. Some retired military personnel are already convinced that they are choosing only between the better of two bad choices. A quick look at the slogans and banners from the January 22, March 4 and 11 protests, as well as a veterans encampment outside the Legislative Yuan, is indicative of the militarys sentiment toward the Tsai government:





Tsai Ing-wen, how dare you?

If the nation does not take care of military personnel, why would the military pay allegiance to the nation?

Lose the heart of the military and the country will die!

Today it is us, tomorrow is you.

A monarch bullies the military, ridiculous!

A breach of contract, but I have my rights and interests.

Lose the heart of the military and the country will die!

Recruit you, cheat you, retire abandon you!

The military will always protect the civilians. The people should treat soldiers with respect.





The US has its own security interest in Taiwan, as Taiwans geostrategic location is vital for US maritime supremacy in the Asia-Pacific. Taiwan lies dead center in a chain of island the runs southward from the Kuril Islands north of Japan to Borneo and the northern part of the Philippines. This first island chain is a psychological and geographical barrier to Chinas access to the Western Pacific. Breaking out of the chain would enable China to threaten Japan and its Sea Lines of Communication. Gaining control of Taiwans Itu Abu, the largest of the Spratly Islands, would enable Beijing to flex its muscles against its maritime neighbors, many of whom have territorial disputes with China in the South China Sea. Chinese occupation of Taiwan would also enable Beijing to better monitor US and Japanese naval deployments in the region. In short, Taiwan is a necessary partner in the US security calculus in the Asia-Pacific.





The US hence needs to consider how its interests may be damaged by Taiwans military pension reform policy. Taiwans military personnel may lose the will to defend themselves if they feel betrayed by President Tsai. In that case, Washington would have no reason to help Taiwan defend itself. The US should also consider that Taiwans military personnel may not hesitate to double cross a regime that they feel has turned its back on them by passing to China confidential materials shared between Washington and Taipei. In this manner, the US national security and security interests in the Asia-Pacific would be compromised.
Press Release

Young MPs from Asia-Pacific join efforts to tackle violent extremism

Colombo, 25 April 2017

 U.G. Nuwan Duminda

More than 50 young parliamentarians from Asia-Pacific countries have gathered in Sri Lanka today and tomorrow to discuss their role in advancing inclusive and peaceful societies and preventing violent extremism in the region.

In recent years, the world has witnessed new waves of violent extremism that have threatened the security and stability of societies across the world. This is a growing concern for the security of the Asia-Pacific region.

Parliaments are among the key institutions that can play an effective role in preventing violent extremism (PVE). In addition to ratifying and facilitating implementation of international conventions and resolutions, parliaments also deliberate on and adopt laws that provide the framework for national policies. Young parliamentarians, as representatives closest to a countrys youth, have a particularly crucial role to play.

The Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), the Parliament of Sri Lanka, and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) have jointly convened a Regional Meeting of Young Parliamentarians of the Asia-Pacific region to engage on PVE. The meeting brings together young parliamentarians, specialists, private sector representatives and youth advocates to promote youth participation in parliaments.

During the two days, young MPs will collaborate with global experts and key civil society actors in developing strategies that engage their peers on the role parliaments and political participation can play in addressing violent extremism.

The opening session was attended by the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, Hon. Ranil Wickremesinghe, Speaker, Parliament of Sri Lanka, Hon. Karu Jayasuriya, President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, Hon. Saber Chowdhury and UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative, Sri Lanka, Ms. Una McCauley.

In his opening speech, Speaker of the Parliament of Sri Lanka, Hon. Karu Jayasuriya, stated The theme of this meeting is the most relevant and opportune topic to be discussed at any forum in the context of the violence and mayhem that is being unleashed each day in all parts of the world. Violent extremism is nurtured by many underlying causes such as the lack of economic opportunity, education, the alienation of youth and discrimination on ethnic, religious and political grounds among others.

Empowered youth are the engine of the progress we all seek. Through our work, we are continuously reminded that young people today are more connected, more creative, more informed and more persuasive than any previous generation. They must be included in any holistic approach that seeks to prevent violent extremism, said UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative, Sri Lanka, Una McCauley.

According to UNDPs Asia-Pacific Regional Human Development Report published last year, more than half of the world's young people today live in Asia, and over a billion people in the region are below the age of 25.

Young Asians, however, see few opportunities to participate in political institutions, including parliaments.

Young people must be firmly part of formal political processes to effectively contribute to preventing violent extremism. Increasing youth participation in parliaments and the number of young MPs is both a way to harness the talents of youth to address extremism and its socio-economic drivers, and also an antidote to combat youth marginalization that leads to radicalisation, said IPU President Saber Chowdhury.

The IPU report on Youth participation in national parliaments 2016, revealed that roughly one per cent of parliamentarians in the region were under 30 years of age. Globally, less than two per cent of the worlds parliamentarians are aged below 30. The UNs Plan of Action to Prevent Violent Extremism, adopted in December 2015, acknowledges that we will not be successful unless we can harness the idealism, creativity and energy of young people and others who feel disenfranchised.

The Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) is the global organization of national parliaments. It works to safeguard peace and drives positive democratic change through political dialogue and concrete action. www.ipu.org



UNDP partners with people at all levels of society to help build nations that can withstand crisis, and drive and sustain the kind of growth that improves the quality of life for everyone. On the ground in 170 countries and territories, we offer global perspective and local insight to help empower lives and build resilient nations. www.lk.undp.org



The Parliament of Sri Lanka has played an important role in reconciliation efforts within the country and in preventing violent extremism. The Parliament is committed to and has started playing a significant role in promoting and overseeing the implementation of Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development and the SDGs, and engaging youth in the work of the parliament.
Update 9pm: The board of Holles Street hospital has passed a motion re-endorsing the national maternity hospital's move to the St Vincent's Hospital campus.

The decision was made this evening by a majority of board members after a three-and-a-half hour meeting.

"The Board of NMH met this evening and welcomed yesterdays statement from the SVUH and has re-endorsed its commitment to the agreement mediated by Kieran Mulvey in November last," a statement from the board of National Maternity Hospital reads.

"This agreement provides that the clinical, financial and operational independence of the National Maternity Hospital at Elm Park DAC shall be enshrined in its memorandum and articles of association and all related legal agreements. "

The board of Holles Street has passed a motion re-endorsing the agreement for it to move to the St Vincent's Hospital campus pic.twitter.com/VzOEgu1cpc  RTE News (@rtenews) April 26, 2017

Lord Mayor of Dublin and board Chairperson Brendan Carr disagreed with tonight's decision.

Update 8.45pm: The Board of Holles Street Hospital is meeting this evening to discuss the controversy over the agreement to move the new National Maternity Hospital to St Vincent's.

There have been renewed calls for a compulsory purchase order for the site, to ensure there is no religious influence in the new hospital, which will be owned by nuns.

That has already been ruled out by the Health Minister, Simon Harris, who says St Vincent's Hospital is being unfairly portrayed as 'a convent'.

But Labour's health spokesman Alan Kelly says the Minister has questions to answer:

"The people of Ireand want a hospital that's owned by the people of Ireland," he said.

"The minister need to ensure that the ownership structures that are put in place legally will stand the test of time because we are in a changing Ireland, socially, and he needs to ensure that they will stand the rest of time."

Update 5.30pm: The Government is to go ahead with plans to leave the new national maternity hospital in religious ownership, but will use legal deals to make sure it has full clinical independence.

A Government spokesman this evening insisted the project was "absolutely going ahead" on the St Vincent's site.

Minister Simon Harris has also ruled out a compulsory purchase order to buy the site on which the new facility will be built.

He says the hospital will have full clinical independence - without any additional cost to the public.

"Compulsary purchase is not the ideal solution here in any way, manner or means, because we need to build this national maternity hospital," he said.

"We don't need to be caught up in some potential legal difficulty for a large number of years. We've also got to remember the site is being donated free-of-charge."

Update 4.40pm: Labour's Health spokesperson has said the Health Minister's comments today on the national maternity hospital have raised even more concerns.

Alan Kelly says he wants Simon Harris to answer questions in the Dail next week.

"It's quite obvious now that there is no legal agreement or firmness in relation to how this hospital is going to be created," he said.

"In fact, I understand there has been no legal work done on this at all. What we have is an agreement-in-principle.

"So now much of the fanfare has worn off and, frankly speaking, the minister has had a very, very bad week and he needs to explain a number of issues.

Update 4pm: The Health Minister has said St Vincent's Hospital is being unfairly portrayed as "a convent" by critics of the new maternity hospital.

Simon Harris is calling for "cool heads" as he looks to tease out any issues surrounding plans for the Sisters of Charity to own the new facility.

He said a compulsory purchase of the site - as called for by Dublin's Lord Mayor - would not be the best way to proceed.

He has also hit out at some critics for their unfair depiction of the way in which St Vincent's is run.

"St Vincent's Hospital is one of our leading hospitals in this country," he said.

"It's a teaching, acute, adult hospital. The way it's been talked about in recent days would suggest that it's a convent. It's not. It's an awful lot more than that.

"I think it's very important that we can understand that it makes sense for the St Vincent's Healthcare Group to want to actually provide the best healthcare possible for their patients, including women who are using our maternity services."

Update 1.02pm: The Lord Mayor of Dublin has called on the Health Minister to step in and issue a compulsory purchase order for the new National Maternity Hospital.

Brendan Carr says it is the best way to make sure the hospital is built on the St Vincent's site, without posing any questions about how it is run.

Earlier, the Minister insisted the new facility would have clinical independence, despite being owned by the Sisters of Charity.

Brendan Carr, who is a member of the board of the current Holles St hospital, said that the State should buy the land from the nuns instead.

"I'm obliged as the First Citizen of Dublin, as the Lord Mayor of Dublin, to raise those concerns with the board," he said

"Everyone is dedicated and committed to having a world-class hospital here for women and children, but it's the Minister himself, the Minister for Health, who could actually CPO the land and take the heat out of this debate.

"And rather than us debating over who's running the hospital, who owns the hospital, we can start debating about how the hospital can actually benefit the people of Ireland."

Update 11.50am:The Health Minister said he is as determined as ever to get the new National Maternity Hospital over the line.

The board is due to meet this evening amid ongoing debate on the location and running of the facility.

Simon Harris is now calling for a period of calm to allow the boards of both hospitals to meet, and said he will be meeting both in the coming weeks.

He also said he will come back to Cabinet and the Oireachtas Health Committee afterwards with updates.

Speaking outside government buildings today, Minister Harris said it's crucial the project goes ahead.

I don't want to lose this project, it is too important and has been too hard fought for over a long time.

There is a reason we are locating it on this site, St Vincents, it wasnt plucked from the air.

"Colocation is so important in terms of women who need maternity care so lets after we have had significant public debate, the agreement is published, it is there for all to see, and what I am asking people not for is a month.

Update 8.30am: Dr Rhona Mahony, Master of Holles St, has come out strongly in defence of the agreement to build the new National Maternity Hospital on land that will remain in church ownership.

Controversy has raged in recent days over the fact that the new facility, to be built by the state at a cost of more than 300m, will be built on land belonging to the St Vincent's Healthcare Group, which is owned by the Sisters of Charity.

Dr Rhona Mahony says the new National Maternity Hospital will be entirely independent of any religious ethnic or other distinction pic.twitter.com/MUoCXPsiqm  RTE News (@rtenews) April 26, 2017

Speaking on Morning Ireland, Dr Mahony insisted the chosen location was the right place for the hospital, saying: We want people to have access to the wide range of facilities and expertise available at St Vincents.

She dismissed concerns over ownership as a 'storm in a tea cup'.

Her comments follow a statement from the Bishop of Elphin who angered campaigners by claiming Catholic rule will have to be obeyed there.

It is a storm in a teacup, a side show, a non-issue and we must not get lost in a sideshow of supposition or speculation, she said. We must look at the facts.

The hospitals are clear - there will be operational and clinical independence for the new entity.

It will not practice according to Catholic or any other religious ethos. The ethos will be clinical excellence and I cannot be clear enough.

Pushed on whether that would be acceptable to the religious order, she said: There will be no breach of Catholic ethos as they are separate companies.

Dr Mahony insisted that a full range of procedures would continue to be available at the new hospital, including sterilisations, IVF, contraception and abortion where necessary to save the life of the mother. She said that the hospital would be able to perform any procedures which might become legal in Ireland in the future.

She further defended the involvement of the St Vincents group, saying: They are making a prime space available on their land for women and children.

Their statement is unequivocal, the nuns do not want to run this hospital.

Earlier:The board of the National Maternity Hospital is due to meet this evening, amid ongoing controversy about the facility's future.

Board member Dr Peter Boylan is refusing to step down after he spoke out about concerns about the project's new location and ownership.

The deal in place between Holles Street and St Vincent's Healthcare Group was published last night and the Health Minister said he will reveal more before contracts are signed.

The St. Vincent's Healthcare Group also issued a statement confirming there will be full clinical independence at the facility.

The full details were of the deal were made available online but, according to the Workers Party, the public is being "fobbed off" with the publication.

Councillor Eilis Ryan said publishing the deal does not change its owners.

I think it is clear that the new Maternity Hospital negotiated hard that clinical independence would be written in stone but I think fundamentally the issue of ownership hasnt been addressed.

There are a number of doctors who have said it is really impossible to guarantee clinical independence unless the state has ownership so I think that is still quite worrying.
Increased China-U.S. cooperation can start from infrastructure, as U.S. is welcomed to join the Belt and Road Initiative: Chinese ambassador to the U.S.

Infrastructure could become a prime area for increased cooperation between the United States and China, said Cui Tiankai, Chinese ambassador to the United States.

"I think infrastructure is certainly a new area of great potential for both countries. Of course, we still have to remove some obstacles and maybe some policy adjustments. But I think if both sides are committed to cooperation in this area, this could be done," Cui said on the sidelines following his keynote speech at the 2017 International Finance and Infrastructure Forum in New York on Monday.

Cui also invited Washington to join the Beijing-proposed Belt and Road Initiative.

The initiative, aimed at building infrastructure connectivity, and thus boosting free trade and people-to-people exchanges across Asia, Africa and Europe, is not China's "solo show". Rather, it will be a "symphony" performed by all participating countries, the U.S. included if it chooses to join.

In other words, the initiative offers a platform for countries to join hands to cultivate fresh impetus for global growth and explore a more sustainable development path together.

The U.S. has since shown skepticism towards the initiative, with some in the US claiming it is Chinas attempt to challenge the United States' global leadership. The U.S. has refused to join the China-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, which has been established to finance Belt and Road projects.

Such concerns stem from an outdated Cold War view of the world in a zero-sum game mindset, rather than recognize the plentiful opportunities that exist for win-win cooperation.

The initiative aims to promote the construction of a fairer global economic governance system. The U.S. has nothing to lose by joining the initiative. By doing so, it will be able to secure investment to improve its own outdated infrastructure and reap the benefits of the huge business opportunities that the initiative promises to create.

The world is facing tremendous challenges such as poverty, terrorism, and energy security that cannot be adequately addressed without a China-U.S. partnership, in which better functioning of the existing international order is ensured. The participation of the U.S. in the Belt and Road Initiative would enable China and the U.S. to work more closely together to better fulfill their international responsibilities.
It is the second highest fine imposed by the Central Bank for money laundering failures after Ulster Bank was fined 3.325m in October 2016. It is also in the top 10 fines ever imposed by the Central Bank.

The Central Bank said it identified six breaches of the 2010 act as a result of significant failures in AIBs antimoney laundering and counter-terrorist financing controls, policies, and procedures. It said the breaches occurred after the enactment of the act in July 2010 and persisted on average for over three years.

Breaches identified include AIBs failure to report suspicious transactions without delay to gardai and the Revenue Commissioners. The fine comes as the Government mulls whether to approve an early summer sale of AIB shares, which may raise over 3bn.

The watchdog said AIB had failed to conduct customer due diligence on existing customers who had accounts prior to May 1995 when the first Irish laws on antimoney laundering and countering the financing of terrorism became effective.

During the investigation, it was found that AIB failed to apply adequate resources to ensure suspicious activity was promptly investigated.

The Central Bank said AIBs centralised anti-money laundering unit, which is responsible for investigating and reporting suspicious transactions, took more than 18 months to fully address the backlog, which at one point stood at more than 4,200 alerts outstanding for 30-plus days.

AIB failed to ensure relevant senior management received proper information on the volume and duration of alerts awaiting investigation. It also failed to report 211 suspicious transactions identified from the backlog to gardai and the Revenue Commissioners as soon as practicable.

The director of enforcement at the Central Bank, Derville Rowland, said: Firms must have rigorous and robust processes for identification, assessment and reporting of suspicious customer activity. Crucially, those processes must ensure that information on suspicious activity is provided to An Garda Siochana and the Revenue Commissioners without delay to assist with the investigation of money laundering and terrorist financing.

This case emphasises the fundamental information sharing role of the financial services industry in the fight against money laundering.

Ms Rowland said it was the second enforcement action taken in the last six months by the Central Bank against a bank for unacceptable weaknesses in antimoney laundering procedures.

A spokesperson for AIB said it had co-operated fully with the investigation.

AIB notes the settlement agreement with the Central Bank of Ireland regarding issues that occurred between July 2010 and July 2014, relating to anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing controls, policies and procedures. A comprehensive risk mitigation programme was put in place to resolve all of the issues.

AIB has fully co-operated with the Central Bank at all stages of this investigation, which has now concluded.

The largest fine was on Irish Nationwide, which was fined 5m for breaches of financial services law and regulation in 2015.
The number of properties being built or completed that have yet to find a buyer surged to 27,000 units from about 25,000 at the end of last year, according to a report by Molior London. It is the highest level since the researcher began compiling data in 2009. Based on sales rates, it will take just over a year to sell the properties that have yet to find a buyer, according to Molior.

Purchases of homes under construction fell almost 8% to 5,470 units from a year earlier. Near-record prices, higher sales taxes and uncertainty surrounding the terms of Brexit have hurt demand for homes in London. Asking prices for homes in the British capital posted their largest drop in almost eight years in April, according to data from property website Rightmove. The number of new homes built in London will reach record levels in 2017 and more homes will remain unsold after completion this year than at any time over the past decade, broker Savills said earlier this month.
In the case, the Californian headquartered AlienVault admitted to the unfair dismissal of Emmet Florish from its Cork branch in June 2015.

Mr Florish was seeking reinstatement as he believed the stock options he was awarded to be of a high value should the company announce an initial public offering.

The firm was opposing his reinstatement and the Employment Appeals Tribunal (EAT) has determined that compensation is the best form of remedy and has awarded Mr Florish 105,000.

Mr Florish started work on a salary of 75,000 for his role as director of inside sales in the European Middle East and African regions. He had primary responsibility for setting up the Cork office which continued to grow throughout his employment. In July 2014, in an IDA jobs announcement, AlienVault confirmed the creation of 40 jobs at its new sales and tech support centre in Cork.

Mr Florish was promoted to the role of senior director in early 2015 as a result of his exceptional performance. His salary was increased to 96,250.

In early May 2015, Mr Florish was granted an additional 2,000 stock options, with a vesting schedule for the stock options over a 48 month period.

A portion of the shares vested at of the end of each month, with the first month of vesting starting in January 2015. However, less than a month later, Mr Florish was dismissed. AlienVault conceded the dismissal was unfair but no details were provided in the EAT report on the circumstances.

The case before the tribunal was to ascertain the appropriate remedy in circumstances where the claim for unfair dismissal was conceded by the company.

The EAT found that Mr Florish had found new employment three months after his dismissal carrying a slightly greater salary than he had with the respondent and with similar commission structure.

It also found that the stock options did not form part of Mr Florishs pay. The EAT noted that Mr Florish had exercised his vested stock options by the date of his dismissal, in June 2015.

The tribunal also found that the unvested stock options at the time of the dismissal should not and do not form part of the assessment of loss in the case.

Taking into account the loss of pay and commissions, the tribunal awarded him 105,000.

The award includes a sum for the loss to the date of the hearing and a sum for future loss linked to the commission.
As the UN marks the first UN Chernobyl Disaster Remembrance Day today  the 31st anniversary of the worlds worst nuclear disaster  Ms Roche and Ms Hewson will host a two-day whistle-stop tour of areas in Belarus and Ukraine to show the donors how Chernobyl Children International (CCI) has spent their money over the last decade.

One of the donors is a wealthy Irishman who is now based in Detroit. Another is also based in the US.
Last week, to much fanfare, Mr Varadkar launched a major anti-fraud campaign calling on members of the public to report those they suspect of engaging in fraud.

At that stage, it was claimed that over 500m was saved through a range of anti-fraud and control measures in the Department of Social Protection.

However, Eoin O Broin, Sinn Fein TD for Dublin Mid-West, said the actual amount recouped relating to fraud was far lower, just 41m.

He said that, after examining figures given to him from Mr Varadkars department, it appeared the total amount of over-payments to welfare recipients was also much lower than the 500m figure quoted by the minister.

He added that it turns out that the figures quoted include estimates of what would have been saved over 52 weeks for some welfare types and 136 weeks in others, rather than what was actually saved.

These numbers are a joke and a blatant attempt to gain exposure ahead of a leadership race rather than a genuine attempt to tackle fraud, Mr OBroin said.

In response to the Mr OBroins criticisms, Mr Varadkar told the Irish Examiner: Sinn Feins opposition to the anti-fraud campaign is unsurprising.

"Its central to that partys strategy to convince their political base that they should get everything for free, and that it should all be paid for by someone else through general taxation.

We all know what that means. General taxation is the far-lefts code for higher taxes on the middle class.

"These are your tax euros that Sinn Fein would happily allow to be squandered on someone elses waste and fraud, rather than those in genuine need.
Despite BowelScreens success at discovering cancer at an early stage, just 40% of eligible men and women are participating in the programme.

First round results from BowelScreen also reveal a gender imbalance with more eligible women (44%) than eligible men (36%) taking part.

The clinical director of BowelScreen, Prof Diarmuid ODonoghue, said low uptake of screening is worrying given that bowel cancer is the second biggest cancer killer in Ireland.

We are particularly concerned about men, given that the cancer detection rate among males is twice as high as it is for females.

BowelScreens report on its first round results for 2012-2015 shows just 196,238 of 488,628 people invited to participate were tested.

There were 521 cancers detected  a rate of 2.65 per 1,000 people screened.

The head of screening at BowelScreen, Charles OHanlon, said three out of four cancers detected were at an early stage, so there was a high survival rate.

Almost 13,000 adenomas were removed during the first screening round. Adenomas are abnormal tissue growth that can become cancerous at a later stage.

The removal of adenomas greatly reduced the possibility of subsequent cancer development, making BowelScreen a truly lifesaving programme, said Mr OHanlon.

Marcella Corcoran Kennedy, the minister of state for health promotion, who launched the report, said efforts must be redoubled to increase uptake for the free service, especially among men, and welcomed efforts by BowelScreen to work with organisations to address this.

The Irish Cancer Society is hopeful that the positive results will encourage more people in the eligible 60 to 69 age group to get tested.

As well as working with BowelScreen to improve the uptake, it will be campaigning for the programme to be extended to those aged between 55 and 74.

The societys head of services and advocacy, Donal Buggy, said the results showed that screening catches cancer early.

It is disappointing that more people havent availed of the free screening programme, but thats something we can work on.

Im sure the positive results from the first round of BowelScreen will encourage much more people to get involved, said Mr Buggy.

Every year in Ireland 1,000 people die from bowel cancer, making it the second most deadly cancer.

About 50% of bowel cancers are diagnosed at a late stage, reducing survival rates.
The fresh controversy emerged last night as St Vincents Hospital Group published the 25-page legal independence document for the hospital and Holles Streets clinical director said it will perform any legal procedure when it opens, potentially including abortions, despite ongoing fears it will fall under religious control.

Speaking on RTE Radios Morning Ireland, Holles Street board member Peter Boylan  who will refuse to resign over his criticism of the hospital site at a board meeting this evening  claimed the department was warned of the religious interference concerns a year ago.

Citing a letter from 2016, Dr Boylan said Department of Health secretary general Jim Breslin was told of the concerns by the HSEs Ireland East Hospital Group chairman, Tom Lynch.

Senior department sources later insisted no such letter exists.

However, the department last night confirmed that Mr Breslin was informed of the concerns in a formal meeting about a number of issues with Mr Lynch in May 2016, during which he was handed a document on potential resolutions of the difficulties that had arisen at the site.

The Irish Examiner separately understands that Mr Lynch also raised the religious interference concerns in a conversation with Mr Breslin at the same meeting.

However, it is understood Mr Harris was not told of, and is still unaware of, any issues raised at that time.

Meanwhile, the St Vincents Healthcare Group has again attempted to address concerns that the new national maternity hospital may be subject to religious interference by insisting it will perform any legal procedure when it opens.

In a statement last night coinciding with the publication of the new hospitals previously leaked 25-page memorandum of understanding, St Vincents lashed out at entirely false claims by Dr Boylan and others.

The statement said the clinical independence of the facility will be enshrined in the memorandum, and specifically noted the legal independence assurances of its deal, which include:

A ministerial golden share veto to protect its autonomy;

Agreed reserve powers to ensure services without religious, ethnic, or other distinction;

Guarantees that St Vincents Healthcare Group will be the sole owner of the new company governing the maternity hospital and will fall under the influence of the State.

Speaking on RTEs Six One News, Holles Street clinical director Prof Declan Keane went further, saying the new hospital will provide any legal procedure, saying absolutely, absolutely when asked if this will potential include abortions.

The Holles Street board will meet this evening to discuss the ongoing controversy and calls for Prof Boylan to resign for criticising the chosen site.

Prof Boylan yesterday said: I have no regrets. I am glad I did [speak out]. Ill resign when Im ready.
(Xinhua) 08:33, April 26, 2017

RIGA, April 25 -- When the 14th "Chinese Bridge" language proficiency competition in Latvia was held in the University of Latvia on Tuesday, the contest has drawn hails from various sides.

Professor Janis Ikstens, vice rector of the University of Latvia and the board director of Confucius Institute at the University of Latvia, said that the "Chinese Bridge" has provided a perfect channel to the Chinese language learners in Latvia.

It has been playing a positive role in promoting the Latvia-China culture exchanges and friendly bilateral relation, said Ikstens.

Huang Yong, Chinese ambassador to Latvia, focused his address on the theme "Dreams Enlighten the Future", noting that the "Chinese Bridge" competition has been held in Latvia for 14 consecutive years, not only improving the Latvian learners' proficiency in Chinese and making them appreciate the charm of Chinese culture, but also helping them fulfill their dream to study in China, as they have been striving to broaden their horizon and achieve excellence.

He thanked the Latvian government and the University of Latvia for their dedication to Chinese education and voiced hope that more Latvian citizens, especially young people, would deepen their understanding of Chinese culture through learning the language.

The ambassador also encouraged the contestants and wished them good luck in the competition.

Professor Peteris Pildegovics and Professor Shang Quanyu, Latvian and Chinese directors of the Confucius Institute at the University of Latvia, stressed three highlights of the contest.

The first was the number of contestants, which has grown to its all-time high, an indication of the popularity of the Chinese language and culture in Latvia.

The second highlight was the age of the contestants which ranged from seven to 70 years old, an indication of the language's charm among young and older people. The third one was the high percentage of children and teenagers among the contestants, suggesting the growing popularity of Chinese among youngsters.

A total of 70 contestants participated in the competition this year, including 25 in the adult and university student's group and 45 in the elementary and secondary school student's group.

The competition took place in four parts: self-introduction, themed public speaking, Q&A about Chinese knowledge and a talent show. Their passionate speeches on the theme "Dreams Enlighten the Future" and the extraordinary artistic abilities and skills demonstrated in the talent show deeply impressed both the judges and the audience.

Some of the winners will travel to China to represent Latvia at the "Chinese Bridge" final competition.

The language proficiency competition will last till Wednesday.
The raging row over the proposed handing over of the new 300m hospital to the Catholic order of the Sisters of Charity had dominated the Sunday papers and morning radio shows.

Having flagged his concerns publicly about the proposed move to St Vincents Hospital, Boylan texted his sister-in-law Rhona Mahony, the current master of Holles St, and Nicholas Kearns, the deputy chairman of the hospital.

He blasted the two of them out of it.

He texted: Im sorry its come to this but I did try to warn you. The way out for both of you is to make it clear that you were misled by SVHG, you accepted their bona fides and assurances... Both of you and the minister are inextricably linked in this and you will either sink or swim together.

"The way to get the hospital is to insist on CPO of Elm Park golf club land on periphery and establish links to SVH via tunnels/corridors. Minimal design alterations needed, Peter.

Notwithstanding the family connection, Mahony agreed with Kearns that Boylan had gone too far.

She and Kearns called on the former master to resign his position from the board of governors immediately. Kearns replied to Boylan: Both the master and I have received and read your text sent to us at 13.47 today.

"We are now asking for your immediate resignation from the board of Holles St  both because of your public intervention to criticise and oppose the overwhelming majority decision of the board taken in November last to approve the agreement reached with SVUH for the transfer of Holles St to Elm Park  a vote on which you abstained  and in addition because of the content of your text sent today.

Its [sic] intimidatory tone is most regrettable. The board will clearly require to be briefed on Wednesday as to the contents of your text communication if your resignation as sought is not forthcoming.

Yesterday, the most extraordinary row over the future of the maternity hospital escalated significantly.

With the text exchange in the public domain, Boylan took to the airwaves to defend his position.

While accepting his language in the text was somewhat intemperate, Boylan stood over the substantive point he was making.

Explaining his reason for sending the text, Boylan said he was becoming increasingly concerned at the furore that exploded following the initial story which revealed the plan to hand ownership to the Church.

Hinting he had not been listened to at board level, he said he had become tired of raising matter hisconcerns with his fellow governors.

He said assurances given by Mahony and others had been blown out of the water by utterances made by leading Church figures over the weekend.

He said his concerns were heightened by the intervention of Sr Agnes of the Sisters of Charity, who made it clear there was some doubt as to whether the Catholic teaching would hold sway at the new maternity hospital.

That was confirmed by Bishop Doran at the weekend and by a letter of Ireland East Group Tom Lynch to the secretary general in the Department of Health, Jim Breslin, some time ago, warning that there would be ethical issues if the hospital was built on these lands, Boylan said on RTEs Morning Ireland.

While strictly there was no letter from Lynch to Breslin but a meeting between them was held there was a meeting last year between the two of them and the matter was raised during the course of their conversation.

Also, the Ireland East Hospital Group put forward a document offering a possible framework for the potential resolution of the difficulties that had at that stage arisen with the project.

But it has been confirmed that Health Minister Simon Harris was not informed of this and the minister will speak to him about the matter shortly.

Asked if he would resign as requested, a defiant Boylan insisted he is going nowhere: No, I dont feel I should resign. There have been questions about loyalty to the board. I feel a loyalty to the women of Ireland.

But then it emerged Boylan had not voted against the proposed deal when he had the chance. Why not?

No, I abstained  a sense of loyalty to the master. Maybe I should have. But it was going to pass anyway. There was overwhelming support for it. There were only four people, not three who opposed it.

But importantly the three previous masters had reservations and did not support it with a vote. Yes, there were two votes against it. No, I abstained and one of the other masters abstained. I was waiting for the meeting of the governors, he said.

Whatever about the merits of his position in opposing the deal, his failure to oppose it does weaken Boylans stance somewhat. He had a chance to record his formal objection to the project but instead chose to abstain.

For Mahony, she and Kearns have repeatedly insisted that the independence of Holles St will continue in the new hospital. There will be no interference, they say.

This was repeated in a statement from St Vincents Hospital Group yesterday, heavily criticising what it called Boylans continued misinformation and untruthful allegations.

The clinical independence of the hospital will be enshrined in the Memorandum and Articles of the new hospital, as agreed by both SVHG and NMH in the agreement mediated by Kieran Mulvey, it stated.

Continuing to suggest that procedures currently undertaken at the National Maternity Hospital will not be available in the new maternity hospital is entirely false and without foundation, said St Vincents.

In line with current policy and procedures at SVHG, any medical procedure which is in accordance with the laws of the Republic of Ireland will be carried out at the new hospital, it stated.

But it then emerged that the request for Boylan to resign was not one demanded by all governors.

A member of the National Maternity Hospital board said the board was not consulted before Boylan was asked to resign. Micheal Mac Donncha, a Sinn Fein councillor in Dublin, said this was wrong and Boylan should not be asked to resign for expressing an opinion. Mac Donncha described the decision as regrettable.

All eyes now turn to tonights board meeting and whether Boylan is able to withstand the pressure to vacate his position, and if Boylans concerns remain in the wake of the meeting.

What will happen is the hospital will be built and then when it comes in five or ten years time to admitting women in patients and performing and doing abortions or doing whatever, suddenly theyll find that actually no, you cant do that.

"Four members of a nine-member board  it only takes one person to wobble  and then you say No, actually you cant do that, theyll  and that woman will have to go to the Rotunda or the Coombe. My concern is for the women of Ireland, he said.

This most extraordinary row appears a long way from being over.
As African women leading influential and impact-driven organisations  the Ecobank Foundation and the African Leaders Malaria Alliance (ALMA)  we are passionate about building a prosperous, inclusive, and sustainable African economy.

But achieving that goal requires accelerating progress toward eradicating the diseases that continue to deplete our communities of their most valuable resource: healthy people. One such disease is malaria.

To be sure, Africa has lately made significant progress in combating malaria. From 2010 to 2015, as part of the global Millennium Development Goals, the continent reduced the malaria incidence rate (the number of new infections) by 21% and malaria deaths by 31%.

However, malaria remains a serious threat to the wellbeing of millions of Africans. In 2015, an estimated 212m people contracted malaria worldwide, with 47% of cases concentrated in just six African countries.

An estimated 429,000 people  mostly children under five years of age  died from malaria that year, with 92% of those deaths occurring in Africa and 40% occurring in just two countries, Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of Congo. There is, therefore, an urgent need to accelerate progress  and end malaria for good.

This is both a moral and economic imperative. Preventable illnesses and deaths limit the ability of communities to contribute to Africas much-needed economic transformation.

In many African countries, malaria reduces GDP growth by one percentage point per year. The effort to end malaria can therefore not be separated from the effort to ensure prosperity across Africa.

The Copenhagen Consensus think tank estimates that every dollar invested in ending malaria yields $36 (about 33) in economic returns. To reap these benefits, African countries must increase domestic-resource mobilisation substantially.

Africas private sector, in particular, has a crucial role to play in developing innovative solutions that address malarias growing resistance to existing drugs, as well as mosquitoes growing resistance to insecticides.

Moreover, the private sector can help to address inefficiencies in supply-chain management and logistics, thereby facilitating distribution of insecticides and long-lasting insecticidal nets.

Of course, even with private-sector investment, progress toward eradicating malaria in Africa will be uneven, not least because different countries are at different points on the path.

Senegal  where the share of malaria-related outpatient visits fell from 36% in 2001 to just 3.3% last year  is now on track to achieve so-called pre-elimination by 2020. Meanwhile, other African countries  such as Angola and Somalia  are struggling to make any progress at all, as indicated in the ALMA scorecard for accountability and action.

No single African country can reliably eliminate malaria so long as the disease remains rampant among its neighbours. Malaria does not, after all, respect borders. That is why it is vital for African governments to work together, using every tool at their disposal, to achieve comprehensive malaria control, pre-elimination, and, ultimately, elimination.

ALMA  a coalition of 49 African heads of state and government working to eliminate malaria by 2030  aims to advance precisely such co-operation, by focusing on accountability and action at the national, regional, and global levels.

ALMA provides management tools, such as the scorecard for accountability and action, that help to track progress, identify obstacles and bottlenecks, and advance solutions. These tools are versatile and adaptable throughout the continent. Where needed, ALMA has provided support to address challenges directly with countries, in cooperation with partners, or through results-based management structures.

The Ecobank Foundation is also doing its part: Its investment of both cash and in-kind services and training have enhanced the impact of the Global Fund partnership in Africa.

By helping to strengthen the financial-management capabilities of grant recipients in Nigeria, Senegal, and South Sudan, the foundation is unlocking funding for health programs in those countries  and is now expanding its support to Chad and Zambia.

And there is more. Through its digital financial platform, the Ecobank Foundation is leveraging its presence to bring in new funding for the fight against malaria. And it is raising awareness as well, among its own staff and other stakeholders, of how to support malaria prevention, including through mosquito nets and a clean environment.

The goal of eradicating malaria in our lifetime may sound ambitious, but it is achievable. Together, Africas governments and private sector can produce the investment and action needed to stop the disease for good  and ensure greater prosperity across the continent.

Julie Essiam is chief executive of the Ecobank Foundation. Joy Phumaphi is executive secretary of the African Leaders Malaria Alliance. Copyright: Project Syndicate, 2017.
(Xinhua) 08:41, April 26, 2017

WARSAW, April 25 -- China-Poland relations have improved in all areas, including in trade, investment and financial cooperation, since last June's Poland visit by the Chinese leader, Chinese Ambassador to Poland Xu Jian said in a recent interview with Xinhua.

Poland is one of the largest apple producers in Europe and Polish apples now have been granted access to Chinese market, Xu noted.

"Exports of Polish agricultural products to China are increasing and Poland expects to export more," he said.

Regarding bilateral investment, the Chinese diplomat said an increasing number of Chinese companies have invested in Poland, including through merging and greenfield investments.

Speaking of financial cooperation, Xu noted that the Polish government has issued 3 billion Chinese yuan (about 450 million U.S. dollars) worth of "panda bonds" in China last year, the first European country to sell such bonds.

Xu said Poland is an important country in the European Union (EU), as well as the largest, most populous nation and the largest economy in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE).

He noted that Poland is one of the earliest CEE countries to sign cooperation agreement on building the Belt and Road, as well as the only founding member of Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank from CEE.

In addition, seeking synergy between Poland's re-industrialization development strategy and China-proposed Belt and Road initiative would bring about win-win situation, Xu said.

"Poland, which benefits from this initiative, could play an exemplary role in the CEE in the building of the Belt and Road, and thus more countries in the region will participate in the initiative," the ambassador said.
Wednesday, April 26th, 2017 (12:01 am) - Score 783

Utility provider SSE (Southern Electric), which also does phone and internet services, has cut the price of their unlimited up to 38Mbps (FTTC) Superfast Fibre Broadband package (includes line rental) to 33.50 per month for the first 18 months of service (38 thereafter).

Apparently the reduction in price is due to a discount that is being applied to the inclusion of free UK Evening and Weekend calls, although this offer will only be available to order until 29th June 2017. SSEs existing energy customers can also benefit from a further 25 off their bill if they take the broadband service.

Customers will also receive a free wireless router, an unlimited usage allowance (note: the Fair Usage Policy includes limited Traffic Management) and UK support.
Anyone who has been diagnosed with autism is likely to have more experience with unemployment and underemployment than those who arent on the spectrum. Now, a startup that launched in Los Angeles earlier this month is determined to help change that.

The startup is Coding Autism, and I had the opportunity last week to speak with Austen Weinhart, its cofounder and COO. Sharing the backstory of how Coding Autism came to be, Weinhart noted that cofounder and CEO Oliver Thornton  along with Olivers two brothers  had been diagnosed with Aspergers. He said Thornton always wanted to start a business that would give back to the autism community, and help enable people on the spectrum to find success.

He came up with the idea for Coding Autism during college, and after graduating, he got in touch with me, Weinhart said. Ive known Oliver all my life  we were childhood friends, and I have some family on the spectrum, as well. I had been working as a web developer and had previously completed a boot camp similar to the one he was trying to create. We saw a lot of ways to collaborate, so we eventually decided to go in on it together as cofounders.

Weinhart explained there is no fundamental technical difference in how code is taught to people who are and arent on the spectrum. He said the difference in Coding Autisms approach lies in how the students are accommodated and supported on the career preparation side.

One of the differences is our classes are a lot smaller than similar boot camps  we have a maximum of 15 students per class, he said. We also have an occupational therapist on staff who works with the instructor to tailor the class for the specific needs of different learners. Autism manifests itself in different ways. Some people have sensory issues with light or sound, so there are ways that we try to make sure that each class accommodates all of our students.

Weinhart said Coding Autism also focuses very heavily on soft skills, such as interview preparation and teambuilding.

A lot of times, the problem with people on the spectrum getting a job isnt necessarily their technical ability  its actually a lot of soft skills, like looking the interviewer in the eye and working with other people as a team, he said. Were selecting students that we feel confident can keep up with the material, and that we can get employed after the program is done. And then were also building connections with large companies that either have autism hiring programs, or are willing to hire and train for the specific roles that theyre looking to fill.

Having written about this topic quite a bit in the past, Ive learned that there has been a lot of discussion around whether autism should be considered a liability or an asset, so I asked Weinhart for his thoughts on that. He said under the right circumstances, and with the proper accommodation, it can definitely be an asset.

A lot of conversations that companies are having about diversity also include cognitive diversity, or diversity of input, the idea being that people with different perspectives have unique ways of looking at problems and contributing to a team, he said. The stereotype is that people on the spectrum tend to be very direct and very meticulous with detail, which tends to lend itself very well to something like coding. They generally dont mind repetition, they dont mind doing things on their own and then coming back together when they need to.

I found it interesting that Coding Autism has started a crowdfunding campaign to fund itself, so I asked Weinhart why they went that route rather than, say, seeking corporate sponsorships from companies like Microsoft and SAP that have autism hiring programs  and others that dont, for that matter.

Weve been in conversations with some of these companies, too, but the general response that weve gotten is, This seems like a great idea, but we want to see an example first, Weinhart said. Thats what were crowdfunding for  were raising money to pull off a prototype class that we can then use to get sponsorships, so we can say, Hey, weve done this, and it works.

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.
Apple announces its worst possible news today regarding the iPhone 8 production. The company has set September as its most probably launch month but also mulls over the possibility of a "severe" shortage of the promised OLED display. Japanese site Macotakara has suggested the OLED iPhone 8 would be released "very much" behind the regular LCD models.

There are two issues that the tech giant faces currently. These include the launch date of the already delayed debut of its upcoming flagship and the very short supply of OLED display for the anniversary handset. As of the moment, a September launch seems most likely as expressed by some industry sources.

As for the "severe" shortage problem, Apple seems quiet as to how it will proceed given the extent of the problem. Meanwhile, a series of alleged designs and dummy models of the handset continuously leak online, sparking rumors for its release date even further. According to Forbes, leading global financial firm Morgan Stanley, have addressed the OLED shortage issue.

Morgan Stanley has stated that basically half of the upcoming iPhone model mix could be OLED. The expected total iPhone production plan of 100-110M in the second half of 2017 suggests that OLED could be closer to 50 percent mix. This is in contrary to the prior conservative assumption of only 33 percent.

Meanwhile, KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has published a report focusing on a theory on Apple' iPhone 8 "severe" shortages. According to MacRumors, Kuo believes that this delay "won't undermine actual demand." The iPhone 8 will live up to the hype with the heaviest demand pushed back until as far as the first quarter of 2018, after the majority of users have already bought the device.
It is clear that Samsung would not abandon the Note brand after the Galaxy Note 7 battery fiasco. In fact, earlier this year, the Korea-based tech giant confirmed that they are already working on a Galaxy Note 8 phablet. They also claimed that it will be safer than its predecessor and better than the Galaxy S8.

Samsung seems to have recovered from the battery incident that happened last year and not focusing much on its reputation. According to Trusted Reviews, both the newly released Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ are proving to be a hit with consumers and advancing to a very seriously impressive new design. However, the real success will come once this year's Galaxy Note 8 is unveiled.

Samsung is set to launch the Galaxy Note 8 this year. And according to BGR, the official announcement regarding the most-awaited phablet will be at the 71st International Fiscal Association. The IFA 2017 will be held in Berlin, Germany between September 1 and September 6.

As of the moment, details are scarce, but there have been various leaks everywhere the internet. With rumors pointing towards a unique display and possible dual-camera setup for the phablet, Galaxy Note 8 will really be better than the Galaxy S8. The bezels of the upcoming Samsung device are smaller than the Galaxy S8 series and has the Samsung logo at the bottom of the device.

Samsung Note 8 will be built on the stellar design of the Galaxy S8 to create what might be a uniform sleeker-looking design. The phablet will come bearing two lenses on the rear camera, run either Snapdragon 835 or Exynos 8895 chipsets, and with 6GB of RAM storage. In the beginning of this year, Samsung Mobile chief DJ Koh claimed that customers would see a "better, safer and very innovative Note 8," though he declined to disclose any further details about it.
This Saturday will mark the 100th-day of Trumps presidency and one achievement he can celebrate is helping to strengthen the China-U.S. relationship. At the Mar-a-Lago summit, the two sides established the Comprehensive Dialogue, a four-pillar framework that advances the previous dialogues by including additional areas of common concern for high-level consultation, which indicates that the two powers are willing and able to control and manage their differences.

Since 2006, China and the U.S. have relied on high-level dialogues to help manage differences and promote cooperation. In September 2006, U.S. President George Bush and President Hu Jintao created the Strategic Economic Dialogue (SED), a first-of-its-kind dialogue in the bilateral relationship designed to enhance mutual strategic trust and strengthen mutually beneficial economic cooperation. In a speech that touched on China-U.S. relations, President Bush said the high-level dialogues would help ensure long-term growth and widely-shared prosperity in both our economies.

The next administration took note and worked with China to advance such cooperation. In April 2009, U.S. President Barack Obama and President Hu established the Strategic and Economic Dialogue (S&ED) during their first meeting on the sidelines of the G-20 Summit in London, which brought the two major powers even closer together. At the conclusion of the S&ED in May 2011, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton applauded the dialogue for developing patterns of cooperation. We have a deeper understanding of the viewpoint of the other, she said. We have built trust.

In May 2010, the high-level mechanism for people-to-people exchange was included in the S&ED framework to build greater trust between the two peoples. This brought the total number of dialogues to three. Now, it will be based on four pillars, a sign that China-U.S. relations continue to mature.

At the meeting between President Xi Jinping and his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago, the two leaders fostered a relationship and agreed to elevate bilateral ties by creating the Comprehensive Dialogue, a four-pronged, high-level mechanism designed to strengthen China-U.S. relations and make progress on diplomatic and security issues, economic issues, law enforcement and cyber security issues, and social and cultural issues. This new framework builds on the success of the previous dialogues and will help steer the bilateral relationship in the right direction.

The continued advancement of high-level dialogues from the Bush and Obama administrations to the current administration is evidence that ties continue to strengthen, stabilize, and mature. It also shows that the two sides are willing to choose cooperation over competition, the only correct path. While there are too many variables and too many uncertainties to make predictions about the future of China-U.S. relations, continued patterns of cooperation are a positive sign and, as history shows, the high-level dialogues play an important role in helping build trust and confidence between the two countries. The recent decision to continue and build on the high-level dialogues should reinforce expectations that the China-U.S. relationship is on the right path and help dispel the old idea that the two sides are destined for war.
Samsung has succeeded in making the Galaxy S8 look larger than it is, thanks to its almost bezel-less Infinity Display featuring a screen that curved along its sides. Rumors are rampant that Samsung, as well as LG, is working on adding curves at the top and bottom sides.

The rumor, which originated from South Korean news publication ETNews and picked up by Android Authority, says that the two tech companies are separately developing a design that will allow smartphones to have as much as 98 percent display on their front. This is potentially doable by, as mentioned, curving all four sides of the phone.

As ETNews noted, this is no easy task. Samsung apparently had a difficult time figuring out how to integrate curved screens onto their product. Samsung Display utilized a lamination process for the Galaxy S8 that wrapped the screen around the left and right sides of the device. Doing the same with the top and bottom sides may lead to a sort of blind spot in which touch functions will not register. As Mashable pointed out, the curved corners of an all-glass display will enable such functions rendering them useless and nothing more than for show.

Samsung Display and LG Display are the two most prominent suppliers of screens. Samsung will supply the OLED screen for the iPhone 8 which will either be flat or slightly curved. LG, meanwhile, has provided the curved screens of the Xiaomi Mi Note 2. The two tech companies have also already released their own smartphones with curved displays. Samsung has the aforementioned Galaxy S8 which has a screen that takes up 83 percent of the phone's facade. LG, meanwhile, has the LG G6 with its "full vision" display that covers 80 percent of the front.

If Samsung and LG succeed in developing a smartphone with curves on all sides, the tech world will be looking at a smartphone with a huge glass display in a small body. It will also be more prone to breakage since bezels will not be there to absorb impact.
The rivalry between Apple and Samsung continues as the latter is just months shy of finally unveiling its next flagship smartphone. The iPhone 8 is expected to pose the biggest challenge to the Galaxy S8 which is currently lording it over the industry. If the result of this certain Geekbench test is true, then the iPhone 8 will have the capacity to destroy every other smartphone that stands in its way.

As BGR pointed out, Geekbench and other benchmarking tools determine how good a processor is by subjecting it to stress and other tests. The app then provides scores based on the results. The benchmark score that leaked very recently via "Slashleaks" shows what is likely the iPhone 8's score that is a whole lot better than what the Galaxy S8 got.

A device with the Apple A11 chip at a speed of 2.74GHz and is running on iOS 11 is the subject of the leaked Geekbench 4 test. The details provided fit what the iPhone 8 would be like. In the test, supposed Apple flagship had a single-core score of 4,537 and an 8,975 score for multi-core. The single core score is 30 percent better than the iPhone 7's score as per GSMArena. The Samsung Galaxy S8, meanwhile, got a 1,495 score. As for the multi-core, the iPhone 7 Plus' score is 58 percent worse than the leaked score while the Galaxy S8 Plus had 6,338 which is 41 percent less. In both cases, the score of the alleged iPhone 8 was more or less 50 percent better than the Android industry's best bet.

Of course, just like with all other leaks and rumors, nothing is set in stone. As BGR mentioned, leaks like this one can easily be manipulated using Photoshop. Additionally, not all benchmark test results completely reflect how a device will actually perform. What these benchmark test results prove, though, is that Apple is intent on making the iPhone 8 the most powerful smartphone in the market and is ready to make mincemeat out of Samsung and the Galaxy S8.
Microsoft last week announced sweeping changes to Office's support rules, which will push more corporate customers to the Office 365 subscription model.

The support policies introduced Thursday will cut in half the time that non-subscription versions of Office -- usually labeled "perpetual" as a nod to the licenses which, once purchased, let customers run the software as long as they want -- can connect to Microsoft cloud-based services. These include Microsoft-hosted Exchange email, the OneDrive for Business storage service and Skype for Business, the corporate edition of Microsoft's video-calling service.

Under the new rules, owners of perpetual-license versions of Office will be able to use those services only during the first half of their 10-year support lifecycle, the portion Microsoft dubs "mainstream." Currently, those customers may connect to cloud services such as Exchange mailboxes for the full decade of Microsoft's combined mainstream and "extended" support.

For example, Office 2007 will exit its 10 years of support in October; as of October 31, "Outlook 2007 will be unable to connect to Office 365 mailboxes, which means Outlook 2007 clients using Office 365 will not be able to receive and send mail."

Microsoft will enforce the changed requirements starting Oct. 13, 2020, said Ron Markezich, the executive who heads Office marketing, in a post to a company blog. As of that date, "Office 365 ProPlus or Office perpetual in mainstream support will be required to connect to Office 365 services," said Markezich.

Office 365 ProPlus is the standard suite provided to enterprise customers who subscribe to Office 365 plans that include rights to the locally installed applications, including the $20-per-user-per-month Office 365 Enterprise E3 and the $35-per-user-per-month Enterprise E5.

By the time the Oct. 13, 2020, date comes up on the calendar, all currently supported editions of perpetual Office -- Office 2010, Office 2013 and the newest, Office 2016 -- will have dropped out of mainstream support. (Office 2016's mainstream support will expire on that date.)

The bottom line: If enterprises want to access Office 365's cloud-based services, they must 1) subscribe to a plan that includes ProPlus and, more importantly, install and use that constantly upgraded suite; or 2) pay for and install a perpetual-licensed version of Office every five or fewer years.

Microsoft justified the change with much the same kind of explanations it's used for other big shifts in support, notably the mandate that older editions of Windows, including Windows 7, will not be supported on devices powered by the latest Intel and AMD processors.

"When customers connect to Office 365 with a legacy version of Office, they're not enjoying all that the service has to offer," argued Alistair Speirs, a senior operations program manager, on another blog. "The IT security and reliability benefits and end-user experiences in the apps is limited to the features shipped at a point in time."

Markezich went even further. After using the same explanation -- word for word -- as Speirs, he added to the bash-perpetual-Office campaign by trumpeting its rival, ProPlus. "When a modern app is connected to a modern service, magic happens," Markezich asserted.

"What Microsoft's saying is that the Office 365 services won't work forever with [a perpetual-licensed Office], that eventually things will break," translated Wes Miller, an analyst with Directions on Microsoft.

By changing the connect-to-services rules, Microsoft has taken aim at customers who have mixed cloud services with traditional perpetual -- or "stand-alone" -- software. Most enterprises, in fact, continue to use perpetual-licensed versions of Office, even as some have outsourced email to Microsoft by subscribing to lower-priced plans like the $5 per-user-per-month Office 365 Business Essentials or the $8 per-user-per-month Office 365 Enterprise E1.

According to Michael Silver, an analyst at Gartner, many businesses have dipped into Office 365 sans ProPlus to cap costs. Some of those Microsoft customers "have saved some money for a while," Silver said, by sticking with an Office edition for six, seven, eight years -- or even longer -- rather than upgrade every three, the usual interval between perpetual-licensed versions. "Organizations have tried to moderate their costs for a while," Silver added of such firms.

Under the new rules, that won't be possible, as companies will be able to run any given perpetual-licensed Office for no more than five years if they want to access cloud-based email hosted by Microsoft, or use the 1TB of OneDrive for Business storage space that comes with a Business Essential or E1 plan.

Silver noted that while Microsoft's decision could be viewed as just one more shove to subscriptions, that wasn't surprising. "The writing has been on the wall," he said of the decline in emphasis of perpetual-licensed Office. As Silver implied, Microsoft has made no secret that it prefers subscriptions -- and not just for Office -- for the recurring revenue they generate.

Companies will still be able to connect Office to on-premises services, such as an Exchange server, as long as they like under the new rules, Miller and Silver both pointed out. And enterprises that prefer to acquire Office as perpetual-licensed software won't be barred from that either: Microsoft has already pledged to produce a successor to Office 2016 that would connect to cloud services after October 2020.

But the policy revisions will affect Office users. "This is going to be an issue" for some corporate customers, Silver said, as they transition from the essentially-static, perpetual-licensed Office to the upgraded-twice-a-year ProPlus. "It can be a difficult transition to manage."
Prepare to run Android at blazing fast speeds on a new Raspberry Pi-like computer developed by Huawei.

Huawei's HiKey 960 computer board is priced at US$239 but has some of the latest CPU and GPU technologies. Google, ARM, Huawei, Archermind, and LeMaker all played roles in developing the board.

The HiKey 960 is meant to be a go-to PC for Android or a tool to develop software and drivers for the OS. The board development was backed by Linaro, an organization that develops software packages for the Android OS and ARM architecture.

Linaro CEO George Grey recently said it was sad that Android developers had to write code on x86 chips. He encouraged the organization's members to build a superfast computer so developers could build ARM software on ARM architecture. Intel has scaled back Android support on x86 PCs and isn't making smartphone chips.

The HiKey 960 can be used to create robots, drones, and other smart devices. But it's mainly intended to be an Android PC or a tool for developers who want to write and test applications.

The board can deliver performance similar to the latest smartphone and tablets. It has a Huawei Kirin 960 octa-core chip, which has four high-performance ARM Cortex-A73 and four low-power Cortex-A53 cores. The Kirin 960 is also used in the Huawei Mate 9 smartphone, which started shipping late last year.

The HiKey 960 has 32GB of storage and 3GB of LPDDR4 RAM. The Mali-G71 GPU is capable of delivering 4K graphics and is based on ARM's latest Bitfrost architecture. However, the board will only have HDMI 1.2a slot, which is a 1080p display output.

Other features include dual-band 802.11 b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.1. The board has a PCIe m.2 slot to add additional storage or wireless capabilities. It also has 40-pin and 60-pin expansion connectors and multiple high-definition outputs so cameras can be connected to the board.

It will ship in the U.S., European Union, and Japan in early May. It will later ship worldwide.

The board will also support multiple Linux versions in the future.

You can load Android 7.1 on the board, but you will need to be technically savvy and have knowledge of command-line operations. Instructions to load Android 7.1 are on Google's website.
Chinas first domestically constructed aircraft carrier, the Type 001A, hit the water on Wednesday morning, China's state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

CPC Central Committee Political Bureau Member and Vice-Chairman of the Central Military Commission, Fan Changlong, attended the ship launching ceremony and delivered a speech.

Water flowed into the shipbuilding dry-dock on Sunday to bring afloat the massive vessel at the shipyard in Dalian, in northeast Chinas Liaoning Province, according to media reports.

The Liaoning, Chinas first aircraft carrier, which entered service in the People's Liberation Army (PLA) in 2012, will likely remain a training ship for future carrier crews.
January 16, 2001 10:38: When Charlotte Cooks parents discovered she had a rare type of cancer, their lives fell apart. Thankfully, she recovered and, in Lung Cancer Awareness Month, MATTHEW SKINNER spoke to delighted and relieved Clive and Debbie.

IN HER dark green and yellow uniform, Charlotte Cook looks just like any little girl, excited to be starting school for the first time.

Certainly there is nothing to suggest that, barely a year ago, Charlotte was given only a 50 per cent chance of survival.

When she was just three years old, Charlotte was diagnosed with lung cancer, a disease which affects, on average, only two children under the age of five each year in the UK.

She first complained of pains in her stomach in August 1999 and, thinking she had some kind of chest infection, her parents took her to hospital. However, X-rays showed she had fluid on her lungs, with her right lung having virtually collapsed.

Charlotte was transferred to Great Ormond Street Hospital where another operation discovered she had contracted a very rare form of lung cancer called pleuropulmonary blastoma.

Her distraught parents Clive, 38, and Debbie, 39, of Ruskin Walk, Bromley, were staggered by the news.

Debbie said: When Charlotte first became ill we werent too worried.

Then, when two days later we were told she had a rare form of cancer, we were devastated.

We thought, Oh God, shes going to die. When doctors mention cancer, you naturally think of death, especially her being such a little thing.

Our life was turned upside down and we were falling apart.

There followed an exceedingly traumatic six months for Charlotte, her parents and her seven year-old brother, Geoffrey.

Charlotte had to undergo months of chemotherapy, during which she lost half-a-stone in weight, and became tired very easily. It also caused her to lose her straight hair, which has now grown back - slightly curly.

Debbie said: We never left her side there was someone with her 24-hours-a-day. We tried to keep as normal a routine as possible, but it was Charlotte who really kept us going. She was so positive and full of life.

Eventually, after months of worry, an X-ray confirmed the cancer had gone, and Charlotte was out of danger.

Debbie added: I didnt know whether to laugh or cry. The relief was extraordinary.

I rang everybody up straight away to tell them the news I could have shouted it from the rooftops.

Charlotte then had a final three months of chemotherapy to make sure the cancer never came back, before leaving hospital to lead a normal life - culminating in her first day at Southborough Primary School in Bromley on January 9.

Her father, Clive, said: We couldnt have believed we would get to this point so quickly. Its a completely new horizon for her.

The Cancer Research Campaign has designated January its Lung Cancer Awareness Month, and Debbie is determined to use her daughters experience as a means of publicising the cause.

Hearing your child has cancer is the hardest news any parent has to face.

Watching the drugs and treatment help her get better made us realise the importance of research. We want others to know too.

And Charlottes verdict on her first day at school? Its wonderful, I really enjoyed it and everybody is very nice.
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(Xinhua) 10:50, April 26, 2017

BEIJING, April 25 -- China will tighten its crackdown on illegal fundraising to protect people's interests and fend off systemic risks, the Office of the Inter-agency Anti-illegal Fundraising Taskforce said on Tuesday.

China saw 5,197 illegal fundraising cases in 2016, involving 251.1 billion yuan (36.5 billion U.S. dollars), down 14.48 percent and 0.11 percent year on year, respectively, according to the office.

It is the first time for both figures to decline, showing that the rising trend of illegal fundraising in past years has been contained, said Yang Yuzhu, head of the office.

However, Yang noted that the overall situation of illegal fundraising is still complicated and severe, highlighted by an increase in organized crime, online fraud and cross-regional crime.

China will strengthen supervision of intermediaries in private financing, enhance crackdown efforts against fraudulent advertisements and improve the legal system to guard against illegal financing, said Yang.

Key fields including online lending, private wealth management, rural cooperatives and private equity will be under greater regulatory scrutiny, Yang added.

Internet finance has grown fast in China in the past few years, as investors seek higher returns than bank deposits while small businesses find it easier to secure funds through online brokers. But risks have piled up too as regulations cannot keep up with the sector's development.

Among high-profile fraud cases last year, Ezubao, an online peer-to-peer lending platform, cheated members of the public out of nearly 60 billion yuan through fake investment projects it advertised from June 2014 to December 2015. Police opened investigations into the case in the first quarter of 2016.
Despite Israels 5th election in four years, it remains a beacon of democracy and freedom

The Israeli elections are fast approaching. On November 1, Israelis go back to the polls for the fifth round of elections in less than four...

What is a Jew? Israeli museum attempts an answer

JERUSALEMI was on a short visit to Israel and spent time with a friend with whom I have been engaged in a 30-year argument. Elli...
By Maria Spiliopoulou, Alexia Vlachou (Xinhua) 10:52, April 26, 2017

ATHENS, April 25 -- The first ministerial conference of the Ancient Civilizations Forum initiative co-launched by Greece and China ended in here on Monday with a joint declaration by participating countries to establish a new annual international platform of dialogue and cultural cooperation.

According to the declaration, ministers of the first group of countries representing major ancient civilizations which are already on board with the initiative, expressed their willingness and determination to work together and invite more states and international organizations to "optimize the use of culture as an effective tool for contemporary diplomacy."

In addition to co-organizers Greece and China, which were represented by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi at the inaugural forum, were participating countries Italy, Iran, Iraq, Bolivia, Egypt, Peru, India, and Mexico.

In speeches and statements made during the two-day event hosted in the Greek capital, Greek President Prokopis Pavlopoulos, Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, foreign ministers as well as scholars who participated in a parallel academic forum here, underlined the role of intercultural dialogue in promoting understanding, friendship, peace and cooperation among nations to tackle current challenges at a time of global uncertainty and instability.

"Civilizations build communication bridges with other civilizations and do not raise walls of isolation," Pavlopoulos said addressing the Athens forum.

"It is of utmost importance that civilizations cooperate against the darkness of those wishing to plunge humanity into paranoia and hatred...We must use the treasure of the past in order to build a better tomorrow," Tsipras said in his speech.

"We are here to overcome the conflict of civilizations in order to have a new melody of cultures and dialogue," Wang said, highlighting the need to draw inspiration and wisdom from ancestors to find solutions to today's problems.

"Culture for us is soft power... We prefer dialogue to fanaticism, civilization to terrorist acts," Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias said at the closing press conference.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif told the press briefing that the "international community needs more than ever the wisdom ancient civilizations provide."

"Dialogue, understanding, human empathy, moderation are elements to be promoted by the Ancient Civilizations Forum," added Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Hassan Shoukry.

"People's diplomacy contributes to multiculturalism and peaceful coexistence," concluded Bolivia's Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs Guadalupe Palomeque de la Cruz.

Greek Deputy Foreign Minister Ioannis Amanatidis told Xinhua that the forum put humanity front and center.

"Ancient civilizations can help each other to have a mutual understanding, respect, and comprehension of the diversity that every culture has in order to work together in harmony for a common future of peace and stability," said Amanatidis.

Greek media reflected the warm support of Greek people for the new initiative.

"The Ancient Civilizations Forum is a very important initiative, as for the first time in a coordinated manner, we aim to utilize our cultural heritage and identity as a soft power tool... Much can be achieved under this bold plan," according to a characteristic editorial on news portal "Liberal."

"The envoys of the ten countries participating in the Ancient Civilizations Forum sent a strong message against terrorism," reported CNN Greece, pointing to remarks made during the Athens conference.

Addressing the forum, Iraqi Foreign Minister Ibrahim al Jaafari warned that civilization was threatened by modern terrorism, referring to Islamist extremists' attempts to eliminate the cultural heritage of his country.

The Iraqi official called on all participants in the Ancient Civilizations Forum to intensify their efforts to safeguard culture and civilization.

"Greek ancient philosophers said 'the beginning is half of everything,' So, we had a good start and we hope that this will continue in the future as well," said Amanatidis.

The second Ancient Civilizations Forum is to be held in Bolivia in 2018.
(Xinhua) 10:53, April 26, 2017

BEIJING, April 25 -- China hopes to enhance cooperation with Belarus on security issues for the Belt and Road programs, a state councilor has said.

Guo Shengkun, who is also public security minister, made the remarks when meeting with Stanislav Zas, state secretary of the Belarusian Security Council on Monday.

He called on both countries to step up cooperation on security issues for the Belt and Road programs such as the China-Belarus Industrial Park and to jointly fight against terrorism, transnational crime and cyber crime under the consensus reached by heads of the two countries.

Zas said Belarus is willing to expand the width and depth of law enforcement cooperation with China so as to make joint efforts to meet challenges and threats.

The China-Belarus Industrial Park is being built on the outskirts of Minsk. The two countries have agreed to build the park into a model project under the Belt and Road Initiative, which connects Asia with Europe.
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A federal appeals court reaffirmed Tuesday that tobacco manufacturers are required to include corrective warning statements for their traditional cigarette products.

However, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit also ruled that the statements cannot include the phrase here is the truth.

U.S. District Judge Gladys Kessler ruled in 2006 that the manufacturers had concealed the dangers of smoking for decades. The U.S. Justice Department filed a civil case in 1999 under the federal Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations law, or RICO.

Part of Kesslers ruling was a requirement that the manufacturers run corrective statements on their products.

The manufacturers have argued that the here is the truth tagline conveys the unambiguous message that defendants have previously withheld the truth about the effects of smoking because they would have been ordered to include the tagline.

The court wrote that because courts do not ordinarily order companies to disseminate information absent prior wrongdoing, defendants allege that this phrase communicates that they are being compelled to speak as punishment for prior wrongdoing.

The court said it agreed that read together, these two phrases most naturally suggest prior misconduct by defendants.

Such language can only serve two purposes: either to attract attention that a correction follows, or to humiliate the advertiser  neither of which is a permissible goal under civil RICO corrective statements opinion.

As such, the court said the problem is remedied by removing here is the truth from corrective statements.

As remedied, the court said the corrective statements are those that the defendants cannot challenge and on the defendants largely do not challenge.

While we remand this matter for further proceedings (in District Court), we see no reason why extensive proceedings will be required. With the minor revisions mandated in this opinion, the district court can simply issue an order requiring the corrective statements remedy to go forward, the court said.

R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. could not be reached for immediate comment.

Philip Morris USA spokesman Brian May said the company is pleased that the appellate court once again struck down a portion of the preamble to each communication.

The court correctly found that portions of the preambles continue to violate federal law by focusing on past conduct, instead of the health consequences of cigarettes.

Matthew Myers, the president of Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, said he had mixed feelings about the appellate courts ruling.

While todays ruling should clear the way for publication of these long-overdue corrective statements, it is disappointing that the court rejected the here is the truth requirement.

The fact that tobacco companies have repeatedly fought this simple phrase shows they havent changed and remain as allergic to the truth as ever, Myers said.

In court filings, Reynolds, Altria Group Inc., Philip Morris USA Inc. and Lorillard Tobacco Co. have said the 2009 Tobacco Control Act eliminated any reasonable likelihood the companies would commit future violations, thus making the need for remedies, such as corrective statements, moot.

Kessler ruled in November 2012 that cigarette marketing carry the statement: A federal court has ruled that the defendant tobacco companies deliberately deceived the American public about the health effects of smoking, and has ordered those companies to make this statement.

Kessler has ordered that the five statements appear on company websites, cigarette packages and in newspaper and television ads.

The manufacturers filed a joint appeal in January 2013. They have tried to persuade Kessler to reject the statements, calling them forced public confessions in legal filings.

The appellate court judges, in dealing with that appeal, ruled that Kesslers overarching statement and five preambles exceeded in part the District Courts limited remedial authority. The statements were sent back to Kessler for further review.

The appeals court ruled in May 2015 that proposed federal corrective statements on cigarette advertising exceeded their legal reach with some parts of their language, particularly that tobacco manufacturers lied to consumers.

In November 2016, the appellate court ruled that Reynolds waited too long to appeal a federal judges ruling that requires the company to run two sets of corrective warning statements for its cigarette products.

The ruling was against Reynolds request to avoid running corrective statements on behalf of Brown and Williamson Tobacco Corp., which it acquired in July 2004 for $4.4 billion. Reynolds had argued it should be required to run just one set of corrective statements for all its traditional cigarette products.

Reynolds did not appeal the double set of corrective statements requirement until 2014, saying its remedial obligations related to Brown and Williamson was unclear until that time.

Kesslers order provides specific truth statements for five categories:

Adverse health effects of smoking, such as more people die every year from smoking than from murder, AIDS, suicide, drugs, car crashes and alcohol combined.

Addictiveness of smoking and nicotine.

Lack of significant health benefit from smoking low tar, light, ultra light, mild and natural cigarettes.

Manipulation of cigarette design and composition to ensure optimum nicotine delivery, such as when you smoke, the nicotine actually changes the brain  thats why quitting is so hard.

Adverse health effects of exposure to secondhand smoke, such as second hand smoke kills over 3,000 Americans each year.
(Xinhua) 10:57, April 26, 2017

BEIJING, April 25 -- Chinese customs has been an important player in protecting intellectual property rights (IPR), taking a firm hand against smuggling of illegal products, a customs official said Tuesday.

In 2015, China started a three-year campaign to protect the image of "made-in-China" products internationally, with a focus on products exported to Africa, the Middle East, Latin America and countries along the Belt and Road.

More than 43,000 batches of goods suspected of IPR infringement have been seized during the campaign, involving more than 81 million individual items, Zou Zhiwu, deputy head of the General Administration of Customs (GAC), told Xinhua.

IPR infringement in the imported products have been rising at around 10 percent a year. In 2016 alone, Chinese authorities seized 670 batches of illegal goods, including fake lubricants imported from Malaysia.

For the healthy growth of the e-commerce sector, the GAC has acted on Internet-related IPR infringements by joining with e-commerce platforms and integrating online and offline supervision, he said.

In 2016, customs authorities streamlined the procedures for file for IPR and suspended charges, resulting in 8,844 IPR filings last year, up 55 percent year on year.

Chinese companies are becoming more aware of IPR protection and had filed 27,873 IPR with GAC by the end of last year, accounting for 52.51 percent of all IPR on record, Zou said.

Chinese companies are also victims of IPR infringements.

Customs seized 7.58 million pieces of goods suspected of infringing the IPR of Chinese companies in 2016, up 13.2 percent from the previous year.

Last year, GAC took measures on 12 IPR protection cases in which IPR of Chinese companies were infringed upon, up from 4 cases in 2015.

As IPR infringement in foreign trade is an international issue, China has advocated cooperation in law enforcement of customs authorities from different countries and regions.

Zou said GAC had established cooperation mechanisms with customs of more than 130 countries and regions and signed over 190 cooperation documents, including memos with the Unites States, the EU, Russia, Japan and the Republic of Korea.

The country has also taken an active part in IPR-related affairs under multilateral frameworks, including World Intellectual Property Organization and World Customs Organization.

Looking ahead, Zou said GAC will continue to take strict measures on IPR infringement, enhance cooperation with other government departments, and deepen law enforcement collaboration with other countries and organizations.
A district attorney overseeing a 9-month State Bureau of Investigation probe into two prosecutors offices for the alleged theft of state funds said Tuesday that agents are continuing to conduct interviews and gather evidence.

Wake County District Attorney Lorrin Freeman said agents are interviewing potential witnesses and collecting personnel records and other evidence in the investigation of the prosecutors offices in Rockingham, Person/Caswell counties.

Person/Caswell County District Attorney Wallace Bradsher and former Rockingham County District Attorney Craig Blitzer are accused of scheming to hire one anothers wives in order to collect more than $100,000 in annual salaries for time that neither woman worked.

The investigation has led to a whistleblowers lawsuit filed in February and Blitzers resignation from his elected position on March 10.

The State Bureau of Investigation and our office understand the great importance of this investigation to the judicial districts and communities involved and continue to work diligently to bring it to a conclusion, Freeman said.

Freeman said SBI agents have obtained court orders for various items, including computer, bank and personnel records.

The court orders obtained by News & Record from the Wake County Courthouse give more details into what evidence agents have been searching.

On March 8, SBI agents searched the Rockingham County District Attorneys Office for a computer in Blitzers possession. He resigned from office two days later.

On March 27, agents searched data saved on servers at the N.C. Administrative Office of the Courts and seized a computer held at the AOC in Raleigh.

On April 4, agents obtained records from First Citizens Bank, which has branches in Madison, Reidsville and Eden but not in Person or Caswell counties.

As the records are obtained, agents are conducting analysis, Freeman said. This can be a time-intensive process. Additional interviews are underway.

Superior Court Judge Joe Crosswhite ordered the SBI to investigate at the request of the AOC on July 25, 2016. Freeman adopted the investigation from Crosswhite on Feb. 23.

Two days earlier, Debra Halbrook, a former victim-witness legal assistant for Wallace Bradsher, filed a whistleblowers lawsuit in Wake County Superior Court, bringing the investigation to Freemans attention.

Halbrook accuses Wallace Bradsher of firing her for reporting the theft allegations to the SBI. Halbrook was months shy of reaching her 20-year anniversary with the court system, which would have made her eligible for retirement benefits.

Halbrooks lawsuit names as defendants Wallace Bradsher and his wife, Pamela Bradsher, Craig Blitzer and his wife, Cindy Blitzer, former Caswell County Chief Assistant District Attorney and current District Court Judge John J. Stultz, Admistrative Assistant Gayle Peed, Senior Assistant District Attorney LuAnn Martin, the Person and Caswell County district attorneys offices and the state of North Carolina.

Crosswhite named Stultz and Cindy Blitzer as suspects during the initial investigation. The lawsuit accuses Peed and Martin of helping to cover the alleged scheme to pay the wives for time they were not working.

The suit also states that the SBI is investigating allegations about bribes, sexual misconduct, misuse of grant funds and the mischaracterization of indictment statistics to secure additional state funding took place in Bradshers office.

The defendants had 30 days from the time the lawsuit was filed to answer the complaint. Raleigh-based attorney Drew Erteschik, who represents Halbrook, granted the defendants each a 30-day extension.

That extension ended this week, but Erteschik confirmed Monday that all of the defendants requested another extension of varying time lengths, which he granted.

Stultz, the Bradshers and the Blitzers all received another 30 days. The defendants represented by the N.C. Attorney Generals Office, which includes all of the individuals in their official capacities, received a 3-week extension.

The Attorney Generals office is also representing Peed and Martin in their individual capacities.

The Bradshers, Blitzers and Stultz are being represented by private attorneys for the portion of the lawsuit in which they are sued in their individual capacities.
Despite the best efforts of the White House PR apparatus to sell the presidents first 100 days as a success, The New York Times declared in an editorial, the new administration has, in fact, been plagued by many missteps including a bungled sales job on his first major legislative initiative and a snake-bit confirmation process, all of which have produced a flurry of articles bemoaning the lack of focus in the White House. The first 100 days, the Times declared, is a period the president might prefer to forget.

The president in question is not Donald Trump. This is how, in April 1993, the Times described the first 100 days of Bill Clintons presidency. But not to worry, the Times reassured its readers: Its still early, and a hundred days dont really mean very much.

The Times is right: The first 100 days really dont mean very much at all.

Right now, the Trump White House appears to be in a panic over the approaching milestone, looking desperately for last-minute accomplishments. It is pushing the House to vote this week on repealing Obamacare, and it is risking a government shutdown in an effort to make Democrats pay for a border wall with Mexico, instead of just passing a straight extension of current funding levels. And the president announced (to the apparent surprise of his own staff) that he would unveil his tax reform plan today, before it is fully baked.

To which I say: Mr. President, slow down. Theres no rush. Ignore the critics. Youre doing just fine.

Trump has accomplished something more significant in his first 100 days than any president in recent memory has done: the confirmation of Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court. Trumps predecessors early achievements were fleeting. President Barack Obamas stimulus (with its false promise of shovel-ready jobs) is long forgotten. George W. Bushs tax cuts were not signed until June and were partially repealed by his successor. But Trumps success in placing the 49-year-old Gorsuch on the Supreme Court will affect the direction of our country for a generation. Indeed, Trump can count every 5-4 decision over the next three decades that goes conservatives way as one of his First 100 Days accomplishments. No other modern president can claim to have had that kind of lasting impact in so short a time.

Trump also did something in his first 100 days that his predecessor could not bring himself to do in his entire second term: He enforced Obamas red line against Syrias use of chemical weapons. When the Assad regime apparently used a toxic nerve agent on innocent men, women and children, Trump didnt wring his hands. He acted quickly and decisively, and in so doing restored our credibility on the world stage that Obama had squandered. He underscored the message by dropping the MOAB (a.k.a. Mother of All Bombs) on an Islamic State hideout in Afghanistan and by deploying the USS Carl Vinson carrier strike group (after a brief detour off the coast of Australia) to the Korean Peninsula. And his decision to strike the Assad regime at the very moment he was meeting the Chinese president may have set Trump on a course to accomplish something three previous presidents failed to do: Enlist China in a real effort to pressure North Korea on its nuclear program.

Those things alone make Trumps first 100 days a success. But he can also point to other accomplishments, such as signing into law an economic stimulus in the form of 13 resolutions of disapproval revoking regulations imposed by the Obama administration.

He has done big things and has plenty of time to get more big things done.
CHARLES G. GUNN JR., Winston-Salem

Unvarnished facts

My reading of the April 7 article Mayors wont drop N.C. ban surprised me with the statement, The mayors of New York, Washington, San Francisco, Seattle, Salt Lake City and other cities announced that previous municipal bans on city-funded travel to North Carolina remain in place even though the law known as House Bill 2 is off the books. They agree with civil rights groups who argue discrimination still exists in the replacement law agreed to by Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper and the Republican-controlled legislature.

With this in mind, I went to my Google site to find if anyone in past governments since 1776 had made statements about laws regarding citizens sexual preference or orientation. I found no president, including Abraham Lincoln, had. Nor had the Rev. Martin Luther King.

As a senior citizen, I recall our Scout troop in Bluefield, W.Va. reciting the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag at the beginning of each Boy Scout meeting: One nation, under God, with life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

I also memorized with my classmates the introductory words to the first line of our U.S. Constitution.

I am glad that you can publish and I can read as a subscriber the unvarnished facts in every attempt to disqualify any citizen of his or her rights.

******

JESSICA BROWN, East Bend

Encouragement to achieve

As technology rapidly advances, the demand for scientists, mathematicians, engineers, etc. increases as well. Despite the high demand for workers in these fields, there are still very few prominent female characters at play in this male-dominated game. Young girls do not get the kind of encouragement they need from educators telling them that they, too, can be doctors, engineers, scientists and mathematicians.

This lack of focus on STEM fields is evident in the test scores in the state. In the 2015-2016 school year in North Carolina, 52.5 percent of female students did not meet the NC Standard for College- and Career-Readiness for biology in high school; 48.4 percent of female high-school students did not meet the NC Standard for College- and Career-Readiness for math. Close to half of the female high-school students in the state did not meet the standard saying that they are ready for college in these subjects.

Perhaps these young women do not meet the college-readiness standards for these subjects because more time is spent in schools trying to boost reading scores  which are hardly better than the science and math scores. All the while, in many schools, students  especially young women  are not getting the encouragement they need and deserve to pursue STEM. Clearly there is a problem here that needs to be addressed.

Why is it no longer important for young women to be good at math and science?

Maybe it never was.

******

JOHN FONDA, Winston-Salem

Changing the seal

Perhaps we should consider redesigning the Winston-Salem city seal after all.

Initially opposed, I liked the reflection of our citys religious heritage. The lack of support for the welcoming city resolution suggests weve forgotten who our neighbors are (Besse withdraws resolution, April 18). We havent treated our neighbors as ourselves.

Sadly, there is nothing worse than a religious hypocrite.

It takes courage to be a Christian, to stand up to those who wrongfully threaten loss of dollars when the resolution is not a sanctuary city resolution. If we cant stand up to the values reflected in our seal, we ought to change it.

When You Write

Please submit letters online to Letters@wsjournal.com. Include your full name, address and a daytime telephone number. Or mail letters to: The Readers Forum, P.O. Box 3159, Winston-Salem, NC 27102. Letters are subject to editing and may be published on journalnow.com. Letters are limited to 250 words. Letter writers are allowed one letter every 30 days. For more information, go to journalnow.com/opinion/submit_a_letter.
(Xinhua) 10:57, April 26, 2017

BEIJING, April 25 -- China's lawmakers on Tuesday deliberated a new draft law on nuclear safety, calling for more public participation in selecting nuclear power plant sites.

The new draft was submitted to the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee on Monday at the start of its four-day bi-monthly session.

During the group deliberation on Tuesday afternoon, Wan Exiang, a vice chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, said that public hearings should be held when choosing the locations of nuclear facilities.

Chen Changzhi, another vice chairman of the committee, suggested that a poll should be conducted before construction of any nuclear project.

Public understanding and supports are important to nuclear projects, said Chen.

The new draft listed a series of items that must be disclosed to the public, including nuclear accidents, the general safety situation and the quality of the radioactive environment.

In emergency response, lawmakers called for a mandatory insurance system to cover compensation in the event of accidents, in addition to an emergency response fund proposed in the draft.

NPC member Zhu Lieyu also pointed out the need for a fund on the disposal of radioactive waste.

China currently has more than 30 operational nuclear reactors and is building 20 more.
Fans of the namaste bow or tree pose will soon have a new studio to practice their regular stretching and breathing techniques, as Essential Yoga recently held its soft opening at 140 West Richardson Street (upstairs from Katie Mae's) in Summerville's historic downtown area. Read moreEssential Yoga debuts in Summerville
(Xinhua) 13:12, April 26, 2017

China's second aircraft carrier is transferred from dry dock into the water at a launch ceremony in Dalian shipyard of the China Shipbuilding Industry Corp. in Dalian, northeast China's Liaoning Province, April 26, 2017. The new carrier, the first domestically-built one, came after the Liaoning, a refitted former Soviet Union-made carrier that was put into commission in the Navy of the Chinese People's Liberation Army in 2012. (Xinhua/Li Gang)

DALIAN, April 26 (Xinhua) -- China launched its second aircraft carrier Wednesday morning in a Dalian shipyard in Liaoning Province, northeast China.

The new carrier, the first developed and built by China, was transferred from a dry dock into water at a launch ceremony that started at about 9 a.m. in Dalian shipyard of the China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation.

It is China's second aircraft carrier, coming after the Liaoning, a refitted Soviet Union-made carrier that was put into commission in the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy in 2012.

China began building its second carrier in November 2013. Dock construction started in March 2015.

The main body of the carrier has been completed, with equipment of major systems including propulsion and electricity installed.

Putting the carrier into water marks progress in China's efforts to design and build a domestic aircraft carrier.

After the launch, the new carrier will undergo equipment debugging, outfitting and comprehensive mooring trials.

The launch ceremony, including a performance of the national anthem, ribbon cutting, breaking of a champagne bottle on the bow, and steam whistles from ships nearby, was attended by Fan Changlong, vice chairman of the Central Military Commission, as well as leaders of the PLA Navy and China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation.
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The USS Michigan nuclear-powered submarine arrives at port of Busan, South Korea, April 25, 2017. (Xinhua/NEWSIS)

SEOUL, April 25 (Xinhua) -- A U.S. nuclear-powered submarine on Tuesday arrived at the southern port of Busan, South Korea, amid tensions on the Korean Peninsula, YTN television reported.

The USS Michigan guided-missile submarine has already arrived at Busan, the South Korean military was quoted as saying. The broadcaster did not elaborate on the exact time of its arrival.

Although the nuclear submarine is not supposed to participate in any drills or military operations, its call would send a meaningful message to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), said the YTN.

At a national meeting held Monday, the DPRK again warned the United Statesthat it would stage preemptive nuclear strikes against American forces.

The USS Michigan is one of four Ohio-class ballistic missile submarines loaded with nuclear missiles. The 170-meter-long, 18,000-ton submarine can carry as many as 150 Tomahawk cruise missiles with a range of some 1,600 km.

The Michigan's call on South Korea came amid mounting tensions on the peninsula. The USS Carl Vinson nuclear-powered aircraft carrieris sailing toward the peninsula.

The rare re-routing of the super-carrier to the peninsula had raised concerns about possible airstrikes on the DPRK's nuclear facilities.

Meanwhile, the DPRK Foreign Ministry said in a statement Tuesday that the Korean Peninsula is on the verge of war due to "reckless action" by the United States using both economic sanctions and increasing military threats.

According to South Korea's military, the DPRK conducted large-scale live-fire artillery exercises on Tuesday to mark its army anniversary.

The DPRK's artillery drills came amid ongoing joint military exercises of South Korea and the United States.

The U.S.-South Korea joint war games, which were denounced by the DPRK as a rehearsal for northward invasion, would last till the end of this month.
Australia-based Freedom Foods Group is balancing its ambitions to grow at home and abroad. A supplier of allergen-free products in Australia, Freedom Foods is expanding its domestic presence through a focus on innovation. At the same time, the company is trying to grow its dairy, snack and cereal sales in China and the US. Katy Askew spoke to Freedoms general manager of marketing and innovation, Tom Dusseldorp, to find out more.

Freedom Foods Group, the Australia-based cereal-to-beverage group, continues to be a business in active pursuit of growth.

It has been four years since just-food discussed Freedom Foods strategy with one of the companys senior management and, in that time, the business has continued to invest in its domestic market, as well as announcing a series of moves in China and persevering on its bid to crack the US.

In the year to the end of June 2013, the fiscal period of our last interview with Freedom Foods, the company generated net profit of AUD13.7m (US$10.3m) and revenue of AUD88.9m. In the 12 months to the end of June 2016, Freedom Foods ran up a net profit of AUD50.6m, with revenue reaching AUD170.4m.

A mix of organic growth and acquisitions has driven Freedom Foods growth and, talking to just-food at the Natural Products Expo West trade show in California last month, Tom Dusseldorp, the companys general manager of marketing and innovation, set out the companys latest moves at home and abroad.

Freedom Foods is launching a swathe of new products in Australia this spring. With 30 new SKUs being launched into the health food channel over the past two months, Dusseldorp says that the domestic team has been kept busy.

As one of the countrys largest health food brands, Dusseldorp believes it falls to Freedom Foods to drive the growth of the segments in which it operates by building consumer interest. There has been a real lack of innovation [in the Australian health food sector], Dusseldorp says. What we all know about Australia is we do pick up food trends pretty quickly and we work them through pretty fast. We are a great test market for a lot of global companies to try out new ideas because we have a population of 23m. When you make a mistake, its not a game changer.

Dusseldorp predicts the growing consumer interest in plant-based alternatives to dairy will be a big driver for Freedom Foods domestic sales. Freedom Foods holds the licence to Almond Breeze, the dairy-free beverage brand owned by US co-op Blue Diamond Growers, in Australia and the company is investing to try to leverage the plant-based opportunity, Dusseldorp says.

We are investing AUD100m in a state-of-the-art factory in Australia. We are commissioning in [May] a new plant. It is about leveraging the scale that we already have in the plant-based sector. We are one of the largest suppliers of almond milk in Australia For us, we see it as a massive market and in Australia we are seeing phenomenal growth. We see a big, big opportunity, Dusseldorp says. We have also put a bottle line into our Ingleburn site in Australia that will allow us to access impulse. In Australia, impulse non-dairy is nowhere at the moment. Flavoured dairy milk is 100m litres in Australia and growing well so there is a real opportunity for a plant-based alternative.

Another area set for growth is Freedoms snack brands, Dusseldorp continues. We want to deliver portable health  but it doesnt necessarily have to be just a bar. We are experimenting more in the bite space. Protein has really led portable snacking in Australia. Snackability is the biggest growth driver for us. We have also launched a range of quinoa chips under our Crafted Blends brand, which brings a healthy chip to the Aussie market. We have gone into the process of how do we reduce saturated fat to get a better health star rating for a chip. We will be the only ones to achieve a four-star rating in Australia with chips, which is really exciting.

Food manufacturers in Australia can sign up to the health star nutrition labels scheme, introduced as a voluntary measure in 2014.

Freedoms domestic activity also includes a series of new snacks and cereal products. The company has rolled out a new snack brand aimed at children, called Messy Monkeys, which Dusseldorp says was developed in response to demand for products that do not contain hidden nasties, such as excessive levels of salt.

The kids opportunity for me is the next opportunity for our business, Dusseldorp says. I have kids and I struggle to find snack food that I would give my children. I have talked to 100 other parents who feel the same. The Messy Monkeys range is extruded, quinoa-based and then we add vegetable powders and a tiny bit of sodium. Nothing wrong with salt but you dont need 600 milligrams, you just need 100. It is getting that balance.

The company is also targeting millennial consumers, with Dusseldorp claiming the cohort is largely under-served by health food makers in Australia, who, he says, are more focused on the main grocery buyer, typically aged between 38 and 40. Freedom Foods plans to roll out a snack bar Dusseldorp describes as the food equivalent of energy drink brand Red Bull. The product is made up of slow release energy sources such as cashew butter, he reveals. We are launching a whole new brand called PEG which is a bar brand, which is all about millennial nutrition. I think of it as the food equivalent of Red Bull. It is all real and good-for-you.

The PEG brand is about going out and having fun and embracing energy with less emphasis placed on health. I think for us [this is] the square peg. We are calling it urban energy, Dusseldorp says.

While Freedom is adjusting its tone for a millennial audience, the healthy attributes of its products are also increasingly being placed in the spotlight. The company  which has a wide free-from product line-up  has adapted its communication to focus less on the allergens its products do not contain and more on positive nutrition. When you talk about food and all you tell people is what is not in it, that is counter intuitive, Dusseldorp says. We changed the way we spoke about our foods and decided to create foods that do a heap more. That is when Crafted Blends, our first step into nuts, came out. Then you see the evolution into [wholegrain ingredient] BarleyMax; we are evolving everyday in terms of what we offer.

To that end, Freedom recently embarked on a process of assessing and  where necessary reformulating  its existing range in Australia and is working with nutrition scientist Dr Joanna McMillan on a nutritional rating scheme.

We want to make sure that people are eating good food. And if they are not, what are we doing as an organisation? For us, we have really drawn a line in the sand to say we are improving our entire range. We are now ripping apart every product we make. We have employed a consultant in Australia, Dr Joanna McMillan and she is going to create a red, green and amber profile for our products. Anything in red  which we havent got thank goodness  will be removed immediately. Anything in amber goes on hard wired to evolve and change.

The company has already looked at the levels of salt and sugar in its main domestic cereals, while increasing the amount of fibre contained in the products. We just reformulated our three core cereals in Australia  rice flakes, rice puffs and cornflakes  because the competition had caught up. People were bringing out gluten-free but they were still high in sodium, some have high fructose corn syrup, so we reformulated. We now have almost double the fibre of anyone else on the marketplace. For us, our sugar base is already really low but we have really looked at bringing down the salt levels, balancing out the trifecta, which is salt, sugar and fibre content. And we did this with no issue, no push back.

Linked to the idea of positive nutrition, Dusseldorp believes there is a huge opportunity for Freedom Foods to expand its snacks and cereal business in the area of prebiotic fibre and gut health through ingredients such as BarleyMax, developed by Australian science research body, CSIRO, in partnership with Popina Food Services, a business Freedom bought in 2015. It is probably the single biggest area across our markets, he says.

Outside Australia, Freedom Foods recently formed a joint venture with US investment firm AFT Holdings to accelerate the Australian companys sales and earnings base in the US. The group is pushing to expand the reach of its brands that contain BarleyMax as a point of difference in the market.

The range has already been well received, Dusseldorp suggests. However, he concedes expansion in the US has been a learning curve that included moving out of the allergy-free space which, he says, is interesting but it is a niche.

Nevertheless, Dusseldorp is excited about the US market, where entrepreneurial companies are driving interest in the large natural channel. He reveals Freedom Foods is excited by the prospect of operating in a market where the retailer base is more diverse than in Australia.

[In Australia] you do have to play in some half-price promos throughout the year. You cant avoid it. Australia as a food market is far more aggressive than the USA because there is not as much competition [at a retailer level]. For us, the exciting thing about the US market is that you do have that diversity of retailer. You have a really well-established natural channel, which I find really exciting Back home it is far more cut-throat.

While the groups fledgling US business is an interesting avenue for future expansion for Freedom Foods, Dusseldorp believes the greatest market potential lies in China, where the company has invested significantly in recent reasons.

Dusseldorp reveals the companys largest revenue stream is generated by dairy products it co-manufactures for Chinese dairy companies. However, he believes a good opportunity lies in the less developed cereal and snacking sectors.

The cereal and snacking opportunity in China is still very much in its infancy. It is the emerging younger consumer that is experimenting with cereal and western style foods, especially in breakfast, Dusseldorp says. They are rejecting the traditional breakfast foods  the hot breakfasts, konjis, because the young people in China have great access to digital channels, which their parents are not as engaged with. They are also incredibly busy and they acknowledge the fact they need more on-the-go options, which cereal and snacking can provide.

Dusseldorp, however, adds: The sheer size and scale of China, the underdeveloped nature of western food over there, is a huge opportunity. Well, everyone says it is. Whether it will emerge to be the biggest food market for western food in the world is TBD at this point.

For all its potential, Freedom Foods is also facing a number of challenges in China, including changes to import regulations that have hit the performance of other Australian food manufacturers, such as infant formula maker Bellamys Australia.

The challenge in China is not only the cultural challenge, for western companies to understand the consumer and [distribution models] The other challenge is the regulation changes in China, Dusseldorp notes.

Freedom Foods is prepared to tackle these issues thanks to its well connected in-country team, Dusseldorp claims. We have people on the ground, we have had for years. Were in dairy, so we work with some of the biggest dairy companies in China, so we really keep our ear to the ground. You also dont pretend to know what you dont know. That is one of our favourite sayings. We are actually seeing more and more what we dont know  and when you are aware of that you can mitigate the risks.

Another issue facing western food manufacturers hoping to grow in China is the fact consumers in the country do not always differentiate between the plethora of western brands hitting the shelves of tier one and two cities. I think that is one of the biggest challenges that companies have when they look at China. They see it as an overnight success. They want the lottery ticket. And yes, there are examples of that. But my analogy is always the same. There are people that win the lottery. You and I dont. The vast majority of us dont.

So, how does Freedom plan to succeed in China? Its about the hard slog, Dusseldorp says. It is about consistent investment. It is the fundamentals of any business. You build it from the ground up and you do the hard yards. It is about time, place, continuity, all of the things that reek of effort.
Ireland-based food group Glanbia has moved a step closer to selling a 60% stake in its domestic dairy products business.

Glanbia said today (26 April) it had signed binding legal agreements for the sale of the majority stake in its Dairy Ireland division to the Glanbia Co-operative Society, the companys largest shareholder.

The group had announced in February the two sides had penned a memorandum of understanding on the transaction.

This strategic initiative remains on track to be completed by mid-year, Glanbia MD Siobhan Talbot said.

Under the terms of the transaction, Dairy Ireland, will be combined with Glanbia Ingredients Ireland DAC, a venture Glanbia plc and the Glanbia Co-operative Society set up in 2012. Glanbia plc will own a 40% stake in the new, enlarged business, which will be known as Glanbia Ireland.

Talbot said: This will bring together Glanbia Groups Irish dairy and agri-businesses under single ownership and will enable Glanbia to continue to focus on its two growth platforms of Glanbia Performance Nutrition and Glanbia Nutritionals.

Dairy Ireland accounted for just over 10.1% of Glanbia plcs wholly-owned EBITA in 2016. Its consumer-facing business supplies branded dairy products, including Avonmore, to the Irish market, as well as exporting long-life dairy products.

A second, agribusiness unit supplies inputs to the Irish agriculture sector, including grain and animal feed.

During 2016, Dairy Ireland saw its sales fall 2.7% to EUR616.2m. In contrast, Glanbias performance nutrition unit increased revenue by 9.4%, to EUR1bn, while sales from its nutritionals arm increased by 0.5% to EUR1.2bn. On a group-wide basis, Glanbia said sales rose to EUR2.85bn, compared to EUR2.77bn in 2015.
Events and Announcements

Benefits Fair

A benefits fair is held each October during open enrollment for benefits.

Classified and Support Staff Council

University Support Staff Senate Meetings

The Monthly meetings will be held in person at 1pm in the Student Union Cottonwood Room.

Meetings are held the second Wednesday of each month at 1 p.m. All meetings are located in the K-State Student Union, Cottonwood room (except as indicated below.)

July 13, 2022

August 10, 2022

September 14, 2022

October 12, 2022

November 9, 2022

December 14, 2022

January 11, 2023

February 8, 2023

March 8, 2023

April 12, 2023

May 10, 2023

June 14, 2023

Executive Council meets at noon prior to Senate meetings. Senate committee's meet at 12:30 p.m. prior to Senate meetings.

USSS Open Forum

All university support staff are invited to the annual Fall and Spring Open Forums. It is an opportunity to communicate directly with President Linton and other Campus Leaders. See the videos of the open forums on communications. Some questions were not asked due to time. You can read those questions and answers on communications.

University Support Staff Recognition Ceremony

We recognize University Support Staff who have reached 5-15-25-35-45 years of service during the calendar year. Additionally, we will recognize Awards of Excellence, Meritorious Service Awards and Retiree's. Awardees will be announced in April.

Future Ceremony Dates Set: Monday, May 2, 2022 at 1:30pm in the Student Union Ball Room.
Literally overnight, a female migrant worker from Xiangyang, Hubei province has become famous after her autobiographical essay whipped up an online frenzy, with many netizens and media outlets hailing her as a literary genius.

Fan Yusu, a 44-year-old domestic helper working in Beijing, never expected that her writing would produce so many favorable comments from readers and media outlets. In her essay "Im Fan Yusu," which garnered over 100,000 views on WeChat, Fan described her dreams and life experience as a migrant worker, taking on sensitive topics including domestic violence and Chinas unique household registration system.

My life is a book that is painful to read, while destiny has bound me in a clumsy way, Fan wrote. The author's matter-of-fact yet thought-provoking words have touched many readers, who describe her work as refreshing and deep.

The writers appeal for the return of primitive human nature as well as a radical reflection on society really touched my soul. She is like an anthropologist who, by observing people from all walks of life in the city, has offered readers a new perspective by which to interpret the world, An Xiaoye (pseudonym), an art critic at Peking University, told the Peoples Daily Online.

Ans opinion is shared by many netizens. Under the hashtag "IAmFanYusu," the article went viral on WeChat, garnering over 1.1 million page views. Many netizens have praised the woman for her persistence in writing as well as her optimistic attitude toward a difficult life.

As a woman from a small village without much education, Fan never gave up on pursuing literature. She was brave enough to leave her violent husband and raise her two daughters through hard work. I think she is a model for other women, one netizen wrote.

Fans article has also been given extensive coverage in mainstream media outlets. In a commentary released by the Peoples Daily on April 25, a writer called for authorities to address the social problems revealed in Fans essay, adding that the essay can be recognized not only for its literary value, but also for its role in promoting social justice.

In response to the online frenzy, Fan told the Beijing Youth Daily that she is "not willing to accept interviews, and her income relies on labor, not writing essays.

Im not good at typing, so I have to write everything by hand ... Writing is my spiritual pillar. I have never been preoccupied by anything complicated - for instance, buying a house - so I have less mental burden, said Fan.

As humans, [we] should pursue something more than filling up our stomachs, like satisfying our spiritual needs. There are around five publishers contacting me now, but I hardly dare to imagine that my work might be published, she added.

Fan also stressed that as a vulnerable individual, she tries her best to respect others, even if she cannot get the same treatment in return.

Born in a rural family of five children, poverty forced Fan to drop out of middle school. Her marriage left her with two daughters and bitter memories of domestic violence at the hands of her alcoholic husband.

I cannot change the environment, but I can be my true self and become a model for my kids, she added.
Thanks to its cooperation with China under the framework of Belt and Road initiative, Kazakhstans dream to develop its own petrochemical processing industry has come true. After establishing Aktau asphalt plant, the largest direct investment project in non-resource sectors between the two countries, the Central Asian nation is no longer dependent on asphalt imports.

Co-invested by KazMunayGas and China's CITIC Group, the plant is Kazakhstans first modern oil processing company, which has brought considerable benefits to local residents.

Though oil-rich, Kazakhstan sees a relatively backward oil refining industry, with many downstream petrochemical products relying on imports for a long time.

Before 2014, nearly 90 percent of bitumen in Kazakhstan was imported. Thanks to the Belt and Road initiative, the countrys vision to foster its own petrochemical processing industry has realized.

The plant was put into production three months after Chinese President Xi Jinping concluded his historic visit to Central Asia in September 2013.

Before kicking off his visit, Xi told a Kazakh media that China and Kazakhstan should enhance cooperation in non-resource sectors such as chemical industry.

Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev, when announcing the operation of the plant via video connection, expressed his gratitude to Chinese enterprises, saying that Kazakhstan is finally able to construct its roads independently. On a following inspection tour to the plant, the president even compared the bitumen plant to his own child.

The plant has not only satisfied domestic demand, this year it started to export bitumen to Uzbekistan, 63-year-old manufacturing technician Groba told the Peoples Daily with pride.

Groba added that no disqualification has been reported in environmental inspections over the past three years, as the environmental standard of Kazakhstan is much stricter than that of the EU.

Zhou Hanzhang, chief mechanic of the plant, said the plants technologies and equipment are both imported from China, with qualities above international standards.

Chinese and Kazakh administrative staffs discuss operation of the Aktau bitumen plant, which is the largest joint venture in non-resource sectors between China and Kazakhstan. (Photo by Zhou Hanbo from Peoples Daily)

CITIC Group, when investing in Kazakhstan, has been following Xis requirements on international cooperation in production capacity.

China will promote international production capacity cooperation, offer high-quality, advanced and environmental-friendly production capacity and technologies to help its partners optimize industrial distribution and raise industrialization, Xi said.

The plant has not only enabled me to live a descent life but also provided jobs to over 200 citizens near its location, said Groba. As a larger number of locals are indirectly working for the plant, it has become a star among the joint ventures in Aktau.

Wang Fuhua, engineer-in-chief of the instrument system, said that his workmates and he are all known to the locals, who will always express their willingness to apply for jobs at the factory. We feel very proud to work here, Wang said.

Abizhanov, director of the product and material workshop, said that he hopes his daughter to learn at China University of Petroleum in the future where she can not only get specialized knowledge but also learn Chinese language. Abizhanovs daughter is currently studying petrochemical engineering in Minsk, capital of Belarus.

With the accelerated construction of the Silk Road Economic Belt, China will increase (its) investment in Kazakhstan. Given such background, she will embrace a better career prospect if mastering Chinese, Abizhanov added.

Dispatcher Aman said that he wants to build high-quality roads for his motherland. Aman graduated from China University of Petroleum in Qingdao, Shandong Province and was impressed by the wide and smooth pavements at the school.

After Kazakhstan's Bright Road new economic policy aligns with Chinas Belt and Road initiative, there will be larger demand for high quality bitumen, he added.

As the largest and most professional bitumen manufacturer in Kazakhstan, the plant will not only help build the nations bright pathway with domestically produced bitumen, but also pave a bright pathway for my future career, Aman is confident about the future.
After losing touch and passing two decades without speaking, two veterans happened to meet in the intensive care unit of the affiliated hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University in Shenzhen, Guangdong province on April 20.

Zhuang Shuifa, 88, and Lin Shuishou, 90, served together in the Dongjiang column of Guangdong People's Anti-Japanese Guerrilla Force during the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression in the 1940s.

Both were hospitalized because of severe pulmonary infections. Through casual chatting with the nurses, Zhuang realized that the patient next to him was none other than his former comrade-in-arms. The two old friends have cheered each other on throughout their respective recoveries, and even plan to be discharged from hospital together.
Jizhan,a Shanghai-based robotics company, has claimed success in its mission to create a giant combat robot. The company is now inviting foreign counterparts to challenge this robot fighter.

We are now sending an official invitation to all Japanese and American combat robots, the company wrote. "Our robot can fight two attackers at the same time in the Fight My Bots Competition (FMB).

The Dawei prototype made its global debut on the banks of Huangpu River last year on Sept. 15, after more than half a year of research and development. Daweis pattern of red flames and Taotie (one of four evil fiends in Chinese mythology) is set off by a solemn black background. The mix of red and black embodies the vigor of China and the mysterious nature of the Orient. The robot's powerful structure gives a high-tech feel that can typically be found only in science fiction.
(Xinhua) 19:09, April 26, 2017

BEIJING, April 26 (Xinhua) -- President Xi Jinpinghas called for concrete efforts to maintain China's financial security.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, made the remarks Tuesday afternoon at a group study attended by members of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Apr. 26

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Russia has delivered another batch of ammunition and modern military equipment for various purposes to Azerbaijan, according to an agreement on military-technical cooperation signed between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Russian Federation.

According to the Ministry of Defense, the new military products delivered by ships from Russia and accepted with the participation of experts, will be transferred to the appropriate military units.

The acceptance of purchased new sets of ammunition and military equipment into the armament of the military units of Azerbaijan Armed Forces, as well as their full readiness for combat use will be ensured in the shortest possible time, the ministry said.

Training of military personnel who will operate and use new weapons and military equipment is conducted by Russian instructors. Furthermore, a phased modernization of the used weapons and equipment is carried out with the use of the latest technology.
MINDEN  A 39-year-old man has been charged with misdemeanors in connection with an assault on a woman at a Minden home Sunday.

Another woman who was at the home at the time died later of causes that havent been revealed by authorities.

Chad D. Carlson, 39, no address listed, was charged Monday in Kearney County Court with third-degree assault and with trespassing, both Class I misdemeanors.

According to a Minden Police Department press release, authorities were called to a disturbance at about 9:52 a.m. Sunday at 902 S. Nebraska Ave. No. 21. Ruth Ann Ehrke, 35, was found unresponsive at the home, the press release says, and later died at about 10:30 p.m. at CHI Health Good Samaritan. An autopsy of Ehrkes body has been scheduled.

A second victim, Nichole Peterson, was transported to a hospital, MPD said. Her condition had not been released as of this morning. According to court records, Carlsons assault charge stems from an alleged assault of Peterson.

The Minden Police Department believes this case is an isolated incident, according to its news release, and the public is not in danger.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Apr. 26

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The OSCE is expected to monitor the border of Azerbaijan and Armenia Apr. 27, said Azerbaijans Defense Ministry Apr. 26.

The monitoring will be held under the mandate of the OSCE chairperson-in-office personal representative in Azerbaijans Qazakh district.

On the Azerbaijani side, the monitoring will be held by field assistants of the OSCE chairperson-in-office personal representative Simon Tiller and Mikhail Olaru.

On the Armenian side, the monitoring will be carried out by field assistants of the OSCE chairperson-in-office personal representative Gennady Petrica and Martin Schuster.

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.
Farmers, ranchers and rural residents have frequently felt overlooked by Uncle Sam, but Tuesdays executive order by President Donald Trump could go a long way in dispelling rural Americans inferiority complex. According to Trumps plan, representatives from a variety of federal agencies will form the Interagency Task Force on Agriculture and Rural Prosperity to look for ways in which the federal government can assist farmers, ranchers and the rural residents who depend upon them.

Its a smart move by the president to acknowledge the challenging times in farm and ranch country, and that when rural America is healthy, so is the rest of the nation.

We in Nebraska understand the correlation between economically healthy farmers and ranchers and main street because two in every five jobs in our state is tied in some manner to agriculture. We know the importance of federal policy and trade strategies that recognize when Uncle Sam ought to stay out of the way and allow farmers to do their jobs, and when they need a hand.

Hopefully it wont take long for Trumps rural task force to gear up and get started.

One good approach will be to take a hard look at the environmental, labor and tax laws that can negatively affect farmers and ranchers. Many of them are great stewards of their land. Some employ a younger work force in the form of sons and daughters being brought up on their parents operation. Other farmers and ranchers have grown old working hard to succeed, only to learn the federal death tax could greatly hinder their plans to pass along their farms and ranches to their families.

In Nebraska and other rural states, farmers and ranchers need regulatory certainty and a little help from Uncle Sam to maintain and develop new markets overseas for U.S. meat, grains and other farm products.

If all goes as it should, it wont be long before the members of the rural task force understand that our nations reliable, safe and affordable food supply doesnt just happen. Food isnt created at the grocery store, its the result of hard work and big risks.
It happens every session. There is always at least one bill that gets introduced and appears harmless on its face yet winds up taking way too long  often to the point of filibuster  to debate and advance. This years version  LB68  would override individual city and local ordinances, making firearm regulations consistent statewide.

Seems pretty innocuous. Lincoln Sen. Mike Hilgers said the bill would authorize the state to regulate the registration, possession, transportation, transfer and storage of firearms and ammunition. Cities and villages would retain the authority to enforce prohibitions on firearm discharge. That will ensure public safety while also protecting the rights of lawful gun owners.

Sounds OK so far? I mean, who isnt in favor of law and order? Public safety is just the icing on that cake. Protecting the rights of lawful gun owners ... ah yes, that old Second Amendment argument could mean only one thing. There is a national agenda here and its being pushed by the National Rifle Association.

Hilgers said the measure would give the Legislature exclusive authority over regulation of firearms, effectively wiping out local restrictions adopted by Nebraska municipalities. Sounds like giving up local control. And, just because the Legislature could do it, is that necessarily a good thing?

Nothing against Hilgers, who calls this a common-sense bill that would replace a patchwork of local gun laws that make it difficult for Nebraskans and other travelers to know what laws might apply to them as they enter different cities in the state. Stop. Is that really a problem?

Answer Mr., Mrs. Gun Owner or me, have you found yourself concerned or confused while traveling across the state with your gun? Is that even a thing?

Yes, I have owned, hunted with and fired a gun in my life. I married a woman who was vice president of her college gun club and has the eighth bar on her marksman award. She has brothers and other relatives who still hunt. Never once have we been sitting at the holiday feast table and lamenting the fact that we just dont know where we can go with our guns.

So the NRA is behind it. But whos against it and why? Start with a few senators who thought the bill should have been referred to the Judiciary Committee, which deals with such topics as guns and laws. Nope, it went to the Government, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee. Hilgers is a member of that committee which is highly populated with members of the Gang of 29. Surely you remember the Gang of 29.

Oh, and then theres the Omaha and Lincoln Police Departments  the states two largest  yes, theyre against it.

Sen. Adam Morfeld of Lincoln said hes listening to police officers who say that existing local laws are valuable tools. Still, Hilgers says he has anecdotal evidence that says citizens face an impermissible choice between having a firearm that is guaranteed to them under state and federal law and breaking local ordinances. He asks, do they break the law and exercise their right to a firearm or do they put themselves in danger and go unarmed?

J.L. Schmidt, a registered Independent, is the Nebraska Press Associations statehouse correspondent.
The Trump administrations approach to the deadly serious problem of North Korea is the worst of all possible formulations. It is Teddy Roosevelt, turned upside down  Speak loudly, and pretend to carry a big stick.

What the administration wants is absolutely the ideal objective, to prevent North Korea from acquiring the capability to launch nuclear armed intercontinental ballistic missiles at the United States. But the means being discussed, such as banning the import of North Korean seafood (seriously?) are almost comically insufficient.

Then theres the armada, 3,500 miles away, but, maybe, on the way. These things, and other non-military options which might be considered, all pale by comparison to both the carrots and sticks that have already been used by prior presidents.

The hope that President Trump and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson can persuade China to exercise maximum leverage against North Korea  perhaps shutting off energy supplies, or stopping the regime from reaching nuclear ICBM capability through sanctions-backed diplomacy, while also preventing it from going out with a bang if it thought it would be stopped  is almost certainly a mirage. Likewise, even the best offensive cyber-wafare operations can do little more than slow down the march toward nuclear capability against us.

Even limited preemptive military action wont work. How could merely wounding and cornering a fierce animal not lead to a rageful last gasp of dreadful retaliation?

There is a good reason none of these are viable options. Its because, from the North Korean point of view, only achieving that most fearsome military capability can provide reasonable assurance of this regimes long-term existence. The North Korean leader wants there to be a parade for him, like the one we recently saw for his elders, on the 105th anniversary of his birth, and he must have nuclear weapons and the means to deliver them against the United States to maximize the chance of that happening. Under any scenario in which his, and his regimes, survival is in doubt, he can be counted on to take with him as many of his enemies as he has any means to do.

So here is the truly horrible truth about North Korea: There are only two choices.

The first is that we acknowledge and accept, as we have done with Russian and Chinese ICBM capabilities for decades, and then try to deter and contain, and to defend against, a North Korea able to strike us with nuclear weapons.

If this is, however, unacceptable  because we believe these weapons to be far more likely to be used offensively by the North Koreans than we have ever feared their use by the Russians and Chinese  then the alternative, the only alternative, is war. War waged to victory, not stalemate. War waged and won before the North Koreans achieve their weapons development goal. War waged with both sufficient force and tactical surprise, so as to not leave the opponent wounded, cornered, and still able to lash out.

This means the WWII notion of war, one aimed at toppling the enemy regime and destroying its capacity for harm, not limited surgical strikes aimed to send messages or merely degrade the other side.

Frightful though it surely is, there is a clock ticking on this decision, and sound judgments cannot be made on the basis of false premises. Our choices are both bad and difficult. Our choices are acceptance or war.

Craig Snyder is the president of the World Affairs Council of Philadelphia.
Fox News anchor Kelly Wright pauses during a news conference, Wednesday, April 26, 2017, in New York to discuss a lawsuit accusing the network of allowing racial discrimination. Wright and ten former and current employees of Fox News Channel filed the suit on Tuesday, saying they repeatedly complained about an executive's racist behavior but no action was taken. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan)
Headline changed, details added (first version posted at 13:43)

Baku, Azerbaijan, Apr. 26

Trend:

Russian, Azerbaijani and Armenian foreign ministers, Sergey Lavrov, Elmar Mammadyarov and Edward Nalbandian will on Apr. 28 hold a meeting in Moscow, dedicated to issues of settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

This announcement was made by Russias Foreign Ministry on Apr. 26.

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.
The RCMP are alleging that the military's second-in-command leaked cabinet secrets to a shipbuilding executive as a means of pressuring the Liberal government to approve a $700-million contract. A heavily censored version of court documents had revealed that the RCMP had requested a warrant in early January to search Vice-Adm. Mark Norman's house for evidence to support allegations that secret information had been illegally leaked. Norman waves goodbye as he is traditionally rowed away in a whaler after stepping down as the head of the Royal Canadian Navy in a ceremony Thursday, June 23, 2016 in Ottawa. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld
FILE - In this Dec. 21, 2016, file photo, real estate heir Robert Durst sits in a courtroom during a hearing in Los Angeles. A retired New York police detective says the missing wife of New York real estate heir Robert Durst once went to her neighbor's in pajamas and said her husband beat her and she feared he would kill her. James Varian testified Tuesday, April 25, 2017, that a neighbor reported Kathleen Durst had knocked on her Manhattan penthouse bedroom window for help. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, Pool, File)
FILE - In this Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2017 file photo, Lordes Reboyoso, right, yells at a rally outside of City Hall in San Francisco. President Donald Trump moved aggressively to tighten the nation's immigration controls Wednesday, signing executive actions to jumpstart construction of his promised U.S.-Mexico border wall and cut federal grants for immigrant-protecting "sanctuary cities." On Tuesday, April 25, 2017, a federal judge blocked a Trump administration order to withhold funding from communities that limit cooperation with U.S. immigration authorities, saying the president has no authority to attach new conditions to federal spending. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu, File)
French centrist presidential election candidate Emmanuel Macron, center, makes his way at the Whirlpool home appliance factory, Wednesday April 26, 2017 in Amiens, northern France. Far-right French presidential candidate Marine Le Pen has earlier upstaged Macron as she made a surprise campaign stop to the plant. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
Baku, Azerbaijan, Apr. 26

Trend:

Trend presents interview with Azerbaijans Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov

Q: Since the St. Petersburg meeting of Presidents, Armenia runs away from meetings and pursues destructive policy. In Hamburg and Munich, Armenian Foreign Minister avoided participation in the meetings. What can be said about the current conflict settlement process?

A: Substantial discussions were held for settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict during the St. Petersburg meeting of the Presidents, held at invitation and initiative of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Early this year we had a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Moscow. The OSCE Minsk Groups co-chairs visited the region and had the opinions of the parties.

As discussed at the St. Petersburg meeting, the steps to be taken to achieve progress in the conflict resolution and the plan to be implemented are very well known to everyone.

The presence of the armed forces of Armenia in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan and the fact of military occupation are the main obstacles to the settlement of conflict.

Therefore, the fact of occupation should be ended. We can continue talks for ensuring sustainable peace in an entirely new environment  under the changed status quo that would emerge once the occupation ends.

Armenia is trying to maintain the current status quo and not to fulfill its obligations by avoiding the participation in meetings.

Meanwhile, Armenia continues a policy whereby it deliberately aggravates the situation and evades the essence of the state of affairs by putting forward technical issues.

Armenia no longer has room to maneuver to make up pretexts.

Q: Then what are the expectations from the Moscow meeting?

A: We hope the Moscow meeting will be a continuation of substantial negotiations held at the St. Petersburg presidential meeting. It is time to move from words to actions. Azerbaijan stands ready for substantial negotiations as we have repeatedly stated.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Apr. 26



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On the day of remembrance of the Chernobyl tragedy, Azerbaijan, expressing solidarity with those suffered from this tragedy in Belarus, Ukraine and Russia, calls on the international community to draw attention to the serious threat posed by the Metsamor nuclear power plant (NPP) built in 1976 using the same technology as the Chernobyl NPP.



This was noted in the commentary of Azerbaijani Foreign Ministrys Spokesperson Hikmat Hajiyev, issued in connection with the anniversary of the Chernobyl tragedy.



Metsamor NPP is built on the basis of technologies used at the Chernobyl NPP, moreover, no significant overhaul has been carried out there since the construction of the Armenian nuclear power plant. Moreover, Metsamor NPP is located in the seismically active zone. Armenia doesnt have funds to maintain the station in line with the technical safety requirements, noted Hajiyev.



He also said that the station poses a huge threat to the lives of millions of people in the region.



The National Geographic magazine called Metsamor NPP the most dangerous among all nuclear power plants existing in the world, added the spokesperson.



Armenia continues to operate a nuclear power plant that has exhausted all possible technical resources, thus demonstrating its irresponsible behavior towards the world community, Hajiyev said.



Instead of drawing lessons from the Chernobyl disaster, the Armenian leadership with its cynical approach creates prerequisites for a nuclear catastrophe, threatening the lives of millions of people living in the vast region of the Caspian, Black and Mediterranean seas, noted the spokesperson.



He added that such a policy of Armenia is a gross violation of international laws.



Azerbaijans Foreign Ministry urges all international organizations and the community to increase efforts to stop the activity of Metsamor NPP.
Details added (first version posted on 11:00)

Baku, Azerbaijan, April 26

Trend:

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev viewed the newly reconstructed well in SOCAR's Bibiheybat field, the world`s first mechanically drilled oil facility Apr. 26.

President of the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan Republic (SOCAR) Rovnag Abdullayev informed the president about the work done there.

The president viewed a special interactive board which provides information about Azerbaijan`s oil history, the world`s first industrially drilled oil well, as well as the oil strategy carried out by national leader Heydar Aliyev and President Ilham Aliyev.
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Sorry, excuse me, can I get through please? I wiggled my way to the head of the bed. Quickly, I set up the necessary intubation tools as the patient arrives shortly thereafter. A frenzy ensues, tubes flying over the patient, people talking over each other.

Can you draw me up some RSI meds? Lets get this guy intubated now. Sorry, but I need it quiet in here. Tube placed, a wave of calm flooded the room, and the pace slowed. As I was putting away the laryngoscope, I asked the nurse, Was I too bossy?

Sorry is a crutch: a filler word. A way to politely ask for something without offending, to appear nicer while making a demand. Apologizing for every action lessens the possibility of being perceived as rude or obtrusive, preventing any overstepping of the confined lines of the stereotyped feminine woman.

Differences in speech between men and women were the core of the sociolinguistics study done by Robin Lakoff. Lakoff is a linguist from the University of California, Berkeley who wrote Language and Womans Place. In her book, she noted some of the following as common female speech patterns:

Hedges: phrases like sort of, kind of, it seems like



Super-polite forms: Would you mind   if its not too much to ask Is it OK if ?



Apologize more: Im sorry, but I think that 



Speak less frequently



Tag questions: You dont mind eating this, do you?



Indirect requests: Wow, Im so thirsty, but really asking for a drink

It was because of these subtle phrasings that she found, strong expressions of feelings are avoided and expression of uncertainty is favored  leading to the marginality and powerlessness of women.

From a young age, women are trained to be nurturing and agreeable. Any deviation can be off putting so they are conditioned to apologize before speaking, thus appearing less aggressive. For any woman in a position of power, there is a constant struggle to delicately give orders without offending anyone. This is especially so for women in medicine who constantly face the dilemma of balancing femininity and assertiveness. One tip of the scale in either direction causes them to lose credibility. Soft spoken becomes unsure and incompetent, assertiveness is seen as bitchy and hard to work with. It is because of this fear that there is a blatant overuse of comfort words such as sorry.

The majority of times, we really arent sorry to be asking a question, were simply trying to be polite. We are making a direct statement without being flagged as bossy. It is a another way of downplaying our power, softening our approach in an attempt to seem nice. Though females physicians have made great strides in attaining equality, medicine still has an unspoken element of the Good Old Boys Club. Many times there are lingering double standards for behaviors commonly accepted by our male counterparts. It is because of these fears of not following our gender roles that we dont speak up for ourselves. But silence is dangerous; it lends approval and reinforces negative stereotypes that feed the vicious cycle of inequality. Apologizing unnecessarily places women in a subservient position, thus causing loss of respect.

Evidence has shown that women are less self-assured than men; and that to succeed, confidence matters just as much as competence. With the increase in female presence in the workforce and graduate and professional schools, it has never been more obvious that the competence is there. The limiting factor now is the confidence. With the barrage of daily sorrys that seemingly question our abilities, we are just taking steps backwards. As success correlates closely with confidence just as much as competence, it is no wonder women are still underrepresented at the highest levels. Being overly apologetic is robbing us of self-esteem, dignity, and respect.

Fear not though, as new evidence emerges frequently on how much our brains can change in response to shifting thought patterns and behaviors. It has been shown that confidence can be self-perpetuating, so it is crucial to surround ourselves with strong minded females that support and encourage us  those that remind us that being sorry should be reserved for wrongdoings as opposed to taking up time that should be allocated to stating and expressing what we want. It is essential to continue bolstering this confidence so that we achieve everything that we are deserving of, and show the future generation of women that they too are worthy. So following in the footsteps of Julia Child who once famously said, never apologize, sorry, but not sorry.

Theresa Hsiao is an emergency medicine resident. This article originally appeared in FeminEm.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com
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When you go to the internet or phone book today, there are hundreds of physicians listed in most urban areas. In the next two decades, you can expect more difficulty finding a physician in your hometown  a major physician shortage is looming.

In the last year, I have noted many mid-career physicians are leaving the practice of medicine. While the growth of mid-level hospital administrators has ballooned at nearly 3,000 percent, fewer students are entering medical school. In fact, according to Compdata Surveys, hospital administrators now account for a large proportion of the costs of health care.

The impending physician shortage will affect both primary care as well as numerous essential subspecialties. When I was in medical school, I was told that specialists  such as cardiologists  would be in abundance and I would not be able to get a job. I have been a practicing cardiologist for almost 17 years now. Based on the current report, it is expected that we will see a shortfall of nearly 100K doctors by the year 2030. A closer look at the predictions show that we will have a shortage of 40K physicians in the critical area of primary care as well as a shortage of nearly 60K physicians in specialties such as allergy and immunology, cardiology, gastroenterology, and infectious disease. In general surgery, the report predicts that there will be 30K fewer surgeons than are needed to provide care to those who need it.

Why are doctors leaving medicine?

A 2016 report by the Physicians Foundation found an alarming growth in burnout and dissatisfaction among practicing physicians  47 percent of respondents in the survey indicated plans to accelerate their retirement and move into areas outside of clinical medicine. The most common reason for leaving medicine included regulatory burdens and electronic health records. Nearly 63 percent indicated that they have negative feelings about the future of healthcare and only half of all physicians would recommend a career in medicine to their children. Many of my colleagues feel that they have no voice and have no way to impact healthcare policy  even in their own institution. As regulatory requirements and nonclinical tasks continue to mount, physicians are finding themselves spending less and less time with patients. According to 2016 research from the Annals of Internal Medicine, most doctors only spend 25 percent of their day engaging with patients  the bulk of the time is spent on nonclinical electronic and regulatory paperwork. In fact, for every hour of direct patient contact, physicians have and additional two hours of electronic paperwork.

What is the solution?

These statistics should be incredibly troubling for all Americans seeking health care. With access already an issue in the U.S. health care system for many and more reforms on the way, we must do more to entice bright young minds to medicine  and retain those that are currently delivering care to millions of patients.

While the AAMC (Association of American Medical Colleges) argues that the answer to averting a shortage lies in creating more training spots and allowing advanced practice nurses and physician assistants to do the work of trained physicians  I would argue that the real answer to the pending physician shortage crisis  unfortunately lies in Washington, D.C. Congress must act to save health care.

1. Limit meaningless electronic paperwork. Currently, doctors spend far too much time with electronic medical records (EMR). The EMR, while touted to be a patient safety tool is nothing more than a way for hospitals and health care systems to ensure that they are billing patients at the highest levels  capturing all possible charges. Physicians are forced to click through a myriad of pathways in the record to document their care and work, and all of these pathways are carefully designed to maximize billing codes. Most doctors take home two or more hours of electronic documentation nightly to keep up with patient care loads. We must streamline paperwork and balance documentation with patient care. Doctors should not be billers and coders for the health care system.

2. Remove hospital administrators from the care equation. In some institutions, there are more mid-level managers than physicians. These executives are not physicians and are not trained in the practice of medicine. Their primary focus is to increase market share for the healthcare system and to manage health care professionals by creating algorithms of care and regulations.

Administrators will claim that their activities will help with quality improvement and patient safety. However, most of these individuals are highly compensated, and I am not aware of any data that suggests that their activities have ever been shown to improve patient outcomes. For most physicians, administrators are a mechanism for increasing cost of care. Physicians should be part of the decision-making process in any healthcare system and should have a voice  currently, there are very few physicians in the C-suite.

3. Remove barriers to patient care. Nothing frustrates doctors more than not being able to provide care to patients. We must make health care more accessible and provide physicians with the resources they need to efficiently provide high-quality, affordable care. We must promote the use of telemedicine and digital tools to enhance the doctor-patient interaction. We must allow physicians and patients to build long term relationships and facilitate and promote engagement. No longer can we allow networks and insurers to dictate which doctor a patient can see  if you like your doctor, you can keep him/her.

4. No longer allow insurance companies to dictate care. As a practicing physician, I spend a great deal of time battling with insurance companies over appropriate care for my patients. I find myself spending hours each week on the phone with an insurance company bureaucrat arguing that a particular test or therapy is indicated (even though these are supported by clinical guidelines) rather than caring for patients. We must not allow insurers to dictate how highly trained physicians should care for their patients. Insurers must abide by the practice guidelines and indications for tests and procedures that have been approved by major national organizations such as the American College of Cardiology, for example.

Kevin R. Campbell is a cardiac electrophysiologist who blogs at his self-titled site, Dr. Kevin R. Campbell, MD. He is the author of Women and Cardiovascular Disease.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com
Details (added (first version posted on 12:14)

Baku, Azerbaijan, April 26

Trend:

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev received a delegation led by Minister of Energy, Industry and Mineral Resources of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Khalid Abdulaziz Al-Falih Apr. 26.

The president recalled his visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and his meetings with Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King of Saudi Arabia Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and other high-ranking officials of the country.

The president also recalled his meeting with Khalid Abdulaziz Al-Falih that took place in Davos this year.

President Aliyev said the visit of the Saudi Arabian minister of energy, industry and mineral resources is a good opportunity for him to familiarize himself with Azerbaijan.

Hailing the very high level of relations between the two countries, the president said the bilateral ties are strengthening and noted the importance of continuing cooperation.

President Aliyev said Azerbaijan is interested in expanding relations with Saudi Arabia in various areas.

Praising the high level of political ties, the president underlined the necessity of taking this opportunity to develop the economic cooperation and increase the bilateral trade and mutual export.

Stressing the significance of developing energy resources and cooperation in oil and gas refining and petrochemistry, President Aliyev highlighted Azerbaijan`s accomplishments in this area.

The president said Azerbaijan is where the mechanical method of oil well drilling was for the first time applied in the world, adding that the country has rich experience in this regard.

President Aliyev emphasized the fact that the Saudi Arabian delegation will visit Sangachal terminal tomorrow and familiarize themselves with some of the projects there.

The president expressed confidence that the Saudi Arabian minister`s visit will give new dynamics to the development of energy cooperation between the two countries.

Khalid Abdulaziz Al-Falih extended greetings of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Muhammad bin Nayef bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud, Deputy Crown Prince, second Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense Mohammad bin Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud to President Aliyev.

He also expressed the Saudi people`s respect for President Aliyev and the government of Azerbaijan.

Khalid Abdulaziz Al-Falih said relations between the two countries and peoples have deep and ancient roots, pointing out centuries-long cultural cooperation.

He said this cooperation has been further expanded under the leadership of President Aliyev.

Saying that Saudi Arabia is one of the first countries to recognize Azerbaijan`s independence, Khalid Abdulaziz Al-Falih expressed his pleasure at the celebration of the 25th anniversary of the founding of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

The minister said Saudi Arabia always supports Azerbaijan`s territorial integrity, adding that the two counties have built strong cooperation and have always supported each other over the past years.

President Aliyev thanked for the greetings of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince Muhammad bin Nayef bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud and Deputy Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and asked the Saudi Arabian minister to extend his greetings to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King of Saudi Arabia, and the Crown Prince and Deputy Crown Prince.

Khalid Abdulaziz Al-Falih presented a piece of the cover of Kaaba to President Aliyev.
A Laredo judge sends a Michigan man to prison for transporting people illegally.

George Lester Stewart, 61, tried to smuggle ten people in the back of a rental truck. He was caught at the checkpoint near Freer.

During trial, however, Stewart claimed he accepted a job offer to transport furniture from McAllen to Houston. He denied knowledge of the people in the back of the truck.

Stewart will serve 71 months in federal prison, to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release.
Hundreds gathered to do their part in preventing child abuse.

Local professionals and community members attended the 18th annual Child Abuse Prevention Conference.

Hosted by the Child Advocacy Center, guest speakers led discussions on a variety of topics aiming to educate on prevention, spotting and reporting child abuse.

Organizers say they want attendees to walk away knowing the community must protect children.

The conference covered topics such as human trafficking, predators' behavior and student-teacher relationships.
Congress has four days left to come to an agreement on federal funding, or the government will shut down this Saturday. A major road block has been agreeing to funding for the border wall.

But for now, it seems it has been put aside. The White House says it will push for the wall's funding until later this year.

Texas Congressman Henry Cuellar says a shutdown over border wall funding would be "irresponsible".

In a statement, Cuellar says:

"President Trump is threatening to shut down the government if he doesn't get to build his symbolic border wall. He wants to cut things like education, transportation, and health care to fund his pet project. "

Cuellar adds this would be a way to punish the American people by shutting down the government.

Cuellar also adds that Trump's funding for the wall would risk things like education, transportation and healthcare.

The congressman says money should go toward border security but in a different form.

He also says the president's push to fund the wall a few days ago did cause a delay.

When asked if we should expect a shut down, Cuellar says if the spending bill is not approved by Friday, the delay should not pass the beginning of next week.

The deadline for the spending bill is Friday and it must be passed by both houses of Congress and signed by President Trump by midnight.
The Child's Advocacy Center held a discussion on a variety of topics that aim to educate the public on how to prevent and spot child abuse.

One topic that drew in many attendees was getting to learn more on the arrest and conviction of Jared Fogle.

The audience members got to hear the firsthand experience from two officials that led the case to take down the former Subway spokesperson.

The public knew him as the man who enjoyed to eat healthy with Subway but in 2015 the public saw Jared Fogle in a different light.

Steve Debrota played a major role in the case.

Debrota was the Senior Litigation Counsel for the U.S. Attorney's Office in the southern district of Indiana. Darin Odier, a detective and FBI task force officer was also involved in taking down Fogle.

Both men spoke about their role in the take down of Fogle and the former 'Jared Foundation' executive director Russell Taylor.

Both went into detail on the training and tools to trace the offender's past like using on scene computer forensics, and media-sniffing dogs.

In late 2015 Fogle was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to child pornography related charges.

Debrota advises parents to know what type of devices children are using, as it will help with an investigation if an incident were to ever occur.

The Child Abuse Prevention Conference ended with guest speaker Jaycee Dugard who was kidnapped in 1991 and was imprisoned for 18 years.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Apr. 26

Trend:

President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev sent a congratulatory letter to King of the Netherlands Willem-Alexander.

On my own behalf and on behalf of the people of Azerbaijan, I wholeheartedly congratulate you and your people on the occasion of the public holiday of the Netherlands  King's Day, said President Aliyev in his letter.

On this joyful day, I am pleased to extend my most sincere congratulations to you as you celebrate your 50th anniversary, and I wish you good health, happiness, success in your work, and the friendly people of the Netherlands lasting peace and prosperity, Ilham Aliyev said.
Hundreds will be wearing purple this Friday in honor of cancer survivors.

People from all walks of life will gather to celebrate the lives of those who have had cancer, and also those lost and fighting back the disease.

The American Cancer Society will be hosting its annual Relay for Life at the United ISD Student Activity Complex. The event begins April 28 at 7:00 pm, and ends on April 29 at 7:00 am.

Organizers say the sunset to sunrise symbolizes the journey to battling cancer.

Tonight on KGNS News at Ten, Reporter Yocelin Gallardo tells us more about the upcoming event.
Nearly 1,000 athletes take part in one of the biggest events in the Gateway City.

Side by side competitors took the field for Day One of the three-day Special Olympics competitions all looking to take the gold.

Students with United ISD, Laredo ISD, Zapata ISD and Hebbronville ISD took part in the early morning competitions.

Athletes will compete in various track and field events like shotput, long jump and more.

The Laredo area spring games for all athletes will be held Wednesday and Thursday at the UISD Student Activity Complex.
Jury deliberations are taking place on Tuesday in the 111th District Court for a convicted felon accused of ransacking a house last year.

Edwing Alvarez is on trial for burglary of habitation.

According to police, Alvarez took several large items and ransacked a home on Fremont Street last July. He is facing up to ten years in prison if found guilty.

The trial for the burglary is expected to conclude on Tuesday.

Alvarez has been arrested 35 times for charges including assault, robbery, fraud, prohibited weapons, burglary, prostitution, shoplifting and drug possession.
The Wyoming State Board of Education (SBE) met last week in Casper to review elements of the federal accountability system required as part of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA).

During this past legislative session, refinements were made to the Wyoming Accountability in Education Act (WAEA) to align it more closely with the federal accountability requirements. Although minor differences in the accountability systems exist, the SBE took action to use the ESSA plan as the foundation for the states accountability system.

The ESSA legislation that replaces previous federal education law, known as No Child Left Behind, requires the state superintendent of public instruction to develop the details of the federal accountability system. Per House Enrolled Act 61, Wyomings state legislature also requires the state board to create a parallel system for school district accountability. State Superintendent Jillian Balow and state board chairman Walt Wilcox agreed that the two systems should work towards convergence so that school districts have clear direction when meeting accountability requirements.

Both the Wyoming Department of Education (WDE) and the SBE must also develop metrics for the accountability system through consultative processes with the public. The WDE released its draft ESSA plan for further public review and input on April 24. The WDE will convene the Advisory Committee and work with the SBE to convene the Professional Judgment Panel to refine the indicators that will meet the requirements for both accountability models.

In other action, the SBE delayed action on the meeting schedule for next year to see whether there were technological options to reduce travel expenditures, while still providing public access to the meetings.
A new monument is to be erected in Callan to inform locals and tourists about the life of White House designer, James Hoban.

The world-renowned architect, who hailed from Cuffesgrange, famously designed the home of the US President in Washington DC. A monument was erected to his memory in Desart several years ago, and now the James Hoban Memorial Society are to fully fund the construction and installation of a new information heritage marker about his life and works.

The marker will be located at the top end of Green Street, near the existing memorial to Edmund Ignatius Rice, and on the opposite side of the road from the war memorial.

At Fridays meeting of the Kilkenny City Municipal District, director of services Tim Butler briefed members on the proposal, which received their support.

Mr Butler said that the council had met representatives of the memorial society from Washington DC , and this was something they had been speaking about doing for a number of years.

Cllr Matt Doran welcomed the development, saying it would greatly enhance the location and remind people of the prestigious architect.

All the work for the project will be carried out by local contractors, with the stonework by P Molloy & Sons.

There are also plans in place for a Hoban Summer School later in the year, which will celebrate not only Hoban, but other Irish contractors and staff members of the White house over the years.
Dubai is getting another architectural wonder  a gold-plated 150-meter-high frame, which is scheduled to be opened in the end of 2017. The project has been under construction for four years and is costing the city $43.6 million.

Initially, the project was scheduled to be completed in 2015. The local government said the delay was due to replacement of the exterior gold stainless steel coating.

We have been delayed because we have some difficulties with the claddings and so we need to change it. Its not only because of the new [the UAE Fire and Life Safety Code 2017] regulations, but we also want to give the frame a new look, Arabian Business quoted Dubai Municipality director-general Hussain Nasser Lootah as saying.

The golden claddings are being put in a pattern inspired by the Expo 2020 logo, according to media reports.

The structure, which stands in the citys famous urban Zabeel Park, looks like a giant golden picture frame.

 Dubai Municipality

The two massive pillars of the frame are connected by a 93-meter bridge, with a clear glass walkway, where visitors can come up, stroll and take in breathtaking views of the city.

The bridge serves as an observatory providing uninterrupted views of Old Dubai to the north, and New Dubai to the south, Dubai Municipality said on its website.

The ground floor of the structure will feature a gallery and a museum, dedicated to the citys history. Some of the exhibits will include live mist effects, smells and motion, as part of the experience.

The new attraction will join the ranks of Burj Khalifa, the tallest skyscraper on the planet, and is expected to captivate more than two million visitors per year, according to Dubai Municipality.

Lawsuit and Copyright Infringement Claims

The new project is not without its controversy though, as Mexican-born architect Fernando Donis is claiming that the Dubai Frame was not only his idea, but he also won a 2008 award in a design competition for it, which was hosted by Dubai Municipality and ThyssenKrupp Elevator.

Donis filed a lawsuit in December in the American federal court, accusing Dubai Municipality of breaching his copyright.

According to the terms of the ThyssenKrupp Elevator Architecture Award he received, the winner's design would be considered by the Dubai Municipality and, if commissioned, only be used once a contract had been signed by both parties. The design owner would retain copyright and their design could not be used -- even in part -- without their formal consent, CNN reported.

Donis lawsuit stated that he had not been compensated or included in the frame's construction process.

Its shocking, Donis told The New York Times. The Frame is mine, and they dont want to grant that it is mine. The infringement doesnt just victimize me. They have taken something from all architects  the protection of our ideas.

Emery Celli Brinckerhoff & Abady LLP, the firm representing the case in the U.S. are confident that they will win, CNN reported.

One of the lawyers, Andrew Celli, said they are yet to receive an answer from Dubai Municipality.

Their silence is telling; they really have no substantive defense to the infringement claim, he said. A jury will plainly see that the infringing Dubai Frame is an illegal copy of Fernando's award-winning design. Such blatant misappropriation by the Dubai Municipality and ThyssenKrupp is not just a clear violation of copyright law  it is an affront to artists and architects worldwide.
ABUJA, April 25 (Reuters) - Nigeria's central bank sold $25 million on Tuesday in its first day of offering foreign exchange to investors and exporters, it said in a statement.

The central bank also sold $96.37 million in currency forwards at an auction, it said, part of its effort to narrow the spread between official and black market exchange rates and improve foreign exchange liquidity.

The central bank has been intervening in the official market to try to narrow the spread between the official and unofficial markets and has sold about $4 billion since February, analysts say, a pace they doubt it can sustain.

(Reporting by Camillus Eboh; writing by Paul Carsten, editing by G Crosse)
Baku, Azerbaijan, Apr. 26

Trend:

Azerbaijans President Ilham Aliyev has extended congratulations to Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma, president of the South African Republic.

On my own behalf and on behalf of the people of Azerbaijan, I extend my most sincere congratulations to you and your people on the occasion of the public holiday of the South African Republic  Freedom Day, Ilham Aliyev told the South African president in his congratulatory letter.

I believe that friendship and cooperation between our countries will continue to develop and expand in the best interests of our peoples, Ilham Aliyev said. On this remarkable day, I wish you good health, success in your work, and your friendly people peace and prosperity.
* Spot gold on track for weakest session since March 2

* SPDR Gold holdings up 6 tonnes in last two sessions

* Silver slips to one-month low

(Updates prices, adds comment, byline, NEW YORK dateline)

By Marcy Nicholson and Zandi Shabalala

NEW YORK/LONDON, April 25 - Gold prices fell to a two-week low on Tuesday as markets became less concerned that far-right leader Marine Le Pen would win the French presidential election, increasing investor appetite for risky assets such as stocks while denting bullion.

Spot gold was down 0.9 percent at $1,264.25 an ounce by 2:53 p.m. EDT (1853 GMT), on track for its weakest one-day performance since March 2. It fell earlier to $1,261.41, the lowest since April 11.

U.S. gold futures settled down 0.8 percent at $1,267.20.

A gauge of world stocks notched a record for a second straight session, spurred by speculation about U.S. tax reform and relief at French election results, while the 10-year U.S.

Treasury yield rallied to a two-week high.



Business-friendly centrist Emmanuel Macron won the first round of the French vote on Sunday and opinion polls indicated less support for Le Pen.

"We've moved from having multiple numbers of positive drivers for gold last week when yields were on the defensive and we had multiple geopolitical risks," said Ole Hansen, head of commodity strategy at Saxo Bank. "But now with the French election (first round) behind us, there is a bit of a surge of risk-on coming back to the market. The main worry was a strong performance by Le Pen."

Gold is often seen as an alternative investment during times of political and financial uncertainty.

Heightened security risks provided some support. North Korea conducted a live-fire exercise on Tuesday as a U.S. submarine docked in South Korea in a show of force.

Hansen said gold would trade cautiously this week before a Friday deadline for the U.S. Congress to pass a spending bill funding the government through September or risk a government shutdown.

Holdings of SPDR Gold, the world's largest gold-backed exchange-traded fund, rose six tonnes in the past two sessions.

Silver dipped 1.7 percent at $17.59 an ounce after touching a one-month low at $17.51.

"Silver's fundamentals look to be price supportive, but overextended investor positioning poses downside risk near-term," said Standard Chartered in a note. "Investor and industrial demand tend to drive silver prices but the supply side has now started to turn. We estimate supply fell by just under 1 percent last year, and will decline at a similar pace this year."

Palladium was up 0.2 percent at $796.55 while platinum inched down 0.4 percent to $955.30 an ounce.

Asset manager ETF Securities said in a note it expects "modest upside" for platinum given "expectations for continued global recovery in growth and manufacturing, and a record discount to the gold price."

(Additional reporting by Swati Verma and Nallur Sethuraman in Bengaluru; editing by David Evans and Chizu Nomiyama)
(Adds Canada's Trudeau to call President Trump, quote from Canadian energy minister)

By David Ljunggren

OTTAWA, April 25 (Reuters) - The United States and Canada faced off on Tuesday in a renewed battle over softwood lumber that threatened to spill over into multiple other sectors, though President Donald Trump said he did not fear a trade war with Canada.

Canada vowed to fight back against Washington's move on Monday to impose tariffs on lumber that mostly feeds U.S. homebuilding, noting trade authorities have consistently sided with Ottawa in the long-standing dispute.

The heated rhetoric came amid fresh attacks from the U.S. president against Canada's dairy industry, and just months after a warm meeting between Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in Washington, where Trump said the U.S.-Canada trade relationship only needed "tweaking."

"People don't realize Canada's been very rough on the United States. ... They've outsmarted our politicians for years," Trump said during a meeting with agricultural leaders.

"We don't want to be taken advantage of by other countries, and that's stopping and that's stopping fast," he added.

Trudeau was due to call Trump later on Tuesday after he speaks to the premiers of Canada's 10 provinces, said Andree-Lyne Halle, a spokeswoman for the Canadian prime minister.

Washington said Monday it will impose preliminary anti-subsidy duties averaging 20 percent on imports of Canadian softwood lumber, a move that affects some $5.66 billion worth of imports of the construction material. Trudeau said he would defend the national interest.

"Standing up for Canada's interests is what my job is, whether it's softwood or software," he said during a visit to a technology company in Ontario.

The two countries were on a collision course over softwood lumber, which has irritated bilateral relations for decades, because a previous agreement had expired.

Natural Resources Minister Jim Carr said Canada was considering all options, including a World Trade Organization or NAFTA challenge, and would help companies and workers who lose their jobs because of the tariff.

POINTING AT NAFTA

The renewed trade dispute, which comes just days after Trump took aim at Canada's "unfair" dairy system, sent the Canadian dollar to a 14-month low as investors braced for tense negotiations with Canada's largest market.

U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross on Tuesday called Canada a close ally, but said that did not mean Canadians do not have to play by the rules. Ross said that while no immediate further actions were being contemplated, the disputes point to the need to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement sooner rather than later. Canada's Carr rejected any suggestion that Canada was not playing by the rules.

"Independent trade panels have repeatedly found these (U.S. lumber) claims to be baseless. We have prevailed in the past, and we will do so again," he told a news conference.

The two countries and Mexico are preparing to renegotiate the 23-year-old NAFTA.

Shares in Canadian lumber companies rose as the level of the new tariffs came in at the low end of what investors were expecting. Canada's main stock index notched a two-month high.

Canada's share of the U.S. lumber market has ranged from 26 percent to 31.5 percent since 2006, when the countries signed an agreement, down from 34 percent, before that, said Duncan Davies, chief executive of lumber producer Interfor Corp .

"For us, (U.S. tariffs are) a negative effect on our Canadian business, but the real loser in all of this is the U.S. homebuilder and U.S. consumer, who is looking for reasonably priced product. ... That's why we think this is such a misguided effort," Davies said.

A U.S. homebuilder group called the ruling "shortsighted." Canadian Trade Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne, in China to boost sales of softwood lumber, said there had never been a better time to diversify exports.

"There is enormous potential," he said from Beijing, citing the large number of Chinese homebuilders and furniture makers who needed lumber.

(Additional reporting by Leah Schnurr in Ottawa, Alastair Sharp and Fergal Smith in Toronto, Rod Nickel in Winnipeg, Allison Lampert in Montreal and Eric Walsh in Washington; Writing by Andrea Hopkins; Editing by Andrea Ricci and Jonathan Oatis)
By Nawied Jabarkhyl

DUBAI, April 26 (Reuters) - Industrial and Commercial Bank of China has cleared more than 590 billion yuan ($86 billion) in transactions in Qatar in the nearly two years since it opened its clearing centre in the Gulf state, an executive told Reuters.

The move reflects a surge in trade and investment between China and Gulf Arab states in recent years, though most business between the two sides is still conducted in U.S. dollars.

The clearing centre was launched in June 2015 as the Middle East's first location for clearing transactions in the yuan to promote business ties. A clearing centre can handle all parts of a currency transaction from when a commitment is made until it is settled, reducing costs and time taken for trading.

"ICBC Doha opens the door to China's onshore RMB (yuan) and foreign exchange markets to local financial institutions, corporates and investors," Zheng Chunyi, General Manager of ICBC Doha, said in an interview. "Our data shows that Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait are the most active Middle East countries using the RMB clearing centre for direct payments with Chinese mainland and Hong Kong."

Chunyi said trade between Gulf Cooperation Council countries and China had surged more than 600 percent in the past decade, with Chinese investment in the Middle East reaching more than $160 billion between 2005 and 2016.

The yuan has established itself as the most active currency used by the UAE and Qatar for direct payments with the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong, according to SWIFT data.

But most trade between the region and China is still denominated in dollars and China's payments for its oil imports from the region are believed to be denominated in dollars, the main currency used in global oil trade.

"As the trade volume between China and the region continues to grow in a rapid pace, we are looking forward to seeing more and more usage of RMB in the region," said Chunyi.

In a further move to boost commerce between the two sides, Agricultural Bank of China (AgBank) was last year given permission by China's central bank to clear yuan transactions in the UAE.

($1 = 6.8911 Chinese yuan renminbi)

(Writing by Tom Arnold; Editing by Mark Potter)
A renewed appetite for so-called risk assets has hurt safe-haven investments, including gold, with the $1,260 area now a key technical-chart support area for the yellow metal, says FXTM research analyst Lukman Otunuga. Sellers have exploited the risk-on trading environment to install heavy rounds of selling on the yellow metal, the analyst says. Although geopolitical tensions and overall uncertainty may support the yellow metal in the longer term, short term bears could reclaim control below $1,260. The analyst says that if a risk rally, inspired by centrist Emmanuel Macrons showing in the first round of French presidential elections Sunday, should persist, then gold could be exposed to further losses. From a technical standpoint, the yellow metal is coming under increasing selling pressure on the daily charts, Otunuga says. A breakdown and daily close below $1,260 should encourage a further decline towards $1,240. In an alternative scenario, bulls need to keep above $1,260 for a further incline back towards $1,280. As of 8:25 a.m. EDT, spot gold was up 10 cents for the day at $1,263.90 an ounce.

By Allen Sykora of Kitco News; asykora@kitco.com

Commerzbank: Chinese, Indian Demand Figures Pick Up

Recent data reflect a pickup in gold demand in China and India, reports Commerzbank. Analysts cite data from Hong Kongs Census and Statistics Department showing that China imported 111.6 tonnes of gold on a net basis from Hong Kong in March. This was 56% more than last March, as well as the highest net gold imports in 10 months, Commerzbank says. It seems that Chinese traders took advantage of the noticeably fallen prices in the first half of March  when gold dipped briefly below the $1,200 mark  to stock up on gold. What is more, stocks are likely to have been reduced accordingly given that China held back on imports in the previous months. China is in essence following Indias lead, which itself reported high gold imports in March almost two weeks ago, Commerzbank says. However, it remains to be seen whether the trend has continued until recently in China and India; after all, the gold price had climbed sharply between mid-March and mid-April. Commerzbank adds that Chinas silver imports also rose in March. According to data from the customs authorities, Chinese silver imports soared by 42% year-on-year to 357 tonnes. At 948 tons, first-quarter silver imports were the highest in six years, the bank adds.

By Allen Sykora of Kitco News; asykora@kitco.com

MKS: 200-Day Moving Average Could Be Back In Focus For Gold

Traders will be watching to see if gold falls back toward a key chart area around the 200-day moving average, should U.S. President Donald Trump impress markets with a tax proposal expected Wednesday, says MKS (Switzerland) S.A. Senior precious-metals trader Sam Laughlin says price action was muted in overnight Asian trading ahead of the tax announcement. However, a move through $1,264 an ounce has no doubt tested weak long positioning and we may now see further weakness test toward the 200 DMA at $1,252 should the U.S. tax reform package live up to expectations, Laughlin says. That being said, geopolitical concerns, although marginally less concerning following the French elections, should not be discounted -- with particular emphasis on developments out of North Korea. Spot gold has eased below $1,262 an ounce both Tuesday and so far Wednesday.
HANOI, April 26 (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 0405 GMT.

April 26 USD/VND mid-point 22,343 USD/VND interbank 22,666/22,729 USD/VND unofficial 22,720/22,750 SJC gold (mln dong/tael) 36.54/36.76

Interbank offered rates Overnight 4.8-5.2

1 week 5.0-5.2

1 month 4.9-5.2

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)
* Bank to raise around 4 bln Sfr in rights offering

* Ditches planned IPO of Swiss unit

* Q1 net profit 596 mln Sfr vs 423 mln Reuters poll estimate

(Adds detail, CEO quote, analyst comment on capital)

By Joshua Franklin

ZURICH, April 26 (Reuters) - Credit Suisse will raise around 4 billion Swiss francs ($4 billion) through a rights issue to catch up to European rivals on capital, ditching plans to float a minority stake in its Swiss banking unit.

Keen to shore up its balance sheet, Switzerland's second-biggest bank had announced in 2015 plans to sell 20-30 percent of its highly profitable Swiss business through an initial public offering (IPO) for up to 4 billion francs.

However, Chief Executive Tidjane Thiam said in February the bank was examining alternatives to the IPO, which had been pencilled in for the second half of this year.

"This capital raise will allow us to continue to invest in growth at highly attractive returns; to strengthen balance sheet resilience for our clients and other stakeholders; and to afford the costs associated with our ongoing restructuring plans," Thiam, who took over as CEO in July 2015, said in a statement on Wednesday.

The bank expects to have a common equity Tier 1 (CET1) ratio, a closely watched measure of balance sheet strength, of approximately 13.4 percent and a tier 1 leverage ratio of around 5.1 percent.

Reuters had reported Credit Suisse was considering a stock sale at group level and was likely to make a decision in April on how to proceed. After Germany's Deutsche Bank raised cash from the market earlier this year, Credit Suisse had risked being one of the lower-capitalised banks in its peer group despite having tapped shareholders for around 6 billion francs in late 2015. "The capital raise should be enough to allay concerns in the near term but doesn't really give the franchise the flexibility to see it through a downturn or meaningfully compete in (investment banking business) Global Markets," analysts at Bernstein wrote.

"We feel this raise doesn't really take capital totally out of the concern zone - just makes it cycle/earnings dependent for the next 12 months," said Bernstein, which rates the stock "underperform".

The bank reported net profit of 596 million francs for the first three months of 2017, its highest quarterly profit since a sweeping restructuring launched by Thiam and beating even the highest estimate in a Reuters poll of analysts. The results provide some relief for Credit Suisse, which has faced an investor revolt over proposed bonuses to the bank's top managers and raids at three of its offices in a Dutch-led tax evasion investigation. Credit Suisse is also coming off 5.65 billion francs in losses since 2015 amid Thiam's push to grow in wealth management while shrinking the investment bank, a shift that the bank expects will cost more than 10,000 jobs.

($1 = 0.9919 Swiss francs)

(Reporting by Joshua Franklin; Editing by Michael Shields)
(Adds background)

ATHENS, April 26 (Reuters) - Greece's economy will only grow by up to 1.5 percent this year, the leading IOBE think tank said on Wednesday as it trimmed its forecast due to slow progress on the country's bailout review.

IOBE had projected 1.5 to 1.8 percent growth this year in its previous estimate in January, compared to the 2.7 percent forecast by the government, but has cut that estimate as the protracted review of the bailout has increased uncertainty.

The review was supposed to be wrapped up late last year.

"The bailout review, once again a protracted process, has consequences that we have seen in the past - it exacerbates uncertainty." the think tank said in a quarterly review.

"Households and businesses put off decisions until the new fiscal measures and reforms are finalised, which has a negative impact on economic activity."

The talks over energy and labour reforms, pension cuts and tax hikes have dragged on for months, mainly due to differences between EU lenders and the International Monetary Fund over the country's fiscal targets after its bailout expires in 2018.

Greece has agreed to implement more austerity after its 86 billion-euro ($93.66 billion) bailout package ends, the third rescue plan since the debt crisis began in 2010, to persuade the IMF to participate financially in its programme, as sought by Germany.

The negotiations resumed in Athens this week and Greece hopes a deal can be reached by May 22, when euro zone finance ministers will discuss the issue. Concluding the review will also unlock funds which Athens needs to repay loans maturing in July.

IOBE expects Greece's jobless rate, the highest in the euro zone, to continue to decline for the fourth consecutive year in 2017 to 22.2 percent, but at a slower pace than last year.

($1 = 0.9182 euros)

(Reporting by George Georgiopoulos; Editing by Ken Ferris)
By Steve Holland | WASHINGTON

The White House is considering a draft executive order to withdraw the United States from the North American Free Trade Agreement, a senior Trump administration official said on Wednesday.

It was unclear whether the order would be enacted by President Donald Trump, who has vowed to pull out from NAFTA - a U.S., Mexico and Canada trade pact - if he cannot win better terms for America.

But the action under consideration could signal heightened prospects that one of the world's biggest trading blocs could unravel in an economically damaging dispute.

The possible executive order, first reported by Politico, sent stocks and currencies falling in Mexico and Canada. Investors were rethinking their assumptions that Trump would back away from some of the drastic actions on trade that he had promised during the presidential campaign.

"It is a clear indication that they (in the White House) are wanting changes but we will have to see what emerges," said Paul Ferley, assistant chief economist at Royal Bank of Canada.

Trump has long accused Mexico of destroying U.S. jobs and recently ramped up his criticism of Canada, saying last week that Ottawa's protection of its dairy industry was "unfair."

Trump this week ordered 20 percent tariffs on imports of Canadian softwood lumber, setting a tense tone as the three countries prepared to renegotiate the 23-year-old trade pact.

The U.S. president has faced a series of setbacks since he took office in January, with courts blocking parts of his orders to limit immigration and the Republican-controlled Congress pulling legislation he backed to overhaul the U.S. healthcare system.

As president, Trump has broad authority on trade policy, including the power to withdraw from NAFTA without votes by Congress, according to many legal analysts. It was under an executive order signed by Trump on Jan. 23 that the United States pulled out of the sweeping Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal.

Mexico had expected to start NAFTA renegotiations in August but the possible executive order could add urgency to the timeline.

Trump criticized Mexico extensively during his presidential campaign. The United States went from running a small trade surplus with Mexico in the early 1990s to a $63 billion deficit in 2016.

Canada said it was ready to come to talks on renewing NAFTA at any time.

"At this moment NAFTA negotiations have not started. Canada is ready to come to the table at any time," said Alex Lawrence, a spokesman for Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland.

(Reporting by Steve Holland; Additional reporting by Fergal Smith in Toronto and David Ljunggren in Ottawa; Writing by Jason Lange; Editing by Tom Brown)
HARARE, April 26 (Reuters) - Zimbabwe's largest platinum producer Zimplats reported a surprising profit leap on Wednesday despite declines in sales and revenue, with third-quarter earnings lifted by sales of treasury bills rather than metal.

Zimplats, owned by Impala Platinum , more than doubled its third-quarter profit to $42 million by selling T-bills it received from the central bank for a longstanding debt.

At the height of an economic meltdown in 2008, the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) raided the foreign currency accounts of exporters, including mining companies such as Zimplats.

Short of foreign currency, the RBZ last year agreed to repay the mining companies in T-bills, highlighting distortions in the southern African nation's economy, which flatlined last year.

Zimplats received $34 million in treasury bills from the RBZ during the January-March quarter and sold them for a discounted $21 million.

Lower operating costs also helped to boost profit, the company said, while revenue fell by 6 percent to $131 million after sales of platinum group metals declined by 22 percent.

(Reporting by MacDonald Dzirutwe; Editing by Ed Stoddard and David Goodman)
Stuff reports:

An Invercargill policeman allegedly shot dead his wife, tried to kill the man she was with, then handed himself in at the local station.

Constable Ben McLeans alleged Anzac Day attack could be the first of its kind in recent New Zealand history involving a serving police officer.

Verity Ann McLean died in the shooting. Garry William Duggan, who suffered several gunshot wounds, phoned emergency services at 8.19pm on Tuesday.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Apr. 26

Trend:

Two French banks are interested to participate in financing of such projects as the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP), the North-South and the East-West transport corridors, said Director of the Department of Continental Europe at the French Foreign Affairs and International Development Ministry Florence Mangin.

She made the remarks at a meeting with Azerbaijans Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov.

The sides hailed the current status of relations, and emphasized that the reciprocal visits of the presidents of both countries gave further impetus to the bilateral cooperation, the press service of Azerbaijans Foreign Ministry told Trend Apr. 26.

Florence Mangin mentioned that the visit of President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev to France in March of this year was very productive. She added that French companies remain interested to work in various spheres of the economy, especially, in the fields of agriculture, energy and transport in Azerbaijan.

Citing the successful cooperation in energy between the two countries, Elmar Mammadyarov said that there are favourable opportunities in other areas for French companies as well. The FM put an emphasis on works related to the TAP project, as well as the North-South and East-West corridors and prospects of these projects.

Florence Mangin informed that two French banks are interested to participate in financing of the abovementioned projects.

Elmar Mammadyarov touched upon the current status of the negotiation process on the draft strategic partnership agreement between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the European Union. The French diplomat stated that her country supports the enhancement of the relations between Azerbaijan and EU and the signing of this agreement soon.

The Azerbaijani FM also highlighted the negotiation process on the settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, and stated the importance of applying the principles of territorial integrity, sovereignty, independence and inviolability of borders of states within the internationally recognized borders in a holistic manner in respect of protracted conflicts.

He added that changing the recognized borders of states by use of force is unacceptable and this is contrary to the norms and principles of international law. The FM reiterated that the current status-quo is unacceptable and unsustainable as was repeatedly declared at the level of heads of state of OSCE Minsk Group co-chair countries.
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Baku, Azerbaijan, Apr. 26

Trend:

An Azerbaijani delegation, led by Deputy Defense Minister, Lieutenant General Kerim Veliyev, is participating in the VI Moscow Conference on International Security being held April 26-27, said the press service of Azerbaijans Defense Ministry.

Representatives from 78 countries will mull global and regional security at the international conference, organized by the Russian Ministry of Defense.

During plenary sessions, the participants will exchange views on combating international terrorism, on the information space security, ensuring security in Central Asia, Europe and the Asia-Pacific region, the role of military bodies in enhancing security in different regions of the world and other issues.
Ambassador of India to Azerbaijan Sanjay Rana visited Baku Higher Oil School (BHOS) and delivered a presentation titled Dr. B. R. Ambedkar: Chief Architect of Indian Constitution and his role in civil rights for weaker sections and emancipation of women to BHOS students, teachers and staff members.

Having welcomed the honorable guest, Rector of the Higher School Elmar Gasimov provided brief information about the Ambassador and his diplomatic career. He also expressed a hope that the presentation would help the students to learn more about rich history and unique culture of India, which is one of the biggest and most wonderful countries in the world.

Speaking at the gathering, the Indian ambassador spoke about the life and works of Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar, whose 126th birth anniversary is celebrated in April 2017. Dr. B R Ambedkar was an Indian jurist, economist, politician and social reformer. Born into a poor family, he managed to overcome caste-based discrimination to become Independent India's first law minister and the principal architect of the Constitution of India. He is remembered as one of most prominent public figures in the Indias modern history for his struggle against social and gender discrimination and significant contribution to development of India as a democratic state.

Ambassador Rana also shared information about close and friendly relations between India and Azerbaijan. He said that the two countries are committed to develop a strong, vibrant and mutually beneficial partnership with each other. He also mentioned that under the Indian Technical Economic Cooperation (ITEC), the Government of India provides fully funded training courses for government officials and professionals scholarship at top-class institutions in India. The presentation concluded with questions and answers session. Ambassador Rana expressed his gratitude for the invitation to visit BHOS once again.
Tashkent, Uzbekistan, April 26

By Demir Azizov Trend:

Uzbekistan Railways JSC received another new high-speed electric train produced by Spanish Patentes Talgo, S.A., Uzbekistan Railways JSC said.

According to the company, each of the two trains is designed to carry 287 passengers.

Uzbekistan Railways company and Spanish Patentes Talgo, S.A. signed a contract to purchase two AVE 250 high-speed electric trains worth 38 million euro.

The first of the two trains was received in early March. The trains will operate on the Tashkent-Bukhara-Tashkent route.

The contract was financed through Uzbekistan Railways company and a loan from the Fund for Reconstruction and Development of Uzbekistan.

Uzbekistan Railways company uses two AVE 250 high-speed electric trains, purchased from Patentes Talgo, S.A. in 2009. At present, electric trains operate along the Tashkent-Samarkand-Karshi route.

The travel time reduced from 3 hours and a half to 2 hours after launching high-speed trains on this popular tourist route.

Earlier it was reported that the high-speed trains began operating along the modernized Tashkent-Bukhara railway through Samarkand in August 2016.

The modernization of the Samarkand-Bukhara railway section was launched in 2015. The length of the railway section is 259 km, the cost of the project - about $400 million. The project was financed by Uzbekistan Railways company.

The total length of railways is 4,500 kilometers in Uzbekistan.

In total, 1,700 kilometers have been electrified in Uzbekistan so far, 500 kilometers of which have been put into operation in 2016.
South Korean actor Lee Byung-hun will appear in a new Psy music video, according to informed sources Wednesday.



Psy, whose real name is Park Jae-sang, became a global sensation with his 2012 mega hit "Gangnam Style."



Lee has finished filming for the video accompanying a song in Psy's eighth full-length album that will come out next month, according to K-pop industry insiders, who asked not to be named.



The video is reportedly different from another yet-released Psy video featuring Son Naeun of girl group Apink. Lee's footage was filmed months ago, the sources told.



The 46-year-old Lee debuted in Hollywood with "G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra" in 2009. He has since appeared in "G.I. Joe 2" (2013), "Red 2" (2013), "Terminator Genisys" (2015) and "The Magnificent Seven" (2016).



The two stars are reportedly close friends. Psy attended the Los Angeles premiere of Lee's film "Red" in 2013, while Lee attended Psy's concert the same year.



Psy's past music videos have featured several prominent Korean female celebrities. He worked with HyunA, a former member of 4minute, for his "Gangnam Style" video and Gain of Brown Eyed Girls for "Gentleman."



The music video of "Gangnam Style" to this day is the most-watched video on YouTube, with more than 2.8 billion views. (Yonhap)




A scene from hit drama "Guardian: The Lonely and Great God" / Courtesy of CJ E&M

Support urged to nurture new writers

By Park Jin-hai

K-dramas have been rapidly expanding their overseas appeal. Shows such as "Guardian: The Lonely and Great God," "Love in the Moonlight" and "Descendants of the Sun" have enjoyed huge popularity in other Asian countries.

"Guardian," which told the unique fantasy romance story of an immortal dokkaebi, a mythical Korean creature, and his future bride, aired its last episode in January, but its success is still an ongoing story.

Tickets for its lead actor Gong Yoo's fan meeting in Taiwan sold out in minutes, while the 16-part drama's video-on-demand sales posted 14 billion won between December and February, recording an all-time sales high for a Korean drama. The number suggests 15 million to 16 million viewers watched the show after it was taken off the air.

Studies on K-dramas have shown an interesting plot has more to do with success than faces of popular Korean actors and actresses, defying a misconception that their success in overseas markets relies on fandom of the starring cast.

A February report by the Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA) titled "Studies on K-drama viewers in the U.S.," stated that more than half of American viewers who watch Korean dramas _ 52 percent of 4,753 polled _ answered they value the plot, while 35.7 percent chose casting, 8 percent genre and 0.9 percent director or writer. A similar finding has been reported among Brazilian K-drama viewers as well. It is no different with Korean viewers.

Kwon Ho-young, a KOCCA researcher, said, "In order to develop the drama industry, nurturing talented new writers who can write creative stories is a must. Instead of leaning on originals whose commercial success is guaranteed to some degree and making them into dramas, the industry should work more to find aspiring new writers who have a sharp eye to see social matters of today and can write original stories."

In this context, KBS fantasy period drama "Love in the Moonlight" and tvN's romantic comedy "Another Oh Hae-young," aired last year, made meaningful progress. Both were born under the hands of established star writers have enjoyed strong viewer responses.

In the local drama industry, where star writers are equated as a guarantee for a drama's success, the rise of those writers armed with fresh ideas and plot has been welcomed by many as they suggest what direction the future local drama industry should head.

The industry increasingly depends on a few famous star writers, while many other budding writers face high market barriers, meager payment, long working hours and poor conditions. So the industry has rolled up its sleeves to nurture talented new writers who have the potential to become the next Kim Eun-sook.

CJ E&M recently announced it will invest 13 billion won to foster new writers by 2020. Opening the center O'PEN for writers of dramas and films last week, the local media mogul selected 40 writers who will have half a year of free mentoring and help them get their works made into dramas and movies.

Showbox, one of the largest film distribution companies, together with Kakao and Huayi Brothers, is accepting webcomic stories in a scriptwriting contest. The "Story Avengers Season 1" contest initially looked for webcomic stories, but it aims to find great stories that can be further adapted to video.

"The essence of the story industry is creators. However, given the circumstances of the local drama industry, depending on a few star writers, it is extremely hard for budding writers to get into the market at all," an official of CJ E&M said. "Although costs for hiring a star cast and star writers jump year by year, the industry is still paying little attention to fostering new writers."
By Nam Hyun-woo



The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) annual meeting will take place on Jeju Island this June, drawing expectations for expanded business opportunities among companies in and outside of Korea.



The Ministry of Strategy and Finance said Tuesday that the AIIB yearly meeting will be held at the Jeju International Convention Center from June 16 to 18, under the theme of sustainable infrastructure.



The ministry said the gathering will be the first of its kind to take place outside of China, which leads the multilateral investment bank.



Participants will be able to network through one-on-one business meetings, investment forums and other events.



Major Korean infrastructure firms, including Samsung C&T, Hyundai Engineering & Construction, Doosan Heavy Industries & Construction and KT, will attend the convention to promote their businesses and seek opportunities to join AIIB projects, the ministry said.



The meeting will also feature more than 10 seminars to share knowledge and opinions over infrastructure development.



World Bank Public-Private Partnerships Senior Director Laurence Carter, IMF Director of the Asia and Pacific Department Rhee Chang-yong, China Mobile Chairman Shang Bing and SingTel CEO Chua Sock Koong will attend as panelists. KT Chairman Hwang Chang-gyu will also take part.



During the assembly, the AIIB will take time to introduce its policies to members and private companies. The Korean government will promote its green energy and smart city projects.



"The meeting bears importance as the first AIIB get-together outside of China will provide huge opportunities for domestic infrastructure companies to network, promote and learn," a ministry official said.



The AIIB is an international financial institution aimed at addressing infrastructure needs across Asia. Of its 52 regional and non-regional members, China contributed $29.78 billion or 32.38 percent of the total contribution to the bank to have the largest voting rights of 27.8 percent. Korea's share in the bank stands at $3.74 billion or 4.06 percent and its voting rights are 3.75 percent.




Far-right candidate holds meeting with AMCHAM



By Park Jae-hyuk



Former South Gyeongsang Province Governor Hong Joon-pyo, a presidential candidate of the far-right Liberty Korea Party (LKP), expressed his dissatisfaction with the Donald Trump administration's recent attempts to revise the Korea-U.S. free trade agreement (KORUS FTA).



"President Trump was a businessman, so I think the reason he talks about the FTA is that he wants to get something from Korea," he said in a meeting with leaders of the American Chamber of Commerce in Korea (AMCHAM), Wednesday.



"Trying to revise an agreement between countries without any special reason seems inappropriate for the wealthiest nation in the world."



The meeting held at the Lotte Hotel in Seoul was attended by AMCHAM President and GM Korea CEO James Kim, as well as former AMCHAM President Jeffrey Jones and The Korea Times chief editorial writer Oh Young-jin.



Hong talked about his policies on a wide range of issues including the nation's economy and security during the meeting.



"So many Korean firms faced anti-dumping tariffs in the United States. Also, Samsung and other Korean firms have no way to win lawsuits filed in the U.S. by local firms like Apple," the candidate said when responding to Jones' question about the Fair Trade Commission's (FTC) recent punishment of foreign companies in Korea.



As he has done several times of late, the conservative candidate strongly criticized Korea's labor unions again, claiming they are aristocrats representing only 3 percent of workers.



Hong claimed that unions are to blame for the nation's poor labor flexibility, low investments from foreigners and small- and medium-sized firms' attempts to exit Korea.



Asked by Oh about national security issues related to North Korea's nuclear provocations, Hong said he would persuade Washington to deploy tactical nuclear weapons on the Korean Peninsula, which leftist candidates would never consider.



"The America first policy regards the benefit of the U.S. as the most important value," he said. "So the U.S. will not accept an uncontrollable enemy owning an intercontinental ballistic missile which can strike Seattle or Los Angeles."



He stressed that only a conservative president can discuss stronger countermeasures against North Korea with the U.S.



Hong also implied he may change the prosecutors' investigation policies on former President Park Geun-hye and Samsung Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong, both of whom were indicted over bribery charges.



"Park lost a political battle, not a legal dispute," he said. "I will try to allow them to face fair trials regardless of whether I win the election."




By Yoon Ja-young



The demographic cliff seems to be becoming more of a reality in Korea as the number of newborns fell to a new low in February. The number of births for 2017 is likely to fall to below 400,000, which is half the figure of 1982.



According to Statistics Korea, the number of newborns in February was 30,600, dropping 12.3 percent from the same month in the previous year. It is a record-low figure for February since 2000 when the statistical office started compiling this data.



The figure has been marking a double-digit fall for the past few months, contracting 14.8 percent in December and 11.1 percent in January.



The drop is due to the decreasing number of marriages as well as the reduction of the population of people in their early 30s.



"The population of women in their early 30s fell to 1.67 million in February from 1.78 million the previous year, marking a 6.2 percent drop. The number of newborns is continuing to decrease as more people delay marriage and childbirth," Lee Ji-yeon, director in charge of demographic trends, said.



The number of marriages totaled 21,500 in February, marking a 4.4 percent drop from the previous year. The falling young population coupled with a lack of quality jobs and soaring housing prices are leading to a decrease in marriages.



Experts estimate that the number of births for this year will likely fall below 400,000 from 406,300 for 2016, marking a record-low.



If the trend continues, falling by double digits every month, the figure is likely to drop to around 360,000.



"The number of newborns has been plummeting at a steeper pace than expected. The yearly figure will depend on whether the year-on-year figure continues a double digit fall or not. But it is sure to fall to below 400,000," Lee added.



The statistics office estimates that the working age population, or those aged from 15 to 64, will start to decline from this year. The number of senior citizens has started to surpass that of children, with those aged 65 or older accounting for more than 14 percent of the population for the first time ever.



"Since demographic change is inevitable, it is necessary to find solutions to lessen economic and social damage," said Kim Cheon-ku, a research fellow at the Hyundai Research Institute.



He pointed out that the demographic change has the biggest impact among all future changes and is also almost certain to happen.



While a falling working age population ends up lowering growth potential, he suggested expanding the working population by helping senior citizens stay in the labor market and setting up a working environment friendly for them.



He also stressed that the government should focus on the social and economic reasons why young people are delaying marriage. He suggested supporting young people to prepare for jobs while lessening the housing burden on them and newly-weds.




North Korean leader Kim Jong-un observed a major live-fire drill targeting enemy warships on its military anniversary, state media reported Wednesday, as a U.S. aircraft carrier heads toward the Korean Peninsula amid tensions over its signs of provocation.



The North's leader watched the largest-ever combined firing "demonstration" of the Korean People's Army (KPA)'s servicemen to mark the 85th founding anniversary of the armed forces on Tuesday near an airfield in the eastern front, according to the Korean Central News Agency.



"Submarines rapidly submerged to make torpedo-attacks at the 'enemy' warships while fighters and bombers made zero feet flight above the sea to drop bombs on the targets," the report said.



"More than 300 large-caliber self-propelled guns lined up along the coast opened fire all at once," it added.



North Korea carried out the large-scale conventional military exercise instead of staging another nuclear test or missile provocation. North Korea has detonated five nuclear devices since 2006 and test-fired several missiles this year.



The drill is widely seen as aiming at the U.S. aircraft carrier Carl Vinson which is heading toward the Korean Peninsula.



The U.S. navy strike group is expected to arrive near the peninsula this weekend for a joint training exercise with South Korean naval ships. The USS Michigan, a nuclear-powered submarine, also made a port call in South Korea on Tuesday.



The U.S. has called on China to use its leverage against North Korea to rein in the repressive regime. U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday called North Korea a "real threat to the world," asking for tougher U.N. sanctions.



North Korea's media warned that its military is ready to "sink" the carrier "with a single strike" if needed.



Pyongyang held a massive military parade on April 15 to mark the 105th birthday of late state founder Kim Il-sung, the grandfather of the current leader. It displayed prototypes of three intercontinental ballistic missiles in a show of force.



"The latest fire drill is seen as part of North Korea's wrap-up of a monthslong winter training program," said Kim Dong-yub, a professor at the Institute for Far Eastern Studies in Kyungnam University.



"I don't think the artillery drill was hastily arranged just to counter Washington's latest move. I think North Korea would fire a missile (to flex its military muscle)."



Meanwhile, among key officials in attendance was Kim Won-hong, a spy chief who was reportedly sacked in mid-January due to abuse of power, the country's TV broadcaster said.



Since the dismissal, Kim made his first public appearance at the recent military parade with the badge of a general on his suit in a possible sign that he may have been reinstated. Kim was demoted to major general concurrent with the dismissal. (Yonhap)




North Korea should not underestimate U.S. President Donald Trump's resolve to stop the communist regime from developing a nuclear missile capable of striking the U.S., a ranking Republican senator said Tuesday after dinner with Trump the previous day.



"If I were North Korea, I would not underestimate President Trump's resolve to stop them from getting a missile to hit our homeland," Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) told reporters, a day after he and Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) had dinner with Trump at the White House, according to AP



Graham also posted a Twitter message saying, "Pres @realDonaldTrump is NOT going to let the nutjob in North Korea develop a missile -- with a nuclear weapon on top -- that can hit the US."



In an interview with Fox News, Graham also said that Trump "doesn't want a war any more than I do, but he's not going to let them get a missile. That's where they're headed. And China needs to up their game to stop this before it gets too late."



The senator said he prefers to solve the problem through diplomacy and sees military force as a "last resort."



McCain also told reporters that the Trump administration's hardline rhetoric against the North is "legitimate."



"Obviously you have to follow words with action, but I think their expressed concern is very legitimate. And I don't think it's inflammatory rhetoric," the senator told reporters. McCain also said the North's leader is "intent on having the capability to strike the United States of America. That is the threat."



McCain said Trump is "exploring all options" but military action "would be the last one."



During a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing later in the day, McCain also expressed serious concern about the North.



"A North Korea missile with a nuclear payload capable of striking an American city is not longer a distant hypothetical but an eminent danger, one that poses a real and rising risk of conflict," he said.



He also criticized China for retaliating against South Korea for hosting the U.S. THAAD missile defense system.



"China is doing all of this to stop the deployment of a missile defense system which is only necessary because China has aided and abetted North Korea for decades," he said.



Calls have been growing in the U.S. for curbing the North's ICBM capabilities even through the use of military force, despite repeated warnings from experts that such a strike could quickly escalate into a second Korean War as the North is sure to strike back.



Last week, Graham said that the U.S. should launch a preemptive strike on North Korea if that's what it takes to stop Pyongyang from building a missile capable of hitting the country, arguing that war with the North won't reach the U.S., but a North Korean ICBM could.



Also Tuesday, Sen. Cory Gardner (R-CO) said the U.S. should use every possible means to deter the North, including military measures if necessary.



"The US will deploy every and all economic, diplomatic and if necessary, military tool at our disposal to deter Pyongyang and to protect our allies," he said during a think tank discussion.



Gardner also urged China to do more to pressure the North.



"The road to stopping Pyongyang undoubtedly lies through Beijing. China is the only country that holds both the diplomatic and economic leverage necessary to put the pressure, maximum pressure on the North Korean regime," Gardner said during a think tank discussion.



"Beijing's reluctance to do so, however, is the reason the regime acts so boldly and with relatively few consequences. China must now move beyond mere articulation of concern and lay out a transparent path of focused pressure to denuclearize North Korea," he said.



The senator also urged Trump to condemn China's economic retaliation against South Korea over THAAD.



"President Trump should unequivocally condemn the economic pressure by Beijing with Seoul over the deployment of Terminal High Altitude Area Defense or THAAD on South Korean territory. THAAD is a defensive system and in no way threatens China and Beijing knows this," he said. (Yonhap)




By Yi Whan-woo



Nearly seven out of 10 South Koreans want the next government to maintain peaceful relations with North Korea instead of strengthening sanctions, according to a survey released Wednesday.



The survey, conducted by the Korea Society Opinion Institute, showed 68.6 percent of respondents want the next government to resume exchanges with the North based on regional peace.



Only 26.5 percent said Seoul should maintain its hard-line policy toward Pyongyang. The remaining 4.9 percent either refused to answer or said they had no opinion about inter-Korean relations.



The survey was conducted via phone on 1,021 adults nationwide on Friday and Saturday, and had a 3.1 percent margin of error.



Among the 68.6 percent who backed improved inter-Korean ties, nine out of them said South Korea should reconsider peaceful relations with the North if it continues nuclear and ballistic missile tests.



Another 9.8 percent of them said peace should be maintained under any circumstances.



Among the 26.5 percent advocating the hard-line policy, 14.9 percent called on pursuing such a policy alongside humanitarian aid and other peaceful measures should be taken "occasionally."



The remaining 11.6 percent said the government should remain hawkish toward North Korea.



By age, 77.5 percent of those in their 40s advocated being dovish, along with 72.1 percent in their 30s, 71.9 percent in their 50s, 64.3 percent in their 20s, and 59 percent in their 60s or older.



Some 77.3 percent of those who viewed themselves as liberals wanted peaceful inter-Korean relations, as did 73.7 percent of ultra-liberals, 74.4 percent of centrists, 68.9 percent of the conservatives.



But 52 percent of the purported ultra-conservatives insisted on taking a stern stance on Pyongyang.



Among those advocating peaceful ties with the repressive state were 79.3 percent of Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) supporters, 72.7 percent of the Justice Party supporters, 66.6 percent of the Bareun Party and 64.8 percent of the People's Party supporters.



A total of 55.2 percent of the conservative Liberty Korea Party (LKP) supporters wanted hawkish measures against North Korea.



Meanwhile, 36.9 percent of the total respondents said the DPK's Moon Jae-in will be the most capable of handling issues on security and foreign affairs among the presidential candidates.



Some 18.6 percent supported Ahn Cheol-soo of the People's Party; 11.6 percent, Hong Joon-pyo of the LKP; 9.6 percent, Yoo Seong-min of the Bareun Party; and 3.1 percent, Sim Sang-jung of the Justice Party.




















Baku, Azerbaijan, Apr. 26

By Maksim Tsurkov  Trend:

Azerbaijan Caspian Shipping CJSC has expressed interest in buying or renting Ukrainian ferries Heroes of Shipka and Heroes of Plevna, says a message from the Black Sea trade port of Chornomorsk.

According to the message, during the visit of the Azerbaijani shipping companys leadership to Ukraine, a number of meetings were held on the issue of expanding international cooperation.

Firstly, a delegation led by the companys Chairman Rauf Veliyev visited the Trade Port of Chornomorsk. The ports Director Sergey Kryzhanovsky gave detailed information on the activities of the ferry complex. It was noted that the port, located on an area of 221 hectares, is capable of receiving up to 1,960 wagons, 7,000 cars and trucks per day, says the message.

The port is capable of receiving all types of cargo, according to the message.

Sergey Kryzhanovsky noted the importance of cooperation with Azerbaijani sailors and expressed confidence in the fruitfulness of mutually beneficial relations, says the message.

Rauf Veliyev, for his part, said that the Azerbaijani shipping company pays special attention to renewing the fleet with modern vessels, and added that work is currently underway to increase the number of vessels in international waters.

As of today, 10 ships of the shipping company are floating in the Black and Mediterranean seas with the flag of Azerbaijan.

Speaking about transit opportunities of Azerbaijan, Rauf Veliyev noted that Azerbaijan cooperates with Ukraine in the sphere of transit and there are great opportunities for expansion of relations.

During the meeting, the sides discussed opportunities of entering the markets of Iran and Central Asia using Ukraines transit potential, opportunities of the East-West and North-South transport corridors for Ukraine, as well as emphasized the significance of introducing the single tariff policy in this sphere.

Highly appreciating the possibilities of the port and the ferry complex, Rauf Veliyev expressed hope for successful cooperation.

During the visit to Odessa, the shipping companys delegation also met with representatives of several ferry operators. During the meetings, the parties discussed the issues of cooperation in the field of freight traffic.

Representatives of the Azerbaijan Caspian Shipping CJSC plan to pay the next visit to the port of Chornomorsk in summer 2017.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @MaksimTsurkov
By Yi Whan-woo

Over 30 delegates leading groups of North Korean defectors worldwide met in Brussels, Tuesday (local time), denouncing the Kim Jong-un regime's repressive rule, its dire human rights and development of weapons of mass destruction.

This was the first general meeting among North Korean defectors scattered around the globe, including South Korea and other Asian countries as well as the United States and Europe.

In its "Brussels Statement" adopted in the capital of Belgium and the European Union (EU), the participants claimed that the Kim regime should be held responsible for "all types of inhumane acts" committed in its reclusive state.

They said the repressive regime should comply with the U.N. Commission of Inquiry's call for investigations concerning the persecution of those who were caught in failed attempts to escape North Korea, the operation of political prison camps and the exploitation of North Korean workers abroad.












Thae Yong-ho, a former North Korean diplomat who defected to South Korea, speaks during an interview with The Korea Times in Seoul, April 20. / Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul



Former NK diplomat cautions against military options

By Kim Rahn

The international community should keep imposing sanctions on North Korea until the Kim Jong-un regime falls, former North Korean diplomat Thae Yong-ho said.

Additionally, he cautioned against using military options to denuclearize Pyongyang, saying that should be the last resort.

The remarks from the former North Korean deputy ambassador to Britain, who fled to the South last August, come amid heightening tension here following Washington's warnings against Pyongyang's provocations and the latter's vows of "merciless" counterattacks.

Thae said U.S. officials and experts are talking about two approaches to the North Korea issue -- military options and risk management for phased negotiations -- but he believes neither can be the solution.

"We need to take a third road," he said in an exclusive interview with The Korea Times in Seoul, April 20. "We need to review what cards we haven't played yet to resolve the issue peacefully, and play these cards to the end (before taking the military option)."
By Park Si-soo



China said on Wednesday it had expressed serious concern to Washington and Seoul after the U.S. military started moving parts of its controversial THAAD anti-missile defence system to a deployment site in South Korea, according to Reuters.

Speaking at a daily news briefing in Beijing, Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said China urged the U.S. and South Korea to withdraw the system.



"We have already expressed our grave concerns to the South Korean and U.S. governments," the spokesman said. "The deployment of THAAD in South Korea would destroy the strategic balance and incite a further rise in the tensions."

"The Chinese side strongly urges the U.S. and South Korea to cancel the deployment and withdraw the equipment," the spokesman noted.








By Lee Han-soo, Park Si-soo





Nam Jae-joon

The military is still on alert over possible infiltration tunnels the North Koreans built, former state intelligence agency chief Nam Jae-joon said Monday during a televised debate involving nine minor presidential candidates.

The former four-star general is running for South Korea's presidency as a candidate of the minor opposition Patriotic Party. He has an approval rating below 1 percent.

"Our military has not yet put its guard down over North Korea's possible infiltration tunnels (into South Korea)," Nam said after another minor contender, Kim Min-chan, asked him about the issue. "The military believes that there are one or two infiltration tunnels under the south side of the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) that remain undetected." He said the military is still "devoting itself to searching for them."
The USS Michigan, a Ohio-class nuclear-powered guided-missile submarine, arrives at Busan Port, Tuesday. The sub can carry about 150 Tomahawk missiles capable of conducting a surgical strike on key North Korean facilities. / Courtesy of the United States Forces Korea



N. Korea warned of fresh provocation

By Jun Ji-hye

U.S. strategic assets including a nuclear-powered submarine are gathering around the Korean Peninsula in a show of force against North Korea as the regime in Pyongyang celebrated the 85th anniversary of the founding of the Korean People's Army, Tuesday.

The dispatch of advanced weapons comes amid growing worries that the North may conduct large-scale military provocations including a nuclear test to mark the event. As of Tuesday, the North showed no unusual movements other than conducting a live-fire drill near the eastern city of Wonsan, according to the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

The USS Michigan, an Ohio-class nuclear-powered guided-missile submarine, arrived in South Korea's port city of Busan, Tuesday morning, during a regularly scheduled deployment to the Western Pacific.

"This visit is yet another example of the steadfast ROK and U.S. naval partnership," said Rear Adm. Brad Cooper, commander of U.S. Naval Forces Korea. "We (the U.S. and ROK navies) work closely with one another every day of the year and this well-deserved port visit is a chance for Michigan sailors to enjoy the wonderful Busan culture that U.S. Navy Korea sailors experience each and every day."

As one of the largest submarines in the world, the Michigan is about 170 meters long and weighs more than 18,000 tons when submerged. The sub can carry about 150 Tomahawk missiles capable of conducting a surgical strike on the North's key facilities.

The U.S. Naval Forces Korea said in a release that the submarine provides the Navy with unprecedented strike and special operation mission capabilities from a stealthy, clandestine platform.

"Armed with tactical missiles and equipped with superior communications capabilities, guided-missile submarines are capable of launching missile strikes and supporting Special Operation Forces missions," it said.

The submarine will reportedly conduct its own exercise near waters off the peninsula after a hull inspection in Busan.

On the same day, the navies of the U.S. and South Korea also sent their destroyers to the West Sea for live-fire training. Seoul mobilized the 4,400-ton destroyer Wang Geon, while Washington brought the guided-missile destroyer USS Wayne E. Meyer.
U.S. President Donald Trump / AP-Yonhap



By Jung Min-ho





A senior White House official, who visited South Korea with U.S. Vice President Mike Pence last week, said it was up to Korea's next president to decide whether or not to complete the deployment of a U.S. anti-missile system here.

Then suddenly, two weeks before the election, the U.S. military started moving parts of the controversial Terminal High Altitude Area Defence (THAAD) system to a site in Seongju, North Gyeongsang Province, Wednesday.

The operation started at 4 a.m. when no one was expecting it. Hundreds of residents woke up to the news and protested the transportation of the THAAD equipment, but they could not stop it.

The operation again proves how unpredictable U.S. foreign policy is under President Donald Trump and how risky it is to naively believe him or his people, experts say.

"Everything happened when no one was prepared," said Kim Sung-joo, an honorary professor at Sungkyunkwan University. "The deployment of THAAD will leave few diplomatic options for the next president."

He also noted the THAAD deployment may cause China to weaken its pressure on North Korea over its nuclear weapons tests  unless the United States and China made a deal that South Korea is unaware of. Either way, he said South Korea is in trouble.

"The biggest worry is that the THAAD deployment may push China back to North Korea," Kim said.

"I don't know how much the South Korean government knew about it beforehand, but its voice on North Korea issues has weakened and has been overlooked by the two powerful countries."

Tensions between the United States and North Korea have risen to new levels ever since Pyongyang's failed April 16 missile test. Since then, China has piled more pressure on North Korea and tried to ease the tensions.

The Pentagon said it plans to complete the process as early as possible in cooperation with South Korea's military.

"North Korea's unlawful weapons programs represent a clear, grave threat to U.S. national security," it said to Yonhap. "North Korea openly states that its ballistic missiles are intended to deliver nuclear weapons to strike cities in the United States, the Republic of Korea and Japan."

The decision will be difficult to reverse whoever becomes the next president, said Lee Jun-han, a politics professor at Incheon National University.

"It will be difficult for the next president to reverse the decision because the deployment has already begun unless a majority of people want this, which is very unlikely," he said.

"What's clear is it is getting more difficult to predict the U.S. government's next move."
A local appellate court on Wednesday sentenced a 51-year-old Chinese man to 30 years in prison for murdering an unrelated South Korean woman who was praying at a church on the country's southern resort island of Jeju last year.



Chen Guorui attacked the 61-year-old woman, identified only by her surname Kim, in September when she was praying alone inside a Catholic church. The victim was rushed to a nearby hospital, but was pronounced dead a day after the incident took place.



The Jeju District Court overturned a 25-year sentence handed down to the defendant earlier in February, saying the original sentence was too light.



"The crime was very brutal and premeditated," the court said. "The defendant does not show any signs of remorse and the bereaved family has also asked for a strict punishment."



The court of first instance had earlier said it took into consideration that the defendant has been mentally feeble for the past five to six years.



During a police investigation, Chen said he killed Kim because she reminded him of his former wives who ran away after having extramarital affairs.



But during questioning by the prosecution, he changed his statement and said he committed the crime to be jailed here and to not go back to China.



Chen entered the country through a visa-free program for Chinese tourists less than a week before he committed the crime and was scheduled to leave a few days later.



The case sparked a public outcry along with a series of other crimes committed by Chinese tourists on the island. (Yonhap)




/Screen captured from Yantai Huasheng International School homepage



By Lee Han-soo





Pictures of the dead students posted on the school's website. / Screen capture from YHIS homepage

Yantai Huasheng International School (YHIS) in Yantai, Shandong Province, is under heavy criticism for the alleged cover-up of the deaths of two Korean students during a field trip.

The students, surnamed Cho and Choi, drowned while swimming in the Moei River in Thailand during the school trip on Mar. 24.

The school has avoided investigating the incident and refused to pay compensation to the bereaved families.

About five people a year drown in the river but the school did not properly educate the students, according to the families.

"The school did not even prepare a life jacket," Cho's father told the Donga Ilbo, a Korean news outlet. "They also did not apply for any form of insurance."

Meanwhile, the school has done little to investigate the accident or resolve it.

"We received a letter of resignation from three teachers who are responsible for the accident," a school official said. "The school will not investigate the accident and give no compensation."

The families claim the school is trying to block any further investigation.

"The American teachers who were at the scene are now free to return to their home country, making it impossible to reveal the truth," Cho's father said.

The families have asked the Korean Embassy in China to find out the truth.

A Ministry of Foreign Affairs official said Thai police had investigated the drownings and the ministry was helping the bereaved.

The official said the families were preparing to sue the school on civil and criminal charges and the ministry would ask for China's education ministry and police to conduct a fair investigation if criminal charges proceed.
Oil prices settled slightly higher on Tuesday in volatile trading, then were mixed after hours when an industry group's preliminary report showed a surprise build in U.S. crude inventories, Reuters reported.

Oil prices seesawed throughout the day after falling sharply over the previous six sessions. Prices have been pressured as rising U.S. crude production has offset much of the output cuts by OPEC and other countries trying to reduce a global glut in crude.

Weve seen rigs increase for the last 14 weeks and if we continue to see that it could put pressure on crude oil prices," said Tariq Zahir, managing member at Tyche Capital Advisors.

Prices dipped after the market settled. The American Petroleum Institute said its data showed U.S. crude oil stocks rose 897,000 barrels in the latest week. Analysts had expected a draw of 1.6 million barrels.

The API also said U.S. gasoline inventories increased. The market will watch closely Wednesday morning to see whether official data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration confirms the API numbers. [EIA/S]

U.S. crude futures CLc1 settled up 33 cents to $49.56 a barrel, breaking a streak that saw the benchmark lose 7.4 percent. Brent crude LCOc1 settled up 50 cents at $52.10 a barrel. Both crude contracts fell after the API report, but U.S. crude bounced back to its settlement price.

The API said gasoline stocks rose 4.4 million barrels. Analysts polled by Reuters had expected a 1 million-barrel decline, as U.S. summer driving season approaches.

"We're seeing less demand last week which could be allowing a build, and it could be furthering that as the weeks go on," Zahir said.

Brent is down about 5 percent since early December, when the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and Russia agreed to cut output by 1.8 million barrels per day (bpd) in the first half of the year.

On Tuesday, the Interfax news agency quoted Russian Deputy Prime Minister Arkady Dvokovich as saying Russia may increase oil production.

Matt Smith, director of commodity research at ClipperData in Louisville, Kentucky noted that global crude loadings "continue to tick higher" and added that the glut probably will not abate "until we see the oil on the water falling."

Georgi Slavov, head of research at Marex Spectron, said supply should tighten over the next couple of weeks, "not only in the Arabian Gulf but also with Russian oil. Russia is not going to pump and export as much oil as they did in the last couple of weeks."


Shim Baek-kang, president of the Research Institute of Korean Studies, third from right, and former Agriculture Minister Huh Shin-haeng, center, pose in Sajik Park, central Seoul, Tuesday, ahead of sending a letter of protest to Chinese President Xi Jinping. / Courtesy of Shim Baek-kang







By Lee Kyung-min

A group of scholars submitted a letter of protest to the Chinese embassy in Seoul, Tuesday, following a recent controversial remark made by U.S. President Donald Trump that "Korea used to be a part of China," quoting Chinese President Xi Jinping, it said Wednesday.

In the letter, the group comprised of noted historians, professors and lawmakers demanded Chinese leader Xi answer questions on Korea's almost 10,000-year existence referenced to in both Chinese and Korean history books.

"The Chinese government has consistently dismissed its organized efforts to annex the history of Korea to China as part of the nationalist history project under the Chinese Communist Party for a couple of decades," the group said in a statement.

"However, such a denial proved to be only a deceitful ploy evidenced by the U.S. President's remark. We will not tolerate or stand idly by such a provocation against the sovereignty of Korea," it added.

The questions include whether Xi would agree with characterization of China having been part of Korea, referenced by Chinese history books written prior to the Song Dynasty (960-1279).

In those books, according to the group, Beijing was part of Gojoseon and Goguryeo, the ancient kingdoms of Korea.

The questions in detail will be released in Chinese and in English, Saturday and next week, respectively.

The protest was in response to a remark by Trump during an interview with the Wall Street Journal on April 12, held a week after the summit between the U.S. and China. After the controversy erupted, the Wall Street Journal posted the full script of the interview.

Trump said, according to the excerpts, "He (Xi) then went into the history of China and Korea. Not North Korea, Korea. And you know, you're talking about thousands of years and many wars. And Korea actually used to be a part of China."

Despite the possibility of mistranslation considering that they both used interpreters, his remark was seen as ignorant by many Koreans, triggering outrage at the carelessness of the U.S. leader.

The group said rather than criticizing Trump, public outrage should be directed at the Chinese leader for making the remarks at all.

"Trump probably repeated what he heard through the interpreters," said Shim Baek-kang, the president of the Research Institute of Korean Studies.

"He wouldn't have otherwise thought of such an idea. Therefore, we should ask how Xi was able to tell such a story with a politically charged agenda," he added.

According to historians, he added, the country name "Korea" is derived from "Goguryeo," the original kingdom that is believed to have formed as a political entity as early as the 1st century B.C.

Goguryeo once encompassed what is now Manchuria and the northern part of the Korean Peninsula.
Amnesty International supporters parody an execution at the Press Center in Seoul on Oct. 10, 2007, as part of the human rights group's push to encourage South Korea to abolish the death penalty. / Korea Times file



By Ko Dong-hwan





Hong Joon-pyo Moon Jae-in

The death penalty reemerged as a hot political issue in Tuesday's presidential TV debate after being shunned by the courts for the past 20 years.

Conservative Liberty Korea Party candidate Hong Joon-pyo asked Democratic Party of Korea's Moon Jae-in in the debate on JTBC whether it is legal.

"It is not a matter of being legal or illegal," Moon said. "Although the Constitutional Court ruled the system legal, I personally think it should be abolished. Korea has not enforced the system for the past 20 years, making it practically dead in this country."

Hong replied: "We have not abolished it. We simply did not execute it. The system's absence has fanned criminals like serial killers, making them rampage."

Moon did not back away, calling the death penalty "ineffective" for reining in criminals. "The whole world knows about the system's ineffectiveness," Moon said.

A Hankook Ilbo-Korea Times survey following the debate showed Moon leading the presidential race with over 40 percent support.

The death penalty was last carried out on Dec. 30, 1997, under the Kim Young-sam administration, when 23 prisoners were executed. The next president, Kim Dae-joong, did not support the system and never saw prisoners on death row. Following administrations have also kept their distance.

The first execution was in 1949 for murder, while over 1,300 people are estimated to have been on death row in Korea. Sixty-one people had a death sentence hanging over them as of February last year.

Non-government organization Amnesty International regards any nation that has not "pushed the button" for 10 years or longer to have abolished the death penalty. It estimates that as of this year, 104 countries have scrapped capital punishment.
By Kim Bo-eun

A sexual minority group decried leading presidential contender Moon Jae-in, following his remarks critical of homosexuality on a nationally televised debate among candidates, Tuesday.

Conservative candidate Hong Joon-pyo brought up the subject by claiming homosexuality within the Korean military was weakening its strength, and questioned Moon's stance on the issue.

Moon said, "I am against it," and when Hong asked again, he said, "I do not like it."

He then changed his words slightly when Hong asked him once again about the issue, saying, "I oppose discrimination against homosexuals, but am against the legalization of (gay marriage)."

Following the debate, the Solidarity for LGBT Human Rights of Korea issued a statement, condemning Moon's remarks.

"Sexual orientation is not a matter of assent or opposition. It is like we cannot support or oppose different skin colors. Moon's words are hate speech which deny the existence of sexual minorities and diversity, and triggers social prejudice and discrimination," the statement said.

"This shows the reality of sexual minorities' rights in Korea."

The statement referred to the situation in which a gay soldier has been detained in an investigation of homosexuals within the army.












By Kim Hyo-jin



North Korea-related issues appear to be losing influence in South Korea's elections largely due to voter fatigue over smear campaigns emphasizing and exaggerating security concerns.



Conservative politicians have highlighted threats posed by North Korea ahead of elections in a bid to fan public concerns, putting liberal candidates who are comparatively open to the North in a disadvantageous position.



But the case is different now. Moon Jae-in of the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) is extending his lead over competitors in the presidential race even though he has been questioned over a controversial abstention from a U.N. vote on North Korea's human rights in 2007.



The controversy is still focused on whether the Roh Moo-hyun administration  for which Moon served as presidential chief of staff  asked the North's opinion before it abstained from the vote, or only notified the North after making the decision independently, as Moon claims.



Still, Moon garnered 40.4 percent, widening the gap with the runner-up contender Ahn Cheol-soo of the People's Party who stood at 26.4 percent in a Korea Research poll between April 24 and 25 commissioned by The Korea Times and the Hankook Ilbo.



Despite constant questioning by Yoo Seong-min of the conservative Bareun Party over Moon's views on North Korea, the people picked Moon as the most reliable candidate who can better deal with security and diplomatic matters with 36.9 percent support in an April 21 to 22 Korean Society Opinion Institute poll. Ahn trailed with 18.6 percent and Hong Joon-pyo of the rightist Liberty Korea Party (LKP) had 11.6 percent.



In a Korea Gallup poll conducted during the third week of April, Moon was viewed as the most competent candidate in smoothly managing inter-Korean relations with 39 percent support. Conservative contenders Hong and Yoo were left far behind at 11 percent and 4 percent support, respectively.



Choi Chang-ryul, a politics professor at Yongin University, said this "North Korea factor" is not working for the conservatives  rather, they could face a backlash if they keep at it.



"Conservative candidates raised the ideological offensive to challenge leading candidate Moon but it failed big time. It's not undermining the support base headed toward Moon at all," he said. "They should be careful of relying heavily on this strategy as it can be self-destructive."



The election this time is not a rivalry between conservatives and liberals as in previous times. Moon and Ahn, both categorized as liberal or center-left, are competing in the leading groups, and over security matters, people find Moon comparatively more confidence-inspiring than Ahn, said Yoon Hee-woong, a senior researcher at Opinion Live.



"Moon has experience in managing state affairs and belongs to the bigger party, which is assuring the public Moon has a competitive edge in security management," he said.



Moon has bolstered his image of being committed to national security also thanks to supporter groups and experts in the security and diplomatic fields flocking to him, he added.



An estimated 1,000 retired Army generals and sergeants, and policemen announced their endorsement of Moon at the National Assembly, Wednesday. Moon responded by saying, "The DPK is different from the conservatives who fiddle with security issues whenever an election approaches. We will prove their fake security no longer works."



Analysts also pointed out the people had a "learning effect" after experiencing elections inundated with ideological attacks fanning security uneasiness.



"It's so repetitive that people rather warmed to Moon who defended himself strongly, framing it as an outdated conservative tactic," Yoon said. "Especially, it strengthened support from liberal voters who have antipathy toward such moves."



Kim Hyung-joon, a professor of political science at Myongji University, said the fact that conservative voters turned strategic following the impeachment of scandal-ridden former President Park Geun-hye is working for Moon's comfortable lead.



"When the President was impeached, conservative politicians were impeached too. Voters who used to be loyal to them are now torn between Ahn and Hong," Kim said. Security factors carry less weight than the need to change the conservative government for the people, he added.




Moon Jae-in of the Democratic Party of Korea, left, and Hong Jun-pyo of the Liberty Korea Party debate during Tuesday's presidential poll debate on JTBC. / Yonhap



By Eom Da-sol, Park Si-soo

Conservative presidential candidate Hong Jun-pyo has come under fire for comments revealing his ignorance of homosexuality and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS).

"Homosexuals are the biggest culprit behind the outbreak of AIDS (in South Korea)," the outspoken candidate of the conservative Liberty Korea Party said during the fourth televised debate of five major presidential candidates Tuesday night. "More than 14,000 cases of AIDS have been reported (here). What do you think is a main driver of this?"

Hong made the controversial remarks during a debate with leading contender Moon Jae-in of the Democratic Party of Korea  who later clarified his position on this issue: "I don't like homosexuality. But it doesn't mean it admits discrimination against those with unique sexual orientation."

Hong's remarks immediately stirred a backlash from medical experts and human rights advocates.
A group of 13 South Korean gay rights activists were detained on Wednesday after staging a surprise protest at the National Assembly against presidential front-runner Moon Jae-in over his latest remarks against homosexuality.

The activists, both men and women, are accused of approaching Moon during a meeting with supporters from the fields of national security and defense and shouting slogans critical of the Democratic Party candidate's stance against sexual minorities.

They chanted "Spell out your view on sexual minorities!" before being overpowered by National Assembly guards and transferred to police.

Under the law, rallies are prohibited within the compound of the National Assembly.

Moon came under fire after he said he "opposes" homosexuality and that he does not "like" it, during a TV debate on Tuesday night.












By Kyung Moon Hwang





At this extraordinary moment in South Korea, amid a historic presidential election campaign following the arrest of an impeached president, it seems silly to bother reacting to yet another ignorant, irresponsible remark from Donald Trump. But predictably, Koreans are upset because China's President Xi Jinping might have told him that their country "was once part of China."



This column has already detailed the complex "love-hate" historical relationship between Korea and China, so there is no need to go over this again. But we can take this small controversy as an opportunity to further consider the workings of Chinese, rather than Korean, history.



This is because, regardless of whether Xi actually said such an absurd thing, it's clear that the Chinese government, monopolized by the Chinese Communist Party, has cultivated such a view to solve a fundamental problem with Chinese history itself.



The common belief among Chinese, and many others, is that China boasts a long unbroken history as the Middle Kingdom that bestowed civilization to its neighbors while often ruling over them as well. But such a view is mostly just another modern nationalist myth, in this way similar to the idea that Korean history dates back 5,000 years.



Furthermore, much of Chinese history was not even Chinese. One of the fascinating features of "Chinese history" was that, throughout the cycles of dynastic rise and fall in political form, nearby peoples outside the kingdom's boundaries greatly influenced, and often controlled, the development of Chinese civilization.



Following the ancient mythological era, the earliest unified polity was the Qin dynasty of the third century BCE, which militarily consolidated vast territories but quickly succumbed to the forces of what became the Han dynasty. Thereafter, for every "Chinese" dynasty such as the Han, there was an extended period of fragmentation or rule by non-Chinese conquerors, such as the Khitan, Jurchen, Mongols, and Manchus.



Even the famed Tang dynasty, which was contemporaneous with Korea's "Unified Silla" kingdom, was infused with a wide range of cultures, peoples, and rulers, including from central Asia. Many of these smaller groups on the margins became absorbed into greater China, but others, such as those that formed what became Korea, were able to resist Chinese control, even as they were influenced by Chinese civilization.



At the turn of the first millennium, the Han dynasty, which helped initiate the process of founding a coherent Chinese state, built scattered fortresses to anchor small colonies on parts of the Korean peninsula, but this was well before there was such a thing as Korea. Just as important is that one of the native "barbarian" tribes on the peninsula whom the Chinese described so colorfully grew into a formidable kingdom and eventually overran the main Han outpost, located in what later became Pyongyang.



This kingdom, Goguryeo, fiercely fought off Chinese attempts to invade and absorb it until Goguryeo itself fell to the joint forces of the Tang and another peninsular kingdom, Silla, in the 7th century. But when the Tang quickly tried to secure Chinese rule over the entire peninsula, Silla successfully repelled this effort. Thus was born the "tribute system" of ritual diplomatic relations, designed to keep the peace and Korea's autonomy, which more or less became the norm until the 19th century.



So to use this ancient relationship as the basis for claiming that Korea was once a part of China is like stating that England was once a part of Italy, since the Roman empire, which had similar outposts on what later became England, was geographically centered in territory that (much) later became Italy.



Or perhaps Mr. Xi was referring to the Yuan dynasty of the 13th and 14th centuries, when the Mongols conquered both China and Korea, and indeed much of Eurasia. But actually Mongol control over China was much more comprehensive and direct than over Korea, and in any case it was not a matter of Korea being part of China.



This interesting complexity of Chinese history reached a peak in the Qing dynasty of the 17th to 20th centuries. This last "Chinese" dynasty was actually a product of the Manchus, offshoots of the Jurchen, who rejected the notion of assimilating with the majority Han Chinese, whom they had conquered, after all.



But ironically the commonly-recognized, modern version of China resulted from this extended period of foreign rule: The Qing dynasty doubled the territory of the preceding Ming by absorbing the regions of Xinjiang, Tibet, Taiwan, and of course the Manchus' homeland of Manchuria. Little wonder, then, that even today identification with "China" among those living in these areas is somewhat questionable. Indeed, these people would identify much more with China's multi-national history than with any sense of Chinese nationalist history.



Since it established control in 1949, the Chinese Communist Party has in fact used this cosmopolitan history to promote the idea of a multi-cultural China of many ethnicities, including Koreans living in Manchuria today. Like the dynasties of the past, however, the Communist dynasty has manipulated history to legitimate and perpetuate its rule, and so, in a typical autocratic ploy, it has turned to stoking nationalism as well.



In familiar service to strongman politics, then (see also Russia and Turkey), the Chinese government deploys both nationalism and imperialism, an "imperialist nationalism" if you will, based on a distorted glorification of the past. That seems to be the real story behind the diplomatic faux-pas concerning Korea.





Kyung Moon Hwang is a professor at the Department of History, University of Southern California. He is the author of "A History of Korea  An Episodic Narrative" (Second edition, Palgrave Macmillan, 2016).
By Shim Jae-yun





Chinese President Xi Jinping triggered public wrath here by allegedly saying, "Korea used to be a part of China" during his summit with U.S. President Donald Trump on April 7. Most Koreans appear perplexed at Xi's remark as it is totally senseless. Experts share the notion Xi might have made such statement to secure China's interests in the controversial Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) issue.



Contrary to Xi's claim, many documents and data show some areas in today's China had been a part of Korea's ancient kingdoms. For instance, Gojoseon (ancient Joseon)'s territory covered the western part of current Beijing, according to historian Shim Baek-kang, renowned for his in-depth lifelong research on Korea-China history.



Siku Quanshu, comprising 79,337 books, is China's largest and most complete collection of history books, recognized globally. Quoting this, Shim cites the stream flowing through the current northwestern part of Beijing was called the "Joseon River." Taipung Huanji, the world's oldest geographic book compiled during the Song Dynasty, also testifies to this, confirming the existence of Joseon Castle in today's Hubei Province.



"Korea's first kingdom ruled today's Beijing." This was the headline of The Korea Times' 2014 Sept. 15 edition. This article was based on an interview with Shim. The "provocative" article however drew no protest from Beijing apparently because the allegation was based on the Chinese history books including Siku Quanshu, written by Chinese historians during the Qing Dynasty.













The Sui Dynasty (581-619) of China collapsed after it repeatedly and unsuccessfully invaded Goguryeo (BC 37-668), an ancient Korean kingdom. Emperor Taijong of the Tang Dynasty mobilized one million soldiers to conquer Goguryeo only to face a humiliating defeat. He got injured in the eye and in his last will, said "never try to invade Goguyeo."

From that time on, the Chinese people harbored fear of then Goguryeo leader Yeon Gaesomun. He appears as a fearful character in the Chinese traditional play called "Gyeonggeuk."



The Chinese history books also show that another ancient Korean kingdom, Baekjae's territory, was extended to the eastern coastal area of China including Shandong, Jiangsu and Zhejiang Provinces. The history book of Jin Dynasty (1115-1234) shows Kim Ham-bo from the Silla Kingdom of Korea was the ancestor of Jin Dynasty founder Agolata. The Jin Dynasty is the predecessor of the Qing Dynasty. They also prove the founder of the Qing Dynasty, Nurhaci, was also a descendent of the Silla Kingdom.



All these and other historical facts show that Korea has never been a part of China at all. Rather, some areas of China had been part of Korea. Japan ruled Taiwan for 50 years and occupied China in the early 20th century. But no one claims China used to be a part of Japan. Ancient Rome occupied Britain in B.C. 54. But no one says Britain used to be a part of Italy.



Xi's remark seems to have come from China's need to prepare for the possible military conflict on the Korean peninsula. China has been pursuing the Northeast Project, claiming Goguryeo as part of its history, which is total nonsense.



Regrettably enough, the history of the ancient kingdom of Korea had largely been disregarded during Japan's colonial rule of Korea (1910-1945). Japan attempted to whitewash Korea's ancient history, annihilating most documents and even lobbying many pro-Japan scholars into distorting history in its favor. President Trump needs to exactly grasp and clearly understand the history in Northeast Asia. This is the basis for him to deal with the current crisis properly including North Korea's nuclear program.



President Xi, for his part, needs to clarify what he had said during the summit and apologize to the Korean people if he actually made such an "ignorant" remark. The historical facts should not be distorted and leaders, including Trump and Xi, in particular, need to get the truth of the history between Korea and China. For the Korean people, it is high time to regain national pride and authenticity by squarely establishing history. As historian Lee Am of Goryeo Kingdom put it, "Nation is body and its history is soul."
By Lee Sun-ho





To average contemporary Koreans, the two tragic sea-sailing-vessel accidents that have dominated our news and consciousness in this country will never be forgotten. The two maritime tragedies have been very controversial, spurring further debate over responsibility and how it should be tied to entities in Korea.

One was the sinking of the ROKS Cheonan on March 26, 2010. The ship was a Pohang-class corvette of the ROK Navy, and was carrying 104 personnel off the country's west coast around Baegnyeong Island, 46 of whom were killed.

The other was the capsizing of the MV Sewol ferry on April 16, 2014. The ferry, built and operated in Japan almost 18 years ago without any incident until 2012 when it was retired and sold to Cheonghaejin Marine Co., Ltd., enjoyed a monopoly on the lucrative Incheon-Jeju route. It carried 476 passengers comprised of 325 students and 14 teachers of Danwon High School in Ansan, Gyeonggi Province. Tragically the ship sank to the bottom of the sea near Jindo off Korea's southwestern coast, and 304 passengers (including nine still missing) were trapped inside and drowned.

The cause of the 1,200-ton navy warship (PCC 772) sinking remained in dispute with North Korea which is backed up by China and Russia, although overwhelming evidence pointed to a he powerful non-contact underwater explosion of a North Korean torpedo fired by a midget submarine, as proven by a co-investigation team. This was even explained to the United Nations Security Council by Dr. Yoon Duk-yong, co-chairman of the team and a scientist and engineer.

In contrast, the heart of the reason why the 16,700-ton Sewol capsized was it was severely overloaded due to corrupt safety inspectors and surveyors. She left dock in Incheon on April 15, 2014, and sank near Maenggol Strait the following morning.

It is regrettable that the two tragedies have been abused for the election-related political split of Koreans' ideology into two: one for the Taeguk (Korean national) flag-waving pro-government conservatives, the other for the candlelit yellow ribbon, anti-government progressives at their passionate outdoor mass rallies, calling for former President Park Geun-hye to be impeached, ousted and jailed.

On March 24 this year, the Second West Sea Protection Day ceremony was held at Gwangwhamun Plaza in Seoul with the participation of 5,000 people, covering bereaved family members of a number of the Yellow Sea battle dead, military personnel, civilians and government authorities concerned. It is quite abnormal to note that no opposition party leaders joined the sorrowful event, while two government parties, namely the Liberty Korea Party and the Bareun Party (a breakaway group from the former Saenuri Party) were present. It was absurd to see that the so-called pro-government-rooted Bareun Party Assemblymen beginning to attach yellow ribbons once the Sewol was lifted out of the water on March 23, 1,073 days after the incident.

It is shameful that the political parties tried their best to trace the whereabouts of ousted President Park for seven hours. She was in the control tower of the nation, as per protocol for any horrible national disasters. There, she could direct administrative efforts and send out orders efficiently. A similar sea incident under the Kim Young-sam administration could be made tracing the sinking of the 110-ton MV Seohae on Oct. 10, 1993 where 292 passengers among 362 people on board were drowned while sailing from Wido to Gyeokpo, Buan County, North Jeolla Province in the Yellow Sea.

Additionally, it is most deplorable to politicize these tragedies. The already rocket-high government budget from taxpayers has been disbursed to Sewol salvage operations for three years, and compared to the amount of public money spent on the Cheonan case it is still unfinished. It is extremely unfair and must be rectified.

After all, the two unforgettable maritime tragedies in Korea with the sacrifice of 46 navy sailors and 304 civilians should be treated alike and cherished as a way for unity and solidarity for the nation without any biases or prejudices for political gain.

The writer is an ombudsman columnist for The Korea Times in Seoul. Reach him at kexim2@unitel.co.kr.
By Nam Sang-so





The warm rays of May sun were pouring over the green field where barley crops were ripening. Yet the farmers knew that the grains need to get more sunlight before they could be harvested.



The large earthenware pots in their kitchens where the rice harvested last autumn was stored were showing their bottoms, and made creepy scratching sounds when women attempted to scoop some of the leftovers. Everyone had to eat the smallest amount of food in order to eke out their scanty existence. They couldn't wait for the green field to change into golden waves of grain. The hunger pressed time called "the barley ridge" happened every year.



The farming village called Sugok, or Riverdale, surrounded by mountains still holds its primeval landscape in Uljin, North Gyeongsang Province. The Nam family had four sons and my father was the third son. The Chang family had four boys and two daughters. My mother was the second daughter. Each family had barely enough farmland to feed one family member  the eldest son. The other children were all extras who knew that they must leave the village in order to survive.



My father decided to escape to Japan and the second son of the Chang family thought Manchuria would give him a better chance as he knew nothing but farming. He suggested that my father marry his surplus sister which would reduce another set of chopsticks. The poor 16-year-girl had no choice but to tag along with the man who was 28. In the early summer of 1926 they all went to an Uljin bus stop where two buses were burning wood to produce engine power.



Young Mr. Chang got into the north bound bus and the newlyweds bought tickets for the south bound one, to go to Busan. Their bus passed by a village named Heunghae where the parents of the future President Lee Myungbak too had taken a Busan bound bus to go to Osaka. It also passed by a village in Ulsan where the future chairman of Lotte Group, Shin Kyuk-ho, was also dreaming of making money in Tokyo.

At Shimonoseki Port in Japan the Riverdale couple took a train but they somehow did not get off at Hiroshima. Surviving a burning house from American B-29 bombing in the war, the Nam family returned to their hometown in 1946 tagging along this time with four boys who spoke Japanese to each other. They saw the ashes of Hiroshima's remains through the train window.



On a warm spring day in 1993, a woman in her mid 40s was standing holding a large bag when I answered the doorbell of my house in Seoul. "My name is Chang, I'm your cousin. I came from Shenyang, China," declared the poorly dressed woman in a North Korean accent.



"I wonder why my father didn't take the same south bound bus with your parents," she said at the dinner table, greatly lamenting that her family had to live so poorly in Communist China.



Time passed, and in 2017 my China born cousin, speaking fluent Mandarin, runs a prosperous trading business in Seoul and Qindao, China. "After all I'm glad it was the north bound bus" she said and wondered: "You see, no one demonstrates in an anti-China rally in front of the Chinese Embassy in Seoul."





The writer was born in Nagano, Japan. His email address is sangsonam@gmail.com
Baku, Azerbaijan, Apr. 26

By Elena Kosolapova  Trend:

Georgia increased purchase of Azerbaijani gas to 2.156 billion cubic meters in 2016, said Liana Jervalidze, analyst of the Georgian Oil and Gas Corporation, Apr. 26.

She made the remarks in Baku during The 2nd SOCAR International Caspian and Central Asia Downstream Forum  Trading, Logistics, Refining, Petrochemicals.

Jervalidze said that 250 million cubic meters of gas were also delivered from Russia, including 185 million cubic meters as payment for transit of the Russian gas to Armenia and 66 million cubic meters of commercial gas.

In 2017, Georgia will switch to a new system of mutual settlements with Russias Gazprom for the transit of Russian gas, according to her.

Jervalidze said that in 2017, 50 percent of the transit will be paid for by gas and the remaining 50 percent will be paid for by money, and in 2018, payments for transit will be fully made by money.

She added that this practice fully complies with modern principles of relations in the gas market.

Jervalidze noted that Georgia will have the opportunity to buy Russian gas during peak consumption periods, in case of an emergency or if the supply from Azerbaijan is not sufficient.

Meanwhile, Georgia doesnt commit itself to buying certain volumes of gas from Gazprom, which is beneficial for Georgia, according to her.

Jervalidze said Azerbaijans state oil company SOCAR is a strategic supplier of gas to Georgia.

She reminded that long-term contracts were signed with SOCAR on gas supply to Georgia until 2028.

The analyst also noted that SOCARs subsidiary, SOCAR Georgia Gas, has invested about $1 billion in Georgia in 10 years.
Hong Joon-pyo, the presidential nominee of the Liberty Korea Party, has sparked controversy with his role in an attempted rape and a slight on women.



During a TV presidential debate Sunday, Sim Sang-jung of the progressive Justice Party refused to engage in any discussion with Hong, saying "I cannot acknowledge a candidate who conspired in a sex crime."



Sim's remark came after public attention latched onto Hong's 2005 memoir in which he confessed that while attending Korea University, he had provided a veterinary-grade drug to his friend who wanted to rape a female student. Sim and other candidates demanded he withdraw his candidacy over the incident.



Many are appalled by the shameless way Hong has handled the situation. He said he realized what he had done was wrong only after he became a prosecutor. Through his spokesman, Hong said it happened when he was "full of energy" and at a time when social circumstances were different. This presumably means he thinks it should not be seen as a problem because it happened when he was young and when women's status was not what it is today. He asked for forgiveness, but did not offer any message to the victim of the incident.













The former South Gyeongsang governor has also aroused controversy for his sexist views, saying it is a woman's job to clean the dishes. These controversies have shown Hong's vulgar and outdated views of women that cannot be condoned under any circumstances.



It is true that candidates should be judged primarily for their policies. But character is a huge part of what voters look for. The Korean Women's Association United, an alliance of 30 advocacy groups, is calling on Hong to quit the race. If Hong remains in the running, it is a grave affront to not just women, but all voters looking to elect a president who works for human rights and cares about women's issues.
US, China thwart nuke test; it's South Korea's turn



The fear of an "April Crisis" on the Korean Peninsula appears to be passing without the worst part of it materializing. Now it is time to contemplate an end game on the source of it _ North Korea _ about having it freeze its nuclear and missile programs first and renounce them later.



U.S. President Donald Trump had the world's strongest military assemble a formidable show of force around Korea _ a battle ground led by the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson together with the nuclear-powered guided missile submarine USS Michigan, which is capable of carrying 154 Tomahawk cruise missiles.



Equally impressive is the coordination of the leaders of the two big powers. Trump called Chinese leader Xi Jinping again to enlist his support in translating the U.S. new North Korean policy of "maximum pressure" into action.



Although it can't be ruled out that the North may stage a last-minute crazy act toward the end of the month, it is important to retrace what has worked on the North and draw up the next steps to take to end Pyongyang's playing with fire.



First, credit is due for Trump. He instinctively understood the art of dealing with a despot _ from a position of strength. Then, the U.S. President also employed a clever tactic of driving a wedge between the "lips and teeth" relationship between China and its client state, the North. Xi also has risen to China's new role as global power _ disciplining the rogue state by overcoming the pull of their traditional ties. Now, it appears not possible to go back to their cozy relationship and they shouldn't.



Now, Trump and Xi should base their cooperative success to chart out the future of Korea after Pyongyang is defanged through a freeze on its asymmetric weapons programs, though it should be given the chance to become a normal state, if it can.



Also important is South Korea's role or the absence thereof so far.



Although it has been put on the sidelines due to the lack of an elected head of state, its new leader who will be elected in the May 9 election should be entitled to a key say in Korea's future. He should demand it as top priority of his presidency.



After all, it's South Koreans' inalienable right to determine their fate because they are party to be most affected by whatever happens on the peninsula. From its painful nation-building experience in Iraq and Afghanistan, the U.S. knows how costly it is for an outside power to intervene in the fate of other people. So should China. It is never too soon to prepare for an eventuality _ a lasting firm peace on the peninsula.




As frontrunner presidential candidate Moon Jae-in is far ahead of the pack, talks about forming an anti-Moon alliance are gaining traction. In Monday's meeting of its lawmakers, the splinter Bareun Party proposed a three-way coalition involving its nominee Yoo Seong-min, Hong Joon-pyo of the Liberty Korea Party (LKP) and Ahn Cheol-soo of the People's Party. But Yoo, who ranks last among the four in approval ratings, reaffirmed his resolve to run till the end.



The three weak parties share the view that a unifying candidacy is necessary to prevent Moon, the nominee for the liberal Democratic Party of Korea, from taking power. But the chances are not so high.



Ahn, who is trailing Moon, is skeptical about the idea of fielding a single candidate, fearing that many of his liberal and centrist supporters and those from the southwestern Jeolla provinces could withdraw their support. Hong, who ranks third with support of 7 to 10 percent, is open to forming an alliance with the Bareun Party, but not with Ahn.



Nonetheless, there are expectations in the political community that the anti-Moon coalition will be realized. Ahn, who holds the key to the candidacy consolidation, might change his mind if his support rating plunges further in the run-up to the May 9 election.



Seeking to form a political alliance is not wrong-headed. In fact, liberals took power in 1997 and 2002 by unifying candidates. The proposal is all the more convincing, considering that cooperative governance and political alliances are essential in the next administration because no party holds a parliamentary majority.



But it would be wrong if parties consider only the election victory without forming a consensus on ideology and policies. Not surprisingly, the current crisis of the nation's conservative forces stems from the failure to show new conservative values rather than fielding too many candidates. Unifying candidates merely intended to ostracize a specific person is undesirable. As far as candidacy consolidation is concerned, parties should have principles and causes and share ideology and value extensively.



It's a pity that we have to grapple with this hackneyed issue once again. That's because we have yet to introduce a presidential runoff. The system should be adopted if the Constitution is revised in the next administration.








Samsung BioLogics' plant in Songdo, Incheon / Courtesy of Samsung BioLogics



Biologics maker cruises well in global market

By Kang Seung-woo

When Samsung Group announced its plan to enter the biologics contract manufacturing market in 2011, many eyebrows were raised due to its lack of a proven track record in the field.

However, six years seem to be enough to prove these concerns were groundless, as Samsung BioLogics has put up impressive performances, emerging as a leading player in the international biopharmaceutical sector.

Samsung Group included biologics among its new strategic businesses in 2010 and established Samsung BioLogics in partnership with Quintiles Transnational. The company believed its manufacturing competitiveness from its semiconductor and chemical businesses would help it stand out in the field of contract drug manufacturing.

In July 2013, Samsung BioLogics struck its first manufacturing contract with U.S. Bristol-Myers Squibb, under which the former manufactures a commercial antibody cancer drug. Three months later, the Korean firm signed another strategic manufacturing partnership with Swiss drugmaker Roche to produce the latter's proprietary commercial biologics medicines.

While Samsung BioLogics was building its presence in the industry, it once again made headlines with a decision to build its second plant with a capacity of 150,000 liters, as 90,000 liters was the norm. Its first plant has a capacity of 30,000 liters.

In addition, Samsung's accumulated experience in designing and building plants helped shorten the construction period by 40 percent, reducing the investment costs on its production scale by more than 50 percent compared to its competitors.

To strengthen its presence in the rapidly growing global biopharmaceutical market, the company, headquartered on Songdo in the Incheon Free Economic Zone, broke ground for its third plant in December 2015. It will be the world's largest biopharmaceutical product manufacturing facility boasting a production capacity of 180,000 liters.

Upon its completion in 2018, Samsung BioLogics will also be the world's top biopharmaceutical contract manufacturing organization (CMO).

With a capacity of 360,000 liters, it will nudge past rivals such as Swiss-based Lonza Group with a capacity of 290,000 liters and German-based Boehringer Ingelheim with 280,000 liters.

Sheer size is not the only advantage of Samsung BioLogics.

The small first plant chalked up a surplus in the first quarter of 2016 -- the shortest period of time for a company to do so after entering the industry. It also obtained quality certificates from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Medicines Agency (EMA).

In addition, its affiliate Samsung Bioepis is making strides, as evidenced by the FDA approving it to sell its biosimilars in the United States last week.

On the back of its rapid growth, the company was successfully listed on the main bourse last November amid high investor interest. It has won the CMO Leadership Awards for the fourth straight year. The awards recognize the successes of individual drug development and manufacturing organizations.

Rather than resting on its laurels, Samsung BioLogics is seeking to become a game changer in the industry.

Currently, the firm manufactures nine products for six clients and is in negotiations with 15 global pharmaceutical firms on multiple supply deals worth $3.1 billion (3.5 trillion won).

"Now is the time to take a step forward while the demand for biopharmaceuticals is increasing. It is also a critical moment to compete with other CMOs and pharmaceutical companies that are expanding their production facilities," CEO Kim Tae-han said during the firm's sixth anniversary ceremony on April 21.

"Do not be content with being just a CMO champion. Instead, we need to become a game changer by pushing for customer-oriented innovation to enable global biopharmaceutical companies' utilization of CMO production to double the current level of 25 percent to 50 percent."

Earlier this week Samsung BioLogics reported an operating profit of 3.4 billion won in the first quarter of the year, swinging into the black from the previous quarter's loss of 700 million won thanks to increased sales and decreased expenses. Its quarterly sales amounted to 2.1 billion won, up 1.9 percent from the October-December period.
Seen above is LNG supplier Hoegh's 170,000-cubic-meter liquefied natural gas floating storage and regasification unit as it sails along the coast. Hyundai Heavy Industries built the vessel to deliver it to the Norwegian company in 2014. / Courtesy of Hyundai Heavy Industries



By Jhoo Dong-chan

Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) Group has so far clinched 39 shipbuilding orders worth 2.56 trillion won ($2.3 billion) in the January-April period this year, the group said Wednesday, the best performance for the first four-month period in three years.

The shipbuilding group's surging orders, which are almost five times more than a year ago, hint the prolonged slump may finally come to an end, industry observers said.

HHI Group's three shipbuilding affiliates -- HHI, Hyundai Samho Heavy and Hyundai Mipo Dockyard -- won only eight shipbuilding orders worth 561 billion won in the first four months of 2016.

"Demand in the global shipbuilding industry has not fully recovered yet," an HHI official said.

"It is remarkable that HHI Group marked the remarkable sales performance this year while other competing shipyards are still suffering low order backlogs."

The three HHI Group affiliates won orders for 18 ships worth $900 million in April alone. In consideration of options attached to the contracts, the maximum order would reach 31 ships worth $1.5 billion.

HHI is also reportedly about to conclude a shipbuilding negotiation for three more vessels while Hyundai Mipo Dockyard is in talks for two additional ships, signaling another promising sales performance next month.

"HHI's advanced technologies in eco-friendly shipbuilding technologies and its restructuring efforts for healthier fiscal status seem to have appealed to customers," the official said.

"For the year-to-date, we have received shipbuilding inquiries doubled over the same period last year. With our competitive edge on green shipbuilding technology and fiscal health, we will continue to exert efforts to win more orders."

According to U.K.-based shipping and offshore gas industries analyst Clarkson Research, Wednesday, HHI's shipyard in Ulsan has a remaining backlog worth 3.26 million compensated gross tonnage for 65 ships. The figure is second among the global shipyards in the remaining shipbuilding backlog.

Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries ranked eighth and Hyundai Mipo Dockyard ninth.
By Park Jae-hyuk





Lotte Group is still showing a strong attachment to China, emphasizing it will never leave the country despite the paralyzed operations of its Lotte Mart outlets there over the group's land provision for the deployment of a U.S. anti-missile system in Korea.

According to industry officials, Tuesday, 87 Lotte Mart outlets in China out of 99 have been shut down for months.

In particular, Chinese authorities conducted sudden fire safety inspections this year and suspended the operations of 74 stores while Lotte voluntarily closed 13 stores due to a boycott by Chinese consumers. The remaining 12 stores are also suffering setbacks because Chinese consumers remain reluctant to visit.

"We've continued to demand the Chinese government check the stores' improvements, so we can resume operation," a Lotte Mart official said. "But the Chinese authorities ordered us to wait."

Although the one-month suspension order expired earlier this month, none of the stores could open their doors. China extended the suspension order to six stores and others have yet to receive any official response from the authorities.

Lotte Mart outlets in China are expected to lose 100 billion won ($88 million) in monthly sales, but Korea's fifth-largest conglomerate has said it will not withdraw from China.












By Park Jae-hyuk





Shinsegae may be attempting to shut down its E-mart discount chains in China by the end of this year at the earliest, due to rising deficits over the past few years, according to industry officials, Tuesday.

When it opened its first store in Shanghai in 1997, Shinsegae set the grand goal of operating 1,000 stores in the world's most populous country. The pioneer of the Chinese market opened 27 stores there by 2010.

But Shinsegae, which has chalked up great success here, did not get similar results there  the retail giant failed to take root in China over high rents, unfavorable locations and a slump in the Chinese economy.

E-mart outlets in China posted over 100 billion won ($88 million) in losses in 2011, and their accumulated deficit reached 150 billion won over the past four years.












Construction work underway on China's first home-built aircraft carrier in Dalian.



By Julia Hollingsworth





China is about to launch its first homebuilt aircraft carrier, once the tidal conditions are right at the dock where the vessel has been under construction in Dalian.

Weighing 70,000 tonnes and 315 metres long and 75 metres wide, the still unnamed carrier is slightly larger than the Liaoning, China's only other aircraft carrier, which was made in Ukraine.

Although the launch has been heralded by some as a sign that China is mastering naval technology, other military observers have noted China still only has about four per cent of the United States' naval capability.

China's new carrier will not be heading off into the seas alone when it is fully operational. Carriers operate in a formation, with the main vessel at the centre while other air and sea vessels provide defence and support.

So how does China's aircraft carrier formation stack up against other military powers?

CHINA

Aircraft carriers: one in service, one due to launch

The Liaoning has been conducting take-off and landing drills in the South China Sea this year.

The formation comprised three guided missile destroyers, three frigates, one supply ship, plus J-15 fighter jets and several ship-borne helicopters, according to a report by the Japanese news agency Kyodo, citing the nation's defence ministry.

China's state news agency Xinhua quoted a source as saying that despite challenging weather, the drills provided important experience to build-up the combat capability of the aircraft carrier formation.





The USS Carl Vinson pictured during training in the East China Sea last month.



UNITED STATES

Aircraft carriers: 10 in service

Not only does the United States have the largest military in the world, but its navy also has over 75 years' worth of carrier aviation experience.

A United States "carrier strike group"  the largest operational unit in the United States navy  is usually made up of an aircraft carrier, 7,500 personnel, a guided-missile cruiser for long-range strike capability, a flotilla of six to eight destroyers or frigates used for protecting against air attack, an attack submarine for destroying enemy submarines and ships, an ammunition and supply ship, plus 65 to 70 aircraft.

The 333-metre long, 101,000-tonne, nuclear-powered USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier began patrolling in the South China Sea in February. The strike group was earlier this month ordered to move closer to the Korean peninsula amid escalating tensions over North Korea's nuclear programme. The strike group includes a carrier air wing and two guided-missile destroyers, plus a guided missile cruiser, the military said.

According to the US navy website, the carrier strike group can be used to protect economic or military shipping or protect a marine amphibious force.

The US has previously said it would shift 60 per cent of American naval assets to the Asia-Pacific region by 2020 under the Obama administration's pivot to Asia policy. Trump pledged during his election campaign to upgrade the US military's hardware and manpower, including building 80 advanced warships.





The British aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth under construction at the Rosyth dockyard in Scotland last year.



BRITAIN

Aircraft carriers: two under construction

Britain currently has no operational aircraft carriers, but is constructing two 67,000 tonne Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers, the largest the nation has ever built. The first, HMS Queen Elizabeth, is 280m long and was launched in 2014. It is expected to be completed and ready for operational use in 2021. The second carrier, HMS Prince of Wales, is about two years behind it in construction.

The carriers are designed to carry up to 36 F35B stealth fighters, four Merlin helicopters and can also hold Chinooks and Apache gunships. Each carrier's strike group will also comprise of stealth fighters, an air wing, destroyers, frigates and probably a submarine.





The INS Vikramaditya aircraft carrier (left) pictured during a deployment in the Arabian Sea three years ago.



INDIA

Aircraft carriers: one in operation, two under construction

India formally launched the refurbished 44,570-tonne carrier INS Vikramaditya in 2013, a Russian-built vessel.

India is also building the 40,000 tonne carrier INS Vikrant, which is expected to be completed in 2023 and is the first carrier to be completely built in India. It will have the capacity to carry 30 aircraft, including helicopters, The Times of India reported last year.

India is also constructing the 65,000-tonne carrier INS Vishal, which will be powered by a nuclear reactor, according to the current affairs magazine The Diplomat. It will be able to carry 55 aircraft, including 35 fixed-wing combat aircraft and 20 rotary wing aircraft.

The new carriers will replace the UK-built INS Viraat, formerly the world's longest-serving warship, which was decommissioned in March after spending nearly 30 years in service in the Indian Navy. Prior to that it served in Britain's Royal Navy.
Indonesian fans are cheering when news about Gong Yoo's secret vacation to Lombok spread online. However, since it's a private vacation, Gong Yoo has a special request to his fans Indonesia to not post any pictures of him online. Yet, there's a fan who still managed to get a snap of him.

According to Brand Outlet Magazine, Gong Yoo stayed in a luxurious resort in Lombok. The actor chose Lombok for his short holiday just to take a break from hectic schedules related to his recent top-grossing drama "Goblin", including photoshoots, interviews, and ad promotions.

Gong Yoo has specifically begged fans to not leak pictures of his vacation in Lombok. When the "Coffee Prince" spotted a fan taking a picture of him, he approached the fan and asked her politely to delete the picture. However, a fan has successfully taken a picture of him in barefoot looking cautiously to the camera.

Meanwhile, Gong Yoo's pal in "Goblin", Lee Dong Wook, is also scheduled to hold a fan meeting event in Jakarta on May 20, Korea Portal reported. Gong Yoo is rumored to make a special appearance there. However, there are still no details about Lee Dong Wook's "For My Dear" tour in Jakarta. Previously, Gong Yoo has surprised fans in Lee Dong Wook's fan-meeting. So, Indonesian fans are hoping that the 38-year-old actor would join Lee Dong Wook on the upcoming fan meeting.

As fans may have expected, Lee Dong Wook's fan meeting in Jakarta will be filled with numerous fun activities. The event could hit a next-level fun if Gong Yoo is also present to show-off bromance with Lee Dong Wook.

Gong Yoo and Lee Dong Wook's bromance has led fans to believe that they're dating in real life. "My Girl" actor has even praised Gong Yoo for his work ethic and handsome face. However, both the actors are comfortable to just befriend although they seem like adoring each other.
Details added (first version posted on 12:38)

Baku, Azerbaijan, Apr. 26

By Azad Hasanli  Trend:

Saudi Arabia very much appreciates Azerbaijans contribution to the agreement to reduce oil production, which was reached in December 2016 in Vienna, said Saudi Arabias Minister of Energy, Industry and Mineral Resources Khalid Abdulaziz Al-Falih.

The minister made the remarks at a meeting with Azerbaijans Energy Minister Natig Aliyev in Baku Apr. 26.

Al-Falih said that Azerbaijan is one of the countries that have fulfilled their obligations on oil output cut better than others. The minister emphasized that Azerbaijan reduced oil production to a greater extent than it undertook.

We have common values; Azerbaijan and Saudi Arabia are very pragmatic with regard to oil production in the long term. We want stability not only for producers, but also for oil consumers, added the minister.

During a meeting in Vienna, Austria, on Nov. 30, 2016, OPEC members decided to cut oil production to 32.5 million barrels per day. Later, non-OPEC countries (including Azerbaijan) agreed to reduce the output by another 558,000 barrels per day during the meeting held Dec. 10, 2016.

According to the Energy Ministry, daily oil output was 733,300 barrels in Azerbaijan in March, 40,000 barrels of which accounted for condensate. About 596,000 barrels of oil, 40,000 barrels of condensate and 23,000 barrels of oil products were exported per day.

Azerbaijan fully fulfills its obligations to reduce production by 35,000 barrels a day, says the ministry.

In January 2017, Azerbaijan produced 793,900 barrels of oil per day, in February  776,400 barrels per day, the Energy Ministry told Trend.
Park Bo Young was sidelined for most of the "Strong Woman Do Bong Soon" reward vacation because of an ankle injury. Still, she joined her fellow cast members for the reward getaway where they bonded over the beautiful scenery and the wonderful company.

According to a report by Korea Portal, Park Bo Young suffered the injury during the last week of taping for "Strong Woman Do Bong Soon". The actress, through a V Live broadcast shared with her fans that she was suffering from pain in her ankle but did not elaborate on how she sustained the injury.

Park Bo Young simply said that she sustained the injury while she was filming the final scenes of "Strong Woman Do Bong Soon." Fans believe it could be while she was filming the scenes for the drama which required her to run and fight the bad guys.

Fans were wondering why there weren't many photos of Park Bo Young on the trip, especially since they were hoping that Park Bo Young would spend more time with her on screen beau Park Hyung Sik. Fans have been heavily shipping the pair for quite some time now and remain hopeful that their on screen chemistry will eventually lead to a real life romance, Kpopstarz reported.

According to Park Bo Young, while she was able to join the "Strong Woman Do Bong Soon" team, her injury required her to even sometimes use crutches to move around. This is perhaps the reason why she was not able to join Park Hyung Sik and Jisoo as they went to the beach to swim.

Park Bo Young also apologized to fans for being unable to grant their photo requests while they were in Bali. She cited her injury as the reason she could not accommodate the fans during the Bali vacation.
With just a few weeks left before he enlists for mandatory service, Lee Min Ho is wrapping up his commitments and is doing his best to prepare for his upcoming two years of service to his country. The actor admitted however, that he is sad about the fact that he will leave the industry temporarily but is happy that he was able to do a lot of projects thus far.

"I thought I would be all cool, all indifferent," Lee Min Ho said in a Hello Kpop interview. Instead, he felt sad. "I think it is more about my passing 20s rather than about enlistment itself. I feel sad about becoming 30s and getting old."

The "Legend of the Blue Sea" actor, however said that he had no regrets that he is only entering the military now that he is about to hit 30 rather than when he was younger. He said if he had enlisted early, he would not have had the opportunity to do projects like "Boys Over Flowers", "City Hunter", "Faith" and "The Heirs" which cemented his career as one of the top Hallyu stars in Korea and abroad.

Lee Min Ho recently confirmed that he received his enlistment date for May 12 where he will start reporting as a social service officer in Gangnam. Unlike other actors, Lee Min Ho will not immediately undergo 5 week military service and subsequent conscripted service because of an earlier injury, Kpopstarz reported.

Lee Min Ho figured in a serious car accident along with good friend and fellow acting Jung Il Woo back in 2006. Lee Min Ho suffered severe leg injuries and had to undergo surgery inserting a metal rod in his leg. The actor will last be seen hosting the documentary "DMZ, The Wild" which will air this June.
Tashkent, Uzbekistan, Apr. 26

By Demir Azizov  Trend:

Uzbek Foreign Minister Abdulaziz Kamilov, Defense Minister Kabul Berdiyev and Commander of the US Central Command Joseph Votel discussed the current state and prospects for the US-Uzbekistan cooperation.

Votel is on a visit in Tashkent, the Uzbek Foreign Ministry said.

The sides exchanged views on a number of international and regional problems, the ministry said.

Special attention during the meeting was paid to the developments in Afghanistan.

US Ambassador to Uzbekistan Pamela Spratlen also attended the meeting.
Tashkent, Uzbekistan, Apr. 26

By Demir Azizov  Trend:

Uzbek Foreign Minister Abdulaziz Kamilov and his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu, who arrived in Tashkent, discussed the current state and prospects of bilateral relations in political, trade and economic, investments, military and technical, cultural and humanitarian and other areas, the Uzbek Foreign Ministry said Apr. 26.

The discussions were held as part of the 8th round of bilateral political consultations between the two countries foreign ministries.

The parties also discussed the topical issues of international agenda during the meeting.

Following the negotiations, Kamilov and Cavusoglu signed a program of cooperation for 2017-2018. The events were attended by Turkish Ambassador Ahmet Basar Sen.

Uzbekistans President Shavkat Mirziyoyev is also expected to receive Mevlut Cavusoglu.
Tashkent, Uzbekistan, Apr. 26

By Demir Azizov  Trend:

Presidents of Uzbekistan and Turkey, Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Recep Tayyip Erdogan plan to hold talks, that will give a new momentum to the bilateral relations, by late 2017 , Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told a briefing in Tashkent Apr. 26.

Cavusoglu noted that the Turkey-Uzbekistan relations should be based on good neighborliness, mutual respect and equality.

It was earlier reported that Tashkent hosted consultations between the two countries foreign ministries on Apr. 26. Following the negotiations, the sides signed a program of cooperation for 2017-2018.
Tashkent, Uzbekistan, Apr. 26

By Demir Azizov  Trend:

Uzbekistans President Shavkat Mirziyoyev received Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs Mevlut Cavusoglu, who is on an official visit in Tashkent, on April 26, the Uzbek national news agency UzA reported.

The sides hailed the dynamic development of the Uzbekistan-Turkey relations in line with the agreements reached at the bilateral summit talks, held in Samarkand Nov. 17-18, 2016, according to the news agency.

Special attention was paid to the expansion of mutually beneficial economic and investment cooperation, practical implementation of projects on modernization of tourism infrastructure with the participation of leading Turkish companies, and other issues.

On behalf of Turkish authorities, Cavusoglu thanked the Uzbek side for support of the Turkish companies projects in Uzbekistan and stressed the readiness for further development of full-scale bilateral cooperation.
Tashkent, Uzbekistan, Apr. 26

By Demir Azizov  Trend:

Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has received Commander of the US Central Command Joseph Votel, who is on a working visit in the republic, UzTV, the Uzbek national TV channel, reported.

During the conversation, the sides discussed topical issues of bilateral mutually beneficial multifaceted cooperation, including in the military and military-technical spheres, the report said.

The sides exchanged views on issues of ensuring security and stability in the region, while special attention was paid to the situation in Afghanistan and the prospects for achieving peace in this country, according to the UzTV.

Votel confirmed that the US is ready to continue the dynamic development and strengthening of the Uzbek-US relations.

On the same day, Votel visited the Square of Memory and Honor in Tashkent city and laid a wreath at the Sorrowful Mother Monument there.
Iran says a plan for the early delivery of a plane from US aviation giant Boeing has been cancelled and the plane will not be delivered before next spring, PressTV reported.

Farhad Parvaresh, the head of the countrys national flag carrier airline Iran Air, told the domestic media that Boeing had proposed to hand over a 777-300ER by summer after Turkish Airlines withdrew its order for it.

We welcomed that proposal and started the due technical and commercial studies, Parvaresh said. However, when we were almost certain that we wanted the plane, it was no longer available.

He said Iran Air had announced that it would only go ahead with purchasing the plane provided that it would be available.

We have currently stopped our negotiations in absence of the plane, added the official.

Parvaresh further rejected speculations that Iran Air had come across financial difficulties and thus had cancelled the purchase of the plane.

Boeing has already signed a deal worth $16.6 billion to sell 80 planes to Iran Air. It has also signed a $3 billion deal to sell 30 planes to Iran's Aseman Airlines.

Boeings biggest European rival  Airbus  has signed another deal estimated to be worth some $25 billion to sell above 100 planes to the same company.

Airbus has so far delivered three planes to Iran and more deliveries are expected to be made in the near future.

On 14 April, Parvaresh was quoted by media as saying that Boeing officials were in capital Tehran to discuss an earlier-than-expected delivery of the first plane. He had emphasized that the proceedings to receive the plane would start provided that Iran Air conditions were met.

We are currently discussing this matter with them (Boeing). If Irans conditions are met, this plane would be most probably delivered to Iran within the next 45 days.
The night of April 19, two young adults ventured onto the cliffs near the Torrey Pines Gliderport in La Jolla. Only one of them made it out.

Near midnight, one of the victims called 911 to report that they had fallen off the cliff. Firefighters, lifeguards, police and a helicopter were sent to the location, 2800 Torrey Pines Scenic Drive. A female, who had fallen 50 to 75 feet below the cliff to the area lifeguards call Hully Gully, was rescued, and a male was found 50 feet further down the cliff and pronounced dead at the scene.

San Diego City Fire-Rescue Department public information officer Monica Munoz confirmed the incident took place at the Torrey Pines Gliderport. Seven years ago, in February 2010, La Jolla Light reported the death of an 18-year-old San Diego State University student found at Hully Gully, who appeared to have fallen off the cliff. At the time, an investigation was opened, and the autopsy determined she died of blunt-force injuries.

Munoz said lifeguards performed 85 cliff rescues in 2016, but the breakdown of how many took place at the Torrey Pines area wasnt available as of the Lights press deadline.

Lifeguard Sgt. and Teamsters Union 911 steward Ed Harris calculates that 70 percent of citywide cliff rescues, happen at the La Jolla location. In his words, We have made 300 rescues in the past 6 years, and most of them have been at the Blacks Beach area (Torrey Pines Gliderport), and there has been no improvement to the signage there. One of these areas is the border field, where we go back there again and again because it has the illusion of being a trail (when its not). So, you have to ask, why isnt the City adding warning signs?

City communications officer Tim Graham said there are nine signs in the area with varying degrees of warning from Stay Away to No Public Access.  The Light visited the area April 24 and on the bluff top adjacent to the Gliderport to the south (before the access trail to Blacks Beach) found visitors largely ignoring the Danger; sheer unstable cliffs; stay back signs and roped-off areas.

Two of the trespassers, who wished to remain anonymous, answered the question, Why did you ignore the sign? responding, To get closer to the edge ... some people dont know their limits and then they lose their balance. His partner said, I saw other people doing it.

Daniel Keshyap, visiting the Gliderport from Germany, said decided to stay within the designated zone. When asked about the trespassers, he replied, How do you stop them? Putting up barricades higher than (whats already there) would ruin it.

Angie Preisendorfer, president of La Jolla Shores Business Association and a lifelong La Jollan offered her opinion on the dangerous situation. Everybody ignores the signs down there because they want to get down to Blacks Beach. There are several trails and a road, but people want to take a shortcut, so at the Ho Chi Minh Trail they take a wrong turn and need to be rescued. Its beautiful and dangerous, she said.

Harris added that most cliff rescues in the area happen between Indian Canyon Trail (half mile north of the Gliderport) and Box Canyon (half mile south of the Gliderport). The Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve, approximately 4 miles north of the Gliderport, features a similar network of cliffs and trails, but less rescues take place in that area.

Peter Jensen, president of the non-profit Torrey Pines Association that raises funds for the Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve, noted that the state park is a tighter ship. Thats one of the reasons why people dont fall there. It closes at sunset, its a long walk to get up top in the middle of the night compared to the traditional Lets get wild! atmosphere at the Gliderport with some of the activities that happen over there.

For Jensen, education may be a way to address the issue. I dont know if the university (UC San Diego) can do more to make these 18-year-olds understand that cliffs are dangerous and the ocean is dangerous, he opined.

Ingo Renner, president of the Torrey Pines Docent Society, is part of the volunteer group trying to make sure people stay on the designated trails at the state park. People used to ignore the signage, but we put in these rods with rope, and ever since, people are really staying on the trails; its done a tremendous job, he said, adding that there are many regulations at the Reserve because its the last remaining Southern California natural chaparral habitat.
During a town hall meeting hosted by Congress member Scott Peters (D-District 52) at Clairemont High School, April 18, Bird Rock resident Beatriz Pardo, brought up the issue of increased airplane noise in different La Jolla neighborhoods.

We have a FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) problem, and I have petitions here that were signed by 300 La Jollans (against airport noise), Pardo said.

Peters thanked Pardo for her comments and said he would send Brian Elliott, one of his representatives, to a walk she was organizing at 6:15 a.m. Wednesday, April 26 to show area reps the levels of aircraft noise La Jollans are experiencing. Pardo told La Jolla Light, We thought they should hear what we are hearing and why we are complaining.

Also on April 26, the Airport Noise Advisory Committee (ANAC) meets at 4 p.m. in the UPSES Portuguese Hall, 2818 Avenida De Portugal. Elliott, who is also a member of that board, will be in attendance. The board member notes posted on ANACs website show that La Jolla is now the area where most households are complaining about airplane noise, with complaints logged from 85 residences in La Jolla, La Jolla Mesa, La Jolla Shores and Bird Rock. The Light will have meeting coverage in the May 4 issue.

Health Care Bill

At a second town hall meeting, April 19 at Congregation Beth Israel, 9001 Towne Centre Drive, Peters gave the audience insight on how President Donald Trumps American Health Care Act (AHCA) was stopped in its tracks at the House Energy and Commerce Committee.

Democrats werent allowed to see the bill until the Monday before the Wednesday hearing, he said. In fact, if you wanted to see the bill you had to be a Republican and go into a secure room to view it, as if it was some sort of classified document.

He explained that when the AHCA hearings began, no one had seen the full text of the bill. There were no hearings in the subcommittee, it went right to the full committee. It was 10 a.m. on a Wednesday (when the committee hearing started) and it finished at 1:30 p.m. the next afternoon, Peters said, referring to the record 27-hour meeting where the bill was killed.

As a distraction technique, Peters said Democrats made a motion to change the name of the bill, which gave them time to speak about it, then didnt waive the reading of the 63-page act as usual. Joe Kennedy (D-Massachusetts) was listening to the reading when he realized, Mental health isnt covered anymore! And he asked a question about that.

During the hearing, we started to see on our phones and on Twitter that people were beginning to react to it ... now hospitals are against it, Planned Parenthood, Catholic Charities  I got an e-mail forwarded to me from Blue Cross California, talking about the damage it would do to the insurance partners. So that information started coming in through the course of the hearing. I didnt like missing my sleep or my workout, but it was time we needed to let the bill percolate to the people, and actually as a tactic, is what killed it, Peters said.

Partisanship

Peters expressed his frustrations with what he described as one of the toughest things about Congress, partisanship. Politics is not standing in the corner and yelling at people who agree with you, its coming to the center of the room and trying to listen to the ones that dont agree with you. We dont see enough of that in Congress, he lamented.

He related how hes been trying to initiate conversations with Republican colleagues. Even if my party is not happy with me, thats what we have to do to pass this heavy partisanship, rank our country first, our district second, and our party third, he said.

Peters also criticized President Trumps frequent visits to his Florida resort, reporting that a fifth of his presidency has been spent at the luxury vacation spot, and he blamed Trump for a lack of service.

He also criticized the Presidents plan to build a border wall with Mexico, the cost of which, according to Peters, could fund homeless programs for 20 years, and San Diego could use some of those.
An estimated 1,350 gallons of sewage spilled from the Fern Glen Pump Station on Thursday, April 20, causing San Diego County health officials to close the north side of WindanSea Beach (from Nautilus Street to Marine Street) from the afternoons of April 20 to April 23.

The cause of the leak, according to City of San Diego public information officer Alma Rife, was a deteriorated rubber gasket on the pump stations piping. Crews replaced the rubber gasket also known as a connection fitting, she explained.

The Fern Glen station pumps sewage from the surrounding area. As the Citys website reads, Most of the wastewater collection in San Diego relies on gravity for the flow of wastewater through sewers to a treatment plant. In some instances, it is necessary to pump this wastewater uphill before it can return to a gravity flow. Rife added that at the Fern Glen station sewage is passed from the collection main from the surrounding uphill residential areas between Bonair Street to the South, Marine Street to the North, and Draper Street to the East.

The station has an operating volume of 800 gallons, and in case of total failure, it can store up to 37,700 gallons of sewage. The station did not experience total failure in this case, Rife clarified.

Isaac Jenkins, a member of the Citys Public Utilities Department, told La Jolla Light the alarms went off early morning April 20 at the 102 Fern Glen Pump Station. We responded to a call at 6 a.m., and we were there by 8 a.m., when we stopped the leak. We started to post signs, and the last one was posted by 10 a.m., he said.

The next step was for San Diego County health officials in charge of monitoring beach water quality to come to the site and collect water samples and post more beach closure signs. The official beach closure was posted on the Countys website (sdbeachinfo.com) at 1 p.m. April 20.

Several signs posted by City and County agents at various locations around the leak site read, Danger, contaminated water, keep out. Keith Kezer, program coordinator of the Land & Water Quality division of the San Diego County Environmental Health Department told the Light three samples from the vicinity of the leak were analyzed. The sample from April 20 was just above health standards, he said.

Another sample, taken April 21, showed acceptable levels of bacteria, but it was taken at low tide, when the ocean wasnt reaching the contaminated area. The approach we took here is similar to the other ones; we dont just look at the sample and run with it, we want to make sure that we have a sample thats representative of the conditions that could cause contamination, Kezer explained. He said a third sample collected April 22 came out clean, and that prompted the lifting of the beach closure.

La Jolla resident JD Neri said she was at WindanSea beach April 20 (the day of the leak) when she noticed something was wrong with the water. The water looked really dirty and there was a film around the waves, so it didnt look that inviting, she explained.

On April 21, Neri went back to the beach, and this time she said she was hanging out really close to the pump station. I didnt go in (the water) that day, but a couple of my friends did, and they said the day after, they were feeling kind of sick, but nothing too serious.

For Neri, Thursday was the worst day, and then Friday and Saturday, you could still kind of see the brown zone.

The designated area for the closure extended 2,000 feet from Nautilus Street to Marine Street. Kezer said that was a good, cautious area to be secured. The most popular surfing reef (off The Shack and Bonair Street), roughly 300 hundred feet south of Nautilus Street and 0.3 miles south of the Fern Glen sewer pump, remained open.

For Jim Neri, local surfer and JDs father, the extent of the beach closure raised some doubts. He said some of his friends went in the water that weekend, not knowing about the sewage leak. There was a northwest swell, with a combination of southwest swell, that means the water was being pushed to the south, he said. So once the pollution got out of the pump station (it was going south toward the reef), but there was enough wave energy that it should have been diluted fairly rapidly.

Kezer added that beach closure signs were being removed, presumably by people. We were doing two trips a day putting signs back up, he stated.
BLOOMFIELD  It would be a benefit to have a salt shed to serve the village and town of Bloomfield.

If only it didnt cost quite so much.

Members of the Bloomfield village public works safety and building committee on Monday decided that the village should go forward with plans to build a salt shed, but it should take time to do some research, first.

Doug Mushel, who chairs the public works committee, said the village board did not accept the $220,000 bid for the completed project ($168,000 for the building alone), but did not formally reject it, either.

The village cant legally try to lower the bid before accepting it.

It can negotiate with the bidder after the bid is accepted, Mushel said.

Mushel said the committee will have to recommend at some point that the bid be rejected.

But in the meantime, the committee is suggesting that more research is needed. In particular, the village should contact other communities with salt sheds to find out how much their facilities cost to construct.

The committee is considering the possibility of alternative materials in the shed to reduce costs as well as control corrosion.

We need to research some things, said Village Trustee Dan Aronson, who is also a member of the committee.

The shed became a center of controversy after the concept was approved in summer 2016, with $150,000 earmarked from village borrowing, and the village capital improvement plan said no more than $185,000 would be spent for the storage building.

On the approval of then Village President Ken Monroe, about $33,000 in site preparation work was done at the proposed location near the utility plant on County Highway U.

However, bidding did not go well for the village.

Gary Grolle, now village president, told the Regional News that two bids were received in September 2016, one for $305,469, another for $446,623.

Neither bid got out of committee.

More bids were solicited in October, Grolle said. One more bid came in, this one for $220,691.

A Nov. 14, 2016 bid resolution that was before the board was for a stripped-down bid of $168,805, but it excluded work that was still necessary for the project, Grolle said.

The bid was rejected because the project cost, after adding costs even at a discount, still ended up approaching the $220,691 bid amount, Grolle said in November 2016.

At the time, Monroe was not pleased with the village board for voting 3-2 to not accept the bid. He accused them of wasting the $33,000 spent in site preparation.

Dec. 27, 2016, Monroe told the Regional News that he thought the project was as good as approved, since the board put it in the villages capital improvement plan, chose a site for the shed and then borrowed the funds for the project.

Some of the trustees were not happy with Monroe for spending the $33,000 before the board voted on the bid.

Also in December, Trustee Ken Bauman said rejecting the bid didnt waste that money.

He said Monroe took it upon himself to start some of the site work before the bid was approved.

The argument for the salt storage shed is that it would save the village and the town money over time.

Last year, Bloomfield Highway Supervisor Fred Klabunde told the village board that a salt storage shed would alleviate the trouble of having to schedule with Walworth County Public Works, which recently instituted a new salt pickup procedure.

It costs between $10,000 and $15,000 each year to go to the county for salt each year and it takes a driver an hour round trip to get the salt, said Klabunde.

In other committee business:

Committee members considered whether they would rent the village water tower to house telecommunications equipment from private companies.

The village has mounted its own emergency services communications equipment on the tower.

Do we ever want anything on that tank? Mushel asked.

Unless our residents are clamoring for wireless internet service.

Committee member Frank Odin warned that depending on the contract wording, the village might be charged for having equipment removed to repaint the water tower.

He added that average annual rents paid for mounting a cellular antennas on water towers in larger municipalities, such as Glenview, Illinois, or Schaumburg, Illinois, usually run about $28,000 a year.

The board did not decide on renting the water tower.
GENEVA  The process of becoming the next town supervisor No. 3 intrigued David Stolow.

He said its not like when one applies for a job, in which theres an interview, then the potential employers say, Well get back to you.

The decision unfolded April 18, in real time, in front of the public, and Stolow admitted to feeling less than prepared, unsure of what would transpire and how many people were up for consideration.

But he said he was pleasantly surprised to get the job.

Its nice to be able to do things that you want to do, said Stolow. This is a great opportunity.

Although hes new to town politics, Stolow has served as town election inspector for a year.

Hes also been a full-time town resident for six months and has owned property in Geneva National for two years.

The location of his residency may have been a factor in his appointment. An article about the supervisor nominations also appears in this weeks Regional News.

We havent had anyone from Geneva National, at least not as long as Ive been here, said Town Clerk-Treasurer Deb Kirch, who nominated Stolow.

Supervisor Jeff Monroe, another Stolow supporter, said he felt it was long overdue that someone from Geneva National serve on the board, even if it is only until April 2018.

Stolow was selected to fill the term formerly held by Gene Decker.

I have no doubt that I will be able to work with Mr. Stolow and look forward to doing so for the remainder of Mr. Deckers term, at which time the voters will decide their next supervisor, said Monroe.

Background

On the phone April 19, Stolow said hes lived in many places.

Born and raised in New York City, he obtained his doctorate degree in biochemistry at Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas.

His work history in the field of biotech includes the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland; and Life Technologies, Madison.

My life revolved around budgets and three- to five-year planning, he said.

Stolow also said he ran departments and worked in management.

Budgets, strategic planning and working with people are in my wheelhouse, he said.

Stolow has served on church boards, but he feels his experience serving on the Geneva National homeowners association board may best prepare him for his new role as town supervisor.

One of the first things he worked on as a board member was to institute a community newsletter.

He said another issue Geneva National addressed when he was on the board was the replacement of 87 trees.

There was a strategic plan to handle the replacement and notify the residents, he said.

Now, Stolow is getting up to speed on the town budget and identifying current issues.

He thinks water and sewer issues, such as mediating and mitigating stormwater runoff, may be the biggest challenges during the remainder of his term.

Stolow sees himself as fiscally conservative, and is looking forward to finding cost-effective solutions.

He plans to be up to speed on town affairs in the next couple weeks.

Im enthusiastic and passionate, said Stolow. When Im doing something, I give my all.
In my last column at the request of a number of readers I revisited Lake Genevas surviving iconic structures. In this column I will review Lake Genevas lost iconic structures.

First and foremost among Lake Genevas lost iconic structures is the Hotel Geneva, which was located on the north side of Geneva Lakes outlet at the foot of Broad Street. Designed by the famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright, it was opened in 1911. For its entire existence, it was Lake Genevas most well-known building. Regrettably it was torn down in January 1970.

One of the two iconic structures that no one alive can remember is the Lake Geneva Seminary for Young Ladies, which was located in Seminary Park, one of Lake Genevas two original public squares.

On a marvelous site overlooking Geneva Lake, the Seminary was constructed in 1864. It was a boarding school for young women. In 1895, after it no longer served its original purpose, the Seminary building became Lake Genevas first high school. The building was torn down in 1906.

Centennial Hall, the other building that no one alive can remember, was located where the Geneva Theater is today.

It was constructed in 1876 in celebration of the 100th anniversary of the nations Declaration of Independence. Later renamed the Ford Opera House, it served as a venue for meetings, lectures, plays, and musical events for more than a half century before it was torn down in 1928 to make way for the construction of the Geneva Theater. For 52 years, Centennial Hall was Lake Genevas cultural center.

The Oakwoods Sanitarium, located on Catholic Hill on the north side of Main Street where the Havenwood Apartments are today, was an asylum for the mentally challenged children of wealthy Chicagoans.

After it closed it became an abandoned, derelict building for many decades before it was torn down in 1959.

The old Lake Geneva Y.M.C.A. was once located at the southeast corner of Main Street and what is now Wrigley Drive. Erected with funds provided by the S.R. Chapin family in 1904, it was considered to be one of the finest Y.M.C.A. buildings in the United States. A grand Victorian building, it served as Lake Genevas physical culture center for decades. Longtime Lake Geneva residents in their mid and late seventies will never forget the Teen Town dances held every Friday night at the Y.M.C.A. The old Y.M.C.A. was demolished in 1965.

The old Lake Geneva Public Library was originally the home of Asa W. Farr, a Geneva attorney. It was built in the late 1850s. Asa Farr became an officer in the Union Army during the Civil War and was brutally murdered in 1863 by Confederate guerillas led by William Quantrill (and probably including Frank and Jesse James) in Baxter Springs, Kansas.

In 1896, the Asa Farr home was donated to the City of Lake Geneva by its owner, Mrs. Mary Sturges, as the Citys first public library.

Founded by James Simmons and other residents, the original Lake Geneva Public Library served city residents for more than half a century before it was torn down in 1954 to make way for the current Lake Geneva Public Library.

Two of Lake Genevas first African American residents, Okie Perryman and his wife Hilda, lived in the eastern section of the old public library.

The old Lake Geneva High School was Lake Genevas first purpose-built public high school. Erected as the 19th century became the 20th century, it served as Lake Genevas high school until 1929 when the new Lake Geneva High School was built. The old high school was then used as a junior high school although it also included elementary and high school class rooms. It was torn down in the 1950s and the middle portion of the Central-Denison school complex was built where it had been located.

The Chicago and Northwestern Railroad station, located on the west side of Broad Street at North Street, was constructed in 1891. For the ensuing eight decades it was one of the most significant structures in Lake Geneva. But in August 1975 the railroad from Chicago stopped running to Lake Geneva. In the 1980s, the station was torn down. Its demise was one of the most lamentable losses Lake Geneva has ever suffered.

The architect and builder, Richard Souter, designed and built many of the huge summer homes on Geneva Lake during the 19th and early 20th centuries. His magnificent home on the north side of the 900 block of Geneva Street emulated many of the lake shore homes that he had designed and built. After his death and the death of his wife, it was torn down in the late 1950s or early 1960s.

Lake Geneva once had two lumber yards, the Dunn Lumber yard and across Broad Street from it, the Taggart Lumber Co. just north of where the railroad tracks once ran (where the Town Bank is today). Founded as the Wilbur Lumber Co., it was operated by Louis Taggart and later by his son Frederick Taggart. Alas, it was torn down to make way for a supermarket and an Ace hardware store.

On the northwest corner of Broad and Main streets was located one of Lake Genevas most well-known stores, Cobbs Hardware Store. Established by the prominent 19th century Geneva merchant Timothy Christian Smith, it was operated for many years by his descendants, the Cobb family. It was located where the Cornerstone Shoppe is today.

The last two iconic structures noted in this column were demolished just recently. One was the Victorian Lodging located on the north side of Main Street at Warren Street where a grand new home now exists. The Victorian Lodging was, during the mid-19th century, a boys boarding school operated by the Reverend C.A. Williams, a co-founder with James Simmons of the Oakhill Cemetery. The Reverend C.A. Williams boarding school was the male equivalent of the Lake Geneva Seminary for Young Ladies, which had been founded and operated by Anna Moody.

And the final lost iconic structure was the Traver Hotel, located on the east side of the 300 block of Broad Street between the Lake Geneva Regional News office and the Christian Science Church. The Traver Hotel, under various names, served, during its heyday as the home away from home for countless numbers of traveling salesmen who came to Lake Geneva on the train to sell their wares.

The iconic structures listed above that once existed in Lake Geneva will soon vanish from memory. The fact that they once existed will be documented only by photographs, newspaper articles, and mentions in history books.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Apr. 26



By Fatih Karimov  Trend:



The US side still is committed to its obligations under the nuclear deal, signed between Tehran and the six world powers in 2015, Abbas Araqchi, Irans deputy foreign minister, said.



Araqchi made the remarks at the end of the seventh meeting of the Joint Commission of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in Vienna, IRNA news agency reported Apr. 26.



The US representative officially announced that President Donald Trump administration is reviewing the JCPOA, but will remain committed to it during the procedure, Araqchi said.



The top Iranian diplomat further said that the joint commission session was very good, adding that all participants underlined their commitment to fulfill the obligations under the deal which was an important message.



The meeting of the JCPOA commission which was the first one, after president Trump took the office in US in January, co-chaired by Araqchi and Secretary-General of the European External Action Service Helga Maria Schmid.



Delegations from the P5+1 (China, France, Germany, Russia, United Kingdom, United States) and Iran attended the session, in which the implementation of the nuclear deal and possible obstacles was discussed.



The sixth meeting of the commission was held in Vienna in January and the participants emphasized the need for all relevant parties to honor their obligations under the JCPOA.



Iran and the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council plus Germany signed the JCPOA on July 14, 2015 and started implementing it on January 16, 2016.



Under the agreement, limits were put on Irans nuclear activities in exchange for, among other things, the removal of all nuclear-related bans against the Islamic Republic.
ELKHORN  A West Allis man accused of leaving two bodies stuffed in suitcases on the side of a rural town of Geneva road in 2014 is set for an Aug. 14 jury trial.

In Walworth County, Steven Zelich, 55, faces two counts of hiding a corpse.

Zelich was scheduled for a plea and sentencing hearing in May 2016, but Judge David Reddy postponed that proceeding.

Ive got some concerns about this happening too quickly, Reddy said at the time. Im not willing to proceed to sentencing.

This past Monday, almost a year after Zelichs last Walworth County court appearance, Zelichs attorney Jonathan Smith told Judge Kristine Drettwan that he is ready to move the case forward again.

Zelich appeared by video from the Dodge Correctional Institution.

Smith said that Zelichs homicide charge in Minnesota for the murder of 37-year-old Laura Simonson has been resolved, meaning that his Walworth County charges are the only ones still pending.

For Simonsons death, Zelich was sentenced Feb. 3 in Olmsted County to 25 years in prison.

Last year in Kenosha County, Zelich was sentenced to 35 years in prison for killing 19-year-old Jenny Gamez.

Smith asked the court to schedule a trial, saying that he was unsure whether he and the state would be able to reach a plea agreement in the case.
PRESS RELEASE

Ancient Civilizations Forum Pledges To Expand Activities, Supports Belt and Road Initiative

April 25, 2017 (EIRNS)The First Ministerial Meeting of the Ancient Civilizations Forum, that brought together the government ministers of Greece, China, Italy, Iran, Egypt, Iraq, Peru, Bolivia, Mexico, and India, yesterday concluded its two-day conference with a pledge to expand the organizations activities. As an initiative of Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias, cosponsored by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, the group was created to utilize the "soft power" of ancient civilizations to resolve conflicts, promote dialogue, and establish international peace.

At the closing press conference on April 24, Kotzias said,

"Culture for U.S. is soft power and an economic factor. It is what humanizes people and enables U.S. to tell the untold in a way that dispels fears and insecurities ... we concluded that we can and must continue to work together to spread the peaceful values of culture and agreed in the next two months that there should be a number of plans and projects.. "We prefer dialogue to fanaticism, we prefer civilization to terrorist acts. We prefer to retrieve the wisdom of our peoples from the past and seal the future,"

he emphasized.

The final communique stressed the need for dialogue, joint struggle against all forms of extremism. While not mentioning Syria as such, the communique committed the forum to

"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..."

The communique also refers to the Belt and Road Initiative, saying:

"Advancing the Belt and Road Initiative for international cooperation, among others, will play an important role to promote civilizational dialogues and increase people-to-people bonds."

The foreign ministers agreed to hold their next meeting in 2018, in Bolivia. The group will be open to new members and observers, and will invite representatives from UNESCO, the UN, and other international organizations to join meetings when appropriate. The proceedings of the meeting will be published in a book.

Principal participants were 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, H.E. 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, the Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Plurinational State of Bolivia, Dr. Guadalupe Palomeque de la Cruz.
April 25, 2017 (EIRNS)Russia has restored the Syria deconfliction memorandum for flight safety, at the request of U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, which he made on the day after his April 13 visit to Moscow, a Foreign Ministry source told Izvestia, reported by Sputnik International.

"The memorandum was signed in October 2015, shortly after Russia started its counter-terrorist campaign over Syria at the request of Damascus. The U.S.-led coalition had by then spent a year striking terrorist targets in Syria without approval by the countrys government.

"The memorandum features specific instructions for pilots which help avoid air incidents and ensure flight safety amid the two parallel campaigns. A round-the-clock communication channel was also opened between the two countries military personnel."
Jacqueline Piotaz - Your Secret for a Timeless Beautiful Skin

Jacqueline Piotaz is a name synonymous to Swiss quality and innovation. A Swiss brand that has established its name due to six core values. All of the brands products are designed, developed, produced and packaged in Switzerland, are of impeccable quality, have been tested for their effectiveness on skin, use the revolutionary combination of nature and advanced cellular research, complement each other and are environmentally friendly!

We had the chance to meet the lady behind this and ask her a few questions:

How did it all start?

The first time I got in contact with the world of Beauty, was when I was working for Swissair. I was a Purser and become a Beauty instructor. Which was very fascinating because I saw the importance to take care of the skin, as on flights the air is so dry and then the danger and risk of getting to much sun in all the beautiful destinations. I saw the damage some people had, for they did not care enough for their skin.

Back in 1987 my husband and I decided to work together and we opened at the Hotel Baur au Lac in Zurich our first Beauty salon together (today we call them Day Spa). Beauty from head to toe first class.

We also opened the first Spa in a hotel, which became one of the first Spa in Switzerland, we led the VANITY CLUB for 10 years very successfully. We opened another VANITY Art of Beauty in Zurich and the latest is now VANITY Med where we also have a doctor on the premises.

For 20 years we are also a distributer in Switzerland for International brands like THALGO. It gave me a lot of experience, what clients and professional like to work with and what really brings success to both parties. Also to learn what works and what doesnt bring any success.

Beside this, I was involved with educating apprentices in our places and I am an Examiner for CIDESCO since 1992.

What inspires you to "design - create" your products?

When I came across the Plant Stem Cell Technology I was very fascinated. The Scientists, who developed this Phyto, technology first, were also Swiss. I also liked the way plant stem cell work on skin and the sustainability of this new technology to get also very rare plants and protected species.

I read about this actually the first time, while I was in the USA in a Vogue Magazine. It said Michelle Obama discovers the Swiss apple. So I was very curious and wanted to know more about it and found the gamay grape, which where I was born in the Valais call a powerful anti-oxidant and then the Alp Rose which works for the skin barrier better protection. These three plant stem cells became the basic and heart of the collections.

What is your competitive advantage compared to other Swiss products?

First of all it is a very authentic brand. I am one of the few women working since 30 years in the world of beauty and having created my own brand out of my personal of experience. Our high quality Swiss brand is a small and simple concept based on different plant stem cells. Five steps five golden heroes to maintain and to get a healthy beautiful skin. Our products have all multiple functions and do not contain any alcohol, mineral oil, Vaseline, animal products and are not animal tested All products come in airless flacons and therefore more hygienic and less preservative.

We have also created signature facials with our own power and lifting massage and detox-acupressure massages. These facials are results driven. I wanted the clients to have a great experience and an immediate result after the facial.

What is your favorite product of your line?

My personal favorite is the 9 D Serum with its 9 anti-aging experts. This serum has the latest innovative active ingredients for a skin, which needs all the extras to activate, latest antioxidants, protect, with CelltoCell communication and more. The ingredients like the Dermcom have won multiple international awards for the proven clinical effectiveness. For men and women, who are over 30 and looking for an immediate and longtime results.

What is the best selling product?

First of all, I would say the heart collection with the five steps, which exist in 3 different sizes, which is also appreciated for having travelling sizes. The best selling in single sizes is the Soft Peel Tonic and the 24hr Power Cream.

The soft peeling is a must have product today for all our customers. They love it, as it is 2-1 steps because it takes the dead cells and the pollution of the skin and ideal for preparing the products of the follow up product.

The 24hr Power because it is also 2-1 in one day and night and gives the skin a healthy finishing touch and a wonderful glow and with the HAPPPYBELLE ingredient a happy feeling.

What was it like to be at the DPA Pre-Golden Globe Gift Suite?

I was a great experience for us. I never thought that the big stars would be so much interested to learn about skincare and our Swiss innovation and quality brand. It also showed me that people no matter who they are and what they do, need to be more educated about the importance of skincare. It was also great to see and feel how much they like my high Swiss quality brand.

Would you ever consider incorporating the Edelweiss and its attributes, since it is a flower found in the Swiss Alps and is believed to give ingredients that offer to the elixir of youth?

I love it and we have Bio Edelweiss practically in every product it is a powerful anti-oxidant which with todays pollution its a absolute must have in the products today.

What is your next step?

My next step in creating is body products and a different concept for younger people.

Where can we find them?

The products are in 5 stars hotel and top beauty places in Switzerland and International we are also in 5 stars like in the USA at the Montage Hotel and for example in Muscat, Oman in Clinics.

It is also possible to purchase it online on our website.



Is there anything else that you would like to add?

I have been a consultant, instructor and advisor in skin care for many years. I cannot emphasize enough how important it is to look well after the skin as, it is the only one we have and the biggest organ. The earlier we start with a routine the better. It has become more and more important we do have today so much environment stress and especially as the pollution is getting worse and we can see how many more problems the people have with the skin because of that.

Therefore a daily consequent routine in care steps for the skin is so important to maintain or get a healthy and good-looking skin.

Thank you!

Photography: Courtecy of Jacqueline Piotaz Switzerland

Website: www.jacquelinepiotaz.com
A hop, a skip and a jump ahead of Saturdays 100-day benchmark for President Trump, his administrations income and corporate tax plan was unveiled on Wednesday.

That might be the right word for it. The unveiling of the headstone is what happens in Jewish tradition a year after the death of the interred. But it wont take a year to mark the burial site of this corpse: conservatives and liberals alike were picking it apart within minutes of its arrival.

America cant afford a $5-trillion tax cut, declared the budget hawks at the conservative Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget. The CRFB based its judgment on an op-ed published last week by four Trump economic advisors that listed several of the major elements of the plan announced Wednesday.

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The top tax rates appear to have little or no relation to the size of the economic pie.  Thomas Hungerford, Congressional Research Service (2012)

House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and two other GOP congressional leaders were noticeably lukewarm about the plan in a formal statement Wednesday. While bowing to the Republican shibboleth of lower taxes, they described the elements of the Trump plan merely as critical guideposts for Congress and the Administration as we work together to overhaul the American tax system. Thats praise so faint it barely registers on the microphone.

To examine the Trump plan specifically  not an easy task, given its dearth of specifics  one finds that its a digest of some of the worst ideas at large in the tax debate. Some lack any historical or economic support, some are transparent giveaways to the rich, and at least one is an openly political swipe at what the White House considers to be hostile (read Democratic) voters.

The plan, which is advertised as an instrument of higher economic growth, would cut the top corporate tax rate to 15% from 35% and allow business owners to pay the lower rate as a pass-through, a way of sheltering personal income. The plan also would offer corporations a one-time tax incentive to bring back home income sheltered abroad.

Trump would compress the current seven personal income tax brackets, which top out at a 39.6% rate, to three (10%, 25% and 35%), while eliminating all deductions except those for mortgage interest, retirement nest eggs and charitable contributions and doubling the standard deduction.

Also eliminated would be the deduction for state and local income taxes, which would strike hard at residents of such Trump-resistant states as California, New York and Illinois. Trump also would eliminate the estate tax, and a 3.8% surcharge on investment income enacted as part of the Affordable Care Act and devoted to funding for Medicare.

Some conservative economists think the corporate tax cut is the most powerful part of the package; even some progressive economists agree that eliminating corporate loopholes and lowering the statutory rate would be a good thing  if it could be done without expanding the deficit.

Lowering the corporate rate is really going to bear fruit, says conservative economist Arthur Laffer, one of the coauthors of last weeks op-ed. He says the cut in the top rate will discourage U.S. companies from relocating in low-tax havens overseas such as Ireland and even encourage overseas companies to move to the U.S.

Its not rocket science, Laffer told me. People move toward the lowest tax rate. Asked if he believes that the tax package could raise U.S. economic growth by a percentage point per year, as the Trump administration claims, he said, I think it could be a lot more than that.

But not all economists agree with that optimistic outlook. Lets take a look at some of the elements.

1. The flawed notion that lower tax rates pay for themselves. This ever-popular Republican rationale for tax cuts, especially those directed at the upper reaches of the income ladder, is based on the conviction that tax cuts invariably spur higher growth, and therefore the revenue loss from lower tax rates will be made up by higher revenue from more and richer taxpayers.

The notion has been debunked in theory and by reality. Thomas Hungerford of the Congressional Research Service, an arm of the Library of Congress, laid out the evidence in a 2012 paper, in which he found no relationship between top marginal income tax rates over the previous 65 years.

The top tax rates appear to have little or no relation to the size of the economic pie, he wrote. Lowering the top tax rates, however, did contribute to increasing income inequality. Hungerfords paper infuriated Republicans, who managed to get it withdrawn from circulation.

A year later, Hungerford turned his attention to corporate taxes. He found that, if anything, lower corporate tax rates were associated with lower economic growth. For the most part, however, he determined that there was no correlation.

Conservative economists have been consistently skeptical that cuts pay for themselves. A 2005 paper co-written by N. Gregory Mankiw of Harvard, later to become President George W. Bushs economic advisor, found that tax cuts paid for perhaps one-third of their initial cost and never for their entire cost. And that didnt count the economic burden of a larger deficit if the tax reduction wasnt balanced by spending cuts.

2. We already tried a tax break to bring home foreign earnings. It failed. In 2004, Congress enacted a one-time amnesty allowing U.S. companies to repatriate earnings parked abroad at a bargain tax rate  5%, rather than the top rate of 35%. The idea was for them to spend the money on jobs and domestic investment.

Instead, corporations spent the money on stock buybacks to benefit their shareholders and to fatten executive pay. A Senate subcommittee report in 2011 determined that the 15 biggest companies taking advantage of the tax holiday, including Pfizer, Hewlett-Packard and IBM, actually cut jobs and reduced research spending. The treasury lost $3.3 billion in revenue over 10 years, the panel found.

There is no evidence that [the tax break] increased U.S. investment or jobs, and it cost taxpayers billions, a U.S. Treasury report determined. After the tax holiday, U.S. corporations even stepped up their sequestering of profits abroad, figuring that sooner or later a new administration would offer them yet another break  as Trump is proposing. That hoard of what USC business professor Edward Kleinbard calls stateless income now tops $2 trillion.

3. The pass-through for business owners Trump advocates for the U.S. has killed the Kansas economy. Trumps plan is to allow owners of small businesses to avoid the personal income tax by paying the new, lower business tax, a device known as a pass-through. This is a linchpin of a tax program that Sam Brownback, the Republican governor of Kansas, has implemented.

For Kansas, its been a disaster, encouraging taxpayers of all types to claim ownership of a business in order to avoid the personal income tax.

The pass-through is a major reason for a sharp drop-off in Kansas tax revenue, experts say  in 2013, for instance, revenue dropped by $700 million ($300 million more than predicted), according to Scott Drenkard of the Tax Foundation. Desperate to fill the ever-widening hole in the state budget, Brownback has cut spending on state services and delayed a sales tax cut  making the states tax system ever more regressive.

The pass-through is an invitation to tax manipulation. If they passed a provision like this in Washington, D.C., where I live and work, I would benefit from going to my employer the next day and ask them to start paying me as an independent contractor, Drenkard told Kansas legislators in January. I would still be doing the same job and contributing the same value to the economy, I just wouldnt be paying any income taxes.

Although the pass-through is billed as a boon to small-business owners, in fact it would apply to owners of rich businesses structured as partnerships and sole-proprietorships, such as law firms and companies structured like the Trump Organization, the presidents business. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin says the White House has ideas to limit its abuse, but didnt mention specifics on Wednesday.

4. Killing the estate tax is a handout to the rich. Long rebranded as the death tax by conservatives, the estate tax largely affects the richest Americans while perpetuating the development of aristocratic wealth that was abominated by some of the founding fathers, including Thomas Jefferson and Ben Franklin.

Trump during the campaign called the estate tax a burden on the American worker. Yet the estate tax affects only a few thousand people at most, all of them multimillionaires with an average nest egg of more than $30 million. Currently, the tax is set at 40% of estates, with an exemption worth $5.49 million per individual and $10.9 million per couple.

Bowing to the power of the rich, Congress eliminated the estate tax entirely for 2010 the suspension was pushed by Sen. Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.), whose state hosted armies of well-heeled retirees, and Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-Ark.), whose constituents including members of the Walton family (heirs to the Wal-Mart fortune). The tax was restored in 2011, leaving behind only a Law & Order episode about rich families plotting to kill off their elders during the moratorium.

But the repeal movement lives on, fueled by the recurrent claim that the tax burdens small family businesses and farms with an unaffordable bill when the founders pass on, forcing them to sell. Real-life examples, however, are uncommon. Family farms can be valued for estate tax purposes as working farms, not as real estate, which cuts their tax liability sharply. The tax on most farms and businesses, moreover, can be paid over as much as 15 years.

Who would benefit from repeal? Owners of big family businesses, such as the Trump clan.

Keep up to date with Michael Hiltzik. Follow @hiltzikm on Twitter, see his Facebook page, or email michael.hiltzik@latimes.com.

Return to Michael Hiltziks blog.
Fox News on Tuesday confronted additional allegations that minorities who worked in the networks payroll division were subjected to years of verbal abuse and plantation-style management by high-ranking white executives.

In the first of two race discrimination lawsuits filed in New York, 11 current and former Fox News employees alleged that senior management turned a blind eye to appalling racial discrimination.

The class-action case amends a complaint filed in March by former Fox News employees Tichaona Brown and Tabrese Wright who alleged that former Fox News controller Judith Slater regularly made racist and inappropriate comments. Slater was fired Feb. 28.

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The cases came less than a week after parent company 21st Century Fox fired its star conservative commentator, Bill OReilly, amid allegations that he sexually harassed women. OReilly has dismissed the allegations as unfounded.

In the second lawsuit filed Tuesday, former Fox News employee Adasa Blanco also alleged race discrimination. Her complaint names Fox, Fox News, Fox News attorney Dianne Brandi and Slater.

Blanco said she left Fox News in 2013 after eight years because she could no longer tolerate the comments, including being ridiculed for her accent. Blanco, who is from Puerto Rico, alleged that Slater mocked the Black Lives Matter movement and referred to her commuter train as the Bombay Express because of the number of Indians aboard.

When it comes to racial discrimination, 21st Century Fox has been operating as if it should be called 18th Century Fox, Douglas H. Wigdor and Jeanne Christensen, the attorneys for the plaintiffs, said in a statement.

Slaters attorney, Catherine M. Foti, said in a statement: These are meritless and frivolous lawsuits and all claims of racial discrimination against Ms. Slater are completely false.

Blanco also alleged that, after Sept. 11, 2001, one of her colleagues, Musfiq Rahman, who was from Bangladesh, mistakenly walked into the office of former Fox News Chairman Roger Ailes, who was pushed out in July in a separate sexual harassment scandal.

Ailes was furious. That same day, Ailes ordered that a wall be constructed immediately in his personal office to act as a barrier to entry, the lawsuit said. This wall was an obvious attempt at preventing dark-skinned employees, especially males who could be mistaken for being of `Middle-Eastern descent, from walking in unannounced and frightening Ailes.

Rahman is one of the plaintiffs in the class-action suit.

The suit took issue with recent Fox statements that the company was committed to fostering an environment of trust and respect.

The only consistency at Fox is the abhorrent, intolerable, unlawful and hostile racial discrimination that was inflicted on minority employees that appears more akin to plantation-style management than a modern-day work environment, the lawsuit said.

The two suits say that Fox News employees had complained to the human resources department about the disparaging remarks, but their concerns were dismissed because the high-level executives, all white, were too powerful and knew too much, according to the suit.

A Fox News spokesperson rejected the allegations, saying, Fox News and Dianne Brandi vehemently deny the race discrimination claims in both lawsuits. They are copycat complaints of the original one filed last month. We will vigorously defend these cases.

meg.james@latimes.com

@MegJamesLAT

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Baku, Azerbaijan, Apr. 26



By Khalid Kazimov  Trend:



Iranians residing abroad will cast their votes for May 19 presidential election at 279 polling stations in 103 countries, an Iranian official said.



Hassan Qashqavi, the head of Iranian delegation in charge of monitoring presidential election abroad, has said Iran will set the polling stations at its diplomatic missions abroad, Mehr news agency reported.



He also has expressed his concerns over the situation of Iranian voters residing in Canada as the two countries have cut diplomatic ties since 2012.



He further added that the negotiations with the Canadian government on casting the ballots have produced no results. According to the official, about 400,000 Iranian citizens reside in Canada.



Iran goes to the polls on May 19 to elect its president, in which moderate Rouhani backed by reformists seeks re-election against conservative rivals.
Miramax, the film company known for movies including Pulp Fiction and Shakespeare in Love, has named veteran movie producer Bill Block as its new chief executive.

The hire comes four months after former CEO Steven Schoch left Miramax, and about a year after the onetime indie film powerhouse was acquired by BeIN Media Group, a broadcaster based in Qatar, for an undisclosed sum.

Block most recently served as the CEO of production company QED and is known for producing movies such as the 2016 hit Bad Moms and the 2014 Brad Pitt war film, Fury.

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Miramax is committed to expand production and acquisitions in film and television and Bills strong leadership will surely lead Miramax successfully into the future, said Nasser Al-Khelaifi, chairman of beIN Media Group.

Founded by Harvey and Bob Weinstein in 1979, Miramax quickly became a prominent independent studio that helped define independent cinema in the 1980s and 1990s. It sold to the Walt Disney Co. in 1993, and the brothers departed in 2005 after a bitter dispute with the parent company over creative control.

An investor group led by property mogul Ron Tutor, Thomas Barracks Colony Capital and Qatar Investment Authority bought Miramax for $660 million in 2010. Tutor later sold his stake to the Qatar investment fund.

Miramax boasts a library of 700 films, including Oscar winners The English Patient and Chicago. Though not the hitmaker it once was, Mirmax has made a business out of reviving old titles for television (From Dusk Till Dawn) and the big screen. Recent film projects have included Bad Santa 2, which flopped, and Bridget Joness Baby, which was an international hit.

The studio recently announced the upcoming Johnny Depp-Forest Whitaker police drama Labyrinth, which Miramax will co-finance with Open Road Films. In December, it acquired the U.S. distribution rights to I, Tonya, starring Margot Robbie as figure skater Tonya Harding.

ryan.faughnder@latimes.com

@rfaughnder
Michael Patterson and Candace Reckinger are the types of artists who are perfectly comfortable remaining unclassifiable. They create work that is as comfortable on television as it is in a museum.

You could describe what they do as animation. After all, they teach in the animation department at the University of Southern California and have long created animation sequences for commercials, film and music videos  most famously for the smash 1980s single Take on Me by the Norwegian band A-ha. (A video, incidentally, that is part of the permanent collection at New Yorks Museum of Modern Art.)

You could also call Patterson + Reckinger (their professional moniker) installation artists. They often create elaborate displays for their work, projecting animations onto artfully arranged screens and architectural elements in ways that shape their designs.

They are musical innovators of sorts as well. Though not musicians, the pair have worked with important avant-garde composers and other musical groups to create animated sequences for an array of live performances.

An animation installation designed by Patterson + Reckinger, with imagery by Ria Ama, at Miamis New World Symphony in 2011. (Clyde Scott)

This has included an expansive installation that accompanied a performance of Mussorgskys Pictures at an Exhibition at the opening of the New World Symphony in Miami in 2011. It also included a rainfall of geometric patterns that accompanied a performance of work by experimental composer Tristan Perich at the Broad Art Center at UCLA in 2015  a composition that incorporated toy pianos and one-bit digital tones.

Ever since we started our careers, weve been hybrid, says Patterson as he admires a wall-sized animation still at the Zemeckis Center for Digital Arts at USC, whether it was mixing live action and animation or blending media.

And while their work has long eluded categories, Reckinger says this is of little matter to audiences.

People are very sophisticated now, having computers, having programs and apps, she says. People are so sophisticated with making media themselves.

So the aesthetic bar and the quality bar is higher, adds Patterson. People are really acute in their visual tastes.

Now the pair is about to raise the bar  and the melding of genres  even more.

Candace Reckinger, left, and Michael Patterson, the organizers behind Rhythm + Visions, an animation and music showcase. (Christina House / For The Times) (Christina House / For The Times)

On Friday evening, Patterson + Reckinger are hosting the latest iteration of Rhythms + Visions at USC, an event that features animations, projections, live music and even virtual reality. The show will feature their work and that of more than six dozen others, including Grammy Award-winning pianist Gloria Cheng and multimedia artists Refik Anadol and Miwa Matreyek, the latter of whom is known for merging live performance with animation.

Its performance, installation art, architectural project and music all mixed up together, says Reckinger.

The display will include projections on weather balloons and a custom 70-foot-wide screen that will be installed outside the School of Cinematic Arts on the USC campus.

Miwa Matreyek will be one of the artists involved in Rhythm + Visions at USC. Seen here: A still from her work This World Made Itself. (Eugene Ahn)

But even though the concept is very high tech, Rhythm + Visions will also incorporate touches of the analogue. For one of the performances, musician Zi-Zhu Zhao will play the guzheng, a traditional Chinese zither that has been around for more than 2,000 years.

Its like an art walk, says Patterson of the event, but really refined.

Patterson and Reckinger are a unique artistic team. He is tall, with shaggy brown hair and an unhurried demeanor; she, petite, a wearer of stylish hats and the sort of conversationalist who cant convey all the ideas she holds in her head fast enough.

The pair are also a couple  finishing each others sentences, polishing each others ideas and occasionally exchanging knowing smiles.

An animation still by multimedia artist Refik Anadol will accompany a live performance of composer John Adams piano work Phrygian Gates at Rhythm + Visions at USC. (Refik Anadol)

They both hail from Chicago and attended graduate school in Southern California. She studied film at UCLA. He was at the California Institute of the Arts, where he studied with, among others, the late Jules Engel, known for his work on Walt Disneys Fantasia, which quite famously married music and animation in unique ways.

But Patterson and Reckinger didnt meet until they attended a festival of short films in Europe in 1982.

We went all the way to Paris to discover we were both from Chicago and lived in L.A., says Patterson. And in both of our schools, we were doing new kinds of work.

Two years later, they were married (and are now the parents of two adult sons: Jasper and Barney Patterson, both of whom work in the area of electronic music).

It was around the time that they wed that the music video industry came calling.

At CalArts, Patterson had created a nearly five-minute animated short called Commuter that was crafted from a series of his hand-drawn sketches. The film, which aired on Z Channel, an early cable channel devoted to experimental and other film, caught the eye of producers at Warner Bros. , who then tapped Patterson + Reckinger to animate A-has iconic music video.

The video combined live-action footage, still images and hand-drawn black-and-white animation in equal measure. It also riffed on the nature of drawing itself, with a character, in a very meta moment, attempting to bust out of the comic book frame.

a-ha - "Take On Me" (Official Video)

The project changed their lives.

That was amazing, recalls Patterson. It was in heavy rotation on MTV. It was played for 60 weeks! Imagine having your video all over the world.

That assignment led to others, including the video for Suzanne Vegas Luka and Paula Abdul s Opposites Attract, for which they rendered MC Skat Kat, the singing and dancing cat that appears in the video. The latter gig earned them a Grammy in 1990.

There have been countless commercial and musical gigs since. But in recent years, Patterson + Reckinger have turned their attention to live classical and avant-garde music  creating, often in collaboration with other artists and animators, wild visual sequences that accompany musicians on stage.

That turn began in 2011, when Michael Tilson Thomas  whom the duo affectionately refer to as MTT  then the director of the New World Symphony, approached USC about commissioning animators to create visuals for the debut show at the orchestras new Frank Gehry-designed hall in Miami Beach.

It was unbelievably exciting, says Patterson. Wed have Skype sessions together. Often, MTT would be playing the piano. Hes a very intense, detailed guy. With a team of students and graduates we built that whole thing out. 

For that project, the pair designed a five-screen installation that featured animations  created by themselves and other artists  inspired by Pictures at an Exhibition, one of Mussorgskys signature compositions. (Interestingly, one of Mussorgskys other renowned works, Night on Bald Mountain, had a central role in Fantasia.)

The scenes Patterson + Reckinger compiled for Pictures at an Exhibition featured ghostly landscapes, abstract plays on light and space and even a group of dancing chickens. The result was an unforgettable sonic performance that also bathed the audience in visuals.

It was five screens and they lit the ceiling, recalls Reckinger. I remember thinking, this more like a hybrid theater experience than it was just an animation experience or a cinema experience.

WATCH: A 2015 performance of composer Tristan Perich's work "qsqsqsqsqqqqqqqqq" at the UCLA Broad Experimental Digital Arts Space at UCLA in 2015.

Over the years, orchestras have increasingly incorporated animation into their live performance programs. The Los Angeles Philharmonic , for example, has featured animation and video by the Quay Brothers and Bill Viola to accompany musical works by contemporary composers Louis Andriessen and Arvo Part.

Patterson + Reckinger have set their animations to compositions by the likes 17th century German composer Johann Sebastian Bach and the very contemporary Thomas Ades.

Its a process that begins with deep listening  both alone and together.

We listen to the music a lot, says Reckinger.

Reckinger will often do some digging into the history of a composition, or interview the composer about inspirations  in the case of Ades, over a nosh and a couple of bottles of wine. Then, together, she and Patterson will gather colors, images and video that convey a works pattern or intent. They put this into a timed slide show that serves as a conceptual mood board for a work.

What well do is visualize imagery against music, says Patterson. Then well listen to the music again, and we create assemblages of pictures to look at while were hearing the music to see if combinations work with the sounds.

Over time  and a lot of long animation and editing sessions  this mood board evolves into a finished work (sometimes one that bears little resemblance to the starting point).

Patterson + Reckinger helped devise the animation installations for a performance of Thomas Ades Aracadiana  with art by Catalina Matamoros Puerto. (Patterson + Reckinger)

Patterson pulls up a still from the finished animation of Ades Aracadiana, which was performed by the Penderecki String Quartet at USC in 2015.

This piece has 250 layers and it took 20 hours to render it, he says. Its made of illustration, of photography, of computer animation.

Reckinger says that animation can draw neophyte classical audiences into difficult pieces of music.

If you create a visual approach to the music, people can hear the music better. They can understand the design of the music better."  Candace Reckinger, animator

If you create a visual approach to the music, people can hear the music better, says Reckinger. They can understand the design of the music better.  Its not that the visuals illustrate it. Its that the visuals make you aware of certain patterns.

And thats some of what theyre hoping to achieve at Rhythm + Visions at the end of the week  the animation-meets-music show they first launched at USC in 2011.

One of the musical selections for the show is Phrygian Gates, a piano piece by minimalist composer John Adams.

Says Patterson: Hopefully people will come and see everything and say, Theres this music by this guy named John Adams and its really great.

+++

Rhythm & Visions / Expanded + Live 3

Where: USC, School of Cinematic Arts, 900 West 34th St., University Park, Los Angeles

When: Friday, 8 p.m.

Admission: The event is free, but an RSVP via the website is required for admission onto the campus

Info: visionsandvoices.usc.edu

Sign up for our weekly Essential Arts & Culture newsletter 

carolina.miranda@latimes.com

@cmonstah
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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Jonathan Demme, the Academy Award-winning director of The Silence of the Lambs, died Wednesday at age 73. In 1988, Demme spoke to The Times about casting Dean Stockwell in Married to the Mob as well as his willingness to make movies about unpredictable, independent women. This article was previously published by The Times on Aug. 21, 1988.

When Jonathan Demme was hunting for an actor to play mobster Tony (The Tiger) Russo in his film Married to the Mob, the name Dean Stockwell wasnt anywhere around.

The veteran character actor has been celebrated for his spectacularly creepy pimp in David Lynchs Blue Velvet, as well as Harry Dean Stantons loyal sibling in Wim Wenders Paris, Texas. But could Stockwell play a Mafia kingpin?

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Originally I had a completely different actor in mind, Demme said. But then I saw Deans picture in a trade ad and I thought, Who the hell is this? Dean Stockwell !

Hes such a chameleon that I didnt even recognize him. Thats what makes him special--he has such mercurial presence as an actor.

Demme was hooked. Frankly, I knew that I didnt know what to expect from Dean, which is probably what makes him so intriguing, explained the 45-year-old New York director. During an interview in his suite at the Chateau Marmont, he was playing with his new leading lady--his 7-month-old daughter, Ramona. All I knew was that whatever Dean would do would be completely different from the last time I saw him.

1 / 8 Director Jonathan Demme at the Sundance Film Festival in 2006 for the premiere of his film Neil Young: Heart of Gold. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 2 / 8 Jonathan Demme photographed at his office in 1984. (Larry Davis / Los Angeles Times) 3 / 8 Jonathan Demme with his then-7-month-old-daughter, Ramona, at the Chateau Marmot in 1988. He released the film Married to the Mob that year. (Scott Robinson / Los Angeles Times) 4 / 8 Jonathan Demme accepts the Oscar for director for Silence of the Lambs in 1992. (Joe Kennedy / Los Angeles Times) 5 / 8 Actress Thandie Newton and director Jonathan Demme photographed by The Times in Beverly Hills in 2002 while discussing their collaboration on The Truth About Charlie. (Richard Hartog / Los Angeles Times) 6 / 8 Director Jonathan Demme, left, was interviewed by Los Angeles Film Festival curator Elvis Mitchell in a highlight of the 2015 event. (Araya Diaz / WireImage) 7 / 8 Jodie Foster and Jonathan Demme at a 25th anniversary celebration of Silence of the Lambs at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City on April 20, 2016. (Cindy Ord / Getty Images ) 8 / 8 Director Jonathan Demme photographed by The Times in 2004 in Malibu. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

Stockwell relished the notion of playing a mobster so much that once he fell into character, he rarely came out. Whenever hed come to the set, wed treat him as Tony the Tiger, bowing and scraping, paying homage to him, said Demme. Dean was completely in character--talking like a gangster, walking like a gangster, always rolling his neck around like he was ready for a massage.

Then hed look around the set--very imperially--and say, Its so nice to see how you people operate in the movie business. 

The key to Married to the Mobs dizzy comic spirit is its affectionate satire of the Mafia. For Demme (and screenwriters Barry Strugatz and Mark R. Burns), the films gangsters arent malevolent thugs--theyre connoisseurs of kitsch.

As a suburban mobster housewife, Michelle Pfeiffer dwells in a home swollen with stolen goods--peeking out from behind every couch is a crate of stolen stereo equipment. (Fed up with being surrounded by all this hot property, she finally complains: Everything we own fell off a truck!)

As for Stockwells Tony the Tiger, his entire life seems devoted to bad taste. He talks shop at a Sheriff of Nottingham-style restaurant (complete with a doorman practically immobilized by a suit of armor), woos his mistress in a circular bed at a garish adults-only motel and seems most at ease cruising in his mobster limo, ordering take-out at Burger World.

Ive always wondered why were so fascinated by the Mob--and the bottom line may be that gangsters just wear such great outfits, said Demme, a warm, gregarious man whose own outfit of shorts, sandals and Tiki-print shirt made him look like an aging cabana boy at a tropical resort. Their style is so fantastic that you almost forget about what the people are like inside those clothes.

Demme was reluctant to read too much into his film, which is perhaps as much a satire of our media-fueled fantasies as it is a spoof of the mob. Its a gangster picture, he said. But its an escapist film, not a film about organized crime. When you start talking about real mob activities--illegal dumping of toxic wastes, drug peddling . . . I bet if Id thought about it too much, I could never have made a comedy.

In fact, what makes Demme such an appealing film maker is his affection for all his characters, even ones like Tony the Tiger who might normally be portrayed as humorless clods.

A lot of the credit for that goes to Dean, Demme said. He has this incredible comic technique that no director can supply. The way I look at it, these gangsters are just overgrown bad-boys who never really grew up. They really do exhibit bizarre behavior. But what fascinates me is that I dont know whether its unsettling or just crazy.

Of course, people have been wondering the same thing about Dean Stockwell.

A star as a child, the 52-year-old Stockwell said he was both unhappy and uncomfortable with success. After getting raves for the 1962 film version of Long Days Journey into Night, he practically vanished, making a grand total of three films in 10 years, spending much of his time running off with pal Dennis Hopper on a series of increasingly bizarre adventures.

Sitting by the window of a health-food emporium on the Sunset Strip, Stockwell stared at the traffic rumbling by on the famous boulevard.

I remember when Dennis and I used to terrorize The Strip, he said, keeping a wary paternal eye on his wife and two kids frolicking at a nearby table. Dennis and I met in 58--he says 57 but who cares--and we used to run around a lot. The beat clubs. The jazz joints. We were pretty wild. Barneys Beanery was our real spot. We started going there back when it was an artists hangout.

By the mid-'60s Stockwell was a Love Generation drop-out. In 1983, after years of bouncing from TV guest spots to cheapo pictures that turned out to be wrecks, Stockwell abandoned his career again, this time to sell real estate in Santa Fe, N.M.

But that Hollywood siren kept calling. And now, after a series of striking character parts, hes co-starring in Married to the Mob. A thoughtful man with a impish sense of humor who now lives outside Carmel, Stockwell was so cheered by his recent achievements that it scarcely fazed him that his waitress treated him as if he were just another tourist in town for a sprout sandwich.

Its funny, he said. In all the films Ive done, Id never played an Italian or a gangster--Id never even really played a sexy part before. And Im half-Italian!

But Tony the Tiger--hey, I was that guy for three months. It was so easy youd think Id done it before in another life.

Stockwell turned to the outdoors and exclaimed, Did you hear that, Shirley MacLaine?

Its somehow fitting that Jonathan Demme got his first industry job (a post in the Avco-Embassy publicity department) after producer Joseph E. Levine saw Demmes rave review of his jungle-epic, Zulu.

Having learned his trade making low-budget quickies for Roger Corman, Demme has always celebrated American junk culture. It must run in the family--Demmes father did publicity for the Fontainebleau, Miami Beachs gaudiest luxury hotel.

Hes also a film maker whose exotic visual style and fondness for eccentric characters has so far kept him out of the commercial mainstream. Demmes films have been lauded by critics, but few have made a sizable profit.

I really dont have doubts about my style or taste converging with the mainstream, he said, a bit peeved by the suggestion that he might be too hip for his own good. I think Im a dynamic film maker and I get good results--my pictures look good, they sound good. And I dont just like esoterica. I loved Who Framed Roger Rabbit. 

He groaned. Its not like Im from Planet 9 or something!

Demme does have one trait that sets him apart from many of his Hollywood peers--a willingness to make movies about unpredictable, independent women, a character rarely seen in American films.

In a way, both Pfeiffer in Mob and Melanie Griffith in Something Wild are two different versions of 80s screwball heroines, though Demmes fondness for such raffish types can probably be traced as far back as Crazy Mama (1975), which featured Cloris Leachman and Ann Sothern as mom-and-daughter beauty-shop proprietors who embark on a crime spree through the Southwest.

Ive always been a sucker for a story where someone sets a reasonably heroic task for themselves and eventually achieves their goal, he said. I admire it whether its a man or woman who does it, though I guess its more appealing when a woman does it because its so much tougher for women to achieve things in a male world.

Demme fell silent a moment. Maybe some of that attitude comes from the fact that Ive always been so proud of my mother. She was an alcoholic who quit drinking when I was very young. And she went on to really help people through Alcoholics Anonymous.

He shrugged. Maybe thats too simple, I dont know. Maybe I was just lucky enough to get ahold of some great stories to tell.

To hear Michelle Pfeiffer tell it, Demme is a success as a director--and a joy to work with--because hes so open to ideas. There are lots of directors--well, some directors, who just dont want to hear your opinions, said Pfeiffer, sipping coffee at her airy Santa Monica home. But Jonathan isnt proprietary about his actors. I mean, his crew men would come up to me and work with me on my Long Island accent. Theyd tell me, You should say, youse all.  

Pfeiffer wagged her head. Listen, a lot of directors would never go for that. But for Jonathan, the process of making movies is just as important as the end result. He wants you to enjoy yourself. Ive worked for some directors who treat above-the-line people (the actors) like royalty, but below-the-line people (crew members) like peasants. But Jonathan treats everybody the same.

Judging from the early reviews, Pfeiffer has blossomed under Demmes tutelage.

She gives Demme points for his attitude. Whats so refreshing about him is that really likes women. Hes not threatened by them. He finds them amusing. And hed probably disagree with me, but I think he understands them. Wed be going over a scene and hed say to me, Geez, youre so smart. Why didnt I think of that? 

Oddly enough, before they met, Pfeiffer was convinced Demme didnt like her work. Id read the Something Wild script and wanted to meet him, but hed already decided on Melanie. Then, when I tried to set up a meeting for this movie, he didnt want to see me either. So I thought, Hhmmm, this guy is not a fan.

So I went to Italy on vacation--and stayed at a place without a phone. But one of my neighbors came over to tell me I had a call from America, which turned out to be quite a surprise--they wanted me to read for Married to the Mob. 

Pfeiffer beamed. When I got back to L.A., Jonathan came out, took me to have sushi and to see Suzanne Vega and within 10 minutes we were talking about how my character should do her hair.

In person, Pfeiffer is bright, earnest--and a bit shy, especially when it comes to talking about herself. You get sick of it, she said. You see stuff you say and you lie in bed at night, thinking Im such a (jerk)!

Though barely past 30, Pfeiffer already exhibits a shrewd grasp of certain Hollywood realities. Most importantly, shes learned--sometimes the hard way--that actors rarely have much control over their work.

The truth of the matter is that you only have power in this business if youre in movies that make money. And once you have that leverage--for example, if you want changes in the script--you have to use it before the movie starts. Once the movies shooting, its pretty much out of your hands.

You also learn--as Cher, Susan Sarandon and I did doing Witches of Eastwick'--that if youre gonna insist on changes, theyd better be in scenes that are integral to the storyline.

She flashed a sly grin. That way they cant cut em out.

Poking at his food, fiddling with a huge jet-black ring in the shape of the initial D, Dean Stockwell couldnt figure it out. Whenever hed go to a restaurant during filming, he found himself taking special care to act--and dress--like a gangster.

Id never done that before--ever--taking a character off the set, said Stockwell, who wears the kind of Italian-print shirt and floral-design tie that youd expect to see on a mobster fashion-plate. But this guy I was playing exuded such power that I couldnt resist. Whenever I was in a restaurant, people would treat me with such respect--and fear. They didnt know if I was really a gangster or not, but theyd give me the benefit of the doubt!

Stockwell figures that most mobsters charisma comes from an aura of invincibility. We say we dont like what they do, but part of us is completely fascinated by them, he said, lighting an after-breakfast cigarette. Theyre like figures whove made a deal with the Devil--theyve abandoned any sense of conscience and have been rewarded with immortality.

Thats why we treat them as heroic characters in the movies. Because theyre not subject to the same fears and insecurities that we are. They get to celebrate their lives. They live with such freedom--freedom from conscience, from responsibility. . . .

Stockwell puffed up his chest, as if slipping into character again. Talk about a weird kind of freedom. If somebody gets in your way, you just say, Pow! Youre outta here! 

Its easy to understand why Stockwell is so envious of this freedom from fear and insecurity. When I was in my 20s, I was very self-demeaning. I never thought I was any good. It took me years to come to understood myself and to change my life--to have the chutzpah to get married and have children.

Before that, Stockwell--like his pal Hopper--was a wild one. I was crazy, but never difficult. Even when I was a little nuts, I was an ultra-pro. Still, being cast as a Hollywood outlaw cost him plenty of jobs.

A lot of people just wrote Dennis and me off, he said. They never thought wed make it. Or even survive. He flashed a nostalgic grin. But we fooled em, huh?

Better still, the critics adore him.

After Blue Velvet came out, I remember a gentleman wrote in Rolling Stone that my performance was a high new order of alien humor,  Stockwell recalled with obvious pride. And I really loved that. Because I like humor, but I sometimes worried that I was only one who liked humor in places where its not necessarily supposed to be.

See the most-read stories in Entertainment this hour 
This burger is so epic. Chef April Bloomfield has foie gras bordelaise sauce dripping from the corners of her mouth and a bit of the brick red reduction smeared across her chin. Shes grinning as she picks up the Big Mec double patty cheeseburger from Petit Trois, Ludo Lefebvre, Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolos tiny French restaurant in Hollywood, and goes in for another bite.

The 43-year-old chefs name is synonymous with the New York City gastro pub the Spotted Pig, which she opened with partner Ken Friedman in 2004, where she has earned one star from the Michelin Guide for six consecutive years. This is where Bloomfield, who grew up in Birmingham, England, made a name for herself by serving a stellar burger with no substitutions: chargrilled meat with Roquefort on a brioche bun.

Shes in Los Angeles to check on her new, yet-to-be-named restaurant on Sunset Boulevard, in the old Cat & Fiddle space. And shes agreed to go on a burger crawl.

Los Angeles Times Food Bowl: A new kind of food festival 

Chef April Bloomfield goes on an epic L.A. burger crawl and visits Belcampo Meat Co., Cassell's Hamburgers and Petit Trois.

As Bloomfield sits on a stool at Petit Trois, her elbows on the counter, she slumps a little as she comes down from a five-hour cheeseburger high. But lets start from the beginning, before the night faded into a mess of griddled meat and melted cheese.

Its 4 p.m. on a recent Thursday and Bloomfield is leaning on the corner of the Press Brothers Juicery stall at Grand Central Market. Dressed in a zip-up hoodie, a flannel shirt, jeans and sneakers with her hair pulled back into a messy bun, she orders a turmeric shot and shoots back the tiny cup of fluorescent liquid  a feeble attempt to line the stomach before an evening of pure gluttony.

Belcampo Meat Co. The first stop on her Los Angeles burger tour is Belcampo Meat Co., the nearly four-year-old stall at Grand Central Market, where she takes the last red leather stool at the counter and orders three burgers. About five minutes later, the parade of meat happens all at once as a server drops the Fast burger, the Belcampo burger and a 100-day-aged burger in quick succession. Bloomfield tackles the Fast burger and gives it a squeeze. Its a fatty, messy burger, I like it, says Bloomfield in a Brummie accent. Shes only 5-foot-4, but her boisterous laugh  infectious, short bursts of chortling  makes for a commanding presence. I like the buns because they are squishy but they dont fall apart when the burger releases its juices. Then she picks up the Belcampo burger and studies it for a bit before digging in. I like how thick the cheese is, its like 5 millimeters, says Bloomfield. And I like the grind on this, its coarse and not so packed which is a little different from the ones that I make. She is of course referring to the burgers at Salvation Burger, the burger and milkshake restaurant she reopened in New York City with Friedman in October (the restaurant closed shortly after it opened in February 2016, after a fire). And if youre expecting a burger at her L.A. restaurant, brace yourself for disappointment. We probably wont have a burger on the menu, says Bloomfield. Lets see, who knows? Maybe a little late-night burger action, maybe. The new restaurant will focus mostly on wood-fired meats and vegetables. Bloomfield spent some time cooking at Chez Panisse, and before that, she cooked at the River Cafe in Britain.

As she bites into the 100-day-aged burger  already her third burger of the day  she cocks her head to one side and picks a bit of the caramelized onion out to eat on its own. Its always about the acid with food, says Bloomfield. You really need acid to keep your palate alive.

Cassell's Hamburgers

Chef April Bloomfield tasted this Classic Burger during her Burger Crawl stop at Cassells. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

Four miles and half an hour later, Bloomfield walks through the glass doors of Cassells Hamburgers at the Hotel Normandie in Koreatown, where chef Christian Page resurrected the classic burger restaurant in 2014.

Bloomfield orders a patty melt and a cheeseburger, both a chocolate and a strawberry milkshake, and a slice of banana cream pie. First she bites into the cheeseburger, which arrives somewhat deconstructed, with the lettuce, tomato and pickles on the side.

Its pretty handsome, and I kind of like it without all the stuff on it, she says. Its so cute. Its got like the perfect ratio of bun to cheese and meat and I like the snugness of it. When the patty melt is served, she gasps at a skirt of crisp cheese hanging over the sides of the bread.

That looks epic doesnt it? she asks. Its super juicy and I like the rye bread. I like the Swiss on there, the onions are super sweet and then you get this little crispy flavor coming in from the cheese.

Later, Page takes Bloomfield back into the kitchen so she can geek-out over the crossfire broiler that gives the outside of Cassells meat a little crunch.

Petit Trois.

Chef April Bloomfield ordered the Bic Mec burger during her Burger Crawl stop at Petit Trois. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

About four miles across town, Bloomfield squeezes into a seat at the counter at Petit Trois to try a burger that has gained a cult following. The Big Mec is a massive creation that includes a golden brioche bun, two patties, two pieces of American cheese and a rich foie gras bordelaise sauce that first sticks to, then drips from everything it touches.

The burger is served in a pool of the sauce, but Bloomfield picks it up with both hands anyway, to the surprise of everyone watching around her. A man to her left looks flabbergasted but envious. I cant believe she actually picked it up, he says to his date.

The chef emerges from the giant bite with sauce everywhere and a smile on her face. In between some good sips of red wine, Bloomfield manages to finish half the burger before throwing in her napkin, not the least bit defeated by the burger crawl. Shes got an early flight to New York in the morning but shell be back in L.A. soon, newly invigorated and excited by the food scene here.

Its definitely changed over the last four years, and its become more interesting, with more of a food culture here, Bloomfield says. I kind of like that L.A. is spread out because its nice to go to the different areas. Traffic sucks, but if you time it right, its OK.

Bloomfield makes her way through the growing crowd waiting for their own burgers and escapes into the chilly night air, ready for some of that L.A. traffic on the way back to her hotel.

Well that was fun, wasnt it?

Jenn.Harris@latimes.com

@Jenn_Harris_

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Food Bowl is coming. Heres our cheat sheet of what to do during the monthlong festival
As I walked across Pan Pacific Park to my car on Monday, I came upon signs discarded after the March for Justice.

A few hours earlier, thousands of Armenian-Americans had gathered here, the starting point for an annual 1.5-mile march demanding that the Turkish government admit, once and for all, that it orchestrated the first genocide of the 20th century.

I reached into the pile for one that had been tugging at my heart all day: I am a Grandchild of an Armenian Genocide Survivor. I put it in my trunk and brought it home.

Unlike Jews, who cannot escape the sometimes daily fact of anti-Semitism, Armenian-Americans who are a generation or two removed from the 1915 genocide can choose to dwell on the past, or not.

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Most of our grandparent-survivors have died, and the stories they told  about the teenager who left for America and never got the chance to send for his family before they were murdered (my grandfather), about the orphaned Armenian boy rescued by a Kurdish family (my great aunts husband)  seem like distant history.

Would it really mean that much, anyway, for Turkey to admit now that the founders of its modern republic engaged in the systematic extermination of 1.5 million Armenians, Assyrians and Greeks a century ago?

Absolutely.

Truth is truth. Holocaust deniers rightfully earn the scorn of decent people everywhere. And so, too, should Armenian-genocide deniers.

Denial, after all, is insidious. Over time, like water dripping on hard rock, it has the power to reshape history.

Heres an example of how it works: Every year on April 24, news stories commemorate the anniversary of the genocide, which is observed by Armenians around the world. Every year, a handful of those reports contain qualifiers that cast doubt on the truth of the experience. (Most historians say or the 102nd anniversary of the Armenian genocide, which began in 1915 in what many say was a systematic campaign of ethnic cleansing.)

If they had taken the proper steps to have accountability for our genocide, perhaps others, like the Holocaust, Cambodia or Rwanda would never have happened, said Kren Gasparian, 44, an engineer at Fox Cable Networks. He stood in Pan Pacific Park wearing a T-shirt celebrating a 2005 concert by System of a Down, the Armenian-American hard rock band with outspoken views about Turkish genocide denial.

We all know Hitlers famous quote before invading Poland, Gasparian said. Who, after all, speaks today of the annihilation of the Armenians? And everybody knows that there was a big German presence in Ottoman Turkey during World War I, so we were kind of the blueprint for the Nazis.

::

At the march, it was heartening to see so many kids, born nearly a century after their families were devastated, taking on the responsibility of making sure the world does not forget.

A shy 7-year-old from Glendale, Haik Akopyan, wore the red, blue and orange flag of Armenia like a superhero cape. Eleven-year-old Narek Abedian, a sixth-grader from Burbank, was surprised to find himself leading marching chants. My friend said Lets do it! he told me, so he began to belt out Turkey run, Turkey hide, Turkey is guilty of genocide.

Seven-year-old Haik Akopyan of Glendale, wearing the Armenian flag like a superheros cape (Robin Abcarian/Los Angeles Times)

I stopped to talk to some Pasadena teenagers who attend a private Armenian high school. Katia Khanlian said her great-grandmothers fiance was killed in the genocide. Galin Aghegian told me her great-grandmother was part of a forced march to Aleppo. Stephanie Khatchikian said her great-grandfather was driven from Constantinople and ended up in San Francisco.

As we waited for the march to start, a deplorable form of trolling was taking place in the sky.

Two small planes circled overhead. One trailed a giant Turkish flag. The other a banner that read Stop Armenian Lies. On the ground, people saluted the planes with their middle fingers.

One reason its been relatively easy for Turkey to deny history is that American presidents, worried about ticking off a military ally, have given it a pass. As president, I will recognize the Armenian Genocide, said then-candidate Barack Obama in 2008. (He never did.)

And dont look to President Trump. Not only does he have a big real estate project in Istanbul, he was the first Western leader to offer congratulations to the autocratic Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, whod just won a referendum (probably by fraud) that greatly expands his powers. Monday, Trump released a statement describing one of the worst mass atrocities of the 20th century.

But of course, he refrained from using the g-word.

::

After a couple of hours, I peeled away from the crowd and walked over to The Grove to watch The Promise, a film touted as the first big-budget American feature about the Armenian Genocide.

It was beautiful, and heartbreaking, and tells the story of the genocide in a way that could educate moviegoers the same way a film like Schindlers List brought the Holocaust home to a new generation.

There is no war here, an angry Turkish official tells an American reporter played by Christian Bale. Only evacuation of the civilian population to safer areas.

I had a powerful moment of recognition during the film while watching the face of its star. Oscar Isaac plays Mikhail Boghosian, an Armenian medical student who endures unimaginable loss over the course of the film, losses familiar to all the Armenian families who marched on Monday.

His eyes were filled with such sadness, and I immediately thought of a photograph of my grandfather, Mike Abcarian, standing in his Fresno barber shop in 1939, looking into the camera with deep, soulful eyes. In 1912, at 18, he emigrated to America from Diyarbakir in Turkish Armenia. He sailed from Alexandria, Egypt, and planned to send for his family. He never got the chance. They were murdered in 1915. Only his younger sister, who was pinned under her mothers body, survived.

I never knew my grandfather. He died before I was born. But I picked up that sign in Pan Pacific Park for him.

With a sign playing off Donald Trumps motto, Tyler Max, 11, of North Hollywood takes part in the March for Justice at Pan-Pacific Park in Los Angeles (Robin Abcarian/Los Angeles Times)

More columns 

For more on politics 

robin.abcarian@latimes.com

Twitter: @AbcarianLAT

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The California bullet train dodged another legal bullet Tuesday when a Sacramento Superior Court judge tentatively rejected a request to stop the state rail agency from spending bond money approved by voters in 2008.

Opponents of the project sought an injunction to keep the agency from spending the money to build a 119-mile segment of track in the Central Valley, arguing that legislators changed the bond acts language, making use of the funds unconstitutional.

Judge Raymond M. Cadeis tentative ruling did not decide on the constitutionality of the legislation that was passed last year, but said blocking the money could hurt Californians and that the opponents brought their suit at the wrong time.

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An injunction could significantly harm the state and the public interest.  Raymond M. Cadei, Superior Court Judge

An injunction could significantly harm the state and the public interest, he wrote in a 17-page ruling. Cadei noted that if the state cannot access the bond dollars, it may have to forfeit and return billions of dollars in federal grants that require matching funds.

In the 2008 bond act, the Legislature created a number of taxpayer protections, including ones aimed at preventing the project from starting construction without having enough money to complete at least a partial operating system to carry passengers.

Any segment that was started had to be suitable and ready for high-speed rail operations, the bond act said. The Legislature last year clarified the meaning of that language so that such a segment could be deemed suitable and ready even if it relied on additional money the rail authority would spend later.

Cadeis ruling closely examines arcane legal issues, but does not directly address the intent of preventing a project from getting only partially built and whether the legislation would affect such an outcome.

But the judge left open some grounds for continuing the suit on the constitutionality issue, rejecting the rail authoritys argument that the Legislature has the power to materially change the meaning of the bond act.

The ruling clears the way for the rail authority to tap the bonds, some of which were sold last week.

The project is building bridges, viaducts, trenches and other structures in and around Fresno, part of the 119-miles from Madera to Shafter. The project is years behind schedule and over budget.

The tentative ruling covers three legal motions under the civil case. Oral arguments are scheduled for Wednesday morning, leaving the possibility that Cadei could change his mind.

The rail authority has survived several legal challenges and won rulings on appeals, though the litigation has contributed to delays and increased the projects costs.

The rail authority did not comment on the tentative ruling, noting that oral arguments are still scheduled.

The suit was brought by farmer John Tos, Kings County, the Town of Atherton, former rail authority Chairman Quentin Kopp, the Community Coalition on High-Speed Rail, the Transportation Solutions Defense and Education Fund and the California Rail Foundation, among others.

ralph.vartabedian@latimes.com

Follow me on Twitter @rvartabedian

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Emcee Tom OKey seemed giddy as dozens of guests filed into an outdoor theater in this Mojave Desert town Saturday night to learn about an icy moon of Jupiter and take a stab at connecting with whatever  or whomever  may be living there.

Were sending selfies to Europa here tonight, folks, OKey told those who had gathered in the Joshua Tree Astronomy Arts Theater. Take a moment to reach out to the cosmos and say, We here on Earth care. 

Sponsored by the Southern California Desert Video Astronomers, the public program featured a documentary, 3-D holographic projections, views through telescopes and what was believed to be the first opportunity to send video selfies to a moon of Jupiter that NASA scientists have identified as one of the likeliest homes of extraterrestrial life in our solar system.

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We dont know if aliens are friendly. ... Will they be cute and cuddly like ... E.T., or will they be like the Kardashians?  Seth Shostak, senior astronomer at the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence Institute

A long camera exposure captures guests staring at twinkling stars and a giant laser beam pointing to Europa, Jupiters moon, at the Astronomy Arts Theater in Joshua Tree, Calif. The red light on the left is a flashlight used by guides. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

Zerrin Leckey, 9, was among the first to take a few deep breaths, smile, then speak into the lens of a video camera connected to a device that converts audio and visual images into flashes of laser aimed at the moon  only 37 minutes away at light speed.

Hi, Europa! he said. This is Zerrin on Earth. Im turning 10.

Next up was Jean Mueller, 67, a retired telescope operator at the Palomar Observatory who has discovered more than 30 comets.

I photographed everything in the sky except you, Europa, she said. Now, Im talking to you in person, and thats pretty nice.

The casual tone of these pioneering attempts at intragalactic communication was fine with OKey, who didnt hesitate to note the limits of the technology in the astronomy clubs Europa is Alive! event or the giggle factor involved in all this.

It was OKey, 63, a retired technical consultant in personal injury litigation cases, and Leonard Holmberg, 62, a retired developer of optics-based products, who put together the selfie-sender: An instrument comprised of a video camera, a laptop computer, fiber optics technology and a yellow laser that cost us about $400, OKey said.

We like to think were bringing extraterrestrial adventure to everyday people, he said.

Of course, wed need the power of the sun to generate a coherent beam strong enough to hit Europa, Holmberg said. But at least some of the photons in the transmissions were sending are reaching their target. No doubt about it.

Hi, Europa! This is Zerrin on Earth. Im turning 10.  Zerrin Leckey, age 9

Zerrin Leckey, 9, of Claremont sends a selfie message to Europa, Jupiters moon, using a device designed to convert audio and visual images into flashes of laser light. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

The project, Homberg said, suggests how far technology has advanced since charismatic physicist Carl Sagan popularized the possibility of making contact with extraterrestrial life.

Sagan led a team that developed communications materials that were aboard the Voyager 1 and 2 space probes launched in 1977 to make drive-by visits to planets in this solar system and then continue on to explore space. The packages included images of a nude man and woman and musical samplings, including Chuck Berrys Johnny B. Goode.

OKey and Holmberg consider themselves Saganites, inspired by NASAs recent announcement that Europa and Saturns moon, Enceladus, harbor all the ingredients needed for life to evolve: heat, organic material and vast oceans of water capped by ice.

What theyre doing is fine with me, Seth Shostak, senior astronomer at the nonprofit Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence Institute based in Mountain View, Calif., said. But its fair to say we dont know if aliens are friendly, or if they even exist. If they do, will they be cute and cuddly like the one in the movie E.T., or will they be like the Kardashians?

In that case, he continued, we should keep a low-profile. You dont want your tombstone to read: Im responsible for the obliteration of the human race.

Jim Bell, an astronomer at Arizona State University and president of the Pasadena-based Planetary Society, described the Joshua Tree effort as delightful.

Guests line up near the ticket booth to enter the outdoor Astronomy Arts Theater for Europa Is Alive! (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

Its a testament, Bell said, to the ability of every man nowadays to have access to technology that was only a dream a decade ago.

Scientists have been searching the skies for signs of alien civilizations for decades, mostly with efforts based on the premise that they, like us, would use bursts of radio and laser light we might be able to hear or see.

The SETI Institute runs an array of radio telescopes designed to act as an enormous ear capable of scanning more than a million stars over 10 billion radio frequencies. It still has not detected any signal produced by someone else out there.

The Mars lander Phoenix, launched in 2007, carried recorded greetings. A year later, NASA beamed the Beatles Across the Universe at the North Star, Polaris.

In 2012, a now defunct company leased a huge radio telescope in Carmel Valley, Calif., and offered to transmit personal messages and photos from Earth to various stars for free.

Now, theres the astronomy club led by OKey, who as a boy liked to shine a flashlight beam at the Earths moon knowing it would get there in 1.2 seconds.

The only exceptional thing about our attempt to communicate with an alien world, he said, is how easy and inexpensive it has become to give it a try.

A long camera exposure captures a laser beam pointing to Europa, Jupiters moon, at the Astronomy Arts Theater in Joshua Tree, Calif. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

Louis.Sahagun@latimes.com

@LouisSahagun

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New tips in the December 2009 slaying of a prominent civil litigation attorney at his home in Rolling Hills Estates have prompted investigators to ask for the publics help in solving the case.

On Wednesday, family members and detectives gathered for a news conference at the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department homicide bureau to publicize a $100,000 reward in the killing of Jeffrey Tidus, 53.

It is our belief that there are people out there who know about this murder, Sheriffs Lt. Victor Lewandowski said.

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Although detectives declined to state the specifics of the new leads, Lewandowski said that people have come forward in the last few months to offer new information that connects the attorneys work with the killing.

About 8:30 p.m. on Dec. 7, 2009, Tidus had just walked outside to get a computer from his car when his wife, Sheryl, heard a pop, then a car driving off. When she walked outside, her husband was on the ground. He died the next day.

The killing shocked the wealthy community on the Palos Verdes Penninsula. In 2011, the L.A. County Supervisors, along with Tidus family, offered the $100,000 reward for information about the slaying. The reward is still available.

Tidus worked with a number of well-known clients, including New Century Financial, Isuzu Motors, California Federal Savings and Tokai Bank. In the last year of his life, Tidus had won a number of large settlements, his wife previously told the Los Angeles Times.

Over the years, detectives have examined several of the attorneys cases for possible links to the killing.

On Wednesday, Det. Joe Espino said there are people of interest in the case, including a former Los Angeles tax attorney, Christopher Gruys.

Tidus won an $11.2-million judgment against Gruys in 2007. During a deposition in 2005 in that case, Gruys pulled out a camera, took a picture of Tidus and made what Tidus interpreted as a threat. Tidus obtained a restraining order against Gruys.

The State Bar of California placed Gruys on interim suspension in April 2007 after he was convicted of possession of an assault weapon. He gave up his California law license later that year.

Espino cautioned that Gruys was not the only person of interest in the killing.

Were looking at various people and looking at various cases, he said.

After the news conference, Sheryl Tidus said she thinks about her husband every day. The killing, she said, still feels surreal. Saturday would have been the couples 33rd wedding anniversary.

We deserve answers, she said. Jeffrey deserves justice.

Anyone with information is asked to call investigators at (323) 890-5500. Those who wish to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-8477.

nicole.santacruz@latimes.com

For more crime news follow @nicolesantacruz on Twitter.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Apr. 26



By Khalid Kazimov  Trend:



Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has apparently mocked US President Donald Trumps recent remarks on his approach to the nuclear deal.



Responding to Trumps remarks signaling that the US may ditch Irans nuclear deal with the world powers, Zarif said do not take his worlds too seriously, ISNA news agency reported.



Do not pay much attention to his words, Zarif told reporters on the sidelines of a cabinet meeting in Tehran April 26.



Earlier in an interview with AP, answering the question whether the US would stay in the deal with Iran, Trump said It's possible that we won't.



Iran and the world powers in 2015 reached the historic deal on the Islamic Republic's nuclear program, removing sanctions in exchange for curbing Tehrans nuclear program.
Conservative pundit Ann Coulter has told UC Berkeley student groups that she intends to speak on campus Thursday, leaving the consequences of her controversial appearance to be decided by university police, demonstrators and counter-protestors.

On the heels of three violent clashes this year between extreme left and right groups, administrators sought at first to cancel, then delay Coulters appearance.

She responded by posting Thursdays Berkeley weather forecast with the comment: Nice day for an outdoor speech.

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A representative of one of the groups that invited Coulter to speak about illegal immigration said she intended to show up late in the afternoon on Sproul Plaza, defying efforts by university police to limit potentially violent demonstrations to earlier in the day and off the main campus. The administration had asked her to postpone her address until May 2, when most students would not be attending classes.

Coulters decision to speak in an unprotected, public place concerned Pranav Jandhyala, 19, a political science and business student who is president of BridgeCal, one of the groups that invited her to Berkeley.

University administrators whom Jandhyala met with Tuesday, he said, did not seem to share his concern that Coulter would be met by violent demonstrators.

They dont have the sense it could be dangerous, it could be damaging to our reputation as a school, he said.

Jandhyala said he was trying to find a location where Coulter could meet with an audience of a few dozen invited guests and was hoping to live-stream the event.

Whatever happens on Sproul Plaza is what happens on Sproul. This will be more productive, he said.

Coulter posted a note on Twitter late Tuesday, remarking that she too hoped to avoid an open-air scenario: Still expect Berkeley to provide a room.

Harmeet Dhillon  a lawyer for the Berkeley College Republicans, who originally were to host Coulter along with BridgeCal  noted that Sproul, in the heart of the campus, is a designated public speech location and permission for an appearance there is not needed.

I do know that we have neither the desire or the ability to keep people off of Sproul Plaza, UC Berkeley spokesman Dan Mogulof said.

Coulters appearance is being paid for by the Virginia-based Young Americas Foundation. The Berkeley College Republicans and the foundation filed a federal free speech lawsuit Monday, accusing the university of using security concerns as a guise to censor conservative viewpoints. On Tuesday, Young Americas Foundation pulled out as Coulters official sponsor, saying it would continue the lawsuit but would not jeopardize the safety of its staff or students in the face of the dangers presented by an outdoor appearance.

In February, a campus event featuring right-wing provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos was shut down when the venue was swarmed by demonstrators  including some in masks who tore down barricades and smashed windows.

Two subsequent rallies have been staged in Berkeley by alt-right and conservative groups, each time drawing out anti-fascist protesters as well as white nationalists and resulting in violent clashes, beatings and arrests.

paige.stjohn@latimes.com

For updates and more, follow @paigestjohn.

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UPDATES:

7:25 p.m.: This article was updated with comments from a student organizer.

This article was originally published at 6:15 p.m.
Two men accused of smuggling more than 30 pounds of cocaine across the U.S.-Mexico border before being arrested in Boyle Heights this week face deportation because they have been living in the country illegally, a U.S. Customs and Border Protection official said Wednesday.

Hugo Rueda, 50, was taken into custody after the drug raid on Monday, according to the U.S. Border Patrol. During the bust, authorities found 33 pounds of cocaine in Ruedas car, as well as $600,000 in cash and an ounce of crystal methamphetamine in the apartment he shared with his wife in Boyle Heights, federal authorities said.

Rueda and three other men  identified as Enrique Rueda, 47; Erasmo Pimentel, 28; and Jose Gutierrez, 46  were arrested on suspicion of possessing drugs for the purpose of selling them, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department.

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Hugo Rueda and one of the other men entered the country illegally, said Mark Endicott, supervisory border patrol agent for the agency in San Diego. He refused to identify which of the other men had crossed illegally, citing privacy laws.

It is possible that the Border Patrol may actively seek to initiate removal proceedings for these individuals after their criminal cases are adjudicated and they are eligible for release, he said.

Ruedas wife, Teresa Vidal-Jaime, 54, also was taken into custody at the scene and arrested by Border Patrol agents for an immigration violation, Endicott said. Although officials said she was not involved in the narcotics investigation, border officials said she too was in the country illegally and now faces possible deportation.

Vidal-Jaimes detention triggered a protest in downtown Los Angeles on Tuesday. As demonstrators chanted, Free Teresa, others blocked vehicles and stopped traffic outside federal buildings downtown while forming a human barrier around Rueda and Vidal-Jaimes daughter, Claudia Rueda.

Her mother didnt have anything to do with this, said Marcela Hernandez, one of the protest organizers. Vidal-Jaime didnt know anything about anything in the apartment. She let them [agents] in.

The operation that led to the cocaine bust began about 5 p.m. Monday when the Border Patrol alerted sheriffs narcotics investigators about a Chevrolet Malibu that was believed to be involved in cross-border drug smuggling, according to the Sheriffs Department. The Chevrolet, they said, was headed to the Los Angeles area.

Sheriffs Capt. Darren Harris said Border Patrol agents and undercover sheriffs detectives who are part of a multijurisdictional methamphetamine task force began tracking the vehicle.

When the car arrived at the apartment complex in the 700 block of Bernal Avenue, investigators saw several men offloading what appeared to be drugs from the vehicle, the Sheriffs Department said.

Border Patrol agents and sheriffs investigators moved in and arrested four men. Investigators found the cocaine inside the car, which they said was registered to Rueda. They also discovered cash hidden inside a tire, sheriffs officials said.

These are high-risk takedowns with lives at risk. This can be the cartel, Harris said. This case involves nearly a million dollars in drugs and cash.

Harris said the cocaine has a street value of $300,000.

According to the Border Patrol, Vidal-Jaime gave investigators consent to conduct a further search of the apartment. Inside the apartment, authorities discovered the bundles of cash and meth, authorities said.

This is a high-risk search, so anyone at the apartment would be detained by the task force for safety purposes, said Harris, a Sheriffs Department spokesman. Investigators recovered the money from a bedroom not belonging to Vidal-Jaime and a tire, officials said.

Nicole Nishida, a Sheriffs Department spokeswoman, said Vidal-Jaime was detained at the scene but freed after investigators concluded she was not involved in the  narcotics investigation.

She was released from our detention and free to leave, Nishida said.

Vidal-Jaime then was immediately taken into custody by Border Patrol agents, who had determined that she was in the country illegally, said Endicott, an agency spokesman.

Sheriffs officials said deputies do not enforce immigration law and do not ask anyone about their immigration status.

Vidal-Jaime, who came to the U.S. in 2001, was being held in Chula Vista for deportation proceedings, her daughter said.

On Wednesday, neighbors at the 725 S. Bernal apartment complex said Hugo and Enrique Rueda were brothers and lived in the same apartment with their wives for over a decade. Neighbors and the owner of the building said they were in shock following the raid. No one believed the families could have been involved with drugs.

They were a typical Mexican immigrant family, said Jenny Anegy, who lives above the Ruedas apartment.

The families were poor, hard-working and kind, she said. They rarely hosted birthday parties or BBQs. Once, to save money, they celebrated three quinceaneras as one, Anegy said.

The men delivered fruit in downtown Los Angeles and worked at a car wash and in construction. The women worked at a restaurant and a bakery in Boyle Heights.

I just cant believe they had that stuff, Anegy said.

The neighbor said she never saw foot or car traffic that would indicate something odd was going on in the apartment.

I never expected that from them, she said. Its a big-time shock.

Building owner Kan Tham, 70, stopped by the apartment complex Wednesday and was surprised to hear that his tenants had been arrested.

Here? he said. Who? Hugo?

Tham said the family had rented from him for many years and he believed Hugo Rueda worked at a market involving fruit.

Im surprised, Tham said. No one told me.

veronica.rocha@latimes.com

Twitter: VeronicaRochaLA

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UPDATES:

3:45 p.m. : This article was updated with information from the Sheriffs Department on where in the apartment the money was recovered.

2:45 p.m.: This article was updated with comments from a neighbor and the Ruedas landlord.

This article was originally published at 12:45 p.m.
A handgun used to fatally shoot three men last week in downtown Fresno is still missing, authorities said.

Fresno Police Lt. Mark Hudson said detectives are still searching for a man who they believe took the .357 magnum revolver left behind by accused Fresno shooter Kori Ali Muhammad after the April 18 attack.

According to authorities, Muhammad had just ran out of ammunition when he encountered the man after the shooting. Muhammad and the man, who was carrying a box of food, had a brief conversation, police said.

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Surveillance cameras showed the man setting down the box and retrieving Muhammads gun, police said. The man then ran out of the neighborhood, jumped a fence, emptied the handgun in a backyard and took off running again, authorities said.

Hudson said detectives have not been able to locate the revolver since the deadly four-minute rampage. A $2,000 reward has been offered for information.

Muhammad, 39, has not yet been charged in the deaths of three men, who authorities said were gunned down because they were white. On Tuesday, the Fresno County district attorneys office said the Fresno Police Department had not submitted its case to prosecutors.

Muhammad was charged last week in the death of Carl Williams, a 25-year-old security guard who was killed in a separate shooting April 13 at a motel. Muhammad told police he shot Williams because he felt Carl Williams had disrespected him, according to Fresno Police Chief Jerry Dyer.

At a hearing Friday, a doctor was appointed to evaluate Muhammads mental competency.

Dyer said Muhammad, a black man who spoke of an ongoing race war, told investigators he didnt want to go down for killing the security guard  he wanted to kill as many white males as possible.

Five days after Williams was gunned down, police said, Muhammad walked up to a PG&E truck and fired shots into it, striking Zackary David Randalls, a 34-year-old Clovis resident.

After shooting Randalls, police said, Muhammad fired at a 59-year-old man who had just walked out of a home, but missed. Muhammad then fired on a vehicle but stopped once he saw that the occupants were two Latina women, the chief said.

Muhammad continued walking and fatally shot Mark James Gassett, 37, of Fresno, Dyer said.

Next, Muhammad fired at David Martin Jackson as he sat with two other men at a bus stop, according to the police chief. As Jackson, a 58-year-old Fresno resident, ran away, Muhammad chased him and fired two more shots at him, Dyer said. Jackson collapsed and died in the parking lot of Catholic Charities, according to the police chief.

A total of 17 shots were fired before Muhammad was taken into custody, Dyer said.

veronica.rocha@latimes.com

Twitter: VeronicaRochaLA

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Authorities in Northern California say five people appear to have died from heroin overdoses in the last 10 days and are warning that a particularly potent batch of the drug could be on the streets.

Sonoma County Sheriffs Sgt. Spencer Crum told the Press Democrat that the deaths of three men and two women all occurred in the Santa Rosa area.

He said autopsy and toxicology reports were still pending but coroners officials decided Tuesday to release the information because the heroin being distributed in Santa Rosa is very volatile and potentially toxic.

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The coroners office said four other people had died from heroin overdoses since the beginning of the year. There were two such deaths in the first four months of 2016.

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Dozens of people gathered in downtown Los Angeles on Tuesday to protest the detention of a 54-year-old woman who now faces deportation for living in the country illegally.

Teresa Vidal-Jaime was picked up by federal authorities Monday after a massive drug bust at a Boyle Heights apartment complex where she lives. During the raid, her husband was arrested for drug possession and investigators seized more than 30 pounds of cocaine and $600,000 in cash, according to the U.S. Border Patrol.

But Vidal-Jaimes daughter, Claudia Rueda, an immigration activist in Los Angeles, joined community organizers to protest her mothers detention, calling it an unlawful raid that swept up an innocent woman in a criminal probe.

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Her mother didnt have anything to do with this, said Marcela Hernandez, one of the organizers. Vidal-Jaime didnt know anything about anything in the apartment. She let them in.

Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department officials said the Border Patrol alerted them about 5 p.m. Monday to a Chevrolet Malibu that was believed to be involved in the cross-border drug trade. The sedan was believed to be en route to Los Angeles.

When the car arrived in the 700 block of Bernal Avenue in Boyle Heights, investigators spotted several men unloading drugs from the vehicle, sheriffs officials said.

Border Patrol agents and sheriffs investigators swarmed and arrested four men. Investigators seized about 33 pounds of cocaine inside a car registered to Hugo Rueda, 50, who is married to Vidal-Jaime.

Next, investigators headed to an apartment where Vidal-Jaime gave consent to a search, Border Patrol officials said. At the apartment, about $600,000 in cash was discovered. Authorities also found an ounce of crystal methamphetamine.

Hugo Rueda and the three other men were booked on narcotics charges and were each being held in Los Angeles County jail on $500,000 bail.

How Vidal-Jaime was detained is unclear and a source of controversy among activists and community members.

The Sheriffs Department said investigators detained her at the scene but released her because she was not believed to be involved in the narcotics probe. In a statement, the Sheriffs Department said none of its personnel asked her about her immigration status.

The Border Patrol said in a statement that agents took custody of Vidal-Jaime because she was living in the country illegally. She came to the U.S. in 2001 and her daughter said she was being held in Chula Vista for deportation proceedings. A small protest was also held Tuesday for Vidal-Jaime outside a Border Patrol station in San Ysidro, near the border.

At the protest, about 70 people yelled Free Teresa now repeatedly outside a plaza of federal buildings in downtown.

Claudia Rueda was surrounded by a ring of protesters who offered support. Some of the demonstrators said they viewed Vidal-Jaimes detention as retribution for her daughters line of work.

We think it is retaliation against her mother for her daughters activism, Hernandez said.

Claudia Rueda said she was attending class Monday evening at Cal State L.A. when she received the news about the raid, according to a statement issued by the Immigrant Youth Coalition, and quickly returned home.

Despite being told she would not be detained as long she cooperated, my mother was apprehended during an illegally conducted raid at my apartment, Claudia Rueda said in the statement.

I know my mother is innocent, and both [the Sheriffs Department and Border Patrol] know that, which is why they were supposed to let her go.

matt.hamilton@latimes.com

Twitter: @MattHjourno

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UPDATES:

2:45 a.m. April 26: This article was updated with a detail about a protest in San Ysidro.

This article was originally published at 9:05 p.m. April 25.
Federal prosecutors will seek to put former Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca in prison for two years when he is sentenced next month for obstructing a probe into abuses at county jails, according to court documents.

In an 11-page document filed Monday, federal prosecutors said they took Bacas age and the fact that he is suffering from Alzheimers disease into account when recommending the sentence. If not for his condition, prosecutors wrote, Baca should have faced up to four years and three months in prison.

Defendants age and cognitive condition call for a below-Guideline sentence because the interests of justice will not be served by defendant spending many years behind bars in a severely impaired state, the document read.

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Baca, 74, was convicted in March of obstruction of justice, conspiracy and making false statements to federal investigators in connection with a 2011 federal review of abuses inside the countys jail system.

The case focused on six weeks in August and September 2011 following the discovery by sheriffs officials that FBI agents had bribed a deputy to smuggle a cellphone to their inmate informant, a convicted violent felon. The sting operation was part of a larger investigation into allegations of widespread corruption by deputies working in the jails, including claims that inmates were routinely beaten without justification.

Prosecutors contended that Baca was aware of an intimidation plot that involved sending sheriffs officials to the home of an FBI agent, and efforts to hide an inmate who was acting as a federal informant from his FBI handlers.

In 2016, Baca pleaded guilty to one count of lying to federal investigators in exchange for a six-month prison sentence. But Baca withdrew his plea after a federal judge determined his sentence was too lenient.

In all, 10 sheriffs officials, including Bacas former second in command, have been convicted or pleaded guilty in connection with the abuse scandal.

Nathan J. Hochman, Bacas lead defense attorney, argued that the ex-sheriff should be sentenced to house arrest in a separate motion, due to what he described as Bacas rapidly deteriorating medical condition.

Hochman asked the court to weigh Bacas decades-long career in law enforcement against the nonviolent crimes he was convicted of, and the doctors belief that Bacas condition has worsened from mild cognitive impairment to mild dementia.

This diagnosis is a sentence of its own. It is a sentence that will leave him a mere shell of his former self and one that will rob him of the memories of his life, Hochman wrote. Ultimately, he wont remember the decades he devoted to his community or the people whose lives he helped change for the better, not to mention the names or memories of his friends and family.

Baca will be sentenced May 12, and if past sentences in the case are any indication, he should not expect leniency. Former Undersheriff Paul Tanaka, who was Bacas second in command during the scandal, is serving a five-year prison term after he was convicted of obstruction and conspiracy charges.

Los Angeles Times Staff Writer Joel Rubin contributed to this report.

james.queally@latimes.com

Follow @JamesQueallyLAT for crime and police news in California.
A friend of Robert Durst placed a phone call to a New York medical school his wife attended at the time she vanished, pretending to be her, according to testimony that could prove critical at the real estate scions murder trial.

Durst, 74, is accused in the execution-style killing of Susan Berman, his longtime friend. According to prosecutors, Durst shot Berman in the back of the head inside her Benedict Canyon home in 2000 because she knew too much about the 1982 disappearance of his first wife, Kathleen.

Lynda Obst  a producer who has worked on major films such as Sleepless in Seattle and Interstellar  was revealed Wednesday as the latest secret witness called by the prosecution in a series of hearings before the trial begins. Her identity had been withheld from the public until she took the stand.

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A friend of Bermans, Obst testified Wednesday that Berman had told her she pretended to be Kathleen Durst in a call to the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. Prosecutors have said there is evidence that Kathleen Durst, who was expected to begin a clerkship in pediatrics at the facility, was dead at the time a doctor there got a call from someone identifying herself as Kathleen.

The doctor who received the call testified earlier this year that he was unsure if he was actually speaking to her that day. Albert Kuperman, who was associate dean of the medical school at the time, previously has said the call came Feb. 1, 1982  the day after police believe Kathleen vanished.

For years, Obst said, she didnt think much about what Berman had told her. It wasnt until she watched an episode of The Jinx, the HBO documentary that examined Dursts life and the series of killings linked to him, that she realized other people didnt know Berman claimed to have made the call.

This was a very disturbing episode to me, Obst said. I was struck. My heart started racing.... It was terrifying to me, because I assumed everyone knew this.

Obst said that she waited a while to contact authorities because she was afraid of Durst and hoped to avoid getting involved in the investigation.

I find the defendant a very scary person, she said Wednesday. He kills witnesses.

Under cross-examination, Dursts attorney, Dick DeGuerin, asked Obst why she hadnt told producers of The Jinx  to whom she gave a lengthy interview  about Bermans statements. Obst said she did not remember the conversation with Berman until she watched the documentary.

Her testimony came one day after another friend of Bermans, Miriam Barnes, recalled a chilling conversation shed had with the victim years before her death.

Barnes said that soon after Kathleens disappearance, Berman called asking her to come to her apartment. When she arrived, Berman was pacing and asked her to sit down, Barnes testified.

Im going to tell you something, but I need you not to ask me any questions, Berman said, according to Barnes. I did something today.

Berman did not elaborate, according to Barnes testimony, other than to say the favor was for Durst.

Then, Barnes recalled, her friend offered an ominous warning that didnt fully hit her until she attended Bermans funeral years later: If anything ever happens to me, Bobby did it.

Barnes was the second person to suggest under oath that Berman knew details about Kathleens disappearance. Earlier this year, Nick Chavin  a mutual friend of Durst and Berman  testified that the multimillionaire once confessed to killing Berman. He also testified that Berman had told him years earlier that Durst told her hed killed Kathleen.

Born into prominence as the son of a real estate tycoon, Durst gained broader notoriety in the spring of 2015 with the premiere of the six-part HBO documentary examining Kathleens disappearance, Bermans death and a 2001 slaying in Texas. In that case, Durst admitted to shooting his neighbor, Morris Black, and chopping up his body; he argued self-defense and was acquitted in 2003.

During the last episode of The Jinx, Durst mumbles: What the hell did I do? Killed them all, of course, which some viewers considered a broad confession. A day before the episode aired, FBI agents arrested Durst at a hotel in New Orleans, where he was staying under a fake name.

Berman, a writer and daughter of Las Vegas mob royalty, had served as Dursts unofficial spokeswoman when Kathleens disappearance became tabloid fodder. Before Bermans death, authorities had been hoping to interview her about the events of 1982.

The pretrial hearings will continue Thursday. Judge Mark E. Windham is expected to rule on a contentious evidentiary issue that could shape Dursts murder trial, which is unlikely to begin before 2018.

For months, prosecutors and Dursts legal team have argued over documents seized from the defendants hotel room in New Orleans and his Houston home. Dursts attorneys believe some of the documents may be protected by attorney-client privilege, and prosecutors have asked for the appointment of a special master to review the documents.

marisa.gerber@latimes.com

james.queally@latimes.com

For more crime news from Southern California, follow us on Twitter: @marisagerber and @JamesQueallyLAT.

ALSO:

Im a professional liar, key witness against Robert Durst once told prosecutors in recorded call

What Robert Durst said he meant when he told lawyers: I kill a lot

Robert Durst confessed to killing Susan Berman, secret witness says in court

UPDATES:

6:50 p.m.: This article was updated with additional testimony from Obst and details about what is expected to take place in court Thursday.

3:45 p.m.: This article was updated with testimony from producer Lynda Obst.

This article was originally published at 1:05 p.m.
An unarmed intercontinental ballistic missile was launched just after midnight Wednesday from Vandenberg Air Force Base as part of an operational test to show the countrys nuclear deterrent capability, according to the U.S. Air Force.

The Minuteman III missile test launch occurred at 12:03 a.m. from the base northwest of Lompoc, according to Vandenbergs 30th Space Wing. The launch command was delivered from the Airborne Launch Control System on a Navy E-6 Mercury jet, according to the Air Force Global Strike Command.

The missile, which was equipped with a nonexplosive payload that recorded flight data, traveled 4,200 miles to a test range in Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands, according to the Air Force.

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Col. Chris Moss, Vandenbergs 30th Space Wing commander, said the test launch was an important demonstration of our nations nuclear deterrent capability.

The test was conducted by the Air Force Global Strike Commands team from the 90th Missile Wing at F.E. Warren Air Force Base in Wyoming, 341st Missile Wing at Malmstrom Air Force Base in Montana and the 625th Strategic Operations Squadron at Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska. Warren Air Force Base is one of three missile bases overseeing the countrys intercontinental ballistic missile forces.

According to the Air Force Global Strike Command, the launch was designed to verify the accuracy and reliability of the Minuteman missile system as well as provide valuable data to ensure a continued safe, secure and effective nuclear deterrent.

The missile has been in service for 60 years, but it has been upgraded over the years with improved targeting and enhanced accuracy systems, the Air Force said.

On Monday, the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization, criticized the timing of the launch, citing heightened tension between the U.S. and North Korea. In recent weeks, North Korea has stepped up its testing of ballistic missiles.

When it comes to missile testing, the U.S. is operating with a clear double standard: It views its own tests as justified and useful, while it views the tests of North Korea as threatening and destabilizing, foundation President David Krieger said in a statement. What is needed is diplomacy rather than military provocations. Threats, whether in the form of tweets, nuclear-capable aircraft carrier groups, or nuclear-capable missile launches, only increase the dangers to us all.

To read the article in Spanish, click here

veronica.rocha@latimes.com

Twitter: VeronicaRochaLA

MORE LOCAL NEWS

Will sending selfies to Jupiters moon, Europa, get the attention of an E.T.?

25 years after riots, South L.A. still waiting for its renaissance

Coulter says shell speak at UC Berkeley on Thursday, invited or not

A judge has refused effort to block spending on Californias bullet train

UPDATES:

9:00 a.m.: This article as updated with comments from the Air Force Global Strike Command on the Minuteman missile system .

This article was originally published at 6:55 a.m.
Suspended Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore, who was ousted from his position last year after leading a judicial revolt against same-sex marriage, announced plans Wednesday to run for U.S. Senate.

My position has always been God first, family, then country, Moore said in a short news conference outside the Alabama State Capitol in Montgomery. I know I share the vision of our President Donald Trump to make America great again. Before we can make America great again, weve got to make America good again.

The conservative 70-year-old Baptist, dubbed the Ayatollah of Alabama by the Southern Poverty Law Center, announced he will join the crowded Republican field for the special election to fill the U.S. Senate seat formerly held by Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions.

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The seat is currently held by Luther Strange, a former state attorney general who was appointed by then-Gov. Robert Bentley to replace Sessions in February. Yet after Bentley was forced to resign amid a sex scandal, new Gov. Kay Ivey moved the date of the Republican primary forward to Aug. 15, followed by a Dec. 12 general election.

On Wednesday, Moore struck a familiar traditional stance, railing against same-sex marriage, abortion, socialized medicine and national Common Core education standards.

Supporters of suspended Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore gather at the state Capitol in Montgomery to hear him announce his bid for a U.S. Senate seat. (Julie Bennett / Associated Press)

The foundations of the fabric of our country are being shaken tremendously, Moore told a small huddle of reporters and supporters outside the Capitol. Our families are being crippled by divorce and abortion. Our sacred institution of marriage has been destroyed by the Supreme Court, and our rights and liberties are in jeopardy.

As United States senator, I will continue to stand for the rights and liberties not only of this state, but of its people as well, he added. I will defend those rights and liberties under the Constitution of the United States, so help me God.

Last September, a state judicial discipline panel permanently suspended Moore from the Alabama Supreme Court, finding him guilty of violating the canons of judicial ethics after he urged state probate judges to defy federal court rulings that said that gays and lesbians have a fundamental right to marry.

Throughout, Moore denied any wrongdoing. Dismissing the scrutiny of his ethical conduct as ridiculous, he insisted he was simply trying to address confusion among probate judges over conflicting state and federal orders. Last week, the Alabama Supreme Court upheld his suspension.

Moore was also removed as chief justice in 2003 after he repeatedly refused to obey a federal court order to remove a Ten Commandments monument from the rotunda of Alabamas judicial building.

Age restrictions prevent Moore from being reelected to the Alabama Supreme Court. After his ouster, many speculated that he would use the publicity to kick off a fresh political campaign. Yet while Moores defense of traditional values and strident stance on gay marriage plays well with the Republican base, some political experts say he is unlikely to win over a broader swath of the general electorate. In 2006 and 2010, he lost campaigns for governor.

The Senate race is already crowded with conservative candidates. In addition to the incumbent, Strange, state Rep. Ed Henry, an early supporter of President Trumps campaign, and Randy Brinson, a former chairman of Christian Coalition of Alabama, have also announced plans to run.

ALSO

New Orleans is tearing down its Confederate monuments, but the South has plenty of others

Trump signs order to reconsider national monuments created by Obama, George W. Bush and Clinton

Republicans force a June runoff in House race seen as referendum on President Trump

Jarvie is a special correspondent.
President Trumps former national security advisor, Michael Flynn, may have violated the law when he failed to disclose large fees from business dealings in Russia and Turkey shortly before he joined the White House, the leaders of the House Oversight Committee said Tuesday. The disclosure by Reps. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) and Elijah E. Cummings (D-Md.) marks the first potential legal fallout from the swirl of investigations by congressional committees and the FBI into whether any of Trumps current or former aides coordinated with Russian authorities before or after Novembers election. There is no indication that Flynn, a retired Army three-star general who once headed the Defense Intelligence Agency under President Obama, is a target in the FBI counter-intelligence inquiry, which began last summer. But his apparent failure to obtain Pentagon permission to receive foreign payments, or to disclose them on required vetting forms, could violate several statutes, including a constitutional ban on foreign payments to retired military officers, known as the emoluments clause, according to Chaffetz and Cummings. The two lawmakers said that Flynn did not seek permission from the Pentagon, as is required, to accept a $33,750 fee to attend a December 2015 gala in Moscow sponsored by RT, a state-run TV network, and to attend a lunch where Flynn sat beside Russian President Vladimir Putin. In all, Cummings said, Flynn was paid more than $67,000 by Russian companies before the November election. Flynns company, Flynn Intel Group, also received $530,000 for work it did last fall  at the height of the campaign  that benefited the government in Turkey, the committee has found. He retroactively disclosed that work last month on a federal disclosure form. Omitting information from a federal disclosure form required for a security clearance can result in criminal penalties for false statements of up to five years in prison and a $10,000 fine. As a former military officer, you simply cannot take money from Russia, Turkey or anybody else, Chaffetz, the committee chairman, said Tuesday after receiving a Pentagon briefing about what Flynn had disclosed about his Moscow trip. And it appears as if he did take that money. It was inappropriate, and there are repercussions for a violation of law.

The lawmakers comments raised the possibility that Flynn could face prosecution  at a minimum for failure to disclose the payments  and added to the mounting questions about whether he and several other Trump associates may have violated the law in their dealings with Russia.

When Flynn filed a form to renew his security clearance in early 2016, shortly after he had returned from Moscow, he did not disclose the money he had been paid, according to Cummings. He said the panel had obtained Flynns SF 86, the disclosure form required for a security clearance.

There is no evidence anywhere in these documents that he reported the funds he received for his trip. There is also no evidence that he sought permission to obtain these funds from a foreign source, Cummings said.

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Flynn was a close confidant of Trump during the campaign and famously led the Republican National Convention crowd last summer in chants of Lock her up! referring to Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton.

It was the latest blow for Flynn, who was forced to resign in February after less than a month as Trumps top national security aide after news reports revealed he had misled Vice President Mike Pence and other White House officials about his conversations in December with Russias ambassador about easing U.S. sanctions on Russia.

The revelation by the House Oversight Committee, which has jurisdiction over financial disclosure issues, also deepened the troubles the White House faces on Capitol Hill, where the GOP-led House and Senate intelligence committees are conducting separate, broader investigations into Russias interference in last years election.

The Senate Judiciary Committee joined the fray on Tuesday. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) announced that the subcommittee he leads on crime and terrorism would hold a hearing on May 8 to investigate Russias interference in the election, at which it would hear from James R. Clapper, the former director of national intelligence, and Sally Yates, former acting attorney general.

White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer sought to distance the administration from Flynns difficulties Tuesday, telling reporters that whether Trumps former national security advisor broke the law was a question for him and a law enforcement agency.

I dont know what he filled out and what he did or didnt do, Spicer said. He filled that form out prior to coming here, so it would be up to the committee and other authorities to look at that.

The White House recently turned down the House Oversight Committees request for any documents mentioning Flynns foreign contacts or payments before or while he was national security advisor.

In an April 19 letter released by the committee, Marc T. Short, the White House director of legislative affairs, said the White House did not have documents concerning Flynns foreign contacts before he joined the administration, and would not provide any papers on his contacts during his brief White House tenure.

That response irked Cummings, the ranking Democrat on the committee.

We have received no internal documents relating to what Gen. Flynn reported to the White House when they vetted him to become national security advisor, he said.

Flynns attorney, Robert Kelner, said in a statement that his client told the Defense Intelligence Agency about his 2015 trip to Moscow. Kelners statement did not address whether Flynn disclosed the fee he was offered by the Russian government TV network.

As the former director of the Pentagons spying arm, Flynn was covered by Defense Department regulations requiring him to inform the agency prior to traveling overseas and about any contacts with officials from governments that are U.S. adversaries, officials said.

As has previously been reported, Gen. Flynn briefed the Defense Intelligence Agency  extensively regarding the RT speaking event trip both before and after the trip, and he answered any questions that were posed by DIA concerning the trip during those briefings, Kelner said.

The lobbying disclosure form that Flynn filled retroactively last month revealed that his company worked for Inovo, a firm with connections to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogans government.

In an accompanying letter, Flynns lawyer acknowledged that the arrangement could be construed to have principally benefited the republic of Turkey.

The business arrangement began in September  during the presidential campaign  and was terminated after the election in November.

Flynns attorney said his work focused on Fethullah Gulen, an Islamic cleric who was given political asylum in the United States and lives in a rural compound in Pennsylvania. Erdogans government considers Gulen a terrorist and has long sought his extradition.

From Turkeys point of view, Washington is harboring Turkeys Osama bin Laden, Flynn wrote in an op-ed that appeared in the Hill newspaper on Nov. 8. It referred to Gulen as a shady Islamic mullah and radical Islamist, charges that the cleric has denied.

Kelner last month sought immunity from prosecution for Flynn in return for his testimony to the House and Senate intelligence committees, but the committees turned him down.

Times staff writer Noah Bierman contributed to this report.

david.cloud@latimes.com

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Trump backs off border wall fight for now, easing government shutdown threat
Tehran, Iran, April 26

By Mehdi Sepahvand - Trend:

The United States is commercializing security and creating a new form of global fascism, Irans Defense Minister Hossein Dehqan told the Moscow Conference on International Security, Alalam news network reported April 26.

Lack of responsibility in the way the new US president talks, acts, and decides is one of the great threats that todays global security faces, Dehqan said.

He added that to implement its plans, the US works with regional allies to promote fear of China, Russia, and Iran and justify its own military presence in the region.

To fight the situation, the Iranian defense minister proposed that a joint, global fight should be staged against terrorism and extremism, respect should be paid to the national sovereignty of countries, regional bonds should be shored up, and arms should be replaced with dialogue.
The fierce debate over public land in the West is almost certain to intensify following President Trumps signing of an executive order Wednesday that could lead to the reduction or elimination of some national monuments.

The order, which Trump signed in a ceremony in the office of Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke, instructs Zinke to review monuments created by Presidents Clinton, George W. Bush and Obama under the 1906 Antiquities Act, which gives presidents the power to limit use of public land for historic, cultural, scientific or other reasons.

In advance of the ceremony, Zinke said the order would apply only to monuments that are at least 100,000 acres, more than two dozen of which have been established since 1996.

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In California, national monuments that fall within those parameters include Giant Sequoia, Carrizo Plain, Berryessa Snow Mountain, Mojave Trails and Sand to Snow. Elsewhere, places such as Grand Canyon-Parashant National Monument and Canyons of the Ancients in Colorado also could be affected.

But it was clear Wednesday that tension over one national monument in particular had elevated the issue to Trumps attention: the 1.3 million-acre Bears Ears National Monument in the remote desert canyonlands of southern Utah, which was created by Obama at the very end of last year.

The designation of Bears Ears never should have happened, Trump said Wednesday, calling it part of this massive federal land grab thats gotten worse and worse and worse.

He said his order would end another egregious abuse of federal power and give that power back to the states and to the people where it belongs.

The Bears Ears designation prompted an angry backlash from elected officials in Utah, with opponents saying the federal government has put excessive restrictions on land that holds promise for oil and gas, mining and other potential development and the jobs it could create.

Utah Gov. Gary R. Herbert and Sens. Orrin Hatch and Mike Lee, all Republicans, attended the signing ceremony and were singled out by Trump. Hatch, the president said, would call me and call me and say, You got to do this.

With his order in place, Trump said, Tremendously positive things are going to happen on that incredible land, the likes of which there is nothing more beautiful anywhere in the world.

Yet any changes are sure to prompt a substantial legal fight.

The monuments have been widely praised by the outdoors industry, environmental groups and Native American tribes that have inhabited the area for thousands of years and consider many parts of it sacred  all of whom were quick Tuesday to criticize the executive order.

An executive order that undermines national monuments is not only an attack on Americas heritage and history, its an attack on the millions of jobs and hundreds of billions of dollars that depend on our parks, monuments, and other public land, Jennifer Rokala, executive director of the Center for Western Priorities, wrote in an email.

Rokala cited a study by the Outdoor Industry Assn. that found the outdoor economy generates nearly $900 billion in annual spending. Earlier this year, Patagonia, REI and other companies pressured the association to pull its annual trade show out of Salt Lake City in protest of Utah officials stance on protecting public lands.

Zinke, a Republican and former congressman from Montana whose nomination to the Interior post was opposed by most major environmental groups, said Tuesday in advance of the ceremony that the order requires him to issue recommendations to the president on whether to rescind, reduce or otherwise alter certain monuments. He could also recommend further review.

The order instructs him to submit a preliminary review within 45 days and a final one within 120. He said he would make a specific recommendation about Bears Ears by the 45-day deadline.

Zinke said the order was intended to give states and local communities a meaningful voice in the designation of monuments. He said elected officials and others told the administration that the monuments may have resulted in lost jobs, reduced wages, reduced public access.

Im not going to predispose what the outcome is going to be, he said.

This week, Trump is also expected to order a review of Obamas decision in December to permanently ban offshore drilling along broad parts of the Arctic and Atlantic coasts. That decision was sharply criticized by the oil and gas industry.

Both executive orders by Trump venture into complicated legal territory.

The Antiquities Act gives presidents power to set aside land, but it does not specifically state that they can reverse a monument designation. So far, no president has attempted to do so, though a few have reduced their size, most notably Woodrow Wilson, who sharply downsized what was then called Mt. Olympus National Monument and is now part of Olympic National Park in Washington state.

Robert Glicksman, a professor at George Washington University who specializes in environmental law, wrote in an email response Tuesday that reducing the size of a monument may be easier to justify than outright reversals of monument designations but that even then, there could be issues as to the rationale for making monuments smaller.

Glicksman said he was not aware of any court rulings on the question.

The rarely used Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act of 1953  employed by Obama to ban offshore drilling  is similarly spare in its language and legal history. The act says the president may, from time to time, withdraw federal waters from oil and gas development that are not already leased. It does not specify whether another president can reverse a withdrawal.

Congressional action or a court ruling could clarify both questions.

Christy Goldfuss, who served as managing director at the White House Council on Environmental Quality under Obama and helped shepherd Bears Ears to become a national monument, called the Trump orders a thinly veiled attempt to appease industry and sell off our national parks, public lands, oceans and cultural heritage to the highest bidder.

Goldfuss, who is now vice president for energy and environment policy for the Center for American Progress Action Fund, said Trump is entering a legal, political and moral minefield.

Zinke emphasized that the administration had no intention to sell or transfer public lands. He suggested that changes could be a matter of easing development restrictions to better reflect what he said should be a multiple-use approach to public land management.

 The executive order instructs Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke to submit a preliminary review within 45 days and a final one within 120.

william.yardley@latimes.com

@yardleyLAT

ALSO

The 20 most-visited national parks in the U.S.

Our favorite travel stories from national parks of the wes

National parks saw a record-setting number of visitors last year. Were they too much of a good thing?

UPDATES:

12:35 p.m: This article has been updated with details on monuments in California and elsewhere, and other details.

8:50 a.m.: This article has been updated with Trump signing the order.

10:45 a.m. April 26: This article has been updated with details from signing ceremony.

This article was originally posted at 8:35 p.m. April 25.
Good morning, and welcome to the Essential California newsletter. Its Wednesday, April 26, and heres whats happening across California:

TOP STORIES

The riots this time

Nearly 6 out of 10 Angelenos think another riot is likely in the next five years, increasing for the first time after two decades of steady decline, according to a Loyola Marymount University poll of Los Angeles residents that has been taken every five years after the 1992 disturbances. Thats higher than any other year except for 1997, the first year the survey was conducted, and more than a 10-point jump compared with the 2012 survey. Los Angeles Times

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Names to remember

When the riots began 25 years ago, two names were on everyones mind: Rodney King and Latasha Harlins. King survived his beating at the hands of police; Harlins, 15 at the time, was shot by a South Korean-born shopkeeper who received a light prison sentence for his actions. Los Angeles Times

Plus

 Former Los Angeles Times columnist Sandy Banks breaks down how the L.A. riots changed everything and nothing. A&E

 L.A. Times columnist Steve Lopez writes that in todays South L.A., struggling residents now face a pressure point they didnt feel in 1992: gentrification. Los Angeles Times

 The riots as reflected in film. Los Angeles Times

 The youngest riot victim: a baby born with a bullet wound. Fox LA

With the 25th anniversary of the L.A. riots fast approaching, your Essential California team wants to hear your memories of those chaotic days. Email your memory to benjamin@latimes.com, and please keep it concise.

Audit criticizes UC system

A blistering and contested state audit released Tuesday found that the University of California systems administration pays top workers salaries significantly higher than that of similar state employees, has provided millions of dollars in benefits not typical to the public sector and failed to disclose to the Board of Regents and the public that it had $175 million in budget reserve funds. Los Angeles Times

Sanctuary Cities 1, Trump 0

A federal judge placed a nationwide hold Tuesday on President Trumps order to strip funds from municipal governments that refuse to cooperate fully with immigration agents. The San Francisco-based judge, William H. Orrick III, said Trumps order unconstitutionally infringed on the rights of local governments. This ruling comes after San Francisco and Santa Clara County filed lawsuits challenging the order. The suits argued the directive violated the 10th Amendment, which protects states from federal government interference. Los Angeles Times

L.A. STORIES

City of Stars: Los Angeles celebrated La La Land Day with aerial dancers, a jazz band and Mayor Eric Garcetti playing a song from the movie on the piano. Los Angeles Times

Cashing in: The Banc of Californias former CEO was paid more than $10 million last year, which is four times the amount he was paid in 2015. Orange County Register

Raucous town hall: A town hall meeting sponsored by U.S. Rep. Ted Lieu devolved into chaos when a bunch of Donald Trump supporters disrupted the predominantly Democratic crowd calling for the presidents impeachment. L.A. Daily News

IMMIGRATION AND THE BORDER

Breaking a treaty? Antonio Rascon, chief Mexican engineer on the International Boundary and Water Commission, said in an interview with NPR that some border wall proposals he has seen would violate a 47-year-old treaty governing the shared waters of the Rio Grande. NPR

Not so fast: Trump has backed off the fight for the funding of the proposed border wall for now. The White House says theyll regroup in the fall. Los Angeles Times

POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT

New revelation: Documents reportedly show the lease Derick Almena and a partner signed for the Ghost Ship warehouse planned an illegal use from the start  an artist collective that was not allowed under zoning laws  and that the building owner had approved the use. The Mercury News

Some students must be happy: Because of a labor dispute at a Northern California elementary school, students dont have any homework. Fox40

A scientist runs: A former chemistry professor at Cal State Fullerton will challenge longtime Rep. Ed Royce (R-Fullerton). Phil Janowicz now runs an education consulting firm and is a first-time candidate. Los Angeles Times

Another scientist runs: Volcano scientist Jess Phoenix is running for Congress in the 25th Congressional District. She decided to run after Trump was elected and says that the current representative, Republican Steve Knight, has mishandled environmental problems and disregarded the science needed to address them. Washington Post

CRIME AND COURTS

Tale of two bails: A California woman whose friends raised $35 million for her bail is under house arrest, while a man who cant afford $75,000 bail must decide whether to plead guilty or stay behind bars. The Guardian

A fatal chase: A driver was shot and killed by Long Beach police after a high-speed pursuit came to an end Tuesday morning in Bellflower, authorities said. Los Angeles Times

Blood sport: Behind barn doors in Fresno County were nearly 100 roosters, all them taken from an alleged cockfighting ring in Kerman. ABC 30

THE ENVIRONMENT

Check out these cacti! Weve seen plenty of weeds pop up after the rains, but the cacti of California are also shining brighter than ever. New York Times

CALIFORNIA CULTURE

New mural fun: An Ed Ruscha Monument mural will arrive in May. The massive mural will go up on the side of the American Hotel at 303 S. Hewitt St. in the Arts District. L.A. Downtown News

For sale! You can live in the home in which Marilyn Monroe was found dead in 1962. Its going to cost you $6.9 million to move into the Brentwood home, which is described as an authentic 1929 Hacienda. Los Angeles Times

A different wine country: Baja California isnt too far of a drive, and its wine country is something to behold. The vineyards and culinary marvels beckon in the austere backcountry of the Valle de Guadalupe in Mexico. New York Times

Without the NEA: Piece by Piece is a nonprofit organization that provides low-income and previously homeless people with free mosaic art workshops that help them build skills, self-confidence and, eventually, income. If the budget of the National Endowment for the Arts is slashed, the program will probably go kaput. Los Angeles Times

CALIFORNIA ALMANAC

Los Angeles area: sunny Wednesday, partly cloudy Thursday. San Diego: partly cloudy Wednesday and Thursday. San Francisco area: showers Wednesday, cloudy Thursday. Sacramento: cloudy Wednesday, partly cloudy Thursday. More weather is here.

AND FINALLY

Todays California Memory comes from Dean Paul:

It was Wednesday, April 29, 1992  a seemingly normal workday. I was working at Hughes Aircraft in El Segundo. We started to hear that due to the Rodney King verdicts, civil unrest was breaking out. From the rooftop of our 12-story building, we could see smoke from fires to the east. After some time, it was announced that we should all go home early to be with our families. I headed west on Grand Avenue to take Vista del Mar north toward my home in West L.A. It took over two hours to drive one mile, then traffic improved somewhat. It was even scarier watching the events on TV at home!

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.
A Republican student group at UC Berkeley filed a lawsuit this week over the universitys decision to cancel a speech planned for Thursday by the caustic conservative commentator Ann Coulter. The complaint in U.S. District Court in San Francisco by the Berkeley College Republicans, joined by the Young Americas Foundation, alleges that UC Berkeley will not permit the expression of disfavored conservative viewpoints at desirable places and times on the UC Berkeley campus.

Its an explosive accusation but also an unconvincing one. We dont believe UC Berkeley is imposing a sinister ideological litmus test on speakers who come to the campus. We find more plausible the universitys contention that its overriding concern is to protect both students and speakers such as Coulter from the sort of violence that led to the cancellation of a speech on campus in early February by another right-wing provocateur, the writer Milo Yiannopoulos.

But good intentions and legitimate concerns dont absolve the university of its fundamental responsibility to free expression and unfettered debate. Berkeley made serious mistakes in its handling of the Coulter controversy and now must work doubly hard to address the challenge of ensuring that controversial speakers invited to campus have meaningful access to student audiences.

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Even allowing for the possibility of violent protests, the universitys announcement last week that it was canceling Coulters appearance seemed hard to justify. The cancellation of the Yiannopoulos speech in February came two hours before he was to appear at a student union but after violence already had occurred; authorities were scrambling to respond to a real-time emergency. By contrast, Coulters speech was canceled days before it was to have taken place, time enough for university and police to follow leads and strategize on security measures.

Its important that a campus that was the birthplace of the free speech movement not succumb to what lawyers call the hecklers veto.

Then, after initially suggesting that Coulters speech could be rescheduled for September, university officials proposed that she speak on May 2. But Berkeley College Republicans rejected that offer, partly because that date fell during a period when many students would be too busy studying for exams (sometimes off campus) to attend a speech. Coulter says she may appear on the Berkeley campus Thursday regardless.

In their lawsuit, the campus Republicans claim that after the Yiannopoulos protests, UC Berkeley adopted an amorphous, unwritten policy for high-profile speakers that required their appearances to take place in a securable location and end by 3 p.m. The policy, according to the complaint, seemed designed to relegate disfavored speakers to inaccessible venues and inconvenient times. The university denies that there is such a policy, but says it consults with police about potential security problems posed by controversial speakers. University officials also say that afternoon speeches pose less of a security issue than those in the evening.

No one who has observed recent violence in Berkeley would dismiss the universitys safety concerns. But its important that a campus that was the birthplace of the free speech movement not succumb to what lawyers call the hecklers veto  the idea that a fear of disruptive or violent protest justifies canceling a speech by a controversial figure or shunting it to a time or place where it will have a significantly smaller audience.

UC Berkeley also needs to be careful that its not engaging in unintentional viewpoint discrimination. At Berkeley, as at many other campuses these days, its simply a fact of life that conservative speakers are more likely to provoke protests than liberal ones. So even if a policy is ideologically neutral on its face, and based solely on security considerations, it can have the effect of discriminating against conservative speakers if the result is that they are more likely to have their appearances canceled or restricted.

These are difficult times for university administrators, who are called upon both to ensure the safety of students and to uphold the traditions of robust debate that are supposed to define the modern university. But censorship isnt the answer. As Sen. Bernie Sanders wisely observed: Ann Coulters outrageous  to my mind, off the wall. But you know, people have a right to give their two cents-worth, give a speech, without fear of violence and intimidation.

Its possible to sympathize with officials at UC Berkeley as they try to fulfill their disparate responsibilities, and as they come under additional pressure to provide safe spaces for students alarmed by obnoxious political rhetoric. But the Coulter affair shows that the university needs to try harder.

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California is at the center of the ongoing, nationwide conflict over free speech on college campuses. The latest installment: After Ann Coulter was invited, and then disinvited, to speak at UC Berkeley, university administrators tried to placate the conservative polemicist by rescheduling the event. But they made clear that they couldnt guarantee her safety, and it looks as though Coulter might not show up after all.

Administrators are worried that the black-clad radicals who protested against alt-right provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos in February will disrupt the streets of Berkeley again  a sad indication that the flagship public university of Americas most populist state is unable to protect the constitutional rights of invited speakers.

However the Coulter affair comes to a close, though, a larger question will remain unanswered: Why do leftists care about an Ann Coulter speech, of all things? Why a Milo speech before that? Since when have protesters focused on preemptively silencing troll columnists? Since when, more importantly, have radicals taken aim at individuals rather than institutions?

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Leftist activists so radical that theyll use force to advance their ends want to ... stop hack pundits from entertaining fratty undergrads.

Im hardly the first to note that Berkeley, birthplace of the free speech movement, seems to have lost sight of first principles. When Mario Savio stood in front of Sproul Hall in 1964 to denounce a ban on campus political activity, he declared, Theres a time when the operation of the machine becomes so odious, makes you so sick at heart, that you cant take part! And youve got to put your bodies upon the gears and upon the wheels  upon the levers, upon all the apparatus, and youve got to make it stop!

He cared about the machine  the system  not its loudmouthed byproducts.

Prior to that speech, he railed against the San Francisco Hotel Assn. for denying equal employment opportunities to blacks, and traveled to Mississippi for the Freedom Summer protests against Jim Crow. Soon afterward, Berkeleys radical left would organize one of the earliest mass protests against the Vietnam War.

Back then, conservatives were the ones who worried that words would hurt us, even when they werent aimed at authority figures. Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan supporters didnt want George Carlin saying those seven dirty words on television. More recently, Bill OReilly fretted that gangsta rap lyrics would corrupt my generation.

Today, many on the right seem to think that words dont matter at all. President Trump was caught bragging that he grabs and kisses women without their permission. His supporters didnt care.

Meanwhile, leftist activists so radical that theyll use force to advance their ends want to ... stop hack pundits from entertaining fratty undergrads.

Are Coulter and Milo offensive? Sure. Are they reactionaries? Sure. But if the masked anti-fa protesters want to change the world  which I suppose they do  they would do well to imitate the successful leftism of the old civil rights, anti-war or union movements, with their focus on concrete gains against power, and to forget the critical race theorists, whose Ivory Tower obsession with speech in the 1980s and 1990s yielded nothing for marginalized groups.

Left-wing students are embracing the notion that words do as much harm as the sticks, stones, and laws and institutions that oppress minority groups  but enforcing silence wont get them anywhere.

Fifteen years ago, when I was a student at Claremont, undergrads were upset about abusive policing. In the spring of 1999, Irvin Landrum Jr., an 18-year-old black man, was shot and killed during a traffic stop. The officers who shot him said they recovered a gun, but it was last registered to the police chief in a neighboring municipality. Calls for an independent investigation into the shooting, and for reforms to policing in Claremont and beyond, were the biggest activist causes during my years on campus.

Today, Claremont students still care about abusive policing. But there is no major movement to transform the Claremont City Council or police department. Students most recently attracted media attention for mobilizing against an individual whose politics they dislike: They shut down a speech by Heather Mac Donald, a Manhattan Institute scholar who studies policing and has criticized Black Lives Matter.

But even if Mac Donald never speaks in public again, police departments will continue to use excessive force. Theres no plausible cause and effect that I can discern.

When radicals disrupt speaking events, they damage 1st Amendment rights, fuel polarization and raise the profile of right-wing provocateurs, all without doing anything to stop the operation of the machines.

Conor Friedersdorf is a contributing writer to Opinion, a staff writer at the Atlantic and founding editor of the Best of Journalism, a newsletter that curates exceptional nonfiction.

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Donald Trumps presidency is in a sorry state. His first attempt at legislation, on healthcare, was a failure. His executive order on immigration has been blocked by the courts. His White House is a tangle of chaos and intrigue. His campaign and his businesses are under congressional investigation.

No wonder Trumps standing in the polls has sunk further than that of any other modern president in his first 100 days, a period once known charmingly as the honeymoon.

And yet, Trump has plenty of time to recover. The first 100 days, an arbitrary checkpoint, are only 7% of a four-year term. Its not unusual for new presidents to stumble  and its not impossible to bounce back. Just look at Bill Clinton.

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In 1993, Clintons first year in the White House, his presidency nearly went off the rails. His staff was chaotic. His foreign policy was a mess. He passed an economic plan  barely, in August  but his biggest initiative, on healthcare, was headed for disaster. And, of course, he was sinking in the polls.

He has alienated Democrats in Congress by blaming them for his legislative problems, even when  as on healthcare  Republicans were at fault.

It took Clinton more than a year, but by the end of 1994 he was on the way back. He named a new chief of staff who brought discipline to the White House. He changed course on policy, adopted a strategy of bipartisan triangulation, survived epic battles with a Republican-led Congress  and, in 1996, sailed easily to reelection.

So I asked two veterans of the Clinton White House, now scholars at Washingtons Brookings Institution, what Trump should do if he wants to follow Clintons example. They offered, in essence, a three-step recovery plan.

Step 1: Recognize the problem.

The real question here is: Will something right the ship? said Elaine Kamarck, who worked on Clintons government reform project. Will there be a moment  when Donald Trump says: This is not working, I have to do something different?

Everything depends on what happens when instincts that served you well in the campaign dont serve you well as president, said William A. Galston, a former domestic policy advisor. Trumps desire to be a winner may in fact overcome all of his other instincts.

Step 2: Fix the White House staff.

Presidents get the staff they want, Kamarck said  in Trumps case, people who dont contradict him, many without Washington experience, with no single person in charge.

If Trump wants less chaos, he needs to reorganize his operation. An obvious place to start: Name a chief of staff with real authority to reduce the level of palace intrigue. Trump reportedly likes to see his underlings jockey for influence; he hasnt given Reince Priebus the power to rein them in.

Step 3: Expand your governing coalition.

Trumps not expanding his base; hes shrinking his base, noted Galston.

Trump ran as a populist, but he has governed mainly as an orthodox Republican. Hes relied on House Republicans to pass his legislative agenda, but thats left him whipsawed between Speaker Paul D. Ryan and the ultraconservatives of the House Freedom Caucus.

As a result, he has held the allegiance of most Republican voters, but hes lost support among independents and won almost no backing from Democrats. That limits what he can get done in Congress, including tax reform, the keystone of his program to reinvigorate the economy.

The alternative, based on Clintons 1994 playbook, would be a turn toward the bipartisan center.

If you take the populist parts of the program he ran on, theres plenty to appeal to labor unions, Kamarck said. He could start with infrastructure, which means construction jobs, and ask union leaders to get support from Democrats on the Hill. Add a tougher trade policy and tax changes to keep American jobs from going overseas, and you have a way to build a different kind of coalition.

But that isnt how Trump has ordered his priorities. Although he promised an ambitious infrastructure package, aides say he may not pursue it until next year. Meanwhile, he has alienated Democrats in Congress by blaming them for his legislative problems, even when  as on healthcare  Republicans were at fault.

If he decides to change course, Trump wont find it too wrenching to alter his policies; hes done that frequently during his 22-month political career. The greater challenge may be changing his management habits  recognizing, at age 71, that what worked in a family-owned real estate firm may not work as well in the White House.

But theres no sign yet that hes noticed the problem.

Hes still in full Trump mode, declaring every setback a success. Just look at his self-review of the first 100 days. They were, he proclaimed, the most productive of any president in history.

doyle.mcmanus@latimes.com

Twitter: @DoyleMcManus

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion or Facebook.

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It was bad enough when candidate Donald Trump questioned the impartiality of the federal judge hearing the Trump University lawsuit. (Trump said that the judges ethnic heritage would make him biased.)

It was even worse when President Trump accused the federal judges temporarily halting his travel bans of purely political motivations and limited intelligence.

But it was especially disheartening last week to hear disrespect for a federal judge from the mouth of Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions  who is, after all, the nations highest-ranking law enforcement officer. After Hawaii-based U.S. District Judge Derrick Watson issued a temporary restraining order against the administrations second travel ban, Sessions complained that a judge sitting on an island in the Pacific could issue a nationwide decree. The remark was eerily reminiscent of Trumps earlier dismissive tweet that the U.S. district judge who stopped his first travel ban was a so-called judge.

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Not that federal judges should be above legitimate criticism. These jurists deal with vital, and at times life-threatening, issues; federal judges need to hear well-informed and zealously advocated contrary views both inside the courtroom and out.

There is a difference between legitimate criticism and crass delegitimization.

But there is a difference between legitimate criticism and crass delegitimization. Sessions crossed the line when he intertwined potentially valid criticism of district court injunctive powers with a dismissive joke. Even if incivility and demonization are the new normal for fights among national politicians and pundits  something Im not prepared to concede, but thats a bigger issue  there are three good reasons why federal-judge-bashing is beyond the pale.

First, politicians who attack federal judges are not fighting fair. The traditions and ethical canons applicable to federal judges severely limit their ability to respond. It would violate judicial-restraint norms and bring serious rebuke for federal judges to turn legal rulings into platforms for personal rejoinders to political attacks.

Judicial comments outside the courtroom seen as political also bring forth swift condemnation. Witness the criticism of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg for an anti-Trump comment made off-hand to a reporter during the presidential campaign.

Picking a fight with someone who cant fight back is the epitome of being a bully.

Second, treating federal judges like other politicians  and, especially, accusing them of having similar partisan motivations  obscures the fact that our constitutional democracy depends on federal judges rising above politics.

Sure, initial judicial appointments are heavily influenced by party and ideology. And scholars detect differences between rulings issued by federal judges appointed by Republican presidents and by those appointed by Democrats.

Much of the time, however, federal judicial decision-making transcends politics. A variety of rule of law factors, such as respect for precedent and doctrines of judicial restraint, influence even the most highly visible judicial rulings; this has been shown time and again in social-science studies and prominent anecdotes. (For example, two of the four lower-court judges ruling against the first Trump travel ban were appointed by Republican presidents.)

Although I would be the last person to assert that federal judging is always antiseptically apolitical, life-tenured federal judges often live up to our constitutional democracys core aspiration of equal justice under law. In any event, it is vital that our civic discourse not assume, or become resigned to, the notion that federal judges are just politicians who wear black robes.

The third  and most important  reason to lament over-the-line attacks is that all Americans, regardless of their political affiliation and ideology, have a vested interest in preserving the national judiciary as a third branch of government with the independence and respect to check and balance nonjudicial officials.

Modern presidents and Congresses have awesome powers affecting our lives, fortunes and freedoms. It follows that federal courts need the independence and respect to not only review presidential orders and federal legislation, but also to declare them invalid. The Supreme Court promoted our constitutional values and standing as a democracy when it invalidated Democratic President Harry Trumans 1952 order temporarily seizing steel mills during the Korean War, and Republican President George W. Bushs 2002 order authorizing military-tribunal trials for Guantanamo prisoners.

In 1857, U.S. senatorial candidate Abraham Lincoln criticized the legal reasoning and real-world impact of the Supreme Courts Dred Scott decision  which ruled that slaves could not assert federal constitutional rights, even in slavery-free territories. Lincoln later insisted that Americans had every right to question the substance of Supreme Court decisions and work to overturn them. But Lincoln never called Chief Justice Roger Taney and his cohorts so-called justices.

Every president, attorney general and member of Congress has an obligation to reinforce, not undermine, respect for the crucial constitutional values served by our independent federal judiciary.

Glenn C. Smith teaches constitutional law at California Western School of Law in San Diego and is the co-author of Constitutional Law for Dummies.

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To the editor: Its become clear that narcissism has no party preference. While President Trump is the indisputable winner of the self-referential derby, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) is becoming a contender. (To win control of the House, Democrats will have to stop fighting one another, Opinion, April 23)

During the 2016 campaign, Sanders splintered people who relished his enthusiasm or bought in to his simple answers to complex questions. Now that the Republicans are in charge, Sanders owes it to his constituents and to the party he sought to represent to support unity among Democrats in as full-throated a manner as he supported his progressive agenda.

Sanders making the perfect the enemy of the good may keep Democrats out of power, where they could enact some, if not all, of his policies. So far, what Im seeing is the Bernie Show at the expense of the progress he so passionately supports.

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Barbara H. Bergen, Los Angeles

..

To the editor: Progressives are not fracturing the Democratic Party; they are trying to save it. There is a reason more people identify as independents than Democrats now.

Those who consider themselves moderate Democrats today would have been solid Republicans in the 1950s. Unless the Democratic Party returns to its roots of supporting the workers, it will self-destruct.

Larry Severson, Fountain Valley

..

To the editor: Doyle McManus cites internal divisions among Democrats as helping to prevent Jon Ossoffs outright victory in the open primary for Georgias 6th Congressional District.

Yes, for whatever reason, 30,000 registered Democrats did not vote. Before we blame anyone, we should note that many people in the 6th District will be disenfranchised in the runoff.

In Georgia, those who are not registered to vote in time for the primary cannot register to vote in the runoff. All Democrats and independents can unite in opposing this naked voter suppression law.

Voting rights are basic. We should not be worrying about the policies on the table. This is about the table.

Charlotte Furth, Los Angeles

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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.
One potential obstacle in the negotiations to prevent a government shutdown was averted Wednesday when the White House announced it would continue  at least for now  to provide critical funding for the Affordable Care Act.

President Trump had once threatened to withhold money that helps many low-income Americans cover their deductibles and copayments, potentially cutting off the so-called cost-sharing reduction payments to insurers for as many as 7 million people who depend on the federal aid.

The funding, totaling about $7 billion this year, soon became a bargaining chip in the current talks over a must-pass spending bill to prevent a government shutdown before a midnight Friday deadline. Democrats seized on Trumps threat to end the payments as a way to negotiate with Republicans who wanted extra funding for military programs or the border wall with Mexico.

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On Wednesday, House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.) announced the money would not be included in the spending bill. Later the White House signaled it would continue to provide the payments administratively rather than through Congress.

It was the second time this week that the administration backed off its demands. Trump also gave up on his pursuit of including funding for his promised border wall in the spending bill.

Weve now made progress on both of these fronts, said House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco).

Though the Affordable Care Act payments have been removed from the debate, several other issues remain, including abortion restrictions and money to prop up a pension fund for coal miners.

Congress will probably need to pass a stopgap measure Friday to fund the government for another week while talks continue.

Obamacare, meanwhile, continues to come under attack by Republicans seeking to revive their faltering effort to repeal and replace the healthcare law.

That process gained momentum Wednesday when the conservative House Freedom Caucus  which helped sink the previous GOP plan  threw its backing behind a new amendment designed to win their votes.

The measure would allow states to get rid of some of Obamacares most popular mandates, including the ban on higher insurance costs for those with preexisting medical conditions.

It could be tacked onto the original bill, the American Health Care Act, which has already been projected to result in 24 million fewer Americans with health coverage over the next decade, according to an independent analysis by the Congressional Budget Office.

Under the amendment, states could apply for waivers, for example, to once again allow insurers to charge sick consumers more than healthy ones and could lift requirements that all health plans cover a basic set of benefits, such as mental health and maternity care.

The proposal was the result of extensive negotiations between the chairman of the caucus, Rep. Mark Meadows (R-N.C.), and Rep. Tom MacArthur of New Jersey, representing Republican moderates. Those two factions of the House majority, for different reasons, opposed the GOPs previous effort to dismantle the Affordable Care Act.

While the revised version still does not fully repeal Obamacare, we are prepared to support it to keep our promise to the American people to lower healthcare costs, the Freedom Caucus members said in a statement.

While supporters say the new approach would lower insurance premiums, it has drawn intense criticism from many healthcare and patient advocacy groups, which are concerned that it would eviscerate key protections put in place by Obamacare.

Even with the changes, there is still no guarantee the Republicans will find enough votes to pass the bill.

Many centrist Republican lawmakers remain deeply concerned that it threatens health coverage for millions of vulnerable Americans.

We have to help those people who were harmed by the Affordable Care Act without harming the people who were helped by it, said Rep. Daniel Donovan (R-N.Y.), who panned the previous effort and said lawmakers still had questions after MacArthur made a presentation during a morning meeting of House Republicans.

Did everyone get up and cheer? No. Did everyone go, Oh, boo, hiss? No, he said.

The spending package would fund government operations through the remainder of the 2017 fiscal year, Sept. 30, and aims to beef up defense spending by about $15 billion.

While Trump may succeed in boosting defense accounts, some of his other priorities have fallen flat.

Trump wanted $3 billion for border security  including at least $1 billion for the border wall that he has insisted Mexico will one day reimburse. But lawmakers sharply rejected the wall funds, and are now haggling over how much to spend on detentions and other border security measures.

Meanwhile, retired coal miners are looking to Trump to salvage a pension fund that will probably be forced to cut off benefits if the government does not intervene.

The White House has said it wants to help the miners, but lawmakers are divided over how long to provide the assistance for the health and pension fund. Senators from both parties want to extend it for the long-term, but House Republicans are balking at the price tag. Lawmakers also have concerns about dipping into an abandoned mine reclamation fund to help pay for it.

Aides said talks are likely to continue into next week.

lisa.mascaro@latimes.com

@LisaMascaro

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The Trump administration, filling the week with warnings over North Korea, is seeking to send a message to the government of Kim Jong Un and the world  and to reach an audience at home as well, with a rare White House hosting of the entire U.S. Senate as the president nears 100 days in office.

Amid rising tensions with North Korea, dozens of senators  all 100 were invited  clambered aboard tour-type buses and into SUVs for a short trip to the White House grounds. There, lawmakers filed into an auditorium of the adjacent Eisenhower Executive Office Building for an hourlong classified briefing from top national security officials on the North Korean threat  and a 15-minute appearance by the president.

Meanwhile, the top U.S. military commander in the Asia-Pacific region told lawmakers that North Korea was progressing in its decades-long march toward developing long-range missiles tipped with miniaturized nuclear warheads capable of striking the United States.

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The White House has bracketed the week leading up to Trumps 100-day milestone with North Korea-related events, starting Monday with a gathering of the United Nations Security Council at the executive mansion with the president in attendance, at which Kim and his nuclear ambitions were the prime topic.

Then came Wednesdays unprecedented briefing of senators en masse. And on Friday, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson travels to New York to chair a ministerial-level meeting of the Security Council on North Korea.

Its not all about optics, State Department spokesman Mark Toner said Wednesday. Theres a clear message being sent that this is front and center on our national security radar.

Senators board buses at the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday. (Saul Loeb / AFP/Getty Images)

Both the White House and congressional leaders had downplayed the significance of the meeting all week, despite the attention ultimately paid to it. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) requested the briefing, and the White House offered to host the session instead of sending top officials to secure spaces at the Capitol that are typically the venue for such gatherings.

Some Democrats dismissed the whole exercise as a photo op timed to coincide with the White Houses choreography around Trumps 100th day in office. And after they returned to the Capitol, even leading Republican senators were circumspect about what was achieved.

It was an OK briefing, Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) said glumly. Im not certain I would have had the gathering, he said.

Most of the 100 senators attended, the lawmakers said, and the president spoke briefly to welcome them before turning it over to the team of briefers: Tillerson, Defense Secretary James N. Mattis, Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats and Joint Chiefs Chairman Joseph Dunford.

Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.) called the briefing sobering, adding that it was an important opportunity for the entire Senate to hear the emerging plans of the Trump administration to confront what is a very real threat to our security.

Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) said that North Korea is one of the most serious security threats facing the U.S. and its allies, and that she was not reassured by what she heard from Trumps team. This briefing confirmed my deep concerns about this administrations lack of a comprehensive strategy toward North Korea, she said.

At the State Department, Toner said possible acts of pressure to be brought to bear on Kim could include forcing North Korea to shut down its handful of embassies around the world, expelling the nations diplomats and barring its personnel from international organizations.

The Trump administration is also demanding that all nations  including, and especially, China  obey stringent sanctions already in place against the Kim government, he said.

Where some saw a degree of showmanship in the White Houses high-profile summoning of senators, tensions with North Korea have soared over the last two weeks.

A U.S. aircraft carrier group has traveled to the region, albeit by a circuitous route. With Kim presiding, North Korea on Tuesday staged thunderous live-fire artillery drills, featuring big guns within range of the South Korean capital, Seoul.

The U.S. nuclear submarine Michigan arrived at Busan, South Korea, on Tuesday in what was described as a show of American resolve. And on Wednesday, South Korea began installing elements of an American missile-defense system that has piqued concern by Beijing and Moscow.

In the briefing with senators, Trump administration officials described plans to ratchet up economic pressure on North Korea in an effort to choke off the countrys access to components for building military equipment, said an official, who requested anonymity to speak freely about the gathering. Images of recent holiday parades broadcast from Pyongyang showed that the North Korean government was still able to get complex machine parts from abroad, the official said.

In addition to North Koreas nuclear and ballistic missile capabilities, the brazen killing of Kims out-of-favor brother with a nerve agent at Kuala Lumpur International Airport in February underscored the very grave threat the North Korean government poses, the official said, describing the menace as having reached a new level.

Earlier in the day, North Korea claimed more attention on Capitol Hill, when the commander of U.S. forces in the Pacific took personal responsibility for a series of White House and Pentagon misstatements that led to global confusion about the location of an aircraft carrier strike group.

Thats my fault, Adm. Harry Harris told the House Armed Services Committee. Ill take the hit for that.

The embarrassing episode began April 8 when the Navy announced that the Carl Vinson strike force was being diverted north from Singapore as a show of force during rising tensions with North Korea. The carrier group instead conducted exercises in the Indian Ocean for a week and was headed in the wrong direction last weekend.

It is now east of Okinawa, or about 1,000 miles southeast of North Korea, Harris said.

The carriers supposed detour north contributed to concerns that a conflict might be imminent, especially because it came shortly after the Trump administration had launched a missile strike in Syria and dropped the so-called mother of all bombs in Afghanistan.

Harris also told the committee that North Korea is making steady progress in its efforts to develop intercontinental ballistic missiles tipped with nuclear warheads capable of reaching the United States, although it is still believed to be several years away from reaching that goal.

Although Pyongyang has conducted five underground nuclear tests over the last 11 years, it has not mastered the ability to produce a warhead small enough and hardy enough to withstand the extreme heat of a ballistic missile reentering the atmosphere. In an April 15 parade, North Korea displayed canisters for intercontinental missiles believed capable of delivering a strike thousands of miles away, though it has not yet tested them. All its launches are monitored.

Harris warned, however, that achieving those goals is only a matter of time.

With every test, he said, Kim Jong Un moves closer to his stated goal of a preemptive nuclear strike capability against American cities.

william.hennigan@latimes.com | Twitter: @wjhenn

tracy.wilkinson@latimes.com | Twitter: @TracyKWilkinson

michael.memoli@latimes.com | Twitter: @mikememoli

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Tehran, Iran, April 26

By Mehdi Sepahvand - Trend:

Tehran has condemned a recent series of Turkish airstrikes in the Kurdistan Region in northern Iraq, saying the violation of national sovereignty of a country is against laws and will spread insecurity, regardless of the motivation behind the violation.

Iran supports the Iraqi governments position in this case, Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qassemi said, ISNA news agency reported April 26.

The air raid by Turkish warplanes in Sinjar Mountains area late April 24 left five Kurdish soldiers (known there as Peshmarga) and one police officer dead.

The Turkish army earlier said it had conducted a strike against the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) militants in an alleged bid to prevent the Kurdish forces from sending weapons to Turkey.

The strike was reportedly conducted against positions held by the Yazidi Protection Units (YBS), a militia supported by the PKK, which Ankara considers a terrorist group.

Since July 2015, the Turkish air force has been carrying out operations against PKK positions in the countrys southeastern border region as well as in northern Iraq and neighboring Syria.

A shaky ceasefire between Ankara and the PKK that had stood since 2013 was declared null and void by the militants following Turkish strikes against the group.
As his first 100 days in office draw to a close on Saturday, President Trump cannot claim many solid accomplishments, but does have one big one: He has held onto the support of the voters who put him in the White House.

Trump has dominated the daily news cycle and conversation like few of his predecessors. Questions abound about whether he can manage the White House, sustain focus on a policy debate or set strategy for international relations, but he has amply proved he can grab and hold the spotlight.

Partly because of that, his biggest influence so far may be the emotional effect he has had on the country. With Trump on center stage, Republican confidence in the nations future and the state of its economy has increased sharply. On the other side of the partisan divide, he has mobilized and energized Democrats to a level not seen in years.

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And in many immigrant communities, Trumps rhetoric has generated fear and anxiety that likely have contributed to a drop in the number of people trying to illegally cross the border.

Trumps substantive impact so far looks small by comparison. Divisions within his party and opposition from Democrats have combined with his own errors to limit his effectiveness.

Trump has focused on winning the short-term news cycle every day, said UCLA political science professor Lynn Vavreck. Thats an unusual strategy for someone governing.

Most people who want to be president of the United States have some long-term vision and want to lead to achieve that vision, she said. Trump, so far, has not set out that kind of goal, she said.

Despite that, Democrats who believed Trumps support might crumble quickly have had their hopes dashed by the steadfastness of the presidents backers.

As a result, the opening act of Trumps presidency has unfolded as a high-decibel stalemate  one that a starkly polarized electorate has watched with rapt fascination.

A new USC Dornsife/Los Angeles Times Daybreak poll provides evidence of both the polarization and the stability of Trumps support.

Well over 90% of people nationwide who voted for Trump in November said they would do so again.

But the poll, which in the fall consistently forecast that Trump would win the election, found that just 40% of Americans approved of his job performance; 46% disapproved, and 14% picked neither option.

More than a third, 35%, voiced strong disapproval of Trump, compared to 19% who strongly approved of him.

The survey was taken April 12-25 and questioned 3,039 Americans, of whom 2,584 reported that they had voted in the 2016 election. It has a margin of error of 2 percentage points in either direction.

The polls findings on Trumps job approval echo surveys by other news organizations and nonpartisan polling groups. All have found approval of the president hovering around 40%  far less than any other elected president at this point in his tenure.

Americans split similarly on whether they like Trump personally: 37% said they do, 63% said they dont, the poll found. About 1 in 6 of his own voters said they dont like Trump personally, but approve of his policies.

In addition to the late April survey, the USC pollsters surveyed people in March. A comparison of the two shows something of a paradox: Among Trumps voters, approval of his job performance has solidified even as doubts about him have begun to creep in.

In the earlier survey, about a third of Trumps backers offered a wait-and-see answer when asked if they approved of Trumps performance in office. By late April, their approval had firmed up, and 85% of those who voted for Trump now say they approve of his work.

But when asked whether keeps his promises was a phrase that applied to Trump, the results showed increased doubt. Between April and March, the share of Americans who said that Trump does keep his promises fell from 60% to 53%.

Among his own supporters, a significant number shifted from saying that keeping his promises entirely applies to the president to a more tentative mostly applies.

That decline squares with the evidence, if not with Trumps own rhetoric.

Trump, in recent comments, has tried to brush aside many campaign promises. Asked in an interview with the Associated Press about the detailed Contract with the American Voter that he released in the closing weeks of the campaign, along with a speech, in Gettysburg, Pa., Trump sought to distance himself from the pledges.

Somebody put out the concept of a hundred-day plan, he said. Im mostly there on most items.

But things change, he added. There has to be flexibility.

In truth, Trumps isnt mostly there. Of 30 major promises Trump made during his campaign, a survey by The Times found only five that had been fulfilled so far. Many more have been scaled back and a few abandoned outright.

There are not the usual accomplishments presidents like to point to, said Julia Azari, a political scientist at Marquette University in Wisconsin who studies the presidency.

Trump has appointed Neil M. Gorsuch, a conservative justice, to the Supreme Court to replace the late Antonin Scalia  a key promise for many of the conservative voters who backed him in November. Gorsuch joined the high court this month.

Trump formally pulled the U.S. out of the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal, a largely symbolic move since the agreement was already doomed in Congress. And he put in place several promised ethics requirements for his staff, although the White House already has begun giving some people waivers from some of the restrictions.

After that, the record is sparse.

Despite his partys control of both houses of Congress and by contrast to the past three presidents, Trump has no big, early legislative accomplishments to point to. He has signed a number of bills, but all are small-scale measures, mostly to overturn regulations adopted in the final months of the Obama administration.

Many pieces of legislation Trump promised to introduce within his first 100 days remain nowhere in sight.

Divisions among Republicans in Congress have stymied his efforts to repeal President Obamas healthcare law, which was a central promise not only of Trumps campaign, but of all Republican campaigns since the law first passed in 2010.

He promised a major tax overhaul, but his administration has not fleshed out a tax plan, and on Capitol Hill, House and Senate Republicans disagree sharply on an approach. Trump has ballyhooed a big announcement on taxes for this week, probably Wednesday. But administration officials have cautioned that the president will be outlining principles for a tax plan, not releasing many specifics.

Trumps proposal for a $1-trillion plan to increase spending on roads, bridges and other infrastructure has also yet to materialize.

White House officials defend the record.

When you look at the number of pieces of legislation, the executive orders, business confidence, the place -- the U.S. role in the world, theres a lot that we feel -- a lot of accomplishments that have occurred, and we feel very good about what weve done as we head up to this first hundred days, White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said Monday.

At the same time, however, Spicer and others have tried to downplay the 100-day measure, calling it an artificial number that gets thrown out.

Theres little question that other presidents have achieved more in their early days. In 2001, Congress passed President George W. Bushs major tax cut in May. Obama won approval of his economic stimulus plan within his first 100 days, as well as a number of smaller-scale, substantive measures.

One of the biggest factors limiting Trumps effectiveness  especially his ability to put forward ambitious legislative plans  has been his failure to staff key positions in his administration. Trump often blames Democrats for obstructing his nominees, but a much bigger part of the problem has been his own failure to name people.

The nonpartisan Partnership for Public Service has been tracking 554 high-level positions that require Senate confirmation. To date, Trump has nominated 46, and another 35 have been named but not formally nominated. Thats far behind the pace of Obama, who had nominated nearly 200 by this point, or George W. Bush, who had nominated 85.

Lacking legislative accomplishments, Trump has relied heavily on executive orders, signing more in his first 14 weeks than his recent predecessors.

But many of those orders have provided more show than substance. A review by The Times of the first 39 of Trumps executive orders and presidential memorandums found that more than half simply ordered departments to study policy options and prepare reports.

The most consequential of the orders  the proposed ban on travel to the U.S. by residents of several majority-Muslim countries  remains stalled in court. Only about a dozen of Trumps decrees have, so far, changed policy.

Trump has begun the process of rolling back Obama administration regulations, especially environmental rules, although much of what he has started will face court challenges.

And the administration has started to toughen immigration enforcement. The number of unauthorized immigrants who are in federal detention has increased, although only to about the level hit in 2014 before the Obama administration tightened rules on who immigration officials should target for arrest.

The administration has backed away from several significant campaign pledges.

Trump has dropped his call to label China a currency manipulator. He appears to have dropped his pledge to scrap Obamas Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, known as DACA, which shields from deportation some 750,000 young people who came to the U.S. illegally as children. He has taken no steps to undo the Obama administrations nuclear deal with Iran or its normalization of relations with Cuba.

The administration also appears headed toward a much narrower plan to negotiate changes in the North American Free Trade Agreement with Canada and Mexico than what Trump described on the campaign trail.

Moving away from campaign promises is risky for a president, and Trump is no exception. The USC/L.A. Times poll found that Trump voters who believe he has been accomplishing what he promised were significantly more likely to approve of his job performance than those who said he was accomplishing less.

Despite that, Trumps voters have mostly remained with him.

Thats in keeping with a broader shift in presidential approval that became apparent during the Obama years, both Vavreck and Azari noted. Presidential approval used to be driven heavily by events. President George W. Bushs approval, for example, soared after the terror attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, then fell after setbacks in the Iraq War.

Obamas approval, however, barely budged for most of his eight years in office: Democrats backed him, Republicans opposed him, and very few developments changed minds on either side.

A similarly stubborn polarization has clearly taken hold with Trump, dividing opinions along the now familiar fault lines of American life.

In the USC/L.A. Times poll, white Americans approved of Trumps job performance, 50% to 36%, with 14% neutral. Among blacks, only 7% approved and 82% disapproved, while among Latinos, 25% approved and 60% disapproved.

Asked if Trump speaks for people like you, 53% of whites said he did. Among blacks, only 8% said so, among Latinos, 26%.

Trump gets solid support from voters who live in rural areas, 54% of whom approve of his job performance, compared with 31% who disapprove. Among those who live in urban areas, almost the opposite is true, 28% approve, 58% disapprove.

Among Republicans, 80% said Trump inspires confidence and optimism. Among Democrats, only 12% said so.

More than half of Trump voters, 51%, now say they expect their personal financial condition to be better by next year. Before the election, only 29% expressed such optimism. Among Hillary Clinton voters, expectations have not changed significantly, about 4 in 10 think they will see an improvement by next year.

Those opposing groups dont share the same sources of information or the same beliefs about the world around them. Roughly two-thirds of Trump voters, for example, said they believed the U.S. murder rate was at the highest point in 50 years, a staple of Trumps campaign rhetoric. By contrast, about 6 in 10 Clinton voters did not believe that.

In fact, the homicide rate for the last several years has been lower than at any point since the early 1960s.

When the poll asked about 10 potential sources of information, only two won the trust of a majority of Trump voters  Fox News and the administration itself. Majorities of Clinton voters expressed trust in a wider range of sources  national and regional newspapers, other cable outlets, public radio and television  but not the two believed by Trump voters.

Perhaps the starkest evidence of division is this: Among those who voted for Clinton, 40% said they know virtually no one who backed Trump; among those who voted for Trump, 45% said they know virtually no one who voted for Clinton.

About the poll

This USC Dornsife/L.A. Times Daybreak Poll continues a study of the U.S. electorate that we began during the 2016 election.

This poll, conducted online among members of a probability-based Internet panel in March, and again April 12-25, surveyed 3,039 adult Americans, of whom 2,584 reported that they had voted in the 2016 election.

Results are weighted to match demographic characteristics, such as race and gender, from the U.S. Census Current Population Survey, and are also weighted to match the population distribution by location in order to ensure the correct balance between residents of urban and rural zip codes. The survey has a margin of error of 2 percentage points in either direction for the full sample.

The poll was conducted by the University of Southern Californias Dornsife Center for Economic and Social Research.

More information on sampling and methodology, including the full text of the questions, is available online at uasdata.usc.edu.

Jill Darling, survey director, USC Dornsife Center for Economic and Social Research, contributed to this report.

david.lauter@latimes.com

For more on politics and policy, follow me @DavidLauter.

Trump wants a border wall, but few in Congress want to pay for it

Trumps first 100 days accomplished little but changed a lot

Get the latest news from the nations capital on Essential Washington >>
Racing to convey a sense of momentum to President Trumps sluggish legislative agenda, the White House unveiled a plan for what it called one of the biggest tax cuts in American history Wednesday, just ahead of the administrations symbolic first 100 days in office.

The one-page outline, touted as an overhaul of the tax code, bears the hallmark of other early Trump proposals: a broad-brush overview of bold goals that is intended to serve as an opening bid with Congress rather than a fully baked policy proposal.

The plan was immediately met with skepticism from budget groups and faces a daunting future on Capitol Hill. Lawmakers from both parties are wary that the White House hasnt said how it would pay for the cuts, which likely would provide the greatest benefits to higher-income earners and corporations.

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At its center is a large reduction in corporate tax rates, to 15%  from multinational corporations to mom-and-pop shops. The current U.S. corporate tax rate is 35%, the highest among developed economies, but many companies pay a lower rate by using deductions in the tax code.

The plan also reduces the number of personal income tax brackets from seven to three, with rates of 10%, 25% and a top rate of 35%.

The outline released by the White House lacks many basic details, including income requirements pegged to new tax brackets, any explanation of a new tax break for childcare expenses, or any analysis of how much it would increase the national debt.

Among the deductions it would eliminate would be one for the payment of state and local taxes. That would be a big hit to Californians and residents of other states with high taxes and high earners.

The proposal also would eliminate the inheritance tax on multi-million-dollar estates and cut a 3.8% tax on investment income imposed as part of Obamacare.

It would eliminate the alternative minimum tax, a backstop intended to prevent the highest earners from using deductions and other strategies to avoid paying substantial taxes. The alternative minimum tax increasingly forces upper-middle-class earners to pay more taxes because it doesnt adjust for inflation.

It also would impose an undefined one-time tax on corporate profits held overseas in an attempt to bring the money back to U.S. operations.

In an attempt to simplify, the plan would eliminate most deductions used by higher earners, but would preserve those for charitable giving and home loans, among the costliest and most popular. It would also double the standard deduction, which currently is $12,700 for a married couple filing jointly.

This tax reform package is about growing the economy, creating jobs, said Gary Cohn, director of Trumps National Economic Council, who presented the plan at the White House briefing with Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin.

The plan is sure to meet resistance and refinement on Capitol Hill, among Democrats who oppose heavy tax breaks for high earners and corporate interests, Republicans who worry about the deficit, and lobbying interests concerned with the potential loss of favored deductions.

Democrats and some outside groups also complained that the proposal would chiefly benefit wealthy Americans like Trump personally, rather than middle-class wage earners.

In response to a question, Mnuchin said Trump had no intention of releasing his tax returns, further slamming the door on a dispute that has persisted since the campaign, when the billionaire businessman became the first major presidential candidate since the 1970s to refuse to let voters see how much he pays in taxes and details about his business deals and investments.

But Trump and his advisors cast it as a historic and long-overdue opportunity to rewrite tax laws that have grown increasingly complicated since the last major rewrite in 1986 under President Reagan.

This isnt going to be easy. Doing big things never is, Cohn said. We will be attacked from the left and well be attacked from the right, but one thing is certain: I would never, ever bet against this president. He will get this done for the American people.

If the plan does not pay for itself, it would need support from at least some Democrats under current Senate rules. Some were quick to denounce it on Wednesday.

Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon, the top Democrat on the Finance Committee, called the proposal an unprincipled tax plan that will result in cuts for the 1%, conflicts for the president, crippling debt for America and crumbs for the working people.

Republican leaders in the House have worked for years on their own plans, which now include a smaller tax break for companies  a drop to 20% for corporations and a maximum of 25% for pass-through companies.

Their plan also depends on a border adjustment tax to bring in $1 trillion in revenue over the next 10 years to help recover the cost of the lower rates.

That tax would subject importers, including retailers, to higher taxes and produce breaks for companies that export. The proposal has split the business community.

Mnuchin said the administration likes some aspects of the border tax but is not backing it now.

We will be working very closely with the House and the Senate to turn this into a bill that can be passed and the president can sign, he said of the administration proposal. And theres lots and lots of details that will go into how that will pay for itself.

Republican leaders on Capitol Hill issued a joint statement Wednesday that fell short of an endorsement but said Trumps outline will serve as critical guideposts for Congress.

Trumps advisors argued that the plan will pay for itself through economic growth. But most economists dispute that analysis, which could put Trump at odds with long-held Republican promises to trim the deficit.

The nonpartisan Tax Policy Center estimated that Trumps campaign tax plan, which includes eliminating the alternative minimum tax and other changes along with the tax cut to corporations proposed Wednesday, would reduce federal revenue by $7.2 trillion over the first decade.

Marc Short, Trumps director of legislative affairs, was deliberately vague on that point during a meeting with reporters this week, saying the administration did not intend to order an analysis of the plans deficit impact at this stage.

He called paying for the tax cuts without borrowing money the goal, but said the administration would weigh in later on whether it would support a plan that does not meet that goal.

Instead, the administration is arguing the overall benefits to the economy, which it says will be spurred by corporations eager to reinvest in American jobs.

Republicans plan to use controversial dynamic scoring, which assumes the effects of economic growth, to determine the tax plans effect on the budget.

While cutting the corporate rate is straightforward, assuring that other businesses that file individual tax returns pay a 15% rate is much more complicated.

Those companies are known as pass-through businesses because their income passes through the individual tax code. Many are small, owner-operated firms. But pass-throughs also can be large partnerships, such as hedge funds, law firms and some of Trumps own businesses.

Mnuchin said the tax plan would be structured so the 15% rate wont be a loophole for rich people who should be paying higher rates. He provided no details.

Democrats and many budget analysts are skeptical that Trump can slash business taxes without causing budget deficits to soar.

We definitely need tax reform as a way to grow the economy, said Maya MacGuineas, president of the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget.

But she said higher economic growth wont offset the plans lost revenue and it needs to be paid for by reducing tax breaks or other measures.

What I dont want to see is that this tax reform is going to be paid for by magic, she said.

Steven M. Rosenthal, a senior fellow at the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center, predicted that wealthy and sophisticated taxpayers would exploit the drop on the corporate tax rate to pay less in taxes on their income.

The middle and working class cannot, he said. This piece of their plan will exacerbate inequalityand increase complexity.

But some conservative groups applauded. Americans for Prosperity called it a giant leap forward.

Trumps interest in announcing the plan this week appeared to catch some of his advisors and allies on Capitol Hill off guard.

The president has dismissed the 100-day measuring stick, a tradition for presidents since the 1930s, as irrelevant. But he also has pushed his aides to make a vigorous case for his accomplishments ahead of Saturdays 100th day in office.

A major legislative achievement has been a big gap on his early resume, hampered by the failure to craft a viable replacement plan for President Obamas signature healthcare bill.

Putting forth a partial tax plan at this stage carries risks. Trump has made other bold pushes only to retreat, which could hurt his negotiating position on Capitol Hill.

He gave lawmakers an ultimatum during the House healthcare debate, demanding an up-or-down vote, only to pull back at the last minute to preserve negotiations for later. The bill was pulled before a vote to avoid a loss on the floor.

This week, he backed down from a showdown with Congress over funding his signature promise to build a border wall in a supplemental budget request, choosing to fight for money later rather than risk a partial government shutdown on Friday.

Staff writer Lisa Mascaro contributed to this article.

noah.bierman@latimes.com

Twitter: @noahbierman

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UPDATES:

4:35 p.m.: Updated to clarify the proposed change to the standard deduction.

2:10 p.m.: This story was updated with details from the press conference.

This story was first published at 10:30 a.m.
In the latest Trump administration effort to spotlight crimes committed by immigrants in the country illegally, the head of Homeland Security on Tuesday launched a new office to help what he said are forgotten victims.

The office, part of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, was given a toll-free hotline to report crimes and to offer support to victims, including local contacts with immigration officers and access to social services. It also will focus on crimes by legal immigrants and issue reports.

All crime is terrible but these victims are unique  and too often ignored, Homeland Security Secretary John F. Kelly told a news conference.

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Theyre casualties of crimes that should never have taken place, because the people who victimized them should never have been in the country, Kelly said.

The high-profile rollout of the Victims of Immigration Crime Engagement Office, or VOICE, was timed to add luster to President Trumps uneven record before his administration hits the 100-day mark on Saturday. Critics argued that Kellys announcement was more about politics than public safety.

Advocates for immigrants said the administration is trying to demonize immigrants as criminals and whip up public support for aggressive new deportation operations and billions of dollars in additional spending for border security.

The overall messaging of this administration is to paint all immigrants as criminals, so immigrants and criminals are mixed into the same mold. Its despicable, said David Leopold, an immigration attorney in Cleveland.

Some Democratic lawmakers also denounced the new operation by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Homeland Security agency responsible for identifying, tracking and deporting those in the country illegally.

While the president is desperate for something to show for his first 100 days, inserting this propaganda and prejudice into our nations Homeland Security policy is a move that history will not look kindly on, said Rep. Bennie Thompson of Mississippi, the top Democrat on the House Homeland Security Committee.

David Lapan, chief spokesman for Homeland Security, said the purpose of the new office is to assist victims, not to attack immigrants.

Its not to create an image that illegal immigrants are committing a higher level of crime than anyone else, or that theyre marauding, Lapin said at the news conference.

Although Kelly talked solely about criminals who are in the country illegally, Lapan said the new office will also handle legal immigrants, who could lose their legal status and be deported if they commit crimes.

In a campaign built in large part on a harsh anti-immigration message, Trump frequently railed about violent crimes committed by people in the country illegally, notably the case of Kathryn Steinle, a San Francisco woman killed last year by a Mexican man who had been deported several times.

Trump announced his plan for the new office in February, telling a joint session of Congress that we are providing a voice to those who have been ignored by our media and silenced by special interests.

In three executive orders on immigration, Trump created dozens of other data collection and reporting requirements designed to highlight the costs and crimes associated with immigration, an analysis by the nonpartisan Migration Policy Institute has found.

The administration has threatened to cut off federal funds to so-called sanctuary cities that do not cooperate with immigration enforcement. After a federal judge in San Francisco on Tuesday ordered a freeze on the administrations crackdown, Trump called the ruling ridiculous in an early-morning tweet. See you in the Supreme Court! he wrote.

Another initiative, to embarrass sanctuary cities by publicizing a weekly list of immigration crimes, was shelved after the first two reports contained errors.

A number of studies of crime statistics havefound that immigrants generally commit fewer crimes than native-born Americans.

Research has shown little support for the enduring proposition that increases in immigration are associated with increases in crime, said a report published last year by the Journal of Ethnicity in Criminal Justice. Higher immigration rates are linked to decreases in crimes, the study said.

Creation of this office is in furtherance of political goals and not public safety goals, said Chris Newman, legal director of the National Day Laborer Organizing Network, based in Los Angeles.

Attending the news conference was Eric Brady, 52, of Mahomet, Ill., whose 46-year-old wife, LaDonna, or Jeannie, was killed in a crash on New Years Day by a drunken driver who had been deported three times.

Esteban Juarez-Tomas, a Guatemala native who was in the country illegally, was given a notice to appear by Illinois state police and was released after the accident. He is now a fugitive.

These are criminal people and they are a public safety hazard, Brady said.

joseph.tanfani@latimes.com

Twitter: @jtanfani
California State Auditor Elaine Howle on Tuesday released a scathing audit of the University of Californias Office of the President.

The examination had been requested by legislators who have complained for years that the semi-independent UC system is not transparent with its finances.

Here are some of the key findings of the audit:

Tens of millions of dollars in budget reserve funds werent disclosed The state audit found that the UC Office of the President failed to disclose to the University of California Board of Regents, the Legislature and the public that it had $175 million in budget reserve funds. UC President Janet Napolitano disputes that the money was hidden, and said it was committed to programs to improve the UC system. State officials including Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom have called on UC to reverse its tuition hike.

$32 million that couldve been spent on students wasnt The reserve included $32 million in unspent funds from an annual charge levied on the UC schools  money that the campuses could have spent on student services if they kept it, Howle said. The money comes from a fund that is used for programs including cybersecurity, food for poor students and making campuses carbon neutral. Howle and state legislators said the money should be sent back to campuses.

University of California students protest fee increases outside a regents meeting in San Francisco. (Karl Mondon / Bay Area News Group) (Karl Mondon / Bay Area News Group)

Pay in UCs Office of the President is higher than comparable salaries

The UC Office of the Presidents executive and administrative salaries are significantly higher than comparable state employee salaries. This is a longstanding complaint by legislators, union leaders and students.

Administrative salaries amounted to a combined $2.5 million more than the maximum annual salaries for comparable state employee positions, auditors found.

Some examples:

The UC systems chief investment officer has a base salary of $615,000. The top investment officer with the states teachers retirement system is paid $568,000.

The UC systems general counsel is paid $428,000 while the general counsel for the California Public Employees Retirement System is paid $414,000.

The chief financial officer for UC makes $412,000 while the counterpart in the California State University system makes $341,000.

University of California President Janet Napolitano has disputed a state audits findings that tens of millions of dollars in budget reserve funds were hidden. (Marcio Jose Sanchez / Associated Press) (Marcio Jose Sanchez / Associated Press)

Millions were spent on benefits that public employees typically dont receive

During a five-year period, the Office of the President spent at least $21.6 million on employee benefits, some of which are not typical for the public sector, such as supplemental retirement contributions, the audit found.

The UC system, like other state agencies, provides a standard retirement plan, but Napolitanos office also offered its executives a retirement savings account, contributing up to 5% of the executives salaries. Those contributions have totaled about $2.5 million over the last five years, the audit found.

UC administrators werent able to justify how money was spent

The Office of the President failed to satisfactorily justify its spending on systemwide initiatives, the audit found, and did not evaluate the programs continued priority or cost. Auditors said the Office of the President was unable to provide a complete listing of the systemwide initiatives, their costs or how they benefit the university system.

Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon (D-Paramount) compared the situation to the 2012 budget scandal with the State Parks Department and to issues with the California Public Utilities Commission.

Administrative spending is high compared to other university systems

Spending in the Office of the President has increased and annual budget and staffing levels for the Office of the President are higher than administrations at other comparable public universities, the report found.

Among the auditors findings:

The Office of the Presidents administrative spending increased 28%, or $80 million, from fiscal years 201213 through 201516.

The Office of the President needs to develop new, clear policies for tracking its expenses, the audit said.

The Office of the Presidents budget and staffing levels are higher than other central administration offices at similar university systems, including the University of Texas. UC officials said that this may be because it provides services to its campuses and employees that other universities do not, including the management costs associated with the universitys retirement program.

Wheeler Hall at UC Berkeley. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times) (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)

Surveys on campus spending appeared to be doctored

The auditors submitted surveys to each campus to determine whether there was duplication of spending, and the Office of the President inappropriately screened the campuses survey responses before the surveys were submitted to auditors, the state report says. The audit said the Office of the President intentionally interfered with the audit process.

Survey forms filled out by campus managers that were initially critical of the Office of the President were later revised to be more positive. The auditors said the interference prevented them from drawing conclusions from some of their work.

patrick.mcgreevy@latimes.com

Twitter: @mcgreevy99

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State audit finds UC president's office paid excessive salaries to top staff and mishandled budget money

Accusations of hidden UC funds call to mind the 2012 scandal that rocked state parks

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Records show ex-Trump campaign chief Paul Manaforts firm received payout from Ukraine ledger under investgation

Last August, a handwritten ledger surfaced in Ukraine with dollar amounts and dates next to the name of Paul Manafort, who was then chairman of Donald Trumps presidential campaign.

Ukrainian investigators called it evidence of off-the-books payments from a pro-Russian political party  and part of a larger pattern of corruption under the countrys former president. Manafort, who worked for the party as an international political consultant, has publicly questioned the ledgers authenticity.

Now, financial records newly obtained by the Associated Press confirm that at least $1.2 million in payments listed in the ledger next to Manaforts name were actually received by his consulting firm in the United States. They include payments in 2007 and 2009, providing the first evidence that Manaforts firm received at least some money listed in the so-called Black Ledger.

The two payments came years before Manafort became involved in Trumps campaign, but for the first time bolster the credibility of the ledger. They also put the ledger in a new light, as federal prosecutors in the U.S. have been investigating Manaforts work in Eastern Europe as part of a larger anti-corruption probe.

Separately, Manafort is also under scrutiny as part of congressional and FBI investigations into possible contacts between Trump associates and Russias government under President Vladimir Putin during the 2016 U.S. presidential campaign. The payments detailed in the ledger and confirmed by the documents obtained by the AP are unrelated to the 2016 presidential campaign and came years before Manafort worked as Trumps unpaid campaign chairman.

In a statement to the AP, Manafort did not deny that his firm received the money but said any wire transactions received by my company are legitimate payments for political consulting work that was provided. I invoiced my clients and they paid via wire transfer, which I received through a U.S. bank.

Manafort noted that he agreed to be paid according to his clients preferred financial institutions and instructions.

Previously, Manafort and his spokesman, Jason Maloni, have maintained that the ledger was fabricated and said no public evidence existed that Manafort or others received payments recorded in it.

The AP, however, identified in the records two payments received by Manafort that aligned with the ledger: one for $750,000 that a Ukrainian lawmaker said last month was part of a money-laundering effort that should be investigated by U.S. authorities. The other was $455,249 and also matched a ledger entry.

The newly obtained records also expand the global scope of Manaforts financial activities related to his Ukrainian political consulting, because both payments came from companies once registered in the Central American country of Belize. Last month, the AP reported that the U.S. government has examined Manaforts financial transactions in the Mediterranean country of Cyprus as part of its probe.

Federal prosecutors have been looking into Manaforts work for years as part of an effort to recover Ukrainian assets stolen after the 2014 ouster of Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovich, who fled to Russia. No charges have been filed as part of the investigation.

Manafort, a longtime Republican political operative, led the presidential campaign from March until August last year when Trump asked him to resign. The resignation came after a tumultuous week in which the New York Times revealed that Manaforts name appeared in the Ukraine ledger  although the newspaper said at the time that officials were unsure whether Manafort actually received the money  and after the AP separately reported that he had orchestrated a covert Washington lobbying operation until 2014 on behalf of Ukraines pro-Russian Party of Regions.

Officials with the Ukrainian National Anti-Corruption Bureau, which is investigating corruption under Yanukovich, have said they believe the ledger is genuine. But they have previously noted that they have no way of knowing whether Manafort received the money listed next to his name. The bureau said it is not investigating Manafort because he is not a Ukrainian citizen.

Still, Manaforts work continues to draw attention in Ukrainian politics.

Last month, Ukrainian lawmaker Serhiy Leshchenko revealed an invoice bearing the letterhead of Manaforts namesake company, Davis Manafort, that Leshchenko said was crafted to conceal a payment to Manafort as a purchase of 501 computers.

The AP provided to Manafort the amounts of the payments, dates and number of the bank account where they were received. Manafort told the AP that he was unable to review his own banking records showing receipt of the payments because his bank destroyed the records after a standard seven-year retention period. He said Tuesday the computer sales contract is a fraud.

The signature is not mine, and I didnt sell computers, he said in a statement. What is clear, however, is individuals with political motivations are taking disparate pieces of information and distorting their significance through a campaign of smear and innuendo.

Leshchenko said last month the 2009 invoice was one of about 50 pages of documents, including private paperwork and copies of employee-issued debit cards, that were found in Manaforts former Kiev office by a new tenant.

The amount of the invoice  $750,000 and the payment date of Oct. 14, 2009, matches one entry on the ledger indicating payments to Manafort from the Party of Regions. The invoice was addressed to Neocom Systems Ltd., a company formerly registered in Belize, and included the account and routing numbers and postal address for Manaforts account at a branch of Wachovia National Bank in Alexandria, Va.

The AP had previously been unable to independently verify the $750,000 payment went to a Manafort company, but the newly obtained financial records reflect Manaforts receipt of that payment. The records show that Davis Manafort received the amount from Neocom Systems the day after the date of the invoice.

Leshchenko contended to AP that Yanukovich, as Ukraines leader, paid Manafort money that came from his governments budget and was stolen from Ukrainian citizens. He said: Money received by Manafort has to be returned to the Ukrainian people.

Leshchenko said U.S. authorities should investigate what he described as corrupt deals between Manafort and Yanukovich. Its about a U.S. citizen and money was transferred to a U.S. bank account, he said.

A $455,249 payment in November 2007 also matches the amount in the ledger. It came from Graten Alliance Ltd., a company that had also been registered in Belize. It is now inactive.

The AP reported last month that federal prosecutors are looking into Manaforts financial transactions in Cyprus, an island nation once known as a favored locale for money laundering.

Among those transactions was a $1-million payment in October 2009 routed through the Bank of Cyprus. The money was deposited into an account controlled by a Manafort-linked company, then left the account on the same day, broken into two disbursements of $500,000, according to documents obtained by the AP.

The records of Manaforts Cypriot transactions were requested by the U.S. Treasury Department Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, which works internationally with agencies to track money laundering and the movement of illicit funds around the globe.

Dozens of Ukrainian political figures mentioned in the Black Ledger are under investigation in Ukraine. The anti-corruption bureau, which has been looking into the Black Ledger, publicly confirmed the authenticity of the signature of one top official mentioned there. In December, the bureau accused Mykhaylo Okhendovsky of receiving more than $160,000 from Party of Regions officials in 2012, when he was Ukraines main election official.

The bureau said it would identify more suspects in the coming months.
Shattered mastodon bones from a Southern California site bear the scars of human activity from 130,700 years ago, a team of scientists says  pushing back the generally accepted date that humans are thought to have settled North America by a whopping 115,000 or so years.

If verified and corroborated by other scientists, the discovery described in the journal Nature could radically rewrite the timeline of when humans first arrived in the Americas.

This is the first time theres been a demonstrated archaeological site with all the bells and whistles, said Curtis Runnels, an archaeologist at Boston University who was not involved with the study, referring to the combination of several lines of evidence at the site. This makes it absolutely first-water importance. This is up there with one of the discoveries of the century, I would say.

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Without the benefit of actual human remains, however, the dramatic departure from the accepted timeline may not convince all scientists in the field.

My reaction has been skeptical, said John McNabb, a paleolithic archeologist at the University of Southampton who was not involved in the study. The date that theyre quoting is so fantastically older than anything thats quoted for the earliest occupation of the Americas, up to now. Its a really big ask.

The fragmented mastodon remains were first discovered in late 1992 by study co-author Richard Cerutti of the San Diego Natural History Museum during routine paleontological monitoring work at a Caltrans freeway expansion project in southern San Diego. Out of the ancient stream deposits came the remains of a camel, horse and other mammals  including the bones, tusks and teeth of a mastodon, a distant and long-gone relative of elephants.

The mastodon fossils looked very different from the other bones nearby. The animals limb bones, molars and tusks had been smashed into many pieces. That struck the researchers as odd, because leg bones are strong and thick and should have been preserved over the eons  especially since more fragile ribs and vertebrae had survived in much better shape.

It was a really intriguing site, said study co-author Tom Demere, a vertebrate paleontologist at the San Diego Natural History Museum, pointing to the patterns that defied an explanation by natural causes.

The ends of some bones had been torn off  a sign that humans may have been trying to reach the bone marrow. The mastodon bones also bore the spiral fracture patterns that are typical of breaks that happen when the bone is still fresh, rather than the straight ones that tend to mark older bone broken much longer after death. (The wolf and horse bones in nearby sediment layers did not exhibit the same patterns.)

That strange, selective destruction is a sign that humans were there, targeting the thick bones and tusks that could be shaped into new tools, the study authors said.

On top of that, the bones were not arranged in the way that usually happens when an animal dies from natural causes. Instead, the bones had been grouped into two clusters  and near each bunch of bones lay two or three large stone cobbles.

If humans broke those mastodon bones, they probably did it using the large cobbles, the scientists said. The stones are massive  one weighed in at a hefty 32.5 pounds  and could be used as either hammers or anvils. These stones stood out at the site, particularly because the area is full of fine, silty sediment, not large rocks. The gentle river currents that brought the silt would not have been able to drag large rocks to the area  so perhaps someone brought them there.

In addition, the researchers were able to piece together stone shards that appeared to have flecked off from that repeated pounding.

I just couldnt believe this was happening, but the evidence is right there in front of you, said lead author Steve Holen, director of research at the Center for American Paleolithic Research in South Dakota. The patterns of breakage were eerily familiar to those hed seen at the sites hed studied in the Great Plains. The evidence is so strong that you cant just walk away from it and say, I dont believe it, Im not going to deal with this.

To make sure, the researchers even did experiments using elephant bones, smashing them with large stones to see whether the damage patterns to both stones and bones matched the patterns they saw at the mastodon site.

They soon realized that the Cerutti mastodon did not just mark a paleontological site, but an archaeological one.

To see how old the bones were, study co-author James Paces of the U.S. Geological Survey in Denver subjected the specimens to radiometric techniques, analyzing the decay rate of uranium in and around the bones to determine its age. The result: 130,700 years old, give or take 9,400 years.

Were confident that we have a very good idea of when this animal died and when bones were incorporated in the surrounding sediment, Paces said.

The commonly held theory of humans arrival in North America is that they came 14,500 years or so ago via a land bridge that was only intermittently open. Recently, some scientists have begun to argue that humans may have entered well before that, around 30,000 to 40,000 years ago  though who they may have been and whether they could have established a lasting population remains up for debate.

This new find, however, pushes back the record of human species far beyond scientists expectations.

If people were in California 130,000 years ago, its possible that they made it over the land bridge just before the last interglacial period, when a warmer, wetter climate would have flooded their passageway. Its also possible that they took to the sea in boats, crossing the brief stretch of open water between Asia and North America and then making their way down the Pacific coastline. (This seafaring theory has been proposed for more recent human appearances as well.)

But were these humans the ancestors of anatomically modern humans  or were they perhaps another species, such as Homo erectus or Neanderthals? Its impossible to say for now, given that there are no human remains at the site. If they were of another species, it could reshape the way we think about the abilities and history of our long-gone close cousins, said study co-author Richard Fullagar, an archaeologist at the University of Wollongong in Australia.

The implications are massive in terms of human migrations, because for a start we dont really know which human was actually in North America 130,000 years ago, Fullagar said. There are possibilities; it could be Neanderthal or Denisovan or an early anatomically modern human, but there are no human remains in northeastern Siberia of anything like that sort of age. So its an unknown, and it extends in a way the capacity of these early humans to have made such a journey  especially if it were by boat and involved sea crossings as opposed to a land crossing.

For now, the study remains a single data point among a much wider array of far more recent sites. There are no human remains taken from the mastodons resting place  and its unlikely that any might ever be found, Holen added.

Population densities would have likely been quite low at that time, perhaps too low for some communities to survive. Only two sets of human remains are known from around 13,000 years ago, even though archeological sites from that time period abound, he explained. Finding human specimens that were 10 times as old would be a long shot, to say the least.

Human remains of any distant past are very, very rare so if you only have two at 13,000 years old, we would be extremely skeptical at finding any at 130,000 years old, Holen said. It would be quite a miracle if someone found something of that age.

McNabb wondered why there were no signs of sharp, flaked tools at the site. The study authors posit that this mastodon may have been so far gone that there was no meat to butcher  but it still struck McNabb as odd, unless the skeleton had already been completely disarticulated and the animals thick skin removed. In which case, how good could the marrow in the bones still be?

Its difficult for me to get my head around, he said, pointing to the need for more research comparing the San Diego specimens to other confirmed paleolithic sites in Africa and other places.

The discovery is likely to set off a search for more evidence of humans in the Americas at such an early date, Runnels said.

This will of course spur people on to do more work and to look for more sites and to search the geological deposits of that age to see if they can find more sites, he said.

In the meantime, as researchers look for evidence elsewhere, Demere and his colleagues say theyre examining the surface of the large rocks from the site in microscopic detail, looking for signs of organic material  the kind that may have come from smashing open a mastodon bone.

amina.khan@latimes.com

Follow @aminawrite on Twitter for more science news and like Los Angeles Times Science & Health on Facebook.

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UPDATES:

1:05 p.m.: This article was updated with additional information from John McNabb, Steve Holen, Curtis Runnels and Tom Demere.

This story was originally published at 10 a.m.
The head of the Burbank Teachers Assn. spoke last week about the importance of experienced educators training new teachers and providing more opportunities for such interaction  particularly for teachers who have only been teaching for less than two years.

The first two years are incredibly important. This is where you do all you can to nurture the teachers. Once those systems are in place  the teaching  its incredible, Diana Abasta, union president, said during a Burbank school board meeting.

At the meeting, members of the Stanford-based Instructional Leadership Corps vouched for their work in facilitating events statewide in which teachers collaborate with their peers to improve instruction of the new state science, English and math standards.

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The Instructional Leadership Corps was established at Stanford University as part of a partnership with the California Teachers Assn., the Stanford Center for Opportunity Policy in Education and the National Board Resource Center.

I know rather than paying external consultants to come in, you have a wealth of teachers in your school district that you can utilize to help you build a professional development capacity, said Norma Sanchez, a member of the Instructional Leadership Corp.

Abasta said she hopes the district will expand its teacher training efforts to include more one-on-one mentor sessions and collaborative training events.

This is what I would like to work on  so we can really leverage the professional capital that we already have in place, and even make it more meaningful, Abasta said.

Follow the Burbank Leader on Twitter 

School board member Armond Aghakhanian said he supported the idea.

Its long overdue, he said. Its necessary.

Burbank school board President Larry Applebaum agreed.

I think we all recognize the importance of having peer teach peer, of having mentors  people who really get it  going to classrooms of educators that dont quite. The fact that theyre willing to say, I dont quite get it is not a liability. Its embracing the challenge of trying to do better.

kelly.corrigan@latimes.com

Twitter: @kellymcorrigan
Education, enforcement and reporting are the main pillars of Costa Mesas new strategy to address issues with local coyotes, Police Department officials said Tuesday.

During a town hall meeting to unveil the citys coyote management plan, officials said a major focus will be teaching residents to remove things that might attract coyotes to their neighborhoods and how to defuse and report any run-ins with the predators.

The primary goal of the citys plan  which is similar to those adopted recently in Fountain Valley, Huntington Beach, Newport Beach and elsewhere  is to condition local coyotes to fear and avoid humans.

We dont want them to lose their fear of us because, when they do, thats when they can be a nuisance, California Department of Fish and Wildlife Lt. Kent Smirl told about 15 people in the audience at Tuesdays meeting in City Hall.

Coyotes arent uncommon in Costa Mesa. In recent years, local residents have complained that the wild canines sometimes attack or make off with pet cats and dogs.

The citys management plan outlines a three-tiered response strategy for coyote encounters.

Though additional education and hazing  scaring the animals away by yelling or making loud noises  are the recommended remedies in many cases, attacks on humans or attended on-leash pets could lead animal-control officers to remove and euthanize a coyote.

Keeping a watchful eye on pets when theyre outside will lessen the chances of them being snatched, officials said.

The citys plan also encourages residents to be diligent in removing food or water sources that could attract coyotes. Keeping trash bins secured, removing fallen fruit and not feeding pets outdoors are among those efforts.

Should you come across a coyote, Smirl said, you should not run away but instead should stand your ground, yell and make noise until it scampers away.

Another part of Costa Mesas approach is encouraging residents to report coyote encounters so the city has more complete data about hot spots and how the animals are behaving.

Residents can report sightings using the Police Departments non-emergency number, (714) 754-5255, the citys coyote hotline, (714) 754-4899 or an online system called Coyote Cacher.

With that tool, found at ucanr.edu/sites/CoyoteCacher, residents can note the location and circumstances of a coyote sighting. The reports are displayed on an interactive map.

As of Wednesday morning, the map showed two reported sightings in Costa Mesa so far this month  one by Balearic Park and the other on Santa Catalina Drive near Merrimac Way.

While some residents who attended Tuesdays meeting praised the plan, others said they think the city should take more forceful action.

Al Melone, a former City Council candidate who lives in the State Streets neighborhood, said hed like coyotes to be captured and neutered to keep the local population in check.

He said the premise of the citys plan  that were supposed to live in harmony with wild animals that do not belong in an urban environment  is false.

Others wondered why the city couldnt simply relocate or euthanize the animals.

Eradication efforts wouldnt be effective, said police Lt. Victor Bakkila, because other coyotes would move in to fill the void. Also, relocation is not allowed without permission from Fish and Wildlife.

Coyotes are afraid of every human they see, and if you haze the coyotes enough  theyre going to go away, Bakkila said. Theyll always move where theyre not being hazed.

luke.money@latimes.com

Twitter @LukeMMoney
A former volunteer campaign treasurer for Rep. Dana Rohrabacher who embezzled more than $250,000 from his former employer and the congressmans reelection committee was ordered Tuesday to serve a year in county jail and five years probation and pay back the money.

Orange County Superior Court Judge Robert Fitzgerald decided during a sentencing hearing to spare Jack Wu prison time, saying Wu was having personal problems at the time he embezzled the money, did not have a criminal record and is making restitution.

Wu, 46, of Newport Beach could have faced a maximum of four years and four months in state prison.

As part of a deal with prosecutors, Wu pleaded guilty in January to three felony counts of grand theft by embezzlement, 21 felony counts of forgery with sentencing enhancements for theft exceeding $100,000, aggravated white-collar crime over $100,000 and property loss over $200,000, according to Superior Court records.

Fitzgerald said Wu can apply to serve his jail sentence in home confinement. He is expected to start serving his sentence July 14, according to court records.

Wu could not be reached for comment Tuesday, but his attorney, Paul Meyer, issued an emailed statement late Tuesday.

We appreciate the careful analysis and extraordinary circumstances that made probation the right call, Meyer wrote. Mr. Wu began restitution before the charges were filed and has fully accepted responsibility. He is deeply grateful for the opportunity to make amends.

In 2004, Wu began working as an unpaid treasurer for the reelection committee for Rohrabacher (R-Costa Mesa). Wus duties included paying taxes owed by the committee, filing Federal Election Committee reports, acting as the custodian of records and running the committees bank accounts.

Meyer said Wu took over from a professional firm that billed the committee an average of $2,400 per month in an election year and $500 per month plus expenses in non-election years. Had Wu been paid the same rate as the firm, he would have received more than $188,000, Meyer said.

Prosecutors said Wu stole from the campaign partly to help repay a former employer that had fired him amid allegations of stealing money.

From 2008 to 2013, Wu was a controller for Russell Fischer Inc., where he handled accounts receivable, accounts payable and some payroll duties, according to the Orange County district attorneys office.

Wu was paid a $70,000 salary at Russell Fischer until March 2012, when he became an independent contractor for the company while running his own accounting business, Wubell Services, prosecutors said.

At that point, Wu started receiving $2,000 every two weeks for his work at Russell Fischer but also kept taking his original salary, prosecutors said. In all, authorities said, Wu collected more than $71,000 in unauthorized pay between June 2012 and September 2013.

According to prosecutors, Wu also issued an extra $12,000 in unauthorized payments to his company from Russell Fischer in 2013.

Russell Fischer fired Wu in September 2013 after discovering the $83,000 in unauthorized outlays. Wu agreed to and made restitution payments to Russell Fischer in late 2013 and 2014.

According to authorities, Wu tried to repay at least some of the amount he owed with money from Rohrabachers campaign fund.

The campaign committee discovered in May 2015 that $170,000 was missing from the account when a manager tried to use one of the committees debit cards and the transaction was denied.

Wu was fired from the campaign, and Rohrabachers office released a statement saying Wu had admitted to embezzlement.

Meyer said family medical hardships forced Wu into overwhelming debt and that he began to pay himself without permission.

Wu has run unsuccessfully for several public offices, including the Irvine City Council in 1998, the Irvine Ranch Water District board in 2002 and the Newport Beach City Council in 2006.

Most recently, he was appointed in January 2015 to the Newport Beach Finance Committee, an advisory body to the City Council on budget issues. He resigned from the committee in July that year on the heels of the allegations by Rohrabacher.

Wu also has written freelance political columns for the Daily Pilot, Newport Beach Independent and Orange County Register.

hannah.fry@latimes.com

Twitter: @HannahFryTCN

UPDATES:

10 a.m. April 26: This article was updated with statements from Paul Meyer.

This article was originally published at 5:35 p.m. April 25.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Apr. 26

By Khalid Kazimov  Trend:

Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier General Hossein Dehqan and his Brazilian counterpart, Raul Jungmann, have met for the first time over the last 40 years.

During the meeting, which took place on April 26 in Russian capital of Moscow, the sides discussed bilateral ties as well as regional and international issues, Mehr news agency reported.

Mentioning that this is the first time over the past 40 years that Iranian and Brazilian defense ministers hold a meeting, Dehqan called for expansion of bilateral ties between the two countries.

Dehqan has arrived in the Russian capital to attend the Moscow Conference on International Security.
Former Mariners Elementary School Principal Laura Canzone, who transferred to Costa Mesa Middle School amid complaints about her leadership and the accuracy of an application she filed for a school award at Mariners, has resigned from the Newport-Mesa Unified School District.

Canzone submitted her letter of resignation March 7, documents show. She will be on paid administrative leave through June 30, according to documents.

District spokeswoman Annette Franco said Tuesday that she could not comment because it is a personnel issue.

Attempts to reach Canzone were unsuccessful.

Canzones transfer to Costa Mesa Middle School as a principal on special assignment came after she requested new duties last year following allegations from teachers about inaccuracies in the Gold Ribbon Award application she submitted to the California Department of Education in fall 2015, when she was known as Laura Sacks.

As part of the application process, a site validation team from the Orange County Department of Education visited Mariners on April 1, 2016, to confirm the applications information. The team wrote in its report that the information was consistent with its findings at the Newport Beach school.

Mariners won the Gold Ribbon designation and continues to hold it.

But the application was dogged by the allegations and by criticism from teachers and parents about Canzones leadership.

A formal complaint the Newport-Mesa Federation of Teachers filed with the school district in March last year stated that some programs the application said were being piloted at Mariners Elementary, such as reading and technology programs, had not been fully implemented.

The complaint also contended the application included goals and practices that teachers said they had not been made aware of, such as staff collaborations with businesses such as Google and SpaceX.

The application was filled with programs that did not exist, ideas that were not implemented and goals that were never discussed, Mariners teacher Tamara Fairbanks said at a May 24 school board meeting. The staff at Mariners was instantly placed in a quandary of standing up for what they actually do in the classroom vs. putting on a show for the Gold Ribbon committee.

Asked for comment about Canzones resignation, Newport-Mesa Federation of Teachers President Britt Dowdy said the matter is between Canzone and the district.

In June, the district retained private investigations firm Nicole Miller and Associates to look into the allegations.

Earlier this year, the district said the investigation was complete but that it would not publicly disclose the findings or any actions resulting from them. The district said the administration and the complainants had been notified.

Priscella.Vega@latimes.com

@vegapriscella
Over the last couple of weeks, Ive written about the effort to recall Newport Councilman Scott Peotter, what it takes to recall a sitting councilman and the ramifications of the Orange County GOPs support for him.

Readers weighed in.

In a nutshell, the comments I received were split down the middle between those who feel the city shouldnt spend the money on a recall vote -- an estimated $300,000  and those who believe it should.

But what I found interesting is that those objecting to the cost werent necessarily Peotter fans. Theyd just prefer to vote him out in 2018, when hes up for reelection, rather than go through the process of a recall election in 2017.

From where I sit, Peotter isnt popular either way with those who wrote to me.

That being said, the next phase of this battle will be waged in the court of public opinion.

On April 18, Peotter filed his official response to the recall with the city, as required. In it, he claims the recall will cost $500,000 (which is highly disputed) and that the recall makes no sense for a city $500 million in debt.

Recalls should be used for malfeasance, not policy disagreements or fulfilling campaign promises, he writes.

Peotter calls the recall sour-grapes by former Councilman Keith Curry, who dug us deep in debt with expensive projects like the Taj-Ma-City-Hall and massive growth of pension debt.

Peotter says he defeated Currys hand-picked candidate, Michael Toerge, in 2014, whom he calls a recall candidate who declared his candidacy in the recall rather than wait a few months for the regular election.

Peotter touts that hes delivered his election promises regarding fire rings, the so-called dock tax, an audit of the $150-million Civic Center, the Taxpayer Protection Act and eliminating the business tax.

In reality, fire rings and the dock taxes dont impact the majority of folks in Newport, so Im not sure how much this argument will help his cause.

And as far as the Civic Center goes, or what he calls Taj-Ma-City-Hall, that might have struck a chord with voters three years ago, but will it now?

Peotters Team Newport members spent about what this recall will cost on a study, which basically found the city overpaid for the construction and found nothing criminal, just a lack of oversight, which, quite frankly, I could have told them  and did, in columns -- for free.

Couple that with the fact that many have now visited the Civic Center, enjoying concerts and such, that public perception seems to be turning from disdain to civic pride.

Marina Park is another project Peotter has criticized, though many locals fought for and are proud of it now as well.

Peotter hasnt lived in Newport very long, which is why hes probably missing the fact that folks here expect a higher standard of services and facilities.

Thats not to say people want their tax dollars spent foolishly, but they do want their money spent on projects that add value to the community, such as parks, community centers and such.

Lets face it, Peotters detractors want to fire a kill shot here and tank his political career, which a successful recall vote would do. I doubt he would get elected to any position, in any city he chooses to move to next, with the stigma of a recall following him.

Changing his public persona wont be an easy task for his handlers, as Peotter continues to stress his conservative values, as his strong point.

The political landscape in Newport and Orange County is changing. Many Republicans around here are fiscally conservative, yet liberal when it come to social issues; Peotter isnt.

This crowd will be a hard sell for his camp.

Peotter could play the unfunded pension liabilities  the amount the city owes toward its pension obligations  card, but this cant be solved on a city basis exclusively; the bigger solution remains in the hands of Sacramento.

As I see it, this recall effort will be a tough battle for Peotter.

The political strategy will be interesting to watch, as it unfolds on both sides.

The opposition is now carefully designing and formatting the petition and expect to be on the street by May 11, says spokesperson Lynn Swain.

She tells me shes overwhelmed at the amount of residents that have volunteered, donated and endorsed the recall.

At this point theres no doubt recall is Newports new reality.

BARBARA VENEZIA lives in Newport Beach. She can be reached at bvontv1@gmail.com.
Quoting David Hansens column (Underground rebellion with business signs in Laguna Beach? April 18): Now, all we have is a city sign ordinance that encourages snitching. Rat your business neighbor out. Tell the teacher.

This is the case not only with signage, but with most all Laguna Beach code enforcement issues that remain unattended until a concerned citizen, passerby or vengeful neighbor complains. Issues become contentious because we are not indoctrinated to self-govern, be respectful and cognizant of laws. Even so, if enforcement is unevenly applied it reinforces disdain.

We seem to follow that Wild West song, Dont Fence Me In, and our collective maverick behavior is out of touch in an increasingly urbanized lifestyle. It just doesnt work anymore.

Whether leaving waste, ignoring posted signs, trampling natural environments or doing what one wants, regardless of side effects, laws or even personal safety, it all tends to be ignored, even disdained, because what is not convenient and personally less appealing doesnt really matter; its both a cultural and behavioral issue reflected in citizens and subsequent enforcement.

Example abound where there are no traffic lights or signage (i.e. traffic circles, crossroads, etc.) areas somehow become self-regulating, if only for basic survival. So when cities design and develop walkways, roads and urban settings, planning should consider this instead of after-the fact attachments, such as regulations, restrictions and laws, to which people inevitably pay little attention

Witness crosswalks with signal lights. Do most people heed them? Do drivers slow for or race through yellow lights? Do we text and use phones while driving? Should laws be consistent in all states? What do most do when hedges to grow beyond setback heights, or if we see trash cans in view 24/7 when they are supposed to be out of sight, except during scheduled pickups?

What about the rampant use of leaf blowers in spite of ordinances prohibiting them within city limits? What about chimney smoke blowing into others homes or smoking near another persons open window or in public areas?

A lack of consideration and respect causes our problems here and worldwide, and enforcement to mitigate our worst impulses must be evenly applied.

Leah Vasquez

Laguna Beach

Senate Bill would keep criminals in the country

In 2010, the Costa Mesa City Council voted to become a Rule of Law city and was the first city in the nation to do so. I am proud to have led that effort. This means that we support upholding our laws, and that we cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) after someone is arrested during the normal course of an officers duties.

This was strictly an issue of public safety. When we had an ICE agent regularly assigned to our jail, we turned over more than 1,300 criminals to ICE. The crimes committed consisted of burglary, robbery, sex offenses, drug offenses, weapons charges and DUIs. In other words, we are not talking about people who are just wanting to immigrate legally for legitimate employment.

How many criminals will be released back into our communities if we are forced to stop cooperating with ICE, due to California Senate Bill 54?

If we dont cooperate with ICE, for example, when an immigrant without sanction to be in this country commits a burglary, robbery or any number of other crimes, then that person will be released into our community to commit another crime and victimize another person.

These criminals dont respect city borders, so if one city lets them go, they are free to go to any city and commit another crime. For that matter, if SB 54 passes, they could commit a crime in another state and then return to California to seek sanctuary.

Additionally, this may have the opposite effect that illegal-immigration proponents want. If there is no cooperation with ICE in the jail, then agents will be forced to go out into the community to make arrests. Many people have already been the victims of crimes committed by those here illegally.

As a husband, father, and a former deputy sheriff, I dont want to see additional victims. All elected officials take an oath to uphold our laws but it looks like thats changing.

Allan Mansoor

Costa Mesa

The writer is a city councilman.

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.
Area residents and community leaders came out Monday night to a commemorative event in honor of the roughly 1.5 million Armenians killed more than a century ago by Ottoman Turks during the Armenian Genocide.

Although a somber night, the event held at the Alex Theatre aimed to unite those in attendance as a community through awareness of Armenian culture and history. Event speakers included Glendale Mayor Paula Devine, Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Burbank) and keynote speaker Robert Avetisyan.



For the record: A previous version of this article misspelled the name of the composer of I Am Alive. Her name is Denise Gentilini, not Denise Gentili. She was also incorrectly identified as an Emmy-nominated composer. She is an Emmy-winning composer.

Schiff started by expressing his disappointment that President Donald Trump and past U.S. presidents have failed to recognize the massacre as a genocide, but added that their inaction shouldnt deter the community from seeking recognition and justice.

The souls of 1.5 million demand it, Schiff said.

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He also took the time to lambast Trump for sending a congratulatory message to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan last week despite protests from Trumps own state department  along with international monitoring groups  after a series of voting irregularities during the countrys referendum that expanded presidential powers.

The changes have effectively empowered one man, President Erdogan, who has systematically seized political power in the country and marginalized or imprisoned his critics, Schiff said. And what did America have to say about this? Sadly our answer was only congratulations  We cannot defend democracy when we celebrate its defeat.

Between speeches, performances by the Zvartnots dance ensemble and music by guests Harout Pampoukjian and Narek Makaryan rounded out the event.

The audience was also treated to portions of I Am Alive, the first-ever musical about the Armenian Genocide by Emmy-winning Denise Gentilini.

City Councilman Ara Najarian, also a co-chair on the annual commemoration event committee, shared a story contained in a 250-page memoir written by his grandfather that was discovered recently. It details a firsthand account of the Armenian Genocide.

Through tears, Najarian read from his grandfathers story about an emaciated boy he found near death in the fields after returning home from the market.

Najarians grandfather, a boy himself at the time, hid and nursed the sick boy back to health until one day a Turkish man shot the boy dead.

Avetisyan, a representative of the mostly Armenian-populated Nagorno Karabakh Republic to the United States, spoke about ongoing Armenian strength and resilience despite the human-rights atrocity committed against them.

Armenians survived to fight for justice, to make the world a safer place by sharing lessons of our history and doing whatever we can to prevent more genocides, Avetisyan said.

jeff.landa@latimes.com

Twitter: @JeffLanda
Jessica Fry said there is no reason why she can enjoy a glass of wine while getting her hair done, but not while browsing paintings or sculptures inside an art gallery.

Fry, director of The Signature Gallery in Laguna Beach, hopes to change that dynamic and called on Assemblyman Matthew Harper (R-Huntington Beach) for help.

For the record: A previous version of this article incorrectly identified Assemblyman Tom Daly as a republican. He is a democrat.

Harper, who represents the 74th District that includes Costa Mesa, Newport Beach and Laguna Beach, authored A.B. 629, which would allow art gallery owners throughout California to serve beer and wine without a license from the state Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control.

Frys request came after a brouhaha last November in which undercover officers from the Laguna Beach Police Department and the ABC cited seven businesses, including five art galleries, for serving beer and wine without a license during First Thursdays Art Walk, a monthly event in which gallery owners open their doors in the evening and can include musical performances and new exhibits.

Some gallery owners said they were caught off-guard with no warning of a potential crackdown.

Police said they sent a letter to an unidentified number of businesses about issues concerning Art Walk such as amplified music and outside speakers, drinking in public and displays on sidewalks.

Eventually the city admitted that it did not do an effective job of informing owners about related rules.

The Orange County district attorneys office rejected the cases for lack of sufficient evidence, said Nicole Nicholson, assistant head of court at the Harbor Justice Center.

Some gallery owners have offered complimentary wine and beer during Art Walk for more than a decade.

Harper, Huntington Beachs former mayor, said his office received quite a few calls from Laguna gallery owners. He also read about the issue in news reports.

Ive seen the practice [serving wine and beer at art walks in other cities] and its not a problem issue, Harper said. Its not a situation where art galleries are turning into bars.

This is simply people enjoying a glass of wine.

Under the bill, the cost of beer or wine would not be included in the sale price of art or merchandise. A person would be limited to one drink  12 ounces of beer or 6 ounces of wine  during the business operating hours and no later than 10 p.m.

Drinks must remain on the gallery property, according to the bill.

Laguna Mayor Toni Iseman, with backing from the City Council and Police Chief Laura Farinella, sent a letter to Harper in support of the bill.

As precedent, Harper mentioned A.B. 1322, which Gov. Jerry Brown signed into law in September that allows owners of beauty salons and barber shops to serve beer and wine without a license.

Assemblyman Tom Daly (D  Anaheim) and current state Sen. Scott Wilk (R  Antelope Valley) co-authored the bill. Wilk was an assemblyman before voters elected him to the state senate last fall.

A license also is not required to serve alcohol in hot-air balloons and limousines, according to state law.

For the last five months, Fry, vice president of the First Thursdays Art Walk board, has paid the $25 for a one-day license from the ABC to serve wine during each event. She would like the flexibility to serve other days.

Its not the money, but the time it takes in filling out and obtaining paperwork for each Art Walk that becomes burdensome, Fry said.

Under the one-day license, each serving of wine costs $2, Fry said.

Instead of concentrating on art, Fry said she and colleagues are more focused on serving under the guidelines of ABC.

For example, they must make sure no one leaves the property with an open container and that visitors of legal drinking age wear wristbands.

Fry said The Signature Gallery was not among the businesses cited in November.

The bill awaits a future hearing date, according to a spokeswoman from Harpers office.

bryce.alderton@latimes.com

Twitter: @AldertonBryce
Arbor Day was first celebrated in Nebraska on April 10, 1872. Why there? Because thats where editor and politician J. Sterling Morton lived  and he wanted his community to plant more greenery in the Midwest state.

It worked. Since then, Arbor Day has become a national holiday marked on the last Friday in April, which this year falls this Friday.

Some states do it differently. California, for example, celebrates Arbor Day on March 7, the day horticulturist Luther Burbank was born.

Whenever you choose to celebrate trees, here are six species worth traveling to see.

1. Redwoods

Giant Sequoia groves on Case Mountain southeast of Three Rivers, Calif. (Bob Wick/ Bureau of Land Management) (Bob Wick/ Bureau of Land Management)

The sheer size of redwoods make jaws drop, and for good reason. Theyre the tallest, most massive trees in the world  and they thrive in several parts of the Golden State and points north.

Youll find giant sequoias  the thick ones such as the General Grant Tree in Sequoia National Park  that would take several people to wrap their arms around. Its an easy hike to get to this tree.

Visitors on the Fern Creek Trail among redwood trees at Muir Woods National Monument, part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area in San Francisco. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

Youll find coast redwoods from Monterey County to southwestern Oregon along the Pacific Coast, at parks like Muir Woods National Monument in Northern California and Big Basin State Park in Central California and points north.

2. California fan palms

Palm Canyon in Palm Springs is owned by the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians. (Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times) (Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)

Nothing is more breathtaking than meeting the only true California native palm tree. These behemoths line a series of canyons in Palm Springs owned by the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians.

California fan palms, or Washingtonia filifera, are much brawnier and shaggier than the ones you see lining streets in L.A., which are Mexican fan palms, many planted in the 1930s to enhance the citys exotic, tropical appeal.

Stroll down Palm Canyon, and youll follow a stream that leads to a palm oasis with plenty of shade. Andreas and Murray canyons, also on easy paths, feature the same rugged desert terrain mixed with native palm trees. Admission costs $5 to $7.

Info: Indian Canyons, 38520 S. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs; (760) 323-6018

3. Joshua trees

Joshua trees, at the national park that bears their name. (Brad Sutton, National Park Service) (Brad Sutton, National Park Service)

Joshua trees are a type of yucca, Yucca brevifolia, to be specific, that may be a tad too prickly and too tall to hug. At least some of their fame may come from the 1987 blockbuster U2 album The Joshua Tree.

You can find them in southwestern California (particularly at its namesake national park) as well as Utah, Nevada and Arizona. Sadly, these trees that grow at elevations up to 6,000 feet, are losing ground to climate change, their fate being threatened by hotter temperatures.

Joshua Tree National Park was established in 1994. It was based on a designation as a 794,000-acre national monument made by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt in 1936. It costs $25 to enter, good for seven days.

Info: Joshua Tree National Park, (760) 367-5500

4. Ancient bristlecone pines

The twisted, snarled ancient bristlecone pines are among the oldest living things on the planet. Some of these living trees at the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest east of Bishop are more than 4,000 years old.

Trees in the Schulman and Patriarch groves in the high-altitude White Mountains are among the most photographed in the forest.

Info: Ancient Bristlecone National Forest, Inyo National Forest, (760) 873-2400

5. Quaking aspens

Quaking aspens in fall colors meet snow at Conway Summit in the Eastern Sierra. (Bob Wick/Bureau of Land Management) (Bob Wick/Bureau of Land Management)

Quaking aspens give the Eastern Sierra its yellows and golds when fall sets in. These beauties can be found along hiking trails and mountain roads around Bishop and points north.

Actually, these aspens have the widest natural range of any tree in North America, which means you can easily find one to honor on Arbor Day.

Just remember, in spring and summer, leaves will be green and fluttery. Make sure you re-visit in autumn.

Info: Eastern Sierra Fall Color Guide

6. Walk-in faux redwood

A simulated giant redwood tree on display inside the monarch bar at Cliftons Cafeteria on Broadway in downtown Los Angeles. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

If you need an arboreal fix in the city, try downtown L.A.s version of the High Sierra. Cliftons, the landmark cafeteria opened by Clifford Clinton in 1935 and reimagined in 2015, features a huge faux redwood that rises five floors.

You can gather at the trees base, step inside the trunk and imagine yourself in a California forest. And you can marvel at the fake foliage with a Big Sur or Fort Ross cocktail in hand.

Info: Cliftons, 648 S. Broadway; (213) 627-1673

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travel@latimes.com

@latimestravel
William C. Melton, left, the city of Victorvilles civil defense coordination, takes a phone call as his top aide, Phil Mull, looks on, in the fallout shelter command post located 185 feet below surface level.

In a May 26, 1968, article, Charles Hillinger began:

The fallout shelter program, forgotten practically everywhere in America, is alive and well in Victorville.

The Mojave Desert town of 10,000 people, 100 miles northeast of Los Angeles, is still red hot on civil defense.

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One of the saddest things in the United States today, says William C. Melton, Victorvilles civil defense coordinator, is the extreme apathy about the bomb.

People dont seem to worry much about the atomic age, or realize that the Russians are capable of delivering nuclear weapons without warning within 15 minutes.

Or that China has two nuclear subs and will have two more this summer, subs that might even now be off our shores ready to destroy our cities.

Melton, 49, owner of a local hardware store, made his observations as he manned his command post 185 feet below the surface in a 510-foot-deep mine shaft.

His top aide is gas station mechanic Phil Mull.

The command post is furnished by desks, chairs, an American flag, organizational charts, maps of every state, filed, telephones and radio transmitters.

For months, more than 300 Victorville residents have taken turns underground digging out one of the worlds most unusual fallout shelters.

It is located in the abandoned Sidewinder Gold Mine, whose entrance is 4,200 feet up the west face of mile-high Sidewinder Mountain. It it 17 miles northeast of Victorville, but only seven miles from Carefree Acres.

April 29, 1968: Entrance to the former Sidewinder Mine converted into a fallout shelter with a 1,100 person capacity. (John Malmin / Los Angeles Times)

Townspeople have stocked 1,095 feet of abandoned shafts with enough water, food, uncontaminated clothing, sanitation, medical and other supplies to take care of 1,100 men, women and children for three weeks.

And all its cost the taxpayers of Victorville so far is $369, said Melton.

Service club fund-raising drives and individual contributions have taken care of other costs, Melton said. 

Melton, Hull and others in Victorville dedicate 15 to 20 hours a week working on the shelter, getting ready for the day the bomb is dropped.

Within five years, apathy won. A May, 7, 1973, Los Angeles Times article reported that , while not officially abandoned, the shelter lies vandalized, looted and largely forgotten.

Also, Meltons position as the Victorville civil defense director had been abolished.

See more from the Los Angeles Times archives here
A decade ago, Achmat Hassiem and his younger brother were playing the part of drowning swimmers in a routine lifesavers drill when they spotted a huge dorsal fin speeding toward them in the chilly waters of False Bay, a major habitat of the great white shark.

The 16-foot shark was headed for his brother, so Hassiem drummed the ocean surface to distract it. It worked too well. The shark instead attacked Hassiem, locking on to his leg.

I woke up in the hospital and found half of my leg was gone, Hassiem recalled.

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The strapping South African lost the limb but went on to become a Paralympian  and, more improbable, one of the worlds most prominent defender of sharks. Today, he travels the world making the case for shark conservation.

I have learned so much about sharks and how dwindling their populations are, he said. A shark brought me to where I am now, so I need to do everything in my power to give back to sharks. Not only do I find myself lucky to be alive, but also I get the chance to speak for those who cannot speak and speak on behalf of sharks all around the world, so that they have a future too.

Achmat Hassiem swims the 100-meter butterfly at the 2012 Paralympics in London. (Alastair Grant / Associated Press)

Hassiem is now part of a growing group of environmentalists and governments advocating for protection for some of the worlds most-feared creatures.

Last year, thanks partly to Hassiems advocacy, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, or CITES, voted to protect several species of sharks and mobula rays. The decision, approved by two-thirds of the 182 countries at the meeting, placed the species on Appendix II, meaning countries must ensure that fishing doesnt threaten their survival.

We did it! Hassiem tweeted after the vote came down.

With shark populations plummeting and 100 million sharks killed annually, shark advocates, including the governments of Sri Lanka, the Maldives and Fiji, succeeded in placing limits on trade of three of the most critically endangered species of sharks and rays, including thresher sharks and silky sharks, which have been relentlessly fished for their fins for shark fin soup, a delicacy in Chinese cuisine, particularly for banquets.

Until a few years ago, there were no bans on fishing of any shark species. There are 1,041 shark and ray species worldwide, a quarter of them threatened with extinction, only five of which have been protected since 2014, including hammerhead, porbeagle and oceanic whitetip sharks.

Among the sharks defenders are Gamini Jayawickrama Perera, Sri Lankas environment minister; Mark Bond, a Florida International University shark behavioral expert; and senior officials in the government of the Maldives, which has banned shark fishing off its shores.

After last years CITES vote, countries have until September to either stop fishing the protected sharks or produce scientific evidence that fishing wouldnt threaten the species survival.

In the future, a permit will be required to fish the protected species. Luke Warwick, shark conservation director of the Pew Charitable Trusts, which conducts research on sustainable fisheries and supports the limits, is meeting with government officials and customs and wildlife officers worldwide to explain their obligations under the new law. He also is training them to identify which fins are fished illegally.

These are some of the most endangered species out there. Theyre incredibly vulnerable, Warwick said.

The United States is one of the largest fisheries for now-protected thresher sharks, which are exported to Hong Kong, the main shark fin hub. But Warwick said the U.S. record on shark conservation has improved in recent years.

The U.S. is a major shark fin exporter and a major player in the shark fin trade. With these listed species, the U.S. will have to look very carefully to make sure theyre being fished sustainably, he said.

For Hassiem, 34, a medal-winning Paralympian swimmer, its all about a desire to give back to the sharks. As terrifying as the attack was, he says good things came out of it. After the attack, he has represented South Africa at three Paralympic Games.

People often fear sharks, but according to the University of Florida, the chances of being killed in a lightning strike are 75 times higher than the chances of being killed by a shark. People were 132 times more likely to drown at the beach. Six people were killed last year in shark attacks worldwide.

Thresher shark populations have declined by more than 80% in the Pacific and Atlantic oceans in the last 15 years and in some areas up to 99%, according to the Pew Charitable Trusts. Silky shark populations declined by up to 80% in the Pacific Ocean from 1994 to 2004, and by as much as 90% in the Pacific Ocean in the last 20 years.

Theyre under incredible threat from myriad sources and theyre particularly vulnerable to over-exploitation, shark behavioral expert Bond said.

Bigeye thresher sharks take 13 years to mature and have low reproduction rates, typically producing two pups after a 12-month pregnancy. Silky sharks have similar slow reproduction rates.

Warwick said that if CITES hadnt taken steps to require sustainable fishing of sharks, the organization would have soon faced the necessity of banning all trade.

Sustainable trade underpinned by sustainable fisheries for these species is possible, Warwick said. By creating a framework to sustainably trade these species now, governments are effectively working to prevent the need for Appendix I listings, or trade bans, in the future.

The major threat to shark species is the fin trade, for shark fin soup, and fishing vessels in some regions de-fin sharks live and throw the rest of the shark overboard, where it sinks and dies. The practice is banned in the United States and many other countries. Environmental advocates say that finning is still common in unregulated international waters in some regions.

Some hotels, resorts and shipping companies have banned shark fin soup and, in 2013 the Chinese government banned shark fin soup from official banquets as part of a crackdown on extravagance.

To read the article in Spanish, click here

robyn.dixon@latimes.com

Twitter: @robyndixon_lat

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The question now is whether Europe can and will step in to keep Turkeys leader from expanding his powers.

Turkeys main opposition party announced Wednesday it will challenge President Recep Tayyip Erdogans April 16 referendum victory to replace the countrys parliamentary democracy with an all-powerful presidential system.

The opposition will ask the European Court of Human Rights to render judgment, a day after Turkeys top administrative court ruled it lacked jurisdiction over the electoral body whose oversight of the voting has sparked daily nationwide protests.

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We faced illegal referendum results after seeing an unverified election, Selin Sayek Boke, a spokeswoman for the Republican Peoples Party told journalists in Ankara. Our priority is standing up for the legal rights of all citizens. Thus, we would like to announce that we will soon apply to the ECHR.

Turkeys Council of State, one of two top judicial bodies in the country, ruled in a 4-1 vote Tuesday not to review the decision of the Supreme Electoral Council, citing specific language in the Turkish Constitution that bars courts from overturning the electoral overseers decision.

The electoral council is expected to issue a final tally of the votes in the coming days, but it has said the preliminary result  with 51.4% of voters approving sweeping constitutional amendments and 48.6% opposed  is correct. But the main opposition party, along with a number of civil society groups, have collected evidence of what they say is up to 2 million votes cast fraudulently or that need to be reexamined.

With just under an hour left before polls closed, the council announced it would disregard voting procedures and allow potentially suspect ballots to be counted. Ballots, as well as the envelopes they are sealed in, are required to have a stamp from electoral observers on them to ensure their validity. But after a last-minute request from an observer from the ruling AK Party, the electoral council ordered that the possibly irregular ballots be counted. Many officials added the missing stamps to the ballots before counting them, making it impossible to separate them for any recount. In a 2014 election in which unstamped ballots were counted, the electoral body ordered the vote be repeated.

The opposition party has presented a report that indicates hundreds of ballot boxes  accounting for millions of votes  may have been stuffed because when they were counted, all the ballots in them had been found to be yes votes. The ruling AK Party has dismissed fraud allegations, along with videos circulating online appearing to show ballot boxes being stuffed.

Harun Armagan, a member of the ruling party, said the fact that the results were so close was an indication that fraud did not take place. If it was a dictatorship, if it was an autocracy, the referendum result would be 99% versus 1%. I think this close result also proves that Turkey is a functioning democracy . It was a competitive race between yes and no and people have voted yes with 1.4 million difference, and now its time to move on and accept that.

AK Party leaders have said that neither Turkeys other top judicial body, the Constitutional Court, nor the European Court of Human Rights has any jurisdiction over the referendum.

The Constitutional Court has no right and authority to review the referendum according to the constitution and the conventions that Turkey is party to.  Bekir Bozdag, Turkeys minister of justice

The Constitutional Court has no right and authority to review the referendum according to the constitution and the conventions that Turkey is party to, Turkish Minister of Justice Bekir Bozdag said this week. The opposition can also apply to the ECHR, but it cannot achieve a result there either, because the agreements Turkey signed do not give parties the right to apply.

Before accepting the case, the European court may ask the opposition to exhaust all domestic legal avenues, including applying to the Constitutional Court, said Levent Korkut, a constitutional lawyer and lecturer at Istanbuls Medipol University.

After that, the ECHR must see the text of the petition, because abstract applications cannot be accepted by the court, they must be concrete problems, usually affecting the rights of individuals.

Turkey was one of the first countries to recognize the ECHR in 1959, but it has historically been the most regular defendant in the court. In 2016, the court ruled against Turkey in 77 of 88 judgments, making it the second-most frequent violator after Russia.

In most of those decisions, the court has ordered the Turkish government to pay financial restitution, as was the case in a ruling issued Wednesday in which Ankara was told to pay 1 million euros to the Republican Peoples Party after the Constitutional Court improperly seized a portion of the partys assets nearly a decade ago. Turkey has failed to comply with several such rulings, including an order to pay 90 million euros to Greek Cypriots affected by Turkeys 1974 intervention of Cyprus.

On Tuesday, the Council of Europe  citing a scathing report on allegations from monitors for the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe  voted to put Turkey back under monitoring for human rights violations. In 2004, Turkey became the first and only country to ever have the monitoring lifted, an achievement that was touted as a major victory by the AK Party in its campaign to have Turkey become a member of the European Union.

Turkeys top negotiator with the EU, Omer Celik, said the decision was not fair, its wrong and has nothing to do with the realities of Turkey.

Erdogan, who has repeatedly said Turkey could hold a Brexit-style referendum to decide on continuing to seek EU membership, has said Europes attitudes towards the AK Party as well as Islam in general are behind the deterioration of relations. But on Tuesday he continued to walk a fine line on the issue.

[The EU] needs a country like Turkey, a different country symbolizing a different faith, he said. But the EU member states dont seem to realize this fact. They are finding it very difficult to absorb a Muslim country like Turkey.

Farooq is a special correspondent.
Frances foreign ministry says deadly sarin gas used in a chemical attack in Syria this month that killed 87 people bears the signature of President Bashar Assads government.

A six-page report by French intelligence services claims the nerve agent came from hidden stockpiles of chemical weapons that Damascus was supposed to have destroyed under an U.S.- and Russian-brokered deal in 2013.

The chemicals in the gas matched those from samples taken following a sarin attack in Syria in 2013 carried out by government helicopters.

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Theres no doubt that sarin was used. Now theres no longer any doubt that the Syrian regime was responsible, Jean-Marc Ayrault, the French foreign minister, said after presenting the report to the defense council at the Elysee Palace on Wednesday.

Syria has repeatedly denied being responsible for the April 4 attack on Khan Sheikhoun, in Idlib province in the northwest of the country, arguing either that it never happened or that it was carried out by rebels. Moscow, which supports Assad, dismissed the French report, saying there was no proof the Syrian government was responsible.

The French investigation concluded that the chemical weapon used had been delivered by air; only Assads forces have planes and helicopters.

Ayrault insisted that France knows from a certain source  that the manufacturing process of the sarin that was sampled is typical of the method developed in Syrian laboratories.

This method is the signature of the regime, and it is what enables us to establish responsibility for the attack. We know because we kept samples from previous attacks that we were able to use for comparison, Ayrault said.

French intelligence operatives made the link from blood taken from the attack victims in a hospital and examined by the National Center for Scientific Research.

Laboratory tests revealed the presence of a signature characteristic in the gas, the presence of hexamine, that pointed to its being manufactured by the Syrian government. It matched the sarin in a 2013 chemical bomb dropped by a helicopter on the town of Saraqeb, in the northwest of the country, which failed to explode.

These attacks by the Syrian regime should be seen in the context of the continuous use of weapons or chemical agents, mostly in air attacks, since 2013.  France has been able to confirm on several occasions the use of chlorine and sarin, the French intelligence report says.

Based on this overall evaluation and on reliable and consistent intelligence collected by our services, France assesses that the Syrian armed forces and security services perpetrated a chemical attack using sarin against civilians in Khan Sheikhoun on 4 April, 2017, the report concludes.

The U.S., Britain and Turkey already had collected their own evidence and concluded that sarin was used in the attack, which was condemned internationally and prompted a U.S. missile strike on a Syrian air base.

Last week, the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons declared that incontrovertible test results showed sarin or a chemically similar substance was used in the April 4 attack.

Ahmet Uzumcu, the groups director-general, said in a statement that analysis at four laboratories of the bodies of three victims and seven survivors suggested exposure to sarin or a sarin-like substance.

The nerve agent sarin attacks the bodys central nervous system, causing breathing difficulties and death. It is banned under international law.

Frances Foreign Ministry said it remained committed to ensuring that the perpetrators of this heinous attack are held accountable.

Willsher is a special correspondent.

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UPDATES:

9:45 a.m.: This article was updated throughout with staff reporting.

This article was originally published at 4:55 a.m.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Apr. 26



By Khalid Kazimov  Trend:



Iranian capital city of Tehran as well as historical city of Esfahan will host Azerbaijans culture days between June 3-9, an Azerbaijani official said.



Speaking at a meeting with Esmaeil Jabarzadeh, the governor-general of the Irans East Azerbaijan Province, in Tabriz City, Azerbaijani Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism Adalat Veliyev called for expansion of cooperation in organizing cultural events between the two countries, IRNA news agency reported.



Adalat Veliyev further touched upon cooperation between the two countries in tourism sector and said 46,000 Iranian holidaymakers visited Azerbaijan during Nowruz holidays (late March).



In his turn, Jabarzadeh welcomed the idea for broadening ties with the neighboring country, saying there is no restriction on expansion of ties between the two countries.


Relatives of U.S. citizens jailed in Iran are trying to press the Trump administration to secure their release as worries grow over the health of an imprisoned father and son.

Baquer and Siamak Namazi, convicted of espionage in a secret trial six months ago, are being held in a section of Tehrans notorious Evin prison, according to a petition their lawyer filed this week with the U.N.s Working Group on Arbitrary Detention.

The section of the prison is known for the use of cruel and prolonged torture of political opponents of the government, the petition by lawyer Jared Genser says.

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Genser said in an interview that U.S. officials told him they would raise the issue of the Namazis with Iranian diplomats this week in Vienna. The Vienna meeting Tuesday to discuss implementation of the 2015 Iranian nuclear deal was the first direct U.S.-Iran talks since President Trumps inauguration.

Genser said he had urged U.S. officials to do more than condemn the detentions, as the Trump administration has done several times. Trump has left key State Department positions unfilled, including the special envoy for hostage affairs, a position the Obama administration created to lead U.S. efforts to bring home Americans held overseas.

We want this issue raised not just as an expression of concern or condemnation, Genser said. We want an expression of willingness [from the Trump administration] to engage in continued bilateral discussions through appropriate channels to find a resolution for the American hostages.

The State Department declined to discuss the Namazi matter publicly. Spokesman Mark Toner said the U.S. calls for the immediate release of all U.S. citizens unjustly detained in Iran so that they can return to their families.

At least three U.S. citizens are jailed in Iran, including the Namazis, who were convicted of espionage in October and sentenced to 10 years in prison, part of a wave of dual citizens whom Iran arrested in 2015 and 2016.

In July, Karan Vafadari, a U.S. citizen who owns an art gallery in Tehran, was detained along with his wife, Afarin Niasari, a U.S. green card holder. Human rights groups say they were charged with violating Irans religious laws by hosting mixed-gender parties and serving alcohol at home.

In October, San Diego resident Gholamrez Reza Shahini was convicted of national security crimes and sentenced to 18 years in prison. According to an individual close to Shahinis family, he was released eight weeks ago on $65,000 bond and is awaiting his next court appearance in Gorgan, in northeastern Iran.

The Trump administration has adopted an aggressive stance toward Iran, announcing this month that it would conduct a 90-day review of U.S. policy toward the Islamic Republic and threatening to back out of the 2015 nuclear agreement, even though it says Iran is abiding by its terms.

The landmark deal saw Iran agree to end its uranium enrichment in exchange for an easing of economic sanctions, but Trump administration officials and many in Congress believe it was too soft on Tehran.

Last week, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson accused Iran of alarming and ongoing provocations that export terror and violence, and cited its detention of U.S. citizens and other foreigners on false charges.

Experts said that the issue of jailed Americans has long been a thorn in U.S.-Iran relations, but that the prisoners are used as a pawn by Irans ultraconservative deep state to extract concessions from foreign powers.

American officials habitually discuss the issue with their Iranian counterparts on the sidelines of nuclear-related meetings, but the prisoners fate is not in the hands of foreign ministry officials, said Ali Vaez, an Iran analyst with the International Crisis Group.

The Namazis are believed to have been jailed by Irans Revolutionary Guards, a hard-line paramilitary organization that opposes the nuclear deal and Iranian President Hassan Rouhanis efforts to improve relations with the West.

Ahead of a closely watched presidential election May 19, in which Rouhani is seeking a second four-year term, Trumps rhetoric is unlikely to change the prisoners status.

The more hostile the Trump administration becomes toward Tehran, the higher the motivation of the Revolutionary Guards to keep the Namazis as hostages, Vaez said. This is regardless of the outcome of the presidential poll.

As a candidate, Trump raised expectations that he would help bring jailed Americans home. After the Namazis were convicted in October, weeks before the election, Trump tweeted: this doesnt happen if Im president!

Babak Namazi, Siamak Namazis brother, and Genser are looking for Trump to live up to his words.

If either Namazi were to die, it would be a disaster of monumental proportions for Trump, Genser said. He said he is a negotiator, and he made a commitment on Twitter.

Babak Namazi this week traveled to Vienna to ask the U.S. delegation to seek his family members release, saying their rapidly deteriorating health means time is running out.

Baquer Namazi, 80, underwent triple bypass surgery prior to his arrest and suffers from arrhythmia. He was held in solitary confinement at one point and has lost 30 pounds since his arrest, according to Gensers letter to the U.N.

Family members are worried that he isnt receiving proper medication after he was hospitalized for several days on two occasions after his arrest.

Babak Namazi said his brother Siamaks mental and physical health are declining. Prison guards have beaten and tased him throughout the 18 months he has been held, Genser wrote.

Siamak Namazis cell is dark and cold, and he is forced to sleep on a concrete floor, Babak Namazi said. He also has been subjected to long periods of solitary confinement.

He was imprisoned in October 2015, and four months later, his father was detained after coming to Iran to attempt to secure his release.

Siamak feels he has nothing left to live for, Babak Namazi told reporters in Vienna on Tuesday.

I am counting on the president to take personal responsibility for the lives of my father and brother, he said.

Etehad reported from Los Angeles and Bengali from Mumbai, India.

shashank.bengali@latimes.com

Follow @SBengali on Twitter for more news from South Asia
Turkish warplanes struck Kurdish rebel positions in Iraq and Syria on Tuesday, drawing condemnation from Baghdad and criticism from the U.S.-led coalition that is fighting Islamic State and is allied with Kurdish factions in both countries.

The Syrian Kurdish militia known as the Peoples Protection Units, or YPG, said 20 of its fighters were killed and 18 wounded. The YPG is a close U.S. ally against Islamic State but is seen by Ankara as a terrorist group because of its ties to Turkeys Kurdish rebels.

The airstrikes also killed five members of the Iraqi Kurdish militia known as the peshmerga, which is also battling the extremist group with help from the U.S.-led coalition.

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YPG spokesman Redur Khalil said the Turkish aircraft struck the groups headquarters in Karachok, in Syrias northeastern Hassakeh province, causing extensive damage to the headquarters as well as nearby civilian property.

The YPG is among the most effective ground forces battling Islamic State, but Turkey says it is an extension of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party, or PKK, and that PKK fighters are finding sanctuaries in neighboring Iraq and Syria.

A Turkish military statement said the pre-dawn strikes hit targets on Sinjar Mountain in northern Iraq and a mountainous region in Syria. It said the operations were conducted to prevent infiltration of Kurdish rebels, weapons, ammunition and explosives from those areas into Turkey.

The military said in a later statement that the airstrikes hit shelters, ammunition depots and key control centers, adding that some 40 militants in Sinjar and some 30 others in northern Syria were neutralized.

In an emailed statement to the Associated Press, the U.S.-led coalition said Iraqs neighbors need to respect Iraqi sovereignty.

We encourage all forces to ... concentrate their efforts on ISIS and not toward objectives that may cause the Coalition to divert energy and resources away from the defeat of ISIS in Iraq and Syria, it said, using an acronym for Islamic State.

Iraqs Foreign Ministry denounced the strikes as a violation of its sovereignty and called on the international community to put an end to such interference by Turkey.

Any operation that is carried out by the Turkish government without any coordination with the Iraqi government is totally rejected, Foreign Ministry spokesman Ahmad Jamal told the Associated Press.

He cautioned against a broader Turkish military operation, saying it would complicate the issue and destabilize northern Iraq.

Although Turkey regularly carries out airstrikes against PKK targets in northern Iraq, this was the first time it has struck the Sinjar region. Turkey has long claimed that the area was becoming a hotbed for PKK rebels.

Sinjar Mayor Mahma Khalil said the strikes started about 2:30 a.m., killing five members of the peshmerga and wounding nine. Khalil said he was not aware of any casualties among PKK rebels.

The peshmerga command called on the PKK to withdraw from the Sinjar region, saying the PKK must stop destabilizing and escalating tensions in the area.

The PKK has led an insurgency in southeast Turkey since 1984 and is considered a terror organization by Turkey and its allies.

Last year, Turkey sent troops into Syria to back Syrian opposition fighters in the battle against Islamic State and curb the expansion of the U.S.-backed Syrian Kurdish forces.

The Syrian Kurdish forces denounced Tuesdays strikes on their positions as treacherous, accusing Turkey of undermining the anti-terrorism fight. The Syrian Kurds have driven Islamic State from large parts of Syria and are closing in on Raqqah, the de facto capital of the extremists self-styled caliphate.

By this attack, Turkey is trying to undermine Raqqah operation, give [Islamic State] time to reorganize and put in danger lives of thousands of displaced, the YPG said on its Twitter account.

In Damascus, meanwhile, officials denounced new U.S. sanctions imposed by the Trump administration on 271 people linked to the Syrian agency said to be responsible for producing nonconventional weapons. The move was part of an ongoing U.S. crackdown in response to Syrian President Bashar Assads alleged use of chemical weapons.

Khaled Abboud, a member of the Syrian parliament, said the center is purely a research center, mostly for agricultural studies.

The sanctions are new attempts by the U.S. administration to put pressure on the Syrian state, he told the Associated Press, calling the agency a peaceful research center.

The U.S. has blamed Assad for a chemical weapons attack earlier this month that killed more than 80 civilians in the rebel-held northern Idlib province. Syrian officials strongly deny the charges.

An airstrike in Idlib on Tuesday killed at least 12 people, including civilians, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. The area is controlled by hard-line rebel factions, some associated with Al Qaeda. The Observatory, which relies on contacts inside Syria, said it suspected a Russian jet was behind the strike.
Hours after a display of North Korean military power, rival South Korea announced Wednesday the installation of key parts of a contentious U.S. missile defense system meant to counter the North.

South Koreas trumpeting of progress in setting up the Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense system, or THAAD, comes as high-powered U.S. military vessels converge on the Korean Peninsula and as a combative North Korea signals possible nuclear and missile testing.

North Korea conducted live-fire artillery drills on Tuesday, the 85th anniversary of the founding of its million-person Korean Peoples Army. On the same day, a U.S. guided-missile submarine docked in South Korea. And the USS Carl Vinson aircraft supercarrier also is headed toward the peninsula for a joint exercise with South Korea.

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The moves to set up THAAD within this year have angered not only North Korea, but also China, the country that the Trump administration hopes to work with to rid the North of nuclear weapons. China, which has grown increasingly frustrated with North Korea, its ally, and Russia see the systems powerful radars as a security threat.

South Korea said in a statement Wednesday that unspecified parts of THAAD were installed. It said that Seoul and Washington have been pushing to get THAAD quickly working to cope with North Koreas advancing nuclear and missile threats. According to the Yonhap news agency, the parts include two or three launchers, intercept missiles and a radar.

Some people near the site in the countrys southeast are worried that THAAD may cause health problems, and thousands of police officers assembled Wednesday, blocking the main road, Yonhap reported. About 500 protesters rallied, and 13 villagers and police officers were injured in scuffles and treated at hospitals, reportedly for broken bones, according to the Seongju fire department.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said Wednesday that the systems deployment would disrupt the regional strategic balance and further aggravate the tension on the peninsula.

Geng said that China will firmly be taking necessary measures to defend our own interests, but he offered no details. Chinas defense ministry also has repeatedly criticized THAADs deployment and said the military will take unspecified actions in response.

On Tuesday, North Korea conducted what it called its largest combined live-fire drills, near the east coast port city of Wonsan.

North Koreas official media reported Wednesday that leader Kim Jong Un personally observed the exercises, which involved the firing of more than 300 large-caliber artillery pieces and included submarine torpedo-attacks on mock enemy warships.

Along with sending U.S. military assets to the region in a show of force, President Trump is leaning on China to exert economic pressure on North Korea. Chinese President Xi Jinping, who spoke to Trump on Monday, is urging restraint from both North Korea and the U.S.

In Washington, top Trump administration officials are scheduled to brief the entire U.S. Senate on Wednesday. A rapid tempo of North Korean weapons testing in the past year has pushed Kim Jong Uns authoritarian nation closer to developing a nuclear-armed missile that could reach the U.S. mainland.

Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina voiced confidence that Trump wont allow North Korea to reach that point. Graham, a defense hawk who dined with Trump on Monday night, said North Korea should not underestimate the presidents resolve.

The USS Michigan, a nuclear-powered submarine, arrived Tuesday at the South Korean port of Busan for what was described as a routine visit to rest crew and load supplies. The U.S. 7th Fleet said two American destroyers were conducting simultaneous maritime exercises with naval ships from South Korea and Japan.

North Korea routinely accuses the United States of readying for an invasion and threatens preemptive strikes to stop it. An unidentified North Korean Foreign Ministry spokesman said the U.S. administrations policy to maximize pressure on North Korea was little short of lighting the fuse of total war, the state news agency reported Tuesday.

The streets of Pyongyang, however, were quiet for Tuesdays anniversary, which was overshadowed by April 15 celebrations of the birthday of the nations late founder, Kim Il Sung, and were marked by a missile test the following day.

On Friday, U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is to chair a special meeting of the U.N. Security Council.

Tillerson will be very vocal about nations enforcing sanctions on North Korea, State Department spokesman Mark Toner said. Trump said Monday the council must be prepared to impose stronger sanctions.

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Baku, Azerbaijan, Apr. 26

By Elmira Tariverdiyeva  Trend:

Novruz Mammadov, deputy head of Azerbaijani presidential administration, chief of the administrations foreign relations department, took to Twitter again to comment on false information spread about him by the American politician Scott Dworkin.

Another week went by as I waited. Yet you chose to remain silent. Apparently, spreading lies and slander was your day job, Mammadov addressed Dworkin in a tweet Apr. 26. The likes of you are seemingly fond of such things - trying to shape the public opinion by targeting a certain individual and writing just about anything to that end.

Given your problems with President Trump, I guess you find consolation in making up stories about people you dont even know.

In a tweet on Apr. 20, Mammadov demanded an apology from Dworkin, and added, Should you be able to prove that I am the owner of 2 condos in the US, I hereby announce that you will have one of them as a gift from me.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Apr. 26

By Orkhan Quluzade  Trend:

Turkish Armed Forces delivered retaliatory artillery strikes on positions of the Democratic Union Party (PYD) terrorist group in Northern Syria, Turkeys General Staff said in a message.

PYD earlier inflicted mortar strikes from the territory of Syria on two military posts in the Turkish province of Hatay. Turkish army suffered no losses in the bombardment.

Syria has been suffering from an armed conflict since March 2011, which, according to the UN, has claimed over 500,000 lives.

Militants from various armed groups are confronting the Syrian government troops. The IS, YPG and PYD are the most active terrorist groups in Syria.
Two Venezuelan men died on Tuesday from gunshots at political demonstrations, bringing to 26 the number of fatalities around this month's protests against President Nicolas Maduro's socialist government, Reuters reported.

The state prosecutor's office said Orlando Medina, 23, was gunned down on a street in western Lara state during a protest local media identified as anti-Maduro.

Luis Marquez, 52, died in the Andean state of Merida in the early morning after being shot on Monday at a pro-Maduro rally, state ombudsman Tarek Saab said.

In more than three weeks of chaos since Venezuela's opposition launched street protests, 15 people have died in violence around demonstrations and 11 others in night-time lootings, the state prosecutor's office said on Tuesday.

Political activists and Venezuelan media have reported more deaths, but those have not been confirmed.

The ruling Socialist Party accuses foes of seeking a violent coup with U.S. connivance, while the opposition says Maduro is a dictator repressing peaceful protest.

With near-daily demonstrations by both opponents and supporters of Maduro, there have been fatalities on both sides, as well as one National Guard sergeant killed during a protest.

"Any death hurts, government or opposition," chief state prosecutor Luisa Ortega said in a speech. Four fatalities were adolescents and 437 people had also been injured.
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De Montfort University has dropped to 82nd in the latest university rankings - the biggest fall nationwide.

The news follows the publication of TheCompleteUniversityGuide.co.uk's 2018 rankings, yesterday.

Loughborough remains the East Midlands' top ranked university, despite falling three places to 10th overall in the UK.

Leicester has risen two places this year to 30th according to the guide.

But De Montfort University (DMU) is the biggest faller both within the East Midlands and in the nationwide main table, which ranks 129 UK universities.

It has dropped 28 places to 82.

Rankings are based on several criteria or 'measures' - student satisfaction, research quality, research intensity, entry standards, student to staff ratio, spending on academic services, spending on student facilities, good honours degrees achieved, graduate prospects and completion.

A spokesperson for DMU said the university was disappointed with the ranking."

He said: "DMU is committed to delivering excellence for our students, which has led to being in the top 10 most popular universities in the UK. For the second year running, it has also been named as one of the 150 best young universities in the world by the influential Times Higher Education magazine.

"DMU is naturally disappointed with its position in the Complete University Guide rankings. We have recently undertaken a major transformation of our campus, and work on this scale can have an unavoidable impact on the student experience, which will have adversely affected some of the metrics which inform the rankings. However, these improvement works are now complete and have received very positive feedback from our students."

Professor Robert Allison, Loughborough's vice-chancellor said: "It is great to get independent confirmation of the fantastic environment we have created here at the campus. This top ten ranking reinforces Loughborough's position as one of the best universities in the country, and that yet again we are the best in the region."

A spokesperson from the University of Leicester said: "We're pleased that Leicester has risen in the Complete University Guide 2018 and is placed among the top 30 in the country out of 129 institutions."

The spokesman added that it was also pleased to have ranked in the top 10 in the country for two subject areas.

He said: "Leicester is consistently ranked among the top third of universities in the UK and rated among the top 1% of universities in the world."

Dr Bernard Kingston, chairman of TheCompleteUniversityGuide.co.uk, said: "It is ten years since TheCompleteUniversityGuide.co.uk launched its online university league tables, and they have proved their accuracy, independence and robustness over the decade.

"This year there is a considerable degree of stability at the upper end of the league table, as in the past. This stability, while it may not attract the headlines, demonstrates that the rankings fulfil our principal objective  to provide credible and freely accessible information for individuals seeking a university place.

"The Government has said that applicants need access to robust, timely and objective information, based on criteria that are straightforward and easily understood.

"We believe that TheCompleteUniversityGuide.co.uk meets these criteria and more and we intend that this will remain the case for the next decade  and beyond."

Cambridge University topped the main league table, with Oxford, second.
A Rosenallis man caught by gardai with an assortment of drugs has been directed to complete a course educating him on the dangers of drug use.

Before last weeks sitting of the district court was Jack Delaney (28), with an address at Ballyhuppahaun, Rosenallis.

Inspector Ollie Baker gave evidence that the accused was searched at Bracklone Street, Portarlington, on February 18, and the gardai discovered 14 ecstasy tablets, two Xanax, and nine other tablets.

Insp Baker said the accused had previous convictions from England, but none for drugs.

Defence, Ms Josephine Fitzpatrick said her client had been born in Dublin, but is now living in Rosenallis in Laois.

Ms Fitzpatrick said that the accused had been using ecstasy socially.

On the night, the accused had an argument with a friend and the gardai were called to the area.

The gardai met the accused and the drug search was carried out.

Judge Catherine Staines directed the accused to complete the Athy Alternative Project for his drug use and the matter was put back to July 6.

The judge told the accused if he completed the course, he wouldnt have anything to worry about.
Laois doctors say they have held a 'very productive' meeting with the Minister for Health on the future of Portlaoise hospital.

A delegation of Laois GPs and hospital consultants from the Midlands Regional Hospital Portlaoise, met with Minister Simon Harris on Tuesday evening at the Department of Health in Dublin. Laois TD and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Charlie Flanagan, also attended and was praised afterwards by the doctors for his strong support at the meeting.

During the meeting, which lasted for well over an hour, the doctors set out in detail their case for the retention of services at the hospital. These proposals had been outlined in a plan drawn up by the consultants and GPs and presented to the Minister and HSE in 2016 as an alternative to downgrade of A&E and other services.

Among the items they focused on at the meeting with the Minister were the retention of A&E, maternity service improvements, critical care and anaesthetics.

A spokesperson for the delegation said the Minister listened carefully and reacted constructively to the points made. While he declined to make any promises on the future, he did not use the meeting to warn the doctors that downgrade was on the cards.

He reiterated that no decision had been reached on the HSE's plan as drawn up by the chief executive of the Dublin Midland's Hospital Group (DMHG), Dr Susan O'Reilly. It has been widely speculated that this plan includes extensive downgrade.

The meeting was the first formal consultation between the Laois doctors and Minister since a plan was prepared for the hospital by the DMHG.

The doctors said Minster Harris acknowledged the lack of consultation with them to date. He also appeared to question the long-term wisdom of removing significant services. It is understood that he expressed concern that the HSE's proposals appear not to have factored in past and future population growth in Portlaoise, Laois and the other counties served by Portlaoise hospital.

The doctors said Minister Harris believes more consideration must be given to this on any future role of the hospital.

He also said more emphasis should be placed on the presence of two large prisons in the town. He indicated that the impact on prison services and the possible future cost of prison transfers to hospitals further away from Portlaoise need to be further examined in consultation with the Irish Prison Service and Department of Justice.

Some surprise was expressed that the Coombe hospital was not given an opportunity to have more input into future planning, given that it is now running the maternity unit in Portlaoise.

The Minister said he wants to meet a delegation of Laois doctors again before he reaches a decision on the hospital's future direction.

He insisted that a plan is needed, as recommended by the Health Information and Quality Authority in their report on the hospital carried out in the wake of the controversy that engulfed the maternity unit in 2014.

The doctors said the Minister declined to discuss the contents of the plan submitted by the DMHG through the HSE. He gave no timeline on its publication nor did he say when he would make a decision on the hospital's future.

Minister Harris had committed to meet Laois GPs when he met Laois politicians last January after he visited Portlaoise hospital.

The delegation of doctors was made up of GPs: Drs Michelle Byrne, Simon Honan, Sean Montague, John Madden, and Gerry White (who were there on behalf of the Laois Faculty of the ICGP & MIDOC Members).

The hospital consultants at the meeting were: Drs John Connaughton, Sean Fleming and Paul Gallagher.
Qatar Airways invites passengers to start planning their next trip with amazing discounts on flights across all cabin classes. With the airlines Global Sales Campaign, which starts 26 April and lasts through 3 May, families, friends and couples can book flights to any destination across the airlines award-winning network of more than 150 destinations across the globe, with validity to travel until 21 June 2017.

Travellers can now easily decide where to go next with fantastic fares to United States starting from AZN 869, Italy starting from AZN 859, Maldives from AZN 1,049 and United Arabian Emirates from AZN 539. To take advantage of these offers, travellers should visit www.qatarairways.com, Qatar Airways sales offices or travel agencies.

Qatar Airways Chief Commercial Officer Mr. Ehab Amin said: We are delighted to be able to offer our passengers such a wide variety of choice in choosing a destination. With this new promotion, passengers can easily choose where go next with amazing offers across all of our cabin classes. Travellers are truly spoilt for choice with Qatar Airways extended network of more than 150 destinations.

Recently the airline revealed its latest premium class product Qsuite, a fully transformable suite of seats that allows parties of two, three or four to create their own unique space within the Business Class cabin. This game-changing patented design is set to transform the face of aviation and Business Class travel by bringing a First Class product to the Business Class cabin. Qsuite also features the first ever double bed in Business Class, another ground-breaking innovation brought to passengers by Qatar Airways.

The airline was named the Worlds Best Business Class by Skytrax in 2016, and its home hub, Hamad International Airport, was also recently given five stars at the Skytrax World Airport Awards, as well as being named the Worlds Sixth Best Airport.

Qatar Airways is one of the worlds fastest growing airlines, with a network of more than 150 destinations. The airline will add a number of exciting new destinations to its growing network in 2017, including Chiang Mai, Yanbu, Dublin, Nice, Skopje and many more, flying passengers on board its modern fleet of 195 aircraft.
Entries are up this year for the Laois Rose, and it will surely be hard for judges to choose a winner at the Selection Night this weekend to represent Laois at the Rose of Tralee in Kerry this summer.

Seventeen confident, educated and socially aware young Laois women have put themselves forward for the chance to represent their county at the International Rose of Tralee in Kerry this August.

The Roses have already got to know each other well, having enjoyed fun days out in Laois like bowling and afternoon tea which have been covered by the Leinster Express as exclusive media partner to the event.

They are each generously sponsored by local businesses from all around Laois, will be interviewed live on stage by the always effervescent MC Brendan Hennessy, in the Portlaoise Heritage Hotel this Sunday night.

As always there is sure to be a fun variety of party pieces, for the always appreciative cheering audience of supporters to enjoy.

For the first time this year, each Rose contestant will be paired up with a 'Rose Bud' on the night, who are young girls chosen from the local primary schools.

There is also a host of generous audience prizes to be won on the night this year, including prizes for the best banner, and the best dressed lady and gent in the audience.

The winning Laois Rose will be chosen by three judges, and then presented with the sash by outgoing Laois Rose Kate Hyland.

It has been a hectic year for Kate, who is a teacher in Portarlington Presentation Primary School.

I didn't think it would be so chock-a-block, but it is from day one, because it's not just the Rose of Tralee week, it's representing Laois at events all the year around. My advice for the new Laois Rose is to fully embrace it, to throw yourself into it, said Kate.

Her highlight of her year was her volunteer trip to Belarus with a large group of other Roses and escorts.

It was such a good group. The charity is very close to my heart now. But the week in Tralee was also just fantastic, she said.

She is impressed with the standard of the girls, having met them already at several events.

I will be delighted to hand over the sash to any one of them, I wish them all the best, Kate said.

Kate's chosen charity this year is Chernobyl Children International, and there will be a raffle on the night to support it.

I hope everyone supports the raffle on the night of the Laois Selection, which is in aid of CCI, and their work to bring children to Ireland for the summer, said Kate.

The new Laois Rose will walk away with an array of prizes from jewellery by Tipperary Crystal, the new lead sponsor of the Rose of Tralee International Festival, hair sponsored for the year by The Parlour Portlaoise and of course the coveted Laois sash to go on to represent Laois in the Dome in Tralee.

The big night is next Sunday April 30. Doors open at 7pm and the contest starts at 7.30pm sharp.

Tickets at 20 are selling fast, available at the Heritage Hotel or by calling Laois Rose co-ordinator Lyn Moloney at 083 4631611.

Exclusive Media Partner, the Leinster Express will be covering the event, with reports and photos online and in next week's issue.
Trainer Gordan Elliotts Roaring Bull stormed to victory in the Dooley Insurance Flat Race at Punchestown yesterday evening, rounding off a brilliant opening days action at the Co. Kildare racecourse.

Jockey Lisa O Neil guided the 25/1 Gigginstown House Stud horse home to victory giving trainer, Gordan Elliott his first win of the day.

The Naas based Dooley Insurance Group, one of Irelands largest independent insurance brokers, were the title sponsors of the race as they also celebrated the recent launch of their new Equine Insurance Division.

The new division is aimed at helping those involved in the equine industry to gain greater access to insurance that is tailored to their needs.

The Kildare brokers are also celebrating 60 years in business, and they have picked the ideal way to launch their new division, with the Punchestown Festival providing a more than appropriate platform.

The company will also sponsor another race  the Dooley Insurance WFA Steeplechase  on the final day of the festival.

Tim Dooley, Managing Director of Dooley Insurance Group, said; That was a fantastic exhibition of flat racing and we are really proud to be the sponsors of this race. It was a great day as a whole, and to have such an exciting conclusion to the opening day capped it off brilliantly.
COUNCILLORS in the Celbridge- Leixlip District have narrowly voted against a proposed plan to extend Celbridge town centre into Donaghcumber demesne.

The Council voted 4-3 against the advice Kildare County Council planners who argued that while the land was part of the Donaghcumper demesne, it was not part of the designated parkland historically associated with Donaghcumper House.

Planners said that this was an excellent opportunity to expand the town centre, by providing a pedestrian link and a new street connecting the Main Street to St Wolstans Shopping Centre, where Supervalu is located.

They said the extent of the proposed town centre was reduced from previous Local Area Plans and the lands were not part of the landscape setting of Castletown House.

Cllr Anthony Larkin proposed the town extension be totally deleted.

He was supported by Cllrs Kevin Byrne, Michael Coleman and Ide Cussen.

Cllr Brendan Young, who was supported by Cllrs Joe Neville and Bernard Caldwell in the ultimate vote, said the area should be subject to a Master Plan only if it was proven to contribute to the recovery of the town centre. He would prioritise housing there instead of retail and 10% of that should be for the elderly.

But the Chief Executives report said it was against the zoning objective to apply restrictions on the mix of uses on lands that are in private ownership.

Cllr Ide Cussen was opposed to residential building there.

Cllr Michael Coleman did not think that pouring concrete into the area was the answer.

Planner, Michael Kenny, said the plan would link the new neighbourhoods across the bridge to the town centre.

Director of Services, Peter Minnock, said it was not about pouring concrete and that the decision was a question of leadership by the members.

He said the members could be exposed legally by a decision to scrap the town extension plan, because of commitments made previously under the current plan, and when it came to the final vote, asked that the names of those voting be recorded.

He said there were reasonable expectations by developers that development would take place close to the town centre.

Cllr Bernard Caldwell, Municipal District chairman, said the extension would bring access to the public to the river Liffey, which was not there at the moment. We do nothing about the Liffey, he said.

The committee agreed a different motion would be worded over a coffee break to enable a masterplan condition for the area to written up and put before the members.

Planner, Karen Kenny, said this could include use of the best available technology three D modelling and a visual impact report.

Cllr Ide Cussen said she had a problem with being asked to zoned the land for development because the project could go to Bord Pleanala and a decision would be out of the control of the Municipal District members.

Mr Minnock appealed to the committee to enable a Master Plan be drawn up and voted up later.

When the amended motion to zone the land, with a Master Plan provision, came before the committee just after 3.00 pm , it was defeated on a 4-3 vote.

After the vote, Cllr Larkin said that the committee had delivered a lot of housing for Celbridge in other areas of the town under the proposed LAP. We have done a lot of the heaving lifting, he said in relation to Celbridge and Leixlip areas.

Councillors voted against the Chief Executives recommendations on a number of housing proposal, despite advice from officials that the Minister could overturn the plan if the planning guidelines were breached.

The changes to the draft Plan will go on public display and it remains to be seen if what the councillors voted through this afternoon (April 26) becomes the Local Area Plan for the town of Celbridge.
The Irish language community in the county have made seven demands from Leitrim County Council for the promotion of our national language.

Members of the Irish speaking community made presentations to Carrick-on-Shannon, Manorhamilton and Ballinamore Municipal Area meetings this month.

The group are making seven demands:

1. Oifigeach Gaeilge -Leitrim County Council to have a full time Oifigeach Gaeilge to promote and develop the language throughout the county.

2. Annual budget for An Ghaeilge.

3. Restore Coiste Gaeilge .

4. Revise and update the council's policy 'Polasai i leith na Gaeilge.'

5. Bilingual Leitrim County Council website.

6. Irish scholarships - allocation of 3,000 (15 grants of 200).

7. Submit motion to restore the Irish language requirement for Library staff.

At the Ballinamore meeting, Sean OSuilleabhain, former County Librarian said they are seriously concerned about the disconnect between Leitrim County Council and the promotion of Irish. He noted the councils obligation to the Irish language.

OSuilleabhain put forward that any service provided by the council should be available through the Irish language, he commented in practice that doesnt happen.

He said the council websites, signage and response on the phone should all be bilingual.

He noted the councils website had been partially bilingual but this disappeared since it was upgraded.

Sean OSuilleabhain who previously acted as Oifigeach Gaeilge said the council had been good at promoting Irish for a number of years but recently all progress is lost.

He stated Leitrim has no functioning Oifigeach Gaeilge. He added if the group were making a presentation on the Arts, the Leitrim Arts Officer would be in attendance, but no Irish Officer attended any of the three municipal meetings.

Coiste Gaeilge, a group made up of councillors, council staff, Gaelscoileanna, Glor na nGael, Cumann na bhFiann and others has not met in five years.

The Irish scholarships have also been put to the wayside, he added. There is no one promoting Irish in the county.

Rossa O Snodaigh said the group had to fight for 18 months to be allowed to make the presentation. There are more daily speakers of Irish in Manorhamilton than in some Gaelteach areas, he told the members.

Councillors agreed to discuss the demands at SPC meetings and see how they can help promote the Irish language in the next annual budget.
Members of Ballinamore Municipal Area are to invite the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Shane Ross, to Leitrim to see the state of local roads.

Cllr Caillian Ellis read out the corresponding reply from the minister to their request to meet and discuss further funding for roads in Leitrim. He said the response was a nice way of saying there is no more, good luck.

Cllr Ellis said the county is in a serious situation with roads this year, possibly the worst ever. He noted some roads are deteriorating fast. He said local Oireachtas members should be asked to intervene and arrange a meeting.

The Fianna Fail Councillor went on to say seeing local TDs on Taoiseach Specials on the news is no good to us, we need them to do something for Leitrim.

Cllr Paddy O'Rourke said this is the third Minister for Transport that has refused to meet with Leitrim councillors, he suggested the Minister take a trip to Leitrim for a couple of days to see the situation.

He went on to say if the Minister can visit Kerry to access the situation in relation to drink driving laws, he can come to Leitrim and inspect the roads.

We will look after him and drive him about quipped the Carrigallen Councillor. The other members agreed.

He said they cannot rob the county roads to pay for the local roads, but insisted residents need safe passage to their homes.

The councillors agreed to write to their party TDs to put pressure on Minister Ross to meet the councillors and discuss much needed funding.
Manorhamilton sculpture artist Seamus Dunbar has been shortlisted as a Community Energy Champion in the 'Get Involved' SEAI awards for his hard work in raising energy awareness locally.

'Get Involved' is a way for local communities all over Ireland to work together to improve their own lives, create local jobs, and protect the environment. The awards initiative is developed by 51 local newspapers throughout Ireland.

The judges for this years award have been very impressed by Seamus and the North Leitrim Sustainable Energy Community (NLSEC) and how far they have come in just 12 months.

Seamus is the Chairperson of NLSEC group who are working to reduce the amount of energy and carbon consumption, identify energy sustainability and to make people aware of the amount of energy they use on a daily basis in the North Leitrim area. Seamus told the paper he is astonished to have been shortlisted but also delighted for the recognition of the hard work of the group.

He explained that the members who meet at least once a month put a huge amount of hours into research, consultations, attending conferences, meetings and filling out applications.

The group have established important links in the border region and nationally, they have established a Community Charter and are involved with businesses and residents in the Manorhamilton area.

The NLSEC will soon be incorporated as a Company Limited by Guarantee as part of their registration into a three year programme with SEAI.

The group have already raised much awareness and have been included in the Energy Master Plan. They are working with the community to reduce energy costs.

In the long term they want North Leitrim to be a leader in Green Energy Technology that is owned and controlled by the community.

The group are hoping to facilitate training in wind turbine construction this Autumn.

Funding is being sought to complete an Environmental Impact Statement in relation to the impact of a micro hydro station on the Owenmore River System in Manorhamilton.

In developing the micro-hydro scheme the SEC are collaborating with the Tidy Towns Committee and Leitrim County Council to develop the river frontage as an amenity area for the town and as a loop off the proposed SL&NCR Greenway.

The group have about 13 committee members and 13 associate members.

They hope to seek local funding shortly to progress a number of beneficial projects. They have also identified a part funded graduate programme which could allow them to employ someone full time for six months.

The Get Involved Community Champion has a prize of 3,000 and will be awarded to the person that has made a very significant local contribution/effort to either producing local energy or involved in a energy conservation project.

The awards will be held in Dublin on May 11.
The special units of the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) have detained in Russia's western city of Kaliningrad twelve members of the Islamic Jihad-Jamaat Mujahideen terrorist group, an Islamist terror organization outlawed in Russia.

Operatives detained in the course of a special operation 12 nationals of the Central Asian republics who appear to be the members of the Islamic Jihad-Jamaat Mujahideen terrorist organization, which is banned in the Russian Federation," the FSB statement reads.

"They are suspected of involvement in recruiting activities in the interests of this international terrorist group," the statement added.

The leader of the cell is an Uzbek national, who was wanted by authorities in his home country for committing an extremist crime. The man was recruiting residents of the Kaliningrad region, a Russian exclave on the Baltic sea shores, to the organization, according to the statement.

The suspect has given confessions, revealing the information about his relatives' links to terror organizations. The law enforcement are now checking if the organizations the suspect mentioned are associated with terror factions operating in Syria.

The authorities are planning to deport those detained to their countries of origin, where they will be prosecuted for crimes of a terrorist nature.
Yesterday the Scottish Parliament debated the Conservative cuts to tax credit which means that only two children per family are covered.

Every Scottish Conservative MSP voted for it, with many robustly defending the policy. Their line seems to be, as the Conservative candidate at my local council hustings said last week, that this is a compassionate (thats the word she actually used) exemption. They are also saying that the woman doesnt have to fill it in, its a third party. Well, have a look at the form and imagine how you would feel if it applied to you. You have to write down the name of your child and sign a declaration that I believe the non-consensual conception exception applies to my child. How you can do that without your mind drifting back to the traumatic circumstances of that conception? You are also then required to take the form to a third party to get them to fill it in. You are going to have to relive that ordeal. You may never have told anyone about it before and be worried about whether you are going to be believed. If implementation of a policy requires this sort of trauma, then the policy itself is clearly wrong.

There were many fantastic speeches from across the Chamber, including moving personal testimonies sent to MSPs like Scottish Labour Leader Kezia Dugdale.

The Liberal Democrats were represented by Alex Cole-Hamilton, who condemned these policies  and pointed out that during the coalition years, we had put a stop to their introduction:

I pay tribute to Kez Dugdale and Sandra White for offering very moving personal testimonies, and I congratulate the Scottish Government on lodging the motion. I assure it of the support of the Liberal Democrats. We will support Kez Dugdales and Alison Johnstones amendments, as well.

Who can forget Theresa Mays inaugural words in her tenure as Prime Minister? In her Francis of Assisi moment on the steps of number 10, she said of families that rely on tax credits in particular:

If youre from an ordinary working class family, life is much harder than many people in Westminster realise. You have a job but you dont always have job security. You have your own home, but you worry about paying a mortgage. You can just about manage but you worry about the cost of living and getting your kids into a good school  I know youre working around the clock, I know youre doing your best, and I know that sometimes life can be a struggle. The government I lead will be driven not by the interests of the privileged few, but by yours.

In the two-child tax credit cap and the rape clause that underpins it, we see the measure of that commitment made flesh. I am certain that those words have now turned to ash in the Prime Ministers mouth.

There are days in the chamber when we are debating welfare reform and social security matters in which I rise to speak with some trepidation and a recognition that there were times when my party, through dint of the coalition, participated in decisions and reforms that were distasteful to us as Liberals, but were far less egregious than those that our partners originally proposed. Members rightly lose no time in reminding me of that in colourful interventions. That is fair enough, but the untold story of our days in coalition is what never made it to the statute book thanks to Liberal Democrat resistance: regional pay, which would penalise any workers outside the south-east of England, inheritance tax cuts for millionaires and enhanced powers for employers to sack staff without notice or recourse to a tribunal.

As I told the First Minister in my intervention, the abhorrent policy that we are discussing would have been on the statute book for years had my party not taken a stand in coalition and blocked it. At no point has my party ever denied that welfare reform is needed; indeed, the Poverty Alliance has said for the best part of a decade that the old system is no longer fit for purpose. However, on the issue in question, as with so many other areas in the agenda, the Conservatives have got it far wrong.

The policy that we are debating has rightly grabbed national attention because of the rape clause, but it is the two-child cap, which is at the root of the policy, that will result in families drifting beneath the breadline. I do not need to remind members that, at present, the national outrage that is child poverty involves some 250,000 children or more, and that number is rising.

Next to the Lib Dem uplift in the income tax threshold, family tax credits have been the most effective way of addressing in-work family poverty.

With the pound weakening and the cost of living rising as a result of the Tory hard Brexit, mounting an assault on tax credits now would result in those numbers growing still further and far faster. That really does give the lie to the warm words of our new Prime Minister.

I described the two-child cap as the root of the rape clause because the clause could not exist without the cap. If a person were to suggest that such a cap is necessaryI utterly reject that it isto bring in such a restriction without any exemptions would be unfair and inhumane in itself. That is what is so barbaric about the notion of determining public policy on the basis of an upward limit on childbearing. Any such policy would inevitably lead by necessity to a rape clause. If a policy necessitates a precondition whereby women must actively prove to an employee of the state or a third party that they have been raped, it has no place in a civilised society.

Let us speak truthfully about the landscape in which rape survivors currently find themselves in modern Britain. As we have heard, conviction rates in rape cases that reach court stand at just 33 per cent. To put it another way, if a person endures a rape, which is one of the most life-shattering, poisonous and dehumanising acts imaginable, and they can get enough evidence to press charges through the courts, they can expect to be believed around a third of the time; for two thirds of the time, people will not be believed.

Against that backdrop, we are saying to some of the most vulnerable women in our country two terrible words that sometimes stand between them and food on the table: Prove it. We are asking women to relive the trauma of that experience, in some cases years after the fact, when for many reasons they might not have reported the matter to the authorities, but through sheer financial hardship must now do so. For the first time, as we have heard, childrenloved to the rafters as they may bemight come to learn the dark and violent origins of their parentage, due to a bureaucratic requirement in the DWP at Whitehall.

There is a human cost to all that we do in this place and in the House of Commons. There are times when economic circumstance might cause us to pass a policy with which we are uncomfortable and which might cause people harm, but there is a mace at the centre of this room on which are engraved four words around which we seek to instil humanity into all the policy that we pass. Those words are wisdom, compassion, integrity and justice, and I see none of those in the barbaric policy that we rightly condemn through the Government motion.
As well as appealing to the 48% of voters who are deeply disenchanted with Brexit, I think there are many other policy areas we need to focus on, if we are to make an electoral breakthrough.

In this week alone, there have been three fatal stabbings in London, innocent people (all men) aged 17, 40 and 60, robbed of their lives because of mindless violence. We have to show that we care about violence and people having the right to live in peaceful streets and neighbourhoods.

Lets also tackle the inequitable housing situation, whereby overseas buyers are buying up Londons properties at prices that are completely unaffordable for locals  who often arent even given a chance to buy them before they are marketed overseas, as apparently happened with the new Heygate development in South East London. Switzerland has placed restrictions on foreign buyers, why cant we?

And what of mental health services? They are sparse, and not always joined up, and young people are suffering disproportionately, faced, as they are, with so many pressures  many of which we adults are sadly responsible for. Excessive exam pressures, a lack affordable housing, family breakdown, bullying and awful working conditions in some part-time jobs are all fuelling anxiety in young people. Many can also no longer afford dental services, and social care is excruciatingly, and unjustly, expensive for those that have to pay. We need to address this urgently.

What about rail fares? Rail travel is completely overpriced, especially on commuter routes. An annual season ticket from Swindon to London is almost 8,500 a year. A peak hour single from Bath to London is around 90. Unfortunately some people just have to pay that because our national lack of a regional policy means there is a high concentration of better-paid jobs in the South East, strangling the life out of the surrounding regions.

People, I would argue, also need more annual leave and flexible working patterns. Why not allow everyone to take up to two (or more) weeks additional unpaid leave each year for family reasons and caring duties, instead of using up their holiday? People need more time to live, care, rest and be creative  as well as working, especially with todays pace of life.

And what about the environment? Admittedly the Mayor of London is now taking action on air pollution, but are other cities doing as well? And with increases in high-density housing are we making enough provision for green spaces at ground level for people to walk, and children to play in? Some parts of London are like high-rise glass and concrete deserts. And have we forgotten about protecting our biodiversity? Ninety-five per cent of wildflowers are now found in roadside verges rather than the countryside. Whatever happened to conservation?

Some things have improved and we should acknowledge that. Londons Tube and bus services are infinitely better than they were a few decades ago. We certainly need to admit to progress where we see it, and not just to focus on the negative. However, libraries are closing, playgrounds are not being maintained and once affordable activities such as adult education classes, are out of reach of many.

Brexit is going to impact horribly on all these things because of the terrible toll it will take on our economy, jobs and scientific community. However, we still need to make our case in terms of the things that matter most tangibly to individuals and families now.

And if we need to raise taxes  so be it. The Danes pay more tax than we do, but they are happier than we are according to every international survey, because the state looks after people well. We need to make quality of life  and not just Brexit and purchasing power  our number one priority in this election campaign. If we want to be a mainstream party we need to respond to mainstream concerns. This doesnt mean taking the middle road though  it actually means being radical about social justice, well funded health and care services, environmental protection and wellbeing for all.

* Judy Abel has worked in the health policy field for around 15 years, including at the British Medical Association, for the All-Party Parliamentary Health Group, and in policy roles at Asthma UK, the Neurological Alliance and Versus Arthritis until the end of 2021. She was also the Constituency Office Manager and Senior Caseworker for former Lib Dem MP, Sir Simon Hughes from 2012 to 2014. All views are her own.
First of all, on behalf of the tens of thousands D66 party members (over 25.000; and were gaining members every week for the past year, our heartfelt congratulations to the Lib Dems on passing the 100.000 members threshold. And youre not done yet, I know.

If we look to our Spanish and French social-liberal, pro-EU sister parties, Ciudadanos and Macrons movement En Marche, they too are booking spectacular results in gaining members, and getting members active on the street. According to the French Wikipedia and the Economist, En Marche (EM) claimed 88.000 members in October 2016, and 250.000 now. The Economist reports about EM-activists canvassing the British way in Strassbourg streets (and elsewhere).

That is the big difference I noticed in the Dutch European elections (2014) and our recent General Elections (March 2017):

whereas D66 activists were visible on the (high) streets and at train station entrances handing out leaflets months before (and until) election day,

other progressive parties (PvdA/Labour, GreenLeft, and old-style Socialists\SP) were strangely absent, where they dominated the scene until about ten years ago,

the center-right parties (VVD/NatLibs and CDA/Christian Democrats) and PVV never were very active in that way.

D66 has also started canvassing the British way in friendly neighbourhoods, talking to people on the doorstep; but we seldom hear that from other Dutch parties. Only PvdA/Labour appears to do that, and the Socialists/SP say they do it.

D66 sees itself as the decent, rational answer to Geert Wilders PVV populists, and the left-populist Socialists/SP; from the moment in 2006 PVV got parliamentary seats our leader Alexander Pechtold MP, and all our parliamentary parties (Commons, Senate and Europarliament, but also on local and provincial level), have answered back when populists use alternative facts or racial slurs in their debate contributions or policy proposals.

Whereas the European social democrats stumble from one identity crisis to another, failing to find the way(s) to counter Populism, we remain staunchly (but not uncritically) pro-EU, internationalist, and multiculturalist. By having a massive street presence at every election campaign, we, and not the leftist parties, are the physically approachable politicians, open to remarks from citizens. Were also very active online; we pride ourselves on our webcare (responding to email inquiries, and putting out our standpoints on Twitter, Facebook, etcetera) being prompt and up to date. Dutch journalists and NGOs measuring our webcare (in comparison to other parties) are very positive.

I think that using both old-style (street force) and new-style (webcare) types of being approachable to citizens is a special strong point of Social Liberals, and exemplifies the parties that brought universal (including female) suffrage to western democracies.

D66 gained 7 seats (now: 19 of 150) that way last March, the third gain in a row; Macron flattened the hapless Socialists and Republicains; so good luck to the Lib Dems!

* Dr. Bernard Aris is a historian, a D66 parliamentary researcher and a LibDem supporting member.
A FILE is being prepared for the DPP in the case of a couple who are accused of attacking a man in the city centre at the weekend.

Philip Whelan, aged 31, of Cosgrave Park, Moyross and Kate OConnor, aged 26, of Pinewood Avenue, Caherdavin were brought before Limerick District Court yesterday after they were charged with assaulting the man causing him harm.

Judge Marian OLeary was told neither made any reply when the charge was formally put to them following their arrest.

It is alleged the victim was repeatedly punched and slashed across the side of the head during an incident at Catherine Place on Saturday afternoon.

Judge Marian OLeary was told he sustained significant laceration behind his ear and was treated at University Hospital Limerick following the incident.

Opposing bail in the case of Mr Whelan, Detective Garda Niall Fitzgerald he had concerns he would commit a serious offence if released.

Solicitor Tom Kiely said his client will be fully contesting the charge and that he was willing to abide by any bail conditions imposed by the court.

Despite the garda objection, Judge Marian OLeary granted the defendant bail subject to a number of strict conditions.

Mr Whelan must sign on daily and obey a nightly curfew. He must live at his home address and he supply gardai with his mobile phone number.

There was no garda objection to bail in the case of Ms OConnor whose case was adjourned to July.

She too must obey a number of conditions.
TRIBUTES are being paid to State solicitor Michael Murray who is due to retire at the end of this week following almost 40 years in the role.

Mr Murray, 69, was first appointed in 1980 and played a central role in combatting those involved in the gangland feud which erupted more than a decade ago.

Cllr Sean Lynch, chairman of the Joint Policing Committee, says Mr Murray made a major contribution during his time in the role.

He was stern and to the point, and would not accommodate anything which was not up to scratch. This is why Limerick had such a fantastic success rate in relation to the level of the files which were being presented. Michael had a specific code. He wanted the is dotted and the t's crossed. Nothing would ever go past him, said the former detective.

Speaking on RTE Radio on Tuesday, Mr Murray said the requirement of the job has changed dramatically over the past four decades.

When I took up the job initially we dealt with what I would call ordinary decent crime - burglaries, the odd robbery, assaults, the occasional manslaughter, dangerous driving causing death - the workload was relatively small, it took up maybe a third of my professional time during the year and it escalated to the present situation where its a full time job where I need a full time solicitor to help me, he told Today with Sean ORourke.

Mr Murray said while serious gangland criminality is no longer prevelant in the city, there is no room for complacency.

The same factions are still involved in the drug trade and the same rivalries still exist however the gardai have considerable resources and are very vigilant and are sitting on top of it but one can never be complacent because these people still are there. The rivalries are there and a very small spark could set it all off again, he said.

Solicitor Padraig Mawe is set to succeed Mr Murray following his retirement on Friday.

Mr Mawe, who is originally from County Kerry previously worked in General practice in Listowel and had been working for the Chief Prosecution Solicitors Office (CPSO) in Dublin since 2008 where he was the Legal Training Officer within the office for three years.

Mr Mawe, who was awarded a ten-year contract earlier this year following a compeditive process, came to national prominence a number of years ago through is involvement in the so called Anglo Trials.

It is expected he will be formally introduced at Limerick Circuit Court later this week.
A LIFETIME of achievement has not erased the memories of his 30-month stay in Glin Industrial School for Joe Ward.

I still get night terrors, says the Caherelly man who has lived most of his life in England and who is now Dr Joseph P Ward, a former senior lecturer at Loughborough University in Leicestershire who now teaches there part-time and who has met Stephen Hawking.

The memories of Glin keep haunting me, he says. It is more so as I get older. Since I was ten up to about 40 I didnt give Glin much thought. But it does crop up more often now.

And the feelings stirred up are complex ones. There is anger, yes, he says. But mostly it is a sense of loss, of hopes gone.

Joseph was born into a large family of ten on a small-holding in Caherelly but his parents separated and his mother left for England.

My father said he couldnt cope and myself and my brother were sent to Glin, he explains. He was just four years old at the time.

I cant remember arriving there. I seemed to be at home one night, then there.It was horrendous, he says. And although that was 60 years ago, the memory still shakes him and his voice breaks. I was definitely affected by it.

Joseph spent two and a half years there.

The food was atrocious. I was forced to drink sour milk regularly. When you wet your bed you had to take the sheets out to a water trough and you had to wash your own sheets during winter or summer. If it wasnt for my older brother I would not have survived, he says.

But his brother, he adds, was more deeply traumatised by the experience than he was.

I dont think I was abused, Joseph continues.

But his mother returned and took the boys out of Glin, bringing them and their sisters, back to England with her.

We were poor in Ireland but we were very poor in Keighley in Yorkshire. We didnt have any money, Joseph says. I failed the 11-plus which meant I couldnt got to grammar school and went to a secondary modern instead. I didnt show any progress until I was about 14. Something awoke in me and I started producing results, mainly maths.

Joseph went on to University of London where he studied maths and general relativity and qualified with a first class honours degree. He undertook research work there in General Relativity leading to the award of a PhD in 1974.

He then had a short spell at Cranfield University working with Professor D. R. Bland mainly in the area of solid mechanics and moved to Loughborough in 1977 to become Senior Lecturer in Engineering Mathematics.

Along the way, Joseph had a rather rare experience with Dr Stephen Hawkins, the famous.

We used to work on similar topics,  Joseph recalls, but he was much more advanced than I. We used to attend seminars regularly. I didnt know him personally, our paths didnt cross.

But at one seminar, he happened to be on hand when help was needed for Stephen Hawking to bring him to the toilet. It was his only meeting with the famous scientist.

And that chance encounter and incident has been incorporated into Josephs first foray into fiction, a novel called The Fiddle,

I had an idea to write a book, nothing at all to do with Glin, Joseph explains.

It was, in fact, intended to be about a kidnapping but more and more as he developed the back story, more and more Glin came into it.

In many ways, The Fiddle traces in fictional form, Josephs early life in Glin and in Yorkshire but diverges on crucial aspects. His central character Brendan, for example, is a clever thief.

I did it mainly for my family, Joseph says of the book which came out last December. A crucial part of the impetus to write was his determination to show that the human spirit can triumph. You dont have to be limited.. You can write books.. You can go to university if you want to, if you really want to.

Already, he has other, further books in mind or underway. But Glin is always there now.

I have been back once. When I was 29, I took my mother back. We drove down to Glin. I did see it before the walls came down. I just remember sitting inside Glin with these high walls.

The Fiddle by Joseph Patrick Ward is available through Amazon.
AN EPA probe into dust emissions in the Mungret area in recent weeks stated it was a good match to what is found in the cement factory, according to Cllr Daniel Butler.

And after more dust emissions in recent days, Irish Cement offered to clean cars belonging to scores of residents in the areas surrounding its factory.

They had woken up over last weekend to find their cars and house windows coated in the dust.

It comes as local Fine Gael councillor Daniel Butler referred the firm to the HSEs public health office, after getting complaints from parents of children with asthma and other respiratory conditions.

Cllr Butler says he is angered and hugely concerned at the latest emission which he says stretched over five days.

He says he discovered this after making his own queries to the EPA.

Winds were blowing in the direction of estates such as Sli Na Manach, Ard Aulin, Inis Mor, Inis Lua, Cragaun, Oakfields and The Grange, reaching six knots, the deputy mayor said.

Cllr Butler added that he had been told by the EPA that a report will reveal that dust samples taken from a locals home after a previous dust blow-out is a good match to what is found in Irish Cements kilns.

Irish Cement had distanced itself from this incident, which took place at the end of March. It is planning to phase out the use of petroleum coke in its plant in favour of solid recovered waste and used tyres.

But the 10m proposals  which Irish Cement says are necessary to ensure it remains competitive here  have caused huge opposition in the community.

These emissions are why my constituents, neighbours, friends and family living locally are hugely concerned about Irish Cements plans to burn tyres and plastics. I want to assure them that this is not just politically motivated, but it is also personally motivated as my own children live and go to school locally, he said.

Cllr Butler pledged to continue to vigorously pursue answers and those responsible until we can all be assured of our health and of those that matter most to us.

Irish Cement did not wish to comment on Cllr Butlers statement. But in a statement issued on Monday when the latest blow-out first came to light, the firm said it remains in contact with neighbours living close to its factory over dust on some cars.

Irish Cement personnel visited the neighbours and are liaising with the individuals concerned.

The company said that after an inspection at Mungret last week, repairs were made to a cement clinker conveyor.

Subsequent inspections have confirmed the conveyor is now operating normally. The EPA is being kept fully informed, the statement added.

An Bord Pleanala is currently deliberating on whether to give Irish Cement permission to change process in Mungret, and is expected to make a decision by August.
THE Shannon Group plc has reported an increase in turnover of over 2% for 2016 after a positive year of trading.

The Group  parent company of Shannon Airport, Shannon Commercial Properties and Shannon Heritage  saw turnover hit 67.2 million in 2016, up over 2% on the previous year.

2016, the Group's second full year of trading, saw it record EBITDA  Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation and Amortization  of 7.6 million, reflecting a 10% increase on the previous twelve months.

Shannon Group CEO Matthew Thomas said that a continuation of the companys improving financial performance is necessary to enable it to undertake critical investments across its business units.

The Shannon Group has a unique mix of complementary businesses that, more than any other commercial entity in the region, gives it the potential to positively influence economic development. For example, 16 companies who announced new or expanded operations in 2016 in the Mid-West, which was the fastest growing region outside of Dublin last year, cited the global connectivity at Shannon Airport as a key influencer in their decision to invest here, he said.

To realise our full potential as a catalyst for growth in the region we plan to undertake a significant investment programme across our businesses, particularly at Shannon Airport and Shannon Commercial Properties. Our third business unit, Shannon Heritage, manages Irelands largest collection of day and night-time visitor attractions and we see very significant opportunity for growth there also, both in terms of increasing visitor numbers at our existing heritage sites and also through expanding our portfolio.

Chair Rose Hynes said the Group delivered another solid performance, with progress being achieved across all its business units. Maintaining a strong investment programme and improving the competitiveness of our cost base are key factors in ensuring the Groups sustainability.

Last month, the Group confirmed it was introducing a range of cost-cutting measures at Shannon Airport, which will include reducing the status of the airport which will restrict the number of larger airlines transiting through it.

The measures are to allow for a 44 million investment programme over the next five years. Among these projects is the overlay of the airport runway commencing this summer at a cost of 15 million.

The State is loaning more than 10 million to the Airport to aid it in upgrading the runway. The Irish Strategic Investment Fund (ISIF) will loan more than 10 million to Shannon to carry out the work from a 335 million fund following the accrual of the States 25 per cent share in Aer Lingus, after the airlines sale two years ago.

To facilitate the five-year investment programme, it is also reducing the status of the airport to category seven from category nine.

This will limit the number of larger airlines that can fly there.

A spokesperson said: This and other operational changes will result in a lower employee requirement and, to that end, we are proposing a Voluntary Early Retirement Scheme (VER) to employees over the age of 55 years.

We are also seeking to agree a redeployment programme for a number of business areas.

We also require a number of measures which are vital to ensure we meet the needs of the business in the most cost effective manner. Among them are roster and shift changes, and work practice changes and efficiencies.

These savings will bring Shannons competitiveness closer in line with accepted international aviation standards and ensure revenues are available to reinvest and drive employment elsewhere on the airport campus, said the spokesperson.

Financial accounts for Shannon Airport Authority showed that passenger numbers increased from 1.4 million in 2013 to 1.64m in 2014, with turnover increasing from 39.1m to 42.8m, an increase of 9.5%. By 2015, passenger numbers again increased to 1.7 million, with passenger numbers increasing by 22% since the airport left the DAA group.

In 2016, over 1.748 million passengers flew through the airport, the Group said.
AN INQUEST into the death of an 89-year-old woman in Limerick had to be adjourned after a report with crucial information was not available during the hearing.

The inquest into pensioner Maura OBrien, of Milford Grange, Castletroy, was held at the coroners court in Catherine Street on Tuesday morning.

Ms OBrien died after she was struck by a car, driven by Steve Collins  the father of murder victim Roy Collins  at the Ulster Bank car park, in Castletroy, on the morning of February 17, 2016.

A large number of depositions were heard during the inquest, which lasted more than an hour, before it had to be adjourned for a later date in May or June.

According to a number of witness depositions, Ms OBrien was walking behind Mr Collins silver range rover, when he slowly reversed into her, resulting in her fatal injuries.

Ms OBriens grandson, Conor OSullivan, was the first to have his deposition read out in the coroners court at the HSE buildings on Catherine Street this Tuesday morning. The inquest heard that the 26-year-old Monaleen man had driven the deceased to the bank on the day of the accident.

He was waiting in the car, while Ms OBrien was in the bank. He observed Mr Collins as the driver of the nearby vehicle. When he later observed Mr Collins reversing and then stopping, he got out of his car and asked Mr Collins if he had hit his grandmother, after he could not find her.

He said that he saw his grandmothers hand and then saw that she was under the jeep.

It was clear to me that she was gone, his deposition stated.

He said that he was distraught and that a number of people were trying to comfort him. He said that Mr Collins was visibly distraught, adding: It is my opinion that this was a freak accident and that he didnt do this on purpose.

Witness Ken Stembridge, 34, of Ennis Road, said that he saw Mr Collins holding his head in his hands when he saw the elderly woman under his jeep.

Dearvla Halligan, 46, of Annacotty, said that she comforted the grandson until the emergency services attended the scene.

Mr Collins spoke of his horror at the tragic incident.

He said that before reversing out, he checked his surroundings to ensure that it was safe to make the manoeuvre, and that he was in no particular hurry.

Halfway through his manoeuvre, he said, he felt a slight impediment in his driving.

He said that when he observed his surroundings, he saw a handbag on his right, and thought he had rolled over a handbag. He said that the horror started when he saw a hand and a walking stick. He said that she was motionless. He kneeled down and held her hand.

I was talking to the elderly lady to see if she was alright, but she was not responding, his deposition stated.

After his son Steven arrived, emergency services attended the scene. Mr Collins was treated for shock, the inquest heard.

He said that his cars camera sensor, at the rear of the vehicle, did not pick up anything.

He told the coroners court that he would have been aware of my surroundings because of my situation  I have been taught to be aware.

He said that he was in a very bad way.

I was panicking as I didnt know how to help her. It was a very uspetting scene. It was traumatic, Mr Collins said.

A member of the jury asked him if there were any marks on his car, to which he replied: There were no marks.

After a comprehensive investigation, gardai prepared a file for the DPP who then directed that no criminal prosecution be processed.

Gda Shane Harrington said that the woman was pronounced dead at the scene, and it was noted that the woman had severe head injuries.

Gda Thomas Casey said that he helped Mr OSullivan contact members of his family.

The coroner was asked if a forensic investigators report was available on whether the sensors in the car were operating properly. Insp Dermot OConnor said that there was a report, but that it was not available during the hearing.

As a result, coroner John McNamara excused the six-person jury as the crucial information for the inquest was not available. Though he could not confirm a date, he said that the inquest will be revisited in either late May or late June.

The adjournment also meant no medical evidence was given.
A LIMERICK man accused of murdering another man at a house in Pallasgreen was "extremely upset" about an alleged rape on the day of the fatal stabbing.

Dylan Hayes, aged 22, of The Crescent, Kilteragh, Dooradoyle has pleaded not guilty to the murder of 26-year-old Shane Murphy at The Grove, Pallasgreen on April 30, 2015.

His co-accused - Ger Hogan, aged 33, of Raheen Square, Ballinacurra Weston - has also pleaded not guilty.

Continuing her evidence this Wednesday, Mr Murphy's girlfriend Sharon Kelly told Mr Hayes' defence counsel Hugh Hartnett SC that earlier on the day Shane died a friend of hers called Mr Hayes and told him that she had been raped by a neighbour called Wayne.

Ms Kelly said the rape allegation was "false" but agreed with Mr Hartnett that Mr Hayes was "extremely upset" when he arrived following the phone call.

She agreed that Dylan was going to "deal with Wayne" and that he was "out of it".

She added: "He was clearly under the influence."

In her evidence, another woman who was staying at the house described the woman who claimed she had been raped as a "drama queen".

She told the jury she did not believe the allegation of rape and that the alleged perpetrator was harmless and had later killed himself.

She also said that when Mr Hayes arrived at the house he was furious and that he intended to kill the fella who had been accused of rape.

Going over events in the lead-up to Mr Murphy's death, the woman said a group of people gathered in Sharon Kelly's the night before.

She said at one point Mr Murphy and Ger Hogan began arguing and when Mr Hogan stood up she saw a knife sticking out of his pocket.

She said the women intervened and took the knife off Mr Hogan and then hid all the knives in the house.

She said she did this because she was afraid.

Michael Bowman SC, representing Ger Hogan, put it to her that it was remarkable that she spent that night sleeping on a couch with Ger Hogan if she was afraid of him.

She said that she slept on the couch and Mr Hogan followed her.

Mr Bowman also suggested to her that the incident with the knife had actually involved the other accused man, Dylan Hayes, and not Mr Hogan.

She said she did not agree and that she was not confused.



Later that night the witness said she was asleep in Sharon Kelly's bed when she heard the other woman screaming so she got up to find out what was wrong. She told the jury the woman said a man named as 'Wayne' had gotten into bed beside her.

The following night, Mr Hayes arrived at the house looking for Wayne

Despite being told that the (rape) allegation was "a load of lies" Mr Hayes was furious. "He was off his head too," she said.

"He wanted to kill this person and that person and he wanted to go over there and kill that man because he was after interfering with Jodie."

She said a fight broke out and she saw Dylan Hayes and Ger Hogan stab Mr Murphy. She said Mr Hayes held a knife while Mr Hogan held a screwdriver.

The trial continues at the Central Criminal Court before Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy and a jury of five women and seven men.
A BUSINESSMAN who confronted a number of youths that threw fast food packaging on the ground says more needs to be done to generate a sense of respect for the city.

Paul Browne contacted the Limerick Leader to express his frustration following an incident that happened last week at OCallaghan Strand.

The 40-year-old father-of-two, who works in the city centre, described how he encountered a number of youths while walking with his young daughter at around 7.30pm in the evening.

As we paused to watch the canoeists on the river a group of four young people were just ahead of us eating pizzas and messing as young people would, he said adding that one of them then caught half the pizza carton and threw it into the river.

My feeling on litter is that we should enforce it in the same way they enforce it in Singapore. Maybe then parents might bring up their kids a little different, he said.

After shouting at the youth to suggest that he dispose of the remainder of the rubbisg in a bin, Paul says he was subjected to a foul-mouthed tirade resulting in him calling the gardai.

I followed them as quick as I could and I pulled out my phone for a few photos. Initially they all covered their heads and faces and then I got a few snaps.

They got more distance between us and just threw the rest of their rubbish on the ground and they roared back at me to tell me they had done it.

The young fellow continued to shout and roar back at me knowing he had a comfortable distance between us, he explained.

Paul says the incident, which happened less than a week after TLC3, higlights the lack of respect which a significant number of young people have for the city and people in authority.

They were shouting and roaring and f-ing and blinding at me. To be honest I can give as good as I can take but I have no time for little pups like that. Lads these days dont give a s*** and they are happy to roar and f and blind at people whoever it is, he said adding that he might have taken further action had his daughter not been with him.

When I younger I used to hang around in a group as well  many of whom I am still friends with. If we were ever approached by an adult we would always take what was due to us.

"If we were kicking a ball and kicking it off a car or something like that. Alright they have been off for two weeks (for Easter), is it a case that they had nothing to do so they were floating around eating pizza? he said.
Baku, Azerbaijan, April 26

By Anakhanum Hidayatova  Trend:

Neither Turkey nor EU will benefit from the decision by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) to reopen the monitoring procedurein respect of Turkey, Mehmet Fatih Oztarsu, vice chairman of the Turkish Strategic Outlook analytical center, told Trend by email Apr. 26.

The expert added that earlier, Turkey and the EU cooperated more closely.

Turkey carried out reforms in the light of EU membershipthoroughly, but the current situation is different both in the EU and in Turkey, he said.

Oztarsu said that the EU hardly deals with Turkey and its issues.

"Today, Turkey is at the center of the regional crisis, which it has to confront, he said. Europe has not kept its promises on refugees and Turkey, in this regard, has every right to sue the EU."

The expert added that today if Europe urges Turkey to fulfill certain obligations, then the EU must take into account the current situation in Turkey because of the refugee crisis, as well be responsible for its promises.

Earlier, the majority of PACE members voted for the adoption of the resolution, which envisages reopening of monitoring procedure in respect of Turkey.

Some 113 parliamentarians voted for the resolution, 45  voted against, 12 abstained. The Turkish foreign ministry condemned the PACE decision, by calling it politicized and unfair.

Turkey hasnt received the full amount of funds from the EU within the migration agreement. The EU promised Turkey 3 billion euros.

Heads of states and governments of the EU member countries agreed a joint plan with Turkey in mid-March 2016 to fight the migration crisis. It envisages, in particular, the return to Turkey of illegal migrants arrived in Greece from Turkeys territory, and receiving legal migrants-Syrians by the EU from Turkey on a one-for-one basis.

Earlier, Turkeys then Minister for the EU Affairs Volkan Bozkir said that by late February 2016, Ankara will receive $3 billion euros allocated by the EU to upkeep the Syrian refugees in Turkey.

According to the Turkish Office for Prevention and Elimination of Consequences of Emergency (AFAD), there are three million Syrian refugees in Turkey. Turkey has spent more than $10 billion on Syrian refugees.

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Follow the author on Twitter: @Anahanum
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Baku, Azerbaijan, Apr. 26

By Anakhanum Hidayatova  Trend:

PACEs decision to reopen monitoring process against Turkey is an attempt to exert political control over Ankara, Yusuf Cinar, head of the Turkish analytical center Strategic Outlook, told Trend.

This decision is unacceptable for Turkey, which is a member of the Council of Europe, according to him.

Cinar noted that the EU takes no notice of the mistakes made by its member countries.

When France declares a state of emergency, it is called a democratic country. When Turkey takes the same step, it is called a country that violates human rights, he said.

Cinar added that the PACE decision can evoke a tougher response from Turkey to Europe.

After this decision of PACE, relations between Turkey and Europe can be completely broken off, he said.

Earlier, the majority of PACE members voted for adoption of a resolution bringing back monitoring on Turkey. Some 113 parliamentarians voted for the resolution, 45 voted against it, and 12 abstained.

The Turkish Foreign Ministry condemned the PACE decision, calling it politicized and unfair.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Apr. 26

By Anakhanum Hidayatova  Trend:

PACEs reopening the political monitoring against Turkey is one of the EUs decisions aimed at exerting pressure on Ankara, believes Evgeny Mikhailov, a Russian political scientist, editor-in-chief of the Analytics of Southern Russia publication.

It is unlikely that Turkey approves of such an approach, he told Trend Apr. 26. This decision shows Turkey that it is necessary to create new alliances, excluding the countries of the Western Europe.

Turkey is one of the founders of the PACE itself, and such insults cannot be forgiven, the expert said.

Mikhailov noted that the idea to become a member of the EU ceased to be attractive for Turkey long ago, and Europe doesnt help the country to fight the flow of refugees and terrorism.

Earlier, the majority of PACE members voted for adoption of a resolution bringing back monitoring on Turkey. Some 113 parliamentarians voted for the resolution, 45 voted against it, and 12 abstained.

The Turkish Foreign Ministry condemned the PACE decision, calling it politicized and unfair.
Typhoon Sarika hits Hainan. (Photo : Getty Images)

Communities and businesses affected by floods in central and southern China are still struggling to rebuild their lives from the second costliest disaster in 2016, according to an article by Reuters.



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The floods incurred a total damage of $20 billion, but only 2 percent of the people living in central and southern China are covered by insurance.



Its a stark contrast with the situation in Guangdong Province. Insurance payout has significantly helped locals recover from the damage Typhoon Haima has left the region. This fast recovery is attributed to the new insurance scheme promoted in the province that aims to protect Guangdong Province from losses by rain and tropical storms.



Despite the fact that China ranks second as the country most affected by natural disasters, a majority of Chinese remain uninsured against such situations. This was most evident during the 2008 Sichuan earthquake, where only 0.3 percent of the people affected were covered by insurance as shown by data from Lloyds of London.



Now, Chinese government officials are calling for the creation of a national policy to help promote natural disaster and earthquake insurances all over the country.



The local government, academics and the insurance industry all believe China should have a national policy to develop a natural disaster insurance scheme, Wang Ming, a professor at Beijing Normal Universitys Academy of Disaster Reduction and Emergency Management, told Thomson Reuters Foundation.



One of the latest moves is by the China Insurance Regulatory Committee and the China Earthquake Administration. An agreement has been struck between the two bodies to create and promote earthquake insurance systems in China.



Heilongjiang Province has also taken a leaf out of Guangdong Provinces book by adapting a pilot insurance scheme to protect locals and their assets.



According to Swiss Re, the programs in the two provinces account for the largest insurance schemes of its kind in China, with a total coverage of $680 million, which will be shouldered by Swiss Re.



To trigger policy claims, the schemes in Guangdong and Heilongjiang Provinces will use technology to monitor rainfall and tropical cyclone wind speed indices, according to Reuters.



Payouts would occur when the index is triggered and reported. With the traditional mechanism, the actual losses would need to be verified before claims can be settled, shared Gary Wei, head of Global Partnerships China at Swiss Re.



This makes the process quicker as it no longer relies on surveys and lengthy damage assessments," he added.


Workers check the grid-connected photovoltaic system built on an abandoned mine at Chihe Town in Chuzhou, Anhui Province. (Photo : Getty Images)

Anhui Province in East China has been busy making a wide range of innovative technologies, according to an article by Xinhua. These developments represent broad leaps in a variety of fields, including communication, medicine, agriculture and education.



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More importantly, Anhui Provinces latest innovations will not only help China but the rest of the world.



One of Anhui Provinces high-tech development zones is the Institute of Advanced Technology of the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC). Located in Hefei, the provincial capital, the institute has already developed an array of medical technologies such as a medical scanner for dentists, immunity improvement tablets for HIV patients, and anti-diabetes pills.



Instead of injection that hurts, diabetics can take the new pills that equally work, said Miao Miao, the administrative director of the Institute of Advanced Technology of the USTC, in an interview with Xinhua.



Its in the fifth clinical trial in the United States right now and I think it may be available in the market next year. For HIV tablets, we used to import them from Western countries. Now they are produced in China, Miao added.



These innovations are displayed in the institutes exhibition hall, where technologies made by other related Chinese companies are displayed. These displays include two electric cars powered by rechargeable batteries.



We call the smaller one a small ant. Its all made of aluminum to be very light. It can be charged for 10 hours per drive of 250 kilometers. The bigger one here that costs 20,000 US dollars and goes 300 kilometers each drive has been available in the market since 2016.



Hefei National New and High Technology Industrial Development Zone, considered as one of the top high-tech zones in the country, is also located in Anhui Province.



The tech zone hosts over 18,000 companies and covers a total area of 128 square kilometers. Many of the companies located in the tech zone are involved in projects with the Institute of Advanced Technology.


Alibaba's Jack Ma (Photo : Getty Images)

Alibabas Jack Ma warned the society of more pain in the coming decades, pointing to the Internet causing disruptions in the economy.



In his speech at an entrepreneurship conference held in Zhengzhou, China, on Sunday, Ma said that the world must revolutionize education systems and determine how to utilize robots to help in alleviating the effects of automation and the Internet economy.



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In the next 30 years, the world will see much more pain than happiness, Ma said, discussing the job disruptions brought about by the Internet.



Social conflicts in the next three decades will have an impact on all sorts of industries and walks of life, he added.



Alibaba, the top e-commerce operator in China, invests billions of dollars in a wide range of new businesses, including film production and video streaming. Last year, online media and cloud computing became among Alibabas fast-growing businesses.



Alibaba purchased a controlling stake in Lazada Group to increase the companys presence in Southeast Asia, likely to form a clash with Amazon.com and other e-commerce companies.



Ma also criticized the traditional banking industry, stating that more members of the society should be given access to lending services.



This year, Alibaba shares have surpassed expectations that the firm can resist the efforts of its competitors like Tencent Holdings Ltd. in securing digital ad spending and muscling on its turf. The e-commerce giant is also looking into untapped rural markets and investing in new businesses.



Ma also appealed to traditional industries to halt criticisms on the effects of the Internet on the economy, saying that Alibaba critics disregarded the fact that Taobao has provided employment to millions.



Longer lifespans and the advancements in artificial intelligence would probably result in both aging labor forces and less available jobs, he warned.



Machines should only do what humans cannot, Ma said, adding, Only in this way can we have the opportunities to keep machines as working partners with humans, rather than as replacements.



Alibabas Jack Ma continues to push for education reforms so as to address the concerns brought about by the Internet economy.


The U.S. Marine Corps had an unusual mission this month: to airlift more than 1,000 desert tortoises across the Mojave Desert.

Desert tortoises are native to the southwestern desert, and a population of the reptiles had made their home near the U.S. Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center in Twentynine Palms, California. However, plans to expand the Marines' training grounds for large-scale exercises with live fire would have put the tortoises at risk, so the military took on the massive task of relocating approximately 1,100 desert tortoises.

The two-week-long relocation effort was four years in the making, said Marine Corps Lt. Col. Timothy Pochop, director of natural resources and environmental affairs at the Air Ground Combat Center. [Images: 100-Year-Old Lonesome George Tortoise Goes on Exhibit]

"This effort has entailed almost four years' worth of surveys, with the environmental analysis dating back to 2008," Pochop said in a statement. "These surveys included health assessments, identifying all the animals [within the translocation] areas, placing radio transmitters on [the tortoises] and determining suitable locations in which to distribute them, to ensure survivorship and assimilation."

The Twentynine Palms Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs (NREA) division estimated that approximately 93 percent of the total tortoise population would be moved during the relocation. A team of biologists assessed all of the tortoises before they were placed in plastic bins and strapped into a helicopter for the journey to their new homes. Small tortoises were deemed unable to fend off predators, so they were admitted to the base's Tortoise Research and Captive Rearing Site, where they will be cared for until they are large enough to be relocated.

Each tortoise was assigned one of five identified areas of federal land deemed far enough away from the base, said Brian Henen, an ecologist at the NREA. The animals were matched to their new homes after extensive analysis, and were relocated to a precise location, nearly down to the square meter.

"The factors that went into selecting the recipient sites were based on several things," Henen said in the statement. "The first is what we think best represents the social structure from where they started, the second is the geographical characteristics of where they come from and the third is the temperature when we move them."

For the next five years, the NREA will periodically check for any remaining desert tortoises near the base. Also, a 30-year monitoring plan is in place to check on the animals that have been relocated. This not only ensures the survival of the tortoises, according to Marine Corps officials, but also helps researchers understand the impact of relocation on the species.

Original article on Live Science.
South Korea will be joining the U.S. and Japan in joint military exercises. (Photo : Getty Images)

President Xi Jinping is requesting its allies to calm down as South Korea and Japan intend to join naval exercises with the U.S.



The USS Carl Vinson, a U.S. aircraft carrier, docked on the Korean peninsula upon orders from President Donald Trump.



North Korea, on the other hand, has conducted live fire exercises to show force against the U.S.



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Japan announced that they will be launching two destroyers to join the drills that they will be carrying out with South Korea.



China's foreign ministry released a statement saying that Xi "hopes that all relevant sides exercise restraint, and avoid doing anything to worsen the tense situation on the peninsula."



Xi added, "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."



Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said that he and Trump have talked over the phone and agreed that they will exercise restraint on the escalating crisis with North Korea.



Abe said, "We agreed to strongly demand that North Korea, which is repeating its provocation, show restraint."



"We will maintain close contact with the United States, keep a high level of vigilance and respond firmly," Abe added.



The North Korea state media published a full-page editorial which said, "There is no limit to the strike power of the People's Army armed with our style of cutting-edge military equipment including various precision and miniaturized nuclear weapons and submarine-launched ballistic missiles."



The live fire exercises of Pyongyang occurred when the U.S. submarine docked in South Korea. The exercises were conducted in commemoration of the 85th founding anniversary of the People's Army.



Trump is calling for the U.N. to impose sanctions on North Korea for posing a global security threat.



China is blaming North Korea for "perilously overestimating their own strength and underestimating the hazards they are brewing for themselves."


People who use psychedelic drugs have described the experience as feeling as though they have reached a "higher state of consciousness." And now, a brain scan study backs them up.

People in the study who used psychedelic drugs showed patterns of neural activity that were "higher" by some measures, compared with normal waking consciousness, researchers in England found.

Previously, researchers knew that normal waking consciousness is a higher state of consciousness when compared with drowsiness and sleep, being under anesthesia or having certain brain injuries or diseases. Evidence of this came from studies in which scientists quantified the state of consciousness by measuring the certain types of activity of neurons. [Top 10 Mysteries of the Mind]

In the new study, researchers looked at some of those same measures of brain activity in people who had taken LSD, ketamine or psilocybin, and found that this brain activity increased compared with the normal waking state.

"We looked at magnetoencephalography data gathered by our colleagues from Imperial College London that show the magnetic activity of neurons in the brain," said Anil Seth, co-director of the Sackler Centre for Consciousness Science at the University of Sussex. "We found that the diversity of the signal  its randomness and unpredictability  is actually higher in people on these drugs than in people who are in the normal waking state. If you look at people who are sleepy, asleep or under anesthesia, this measure always goes down."

The increase was similar for all three types of drugs used in the experiment, according to the study, published April 19 in the journal Scientific Reports.

The researchers also tried to correlate the activity in the brain with what the participants of the experiment were experiencing.

"We asked people questions such as: Do you feel your perceptions to be particularly vivid? How do you perceive the boundary between yourself and the rest of the world? How strange do things feel?" Seth told Live Science. "We did find some weak correlations between some of the measures and what people said they were experiencing."

People who use psychedelic drugs frequently report intense spiritual, even life-changing, experiences, the researchers said. If these drugs are used carefully under medical supervision, this drug-induced "higher consciousness" could potentially help people with conditions such as depression that do not respond to conventional medication, they wrote in their study.

"The present study's findings help us understand what happens in people's brains when they experience an expansion of their consciousness under psychedelics," said Robin Cahart-Harris, head of psychedelic research at the Imperial College London. [11 Odd Facts About Magic Mushrooms]

"People often say they experience insight under these drugs  and when this occurs in a therapeutic context, it can predict positive outcomes," said Cahart-Harris, who was not involved in the new study.

However, the researchers stressed that although the drug-induced psychedelic state might appear as a higher-level consciousness based on the particular measure used in the study, it does not mean it is more desirable, or that being in this state is healthier.

"The way we generally experience the world is the most useful way to experience it," Seth said. "We don't want to go around hallucinating all the time. It's not in any way saying that the psychedelic state is better or more valuable or more desirable. It's not a value judgment at all."

The researchers said that in future research, they hope to further the understanding of these drugs by identifying how specific changes in the brain's activity relate to specific aspects of the psychedelic experience.

Originally published on Live Science.
Ivanka Trump just had to trademark her name in China to avoid copyright copycats, but she doesn't have to worry that new parents will infringe on her turf: The name Ivanka is wildly unpopular in the United States.

In 2015, only about 20 in 1 million babies were named Ivanka, according to U.S. Social Security Administration data. In 2016, pregnancy and parenting site BabyCenter saw a spike in interest in the name Ivanka, possibly driven by the soon-to-be first daughter, but the name fell nearly 1,800 spots in popularity so far this year, and now sits at No. 3,818 in that site's popularity ranking. (The BabyCenter ranking measures interest in a name based on what names people say they will use, but does not use actual birth certificate data, so it is not a fully reliable indicator of name prevalence.)

One reason for the name's unpopularity may come from the way the consonants in the name sound, said Laura Wattenberg, author of the book "The Baby Name Wizard" (Three Rivers Press, 2005) and creator of the website BabyNameWizard.com. [7 Baby Myths Debunked]

"That N-K is just a nonstarter," Wattenberg said. "There is literally no fashionable name with the letters N-K [in succession] for either sex at this point  like 'Frank' is at an all-time low."

Style over politics

The Trumps may be a particularly controversial family  Ivanka Trump's most recent trademark efforts were in the news because the first daughter was granted the trademarks while she and her husband were at dinner with the Chinese president. But ever since President Richard Nixon's Watergate scandal, Americans have largely eschewed naming their babies after political figures, especially the names of politicians who are still living, Wattenberg told Live Science. Until about the middle of the 20th century, the winners of presidential elections reliably produced naming bumps; there were surges of little Clevelands, Wilsons and even Roosevelts. That's not true today.

"There was a clear turning point in American history where we went from routinely naming after political and military leaders and avoiding them at all costs," Wattenberg said.

One reason may be a "certain cynicism about politics," Wattenberg said. But perhaps a more influential factor is that Americans have changed the ways they approach naming.

"Names are now emblems more of style than meaning," Wattenberg said. People no longer name their babies after their fathers or grandfathers nearly as often as in the past, either. To the extent that babies do get presidential names, the reason rarely seems to track with a political stance. "Kennedy," for example, was the 57th-most-popular name for girls in the U.S. in 2015. But it wasn't blue-state residents honoring a liberal president who were driving the trend. "Kennedy" shows up in the top 100 baby girl names in Alabama, Texas, Utah and Tennessee, to name a few conservative strongholds. The name doesn't crack the top 100 in JFK's home state of Massachusetts.

The politics of naming

Children of presidents do sometimes start small trends in naming, Wattenberg said. Social Security data shows that Malia and Sasha jumped in popularity during the Obama administration. In the U.S., the name Malia, which had been slowly gaining in popularity since the mid-1990s, jumped from No. 344 in 2008 to No. 191 in 2009. Sasha, which had been more steadily familiar since the 1970s, jumped from No. 360 in 2008 to No. 261 in 2009. The names Ruth and Esther similarly saw popularity surges when these daughters of Grover Cleveland lived in the White House back in the late 19th century, Wattenberg said. [6 Politicians Who Got the Science Wrong]

"Ivanka is different," she said. "She's not a little girl, and she's an explicitly political figure."

Those two factors would make Ivanka less appealing as a namesake even if her name hadn't been too consonant-rich to mesh with parents' current preference for melodious, vowel-filled names, Wattenberg said.

Perhaps the trendiest Trump names are those of the first lady, Melania, and first son, Barron. Both have remained largely out of the spotlight, but their names are poised for the big leagues. Melania is a flowing "liquid name" that fits well alongside popular choices like Aaliyah and Arianna, Wattenberg said, while Barron is an ambitious "exalted" name, and calls to mind royalty and divinity. (Other examples include King, Royal, Noble and Marvel.)

"Those are two hot styles right now, so if any Trump family names do rise, they're the likeliest candidates," Wattenberg said.

The rest of the Trump family is unlikely to kick-start any naming trends. Jared, Ivanka's husband, has a classic 1980s name that is a "dad name today," Wattenberg said.

Tiffany, Trump's daughter with ex-wife Marla Maples, has another name that has already peaked. It hit a high at No. 13 on the popularity charts in 1982 and had dropped to No. 494 as of 2015. Eric, another Trump son, has a name that ranked at a respectable No. 137 in 2015, but that formerly popular boy pick has been sliding since the 1970s.

Meanwhile, "Donald" is a name that is "well into grandpa territory," Wattenberg said. "Even Donald Trump  he's a little young for a Donald."

Original article on Live Science.
The Wild West of the American frontier was well-known as a lawless place; with small outposts and homesteads separated by acres of rolling prairie, outlaw behavior was difficult for law enforcers to track and prevent. And in recent decades, the lawlessness of that historic period emerged in a new frontier, as technological innovations offered novel opportunities for criminals to try to beat the system.

From stealing personal data to access bank accounts and credit cards, to hacking sensitive security systems in military organizations, modern-day outlaws turn to high-tech tools to get what they want. They are more likely to use a computer than a six-gun  as are those who uphold the law, who also depend on technology to foil and capture embezzlers, drug dealers and data thieves.

What are the tech innovations that criminals use, and how do law enforcement officers fight back? A new television series called "Outlaw Tech," premiering Wednesday (April 26) on the Science Channel, explores the cutting-edge technology that pushes boundaries on both sides of the law. [Mind-Controlled Cats?! 6 Incredible Spy Technologies That Are Real]

Each episode of "Outlaw Tech" delves into the science and the gear that make high-tech and high-stakes crimes possible. This includes a specially designed submarine that evaded sonar while carrying 16,000 pounds (7,257 kilograms) of cocaine, a "cyberscheme" to siphon $100 million from the Medicare system, and the chemical cocktail that poisoned a Russian diplomat, according to a statement from the Science Channel.

Counterfeit money comes under scrutiny in the series' first episode. In the FBI's "Operation Smoking Dragon," a three-year operation brought down a massive criminal ring dealing in illegal cigarettes, shoulder-mounted missiles and near-undetectable counterfeit $100 bills known as "super-notes." The super-notes closely duplicated security features incorporated into $100 bills in 1996, such as a special watermark, color-shifting ink and a strip that glowed pink under ultraviolet light, William S. Hammack, a professor with the chemical and biomechanical engineering department at the University of Illinois, explained in the episode.

Get it on tape

But for undercover FBI agents involved in Operation Smoking Dragon, the most important tech items were their recording devices, said retired FBI agent Bob Hamer, who appeared in "Outlaw Tech."

Hamer, whose undercover work was instrumental in bringing down Operation Smoking Dragon, said that when he began working for the FBI in 1979, they used sound recorders that were "about the size of a paperback novel," and were unwieldy and tricky to hide.

"So I would either put it in the small of my back or inside a boot. Occasionally, depending on my assignment, I would carry a bag or briefcase, and I could throw it in there," Hamer told Live Science.

Recording devices improved over time, becoming smaller and more sensitive  and easier to conceal. But the most advanced technology was available only to international operatives, Hamer said. Federal agents frequently had to disclose their recording equipment during criminal trials, so they couldn't use tech that the government wanted to keep secret, Hamer said.

"Even in Operation Smoking Dragon, when we were dealing with Chinese generals and with the North Koreans, it wasn't a foreign counterintelligence investigation. So, we were still using less sophisticated equipment than my counterparts who were targeting Russian spies," he said. [Flying Saucers to Mind Control: 22 Declassified Military & CIA Secrets]

Cyber security

Computer hacking is another form of modern crime featured in "Outlaw Tech." And one of the show's consultants offers a unique perspective on cyberattacks  he began his own career as a hacker on the wrong side of the law.

Hector Monsegur, the cybersecurity expert for "Outlaw Tech" and director of security services for Rhino Security Labs in Seattle, was a co-founder of the hacking group LulzSec. That group claimed responsibility for hacks in 2011 that leaked data from Fox.com, planted a false story on the PBS website, and stole user data from Sony's PlayStation Network, affecting 24.6 million customers, the Guardian reported in 2013.

"I came onboard to 'Outlaw Tech' to provide insights and personal experience from when I was a black hat [someone who hacks illegally for personal gain or maliciousness]," Monsegur said.

Monsegur, who was apprehended in 2011 and served as an FBI informant, went on to use his understanding of cybersecurity to prevent hacks, he told Live Science. During his onscreen appearances in "Outlaw Tech," he describes the goals of notorious cyberattacks and outlines how they were carried out. And, what he learned from more than 20 years of hacking and trying to crack security systems he now uses to make these systems stronger, he explained.

"Cybersecurity professionals are walking a fine line  the work you're doing is the same exact work as a black hat. The only difference is that you're reporting vulnerabilities, and working to try to fix them," Monsegur said.

"Outlaw Tech" debuts on the Science Channel on April 26 at 10:00 p.m. ET (check local listings).

Original article on Live Science.
He's big, smelly and a little past his prime, but should you happen to see a northern white rhinoceros named Sudan pop up on your Tinder, you might want to swipe right anyway.

Sudan is the last male of the northern white rhinoceros subspecies (Ceratotherium simum simum). He's not on Tinder to find love  there are only two female northern white rhinoceroses left, and both live with Sudan at the Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Kenya. One, Najin, is too old to breed. The other, Fatu, has a uterine condition that renders her infertile.

Instead, Sudan's Tinder debut is designed to garner donations for rhino-assisted reproduction. Swiping right will take users to a donation page with the goal of funding rhino in-vitro fertilization to save the northern white subspecies. [A Crash of Rhinos: See All 5 Species]

Saving the northern white

The northern white rhino has been pushed to near-extinction by habitat loss and poaching. Rhino horn is used as a status symbol and in traditional Chinese medicine, despite it being mostly keratin, the same substance that makes up human hair and fingernails.

The last northern white rhinos seen in the wild were a group of four that lived in the Democratic Republic of the Congo's Garamba National Park. They haven't been spotted since 2007 and are presumed dead. Political instability and war across the northern white's former territory have contributed to the difficulty of protecting these rare rhinos. Meanwhile, the few northern whites in captivity are aging and beginning to die off. In 2015, the Dvur Kralove Zoo in the Czech Republic lost Nabire, a 31-year-old female, to a ruptured cyst. Just a few months later, the San Diego Zoo had to euthanize Nola, its 41-year-old female, due to a bacterial infection that resisted all treatment.

Sudan is 43 years old, and conservationists and scientists are racing to help him breed before it's too late. Rhinoceros IVF currently does not exist, so scientists are trying to tweak horse IVF to make the process work; horses and rhinoceroses are related, so they may have similarities in their hormones and uterine environments. Zookeepers and veterinarians harvested sperm and eggs from the surviving northern white rhinoceroses, and have already banked tissues from those that have died. At the San Diego Zoo, researchers are even testing methods to turn regular body cells into stem cells, which they then hope to coax into becoming sperm and egg cells.

"We could have a source of eggs that we could actually produce in the lab," Barbara Durrant, director of reproductive physiology at the San Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation Research, told Live Science in 2015.

Funding the rescue

All these efforts cost money, so Ol Pejeta has partnered with Tinder and the communications agency Ogilvy & Mather for the dating-app effort. The goal is to raise $9 million to go toward assisted technology research in rhinoceroses. Though the two remaining northern white rhinoceros females are not healthy enough to carry pregnancies, researchers hope they can harvest their eggs, fertilize them and implant them in southern white rhinoceroses (Ceratotherium simum cottoni), a closely related subspecies.

"Financial support remains the biggest challenge to this project. At 43 years, Sudan does not have much longer to live," Steven Seet, a spokesman for Leibniz-IZW, part of the research consortium, said in a statement. "To win this run against time it is very crucial to find major funds as quickly as possible."

During this process, Ol Pejeta must also pay for round-the-clock armed guards to protect Sudan, Najin and Fatu from poachers. Organized criminal gangs have become increasingly brazen in the hunt for rhino horn. In February, armed men stormed a rhinoceros orphanage in South Africa and killed two baby rhinos while holding the staff hostage. In March, poachers broke into a zoo in France and killed a southern white rhinoceros in its enclosure.

Original article on Live Science.
A mask representing an <em>Australopithecus afarensis</em>, a human ancestor that may have given birth in a way that was in-between chimpanzees and humans, scientists have found.

How might the ancient relative of humanity dubbed "Lucy" have given birth? In a manner in between that of chimpanzees and humans, with newborns undergoing a bit of tilting in the birth canal as they were born, a new study finds.

Lucy and other members of her species may also have relied on midwives, researchers said.

These findings could shed light on how modern human childbirth evolved and made way for large brains, scientists added. [Photos: Mysterious Human Ancestor May Have Walked Alongside Lucy]

Modern humans give birth in a way quite different from how their primate relatives do it, according to research described in the book "Human Birth: An Evolutionary Perspective" (1987, Aldine Transaction) by Wanda Trevathan. This is likely because of both the unusually large size of the modern human brain and the way a woman's pelvis is positioned for upright walking, Trevathan wrote. Understanding the way in which human childbirth evolved could also shed light on how unique human traits such as large brains and upright postures emerged over time.

In primate babies, skulls are longer from the faces to the backs of the bodies than compared with from the forehead to the chin or from left to right. In most primates, the birth canal is similarly longer in that direction: lengthwise from the front to the back of a female's body. There is often plenty of room for most primate newborns as they exit the birth canal, so most primate mothers do not need help when they give birth. Instead, "mothers can just reach down and assist with their own births," said study lead author Jeremy DeSilva, a paleoanthropologist at Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire.

In contrast, in modern humans, the width of the birth canal, extending from the right to the left of the body, is bigger than the length. As such, babies enter the birth canal facing sideways. As the baby's head progresses out of the canal, it rotates to face the mother's back so the shoulders can then fit through. Human babies fit very snugly in birth canals, so human mothers generally require at least some assistance during birth, the study showed.

The absence of complete, undistorted fossil pelvises from female hominins  the group of species that consists of humans and their relatives dating after the split from the chimpanzee lineage  makes it difficult to see how hominin birth canals evolved over time and when rotations might have become common during childbirth, the researchers said. Some scientists have argued that rotation began only when brains became bigger with the human lineage, Homo. Others have suggested that rotation happened with the smaller-brained australopith lineage, Australopithecus.

Australopithecus afarensis is one of the earliest known relatives of humanity that has a skeleton built for walking upright. The species included the famed 3.2-million-year-old Lucy. Members of the Australopithecus lineage, known as australopiths or australopithecines, lived about 2.9 million to 3.8 million years ago in East Africa, and are among the leading candidates to be direct ancestors of the human lineage.

Prior analyses of how early hominins gave birth often focused on the baby's head and the mother's pelvis, with little attention paid to newborn's shoulders, DeSilva and his colleagues said. However, they noted that humans and apes have broad, rigid shoulders, and early hominins likely did as well. Personal experience helped prompt DeSilva to investigate the role that infants' shoulders played in early hominin birth, he said.

"With the birth of my own children, I started to get very interested in how Australopithecus gave birth and parented their children millions of years ago," DeSilva said.

An illustration of how primates give birth. Left: Chimpanzee newborns (top to bottom) do not rotate as they exit the birth canal. Right: Human newborns (top to bottom) rotate as they exit the birth canal. Middle: Researchers think Australopithecus afarensis newborns (top to bottom) rotated a bit as they exited the birth canal, but not as much as human infants do. (Image credit: William Scavone)

To study these questions, DeSilva's team analyzed the fossil pelvis of Lucy and came up with a mathematical model describing how newborns might have made their way through Lucy's birth canal. "What we found with Lucy was very much in between that of chimpanzees and humans," DeSilva told Live Science.

There are no known fossils of any newborn australopiths. So, the researchers modeled the shape and size of an A. afarensis infant's head by assuming it had the same dimensions as a newborn chimpanzee's head but with a slightly larger size. They made this assumption because the average A. afarensis's adult skull capacity was about 20 percent bigger than that of modern chimpanzees, the researchers said.

In addition, the researchers said they estimated the width of an A. afarensis baby's shoulders by looking at the relationship between the shoulder widths of adult and newborn primates such as humans, chimps, gorillas, orangutans and gibbons, and by examining the width of an adult A. afarensis' shoulders.

"This is the first time the width of the shoulders has been considered in an attempt to reconstruct childbirth in early hominins," DeSilva said. "I'm excited anytime we can take these old fossils and bring them back to life and reconstruct what our ancestors and extinct relatives were doing."

Based on their models, the researchers suggested that, as happens in humans, a baby A. afarensis would have entered the birth canal sideways. However, the researchers also suggested that an infant A. afarensis would have had to tilt only a bit to make way for its shoulders as its head slid down the birth canal, instead of its head rotating 90 degrees as happens with human babies during childbirth.

"I think we have a tendency to think about Australopithecus and about Lucy as being quite ape-like. Sure, they walked on two legs, but in most other ways, we imagine them to be like modern apes," DeSilva said. "For some aspects of their life, this is probably true, but in terms of childbirth, our findings would suggest that they were more like us  not exactly like us, but more like us." [Image Gallery: Our Closest Human Ancestor]

The scientists did note that there was a tight fit between the infant A. afarensis and its birth canal. This suggests that australopiths may have had difficulty during labor just like modern humans, the scientists said.

"Because their mechanism of birth would benefit from having helpers, it paints a picture of Australopithecus as a much more social animal, perhaps helping one another out during childbirth," DeSilva said. "The origins of midwifery may very well extend back over 3 million years."

These findings suggest that the evolution of rotation during birth may have occurred in two stages, the researchers said. First, after hips designed for upright walking evolved, infants started rotating a bit in the birth canal so it could accommodate the head and shoulders. Then, as brains got bigger in the human lineage, full rotation began happening during childbirth, the study said.

DeSilva said that future research can examine what childbirth was like for other hominins, such as Australopithecus sediba, a potential ancestor of the human lineage.

The scientists detailed their findings online April 12 in the journal The Anatomical Record.

Original article on Live Science.
Broken bones

Here, fossil bones from a mastodon embedded in rock at a site in San Diego, California. (Image credit: San Diego Natural History Museum)

Scientists have found what they are saying could be the oldest evidence of human activity in North America  the marked bones of a mastodon dating back some 130,000 years. The spiral fractures and other marks on the mastodon bones found in coastal San Diego County suggest they were processed while fresh, the researchers said. The findings, detailed in the journal Nature, suggest that a still-unknown hominin species was living in North America way before humans were thought to have arrived in the Americas.

Here, fossil bones from a mastodon embedded in rock. The heads of the femurs are positioned with one up and one down, both broken in the same way  something the scientists said is unusual. Mastodon molars can be seen in the lower right-hand corner, near a broken vertebra. A mastodon rib bone can be seen in the upper left.

Mastodon ribs

The researchers found these unbroken mastodon ribs and vertebrae, including one vertebra that had a large neural spine, also called a spinous process. (Image credit: San Diego Natural History Museum)

The researchers found these unbroken mastodon ribs and vertebrae, including one vertebra that had a large neural spine, also called a spinous process.

Beastly bones

This mastodon skeleton illustration shows which bones and teeth of the beast were found at the site in San Diego. (Image credit: Dan Fisher and Adam Rountrey/University of Michigan)

This mastodon skeleton illustration shows which bones and teeth of the beast were found at the site in San Diego.

Broken ribs

Two femur balls from a mastodon, one facing up and the other down, can be seen. The neural spine, or spinous process, and a broken rib are also shown. (Image credit: San Diego Natural History Museum)

Two femur balls from a mastodon, one facing up and the other down, can be seen. The neural spine, or spinous process, and a broken rib are also shown.

Excavating a mastodon

Archaeologists Karen Crafts, Chris White and Don Laylander excavate fossils found at the Cerutti Mastodon site off State Route 54 in San Diego. (Image credit: San Diego Natural History Museum)

Archaeologists Karen Crafts, Chris White and Don Laylander excavate fossils found at the Cerutti Mastodon site off State Route 54 in San Diego.

Titanic tusk

Don Swanson, a paleontologist at the San Diego Natural History Museum, points at a rock fragment near a large horizontal mastodon tusk fragment. (Image credit: San Diego Natural History Museum)

Don Swanson, a paleontologist at the San Diego Natural History Museum, points at a rock fragment near a large horizontal mastodon tusk fragment.

Hammering a mastodon bone

A close-up view of a spirally fractured mastodon femur bone. (Image credit: Tom Demere/San Diego Natural History)

The researchers conducted a "bone-breakage" experiment to determine what kinds of bone-breaking would result from a human hitting a mastodon bone with a hammerstone.

Spiral fractures

A close-up view of a spirally fractured mastodon femur bone. (Image credit: Tom Demere/San Diego Natural History)

A close-up view of a spirally fractured mastodon femur bone.

Bone notches

The surface of mastodon bone, showing a half-impact notch on a segment of femur. (Image credit: Tom Demere/San Diego Natural History Museum)

The surface of mastodon bone, showing a half-impact notch on a segment of femur.

Boulder hammerstone

A boulder discovered at the Cerutti Mastodon site in San Diego is thought to have been used by early humans as a hammerstone. (Image credit: Tom Demere/San Diego Natural History Museum)

A boulder discovered at the Cerutti Mastodon site in San Diego is thought to have been used by early humans as a hammerstone.
The researchers found these unbroken mastodon ribs and vertebrae, including one vertebra that had a large neural spine, also called a spinous process, at the site in San Diego, California.

Early humans may have lived on the North American continent 130,000 years ago, more than 100,000 years earlier than scientists previously believed, according to a new study. The research examined ancient mastodon bones that bore "conclusive" signs of being handled by intelligent beings, the researchers said.

When a new freeway was being constructed near San Diego in the early 1990s, one of the excavators hit what seemed like an ancient pile of animal bones. Palaeontologists called to the site confirmed that the bones belonged to a long-extinct Pleistocene mastodon, a significant discovery on its own.

But more than 20 years later, the site, called Cerutti (after one of its discoverers Richard Cerutti of San Diego Natural History Museum), may be rewriting the understanding of human presence in the New World. The arrangement of the bones at Cerutti suggests the early appearance of humans at the site, the researchers said. [In Photos: 130,000-Year-Old Evidence of Humans in California]

"The bones were positioned in quite an unusual way," said Thomas Demere, a paleontologist at the San Diego Natural History Museum and lead author of the new study. "For example, one tusk was positioned vertically. Femur heads were found side by side in very distinct clusters, and the bones were fractured in a spiral way, which led us to believe that humans must have been processing those mastodon limb bones."

Examining the bones

The layer of finely grained sand silt holding the bones was completely intact, but within it, the researchers found several large cobbles with signs of wear. This indicates that the cobbles must have been used as hammers and anvils to process the bones, the researchers said.

The geological conditions of the site led the researchers to think it must be more than 15,000 years old, thus preceding when Homo sapiens were thought to have lived in North America. Attempts to establish the age of the site using radiocarbon dating failed, because there was no collagen preserved in the bones, the scientists said. But in 2012, James Paces, a uranium-dating expert at the U.S. Geological Survey, received the bones. The results he obtained surprised the researchers.

"I used a method called uranium series disequilibrium dating, which uses radioactive decay of naturally occurring uranium, and the initial results suggested that those [bones] might have been 110 [thousand] and 120 thousand years old," Paces told reporters Tuesday (April 25) in a media briefing.

Skeptical about the results, Paces and his colleagues continued analyzing the bones. The researchers performed more than 100 analyses of bones, tooth enamel and ivory found at the site. The results kept pointing to the same age, the researchers said. [The 25 Most Mysterious Archaeological Finds on Earth]

"We came up with a result of the estimated age of about 130,000 plus [or] minus 9,000 years, which represents the average of multiple analyses of cross sections of three separate specimens," Paces said.

Wear and tear

During the press briefing, the researchers dismissed suggestions that heavy machinery used during the freeway construction could have broken the bones. The only way such patterns could have been produced was if the bones were broken when fresh, the researchers said. To confirm this hypothesis, the team dug up an elephant corpse and set out to smash its bones using tools similar to those found at the site.

"We produced exactly the same fracture patterns that we see on these mastodon limb bones," said Steven Holen, an archaeologist at the Center for American Paleolithic Research.

Demere added that while the large limb bones were distinctively damaged, more fragile pieces of the mastodon skeleton, such as ribs and vertebrae found at the site, were completely intact.

Humans in Africa were already making tools from the bones of large animals 1.5 million years ago, Holen said. The knowledge of such technology would therefore be known to the pre-historic American settlers and would explain why they only focused on the large useful bones.

"These bones were not broken by carnivore chewing. They were not broken by other animals trampling on these bones," he said. "When we eliminate all of the other natural processes and reproduce the results experimentally, we have very strong evidence."

Changing the paradigm

The researchers, however, said they expect the scientific community to be skeptical of the findings. Most scientists think that humans made it to the American West Coast only 15,000 years ago, which is 115,000 years later than what the new study concludes. [Gallery: See Images of Our Closest Human Ancestor]

"The team's conclusions are paradigm-shifting, and I'm sure they will come under a lot of scrutiny in the coming days and months. And so they should, as archaeology moves forward by discovery, interpretation and testing of the evidence," Matt Pope, principal research associate in palaeolithic archaeology and a senior geoarchaeologist at theInstitute of Archaeology of University College London, told Live Science in an email.

"What's for certain is archaeologists will now be looking at earlier deposits in North America with closer interest," Pope said. "A claim like this can never rest easily on a single site, but the team [has] presented evidence which can't be ignored. They have opened up the possibility of a new, astonishing[ly] early and continental-scale episode of hominin [human species] dispersal."

Holen said that finding human remains from the period at the Cerutti site but also anywhere else in the U.S. is unlikely. Very few human remains have been discovered in the U.S. of human cultures only 13,000 years old and population densities of the early arrivals were extremely low, he added.

The researchers said they can only speculate who these early Americans were, where they came from, and whether the population survived and later mixed with newer arrivals or became completely extinct.

The new findings were published online today (April 26) in the journal Nature (opens in new tab).

Original article on Live Science.
This article was originally published at The Conversation. The publication contributed the article to Live Science's Expert Voices: Op-Ed & Insights.

I was in Jakarta, Indonesia in 2008 and lucky enough to examine the bones of one of the most controversial hominin species that has ever been discovered. The skeletal remains belonged to an ancient people with tiny brains, and so short that they have been nicknamed "hobbits."

These important fossils, like so many others, were essentially found by mistake. In 1997, a team of Australian archaeologists, led by the late Mike Morwood, was on the prowl for evidence of the first modern humans to arrive on the continent. They had turned their attention to the chain of Indonesian islands that formed stepping stones from mainland South-East Asia to Australia itself.

Digging in a cave called Liang Bua on the island of Flores, they discovered something intriguing: extremely ancient stone tools (opens in new tab). They were too old to have been made by our own species  Homo sapiens, or "modern humans".

In 2001, they found not just stones, but bones. The first to turn up was a strangely curved radius, a forearm bone. Four years later, the archaeologists unearthed what they initially thought were the skeletal remains of a child, including its skull (opens in new tab). But the teeth in the skull werent milk teeth: they were well-worn, permanent teeth. The skeleton had clearly belonged to an extremely tiny adult, as Peter Brown, the first anthropologist to examine the bones, quickly recognised.

Brown measured the volume of the braincase by pouring mustard seeds into it. The skull was astonishingly small: around just 400 cubic centimetres. This was a good 200cc less than the cranial capacity of any fossils then included in our our genus, Homo. Just for comparison, your brain will measure somewhere between 1,000 and 2,000cc.

A new species

Some researchers went on to suggest that the Liang Bua hominins were simply modern humans, but exhibiting microcephaly, perhaps. But, right from the beginning, with a wide experience of examining both normal and pathological skeletons, Brown was convinced that the bones had not belonged to diseased individuals. As bones from more individuals turned up, all with the same characteristics, the chances of this being a one-off pathology became even more remote.

Brown thought that the skeletons of the hominins were unusual enough to place them in a new genus. They seemed more similar to the ancient African australopithecines than to any member of the Homo genus. Brown suggested Sundanthropus tegakensis. But further discussions with colleagues led to the hominins being brought into the Homo fold. In 2004, the find was published in Nature (opens in new tab): "a new small-bodied hominin" named Homo floresiensis.

Earlier Homo erectus specimens were known from east and South-East Asia. Perhaps, suggested some researchers, the Flores hominin was an offshoot of Homo erectus, and had undergone "island dwarfing". Other experts were not so sure; the anatomy of Homo floresiensis seemed too primitive.

When I examined the bones of LB1, the first Liang Bua hominin to be discovered, I started by carefully removing them from their tupperware boxes. I was quite taken aback. The bones were absolutely tiny. I systematically laid out the strange little skeleton: skull first, at one end of a long table, followed by fragments of vertebrae, and then arm bones, hands, pelvis, leg bones and feet, just as I would do with any archaeological skeleton in the bone lab.

None of the bones looked obviously pathological. And anyway, it would have been a bizarre disease to produce the mixture of traits I was seeing in LB1  something that had pushed this body backwards through millions of years of evolution. The shape of the pelvis and the proportions of the limbs looked primitive  reminiscent of australopithecines, or the earliest of human species, Homo habilis, from around 2-3m years ago. But those hominins only ever lived in Africa  as far as we know.

A new breakthrough

But in mid-April, Debbie Argue and colleagues published a paper in the Journal of Human Evolution, returning to the knotty problem of the Flores hominin and its place in human evolution. They had amassed more data than ever before to compare Homo floresiensis with other species, and theyd used analyses to find the best fit for the fossils on the hominin family tree.

The Flores hominins were, more clearly than ever, rooted deep in that tree: they could not be descendants of Homo erectus. They came from something more primitive  a close cousin of Homo habilis. But what was an ancient-looking hominin like this doing in Indonesia?

In the most widely accepted model of human evolution today (opens in new tab), the first emergence of hominins out of Africa involved Homo erectus, and happened some time after 2m years ago. But Homo floresiensis raises the tantalising possibility of an earlier expansion of hominins  who were probably not-quite-Homo  out of Africa.

We know, from reconstructions of ancient climate and geography (opens in new tab) that it certainly would have been possible for hominins to emerge from Africa as far back as 3m years ago. In fact, other large mammal species  including elephants  did just that .

But can we really infer such an early, out-of-Africa migration on the basis of a handful of bones from one site in Indonesia? For many palaeoanthropologists, thats a step too far. But its hard to know how else you can explain the presence of something so ancient looking on Flores. Brown knew he was looking at something strange, something that would challenge our ideas about human evolution, as soon as he laid eyes on that first skull from Liang Bua Cave.

And he was right

Alice Roberts, Professor of Public Engagement in Science, University of Birmingham

This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.
The AIIB is a multilateral financial institution led by China. (Photo : Getty Images)

Multilateral lenders World Bank and Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) have inked a memorandum of understanding (MOU), agreeing to further foster their cooperation, a report from Reuters revealed.



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The China-led AIIB will deepen its ties with the said organization in terms of "knowledge sharing, staff exchanges, analytical work, development financing and country-level coordination," the article said.



The MOU was signed during the spring meetings of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund in Washington.



The agreement comes a year after AIIB and the World Bank first created measures and mechanisms on how to co-finance various investment endeavors.



Since the groups' ties were established, they have already worked on five projects including giving power generation aid to Pakistan, making a natural gas pipeline in Azerbaijan, and rebuilding slum areas and improving dam safety in Indonesia.



In a joint statement, the two also revealed that they are already in talks for more undertakings that they will co-finance this year and in 2018.



For AIIB President Jin Liqun, "signing [the] memorandum of understanding fits into [their] vision of a new kind of internationalism. It deepens [their] relationship with the World Bank Group and sets up the mechanisms through which [they] can more easily collaborate and share information."



According to a World Bank spokesperson, the newly signed MOU does not contain yet the specific financing amounts or targets. The official remarked that these figures will be finalized through separate consultations and gatherings.



In an interview with Reuters, World Bank President Jim Yong Kim shared that the group is solidifying its goal to tap more private capital for development finance.



"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," Kim said in a statement released on Sunday.


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SACRAMENTO  The University of California hid $175 million from the public in secret funds while its administrators demanded more money from the state, according to a report released Tuesday by state Auditor Elaine Howle.

Under the leadership of Janet Napolitano, the UC Office of the President amassed millions in the secret reserve funds in part by overestimating how much it needed to run the 10-campus university system  and then spending less than budgeted, the audit said. From 2012 to 2016, the office sought increased funding based on the inflated estimates, not actual spending, according to Howle.

Howle also accused the university of interfering with the audit by inappropriately screening the confidential responses of campus administrators to her offices survey, resulting in some answers being changed or deleted. She said she is looking into whether the university violated any laws or policies on interference.

The alleged changes were very troubling to us, Howle said.

The stunning revelations about the secret money immediately drew criticism and calls for the UC Board of Regents  which the audit said did not know about the hidden millions  to reverse its decision to increase tuition by 2.5 percent this fall.

Its outrageous and unjust to force tuition hikes on students while the UC hides secret funds, and I call for the tuition decision to come back before the Board of Regents for reconsideration and reversal, Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, one of 26 regents, in a statement.

Napolitano denied the audits claims that her office improperly kept money stashed away, saying the money was set aside for unexpected expenses.

The audit also far overstated how much money was set aside, Napolitanos office said in a statement. The true amount is $38 million, which is roughly 10 percent of (the offices) operating and administrative budget, a prudent and reasonable amount for unexpected expenses such as cybersecurity threat response and emerging issues like increased support for undocumented students and efforts to prevent sexual violence and sexual harassment.

About $32 million of the $175 million that Howles audit found in the secret reserve came from campus assessment fees  money that the auditor said could have been spent on students and should be returned to the campuses.

Even as it accumulated the campus fees, Napolitano persuaded the Board of Regents to increase those fees in two of the four years audited, Howle said.

In addition to setting aside money in the secret funds, Napolitanos office created a secret budget to spend the money, the audit said.

Some of the secret funds were allocated for communications and brand management ($4.7 million), the presidents residence ($862,000), nonresident recruiting ($1.8 million) and an initiative that allows students at historically black colleges and universities to participate in UC summer research programs ($5.2 million).

The audit also found salaries within the Office of the President are significantly higher than those for comparable state employees, and that the UC headquarters offered job perks not seen in the public sector that totaled $21.6 million over the years audited.

Those included supplemental retirement accounts with employer contributions and allowing employees to book high-priced hotels when traveling for work, the audit said.

Howle compared the hidden fund to the 2012 controversy in the California Department of Parks and Recreation, which was found to have stowed $54 million in special funds for more than a decade as state parks were facing closure.

This is a similar situation, Howle said. Im sure that regents had the best interest of their students in mind when they decided they had to increase tuition, but they didnt know there was a reserve amount out there that could have covered a portion of that tuition increase, reduced the amount or maybe eliminated it completely.

The UC audit was ordered by state lawmakers to determine whether UCs Oakland headquarters was was wisely spending its $686 million annual budget. Lawmakers said they were frustrated that spending in Napolitanos office nearly doubled in recent years and that no one at UC could pinpoint how big the offices staff is, with totals varying by nearly 500 people depending on who was counting.

The auditor pegged the Office of the Presidents staff at nearly 1,700 employees. The office provides administrative services to the university systems 10 campuses, such as managing the UC pension fund, and oversees systemwide programs such as online education.

In requesting the audit, Assemblyman Phil Ting, D-San Francisco, chairman of the budget committee, and Assemblyman Kevin McCarty, D-Sacramento, chairman of the budget subcommittee on education finance, said they hoped to identify redundancies between administrative services provided by Napolitanos office and those of individual campuses. That savings could help reduce the need for tuition increases, they said.

To find those potential redundancies, state auditors sent confidential surveys to each campus. Howle said her office learned in February that the deputy chief of staff in Napolitanos office had improperly screened responses before they were sent to auditors.

As a result, Howle said, answers that were critical of the Office of the President were deleted or changed in the survey to put the office in a better light. The audit did not identify the chief of staff who allegedly screened the responses or say who had deleted or changed campuses answers.

Ive never had a situation like that in my 17 years as state auditor, Howle said. My attorneys are looking at whether any improper government activities occurred.

The statement issued by Napolitanos office did not address the allegation.

Ting said lawmakers will hold a hearing next week to go over the audit. He said that if the $175 million had been directed toward student enrollment, more than 35,000 additional students could have attended UC schools.

There is more money out there to fund more California students at UC, Ting said at a press conference in his Capitol office. Its clear that the Office of the President themselves can pay for additional students out of their discretionary budget.

The state auditor recommended changing how the Office of the President is funded so that the Legislature has more oversight. Napolitanos statement said a change would threaten the universitys autonomy.

Melody Gutierrez is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: mgutierrez@sfchronicle.com
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Conservative commentator Ann Coulter plans to speak at UC Berkeleys Sproul Plaza on Thursday, campus officials said, prompting the university and the city to scramble to prepare for what they fear could be another violent showdown between fans and opponents of President Trump.

Coulter is expected to bring her own security for the afternoon appearance, but campus officials  who had urged her to reschedule for a later date  believe that wont be sufficient.

Were going to be doing what we can in this short amount of time thats left to provide safety and security to our students, other members of the campus community, the public, and, if need be, Ms. Coulter, UC Berkeley spokesman Dan Mogulof said Tuesday.

Coulters appearance was again thrown into question late Tuesday when she tweeted that she was still expecting Berkeley to provide a room, despite the fact that officials have said they cannot offer a safe venue for her to speak.

UC cannot bar Coulter from speaking in Sproul Plaza, Mogulof said. Besides being one of the main campus entrances, Sproul has historic significance as the birthplace of the Free Speech Movement in 1964.

The university has neither the ability nor desire to keep people off this campus, Mogulof said. Sproul Plaza is open to the public.

But, he added, You cant have free speech if your event is canceled due to violence. Mogulof said time and location are key factors in the ability of campus and city police to ensure safety, which is why the university opposed a Coulter visit on Thursday.

It was not immediately clear exactly when Coulter plans to show up at Sproul, but right-wing groups were using online chat groups to organize a campus visit to coincide with Coulters appearance, and they were calling on supporters to be battle ready.

Coulter was originally invited to speak Thursday by the Berkeley College Republicans, but UC officials said there was no available venue where they could ensure the safety of those attending or protesting the event after police learned of threats of violence.

University officials offered to reschedule to May 2, but Coulter refused, saying the proposed date was during Dead Week, when students would be studying for finals.

Students associated with the Berkeley College Republicans and Young Americas Foundation, the sponsor of the speech, sued the University of California on Monday, saying that not providing a place for Coulter to speak Thursday amounted to unconstitutional censorship.

On Tuesday, Young Americas Foundation, a conservative youth group, backed out of the event, saying UC Berkeley had failed to promise that it would protect people from leftist thugs.

The group said it wanted UC to announce that there will be zero tolerance at the event itself for masked agitators, disruption of the event, and sufficient security to ensure the safety of attendees.

UC Berkeley failed to meet our demands, after refusing to provide a proper venue for six weeks. Therefore, Young Americas Foundation will not be moving forward with an event at Berkeley on April 27 due to the lack of assurances for protections from foreseeable violence from unrestrained leftist agitators, the group said.

Pranav Jandhyala, co-founder of BridgeUSA, a nonpartisan campus group helping to organize Coulters visit, said he still hoped organizers could find an indoor venue. But he said he worried that a Coulter appearance on Sproul would result in violence and destruction.

Honestly, if it were up to me we would do it on a future date, he said. If it were up to me, she wouldnt do it on Sproul. Its not up to me. Its up to her.

Coulter has said in social media posts that she will show up Thursday because she already had a contract to do so.

UC police canceled an appearance in February by another far-right speaker, Milo Yiannopoulos, after a riot began just before his speech was to be delivered. On April 15, 11 people were injured and 20 arrested when Trump supporters and opponents battled in a downtown Berkeley park.

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, Dianne Klein, spokeswoman for UC President Janet Napolitano, said in a statement. The campus seeks to ensure that all members of the Berkeley and larger community  including Ms. Coulter herself  remain safe during such an event.

Students and staff at UC Berkeley opposed to Coulters appearance said Tuesday that they planned to hold a demonstration at 5 p.m. Thursday.

Students affiliated with the International Socialist Organization and labor groups on the Cal campus said they will rally Thursday afternoon regardless of Coulters plans.

As the narrative around when, where, and if Ann Coulter will speak at UC Berkeley changes day by day, we know one thing for certain: We stand against xenophobic, bigoted language, and we are in solidarity with undocumented students, community members, and all marginalized populations, the organization said in a Facebook invitation to the rally.

Its important that regardless of what the alt-right is doing on and off campus, that our side, the oppressed majority, continues to get organized, said Mukund Rathi, a first-year law student at the university and part of the International Socialist Organization.

Although he disagrees with Coulters politics, Rathi said, UC shouldnt be deciding whether or when she can appear.

The university should not be playing a role in deciding who does or who does not get to speak on campus, he said.

Chronicle staff writer Michael Bodley contributed to this report.

Jill Tucker is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jtucker@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @jilltucker
China's Red Cross Society (Photo : Gettty Images)

The African country of Uganda has received humanitarian aid from the China Red Cross Society worth 1 billion Ugandan shillings (approximately $202,300), reliefweb.int reported.



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Citing a report from the Uganda Red Cross Society (URCS), the donation was handed over by the Chinese Embassy and was transported through the private firm China Sinopharm International Corporation.



The humanitarian items from China Red Cross include unlined tents, blankets, sleeping bags, tarpaulins, examination beds, delivery tables, stethoscopes, electronic sphygmomanometers, autoclaves, weighing scales, operating tables, wheelchairs, desktop computers, laptops, printers, digital cameras, cups, plates, quilts and gasoline water pumps.



"Today I hand over these items to you as donated by the Red Cross Society of China and encourage you to use them to improve the lives of vulnerable Ugandans. We trust that Uganda Red Cross is the best partner to work with on humanitarian issues in this country and that they will deliver," Zhau Xinfen, Chinese Economic and Commercial Counselor in Uganda, said during the turnover ceremony held at the URCS office in Rubaga.



URCS Secretary General Robert Kwesiga acknowledged the efforts of China Red Cross and lauded the fruitful partnership that the two groups have shared throughout the years.



Kwesiga said: "We thank our partner National Society for the support given to URCS over the years. This support comes in very handy when URCS has many vulnerable people to support including the South Sudan refugees. We thank the Chinese Embassy in Uganda for coordinating our relationship with the China National Society of China as well as China Sinopharm International Corporation whom we have worked with closely until the goods were delivered to our warehouse in Ntinda."



The secretary added that the humanitarian items will be used to support the vulnerable people they serve, while items like laptops and printers will support URCS operations in the country.



The humanitarian support of China Red Cross to Uganda has been exhibited on various occasions in the past. The charitable institution has specifically helped communities in the East Ugandan district of Manafwa.



Meanwhile, the URCS said that it will edify its commitment to provide quality public services to the most vulnerable Ugandans.



The group added that they will continue teaming up with China Red Cross to fulfill their vow.


Jeff Holden, Ubers chief product officer, hates the phrase flying cars.

But he took to a Dallas stage on Tuesday to announce that Uber will offer a flying-car taxi service in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and Dubai by 2020  something he said fits cleanly into our mission and Ubers focus on big bold bets.

Its natural for Uber to turn its eyes to the air: push a button, get a flight, he said to an audience of several hundred people gathered for a three-day summit called Uber Elevate. Urban aviation can replace long-distance commutes.

Uber is among a bevy of well-funded companies pursuing the sci-fi vision of flying cars. Google co-founder Larry Page has a Mountain View startup called Kitty Hawk led by Sebastian Thrun, who launched Googles self-driving efforts. French aerospace giant Airbus is working on the idea, as are several smaller players.

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Ubers approach is different, however. Rather than creating its own flying machines, it wants to partner with other companies, both for the aircraft and the infrastructure. What Uber brings to the party is its 60 million riders, who one day could see an option to hit Uber Elevate in their ride-hailing app to call a drone.

Somewhat ironically, Holden said Uber also would bring its expertise on working with government and communities, because it already has relationships with regulatory authorities. That seemed to ignore the companys history of clashing with regulators worldwide.

For that matter, plenty of observers noted that Uber may be relieved to have a chance to focus on futuristic visions instead of the present controversies engulfing it, such as a lawsuit over its self-driving car project and accusations of toxic workplace culture and sexism. A judge ruled Tuesday that Anthony Levandowski, head of Ubers self-driving effort, must testify in the lawsuit filed by Waymo.

Uber has inked deals with five companies working on aircraft development: Aurora Flight Sciences, Pipistrel, Bell Helicopter, Embraer and Mooney. It also has agreements with real estate companies  Texas Hillwood Properties and Dubai Holdings  to start scouting places for vertiports; Holden said its identified four sites in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. And Chargepoint, the largest operator of electric-vehicle charging stations, will figure out how to top off the batteries.

The proposed vehicles look more like drones than cars. Technically they are electric VTOLs (vertical takeoff and landing, pronounced vee-toll). They fly themselves straight up into the air like a helicopter  meaning they can more easily take to the skies from dense urban environments  but then fly forward like a small aircraft.

Uber looked into actual helicopters for local transit but rejected them as too expensive, noisy, fuel-consuming and otherwise impractical, Holden said.

In October, Holden published a 99-page white paper outlining Ubers vision of air transit, including vehicles that would travel 100 to 150 mph, eventually making it cheap enough for the masses to use as daily transport.

Just like artificial intelligence, flying cars have been promised for decades but are arriving now, he said on Tuesday.

Plenty of big obstacles remain, such as creating a new air traffic control system and persuading regulators, experts said.

The idea that the VTOLs may be autonomous is actually a plus, said Karl Bauer, executive publisher of Kelley Blue Book and Auto Trader. Normally it requires years of training to learn to fly. But if youve got computer-controlled flying devices that are all talking to each other, the average Joe can just tell it where to go and it flies itself.

How realistic is Ubers projection of sky taxis by 2020? It wouldnt be the first tech company to plant a stake in the ground, er, air, with an overambitious timetable, but thats not necessarily a bad thing, some experts said.

I love that Ubers a big cheerleader in this space, said Missy Cummings, director of Duke Universitys Humans and Autonomy Laboratory and a NASA researcher. Its great that theyre trying to generate excitement. But the big hurdles are safety and certification. Were not ready for you to jump in your own drone and hop over to Oakland.

Carolyn Said is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: csaid@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @csaid
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San Antonio owned power utility CPS Energy met with local contractors Wednesday to discuss proposed new rules for the citys solar energy tax rebate program that take effect as early as June 1.

Under the proposed changes, installers would have to provide customers with reports that show what their estimated electricity production will be for their solar panel system. Rick Luna, CPS senior manager of product development, told contractors at the meeting that some customers were calling CPS to question why their systems werent generating as much energy as they were told they would produce.

The proposed rules would also require installers to be in good standing with the Texas Attorney Generals office and to maintain high grades with the Better Business Bureau, a nonprofit group that reviews business practices. The BBB requires accredited companies to follow its code of business practices and pay annual dues. The BBB isnt affiliated with a governmental agency.

Were trying to be fair, thats part of this process is to talk to the industry, hear back from them and have a level playing field, Luna said of the meeting. We dont want to be in every decision, were not trying to control anything, we just want to make sure that we have certain guidelines that everyone plays within these rules so that its fair to everybody.

Industry representatives voiced their concerns on issues ranging from branding to accountability and the streamlining of certain processes including the commercial solar application process, a bone of contention with Advanced Solars Don Dickey.

The language on commercial (projects) needs to be tightened quite a bit so it doesnt hold up the process, Dickey said.

But overall Dickey and others were pleased with how the rules have progressed in the 10 years that the rebate program has been in place.

When the rebate started, the industry was a fledgling industry and nobody knew what to expect, Dickey said. In a sense it was kind of overdue to revisit all the policies but theyve done a very fashionable job of working with the industry in conjunction with the needs of the consumer.

One proposal from installers that seemed to have widespread support was the removal of KACO New Energys 2 cent premium. Under guidelines for the latest $15 million tranche of rebate funds, installers would receive an extra 8 cents for using solar panels from San Antonio-based Mission Solar and an extra 2 cents for using inverters from KACO, also based in San Antonio.

Installers said KACOs inverters were not as efficient as other ones on the market, and suggested rolling the 2 cent rebate into Mission Solars 8 cent rebate.

Luna said it was the first time he had heard those concerns either publicly or privately, and that any adjustments would have to be done internally.

KACOs Chief Operating Officer Arnd Becker said in an email that according to the California Energy Commission, KACOs residential inverter has an efficiency of 97.5 percent, meaning 2.5 percent of the power generated is lost, near the top of the industry.

We speculate that the misinformed comments from local installers are stemmed from an unfortunate tendency of certain industry players preference for low-priced foreign products, Becker added. KACO New Energys facilities are an open door for local installers and we encourage enhanced dialogue to address this misinformation.

Luna said he and his team will take the feedback and tweak the proposed rules in the coming weeks. While he said June 1 was a date they felt they could stick to, it is possible they will adjust it if needed.

We understand that we have this central role because we manage the rebates and when we do something, we understand it has consequences, Luna said.

rdruzin@express-news.net

@druz_journo
San Antonio insurer USAA this week agreed to pay up to $39 million to settle a Florida class-action lawsuit that alleged it breached the terms of auto insurance policies by failing to fully pay members for sales tax in the purchase of a comparable vehicle after theirs was totaled in an accident.

USAA and the policyholders who sued in 2013 asked the federal court in Jacksonville on Tuesday to approve the proposed settlement.

Under the settlement terms, as many as 75,000 USAA members in Florida may be eligible to receive full reimbursement for their claims, along with 8 percent in prejudgment interest. The plaintiffs claims total about $34 million, a court filing shows.

USAA agreed to settle the suit because litigation is expensive, unpredictable and disruptive to its operations, spokesman Roger Wildermuth said.

We believe that we properly followed the Florida statute and paid members sales tax when they notified USAA they had replaced their vehicles, he said.

Tracy Markham, a St. Augustine, Florida, lawyer for the plaintiffs, didnt immediately respond to a request for comment. The plaintiffs lawyers stand to receive up to $5.1 million in fees and costs.

The settlement was first reported by Law360.

According to a court filing, USAA would pay members the sales tax paid in the purchase of a comparable vehicle when it was incurred. So, for example, someone who did not purchase a replacement vehicle would not be reimbursed for the sales tax.

The court filing further states that USAA has changed its policy in Florida and now includes the sales tax in payments for total-loss vehicles. USAA has agreed to maintain that practice unless it implements a change in its insurance policies specifying that sales tax will be paid as incurred.

The class covers any USAA members in Florida who suffered a total loss to their vehicle from Oct. 17, 2008, to Oct. 15, 2016.

In Texas, Wildermuth said, USAA pays sales tax for total losses upfront.

pdanner@express-news.net

Twitter: @AlamoPD
Construction on the next public artwork along the Mission Reach of the River Walk is tentatively scheduled to begin this summer.

CoCobijos, an installation by Houston native Mel Chin, will be located at the Mission San Jose Portal linking the waterway to the historic site. A rendering shows a 24-foot tall sculpture that resembles a pair of prickly pear cactus pads. Based at a slight diagonal, the pads bow gently toward each other and connect at the middle to create a conjoined shade structure.

Also in the works: Arbol de la Vida: Voces de la Tierra, in the form of a Mexican folk art tree of life, by El Paso-based artist Margarita Cabrera for the Mission Espada Portal.

Weve been watching these two pieces. We joke that its been a bit of a horse race to see which one gets out of the gate first, said Stuart Johnson, public art manager for the San Antonio River Foundation.

Once in place, the installations by Chin and Cabrera will complete the portal project, which launched in 2011 with River Return by Stacy Levy, a Philadelphia-based environmental artist, at Mission Concepcion. It was followed by Belgian artist Arne Quinzes Whispers at Mission San Juan.

The idea was that to get people off the River Walk and reconnect the missions to the river, there would be these monumental art pieces at the four portals connecting the river to the missions, Johnson said.

Each of the portal projects was budgeted for $500,000, including maintenance costs. The artists were selected through a process implemented by the foundations art and architecture committee, which includes artists, curators, architects and representatives from public agencies including the National Park Service.

Chin had been shortlisted for a previous portal project. Though he was not selected at that time, committee members felt Mel was so compelling that we needed to pursue him for one of the other portals, Johnson said. Thats when we invited him to do a design for San Jose.

Currently based in rural western North Carolina, Chin is an internationally known conceptual artist who has worked on several high-profile projects, including Operation Paydirt, an ongoing multidisciplinary project aimed at curtailing childhood lead poisoning. He was the subject of a major retrospective organized by the New Orleans Museum of Art in 2014.

Chin was attracted to the Mission Reach portal project by (the) invitation of people that were friendly to me, and also San Antonio, of course, he said in a phone interview. Im from Houston, but San Antonio is definitely not too far of a stretch.

Set inside a concrete border in the shape of a quatrefoil  a four-lobed geometric design found at Mission San Jose  the sculpture will stand 24-feet tall when its complete. It will function as a shade structure  something Chin found himself in need of when he visited the site while developing the concept for the piece. The title is combination of the prefix co and the Spanish word for shelter  cobijo. The relationship of the two halves gives the piece an anthropomorphic quality, like dancers nodding at one another before a dance. The interpretation pleases Chin.

(The) Chinese ideogram for benevolence or true empathy is a person and the number two, he said. You have to have two, so you can look at these as anthropomorphic things.

The artist also found inspiration for the piece in the cactus growing on the roof of a building at the mission.

The piece evolved from those kinds of observations  shelter, geometries, natural life, working alongside or within the mission, he said. And then, Im no stranger to Tex-Mex food. Youre going to have eggs and nopales, right? So these kinds of things started working on my mind.

While Chin was working on the concept, he studied the native cactus, incorporating the lace-like internal structure of prickly pear cactus pads into the design. Living cacti also will be incorporated into the piece, both in planters set into the roof and planted at the foot of the sculpture.

Cabrera, a Mexico native whose work frequently explores issues related to the border and immigration, was selected for a portal project in the wake of the controversy over the lack of diversity among the artists in last years Contemporary Art Month Perennial exhibition. The artists practice of seeking community input for public art projects was a selling point, Johnson said. Then there was her vision for the project.

Obviously Margarita gave a really beautiful design proposal, Johnson said. When the committee saw the design, they were bowled over by it.

Construction is tentatively set to begin in the fall. Though details of the design are still being worked out, the piece will stand close to 40 feet tall. The artist recently was in town for a series of charlas, or community dialogs, in which participants were invited to share their stories about Mission Espada. The stories were recorded and are currently being transcribed, Cabrera said. About 300 fired clay pieces symbolizing elements of the stories will be mounted on the arms of the tree. Each will be about 24 inches tall and 18 inches wide. In addition, smaller clay pieces will be used to fill out the tree.

Trees of life date back to the time of the Olmecs, Cabrera said. During the Conquest, the Spanish used trees of life that depicted Biblical stories as a religious teaching tool to convert the indigenous people of Mexico to Catholicism, but contemporary trees of life also are used to tell stories from every day life.

When the San Antonio River Foundation invited me to do a site visit and I got to see the grounds around Mission San Francisco de la Espada, I decided at that point that this iconic sculpture needed to be made with the community, Cabrera said. It needed to have a sense of shared ownership and extend to everybody in the area and everybody in San Antonio. And one of the ways that I found we could all come together was through storytelling, and this is where the tree of life/arbol de la vida comes in. Its a magical storytelling instrument thats been around for centuries.

Cabrera has used references to Mexican folk art in previous works, such as a full-size replica of a John Deere tractor made out of clay that was included in New Image Sculpture, an exhibition at the McNay Art Museum in 2011.

As an artist, Im very interested in maintaining and reclaiming our craft traditions, she said. Also, I am interested in having opportunities with community to innovate them. I work with immigrant communities, and one of the things I sometimes see is a lack of connection with cultural ethnic traditions with our immigrant youth here in the United States.

The pieces will be made out of clay mined from the area surrounding the mission and fired to very high temperatures to withstand time and the elements.

When I visited the mission, I heard about the kilns that were buried underground that were used by the indigenous communities to create the different bricks and materials that were used to make the facade of the missions, Cabrera said. I was really inspired and wanted to celebrate this labor and the communities behind the making of the mission structures."

lsilva@express-news.net
Syngenta Denies Delay in GMO Corn Approval Caused Drop in Corn Prices, Leading to US Farmers Loss

U.S. Farmers File Cases Against Syngenta (Photo : Getty Images)

Swiss seed-maker Syngenta AG has denied claims by U.S. farmers that it was responsible for the decline in corn prices in 2013 that resulted in their losses.



On Monday, April 24, the Syngenta trials started in a state court in Minneapolis, Bloomberg reported.



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American farmers alleged that Syngenta had quickly passed to them its genetically modified corn, Viptera, and another GMO seed to be sold without first getting an import approval from China.



But the U.S. corn shipments were rejected, which resulted in the decline of corn prices for five years, while China bought its supplies from other countries, according to the farmers.



Syngenta, however, denied any wrongdoing, the report said.



While the trials are likely to continue, China National Chemical Corp will push through with the planned $43 billion acquisition of Syngenta. Although regulators from Europe, China and the U.S. have approved the deal, it is still awaiting approval of Indian authorities.



According to the report, if the farmers succeed over Syngenta, the firm would still go back to the Chinese government which rejected the GMO corn, with the Asian giant having acquired the company.



Syngenta started selling Viptera in the U.S. in 2011, but it took three years to gain the approval of Chinese regulators for the genetically modified seeds.



Syngenta, however, denied that farmers' loss was caused by China's rejection of the seeds. The company said that corn prices declined due to the big corn harvest in 2013.



"There had been a 30 percent drop because of a record harvest well before the Chinese decided not to take any more corn," Syngenta lawyer Michael Jones said in an interview.



Jones added that U.S. regulators gave the go-signal to sell the GMO corn and farmers are not required to wait for China's approval to sell it.



Meanwhile, lawyers for the farmers said that Syngenta provided the farmers with misleading statements regarding China's approval of the GMO seeds.



"To avoid losing market share, Syngenta took a risk on the backs of American farmers," Mikal Watts, one of the plaintiffs' lawyers, said. "The trade disruption Syngenta caused resulted in $13 billion in damages to American farmers."



Other cases against Syngenta



The first trial against Syngenta involved the case of Daniel Mensik, who owns a 300-acre farm in Nebraska. Mensik claimed he lost $125,000 in sales because of Syngenta's fault. He also asked for punitive damages against the company.



Syngenta is also set to face in June a class action lawsuit filed by Kansas farmers, who are seeking $200 million as well as punitive damages.



In August, it is also set to face another case, which is filed by Minnesota farmers asking for $600 million in damages.



In another separate lawsuit, Syngenta was also charged by grain exporters Archer-Daniels-Midland Co. and Cargill Inc. of tainting U.S. corn which resulted in China's rejection. The case, which is pending in a state court in Louisiana, will go to trial next year.



The farmers said that an estimated 1.4 million metric tons of U.S. corn were blocked by China. They said that the demand for U.S. corn weakened, which caused the drop in corn futures stocks.



The farmers added that although China approved the GMO corn a year later, corn supplies from other countries, such as Ukraine, continue to displace U.S. crops.



Since 2013 when China banned U.S. shipments, the average price of U.S. cash corn has fallen 21 percent, while on the Chicago Board of Trade, futures dropped 16 percent, data compiled by Bloomberg show.


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Heavy pounds the head that wears the crown of the Court of Insane Privilege after a night of Fiesta revelry. So Jeffrey James (AKA: King Anchovy LII) prepped Tuesday afternoon for his six-shows-over-three-nights run leading Cornyation by getting an intravenous infusion of electrolytes and B vitamins.

The IV drip, administered by Jackie Bowers of Alamo IV, left James feeling really good, he said, even after doing a pair of opening night shows.

Im 50 years old and was out until 2 in the morning, he said Wednesday. And yes, we did some drinking. But Im still feeling refreshed and have plenty of energy.

The IV drips, similar to those used in hospitals and clinics, help keep the body hydrated, so it can more easily shake off a hangover from too much drinking, according to Bowers, who launched the company a year ago.

When you use an IV, she explained, you speed the absorption rate, so instead of having a full stomach like when you drink (water), you get fully hydrated organs and muscles.

Although Alamo IV is a year-round business, Bowers has been especially this week, hydrating Fiesta royalty, bartenders and others who are putting in long hours, eating poorly and are chronically dehydrated because theyre not drinking enough nonalcoholic fluids. Bowers said her clients include Rico Torres and Diego Galicia from the Mexican restaurant Mixtli, Spurs Jesus, bandleader Doc Watson of Jazz TX and Bohanans Prime Steaks and Seafood bar manager Jordan Corney.

While some get their IV prophylactically  before heading out to NIOSA, the Oyster Bake, Cornyation or any other alcohol-drenched Fiesta event  others, eschewing the hair of the dog, come in the next day to speed their recovery.

You come in with a hangover, and I guarantee that within 10 minutes youll be feeling 100 percent better, said Bowers. Youll get your day back.

Corney took a seat at Bar du Mon Ami in Alamo Heights Wednesday for a 30-minute revival infusion to get himself ready for a busy Fiesta night. His last treatment was in January, during the San Antonio Cocktail Conferences four 16- to 18-hour days of classes and tasting events.

It used to take me a full week to recover, he said Wednesday. But this year I had more energy, I made it to all the events I had to go to, on time, and I felt the least (expletive) when it was over than I ever felt before.

Using IV fluids to prevent or treat hangovers isnt accepted medical practice, however, according to Dr. David Gude, chief medical officer for Texas MedClinic, who objects to the treatment because it seems to be encouraging bad behavior. Gude also notes that, as innocuous as getting an IV infusion might seem to anyone who has ever watched a TV medical drama, no medical treatment is risk-free.

Yes, youre cleaning the skin and using a sterile solution, but theres no guarantee you wont get an infection, he said. Better to rehydrate orally by drinking fluids.

In addition to stopping a hangover in its tracks, Bowers said IVs can also prevent migraine headaches and help athletes recover faster from strenuous workouts or competitions.

Alamo IV offers infusions for $155 and B-12 shots for $20. New clients first must chat online with a physician who reviews their medical history and clears them for treatment. Medical clearances are good for one year.

rmarini@express-news.net

Twitter: @RichardMarini
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When the last Viva Fiesta echoes down Commerce Street and there are no more shiny shoes to be shown from atop a flower-bedecked float, what happens to all of Fiestas finery?

For the late Maggie Flannery, whose zest for life punctuated all of her creative endeavors, Christmas and the Royal Order of Alamos Coronation were a natural fit. She started using her three daughters Coronation trains as tree skirts.

Later, she turned the trains into a Christmas tree, hanging Christmas lights to send out rays of light and topped it all off with a holiday tree topper. Each year, the festooned finery was re-draped for the holiday season.

If something caught her eye and it was beautiful, she would reinvent it over and over again, said daughter Frances Chamberlain. She repurposed before the word even existed. She was always ahead of her time.

Anna-Laura Howell Block caught her Fiesta fever when her grandmother, Altah Howell, gave her a Fiesta coin that had been given to her by King Antonio XLII Napier Rogers in 1964. A Baptist Hospital X-Ray Lab employee, Block has collected the shiny Fiesta tokens ever since.

Block won the Fiesta Commissions Pounds of Pins contest three years running with more than 20 pounds of medals collected her final year of competition.

She recalled, The organizers said, Retire for a few years and give someone else a chance!

With over 8,000 Fiesta medals in her collection, the unofficial queen of Fiesta bling has taken more than 200 of her favorite medals and with them created a Fiesta medal wreath. It showcases decades of pins, from kings to canines.

Rey Feo LXIII Bill Drain didnt hang up his Ugly King garb back in 2011; instead, he let his royal garments keep on giving. Now on display at Monarch Trophy, a golden king is regally adorned with the jewel-encrusted crown and embroidered the cape that Drain wore during his reign with the theme, Education is the Key to Unlock Your Dreams.

The dapper drapery on display holds a kings ransom in Fiesta medals, all produced by the team at Monarch for nonprofit organizations and groups for Fiesta.

As immediate past president of The Battle of Flowers Association and 2010 Battle of Flowers Parade chairman  not to mention favorite Fiesta escort of King Antonio LXX Thad Ziegler  Lynn Ziegler knows Fiesta. Taking a swatch of the same powder blue fabric that is used to produce the custom-made uniforms of the Texas Cavaliers and adding a red embroidered LXX emblem, Lynn created a fabric wall tapestry to hold the mementos and treasures of the former King Antonios reign in 1992.

With the theme of friendship, buttons and bumper stickers were created with King Antonio Thad Ziegler Is My Friend. Thousands of elementary school children were reminded of the importance of friendship with the kings visit to area schools and childrens hospitals. On his tapestry are buttons given to the king by children in grateful recognition of his Fiesta visits.

Holding court next to the Kings tapestry, Lynn hand stitched a tapestry of her own with Fiesta 98 surrounded by depictions of The Alamo, Tower of the Americas, River Parade and Rositas Bridge. It was the year that she and Thad, who served as president of the San Antonio Fiesta Commission, toured the city promoting the party with a purpose.

Medals from dignitaries, Fiesta organizations and a myriad of Battle of Flowers medals from her volunteer time given to the parade where Fiesta began, hold a place of honor on her treasured Fiesta remembrance.

John G. Bloodsworth is a San Antonio freelancer.
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A man who was allegedly driving drunken with a child in his car is among the people State Police said they need the public's help finding.

Joseph Crapanzano, 39, is wanted by State Police in Poughkeepsie for allegedly failing to appear in town court to answer charges that stem from a November 2015 arrest for alleged drunken driving. Troopers said Crapanzano had a blood alcohol content of .20 percent and a child in his vehicle when he was charged with driving while intoxicated. The court issued a warrant for his arrest when he failed to report to court in October 2016, troopers said.

Also wanted by State Police are:

 Joseph Falson, 31, is wanted by State Police in Valley Street for alleged drunken driving and misdemeanor drug possession. Falson was stopped for traffic violations on the Meadowbrook State Parkway in 2015 and charged with the misdemeanor offenses and traffic violations, troopers said. His last known address was in Ridge on Long Island.

 Darryl J. Baskerville, 30, is wanted by State Police in Middletown on grand larceny charges tied to allegations he stole and cashed payroll checks from a store in the Galleria Mall in Middletown. The checks were worth $2,200, troopers said. Baskerville was a former manager of the unnamed store and had access to the payroll checks, troopers said. A warrant was issued for his arrest in Wallkill Town Court.

 Labros Soumas, 45, is wanted by State Police in Chazy on a grand larceny charge that accuses her of stealing over $16,000 from KeyBank in Champlain, troopers said. Soumas is accused of depositing several fraudulent checks and taking the cash from an account in August 2009, troopers said. It is believed that Soumas is living in Lilebizard, Quebec.

 Aaron Lopez, 24, is wanted by State Police in Rochester for misdemeanor drug possession and unlawful possession of marijuana, a violation, troopers said. Lopez was charged after a traffic stop on Interstate 490 for an alleged unsafe lane change. The warrant was issued in Rochester City Court.

 Jacob E. Burell, 24, is wanted by State Police in Clifton Park for allegedly failing to report to court to answer a charge of heroin possession. State Police said Burell was a passenger in a car on June 11, 2016, that was stopped by police. Trooper said Burell's last know address was in Fort Edward.

 Joseph C. Camelo, 33, is wanted by State Police in Syracuse for alleged aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle. State Police say Camelo was charged Sept. 14, 2014, after troopers stopped his car on the Thruway. Troopers said they discovered he driver's license was suspended.

 Andrew J. Bronchetti, 28, is wanted by State Police in North Syracuse for allegedly aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle. A warrant for his arrest was issued on Feb. 25 after he allegedly failed to appear in Syracuse City Court to answer the charge.

 Angel M. Colon, 43, is wanted by State Police in Lockport for allegedly failing to appear in court in December to answer a charge that he used a stolen credit card in September 2015.
QUEENSBURY - Two women testified Tuesday they snorted cocaine with Alexander West in the hours before a July 25 crash on Lake George took the life of 8-year-old Charlotte McCue.

Montana Reilly, 25, told jurors at West's manslaughter trial in Warren County Court she drank an alcohol-spiked juice drink while joining West and seven other revelers to party on the defendant's boat for Log Bay Day, an annual booze fest.

Reilly said she snorted a line of cocaine in the cuddy of West's motorboat. She said West later acted "flirty" and sat "just really close to me" as they sailed from Log Bay to eat in Bolton Landing. She said West's friend, Matthew Marry, piloted the boat because Marry had not consumed any alcohol.

West had beer earlier, she said.

"I would say he was drunk, yes," Reilly testified. She said West drank two Moscow Mules, a vodka-laced drink, at dinner.

West, 25, faces charges he was drunk and recklessly operating the boat that crashed into a wooden boat near Cramer Point about 9:22 p.m., killing the third-grader from Carlsbad, Calif. and severely injuring her mother, Charlotte McCue. Also on the boat were the child's father, Eric McCue, brother Cooper, sister Madison, grandfather Robert Knarr, who was piloting the boat, and Knarr's wife, Christine.

West's attorney Cheryl Coleman, whose cross-examination of Reilly will continue Wednesday, told reporters after court that Reilly was once romantically involved with her client.

Under questioning by Coleman, Reilly had said West did not show impaired motor skills or slur his speech.

Another woman, Christina Parrotta, 27, testified earlier she was also at Log Bay Day and was briefly in the cuddy of West's boat. "I did a line of cocaine," Parrotta said.

Parrotta and Reilly had previously said they thought West consumed one Moscow Mule, Coleman noted in her questioning of the witnesses.

The women testified on a day that also featured testimony from a lake patrol supervisor who said West's boat must have moved at 25 mph (the lake speed limit) or faster, to go "up and over" another boat, as West's boat allegedly did.

"He's right on top of them in no time," Lake George Park Commission Sgt. Angelo Paccione told District Attorney Kate Hogan.

Paccione said based on a video he watched, West's motorboat was moving "very fast," and the wooden boat carrying the girl and her family was going very slowly.

Coleman's associate, Kathryn Conklin, grilled Paccione, who was tasked with reconstruction of the crash and was one of four officials to render a report on that process. Conklin questioned Paccione about his experience as an investigator of boat crashes and suggested his work on the July 25 crash was lax and biased.

Paccione, who worked as a New York City police detective for 20 years before retiring and moving to Lake George, had never before reconstructed a boat crash, she noted. He said he took a crash reconstruction course in 2014.

Conklin asked Paccione why the crash report made an issue out of West's boat not having "proper lookouts" but Paccione did not even bother to find out if Knarr's boat had proper lookouts.

"You don't actually know that, right?" Conklin asked Paccione.

"I don't know," he conceded.

Conklin later told reporters "I think (Paccione's) report is completely one-sided ... they walked into that reconstruction with their minds already set."

West faces 7 1/3 to 22 years in prison if convicted of charges that include manslaughter, felony assault and leaving the scene of the crash.

The trial continues Wednesday before County Judge John Hall.

rgavin@timesunion.com  518-434-2403  @RobertGavinTU
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The wife of a convicted leader of a South Laredo drug trafficking organization requested a chance to see her children again before being sentenced to more than 20 years in prison on Tuesday.

Maria "Wawi" Guadalupe Melendez has been awaiting her sentencing since Feb. 27, 2015, when she pleaded guilty in federal court to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and marijuana.

Melendez, 42, asked for forgiveness from the court, the community, and her family before being sentenced, saying that she is "paying a high price for everything."

"I was not measuring the consequences," Melendez said. She added, "I've been left alone without my family."

Melendez, a mother of five children, has been in custody for almost three years.

READ MORE: Top Mexican official calls US border wall a 'hostile' act

U.S. District Court Judge Diana Saldana sentenced Melendez to serve 262 months in prison followed by five years supervision upon release.

Earlier this month, Saldana sentenced Melendez's husband Adan "12" Melendez, 40, to serve life in prison.

Melendez's two sons  Adan "Vivi" Melendez Jr., 22, and Andres "Chon" Melendez, 21  were also sentenced.

Adan Melendez and his two sons ran an organization that distributed cocaine, crack, and marijuana in south Laredo from at least 2012 until they were arrested in the summer of 2014.

Keep clicking through the gallery above to see mugshots from members of the Melendez drug ring.

Testimony heard during Adan Melendez's trial revealed that he profited approximately $1,200 per day from his operations and spent tens of thousands on luxury cars for himself and his sons.

Adan Melendez Jr. received a sentence of 147 months for the drug conspiracy, while his younger brother was ordered to serve 188 months in prison for both the conspiracy and for possession with intent to distribute cocaine.

RELATED: Leader of Melendez drug ring sentenced to life in prison

Melendez claims she and her children were just following the instructions of her husband, who she says was in charge of everything.

"I was not thinking we were all going to end up in jail," Melendez said.

Melendez's attorney, Jesus M. Dominguez, said his client had the least authority and decision-making power.

"She would do what the males in the family would tell her," Dominguez said.

The prosecution refuted this claim, saying Melendez did not play a passive role in the organization. Rather, Melendez was responsible for the money flowing through the organization, assistant U.S. attorney Jose Angel Moreno said.

"I think that even though she had options (of leaving), she is definitely in this for the greed," Moreno said.

Wiretapped conversations between Melendez and her sons, Rafael "Chon" Melendez and Adan "Vivi" Melendez Jr., who were both minors at the time, were discussed throughout the hearing.

The phone calls show Melendez as someone who is comfortable and involved in the drug organization  someone who accepted the lifestyle  according to Saldana.

Calls intercepted included discussions between Melendez and her sons about drug transactions both inside and outside of a tire shop located in the 2800 block of San Luis Street.

MORE ON MELENDEZ: Mugshots released for 24 alleged members of Laredo drug ring

Nearly 10,000 telephone calls were intercepted from five lines during the course of the investigation into Adan Melendez and the drug trafficking organization.

According to her attorney, Melendez associated herself with her husband's dealings because she wanted to keep the family together.

She did it for the money and because she would suffer the consequences of her husband getting mad if she didn't participate, Dominguez said.

Saldana included mental health treatment for Melendez in the judgment, recognizing that Adan Melendez played a "dominant" role in his relationship with his wife.

Saldana also requested Melendez complete substance abuse testing, an educational services program, and a drug treatment program.

A total of 19 defendants have now been sentenced as part of Operation "Revocation."

The 18 others received terms up to 210 months in prison. Nine additional defendants convicted in the case are still pending sentencing.

The Drug Enforcement Administration, Laredo Police Department, Webb County Sheriff's Office and Texas Department of Public Safety conducted the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force investigation, which was initiated by the Webb County District Attorney's Office.
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One of the most bipartisan members of the House of Representatives is also a Laredo native, according to recently released scores.

Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo, finished in the top 10 of The Lugar Center's Bipartisan Index, which ranks how well members of opposite political parties work with one another using bill sponsorship and co-sponsorship data.

"Members' voting decisions are often contextual and can be influenced by parliamentary circumstances," the index states. "Sponsorships and co-sponsorships, in contrast, exist as very carefully considered declarations of where a legislator stands on an issue."

Cuellar, who recently issued a statement this week in response to threats from President Trump regarding a potential government shutdown, was one of four Democrats to make the top 10. He finished eighth overall with a score of 1.51.

READ MORE: Cuellar: Trump wants to 'punish the American people' with shutdown

It was the second time in a row that Cuellar cracked the top 10.

Born and raised in Laredo, Cuellar also ranked much higher than his contemporaries in Texas. The next highest House member from Texas was Democrat Beto O'Rourke, who came in at No. 77 overall.

The Lugar Center is a nonprofit public policy institution based in Washington D.C.

"Good policy requires effective politics," said Edward Montgomery, dean of the McCourt School of public policy at Georgetown University, in a release. "We are never going to solve the policy challenges we face without cooperation between our political parties. We are encouraged to see more members of Congress reaching out to work with those across the aisle."

jray@LMTonline.com
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Sarah Brady is an experienced bartender looking for a job.

In her mind, the fact that she's "plus-sized" shouldn't be a hindrance.

"I'm very aware of what size my body is," said Brady, 25, who moved to the Clear Lake area from Virginia in December. "I'm proudly putting it out there."

A couple weeks ago she responded to an ad for workers at a not-yet-open Tilted Kilt Pub & Eatery in League City. She sent a resume, detailing her four years as a server and two years as a bartender.

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She said she got back a text message saying, "We would love for you to come in and interview."

Brady said she's also well aware of the image used in Tilted Kilt advertising - a buxom young woman in a tight top. But as someone who has performed burlesque, she said she wanted to talk with company representatives about other ways she might dress on the job.

"I thought about how I could be within their image without necessarily being in the costume they wanted," she said. "But they didn't give me a chance to talk about anything."

On its website, under "Casting & Careers," Tilted Kilt refers to its evaluation of job applicants as auditions for the role of Kilt Girl entertainers, "an elite group of women who are sexy-smart, friendly and classy."

"Imagine trying to land a role in a Hollywood movie or sexy fitness calendar; you want to look and act your best!" the website states. "These auditions are just the same. To land the role, you gotta play it up, girl! Grab your favorite outfit, glam up your hair and make-up and visit a franchise...."

The company responded to Chron.com on Wednesday with an email statement from Greg Smith, operations director and area developer for Texas and Oklahoma.

VICTORIA'S SECRET: Social media derides #What is Sexy list for lack of diversity

"Our hiring and employment practices are in full compliance with all laws. Kilt Girls are the cornerstone of our brand," the statement said. "We specifically cast for entertainers, not just servers. When hiring, we seek entertainer-servers who not only fit the costume, but exemplify a personality and skill set that is friendly, courteous and customer oriented. Our decisions are based on these qualifications and we hire the most qualified applicants for these positions."

On April 19, Brady went for the interview at a hotel near the restaurant location on the Gulf Freeway, where company representatives asked her to fill out an application. She said it did not include any questions about size or appearance.

QUIZ: How well do you know the Houston suburbs?

After waiting 30 to 45 minutes, she was called into another room for what she thought would be a conversation.

"They didn't ask me any questions," she said. "The first thing our of their mouths was, 'Thank you for applying but we've filled all the positions with more qualified candidates.' "

Brady said she was disappointed at how she was dismissed, without a chance to talk about her bartending experience or her work in burlesque.

But she's not giving up.

"This isn't going to change the jobs I apply for," she said."I have bartending experience and am qualified for it."
7th Beijing International Film Festival (Photo : ARIRANG NEWS/YouTube)

The 7th Beijing International Film Festival ended on Sunday with Luka, a movie from Georgia, winning the Best Feature Film award at the closing ceremony. The movie, directed by George Barabadze, is a reflection on the damage wrought by the war on the lives of people. In the movie, the mother and grandmother of Luka look for his body after he was killed on the battlefield.



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Other Winners



House of Others, another Georgian film, bagged the Best Cinematography and Best Director awards. The director of the movie is Rusudan Glurjidze.



China Plus reported that other winners of the 10th Tiantan Awards include Mr. No Problem, a Chinese movie. Based on an adaptation of a 1943 novel by Lao She, the film won the Best Screen Play award and the Best Actor award.



Mei Feng doubled as the movies director and playwright. He shared that he was under pressure when he adapted the novel of Lao She, considered a master in the modern history of Chinese literature. The challenge he had to overcome was to be creative while being loyal to the original story. Mei Feng pointed out that Lao She has very unique angles and insightful opinions in literature writing on society and human nature.



The Iranian movie, The Sis, won for Golab Adineh the Best Actress award. The movie is about Tala and Ati, a mother and daughter who lived together for many years, but they reach the point of having to separate, Tehran Times reported.



The winners were chosen from 15 movies by a jury led by Bille August, a renowned Danish filmmaker. The jurys members include Jiang Wenli, a Chinese actress, Mabel Cheung, a Hong Kong director, and Paolo del Brocco, a movie producer.



Symbol of Chinas Movie Industrys Development



Although the Beijing Film Festival is only on its seventh year, it symbolizes the development of Chinas movie industry, Chris Dodd, chief of the Motion Picture Association of America, said.



The Beijing Film Festival is only seven years old. But Dodd said the festival is a symbol of the development of the movie industry in China. Today's festival is a reflection of China's place as a global leader in creativity and innovation. The annual tickets sales in 2009 were 6 billion RMB. Equally impressive, in 2016, the Chinese population went to the movies 1.4 billion times. That's more than United State and Canada combined, Dodd added.


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Whether it's Armand Bayou, Bay Area Park, a ditch in Friendswood or a pond behind a neighborhood in Pearland, residents in southeast Houston are accustomed to sharing space with alligators. The space between us and our reptile neighbors could potentially get smaller in the coming months as the weather warms up and the gators enter breeding season.

That's a time, warns Jonathan Warner, the alligator program leader for Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, to be on the lookout for gators and exercise common sense.

"Alligators, despite their sometimes fearsome reputations, are nowhere near as aggressive as other crocodilians," Warner said, "but they still need to be respected. They're big, powerful animals."

Alligators are ectothermic, which means they cannot create their own heat, Warner said. So, as the weather warms up, the creatures are more frequently seen basking in the sun near bodies of water where they live.

And also, Warner pointed out, "We're right on the onset of their mating season; so by the end of next month, mating season will be in full swing and alligator activity will be higher than normal."

During mating season, male alligators, called bulls, sometimes fight for territory with other males. Not only does this make the alligators a little more alert, but it also forces males who lose territory into other areas. As female alligators began to gather nearby vegetation for a nest to lay their eggs, there's a shift in territorial aggression, Warner said.

"Female alligators have a very strong maternal instinct, and they will protect their nests," said Mark Kramer, chief naturalist for Armand Bayou Nature Center.

Be safe

The best way people can protect both themselves and alligators is to be aware that alligators are part of local natural environment, Warner said. Alligators are primarily freshwater animals but can survive in the brackish waters that are common in our area.

"I tell people to expect that there's an alligator in any ditch, pond or bayou in the Houston area," Kramer said. "That's the safest way to approach it."

Warner said that it's important for people to use common sense.

"If you see that there's an alligator in a body of water, don't go in there," he said. "Staying at least 30 feet away from an alligator, whether it's on land or in the water, is a good rule of thumb. They're obviously very strong swimmers, but you'd be surprised at how fast they are on land, especially if they feel cornered."

Kramer, who has spent more than 30 years exploring the waters of Armand Bayou, said that people need to stay vigilant for gators when canoeing and kayaking.

"Armand Bayou is a rare opportunity for people," he said. "It's one of the premier spots for canoeing and kayaking in the Houston area - there aren't many places where you get to experience an urban wilderness. With that being said, if someone sees an alligator while they're paddling, it's important to try and stay 30 to 40 feet away from it."

Also, both experts stress the importance of keeping pets on leashes around water.

"Your dog is probably about the same size as the small mammals gators normally eat," Kramer said. "They can and will go after pets."

What to watch out for

As with all animals, alligators often display warnings before attacking; so knowing the difference between a warning and normal behavior is important.

"Oftentimes the bulls bellow, it sounds kind of like a roar," said Warner. "That's not aggression - that's a common thing they do that we believe relates to communication and mating. They'll often sit out on the banks with their mouths open. This isn't a display of aggression either; it's normal behavior. Hissing, on the other hand, means they're telling you to get back. They do that when they feel defensive and if you're near an alligator that's hissing at you, you're too close."

Alligator attacks are extremely rare, Kramer said. In fact, there's only been one recorded fatal alligator attack in Texas.

"There are millions of gators in the southern part of the country and very few attacks," said Kramer. "Most of those attacks are defensive attacks."

Nuisance gators

Under some circumstances, alligators can be categorized as "nuisance gators." In these instances, alligators have either lost their fear of humans (usually because humans have been feeding them, which is a crime punishable by fine), or are located in a very public place, such as a playground. Warner, whose office oversees the Texas Parks and Wildlife nuisance gator program, said that if people feel they have a nuisance gator on their hands, they can call 281- 842-8100.

"If you have a body of water behind your house and see a gator, chances are that alligator won't be there in a day or so," Warner said. "An alligator behaving like an alligator isn't considered a nuisance. An alligator sitting in someone's front yard is."

Important to ecosystem

As recently as the 1960s, alligators were almost eradicated from our landscape.

"They were one of the first species put on the then newly formed endangered species list, and through conservation efforts, they were one of the first species de-listed from the endangered species list," Kramer said. "I remember coming to Armand Bayou in the '70s when it served as a popular swimming hole. There were no gators to worry about - obviously we can't do that anymore."

As apex predators, alligators are incredibly important to the health of our ecosystem, Kramer said.

"When the alligators came back, we started noticing other species come back as well," he said.

Herons and egrets, which have rookeries and a strong presence in Armand Bayou, were two of those species.

"We noticed that the herons were building their nests over the island where the alligators were building theirs," said Kramer. "Because those female alligators will work very hard to protect their nests, it winds up being a beneficial situation for the birds as well. The alligators keep rat snakes, raccoons, possums - basically all those predatory animals - away; so it keeps the herons' nests safe. As apex predators, the alligators really help maintain the balance of our ecosystem here."

Warner said that apex predators, like alligators, can serve another beneficial function.

"They're a great barometer for telling you what the health of the ecosystem is like," Warner said. "If you have healthy apex predators, you have a healthy, sustainable ecosystem. You can use them as a cheat sheet to show you where some of your problems lie. It's incredibly important that we practice good stewardship and conservation to protect species like this, especially in our urban area."

For more information, visit Armand Bayou Nature Center's website at www.abnc.org or the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department at http://bit.ly/2pjnBhr.
U.S. Rep. Kevin Brady is back in Congress after a visit to "Reagan Country," a trip he says has given him additional inspiration to fight to fix what he's describing as the nation's "horrible tax code."

Brady, R-The Woodlands, was in California over the weekend where he visited former President Ronald Reagan's ranch in the mountains that rise above the coastal city of Santa Barbara. The expansive ranch with its modest buildings was a favorite getaway spot for Reagan during his presidency, becoming known as the Western White House. It was at the ranch where Reagan signed the Economic Recovery Act of 1981, one of two major tax pieces of legislation that reduced taxes and became known as the Reagan tax cuts.
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Nearly one year ago, Tonya Jones moved to Houston for a new job. When she arrived at her new rental home, she discovered she had fallen prey to a scam that left her homeless.

"I had a job, I had a place to stay," said Jones, 47, who visited the area prior to the move-in date. "When I showed up to get my keys, (the owners) didn't show up. Basically, they took my money and I had no place to stay. It was a nightmare."

Jones spoke to 200 people who attended Family Promise's third annual women's luncheon at The Woodlands United Methodist Church Friday as a business owner helping others to succeed.

Jones entered the Family Promise program on April 5, 2016, her birthday. The Montgomery-County based program collaborates with community churches to aid about 20 homeless and low-income families with children annually. The funds raised by the luncheon will not only aid the Family Promise shelter, it will help cover basic need expenses, including minor vehicle repairs and food, to help homeless and low-income parents return their focus to their families, employment and stability.

Jones credited the help of the program, its affiliates, donors, and sponsors for her success. Her business, Michael Resource Group, is an employment agency located in Downtown Conroe on Thompson street that offers education and training to help applicants qualify for the job.

"This year on my birthday I realized what a gift God to me last year," Jones said. "I want to let you know I trust in their work, what they do, and believe they truly make a difference. Family Promise is a family to me and I want to encourage you to know that Family Promise works, it worked for me, and I am so grateful."

The luncheon also featured guest speaker Reverend Jessica LaGrone who is now the Dean of the Chapel at Asbury Theological Seminary in Kentucky. Several donors and volunteers were recognized at the event.

"I thought it was wonderful," said Woodlands resident Angela Radford said. "It was just nice to see the community outreach to see all the effort that has been put forth to help within the community and I love that the churches are all involved."

Family Promise graduate and Director LaToya Carter is currently seeking the help of more churches and supporters to provide shelter and services for the families.

"I hope you really understand the need we have for people to continue to support, get involved, and find new ways to develop relationships with us," Carter told attendees Friday. "It's a true benefit to the organization, to the families we are serving, but ultimately it is also a benefit to the people who do get involved."

Carter's mother was in attendance and "proud" to see her daughter on the stage.

"Family Promise provided things for LaToya that I wasn't able to myself," said Lovi Jefferson of Montgomery. "That is just gratitude to our God for such a blessing. It can make you emotional to think, to see her accomplishments."

For more information, call 936-441-8778 or visit familypromise.org
In June 2017, the Village of Glen Carbon will celebrate the 125th anniversary of the date of its incorporation (Quasquicentennial). This is the ninth part of a series of articles dedicated to telling the rich story of people and events that contributed to the development of the community throughout its history.

The fire department has deep historic roots within the Village of Glen Carbon and has proven to be a reliable source of volunteer help when the community needs it. The Glen Carbon Chemical Fire Company No. 1 was organized on July 21, 1901 with 22 members, a handcart and 600 feet of 2-1/2 hose. The Madison Coal Corporation deeded land for a municipal building and firehouse at the crest of School Streets steep hill, providing firemen and their equipment speedy access to homes and businesses down along Main Street. The Village Hall, firehouse and bell tower were completed in 1910 for $6000 by the Oswald Brothers of Alhambra, IL.

The bell could be heard for miles. It alerted firemen for firefighting and was used for other communications. Emergencies at the coal mines were signaled by the mine whistle and the fire bell. The bell tolled a death knell during the funeral of a firefighter and special community celebrations were heralded with bell ringing.

By the 1950s the bell tower and bell were removed to meet safety regulations and the bell itself was placed on display at the new Fire Station No 1 on Main Street.

A 3 year restoration project of the bell tower began in January 1995. A cooperative venture, including the mayor, the Village Board of Trustees and the Glen Carbon Fire Protection District insured the success of this community achievement. The treasurer spearheaded the project, while the Building and Zoning Administrator headed up a team of volunteers who reconstructed the tower using an architects drawings from old photos. The Fire District made a generous donation toward the purchase of a replacement bell. The project received a Superior Achievement Award from the Illinois State Historical Society in 1997. The building and tower were awarded Local Landmark status by the Glen Carbon Historic Commission in 2000.

Today the first floor of the building is headquarters of the Metro-East Railroad Club, a group of railroad enthusiasts who have created a railroad layout depicting a portion of the village from the 1920s through the 1940s era.

An article from the Intelligencer dated July 1907 stated:

The people of Glen Carbon were aroused by the startling tooting of the big fire whistle at Mine No. 2 a few minutes after 10 oclock last night. Several hundred Glen people hurried to the mine ready and willing to protect the property which constitutes one of the means of their livelihood. The compressor room was all ablaze, and it was a hard fight to protect the rest of the top works and keep the fire from reaching the boilers. An explosion would have wrecked the plant and imprisoned the hundreds of men who were working in the mine, ignorant of the fact that the top works were afire. What injury was done to the machinery had not been ascertained this morning, but Glen people are hoping that the mine will not be disabled for more than a few days.

In 1921, a Ford Model-T pumper with 500 feet of hose was the departments first mechanized truck. This equipment was updated in 1941 with a Dodge truck pumper purchased from the Central Fire Truck Company. A creative approach to meeting the needs of the community with limited financial resources occurred in 1947 at a joint meeting of the Fire Truck Committee and the Village Board. The two agreed that the new fire truck chassis be rigged so that it could double as a village truck. The truck was painted red with Glen Carbon Fire Department on the hood and doors, and Village of Glen Carbon on a board on top of the dump bed.

The department reorganized in 1955 as the Glen Carbon Fire Protection District, its own taxing district. Bernard Birger, Nick Hamilos and Albert Miller were appointed as the first trustees. That same year, land was purchased and a new firehouse was built near the old village ball diamond. The firemen gave a card party to furnish the new engine house. This station has served well for 60 years. The Fire Protection District is planning to break ground for a new station in late 2017.

In 1957, a new GMC truck was purchased. In 1967, a Ford front-mount pumper was added to the fleet to aid in fighting brush and grass fires. This brought the number of on-line pumpers to three. The Fire District expanded its rescue service with the addition of a 1971 Dodge rescue truck. During this time, ambulance service was provided by neighboring communities. In 1975, a new Ford pumper replaced the retired 1941 Dodge. This was the Fire Districts first diesel powered apparatus.

In 1981, the Fire Protection District expanded due to the growth of the Cottonwood area. Property owned by Farm Service near the intersection of Route 159 and Glen Carbon Road was purchased and Station No. 2 was constructed. The 3-bay station included some of the latest in electronic technology. As of 1992, the all-volunteer Fire District consisted of 45 well-trained firemen. Currently, there are 33 all-volunteer firefighters. There are four EMTs with one in training. All are trained as first responders. A full time firefighter was recently hired. Following a tax referendum, in 2005, Glen Carbons own ambulance service began in June 2007. The EMS Department has a director and includes eight full time and 23 part time paramedics. Glen Carbon has three ambulances and one on order. The Fire District includes four female members.

Presently the Fire Protection District has three engines, one ladder truck, one brush truck, two EMS rescue vehicles, an ATV, a utility truck, and a pick-up truck. The Fire District answers about 1500 calls per year.

The Glen Carbon Heritage Museum has an exhibit acknowledging the importance of Firefighters to Glen Carbon.
The Dark Hedges, located in Belfast, Northern, Ireland is one of the most iconic locations in "Game of Thrones." (Photo : Getty Images News)

Tourism is expected to increase in China and Ireland as direct flights have been established between the two countries, according to an article by The Irish Times.



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In 2016, Ireland received over 50,000 Chinese visitors. The numbers are expected to reach even double now that the air link is introduced, although the target number has been set to 50,000 for 2017.



Although we havent got official figures yet, last year were very sure the numbers were over 50,000 and thats the target we set for 2017, said Niall Gibbons, Tourism Ireland chief, at an event held at the Irish embassy in Beijing.



Now we have completed a review of developing markets out to 2025 and we feel there are really good prospects in this market here, so thats why Im here for my seventh time in China, Gibbons told The Irish Times.



Direct flights between Ireland and China have been widely demanded for years, making its introduction a very welcome one. In the past, traveling between China and Ireland required a layover in Europe or the United Arab Emirates.



No airline has yet stepped up to debut the route, although experts in the travel industry say that a Chinese carrier is most likely to open a flight from China to Ireland in a few months.



This year we are looking at a 100 percent increase in the number of Chinese visitors, Alison Johnston, head of tourism at Kildare Village, told The Irish Times.



Kildare Village is one of the companies taking part in a trade mission to Hong Kong, Beijing, Guangzhou and Shanghai.



According to the data from the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), Chinese tourist spending increased by 12 percent over 2015. Meanwhile, the number of travelers increased to 135 million.



The tourists like the higher-end brands--handbags, clothes with brands they recognize. Anything high-end with a European brand appeals, said Johnston.


The Plainview/Hale County Airport will be one of the mandatory stops during this years Air Race Classic, June 20-23, and dozens of volunteers will be needed to help.

Those interested in helping out are invited to participate in the initial volunteer briefing, at 2 p.m. Friday, April 28, or 11 a.m. Saturday, April 29.

After listening in, if you are interested in volunteering or would like more information, please dont hesitate to contact me, explains Airport Manager Stacie Hardage at Rocket Aviation. We need lots of volunteers in the capacity that will be discussed in the briefing, but also in other areas as well.

The route, from Frederick, Md., to Santa Fe., N.M., covers about 2,400 statute miles. The local airport is the last scheduled stop before a fly-by at Edgewood, N.M., and the finish line at Santa Fe.

Other stops are Millersburg, Ohio (fly-by); Coshocton, Ohio; Indianapolis, Ind.; Decorah, Iowa; Bemidji, Minn.; Spencer, Iowa; Abilene, Kan.; and Ardmore, Okla.

The Air Classic Race began after the All Womens Transcontinental Air Race (Powder Puff Derby) was discontinued following the 30th race in 1977. Marge Mitchell of Plainview was a regular Powder Puff participant.

According to Air Race Classic organizers, this initial training teleconference will review the planning, logistics, basic timing procedures and important details about the race.

This will be an opportunity for you to learn more about En Route Stop planning, ask questions, and hear the ideas and concerns of other volunteers, race officials explain. Although the presentation focuses on En Route Stops, Start and Terminus Chairs are also encouraged to participate.

If you want to volunteer, but cant participating in the initial training opportunity, dont despair. Plans have been made to record it and post it on the ARC website for any volunteer to review who cannot attend one of these sessions.

Each session will 60 to 90 minutes, depending on questions.

Those planning to take the training should, at the scheduled date and time, dial into the conference number, 319-527-9167. When prompted, enter the Access Code  319704 -- followed by the pound key.

To participate online, go to https://join.freeconferencecall.com/magicmom444 . The online meeting ID is: magicmom444 .

The training is mandatory for stop chairs, head timers and airport managers, and optional but recommended for other volunteers and timers.

In connection with the race, Rocket Aviation will join the Plainview/Hale County Airport in hosting a Chamber of Commerce Business After Hours Mixer/Open House on June 22 to show off recent airport renovations. Also, they will host Sarah Byrn Rickman, author of WASP of the Ferry Command: Women Pilots, Uncommon Deeds, at a book signing. The award-winning author from Colorado Springs, Colo., has written seven books about the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP), the women who flew Army aircraft during WWII.
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WASHINGTON  President Trump will sign an executive order Wednesday instructing the Interior Department to review national monument designations made over the past two decades, an action that could upend protections put in place in Utah and other states where officials have objected to federal safeguards.

The Antiquities Act of 1906 authorizes the president to declare federal lands of historic or scientific value to be national monuments and restrict how the lands can be used.

Trumps action comes after President Obama set a record with the number of national monument designations he made while in the White House. He designated 24 national monuments and also expanded three monuments designated by previous presidents.

Republicans have blasted Obama for his use of the Antiquities Act, deriding his designations as executive overreach and land grabs.

In early March, two Republican lawmakers, including Rep. Rob Bishop of Utah, chairman of the House National Resources Committee, wrote to Trump asking that he reverse the expansion of marine national monuments because they said it put access to the nations key fisheries in jeopardy. It forces Americans to be more dependent on foreign seafood sources, they wrote, hurting the U.S. economy.

In Utah, some Republicans have asked Trump to reverse Obamas designation of the Bears Ears National Monument on more than 1 million acres of land sacred to Americans Indians and home to tens of thousands of archaeological sites. They say it will close the area to new energy development.

Conservation groups have condemned the impending executive order as an attack on U.S. public lands.

In a statement, the National Wildlife Federation said eliminating or shrinking national monuments would short-circuit the will of local residents, hunters, anglers, business owners and recreationists who campaigned, in some cases for decades, for these monument designations.

Losing protected areas could reduce habitats for numerous wildlife species, the group said, and would be a devastating blow to the outdoor recreation industry.

Monument review

National monuments in California covered by President Trumps expected order directing the Interior Department to review monument designations made over the past 21 years:

Berryessa Snow Mountain

California Coastal

Carrizo Plain

Castle Mountain

Cesar Chavez

Fort Ord

Giant Sequoia

Mojave Trails

Sand to Snow

San Gabriel Mountains
The Washington Post first-edition Page 1 for Thursday, April 27, 2017:

Top of the page:

Col. 1: The White House briefs senators about a "very grave threat" from North Korea. (NKOREA). Moved; will be led.

Cols. 2-5: In describing Donald Trump's tax plan, his top economic advisers said the plan would unleash waves of new investment and spending by American companies and consumers, supercharging economic growth. (TAX-ANALYSIS). Upcoming.

Col. 6: In a major test for Donald Trump, the White House unveils a dramatic plan to overhaul the tax code. (TAX-2NDLD). Moved; will be led.

Below the fold:

Cols. 1-4: The rise and fall - or maybe rebirth? - of the White House correspondents' dinner. (CORRESPONDENTS-DINNER). Moved; two photos and one video.

Cols. 5-6: An elephant tranquilizer is the latest lethal addition to the heroin epidemic. (ELEPHANTDRUG). Moved.

Bottom of page: Keys to inside stories.

Sent: 7:13 p.m. ET

Washington Post News Service with Bloomberg News
Key officials will meet at the White House on Thursday to discuss whether President Donald Trump should make good on his campaign promise to "cancel" the Paris climate agreement, or allow the United States to remain a party to the global pact - confronting head-on an issue that has divided the administration and raised concern in the international community.

The meeting will bring together officials with sharply opposing views about the administration's position on the historic agreement, signed by nearly 200 countries, which Trump as a candidate promised to cancel.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and senior adviser Jared Kushner, who may also participate, support remaining in the agreement.

Other attendees such as Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt and Energy Secretary Rick Perry are opposed. Pruitt has publicly called on the United States to exit the agreement. Perry has suggested renegotiating the deal, but it is unclear how that can be accomplished.

White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus will be at the meeting, and chief strategist Stephen Bannon may also participate.

Officials plan to discuss multiple scenarios, according to people who have been briefed on the matter but spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations.

These will include pulling out of the voluntary agreement, or remaining part of the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change. Those who advocate staying in suggest that the administration can scale back the amount of foreign climate assistance the United States has pledged to provide under the deal, and push countries such as China and India to commit to deeper emissions reductions. Opponents argue that that strategy is unrealistic.

The Trump administration has been under pressure to define its position on the Paris agreement ahead of upcoming international meetings, including of the eight-nation Arctic Council in Fairbanks, Alaska, and the G-7 in Italy, where international partners will inevitably be asking questions and seeking to adopt statements about it.

White House press secretary Sean Spicer has said that the administration will make up its mind about Paris "by the time of the G7 Summit, late May-ish, if not sooner."

The much-anticipated meeting had been put off last week after several top Trump officials traveled with the president to Wisconsin.

Business groups are also divided on the agreement. On Wednesday, more than a dozen major firms, including Shell, BP, General Mills, Walmart, PG&E and Unilever sent a letter to Trump urging him not to abandon the accord. By contrast, the National Mining Association's board of directors voted Tuesday to endorse a withdrawal from the climate agreement.

A number of climate experts have suggested they expect the White House will eventually decide to remain in the agreement. "I think there is a better than 50/50 chance that the Trump administration will stay in the Paris agreement. I think odds are they will stay in," Al Gore told the TED conference in Vancouver Wednesday.

The internal administration debate about the U.S. position toward Paris was echoed on Capitol Hill on Tuesday when Rep. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., who served as Trump's energy adviser during the campaign, convened a panel to debate the merits of staying in, or departing from, the agreement.

The event showed surprising support for the "stay" position, including from conservatives.

Cramer said at the start of the meeting that he had been a Paris opponent, but had been swayed by Tillerson's argument that there are things to be gained from the United States maintaining a "seat at the table."

"The longer I think about it, the more I've spoken about it to people, the more convinced I am that there's a lot of upside to staying in if we do this right," Cramer said. In particular, he said, he thinks the United States could wield more influence.

Scott Segal, a lawyer with Bracewell, argued that there was no contradiction between Trump's plans domestically to roll back the Clean Power Plan and staying in the Paris accord.

"While Paris does encourage forward momentum to addressing our national contributions . . . it does not require a particular regulatory outcome. For example, it does not require the Clean Power Plan," Segal said.

However, Christopher Horner, a lawyer with the Competitive Enterprise Institute, argued that environmentalists would use the United States' participation in the deal in lawsuits to force climate actions, and that the ongoing negotiations would provide repeated opportunities for the rest of the world to criticize the United States for its overall carbon output.

"There are many rationalizations, we're hearing more every day, for President Trump breaking his promise," Horner said. "I think they are rationalizations, they aren't reasons."

One thing is clear: If the Trump administration does stay in the Paris accord, it seems unlikely that it would also be able to stick with the United States' current pledge under the agreement to cut its emissions 26 to 28 percent below 2005 levels by 2025.

The administration has set about dismantling many key Obama policies that made that pledge possible, and the economic consulting firm Rhodium Group has estimated that the elimination of those policies would mean the United States would cut its emissions by 14 percent by 2025 compared to 21 percent if they stayed in place.

So the Trump administration would have to revise that pledge downward, an act that surely would trigger international opprobrium. The Paris accord is aimed at getting countries to increase their ambition on emissions, not decrease it, over time.

But the U.S. could nevertheless do so under the bottom-up, nonobligatory structure of Paris, said Keith Benes, a former State Department attorney who is now a fellow at the Columbia University Center on Global Energy Policy and who also spoke at Cramer's event.

"Nothing prevents the U.S. or any other country from communicating a different goal for emissions reductions," Benes said.
Mexico City locals will be able to get acquainted with Chinese culture and history through the newly opened Chinese Library. (Photo : Getty Images)

To help promote cultural exchange in the country, Mexico opened its first China-themed library on Monday, April 24, Xinhua reported.



In addition, the Chinese Library serves as one of the markers of China and Mexicos 45 years of diplomatic relations.



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Located at the Anahuac University in Mexico City, the Chinese Library will feature thousands of books on Chinese culture, with the scope including history, art, traditional medicine and music.



Aside from literature, digital and video archives that feature Chinas regions, ethnic groups and lifestyles will also be housed in the library. Large-screen monitors have been outfitted into the 120-square-meter facility for screenings.



Special software in Spanish and English have also been added to help students learn Mandarin.



The inauguration of the Chinese Library, which is the 14th of its kind in the world, was attended by officials from China and Anahuac University.



According to Cui Yuying, deputy director of the State Council Information Office, the Chinese Library will become a window that will allow Mexicos different social circles to better know our country, and it will also be a new platform for deepening educational, academic and cultural exchange.



In addition, Cui hopes that China and Mexico can work together to continuously support 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.



For Cipriano Sanchez Garcia, rector of Anahuac University, the Chinese Library is the culmination of cooperation between the university and Chinas State Council.



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, Sanchez Garcia shared.



Similar libraries have been opened in Japan, Turkey, Belgium, Congo, Russia, Tanzania, Laos and Australia, among others.


One Belt, One Road trade route (Photo : Getty Images)

The Sino-Ukrainian cultural exchange week dubbed One Belt, One Road opened in Kiev last Monday, April 24, according to an article by Xinhua.



The cultural exchange week is held in honor of the 25th anniversary of diplomatic ties and cooperation between China and Ukraine, as well as the upcoming Belt and Road forum to be held in Beijing in May.



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In attendance at the opening ceremony of the cultural exchange week were former presidents of Ukraine Viktor Yushchenko and Leonid Kravchuk. They were joined by Ukrainian parliament representatives, Ukrainian and Chinese officials, and local business giants, Xinhua reported.



During the ceremony, Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Gennady Zubko stated that the One Belt, One Road cultural exchange week will advance Ukraines dreams of becoming an integral part of the modern Silk Road.



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 said.



One of the benefits of participating in the Belt project is the advancement of transport infrastructure in Ukraine.



Meanwhile, Ukraines first lady, Maryna Poroshenko, and Zhang Wenkang, head of the Chinese delegation, expressed their desire for the cultural exchange week to bolster mutual trust and dialogue among all the countries in the Silk Road.



Today we are witnessing the cultural dialogue between the East and the West, said Poroshenko.



It is very important that Ukraine, which lies on the route between China and Europe, has become an important link in building [the] new continental belt connecting the East and the West.



The Sino-Ukrainian cultural exchange week will feature several events that will allow visitors to learn more about Chinese history, culture, customs and traditions. More importantly, several cooperation agreements will be signed within the week.



This is not just the cultural festival but also the handshake of two outstanding civilizations, said Du Wei, the Chinese ambassador to Ukraine.


Star Wars fans attend the Opening Night Celebrations of Walt Disney Pictures and Lucasfilm's 'Rogue One: A Star Wars Story' at The TCL Chinese Theatre on Dec. 15, 2016 in Hollywood, California. (Photo : Getty Images/Kevork Djansezian)

"Star Wars: The Last Jedi" has begun teasing fans with new information about the characters and many other aspects of the film. Here's all the information we know on "Star Wars: The Last Jedi."



Laura Dern's resistance character



When Dern was announced as a new cast member last year, her character was not revealed until recently. According to Comicbook.com, Dern is playing Admiral Holdo, a commanding member of the Resistance.



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However, Dern won't dress up in similar outfits we've seen of the other admirals in the films. Dern's Admiral Holdo will be sporting a "long mauve regal gown with a short cape that hangs down in the back with a concealed laser pistol." It is also said that the overall look of the character looks like something from the prequel ear of Star Wars.



New Resistance Starships



Not only is Dern playing an admiral with regal-looking garb, but she's also beefing up the Resistance's facilities with new ships. A report from Making Star Wars stated that Admiral Holdo will make great contributions to the Resistance's firepower by introducing "formidable" ships.



The starships are described as "a sort of an abstract design but they have ball turrets on them just like the Clone Wars' Low Altitude Assault Transports from Attack of the Clones."



Snoke



When Snoke first appeared in "Star Wars: The Force Awakens," many were in the dark as to who he is and what he is capable of doing. It seems that fans will learn more about him in "Star Wars: The Last Jedi."



Making Star Wars revealed that unlike the Sith, Snoke is rather extravagant when it comes to his looks and his gadgets. He wears gold "genie slippers" or "jester shoes" on his feet and wears a huge black ring on his left hand that is likely a kyber crystal. He's a character that's obsessed with money or wealth. As to where he lives, his headquarter is the Mega Destroyer, which is probably the biggest spaceship since in the entire "Star Wars" franchise since the Death Star and the Starkiller Base.


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The voice was menacing but unidentifiable.

It could have been a man or woman, teenager or prankster.

But the words were unmistakable: "Heil Hitler."

Then the line went dead.

Rabbi Dan Gordon didn't hear the muffled voicemail message till he checked his synagogue's phone the next day. Although such hate incidents have been a rarity in the nearly 20 years he's headed the Temple Beth Torah synagogue in Humble, Gordon wasn't afraid.

"I was mostly sad," he said.

The first thing he did was put in a call to the Anti-Defamation League.

Anti-Semitic hate incidents like the one in Humble have jumped 50 percent this year over all of last year in the southern part of Texas, a "disturbing trend" that includes swastikas, Nazi salutes and even bomb threats, according to a report released this week by the Anti-Defamation League.

The surge in the Lone Star state was part of an 86 percent increase nationwide, compared to last year.

"Clearly, ADL is needed more than ever, and we will redouble our efforts to fight anti-Semitism and all types of discrimination," said ADL regional Associate Director Dena Marks.

While 2016 saw 16 reported hate incidents in the League's Houston-based southwest region, the first quarter of this year logged 25 reports, including eight swastikas, one incident of alleged employment discrimination, four anti-Semitic flyers and two reports of Nazi salutes.

At Lanier Middle School last week, students spontaneously sang "Happy Birthday" to Hitler while throwing Nazi salutes.

A Jewish student in the classroom asked them to stop and was met with shocked silence.

"It made me feel really nervous," the 12-year-old said. "It felt like my insides were really squeezy."

Days earlier, a gun-toting alt-right group opposing socialist protesters flew a handful of anti-Semitic signs outside the Hilton Americas in downtown Houston just before Gov. Greg Abbott gave his State of the State address.

Although some of the other hate incidents - swastikas in Sienna Plantation, students saluting Hitler at Cy-Ranch High School, American Vanguard flyers at Rice University - have made the news, the most high-profile threats in the Houston area were the pair of bomb scares at the local Jewish Community Center earlier this year.

But the local religious community is pushing back.

"This is the time to double down on respect," said Martin B. Cominsky, president of Interfaith

Ministries for Greater Houston, who also condemned less overt comments.

"We have to fight casual rhetorical comments and really remember that we have to get to know each other, that words hurt and that we have to be careful about the words we select," he said.

Although some experts tied the uptick in anti-Semitic incident to heated political rhetoric, regional ADL Director Dayan Gross said this level of hate is not unprecedented in recent history.

"I think we have to view the recent increase of anti-Semitic incidents in perspective," he said. "We have at other times seen higher numbers of incidents."

He pointed to a surge in such reportings around 2006, when Israel was involved in war in Lebanon.

"Historically we've found that in times of political uncertainty, social unrest and downturns in the economy - or when Israel has been involved in major wars - that's when incidents have increased exponentially," he said.

Last year's reporting saw a post-election spike, though even in the current tense political climate, Gross shied away from predicting a continued upswing. But Rabbi Kenny Weiss of Houston Hillel said it doesn't look good.

"It's reasonable to say that the uptick as documented by the ADL is significant and is dramatic and does not portend well for the future," he said.

Whatever happens, Gross plans to fight hate with education and advocacy.

"We are working hard to ensure we are able to counter anti-Semitism directly and indirectly," he said, highlighting the ADL's support for hate crime legislation, anti-bias training in schools and new efforts to partner with internet companies to combat cyber-hate.

But Gordon, the rabbi who got the offensive voice message, said he will focus on the good in life.

"These things ebb and flow," he said. "If we reported every instance of understanding instead of the hate crimes, then people might get the idea that learning to live together is the norm."
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Cities all around the world, like Venice or Miami, are beginning to feel the effects of rising temperatures.

As Houstonians struggle with the increased rates of flooding, they too wonder if the city is victim to the changing climate.

Kim McGuire and Mihir Zaver recently wrote an article on the Houston Chronicle detailing how political officials and scientists view Houston's flooding in relation to climate change.

While some scientists seem sure that rising temperatures are to blame for the above-average flooding, officials in Harris County and Houston aren't convinced.

MELTING ICE: 30 terrifying before and after images of climate change

"We don't knee-jerk react to having a very wet year," Russ Poppe, Executive director of the Harris County Flood Control District, told the Houston Chronicle.

Similarly, Houston's appointed "flood czar" Stephen Costello said he hasn't come to the conclusion that the past two year's of once-a-century storms are due to climate change.

Both officials believe the extreme weather is part of the region's expected and regular climate.

On the other hand, Texas Tech's acclaimed climate scientist Katharine Hayhoe seemed more confident as to why Houston is flooding.

"Human-induced climate change has irrevocably altered the background conditions of our atmosphere," said Hayhoe. "And so everything that happens now has some component of climate change. The question is now, how much?"

CLEVER PROTESTERS: Best signs from the March for Science

Heidi Cullen, a scientist who helped identity the cause of Louisiana's recent flooding as climate change-related, said "I'm not sure why the flood control district in Houston would need to wait on any data to see how climate change has influenced extreme weather there. It seems like there's enough information at this point."

To read more about what officials and scientists have said about Houston's flooding and global warming, visit Houstonchronicle.com.

For a visual representation click through above to see maps and charts that explain Houston's flooding woes.
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An auto mechanic convicted of plotting the murder-for-hire of the wife of a former police officer in exchange for a Jeep has lost a federal appeal.

The U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals rejected claims by Joseph Prystash that evidence was withheld in his case and his rights to a fair jury were violated.

Farah Fratta's husband, Robert Fratta, a former Missouri City public safety officer who authorities say was the mastermind behind the killing, was sentenced to die for his role in his estranged wife's murder in 1996.

The couple was reportedly caught in a divorce and custody dispute when Robert Fratta hired two men to kill his 34-year-old wife.

LIFE SPARED: Condemned inmate avoids execution with life sentence for Houston crime spree

According to prosecutors, Robert Fratta first hired Prystash, who was promised to receive a Jeep as compensation for his services, to murder Farah. Prystash worked out a murderous plan but then passed his .38-caliber pistol on to Howard Paul Guidry, whom he enlisted to carry out the deed.

Guidry, a laborer and 18 years old at the time of the shooting, was to receive $3,000 for the killing. Prosecutors say that on Feb. 9, 1994, Prystash drove Guidry to Farah Fratta's house

Guidry then reportedly ambushed Farah Fratta as she stepped from her car inside the garage of her Atascocita home and shot her twice in the head.

Robert Fratta, Prystash and Guidry are all on death row.

Scroll through the gallery above to see the most controversial executions carried out by Texas
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This week in 1959 the elite of Houston welcomed a polarizing figure to the city, a man who would be demonized the next half of the century and become known as one of the biggest enemies of the republic.

The 32-year-old Fidel Castro came to Houston on April 26, 1959 as a man who many thought would bring democracy to a small country just a few hours plane ride from Texas. The Cuban leader was on a two-week tour of the United States, Canada, and South America and was treated as a celebrity of sorts. When the entourage arrived at what is now Hobby Airport (then Houston International Airport) he received an ovation from an assembled crowd.

FIDEL FACTS: Not-so-well-known facts about late Cuban dictator Fidel Castro

Castro and his younger brother Raul stayed at the Shamrock Hotel while in Houston, a favorite of luminaries big and small, while taking in the sights and sounds. According to the Houston Chronicle, Raul wasnt as warm and friendly to the Texans he encountered as his Stetson-wearing brother Fidel was, making jokes about his beard to the clean-shaven locals and generally charming the natives.

Fidel Castro swept through Houston in glory bordering on pandemonium, with sirens failing to drown out the cheers of his admirers, the Houston Chronicle wrote that week. He kissed no babies, though he tried.

Castro hosted a group of Houston businessmen in Havana just a week before. He was used to Texans at this point, the outsized personas and chatter.

DEATH OF A TYRANT: Local Cubans celebrate Castro's death

While he was in Houston he caught up with old friend Robert Ray McKeown, from Pasadena, who ran guns to Castro during the late 50s. Castro's hosts took time out to go to Wharton in a 22-car motorcade to visit a cattle farm where he was given a prized quarter horse. There is even a photo of Castro eating barbecue, flanked by Houston police officers.

A banquet was later held (at the request of then-Senator Lyndon B. Johnson) with Castro as the guest of honor, attended by then-Mayor Lewis Cutrer and oilman John B. Ferguson. It was imperative that an apolitical group host the affair with the Cuban leader. Houston businessmen wanted a part of Castro's new Cuba, or so they thought. What Castro would turn Cuba into over the next decade wasn't on anyone's mind.

PHOTOS GALORE: Fidel Castro through the years

While he was in Houston he reportedly signed a deal with oil millionaire Frank B. Waters to sign over the film rights to his heroic life as a Cuban leader. Marlon Brando was to play the revolutionary in a movie that never made it to the big screen.

The Castros left after just one whirlwind day in Houston, with Raul flying back to Havana and Fidel flying down to South America to continue his goodwill tour.

Within a few weeks Castro signed into law a decree that nationalized nearly 500,000 American-owned acres in Cuba, some of which were owned by the King Ranch.

All the people who had loved him so much in Houston were soon wondering where the love went after all that Texas-sized hospitality was expended.
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A man fatally shot in a Chick-Fil-A parking lot Sunday on the North Side was identified by the Bexar County Medical Examiners Office.

Mark Anthony Saldivar, 23, died as a result of a gunshot wound to his chest and shoulder at 5:31 p.m. in the 27 Northeast Loop 410, the medical examiner confirmed.
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It started with a few tiaras.

Every year, Paula Gallegos-Denton and her friend Marci Aguirre would snag a couple tiaras and wear them to the annual Night in Old San Antonio fundraiser, the signature Fiesta event that celebrates the citys diverse cultural history.

Each year, the friends  and a third friend who has since passed away  would add more ornamentation to the tiaras and their ensemble: Flowers, glitter, anything to make it a bit more festive.

It kept growing and growing, Gallegos-Denton said. We kept looking for ways to outdo the year before.

Finally, the friends decided they would have to ditch the tiaras and settle for hats instead. So for the last five years, they have gathered at one of their homes, spending a day drinking sangria and carefully placing, gluing and painting large flowers onto their big, colorful hats. (Sometimes, they admit, there is more drinking than decorating.)

The friends call themselves the Petite Flowers, and for the last four years theyve also had Fiesta medals produced to celebrate their nickname and friendship. This year, the pink and blue medal shows three women in big colorful hats, smiling above a drawing of the Riverwalk.

On Tuesday, Gallegos-Denton and Aguirre started the evening at Durty Nellys Pub for a couple drinks before heading over to the event to enjoy the food, drinks and hoopla. The 69th annual four-day festival started Tuesday and continues until Friday.

This is the mother of all events, Aguirre said. Its a fun time, its safe and its family-oriented. We love it.

NIOSA, which was initially dubbed The Indian Festival, commenced in 1938 as a one-night street fair. In its first year, it netted $336 for the San Antonio Conservation Society, one of the oldest and most active community preservation groups in the United States. The group still sponsors NIOSA today.

The event evolved over the years, eventually becoming A Night in Old San Antonio in 1948. Today, the eating and drinking extravaganza is one of Fiestas trademark events, drawing around 85,000 visitors every year, according to event organizers.

NIOSA raises roughly $1.4 million for restoration and preservation of historic properties and parks throughout the city, as well as education and advocacy programs. Since 1959, roughly $600,000 has been raised from the sale of cascarones alone.

This year, partygoers can enjoy several new foods, including fried Oreos, fried dill dippers, funnel fries and a flaming Cheetos concoction made with chamoy and diced pickles. Theres also new drinks, including local craft beers on tap.

But those who enjoy the classics  including tortillas from Marias Tortillas and chicken on a stick  need not worry. There are 200 food and drink booths scattered between the themed sectors, which sell everything from egg rolls to elotes to escargot to frog legs. Food and drink are purchased with tickets, which are sold at separate booths that only accept cash.

Around 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Pauline Siebart and her friends got in line at Marias Tortillas. Its been 25 years since the Dallas resident has attended a Fiesta event, and her friends insisted she try one of NIOSAs most famous foods, a grilled corn tortilla buttered and filled with cheddar cheese and homemade salsa.

Already, dozens of people had congregated in the line, which wrapped around the square.

Ive never stayed in line this long for a tortilla, Siebart said. It better be good.

Nearby, you could hear the crack of a cascarone and the distinct clinking of Fiesta medals. A group of friends walked by wearing flower crowns, the obligatory Fiesta wardrobe accessory, while another woman juggled a marinated steak shish-kabob and sangria.

I didnt realize this was such a big thing, one Fiesta-goer said as he walked into the event.

And its just getting started.

NIOSA runs through Friday from 5:30 to 10:30 p.m. Tickets are $12 in advance or $15 at the gate. Children under 12 are admitted free when accompanied by an adult.

eeaton@express-news.net
SAN ANTONIO  Over the course of the first weekend of Fiesta, the San Antonio Police Department has made nearly 100 DWI arrests, according to preliminary numbers, which is up more than 30 percent from last year over the same period.

There have tentatively been 90 arrests from Thursday through Sunday by San Antonio police officers for DWI-related charges, according to the department. The days are as follows:
Texas Senator Ted Cruz announced a bold plan this week to take as much as $14 billion seized from cartel kingpins like Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman and use it to fund President Trump's border wall.

Republican Cruz introduced the bill, titled "Ensuring Lawful Collection of Hidden Assets to Provide Order Act," Tuesday to allow the assets forfeited to the U.S. from prosecution of drug lords like the former Sinaloa cartel leader to go toward building a border wall.

READ ALSO: Here's what construction companies are pitching for Donald Trump's border wall

"Fourteen billion dollars will go a long way toward building a wall that will keep Americans safe and hinder the illegal flow of drugs, weapons, and individuals across our southern border," Cruz said in a news release. "By leveraging any criminally forfeited assets of El Chapo and his ilk, we can offset the wall's cost and make meaningful progress toward achieving President Trump's stated border security objectives."

This week, the president said the wall would be an important tool in stopping drugs from "pouring into our country and poisoning our youth."

RELATED: Stakeholders voice concerns amid uncertainty over border wall plans

While campaigning, Trump regularly said Mexico would pay for the wall. In a tweet Tuesday, Cruz posted an image of Guzman's mugshot in the center of a fake dollar bill that said, "El Chapo will pay for it."

On Sunday, the president tweeted: "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."

Despite promises to build a border wall, a poll published earlier this month shows most Texans don't want one.

In a statewide survey conducted by Texas Lyceum, a nonprofit focusing on issues affecting the state, 61 percent of voters said they opposed a border wall as a way of stopping illegal immigration. Thirty-five percent were in favor of the wall and 4 percent did not answer.

kbradshaw@express-news.net

Twitter: @kbrad5
China-Australia Cybersecurity Cooperation (Photo : Getty Images)

Australia has agreed to work with China on cybersecurity issues following a meeting between Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, Foreign Minister Julie Bishop and Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party's Central Commission for Political and Legal Affairs Meng Jianzhu in Sydney last week.



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An article on zdnet.com said that the two countries have agreed not to engage in or support online theft of intellectual property, trade secrets or confidential business information to gain competitive advantage.



According to a statement from the Australian prime minister, the two countries have also agreed to abide by the reports of the United Nations Group of Governmental Experts on cyber-sphere, which include the standards of responsible state behavior in cyberspace.



The two countries also plan to create a mechanism on how to negotiate cybersecurity and cybercrime issues to prevent cyber incidents that could affect the relations between the two countries.



The agreement on cybersecurity alliance came a month after Turnbull and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang met, where cyber-related intellectual property theft issues were raised.



A memorandum of understanding on intellectual property was signed between China's State Intellectual Property Office and IP Australia during the meeting in March.



"This new agreement deepens the existing cooperation between Australia and China on intellectual property matters and supports the role of our newly created IP Counsellor to China," Arthur Sinodinos, Industry, Innovation and Science minister, said last month.



"It will enrich the bilateral relationship, help us provide guidance on the IP systems in both countries, and assist Australian businesses to better navigate the Chinese IP system," the minister added.



According to the report, the new agreement is similar to the one signed between China and the U.S. in September last year which established "a high-level joint dialogue mechanism on fighting cybercrime and related issues."



Australia and the U.S. also have a similar arrangement in which the two countries conduct an annual Australia-U.S. Cyber Security Dialogue.



President Xi was previously quoted as saying that Internet sovereignty should be protected as he maintained that countries should not meddle in other countries' internal affairs.



"We should respect every country's own choice of their Internet development path and management model, their Internet public policy, and the right to participate in managing international cyberspace," Xi said at the time.



"There should be no cyber-hegemony, no interfering in others' internal affairs, no engaging, supporting, or inciting cyber activities that would harm the national security of other countries."



The two countries also signed a formal "Dialogue on Innovation" agreement in March that will enable both to exchange ideas on innovation and as cybersecurity.


With a little more than a month left in the 85th legislative session, we are quickly approaching the finish line to address the states priorities. There is no question that providing a high quality public education to our children is among the most pressing matters before the Texas Legislature.

The overwhelming majority of students in this state receive a public education, and more parents are electing to send their child to a public charter school. In fact, public charter schools are the fastest-growing public school system in the state with enrollment exceeding 250,000, increasing at more than six times the rate of school districts per year.

Demand is growing rapidly and as a result, Texas families find themselves facing a waiting list to enroll their child in the public charter school of their choice. As of 2016, more than 141,000 students were on charter school waiting lists.

These children are stuck waiting for a seat in the classroom because the state does not provide direct facilities funding to public charter schools. On average, the state spends $1,400 less per pupil on public charter school students than their peers attending other public schools.

How long will we allow Texas students to wait with no alternative to meet their needs and help them achieve their highest potential? It is clearly time for the Legislature to act.

Every child deserves access to the best education. We have listened to Texas families and answered their call to provide public charter schools with facilities funding through Senate Bill 457 and House Bill 2337. This legislation would make facilities funds available to public charter schools, allowing operational funds to go toward their intended purposes  instructional materials and teacher salaries. This would also help charter schools grow to meet the demand of families and move students from a waiting list to a classroom.

Charter school students in Texas are treated as public school students in every regard except funding. Public charter schools are held to stricter accountability standards than other public schools and automatically close if they fail to meet academic or financial standards for three consecutive years; note that we support the closure of schools that fall short in delivering an excellent education.

It is the responsibility of the state to provide an adequate, suitable, and efficient education to every child, and we understand the gravity of this responsibility. As a mother of a fifth-grade charter school student and a father of eight children who went through the public school system, we know firsthand the importance of education.

Providing parents options within public education is not a partisan matter; this is a concern for every Texas family. If a conservative physician from New Braunfels and a progressive lawyer from Houston can arrive at the same conclusion, we believe our Senate and House colleagues should, too. Every Texas child deserves access to the best education, and its the right of parents to select the public school that best meets the needs of their child. We have wide-range bipartisan support for our bills, with co-sponsors representing Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, the Rio Grande Valley and San Antonio.

Public charter schools have operated in this state for 22 years and have a record of serving students through various models, often utilizing innovative methods to achieve results. We ask our fellow legislators to support SB 457 and HB 2337 and narrow the funding gap for students at public charter schools.

Its time to end the wait for Texas students who seek an opportunity to gain knowledge and their share of the American dream.

State Sen. Donna Campbell, R-New Braunfels, represents Senate District 25. State Rep. Harold Dutton, D-Houston, represents House District 142.
First China-Made Military Carrier To Be Launched Soon

China's First Locally Made Aircraft Carrier (Photo : Getty Images)

The first China-made military carrier is anticipated to launch anytime soon. The ship no longer has scaffolding around it and red flags can be seen on its flight deck, based on the latest images released by the state media.



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According to previous reports, the carrier, provisionally named as Type 001A, was scheduled to launch on Monday in line with the celebration of the 68th founding anniversary of the Chinese navy.



However, the launch did not take place due to unfavorable tidal conditions, some experts said. A launch ceremony is likely to be held in the next few days.



South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported of enthusiasts gathering at the pier in Dalian, Liaoning Province. The fans shared photos of the new carrier over social media, with some images showing naval officers practicing for the upcoming ceremony.



President Xi Jinping, the head of the prevailing Central Military Commission, may come to the ceremony, media reports said.



The new ship, with a cruising speed of 31 knots, has a length of 315 meters and a width of 75 meters, just a little bigger than Liaoning, the countrys first aircraft carrier. Liaoning was refurbished from Varyag, a semi-completed Soviet carrier.



Although the new carriers layout is comparable to that of Liaoning, the new carrier includes the most modern equipment--a larger hangar that can contain more J-15 fighters and more room on deck for aircraft including helicopters.



Since Chinas second carrier will be docked at the Qingdao carrier base in Shandong Province, local media made speculations that the ship will be named Shandong.



The ship is anticipated to enter full service in 2020.



The launch of the new carrier will make China the seventh country to have the capacity to make its own aircraft carriers.



SCMP reported that the building of Chinas third carrier, temporarily named as Type 002, is in progress in Shanghai.



China intends to build two Type 002 carriers, according to Hong Kong-based military expert Liang Guoliang. Each Type 002 carrier will have a displacement of 85,000 tons, making the ships the largest Chinese carriers as they surpass Liaonings 55,000 tons and Type 001As 70,000 tons.



The launch of the first China-made military carrier shows that Beijing is exerting effort in advancing its naval forces.


Local News, Crime, Business & Finance

By Long Island News & PR Published: April 26 2017

Anthony Nyame, CEO Of General Capital Corporation, Allegedly Stole Deposits From Clients Intended For Loans, Including $375,000 From A Bronx Church.

New York, NY - April 26, 2017 - Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman announced today felony charges against Anthony Nyame, 59, of the Bronx, for allegedly stealing $800,000 from multiple victims by fraudulently inducing them to believe his Wall Street based company, General Capital Corporation, had the ability to secure millions of dollars in loans. If convicted, Nyame faces up to 20 years in prison.

The elaborate nature of this alleged scheme demonstrates just how shameless the defendant was in exploiting his victims, said Attorney General Schneiderman. It is unbelievable that there are some who would scam religious institutions for personal financial gain. We will not allow fraudsters to rip off New Yorkers, and those who do so will be held to account.

According to the indictment and statements made by the prosecutor at arraignment, Nyame allegedly solicited unwitting victims into believing that his company could arrange for tens of millions of dollars in loans provided they pay hundreds of thousands of dollars to collateralize the loans. In one case, Nyame allegedly promised to obtain a $30 million loan for a Church located in the Bronx that was seeking to build a multi-family dwelling on its property. Instead of using the deposits to secure the promised loans, Nyame allegedly diverted monies from the Church and other investors for his own personal use  including $71,000 in cash withdrawals and transfers to his personal bank account, $47,000 to pay for his Wall Street apartment and an additional $26,000 for assorted personal items. Nyame also transferred hundreds of thousands of dollars to multiple companies and people around the world.

As part of Nyames scheme, he allegedly sent forged documents and fake emails to his victims that purported to come from the United States Treasury, including fake emails from the former Under Secretary David S. Cohen. The goal of the forged documents and fake emails was to convince the victims that the loans were delayed because they were in the process of being approved and verified by the US Treasury.

Nyame was arraigned today on the indictment before Supreme Court Judge Gregory Carro in New York County Court. Bail was set at $2 million bond over $1 million cash.

The defendant is charged with two counts of Grand Larceny in the Second Degree (a Class C felony), one count of Grand Larceny in the Third Degree (a class D felony), five counts of Criminal Possession of a Forged Instrument in the Second Degree (a Class D felony) and one count of Scheme to Defraud in the First Degree (a Class E felony).

The charges against the defendant are merely allegations and he is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.

The Attorney General thanks Special Agent Thomas Brodowski of the United States Treasury, Office of the Inspector General, for his assistance in this investigation.

The case is being handled by Special Advisor to the Criminal Division Gary T. Fishman, with the assistance of Legal Analyst Brandon Shapiro. The Division of Criminal Justice is led by Chief Deputy Attorney General Jason Brown.
Nature & Weather, Local News, National & World News, Health & Wellness, Politics

By Long Island News & PR Published: April 26 2017

In Letter, Coalition Of 14 Attorneys General Vow To Continue Rigorous Enforcement Of Environmental Laws.

Schneiderman: I Will Use Every Tool In My Power To Protect New Yorkers Access To A Clean, Safe, And Healthy Environment.

New York, NY - April 26, 2017 - Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman today joined a coalition of 14 Attorneys General in urging the Trump Administration to reconfirm the United States commitment to the Paris Climate Agreement, which was adopted by countries at COP21 in Paris in December 2015. In a letter to President Trump, the Attorneys General highlighted the agreements importance in addressing and limiting climate change and vowed to continue rigorously enforcing environmental laws in their respective states regardless of the directives from the White House.

Im proud to stand with my fellow Attorneys Generals in support of the Paris Agreement  because we know how essential it is to mitigating climate changes growing harm to our global health, environments, and economies, said Attorney General Schneiderman. If the Trump Administration refuses to uphold its legal obligation to New Yorkers' public health and environment, I am prepared to use every tool in my power to protect our people and our state.

Today, the Attorneys General, led by Maryland Attorney General Brian E. Frosh, urged President Trump to maintain the United States commitment to the groundbreaking agreement:

The Paris Agreement, by securing commitments from countries the world over, reflects this collective interdependency and constitutes an unprecedented global effort to address a problem threatening the well-being of everyone on Earth. The United States showed exemplary leadership in the years-long effort to secure the Paris Agreement, and our Nation should continue to lead by fulfilling its promise to abide by and implement this historic accord.

The Attorneys General note in the letter that climate change is a threat to national security, the economy, and every citizens health and well-being.

As we commemorate the 47th anniversary of that first Earth Day, we confront threats to our planet greater than ever envisioned by those who sounded the alarm almost half a century ago. Climate change, if left unchecked, will lead to global environmental dislocation and disaster on a scale we likely cannot imagine or survive. Yet at the same time, we have reason to be hopeful. The Paris Agreement on climate change, negotiated under American leadership and ratified by the vast majority of the worlds countries, has the potential to achieve a reversal of our current trajectory.
School & Education, Local News, Politics

By Long Island News & PR Published: April 26 2017

Lupinacci: "Its encouraging to see so many of todays young people engaging with their elected officials to raise awareness about such an important issue.

Albany, NY - April 26, 2017 - Assemblyman Chad A. Lupinacci (R,C,I,Ref-South Assemblyman Chad A. Lupinacci (R,C,I,Ref-South Huntington ) was recently visited by students from the Roosevelt Institute, a nonprofit partner of the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum, located in Hyde Park, New York. The students met with Lupinacci to discuss the Institutes mission and to lobby for legislation that would increase voter enrollment and participation.

I was so pleased to welcome this outstanding group of students from the Roosevelt Institute to my office in Albany today, said Lupinacci. I was impressed by their knowledge of election law and legislation regarding voter enrollment as well as their grasp of the various public policy debates facing our Legislature and the state as a whole. As a member of the Assembly Committee on Election Law, its encouraging to see so many of todays young people engaging with their elected officials to raise awareness about such an important issue.
Nature & Weather, Local News, Health & Wellness, Politics

By Long Island News & PR Published: April 26 2017

Includes Over $1.5 Billion in Grants for Local Governments to Improve Water Infrastructure.

Albany, NY - April 26, 2017 - Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today signed the Clean Water Infrastructure Act  a $2.5 billion investment in drinking water infrastructure, clean water infrastructure and water quality protection across New York. This bold investment builds on the Governor's record of environmental leadership and will help local governments pay for local infrastructure construction projects, address water emergencies, and investigate and mitigate emerging contaminants to ensure access to clean, drinkable water for all New Yorkers.

This includes over $1.5 billion in grants for water infrastructure improvements and creates a $75 million rebate program to give homeowners and small businesses an incentive to replace and upgrade aging septic systems. In addition to traditional infrastructure, funds are also available for 'green' infrastructure, with $110 million dedicated for source water protection initiatives, including land acquisition.

"Clean water is an issue of paramount national importance, and New York is once again leading the nation with this bold investment to strengthen the infrastructure of our water systems and protect the long-term health, sustainability and economic vitality of communities across the state," Governor Cuomo said. "This funding will provide New Yorks cities, towns and villages with modernized, sustainable water systems  protecting our precious resources and securing a healthier future for all New Yorkers."

The Governor also announced that municipalities can now apply for $255 million in grants for drinking water and clean water infrastructure projects through the established NYS Water Grant Program and new Intermunicipal Grant Program, funded though the Clean Water Infrastructure Act. Applications and additional information are now available here and must be submitted along with any required supporting documentation to: NYSWaterGrants@efc.ny.gv by 5:00 p.m. on June 23, 2017.

Beyond this $2.5 billion investment, the FY 2018 Budget contains additional investments to protect and improve water quality improvements on Long Island, including:

$300 Million Environmental Protection Fund

The FY 2018 maintains a record $300 million Environmental Protection Fund to safeguard our natural resources and public health. This year's EPF provides more than $17.5 million to protect Long Island's water quality, including:

$3 million for Suffocated County and the Stony Brook Center for Clean Water Technology to develop advanced septic treatment technologies to reduce nitrogen pollution;

$2 million for Long Island Central Pine Barrens Commission to protect drinking water at its source; and

$900,000 to protect the Long Island South Shore Estuary Reserve.

$40 Million to Build Local Sewer Systems in Smithtown and Kings Park

The FY 2018 State Budget invests $40 million to build two local water treatment systems that provide vital support to the continued growth of the region. First, the $20 million Smithtown Business District Sewer Improvement Area project will install sanitary infrastructure in the business district. Additionally, a $20 million Kings Park Wastewater Treatment Facility be installed in the 100-acre, 140 lot central business district area adjacent to a railroad station.

$5 Million for the Stony Brook Clean Water Institute

The FY 2018 Budget invests $5 million for Suffolk County and the Stony Brook Center for Clean Water Technology to develop and evaluate new cost-effective treatment technologies to remove emerging contaminants from drinking water. The initial focus will be on researching and developing treatment technologies to remove the emerging contaminant 1,4 dioxane, which has been found in Long Island groundwater and is not readily removed by traditional drinking water treatment technologies.

The FY 2018 Budget creates new, statewide initiatives to build on New York's ongoing efforts to set national standards for protecting clean water and address the emerging threat of unregulated contaminants:

Drinking Water Quality Council

The FY 2018 Budget establishes the Drinking Water Quality Council to identifies strategies to address emerging threats to water quality. Eight of the twelve Council members are to be appointed by the Governor, including the DOH and DEC Commissioners, as well as an additional representative from DOH and DEC. The remaining four members appointed by the Governor will include a water purveyor representative, a toxicologist/risk assessor, a microbiologist and an environmental engineer. Two each are recommended by the Senate and Assembly representing water purveyors and a member with a background in toxicology or risk assessment.

Require Testing of Unregulated Contaminants

The federal government currently only requires testing for unregulated contaminants for water systems serving 10,000 residents or more. The FY 2018 Budget includes legislation requiring that all public water systems in New York State, including smaller systems not covered under the current federal rule, test for emerging contaminants, like 1,4-dioxane, PFOA and PFOS. The Department of Health will provide financial assistance for the testing to small public water systems that demonstrate financial hardship.

In addition to the FY 2018 Budget initiatives and funding described above, the Governor detailed aggressive actions the State is undertaking to clean-up contaminated sites on Long Island, including:

Cleanup of Gabreski Air National Guard Base

Last year, DEC declared the Gabreski Air National Guard Base in Suffolk County a Superfund Site due to historic use of PFOS-containing firefighting foam. With this designation, DEC identified the U.S. Department of Defense, which oversees the sites operations, as the potentially responsible party for perfluorooctanesulfonic acid contamination detected in nearby groundwater supplies. DEC, in partnership with the Suffolk County Water Authority, is connecting homes on vulnerable private wells to the clean public water supply. DEC is taking aggressive action to hold the Department of the Defense accountable for a comprehensive site cleanup.

Northrop Grumman Plume Remediation

At Governor Cuomo's direction , the Department of Environmental Conservation is pursuing an immediate engineering investigation to expedite containment of the groundwater plumes contaminated with industrial solvents at the U.S. Navy and Northrop Grumman Bethpage site in Nassau County. The investigation assesses expedited cleanup options, including full containment of the plumes, in order to ensure the contamination does not threaten additional drinking water wells. These new aggressive actions are part of New Yorks ongoing efforts to hold the polluters accountable and utilize state Superfund resources to address the movement of groundwater contamination.

Protecting the Long Island Sound Against EPA Dumping

In August 2016, Governor Cuomo announced New York's intention to fight the EPA's designation of the Eastern Long Island Sound Disposal Site. The EPA finalized the designation in December 2016 and, immediately thereafter, New York State issued a Notice of Intent to Sue under the Ocean Dumping Act. Governor Cuomo announced today that the State will file the complaint challenging the EPA's rule next month. This lawsuit will be the strongest in a series of actions taken by New York State over many years to oppose the unabated disposal of dredged material in Long Island Sound.

$388 Million Suffolk Sewering Initiative

The FY 2018 Budget investment builds on the $388 million initiative launched in 2014 to connect 10,000 homes from septic systems to sanitary sewer systems in the Carlls River, Connetquot River and Patchogue River, and Forge River watershed areas and southwest Suffolk Countys Sewer District #3.

Bay Park Treatment Plant

Treated sewage from the Bay Park treatment plant has been impacting Nassau County's Western Bays for decades. New York State is now working with Nassau County to evaluate the feasibility of diverting treated wastewater from the Bay Park treatment plant to the Cedar Creek treatment plant and its ocean outfall. By utilizing an existing, unused aqueduct, this innovative solution would be significantly faster and more cost-effective than the initial proposal to construct a new outfall pipe at Bay Park.

Comprehensive Groundwater Study for Long Island
Phan Phan-Gillis Sentenced to Prison for Spying, Faces Deportation to the US

On Wednesday, April 26, Phan-Gillis was sentenced by Chinese courts to almost four years in prison and deportation. (Photo : Twitter)

Sandy Gillis or Phan Phan-Gillis is a businesswoman in China who will be deported to the U.S. after her husband, Jeff Gillis, fought hard for her freedom.



The businesswoman was charged with spying and a judge from a court in Nanning sentenced her to three and a half years in prison.



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The spying incident occurred more than 20 years ago, according to Gillis's lawyer, Shang Baojun.



"A court can order expulsion from the country for foreign nationals either after serving a sentence or concurrent with a sentence starting, but the judge wasn't clear on which applied here, so I also have to wait to read the verdict," Shang said.



He added, "Of course, I hope that they'll deport her as soon as possible, but we have to wait until we see the written verdict to be sure."



Phan Phan-Gillis is being supported by the United States Consulate in Guangzhou, who said that they have been talking to senior Chinese officials about her case.



The consulate's press office sent an email which stated, "We continue to follow Ms. Phan-Gillis's case closely. We have regularly raised Ms. Phan-Gillis's case with Chinese officials, including at the most senior levels."



The U.N. Working Group on Arbitrary Detention slammed China last year for not observing "international norms relating to the right to a fair trial and to liberty and security."



Senator John Cornyn of Texas said, "The continued detention of Sandy Phan-Gillis is inexplicable and unacceptable. Beijing should release her immediately so she can return to her family in Houston."



Following Chinese President Xi Jinping's call to hunt for foreign nationals and locals who are committing acts of treason, local governments have been mercilessly hunting down suspected spies.



A Canadian national, Kevin Garratt, was also released after being charged guilty of espionage. He worked with a charity which gave relief help to North Korean refugees.


Local News, Crime

By Long Island News & PR Published: April 26 2017

Steven Romeos blood alcohol level at the time of the crash was .66%, officials say.

Cutchogue, NY - April 26, 2017 - The pickup driver who struck the stretch limousine making a U-turn at a The pickup driver who struck the stretch limousine making a U-turn at a Cutchogue intersection in July of 2015 pleaded guilty at a court conference this morning in Central Islip to a charge of driving while impaired by alcohol, Suffolk County District Attorney Thomas Spota said.

Steven Romeos blood alcohol level at the time of the crash was .66%. State law defines Driving While Ability Impaired by Alcohol (DWAI/Alcohol) as having a blood alcohol level of more than .05% Blood Alcohol Content but less than .07 % BAC. For his plea, Romeo will pay a $500 fine and court fees and his license is now suspended for 90 days. The defendant also received a conditional discharge mandating he avoid arrest for the next six months or his sentence will be revisited by the court.

On July 18, 2015, Lauren Baruch, Stephanie Belli, Amy Grabina, and Brittney Schulman were killed and Alicia Arundel, Melissa Crai, Joelle DiMonte, and Olga Lipets were seriously injured when the limousine they were riding in was struck by Romeo at the intersection of County Road 48 and Depot Lane in Cutchogue.

District Attorney Spota said, The painstaking reconstruction of this collision by the New York State Police established the fact that the pickup truck driver, Steven Romeo, could not have avoided this crash. The evidence established the fact that Romeo did not see the limousine enter the intersection until he was approximately 200 feet away, effectively making a collision unavoidable.

By law, there must be a link between Romeos impairment and the cause of the crash for any other charges to be filed against Romeo, Spota said.

The district attorneys office has filed its appeal of the dismissal last year of the indictment of the limousine driver, Carlos Pino, 60, of Old Bethpage

The grand jury found that Pinos heedlessly executed U-turn was serious enough to result in criminal charges, notably criminally negligent homicide and failure to yield the right of way.

The deaths of these four women, and the serious injuries suffered by four others, were entirely preventable, and, as the grand jury found, this devastation was caused by driver failure, improper limousine construction, and inadequate regulatory oversight, DA Spota said.

After 12 months of hearing testimony from 47 witnesses and reviewing thousands of pages of exhibits, the grand jury issued a report in December of last year regarding safety issues raised by the crash.

Among its findings: an additional left turn arrow signal should be installed at the intersection of County Route 48 and Depot Lane where the fatal crash occurred, that legislation must be passed in Albany to make U-Turns by stretch limousines and large commercial vehicles illegal, and that limousine drivers in the state should be at least 25 years of age before being allowed to obtain a Class E license to work as a limousine driver.
The Group for Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM), al Qaedas branch in West Africa, released several photos earlier today from last weeks deadly assault on a Malian base near Timbuktu. The assault reportedly left four Malian soldiers dead and many more wounded.

Last week, JNIM claimed a coordinated assault on a Malian military base in the Gourma-Rharous area of the Timbuktu region. JNIM reported its soldiers overran Malian special forces and took control of the base before French troops arrived. The French military said it sent a detachment of mountain commandos to help Malian forces drive the jihadists back. JNIM said the group withdrew after French airstrikes began. Before it withdrew, however, JNIM reportedly took several military vehicles, weapons, ammunition, and destroyed other equipment. The photos released today confirm this report.

The photos detailed dozens of small arms, mainly variants of the Kalashnikov assault rifle and PK machine guns. Several rocket propelled grenades (RPGs) are shown, as are a handful of mortars and grenades. Large amounts of ammunition were also positioned before a captured military vehicle, which appears to be equipped with a KPV heavy machine gun. Other KPVs also appear to be alongside the other captured weapons.

The same base in Timbuktu was previously targeted in both 2015 and 2016. AQIMs Sahara branch and Ansar Dine, two constituent groups of JNIM, claimed those attacks.

According to data compiled by FDDs The Long War Journal, there have been at least 80 al Qaeda-linked attacks in Mali and neighboring countries so far this year. This number exemplifies the larger trend of a renewed insurgency since last year, when attacks saw a 150 percent increase from 2015.

Photos released by JNIM:

Caleb Weiss is a research analyst at FDD's Long War Journal and a senior analyst at the Bridgeway Foundation, where he focuses on the spread of the Islamic State in Central Africa.

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Al Qaeda announced the deaths of a shura member for its branch in the Indian subcontinent, its commander in Bangladesh, and other fighters during US military operations in Afghanistan over the past year. The eight leaders and fighters are but a small percentage of al Qaeda members killed by US forces in Afghanistan in that time.

Asim Umar, the emir of al Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS), announced the deaths of the jihadists in a video released yesterday. The video, entitled Behold! The Help of Allah is Near! was produced sometime in February or March.

Umar said that US forces killed Usama Ibrahim, a Pakistani jihadist from Islamabad also known as Amjad Bhai, in a ground raid based on information provided by Pakistani military during Eid ul Adha, or mid-September 2016. The raid took place in Zabul province, a known hotbed of al Qaeda activity.

Ibrahim was a member of AQIS top leadership body, the head of Al Sahab Media, al Qaedas official media production arm, and an unsung knight of the media world, according to Umar. He was a cherished heart of Al Sahab Urdu and then Al Sahab Subcontinent.

Umar also announced the death of Tariq Bhai, AQIS head of Bangladeshi Affairs, and five other fighters, but did not indicate when they were killed. They passed away irrigating the desert of Kandahar in hopes that the spring of Islamic system [of governance] shall come back to the land of Bangladesh.

It is worth considering that they all embraced martyrdom in Afghanistan, in US raids, Umar noted, and concluded that this was evidence that the US sought to stop the implementation of Shariah in Pakistan and elsewhere.

Al Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent was formed in Sept. 2014 and includes elements of some of Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Indias most prominent jihadist groups. Since its formation, AQIS claimed credit for a September attack on a Pakistani naval vessel. During the operation, jihadists attempted to hijack the ship and fire missiles at US warships in the Indian Ocean. According to both the terrorist group and Pakistans defense minister, Pakistani naval officers were complicit in the attack

Al Qaeda fighters routinely killed in Afghanistan

While the Obama administration routinely downplayed al Qaedas strength in Afghanistan between 2010 and 2016, the jihadist group operated a network far greater than US military and intelligence estimates, which consistently claimed the jihadist group had only 50 to 100 fighters in country.

This view of al Qaeda in Afghanistan changed after US forces raided two al Qaeda training camps in Shorabak district in Kandahar. More than 150 al Qaeda fighters were killed in that raid alone. After the Shorabak raids, the US military revised its estimate of al Qaeda strength in Afghanistan to upwards to 300 operatives.

Yet, in mid-December 2016, General John Nicholson admitted that the US military killed or captured 50 al Qaeda leaders and an additional 200 operatives during calendar year 2016 in Afghanistan. Among those killed in 2016 were Faruq al Qahtani, al Qaedas leader for eastern Afghanistan, and his deputy, Bilal al Utabyi, as well as a senior explosives expert known as Wahid al Junabi.

The US military continues to pick off members of al Qaedas network in Afghanistan, which has been strengthened by the resurgence of the Taliban. So far this year, two senior al Qaeda leaders have been killed in Afghanistan. The US killed Qari Yasin, a senior al Qaeda military commander and trainer, in a drone strike on March 19. And Afghan intelligence killeded Qari Saifullah Akhtar, a top Pakistani al Qaeda leader, during a raid in the southern province of Ghazni on Jan. 9.

Additionally, reports in the Afghan press indicate that several al Qaeda operatives have been killed over the past month. For instance, on April 9, Khaama Press reported that three al Qaeda fighters were killed, while The Nation noted that al Qaeda members were among 10 jihadists killed in Zabul.

Bill Roggio is a Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and the Editor of FDD's Long War Journal.

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On Aug. 21, 2015, the UK government launched its first targeted drone strike ever. The jihadist in the drones crosshairs was Reyaad Khan, a UK national who was remotely directing recruits to carry out terrorist attacks in his home country. Khan, also known as Abu Dujana al Hindi, was operating in the Islamic States de facto capital of Raqqa, Syria at the time. The UK had used unmanned aerial bombers in the past as part of larger military campaigns. But the 21-year-old Khan, pictured above, was the first jihadist to be specifically hunted in such a fashion.

David Cameron, who was then prime minister, announced the deaths of Khan and some of his associates during a speech before the UK parliament on Sept. 7, 2015. But it wasnt until today, more than a year and a half later, that the UK Parliaments Intelligence and Security Committee released its findings on the matter.

The committee investigated whether the intelligence cited by Cameron and other officials justified the exceptional attention Khan was given. In short, the committee concluded that Khan represented a serious threat.

In its report, the committee agreed with an assessment that was included in a dossier compiled by MI5 in July 2015. That analysis read: [T]hrough his persistent and prolific efforts to recruit, advise, and encourage operatives in the West to conduct attacks, Khan poses a significant, ongoing and imminent threat to the UK.

In the months that followed Khans death, counterterrorism officials around the globe detected numerous plots connected to Islamic State cyber planners living in Iraq and Syria. European authorities would eventually describe these operations as remote-controlled, as Abu Bakr al Baghdadis loyalists, both male and female, provided advice and direction that went well beyond mere inspiration. Looking back on this recent history, it is now clear that Khan and his comrades were among the first jihadists to frequently employ this innovation in the West.

Indeed, the committee asked intelligence officials what concerned them most about Khan. Their answer: his role as an enabler, meaning his various attempts to provide others with the ability and expertise needed to launch attacks inside the UK.

Khan worked closely with Junaid Hussain, another Islamic State cyber planner. In fact, some authorities determined that both Khan and Hussain needed to be taken out in order to stop their network, as the loss of just one of them would not significantly disrupt the Islamic State threat inside the UK.

Hussain perished just three days after Khan. He was struck down in American drone strike on Aug. 24, 2015 in Raqqa. Hussain has been tied to a series of remote-controlled plots in the West, including inside the US.

According to the committees report, the July 2015 intelligence assessment provided to UK officials read: A body of reliable and corroborated reporting indicates KHAN, alongside HUSSAIN, continues to be involved in a concerted and prolific online campaign to recruit, task and encourage operatives in the West to conduct attacks in the name of ISIL.

Not only did Khan provide his would-be accomplices with construction plans for improvised explosive devices (IEDs), he also helped them identify targets.

Another official assessment, authored on Feb. 15, 2016, cited Khans charisma as one of the keys to his ability to repeatedlyrecruit and [mobilize] individuals towards conducting attacks. Khans personal popularity and status online helped attract and influence potential operatives, and he invested significant effort persuading recruits, the analysis read.

The committee reviewed a series of intelligence reports covering the period from Nov. 2014 until Aug. 2015. The details in these reports have been redacted from the final report. But the committee found that Khan and Hussain together encouraged multiple operativesaround the worldto conduct attacks. The pair was connected to at least some of the seven major plots thwarted in the UK in 2015.

The sheer volume of threats generated by Khan and Hussain was far greater than anything UK intelligence officials had to counter in the past.

The committee asked the UK intelligence and security agencies to characterize the plots orchestrated by Khan and Hussain. The agencies responded that while al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) and Anwar al Awlaki had first advocated and promoted individual attacks, the Islamic State had deployed this methodology on a different scale. Khan was prominent in attack planning on behalf of the so-called caliphate, directly inciting individuals to conduct attacks and using social media to identify potential operatives and then provide them with encouragement and basic capability to enable an attack.

Along with Hussain, Khan did this on an unprecedented scale, both in terms of the range of threats and the pace of them.

In the West, there is often a discussion of whether or not terrorist threats are imminent. The committees report demonstrates why the question of imminence can be misleading.

It is clear from the intelligence reports that the timescale between Khan contacting an operative, recruiting them and providing targets could be a short period of time, the committees report reads. The question of imminence therefore appears to [center] not on one specific attack about to take place but on a broader concern that  due to gaps in coverage  a plot might go undetected.

The UK government emphasized in a memo appended to the report that one of Khans attacks could have become a reality at any moment and without warning.

However, according to the British agencies, all of Khans plots were successfully disrupted. The committee credited the government bodies with uncovering and stopping Khans plans, thereby avoiding what could have been a very significant loss of life.

Still, related threats may be looming. The agencies told the committee that they continue to investigate a network involved in such planning.

Khans career as one of the Islamic States most prolific remote-control operatives may have seemed unlikely earlier in his life. A biography provided by the committee says he was born in Penarth, near Cardiff, which is the capital of Wales, and attended Cantonian High School and St Davids College in the city. He was apparently a straight-A student who at one point [harbored] dreams of becoming Britains first Asian prime minister. In a video recorded in 2010, Khan spoke of his desire to rid the world of evil and the problems of growing up in a deprived inner-city area, but also said the UK government was wasting money on illegal wars and more should be invested in young people to prevent them from being led down the wrong path.'

Khan left for Syria in Nov. 2013 and quickly joined Abu Bakr al Baghdadis project. He posted messages on Twitter, bragging about the people he had killed and his extremist plans, the committee found. In June 2014, Khan appeared in an Islamic State video, after which his family spoke of their shock and said he had been brainwashed. Within months, UK officials were regularly receiving reports on the threat he posed.

Ruhul Amin, who was also a UK national, and another individual were also killed in the Aug. 21, 2015 drone strike.

According to the committees report, the UK government argued that there was no other way to stop Khan.

In the prevailing circumstances in Syria, this airstrike was the only feasible means of effectively disrupting the attacks planned and directed by Khan, the government concluded.

Thomas Joscelyn is a Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and the Senior Editor for FDD's Long War Journal.

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Spanish police arrested Tuesday four men over their alleged links to suspects held in Belgium over their alleged involvement in the Brussels airport and metro attacks last year, officials said.

The four were among eight people arrested in a vast operation targeting suspected Islamic extremists carried out in conjunction with Belgian police in the northeastern region of Catalonia, Catalan police said.

"Four of those who were detained have links with people arrested for the attacks carried out at Brussels airport and metro," a spokesman for Catalonia's regional police force told AFP.

It is not clear if the four were directly involved in carrying out the Brussels attacks, the spokesman added.

Belgium has been on high alert since March 22 last year when suicide bombers attacked Zaventem airport and Maalbeek metro station, killing 32 people and leaving more than 320 wounded.

The attacks were led by an Islamic State cell that was also responsible for the carnage in Paris in November 2015.

The men arrested in Catalonia "may have participated or cooperated in past actions" and may have travelled to Belgium, Catalonia's regional interior minister Jordi Jane told radio Rac1.

The eight suspects arrested on Tuesday lived in Catalonia and are aged between 31 and 39, the head of Catalan police, Josep Lluis Trapero, told TV3.

Some of the suspects are linked to organised crime groups and drug trafficking, he added.

Police raided 12 properties in five Catalan cities, including the regional capital Barcelona, as part of the operation.

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A court in Bahrain on Tuesday jailed 36 Shias convicted of forming a "terrorist" group to attack police, and stripped them of their citizenship, a judicial source said.

Three of those sentenced received life terms, while the rest were jailed for between three and 10 years, the source said.

The defendants had been charged with "forming an illegal group that aimed to jeopardise the constitution and laws... using terrorism as one of its means," according to the judicial source.

They were also accused of "possessing explosives without permits", the source said, adding that the defendants confessed to taking part in riots and vandalism.

The Sunni-ruled kingdom has been the scene of frequent protests and clashes with police since security forces quelled Shia-led nationwide protests in 2011 that called for political reforms.

Hundreds of Bahrainis have been arrested and several high-profile figures, including Shia clerics, stripped of citizenship.

Amnesty International on Tuesday accused authorities of "dramatically" escalating the crackdown on perceived critics, with 32 people summoned by the public prosecution within five days.

The rights group said that at least 24 have since been charged with "illegally gathering".

"The intensified crackdown against Bahraini dissidents in recent days is highly alarming and exposes the shocking extremes to which Bahrain's authorities are prepared to go to silence criticism of their human rights record," said Samah Hadid, head of campaigns at Amnesty's Beirut office.

The measures come ahead of Bahrain's UN human rights review session in Geneva on May 1, Amnesty said, adding that the timing "strongly suggests that this is part of a deliberate attempt to prevent peaceful critics from speaking out about the government's record in Geneva".

Amnesty said those summoned included lawyers, rights and political activists and relatives of "victims of human rights violations".

Eight of those charged were told they are banned from travelling, and four have so far been prevented from leaving the country, Amnesty said.

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Zaree, who works for the Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies, has been banned from travelling

Human rights lawyer Mohamed Zaree, a researcher with the Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies, has been selected as a finalist for the 2017 Martin Ennals award, designed to provide protective publicity to human rights defenders.

Zaree is banned from travelling abroad, and was turned back at Cairo airport while on his way to Tunisia in May 2016. The travel ban was based on a police report filed in 2011 which accused a number of Egyptian activists and rights organisations of receiving illegal foreign funding.

The case did not lead to prosecution in 2011 and became dormant, but resurfaced last year.

Also being investigated in the case is the head of the organisation, Bahey El-Din Hassan. Others accused include Hossam Bahgat, an investigative journalist and founder of the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights, and Gamal Eid, a lawyer and founder of the Arabic Network for Human Rights Information. The three have been banned from travel and had their assets frozen.

Zaree is CIHRSs legal researcher and responsible for the organisations media outreach and advocacy.

Mohamed is in imminent danger continuously of being detained and despite that he is fighting and working on human rights, said Amnesty Internationals Guadalupe Marengo.

Mary Lawlor of Front Line Defenders described Zaree as a real leader, saying that he has succeeded in mobilising all the other NGOs and civil society in Egypt and getting them to act in a common way forward.

The two other candidates for the award are a group of five human rights defenders in pre-trial detention in Cambodia (FreeThe5KH), and a transgender woman from El Salvador, Karla Avelar.

According to the award organisers, FreeThe5KH have been detained for their work with the Cambodian Human Rights and Development Association amid a crackdown on civil society and political opposition in Cambodia, while Avelar has suffered discrimination, violence, exploitation, and rape and was imprisoned and then regularly abused by fellow prisoners with the knowledge and participation of the prison authorities.

The award will be presented on 10 October in Geneva.

The Martin Ennals Award for Human Rights Defenders is a collaboration of ten human rights organisations to give protection to human rights defenders worldwide. Its jury is composed of a number of prominent rights organisations including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch.

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When security researcher Jonathan Zdziarski took a job at Apple a few weeks ago, I heard from many people concerned about the future of his macOS app, Little Flocker, a tool that restricts apps and system processes access to files without permission. He was unable to talk details, but recently F-Secure, a leading security developer and analysis company, announced its purchase of Little Flocker, which its rebranded as Xfence.

I spoke to Sean Sullivan, security advisor at F-Secure, about the changeover and the general current set of risks to Mac users. He said Xfence, which was in release form as Little Flocker, will shift into a free beta mode for the foreseeable future. (Those who paid for a Little Flocker license will get some currently unspecified benefit as future pricing for Xfence and its inclusion in other products isnt yet set. Their license will carry through when theres a paid product, Sullivan said.)

The littleflocker.com domain remains up showing a maintenance page and the Check for Updates link, which queries that domain, currently doesnt work. That should change when the new beta is released with Xfence branding.

For those who havent read about Little Flocker in the past, it was designed to combat ransomware, which is the greatest new scourge in the Windows world. Ransomware overwrites your documents with encrypted versions and the attackers demand payment, typically in Bitcoin, to release a decryption key. A few feeble attempts have been made to infect Macs, but because ransomware has such a low threshold to cause harm and such a high reward-to-cost ratio, you can be sure attackers are hard at work.

F-Secure Xfence, the new name for Little Flocker, will be released as a free public beta.

Little Flocker observes every time an app tries to open, write, execute, or otherwise modify any file or folder, and lets you set one-time, short-term, or permanent exceptions. It also has rulesets that it offers to add when it recognizes an app. Because Apple has its registered developers sign released apps with cryptographic signatures, the monitoring system isnt fooled by malicious programs with the same name trying to inherit file privileges. Later updates added monitoring and blocking of audio or video input activation.

Sullivan said part of F-Secures goal to move Xfence forward will make it more accessible to a greater number of users. Hes right that thats needed. While Little Flocker is invaluable if you want to know how apps are interacting with files and folders on your Mac, even the simplified mode requires too much system knowledge for the majority of users. Its a tool for veteran Mac owners and system administrators.

Little Flocker also didnt provide great help for people who use a macOS account without administrative privileges. Some people prefer to work at a lower-privilege level, as it reduces the impact of a security breach; others are users on a computer (family, work, or school) for which they dont have administrative access. Ostensibly, Xfence will need to let an administrative user approve apps or delegate certain approval privileges, similar to parental controls.

The current release also requires a lot of interaction, though it decreases over time. As an experienced user wanting to see all the interaction, I dont mind when new software or a software update requires I approve a number of requests. But a less-interested or less-advanced Mac owner might prefer to only have dubious actions highlighted.

Sullivan said Xfence will benefit from F-Secures broader array of products and malware monitoring. For instance, the companys Security Cloud system anonymously gathers information from users of its security products that let it note emerging threats and push a response back out. That same system, Sullivan said, could automatically whitelist apps for Xfence, reducing the number of times a user has to respond to queries.

The intent with the Xfence release is to make it part of a multi-pronged method of helping users by making smarter deductions about what normal activity is. For instance, a network firewall might take note, Sullivan said, that weve never seen you connect to Bulgaria before. Do we want to let you make that connection? Instead of alerting about anything, outlying behavior prompts notification, removing some of the warning fatigue that otherwise kicks in.

Sullivan, like many security professionals and yours truly, worries about Mac users attitudes about malware due to the paucity of strong attacks. But, he noted, The Mac is more secure from turning your Mac into a bot, but if it deletes all your files, do you care that your Mac is more secure?

He says improved security across operating systems and service operators is part of whats led to the rise of ransomware and other user-side attacks. For instance, banks have improved the detection of illegitimate transactions, so even if an attacker can insert themselves between a user and the bank, the bank might reject the transaction. Criminals thus shift their effort: You cant pick my pocket, so you extort me.

Zdziarski did remarkable work as a one-man band on this app, relying on beta testers and release testers like me to provide usability and functional feedback. F-Secure has over 1,000 employees, and its developers have just started to get their hands deep into the Little Flocker codebase.

Little Flocker was and Xfence now becomes the only Mac product focused prospectively on a massive malware category thats taken in millions of people and organizations worldwide. I hope F-Secures attention leads to other developersmaybe even Appleadding this kind of better file-access monitoring and control to their products.

While Ive been down on anti-virus products in the past, a comprehensive suite of network monitoring, file-access monitoring, and system change behavior tools thats tied together for a single installation and supported with continuous updates from a company with eyes and ears around the globe would be a great boon in keeping Mac users safe.

Right now, you have to install Little Snitch, Xfence, and BlockBlock to achieve those results. Heres hoping F-Secure builds such a tool and inspires competitors to do the same.
Reporters Without Borders (RSF) is proud to announce the release of their 2017 World Press Freedom Index. The 2017 World Press Freedom Index compiled by RSF reflects a world in which attacks on the media have become commonplace and strongmen are on the rise. We have reached the age of post-truth, propaganda, and suppression of freedoms  especially in democracies.

Madagascar. Flawed new media law

The situation in Madagascar, a republic ruled by Hery Rajaonarimampianina since 2014, is generally calm but democratic debate is still limited. Prior to the 2013 elections, many media outlets were censored and closed in order to ensure  respect for the rule of law  and to  overhaul the media landscape . The situation has been less fraught since then but does not seem to be moving in the right direction. Madagascars journalists are critical of a new media law called the Code of Communication because media offenses would be tried under the criminal code, potentially criminalizing journalism. It envisages heavy fines for offenses ranging from insult and defamation to the publication of  false news   a vague charge that means journalists no longer have the right to make a mistake. Coverage of influence-trafficking in connection with natural resources and the environment is still very dangerous.

Don't wait to be deprived of news before defending it!

Reporters Without Borders  April 2017





Madagascar Journalisme 2017. Nouvelle loi mediatique imparfaite

Reporters sans frontieres (RSF) est fier d'annoncer la sortie de son Indice 2017 de liberte de la presse dans le Monde. L'Indice de liberte de la presse Mondial 2017 compile par RSF reflete un monde dans lequel les attaques sur les medias sont devenues habituelles et les dictatures sont en hausse. Nous avons atteint l'age de post-verite, de la propagande et de la suppression de libertes - particulierement dans des democraties.

Madagascar. Nouvelle loi mediatique imparfaite

La situation a Madagascar, une republique gouvernee par Hery Rajaonarimampianina depuis 2014, generalement calme mais ou le debat democratique est toujours limite. Avant les elections 2013, beaucoup de medias ont ete censures et fermes pour assurer  le respect de l'Etat de droit  et  reorganiser le paysage mediatique . La situation a ete moins tendue depuis lors, mais ne semble pas aller dans la bonne direction. Les journalistes de Madagascar ont ete tres critiques vis-a-vis dune nouvelle loi mediatique appelee Code de Communication, parce que des delits mediatiques se retrouvent sous le coup du code penal, criminalisant potentiellement le journalisme. Il prevoit des lourdes amendes pour des delits allant de l'insulte a la diffamation en passant par la publication  de nouvelles fausses  - une charge vague qui signifie que les journalistes n'ont plus le droit de faire derreur. La couverture du trafic d'influence en relation avec des ressources naturelles et l'environnement reste toujours tres dangereuse.

N'attendez pas detre prive de linformation pour la defendre!

Reporters sans frontieres - Avril 2017
The current troubles faced by Egypt, including its suffering economy and the threat of terrorism, are temporary, Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi said on Tuesday in a speech at a youth conference held in the Suez Canal city of Ismailiya.

Earlier in the day, El-Sisi hailed the country's youths and "martyrs" in front of a crowd of some 1,000 young people at the opening ceremony of the three-day gathering, which was broadcast live on national television.

During the event, the president asked attendees to stand for a minute's silence in honour of the country's martyrs.

Around 200 senior government official, MPs, and political and public dignitaries are expected to attend the conference, a presidential source told Al-Ahram Arabic earlier this week.

El-Sisi said that in implementing "tough"and "painful" economic reforms, he has been putting the interests of Egypt above his own popularity, adding that "we should live [in a country] that is properly developed, or leave."

The government has been implementing a set of economic reforms including floating the local currency, cutting energy subsidies and putting in place a Value-Added Tax.

When asked about the country's unemployment rate, which stands at over 12 percent, El-Sisi said that facing this challenge will be tough, since the country's public sector is already bloated and needs no more that 20 percent of its current workforce to function.

The conference sessions and workshops, due to begin on Wednesday, are planned to address issues including a recent surge in the price of foodstuffs, the government's efforts to improve the healthcare system, and sustainable development in the fields of gas and power.

This month's event is the third in a series of such gatherings.

The first regular conference was held in December in Cairo. The decision to hold the regular meetings was announced by the president in October, as one of the takeaways of the first annual National Youth Conference which was held that month.

In January, the second regular youth conference was held in Aswan and tackled challenges facing Upper Egypt, including ways to develop the economy and tourism of the region as well as social and political empowerment among youth. Some 1,300 young people from Upper Egyptian governorates took take part.

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The tunnels project aims to connect the Sinai Peninsula with the Nile Delta

Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi toured on Wednesday the ongoing construction of the Suez Canal tunnels during his three-day stay in Ismailia governorate while attending a semi-regular youth conference, state news agency MENA reported.

The tunnels project aims to connect the Sinai Peninsula with the Nile Delta. During his visit, El-Sisi commented that the project was executed by Egyptians and that no foreign companies had been hired to complete it.

He added that construction on the projects four tunnels would be completed by 30 June.

El-Sisi thanked the workers for their efforts, saying the project proves that Egyptians can complete big projects.

The president was accompanied by Prime Minister Sherif Ismail and Defence Minister Sedki Sobhi as well as a number of youth participating in the three-day conference, which began on Tuesday.

The youth conference sessions and workshops are planned to address issues including a recent surge in the price of foodstuffs, the government's efforts to improve the healthcare system and sustainable development in the fields of gas and power.

This month's event is the third in a series of such gatherings.

The first regular conference was held in December in Cairo. El-Sisi announced the decision to hold regular youth conferences in October, as one of the takeaways of the first annual National Youth Conference held that month.

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MARTINSVILLE  The rain Tuesday morning didn't dampen the spirits of those looking for a brighter future.

A joint effort by the West Piedmont Re-Entry Journey (WPRJ) and the Martinsville, Henry and Patrick County Re-Entry Council, employers and various resources throughout the community came together and opened the doors of their facilities to those who are used to having doors shut.

Designed specifically for individuals who had a criminal background with misdemeanors or felonies on their record, 16 employers and 25 agencies offered a second chance to those convicted of crimes, no matter how recent or long ago the charges occurred.

Mandy Folman, Re-Entry Coordinator for STEP, Inc. and co-chair of the WPRJ, said the show of individuals who came looking for a new life, despite the weather, spoke to their resilience.

To me it says they really want a job, Folman said. Theyre dedicated, persistent. They really want to work.

While the re-entry job fair got off to a slow start on Tuesday, Folman expected foot traffic would increase as the hours passed.

Weve got busses providing transportation, Folman said. Itll bring them right by.

Buses on the PART route drove those interested in the job fair to the First United Methodist Uptown Ministry Center where the employers and resources set up their tables.

Janie Brazier, Longwood University at New College Institute (NCI) off-site program coordinator, expected to see approximately 100 people take advantage of the opportunities available on Tuesday.

When people first walked in the doors of the center, friendly faces greeted them.

One of the first individuals people came into contact with at the event was Longwood University at NCI student Melvin Johnson, who manned a complimentary clothes closet with professional attire for job-seeking hopefuls.

A lot of our brothers and sisters recognize they need jobs. These wonderful people here are going to give them a chance, Johnson said. Theyre used to being shut out. Then coming here, its awesome. We want them to know that we love them and care for them.

Johnson offered a suit to Kelvin Mckenzie, an individual serious about getting his life on the right track.

I am trying to get out of this, Mckenzie said. Im trying to get back to work so I can take care of my fines.

Dressed to impress, Mckenzie spoke with several companies, but one in particular stuck out to him.

I used to work at Springs, Mckenzie said, adding that reemployment with the company could be in his future.

Looking for help

Springs Global representatives Ana Del Toro and Lucy Lucas said they were looking for a certain type of employee to join their team.

Somebody thats reliable, always there, of course, Lucas said. Someone we can count on.

Co-chair of the WPRJ and Department of Corrections employee Emily Johnson said that by offering an event like the re-entry fair, she hoped to help people get back on their feet.

This is where we live, Emily said. This is our community.

By extending an olive branch to those who made mistakes in the past, Emily hopes for a brighter future. The idea seems to be working  at last years re-entry event, the first of its kind in the area, Emily said that approximately 30-percent of individuals who came seeking a job received one as a direct result of attending the fair.

At the correctional facility, Emily said she and other employees do what they can to help the incarcerated get on a pathway to success.

Their re-entry plans start the day they come in, Emily said. From day one, were planning on sending them back out.

Sometimes, the prospect of reentering society causes people to reflect on their lives. The memories could trigger upsetting events from the past.

Warren Rodgers, Jr., executive director of the Southside Survivor Response Center, was at the job fair to help individuals dealing with mistreatment issues.

Were here to make sure folks know there are survivors, Rodgers said. Even if abuse happened in childhood, were here to help you know how to cope in everyday life.

Another organization, Focus on Youth: Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA), also sought to assist people who wanted to move forward from past or current traumas.

Were here to promote our fatherhood program, Mable Finney, executive director, said. A lot of fathers who are returning citizens  and a lot who arent  struggle with that.

Finney handed out brochures with information about how to become a father involved in a childs life and also invited community members currently involved in CASA cases to take part in an upcoming engagement program.

Looking over the event, Martinsville Police Chief Sean Dunn felt the re-entry fair was a success.

I think this is great. Folks reentering our community are faced with challenges, Dunn said. This is a one-stop-shop that offers a number of resources. For a person whos reentering, its an opportunity to feel how much the community cares about you.
MARTINSVILLE  Level funding will be provided to the citys public schools, police department and fire department for the new fiscal year that will start July 1.

That will keep the fire department from having to eliminate its part-time firefighters.

Martinsville City Council made that decision in a unanimous vote Tuesday night before adopting on first reading a proposed $92 million budget for fiscal 2018.

The school division asked for an increase in funding.

Were appreciative that we can get at least level funding, schools Superintendent Zeb Talley said after the council took its vote. I know the citys in a tough financial situation.

Talley said, however, that he expects the schools still will have to make some budget cuts.

The council also voted to fully fund Henry-Martinsville Social Services and Piedmont Arts budget requests. It recently had voted to level fund social services at $331,812 and reduce the arts associations allocation by $10,740 to match Henry Countys appropriation of $8,500.

Social services had asked for an increase of $19,738 to $351,550. Agency Director Tanya Verlik said the increase from the city is crucial to the agency being able to receive a special state allocation of $500,000 needed to hire more staff to handle rising caseloads. The state allocation also is needed, she said, to give employees pay raises to discourage them from leaving and going to local social services departments elsewhere that can provide a little less stress and a little more money.

Piedmont Arts sought level funding of $19,240. Executive Director Kathy Rogers mentioned that the association provides programs for children. She said those programs are especially important now as the schools have limited funding and are facing potential cuts.

The city will dip into reserve funds from utilities to level fund the schools and public safety departments and give social services and Piedmont Arts what they sought.

Earlier this month, the council had voted not to increase real estate taxes, in order to generate more revenue. They also rejected a proposal to cut programs, such as those for senior citizens.

The council was able to do that this year by dipping into their cash reserves. The city has an estimated $9,362,502 in cash reserves.

Legally, the city has to keep $8.463 million of that reserve on hand. Thats a mandate handed down from Richmond, to make sure theres money for cities and counties to pay bills at any point in time. Cities and counties then set their own limit, based on the amount needed to pay day-to-day operating expenses. With that in mind, there was $899,224 available to spend. The city council also took $1,829,497 from the water and sewer fund, as well as $162,540 from the telecommunications fund.
The Egyptian parliament's Human Rights Committee attacked on Wednesday the New York-based Human Rights Watch (HRW) over a report issued this week by HRW urging the German parliament (Bundestag) not to approve an Egyptian-German security agreement on fighting terrorism.

In a meeting led by committee chairman Alaa Abed on Wednesday morning, the committee described the report as evidence that "this radical Western organisation" is biased and serves the interests of radical Islamist movements.

"HRW's report where it criticised Egyptian-German cooperation in the area of fighting terrorism comes at a very crucial time," Abed said.

"While Egypt is fighting a Sinai-based terrorist group that kills Egyptian soldiers, bombs Egyptian churches and openly claims responsibility for such atrocities, the report gives cover to this group to continue mounting its bloody crimes and violent terrorist attacks against the Egyptian people," said Abed.

Abed said that the Egyptian-German "agreement helps security apparatuses in both Germany and Egypt exchange information on terrorist organisations with the objective of foiling terrorist attacks in both countries."

Egyptian Interior Minister Magdy Abdel-Ghaffar signed the agreement with his German counterpart, Thomas de Maiziere, in July 2016, though it is still awaiting approval by the German parliament, with a vote scheduled on 28 April.

The agreement would establish cooperation in a number of fields, mainly counterterrorism, and requires the authorities of both countries to work together in investigations, share information about suspects, and undertake joint operations.

The HRW said in its report that Egypt's interior ministry does not respect human rights and has "a decades-long history of arbitrary arrests, forced disappearances, and torture."

The German government should be getting cast-iron guarantees that Egypt is calling a halt to its abuses, not rushing to put its agents next to Egyptian forces on the front line of repression, the report said.

Abed said that he wonders why HRW's "politicised report" comes after a number of anti-Egypt television channels broadcast a fake video purportedly showing "Egyptian law enforcement troops in Sinai violating human rights."

Abed said that "it is clear that countries that spend money on terrorist groups are trying their best to disrupt any plans to stop their support of these groups."

"These countries know that the Egyptian-German agreement could uncover their support of terrorists, so they moved quickly to step up their campaign against Egypt by exploiting HRW and using it as a tool in this campaign," said Abed.

Abed said that a response to HRW's report will be presented to parliament speaker Ali Abdel-Aal to be presented to German authorities.

"It is important that German authorities know our response to HRW's report," said Abed, indicating that "the German government led by Chancellor Angela Merkel was the one that sought the security agreement with Egypt."

"The German government took note of Egypt's massive efforts in fighting terrorist groups, so it saw that it is in its interest to sign a security agreement with Egypt," said Abed.

The Human Rights Committee's deputy chairman Mohamed El-Ghoul said it is not the first time HRW has issued reports giving political cover to terrorist groups.

"Over the past three years, HRW and all other radical human rights organisations in the West have turned a blind eye to all terrorist crimes against Egyptian soldiers in Sinai, while referring to these terrorist groups as insurgents," said El-Ghoul.

"The problem with these radical Western organisations is that they no longer act as human rights forums, but rather as political pressure groups that do not want governments  particularly in the Middle East  to exercise any protection of their national security."

"What was the result of this agenda? It was chaos everywhere in the Arab world; in Syria, Libya, Iraq and Sinai," said El-Ghoul.

El-Ghoul argued that "the video broadcast by some Muslim Brotherhood channels, which operate from Turkey and receive money from Qatar, was clearly fake."

Although most citizens and families in Egypt whose sons and daughters were slaughtered by terrorist groups in Sinai see that army and police soldiers should show no mercy to these groups, they quickly realised that the videotape was fake," said El-Ghoul.

El-Ghoul said that as a member of the UN Security Council and the UN Human Rights Council, Egypt has drafted a resolution on "the negative effect of terrorism on human rights."

"The resolution in very simple terms states that the issue of respecting human rights should not be separated from the right of countries to safeguard their citizens against terrorist crimes," said El-Ghoul.

El-Goul said "the resolution, which was drafted by Egypt and other countries such as Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Algeria and Morocco, faced resistance from England, which has become Europe's capital of radical Islam.

"We want to tell these governments that people in the Middle East and around the world have the right to live, and that their governments have the right to ensure this, which is more supreme than Western radical views of human rights espoused by organisations like Human Rights Watch, which leads to chaos everywhere," said El-Ghoul.

El-Goul said Egypt's resolution, which was approved by a majority of 28 countries, was a big success for all governments that seek to have all the powers necessary to fight terrorism.

Some MPs have proposed that an Egyptian parliamentary delegation visit Germany to respond to HRW's report, but the committee's head said it is enough to send a response to the report to German authorities.

"The German parliament has the right to approve or reject the security agreement with Egypt, but rejection will be only harmful to Germany and German citizens," said Abed.

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BASSETT  Dressed in a blue polo work shirt and blue jeans, Jimmy Willard walked up to the podium at the Light Electric Company building, addressing a crowd of more than 40 people sitting in church pews.

There was singing, but no choir. A guitar, but no band. A service, but no sanctuary. The men weren't in their Sunday suits and the women didn't don their fancy hats.

Instead, a room full of believers gathered together to worship the Lord in their own way, claiming a promise found in Matthew 18:20.

This scene takes place the fourth Tuesday of every month at 10 a.m., an hour before volunteers at Disaster Relief Food Ministry pass out boxes of food designed to last families a minimum of two weeks.

People dont have to attend the service to receive a box of food, but many choose to join in the Disaster Relief Bible Hour for additional fellowship. Whether someones a Christian or not doesnt qualify or disqualify them to attend the service  all are welcome.

Willard is the founder of the ministry, which is a nonprofit organization that partners with Feeding America Southwest Virginia. He said that he wanted to feed his community first and foremost  but he also felt called to feed more than a persons stomach.

It aint all about that food box. Thatll be gone next week, Willard said. That spiritual food will last you through eternity.

Being USDA compliant, Willard couldn't put Biblical tracts or literature in the boxes of food he handed out to the community. Thats when he and other volunteers created the idea for a church service prior to the food giveaway. Not knowing how many people would attend, Willard went forward with the idea and left the rest to God.

In a typical month, an estimated 70 people make up the no-membership-required congregation.

While Willard often looks out into the audience and sees people smiling, nodding in agreement with his points or offering an amen, the hour-long service almost always centers around the same broad message: hope.

These folks here have lost hope, Willard said. Theyre down on their luck.

One of the first things people typically cut in their budget when trying to save money is food, Willard said.

Trying to help break up the clouds in a persons life, Willard preaches encouragement on the distribution Tuesdays.

Theyve lost hope in God is what happened, Willard said. I want [the message] to be uplifting. I want them to know I love you, God loves you.

My Refuge

On Tuesday, Willard presented a sermon titled My Refuge, which focused on verses found in Numbers 35 and Psalms 62.

The story in Numbers opens with God speaking to Moses about the Levites. In the sixth verse, He mentions cities of refuge where individuals alleged of committing crimes will reside until their judgment. Willard spoke of his own shortcomings, which included a previous drug addiction that started at the age of 20.

His human weakness turned into a personal testimony when he sought refuge in God.

I had to reach out and take hold, Willard said. He had His hand out the whole time.

Along his journey to recovery, he decided to learn what his addiction was doing to his body. He took residence at Southern Virginia Mental Health Institute in Danville.

Serious about changing his life, Willard asked for his free time to be spent learning more about his addiction. While there, he spoke with some of the employees about his struggles. One person in particular stuck out to Willard.

She didnt hardly talk about drugs, Willard said. She talked about the Lord.

Those conversations forever changed Willards heart.

It took God to set me straight. It took God to keep me straight and it takes God to keep you straight, Willard said.

Finding refuge in God, Willard then started to study more about the higher power that turned his life around.

Weve got to turn it over to Him, Willard said. I couldve never had victory over my addiction problem without God.

Saying that he believed God brought me through the fire, Willard said that others battling addiction issues cant tell me God cant save me because He saved Willard.

Willard invited the makeshift congregation to consider the words found in Psalms 62, where David states that his salvation comes from God; that He is the writers rock of strength and salvation and that he will not be moved.

He is our defense against the devil, Willard interpreted the message. If Ive got Jesus living in here, Hes going to show.

Standing firm in his beliefs, Willard encouraged other believers to also seek refuge and stability from the Lord.

I pray that I could just live the life of Job, Willard said. He was an average man. Look what he went through and he never gave up on God.

Encouraging the fellowship to find refuge in the Lord, plant oneself firmly as to not be moved, attain shelter from the rock that is stronger than I and find strength in Gods promise of salvation, Willard preached a sermon of hope to a crowd desperate for a ray of sunshine  despite the opposing weather conditions outdoors.

After the sermon, volunteers loaded recipients vehicles with a box of food. Others who did not attend the service also received a container of provisions.

Whether or not they attended the church service, Willard said it was up to the people. After all, thats not why he started or maintains the ministry, which also serves 57 children through a weekend backpack program and responds to nationwide national disasters.

When you serve God by serving others, youve got something there, Willard said.

For those interested in making a donation to help continue the work of the Disaster Relief Food Ministry, contact Willard at (276) 229-6272 or send mail to Disaster Relief Food Ministry, P.O. Box 993, Stuart, VA, 24171.
TODAYS WORD is lichen (lahy-kuh n). Example: Although the biologist meant well, he probably shouldnt have told his wife that their relationship reminded him of lichen.

TUESDAYS WORD was ebb. It means the flowing back of the tide as the water returns to the sea; flowing backward or away; a point of decline. Example: As Longfellow once wrote, Defeat may be victory in disguise; The lowest ebb is the turn of the tide.

Gardner returns

On Thursday, Lynn Gardner and the Camden Consort will return to Piedmont Arts by popular demand. Their Springtime Musical Frolic will begin at 12:45 p.m. in Piedmont Arts Frith Performance Hall. The performance is free and open to the public.

Benefit Cruise-In

A benefit cruise-in will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday at Advance Auto Parts at 2670 Greensboro Road in Martinsville. The event will be held in memory of Kathy Fulcher and Linda Whorley. Food and drinks will be available for a donation, and all proceeds will be divided between the families to help with the cost of medical and funeral expenses. 50/50 tickets will also be sold; 1 for $1, 3 for $2, 7 for $5, 12 for $10 and an arms length for $20.

TODAY IS: National Administrative Professionals Day

Also known as Secretaries Day or Admin Day, National Administrative Professionals Day is observed on the Wednesday of the last full week of April each year. It is a day to recognize the work of secretaries, administrative assistants, receptionists and other administrative support professionals.

Health issues

This morning, the Healthy U for Living Conference will pay a visit to Patrick Henry Community College. The event will begin in the Walker Fine Arts Theater and feature three interactive sessions on the treatment and prevention of common health issues. The event is free and open to the public. Speakers will include Dr. Caren T. Aaron, who will present on mammography from 10-11 a.m.; Amy Webster, who will discuss colon health from 11 a.m. to noon; and Dr. Terry Younger Eure, who will discuss communicable diseases from noon to 1 p.m. For more information, contact Dr. Ophelia Griggs at or 656-0305.

TRIVIA QUESTION: The Canary Islands are named after what animal?

TUESDAYS TRIVIA ANSWER: Not only are the waxed paper containers used for Chinese food takeout not Chinese in origin  they were invented in the U.S.  but their inventor didnt even intend them to be used to hold Chinese food. What were Chinese food takeout containers originally designed to contain? The answer: Oysters. The containers now identified with Chinese take-out were invented in the 1890s by Frederick Weeks Wilcox in an attempt to create a cheap, mass-produced substitute for wooden oyster pails. It was only after World War II and the rise of American take-out restaurants that these oyster pails found a new purpose.
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Pravda No. 31, April 26 (13), 1917. Published according to the text in Pravda.

We have nevertheless compelled the Provisional Government to renounce annexations.

From a speech by Y. Steklov,

delivered at the Taurida Palace on April 4.

Whatever our attitude towards the slogan peace without annexations may be, the principles accepted by all the Allies cannot be ignored.

From a speech by P. Milyukov (Rech, April 11).

Step by step the leaders of the Provisional Government are revealing the true nature of their policy in regard to the War. The notorious declaration of the Provisional Government contained, along with a verbal renunciation of annexations, a statement to the effect that our treaties with the British and the French governments remain valid. A couple of weeks later Rech, the organ of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Milyukov, prints the following:

MILYUKOVS STATEMENT

While in Moscow, P. N, Milyukov, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, made the following statement at a meeting of members of the peoples freedom party: The declaration of the Provisional Government concerning the aims of the war contains not peace terms, but merely general principles which have already been repeatedly enunciated by various statesmen of our Allies. The peace terms can be worked out only with the consent of our Allies and in accordance with the London Convention. What ever our attitude towards the slogan peace without annexations may be, the principles accepted by all the Allies concerning the reunification of Poland and Armenia. And the gratification of the national aspirations of the Austrian Slavs, cannot be ignored. (Rech No. 83, April 11 (24), 1917.)

This statement by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Milyukov, will, without doubt, make the round of the whole foreign press and intensify the military spirit in Germany. Milyukov is helping the German imperialists to work up chauvinist feeling in Germany; Milyukov is helping Wilhelm II to go through with this predatory war to the end.

Let us examine Mr. Milyukovs statement. The Provisional Governments declaration concerning the aims of the war (the same declaration which Y. Steklov, by a deplorable misunderstanding, calls renunciation of annexations) contains, says Milyukov, not peace terms, but merely general principles which have already been repeatedly enunciated by various statesmen of our Allies. In plain language,this means that renunciation of annexations is merely a fine phrase, general principles, words, words, words, These words have also been repeated any number of times by our Allies. The actual peace terms, however, are a different matter entirely.

A statesmanBismark, if I am not mistakenonce said that to accept a thing in principle means, in the language of diplomacy, to reject it in effect. The same with Milyukov. In principle he is against annexations, in effect he is for annexations. That is why he stands for war to the end.

Fine phrases are not yet peace terms, Mr. Milyukov tells us.

What, then, are his peace terms?

These terms are covered by the London Convention. Mr. Milyukov refers us to it.

But who concluded that Convention? Tsar Nicholas II concluded it with the British and French capitalists! That means that the treaties concluded by the tsarist clique still remain in force. That means we are fighting for the sake of these predatory treaties concluded by the tsarist clique and the Allied bankers.

Seizure of Polish, Armenian, and Austrian territories (this time Mr. Milyukov makes no mention of Constantinople)this is what Mr. Milyukovs peace programme amounts to.

What will the leaders of the majority of the Soviet of Workers Deputies say regarding this latest statement of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Milyukov? All they will do is reprove Milyukov for this statement of his in the name of the Contact Commission.... What has become of the Provisional Governments renunciation of annexations, which Y. Steklov and N. Chkheidze claim to have obtained from it?

There is no dual power in Russia. The Soviet of Workers Deputies merely exercises a benevolent control over the Provisional Government. This, if we are to believe the newspaper reports, is what N. Chkheidze said at the military conference in Minsk.[1]

This is what we have come to with this benevolent control! People who fan the flames of war are continuing to speak in the name of Russia. The workers and soldiers are being fed with platitudes about peace without annexations, while on the quiet a policy is being pursued which benefits only a small clique of millionaires who thrive on war.

Comrades, workers and soldiers! Read this statement of Milyukov and expose it at all your meetings! Make it understood that you do not wish to die for the sake of secret conventions concluded by Tsar Nicholas II, and which are still sacred to Milyukov!

Notes

[1] [PLACEHOLDER.]

Source: Marxist Internet Archive
President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi has to ratify the legislation before it goes into effect

Egypts House of Representatives passed on Wednesday a controversial law granting the president the power to appoint the heads of the countrys judicial bodies despite strong opposition from the judges' clubs, Ahram Arabic news website announced.

The law, which is yet to be ratified by the president, was approved by two-thirds of parliament.

The new law would give the president the right to choose the heads of Egypts judicial bodies from three nominees proposed from within each body.

The current judicial authority law stipulates that the heads of judicial bodies are selected based on seniority by their judicial councils, and that the president simply ratifies the council's selection.

Various judges clubs, which have rejected the law, charged that it violates the guarantee of an independant judiciary and a seperation of powers as enshrined in Egypts 2014 constitution.

The spokesman of Egypts Judges Club Hazem Rasmy told Ahram Arabic website All options are now on the table.

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Embattled comedian Bill Cosby has given his first interview in two years, talking about losing his vision and the derailment of his once celebrated career.

Cosby declined to discuss allegations from the approximately 50 women, who claimed he sexually assaulted them over the past 40 years.

The 79-year-old Shelburne resident awaits a criminal trial in Pennsylvania this summer on charges he sexually assaulted a woman at his suburban Philadelphia home in 2004. Eight other women who say they were abused by Cosby since the 1960s have a civil suit pending in U.S. District Court in Springfield.

The closest Cosby came to addressing his ongoing legal battles during the interview with NNPA Newswire|BlackPress USA came when he opined about the history of America.

"The history about African-Americans is a history of the United States; but the true histories, not the propaganda that is standard in our nation's history books," Cosby said. "The great writer, James Baldwin, said, 'If you lie about me, then you lie about yourself.' The revolution is in the home. There is something about someone saying, 'I didn't know that,' that could cause a change in that person's thinking."

Cosby said his loss of vision struck him suddenly two years ago. He recalled calling out one morning to his wife Camille, "I can't see."

Later, he said he was told by doctors there was nothing that could be done to fully restore his sight.

For standup routines, a wide straight yellow line from backstage to the chair on the stage was painted and he would rehearse the walk, hours before each performance, according to his publicist, Andrew Wyatt, of the Purpose PR firm.

Cosby faced hecklers and protesters at his live shows two years ago, but the TV icon said he anxious to return to performing.

"I miss it all and I hope that day will come," Cosby said. "I have some routines and storytelling that I am working on."

He added, "I think about walking out on stage somewhere in the United States of America and sitting down in a chair and giving the performance that will be the beginning of the next chapter of my career."

Cosby also spoke at length about education with NNPA Newswire's Stacy M. Brown about the importance of education and why he has wife have assisted in the education of disadvantaged youth.

"Since 1965, we have paid for the education of thousands of students; mostly low income African-American students...and never asked for any repayments from them...so they were not in debt after their graduations," Cosby said. "Keep in mind that Mrs. Cosby and I aren't a huge conglomerate; we just wanted to help people to get an education."

Meanwhile, Cosby's 40-year-old daughter, Evin, gave a lengthy statement to BlackPressUSA defending her father and speaking out against the "public persecution of my dad, my kids' grandfather, and the cruelty of the media and those who speak out branding my father a 'rapist' without ever knowing the truth."

"He is not abusive, violent or a rapist. Sure, like many celebrities tempted by opportunity, he had his affairs, but that was between him and my mother. They have worked through it and moved on, and I am glad they did for them and for our family," she said.

Evin Cosby added, "We are told that we have fundamental rights to be innocent until proven guilty. But, if enough people think you are a bad person, you are branded a bad person and the media just reinforces that. My dad, like anyone in this country, deserves to be treated fairly under the law. My dad broke barriers and raised the conscious of America on important topics, especially for the advancement of women."
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(Right to left) Eastern States Exposition President Gene Cassidy, Parish Cupboard Director Martha Tighe, and Chef Bill Cawthra

WEST SPRINGFIELD  Beneficiaries of a local charitable organization have been eating well since the Eastern States Exposition donated to them beef from a prize-winning steer.

The Eastern States Exposition, which hosts the Big E, donated the beef to the West Springfield Parish Cupboard, which was founded in 1986 by an association of local Protestant and Catholic churches and helps the less fortunate in West Springfield and Agawam.

Eastern States Exposition President Gene Cassidy bid on and purchased the Highly Commended Steer at the 4-H Beef Auction during the Big E. The 1,230-pound Maine-Anjou steer sold for $4.50 per pound and produced about 750 pounds of meat.

"I cannot begin to tell you how much the beef from that steer means to our program," Parish Cupboard Director Martha Tighe said in a statement. "We are giving 1-pound packages out to our seniors and they are almost crying when they get frozen beef to cook. Bill Cawthra, my chef, is making a variety of hearty dishes. We used it all winter long for chili, meatloaf, Stroganoff, beef stew and other tasty, nutritious meals for the people we serve. This was such a wonderful donation!"

The steer from which the meat came was raised by Olivia Oatley of Exeter, Rhode Island, the Eastern States Exposition statement says. Oatley also won Grand Champion Steer honors for a 1,335-pound steer at the Big E's 4-H Beef Program, the statement says.

"Each year, 4-H youth purchase a steer at birth and raise it, keeping detailed records on its feeding and growth. Money raised at the auction goes directly to the participating 4-H youth," the statement says. "Many use the funds for their college education or to purchase another steer for the following year's 4-H Beef Program."
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A Boston man who worked as an Uber driver was arraigned in Newton District Court on Tuesday on three counts of rape against a female customer.

Luis Baez, 34, is accused of sexually assaulting a woman he picked up from the ride-sharing app last September. Baez was driving under the alias Pedro Valentin on the Uber app.

Prosecutors say Baez picked up the woman on Sep. 19, 2016 in Boston and drove her to a destination different than where she requested and allegedly raped her. He then dropped her off on the Boston College campus, where the victim reported the incident to campus police.

Baez was held on $2,500 cash bail on Tuesday, and was ordered to stay away from the victim and the Boston College campus. It is unclear whether the defendant was a student at the college.

Boston College police and Boston police began to investigate the alleged crime and identified Baez using information from the Uber app on the woman's phone. The D.A.'s office said Baez is known to police.

The alleged sexual assault happened months before Massachusetts passed law ordering Uber and Lyft drivers undergo background checks. As of January 2017, drivers for the popular ride-sharing apps must be submitted to checks on criminal records, traffic records and sex-offender registries. Four months later, the state found 8,000 of these drivers failed a background check, while 62,583 were approved.

Baez is next due in court on June 21, 2017.
Jeff Gillis

FILE - In this Oct. 4, 2016, file photo, Jeff Gillis looks through documents he has collected in support of his wife in Houston. The husband of U.S. citizen Phan "Sandy" Phan-Gillis, who has been charged in China with spying, has spent months trying to prove his wife's innocence with the little information he had.

(AP Photo/David J. Phillip, File)

HOUSTON -- An American woman detained during a business trip to China was convicted of spying and sentenced Tuesday to 3 1/2 years in prison, raising the possibility that she may be allowed to return home soon.

Phan Phan-Gillis has faced an uncertain fate since March 2015, when she disappeared from her group traveling in southern China. She was later accused of espionage, which carries a possible death sentence. A United Nations panel has said her detention violated international norms, and the U.S. has long pressed China to resolve the case fairly.

Her Chinese lawyer Shang Baojun told The Associated Press Wednesday that a deportation order has been issued, and that she should be released "very soon." He said authorities don't usually inform the lawyer of the deportation date.

He said he couldn't give more details about the spying conviction because "it is related to state secrets," but that the court should release its verdict within five days.

The U.S. State Department confirmed that she had been sentenced. While Phan-Gillis' trial was closed to the public, a representative from the American Consulate in Guangzhou was allowed to attend the public announcement of the verdict against her, the State Department said.

The Chinese Embassy in Washington did not respond to a message about her case.

Phan-Gillis is of Chinese descent, but was born in Vietnam and is an American citizen who lived in Houston and worked as a business consultant. Known by friends as "Sandy," she made numerous trips to China for business and as a volunteer to promote cultural and business exchanges.

She disappeared from the rest of her group during a trip in March 2015 to promote business opportunities in Houston. It took her husband, Jeff Gillis, almost two weeks to confirm through American consular officials that she had been detained by Chinese state security.

China's opaque legal system often provides little or no explanation for why someone is detained or punished. Jeff Gillis, who did not return a message Tuesday, said last year that he was told his wife was accused of conducting a spy mission in 1996, then trying to recruit new spies the following two years -- allegations he called "beyond ridiculous."

"I have the passport that shows that she didn't even have a visa in '96, no entries or exits," he said. "I have her pay stubs that show that she was not off on extended leave."

The San Francisco-based Dui Hua Foundation, which monitors human rights and legal issues in China, said Phan-Gillis was the first American citizen to be convicted of spying in a Chinese court since 1973. But Phan-Gillis' 3 1/2-year prison term is on the low end of sentences for espionage charges, according to Dui Hua's research.

China sometimes releases foreigners as an apparent sign of goodwill. Last year it allowed Kevin Garratt, a Canadian citizen held for two years and accused of spying, to return home after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau mentioned Garratt to top officials in Beijing.

In Phan-Gillis' case, John Kamm, founder of Dui Hua, credited the Trump administration and particularly Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, who visited Beijing last month. Kamm said he was told by "people who were in the room" that Tillerson pressed Phan-Gillis' case in private meetings.

"If U.S.-China relations were not going as well as they are right now, I think this outcome would have been different," Kamm said.
Police in Hamden, Connecticut, have released body camera footage showing an officer's dramatic rescue of a elderly man who attempted to kill himself by jumping off a sixth-floor balcony.

The footage, recorded Friday at the Whitney Center on Leeder Hill Drive in Hamden, shows Officer Justin Martin pursuing a man up flights of stairs to a sixth-floor balcony and them grabbing the man just as he dove over a railing.

The man, whose name was not released to the press, was taken to Yale-New Haven Hospital for evaluation, according to police.

The Whitney Center is assisted living residences for the elderly.

According to the Hamden police, Martin was called to the Whitney Center for a report of a "combative resident."

He was speaking with staff and the resident on the third floor when the resident sudden ran off. Martin chased after him and followed him up three flights of stairs where he spotted him heading for the balcony.

"Officer Martin observed the resident dive head first over a waist-high railing," police said. "Officer Martin successfully grabbed the resident by his feet and pulled him to safety."

The man continued to fight with Martin until he was restrained, police said.
Egypt's President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi said on Wednesday that his strategic goal is to preserve the existence of the Egyptian state.

El-Sisi's statements came in a speech during the second day of this months youth conference, which kicked off in the Suez Canal city of Ismailia on Tuesday.

Addressing the youth of Egypt, President El-Sisi said that the country's institutions are suffering from flaws on all levels which need to be faced honestly.

"We have witnessed setbacks for several years, and we meet periodically to discuss and face our problems honestly," Sisi said.

On Tuesday, El-Sisi hailed the country's youths and "martyrs" in front of a crowd of some 1,000 young people at the opening ceremony of the three-day gathering, which was broadcast live on national television.

The president said that the current troubles faced by Egypt, including its suffering economy and the threat of terrorism, are temporary.

"Egyptians must know that what will protect the nation is not the army or the police, but the awareness and unity of our people," he said.

El-Sisi also said that the Egyptian armys role in carrying out development is equal to that of all the country's other institutions.

El-Sisi said that a number of wrong policies adopted over the past 50 years, which his government is now trying to correct, have resulted in a shrinking middle class and the countrys current economic situation.

The president said that previous governments avoided decisive measures to build a strong nation, adding that these policies have led to a lack of awareness regarding Egypts real problems.

Egypt's third national youth conference sessions and workshops began on Wednesday and are planned to address issues including a recent surge in the price of foodstuffs, the government's efforts to improve the healthcare system, and sustainable energy development.

This is the third time El-Sisi has attended the monthly youth conference, which started in December.

The decision to hold the monthly youth conference was announced by the president in October during the first annual National Youth Conference.

In January, the second regular youth conference was held in Aswan and tackled challenges facing Upper Egypt, including ways to develop the economy and tourism in the region as well as the social and political empowerment of the youth. Some 1,300 young people from Upper Egyptian governorates took part in that event.

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HOLYOKE -- Teachers and students here might get to experience what school is like in Ireland.

Their counterparts in Tralee, Ireland would get the favor returned by coming to Holyoke in an exchange program as part of a sister-city relationship, Mayor Alex B. Morse said Tuesday.

"This relationship will benefit both Holyoke and Tralee. We have already begun discussions on how we can launch an exchange program with both students and teachers," Morse said in a text message from Ireland.

"We also discussed innovation and entrepreneurship as a means to revitalize our respective cities' economies, and we look forward to learning from each other. We are both sincere in the hope that our relationship will be more than symbolic -- that it will evolve into a meaningful relationship of collaboration that benefits both of our cities and the people we both serve," he said.

Morse is in Ireland on a trip he said is a mix of business and vacation and part of his time is being spent on forming a sister-city relationship between Hoyoke and Tralee, County Kerry's largest community.

He has met with Tralee Mayor Terry O'Brien and other local officials. He and O'Brien signed a proclamation establishing the sister-city relationship Tuesday.

Morse also visited the Rose of Tralee statue in Rose Park, which includes a monument listing finalists for the Rose of Tralee contest that shows Kathleen Welsh of Holyoke won in 1970, he said.

Morse is paying for the trip with his own money and is traveling with friends, he said.

The mayor also planned to visit Killarney, Dingle, Cork and other cities and towns, and will travel to Dublin and be given a tour of the Leinster House, or the Irish Parliament, he said.

Holyoke has a strong Irish heritage and the annual Holyoke St. Patrick's Parade draws hundreds of thousands of visitors.
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SPRINGFIELD - Jonathan Ramos, 29, is shown here with a head injury he said was delivered by a police baton during a 2014 arrest, now the subject of a federal lawsuit.

SPRINGFIELD -- A Springfield man has filed a federal lawsuit against two police officers and the city, alleging he was cracked in the head with a police baton and pepper-sprayed in the face without provocation during a disturbance at a child's birthday party in 2014.

Jonathan Ramos filed a seven-count complaint in U.S. District Court on Tuesday, alleging unreasonable force, assault and battery, civil rights violations, intentional infliction of emotional distress, conspiracy and other accusations leveled at the city for failure to supervise its police force.

Named in the complaint are Springfield Police Officers Matthew Rief and Herminio Rivas Jr., along with the city, Police Commissioner John Barbieri and Mayor Domenic Sarno.

The complaint is the latest development in what has been a virtual avalanche of bad publicity for the Police Department over the past several months, including suspensions, other lawsuits, high-profile internal investigations and an FBI investigation into possible civil rights violations.

Ramos' lawsuit alleges Rief whacked him in the head with a baton on April 26, 2014, after members of his family called 911 to ask police to remove an unwanted visitor from the party.

A lawyer for Ramos, Hector Pineiro of Worcester, said in the complaint that his client suffered a fractured skull and other injuries that required plastic surgery. He also maintains police never investigated the matter internally until Ramos filed a formal complaint earlier this year.

City Solicitor Edward M. Pikula was not immediately available for comment.

Ramos, 29, stated that his sister called police when the father of her son, for whom the gathering was held, showed up uninvited at their home at 28 Drexel St. Rief and Rivas were first to arrive at the house just before 11 p.m., records show.

The lawsuit states Rief abruptly announced his intention to arrest Ramos and take him to jail.

"For what reason? I'm not the problem here. I haven't done anything wrong," Ramos replied, according to the court filing.

Ramos turned away and Rief slipped and fell on wet grass, according to the complaint.

"Mr. Ramos raised his hands in surrender but Officer Rief intentionally swung the baton with great forced and struck Mr. Ramos once on the right side of his forehead," the lawsuit states.

It adds that Ramos "staggered" to the house where Rief eventually followed him. Rivas struck another family member with his baton, according to the complaint, adding that Rief arrested Ramos in the bathroom and hauled him back to his cruiser, where the officer "maliciously and sadistically" maced him in the face.

A police report portrays a decidedly different picture. Rief stated that he and Rivas were dispatched to the scene after a report of a disturbance and found about 10 people on the front lawn, including several men who were screaming profanities. Rief said he asked Ramos to lower his voice, but Ramos continued to scream, causing neighbors to poke their heads out their front doors.

"At this point I told Mr. Ramos he was under arrest," Rief writes in his report, adding that he ordered Ramos on the ground after Ramos punched the officer in the head.

Rief said he attempted to strike Ramos in his torso as Ramos continued to "charge at him" and one of the strikes accidentally connected with Ramos' skull.

Rief confirms Ramos retreated to the house and added family members tried to block Rief's path to follow him. He ultimately arrested Ramos, his mother and another man. There is no mention of pepper spray in the report.

Rief took Ramos to police headquarters at 130 Pearl St., where Rief said he administered first aid. Ramos was charged with assault and battery on a police officer, resisting arrest and disorderly conduct. Rief said Ramos was later taken to Baystate Medical Center for his injuries.

Ramos was acquitted of the assault and disorderly conduct charges at trial, according to Pineiro, but convicted of resisting arrest. Pineiro said his client is appealing the conviction.

The attorney also argues in the lawsuit that both the city and the Police Department have a history of indifference toward citizens' complaints of brutality. Pineiro tallies up 133 complaints against seven narcotics detectives alone that were determined to be "unfounded" by the department.

He accuses Barbieri of being the latest commissioner to "reinforce the widespread existence of a code of silence and culture of impunity from the rank and file all the way up to his office."

The lawsuit demands monetary damages and attorney fees. An initial hearing has not been scheduled.
In early March, in the midst of a double-murder trial, Aaron Hernandez reportedly referenced plans to commit suicide behind bars.

Lawrence F. Army Jr., attorney for Kyle Kennedy, held a press conference Wednesday to discuss his client's relationship in prison with the former New England Patriots player.

Both Kennedy and Hernandez were inmates at the Souza-Baranowski Correction Center in Shirley. Hernandez was serving a life sentence for the 2013 murder of Odin Lloyd. A week prior to his death, he was acquitted of the 2012 killings of Daniel de Abreu and Safiro Furtado.

Army said Wednesday that the pair were "close friends" and "spent a great deal of time together in prison."

He claimed the men knew each other before serving time together.

Kennedy is believed to be the last person to see Hernandez before he took his own life earlier this month.

Hernandez, 27, was found hanging from a bed sheet in his cell just after 3 a.m. on April 19. He was taken to UMass Memorial Health Alliance Hospital in Leominster and pronounced dead.

Three weeks before his death, Kennedy told his attorney that Hernandez told him, "I think I'm going to hang it up."

The words were relayed to reporters through Kennedy's attorney on Wednesday. Army said his client didn't take it seriously at the time but upon learning of his death was "stunned and saddened."
SPRINGFIELD -- Jeremy E. Hollins, a Springfield resident shot by West Springfield police after allegedly trying to run over officers with his car, pleaded not guilty to attempted murder and other charges during an arraignment Wednesday in his hospital room at Baystate Medical Center.

Hollins, 29, who grew up in the Feeding Hills section of Agawam, is accused of ramming several police cruisers and injuring three officers during a police pursuit and manhunt that ended after he was shot three times outside a housing complex early Sunday morning.

Hollins, who is expected to remain at Baystate at least through this week, was arraigned by Springfield District Court Judge John Payne, who ordered him to be held on $10,000 cash bail.

The Hampden district attorney's office had originally asked for Hollins to be held without right to bail pending trial, but at today's hearing, the prosecution and defense agreed on the set amount. The judge also stipulated that Hollins use no drugs or alcohol if he posts bail.

Hollins lay in his hospital bed with his eyes closed and family members by his side throughout the brief hearing.

He is due back in court for a pretrial hearing on June 8.

Defense attorney Raipher Pellegrino objected to the media entering the hospital room for the arraignment, saying it was a violation of Hollins' federally protected health privacy rights.

"It is a courtroom at this point," Payne said, rejecting Pellegrino's request.

Hollins also pleaded not guilty to charges of drug possession, drunken driving, and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, among other offenses.

State police detectives assigned to Hampden District Attorney Anthony Gulluni's office are conducting a "review of the use of force by police involved in this incident," said Jim Leydon, a spokesman for Gulluni.

The episode began shortly before 1 a.m. Sunday, when an officer spotted a black Lexus traveling westbound on Memorial Avenue at a high rate of speed, according to a police report. The officer gave chase, but backed off due to the vehicle's speed and erratic operation, the report said.

The officer eventually found the Lexus parked near the end of Cold Spring Avenue in the Wentworth Estates, a large condo complex across from The Big E on Memorial Avenue. Officers used their cruisers to box in the Lexus, but the car managed to escape by ramming the police vehicles, the report said.

At one point, police said, Hollins backed into two officers before reversing direction and driving directly at several officers, who opened fire on the Lexus. Hollins abandoned the badly damaged car on a nearby lawn and was spotted running with two backpacks along Memorial Avenue toward the Morgan-Sullivan bridge, which links West Side to Agawam.

Police were then notified that Hollins had three firearms registered to his name. That information was quickly relayed to the pursuing officers, who were unsure if Hollins was armed.

Police eventually found Hollins hiding in a doorway. He then allegedly charged at officers, who opened fire on him, striking him once in the leg and twice in the shoulder, according to authorities.

Police said a search of the 2015 Lexus led to the recovery of a Sig Sauer .40-caliber semi-automatic pistol with two magazines of ammunition. Hollins is the registered owner of the gun, Leydon said.

Other recovered items included a bottle of Fireball whiskey, two bags of cocaine, personal electronics, and some sex toys, the police report said. A checkbook, an ID card, and a Social Security card were also found in or around the car, though none of these items belonged to Hollins, the report said.

Speaking to state police at the hospital, Hollins admitted to being drunk at the time he allegedly rammed four police cruisers and injured three West Springfield police officers who tried to stop him, the report said.
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Kelli Moriarty-Finn kicked off her campaign for Springfield City Council at-large on Tuesday night, calling on leaders to address public safety crises like the opioid epidemic and enforce the residency requirement for police and firefighters. From left: Hampden County Sheriff Nick Cocchi, Kelli Moriarty-Finn, and former Hampden County Sheriff Michael Ashe. April 25, 2017.

(Brian Steele, The Republican)

SPRINGFIELD -- Kelli Moriarty-Finn kicked off her campaign for Springfield City Council at-large on Tuesday night, calling on leaders to address public safety crises like the opioid epidemic and enforce the residency requirement for police and firefighters.

"Springfield is my home by choice," said Moriarty-Finn, speaking to supporters at Nathan Bill's Bar and Restaurant on Island Pond Road. "I love my city, as do all of you, but Springfield can be so much better."

Moriarty-Finn said she envisioned a city in which police are welcome in every neighborhood, children can learn about the dangers of drugs at an early age with school programs like D.A.R.E. and all Springfield police officers and firefighters live in the city.

Moriarty-Finn, a first-time political candidate, is clerk of the Atwater Park Civic Association. She is also the Ward 2 representative on the 15-member Springfield Police/Community Relations Committee.

"The first thing people say is we still have profiling issues, or we need (more) community policing," said Moriarty-Finn. "We can work toward that."

Moriarty-Finn, 47, is a senior project manager at Invesco, an investment management company. She graduated from Wheaton College in 1991 with degrees in political science and philosophy.

A native of Holyoke, Moriarty-Finn moved to Springfield in 2002. She and her husband David were married in 2013.

"We need to reset the narrative about what life in Springfield is like," she said, reflecting on her decision to move to the city. "So many people think that Springfield isn't the place to buy a home or get a great job or raise your children, but none of that is right."

She said she plans to keep a close watch on MGM Springfield as it builds a $950 million casino in the South End, and make sure the city uses the revenue wisely.

"Our skyline is changing. We have got a casino that is coming into Springfield, and we can't stop anything about it, but I will make one guarantee to you: Promises made will be promises kept," she said.

Moriarty-Finn said she was "empowered" to run for office by the outcome of the 2016 presidential election.

"It wasn't the result I was hoping for. However, it really gave me a call to action," she said.

Ten other candidates have pulled papers in the race to fill five at-large seats: incumbents Justin Hurst and Timothy Rooke and challengers Ernesto Cruz, Marilyn Felix, Kevin Green, Jynai McDonald, Jesse Lederman, Victor Davila, Kateri Walsh and Tracy Whitfield.

The deadline for taking out nomination papers is July 28 at 5 p.m., and all papers must be submitted by Aug. 1 at 5 p.m. The candidates must have at least 100 valid voter signatures to qualify for the fall ballot.
Egypts Army Chief of Staff Mahmoud Hegazy met on Wednesday with the commander of the US Fifth Fleet Vice Admiral Kevin Donegan and a US military delegation in Cairo, the Egyptian armed forces said in a statement.

The meeting  which was attended by several Egyptian military commanders  saw a discussion of the latest developments in the Middle East as well as military cooperation between Egypt and the United states.

Also on Wednesday, Hegazy met the US Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Stuart Jones, where they discussed regional developments, particularly in Libya.

The meeting was attended by a number of US military officials as well as the US ambassador to Libya.

Hegazy also met on Wednesday with UK Defence Senior Advisor Middle East Tom Beckett and a number of British officials, where they discussed military cooperation between the UK and Egypt.

Beckett expressed his countrys support of Egypt in its war against terrorism and its important role in supporting peace in the Middle East.

The meeting was attended by the British ambassador to Cairo as well as the British ambassador to Libya.

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The toll in Turkish air raids on Kurdish positions in northeastern Syria rose to 28 killed, a monitor said Wednesday, a day after Ankara said it had targeted "terrorist havens" near its border.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said most of those killed were members of the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), which is battling the Islamic State group in northern Syria.

Observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman said 19 others were wounded in the Tuesday raids on a media centre and other buildings in Al-Malikiyah, a town in Hasakeh province.

YPG spokesman Redur Khalil on Tuesday said 20 fighters were killed and 18 wounded in the Turkish strikes, which the United States said were carried out without the knowledge of a Washington-led international coalition fighting IS in Syria and neighbouring Iraq.

Abdel Rahman said a female Kurdish fighter was among the dead.

Turkey, which backs Syrian rebel groups and which launched a ground operation in northern Syria last year, vowed to continue acting against groups it links to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).

It also killed six Kurdish peshmerga fighters in northern Iraq on Tuesday in an apparent accident.

The strikes underlined the complexities of the battlefields in Iraq and Syria, where twin US-backed offensives are seeking to dislodge IS from its last major urban strongholds.

They could also exacerbate tensions between Ankara and its NATO ally Washington, which sees the Kurds as instrumental in the fight against IS.

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The 2017 Missoula Career Fair is set to be one of the largest in recent memory.

The Missoula Job Service will host over 90 businesses from as far as North Dakota to come meet with potential employees later this week.

Wolf Ametsbichler with the Job Service says employers continue to have trouble finding skilled workers due to a low unemployment rate.

By Don Fisher

Full Story: http://www.kpax.com/story/35245898/montanas-largest-job-fair-coming-to-missoula
Turkey on Wednesday detained more than 1,000 people in a huge new crackdown against alleged supporters of a cleric accused of orchestrating the coup bid against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The dawn raids across the country -- seeking more than 3,000 suspects -- come just over a week after Erdogan narrowly won a controversial referendum on ramping up his powers.

They are the latest indication Turkey intends no let-up in the fight against its perceived enemies after the vote, with fighter jets Tuesday pounding Kurdish militant targets in Iraq and northern Syria.

A total of 1,120 suspects have so far been detained, the official Anadolu news agency said.

Anadolu said 4,672 suspects were sought -- of whom 1,448 are already in jail -- meaning that a total of 3,224 arrest warrants were issued.

About 8,500 police officers were involved in the nationwide operation, Anadolu reported, adding that arrest warrants had been issued for 390 suspects in Istanbul alone.

Turkish authorities blame US-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen for masterminding the July 2016 failed military coup that aimed to oust Erdogan from power but he denies the charges.

Ankara accuses the Hizmet (Service) movement Gulen leads of being a "terror organisation", although the group insists it is a peaceful organisation promoting moderate Islam.

The government has repeatedly asked the United States to extradite Gulen, who has been living in exile there since 1999.

About 47,000 people have already been arrested in Turkey under a nine-month state of emergency in place since the coup bid, a crackdown whose magnitude has raised alarm in the West.

The Turkish parliament just ahead of the referendum extended the state of emergency by another three months to July 19.

After the latest sweep, German foreign ministry spokesman Sebastian Fischer said Berlin "has taken note of the mass detentions with concern", urging respect for rule of law.

The Hurriyet newspaper reported that arrest warrants had been issued against a total of 7,000 suspects across Turkey, citing unidentified sources.

The suspects are so-called "secret imams" of Gulen suspected of infiltrating themselves into the police or other state institutions, it reported.

Erdogan has repeatedly said he will wipe out the "virus" of Gulen from state institutions after the failed coup.

The vast operation targeted big cities such as Istanbul as well as Izmir in western Turkey and Konya in the Anatolian heartland.

Prime Minister Binali Yildirim had hinted in a television interview this month that a new anti-Gulen crackdown had been in the pipeline.

The 'Yes' camp won 51.41 percent of the vote in the April 16 referendum on creating a presidential system in Turkey but opponents claim the result would have been reversed in a fair poll.

The main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) said Wednesday it would challenge last-minute changes to voting rules in the referendum at the Strasbourg-based European Court of Human Rights.

Analysts have said Erdogan, after his poll win, can choose between new confrontation or reconciliation with the West but in recent days tensions have risen further.

Turkish warplanes killed more than two dozen Kurdish fighters Tuesday in strikes in Syria and Iraq, angering the United States.

Ankara said it had carried out the strikes against "terrorist havens", vowing to continue acting against groups it links to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).

In northeast Syria, strikes targeted the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) -- who are leading the offensive against the Islamic State (IS) militants stronghold Raqa.

The US State Department said it was "deeply concerned" the strikes were conducted "without proper coordination either with the United States or the broader global coalition" against IS. Ankara said it had informed the US and Russia before the strikes.

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) voted Tuesday to reopen a monitoring probe into Turkey over rights concerns, sparking anger from Ankara.

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Fighting broke out on Wednesday along the northeast Syria border between Turkish forces and Kurdish militiamen, a monitor said, a day after deadly Turkish air strikes on the area.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the clashes erupted "after the Kurdish People's Protection Units fired on an armoured vehicle belonging to Turkish forces that had crossed the Syrian-Turkish border."

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At least eight Iranian border guards were killed in clashes with armed rebels Wednesday on the frontier with Pakistan, state television IRIB said on its website.

It said the clashes broke out in the Mirjaveh region of Sistan-Baluchistan province, without giving details.

Four border guards were killed in July 2016 in the border region with Pakistan.

Iranian media reports that the Jaish al-Adl jihadist group, accused by Tehran of links to Al-Qaeda, carries out regular attacks in Sistan-Baluchistan.

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Syrian Kurdish forces called on Wednesday for a no-fly zone across the country's north in response to deadly Turkish air strikes the previous day.

"Only (by) declaring north Syria as a no-fly zone can YPG defend the country unhindered. Turkey must adhere to no-fly zone," wrote the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) on Twitter.

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Morgan County Veterans Day Parade slated Nov. 11 Audio Article The Morgan County Veterans Day Parade will be held on Friday, Nov. 11. The parade will form at the Commons, in McConnelsville, at 9:30 a.m. and set out at 10 a.m. The American Legion Post 24 will render honors at the monuments at the Commons, Riecker Building, the Square, at...

A concert with two purposes Audio Article Wednesday, Nov. 30, a concert with dual purposes is being held at the Twin City Opera House in McConnelsville, Ohio. Its a thank-you to healthcare workers, who can attend for free, and its a benefit for the Lymphoma and Leukemia Society. In September 2021, Rick Shriver contracted COVID-19. He collapsed...

BOE reminder of early voting hours and polling location change Audio Article Remaining early voting hours at the Morgan County Board of Elections are as follows: from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov, 2 through Friday, Nov. 4; 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 5; from 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 6; and from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m....

Lions Club announces annual Wreaths Across America Audio Article On Saturday, Dec. 17, the Chesterhill Lions Club will be joining with National Wreaths Across America in the laying of wreaths at each of the seven cemeteries located in Marion Township. The mission is to honor the local veterans who have served our nation so their families can rest assured...

Governor DeWine awards $6.7 million for domestic violence survivor programs Audio Article Ohio Governor Mike DeWine has announced that he is awarding $6.7 million to support the work of the Ohio Domestic Violence Network (ODVN) to offer mobile and health advocacy services and temporary residential services for domestic violence survivors across the state. The announcement comes during National Domestic Violence Awareness Month....

CDC committee vote wont change Ohio school vaccine requirement Audio Article Ohio Department of Health Director Bruce Vanderhoff, MD, MBA has released the following statement: The CDCs Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommendation for the COVID-19 vaccine to be added to the formulary or schedule of vaccines for children does not mandate this vaccine for school children. Ohio law determines...
The British government has complained to Twitter over a block on access to data from the social network, which it was reportedly using to track potential terror attacks, officials said Wednesday.

"The government has protested against this decision and is in ongoing discussions with Twitter to attempt to get access to this data," a Home Office spokesman said.

Prime Minister Theresa May's spokesman declined to specify exactly what the data was and why it was important, saying only that "we wish to have access to this information".

But he told reporters: "The fight against terrorism is not just one for the police and the security services. Social media and tech companies have a role to play."

The Daily Telegraph newspaper reported that the government had been tracking terms related to potential terror attacks via a third-party firm, but this had now been blocked.

In a blog posting in November, Twitter executive Chris Moody said the firm encouraged developers to create products that used real-time data from the social network "in the public interest", for example tracking emergencies and natural disasters.

"Recent reports about Twitter data being used for surveillance, however, have caused us great concern," he wrote.

He said that tracking or profiling protesters or activists was "absolutely unacceptable and prohibited", including via Twitter's application software programmes.

"We prohibit developers using the Public APIs and Gnip data products from allowing law enforcement -- or any other entity -- to use Twitter data for surveillance purposes. Period," he said.

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Venezuelan riot police fired tear gas Wednesday to stop anti-government protesters from marching on central Caracas, the latest clash in a wave of unrest that has left 26 people dead.

In scenes that have been playing out all month in the crisis-wracked country, police also fired water cannon to force back demonstrators on a highway on the capital's east side.

Masked protesters throwing Molotov cocktails managed to briefly set fire to the windshield of an armored police truck, but they did not hold their ground for long as the security forces advanced.

The demonstrators vowed to keep up their protests demanding early elections to replace President Nicolas Maduro.

"We will keep doing this every day," said 20-year-old student Andres Gonzalez, who wore a gas mask and a helmet.

The opposition accuses the government of using the security forces to repress peaceful protests, and of sending gun-toting thugs to attack them.

The government in turn accuses the opposition of paying armed agitators to stir up violence.

Central Caracas is a pro-Maduro bastion and the seat of government, and previous attempts to march there have also degenerated into clashes between police and protesters.

Senior opposition leader Henrique Capriles accused the authorities of "savage repression," ahead of Wednesday's march.

"We are going to resist. We are going to persist. We will not surrender," he said.

The center-right opposition blames Maduro for severe shortages of food, medicine and other essentials in the oil-rich country, and wants general elections to exit the crisis.

Twenty-six people including four minors have died in violence sparked by the current wave of protests, which began on April 1, according to the attorney general.

Maduro put the figure at 29 deaths, without giving details.

"We will defeat violence and this coup d'etat," he said Tuesday in a speech.

The ruling socialist party called on Maduro's supporters to stage their own "revolutionary youth" march to the presidential palace.

Maduro, the heir of the leftist "Bolivarian revolution" launched by the late Hugo Chavez in 1999, says the shortages and the protests are part of a US-backed plot to topple him.

The crisis deepened late last month when the Supreme Court moved to seize power from the National Assembly, the only lever of state authority Maduro and his allies do not control.

The court partly backtracked after an international outcry. But the opposition was further galvanized when authorities banned Capriles from politics.

In just under a month of unrest, more than 400 people have been injured, and nearly 1,300 arrested, the attorney general said.

That includes 14 arrested journalists, their union said Tuesday, condemning the figure as "alarming."

More than 100 journalists have been assaulted while covering the protests, it added, accusing the national guard of "harassing, beating and intimidating" reporters.

Watchdog group Reporters Without Borders on Wednesday ranked Venezuela 137th out of 180 countries in its World Press Freedom Index.

Rights group Amnesty International for its part urged the government to stop the "persecution" and "arbitrary detention" of protesters.

The opposition said it would try to march on the offices of the national ombudsman, Tarek William Saab, whom it accuses of betraying his duty to defend Venezuelans' human rights.

The Organization of American States has meanwhile called an extraordinary meeting on the Venezuelan crisis Wednesday. OAS Secretary General Luis Almagro has previously described Maduro as a "dictator."

Venezuelan Foreign Minister Delcy Rodriguez, however, warned that Maduro has given orders to begin the process of withdrawing from the regional group if the OAS ups the ante by calling a meeting of foreign ministers to discuss the Venezuelan crisis.

Falling prices for Venezuela's crucial oil exports have slashed its revenues, leading to critical shortages and looting.

The country suffered its last major wave of unrest in 2014, when 43 people were killed in anti-government riots.

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The digital health revolution appears to be well under way. According to a recent survey by the American Medical Association, the vast majority of physicians believe that adopting digital health tools will improve their ability to care for their patients. Share on Pinterest Will digital health revolutionize medical care? The American Medical Association (AMA) reported that physicians want new technology to fit into existing systems. Importantly, physicians wanted to be part of the decision-making process when it comes to new technology. The main requirement of new digital tools  including telemedicine/telehealth, remote monitoring, mobile health (mHealth) apps, and wearables such as activity trackers  was to help physicians with their current practices, rather than radically change what they do and how they do it. Why are some healthcare professionals becoming disenchanted about the development of digital healthcare and its use in daily clinical practice? Do they view it as being based on little or no evidence?

Enthusiasm curbed as expectations not met In a recent article in NEJM Catalyst, the authors note that fewer [digital health] products than expected are being deployed in real-world clinical settings. This may be related to complaints that in practice, these products have failed to deliver on the promise that they will lead to improved quality and outcomes and reduced costs in the management of chronic diseases. For instance, the uptake of wearable sensors into routine practice for monitoring patients with chronic diseases has been less than anticipated. These devices transmit real-time data to the healthcare provider (HCP) using a patients smartphone or tablet, and in studies their use has been linked to improvements in a variety of outcomes, from quality of life to improved survival. Until recently, however, it has been difficult to duplicate these findings in clinical practice, cardiologist and IT researcher Lee R. Goldberg, M.D., of the University of Pennsylvania, told a recent meeting of the American College of Cardiology (ACC). Some studies even reported increased costs (of utilization), no impact at all, or even harm, he added. Physicians also say they have found that managing the data and incorporating them into clinical practice presents a significant challenge. They are also faced with patients who use their own apps and sensors  many of which are untested or unproven. From ineffective electronic health records, to an explosion of direct-to-consumer digital health products, to apps of mixed quality, [these products are] the digital snake oil of the early 21st century. James L. Madara, M.D., CEO of the AMA More and more were seeing digital tools in medicine that, unlike digital tools in other industries, make the provision of care less, not more, efficient, Madara added.

Tech industry and healthcare profession disconnected Increasingly, disappointment with digital health is linked to a cultural barrier that exists between the technology entrepreneurs, investors, developers, and practicing physicians. Development of the technology shows a shocking lack of focus on the place where healthcare takes place, John S. Rumsfeld M.D., chief innovation officer of the ACC, told the societys 2017 annual meeting. The main reason for this may be the lack of involvement of medical professionals in the development of some digital tools. In 2016, 85 percent of companies that publish medical apps said they consulted with HCPs in-house or externally, which represented a drop of 11 percent from the previous year. Furthermore, 11 percent of companies said that they did not work with HCPs at all. Unfortunately it often takes the critical eye of a physician to judge whether there is a credible level of evidence for an app or whether it is just a bunch of hocus pocus, noted David M. Levine, M.D., primary care physician and researcher at Brigham and Womens Hospital and Harvard Medical School, both in Boston, MA, while speaking with Medical News Today.

A plethora of apps for that Critics say that as a result of the failure to consider what may be of most value to physicians, many existing digital tools address health issues in piecemeal and haphazard ways. Many apps focus on a single disease, whereas patients with the greatest need have multiple chronic conditions. A senior with multiple chronic conditions could end up with 20 different apps on their phone, thinking that that is helpful, Dr. Levine pointed out. This is very antithetical to the way PCPs [primary care providers] think, he said. I believe that people are going to start moving toward holistic approaches, he predicted. Apps for the management of chronic diseases are mainly focused on diabetes, obesity, hypertension, depression, bipolar disorder, and chronic heart disease, but high-quality apps for use in other chronic conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis and pain, are lacking.

Much of the new digital health technology, especially mHealth apps, lacks an evidence base. Commercially successful apps do not necessarily have medical value for physicians to apply to decision-making for patient evaluation, diagnosis, treatment, or other options. For this reason, many PCPs are cautious about using them. It is very difficult for a PCP to know what is a good app and what is not, which ones are evidence-based and which one has been validated. I dont want to introduce a new intervention to one of my patients unless I know there is evidence that it works [] its the same as of medication. Dr. David M. Levine Digital health products that do show impressive results in clinical trials often fail to be adopted into clinical practice. This is because clinical trials are conducted in highly controlled environments, which make use of tools such as training, close monitoring, and payments to ensure that patients use the technologies appropriately. This rarely exists in the real world, according to Joseph C. Kvedar M.D., vice president of Harvard-associated health technology company, Partners HealthCare Connected Health. Digital health products designed for the prevention or treatment of chronic diseases mostly do so through changing patient behavior. In order to be successful, patients need to be highly motivated. Digital companies should focus on patient engagement, Dr. Kvedar advised.

More connectivity in the future A big problem for current practice is that many digital health tools do not connect with each other. Interoperability  that is, systems and devices exchanging data and interpreting the shared data  therefore remains largely unattainable. Integration of new technologies is very important, Dr. Levine stressed  particularly development of technologies that are more easily incorporated into the electronic health records (called Plug and Play). We want it to all be visible to our entire health team so that anyone can log into it and it is all in one place, Dr. Levine said. Currently, most of these apps create their own platform with their own set of log-ins and their own security issues and alerting issues. Connectivity is a big issue for the future because oftentimes that is what keeps us from using some of these digital health solutions now, he said.
Increased legalization of marijuana for medical purposes may be fueling illicit use of the drug, as well as increasing the number marijuana use disorders, according to the results of a new study. Share on Pinterest Researchers have identified a greater increase in illicit marijuana use and disorders in states that have legalized medical marijuana. An analysis of data from three national surveys in the United States revealed a higher increase in illicit marijuana use and marijuana use disorders in states that had passed medical marijuana laws (MMLs), compared with states that have not legalized medical marijuana. Study co-author Deborah Hasin, Ph.D., of the Mailman School of Public Health and the Department of Psychiatry at Columbia University Medical Center in New York, and colleagues say that their findings suggest that changing state marijuana laws may have serious consequences for public health. The researchers recently reported their findings in JAMA Psychiatry. To date, 29 states in the U.S. and the District of Columbia have legalized marijuana for medical use, and more are expected to follow. In states that have passed MMLs, doctors may prescribe the drug to help treat a number of conditions, including pain, chemotherapy-related nausea, seizure disorders, and poor appetite and weight loss due to chronic illness.

Concerns about MMLs While many people have welcomed the legalization of medical marijuana, others have raised concerns that it will increase recreational use of the drug, with some negative implications. Many adults now favor legalizing recreational use, and fewer view cannabis as risky. Despite this view, while some can use cannabis without harm, potential consequences include impaired functioning, vehicle crashes, emergency department visits, psychiatric symptoms, and addiction, say Hasin and colleagues. Over time, the prevalence of adult illicit use and related consequences has increased. Thus, identifying factors underlying increased adult illicit use is important. State MML[s] may be one such factor. For their study, Hasin and team investigated whether MMLs might be contributing to illicit use of the drug and marijuana use disorders. The researchers analyzed data from 118,497 adults included in three national surveys: the 1991-1992 National Longitudinal Alcohol Epidemiologic Survey, the 2001-2002 National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions, and the 2012-2013 National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions-III. These three surveys represent the changing scope of MMLs in the U.S. In 1991-1992, no Americans lived in MML states; in 2001, 18.9 percent lived in MML states, and in 2012, more than one third (34.3 percent) lived in MML states, the authors note.
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 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."

Article: Malaria-Related Hospitalizations in the United States, 2000-2014, Diana Khuu et al., American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, doi: 10.4269/ajtmh.17-0101, published online 24 April 2017.


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"Cold weather can trigger certain diseases and even death because it can put extra strain on body systems such as the thermoregulation, heart and circulatory systems. With changing temperatures, your body has to adjust to maintain a stable body temperature," said senior author Kai Zhang, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Epidemiology, Human Genetics and Environmental Sciences.According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, from 2006 to 2010, about 2,000 people in the United States died each year due to weather-related causes. Of those deaths, 63 percent were attributed to exposure to excessive natural cold, hypothermia or both.Zhang said, however, "The CDC's estimate is significantly underestimated because cold weather can affect people with pre-existing diseases, resulting in the attribution of primary cause of death to these diseases rather than to cold weather."The study focused on the effects of cold weather in 12 metropolitan areas with a population of more than 200,000 across Texas: Austin-Round Rock, Beaumont-Port Arthur, Brownsville-Harlingen, Corpus Christi, Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, El Paso, Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, Killeen-Temple, Lubbock, McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, San Antonio-New Braunfels and Waco.Researchers also estimated the effects of cold waves, which are extended periods of extremely cold temperatures. They observed the highest impact of cold waves in areas along the Gulf Coast, which had increased risks ranging from 3 to 8 percent depending on the area.According to the researchers, cold temperatures affected those 75 and older most and at an even higher rate because of the vulnerability of their body systems to cold temperatures.Researchers also found that in Texas, cold weather significantly increases mortality risk highest in people who have suffered from a heart attack or have pre-existing conditions like respiratory disease, ischemic heart disease and cardiovascular disease.The highest increased risk for these diseases across Texas was observed in Brownsville/Harlingen, one of the southernmost metropolitan areas in Texas."For those with existing heart and respiratory disease, they have to deal with additional pressure and thus are vulnerable to cold weather," Zhang said. "These findings highlight the significant impact of cold weather on mortality in Texas and support the importance of prevention and interventions to reduce adverse health effects, particularly among vulnerable populations."Source: Eurekalert
The unparalleled brilliance and puckish wit? Check. The trademark wild mop of hair? Check. The marital infidelity and free-wheeling sex?

Yes, check again for Albert Einstein, who in National Geographic's miniseries "Genius" comes across as a full-blooded, hot-blooded figure who lived by his own rules, both scientific and domestic.

The 10-part series, starring Oscar-winning Geoffrey Rush ("Shine") as the mature physicist and Johnny Flynn ("Lovesick") as the budding one, also places Einstein firmly in a 20th-century world engulfed by political chaos and war.

"Genius" (debuting 9 p.m. EDT Tuesday) is both entertaining and intelligent, as befits a drama that's based on Walter Isaacson's acclaimed 2007 biography, "Einstein: His Life and Universe," and is the Nat Geo channel's first scripted series.

Also credit Ron Howard, who brought another complex scientist to the screen in "A Beautiful Mind," the 2001 Academy Award-winning film about troubled mathematician John Nash.

There are some "Mind"-type cinematic flourishes in "Genius," restrained special effects that provide a visual sense of Einstein's thinking and the universe as he sees it and helpful for the science-challenged.

But the series opens with Rush's Einstein and a young woman in the throes of passion (intercut, unnervingly, with an assassination that foretells of the upheaval ahead for him and the world).

It was a deliberate choice, said Howard, who directed episode one and is among the series' executive producers that include Brian Grazer, his longtime creative partner, and Gigi Pritzker. Noah Pink and Ken Biller are the screenwriters.

"Not only did it (the scene) appeal to us dramatically, but it also fulfilled the desire to announce to audiences right away that we weren't approaching it in an entirely straightforward, traditional and academic way," Howard said. "We were looking for the drama in the story and willing to deal with Einstein, warts and all."

"Genius" hopscotches through time as it follows Einstein flailing as an unconventional student; a young lover and imperfect husband and parent; a Jew clashing with the German scientific establishment; and as the conflicted father of the atomic age.

Rush said he was more familiar with aspects of Einstein's world-changing theory of relativity than with the man himself, a distant figure often reduced to a beaming, wild-haired figure with brains.

"We all know the look of Einstein  it should be an emoji," Rush said by phone from Australia. As he delved further into Einstein's life, Rush was struck by his many sides and the fame he achieved for work unknowable by many.

"He experienced a level of global celebrity equal to that of his contemporary, Charlie Chaplin," Rush said. But while Chaplin's Little Tramp film character had an everyman appeal, Einstein "managed that by coming up with theories that 99.9 percent of the world had no idea what he was talking about."

Not all were fans. Einstein was seen as a threat by, among others, fellow German scientists who derided his work as a sign of foreign influence and "devoid" of reality in the changing political order destined to be ruled by Adolf Hitler.

There are parallels with today's clashes over climate change and other science, Howard said.

"This sort of tactic of trying to galvanize support around a particular agenda by narrowing your focus, as opposed to broadening it, by doubting innovation and trying to rigidly hang on to accepted ideas. There's nothing new in that," he said.

Howard wants viewers to appreciate the courage it took the trailblazing Einstein to pursue his ideas against fierce opposition and, despite his own sometimes "less than noble" personal behavior, become a voice for shared humanity.

"There's a kind of courage required for Einstein to have given us everything he gave us, in addition to the transformative work in physics. The role that he ultimately took on as a philosopher and political force," Howard said, "that was not something he welcomed at all. It was thrust upon him."

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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The Greek capital has lots to offer the budget traveller, including historic sites, fantastic views and heaps of yummy food

Athens is a beautiful city, famous for its ancient ruins and distinctive Greek culture. From the Parthenon temple to the ancient Agora, the evidence of Classical Greece can be seen everywhere, drawing crowds of history buffs and culture vultures each year.

The city is also packed with historic churches and winding backstreets, while the changing of the guard outside parliament provides a fair dose of pomp and ceremony.

There a wealth of shops too, selling traditional crafts and tourist nick-nacks, not to mention more cafes and restaurants than you could shake a Greek salad at  surely enough to keep the most demanding city-breaker amused.

But how much does this all cost? The Greek economy has taken a bad knock in recent years, with serious consequences for the local population. On the up side, the resulting cheap prices have made Athens all the more appealing to foreign visitors.

The Greek capital is now one of the cheapest in Europe, and we're pretty sure it's possible to enjoy the place for just 10 euros a day, accommodation to one side.

If you're wondering how that's possible, just keep reading!

Stay close to the action

Athens has three main districts of interest to tourists, and they are all very walkable: Monastiraki, Plaka and the Acropolis, where you will find Syntagma Square, the main square in the downtown area.

Booking your accommodation within these districts ensures minimal use of transportation  hence expenditure. Equipped with some comfy walking shoes, a water bottle and a map, you can explore everything worth seeing on foot.

Luckily for those not keen on walking, public transport is also pretty cheap. A five-day travel card, suitable for all forms of public transport, costs just 9 euros.

Breakfast time

It's breakfast time, and there's no better place to start than Monastiraki, which is full of cool, cheap places to eat. Or you might head over to the Meliorotos bakery in Plaka for a delicious spanakopita (spinach pie), which is an amazin Greek delight. Or maybe youd prefer an eggplant and zucchini mini-pizza?

Whatever you choose, combine it with a 1-euro coffee, and you'll keep the cost down. Your entire breakfast will cost you around 3 euros.

If you're feeling more generous, you could try for the most common coffee-type drink, the cappuccino fredo, which is a cold cappuccino. Yes, for some reason, Greeks like ice-cold coffee drinks.

The more energetic traveller might wish to Walk to the amazing Bread Factory bakery, which is not far from Metaxourghio metro station. This bakery has the best collection of Greek sweets and pastries, along with an amazing 1-euro ice-cream thats worth trying.

Fuelled up? Let's hit the road!

Start your day by walking around the Acropolis, the famous hill topped with the Parthenon temple. Now partially ruined, it is still worth the visit. Both the view and the walk are breathtaking, full of greenery and that lovely old Hellenic touch  complete with cobblestone streets on which traders layout their wares.

Is it 11 am yet? If so, it's time for the official walking tour!

Go back to Monastiraki and join the free Athens walking tour. Understandably, this free tour is very popular, and so you have to book ahead. Just follow this link.

The tour is an excellent way to get acquainted with the city's highlights. It will also provide you with some inspiration as to how to spend the rest of your visit.

An afternoon stroll

Having finished the tour, you should now know more about Athens than the average citizen! Now it's time to stroll through the Monastiraki flea market. You get to watch people buying and selling, while taking a few nice photographs.

Nearly 2pm? Then it's time for a change. Wandering down Emrou Street, you will arrive at Syntagma Square, where you'll witness the hourly ceremony of the changing of the guards outside parliament. These guards, known as Evzones, wear distinctive traditional customs and march very smartly, attracting crowds of onlookers.

If you are there on a Sunday, you will find a much larger ceremonial change at 11 am, accompanied by a marching band. Worth seeing.

Walk past Syntagma Square and you will find McDonald's, beside which is a place selling very nice gyros, which is meat roasted on a rotating spit - hence the name. Go for the souvlaki, pita with beef, or the kebab; this traditional lunch will set you back only 2 euros. (The guys working there are Egyptians. Ahmed works in the morning, while Mohamed's on the night shift. If you go there, say Nour says Hi!)

Now sunset is not far off, and youve spent exactly 5 euros. Not bad, huh?

I was keeping the next part until sunset, because its really the highlight of your day. Head back to the Acropolis, and ask how to get up Filopappos Hill. Everyone will tell you the same thing: Go that way; it's a nice walk. And it is actually a nice hike  not too tiring  up the highest, most beautiful hill in Athens.

You will have a fantastic view of the Acropolis, the Aegean Sea, and the whole of Athens. It's a beautiful spot to watch the sunset and take very cool pictures. Don't miss it!

Athens by night

Time for a brisk stroll. Go back to Monastiraki, and ask the locals how to get to Plaka. Thenstart strolling through this beautiful, historic district. You can also pick up cheap souvenirs on the way, such as a cool magnet for half a euro!

If you're feeling peckish, you can get a huge scoop of ice cream for just 2 euros at Lukumades, or pass by a local bakery and buy baklava or halva for the same price, accompanied by the standard 1-euro Greek coffee. (Turkish coffee was originally Greek, but the Turks took it and added more spices.)

By this time, you should have a couple of Euros left. You have two choices: either sit in a cool Greek bar in Plaka and sip on a drink or enjoy a small starter, such as zucchini balls.

If you're feeling more generous, you might extend your total budget to 15 euros and have a plate of moussaka, an excellent Greek dish made of zucchini, potatoes, bechamel and meat.

Your other option is to spoil yourself with another gyros and walk to the Roman Stadium, which you'll learn about on the walking tour. Climb the stairs to the top and enjoy both the view and the historic atmosphere.

Whatever you choose to do, it's clearly possible to enjoy a very full day in Athens without breaking the bank!

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Most cultures except the Arab Islamic culture have been given the chance to head UNESCO. Is it not high time the Arabs had a chance?

UNESCO is a UN organisation concerned with education, the sciences and culture. It is a crucible in which the world's cultures melt and come closer to each other; a forum for the exchange of ideas, inspired by various civilisations and the experiences of nations and peoples.

Consequently, taking charge of this organisation should be on a rotation basis among representatives of different cultures in a way that permits  through every director's culture for a certain period  articulating the potentialities of such a culture, its civilisational facets, vision in dealing with current challenges and displaying its value system and how such a culture interacts with other cultures.

Throughout UNESCO's history the post of its director mostly went to persons who expressed the West's culture and its vision. There have been six director-generals, one of which remained for 11 years and was a French national.

A few of those who took the helm gave expression to Asian, Latin and African culture. Arab and Islamic culture remained waiting for its chance to take its deserved place. There is no more significant timing and no more dangerous a stage than the present one that is suitable to give way to Arab Islamic culture to take the helm, in order to expose the false claims of extremism, refute terrorist ideology, and spread the values of dialogue, moderation, peace, coexistence and acceptance of others.

Hence, Egypt nominated a lady who is one of its best offsprings, with a distinguished diplomatic background and active and influential political one. She also symbolises a purely Egyptian Arabo-Muslim civilisation and culture with all that means in profundity, diversity and richness. Moreover, she is a representative of the Eastern Egyptian woman searching for her rights, aspiring to participation, capable of achievement inspite of restraints, hindrances and challenges, and refuting the stereotypical image entrenched about Eastern women in moulds fabricated by the West.

The Arab nations posed a challenge to Egypt's nomination of the politician, diplomat, minister and academician Moushira Khattab. Although this situation was a significant obstacle, it is possible to deal with it, notwithstanding its negative impact on the prospects for any of the Arab candidates  Egyptian, Qatari, Iraqi and Lebanese.

It is demanded that all of them in their messages and communications insist upon the eligibility of the Arabs through their culture and civilisation to take the role of leadership and directorship of UNESCO after all the world's geographical regions have taken charge of that body except the Arab region.

Most of the cultures save the Arab Islamic culture received their due time in heading UNESCO. They should assert the importance of offering this opportunity to Arab culture, at this time in particular.

Afterwards there must be a call and consensus among Arab candidates to back the candidate most likely to win in later stages. This should be done, whether through a dialogue that the Arab League organises with the concerned countries, or via the candidates or an Egyptian initiative.

It was hoped that the Amman Arab Summit would have issued a statement expressing the Arab countries aspiration that the Arab region be allowed to head UNESCO. It is still possible to achieve that through the Arab League and its secretary-general.

What has made the situation more complicated is that France, the host country and with its weight in the cultural and international arena, insisted on presenting a candidate immediately before closing the door for nominations.

It is an infuriating development since France chose its culture minister who is of Moroccan origin and Jewish. It is an unnecessary mixing up of issues at a time when distrust between cultures is prevalent and it recalls contradictions between whats Arab and whats Western and between whats Muslim and whats Jewish.

We, in the international community, believe in the capacities of Arab culture for moderation in the field of thought including Islamic thought  and all would win if a representative of that culture heads UNESCO in the coming stage.

However, France chose to impose its will and assert that it does not care much about equal opportunity or the value of supporting a first time Arabs and Muslim candidate.

France chose to treat the Arabs and Muslims with same selfish, opportunistic mentality of the past, as if it is the most intelligent and the chosen, as if it is saying in a pretending-to-be-clever manner or mockingly: Do you want an Arab candidate here? She is a female candidate of Arab origin.

The truth is that the opportunistic French standpoint angered me as it did many others for in its nomination there is condescension and insistence on granting its culture an exalted position. The nomination is also an unjustified antagonism and carelessness towards our Arab culture and its capability to positively interact with and affect the movement of global culture. Definitely, it fully realises that, even if only by custom, is the Arab regions turn as the only culture that didnt take the helm at UNESCO.

What angered me in the French nomination is that it recalled the contradictions and competitiveness among those believing in different religions. This matter wasnt raised before presenting the name of the French minister, whereas our Arab candidates were most careful not to instigate religious fanaticism or religious emotions but spoke well of the culture of the other and affirmed that they speak on behalf of everybody and for everybodys interest. I see in the French nomination an undermining of the positive relationship path with Egypt, and also an undermining of Frances stature as a bastion of noble values and the founder of the principles of liberty, justice and equality.

In all cases, we have to work on reviving values that transcend the way the other perceives and evaluates us, to continue our campaign and marshall behind us many voices. We have many friends. We carry the message of defending Arabism, its culture and our true Islam and its principles, on the top of which comes moderation, respecting the other and cooperation. We have to bear the responsibility of elevating the culture of peace in societies devastated by war and in regions where disputes destroyed values and heritage, and in which UNESCO can play  through Arab Muslim directorship  a role in cultural reconstruction.

This is the importance of an Arab Muslim candidate in this difficult time to head the organisation concerned with peoples cultures and to conduct dialogues between their religions and civilisations.

We wish our capable candidate all luck and insistence on elevating Arabism and Islam and serious Eastern women, inspite of Arab division and the selfish Western standpoint.

The writer is former assistant to Egypt's foreign minister.

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The ongoing hunger strike of over 1,000 Palestinian captives is one of the strongest weapons they hold in the face of Israeli oppression

All of us are siding with the Palestinian captives

In early April, more than one thousand Palestinians held in Israeli prisons, headed by leaders Marwan Al-Barghouti, Ahmed Saadat, Hassan Yousef and many others, began an open-ended hunger strike in defence of their own and their people's dignity, and to regain the rights that Israel has infringed upon.

In the manner of Hana Shalabi, Mohammed Al-Qeeq, Khader Adnan and Thaer Halahla, who fought with the only weapon they possessed in their prison cells  that is, going on hunger strike and refusing to have any dealings with the prison administration  hundreds began refusing food this month. They are striking to protest a series of bigoted Israeli laws which have exceeded all limits.

The hunger strike has drawn participants from a wide range of political factions.

Some of the laws they are protesting are soon to be enforced.

These laws include forced feeding of strikers, raising the legal sentence for children convicted of throwing stones to twenty years in prison, trying children under 14 years old, convicting Palestinians without witnesses and depriving prisoners of education.

This shameful administrative detention has become a weapon raised in the face of everyone expressing a will to freedom and even in the face of elected Palestinian representatives, 13 of whom languish in prison cells.

There are more than 6,500 male and female captives, including more than 300 children and 500 administrative detainees and 62 female captives including 14 minors currently being held in Israeli prisons.

Among them is the longest-held captive in modern history, Nael Al-Barghouti, who has spent more than thirty-six years in jail. There are hundreds of ill captives, including 21 patients suffering from cancer and life-threatening injuries. These prisoners die every day away from their relatives and loved ones.

There are 46 captives who were freed within the Wafa al-Ahrar (Loyalty of the Freemen) prisoner exchange, only to be detained once again and see their life sentences renewed. Then there is freed captive Mazen Al-Fuqaha, who was assassinated by treacherous hands in Gaza.

Every day the occupation army launches raids and detention campaigns, which haul in an average twenty new captives daily. In March alone, occupation forces detained 509 Palestinians.

There is not a single Palestinian home without a mam or woman held captive. Since the beginning of occupation in 1967, detention cases have exceeded 1 million.

If the Algerian people are called the one million martyrs then the Palestinian people deserve to be called the one million male and female captives.

If we wanted to be accurate, the majority of the Palestinian people in Jerusalem, the West Bank and Gaza have been living under the occupation's captivity for the last 50 years. For Gaza is a prison besieged from land, sea and air. The West Bank is kept apart and surrounded by prejudiced occupation laws.

The valiant captives hunger strike will be the battle of all Palestinian people and will feed their energy for struggle.

It is the duty of all of us to side with them, support and back them in their cause. This isn't restricted to one faction, party or group. It is the cause of the entire captive Palestinian people.

Through their hunger strike, they prove that the Palestinian's will is stronger than all oppression, bigger than every prison, greater than every repression and more sublime than every dispute or division.

They deserve every salute and hope for victory, for they are the ones who sacrifice their freedom for their people's freedom.

The writer is Secretary-General of the Palestinian National Initiative.

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HURON COUNTY  On Tuesday, voters may decide the future of wind energy development in Huron County.

County-zoned municipalities will determine the fate of two large proposed wind parks. One is primarily in Lincoln Township, and the other is primarily in Sherman Township.

Lincoln Township voters will also choose whether to allow the township to form its own planning commission and become self-zoned.

And Sand Beach voters will determine whether to support a change in its ordinance that limits sound, which opponents say will not allow wind turbine development.

The 16 county-zoned townships are: Bingham, Bloomfield, Brookfield, Dwight, Fairhaven, Gore, Grant, Hume, Lincoln, McKinley, Rubicon, Sebewaing, Sheridan, Sherman, Sigel and Winsor.

Voters there will decide whether to allow DTE Energy to develop a wind farm spanning four townships. It includes 70 turbines on 16,900 acres in Lincoln Township, 4,100 acres in Sigel Township, 2,500 acres in Bloomfield Township and 2,000 acres in Dwight Township.

They will also decide on a NextEra Energy Resources project, Huron Wind LLC. It proposes turbines in Sherman, Sigel, Sand Beach and Delaware townships. Of the 60 planned turbines, 40 are to be located in Sherman Township. Delaware Township is self-zoned and located in Sanilac County.

A yes vote on either overlay district would be in support of the development.

A yes vote for the Lincoln Township ordinance would be in support of the township becoming self-zoned  a move that could prevent wind development in the township.

Someone in Lincoln Township who supports wind would vote yes for each county proposal, and no for the township proposal.

And in Sand Beach Township, those in support of wind energy would vote no, while those opposed to wind energy would vote yes.

Huron County leads the state with 443 turbines standing. Another 29 are scheduled for construction this year.

Huron County Commissioner John A. Nugent said at Tuesdays Huron County Board of Commissioners meeting that next weeks vote will guide the commission from this point forward.

He said this important vote will say to the board, either Yes, we want more turbines, or No, we dont want more turbines.

The language of the referenda is as follows:

 Proposal 1, county-zoned municipalities (first proposal on the ballot):

Huron Wind LLCs Overlay District in Sigel and Sherman townships

Should the electors residing in the zoning jurisdiction of Huron County approve an amendment to the Huron County Zoning Ordinance which would add a wind energy overlay district classification to agricultural land located in portions of Sigel and Sherman townships, as specifically described in the ordinance, adopted at a meeting of the Huron County Board of Commissioners held on Dec. 13, 2016?

 Proposal 2, county-zoned municipalities: (second proposal on the ballot)

DTEs Overlay District in Bloomfield, Dwight, Lincoln and Sigel townships

Should the electors residing in the zoning jurisdiction of Huron County approve an amendment to the Huron County Zoning Ordinance which would add a wind energy overlay district classification to agricultural land located in portions of Bloomfield, Dwight, Lincoln and Sigel townships, as specifically described in the ordinance, adopted at a meeting of the Huron County Board of Commissioners held on Oct. 25, 2016?

 Lincoln Township proposal: (This will be found third from the top for Lincoln voters only)

Shall Lincoln Township Ordinance No. 2016-01, an ordinance creating a planning commission with the powers and duties set forth in the Michigan Planning Enabling Act, MCL 125.3801 et seq., be approved?

 Sand Beach Proposal: (This will be the only proposal for Sand Beach voters)

Shall Sand Beach Township Ordinance No. 0822, which amends Article VII(A) of the Township Zoning Ordinance, entitled Sand Beach Township Wind Energy Conversion Facility Overlay Zoning Ordinance to revise Section 2 (definitions), Section 3.2 (principal of accessory use), Section 5.1 (site plan review), and Section 5.3 (application materials, including avian analysis, visual appearance, lighting and power lines; shadow flicker; setbacks; separation and security, and sound pressure level), be approved?
SEBEWAING  Christ the King Lutheran School is hosting a Public Safety Appreciation Day for police, fire and EMS workers on May 3.

The event is designed to continue to build a positive relationship with local heroes. Additionally, the school wants to encourage a strong respect for the dedication and sacrifice that our public safety community makes each day. The appreciation day will begin with a special chapel service, displays of artwork to thank the members of our public safety community, a presentation of thanks to the public safety workers and will conclude with a homemade lunch and dessert for the students to enjoy with the public safety workers.
UPPER THUMB  The Sweet Heifer Program, which is designed to help youth in Michigans Thumb learn more about the cattle and beef industries, is scheduled to hold an informational meeting next week.

The non-profit organization wants to award a sweet heifer to experienced beef exhibitors from Huron, Tuscola, Sanilac, Lapeer, St. Clair, Oakland and Macomb counties.

Close to 60 animals have been given to deserving youth since the program was launched in 2008. Recipients are asked to give back to the Sweet Heifer Program through the donation of an animal or other means.

Youth who have exhibited beef for at least two years and reside in one of the seven counties are eligible to apply. A written application and in-person interviews are part of the application process.

To learn more about this unique opportunity, there will be an informational meeting at 7 p.m. on May 3 at the Marlette Regional Hospital Auxiliary Conference Room.

Attendees will hear from program leaders about Sweet Heifers history and past recipients will share their stories. Youth will also be able to obtain an application form at that time. Applications are due June 30.

To reserve a seat for the event, call Darcy Lipskey at 810-705-1333 or Maria Brown at 810-656-1872. Reservations are requested but not required.

For more information, visit sweetheifer.org or look the group up on Facebook @Sweetheiferprogram.

Editor's note: This program is not affiliated with MSU Extension.
Incidents law enforcement officers responded to between April 18-24, Tuscola County by township and village:

Akron:

 Vehicle in ditch on Wildner Road  when arrived vehicle gone.

Almer Charter:

 Traffic stop on East Caro Road  speeding stop and no license.

Arbela:

 Traffic stop on Vassar Road  driving while license suspended.

 Family trouble at 1000 block of South Bray Road  civil dispute - property.

 Civil dispute on 8000 block of Arbela Road.

 Harassing situation on 10000 block of Evelyn Drive.

 Traffic  operating under influence of liquor on Murphy Lake Road.

 Investigation on 8000 block of Millington Road  suspicious person on property  subject located and family verbal argument.

Dayton Township

 Family trouble on 4000 block of Anderson Road  assault.

 Welfare check on 2000 block of S. Hurds Corner Road.

Denmark Township

 Assault and battery on 3000 block of S. Van Buren.

Elkland Township

 Traffic on Elmwood Road  vehicle in ditch and failure to report accident.

 Traffic  driving while license suspended on Elmwood Road.

 Traffic  three vehicle accident with one injury on Cemetery Road.

Elmwood:

 Deliver controlled substance causing death 5000 block of Dodge Road  overdose still investigating.

 Dangerous drugs on 5000 block of Dodge Road  part of overdose investigation.

 Trespassing on 3000 block of Caro Road.

Fairgrove:

 Traffic stop on Gilford Road  no license.

 Operating under the influence of controlled substance on Merry road.

Fremont:

 Traffic stop on M-24  speeding, improper plate and no proof of insurance.

 Assist Michigan State Police on 4000 block of Mertz Road for vacant house with lights on.

 Failure to appear  Conrad Road.

 Traffic  car/deer on Mertz Road.

Indianfields:

 Traffic on M-24  operating under the influence of liquor.

 Traffic stop on M-24  driving while license suspended.

 Traffic investigation on Dixon Road  traffic hazard and suspicious vehicle. Vehicle broke down.

 Two vehicle accident on West Sanilac Road.

 Traffic  car/deer accident on 1000 block of S. Colling Road.

 Traffic  lawnmower on road on Gun Club Road.

 Obstructing court order on 1000 block of S. Colling Road  probation violation.

Juniata Township

 Possession of marijuana on Kirk Road.

 Operating under influence of controlled substance on Kirk Road.

 Car/deer accident on Dixon Road.

Kingston:

 False alarm on 5000 block of State Road.

Koylton Township

 Family trouble on 2000 block of Koylette Road  domestic argument.

Millington

 Traffic on Sheridan Road  two vehicle accident.

 Fraud on 9000 block of McPherson Road  unemployment fraud.

 Traffic on State Road  injured dog in road.

 Traffic on State Road  two-vehicle accident.

 Traffic  debris on State Road.

Vassar Township

 False alarm on 4000 block of Hess Road.

Watertown

 Traffic on Swaffer Road  suspicious vehicle on should  when responded vehicle gone.

 Investigation  9405 Foster Street for a suspicious note left at fire hall.

 Car/deer on Swaffer Road.

Wells

 Assist Michigan State Police on 3000 block of Muck Road with welfare check.

 Obstructing justice on 3000 block of Muck Road  warrant arrest.

Mayville Village

 Assist Mayville Police Department with domestic assault.

 911 hang up 5000 block of Trend Street.

Millington Village

 Assault and battery on 8000 block of State Road.

 On 8000 block of State Road  attempted overdose  taken to hospital.

 Traffic on Main Street  driving while license suspended.

 Suspicious situation on 8780 Dean Drive  open door, smashed display case at Millington High School  believed to be an accident by students.

Caro City

 Inspection on 400 block of Green Street  open door  secured building no sign of forced entry.

 Assist Caro Police Department at 400 block of Court Street with unruly subject.

 Probation violation at 400 block of Court Street.

 Traffic  two-vehicle accident on Cleaver Road.

 Assist Caro Police Department on 100 W. Burnside for domestic disturbance.

Listing includes information from the Michigan State Police and other law enforcement agencies.
Of course, Donald Trump over-promised for his first 100 days. What presidential candidate hasnt?

During last years campaign, Trump spoke frequently of all the things he would do almost immediately upon entering the Oval Office. Hed repeal Obamacare, reform the tax code, destroy ISIS, build a wall at the U.S.-Mexico border, fix the nations roads and bridges, take care of veterans, deport criminal illegal immigrants, and much, much more.

By the last weeks of the campaign, Trump actually dialed back some of his promises. On Oct. 22, he traveled to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, to announce his Contract with the American Voter, which formalized his pledges for the first 100 days.

The Contract was a single piece of paper. The front listed 18 actions Trump would take under his executive authority as president, and the back listed ten pieces of legislation he would introduce in Congress.

Now, three months into the Trump administration, the front and the back of the Contract are two very different stories.

On the executive action front, Trump has kept a significant number of his promises:

 Candidate Trump promised to begin the process of selecting a Supreme Court Justice to replace Antonin Scalia. As president, Trump did just that, and Neil Gorsuch is now on the Court.

 Candidate Trump promised to withdraw from the Trans-Pacific Partnership. As president, he did it.

 Candidate Trump promised to require that for every new federal regulation, two existing regulations must be eliminated. As president, he did it.

 Candidate Trump promised to lift the Obama-Clinton roadblocks on the Keystone Pipeline and other infrastructure projects. As president, he did it.

 Candidate Trump promised to begin removing the more than two million criminal illegal immigrants in the U.S. As president, he did it.

On other issues, Trump has kept front-page promises, but with decidedly mixed results. The most significant of those is his pledge to suspend immigration from terror-prone regions. Trump has done it  twice  only to see his executive orders tied up in the courts. His first try was botched, while the second try will likely survive judicial scrutiny.

Trump also promised to cancel all federal funding for so-called sanctuary cities. He has begun to do so  the Justice Department is beginning to threaten to withdraw some grant money  but the promise was overbroad and will likely never be fully kept.

In addition, Trump promised to impose a five-year ban on White House and Congressional officials becoming lobbyists after they leave government service. He kept the pledge for White House officials but does not have the authority to tell Congress what to do  so again, a partially kept, but originally overbroad promise.

Some promises Trump has openly chosen to break. He promised to direct the Secretary of the Treasury to label China a currency manipulator. Now, he says he will not do so if China is helping the U.S. solve the so-far-intractable North Korea problem.

The net result of Trumps promises involving executive authority is that he has done well when it comes to keeping the Contract. Indeed, the two biggest successes of Trumps first 100 days are on the front page of the Contract: the Gorsuch nomination and Trumps immigration executive order tightening controls at the Mexico border.

Weve seen a dramatic reduction in illegal migration across the southwest border, Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly said Friday. In fact, March apprehensions were 30 percent lower than February apprehensions  and 64 percent lower than the same time next year.

That is a solid success by any measure.

But the back page of the Contract is a different story. Unlike many of his speeches, Trump was careful not to promise legislative success. I will work with Congress to introduce the following broader legislative measures and fight for their passage with the first 100 days of my administration, he said in the Contract.

But Trump has not even introduced promised legislation like the American Energy and Infrastructure Act, or the School Choice and Education Opportunity Act, or the Affordable Childcare and Eldercare Act, or others on the 10-point list.

The president, mostly following the lead of House Republicans, has taken a shot  and failed  at repealing and replacing Obamacare. To the extent that that work continues  a vote in the House could be just a few weeks away  he can be said to be working on keeping that promise. And Trump has pledged to bring out some sort of tax proposal this week  not an actual tax reform bill, but movement closer to the goal of reforming the tax code. So on the two biggest items on the back page of the Contract, by the time the actual 100-day mark arrives next Saturday, Trump will be able to say hes making progress.

But the fact is, on the whole, Trump failed to keep the back page promises of the Contract in his first 100 days.

On the other hand, the president has been a crucial part of a determined effort by Capitol Hill Republicans to use the Congressional Review Act to abolish rules put in place by the Obama administration. Trump has signed 12 such bills into law voiding Obama rules on energy, firearms, federal labor contracts, local control of education, and other topics.

The bottom line is that Trump has been a 100-day success when it comes to exercising the executive powers of the presidency. He has done a great deal of what he said he would do, and promises to do more.
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...
As the U.S. Navy's Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group approaches the Korean Peninsula in coming days, the head of U.S. Pacific Command had this to say about the prospect of incoming ballistic missiles from North Korea: "If it flies, it will die."

Testifying to the House Armed Services Committee Wednesday, Adm. Harry Harris countered recent reports from media outlets including Bloomberg that the Vinson and its escort ships, the guided-missile destroyers Wayne E. Meyer and Michael Murphy and guided-missile cruiser Lake Champlain, were not equipped to fend off a North Korean missile attack.

Amid mounting tensions and American shows of strength North Korea has threatened to sink the Vinson and turn it into a "sea wreck," spreading the message through state propaganda channels.

Bloomberg reported that the Meyer and the Murphy were not equipped with the Aegis surveillance system designed to track long-range missiles or SM-3 interceptors that can target and destroy medium and long-range missiles. While the strike group escorts carry Tomahawk missiles and anti-ship cruise missiles and the carrier has aircraft capable of jamming radar and executing air strikes, the outlet reported, it remained vulnerable to a ballistic missile attack.

"I believe that article and articles like that are both misleading, and they conflate apples and oranges, if you will," Harris said. "We have ballistic missile ships in the Sea of Japan that are capable of defending against ballistic attacks."

Harris did not say which ships in the region possessed this capability. Also recently deployed to the Pacific are the destroyers Sterrett and Dewey, though these ships, like the Wayne E. Meyer and Michael Murphy, are not yet equipped for Aegis ballistic missile defense. But there are five destroyers homeported in Japan and currently located there that are equipped with the capability.

Moreover, Harris said, North Korea did not have a ballistic anti-ship missile at its disposal that was capable of threatening the Vinson or the ships in its strike group.

"The weapons that North Korea would put against the Carl Vinson strike group are easily defended by the capabilities resident in that strike group," he said. "If it flies, it will die, if it's flying against the [group.] So I'm confident in that strike group's ability to not only defend itself but to project power if that is the call we receive from the president and the secretary of defense."

-- Hope Hodge Seck can be reached at hope.seck@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @HopeSeck.
The chief of the National Guard Bureau and lawmakers on Wednesday discussed new legislation that would amend a plan to convert the Guard's uniformed technicians into federal civilian employees -- a move state adjutants general argue will weaken that Guard's readiness to respond to domestic emergencies.

As part of the 2016 National Defense Authorization Act, current law requires 20 percent of all military technicians be converted to federal civilian employees by Oct. 1, 2017.

That's "one out of every five Title 32 military technicians to be converted to Title 5 federal civilian employees," said Sen. Susan Collins, a Maine Republican.

"Do you think that the 20 percent figure is too high," Collins asked Air Force Gen. Joseph Lengyel, chief of the National Guard Bureau, at an April 26 Senate Appropriations Committee hearing.

The subject has been a key concern among state adjutants general for the past two years, Lengyel said.

"The short answer is I think 20 percent conversion to Title 5 would degrade readiness," he said.

It's important that in the conversion, "people that are converted to Title 5 are not those people that are in billets that would deploy with our warfighting units to go to war because we want those best, most highly skilled full-time employees to deploy to war," Lengyel said.

A second concern is that these full-time technicians "are also military members who are there to operate in domestic response capabilities, so if they are no longer at a military position, the adjutants general are concerned that they would no longer have them to respond for floods or other emergency response capabilities, and that is a valid concern," Lengyel added.

Newly introduced legislation in both the House and Senate sets a new conversion target of 4.8 percent -- the level recommended by the Department of Defense in December.

"We do have a bill to fix this, and I encourage all of us to jump on board," said Sen. Jonathan Tester, a Montana Democrat. "Hopefully, we get this fixed because I don't want to jeopardize your readiness. It is critically important, I believe, to the country."

Governors across the country have voiced their support for the legislation, said Connecticut Gov. Dannel Malloy, co-chair of the Council of Governors.

"The 20 percent conversion seriously undermines our ability as state executives to respond quickly to emergencies and to keep our citizens safe," Malloy said in an April 25 National Governors Association press release. "We hope Congress will hear us and resolve this critically important issue."

-- Matthew Cox can be reached at matthew.cox@military.com.
In an unusual move, all 100 senators were invited to attend a classified meeting Wednesday at the White House to discuss North Korea and its growing bellicosity.

Congressional aides told Reuters that the meeting was originally scheduled to take place at a secured room at the Capitol, but President Trump asked to move the meeting to the White House.

Salon reported that the meeting will occur in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building auditorium. It will reportedly be made into a "sensitive compartmented information facility" -- which means top secret information can be shared. The briefing will take place at 3 p.m. ET.

Some aides on the Hill have expressed confusion about the circumstances of the meeting. Salon wrote, "This could be a preparation for war -- or just a forced attempt at a pre-100 days photo op."

The meeting will be attended by some of Trump's top cabinet members, including Secretary of State Rex Tillerson -- who will chair the meeting -- and Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis.

Tillerson was interviewed on CBS' "Face the Nation" earlier this month and asked about Trump's interaction with his Chinese counterpart, President Xi. Tillerson said he thinks that Xi agrees that the situation "has intensified and has reached a certain level of threat that action has to be taken."

The situation has appeared to only intensify over the past 24 hours. Pyongyang conducted a huge live-fire drill that involved up to 400 artillery pieces, according to Reuters. A nuclear-powered Ohio-class submarine, the USS Michigan, pulled into the South Korean port of Busan for a "routine" hull check.

Japan has warned that Pyongyang has made technological advancements, and may be capable of launching a missile tipped with sarin nerve gas. Japan estimated that its people would have about 10 minutes to prepare once a missile is launched from the country. Tokyo has been practicing evacuation drills.

Local governments in the Washington, D.C., area are planning a "full-scale" terror attack drill for Wednesday. The drill prepares for an attack involving multiple locations and "teams of perpetrators" -- and will be staged at six sites across the District of Columbia and the Virginia and Maryland suburbs.

Sen. Ben Cardin of Maryland, the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, told Reuters that he hopes to hear the administration's next steps.

"It's [the location of the meeting] their choice," he said. "I hope that we hear their policy as to what their objectives are, and how we can accomplish that hopefully without dropping bombs."

-- Edmund DeMarche is a news editor for FoxNews.com.
When U.S. Pacific Command announced April 8 that the Carl Vinson carrier strike group was canceling a planned port visit in Australia in order to return to the Western Pacific amid rising tensions with North Korea, the White House was quick to hype the move.

"We're sending an armada -- very powerful," President Donald Trump told Fox News in an April 11 interview.

But when Defense News pointed out nearly a week later that the carrier had sailed south instead of north and remained 3,500 miles away, an uproar ensued, with abundant accusations that the U.S. had made an empty military threat.

In a hearing before the House Armed Services Committee on Wednesday, Adm. Harry Harris, the four-star commander of U.S. Pacific Command, took full responsibility for the flap and said poor communication was to blame.

"That's my fault on the confusion; I'll take the hit for it," he said. "I made the decision to pull the Carl Vinson out of Singapore, truncate the exercise that it was going to do south of Singapore, cancel its port visit to Australia and proceed north. Where I failed was to communicate that adequately to the press and the media. That is all on me."

The Vinson is now completing maritime exercises with Japan in the Philippine Sea, east of Okinawa, Harris said. The location, he added, puts the ship "in striking range, in power projection range" of North Korea if called upon.

Although rumors had swirled that the United States might take pre-emptive military action to derail planned North Korean missile tests, Harris downplayed the possibility of a crippling strike. While all options remain on the table for dealing with the rogue regime, he said, the goal is "to bring [dictator] Kim Jong-Un to his senses, not his knees."

Harris also pushed back on a statement from California Democrat Rep. Salud Carbajal that the White House and military leadership were out of synch and appeared to lack a coherent strategy to deal with North Korea, causing some of the public confusion.

"When dealing with an unpredictable regime, empty rhetoric can be dangerous," Carbajal said.

Harris said he believes that Trump does have a strategy, and his job as combatant commander is to provide military options to resource it. He added, later in the hearing, that the way for the United States to increase stability in the Western Pacific is to bring a credible show of military strength and solidarity with regional allies, including South Korea and Japan. To that end, he said, the Ohio-class nuclear submarine Michigan is now making a port visit in Busan, South Korea.

"It will be there for a few days and leave port and be operating in the area," he said. "This is a show of solidarity with our South Korean allies and a flexible deterrent, show of force to North Korea, should they consider using force against South Korea."

And only days ago, he said, an Air Force B-52 had flown across the Sea of Japan with a Japanese escort on one side and a handoff to South Korean forces as the aircraft neared the Korean Peninsula.

"This is a pretty complicated operation," Harris said. "And it demonstrated to our allies and friends and also to Kim Jong-Un that we had this capability and we can bring these forces to bear all around the Pacific to focus on him if need be."

-- Hope Hodge Seck can be reached at hope.seck@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at@HopeSeck.

Related Video:
TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Florida -- The Air Force Thunderbirds will be flying over the United Kingdom this summer in the traveling demonstration team's first overseas trip since 2011.

The multi-role fighter jets will join Belgian F-16s, England's Eurofighter Typhoons and American F-22 Raptors, among other aircraft, at the Royal International Air Tattoo from July 14 through July 16 at Royal Air Force Fairford.

"This definitely goes along the lines of building partner coalitions," Maj. Nick Krajicek, the slot pilot, flying the No. 4 jet, told Military.com during an interview here at the base.

Military.com caught up with members of the team and even took a ride in an F-16D two-seater on April 21.

Related Video:

Military.com Soars with the Thunderbirds

Krajicek said the Thunderbirds also work with allied teams stateside, too. Earlier this month, the Thunderbirds, part of the 57th Wing at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, flew with Patrouille de France demonstration team over Nevada and California.

"The Thunderbirds have a really important mission engaging the public," said Lt. Col. Jason Heard, the commander and leading pilot of the air demonstration team.

RELATED: Will the F-35 Be the Next Thunderbirds Jet?

But as Air Force leaders brace for more budget woes -- lawmakers have been unable to agree on a full-year budget so instead plan to pass a short-term spending measure later this week -- they may once again look to scale back flying hours as a way to cut costs.

"I don't see the Air Force making the decision to cut the Thunderbirds again, I think the mission will continue," Heard said when asked if he was concerned another continuing resolution would cut the team's flight hours or lead to cancellation of shows.

The 2017 and 2018 shows are scheduled, with 38 trips planned for this year and next.

Meanwhile, the service is trying to recruit more pilots to combat a shortfall now estimated at 900 fighter pilots -- an increase of about 200 from a figure cited last summer by top leaders including Chief of Staff Gen. David Goldfein and then-Secretary Deborah Lee James.

It's about "showing them what their military is capable of," said the commander, who prior to joining the Thunderbirds, led an F-15E squadron in combat as an expeditionary squadron commander. Heard has more than 3,000 flight hours under his belt.

Still, the shows aren't guaranteed and anything could happen as a result of budgetary challenges.

"I think the important message here is, yes, combat capability is the most important thing we provide to America," Heard said, referring to the air war against the Islamic State. "If we are forced through these very tough, budgetary decisions to make [cuts], then we will make them," he said.

A 'Drop in the Pond'

The total budget for the team is $36 million, a "drop in the pond of the entire DoD budget," Heard said. And that's for everything -- flying hours, airlift support, travel, uniforms, among other miscellaneous expenses.

The training season for the United States Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron begins in mid-November and lasts through mid-February. The Thunderbirds will fly two to three times a day during training, Heard said. The Federal Aviation Administration and the Air Combat Command commander himself must certify the team as ready and safe to fly before the American public, he said.

The show season lasts from March through November, and the team heads out for a show almost every weekend, returning Mondays, training on Tuesdays, and leaving for the road again on Thursdays.

Half the team rotates every other year, so while new officers are coming in, there's always an officer nearing his or her end of the two-year rotation.

RELATED: F-16 Block 52 Upgrades Set to Take Thunderbirds into the Future

To apply, pilots need a minimum of 750 fighter hours in a fighter airframe, with some positions requiring more experience. This year's pilots collectively have more than 16,100 flight hours in prior service before they joined the team.

During previous years of spending caps known as sequestration, the same team was locked in from the 2012 season into the 2014 season. And that is an option should cuts happen again, Heard said, but it doesn't allow for the pilots to grow their aviation experience.

The 130-person demo team, which harvests 29 different Air Force career fields, has two year rotations for the 12 officers, and three years for the remaining enlisted members. Enlisted airmen have the option of staying on for a fourth year.

About 90 percent of the enlisted side is devoted to maintenance of the jets.

The rotation may seem brief, but for good reason because of the high-stress and demanding travel associated with the assignment, Heard said.

"We kind of function like a wing almost over a squadron," said Capt. Sara Harper, the team's public affairs officer. The Thunderbirds keep all of their maintenance and operations under the same roof.

When they travel, the Thunderbirds gain the help of a C-17 Globemaster III -- sometimes two C-130 Hercules -- to haul 40,000 pounds of equipment.

They also bring a spare F-16 engine with them.

'Planes That Go Into Combat'

Last year, the Thunderbirds had a mishap after an accidental throttle rotation led to a malfunction and subsequent engine stall that led the No. 6 jet to crash. It happened after a flyover at the U.S. Air Force Academy graduation on June 2, of which then-President Barack Obama attended

But the team has since moved on, sounding the alarm for all F-16 squadrons about the malfunction -- which has happened before -- and now requires an extra maintenance check before pilots gear up for flight.

Heard said he doesn't believe the Thunderbirds are the only reason why the Air Force would keep the F-16 in the inventory because as a combat platform it's still better "than most modern fighters being produced by other countries."

Also, the Thunderbirds have a rich, decades-long history dating to 1953. The team has flown various aircraft, including the F-84G Thunderjet, F-100C Super Sabre, F-4E Phantom II and the T-38A Talon.

It's just a matter of time until something eclipses the F-16.

"I don't think the American people want to see their fighter pilots go to war with 40-year-old airplanes either, but we need to very smartly plan for the capability that we require."

Heard added, "But it's important for us to show the American people the same planes that go to combat."

As the service mulls retiring the F-15C/D in favor of replacing its mission with the F-16, Heard said retiring aircraft -- any aircraft -- from the fleet is inevitable. He explained if you remove the F-15 sooner, it won't force a gap in the fighter fleet later.

"Take your risk now instead of taking it later," he said. "If you hold onto it, if you preserve it, and don't bring on a needed capacity for the future, you end up with a hole in your future force structure."

While the decision is coming up fast, right now the Air Force needs everything it can keep its hands on as it brings on the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, he said.

"We need the air superiority of the F-22 and the F-15C, the multi-role capabilities of the Strike Eagle and the F-16, and we also need the capacity that the current fourth-generation airframes provide," said Heard. "On top of the capability that we require in fifth-generation, which we're trying to move more into.

"It would be great if we had 1,763 F-35s on the [flight]line right now, and it would be great to [move from] 55 fighter squadrons to 60 -- but we don't. So what we're going to have to do is manage an aging fleet for a long time, and we will limp this fleet into the future with [Service Life Extension Programs] and upgrades until we can bring on the capability that we really require."

-- Oriana Pawlyk can be reached at oriana.pawlyk@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @Oriana0214.
In a rare rebuke to a NATO ally, the U.S. military charged that Turkish airstrikes against a valued U.S.-backed Kurdish militia in northern Syria came with little warning and could have endangered American advisers.

"We were troubled by that," Air Force Col. John Dorrian said of Turkey's failure to give adequate warning of airstrikes Tuesday in the Hasaka area. The strikes reportedly killed at least 20 fighters of the YPG, or People's Protection Units, which have proven to be the most effective anti-ISIS force in northeastern Syria.

"We had forces within six miles of the strikes," said Dorrian, spokesman for Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve. "It was an unsafe way to conduct operations."

Turkey views the YPG as an offshoot and ally of the PKK, or Kurdistan Workers Party, which has been branded a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and the European Union.

However, Dorrian said in a video conference from Baghdad that the YPG forces continue to "make tremendous sacrifices" in the fight against ISIS and in preparation for the assault on Raqqa, the self-proclaimed capital of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria. The U.S. has backed the YPG with advice and training as part of the Syrian Democratic Forces and "we will continue that support."

The U.S. is especially concerned that Turkey gave little advance warning to the U.S. Combined Air Operations Center in Baghdad and described only a general area in which they would take place, Dorrian said.

"There was an inadequate amount of time to clear all of our forces away from what is a very significantly sized area, so we didn't have exact fidelity on where the strikes would occur and not an enormous amount of time to have our forces react," he said.

"The U.S. had less than an hour's notification time. That's not enough time" to alert U.S. troops on the ground, particularly when they have only a vague idea of where the strikes will occur, Dorrian said. He described the Turkish warning "as a notification, as opposed to coordination" with a trusted ally.

Turkish airstrikes Tuesday also hit areas in northwestern Iraq and killed at least five Kurdish Peshmerga fighters, Dorrian said. The U.S. and Iraq condemned the strikes that Turkey said were also aimed at the PKK.

Despite the U.S. complaints, the Turkish airstrikes continued Wednesday amid cross-border artillery exchanges between Turkish forces and the YPG, Reuters reported.

Turkey also rejected U.S. charges that less than an hour's notice was given of the airstrikes. Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said both the U.S. and Russia had ample warning.

"Two hours before this operation, we shared information with the U.S. and Russia that we would undertake an operation" in the region, and warned the U.S. to withdraw its soldiers in the region to 20-30 kilometers away," Cavusoglu told reporters on a trip to Uzbekistan.

"Turkey acts transparently on all issues. We have no secret agenda," he said. "We respect Syria and Iraq's territorial integrity," but Turkey had "a legitimate right with these interventions" because of the threats to Turkey posed by the YPG and the PKK.

-- Richard Sisk can be reached at Richard.Sisk@Military.com.
Virtually every employer starting or building up a veteran hiring program has encountered this challenge: Where do you find veterans to interview and hire?

There is no one central database of all veterans seeking employment in the U.S. Instead, employers must deploy creative, strategic and focused initiatives to source and attract veteran job candidates, and develop criteria and applicant tracking systems for recruiting and hiring veterans.

Some sources for veterans to consider include the following:

American Job Centers

American Job Centers (AJCs) are also known as One-Stop Centers. AJCs exist in virtually every community across the U.S. These are places where veterans (actually, all Americans) can look for work. Almost every AJC has a veteran-specific job specialist who can assist you in recruiting candidates. As an employer, you can list your job openings at the AJC and attend Veterans-focused events at the AJC. To find your closest AJC, enter your zip code into the search here.

Job Fairs and Events

Job fairs and career events sometimes produce lukewarm results for both sides  employer and job candidate. In some cases, job fairs are crowded and overwhelming to veterans, who might lack skills in networking and asserting themselves in a self-promotional way. In the military, many veterans perceive networking as disingenuously trying to work around a process.

If your veteran talent attraction strategy includes career fairs and hiring events, set yourself up for success with these tips:

Bring veterans from your team to the event with you. Veterans relate to and understand each other. They will recognize the struggles of another and will want to help each other.

Veterans relate to and understand each other. They will recognize the struggles of another and will want to help each other. Offer other tools and resources. If you can only hire a few people, and you are swamped with resumes, offer to give the candidates something of value. Provide a professional-looking tip sheet, handout, or book to veterans who stop by your table. Reinforce your company's commitment to hiring veterans and speak to what veterans need. Don't offer another mouse pad or coffee cup, give them something that will help them advance their career. This "gift" can have a lasting positive impression on those candidates you meet today and may hire tomorrow.

If you can only hire a few people, and you are swamped with resumes, offer to give the candidates something of value. Provide a professional-looking tip sheet, handout, or book to veterans who stop by your table. Reinforce your company's commitment to hiring veterans and speak to what veterans need. Don't offer another mouse pad or coffee cup, give them something that will help them advance their career. This "gift" can have a lasting positive impression on those candidates you meet today and may hire tomorrow. Have jobs available that veterans can fill. Veterans are frustrated by hiring events where none of the jobs available fit a veteran profile with military career experience. Do the homework to show how your job description suits a military background.

Recruiting on Military Installations

Sourcing and recruiting veterans before they leave service works well for many employers. Many service men and women desire to stay in the same community as their last duty station, so local employers have an advantage.

It should be noted that many service members leave the area and return to where they grew up or where their spouse desires to live after their service is complete. This can be far away from the installation where you are recruiting. A good contact at a military installation is someone in the Military and Family Readiness office or Transition Assistance Program (today called Transition GPS).

Using Social Media

Social media is part of every hiring manager's life. As you use online tools like Monster.com, CraigsList, LinkedIn, Indeed.com, Facebook, and others to attract and recruit talent, consider adjusting your strategy to find Veterans. Refine the keyword searches you use to source, understand the military occupational specialties (MOS) that correspond to the work you are hiring for, and be open to online profiles that might not match up perfectly, but where there is great potential to hire someone with the character qualities you seek (even if they are missing some key certifications).

Other Ways to Find Veterans

Consider offering open houses and on-site training classes for Veterans interested in your company or industry. Teach them how to position themselves for success in a company or industry like yours. Even if they don't get hired (at this time), you are showcasing your commitment and building goodwill in the veteran space. For any event targeting veterans, ensure your internal team has a solid understanding of the benefits of sourcing and hiring veteran job candidates. When your recruiters, hiring managers and internal employees can articulate the company values, goals, and reasons for pursuing "veteran friendly" status, your company will be set up for success.

About Lida Citroen

Lida Citroen, a branding expert based in Denver, has made a career of helping people and companies create new or enhanced identities. She is passionate about helping veterans learn how to compete for careers in the civilian sector. A TEDx Speaker, Lida presents her unique personal branding training programs across the U.S., at military installations and events, serves on the Board of Directors of NAVSO volunteers with ESGR, and has produced numerous programs and materials to help military veterans successfully transition after service. If you have a transition question Lida can help answer, email her at lida@lida360.com. She is also the author of the best selling book, "Your Next Mission: A personal branding guide for the military-to-civilian transition," available at www.YourNextMissionBook.com and on Amazon.
As U.S. troops continue to deploy and defend our nation overseas, many Americans want to know how to send care packages for service members -- even if they don't personally know them.

Our country loves supporting our troops both at home and overseas. And care packages sent to overseas bases or stateside hospitals are a great way to show that gratitude.

But how do you find service members to support if you don't know their names or mailing addresses? And what should you send in a military care package? Searching for troops to support online can get tricky, especially given the number of scam artists pretending to be U.S. service members. What you need is a trusted, vetted source.

Fortunately, since the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan started, a slew of organizations have stepped up to fill this support gap. These non-profits, previously recommended by the Department of Defense, provide a variety of care package services. Some of these organizations allow you to donate so they can continue to provide care packages. Others give you the ability to order a care package yourself.

Note: next to each name is an acronym noting where the organization has been vetted. They are: Combined Federal Campaign (CFC); Better Business Bureau (BBB); Charity Navigator (CN); GuideStar (GS).

Care Packages for Troops

AdoptaPlatoon Soldier Support Effort (BBB, GS)

Any Soldier Inc. (CFC, GS)

Comfort for America's Uniformed Services (CFC, GS)

Eagle's Watch Foundation (CFC, GS)

For the Troops (GS, State of California Charity Registry)

Forgotten Soldiers Outreach, Inc. (The) (GS, Florida Department of State Division of Corporations, http://search.sunbiz.org/Inquiry/CorporationSearch/ByName)

Hugs Project (The) (CFC, GS)

Landstuhl Hospital Care Project (CFC, Independent Charities of America)

Little Patriots Embraced (CFC, GS)

Military Missions in Action (BBB, GS)

Montana Supporting Soldiers (GS, United Way of Lewis and Clark County)

Operation: Care and Comfort (CFC, GS)

Operation Gratitude (BBB, GS)

Operation Homefront (CFC, BBB, CN, GS)

Project Thank You (GS, State of California Charity Registry)

Silver Star Families of America (BBB, GS)

Soldiers' Angels (CFC, CN, GS)

Tennessee's Helping Hearts (BBB, GS)

The Mission Continues (BBB, GS)

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Amid all of the challenges facing the U.S. automotive manufacturing, the situation in one sector was described this week by experts in blunt terms.

"There's a dire shortage," said Doug Richman, vice president of engineering at Kaiser Aluminum, about the tool & die industry.

He continued: "Industry progress is limited by talent today."

The tool & die issue is a particular concern for Michigan, which has the largest concentrations of openings in the U.S. in the Grand Rapids-Wyoming area. The second largest concentration in the country is in Metro Detroit.

And it's a sign of where the U.S. auto industry is headed with its manufacturing employment base, which is changing rapidly due to automation and technology.

"There is an excess of 2 million jobs that will not be filled because we lack the appropriately skilled, educated talent," said David Cole, director emeritus of the Center for Automotive Research in Ann Arbor.

CAR issued a report this week that drills into how that affects automotive tooling.

With the tool & die industry - which is the first manufacturing stop for engineered vehicles, making the molds for which auto components are made - the problem is acute, threatening to curtail its ability to compete globally, CAR experts said this week at their first West Michigan conference on that segment of the supplier base.

"Tooling is a constraint, moving forward," said Kristin Dziczek, CAR's director of industry, labor and economics group.

CAR said it estimates that the hours of tool and die build required to support launch and product refreshes at just the Detroit Three automakers will increase by 60 percent between 2017 and 2019. "Both captive and independent tool shops will struggle to meet the coming demand," according to the report.

Yet the number of automotive tool and die makers fell 4 percent between 2013 and 2014, and projections call for another contraction by 2024. That followed nearly a decade of no hiring in the trade.

However, the report says, "the top line erosion in employment levels obscures what is going on under the surface of the labor market."

According to CAR:

A vast majority-- nearly three out of every four tool and die makers--are over the age of 45.

The share of tool and die workers under the age of 35 across all industries is just over 2 percent.

Roughly 2 in 5 current tool and die workers are either eligible to retire--or will be eligible in the next 5-7 years.

Retirement attrition creates a need to hire thousands of new tool and die workers to backfill these positions.

"Seventy-seven percent of the current tool & die workforce is over age 45," said Dziczek. "We're driving a lot of replacement hiring."

At the same time that the industry in Michigan is looking at an inadequate employment base, it's also facing a number of other pressures.

One is global sourcing. China is one country that is a key competitor, as it aggressively sets up shops and finds workers.

Another is materials changes, along with how they're processed. New materials and new technologies are resulting from "lightweighting," or the effort to trim weight from vehicles in order to improve emissions, said Dziczek.

"The processes are changing dramatically," Dziczek said.

That's prompting changes in skills for the tool & die manufacturing workers, who need to be partners in the engineering process. From the CAR report:

"Tool and die makers possess a broad array of mechanical, mathematical, analytical, and engineering knowledge. They must have an understanding of the production process, and be adept at using computers and electronic tools. Tool, die, and mold makers must utilize well developed problem-solving skills, good judgement in decision-making, and work well within a team manufacturing environment. "

In 2016, the average annual wage for a tool and die worker in motor vehicle manufacturing was nearly $66,000--with a 10th-to-90th wage percentile range of $52,970 to $78,160, according to CAR.

Solving the employment problem in Michigan's the tool & die industry is a goal of CAR and many of the companies attending the conference in Grand Rapids.

They will work with the state and OEMs to increase participation in apprenticeships and target the training needs by younger people on the job today, given how it can take up to 10 years for a die setter to reach proficiency.

"We live or die by the quality of our tooling," said Richman.
YPSILANTI, MI - Ann Arbor's economic development group is looking ahead to the next five years with a study comparing the community to similar locations across the United States.

Business professionals and economic leaders gathered on the campus of Eastern Michigan University to hear the results of the Ann Arbor SPARK study as part of a discussion on the local and regional economy.

Benchmarking report results

Paul Krutko, president and chief executive officer of Ann Arbor SPARK, said the benchmarking report was part of the organization's original five-year strategic plan.

The report looks at eight metrics like venture capital activity, population movement, housing affordability and employment statistics across 10 different communities across the United States in addition to Ann Arbor.

Ann Arbor was compared to locations as close as Pittsburgh and Minneapolis or on the other side of the country, like Berkeley, Calif. and Portland.

Here is how Ann Arbor ranked in metrics against other communities:

1st in university research and development expenditures:

2 nd in venture capital activity:

5 th in housing affordability:

8 th in population movement:

9 th in driving industry employment:

9 th in income inequality:

5th for unemployment and 10th for labor force participation:

What surprised Krutko, in his sixth year as CEO, was the data on population movement.

"People in Michigan know that Ann Arbor is a strong economy and are migrating here, but that message isn't resonating as well out of the state," Krutko said.

Ann Arbor SPARK is using the data to identify best-in-class practices and strategies being used by other communities, as well as common obstacles.

"They may be facing some of the same issues we're facing," Krutko said.

One of the activities his organization plays a key part in is helping start-ups grow to scale and graduate into a company able to expand and hire in Ann Arbor.

It has meant growing relationships with economic groups in the communities cited in the benchmarking report and, on a global scale, with the recent signing of a memorandum of understanding with Spanish and French science park officials to share knowledge.

Another surprise in the report was Ann Arbor's ranking in venture capital activity, something Krutko points to as a result of a changing business tactics in the state.

"The ecosystem is changing," said Krutko, since Ann Arbor SPARK first received $26 million in pre-seed funding to help companies across Michigan.

The organization has received $6.5 million in return funds for those investments from some companies, and Krutko said he believes Ann Arbor is doing well for venture capital activity given the population size.

"It tells other companies that the middle of the country is not flyover territory," he said. "The ecosystem has changed, it's easier to attract capital."

He repeated those statements to the audience at Ann Arbor SPARK's annual meeting, and said the study is about planning for the future and evaluating strengths and weaknesses.

"This effort is about how we can improve, how we can continuously improve to maintain our positions, to learn from others and see how we can be better in our competitive position globally," Krutko said.

The next steps are to investigate the causes behind the data, develop strategies alongside other communities to combat roadblocks and possibly send scouting teams for an in-depth look on what Ann Arbor SPARK's future strategic plan should look like.
YPSILANTI TOWNSHIP, MI - The Michigan Strategic Fund has pledged an additional $15 million to see the autonomous and connected vehicle research facility in Washtenaw County reach the next stage in development.

The American Center for Mobility's testing facility in Ypsilanti Township was the recent subject of discussion at the Michigan Strategic Fund's board meeting, during which an additional $15 million in funding was approved to finish up the first phase of construction.

The American Center for Mobility (ACM) is a joint initiative announced by Gov. Rick Snyder in January 2016 that brings together state organizations like the Michigan Department of Transportation, the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor SPARK and the Michigan Economic Development Corp.

The goal is to create a testing center for autonomous vehicles that can be used by automobile manufacturers and other businesses.

The site was recently visited by President Donald Trump.

It is led by CEO John Maddox, the former assistant director of the University of Michigan Mobility Transformation Center, which operates U-M's connected vehicle research facility called MCity.

Eric Shreffler is managing director of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation's Automotive Office and submitted the funding request to "facilitate development and operations toward completion of Phase 1A activities."

The request, in the form of a memorandum, was first approved by the MEDC executive committee last week and later approved by the MSF board Tuesday, April 25 at its regular meeting.

The board approved $3 million in start-up costs last March, and $17 million in July to acquire property for The American Center for Mobility, according to the memorandum.

Noted in the memorandum is an increase in similar investments and global competition by countries like China, Korea and the United Kingdom.

In addition to funding from the MSF, the Michigan Department of Transportation is providing more than $17 million worth of funding for infrastructure improvements on nearby U.S. 12 and Wiard Road.

The memorandum also notes a $200 million budget proposed by U.S. senators Debbie Stabenow and Gary Peters to support U.S. Department of Transportation mobility testing centers, and a visit in March by President Donald Trump during which ACM officials discussed a need for support.

In its former life, Willow Run served as a manufacturing site for automobiles and B-24 bombers during World War II. It was later a General Motors factory, and closed in 2010.

A ground-breaking ceremony held in November was attended by Snyder, local and state officials, and automotive officials to celebrate the next phase of Willow Run as a future testing site for autonomous and connected vehicles.

Preliminary site plans for ACM were approved in March by the Ypsilanti Township Planning Commission. The organization is currently processing construction bids, and said the facility will be open for testing in December 2017.
GREENVILLE, MI - Milacron LLC will move up to 70 jobs to its Greenville plant after closing a sister plant in Youngwood, Penn. this summer.

Milacron, a division of DME Company LLC that makes plastic injection molding equipment, plans to invest about $5 million to expand its facility at 1117 Fairplains Street. The company currently employs 53 at the Greenville plant.

"By consolidating our machining operations into one single U.S. location, we can target our investment funds, building a world-class facility in Greenville to support our growth plans," said Peter Smith, Milacron DME President and General Manager.

The announcement was made Wednesday, April 26 by The Right Place Inc., which worked with its Montcalm Economic Alliance and the Michigan Economic Development Corp. (MEDC) to retain DME and win the expansion.

"Throughout this process, the Montcalm Economic Alliance and the MEDC have been extremely valuable resources in launching this new phase of the company," Smith said in a press release.

As DME considered both its Greenville and Youngwood facilities as potential sites for the consolidation, regional partners West Michigan Works!, Montcalm Community College, and the Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center also played a role in the Michigan campaign.

The MEDC supported the new development with of a Michigan Business Development Program performance-based grant of up to $490,000, depending on the number of jobs created. The city of Greenville is considering a local tax abatement in support of the project.

"This project wasn't just an expansion of a company in Greenville, it was the retention of a company as well," said Rob Spohr, Vice President for Academic Affairs at Montcalm Community College, and chairman of the Montcalm Economic Alliance.

"We won this project with collaboration, a solid business case, and collective determined effort, at the state and local level, to ensure Milacron stayed in Montcalm County."

DME executives announced they would close their Youngwood, Penn. plant last month, putting 63 employees out of work, according to The Plastic News.

Where possible, Milacron will offer to relocate its Youngwood employees to available positions across all the company's sites, including Greenville, according to the trade publication.

"Youngwood had for many decades been key in DME's mold base manufacturing in North America. But, with the introduction of new manufacturing technologies and the continued migration of mold manufacture overseas, the facility was no longer able to compete cost effectively," DME's Smith said in a statement.
Police think jealousy rather than racism was the primary motive in Michigan's only murder case in 2015 reported as a hate crime.

The slayings of two transgender women in Detroit in 2015 weren't reported as hate crimes, even though the victims may have been targeted due to their gender identity.

Why do some incidents get labeled as "hate crimes" and others not?

Experts cite the subjective nature of how hate crimes are recorded by police. What one officer believes is a hate crime based on the evidence at hand another may not.

Those judgment calls can impact the FBI's data on hate crimes, according to advocacy groups such as the American Civil Liberties Union.

In 2015, about 26 percent of Michigan police departments reported handling at least one suspected hate crime. The remainder reported no incidents or didn't report any data to the state.

The FBI feels the data isn't as accurate as it could be and hopes to make improvements going forward.

"We, as an agency, would agree that more comprehensive data could be collected," said David Gelios, the special agent in charge of the FBI's Detroit office. "I think there's recognition nationwide at the state, local and federal levels that crime reporting could be more robust ... and that's something our director is committed to in this upcoming fiscal year."

'White power'

Warren police Sgt. Paul Houtos was the only homicide detective to report a hate crime as part of a murder case in 2015.

Houtos says hate was a factor even though he believes the main motive behind the fatal stabbing of 28-year-old Reginald R. Brown was jealousy.

Steven Neuman

Warren resident Steven Neuman, then 27, had been calling and texting his ex-girlfriend nonstop throughout the night - 34 times investigators later determined, according to the police report obtained via the Freedom of Information Act. She told police she'd broken up with Neuman six months earlier and had filed several police reports against him for assault.

She and Brown were among a group of people out celebrating Brown's birthday at the Last Call Bar in Eastpointe until the early morning hours of Jan. 10, 2015, according to the report.

The group went to Brown's residence in the 7000 block of Hupp Street in Warren after leaving the bar and getting some Taco Bell, according to the report.

Neuman was there waiting for them with a knife.

In the driveway, Neuman stabbed his ex-girlfriend twice, then Brown 14 times, according to the report. Police were called to the home at 2:26 a.m. and found Brown bleeding heavily from multiple stab wounds in the chest and abdomen. He was later pronounced dead at the hospital.

It's what Neuman shouted before fleeing that prompted Houtos to label it a hate crime. Witnesses told police that Neuman yelled out, "F*** you n******!" after he repeatedly stabbed Brown, as well as "White power!"

This led Houtos to feel Brown was targeted in part because Neuman, a white man, may have thought his ex-girlfriend was dating a black man.

Prosecutors chose not to charge Neuman under the state's ethnic intimidation act, according to court records. Macomb County Prosecutor Eric Smith did not respond to requests for comment as to why his office didn't charge it as a hate crime.

Other prosecutors, however, say it sometimes makes a case more complicated because it's hard to prove intent.

"As with many crimes, ethnic intimidation requires proof of the offender's intention at the time of the offense," said Washtenaw County Chief Assistant Prosecutor Steve Hiller.

Neuman was arrested quickly after the stabbing and was found guilty of first-degree murder by a jury. He's currently serving a life sentence.

Transgender murders

Attorney Dana Nessel doubts Brown's case was the only murder involving a hate crime in Michigan in 2015.

Nessel is the director of the Fair Michigan Justice Project, a nonprofit that works specifically on cases involving LGBTQ victims in conjunction with the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office. She believes many of the violent incidents perpetuated against people based on their sexual orientation aren't being included in the FBI hate crime statistics.

"A lot of these cases were not being properly categorized," she added.

For instance, there was a spate of violence against transgender women in the Palmer Park area of Detroit that prompted a public forum in August 2015. The town hall style gathering featured Detroit Police Chief James Craig and former Assistant U.S. District Attorney Barbara McQuade.

Yet the homicides of the two transgender women killed weeks apart in the summer of 2015 - 20-year-old Amber Monroe and 25-year-old Ashton O'Hara - were never categorized as hate crimes in the FBI statistics.

When asked about the two Detroit murders, Gelios pointed out the FBI is only responsible for gathering the information, not vetting each case.

"The data we report is the data we collect," he said. "It's accurate as provided and represented to us."

Sexual orientation isn't specifically covered under the state's ethnic intimidation statute, but it is part of the federal hate crime law and therefore can be included in the reporting from Michigan agencies.

The Detroit Police Department did not respond to inquiries as to why the two transgender homicides weren't categorized as hate crimes.

Larry B. Gaulding, 39, is serving 30-60 years in prison for voluntary manslaughter in the O'Hara case. The Monroe case remains unsolved, but Detroit police are actively investigating it.

Subjective reporting

Nationwide there were 6,885 total hate crime offenses with 18 murders in 2015, according to the FBI stats. In Michigan, bias was believed to be part of the motivation in the one Warren murder, 50 aggravated assaults, 99 simple assaults, 109 intimidation, five robberies, six burglaries and 14 larcenies.

In 2015, 147 agencies out of 572 reported handling a hate crime in Michigan, according to the Michigan State Police. Washtenaw County reported 25 hate-crime incidents in 2015, although police reports show the actual number was 23.

If a patrol officer or detective determines an alleged hate crime was committed, there is a place to indicate it in the computer-based reporting system so state and federal officials will be alerted, police officials say.

It leaves that determination up to individual officers and that creates leeway in how crimes are reported, according to Mark Fancher, an attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union.

"There is a significant amount of subjectivity," he said.

Surge in reports

The FBI's promise to improve the data comes after a rise in reported hate incidents throughout 2016.

In Washtenaw County, both the University of Michigan and nearby Eastern Michigan University experienced race-related incidents throughout the fall. In September, racist graffiti caused an uproar at EMU, prompting protests. That same month, UM authorities were notified of racist flyers being distributed on its campus, also prompting protests and a letter of condemnation from top school brass including President Mark Schlissel.

In the weeks after the presidential election, the Michigan Department of Civil Rights was monitoring 71 cases of reported hate incidents -- much more than the six to eight it usually monitors in a year.

Some reported cases have already been debunked, like the case of an Ann Arbor woman who police say fabricated a story about a man threatening to light her on fire if she didn't remove her hijab. Or the case of Halley Bass, the 21-year-old who said she was attacked and scratched on the face with a safety pin in downtown Ann Arbor. Police say Bass made up the story. She was charged with falsely reporting a crime.

Others incidents that have captured attention since the election -- like schoolchildren yelling Trump's "Build the Wall" campaign slogan in a cafeteria -- might not rise to the level of a crime.

It's unclear how the recent reports will be reflected in the nation's official crime statistics. The FBI won't have 2016 numbers until this fall.

What next?

Can the public get statistics that better reflect hate-crime activity? The FBI hopes so.

"There's going to be a move in coming years, it's an initiative this year, to try and create a better crime data collection system," the FBI's Gelios said. "I can't speak to what the outcome is going to be of this initiative, but I think the end game, it's going to try and promote or require more mandatory reporting."

A 1968 state statute requires Michigan law enforcement agencies to report crimes, including hate crimes, but doesn't penalize the agency if they don't.

"While the statute mandates reporting this information to the state, there is not an incentive for reporting nor a penalty for not reporting," said Shanon Banner, spokeswoman for Michigan State Police. "Such an incentive or penalty would require a legislative change."

For now, overall hate crime statistics rely on voluntary reporting by police agencies, which is the case with all federal crime statistics, according to officials.

More officer training on hate-crime reporting might help, Banner said, although there are already about 15-20 training sessions per year for Michigan officers. The ACLU's Fancher agrees with Banner's assessment.

"We would hope that law enforcement would be sensitive enough to the realities of racial intimidation ... and accurately report it," he said. "I don't know that would happen automatically. There might be some more training needed."
chezbetty.jpg

After meeting with the University of Michigan Provost Office last week, it was determined the Chez Betty food co-op, which operates out of the Bob and Betty Beyster Building on UM's north campus, would be allowed to continue its operations after shutting down for a few months at the end of the winter semester to secure a proper state retail license. The Ann Arbor News File photo

ANN ARBOR, MI - A food co-op operated by University of Michigan graduate students is getting another shot to operate after the university had planned to shut its operations down at the end of the semester.

Chez Betty, an honor-system based food cooperative for graduate students, faculty and staff in Computer Science that has operated on UM's north campus since 2012, was informed in December it would not be grandfathered into the university's policy of the University's Food Service Planning Guidelines.

After meeting with UM's Provost Office last week, however, it was determined the co-op, which operates out of the Bob and Betty Beyster Building, would be allowed to continue its operations after shutting down for a few months at the end of the winter semester to secure a proper state retail license, UM Spokesperson Kim Broekhuizen said.

"Chez Betty will close temporarily at the end of the term in order to have an opportunity to incorporate, obtain insurance and a state retail food establishment license and handle various other compliance needs," Broekhuizen said in an email.

Chez Betty's operators met with UM's Provost Office on two occasions in the fall, where they explained the self-service co-op provides a much-needed 24/7 food option for students and faculty on UM's north campus.

The university previously determined that the co-op needed to be shut down at the end of the semester because it "does not comply with the university's well-established process for assessing the need for food service in a university building," UM Spokesman Rick Fitzgerald said, essentially operating as "a 24-7 convenience store in a student lounge without proper state licensing or regulation."

That included customers not paying a sales tax, not having insurance and operating without required state inspections.

UM's Food Service Planning Guidelines, which was ratified in 2016, essentially forbids "student-run food operations," but includes a grandfather clause, allowing those already in existence to continue if they meet a number of guidelines.

"The Office of the Provost and the Office of Vice President for Student Life are aware of a small number of existing student-run food service operations on the Ann Arbor campus," the policy reads. "These operations have been granted special permission to continue operating with the understanding they are complying with current University and government rules, laws, and regulations related to food safety; fire and life safety; insurance and liability; and financial and tax reporting requirements.

The policy states that UM has the right to end a student-run operation for any reason, particularly if the operation is unable to comply with the stated regulations.

"The University will no longer consider new student-run food service operations on campus," the policy states. "One-time food sales for fundraising purposes, e.g. a one-day bake sale, are possible at the discretion of the sponsoring school or college, in coordination with the U-M Department of Occupational Safety & Environmental Health (OSEH). Student groups should contact the business office or dean's office of the sponsoring school and college for permission to pursue a one-day sale."

Chez Betty Operations Manager Pat Pannuto expressed his satisfaction with the university's decision to allow the co-op to get proper licensing before continuing operations instead of shutting it down, crediting an outpouring of support from "students, alumni, staff, faculty and deans" for the second opportunity.

"We came together with the same goal, 'How do we enable Betty to continue while meeting appropriate state and federal requirements?'" Pannuto said in an email. "We are thrilled to announce that we have reached an agreement that gives Betty a path to continue operating and addresses the administration's concerns.

"This solution reaffirms Michigan's support for student-driven problem solving and entrepreneurship," Pannuto added. "It's also a reflection of what the North Campus community (and the central administration) can accomplish when we come together."

Pannuto said he hopes to see Chez Betty to resume its operations in early July after it obtains proper licenses to meet state and federal requirements.
ANN ARBOR, MI - MLive.com and The Ann Arbor News examined dozens of police reports, interviewed law-enforcement officials and spoke with civil-rights advocates and victims about the issue of hate crimes in Washtenaw County and in Michigan.

The result is a three-part series that appears online this week.

Here are the key findings of the reporting:

The latest FBI statistics show

In Michigan, about 26 percent of all police agencies reported handling a hate crime in 2015.

Hate crimes

Police use their own judgment to determine if an incident is a hate crime, which affects the overall hate-crime data.

The FBI says its annual statistics paint an incomplete picture and the agency is

In Michigan, there is no "hate crime" law. There is an ethnic-intimidation statute which covers race, gender and ethnicity, but not sexual orientation. Federal hate crime law does cover sexual orientation, but it's rare that cases are prosecuted federally.

See the map below for all incidents:
DETROIT - Ann Arbor resident Jose Luis Sanchez-Ronquillo will remain in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement pending his deportation, ICE officials say.

The family and attorney Sanchez-Ronquillo thought he would be deported Tuesday, April 25, after he was detained on April 19 and held in jail since then. Supporters organized an emergency rally outside the ICE offices in Detroit on Monday, hoping public pressure would allow Sanchez-Ronquillo to stay in the U.S.

His attorney, Monica Smith, filed an emergency request Monday for a stay to postpone deportation. She said Wednesday Sanchez-Ronquillo was still in ICE custody and had been moved to Louisiana.

"The ICE is still deciding on our stay request. If they grant it, he'll come back here. If they deny it, he'll be deported," Smith said, adding that she's not sure how soon that decision will be made. "We're just doing everything we can. He's an important part of the community, and we're just fighting for him to stay."

Sanchez-Ronquillo is married and has two children, who are U.S. citizens and attend Ann Arbor Public Schools. Family friend Leticia Valdez, whose son goes to school with Sanchez-Ronquillo's youngest son, said Sanchez-Ronquillo has lived in Ann Arbor for about 20 years and worked at a local restaurant during that time.

"We have some hope. We have a glimmer of hope," Valdez said Wednesday. "Once he's left the country, it's over. There isn't really anything we can do."

Khaalid Walls, regional director of communications for ICE, said Sanchez-Ronquillo was given the opportunity to voluntarily depart the U.S. on two occasions in 1998. He later unlawfully re-entered the U.S. from Mexico, Walls said, and in 2012, an immigration judge ordered him to be removed from the U.S. - a ruling that was subsequently upheld after an appeal to the Board of Immigration Appeals.

"In an exercise of discretion, ICE allowed Mr. Sanchez-Ronquillo to remain free from custody in order to finalize his departure plans," Walls wrote in an email to The Ann Arbor News/MLive Tuesday afternoon. "After Mr. Sanchez-Ronquillo failed to do so in a timely manner, ICE arrested Mr. Sanchez-Ronquillo April 19. He will remain in ICE custody pending removal from the U.S."

Smith said Monday that Sanchez-Ronquillo had previously applied for cancellation of removal and adjustment of status, which would allow him to apply for a green card. ICE did not address whether or not that was the case in correspondence with The Ann Arbor News.

Supporters of Sanchez-Ronquillo and his family said he should not be deported because he does not have a criminal record, and he is the primary financial supporter of his family.

Smith said U.S. Sen. Gary Peters' office is looking into the situation. People can contact their senators, or the ICE Detroit office at 313-568-6049, to voice their stance on the situation.
ANN ARBOR, MI - The Michigan Department of Transportation is hosting an open house Thursday, April 27 in Ypsilanti to discuss upcoming construction on U.S. 12 and Wiard Road.

The public is invited to attend the open house from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Ypsilanti Community Utility Authority, 2777 State, to speak with MDOT staff and contractors about the construction project.

The event starts with a formal presentation at 5:30 p.m. and will look at plans for work taking place in both Washtenaw and Wayne counties, specifically on U.S. 12 between Gates and Ecorse roads and Wiard Road between Tyler Road and U.S. 12.

MDOT is looking to invest $15.1 million to resurface U.S. 12 and Wiard Road, and change the configurations of both throughways from boulevards to undivided roads.

Other aspects of the construction work would include a new roundabout at Wiard and Airport Drive, bridge repairs and operational and safety improvements at intersections.

Residents in the area have been asking for intersection improvements for months, prompted by two traffic accidents involving pedestrians last summer that killed one person and saw a 15-year-old boy injured.

The construction project would involve two-way traffic sharing of U.S. 12's eastbound lanes and Wiard's southbound lanes near the autonomous and connected vehicle testing facility known as The American Center for Mobility near the Willow Run Airport.

A similar open house event in September on the proposed changes garnered mixed reviews from motorists and residents, with some expressing satisfaction dangerous intersections were being addressed by the work and others upset concerned about traffic flow and the new roundabout.
Tata Motors

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Tata Motors, the countrys largest commercial vehicle maker, said today that it has an unsold Bharat Stage III (BS-3) stock of 15,000 trucks and buses which it intends to export, upgrade to BS-4 and dismantle for other use.

Around 8,000-8,500 of the BS-3 lot will be exported to Nepal, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh on as-is-where-is-basis, the shipments of which has already begun. About 90 percent of the remaining 6,500-7,000 will be upgraded to BS-4, a senior company executive said today.

Of the 15,000 units about 4,000 are medium and heavy duty vehicles and the rest are small commercial vehicles (SCv). Vehicles like Ace and Magic, which are SCVs, will be converted to BS 4.

Ravindra Pisharody, Executive Director (Commercial Vehicles), Tata Motors, said, "We have started with the conversion process to BS-4 but we are not moving very fast for those products which we cannot upgrade to BS 4 because the cost is very high".

After rivals Ashok Leyland and VE Commercial Vehicles Tata Motors became the lastest company to announce plans of reworking the EGR-based (exhaust gas recirculation) engine to meet BS-4 emissions norms.

CV makers were badly hit following a Supreme Court verdict on March 29 ordering a ban on sale of BS-3 vehicles after March 31 which impacted about 40,000-45,000 vehicles valued at Rs 5,500 crore.

While SC refused to relent on the matter the government (Ministry of Heavy Industries) and the automotive companies apex lobby body the Society of Indian Automotive Manufacturers (SIAM) have appealed to the apex court for giving the industry a breather. All companies have, however, refused to talk about it.

Talking on the sidelines of a press event Pisharody said, "Because of the sudden ruling we were caught off guard but we respect the SC decision. While the wholesales in March was only 14,000 retails during the same month was much higher between 21,000-22,000".

While the cost of converting an existing BS-3 vehicle to BS-4 is expected to be around Rs 20,000 the company did not divulge details of the total value of the unsold BS 3 stock. While Tata Motors has the biggest inventory of unsold BS 3 vehicles Chennai-based Ashok Layland has about 10664 and Delhi-based VE Commercial Vehicles has about 1,500 of BS-3 stock.

Tata Motors engine supplier Cummins has started work on BS-6 engines in India based on the globally accepted Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) technology. Tata Motors said it adopted the SCR technology in 2014 for its medium and heavy range having engine power of 130-400hp.

Engines having the older but cheaper EGR technology, cannot be upgraded to the extremely stringent BS-6 norm which will be brought in force in 2020. Though SCR is expensive than EGR it is also more fuel-efficient.

SCR technology allows engines to operate at a more optimal combustion temperature providing better power and lower NOx and particulate matter generation.
Supporters of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) burn Pakistan's national flag during a protest in Mumbai, against the death sentence given to former Indian naval officer Kulbhushan Jadhav in Pakistan, India April 12, 2017. REUTERS/Shailesh Andrade - RTX3584I

India today handed over to Pakistan an appeal by the mother of retired Indian Navy officer Kulbhushan Jadhav, sentenced to death by a military court, to the appellate court, initiating a process to get his conviction overturned.

The appeal on behalf of Jadhav was given to Pakistan's Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua by Indian High Commissioner Gautam Bambawale, who also handed over a petition by Jadhav's mother seeking the Pakistan government's intervention for his release and expressing the desire to meet him.

Bambawale, who met Janjua, also made a fresh request for consular access to Jadhav, the external affairs ministry said in press release here. This is the 16th request for access.

"Also handed over was an appeal by the mother to the Court of Appeal, on behalf of Jadhav, who continues to be in detention in Pakistan on concocted charges," the ministry said.

In the petition, Jadhav's mother has made a request for the intervention of Federal Government of Pakistan for his release and expressed the desire to meet him, it said.

As per the appeal system in Pakistan, a death row convict has to move an appellate court within 40 days of pronouncement of the verdict.

"Pakistan was also requested to facilitate visas for the mother and father of Jadhav. They wish to travel to Pakistan to meet him and also to personally file the petition and the appeal. They have applied for necessary visa with the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi," the ministry added.

It is the second time that Bambawale has met Janjua in connection with the naval officer's case.

On April 14, Bambawale had met with the Pakistan foreign secretary and expressed India's concern regarding the whereabouts and health condition of Jadhav. He had told media after his meeting that he had asked for a list of charges and an authentic copy of the verdict of the military tribunal against the retired officer to launch an appeal process against his conviction.

Jadhav was given death sentence by the Field General Court Martial earlier this month, evoking a sharp reaction in India which warned Pakistan of consequences and damage to bilateral ties if the "pre-meditated murder" was carried out.
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The US drug regulator in its warning letter to Divis Laboratories Unit-II facility in Vizag, made several observations of manufacturing deviations. This included an alleged refusal by the company to provide access to audit trail data of chromatographic systems used in testing drugs to the US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) inspectors.

The details of the warning letter were made public on USFDA website.

Divis on Saturday confirmed the receipt of warning letter in a disclosure made to stock exchanges.

The USFDA inspected Vizag unit-II that manufactures active pharmaceutical ingredients from November 29-December 6 and issued five Form 483 observations. The regulatory agency issued an import alert on March 21 banning import of products made from this facility into US market.

To be sure the import alert has taken the company by surprise. Typically, the USFDA issues warning letter before import alert, but it was the other way round for Divis.

In its warning letter the USFDA clarified that Divis' got two types of import alerts, one is the usual 66-40 import alert that is issued for firms that havent met good manufacturing practices and the other 99-32 a rare import alert for firms that refuse or block FDA inspectors to inspect.

In the warning letter addressed to Kiran S. Divi, Director and President of Operations at Divis, the USFDA alleged the company wasn't cooperative in providing its inspectors access to records.

At multiple times during the inspection, FDA requested records of current good manfuturing practices (CGMP) activities performed in your R&D laboratories at the behest of your quality unit, US FDA said.

However, you limited the inspection by providing only a subset of the requested records, and our investigators also found at least one of the requested records shredded in the trash. Finally, our investigators requested chromatograms to substantiate your claim that you had identified and quantitated the impurities, but you never provided the records that our investigators asked for to support your claim, it added.

When an owner, operator, or agent delays, denies, limits, or refuses an inspection, the drugs may be deemed adulterated under section 501(j) of the FD&C Act, the agency further added.

The USFDA also said the response from the company to two other observations it made were also inadequate. It made observations that included failure to ensure that test procedures are scientifically sound and appropriate; and failure to prevent unauthorized access or changes to data and failure to provide adequate controls to prevent manipulation and omission of data

As part of data integrity remediation, the USFDA asked the company for a comprehensive investigation into the extent of the inaccuracies in data records and reporting. .

Your quality system does not adequately ensure the accuracy and integrity of data to support the safety, effectiveness, and quality of the drugs you manufacture, the USFDA said.

Divis on Saturday said it has responded to the USFDA inspection observations with an appropriate remediation process to overcome the deficiencies observed.

Divi's Labs, along with external consultants and subject matter experts, are working to address the concerns of the US-FDA and is making all efforts to fully meet the compliance requirements. We will respond to this Warning Letter with a detailed plan within the stipulated time, the company said in a statement.

In the Import Alert issued, the USFDA has exempted several products manufactured at the company's Unit-II providing a major relief to the company.

Although we believe there is no incremental impact of this warning letter. The company will take at least two years to come out of this import alert, said Amey Chalke, senior analyst at HDFC securities.

The immediate focus for the company will be to ensure US FDA compliance at unit 1 which is due for the USFDA inspection this year, Chalke added.

HDFC Securities factors more than 10 percent revenue loss and negative impact on EBITDA margins due to higher remediation cost.

Divis has lost around half of its market value since mid-December with the news of regulatory woes at Unit-II plant started emerging.

Shares of Divis dropped 0.39 percent to close at Rs.644.20 on BSE, while the benchmark Sensex gained 0.63 percent to end at 30,133.35 points.
The country's drug pricing regulator on Wednesday said it had rejected applications from multinational stent makers Abbott and Medtronic to withdraw their stents from the Indian market over commercial viability concerns.

Abbott had last wek sought permission from National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) to withdraw two of its stent products - Absorb BVS and Alpine - from India, while Medtronic had wanted to pull out Resolute Onyx "post fixation of ceiling prices".

After examining the requests, NPPA said on Wednesday said that the companies cannot pull their stents from the market abruptly as the government has invoked its powers under Para 3 of the Drugs Prices Control Order, 2013 and directed the company to maintain uninterrupted supplies of all its coronary stents including BVS or bio-reabsorbable for six months from the date of the order.

It further said that both withdrawal applications were "technically and legally null and void" as the letters haven't been signed by the respective companies.

The regulator also accused both the companies of not complying with its direction to provide weekly reports on coronary stents produced and distributed in the country along with a weekly production plan.

NPPA had on February 16 issued a notification capping coronary stent prices. It capped the prices of bare metal stent at Rs 7,260 and drug-eluting stent (DES) and biodegradable stents at Rs 29,600, much lower than the market prices. Both the prices are exclusive of value added tax. DES constitutes 95 percent of the market.

NPPA has asked Abbott and Medtronic to resubmit its request two weeks before the expiry of the Para 3 restrictions, which are currently in operation.

Both the companies were advised to explore the options of price revision provided under Para 11(3), 11(4) and Para 19 of the DPCO, 2013 before exercising an exit route under Para 21(2).

NPPA also advised the stent makers to be more cautious and responsible in taking such business decisions in light of the government's commitment to ensure affordability and availability of all essential drugs to the people.

About 60 percent of the market for stents is shared by multinational companies such as Abbott, Medtronics, Meril Lifesciences and Boston Scientific.

The medical devices industry, which is opposing the regulation of stent prices, said the decision will stifle access of innovative and advanced therapies for patients.

In India, only about 3 out of 1000 coronary heart disease patients are treated with angioplasty compared to 32 in the US.

Angioplasty is the procedure of placing stent in an artery.

As per the National Interventional Council (NIC) Registry data in 2015, a total of 3,53,346 angioplasties were performed and 4,73,000 stents were implanted in India. The country's coronary stents market was valued at USD 481 million in 2015.
Ideas for Profit | SBI hits record high after strong Q2: Should you buy now to gain from next leg of re-rating?
Customer data analytics software firm Flytxt has raised Rs 70 crore from German firm DAH Beteiligungs.

The company plans to invest the money in research and development and expand to other verticals, it said in a statement.

The funding will also help the firm execute its order book of more than Rs 500 crore, it added.

Started in 2008, Flytxt offers a enterprise-customer data analytics product that can manage and analyse large volumes of moving customer data to derive actionable insights.

The product also has built-in applications to leverage these insights for digital customer engagement and digital services.

More than 50 telecom firms and other enterprises have deployed this product in over 40 countries. In certain markets, Flytxt and telecom partners also provide brands and agencies with aggregated and anonymised customer insights for executing targeted mobile advertising campaigns.

This investment will help us to serve our customers more efficiently as well as invest in research and development, and grow faster through cloud offerings and channel partnerships, said Vinod Vasudevan, Chief Executive Officer of Flytxt.
Ashwani Gujral of ashwanigujral.com told CNBC-TV18, "Yesterday, broking/NBFC did extremely well. So, IIFL Holdings is a buy with a stop loss of Rs 480 and target of Rs 510."

"Ingersoll Rand which is probably a capex related stock is a buy with a stop loss of Rs 890 and target of Rs 940."

"PSU banks kind of moved up. Punjab National Bank (PNB) is a buy with a stop loss of Rs 157 and target of Rs 170," he said.

"India Oil Corporation (IOC) is a buy with a stop loss of Rs 430 and target of Rs 456."
Even as the BJP has notched up a resounding lead in over 181 wards in Delhi leaving AAP far behind in a three-way contest, the civic polls in the national capital look set to hand the saffron party a clear majority.

Early trends suggest that BJP is well on its way to a massive landslide victory and the final results which will be announced after 5 PM will be a mere formality. The votes would be counted at 35 centres across city.

The Arvind Kejriwal-run party tasted success in a few wards, most notably in Tilak Nagar, Sitapuri, Chauhan Banger, Khajoor Khas and Madangir.

BJP, which has stolen a march over both Congress and AAP, has swept up Moti Nagar and Rohini E. The beleaguered Congress party won Badar and Nand Nagri.

By last count Congress was leading in 32 seats to AAPs 41 seats, while BJP is far ahead with a tally of 188 seats.

While in all the three divisions, BJP has landed a drubbing to Congress and AAP, fortunes for these parties vary in each of the three constituencies. In North Delhi, Congress is a cut above AAP by a seat, while in South Delhi (104 wards) Kejriwal has managed to punch above the grand old party of India by a margin of four seats. Again in East Delhi, which has 64 wards, AAP scores over Congress by a similar number of seats.

AAP leaders, including Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, are in a huddle at Chief Minister Kejriwal's residence as the party takes the second spot behind the BJP. Congress whose Delhi unit president Ajay Maken had said that the MCD polls will be a referendum on Kejriwal government, settled for the third place in the contest that it had claimed to win with victory in over 200 wards.

Before the MCD elections kicked off, the National Election Watch and Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) published a report giving the financial status and criminal records of the candidates fighting the MCD election 2017.

According to the report, about 30 percent of the candidate list comprise crorepatis and 7 percent of them have criminal cases pending against them. In number terms, there are 2315 candidates in the running. Of them 697 are crorepatis while 163 have criminal cases pending against them.

Interestingly, a majority of crorepatis fighting the MCD polls are from the Congress party, followed by the BJP and Aam Aadmi Party.

More to follow...
Tweeple never leave a chance to troll and today, the man caught in the net was Arvind Kejriwal after the Aam Aadmi Party faced crushing loss in the MCD elections.

As the results came in, Twitteratis flooded the micro-blogging platform with tweets drubbing Kejriwal and asking him to introspect reasons behind this defeat.

While AAP holds BJP responsible for their failure in the Delhi MCD election and alleges that the party resorted to rigging of EVM machines, Moneycontrol takes a look at reasons that made the party fight a losing battle.

Shunglu Committee report

Shunglu Committees report was a big blow to Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party. The report has charged AAP members for illegal allotment of land, nepotism and unauthorised foreign trips. As per the report, "24 non-statutory foreign tours" were taken by government ministers and officials in a span of 18 months.

The report was made public earlier this month and the timing of the release may have impacted the partys poll performance.

Setback in Punjab and Uttarakhand Assembly elections

The party, which was hopeful of forming government in either of the states, struggled to even make a mark. The poor show by AAP in these two states may have led to its dismal performance in the MCD polls.

AAP denied funds to MCD in 2015

In 2015, AAP had turned down to help Municipal Corporation of Delhi, which was reeling under heavy loans. The North Corporation was dealing with a loan of Rs 1,400 crore and had demanded Rs 302 crore from the Delhi Government.

Kejriwal had suggested the civic agencies to seek the Centres help and said that the Delhi government too was dealing with a financial crunch.

Tussle with the Lieutenant Governor

The battle between the Delhi chief minister and LG Najeeb Jung was over who has the final say in the administration of Delhi. AAP government had described the Lieutenant Governor as an employee of the Centre and had made several appeals first to the Delhi High court and then to the Supreme Court.

No salaries to MCD sanitation workers

Sanitation workers in Delhi had went on strike over unpaid salaries and the city was strewn with garbage. Common man suffered in the tussle between the state government and the Centre.

Strong efforts by BJP in Delhi

An unexpected victory of AAP in 2015 was a big blow to BJP that had won the previous two MCD elections. The party gave a strong performance in North MCD in 2012 and a maximum vote share of 40 percent. An interesting trend that can be noticed is the wards that voted for the BJP in 2014 and then favoured AAP in 2015 have returned to the saffron camp.
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks before signing an executive order directing federal agencies to recommend changes to a temporary visa program used to bring foreign workers to the United States to fill high-skilled jobs during a visit to the world headquarters of Snap-On Inc, a tool manufacturer in Kenosha, Wisconsin, U.S., April 18, 2017. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

A draft executive order that would withdraw the United States from the North American Free Trade Agreement is under consideration, a senior administration official said on Wednesday, confirming an earlier report from Politico.

It is unclear whether the order will be enacted by President Donald Trump, who has accused NAFTA - a trade pact between the United States, Mexico and Canada - of undermining US jobs.

Trump has accused Mexico of destroying US jobs, and this week he set 20 percent tariffs on imports of Canadian softwood lumber, setting a tense tone as the three countries prepared to renegotiate the 23-year-old trade pact.

Last week, Trump also called Canada's dairy protections "unfair."

Mexico had expected to start NAFTA renegotiations in August but the possible executive order could add urgency to the timeline.

Trump criticized Mexico extensively during his presidential campaign. The United States went from running a small trade surplus with Mexico in the early 1990s to a $63 billion deficit in 2016.
Some of Pennsylvania's largest counties are working to help voters fix mail-in ballots that have fatal flaws such as incorrect dates or lack of signatures on the envelopes used to send them in.
Ex-choir director in Bucks County pleads no contest to molesting two students, secretly filming another
Rabbis installation at Keneseth Israel will get a boost of student creativity
Friends In Pink is still on the radar and growing every year
'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.

10 hours ago
When I was a lot younger than I am now, my mother loaded me into the back of our beige Ford station wagon and we drove off for Union Grove, North Carolina, the home of the Old Time Fiddlers Convention. I think my brothers clogging team was performing as some part of the festival, but dont really remember. What I do remember was watching fiddlers, banjo players, guitar players, doghouse bass players, and the strange combination of hippies and farmers that old time music brings out.

This weekend at MerleFest, a similar array of folks will get together in Wilkesboro. That mixture of humanity is much of what makes the weekend so special. Its an annual celebration. The place will be crawling with genuine hippies, trustafarians (hippies living off of their trust-funds), farmers, preachers, so-called professionals, Millennials, GenXers, Boomers, preachers, musicians, families and Thomas Webb, one of my high school science teachers.

I dont know when he became a MerleFest kind of guy, but I do know he saunters around the grounds at Wilkes Community College both patiently and determined, like he knows things nobody else does. Because hes a little taller than most and because his gait is so distinctive, its hard to miss his ball cap and bearded face moving around later in the evening when folks appear more as shadows.

Last year, I finally got connected with him out at the grounds in the rain, which was difficult since he only occasionally chooses to check his text messages. When we got together, Thomas said hed read an article that Id written about one of my personal heroes, Sam Bush. But in typical fashion, he added his opinion, I thought you described Sam pretty well. I started laughing and missed the rest of what he had to say because hes always referred to celebrities by their first names. When I could hear again, he said, Ive always liked watching Sam. Hes real good. That then led to conversations about Doc, the year that we saw Alision (Krauss) together, whether I would stick around to see Jason (Isbell), or if I planned on seeing Bob (Dylan) anytime soon.

But while I stood there talking to Thomas, listening to him reminiscing about musical moments, I couldnt help but think that the idea of MerleFest is as much about memory as it is music  what else is music but memory in the first place? While I reconnected with Thomas, watching my daughter be shy at his questions to her, I had to smile remembering him chiding me for making damn fool movements in his chemistry class and laughing at me for jumping out of my skin when he threw a shatter-proof graduated cylinder on the floor in class.

My mother died three weeks before my junior year in high school. It was then that Thomass oldest daughter became like a sister to me. I started spending more of my waking hours at the Webb house than I did my own. I was grateful. They kind of took care of me and my battered and confused soul, a lot the same ways that music did.

Connecting to Thomas at MerleFest just added another profound connection to this man. C.S. Lewis once said that friendship happens when one person looks at another and says, What? You too? Thomas and I have known each other a long time, but meeting him at MerleFest was different. A new level of friendship was born.

Of course, thats nothing new. Music is what gets hippies and farmers together and connects them  What? You like Zac Brown, too? Somewhere down the road, an adult, who is a child at this years MerleFest, will have a memory of fiddles, guitars, mandolins and basses and perhaps theyll remember how unexpected and yet beautiful it was to see such a diversity of people crowded up together and having a great time together. Who knows but that maybe theyll meet somebody else they didnt know appreciated real music, as well, and theyll look at each other and say, What? You too?

Jonathan Henley is the host of Road Signs radio show, which airs Sunday nights from 10 p.m. to midnight on 1065 The End. Contact Henley via email at roadsigns@1065.com or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/roadsignsradio. Read past columns and join his blog at www.1065.com/onair/road-signs-51152/.
Last week, several companies in Burke County announced expansions and new jobs. Even before the announcements, Burke County manufacturing has been the largest employment sector in the county.

Chuck Brown, manager of the employment office in Morganton, said there are plenty of jobs for all levels of knowledge, skills and experience in the county. As of last week, his office had 224 orders that represent 482 vacant positions, Brown said.

But the chances are good the majority of the jobs open require some type of training, skill or degree, he said.

One of the most in-demand positions is for qualified industrial maintenance mechanics, he said.

In addition, Brown said trades associated with the furniture industry are in demand, such as cutters, upholsterers and trimmers.

Brown said there also are plenty of entry level-type jobs available now in a way they werent two and three years ago. And wages are increasing for in-demand skills, Brown said.

That could be because some employers are having a hard time recruiting skilled workers, Brown said.

Two companies that have hiring signs in front of their plants are Valdese Weavers and Shenandoah Furniture.

Mike Shelton, president and CEO of Valdese Weavers, said the company has available jobs from entry-level to skilled positions. As of last week, it had 45 jobs listed, which can fluctuate.

The supply of labor isnt equal to the demand, Shelton said.

But the company is doing all of the same things its been doing to attract workers, Shelton said. That includes working with Western Piedmont Community College and temporary job agencies, as well as direct marketing, job fairs and even setting up booths at festivals to try to attract the right candidates, he said.

Shelton said recruiting employees has gotten harder over the last 20 years and it is something the company works at diligently every day. But its not just Valdese Weavers. Shelton said thats true for industries throughout the community.

One of Valdese Weavers biggest aids in recruiting workers is its Employee Stock Ownership Plan, Shelton said. The company, which has been in business for 100 years, is 100 percent employee-owned, according to Valdese Weavers.

Shelton said the Shuford family owned Valdese Weavers for 80 years until it made the decision last year to sell the entire company to the ESOP program.

Snyder Garrison, a grandson of Harley Shuford, said on behalf of the Shuford family, There are many options for charting the future of a privately owned, closely held company like ours. The 100% ESOP achieves our familys objectives for Valdese Weavers to remain an independent, privately owned company with a strong commitment to our local community. In keeping with our values, the ESOP is a great way to recognize the dedication from each of our associates toward achieving a successful, lasting legacy. Employee-owners know that their efforts can help them gain a benefit for their families that is greater than wages alone.

In addition to the company being employee-owned, it also works with Western Carolina University to make sure its wages are competitive, Shelton said.

But, as with most manufacturing companies, Valdese Weavers jobs are highly technical and computerized.

Manufacturing of today isnt grandpas mill work.

Because the knowledge and skills needed to do the job have changed, industry, education, government and economic officials are working to get folks trained to fill the need.

Alan Wood, president and CEO of Burke Development Inc., said the primary concern of industry employers in Burke County is whether they will have enough qualified workers today and whether they will have enough five years from now.

Wood said there arent enough people interested in manufacturing jobs. And there is less on-the-job training for those positions, he said. Even with the manufacturing jobs that were shipped overseas, the manufacturing sector still makes up 27 percent of the economy in Burke County, he said. He said the numbers say the U.S. is making more things than before the recession, there are just less jobs. However, the jobs in manufacturing pay more money, he said.

But the manufacturing jobs leaving have caused people to shy away from the sector when looking for work or training for a skill, Wood said.

Western Piedmont Community College offers classes in mechatronics, which includes machinists and electricians, but it doesnt have students filling up the slots available, Wood said. Part of the reason for that is a lack of knowledge of jobs opportunities with the skills, what training is needed, what the cost of the class is and how to go about getting the training, Wood said.

So the college and others in the county will start a concerted effort to turn peoples perception of manufacturing jobs around, Wood said. He said that will include interviews with current manufacturing employees and talking with students and their parents about what working in the manufacturing sector is like today.

What people need to understand is that 70 percent of all jobs that will be available will require additional education beyond a high school diploma, Wood said.

The need for more technical training is even invading the fast-food industry. He said more and more technology is taking away jobs that dont require additional education.

He said making people aware of whats needed to do a job today is going to take a long-term initiative.

Perceptions and ideas dont just happen overnight, Wood said.

Sharon McBrayer is a staff writer and can be reached at smcbrayer@morganton.com or at 828-432-8946.
Let's describe the problem with an example. A few years ago, Southern California Edison employed 300 foreign tech workers through the H-1B visa program. They took the jobs of American IT specialists who suffered the added indignity of having to train their replacements.

The foreign workers were paid at least $40,000 a year less than the laid-off Americans. The Americans couldn't complain publicly to Congress because the company had them under a gag order.

All this was perfectly legal.

Up to 85,000 skilled foreigners, mostly from India and China, come to this country a year under the H-1B program. It has drawn bipartisan concern.

President Trump just issued an executive order directing federal agencies to suggest changes in the visa rules. What to make of it is hard to say.

"It's weaker than it could have been," Ron Hira, a political scientist at Howard University and longtime H-1B critic, told me. "Some things can be done through policy guidance, policy memos and regulation writing."

On the other hand, Hira was pleased that Trump at least acknowledged the problem, something his predecessors had not done.

Disney, Citibank and Hertz are among the heavy users of H-1B visas. Goldman Sachs does it in a shadowy way, hiring IBM to provide the H-1B labor.

Hira, a son of immigrants from India, has described the abuses in testimony before the U.S. Senate:

Nearly 4 in 5 of these visas go to workers with low-level skills and, therefore, low-level pay. Many are "low-level" only because employers can, in Hira's words, "define the position at whatever level they want."

Employers must pay what's being called a "prevailing" wage for the area. But in the world of H-1B visas, that's not the same thing as the median wage. It's a wage significantly lower, often 40 percent, than the median wage.

As a result, IT outsourcers enjoy net profit margins as high as 25 percent. Using American workers would cut their profit margins to 8 percent at most.

The foreigners are sometimes mistreated, as well. The employer holds the visa, so complainers can be summarily dismissed and subject to deportation. India-based Tata, a top recipient of H-1B visas, tried to collect fees from workers who had quit.

Such controversies are not unique to the United States. Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has demanded an overhaul of a similar program. Canada got to the heart of its dilemma by raising wage levels for foreign workers.

Which the U.S. could do. But Trump did not go there in his vague executive order. He merely asked for studies.

Suspicions run high that establishment types in the White House are not keen to deny corporate America access to cheap labor. The financial industry, in particular, is a major consumer of IT services.

One way to appear to be fixing a problem while ensuring it will not be fixed is through legislative deceit. Republican Rep. Darrell Issa recently pushed a trick bill that would have done little other than take the issue off the table.

Not that Trump would ever mislead the public ... but let the record show that his companies have tried to import at least 1,000 temporary foreign workers. Shalabh Kumar, a major Trump donor and native of India, recently announced that Trump would, if anything, expand the H-1B program. And Trump spokesman Sean Spicer said that reforming it was not a top priority.

Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley says he's "grateful" for the executive order. Less enthusiastically, Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin calls it "a guarded and timid approach." It may be no approach at all, but perhaps Trump will astonish us  in a good way.

Follow Froma Harrop on Twitter @FromaHarrop. She can be reached at fharrop@gmail.com. To find out more about Froma Harrop, visit www.creators.com.
Jonathan Miller: Welcome to the Morningstar Manager Check-up, where we start with our analyst rating update on Artemis UK Smaller Companies. This is managed by the experienced Mark Niznik, alongside Will Tamworth who was promoted to co-manager last year. The approach is focused on investing in smaller companies with strong business franchises, at attractive multiples, while paying close attention to free cash flow yield.

Theres only 5% in mid-caps so the portfolios very much biased toward the smaller end of the market. This results in an average market cap thats meaningfully lower than the category average. Theres around 40% in micro caps and turnover in the portfolio is reasonably low, at 20% to 30%, reflecting the long-term mindset. The consistent approach has outperformed under Nizniks tenure and the fund retains its Morningstar Analyst Rating of Silver.

Next up is the Royal London Sustainable Leaders fund. Mike Fox has been at the helm since 2003 and through his sustainable screening, theres around 120 UK stocks meeting the required criteria. Theres barely any energy or basic materials exposure, so over a period when they outperform, like last year, the fund can be held back relative to the index. Tobacco is also off limits. Fox then looks for long-term growth opportunities that have been mispriced by the market. He also invest overseas where its difficult to get exposure to themes via UK-listed names.

This is especially true for technology where Amazon, Alphabet and Microsoft are key positions and have been drivers of returns. We believe this remains a strong choice for investors who have a sustainability mandate in mind and the fund keeps its Analyst Rating of Bronze.

Finally, GAM Star China Equity, which we believe is one of the most attractive propositions in the category but its not for the risk-averse. The key appeal is the manager Michael Lai, whos managed the fund since launch in July 2007 and brings 27 years of experience to the table. He brings a unique perspective when investing in China and has shown to be an expert at both identifying attractive sectoral themes and individual stocks.

Lai is supported by a small team and looks to add value by picking companies that exhibit positive earnings revisions at reasonable valuations. Its important to note that returns can be lumpy given the sector-specific downside risks and benchmark-agnostic approach. Through market cycles though we remain positive on the potential for outperformance and we maintain the funds Morningstar Analyst Rating of Silver.
Since retiring a decade ago Robert Maybury has made impressive returns from his investment portfolio. He invests in investment trusts and direct shareholdings, but the bulk of his money is in fixed income investments. He says: I feel most confident investing in fixed-income investments, be it corporate bonds, retail bonds or even gilts.

In many ways Ive been lucky. When I retired in 2009 it was around the time of the financial crisis and this market was in disarray. At the time, there were a number of investments that seemed to offer fantastic value, and have delivered good returns for me.

When he stopped working Maybury was unsure whether he would need to sell his house to finance his retirement. To date he has not had to do this; instead he has seen the value of his SIPP rise from 250,000 to almost 1 million.

Picking Up Bargains

Some of the best investments he has made were after the financial crash. He explains: At the time I bought some Lloyds Bank (LLOY) preference shares. Most investors and even professional fund managers didnt want to touch anything relating to banks, so the price of these preference shares had slumped.

At this price, Maybury said investing in these preference shares seemed a risk worth taking. I didnt think that Lloyds was going to go bust so was happy to hold onto these shares and earn a decent return on my money. As the outlook for Lloyds improved so the capital value of these shares also increased, he added.

Maybury also invested in a bond issued by NatWest Bank, which paid a 9% coupon. As he pointed out at the time this subsidiary of RBS (RBS) was profitable, although there were problems with the parent company.

When this bond was first issued before the financial crisis it was trading at above par - in other words it was trading for more than its initial issue price of 100. However, following the financial crash its price fell to 30% of its issue price, meaning that the fixed income it paid was far more valuable.

Long Standing Share Holdings

Maybury lives in Cambridgeshire with his partner, and has both a SIPP account and an ISA account with Selftrade. He also runs an ordinary investment account with the company.

Although the lions share of his money is in fixed income investments, Maybury also invests in the stock market. I like investing in equities, but if theres a share I like, Ill invest a lot less initially when compared to corporate bonds.

One of his longest-standing share-holdings has been CLS Holdings (CLI) an investment property company. Maybury has had a holding in this company for around 12 years, although during this period he has sold shares when prices have risen, then bought them back again in subsequent dips.

According to figures from Morningstar, shares in this company have risen by 25.39% over the past 10 years.

Another more recent holding which has performed well has been Burford Capital (BUR). This firm provides corporate finance and insurance options for lawyers and their clients who are engaged in litigation.

Maybury says: This has delivered excellent returns. I bought into the company at about 125p per share and they are now worth around 785p. It seemed to me a good investment because the returns seem uncorrelated with other areas of the market.

Morningstar data shows the spectacular growth of this company in recent years: over one year the share price has risen by a phenomenal 180%; while over three years shares have grown by 81%.

Buying Closed-end Funds at a Discount

Maybury also invests in a number of investment trusts; he likes the opportunity to buy at a discount to potentially boost overall returns.

One of his better holdings in recent years has been BlackRock Throgmorton trust (THRG), which invests in UK smaller companies. Maybury says he bought this trust when it was trading at a 20% discount. This Silver Rated trust has a four-star rating, reflecting its strong performance against peers in recent years.

The trust is managed by Mike Prentis. Morningstar fund analyst David Holder says: Prentis investment approach is tried and tested over several market cycles. It revolves around quality management, strong market position, cash generation, strong balance sheet, and a prior record of earnings-per-share growth.

Maybury says: It seems to me that in the smaller companies sector there is more opportunity for fund managers to add value. There seem to be quite a few decent trusts trading at discounts at the moment, so there is quite a bit of opportunity for investors.

Despite being retired Maybury does not invest primarily for income, instead valuing the total return of an investment.

Often I will reinvest any income I receive and will look to sell holdings if I need release cash. Often this is more tax-efficient as capital gains tax allowances are fairly generous, he says.
Energy companies profits could be at risk if the Conservative Party win next months General Election. The Tories have pledged to cap energy prices  with current Prime Minister saying it was unfair two thirds of British households were stuck on the most expensive tariffs.

Shares in UK energy providers Centrica (CNA) and SSE (SSE) both fell more than 3% this week as the market digested the news.

Regulation is a key restriction to energy companies profits in the UK, according to Charles Fishman, Morningstar equity analyst. Regulators seek to keep customer bills low, while the company tries to increase profits. Investor returns depend on the rates regulators set. In the UK, regulators prefer incentive-based rates that require certain investments and efficiency standards.

Uncertain Oil Prices

Political uncertainty is not the only headwind facing energy companies in the UK; the future of oil price remains uncertain.

Brent crude oil is trading at $52 per barrel today. This is nearly double the oil price in January 2016  however it is still significantly below the $100 high of two years ago.

Simon Laing, head of US equities with Invesco Perpetual believes a recovery in the oil market is underway, thanks to a pick up in crude oil demand in the US coupled with considerable capital expenditure cuts over the last two years impacting production levels.

Allen Good, senior analyst with Morningstar agreed, saying that OPEC's production cuts and strong demand growth mean the outlook for crude oil is the most promising since oil prices crashed two years ago. However, major increases in US shale production are likely to throw crude markets back into oversupply.

Energy Equities Offer High Dividend Yields

Energy-related equities have already priced in a lower-for-longer outlook for oil, James Butterfill, head of research and investment strategy at ETF Securities said in a recent note.

The MSCI World energy sector is trading on a 20% discount to the materials sector and 40% discount to industrials sector in valuations, data provided by ETF Securities showed. The price-to-book ratios of the energy sector are also cheap compared to the long-term average, said Butterfill.

Meanwhile, the energy sector has a higher forecasted dividend yield at 3.6% than the overall equity market at 2.6%, according to ETF Securities. The energy sectors balance sheets also look healthier now, supporting energy companies dividend pay-out policies going forward.

2 Ways to Invest in Energy ETFs

Valuations of energy stocks look cheap and the outlook for the oil price looks promising  and there are number of passive options for those investors who want to access the sector. Broad-based funds  both active and passive  are lower risk compared to buying a single energy company.

There are currently 21 energy equities ETFs for sale in Europe, according to Morningstar Direct.

Data from Morningstar Direct showed that the energy sector equity ETF sector saw $2.4 billion inflows worldwide in the first three months of the year. Interest from European investors towards energy ETFs have been particularly strong. In November the energy equity ETF sector saw the biggest inflows in five years with 248 million the month alone.

Alternatively, investors can invest in ETF that provides exposure to the commodity itself. ETFS Crude Oil ETC (CRUD) provides exposure to West Texas Intermediate crude oil through the use of near-month futures contracts, said Kenneth Lamont, Morningstars passive analyst.

However, Lamont said investors should be aware that because of the concentrated exposure of this exchange-traded commodity, returns can be highly volatile. This product is mostly suitably deployed tactically as part of an already diversified portfolio, Lamont added.
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The Ontario governments introduction of its new housing policies last week has led to both applause and consternation from a wide swathe of market observers, attesting to the immediate impact of the long-awaited changes.The implementation of the 15-per-cent non-resident speculation tax drew the most polarized reactions, especially since its intended to stifle the GTA markets price growth (which went up by as much as 33 per cent year-over-year in March).Its a step in the right direction, CIBC World Markets deputy chief economist Benjamin Tal said, as quoted by the Financial Post. We estimate that the share of foreign buyers in the GTA is notably lower than in Vancouver.However, Urbanation Inc. senior vice president Shaun Hildebrand argued that the tax likely wont matter much to those who are determined enough to invest in the GTA market.If you are a foreign buyer with no connection to the region, you must have a pretty big motivation to move that money here, Hildebrand stated.The expansion of rent control to all private rental units in Ontario, including those that were built after 1991, also garnered strong words from the development sector.While FRPO shares the government's interest in protecting Ontarios 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.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, FRPO president and CEO Jim Murphy explained.Conference Board of Canada chief economist Craig Alexander said that the rent control provision might have an unintended and undesirable effect.While it will be favourable for renters that get rent-controlled properties, such action incents builders to shift away from constructing new rental projects, according to Alexander.Other industry reactions to Ontarios Fair Housing Plan can be viewed in full here
Montreal might prove to be a popular destination in the wake of the Ontario governments implementation of a new 15-per-cent foreign buyers tax, according to the Quebec Federation of Real Estate Boards (QFREB).However, the Board added that it is not expecting any major short-term increases in the proportion of foreign buyers in Montreal, which is currently estimated by the CMHC to be at just 1.5 per cent.Although this figure is possibly underestimated, the proportion is nevertheless quite low, the QFREB said. In Montreal, the presence of foreign buyers would be limited mainly to certain central neighbourhoods for single-family homes and to the downtown area for condominiums.Activity by foreign buyers in the Montreal area could have an upward impact on property prices in some central neighbourhoods, as this is where they tend to concentrate their purchases, QFREB market analysis manager Paul Cardinal elaborated. However, the impact would be limited given that Montreals real estate market conditions are very different than those observed recently in Toronto and Vancouver.We are far from a housing shortage, whether it be the resale, new construction or rental markets. In this context, it is difficult to envisage a surge in prices like Toronto, Cardinal added.Figures from the QFREB showed that the Montreal Census Metropolitan Area has exhibited relatively sedate housing price increases in the past few years, with the median price of single-family homes growing by 6 per cent between 2013 and 2016, from $279,000 to $295,000. In the same vein, the median price of condo units rose by 6 per cent in the same time frame, from $227,000 to $240,000.In addition, conditions in the Montreal real estate market remain relatively balanced: the single-family segment is slightly in favour of sellers, the plex market is balanced, while the condominium segment still shows a slight oversupply, the QFREB stated.
May announced last week a snap poll, flying in the face of previous promises not to call an early election.

Voters, he says, should consider candidates' positions on Brexit, and cast their votes accordingly, backing any candidate regardless of party affiliation on that basis alone. He wants to tie Conservative Prime Minister Theresa May's hands when she comes to negotiate an exit deal with the European bloc.

While Blair, the longest-serving Labor Prime Minister in British history, avoided endorsing tactical voting openly, he argued Monday it is "not the time to fight a conventional partisan election." Blair hinted he was considering making a parliamentary comeback and standing himself.

In dramatic fashion, the pro-EU former Labor Prime Minister Tony Blair has re-entered the political arena, saying it would be understandable for the party faithful to consider tactical voting in the June general election in a bid to block hard-right Conservatives who want a sharp break from Europe from being elected.

Britain's Brexit referendum last year was meant to have ended debate about the perennial big question of the country's relationship with Europe. But as British politicians started this week to campaign in earnest for next months parliamentary elections, EU membership remains a dominating issue and is adding to a shake-up of the country's traditional party politics.

 Conservatives June 8 Favorites

With Labor ranks in disarray over the leadership of Jeremy Corbyn, a hard-left figure who has seen several rebellions against him by moderate Labor lawmakers, the Conservatives are odds-on favorites to win the June 8 election and to increase substantially their 17-seat majority in the House of Commons.

Some pollsters predict Labor could see their lowest tally since 1935 when the party secured just 154 seats in a 600-plus seat legislature, after an internecine war broke out in the party during the Great Depression.

 May's Strategy

Meanwhile, with an eye to the success on Sunday in the first round of the French presidential elections of non-traditional contenders centrist Emmanuel Macron and far-right leader Marine Le Pen, the Conservative May appears to be trying to shape a manifesto that will appeal to nationalists on the right of the political spectrum while not neglecting the middle ground of British politics.

Her policy chief, George Freeman, has spoken of an "insurgency against unaccountable elites," sweeping across Western democracies. He has argued disdain for the establishment was behind last year's Brexit vote and the election in the U.S. of Donald Trump.

The party's manifesto is likely to see the Conservatives, traditionally pro-business, re-define what they think the relationship should be between big business and the state, and to present May as an anti-establishment candidate.

According to Rachel Sylvester, a columnist in The Times, the re-definition will build on May's past calls for companies to show a greater sense of social duty and to act in the national interest.

 Blair vs. Tories

Blair's call Monday in Britain's Guardian newspaper, and May's moves to redefine how Conservatives view business, are reflections of the breakdown in traditional party politics sweeping Britain and the country's European neighbors.

Blair argues the Conservatives are presenting the upcoming election as about "strengthening the prime ministers hand in the Brexit negotiation" with the Europeans.

He says they are trying to suggest a vote for the Conservatives is the same thing as a vote in the national interest. "We have to expose the fact that the mandate the Tories are asking for is not for an open negotiation in the interests of the country but for a 'Brexit at any cost' driven by the ideology of the right of the Tory party," he argued.

Blair's intervention has outraged hard-left Labor lawmakers, who compared it to the break with Labor by Ramsay MacDonald, a founding member of the party who formed a national government with the Conservatives in the 1930s. Mark Seddon, a Labor stalwart labeled it "one of the biggest acts of political treachery in recent memory," arguing, the former Labor prime minister was "potentially condemning members of his own party to defeat at the General Election."

 Pro-Brexit Politicians Targeted

Blair is not alone in arguing Brexit should be the defining issue for voters in June. The pressure group Open Britain, whose half-million members cross party lines, has drawn up a hit-list of 20 prominent Brexit-supporting lawmakers who represent constituencies that voted to remain in the European Union in last June's referendum. Most of the lawmakers are Conservatives, but the list includes some Labor MPs.

With the ultimate aim of limiting the number of proponents of a so-called hard Brexit in parliament, the group, along with two other pro-EU grassroots organizations, has also drawn up a list of 20 Labor, Liberal Democrat and Conservative lawmakers who have been strong advocates of a close relationship with the European economic bloc and says it will do its best to get them re-elected.
Vendor News; AOT Mini-Bulk Execution; Fannie's Student Loan Endeavor

How about this quote from the tech world? If you're not paying for the product, you are the product. If you don't want companies to collect and sell your data, like your e-mail, you can disconnect it from Google's security page. Go to "Connected apps & sites" click "Manage apps."

Products

For brokers, Orion Lending announced the release of STAR, a propriety advanced broker portal and pricing engine. STAR utilizes state-of-the-art technology to allow approved brokers access to UW income calculations, real-time disclosure tracking with LE/CD visibility, a live concierge chat function, loan origination system, along with many other advanced features. As the Digital Mortgage landscape continues to evolve at a rapid pace, Orion Lending is committed to exceeding the needs of our broker partners and outperforming the competition. Equally unwavering is the commitment Orion has to its incredible staff and calibrated evolution as we reach new heights and milestones. For those interested in learning more, send a note directly to the executive team at Executives@orionlending.com.

I get asked often to predict if technology will replace loan officers. The reality is technology should be helping humans, not making them more anxious and inefficient. Sure, people make mistakes (they're humans after all), but only people can add value through expertise, knowledge and advice that would be difficult to replace with technology. Maxwell recently published a great piece, "The Secret to Winning in the Mortgage Business," on how technology can be used to create a world of technology-assisted humans -- empowering loan officers to do what they do best and ultimately win in the mortgage business. This world where technology and loan officers co-exist and thrive shines a bright light on the future of the mortgage industry for both borrowers and lenders. Download the piece for the story of one originator's secret sauce.

"Manual underwriting is time-consuming, prone to human error, and puts you at risk for Fair Lending violations. Yet agency AUSs can't be customized to reflect the underwriting guidelines of your specific portfolio programs. Portfolio Underwriter from LoanScorecard can help improve efficiency, ensure compliance with the upcoming HMDA rule, and mitigate Fair Lending implications by automating decisioning and underwriting for your non-agency loans and HELOCs. To learn more, join LoanScorecard Executive Director Ben Wu for a free live webinar, "Fair Lending in a New HMDA World," on May 4th at 11AM CT.

(While we're on webinars, HUD is offering the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development invites you to join "Introducing the American Housing Survey," a webinar which will take place today, April 26th from 11-12PM ET. "During the webinar, HUD's experts will provide an overview of the American Housing Survey (AHS)- our nation's most comprehensive study on housing in the United States. The AHS provides vital information on topics that impact communities in every corner of the nation, including housing quality, health and safety hazards in homes, housing costs and value, food security, and neighborhood demographics." Any questions following the event may be submitted to Hang.Liu@hud.gov.)

"Are you getting the most out of your warehouse partnerships in an evolving market? There's never been a better time to assess your most critical relationships to ensure they are adding maximum value to your business. BofI Federal Bank would like to help align your objectives, product offerings and discuss a potential Warehouse partnership that makes sense for this market. Our Warehouse division provides $5MM - $100MM facilities to fund agency, non-agency, FHA, VA, USDA, and a broad spectrum of non-QM loans seamlessly in one competitive facility with exceptional operational support for your staff. Feel free to call us at 888-764-7080 or email Robert Martini or Robert Norine to see if a new partnership makes sense. We would love the opportunity to show you what we have to offer."

Congrats to Indecomm Global Services, a leading provider of business process as a service (BPaaS), software as a service (SaaS) technology, and learning products for the mortgage industry. In 2017 it has been selected for the sixth year in a row as a member of the IAOP Global Outsourcing 100 (GO100). "Indecomm is again a Super Star of the list and recognized for its sustained excellence. This achievement is grounded in Indecomm's notable customer references as well as awards and certifications. The GO100 provides a list of outsourcing firms that deliver excellence and value to companies seeking their expertise and technology innovation. For more information contact Linda Bomar, VP of Sales.

S&P Global Ratings the world's leading provider of independent credit risk research announced the approval of Recovco Mortgage Management LLC as a third-party due diligence firm. S&P indicated that in their opinion Recovco meets the assessment factors discussed in their criteria: "Incorporating Third-Party Due Diligence Results into the U.S. RMBS Rating Process" published March 14, 2014. (Founded in 2009 and directed by mortgage industry veterans, Recovco Mortgage Management is a leader in both quality and operational excellence and provides clients with auditing, due diligence, fulfilment, quality control, servicing solutions, and valuations for banks, mortgage companies, and market participants.)



New and Updated Products

Fannie Mae turned heads by launching several new programs for borrowers saddled with student loans to reduce their interest payments or help them buy a home. One of the programs allows homeowners to refinance by combining their mortgage with student loans, which may result in a sizable drop in monthly payments. For a homeowner to qualify for refinancing under the Fannie May program, the consolidated total of the mortgage and student loan cannot exceed $424,100.

The homeowner must also meet other borrowing criteria for the loan. For potential new home buyers, Fannie Mae said a consumer saddled with student loans would be able to exclude debt such as credit cards, auto loans, and student loans paid by someone else from their debt-to-income ratio. It will also allow lenders to accept student loan payment information on credit reports, making it easier for borrowers with student debt to qualify for a mortgage, the Washington-based mortgage finance agency said. But hey, don't take my word for it - read Fannie's fact sheet.

And for those in the biz who have been pushing for the Fannie-Fannie and Freddie-Freddie condo piece for years, here you go: "Project Eligibility Review Waiver for Fannie Mae to Fannie Mae Limited Cash-Out Refinances."

Brokers should know that Orion Lending announced the addition of a competitively priced Alt-A product to its lineup. "Alt A has a strong place in the current lending arena and we are pleased to offer a real-world product that will benefit both our Broker partners along with their borrowers" said Curtis Edwards, EVP. The product features a 40 yr. I/O term, Bank Statement and Asset Utilization options, 95% cash-out with no MI, loan amounts up to 2.5M, and more. For more information or to speak to an Orion AE, please reach out to info@orionlending.com

Peoples Bank announced that, effective April 17, it has partnered with Freedom Mortgage in a new Pilot Program for FHA loans with a FICO score of 619 or less. The FHA Pilot Program is Non-Delegated, which means that Peoples Bank will originate, process, close, and fund the loans. But the underwriting of the loan and the Clear-to-Close will be performed by Freedom Mortgage.

Bank of the West announced that its mortgage program is now available to international clients who meet certain employment and financial requirements, but have no credit history in the United States.

Citi Correspondent Lending's recent bulletin covers general policy updates including foreign assets, multiple properties: agency loans and property appraisal sales comps.

LoanStream Financial has bank statement loans, fixed rate, 5/1 and 7/1 ARMs up to $2,000,000 and interest only options available. For more information contact, LoanStream Wholesale.

Pacific Union Financial has a new Stand Alone Down Payment Assistance (DPA) Program approval policy. It will review Stand Alone Down Payment Assistance (DPA) programs for eligibility and publish a list of approved programs. Delegated Correspondents are not subject to this policy but must represent and warrant that a DPA meets requirements for the applicable loan program.

NewLeaf Bank Statement program guidelines have been updated to include a 12-month Bank Statement option, Interest Only amortization, 2-4 unit properties and reduction in seasoning requirements for major derogatory credit events.

PRMG has updated its product profiles.



Capital Markets

Franklin American Mortgage Company Correspondent Lending announced the industry's first mini-bulk execution permitting assignment of trades (AOT). "The new Hybrid Mandatory program employs Compass Analytics' CompassBid and BidAOT services to streamline mini-bulk bids and AOT processing. Mini-bulk sellers can now receive mini-bulk pricing levels and assign applicable trades on a loan-level basis to eliminate bid-ask spreads, loan sale/pair-off timing, and cash-flow mismatches without completing burdensome AOT paperwork."

For lack of anything more pressing to focus on, the U.S. markets have latched on to the French elections which favor keeping the EU intact. But U.S. economic data was better than expected, which serves to nudge rates higher: new home sales were strong, running at an eight-month high despite some inclement weather in March, and the Case-Shiller 20-city Index of house prices climbed at its fastest pace in nearly three years. Yet the $26 billion 2-year Treasury auction was met with the highest indirect bid since 2009, indicating very strong demand from abroad. The 10-year sold off .5 and its yield hit a high of 2.34% and in MBS-land Tradeweb reported above-average volumes as current-coupon mortgage-backed securities worsened .250-.375.

But that was so... yesterday. This morning we've had the MBA's application survey numbers from last week: up nearly 3% with refis jumping 7% but are still 34% below last year. And that does it for scheduled news. We begin the day with rates a shade better than last night: the 10-year is yielding 2.33% and agency MBS prices are better a tick or two (32nds).



Jobs and Announcements

Jobs

Continuing its national expansion, Florida's Hamilton Group Funding, an independent mortgage banking firm, is seeking a VP of Regional Lending to help develop its growing branch network. The ideal candidate will reside in the Midwest or South Central U.S., and have at least 15 years of increasingly successful sales and lending leadership in residential mortgages. Hamilton is an equal opportunity employer and was recently named one of South Florida's Top Workplaces by the Sun Sentinel Media Group. Inquiries can be made in confidence to Amanda Smith, VP of Human Resources.

A retail mortgage banker, based in the Los Angeles area, is seeking a motivated DE underwriter for an Underwriting Manger position. The candidate must have at least 7 years of continuous experience in conventional and government underwriting and guidelines, and their responsibilities will include but are not limited to managing underwriting pipeline and the team, underwriting files sales scenarios, and escalations. Great benefits and positive work environment. The Lender is currently licensed in California but has pending approvals in several other Western states. It is a direct lender/correspondent and a HUD DE and VA Approved office with over 30 LOs. Confidential resumes can be submitted to me for forwarding; please specify opportunity.

Planet Home Lending, LLC, a national mortgage banking platform with rapidly growing wholesale and correspondent channels, continues its push into key markets with the addition of Greg Schatz as Regional Manager of Wholesale and Emerging Banker. Greg, who was previously President of the NYMBA, brings 25 years of mortgage banking experience to Planet's wholesale and emerging banker division; Greg can be reached here. Planet Home Lending is rapidly growing its Wholesale division and is looking for the right AEs to fuel its growth in IL, NJ, PA, GA, FL, and both Northern and Southern CA. And Planet Home Lending's Correspondent division, which purchases loans in all 50 states, is actively recruiting Funder/Purchaser positions in CA and FL, and Underwriter positions in CA. Planet Home Lending is an approved Fannie, Freddie, FHA, VA and USDA direct lender and $13 Billion mortgage servicer. Planet offers competitive compensation, great benefits, and a rewarding work environment. Please direct inquiries and resumes to Chase Gonzalez.
Harbour Portfolio Advisors, one of the largest sellers of foreclosed homes in the country, is being sued by the city of Cincinnati over allegations of predatory behavior and owing more than $360,000 in unpaid fines, according to the New York Times.Dallas-based Harbour Portfolio Advisors bought foreclosed homes at bargain prices and sold them to families who were unable to acquire traditional bank mortgages.The citys lawsuit stated that aside from the hundreds of thousands of dollars in unpaid fines, fees and violation notices the company owed, Harbour failed to properly maintain dozens of homes  leading in one case to a childs testing positive for lead poisoning.The lawsuit marks the first in the citys chase to pin down out-of-state firms that buy foreclosed homes and take advantage of deprived families, as well as reselling the houses at inflated prices without even fixing them up first.We are planning more litigation, Jessica Powell, chief counsel in the Cincinnati Law Department told the Times.The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is also investigating Harbour, and a federal judge ordered the company to comply with the CFPBs demand for documents and other information, according to the Times.
U.S. lawmakers have for years vowed to adopt broad tax reforms, but the efforts have foundered. Congress has been unable to reconcile competing demands to eliminate tax breaks for some corporate and individual interests and raise taxes on others.

White House spokesman Sean Spicer said the U.S. has been "uncompetitive" against other countries in attracting new businesses, "largely because of our rates."

Trump is planning to unveil his tax plans Wednesday, with aides saying he will ask Congress to slash the current 35 percent rate down to 15 percent, a pledge he first made during last year's presidential election campaign.

U.S. President Donald Trump is set to call for a sharp reduction in the nation's corporate tax rate, the highest among the world's industrialized countries.

Trump's tax plans are likely to face months of hearings and debate in Congress, where his Republican colleagues have their own ideas on how the tax code ought to be reshaped. Some lawmakers have expressed concerns that Trump's call for a big corporate tax cut would balloon the nearly $20 trillion in long-term debt the U.S. has accumulated if there are not corresponding measures to raise more revenue.

U.S. Treasury chief Steven Mnuchin said Monday, "The tax reform will pay for itself with economic growth" that would boost tax revenues. Mnuchin called for tax simplification as well, saying U.S. reforms ideally would let taxpayers file their annual tax returns on a "large postcard."

The U.S. economy, the world's largest, grew at a tepid 1.6 percent pace last year, a figure Trump is hoping to boost to 3 percent a year, which the United States has not reached since 2005.

Tax experts say the 35 percent U.S. corporate tax rate is the highest among the world's 35 industrialized nations, although U.S. corporations rarely pay that much because they are permitted to deduct their business expenses from their revenues before paying the amount they owe.

When the 35 percent rate is added to the average state corporate tax rate, the figure reaches 38.9 percent, which ranks third in the world among 188 countries surveyed by the Washington-based Tax Foundation. The U.S. figure trails only that of the United Arab Emirates at 55 percent and the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico at 39 percent.
Noble Energy has completed the acquisition of Clayton Williams Energy that was announced in January.

The acquisition was completed following approval by the stockholders of Clayton Williams Energy and became effective immediately after markets closed on Monday.

Clayton Williams Energy is now a wholly owned subsidiary of Noble Energy operating under the name NBL Permian LLC.

Noble had filed a WARN (Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification) Act notice in March with the Texas Workforce Commission, city of Midland and Midland County of its plans to close the at 6 Desta Drive, which would impact 197 employees. Of those, 123 worked in the Midland office and 74 in the field. In announcing the completion of the acquisition, Noble officials said the Midland office will remain open through the end of the year to support the integration of Clayton Williams Energy into Noble.

More than a quarter of Clayton Williams Energy employees  64  are continuing with Noble. The majority of them are field employees who will be working out of Nobles Pecos office. Some former Clayton Williams employees will be joining Nobles Houston office.

Corporate officials said the consolidation of the Midland office into the Houston and Pecos locations will enable Noble to fully leverage the technical and functional expertise of its workforce.

Acquired assets include 71,000 highly contiguous net acres in the core of the Southern Delaware Basin adjacent to Noble Energys original Reeves County holdings, an additional 100,000 net acres in other areas of the Permian Basin, and more than 300 miles of oil, natural gas and produced water gathering pipelines. Production on the assets totals approximately 10,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day.

We are pleased to close the transaction and appreciate the strong support of the stockholders of Clayton Williams Energy, said David L. Stover, Noble Energys chairman, president and CEO, in a statement. Our plan to rapidly increase development of these highly prolific Delaware Basin assets will be a major contributor to Noble Energys leading U.S. onshore oil volume growth of nearly 30 percent annually through 2020.

The scale and quality of these assets, combined with Noble Energys strong financial capacity and exceptional technical expertise, will drive significant cash flow growth and value creation for all our investors, he said.
The Midland City Council gave its endorsement of a Midland Development Corp. effort to use its war chest to help improve roads in the community.

The council approved an item Tuesday that will use $1.35 million in MDC funds for the widening of State Highway 349 from Loop 250 to the Midland County line.

The project, according to city documents and previous Reporter-Telegram articles, would cost $12 million. Along with the MDC contribution, the city expects to contribute $1.65 million. The Texas Department of Transportation would fund the remaining $9.4 million. The project would include right-of-way expenses, drainage and roadway improvements.

The city, MDC and TxDOT are looking to partner to widen SH 349 to five lanes up to the Midland County line and add medians to prevent drivers exiting properties on the highway from using the center lane for acceleration and merging, according to a previous Reporter-Telegram article. The center lane is intended for use as a left-turn lane for entering properties.

The MDC contribution is part of a larger effort by the MDC to leverage funds to get transportation projects finished faster and to get more investment from outside the community. As previously reported by the Reporter-Telegram, MDC board Chairman Brent Hilliard sees it as an economic investment effort that turns small dollars into large dollars.

It is expected that the contributions from the city and MDC will expedite this project, which could start as early as 2018.

The MDC in March also pledged $2 million for the completion of a curvilinear overpass at Loop 250 and county roads 1150 and 60, a complicated project slated to cost nearly $29.5 million.
China has put troops stationed along its border with North Korea on high alert in case a war breaks out on the Korean Peninsula, Japan's Yomiuri Shimbun daily reported Tuesday.

The daily said this is the second highest of the People's Liberation Army's three alert stages, which goes into effect when a direct military threat has reached a certain level. It means weapons and troops are prepared for battle and all leave is canceled.

Sources told the paper the alert went into force around the middle of this month, and an extra 100,000 troops have been moved to the border.

Chinese President Xi Jinping toured border bases last Friday.

It was not clear whether the extra troops are there to handle a potential influx of refugees in the event of a crisis or whether they would march in.

China's state-run Global Times said in a recent editorial that Chinese military intervention would be "unnecessary" if the U.S. chooses to launch a surgical strike against North Korea's nuclear facilities, but added the red line would be U.S. or South Korean troops on the ground.


Overseas voting for the May 9 presidential election began Tuesday in 204 polling stations in 116 countries around the globe.

Some 294,633 overseas Koreans will be eligible to vote until Sunday. Their ballot papers will be delivered to the National Election Commission in diplomatic pouches and sent to the relevant constituencies across the country by registered mail, to be counted on May 9 along with the other votes.


Lt. Gen. Thomas Vandal, the commanding general of the Eighth Army, hosted the ceremony with Korean and U.S. military leaders attending.

The Eighth Army, which forms the core of the U.S. Forces Korea, held a symbolic ceremony at the Yongsan Garrison on Tuesday morning to take down a statue of Gen. Walton Walker (1899-1950) and ship it to Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, the new USFK headquarters.

The Eighth U.S. Army on Tuesday started moving its headquarters out of the old garrison in Seoul to Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, further away from the tense inter-Korean border.

The relocation mainly aims to consolidate USFK bases scattered across Korea. It was agreed by the presidents of the two countries in 2003 but held up by endless delays, spiraling costs and other problems.

A 300-strong force started relocating in May last year and completed the process this March. Other key units hope to complete their relocation by late June, and the entire process is going to be complete in November.

Only Combined Forces Command headquarters, some support units and the Dragon Hill Lodge will remain at Yongsan until the end of this year.

The 2nd U.S. Infantry Division scattered in Uijeongbu and Dongducheon, Gyeonggi Province will relocate to Pyeongtaek late next year.

Once the relocation is complete, USFK troops, who have used outdated facilities in 91 locations nationwide, will be concentrated in Pyeongtaek and Osan in the central region and Daegu, Waegwan, and Gimcheon in the south.

The Pyeongtaek base and the relocation cost a total of about W16 trillion, of which W9 trillion is shouldered by Korea (US$1=W1,127). The Pyeongtaek base is the largest single overseas base operated by the U.S. military.

Seoul wants to turn the Yongsan Garrison into a park and other public facilities, but the base is heavily contaminated.


We are collating signatures to petition ...
"I even spoke with her one-on-one in her bedroom and we cried when she talked about her late parents," Park Chae-yoon said. "She told me she had digestive problems after losing both of her parents. I felt sorry for her."

Park Chae-yoon said the president "was very lonely and wanted to hear about what was going on in the outside world."

The wife of cosmetic surgeon Kim Young-jae, who is on trial for perjury after denying he administered quack anti-aging treatments to Park, testified in the Seoul Central District Court that she visited Park 14 times at Cheong Wa Dae for long chats.

Ex-President Park Geun-hye was lonely at the heart of her vaudeville court at Cheong Wa Dae, the wife of her quack doctor told a court Tuesday.

When prosecutors asked her if the two discussed business projects, the witness said, "She did help me, but I never asked her directly for support."

Her husband lied to a National Assembly inquiry that he never administered medical treatments to Park once she became president, but witnesses testified that he was forever flitting in and out of the presidents office.

But his wife denied that he administered some kind of cosmetic treatment to Park in the notorious "missing seven hours," when the president was nowhere to be found during the April 2014 ferry disaster.

"He didn't treat her that day," Park Chae-yoon said, "but we were afraid that if he admitted treating her at all, we would be blamed for everything."

She added, "After prosecutors launched an investigation" into the president's still unexplained whereabouts, "we were told that the least we could do for the president was not to discuss her cosmetic procedures in order to protect her privacy as a woman."

She said presidential administrative assistant Lee Young-sun called her and told her to keep her mouth shut. "I desperately urged my husband to lie for fear that our children would be harassed at school and it would become impossible to go about our normal lives," Park told the court. "My husband had to lie for our children."

Asked whether Kim also provided free injections to ex-Cheong Wa Dae secretary An Chong-bum and his wife, Park said, "We offered cosmetic procedures to some key figures we were grateful to and did not know it could be considered as a bribe."

Witnesses have testified that at one point half the presidential office had themselves injected with sheep embryo cells on a regular basis.


A program to seek public suggestions online on the annual government work report has received over 400,000 responses this year, according to official data on April 24.

Launched in 2014, the Share your thoughts with the Premier program got more suggestions in 2017 than in previous years, 2,071 of which were submitted to leaders of the State Council, with 101 supporting the government work report.

The program was led by the official website of the Chinese government (gov.cn), and joined by media and websites of State Council departments and local governments.

Since 2014, gov.cn has received over 1 million messages. The program has become a significant channel for public expression, said Wang Yao, deputy editor-in-chief of gov.cn.

Regarding public concerns such as high enterprise fees, housing prices, rebuilding of shantytowns and smog control, the government work report has given active responses.

Official data showed that on March 5, 2017, the day Premier Li Keqiang delivered the report at the plenary meeting of the National Peoples Congress, saw a surge in messages  a total of 11,673 were received, making the day as recording the most messages in three years.

Chinese media receiving the most suggestions include gov.cn, toutiao.com and ifeng.com. The top three English language media in the program are china.org.cn, english.gov.cn and chinadaily.com.cn.

In a demographic breakdown, post-1970s and 1980s generations contributed the largest share of suggestions. And younger participants tended to leave shorter messages.

Workers and farmers are the largest occupational groups among the participants, contributing nearly 60 percent to the total.

Geographically, participants mainly come from Beijing, and Hebei, Heilongjiang, Shanxi and Shandong provinces. Net users in the Chinese capital, Beijing, submitted 12.34 percent of the total suggestions.
Chinas efforts to promote replacing the business tax with a value added tax was a hot topic among tax experts in Paris at the fourth meeting of the OECD Global Forum on Value Added Tax (VAT).

Hosted by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) from April 12-14, the meeting is the most influential forum in the tax sector.

Representatives at the meeting recognized that the successful implementation of VAT reform shows that Chinas efforts to further reform its economy has not only boosted the nations economic growth, but also injected dynamism into the world economy.

Chinas experience in replacing the business tax with a value added tax is a significant reference for tax reform around the world, said Jeffrey Owens, director of the Global Tax Policy Center of the Vienna University of Economics and Business.

Such reform is of milestone significance, according to Jin Banggui, a professor at Aix-Marseille University.

In 2016, Premier Li Keqiang announced in the government work report a plan to fully implement VAT reform in May and promised that taxes in all sectors will be reduced.

In fact, as early as in 2012, Premier Li, who was then vice-premier of the State Council, led a trial of VAT reform in Shanghais transportation industry and some modern service industries.

At a 2013 State Council executive meeting presided over by the Premier, a decision was made to further expand VAT trials across the country.

As an important move to enhance reform, VAT reform will inevitably affect some peoples interests. But the country must be resolved to ensure the successful implementation of the reform, according to the Premier at a State Council symposium on VAT reform in April 2016.

Reform led to remarkable achievements in 2016, as more than 570 billion yuan ($82.8 billion) in taxes were reduced for companies in all sectors and The Wall Street Journal regarded it as Chinas greatest tax reform in 30 years.

VAT reform also has won international recognition. In 2016, the OECD made a third-party review on the effect of Chinas VAT reform and spoke highly of Chinas efforts to strengthen tax reform.

The full implementation of replacing the business tax with a VAT has been listed as a priority task in the 2017 government work report, aimed at simplifying the structure of the VAT rate while creating a transparent and fair tax environment to further ease the tax burden on enterprises.

One month after the National Peoples Congress (NPC) session, the State Council decided at an executive meeting to lower the VAT rate from 13 percent to 11 percent in various sectors, such as agricultural products and natural gas, starting July 1.

The Chinese government showed strong strategic decision-making ability in successfully pushing forward this tax reform in such a short period, Owens said.

Owens added that Chinas VAT reform has not only adapted to its own development stage, but also relieved the burden for enterprises through building a modern VAT mechanism, which is leading the world.

According to Pascal Saint-Amans, the director of the OECDs Center for Tax Policy and Administration, this major tax reform has achieved great results and its performance also reached the highest global standard.

The implication of VAT reform is to give impetus to economic growth, and boost upgrading and transformation of the economy through reducing enterprises tax burden and promoting tax adjustment, Premier Li said.
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State Attorney Aramis Ayala's petition to stay on almost two dozen death penalty cases has been denied.

State Attorney Aramis Ayala wants Supreme Court to keep her assigned death penalty cases

Florida Supreme Court has denied her request

READ: Ayala Petition to Supreme Court Denied

READ: State Attorney Aramis Ayala's Petition to Stay Cases Handed to Brad King

In March, Gov. Rick Scott used his executive authority to remove Ayala from 22 cases following her announcement that she would not seek the death penalty in any case she prosecutes in the 9th Judicial Circuit.

Ayala is fighting that decision through the state Supreme Court. She requested the court to temporarily keep her assigned to those 22 cases despite the governor's order.

On Tuesday, the Florida Supreme Court denied her petition, explaining that the court would not decide to temporarily go against the governor's order until it has evaluated his decision in a separate court petition.

"The Petition asks this Court to answer the same question of law, on a temporary basis, that the Court is asked to address in the separately filed Petition for Writ of Quo Warranto. That question is more properly addressed after both parties have been heard in the Quo Warranto action and will not be answered on a 'temporary' basis," The Florida Supreme Court denial reads.

The Quo Warranto action filed by Ayala challenges the governor's authority to interfere with her prosecutorial discretion.

Scott reassigned those 22 death penalty cases to State Attorney Brad King. For now, King will continue to handle those cases, which include the Markeith Loyd case and the Juan Rosario case.

News 13 has reached out to Ayala's office at the courthouse for reaction to the Supreme Court's decision. Her office has yet to respond.
An Orange County jury has found Juan Rosario guilty of killing his elderly neighbor in 2013.

Juan Rosario's defense team rested without calling any witnesses. Rosario did not testify on his own behalf.

However, there was emotional testimony Wednesday morning from the victim's daughter, who brought tears to at least two jurors.

The jury began deliberations at about 3:45 p.m. Wednesday. After about an hour of deliberation, the guilty verdict was read.

Rosario is accused of beating and robbing 83-year-old Elena Ortega in 2013 and leaving her to die. Rosario is also accused going back and burning Ortega's home to kill her and destroy evidence.

Ortega's daughter, Elena Wilson, couldn't help but cry on the witness stand when state prosecutors showed her some of her mother's belongings that they say were stolen by Rosario.

As the trial came to a close, prosecutors also talked to one of the victim's neighbors who considered Ortega family.

"I called her, like, my grandma basically," Christopher Vargas said. "She was family to me. She was everything to me. I basically did a lot of her chores that she couldn't do. I got her medicine. I paid her bills. I did a lot."

Prosecutors also wanted to dispel a rumor that Vargas killed the victim.

"Mr. Vargas, it's been suggested that you murdered Elena Ortega, did you do that?" Assistant State Attorney Ryan Williams asked.

"No, sir," Vargas said.

Following the reading of the verdict, Wilson issued a simple, one-sentence statement: "This is all I have to say -- my mom is up there looking down."

Later, outside the court, Wilson expressed thanks to those who have supported her over the past few years.

"I want to thank my husband who has been my rock through all of this, very much, and I want to thank these awesome attorneys that have worked, that have been with me day and night working through my moms case," Wilson said.

Sentencing is scheduled for the end of May.
An Osceola County jury found a woman accused of luring a Poinciana man to his death in 2013 guilty on two charges Wednesday evening.

After deliberating for more than three hours, jurors found Victoria Rios guilty of first-degree murder and armed burglary.

"We the jury find the defendent guilty of first-degree murder as charged in the indictment," read the court clerk, on behalf of the jury. "Verdict as to count three: we, the jury find the defendent guilty of armed burglary as charged in the indictment."



Rios was seen crying in the courtroom after the verdict was read.

During Day 2 in the retrial of Rios, the state argued she was the mastermind of the idea to kill Eric Roopnarine during the July 2013 home invasion and robbery.

"She created the seed. She set it up. She's the puppet master," Gabrielle Sanders, with the State Attorneys Office, told the 12 jurors.

The state said Rios, who cried during testimony Wednesday at the Osceola County Courthouse, may not have hurt Roopnarine, but she let a group into the home by enticing him with the prospect of sex.

"It was her idea. Not Juan's, not David's, not Konrad's. Her idea to sleep with him for money," Sanders said.

The prosecutor was talking about Konrad Schafer, David Damus and Juan Muriel, who have already been convicted in the killing. But the prosecution said Rios was the only one in the group who knew Roopnarine.

"Should we just kill him? Why not? Eric only knows Victoria," Sanders argued. "Why would Victoria want him to stay alive? She knew what was going to happen. She knew they were going to take the money. So of course she wanted to kill him."

The prosecutor said Rios had knowledge of Roopnarine receiving a sum of money from a recent car accident, and she was in need of $300 for rent.

Rios' defense attorney, for his part, said she was just caught up in the plot.

Michael Nichola asked jurors not to consider the testimony of Muriel. The defense attorney said Muriel only testified for a deal in his own case.

"(His) is a made up story in order to get a plea, so he can get 10 years rather than life," Nichola said.

Nichola said that although Rios may have been involved, that doesn't make her a murderer.

"There is no evidence that she, Victoria Rios, ever had hostilities or animosities toward Eric Roopnarine," he added.

As the prosecution left the courtroom, Roopnarines grandfather hugged both attorneys thanking them for their hard work.

Roopnarines family did not want to speak on camera, but they did tell us they were happy with the guilty verdict, that it had been a very long four years, and they were sad for Rios family.

Rios' first trial ended in a mistrial. Sentencing has been scheduled for June 9.
AUSTIN -- The Senate Higher Education Committee discussed the issue of campus censorship in the wake of a number of high profile incidents in other states. The discussion centered around a bill offered by Lakeway Sen. Dawn Buckingham, who is trying to reinforce state and federal constitutional protections for freedom of speech on college campuses. On some college campuses in other states, protests against controversial invited speakers have led to demonstrations, cancellations of events and even riots in one case. Buckingham doesn't want that to happen here. "Our institutions of higher education have always been a place of learning and growing and the open dialog of ideas, even those we disagree with," she said.

Buckingham's bill, SB 1151, would require colleges and universities to develop public policies relating to freedom of expression on campus, and make explicit the right of free expression. Under the bill, students could not be punished solely for exercising their right to free speech. Members agreed with the sentiment of the bill, supporting free speech and the need for the college experience to challenge and broaden opinions and world views, but questioned if additional legislation was necessary. "If what you're doing is trying to get the universities' attention to free speech, I don't think we need to codify that," said Dallas Sen. Royce West. "I think we have adequate case law that deals with First Amendment rights."
Survivors of a deadly fire that tore through a West Oakland halfway house last month sued their former landlord and the nonprofits that acted as master tenants Wednesday in Alameda County Superior Court, saying their slum-like housing conditions were illegal and led to the inferno.

The lawsuit brought by 15 former tenants alleges that the building near San Pablo and Mead avenues had no working fire alarms, sprinkler system, emergency lights or carbon-monoxide detectors. Those defects, the suit says, created a chaotic scene in the early hours of March 27 as residents constructed makeshift fire escapes out of bedsheets or kicked down neighbors doors to alert them to the flames.

This is probably one of the worst properties in Oakland, Ken Greenstein, an attorney representing the survivors, said during a news conference. This property was so substandard that even if this fire hadnt started, it was a fire that was waiting to happen.

The blaze killed four people, injured six and displaced more than 80 residents.

Named in the complaint are owner Keith Kim and his company Mead Avenue Housing Associates, as well as the nonprofit organizations that held the master lease at different points in time: Urojas Community Services, House of Change and Dignity House West. An attorney representing Urojas said he had to review the lawsuit before responding to its allegations, and an attorney for Kim said the building owner was trying to remove Urojas as a tenant because of concerns about its oversight of the facility and the people it was bringing in.

Representatives for the other defendants did not immediately return requests for comment.

One of the survivors filing suit, Eliza Anderson, 29, said she and her three daughters dealt with deplorable conditions  rats, mold, leaks, cockroaches, power outages, no working heat  for years before the fire.

The night of the fire, Anderson said her elderly aunt was able to kick down her door and tell her to get out only because its wood was so derelict. Once in the hallway, Anderson said she and her children were guided to the fire escape with just the light from her cell phone.

I didnt hear no alarms. All I heard was people banging on walls, that was the alert, said Anderson, whos staying in a transitional home in Oakland. There was no sprinklers wetting us as we were going out. Nothing. It was just pitch-black, like a barbecue grill.

Kimberly Veklerov is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: kveklerov@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @kveklerov
To honor poets and their readers during April  National Poetry Month  the Express-News organized a poetic conversation between poets Bryce Milligan, Sheila Black, Carmen Tafolla, Naomi Shihab Nye, Rosemary Catacalos, Cary Clack and Juan Felipe Herrera. They were asked to respond to each others work in verse. Here is the final installment. NPMSA.com

Mountain Dreams Beautiful Babies They Say

Gone & candle-like

in their fathers arms against the glass

Idlib Province Syria gassed & stripped

down to shards hard music no exit

land of the emperors and the born & unborn?

Serin warhead

come down

eyes close never crystal now

mother no

(again)

or (sky) again no human unfold out

Announcement 

this is what you and I agreed upon

there is no backwards  there is now (again)

act

Juan Felipe Herrera is the U.S. Poet Laureate  the first Latino to hold that national position. His many books include 187 Reasons a Mexican Cant Cross the Border, Notes on the Assemblage and Crash Boom Love.

Herrera will give a free reading at 7 p.m. May 4 at the Guadalupe Theater as part of Gemini Inks Autograph Series. The following day, May 5, at 11:30 a.m. Herrera will be the guest of honor at a ticketed luncheon at the McNay Art Museum. $75. 210-734-9673. geminiink.org

Jim LaVilla-Havelin is the Express-News poetry editor. West, his fifth collection of poems, will be published by Wings Press in 2017.

Send poems to: Poetry, Express-News Book Editor, P.O. Box 2171, San Antonio, TX 78297-2171 (40-line limit).
The San Antonio Cocktail Conference has a new home for pop-up cocktail bars throughout the year: The Cocktail Lab.

SACC leased out space downtown at 400 N. St. Mary's St., Suite 109, where Executive Director Cathy Siegel said she hopes to put on cocktail-driven pop-up events once or twice a month, adding to SACC's increasingly year-round calendar of events.
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BRIDGEPORTThe man suspected of murdering Cristobal Hernandez at a local restaurant last year was arrested Tuesday in Florida.

Police say that Douglas Rivas, 34, shot and killed Hernandez in the El Paraiso Restaurant in September of last year.

On April 25, 2017, (Rivas) was taken into custody in (Fellsmere), Florida, and charged as a fugitive from justice, said Bridgeport police Capt. Brian Fitzgerald, in a statement. We expect that Rivas will be extradited back to Connecticut sometime in the near future.

Detectives suspected Rivas from the date of the shooting, but his trail cooled, according to Fitzgerald. Police issued a mugshot of Rivas from a previous arrest.

U.S. Marshals assumed an interstate manhunt, according to Fitzgerald. Some time in April, they received new information that led them to Rivas.

Marshalls arrested him at his Florida home at 10053 Esperanza Circle Tuesday afternoon, according to local police.
Albany

Juan and Heather Cruz battled infertility for seven years.

There were changes in doctors. There were surgeries and other medical procedures.

A year and a half ago, their son Jaxson was born.

But the difficulties weren't over.

Heather Cruz's sister was the couple's in-state surrogate. Yet when Jaxson was born, the hospital was prepared to hold the baby indefinitely  unless the Cruzes received a court order declaring that they were in fact the child's parents.

"Why does it have to take after the child is born to make that announcement?" Juan Cruz said. The legal hassles turned "a very beautiful and celebratory time into a very stressful and anxious time because we couldn't leave with our own biological child after spending seven years trying to have the child."

The Long Island couple was in Albany on Tuesday to push for legislation that has stalled in recent years that would overhaul the state's laws on third-party reproduction.

Surrogacy is legal in New York, but statutory boundaries are strict. Under the law, surrogacy contracts between the intended parents and the woman who will give birth are unenforceable, and it is illegal to compensate a surrogate.

In plain terms, surrogacy in New York means finding someone who a couple can trust to not keep the child after birth and navigating an onerous legal process to obtain custody of the child.

That leaves some couples  such as bill sponsor Sen. Brad Hoylman, D-Manhattan, and his husband, David Sigal  with few options other than to seek a surrogate in another state where the law is more open or, at the very least, is silent on surrogacy. (Some other states have procedures by which both parents can be named on a birth certificate without needing to take action in their home state)

State lawmakers here cracked down on surrogacy in 1992, after the "Baby M" case in New Jersey, in which a surrogate mother refused to give up custody of the child she carried, attracted significant national attention.

The Child-Parent Security Act  which is being pushed by Hoylman and Assemblywoman Amy Paulin, D-Westchester County, and was first introduced in 2012  would provide for both surrogacy agreements and compensation in New York and would establish a pathway for intended parents to obtain an "order of parentage" from a court prior to the child's birth.

The bill would bring New York in line with 34 other states and the District of Columbia that Creative Family Connections, a Maryland surrogacy agency and law firm, points to as permitting surrogacy. Should the New York bill pass, the Empire State would become one of nine states where pre-birth orders are granted and both intended parents are named on the birth certificate.

The legislation, the sponsors noted, would open surrogacy up for heterosexual and same-sex couples in New York.

"We have marriage equality in New York, but we don't have equality for those same couples to have a family," Paulin said.

The Westchester County Democrat said fellow lawmakers have received the legislation positively, though there is a sentiment that any changes should wait for the release of a report from a state task force on the current state of the law to provide additional information.

Erin Silk, a spokesperson for the state Department of Health, said its Task Force on Life and the Law  which drafted the post-Baby M legislation  is finalizing its report.

In the meantime, some couples will continue to look to other states for a surrogate.

That includes Hoylman and Sigal. The senator said Tuesday that the couple has gone back to California to work with another surrogate who will give birth to their second daughter.

mhamilton@timesunion.com  518-454-5449  @matt_hamilton10
Birmingham, Ala.

White extremists, almost by nature, are seldom good at working together.

Creating consensus among white nationalists, neo-Nazis, Ku Klux Klansmen and the like is akin to herding rattlesnakes, given the caustic personalities often involved. Members typically get mad at each other and split, sometimes within days, resulting in the near-constant creation of new groups and a churning of both leaders and followers.

That's why it's something of a surprise that an alliance of white-power groups born in a KKK bar in Georgia is marking its first birthday. Composed of multiple extremist groups, the Nationalist Front had its anniversary Saturday. Similarly, six Klan organizations from around the country announced a consolidation last month.

The common goal, as these alliances see it, is protecting the white race at a time when the Census Bureau projects whites will be a minority within three decades.

Watchdog groups that track hate organizations aren't impressed. They say the Nationalist Front now lists 11 member groups, about half the number it had when it was formed.

"These things never last," said Heidi Beirich, director of the hate-monitoring Intelligence Project at the Southern Poverty Law Center.

Beirich said that while white supremacists have been emboldened by President Donald Trump's election, such groups have been trying on and off for decades to merge, generally to appear larger than they really are.

But leaders say there's a difference: A spokesman for the Nationalist Front, Matthew Heimbach, said U.S. white nationalists are trying to follow the example of far-right European groups that have learned to work together rather than bicker over ideology and organizational structure.

U.S. nationalist groups have cooperated on projects such as video presentations and propaganda strategies over the last year, Heimbach said, and they worked together to support white nationalist Richard Spencer when he spoke at Auburn University earlier this month.

Originally called the Aryan National Alliance, the Nationalist Front renamed itself and dropped its use of the swastika in an attempt to broaden its appeal.

Some robe-wearing KKK members who were initially part of the Nationalist Front dropped out, and some Klan groups are now consolidating to build membership and power. The American Alliance of Klans formed during a meeting in rural Florida in March. More Klan groups have joined since, leaders say.

Tom Larson of Delaware, imperial wizard of the East Coast Knights of the KKK, a part of the new alliance, said: "We want to see people stand up and make this country great again, like Trump is saying. We're tired of seeing white people lose everything."
Montgomery County commissioners agreed Tuesday to use prepaid lease funds to clean black mold from 1.1 million square feet of runway at the Conroe-North Houston Regional Airport in Conroe.

The funds, a total of $187,975, also will cover the restriping of the two runways. According to the County Auditor's Office, the prepaid lease fund has about $3 million in it.

Airport Director Scott Smith originally proposed the funding for the project come from 2012 certificates of obligation. However, commissioners agree those funds would be better used for a $5.3 million taxiway project planned for later in the year.

Certificates of obligation are a form of debt that governmental entities can issue without voter approval.

Smith said the mold has caused a safety issue at the airport. But commissioners question why the maintenance of the runways was not included in his 2017 budget.

"The condition (of the runways)  came up last fall," said Smith, noting he submitted his budget in April of 2016. "It was over the winter that (the black mold) occurred."

During an inspection by the Texas Department of Transportation, Smith said, the runway condition was downgraded from good to fair. Airport personnel have cleaned portions of the runways, but Smith said it was more than his crews could do.

"We are not capable personnel-wise to do our runways, tie people up for six months and put a runway out of service.  That's really not an option," he said.

John Lowery, with Galaxy FBO, urged the court during public comment to clean the runways.

"The buildup has covered large areas of the runways, making it difficult to distinguish from the surrounding ground during landing," said Lowery, adding the county needs to maintain the infrastructure. "As well as a safety issue, it's important to the growth of the airport in general."

Douglas Schwartz, who is retired from business aviation and is a pilot, also spoke to commissioners during public comment and echoed Lowery's comments.

"General aviation airports are important economic engines to the communities in which they are located," he said. "A properly maintained airfield and its facilities are important in keeping the airport successful."
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There were no cheers or jeers or fist pumping. They were a group of almost 40 people, quietly holding signs about who they are.

I am a gay man, read the top of Liam Kemmys sign.

He smiled nervously at passersby at University of Texas at San Antonios main plaza. Kemmy, 22, hasnt always been open about this  he only came out about a year ago.

But now, with contentious Texas House and Senate bills that would affect those in the LGBTQ community, organizations and individuals alike are starting to feel like they dont have time to waste being silent.

I grow a lot when I do things like this with my community, and it helps me be more proud of who I am, Kemmy said. But it also doesnt stop here with interpersonal support  we need institutional support.

On Tuesday, the Texas Freedom Network partnered with GLAAD to host Students Against Hate rallies across the state. They were held at several UT System schools as well as Texas State University, University of Houston and Rice University.

They protested SB 6, which would require people to use public restrooms based on the gender on his or her birth certificate, and HB 2399, which excludes the LGBTQ community from nondiscrimination policies in public spaces.

Kemmy said that while he had peers who were supportive of the LGBTQ community at DePaul University in Illinois, where he attended school, he still was afraid to come out due to a deep-seated stigma rooted in our culture.

To ask for help from them was to admit who I was, and couldnt do that, he said.

Rae Martinez, a UTSA student and field organizer for Texas Rising, a program within the Texas Freedom Network for people younger than 30, had a similar experience.

Im trans and its been difficult coming out with my friends and family about who I am because theres so much stigma around being trans, Martinez said. Bills like these throw that stigma around transgender and LGBTQ people. As a trans person, I want to be safe and okay in my own state.

The rally provided support for LGBTQ people  Kayta Incle, 23, said it made her feel like this is a safe space regardless of the law.

But it also made many feel vulnerable. Incle said it was scary, holding a sign identifying her as bisexual, when she feels like her very identity is being questioned in the political arena.

Were still all standing here scared  what if someone yells and says something to us? she said.

Kemmy, a San Antonio resident, left DePaul after three and a half years because he had depression.

I was living a pretty self-destructive lifestyle that exposed me to a particular form of violence. And after that I thought to myself, If I continue to resist opportunities to come out, Ill eventually die. I really thought that at the time, he said. And I also watched other openly gay people with a celebrated and happy life, and I wanted that for myself.

And slowly but surely, hes creating that for himself. He works at Haven for Hope, which has a residency program specifically for LGBTQ individuals, and he volunteers at Fiesta Youth, a program for the LGBTQ community in San Antonio.

I do this to claim opportunities, to be proud of who I am. Even if its uncomfortable at first, that confidence follows, said Kemmy. And to watch other people do that who may have been doing that for years is inspiring to me also. Being in the closet, I wasnt able to talk a lot about all these things that came along with being gay. So to have my eyes opened to the community I do exist in, being gay became more of a gift.
A purported regional leader of the Bandidos Motorcycle Club has been arrested on federal drug charges after San Antonio police found more than a kilogram of methamphetamines, and some cocaine, in his West Side home this week.

Eddie Martinez, 62, who is also known as Eddie Flames, is known to police as the president of the Bandidos Northwest San Antonio chapter, according to a criminal complaint affidavit filed in federal court.
The draft ordinance prepared by the Law Department is likely to be taken up for discussion at the Cabinet meeting today.
With an outgoing personality and a firm sense of right and wrong, Robert Paul Bob Dreher excelled as a sales manager with what was then Southwestern Bell Yellow Pages.

Recruited to be a salesman in the mid-1970s, Dreher moved up quickly, traveling throughout Texas and other states as a sales manager.

On Saturdays, he was in the office getting things done, planning for the week, his wife Jackie Van De Walle-Haas-Dreher said. His work ethic was probably one of the best Ive seen, ever.

Living by the motto of Work hard then play hard, Dreher loved to hunt, fish and travel.

In addition to visiting every state except Hawaii, Dreher and his wife went all across Canada  to the center of Alaska, Jackie Dreher said. We mined for gold, went on riverboats; he believed in making memories, to live life with gusto.

Dreher, 75, died Sunday after a 14-month battle with pancreatic cancer.

Raised in New Jersey, Dreher enrolled at Embry Riddle Aeronautical College in Florida after serving in the Navy for four years.

He was recruited to work for the Yellow Pages during his sophomore year of college.

More Information Robert Paul "Bob" Dreher Born: June 19, 1941, Cambridge, New York Died: April 23, 2017, San Antonio Preceded by: Parents Maybelle H. Dreher and Paul Anthony Dreher; stepfather Jack Trinkle. Survived by: Wife Jackie Van De Walle-Haas-Dreher; daughter Wendy Dreher-Bliss; stepson Jason T. Haas and daughter-in-law Andrea; three grandchildren; a sister. Services: Celebration of life at 2 p.m. Sunday at The Fellowship of San Antonio, 23755 Canyon Gold Road, followed by a reception. See More Collapse

Transferred to Lubbock, Dreher thought hed moved to hell, though he eventually fell in love with the people, Jackie Dreher said.

Moving to San Antonio with the company in 1979, Dreher met his future wife, a widow with a young son, in 1980.

Without hesitation he accepted the ready-made family, which included his wifes former in-laws.

He accepted the package as it was, including the grandparents, family friend Penny Riley said.

Dreher also appreciated his new extended family.

We had my familys reunion about a month after we met, Jackie Dreher said. He couldnt believe all the love of the family; he had what he never had in his life.

Marrying in 1982, Dreher raised his stepson as his own, picking him up from school and teaching him to hunt and fish.

He took me in and took good care of me, his stepson Jason Haas said. He was one of those guys who was always a provider and was always there for me.

Dreher was also a supportive husband, helping his wife with her involvement with the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo and the Texas Urban Advisory Board, among other charitable organizations.

mheidbrink@express-news.net
THE Dzamara family has petitioned President Emmerson Mnangagwa, demanding that he launches an urgent and sincere investigation into the case of missing Itai and account for his disappearance. The petition was handed over by missing journalists brother Patson on Wednesday and was received by an officer who identified himself as Dube at Mnangagwas office.

Itai was abducted in Glen View almost two and half years ago after he had staged a series of demonstrations against the former president Robert Mugabe calling on him to step down accusing him of running down the country. Patson said he was asking Mnangagwa to act because of the indifference of the former government in which he (Mnangagwa) was vice president and Justice Minister.

To date, nothing has been done to assist us as a family to at least come to a closure. Even though Itai Dzamara openly opposed the former government and some of its policies, his security and right to life remains a direct and unquestionable responsibility of the government, said Patson to New Zimbabwe.

He added, Ever since Itai Dzamaras disappearance a lot has transpired and various theories have been promulgated. However and in spite of that, I am of the view that by now some headway should have been made if everyone involved and concerned acted in good faith, especially the government through the responsible ministries.

He said their position regarding the involvement of state security agents particularly the military intelligence in the abduction of Itai Dzamara has not changed.

As you might be aware, Sir, Itai Dzamara petitioned your predecessor, Mr. Mugabe to step down for failing to run the country well. Unfortunately, since that day receiving threats on his life from security agents became the norm and he was subjected to serious torture at the hands of the Zimbabwe Republic Police and other private sources within your Zanu PF political party.

Patson added, He (Itai) was beaten, arrested and received death threats by state security agents several times even though his activities were well within his Constitutional rights.

We may not agree on many other things but we have to agree on this one thing, a human being cannot disappear just like that. I am thoroughly convinced, Sir, that with your assistance and that of your government, in good faith, we can make some headway on this matter, Itai Dzamara must be released to us, his family, dead or alive.

Patson further said as the President of Zimbabwe sworn to protect every citizen, Mnangagwa should immediately issue a statement over Itais disappearance.

That as the Head of State and government you order whoever is keeping Itai Dzamara in captivity to release him immediately, dead or alive. That as the Head of State and Government and the Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Forces make a commitment and public announcement that the state security agents shall intensify their efforts in uncovering the mystery surrounding Itai Dzamaras disappearance and make sure he is released immediately, dead or alive.

And, That as the President of Zimbabwe and a concerned leader, you should ensure that your government, through the responsible ministries, engages the Dzamara family and walks with us through this austere experience. Itai Dzamaras disappearance cannot be treated as not being important.

Patson said in the event that Mngangagwa chose to ignore the familys demands and request, he shall engage all progressive Zimbabweans within a week and protest in various ways in a civil, peaceful and resolute manner as provided for within the Constitution.

Breaking News via Email
ZANU PF youths have been reportedly instructed to avoid contesting for any position Robert Mugabe Jr seeks to occupy at the upcoming youth league conference, it has emerged.

Speculation is rife that the later strongman Robert Mugabes son has set his eyes on a leadership position in the youth leagues national executive

Sources in the party also said the 30-year-old is set to contest for the Zvimba East National Assembly seat currently occupied by Justice, Legal and Parliamentary affairs minister Ziyambi Ziyambi.

The idea, sources said, has excited the Zanu PF Mashonaland West leadership, with some suggesting Ziyambi could be moved to the Senate to pave way for him.

According to sources privy to developments, Robert Jr will be part of the four representatives from Mashonaland West to be voted into the national executive committee of the youth league.

He will not be contested and comrades are very comfortable with that arrangement, a party source said.

Everything has been put in place for him to become more visible at party functions and within the Mashonaland West structures so he kick starts his career in Zanu PF, the source added.

Robert Jr told journalists he has always been Zanu PF member despite the current party leaders being responsible for his fathers deposal in a military coup in 2017.

They have been very accommodative. I thought I should come and support the party, Robert Jr told reporters in Chitungwiza.

Its like the familys tradition. Since I was born all I know was Zanu PF. I am a Zanu PF child born in Zanu PF so its only right that I continue the legacy.

Despite the plan to fast track his rise, Robert Jr might be affected by the partys constitution which specifies that candidates should be fully subscribed members for a continuous period of five years.

But a senior Zanu PF official from.Mash West dismissed the reports saying: There is no truth in that, members just saw him at the rally in Chitungwiza and started the rumour, the official said.

He has not approached any local leadership of his interests. The local leadership is the one that vets and makes a recommendation.

The current executives term ends in May.

 NewZimbabwe

Breaking News via Email
More people than ever before are single  and thats a good thing The Conversation

People whose brain age is older than their real age more likely to die early Guardian

Q&A: Hawaii reassures tourists after brain parasite cases Ap (David L)

The Growing Movement of Men Who Secretly Remove Condoms During Sex Broadly (Dan K)

Discovery of plastic-eating worms offers chance to finally get rid of worlds growing piles of litter Independent.

Guillotine Watch

Retailers Are Going Bankrupt at a Record Pace Bloomberg (resilc)

Why Is Congress In Such A Rush To Strip The Library Of Congress Of Oversight Powers On The Copyright Office? TechDirt (Chuck L)

The Rights Green Awakening Jacobin

First Map-Based Car Navigation System Debuted 14 Years Before GPS The Institute (em)

New Cold War

ELECTRICAL SEPARATION Irussianality. Chuck L: As Russian spokesman Dmitry Peskov put it, Ukraines action is one more step on Ukraines path of tearing the territories away from itself.

Big Brother Is Watching You Watch

Powerful US XKEYSTORE spyware was distributed to Japan in addition to European allies (RW) Leak of Nations. So now we have Six Eyes rather than Five? Thatll make me sleep more soundly at night..

Brexit

Brussels demands EU citizens in UK for five years get permanent right to stay as Brexit stance toughens Independent

French Elections

What Macron will say about Greece The Unbalanced Evolution of Homo Sapiens

Syraqistan

Turkish Airstrikes On Kurds Complicate U.S. Operations In Iraq And Syria Moon of Alabama

Turkey

North Korea?

Chinas Shift on N.Korea Brings Big Risks and Opportunities The Chousunilbo. Far-fetched? Perhaps, but consistent with some coverage. And ask yourself, would the US be sanguine about an analogous threat so close to its borders: e.g., imagine a potential attack on Quebec. Perhaps theres no major policy shift here but signalling to get Kim Jong-un to back away a bit. Did Trump-Xi call reveal subtle shift in Chinas stance on North Korean nuclear crisis? SCMP

China?

A desperate escape Reuters

Trump Transition

India

University of California administration is paying excessive salaries and mishandling funds, state audit says LA Times

Class Warfare

Health Care

California Health Care Bill: Big Corporate Money Opposes Single-Payer Proposal International Business Times. David Sirotas latest. Some States Are Making It Easier To Get Birth Control Guardian Why Abortion Is a Progressive Economic Issue NYT. Democrats have long been speaking out of both sides of their mouth on the abortion issue, leaving it to the courts to uphold what limited abortion rights women have, and failing to extend statutory protections to guarantee abortions are widely available. Thats what safeguarding abortion rights means not trotting out the womans right to choose slogan and the selection of Supreme Court Justices boogeyman every four years as the be-all and end-all on abortion rights. Whens the last time any of these people went to the mat to try and mandate that public and private insurers pay for abortions and treat them as they do other health procedures?

United Removal Fiasco

Antidote du jour. Another one of my favorite birds:

See yesterdays Links and Antidote du Jour here.
Jerri-Lynn here: Last week, CNN, the Washington Post, and other news outlets reported that the Department of Justice Department is mulling whether to file charges against Wikileaks founder Julian Assange. Weve posted links analyzing the likelihood that this prosecution if it indeed occurs would survive a certain First Amendment challenge. Ive elected not to post yet on this issue as I thought that until charges are actually brought and details emerge, any thoughts I might produce would be highly speculative and premature.

The issue certainly bears close attention and Im posting this Real News Network interview with Glen Ford, so that the commentariat has a chance to discuss this threat.

Glen is a distinguished radio-show host and commentator. In 1977, Ford co-launched, produced and hosted Americas Black Forum, the first nationally syndicated Black news interview program on commercial television. In 1987, Ford launched Rap It Up, the first nationally syndicated Hip Hop music show, broadcast on 65 radio stations. Ford co-founded the Black Commentator in 2002 and in 2006 he launched the Black Agenda Report. Ford is also the author of The Big Lie: An Analysis of U.S. Media Coverage of the Grenada Invasion.

SHARMINI PERIES:Its The Real News Network. Im Sharmini Peries, coming to you from Baltimore.

Last week, CNN reported that the Justice Department is ready to file charges against co-founder of WikiLeaks, Julian Assange. The charges would be in respect to the 2010 leak of confidential federal documents, and the recent release of CIA cyber warfare files.

Assange has been exiled in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London for almost five years now. It is worth noting that the CNN report incorrectly asserted that Assange is seeking to avoid an arrest warrant for rape charges in Sweden. Julian Assange has not been officially charged with rape, a fact confirmed by both the U.K. Supreme Court, as well as the United Nations.

Furthermore, the UN has now thrice ruled that Assange is being arbitrarily detained by the Swedish, and U.K. governments. The UN also held that Assange must be granted financial compensation, and the right to exit the embassy without fear of state interference, and without delay.

Joining us today to discuss the implications of these claims is Glen Ford. Glen is executive editor of the Black Agenda Report. Glen, thank you for joining us today.

GLEN FORD: Well, thank you for having me.

SHARMINI PERIES: Glen, let me start with your reaction to the claims from CNN that the U.S. Justice Department has apparently found a way around the 1st Amendment in order to prosecute Assange. What are your thoughts on that?

GLEN FORD: Well, where theres a will, theres a way. And where theres a political will, we will find a political trial. That seems to be what were headed to. That is the plan.

This is a big flip by Donald Trump because those of us who have memories recall that both Trump and the CIA director, Mike Pompeo, not so long ago, back in the primary days, were thrilled that there was a WikiLeaks, which revealed that Hillary Clinton had played all those dirty tricks on her opponent during the primary season. But now it appears that Donald Trump has discovered that the way you run a normal presidency in the United States is you bomb some third world countries, like Syria. And then you blame all your domestic problems on the Russians, or some agents of Russia.

So, Donald Trump is trying to normalize his very abnormal presidency by getting on the same page as the Democrats, and as the corporate media, and as the rest of the deep state. Theyve already convicted all three of those actors have convicted Julian Assange and the Russians. Theyre holding them as co-defendants.

One of the things that Trump has done is hes actually gotten a few pages ahead of Barack Obama. Barack Obama prosecuted more reporters and whistleblowers than all the other presidents before him combined. But Donald Trump will be the first president to try to put a publisher in prison for telling the truth.

What the Trump administration has done is to create a political test of what kind of speech is protected, and what kind of speech is not protected, in the United States. Trump has allowed his CIA director, Mike Pompeo, to frame the case against Julian Assange. And thats really interesting because the CIA director is getting to say more about this case than the Attorney General whos the one whos going to prosecute him. Pompeo, who, I guess, speaks for the government, claims that WikiLeaks is acting as a non-state, hostile intelligence service for the Russians.

Or, for state actors like the Russians. Pompeo doesnt offer any proof. But no proof has so far been offered. But he, and the CIA, and now the Trump administration, now say that the charge must be true because Russia is the party that benefits from the leaks. And Pompeo complains that the WikiLeaks disclosures overwhelmingly focus on the United States, and that that somehow is also proof.

But, of course, thats not a crime. And the journalist has no obligation to somehow artificially balance their reporting so as to not harm the reputation of the United States. The real fact of the matter is that the United States is an empire. And like all empires it does more crime, more often, in more places, than normal countries do. We have to ask questions like: what other country is engaged in bombing seven other countries right now, around the world? And what other country bugs every telephone in the world, and taps every electronic digital device that it can somehow get its hands on?

America is, in fact, an exceptional nation, like it claims to be. But not in the way that it claims to be. It commits truly exceptional numbers of crimes. It commits more crimes than China and Russia, because it has a further reach than China and Russia. WikiLeaks sees its job as reporting on blockbuster crimes. And the United States is the champion imperial crime-maker in the world.

SHARMINI PERIES: Now, Glen, earlier, in the previous administration, when President Obama wanted to pursue charges against WikiLeaks and Julian Assange in particular, they refrained from doing so because if they were to prosecute WikiLeaks for publishing some of these so-called confidential and secret documents, they would also have to prosecute the New York Times and the McCutcheon(?) newspapers, and others who also published these documents that were released by WikiLeaks. Whats your reaction to that?

GLEN FORD: Well, that was the big political obstacle. And, if youre going to do a political trial, you gotta get your politics straight. And you cant just cavalierly go up against the Washington Post and the New York Times, which were among the many, many newspapers that printed WikiLeaks revelations. So that was a no-go zone.

But now, Donald Trump has mended the fences that separated him from the corporate media. Hes on, as I said, the same page as them. And they are in agreement. That is, the Trump administration, and the corporate media, that WikiLeaks is rogue. In fact, I was just reading a Time Magazine article that specifically called him a rogue. Pompeo notes that Assange is not an American citizen. And he says  and I think legally incorrectly  that since Assange is not an American citizen, he doesnt have American freedom of speech rights.

So, theyre trying to create a defenseless zone for WikiLeaks, and to get around the prohibitions relating to freedom of speech. But they have to do this by connecting WikiLeaks directly to Russia, by actually proving that WikiLeaks is a foreign agent. And thats a hard thing to do. That requires real facts. And so far, no facts have been forthcoming. Not even facts that can convince a large segment of the American public.

SHARMINI PERIES: And this also absolves the Trump administration from the allegations it faces about its collaboration, potentially, with the Russians. Which is really also unproven at this point, but at least in the public discourse it absolves the Trump administration of any alliance with the Russians at this time.

GLEN FORD: Thats right. He thinks this will call off the corporate media dogs. I dont think that it will. But hes certainly willing to reverse himself on WikiLeaks. Remember he was so thrilled that WikiLeaks was there when he needed it while hes not there when Julian Assange needs some support.

SHARMINI PERIES: On that note, Glen, lets listen together what Trump had to say about WikiLeaks during the campaign.

DONALD TRUMP: This just came out. This just came out. WikiLeaks  I love WikiLeaks.

CROWD: (cheering)

SHARMINI PERIES: Glen, let me get your reaction to that.

GLEN FORD: Not the clip that you just played, but the events that have just come down from the Justice Department, the threat to indict Julian Assange  it really is the sound of the other shoe falling. The first shoe was the attack on the Syrian air base. This is the other shoe.

Now Donald Trump can feel confident about that he is back on the right side of the war party, and will no longer be charged with being un-American himself. It appears that, in the United States, in order to show that your patriotism is intact, you have to paint someone else with the subversive brush.

SHARMINI PERIES: All right. Glen, I thank you so much for your words, and look forward to your report next time. Thank you.

GLEN FORD: Thank you.

SHARMINI PERIES: And thank you for joining us here on The Real News Network.
Physicists design 2-D materials that conduct electricity at almost the speed of light (Nanowerk News) Physicists at the University of California, Irvine and elsewhere have fabricated new two-dimensional quantum materials with breakthrough electrical and magnetic attributes that could make them building blocks of future quantum computers and other advanced electronics.

The common threads running through the papers are that the research is conducted at extremely cold temperatures and that the signal carriers in all three studies are not electrons - as with traditional silicon-based technologies - but Dirac or Majorana fermions, particles without mass that move at nearly the speed of light.

"Finally, we can take exotic, high-end theories in physics and make something useful," said UCI associate professor of physics & astronomy Jing Xia, a corresponding author on two of the studies. "We're exploring the possibility of making topological quantum computers [currently theoretical] for the next 100 years."

UCI physicist Jing Xia (right, with graduate student Alex Stern) calls the fiber-optic Sagnac interferometer he built the most sensitive magnetic microscope in the world. He compares it to a telescope that an ornithologist in Irvine could use to inspect the eye of a bird in New York.

One of the key challenges of such research is handling and analyzing miniscule material samples, just two atoms thick, several microns long and a few microns across. Xia's lab at UCI is equipped with a fiber-optic Sagnac interferometer microscope that he built. (The only other one in existence is at Stanford University, assembled by Xia when he was a graduate student there.) Calling it the most sensitive magnetic microscope in the world, Xia compares it to a telescope that an ornithologist in Irvine could use to inspect the eye of a bird in New York.

"This machine is the ideal measurement tool for these discoveries," said UCI graduate student Alex Stern, lead author on two of the papers. "It's the most accurate way to optically measure magnetism in a material."

In a study to be published April 24 in Nature, the researchers detail their observation - via the Sagnac interferometer - of magnetism in a microscopic flake of chromium germanium telluride. The compound, which they created, was viewed at minus 387 degrees Fahrenheit. CGT is a cousin of graphene, a superthin atomic carbon film. Since its discovery, graphene has been considered a potential replacement for silicon in next-generation computers and other devices because of the speed at which electronic signals skitter across its almost perfectly flat surface.

But there's a catch: Certain computer components, such as memory and storage systems, need to be made of materials that have both electronic and magnetic properties. Graphene has the former but not the latter. CGT has both.

His lab also used the Sagnac interferometer for a study published in Science Advances examining what happens at the precise moment bismuth and nickel are brought into contact with one another - again at a very low temperature (in this case, minus 452 degrees Fahrenheit). Xia said his team found at the interface between the two metals "an exotic superconductor that breaks time-reversal symmetry."

"Imagine you turn back the clock and a cup of red tea turns green. Wouldn't that make this tea very exotic? This is indeed exotic for superconductors," he said. "And it's the first time it's been observed in 2-D materials."

The signal carriers in this 2-D superconductor are Majorana fermions, which could be used for a braiding operation that theorists believe is vital to quantum computing.

"The issue now is to try to achieve this at normal temperatures," Xia said. The third study shows promise in overcoming that hurdle.

In 2012, Xia's lab delivered to the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency a radio-frequency oscillator built around samarium hexaboride. The substance is an insulator on the inside but allows signal-carrying current made of Dirac fermions to flow freely on its 2-D surface.

Using a special apparatus built in the Xia lab - also one of only two in the world - UCI researchers applied tensile strain to the samarium hexaboride sample and demonstrated in the Nature Materials study that they could stabilize the 2-D surface state at minus 27 degrees Fahrenheit.
Video captures bubble-blowing nanobattery in action (w/video) (Nanowerk News) With about three times the energy capacity by weight of today's lithium-ion batteries, lithium-air batteries could one day enable electric cars to drive farther on a single charge.

But the technology has several holdups, including losing energy as it stores and releases its charge. If researchers could better understand the basic reactions that occur as the battery charges and discharges, the battery's performance could be improved. One reaction that hasn't been fully explained is how oxygen blows bubbles inside a lithium-air battery when it discharges. The bubbles expand the battery and create wear and tear that can cause it to fail.

A new paper in Nature Nanotechnology ("Lithiumoxygen batteries: The reaction mechanism revealed") provides the first step-by-step explanation of how lithium-air batteries form bubbles. The research was aided by a first-of-a-kind video that shows bubbles inflating and later deflating inside a nanobattery. Researchers had previously only seen the bubbles, but not how they were created.

"If we fully understand the bubble formation process, we could build better lithium-air batteries that create fewer bubbles," noted the paper's corresponding author, Chongmin Wang, of the Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. "The result could be more compact and stable batteries that hold onto their charge longer."

PNNL researcher Chongmin Wang and colleagues have developed the first step-by-step explanation of how a lithium-air battery forms bubbles, which expand the battery and create wear and tear that can cause it to fail. The research was aided by an environmental transmission electron microscope (shown here), which enabled the creation of a first-of-a-kind video that shows bubbles inflating and later deflating inside a nanobattery.

Wang works out of EMSL, the Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, a DOE Office of Science user facility located at PNNL. His co-authors include other PNNL staff and a researcher from Tianjin Polytechnic University in China.

The team's unique video may be a silent black-and-white film, but it provides plenty of action. Popping out from the battery's flat surface is a grey bubble that grows bigger and bigger. Later, the bubble deflates, the top turning inside of itself until only a scrunched-up shell is left behind.

The popcorn-worthy flick was captured with an in-situ environmental transmission electron microscope at EMSL. Wang and his colleagues built their tiny battery inside the microscope's column. This enabled them to watch as the battery charged and discharged inside.

In situ STEM observation of the formation/decomposition of Hollow Spheres.

Video evidence led the team to propose that as the battery discharges, a sphere of lithium superoxide jets out from the battery's positive electrode and becomes coated with lithium oxide. The sphere's superoxide interior then goes through a chemical reaction that forms lithium peroxide and oxygen. Oxygen gas is also released and inflates the bubble. When the battery charges, lithium peroxide decomposes, and leaves the former bubble to look like a deflated balloon.
Find the newest releases to watch from National Geographic on Disney+, including favourite documentary series and films Free Solo, The Rescue, Shark Beach with Chris Hemsworth and The World According to Jeff Goldblum.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg met with Maltese Prime Minister Dr. Joseph Muscat on Wednesday (26 April 2017) in Valletta, kicking off a two-day visit to Malta. The meeting was the first ever between a NATO Secretary General and a Prime Minister of Malta.

The Secretary General and Prime Minister Muscat discussed NATOs relations with Malta and security challenges of mutual concern, including maritime security. Mr. Stoltenberg stressed NATOs full respect for Maltas policy of neutrality. He also thanked the Maltese government for their work, as holder of the EU Presidency, to strengthen NATO-EU relations. Maltas Minister of Foreign Affairs, George Vella, and the Minister for Home Affairs and National Security, Carmelo Abela, also participated in the meeting.

On Thursday, the Secretary General will participate in an informal meeting of European Union Defence Ministers in Valletta, before departing on an official visit to Italy.
The NATO Deputy Secretary General, Ms. Rose Gottemoeller will visit the West Coast of the United States from 27 April to 1 May 2017.

During her visit, the Deputy Secretary General will have meetings on Deterrence and Defence, and on Cyber Security Defense.

On Thursday, 27 April, she will deliver a keynote address at the University of San Diegos Joan B. Kroc Institute of Peace and Justice on Gender Awareness in the Security and Defense field. The speech on Women Peace and Security entitled: NATOs Commitment to Women, Peace and Security: Progress made and the Road ahead will be published on the NATO website following the event.

On Friday, 28 April, Ms. Gottemoeller will attend a Seminar at the Center for Global Security Research at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in Livermore. She will also attend a roundtable on Deterrence and Defense hosted by former U.S. Secretary of Defense William Perry and former U.S. Secretary of State George Schultz at Stanford University.

On Monday, 1 May, the Deputy Secretary General will visit Google Inc. to discuss information security and cyber threats.

Follow the Deputy Secretary General on Twitter (@Gottemoeller). Also follow us at @NATOPress.

For any further information, please contact NATO Press Office, Tel: (+32) 2 707 50 41.
(Natural News) A hospital in California is being sued for the accidental removal of a womans ovaries. The Sequoia Hospital in Redwood City, Calif., has been fined $47,450 by health officials, reported Catherine Ho of SFGate.com.

Doctors at Sequoia were supposed to remove the patients appendix, fallopian tubes, and uterus during surgery in February 2016; however, due to a mistake in the hospitals surgical schedule, the patients ovaries were taken out. The patient, according to the report by the California Department of Public Health, will require lifelong estrogen replacement therapy as a result. The report did not mention the patients name and age, nor did it mention if the ovaries were removed instead of, or in addition to, the appendix, fallopian tubes, and uterus.

The care and safety of our patients and staff are the highest priority at Dignity Health Sequoia Hospital and we take this matter very seriously. After self-reporting this event to the CDPH, we fully cooperated during their investigation and immediately took steps to ensure this never happens again, including revising protocols and staff re-education, said a spokeswoman for Dignity Health, a Northern California health system.

In an announcement by the California Department of Public Health, the agency has stated the fine against Sequoia Hospital is one of 17 civil penalties filed against 14 California hospitals. All of the penalties, which total $1.1 million all in all, concerned incidents that have caused serious injury or death. (Related: Brain Surgeons Cant Tell Left from Right: Third Operating Mistake on Wrong Side of Patients Head)

Out of the 14 hospitals, four of them, including Sequoia Hospital, are in the San Francisco Bay Area. Two of the hospitals, St. Lukes Campus and Kaiser Foundation Hospital and California Pacific Medical Center, are located in San Francisco. The other, Queen of the Valley Medical Center, is located in Napa.

St. Lukes has been fined $47,452 after a patient felt dizzy and fell out of her bed while under the care of the hospital staff. The patient was not put through the prescribed hourly neurological checks and died despite undergoing emergency brain surgery.

Kaiser Foundation Hospital has been fined $147,000 for two separate incidents in 2015 and 2016 that resulted in the deaths of the patients. In one, a patient receiving dialysis suffered massive blood loss and cardiac arrest after his line disconnected from his catheter. In another, a patient died after their tracheostomya surgical procedure to create an airwaywas mishandled and a tracheostomy tube cuff valve had been left inflated. A spokeswoman for Kaiser has said: We sincerely regret that these incidents occurred and extend our sympathy to the families involved. In response to these incidents, and to ensure such situations never occur again, we immediately investigated their root cause, evaluated our processes and implemented systemic improvements and training for our nurses, physicians, and staff.

Queen of the Valley has been fined $225,000 for three incidents in 2013, in which hospital staff failed to properly track patients symptoms and dispense correct treatment. Two patients died while the third patient was left in a vegetative state.

The California Department of Public Health, states Rhea Mahbubani of NBCBBayArea.com, is allowed to issue up to $75,000 in fines for the first administrative penalty of a hospital. The second penalty can go up to $100,000, and the third up to $125,000, as well as all subsequent violations within a three-year period. Hospitals that have been penalized have 10 days to appeal, and are required to issue a plan of correction.

You can read up on more medicine-related and healthcare news by visiting Medicine.news today.

Sources include:

SFGate.com

NBCBayArea.com
(Natural News) A potentially toxic craze is spreading like wildfire across the internet, and in an attempt to stay relevant, Starbucks has jumped on the bandwagon. So-called unicorn food, which is trending across social media, is any food item that has been made super colorful by the addition of food dye, marshmallows or naturally colorful items like pieces of fruit. Some people even go so far as to add little sculpted sugar manes, horns and tails to their creations. Starbucks contribution to the craze was a special edition drink they called the Unicorn Frappuccino, which was available in the U.S., Canada and Mexico for five days, starting April 19.

Starbucks described its drink as a sweet dusting of pink powder, blended into a creme Frappuccino with mango syrup and layered with a pleasantly sour blue drizzle. It is finished with vanilla whipped cream and a sprinkle of sweet pink and sour blue powder topping. Lets face it, that sounds super yum. And the drink even changed color when mixed. Fun, right?

Well, not so fast. Health-conscious people who adopt the craze by using brightly colored fruit or using naturally bright foods like turmeric or beetroot to add color can breathe easy. On the other hand, those who are making their unicorn toast, unicorn cupcakes or other items using food dyes need to be very careful.

Adeline Waugh, a health and wellness blogger and food stylist from Miami, accidentally triggered the trend last year when she started using beetroot to add a pop of color to her photos. Ms. Waugh is more than likely horrified by the way in which her unicorn food, which was both aesthetically beautiful and nutritious, has sparked a craze for sugary, dyed foods.

As noted by The New York Times, Waughs dye is made from cream cheese and crushed up natural ingredients like chlorophyll, for green or crushed up, freeze-dried blueberries for purple  Her work contains no marshmallows, artificial dye or towering horn-shaped fondants. There is nary a sprinkle in sight.

And thats an important distinction, because artificial dyes are anything but harmless, and children are particularly vulnerable to their effects. For this reason, a consumer watchdog organization in Washington is pushing for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to ban all synthetic dyes, including Blue 1 and 2, Green 3, Citrus Red 2, Red 3 and 40, and Yellow 5 and 6. The worst offenders are Yellow 5 and 6, and Red 40, all of which have been linked to cancer.

Artificial dyes also cause other serious issues for children, including hyperactivity (as any parent of an ADHD child will know), allergies, learning difficulties, and behavioral issues like irritability and aggressiveness. Its astonishing to me that people think theyre being hip and politically correct by poisoning themselves with toxic food dyes, explained Mike Adams, the Health Ranger. It just demonstrates the utter nutritionally illiteracy of those who incessantly seek to obediently conform to popular memes.

A 2007 study published in The Lancet, found that children who consumed synthetic dyes started to display hyperactive behavior within an hour. This study prompted changes in food dye legislation in the U.K.

What many parents who feed their children brightly colored cereal, candy, soft drinks and other foods dont realize is that artificial dyes are made from compounds that were extracted from petroleum and coal tar. And while even small concentrations of a single food colorant may pose health risks, many of these foods contain several different colors.

Parents need to be aware that food colors also lurk in unexpected places like over-the-counter medications and even apparently healthy foods like yogurts.

The rule of thumb when it comes to food is actually very simple: To ensure your entire family is eating healthy, nutritious food, make sure it is clean  that means unprocessed, fresh, organic whole foods that havent been genetically modified, and havent had unnatural things added to them like toxic dyes.

And if youre willing to stick to Ms. Waughs original concept of naturally bright, nutritious unicorn food, then go ahead and have some fun with it!

Sources:

BBC.com

NYTimes.com

OrganicConsumers.org

Newsmax.com

USAToday.com
Fertile land is at a premium in Egypt. Reclaiming the desert is repeatedly proposed as the solution, but should the country be doing more with what it already has?

The geography of Egypt is particularly striking from the sky: a strip of green along the Nile cuts the desert in two. As the river nears the Mediterranean, it spreads out into the Nile Delta, a verdant pyramid of lush agricultural land with Cairo at its tip. Closer inspection of the Nile Valley and Delta reveals a patchwork of small fields, each around a hectare and connected by 40,000 kilometres of crisscrossing irrigation canals. This fraction of land  just 5% of the country  is where most of Egypt's 92 million people live, where the bulk of its industries are located and where food is produced. The green Nile Valley and Delta are home to Egypt's agricultural land. Credit: Stocktrek Images/Getty

But this production does not cover the population's needs: 40% of all food is imported. Bread constitutes the main source of daily calories for millions of Egyptians, and despite continuous efforts to boost local production, Egypt imports more wheat than any other country  54% of its supply is imported.

This makes Egypt particularly vulnerable to fluctuations in global commodity prices. Tax increases and a 50% fall in the value of the Egyptian pound in 2016 have seen food prices skyrocket, leaving 16% of the population with poor access to food, according to the United Nations' World Food Programme. The situation is even more serious in rural areas; in parts of Upper Egypt, for example, 39% of people do not have sufficient access to food. And last year, all Egyptians experienced shortages of imported products, such as rice, sugar and cooking oil.

Increasing food production in the country would undoubtedly help. But in the past 50 years, population growth in a region with limited arable terrain has seen available agricultural land per capita decrease by almost two-thirds. Land availability also declined in the aftermath of the country's 2011 revolution when illegal settlements on the outskirts of towns  made possible by weaker law enforcement  saw layers of cement poured over agricultural soil. Irregular water supplies, pollution, deteriorating soil quality and a warming climate are also putting a strain on the farms of the delta.

To overcome the physical constraints that Egypt's geography imposes and improve food security, the Egyptian government and commercial producers are attempting to carve out green patches in the desert. But many scientists are unconvinced by this approach. Instead, they say, efforts should be made to increase the productivity of what little land is available and to reduce losses on the land the valley and delta already provides.

Built on sand

Taming the desert to turn sand into fertile soil has preoccupied decision-makers for decades. Desert reclamation has been on the government's list of objectives since the republic was formed in 1953, with officials refusing to accept that intensifying cultivation in the delta and valley will be enough to feed a population that has more than tripled in the past 50 years and is expected to surpass 150 million by 2050.

Since the 1950s, around one-million hectares of desert have been reclaimed, increasing Egypt's arable land by 2025%. Ayman Abou Hadid, a former Minister of Agriculture for the Egyptian government who is now at Ain Shams University in Cairo, thinks that more than 7-million hectares of desert could potentially be reclaimed. But is there enough water, specifically ground water, available? he asks.

Egypt's annual water supply per person is around 660 m3  340 m3 below the UN definition of water scarcity.

Part of Nature Outlook: Food security By 2030, it's expected to breach the 500 m3 barrier, below which a country is considered to be facing 'absolute scarcity'. Since the late 1980s, reclamation schemes have depended on Nile water for irrigation. Canals were built to transport fresh water to the plots, but this meant the fields had to be located close to the river. The 1.5 Million Feddan Project, announced in December 2015 by President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, will instead rely mostly on groundwater extraction. The ultimate goal is to transform nearly 4-million feddans (an Egyptian unit of area roughly equivalent to 0.4 ha) of the Western Desert into fertile agricultural land. But only a small proportion of land is located near enough to the valley to be irrigated by Nile water. The rest will use ground water, such as from the Nubian Sandstone Aquifer System, which is one of the world's largest fossil aquifers and lies beneath the Western Desert as well as parts of Sudan, Chad and Libya. Official usage figures are not publicly available, but according to a European Union assessment from 2013 seen by Nature, 86% of the initial 428,000 ha of new agricultural land will be irrigated with ground water from the Nubian Sandstone Aquifer System. The reclaimed land is expected to require 4.4 billion cubic metres of extracted ground water every year.

The sustainability of pumping such a large volume of water for agriculture is a source of much debate in Egypt. The water in the aquifer is non-renewable, and data on the exact amount of water contained in it are outdated and vary significantly from one study to the next. Only a pre-feasibility study was conducted prior to the project, not a proper feasibility study, says Gamal Siam, an agricultural economist at Cairo University.

Abou Hadid is convinced that the country should be making use of these resources. We should not be wary to utilize ground water, Abou Hadid says. We need to ensure that reserves last at least 50 to 100 years, he says. By that time, Abou Hadid thinks that the cost of desalination technology will have fallen low enough to take up the strain. But such a drop in cost is far from certain. According to Hosam Shawky, director of the Egyptian Desalination Research Center of Excellence in Cairo, the country currently desalinates 250,000 m3 of seawater per day, at a cost of 6 Egyptian pounds (US$0.3) per cubic metre. Before desalinated water can be used for agriculture, the price per cubic metre would need to drop to 1.5 Egyptian pounds, Shawky says. We will need to have a desalination breakthrough, and manufacture all parts locally, he says. Shawky expects the production of desalinated water to triple in the next three years.

Even if the aquifer supply does hold out, cultivating the desert using ground water is an expensive endeavour. Alvar Closas, a groundwater management researcher at the International Water Management Institute in Cairo, estimates that it costs ten times more than farming in the fertile valley and delta. Some wells must be dug as deep as 1,000 m to reach good-quality water, and drip and sprinkler systems are needed to irrigate crops. Furthermore, Closas says, in some locations, extracted ground water is so ferrous that it needs to precipitate into man-made basins before it can be used to irrigate the fields. Investors have to build high towers to elevate the water, which then trickles down into cooling basins, because it is scalding hot and cannot be applied directly on the field, he says. This increases costs dramatically, and is only affordable for large commercial farms. These up-front costs contradict the argument for reclaiming the desert to move a large section of the population out of the Nile Valley and Delta, says Hanne Kirstine Adriansen, a human geographer at Aarhus University, Denmark, who has studied Egypt's desert reclamation schemes. Small landholders are cash strapped, she says.

Every last drop

The majority of reclaimed land is given to big, private investors who export most of what they grow.

Dalia Gouda, a water-management consultant in Cario, doubts that reclaiming the desert will be sufficient to improve food security for the Egyptian people. The majority of reclaimed land is given to big, private investors who export most of what they grow, she explains. Part of the 1.5 Million Feddan Project will involve the construction of greenhouses on 42,000 ha of desert. Mahmoud Medany, president of the Agricultural Research Center (ARC) in Giza, devised the proposal for the future greenhouses. He says that the target is to export at least 70% of production. But unlike Gouda, he thinks that the project will improve food security in Egypt. You need one worker per acre of greenhouse agriculture. So if 100,000 workers receive a good salary, it enables them to purchase food from the market, he says.

Siam is unconvinced of the food-security benefits of the 1.5 Million Feddan Project. Food security can only be achieved by growing basic food staples, like wheat and other cereals, says Siam. He doubts that growing wheat, maize (corn) or berseem (Trifolium alexandrinum; used for grazing) would be economically feasible in the desert, and expects farmers to opt instead for vegetables, which provide a quick return on investment rather than subsistence. Gouda agrees. If you are a poor farmer, the only thing you can afford to grow in the desert are fruit and some vegetables, she says. People queue to buy government-subsidized bread  bread is the main source of calories in Egypt. Credit: Khaled El Fiqi/EPA/REX/Shutterstock

Siam thinks that the priority, instead, should be improving the productivity of the existing farmland. Over the past 15 years, researchers at the ARC have generated more than 300 new cultivars and hybrids that are able to withstand higher temperatures and increased soil salinity. The new varieties have increased yields of 55% for cereals, 46% for legumes, 24% for oil crops and 20% for grazing crops. But the centre's funding has been cut significantly in recent years, from the equivalent of $1.1 million in 2015 to just $170,000 last year, according to Siam.

Despite tough financial circumstances, the ARC and other groups around the country are working to boost the productivity of the land that is already cultivated. Water use is a key concern in the valley and delta, as it is in the desert. The International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas, the ARC and others are helping farmers to reduce their use of water, fertilizers and seeds, and to increase wheat yields, by developing machinery that means farmers no longer need to prepare raised beds manually.

Raised-bed farming involves digging long furrows to distribute water evenly and planting crops in rows between the furrows. Using this technique, crops receive more sunlight and produce higher yields for less water than flood-irrigation farming, which is widely practiced in Egypt.

The technology can be fitted to a regular tractor, and prepares and sows one feddan in 30 minutes, saving farmers both time and the cost of hiring labourers. So far, the machine has been used on around 3,000 ha of wheat in the province of Sharqiya, where 35% of domestic wheat is produced. The mechanized raised-bed technology saves on average 625 m3 of water per feddan per wheat season, which amounts to 4 million cubic metres of water saved per year, says Atef Swelam, a water-management scientist at International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas.

The Ministry of Agriculture is encouraging farmers to adopt manual or mechanized raised-bed techniques as part of its National Wheat Campaign. Although there is no direct incentive for farmers to cut down on water consumption (irrigation water is free in Egypt), because many farmers resort to diesel pumps to supply water to their fields, the raised-bed technique eases farmers' overall costs.

The government also hopes that water wastage can be minimized. About 30% of the water destined for irrigation is lost through seepage and leaks from ageing infrastructure and high evaporation rates. Of the 55.5 billion cubic metres of Nile water allocated to Egypt each year (the country shares the resource with Sudan), agriculture uses 85%. The losses are, therefore, enormous.

The Farm-level Irrigation Modernization Project, established in 2013 with funding from the World Bank, the French Development Agency and the Egyptian government, is designed to reduce water loss and boost production by replacing existing irrigation canals with plastic pipes. The earthen primary, secondary and tertiary irrigation canals are susceptible to intense evaporation in high temperatures. Since the 1970s, the canals' maintenance has been operated by excavators, explains Gouda. Repeated dredging has widened the canals over time, exposing a larger surface to evaporation. By replacing the canals with a buried network of pipes, water loss has been eliminated and farmers' land acreage increased by 5%. So far, we have installed this new irrigation system on 100,000 acres of land, and the objective is to cover a quarter of a million acres by the end of the project, explains project leader Mohamed Samir Abo Soliman at the Soil, Water and Environment Research Institute in Giza. This project is meant to increase water efficiency to 75%, which would increase our water budget by 810 billion cubic metres a year, he says.

Beyond production

As in much of the world, food loss is an issue in Egypt. Of the 30 million tonnes of fruits and vegetables produced in Egypt every year, 40% is lost, says Siam. Inadequate handling, packaging, transportation and refrigeration all contribute to waste. Unrefrigerated flatbed trucks carrying overflowing crates of fruit and vegetables often cover distances of around 900 kilometres, layering the produce in dust and slowly baking it in the hot Egyptian Sun. If we addressed those losses, we could increase self-sufficiency tremendously, Siam says.

Various interventions to minimize loss and change consumption patterns have been introduced in the past five years. Food Loss and Waste Reduction and Value Chain Development for Food Security in Egypt and Tunisia, for example, was launched in March 2016. The Italian-funded project focuses on reducing losses post-harvest, and during trading and processing.

And, in 2012, with the support of the Italian Development Cooperation, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) launched a package of interventions in five areas of Upper Egypt where malnutrition and child stunting are most prevalent. We set up community nutrition kitchens for women in 15 villages, and once a week, 2025 women would gather and cook together under the supervision of a nutrition expert to teach them best practices, explains the FAO's Zahra Ahmed, who managed the project. Women were given advice on how to stretch their food budget to cover the whole month, and the project focused specifically on women with infants. A lot of literature highlights the importance of good nutrition in the first 1,000 days of life, she adds.

Such interventions downstream of production have the potential to improve Egyptian food security, but for now the idea of carving fertile agricultural land out of the barren desert remains in vogue. Gouda thinks there is another way to make use of the desert, however: to relocate industries and factories there.
A drone has captured a rare sight of sharks in a feeding frenzy just meters away from the shore where hundreds of stunned people watch.

The footage was posted on Youtube by Damian Hurley. It shows sharks slicing through the crystal clear waters as it goes for the kill.

According to News 7, at least eight hungry sharks fed on thousands of fish on the waters in Fingal Bay, a popular beach strip in New South Wales, Australia. As explained by the Sydney Morning Herald, the migrating mullets attracted the grey nurse sharks in the area.

Mullet fish are found worldwide in tropical and subtropical waters. They are usually found in large schools just like sardines. Australian Museum noted there are 80 species in the mullet family, the Australian fauna alone consists of 21 species in 10 genera.

Last week, another regular on the beach spotted and snapped photos of sharks in feeding frenzy at the same location.

"The mullet were there all day, and so were the sharks," Tony Carrozzi told New Castle Herald. "Late afternoon they [sharks] got really close to the beach. I don't know how many there were but at times you could see them swimming in pairs."

In response to the incident, the beach strip was closed to swimming until further notice. The Department of Primary Industries is currently carrying out aerial patrols of the bay on a daily basis to monitor sharks.

Last month, a man was attacked by an unidentified shark at nearby One Mile Beach in Port Stephens.

Laeticia Brouwer, a 17-year-old teenager surfing at a popular surfer break known as Kelp Beds, Western Australia was attacked by a great white shark. She died of severe blood loss upon arrival at the hospital. The incident has fueled a debate whether their government should resort to shark culling, a tactic practiced by the New South Wales and Queensland.

Environmentalists are in the process of convincing authorities to list shark culling and the use of drum lines as threats to endangered species under the federal law.

READ: Australian Officials Call for Mass Killing of Sharks After Attack on 17-Year-Old
Scott Van Zyl, a notorious wildlife hunter, was confirmed to have been eaten by Nile crocodiles that ironically were his targets during a hunting expedition.

According to local news, the Heritage Protection Group (HPG) confirmed that the DNA of the South African hunter was found in the stomachs of three Nile crocodiles that were shot at the Limpopo River, approximately 300 meters around the site where Van Zyl's backpack was found.

The toe-cap of a CAT boot similar to that worn by Van Zyl when he disappeared was also found in one of the three Nile crocodiles. The authorities allegedly had the permission to shoot the reptiles.

The Independent said Van Zyl disappeared during a hunting trip on the Zimbabwean-South African border with a local tracker and a pack of dogs on April 7. They allegedly got separated when they went separate directions to search for crocodiles. The camp started the search as soon as the pack of dogs returned to their base without Van Zyl.



Zimbabwean operator Tokkie van der Merwe contacted the Zimbabwe Professional Hunters and Guides Association (ZPHGA) as well as the Limpopo Hunters Liaison Forum (LHLF) and began the search. Services of a Sub-Aqua Team to search in the Limpopo River itself was also requested.

Van Zyl, according to New York Post, owns the SS Pro Safaris company that takes foreign clients on hunting trips for $9,000. The package is inclusive of exploring nature preserves and killing up to seven wildlife -- including leopards, zebras and even the king of the jungle lions.

While his safari fraternity is mourning his death, conservation groups do not feel the same. One Green Planet said in statement, "[He] shouldn't have been hunting in the first place. Animals in the wild... are wild! They are living, thinking beings with instincts for survival."

Nile crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus), the second largest extant reptile in the world next to saltwater crocodiles, is commonly found in Zimbabwe. Arkive noted that conflict with humans presents the greatest threat to these animals.
A monstrous bull shark caught around Lake Macquarie off Swansea has fueled social media frenzy in the past few days.

Photo of the monstrous catch was posted on the Facebook page of Offshore Fishing New South. It shows the full size of the bull shark, which was hung upside down and toweing over a standing man.

The group was initially bashed by some people who decried the killing of the giant bull shark. Newcastle Herald said the deep waters off Lake Macquarie's coast have been a hunting ground for those seeking a glimpse of large sharks.

However, the group clarified that it was already dead when they hauled it, citing that they caught the bull shark after "being gut hooked and a huge fight" and they tried to revive it but were already too late.

Speaking with The New Daily, Shark researcher at Bond University, Dr. Daryl McPhee, said hanging the animal off a gantry like that is not the best look for the sport fishing sector.

The photo also fueled yet another debate on whether shark culling should be implemented in the area.

Australian Marine Conservation Society noted that shark culling was an intervention used earlier in Western Australia to capture and kill sharks. It is currently being implemented in some parts of Australia, such as Queensland. It involves the use of baited drumlines. Once the shark gets into the trap, they will be shot or killed.

In matters of culling, McPhee asserted that at present, there is not enough data or information about the numbers of bull shark, meaning shark culling will not be justified.

A few days ago, a drone has captured at least eight sharks in a feeding frenzy in Fingal Bay, just meters away from the shore where hundreds of stunned people watch. Moreover, last week, Laeticia Brouwer, a 17-year-old teenager surfing at a popular surfer break known as Kelp Beds, Western Australia was attacked by a great white shark.
The very last male northern white rhino has joined Tinder. Unlike many others who is on the dating application to have fun, the rhino, named Sudan, is making a last-ditch effort to save his species from extinction.

According to a report from the Associated Press, the campaign is called "The Most Eligible Bachelor in the World" and is a partnership between Kenyan wildlife group Ol Pejeta Conservancy and the Tinder dating application.

"I don't mean to be too forward, but the fate of the species literally depends on me," Sudan the rhino's Tinder profile read. "I perform well under pressure."

The 43-year-old northern white rhino is certainly under a lot of pressure. Although there are still two existing female northern white rhinos in the world -- 17-year-old Satu and 27-year-old Najin -- the trio are unable to breed naturally. Northern white rhinos are classified as critically endangered species.

"The Most Eligible Bachelor in the World" campaign aims to raise $9 million to research and develop breeding methods like in-vitro fertilization that can potentially avoid the extinction of the northern white rhinos. Fertility treatments would include using Sudan's sperm to fertilize one of the two female rhinos' egg, then getting a surrogate southern white rhino, which is a more common species, according to a report from Reuters.

To reach this goal, the highly popular dating app Tinder hopes to help expose the plight of Sudan to its millions of users around the world. After all, research has shown that there are roughly 50 million active users of Tinder who spend an average of 90 minutes per day using the app.

Rhino poachers sell the horns of northern white rhinos for about $50,000 per kilo. While the last three northern white rhinos live in a protected conservancy, they're living on borrowed time as Sudan is very old and is constantly under threat from poachers.

"The plight that currently faces the northern white rhinos is a signal to the impact that humankind is having on many thousands of other species across the planet," the conservancy's chief executive officer Richard Vigne said. "Ultimately, the aim will be to reintroduce a viable population of northern white rhino back into the wild, which is where their true value will be realized."

So if you happen to come across Sudan's profile on Tinder, please swipe right. The action directs users to the Ol Pejeta donation page online.
Today, the world is blessed with around 350 different breeds of dogs -- and counting. This doesn't even include increasingly popular cross-breeds such as labradoodles. To help make sense of it their origins and how they're all related to each other, a new study published in Cell Reports unveiled the largest map of dog breeds yet.

According to a report from Science Magazine, geneticists Elaine Ostrander and Heidi Parker have created an evolutionary tree of dogs by tracking gene sequences from 161 modern breeds.

The pair found that nearly all of the breeds fall into 23 larger groupings called clades, which are genetically defined but also often brought together canines that share specific traits such as strength, herders and hunters. This tendency suggested that in the past, dogs evolved or were bred for specific roles much like modern breeders often breed their canines to look a certain way.

"First, there was selection for a type, like herders or pointers, and then there was admixture to get certain physical traits," Parker of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) told EurekAlert. "I think that understanding that types go back a lot longer than breeds or just physical appearances do is something to really think about."

For example, "gun dogs" such as Golden Retrievers and Irish Setters are traced back to Victorian England when hunting expeditions were in vogue. Meanwhile, breeds from Middle East and Asia diverged before the "Victorian Explosion" in Europe and North America. Hunting breeds, on the other hand, are very diverse with different groups coming from all across Europe. Parker explained that this shows that using dogs to help with herding has been done for thousands of years.

Many of the popular breeds in the United States came from European descent. On the other hand, evidence emerged that a few dogs from Central and South America like the Peruvian Hairless Dog and the Xoloitzcuintle are most likely descendants of what's known as the "New World Dog". This is an ancient canine sub-species that travelled with Native American ancestor through the Bering Strait.

The knowledge of a dog's genetic origins goes beyond just show purposes. Knowledge of the clades can help veterinarians spot and predict potential genetic problems. It can even help out in human health since dogs often acquire many of the same diseases that people do, and can be easier to compartmentalize and study than human populations.
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 preorder 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)  you'd need a pilot's license to use it in the air.

"I think it's 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 Aeromobil's 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.
After filing a lawsuit against the University of California, Berkeley, Ann Coulter continues to insist that she will speak on campus as initially planned on Thursday, although the group that sponsored her scheduled speech has pulled the plug, and university officials are pushing to reschedule her visit for May 2.

On Tuesday, the Young America's Foundation, which had sponsored Coulter's appearance as part of its nationwide lecture series, announced it was backing out of the event.

"As of 4 p.m. today, Young Americas Foundation will not be moving forward with an event at Berkeley on April 27 due to the lack of assurances for protections from foreseeable violence from unrestrained leftist agitators," the YAF said in a statement. "Berkeley should be ashamed for creating this hostile atmosphere."

However, Harmeet Dhillon, attorney for the Berkeley College Republicans, said Coulter could still show up Thursday, regardless of the Young America's Foundation's move.

Coulter later Tuesday said in tweet that she still expects UC Berkeley to provide her a space to speak.

"I haven't spoken to any Berkeley students about when and where I will speak because I'm still waiting for Berkeley to tell me," she tweeted. "... Still expect Berkeley to provide a room."

Earlier Tuesday, UC Berkeley spokesman Dan Mogulof said in an email, "All we know is that Coulter is saying she will come to campus and appear in Sproul Plaza in the early afternoon. We have nothing beyond that at the moment."

There is no word yet from the Coulter camp or the Berkeley College Republicans, the student group that invited the conservative provocateur to speak about illegal immigration.

Amid the maelstrom swirling, the Berkeley Police Department on Tuesday held a public safety forum to hear about the community's concerns.

Police said that the gathering was "regularly scheduled," and it remains unclear whether the issue that is Coulter will be addressed.

Students on Tuesday weighed in on the bedlam.

"I mean, Im not a Republican, and I dont like Ann Coulter, and I wasnt a big fan of Yiannopolis, but I still think they should be allowed to speak here, and I dont think we should resort to violence in any sort of way," Amanda Chevalier said.

Matt Flynn echoed a similar sentiment.

"I find her views repulsive, but that doesnt mean she cant speak," he said. "It just means no one has to listen."

A legal team representing the Berkeley College Republicans and the conservative provocateur on Monday slapped the university with a lawsuit claiming officials violated free speech rights by calling 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.

The student group scheduled Coulter's visit for April 27, but the university last week called off the event citing security reasons.

One day later, the university changed course and allowed the event to go on, but penciled in her visit for May 2 instead of this upcoming Thursday. That decision to reschedule her speech, prompted the filing of the lawsuit.

The University of California system, UC Berkeley Police Department and numerous university officials were named in the lawsuit.

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.
Fire crews battled a blaze that started in one home in Millbury, Massachusetts, and then spread to another.

The raging fire broke out Tuesday afternoon on Upton Street, leaving three generations of one family homeless.

Neighbor Jodi Dupras said she saw, "tons of smoke and flames shooting out of the ceiling, out of the roof, so it was fully engulfed."

"My house is gone," said Jayle Barbour.

Jayle and her mom, Destiny, were home at the time and were able to escape.

"I was in my mom's room and then, all the sudden, we smelled something burning, and then we went in my room and my rug, like, was on fire," said Jayle. "I went to my bed and then everything went out the window and then it caught on fire in my grandma's house."

Millbury has a fire station right around the corner, but Chief Richard Hamilton said they had to call in mutual aid because they had water power issues.

"We had an issue, our tower was in for service, so Sutton's ladder was called, so they were actually first on scene before us as far as a ladder," Hamilton said.

The chief admits that delayed them in knocking down the fire as it spread.

"We needed a lot of water up high to knock it down and we couldn't do that initially," said Hamilton.

While Jayle's glad to have gotten out safely, she's upset with the delay and that the home her grandmother has lived in for 37 years is destroyed.

"My grandma's house wouldn't have caught on fire if they didn't take so long," she said.

The Massachusetts Fire Marshal's office is investigating the cause and origin of the fire, but the chief says, at this time, there's nothing to suggest it's suspicious.
After weeks of recovery following her complex and rare surgery in Chicago, an infant girl born with four legs and two spines was reunited with her family in Africa last week.

Known affectionately to many in the city as "Baby Dominique," the 11-month-old girl arrived at her home in the Ivory Coast, west Africa Thursday in a heartwarming and emotional reunion with her mother, father and three sisters.

I never thought that Id see my daughter like this, today, Dominiques mother said. Its really a miracle. I want to thank all the surgeons who did a great job. And also thank you to the American people who helped my little Dominique, who allowed her to have a normal life, like other children.

Young Dominique came to Chicago with an extremely rare parasitic conjoined twin. Doctors say the bottom half of her not-fully-developed twins body was protruding from the infants neck and back.

Its very rare because it was attached at the back of her spine, said Dr. John Ruge, a pediatric neurosurgeon. It was as if the twin from the waist down had been attached to the back of Dominiques neck and there was a pelvis and bladder and functional legs that moved and feet coming out the back of Dominiques neck. This was very dangerous for Dominique.

Ruge said the parasitic twin caused Dominiques heart and lungs to do the work for two bodies and could have ultimately paralyzed her.

Advocate Children's Hospital

The child was brought to Chicago in February with the help of an organization called Childrens Medical Missions West and has been living with a host family while doctors at Advocate Childrens Hospital meticulously studied her case.

Its really hard to even put a number on how rare it is, said Dr. Robert Kellogg.

Despite her condition, her host family said the child had a bubbly personality and was a very happy baby when she arrived in the U.S.

A woman was killed and a man injured when gunfire erupted at a party on Chicagos Far South Side late Saturday, according to police. NBC 5s Emily Florez reports.

If you can say love at first sight I think thats true for us, said Nancy Swabb, who had been caring for Dominique during her time in the city.

After weeks of planning, on March 8, Dominique underwent a six-hour surgery that involved five surgeons and 50 clinicians.

Advocate Children's Hospital

The surgery went very well, said Kellogg. There were no complications. We expect her to make a full recovery and live an essentially normal life from here on.

Doctors said Dominique is now essentially a normal baby and are confident she can go on to live a healthy life.

It is awesome to see Dominique back home in the care of her family, Ruge said. It is the perfect ending to her journey to the United States. It is also a great beginning for her new life in the Ivory Coast. Im so proud of our surgical team and the impact we have had on little Dominiques life. It is why we do what we do every day.
A Wisconsin man accused of stealing a cache of weapons and sending an anti-government manifesto to the White House failed to stand for a federal judge at his arraignment.

Joseph Jakubowski appeared in court in Madison Tuesday on felony possession and theft of firearms charges.

Jakubowski didn't stand as Magistrate Judge Stephen Crocker entered the court, nor did he speak during the brief arraignment. WKOW-TV reports that his public defender, Joe Bugni, entered not guilty pleas on Jakubowski's behalf.

Prosecutors say Jakubowski mailed a rambling manifesto to President Donald Trump then stole 18 firearms from a store in Janesville on April 4. He was arrested 10 days later while camping on private property in southwestern Wisconsin, about 140 miles from Janesville.

Jakubowski pleaded not guilty to state charges later Tuesday.
A pickup truck appears to have hit the side of the Marriott in downtown Hartford.

The driver was loaded into an ambulance, according to a member of the NBC Connecticut staff who saw the aftermath of the accident.

NBC Connecticut has reached out to police for more information.

No other details were immediately available.
Just two days before the General Assembly's budget writing committee was supposed to complete work before floor debate on a two year spending, Democrats pulled a spending plan that had been negotiated for over two months.

Republicans quickly pointed the finger at Democrats who control the House of Representatives, and have a tiebreaker in the State Senate.

Theyre the ones who called the meeting for today," said Sen. Len Fasano, the Republican President Pro-Tem of the Senate.

Fasano and Rep. Themis Klarides, the House Republican Leader, said talks had been ongoing since February, but later said one Senate Republican was later barred from final talks with Democrats.

Fasano said the Democrats are responsible since they control the levers of the General Assembly.

"They caucused, they had us caucus. They told the press they were ready, they had the budget books printed, they were set. So for what happened, you have to ask them, Fasano said.

Democrats pointed the finger back at Republicans, but also had to deal with rumor and innuendo regarding the timeline of events.

The two-year $41 billion budget proposal stripped out some of the most controversial elements that were proposed by Gov. Dannel Malloy in February.

The budget included no increases to state sales or income taxes, but did include other fee hikes and an increased cigarette tax.

Multiple sources told NBC Connecticut different accounts as to who was to blame. One Democrat in the House who was granted anonymity to speak candidly, said it was Senate Democrats who had issues wrangling votes. Another Democrat in the State Senate told NBC Connecticut that Democratic House Speaker Joe Aresimowicz made the call himself to pull the budget.

Aresimowicz beat back such claims during a news conference Tuesday afternoon, and said Republicans were the ones who didn't work in good faith to pass a budget.

Im willing to hit the reset button," Aresimowicz said. "While disappointed and a little taken aback by the activities of that last few days, I think the state of Connecticut deserves a bipartisan budget that we can all say we had a hand in.

Senate President Pro Tem Martin Looney released a statement later saying Senate Democrats were united on the Appropriations Committee to pass a budget.

Majority Leader Bob Duff hinted that Republicans worked to provide an illusion that they wanted a bipartisan budget, despite a recent history of showing no interest in working with Democrats.

The Republicans have not voted for a budget in ten years, so Im not sure if they just got nervous and they decided to walk away but we hope to certainly hope to bring everybody back to the table for a bipartisan budget," Duff said.
A 28-year-old Plano man suspected of killing his father is behind bars and being held on $500,000 bond.

Plano police said U.S. Marshals Joint East Texas Fugitive Task Force took Kenneth Alleman Midgley II into custody Tuesday. Plano police said Midgley was taken into custody at D/FW Airport by detectives and the task force.

Midgley II was wanted in connection with the killing of his father, Kenneth Alleman Midgley, who was found dead at a home in the 4700 block of Nocona Drive in Plano at about 2:30 p.m. April 15.

Plano police said in an arrest affidavit they were contacted by the daughter of Kenneth Midgley asking for them to check on her father. The affidavit also said the suspect, Kenneth Midgley II, told his mother "you can't talk to Dad because he's not alive."

Officers responded to the home and found a note saying "It's in the freezer."

According to investigators, a note was left behind signed by "Kenny" saying something bad happened. The note also said "Dad" was hit with a steel rod by the author of the note.

Officers found the body of the father Kenneth Midgley wrapped in a tarp in a freezer in the garage of the home. According to the affidavit, officers also found a steel rod nearby that appeared to have blood on it and the same tape used on the tarp.

Despite a previous report saying Midgley II was arrested in Mexico and returned to Texas, Plano police said he was arrested at D/FW Airport.

Midgley II was booked into jail on a charge of murder. His bond was set at $500,000.

The investigation into the death is ongoing.
Dallas are police looking for help finding a man who robbed and sexually assaulted a woman in her home last week.

Police said the armed man entered the woman's residence at The Thread apartments on Maham Road at about 12:15 p.m. Thursday, April 20 and demanded property.

The man then sexually assaulted the woman before leaving her home at about 12:45 p.m., police said.

The victim described her attacker to police as a heavy set Latin man in his early 20s who is about 5 feet 7 inches tall. He had short black hair and spoke Spanish.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact Detective A. Lopez at 214-671-3584 or abel.lopez@dpd.ci.dallas.tx.us.

Crime Stoppers will pay up to $5,000 for information called into Crime Stoppers that leads to the arrest and indictment for this felony offense and other felony offenses. Call Crime Stoppers at 214-373-TIPS, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz wants funds seized from El Chapo, and other drug lords, to pay for the border wall.

On Tuesday, Cruz introduced the Ensuring Lawful Collection of Hidden Assets to Provide Order (EL CHAPO) Act that would "reserve any amounts forfeited to the U.S. Government as a result of the criminal prosecution of El Chapo (formally named Joaquin Archivaldo Guzman Lorea) and other drug lords for border security assets and the completion of the wall along the U.S.-Mexico border."

In a statement Tuesday, Cruz said the U.S. government is seeking the criminal forfeiture of $14 billion in drug proceeds from El Chapo.

Fourteen billion dollars will go a long way toward building a wall that will keep Americans safe and hinder the illegal flow of drugs, weapons, and individuals across our southern border, said Cruz. Ensuring the safety and security of Texans is one of my top priorities. We must also be mindful of the impact on the federal budget. By leveraging any criminally forfeited assets of El Chapo and his ilk, we can offset the walls cost and make meaningful progress toward achieving President Trumps stated border security objectives.

El Chapo is the former leader of the Sinaloa Cartel who escaped a Mexican prison in July 2015 before being recaptured in January 2016 and extradited to a U.S. prison in January 2017. He's expected to face criminal prosecution for numerous alleged drug-related crimes, including conspiracy to commit murder and money laundering.
What to Know Uber contracting with Bell and other aircraft manufacturers to develop electric VTOL aircraft for taxi service.

Real estate developer Hillwood Properties will develop three North Texas vertiports for demonstrations by 2020.

Uber estimates rider costs could be $20 for a 15 minute flight from San Francisco to San Jose - akin to going from Dallas to Fort Worth.

Uber announced Tuesday they're partnering with Fort Worth-based Bell Helicopter and four other aircraft manufacturers to build flying taxis that, if all goes to plan, could be whisking North Texans over the Metroplex in just a few years.

The San Francisco-based transportation/tech company said Tuesday they're working with local North Texas governments and real estate developer Hillwood Properties to find suitable locations for vertiports (an airport where aircraft take off and land vertically) around Dallas-Fort Worth.

As part of the deal with Uber, Hillwood agreed to an ambitious timeline where they will develop at least three North Texas vertiport hubs capable of operating VTOL (Vertical Take-off and Landing - pronounced Vee-Toll) vehicles on the Uber network by 2020 for flight demonstrations.

"It even goes back to the Wright brothers, where they wanted to develop a transportation solution that people could use every day, in their normal life, " said Mark Moore, Ubers director of engineering for aviation. "Finally, the technologies are ready."

Uber, who made the announcement Tuesday at Uber's Elevate Summit, expects to use pilots with full-scale taxi operations by 2023.

Uber

Uber convened the worlds first VTOL summit in the Metroplex to bring together key stakeholders who have been working independently around the globe and across industries. As one of the largest helicopter companies in the world based in Fort Worth, Bell Helicopter is a key manufacturer in this process and Uber is grateful for their collaboration," said Moore in a prepared statement.

Among the most critical challenges Uber sees slowing their progress, certifying VTOL aircraft with the Federal Aviation Administration, battery technology to make eVTOL aircraft more efficient, vehicle performance and reliability as well as straining the current ATC system, which they concede will need to be upgraded to handle the increased number of aircraft operating over metropolitan areas. Costs, safety, aircraft noise and emissions are also areas of concern.

Uber's only estimate for costs for U.S.-based riders shows an initial cost of $129 for a trip from downtown San Francisco to downtown San Jose - a trip that would take more than two hours on Caltrain and more than 90 minutes by Uber X. Long term costs, however, drop significantly to $20 for the 15 minute trip.

Bell, along with aircraft manufacturers Aurora Flight Sciences, Pipistrel Aircraft, Mooney and Embraer, will develop eVTOL "aircraft that satisfy short distance urban operations." Uber has partnered with ChargePoint to develop VTOL charging solutions throughout the network.

Ubers Elevate network is an exciting opportunity for Bell Helicopter to help transform how cities move people and products in the future. While creating a real, viable urban air taxi network isnt going to happen tomorrow, this future is closer than many people realize. We are optimistic about the positive impact VTOLs will have on addressing transportation challenges in Dallas-Fort Worth and other cities around the globe," said Mitch Snyder, president and CEO of Bell Helicopter in a prepared statement.

"Bells initial propulsion technology focus is expected to be hybrid electric with an eventual goal of fully electric," Uber said.

Uber's long-term goal is to create a network through which electric VTOL vehicles provide safe transportation and delivery services in numerous cities worldwide.

"I think it's exciting for Dallas-Fort Worth area both from the standpoint of being a starting point for the service itself, which will provide mobility to people in this area, but also for the potential for the economy as well," said Michael Thacker, EVP of Technology and Innovation at Bell Helicopter.

Uber will participate in the development of airspace control software and hardware for the management of Pilot VTOLs on the Elevate Network, and provide interface connectivity with airspace controllers/regulators.

In a statement Tuesday to NBC 5, the FAA said:

"We are taking a flexible, risk-based approach to integrating innovative new technologies into the world's busiest, most complex, and safest aviation system. We're already working on automation in unmanned aircraft ("drone") systems that may ultimately have applications for autonomous 'flying car' designs. We have discussed certification projects with several manufacturers of aircraft that will be flown with a pilot in the beginning, then be converted to an autonomous passenger air car in the future. We also have been working with NASAs On Demand Mobility project addressing advanced air transportation concepts, which include similar vehicles. These autonomous passenger air car concepts are still in their early stages of development. Several areas need further research, particularly identifying the operational risks, making sure the automation that 'flies' the autonomous vehicle is safe, and how the automation will interact with the air traffic control system."

The FAA statement continued by adding that, "if a flying vehicle also operates as a 'roadable car' on streets/highways, it must meet NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) standards."

Online: To see live video Tuesday and Wednesday from the Uber Elevate summit, click here.
Senate Bill 4, or the Sanctuary Cities Bill, will likely move a step closer becoming law as it is set to hit the House floor Wednesday.

The bill would allow law enforcement to ask about immigration status during an arrest and would ban local governments and colleges from creating sanctuary policies.

While SB4 is expected to pass, it wont come without a last minute fight from local and state civil liberties groups.

Sadly, I feel like across the nation, Texas will be seen as Arizona was seen years ago, said Julio Acosta, Faith in Texas volunteer. [State lawmakers will have] purposefully passed legislation to hurt certain communities or certain parts of the community.

Groups from across the state and many from North Texas will travel to Austin to fight against the bill. They are concerned with what the bill would mean to police agencies in Texas and how it could affect public safety. Some say it would damage the trust between police and the Hispanic community beyond repair.

If they feel fear, sadly we feel they wont come forward with critical information, Acosta said. So, that is our main concern. That it will make communities less safe.

There are also concerns about added duties and stress it could add to police agencies.

Many police departments across Texas say they are already understaffed [and] overworked, Acosta said. What we would do with burdening them with more thingstaking their time and resources away from protecting and serving the community.

State Sen. Charles Perry is co-sponsor of the bill. His office provided NBC 5 with a statement about Wednesdays statehouse actions.

It reads in part:

"Banning Sanctuary Cities *is* about keeping our communities' safe by ensuring those who engage in criminal activity are not automatically released back into our communities. Since this bill focuses on keeping our communities safe, we specifically protect victims and witnesses of crime in Senate Bill 4 to make sure no one is hindered from reporting crime."

The State Senate passed it and the House modified it to only allow police to ask about immigration status if someone is actually arrested. Opponents of the measure say that is not enough.
President Donald Trump will mark the end of his first 100 days in office with a flurry of executive orders, looking to fulfill campaign promises and rack up victories ahead of that milestone by turning to a presidential tool he once derided. But Trump's frequent use of the executive order points to his struggles getting legislation through a Congress controlled by his own party and few of the orders themselves appear to deliver the sweeping changes the president has promised.

White House aides said that Trump will have signed 32 executive orders by Friday, the most of any president in their first 100 days since World War II. That's a far cry from Trump's heated campaign rhetoric, in which he railed against his predecessor's use of executive action late in his tenure as President Barack Obama sought to maneuver around a Republican Congress. Trump argued that he, the consummate deal maker, wouldn't need to rely on the tool.

"The country wasn't based on executive orders," said Trump at a town hall in South Carolina in February 2016. "Right now, Obama goes around signing executive orders. He can't even get along with the Democrats, and he goes around signing all these executive orders. It's a basic disaster. You can't do it."

But after taking office, Trump has learned to love the executive order.

In an email blast to reporters on Tuesday, the White House touted the sheer volume of orders as evidence for the suspect claim that "Trump has accomplished more in his 100 days than any other President since Franklin Roosevelt." The White House has defended the use of executive orders as necessary to accomplish the speedy solutions it says the American people elected Trump to enact.

At first, the president's West Wing advisers fashioned an onslaught of executive action to set the tone for this term, with the centerpiece of that first-week blitz being Trump's travel ban. But that hastily drawn ban was rejected by the courts. A second replacement order also remains in judicial limbo.

Presidents frequently turn to executive orders when they struggle to advance their agendas through Congresses controlled by the opposition party. In Trump's case, he's struggled even though both houses of Congress are in the hands of Republicans; his health care bill never even came for a vote in the House of Representatives after it drew sharp criticism from moderate and conservative Republicans alike.

And in the Senate, Republicans need to win over some Democratic lawmakers to get the 60 votes needed for passage of a contested bill. But the Senate is generally more inclined to cut bipartisan deals than the House because senators have statewide constituencies.

"This president has found that legislating is hard work," said Mark Rozell, dean of George Mason University's Schar School of Policy and Government. "Executive orders are the easiest, simplest way to showcase action by the president to begin to fulfill some of the pledges made in the campaign."

A review of Trump's executive orders reveals that a number of them represent necessary first steps at unraveling Obama-era environmental safeguards and financial service regulations. In some cases, there is no other way around those administrative hoops and some of the orders have brought about major changes. Among them: his late March order that directed federal agencies to rescind any existing regulations that "unduly burden the development of domestic energy resources," a move that rolls back environmental protections that was denounced by Democrats and environmentalists and cheered by Republicans who advocate energy independence.

But many of Trump's executive orders signed with great fanfare have had little immediate impact.

For instance, during his campaign, Trump talked tough on trade, vowing to slap punitive tariffs on companies that move production offshore and on countries that undercut U.S. goods. Aides hailed one of the executive orders he signed on the topic as "historic." Yet the order called only for the completion within 90 days of a large-scale report to identify trade abuse and non-reciprocal practice.

And while Trump has pledged to overhaul the nation's tax code, the order he signed on Friday simply commissions a review of the nation's tax regulations.

On Tuesday, Trump is expected to sign an order that will create an inter-agency task force that that will be charged with identifying measures to spur American agricultural growth. On Thursday, he's expected to sign an order to create whistleblower protections in the Office of Veteran Affairs while making it easier to discipline or terminate employees who fail to carry out their duties to help veterans. He's also poised to sign an order that directs a review of the locations available for off-shore oil and gas exploration. Another will instruct the Interior Department to review national monument designations made over the past two decades.

"Unlike his predecessor who abused executive authority to expand the size and scope of the federal government in an end run around Congress, President Trump is using his legal authority to restrain Washington bureaucrats," said White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders.

Trump is far from the first president to turn to governing by executive orders signed from the friendly confines of the Oval Office rather than by legislation that would need to wend its way through the halls of Congress. Obama had frequently criticized his predecessor, George W. Bush, for governing unilaterally, but he too turned to the executive action, particularly after the Republicans seized control of Capitol Hill.

Obama signed 276 during his eight years in office, slightly less than Bush (291) and Bill Clinton (364) did in their two terms, according to data from the University of California-Santa Barbara. Executive orders were used relatively infrequently until Theodore Roosevelt ushered in a new era of executive action at the beginning of the 19th century, signing more than 1,000 while in office and establishing a template his successors.
For the third time in two months, a federal judge has knocked down an immigration order by President Donald Trump  he vowed to appeal the "ridiculous" decision  and used Trump's own language against him in the ruling.

In a ruling on Tuesday, U.S. District Judge William Orrick quoted Trump to support his decision to block the president's order to withhold funding from "sanctuary cities" that do not cooperate with U.S. immigration officials.

Trump called the sanctuary cities order a "weapon" against communities that disagree with his preferred immigration policy, Orrick said. The judge also cited a February interview in which he said the president threatened to cut off funding to California, saying the state "in many ways is out of control."

The first comment was evidence that the administration intended the executive order to apply broadly to all sorts of federal funding, and not a relatively small pot of grant money as the Department of Justice had argued, the judge said.

The second statement showed the two California governments that sued to block the order  San Francisco and Santa Clara County  had good reason to believe they would be targeted, Orrick said.

The sanctuary city order was among a flurry of immigration measures Trump signed in January, including a ban on travelers from seven Muslim-majority countries and a directive calling for a wall on the Mexican border.

As the administration approaches its 100th day in office later this month, Orrick's ruling was another immigration policy setback, which Trump noted Wednesday morning in a tweet.

"First the Ninth Circuit rules against the ban & now it hits again on sanctuary cities-both ridiculous rulings. See you in the Supreme Court!" he wrote, incorrectly referring to the Ninth Circuit.

While Trump tweeted a similar vow to appeal to the Supreme Court over the Ninth Circuit ruling on his travel ban, his administration has not yet done so.

Trump's words were also cited by federal judges in Maryland and Hawaii, who last month blocked his revised ban on new visas for people from six Muslim-majority countries. U.S. District Judge Derrick Watson in Hawaii and U.S. District Judge Theodore Chuang in Maryland said comments by Trump supported the allegation that the ban was aimed at Muslims.

Orrick's preliminary injunction against the sanctuary cities order will stay in place while the lawsuits by San Francisco and Santa Clara work their way through court.

The government hasn't cut off any money yet or declared any communities sanctuary cities. But the Justice Department sent letters last week advising communities to prove they are in compliance. California was informed it could lose $18.2 million.

Orrick said Trump cannot set new conditions on spending approved by Congress.

Even if the president could do so, those conditions would have to be clearly related to the funds at issue and not coercive, as the executive order appeared to be, Orrick said.

White House chief of staff Reince Priebus described the ruling as another example of the "9th Circuit going bananas."

The administration has often criticized the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Orrick does not sit on that court but his district is in the territory of the appeals court, which has ruled against one version of Trump's travel ban.

"The idea that an agency can't put in some reasonable restriction on how some of these moneys are spent is something that will be overturned eventually, and we will win at the Supreme Court level at some point," Priebus said.

The Trump administration says sanctuary cities allow dangerous criminals back on the street and that the order is needed to keep the country safe. San Francisco and other sanctuary cities say turning local police into immigration officers erodes the trust that is needed to get people to report crime.

San Francisco City Attorney Dennis Herrera praised the ruling and said the president was "forced to back down."

"This is why we have courts  to halt the overreach of a president and an attorney general who either don't understand the Constitution or chose to ignore it," Herrera said in a statement.

Associated Press writers Sadie Gurman and Julie Bykowicz contributed to this story.
A 13-year-old girl was shot and killed Tuesday evening when police say a gun accidentally went off at a home in Florida City, and her brother is one of two people who have been arrested in that shooting.

Miami-Dade Police officials say they got a call from the victim's brother who stated that he had shot the teen, Tedra King. Fire Rescue crews attempted to help her, but King died at the scene.

The 17-year-old brother, who police identified as Martaevious Santiago, had pointed the gun at King's head and pulled the trigger as she turned to walk away from him, according to police. Officials said it was Santiago's birthday and they were playing around.

Santiago was arrested and charged with aggravated manslaughter and possession of a weapon during a felony.

Police say the weapon was given to the shooter by a 14-year-old who was charged on an outstanding delinquency warrant.

King's stepfather said he was home at the time and heard screaming but not the fatal shot.

"I didn't hear anything in my back room, it happened in my living room, the wall blocked everything out," Vernon Williams said. "I didn't hear the gun shot, just a lot of screaming."

Williams said he didn't understand how the teens got a gun.

"That's just it, I don't know, there's no weapons in my home, I don't know, I don't know," Williams said.

Miami-Dade Schools Superintendent Alberto Carvalho took to Twitter early Wednesday morning, shortly after news broke of yet another shooting involving a student:

Criminally or accidentally, the carnage continues. A 13-year old middle schooler is latest victim of heartbreaking, reckless gun violence.  Alberto M. Carvalho (@MiamiSup) April 26, 2017

Accidental but not acceptable. In the streets, at home, easy access to guns is, itself, indicting. How many more will it take?#EnoughCarnage  Alberto M. Carvalho (@MiamiSup) April 26, 2017

Crisis teams will be at Homestead Middle School, where the victim attended, Wednesday to help students in dealing with the news.

A recent survey from the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence shows that one in every three homes with children have a gun in them - with 42 percent of parents keeping at least one gun unlocked and 25 percent keeping their gun loaded.

The survey also reports nine children and teens are shot every day in accidents - putting the number at over 3,000 shot each year.
A Venezuelan man living in South Florida after he fled his native country and is seeking political asylum was detained Wednesday.

Marco Coello was prepared to go in for his asylum interview when immigration officials showed up and arrested him because they say he overstayed his VISA. His family and attorney are demanding justice for Coello, who was known as a vocal protester in Venezuela.

"Today, what happened at the Miami asylum office was nothing less than a travesty of justice," said attorney Elizabeth Blandon.

Coello passionately resisted the Nicolas Maduro regime and was even arrested during a student march in 2014. Fearing for his rights, Coello fled Venezuela to avoid a prison sentence and took refuge in South Florida.

"He applied for asylum days after arriving in the United States in September 2015. Twice he asked the government please expedite my interview," Blandon said.

Coello was granted the interview Wednesday and that's when officers showed up and took him to the Krome Detention Center. Now, his family and his attorney are worried about his PTSD, due to the torture they say he endured at the hands of Venezuelan authorities.

"Marco Coello has a very delicate psychological state," said Blandon.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement released a statement Wednesday:

Marco Coello has one misdemeanor criminal conviction and did not depart the country in accordance with his visa. As a result, he violated the terms of his nonimmigrant status in the United States. As Secretary Kelly has stated, ICE will no longer exempt classes or categories of removable aliens from potential enforcement. All of those in violation of the immigration laws may be subject to immigration arrest, detention and, if found removable by final order, removal from the United States.



Coello's father, Armando Coello said he is devastated about his son's ordeal.

"I never think to see this situation in this country," Coello's father said.

With the current tumultuous political situation and humanitarian crisis unfolding in Venezuela, Coello's family is concerned that he could be met with serious repercussions if he is sent back to his native country.

Sen. Marco Rubio weighed in on Coello's detainment Wednesday on Twitter. In his tweets, Rubio said he hoped the situation was a misunderstanding.
The Trump administration told lawmakers Wednesday it will apply economic and diplomatic pressure on North Korea to dismantle its nuclear weapons program, as an extraordinary White House briefing served to tamp down talk of military action against an unpredictable and increasingly dangerous U.S. adversary.

President Donald Trump welcomed Republican and Democratic senators before his secretary of state, defense secretary, top general and national intelligence director conducted a classified briefing. The same team also met with House members in the Capitol to outline the North's escalating nuclear capabilities and U.S. response options to what they called an "urgent national security threat."

After weeks of unusually blunt military threats, the joint statement by the agency chiefs said Trump's approach "aims to pressure North Korea into dismantling its nuclear, ballistic missile and proliferation programs by tightening economic sanctions and pursuing diplomatic measures with our allies and regional partners." It made no specific mention of military options, though it said the U.S. would defend itself and friends.

The unprecedented meeting in a building adjacent to the White House reflected the increased American alarm over North Korea's progress in developing a nuclear-tipped missile that could strike the U.S. mainland. A flurry of military activity, by North Korea and the U.S. and its partners on and around the divided Korean Peninsula, has added to the world's sense of alert.

While tensions have increased since Trump took office, they've escalated dramatically in recent weeks as American and other intelligence agencies suggested the North was readying for a possible nuclear test. Although such an explosion hasn't yet occurred, Trump has sent high-powered U.S. military vessels and an aircraft carrier to the region in a show of force, while the North conducted large-scale, live-fire artillery drills, witnessed by national leader Kim Jong Un, earlier this week.

On Wednesday, South Korea started installing key parts of a contentious U.S. missile defense system that also has sparked Chinese and Russian concerns.

America's Pacific forces commander, Adm. Harry Harris Jr., told Congress on Wednesday the system would be operational within days. He said any North Korean missile fired at U.S. forces would be destroyed.

"If it flies, it will die," Harris said.

The Trump administration has said all options, including a military strike, are on the table. But the administration's statement after briefing senators  all 100 members were invited  outlined a similar approach to the Obama administration's focus on pressuring Pyongyang to return to long-stalled denuclearization talks. Trump's top national security advisers said they were "open to negotiations" with the North, though they gave no indication of when or under what circumstances.

The strategy hinges greatly on the cooperation of China, North Korea's main trading partner.

"China is the key to this," said Republican Sen. John McCain of Arizona, who got a preview of Trump's message at a dinner with the president this week.

Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff of California agreed. "I think the best approach for the administration is to bring the maximum pressure to bear diplomatically on China, as well as North Korea, but otherwise to walk softly and carry a big stick," he told reporters after attending the Capitol Hill briefing Wednesday.

Among the options are returning North Korea to the U.S. state sponsor of terrorism blacklist, which Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said last week was under consideration. His spokesman, Mark Toner, said Wednesday that another tactic is getting nations around the world to close down North Korean embassies and consulates, or suspending them from international organizations.

But sanctions will be the greatest tool at the Trump administration's disposal. Tillerson is chairing a U.N. Security Council meeting Friday designed to get nations to enforce existing penalties on North Korea and weigh new ones.

Testifying before the House Armed Services Committee, Harris said he expects North Korea to soon be able to develop a long-range missile capable of striking the United States, as Kim has promised. "One of these days soon, he will succeed," Harris said.

North Korea's U.N. mission said Wednesday the nation would react to "a total war" with Washington by using nuclear weapons. It vowed victory in a "death-defying struggle against the U.S. imperialists."

Trump, like presidents before him, faces difficult options. Sanctions haven't forced Pyongyang to abandon its nuclear efforts, but a targeted U.S. attack to take out its weapons program risks a wider war along a heavily militarized border near where tens of millions of South Koreans live. The threat would extend to nearby Japan, another country North Korea regularly threatens.

China has urged restraint by both Pyongyang and Washington. In Berlin Wednesday, Foreign Minister Wang Yi said North Korea must suspend its nuclear activities, but "on the other side, the large-scale military maneuvers in Korean waters should be halted." That was a reference to U.S. and South Korean war games.

China opposes the Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense system, or THAAD, being installed in South Korea, rejecting American assurances that it will only target North Korean missiles. Russia also sees the system's powerful radars as a security threat.

In Beijing, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said THAAD would upset the region's "strategic balance." China will take "necessary measures to defend our own interests," he promised.
A pit bull took a chunk out of an NYPD detective's leg as authorities executed a search warrant inside a Queens home Wednesday morning, police confirm.



The officer was taken to Jamaica Hospital after the 5 a.m. attack at the apartment on Beach 27th Street. The detective is expected to be OK.



The dog wasn't hurt in the fray; it wasn't clear what would happen to the animal in the wake of the attack.



The nature of the search warrant wasn't immediately clear.
Police are investigating some human remains found in a park in Greenwich, Connecticut.

Town officials say workers at Helen Binney Kitchel Natural Park were clearing debris from a wooded section of the park Wednesday morning when they discovered the remains.

Police have closed off the area as they investigate. The medical examiner's office has preliminarily determined the remains belonged to a human adult.

State police say they're assisting Greenwich police on the scene at Harding and Laddison Rock roads.

Greenwich Police Lt. David Nemecek says it doesn't appear the death happened recently.

"At this point we don't believe it is an immediate threat to the community," he said. "It seems like it was some time in the past."

Police say they're checking missing persons reports and reaching out to neighboring towns as part of their investigation.
If a nuclear blast went off in the New York City metropolitan area, how prepared would emergency responders be?

That's the question local authorities are looking to answer in a multi-agency, multi-day drill at MetLife Stadium in what they're calling the Gotham Shield Exercise for Emergency Medical Services.

The FEMA-led exercise involves federal, state, county and local jurisdictions from New York, New Jersey and Connecticut.

Assuming the epicenter of the blast is in the north Hudson or south Bergen area of New Jersey, the exercise challenged responders to work with each other and respond to the theoretical mass casualty event at MetLife Stadium where thousands would be triaged.

The exercise assumed virtually everyone within a 10-mile radius of the explosion site would die, though not right away, according to a law enforcement source involved in the drill: 40,000 people would die on the first day, and then many more would die in subsequent days.

There were no real people posing as patients -- the agencies simply exercised their plans, procedures and equipment as if there were thousands at the stadium.

The Morris County Office of Emergency Management, one of the agencies participating in the drill, said Tuesday, "We pride ourselves on our capability to respond to the worst-case scenario, and today's exercise provided a framework for dealing with the type of event we hope to never experience."

At Teanecks Holy Name Medical Center, staff were drilling on Tuesday.

"We got to practice donning and doffing the protective gear, and using the equipment and actually setting up tents," said Emergency Room Director Dr. Richard Schwab. "It was really valuable."
What to Know Gov. Cuomo has unveiled an anti-gang initiative to crack down on MS-13 violence on Long Island

The initiative includes undercover investigations, increased patrols, expanded access to resources and more investigators and state troopers

MS-13 is believed to be behind killings of young people in Brentwood and Central Islip in recent months

Gov. Andrew Cuomo says the state will be providing expanded access to intelligence and law enforcement resources in an effort help federal and local authorities crack down on the recent spate of deadly gang violence on Long Island.

The governor on Wednesday said state police will also launch expanded patrols and undercover operations in the Brentwood and Central Islip areas of Suffolk County.

Cuomo said the state will provide intelligence expertise, state of the art electronic surveillance equipment, vehicles, aviation equipment, and more to combat gang violence, focusing on the gang MS-13 on Long Island.

"This concerted law enforcement effort now, combining federal, state, and local resources, we believe is going to make a marked difference and as I say, we will not rest until MS-13 is put out of business because we have zero tolerance in this state for the thuggery that MS-13 has made their calling card," Cuomo said.

In addition to the expanded patrols and undercover investigations, Cuomo said federal and local partners will be provided with expanded access to state intelligence and resources, new investigators will join the FBI-led Long Island Gang Task Force, and dozens more state troopers will help combat gang violence. The state's Gang Intelligence Unit will also add a Long Island-based investigator, Cuomo said.

Local authorities suspect MS-13 members are behind the killings of four young people there earlier this month. They're among 11 killings that have rattled working-class immigrants since last year.

"MS-13 is an international crime organization," Cuomo said. "They are a network that has created horrendous crimes. Their currency is fear and intimidation, and they are getting more outrageous and more obnoxious in their activities."

The street gang, also called Mara Salvatrucha, was founded in Los Angeles in the mid-1980s by immigrants fleeing El Salvador's civil war.

"MS-13 are thugs," Cuomo said. "They are thugs who prey on young people and recruit young people."

"Our job is to say to MS-13: Enough is enough," he said.

U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions plans to visit Central Islip on Friday. The Trump administration vowed earlier this month to crack down on MS-13.
Just weeks before hanging himself in a Massachusetts prison cell, ex-NFL star Aaron Hernandez reportedly hinted about suicide in a letter to a jailhouse friend.

"I think I'm going to hang it up, LOL," Hernandez allegedly wrote to inmate Kyle Kennedy, according his lawyer.

Kennedy, who is serving an armed robbery sentence, didn't take the comments seriously at the time, Attorney Larry Army Jr. said at a news conference Wednesday.

Hernandez, 27, and Kennedy, 22, were "close friends" who spent a great deal of time together in prison and requested to be cellmates last fall, Army said. The request was denied because of the "size difference" between the two men.

Asked about the nature of his client and Hernandez's relationship, Army said "Any discussion will come directly from [Kennedy's] mouth so there's no confusion." He said Kennedy will address the extent of their relationship "At some point in time in the near future."

Army said his client was "stunned and saddened" by the news of Hernandez's suicide. "He thought it was a joke. He thought the people in the jail were playing a game because they knew the closeness of the two."

Kennedy also issued a statement of his own Wednesday, saying, "I miss my friend, Aaron Hernandez. I'd like to send my condolences to his fiancee, his mother and his daughter."

The night before Hernandezs suicide, Kennedy was removed from general population for a "jailhouse violation," according to Army, but he believes he was the last person to see Hernandez alive.

Investigators revealed that Hernandez left three handwritten notes in his prison cell before he hanged himself April 19. Two of the letters were addressed to family. Army said Kennedy believes the third note belongs to him and is entitled to see it.

"My client does firmly believe that one of the letters was written to him, coming from his own knowledge of the relationship he and Hernandez shared, and because someone at the jail indicated one of the letters was to him," Army said.

The note has sparked rumors and speculation about the nature of Hernandez's relationships while in custody.

During a court hearing Monday seeking copies of the letters, Hernandez attorney George Leontire said the public scrutiny was unfair to the ex-NFL player's family, who learned about the letters, Kennedy and even a rumored sexual relationship from the media.

In a statement Tuesday, Hernandez family attorney Jose Baez denied allegations of a gay relationship between Hernandez and Kennedy, and criticized the media and Army of perpetuating "malicious leaks."

"Rumors of letters to a gay lover, in or out of prison, are false,"Hernandez family attorney Jose Baez said Tuesday. "These are malicious leaks used to tarnish someone who is dead. I urge anyone continuing to spread these malicious untruths to cease immediately."

The lawyer also said Hernandez had verbally promised to give Kennedy a $47,000 custom-made watch on his birthday last August, and had written letters to Hernandez's family.

"Mr. Kennedy, it's Aaron. I'm writing to you, and Pure (Kennedy's prison name) doesn't know. He is my brother and he always will be," read one letter to Kennedy's father. Army said Hernandez wrote letters to Kennedy's stepbrothers and stepsisters as well.

Kennedy is back on suicide watch, but according to Army its only procedural and says his client was not "a risk to himself."

Kennedy arrived at the Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center in Shirley, Massachusetts, in 2015 after he was convicted of armed robbery. Army said he and Hernandez knew each other before that time, but would not elaborate.

Meanwhile, the Souza-Baranowski prison remains on lockdown with inmates not allowed to leave their cells and visiting hours canceled. State Department of Corrections spokesman Christopher Fallon confirmed the lockdown has been in place since Monday and will remain in effect while officials search for drugs and other contraband.

In other developments Wednesday, a Massachusetts judge scheduled arguments on a request to vacate Hernandez's conviction in the Lloyd case. Judge E. Susan Garsh announced Wednesday that she'll hold a May 9 hearing in Fall River.

On Tuesday, Hernandez's lawyers asked that his first-degree murder conviction be dismissed. The Bristol County district attorney's office, which prosecuted the case, has said it intends to challenge the request. It has until May 1 to file papers making its case. Under a long-standing Massachusetts legal principle, courts customarily vacate the convictions of defendants who die before their appeals are heard.
As the battle over immigration rages, Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro appeared to back down from a challenge to President Donald Trumps controversial travel ban.

He was not among 16 Democratic attorneys general to file an amicus brief supporting Hawaiis efforts to block the travel ban, which impacted passengers from majority-Muslim countries.

Shapiro said he was proud to be a leader  in the first legal battle over the presidents executive order. His decision not to join the brief was guided by the law, he added in a written statement provided to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

I wish the president would withdraw this second travel ban just as he did the first one, he said. Ive never been afraid of standing up to the president when we disagree. This ban does not make us more safe, and is not in the best interests of our country.

Attorneys general from California, Maryland, Virginia, Oregon, New York, Connecticut, Delaware, North Carolina, Vermont, Iowa and Maine all signed the brief.

Letting the travel ban take effect would irreparably harm the Amici States, the brief read.

It would block entry by students, teachers, workers, and tourists from the six majority-Muslim countries. It would harm our citizens, lawful permanent residents, and resident visa holders, many of whom have family members and loved ones who would be presumptively denied entry.

Read the document here.

The father of a Muslim-American soldier who died in combat in Iraq filed a separate amicus brief on Wednesday supporting a federal judge's decision to block President Donald Trump's revised travel ban.

Attorneys for Gold Star father Khizr Khan filed his brief in San Francisco where the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals is considering an appeal to the ruling by U.S. District Judge Derrick Watson.

Khan's son, Humayun Khan, was a Muslim U.S. Army captain who was killed in 2004 by a suicide bomber in Iraq. Humayun was posthumously awarded a Bronze Star and a Purple Heart.

During last year's Democratic National Convention, Khan drew national attention when he criticized the anti-Muslim rhetoric of then-Republican nominee Trump.

Trump took to Twitter to criticize Khan, saying the fallen soldier's father had "viciously attacked" him.

Days after his inauguration, Trump issued an executive order restricting travel from seven predominantly Muslim countries. A federal judge blocked the order in February.
Video shows a shark sinking its teeth into a dead whale that drifted toward a Southern California beach last week before it was towed out to sea.

Shark tagger Keith Poe captured the rare video Saturday about 15 miles off Dana Point. The shark, possibly 18 feet long, appeared to be pregnant, Poe told the OC Register.

Warning: Some may find this Facebook video disturbing

"She looked like she was here to give birth. She was very large in her girth," Poe told the Register. "As she was eating the whale, it was ridiculous how big she got. She was swimming upside-down, just swimming around like she was very happy and satisfied."

The deceased 55-foot whale was first spotted by whale watching boats off Newport Beach pier around 3 p.m. Thursday. Using a rescue boat and rope, lifeguards towed it about five miles out to sea to prevent it from attracting other fish.

The carcass also produces an unpleasant odor and is difficult to dispose of once it reaches shore. It was not immediately clear when the whale died, but it appears to have been decomposing for several weeks, according to lifeguards.

Photographer Mark Girardeau said the whale is known as Scarlet, the same whale seen inside LA Harbor about a week earlier. Scarlet also has been spotted in the Santa Barbara Channel and as far north as Oregon, according to Happy Whale, a marine research group that tracks whales.

In August 2016, she was entangled in rope, but did not appear to be entangled during a sighting last fall off Newport Beach. Girardeau also captured drone video of the whale in December off the Southern California coast.

"You can see the whale from the beach, it's huge," Girardeau told the Orange County Register. "It's just really sad to see a dead whale. I just hope it's from natural causes. I just hope this doesn't happen more and this isn't something we'll be seeing more of."
Fossils uncovered in San Diego 25 years ago show that humans inhabited North America at least 115,000 years earlier than previously thought, according to researchers.

The San Diego Natural History Museum announced the findings to the public on Wednesday.

Its the 130,000 year age of this site thats the really extraordinary result of our research, said SDNHM paleontology curator Tom Demere.

The prehistoric bones were uncovered in November 1992 along the construction site of State Route 54.

Field paleontologist Richard Cerutti carefully worked to extricate the bones of what would soon be known to be a mastodon.

Fossils uncovered in San Diego 25 years ago led researchers to the conclusion that humans inhabited North American at least 115,000 years earlier than previously thought.

However, the position of other stones and bones in the area created what was described as a paleo crime scene.

Scientists soon realized it was an archaeological site, not a paleontological one, that contained preserved evidence of human activity.

As scientists we follow the evidence no matter where it leads, said Demere. Who would think in this sort of setting wed make such a startling discovery.

Sites with evidence of humans in North America are typically around 14,000 years old. Some researchers now believe the San Diego site marks a much older beginning of humans in North America, though that is not definitive.

The site included clusters of rocks believed to have been used as tools. Richard Fullagar of the University of Wollongong, Australia, confirmed stones found at the San Diego site showed the same wear marks as stones used as tools in other sites.

But some are skeptical that the rocks were really used as tools. Vance Holliday of the University of Arizona in Tucson told The Associated Press the paper shows the bones could have been broken the way the authors assert, but they haven't demonstrated that's the only way.

NBC 7

Steve Holen, former curator of archaeology at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science, traveled to San Diego in 2008. His experiments about stone tools were used to determine some of the bone fragments were broken apart in that way.

Holen called the discovery the biggest shock of his scientific career.

Once I realized in my mind how old this site was, I could not believe that humans were here at that time, Holen said. It went against everything Id ever been taught and everything that I ever thought I knew. It was quite shocking.

He said they believe the location was a place where humans took bones and made tools.

In 2011, technological advances enabled Jim Paces of the U.S. Geological Survey to use state-of-the-art radiometric dating methods to date the mastodon bones to 130,000 years old.

Its been a long, hard process, he said. Their results, he said, are based on hundreds of analyses.

We anticipate people will be curious to see if they cant replicate those results, Paces said.

NBC 7 Archive Images of 1992 Site Mastodon Discovery

Museum officials said there is no doubt the announcement raises more questions than answers.

Not all researchers are convinced about the conclusion that humans arrived earlier than previously known.

"I was astonished not because it is so good and important, but because it is so bad," Donald Grayson, an archaeologist at the University of Washington, wrote in a statement.

Grayson added he feels the "real mystery" is how the report was published in the scientific journal "Nature."

"It is one thing to show that broken bones and modified rocks could have been produced by people, which Holen and his colleagues have done," Grayson wrote. "It is quite another to show that people, and people alone, could have produced those modifications."

Richard Potts of the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of Natural History, told The Associated Press he doesn't reject the paper's claims outright, but he finds the evidence "not yet solid."

There are plans to begin field surveys looking for other sites of a similar age in geological deposits across Southern California, Holen said. Researchers will also look at museum collections to use similar analysis on those fossils.
A man who served as a rifleman and scout sniper with the U.S. Marines has been arrested in Tijuana, Mexico, the U.S. Marine Corps confirmed to NBC 7.

Tyler James Yeager, 39, of San Diego was arrested on on April 23, Preeti Shah, Public Information Officer for the U.S. Consulate in Tijuana confirmed Tuesday.

Yeager was arrested and charge in connection with a violent robbery with a gun. he was caught outside a Tijuana home that had just been robed, Mexican officials say.

Mexican officials say neighbors reported several robberies in the area, and the Attorney General's office in Baja is investigating to determine if Yeager was involved in those robberies as well.

The U.S. consulate General in Tijuana confirmed to NBC7 they are providing consular services to Yeager.

Yeager served from 1996 to 2000, according to a USMC official in Virginia.

His last duty station was Camp Pendleton 2ND Battalion 5th Marines 1st Division, the USMC official said.

In 2014, Yeager was booked into Montana's Ravalli County Detention Center for multiple charges, including sexual assault and various traffic offenses, accordng to Sheriff Steve Holton. he was booked again in 2015 for sexual assault and DUI convictions, Holton said.

No other information was available.
Between 1.6 and 2.8 million juveniles in the United States will run away from home this year.

In the District, police have logged a total of 744 cases of missing juveniles so far. As of April 26, 11 were still missing.

There are many reasons why teens leave home, but the National Runaway Safeline says problems in the family are the number one reason youth reach out to their hotline.

Abuse is also among the top reasons children reach out to the national hotline.

In D.C., many young people who leave home are escaping socioeconomic problems, according to Jim Beck, a spokesman for Sasha Bruce, the only youth-specific emergency shelter in the District.

"The young people we see often come from families that are experiencing a lot of stresses, economic stresses, the stress of raising a family in D.C. on a low income," Beck said.

And some teens and their families don't get the help they need because they dont know where to start.

Use the index below to find resources in your area:

Washington, D.C. | Maryland | Virginia | National

Washington, D.C.

Sasha Bruce Youthwork

Provides shelter, counseling and training to homeless, runaway and neglected youth in D.C.

1022 Maryland Avenue NE

Washington, DC 20002 (multiple locations on website)

Information: 202-675-9340

Emergencies: 202-547-7777

Latin American Youth Center

Reunites homeless and runaway youth with their families or helps them find stable housing.

1419 Columbia Road NW

Washington, DC 20009 (multiple locations on website)

202-319-2225

So Others Might Eat

Meets the daily needs of homeless people with food, clothing and health care.

71 O Street NW

Washington, DC 20001

202-797-8806

Martha's Table

Meets immediate needs of homeless people while providing long-term support programs.

2114 14th Street NW

Washington, DC 20009

Miriam's Kitchen

Serves breakfast and dinner every weekday and provides other support to homeless people.

2401 Virginia Avenue NW

Washington, DC 20037

202-452-8926

Maryland

Maryland Multicultural Youth Centers

Reunites homeless and runaway youth with their families or helps them find stable housing.

8700 Georgia Avenue, Suite 500

Silver Spring, MD 20910 (multiple locations on website)

301-495-0441.

Caithness Shelter Home

Provides up to 60 days of temporary shelter for youth between the ages of 12 and 17.

1320 Fenwick Lane

Silver Spring, MD 20910

301-589-8444

Hearts and Homes for Youth

Offers youth group homes and foster care support.

3919 National Drive, Suite 400

Burtonsville, MD 20866

301-589-8444

Virginia

The Center for Alexandria's Children

Alexandria's primary resource for the prevention, investigation and treatment of child abuse.

1900 N. Beauregard Street, #200

Alexandria, VA 22311

703-746-6008

Leland House

Provides short-term housing to children and teens of Fairfax County who are in crisis and cannot stay in their home.

13525 Leland Road

Centreville, VA 20120

703-222-3558

Adolescent & Family Growth Center

Provides counseling, treatment and in-home services to children and teens in adoptive and foster homes.

6800 Backlick Road, Suite 200

Springfield, VA 22150

703-425-9200

National

National Runaway Safeline

Provides crisis intervention and information about youth services to runaway teens and children.

1-800-786-2929

National Domestic Violence Hotline

Offers support and resources for victims of domestic violence.

1-800-799-7233
We live in a dangerous world.

Its worth saying again.

We live in a dangerous world.

But, really, a spit of a sidewalk is too dangerous to keep open to the public?

Were referring to the sidewalk on the south side of the White House along what used to be E Street NW before the street itself was closed and turned into a parking lot for security personnel and miscellaneous vehicles.

Last week, the U.S. Secret Service announced that the sidewalk adjacent to the White House fence no longer would be open to the public. Tourists and others are being relegated to the other side of the old street, about 25 feet farther away. Tourists will have to use their zoom features a little bit more.

This little sidewalk section already was closed from 11 p.m. until 6 a.m. each day. That sounds reasonable. But is it such a security threat  or nuisance  that it has to be closed 24/7?

We have visited and revisited this impulse to close down iconic American spaces rather than efficiently protect them. Back in September 2014, we wrote about this subject yet again after a fence-jumping intruder prompted the Secret Service to block off even more of what used to be 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. Now its part plaza and part security compound.

Heres what we wrote:

"Theres no doubt that providing 24/7 security is a tough and demanding job. The potential for boredom or fatigue can sap even the most earnest guard. Thats why they change shifts, walk, ride and patrol. Staying alert is the crux of the job.

"Simply enlarging the secure area is an easy way to lessen the task. Well, it is until some deranged person, criminal or terrorist decides to take out the new screening posts. Then we would need more expansion?

Over the weekend, one person offered this reaction on Twitter to the new restrictions being considered: Man manages to climb the fence, the INTERIOR security fails at all levels, & the people outside need to stay further away? Um

That about sums it up. Do we need to stop allowing tourists, veterans, families and foreign visitors to stand near the high White House fencing because the security team on the other side was caught napping?

Somebody needs a wake-up call. But its not the free American people.

Thats how we ended the 2014 column. But there is no end in sight to the chipping away of what once was Americas unique openness.

 Your Notebook in Virginia. You may not have noticed, but there is a heck of a race for governor in Virginia. Weve interviewed both Democrats  Lt. Gov. Ralph Northam and former U.S. Rep. Tom Perriello  on Kojo Nnamdis WAMU Politics Hour. Now, your Notebook will moderate a live, one-hour debate Saturday night in Fairfax County. NBC4 will live stream it on the web.

The debate is being sponsored by the Fairfax County Democratic Committee and EmergeUSA.

The primary is June 13. Can Democrats hold their statewide victories for governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general this November?

Republicans have not won any statewide office since 2009. Republican front-runner Ed Gillespie hopes to change that. First, he has to get past Prince William Countys Corey Stewart and Frank Wagner of Virginia Beach. But Gillespie leads in polling and fundraising. Hes raising GOP hopes because he came within a whisker of defeating Democratic Sen. Mark Warner in 2014.

 Theyre going to pot. A CBS News poll has found that 61 percent of Americans support the legalization of recreational marijuana. The poll showed half of the respondents acknowledged trying the drug. The new polling shows a 5-point increase from 2016 and a huge jump from only 27 percent approval in 1979. The poll also revealed a generation gap, with respondents over 65 being the most averse. (That surprises your Notebook. Were in that age group. This older group was part of the pot haze of the 60s and 70s.)

Its important to remember this: Federal laws involving marijuana likely wont lighten up under new Attorney General Jeff Sessions. Hes opposed to legalization, saying it minimizes the very real danger of marijuana. Somewhere on an island in the Pacific, and elsewhere, people are waiting to see what happens next.

 The Parks at Walter Reed. Thats the new name for a 3-million-square-foot redevelopment of the old Army hospital grounds in Ward 4. It honors both the historic hospital once active here and the unique green space.

About 66 of the 113 acres are being turned into housing, retail, education, parks and other uses by the city in a joint development along Georgia Avenue NW. The remaining acres of Walter Reed land, specifically on the 16th Street NW side, are being turned over to the U.S. State Department for new embassy construction.

The Districts redevelopment is a favorite of Mayor Muriel Bowser, who once represented Ward 4 on the D.C. Council.

It will be a fantastic collection of housing, she told us at a ceremonial groundbreaking on Monday. She said new retail here also will stem the need for many residents of this area to go shopping in the suburbs. Its called leakage in the world of retail and government taxes. The city in recent years has made a major dent in leakage to the suburbs. It can only help the District to provide for its citizens.

(The Notebook will admit to buying a small coffee pot at Pentagon City last week. We feel bad about it.)

Tom Sherwood, a Southwest resident, is a political reporter for News 4.
The Maine Drug Enforcement Agency has arrested a Maine man accused of getting off an Amtrak train with 1,200 doses of fentanyl, a highly potent narcotic.

Agents say 32-year-old James Young-Dumont tried to run but was quickly detained Tuesday in Brunswick. He's charged with aggravated trafficking, violation of bail and failure to appear in court.

Agents say he had 120 grams of fentanyl with a street value of $22,000 in his pocket. The drug is a culprit in the growing number of overdose deaths in Maine.

Agents say Young-Dumont was also on probation in Massachusetts for a previous drug charge and had an outstanding arrest warrant out of Massachusetts for probation violation. He was being held at the Cumberland County Jail. It was unclear if he'd retained a lawyer.
Officials in Cambridge, Massachusetts, are trying to ban employees from using public funds to fly on United Airlines after a passenger was dragged off a flight in Chicago.

The Cambridge City Council passed a proposal Monday asking the city manager to ban official city travel on the airline so long as there are alternative options.

United came under fire when a video showed airport police drag a passenger down the aisle and off a plane this month after he refused to give up his seat to make room for an airline employee. United CEO Oscar Munoz has since apologized.

Cambridge Mayor Denise Simmons told NBC Boston the proposal is very clear cut.

"We don't want to spend city funds on an airline that has these practices and methods of operation that we think are poor treatment of individuals," said Cambridge Mayor Denise Simmons. "We were really disappointed in the behavior of the treatment of a paying patron at the hands of the airline."

Council members say United "does not reflect Cambridge's values."

Cambridge resident Paula Rothman says the proposed ban sends a strong message.

"Id rather have a government that takes a stand and will fight for something where it can than a standard government that doesnt," Rothman said.

The airline says it no longer allows crew members to displace passengers who are already seated.

The Cambridge city manager will now have to decide if he will follow through with the council's proposal.
A Vermont prosecutor called it "everyone's worst nightmare": the sexual assault of a vulnerable loved one by someone entrusted to care for them.

The remark by State's Attorney David Cahill of Windsor County followed not guilty pleas by Michael Paton Jr., 22, of Thetford, who is accused of sexually assaulting a woman more than 60 years his elder.

Paton denied one felony charge of sexual abuse of a vulnerable adult and another felony charge of sexual assault.

The woman has dementia and is unable to consent to sexual contact, investigators said.

The news team at necn generally does not identify survivors of sexual assaults or of alleged sexual assaults without their consent.

Paton was promptly fired from Valley Terrace Assisted Living in Wilder when the allegations came to light Monday night. Among his duties, necn has learned, was helping residents get ready for bed, as well as assisting them with other aspects of daily life.

In documents filed with the court, Detective Sgt. Michael Dion of the Vermont State Police said another employee reported seeing Paton pulling up his pants in the bathroom of a woman in her 80s who's "incapable of having a coherent discussion with anyone."

That woman was left face-down in bed with her pants down, the detective wrote.

The coworker got help right away, according to managers of the center, and did the right thing by ensuring the resident got high-level care immediately.

"This is everyone's worst nightmare, when they send a loved relative to an assisted living facility because they just can't live on their own anymore," Cahill said. "We trust caregivers to ensure our loved ones will be treated with respect and dignity, and if the allegations are true, that did not happen in this case."

Dion wrote in police documents filed with the court that Paton told officers his "mind went blank" and that he didn't realize what he did until he heard that other caregiver knocking on the resident's door.

Paton's defense attorney said in open court that his client has been receiving mental health counseling, but did not specify why, nor did he reference whether blackout spells were a reason for the counseling.

Prosecutors filed with the court a statement they said Paton wrote by hand, in which he says he had sex with the dementia patient.

The written statement contains the line, "[I] asked her to lay on the bed and then I had sex with [her]. Heard someone knock and pulled my pants up and realized what I just did."

Despite what police and prosecutors consider an admission, Paton pled not guilty to the charges.

Angela Zizza, the executive director of Valley Terrace, told necn the suspect passed all his background checks before he began working with residents.

Zizza also said the entire staff of the assisted living center is heartbroken over these allegations, because they strive to provide a loving home for residents. The director said right now, she's focusing on providing comfort to all the residents and their families.

Vermont Superior Court Judge Theresa DiMauro ordered Paton jailed without bail pending trial.

He faces the possibility of life in prison if he's convicted.
The visa process for foreign doctors working in rural areas is slowing down, and it could result in a doctor shortage at hospitals this summer.

Theres a lot of concern, said Dr. James Raczek, the Chief Medical Officer at Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor. We need international individuals who can come and practice here.

Dr. Raczek said its already difficult to recruit doctors in rural areas, making the opportunity to hire foreign physicians more important.

Previously, foreign doctors applying to work in rural under-served areas could go through a premium processing fast-track for an H-1B visa. Doctors in demand could start working in a matter of weeks.

But in April, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced it would temporarily suspend premium processing for all H-1B petitions, for up to six months.

This means foreign doctors will have to wait in line  and could possibly take months to get their visas approved.

Its a big deal because these people are very necessary to where theyre going, said Sara Fleming, an immigration lawyer at Portland law firm Ford Murray. Instead of knowing that these physicians will be able to start on timewe dont know when theyll be able to start.

The Maine Hospital Association worries that 20 out of Maines 36 hospitals are now vulnerable to a potential doctor shortage.

Theres no doubt that [the immigration policy] is starting to have an effect, said MHA President Steven Michaud.

He worries that a doctor shortage will mean patients pay the ultimate price.

It means youre either going to go without care, or youre going to have to travel further to get it, Michaud said.

Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine) is already working on the issue. In March, Sen. Collins signed a letter to the director of the USCIS, asking the agency to re-instate the premium processing option for foreign doctors going to rural hospitals.

In the letter, lawmakers warned that the doctors are desperately needed, and that a delay could harm patients.

The USCIS has stated that petitioners may submit a request to have their petition expedited. The agency believes suspending the premium processing option will allow them process long-pending petitions, and help reduce overall H-1B processing times.
A deadly synthetic drug powerful enough to tranquilize elephants has been linked to three overdose deaths in New Hampshire, marking one of the drug's first appearances in New England.

Gov. Chris Sununu said Tuesday the drug carfentanil has been linked to the March deaths of two men in Manchester and one in Meredith. Carfentanil is 100 times more potent than fentanyl, the drug responsible for most of New Hampshire's nearly 500 overdose deaths last year.

"It presents a serious risk to public safety, first responders, medical treatment and laboratory personnel because it can be absorbed through the skin or accidentally inhaled, so these individuals should exercise extreme caution and seek immediate medical attention should exposure occur," Sununu said. "We are continuing to assess the situation, but there is clearly enough evidence to make the public aware and we felt it was imperative to urge caution for those that may come in contact with this substance."

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration's acting administrator described carfentanil last fall as "crazy dangerous." It is typically used as a tranquilizer for elephants and other large mammals.

It has been linked to a number of deaths in the Midwest, and the Drug Enforcement Agency issued a public warning about the drug in September.

State officials say the carfentanil used in the New Hampshire deaths was manufactured illegally. No arrests have been made.
Police in Massachusetts say they shot and killed a bobcat that had attacked two dogs and was coming after officers.

Authorities in Barre received a 911 call Tuesday from a family reporting that a large cat was attacking their much larger Bernese Mountain Dogs.

By the time the chief and a sergeant arrived on the scene, the dogs were in the house and the bobcat was under the porch.

Sgt. William Recos says the cat emerged, ran and jumped at them, paws outstretched. Chief John Carbone fired several rounds, killing the cat.

Because of its behavior, the bobcat is being tested for rabies.

The dogs' owner says they received puncture wounds and are being treated.
A New Hampshire lawmaker accused of creating a misogynistic online forum is resisting calls for his resignation and says he will "stand strong for men's rights."

The Daily Beast reports Republican Rep. Robert Fisher founded The Red Pill, which calls itself a "discussion of sexual strategy in a culture increasingly lacking a positive identity for men." The report says Fisher made comments degrading women's intelligence and appearing to normalize rape.

Fisher denied his role in the forum to The Daily Beast. He didn't repeat that denial to New Hampshire reporters and says some comments were taken "out of context."

He says he is "not disappearing" and will "stand strong for men's rights and the rights of all."

Republican House Speaker Shawn Jasper says he's "sickened" by the story.

Gov. Chris Sununu said he thinks Fisher should resign, calling the comments horrendous and repulsive.

Democratic House Minority Leader Steve Shurtleff has also called on Fisher to resign.
Visitors to Wymondham Abbeys Christmas fair will be able to treat their children to a magic show and fun baking workshop while they browse more than 60 stalls.

Visitors to Wymondham Abbeys Christmas fair will be able to treat their children to a magic show and fun baking workshop while they browse more than 60 stalls.

Salvation Armys new Christmas Appeal in Norfolk The Salvation Army has launched their new Christmas appeal across Norfolk which, this year, has evolved from the much-loved Toys and Tins appeal. Read more

Are we storing up treasures on earth? Rising prices affect us all, and Anna Heydon urges us to spare a thought for those who will be struggling with the cost of living this winter. Read more

Latest Norfolk Christian community events Events of interest to the Norwich and Norfolk Christian community happening over the next few weeks are listed. Read more

Covid leaf memorial at Norwich church St Peter Mancroft Church Norwich Presents The Leaves of the Trees an installation by sculptor Peter Walker which provides a memorial for those who died of Covid-19 Read more

Community Chaplaincy Norfolk begins a new chapter Community Chaplaincy Norfolk (CCN) celebrated the beginning of a new chapter this week, as the new chair of trustees Chris Tomlinson led his first annual meeting. Read more

Lowestoft Christians launch on-line bible helps app The Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth branch of Good News for Everyone (GNFE), formerly the Gideons, have introduced a new mobile phone app called On-line Bible Helps. Read more

Addicts' rehabilitation centre plan for Drayton Hall Christian addiction charity Teen Challenge London is planning to turn Drayton Hall near Norwich into its headquarters and a rehabilitation centre for men, after it was gifted the freehold of the hall by its owner, the Lind Trust. Read more

The power of positive protest Philip Young encourages us to take a stand for what we believe, and has just written to Therese Coffey regarding climate change and the forthcoming COP 27. He explains why we should be prepared to protest. Read more

Norwich church celebrates with cribs and trees Rosebery Road Methodist Church in Norwich will be holding its annual Cribs and Trees Festival in December. Read more

Transforming Norwich lunch offers ministry tips Ex-Brighton vicar, Rev Phil Moon, will offer tips on how to keep going in ministry to the Transforming Norwich leaders lunch on Wednesday November 16. Read more

Quiet Waters in Bungay offers healing retreat Quiet Waters Christian Retreat in Bungay is holding a gentle day retreat exploring healing in the Kingdom of God. Read more

Norfolk ministry coaching duo are guest speakers Former church leaders and now freelance ministry coaches, Jonathan and Paige Squirrell, are the guest speakers at the next dinner of Norwich FGB on Monday, November 21. Read more

Bringing light to Halloween Anna Price encourages Christians to engage positively with Halloween rather than hide away, on what many see as the darkest night of the year. Read more

First service takes place at Norwich church site SOUL Church hosted around 400 people for a special service on the site of their new building on Heartsease Lane. Read more

Dereham draws up list of warm places for winter As rising energy prices make it harder to heat homes, churches in Dereham are leading the way in creating warm spaces where people can go. Read more

South Norfolk church scoops national award A medieval Anglican church in a tiny hamlet in South Norfolk has won a national award and a 10,000 boost. Read more

Dereham churches help people to help themselves A group of churches in Dereham have launched an ambitious project which aims to meet needs in the town, including the provision of food and skills training. Read more
An exciting class of startups with a focus on enterprise IT are those built on open source foundations, in some cases commercializing and adding value to an already popular open source project.

We recently highlighted 5 such open source-oriented companies, and below we introduce you to 5 more. Note that this list only contains companies that have announced funding over the past year or so, and isn't intended to be an all-inclusive compilation. Without further ado

Confluent

Founded: 2014

Headquarters: Palo Alto

Funding: $50M in fresh funding, led by Sequoia, and more than $80M raised overall

Focus: Founded by the team that built open source Apache Kafka while at LinkedIn, Confluent provides an enterprise-grade streaming platform designed for making sense of data in real-time. The company is claiming huge growth over the past year (you know, the silly sort of 700% growth numbers private companies get to share) and has expanded into Europe with a headquarters office in London. Banks use Confluent Enterprise to spot fraud, telcos use it to pinpoint network issues and many other applications are enabled as well. CEO and co-founder Jay Kreps, in announcing Confluent's latest funding round, wrote in a blog post that "We think streaming platforms represent a genuinely new category in infrastructure"  if so, might be time for you to learn more about what they are...

Confluent Confluent control center

Redis Labs

Founded: 2011

Headquarters: Mountain View

Funding: $42 million in total funding, including $14M in Series C investments, led by Bain Capital Ventures and Carmel Ventures.

Focus: This company is home to the open source Redis in-memory database management platform project but also offers Redis Enterprise commercially, and claims more than 7,000 enterprise customers, including Dell, TD Bank and Staples. A fast and popular NoSQL technology used to support containers and assorted applications, Redis is available both as on-premises software and as a cloud service in private, public and hybrid configurations. The company pulled off quite a coup in 2015 when it hired Redis creator Salvatore Sanfilippo, who previously shepherded the project at VMware and Pivotal, to oversee Redis development going forward. Redis Labs even holds an annual RedisConf event for users of the technology.

Logz.io

Founded: 2014

Headquarters: Tel Aviv, with a new office in Boston

Funding: $24M to date, including $16M in Series B funding in November led by OpenView Venture Partners

Focus: Offers an AI-powered log analysis platform that delivers the open source ELK Stack logging software as an enterprise-grade cloud service. The service, an alternative to offerings from the likes of Splunk and Sumo Logic, collects data from machines and apps, and enables customers to find and analyze the data that they really need via machine learning-powered Cognitive Insights technology. A new Live Tail features allows for viewing of logs in real time. Among Logz.ios customers are CNN, British Airways, EA and Accenture.

Logz.io Logz.io's Cognitive Insights technology uses machine learning to correlate information in log messages with discussions that humans are having on the web about specific topics to determine which log lines are meaningful for a given user at any certain point in time

ScyllaDB

Founded: 2015

Headquarters: Palo Alto, with R&D team based in Tel Aviv

Funding: $23 million, including $16M in Series B funding led by Western Digital Capital, Samsung Ventures, Magma Ventures and Qualcomm Ventures

ScyllaDB The Scylla mascot

Focus: From the creators of the KVM hypervisor, this company offers a drop-in replacement for Apache Cassandra NoSQL databases that it boasts has 10x the throughput and storage capacity and that challenges Redis on the performance front. Arista Networks and IBM are among those outfits that have bitten on the open source ScyllaDB. As Network World contributor Ben Kepes wrote recently, the open source and proprietary database software markets have become increasingly crowded of late, but ScyllaDB (once called Cloudius Systems) has done well to differentiate itself: The dual promises of larger scale and resource impacts that it resolves is a compelling proposition. The company last year held what it referred to as its first annual Scylla Summit, so ScyllaDB must be planning for its technology to stick around.

Zepl

Founded: 2011 (as NFLabs)

Headquarters: San Francisco

Funding: Scored $4.1M in Series A funding in December in a round led by Vertex Ventures

Focus: ZEPL comes from the team behind the Apache Zeppelin open-source notebook for big data analytics visualization and is one of numerous companies that sees business intelligence and analytics software vendor Tableau as being vulnerable despite  or because of  its size (market capitalization of $4.1B). ZEPL aims to help enterprises eliminate data analytics silos by providing data scientists, business analysts and others with tools that share a common interface and that support modern frameworks such as Hadoop, Spark, Cassandra and MongoDB.

Apache Apache Zeppelin notebook

(MORE: | 10 Internet of Things companies to watch)
Cyber crime has been commercialized. Infecting computers with ransomware or using an advanced persistent threat to pilfer intellectual property no longer requires deep technical knowledge. Just use Google to learn how to access the Dark Web, and you can find hackers who, for a price, are more than happy to write malware, create highly effective spear phishing campaigns and develop bogus websites for harvesting login credentials.

+ Also on Network World: DDoS-for-hire services thrive despite closure of major marketplace +

Major companies (think Fortune 500 organizations) understand that cyber crime as a service has changed how they handle defense. But for organizations still maturing their defensive measures, heres what the transformation of cyber crime into an industry means for how you approach information security.

Youre enemies arent script kiddies

Security and IT professionals need to accept that theyre not facing inexperienced hackers. The good guys typically realize that adversaries are skilled but dont fully realize their technical prowess. Script kiddies are still out there, but Id argue that theyre not going after enterprises.

The real threat is from the group of hackers who worked for the Russian government, realized their skills could command a high price in the private sector, and now sell their services on the Dark Web. For them, hacking isnt a pastime. Its their profession. Often times they get paid only if the mission is successful, giving them an incentive to make sure the goal is achieved. If youre a defender, adopt the perspective of the enemy. Think what points you would try to exploit if you were on the offensive side.

Better walls doesnt lead to better security

With professional hackers behind the keyboard, infiltration is guaranteed. Security and IT professionals should accept that attackers will eventually find a way in, regardless of how great your defenses are. This can be hard for companies (even major ones) to understand. Theres a belief that better information security means building higher and thicker walls. So, you add firewalls and antivirus software. When those arent enough, you add next-generation antivirus, intrusion prevention systems and some other next-generation technology.

But adversaries will figure out how to get around all of those products. You build a bigger wall; they just dig a tunnel under it. You cant fight every threat or the entire internet. This realization isnt meant to discourage information and IT professionals who are diligently trying to protect their companies. Instead, I hope theyll adopt a different perspective on how to handle advanced adversaries.

Use a security incident to your advantage

If the bad guys are destined to infiltrate your company, what kind of defense can you mount? To start, have a current incident response plan in place. This means updating it to include any major changes at a company and reviewing it to make sure key personnel are included.

For example, does your incident response plan include notifying public relations staff to handle media inquiries or contacting a government agency due to regulations? And make sure the people involved in the plan know how to use it. The first time people see it shouldnt be during an incident. Run through the incident response plan at least once a year.

Next, look for adversaries who are already in your environment. As sophisiticated as attackers are, theyre not invisible. They will always leave some trace, no matter how small. As defenders, your job is to discover those tiny clues and use them to figure out the attackers complete plan.

Try to learn how the attackers evaded your defenses, what theyre after and what systems have been compromised. Your goal here is to stop the entire attack, not just one component of a much more elaborate campaign. Partial remediation means the attackers still have a foothold in your environment.

Dont focus on attack attribution. That doesnt do much to improve your security. If youre in the midst of a crisis, your priority should be helping your organization return to normal business functions as quickly as possible, not figuring out whether the Russians or Chinese stole your intellectual property.

When and if you find evidence of attackers, dont treat this discovery as a defeat. Security incidentseven major ones like a data breachare an opportunity to improve your defenses. Security budgets typically arent increased as a result of everything going right in your organization. Knowing the gaps in your defenses gives you the opportunity to plug them.

Cyber crime as a service means the good guys must change their approach to information security. Defense is no longer a zero-sum game, with every breach equalling a defeat. And winning doesnt mean stopping all the attackers. If the enemies are bound to get in, use this to your advantage by treating it as an opportunity to discover their full plan and improve your defenses.
Most credit card verification systems only verify whether the card is valid and not if the presenter is the authorized cardholder. MasterCard intends to address that with its newly introduced card with a built-in fingerprint sensor.

This new MasterCard gives customers the option of using a single digit rather than a PIN. Its a very impressive development, particularly since it works with existing chip readers.

The card gives new meaning to the title cardholder as the customer must physically hold the card during the transaction. Theres a fingerprint sensor on the face of the card that syphons enough power from the chip reader to read and validate a fingerprint. If dirt, sweat or other factors prevent validation, the transaction can be completed with a PIN.

So far, the card has been tested with one national bank and one grocery chain in South Africa. Trials are now expected to expand into Europe and Asia Pacific. Currently, there are no plans to bring the solution to the U.S., presumably because we dont use "chip and PIN" on credit transactions.

Challenges with finger biometrics for credit cards

Using biometrics for credit cards is probably inevitable, but it does open a whole new can of worms (be careful with your fingers). Do biometrics make more sense on a card or on a smartphone? Are fingerprints the right biometric? And who has access to this biometric information?

The card works by comparing the finger on the sensor to an encrypted fingerprint that is stored on the card. Unfortunately, to load that encrypted print requires the customer to enroll in person. This limits card issuers to credit card companies that have lots of locations, such as national banks. It also introduces concern and liability with giving the card issuer biometric information.

MasterCard isnt the first to try biometrics for authentication. The first big, mass-market solution to tread into this concept was the Apple iPhone 5S in 2013. Samsung followed suit with the Galaxy S5. Hacks emerged within hours. However, an improvement to the fraud situation does not require a failsafe solution. Identity theft and credit card fraud cost U.S. consumers $16 billion in 2016 alone.

Switching PINs for prints has broader ramifications than the authentication method. Today, if someone hacks your password or PIN, you can change it. Thats not so easy with biometrics, and make no mistake about it, biometrics get hacked.

There have been some fascinating fingerprint hacks in the past few years that range from surgical alterations to the use of Play-Doh to capture and reproduce fingerprints. Criminals have completely skipped the prints and instead tampered with how biometrics get verified and approved. It is even possible to use biometric data to plant fingerprint "evidence" at a crime scene without the corresponding fingers.

MasterCards new card interests me from a technical perspective, but Im not convinced its the right answer. The format is too limiting. For example, the fingerprint feature is not used with online purchases. That just doesnt make sense considering how ecommerce is eating brick and mortar retailers.

Facial recognition a better biometric

Facial recognition might be the better biometric. The facial recognition market is growing rapidly and is forecasted to be $6 billion by 2021. In part, thats due to government entities, including the FBI, airports and other surveillance initiatives, that see facial recognition as a powerful way to capture known criminals.

Facial recognition is conceptually similar to fingerprints. Instead of swirls, loops and curves, facial recognition software analyzes visual attributes, including the distance between the eyes, nose shape and thickness of eyebrows to create a unique print. The picture becomes even more powerful when accompanied with IR data for 3D information.

Cameras can be installed on point-of-sale systems for in-person purchases, and online validation can be accomplished with the cameras on our tablets, smartphones, laptops and desktop computers.

Facial recognition is no panacea. In addition to requiring reasonable lighting, it may feel a bit obtrusive to pose for a photo with every financial transaction. The important thing is understanding that the current process is problematic, and improvements are necessary.

MasterCards fingerprint sensor on the card really is impressive. It follows several innovations that MasterCard has made to mitigate fraud. Last October, MasterCard revealed a selfie app that required acknowledgement of the amount combined with facial recognition and location information.

MasterCard is also working with Nymi to compare the purchasers heart rate against the cardholders profile. There are several other biometric approaches under evaluation including gait recognition, iris scans and speech pattern analysis.
Former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer's USAFacts project, an ambitious and sometimes overwhelming repository of data about local to state to federal U.S. government spending and outcomes that was launched on Tax Day, is surprisingly light on technology-related data.

Not that Ballmer is obligated to spend his post-Microsoft life focused on technology indeed, he's mainly been known for his purchase of the NBA's Los Angeles Clippers in recent years  but given his background I expected that I might find more tech-related nuggets in this graphically-pleasing data trove that's been three years in the making. Interested in the possibilities for data journalism stories spun from USAFacts, I made an inquiry to the outfit's media relations contact and will update this post if I hear back from them with any clarification on possible additions of such techie numbers.

MORE: The shocking and clumsy truth about computer-related injuries

All this is not to say there isn't some data that sheds light on the state of U.S. technology jobs, accessibility and such. Though given that the data is collected from government agencies such as the Census Bureau and Office of Management and Budget, much of it is two or three years old  a lifetime in technology circles.

The most illuminating tech-related chart on the site, still shown as being in beta mode, is one that dives into technology ownership broken down by family and individual units using 2015 data (the sources of which are listed as coming soon).

Overall, 80% of American families or individuals own computers, with the bottom-most income sectors having as low as 55% to 62% ownership and the very highest 1% income-wise showing at 95% ownership. Other interesting facts include that 4% of 146 million families only have landline telephone service and that nearly a third of the elderly have no internet access.

Searches on terms such as "software" and "cellular" came up empty, though a few results pop up when searching on terms such as "computers" and "technology".

Computers come up in data sets about jobs and employment. The average annual wage associated with computer and mathematical jobs in 2015 was $86,200, with chart and table views showing an increase from $81,400 in 2005 (Median salary data is also available). Data on the percentage of computer sciences and engineering jobs out of the entire job market end in 2010, so are pretty out of date.

USAFacts also has a bit of info on tech jobs within the federal government, though technology is lumped in with space research. The totals have actually fallen from 24,000 in 1980 to 17,736 in 2014.

The data in USAFacts is sliced, diced and presented in numerous ways, some more searchable than others. For a relatively quick overview of the data, USAFacts serves up several overall summaries, include a "10-K" report on the government. (Note that in addition to Ballmer, partners on USAFacts include the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research (SIEPR), the Penn Wharton Budget Model, and Lynchburg College.)

Overall, it's an impressive start, thoughI look forward to more tech-related data being added as the project matures.
So, you toss back a few drinks and decide now is the best time to test a 5-foot tall, 300-pound, egg-shaped security robot that is patrolling a Mountain View, California, parking lot. Although it might seem like a good idea when you are drunk, it probably isn't the best plan, considering it resulted in the arrest of 41-year-old man when he tried it.

After Jason Sylvain assaulted Knightscopes K5 Autonomous Data Machine in a parking lot, he was arrested and stands accused of prowling and public intoxication.

Knightscope told ABC7, It's a testament to the technology that police caught the aggressor and booked in him jail.

Why did Sylvain attack the K5 robot in the first place? Stacy Dean Stephens, Knightscopes vice president of marketing and sales, told CNET, The attacker claimed to be an engineer that wanted to test the security robots. I guess he now has his answer.

Stephens added:

The robot did exactly as it was suppose to dothe assault was detected and immediately reported. The alarms on the robot sounded, the suspect attempted to flee the scene and was detained by one of my colleagues and me until the Mountain View Police arrived.

K5 has recuperated from his injuries and is back on patrol. If the damages to the mega-egg bot consisted of nothing more than minor-scratching, then why was Sylvain arrested? Police told CNET, The employee of the business requested a private person's arrest for Sylvain for prowling.

How the K5 security robot came to be

The company came up with the robot after the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in 2012. Ars pointed out that K5 can scan 300 license plates per minute, but that is just one of its many privacy-invading capabilities. You dont have to be drunk to not be a fan.

When Marc Rotenberg, director of the Electronic Privacy and Information Center, likened the K5 to R2D2s evil twin back in 2013, William Santana Li, a co-founder Knightscope, said, We don't want to think about RoboCop or Terminator; we prefer to think of a mash-up of Batman, Minority Report and R2D2.

Li had envisioned K5 security robots as heroes that would patrol schools and communities, cutting crime by 50 percent. Little did he imagine that three years later the bot would mow down a toddler.

16 mo old has injuries to leg, foot after @StanfordShop security robot knocks him down and runs him over. #paloalto pic.twitter.com/tJdDNeFJq1  Lilian Kim (@liliankim7) July 12, 2016

In the summer of 2016, at the Stanford Shopping Center in Palo Alto, California, one of Knightscopes 300-pound robots knocked down a 16-month-old boy and ran over him, causing injuries to his foot and leg.

The boys mother said, The robot hit my son's head and he fell down facing down on the floor, and the robot did not stop and it kept moving forward.

Knightscope called it a freakish accident and apologized.

Assaults on robots

This isnt the first drunken attack on a robot. In 2015, in a Japan-based SoftBank store, a drunken 60-year-old man kicked a humanoid Pepper robot in a fit of rage. The bots movements were reportedly slower, which might have been due to damage to its internal computer system.

HitchBOT, the hitchhiking robot that depended upon the kindness of strangers to make it coast to coast, lasted a mere two weeks in the United States. The researchers who built the robot announced an end to its journey after it was damaged in Philadelphia. When found, the robot was missing its head, and its arms had been ripped off. Not a single wire was left inside, and all the things are broken, the researchers said.

Lets hope that some company doesnt reflect back on all of this and decide the public would be better served and safer with armed robots on patrol in public spaces.
Three top executives earn more than 100,000 a year

WEST Berkshire Council has defended the salaries paid to its highest earners after the number of council executives earning more than 100,000 across the country was revealed.

According to the TaxPayers Alliance Town Hall Rich List, the cash-strapped district authority paid out salaries of more than 100,000 to three employees in the 2015/16 financial year.

Chief executive Nick Carter is the highest-paid employee, on a total remuneration package of 160,832 per year.

West Berkshire Council, however, was found to have the lowest number of employees on a salary of more than 100,000 out of the neighbouring councils in Berkshire.

Bracknell Forest Council had six employees earning six-figure salaries, Reading and Wokingham councils both paid seven employees more than 100,000, Windsor and Maidenhead paid eight employees six figure sums, while Slough paid 11 employees more than 100,000.

The figures revealed at least 2,300 council employees in England and Wales are earning six-figure salaries, while 539 of these employees received packages worth more than 150,000 in 2015/16  more than Prime Minister Theresa May is paid.

According to the TaxPayers Alliance, the highest-earning group had increased by 53 compared to the previous year.

Chief executive of the TaxPayers Alliance, John OConnell, said: The average council tax bill has gone up by more than 900 over the last 20 years and spending has gone through the roof.

Disappointingly, many local authorities are now responding to financial reality through further tax rises and reducing services, rather than scaling back top pay.

Despite many in the public sector facing a much-needed pay freeze to help bring the public finances under control, many town hall bosses are continuing to pocket huge remuneration packages, with the number of people on six-figure deals actually going up since last year.

There are talented people in the public sector who are trying to deliver more for less, but the sheer scale of these packages raises serious questions about efficiency and priorities.

However, the number of those earning more than 100,000 has decreased at West Berkshire Council.

Spokeswoman Peta Stoddart-Crompton described the councils management structure as lean, while justifying Mr Carters six-figure salary.

She said: In addition to his chief executive role, Nick Carter is also director of resources.

West Berkshire Council only has two other directors  for communities and environment.

This is a lean management structure for a council of our size.

We review our management structure on a regular basis  this April we reduced the number of heads of service by two to 14.

Mr Carter had a one-per-cent increase in April 2016 and one per cent in April 2017.

Prior to that, Mr Carter has had no pay increase since 2008.

Southwark Council in London was the local authority which had the most employees on six-figure salaries, with 44 staff taking home more than 100,000 a year.

The figures reveal former chief executive of Sunderland City Council Dave Smith was the local government employee with the largest pay package in 2015/16, receiving 625,570  including a pay-off worth 185,470 and pension contributions of 331,414.
By PTI

NEW YORK: A 41-year-old Indian citizen has been arrested on charges of insider trading and making thousands of dollars using confidential information of a private equity firm's acquisition of a technology company.

Avaneesh Krishnamoorthy, who lives in New Jersey, served as a vice president and risk management specialist for a Manhattan-based investment bank from 2015 till this month.

He is charged with one count of securities fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of USD 5 million.

Acting Manhattan US Attorney Joon Kim said Krishnamoorthy made approximately USD 48,000 in illicit profits through the insider trading scheme.

The Securities and Exchange Commission filed a parallel civil complaint alleging that the accused learned that Golden Gate Capital planned to acquire publicly traded advertising technology company Neustar Inc.

He then began trading in Neustar securities. The trading took place in two brokerage accounts that Krishnamoorthy allegedly kept hidden from his employer, which had been approached by Golden Gate Capital to finance the transaction.

Krishnamoorthy was presented in Manhattan federal court before United States Magistrate Judge Kevin Nathaniel Fox yesterday.

Kim said Krishnamoorthy has been charged with violating his duty to his company and trading on insider information.

"He allegedly exploited his access to information about a pending acquisition to purchase stock and options, making tens of thousands of dollars in illegal profit for himself," the attorney said.

The insider trading case is among the first brought by Kim, who succeeded Preet Bharara, Manhattan's top federal prosecutor after he was fired by the Trump administration.

Bharara had successfully prosecuted several high profile insider trading cases, including those against India-born Rajat Gupta and his one time friend and business associate Raj Rajaratnam.

According to the complaint filed in Manhattan federal court, as vice president and risk management specialist, Krishnamoorthy had access to material non-public information concerning mergers and acquisitions for which the investment bank he worked in might potentially provide financing.

In November 2016, Golden Gate Capital contacted the investment bank concerning financing for the acquisition of Neustar. Around that time, he received multiple emails regarding the investment bank's potential involvement in the transaction, including emails that summarised the details of the deal.

In violation of the company's policies and in breach of his duties, Krishnamoorthy used this material non-public information to acquire Neustar stock and options.

In the days and weeks after receiving the emails, and prior to the public announcement of Neustar's acquisition, Krishnamoorthy purchased numerous Neustar call options and shares of its stock in brokerage accounts held in the names of both Krishnamoorthy and his wife.

The public announcement of Neustar's acquisition in December last year resulted in an approximately 20 percent increase in the value of Neustar stock, resulting in a corresponding increase in the value of the call options and equity stock held by Krishnamoorthy and his spouse.

NEW YORK: A 41-year-old Indian citizen has been arrested on charges of insider trading and making thousands of dollars using confidential information of a private equity firm's acquisition of a technology company. Avaneesh Krishnamoorthy, who lives in New Jersey, served as a vice president and risk management specialist for a Manhattan-based investment bank from 2015 till this month. He is charged with one count of securities fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of USD 5 million. Acting Manhattan US Attorney Joon Kim said Krishnamoorthy made approximately USD 48,000 in illicit profits through the insider trading scheme. The Securities and Exchange Commission filed a parallel civil complaint alleging that the accused learned that Golden Gate Capital planned to acquire publicly traded advertising technology company Neustar Inc. He then began trading in Neustar securities. The trading took place in two brokerage accounts that Krishnamoorthy allegedly kept hidden from his employer, which had been approached by Golden Gate Capital to finance the transaction. Krishnamoorthy was presented in Manhattan federal court before United States Magistrate Judge Kevin Nathaniel Fox yesterday. Kim said Krishnamoorthy has been charged with violating his duty to his company and trading on insider information. "He allegedly exploited his access to information about a pending acquisition to purchase stock and options, making tens of thousands of dollars in illegal profit for himself," the attorney said. The insider trading case is among the first brought by Kim, who succeeded Preet Bharara, Manhattan's top federal prosecutor after he was fired by the Trump administration. Bharara had successfully prosecuted several high profile insider trading cases, including those against India-born Rajat Gupta and his one time friend and business associate Raj Rajaratnam. According to the complaint filed in Manhattan federal court, as vice president and risk management specialist, Krishnamoorthy had access to material non-public information concerning mergers and acquisitions for which the investment bank he worked in might potentially provide financing. In November 2016, Golden Gate Capital contacted the investment bank concerning financing for the acquisition of Neustar. Around that time, he received multiple emails regarding the investment bank's potential involvement in the transaction, including emails that summarised the details of the deal. In violation of the company's policies and in breach of his duties, Krishnamoorthy used this material non-public information to acquire Neustar stock and options. In the days and weeks after receiving the emails, and prior to the public announcement of Neustar's acquisition, Krishnamoorthy purchased numerous Neustar call options and shares of its stock in brokerage accounts held in the names of both Krishnamoorthy and his wife. The public announcement of Neustar's acquisition in December last year resulted in an approximately 20 percent increase in the value of Neustar stock, resulting in a corresponding increase in the value of the call options and equity stock held by Krishnamoorthy and his spouse.
By PTI

LONDON: As many as 800 Indian companies in the UK have generated 47.5 billion pounds in combined revenues last year and contributed significantly to post-Brexit Britain's economic growth, according to a new report.

The 'India meets Britain Tracker 2017', released annually by professional services major Grant Thornton in collaboration with the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), have found that Indian companies employ around 110,000 employees in the UK and last year it had a combined capital expenditure of 4.25 billion pounds.

"With around 800 Indian companies now operating in the UK, it is clear the UK remains a highly attractive destination for Indian investors. The Modi government's pro- business agenda is creating the right environment for Indian businesses to pursue and realise growth at home and overseas," said Anuj Chande, Head of South Asia Group at Grant Thornton UK LLP.

With continued political stability and leadership on its reform programme, India is poised for significant economic growth and prosperity, Chande said.

"Whilst it is still too early to predict what impact Brexit will have on the UK's attractiveness as an investment destination for Indian companies, the many advantages the UK can offer are not set to disappear," he said.

The UK government is also clearly keen to strengthen the UK's ties with India and since the Brexit vote, a number of UK political representatives, including Prime Minister Theresa May, have made various visits to India with the hope that Brexit will open up a new free trade deal between the two countries, Chande said.

The Tracker highlights 55 of the fastest-growing Indian companies in the UK, as well as the top Indian employers, and provides insight into the evolving scale, business activities, locations and performance of the Indian-owned companies making the biggest impact in the UK.

To be included in the Tracker, now in its fourth year, Indian corporates must have a minimum two-year track record in the UK, turnover of more than 5 million pounds and year-on-year revenue growth of at least 10 per cent, based on the latest published accounts filed as at February 28, 2017.

Datamatics Infotech Limited topped this year's list with a growth rate of 103 per cent, while overall companies from the technology and telecoms, and pharmaceuticals and chemicals sectors made up 31 per cent and 24 per cent of the list respectively.

These are the two key sectors where Indian businesses are continuing to find growth opportunities by diversifying into new spheres of activity, the report found.

The business services sector entered the top three for the first time with 11 per cent, up from 6 per cent in 2016 and just 3 per cent in 2015.

Shuchita Sonalika, Director and Head of CII UK, said: "The report shows that Indian companies continue to strengthen their economic impact in the UK. While IT and telecom sector retains the largest composition, we are seeing greater influence of pharmaceuticals, business services, financial services, engineering, and energy sectors."

"The report identifies 4.25 billion pounds of new investment last year by the Indian companies, and further jobs being created as part of their continued investment programmes. Given that the report only tracks companies set up as subsidiaries, not branches, we believe the employment numbers are even higher than 110,000,0," Sonalika said.

Among the other Indian firms listed in the Tracker include Ksk Power Ventur Plc, ranked second with a 90 per cent growth rate, and Bharti Airtel (UK) Ltd, ranked third with 84 per cent growth.

Of the 55 that made the fastest-growing list, 23 are new entrants while 32 featured in last year's list. Just under half the companies included in this year's tracker recorded a 25 per cent growth rate or above.

Chande, however, cautioned that while the 2017 Tracker shows a continuing expansion of Indian companies' footprint in the UK, the UK must not take their presence for granted.

"In the years ahead, as the Indian economy develops to become one of the largest and most powerful in the world, the opportunities to boost investment into the UK will grow," Chnade said.

To realise these opportunities the UK must ensure that, as it attends to its relationship with the wider world post-Brexit, it protects and promotes the factors that make it such an attractive destination for Indian investment. The UK and India have much to offer each other and both the countries should commit to re-forging their historic relationship for a prosperous future, he said.

London continues to strengthen its dominance as the leading destination for Indian investment in the UK.

Of the fastest-growing Indian companies, 44 per cent are now based in the British capital, up from 39 per cent last year and 25 per cent in 2015.

LONDON: As many as 800 Indian companies in the UK have generated 47.5 billion pounds in combined revenues last year and contributed significantly to post-Brexit Britain's economic growth, according to a new report. The 'India meets Britain Tracker 2017', released annually by professional services major Grant Thornton in collaboration with the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), have found that Indian companies employ around 110,000 employees in the UK and last year it had a combined capital expenditure of 4.25 billion pounds. "With around 800 Indian companies now operating in the UK, it is clear the UK remains a highly attractive destination for Indian investors. The Modi government's pro- business agenda is creating the right environment for Indian businesses to pursue and realise growth at home and overseas," said Anuj Chande, Head of South Asia Group at Grant Thornton UK LLP. With continued political stability and leadership on its reform programme, India is poised for significant economic growth and prosperity, Chande said. "Whilst it is still too early to predict what impact Brexit will have on the UK's attractiveness as an investment destination for Indian companies, the many advantages the UK can offer are not set to disappear," he said. The UK government is also clearly keen to strengthen the UK's ties with India and since the Brexit vote, a number of UK political representatives, including Prime Minister Theresa May, have made various visits to India with the hope that Brexit will open up a new free trade deal between the two countries, Chande said. The Tracker highlights 55 of the fastest-growing Indian companies in the UK, as well as the top Indian employers, and provides insight into the evolving scale, business activities, locations and performance of the Indian-owned companies making the biggest impact in the UK. To be included in the Tracker, now in its fourth year, Indian corporates must have a minimum two-year track record in the UK, turnover of more than 5 million pounds and year-on-year revenue growth of at least 10 per cent, based on the latest published accounts filed as at February 28, 2017. Datamatics Infotech Limited topped this year's list with a growth rate of 103 per cent, while overall companies from the technology and telecoms, and pharmaceuticals and chemicals sectors made up 31 per cent and 24 per cent of the list respectively. These are the two key sectors where Indian businesses are continuing to find growth opportunities by diversifying into new spheres of activity, the report found. The business services sector entered the top three for the first time with 11 per cent, up from 6 per cent in 2016 and just 3 per cent in 2015. Shuchita Sonalika, Director and Head of CII UK, said: "The report shows that Indian companies continue to strengthen their economic impact in the UK. While IT and telecom sector retains the largest composition, we are seeing greater influence of pharmaceuticals, business services, financial services, engineering, and energy sectors." "The report identifies 4.25 billion pounds of new investment last year by the Indian companies, and further jobs being created as part of their continued investment programmes. Given that the report only tracks companies set up as subsidiaries, not branches, we believe the employment numbers are even higher than 110,000,0," Sonalika said. Among the other Indian firms listed in the Tracker include Ksk Power Ventur Plc, ranked second with a 90 per cent growth rate, and Bharti Airtel (UK) Ltd, ranked third with 84 per cent growth. Of the 55 that made the fastest-growing list, 23 are new entrants while 32 featured in last year's list. Just under half the companies included in this year's tracker recorded a 25 per cent growth rate or above. Chande, however, cautioned that while the 2017 Tracker shows a continuing expansion of Indian companies' footprint in the UK, the UK must not take their presence for granted. "In the years ahead, as the Indian economy develops to become one of the largest and most powerful in the world, the opportunities to boost investment into the UK will grow," Chnade said. To realise these opportunities the UK must ensure that, as it attends to its relationship with the wider world post-Brexit, it protects and promotes the factors that make it such an attractive destination for Indian investment. The UK and India have much to offer each other and both the countries should commit to re-forging their historic relationship for a prosperous future, he said. London continues to strengthen its dominance as the leading destination for Indian investment in the UK. Of the fastest-growing Indian companies, 44 per cent are now based in the British capital, up from 39 per cent last year and 25 per cent in 2015.
By Express News Service

CHENNAI: There is an air of uncertainty in many IT firms these days. Everyone from freshers to managers has been on the edge since the Trump administration followed up on its election promise to ban the H1B visa, which authorises companies to temporarily hire foreign workers in fields like science, engineering and information technology. It is widely used to outsource personnel from companies like TCS, Infosys, and Cognizant.

While some techies have gone to the extent of switching jobs after the announcement, others are waiting anxiously by putting all their plans on hold for the moment.

I had the perfect plan in place Trump ruined it, rues 24-year-old Archit Raj.

Getting a chance to work in the US was the primary reason I chose to work with Wipro. The moment Trump revoked the H-1B visa, I quit my job. Raj now works with IFMR. He is happy with the job, earns well and most importantly, is not given false promises.

This American dream is a huge draw for many entering the industry.

Most of us in this industry aspire to work in the US, says 34-year-old Sundar Rama at Inautix, who worked in the US in 2015.

This is a huge blow for all of us. I tried to make the switch when I was working there in 2015 but it did not come through. I was thinking of trying this year but now there is no chance.

This disappointment is apparent among other techies as well. Raj Kumar, a 33-year-old techie at Enoah Isolutions, was planning to move to the US along with his family in 2017.

I have an H1 visa and have been planning to shift for the last three years, he explains. I am now rethinking the idea not only because of the Trump administration but also because my wife, who is also an IT professional, will not be able to work on a dependent visa.

The visa ban is set to affect not only professionals but the employers that want to hire them.The industry will definitely be affected, said K Balakumaran at Altimetrik.

So far, getting talent into the industry was not a problem as many students took to IT in the hope of being able to work in the US some day. Now, the hiring process will be difficult.

Senior employees feel that freshers will be the biggest losers.

Since I have worked abroad before, this does not bother me, said 37-year-old Jebaraj John at Inautix Tech. But for the younger employes, working in the US is a major goal. Earlier, many would jump from other organisations to Infosys, TCS and CTS just for the opportunity to get a H-1B visa.

Some techies are just waiting for the storm to pass.

Trump fiddling with the immigration policies will not permanently deter the growth of the IT sector, says Samay Soni, a 24-year-old former Tech Mahindra employee.

As an IT person, you can use your skills anywhere, because once you learn the software, you can apply it anywhere.

Soni, like numerous others, had to put off plans to go to the US for further studies, because of the current political scenario. However, some people have dropped the US as an immigration option and are looking at other places.

I am working towards going to Canada, says 28-year-old Rajesh Kumar at Information Dynamics. In the next three to four years, I should hopefully be there. I admire Justin Trudeau. He does so much for Tamil culture and people. I hope everything falls in place.

Canada may be climbing up the ranks as the ideal place for immigration, but many in the industry warn that it is not the ideal place for IT professionals.

Canada is a promising country to immigrate to, says Balakumaran. But the catch is that it does not provide many opportunities in the IT sector. The US is the IT destination. There is no denying that.

CHENNAI: There is an air of uncertainty in many IT firms these days. Everyone from freshers to managers has been on the edge since the Trump administration followed up on its election promise to ban the H1B visa, which authorises companies to temporarily hire foreign workers in fields like science, engineering and information technology. It is widely used to outsource personnel from companies like TCS, Infosys, and Cognizant. While some techies have gone to the extent of switching jobs after the announcement, others are waiting anxiously by putting all their plans on hold for the moment. I had the perfect plan in place Trump ruined it, rues 24-year-old Archit Raj. Getting a chance to work in the US was the primary reason I chose to work with Wipro. The moment Trump revoked the H-1B visa, I quit my job. Raj now works with IFMR. He is happy with the job, earns well and most importantly, is not given false promises. This American dream is a huge draw for many entering the industry. Most of us in this industry aspire to work in the US, says 34-year-old Sundar Rama at Inautix, who worked in the US in 2015. This is a huge blow for all of us. I tried to make the switch when I was working there in 2015 but it did not come through. I was thinking of trying this year but now there is no chance. This disappointment is apparent among other techies as well. Raj Kumar, a 33-year-old techie at Enoah Isolutions, was planning to move to the US along with his family in 2017. I have an H1 visa and have been planning to shift for the last three years, he explains. I am now rethinking the idea not only because of the Trump administration but also because my wife, who is also an IT professional, will not be able to work on a dependent visa. The visa ban is set to affect not only professionals but the employers that want to hire them.The industry will definitely be affected, said K Balakumaran at Altimetrik. So far, getting talent into the industry was not a problem as many students took to IT in the hope of being able to work in the US some day. Now, the hiring process will be difficult. Senior employees feel that freshers will be the biggest losers. Since I have worked abroad before, this does not bother me, said 37-year-old Jebaraj John at Inautix Tech. But for the younger employes, working in the US is a major goal. Earlier, many would jump from other organisations to Infosys, TCS and CTS just for the opportunity to get a H-1B visa. Some techies are just waiting for the storm to pass. Trump fiddling with the immigration policies will not permanently deter the growth of the IT sector, says Samay Soni, a 24-year-old former Tech Mahindra employee. As an IT person, you can use your skills anywhere, because once you learn the software, you can apply it anywhere. Soni, like numerous others, had to put off plans to go to the US for further studies, because of the current political scenario. However, some people have dropped the US as an immigration option and are looking at other places. I am working towards going to Canada, says 28-year-old Rajesh Kumar at Information Dynamics. In the next three to four years, I should hopefully be there. I admire Justin Trudeau. He does so much for Tamil culture and people. I hope everything falls in place. Canada may be climbing up the ranks as the ideal place for immigration, but many in the industry warn that it is not the ideal place for IT professionals. Canada is a promising country to immigrate to, says Balakumaran. But the catch is that it does not provide many opportunities in the IT sector. The US is the IT destination. There is no denying that.
By Express News Service

HYDERABAD: In perhaps a first, fingerprint scanning linked with Aadhaar data is being used as an entry mechanism for a private event. In this case, at the inauguration of centenary celebrations at Osmania University (OU) in the city.

The varsity, expecting close to 20,000 participants including alumni, had made online registration mandatory and Aadhaar number was one of the requirements. The move has drawn criticism from activists.

In the run-up to the big day, authorities expected trouble from a section of students who have opposed the state government on various issues. OU students, till Tuesday when they met the vice-chancellor, were opposed to the visit of chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao.

OU was a bedrock for the Telangana movement but Wednesdays inaugural function will be the CMs first visit to campus since state formation in 2014.

In the run-up to the inaugural, OU has turned into a fortress. A two-tier security set up arranged will see deployment of 3,500 police personnel in and around the venue. CCTV cameras have been installed all across the campus and will be monitored centrally. Invitees are required to carry invitation card, valid ID proof (employee ID Card/student ID/Aadhar Card)

Only invitees are allowed. Students will have to swipe their Radio-frequency identification (RFID) linked identity cards, their photographs will be compared. OU has arranged provision for biometric verification of ones identity. We have made available sufficient gadgets and personnel for the purpose, said a senior police official.

For monitoring, the venue has been divided into sectors with separate blocks in each block. Separate entry, exit and parking arrangements are made for each block. There are 12 entry/exit points to the university. OU administration has prohibited cameras and photography equipment into the venue. Carrying helmets, mobile phones, bags, bottles, black flags, umbrellas, lighters, matchboxes, weapons, hazardous materials into the venue is also prohibited.

Bitter response

It just shows the level of paranoia. OU has traditionally been very open and a genuine public institution. The use of surveillance mechanisms, including Aadhaar verification, being imposed with strong armsnationwidee, is part of a larger issue, said Padmaja Shaw, a former journalism professor from the varsity.

Neeraj Arora, a cyber law and security expert practicing in the Supreme Court, said it is upon the university to adopt any procedure for security. It depends on the institution as they are governed by their own bylaws. The security agencies can adopt this process of verification if they get authorisation from the university. All the people who are students of the university can object to this, as they have the right to free and fair entry. Right to access is a basic right, said Arora. However, he added, They are being unrealistic. That level of security cannot be implemented anywhere. The finger prints are with the aadhaar repository of the Unique Identification Authority of India and this form of verification will take time, the lawyer added.

This shows the heights of VVIP culture, said Rakesh Reddy, an RTI activist. (VIPs are exempt) SC has made it clear multiple times that Aadhaar should be used only for basic purposes like DBT. If Aadhaar is mandatory for entry, all VIPs should also go through the mechanism, he added.

OU centenary fest inauguration today

Hyderabad: On Wednesday as Osmania University will be entering its centenary year, a sea of people will be descending in the university to be part of the inaugural event to be attended by President, Pranab Mukherjee. The event will flag off the various events which will be spread over three days till Friday, as part of centenary celebrations.

To ensure smooth conduct the university has made seating arrangements for nearly twenty thousand people which include around 10 thousand students, 1,000 VIPs, 2,000 alumni, 1,020 faculty, 758 retired staff, 1800 non-teaching staff and 128 physically handicapped candidates. Attendants had to apply for entry pass online. 1,500 invitations were sent to affiliated colleges.

The university also made parking arrangements for a large number of vehicles and shuttle services will also be made available to pick up people from various points.

The inaugural event will be from 12:30 to 1:30 pm which will be attended by the President along with Governor ESL Narasimhan, Telangana Chief Minister, K Chandrasekhar Rao, Union Minister, Bandaru Dattatreya, Deputy Chief Minister, Kadiyam Srihari, Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament, Dr K Keshava Rao, GHMC, Mayor, Bonthu Rammohan and university officials, Vice Chancellor, Prof S Ramachandram and Registrar, Prof Ch Gopal Reddy.

The inaugural will be followed a national seminar on Role of OU in Telangana and Nation Building, followed by cultural programs in the evening. On all three days, there will be cultural programs in front of Arts College revolving around the theme of the centenary. The varsity has clarified that pass is required only for the inaugural programme on Wednesday upto 1.30 pm. For rest of the programmes, entry pass will not be required.

Student leaders assure no disruptions

Hyderabad: Student leaders of various organizations in Osmania University called on Vice Chancellor Prof S Ramachandram on Tuesday in which they ensured him that there will be no disruptions to the inaugural event of OU Centenary Celebrations which will be held on Wednesday.

The student leaders however made four demands and said that they will wait till May 1 for the state government to respond positively to it, following which they will conduct protests if there was hesitation on part of the administration. The demands include formation of the Executive Council of OU, conducting recruitment to fill the vacant faculty positions in university, provision of scholarship of Rs 3,000 to Post Graduation students and Rs 8,000 to PhD students who do not have any fellowships and allowing students union elections in OU.

V Arunank of Democratic Students Union (DSU) said, The Vice Chancellor told us that he will take up our demands with the central government. We are not against the university celebrating the centenary. We are also OU students and take pride in it but we are against Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao participating in the celebrations. However, he is coming along with the President so we decided not to conduct any protests. The students were sceptical about the fact that the police officials may conduct preventive arrests against students leaders or pick them up from the campus.

However, student leaders said that the Vice Chancellor assured them that he had spoken with police officials to not take up any such measures in campus and has also not given any permission for it. The student leaders said that they believe their Vice Chancellors vow and are not worried.

HYDERABAD: In perhaps a first, fingerprint scanning linked with Aadhaar data is being used as an entry mechanism for a private event. In this case, at the inauguration of centenary celebrations at Osmania University (OU) in the city. The varsity, expecting close to 20,000 participants including alumni, had made online registration mandatory and Aadhaar number was one of the requirements. The move has drawn criticism from activists. In the run-up to the big day, authorities expected trouble from a section of students who have opposed the state government on various issues. OU students, till Tuesday when they met the vice-chancellor, were opposed to the visit of chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao. OU was a bedrock for the Telangana movement but Wednesdays inaugural function will be the CMs first visit to campus since state formation in 2014. In the run-up to the inaugural, OU has turned into a fortress. A two-tier security set up arranged will see deployment of 3,500 police personnel in and around the venue. CCTV cameras have been installed all across the campus and will be monitored centrally. Invitees are required to carry invitation card, valid ID proof (employee ID Card/student ID/Aadhar Card) Only invitees are allowed. Students will have to swipe their Radio-frequency identification (RFID) linked identity cards, their photographs will be compared. OU has arranged provision for biometric verification of ones identity. We have made available sufficient gadgets and personnel for the purpose, said a senior police official. For monitoring, the venue has been divided into sectors with separate blocks in each block. Separate entry, exit and parking arrangements are made for each block. There are 12 entry/exit points to the university. OU administration has prohibited cameras and photography equipment into the venue. Carrying helmets, mobile phones, bags, bottles, black flags, umbrellas, lighters, matchboxes, weapons, hazardous materials into the venue is also prohibited. Bitter response It just shows the level of paranoia. OU has traditionally been very open and a genuine public institution. The use of surveillance mechanisms, including Aadhaar verification, being imposed with strong armsnationwidee, is part of a larger issue, said Padmaja Shaw, a former journalism professor from the varsity. Neeraj Arora, a cyber law and security expert practicing in the Supreme Court, said it is upon the university to adopt any procedure for security. It depends on the institution as they are governed by their own bylaws. The security agencies can adopt this process of verification if they get authorisation from the university. All the people who are students of the university can object to this, as they have the right to free and fair entry. Right to access is a basic right, said Arora. However, he added, They are being unrealistic. That level of security cannot be implemented anywhere. The finger prints are with the aadhaar repository of the Unique Identification Authority of India and this form of verification will take time, the lawyer added. This shows the heights of VVIP culture, said Rakesh Reddy, an RTI activist. (VIPs are exempt) SC has made it clear multiple times that Aadhaar should be used only for basic purposes like DBT. If Aadhaar is mandatory for entry, all VIPs should also go through the mechanism, he added. OU centenary fest inauguration today Hyderabad: On Wednesday as Osmania University will be entering its centenary year, a sea of people will be descending in the university to be part of the inaugural event to be attended by President, Pranab Mukherjee. The event will flag off the various events which will be spread over three days till Friday, as part of centenary celebrations. To ensure smooth conduct the university has made seating arrangements for nearly twenty thousand people which include around 10 thousand students, 1,000 VIPs, 2,000 alumni, 1,020 faculty, 758 retired staff, 1800 non-teaching staff and 128 physically handicapped candidates. Attendants had to apply for entry pass online. 1,500 invitations were sent to affiliated colleges. The university also made parking arrangements for a large number of vehicles and shuttle services will also be made available to pick up people from various points. The inaugural event will be from 12:30 to 1:30 pm which will be attended by the President along with Governor ESL Narasimhan, Telangana Chief Minister, K Chandrasekhar Rao, Union Minister, Bandaru Dattatreya, Deputy Chief Minister, Kadiyam Srihari, Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament, Dr K Keshava Rao, GHMC, Mayor, Bonthu Rammohan and university officials, Vice Chancellor, Prof S Ramachandram and Registrar, Prof Ch Gopal Reddy. The inaugural will be followed a national seminar on Role of OU in Telangana and Nation Building, followed by cultural programs in the evening. On all three days, there will be cultural programs in front of Arts College revolving around the theme of the centenary. The varsity has clarified that pass is required only for the inaugural programme on Wednesday upto 1.30 pm. For rest of the programmes, entry pass will not be required. Student leaders assure no disruptions Hyderabad: Student leaders of various organizations in Osmania University called on Vice Chancellor Prof S Ramachandram on Tuesday in which they ensured him that there will be no disruptions to the inaugural event of OU Centenary Celebrations which will be held on Wednesday. The student leaders however made four demands and said that they will wait till May 1 for the state government to respond positively to it, following which they will conduct protests if there was hesitation on part of the administration. The demands include formation of the Executive Council of OU, conducting recruitment to fill the vacant faculty positions in university, provision of scholarship of Rs 3,000 to Post Graduation students and Rs 8,000 to PhD students who do not have any fellowships and allowing students union elections in OU. V Arunank of Democratic Students Union (DSU) said, The Vice Chancellor told us that he will take up our demands with the central government. We are not against the university celebrating the centenary. We are also OU students and take pride in it but we are against Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao participating in the celebrations. However, he is coming along with the President so we decided not to conduct any protests. The students were sceptical about the fact that the police officials may conduct preventive arrests against students leaders or pick them up from the campus. However, student leaders said that the Vice Chancellor assured them that he had spoken with police officials to not take up any such measures in campus and has also not given any permission for it. The student leaders said that they believe their Vice Chancellors vow and are not worried.
Fayaz Wani By

Express News Service

SRINAGAR: A day after Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti directed security forces to exhibit maximum restraint while dealing with law and order situations and counsel youth, BJP has asked the CM to give up her soft policy towards the stone pelters and separatists in Kashmir and take some hard measures to restore peace and normalcy in the strife-torn Valley.

The PDPs soft policy towards stone pelters, flag waving youth, trouble mongers and separatists in the Valley has not worked and is not going to work. A person who takes law in his own hand has to be dealt with sternly, BJP chief spokesman Sunil Sethi told New Indian Express.

He said the PDP needs to understand that this appeasement policy wont work and some hard measures have to be taken to restore peace in the Valley.

Had we controlled the situation from the beginning by dealing sternly with those waving ISIS and Pakistani flags and chanting pro-Pakistan and anti-India slogans in valley, things would have been different now, he said.

The BJP chief spokesman alleged that security forces have been blunted.

We are not allowing them (forces) to use the force to disperse the crowd despite the fact that the crowd is beating security men, something which is unseen and unheard of, he said.

Asked whether it means security forces should use excessive force, Sethi said, BJP does not believe in excessive use of force in dealing with situation. However, forces should be allowed to use the force required to deal with any situation. We are not allowing them to even use the required force.

On Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti favouring talks with youth, stone pelters and separatists, the BJP spokesman said, For talks, there has to be conducive atmosphere. You cannot talk with a person having stones in his hands.

The CM should act tough on the ground for making conducive atmosphere for talks. The government has to be stern so that people feel that law and order machinery exists in the state and law cannot be violated, he said.

Referring to unrest-like situation in the Valley, Sethi said situation is not improving due to over softness shown by PDP while dealing with the situation.

The efforts to restore peace in Valley will not come from appeasement policy of Mehbooba, he said.

You have to make people understand that talks cannot take place unless you shun the violence, stop stone pelting and anti-national slogans and end anti-national activities. The government has to tell them to leave all these activities and then come for talks and nobody will stop them, Sethi said.

Asked whether BJP has conveyed to PDP to give up its soft policy, he said they have been told at an appropriate level.

It has also come under discussion during her meetings with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Rajnath Singh recently. She has been told to appropriately handle the situation. Situation is not going to be controlled by showing weaknesses. We cant show weaknesses, she said.

The BJP spokesman asserted that nobody can force the government to talk by holding stones in their hands.

The mighty country like India wont bow to stone pelters. It wont happen, he said.

He asked PDP to stop issuing statements giving an impression that the stone pelters and anti-national elements in Valley are victims. This appeasement policy wont work.

The PDP is losing its support base in Kashmir, especially in its stronghold in South Kashmir after civilian killings in security forces firing last year and this year.

Sethi said PDP had made the Agenda of Alliance for development of the State.

If a party becomes so weak that it thinks that its constituency will be affected if it makes a rightful statement on situation then it is very unfortunate, he said.

The BJP spokesman said from a party, which was very strong and had won Srinagar parliamentary in 2014 general election, PDP has now lost the Srinagar seat.

It shows that there is basic wrong in its policies, which is showing softness to trouble makers, Sethi said.

Opposition National Conferences president Farooq Abdullah won bypolls to Srinagar parliamentary seat this month by defeating PDPs rival by about 10,000 votes. The bypolls were marred by violence and witnessed only 7.3 per cent polling.

SRINAGAR: A day after Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti directed security forces to exhibit maximum restraint while dealing with law and order situations and counsel youth, BJP has asked the CM to give up her soft policy towards the stone pelters and separatists in Kashmir and take some hard measures to restore peace and normalcy in the strife-torn Valley. The PDPs soft policy towards stone pelters, flag waving youth, trouble mongers and separatists in the Valley has not worked and is not going to work. A person who takes law in his own hand has to be dealt with sternly, BJP chief spokesman Sunil Sethi told New Indian Express. He said the PDP needs to understand that this appeasement policy wont work and some hard measures have to be taken to restore peace in the Valley. Had we controlled the situation from the beginning by dealing sternly with those waving ISIS and Pakistani flags and chanting pro-Pakistan and anti-India slogans in valley, things would have been different now, he said. The BJP chief spokesman alleged that security forces have been blunted. We are not allowing them (forces) to use the force to disperse the crowd despite the fact that the crowd is beating security men, something which is unseen and unheard of, he said. Asked whether it means security forces should use excessive force, Sethi said, BJP does not believe in excessive use of force in dealing with situation. However, forces should be allowed to use the force required to deal with any situation. We are not allowing them to even use the required force. On Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti favouring talks with youth, stone pelters and separatists, the BJP spokesman said, For talks, there has to be conducive atmosphere. You cannot talk with a person having stones in his hands. The CM should act tough on the ground for making conducive atmosphere for talks. The government has to be stern so that people feel that law and order machinery exists in the state and law cannot be violated, he said. Referring to unrest-like situation in the Valley, Sethi said situation is not improving due to over softness shown by PDP while dealing with the situation. The efforts to restore peace in Valley will not come from appeasement policy of Mehbooba, he said. You have to make people understand that talks cannot take place unless you shun the violence, stop stone pelting and anti-national slogans and end anti-national activities. The government has to tell them to leave all these activities and then come for talks and nobody will stop them, Sethi said. Asked whether BJP has conveyed to PDP to give up its soft policy, he said they have been told at an appropriate level. It has also come under discussion during her meetings with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Rajnath Singh recently. She has been told to appropriately handle the situation. Situation is not going to be controlled by showing weaknesses. We cant show weaknesses, she said. The BJP spokesman asserted that nobody can force the government to talk by holding stones in their hands. The mighty country like India wont bow to stone pelters. It wont happen, he said. He asked PDP to stop issuing statements giving an impression that the stone pelters and anti-national elements in Valley are victims. This appeasement policy wont work. The PDP is losing its support base in Kashmir, especially in its stronghold in South Kashmir after civilian killings in security forces firing last year and this year. Sethi said PDP had made the Agenda of Alliance for development of the State. If a party becomes so weak that it thinks that its constituency will be affected if it makes a rightful statement on situation then it is very unfortunate, he said. The BJP spokesman said from a party, which was very strong and had won Srinagar parliamentary in 2014 general election, PDP has now lost the Srinagar seat. It shows that there is basic wrong in its policies, which is showing softness to trouble makers, Sethi said. Opposition National Conferences president Farooq Abdullah won bypolls to Srinagar parliamentary seat this month by defeating PDPs rival by about 10,000 votes. The bypolls were marred by violence and witnessed only 7.3 per cent polling.
By Express News Service

NEW DELHI: Israels Ambassador to New Delhi Daniel Carmon on Tuesday said that after 25 years of low key, low volume bilateral cooperation, he could feel doors were opening at governmental level, as India has overcome its hesitance to accept its relation with the Jewish nation openly.

Being not visible had its impediments. Defence Cooperation gave us the luxury to have low visibility, but cooperation has been low key low volume, Carmon said at Dr. Shayama Prasad Mukherjee Lecture on

India, Israel: Enduring Partnership.

As the Narendra Modi-led government executes the tectonic shift in its Israel-Palestine policy by the first visit of Indian Prime Minister to Tel Aviv, the Ambassador said: At government level, I could feel opening of doors.

The fact that this visit (Modi going to Israel) is happening after so much hesitance, after not talking about it, about what was written on Indian passports 25 years ago; things have evolved where Indian president visits Israel and Israels President visits India, Carmon added. India had established diplomatic relation with Israel only about two and a half years ago, and even then its approach to balance relation between Tel

Aviv and Palestine forced its hand to keep the relation in a closet.

As the two countries, that have enormous defence cooperation between them, decided to build a multi-faceted relation; the visit of Prime Minister Modi would be enormous and would see some big ticket

content.

The Envoy also lent his support to the Indian security forces as they seek to strike a balance between protecting Human Rights and its citizens while countering terrorism. When asked a specific question about how human rights can be adhered to in counter-terrorism, Carmon replied: The world lacks definition of

terrorism and incitement. Incitement is more dangerous. Legal advisors, practitioners, armed forces, jawans know it is a new battlefield. It is not between armies anymore. We have seen it all.

NEW DELHI: Israels Ambassador to New Delhi Daniel Carmon on Tuesday said that after 25 years of low key, low volume bilateral cooperation, he could feel doors were opening at governmental level, as India has overcome its hesitance to accept its relation with the Jewish nation openly. Being not visible had its impediments. Defence Cooperation gave us the luxury to have low visibility, but cooperation has been low key low volume, Carmon said at Dr. Shayama Prasad Mukherjee Lecture on India, Israel: Enduring Partnership. As the Narendra Modi-led government executes the tectonic shift in its Israel-Palestine policy by the first visit of Indian Prime Minister to Tel Aviv, the Ambassador said: At government level, I could feel opening of doors. The fact that this visit (Modi going to Israel) is happening after so much hesitance, after not talking about it, about what was written on Indian passports 25 years ago; things have evolved where Indian president visits Israel and Israels President visits India, Carmon added. India had established diplomatic relation with Israel only about two and a half years ago, and even then its approach to balance relation between Tel Aviv and Palestine forced its hand to keep the relation in a closet. As the two countries, that have enormous defence cooperation between them, decided to build a multi-faceted relation; the visit of Prime Minister Modi would be enormous and would see some big ticket content. The Envoy also lent his support to the Indian security forces as they seek to strike a balance between protecting Human Rights and its citizens while countering terrorism. When asked a specific question about how human rights can be adhered to in counter-terrorism, Carmon replied: The world lacks definition of terrorism and incitement. Incitement is more dangerous. Legal advisors, practitioners, armed forces, jawans know it is a new battlefield. It is not between armies anymore. We have seen it all.
Fayaz Wani By

Express News Service

SRINAGAR: A day after key security meeting chaired by J&K Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and attended by top army and security officials reviewed security situation, the PDP-BJP coalition government on Wednesday banned 22 social media sites for a month in Kashmir.

In the official order issued by Principal Secretary Home R K Goyal, all Internet Service Providers (ISPs) in the Valley have been directed to stop transmission of messages through 22 social networking sites and instant messaging services for one month in the Valley.

The 22 social media and instant messaging services banned include Facebook, Twitter, Whatsapp, QQ, WeChat, Tumblr, Google+, Baidu, Skype, Viber, Line, Snapchat, Pinterest, Telegram, Reddit, Snapfish, Youtube (upload), Vine, Xanga, Buzznet and Flickr.

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In the interest of maintenance of public order, the government, in exercise of powers conferred by sub-section (2) of the Section 5 of the Indian Telegraph Act, 1885, read with the Indian Telegraph (Amendment) Rules, 2007 hereby directs all ISPs that any message or class or messages to or from any person or class of persons relating to any subject or any pictorial content through the following social networking sites shall not be transmitted in the Valley with immediate effect for a period of one month or till further orders, reads the official order.

While justifying banning of the social media sites and instant messaging services, the order said as per available inputs a progressively increasing trend was witnessed with regard to misuse of social media like Facebook, Twitter, etc by elements inimical to public order and tranquility, thereby impinging on public safety in the Valley.

It was observed that some elements are transmitting objectionable contents to spread disaffection among public at large in Kashmir against the state administration and the security forces with a view to incite them to commit various offences at a large scale, cause damage to life and property and disturb peace, it said.

The government order further disclosed that it was observed during the law and order disturbances in Valley last year that anti-national and subversive elements inter alia extensively misused social media sites and instant messaging services for vitiating peace and instigating violence, which caused large scale damage to life and property.

The anti-national and inimical elements largely succeed in transmitting unverified objectionable and inflammatory material/content through the media of social networking sites and instant message services without any accountability, thereby endangering the public life and property and causing unrest/disharmony in the State. On careful examination of all relevant factors, it was observed that use of social media platform, which are being misused by anti-national and anti-social elements by transmitting inflammatory messages in various forms, are immediately required to be regulated and curbed, added the order banning social networking and instant messaging services in the Valley for a month.

Kashmir has been tense after killing of eight civilians in security forces firing during bypolls to Srinagar parliamentary seat on April 9. The tension further escalated after security forces raid on a Degree College in Pulwama in South Kashmir on April 15 during which over 50 students were injured.

The students staged Valley-wide protests and clashed with security personnel on April 17.

After the student protests, the State government suspended 3G and 4G mobile internet services in the Valley on April 17 and since then the services have remained suspended.

Despite suspension of internet mobile services, there has been no let up in student protests. Even today students staged protests in Central, South and North Kashmir during which cops fired tear smoke shells and resorted to heavy baton charge to disperse the protesting students.

In South Kashmirs Pulwama district, the students hoisted a Pakistani flag over the administrative wing of a college today.

On Monday, Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir, was turned into a battleground due to massive clashes between protesting students and security personnel.

SRINAGAR: A day after key security meeting chaired by J&K Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and attended by top army and security officials reviewed security situation, the PDP-BJP coalition government on Wednesday banned 22 social media sites for a month in Kashmir. In the official order issued by Principal Secretary Home R K Goyal, all Internet Service Providers (ISPs) in the Valley have been directed to stop transmission of messages through 22 social networking sites and instant messaging services for one month in the Valley. The 22 social media and instant messaging services banned include Facebook, Twitter, Whatsapp, QQ, WeChat, Tumblr, Google+, Baidu, Skype, Viber, Line, Snapchat, Pinterest, Telegram, Reddit, Snapfish, Youtube (upload), Vine, Xanga, Buzznet and Flickr. WATCH VIDEO: window.__ventunoplayer = window.__ventunoplayer||[]; window.__ventunoplayer.push({video_key: 'OTI2ODEzfHw4fHw2fHwxLDIsMQ==', holder_id: 'vt-video-player', player_type: 'vp', width:'100%', ratio:'4:3'}); In the interest of maintenance of public order, the government, in exercise of powers conferred by sub-section (2) of the Section 5 of the Indian Telegraph Act, 1885, read with the Indian Telegraph (Amendment) Rules, 2007 hereby directs all ISPs that any message or class or messages to or from any person or class of persons relating to any subject or any pictorial content through the following social networking sites shall not be transmitted in the Valley with immediate effect for a period of one month or till further orders, reads the official order. While justifying banning of the social media sites and instant messaging services, the order said as per available inputs a progressively increasing trend was witnessed with regard to misuse of social media like Facebook, Twitter, etc by elements inimical to public order and tranquility, thereby impinging on public safety in the Valley. It was observed that some elements are transmitting objectionable contents to spread disaffection among public at large in Kashmir against the state administration and the security forces with a view to incite them to commit various offences at a large scale, cause damage to life and property and disturb peace, it said. The government order further disclosed that it was observed during the law and order disturbances in Valley last year that anti-national and subversive elements inter alia extensively misused social media sites and instant messaging services for vitiating peace and instigating violence, which caused large scale damage to life and property. The anti-national and inimical elements largely succeed in transmitting unverified objectionable and inflammatory material/content through the media of social networking sites and instant message services without any accountability, thereby endangering the public life and property and causing unrest/disharmony in the State. On careful examination of all relevant factors, it was observed that use of social media platform, which are being misused by anti-national and anti-social elements by transmitting inflammatory messages in various forms, are immediately required to be regulated and curbed, added the order banning social networking and instant messaging services in the Valley for a month. Kashmir has been tense after killing of eight civilians in security forces firing during bypolls to Srinagar parliamentary seat on April 9. The tension further escalated after security forces raid on a Degree College in Pulwama in South Kashmir on April 15 during which over 50 students were injured. The students staged Valley-wide protests and clashed with security personnel on April 17. After the student protests, the State government suspended 3G and 4G mobile internet services in the Valley on April 17 and since then the services have remained suspended. Despite suspension of internet mobile services, there has been no let up in student protests. Even today students staged protests in Central, South and North Kashmir during which cops fired tear smoke shells and resorted to heavy baton charge to disperse the protesting students. In South Kashmirs Pulwama district, the students hoisted a Pakistani flag over the administrative wing of a college today. On Monday, Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir, was turned into a battleground due to massive clashes between protesting students and security personnel.
Namita Bajpai By

Express News Service

LUCKNOW: Websites of around 30 prominent institutions, including BHU-IIT, Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), Delhi University (DU), Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, and some other educational and training institutions were allegedly hacked on Tuesday by a pro-Pakistan group.



The usual information suddenly went off the portals of these institutions and was replaced with messages and videos about alleged atrocities by Indian Armed Forces in Kashmir.



A group of hackers -- Pakistan Haxors Crew (PHC) -- got into the official websites, believably, in response to an Indian hacker who had hacked Pakistans railway website.



Some pro-Pakistani slogans  Pakistan Zindabad-- were flashing on the portals saying "Nothing deleted or stolen. Just here to deliver my message to Indians."



The message asked Indians if they were aware of what their soldiers were doing in Kashmir.

When contacted, educational institutions said they were linked to Ernet India Server, which hosted their websites.



Faisal Fareed, posted at the AMU registrars office said that the website was restored a few hours after the hack without any loss of information. IIT-BHU officials also denied having lost any data.



They also claimed that the all related websites were restored and the issue was rectified within hours. The officials said there was no loss of data or vital student-related information, and the institutes technical team made it operational within an hour.



Director of IIT-BHU, Professor Rajeev Sangal also confirmed that the information and details present on the website were intact.



He, however, added that the institutions technical team was working to strengthen the systems security and to safeguard it from further such attempts.

LUCKNOW: Websites of around 30 prominent institutions, including BHU-IIT, Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), Delhi University (DU), Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, and some other educational and training institutions were allegedly hacked on Tuesday by a pro-Pakistan group. The usual information suddenly went off the portals of these institutions and was replaced with messages and videos about alleged atrocities by Indian Armed Forces in Kashmir. A group of hackers -- Pakistan Haxors Crew (PHC) -- got into the official websites, believably, in response to an Indian hacker who had hacked Pakistans railway website. Some pro-Pakistani slogans  Pakistan Zindabad-- were flashing on the portals saying "Nothing deleted or stolen. Just here to deliver my message to Indians." The message asked Indians if they were aware of what their soldiers were doing in Kashmir. When contacted, educational institutions said they were linked to Ernet India Server, which hosted their websites. Faisal Fareed, posted at the AMU registrars office said that the website was restored a few hours after the hack without any loss of information. IIT-BHU officials also denied having lost any data. They also claimed that the all related websites were restored and the issue was rectified within hours. The officials said there was no loss of data or vital student-related information, and the institutes technical team made it operational within an hour. Director of IIT-BHU, Professor Rajeev Sangal also confirmed that the information and details present on the website were intact. He, however, added that the institutions technical team was working to strengthen the systems security and to safeguard it from further such attempts.
Anand ST Das By

Express News Service

PATNA: Ten Maoist fighters, including three women and three area commanders surrendered before police in Jharkhands Lohardaga district on Wednesday.

The two area commanders- Ramdhin Kherwar and Kaleshwar Kherwar  had a Rs 2 lakh reward on their heads, said Amol Venukant Homkar, DIG (Ranchi range), to whom the leftwing rebels surrendered. One of the Maoists is a sub-zonal commander, he added.

With Lohardaga in central Jharkhand being among the States worst Maoist-infested districts, these surrenders are considered quite an achievement for State police. This is the first time so many Maoist guerillas have surrendered to police in the district, said officials.

More than 30 Maoists have surrendered in the past six months, added officials. Twenty-two of the States 24 districts have been affected by Maoist activities for close to two decades.

These surrenders have sent out a positive message among the people, especially those living in rural areas under the shadow of leftwing activities, said Amol Homkar.

The surrendered Maoists would be rehabilitated as per the provisions of the State governments surrender and rehabilitation policy for leftwing rebels, he added.

The three women Maoists are Meena Oraon, Sushanti Oraon and Seema Oraon, said police. The other Maoists were identified as Suhram Kherwar, Harendra Oraon, Chandreshwar Oraon, Jitendra Ganjhu and Sukhlal Nagesia.

Sources said State police and paramilitary forces had begun intensified combing operations in central Jharkhand since Monday, after getting tips-off about Maoist presence in Lohardaga and Ranchi districts.

Homkar said the ten Maoists who surrendered had contacted the district police expressing their desire to do so.

In February, seven Maoist leaders with a bounty of Rs 43 lakh on their heads, had surrendered before police in East Singhbhum district. They included the dreaded Kanhu Munda and Fogra Munda, with bounties of Rs 25 lakh and Rs 10 lakh respectively on their heads.

PATNA: Ten Maoist fighters, including three women and three area commanders surrendered before police in Jharkhands Lohardaga district on Wednesday. The two area commanders- Ramdhin Kherwar and Kaleshwar Kherwar  had a Rs 2 lakh reward on their heads, said Amol Venukant Homkar, DIG (Ranchi range), to whom the leftwing rebels surrendered. One of the Maoists is a sub-zonal commander, he added. With Lohardaga in central Jharkhand being among the States worst Maoist-infested districts, these surrenders are considered quite an achievement for State police. This is the first time so many Maoist guerillas have surrendered to police in the district, said officials. More than 30 Maoists have surrendered in the past six months, added officials. Twenty-two of the States 24 districts have been affected by Maoist activities for close to two decades. These surrenders have sent out a positive message among the people, especially those living in rural areas under the shadow of leftwing activities, said Amol Homkar. The surrendered Maoists would be rehabilitated as per the provisions of the State governments surrender and rehabilitation policy for leftwing rebels, he added. The three women Maoists are Meena Oraon, Sushanti Oraon and Seema Oraon, said police. The other Maoists were identified as Suhram Kherwar, Harendra Oraon, Chandreshwar Oraon, Jitendra Ganjhu and Sukhlal Nagesia. Sources said State police and paramilitary forces had begun intensified combing operations in central Jharkhand since Monday, after getting tips-off about Maoist presence in Lohardaga and Ranchi districts. Homkar said the ten Maoists who surrendered had contacted the district police expressing their desire to do so. In February, seven Maoist leaders with a bounty of Rs 43 lakh on their heads, had surrendered before police in East Singhbhum district. They included the dreaded Kanhu Munda and Fogra Munda, with bounties of Rs 25 lakh and Rs 10 lakh respectively on their heads.
By Express News Service

LUCKNOW: The cops, part of anti-Romeo squads in Uttar Pradesh, will now carry a camera on their body while on duty. In a bid to keep an eye on the approach and attitude of squads while cracking down on the elements indulging in eve-teasing and other crimes against women, the newly-appointed director general of police (DGP) of Uttar Pradesh Sulkhan Singh issued directives for the squads to carry body-worn camera while being on duty. Singh also cautioned the district police chiefs to deal with trouble makers and vigilante groups with an iron fist.

A list of dos and donts for anti-Romeo squads has been issued and the cops concerned have been asked to desist from arresting the rowdy elements immediately. It is suggested that the parents of such elements be summoned and briefed. This is a step taken by the DGP to ensure that the anti-Romeo squads do not resort to moral policing or harassment of the young boys, said a senior official posted in DGP office.

The new development comes in the wake of allegations of harassment of innocent consenting couples at the hands of anti-Romeo squads in the recent past from different corners of the State.

The directives were issued by UPs top cop on Tuesday night after he held a video conference with all the senior police officials across the State. The DGP also directed the SPs and SSPs to make it clear to the anti-Romeo squad that they do not have the mandate to investigate any issue. They have been asked to only detain the stalkers and rowdy elements and issue warnings against them.

Those policemen who are part of the squad will have to record the action taken by them in the field on the camera on their body, said the police spokesman while briefing the media persons here on Wednesday. This will come as a deterrent for policemen who at times go overboard while handling such situations, said a senior cop. Instructions were also issued to district police chiefs and other senior officials to deal with the trouble makers such as the different vigilante groups who tend to take law in their hands and indulge in intimidation of others in the name of cow protection or love jihad.

The orders demand zero-tolerance towards the trouble makers. No mercy should be shown towards those who try to disturb the public order, however high and mighty they may be, said the spokesman.

Even the senior cops were cautioned against allowing traditional ways of protests, road blockades and squatting. The situation in any case should not be allowed to go out of hands during demonstrations and protests, the cops were told. The traffic department, meanwhile, was asked to inculcate road discipline among commuters and curb the encroachers sternly.

LUCKNOW: The cops, part of anti-Romeo squads in Uttar Pradesh, will now carry a camera on their body while on duty. In a bid to keep an eye on the approach and attitude of squads while cracking down on the elements indulging in eve-teasing and other crimes against women, the newly-appointed director general of police (DGP) of Uttar Pradesh Sulkhan Singh issued directives for the squads to carry body-worn camera while being on duty. Singh also cautioned the district police chiefs to deal with trouble makers and vigilante groups with an iron fist. A list of dos and donts for anti-Romeo squads has been issued and the cops concerned have been asked to desist from arresting the rowdy elements immediately. It is suggested that the parents of such elements be summoned and briefed. This is a step taken by the DGP to ensure that the anti-Romeo squads do not resort to moral policing or harassment of the young boys, said a senior official posted in DGP office. The new development comes in the wake of allegations of harassment of innocent consenting couples at the hands of anti-Romeo squads in the recent past from different corners of the State. The directives were issued by UPs top cop on Tuesday night after he held a video conference with all the senior police officials across the State. The DGP also directed the SPs and SSPs to make it clear to the anti-Romeo squad that they do not have the mandate to investigate any issue. They have been asked to only detain the stalkers and rowdy elements and issue warnings against them. Those policemen who are part of the squad will have to record the action taken by them in the field on the camera on their body, said the police spokesman while briefing the media persons here on Wednesday. This will come as a deterrent for policemen who at times go overboard while handling such situations, said a senior cop. Instructions were also issued to district police chiefs and other senior officials to deal with the trouble makers such as the different vigilante groups who tend to take law in their hands and indulge in intimidation of others in the name of cow protection or love jihad. The orders demand zero-tolerance towards the trouble makers. No mercy should be shown towards those who try to disturb the public order, however high and mighty they may be, said the spokesman. Even the senior cops were cautioned against allowing traditional ways of protests, road blockades and squatting. The situation in any case should not be allowed to go out of hands during demonstrations and protests, the cops were told. The traffic department, meanwhile, was asked to inculcate road discipline among commuters and curb the encroachers sternly.
Aishik Chanda By

Express News Service

KOLKATA: At least three people died when a jetty on river Hooghly at Telinipara ghat of Hooghly district in West Bengal collapsed at 11 am on Wednesday morning.

Some 50-60 people were on the jetty waiting for a ferry across the river to Shyamnagar ghat of North 24 Parganas district when it collapsed under the impact of high tide on the river. The death toll may rise as 13 persons are still missing and rescuers fear strong currents may have pulled them downstream.

Fifteen people have been rescued in critical condition and admitted to Chandanagore hospital. Dead bodies of three persons have been fished out. Some 13 people are still missing of which 11 are men and 2 are women. After the collapse, many of the victims swam back to the shore. Fire Brigade and Natural Disaster Relief Mission (NDRM) team have been pressed into service to rescue the missing victims, Telinipara police outpost sub-inspector Pradip Das told New Indian Express.

WATCH VIDEO BELOW:

West Bengal government announced an ex-gratia of Rs 3 lakh for the deceased and Rs 25,000 for the injured. Minister of agriculture marketing Tapan Dasgupta, who rushed to the spot said: The incident has occurred due to high tide. We are working our best to rescue the missing persons.

Sources revealed rescuers fear that the many of the bodies may have flown downstream due to strong currents. Also, some of the bodies may be stuck under the rubble of the jetty. However, the search operation is likely to continue after dark and necessary lighting arrangements have been made, informed Hooghly police.

Meanwhile, locals complained that the jetty had not been repaired since it collapsed a year ago causing death of two people. Just on the other side of the ghat is Shyamnagar railway station. Many daily commuters, including IT professionals travelling to Kolkata regularly take boats from the jetty to cross the river and reach the railway station. Despite several applications and promises in 2011 and 2016 Assembly elections, the jetty has not been repaired, Shyamal Chakraborty, a local resident said.

KOLKATA: At least three people died when a jetty on river Hooghly at Telinipara ghat of Hooghly district in West Bengal collapsed at 11 am on Wednesday morning. Some 50-60 people were on the jetty waiting for a ferry across the river to Shyamnagar ghat of North 24 Parganas district when it collapsed under the impact of high tide on the river. The death toll may rise as 13 persons are still missing and rescuers fear strong currents may have pulled them downstream. Fifteen people have been rescued in critical condition and admitted to Chandanagore hospital. Dead bodies of three persons have been fished out. Some 13 people are still missing of which 11 are men and 2 are women. After the collapse, many of the victims swam back to the shore. Fire Brigade and Natural Disaster Relief Mission (NDRM) team have been pressed into service to rescue the missing victims, Telinipara police outpost sub-inspector Pradip Das told New Indian Express. WATCH VIDEO BELOW: West Bengal government announced an ex-gratia of Rs 3 lakh for the deceased and Rs 25,000 for the injured. Minister of agriculture marketing Tapan Dasgupta, who rushed to the spot said: The incident has occurred due to high tide. We are working our best to rescue the missing persons. Sources revealed rescuers fear that the many of the bodies may have flown downstream due to strong currents. Also, some of the bodies may be stuck under the rubble of the jetty. However, the search operation is likely to continue after dark and necessary lighting arrangements have been made, informed Hooghly police. Meanwhile, locals complained that the jetty had not been repaired since it collapsed a year ago causing death of two people. Just on the other side of the ghat is Shyamnagar railway station. Many daily commuters, including IT professionals travelling to Kolkata regularly take boats from the jetty to cross the river and reach the railway station. Despite several applications and promises in 2011 and 2016 Assembly elections, the jetty has not been repaired, Shyamal Chakraborty, a local resident said.
Ashwini M Sripad By

Express News Service

BENGALURU: Air connectivity between Mysuru-Chennai and Bengaluru-Salem and also some other smaller towns could soon be a reality. As part of the Regional Connectivity Service (RCS), some airlines have come forward to operate on the two routes and the services are expected to start in the next few weeks.

Official sources in the Commerce and Industries Department said that as part of the RCS initiative, the state government is offering concessions to airlines operating on the RCS routes. This includes electricity, water and other utility services at concessional rates.

The government has also proposed to provide rail or Metro connectivity to RCS airports in coordination with the Centre. Security and fire services will be provided free of cost at government-run RCS airports. As for as private RCS airports, it will be examined on a case-to-case basis.

An official in the Industries Department said that five airlines have come forward to provide air connectivity between different cities and towns. Five routes have been finalised in Karnataka and of them, two to three routes are expected to be operational in the next few weeks, he said.

The official said services from Bengaluru and Mysuru will be operationalised soon. This includes Bengaluru-Salem and Mysuru-Chennai. The Bengaluru-Bidar route is also expected to operational in some time.

However, the Bengaluru-Vidyanagar (Ballari) route and also some other routes connecting Vidyanagar are being examined. Since it is an unserved airport and owned by private firm, some security issues have not yet been cleared. It will take some time. This route will be operated by TruJet Airways, the official said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik -- Let the Common Man fly) initiative at Shimla on April 27. Five airlines will operate on 128 routes connecting 70 airports including 31 unserved and 12 under-served ones across the country.

UDAN flights will connect airports spread across 20 states and Union Territories including Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Andhra Pradesh, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh.

Recently, the Ministry of Civil Aviation and the Karnataka government signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). In Karnataka, the Union government has identified 19 airports for development and upgrade.

BENGALURU: Air connectivity between Mysuru-Chennai and Bengaluru-Salem and also some other smaller towns could soon be a reality. As part of the Regional Connectivity Service (RCS), some airlines have come forward to operate on the two routes and the services are expected to start in the next few weeks. Official sources in the Commerce and Industries Department said that as part of the RCS initiative, the state government is offering concessions to airlines operating on the RCS routes. This includes electricity, water and other utility services at concessional rates. The government has also proposed to provide rail or Metro connectivity to RCS airports in coordination with the Centre. Security and fire services will be provided free of cost at government-run RCS airports. As for as private RCS airports, it will be examined on a case-to-case basis. An official in the Industries Department said that five airlines have come forward to provide air connectivity between different cities and towns. Five routes have been finalised in Karnataka and of them, two to three routes are expected to be operational in the next few weeks, he said. The official said services from Bengaluru and Mysuru will be operationalised soon. This includes Bengaluru-Salem and Mysuru-Chennai. The Bengaluru-Bidar route is also expected to operational in some time. However, the Bengaluru-Vidyanagar (Ballari) route and also some other routes connecting Vidyanagar are being examined. Since it is an unserved airport and owned by private firm, some security issues have not yet been cleared. It will take some time. This route will be operated by TruJet Airways, the official said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik -- Let the Common Man fly) initiative at Shimla on April 27. Five airlines will operate on 128 routes connecting 70 airports including 31 unserved and 12 under-served ones across the country. UDAN flights will connect airports spread across 20 states and Union Territories including Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Andhra Pradesh, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh. Recently, the Ministry of Civil Aviation and the Karnataka government signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). In Karnataka, the Union government has identified 19 airports for development and upgrade.
By Express News Service

BENGALURU: The State government is likely to issue an order reducing ticket rates in multiplexes to Rs 200 on Thursday. Sources in the government confirmed that chief minister Siddaramaiah had signed the order on Tuesday night, but it was yet to be issued by the home department.



President of the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce (KFCC), Sa Ra Govind, on Wednesday said he would receive the order on Thursday morning and implement it with immediate effect.



I have been assured that the copy of the order will be given to me on Thursday morning at 10 am. We expect all the multiplexes and single theatres to implement it immediately, he said.



The order comes at a time when advance booking for Bahubali-2 is well underway in some theatres. Distributors have purchased rights to the movie totalling to about Rs 50 crore across the State, with the exception of Tumakuru and Kolar.



The movie will be released on Thursday with the first show scheduled at 9.30pm. Earlier at a press conference, Govind said that the Rs 200 limit would be applicable to both multiplexes and single theatres.



The Rs 200 cap on tickets in multiplexes, announced by chief minister Siddaramaiah during the budget, has been keenly awaited by people who shell out inordinate amounts depending on the films popularity and language.



Sa Ra Govind also warned multiplexes not to sell food items like popcorn and sodas for price beyond the MRP.

Each food item is being sold for Rs 50-100 more than the marked price in multiplexes. This is daylight robbery. Let them charge a minimal amount like Rs 2 beyond the MRP as maintenance charge. Anything beyond that is unacceptable. If they do not stop this practice, we will turn it into a public issue, he added.



Sa Ra Govind firmly said that theatres that had sold tickets for more than Rs 200 for shows, including Bahubali-2, would have to reimburse the amount. Some multiplexes have decided not to go for advance booking and wait till the order is issued to avoid confusion over ticket prices. However, some multiplexes like Cinepolis have started advance booking charging Rs 500 per ticket.

BENGALURU: The State government is likely to issue an order reducing ticket rates in multiplexes to Rs 200 on Thursday. Sources in the government confirmed that chief minister Siddaramaiah had signed the order on Tuesday night, but it was yet to be issued by the home department. President of the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce (KFCC), Sa Ra Govind, on Wednesday said he would receive the order on Thursday morning and implement it with immediate effect. I have been assured that the copy of the order will be given to me on Thursday morning at 10 am. We expect all the multiplexes and single theatres to implement it immediately, he said. The order comes at a time when advance booking for Bahubali-2 is well underway in some theatres. Distributors have purchased rights to the movie totalling to about Rs 50 crore across the State, with the exception of Tumakuru and Kolar. The movie will be released on Thursday with the first show scheduled at 9.30pm. Earlier at a press conference, Govind said that the Rs 200 limit would be applicable to both multiplexes and single theatres. The Rs 200 cap on tickets in multiplexes, announced by chief minister Siddaramaiah during the budget, has been keenly awaited by people who shell out inordinate amounts depending on the films popularity and language. Sa Ra Govind also warned multiplexes not to sell food items like popcorn and sodas for price beyond the MRP. Each food item is being sold for Rs 50-100 more than the marked price in multiplexes. This is daylight robbery. Let them charge a minimal amount like Rs 2 beyond the MRP as maintenance charge. Anything beyond that is unacceptable. If they do not stop this practice, we will turn it into a public issue, he added. Sa Ra Govind firmly said that theatres that had sold tickets for more than Rs 200 for shows, including Bahubali-2, would have to reimburse the amount. Some multiplexes have decided not to go for advance booking and wait till the order is issued to avoid confusion over ticket prices. However, some multiplexes like Cinepolis have started advance booking charging Rs 500 per ticket.
By Express News Service

TILIA (JHARSUGUDA): Tension gripped Tilia village of the district on Monday as State Government deployed police forces to acquire land for expansion of OPGC 3 and 4 units (2 x 660 MW). Armed police laid siege to the area and outnumbered the villagers who are staging a protest seeking higher compensation against the lands acquired for the project. Lakhanpur Tehsildar Dolamani Patel said, compensation has been paid to 70 per cent of the villagers.

But, the villagers who have resettled here after being displaced by Hirakud Dam, refuse to be displaced again. The villagers have been opposing land acquisition over compensation and demanded higher package.

Though the Government paid around Rs 12 lakh per acre, the villagers demanded compensation at par with that paid by NTPC and Bhusan in Sundargarh. Not only they had refused to accept the notices under Section 4 (1) and 9 (1) of Land Acquisition Act forcing the district administration to paste notices on wall, they had even driven out officials of OPGC thrice from the village.

As part of protests, the villagers had even constructed a cement panel at Mahulmal in Tilia terming it as Laxman Rekha asking officials not to venture beyong the panel. But, their resistance fell flat as armed forces descended on the village on Monday morning. Additional SP, Jharsuguda, BB Patel said 20 platoons of police force and 50 police officers had been deployed to prevent any untoward incident. The land acquisition passed off peacefully and the forces continue to be in the village, he added

TILIA (JHARSUGUDA): Tension gripped Tilia village of the district on Monday as State Government deployed police forces to acquire land for expansion of OPGC 3 and 4 units (2 x 660 MW). Armed police laid siege to the area and outnumbered the villagers who are staging a protest seeking higher compensation against the lands acquired for the project. Lakhanpur Tehsildar Dolamani Patel said, compensation has been paid to 70 per cent of the villagers. But, the villagers who have resettled here after being displaced by Hirakud Dam, refuse to be displaced again. The villagers have been opposing land acquisition over compensation and demanded higher package. Though the Government paid around Rs 12 lakh per acre, the villagers demanded compensation at par with that paid by NTPC and Bhusan in Sundargarh. Not only they had refused to accept the notices under Section 4 (1) and 9 (1) of Land Acquisition Act forcing the district administration to paste notices on wall, they had even driven out officials of OPGC thrice from the village. As part of protests, the villagers had even constructed a cement panel at Mahulmal in Tilia terming it as Laxman Rekha asking officials not to venture beyong the panel. But, their resistance fell flat as armed forces descended on the village on Monday morning. Additional SP, Jharsuguda, BB Patel said 20 platoons of police force and 50 police officers had been deployed to prevent any untoward incident. The land acquisition passed off peacefully and the forces continue to be in the village, he added
SV Krishna Chaitanya By

Express News Service

CHENNAI: In what might be a major error, the National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management (NCSCM) has allegedly left out large tracts of ecologically sensitive and tide-influenced wetlands in the state from within the boundary of the new High Tide Line (HTL). Activists fear this would allow widespread exploitation of the coastal area.

The NCSCM has marked the HTL along the entire Tamil Nadu coast using high-resolution aerial images from 2011-12. The data sets have been given to the Department of Environment, Tamil Nadu, which has examined them and contracted NCSCM to prepare the Coastal Zone Management Plan (CZMP).

The 31st meeting of the National Coastal Zone Management Authority (NCZMA), on May 24 last year, had also concluded that the demarcation of the HTL by NCSCM was complete and quality checked.

However, the NCSCM HTL maps, accessed through RTI by the Coastal Resources Centre, show gross discrepancies and are different from what the Indian Remote Sensing (IRS) had created earlier.

Activists argue that HTL identified by IRS was closer to ground realities. But it has been ignored by NCSCM.

For instance, in Karungali in Thiruvallur district and Yedaiyanthittu Kazhuveli in Kanchipuram/Villupuram districts, the HTL has been moved several feet into the water body, reducing the area deemed protected by the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) Notification, 2011. Thus, nearly 888 acres of developable real estate was created in the two locations.

The areas left out were salt pans, claims Pooja Kumar of the Coastal Resources Centre. Another example is the Adyar River in Chennai. The CRZ limits of Adyar Creek stops at the Foreshore Estate bridge, though IRS records tidal influence further downstream.

NCSCM maps do not account for the Tholkappia Poonga ecological park, which was created in 2008 after the IRS had collected their data. This clearly shows that the HTL demarcation has not been subjected to ground-vetting.

Same is the case in Athipattu village on Ennore Creek, where the NCSCM obliterates all evidence of the alleged CRZ violation by Hindustan Petroleum (HP). The mangrove-fringed creek, that has now apparently been concretised by HP, does not have an HTL which erases all evidence of water spread areas, thereby legitimising the latters presence.

Express contacted IRS and NCSCM officials who stood by their respective HTLs. IRS director SS Ramakrishnan said that when the last meeting for HTL validation of Tamil Nadu was held on March 22, 2016, he raised objections over the exclusion of a few pockets.

We were of the impression that IRS maps would be considered while finalising the uniform HTL. But looking at some of the maps, it looks like IRS data sets were not taken into account. We stand by the HTL prepared by us which was based on the collection of ground-truth data. We walked the entire state coast with GPS gadgets, measured the high tide, took water samples during the dry season to mark the HTL in tide-influenced water bodies. It took us about two years to complete the exercise, which cost Rs 2.5 crore, he said.

Another member of the Tamil Nadu State Coastal Zone Management Authority (TNSCZMA), who attended the meeting, said there were a few discrepancies in the NCSCM HTL. The authority even indicated to the Union Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) that the IRS HTL be used while preparing the CZMP.

NCSCM director R Ramesh was not available for comment as he is abroad. However, senior NCSCM officials presented minutes of the March 22 meeting and said deviations of HTL from the IRS version were observed in 255 locations and corrected. A total of 19 locations were subjected to further scrutiny. The NCSCM HTL was accepted in 15 locations and the IRS HTL in four locations.

We have used very high resolution (9 cm) aerial photographs of the Survey of India, which are the best in the world. It is a transparent process. The MoEF&CC authorised the NCSCM to prepare a uniform HTL for the entire country. Our HTL has been 100% quality checked by the Union Environment Ministry and the Tamil Nadu Department of Environment.

Also, the NSCSM is open to making corrections if there is a mistake. People can raise objections, if any, during the public hearing, the NCSCM officials said.

In reply to a query on what the need was for preparing a fresh HTL when the IRS, another authorised agency, had done so, NCSCM officials said it was decided by the Centre and the National Coastal Zone Management Authority.

Commenting on the issue, environmentalist Nityanand Jayaraman said NCSCM HTL was erroneous and could not be used for preparing the CZMP.

CHENNAI: In what might be a major error, the National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management (NCSCM) has allegedly left out large tracts of ecologically sensitive and tide-influenced wetlands in the state from within the boundary of the new High Tide Line (HTL). Activists fear this would allow widespread exploitation of the coastal area. The NCSCM has marked the HTL along the entire Tamil Nadu coast using high-resolution aerial images from 2011-12. The data sets have been given to the Department of Environment, Tamil Nadu, which has examined them and contracted NCSCM to prepare the Coastal Zone Management Plan (CZMP). The 31st meeting of the National Coastal Zone Management Authority (NCZMA), on May 24 last year, had also concluded that the demarcation of the HTL by NCSCM was complete and quality checked. However, the NCSCM HTL maps, accessed through RTI by the Coastal Resources Centre, show gross discrepancies and are different from what the Indian Remote Sensing (IRS) had created earlier. Activists argue that HTL identified by IRS was closer to ground realities. But it has been ignored by NCSCM. For instance, in Karungali in Thiruvallur district and Yedaiyanthittu Kazhuveli in Kanchipuram/Villupuram districts, the HTL has been moved several feet into the water body, reducing the area deemed protected by the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) Notification, 2011. Thus, nearly 888 acres of developable real estate was created in the two locations. The areas left out were salt pans, claims Pooja Kumar of the Coastal Resources Centre. Another example is the Adyar River in Chennai. The CRZ limits of Adyar Creek stops at the Foreshore Estate bridge, though IRS records tidal influence further downstream. NCSCM maps do not account for the Tholkappia Poonga ecological park, which was created in 2008 after the IRS had collected their data. This clearly shows that the HTL demarcation has not been subjected to ground-vetting. Same is the case in Athipattu village on Ennore Creek, where the NCSCM obliterates all evidence of the alleged CRZ violation by Hindustan Petroleum (HP). The mangrove-fringed creek, that has now apparently been concretised by HP, does not have an HTL which erases all evidence of water spread areas, thereby legitimising the latters presence. Express contacted IRS and NCSCM officials who stood by their respective HTLs. IRS director SS Ramakrishnan said that when the last meeting for HTL validation of Tamil Nadu was held on March 22, 2016, he raised objections over the exclusion of a few pockets. We were of the impression that IRS maps would be considered while finalising the uniform HTL. But looking at some of the maps, it looks like IRS data sets were not taken into account. We stand by the HTL prepared by us which was based on the collection of ground-truth data. We walked the entire state coast with GPS gadgets, measured the high tide, took water samples during the dry season to mark the HTL in tide-influenced water bodies. It took us about two years to complete the exercise, which cost Rs 2.5 crore, he said. Another member of the Tamil Nadu State Coastal Zone Management Authority (TNSCZMA), who attended the meeting, said there were a few discrepancies in the NCSCM HTL. The authority even indicated to the Union Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) that the IRS HTL be used while preparing the CZMP. NCSCM director R Ramesh was not available for comment as he is abroad. However, senior NCSCM officials presented minutes of the March 22 meeting and said deviations of HTL from the IRS version were observed in 255 locations and corrected. A total of 19 locations were subjected to further scrutiny. The NCSCM HTL was accepted in 15 locations and the IRS HTL in four locations. We have used very high resolution (9 cm) aerial photographs of the Survey of India, which are the best in the world. It is a transparent process. The MoEF&CC authorised the NCSCM to prepare a uniform HTL for the entire country. Our HTL has been 100% quality checked by the Union Environment Ministry and the Tamil Nadu Department of Environment. Also, the NSCSM is open to making corrections if there is a mistake. People can raise objections, if any, during the public hearing, the NCSCM officials said. In reply to a query on what the need was for preparing a fresh HTL when the IRS, another authorised agency, had done so, NCSCM officials said it was decided by the Centre and the National Coastal Zone Management Authority. Commenting on the issue, environmentalist Nityanand Jayaraman said NCSCM HTL was erroneous and could not be used for preparing the CZMP.
Express News Service

MADURAI/SALEM: He lost a son in the Maoist encounter in Sukuma, Chhattisgarh on Monday, yet is proud that the martyrs brother is all set to join the army. Meet retired armyman Pitchaialagu, whose 28-year-old son P Alagupandis mortal remains arrived on Monday evening at his Muthunagaiyahpuram village in Madurai district.

We were looking to get Alagupandi married and even visited a prospective bride. A few days ago, he called to say he asked for a weeks leave so he could meet the girl... We were hoping to get them married, the father recounts.

Alagupandi and Pitchaialagu | Express

A constable with the CRPF, Alagupandi was cut down by a hail of bullets from Maoists during the ambush. Of the 25 CRPF jawans who died in the encounter, four were from Tamil Nadu.

Pitchaialagu doesnt like dwelling on the loss of Alagupandi for long. Looking at the brighter side, he beams as he says his younger son Pavithran (23) has been selected to serve in the army. Pavithran is currently awaiting recruitment orders. Military life seems to flow in the familys veins. For, Pitchaialagu got his daughters Sathya and Nithya married to an armyman and a police official, respectively.

We heard that several CRPF personnel were killed in a Maoist attack and were flipping through TV channels to see if there was any news about our son. It was then that we heard the shocking news, recalls the breaveheart dad.

The body of Alagupandi, who joined the CRPF in 2009, was brought to the Madurai Airport around 7 pm on Monday and Revenue Minister R B Udayakumar, Union Minister Pon Radhakrishnan, district Collector K Veera Raghava Rao, Superintendent of Police Vijayendra S Bidari and CRPF officials paid homage before the body was sent to his native village.

In Salem, relatives of N Thirumurugan, another CRPF personnel who died in the encounter, recounted how they watched their son leave home to join the force. We educated him with dreams that with him, the familys problems would end. Our son cheered us up, saying he was going to serve the country and that should make us proud, said Nallathambi, Thirumurugans father.

MADURAI/SALEM: He lost a son in the Maoist encounter in Sukuma, Chhattisgarh on Monday, yet is proud that the martyrs brother is all set to join the army. Meet retired armyman Pitchaialagu, whose 28-year-old son P Alagupandis mortal remains arrived on Monday evening at his Muthunagaiyahpuram village in Madurai district. We were looking to get Alagupandi married and even visited a prospective bride. A few days ago, he called to say he asked for a weeks leave so he could meet the girl... We were hoping to get them married, the father recounts. Alagupandi and Pitchaialagu | ExpressA constable with the CRPF, Alagupandi was cut down by a hail of bullets from Maoists during the ambush. Of the 25 CRPF jawans who died in the encounter, four were from Tamil Nadu. Pitchaialagu doesnt like dwelling on the loss of Alagupandi for long. Looking at the brighter side, he beams as he says his younger son Pavithran (23) has been selected to serve in the army. Pavithran is currently awaiting recruitment orders. Military life seems to flow in the familys veins. For, Pitchaialagu got his daughters Sathya and Nithya married to an armyman and a police official, respectively. We heard that several CRPF personnel were killed in a Maoist attack and were flipping through TV channels to see if there was any news about our son. It was then that we heard the shocking news, recalls the breaveheart dad. The body of Alagupandi, who joined the CRPF in 2009, was brought to the Madurai Airport around 7 pm on Monday and Revenue Minister R B Udayakumar, Union Minister Pon Radhakrishnan, district Collector K Veera Raghava Rao, Superintendent of Police Vijayendra S Bidari and CRPF officials paid homage before the body was sent to his native village. In Salem, relatives of N Thirumurugan, another CRPF personnel who died in the encounter, recounted how they watched their son leave home to join the force. We educated him with dreams that with him, the familys problems would end. Our son cheered us up, saying he was going to serve the country and that should make us proud, said Nallathambi, Thirumurugans father.
By Express News Service

RAMANATHAPURAM: The vicious drought gripping all of Tamil Nadu, particularly the southern district of Ramanathapuram, has already thrown up some dramatic syndromes.

One has been of perfectly grown men dancing naked in front of Parliament or eating rats in full public view. Out in the parched acres of Sayalgudi, Kuruvadi, Mudukulathur, we see some equally deep, if not as dramatic, effects of this mother of all droughts. We see not only signs of distress  which is serious enough  we also see a people backed up to the edge but coping, enduring and waiting it out.

In large parts of the dry district, the peoples response to the drought has been to devise a contraption that is a testament to their spirit of jugaad. Its called anju-kudam vandi, a wheeled trolley fitted with rings to hold five pitchers of water. Hitched to a moped, or pushed or dragged with a rope, the vandi eases a familys toil. The vandi is so prized in Ramanathapuram, it is a must item in a girls dowry.

An entire ancillary industry has taken root in these dry tracts to rig up such contraptions. Its cost of Rs 4,000 is a princes ransom in a season when farmers have made zero money from agriculture this season, but then every drop of sweat conserved is a blessing.

The other great effect of this drought is that fetching water is no longer a womans work alone. Everyone has to do it, man woman and child. So it is not odd that 75-year-old Muthuvelu of Adhankothangudi spends every waking hour keeping an eye cocked to the tap. As her neighbour said, If you let her, shell sleep here.

The only thing thriving in Ramanathapuram is the water trade. With hefty premiums available for every pot of water, private water tankers are rumbling around for 15 hours a day, filling up at private bore wells, illegal holes dug in dry reservoirs, busy making a buck while the sun blazes.

Tanker operators say every truckload fills 320 pots and fetches a profit of a thousand bucks at Rs 3 per pot. No wonder there are queues in the dead of night at back-of-beyond water holes.

RAMANATHAPURAM: The vicious drought gripping all of Tamil Nadu, particularly the southern district of Ramanathapuram, has already thrown up some dramatic syndromes. One has been of perfectly grown men dancing naked in front of Parliament or eating rats in full public view. Out in the parched acres of Sayalgudi, Kuruvadi, Mudukulathur, we see some equally deep, if not as dramatic, effects of this mother of all droughts. We see not only signs of distress  which is serious enough  we also see a people backed up to the edge but coping, enduring and waiting it out. In large parts of the dry district, the peoples response to the drought has been to devise a contraption that is a testament to their spirit of jugaad. Its called anju-kudam vandi, a wheeled trolley fitted with rings to hold five pitchers of water. Hitched to a moped, or pushed or dragged with a rope, the vandi eases a familys toil. The vandi is so prized in Ramanathapuram, it is a must item in a girls dowry. An entire ancillary industry has taken root in these dry tracts to rig up such contraptions. Its cost of Rs 4,000 is a princes ransom in a season when farmers have made zero money from agriculture this season, but then every drop of sweat conserved is a blessing. The other great effect of this drought is that fetching water is no longer a womans work alone. Everyone has to do it, man woman and child. So it is not odd that 75-year-old Muthuvelu of Adhankothangudi spends every waking hour keeping an eye cocked to the tap. As her neighbour said, If you let her, shell sleep here. The only thing thriving in Ramanathapuram is the water trade. With hefty premiums available for every pot of water, private water tankers are rumbling around for 15 hours a day, filling up at private bore wells, illegal holes dug in dry reservoirs, busy making a buck while the sun blazes. Tanker operators say every truckload fills 320 pots and fetches a profit of a thousand bucks at Rs 3 per pot. No wonder there are queues in the dead of night at back-of-beyond water holes.
By AFP

DUBAI: A court in Bahrain on Tuesday jailed 36 Shiites convicted of forming a "terrorist" group to attack police, and stripped them of their citizenship, a judicial source said.

Three of those sentenced received life terms, while the rest were jailed for between three and 10 years, the source said.

The defendants had been charged with "forming an illegal group that aimed to jeopardise the constitution and laws... using terrorism as one of its means," according to the judicial source.

They were also accused of "possessing explosives without permits," the source said, adding that the defendants confessed to taking part in riots and vandalism.

The Sunni-ruled kingdom has been the scene of frequent protests and clashes with police since security forces quelled Shiite-led nationwide protests that called for political reforms in 2011.

Hundreds of Bahrainis have been arrested and several high-profile figures, including Shiite clerics, stripped of citizenship.

DUBAI: A court in Bahrain on Tuesday jailed 36 Shiites convicted of forming a "terrorist" group to attack police, and stripped them of their citizenship, a judicial source said. Three of those sentenced received life terms, while the rest were jailed for between three and 10 years, the source said. The defendants had been charged with "forming an illegal group that aimed to jeopardise the constitution and laws... using terrorism as one of its means," according to the judicial source. They were also accused of "possessing explosives without permits," the source said, adding that the defendants confessed to taking part in riots and vandalism. The Sunni-ruled kingdom has been the scene of frequent protests and clashes with police since security forces quelled Shiite-led nationwide protests that called for political reforms in 2011. Hundreds of Bahrainis have been arrested and several high-profile figures, including Shiite clerics, stripped of citizenship.
By AFP

PARIS: 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.

"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: 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. "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.
By Associated Press

WASHINGTON: Republicans who slammed the growing national debt under Democrat Barack Obama said Tuesday they are open to President Donald Trump's tax plan, even though it could add trillions of dollars to the deficit over the next decade.

Trump is scheduled to unveil the broad outlines of a tax overhaul Wednesday that includes a massive cut in the corporate income tax, reducing the top rate from 35 percent to 15 percent. The plan will also include child-care benefits, a cause promoted by Trump's daughter, Ivanka.

Echoing the White House, Republicans on Capitol Hill argued Tuesday that tax cuts would spur economic growth, reducing or even eliminating any drop in tax revenue.

"I'm not convinced that cutting taxes is necessarily going to blow a hole in the deficit," said Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, chairman of the Finance Committee.

"I actually believe it could stimulate the economy and get the economy moving," Hatch added. "Now, whether 15 percent is the right figure or not, that's a matter to be determined."

The argument that tax cuts pay for themselves has been debunked by economists from across the political spectrum. On Tuesday, the official scorekeeper for Congress dealt the argument  and Trump's plan  another blow.

The nonpartisan Joint Committee on Taxation said Tuesday that a big cut in corporate taxes  even if it is temporary  would add to long-term budget deficits. This is a problem for Republicans because it means they would need Democratic support in the Senate to pass a tax overhaul that significantly cuts corporate taxes.

The assessment was requested by House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., who has been pushing a new tax on imports to fund lower overall tax rates. Senate Republicans have panned the idea, and officials in the Trump administration have sent mixed signals about it.

The import tax is not expected to be part of Trump's plan.

Trump dispatched his top lieutenants to Capitol Hill Tuesday to discuss his plan with Republican leaders. No Democrat was invited.

"Today's Democratic Party seems to be preoccupied with wealth transfer from those who have done well to those who have done less well," said Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. "That's unrelated to having a set of tax laws that promote growth."

Republicans have been working under a budget maneuver that would allow them to pass a tax bill without Democratic support in the Senate  but only if it didn't add to long-term deficits.

McConnell said the Senate was sticking to that strategy.

"Regretfully we don't expect to have any Democratic involvement in" a tax overhaul, McConnell said. "So we'll have to reach an agreement among ourselves."

Democrats said they smell hypocrisy over the growing national debt, which stands at nearly $20 trillion. For decades, Republican lawmakers railed against saddling future generations with trillions in debt.

But with Republicans controlling Congress and the White House, there is no appetite at either end of Pennsylvania Avenue to tackle the long-term drivers of debt  Social Security and Medicare. Instead, Republicans are pushing for tax cuts and increased defense spending.

"I'm particularly struck by how some of this seems to be turning on its head Republican economic theory," said Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon, the top Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee.

Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa., said, "On a lot of fronts, both the administration and Republicans have been contradictory, to say the least."

"There's no question we should try to reduce (the corporate tax rate), but I don't see how you pay for getting it down that low," Casey said. "Fifteen percent, that's a huge hole if you can't make the math work."

The Trump administration on Tuesday stuck with its assertion that tax reform could push economic growth above 3 percent. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said that the combination of changes on taxes, trade and regulations being pushed by the administration would accelerate the pace of economic gains.

"There is no reason that we should not be able to hit that  if not beat it," Ross said at the White House news briefing.

Many economists are skeptical that growth could consistently eclipse 3 percent. The flow of workers into the U.S. economy has slowed because of retirements by an aging baby boomer population, while improvements in productivity have been sluggish.

Officials with the Federal Reserve estimate that the economy will grow at a 2.1 percent clip this year and at 1.8 percent in the longer run.

WASHINGTON: Republicans who slammed the growing national debt under Democrat Barack Obama said Tuesday they are open to President Donald Trump's tax plan, even though it could add trillions of dollars to the deficit over the next decade. Trump is scheduled to unveil the broad outlines of a tax overhaul Wednesday that includes a massive cut in the corporate income tax, reducing the top rate from 35 percent to 15 percent. The plan will also include child-care benefits, a cause promoted by Trump's daughter, Ivanka. Echoing the White House, Republicans on Capitol Hill argued Tuesday that tax cuts would spur economic growth, reducing or even eliminating any drop in tax revenue. "I'm not convinced that cutting taxes is necessarily going to blow a hole in the deficit," said Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, chairman of the Finance Committee. "I actually believe it could stimulate the economy and get the economy moving," Hatch added. "Now, whether 15 percent is the right figure or not, that's a matter to be determined." The argument that tax cuts pay for themselves has been debunked by economists from across the political spectrum. On Tuesday, the official scorekeeper for Congress dealt the argument  and Trump's plan  another blow. The nonpartisan Joint Committee on Taxation said Tuesday that a big cut in corporate taxes  even if it is temporary  would add to long-term budget deficits. This is a problem for Republicans because it means they would need Democratic support in the Senate to pass a tax overhaul that significantly cuts corporate taxes. The assessment was requested by House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., who has been pushing a new tax on imports to fund lower overall tax rates. Senate Republicans have panned the idea, and officials in the Trump administration have sent mixed signals about it. The import tax is not expected to be part of Trump's plan. Trump dispatched his top lieutenants to Capitol Hill Tuesday to discuss his plan with Republican leaders. No Democrat was invited. "Today's Democratic Party seems to be preoccupied with wealth transfer from those who have done well to those who have done less well," said Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. "That's unrelated to having a set of tax laws that promote growth." Republicans have been working under a budget maneuver that would allow them to pass a tax bill without Democratic support in the Senate  but only if it didn't add to long-term deficits. McConnell said the Senate was sticking to that strategy. "Regretfully we don't expect to have any Democratic involvement in" a tax overhaul, McConnell said. "So we'll have to reach an agreement among ourselves." Democrats said they smell hypocrisy over the growing national debt, which stands at nearly $20 trillion. For decades, Republican lawmakers railed against saddling future generations with trillions in debt. But with Republicans controlling Congress and the White House, there is no appetite at either end of Pennsylvania Avenue to tackle the long-term drivers of debt  Social Security and Medicare. Instead, Republicans are pushing for tax cuts and increased defense spending. "I'm particularly struck by how some of this seems to be turning on its head Republican economic theory," said Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon, the top Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee. Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa., said, "On a lot of fronts, both the administration and Republicans have been contradictory, to say the least." "There's no question we should try to reduce (the corporate tax rate), but I don't see how you pay for getting it down that low," Casey said. "Fifteen percent, that's a huge hole if you can't make the math work." The Trump administration on Tuesday stuck with its assertion that tax reform could push economic growth above 3 percent. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said that the combination of changes on taxes, trade and regulations being pushed by the administration would accelerate the pace of economic gains. "There is no reason that we should not be able to hit that  if not beat it," Ross said at the White House news briefing. Many economists are skeptical that growth could consistently eclipse 3 percent. The flow of workers into the U.S. economy has slowed because of retirements by an aging baby boomer population, while improvements in productivity have been sluggish. Officials with the Federal Reserve estimate that the economy will grow at a 2.1 percent clip this year and at 1.8 percent in the longer run.
By Associated Press

WASHINGTON: Congressional negotiators on Tuesday inched toward a potential agreement on a catchall spending bill that would deny President Donald Trump's request for immediate funding to construct a wall along the Mexico border. The emerging measure would increase the defense budget and eliminate the threat of a government shutdown on Trump's 100th day in office this Saturday.

Top Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer said Republican negotiators were following the lead of Trump, who signaled Monday evening that he would not insist on $1 billion worth of wall funding now as an addition to the $1 trillion-plus spending bill. Trump told a gathering of conservative media reporters that he might be willing to wait until September for the funding.

A remaining stumbling block is a recent threat by Trump to scuttle a portion of former President Barack Obama's health law that helps low-income people afford insurance policies, but the decision by Trump and his GOP allies to back down on the wall steered the talks on the spending measure in a positive direction.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said he was optimistic the talks would produce "an agreement in the next few days."

An existing temporary funding bill expires Friday at midnight and all sides anticipated that another stopgap measure would be required to buy time for the House and Senate to process the massive spending bill, which would wrap together 11 unfinished agency spending bills through September.

Trump campaigned throughout the country last year promising a wall across the entire 2,200 mile southern border, promising that Mexico would pay for it. But while the idea is a priority of Trump's most fervent supporters, it is resolutely opposed by Democrats and even many Republicans, who see it as wasteful and who prefer other steps like new technologies and additional border agents to curb illegal immigration.

"I support additional border security funding," said Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., a GOP critic of Trump who dined with the president Monday at the White House. "But a 2,200-mile wall, I don't think there's a whole lot of support for it."

Trump vowed to fight for the wall.

"The wall is going to get built," he said at the White House Tuesday. Asked when, he said, "Soon."

Democrats vowed not to give up, either, and look forward to the fight.

"It's not a negotiation," Schumer said. "No wall."

Meanwhile, Trump appeared poised to procure about $15 billion to boost the military. Democrats said they were satisfied with the emerging outlines of the measure, which stick closely to versions of the legislation that were being negotiated late last year.

Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., observed that GOP negotiators "have simply ignored" a roster of "$18 billion in extreme cuts" offered by White House budget director Mick Mulvaney to lower the measure's cost, while maintaining foreign aid accounts that Trump has targeted.

Several issues remain unresolved. Democrats, with McConnell's help, were pushing to extend health benefits for 22,000 retired Appalachian coal miners and their families whose medical coverage is set to expire at the end of April. Democrats faced White House opposition in an uphill battle to give Puerto Rico help with its Medicaid commitment, while Republicans are pressing policy "riders" to undo new Obama-era financial regulations.

Democratic votes are invariably needed to pass catchall spending bills, which typically are resented by many tea party Republicans. That gave Democratic leaders like Schumer and Pelosi significant leverage, and the top Democrats had earlier this month taken a hard line in response to Trump's threats to deny the Obamacare payments for out-of-pocket costs for the poor. Schumer said Tuesday, however, that the issue did not have to be addressed in the catchall bill.

Meanwhile, House lawmakers were returning to Washington Tuesday evening and faced a renewed push from the White House to revive their beleaguered health care bill in hopes of attracting enough votes to finally push it through the House.

Both efforts come with Congress back from a two-week break just days before Trump's 100th day in office, an unofficial measuring stick of a new president's effectiveness. With little to show in legislative victories so far, the Trump administration would love to claim achievements on Capitol Hill by that day.



WASHINGTON: Congressional negotiators on Tuesday inched toward a potential agreement on a catchall spending bill that would deny President Donald Trump's request for immediate funding to construct a wall along the Mexico border. The emerging measure would increase the defense budget and eliminate the threat of a government shutdown on Trump's 100th day in office this Saturday. Top Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer said Republican negotiators were following the lead of Trump, who signaled Monday evening that he would not insist on $1 billion worth of wall funding now as an addition to the $1 trillion-plus spending bill. Trump told a gathering of conservative media reporters that he might be willing to wait until September for the funding. A remaining stumbling block is a recent threat by Trump to scuttle a portion of former President Barack Obama's health law that helps low-income people afford insurance policies, but the decision by Trump and his GOP allies to back down on the wall steered the talks on the spending measure in a positive direction. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said he was optimistic the talks would produce "an agreement in the next few days." An existing temporary funding bill expires Friday at midnight and all sides anticipated that another stopgap measure would be required to buy time for the House and Senate to process the massive spending bill, which would wrap together 11 unfinished agency spending bills through September. Trump campaigned throughout the country last year promising a wall across the entire 2,200 mile southern border, promising that Mexico would pay for it. But while the idea is a priority of Trump's most fervent supporters, it is resolutely opposed by Democrats and even many Republicans, who see it as wasteful and who prefer other steps like new technologies and additional border agents to curb illegal immigration. "I support additional border security funding," said Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., a GOP critic of Trump who dined with the president Monday at the White House. "But a 2,200-mile wall, I don't think there's a whole lot of support for it." Trump vowed to fight for the wall. "The wall is going to get built," he said at the White House Tuesday. Asked when, he said, "Soon." Democrats vowed not to give up, either, and look forward to the fight. "It's not a negotiation," Schumer said. "No wall." Meanwhile, Trump appeared poised to procure about $15 billion to boost the military. Democrats said they were satisfied with the emerging outlines of the measure, which stick closely to versions of the legislation that were being negotiated late last year. Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., observed that GOP negotiators "have simply ignored" a roster of "$18 billion in extreme cuts" offered by White House budget director Mick Mulvaney to lower the measure's cost, while maintaining foreign aid accounts that Trump has targeted. Several issues remain unresolved. Democrats, with McConnell's help, were pushing to extend health benefits for 22,000 retired Appalachian coal miners and their families whose medical coverage is set to expire at the end of April. Democrats faced White House opposition in an uphill battle to give Puerto Rico help with its Medicaid commitment, while Republicans are pressing policy "riders" to undo new Obama-era financial regulations. Democratic votes are invariably needed to pass catchall spending bills, which typically are resented by many tea party Republicans. That gave Democratic leaders like Schumer and Pelosi significant leverage, and the top Democrats had earlier this month taken a hard line in response to Trump's threats to deny the Obamacare payments for out-of-pocket costs for the poor. Schumer said Tuesday, however, that the issue did not have to be addressed in the catchall bill. Meanwhile, House lawmakers were returning to Washington Tuesday evening and faced a renewed push from the White House to revive their beleaguered health care bill in hopes of attracting enough votes to finally push it through the House. Both efforts come with Congress back from a two-week break just days before Trump's 100th day in office, an unofficial measuring stick of a new president's effectiveness. With little to show in legislative victories so far, the Trump administration would love to claim achievements on Capitol Hill by that day.
By AFP

LONDON: British Prime Minister Theresa May on Wednesday holds her first talks with key EU Brexit negotiators, as the bloc hardens its position ahead of a summit to lay down its "red lines".

May hosts European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and chief negotiator Michel Barnier at Downing Street for the first face-to-face talks since she triggered the two-year process of withdrawing from the European Union.

The encounter over dinner comes as the EU has toughened its strategy, making new demands over financial services, immigration and the bills Britain must settle before ending its 44-year-old membership in the bloc.

The meeting would be "about building a deep and special relationship going forward", May's spokesman said.

"I'm sure the PM will also take the opportunity to reiterate her wish to get early assurances on the rights of EU citizens living in the UK and reciprocal arrangements."

The latest draft negotiating guidelines, agreed on Monday by Barnier and European diplomats, point to months of difficult talks ahead as the EU seeks to ensure Britain does not get a better deal outside the bloc than inside.

According to the document, seen by AFP, the other 27 EU countries will seek to hold Britain liable for the bloc's costs for at least a year after it leaves in 2019 -- longer than was previously proposed.

Britain will also be required to give EU citizens permanent residency after living there for five years, in a challenge for May's Conservative government, which has vowed to limit immigration.

The guidelines recommend that Britain's dominant finance industry will not necessarily be covered by any future trade deal with the EU and that it must also stick to the bloc's rules if it wants easy access to EU markets.

May has committed to pulling Britain out of Europe's single market to end free movement of EU citizens into Britain, but says she wants to form a new partnership with the bloc.

"We will have difficult issues to confront. Compromises will be necessary on both sides. We know all this," Brexit minister David Davis said in a speech in London on Wednesday.

But he added: "The UK has a very good reason to feel optimistic."

Davis is attending Wednesday's dinner.

'Great goodwill'

After starting the Article 50 process of leaving the EU last month, May is seeking to shore up her mandate for the Brexit talks in a snap election on June 8, with polls suggesting her Conservatives will return with an increased majority.

In recent weeks, she has held talks with senior EU figures, including European Parliament President Antonio Tajani and European Council chief Donald Tusk, who visited Downing Street on April 6.

But Poland's EU transport commissioner Elzbieta Bienkowska warned in an interview with Germany's Die Welt newspaper that Britain "can't have everything in the end. They can't have their cake and eat it".

And Ireland's EU agriculture commissioner Phil Hogan said Britain was no competition for the bloc when it came to securing trade deals.

"It will be a long time before the UK gets a third country deal ahead of the EU. There's been clear evidence of that in recent times," he told reporters in Brussels.

"Size matters when it comes to trade deals."

The leaders of the other 27 EU nations will meet on April 29 to set down the bloc's red lines, though the talks will not begin until June.

Nina Schick, associate director at advisory firm Hanbury Strategy, told AFP there was in a sense in Britain of "at best optimism, at worst just not understanding where the EU side is coming from".

Schick, who works with the Open Europe initiative, said that the tougher guidelines "are not really a surprise" and that both sides were likely to "reiterate their positions" at the Downing Street talks.

LONDON: British Prime Minister Theresa May on Wednesday holds her first talks with key EU Brexit negotiators, as the bloc hardens its position ahead of a summit to lay down its "red lines". May hosts European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and chief negotiator Michel Barnier at Downing Street for the first face-to-face talks since she triggered the two-year process of withdrawing from the European Union. The encounter over dinner comes as the EU has toughened its strategy, making new demands over financial services, immigration and the bills Britain must settle before ending its 44-year-old membership in the bloc. The meeting would be "about building a deep and special relationship going forward", May's spokesman said. "I'm sure the PM will also take the opportunity to reiterate her wish to get early assurances on the rights of EU citizens living in the UK and reciprocal arrangements." The latest draft negotiating guidelines, agreed on Monday by Barnier and European diplomats, point to months of difficult talks ahead as the EU seeks to ensure Britain does not get a better deal outside the bloc than inside. According to the document, seen by AFP, the other 27 EU countries will seek to hold Britain liable for the bloc's costs for at least a year after it leaves in 2019 -- longer than was previously proposed. Britain will also be required to give EU citizens permanent residency after living there for five years, in a challenge for May's Conservative government, which has vowed to limit immigration. The guidelines recommend that Britain's dominant finance industry will not necessarily be covered by any future trade deal with the EU and that it must also stick to the bloc's rules if it wants easy access to EU markets. May has committed to pulling Britain out of Europe's single market to end free movement of EU citizens into Britain, but says she wants to form a new partnership with the bloc. "We will have difficult issues to confront. Compromises will be necessary on both sides. We know all this," Brexit minister David Davis said in a speech in London on Wednesday. But he added: "The UK has a very good reason to feel optimistic." Davis is attending Wednesday's dinner. 'Great goodwill' After starting the Article 50 process of leaving the EU last month, May is seeking to shore up her mandate for the Brexit talks in a snap election on June 8, with polls suggesting her Conservatives will return with an increased majority. In recent weeks, she has held talks with senior EU figures, including European Parliament President Antonio Tajani and European Council chief Donald Tusk, who visited Downing Street on April 6. But Poland's EU transport commissioner Elzbieta Bienkowska warned in an interview with Germany's Die Welt newspaper that Britain "can't have everything in the end. They can't have their cake and eat it". And Ireland's EU agriculture commissioner Phil Hogan said Britain was no competition for the bloc when it came to securing trade deals. "It will be a long time before the UK gets a third country deal ahead of the EU. There's been clear evidence of that in recent times," he told reporters in Brussels. "Size matters when it comes to trade deals." The leaders of the other 27 EU nations will meet on April 29 to set down the bloc's red lines, though the talks will not begin until June. Nina Schick, associate director at advisory firm Hanbury Strategy, told AFP there was in a sense in Britain of "at best optimism, at worst just not understanding where the EU side is coming from". Schick, who works with the Open Europe initiative, said that the tougher guidelines "are not really a surprise" and that both sides were likely to "reiterate their positions" at the Downing Street talks.
By AFP

RABAT: Moroccan authorities have seized more than 420 tonnes of plastic bags in the year since the entry into force of a law prohibiting their use, the government said Wednesday.

With the legislation dubbed "zero mika", or zero plastic in Arabic, Morocco became one of the first countries in Africa to impose a total ban on plastic bags, along with Rwanda.

During the year, "more than 421 tonnes of plastic bags, 70 manufacturing machines, 16 vehicles" were seized, and 55 people were arrested, said the interior ministry.

In the first three months of 2017, 36 tonnes of plastic bags and 51 machines were seized in operations to dismantle their illegal production, it said in a statement.

Since the law took effect, the authorities have been strict to ensure its application, especially in shops and supermarkets in larger cities and towns.

Moroccans have instead taken to using fabric bags.

The ministry of industry has set up a 20 million euro ($21.8 million) fund to help companies affected by the law.

The government has described as "encouraging" the results of the ban, saying it had virtually eradicated the use of plastic bags in the country.

Morocco hosted the COP22 international climate conference in October 2016, and in recent years has embarked on a proactive strategy for "green" energy and sustainable development.

RABAT: Moroccan authorities have seized more than 420 tonnes of plastic bags in the year since the entry into force of a law prohibiting their use, the government said Wednesday. With the legislation dubbed "zero mika", or zero plastic in Arabic, Morocco became one of the first countries in Africa to impose a total ban on plastic bags, along with Rwanda. During the year, "more than 421 tonnes of plastic bags, 70 manufacturing machines, 16 vehicles" were seized, and 55 people were arrested, said the interior ministry. In the first three months of 2017, 36 tonnes of plastic bags and 51 machines were seized in operations to dismantle their illegal production, it said in a statement. Since the law took effect, the authorities have been strict to ensure its application, especially in shops and supermarkets in larger cities and towns. Moroccans have instead taken to using fabric bags. The ministry of industry has set up a 20 million euro ($21.8 million) fund to help companies affected by the law. The government has described as "encouraging" the results of the ban, saying it had virtually eradicated the use of plastic bags in the country. Morocco hosted the COP22 international climate conference in October 2016, and in recent years has embarked on a proactive strategy for "green" energy and sustainable development.
By Associated Press

WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump has long railed about unfair trade practices of China and Mexico. Now he's drawn a new target  Canada.

The two countries are suddenly sparring openly over inexpensive Canadian timber and Canada's barriers to U.S. dairy products  disputes that go back years but rarely get such a public airing.

Before sunrise Tuesday in Washington, Trump went on Twitter to declare: "Canada has made business for our dairy farmers in Wisconsin and other border states very difficult. We will not stand for this. Watch!"

Hours earlier, his Commerce Department had announced plans to impose duties averaging 20 percent on softwood lumber imports from Canada. U.S. homebuilders quickly warned that the move would drive up the cost of new houses.

The duties on Canadian lumber imports are "a pretty hard blow," Gary Hufbauer, senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics, said of the lumber sanctions. "The message here is that the U.S. not only talks tough, it acts tough."

As a candidate, Trump had vowed to declare China a currency manipulator and to rewrite or withdraw from the North America Free Trade Agreement because, he said, so many American factories had moved jobs to Mexico to exploit low-wage labor. Yet once in office, he softened his stand, deciding not to single out China for its currency policy and offering a draft rewrite of NAFTA that kept much of the original deal intact.

But now, the Trump administration is ramping up the rhetoric against Ottawa.

"People don't realize Canada's been very rough on the United States," Trump said Tuesday. "Everyone thinks of Canada as being wonderful, and so do I. I love Canada. But they've outsmarted our politicians for many years."

In a way, the tensions are surprising. The U.S. and Canada, among the most open economies in the world, enjoy a booming cross-border trade. Last year, the United States sold $267 billion in goods to Canada (led by autos and machinery), more than to any other country. Canada sold $278 billion in goods to the United States, led by fuels, autos and machinery.

The U.S. trade deficit in goods with Canada was just $11 billion last year  a fraction of America's $347 billion trade gap in goods with China.

But dairy and timber have long bedeviled U.S.-Canada commercial relations. U.S. lumber mills have been complaining about cheap Canadian imports since the 19th century. The two countries have patched over their differences on Canada's softwood lumber imports, most recently with a compromise that expired in 2015.

The Obama administration sought a new accord with Canada over softwood lumber. But Obama's U.S. trade representative, Michael Froman, now at the Council on Foreign Relations, says the Canadians decided to gamble on the new administration. Froman suggested that they calculated that they might get a better deal from Trump. As a builder, they perhaps reasoned, Trump might be more sympathetic to anything that would limit the price of lumber.

Instead, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross this week announced duties ranging from 3 percent to 24 percent on softwood lumber imports, arguing that Canada unfairly subsidizes its industry.

"They're generally a good neighbor," Ross said Tuesday. "But they still have to play by the rules."

The U.S. and Canada are also wrangling over dairy. Ottawa shields its dairy farmers from foreign competition, regulating prices and production and taxing imports heavily. But a new American product  a type of unfiltered milk used in cheese  had not been blocked by Canada's trade barriers. Canadian dairy farmers complained about the cheap imports coming across the border. So Ottawa changed its pricing policy, effectively barring unfiltered American milk.

Some American dairy farmers have been devastated.

Tim Prosser, a dairy farmer in Columbus, Wisconsin, was dropped by a buyer after Canada made the change. Prosser says he and his father might have to shut down their business and sell their 100 cows if they can't find a new customer by May 1.

"Even if we keep feeding the cows and milking them, it still costs us money," Prosser said. "If we have to turn around and dump the milk, we'd be looking at a $35,000 loss every month."

On Tuesday, a Wisconsin state official said about half the state's farms affected by Canada's move had found new buyers for their milk or have promising leads.

In a speech last week in Kenosha, Wisconsin, Trump declared that Canada has been "very, very unfair" to dairy farmers and promised to "start working on that."

Laura Dawson, director of the Canada Institute at the Wilson Center think tank in Washington, says it's not surprising that Trump would spotlight the issue: "Focusing on dairy while you're giving a speech in Wisconsin  why would you not play to the audience there?"

Dawson, a former economic adviser to the U.S. embassy in Ottawa, says she suspects "the current drama will be forgotten" after U.S. and Canadian negotiators get down to working out compromises.

"Canadians are pretty thick-skinned," she says. "They are used to dairy and softwood being continuing irritants" in relations with the United States.

"There are millions of good U.S. jobs that depend on the smooth flow of goods, services and people back and forth across our border," Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said during a news conference.

He added: "Any two countries are going to have issues that will be irritants to the relationship. Having a good constructive working relationship allows us to work through those irritants."

Dawson says Canadians are worried about their overreliance on the American market: 75 percent of Canadian exports go to the United States.

Hufbauer at the Peterson Institute says he doubts Trump's talk will force Canada to changes its way. It might even have the opposite effect:

"Talking tough will rile the average Canadian and make it harder for Trudeau to make concessions."

WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump has long railed about unfair trade practices of China and Mexico. Now he's drawn a new target  Canada. The two countries are suddenly sparring openly over inexpensive Canadian timber and Canada's barriers to U.S. dairy products  disputes that go back years but rarely get such a public airing. Before sunrise Tuesday in Washington, Trump went on Twitter to declare: "Canada has made business for our dairy farmers in Wisconsin and other border states very difficult. We will not stand for this. Watch!" Hours earlier, his Commerce Department had announced plans to impose duties averaging 20 percent on softwood lumber imports from Canada. U.S. homebuilders quickly warned that the move would drive up the cost of new houses. The duties on Canadian lumber imports are "a pretty hard blow," Gary Hufbauer, senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics, said of the lumber sanctions. "The message here is that the U.S. not only talks tough, it acts tough." As a candidate, Trump had vowed to declare China a currency manipulator and to rewrite or withdraw from the North America Free Trade Agreement because, he said, so many American factories had moved jobs to Mexico to exploit low-wage labor. Yet once in office, he softened his stand, deciding not to single out China for its currency policy and offering a draft rewrite of NAFTA that kept much of the original deal intact. But now, the Trump administration is ramping up the rhetoric against Ottawa. "People don't realize Canada's been very rough on the United States," Trump said Tuesday. "Everyone thinks of Canada as being wonderful, and so do I. I love Canada. But they've outsmarted our politicians for many years." In a way, the tensions are surprising. The U.S. and Canada, among the most open economies in the world, enjoy a booming cross-border trade. Last year, the United States sold $267 billion in goods to Canada (led by autos and machinery), more than to any other country. Canada sold $278 billion in goods to the United States, led by fuels, autos and machinery. The U.S. trade deficit in goods with Canada was just $11 billion last year  a fraction of America's $347 billion trade gap in goods with China. But dairy and timber have long bedeviled U.S.-Canada commercial relations. U.S. lumber mills have been complaining about cheap Canadian imports since the 19th century. The two countries have patched over their differences on Canada's softwood lumber imports, most recently with a compromise that expired in 2015. The Obama administration sought a new accord with Canada over softwood lumber. But Obama's U.S. trade representative, Michael Froman, now at the Council on Foreign Relations, says the Canadians decided to gamble on the new administration. Froman suggested that they calculated that they might get a better deal from Trump. As a builder, they perhaps reasoned, Trump might be more sympathetic to anything that would limit the price of lumber. Instead, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross this week announced duties ranging from 3 percent to 24 percent on softwood lumber imports, arguing that Canada unfairly subsidizes its industry. "They're generally a good neighbor," Ross said Tuesday. "But they still have to play by the rules." The U.S. and Canada are also wrangling over dairy. Ottawa shields its dairy farmers from foreign competition, regulating prices and production and taxing imports heavily. But a new American product  a type of unfiltered milk used in cheese  had not been blocked by Canada's trade barriers. Canadian dairy farmers complained about the cheap imports coming across the border. So Ottawa changed its pricing policy, effectively barring unfiltered American milk. Some American dairy farmers have been devastated. Tim Prosser, a dairy farmer in Columbus, Wisconsin, was dropped by a buyer after Canada made the change. Prosser says he and his father might have to shut down their business and sell their 100 cows if they can't find a new customer by May 1. "Even if we keep feeding the cows and milking them, it still costs us money," Prosser said. "If we have to turn around and dump the milk, we'd be looking at a $35,000 loss every month." On Tuesday, a Wisconsin state official said about half the state's farms affected by Canada's move had found new buyers for their milk or have promising leads. In a speech last week in Kenosha, Wisconsin, Trump declared that Canada has been "very, very unfair" to dairy farmers and promised to "start working on that." Laura Dawson, director of the Canada Institute at the Wilson Center think tank in Washington, says it's not surprising that Trump would spotlight the issue: "Focusing on dairy while you're giving a speech in Wisconsin  why would you not play to the audience there?" Dawson, a former economic adviser to the U.S. embassy in Ottawa, says she suspects "the current drama will be forgotten" after U.S. and Canadian negotiators get down to working out compromises. "Canadians are pretty thick-skinned," she says. "They are used to dairy and softwood being continuing irritants" in relations with the United States. "There are millions of good U.S. jobs that depend on the smooth flow of goods, services and people back and forth across our border," Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said during a news conference. He added: "Any two countries are going to have issues that will be irritants to the relationship. Having a good constructive working relationship allows us to work through those irritants." Dawson says Canadians are worried about their overreliance on the American market: 75 percent of Canadian exports go to the United States. Hufbauer at the Peterson Institute says he doubts Trump's talk will force Canada to changes its way. It might even have the opposite effect: "Talking tough will rile the average Canadian and make it harder for Trudeau to make concessions."
By AFP

THE HAGUE: World leaders on Wednesday urged all nations to help "banish forever the evil of chemical weapons," as the global watchdog warned decades of progress towards eliminating them was under threat.

UN chief Antonio Guterres led praise at a solemn ceremony in The Hague for the work of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) to mark its 20th anniversary.

So far some 95 percent of the world's declared stockpiles of such arms have been destroyed by the OPCW.

And its dangerous, painstaking work to implement the April 1997 Chemical Weapons Convention won it the Nobel Peace Prize in 2013.

But amid reports of sarin, mustard and chlorine gas attacks unleashed during the bitter civil war in Syria, Guterres warned that despite "two decades of success... progress is under threat."

"In the Middle East, belligerents are breaking the norm against chemical weapons. The recent attack in Syria was a horrific reminder of this threat. There can be no impunity for these crimes," he said in a video message to the ceremony.

"For 20 years we have been allies in this cause. Now let us resolve to consign these diabolic weapons to the pages of history."

The ceremony was also attended by Dutch King Willem-Alexander and Sweden's Princess Victoria, as well as ambassadors from OPCW-member nations.

Despite the celebrations, "we cannot ignore the black cloud hanging over us", said Dutch Foreign Minister Bert Koenders, referring especially to the April 4 suspected sarin gas attack in the Syrian rebel-held town of Khan Sheikhun, the latest in several attacks.

The continued use of such weapons underscored that the OPCW as an independent, neutral body was needed "more than ever before," Koenders added.

In an unprecedented step in November, the OPCW's executive council condemned Syria's use of toxic weapons -- its first public condemnation of any of the 192 members of the convention.

- Syria the 'greatest test' -

Syria joined the OPCW in 2013 after denying for years that it had toxic arms. And while 100 percent of its declared stockpile has been destroyed in an operation involving some 30 countries, there are growing fears that the Syrian regime did not reveal the true extent of its armoury.

OPCW director general Ahmet Uzumcu acknowledged Wednesday that "our collective journey to banish forever the evil of chemical weapons has reached momentous landmarks."

But he warned that "in Syria the OPCW has faced its greatest test of commitment as well as resilience."

"Our work in Syria is not yet finished. It is of grave concern that we continue to see reports of the use of chemical weapons."

He urged Egypt, Israel, North Korea and South Sudan -- the last four countries which have not yet signed the convention -- to join up "without delay".

And with some victims in the audience, he paid tribute to those who have suffered most from such deadly weapons, first used on the battlefields of Belgium's Ypres in World War I.

The victims "remind us of the human toll when morality is recklessly abandoned and universal norms callously breached," Uzumcu said.

"The work of the OPCW represents the most effective response to such cruelty; a ray of hope illuminating a dark shadow on our history."

THE HAGUE: World leaders on Wednesday urged all nations to help "banish forever the evil of chemical weapons," as the global watchdog warned decades of progress towards eliminating them was under threat. UN chief Antonio Guterres led praise at a solemn ceremony in The Hague for the work of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) to mark its 20th anniversary. So far some 95 percent of the world's declared stockpiles of such arms have been destroyed by the OPCW. And its dangerous, painstaking work to implement the April 1997 Chemical Weapons Convention won it the Nobel Peace Prize in 2013. But amid reports of sarin, mustard and chlorine gas attacks unleashed during the bitter civil war in Syria, Guterres warned that despite "two decades of success... progress is under threat." "In the Middle East, belligerents are breaking the norm against chemical weapons. The recent attack in Syria was a horrific reminder of this threat. There can be no impunity for these crimes," he said in a video message to the ceremony. "For 20 years we have been allies in this cause. Now let us resolve to consign these diabolic weapons to the pages of history." The ceremony was also attended by Dutch King Willem-Alexander and Sweden's Princess Victoria, as well as ambassadors from OPCW-member nations. Despite the celebrations, "we cannot ignore the black cloud hanging over us", said Dutch Foreign Minister Bert Koenders, referring especially to the April 4 suspected sarin gas attack in the Syrian rebel-held town of Khan Sheikhun, the latest in several attacks. The continued use of such weapons underscored that the OPCW as an independent, neutral body was needed "more than ever before," Koenders added. In an unprecedented step in November, the OPCW's executive council condemned Syria's use of toxic weapons -- its first public condemnation of any of the 192 members of the convention. - Syria the 'greatest test' - Syria joined the OPCW in 2013 after denying for years that it had toxic arms. And while 100 percent of its declared stockpile has been destroyed in an operation involving some 30 countries, there are growing fears that the Syrian regime did not reveal the true extent of its armoury. OPCW director general Ahmet Uzumcu acknowledged Wednesday that "our collective journey to banish forever the evil of chemical weapons has reached momentous landmarks." But he warned that "in Syria the OPCW has faced its greatest test of commitment as well as resilience." "Our work in Syria is not yet finished. It is of grave concern that we continue to see reports of the use of chemical weapons." He urged Egypt, Israel, North Korea and South Sudan -- the last four countries which have not yet signed the convention -- to join up "without delay". And with some victims in the audience, he paid tribute to those who have suffered most from such deadly weapons, first used on the battlefields of Belgium's Ypres in World War I. The victims "remind us of the human toll when morality is recklessly abandoned and universal norms callously breached," Uzumcu said. "The work of the OPCW represents the most effective response to such cruelty; a ray of hope illuminating a dark shadow on our history."
By IANS

JERUSALEM: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has cancelled a meeting with German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel over the latter's plan to meet groups critical of Israel's action in the West Bank, an official told Xinhua news agency.



A spokesman with the Prime Minister's Office confirmed that the meeting scheduled for Tuesday would not take place, Xinhua reported.



After the cancellation, Gabriel refused to take a phone call from Netanyahu, a report said.



The Prime Minister wanted to speak to the Foreign Minister to explain why he had reservations regarding the meeting with Breaking The Silence and B'Tselem, it said.



Earlier, Netanyahu threatened that he would call off his meeting with Gabriel if the latter met with the two rights groups.



Gabriel rejected the ultimatum. "It is difficult for me to imagine this because that would be extremely regrettable," he said.



"It is completely normal that we speak with civil society representatives during a visit abroad," he said, adding that it would be "unthinkable" to cancel a meeting with Netanyahu if he met government critics in Germany.



Gabriel is on a visit to the Middle East to press for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.



The Foreign Minister on Tuesday met opposition leader Isaac Herzog, chairman of the Labor party.



He also met President Reuven Rivlin, and told him that Germany was "committed to the friendship, partnership, and special relationship with Israel, and nothing will change that", according to a President's Residence statement.



Netanyahu in February ordered the Foreign Ministry to reprimand the Belgian ambassador after Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel met Breaking The Silence and B'tselem representatives during his Israel visit.



Right-wing political leaders hailed Netanyahu's move, with Education Minister Naftali Bennett and leader of the Jewish Home ultra-nationalist party saying that his party was "backing" the Prime Minister.



"Breaking The Silence is not an organisation that is anti-Netanyahu, but an anti-Israel and anti-Israel Defence Forces. It is inappropriate for a visiting Foreign Minister to meet people who are acting against that state," Bennett said in a statement.



The two groups have become a frequent target for condemnations by right-wing politicians, who accuse them of being "traitors" who act against Israel.



Israel occupied the West Bank and Gaza in the 1967 Middle East war and had controlled these lands ever since, despite international criticism.

JERUSALEM: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has cancelled a meeting with German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel over the latter's plan to meet groups critical of Israel's action in the West Bank, an official told Xinhua news agency. A spokesman with the Prime Minister's Office confirmed that the meeting scheduled for Tuesday would not take place, Xinhua reported. After the cancellation, Gabriel refused to take a phone call from Netanyahu, a report said. The Prime Minister wanted to speak to the Foreign Minister to explain why he had reservations regarding the meeting with Breaking The Silence and B'Tselem, it said. Earlier, Netanyahu threatened that he would call off his meeting with Gabriel if the latter met with the two rights groups. Gabriel rejected the ultimatum. "It is difficult for me to imagine this because that would be extremely regrettable," he said. "It is completely normal that we speak with civil society representatives during a visit abroad," he said, adding that it would be "unthinkable" to cancel a meeting with Netanyahu if he met government critics in Germany. Gabriel is on a visit to the Middle East to press for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The Foreign Minister on Tuesday met opposition leader Isaac Herzog, chairman of the Labor party. He also met President Reuven Rivlin, and told him that Germany was "committed to the friendship, partnership, and special relationship with Israel, and nothing will change that", according to a President's Residence statement. Netanyahu in February ordered the Foreign Ministry to reprimand the Belgian ambassador after Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel met Breaking The Silence and B'tselem representatives during his Israel visit. Right-wing political leaders hailed Netanyahu's move, with Education Minister Naftali Bennett and leader of the Jewish Home ultra-nationalist party saying that his party was "backing" the Prime Minister. "Breaking The Silence is not an organisation that is anti-Netanyahu, but an anti-Israel and anti-Israel Defence Forces. It is inappropriate for a visiting Foreign Minister to meet people who are acting against that state," Bennett said in a statement. The two groups have become a frequent target for condemnations by right-wing politicians, who accuse them of being "traitors" who act against Israel. Israel occupied the West Bank and Gaza in the 1967 Middle East war and had controlled these lands ever since, despite international criticism.
By Associated Press

PESHAWAR: A roadside bomb targeting a minivan in Pakistan's northwestern tribal region on Tuesday killed 14 people, a local official said, raising an earlier reported death toll of nine killed. The attack was claimed by a breakaway Taliban faction.

The blast ripped through the van travelling through a minority Shiite region of the Kurram tribal area, which borders Afghanistan, said Arif Khan, a tribal administration official in the town of Parachinar. The area has long been the scene of sectarian violence.

Five women and four children were among the 14 killed, while 10 people were wounded in the explosion. With few adequate medical facilities in the area, a Pakistani army helicopter evacuated the wounded to a nearby military hospital.

Jamat-ul-Ahrar, a breakaway Taliban faction, said it was behind the attack on the Shiites.

Pakistani Taliban and other Sunni militant groups often target minority Shiites whom they consider to be heretics. The Islamic State group has also claimed several recent attacks in the country.

For over a decade, Pakistan has been fighting Islamic militants who have killed tens of thousands of people. Islamabad has also undertaken several large-scale offensives in the tribal regions in an effort to rout militants from the area.

Also Tuesday, four convicted members of the Pakistani Taliban were executed in a prison, the army said.

In the southern port city of Karachi, paramilitary forces raided an apartment following a tip that militants were hiding there, police officer Aurangzeb Khattak said.

After a seven-hour siege, three militants, including a woman, blew themselves up inside the apartment. The explosion also killed a 5-year-old while a fourth militant was killed trying to flee the scene.

PESHAWAR: A roadside bomb targeting a minivan in Pakistan's northwestern tribal region on Tuesday killed 14 people, a local official said, raising an earlier reported death toll of nine killed. The attack was claimed by a breakaway Taliban faction. The blast ripped through the van travelling through a minority Shiite region of the Kurram tribal area, which borders Afghanistan, said Arif Khan, a tribal administration official in the town of Parachinar. The area has long been the scene of sectarian violence. Five women and four children were among the 14 killed, while 10 people were wounded in the explosion. With few adequate medical facilities in the area, a Pakistani army helicopter evacuated the wounded to a nearby military hospital. Jamat-ul-Ahrar, a breakaway Taliban faction, said it was behind the attack on the Shiites. Pakistani Taliban and other Sunni militant groups often target minority Shiites whom they consider to be heretics. The Islamic State group has also claimed several recent attacks in the country. For over a decade, Pakistan has been fighting Islamic militants who have killed tens of thousands of people. Islamabad has also undertaken several large-scale offensives in the tribal regions in an effort to rout militants from the area. Also Tuesday, four convicted members of the Pakistani Taliban were executed in a prison, the army said. In the southern port city of Karachi, paramilitary forces raided an apartment following a tip that militants were hiding there, police officer Aurangzeb Khattak said. After a seven-hour siege, three militants, including a woman, blew themselves up inside the apartment. The explosion also killed a 5-year-old while a fourth militant was killed trying to flee the scene.
By AFP

BANGKOK: President Donald Trump's attempts to ban people from six Muslim countries from travelling to the United States "played into the hands" of extremists, the UK's former prime minister said Wednesday.

Trump has said a travel ban is needed to preserve national security and keep out extremists.

But federal judges have halted Trump's revised executive order issued in March to temporarily close US borders to refugees and nationals from six Muslim-majority countries.

David Cameron condemned the Trump administration's proposed travel ban, saying it alienated Muslim moderates and allies, as senior figures from global tourism gathered in Bangkok for a conference.

Cameron said in his opening speech that violent Islamism was "the biggest threat to our world and also to this industry" but that leaders should not promote policies that emboldened extremists.

"That was my biggest problem with the Trump travel ban," he told delegates, adding that "labelling whole countries as extreme and dangerous because they were predominantly Islamic" encouraged extremists' narrative of a clash between the west and Islam.

Trying to ban people from key western allies like Iraq, which is bearing the brunt of fighting with the Islamic State group, was "not the action of a friend", he added.

"I thought it (the ban) was misconceived from the outset," he said.

Taleb Rifai, the Jordanian-born secretary general of the UN's World Tourism Organization, also took aim at Trump.

Increased security, he said, "does not mean building walls or banning people from travelling".

"They (extremists) want us to stop travelling, they want us to be separated, they want us to mistrust one another and to hate one another," he added.

When a conference moderator mentioned that Trump's plan to build a wall between the US and Mexico had stumbled, the audience burst into applause and cheers.

BANGKOK: President Donald Trump's attempts to ban people from six Muslim countries from travelling to the United States "played into the hands" of extremists, the UK's former prime minister said Wednesday. Trump has said a travel ban is needed to preserve national security and keep out extremists. But federal judges have halted Trump's revised executive order issued in March to temporarily close US borders to refugees and nationals from six Muslim-majority countries. David Cameron condemned the Trump administration's proposed travel ban, saying it alienated Muslim moderates and allies, as senior figures from global tourism gathered in Bangkok for a conference. Cameron said in his opening speech that violent Islamism was "the biggest threat to our world and also to this industry" but that leaders should not promote policies that emboldened extremists. "That was my biggest problem with the Trump travel ban," he told delegates, adding that "labelling whole countries as extreme and dangerous because they were predominantly Islamic" encouraged extremists' narrative of a clash between the west and Islam. Trying to ban people from key western allies like Iraq, which is bearing the brunt of fighting with the Islamic State group, was "not the action of a friend", he added. "I thought it (the ban) was misconceived from the outset," he said. Taleb Rifai, the Jordanian-born secretary general of the UN's World Tourism Organization, also took aim at Trump. Increased security, he said, "does not mean building walls or banning people from travelling". "They (extremists) want us to stop travelling, they want us to be separated, they want us to mistrust one another and to hate one another," he added. When a conference moderator mentioned that Trump's plan to build a wall between the US and Mexico had stumbled, the audience burst into applause and cheers.
By AFP

UNITED NATIONS: The United States on Tuesday urged the divided UN Security Council to back an arms embargo and sanctions against South Sudan after the UN envoy reported that the war there is worsening.

US Ambassador Nikki Haley told the council that UN demands for a ceasefire, access for aid workers and a return to political talks had been "totally ignored" by President Salva Kiir's government.

"I call on this council to move forward with the tools available to it, such as with further sanctions and an arms embargo, or the violence and atrocities will continue," Haley said.

"We must tell the South Sudanese government that we are not going to put up with this anymore."

France and Britain backed the US call for tougher measures, but Russia said there was no need for an arms embargo and China urged the council to be more "positive" in its approach to South Sudan.

The previous US administration failed in December to win support for an arms embargo and sanctions, with Russia, China, Japan and Egypt among eight countries that abstained in a vote on the measures.

Haley's remarks indicated that the new US administration would try again to push for an end to weapons sales and sanctions on those who undermine peace efforts.

"If you want to continue to see starvation in South Sudan, doing nothing is exactly what you need to keep doing," said the US envoy.

Helping the people of South Sudan is "not about hope", "not about wishes", she added. "That's about action, and I call on the Security Council to act."

The ambassador however did not specify whether the United States would present a resolution to impose new measures on South Sudan, now in its fourth year of war.

Worsening war

UN envoy David Shearer told the council that the situation was dire, with fighting in Wau, South Sudan's second city, and the Equatorias states of South Sudan.

"Virtually no part of the country is immune from conflict. Yet there has been no concerted effort by any party to adhere to a ceasefire," said Shearer.

"Instead, over the past month, we are seeing an intensification of the conflict."

After gaining independence from Sudan in 2011, South Sudan descended into war in December 2013, leaving tens of thousands dead and more than 3.5 million people displaced.

In February, South Sudan and the United Nations formally declared a famine in parts of northern Unity State affecting 100,000 people, a disaster that UN officials said was "man-made" and could have been averted.

The United Nations has 14,000 peacekeepers deployed in South Sudan, but the mission is repeatedly blocked by the government and opposition fighters.

Over 220,000 civilians are sheltering in six UN sites, under the protection of UN forces.

A UN panel of experts last month called for an arms embargo in a report that said the government was spending oil revenue on weapons as its citizens faced starvation.

China, which has sent peacekeepers to South Sudan, and Russia stressed that regional countries must play a key role in finding a solution.

Chinese Deputy Ambassador Wu Haitao said the council should send out more "positive and enthusiastic messages" to the government in Juba.

British Ambassador Matthew Rycroft said there remained much resistance within the council to imposing an arms embargo. "I don't think there's a huge change of opinion" since the failed bid in December, he told reporters.

UNITED NATIONS: The United States on Tuesday urged the divided UN Security Council to back an arms embargo and sanctions against South Sudan after the UN envoy reported that the war there is worsening. US Ambassador Nikki Haley told the council that UN demands for a ceasefire, access for aid workers and a return to political talks had been "totally ignored" by President Salva Kiir's government. "I call on this council to move forward with the tools available to it, such as with further sanctions and an arms embargo, or the violence and atrocities will continue," Haley said. "We must tell the South Sudanese government that we are not going to put up with this anymore." France and Britain backed the US call for tougher measures, but Russia said there was no need for an arms embargo and China urged the council to be more "positive" in its approach to South Sudan. The previous US administration failed in December to win support for an arms embargo and sanctions, with Russia, China, Japan and Egypt among eight countries that abstained in a vote on the measures. Haley's remarks indicated that the new US administration would try again to push for an end to weapons sales and sanctions on those who undermine peace efforts. "If you want to continue to see starvation in South Sudan, doing nothing is exactly what you need to keep doing," said the US envoy. Helping the people of South Sudan is "not about hope", "not about wishes", she added. "That's about action, and I call on the Security Council to act." The ambassador however did not specify whether the United States would present a resolution to impose new measures on South Sudan, now in its fourth year of war. Worsening war UN envoy David Shearer told the council that the situation was dire, with fighting in Wau, South Sudan's second city, and the Equatorias states of South Sudan. "Virtually no part of the country is immune from conflict. Yet there has been no concerted effort by any party to adhere to a ceasefire," said Shearer. "Instead, over the past month, we are seeing an intensification of the conflict." After gaining independence from Sudan in 2011, South Sudan descended into war in December 2013, leaving tens of thousands dead and more than 3.5 million people displaced. In February, South Sudan and the United Nations formally declared a famine in parts of northern Unity State affecting 100,000 people, a disaster that UN officials said was "man-made" and could have been averted. The United Nations has 14,000 peacekeepers deployed in South Sudan, but the mission is repeatedly blocked by the government and opposition fighters. Over 220,000 civilians are sheltering in six UN sites, under the protection of UN forces. A UN panel of experts last month called for an arms embargo in a report that said the government was spending oil revenue on weapons as its citizens faced starvation. China, which has sent peacekeepers to South Sudan, and Russia stressed that regional countries must play a key role in finding a solution. Chinese Deputy Ambassador Wu Haitao said the council should send out more "positive and enthusiastic messages" to the government in Juba. British Ambassador Matthew Rycroft said there remained much resistance within the council to imposing an arms embargo. "I don't think there's a huge change of opinion" since the failed bid in December, he told reporters.
By AFP

CARACAS: Venezuela's opposition vowed no letup in its bid to remove leftist President Nicolas Maduro from power, even as more protesters were shot dead in an increasingly violent political crisis.

Maduro's center-right rivals yesterday said they would go ahead with new street protests Wednesday, despite a wave of unrest that has seen 26 people killed this month in clashes involving protesters and security forces.

In the latest unrest, prosecutors said a 23-year-old man died from being shot in the head with a shotgun in overnight protests in northwestern Lara state. They did not immediately say who was believed to have been responsible.

Maduro's own attorney general meanwhile fueled opposition criticism that the authorities are repressing protests.

Luisa Ortega, who has emerged as a rare public critic within Maduro's camp, said demonstrators were being arrested and tried without due process.

She cited one example where the arrest sheet for a group of people hauled in by the national guard in the northeastern state of Nueva Esparta gave no details on their alleged crimes.

"What were they doing? What behavior led to their arrest?" she said at a news conference.

"We cannot charge them with a crime when there isn't the slightest information to do so... I am obligated to guarantee due process."

Ortega said nearly 1,300 people had been arrested in this month's protests.

The death toll has now reached 26, including four "adolescents," she said. More than 400 people have been injured.

The opposition blames Maduro for shortages of food, medicine and other essentials in the oil-rich country.

Maduro says the crisis stems from a US-backed capitalist conspiracy.

He has resisted more than a year of efforts to force him from office, though he said over the weekend that he was willing to hold regional elections that have been postponed indefinitely.

With few options left to get rid of him before the end of his term in 2019, the opposition is urging all-out street rallies to push for elections.

"Let us not surrender. If we manage to keep up this pressure we will achieve change," said senior opposition lawmaker Freddy Guevara.

"On Wednesday we will return to the streets" for a march in central Caracas to pressure state institutions loyal to Maduro, he said.

CARACAS: Venezuela's opposition vowed no letup in its bid to remove leftist President Nicolas Maduro from power, even as more protesters were shot dead in an increasingly violent political crisis. Maduro's center-right rivals yesterday said they would go ahead with new street protests Wednesday, despite a wave of unrest that has seen 26 people killed this month in clashes involving protesters and security forces. In the latest unrest, prosecutors said a 23-year-old man died from being shot in the head with a shotgun in overnight protests in northwestern Lara state. They did not immediately say who was believed to have been responsible. Maduro's own attorney general meanwhile fueled opposition criticism that the authorities are repressing protests. Luisa Ortega, who has emerged as a rare public critic within Maduro's camp, said demonstrators were being arrested and tried without due process. She cited one example where the arrest sheet for a group of people hauled in by the national guard in the northeastern state of Nueva Esparta gave no details on their alleged crimes. "What were they doing? What behavior led to their arrest?" she said at a news conference. "We cannot charge them with a crime when there isn't the slightest information to do so... I am obligated to guarantee due process." Ortega said nearly 1,300 people had been arrested in this month's protests. The death toll has now reached 26, including four "adolescents," she said. More than 400 people have been injured. The opposition blames Maduro for shortages of food, medicine and other essentials in the oil-rich country. Maduro says the crisis stems from a US-backed capitalist conspiracy. He has resisted more than a year of efforts to force him from office, though he said over the weekend that he was willing to hold regional elections that have been postponed indefinitely. With few options left to get rid of him before the end of his term in 2019, the opposition is urging all-out street rallies to push for elections. "Let us not surrender. If we manage to keep up this pressure we will achieve change," said senior opposition lawmaker Freddy Guevara. "On Wednesday we will return to the streets" for a march in central Caracas to pressure state institutions loyal to Maduro, he said.
Today, the Crown Princess Mette Marit attended NORLA (Norwegian Literature Abroad) conference at Sentralen culture center. The Crown Princess was elected as Norway's literature representative for Frankfurt Book Fair (FBF) which is the world's biggest and most important book fair. Norway will take part in Frankfurt Book Fair as a "guest country". As Norway's literature representative, the Crown Princess will attend several events at Frankfurt Book Fair.
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Noelle McGee is a Danville-based reporter at The News-Gazette. Her email is nmcgee@news-gazette.com, and you can follow her on Twitter (@n_mcgee).
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Scientists and physicians at University of California San Diego School of Medicine, working with colleagues at the U.S. Navy Medical Research Center - Biological Defense Research Directorate (NMRC-BDRD), Texas A&M University, a San Diego-based biotech and elsewhere, have successfully used an experimental therapy involving bacteriophages -- viruses that target and consume specific strains of bacteria -- to treat a patient near death from a multidrug-resistant bacterium.

The therapeutic approach, which has been submitted to a peer-reviewed journal, is scheduled to be featured in an oral presentation tomorrow at the Centennial Celebration of Bacteriophage Research at the Institute Pasteur in Paris by Biswajit Biswas, MD, one of the case study's co-authors and chief of the phage division in the Department Genomics and Bioinformatics at NMRC-BDRD. April 27 is Human Phage Therapy Day, designated to mark 100 years of clinical research launched by Felix d'Herelle, a French microbiologist at Institute Pasteur who is credited with co-discovering bacteriophages with British bacteriologist Frederick Twort.

Authors say the case study could be another catalyst to developing new remedies to the growing global threat of antimicrobial resistance, which the World Health Organization estimates will kill at least 50 million people per year by 2050. Based on the success of this case, in collaboration with NMRC, UC San Diego is exploring options for a new center to advance research and development of bacteriophage-based therapies.

"When it became clear that every antibiotic had failed, that Tom could die, we sought an emergency investigational new drug application from the FDA to try bacteriophages," said lead author Robert "Chip" Schooley, MD, professor of medicine, chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases in the UC San Diego School of Medicine and primary physician on the case.

"To our knowledge, he is the first patient in the United States with an overwhelming, systemic infection to be treated with this approach using intravenous bacteriophages. From being in a coma near death, he's recovered well enough to go back to work. Of course, this is just one patient, one case. We don't yet fully understand the potential -- and limitations -- of clinical bacteriophage therapy, but it's an unprecedented and remarkable story, and given the global health threat of multidrug-resistant organisms, one that we should pursue."

Infection on vacation

The story begins in late-2015. Tom Patterson, PhD, a 69-year-old professor in the Department of Psychiatry at UC San Diego School of Medicine, and his wife, Steffanie Strathdee, PhD, chief of the Division of Global Public Health in the Department of Medicine, were spending the Thanksgiving holiday in Egypt when Patterson became ill, wracked by abdominal pain, fever, nausea, vomiting and a racing heartbeat. Local doctors diagnosed pancreatitis -- inflammation of the pancreas -- but standard treatment didn't help.

Patterson's condition worsened and he was medevacked to Frankfurt, Germany Dec. 3, 2015, where doctors discovered a pancreatic pseudocyst, a collection of fluid around the pancreas. The fluid was drained and the contents cultured. Patterson had become infected with a multidrug-resistant strain of Acinetobacter baumannii, an opportunistic and often deadly pathogen. The bacterium has proved particularly problematic in hospital settings and in the Middle East, with many injured veterans and soldiers returning to the U.S. with persistent infections.

Initially, the only antibiotics with any effect proved to be a combination of meropenem, tigecycline and colistin, a drug of last resort because it often causes kidney damage, among other side effects. Patterson's condition stabilized sufficiently for him to be airlifted Dec. 12, 2015, from Germany to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at Thornton Hospital at UC San Diego Health. Upon arrival, it was discovered that his bacterial isolate had become resistant to all of these antibiotics.

At Thornton Hospital, now part of Jacobs Medical Center, Patterson began to recover, moving from the ICU to a regular ward. But the day before scheduled discharge to a long-term acute care facility, an internal drain designed to localize his infection and keep it at bay slipped, spilling bacteria into his abdomen and bloodstream. Patterson immediately experienced septic shock. His heart began racing. He could not breathe. He became feverish and would subsequently fall into a coma that would last for most of the next two months. He was, in effect, dying.

"That's a period of my life I don't remember," recalled Patterson. "There was so much pain that it's almost beyond your ability to cope. I'm happy not to remember."

Strathdee, his wife, is no stranger to the terrors of disease. As an infectious disease epidemiologist and director of the UC San Diego Global Health Institute, she has worked around the world, from India to Afghanistan to Mexico, trying to lower HIV infection and mortality rates.

"There came a point when he was getting weaker and weaker, and I didn't want to lose him. I wasn't ready to let him go and so I held his hand and said, 'Honey, they're doing everything they can and there's nothing that can kill this bug, so if you want to fight, you need to fight. Do you want me to find some alternative therapies? We can leave no stone unturned.'"

Tom recalled the moment: "I vaguely remember you saying, 'do you want me to try or not because it's going to be a tough time and it's not certain that it will work.' I remember squeezing your hand, but it was just a flash in the whole process."

Strathdee began doing research. A colleague mentioned a friend had traveled to Tblisi, Georgia to undergo "phage therapy" for a difficult condition and had been "miraculously cured." Strathdee had learned of bacteriophages while she was a student, but they were not part of mainstream medical doctrine. She turned to strangers in the phage research community and to her colleague Chip Schooley for help.

Bacteriophages are ubiquitous viruses, found wherever bacteria exist. It's estimated there are more than 1031 bacteriophages on the planet. That's ten million trillion trillion, more than every other organism on Earth, including bacteria, combined. Each is evolved to infect a specific bacterial host in order to replicate -- without affecting other cells in an organism.

The idea of using them therapeutically is not new. Described a century ago, phage therapy was popular in the 1920s and 1930s to treat multiple types of infections and conditions, but results were inconsistent and lacked scientific validation. The emergence of antibiotics in the 1940s pushed phage therapy aside, except in parts of Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union, where it remained a topic of active research.

With dwindling options, Strathdee, Schooley and colleagues went looking for help. They found many researchers willing to help. Three teams possessed suitable phages that were active against Patterson's particular bacterial infection: the Biological Defense Research Directorate of the NMRC in Frederick, MD; the Center for Phage Technology at Texas A&M University; and AmpliPhi, a San Diego-based biotech company specializing in bacteriophage-based therapies. A research team at San Diego State University, headed by microbial ecologist Forest Rowher, PhD, purified the phage samples for clinical use.

With emergency approval from the Food and Drug Administration, each source provided phage strains to UC San Diego doctors to treat Patterson, with no guarantee that any of the strains would actually work. "That's one of the remarkable things to come out of this whole experience," said Schooley, "the incredible and rapid collaboration among folks scattered around the world. It was a desperate time and people really stepped up."

Phage therapy is typically administered topically or orally. In Patterson's case, the phages were introduced through catheters into his abdominal cavity and intravenously to address a broader, systemic infection, which had not been done in the antibiotic era in the U.S. "That makes them more effective," said Schooley. "The action is at the interface of the patient and the organism."

With tweaking and adjustments -- his physicians were learning on the fly -- Patterson began to improve. He emerged from his coma within three days of the start of IV phage therapy. "Tom woke up, turned to his daughter and said, 'I love you'," recalled Schooley. Patterson was soon weaned off of the respirator and blood pressure drugs.

"As a treating doctor, it was a challenge," said Schooley. "Usually you know what the dosage should be, how often to treat. Improving vital signs is a good way to know that you're progressing, but when you're doing it for the first time, you don't have anything to compare it to.

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"A lot was really worked out as we went along, combining previous literature, our own intuition about how these phages would circulate and work and advice from people who had been thinking about this for a long time."

Treatment details

By the time Patterson was airlifted to Thornton Hospital at UC San Diego Health, he was in dire straits. His abdomen had swelled, distended by the pseudocyst teeming with multi-drug resistant A. baumaunnii. His white blood cell count had soared -- a sign of rampant infection.

Doctors tried various combinations of antibiotics. He developed respiratory failure and hypotension that required ventilation and recurrent emergency treatment. He became increasingly delirious. When he lapsed into a coma in mid-January, he was essentially being kept alive on life support. Eventually Schooley said there were no antimicrobial agents left to try. Strathdee recalled colleagues wondering aloud if she was prepared for Tom to die.

She wasn't. Bacteriophage therapy began March 15, 2016, with a cocktail of four phages provided by Texas A&M and the San Diego-based biotech company AmpliPhi, pumped through catheters into the pseudocyst. If the treatment didn't kill him, Patterson's medical team planned to inject the Navy's phages intravenously, flooding his bloodstream to reach the infection raging throughout his body. As far as Patterson's doctors knew, such treatment had never been tried before.

On March 17, the Navy phages were injected intravenously. There were fears about endotoxins naturally produced by the phages. No one knew what to expect, but Patterson tolerated the treatment well -- indeed there were no adverse side effects -- and on March 19, he suddenly awoke and recognized his daughter.

"One of NMRC's goals with respect to bacteriophage science has been providing military members infected with multidrug-resistant organisms additional antimicrobial options so we were experienced and well-positioned to provide an effective phage cocktail for Dr. Patterson," said Theron Hamilton, PhD, head of Genomics and Bioinformatics at the Navy's Biological Defense Research Directorate. "Obviously, we are thrilled with the outcome and hope this case increases awareness of the possibility of applying phage therapy to tough cases like this one."

Subsequent treatment, however, would not be easy. The learning curve was steep and unmarked. There were bouts of sepsis -- a life-threatening complication caused by massive infection. Despite improvement, Patterson's condition remained precarious. Doctors discovered that the bacterium eventually developed resistance to the phages, what Schooley would characterize as "the recurring Darwinian dance," but the team compensated by continually tweaking treatment with new phage strains -- some that the NMRC had derived from sewage -- and antibiotics.

In early May, Patterson was taken off of antibiotics. After June 6, there was no evidence of A. baumannii in his body. He was discharged home August 12, 2016.

Post-treatment and beyond

Recovery has not been entirely smooth and steady. There have been setbacks unrelated to the phages. A formerly robust man, Patterson had been fed intravenously for months in the hospital and had lost 100 pounds, much of it muscle. He has required intense physical rehabilitation to regain strength and movement. "It's not like in the movies where you just wake up from a coma, look around and pop out of bed," Patterson said. "You discover that your body doesn't work right anymore." He said he could feel parts of his brain coming back alive.

Nonetheless, Patterson described the experience as miraculous. Even comatose, when he often wrestled with imagined demons, he recalled hearing and recognizing voices and realizing that beyond his darkness, there was life and hope.

And beyond him, he hopes his experience will translate into new treatments for others: "The phage therapy has really been a miracle for me, and for what it might mean that millions of people who may be cured from multidrug-resistant infections in the future. It's been sort of a privilege."

Schooley said Patterson was lucky. His wife was a trained scientist and determined to find a remedy -- and they both worked at UC San Diego School of Medicine: "He was fortunate to be in a place that had all of the resources and courage necessary to support him while this innovative therapy was developed, which was essentially a home brew cocktail of viruses to be given to a desperately ill individual. I think a lot of other places would have hesitated. I think the response that he had clinically has been very gratifying and speaks to the strength of a multidimensional medical center with all of the pieces you need."

Still, Schooley said any broad, future approved application of phage therapy faces fundamental challenges unlike past treatments. "What the FDA is used to saying is 'This is an antibiotic. We know what its structure is and how you can give it to multiple people.' With bacteriophage therapy, the FDA would be dealing with an approach in which doctors would have to develop phage cocktails for each patient tailored to their infecting organisms. It's the ultimate personalized medicine."

The good news, Schooley said, is that new molecular tools, robotics and other advances make personalized medicine possible in a way it wasn't 10 or 15 years ago. "Then, it would have been impossible to contemplate. There's still much research to be done, but I think there are going to be a lot of clinical applications where this approach may be very beneficial to patients."

More about bacteriophages

Derived from the Greek words meaning "bacteria eater," bacteriophages are ancient and abundant -- found on land, in water, within any form of life harboring their target. According to Rowher at San Diego State University and colleagues in their book Life in Our Phage World, phages cause a trillion trillion successful infections per second and destroy up to 40 percent of all bacterial cells in the ocean every day.

Thousands of varieties of phage exist, each evolved to infect only one type or a few types of bacteria. Like other viruses, they cannot replicate by themselves, but must commandeer the reproductive machinery of bacteria. To do so, they attach to a bacterium and insert their genetic material. Lytic phages then destroy the cell, splitting it open to release new viral particles to continue the process. As such, phages could be considered the only "drug"' capable of multiplying; when their job is done, they are excreted by the body.
Skimping on sleep, followed by "catch-up" days with long snoozes, is tied to worse cognition -- both in attention and creativity -- in young adults, in particular, those tackling major projects, Baylor University researchers have found.

"The more variability they showed in their night-to-night sleep, the worse their cognition declined across the week," said study co-author Michael Scullin, Ph.D., director of Baylor's Sleep Neuroscience and Cognition Laboratory and assistant professor of psychology and neuroscience in Baylor's College of Arts & Sciences.

"When completing term projects, students restrict sleep, then rebound on sleep, then repeat," he said. "Major projects which call for numerous tasks and deadlines -- more so than for tests -- seem to contribute to sleep variability."

The study of interior design students is published online in the Journal of Interior Design. It also has implications for art, architecture, graphic design and other disciplines that use a model of design studio-based instruction, researchers said.

Interior design is "a strange culture, one where sleep deprivation is almost a badge of honor," said lead author Elise King, assistant professor of interior design in Baylor's Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences.

Staying up late to work on a project is not seen as procrastination but considered by some students and faculty members to be a tradition and a normal part of studio-based curricula to prepare them for their careers, she said.

"Since the general public still doesn't understand the profession of interior design, and mistakenly thinks we're the same as decorators, there is a sense that you want to work harder and prove them wrong," King said. "But recently, we've seen the consequences of that type of thinking: anxiety, depression and other mental health issues -- and also the dangers of driving while sleep deprived."

The study challenges a common myth -- that "the best design ideas only come in the middle of the night," King said. But researchers found the opposite -- that "consistent habits are at least as important as total length of sleep," Scullin said.

Irregular sleep is a negative for "executive attention" -- intense focus for planning, making decisions, correcting errors and dealing with novelty. Erratic sleep also has a negative effect on creativity, the study found.

The National Sleep Foundation recommends that young adults have seven to nine hours of sleep each day. But for the 28 interior design students in the Baylor study, sleep was short and fragmented. Only one participant slept seven hours or more nightly; 79 percent slept fewer than seven hours at least three nights during the week.

"Most students think they're getting about four more hours of sleep each week than they actually are," Scullin said.

Neuroscience eBook Compilation of the top interviews, articles, and news in the last year. Download a copy today

"Projects are often lengthy, with final due dates looming weeks or months in the future," King said. "The stress of juggling several projects, each with multiple deadlines, is likely to contribute to students' tendency to cycle between several days of poor sleep leading up to a project due date, followed by a catch-up day with 10 or more sleep hours."

Researchers measured sleep patterns through actigraphy, with students wearing wristbands to track movement. Students also kept daily diaries on the quantity and quality of their sleep.

"The wristband is somewhat similar to Fitbit devices, but much more reliable in detection, including the many brief awakenings during sleep that affect sleep quality," Scullin said.

All participants completed two cognitive testing sessions for creativity and executive attention -- each about an hour long and in a laboratory. The sessions were done on the first and last day of the study at the same time of day.

"What we call 'creativity' is often people's ability to see the link between things that at first glance seem unrelated, and one of the tests taps into that ability," Scullin said.

An example: participants are given three words that are loosely connected -- such as "sore,"' "shoulder" and "sweat" -- and asked to figure out a fourth word that would connect them all.

"What first comes to mind are words related to exercise, but in this case, no single exercise word really works. Instead, the 'creative' and correct answer is 'cold,'" Scullin said.

Meanwhile, executive attention -- "working" memory -- enables people to hold memories for a short time while doing a separate task. In the study, participants completed a task in which they saw a grid with black and white squares.

"They had to decide very quickly whether that grid was symmetrical or not. Symmetry decisions by themselves are easy," Scullin said. "But after each decision, participants were shown a grid with one square highlighted in red. Then they made another symmetry decision, followed by a different square highlighted in red. They repeat that cycle up to five times before being asked to recall all the square locations in the correct order. It's very challenging to cycle between those two tasks and keep the square locations in mind."

Further investigation with a greater range of students across multiple studio-based majors and multiple universities would be valuable, researchers said.

"Interior design programs are changing," King said. "People are open to the conversation and willing to discuss ways to reduce that pressure on our students and encourage them to be healthier."
Scientists from the Florida campus of The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) have shown that a protein helps balance nerve cell communication.

Your brain needs just the right balance between excitatory "on" signals and inhibitory "calm down" signals. Now scientists from the Florida campus of The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) have shown that a protein helps balance nerve cell communication.

The new study, published today online in the journal Cell Reports, could have implications for potential treatments of intellectual disability and other neurodevelopmental disorders.

"This paper adds a new dimension to our understanding of the molecular mechanisms that impact intellectual disability," said Brock Grill, a TSRI associate professor in the Department of Neuroscience. "Our study is the first to identify a defect in neuron communication caused by altering the activity of a gene called HUWE1, which causes intellectual disability, including Juberg-Marsidi-Brooks syndrome."

Studying neuronal communication is important because the brain needs to balance excitatory neurotransmitters (to increase signal transmission) and inhibitory neurotransmitters (to calm nerve cells down). An imbalance in the excitatory/inhibitory ratio is a central feature of many neurodevelopmental disorderswhich occurs through gene overexpression or a loss of gene function.

For the study, Grill and his colleagues investigated neuronal communication balance using a simple model circuit in the nematode C. elegans, a small, transparent worm. Despite its small size, this worm shares half its genetic make-up with humans, which makes it an ideal model to study the genetics of neuron function.

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The researchers took a close look at GABA, the principal inhibitory neurotransmitter in C. elegans and the human brain. In C. elegans, the protein responsible for regulating GABA transmission is called EEL-1; in humans, the equivalent protein is known as HUWE1.

The researchers studied the function of EEL-1/HUWE1 in the worm motor circuit and found that decreasing or increasing the protein alters GABA transmission, upending the excitatory/inhibitory balance, a shift that leads to impaired locomotion and increased sensitivity to electroshock-induced seizure.

"Using a simple model circuit, we've identified a key player required to achieve a balance of excitation and inhibition," Grill said. "This opens up a new concept for why HUWE1 causes intellectual disability.

HUWE1 affects only the release of the GABA neurotransmitter, not the levels or function of the GABA receptor, Grill noted. He said more research is needed into how this actually affects the brain.

"The paper is an important step in understanding how increased or decreased activity of HUWE1 can alter circuit function and lead to intellectual disability," said TSRI Research Assistant Karla Opperman, first author of the study.

The study represents important progress in understanding the molecular underpinnings of intellectual disability. In particular, results from the study show for the first time that mutations that cause Juberg-Marsidi-Brooks syndrome result in loss of HUWE1 function and can impair nerve cell function.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued warning letters today to 14 companies based out of U.S., who are selling more than 65 products illegally making false claims to prevent, diagnose, treat, or cure cancer. The products are promoted and sold most commonly on the company websites and social media platforms without the approval of FDA.

Consumers should not use these or similar unproven products because they may be unsafe and could prevent a person from seeking an appropriate and potentially life-saving cancer diagnosis or treatment, said Douglas W. Stearn, director of the Office of Enforcement and Import Operations in the FDAs Office of Regulatory Affairs. We encourage people to remain vigilant whether online or in a store, and avoid purchasing products marketed to treat cancer without any proof they will work. Patients should consult a health care professional about proper prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer.

Promoting or selling products claiming to diagnose, treat, prevent, alleviate, or cure the diseases without first demonstrating to FDA that they are safe and effective for their labeled use is a breach of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. The warning letter sent out today cited a list of illegally sold product types that include pills, topical creams, ointments, oils, drops, syrups, teas, and diagnostics such as thermography devices. The list that included illegal products promoted for use by humans or pets were not proved to prevent, reverse, or cure cancer, destroy cancer cell or tumors, or other similar anticancer claims.

The FDA has demanded the 14 companies to provide their answers for correcting the violation, while failing to do so may lead to legal action, seizing products, injunction, and/or criminal suit.

In the past 10 years, more than 90 letters have been issued by FDA warning companies that market hundreds of fake products in their stores, websites, and on social media sites for cancer cure claims, as a part of FDAs efforts to safeguard consumers from frauds related to cancer health. Although many of these companies have stopped selling fake products or making false claims, partially, numerous products that are not safe and not approved by FDA are being sold directly to consumers due to the ease of migrating marketing efforts to new websites. In an attempt to educate consumers and to reduce possible risks, FDA continues to check and act against companies marketing and selling treatments that are not proved.

The agency encourages consumers and those involved in the healthcare profession to voluntarily report any serious adverse event connected with these products to FDA through MedWatch.

About the FDA

FDA is an agency within the Department of Health and Human Services overseeing the core functions of the agency such as Medical Products and Tobacco, Foods, Global Regulatory Operations and Policy, and Operations. The agency is responsible for protecting public health by ensuring the safety, efficacy, and security of human and veterinary drugs, biological products, and medical devices; and ensuring the safety of the nation's food supply, cosmetics, and products from radiation.
Bone mineral density, an indicator of bone strength, typically increases with regular exercise, acting as a protective mechanism against bone fractures and osteoporosis. But a new study suggests that the extended, high-intensity training sessions of elite athletes could reverse beneficial bone changes. Researchers from Brock University in Canada will present their findings today at the American Physiological Society (APS) annual meeting at Experimental Biology 2017 in Chicago.

For nine months, researchers monitored changes in osteoprotegerin (OPG, a protein that stops bone mineral loss) and sclerostin (SOST, a protein that inhibits new bone formation) levels in female rowers training for the 2016 Olympic Games. The research team chose this group of athletes because they often have a "high incidence of stress fractures and are at risk of [bone mineral density] loss," wrote Nigel Kurgan, first author of the study.

The rowers' training volume varied but averaged 1,086 minutes per week (about 18 hours). OPG-; measured through blood samples-; significantly decreased during this time, suggesting that the athletes were at risk for bone loss. SOST levels fluctuated, with the highest levels corresponding with the highest training volume and the lowest occurring when training volume was lower. Inflammation in the body also increased with more training and is thought to increase the expression of SOST, Kurgan noted.

The researchers assessed bone mineral density through dual X-ray absorptiometry imaging before and after the trial period and found no change. Although bone strength remained steady, the fact that OPG and SOST expression changed significantly during heavy training may serve as a warning that "very intense training without adequate recovery period may lead to increased inflammation and subsequent bone resorption (loss)," Kurgan wrote.

Source: http://www.faseb.org/
Isobar Compression, the worlds only exact-fit compression garment, has been awarded a research contract from the Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI) for Healthcare, to assist in a feasibly study in primary care for the treatment of venous leg ulcers.

The research contract was made by SBRI for Healthcare as part of a series of awards recognising the current pressures in primary care and the need to advance the future of general practice.

Over 500,000 people in the UK have had venous leg ulceration, with between 170-190,000 suffering from lower limb ulceration at any one time (Posnett et al, 2009). At least 80 per cent of these leg ulcers are due to problems in the veins (OMeara et al, 2009).

Graduated compression therapy is the mainstay of treatment for venous leg ulcers and is generally applied using multi-layer bandages or compression socks. Compression socks are typically supplied in standard sizes and the pressure they produce is extremely variable and unreliable due to the wide variation in patient leg shape and size. Multi-layer bandaging is bulky and is applied by a specially-trained nurse, at least weekly, so time consuming.

Isobar Compressions solution is to provide a compression sock that is bespoke to the individual patient. A portable 3D scanner captures at least 260,000 data points from the patients limb and this accurate measurement produces an exact fit for the individual leg with precise pressure to the nearest mmHg (millimetres of mercury) required. No other system in the world can do this as other manufacturers rely on tape measurements, which is subject to observer error.

The effect of Isobar compression socks on calf venous transit times has been demonstrated in research carried out at University Hospital South Manchester.

Jim Hampton, Medical Advisor at Isobar Compression, said:

We are delighted to receive a research contract from the SBRI. The grant will help Isobar Compression have a significant role to play in the management of venous ulcer disease. Isobar Compression socks are comfortable, durable, effective and cost effective, as well as saving a considerable amount of skilled nurse time. Due to the precise pressure of Isobar Compression, clinicians are also excited about the application of our custom-fit socks for lymphoedema patients. For the first time, we can undertake research in Primary Care to understand the impact of different pressure profiles on healing and prevention.

22 companies will share a 2.1 million investment to develop and commercialise novel technologies with the potential to revolutionise GP services. Advanced Therapeutic Materials, the parent company to Isobar Compression, received the award from the West of England Academic Health Science Network (AHSN).

Dr Liz Mear, Chair of the AHSN Network, commented:

There are few areas of our daily lives that remain untouched by technological advancement. Through the SBRI Healthcare programme, the AHSN Network is working with industry partners to develop solutions that will help deliver high quality GP services to a growing and ageing population, and ensure patients across the country benefit from new and innovative technologies.

The successful projects have been selected for their potential value to the health service and on the improved outcomes delivered to patients. The companies will be supported and fully funded to demonstrate their technical feasibility for a six-month development phase.

Source: http://www.isobar-compression.com/news/
Important step forward for nosocomial pneumonia treatment

Polyphor today presented promising data for their novel class of antibiotics, the Outer Membrane Protein Targeting Antibiotics (OMPTA). This is the first new class of antibiotic against Gram-negative pathogens to reach advanced clinical development in over 40 years. Murepavadin (POL7080), the first member of the OMPTA class  currently in Phase II and soon expected to enter Phase III  is being developed for the treatment of the most severe Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) infection  nosocomial pneumonia (including hospital-acquired and ventilator-associated pneumonia)  a disease with a death rate of 20-50%.

Early initiation of effective antimicrobial treatment for PA pulmonary infections is critical and a strong predictor of mortality. However, multi-drug resistant (MDR) PA has become a global problem and, as such, treatment is becoming more challenging with limited options available. Murepavadin, by means of its novel and unique mechanism of action, is extremely active and is being developed as first line treatment for MDR cases.

Dr Ignacio Martin-Loeches, St James Hospital, Trinity College, Dublin (Ireland) explained:

PA 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.

Data presented today at the 27th European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ECCMID) have shown a high rate of clinical cure (91%) and low rate of mortality (9%) at day 28 in a small patient group (12 patients), when treated with Murepavadin. They also demonstrated that multiple doses of Murepavadin were considered to be safe and with acceptable tolerability.

Antibiotic resistance is one of the most serious health threats of our time with significant global implications. New treatment options are urgently needed, highlighted Prof. Antoni Torres, Respiratory Institute Hospital Clinic, Barcelona (Spain). Todays announcement that Murepavadin has shown positive benefits in the trials offers hope for the management of this challenging patient group.

Dr Glenn Dale, Head of Early Development, Antimicrobials, Polyphor added:
is best known as the police officer who nabbed and neutralised the dreaded forest brigand and sandalwood smuggler Veerappan. Today, as security advisor to the MHA he faces a bigger challenge. He has been tasked with revising India's anti-Naxal policy after Maoists ambushed and massacred 25 CRPF men in Sukma , Chattisgarh. He spoke to'sin Raipur. Here are the excerpts:):): First of all my tribute to the great force. The assesment is that we are trying to see whether the Maoists used better tactics or if there was something amiss in our reaction or if we reacted appropriately to the situation. This is being worked on inside the force.The main point is that the 74th Battalion is tasked with road construction. There has been great progress in the building of the road in the last one and a half years in Sukma. Sukma is the citadel of the Maoists and that will be cut into pieces once the road comes in. Roads are the number one enemy of the Maoists. So they have been watching and trying to sabotage it. We are determined to see that road construction continues and security operations continue.: There is no point just blaming the lack of intelligence. There was information that there were some guys milling around. Remember, Bastar is one of the most hazardous, risky places in the country. If Bastar is the capital of Maoism then Sukma is its HQ. Their top people, their militia is there. There is always perimeter security for them. I can't say how many people attacked the CRPF party, but definetly more than 100. Here it is not just numerical superiority that counts, it is terrain knowledge and mastery and other tactics. So we are trying to see if we went wrong tactically and if we should have used pre-emptive tactics. When you talk of intel where does it come from? Technical and signal intel is very sparse given the backwardness of the area. Human intelligence is very tough to get because villagers don't help. They are under the control of the Naxals. Security agencies cannot get intel from trees and bushes.The government is trying to establish connect with the tribals through roads and development and that is the real point of conflict.: I will not get into the details but one thing is for sure, we are not stepping back. Ups and downs happen during a long counter-insurgency operation. The graph here in India has been steady favouring the government. I can't say if this is the last phase of Maoist insurgency in India but it is definetly petering out. And when it is petering out these sudden shocks are part of a global phenomenon. We should not be rattled by one big shock. Yes this is a big setback to our forces. But they are resilient. They will bounce back.: A force has many people with varying degrees of morale. After an incident like this some could be depressed. We shall address the issue of morale in the forces but there is no lack of leadership in the CRPF.: All these are questions that come up only during a setback. Someone will even come to say we will provide leadership from outside. The CRPF is one of the oldest forces and there has been joint leadership so far. Both IPS and CRPF have excellent leaders. But I am not surprised at such disruptive questions because they crop up only during tough times.: I will not go into specific, neither will I like to sound gung-ho about it. We will take it forward steadly. We will not step back on security action or development plan. The two-pronged action will continue. We will continue with intensity. There is no question about slowing down or being over enthusiastic about it.
New Delhi: Former home secretary GK Pillai on Wednesday questioned government's decision to review or revise the current Naxal policy.



Speaking exclusively to CNN-News18, Pillai said that the policy of clear and hold has yielded results and if you stick to the existing policy Naxalism can be wiped out in five to ten years.



"We are not saying this, Maoists themselves have come out with a white paper saying they have lost top members of central committee after 2011. It proves that the policy was a success," Pillai said.



GK Pillai as union home secretary had designed the anti-Naxal policy which was popularly called operation Green Hunt after 75 CRPF men were killed by Naxals in Chhattisgarh in 2010.



Pillai questioned the government's decision of not appointing a full time director general of CRPF and also criticised the ground leadership of the force for not following the standard operating procedures.



"For your main internal security force, a DG should have been appointed at least a month in advance. I would definitely question the government's decision to not appoint a full time DG for so long,"Pillai said.



Though the Centre appointed Rajiv Rai Bhatnagar as DG CRPF on Wednesday.



Pillai said that accountability must be fixed at the company commander level of the 74th Battalion of CRPF which came under attack in Sukma.



"Basic SoP tells you that 4-5 people cover the others, you guard your flanks. Nothing was done in this case. Where was the dog squad which could have alerted the force to human presence immediately?" Pillai asked.



The former home secretary said that in his assessment some level of complacency with a possible momentary lapse in judgement was responsible for the death of CRPF personnel.



He said it must be enquired into if DIG level officers were monitoring on regular basis if SoP was being followed.



Home minister Rajnath Singh has called for a meeting of all Naxal- affected states on May 8th to review the Naxal policy of the government.



GK Pillai said the need of the hour is to ensure development in Bastar so that people are on the side of the government.



Rejecting the possibility of a military or aerial strike, Pillai said that need was to isolate the Maoist cadre and not alienate the tribals.
A post shared by Ami Patel (@stylebyami) on Apr 25, 2017 at 11:52pm PDT

A post shared by Ami Patel (@stylebyami) on Apr 25, 2017 at 11:40pm PDT

Global icon Priyanka Chopra, who is in India for sometime, has been making most of the time that she has here. From throwing homecoming bash at her place to attending parties organised to welcome her home, Chopra has been quite busy ever since she has landed.The actress who has carved her own niche in both Bollywood and Hollywood - with sheer hardwork, determination and the passion to do good work, went to Facebook's Mumbai office on Wednesday noon, where she did a live session for all her fans and followers. And before she stepped out, she made sure that all her fans knew that she was going to interact with them. She wrote on her Facebook page, "Getting ready to head out to the Facebook office for a FB Live with you guys! Don't know exactly what they have planned but I'm sure you guys will log in and make it fun! See you soon! (sic)."Not just for her fabulous acting skills, Chopra is praised worldwide for her great fashion sense as well. She is among the few people whose sartorial choices are always on point and she made sure that she kept her fashion game strong when she stepped out for a Facebook live session on Wednesday as well.Styled by celebrity stylist Ami Patel, the Baywatch actor was seen sporting a black v-neck top with a pair of washed blue denims, courtesy J Brand and a Stella McCartney patchwork black peak-lapel blazer which she teamed with a pair of Giuseppe Zanotti suede pumps. The actress tied her hair in a low, loose bun and opted for nude lipstick to round off her look. But what actually caught our attention was the golden eye makeup which accentuated her look. The red and yellow birds patched on her jacket gave the attire a rather hip and desi twist.Take a look.Celebrity stylist Ami Patel took to Instagram to share a picture of the actor and wrote, "My love is back For Facebook live today. @priyankachopra in @stellamccartney @jbrandjeans @denimstory @giuseppezanottidesign (sic)."Chopra pulled off the smart, casual and sophisticated look with a lot of grace and confidence.She truly can make even basics look so stylish! Take a look.(Photo: Yogen Shah)(Photo: Yogen Shah)
Salman Khan is one of the most loved actors in Bollywood. While the actor is known for his forgiving and generous acts, he is also famous for banishing those who irk him. Reportedly, Salman has recently fired three of his bodyguards, who were suspected of leaking his private details to the media. Actor's very close aide and bodyguard Shera is not amongst them.According to media reports, Salman decided to fire his bodyguards after he discovered that they were invading his privacy and disclosing personal details about him to the media. Agitated by this insensitive behavior, the actor has now decided to part ways with them.Interestingly, the actor also fired his manager Reshma Shetty a few weeks back for alienating him from his family. According to reports, Reshma wasn't too keen on giving Salman's dates to his own brother Suhail Khan.Well, looks like not just fellow actors but the actor's own staff can suffer from his wrath if they rub him the wrong way.
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 said.



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.


Mumbai: Bollywood actress Manisha Koirala, who made her debut with Subhash Ghai's Saudagar informed media that she will be celebrating 5 years of her cancer-free life soon.



"I will soon complete 5 years of cancer-free life, which I will be celebrating," said Manisha at an event on Tuesday where she was spreading awareness about Yoga and how to fight diseases with Yoga.



Manisha was reportedly diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2012 and was operated immediately. After that the actress flew to New York for chemotherapy.



"God has been kind to me. I had great doctors, teachers and family support, so a combination of everything worked well," the Ilu Ilu girl added.



The actress, who was last seen in Chehere : A Modern Day Classic is all excited about her role in the Sanjay Dutt biopic and hopes she does justice to the character.



"The whole film is between a father and son, I have a small role and I hope I do justice to that," said Manisha who will seen portraying the role of Sanjay Dutt's mother Nargis Dutt.



The film also stars Dia Mirza, Anushka Sharma, Sonam Kapoor and Vicky Kaushal in pivotal roles.



Speaking about Yoga and its importance in our daily life, the Mann actress said," It's extremely important to give your 100 per cent, be it studies, work or any profession and to achieve that solidity we need to do yoga."



Other than the biopic, Manisha will be seen in a drama film Dear Maya.




As #Kejriwal said:



AAP : 36

Congress : 40

EVM TAMPERED AREAS : 192

Others : 2#MCDresults #MCDelectionresults2017  Dhaval Rana (@dhaval2792) April 26, 2017

Another prophecy comes true today with #MCDresults. Battle between Man and Machine begins. Kejriwal vs EVM.  Rahul Roushan (@rahulroushan) April 26, 2017

As trends indicated a clean sweep for the BJP in the MCD elections, Aam Aadmi Party rushed to blame electronic voting machines (EVMs) for its loss, similar to it what it did after Punjab and Goa outcome.Just when people were expecting the party to call for a wider introspection, Delhi Labour Minister Gopal Rai said, This is not a Modi wave, this is an EVM wave.He said the BJP-run MCD had done nothing but scams in its 10-year tenure and there was no way people would have voted for it.The first time AAP had questioned EVMs was after the recent Assembly polls when the BJP came to power in four out of five states, including Uttar Pradesh.AAP leader Ashutosh said the MCD results proved again that the EBMs were being tampered with. Most of the EVMs were malfunctioning. It was not possible that the votes were going to the BJP when AAP has done a lot for education and healthcare in Delhi, he said.BJPs Vijay Goel ridiculed the charge saying, AAP is very clear. If they win, EVMs are fine. If the fail, EVMs are tampered.Swaraj Indias Yogendra Yadav, AAP co-founder who was forced to leave the party, said it was not easy to rig the EVMs and AAP was doing a wrong thing by talking about the Election Commission like a political opponent. The Delhi government should realize the fault is not with the EVMs, but with their own thought process, Yadav said.Union minority affairs minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi in a Twitter post wrote: EVM Vilaap Mandali should respect peoples mandate and introspect.Arvind Kejriwals party, however, got a half-hearted support from the Congress with former Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit saying, The government and the Election Commission should look into the allegations of EVM tampering, so that there is more clarity.Here's how Twitter reacted to the Aam Aadmi Party's EVM claims -
New Delhi: The Congress on Wednesday appointed former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot as its general secretary in-charge for Gujarat, ahead of assembly polls later this year.



Gehlot replaced Gurudas Kamat, who has handled the party's affairs till now. Kamat has had internal problems within the party in Maharashtra after the Congress' debacle in state civic polls.



The Congress has revamped the entire team in Gujarat by replacing the general secretary in-charge and appointing four new secretaries.



"Congress President Sonia Gandhi has assigned the task of looking after Gujarat affairs to a new AICC team that includes general secretary in-charge Ashok Gehlot and four new AICC secretaries," AICC general secretary Janardan Dwivedi said.



Among the new four AICC secretaries appointed for Gujarat affairs include former Youth Congress chief Rajeev Satav, Harshvardhan Sapkal, Varsha Gaikwad and Jeetu Patwari.



The Congress is working overtime to put its act together and put up a stiff fight to the BJP in Gujarat, the home state of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.



Assembly elections are due in November this year in Gujarat.
: On Tuesday night, Sasikala refused to eat dinner and asked the jail staff to inform her about the latest news on her nephew TTV Dinakaran. She was looking tense and was staring at the ceiling of her cell in the high security central prison at Parappana Agrahara on the outskirts of Bengaluru.Around mid-night a "friendly" prison guard knocked on the metal door of her cell and told her that the worst has happened  Dinakaran was arrested by the Delhi police for allegedly trying to bribe the Election Commission of India to retain two leaves symbol of the AIADMK. She is reported to have just looked at him and collapsed on her bed.On Wednesday morning, she came out of her cell. But refused to have breakfast. Jail doctors, keeping her health in mind, advised her not to skip breakfast. A chronic diabetic and a BP patient Sasikala refused to budge saying that she was not in a mood to eat anything, said reports.A top prison official, who spoke to CNN-News18 on condition of anonymity, said: Her behavior has changed after alleged broker Sukesh Chandrashekhar was arrested by the Delhi police a week ago. Before that she was looking confident. When she came to know that he was arrested, her face turned pale and asked prison guards to give her all Tamil and English newspapers. On the same day Dinakaran was supposed to meet her at the prison. She was waiting for him. But even he did not come. It led to more anxiety."According to this official, before the OPS and EPS camps started talking about the merger of two factions, a lot of top AIADMK leaders and ministers used to wait outside the jail seeking an appointment with "Chinnamma". She met only a few of them, but there used to be a steady flow of high-profile visitors from Chennai. Suddenly, all that has stopped after she was removed from the post of AIADMK General Secretary.Not a single visitor has come to see her in the last one week. She is getting restless. As long as Dinakaran was out, she was confident that he would bail her out and keep the party under his control. With Dinakarans arrest, she seems to have lost all hopes. She is in a big shock. She does not know what to do. She is really in a bad shape this officer said.However, she is still getting home-cooked food. A local leader of the AIADMK has made arrangements for all that, say sources. Earlier he used to visit jail every day. Even he has stopped coming in the last one week. We dont know if home cooked food will continue to arrive at the jail in future said another prison official.He added that Sasikala had never expected this and her confidence level has now hit rock bottom. In the first one month of her jail term, hundreds of AIADMK leaders used to come to visit her from different parts of Tamil Nadu to express solidarity with her. Luxury hotels near the prison had a good business. Now no one is coming to see her and the hotels have seen a dip in their business.If Dinakaran continues to languish at the Tihar jail in Delhi for a long time and OPS and EPS factions manage to bury the hatchet, Sasikala will soon be forgotten both by the media and her own people.
On the other hand, the work of the AAP-led government in health  mohalla clinics, expanding capacity of government hospitals  and education gained sufficient recognition, with the international medical journal Lancet writing about the mohalla clinic concept.

There is hype across the country and AAPs performance fell by the wayside, said Bose. Its being seen as a party that took on the central government and lost, its gamble in Punjab didnt pay off, its leaders might be arrested soon. This overwhelmed what should have been local elections.

Sanjay Kumar, director, Centre for Study of Developing Societies said, Its how people across the country are voting. Whether or not those hopes will be fulfilled, they have mobilised people enough to vote for this man.

: When Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted his personal thanks to Delhi for putting the Bharatiya Janata Party back in power in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi polls, it cemented how these civic elections were not about local issues. The BJP, incumbent for ten years in the MCD, left the Aam Aadmi Party eating dust as, by early evening, it snatched 184 out of the total 272 wards, upping its strength from previously held 138.AAP, meanwhile, won 46 wards and the Congress 30. According to political observers, these elections were never about work done in the city by either the MCD or the AAP-led Delhi government, but the larger political hype sweeping the country, where the AAP had been branded the loser.Why else, said veteran journalist Ajoy Bose to News18, would the BJP, which ran one of the worst municipal corporations, be handed back power. The Aam Aadmi Party has found itself in a peculiar position of anti-incumbency instead of the BJP, which ran the MCD for ten years, and, as the corporations officials previously told News18, didnt really run things smoothly.Both Bose and analyst and commentator Ashok Malik agreed that the AAP-led Delhi government has done reasonably good work in the city. However, Malik added, Delhi, with only 10% poverty, can get away with not caring too much or voting on the basis of civic issues. This ended up as a referendum on Arvind Kejriwals image, said Malik. The elections, he said, saw two types of anti-incumbency  the BJP in the MCD, and AAP as governing the city  and both cancelled each other out. The MCD, riddled with so many scams that the BJP refused to field any of the sitting councillors again, was unpopular but so were some of the state governments more gimmicky measures such as odd-even, said Malik.The MCD going to polls on the heels of the multiple assembly elections, especially in Uttar Pradesh, meant that BJP caught the tailwind, according to Bose, despite what was seen as a weak and recycled manifesto, unfulfilled promises of door-to-door waste collection and segregation, clean and abundant public toilets, sanitation of the city, which resulted in the outbreak of chikungunya last year, and the dire state of education in MCD-run schools. A survey by the Delhi government last year found that almost half of the students leaving MCD schools in class 5 to enter Delhi government schools couldnt read, at all.Whats peculiar, found researcher Eesha Kunduri, of the Centre for Policy Research, is that people are well aware of the work each authority has done and is responsible for in the city. People were appreciative of AAPs working in making electricity and water affordable and accessible, she said. They also know about local tussles between, say, an MLA and a ward councillor, who is at fault for undone work. But this didnt translate into votes. She pointed out that the East Corporation, which saw repeated strikes by the MCDs safai karamcharis leading to piles of garbage flooding the streets, went strongly to the BJP. These, Malik explained, were people from eastern UP and Bihar, the poorvanchali voters, who have left AAP for BJP.I expected sanitation and waste to be a big election issue, but I didnt find that on ground, she added. The question is what are peoples expectations and aspirations.People tend to go with the winner, said Bose, and thats especially important for the poor who turned out to vote. They ask if this party and Kejriwal will work anymore. The AAP government has been crippled in Delhi, by the Lieutenant Governor and the courts. It looks vulnerable.And its not just the poor who vote in cities, Kumar punctured a popular perception. His research, in Delhi and other cities showed that the percentage of urban middle class voters is often higher than the percentage of urban poor, often because the latter cannot take a working day off to vote. For example, he explained, If a city sees 60% voter turnout then 60% of urban middle class voted. But the urban poor voters will be about 18-20% less than the middle class percentage.Malik, too, said that 54% voter turnout meant a reasonable number of people from all sections of Delhi voted.The twofold misfortune of AAP seems to be that urban middle class turned away as it saw the governments work targeted only for the poor. Sections of the poor drifted to the BJP and to the Congress, whose collapse in 2015 contributed to AAPs victory, as it could no longer buy the idea of the government as a constant victim, hampered in its work by the Centre.
In 2015, just a year after Narendra Modi swept to power at the Centre with a massive majority, the BJP suffered a shock defeat in the national capital. With Arvind Kejriwals AAP winning 67 of the 70 seats in the Assembly, the BJP was reduced to just three. Once a political force to be reckoned with in the national capital, the BJP was seen as fighting for its very survival. Delhi was described as a white spot in a sea of saffron. Just over two years after the Assembly polls, the BJP turned its loss around and came back to power in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) for the third consecutive time.A month before the MCD elections, BJPs Delhi state president and North East Delhi MP Manoj Tiwari shocked observers by announcing that the BJP would not give tickets to any of its 138 sitting councillors. Sources say BJP president Amit Shah threw his weight behind this high-risk gamble.Both Aam Aadmi Party and Congress jumped at the opportunity to claim this was an admission of inefficiency and corruption in the MCD by the BJP. Tiwari, in an interview with News 18 before the polls had said, These people (sitting councilors) have been working with us and for the people of Delhi for 10 years. They have done a good job. This year, we have taken a decision. There is a new rule that we wanted to bring out fresh faces. Many of those councilors have been given important positions in the party organisation.He added, It wont lead to infighting. These are people who believe in the values of the BJP and the party has shown faith in them. If it hadnt, they wouldnt have gotten important posts in the party organisation. They will now stand with the new faces and guide them. BJP leaders dont haggle for power. Our aim is to work for Delhi and win power in both MCD and government.The BJP slogan, too, aimed to disaasociate from its less-than-satisfactory performance in the MCD Nayi urja, naye chehre, nayi udaan. Dilli maange kamal nishaan (New energy, new faces, new flight; Delhi wants the lotus symbol). In the end, the gamble seems to have paid off for the BJP as the new faces helped it beat the anti-incumbency wave.After decisive mandates in UP and Uttarakhand, the momentum was with the BJP going in to the MCD polls. While Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not campaign for the MCD polls at all, it was his face that was plastered on BJP posters all around the city. Senior members of the Modi Cabinet, including Rajnath Singh, Uma Bharti and Smriti Irani, came to the city to campaign and spoke of the PMs dynamic leadership.ALSO READ | Delhi MCD Elections: Seven Reasons Why BJP is The Winner As an example of Modis achievements, senior leaders even spoke of the surgical strikes conducted in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir last year, leading many to wonder what relevance these issues had in a civic poll. The BJPs campaign even led CM Kejriwal to say that Modi will not run the MCD. However, the BJPs sweep in the polls is being seen as another feather in the cap of Brand Modi
The decision to not give a single ticket to sitting councillors was a trump card. It was a move, which many initially thought could boomerang. Some local leaders had protested, but no one had the guts to speak out as the order had come from the top leadership.

Shah was so confident of the political strategy that besides the Panch Parmeshwar Programme (for booth-level management), which he launched in March 2017, he didnt hold a single rally for the local body elections.

The decision to project Tiwari against the wishes of some local leaders was Shahs call. He wanted to send the message that Poorvanchalis have equal right over the partys Delhi unit, said a close aide of Shah.

A day after the BJPs historic victory in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly Elections on March 11, Prime Minister Narendra Modi marched on New Delhis Ashoka Road to the party headquarters as cheering crowds welcomed him. It was Modis style of launching the campaign for the MCD polls, said a party insider.While a local election would have been too small an event to see the PM campaigning, his public appearance was enough to energise his followers.Thousands of posters were put up across Delhi with cutouts of the Modi-Amit Shah, along with that of Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari. After BJP had lost the 2015 Assembly polls, many analysts had said that Modi and Shah were perceived as outsiders by Delhiites.Well, if at all that was true, tables have been turned. Modi and Shah are now seen as not only Delhis own but also its favourites.Naye Chehre, Nayi Urja, Nayi Udan, Dilli Mange Kamal Nishan (New faces, new energy, new aspirations, Delhi wants BJP), the BJPs campaign slogan couldnt have been more direct and focused.According to BJP sources, before the onset of 2016 winter, Shah had set up a committee under National General Secretary Bhupendra Yadav to audit the functioning of the MCD.It was to look at both the political and executive side of it to set the ball rolling for the MCD elections. Rampant dissatisfaction with the current councillors was one of the key findings. This led to the idea of overhauling, said a BJP leader privy to the discussions.But like all local body elections since demonetisation, Shah had communicated to the leaders that Delhi was important because opponents were looking for an opportunity to blame the Prime Minister. Even a loss in panchayat election in some remote part of the country gets linked to Modi, he had said.According to sources, the BJP president had also sent a clear message with the appointment of Manoj Tiwari as the state unit chief that the party acknowledges the growing dominance of Poorvanchalis in Delhi. The community made up of immigrants from eastern UP and western Bihar constitute roughly 32% of Delhis electorate today.On November 30 last year, BJPs organisation general secretary Ram Lal called up Tiwari at 8.45 am to inform him about his new responsibility. The fact that Tiwari was the only BJP MP to protest against Kiran Bedis candidature in 2015 Assembly polls also worked in his favour.Two years is a long time in politics. Kejriwal, who was seen as the challenger to Modi after the landslide victory in 2015 Assembly polls, has faced the worst drubbing at the hands of Delhis self-confessed outsiders.What also worked for the BJP was an almost even split of the anti-BJP votes between the Congress and the AAP, exposing cracks in the anti-BJP camp.Kejriwal tried to fill the anti-BJP vacuum at the national level. People have rejected him. He was elected to lead Delhi, and Modi was elected to lead the country. That is the mandate of the people, Venkaiah Naidu, information and broadcasting minister, summed it up all for the party as soon as the results were out on Wednesday.
I congratulate BJP on their victory in all 3 MCDs. My govt looks forward to working wid MCDs for the betterment of Delhi  Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) April 26, 2017

: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has congratulated BJP on its big victory in the MCD elections in a tweet which notably stayed away from his pet allegations of EVM tampering.Kejriwal in his tweet on Wednesday evening also sought to bury some of the bitterness shown at the hustings by saying he looked forward to work together with the BJP for the betterment of Delhi.Kejriwal's conciliatory response comes hours after Aam Aadmi Party leaders accused the BJP of rigging electronic voting machines to win all the three corporations in Delhi by a huge majority.This is not a Modi wave, this is an EVM wave, Delhi Labour Minister Gopal Rai said raising questions about the margin of victory.Another AAP leader Ashutosh said: Most of the EVMs were malfunctioning. It was not possible that the votes were going to the BJP when AAP has done a lot for education and healthcare in Delhi.BJP responded by calling AAP a "sore loser" with party leader Vijay Goel saying, AAP is very clear. If they win, EVMs are fine. If the fail, EVMs are tampered.All through the exchanges, Kejriwal maintained silence both on TV and on Twitter, but did retweet many of the allegations raised against the BJP on EVM rigging.Arvind Kejriwal on Monday warned he will launch a "movement" if the MCD exit poll results, which predicted a mammoth BJP victory, prove to be true, the PTI reported."If such results come then it proves that manipulation has happened, like in Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Pune, Mumbai, Bhind and Dholpur. We are the product of a movement. We are not here to enjoy the pleasures of power. We will return to movement," he said.Kejriwal added that more than win or loss, it's the "unabated tampering of EVMs" that bothered him.The first time AAP had questioned EVMs was after the recent Assembly polls when the BJP came to power in four out of five states, including Uttar Pradesh.
The government of Delhi had appointed 21 AAP MLAs as parliamentary secretaries in March 2015 and then in June passed an amendment to the Delhi Members of Legislative Assembly (Removal of Disqualification) Act, 1997, to exempt the post of parliamentary secretary from the definition of office of profit with retrospective effect.

Prashant also cited a letter, which he claimed had been reportedly written by all the 20 AAP MLAs (after Jarnail Singh resigned from the party) to the EC post the statements made by Kejriwal. The letter, he added, only "highlighted the kind of infighting that existed in the party."

: With Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) coming to grips with the political drubbing it suffered in the corporation polls, it also has a pending verdict in an office of profit case to worry about.The pending verdict by the Election Commission (EC) in the office of profit case has the power to dissolve Delhi assembly in one go."The verdict, when delivered, could necessitate a fresh round of elections this year," said 29-year-old Prashant Patel, who had petitioned the President of India in 2015 against AAP, stating that Kejriwal had appointed 21 of its MLAs as parliamentary secretaries and that was not only a violation of the Constitution of India and the NCT Act but also raised pertinent questions on the level of corruption in the AAP government.After the President rejected the Bill, the Delhi High Court set aside such appointments made by the state. Post that, the EC started hearing the matter to decide whether the MLAs were to be disqualified. The hearing concluded on March 27 this year, and now the ruling has been reserved."EC will soon announce the verdict and the ruling is expected to be in the month of May. The MLAs had stated before the EC that when HC had set their appointments aside, there were no posts remaining and hence there was no office of profit too. This is why the arguments took time" said Patel.He added that Kejriwal's recent comments on the Election Commissioner Om Prakash Rawat and Achal K Jyoti had only fuelled a delay in the verdict.But Patel spoke of Kejriwal's recent statements which had made one of the election commissioners recuse from the case and how his own MLAs were going against the CM and persuaded the EC to conclude the hearing without the commissioner recusing from the hearing."Just when the ruling was due, CM Kejriwal started making baseless allegations against the EC bench, comprising Election Commissioners Om Prakash Rawat, Achal K Jyoti and Chief Election Commissioner Nasim Zaidi, that was hearing his case. Kejriwal said Election commissioners Rawat and Jyoti were acting on behalf of the Modi government and the verdict would be pronounced against AAP. After this, Rawat has recused himself from the case, thus causing further delay in the verdict," said Patel."The letter says that they did not endorse the statements put forth by Arvind Kejriwal and that EC and the hearings must be concluded in the case," said Patel.However, AAP Spokesperson Raghav Chadha completely refuted the existence of any such letter."This is complete hearsay. If he has the letter, or a copy to it, then he must produce it. Unless we have the letter in hand, we cannot comment on it," said Chadha.Chadha also said that the hearing was certainly not over on March 27 and that the Election Commission had concluded hearing "only on a certain point of law.""There is no question of ruling in May when the hearing is still not over," said Chadha."The chief secretary of Delhi has filed a detailed 2000-page reply where he has explained how each parliamentary secretary was working. They were attending cabinet meetings, taking executive decisions and new rooms were built in the Delhi secretariat for them. The government spent around Rs 4 lakh for this and Rs 13 crore had been spent for parliamentary secretary rooms at the Delhi Vidhan Sabha. This data was given by the secretary himself. In addition to this, they were also drawing monetary benefits," said Patel, refuting claims by the Delhi CM that there were no monetary benefits attached to the post.
The BJP, under Narendra Modi and Amit Shah, is now a party which is in election mode 24x7. In power, or in opposition, whether it's panchayat, municipality or general elections, the party in its new avatar is an election assembly line in continuum.

Shah himself will be touring for more than 90 days till September, spending at least 15 days on booth management in provinces where the BJP is attempting to find a toehold. All MLAs, MPs and executive members have been assigned a target each to mobilise workers at the grassroots.

The current dispensation has introduced a new concept of 'vistaraks' to give shape to its expansion plans. These are full-timers who have volunteered to work for the party for a stipulated period.

Ahead of the UP assembly elections, BJP president Amit Shah asked a Union Minister to prepare to contest zilla panchayat elections. It was a decision fraught with risks just ahead of a high-stake political battle since the ruling party generally has an advantage in local body polls."But the party president was very clear. He saw it as a part of the larger exercise to spruce up the election machinery of the party at the booth level, recalled the minister recently.In his inaugural address at the Bhubaneswar national executive, Amit Shah told BJP leaders that the party is yet to reach its peak. We want to be the dominant political force, he said, from panchayat to Parliament.Booth management is the new mantra in the BJP everyone swears by. Prime Minister Modi underlined its importance while addressing 13 BJP chief ministers earlier this month.In UP for example, the party in the run-up to the polls was able to set up management committees in nearly 40,000 booths, covering more than 80% polling stations. In Uttarakhand, the aim was to mobilise as many miscellaneous and floating votes as possible. The BJP won three-fourth majority in the hill state despite the Congress succeeding to maintain its vote share. Post-poll analysis indicates the BJP was successful in mopping up a substantial section of non-Congress votes. Uttarakhand in the past was decided by a margin of less than one percent votes; this time the difference was close to 15%.Interestingly, Shah seems to have borrowed handsomely from the RSS to expand the BJP's electoral footprint. RSS pracharaks since Jan Sangh days are regularly sent on deputation to the BJP to manage party affairs.In the recent concluded national executive at Bhubaneswar, it was announced that more than 2,500 such volunteers have expressed interests in working full-time for the party for one year, and nearly the same number for six months.Earlier this week, Shah virtually launched the party's election campaign for West Bengal with his maiden visit to Naxalbari  the cradle of armed Left-wing insurgent movement in India. Eastern provinces and those along the Coromandal Coast are the new catchment areas under his radar.Any shortfall in northern and western provinces in 2019 has to be filled in from these states. A new constituency has to be eked out every election. It is a work in progress.
Google has sprinkled some new ingredients into its search engine in an effort to prevent bogus information and offensive suggestions from souring its results.Read more: Flipkart Apple Days: iPhone 6 for Rs 25,999, iPhone 7 for Rs 47,999 and More The changes have been in the works for four months, but Google hadn't publicly discussed most of them until now. The announcement in a blog post Tuesday reflects Google's confidence in a new screening system designed to reduce the chances that its influential search engine will highlight untrue stories about people and events, a phenomenon commonly referred to as "fake news.""It's not a problem that is going to go all the way to zero, but we now think we can stay a step ahead of things," said Ben Gomes, Google's vice president of engineering for search.Read more: BSNL Unveils Cheap Data Plan, Offers 270GB Data for Rs 333 CORRECTING AUTOCOMPLETEBesides taking steps to block fake news from appearing in its search results, Google also has reprogrammed a popular feature that automatically tries to predict what a person is looking for as a search request as being typed. The tool, called "autocomplete," has been overhauled to omit derogatory suggestions, such as "are women evil," or recommendations that promote violence.Google also adding a feedback option that will enable users to complain about objectionable autocomplete suggestions so a human can review the wording.Facebook, where fake news stories and other hoaxes have widely circulated on its social network, also has been trying to stem the tide of misleading information by working with The Associated Press and other news organisations to review suspect stories and set the record straight when warranted. Facebook also has provided its nearly 2 billion users ways to identify posts believed to contain false information, something that Google is now allowing users of its search engine to do for some of the news snippets featured in its results.WHY GOOGLE CARESGoogle began attacking fake news in late December after several embarrassing examples of misleading information appeared near the top of its search engine. Among other things, Google's search engine pointed to a website that incorrectly reported then President-elect Donald Trump had won the popular vote in the US election , that President Barack Obama was planning a coup and that the Holocaust never occurred during World War II.Watch videoOnly about 0.25 percent of Google's search results were being polluted with falsehoods, Gomes said. But that was still enough to threaten the integrity of a search engine that processes billions of search requests per day largely because it is widely regarded as the internet's most authoritative source of information."They have a lot riding on this, reputation wise," said Lucy Dalglish, who has been tracking the flow of false information as dean of the University of Maryland's journalism department. "If your whole business model is based turning up the best search results, but those results turn up stuff that is total crap, where does that get you?"To address the problem, Google began revising the closely guarded algorithms that generate its search with the help of 10,000 people who rate the quality and reliability of the recommendations during tests. Google also rewrote its 140-page book of rating guidelines that help the quality-control evaluators make their assessments.GOOGLE AS REFEREEFighting fake news can be tricky because in some cases what is viewed as being blatantly misleading by one person might be interpreted as being mostly true by another. If Google, Facebook or other companies trying to block false information err in their judgment calls, they risk being accused of censorship or playing favourites.But doing nothing to combat fake news would probably have caused even bigger headaches.If too much misleading information appears in Google's search results, the damage could go beyond harm to its reputation for reliability. It could also spook risk-averse advertisers, who don't want their brands tied to content that can't be trusted, said Larry Chiagouris, a marketing professor at Pace University in New York."Fake news is careening out of control in some people's eyes, so advertisers are getting very skittish about it," Chiagouris said. "Anything Google can do to show it is trying to put a lid on it and prevent it from getting out of hand, it will be seen as a good thing."Although it also sells ads on its other services and independently owned websites, Google still makes most of its money from the marketing links posted alongside its search results. Google says its new approach isn't meant to placate advertisers.
Google Doodle on Wednesday celebrated NASAs Cassini Spacecraft entering the "Grand Finale" of Saturn mission. Google doodle marks the journey of the nearly 20-year-old spacecraft.Read more: Flipkart Apple Days: iPhone 6 for Rs 25,999, iPhone 7 for Rs 47,999 and More The Cassini spacecraft was launched almost 20 years ago, in 1997, from Cape Canaveral in the United States. The spacecraft reached Saturns orbit in July 2004 and has been studying the planet and its moons since then.Read more: BSNL Unveils Cheap Data Plan, Offers 270GB Data for Rs 333 Cassini spacecraft made its 127th close approach Saturns moon - Titan last week on April 21 and sent back a beautiful new picture of the Earth, as pictured from the planets rings.According to NASA, the Cassini spacecraft is set to make its first dive through the narrow gap between Saturn and its rings on April 26, 2017. Because that gap is a region no spacecraft has ever explored, Cassini will use its dish-shaped high-gain antenna (13 feet or 4 meters across) as a protective shield while passing through the ring plane.The Cassini mission has obtained exhaustive data on two other moons of the planet Saturn, including Enceladus.
Apples new eco-friendly retail mall will open in Dubai tomorrow and its architecture includes 186-foot curved glass storefront and a balcony that overlooks both the iconic Burj Khalifa and the Dubai Fountain.According to a press release by Apple, Envisioned as space for the community to gather, learn and be entertained, Apple Dubai Mall will also serve as a venue to watch the spectacular evening fountain shows and will host Apples new global in-store experience.The wings of the architecture were inspired by the traditional Arabic Mashrabiya, and are each locally fabricated from 340 carbon fibre reinforced polymer rods.180 feet wide, Apple said the panels are one of the world's largest kinetic art installations.Watch videoNew Creative Pros, the liberal arts equivalent to Apples technical Geniuses, will teach Today at Apple sessions and offer individual advice and training to help customers take their creative skills to the next level.All of the stores 148 employees are ready to welcome customers from around the world and speak a collective 45 languages.Read more: Flipkart Apple Days: iPhone 6 for Rs 25,999, iPhone 7 for Rs 47,999 and More
The world is unlikely to meet global climate goals if India carries through with plans to construct nearly 370 coal-fired power plants, new research warns.If all the proposed coal plants are run to their potential, India will not be able to meet its Paris climate agreement commitments in the coming years, said the study published in the American Geophysical Union journal Earth's Future.The choices that India, or any country, makes with regard to its energy consumption may have global consequences, according to the researchers."India is facing a dilemma of its own making," said study co-author Steven Davis, Associate Professor of Earth System Science at the University of California, Irvin in the US."The country has vowed to curtail its use of fossil fuels in electricity generation, but it has also put itself on a path to building hundreds of coal-burning power plants to feed its growing industrial economy," Davis said.Further, by developing all of the planned coal-fired capacity, India would boost the share of fossil fuels in its energy budget by 123 percent.India has pledged to the international community to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide released per unit of gross domestic product by as much as 35 percent from 2005 levels by 2030 and to increase renewable energy in its power grids.The construction of 65 gigawatts' worth of coal-burning generation facilities with an additional 178 gigawatts in the planning stages would make it nearly impossible for India to fulfil those climate promises, the researchers said."We've done calculations to figure out that India's Paris pledges might be met if it built these plants and only ran them 40 percent of the time, but that'd be a colossal waste of money, and once built, there'd be huge incentives to run the plants more despite the nation's contrary climate goals," Davis said.In addition to spewing harmful soot and other types of air pollution coal-burning power plants are the largest source of carbon dioxide on Earth, accounting for 41 percent of all CO2 emissions in 2015.The researchers pointed out that choices that individual countries make in regard to their energy mix have planetwide consequences."India's proposed coal plants will almost single-handedly jeopardise the internationally agreed-upon climate target of avoiding more than 1.5 degrees Celsius of mean global warming," Davis said.Researchers from CoalSwarm - a project of US-based non-profit Earth Island Institute - also contributed to the study.
Washington: The United States is "deeply concerned" by Turkish air strikes that reportedly killed more than two dozen Kurdish fighters in Iraq and Syria, the State Department said on Wednesday.



The strikes underscore the delicate political tightrope the United States is treading in Syria -- and to a lesser extent in Iraq -- where it is relying heavily on Kurdish forces to conduct the ground fight against the Islamic State group.



"We are very concerned, deeply concerned that Turkey conducted air strikes earlier on Wednesday in northern Syria as well as northern Iraq without proper coordination either with the United States or the broader global coalition to defeat" IS, State Department spokesman Mark Toner said.



"We have expressed those concerns to the government of Turkey directly." Turkey is a key US ally and a NATO member, so America must be careful not to alienate its partner and risk losing Ankara's support for the anti-IS fight and access to Turkey's vital Incirlik airbase.



Turkey said it had carried out the strikes in northeastern Syria and northern Iraq against "terrorist havens" and vowed to continue action against groups it links to the outlawed Kurdistan's Workers' Party (PKK).



US commandos are working with local Kurds on the ground, much to the fury of Turkey, which sees the Kurdish YPG forces as a terrorist offshoot of the PKK that has been waging an insurgency inside Turkey since 1984.



"This is a very complex battle space. We're cognizant of that," Toner said. "We are also cognizant of the threat that the PKK poses to Turkey... But these kinds of actions frankly harm the coalition's efforts to go after ISIS."



The Pentagon offered a more muted response. "We don't want our partners hitting other partners," a senior US defense official told AFP. "We've got to figure out exactly who got hit. We don't know yet. We do know where the strikes were, but we don't know exactly who is dead."



The United States is counting on the SDF, a Syrian Arab- Kurdish alliance, to push into the IS bastion of Raqa in Syria, and is currently weighing whether to provide the Kurdish faction with heavy weaponry and other materiel.
In this September 27, 2016 photo, Carcassonne's century-old theatre can be seen from the ramparts of its Cite. Carcassonne is a castle-on-the-hill getaway in the south of France that sits somewhere at the intersection of fantasy and history. (Image: AP)
BEDFORD  A jury acquitted a Hardy man of attempted second-degree murder Wednesday after a nearly two-day trial in Bedford Circuit Court.

After deliberating roughly an hour and a half, the jury returned not guilty verdicts on three felony charges against Christopher William Petersen, 29, accused by prosecutors of trying to shoot his ex-girlfriend in the head during the heat of an argument at his house on Oyler Road.

He was found guilty of three misdemeanors stemming from the incident.

 My client is pleased by the acquittal of the felonies, and hes looking forward to putting this all behind him, defense lawyer Nathaniel Moger of the public defenders office said after the verdict Wednesday.

The alleged victim, a flight attendant from Alexandria, on Tuesday testified Petersen twice held a handgun to her head and pulled the trigger, but the gun didnt fire. She also claimed he threatened her life and prevented her from leaving the house.

The incident occurred in May 2016.

Defense lawyers for Petersen over the course of the trial tried to punch holes in the credibility of the woman, Courtni Abell, saying her story changed several times.

Petersen was acquitted of attempted second-degree murder, abduction, and use of a firearm in commission of a felony.

The jury found him guilty of assault and battery against a family member, brandishing a firearm and reckless use of a firearm.

After deliberating almost an hour on the sentencing Petersen should receive for those offenses, the jury came back and recommended 14 months in jail on the three charges combined.

By law Petersen faces up to 12 months in jail on each misdemeanor, but will also get credit for time served.

Assistant Commonwealths Attorney Timothy Griffin had no comment on the jurys verdict, which capped almost two days of legal wrangling over whether Petersen intended to shoot Abell.

She also alleged in court he held her down after pushing her from a chair, threw her cellphone and took her car keys, preventing her from leaving the house on Oyler Road where the incident took place.

Those allegations formed the basis of an abduction charge prosecutors added to the case several weeks before the trial.

According to the alleged victim, she was visiting Petersen in Bedford County because she was concerned about his mental health.

After a day that included going bowling, they were back at his house drinking store-bought moonshine when they got into an argument over whether she was messaging with someone else on her cellphone, she said.

Abell claimed he got emotional, and several moments later pushed her over, held her down and put the gun to her head. Later she said at least two gunshots could be heard from the house.

A Bedford County sheriffs deputy later responded to a 911 call the alleged victim made from her cellphone as she was trying to leave the house.

His defense lawyers, Moger and Christopher Dolan of the public defenders office, used several pieces of testimony  including Abells own account in a preliminary hearing last August  to debunk her story.

Just before closing arguments Wednesday, they focused on areas in which they claimed she was not consistent, including the part of her story involving the gun; how much liquor she drank; and how many gunshots were heard once she left the house.

At the start of the trial Moger said she provided conflicting versions to law enforcement, in 911 calls and in court testimony.

Moger entered a motion to strike the charges Wednesday.

Judge James Updike Jr. denied the motion to strike and said it was up to the jury to decide the charges on the evidence given.

Petersens sentencing on the misdemeanors is set for May 12.
A Lynchburg woman was found guilty Wednesday of child abuse of her infant daughter.

Crystal Goode, 23, entered an Alford plea to charges of child endangerment and child abuse causing serious injury. An Alford plea means she maintains her innocence but acknowledges enough evidence exists to convict her of a crime.

Deputy Commonwealths Attorney Bethany Harrison said Goode took her daughter, then an infant of two weeks, to Johnson Health Center for swelling on her head Sept. 29.

A physician there noted fractures on the babys head, and Goode said she believed the injuries to her child were caused by birth trauma.

When Goode later spoke with a Lynchburg Police detective about the injuries, Harrison said, Goodes story changed, and she said the injury couldve occurred when her 1-year-old child threw a cup at the baby. Goode then said she was trying to do homework and had become frustrated with the babys crying.

Harrison said a medical professional consulted in the case determined that the injuries to the babys head were consistent with the kind of impact received from a high-speed car wreck or fall from a three-story building and couldnt have come from impact from a thrown object or from any instruments used in childbirth.

She said Goode hit her daughters head against a doorjamb, causing injuries from impact on either side of the babys head.

I wouldnt intentionally hurt my daughter, Goode told Judge Ed Burnette Jr. in court Wednesday.

The baby is in foster care after civil court actions, Harrison said after the plea.

Harrison said she decided not to prosecute a child endangerment charge and moved to revoke Goodes bond. Burnette ruled Goode could remain free on bond until a pre-sentence report hearing on June 14.

The child abuse charge is a Class 4 felony and could mean a sentence of two to 10 years imprisonment.
John Fishwick no longer relies on Justice Department press releases to speak out the way he did as U.S. attorney.

He has his own Facebook page.

And citizen Fishwick, free from the strictures of public service, has used it to criticize corporate America.

Fishwick, who resigned three and a half months ago as the Western District of Virginias top federal prosecutor, says he sees a debacle of corporate waste unfolding at CSX railroad. Speaking out as a CSX shareholder, he registered a Facebook page to rally shareholders against a proposed CEO pay plan that he likens to a scourge of the American Old West.

The page is titled Stop the CSX Train Robbery.

Fishwick knows something about railroading. His late father ran Norfolk & Western Railway, which merged with Southern Railway in 1982 to create Norfolk Southern Corp. The younger Fishwick, after a nearly 30-year career as a private attorney, worked as U.S. attorney for about a year, leaving in January just before the change of administration in Washington, D.C. He returned to private practice.

Among his personal investments, the former U.S. attorney said he has long owned stock in CSX, Norfolk Southerns chief competitor in markets east of the Mississippi.

In March, CSX hired a new CEO, Hunter Harrison, the former CEO of Canadian Pacific Railway. Hunter conditioned the deal on his eventually receiving $84 million in compensation he forfeited to leave Canadian Pacific in January. Before it takes action, the companys board has scheduled an advisory shareholder vote on the extraordinary payment June 5. Hunter has said he will quit if he doesnt receive the $84 million.

I was bothered by it, Fishwick said of the deal. The $84 million is for work he did for a competitor of CSX, he added.

Fishwick added: This is just something Im doing personally. I think Im freer as a private citizen to do things like this.

U.S. attorneys are presidential appointees sworn to a period of public service but free to resume being private citizens afterward, with a few restrictions. They cant comment on past legal matters they handled or get involved in litigation they had overseen, said Ronald Bacigal, a law professor at the University of Richmond. He estimated that a slight majority of ex-U.S. attorneys stay quiet after they leave office and dont want to be in the limelight, kind of like [former President Barack] Obama is doing.

Some of them are very active, Bacigal said.

John Edwards, who served as U.S. attorney in Roanoke from 1980 until 1981, later ran successfully for the Roanoke City Council and the Virginia Senate. He has been a state senator for 21 years. Former U.S. Attorney John Brownlee, who held the prosecutors post from 2001 until April 2008, five years later defended Gov. Bob McDonnell against criminal allegations that were tried before a jury.

In rallying against CSX management, Fishwick has questioned the cost, ethics and legality of paying Hunter $84 million. CSX also proposes to pay the income taxes that Hunter, a 72-year-old industry veteran, would owe on the $84 million, a plan Fishwick termed a horrific example of corporate waste, according to a Facebook posting.

CSX also agreed to pay Hunter $2.2 million a year.

Fishwick contends CSX could find a different CEO as effective as Hunter at less cost. Fans of Fishwicks Facebook page have posted negative comments about Hunter and urged Fishwick on. He plans to attend the CSX meeting in June and hopes to speak before the vote, he said.

CSX did not immediately respond to a request for a comment Tuesday.

The company has argued for paying Harrison, citing his reputation as a turnaround expert in railroading. In addition, the company has acknowledged that the deal is high-cost and that Hunter could be ineffective at CSX or die, become disabled or leave for other reasons before the end of his four-year contract.

Global investment firms such as Vanguard and BlackRock, which own chunks of the companys more than 923 million shares, have expressed no opposition to the pay plan. Fishwicks campaign wont succeed without scores of small shareholders like him voting no.

I own 6,957 shares and theyre all voting no, Fishwick said.
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
Chamber wants clarity on property tax

It also expressed concern over the effect this tax might have on businesses.

In a release yesterday, the chamber admitted that Finance Minister Colm Imbert, in his budget presentation for 2016/2017, put the population on notice that property tax will be reintroduced as a much-needed source of revenue. Last weeks announcement by the Ministry of Finance, therefore, came as no real surprise. The chamber pointed out that with the global decline in the price of oil and gas it is fully cognisant of the need for Government to find alternative sources of revenue.

And while it has no issue with the reimplementation of the tax, the chamber said it has challenged Government to be clear and transparent on the process, in a series of communiqu? last year, immediately after the ministers initial announcement of the return of the tax.

We were adamant then, as we are now, that any measure put in place should not result in the de-incentivisation of the private sector. The chamber pointed out that considering the urgent thrust to increase non-energy exports and promote the manufacturing sector, a six percent tax on industrial properties, which include the installed cost of plant, machinery and equipment, seems counter-intuitive to the desired outcome of incentivising investment. It might also be regarded as unnecessarily burdensome. It said it was also concerned that average home-owners were in a quandary over, the precise calculation of the Annual Rental Value (ARV) for their respective properties, as government has given no clear indication regarding how this is to be done. Add to that the fact that a significant percentage of our population comprises pensioners living off fixed incomes, (and) one can only hope that proper measures will be implemented for those most vulnerable in our society. The chamber also urged Government to be transparent in the use of the funds collected through the tax, to avoid a situation similar to that of the health surcharge, where there is a strong perception that the population does not receive good value for money. Since the announcement last week, the chamber said, much had been ventilated about the property tax, and quite justifiably, the comments are largely calls for greater clarity and the elimination of much of the ambiguity surrounding the process.

Government must waste no time in fully engaging the business community and the wider national community on this matter.

We call upon the Ministry of Finance, therefore, to take the lead on cogent discussions, informational sessions and public education campaigns to ensure that we are all on the same page regarding the new taxation mechanism. The Chamber said it stands ready to assist as needed.
TT soldier graduates in Germany

Captain Steve Benny completed a four-week resident programme at the George C Marshall European Centre for Security Studies an Germany.

Newsday understands that the course was completed in March.

A release sent by the Regiment revealed that training was conducted with regional and international counterparts which gave participants strategies on developing a better understanding of the potential tension and trade-off between conducting better and more effective operations against terrorist bodies, while respecting the rights of law-abiding citizens.

The course also looked into the ideologies and operations of terrorist cells and how to counteract them. Benny was also recognised for his work in the Manoeuvre Captains Career Course. The release said that Benny competed against top US Marines and Army Ranges and excelled in all areas of the course. He was commended by Deputy Commander of US SOUTHCOM, Lieutenant General Joseph P DiSalvo for winning the overall top seminar award on this programme. Captain Bennys performance and high calibre of professionalism is demonstrative of the Officers, Men and Women of the Trinidad and Tobago Regiment and the wider Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force. the release said.
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Seahorses, known not only for their funky shape but also for being monogamous and for the odd trait that it's the males who give birth, might be in more trouble than thought. It's long been known that the small fish are just one of many to get caught up in fishermen's nets, but new research in the journal Fisheries suggests that millions more than previously realized are dying every year because of the problem. Haikai magazine calls it an "accidental slaughter" of some 37 million seahorses annually, based on data gathered from surveys and field tests in 22 countries. That figure is about six times higher than previous estimates, which might help explain why many of the 41 species of seahorses around the world are now deemed vulnerable or near threatened, per National Geographic.

For the most part, seahorses are not intentionally caught. Many fishermen talk about finding one a day in their nets, which they sell for roughly the cost of a pack of cigarettes because traditional Chinese medicine values the fish. But the study finds that even this low level of bycatch adds up to huge numbers, while other, less memorable small fish are probably also suffering the same fate. Compelling fishermen to stop using trawl nets isn't easy, as the lead researcher says: "These people are often very poor, and they need to feed their kids. But we're trying to find that balance to make the resources work for them." Thailand, the biggest exporter of seahorses, temporarily banned the trade last fall. (Here's why seahorses have square tails.)
President Trump's new tough-on-Canada stance is causing headaches for industries on both sides of the border and could end up hurting American homebuyers, analysts say. The president slapped new tariffs of up to 24% on Canadian lumber imports this week and while this will give American producers a boost, the National Association of Home Builders estimates it will add more than $1,200 to the price of new homes as builders pass higher costs on to buyers, CNBC reports. Lumber costs have already gone up more than 20% this year, partly in anticipation of Trump taking a hardline stance on trade with Canada. The lumber tariff follows Trump's complaint about "unfair" Canadian dairy farmers last week.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau warned Tuesday that you "cannot thicken this border without hurting people on both sides of it," while Trump said "Canada's been very rough on the United States," the AP reports."I love Canada," Trump said. "But they've outsmarted our politicians for many years." The White House says Trump had an "amicable" conversation with Trudeau later in the day. Canada has vowed to fight the "unfair" lumber tariff, and former US ambassador to Canada Bruce Heyman tells Bloomberg that the public nature of Trump's comments is not helping the situation. "Its just a huge mistake, to take your best friend and next door neighbor and start poking at them really hard," he says. (Read more Canada stories.)
United Airlines' latest headache is a 3-foot-long one: A giant rabbit traveling from London Heathrow to Chicago's O'Hare was found dead in the cargo hold upon arrival, though his owner tells the Sun a pre-flight vet's check revealed Simon was "fit as a fiddle. Something very strange has happened and I want to know what," says Annette Edwards. "I've sent rabbits all around the world and nothing like this has happened before." Things like this do happen, though, but rarely, reports the BBC. It cites US Department of Transportation data that shows 35 animals died in the course of air transport in 2015. Of those, United was responsible for the most of any US airline: 14.

Edwards says Simon was bound for a "very famous" person's home. Simon himself registered somewhere on the fame scale, being the son of the world's largest rabbit, a 4-foot, 4-inch creature named Darius. Edwards says she expected the 10-month-old to ultimately take the title. TMZ reports Edwards sells the rabbits for $640 each, and spends 10 times that raising them. The airline said it was "saddened" in a statement. "We have been in contact with our customer and have offered assistance. We are reviewing this matter." (United also dealt with bad press surrounding a scorpion.)
Pope Francis had a message for the powerful in an unexpected talk aired at the TED conference Tuesday. "The more powerful you are, the more your actions will have an impact on people, the more responsible you are to act humbly," he said, per Reuters. The 18-minute talk, recorded in Vatican City and broadcast at the Vancouver conference, was in Italian with subtitles available in more than 20 languages, the BBC reports. "You will end up hurting yourself and those around you, if you don't connect your power with humility and tenderness," Francis said. "Through humility and concrete love, on the other hand, powerthe highest, the strongest onebecomes a service, a force for good."

The pontiff called for an end to a "culture of waste" that considers people as well as goods to be disposable. "How wonderful would it be if the growth of scientific and technological innovation would come along with more equality and social inclusion," he said. Francis said many people seem to believe that "a happy future is something impossible to achieve," but their fears can be overcome "when we do not lock our door to the outside world." TED international curator Bruno Giussani says it took several trips to Rome to make the talk happenand not many people in the Vatican knew about it. Other speakers this week will include Serena Williams and Elon Musk. (Read more Pope Francis stories.)
Native American communities experience some of the highest substance-abuse rates in the US: Babies are born addicted to prescription drugs due to exposure in utero, while Native American high school students take OxyContin at much higher rates than other teens, per NPR. Now the Cherokee Nation is fighting back in Oklahoma with what CBS News calls a "first-of-its-kind" suit against the US' biggest pharmacies. The complaint claims CVS, Walmart, and Walgreens, as well as the top three drug distributors, "flooded" communities in the state (home to 14 Cherokee counties) with opioids, leading to hundreds of Native American deaths. Per the suit, the firms ignored the opioid epidemic in the region and kept pumping painkillers out, with Cherokee AG Todd Hembree noting they turned a "blind eye" to federal safeguards "because their profits are much more important to them."

What makes the Cherokee complaint unique isn't that it's the first against major drugmakers. A city in Washington state sued the maker of OxyContin for endangering its residents, for example, and Cardinal Health and AmerisourceBergentwo of the distributors named in the Cherokee suit, along with McKessonsettled a pain pill suit with West Virginia last year. NPR notes this case is different in that it's the first of its kind filed in tribal court, which could help expedite access to corporate records if the case doesn't get moved to federal court. Even though the drug manufacturers are just one piece of the drug problem, the head of the Cherokee Nation's child welfare department says the suit is a necessary step. "Somebody needs to stop letting these opioids be so readily available," she says. "It's hitting us hard." (Another issue for Native Americans: health care.)
President Trump went after what appears to be his least favorite court in the nation Wednesday in the wake of a setback on his sanctuaries cities executive order. In a series of tweets, Trump complained about the Ninth Circuit federal court, which previously froze his travel ban. "Does everyone notice that both the 'ban' case and now the 'sanctuary' case is brought in the Ninth Circuit, which has a terrible record of being overturned (close to 80%)," he wrote. (He's right on the latter stat, per PolitiFact.) Both rulings are "ridiculous," he wrote, adding, "See you in the Supreme Court!" On Tuesday, Judge William Orrick issued a temporary freeze on Trump's executive order. Orrick doesn't sit on the Ninth Circuit court but on the Northern District of California court. That's within the Ninth's jurisdiction, however, and any appeals would end up in the Ninth, notes Politico.

In his ruling, the judge cited the words of the president and his aides in suggesting that the idea of the White House withholding money from cities that don't enforce his immigration polices is unconstitutional, notes the Washington Post. He noted that in an interview with Bill O'Reilly, Trump referred to the penalty as a "weapon," while spokesman Sean Spicer stated that "counties and other institutions that remain sanctuary cities dont get federal government funding." Attorney General Jeff Sessions made similar comments. Justice Department lawyers argued that cities wouldn't be greatly affected and that the order was merely an enforcement of current law, but Orrick wrote, If there was doubt about the scope of the order, the president and attorney general have erased it with their public comments," per the New York Times. Only Congress, not the president, can make such decisions about federal funding, he wrote. (Read more President Trump stories.)
You'd think the search for a solution to bleaching coral in the Great Barrier Reef would have scientists looking down into the ocean, rather than up at the sky. But clouds could be key to combating warming ocean temperatures blamed for the bleaching, say Australian researchers. They believe that "brightening" low-level clouds over the 1,400-mile stretch of coral reefboosting their ability to reflect the sun's rays back into spacecould "cool the water a degree or two, which is enough to prevent most of the damage," Daniel Harrison of the University of Sydney tells Australia's ABC News. It could work like this: Salt particles from the ocean would be directed at the clouds, triggering more water droplets to form and thus creating larger, denser clouds.

Cloud brightening was first proposed as a way to cool the planet some 30 years ago and one study claims it could offset the ensuing global warming if carbon dioxide doubled in the atmosphere, reports MIT Tech Review. But though research is ongoingone company has spent seven years developing a nozzle to shoot the salt spraytrials have been few and far between. Australian researcherswho stress the need to reduce carbon emissionsnow hope to determine, through computer modeling, if cloud brightening on a small scale would make a real difference. And there's a lot riding on the research. "Cloud brightening is the only thing we've identified that's scalable, sensible, and relatively environmentally benign," Harrison says. (A total wipeout of coral is possible.)
When volunteers appealed for someone to adopt a 2-year-old pit bull that had arrived at a North Carolina animal shelter, it was with the hope that the dog would find "a real loving forever home." Instead, the dog met a gruesome end last week when he was shot to deathallegedly by his owner, as cameras and laughter rolled, police tell the Fayetteville Observer. Authorities say Army veteran Marinna Rollins and her soldier boyfriend Jarren Heng took Rollins' dog, named Cam, to a wooded area, tied it to a tree, shot it at close range, then buried it in a shallow grave, per WTVD. In an April 17 Facebook post, however, Rollins had said she'd found a new home for Cam, originally adopted by her estranged husband, because caring for him was too expensive.

"Sad he has to go, but he will be much happier where he is heading off to," wrote Rollins, 23, who had Cam certified as a support dog for PTSD after her husband was deployed to South Korea; she medically retired from the Army at the beginning of the year. "He's going to have such a great new life," Heng, 25, added in a comment. But according to police, Rollins shot the dog five times as Heng recorded the incident, then filmed Heng firing several more shots. Both Rollins and Heng, now charged with cruelty to animals and conspiracy, are heard on video "laughing and giggling" as the dog dies, says the Cumberland County DA. As for how the crime surfaced, WNCN reports someone who knows Rollins posted video of the shooting to Facebook with the intention of police catching wind of it. (This instance of animal cruelty involved spilled vodka.)
The pit in the backyard shedabout two feet wide by 3.5 feet deepwas impossible to escape, concealed by a wooden board with several heavy objects placed on top of it, according to police. But the 30-year-old woman's screams ensured help arrived, reports Cincinnati.com. Authorities say they responded to a call about cries coming from a shed in Blanchester, Ohio, around 4am Wednesday and discovered the woman, who lives in the home next door, hidden in a pit within, per WLWT. The woman, whose mother had reported her missing two hours earlier, was taken to a hospital in unknown condition while officers surrounded the home on the property. Four hours later, police say a man walked out the front door "like he was going for a stroll."

Authorities have since charged Dennis Dunn, 45, with kidnapping and say he also faces recent charges of disorderly conduct and drug possession. The Wilmington News Journal reports Dunn made multiple calls to police this month complaining that people were trying to break into his house and that he could hear voices. Authorities found no evidence of an intruder. Dunn was eventually taken to a hospital for psychiatric treatment after he was seen with a pistol in his yard, but he was released 24 hours later and exhibited no change in his behavior, says Blanchester's police chief. Prior to Wednesday's incident, he said the closure of mental health facilities in Ohio "has left individuals like Mr. Dunn without the care and treatment they need and deserve." (Read more kidnapping stories.)
And it's off ... again. Ann Coulter says she is canceling a speech at UC Berkeley that had been planned for Thursday. The move comes after Coulter was initially angry at Berkeley for canceling the speech because it said a "protectable venue" was not available, then still angry at the California university after it offered her a different speaking date. She said she was determined to keep the original date despite the security concerns, but she now tells Reuters that two conservative groups who were originally sponsoring her speech have backed out. "I looked over my shoulder and my allies had joined the other team," she wrote, adding that she may still visit the campus Thursday.

The two sponsors of the event, Berkeley College Republicans and Young America's Foundation, filed a lawsuit Monday accusing the university of unconstitutionally censoring conservative speech by refusing to make certain buildings available for the speech and refusing to provide appropriate security measures, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. On Tuesday, Young America's Foundation said in a statement that because the university had not assured the group that campus police would protect attendees from violent protests if they arose, it could not sponsor Coulter's speech. Berkeley denied that charge. (Read more Ann Coulter stories.)
Researchers discover 2.4 billion years old fungus like fossil in South Africa

New Delhi : Researchers on Monday discovered 2.4 billion years old fungus-like fossils from rocks in South Africa. The fossils could represent the world's oldest fungus 2 billion years older than the next-oldest fungus specimen.

If the claims get some weight then scientists will be left with no option than to rething the timing of early evolution on Earth.

The fossil has been found from the basaltic rock in South Africa which were apparently formed due to lava flowing beneath the sea bed.

"The deep biosphere - where the fossils were found - represents a significant portion of the Earth, but we know very little about its biology and even less about its evolutionary history," lead researcher Stefan Bengtson, of the Swedish Museum of Natural History, told BBC News.

The new discovery looks similar to the younger fungi fossils which were found on dry land.

The fungi may have colonised cavities of rock deep beneath the sea floor.

Co-researcher, Magnus Ivarsson, said it would have been an extreme environment far away from sunlight.

"Fungi in this environment most probably lived in symbiosis with microbes utilising chemically stored energy for their metabolism," he said. "They may not even have needed free oxygen."

The research is published in Nature Ecology & Evolution.

As expected, some scientists differ with their words and raised concern over emergence of early life on Earth.

"[The discovery], if accurate, would be surprising as it would significantly precede fossil evidence and molecular clock analysis for the origin of eukaryotes, much less the origin of fungi," Andrew H. Knoll, a professor of natural history at Harvard University, told Seeker.

Bengtson acknowledges that the fossils could represent a simpler life form -- an extinct eukaryote lineage or giant prokaryote.

"This is why we call the fossils 'fungus-like' rather than 'fungal,'" Bengtson said. "We have been careful to point out that the filaments we see are very simple."
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New Delhi:

'Student of the Year' fame Alia Bhatt and Siddharth Malhotra who have been seen several times hand in hand creatd a buzz over their rumoured relationship.

Though both the stars remained tight-lipped about their affairs, were often spotted arriving and departing various shows and award functions together.

While people have always made different gossips over their time to time break ups and patch ups, Soni Rajdan, mother of B-town diva Alia Bhatt has recently shared her views giving a natural death to all those speculations that Alia is going be tie her knot soon.

Commenting on Alia-Siddharth's link up rumours the old beauty said, "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?"

The sixty year-old actress further said that at this point of Alia's career, marriage is the last thing the diva is thinking about and is all focused with her upcoming projects.

While mommy Soni Rajdan has sounded pretty much cool about her daughter's real life chemistry with Siddharth, the couple is also going to be seen romancing on-screen in the third installment of 'Aashiqui'.

In 'Aashiqui 3' Alia will team up with Siddharth for the third time after being featured together in movies like 'Student of the Year' and 'Kapoor & Sons'.

For all the Latest Entertainment News, Bollywood News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

American business magnate Bill Gates on Tuesday night tweeted that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi put a spotlight on a subject that most of us would rather not even think about. While saying this, Bill meant open-defecation in India.

In his blog, Bill wrote that Modi made a very frank comment that would have come from an elected official and hailed the comment as it is now making big impact in todays times.

Bill mentioned that during Modis first addressal to the nation, PM Modi said: We are living in the 21st century. Has it ever pained us that our mothers and sisters have to defecate in the open?... The poor womenfolk of the village wait for the night; until darkness descends, they can`t go out to defecate. What bodily torture they must be feeling, how many diseases that act might engender. Can`t we make arrangements for toilets for the dignity of our mothers and sisters?

Bill mentioned that he cannot recollect another time when a national leader addressed such kind of bold topic. He threw eulogies to Modi with stating that the PM was successful in installing 75 million toilets throughout the country which is a huge number in all imagination.

The American business magnate also reasoned that the Modis drive was need to the hour as India is having highest percentage of people dying because of sanitation and girls also drop out of schools because of lack of decent toilets.

But, Bill hailed the progresses that have been made recently with declaring 30 per cent of Indian villages open defecation free. Bill also urged other countries to take note of development that has been taking place in India.

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New Delhi:

The Modi wave seemed to have worked wonders for the BJP, as the saffron party on Wednesday swept all the three municipal corporations in Delhi with a huge margin. The early trends of Delhi MCD election results showed BJP way ahead of Arvind Kejriwals Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Congress.

The Delhi MCD elections were held in the national capital on Sunday. Initially, the Congress was ahead of AAP at number 2 position following which it claimed a comeback. However, soon, it fell and was behind the AAP at number 3 in all the municipalities.

Accepting the defeat, Congress Delhi chief Ajay Maken resigned, while AAP has alleged EVM tampering.

Here are the 10 key points:

1. The BJP is leading in 65 of 103 wards in MCD North, 67 of 103 in MCD South and 49 of 63 in MCD East. The figures are more than halfway in all the three. Overall, out of total 272 wards, BJP is ahead in 181, AAP in 46 and Congress in 29.

2. The BJPs performance in each municipality is better in comparison to last time. It is up 7 wards in MCD North, 12 wards in MCD South and 14 in MCD East. In 2012, the MCD was split into three municipalities.



3. "I thank Delhi's voters for the BJP's win," said BJP chief Amit Shah. He credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi's governance for the victory. "The people of Delhi have rejected negative politics, the politics of excuses," Shah said.

4. AAPs Delhi minister Gopal Rai alleged that the EVMs were tampered to help BJP win the MCD polls. "This is an EVM wave not a Modi wave," he said. "BJP's win was impossible without EVM tampering," Delhi's Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said.



5. "Kejriwal is a drama queen," said the BJP's Shazia Ilmi, a former member of AAP. "Kejriwal thought he would become PM after becoming CM of Delhi. He is losing the election just because of his aggression," said BJP's Sambit Patra.

ALSO READ | Arvind Kejriwal, the unselfish hero who would never compromise, was dead: Mayank Gandhi's open letter to Delhi CM



6. This loss in Delhi MCD polls means a political wipe-out for AAP as the Kejriwal-led party has already faced humiliating defeat in the Punjab and Goa assembly elections last month.

7. Ajay Maken stepped down as the Congress Delhi Chief, saying he would not hold any party post for a year.

8. Some top Delhi Congress leaders had quit the party to join BJP just ahead of the MCD polls.

ALSO READ | MCD election Results: BJP's Amit Shah thanks voters for victory, AAP blames EVMs; Ajay Maken quits as DPCC chief



9. The MCD election win is an important feather in the cap of BJP this year.

10. Making a strategic move, the BJP had fielding new faces in 267 wards of the total 272 wards in a bid to eliminate all chances of an anti-incumbency sentiment.

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Mumbai:

Egyptian national Eman Ahmed, the heaviest woman recently got operated but now her sister is blaming the doctors that the operation had some loopholes. Dr Muffazal Lakdawala, who is treating her, on Wednesday said truth shall eventually prevail.

Eman weighed around 500 kg when she was brought to Saifee Hospital in Mumbai for treatment in February.

Truth shall eventually prevail. Its like the sun u try and cover it as much as u want it will shine thru & burn your hands in the process (sic), tweeted Dr Lakdawala, in a veiled reference to the claim made by Emans sister Shaimaa Selim.

Shaima has alleged that the doctors treating Eman have made false claims about her actual weight loss and complete recovery in a video released recently.

Dr Lakdawala also confirmed that Emans current weight is 171 kg and not 200 kg as per the claims made by her sister.

Dr Lakdawala on Wednesday tweeted: Shaimaa Selim u killed humanity with 1 swell blow may only God help u when u realise what u have done I will continue 2 treat & pray 4 Eman.

Meanwhile, the hospital authorities released the CT scan report of Eman this evening. Her CT scan procedure was pending for long as the scan machine can take the maximum weight up to 204 kg.

Eman today finally fit into a CT scan machine, for the much awaited scan of her brain. No imaging has ever been done before either in Egypt or in India as her size did not allow her to fit onto the table and the gantry of the CT table, mentioned an official communication released in Mumbai.

It further said the CT report suggests an old vascular insult in the left middle cerebral artery (MCA) territory of her brain. There is no appreciable area of fresh infarct or intracranial haemorrhage as reported by Dr Rajiv Mehta, chief consultant and head of Department of Imaging Sciences at Saifee Hospital.

Dr Arun Shah, head of department of neurology at Saifee and Reliance Hospitals and Emans neurologist said, This CT scan proves that no fresh stroke has happened after her arrival at Saifee Hospital. The cause of her repeated seizures is due to scar epilepsy.

In terms of further management medications and neurological rehabilitation therapy will need to be continued as before, the communication stated.

Earlier, addressing a press conference at Saifee Hospital in the afternoon, Dr Aparna Bhaskar, who is part of the team of specialists treating Eman, said her sister is criticising doctors because her family doesnt want to get Eman discharged and wanted to extend her stay at the hospital in south Mumbai.

I believe that Emans family does not want to take responsibility of her further treatment. And they probably do not want to take her back for a long time. I do not think they have confidence that Eman will get good care in Egypt. Obviously, the treatment here is good. By hook or by crook, they (family) want to keep her here, she said.

Eman has been treated by Dr Lakdawala and a team of around 15 doctors from various disciplines since she was brought here from Alexandria on February 11, 2017.

Dr Lakdawala had said on April 11 that Eman has so far lost 262 kgs during treatment.

Stung by Shaimaas claims, Dr Bhaskar Tuesday announced that she was withdrawing from the team treating the Egyptian.

When asked about Shaimaas claims that Eman was not fully recovered, Dr Bhaskar said, I am her doctor and I am saying it on record that she is 75 per cent better than what she was.

She will never be able to walk because she has deformed legs. Otherwise, her kidney and liver parameters are fine. Her heart beats are fine, Dr Bhaskar said.

Saifee Hospital Chief Operating Officer Huzaifa Shehabi said: There must be some over-expectations (by Emans family). There is a language and culture barrier while communicating with Emans family. Her health is good and the decision to discharge her in a period less than six months was unanimously taken by the team of doctors treating her.

If we can perform her CT scan it means her weight is less than 204 kg. It also means that her sisters claim that Emans current weight is more than 200 kg is misleading, the COO said.

According to sources, the doctors had told Emans family that they would let them know about the future course of treatment after getting her CT scan report.

However, it is not known whether they had specified the exact date for Emans discharge from the hospital.

In March, Eman underwent her first bariatric surgery in which doctors reduced her stomach size by two-third. Her genetic tests show she has a rare gene mutation that cannot be cured through surgery.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
Islamabad:

India has asked Pakistan to provide counsular access to Kulbhushan Jadhav who has been sentenced to death by a military court for alleged espionage. This was conveyed by Indian high commissioner in Islamabad Gautam Bambawale to Pakistan foreign secretary Tehmina Janjua during a meeting sought by him.



On April 19, a meeting between Bambawale and Janjua was rescheduled. Pakistan has denied India's request for consular access to 46-year-old Jadhav over a dozen times in the last one year.



Pakistan Army has already rejected any chance of granting consular access to Jadhav who was sentenced to death for spying and subversive activities.



On April 14, Bambawale had met with the Pakistani foreign secretary, showing increasing concern of India about the fate of Jadhav. He told media after his meeting that he had asked for list of charges and authentic copy of verdict of military tribunal against Jadhav to launch appeal against his conviction.

Read | Kulbhushan Jadhav row: Indian envoy's meeting with Pakistan foreign secretary rescheduled

He also said that India was seeking consular access on the basis on international law humanitarian grounds.

Pakistan foreign office has said that during the period of trial of Jadhav, due judicial process was followed and he was provided a lawyer in accordance with relevant laws and the Constitution of Pakistan.

Jadhav was awarded death sentence by the Field General Court Martial earlier this month, evoking a sharp reaction in India which warned Pakistan of consequences and damage to bilateral ties if the "pre-meditated murder" was carried out.

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. However, India denied Pakistan's contention and maintained that Jadhav was kidnapped by the Pakistan authorities.

India had acknowledged that Jadhav had served with the navy but denied that he has any connection with the government.

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New Delhi:

Anti-graft crusader Anna Hazare on Wednesday criticised Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal , saying that the latter has failed to convert words into action.

While talking to media, Hazare said that it seems there is a wide difference what they preach and practice. Hazare said people had high hopes when Arvind Kejriwal had assumed the office of Chief Minister in 2015.

On April 7, Hazare had said that he would never support the Delhi chief minister as he had dashed all his hopes. "He (Kejriwal) has dashed all my hopes," Hazare had said, reacting to the Shunglu committee report which indicted the Kejriwal's government for bypassing law, nepotism and financial irregularities.

Kathni aur karni mein antar pad gaya hai: Anna Hazare on AAP #MCDelectionresults2017 pic.twitter.com/7B10nvjoeE  ANI (@ANI_news) April 26, 2017

"I am pained by the Shunglu committee report because Arvind was with me in the fight against corruption. I had great hopes from the young and educated Kejriwal and felt that young people like him will create a corruption-free nation," Hazare had said in a statement issued at his village Ralegan Siddhi in Ahmednagar district.

Also Read | MCD Results: PM Modi thanks Delhi for huge victory; Kejriwal says AAP Govt will work with all three BJP-ruled civic bodies

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New Delhi:

After the killing of 25 CRPF personnel in Chhattisgarhs Sukma district, the AAP on Tuesday demanded stern action against the Naxalites responsible for the incident. AAP questions the Centres policy to deal with the Maoist insurgency.

The partys Delhi unit convener, Dilip Pandey, questioned as to why is the CRPF headless and wondered if the slain personnel were adequately trained in anti-insurgency operations.

What is Home Minister Rajnath Singh doing apart from condemning the incident? We want tough action against those involved in the crime, he said.

Pandey also debunked the central governments claim that demonetisation has had an impact on terrorism and Naxalism.

Delhi Water Minister Kapil Mishra said the AAP will extend all possible support to the Centre to deal with the menace.

Also read: Sukma Naxal attack: Unhappy Rajnath directs CRPF acting DG to stay put in Chhattisgarh

Also read: Sukma Naxal attack: Madhya Pradesh on high alert; Odisha seals border with Chhattisgarh



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New Delhi:

NASA's Cassini spacecraft's bid to get an unprecedented view of Saturn's atmosphere is currently underway with the spacecraft plunging into the gap between Saturn and its rings. Communications with the spacecraft have blurred during the dive and will resume on Thursday. Nasa said Cassini's mission will officially terminate on September 15, in a planned 'death dive' into Saturn.



The first of the spaceship's 22 deep dives between Saturn and its innermost ring began on Wednesday at 10am BST (5am ET).

Communications with the spacecraft have gone dark during the dive and will remain so for about a day afterwards while it makes scientific observations of the planet.

'Images and other data are expected to begin flowing in shortly after communication is established,' NASA said.

Cassini is a 20-year-old joint mission of NASA, the European Space Agency and the Italian Space Agency. The 22-foot-tall (6.7 meter) spacecraft launched in 1997 and began orbiting Saturn in 2004. But the craft is now running low on fuel, and will make a death plunge into Saturn's surface on September 15.

Cassini has started its first in a series of dives through the 1,500-mile-wide (2,400km) gap between Saturn and its rings which will eventually see it destroyed by the planet's atmosphere. The spacecrafts science instruments are collecting data but Cassini is not, yet, in contact with Earth.

To mark the occasion, Google has released a Doodle animation showing the plunging probe travelling through Saturn's rings taking photos before it takes a selfie.

"By plunging into this fascinating frontier, Cassini will help scientists learn more about the origins, mass, and age of Saturn's rings, as well as the mysteries of the gas giant's interior," explained Google. "And of course there will be breathtaking additions to Cassini's already stunning photo gallery."

For all the Latest Science News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

China on Tuesday showcased its air strike capabilities by launching its first indigenously-built aircraft carrier which will join an existing one bought from Ukraine, boosting its military capabilities amid worries about Beijing's assertiveness in the South China Sea.

The 50,000 tonne new carrier was transferred from a dry dock into the water at a launch ceremony in northeast Dalian shipyard of the China Shipbuilding Industry Corp (CSIC), state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

The carrier is touted to be a significant upgrade from the Liaoning, which was built more than 25 years ago and is a refurbished Soviet ship bought from Ukraine.

China began building its second carrier in November 2013. Dock construction started in March 2015.

Putting the carrier into water marked progress in China's efforts to design and build a domestic aircraft carrier. After the launch, the new carrier will undergo equipment debugging, outfitting and comprehensive mooring trials, Xinhua said.

The launch ceremony was attended by Fan Changlong, vice chairman of the Central Military Commission. The launch comes amid China's assertiveness in the South China Sea.

China claims almost all of the South China Sea, despite objections from the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Vietnam. China has also created artificial islands in the area, outfitting some of them with military features.

The launch also comes amid heated rhetoric between the US and North Korea in recent days. The US has deployed warships and a submarine to the Korean peninsula, prompting an angry reaction from North Korea. China has urged for calm.

China's military is also eyeing more aircraft carriers to enhance its capabilities.

Recently state-run People's Daily quoted military experts as saying that the third aircraft carrier to be built in Shanghai may be nuclear powered.

Earlier reports said Chinese navy which now has an expanded role among the military is set to raise its marine forces from 20,000 to one lakh as it started setting up logistic bases in Gwadar port in Pakistan and Djibouti in Africa.

China has enhanced the battle capabilities of its aircraft carrier Liaoning, with more than 10 pilots from carrier-based jet fighters and commanders getting their certificates, making China one of the few countries capable of training its own pilots for aircraft carriers.

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Istanbul:

Turkey on Wednesday detained more than 1,000 alleged supporters of US-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, the biggest crackdown since President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's victory in a referendum on ramping up his powers.

The dawn raids across the country to seek a total of over 3,000 suspects came just a week after Erdogan narrowly wonpublic blessing for controversial changes to the constitutionto create a presidential system.

They are the latest indication Turkey intends no let-up in the fight against its perceived enemies after the referendum, with fighter jets on Tuesday pounding Kurdish militant targets in Iraq and northern Syria.

A total of 1,013 suspects have so far been detained in raids in all of Turkey's 81 provinces, the official Anadolu news agency said. Anadolu said 4,672 suspects were sought -- of whom 1,448 are already in jail -- meaning that a total of 3,224 arrest warrants were issued.

Turkish authorities blame Gulen for masterminding the July 2016 failed military coup that aimed to oust Erdogan from power but he denies the charges.

About 8,500 police officers were involved in the nationwide operation, Anadolu reported, adding that arrestwarrants had been issued for 390 suspects in Istanbul alone.

Indicating that the numbers detained were set to rise,Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said the raids were continuing. "It is an important step for the Turkish Republic," he added.

The 'Yes' camp won 51.41 percent of the vote in the April16 referendum but opponents claim the result would have been reversed in a fair poll. Analysts have said that following the poll Erdogan facesa choice between confrontation and reconciliation with the nation deeply divided.

Turkey accuses the Hizmet (Service) movement Gulen leads of being a "terror organisation" although the group insists it is a peaceful organisation promoting moderate Islam.

The government has repeatedly asked the United States toextradite Gulen, who has been living in exile there since1999. About 47,000 people have already been arrested in Turkey under a nine-month state of emergency in place since the coupbid, a crackdown whose magnitude has raised alarm in the West.

The Turkish parliament just ahead of the referendum extended the state of emergency by another three months to July 19. The Hurriyet newspaper reported that arrest warrants had been issued against a total of 7,000 suspects across Turkey, citing unidentified sources.

It said the simultaneous raids were carried out in cooperation between police and the National Intelligence Organisation (MIT). The suspects are so-called "secret imams" of Gulen suspected of infiltrating themselves into the police or otherstate institutions, it reported.

Erdogan has repeatedly said he will wipe out the "virus"of Gulen from state institutions after the failed coup. The vast operation targeted big cities such as Istanbul as well as Izmir in western Turkey and Konya in the Anatolian heartland. Prime Minister Binali Yildirim had hinted in a television interview this month that a new anti-Gulen crackdown has been in the pipeline.

"The network of its relationships has not been solved so far," he said, adding that new evidence would provide the government with the opportunity in the fight against what Ankara calls "FETO" (Fethullah Terror Organisation).

"Things will take a different course. The details will be clear in the coming days." Analysts have said Erdogan after the poll can choose between new confrontation or reconciliation with the West but in recent days tensions have risen further.

Turkish warplanes killed more than two dozen Kurdish fighters on Tuesday in strikes in Syria and Iraq, angering the United States. Ankara said it had carried out the strikes against "terrorist havens", vowing to continue acting against groups it links to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).

In northeast Syria, strikes targeted the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) -- who are leading the offensive against the Islamic State stronghold Raqa. The US State Department said it was "deeply concerned "the strikes were conducted "without proper coordination either with the United States or the broader global coalition"against IS. The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe(PACE) voted Tuesday to reopen a monitoring probe into Turkeyover rights concerns, sparking anger from Ankara.

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RIDGEFIELD  With a bill to legalize recreational marijuana being considered by the state legislature, Ridgefields first selectman warned against the drugs potential health risks.

In an interview on HAN Networks CT Pulse politics show, First Selectman Rudy Marconi spoke on behalf of StopPotCT.org, a coalition of groups that are against legalizing marijuana for recreational use.

Normally with any drug in our countryit gets approved and its tested to see what the complications might be said Marconi. With marijuana, that process has completely been eliminated and its going directly to the consumer. I think thats an unsafe way to go.

Under the bill, which faced a public hearing last month, the state could license and regulate marijuana retailers, lounges, cultivation facilities, product manufacturers, and laboratories. It would legalize recreational cannabis starting in July 2018 for those over the age of 21.

Proponents of the recreational legalization bill argue that its financial benefits could help alleviate Connecticuts current budget gap. The legislatures nonpartisan fiscal office estimates a 30 percent state tax on marijuana would result in $13 million in revenue in the first six months and $64 million in the first full year.

Marconi, however, argued these benefits dont outweigh the risks.

Youre stepping over $20 bills to pick up a nickel, he said. Is it worth rushing forward and legalizing a drug for such a small amount of money?

Marconi said he worries that people, especially those who are underage, can become addicted, not understanding the drugs health consequences or get in automobile accidents while driving under the influence of marijuana.

He said marijuana does have some medical benefits, but cautioned there isnt enough research about the drug or the effects of recreational use to warrant action now. Should recreational marijuana be legalized, it should be sold through pharmacies instead of dispensaries, Marconi said.

Medical marijuana was legalized in the state for those with debilitating conditions in 2012.

StopPotCT.org is a coalition made up of individuals, family advocates, medical professionals, business and industry leaders and prevention advocates, according to its website.

Marconi concluded Wednesday by admitting legalizing recreational marijuana may be imminent, but more research is needed.

Look, we may end up at the end of the day legalizing marijuana for those 21 years and older, Marconi said. But lets do so in an intelligent way and a logical way and do our research to make sure were not hurting anyone.

aquinn@newstimes.com; @QuinnNewsTimes
When I was a child growing up in Colombia, people spoke of the United States as a rare nation where the rule of law was respected and hard work was honored with good steady jobs.

People talked about the few among us who immigrated to America in special tones. Did you hear about my cousin Pedro? Hes in the United States now, someone might say, with breathless admiration and pride.

Years later, good fortune brought me to this country and allowed me to become a legal permanent resident. It also allowed me to find work as a union janitor, so that my husband and I could together provide our son with the promise of a brighter future.

But recently, when I asked my mother in Colombia if she, too, would like us to begin the process of applying for her green card, she said she no longer trusted the United States. What will happen to me under this new President? she said.

It shows just how quickly the global image of the United States has been undermined by the extreme immigration enforcement policies of the Trump Administration. President Trump has quickly shown that his policies arent about helping working people. Theyre about cutting taxes for the rich, eliminating environmental protections, getting rid of consumer safeguards, anything that will help his friends and allies grab more money more easily. And the way this billionaire administration gets away with its shocking self-interest is by diverting attention, including by attacking immigrants with a harshness that tramples basic rights in the pursuit of merciless enforcement.

We could see it in the recent deportation of Juan Manuel Montes, a 23-year-old immigrant who was supposedly protected by the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program that President Trump has left in place. And there was the irrational banning of immigrants from Muslim majority countries, which affected thousands of productive U.S. residents like Dr. Kamal Fadlalla, a member of SEIU, who was temporarily prevented from returning to his residency at a Brooklyn hospital after visiting his native Sudan.

Immigrants who come from countries where the rule of force overrides the rule of law understand these excesses too well. Its also why immigrants in places like Danbury, no matter their status, are worried when they hear about Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids in their neighborhoods, and worry about Mayor Mark Boughtons statements promising to assist ICE.

But as the May Day weekend approaches, we should also remember that this historical day of resistance by workers  many of them immigrants  began in this country. And we should take heart from the many elected officials and allies who stand with us.

Together, we can make that resolve clear again on April 29 in the Here to Stay rally in Hartford from 1 to 3 p.m., where Gov. Dannel P. Malloy and thousands of immigrants and Connecticut supporters will stand up to the hateful policies that are dividing families and tearing apart our communities. On May Day itself, immigrants in Danbury will also be making their voices heard in a march 4 to 6 p.m. from Danbury Library Plaza to Kennedy Park.

If the image of this country has been shaken around the world, the broad support for these rallies and marches are proof that Americas democratic values and institutions have deep roots. In these gatherings, we will ask that the legislature strengthen the TRUST Act this year, and pass the long-stalled institutional aid bill for undocumented students.

We arent protesting against Donald Trump; were promoting an undying American greatness that Donald Trump seems to know little about.

In my phone calls with my mother, I still ask her to consider that greatness, too.

Andrea Henao, a resident of Newtown, is a janitor and member of 32BJ in Connecticut.
MONTREAL, April 26, 2017 /CNW Telbec/ - The ALDO Group has announced the latest phase of its digital transformation with the release of a new responsive website and e-commerce platform that raises the bar for retail online, in-store and mobile channels.

"We are committed to designing a universal digital experience: accessible, responsive, social, human-centered, and most of all, easy to evolve and scale," said Gregoire Baret, GM of Experience Design. "We involved our consumers at each step of the creative process, focusing on flows and details to go beyond convenience and build meaningful services for style seekers." Mr. Baret also led the foray of ALDO's new connected test stores.

The new website will drive the Montreal-based company's ecommerce goals, pushing strong momentum in mobile transactions, and boosting cross-category sales to grow ALDO's popularity in footwear and accessories.

The revamped global storefront goes live in several global markets including the US, Canada and Europe. Visitors to the site get an experience that is:

Lightning-fast, giving shoppers the speed they expect today in e-commerce experiences.

More premium, with a new visual design language and stunning fashion photography.

Functional across devices, and meets digital accessibility standards (WCAG 2.0, Level AA).

Connected to the "new and now", with styling tips from social media influencers.

The move comes as ALDO transitions leadership, with company founder Aldo Bensadoun naming son David Bensadoun the new CEO earlier this month. It's also part of ALDO's laser-focus on showing shoppers that it's a digitally-centric brand.

Said Jennifer Maks, VP Omnichannel: "Our new digital experiences are aimed at inspiring people to explore more from ALDO and make it a primary destination for shoes, bags and accessories. Our new ecommerce website acts as the core engine for our omnichannel strategy, as a natural complement to our stores."

"In creating ALDO's new site, we focused on elevating the brand to ensure shoppers get a rich, premium experience, said Rachel Bogan, a partner at digital product agency Work & Co. At the same time, the new digital presence is simple and fast --letting them find and purchase exactly what they're looking for in a matter of seconds. We're proud to be part of ALDO's evolution to a seamless experience across stores, its website, mobile, customer service and the employee experience."

About The ALDO Group Inc.

The ALDO Group is a world-leading creator and operator of desirable footwear and accessory brands. WIth 2,300 points of sale stores in 100 countries around the world, the company operates under two signature brands, ALDO and Call It Spring, and has a multi-brand retail concept, Globo. Founded in 1972 by Aldo Bensadoun, The ALDO Group leads operations from its head office in Montreal, and continues to act with its founder's values of love, respect and integrity. More 20,000 work for The Aldo Group. For more information, visit www.aldogroup.com .

About Work & Co

Work & Co is a digital product agency with offices in Brooklyn, Portland and Rio de Janeiro. Nearly four years old, the company is focused entirely on digital product strategy, design and development. Work & Co's client partners include the world's most respected brands. Beyond ALDO, that list includes Apple, Google, Facebook, Nike, Chase, Marriott and more. For more information, visit Work.co.

SOURCE ALDO Group

For further information: Genevieve Sharp, [email protected], 514-991-4361
OTTAWA, April 26, 2017 /CNW/ - The Government of Canada is unwavering in its commitment to ensuring that survivors of sexual assault and gender-based violence are treated with the utmost respect and dignity.

The Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, the Honourable Jody Wilson-Raybould, the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development, the Honourable Navdeep Bains, and the Minister of the Status of Women, the Honourable Maryam Monsef today announced specific measures to better respond to sexual assault and other forms of gender-based violence.

To address this issue at the federal level, the Government today announced:

Responding to concerns over the problems associated with the collection of sexual assault statistics, Statistics Canada has established a standardized process which will allow for the collection and use of quality statistics on unfounded criminal incidents, including sexual assaults. This follows close consultation with the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police. The first results are expected to be published in July 2018 . As the Minister responsible for Statistics Canada, Minister Bains oversees the national statistics agency.

. As the Minister responsible for Statistics Canada, Minister Bains oversees the national statistics agency. The release of the 2006 study entitled Preliminary Study of Police Classification of Sexual Assault Cases as Unfounded by Linda Light and Gisela Ruebsaat on the Department of Justice website.

by and on the Department of Justice website. Almost $100,000 in new funding from Justice Canada to the National Judicial Institute to develop training for both federally and provincially appointed judges that will focus on gender-based violence, including sexual assault and domestic violence.

in new funding from to the National Judicial Institute to develop training for both federally and provincially appointed judges that will focus on gender-based violence, including sexual assault and domestic violence. Continued funding to programs and services that support survivors of sexual assault and gender-based violence. To date, Justice Canada has approved over $10 million in funding to 46 projects over three years.

has approved over in funding to 46 projects over three years. As announced in Budget 2017, increased funding to $2.7 million over five years and $500,000 per year afterwards for judicial training and judicial conduct, including training on sexual assault.

over five years and per year afterwards for judicial training and judicial conduct, including training on sexual assault. A strengthened federal judicial appointment process to ensure merit-based appointments that reflect the diversity of our country. Under this new process, 60% of federally appointed judges thus far have been women.

The Minister of Justice's ongoing review of the criminal justice system, including Criminal Code provisions related to sexual assault.

ongoing review of the criminal justice system, including provisions related to sexual assault. As announced in Budget 2017, a historic investment of $100.9 million over five years to support Minister Monsef's Gender-Based Violence Strategy. This strategy will be based on three pillars: 1) Prevention, 2) Support for survivors and their families, and 3) Promoting responsive legal and justice systems.

Quotes

"A well-functioning justice system is one that serves all Canadians, protects the vulnerable, and makes our communities safer. These measures announced today will work to coordinate and strengthen the criminal justice system in order to stop gender-based violence in this country. All survivors of sexual assault must be treated with the utmost respect and dignity and have access to the services and supports that they need."

The Honourable Jody Wilson-Raybould

Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada

"Our Government has heard the call for federal leadership in addressing gender-based violence. That includes the need for more accurate data on sexual assaults. The collaboration between Statistics Canada and its policing partners is an important first step in restoring public confidence that data on unfounded criminal incidents, including sexual assaults, will be collected and recorded in a consistent manner. Canadians who have survived the trauma of sexual assault deserve to be treated with dignity and respect."

The Honourable Navdeep Bains

Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development

"In order to address gender equality, we must address gender-based violence. That is why our Government is implementing a strategy based on prevention, support for survivors and their families, and a responsive justice and legal system. The reforms introduced today are significant steps toward this goal. Everyone should be able to live a life free of violence, discrimination and harassment, regardless of their gender."

The Honourable Maryam Monsef

Minister of Status of Women

Quick Facts

Data from the 2014 General Social Survey on Victimization show that only 5% of sexual assaults were reported to police in that year.

Of those sexual assaults reported to police, less than half (43%) lead to charges being laid (2015 Uniform Crime Reporting Survey -police reported crime).

Associated Links

Stay Connected

Follow the Department of Justice Canada on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube.

on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube. Follow Minister Wilson-Raybould on Twitter: @MinJusticeEn.

Subscribe to receive our news releases and more via RSS feeds. For more information or to subscribe, visit http://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/news-nouv/rss.html

SOURCE Justice Canada, Department of

For further information: David Taylor, Director of Communications, Office of the Minister of Justice, 613-992-4621; Media Relations, Department of Justice Canada, 613-957-4207, [email protected]

Related Links

http://canada.justice.gc.ca/en/


MONTREAL, April 26, 2017 /CNW/ - The City of Montreal, the Montreal North Borough, the Societe de verdissement du Montreal metropolitain (Soverdi) and the Working Table partners of the Green Corridor of Five Schools in Montreal North came together today to announce TD Bank Group's contribution to the project. Much work will be done to the entire Green Corridor currently underway thanks to $500,000 in funding from TD. TD is now the leading major private financial contributor to be involved with the project.

"The Green Corridor of Five Schools will provide a legacy of green spaces, places where people can relax, play and meet," said Sylvie Demers, Chair, Quebec Market, TD Bank Group. "TD has been committed to revitalizing and enhancing green spaces in Quebec for several years now. This year will be no exception as we are committed to supporting 150 projects across Canada through the TD Common Ground Project. These projects create gathering places and improve the quality of life of the communities in the long term."

The Green Corridor is meant to set up cool areas where people can get together, and they promote active and healthy lifestyles. TD's $500,000 contribution will allow, among others, 750 trees to be planted, two small squares to be built and recreational equipment to be installed. Events will be organized to liven up the neighbourhood and encourage residents to come out with their families and friends. The key component of the project is to set up a recreational and educational park on the grounds of Lester B. Pearson High School. A mural will be painted in collaboration with students to enhance the architecture of school buildings and to make the neighbourhood more appealing.

"We're pleased the business community is responsive to the sustainable development issue and has made a financial commitment to a sustainable development project initiated by Soverdi and the Montreal North Borough," said Denis Coderre, Mayor of Montreal. "The Green Corridor is a unifying and sustainable project for our administration. The project is in line with the Sustainable Montreal 20162020 plan and will receive $1.35 million in funding from the City of Montreal through the integrated neighbourhood program that endeavours to develop liveable neighbourhoods."

"We are delighted with TD's participation in the Green Corridor, which is a large community project," said Montreal North Borough Mayor Christine Black. "TD's involvement will certainly improve the life of residents and people in the sector, and make them feel comfortable spending time there and using the facilities. It will perfectly complement a dozen projects that will be completed in the area this year."

"At Soverdi, we believe the Green Corridor of Five Schools project is a natural fit for the TD Common Ground Project," said Malin Anagrius, Executive Director at Soverdi. "The vision that gave rise to and guides the project is based on an urban planning concept that connects members of the community. Young students are our main concern. We need to provide them with beautiful and inviting spaces that are conducive to learning and playing."

The Green Corridor of Five Schools in Montreal North is a unique, multiethnic area covering 0.4 km2 in Montreal that is densely populated but lacks green spaces. Over 6,000 children, parents and teachers pass through that area of Montreal North every day.

The Green Corridor project began in 2015 thanks to the support of partners such as the City of Montreal, the Montreal North Borough, the Commission scolaire de la Pointe-de-l'Ile, the English Montreal School Board, Velo-Quebec and Soverdi. The project is part of a collaborative approach that also includes a fortnight of local organizations and many residents.

About TD Community Giving

TD Bank Group invests in communities in order to effect positive change in the places where it operates and where its clients and employees live and work. In 2015, TD donated more than $92.5 million to support community organizations in Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom. In Canada, TD focuses on education and financial literacy, creating opportunities for young people and the environment. For further information, please visit www.td.com/corporate-responsibility.

SOURCE TD Bank Group

For further information: Source: TD Bank Group; Information: Marc-Andre Gosselin, Office of the Mayor and the Executive Committee, 514-290-1194; Catherine Duplantie, TD Bank Group, 514-825-2553; Marie-Lyne Renaud, Societe de verdissement du Montreal metropolitain, 514-972-8955

Related Links

http://www.td.com


OTTAWA, April 26, 2017 /CNW/ - Cannabis Canada Association is pleased to announce Newstrike, Natural MedCo and Bonify as the association's newest members.

Newstrike, headquartered in Oakville, Ontario, Natural MedCo, based in London, Ontario, and Bonify, located in Winnipeg, Manitoba, are Licensed Producers of Medical Cannabis under Health Canada's Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations (ACMPR).

With the addition of Newstrike, Natural MedCo and Bonify, Cannabis Canada continues to increase its position as the leading organization of companies that currently hold Health Canada licenses for medical cannabis.

"Cannabis Canada is very pleased to welcome Newstrike, Natural MedCo and Bonify to the Association," said Colette Rivet, Cannabis Canada's Executive Director. "With the Government of Canada having tabled legislation for the legalization and regulation of cannabis in Canada, it is obviously a very important time for the sector. The continued growth of Cannabis Canada's membership is a clear indication that Licensed Producers in Canada see the value in having a united voice to represent their interests to the Federal Government and with the provinces and territories."

About Cannabis Canada Association

Cannabis Canada is the leading organization of Canada's Licensed Producers of Medical Cannabis under Health Canada's Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations (ACMPR).

The Association's mission is to act as the national voice for our members in their promotion of industry standards; support the development, growth and integrity of the regulated cannabis industry; and serve as an important resource on issues related to the safe and responsible use of cannabis for medical and non-medical purposes.

Members of Cannabis Canada share a philosophy of both patient-centric care and improved public health, and are committed to product safety and quality, secure and reliable access and the promotion of the safe and healthful use of cannabis. Website: www.cann-can.ca

SOURCE Cannabis Canada Association

For further information: Colette Rivet, Executive Director, Cannabis Canada Association, [email protected], 613-407-1080

Related Links

www.cmcia.ca


Chinas total primary energy consumption is expected to have reached 4.36 billion tonnes of coal equivalent in 2016, up 1.4 percent compared to 2015. Chinas total non-fossil fuel consumption rose to 13.3 percent of the total this year, up 1.3 percentage points compared to 2015.

China aims for non-fossil fuels to account for about 20 percent of total energy consumption by 2030, increasing to more than half of demand by 2050, its state planner said on Tuesday, as Beijing continues its years-long shift away from coal power.



China energy mix including oil for transportation

China generated

5620 TWh in 2015

5920 TWh in 2016

China is expected to be generating 7400 TWh in 2020.

China will be generating about 9000 to 11,000 TWH in 2030.

In 2015, China produced over 1,126 TWh of hydroelectric energy.

In 2020, China hydro power should be about 1250 TWh.

China Electricity in TWh 2010 2015 2016 2020 2030 Total 3472 5600 5920 7400 9200 Thermal 2670 4077 4300 5200 5650 Hydro 675 1110 1126 1250 1650 Wind 52 185 241 300 600 Nuclear 75 161 210 450 850 Solar 67 77 100 300

The National Energy Development Strategy Action Plan has set an ambitious target for wind power, aiming to reach 200 gigawatts (GW) by 2020, up from 129 GW in 2015. It also plans for solar capacity to reach 100 GW by 2020, up from nearly 43 GW in 2015. The pledge also aims to expand geothermal energy capacity to reach 50 million tons of coal equivalent by 2020.

China plans to reduce coals share of total energy consumption to 58 percent by 2020, compared to 64 percent in 2015. Coal would have to be at about 4300 TWh and 900 TWh or so would be natural gas.

In a policy document, the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) said carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions will peak by 2030 and total energy demand will be capped at 6 billion tons of standard coal equivalent by 2030, up from 4.4 billion tons targeted for this year.

China said in its 2016-2020 five-year plan in March that it would aim to keep total energy consumption below 5 billion tonnes of standard coal equivalent by the end of the decade.

It aims to cap coal-fired power capacity at 1,100 gigawatts by the end of 2020, an estimated 55 percent of the countrys total. Coal-fired capacity stood at 960 GW at the end of last year, accounting for about 64 percent of the total.

According to Chinas five year energy plan, by 2020,

* hydropower installed capacity will reach 380 million kilowatts (including 40 million kilowatts of pumped storage power stations)

* installed capacity of wind power will reach 210 million kilowatts.

* Solar Installed capacity of more than 110 million kilowatts,

* biomass power generation installed capacity of 15 million kilowatts,

* the total utilization of geothermal heating to 42 million tons of standard coal development goals.

These targets add up to a total of 580 million tons of standard coal by 2020, plus nuclear power, which basically ensures the completion of the 15% non-fossil energy development target for 2020, To achieve non-fossil energy accounts for 20% of the primary energy consumption target to lay a solid foundation.

China plans to invest 2.5 trillion yuan ($364 billion) into renewable power generation by 2020.

1 trillion yuan for solar power as China seeks to boost solar capacity by five times

700 billion yuan for wind farms

500 billion yuan for hydro power

300 billion yuan tidal and geothermal
Chinas first domestically built aircraft carrier slipped into the sea for the first time on Wednesday.

The carrier will have more testing and fitting of equipment before trials in the water. This is Chinas second aircraft carrier. The ship is due to go into service in 2020 when it will join existing carrier, the Soviet-era Liaoning, bought secondhand from Ukraine and then refurbished.

It is a conventionally powered ski jump carrier with a displacement of around 50,000 tonnes. It is likely to be powered by oil-fired boilers and steam turbines.

The second Chinese-designed aircraft carrier, known as Type 002, is to be an entirely different design than Types 001 (Liaoning) and 001A. It will be more like a US aircraft carrier rather than a Russian one.

The construction of the first Type 002 class aircraft carrier started in February 2016.

In March 2017, a Chinese navy official said that steam-powered catapults will be installed on Type 002 class carriers. The Type 002 is expected to launch in 2021 and will be operational around 2024.

The Type 003 class aircraft carriers will likely adopt the electromagnetic aircraft launch system.



Chinas first domestically built aircraft carrier on Sunday at the Dalian port in northeastern China. Credit The Yomiuri Shimbun, via Associated Press
The combat laser for the AC-130J gunship is rapidly moving from the concept to the practice according to General Brad Webb, commander of Air Force Special Operations Command. Webb recently visited MIT Lincoln Labs to view its advancements, and saw Naval Sea Systems Command Dahlgrens latest efforts to network all of the various components within the aircraft.

A proof of concept for a high-energy laser on a gunship will help pave the path for AFSOC to pursue directed energy weapons on other aircraft.

Over the next year, the command plans to make major strides in the development of the technology, Webb said.

It will first conduct vibration tests, he said. In the fiscal year 2014 office of the director of operational test and evaluation annual report, J. Michael Gilmore, the Pentagons top weapons tester at the time, found that the AC-130J was having issues integrating its precision strike package because the gunship was generating more vibration than previous aircraft. That created the risk of fratricide, Gilmore noted. While the issue was resolved years ago, Webb said he would keep a close eye on any such reoccurrence with the laser integration.

The next step will be to construct a special window  which will be placed where the gunships 30mm gun port currently resides  from which the laser beam will shoot.

Once those tests have been completed, the command plans to fly the laser on the gunship, he said.

Webb added that while the technology is being designed for an offensive capability, it could also be used for defensive missions. Defensive capabilities would absolutely be an added capability for the command.

In the fiscal year 2017 DOD budget request, the Defense Department asked for $674.3 million for directed energy weapons. Over the next five years it will allocate $3.4 billion across the board.

The Pentagon is currently in the process of developing a directed energy weapon roadmap.



AC130J will have its 105mm gun, 30 mm gun and a combat laser
By GMM 26 April 2017 - 13:32





Bernie Ecclestone says it is still possible F1 could be set to lose the popular and traditional Brazilian grand prix.

Recently, the former F1 supremo revealed he had been put in charge of staging talks with Brazilian officials about rescuing the embattled race at Interlagos.

"Chase (Carey) asked that when I went to Brazil, Would I speak to the president about the race, which I had done before," Ecclestone told Brazils UOL Esporte.

"But it seemed pretty obvious to me that he had several other things to worry about than formula one. So we went to the mayor of Sao Paulo, but he does not want to spend a single dollar  he wants to sell the circuit," the Briton added.

Indeed, Ecclestone was subsequently linked with a potential bid to personally buy Interlagos.

"He (the mayor) asked me if I would be interested. We can get him to agree that when the sale happens, whoever buys it will have to keep the formula one circuit.

"Then its a case of finding an organiser for the race, which is a bit more difficult," he explained.

"So I think that if we cant do anything, we will lose it, for sure."

However, UOL reports that Interlagos race promoter Tamas Rohonyi was in Paris this week for contract talks with the FIA.

Ecclestone said: "The race will be there 100 per cent until 2020."
[April 25, 2017] Rising Media's Inside 3D Printing Conference returns to Melbourne to Explore 3D Printing Applications in Manufacturing, Healthcare & Medicine, Film, & More

MELBOURNE, Australia, April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Rising Media, Inc. revealed the full programme for the upcoming Inside 3D Printing Conference in Melbourne, taking place at the Melbourne Convention and Exposition Centre in association with AUSTECH. Click here for the full programme. Now in its third edition in Melbourne and fourth event in Australia, Inside 3D Printing is the largest professional global conference series dedicated to exploring business applications in the 3D ecosystem. The diverse conference programme features experts from Australia and abroad and explores 3D printing innovation across a multitude of fields, including: manufacturing, healthcare & medicine, education, film, product design, economics, and more. Session topics for Inside 3D Printing Melbourne include: Keynote: 3D Printing on the world stage

A global view of 3D printing for film

4D printing for the film industry

HP Technology for 3D pinting

Industrialism of 3D printing

Additive fabrication  Enabling approaches for novel biofabrication needs

High-powered X-ray CT for AM parts analysis

The impact of 3D printing on the implant industry in Australia

Perspectives in 3D printing for medical applications and innovations

Additive manufacturing of end use products in the prosthetics industry

Advance 3D printing materials in FDM printers

3D printing for enhancement of creativity and aiding gender diversity in STEM

Developing functional products from additive manufacturing  an educational perspective

Manufacturing the future now



Inside 3D Printing Conference Registration If your company is interested in sponsoring or exhibiting at Inside 3D Printing Melbourne or an upcoming event, please contact [email protected].

Inside 3D Printing is the largest professional 3D printing and additive manufacturing event worldwide with annual events in Singapore, Germany, Brazil, New York, Australia, France, South Korea, Japan, China, India, and California. To learn more about upcoming Inside 3D Printing events, visit inside3dprinting.com/upcoming-events. About Rising Media Rising Media is a global events and media producer excelling in Internet and technology-related events and content. Events include Inside 3D Printing, RoboUniverse, Virtual Reality Summit, Data Driven Business, Building Business Capability, Predictive Analytics World, Text Analytics World, eMetrics Summit, Conversion Conference, AllFacebook Marketing Conference, Search Marketing Expo, Affiliate Management Days and Web Effectiveness Conference in the USA, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, India, China, Korea, Singapore, Australia, Brazil. For more information, please visit www.risingmedia.com. For press inquiries, please contact [email protected]. Christoph Rowen

+852 9190 4412

[email protected]

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[April 26, 2017] Medical Properties Trust Announces Pricing of Public Offering of Common Stock

Medical Properties Trust, Inc. (the "Company" or "MPT") (NYSE: MPW) announced today that it has priced its underwritten public offering of 37,500,000 shares of its common stock at a public offering price of $13.25 per share. The Company has granted the underwriters a 30-day option to purchase up to an additional 5,625,000 shares of its common stock. The Company estimates that the net proceeds from the offering, after underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses, will be approximately $476.0 million, or approximately $547.6 million if the underwriters' option to purchase additional shares is exercised in full. The Company intends to use the net proceeds from the offering to fund the cash purchase price payable by MPT in connection with its acquisition of eight hospitals in Florida, Ohio and Pennsylvania from Steward Health Care System LLC (the "Steward Transactions"), the purchase of two acute care hospitals located in the Ohio Valley Region from Alecto Healthcare Services LLC (the "Alecto Acquisition"), the purchase of the St. Joseph Medical Center in Lewiston, Idaho, and Lourdes Health in Pasco, Washington, from RCCH HealthCare Partners (the "RCCH Acquisition"), with the balance of the net proceeds to be used to repay borrowings under the Company's revolving credit facility. The Company may use any remaining net proceeds from this offering to partially fund the contractual purchase price for any potential transactions that it consummates in the future. This offering is not conditioned upon the successful completion of the Steward Transactions, the Alecto Acquisition, the RCCH Acquisition or the previously announced acquisition of assets from affiliates of Median Kliniken S.a.r.l. ("the "New MEDIAN Transactions"). Pending such use, the Company intends to invest the net proceeds from the offering in short-term interest-bearing securities. Goldman, Sachs & Co., BofA Merrill Lynch, KeyBanc Capital Markets, Barclays, Credit Suisse, J.P. Morgan, RBC Capital Markets, SunTrust Robinson Humphrey, and Wells Fargo (News - Alert) Securities acted as joint book running managers for the offering; BBVA, Credit Agricole CIB, MUFG, Scotiabank and Stifel acted as co-lead managers. The offering is expected to close on May 1, 2017, subject to customary closing conditions. All of the shares of common stock will be issued under the Company's effective shelf registration statement previously filed with theSecurities and Exchange Commission ("SEC (News - Alert)"). The offering is being made only by means of a prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus. When available, copies of the final prospectus supplement and the prospectus relating to the offering may be obtained from Goldman, Sachs & Co., Attn: Prospectus Department, 200 West Street, New York, NY 10282, telephone: (866) 471-2526, email: [email protected], from BofA Merrill Lynch, Attention: Prospectus Department, 200 North College Street, 3rd Floor, NC1-004-03-43, Charlotte, NC 28255-0001 or by email at [email protected], or from KeyBanc Capital Markets Inc., Attention: Prospectus Delivery Department, 127 Public Square, 4th Floor, Cleveland, OH 44114, telephone: (800) 859-1783, or by visiting the EDGAR database on the SEC's web site at www.sec.gov.



This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any shares of the Company's common stock, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any jurisdiction in which such an offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. About Medical Properties Trust, Inc.

Medical Properties Trust, Inc. is a self-advised real estate investment trust formed to capitalize on the changing trends in healthcare delivery by acquiring and developing net-leased healthcare facilities. MPT's financing model allows hospitals and other healthcare facilities to unlock the value of their underlying real estate in order to fund facility improvements, technology upgrades, staff additions and new construction. Facilities include acute care hospitals, inpatient rehabilitation hospitals, long-term acute care hospitals, and other medical and surgical facilities. This press release includes "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of securities laws of applicable jurisdictions. Forward-looking statements can generally be identified by the use of forward-looking words such as "may", "will", "would", "could", "expect", "intend", "plan", "aim", "estimate", "target", "anticipate", "believe", "continue", "objectives", "outlook", "guidance" or other similar words, and include statements regarding MPT's plans, strategies, objectives, targets, future expansion and development activities, expected financial performance and expected use of proceeds from this offering. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results of the Company or future events to differ materially from those expressed in or underlying such forward-looking statements, including without limitation: the satisfaction of all conditions to, and the timely closing (if at all), of the Steward Transactions, the Alecto Acquisition, the RCCH Acquisition and the New MEDIAN Transactions; the amount of acquisitions of healthcare real estate, if any; capital markets conditions; statements concerning the additional income to the Company as a result of ownership interests in certain hospital operations and the timing of such income; the payment of future dividends, if any; national and international economic, business, real estate and other market conditions; the competitive environment in which the Company operates; the execution of the Company's business plan; financing risks; the Company's ability to maintain its status as a REIT for federal income tax purposes; acquisition and development risks; potential environmental and other liabilities; and the factors referenced under the section captioned "Item 1.A Risk Factors" in the Company's annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016. Actual results, performance or achievements may vary materially from any projections and forward looking statements and the assumptions on which those statements are based. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, and MPT disclaims any responsibility to update such information. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170425007064/en/

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[April 26, 2017] Auto-Graphics, Inc. keeps adding to its impressive statewide library resource-sharing portfolio with sales of SHAREit

ONTARIO, Calif., April 26, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Auto-Graphics, Inc., an Industry-leading library management software provider and the first to provide Web-based library resource management solutions to library consortia, is excited to announce it is coming off one of its best eighteen-month growth periods due to winning contracts for statewide SHAREit resource sharing systems. With 14 states representing almost 6,000 connected libraries utilizing the hybrid (virtual/physical) SHAREit resource sharing solution, Auto-Graphics continues to be the undisputed leader in the library resource sharing category, enabling public, K-12, academic, special, and correctional libraries to easily share materials.

Two of Auto-Graphics new state-wide SHAREit customers, South Dakota and Pennsylvania, migrated from existing resource sharing products that did not meet their needs, while Indiana created a brand new statewide ILL/Resource Sharing program, just as another new state-wide SHAREit user, Vermont, plans to do. Auto-Graphics SHAREit software and support instills a confidence in these massive statewide systems, states Paul Cope, President of Auto-Graphics. With over four thousand libraries added to the Auto-Graphics network in just the past 18 months, customers have the security they need to move from their previous product as South Dakota and Pennsylvania did, or press forward with a new resource sharing solution as Indiana has done. Auto-Graphics was the first library software vendor to use the Internet for ILL communication in 1994 and the first library software vendor to launch a cloud-based resource-sharing management software solution in 2000. Key to the success of SHAREit is that it is an open platform based on library standards such as Z39.50, SIP2, NCIP, and ISO ILL. This means SHAREit interoperates with pre-existing library software, no matter what vendor ILS is in place, unlike other resource sharing products. "SHAREit's hybrid model allows us to meet the diverse needs of the public and post-secondary libraries we serve, said Sunni Nishimura, Manager, Resource Sharing & Arca Collaborative Digital Repository, BC Electronic Library Network. While many libraries contribute records to build a robust union database, other libraries can choose to participate virtually, meaning that everyone can take part in and benefit from our SHAREit OutLook OnLine provincial resource sharing service. Auto-Graphics folks are always responsive to our questions and efficient at applying enhancements. The SHAREit user group has a great mix of long-standing consortial customers like us, as well as new customers, and innovative ideas abound! Auto-Graphics staff have facilitated a positive and transparent enhancement voting process, so it feels like we're all part of the Aut-Graphics family, working together to make this excellent platform even better."



And according to Steve Schimdt in the Library Development Office at the Indiana State Library, The idea of breaking down the individual silos that libraries have built up around themselves over the past decades should appeal to all states. For us, one of the most important parts of linking those silos together was the linking together and cross-pollination of public, special, and academic libraries in a single, user-centric system. Post-implementation, due to the simplified user interface SHAREit provides, staff workflow has been improved and patron satisfaction with ease of discovery and access to materials greatly increased. Partnering with an attentive, long-standing vendor who listens to their customers by adding features that enhance buyer satisfaction has clearly been a winning strategy for Martha Berninger, Director, Resources for Libraries and Lifelong Learning, Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction Wisconsin, which has been an Auto-Graphics customer since 2001, reports WISCAT team recently had this to say about Auto-Graphics: The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction has been an Auto-Graphics customer for many years and are very pleased with the effort and attention given to improving the SHAREit interlibrary loan platform. The Auto-Graphics staff have been very responsive to our questions and concerns throughout our lengthy business partnership.

Jennifer Cowan-Henderson, Director of Planning and Development, Tennessee State E-rate Coordinator for Public Libraries added, The Tennessee State Library & Archives has worked with Auto-Graphics for more than 20 years and have found the company to provide excellent and responsive customer service. SHAREit is used by our libraries across Tennessee for both cataloging and interlibrary loan services. Its easy to use and provides essential services to libraries and their communities. ACCESSPA reports that they are enjoying the benefits of increased staff efficiency and a streamlined database, with Maryam Phillips, Executive Director for HSLC in Philadelphia recently telling Albert Flores, V.P. of Sales at Auto-Graphics that their librarians love the ability to place multi-copy requests, and that their de-duplication is vastly improved. Under the old system, we had 22 million MARC records and 44 million copies. With Auto-Graphics SHAREit, we have 8.4 million MARC records for the same amount of copies. A 62% improvement from simply using SHAREit. Our continued expansion of SHAREit capabilities makes it uniquely qualified for any sized state or consortia looking at improving or established resource sharing regionally or statewide, states Albert Flores, Vice-President of Sales at Auto-Graphics. SHAREit supports all library types to include public, K-12, correctional, special, and large academic institutions. All of our customer contracts were competitive RFPs requiring lengthy responses and complex demonstrations of our SHAREit product. It is gratifying for our entire company to experience our largest growth of statewide ILL over the past 30 years and to see our competencies and product differentiation acknowledged by our customers. About Auto-Graphics, Inc. Auto-Graphics is the only publicly-traded library software vendor to provide software solutions along with full financial transparency. The companys nearly seven (7) decades of providing solutions to the markets it serves reflects how well Auto-Graphics has listened to their customer base and stayed abreast of new technologies, continuously reinventing their products and services to help libraries of all sizes become more efficient and patron-centric. The Auto-Graphics browser-based Library Management Platform for patrons and staff  currently used by more than 11,000 libraries in North America  is comprised of VERSO, an integrated public library system (ILS); SHAREit, a resource sharing product providing patron-initiated sharing, circulation-based interlibrary loan (ILL) using NCIP and consortial borrowing solutions; SEARCHit, a federated search and discovery module; SLIMS, a small library information management system, and MONTAGEdc, a digital asset management (DAM) solution. All products are fully compliant with ISO and NISO standards, and are available through the effective cloud-based delivery (SaaS - Software as a Service) model. For more information, please visit www.auto-graphics.com, Facebook, LinkedIn or Twitter. Auto-Graphics trades under the stock symbol AIFS.  Auto-Graphics, Inc. All rights reserved. VERSO, SHAREit, SEARCHit, MONTAGEdc, & SLIMS are trademarks of Auto-Graphics, Inc and part of their AGent Library Platform. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Media contact: Elizabeth Kelley Auto-Graphics, Inc. (909) 569-1544 [email protected]

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[April 26, 2017] UnionPay International Cooperates with Westpac to Improve Acceptance in New Zealand

AUCKLAND, New Zealand, April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- UnionPay International announced that it has cooperated with Westpac to enable all the ATMs and about 1,300 online merchants subordinate to Westpac in New Zealand to accept UnionPay cards. So far, UnionPay cards are accepted at 80% of the local ATMs. Cai Jianbo, CEO of UnionPay International, and Simon Power, General Manager of Consumer Banking and Wealth at Westpac, attended the opening ceremony in Auckland. Westpac provides financial services in Australia, New Zealand and 7 island countries including Fiji. On April 9, 2014, under the witness of Li Keqiang, the Chinese Premier and Abbott, the former Prime Minister of Australia, UnionPay International concluded a comprehensive cooperation agreement with Westpac. Since then, Westpac had enabled all of its ATMs and POS terminals in Australia and the 7 island countries to accpt UnionPay cards.



Now, the two sides are promoting the UnionPay business in New Zealand. A number of online merchants are enabled to accept UnionPay cards. These merchants cover various fields of tourism, education, shopping and transportation, and include Bungee and Paraglider in Queenstown, Maori Village, Rotorua Hot Spring and ACE car rental agency. Westpac will enable its merchants in New Zealand to accept UnionPay cards in this June, and some of the merchants will also support mobile QuickPass. Cai Jianbo said, China has become the second largest tourist source and the largest source of exchange students of New Zealand. UnionPay International is accelerating its expansion in New Zealand: First, expanding the local card using channels. At least 60% of the local merchants will be able to accept UnionPay within this year and 40% of them will support mobile QuickPass. Second, seeking opportunities of card issuance. Third, promoting more merchants to participate in UnionPay International's cross-border marketing platform U Plan.

Simon Power said, this cooperation not only provides better services for UnionPay cardholders, but also helps attract more customers to the local merchants, and thus realizes a win-win result. Now, 80% of ATMs and about 30,000 merchants in New Zealand accept UnionPay cards, covering duty-free stores, department stores, restaurants, hotels, supermarkets, convenience stores, tourist attractions and taxies. The Loop, Relay and Aotea Gifts support UnionPay mobile QuickPass. In addition, local education institutions such as the University of Auckland accept UnionPay cards online.

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[April 26, 2017] Security Expert Fred Tanzella Named as CTO of Green House Data

CHEYENNE, Wyo. and ATLANTA, April 26, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Green House Data, a leader in cloud hosting, colocation, hybrid IT, and managed services today announced the appointment of security expert Fred Tanzella to Chief Technology Officer (CTO). Mr. Tanzella is the former CEO and founder of Cirracore, a cloud hosting and colocation provider headquartered in Atlanta. Cirracore was acquired by Green House Data on March 31, 2017. As CTO, Mr. Tanzella will be responsible for leading technology and security strategy, as well as influencing top-line revenue for the company. Fred has a deep background in Internet security, running large-scale enterprise applications, and growing companies for successful acquisitions. We are excited to welcome Fred to executive team, said Shawn Mills, CEO of Green House Data. As we continue to grow, Freds experience as a technologist will offer our organization and our clients key strategic guidance. In addition, we expect his security expertise will bring an additional layer of sophistication to our traditional and hybrid IaaS offerings.



Currently, Mr. Tanzella serves on the Board of Directors for the Technology Association of Georgia, and the Executive Advisory Board for the National Association of Telecom Professionals. He was a founding member at AirDefense (acquired by Motorola), a founding member of WysDM (acquired by EMC), a founding member of i2Go (acquired by Audiovox), and was head of WebLogic Pervasive Computing at BEA Systems (acquired by Oracle). I look forward to this opportunity to step into a leadership role at Green House Data, said Mr. Tanzella. There is an incredible amount of opportunity to deliver highly-secure IT infrastructure into verticals like healthcare and SLED, and horizontally up through organizations of all types that are ready to modernize.

Green House Data delivers hosting services, IaaS, managed services, and traditional colocation from eight geographic locations across the United States. With access to over 250 carriers, service providers, and content providers spread across west, central, east, and southeast, the companys customers are uniquely positioned for rapid scale growth. Committed to sustainability, the company is the nations 25th largest green power buyer within the technology and telecom space, and a certified B-Corp. I look forward to working with Fred as we grow Green House Data and continue to deliver our trademark Built right. Just for you, solutions, said Mr. Mills. Our industry is driving real transformation across the IT landscape, and Fred will help us go even further. About Green House Data Green House Data is a cloud hosting and colocation services provider with highly energy efficient, green data centers located across the country and supported by a 15 Minute Hear from a HumanSM SLA. The company is a certified VMware provider, SSAE 16 Type II and HIPAA compliant, as well as a B-Corp and EPA Green Power Partner. Visit www.greenhousedata.com to learn more. All trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Wendy Fox VP Marketing (307) 459-2664 [email protected]

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[April 26, 2017] Zoomdata's New High Definition Data Sharpening Delivers Results at the Speed of Thought Across Tens of Billions of Records

SAN MATEO, Calif., April 26, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Zoomdata, developers of the world's fastest visual analytics platform for big data, today announced the industry's first visualization platform capable of interactive speed-of-thought visualization and analysis against data sets of tens to hundreds of billions of records -- an order of magnitude greater than anything previously possible. As the industry rapidly matures from the relational database era of tens of millions of records of structured transactional data to the first generation of Big Data with batch processing of hundreds of millions of rows of structured and unstructured interaction data, organizations today face the next generation of Big Data challenges -- processing tens to hundreds of billions of rows of structured, unstructured and streaming data. In this new age of observational data, customers face data volumes that are one to two orders of magnitude larger than ever before. Organizations Zoomdata is helping face this challenge include: A leading global investment bank who monitors real-time trades looking for anomalies and market opportunities with 10s-100s of billions of rows of data and tens of thousands of transactions per minute;

A U.S. government agency with 1,000 concurrent users, processing 4 petabytes of data, with 32,000 unique transactions per minute;

A telecommunications company relies on Zoomdata to monitor 330 million subscribers on a 24x7 basis across four continents to analyze tens of billions of observations;

A cybersecurity customer uses Zoomdata for cybercrime monitoring to protect more than five billion devices and applications, tracking hundreds of billions of observations;

A leading U.S. cable network uses Zoomdata to help it analyze set-top box traffic for tens of millions of subscribers, tracking 500 billion observations;

A leading advertising tracking services leverages Zoomdata for real-time advertising recommendations based on a total of 200 billion observations. "Zoomdata's unique data sharpening technology addresses a key pinch point for queries spanning millions of records or more," said Tony Baer, analyst at market research firm Ovum (News - Alert). "By using smart mathematics to partition problems down into micro-queries, line of business users need not worry that the hourglass will get in the way of gaining reliable insights, quickly, from big questions." Zoomdata is the first vendor to offer a platform that delivers interactive query and analysis capabilities for these next generation Big Data analytic applications. The latest release of Zoomdata brings unmatched performance with its breakthrough, patented high-definition data sharpening technology for visualizations and analytics for the next order of magnitude data. Zoomdata customer Commprove processes more than 10 billion transactions daily in some production sites, monitoring more than 330 million subscribers in real time, across four continents. "We have been using Zoomdata 2.5 with its' new High Definition Data Sharpening and are very impressed with the way it lets us do interactive analysis, even at this extraordinary data cale," said Jean-Luc Gianduzzo, COO at Commprove.



"As our customers scale out their big data analytics solutions, Zoomdata's new high definition data sharpening capabilities allow them to analyze increasingly larger data sets larger with split-second, even instant interactive analytics," said Tyler Beecher, CEO of Trace3, a Zoomdata systems integration partner. "Trace3 and Zoomdata are committed to working together to stay at the cutting edge of big and fast data solutions that can provide competitive advantage for our joint customers." According to a March 22, 2017 report by Nomura Holdings of 50 CIOs in the U.S., enterprises are prioritizing big data analytics, cloud computing and security in their next budget cycles. Cloud computing and big data analytics will drive this increase in IT spending for more than 60 percent of the CIOs.

"Zoomdata has achieved a technology breakthrough in its visualization and analytics platform for big data by scaling our capabilities to tens of billions of records," said Justin Langseth, CEO of Zoomdata. "That may sound like an impossibly large number, but think about a world of billions of data feeds from connected sensors in every device on our planet. This represents the next generation of Big Data. High definition data sharpening and streaming micro-queries is how we can overcome data volumes that boggle the mind so we can make better decisions at the speed-of-thought for any business." The Zoomdata platform also incorporates significant advances in enterprise data security. With delegated access to data secured at the source, large enterprises and technology companies can ensure that security restrictions and policies are uniformly enforced and audited across applications by modeling table, row and column security at the datastore. The introduction of delegated security within the Zoomdata Smart Connector framework and in particular the Zoomdata Smart Connector for Cloudera Impala, eliminate the need for enterprises to separately implement data access rules within Zoomdata. Zoomdata closed a record year in 2016. Revenue grew 250% year over year, led by geographic and channel expansion, an ambitious series of Federal business initiatives and the closing of a $25 million Series C equity financing round led by Goldman Sachs' Principal Strategic Investments Group. The company was also granted four new patents in support of its visualization of big and streaming data technology. Zoomdata's technology innovations also earned the company industry honors and awards. Zoomdata debuted in the visionary quadrant in the 2017 Gartner Magic Quadrant for Business Intelligence and Analytics Platforms and Gartner (News - Alert) also named Zoomdata a 2016 Cool Vendor. In addition, the company was named a Ventana Research 2016 Technology Innovation Award for Operational Intelligence, and received the Top Ranking in the 2016 Annual Big Data Analytics Market Study from Dresner Advisory Services. About Zoomdata, Inc.

Zoomdata develops the world's fastest visual analytics solution for big data. Using patented data sharpening and micro-query technologies, Zoomdata empowers business users to visually consume data in seconds, even across tens of billions of rows of data. Zoomdata Fusion enables interactive analytics across disparate data sources, bridging modern and legacy data architectures, blending real-time streams and historical data, and unifying enterprise data with data in the cloud. Delivered in a microservices architecture for elastic scalability, Zoomdata runs on premises, in the cloud or embedded in an application. With offices in Chicago, New York, San Mateo, CA and Reston, VA, Zoomdata is venture-backed by Accel, Columbus Nova Technology Partners, Comcast (News - Alert) Ventures, Goldman Sachs, NEA, and Razor's Edge. Editorial Contacts Joe Eckert for Zoomdata +1.203.300.2649 [email protected]

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[April 26, 2017] ECMC Foundation Makes $655,000 Grant to Support Minnesota Organization Offering Personalized, Self-Directed Deeper Learning

MINNEAPOLIS, April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- ECMC Foundation announced today it will commit $655,000 to EdVisions Schools, Inc. (EdVisions) to support the launch of the organization's three-year expansion and revitalization initiative, which includes opening 12 new schools and providing training in deeper learning instructional practices to 25 others. Based in Henderson, Minn., and in operation since 2000, EdVisions provides support to a network of new school startups and existing schools to learn radically different approaches to teaching, leading and deeper learning based on the EdVisions Model. Deeper learning practices prepare students for college and career by integrating the mastery of academic content with the development of key competencies, such as critical thinking, problem solving, collaboration and effective communication, in real-world contexts. More than 40 percent of students attending EdVisions' network of schools qualify for free or reduced price lunch and more than 30 percent receive special education services. "The proven efficacy of deeper learning is evident in EdVisions' programs and we are thrilled to offer our support, which will enhance the lives of students now and into the future," said Kyle Miller, senior program director, ECMC Foundation. "Not only will this grant support EdVisions' plan to open new schools in high-need communities in Minnesota and other locations across the country, but it also is bringing the concept of deeper learning practices to students who often don't have access to offerings that will prepare them for life." The grant will allow EdVisions to begin working on a set of actions including opening 12 new schools in its network, half in Minnesota and half in other states. It will also start contracts with 2 schools to undergo whole school transformations.



"Minnesota has a long history of public school choice and the generous grant from ECMC Foundation will support quality high school educational choices for students and parents, and help the EdVisions network of innovative schools grow and better serve more young people, especially in high-need areas of the region," said Doug Thomas, EdVisions founder and executive director. "The result will be more graduates moving on to postsecondary schools and better preparation for life, work and citizenship." ECMC Foundation, funded by Minneapolis-based ECMC Group, facilitates improvements that affect educational outcomesespecially among underserved populations.

"A survey of EdVisions schools revealed that those with the highest fidelity to the model had the strongest educational outcomes for students. This fact was critical in our decision to support EdVisions' expansion and revitalization initiative," Miller said. "EdVisions' plans to strengthen its network will result in students becoming better prepared for college and career." About EdVisions Schools The EdVisions model is based on its flagship school, Minnesota New Country School (MNSC), which opened in 1994. In 2006, MNSC was recognized as one of the nation's top eight charter schools in the nation for closing the achievement gap. Recognizing its success, EdVisions was founded to build and support a national network of schools that offer deeper learning. To date, the organization has worked with over 200 high schools nationally and internationally trained over 1,000 new teachers and administrators. It currently services almost 9,000 students at 40 small schools in 11 states. Many of its students are from underserved populations: more than half of its students are students of color;

the majority of its students live in urban and rural areas, 62 and 42 percent, respectively; and

more than 40 percent are from low-income families, qualifying for free or reduced price lunch. Learn more about EdVisions by visiting www.edvisionsschools.org. About ECMC Foundation Based in Los Angeles, ECMC Foundation's mission is inspire and facilitate improvements that affect educational outcomesespecially among underserved populationsthrough evidence-based innovation. The Foundation makes investments in three focus areas: Teacher and Leader Development, College Success, and Career Readiness. It is one of several affiliates under the ECMC Group enterprise based in Minneapolis. Learn more about ECMC Foundation by visiting www.ecmcfoundation.org and ECMC Group by visiting www.ecmcgroup.org. To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ecmc-foundation-makes-655000-grant-to-support-minnesota-organization-offering-personalized-self-directed-deeper-learning-300445525.html SOURCE ECMC Foundation

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[April 26, 2017] Schneider Electric Canada Selects Datalliance as Platform for Vendor Managed Inventory (VMI)

CINCINNATI, April 26, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Datalliance announced today that the Canadian operations of Schneider Electric, the global specialist in energy management and automation, has selected the Datalliance VMI platform as the technology foundation for the companys Vendor Managed Inventory program to be launched in early 2017. Schneider Electric also uses the Datalliance platform to support the companys VMI program in the United States. Adrian Thomas, Schneider Electric Vice President, Partner Business & Channel said: We are eager to begin using VMI to collaborate more closely with our channel partners. It will help us work together every day to ensure high service levels and well-planned product assortments for the end customer while gaining inventory and supply chain efficiencies for both our distributors and us. That will ultimately lead to increased mutual sales and profitability. We selected Datalliance as our platform provider because they are the recognized leader in VMI technology and service, and are well-respected by electrical distributors across all of North America, including Canada. They also took time to understand our goal set, making us very aligned on VMI expectations. Tom Hoar, Datalliance Sales Director, said: We are proud to welcome Schneider Electric Canada to the Datalliance customer community. They are dedicated to supply chain excellence, and to working with ke partners to increase sales and service to their mutual end customers while at the same time streamlining inventory management, order handling and product life cycle management. The VMI process in Canada has picked up lots of steam the past couple years in the electrical space, VMI is no longer seen as just an IT project, but is now recognized as a focused sales growth and service initiative rooted in collaboration. Suppliers and distributors have both seen the benefits in terms of improved service levels, inventory efficiency, visibility and end customer sales. Companies in the electrical industry in Canada are now steadily expanding the use of this collaborative business process to more trading partners.





About Datalliance:

Datalliance is the worlds largest provider of technology and services to support collaborative replenishment programs such as Vendor Managed Inventory (VMI) and related approaches. Delivered as a cloud-based platform backed by extensive customer care, Datalliance makes it easy for trading partners to establish inventory management relationships that increase sales and profits by fully aligning business objectives, increasing on-shelf availability, optimizing turns, and reducing supply chain costs. Datalliance manages billions of dollars in orders, millions of SKUs, and tens of thousands of locations worldwide for leading companies in consumer and industrial markets. For more information about Datalliance, visit www.datalliance.com.

About Schneider Electric:

Schneider Electric is the global specialist in energy management and automation. With revenues of 26 billion US dollars (25 billion euros) in FY2016, our 160,000+ employees serve customers in over 100 countries, helping them to manage their energy and process in ways that are safe, reliable, efficient and sustainable. From the simplest of switches to complex operational systems, our technology, software and services improve the way our customers manage and automate their operations. Our connected technologies reshape industries, transform cities and enrich lives. At Schneider Electric, we call this Life Is On. www.schneider-electric.ca Contact: Brian Lindner, Datalliance 513-791-7272

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The Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, and the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekwemeradu, are set to raise support fund for the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu.The governor had on Tuesday stormed an Abuja Federal High Court where he showed solidarity with Kanu.Speaking on the development on Wednesday, the governor said Im trying to work with other well meaning Nigerians to raise funds for Kanu so that he can fund his lawyers and meet his immediate family needs.We are going to ensure that the injustice meted out to him does not destroy him. He has parents, wife and children to take care of. I appeal to Nigerians to support this just cause.Fayose, who is the Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party Governors Forum, called on lawyers to join the struggle for liberation.As many as lawyers willing to fight the oppression should join the struggle for liberation from the oppression.Those willing can send their correspondence to Governors Office or reach me on my telephone line 070300000393 or myemail:mystory2006@yahoo.com.Fayose confirmed that Ekwemeradu will be part of the coordinators that will steer the fund raising committee.The account will be raised in Kanus name and will belong to him.We are just driving the cause. As soon as we receive his account details we will be made available. The money will be used for him and others in incarceration with him.We believe in coexistence of Nigeria. People have the right to agitate for independence. Even in traditional institution people agitate for autonomy.When people agitate and they cannot get it, they drop the idea. It is not for you to silence them. That is oppression. Agitation is legitimate, he said.
Electricity Generation Averages 3,687mw in Q117

The power generation statistics for first quarter 2017, (Q117) shows that a total average of 3,687 megawatts, mw, of energy was generated by power stations as Afam VI Power Plant contributed about 12.64 percent of the total, the highest generation among the twenty-three (23) power plants within the period under review.Daily energy generation attained a peak of 5,846 megawatts, MW, January 24, while daily energy sent out on same date was 5,747 MW. Similarly, the highest daily energy generated per hour attained a peak of 140,316 megawatts per hour, MWh on the January 24, 2017 and daily energy sent out per hour on same date was 137,920 MWh.This represents the highest level of energy generated and sent out in the month of January 2017 and in Q1 2017. However, the lowest daily energy generation, 1,660 MW, in the month of January 2017 and in Q1 2017 was attained on January 18, 2017 and daily energy sent out on that date was 1,618 MW.The lowest daily energy generation per hour was also attained on same date. 39,837 MWh was generated and 38,831 MWh was sent out. In February 2017, daily energy generation attained a peak of 4,279 MW on February 21, 2017 and daily energy sent out on same date was 4,217 MW. Similarly, the highest daily energy generated per hour in the month under review attained a peak of 102,705 MWh and daily energy sent out per hour on same date was 101,208 MWh.Nevertheless, daily energy generation attained its lowest of 2,915 MW in the month of February on February 1, 2017 and daily energy sent out on same date was 2,869 MW. Similarly, the lowest daily energy generation per hour was also attained on same date. 69,962 MWh was generated and 68,847 MWh was sent out.Daily energy generation in March 2017 attained a peak of 4,156.03MW on March 9, 2017 and daily energy sent out on same date was 4,096 MW. Similarly, the highest daily energy generated per hour attained a peak of 99,732 MWh on March 9, 2017 and daily energy sent out per hour on same date was 98,300 MWh.The lowest daily energy generation attained in March 2017 was 3,496 MW and the lowest daily energy sent out of 3,441 MW was attained on March 16, 2017.Likewise, the lowest daily energy generation per hour was also attained on same date. 83,790 MWh was generated and 82,580 MWh was sent out.Meanwhile, The 11 electricity Distribution Companies, DISCOs, operating under aegis of Association of Nigerian Electricity Distributors, ANED, yesterday, criticized Federal Governments failure to provide the N100 billion subsidy it promised after private investors took over about 18 power sector utilities on November 1, 2013.The DISCOs also faulted the poor funding for the transmission section of the sector, which they said has resulted in the huge load rejection cases.A statement issued through umbrella body, ANED, said government which holds 40 per cent equity in the utilities stated many interventions in the Performance Agreement of DISCOs with the Bureau of Public Enterprises, BPE.ANEDs Director of Advocacy and Research, Barrister Sunday Oduntan, said To date, the government has not met the privatization transaction foundational requirements of providing N100 billion in subsidies; payment of MDA electricity obligations; ensuring that the DISCos have debt free financial books; and implementing a cost reflective tariff, it said.On transmission constraints, ANED doubted if the N50 billion appropriated for Transmission Company of Nigeria, TCN in the 2016 budget was released by half adding that, This funding level is even more pitiful when, especially, measured against TCNs estimate of $7.5 billion for its five-year expansion plan that is expected to take us to 10,000 megawatt (mw), from our current 4,500mw.The DISCOs said they can only recover their costs when they have more energy delivered by the Transmission Company of Nigeria, TCN, in the area where they have customers. Should the DISCOs have to suffer financial losses due to the limitations associated with TCNs wheeling constraints? They queried in the statement.ANED said TCN which is still a public utility has remained underfunded over several decades. Such limited or underfunding has resulted in poor transmission infrastructure and planning, with the consequences of grid instability and limited wheeling capacity, adversely impacting the distribution and generation of electricity.They decried the continued dearth of TCN funding saying it impedes the DISCOs ability to distribute power and has led to crashes in power turbines of Generation Companies, GENCOs, due TCN consistent requests for de-loading.
FG Moves to Revive Enugu Coal Mines

The Federal Government has commenced moves to revive mining activities in Enugu coal mines, which have been inactive for about 40 years.The Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, announced on Monday that the Federal Government would conduct an audit of the mines.The minister made the disclosure during a town hall meeting with mining and steel sector stakeholders in Enugu.Before attending the town hall meeting, the minister and his delegation had visited the Okpara and Onyeama mines in the state.The visit, he explained, was in line with plans by the Federal Government to revive the mines, which are reputed to have abundant deposits of coal.Fayemi explained that the Federal Government would harness the coal deposits in order to address the countrys power challenges.He said, The current administration sees coal as a veritable source of energy. If you look at the road map for energy that was produced by the previous government, which we are not changing, it said a major proportion of Nigerias energy should come from coal.Our priority is coal to power generation and it is already happening. We are not unmindful of the fact that Nigeria has very abundant coal reserves and we will make sure that this is developed. That is partly why we came to look at what is doable with the Okpara and Onyeama mines, and others.Our attitude to the energy problem is that this is an existential threat to our country and we will address it with what we have. The abundant coal that is available will be utilised.Fayemi added that the Federal Government would partner the African Development Bank to revamp coal production.We are partnering the African Development Bank to fund coal production. We cannot use the World Bank loan to fund coal production, but the AfDB has no qualms about that, he added.The minister, however, noted that residents of parts of Enugu, particularly areas where the mines are located, should be prepared to swallow a bitter pill in the form of relocation in the event of the reactivation of the mines.The government will do something about it (coal mines), but the people will also be prepared to swallow a bitter pill. There may be a need to relocate some people. When you tell people to relocate from where they have lived for more than 30 years, you know how it feels, but the mines are a threat to human life, he said.
The report the other day that the Federal Government plans to defuse tension in the oil-rich but volatile Niger Delta area by awarding indigenes of the region marginal oil fields, is not just intriguing, it leaves a sour taste in the mouth as it represents another tokenism to which the marginalised region has been historically treated.According to the strategic peace and conflict resolution plan, the deal is said to be in line with the governments larger objective of reducing major incidents of restiveness by about 90 per cent by next year. Over the years, there have been agitations over oil resource ownership, which have become intense with reports backed with data that about 90 per cent of deep-water viable oil blocks and marginal oil fields are in the hands of elements from parts of the country other than the oil bearing area.If the plan comes through, the ownership structure of the nations petroleum assets will begin to change hands and subsequently the restive host region, which has for decades suffered economic deprivation and environmental degradation on account of these resources, will be part of the ownership structure. Besides, the security of the assets will be guaranteed, in this connection.This is the new gospel of peace building in the volatile region, according to the Minister of State, Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, who disclosed the deal recently in Lagos at the Oil and Gas Trade Group Roundtable organised by the Nigeria-British Chamber of Commerce (NBCC). According to the minister, the plan is part of the larger stability incentive scheme under a harmonised holistic development plan for the Niger Delta. On the big plan, Kachikwu said: This will include creating stability incentive schemes  jobs, investments, contracting opportunities for the zone, and the use of marginal fields allocations to state governments and indigenes to help reduce tension and get buy-in without excluding the rest of the country. The minister also promised that government would sustain institutional engagements with stakeholders in the Niger Delta region to nip agitations in the bud, while promising greater transparency in the industrys operations.Despite these sweet promises, Nigerians are concerned about the sustainability and viability of governments efforts to sustain peace process in the area. What is more, while the gesture to include indigenes in the allocation of marginal oil fields seems desirable, how far can such allocations go in this age when the oil industry is facing various strains and stresses in the international market? This gesture, therefore, is mere tokenism when it is considered that it is only the power elite in the region that may be the beneficiaries of the new deal. The same big men in the area have been advocating this sharing formula instead of pursuing a strategic development agenda that will make the Niger Delta region a reference point in the development of critical infrastructure as in Abuja, Nigerias capital built from scratch since 1976 with revenue from the Niger Delta area. There are, indeed, no reasons to trust the power elite from the area, as they have been the major drivers of the ad-hoc development plans from OMPADEC through the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to the Ministry of the Niger Delta Affairs. All of these interventionist establishments have not made much difference in the area.Unfortunately, at this time when the bait of marginal oil fields is being dangled before Niger Deltas elite, the future of the oil sector is uncertain as inherent challenges are mounting with volatile prices and disappearing markets. Besides, alternatives to petroleum are being developed and some old buyers (importers) of the products such as the United States have become exporters.Government can aim for peace in the Niger Delta region, but it should not seek to achieve that without dispensing justice. Without justice and equity for the area, the peace process will not endure.In the main, the emphasis being placed on oil blocks by the government should be seen for what it is: a blackmail against the Niger Delta people.Sixteen demands were presented to the President when the areas elders met the president a few months ago. Some of the major demands included the communitys involvement in oil management, relocation of corporate and operational headquarters of multinational oil companies to Niger Delta, fiscal federalism, among others.The demand for oil blocks was just a subsidiary. The basis for the subsidiary demand is that over the years when the military was in power, leaders used their discretional powers to award so many oil blocks to certain people while the Niger Delta people who own the oil did not have the same privilege.The weightier matter of governance is how to dream big for the Niger Delta and all of Nigeria beyond oil resource appropriation, allocation and sharing unjustly by the central government in a warped federal system. Even as posterity or indeed history reserves a harsh verdict for past leaders of Niger Delta extraction who have wasted unlimited opportunities to improve the lot of the people, there should be a realistic and big agenda for the Niger Delta. Above all, political leaders from the area and those who desire peace in Nigeria should also note that the most pragmatic solution that all Nigerians will benefit from is a recourse to (fiscal) federalism that will make regional development plans easier within the context of resource and land ownership in a proper federation. Nigeria is a member of the Forum of Federation with its headquarters in Canada. But what is practised in Nigeria today is still too far from federalism. It is over-centralisation. And that is why a leader can sit down in Abuja and allocate oil blocks to privileged citizens at his own whim and caprice.Even if most of the oil blocks are allocated to Niger Delta, that will not bring peace and justice to Nigeria. Only federalism in its purest form can.
The North Korean missile that flew across its de facto maritime border with South Korea last week has been found to be an "SA-5" type similar to that used by Russia in the Ukraine ...
today, there was a



The Nigeria Police Force has now reacted. A statement released minutes ago by Force Public Relations officer (FPRO), read; "The Nigeria Police Force has commenced investigation into the unfortunate Personal comments made by the alleged Police officer named Inusa Saidu Biu on his Facebook account. Police officers are not to make unauthorized public comments."





Earlierreport about a police office, Inusa Saidu Biu from Borno state, who threatened to kill at least 200 people if anything happens to President Buhari. Inusa threatened Nigerians in his post on Facebook, saying if anything happens to the president, he will murder 200 innocent people in revenge. (Read here ).
US special forces on Wednesday began to pull out from Central Africa, ending a five-year hunt for brutal LRA warlord Joseph Kony, who is wanted for crimes against humanity.The departure of the troops sent in to support an African Union regional force will be completed a short while after it begins on April 26, Charles Prichard, spokesman for the US Africa Command (AFRICOM), told AFP.A small contingent of US military personnel will continue to work in the area to complete logistical tasks such as removing equipment. Those tasks will be completed by September 2017, he added.In late 2011, Washington deployed about 100 special forces to the Central African Republic to back up Ugandan soldiers tracking Kony, and 150 special forces airmen were added three years later. One of Africas longest-surviving rebel groups, the Lords Resistance Army has terrorised parts of central Africa for 30 years.Since being set up by Kony in 1987, it is accused of slaughtering more than 100,000 people and abducting 60,000 children who were forced to become sex slaves and soldiers.After counting several thousand fighters a few years ago, it now has fewer than 100 dispersed across parts of the CAR, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sudan and South Sudan.Last month AFRICOM said it would wrap up the operation, which has cost $600 million to $800 million, even though Kony remains at large. LRA in survival mode The time has come to move forward because the organisation itself is really in a survival mode, said General Thomas Waldhauser, head of AFRICOM.Ugandan troops began to withdraw on April 19, saying that the mission to neutralise the LRA had been successfully achieved and that Kony no longer poses any significant threat.A self-styled prophet, Kony launched his bloody rebellion in a bid to overthrow the Ugandan government and impose a regime based on his own version of the Ten Commandments.He is wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague for war crimes and crimes against humanity, where one of his commanders, Dominic Ongwen, is currently on trial.Analysts as well as residents of eastern CAR fear that the departure of US and Ugandan forces will leave a security vacuum, enabling the LRA to resurface.Although there are UN peacekeeping forces from its MINUSCA mission in Central Africa, very few of them are present in the east of the country.This withdrawal will lead to a renewal of LRA attacks in the southeast, warned Thierry Vircoulon, a specialist on central Africa at the French institute for international relations IFRI.But US spokesman Prichard said AFRICOM remains committed to our partners in the region and will continue to work with them to find solutions to security challenges in the region.
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Tuesday urged the banking sector to support the countrys Economic Recovery Growth Plan (ERGP) to enable it achieve 7 per cent annual growth forecast by 2020Osinbajo made the call at the 22The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the theme of the conference is: Rethink the future of Banking and Finance and Life Long Learning.The Vice President, who commended the industry for supporting national development in many ways, said the industry must overcome funding challenges for the government to achieve its aims.Osinbajo said the industry must also support Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to achieve inclusive growth.The banking industry has been able to provide job opportunities to many Nigerians, among others.We expect the sector to support our EGRP to enable it achieve sustainable and inclusive growth of core 7 per cent annual growth by 2020.The banks must focus on how to overcome the present fund supply constrains and support Small and Medium Enterprises to succeed, Osinbajo said.The Vice President, who was represented by Dr Adeyemi Dipeolu, the Special Adviser on Economic Matters, said government had implemented some policies to diversify the economy.He said they included investment in agriculture, manufacturing, construction and SMEs.Osinbajo said the Federal Government was aware that the success of these reforms depended on good infrastructure hence the building of more rail networks in the country.The Bank of Industry (BOI) and Bank of Agriculture (BOA) have also been repositioned by recapitalization to support the priorities of the sectors, he said.He said that the Federal Government had been able to achieve 31 reforms in the last 60 days.The President of CIBN, Prof. Olusegun Ajibola commended banking institutes from all over the world for giving Nigeria the right to host the 22nd WCBI.He said CIBN had also received support from local and international stakeholders like the Central Bank of Nigeria, Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation, money deposit banks, traditional rulers, among others.He disclosed that the CIBN had collaborated with Risk Management Association of Nigeria to run certificate courses in risk management and had so far produced 142 students since its inception in April 2016.According to him, the theme of the conference is germane for banks because the future of the banking sector remains speculative.There is general consensus that a number of factors will continue to disrupt some already established banking processes. For instance, in the 2015 survey conducted for banks by The Enhancing Financial Innovation & Access (), identified 13 critical points that would shake the banking sector by 2020.Some of these include increase competitions from non-traditional competitors, increase specializations, ICT innovations, among others.So, there is need for inquisitive and learning approach for the job, he said.He also urged tertiary institutions to revisit their curriculums on the teaching of banking and finance to meet the future needs of banking.The Oba of Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu , advised the Federal Government to empower undergraduates with start-up loans for small businesses to stop them from searching for federal jobs.NAN reports that over 1000 participants from across the globe are attending the conference.
Idiat Babalola, an aide to Osun state governor Rauf Aregbesola, says despite being attacked at his funeral, late senator Isiaka Adeleke wa...

Idiat Babalola, an aide to Osun state governor Rauf Aregbesola, says despite being attacked at his funeral, late senator Isiaka Adeleke was her mentor.Some aggrieved youth had on Monday attacked Babalola during her attendance of the burial of Adeleke, a senator representing Osun west.The intervention of the police and efforts of Ibikunle Amosun, Ogun state governor, saved her from the claws of the angry youth.Reacting to the incident, Babalola in a statement noted that she was attacked because of unfounded rumours that she aspires to be deputy governor after the current tenure ends.I am a proud daughter of Ede and Uncle Isiaka has been a mentor and we never had any disagreement till the news of his death was broken to me while in Lagos on Sunday morning. I was heartbroken and immediately cut all my other engagements and came down to Ede from Lagos, she said.We worked together with Uncle for the re-election of Governor Aregbesola in 2014 and for his own election into the Senate in 2015.Those who masterminded the attacks on me are people with poor understanding of the relationship between us and who act based on their own political permutations only.She said that her father, SOB Babalola, a friend to the late Adeleke, was also present at the funeral.Babalola regretted that Adeleke was deprived of the opportunity of a befitting funeral by the agitators.Not long after we sat down for the prayers, I sensed some hoodlums saying some things like I wanting to be deputy governor while Uncle (Senator Adeleke) has declared his ambition to be governor from the same Ede, she said.I heard them talking about the new caretaker committee members being more of my loyalists than those of Senator Adeleke. And before we knew it, they grew more daring and unruly and brought down the canopy on the dignitaries present. It was the most unruly and irresponsible act I have seen in our land in history.That cannot be the best way to honour the memory of Uncle Adeleke. Senator Adeleke was a man of his people; a lover of peace and a political associate of Governor Aregbesola. Senator Adeleke could not have countenanced such misconduct in his lifetime.Babalola thanked Amosun, whom she said despite being a governor, tackled the irate youth and prevented them from causing further harm.
Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno state has said that despite the recent suicide bomb explosions, the Boko Haram monster has been decapi...

Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno state has said that despite the recent suicide bomb explosions, the Boko Haram monster has been decapitated.He also said the North has no business being poor, because it has enormous land, which is the most important resource and must be harnessed for the benefit of the region.The Governor however said it is time to rebuild Borno State, which has been ravaged by Boko Haram insurgency for the past eight years, promising that Borno will be looking different in the next six months to one year.Addressing the Summit for the Security and Development of Northern Nigeria, organised by the Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation (SABMF) Tuesday in Kaduna, Shettima said he remains unperturbed by the recent suicide bomb explosions by the insurgents, noting that it show that their power is waning, they are feeling the attacks by government forces more and they are becoming weaker.He said though there can be no development without peace and vice versa, his government is set to invest massively in girl child education, job creation for the teeming youths and women empowerment to set an agenda of progress and development for the state that has been battling terrorism since 2009.According to the Governor, In spite of the crises, between six months and one year there will be massive development in Borno state with emphasis on gender empowerment, girl child education and employment generation for our teeming youths. We need to invest in education, create job opportunities for the teeming youths and ensure gender empowerment for our women.We will definitely overcome the challenges of Boko Haram we have gone over the rubicon, we now want to tow the path of growth and development. Boko Haram basks in the glory of attacking soft targets, but the monster has been decapitated. Suicide bombing is a sign of weakness of the insurgents. We have covered a lot of ground thanks to our armed forces for doing so much.Extolling the values of Sardauna of Sokoto, Alhaji Sir Ahmadu Bello, Governor Shettima, who has been described as a Sardauna in waiting for his leadership qualities, by Dr. Yusuf Maitama Sule, said Sardauna bequeathed on Northerners a North before religion or ethnicity where everybody coexisted peacefully irrespective of tribe or religion. Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation has proved pessimists wrong, not many people expected the foundation to remain alive after eight years.Coexistence is enjoyed when the majority is magnanimous to the minority. We must create a platform where a governor of a Muslim dominated state must be fair to the minority Christian population and a governor of a majority Christian state should show empathy to Muslim minority. The fairness of a leader can unite or divide a society. Majority must be large at heart and the minority must be fair to accept that.North makes up 79% of the total land mass of the country and 53.8% of the total population of the country. The North has no business being poor because land is the most important of resources and must be harnessed for the benefit of our people.By 2050 our population will be 440 million making Nigeria the third most populous nation on earth; we would be facing desertification and other challenges that would make Boko Haram a childs play. Leadership is vital but followership is essential, we all have responsibilities and we all have our roles to play. This is time for action, Governor Shettima added.Former Governor of Adamawa State, AVM Murtala Nyako (rtd) said the summit should have taken place immediately after the civil war to serve as agenda setting for the North. This is the type of Summit we should have held immediately after the civil war. We have to reconcile some of the issues affecting the North and resolve everything.There is a question of understanding education educating people is for peace, peaceful coexistence is not only for your neighbour but for all humanity regardless of race, ethnicity and religion. Peaceful coexistence and respect for one another is very vital. North is a cosmopolitan place, today in globalization how can you talk about ethnic or religious separation? he queried.
A high court in Minna, Niger state capital, has ordered the remand of Babaginda Aliyu, former governor of the state, in Minna medium priso...

A high court in Minna, Niger state capital, has ordered the remand of Babaginda Aliyu, former governor of the state, in Minna medium prisons.Last week, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) detained Aliyu after inviting him for a chat.He was later arraigned on a 6-count charge bordering on criminal breach of trust, alongside Umar Nasko, governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2015 election.Nasko was Aliyus chief of staff.Both men were accused of conspiring and dishonestly converting to personal use funds amounting to N4.568bn, belonging to the Niger state government.According to the EFCC, the funds were meant for ecological projects, as well as proceeds realised from the sale of 16 percent shares of the state in the North-South Power Company.Ayodele Oladeji and Mamman Osuman, who appeared as lead counsel for the 1st and 2nd defendants respectively, applied for the bail of their clients as they pleaded not guilty to the charges levelled against them.They argued that the defendants were always available when invited by the EFCC, adding there was no evidence they would jump bail.The defence counsel, however, prayed the court to remand the defendants in EFCC custody, if the was going to fix a date for hearing of the bail application.The EFCC prosecutor, Gbolahan Latona, opposed the bail application, arguing that it would jeopardise investigations.The EFCC prosecutor also opposed remanding the defendants in EFCC custody, saying that accused persons were usually remanded in prison custody once the court takes cognisance of the case.Aliyu Mayaki, the judge, ordered their remand and fixed May 3 for ruling on their bail application.The two-time governor served between 2007 and 2015.
Isaac Adewole, the minister of health, on Tuesday, announced the ban on chloroquine and artemisinin monotherapy for the treatment of malar...

Isaac Adewole, the minister of health, on Tuesday, announced the ban on chloroquine and artemisinin monotherapy for the treatment of malaria.Speaking during the commemoration of World Malaria Day, the minister said doctors and nurses have been informed that chloroquine is no longer useful and that the prescription of artemisinin monotherapy was wrong.With a new emphasis on citizen accountability and rights I want you as a Nigerian citizen to challenge your health care provider and ask questions. When you have malaria and somebody wants to prescribe drugs for you, ask the health care provider: Have you confirmed this is malaria? It is your right, he said.As a citizen when your healthcare provider prescribes chloroquine or artemisinin monotherapy, say no. Doctors and nurses have been told that chloroquine is no longer useful and that it is wrong to prescribe artemisin monotherapy. For the healthcare provider, do not treat malaria without diagnosis. Tell yourself, I must not prescribe chloroquine. I must not prescribe monotherapy for artemisinin when what we should prescribe is a combination therapy.While noting that malaria is still a major source of ill-health in Nigeria, he said an estimated N300bn is lost annually to the treatment and prevention of the disease.In Nigeria, malaria is responsible for around 60 per cent of out-patient visits, 30 per cent of childhood deaths, 25 per cent of death of children under one year and 11 per cent of maternal deaths. Similarly, about 70 per cent of pregnant women suffer from malaria, which contributes to maternal anemia, low birth rates, still births, abortions and other pregnancy-related complications, he said.Financial loss to malaria is estimated to be about N300 billion annually in form of treatment cost, prevention cost and loss of man hours. Malaria is one of the principal reasons for the poor school attendance in many settings because it counts for 13 to 15 per cent of medical reasons for absenteeism from school.
Former Minister of Aviation and 2015 campaign manager of Goodluck/Sambo Presidential team, Femi Fani-Kayode has listed three evil genius t...

Former Minister of Aviation and 2015 campaign manager of Goodluck/Sambo Presidential team, Femi Fani-Kayode has listed three evil genius that made the former President lost bid for re-election.Fani-Kayode on his social media account collaborated former President Goodluck Jonathan's stand on Adamu Muazu betraying the party during the 2015 president campaign.He said: That Mauzu betrayed us during the 2015 pres. campaign and that Jega was working for @MBuhari is not news.The biggest secret and greatest traitor of them all was the man that brought both Mauzu and Jega to do a dirty job and sabotage our efforts. His name was Hassan Tukur.He is an evil genius. His treachery and collusion with the APC cost us the 2015 election and opened the door for Buhari. God will judge him.Hassan Tukur, was the principal secretary to former President Goodluck Jonathan
Founder of True Faith Church, Ghana, Sampson Koomson has warned Ghanaian President, Nana Addo to forfeit his two months salary to widows a...

Founder of True Faith Church, Ghana, Sampson Koomson has warned Ghanaian President, Nana Addo to forfeit his two months salary to widows and orphans for well-being or he will die untimely.According to the head pastor, Nana Addo should give his two months salary to widows and orphans for their upkeep.Pastor Sampson Koomson has advised Nana Addo to sacrifice two months of his salary and channel it into catering for widows and orphans in order to protect himself from the gloomy prophecy of Prophet Tawiah.Prophet Kwabena Tawiah, Leader and Founder of Church of Rabbi, had predicted that the 73-year-old President will not be able to complete his first term in office. He insisted that the President has been cursed and may die in six months if nothing is done to reverse the curse.Tawiah said that some members of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) and others of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) have visited shrines to kill Nana Addo.
Arsenal boss, Arsene Wenger, has said he would rather allow Alexis Sanchez walk away for free next year, than sell him to a Premier League rival.Alexis, whose current deal expires in 2018, has been linked with Manchester United, Chelsea and Manchester City.The Chile international is currently locked in a contract stalemate, after the Gunners offered him a new contract worth in excess of 250,000-a-week.Wenger has made it clear he will not sell the 28-year-old like he did and explained that it is a different situation to when Arsenal sold Robin van Persie to United in 2012.I dont think that you would sell him to any Premier League club, that is for sure. The question is more, Why would you sell him to another [Premier League] club? You want to be as strong as you can be, and not strengthen the other teams.I let Van Persie go in the last year of his contract because Van Persie was 29, going on 30 and he was signing a long-term contract. That is not the case with Alexis. I personally think he will sign and stay here.Even if he doesnt sign a new deal, I will make him stay? Yes. Would I rather keep him than sell to a Premier League rival? Yes.But first of all, he is happy here. His desire is to stay. That is what I deeply believe.The disagreements are more contractual, not on the desire. Both parties have the desire to find an agreement, so I think it will happen, Wenger said.
After an unusually stressful day on Wednesday 19st April, 2017 I decided to attend a hangout programme organised by a small group of old-t...

After an unusually stressful day on Wednesday 19st April, 2017 I decided to attend a hangout programme organised by a small group of old-time friends back then at Ife University which held here in a hotel at Apapa, Lagos. There were enough drinks and food to go round about ten of us at the event. Soon, we started discussing current issues and politics soon dominated our discussions when the suspension of Mr. Babachir David Lawal, recently suspended Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) came up.For those who know my views since the issue relating to conflicts of interests was brought against him last year, I have joined the campaign for President Muhammadu Buhari to sack him rather than shield him. I held this view because, keeping someone like Lawal will ridicule the anti-corruption war waged by the Buhari administration. I also maintain that if a big fish like Lawal is sacked for allegation of corruption, the war against corruption will have more credibility.When I got the news of his suspension by the Presidency, I felt so relaxed. I thought about what the Presidents critics will come up with this time. Will they say he was suspended because Mr. David just got converted to Christianity (as his son reportedly alleged)? Or because he recently joined the opposition party? Or because of this or that? A lot of things ran through my mind at the time.So during our discussion in the hotel, someone raised a point that the suspended SGF had insisted he is not suspended since, according to one of us at the meeting, he said: Who is the Presidency?I didnt originally know how to respond to this new found arrogance. But one thing was sure, Lawal was not resuming the next week as the Federal Government scribe!I left the event around 8 pm because I have to go to work the next morning. When I got home, I had to put on my WiFi so I can see the interview on YouTube. I received two calls from some of my old classmates for my comments on the matter. I had to miss the calls because I cannot make a comment on what I do not know. Alas, after seeing the interview, he actually asked the question, Who is the Presidency?After watching the interview twice, some things ran through my mind. First, what does Babachir intends to achieve by doing that? Was he honestly saying he was victimized by his suspension which was intended to pave way for independent investigations into his alleged conflicts of interests? To this, I found nothing to the contrary. Recently, President Trumps National Security Adviser, General Michael Flynn, resigned just on the allegations that he inadvertently briefed the vice-president-elect and others over calls to Russian ambassador which reportedly discussed lifting of sanctions and Russias interference in the 2016 US presidential election. As powerful as he was in the administration, he never asked who the Presidency was!The next thing I thought was probably there were cabals that have taken over the Buhari administration due to his failing health conditions. Even when the president is not healthy, does that mean there is no longer order in his administration?To the second question, people like Ayo Fayose, Governor of Ekiti (who is always the first to jump into bandwagon on anything that has to do with Buhari) maintained that it was some imaginary cabal that suspended the former SGF to appoint Hausa-Fulani into the position.One problem, like I have always maintained, with people like Fayose is not that they talk or criticize (which in itself is not bad) but that there are people always on ground to believe every trash that comes of their mouths. Surprisingly, most of these people I know that always echo Fayoses opinion have higher Intelligence Quotient (IQ) that he does. But somehow, intelligence is not a valued commodity in political plays in Nigeria.Let say this for the records, The Presidency anywhere in the world is an institution not an individual. You may need to read that again. The Presidency is different from the President (who is an individual who is constitutionally responsible to perform that role). The Presidency includes the President, his office and a whole lot of other political and security apparatus on which the life of the state depends.Those making or insinuating conflict in the Presidency over interagency rivalries appear not to know much about administration at all or just deliberately decided to be ignorant. For instance, the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) has a clear mandate to fight communism or prevent its spread at home and abroad. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has a different mandate to fight crime (violent or otherwise) at home. When the two cross each others parts their interpretations on the same issues are often different. Does it surprise anyone then that the CIA supported the Royal Government against the communist North Vietnamese-backed Pathet Laos faction (backed by the State Department) during the Civil War in Laos (1953-1975)? Was it the case that President Dwight D. Eisenhower lost control of his administration?The question Who is the Presidency? to me is a combination of pride, emotion and ignorance. I say pride in the sense that probably, the former SGF, overestimated his power. He is a political appointee that holds his office at the pleasure of the President ONLY. This is perhaps why his appointment has no need to be transmitted to the National Assembly for confirmation. Had he known this early, he would never have asked the question.I also said it is emotion probably because Lawal overreacted or felt betrayed by Buhari whom hes been supporting since 2003. He probably allowed power and his familiarity with the President to get into his head hence Who is the Presidency?I understand Lawals situation perfectly. Getting to your office one morning and without prior knowledge or previous queries, you are told, like Donald Trump, You are fired! can be really annoying especially when you are so close to the owner of the establishment. Your first instinct will probably to tell your boss to Go to hell! I understand he is probably too familiar with the boss that his large ego may have been flattered beyond his importance. Politics is not always about friendship or emotions. Its about service and responsibility too!I equally said it is based on ignorance because Babachir probably does not know that the Presidency is not a person what can answer the question Who is?It has been a week now since he has been suspended by Who is the Presidency? no one recalls seeing him performing the functions of SGF. I sincerely hope he now knows WHO the presidency is!OlalekanWaheed ADIGUN is a political analyst and independent political strategist for wide range of individuals, organisations and campaigns. He is based in Lagos, Nigeria. His write-ups can be viewed on his website http://olalekanadigun.com/ Tel: +2348136502040, +2347081901080. Email: olalekan@olalekanadigun.com, adgorwell@gmail.com. Follow me on Twitter @adgorwell
An officer of the Nigeria Police Force has vowed to kill 200 people if President Muhammadu Buhari dies.

An officer of the Nigeria Police Force has vowed to kill 200 people if President Muhammadu Buhari dies.The police officer, Inusa Saidu Biu from Biu, a local government area in Southern Borno State, alleged that Buhari had earlier been poisoned but was saved by God.He described the 74-year-old president as a cat with nine lives.Commentators on the policemans timeline, however, criticised him for making such a statement, some even venturing to say the 200 he will kill will all be his family.See the post below:
The Nigeria Police Force has reacted to comments by one of its officers Inusa Saidu Biu.

The Nigeria Police Force has reacted to comments by one of its officers Inusa Saidu Biu.Biu, a police officer from Biu local government area in southern Borno state threatened to kill 200 people if President Muhammadu Buhari whom according to him was poisoned but was saved by God, dies.In its reaction, the Force Public Relations officer (FPRO), said it has commenced investigations into the unfortunate Personal comments made by the alleged Police officer named Inusa Saidu Biu on his Facebook account.Police officers are not to make unauthorised public comments,' the FPRO noted.
The leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, has denied a media report that he rejected the bail granted him on Tuesday b...

The leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, has denied a media report that he rejected the bail granted him on Tuesday by the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court.Mr. Kanu and three others, David Nwawuisi, Benjamin Madubugwu and Chidiebere Onwudiwe, are facing trial before the court on allegations of treason, among other charges.Mr. Kanu was granted bail on health grounds with 12 conditions attached to the bail by the presiding judge, Binta Nyako.Although the request for bail was by all four defendants, only Mr. Kanus bail was approved, with the listed conditions.There have since been media reports that Mr. Kanu rejected the bail because his co-defendants were not allowed bail.But in an interview with newsmen, Mr. Kanus lawyer, Ifeanyi Ejiofor, said the report that his client rejected the bail was all rumours.Its all rumours. Were you not in court? Mr. Ejiofor asked, How could he have rejected the bail, when he didnt do that in open court? Its rumours. Know that now!Regarding the bail, Mr. Ejiofor said Mr. Kanu will meet the conditions within 48 hours but warned that any attempt by government to afterward deny his client bail would be vehemently resisted.Nnamdi Kanu was granted bail. The court has listed a number of terms and conditions that we believe will be complied with within 48 hours.Any attempt by government to flout this court order must be resisted. In fact, it will bring to an end this trial. Because we will opt out. We will not allow him to continue with the trial.And the court has made it quite clear that its orders must be obeyed. You saw what happened today how the court made an order for Nnamdi Kanus wedding ring to be given to him along with his eyeglasses; which was complied with.So that time (of rejecting bail conditions) has passed, we believe, Mr. Ejiofor said.An order for Mr. Kanu to be given his wedding ring and his eye glasses was immediately complied with by the authorities on Tuesday.A lot of Mr. Kanus supporters were seen jubilating outside the courtroom, following the ruling.The Nigerian government has not spoken on whether or not it would honour the bail if the conditions are met. The government has in the past refused to honour bails granted some politically exposed persons including ex- National Security Adviser Sambo Dasuki and Shiite leader Ibrahim El-Zakzaky.
The Imo State governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, has called on his Ndigbo kinsmen to stop wasting resources in developing other lands.

The Imo State governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, has called on his Ndigbo kinsmen to stop wasting resources in developing other lands.He asked them to return to the east and set up their businesses instead of helping other states like Lagos, Kano to grow.Okorocha stated this while commissioning a hotel in Arondiziogu in Ideato council area of the state on Tuesday.He said, I commend the proprietor of this hotel for coming home to invest. He could have built this hotel in Abuja or other places knowing too well that he could have made more profit, but he chose to think home. Lets all come home, develop our area and create jobs for our people.The governor further directed the state ministry of Works to assess the cost of drainage and asphalting the road leading to the area.According to him, We dont have to tell anybody to invest at home; anyone who has ear, let him hear. Why do we have to develop Abuja, Lagos, Kano, Port Harcourt and other places? We should always think home.In his response, Proprietor of the hotel, Benbella Anachebe, SAN, said he decided to build the hotel at his hometown to boost tourism and develop the area.He said, I have built a hospital, a road, a church and now a hotel to help develop my hometown. The church was built as a way of showing gratitude to God as well as to serve humanity.The hotel would be providing subvention to the hospital and the church. It is not all about money.Ndigbo had a sad experience after the civil war where we lost our properties and businesses. Anybody who has read the history of abandoned property does not need to be told that home is the best place to invest.Your property in your hometown is secure. Develop your hometown where you have a guarantee of a lifetime ownership of your property or business.
In Nigeria at the moment, theres a word, or more appropriately buzzword that resonates everywhere: It is a word that even children in nur...

In Nigeria at the moment, theres a word, or more appropriately buzzword that resonates everywhere: It is a word that even children in nursery school may be familiar with given every usual reference to it at the slightest opportunity.Indeed, there is hardly any news item from Nigeria these days that does not make mention of it. CORRUPTION! If it is not about how Muhammadu Buharis administration is prosecuting some corrupt people by charging them to court, it is about monies the government is seemingly recovering or has traced and recovered as was observed with the 13 billion naira stashed in a residential flat in Ikoyi, Lagos. At times it could even be the tale, as we are ever so often regaled with as well, of corruption fighting back! That is a familiar line from both the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and Lai Mohammed, the Minister of Information, a.k.a spokesman for the Federal government. Of course, people fight to protect their interest.Far worrisome on Nigerias corruption fight is that even an ignoble man who had looted the public treasury and uses it to fund his bogus lifestyle would not give it up without a fight or scheme to destroy his accusers. This complicated gambit is definitely not strange in most developing economies with long history of sleaze in governance but Nigerian citizens seem exceptional in strategies to discourage corruption fight. Emphatically, in Nigeria, long before now, any credible polity watcher would have noticed how promoters of corruption in government fight back with distortion of facts and attack those that exposed them with unimaginable impunity. Even recently, there is no better example of a victim of corruption fight back narrative for me than what happened to Abdulrasheed Maina, the former Chairman of the Pension Reform Task Team, PRTT, whom recovered trillions of naira, yet was forced out of office under largely politically motivated circumstances.When Maina was appointed to head the presidential task team on pension reform some years ago, few people gave him any chance of succeeding as it was not the first time Nigerians would be seeing someone lead an intervention transformation task team in the country. But the young intelligent Maina had a clear idea what needed to be done to reform Nigeria's rotten pension scheme that was hampered by decade long corruption involving powerful figures with a hold on the system. He went about his work quietly and before long was able to recover humongous sums of money for the federal government, money running into trillions of naira. But just when you asked for more, the story changed. The hunter suddenly became the hunted as the very people who had for decades been making a kill from pension money, feeding fat on the sweat and blood of fellow citizens thereafter smiling home with tens of billions of naira, turned the heat on him, alleging that he was corrupt. They came up with stories that Maina had embezzled 195 billion naira from the trillions he had recovered, and soon the narrative changed from the issue of the monies recovered by the Borno State born reformer to what is allegedly missing. The Nigerian Senate of the then 7th Assembly decided to investigate the allegations and soon set up a panel to probe him. After Mainas preliminary appearance before the Senate Committee, he claimed that he was not given fair hearing as he was only allowed to provide a yes or no response to issues that demanded explanations. Most likely Maina might have perceived a premeditated verdict, thus opted for a legal battle. However, the police later declared him wanted over his failure to honour further invitations of the Senate Committee. Fortunately, for him, the court quashed the warrant issued by the police with even a perpetual injunction restraining the police from arresting him on related issues. This is just the background to what was later discovered as clear ruse to destroy Mainas reputation. On record, a man who was being praised to high heavens by many for reforming Nigerias pension system was now suddenly being accused by some, including the Senate Committee, of shortchanging the system. Following the senate inquiry, the EFCC hurled their net at him. Determined to save his name, Maina filed a 1.5 billion naira suit against the National Assembly and police claiming abuse of his fundamental human rights.The unfortunate part of the drama is that the same EFCC under its former leadership which also participated in the entire Maina Led Biometric Exercise that was being queried, later succumbed to pressure from the 7th Senate to declare Maina guilty as charged. Before long, Maina was attacked but he escaped death by the whiskers. The devious act happened at his residence but he was a lucky victim of failed assassination of near death as widely reported in the media.Fearing for his life, it was also reported that Maina travelled out of Nigeria. By every sound logic, it is afterall, a living being that has a chance to defend himself. However, like any assumed innocent man, the accusation of embezzling money is worrisome and it is wise to clear your name of any wrongdoing, particularly when you know, like Maina does, that the allegations against you are contrived and false, cooked up by people with an agenda to protect their crooked interest. This is easily buttressed by quick recall that one of the senior members of the panel that probed the Maina led PRTT had since confessed to insincerity on National Television.Unfortunately, it is now almost four years that these series of events unfolded, culminating in Maina losing his job as the then President Goodluck Jonathan administration later replaced him with Olabisi Jaji following pressure from the same 7th Senate. Indeed, it is shocking that even the then Head of Service cowed in and sanctioned Maina for failing to report to work a day after he was shot or was proposed to have been killed, an incident which was duly captured in the media.At times like this, it is best to put an unfortunate past behind and focus on the dream of a collective prosperous future especially when the present led Buhari administration of Nigeria, as obvious, is firmly committed to addressing corruption headlong. However, what the country needs is to bring on board its best hands to collaborate with existing government efforts for successful and rapid tackle of fraud monster. Good that Maina has not been proved to be corrupt, he was simply a victim of a system possessed of cabals bent on destroying him. He was, as his short stint as pension fund recovery boss shows, a vastly experienced reformer and goal getter who changed the pension system in Nigeria and ended up recovering trillions of naira for his country. Indeed, Maina it was who introduced the Smart Card Biometric system of payment for pensioners that revolutionized the sector. Before him, pensioners used to travel long distances from their communities and respective states to come to Abuja to collect their monthly pension payments only to be forced to queue in line to collect their entitlement due to the sheer number of people that had come for the same purpose. Such reports of beneficiaries queuing and even dying in the process of waiting to collect their entitlements were common. Nevertheless, under Mainas direction and with the Smart Card instituted, no one needed to queue again to collect his money. Certainly with gross elimination of almost a hundred thousand ghost pensioners, Maina sanitized the Pension system, saved Nigeria billions of naira but put his life at great risk as evinced in his unfortunate encounter. Candidly and succinctly put, for a country like Nigeria to grow it needs men of courage with traits of patriotism like that exhibited by Maina.No doubt, Maina has demonstrated capacity and he still remains very qualified to continue helping recover more of Nigerias stolen wealth. The fact that the major allegation of embezzlement against him has been dismissed is sufficient proof that corruption was fighting back at him. Nevertheless, if there exist any other allegation on Maina, it could just be another distraction promoted by those opposed to his work. Indeed, such should not be permitted to be a strong reason for the government not to engage and tap from his knowledge in detecting and exposing fraud. It is very obvious but sad that the pension thieves that Maina tried to stub out would not like this view and even few reasonable people may disagree with me on Maina. However, I believe that in this era of economic recession, the Nigerian majority would recognize the absurdity of ignoring stolen trillions of naira from our National Treasury in the hands of few criminals whilst focusing on uncertain allegations against Maina is of no quality reasoning. More so, there is nothing abnormal with putting on hold or temporarily ignoring the seeming bogus existing accusations against Maina until he completes this vital national task of gross common good. Infact, I believe this approach of avoiding unnecessary distractions is just about applying wisdom to stop those that wish to frustrate the Buharis Anti-corruption fight especially on Pension reform.FELICIA OKOH, Ph.DLecturer, University of Lagos
The Senate has on Wednesday decried assassination attempt on Senator Dino Melaye (APC) who is representing Kogi West Senatorial district a...

The Senate has on Wednesday decried assassination attempt on Senator Dino Melaye (APC) who is representing Kogi West Senatorial district and other politically exposed persons in other parts of the country.Raising a point of order, Senator Hamman Misau drew the attention of the Senate to the assassination attempt on Dino Melaye in his hometown when Senate was on recess.Mr. President, distinguished colleagues, I want to come through order 43 to draw the attention of the Senate to the assassination attempt on our colleague, Dino Melaye, he said.Reacting to the motion, Senator Shehu Sani (APC), Kaduna Central noted that there was high rate of attacks on politically exposed persons across the country.He expressed concern that in recent times, you would see cases of stoning of politicians and all forms of abuses, saying government must rise to provide protection.Sanis concern was as a result of the invasion of his constituency office late last year. He revealed that yesterday in Kaduna, gunmen raided his constituency office again.Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu expressed fears that police investigation into assassination attempt on Dino Melaye may not receive fair hearing, noting that he has been in running battle with the state governor.Mr President, distinguished colleagues, as a lawyer, police investigation report requires prosecution by the state public prosecution in the state high Court. Looking at the running battle between Kogi governor and Dino, we need to seek the governors promise that he will allow prosecution, Ekweremadu maintained.
Former Aviation Minister, Femi Fani-Kayode, has declared that the growing support the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, is ...

Former Aviation Minister, Femi Fani-Kayode, has declared that the growing support the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, is getting from Yoruba leaders shows that the South West is coming together.Recall that both him and the Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose were at the Abuja Federal High Court yesterday in a show of solidarity to the IPOB leader who was granted bail.The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chieftain believes that the Yorubas support for Kanu, is a proof that Southern Nigeria has realised the need to work together.In a tweet on his social media handle, the PDP Chieftain wrote, The support that Nnamdi Kanu is getting from Yoruba leaders privately and publicly is unprecedented. The south is finally coming together!
Even after leaving power, some Nigerians still believe that former President Goodluck Jonathan headed the most corrupt government in the h...

Even after leaving power, some Nigerians still believe that former President Goodluck Jonathan headed the most corrupt government in the history of the country.Jonathan is often alleged corrupt government the oxygen for the malfeasance in his administration.But the former president says some Nigerians who accuse him of corruption are the most corrupt.In an advance copy of Against the Run of Play, a book which details how the former president lost the 2015 election, written by Segun Adeniyi and seen by newsmen, Jonathan said those who were quick to make allegations of corruption against other people harboured loads of the virus.By virtue of being President of Nigeria, I have come to know so many things about so many people, he said.Some of the most corrupt Nigerians are the ones who speak most loudly about corruption. Once you have access to the media in Nigeria, you have the liberty to accuse others of corruption regardless of what you are doing.Also, one of the issues for which Jonathan was pilloried was his refusal to publicly declare his assets as the late Umaru Musa Yar Adua, his predecessor, did.But in the book, he said it was a matter of conviction for him, and that he had advised Yar Adua against it.I remember I told the late President Yar Adua that it was wrong to declare our assets publicly and I explained why, he said.I told him that the drafters of the law knew what they were doing when they wrote the provisions the way they did, such that assets of public officials have to include that of their spouses.Imagine a businessman whose wife was invited into government and she has to declare (hers and husbands) assets publicly. I told him that what the law required was to declare and those who have questions can then apply the same law to find out.He accused the media of bias for supposedly not harassing President Muhammadu Buhari whom he said did not publicly declare his assets as he promised.The same media and civil society that attacked me kept quiet when President Buhari refused to make public his asset declaration form as he promised, Jonathan said.In my own case, I was attacked for not doing what I never promised.The former president also said he dealt with corruption in his administration, citing his sacking of Stella Oduah, former minister of aviation, after she was indicted.You know Stella Oduah played a prominent role in my campaign in 2011. But when the investigation I ordered was carried out and the indictment was confirmed, I had to relieve her of her position, he said.Up till today Stella hates me for her removal. No doubt, it was a very hard decision for me to take, but that was what leadership demanded.
Ekiti State Governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose, has said he attended the trial of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mr Nn...

Ekiti State Governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose, has said he attended the trial of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mr Nnamdi Kanu, in Abuja on Tuesday because of his belief in ensuring justice for all, irrespective of where one hails from.This is just as he promised to also attend the trials of former National Security Adviser, Colonel Sambo Dasuki (Rtd), and the leader of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria, Ibrahim El-Zakzaky.Fayose stated this on Wednesday while featuring on an interview programme on African Independent Television (AIT) People, Politics and Power in Abuja.In a statement by the governors Chief Press Secretary, Mr Idowu Adelusi, he quoted the governor as saying he would never support a situation whereby court orders, rulings and judgments are disregarded by the government.The Federal Government are the ones making Kanu a hero. Anywhere in the world, agitation is normal. In the United Kingdom, there is agitation in Northern Ireland, even, United Kingdom itself is agitating in Europe. Let people agitate for whatever reason as long as it is constitutional. I am not in support of the break up of Nigeria. But when court grants bail to people, release them and allow them to attend their trials from home.I have no personal relationship with Kanu but I have been consistent in drawing attention of Nigerians to the trend of not regarding court orders and rulings by the present Federal Government. I am from the North, East, West and South of this country. I am a complete and detribalised Nigerian. I will attend the trial of Dasuki and El-Zakzaky too. Courts in the land and even ECOWAS Court directed that Dasuki be released but the government has refused to heed the call,he said.Asked whether he was not playing with danger by associating with somebody charged with treason, Fayose said no court in the land had convicted Kanu or anybody of treason, adding that allegation would remain an allegation until a court establishes the fact.Fayose accused the FG of intimidating the judiciary by coercing them to do governments bidding.A situation whereby security agents and interested politicians would go and show statements of account of judges to them to intimidate them and force them to give rulings, orders and judgments in a particular manner is condemnable, he added.On the inability of his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to quickly resolve its internal crisis, Fayose blamed it on the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).The situation we have is that the voice is that of Jacob and the body that of Esau. It is the APC that wants the PDP dead at all cost. Let me give you an instance, when a high court in Port Harcourt, Rivers State pronounced Ahmed Makarfi the authentic National Chairman of the PDP, the APC-led Federal Government did not reopen our national secretariat in Abuja. But when Justice Okon Abang said Ali Modu Sheriff was the national chairman, they were quick to open the secretariat for Sheriff.This is a phase that will surely pass and by the time the Supreme Court decides on the matter, we will know where we are going, he stated.On the continuous voters registration exercise, the governor advised the Independent National Electoral Commission not to bungle it, noting that it could affect the future of the country.He warned the opposition and INEC not to ever think of coming to rig the 2018 governorship election in Ekiti State.
The Department of State Security (DSS), has stated that, it received a security report from Benue State Government, alleging that the sta...

The Department of State Security (DSS), has stated that, it received a security report from Benue State Government, alleging that the state would be ungovernable if former Governor, Gabriel Suswam is released.The agency disclosed this on Tuesday, when it brought a fresh application on why Suswam was still being detained in its cell.The counter affidavit which was sworn to by Abdullahi Adamu, an operatives of DSS, is praying the court not to release Suswam because he is linked with the militant group that attacked Zaki Biam, Benue State.Suswam has been in the custody of the DSS since 25 February, when he was invited to answer questions on the alleged possession of firearms.As a way of enforcing his Fundamental Human Rights, the detained former Governor slammed the DSS with a N10bn suit, as well as demanding that apology be published on 7 national dailies.When the suit came up before Justice Gabriel Kolawole of a Federal High Court Abuja, on Tuesday, applicants counsel, Adedayo Adedeji, informed the court that the respondent was served with the motion on notice on April 19, 2017.However, this morning at about 9.45 inside this court, I was served with counter affidavit and a written address in opposition to the motion.We want to exercise right of reply and in the circumstance ask for short adjournment, he said.On his part, the Respondents counsel, Terhemba Agber did not object to the prayer for an adjournment.Agber, however, did not comment on the application he filed but he admitted that the applicant was served within the court room.Justice Kolawole therefore adjourned further hearing till May 10.Suswam who is currently held in the custody of the DSS had asked the Federal High Court, Abuja, in the substantive suit for an order of unconditional release from detention.The ex-governor has also asked the court in the suit for N10bn compensation for unlawful incarceration and violation of his rights.In the suit, Suswam is seeking compensation for unlawful incarceration and violation of his rights.Suswam further asked for an order of perpetual injunction restraining the respondents, particularly the DSS from torturing him and if proven that he had been tortured, the court should nullify any statements, documents or other materials that may have been extracted or obtained from him under such unwholesome and constitutionally prohibited circumstances.
Arno Penzias Biographical

I was born in Munich, Germany, in 1933. I spent the first six years of my life comfortably, as an adored child in a closely-knit middle-class family. Even when my family was rounded up for deportation to Poland it didnt occur to me that anything could happen to us. All I remember is scrambling up and down three tiers of narrow beds attached to the walls of a very large room, and then taking a long train trip. After some days of back and forth on the train, we were returned to Munich. All the grown-ups were happy and relieved, but I began to realize that there were bad things that my parents couldnt completely control, something to do with being Jewish. I learned that everything would be fine if we could only get to America.

In the late spring of 1939, shortly after my sixth birthday, my parents put their two boys on a train for England; we each had a suitcase with our initials painted on it, as well as a bag of candy. They told me to be sure and take care of my younger brother. I remember telling him, jetzt sind wir allein as the train pulled out.

My mother received her exit permit about a month later (just a few weeks before the war broke out) and was able to join us in England. My father had arrived in England almost as soon as the two of us, but we hadnt seen him because he was interned in a camp for alien men. The only other noteworthy event in the six or so months we spent in England, awaiting passage to America, occurred one morning in a makeshift schoolroom. At that moment, I suddenly realized that I could read the open page of the (English) school book I had been staring at.

We sailed for America toward the end of December 1939 on the Cunard liner Georgic  using tickets that my father had foresightedly bought in Germany a year and half earlier. The ship provided party hats and balloons for the Christmas and New Years parties, as well as lots of lifeboat drills. The grey three-inch gun on the aft deck was a great attraction for us boys.

We arrived in New York in January of 1940. My brother and I started school and my parents looked for work. Soon they became supers (superintendents of an apartment building). Our basement apartment was rent free and it meant that our family would have a much-needed second income without my mother having to leave us alone at home. As we got older and things got better, we left our super job and my mother got a sewing job in a coat factory; my fathers increasing wood-working skills helped him land a job in the carpentry shop of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. As job pressures on him eased, he found time to hold office in a fraternal insurance company as well as to serve as the president of the local organization of his labor union.

It was taken for granted that I would go to college, studying science, presumably chemistry, the only science we knew much about. College meant City College of New York, a municipally-supported institution then beginning its second century of moving the children of New Yorks immigrant poor into the American middle class. I discovered physics in my freshman year and switched my major from chemical engineering to physics. Graduation, marriage and two years in the U.S. Army Signal Corps, saw me applying to Columbia University in the Fall of 1956. My army experience helped me get a research assistantship in the Columbia Radiation Laboratory, then heavily involved in microwave physics, under I.I. Rabi, P. Kusch and C.H. Townes. After a painful but largely successful struggle with courses and qualifying exams, I began my thesis work under Professor Townes. I was given the task of building a maser amplifier in a radio-astronomy experiment of my choosing; the equipment-building went better than the observations.

In 1961, with my PhD thesis complete, I went in search of a temporary job at Bell Laboratories, Holmdel, New Jersey. Their unique facilities made it an ideal place to finish the observations I had begun during my thesis work. Why not take a permanent job? You can always quit, was the advice of Rudi Kompfner, then Director of the Radio Research Laboratory. I took his advice, and remained a Bell Labs employee for the next thirty seven years.

Since the large horn antenna I had planned to use for radio-astronomy was still engaged in the ECHO satellite project for which it was originally constructed, I looked for something interesting to do with a smaller fixed antenna. The project I hit upon was a search for line emission from the then still undetected interstellar OH molecule. While the first detection of this molecule was made by another group, I learned quite a bit from the experience.

In order to make some reasonable estimate of the excitation of the molecule, I adopted the formalism outlined by George Field in his study of atomic hydrogen. To make sure that I had it right, I took my calculation to him for checking. One of the factors in that calculation was the radiation temperature of space at the line wavelength, 18-cm. I used 2 K, a somewhat larger value than he had used earlier, because I knew that at least two measurements at Bell Laboratories had indications of a sky noise temperature in excess of this amount, and because I had noticed in Gerhard Hertzbergs Spectra of Diatomic Molecules that interstellar CN was known to be excited to this temperature. The results of this calculation were used and then forgotten. It was not until Dr. Field reminded me of them in December of 1966 that I had any recollection of my momentary involvement with what was later shown (by Field and others) to be observational astronomys first encounter with the primordial radiation that permeates our Universe.

In the meantime, others at Bell Labs pressed the horn antenna into service for another satellite project. A new Bell System satellite, TELSTAR, was due to be launched in mid-1962. While the primary earth station at Andover, Maine, was more or less on schedule, it was feared that the European partners in the project would not be ready at launch time, leaving Andover with no one to talk to. As it turned out, fitting the Holmdel horn with a 7-cm receiver for TELSTAR proved unnecessary; the Europeans were ready at launch time. This left the Holmdel horn and its beautiful new ultra low-noise 7-cm traveling wave maser available to me for radio astronomy. This stroke of good fortune came at just the right moment. A second radio astronomer, Robert Wilson, came from Caltech on a job interview and was hired. After finishing separate projects, we set to work early in 1963.

In putting our radio astronomy receiving system together we were anxious to make sure that the quality of the components we added were worthy of the superb properties of the horn antenna and maser that we had been given. We began a series of radio astronomical observations, ones that I had proposed so as to make the best use of the careful calibration and extreme sensitivity of our system. Of these projects, the most technically challenging was a measurement of the radiation intensity from our galaxy at high latitudes. This multi-year endeavor, which resulted in our discovery of the cosmic microwave background radiation, is described in Wilsons Nobel lecture.

When our 7-cm program was accomplished, we converted the antenna to 21-cm observations, including another microwave background measurement, as well as galactic, and intergalactic, atomic hydrogen studies. During this period, I took on a visiting position in Princetons Astrophysical Sciences Department, thereby enabling me to propose and supervise graduate student research projects in radio astronomy. Like so many others in similar positions, I feel that I learned far more from my students than I could possibly have taught them.

As time went on, opportunities for front line work that we could do with our facility became rarer. Much larger radio telescopes existed, and they were being fitted with low-noise parametric amplifiers whose sensitivities began to approach that of our maser system. As a result, I began looking for new ways of exploring the radio sky. In those days, the portion of the radio spectrum short-ward of one cm wavelength was not yet available for line radio astronomy owing to equipment limitations. At Bell Laboratories, however, many of the key components required for such work had been developed for communications research purposes. With Keith Jefferts, a Bell Labs atomic physicist, Wilson and I assembled a millimeter-wave receiver which we carried to a precision radio telescope built by the National Radio Astronomy Observatory at Kitt Peak, Arizona, early in 1970. Using this new technique, we discovered and studied a number of interstellar molecular species, thereby revealing the rich and varied chemistry which exists in interstellar space.

Millimeter-wave spectral studies have proven to be a particularly fruitful area for radio astronomy, and are the subject of active and growing interest, involving a large number of scientists around the world. The most personally satisfying portion of this work for me was using molecular spectra to explore the isotopic composition of interstellar atoms  thereby tracing the nuclear processes that produced them. Most notably our 1973 discovery of DCN, the first deuterated molecular species found in interstellar space, enabled me to trace the distribution of deuterium in the galaxy. This work provided us with evidence for the cosmological origin of this unique element, which had earned the nickname Arnos white whale. Of all the nuclear species found in nature, deuterium is the only one whose origin stems exclusively from the explosive origin of the Universe. Because deuteriums cosmic abundance serves as the single most sensitive parameter in the prediction of cosmic background radiation, these measurements provided strong support for the Big Bang interpretation of our earlier discovery.

In addition to my astronomical research, I always had made it my business to engage in technology-related work at Bell Labs. It seemed only reasonable to contribute to the pool of technology from which I drew upon. Similarly, Bell Labs has always contributed to, as well as used, the store of basic knowledge  as evidenced by their hiring of a radio astronomer in the first place.

As time went on, I grew more involved in leading the research of others. In 1972 I became the Head of the Radio Physics Research Department upon the retirement of A.B. Crawford, the brilliant engineer who had designed and built the horn antenna that Wilson and I used in our discovery. In 1976, I became the Director of the Radio Research Laboratory, an organization of some sixty scientists and engineers, engaged in a wide variety of research activities, principally related to the understanding of radio and its communication applications. At the same time, I was able to continue my personal research work in radio astronomy, using a superb millimeter-wave radio telescope we had built at our Crawford Hill facility. Fitted with uniquely-sensitive detectors and a dedicated minicomputer (then still something of a rarity), this facility eliminated the manual controls and constant tinkering with equipment, that I had long been used to.

Early in 1979, my managerial responsibilities increased once again when I was asked to assume responsibility for Bell Labs Communications Sciences Research Division. At the same time, I continued the personal research which traced the effects of nuclear processing in the Galaxy through the study of interstellar isotopes, and began working in a new area  the nature and distribution of molecular clouds in interstellar space. Instead of participating as actively as I had in the past, however, I introduced this subject to graduate students who explored it in their PhD theses under my supervision.

Then, toward the end of 1981, an unexpected event imposed an abrupt end to my career as a research scientist. At that time, AT&T and the US Department of Justice decided to settle their anti-trust suit by breaking up the Bell System. In the midst of this process, I received yet another promotion  this time to Vice-President of Research  at a moment when two-thirds of the traditional research-funding base moved off with the newly-divested local telephone companies.

As a result, I found myself facing several issues at once: What sort of research organization did the new AT&T require? How to create this new organization without destroying the worlds premier industrial research laboratory in the process? Would the people in this large and tradition bound organization accept and support the changes needed to adapt to new economic and technological imperatives? Needless to say, such matters kept me quite busy.

In retrospect, the research organization which emerged from the decade following the Bell Systems breakup deployed a far richer set of capabilities than its predecessor. In particular, our work featured a growing software component, even as we strove to improve our hardware capabilities in areas such as light-wave and electronics. The marketplace upheaval brought forth by increased competition helped speed the pace of technological revolution, and forced change upon the research and development institutions of all industrialized nations, Bell Labs included. While change is rarely comfortable, I am happy to say that we not only survived but also grew more capable in the process  seeding much of the information revolution which now pervades the world in which we live.

Except for two or three papers on interstellar isotopes, my tenure as Bell Labs Vice-President of Research brought my personal research in astrophysics to an end. In its place, I pursued my interest in the principles which underlie the creation and effective use of technology in our society, and eventually found time to write a book on the subject Ideas and Information, published by W.W. Norton in 1989. In essence, the book depicts computers as a wonderful tool for human beings but a dreadful role model for what we humans know as intelligence. In other words, If you dont want to be replaced by a machine, dont try to act like one! The warm reception this book received in the US, and the ten other countries which published it in various translations gave me much satisfaction.

By the early 1990s, my life had settled into a familiar  if not entirely comfortable  routine. The joy and satisfaction that I found in helping to help shape exciting new ideas was offset by onerous management chores  most notably, my annual task of getting adequate financial support for my organizations budget requirements from our parent corporation. Beset by competitors who didnt have research labs of their own to pay for, AT&Ts leaders nonetheless did their best to provide for its crown jewel. As one year followed another, I did my best to repay that trust by helping to turn some of our scientific gems into profitable jewelry.

And then, I did something that surprised everyone  myself included. I decided to swap my job for something entirely new, moving from the worlds largest corporate R&D organization to Californias Silicon Valley, premier incubator of tiny start-up enterprises.

In retrospect, I can point to a number of contributing factors  most notably obligatory retirement age, then only a few years away. While arbitrary, the notion behind an age cutoff for senior managers had much to recommend it. I couldnt (and still cant see) myself ever being happy without something challenging to work on. Since getting another management-related job seemed too much of the same thing, I hit upon the idea of turning what I had been enjoying most into a full time job: helping to shape new ideas, and bring them to practical fruition. The more I thought about it, the more attractive this plan for my post-retirement life became. So attractive, in fact, that I soon decided not to wait much longer to put it into place.

Once decided upon, my transition proved surprisingly easy. At the suggestion of the then Bell Labs President, I soon took on a new job  one in which I was to report what I learned about Silicon Valley and its workings, to my Bell Labs colleagues. Accordingly, I arranged to sit in on presentations made by nascent start-up enterprises to venture capitalists. I felt right at home in short order, peppering presenters with questions and suggestions concerning their technologies and plans for turning their offers into viable businesses.

As time went on, an increasing number of these sessions led to invitations from some of the entrepreneurs to get directly involved with their companies, generally by becoming a member of a Board of Directors, or serving on a Technical Advisory Board. I accepted a few of these invitations, but then opted for something that seemed more flexible: working on an as-needed basis with the investing staff and portfolio companies of a single venture capital firm: New Enterprise Associates. Happily, this relationship has endured, and continues to flourish to the time of this writing, almost ten years after it began. This talented and diverse group of people works as a successful laboratory  finding ways in which small handfuls of creative people might change some aspect of the world.

In my early years with NEA, much of my interest focused on communications-related endeavors, but soon broadened to encompass a wide variety of topics under the general heading of Information Technology. Most recently, I have found and catalyzed several alternative approaches to energy generation  a field I had all but given up on a decade earlier.

With exciting projects underway, and a never-ending stream of new opportunities, my days are filled with new things to learn, challenging puzzles, and stimulating interactions with collaborators. Needless to say, I have no plans to retire.

* This autobiography was provided by the Laureate in June 2005.

To cite this section

MLA style: Arno Penzias  Biographical. NobelPrize.org. Nobel Prize Outreach AB 2022. Wed. 9 Nov 2022. <https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/physics/1978/penzias/biographical/>
Former Destrehan High School English teacher Shelley Dufresne walked into Jefferson Parish district court Tuesday (April 25) followed by her attorney, Jim Williams, as she prepares to stand trial on two counts of carnal knowledge of a juvenile. Dusfresne is accused of having sex with a then-16-year-old student. (WVUE Fox 8 News)
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.
SIOUX CITY (AP)  A California-based developer has defaulted on a $6 million bond agreement, raising questions about the future of a 12-story art deco structure built in 1933 that has fallen into disrepair in Sioux City.

Cedar Rapids Bank and Trust filed for foreclosure on the building earlier this month, saying Mako One Corp., its managing partner Bruce DeBolt and two other limited liability companies owe more than $4.4 million in principal, interest and advances, The Sioux City Journal reported.

Officials with the bank say the default puts the issuance of state and federal tax credits in jeopardy, leaving it at risk of losing a significant portion of collateral.

There is no possibility, absent an infusion of additional capital or loans, that the bank will be repaid in full without a different investor receiving the federal tax credits under different conditions, said the bank in its petition filed in Woodbury County District Court.

The bonds initial maturity date under the agreement was June 25, 2014. Bank officials say the agreement was amended six times with a final maturity date of Dec. 12, 2016.

The petition says the bank didnt receive payment of the bonds by that date and that it sent a written default notice to DeBolt and his companies March 28.

The bank has asked a judge to appoint a receiver to take over the property. A court hearing has been scheduled for May 22.

DeBolt didnt immediately return the Associated Press messages seeking comment.

The Badgerow Building was built in 1933 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
A long-discussed project will soon make quite a splash in Carter Lake following a vote by the Carter Lake City Council.

The council approved a $134,997 bid Monday evening from Outdoor Recreation Products of Elkhorn, Nebraska, for a new childrens splash pad to be built along Redick Boulevard near Carter Lake Elementary School and the Owen Memorial Library.

The splash pad will cover an area 71 feet long and 40 feet wide with 12 water events for kids to enjoy, said Bill Pospichal, the firms owner.

At one end of the pad, a tall spider-like feature will allow kids to stand underneath with ground pods diverting the flow of water to different parts of the spiders body, Pospichal said.

Near the middle of the pad, a wavy noodle will feature an umbrella-shaped spray effect allowing the kids to stand underneath just like using a real umbrella on a rainy day. For the smaller kids, a fish-like feature will spray water from the mouth.

A variety of ground sprays will also be part of the pad. The push of a button will activate the events, with many of them spraying in different combinations.

The pad will run for four minutes before it needs to be reactivated. It can also be expanded to include more features down the road, he said. The features of the pad have already been ordered.

Although its not for sure, the splash pad may be completed in time for Carter Lake Days on June 10, Pospichal said.

Its going to be tight, but well make every effort to accommodate that, he said.

The bid by the Elkhorn firm was the lower of two submitted. Two years ago, the firm supplied the parts of the Fairmount Park water playground in Council Bluffs, Pospichal said, though the actual installation was with another company.

Well be the general contractor on this project, he said.

He recalled how the splash pad has been a project Carter Lake officials have discussed for many years.

Its been a long time coming, Pospichal said.

Approximately $150,000 has been earmarked in the city budget for this project.
DES MOINES (AP)  A U.S. Senate committee has scheduled a hearing to consider Iowa Gov. Terry Branstads nomination as ambassador to China.

The U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee announced Tuesday that it will hold a hearing May 2 to discuss Branstads nomination for the job.

A spokesman for the Republican governor said its unclear if the committee will vote that day. Branstad will also need approval from the full Senate.

Branstad is scheduled to be in Washington on Wednesday and Thursday for meetings related to his confirmation.

Branstad has served as Iowas governor for 23 years, making him the longest-serving governor in U.S. history.

Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds is expected to become governor of Iowa if Branstad is confirmed to the diplomatic post.
Teaching goes far beyond instructing children how to solve problems on a worksheet.

Educators who reach out to positively influence the futures of their students are to be cherished.

Five local educators were given their due at the 10th Excellence in Teaching Awards ceremony, with awards presented by the Nelson Family Foundation: April Balm, Sarah Steinmetz, Kristine Rush, Mark Mendell and Joan Goeser.

These teachers exemplify the best the city has to offer, educators who excel at affecting positive change on students and the community at large.

Teachers were nominated by current and former students, parents of students and colleagues.

Balm, a special education teacher at Thomas Jefferson High School, began working with the Council Bluffs district in 2006, having also taught at Kirn Middle School, Longfellow Elementary, Wilson Middle School and the Kanesville Alternative Learning Center.

Balm infuses her classroom with love, acceptance, expectations and responsibility, presenter Jim Campbell said during a ceremony for the honorees last week at the Council Bluffs Country Club.

I work with teens who, sometimes were their only support system, she said. We try to make our space for them as comfortable as possible.

Goeser, a fourth grade teacher at Titan Hill Intermediate School, began her teaching career in the Lewis Central School District in 1984.

Goeser told the crowd she, admittedly, did not prepare a speech, but said the recognition not only for herself but for others was wonderful.

I see many people here  friends, colleagues  and it amazes me to be in a group like this, she said.

Mendell is the band instructor at Abraham Lincoln High School. He began working for the Council Bluffs district in 1989 and has taught band to both elementary and high school students.

The kids Ive worked with, its been an honor to be influenced by their energy, Mendell said.

Rush is currently a second grade teacher at Franklin Elementary. She began her career as a staff substitute before being hired as a teacher in 2006. Rush has taught both second and fourth grades.

One school year when the budget was particularly tight, Rush volunteered to take 80 children to her parents farm.

Rush said she was privileged and fortunate to work with a school district each day that holds a strong work ethic.

Freedom of choice isnt doing whatever we want, but doing what we ought to do. We have the choice of doing what is easy or to go further to make things matter, she said.

Steinmetz is currently a talented and gifted strategist at Abraham Lincoln High School. She began her career with the Council Bluffs school district in 2001 and has worked as a science teacher at Wilson and A.L. and a math/science teacher at Kanesville.

I learned my work ethic passed on to me by my parents, Steinmetz said. But it takes a whole city to teach a generation of children.

In addition to the five teachers who were honored, the annual event also recognized outgoing Council Bluffs Community School District Superintendent Martha Bruckner, who is retiring at the end of the school year.

We offer both a hearty congratulations and thank you to all six educators on their accolades and for their work in Council Bluffs.
The following editorial was published in the Burlington Hawk Eye on April 19 and has been edited.

In the heart of Western coal country, fair competition is taking a back seat to big money.

In Wyoming, fossil fuel companies are king and state lawmakers want to keep it that way. Coal production is first in the nation. The state also is fourth in natural gas production and ranks eighth in pumping crude oil.

As a consequence, other sources of energy represent a threat. The state fears the sun shining down from above and winds blowing off the mountain ranges.

The GOP-controlled legislature has proposed a law to tax companies selling renewable energy.

Senate File 0071 requires utility companies in the state to provide electricity to there customers from eligible resources. This includes coal, hydroelectricity, natural gas, nuclear and oil. The bill requires electricity in the state be 100 percent derived from qualified resources by 2019.

Any company doing otherwise would be fined $10 per megawatt.

Wyoming is a great wind state and we produce a lot of wind energy. We also produce a lot of conventional energy, many times our needs, Republican Rep. David Miller told InsideClimate News. The electricity generated by coal is amongst the least expensive in the country. We want Wyoming residences to benefit from this inexpensive electrical generation. We do not want to be averaged into the other states that require a certain (percentage) of more expensive renewable energy.

Miller is engaging in political double speak and his argument is illogical. The cost of alternative sources of energy now is comparable to the dirty energy of coal. When this new kind of energy is cheaper and less toxic, why should it be penalized to preserve black rock?

Yes, the party preaching against overregulation has no problem doing so for a buddy with deep pockets.

The solar and wind industry is taking business away from coal. Instead of letting market forces play out, the response is to punish the upstarts  not to mention the environment.

Fortunately, SF 0071 never made it out of committee.

An ironic twist on that protectionism blew in from the original vortex of coal. In the hilly Appalachian town of Benham, Kentucky, is the Kentucky Coal Museum.

The town once was a coal camp whose population peaked at about 3,000. Today, 500 folks call the sleepy town home and the mines are but a memory. Only the storefront museum remains as a reminder.

The museum needed to lower its energy costs, and instead of lobbying politicians for help, it reached out to the power of the sun and installed solar panels on its roof.

We believe this project will help save at least $8,000 to $10,000 off the energy costs on this building alone, Brandon Robinson, communications director of Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College, which owns the museum, told a local radio station. So its a very worthy effort and its going to save the college money in the long run.

Who can afford not to save $10,000 a year? Certainly not coal advocates in Kentucky.

Their brethren in Wyoming should take notice. Fossil fuel represents the past.

Its dirty and emits air pollutants harmful to the environment and public health. Beyond that, the U.S. Department of Energy recently acknowledged industries related to renewable energy employ more workers than coal, oil and gas combined.

Efficiency and cleanliness represent the future. For the sake of humanity, it could not have come too soon.
The business and community education department at Mid-Plains Community College will hold a free youth ATV training on April 29 at the Custer County Fairgrounds in Broken Bow.

There will be additional trainings in Ogallala, Thedford, Benkelman, McCook and Imperial.

There will be two sessions to choose from at each training: 9 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4 p.m.

Classes will be divided by ages 6-9 and 10-16. Six students from each age group will be allowed in each session.

The curriculum, developed by Central States Safety Driver Training, will consist of safety instruction and guided, hands-on ATV operation. Participants will practice turns, stops and terrain navigation.

Instruction topics will include ATV injury and fatality statistics, how ATV size can contribute to rollover injuries and fatalities, the dangers of carrying passengers and material on ATVs, risks of traveling on public roads and safety procedures and practices.

Those who complete the program successfully will receive a certificate that aligns with insurance company requirements.

ATVs in different sizes will be used during the trainings. Parents of children younger than 10 must stay for their childs class.

Other requirements include: closed-toe footwear (preferably over the ankle); long, non-flare pants; long-sleeved shirt or jacket; approved eye protection (will be provided if a participant does not have any); and helmet (will be provided if a participant doesnt have one).

Those unable to attend the training in Broken Bow will have the option of taking it at the following locations: May 20: Nebraska Department of Roads, Ogallala; May 23: Thomas County Fairgrounds, Thedford; June 14: Dundy County Fairgrounds, Benkelman; June 15: Red Willow County Fairgrounds, McCook; June 21: Chase County Fairgrounds, Imperial.

Space is limited in all classes.

Preregistration is required by calling 308-535-3678.

The trainings are possible thanks to a grant from the CHS Foundation, of Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota. The money is administered through the

North Platte Community College Foundation.
A registered sex offender was charged Tuesday with first-degree sexual assault.

According to Investigator John Deal, a North Platte police officer took a report from a woman who said she had been sexually assaulted early Monday at a residence in the 2400 block of East Second Street.

The victim said she was acquainted with John Runkle, 35, of North Platte but the two were not dating. She said she was staying at Runkles residence Sunday evening into Monday morning.

The woman told police she was watching a movie with Runkle when she fell asleep. She said she woke up to Runkle having sexual intercourse with her. Deal said the woman had not consented to any sexual contact with Runkle. She left the residence and contacted police.

Deal said officers went to the residence, where Runkle agreed to an interview and allowed officers to look around the home. Officers located marijuana in plain view in the residence. After the interview, officers determined there was probable cause to arrest Runkle.

Deal said Runkle is a registered sex offender. According to Nebraskas Sex Offender Registry, Runkle must register for 25 years as a result of an incident in 2007 that led to his conviction for possession of visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct, which is a class 4 felony.

His most recent registered address was in the 200 block of West B Street, according to the registry. It was reported in January.

Officers determined that John had been living at the address on East Second for several months and never updated where he was living, which is a violation of the sex offender registry, Deal said.

On Tuesday, Runkle appeared in county court, where he was charged with first-degree sexual assault as well as failure to register as a sex offender, both felonies.

His bail was set at $500,000, of which he must pay 10 percent to be released.
WASHINGTON  The global marketplace offers opportunities for communities and workers, but taking advantage of it requires preparation, LaPorte Mayor Blair Milo said Tuesday.

She offered her perspective during the initial hearing of the House Republican Policy Committee's Task Force on the American Worker.

LaPorte has seen about $250 million in new economic growth since she took office in 2012, she said afterward. About 80 percent of that investment comes from participants in the global market, she said.

One of the challenges Indiana, and the nation, face is to better match prospective employees to available jobs, she said.

"I have jobs, but I can't find people to fill them," is something Milo hears LaPorte employers say often.

"Conversation about educational pathways needs to happen at an earlier age for students," said Milo, who is on the state Workforce Innovation Council.

Career counselors need to be empowered to have the right kinds of conversations with students, she said. That included helping people see what their skill sets are, which occupations require those skills, what jobs are available now and what the future prospects are for those occupations.

The safety net needs to be adjusted to encourage the work ethic, she said, realizing that employment brings dignity to the American worker.

Milo said more young people need to understand that a four-year college degree might not be the best path for them in the global economy.

Students have less debt when they take a more tailored route to career preparation, she said.

Her own career counseling was in middle school, when she gave up on plans to become a Rockette or a marine biologist.

The challenge now is to get the right data about workforce opportunities to the people making decisions or providing the training to Hoosier students, she said.
HOBART  Now more than ever, international trade needs to be nurtured and supported. However, it must be conducted with knowledge and a willingness to adapt.

Some 50 guests heard those messages during the Northwest Indiana World Trade Alliance's third annual luncheon meeting Tuesday at Avalon Manor.

We used to be the World Trade Council. Weve resurrected the organization as the World Trade Alliance, and there is not a better time to do this, said Keith Kirkpatrick, NWIWTA president. We are pulling back and questioning our trade practices, and not in a good way.

Mark Cooper, director of the U.S. Department of Commerce based in Indianapolis, gave a pep talk on how to avoid The Seven Deadly Sins of Exporting during his keynote speech.

Indiana is a global crossroads with $34.7 billion in exports in 2016 to primarily Canada and Mexico, followed by Germany, China and Japan, Cooper said. Thats why NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement) has been so important.

International trade means good-paying jobs, he said.

However, Cooper said, international exporting is a contact sport and those engaged in the international markets need to avoid mistakes he called sins.

Sin #1  Not doing your homework

 We want to win, but not everyone should go to China.

 Not understanding what makes your product or service special.

 Just because it sells in the U.S. doesnt mean it will sell over there.

 You need to determine the key market indicators for your product.

Sin #2  An uncommitted management

 Management has to believe in a global economy.

 Doesnt see international as real business.

 Wont hire an international sales person.

 Doesnt want to spend money on research or allow travel to markets.

Sin #3  Lack of focus

 Not every market is a good one; there are more than 180 countries in the world.

Sin #4  Champagne taste, beer checkbook

 Want to conduct business via email.

 Dont want to travel.

 Dont have money for international expansion.

 Websites not globalized.

Sin #5  Unwilling to adapt

 The wrong motto is if its good enough for Americans 

 Unwilling to adapt products to the market  for instance, using the metric system.

 Unwilling to change production, to adjust size or dimensions of products.

Sin # 6  My distributor is a crook!

 Vet possible distributors carefully  do background checks.

 Define the territory.

 Have an exit strategy.

Sin #7  In God we trust; all others use a letter of credit

 Getting paid is a top priority.

 Be sure to consider shipping costs.

 Know payment options such as cash in advance, letter of credit, export credit insurance, etc.

The biggest sin is not thinking, acting and going global, Cooper said. Its your international market.
CROWN POINT  Lifting battery-operated candles, 122 people from all over Lake County honored children lost to abuse and neglect as part of the 4th Child Abuse Prevention Candlelight Vigil held Tuesday evening on the lawn of the Old Lake County Courthouse.

One day, we can prevent child abuse all together. I do believe as a community we can, said Ellis Dumas III, regional manager of the Indiana Department of Child Services, Region 1 Lake County, noting that April is Child Prevention Month.

Citing statistics from 2016 in Lake County, Dumas said there were 106 substantiated cases of sexual abuse, 156 cases of physical abuse and 1,810 cases of neglect reported.

Each case represents one child, a new case, he said. It is something that pierces your soul.

However, Dumas said, the statistics provide good news because they represent reports made to law enforcement and agencies.

When youre hurting a child, youre hurting the future, said Lake County Prosecutor Bernard Carter. We need to watch our neighbors. We really have to report abuse and neglect.

Lake County Juvenile Court Judge Thomas Stefaniak Jr. told those gathered, It is about the community and us looking out for one another.

Rep. Julie Olthoff, R-Crown Point, reported on a coordinated Region effort called No More Secrets that was spearheaded by North Township Trustee Frank Mrvan Jr. Recently signed into law, the mandate requires all Indiana school to provide annual instruction in grades kindergarten through 12th regarding child abuse and sexual abuse.

Lake Circuit Court Judge Marissa McDermott told attendees that although she doesnt handle criminal cases, many cases coming to her courtroom involve protective orders.

These are mostly women with children who are asking for protection, McDermott said. When I sign the order, I took them right in the eye and tell them, This is just a piece of paper. We have resources in Lake County to help you. Youre not alone.'"

As blue and silver pinwheels spun in the wind, other voices rose to rally those attending to help end child abuse and neglect.

Quoting a favorite saying, State Sen. Eddie Melton, D-Merrillville, said, The greatest legacy we can give our children is not money. The greatest legacy is a legacy of love and faith.

Kaylor Sheehy sang "Whose Voices Arent Heard," a song she wrote for the candlelight vigil.

In 2008, the pinwheel was adopted as the national symbol by the Prevent Child Abuse America for child abuse prevention, said Rehana Adat-Lopez, director of the Lake County CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) program.

The pinwheel is a symbol, a reflection of hope, health and safety for children, Adat-Lopez said.

Since that year, more than 1 million pinwheels have been distributed in Indiana, said Wendy Hensley, president of Prevent Child Abuse, Lake County.

All children deserve a great childhood, Hensley said. Every day is a call to action. Invest in our future and our children.
VALPARAISO  Students not feeling well will soon have the opportunity to see a medical provider without going to the doctor's office.

The Valparaiso School Board and HealthLinc have entered into an agreement for a pilot telemedicine program beginning with summer school. The clinic, which will provide an internet link with either a nurse practitioner or doctor at the primary HealthLinc clinic, will be housed at Thomas Jefferson Middle School.

Beth Wrobel, CEO of HealthLinc, said the Healthy Vikes Clinic will operate from 6:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., Monday through Friday at TJMS.

"This allows the children to be seen by a health care provider without leaving the school," she said, adding the early morning hours allow parents to bring their child, who may be complaining about a sore throat or other acute ailment, to the school, be seen by a provider and make a decision whether the child should be treated or go to class.

The clinic also will be able to run limited lab work, Wrobel said.

Wrobel said the first step will be making parents aware of the opportunity. Parents must register and give approval to have their child seen and treated at the clinic.

Once consent is given, she said, if a child complains about not feeling well during the school day, the child is screened by the school nurse who can refer the child to the clinic. The child, with prior consent, can be seen and treated at the clinic. Children who have not been registered also can be seen, but parents must be contacted ahead of time to provide consent for the services.

A medical assistant, employed by HealthLinc, will be stationed at the school. While they won't be able to dispense medication, e-prescriptions will be available.

Wrobel said HealthLinc will handle all insurance and billing matters and will provide a written assessment after the visit. She said an internet patient portal also will be available to parents.

The board approved the concept 4-0, after a legal review of the written agreement. Member Jim Jorgensen recused himself, saying his law firm represents HealthLinc.
HOBART  Police are seeking the public's help in identifying three women accused of stealing thousands of dollars in merchandise from Ulta Beauty store locations in Hobart and throughout the Chicago area.

Hobart Police Lt. James Gonzales said officers responded to Hobart's Ulta store on Friday to take a report about a theft that had occurred April 12. The store is located at 2395 E. 81st Ave. in Hobart.

Information obtained from another Ulta location indicates the suspects possibly entering a black Acura vehicle, police said.

Anyone with information on the identities of the suspects should contact Gonzales at 219-942-4405 or by email at jgonzales@cityofhobart.org. Anyone wishing to assist with the investigation can remain anonymous, police said.
VALPARAISO  The large concrete area leading up to the downtown Porter County Administration Center is nearly entirely blocked off with traffic barricades.

Visitors must navigate their way through a narrow walkway and up a handicap ramp to access the building, which houses most of county government's non-court-related offices.

When Porter County Councilman Jeremy Rivas, D-2nd, raised concern about the situation Tuesday night, Porter County Commissioner Jim Biggs, R-North, said he had the barricades put in place after a third person fell on the deteriorating concrete steps leading up to the building.

"Enough's, enough," Biggs said.

The building is used by lots of senior citizens, he said.

A fix is in the works, but it is unclear how much it will cost, according to county attorney Scott McClure.

Officials are meeting again Friday to move the work along, he said.

The Porter County Board of Commissioners discussed the problem in January and unveiled drawings showing the large expanse and various levels of concrete platforms and steps replaced by one long, gradually rising ramp to the front door. Grass and trees fill in the balance of the area along Indiana Avenue.

Commissioner Laura Blaney, D-South, said at the time she has watched for years as people have struggled to maneuver the large expanse of concrete platforms and crumbling steps.

The commissioners agreed in January to pay $112,000 to have the area leading up to the front of the administration center redesigned. The group voiced hopes of working with the County Council to come up with just short of $1 million to undertake the reconstruction work.

McClure indicated Tuesday that the commissioners are eyeing the proceeds from the 2007 sale of the county hospital to pay for the improvement work.

Porter County Commissioner President Jeff Good, R-Center, had referred back to his professional experience in the hotel industry when stressing the importance of maintaining a strong "sense of arrival" to a building.

"Your buildings signify who you really are as a community," he said.

Lights could be strung in the trees to illuminate the area at night, Good said.

"What a better way to continue what the city of Valparaiso has done down here with its park," he said.

Biggs had said the new design will allow other uses for the large areas that are just walked on now.
GARY  Mayor Karen Freeman-Wilson said she and U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions have sharp philosophical differences over law enforcement.

"But at the end of the day, I hope we will find common ground. His bottom line is that he wants to work with us," Freeman-Wilson said Tuesday afternoon.

She and mayors from New Orleans, Austin, Texas and other cities met Tuesday in Washington, D.C., with Sessions and Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly to discuss emerging policies on immigration and violent crime.

Freeman-Wilson, who is co-chairwoman of the U.S. Conference of Mayors' immigration reform commission, said the main idea the mayors wanted to get across is for President Donald Trump's administration to find a consistent policy that concentrates federal resources on fighting criminals rather than tough talk about deporting undocumented persons.

"By no means are we saying people should be allowed to circumvent immigration laws, but we asked for and got an assurance they will prioritize," she said.

Freeman-Wilson said that calmed some fears raised last week by news reports the government would deny law enforcement grant money to so-called sanctuary cities accused of refusing to share information with federal authorities about undocumented people.

The reports indicated Chicago, New York and Philadelphia were among those in jeopardy.

She said Gary and those other cities are in compliance with federal law and shouldn't be in jeopardy at the moment, but she is concerned the Trump administration will implement more stern measures.

"That is something that is unnerving in certain communities," Freeman-Wilson said.

"We support the attorney general's desire to address violent criminals in a very clear and punitive way. But we are concerned he believes that holding police agencies accountable for constitutional policing makes cities less safe. We think you can do both.

"I emphasized to him that to think this is strictly a law enforcement issue, is shortsighted. Look at drug courts. They and other alternative measures have an extremely important role to play in making our cities safer.

"Quite frankly, I don't know whether or not he really understands the magnitude of the issues outside the realm of law enforcement. That is probably because he is a law enforcement guy.

"He has developed his opinions as a prosecutor, a U.S.Attorney and as member of the U.S. Senate. He seems to err on the side of law enforcement," the mayor said.
GARY  The Gary Public Library is downsizing in the face of reduced tax revenues.

The Indiana State Board of Accounts this week released an audit of the library's finances between 2012 and 2015.

It shows the 109-year-old library system experienced an $11 million reduction of its public income since the previous four-year audit period of 2008 to 2011.

Library officials have responded by drastically reducing spending.

It closed its main library at 220 W. Fifth Ave., in 2011, its Tolleston Branch in 2012 and its Brunswick Branch last fall.

State records show the library cut its staff from 74 employees to 37 between 2012 and last year.

Robert Buggs, a member of the library board, said Tuesday they plan to close the W.E.B Du Bois Library, 1835 Broadway, later this year at the same time they reopen the main library. No date has been scheduled for this.

Diana Morrow, library director, couldn't be reached for comment.

The library's income has suffered since voters approved the property tax circuit breaker in 2010 that caps the taxes Gary's industry, business and individual homeowners now pay.

The audit shows the library's receipts from taxes and other public funds shrunk from an average of $8.5 million per year between 2008 and 2011 to $5.6 million between 2012 and 2015, according to the previous state audit.

The library was forced to draw on its savings and non-tax receipts and reduced its spending by an average of $1 million annually.

Gary Mayor Karen Freeman-Wilson said Tuesday, "The library is in the same predicament that all city agencies are... the challenges we all face with abandoned buildings and the disproportionate impact of the tax caps on the city of Gary. We probably have been hit harder than any other Indiana community.

"Although the library is feeling it less, it probably took them a longer time to feel it. I would be the last person to sit here and second guess their decision as it relates to what they close or keep open. We certainly want to see the main branch open," the mayor said.

The audit catalogued a number of deficiencies in bookkeeping procedures.

It said the library paid the same vendors multiple times, which resulted in over payments of $28,000. The library board failed to sign vouchers to show they were approved for payment.

The library also lacked some internal controls over money handling to ensure no one person is responsible for any crucial part of it. The audit also cited the library for inaccurate or incomplete payroll records.

Freddy Louis McMillon, the library's controller, responded to the State Board of Accounts in a letter stating the library system has improved its financial performance over the last audit and is making efforts to correct the faults cited in this examination.

He said the library system has computer software that prevents duplicate payments, but an unidentified person, no longer employed by the library, was overriding the system.

Buggs said the vendor who received the duplicate payments reported them and returned the money to the library.
INDIANAPOLIS  The state-funded pre-kindergarten program operating in Lake and four other counties for the past two years will continue through at least mid-2019 and children in 15 additional counties will get to participate.

Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb signed House Enrolled Act 1004 into law Wednesday. It expands the availability of On My Way Pre-K and doubles the funding to $20 million a year.

"Its a joy to sign this bill that gives more students a great start to their educational journeys," Holcomb said.

On My Way Pre-K provides grants worth up to $6,800 a year for 4-year-olds from families meeting income qualifications to attend high-quality pre-kindergarten classes offered by public, private or religious schools.

It currently is running in Lake, Allen, Jackson, Marion and Vanderburgh counties. The new law guarantees those counties will receive the same or more money for pre-K in future years as they have in the past.

The 15 expansion counties will be selected in coming months through a process devised by the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration, which manages the preschool program.

Lawmakers also approved spending $1 million a year so children living in rural areas of the state where there are no top-rated preschool programs can attend online pre-kindergarten classes.

"We know children who get off to a strong start are far more likely to achieve academic success," said FSSA Secretary Jennifer Walthall. "Building a foundation for educational, social and emotional development is key to ensuring children become well-rounded adults."
INDIANAPOLIS  Indiana plans to replenish its depleted stock of execution drugs by offering total anonymity to a drug maker, distributor or individual pharmacist who can supply the state with the chemicals needed to carry out a death sentence.

A provision tucked in the two-year state budget that Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb is expected to sign Thursday bars the release of information about any entity that provides execution drugs to the Department of Correction, including its name, location, employees, subcontractors or manufacturing process.

House Speaker Brian Bosma, R-Indianapolis, said lawmakers agreed to insert the confidentiality clause into House Enrolled Act 1001 so Indiana would not be caught in the same situation as Arkansas, which is rushing this week to carry out executions before its lethal injection drugs expire.

"The language requested by the governor just allows the state to access its death penalty drugs which will not be sold to states that do not have similar language," Bosma said.

According to the Department of Correction, Indiana employs a three-drug protocol to execute death row inmates at the Indiana State Prison in Michigan City.

The first drug induces unconsciousness, the second paralyzes the respiratory system and the third stops the heart.

At least one of the three drugs is in short supply generally. Another no longer will be sold or exported by its manufacturer if the drug is to be used for an execution.

The legislation approved last week by the Republican-controlled House, 68-30, and the Republican-controlled Senate, 42-8, aims to bypass those limitations by guaranteeing secrecy to any drug company willing to sell to the state.

Failing that, it also extends the protection to any pharmacist, located anywhere in the world, who is willing to create facsimiles of the drugs out of their basic chemical components.

The governor said he's not sure even that will get Indiana the drugs it needs to carry out an execution, though he's committed to doing whatever it takes to get them.

"This state decided long ago that we support the death penalty, and we have to prepare  I have to be prepared  to administer it," Holcomb said. "As it stands right now ... we are not."

Bosma agreed: "I'm a fervent supporter of the death penalty in Indiana. I believe it's a deterrent. It's rarely used here, but we need to have that option."

Holcomb said he did not consider commuting the death sentences of the 11 men and one woman awaiting execution to life sentences without the possibility of parole as a result of the drug shortage.

None of the 12 currently are eligible to be executed due to past or pending legal rulings.

The most recent Hoosier to receive a lethal injection was triple murderer Matthew Eric Wrinkles, 39, of Evansville. He was executed Dec. 11, 2009.

Indiana also is home to the federal death chamber in Terre Haute where three individuals have been executed this century, none since 2003.
Shirley Heinze Land Trust will host an educational bus tour of its nature preserves from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. May 13. Staff, board members and guest speakers - including author Dr. Ken Schoon - will provide insights on land conservation and the ecology, geology, and history of Northwest Indiana.

The bus will depart promptly at 8 a.m. from Meadowbrook Conservation Center and Preserve located at 109 W. County Road 700 North. The first stop will be Keith Richard Walner Nature Preserve in Chesterton, where participants will take a brief tour of this riparian forest habitat and hear about the Little Calumet Conservation Corridor project and the restoration and public access improvements being performed in this project area.

The bus will then travel east to Ambler Flatwoods Nature Preserve in Michigan City, where participants will depart the bus for a brief look at this state-rare boreal flatwoods habitat, guided by Eric Bird, Stewardship Director for Shirley Heinze Land Trust.

After leaving Ambler Flatwoods, the tour will include a scenic drive through the Great Marsh in Beverly Shores. Water birds such as herons and egrets can often be seen perching on branches within this marsh restoration area. The bus will return Meadowbrook for a lunch in the lodge provided by Third Coast Spice Cafe.

The afternoon portion of the tour will focus on preserves in Lake County, including a brief walk at Ivanhoe South Nature Preserve in Gary, to see a globally-rare dune and swale habitat. Leaving Ivanhoe South, the bus will pass by several preserves in the City of Hobart, including Hidden Prairie, Ivory Wetlands, and Bur Oak Woods. The bus will make a stop at Gordon & Faith Greiner Nature Preserve in Hobart where participants will take a short hike. The tour will conclude back at the Meadowbrook at 3:30 p.m.

The cost to attend the tour is $40 per person. Payment must be made in advance. Reservations can be made by calling 219-242-8558 or by sending an email to Sarah Barnes at sbarnes@heinzetrust.org. Reservations must be made no later than May 10. Seating is limited, so early reservations are advised. The bus is restroom equipped.
CROWN POINT  A local developer wants to bring a unique development to the city that would include high-end townhomes, a walking path, a heated school bus/trolley stop and plenty of green space.

Plans for the Sawgrass development were presented during a workshop at a recent Plan Commission meeting.

Sawgrass would be developed by Crown Point-based Diamond Peak Homes in a 12-acre lot directly west of the senior-living facility Symphony of Crown Point and about a quarter mile south of the Southlake YMCA.

Todd Kleven, vice president of Diamond Peak Homes, said the development in the 1200 block of Marshall Street would consist of 76 townhome units (four units per building) and range from 1,400 to 2,200 square feet. Preliminary numbers show the units would start at around $250,000. The plan is to target millennials.

Kleven said Diamond Peak Homes founder and CEO Scott Crook is bringing a new vision to the area.

"He is very fond of the architecture and types of product going on in Colorado," Kleven said. "He's introducing that into all of his homes that he's doing throughout Northwest Indiana."

A decorative walking path with stopping points, benches and berms would connect the development with the expanded YMCA, Symphony of Crown Point, Walgreens and St. Matthias Church.

"This property I think will work in conjunction with the surrounding amenities," Kleven said.

He said the entire development is proposed to be maintenance-free, and a homeowners association would be in charge of every building. Developers are also proposing a tot lot and open space area with a pavilion. The heated bus stop for schoolchildren would double as a trolley stop in order to utilize the transportation system the city is putting together.

The build would take place as the market bears and is expected to take 2 1/2 to three years.

The commission's concerns included reassurance the homes would be owner-occupied and garage doors in the front. Developers have said those would not be "your average garage doors."

Crook said it would be similar to what high-end developments in Park City, Utah, and Aspen, Colorado, do to keep from making garage doors an eyesore.

"They make it something that looks comforting to the eye," he said.

Crook said garages on the side or in the rear are not a possibility in this development, which would make it a more traditional development with alleys.

"I want to get away from an apartment feel," he said. "I want to create something that is inviting to a lot of people."

Developers said offsite garages would also take up a lot of the green space.

The next step for the developers is to hold another workshop presentation in front of the City Council on May 1. Developers are seeking Planned Unit Development zoning. Kleven said the standard PUD process requires the petitioner to submit full engineering and all supporting PUD ordinance documents up front, which can get costly and still risk City Council denial.

"In order to secure a higher comfort, wed like to be transparent with the council, seek their import as well and combine the direction of both the Plan Commission and the City Council into our final design," he said.

Kleven said if the workshop is allowed, they plan to present a short virtual video of the development showing 3-D isometric imagery, bringing the viewer into the development as if they are walking down the street.

"Here, they will be able to see our vision come to life and view the building as well as the landscaping, water features, park and open space," he said. "We believe we can have this completed by May 1."
Robert Winston Milos, in memory of his parents, Dr. and Mrs. Robert J. Milos, has committed a $100,000 matching gift donation to the Purdue University Northwest College of Nursing.

The family is encouraging others to do the same to address the significant demands that will continue to grow in the health care field.

Bolstered by a legacy of dedication to health care, the family made the decision to invest in preparing future nurses who will be a major part of the health and well being of residents in Northwest Indiana and beyond.

The College of Nursing is especially delighted to receive such a strong vote of confidence in our work preparing nurses to meet the needs of the greater community, said Lisa Hopp, dean of the College of Nursing.

Milos clearly understands that it can be challenging for students who have entered a rigorous program of study while meeting other financial obligations along the way. This gift will ease those burdens for many students.

Additionally, the Duneland Health Council in Michigan City joined the Purdue University Northwest Day of Giving by presenting a gift of $30,000 to the university to fund scholarships for students in the College of Nursing.

Duneland Health Council is proud to support the students in Purdue Northwest's high-quality nursing program, said Camie White, Duneland Health Council Executive Director.

It is our honor to contribute to the education of the Purdue Northwest students in LaPorte County who are focused on, and dedicated to, improving the health of our communities.

We are extremely grateful for the leadership of the Duneland Health Council in supporting higher education and our College of Nursing for more than 19 years, said Regina Biddings-Muro, PNW vice chancellor of Institutional Advancement.
CHESTERTON  Hundreds of children were all smiles Tuesday afternoon as they checked out the newly expanded Duneland Boys & Girls Club. After a two-year project, the club was opened for all the members to see its new space and amenities at 521 W. 1100 North.

Some of the new items include a STEM Lab, teen center, Exergaming Studio, full-sized gymnasium, a welcome area, concession facility and rock wall.

Before viewing the new attractions the children did a ribbon-cutting and then were able to explore all the new places in the club.

Club Director Joe Juarez, who welcomed everyone, was overwhelmed as he waited for children to enter the club.

"There is nothing ordinary about this club," he said. "This is just extraordinary. I am so excited to have the children see all the new things today. They have been asking me for a while about this, so they are excited about today."

Juarez said the club has about 525 members now but believes this new place will bring in more people.

"We have made something that this community will be proud of," Juarez said. "The kids' faces are amazing."

Previous to Tuesday, the club was using only a small portion of the building while the rest of it was getting ready for the grand opening.

Scott Zborowski, who is in charge of the STEM lab, said he couldn't wait to see the kids check out the room. The lab has activities including robotics, chemistry and a "grow tower" for plants.

Besides the new gym, the Exergaming studio was a big hit. That room offers hands-on activities for the children to participate in.

Kenny Callaway, 9, thought the STEM room was "cool" as he checked out the robotics.

Lexi Klusczinski and Chloe Aubert liked the Exergaming Studio. But both thought one thing stood out for them.

"The rock climbing wall is a lot of fun," Aubert said.

"The investment that the community and businesses have put into this is amazing," said Allison Martin, director of resource development. "And it's for the kids."

The Duneland club has been around about 10 years. It was first housed in the basement of the Methodist Activities Center. Then it moved to its current location, near the high school.

Jim Clark, president of Boys and Girls Clubs of America, is expected to attend the official ribbon-cutting on Wednesday.
PORTER  Harley, the towns search and rescue dog, will retire today due to health issues.

Harley has served in his official capacity since Feb. 28, 2012, and over that time has responded to an estimated 31 lost person calls. He directly led to the location of five missing persons and eliminated points of search in countless others, Assistant Fire Chief Jay Craig said.

Craig said Harley has recently been diagnosed with degenerative myopathy, a degeneration of the spinal cord.

Its time for him to retire and enjoy the good life as a couch potato. It will be really hard to explain to him that he has to enjoy the good life though, because he likes to work, Craig told the Porter Town Council last week.

He said that he has been training the towns next search and rescue dog, a German shepherd named Jakob who was purchased through a donation from the Valparaiso Kennel Club, Chief Louis Craig and Jay Craig. Jakobs former owner Robert Fugate donated the remaining value.

Craig thanked everyone for the support Harley has received over the years and the 2012 Town Council members who gave Harley his chance.

Council President Greg Stinson said Harley might be the only search and rescue dog in Porter County.

Harley has been an amazing asset to our town and community," Craig said. "I hate to see what is happening several years too early, but feel that Jakob will follow in his footsteps well.

In other business, Director of Parks Brian Bugajski announced that Trails & Facilities Specialist Jim Miller will retire on Friday after 27 years. Bugajski thanked him for his service and wished him well.

Duneland Chamber of Commerce President Maura Durham asked the council for funds and in-kind support for the Lakefront Fireworks, which will take place June 29 with a rain date of July 5.

Durham said that a major change in logistics this year will be the elimination of bus service to and from a satellite parking location to the celebration because of a change in the Duneland School Boards bus insurance.

Police Chief Jamie Spanier said the lack of bus service will cut the need for police service in half, though Craig said fire services will be the same.

The council unanimously approved the in-kind support, but denied a monetary donation.

Durham made the same appeal to the Chesterton Town Council on Monday night and was approved for $2,500 in in-kind police and fire protection, but a request for $2,500 in funds was tabled.

Council members unanimously approved Spaniers request for an assemblage permit for the Porter Volunteer Fire Departments annual Stop Drop and Roll 5K run, which will take place this year on Aug. 12.
It's a profound example of the success our Region and its leaders can enjoy when Northwest Indiana combines visionary policies with a unified voice in Indianapolis.

The Indiana General Assembly's 2017 legislative session abounded with more laws and policies benefiting both our state and Region than other sessions in recent memory.

Following the recent adjournment of the Indiana House and Senate, Northwest Indiana has many wins to celebrate, all thanks to strong leadership, vision and effectiveness in communicating state and Region concerns to the rest of Indiana's lawmakers.

Long-term road funding

One of the best examples of Region sensibility pushing the state's needle was a long awaited, sustainable plan for maintaining and building our state's road infrastructure.

For generations, our leaders patched the literal and figurative potholes of our most important infrastructure with quick fixes and half measures fueled by reactionary policy.

In 2017, Indiana House Rep. Ed Soliday, R-Valparaiso, succeeded where so many others have failed by shepherding compromise on a long-term road funding plan.

Yes, Hoosiers will pay more in gas taxes. So will other motorists who use and impact our roadways.

Our state could no longer afford to play kick the can with the condition of highways and byways so vital to our Region, state and national economy in the Hoosier crossroads of America.

Frankly, the can was becoming perpetually lodged in cracks and crevices of a Hoosier highway system that had become the brunt of deteriorating road jokes throughout the Midwest.

Soliday and other legislators deserve credit for daring to stand up for the politically unpopular but utterly realistic need to identify long-term funding sources for our roads.

We look forward to seeing the benefits.

Pre-K expansion

The Indiana General Assembly, guided in part by the strong vision of freshman Gov. Eric Holcomb, showed another important unified front in its willingness to expand investment in our youth.

House Enrolled Act 1004 passed the Legislature, meaning an expansion of the state-funded pre-kindergarten pilot program operating in Lake and four other counties to 20 counties total and doubling funding to $22 million a year.

The program provides preschool funding to families of 4-year-olds that otherwise wouldn't be able to afford crucial early learning instruction.

Study after study shows us the long-term education benefits of quality pre-K instruction for our children's educational futures.

We implore the Legislature and governor not to stop with the recent expansion.

State-funded preschool eventually should be expanded to all children. If we're not investing in the future of our state's greatest assets, none of the other investments matter.

Commuter rail investment

Indiana House Rep. Hal Slager, R-Schererville, continued laying tracks for Northwest Indiana's respectability in Indianapolis by serving as chief engineer for an important bill related to proposed commuter rail expansion.

Slager's plan to create special development districts along South Shore Line commuter rail expansion is set to become law.

The districts will allow communities in Lake, Porter, LaPorte and St. Joseph counties to establish these districts, which will capture tax revenues within defined areas along the commuter rail line to finance development debt.

It's the sort of self-sustaining financial innovation that should have many development experts taking note. Slager's plan is a fantastic complement to another move by the General Assembly to help fund double-tracking of the South Shore commuter rail line.

Following the 2017 legislative session, the state's budget now includes $6 million a year for the next 30 years to add capacity and speed travel on the commuter rail line that connects the Region with Chicago.

Having state financial support on board for this major economic development project is key to leveraging federal dollars for the proposal.

Our Region has earned strong advocates for commuter rail expansion in both the Legislature and Holcomb. We must not squander those partnerships by failing to unify behind the economic promise of expanding a service connecting Hoosiers with Chicago jobs and attracting young professionals who prefer public transportation.

State funding for East Chicago

Holcomb also showed great capacity for Region needs by prioritizing the emergency status of East Chicago's ongoing lead contamination crisis.

The state's greater understanding for this dire Region environmental issue can be attributed, in part, to the strong voice presented by a first-year Indiana legislator.

House Rep. Earl Harris, D-East Chicago, a legislative freshman, deserves credit for successfully guiding a plan that includes $3.5 million in funding for the School City of East Chicago and $1.5 million to obtain federal matching grants for environmental cleanup.

East Chicago public schools would have lost the $3.5 million from the student exodus the district has experienced in the massive lead contamination in and near the West Calumet low-income housing complex.

Thanks in no small part to Harris, the school district will be held harmless for its enrollment losses.

Purdue Northwest building

House Enrolled Act 1001 also allocates $35.1 million to construct the Bioscience Innovation Building at Purdue University Northwest in Hammond.

The facility has been a top priority of Lake County lawmakers for nearly a decade to continue transforming this important Region campus of higher learning.

The university reported the new building "will provide state-of-the-art instructional and research facilities to further nursing, biological sciences and STEM education."

We are greatly appreciative of the support provided by legislators across Northwest Indiana and beyond, and especially that of Rep. Hal Slager, who tirelessly championed our building," PNW Chancellor Thomas L. Keon said. "Every step of the way, he forged forward making his legislative colleagues aware of what this facility means to Northwest Indiana, both educationally and for economic growth and sustainability."

It's yet another feather in the cap of Slager and our entire Region.
April is Sexual Assault Awareness month and today, a rally to highlight the plague of sexual violence. Many demonstrators wear jeans, to make the point that there is no excuse and never an invitation to rape. NY1's Clodagh McGowan has the details.

The Denim Day NYC rally brought survivors of sexual assault and rape, and people who support them, to Foley Square in Lower Manhattan.

For Ann Cooper, the rally is a chance to let other survivors know, the crime is never their fault.

"It is not what we wear, it's not where we're from, it's not if we've had a drink," Cooper said. "No is no and that fact will never change."

Denim Day began after the Italian Supreme Court Decision overturned a rape conviction 19 years ago because the victim was wearing tight jeans.

The judges said the woman consented because her assailant could not have removed the jeans without her help.

The ruling sparked a global outrage, and made jeans a focal point of this annual protest against sexual assault.

Organizers say the rally's turnout proves women of all background are affected by these crimes.

"We represent every borough, every ethnicity; every language you can think of is represented here," said Alexandra Smith, an event organizer.

The NYPD has committed to provide victim assistance in every precinct and PSA by 2018.

The department also has brought in trauma experts to train detectives handling sexual assault cases. And a hotline was established to make it easier for victims to report sexual crimes.

"It's hard enough for survivors to come forward and report, we want to make it as easy as possible and support them in every way possible," said NYPD Deputy Commissioner Susan Herman.

The NYPD is encouraging anyone who is the victim of a sexual crime to call the departments Special Victims Bureau.

Police say anyone in immediate danger should call 911.

All others should phone 646-610-7272 to speak to a trained detective immediately.
NEW YORK - Long Island Rail Road and New Jersey Transit riders were subjected to another rough commute Tuesday evening after an Amtrak power problem in an East River tunnel.

And riders can expect more of the same for awhile as Amtrak works to make repairs at Penn Station.

The railroad said that it is putting together a plan to improve the aging infrastructure at Penn.

More details are expected in the coming days.

But Amtrak says the work will result in "some delays and cancellations."

The New York Times says the railroad is considering closing a number of tracks at Penn so it can make the necesary repairs.

But there's no word yet on how long the work will take to complete.

Amtrak's decision follows two recent derailments at Penn Station that led to days of service disruptions.

Riders we spoke with say the recent delays have them frustrated.

"I love New Jersey Transit but at the same time it seems like every week I'm delayed either going or coming from my commute," said one commuter.

"It's been like that for like a month between the derailments and broke down trains, it's been pretty awful," said another commuter.

Long Island Rail Road service is back to normal after Tuesday night's problems.

But a number of New Jersey Transit lines are experiencing 15 minute delays to and from Penn because of ongoing Amtrak maintenance work.
July 23, 1934 - April 23, 2017 A service of Celebration of Life for William Vinkley Neville, Jr. will be held on Monday, May 1, at 11:00 at Eufaula First United Methodist Church. Dr. Al Harbour and Dr. Scott Hohn will officiate. Mr. Neville died Sunday, April 23, in Longwood, FL. He was born July 23, 1934 in Montgomery, AL. to Mr. and Mrs. William V. Neville of Eufaula, AL. He was preceded in death by his parents. After graduating from Eufaula City Schools, he enrolled at Auburn University in 1952. A business administration major, he became active in many campus activities, including ROTC and the Auburn Plainsman, where he served as its managing editor. He was a member of Pi Kappa Alpha social fraternity, was elected to several honorary fraternities, and was one of ten seniors selected as a Spade. He received the Algernon Sidney Sullivan Award, Auburn University's highest honor for humanitarian service, bestowed upon one senior male and one senior female each year. Upon graduation from Auburn he received his commission as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Air Force. In 1956 Bill enrolled at the University of Virginia School of Law, receiving his law degree in 1959. He then moved to Barksdale AFB, LA, to serve his active duty with the Air Force. While stationed there he met his future wife Anna Gisladottir of Reykjavik, Iceland. After active service, he served his country 31 years in the reserves, most of them at the Air University Legal Office at Maxwell AFB, where he rose to the rank of Colonel. He and Anna married in Eufaula in 1961, where he practiced law in Eufaula for 47 years. He was a member of the First United Methodist Church, the Eufaula Rotary Club, a Paul Harris Fellow, and served as Rotary District Governor 1980-81. He was active in historic preservation in his home town. He served in the Alabama Legislature and wrote the bill which created the Historic Chattahoochee Commission. Bill was a founding member of the Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Arts in Auburn and served as a member of the museum board for ten years. In 2008 Bill retired to Auburn, AL, where he was a member of the Auburn Rotary Club and the Auburn Methodist Church. Bill and Anna moved to Winter Park, FL in 2016. He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Anna, son William V. Neville III, (Connie), of Christiansted, VI, daughter Margaret Flickinger, (Bradley), McLean, VA, four grandchildren, Elizabeth Neville Taylor (Boyd), William V. Neville IV, and Ryan and Carson Flickinger. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials to First United Methodist Church of Eufaula Building Fund, to Rotary International for Polio Plus, to the Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Arts in Auburn, AL.
For the past couple of days, fashion retailer Nordstrom has been the butt of a lot of jokes on social media, after it was revealed that it is selling a pair of jeans caked in fake mud for a whopping $425.

The Barracuda Straight Leg Jeans are apparently brand new, but make you look like youve just finished feeding your pigs, or you just fell in a ditch after a wild night of partying. They look filthy, but thats apparently the point, as Nordstrom claims the mud shows youre not afraid to get down and dirty.

The description on the Nordstrom website explains that the mud-caked jeans embody rugged, Americana workwear thats seen some hard-working action. Ironically, they are made in Portugal, by a company called PRPS, which specializes in distressed jeans covered in holes, rips and patches.

Photos of the Barracuda Straight Leg Jeans went viral online recently, with people leaving all kinds of snarky reviews on the Nordstrom website.

Gotta love being able to look like I have fed the pigs, helped deliver a calf, and get the tractor unstuck without ever having to leave my BMW. Love it, one person wrote.

These are perhaps the best jeans Ive ever owned. Perfectly match my stick on calluses, another commented.

Nordstrom eventually removed the reviews, but the onslaught continued on Facebook, Twitter and the comment sections of major news sites. They even got a comment out of Mike, Rowe, the famous host of popular Discovery Channel show Dirty Jobs.

The Barracuda Straight Leg Jeans arent pants. Theyre not even fashion. Theyre a costume for wealthy people who see work as ironic  not iconic, Rowe wrote on Facebook.

Ainsley Eardhardt of Fox&Friends apparently shares the same opinion. Its for the trust fund baby. Its for the kid who inherits the millions of dollars, the kid who doesnt want to work hard and wants to go into Nordstrom, pay a lot of money and act like they work, she said on the show.

But if youre one of the few people who actually find these $425 pre-muddied jeans cool, Ive got a tip for you. Youre going to love this . PRPS also makes a matching $425 fake mud-caked denim jacket, so you can really rock the dirty job look. And guess what, Nordstrom is also selling that one. Youre welcome!

Photos: PRPS/Nordstrom
Everywhere we turn lately, there seems to be a new corporate crisis in the headlines. Is this the result of arrogance, weak leadership, corporate greed, human error, or bureaucracy? Or is it simply the newfound social media cautionary tale?


Health is Bigger Than Healthcare Mon., Oct. 31, 2022 The COVID-19 pandemic has uncovered biases in our health system and a lack of access to quality healthcare for millions of Americans. Heres why the communications industry plays a vital role in improving health equity and addressing these barriers.
Tires on Jeeps do more than just provide a cushion to ease the ride of the vehicles passengers. Tires must provide traction on all kinds of surfaces in all kinds of weather. Tires must support the weight of the Jeep and all of the stuff you can stuff into it. Tires must provide the maximum amount of wear (A.K.A. mileage) available for their stickiness and tread design. And lastbut definitely not leasttires should look good while at the same time they are doing all of their other jobs.

The Grabber X3, somewhat uniquely highlighted with its distinctive red lettering on its sidewall, does improve the Jeeps appearance. Plus, its Load Range D (3,525-pound weight rating) is more than sufficient to safely carry the 5,200-pound+ 2005 Jeep Rubicon. Well get into the tires forecasted wear and mileage more extensively later in the article, but for now the X3s wear during the test was extremely light. While highway noise was noticeablebecause of its wide-open tread designoff-road traction was enhanced by the very same design.

Having been tested extensively on JK models previously (before we received our test tires), we feel very fortunate to be able to test the Grabber X3 on a 2005 LJ Rubicon. The JKs in the first drive were equipped with 35-inch tires so we opted for 37x12.50R17 for the LJ test bed.

The X3 is being offered in 45 different sizes for rim diameters ranging from 15 to 20, many of which will be available with the red side lettering. By the way, according to General Tire engineers, the term X3 was a result of the tire being designed for three extreme terrainsmud, dirt, and rock. Also, the company representatives told us that more than three years of research went into the development of the X3. It seems that a theme of three flows throughout the X3 timeline, which includes three-ply construction that shrugs off chipping, rock cuts, and punctures.

Featuring what General calls a high-void tread patternwhich means wide-open areas in the tread pattern between the deep lugsthe X3 boasts evacuation to aid in mud and debris ejections and to avoid caking. Lets translate that into four-letter words that we four-wheelers better understand: The X3 dumps mud, snow, and clinging sand to keep the treads open, tracking, and pulling.

During our 1,200-mile tire test we covered everything northwestern Arizona can throw at a Jeeps tireshigh-speed freeway, mucho urban mileage, rocky trails, deep sand washes, solid granite faces, oversize boulders, washed-out desert dirt tracks, some fresh 6-inch-deep snow, and a few hundred mid-speed miles on dirt roads. Just about everything but deep mud; theres not much of that in northwestern Arizona. First of all, we have to say the General Grabber X3 37x12.50R17 tires wear like iron! We dont mean to say they ride like ironthey dontbut there was no measurable wear to the treads (and we checked all four on-the-ground tires) after the 1,200-mile test. That translates to an estimated 40,000 to 50,000 miles for the safe life of these tires on a 5,200-pound+ vehicle (lighter vehicles may actually achieve better mileage).

During the test, we varied the tires air pressures between highway pressure (32 psi) and slow-speed rock crawling (8 psi). We do this with every tire test so that we can ascertain the tires ride, traction, and resistance to rock cuts and scrapes.

As you will see in the photos, the X3s large, aggressive side lugs both protected the sidewalls and gripped any terrain objects (boulders, tree roots, etc.) along the way, especially at the full-flex profile at 8 psi. In deep sandy washes, the open lug pattern provided floatation while at the same time compressing the sand within the tread for improved traction.

Although, naturally, the General Grabber X3 tires exhibited a better ride and improved traction at lower pressures, even at full highway pressure they performed very well off-road. On the highway at speeds up to 65 mph, the X3 exhibited only slightly more noise than street-tread tires. Above 65 mph, they became a bit more noisy but not overly disturbing given that a Jeep isnt the quietest highway vehicle.

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Agricultural News

Over $1M Raised for Cattlemen's Foundation Fire Relief Fund for Ranchers in the Recovery Process

The generous donations from across the nation now total more than $1 million to help Oklahoma ranchers recover from the devastating wildfires in early March. The Oklahoma Cattlemen's Foundation, a 501(c) is housing these funds and coordinating distribution.







"100 percent of the donated funds will be distributed directly to ranchers affected by the wildfires. The process of distributing funds starts with a simple application," 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 Oklahoma cattlemen who have suffered loss from the wildfires this year to complete an application," Jaronek said. "We are astounded that $1 million has been contributed to the relief fund, but even more astounding are the numbers associated with loss in Oklahoma."







According to the Oklahoma Forestry Service, more than 414 thousand acres burned, 23 homes lost and 3 human deaths in Oklahoma alone. An estimated 3,000 head of cattle were lost according to Oklahoma Secretary of Agriculture, Jim Reese. It has been estimated by Oklahoma State University Extension that the economic impact of the fire exceeds $16 million.







"The devastation is unbelievable but the willingness and generosity of people to help those in need is seriously mind blowing. We are happy to house the donations and facilitate the distribution so that those ranchers can get back to producing great tasting, nutritious beef that we all enjoy," 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 Foundation













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NCBA Believes Having Secretary Perdue on the Job Signals the End for Bad Policy Like GIPSA Rule







It sure took long enough, but the agricultural community is thankful nonetheless to finally have a Secretary of Agriculture in place. Former Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue was confirmed Monday evening and sworn into office Tuesday morning. Members of each agricultural industry are eager for Secretary Perdue to get started on the work that has been piling up on his desk since former Secretary Vilsack left office, and none more so than the National Cattlemen's Beef Association. Colin Woodall, vice president of government affairs, told Radio Oklahoma Ag Network Ron Hays that he is excited about what Perdue brings to the table.





"I think it says a lot that he received 87 votes. That means he not only got the Republicans but a tremendous number of democrats to join on board," Woodall said. "I think that's reflective of his skills as a statesman and what he brings to the table as the new secretary. I also think its reflective of the way agriculture policy is handled in this town."





Traditionally, Woodall says agriculture policy has always been handled largely with bipartisanship. He says the overwhelming vote to confirm Perdue perhaps signals that this attitude will continue during this administration. Woodall hopes this will be the case as he and his team prepare to work with Secretary Perdue on withdrawing the controversial GIPSA rules left by Vilsack's USDA.





"We have several things we're going to talk to him on," Woodall said. "Top of the list, of course, is asking him to withdraw the GIPSA rules. Given the fact he is a farmer himself, I think he will understand this is bad policy and will ultimately withdraw it."





Listen to Hays discuss with Woodall his thoughts on the new Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue, 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 Hays discuss with Woodall his thoughts on the new Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue

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Pork Producers Sound Off in Defense of NAFTA After Insinuations the White House will Withdraw US

The National Pork Producers Council released the following statement regarding revelations that the Trump administration may seek to withdraw the US from the North Atlantic Free Trade Agreement.







"The North American Free Trade Agreement has been a tremendous success for the U.S. pork industry, which has seen an explosion in exports to Canada and Mexico since the deal was implemented in 1994.







"In fact, Mexico and Canada are now our No. 2 and No. 4 markets, so we absolutely must not have any disruptions to U.S. pork exports there. Even a short-term interruption in our exports would have a significant negative economic impact on U.S. pork producers.







"Abandoning NAFTA and going back to pre-NAFTA tariffs would be financially devastating to U.S. pork producers. Tens of thousands of U.S. jobs dependent on those exports would be lost.







"The bottom line is U.S. pork trade with Canada and Mexico has been very robust, and we need to maintain and even improve that trade. We're all for modernizing NAFTA, but we cannot support efforts that would undermine the livelihoods of America's 60,000 pork producers."







Source - National Pork Producers Council















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WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump told the leaders of Canada and Mexico on Wednesday that the United States would not be pulling out of the North American Free Trade Agreement "at this time," opening the door to future negotiations on the same day that Trump was considering signaling a strong intent to withdraw as a potential way of bringing the parties together at the deal-making table.

Trump spoke with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau late Wednesday afternoon after reports circulated during the day that the president was contemplating withdrawing from NAFTA.

"President Trump agreed not to terminate NAFTA at this time and the leaders agreed to proceed swiftly, according to their required internal procedures, to enable the renegotiation of the NAFTA deal to the benefit of all three countries," the White House said in a statement late Wednesday.

Earlier, three people familiar with the matter said Trump is seriously considering signing a document within days that would signal his intent to withdraw the United States from the agreement within six months.

If signed, the letter would begin a formal process that could see the United States exit from the 23-year-old trade pact with Canada and Mexico, ratcheting up tensions among neighboring nations.

Signing the document does not require Trump to withdraw from NAFTA after six months, but it is a required step if he plans to eventually do so. The White House is expected to soon take a separate step by signing a letter to Congress that would notify lawmakers of the administration's intention to renegotiate NAFTA. By taking both steps, the White House would give itself more flexibility to choose a different outcome in several months.

Any move by Trump on NAFTA would not come as a surprise. The president made criticism of NAFTA one of the main topics of his campaign last year, calling the pact "a disaster for our country" and saying it "had to be totally gotten rid of."

But the NAFTA issue did seem to lose some urgency after the first few weeks of Trump's presidency as his administration focused on other topics.

"Some people were hopeful that just like he revised his views on NATO, he'd revise his views on this," said Hoyt Bleakley, associate professor of economics at the University of Michigan. "But clearly he hasn't."

In recent days Trump also has taken a harder line with Canada, blasting a recent change in the dairy pricing policy there that mostly dealt with a cheese-making product called ultrafiltered milk. In Wisconsin last week, Trump called Canada's dairy pricing scheme "another typical one-sided deal against the U.S." Canada disputed that.

And the Commerce Department said Monday it would begin charging a tariff on the import of softwood lumber from Canada into the United States, alleging Canada was improperly subsidizing its domestic timber firms.

But there was no panic over the fate of NAFTA in the Calgary offices of the Canadian Cattlemen's Association, whose members sell and buy plenty of beef cattle across the border.

"This is his typical way of doing things - saying completely unreasonable things as a negotiating posture," said John Masswohl, the trade group's director of government and international relations.

Masswohl said he watched how Trump handled issues at the Carrier plant in Indiana and with Ford's plans to build car models in Mexico. He sees similar rhetoric in Trump's approach to NAFTA.

"I've got to believe this is a negotiating position," Masswohl said, because the trade pact might need tweaking, but it has been good for both countries.

Separately, the Trump administration on Wednesday made another move on trade that seemed aimed at China, launching an investigation into the effect of aluminum imports on U.S. national security interests.

A similar probe, known as a Section 232 investigation, was announced for foreign-made steel last week.

Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said Wednesday that Trump would be signing a directive on Thursday urging the inquiry.

Ross said aluminum was a national security interest because the metal in its high-purity form is used in military planes such as the F-35 and F-18, plus armor plating for military vehicles and combat vessels. Just one U.S. smelter makes high-purity aluminum, producing enough for peacetime military needs but not enough if the country enters into conflicts, he said.

"It's very dangerous from a defense point of view to have only one supplier of an absolutely critical element," Ross said.

Only two U.S. smelters are fully operational today, with eight others having curtailed operations or closed since 2015. Imported aluminum accounted for 55 percent of the U.S. market last year, the largest market share ever and a steep increase over recent years, Ross said.

The largest importers of aluminum into the United States are China followed by Russia, United Arab Emirates and Canada, Ross said.

Aluminum imports from China, in particular, have been a focus of the U.S. government for months. Late last year, a bipartisan group of 12 U.S. senators asked for a national security review of Chinese aluminum giant Zhongwang International Group Ltd.'s proposed $2.3 billion purchase of U.S. aluminum products maker Aleris, alleging the deal would damage the U.S. defense industry.

In January, days before leaving office, President Barack Obama launched a World Trade Organization complaint about Chinese aluminum subsidies that, the United States claimed, gave Chinese companies an unfair advantage.

And last month, U.S. producers of aluminum foil - including the kind used to wrap kitchen leftovers - filed an anti-dumping complaint against China, claiming the United States was being flooded with unfair, cheap imports. Foil prices have declined significantly in recent years "due to widespread and significant underselling of U.S. producers' prices," according to the complaint.

A couple weeks later, Trump's commerce department announced its was investigating those and other unfair trade claims.
Amanda Roe pulled up in her Honda with her baby boy, her 7-year-old daughter and a box of several thousand honeybees.

Roe, an assistant professor of biology at the College of St. Mary in central Omaha, embarked this month on an experiment to add a sticky slice of nature to her campus.

A decline in bee populations, evidently caused by pesticides and other factors, has worried scientists in the United States and elsewhere for more than 10 years. The trend could reduce pollination, which is important to plant diversity and production.

Although honeybees are declining in number, Roe is less concerned about them because humans can raise them and bolster their numbers. She is more worried about the diminishing numbers of some wild bee species.

A College of St. Mary beehive will serve as a tool for education about bees in general and the natural world, she said.

About 10 people stood around her on an overcast morning as she pulled the box of bees from her car and carried it up a grassy rise to a layer of boxes that will become a beehive.

There was excitement in the cool air and buzzing in the box. Her daughter, Elsa, performed a cartwheel as her mom traipsed up the hill with the bees.

Roe gave a little talk to those gathered around. It was about bee stings.

Bees only sting when they feel threatened, she said. So let them fly around. Be calm. Be cool. Send them lots of love.

Do not swat at them, she said. Stinging is their defense mechanism. Like many creatures, theyll defend themselves if threatened.

She wore long gloves and a veil. So did her research assistant, junior Mirtha Gutierrez of Shenandoah, Iowa.

Gutierrez was so excited about the project that she invited her mom, dad and 8-year-old sister, Amelia, to watch.

Uh-oh, Amelia said as Roe carried the box of bees. One is free!

Thats OK, Roe said. Soon they would all be free.

Roe, 32, wants people to appreciate honeybees. Bees live in a fascinating, complicated community, she said.

Roe has been interested in insects since she was a little girl.

I told my mom when I was 5 I wanted to be an entomologist, Roe said.

Her mother asked her whether she knew what that meant.

Roe said she answered: It means you like bugs.

She told me, If you know what it means, be an entomologist. 

Thats what Roe did. She earned a doctorate three years ago at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, studying maggots and blow flies. The role insects play in decomposition fascinates her and a large piece of letter art hangs from a wall in her office at the College of St. Mary. It reads: Keep Calm & Carrion.

Sister Maryanne Stevens, president of the College of St. Mary, approved placing the beehive on campus.

I think its really kind of cool, Stevens said. She said that if students are afraid of bees, they should stay away from the hive.

Theyre not going to go after you, Stevens said of bees. Theyre too busy doing their own work.

Roe bought a 3-pound box of bees for $130 from a California company, which shipped it to her by truck. The box contained roughly 5,000 bees and a queen.

Roe dismantled part of the hives structure. She placed 1-foot-by-2-foot frames sideways inside the hive. The bees will build honeycombs from those frames.

She placed sugar water inside the hive to help the bees get a jolt of nutrition. Then she poured the bees from the box into the hive and placed the queen inside, too. She and Gutierrez swept inside hundreds that lingered on top and on the edges of the hive.

Some flew around the people who observed. If one lands on you, Roe said, let it be. Dont panic, she said, and everything will be fine.

Soon, she said, this group of bees will bond with the queen and become a colony. As the queen lays hundreds and thousands of eggs, the worker bees will clean the hive, feed the queen, store honey and perform other tasks.

Some will forage up to 2 miles from the hive, collecting from flowers the pollen and nectar that they will bring back to the hive for nutrition.

Roe, who teaches entomology, forensic science, and human anatomy and physiology, said she and other faculty members will be able to use the hive for some of their classes.

The hive will demonstrate not only bee behavior, but will assist in lessons about plants, flowers and pollination. It will show that insects arent gross and icky creatures that need to be sprayed, she said.

Roe placed two covers on top of the hive. The bees will be able to come and go through a small hole in the side.

Theres our beehive, she said.

And nobody got stung.
DES MOINES (AP)  Gov. Terry Branstad is defending the Iowa Utilities Boards plan to renovate its six-year-old building despite budget cuts across state government.

Branstad said Tuesday that money for remodeling the interior of the building is not part of the state budget that goes into effect in July. He said its too late to rescind funding because the legislative session is over.

The board is using $330,000 left from its 2016 budget and a $250,000 appropriation that lawmakers approved last year to fund the project.

Copyright 2017 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
LINCOLN  Passions rose and tempers flared as Nebraska lawmakers launched into debate about a lean state budget package Tuesday.

The plan cuts some budgets, slows other spending growth and taps several cash funds to close a budget gap that stood at nearly $900 million in January.

State Sen. John Stinner of Gering, the Appropriations Committee chairman, said committee members worked to spread out the sacrifices while protecting key priorities.

Those include the Property Tax Credit Fund, education, corrections and human services, he said.

I can tell you it was an arduous process, Stinner said.

The plan calls for general fund spending of $8.9 billion over the two fiscal years ending June 30, 2019, an annual average growth of 1 percent.

It draws $173 million from the cash reserve, or rainy day, fund but avoids the need for any tax increases.

Other committee members urged colleagues to maintain the balance of cutting and spending in the package.

Everyone came to the table, and there were sacrifices made, said Sen. Kate Bolz of Lincoln.

But Sen. Curt Friesen of Henderson, the Transportation and Telecommunications Committee chairman, objected to the plan for taking $30 million out of the Department of Roads operations cash fund over two years.

He offered an amendment to the main budget bill and another to the fund transfer bill that would cut that amount in half.

Friesen said the smaller amount equals the revenues from motor vehicle sales taxes, while the larger amount would include revenues from the state gas tax and the quarter-cent of sales tax earmarked for roads.

I dont want money being taken out of a roads fund, he said. Anytime we take money out of the roads fund, it hurts expressways.

Friesen pointed to a health care fund as a potential source for money to replace the $15 million transfer from the Roads Department.

He did so after Speaker of the Legislature Jim Scheer of Norfolk insisted that senators proposing increases in the budget identify how they would pay for the increases.

Friesen said the replacement fund had been identified by Gov. Pete Ricketts office.

Sen. Bruce Bostelman of Brainard backed Friesens proposal, saying that funding to address problem roads and bridges would be affected by the proposed transfer.

But Stinner, using what one lawmaker called his dad voice, strongly defended the Appropriations Committee budget. Even after the transfer, he said the plan would provide $15 million more for road-building and maintenance than the agency had requested.

Given the size of the states budget problem, Stinner said the states fourth-largest agency has to be part of the solution.

Thirty million, compared to what weve done to other agencies, thats nothing, he said.

Sen. Burke Harr of Omaha also argued for the big compromise that the Appropriations Committee plan represents. He said the trade-off for roads getting some of the state sales tax was that roads funding could be used to help balance the budget.

I understand the importance of roads, but nothing is sacred, Harr said.

Lawmakers are slated to return to the budget debate and Friesens amendment today, with more contentious issues pending.

An amendment filed by Sen. Lou Ann Linehan of Omaha would cut about $22 million a year from the school employees retirement fund and put the money in the Property Tax Credit Fund.

Sen. Paul Schumacher of Columbus offered an amendment that would strike language restricting which clinics could get state funds for pap smears and testing and treatment for sexually transmitted diseases.

As advanced by the Appropriations Committee, the budget bill includes language directing such funds away from Planned Parenthood and other clinics not affiliated with hospitals, public health departments or federally qualified health centers.

Lawmakers adjourned before taking any votes on the main budget bill or on two bills dealing with fund transfers.

But they advanced a bill earmarking $75 million from the cash reserve fund for a prison expansion project in Lincoln. The bill also includes $10 million for a multiyear project upgrading the heating and air conditioning system in the State Capitol.

Earlier in the day, lawmakers considered a related proposal to suspend two tax benefits for the coming budget period.

Stinner offered an amendment to Legislative Bill 233 that would save the state about $35 million by suspending the personal property tax exemption and the Angel Investment Tax Credit.

If passed, he said, the bill would mean taking less money from the cash reserve fund.

But Stinner also said he was looking for an alternative to suspending the personal property tax exemption, at the request of Ricketts. He proposed advancing the bill, then making changes later.

Several senators said they would not support the bill with the property tax provision in it. Others questioned why they should advance the bill if it was going to be changed.

In the end, Scheer exercised his authority as speaker to put the bill on hold while Stinner and Sen. Jim Smith of Papillion, the Revenue Committee chairman, explore alternatives.
Five people were injured, including at least one student, in a Tuesday afternoon crash at 63rd Street and Ames Avenue that involved a school bus.

Maronica Brewer, a 16-year-old passenger in a car that struck the bus, was taken to Nebraska Medical Center with injuries that included a broken pelvis, police said. None of the injuries was considered life-threatening.

The bus was eastbound on Ames and turning left onto northbound 63rd when a westbound gray 2007 Hyundai Sonata struck it at an extremely high rate of speed, said Police Sgt. Chuck Casey.

The crash was reported at 4:21 p.m. Rescuers on the scene reported a person was pinned.

There were three students and a driver on the bus, Casey said. One student suffered minor injuries. All four people in the Hyundai were taken to the hospital.

The Hyundai struck the bus near its right rear wheel. Debris was strewn across the intersection. As police investigated, the car sat on the Ames Avenue median, its front half torn apart.

The bus, operated by contractor Student Transportation of America, was dropping off two students who attend Millard North High School and one student who attends Horizon High School. The students are enrolled at Millard schools through the Learning Community of Douglas and Sarpy Counties open enrollment program.

Rebecca Kleeman, a spokeswoman with Millard Public Schools, said she could not identify which of the students was injured.

Kleeman said the district had contacted the families of all three students on the bus.

World-Herald staff writer Erin Duffy contributed to this report.
A new tax could drive development for some areas of Omaha.

Tuesday, the City Council voted 6-1 to amend the city code to permit enhanced employment areas. Those areas can enact a special occupation tax to pay off city bonds for things such as public infrastructure and other improvements.

Developments in the areas decide how to apply the tax, either absorbing the tax within their business or passing it on to consumers.

In other communities, thats meant a 1 to 2 percent tax on an areas sales in addition to other city and state taxes. Lincolns Haymarket and SouthPointe Pavilions and Gretnas Nebraska Crossing Outlets have used the tax to fund their development.

The tax vanishes once the amount thats being financed has been met and has a maximum duration of 20 years.

In Omaha, locations would need to generate at least 30 jobs and $3 million in investment to become an enhanced employment area. Blighted or substandard areas also qualify.

Beyond infrastructure, the tax can be used to fund things such as landscaping, pedestrian plazas, sewers and some marketing. Each location seeking this status would require council approval in a separate ordinance in which the tax rate would be set.

Councilwoman Aimee Melton was the no vote on the tax. She said the council should explore options for economic development that dont affect taxes.

When it comes to watching out for the taxpayers, thats what I believed I was elected to do, she said.

Locations would need to adjust their redevelopment plans or create new ones including enhanced employment areas before applying for the status.

The under-construction Capitol District already includes the concept of enhanced employment areas in its development plan, which probably will make it the first location in Omaha to apply for the tax.

Attorney Larry Jobeun, who represents the district, said the area would apply to have the tax in a variety of forms, such as adding it to the rental rates of apartments and to the sales of the districts businesses.

Councilman Pete Festersen has said theres also been interest in his district in the tax being used to help redevelop Crossroads Mall.

The Legislature approved the creation of the areas in 2007 with the aim of providing developers another tool for funding projects.
LINCOLN (AP)  The City of Lincoln has evicted a Little Free Library from its location near a church in the Indian Village neighborhood, saying the library box can't sit in a public right of way.

The city gave the group and the church, New Visions Community-Southminster site, until Thursday to move the box onto private property or face fines that could hit $500.

George Finley, who lives across the street from the little library, told Lincoln television station KLKN the "take one, leave one" library is popular with children.

"I've seen little ones that come over here and get a book, and they've actually just sat down in the grass and started reading," Finley said.

The little library is part of a worldwide movement to promote reading through the free exchange of books. The nonprofit group Little Free Library has said there are about 15,000 registered little libraries in 62 countries.

Barbara Arendt, head of the Indian Village Neighborhood Association, coordinated the library project. She said she visited most of the 25 Little Free Libraries she knows of in town and found several had been built between a sidewalk and street. She said the library was placed in the right of way to keep it away from the church's sprinkler system and in plain sight for neighbors.

"It's public right of way, it's a public library. To me it sounds like it goes together. But the city disagrees," Arendt said.

Public Works Director Miki Esposito said the box's location between the sidewalk and Otoe Street violates a rule requiring property owners to keep the public right of way cleared.

"(The city) uses that area for snow storage in the winter, light poles, mailboxes, things like that," Esposito told the Lincoln Journal Star.

Esposito said she and Arendt are working out a way to delay any city fine for a week or two, given that the box won't be moved by the deadline.

"They're a really cool idea, and we don't want to discourage it, but we just want it off the right of way," Esposito said of the little library.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
LINCOLN  When dancers are shakin at a juice bar called Shakers, theyre working as employees and not independent contractors, a judge has ruled.

Elizabeth Mays, an exotic dancer from Wisconsin, was awarded back wages of $7,586.78 plus attorney and court fees in a ruling Tuesday by Lancaster County District Judge Susan Strong.

Mays had sued Shakers Gentlemans Club of Waverly, alleging that she was owed wages, as an employee of the club, for performing at the strip club.

Shakers had maintained that dancers were independent contractors who worked under yearly contracts that allowed them to lease the clubs stage, dressing room and private dance room in exchange for keeping tips that they earned.

But the judge ruled that the club imposed so many conditions and house rules on its dancers that they qualified as employees of the business under federal and state labor laws.

Dancers were told when and where they could dance, when they should remove certain clothing, the prices of private dances and what brand of lotion to use. They also were required to take out trash and clean up bathrooms and the dressing room at the club.

Mays attorney, Kathleen Neary of Lincoln, said she was proud of her client for her willingness to identify herself and stand up for her legal rights.

Neary said the ruling could have ramifications for other similar clubs and other dancers, who could now bring their own lawsuits.

A phone message left for Shakers attorney was not immediately returned late Wednesday afternoon.
The Lincoln Regional Center psychiatric hospital will hold an Arbor Day event on Thursday from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m.

Dave Nicklas, the facilitys arborist and a 45-year state employee who is retiring, will be presented with a service award by Lt. Gov Mike Foley. Trees will also be planted in memory of four now-deceased regional center staff members.

The Arbor Day ceremony, organized by the Lincoln Regional Center Arboretum Committee, is now in its 39th year. In addition to the ceremony, trees are planted each year on the 107-acre campus.

The campus is home to 375 plant varieties that include evergreens, ornamental trees, shade trees and shrubs that total about 3,000 to 4,000 trees. The campus has been an affiliate site of the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum since 1984.

The centers arboretum focuses on the relationship between plants and mental health. While at the facility, patients help maintain trees and plants in the arboretum.
WASHINGTON  The United States should bolster its military presence in Eastern Europe in order to reassure allies and deter Russian aggression, Rep. Don Bacon said this week after traveling in the region.

We dont want war, but I think the Russians only respect resolve and strength, Bacon told The World-Herald.

Bacon, a Republican who represents the Omaha-based 2nd District, returned this week from a trip that included stops in Estonia, Poland, Norway and Britain. He was part of a bipartisan congressional delegation led by House Speaker Paul Ryan.

Bacon said the United States should help upgrade Norways military capabilities, including the deployment of longer-range surface-to-air missiles.

He also called for establishing a permanent U.S. military presence in Estonia and Poland in place of the current approach of rotating units in and out of those countries.

It makes it clear that we are there and our commitment is strong, Bacon said.

Bacon, a retired Air Force brigadier general, is a member of the House Armed Services Committee.

He said he was invited to join the delegation in part because of his long military career and experience serving side-by-side with NATO allies.

In meetings with foreign officials during the trip, anxiety over the U.S. military commitment to the region was palpable, he said.

You could feel it in the room  the emotion, Bacon said. This isnt just talking points. This is about their national security.

A rise in isolationist rhetoric and talk of America first has sparked concern in parts of Europe, particularly those countries closest to Russia.

During last years presidential campaign, Donald Trump described NATO as obsolete, suggested inaccurately that it didnt fight terrorism and blasted alliance members for not living up to commitments on defense spending.

More recently, Trump has reversed course and said that NATO is no longer obsolete and that it does fight terrorism.

Bacon said the recent statements by Trump and many of the administrations personnel moves have helped to reassure allies, but many are looking for zero ambiguity.

Retired Army Lt. Gen. Thomas Spoehr, director of the Center for National Defense at the Heritage Foundation, said those countries are right to be nervous given the level of military spending in recent years by both the United States and many of the NATO countries.

Spoehr said Heritage supports permanently stationing an armored brigade in Germany. Under certain circumstances, he said, permanent stationing could be cheaper than rotating units because of the cost of moving equipment around.

But he said making permanent rotations to countries such as Poland and Estonia would probably require significant investments in facilities at a time when military dollars are stretched thin.

Were in favor of increasing the force posture forward and permanent stationing, Spoehr said. The dilemma is with some of these countries like Poland and Estonia and stuff like that  their training infrastructure is really immature right now.

Other ways to reassure allies about the U.S. commitment include frequent joint exercises, political statements and the stationing of equipment in those countries, he said.

Sen. Deb Fischer, R-Neb., who serves on the Senate Armed Services Committee, said lawmakers regularly reassure allies of U.S. support but also noted that military commanders have been forthright about the need for more resources.

And ultimately the decision whether to ramp up deployments to particular countries will fall to the administration.

We hear it everywhere that countries, especially in Eastern Europe, would feel more secure if we have troops permanently stationed there, Fischer said. But that has to be a decision thats obviously made with the commander-in-chief with regards to our duties with NATO.
WASHINGTON (AP)  Republicans who slammed the growing national debt under Democrat Barack Obama said Tuesday that they are open to President Donald Trumps tax plan, even though it could add trillions of dollars to the deficit over the next decade.

Trump is scheduled to unveil today the broad outlines of a tax overhaul that would reduce the top rate in the corporate income tax from 35 percent to 15 percent.

The top tax rate for individuals would be cut from 39.6 percent to the mid-30s, one official said.

Echoing the White House, Republicans on Capitol Hill argued Tuesday that tax cuts would spur economic growth, reducing or even eliminating any drop in tax revenue.

Im not convinced that cutting taxes is necessarily going to blow a hole in the deficit, said Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, chairman of the Finance Committee.

I actually believe it could stimulate the economy and get the economy moving, Hatch said. Now, whether 15 percent is the right figure or not, thats a matter to be determined.

The argument that tax cuts pay for themselves has been debunked by economists from across the political spectrum. On Tuesday, the official scorekeeper for Congress may have dealt Trumps plan a blow.

The nonpartisan Joint Committee on Taxation said that a big cut in corporate taxes  even if it is temporary  would add to long-term budget deficits.

This is a problem for Republicans because it means they would need Democratic support in the Senate to pass a tax overhaul that significantly cuts corporate taxes.

The assessment was requested by House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., who has been pushing a new tax on imports to fund lower overall tax rates.

An import tax is not expected to be part of Trumps plan.

Trump dispatched his top lieutenants to Capitol Hill on Tuesday to discuss his plan with Republican leaders. No Democrat was invited.

Todays Democratic Party seems to be preoccupied with wealth transfer from those who have done well to those who have done less well, said Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. Thats unrelated to having a set of tax laws that promote growth.

Republicans have been working under a budget maneuver that would allow them to pass a tax bill without Democratic support in the Senate  but only if it didnt add to long-term deficits.

Democrats said they smell hypocrisy over the growing national debt, which stands at nearly $20 trillion.

Instead of looking to cut the deficit, Republicans are pushing for tax cuts and increased defense spending, Democrats said.

Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said Tuesday that the combination of changes on taxes, trade and regulations being pushed by the administration would accelerate the pace of economic gains.

Now, about that border wall with Mexico.

Trump has apparently backed off demands that Congress fund his promised border wall with Mexico after political opposition threatened a government shutdown, averting what could have been an embarrassing moment Friday on the eve of marking his first 100 days in the White House.

Trumps reversal was welcomed on Capitol Hill as tensions cooled and negotiators continued talks Tuesday.

A Republican bid to keep the government open past Friday includes no new money for the construction of a border wall along the U.S.-Mexico border, according to several congressional aides familiar with ongoing talks.

GOP leaders submitted the new offer Tuesday afternoon to appease Democrats, whose votes are needed to avert a shutdown of federal agencies, several House and Senate aides said.

However, Republicans also insisted on increases in border security and defense spending.

Democrats have indicated that they would support such appropriations so long as no money goes toward an actual wall.

Trump wanted $34 billion for the military, but talks now appear to be focusing on about half that amount, about $15 billion, sources said.

Democrats welcomed Trumps changed course on the wall, but it drew swift criticism from conservatives who support it as a way to curb illegal immigration.

Trump tweeted Tuesday that building the border wall remains a top priority for him, but the White House said the president was willing to shelve the fight until the next budget go-around in the fall.

Nothing has changed on the presidents priorities, press secretary Sean Spicer said. In that next budget, well go for the next group of money.

Trump, meeting with farmers at the White House, defended his administrations work on border security so far, noting that illegal border crossings have dropped more than 70 percent in the past year.

Asked by reporters when the wall would be built, Trump said, Soon.

Despite the presidents fluctuations, congressional leaders remained encouraged that at least for now, the White House wont be pushing for border money.

The fact that the wall is now off the table  Americans should breathe a huge sigh of relief, said Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer, D-N.Y.

This report includes material from the Washington Post and Tribune Washington Bureau.

Copyright 2017 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
After MCD drubbing, AAP acting more khaas than aam

India

oi-Prabhpreet

The leader of the Aam Aadmi Party and the chief minister of Delhi, Arvind Kejriwal, had warned that he would launch a movement if his party is defeated in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi elections as predicted by exit polls.

Now with the BJP winning and the exit polls proving correct, major protests can be expected from AAP.

Kejriwal has blamed everyone and everything in trying to explain AAP's, at worst dissmal and at best below expectations, performances in various elections since its victory in Delhi assembly elections in 2015 where it won a record 67 out of 70 seats.

From blaming the Electronic Voting Machines to voters being paid, the party and its leaders have done everything but accept that they might have not been able to follow through on the promises they made and expectations that the public have of them.

Such a behaviour from the party, which was supposed to stand for change, is quite similar to the political parties that it used blame of political arrogance and being out of touch with ground realities.

A look at a few of the excuses and allegations that the AAP has made and why they might not hold much truth, end up pointing towards its change of behaviour from AAM to KHAAS.

The EVM controversy

The party has been crying foul over the alleged tampering of the voting machines ever since the assembly elections results came out earlier this year. The exemplary performance of the BJP in almost all of these states took most other parties by suprise and this led to accusations from AAP along with other parties such as BSP, SP and the Congress.

The Election Commission of India has repeatedly denied such allegations and refuted claims of votes of other parties being registered to the BJP. The commission has even decided to throw an open challenge in the coming weeks to prove its point. The exercise is to involve political party representatives, people who have raised doubts, and people who know technology among others.

Such claims from opposition parties seem odd especially coming at a time when the SAD-BJP alliance performed poorly in Punjab this year after it was routed by the Congress and the AAP itself beat the BJP to come in second in the state.

Going by his statements, Kejriwal seems confident about his allegations, but so does the ECI. One thing is clear, the day of the challenge someone is going to end up with egg on their faces. And the chances of it being the ECI seem dim given that such a challenge was given out in following similar allegation after the 2009 elections.

The Mainstream media bias though the argument of favourable treatment of the BJP and PM Modi by the main stream media might be difficult to counter. The accusations of favouritism by a party that took birth out of a popular movement led by Anna Hazare, which had unparalleled backing and coverage from the media when pitted against the corruption stained UPA government is difficult to digest.

By raking this point up, the party is also guilty of not understanding the ground support that the BJP and PM Modi has. A mistake that is also similar to the national parties made, especially the Congress, of dismissing the AAP and its initial movement. And the outcome of such an error is judgement is there for all to see.

Internal fighting and throwing out its top leadership while the BJP brought out its big guns for campaigning for the MCD elections, which included the prime minister, BJP chief Amit shah, union ministers like Smriti Irani among others, the AAP has been struggling to keep it's top leadership together since coming to power in Delhi.

Leaders are not only being alienated but also thrown out. Senior leaders such as former union law minister Shanti Bhushan, reputed lawyer Prashant Bhushan, and noted psephologist Yogendra Yadav were removed from the party. Yadav even went out to head Swaraj India, a new party that has fielded candidates in the MCD elections.

From being a party where like-minded people came together to bring about a change in Indian politics the party has gone the way of most others where one person has become the party and any body seen as a threat to their control is not tolerated.

This does not bode well for a party that was supposed to take people along and lead with a mandate and not through dictum.

Finally, whatever may be the election results, the one advantage that the AAP government has in Delhi is that given its formidable majority in the state it still has time to go back and rectify the mistakes that have led them to such a condition.

And this would not be its first such course correction. AAP had to change its course following what was considered its first major mistake in politics when it gave up power after the first elections it fought in Delhi in 2013, claiming that the Congress party which had supported it to form the government was not letting it function properly.

The ground level anger against such a step was successfully countered and turned into votes for itself by Kejriwal going all the over the state admitting that the party had made a mistake by withdrawing from power.

This should be a lesson that it needs to learn fast as the the opposition to it is not the Congress with its weakening base but a Modi-led BJP that is growing in power from state to state. It is time for the AAP to go back to its roots.

OneIndia News
Delhi MCD election result 2017: Arvind Kejriwal tweets, congratulates BJP

India

oi-Anusha

Hours after his party leaders blamed EVMs for AAP's loss in the Delhi civic polls, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal congratulated the BJP. In a tweet he posted on Wednesday evening, Arvind Kejriwal congratulated the BJP for their victory in all three zones of tDelhi municipal corporation.

North Delhi (104 Seats) Party W 2012 BJP 66 59 AAP 20 00 INC 15 29 Others 02 09

South Delhi (104 Seats) Party W 2012 BJP 70 44 AAP 16 00 INC 12 29 Others 06 26

East Delhi (64 Seats) Party W 2012 BJP 48 39 AAP 10 00 INC 03 19 Others 02 00

I congratulate BJP on their victory in all 3 MCDs. My govt looks forward to working wid MCDs for the betterment of Delhi  Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) April 26, 2017

While his party's leaders refused to accept the results graciously and chose to blame EVMs yet again, Arvind Kejriwal tweeted that his government would work with the MCDs for a 'better Delhi'. The AAP's abysmal performance in the Delhi civic polls despite being in power in Delhi came as massove embarrasment to the party. The party's chief and Delhi Chief Miniser Arvind Kejriwal had been criticised for threatening people with dengue if the BJP came to power.

The AAP that received a drubbing in the Punjab and Goa assembly polls was once again reduced to a non-entity in the civil polls. The AAP had, after the five state assembly polls, decided stop negative cmapaigning. The party had decided to go back to their original agenda of anti-corruption and development. The same seems to have failed this time around as well. Arvind Kejriwal who has been a frontrunner in blaming EVMs for his party's losses chose to quietly congratulate the BJP on Wednesday.

OneIndia News
Aunt and nephew in jail: The dwindling sway of the Mannargudi family over AIADMK

India

oi-Anusha

His aunt Sasikala Natarajan, relatives Ilavarasi and Sudhakaran and now TTV Dinakaran himself, four members of the Mannargudi family are now behind bars. From attempting to take over the reigns of the AIADMK to landing behind bars, the family is now on the verge of being pushed into political oblivion. With them now practically out of the way, it now seems like it is an advantage to O Panneerselvam.

After four days of being questioned in the alleged Election Commission bribery case, Dinakaran was formally arrested by the Delhi police on the intervening night of Tuesday and Wednesday. His aunt Sasikala Natarajan is lodged in the Bengaluru central prison after being convicted in a disproportionate assets case along with Sudhakaran and Ilavarasi. Incidentally, both Sasikala and Dinakaran attempted to take over the reigns of the AIADMK after Jayalalithaa's death and have now landed in prison.

Given the precarious political situation in Tamil Nadu, Dinakaran's arrest comes as an advantage to the O Panneerselvam camp. While both factions have been speaking of a merger, the Panneerselvam camp has ben sceptical of the Edappadi Palanisamy camp's moves. The OPS camp suspected that the Edappadi camp acted at the behest of Dinakaran. Now with him being arrested, there may be more confidence in the Panneerselvam camp to call the shots.

For a party that was headed by Jayalalithaa for decades, no leader was groomed to take over after her. No leader is used to taking decisions or speaking in public. The leadership deficit is clearly visible now with the party breaking away into factions and multiple leaders from both camps making multiple yet contradictory statements, like a 'headless chicken'.

With Sasikala already in jail and now Dinakaran also arrested by Delhi police, the camps may hope to hold merger talks without 'outside interference'. With Dinakaran's arrest, Panneerselvam's bargaining power may have just received a boost.

OneIndia News
Chetan Bhagat's book caught in legal tussle

India

oi-PTI

New Delhi, April 26: While author Chetan Bhagat's one book has made its way in Delhi University curriculum, his another bestseller has run into trouble with a Bengaluru-based author accusing him of plagiarism, a charge denied by him.

Anvita Bajpai, an IIT and IIM graduate, said that she has filed a lawsuit in Bengaluru court that granted a temporary injunction restraining sales of the book One Indian Girl.

Bajpai took to social media claiming that 'characters, places and emotional flow' of Bhagat's book have been lifted from one of her books Life, Odds and Ends, a copy of which she had gifted to the author during Bengaluru Literature Festival in 2014.

"I had filed an original suit seeking a permanent injunction restraining Bhagat and the publisher from selling One Indian Girl and also sought damages worth Rs 1 lakh. The court has granted a temporary injunction restricting the sales," Bajpai said in her Facebook post.

Bhagat rubbished the allegations as unfounded and said his book was not based on Bajpai's works in any way.

"This is deeply unfortunate. This is for one an absolute surprise for me as I have never read any of this author's works. My stories are always original -- including One Indian Girl -- and it is unthinkable for me to do anything like what is suggested," he said.

"Surely, alleging anything like this in the current digital age is strange. I write universal stories about everyday issues. This could be a misunderstanding and I'm sure will be clarified as what is being suggested is baseless. My publisher's legal team will be taking appropriate steps," he added.

Rupa Publications, which had published the book, six months ago, refused to comment on the issue.

One Indian Girl is Bhagat's seventh novel and is about an investment banker, Radhika Mehta, who is stuck with making a choice between the three men in her life, while trying to keep up a distinctly different image for the sake of her family.

His novel Five Point Someone was on Tuesday announced to have been included in the English literature curriculum for undergraduate students at Delhi University.

PTI
Chidambaram's family accused of grabbing hotel: HC seeks CBI reply

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

Former finance minister, P Chidambaram's family has come under the CBI's scanner after allegations of them grabbing a hotel in collusion with a bank surfaced. The Delhi High Court which took note of this petition has sought a response from the Central Bureau of Investigation in this regard.

The charge is that Padmini, Chidambaram's sister-in-law, had grabbed a property at Tirupur in collusion with the Indian Overseas Bank. The petition alleging the same was filed by K Kathirvel, a doctor by profession who was running the hotel in partnership with his associates.

The HC sought a status report on the complaint filed in which it was alleged that he was arm twisted by Chidambaram's wife Nalini to grab the hotel for Padmini, her sister. What action have you taken so far. Probe into the matter and get us the status report, the Delhi HC said.

What is the grabbing case all about?

Kathirvel alleged that he had complained to the CBI in September 2016 against Chidambaram, his family members and top officials of the IOB. I had told them my property was grabbed, but no action was taken, he alleged.

Kathirvel went up to the CBI director after the agency's unit in Tamil Nadu did not entertain the plea. He said that the property, Comfort Inn Hotel in Tirupur in which he was a partner, was grabbed with the help of the IOB officials.

It was alleged before the Delhi HC that this was gross misuse of power. He also contended that even after the dues were cleared, the bank went ahead with a mock auction to allot the hotel to Padmini.

The hotel is worth more than Rs 10 crore and he had a loan due of Rs 2.5 crore with the IOB. The bank announced the loan as a non-performing asset and announced an auction, he also contended. He further contended that he had approached the Madras High Court and also the debt recovery tribunal. He paid Rs 64 lakh to the IOB to avoid an auction.

After the bank received the amount, he was promised a cancellation of the amount, Kathirvel claimed. Instead, he claimed that he was cheated by the bank that conducted a farce auction and allotted the hotel to Padmini at a throw away cost of Rs 4.5 crore.

OneIndia News
Khota sarkar left with egg on their faces: Team Uddhav on Andheri win

Cyprus president arrives in Mumbai for a four-day visit

India

oi-PTI

Mumbai, April 26: President of the Republic of Cyprus Nicos Anastasiades arrived in Mumbai on Tuesday on a four-day India visit.

Maharashtra Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao received Anastasiades at Raj Bhavan on Tuesday, an official spokesperson said.

"This is the first visit to India of President Anastasiades, who had substantive meetings with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York in September 2015," he said.

The Cyprus president is being accompanied by the ministers of finance, energy, transport and agriculture on his visit.

President Anastasiades will address a business forum in Mumbai on Wednesday. He will then travel to Delhi, address a business forum and deliver a talk at Observer Research Foundation, ORF in the national capital.

On Friday morning, 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.

His other engagements on that day include a meeting with President Pranab Mukherjee, who will host a banquet in his honour and delegation-level talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

PTI
Delhi cops to hunt for more aides of T T V Dinakaran in Tamil Nadu

India

oi-Anusha

A team of the Delhi police will visit Chennai to further investigations in the T T V Dinakaran Election Commission bribery case. The team is armed with evidence gathered following the interrogation of Dinakaran and his two aides.

The Delhi police has learnt about the role played by some persons in Tamil Nadu who are alleged to have helped crack the deal to try and bag the two leaves symbol of the AIADMK. The police team is likely to camp in Chennai for two days to gather more evidence.

The Delhi police had arrested Dinakaran in the EC bribery case. While his admission of meeting with conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar was one of the main grounds for the arrest, a hawala transaction which he allegedly made was the turning point. The case of the Delhi police is that Dinakaran had through Sukesh tried to bribe EC officials to bag the AIADMK's two leaves symbol.

Delhi police sources tell OneIndia that a hawala operator from Chandni Chowk in Delhi had facilitated the transfer of money between Dinakaran who is Sasikala's nephew and Sukesh. This was part of the Rs 1.3 crore that was seized from Sukesh at the time of his arrest last week, police sources also say.

The Delhi police had ample evidence to suggest that a money transfer had indeed taken place. At first Dinakaran was refusing to budge and remained in denial about his role. On Tuesday, the police decided that they would bring Sukesh and Dinakaran face to face and question them.

During the joint questioning, Sukesh said that he had met with Dinakaran and struck a deal while posing as a lawyer. At first, Dinakaran refused to accept what Sukesh was saying. However, later on, he is said to have confessed before the police about meeting Sukesh and also trying to strike a deal for the AIADMK symbol.

It was stated that Sukesh and Dinakaran had met through an advocate where the deal was struck. Sukesh then said that the money that the police had found on him was given by Dinakaran. It was also said that a hawala operator in Chandni Chowk had transferred a part of the Rs 1.3 crore to Sukesh. Dinakaran is said to have confessed that he had indeed transferred the money.

OneIndia News
'Kejriwal ji, if my claims true, you'll resign and retire': Sukesh writes a new letter

IRCTC update: 151 trains cancelled on Nov 09; here is the complete list

Delhi MCD election 2017: After doubting EVMs, Ajay Maken resigns

India

oi-Vikas

By Vikas

Delhi Congress chief Ajay Maken on Wednesday said that he would step down from his post following the party's debacle in MCD polls.

Trends show that the Congress would end up in third place behind the BJP and the AAP.

North Delhi (104 Seats) Party W 2012 BJP 66 59 AAP 20 00 INC 15 29 Others 02 09

South Delhi (104 Seats) Party W 2012 BJP 70 44 AAP 16 00 INC 12 29 Others 06 26

East Delhi (64 Seats) Party W 2012 BJP 48 39 AAP 10 00 INC 03 19 Others 02 00

Maken said he would also not take up any post in the party and work as an ordinary worker for a year.

"Take responsibility for the defeat and I am going to resign as Delhi Congress president," he told media.

On AAP blaming the electronic voting machines for their loss, Maken said the Election Commission should probe the matter.

Former Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit earlier said the EC must clear the air over questions being raised on EVMs.

"Winners and losers have different versions of the problem. But in a case like this, the government and the Election Commission should come up with a solution," she said.

The BJP was leading in all the three municipal corporations in Delhi and is most likely to win MCD polls for the third time in a row.

The BJP was leading in 180 out of 270 wards, while the AAP was leading in 45 wards till the time this report was filed. The Congress, on the other hand, was leading in just 35 wards.

OneIndia News
Delhi MCD Election 2017: People have hopes on Modi, not AAP, says BJP leaders

India

oi-Gulam Rabbani

New Delhi, April 26: As Bharatiya Janata Party leads in the early trends in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi polls, the party leaders on Wednesday said that the people in the national capital have faith in BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's policies.

"The early trends look in tune with what I saw during campaigning. People have faith in policies of BJP and leadership of Prime Minister Modi," Union Minister Harshvardhan told ANI.

He added that the credit of the victory goes to all party workers, especially to PM Modi.

North Delhi (104 Seats) Party W 2012 BJP 66 59 AAP 20 00 INC 15 29 Others 02 09

South Delhi (104 Seats) Party W 2012 BJP 70 44 AAP 16 00 INC 12 29 Others 06 26

East Delhi (64 Seats) Party W 2012 BJP 48 39 AAP 10 00 INC 03 19 Others 02 00

Similarly, Union Minister Vijay Goel said that the party would take the victory as a challenge and added that cleanliness in Delhi will be the priority.

"It is a new morning but there will be new challenges too. We have the challenge to do more work in Delhi MCD where cleanliness comes first," Vijay Goel to ANI, adding that the party will fulfill what Delhites expect from BJP.

He hopes that it will be a new beginning where Delhi government and MCD will work together.

As the countings for civic polls underway in the national capital, the early trends had shown BJP leading in the race for Congress in the second spot and the ruling AAP on the third spot.

As many as 90,000 security personnel, paramilitary forces, and Home Guards have been deployed at the 35 counting centres.

The polling did not take place in Maujpur, east Delhi and Sarai Pipal Thala, north Delhi after a candidate each of Samajwadi Party died recently.

For the first time in MCD polls, the "None of the above" option has been made available.

OneIndia News
EC bribery case: Hawala operator transferred money between Dinakaran and conman

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

In a much-expected move, the Delhi police arrested T T V Dinakaran in the Election Commission bribery case. While his admission of meeting with conman Sukesh Chandrasekhar was one of the main grounds for the arrest, a hawala transaction which he allegedly made was the turning point. The case of the Delhi police is that Dinakaran had through Sukesh tried to bribe EC officials to bag the AIADMK's two leaves symbol.

Delhi police sources tell OneIndia that a hawala operator from Chandni Chowk in Delhi had facilitated the transfer of money between Dinakaran who is Sasikala's nephew and Sukesh. This was part of the Rs 1.3 crore that was seized from Sukesh at the time of his arrest last week, police sources also say.

The Delhi police had ample evidence to suggest that a money transfer had indeed taken place. At first, Dinakaran was refusing to budge and remained in denial about his role. On Tuesday, the police decided that they would bring Sukesh and Dinakaran face to face and question them.

During the joint questioning, Sukesh said that he had met with Dinakaran and struck a deal while posing as a lawyer. At first, Dinakaran refused to accept what Sukesh was saying. However, later on, he is said to have confessed before the police about meeting Sukesh and also trying to strike a deal for the AIADMK symbol.

It was stated that Sukesh and Dinakaran had met through an advocate where the deal was struck. Sukesh then said that the money that the police had found on him was given by Dinakaran. It was also said that a hawala operator in Chandini Chowk had transferred a part of the Rs 1.3 crore to Sukesh. Dinakaran is said to have confessed that he had indeed transferred the money.

OneIndia News
ECI bribery case: TTV Dinakaran sent to police custody

India

oi-Anusha

The Tis Hazari court on Wednesday sent TTV Dinakaran to five days police custody. Arrested for allegedly attempting to bribe election commission of India officials, TTV Dinakaran was produced before Judge Poonam Chowdhary in the Tis Hazari court in Delhi. A bail application moved by him was rejected by the Delhi court. Dinakaran, who appeared before the Delhi crime branch police for questioning for the first time on Saturday was sent to police custody.

TTV Dinakaran leaves Delhi's Tis Hazari court after being sent to 5-days police custody in AIADMK symbol alleged bribery case. pic.twitter.com/6WoeaSka3Z  ANI (@ANI_news) April 26, 2017

In his bail application moved before special Judge Poonam Chowdhary, Dinakaran claimed that he was willing to extend full cooperation to the investigating authorities. He also told the court that he was not given exemption from appearing in person before the investigating authorities despite the death of his relative. Dinakaran cited health reason for bail and also claimed that he was the victim of a larger conspiracy. In his petition, Dinakaran told the court that he was summoned only to produce the visitors' register at AIADMK headquarters and at his residence.

Dinakaran along with his aide Mallikarjuna was arrested on the intervening night of Tuesday and Wednesday. Both accused were produced before the court as per procedure. The Delhi police who produced alleged middleman Sukesh Chandrasekhar on Tuesday in the same court had successfully got an extension on his custody. The Delhi police told the court that the duo needed to be taken out of Delhi for further investigations.

OneIndia News
Exit polls predict landslide win for BJP in MCD elections

India

oi-Vikas

By Vikas

Exit polls have predicted a landslide win for the BJP in the MCD elections held on Sunday. Going by exit polls results, this would be third consecutive win for the saffron party in MCD elections.

North, East and South municipal corporations of Delhi went to polls on Sunday with the BJP, the Congress and the AAP locked in a triangular contest.

Out of the 104 wards of the North Delhi, the ABP News-C Voter predicted 88 seats for the BJP, while the AAP and the Congress are expected to win six and seven seats respectively.

In East Delhi, BJP is expected to win 47 out of the 64 seats while the AAP is likely to win nine seats. The Congress is expected to win six seats.

According to ABP News-C-Voter survey, the BJP is expected to win 83 out of 104 seats in South Delhi. The AAP and the Congress are likely to win nine seats each.

In total, BJP is winning 218 seats out of 272, AAP 24 and Congress 22.

Another exit polls by Axis India Today has also predicted similar outcome. It has given the BJP anywhere between 202-220 wards, while the AAP is likely to win between 23-35 and the Congress between 19-31.

This clearly suggests that the Modi wave is here to stay and is paving way for BJP's win from states to civic bodies. One would have expected the anti-incumbency factor to play a role after BJP's two successive terms at the MCD, but exit poll predictions surely do not suggest that way.

One India News

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Story first published: Sunday, April 23, 2017, 19:56 [IST]
How information deficit led to Chhattisgarh Naxal attack

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

The lack of intelligence was one of the primary reasons why the Naxals were able to carry out such as deadly attack on the CRPF personnel at Chhattisgarh on Monday. One of the key informers for the CRPF was killed by Naxals in a bid to send out a warning.

The CRPF had broken ground and even earned the trust of the villagers in Sukma district. However, the killing of Madvi Dula, the sarpanch, changed everything. The villagers would visit the CRPF camp in large numbers for medicines and other help.

However, following the killing of Dula in January was a warning signal for the villagers. Immediately after the killing, the Naxals distributed pamphlets and put up posters warning villagers with the same fate if they continued to inform the police and other security forces.

Following the killing of Dula, the number of villagers visiting the camp came down drastically. With this, the information flow reduced considerably. Had these events not taken place, the CRPF would have known for sure about the major build up at the Naxals' elite military battalion.

Immediately after the killing of Dula, the information for the CRPF dried up. The Naxals began mobilising their forces immediately and went on to build a strong battalion.

Officials say that the killing of Dula should have been a sign about what the Naxals were up to. The ground level intelligence that is so crucial for the forces had completely failed since the killing of Dula in January.

OneIndia News
Im an Arunachali and I belong to India: Protest against China over Arunachal rocks Delhi

India

oi-Oneindia

By Oneindia Staff Writer

New Delhi, April 26: A group of students from Arunachal Pradesh staged a protest right outside the Chinese Embassy in the national capital to express their anger against the Chinese government's move to rename six places in the border state of India recently.

Along with the students of Arunachal Pradesh, under the banner of Arun Chetna Manch, several members of Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad were also part of the protest rally.

With pro-India and anti-China banners in their hands, the protesters shouted slogans like Vande Mataram and Bharat Mata ki Jai. The police detained several of the protesters to keep the situation under control.

"We joined these people because the leader of the demonstration (Romjir Rakshapa) is a Delhi University cultural secretary and we support India' s integrity " ABVP member, Himang Verma, told IANS.

Rakshapa said that he belongs to Arunachal Pradesh and lives in one of the renamed towns, and that he cannot allow it. "Arunachal Pradesh is part of India... My district's name is changed to something which I cannot even pronounce. I am a proud soul of India," he told media persons.

"The Chinese government is also misleading people through media that inhabitants of Arunachal Pradesh support China and want to be a part of it, which is a complete falsehood... I am an Arunachali (as the people of Arunachal Pradesh are known) and I belong to India," he added.

The Chinese ministry of civil affairs announced on April 14 on its website that it had standardised in Chinese characters, Tibetan and Roman alphabet names of six places in Arunachal Pradesh, which China calls South Tibet.

On Monday, a protest rally was hosted by the All Arunachal Pradesh Students' Union in the capital city of Arunachal Pradesh, Itanagar, to send out a clear message to China, which claims the border state of India as its own.

In recent times, India and China saw some heated exchange over Arunachal Pradesh after the former gave a red carpet welcome to the Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama in the border state.

Thereafter, China announced that it had 'standardised' official names for six places in the state and termed the move a 'legitimate action'. India, on its part, opposed the latest Chinese action of renaming places.

OneIndia News
Not the way to treat people says Sadhvi Pragya after court appearance

I shouldve been acquitted; Ive suffered a lot, says Sadhvi Pragya after getting bail

India

oi-Oneindia

By Oneindia Staff Writer

Mumbai, April 26: The Bombay high court on Tuesday granted bail to Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur, one of the main accused in the 2008 Malegaon blast case. However, the court denied any relief to co-accused, former Lt Col Prasad Purohit in the case.

Speaking to reporters after getting bail, Pragya said, "A lot of injustice has been done to me. I should have been acquitted instead of being granted bail."

"If there would have been someone else in my place, I am sure he/she would not have survived till now. I have suffered a lot," she added. She has spent nine years in jail and is suffering from cancer as well.

"The appeal filed by Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur is allowed. The applicant (Sadhvi) is directed to be released on bail on a surety of Rs 5 lakh. The appeal filed by Prasad Purohit stands dismissed," said a division bench of Justices Ranjit More and Shalini Phansalkar Joshi.

The court directed Pragya to surrender her passport to the National Investigation Agency. It also directed her not to tamper with the evidence and to report to the national Investigation Agency court as and when required.

"We have said in our order that prima facie there is no case made out against Sadhvi," Justice More said while refusing to stay today's order.

Pragya and Purohit were accused of involvement in Malegaon bomb blast case in which eight persons were killed and nearly 80 others were injured when a bomb strapped to a motorcycle had exploded in Malegaon, Maharashtra on September 29, 2008.

Pragya and Purohit were arrested in 2008 and are in jail since then. The court was hearing the appeals filed by Pragya and Purohit challenging an earlier order of a special court rejecting their bail pleas.

OneIndia News
Impose emergency, AFSPA in Chhattisgarh, says Swamy after killing of 25 jawans

India

oi-Oneindia

By Oneindia Staff Writer

New Delhi, April 26: Two days after Naxals in Sukma, Chhattisgarh, killed 25 and injured several Central Reserve Police Force personnel, Bharatiya Janata Party leader Subramanian Swamy suggested imposition of emergency and the Armed Forces Special Power Act in the Maoist-hit state.

"It's now time that Sukma and other parts of Chhattisgarh be brought under Article 352 of the Constitution, which means emergency. This is an armed revolt. Therefore, we should declare emergency and impose the AFSPA in the state. We must now crackdown the Maoists and do it in such a way that they will regret what they did," Swamy told ANI.

A day after the Sukma Naxal attack, the Chhattisgarh government and the Centre on Tuesday said they will review strategy against the Maoists and promised retaliation in equal measure.

"The sacrifice of our brave jawans will not go in vain," said Home Minister Rajnath Singh in Raipur. Singh said a meeting of all Maoist-affected states will be held on May 8 to look at ways to root out left-wing extremism.

"We will review the strategy (of dealing with Naxalites) and if necessary we will revisit it," Singh said after paying homage to the CRPF jawans killed in the Sukma Naxal attack.

Singh said the Maoists are trying to hamper the development activities and using the tribals as fodder. "They (tribals) are being used as human shields," Singh said. "We are working to root out the problem of left-wing extremism," the minister said, describing the attack as a cold-blooded murder.

"It was an act of cowardice and desperation. We have accepted it as a challenge."

Chattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh, who addressed the media along with the home minister, said anti-Naxal operations would be conducted with 'more vigour' in the coming days.

"An operation with more firmness will be conducted in the coming days. I believe that the fight against Naxals in Sukma is the biggest battle being fought against left-wing extremism in the country. We have decided to enhance our activities and construction work in the region," he said.

OneIndia News
Is Kejriwal back on dharna mode?

India

oi-Prabhpreet

By Prabhpreet

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, had warned that he would launch a movement if his party is defeated in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi elections as predicted by exit polls.Now with the BJP winning and the exit polls proving correct, major protests can be expected from the Aam Aadmi Party.

The AAP and the political careers of many, if not all, its top leaders can be traced back to the popular movement against corruption by the social activist Anna Hazare in Delhi in 2011.

Back then leaders like Kejriwal, along with others such as Manish Sisodia, Gopal Rai, now minsters in the current Delhi government, were with Anna during his dharna when he went on fast for 12 days.

It has been more than five years since, and those who helped Anna are now a part of the government ruling the state where they once sat in protest.

But coming to power in Delhi with a majority of 67 seats out of 70 does not seem to have changed the modus-operandi of the group.

The latest threat of starting a mass movement is not the first time that Kejriwal has threatened this and in all probability, it will not be the last.

In fact, he sat on a dharna and spent a night in protest against the Union Home ministry in Delhi in 2014 alleging non-cooperation from Delhi police officers, during his brief first term of 49 days as a chief minister.

The idea of elected officials staging protests against other elected officials might have once seemed odd, but given AAP's track record when it comes to staging protests this hardly seems improbable now.

While the AAP came back to power in 2015, the main focus of its fight with the Union government has been over jurisdictional issues in Delhi with the former Lt Governor of Delhi Najeeb Jung and Prime Minster Narendra Modi being the main targets.

Though his second term has been quite sober compared with the first when it comes to staging dharnas, things seem to be coming a full circle for Kejriwal.

As the election results in different states keep going against AAP, the threats of agitations have started again. With the allegations of tampering of electronic voting machines being considered a major reason for its defeat in recent elections.

It seems clear now as the going gets tough, Kejriwal and AAP have decided to go back and use the tool of holding dharnas, which has served them well in the past, even though Anna might not be supporting them anymore.

The question that remains to be answered is whether the people of Delhi feel that their interests are best served with their chief minister and his government launching movements to take on the NDA government.

Given the latest MCD election results, it would seem that is not the case. But that does not seem to have deterred Kejriwal for now.

OneIndia News
Mamata Banerjee suffering from BJP phobia: Amit Shah

India

ians-IANS

By Ians English

Kolkata, April 26: In a swipe at Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee, BJP chief Amit Shah on Wednesday said she was suffering from "BJP phobia" and claimed that her constant criticism of his party was indicative of its rise in Bengal.

"Mamata Banerjee is having BJP phobia. She is seeing Bharatiya Janata Party everywhere," Shah told reporters here, when asked about her charge that the ruling party at the Centre was intimidating Trinamool leaders.

"No one (from the Trinamool) is in touch with us." He also rejected Banerjee's allegation that the Narada sting footage scandal was a 'political conspiracy'. "Trinamool leaders were seen in the video footage taking bribes. Not only Bengal, the entire country has seen it. The allegation is based on evidence, it is not a mere statement of allegation."

Shah, however, scotched speculation that some Trinamool Congress leaders, allegedly involved in scams like Saradha, Rose Valley and also seen taking money in the Narada sting footage, were in touch with the BJP to save their skin.

"This is all imagination. None one has contacted us," he said at the Kolkata Press Club. Commenting on the Trinamool's constant criticism of his party, Shah said: "It's a pleasure that the Trinamool is acknowledging the BJP. They used to attack only the Congress and the Left parties earlier."

"The way Mamatadi is criticising the BJP of late, that is a matter of concern for the communists." The Communist-led Left Front ruled the state from 1977 to 2011, till it was voted out by the Trinamool.

He said after the party's successes in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Goa and Manipur, the BJP leadership has coined the slogan 'Ebar Bangla' (This time Bengal), and would reach out across the state with the message.

The BJP remains committed to bringing back the lost glory of the state if it comes to power and would seal the border to stop infiltration from Bangladesh, he said.

"The Bengal government has failed to take steps to check fake currency supply coming from across the Bangladesh border. They have also totally failed to check infiltration of Bangladeshis," Shah said.

He refused to attach much importance to Banerjee's accusation that the BJP was trying to create a religious divide in the state.

"BJP does not indulge in politics over religion. Forget what Mamata is saying. Listen to what people of Bengal are saying."

Criticising the "appeasement politics" of the state government, he said: "I believe that administration in Bengal has been communally driven, that is why cases of clashes have increased."

He said it was "unfortunate" that permission had to be taken from the Calcutta High Court for immersion of idols during the Durga Puja. "This government can't even protect the rights of the people to perform Saraswati Puja."

Responding to a query that the state has slapped cases against state BJP President Dilip Ghosh for spearheading a Ram Navmi rally by wielding a sword, Shah said: "Not a single party worker has been booked in corruption cases. No one was caught before TV cameras taking money. If they violate rules, cases will be registered."

Shah, however, defended Ghosh, who has repeatedly courted controversy for making controversial and provocative remarks. He said Ghosh is unable to tolerate politics of appeasement and discrimination. "Dilip da is speaking well now," Shah added.

IANS
Mayawati says saffron brigade enjoying free hand in breaking law

India

pti-PTI

Lucknow, Apr 26: BSP chief Mayawati on Wednesday echoed Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav's comments on law and order in Uttar Pradesh, alleging that the "saffron brigade" has been given a free hand to break the law.

She alleged that instead of doing concrete work in the wider interest of the state, the BJP government here, like the one at the Centre, was giving more importance to gaining cheap publicity. Akhilesh had on Tuesday remarked that those wearing saffron scarves had got the licence to beat up policemen and attack police stations after the change of guard in Uttar Pradesh.

The comments from both leaders came in the backdrop of right-wing activists thrashing policemen in Agra besides other law-and-order-related incidents in the state. "The saffron brigade has been given freedom to play with the law and order of the state like it was given to goondas and mafia elements of the ruling party in the previous government," she told party leaders at a meeting here.

Mayawati said there is a dangerous trend growing under the present government of people trying to become "heroes" by playing with law and order, which she said had been evident at all levels during the previous govenrment.

Taking feedback on the functioning of the state government, she said the deprived sections, Dalits and backwards were feeling harassed because of the policies and programmes of the ruling party, and their condition was no different from what it was during the SP govenrment.

Mayawati, who has announced that her party will contest the coming urban body polls on the party symbol, also reviewed the preparations for it and issued directives to party men to deal with the political challenges.

PTI
IT industry veteran appeals to PM for a 'corruption-free' Karnataka

Thailand: PM Prayuth can stay in office, court says

UK PM Liz Truss resigns after 45 days in office, successor to be elected next week

Iraq gets a new government after a year of deadlock

Modi, Lankan PM deliberates on bilateral, fishermen issues

India

oi-PTI

New Delhi, April 26: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Sri Lankan counterpart Ranil Wickremsinghe on Wednesday held talks on key bilateral and regional issues after which the two sides inked an economic cooperation pact.

"Deepening economic collaboration, India-Sri Lanka signed MOU on Cooperation in Economic Project," External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Gopal Baglay tweeted.

Ahead of the talks between the two leaders, Baglay had tweeted, "Partnership for prosperity and development. Prime Minister @NarendraModi receives Sri Lankan PM Wickremesinghe at Hyderabad House."

Wickremsinghe, who arrived in India on Tuesday, is on a five-day visit to India, will be making a private trip outside the capital on Thursday.

Earlier in the day, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj called upon visiting Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.

"Visit of a special partner. Sri Lankan PM Wickremesinghe arrives in Delhi, meets EAM Sushma Swaraj on Wednesday," External Affairs Ministry spokesman Gopal Baglay tweeted.

PTI

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Story first published: Wednesday, April 26, 2017, 16:52 [IST]
Online ticketing fraud comes to light before Baahubali-2 release

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

Baahubali-2 hits the screens on April 28 and there was bound to be a rush for tickets for such a hot selling movie. However many people are now complaining about a huge online ticketing scam. A website that has been registered in Coimbatore has been accused of selling tickets online and duping people.

The allegation made by the people is that the website had kept bookings for the much-awaited movie, despite the tickets being sold out. For instance, if the tickets at a movie theatre were actually sold out, this website would show it as available.

The people say that they had booked tickets through newtickets.in. Many people even approached the police in their respective states to complain about the portal. It is alleged that the website had created a huge database of theatres across the world and opened booking for Baahubali 2. However, people say that they never received the tickets after they booked them. When they checked on the sites of the theatres and other online booking portals, they had found that the tickets had been sold out. Currently, if one were to open the portal and check the status of the tickets in every city, the theatre shows as 'sold out.'

OneIndia News
India's intellectuals are anti-India, says Australian sociologist who is all praise for PM Modi

Modi to launch low-cost flying scheme tomorrow

India

pti-PTI

New Delhi, Apr 26: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch on Thursday a regional air connectivity scheme under which the fares of flights will be capped at Rs 2500 per seat per hour.

Modi will flag off a flight from Shimla to Delhi to launch the 'UDAN' scheme which is aimed at boosting regional connectivity. Simultaneously, flights will be launched on Kadapa Hyderabad and the Nanded-Hyderabad sectors. 'UDAN' is a first-of-its-kind scheme globally to stimulate regional connectivity through a market-based mechanism, the PMO said in a tweet.

"To make air travel accessible to citizens in regionally important areas, the Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik RCS was launched in October, 2016," it added. The UDAN Scheme is a key component of the National Civil Aviation Policy which was released on June 15, 2016.

"Airfare for a 1-hour journey of appx. 500 km on a fixed wing aircraft or for 30 minute journey on a helicopter would be capped at Rs. 2,500," the PMO said. "This with proportionate pricing for routes of different stage lengths and flight duration," it said.

According to an official statement, 24 airports in the western region, 17 in northern region, 11 in southern region, 12 in east and 6 in north-eastern parts of the country are proposed to be connected under this scheme.

Under this programme, the government intends to connect 45 unserved and under-served airports. Five airlines were awarded 128 routes under the scheme last month after a bidding process.

The selected airline operator would have to provide 50 per cent of the flight capacity with a cap of Rs 2500 per hour on fixed wing aircraft and a minimum of 5 and a maximum of 13 on helicopters with the same price cap. Under 'UDAN', the operators would be extended viability gap funding.

The amount is estimated to be around Rs 205 crore per annum for the operators chosen in the first round of bidding. State governments will provide a certain share of VGF. 19 States and 3 Union Territories have signed a Memorandum of Understanding for this purpose.

While in Shimla, the Prime Minister also address a rally at the historic Ridge Maidan. This will be his first visit to Shimla after becoming the Prime Minister. He had visited the capital of Himachal Pradesh last in 2003 when he was the Chief Minister of Gujarat. However, it is his second visit to the state.

Last year, he had addressed a BJP rally at Mandi. Modi was in-charge of organisational affairs of Himachal Pradesh for eight years till 2002.

PTI
Protests trigger clashes in Kashmir valley

India

oi-Chennabasaveshwar

By Chennabasaveshwar

Clashes have erupted as students of the government degree college as the students hit the street in Ganderbal in Kashmir valley on Wednesday.

Students boycotted the classes and protest was staged inside the college premises.

When students tried to march on to the streets police foiled the march leading to bursting of teargas shells which trigged clashes.

OneIndia News

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Story first published: Wednesday, April 26, 2017, 18:07 [IST]
Rajiv Rai Bhatnagar is new CRPF chief

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

Rajiv Rai Bhatnagar is the new chief of the CRPF. The post was lying vacant for the past two months following the retirement of Kode Durga Prasad. Following the Chhattisgarh attack the government had been criticised for not filling up the post. It was said that in the absence of a DG CRPF, key policy decisions could not be taken as a result of which planning suffered.

Rai Bhatnagar a 1983 batch IPS officer is from Uttar Pradesh. Two months back speculation was rife that he would get the posting since he was the only IPS officer from the 1983 batch who was not given DG rank post. Bhatnagar prior to his appointment as the CRPF chief was serving as a DG, Narcotics Control Bueau, an ADG rank which was temporarily upgraded to a special DG rank.

OneIndia News

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Story first published: Wednesday, April 26, 2017, 18:54 [IST]
'Review Kulbhushan Jadhav's death sentence', India files appeal with Pakistan

India

oi-Anusha

The Indian government on Wednesday filed an appeal with Pakistan seeking a review of death sentence awarded to Indian Kulbhushan Jadhav. Indian Envoy Gautam Bambawle who met Pakistani's Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua in Islamabad also sought consular access for Jadhav who was awarded the death sentence by a military court. The demand was refused by Pakistan. Pakistan maintained that "spy" Jadhav was not covered under the bilateral agreement on consular access.

"Today we have filed an appeal against Pakistan military court's verdict in the Kulbhushan Jadhav case. The appeal that had to be filed within 40 days was filed today before the Pakistan foreign secretary," said High Commissioner Gautam Bambawale. The appeal was filed under Pakistan Army act section 133 (B) seeking to go to the Court of Appeals.

In an appeal filed on behalf of Kulbhushan Jadhav's mother with Pakistan's ministry of external affairs, India has asked for a review of his sentence. India had earlier sought a certified copy of the chargesheet as well as the judgment in the Kulbhushan Jadhav case. The former navy officer was convicted on charges of spying by Pakistan army court recently.

India has sought consular access to Jadhav 14 times in the last one year and yet another appeal was made on Wednesday. Multiple demands by India to allow consular access to Jadhav have been rejected by Pakistan. The Indian government had previously told Pakistan that it would appeal against the verdict after studying Pakistan's army act

OneIndia News
Khota sarkar left with egg on their faces: Team Uddhav on Andheri win

Senior Congress leader Gurudas Kamat quits all party posts

India

ians-IANS

By Ians English

Mumbai, April 26: In a surprise move, senior Congress leader and AICC General Secretary Gurudas Kamat has quit all posts in the party, according to a statement on Wednesday.

"I had met Congress Vice president Rahul Gandhi last week on Wednesday and discussed to be relieved from all responsibilities," he said in a statement, hinting at retirement from active politics.

Kamat said he had requested Gandhi to relieve him from all responsibilities on February 3, the day Congress candidates were announced for the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation elections, and repeated his plea on February 21, the day of BMC polling.

"I thank Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi for the opportunity given to me to serve the party," he said without elaborating on the reasons for his decision.

Kamat is a veteran politician who has represented Mumbai North East constituency of Maharashtra in the Lok Sabha five times. However, in 2014 he lost the Lok Sabha Election.

IANS
UP Health Minister returns fire on Akhilesh's charge of 'poor law and order' in UP

India

ians-IANS

By Ians English

Lucknow, April 26: The Bharatiya Janata Party on Wednesday hit back at Samajwadi Party President and former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav for his remarks on the Yogi Adityanath government that law and order in the state is poor.

Batting for the state government, Health Minister Siddharthnath Singh told reporters that instead of unnecessarily pointing fingers at the present government, Akhilesh Yadav should revisit the 1,725 days of his government.

"The former Chief Minister is so dejected with his humiliating defeat at the polls and rejection by the people of Uttar Pradesh that he is seeing everything with a saffron lens," he said.

Singh also accused the past state government of doing nothing for the people and of remaining busy promoting their self interests and protecting family interests.

Advising the former Chief Minister of doing some introspection over the defeat at the hustings, Singh, who is also the spokesman of the government, said: "Akhilesh Yadav should ponder over the reasons on why the government which was brought in with much fanfare by the people in 2012 was booted out in such humiliation in 2017."

All that happened in the Samajwadi Party regime was land grabbing, corruption, lawlessness, exploitation of the poor and promotion of one family, the Health Minister said while claiming a new era of developmental politics in the last one month of the BJP government.

"We have taken some positive steps for the betterment of the state and an all-round development of Uttar Pradesh, and welfare of all remains at the heart of our agenda," the minister said.

Earlier in the day, Akhilesh Yadav had accused BJP supporters of wearing saffron scarfs and terrorising people and officials. He had also claimed that law and order situation in the state was in poor state.

IANS
When TTV Dinakaran wept before the Delhi police in EC bribery case

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

T T V Dinakaran who was arrested in connection with the Election Commission bribery case was adamant at first. However when Sukesh Chandrashekhar the conman was brought before him and the Delhi police hurled proof at him, he broke down.

Dinakaran was shaky on Wednesday. When his questioning began, he took a long time to break. The Delhi police continued to question him and summoned him to their office in the plush Chanakyapuri area for the fourth day.

When Sukesh was brought before him, he began to admit that he had tried to strike a deal for the AIADMK's two leaves symbol. Continuous questioning and face to face interrogation with Sukesh cracked Dinakaran up and he began to sob by Tuesday evening.

Teary-eyed, he broke down after the Delhi police showed him evidence, call records of his phone. As per the phone records, he was in constant touch with Sukesh.

The police asked him why there were so many calls made to Sukesh. "On one hand you claim that you did not know him and on the other, you have made so many calls," the Delhi police told Dinakaran. The records were then shown to Sukesh who readily admitted that he had assured to strike a deal for Dinakaran.

An officer who is part of the probe said that it took almost three days to break Dinakaran. He was very difficult to crack at first, but with so much proof being thrown at him, he broke down, the officer also said.

The police also roped in Janardhan and Mallikarjun his personal assistants. Both admitted about the deal and this had put Dinakaran in a fix. He was left with no choice but to admit to the charges being made by the Delhi police.

OneIndia News
MP woman punished to beg for a week over the death of calf by village panchayat

Sad but true, no one killed Pehlu Khan, as 6 accused get clean chit

Cow vigilantism hits UP, once again: 2 men beaten up, heads tonsured, paraded for cattle stealing

Won't tolerate such things: CM Rajes strong words against murder by gau rakshaks

India

oi-Oneindia

By Oneindia Staff Writer

Jaipur, April 26: After almost a month, finally, Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje broke her silence on the barbaric killing of 55-year-old dairy farmer Pehlu Khan in Alwar by a group of gau rakshaks (cow vigilantes).

The Rajasthan government was criticised for keeping mum on the issue as the six main accused named by Khan before his death are still at large.

"Rajasthan Police is investigating the case. A few people have been arrested. Such things won't be tolerated in Rajasthan. The wrong-doers won't be spared," Raje told reporters on Tuesday.

On April 1, Khan and four others, including his two sons, were mercilessly beaten by a group of cow vigilantes on suspicion of being cow smugglers.

The 55-year-old dairy farmer from Nuh in Harayan succumbed to his injuries on April 3. The entire episode, where a group of cow vigilantes (gau rakshaks) were seen beating Khan, was shot on mobile phones by onlookers. The videos of the attack went viral on social media.

Recently, his 85-year-old mother Ankuri Beegam and other family members staged a protest in the national capital demanding justice for Khan.

At the protest venue in Jantar Mantar, an old and visibly weak Beegam was seen sitting in front of a hoarding with the message, "Mother of Pehlu Khan, Ankuri Beegam, demands justice."

"It has been several weeks and authorities are yet to arrest the six main accused. I want justice for my son, who was an innocent man and died a brutal death," Ankuri told reporters.

OneIndia News
No one has guts...: Junior defence minister's reply to China question

China launches first home-built aircraft carrier amid tensions

International

oi-PTI

Beijing, April 26: China has launched its first indigenously built aircraft carrier, which will join an existing one bought from Ukraine, boosting its military capabilities amid worries about Beijing's assertiveness in the South China Sea.

The 50,000 tonne new carrier was transferred from a dry dock into the water at a launch ceremony in northeast Dalian shipyard of the China Shipbuilding Industry Corp.

The carrier, is touted to be a significant upgrade from the Liaoning, which was built more than 25 years ago and is a refurbished Soviet ship bought from Ukraine.

China began building its second carrier in November 2013. Dock construction started in March 2015.

Putting the carrier into water marked progress in China's efforts to design and build a domestic aircraft carrier. After the launch, the new carrier will undergo equipment debugging, outfitting and comprehensive mooring trials.

The launch comes amid China's assertiveness in the South China Sea. China has also created artificial islands in the area, outfitting some of them with military features.

The US has deployed warships and a submarine to the Korean peninsula, prompting an angry reaction from North Korea. China's military is also eyeing more aircraft carriers to enhance its capabilities.

Earlier, reports had said that Chinese navy which now has an expanded role among the military is set to raise its marine forces from 20,000 to one lakh as it started setting up logistic bases in Gwadar port in Pakistan and Djibouti in Africa.

China has enhanced the battle capabilities of its aircraft carrier Liaoning, with more than 10 pilots from carrier-based jet fighters and commanders getting their certificates, making China one of the few countries capable of training its own pilots for aircraft carriers.

PTI
Donald trump introduces biggest tax reform plan in US history

International

oi-Madhuri

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday unveiled one of the biggest tax cuts in American history, through drastically reducing tax rates both in the business and individual categories, fulfilling one of its major election promises.

It proposed tax relief for families with child and dependent care expenses. For individuals, the Trump administration proposes to reduce the existing seven tax brackets to three tax brackets of 10 per cent, 25 per cent and 35 per cent; doubling the standard deduction and provide tax relief for families with child and dependent care expenses.

National Economic Council Chair Gary Cohn and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin unveiled the broad outlines of President Donald Trump's tax reform plan.

Trump's tax plan would also double the standard deduction for married couples to $24,000 and repeal the estate tax. Trump tax plan cuts top income tax rate from 39.6 to 35 per cent, doubles the amount taxpayers can deduct.

Throughout the month of May, the Trump administration will hold listening sessions with stakeholders to receive their input and will continue working with the House and Senate to develop the details of a plan that provides massive tax relief, creates jobs and makes America more competitive and can pass both chambers.

OneIndia News (with PTI inputs)
Ladies, are you listening? The most eligible bachelor in the world, Sudan, joins Tinder

International

oi-Oneindia

By Oneindia Staff Writer

Nairobi, April 26: Sorry to disappoint you all ladies, looking for a prospective partner. Actually, here we are talking about the world's last male northern white rhino, Sudan, from Kenya. Sudan is an inmate of the Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Laikipia national park, Kenya.

Yes, Sudan is alone and left lonely in this world. Moreover, he has the responsibility of carrying forward his "great legacy" -- to keep his species alive -- as he is the last surviving male white rhino in the world, according to wildlife conservationists.

Under such a dire situation, Sudan thought of joining the popular dating app -- Tinder. After all, all lonely hearts have found solace in Tinder. Isn't it?

This is what Sudan's Tinder profile reads: "I don't mean to be too forward, but the fate of the species literally depends on me. I perform well under pressure. I like to eat grass and chill in the mud. No problems. 6-ft tall and 5,000 pounds if it matters."

The campaign -- started by Ol Pejeta Conservancy and the dating app -- to help Sudan find his "perfect" partner is called -- The Most Eligible Bachelor in the World. Through the campaign, conservationists are hoping that Sudan's Tinder profile will help them raise enough money for $9-million fertility treatment as all attempts at getting him to mate naturally have failed.

"The 43-year-old and his last two female companions are unable to breed naturally because of issues that include old age. Ol Pejeta Conservancy and the app aim to raise the funds for research into breeding methods, including in-vitro fertilization, in an effort to save the species from extinction," stated a report by Associated Press.

"We partnered with Ol Pejeta conservancy to give the most eligible bachelor in the world a chance to meet his match," said Matt David, head of communications and marketing at Tinder. "We are optimistic given Sudan's profile will be seen on Tinder in 190 countries and over 40 languages."

We wish Sudan all the best. Hope, he too gets his partner and they live happily ever after. So, let's swipe right for Sudan. Swiping right on Sudan's Tinder profile will help to raise money for the rhino fertility research.

OneIndia News
'Never invited or met him': Hamid Ansari on row over Pak journalist

BJP uses photo to back its claim of Hamid Ansari's connection with Pak journalist

Vice-President Hamid Ansari arrives in Polish capital Warsaw

International

ians-IANS

By Ians English

Warsaw, April 26: India's Vice-President Mohammad Hamid Ansari arrived in Warsaw on Wednesday evening for his a three-day State visit to Poland. He is accompanied by his wife Salma Ansari.

They were received at the airport by officials of the Prime Minister's Office and the Foreign Ministry. Indian Ambassador Ajay Bisaria and other Indian Embassy officials were present on the occasion.

Ansari is a leading a team of high-ranked officials and others. Minister of State for Small Industries Giriraj Singh and MPs Sitaram Yechury, D.P. Tripathi, Vivek Tankha, and Thupstan Chhewang are part of the delegation.

Preeti Saran, Secretary (East) in the Ministry of External Affairs, heads the official team. Formal bilateral talks will begin on Thursday morning with Polish Prime Minister Beata Szydlo, who will lead her country's delegation.

After the deliberations, a few agreements will be signed, followed by a special lunch for the visiting dignitaries. In the afternoon, the visiting Vice-President will call on Polish President Andrzej Duda who has returned from his official visit to Mexico.

The Vice-President will be the main speaker at the Poland-India Business Forum, organised by the Polish Ministry of Economic Development.

The event is likely to be attended by 150 businessmen from both the countries to strengthen economic ties. In the evening, Ansari and his wife will attend a special dinner hosted by Ambassador Bisaria and have interaction with the Indian community based in various Polish cities.

IANS
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Veteran British actor Leslie Phillips, known for his roles in several Carry On films and the Harry Potter series, has died aged 98.
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Asaba, Delta State

The distance between Asaba, in Delta State and Abuja , FTC is 404 miles

Asaba, town and capital of Delta state, southern Nigeria. It lies on the west bank of the Niger River (opposite Onitsha) and on the road to Benin City. A traditional market centre (cassava, yams, palm oil and kernels, kola nuts) for the Igbo (Ibo) people, it was the place where Richard and John Lander, the British explorers of the Niger, were taken captive by the Igbos in 1830.

It later became a trading post for Sir George Goldies National African Company, and from 1886 to 1900 it served as the administrative headquarters of the territory governed by the Royal Niger Company. The town has been an entrepot for palm produce and other agricultural exports carried by the Asaba-Onitsha ferry.

The town is now the terminus of the 4,606-foot (1,404-metre) bridge to Onitsha (completed in 1965), which serves as eastern Nigerias only direct road link across the Niger River to Benin City and Lagos. Asaba has a textile factory and is the site of a teacher-training college and other schools. Lignite deposits have been discovered in the vicinity. Pop. (2008 est.) 350,128.
Komfie Manalo, Opalesque Asia:

The past week has been adverse to hedge fund performance, particularly for global macro and CTA strategies, Lyxor Asset Management said in its Weekly Briefing. Lyxor pointed out that the announcement of general elections in the UK translated into trend reversals across UK assets.

Philippe Ferreira, Lyxor AM senior analyst, said that the Lyxor hedge fund index was down 1.1% from 11 April to 18 April 2017 on the back of the negative performance of CTA and global macro strategies.

He commented, "Higher risk aversion in Europe ahead of the French presidential election also played a role. Both strategies maintain sizeable long European equity exposures while some macro managers are also short European fixed income. Yet, the likelihood that Macron will win with a comfortable margin at the runoff on 7 May is supportive for both strategies."

Meanwhile, merger arbitrage and event driven strategies outperformed during week. The proposed merger between Abbott Laboratories and Alere is back on track at a renegotiated price, which fueled Alere's shares by more than 15% during the period under review.

Emerging market active funds outperform their benchmarks

Meanwhile, Ferreira added that the recent macro releases outpaced expectations in China while emerging market (EM) assets saw strong foreign inflows in Q1. Overseas flows have probably been fueled by domestic factors, such as str......................

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Opalesque Industry Update - ETFGI, an independent research and consultancy firm on trends in the global ETF/ETP ecosystem, reported following on from the strong start to the year assets invested in ETFs/ETPs listed globally reached a new record high of US$3.913 trillion at the end Q1 2017 surpassing the prior record of US$3.844 trillion set at the end of February 2017 according to preliminary data from ETFGI's Q1 2017 global ETF and ETP industry insights report. ETFs and ETPs listed globally gathered record net inflows of $66.27 Bn in March marking the 38th consecutive month of net inflows. Year to date, a record US$197.26 Bn in net new assets have been gathered. At this point last year there were net inflows of US$69.97 Bn.?? At the end of March 2017, the Global ETF/ETP industry had 6,771 ETFs/ETPs, with 12,750 listings, assets of US$3.913 trillion, from 305 providers listed on 67 exchanges in 55 countries. "Investors have favored equities over fixed income and commodities as equity markets have performed positively in March and in the first quarter of 2017. The S&P 500 gained 0.1% in March and 6.1% during the first quarter. International equity markets performed strongly in March and in the first quarter with the international markets ex US up 2.6% in March and 7.5% in Q1 and emerging markets up 2.1% in March and 11.1% in Q1. With the first round of the French elections looming in the next few weeks, European volatility expectations increased," according to Deborah Fuhr, managing partner and a founder of ETFGI. Equity ETFs/ETPs gathered net inflows of US$49.07 Bn in March, bringing year to date net inflows to ??US$139.67 Bn, which is greater than the net inflows of US$5.06 Bn over the same period last year. Fixed income ETFs and ETPs experienced net inflows of US$11.68 Bn in March, growing year to date net inflows to US$39.20 Bn, which is less than the same period last year which saw net inflows of US$41.62 Bn. Commodity ETFs/ETPs accumulated net inflows of US$1.30 Bn in March. Year to date, net inflows are at US$8.87 Bn, compared to net inflows of US$14.56 Bn over the same period last year. iShares gathered the largest net ETF/ETP inflows in March with US$27.32 Bn, followed by Vanguard with US$13.64 Bn and Nomura AM with US$3.70 Bn net inflows. In Q1 2017, iShares gathered the largest net ETF/ETP inflows with US$65.36 Bn, followed by Vanguard with US$42.81 Bn and SPDR ETFs with US$13.87 Bn net inflows.
New Managers

MARKETING CHALLENGE: The Q&A that's DOA (a.k.a. dead on arrival)

Few offenses are more aggravating to investors in the investor/manager communication process than being misled. Who hasn't been subject to the frustration of trying to ascertain a clear answer from an alternatives manager about an issue germane to the investor's ultimate decision to invest or not to invest? Unfortunately, this avoidance practice is widespread and persistent, falling into the passive stance of a sin of omission.

In the Bible, James the Just describes such a sin as "Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins." A sin of omission is one resulting from not doing something. It is generally used in contrast to sins of commission, or sins that one actively commits. Both forms of sin imply the offender overtly and knowingly understood his actions.

When communication kills

It's often not what a manager reveals that tells the story, but what the manager leaves out. While all of the examples below involve an active stance, they are prime examples of the avoidance practice embodied in sins of omission. Alternatives investors are particularly incensed when served up one of these communication fails.

The Sidestep: When unsure of how to answer a potentially sensitive issue or not knowing the intent behind an investor's question, managers are often guilty of bypassing or avoiding a direct answer. Some of the common pitfalls this tactic is triggered by include questions about an unfavorable performance shortfall, a management or operational weakness within the firm, or fees. Regardless of the focus, investors are never satisfied by the non-answer answer, nor are they fooled by the redirect to another topic without closure to the original question. Practice answering these issues before they are asked, and while the recipient may not like the answer, they will respect t......................

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Global Automotive Turbo charger Market 2017 By Vehicle Type(LMV,LCV,HCV), Apllication, Region & by Aftermarket, Forecast 2022

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The research report on Turbo charger has adopted an analytical approach to evaluate the dynamics of the Turbo charger market. It provides a detailed analysis comprising an in-depth research on the Turbo charger market growth drivers, restraints, and potential growth opportunities, with key focus on globe. In a chapter-wise format, the report evaluates the demand and supply trends observed in the Turbo charger market, complete with relevant statistics and graphical representation. A detailed investment feasibility analysis and market attractiveness analysis is included in the report, which makes it an executive-level document for players in the global Turbo charger market.Download Free Sample Report @To obtain the Turbo charger market feasibility report, industry leading analytical tools are used and market-specific database is evaluated. Based on the results acquired through this research methodology, the report presents refined growth forecasts for the Turbo charger market. Factors such as historical statistics and upcoming trends observed in the global Turbo charger market is analyzed to estimate market behaviour during the forecast period.The report is separated in sections dedicated to analyzing distinct aspects of the Turbo charger market. It encompasses the varied product types available in the market and their respective price structure, the factors driving demand for the products, and the future prospects for the same. Other market segments included are elaborated on the basis of application and geography. The report also presents import and export figures for the global Turbo charger market.To present a detailed analysis of the competitive hierarchy of the Turbo charger market, the report profiles the leading market player around the world. Market shares registered by the prominent players are estimated to study the business strategies that have significantly impacted the Turbo charger market. With its chapters interspersed with tables and figures, the study provides a comprehensive overview of the Turbo charger industry.Access Full Report @A detailed segmentation evaluation of the Turbo charger market has been provided in the report. Detailed information about the key segments of the market and their growth prospects are available in the report. The detailed analysis of their sub-segments is also available in the report. The revenue forecasts and volume shares along with market estimates are available in the report.The report provides information on market sizes, trends, competitive background, market developments, market dynamics, and winning imperatives. The stakeholders of the market can use this information forIdentifying the present and upcoming market opportunitiesTracking the market developmentsUnderstanding the global, regional, and national scenariosUnderstanding the market trends and dynamics along with key factorsIdentifying potential markets in various regions for various Products.Fior Markets is a leading market intelligence company that sells reports of top publishers in the technology industry.Our extensive research reports cover detailed market assessments that include major technological improvements in the industry. Fior Markets also specializes in analyzing hi-tech systems and current processing systems in its expertise.We have a team of experts that compile precise research reports and actively advise top companies to improve their existing processes. Our experts have extensive experience in the topics that they cover.Fior Markets provides you the full spectrum of services related to market research, and corroborate with the clients to increase the revenue stream, and address process gaps.Contact UsMark StoneSales Manager2566, Lincoln StreetPrinceton,New Jersey 08540USAPhone: (201) 465-4211Email: sales@fiormarkets.comWeb:
Industry Overview Of Global Embedded Development Tools Market For The Period 2017

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Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Industry Overview Of Global Embedded Development Tools Market For The Period 2017" to its huge collection of research reports.This report studies Embedded Development Tools in Global market, especially in North America, China, Europe, Southeast Asia, Japan and India, with production, revenue, consumption, import and export in these regions, from 2011 to 2015, and forecast to 2021.This report focuses on top manufacturers in global market, with production, price, revenue and market share for each manufacturer, coveringIntelNXPGenuinoSTMicroelectronicsSilicon LabsAlteraDialog SemiconductorTerasic TechnologiesSegger MicrocontrollerAtmelCypress SemiconductorBy types, the market can be split intodevelopment softwaredisplay development toolsembedded processor development kitsembedded tools & accessoriesmemory IC development toolsprogrammable logic IC development toolssecurity/authentication development toolsBy Application, the market can be split intoindustrialequipmentothersBy Regions, this report covers (we can add the regions/countries as you want)North AmericaChinaEuropeSoutheast AsiaJapanIndiaMake an Enquiry of this report @Table of ContentsGlobal Embedded Development Tools Market Professional Survey Report 20171 Industry Overview of Embedded Development Tools1.1 Definition and Specifications of Embedded Development Tools1.1.1 Definition of Embedded Development Tools1.1.2 Specifications of Embedded Development Tools1.2 Classification of Embedded Development Tools1.2.1 development software1.2.2 display development tools1.2.3 embedded processor development kits1.2.4 embedded tools & accessories1.2.5 memory IC development tools1.2.6 programmable logic IC development tools1.2.7 security/authentication development tools1.3 Applications of Embedded Development Tools1.3.1 industrial1.3.2 equipment1.3.3 others1.4 Market Segment by Regions1.4.1 North America1.4.2 China1.4.3 Europe1.4.4 Southeast Asia1.4.5 Japan1.4.6 India2 Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis of Embedded Development Tools2.1 Raw Material and Suppliers2.2 Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis of Embedded Development Tools2.3 Manufacturing Process Analysis of Embedded Development Tools2.4 Industry Chain Structure of Embedded Development Tools3 Technical Data and Manufacturing Plants Analysis of Embedded Development Tools3.1 Capacity and Commercial Production Date of Global Embedded Development Tools Major Manufacturers in 20153.2 Manufacturing Plants Distribution of Global Embedded Development Tools Major Manufacturers in 20153.3 R&D Status and Technology Source of Global Embedded Development Tools Major Manufacturers in 20153.4 Raw Materials Sources Analysis of Global Embedded Development Tools Major Manufacturers in 2015To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @About ResearchMozResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.Mr. NachiketState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesEmail: sales@researchmoz.usWebsite @Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Follow us on LinkedIn @
United States Hemostat Powder Market 2017 - Pfizer, Ethicon, Gelita Medical, Equimedical, Biocer, Celox, Hemostasis

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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 United States market, to split the market based on manufacturers, states, type and application.Request For Sample Report @Market Segment by Manufacturers, this report coversPfizerEthiconGelita MedicalEquimedicalBiocerCeloxHemostasisMBPMediraHemotec MedicalStarch MedicalSuccess PharmaceuticalChangsha HairunMarket Segment by States, coveringCaliforniaTexasNew YorkFloridaIllinoisMarket Segment by Type, coversMicrofibrillar CollagenChitosanOtherMarket Segment by Applications, can be divided intoSurgical Wound CareGeneral Wound CareAccess Full Report With TOC @There are 17 Chapters to deeply display the United States Hemostat Powder market.Chapter 1, to describe Hemostat Powder Introduction, product type and application, market overview, market analysis by States, market opportunities, market risk, market driving force;Chapter 2, to analyze the manufacturers of Hemostat Powder, with profile, main business, news, sales, price, revenue and market share 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 United States market by States, covering California, New York, Texas, Illinois and Florida, with sales, price, revenue and market share of Hemostat Powder, for each state, from 2012 to 2017;Chapter 5 and 6, to show the market by type and application, with sales, price, revenue, market share and growth rate by type, application, from 2012 to 2017;Chapter 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11, to analyze the key States by Type and Application, covering California, New York, Texas, Illinois and Florida, with sales, revenue and market share by types and applications;Chapter 12, Hemostat Powder market forecast, by States, type and application, with sales, price, revenue and growth rate forecast, from 2017 to 2022;Chapter 13, to analyze the manufacturing cost, key raw materials and manufacturing process etc.Chapter 14, to analyze the industrial chain, sourcing strategy and downstream end users (buyers);Chapter 15, to describe sales channel, distributors, traders, dealers etc.Chapter 16 and 17, to describe Hemostat Powder Research Findings and Conclusion, Appendix, methodology and data source.About Fior MarketsFior Markets is a leading market intelligence company that sells reports of top publishers in the technology industry.Our extensive research reports cover detailed market assessments that include major technological improvements in the industry. Fior Markets also specializes in analyzing hi-tech systems and current processing systems in its expertise.We have a team of experts that compile precise research reports and actively advise top companies to improve their existing processes. Our experts have extensive experience in the topics that they cover.Contact UsMark StoneSales Manager2566, Lincoln StreetPrinceton,New Jersey 08540USAPhone: (201) 465-4211Email: sales@fiormarkets.comWeb:Blog:
Global Oral Syringes Market 2017 - Baxter, BD, Terumo Corporation, Medtronic PLC, Henke, NeoMed, Comar

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An oral syringe is used to dispense liquid medicine into the mouth. Its made up of three main parts: a straw like stopper, the barrel or body and the plunger; some oral syringes also have a cap that fits on the tip of the barrel. An oral syringe has measurement markings on its barrel. It looks almost identical to a hypodermic syringe used to inject medicine under the skin, but uses no needle. Instead, oral syringes have an opening that allows liquid medications to be dispensed into the mouth.Scope of the Report:This report focuses on the Oral Syringes 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 coversBaxterBDB. Braun Melsungen AGTerumo CorporationMedtronic PLCHenkeNeoMedComarMarket 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, coversClearColorfulMarket Segment by Applications, can be divided intoHospitalsHomeAccess Full Report With TOC @There are 15 Chapters to deeply display the global Oral Syringes market.Chapter 1, to describe Oral Syringes Introduction, product scope, market overview, market opportunities, market risk, market driving force;Chapter 2, to analyze the top manufacturers of Oral Syringes, with sales, revenue, and price of Oral Syringes, 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 Oral Syringes, 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, Oral Syringes market forecast, by regions, type and application, with sales and revenue, from 2017 to 2022;Chapter 13, 14 and 15, to describe Oral Syringes 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:
Industrial Robotics Market Worth US$ 79 Billion by 2022

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Florida, April 25: Market Research Engine adds a new research report, titled Industrial Robotics Market By Type Analysis (Articulated, Cylindrical, Cartesian, Parallel, SCARA); By Industry Analysis (Automotive, Chemical Rubber and Plastic, Electrical and Electronics, Food and Beverages, Metal and Machinery, Precision and Optics Industry); By Component Analysis (Controller, Robotic Arm, Drive, End effector, Sensors) and By Regional Analysis  Global Forecast by 2016 - 2022.How Big is the Global Industrial Robotics Market?The Global industrial robotics Market is expected to exceed more than US$ 79 billion by 2022 and will grow at a CAGR of more than 11.5% in the given forecast period.Browse Full Report:Industrial manage and robotics tool provide to monitor and control numerous methods in the industries. Demand for those structures is anticipated to reveal continuous boom attributed to extended necessities of high product precision, quality and reliability in large extent production. It is hard to reap low cost and high satisfactory merchandise without automation, which became formerly finished manually. Use of industrial controls and robotics tools serve the motive of users for the powerful and efficient management of numerous procedures. Industrial automation gear assists the producers to reveal mass production processes with minimal chances of errors. Industrial automation the use of robotics is capable of offering repeatable and steady consequences. Because of higher efficiency and faster work fee the robots are capable of growing productivity. Business manipulates and robotics equipment improves the high-quality of merchandise. Consequently, the high-quality manipulate difficulty worried with human blunders can be minimized to a greater extent. Automation using manipulate structures and robotics helps to lower the value of manufacturing as massive number of products are generated in much less time with excessive accuracy.The major driving factors of Global Industrial Robotics Market are as follows: Approval of automation to guarantee quality production and congregate market demand Increasing need from small and medium size enterprise in developing nationsThe restraining factors of Global Industrial Robotics Market are as follows: Need expert employees to work in automatic manufacturing divisionsThe Global Industrial Robotics Market is segmented on the lines of its type, industry, component and regional. Based on type segmentation it covers articulated, cylindrical, Cartesian, parallel, SCARA and others. Under industry segmentation it covers automotive, chemical rubber and plastic, electrical and electronics, food and beverages, metal and machinery, precision and optics industry and others. Component segment is classified into controller, robotic arm, drive, end effecter and sensors. The Global industrial robotics Market on geographic segmentation covers various regions such as North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, Middle East and Africa. Each geography market is further segmented to provide market revenue for select countries such as the U.S., Canada, U.K. Germany, China, Japan, India, Brazil, and GCC countries.This report provides:1) An overview of the global market for Industrial Robotics and related technologies.2) Analyses of global market trends, with data from 2013, estimates for 2014 and 2015, and projections of compound annual growth rates (CAGRs) through 2022.3) Identifications of new market opportunities and targeted promotional plans for Global Industrial Robotics Market.4) Discussion of research and development, and the demand for new products and new applications.5) Comprehensive company profiles of major players in the industry.REPORT SCOPE:The scope of the report includes a detailed study of global and regional markets for Global Industrial Robotics Market with the reasons given for variations in the growth of the industry in certain regions.The report covers detailed competitive outlook including the market share and company profiles of the key participants operating in the global market. Key players profiled in the report include FANUC Corp., Yaskawa Electric Corp., ABB Ltd., KUKA AG, and Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd. among others. Company profile includes assign such as company summary, financial summary, business strategy and planning, SWOT analysis and current developments.The Top Companies Report is intended to provide our buyers with a snapshot of the industrys most influential players.The Global Industrial Robotics Market has been segmented as below:By Type Analysis Articulated Cylindrical Cartesian Parallel SCARA OthersBy Industry Analysis Automotive Chemical Rubber and Plastic Electrical and Electronics Food and Beverages Metal and Machinery Precision and Optics Industry OthersBy Component Analysis Controller Robotic Arm Drive End effector SensorsBy Regional Analysis North America Europe Asia-Pacific Rest of the WorldReasons to Buy this Report:1) Obtain the most up to date information available on all Global Industrial Robotics Market.2) Identify growth segments and opportunities in the industry.3) Facilitate decision making on the basis of strong historic and forecast of Global Industrial Robotics Market data.4) Assess your competitors refining portfolio and its evolution.About Market Research EngineMarket Research Engine is a global market research and consulting organization. We provide market intelligence in emerging, niche technologies and markets. Our market analysis powered by rigorous methodology and quality metrics provide information and forecasts across emerging markets, emerging technologies and emerging business models. Our deep focus on industry verticals and country reports help our clients to identify opportunities and develop business strategies.Media ContactCompany Name: Market Research EngineContact Person: John BayEmail: john@marketresearchengine.comPhone: +1-855-984-1862, +91-860-565-7204Website:Address: 3422 SW 15 Street, Suite #8942, Deerfield Beach, FL 33442, United States
25th Euro Congress and Expo on Dental & Oral Health

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Euro Dental Congress-2017 is an extraordinary event expected for International Dental and Oral prosperity specialists to support the dispersal and utilization of investigation revelations related to oral prosperity and the joint efforts amidst oral and systemic prosperity. "Conferenceseries LLC with London Oral Restorative Academy and Egyptian Society of Oral Implantology Jointly Organize". ADA C.E.R.P Accredited Event 25th Euro Congress and Expo on Dental and Oral Health October 16-18, 2017 | Budapest, Hungary. The conference is going to be held in Budapest, Hungary from October 16-18, 2017. The subject of the social occasion is around Innovative ideas and approaches for striving the future of Dental and Oral Health Care ".The purpose of this letter is to welcome you to be a Speaker/ Delegate at the upcoming "25th Euro Congress and Expo on Dental & Oral Health "(Euro Dental Congress 2017) on October 16-18, 2017 which is CE London Oral Reconstructive Academy Committee who will be so long as CE credits to the speakers, students and special accreditation and certification for delegates by the CPD standards office.Attendees BenefitsAll attendees can avail 18 CE Credits (Continuing Professional)Certificate Accreditation by the ADAAbstracts will be published in conference souvenir & international journalsGroup Discounts Available!Company name: Conferenceseries LLCPlease feel free to contact me for further queries.The purpose of this letter is to welcome you to be a Speaker/ Delegate at the upcoming "25th Euro Congress and Expo on Dental & Oral Health "(Euro Dental Congress 2017) on October 16-18, 2017 which is CE London Oral Reconstructive Academy Committee who will be so long as CE credits to the speakers, students and special accreditation and certification for delegates by the CPD standards office.Smith WilsonEvent ManagerEuro Dental Congress-2017Westlake, Los AngelesCA91362-7354, USAPhone: +1-702-508-5200Fax: +1-650-618-1414Toll free: +1-800-216-6499Mail: eurodentalcongress@dentistryconferences.comHome:Submit Abstract:Register Now:
How Technical Support Services USA help you streamline your business operations?

Technical support services USA

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Texas (USA), Canada (Toronto) & London (Business Network:Technical Support Services USA assist users that face technical problems with electronic devices or applications. Technical Support services need to have a knowledgeable team that is able to troubleshoot most problems that a user experiences. Technical Support mainly involves providing support to users of a software, application, equipment or a complete comprehensive system involving all three above. Major percentage of issues can be fixed by technicians with out in-depth knowledge.It is beneficial for a business to outsource the work of technical support to a third party since these service providers work for different clients and has sufficient resources and expertise.Advantages of Technical Support Services USA:Budget friendly: Outsourcing Technical Support services saves your costs of hiring multiple IT experts and paying them for technical support can be expensive. Providing them with latest technology tools costs more.Technology: Technical support service providers have better technology. They use latest tools and are aware of all updates and new trends. Use of latest technology and tools boosts the speed of support processes.Good Customer service: When you outsource your technical support you gain amazing customer service since they are in the industry for a long time. They take care of your clients and make sure their problems are completely solved.Suma Soft technical support services are one stop solution for all your tech support problem, which include IT Help Desk, level 1 support, Remote Network monitoring, Network Monitoring, Application Software Support.Expert team with 24x7 support, that will help you reduce your operational and infrastructure costImprove response time by 50%Competitive pricing & lower cost by 70%Access to better technology (Use of ISO 90001 and ISO 27001 Certified processes )Scalable Support during holiday and peak periodAccess to wider range of skills (16+ years of experience and expert team)Better productivity & customer satisfactionAbout Suma Soft:Founded in 2000, Suma Soft Pvt. Ltd. has been providing technical support services to globally renowned enterprises. We have a rich 16-year old legacy of being a Global ITES & BPO Solutions provider for USA & India markets. Suma Softs mission is to provide seamless and cost-efficient ITES solutions with a commitment of excellence in Service Delivery to our customers, stakeholders and shareholders.For Free Consultation, leave a message here...Name: Rick CooperFor India: +12817641821info@sumasoft.comSuma Softs Technical Support Services USA are designed with a deep understanding of clients specific business requirements.Read more:7880 San Felipe Street, Ste 120
Calcium Chloride Market is Expected to Cross US$ 1100 Million by 2022

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New York, April 25: Market Research Engine has published a new report titled as Calcium Chloride Market - Global Industry Analysis and Forecast 2016 - 2022How Big is the Calcium Chloride Market?The calcium chloride market is expected to exceed more than US$ 1100 million by 2022; Growing at a CAGR of more than 4% in the given forecast period.Browse Full Report:Calcium chloride is one of the main stand chemicals present in market. It contains many properties which useful in many applications and it is used in many industries includes pharmaceutical, construction and food. Calcium chloride occurs as an unusual mineral which is manufactured by using many basic raw materials includes hydrochloric acid and limestone. It is formed as a byproduct of the lime stone hydrochloric process as well as solvay process. The useful of calcium chloride to reduce the temperature of water has led high demand in colder regions. Its used as a de-icing salt to get rid of snow and ice from roadways and sidewalks, therefore preventing accidents. Calcium chloride is additionally wont to increase the potency and production of recent oil and gas wells. Thus, demand for Calcium chloride is high within the oil and gas business.The major driving factors of calcium chloride market are as follows:Increasing requirement for food preservatives to increase demand for calcium chloride.Increasing demand for deicing salt supplements calcium chloride market.The restraining factors of calcium chloride market are as follows:Potential side effects of calcium chloride and regulations could slow down market growth.The calcium chloride market is segmented on the lines of its application and regional. Based on application segmentation the calcium chloride market covers construction, oil and gas, de icing and dust control and others such as food, medicine, etc. The calcium chloride markets geographic segmentation covers various regions such as North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, Middle East and Africa. Each geographic market is further segmented to provide market revenue for select countries such as the U.S., Canada, U.K. Germany, China, Japan, India, Brazil, and GCC countries.This report provides:1) An overview of the global market for calcium chloride and related technologies.2) Analyses of global market trends, with data from 2013, estimates for 2014 and 2015, and projections of compound annual growth rates (CAGRs) through 2022.3) Identifications of new market opportunities and targeted promotional plans for calcium chloride.4) Discussion of research and development, and the demand for new products and new applications.5) Comprehensive company profiles of major players in the industry.REPORT SCOPE:The scope of the report includes a detailed study of global and regional markets for Calcium chloride Market for variations in the growth of the industry in certain regions.The report covers detailed competitive outlook including the market share and company profiles of the key participants operating in the global market. Key players profiled in the report include BJ Services Company, Occidental Chemical Corporation (OxyChem), Qingdao Huadong Calcium Producing Co. Ltd., Solvay, Tangshan Sanyou Group, TETRA Chemicals (Tetra Technologies, Inc.), Tiger Calcium Services Inc., Ward Chemical, Weifang Haibin Chemical Co. Ltd., Weifang Taize Chemical Industry Co. Ltd., and Zirax Group. Company profile includes assign such as company summary, financial summary, business strategy and planning, SWOT analysis and current developments.The Top Companies Report is intended to provide our buyers with a snapshot of the industrys most influential players.The Calcium Chloride Market has been segmented as below:By Application AnalysisConstructionOil and gasDe-icing and dust controlOthers (food, medicine, etc)By Regional AnalysisNorth AmericaEuropeAsia-PacificRest of the WorldReasons to Buy this Report:1) Obtain the most up to date information available on all calcium chloride.2) Identify growth segments and opportunities in the industry.3) Facilitate decision making on the basis of strong historic and forecast of calcium chloride data.4) Assess your competitors refining portfolio and its evolution.About MarketResearchEngine.comMarket Research Engine is a global market research and consulting organization. We provide market intelligence in emerging, niche technologies and markets. Our market analysis powered by rigorous methodology and quality metrics provide information and forecasts across emerging markets, emerging technologies and emerging business models. Our deep focus on industry verticals and country reports help our clients to identify opportunities and develop business strategies.Media ContactCompany Name: Market Research EngineContact Person: John BayEmail: john@marketresearchengine.comPhone: +1-855-984-1862, +91-860-565-7204Country: United StatesWebsite:Address: 3422 SW 15 Street, Suite #8942, Deerfield Beach, FL 33442, United States
Voices.com Selected As One Of Canadas Top Small & Medium Employers For 2017

(London, ON) April 25, 2017 - Voices.com has been announced as one of Canadas Top Small & Medium Employers for 2017 by Mediacorp.Companies included on this list are evaluated on criteria that includes their physical workplace, work atmosphere, benefits, vacation time, performance management, training and skills development, and community involvement.Voices.com has strived to put their employees first in a dynamic, ever-changing work environment, most notable in their recent move to the companys new 45,000 square foot headquarters in London, Ontario.Kaitlyn Apfelbeck, Director of Human Resources at Voices.com, shares her insights on the award: We're honoured to be recognized as a Top 100 Employer in Canada. It means we're making the right decisions and moving in the right direction in an ever changing era. As we grow we want to continue striving to enhance our people, technology and culture.As one of only three companies recognized in London, Ontario, Voices.com is proud to represent London.London has a booming tech industry, with a variety of great companies in it, says Voices.com CEO David Ciccarelli. I am happy that through recognition on this list, Voices.com can bring attention to the ongoing industry shift in our city and all that it means for the region.As one of the top employers of 2017, Voices.com is becoming one of the staples of the growing Canadian economy.SMEs play an outsized role in Canadas economy, says Anthony Meehan, Publisher at Mediacorp, the organization that manages the award. Small and medium-sized employers are responsible for a large majority of the jobs created in the past decade, so its important that job-seekers be aware of the leading employers in this sector.The announcement of the honour, originally published in the print edition of the Globe and Mail and on Canadas Top 100 website, acknowledges the importance of small businesses to the Canadian economy.About Voices.comVoices.com is the largest online voice-over marketplace in the world. Over 200,000 talent from around the globe, speaking over 100 languages and dialects, are connected daily to the job opportunities posted by 200,000 clients. These clients include such brands as Microsoft, Hulu, GoDaddy, Bell, Lumosity, and National Geographic.100 Dundas St., Suite 700 London, ON Canada
Cyber Security 2017 Global Key Players - Cisco, IBM, GarrettCom, Siemens, CyberArk Market Analysis and Forecast to 2022

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Cyber SecurityReport Details:This report studies the global Cyber Security market, analyzes and researches the Cyber Security development status and forecastTop Key Palyers:CiscoIBMGarrettComSiemensCyberArkSymantecHoneywellCyberconMAVERICKCheck PointWaterfallParsons?WurldtechWeinute TechnologyTOFINOHUACONNSFOCUSClick here for sample report @Market segment by Regions/Countries, this report coversUnited StatesEUJapanChinaIndiaSoutheast AsiaMarket segment by Type, Cyber Security can be split intoSoftware productHardware productMarket segment by Application, Cyber Security can be split intoBankGovernmentEnterpriseOtherSome Major Points from Table of content:Global Cyber Security Market Size, Status and Forecast 20221 Industry Overview of Cyber Security1.1 Cyber Security Market Overview1.1.1 Cyber Security Product Scope1.1.2 Market Status and Outlook1.2 Global Cyber Security 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 Cyber Security Market by Type1.3.1 Software product1.3.2 Hardware product1.4 Cyber Security Market by End Users/Application1.4.1 Bank1.4.2 Government1.4.3 Enterprise1.4.4 OtherFor Detailed Reading Please visit @3 Company (Top Players) Profiles3.1 Cisco3.1.1 Company Profile3.1.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.1.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.1.4 Cyber Security Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.1.5 Recent Developments3.2 IBM3.2.1 Company Profile3.2.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.2.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.2.4 Cyber Security Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.2.5 Recent Developments3.3 GarrettCom3.3.1 Company Profile3.3.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.3.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.3.4 Cyber Security Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.3.5 Recent Developments3.4 Siemens3.4.1 Company Profile3.4.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.4.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.4.4 Cyber Security Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.4.5 Recent Developments3.5 CyberArk3.5.1 Company Profile3.5.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.5.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.5.4 Cyber Security Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.5.5 Recent Developments3.6 Symantec3.6.1 Company Profile3.6.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.6.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.6.4 Cyber Security Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.6.5 Recent Developments3.7 Honeywell3.7.1 Company Profile3.7.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.7.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.7.4 Cyber Security Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.7.5 Recent Developments..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
Ieoh Ming Pei.[Photo/VCG]

Today marks the 100th birthday of the internationally-acclaimed architect Ieoh Ming Pei, more commonly known as IM Pei.

The Chinese-American designer was born in Guangzhou in 1917 and later went to study architecture in the United States where he rose to fame and successfully built a career in the field of architectural design. The masterful structures he designed are spread throughout many countries and serve a variety of purposes. From the Louvre Museum in Paris to the Bank of China Building in Hong Kong, his masterpieces are everywhere.

One feature of his designs is that his artworks are believed to embody a sense of sculptural beauty. Deriving inspiration from sculptures is one of the techniques he employed for designs in public space. Notable examples include the glass-and-steel pyramid he designed for the Louvre Museum in Paris and the East Building of the National Gallery of Art in Washington D C.
Global Dehydroepiandrosterone Market Drivers, Trends and Opportunities Forecasts from 2017 to 2022

Dehydroepiandrosterone Market

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Executive SummaryGlobal Dehydroepiandrosterone Market:WiseGuyReports.com adds Dehydroepiandrosterone Market 2017 Global Analysis, Growth, Trends and Opportunities Research Report Forecasting to 2022reports to its database.WiseGuyReports.Com Publish a New Market Research Report On Request a Sample Report @This report studies Dehydroepiandrosterone in Global market, especially in North America, China, Europe, Southeast Asia, Japan and India, with production, revenue, consumption, import and export in these regions, from 2012 to 2016, and forecast to 2022.This report focuses on top manufacturers in global market, with production, price, revenue and market share for each manufacturer, coveringMTC IndustriesLouis PharmaceuticalsBaoding Jiufu BiochemicalHubei Danjiangkou Kaitai HormoneGaoyuan Bio-ChemJinda Biological Chemical...By types, the market can be split intoBiosynthesis DehydroepiandrosteroneSynthetic DehydroepiandrosteroneBy Application, the market can be split intoPharmaOtherBy Regions, this report covers (we can add the regions/countries as you want)North AmericaChinaEuropeSoutheast AsiaJapanIndiaBrowse Full Report Details@Some Major Points from Table of Content:Table of ContentsGlobal Dehydroepiandrosterone Market Professional Survey Report 20171 Industry Overview of Dehydroepiandrosterone1.1 Definition and Specifications of Dehydroepiandrosterone1.1.1 Definition of Dehydroepiandrosterone1.1.2 Specifications of Dehydroepiandrosterone1.2 Classification of Dehydroepiandrosterone1.2.1 Biosynthesis Dehydroepiandrosterone1.2.2 Synthetic Dehydroepiandrosterone1.3 Applications of Dehydroepiandrosterone1.3.1 Pharma1.3.2 Other1.3.3 Application 31.4 Market Segment by Regions1.4.1 North America1.4.2 China1.4.3 Europe1.4.4 Southeast Asia1.4.5 Japan1.4.6 India2 Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis of Dehydroepiandrosterone2.1 Raw Material and Suppliers2.2 Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis of Dehydroepiandrosterone2.3 Manufacturing Process Analysis of Dehydroepiandrosterone2.4 Industry Chain Structure of Dehydroepiandrosterone3 Technical Data and Manufacturing Plants Analysis of Dehydroepiandrosterone3.1 Capacity and Commercial Production Date of Global Dehydroepiandrosterone Major Manufacturers in 20163.2 Manufacturing Plants Distribution of Global Dehydroepiandrosterone Major Manufacturers in 20163.3 R&D Status and Technology Source of Global Dehydroepiandrosterone Major Manufacturers in 20163.4 Raw Materials Sources Analysis of Global Dehydroepiandrosterone Major Manufacturers in 20165 Dehydroepiandrosterone Regional Market Analysis5.1 North America Dehydroepiandrosterone Market Analysis5.1.1 North America Dehydroepiandrosterone Market Overview5.1.2 North America 2012-2017E Dehydroepiandrosterone Local Supply, Import, Export, Local Consumption Analysis5.1.3 North America 2012-2017E Dehydroepiandrosterone Sales Price Analysis5.1.4 North America 2016 Dehydroepiandrosterone Market Share Analysis5.2 China Dehydroepiandrosterone Market Analysis5.2.1 China Dehydroepiandrosterone Market Overview5.2.2 China 2012-2017E Dehydroepiandrosterone Local Supply, Import, Export, Local Consumption Analysis5.2.3 China 2012-2017E Dehydroepiandrosterone Sales Price Analysis5.2.4 China 2016 Dehydroepiandrosterone Market Share Analysis5.3 Europe Dehydroepiandrosterone Market Analysis5.3.1 Europe Dehydroepiandrosterone Market Overview5.3.2 Europe 2012-2017E Dehydroepiandrosterone Local Supply, Import, Export, Local Consumption Analysis5.3.3 Europe 2012-2017E Dehydroepiandrosterone Sales Price Analysis5.3.4 Europe 2016 Dehydroepiandrosterone Market Share Analysis5.4 Southeast Asia Dehydroepiandrosterone Market Analysis5.4.1 Southeast Asia Dehydroepiandrosterone Market Overview5.4.2 Southeast Asia 2012-2017E Dehydroepiandrosterone Local Supply, Import, Export, Local Consumption Analysis6 Global 2012-2017E Dehydroepiandrosterone Segment Market Analysis (by Type)6.1 Global 2012-2017E Dehydroepiandrosterone Sales by Type6.2 Different Types of Dehydroepiandrosterone Product Interview Price Analysis6.3 Different Types of Dehydroepiandrosterone Product Driving Factors Analysis6.3.1 Biosynthesis Dehydroepiandrosterone of Dehydroepiandrosterone Growth Driving Factor Analysis6.3.2 Synthetic Dehydroepiandrosterone of Dehydroepiandrosterone Growth Driving Factor AnalysisPurchase a Copy of This Report @CONTINUEDMore about WiseGuyReports:Contact Us:NORAH TRENTPartner Relations & Marketing Managersales@wiseguyreports.comPh: +1-646-845-9349 (US)Ph: +44 208 133 9349 (UK)Wise Guy Reports is part of the Wise Guy Consultants Pvt. Ltd. and offers premium progressive statistical surveying, market research reports, analysis & forecast data for industries and governments around the globe. Wise Guy Reports features an exhaustive list of market research reports from hundreds of publishers worldwide. We boast a database spanning virtually every market category and an even more comprehensive collection of market research reports under these categories and sub-categories.WISE GUY RESEARCH CONSULTANTS PVT LTDOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, HadapsarPune  411028Maharashtra, India
Blood Pressure Monitors 2017 Global Key Players  Philips, Omron, Braun, Kinetik, IHealth, Beurer Market Analysis and Forecast to 2022

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Blood Pressure Monitors Market 2017Report Details:Wiseguyreports.Com Adds Blood Pressure Monitors Market -Market Size, Demand, Growth, Opportunities, Manufacturers, Analysis of Top Key Players and Forecast to 2022 To Its Research Database.This report studies Blood Pressure Monitors in Global market, especially in North America, China, Europe, Southeast Asia, Japan and India, with production, revenue, consumption, import and export in these regions, from 2012 to 2016, and forecast to 2022.This report focuses on top manufacturers in global market, with production, price, revenue and market share for each manufacturer, coveringPhilipsOmronBraunKinetikIHealthA&D MedicalBeurerTensioGESuntech MedicalWelch AllynAmerican DiagnosticBosch + SohnBriggs HealthcareChoicemmedCitizenRequest for Sample report @By types, the market can be split intoMercury Blood Pressure MonitorsAneroid Blood Pressure MonitorsDigital Blood Pressure MonitorsBy Application, the market can be split intoHospitalClinicHomeOtherBy Regions, this report covers (we can add the regions/countries as you want)North AmericaChinaEuropeSoutheast AsiaJapanIndiaKey Points in Table of Content:Global Blood Pressure Monitors Market Professional Survey Report 20171 Industry Overview of Blood Pressure Monitors1.1 Definition and Specifications of Blood Pressure Monitors1.1.1 Definition of Blood Pressure Monitors1.1.2 Specifications of Blood Pressure Monitors1.2 Classification of Blood Pressure Monitors1.2.1 Mercury Blood Pressure Monitors1.2.2 Aneroid Blood Pressure Monitors1.2.3 Digital Blood Pressure Monitors1.3 Applications of Blood Pressure Monitors1.3.1 Hospital1.3.2 Clinic1.3.3 Home1.3.4 Other1.4 Market Segment by Regions1.4.1 North America1.4.2 China1.4.3 Europe1.4.4 Southeast Asia1.4.5 Japan1.4.6 India..To get complete report visit@4 Global Blood Pressure Monitors Overall Market Overview4.1 2012-2017E Overall Market Analysis4.2 Capacity Analysis4.2.1 2012-2017E Global Blood Pressure Monitors Capacity and Growth Rate Analysis4.2.2 2016 Blood Pressure Monitors Capacity Analysis (Company Segment)4.3 Sales Analysis4.3.1 2012-2017E Global Blood Pressure Monitors Sales and Growth Rate Analysis4.3.2 2016 Blood Pressure Monitors Sales Analysis (Company Segment)4.4 Sales Price Analysis4.4.1 2012-2017E Global Blood Pressure Monitors Sales Price4.4.2 2016 Blood Pressure Monitors Sales Price Analysis (Company Segment).8 Major Manufacturers Analysis of Blood Pressure Monitors8.1 Philips8.1.1 Company Profile8.1.2 Product Picture and Specifications8.1.2.1 Product A8.1.2.2 Product B8.1.3 Philips 2016 Blood Pressure Monitors Sales, Ex-factory Price, Revenue, Gross Margin Analysis8.1.4 Philips 2016 Blood Pressure Monitors Business Region Distribution Analysis8.2 Omron8.2.1 Company Profile8.2.2 Product Picture and Specifications8.2.2.1 Product A8.2.2.2 Product B8.2.3 Omron 2016 Blood Pressure Monitors Sales, Ex-factory Price, Revenue, Gross Margin Analysis8.2.4 Omron 2016 Blood Pressure Monitors Business Region Distribution Analysis8.3 Braun8.3.1 Company Profile8.3.2 Product Picture and Specifications8.3.2.1 Product A8.3.2.2 Product B8.3.3 Braun 2016 Blood Pressure Monitors Sales, Ex-factory Price, Revenue, Gross Margin Analysis8.3.4 Braun 2016 Blood Pressure Monitors Business Region Distribution Analysis8.4 Kinetik8.4.1 Company Profile8.4.2 Product Picture and Specifications8.4.2.1 Product A8.4.2.2 Product B8.4.3 Kinetik 2016 Blood Pressure Monitors Sales, Ex-factory Price, Revenue, Gross Margin Analysis8.4.4 Kinetik 2016 Blood Pressure Monitors Business Region Distribution Analysis8.5 IHealth8.5.1 Company Profile8.5.2 Product Picture and Specifications8.5.2.1 Product A8.5.2.2 Product B8.5.3 IHealth 2016 Blood Pressure Monitors Sales, Ex-factory Price, Revenue, Gross Margin Analysis8.5.4 IHealth 2016 Blood Pressure Monitors Business Region Distribution Analysis8.6 A&D Medical8.6.1 Company Profile8.6.2 Product Picture and Specifications8.6.2.1 Product A8.6.2.2 Product B8.6.3 A&D Medical 2016 Blood Pressure Monitors Sales, Ex-factory Price, Revenue, Gross Margin Analysis8.6.4 A&D Medical 2016 Blood Pressure Monitors Business Region Distribution Analysis8.7 Beurer8.7.1 Company Profile8.7.2 Product Picture and Specifications8.7.2.1 Product A8.7.2.2 Product B8.7.3 Beurer 2016 Blood Pressure Monitors Sales, Ex-factory Price, Revenue, Gross Margin Analysis8.7.4 Beurer 2016 Blood Pressure Monitors Business Region Distribution Analysis8.8 Tensio8.8.1 Company Profile8.8.2 Product Picture and Specifications8.8.2.1 Product A8.8.2.2 Product B8.8.3 Tensio 2016 Blood Pressure Monitors Sales, Ex-factory Price, Revenue, Gross Margin Analysis8.8.4 Tensio 2016 Blood Pressure Monitors Business Region Distribution Analysis8.9 GE8.9.1 Company Profile8.9.2 Product Picture and Specifications8.9.2.1 Product A8.9.2.2 Product B8.9.3 GE 2016 Blood Pressure Monitors Sales, Ex-factory Price, Revenue, Gross Margin Analysis8.9.4 GE 2016 Blood Pressure Monitors Business Region Distribution Analysis8.10 Suntech Medical8.10.1 Company Profile8.10.2 Product Picture and Specifications8.10.2.1 Product A8.10.2.2 Product B8.10.3 Suntech Medical 2016 Blood Pressure Monitors Sales, Ex-factory Price, Revenue, Gross Margin Analysis8.10.4 Suntech Medical 2016 Blood Pressure Monitors Business Region Distribution Analysis8.11 Welch Allyn8.12 American Diagnostic8.13 Bosch + Sohn8.14 Briggs Healthcare8.15 Choicemmed8.16 CitizenContinued...Buy this report @Contact Us:NORAH TRENTSales@Wiseguyreports.ComPh: +1-646-845-9349 (US)Ph: +44 208 133 9349 (UK)Follow on LinkedIn @ABOUT US:Wise Guy Reports is part of the Wise Guy Consultants Pvt. Ltd. and offers premium progressive statistical surveying, market research reports, analysis & forecast data for industries and governments around the globe. Wise Guy Reports features an exhaustive list of market research reports from hundreds of publishers worldwide. We boast a database spanning virtually every market category and an even more comprehensive collection of market research reports under these categories and sub-categories.ADDRES:WISE GUY RESEARCH CONSULTANTS PVT LTDOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, HadapsarPune - 411028Maharashtra, India
A Single Visit to Dentist Offers Straight Teeth with Invisible Clear Braces in Ahmedabad Gujarat India

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Dr. Bharat Agravat who has been renowned as one of the best professional cosmetic implants dentists of India is helping hundreds of patients getting the smile back on their face by straightening their teeth using invisible braces process in Ahmedabad, Gujarat.This easy process just takes a single day visit to his dental clinic in Ahmedabad and does not require any surgical tools. Dr. Bharat Agravat is one of the first legendries who introduced the tooth clear braces in India.Having disorderly teeth is a big matter of pain to the one who has it. Mostly whether talking with someone or in a social gathering these people are seemed shutting up their mouth forcibly. They feel shy because of their unorganized teeth make their smiles uncomfortable. The conventional orthodontic cases or braces millions of people straighten out their teeth but those are outdated these days.Having curly teeth is a pain, but wearing those metallic braces just accelerate their pain that results keeping their mouth off most of the times to not to show their and glittering braces on it.In this context, invisible clear braces brings a bunch of benefits for the people who are suffering from the agony of having crimped teeth and having wish not to wear those glitzy conventional braces on their teeth.Invisible braces are cost effective and can hardly be noticed by others in times of speaking. Additionally, these braces are very easy and comfortable to use. It just takes some hours to put. People who are living in Ahmedabad, Gujarat and looking for a cheaper way to straighten their teeth, can find a good solution in Dr. Bharat Agravats clinic. It will take one day visit to the clinic to get the straight beautiful teeth back with the clear braces. For details information, please visit their website:Dr. Bharat Agravat is considered as one of the best professional cosmetic implants dentists of India for providing top-class dental treatments in India for the past 18 years. He offers a comprehensive range of Cosmetic, Restorative, Endodontics, Child Dental Care treatments, Instant Dental Smile makeover, Same Day Dental Implants and Fix Teeth in 5 daysDr. Bharat AgravatCosmetic Implants DentistMohini Complex, First Floor, Beside Pride Hotel. Near Judges Bungalow Road, Satellite, Bodakdev.
Biocides Market is Expected to Reach US$ 11.5 Billion by 2022

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New York, April 25: Market Research Engine has published a new report titled as Biocides Market by Product type (Metallic Compounds, Organosulfurs, Organic Acids, Phenolic, Halogen Compounds, Nitrogen and Others) and by Applications (Paints and Coatings, Wood Preservation, Water Treatment, Food and Beverage, Personal Care, and Others) - Global Industry Analysis and Forecast, 2016 - 2022How Big is the Global Biocides market?The biocides market is expected to exceed more than US$ 11.5 Billion by 2022; Growing at a CAGR of more than 4.6% in the given forecast period.Browse Full Report:A biocide is micro organism or chemical substance planned to deter or destroy several harmful organism by biological or chemical way. Bacteria can be killed by various anti microbial products that is to say antibiotics which perform against viruses in humans as well as animals and biocides include preservatives, antiseptics and disinfectants. A huge scale of biocides contains surface and skin sanitizer, pesticides, antifouling products and industrial preservatives. Depending upon their usage the biocidal products are divided into four types of groups such as pest control, preservatives, biocidal and other biocide products.The major driving factors of biocides market are as follows:Development in paint and coating industryRising demand for water treatmentThe restraining factors of biocides market are as follows:Strict environmental policiesInstability in raw material pricesThe biocides market is segmented on the lines of its product, application and regional. Based on product segmentation the biocides market covers nitrogen, phenolic, organic acids, organosulfurs, metal compounds, halogen compounds and other compound includes glutaraldehyde, etc. The biocides market is segmented on the lines of its application like paints and coatings, wood preservation, personal care, food and beverage, water treatment and others such as fabrics, etc. The biocides market is geographic segmentation covers various regions such as North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, Middle East and Africa. Each geography market is further segmented to provide market revenue for select countries such as the U.S., Canada, U.K. Germany, China, Japan, India, Brazil, and GCC countries.This report provides:1) An overview of the global market for biocides and related technologies.2) Analyses of global market trends, with data from 2013, estimates for 2014 and 2015, and projections of compound annual growth rates (CAGRs) through 2022.3) Identifications of new market opportunities and targeted promotional plans for biocides.4) Discussion of research and development, and the demand for new products and new applications.5) Comprehensive company profiles of major players in the industry.REPORT SCOPE:The scope of the report includes a detailed study of global and regional markets for various types of biocides with the reasons given for variations in the growth of the industry in certain regions.The report covers detailed competitive outlook including the market share and company profiles of the key participants operating in the global market. Key players profiled in the report include Ashland Inc, Albemarle Corporation, AkzoNobel, BASF SE, The Dow Chemical Company, Champion Technologies, Troy Corporation, Arch Chemicals, Clariant AG, Lubrizol, Thor Specialties and Lanxess among other. Company profile includes assign such as company summary, financial summary,business strategy and planning, SWOT analysis and current developments.The Top Companies Report is intended to provide our buyers with a snapshot of the industrys most influential players.The Biocides Market has been segmented as below:By Product Segment AnalysisNitrogenPhenolicOrganic acidsOrganosulfursMetal compoundsHalogen compoundsOther compound (glutaraldehyde, etc)By Application AnalysisPaints and coatingsWood preservationPersonal careFood and beverageWater treatmentOthers (fabrics, etc)By Regional AnalysisNorth AmericaEuropeAsia-PacificRest of the WorldReasons to Buy this Report:1) Obtain the most up to date information available on all biocides market globally.2) Identify growth segments and opportunities in the industry.3) Facilitate decision making on the basis of strong historic and forecast of biocides data.4) Assess your competitors refining portfolio and its evolution.About MarketResearchEngine.comMarket Research Engine is a global market research and consulting organization. We provide market intelligence in emerging, niche technologies and markets. Our market analysis powered by rigorous methodology and quality metrics provide information and forecasts across emerging markets, emerging technologies and emerging business models. Our deep focus on industry verticals and country reports help our clients to identify opportunities and develop business strategies.Media ContactCompany Name: Market Research EngineContact Person: John BayEmail: john@marketresearchengine.comPhone: +1-855-984-1862, +91-860-565-7204Country: United StatesWebsite:Address: 3422 SW 15 Street, Suite #8942, Deerfield Beach, FL 33442, United States
Textile Chemicals Market is Expected to Cross 13.5 Million Tons by 2024

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New York, April 25: Market Research Engine has published a new report titled as Textile Chemicals (Coating & Sizing Chemicals, Colorants & Auxiliaries, Finishing Agents, Surfactants, Desizing Agents, Bleaching Agents, and Yarn Lubricants) Market for Home Furnishing, Apparels, and Industrial & Other Applications - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2016 - 2024Global textile chemicals market was valued more than 9.5 million tons in 2015. The revenue of this market is anticipated to increase at CAGR of 4.0% during the forecast period. Asia Pacific is leading market for textile chemicals industry by revenue which accounted over half of the gross revenue in the world over the past couple of years. Increasing government initiatives in countries like India to retain healthy growth in textile industry is one of the driving factors of this market. The fast growing markets like China, Vietnam, Bangladesh and Malaysia in textile industry are triggering the demand for textile chemicals market.Browse Full Report:Textile chemicals are speciality chemicals which are in demand due to increase in variety of fabrics manufacturing. These chemicals help obtain the fabrics better quality, flexibility and durability. They are the crucial part of textile industry and play a vital role in manufacturing different type of fabrics like water resistant fabrics etc. As textile manufacturing process includes consumption of large volume of water and speciality chemicals for dyeing, washing, bleaching, desizing and other processes which apparently also includes high amount of wastage of water which contain surfactants and other toxic chemicals which can cause potential harm to the environment.The growing demand for textile owing to its various end-use applications is a major driving factor. Improving lifestyles is stimulating the demand for fashion and apparel industry which is obliquely driving the global textile market.The exponential demand for apparels industry is stimulating market growth. Textile industry brings forth discharging of waste water which causes possible harms on environment is a growing concern. The major restraining factor for textile chemicals market is its harmful effects on environment.The global textile chemicals market by product is segmented assurfactants, desizing agents, colorants & auxiliaries, coating & sizing chemicals, yarn lubricants and finishing agents. According to its applications the market is further segmented in to home furnishing, apparels, industrial and others.The market segments in terms of geographical regions include North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Rest of the World(ROW).This report provides:1) An overview of the global market for textile chemicals and related technologies.2) Analyses of global market trends, with data from 2013, estimates for 2014 and 2015, and projections of compound annual growth rates (CAGRs) through 2020.3) Identifications of new market opportunities and targeted promotional plans for textile chemicals market.4) Discussion of research and development, and the demand for new products and new applications.5) Comprehensive company profiles of major players in the industry.REPORT SCOPE:The scope of the report includes a detailed study of global and regional markets for various types of coatings with the reasons given for variations in the growth of the industry in certain regions.The report covers detailed competitive outlook including the market share and company profiles of the key participants operating in the global market. Key players profiled in the report include BASF Corporation, Dow Chemicals, Bayer, Huntsman International, Clariant International, Sumitomo Chemicals, Kiri Dyes, Omnova Solutions, Kimera and Lubrizol Corporation. Company profile includes assign such as company summary, financial summary, business strategy and planning, SWOT analysis and current developments.The Top Companies Report is intended to provide our buyers with a snapshot of the industrys most influential players.The Textile Chemicals Market has been segmented as below:By Product Coating & Sizing Chemicals Colorants & Auxiliaries Finishing Agents Surfactants Desizing Agents Bleaching Agents Yarn LubricantsBy Application Home furnishing Apparels Industrial & othersBy Geography North America Europe Asia-Pacific Rest of the World (ROW)Reasons to buy this Report:1) Obtains the most up to date information available on all active and planned textile chemicals industry globally.2) Identify growth segments and opportunities in the industry.3) Facilitate decision making on the basis of strong historic and forecast of textile chemicals industry and unit capacity data.4) Assess your competitors refining portfolio and its evolution.About MarketResearchEngine.comMarket Research Engine is a global market research and consulting organization. We provide market intelligence in emerging, niche technologies and markets. Our market analysis powered by rigorous methodology and quality metrics provide information and forecasts across emerging markets, emerging technologies and emerging business models. Our deep focus on industry verticals and country reports help our clients to identify opportunities and develop business strategies.Media ContactCompany Name: Market Research EngineContact Person: John BayEmail: john@marketresearchengine.comPhone: +1-855-984-1862, +91-860-565-7204Country: United StatesWebsite:Address: 3422 SW 15 Street, Suite #8942, Deerfield Beach, FL 33442, United States
Multitone Launches Comprehensive EkoCare Communications Range for Patient and Staff Protection

www.multitone.com

Multitone Electronics plc, a specialist in the design, manufacture and implementation of integrated communication systems, announces the launch of its new EkoCare range for healthcare facilities. The patient and staff safety solution offers the ultimate in flexible, reliable and cost-effective wireless Nurse Call and alarms for care/nursing/retirement homes or hospitals  all automatically monitored and overseen for reassurance and report/compliance recording.Husam Al-karnaz, Solutions Architect at Multitone commented, EkoCare is the perfect solution for any healthcare facility. It offers Nurse Call and patient alarm units, which can be wall-mounted, hand-held or use a pull-cord (for bathrooms), along with staff units with alarm and assist options to enhance safety and communications. Using a mesh-based network for failsafe reliability and exact alarm location, the solution utilises wireless repeater units for quick, easy and low-cost installation and maintenance.Protecting mobile patients and staffTo ensure patients are fully protected, be they bedbound or mobile, EkoCare is designed to pinpoint their exact location and to alert the right staff immediately. Similarly, the solution is perfect for protecting staff, especially those that work in isolation or late at night. For peace of mind, all the portable devices are powered by rechargeable batteries and are IP67 compliant for resistance to water, liquids and dust.Multitone identified a gap in the market for a comprehensive solution, as Husam elaborated, Traditional alarms offer either static buttons, which hinder user mobility, or mobile alarms that do not pinpoint patient location. They also usually require extensive mains rewiring, which multiplies the cost, as well as necessitating disruptive and expensive ward or room closures.Husam added, EkoCare directly addresses all these important usability requirements, whilst employing powerful software-powered monitoring for peace of mind. Our solution typically costs less than half the price of a traditional configuration, by avoiding costly rewiring and disruption to critical facilities.Highly reliable radio technologyEkoCare utilises Multitones dedicated radio platform, which was developed to provide enhanced reliability and accuracy, beyond that delivered by infra-red (IR) or Wi-Fi location solutions. IR can struggle to transmit through objects (such as a person) and Wi-Fi offers poor accuracy.On alarm activation, a message is transmitted across the smart radio-based network of beacons and repeaters to the Multitone hub, which relays the alert to a pre-set individual or group (with an acknowledgement returned to the sender).The Multitone radio networks mesh technology means that, in the unlikely event of a beacon or repeater failure, the message will be retransmitted across an alternative pathway. If there is no response within a pre-configured time, the alarm can be further escalated via a pager, two-way radio or mobile device.Wide choice of componentsThe EkoCare range offers a broad range of fully compatible components to suit any healthcare requirements. The range includes: Patient Bed Unit Alarm Patient Bed Button Illuminated Over the Door Alarm Bathroom Alarm Staff Assistance & Alarm Fob Staff Assistance & Alarm Messenger Network RepeaterThe EkoCare range will be launched and on show at the Altenpflege event for the nursing sector, which is being held at the Nuremberg Exhibition Centre (NurnbergMesse), Nuremberg, Germany, from 25th April to 27th April 2017.For more details on Multitones EkoCare range please visit the website:or telephone +44 (0)1506 418198As a pioneer of wireless messaging, Multitone Electronics plc is a specialist developer of integrated communication systems for on-site and global use. The organisation; which is best known for its supply of critical communications, continues to explore and develop reliable communications and controls, whilst offering robust, targeted systems that effectively and reliably integrate with customers existing systems and technologies.The product offering combines the best in wireless telephony, radio-paging systems and personal security systems with professional services and tailored software to create a truly cohesive communication platform.Multitone is part of Champion Technology Holdings, with a turnover in 2016 in excess of 498M.Multitone, Multitone House, Shortwood Copse Lane, Basingstoke RG23 7NL
iWF-Hosting.Net adds on premise DDOS protection and 10GigE servers in Los Angeles

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Indialantic, FL, April 25th, 2017 - H4Y Technologies LLC, an established leader in dedicated server rental and application hosting, today announced a major expansion of its iWF-Hosting.net brand product line to include new options for DDOS protection and 10GigE ports on dedicated servers and VPS (virtual private server) hosting based in Los Angeles, CA.Evan Kamlet, LLC Member of H4Y Technologies, said, "As if iWF didn't already offer a huge range of options to our clients, the new DDOS protected network in Los Angeles is a whole new ballgame for those requiring extremely high uptime and those who run applications prone to outside attack. The 10GigE port option is wonderful for anyone who needs huge bandwidth pipes, from enterprises to gamers. These options unlock a vast new market for us".iWF-Hosting.Net's servers and network gear are wholly owned and in-house staff attends to the new rackspace located within the Psychz suite at the 611 Wilshire Blvd building in Los Angeles, CA, one of the most "wired" locations in the world. Operations also continue at the Peer 1 Los Angeles location at 600 W 7th street, and it remains an available option for clients. 20Gbps protection is standard and included at no extra charge for any products offered at the new location. Promotional pricing has been posted atH4Y Technologies LLCH4Y Technologies LLC, based in the Melbourne, FL area and with 6 datacenter locations throughout the United States, is a Hosting and Internet solutions provider, domain name registration service provider and application service provider (ASP) serving tens of thousands of individual consumers and businesses in several countries worldwide. The company has operated as Host for Yourself LLC since 2001 and H4Y Technologies LLC since 2005. Major brands include Host4Yourself.com and iWF-Hosting.net.H4Y Technologies LLC offers business-class web hosting solutions, enterprise grade servers, consulting, local networking installs and management, web design, and technical support for the small and medium-enterprise (SME) market, with a very large range of options and services to support its clientele.H4Y Technologies owns its hardware and network equipment, providing in-house network admins full access. Current datacenter partners include Peer 1 and Psychz Networks in Los Angeles, CA, USSHC in Monticello, IA, Cascade Divide in Bend, OR, VegasNAP in Las Vegas, NV, and DC74 in Charlotte, NC. A percentage of its operation, particularly server administration and monitoring, is run in-house from the Florida and Oregon office locations.H4Y Technologies LLC 132 Lee St, Indialantic, FL 329038664355642
Mach8 Pushes for Testing of Herbal Supplements and Super Foods in Tulsa

Mach8 is now providing herbs and supplements to Tulsa, OK at affordable prices

Mach8 tests all super foods and herbal supplements after labeling scandals at big drugstores.TULSA, Okla., April 21, 2017  The new Mach8 herbal supplements and super foods store in Tulsa announced Friday that it tests its products.People are spending more than $30 billion annually on what they think are supposed to be high quality herbs and supplements, but is that what theyre really getting? said Tamara Session, owner of the new Mach8 store in Tulsa. Mach8 does not stock anything we havent verified or tested, whether its creatine monohydrate or glutamine, or anything else.Consumeraffairs.com reported that an average of only 21 percent of the DNA tests done on herbal supplements from Walmart, Target, Walgreens and GNC contained the ingredients listed on the label. These test results led the New York State Attorney General to file charges against the companies, demanding they immediately remove bogus products from the shelves.Session said there should be stricter testing standards in place to ensure that consumers get high quality herbs that do what theyre supposed to do, and do it safely.When tests on supplements from a major retailer like Walmart come back at only 4 percent genuine, that's a huge wakeup call, said Session. Mach8 has a testing system whereby we can guarantee our customers are getting exactly whats on the label.Mach8 provides high quality herbs and supplements, super foods, essential oils and safe, organic home cleaning supplies to families in Tulsa. They test their supplements for purity and quality and can advise consumers about supplements like creatine monohydrate, glutamine, moringa oleifera, akuamma seeds, etc. Visit the store at 7116 South Mingo Road Suite 102 or call 918-893-1768Mach8 provides pure, laboratory-tested and certified herbs and supplements, essential oils, natural cleaning supplies and a wealth of knowledge about how to use these products in the home.Mach7116 South Mingo Rd #112Tulsa, OK 74133
Exclusive Military Challenge Coins Available for Customization at Vision Strike Coins

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Vision Strike Coins is your home for exclusive military challenge coins. Now we are making custom coins from the heart especially for you.Our team of 3D graphic designers is here to help your design come to life in a 2 inch magnum medallion. Many people want to stand out from the crowd by owning something that only they have. That is what we specialize in, exclusivity.A minimum of 50 coins is required per order. However, feel free to contact us if you have certain specifics. Pricing depends on certain factors. The more coins you order, the less for each piece. In addition, the size of each design is critical. All challenge coins come in a standard 2 inch size, but if you want a non-standard size, that plays a factor as well.Vision Strike Coins is here to help you obtain your exclusive challenge coin. Please allow a turnaround of 5-10 business days for the initial design, with additional days for shipping.We hope you enjoy your new coins.Found at:Vision Strike Coins forges the highest quality coins designed in America! We take pride and are inspired to produce the finest coins for America's very best and we do this because of the hard work, dedication and sacrifice of our active duty military, retirees, US Veterans and prior service. It is an honor to serve you.Vision Strike Coins4802 SW Scholls-Ferry Rd Ste CPortland, OR 97225
NBZ Apparel Continues Their Social Good Program and Community Support by Donating 140 Pairs of NBZ Jeans to The Hope Chest of Lake County

Jan Milazzotto, co-president of Hope Chest and William Herron Marketing & Program Director NBZ Apparel upon receiving the donation

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NBZ Apparel continues their social good impact and community support by donating 140 pairs of NBZ Boys jeans to The Hope Chest of Lake County. Located in Painesville, Ohio, The Hope Chest of Lake County is an all-volunteer based organization dedicated to a mission of providing clean clothing and new shoes to school children in Lake County so that they may attend school with dignity and pride. NBZ Apparel International is a one-of-a-kind social good apparel maker and on-line clothing retailer. Their inclusive high-quality dress blue jeans, casual blue jeans, black pants, and khaki pants are specially designed to improve independence, self-esteem, and ease of dressing. Inspired by The Hope Chests efforts NBZ Apparel is proud to complete the donation valued at $7,693.00 dollars ultimately strengthening both organizations almost identical missions. NBZ Apparel delivered the donation to The Hope Chest of Lake County on Tuesday, April 25th.The Hope Chest has been serving Lake County for 50 years. It began as a joint mission/outreach program between Hope Ridge and Painesville United Methodist Churches. The now have more than 60 volunteers, including 25 trustees representing 17 churches and organizations in Lake County. They accept clients from Jobs and Family Services as well as the churches and organizations by written referral. "We are thrilled to accept this donation from NBZ Apparel. Jeans are a great need of our clients. They will be happy to have new jeans for school," shared Jan Milazzotto, co-president of Hope Chest along with Judy Szabo.Karen Bowersox, Founder/President of NBZ Apparel shares her enthusiasm with this partnership. Its heartwarming to know our donation will help so many. The partnership also represents our missions foundation signifying that these are greatly made, comfortable, and fashionable pants to be worn by anyone, that also aid those with disabilities and dressing challenges. Our pants are not solely created for disabled populations. They are just great inclusive pants, accessible by all.As a social good company, every product ordered through NBZ Apparel provides customers with an opportunity to support a cause of their choice. For every three pairs of pants sold, NBZ Apparel will donate one pair to one of these chosen causes such as autism, veterans, homeless/poverty etc... NBZ Apparels long-term goal is to donate 1,000,000 pairs of pants to improve peoples lives through partnerships with likeminded organizations such as The Hope Chest of Lake County. Marketing and Program Director William Herron states Im thrilled for the opportunity to develop partnerships with other amazing organizations who are dedicated to benefitting the lives of so many. Its an even greater feeling that the outcome will help families right here in our local community. I feel that this donation also highlights the variety of causes NBZ Apparels customers support through their purchases.NBZ Apparel International is driven to make a life-changing difference for wounded/disabled veterans, amputees, stroke victims, seniors, plus adults and children living with disabilities such as Down syndrome, Autism, Alzheimers, Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinsons, Cerebral Palsy, ALS, severe arthritis, and more. NBZ Apparel is actively looking to form additional partnerships with organizations which directly serve people who will benefit from their life-changing pants.For more information, ordering, or to support these missions:NBZ Apparel - Website:844-341-9065, email: Info@NBZApparel.comThe Hope Chest of Lake County - Website:hopechest.painesville@gmail.comWilliam HerronMarketing and Program DirectorWilliam@nbzapparel.com440-954-1675Dignity. Confidence. Independence. To NBZ Apparel International these are more than just words. Theyre what motivated us to create a line of high quality, fashionable clothes for wounded veterans, stroke victims, and people with disabilities such as Down syndrome, Parkinsons, Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Multiple Sclerosis, ALS, and Alzheimers. Our brands are worn by people in 10 countries and have been featured at the White House, and on CNN, CBS, and FoxNBZ Apparel8796 Tyler Blvd.Mentor, Ohio 44060
Medicare FAQ Announces That Medicare Supplement Plan F Is Going Away

Medicare FAQ is a medical supplement insurance (Medigap) broker located in Clearwater, Florida. The company states that they have recently received an influx of questions from those wondering about Medicare Plan F and whether or not it is going away."The truth is," says Jagger Esch, CEO of the company, "Plan F is going away, but not for quite a while. The plan right now is for this Medicare plan to be gone by 2020, so you still have plenty of time to plan ahead, compare rates, and come up with additional coverage. There's no need for an all-out panic."Medicare FAQ says that Medigap Plan F, which has until now been one of the most popularly chosen Medicare supplement plans, will end in 2020. Those who currently have Plan F will be grandfathered in, however their premiums will increase. Since there is still plenty of time before that plan ends, people who have it have more than adequate time to find a new coverage plan if they want to avoid their premiums being increased, and Esch says that his company can help."Medicare supplement insurance (Medigap) is what we focus on," Esch states. "We can help you find the coverage that is best for you, regarding your health and budgeting needs. Like us on Facebook! You'll stay in the loop about this and other plans that may end soon."MedicareFAQ states that the changes to Medigap Plan F are the direct result of the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015. The act is designed to ensure that doctors are paid adequately for their services. The new law will ensure that doctors receive payment for services that is fair. The purpose of the act is to find a solution to fix the payments that physicians receive so that they will continue to accept patients with Medicare coverage. Lawmakers have been afraid that many physicians would pull out and no longer accept Medicare as payment, which is what primarily prompted them to address the issue.Esch says that there are a number of additional things to consider regarding the law and Medicare supplements. He states that those interested can "Subscribe to our YouTube channel to learn more." Alternatively, those who need further information can visit the company on their website.Jagger and MedicareFAQ hold licenses in 48 states and work with more than 15 of the most recognized Supplemental Medicare insurance companies nationwide. With a vast knowledge in technology, insurance and customer satisfaction, Jagger and David have created a team of business professionals who are quickly dominating the industry.MedicareFAQ2651 McCormick DriveClearwater, FL 33759
United States Automotive Super Swamper Tires Market Report 2017

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Ask a sample or any question, please email to: lynne@qyresearch.comThe United States Automotive Super Swamper Tires Industry 2017 Market Research Report is a professional and in-depth study on the current state of the Automotive Super Swamper Tires industry.The report provides a basic overview of the industry including definitions, classifications, applications and industry chain structure. The Automotive Super Swamper Tires market analysis is provided for the United States markets including development trends, competitive landscape analysis, and key regions development status.Development policies and plans are discussed as well as manufacturing processes and Bill of Materials cost structures are also analyzed. This report also states import/export consumption, supply and demand Figures, cost, price, revenue and gross margins.The report focuses on United States major leading industry players providing information such as company profiles, product picture and specification, capacity, production, price, cost, revenue and contact information. Upstream raw materials and equipment and downstream demand analysis is also carried out. The Automotive Super Swamper Tires industry development trends and marketing channels are analyzed. Finally the feasibility of new investment projects are assessed and overall research conclusions offered.Main Chapter Showed:United States Automotive Super Swamper Tires Market Report 20171 Automotive Super Swamper Tires Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Automotive Super Swamper Tires1.2 Classification of Automotive Super Swamper Tires by Product Category1.2.1 United States Automotive Super Swamper Tires Market Size (Sales Volume) Comparison by Type (2012-2022)1.2.2 United States Automotive Super Swamper Tires Market Size (Sales Volume) Market Share by Type (Product Category) in 20161.2.3 Bias Tire1.2.4 Radial Tire1.3 United States Automotive Super Swamper Tires Market by Application/End Users1.3.1 United States Automotive Super Swamper Tires Market Size (Consumption) and Market Share Comparison by Application (2012-2022)1.3.2 Pickup-Trucks1.3.3 SUVs1.3.4 Other Off-Road Vehicles1.4 United States Automotive Super Swamper Tires Market by Region1.4.1 United States Automotive Super Swamper Tires Market Size (Value) Comparison by Region (2012-2022)1.4.2 The West Automotive Super Swamper Tires Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.3 Southwest Automotive Super Swamper Tires Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.4 The Middle Atlantic Automotive Super Swamper Tires Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.5 New England Automotive Super Swamper Tires Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.6 The South Automotive Super Swamper Tires Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.7 The Midwest Automotive Super Swamper Tires Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.5 United States Market Size (Value and Volume) of Automotive Super Swamper Tires (2012-2022)1.5.1 United States Automotive Super Swamper Tires Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2022)1.5.2 United States Automotive Super Swamper Tires Revenue and Growth Rate (2012-2022)2 United States Automotive Super Swamper Tires Market Competition by Players/Suppliers2.1 United States Automotive Super Swamper Tires Sales and Market Share of Key Players/Suppliers (2012-2017)2.2 United States Automotive Super Swamper Tires Revenue and Share by Players/Suppliers (2012-2017)2.3 United States Automotive Super Swamper Tires Average Price by Players/Suppliers (2012-2017)2.4 United States Automotive Super Swamper Tires Market Competitive Situation and Trends2.4.1 United States Automotive Super Swamper Tires Market Concentration Rate2.4.2 United States Automotive Super Swamper Tires Market Share of Top 3 and Top 5 Players/Suppliers2.4.3 Mergers & Acquisitions, Expansion in United States Market2.5 United States Players/Suppliers Automotive Super Swamper Tires Manufacturing Base Distribution, Sales Area, Product Type3 United States Automotive Super Swamper Tires Sales (Volume) and Revenue (Value) by Region (2012-2017)3.1 United States Automotive Super Swamper Tires Sales and Market Share by Region (2012-2017)3.2 United States Automotive Super Swamper Tires Revenue and Market Share by Region (2012-2017)3.3 United States Automotive Super Swamper Tires Price by Region (2012-2017)4 United States Automotive Super Swamper Tires Sales (Volume) and Revenue (Value) by Type (Product Category) (2012-2017)4.1 United States Automotive Super Swamper Tires Sales and Market Share by Type (Product Category) (2012-2017)4.2 United States Automotive Super Swamper Tires Revenue and Market Share by Type (2012-2017)4.3 United States Automotive Super Swamper Tires Price by Type (2012-2017)4.4 United States Automotive Super Swamper Tires Sales Growth Rate by Type (2012-2017)5 United States Automotive Super Swamper Tires Sales (Volume) by Application (2012-2017)5.1 United States Automotive Super Swamper Tires Sales and Market Share by Application (2012-2017)5.2 United States Automotive Super Swamper Tires Sales Growth Rate by Application (2012-2017)5.3 Market Drivers and Opportunities6 United States Automotive Super Swamper Tires Players/Suppliers Profiles and Sales Data6.1 Bridgestone6.1.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors6.1.2 Automotive Super Swamper Tires Product Category, Application and Specification6.1.2.1 Product A6.1.2.2 Product B6.1.3 Bridgestone Automotive Super Swamper Tires Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)6.1.4 Main Business/Business Overview6.2 Continental6.2.2 Automotive Super Swamper Tires Product Category, Application and Specification6.2.2.1 Product A6.2.2.2 Product B6.2.3 Continental Automotive Super Swamper Tires Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)6.2.4 Main Business/Business Overview6.3 Goodyear Tire & Rubber6.3.2 Automotive Super Swamper Tires Product Category, Application and Specification6.3.2.1 Product A6.3.2.2 Product B6.3.3 Goodyear Tire & Rubber Automotive Super Swamper Tires Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)6.3.4 Main Business/Business Overview6.4 Michelin6.4.2 Automotive Super Swamper Tires Product Category, Application and Specification6.4.2.1 Product A6.4.2.2 Product B6.4.3 Michelin Automotive Super Swamper Tires Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)6.4.4 Main Business/Business Overview6.5 Interco Tire6.5.2 Automotive Super Swamper Tires Product Category, Application and Specification6.5.2.1 Product A6.5.2.2 Product B6.5.3 Interco Tire Automotive Super Swamper Tires Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)6.5.4 Main Business/Business Overview.......Note:We also offerGermany/Korea/Australia/Brazil/Russia/India/Indonesia/Malaysia/Europe/Asia/Asia-Pacific/North America/Latin America/South America/AMER/EMEA/Africa etc Countries/Regions and Sales/Industry Versions RespectivelyContact me:QYRESEARCH CO., LTDVILI International Building No.167 Linhe West Road Tianhe District Guangzhou ChinaLynne - QYResearch Report Global SalesEmail: lynne@qyresearch.com Web:QYResearch established in 2007, focus on custom research, management consulting, IPO consulting, industry chain research, data base and seminar services. the company owned a large basic data base (such as National Bureau of statistics database, Customs import and export database, Industry Association Database etc), experts resources (included energy automotive chemical medical ICT consumer goods etc industries experts who own more than 10 years experiences on marketing or R&D), professional survey team (the team member with more than 3 years market survey experience and more than 2 years depth expert interview experience),Excellent data analysis team (SPSS statistics and PPT graphics process team); QYResearch has always pursuit product quality, adhere to the quality is the soul of business. Through the companys years of effort and a lot of customer support, QYResearch consulting group creative design method of many high-quality markets investigation and research team with rich experience. Today, QYResearch brand has become the consulting industry with quality assurance consulting brand. The company has 2500 global well-known customers, covering energy automobile pharmaceutical chemical agriculture more than 30 industries, services from the data analysis and recommendations-Consulting landing one-stop solution, and research regions cover China,US,EU,Asia,Middle East and Africa,South America,Australia,etc Global all regions,and also built research or marketing center in China USA UK France Hongkong etc regions. currently, QYResearch has become the first choice and worth trusted consulting brand in Global and China business consulting services.QYRESEARCH CO., LTDVILI International Building No.167 Linhe West Road Tianhe District Guangzhou ChinaLynne - QYResearch Report Global SalesEmail: lynne@qyresearch.com Web:
Compaction Machines Market Revenue Expected to Expand at 6.2% CAGR Through 2025

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Future Market Insights (FMI), in its latest report titled Compaction Machines Market: Global Industry Analysis and Opportunity Assessment 2015 - 2025, has projected the global compaction machines market to expand at a steady CAGR of 6.2% in terms of revenue during the forecast period 20152025. The compaction machines market is estimated to reach US$ 3,444.3 Mn by the end of 2015, and 6,310.7 Mn by the end of 2025.Increasing investment in infrastructure development and new road development and maintenance is fuelling demand for compaction machines globally. It is projected that the total investment in infrastructure activities would account between 3.5% and 4% of the global GDP by the end of 2030. Investment in road development and maintenance is forecasted to account for 28% of the total investment made between 2015 and 2025. Furthermore, focus on developing smart cities, runaways, and dams is further expected to boost demand.Request For Sample@Product-wise, the market is segmented into heavy compaction machine and light compaction machine. Heavy compaction machines are further sub-segmented into single drum roller, heavy tandem roller, and pneumatic roller. Light compaction machines segment, is sub-segmented into light tandem roller, hand operated machines, and trench roller. As far as unit sales are concerned, the light compaction machines segment account for approximately 85% share of the overall market in terms of unit sales, and is likely to dominate the market by the end of 2025, with the rising adoption in footpaths, road, and highway maintenance.Region-wise, Western Europe and Asia Pacific represented prominent markets for compaction machines globally in 2014. In terms of market value, the compaction machine market in developing countries of Asia Pacific is collectively projected to expand at a CAGR of 7.6%, with major Asian economies such as India and China playing a major role. However, in term of unit sales, Western Europe dominates with more number of unit sales in the light compaction machinery segment. The Asia Pacific region is expected to be the largest compaction machine market in terms of value by 2025 end, followed by Western Europe and North America.Send An Enquiry@As per the ongoing trend in the market, the intelligent compaction machines with display, sensors and telematics are being included in most of the key players product offerings. Currently, the heavy compaction machinerys rental penetration and secondary sales market is growing significantly. However, this trend is expected to pose a major challenge for new equipment sales.Key companies in the compaction machines market include XCMG Co. Ltd, Wacker Neuson SE, Terex Corporation, Atlas Copco, Volvo Construction Equipment - Volvo CE, Caterpillar Inc., BOMAG GmbH, Zoomlion Heavy Industries Science and Technology Co Ltd, Wirtgen Group and Sany Heavy Industries Co Ltd. Currently, global players account for over two-thirds of global revenues, however, in the future, new entrants to the market are expected to gain traction.Browse Full Report@ABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACT:Future Market Insights616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:Blog:
Respiratory Devices Market Trends, Regulations And Competitive Landscape Outlook to 2025

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Respiratory devices are medical devices that are used to provide cure or assist a patient who is having a problem in his/her respiratory function and cannot achieve adequate oxygen levels to maintain life. Patients with respiratory disorders such as cystic fibrosis, asthma, COPD, and ARDS require the need of respiratory devices.Respiratory diseases are the leading cause of death worldwide. Lung infections like pneumonia and tuberculosis, lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) together accounted for 9.5 million deaths worldwide during 2008, which is on-sixth of the global total.Respiratory Devices Market: Drivers and RestraintsPresently, respiratory devices global market is driven by the aging population, increase in the prevalence of respiratory disease such as asthma and COPD, and technological advancement in healthcare industry.Request For Report Sample@Respiratory devices global market is driven by growing aging population, huge investment in R&D, rising government support for device manufacturing companies, and increase in the prevalence of COPD, increasing disposable income and rising healthcare awareness. However, Growing healthcare cost containment pressure and Tax reforms coupled with increased regulatory compliance norms are major barriers for this market.Respiratory Devices Market: SegmentationRespiratory Therapeutic Devices global market is segmented into following types:HumidifiersSteam HumidifiersUltrasonic HumidifiersImpeller HumidifiersEvaporative HumidifiersNebulizersCompressed Jet NebulizersUltrasonic NebulizersOxygen ConcentratorsHome Oxygen ConcentratorsPortable Oxygen ConcentratorsPositive Airway Pressure (PAP) DevicesContinuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) DevicesAutomatic Positive Airway Pressure (APAP) DevicesBi-Level Positive Airway (BPAP) Pressure DevicesReusable resuscitatorsVentilatorsInvasive Mechanical VentilatorsNon-invasive Mechanical VentilatorsRespiratory Devices Market: OverviewWith rapid technological advancement, growing aging population, and increase in the prevalence of COPD. The respiratory devices global market is expected to have healthy growth rate in the forecast period (2015-2025).Respiratory Devices Market: Region-Wise OutlookDepending on geographic region, global respiratory devices market is segmented into seven key regions: North America, South America, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, Asia Pacific, Japan, and Middle East & Africa.Asia Pacific is emerging as dominating markets for respiratory device due to their high healthcare awareness and augmented disposable income. Amongst the Asian countries, India and china are more promising due to large population pool and increased number of hospitals.Visit For TOC@Respiratory Devices Market: Key PlayersSome of the key participating players in respiratory global market are Covidien Plc., Fisher & Paykel Healthcare Limited, Philips Healthcare, ResMed Inc., General Electric Company, Hamilton Medical, Teleflex Incorporated, Smiths Medical, Clement Clarke International Limited, Drager Medical GmbH, and CareFusion Corporation.ABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACT:Future Market Insights616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
Feed Probiotics Market Regulations and Competitive Landscape Outlook to 2025

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Probiotics are microorganisms that possess health benefits when consumed in required quantity and also improves the immune system of the livestock. The feed probiotics market is growing owing to the increasing awareness among consumers about animal health coupled with the increasing demand for quality produce from animals. Consumption of probiotics in animal have various benefits such as it supports the digestive and immune system of the animals and also reduce the considerable dependence of animals on the antibiotics.Feed Probiotics Market SegmentationGlobal feed probiotics market is segmented on the basis of bacteria, livestock and region. Based on the bacteria present feed probiotics market is segmented into includes lactobacillus, thermophiles, streptococcus, bifidobacteria and others. Of which, lactobacillus is the largest market followed by the other segments and is expected to exhibit significant growth during the forecast period. On the basis of livestock feed probiotics market segmentation includes cattle feed, swine feed, poultry feed and pet feed. Among all the segments of the feed probiotics market pet feed segment is anticipated to exhibit the robust growth in the next four to five years due to the rising demand for meat and meat products across the globe. Based on the region global feed probiotics market is segmented into North America, Latin America, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, Asia Pacific excluding Japan, Middle East and Africa and Japan.Request For Report Sample@Feed Probiotics Market: Region-wise OutlookThe global feed probiotics market is expected to witness remarkable growth during the forecast period owing to the ban on the usage of antibiotics that promotes the growth in animal. Globally, among all regions, Asia Pacific is expected to contribute the highest market share in the overall feed probiotics market followed by Europe during the forecast period due to the presence of comparatively large number of consumers in the region. Global feed probiotics market is expected to exhibit fastest growth in Asia Pacific due the rising number of upper middle class population that can afford the expenditure on feed that contain additional ingredients such as probiotics. In Asia Pacific, China and Japan are dominating countries that contributes the maximum revenue to the overall feed probiotics market due to the rising number of upper middle class population in these countries. Europe is also expected to show vigorous growth in the next four to five years due to the ban on the usage of antibiotics that promote the growth in animal, which in turn increases the demand for the feed probiotics market.Feed Probiotics Market: DriversMajor factors that fuel the growth of feed probiotics market includes increasing health awareness among consumers related to consumption of probiotics in animals, growing demand for meat and meat related products. Other factor that is expected to further promote the growth feed probiotics market is increasing concerns among livestock owners related to the animal health. Probiotic added to the animal feed does not provide the necessary nutrients to the feed which is expected to restraint the market growth of the overall feed probiotic market.Visit For TOC@Feed Probiotics Market: Key PlayersMajor companies operating in feed probiotics market are Koninklijke DSM N.V., DuPont, Nebraska Cultures, Calpis Co. Ltd. Lactosan GmbH & Co. KG Provita Eurotech Limited Major companies operating in the feed probiotics market are primarily launching new products and also expanding their facilities in order to further strength their position in the global animal feed market. There is rising trend of backward integration and consolidation of poultry processors which is expected to drive the demand of feed additives such as probiotics.ABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACT:Future Market Insights616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
Microcrystalline Cellulose Market Trends and Segments 2015-2025

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Cellulose is the prime component of plant cell. Microcrystalline cellulose is partially depolymerized cellulose, obtained from wood pulp. It is also formed through some of the fungi, bacteria, algae or marine animals. It is insoluble in water and is primarily used as bulking and anticaking agent in production of food products. It is also used as a texturizer, emulsifier and as an extender in application such as pharmaceutical or personal care products. Wide usage of microcrystalline cellulose in manufacturing food products coupled with growing of the pharmaceutical excipient industry is driving the demand of microcrystalline cellulose market across the globe.Microcrystalline Cellulose Market SegmentationGlobal microcrystalline cellulose market is segmented on the basis of application which includes pharmaceutical, food & beverage, cosmetics & personal care and others (paints and coating). Microcrystalline cellulose is widely used in various food products, which includes dairy products, desserts, baked goods and frozen food. Microcrystalline cellulose act as a bulking agent and fat substitute, and also helps in enhancing and maintaining consistency of the food product, which is expected to support the growth of food product in microcrystalline cellulose market. Pharmaceutical is expected to show a substantial growth over the forecast period. This growth is attributed to the wide usage of microcrystalline cellulose in pharmaceutical products. It can be used in every kind of oral dosage such as capsules, pellets, tablets, sachets, and others. In addition, microcrystalline cellulose is highly used as texturizer and thickening agent in cosmetics and personal care products, which is expected to support the demand of microcrystalline cellulose in cosmetics and personal care products in the near future.Request For Report Sample@Global microcrystalline cellulose market is also segmented on the basis of raw material source. This includes wood and non-wood. Among both of these segment non-wood based microcrystalline cellulose is expected to show healthy growth over the forecast period.Geographically North America is well established market in microcrystalline cellulose market. The region is expected to contribute highest in terms of revenue. In North America, U.S. is expected to account for major market share followed by Canada. Europe is expected to show a substantial growth over the forecast period. Growing pharmaceutical industry in the European countries is expected to be the driving factor for microcrystalline cellulose market in the near future. Developing region such as Asia Pacific is predicted to show a healthy growth during the forecast period. Cheap and easy availability of raw material, regulatory support, and increasing huge demand for pharmaceutical products in the region is expected to be the driving factor for microcrystalline cellulose during the forecast period.Globally, microcrystalline cellulose market is highly fragmented due to the presence of large number of global and regional manufacturers. The production of microcrystalline cellulose is largely concentrated in Asia-Pacific and Europe. Moreover it has been found that China the major manufacturer of microcrystalline cellulose in the world followed by and U.S., due to which these countries are expected to be the major contributor in terms of revenue in microcrystalline cellulose market. However, the production of microcrystalline cellulose is shifting to Asia-Pacific, especially to China, due to the low cost of raw materials and cheap labor cost in the country.Microcrystalline Cellulose Market DriversIncreased acceptance of microcrystalline cellulose as an excipient in food industry coupled with the growth of the global pharmaceutical industry is expected to drive the demand of global microcrystalline cellulose market during the forecast period. Moreover, increasing demand for low fat food and processed food is also expected to fuel the growth of microcrystalline cellulose market over the forecast period.Visit For TOC@Microcrystalline Cellulose Market Key PlayersSome of the major players operating in microcrystalline cellulose market includes FMC Corporation, Juku Orchem Private Limited, DuPont, Blanver Farmoquimica Ltda., JRS Pharma, Libraw Pharma, Avantor Performance Materials, Accent Microcell Pvt. Ltd, DFE Pharma GmbH & Co. Asahi Kasei Corporation, Mingtai Chemical Co. Ltd., and Sigachi Industries Pvt. Ltd., among others.ABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACT:Future Market Insights616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
Power Electronics Market Growth with Worldwide Industry Analysis to 2025

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To control the flow of energy, the switching electronic circuits are used. These switching electronic circuits are called power electronics. Power electronics are also considered for the conversion of electric power. Such conversions are performed by semiconductor devices like diodes, transistors and thyristors etc. Power electronics devices have several advantages including optimum forward and reverse backing capabilities, simplified circuits, compact designs etc. Moreover, power electronics find its applications in connection of renewable energy resources to power grids, transportation in electric trains, motor drives and lighting. The major use of power electronics devices is heat sinking as well as soft starting of an equipment deploying power electronic devices.Global Power Electronics Market: SegmentationThe global power electronics market can be segmented into geography, types and applications. On the basis of geography, the global power electronics market can be segmented into America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Middle East & Others. Considering types, the global power electronics market can be segmented into diode rectifiers, ac-dc converters, ac-ac converters, dc-dc converters, dc-ac converters and static switches. On account of applications, the global power electronics market can be segmented into industrial activities, solar power, wind power, electric cars, aerospace and consumer electronics.Request For Report Sample@Global Power Electronics Market: Region-Wise OutlookIn terms of power electronics market value, Asia Pacific is the largest geography. America being the fastest growing region, Europe is considered as a very promising market comprising of Germany and UK while Middle East also grants an impetus to the growth of the global power electronics market.Global Power Electronics Market: DriversVarious factors are fuelling the growth of global power electronics market including rapid use of renewable sources of energy followed by the increase in the adoption of electric cars and defense. ICT, telecommunications, self monitoring and diagnostics systems, hospitals and healthcare are the major fields driving the global power electronics market to grow apparently.Global Power Electronics Market:: RestraintsThere are various challenges faced by the global power electronics market like high initial costs, deposition of GaN on silica materials which is in turn very difficult to reach in high voltage ranges. Moreover, manufacturing of power electronics is way to expensive and time consuming thus posing a restraint to the global power electronics market.Visit For TOC@Global Power Electronics Market: Key PlayersThe major companies playing a key role in the manufacturing of power electronics are Enercon, Fairchild, Fuji Electric, GE Wind Energy, Mersen, Methode Electronics, Semikron Elektronic GmbH & Company etc. Microsemi Corp, Toshiba Corp, Mitsubishi Electric Corp, Vishay Intertechnology, Infineon Technology, Texas Instruments Inc are some major key players in the field of global power electronics market.ABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACT:Future Market Insights616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
Medical Robots Market Revenue and Value Chain 2016-2026

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Medical Robot is a robot which enables the surgeons to perform surgeries with more precision. Medical robotics is emerging field. There are a wide variety of medical applications had emerged such as Surgical robots, laboratory robots, telesurgery, remote surgery, and teleconsultation robots, rehabilitation robots to help for the deaf and the blind. Medical robots assist in surgeries and make possible to decrease risk of infection. Medical robots are enables to increases accuracy of surgeons and reduce risk of patients For instance, heart bypass surgery requires, patients chest to be open and that long incision be made. The surgeon first cuts through skin, then tissue, and muscle, fascia, and then reaches to the heart. Through Medical robots it become easy to perform critical surgeries with precision. Medical robots are has advantages such as decrease post-operative pain, decrease risk of infection, decreases blood loss and minimum level of anesthesia. Medical robots have many challenges in the application of robotics in the medical field, such as safety, cost and reluctance to accept this technology.Medical Robots Market: Drivers and restraintsGlobal medical robots market can be driven by following drivers, Medical robots has gained widespread of acceptance by diverse range of fields such as Interventional cardiological surgery, Neurological surgery and orthopedic surgery etc., are provides lucrative market opportunities. Medical robots provides greatest contributions in more complex cases with more precision. Increasing technological innovations in medical field propels the global medical robots market. Major restraints of the market, Medical robots are expensive and need a technical professionals to perform surgeries.Request For Report Sample@Medical Robots Market: SegmentationGlobal Medical Robots Market can be segmented as following typesGlobal Medical Robots by Products:Instruments and AccessoriesRobotic SystemsSurgical RobotsNeurological Surgery Robotic SystemsCardiology Surgery Robotic SystemsLaparoscopic Surgical Robotic SystemsOrthopaedic Surgical Robotic SystemsSteerable RoboticsRehabilitation RobotsTherapeutic RobotsProsthetic RobotsAssistive RobotsExoskeleton RobotsNon-invasive Radiosurgery RobotsHospital and Pharmacy automation robotsPharmacy automation robotsIV RobotsGlobal Medical Robots Market, by ApplicationNeurology ApplicationsOrthopaedic ApplicationsCardiology ApplicationsLaparoscopic ApplicationsOther ApplicationsMedical Robots Market: OverviewIncreasing the demand for advanced treatment methods for various severe diseases, increasing the prevalence of cardiac and neurological disorders and cancer are provides a robust market growth. Increasing the technological advancements and applications of these advancements in critical surgeries propels medical robots market over the forecast period.Medical Robots Market: Region-Wise OutlookDepending upon the geographic regions medical robots market is segmented into seven key regions: Those are North America, Latin America, and Eastern Europe, Western Europe, and Asia pacific excluding japan, Japan, Middle East and Africa.North America dominating the global medical robots market. Increasing awareness among the people towards the use of innovative technologies providing lucrative market. Asian Pacific region market is considered to rapidly evolving healthcare infrastructure, this region is anticipating providing a robust growth of global medical robots market.Visit For TOC@Medical Robots Market: Key playersSome of the key players in Market are Stryker Corporation, Intuitive Surgical, Inc., Houston Medical Robotics, Inc., Hansen Medical, Inc., Kirbey lester, Otto Bock Healthcare, Kinova robotics, Varian Medical Systems, Hocoma AG, Vecna Robotics, Globus Medical, IRobot Corporatin, Titan Medical, Inc, KB Medical S.A.ABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACT:Future Market Insights616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
Business Email Market Segments and Key Trends 2016-2026

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Electronic mail solution or preferably called email solution, specializes in the day-to-day management of your email services which allows users to remain focused on more critical operations of business. Email solution providers make it simple for organizations and enterprises to communicate across as well as get tasks implemented by offering a reliable, business suited email software to meet such needs. The business email solution offers multiple layers of premium virus and spam protection and keep hosted email advertisement free. Business organizations across the globe are now steadily adopting the strategy of migrating their email to cloud to reduce costs. The enumeration of organizations migrating to cloud-based email and collaboration services has continued to build over the past few years, where previously small and medium business (SMB) were the key end-users of business email solutions, now larger organizations are aggressively moving to the cloud. The current number of email users worldwide in 2015 is recognized to be about 2.6 billion, and this figure is expected to grow at a healthy CAGR till 2026. While total worldwide email traffic estimated to about 200 billion email per day in 2015, the corporate emails represent the major share of this total value.Business Email Market: SegmentationBusiness email market is segmented on the basis of deployment model, end-user and region. According to deployment model, business email market can be segmented into on-premise and cloud-based deployment. On the basis of end-user, business email market can be segmented into small business, medium business and large enterprises. Regionally, business email market can be segmented into North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Middle East & Africa (MEA), Asia Pacific excluding Japan (APEJ) and Japan.Request For Report Sample@Business Email Market: Regional OutlookBusiness email market is witnessing stable growth and is expected to grow steadily during the projected period. North America is the dominating region in business email market and is expected to remain dominant followed by Western Europe during the forecast period. Asia-Pacific is expected to exhibit highest CAGR due to rapid progress in enterprise sector across evolving economies of countries like India, China and Philippines.Business Email Market: DriversBusiness email market is being primarily driven by organizations need for a formal communication platform. Growing influx of SOHO (Small Office/Home Office) and SMBs (Small and Medium Businesses) across the globe is driving the growth of business email market. Furthermore, increasing popularity of cloud-based business email solutions is expected to fuel the growth of business email market during the projected period. However, security concerns regarding cloud-based email solutions coupled with need for dedicated internet connection are expected to restrain the growth of business email market amidst the forecast period 2016-2026.Visit For TOC@Business Email Market: Key PlayersThe key vendors in the Business email market include Google Inc., Microsoft Corporation, Yahoo Inc., Rediff.com India Ltd., Rackspace Hostings Inc., GoDaddy Inc., IBM Corporation, Intermedia.net Inc., Fastmail, Zoho Corporation and others. Major players in the business email market boost their market share by mergers & acquisitions with other players in the market. Furthermore, long-term collaboration with cloud-based storage providers is another strategy followed by major business email providers to gain competitive edge.ABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACT:Future Market Insights616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
Cosmetic Ingredients Market : Opportunities, Demand and Forecasts, 2015  2025

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Cosmetic ingredient market has changed a lot over the course of time. Since time immemorial, human beings are using different types of cosmetics to enhance their physical appearance, which in turn makes people feel more confident and pleasing in nature. It is due to growing demand for beauty products that market is flooded with various cosmetic products. The multibillion dollar industry is growing at a lightning speed to meet the consumer demand. Cosmetic ingredients are the specific sets of substance that are used in the formulation and composition of cosmetics. Any kind of impurities in raw materials and subsidiary technical materials are not considered as ingredients, hence water is also considered as separate ingredient. At present, various cosmetic business entrepreneurs use more than 5000 available cosmetic ingredients to offer selected cosmetics products.Cosmetic Industry: Drivers & RestraintsThe demand for good quality cosmetic products is fuelling the cosmetic ingredient market. Changing lifestyle specially in developing regions of Asia Pacific and Latin America brings a sea of opportunities to cosmetic ingredients manufacturers and suppliers. Increase in per capita income, rising awareness about beautification and increasingly urbanized population is offering momentum to the growth of overall cosmetic industry which in turn is escalating the cosmetic ingredients market to its zenith. Though cosmetic industry market size is growing at an impressive rate, various regulations prohibiting the use of certain chemicals as ingredients is a major challenge to the cosmetic ingredients manufacturers. In APAC, China and ASEAN regions are some of the most lucrative regions for increase in consumer spending and rise in GDP.Request Report Sample@Cosmetic Ingredients Market: SegmentationOn the basis of product type, the global cosmetic ingredients market is segmented into,SurfactantsEmulsifiersAntimicrobialsUV absorbersEmollientsConditioning PolymersOthersAlpha hydroxy acids, beta hydroxyl acids and talc are some of the examples of commonly used cosmetics ingredients. Among all these product type, surfactants are expected to hold the market dominance throughout the forecast period, however, conditioning polymers is projected to grow at the highest CAGR between 2015 and 2025.On the basis of end-use applications, cosmetic ingredients market is segmented intoSkin CareNail CareMake upOthersSkin care and make up are the two most lucrative markets for chemical ingredients manufacturers. Together, they account more than onefourth of total cosmetic ingredients market. Changing lifestyle and increasing awareness about skin care is boosting the demand for skin care applications.Cosmetic Ingredients Market: Region-wise OutlookOn the basis of region, cosmetic ingredients finds its market scope in North America, Latin America, Middle East & Africa, Europe and Asia-Pacific. North America and Europe dominates the cosmetic ingredients, however, Asia Pacific and Latin America are expected to be the most promising region in terms of incremental opportunities lying ahead for generating high revenue. Cosmetic ingredient market is highly regulated in Europe and North America. China, India and ASEAN are the key promising countries driving the cosmetic ingredients market in Asia-Pacific. Rapid growth of urbanization coupled with growing desire for skin care is expected to offer above average growth to cosmetic ingredients market in Asia-Pacific. Brazil leads the cosmetic market followed by Mexico in Latin America. As per the CANIPEC, the Mexican personal care industrys national chamber and association, there are more than 64 business enterprises operating in personal care market that are worth approximately US$ 14 billion in Mexico.Visit For TOC@Cosmetic Ingredients Market: Key PlayersCompany needs to meet the stringent quality norms before marketing their key ingredients. It is due to these factors that the market in North America and Europe is consolidated and is dominated by list of key cosmetic ingredient manufacturers and suppliers.Some of the market participants in the global cosmetic ingredients market are BASF SE, The Dow Chemical Co., Ashland Inc., Rhodia, DuPont Tata & Lyle Bio Products, Sederma Inc., Sumitomo Group, etc. Companies are investing heavily and are entering into mergers and acquisitions to tap the cosmetic ingredient market potential globally. For instance, Sumitomo Group is expected to acquire active cosmetic ingredient business from Kyowa Hakko Europe GmbH in order to advance its cosmetic ingredient business in Europe.Going through these points, there is no doubt that cosmetic ingredients market hold good market prospects in near future, thereby is anticipated to grow at impressive CAGR during the forecast period, 20152025.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:
Global Hydration Bladder Market 2017 Outlook & Forecast, Top Manufacturers - Mocke, HORN HUNTER, Ray Allen, Tacprogear

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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 Hydration Bladder 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 ManufacturersMockeHORN HUNTERRothcoGEIGERRIGTacprogearEberlestockTSIRay AllenGORUCKHydrory Plastic Co. LtdAccess Full Report @Market Segment by Regions, this report splits Global into several key Regions, with production, consumption, revenue, market share and growth rate of Hydration Bladder 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 intoPlasticSyntheticAluminumFiberglassNylonPVCPolyester BlendOthersSplit by application, this report focuses on consumption, market share and growth rate of Hydration Bladder in each application, can be divided intoTravelMilitaryOthersAbout 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 Dental Prosthetics Market to grow at a CAGR of 6.55% during Forecast period 2016-2020

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Albany, NY, April 26, 2017: field of dentistry that deals with dental prostheses. Among the several areas of dental segments, prosthetic dentistry remains special due to multiple prosthetic treatments performed that includes implants, cosmetic dentistry, replacements, and repairs of all kinds of conditions related to oral tissues and faulty or missing tooth.The global dental prosthetics market to grow at a CAGR of 6.55% during the period 2016-2020. The report covers the present scenario and the growth prospects of the global dental prosthetics market for 2016-2020. To calculate the market size, the report considers the revenue generated from the sales of dental prosthetics.The market is divided into the following segments based on geography:- Americas- APAC- EMEAGet a Sample Research PDF with TOC:Technavio's report, Global Dental Prosthetics Market 2016-2020, has been prepared based on an in-depth market analysis with inputs from industry experts. The report covers the market landscape and its growth prospects over the coming years. The report also includes a discussion of the key vendors operating in this market.Key vendors- DENTSPLY Implants- Ivoclar Vivadent- Nobel Biocare- Straumann- Zimmer BiometOther prominent vendors- Alpha-Bio- Andent- BioHorizons- Biomet 3i- Camlog Holding- Candulor- Digitek Dental- Dyna Dental- GC- Heraeus Holding- Leader Italia- MERZ Dental- MIS Implants Technologies- Modern Dental USA- Noris Medical- Quantum Dental- Shofu Dental- Southern Cross Dental- Sundance Dental..........Enquiry at:Key questions answered in this report- What will the market size be in 2020 and what will the growth rate be?- What are the key market trends?- What is driving this market?- What are the challenges to market growth?- Who are the key vendors in this market space?- What are the market opportunities and threats faced by the key vendors?- What are the strengths and weaknesses of the key vendors?Browse more details at:ResearchMoz is the worlds fastest growing collection of market research reports worldwide. Our database is composed of current market studies from over 100 featured publishers worldwide. Our market research databases integrate statistics with analysis from global, regional, country and company perspectives. ResearchMozs service portfolio also includes value-added services such as market research customization, competitive landscaping, and in-depth surveys, delivered by a team of experienced Research Coordinators.Albany NY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-621-2074Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Email: sales@researchmoz.usFollow us on LinkedIn at:
Floor Coating Market in Europe 2016-2020 - Akzo Nobel, DAW, PPG & Tikkurila are the leading Market Players

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Albany, NY, April 26, 2017: Paints and coatings have a wide range of applications and are used on various substrates such as metals, plastics, composites, wood, and concrete. They can be segmented into two broad categories of decorative and performance coatings. Decorative coatings are used to enhance the aesthetic appeal of the substrate while performance coatings are solely used for functional purposes such as protecting the substrate from exposure to harsh weather, chemicals, and microbes.The floor coatings market in Europe to grow at a CAGR of 5.16% during the period 2016-2020. The report covers the present scenario and the growth prospects of the floor coatings market in Europe for 2016-2020.The market is divided into the following segments based on technology:- Water-borne coatings- Solvent-borne coatings- UV-cure coatingsGet a Sample Research PDF with TOC:Technavio's report, Floor Coatings Market in Europe 2016-2020, has been prepared based on an in-depth market analysis with inputs from industry experts. The report covers the market landscape and its growth prospects over the coming years. The report also includes a discussion of the key vendors operating in this market.Key vendors- Akzo Nobel- DAW- PPG- TikkurilaOther prominent vendors- 3M- BASF- Benjamin Moore- Feyco Treffert- ICA Group- IVM Chemicals- Jotun- KAPCI Coatings- Renner Italia- RPM International- Sherwin-Williams- Sirca- Sniezka- Sto- Valspar- Weilburger CoatingsMarket driver- Demand from parquet flooring applications- For a full, detailed list, view our reportEnquiry at:Key questions answered in this report- What will the market size be in 2020 and what will the growth rate be?- What are the key market trends?- What is driving this market?- What are the challenges to market growth?- Who are the key vendors in this market space?- What are the market opportunities and threats faced by the key vendors?- What are the strengths and weaknesses of the key vendors?Browse more details at:ResearchMoz is the worlds fastest growing collection of market research reports worldwide. Our database is composed of current market studies from over 100 featured publishers worldwide. Our market research databases integrate statistics with analysis from global, regional, country and company perspectives. ResearchMozs service portfolio also includes value-added services such as market research customization, competitive landscaping, and in-depth surveys, delivered by a team of experienced Research Coordinators.Albany NY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-621-2074Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Email: sales@researchmoz.usFollow us on LinkedIn at:
Microbiome-Competitive Landscape, Technology and Pipeline Analysis, 2017

DelveInsights, Microbiome-Competitive Landscape, Technology and Pipeline Analysis, 2017, the report provides comprehensive insights about microbiome based therapeutic pipeline products. A key objective of the report is to establish the understanding for all the pipeline drugs that fall under this category.This report provides information on the microbiome based therapeutic development dealing with all the pipeline drugs, comparative analysis at various stages covering Filed, Phase III, Phase II, Phase I, IND filed, Preclinical, Discovery and unknown stages, therapeutics assessment by monotherapy and combination products and molecule type drug information. The report also covers the companys information involved in the therapeutic development of the products.Microbiome is the highly growing fields in the biopharmaceutical industry. The therapeutics is used across many therapy areas. Major therapy areas focused by pipeline drugs for microbiome are Central Nervous System, Dermatology, Gastrointestinal, Metabolic Disorders, Infectious Disease, Ophthalmology and Ear Nose Throat Disorders. There are total 70+ drugs in pipeline out of which 2 products is in Phase II/III, 8 products in Phase II, 10 product are in Phase I, 1 product is in Phase 0. Around 30+ products are in Pre-clinical, 18 products are in Discovery stage of development and 3 products are in the unknown stage of development. Companies have also gone in collaboration with different partners.Reports HighlightsMicrobiome-based therapeutic pipeline scenarioCollaborations & partnering dealsCurrent Prominent Research Areas and Key PlayersPipeline product profiles focusing on Microbiome-based TechnologiesLicensing opportunitiesMarket Drivers and BarriersScope of the reportOverview of the global Microbiome-based therapeutic pipeline scenario, products, and associated companies informationCoverage of global Microbiome-based therapeutic products under developmentCompetitive landscape of products for key players and related indicationsCoverage of licensors, collaborators and development partners, deal terms and deal values estimationPipeline analysis across different phases, emerging trends and comparative analysis of pipeline products with detailed clinical profiles, mechanism of action, route of administration and molecule type, along with product development activitiesHighlights of licensing & collaboration opportunities and funding detailsHighlights of latest Microbiome-based technologiesKey topics covered include strategic competitor assessment, barriers and drivers in the market along with SWOT analysisFor more details, pricing and sample pages please write to us at info@delveinsight.comAbout DelveInsightDelveInsight is a Business Consultant company and serves as a Knowledge partner across the value chain of Pharmaceutical Industry. With the use of proprietary databases and analytical models, DelveInsight provides cutting-edge market and pipeline analysis and API intelligence across all therapy areas to the Pharma and biotech sector, helping clients to quantify market events and evaluate their impact on the valuation of products, portfolios, and companies.DelveInsight business research,A20, Sector 7, Near to Maxfort. School,DwarkaNew Delhi-110077, IndiaTel: +91-11-4568 9769 | +91 9650213330Email: info@delveinsight.com
Passenger Car Sensors Market Will Generate New Growth Opportunities by 2022

Passenger Car Sensors Market

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Market Research Future published a half cooked research report on global Passenger Car Sensors market. The global market for global Passenger Car Sensors market is expected to grow during the period 2016 to 2022.Market Highlights:As the government norms become more stringent and the demand for safety increases, more and more sensors are needed, to meet this demand. Innovations such as monitor temperature, pressure and other things driving the market of passenger car sensors market and also shows stagnant growth for the development of sensors .Geographically, Asia pacify is referred as fastest growing region for passenger car sensors market. Recently, government announced to make it mandatory for all vehicles to either have the anti-lock braking system or the combined braking system gains the popularity for the growth of the market. Moreover, the changing focus of the Automotive Industry to technological advancement and electrification is expected to boost the demand of passenger car sensor market. Whereas, cost of sensors, is acting as a barriers for the electric vehicle market.Request a Sample Copy @Market Research Analysis:Asia pacific is fastest growing region for automotive sensors market owing to factors such as Technology & demand drivers for large batteries as well as mandatory installation of sensors in vehicles. Moreover, compact size, ecofriendly nature, and bulk manufacturing capability are the key drivers that are helping the automotive sensors market to grow. Increased R&D in the sensor industry is creating opportunities for technological advancements that open up new horizons for sensor applications. The rise in purchasing power of the consumers, increasing focus on safety, rising demand for comfort driving and the stringent safety regulations imposed by different governments, are key factors that fuel the growth of the market.Key Players of Passenger Car Sensors Market: Robert Bosch GmbH Continental AG Denso Corporation Delphi Automotive PLC Allegro Microsystems LLC Analog Devices Inc. CTS Corporation Elmos Semiconductors Infineon Technologies TRW AutomotiveScope of the Report:This study provides an overview of the global Passenger Car Sensors industry, tracking three market segments across four geographic regions. The report studies key players, providing a five-year annual trend analysis that highlights market size, volume and share for North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Rest of the World. The report also provides a forecast, focusing on the market opportunities for the next five years for each region. The scope of the study segments the global Passenger Car Sensors market as sensor type, application. On the basis of sensor type it is segmented as Pressure, Temperature and Speed and other. On the basis of application it is segmented as Powertrain/ Drivetrain, Exhaust, Interior/Comfort, DAS and Body control.Brief TOC for Passenger Car Sensors:1 Market Introduction1.1 Introduction1.2 Scope of Study1.2.1 Research Objective1.2.2 Assumptions1.2.3 Limitations1.3 Market Structure:1.3.1 Global Passenger Car Sensors Market: By Sensor Type1.3.2 Global Passenger Car Sensors Market: By Application1.3.3 Global Passenger Car Sensors Market: By Region2 Research Methodology2.1 Research Type2.2 Primary Research2.3 Secondary Research2.4 Forecast Model2.4.1 Market Data Collection, Analysis & Forecast2.4.2 Market Size Estimation2.4.3 Market Crackdown & Data Triangulation3 Market Dynamics3.1 Introduction3.2 Market Drivers3.3 Market Challenges3.4 Market Opportunities4 Executive Summary5. Market Factor Analysis5.1 Porters Five Forces Analysis5.2 Supply Chain AnalysisContinueAccess Report Details @Target Audience: Packaging Organizations Manufacturer Research Institute / Education Institute Potential InvestorsAbout 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
Current and Projected ASEAN Cosmetic Chemicals Market size in terms of volume and value 2014-2020

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The growing beauty products market has been increasing the demand for value-enriched cosmetics. The market is flooded with various cosmetic chemicals. Cosmetic chemicals are the basic ingredients found in cosmetic products including soap, shampoo, lipstick, mascara, deodorants and other beauty products (excluding the products listed under therapeutic goods). At present, various cosmetic business enterprises use more than 5000 different chemical compositions to offer selected cosmetic products. Based on its end use applications, cosmetic chemical have been further divided into surfactants, emollients, conditioning polymers, and UV absorbers. These chemical-based products contain preservatives which hinder microbial growth and thereby offer longer shell life to the cosmetics. In addition, these chemicals contain a variety of vitamins, antioxidants, minerals, herbs, hormones, and fragrances. This vast range of cosmetic chemicals allows business cosmetics to deliver different types of cosmetics in the market, thereby offering a vibrant market to cosmetic industries.Their use is widely found in personal care products. A wide range of applications ranging from anti-ageing cream to shampoo is driving the cosmetic chemical market to its zenith. Companies these days are focusing on organic grade cosmetic chemicals as they are considered to be a healthier option when compared to commodity surfactants and petroleum oils. The cosmetic chemicals market has been segmented into skin care products, make up products, hair care products and fragrance products. Among all its market segments, cleaning agents and foaming agents are the enduse applications that account for the largest percentage of the market. Skin care products accounted for 31% of global cosmetic market in year 2013. Though cosmetic chemicals offer many options to formulate cosmetics depending on different skin types, the market is shifting towards natural surfactants primarily because of the rising safety concerns of sulfate-based surfactants.Request For Report Sample@Globally, North America is the largest market for cosmetic product consumption. It accounted for 21.2% of global market share in 2012. USA with US$ 54.89 billion in 2012 is the biggest cosmetic market. However, with the rising dominance of non-western beauty culture in Eastern region, the market share is set to shift towards ASEAN region. Ethnic and cultural diversity in APAC, and particularly in ASEAN region,are driving the cosmetics market vertically upwards. Growing consumer class in ASEAN region from 67 million population to 125 million population by 2025 will offer a lucrative market for various business cosmetic business channels. A large consumer base, ample natural resources, availability of cheap labor and easing of policies such as FDI by government, are the main driving factors for the cosmetic chemicals market in ASEAN markets.In the ASEAN region, the cosmetic market has been witnessing a double digit growth every 5 years. GDP at the constant price shows a vertically upwards trend in these regions. The rise in the middle class population in Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Myanmar, and Philippines is the major driving factor for the growth of this sector, while in Malaysia and Singapore, wealthy segments contribute largely to it. Skin care products are set to witness exponential growth in the ASEAN market, thereby offering lucrative business opportunities in the cosmetic chemicals market.There is a flood of suppliers in cosmetic chemicals which results in a fragmented market. However, the demand for premium personal care products has led to consolidation of the market, thus leading to high competitiveness among the dominant players in this market. The prominent players of cosmetic chemicals market include Dow Chemical Company, BASF SE, Bayer AG, Givaudan SA, Merck KGaA, Shell Chemical and Berkshire Hathaway Inc.Request For TOC@With the new emerging markets such as ASEAN, BRIC, and MEA, the future seems optimistic for cosmetic chemicals companies. Together, these regions offer a large market owing to the high population of youth in the age group of 15-39 years. Though the market seems promising in the long run, companies have to spend lump sum amounts on R&D to comply with the governments regulatory demands.ABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACT:Future Market Insights616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
United States Military Camouflage Uniform Market Report 2017

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Ask a sample or any question, please email to: lynne@qyresearch.comThe United States Military Camouflage Uniform Industry 2017 Market Research Report is a professional and in-depth study on the current state of the Military Camouflage Uniform industry.The report provides a basic overview of the industry including definitions, classifications, applications and industry chain structure. The Military Camouflage Uniform market analysis is provided for the United States markets including development trends, competitive landscape analysis, and key regions development status.Development policies and plans are discussed as well as manufacturing processes and Bill of Materials cost structures are also analyzed. This report also states import/export consumption, supply and demand Figures, cost, price, revenue and gross margins.The report focuses on United States major leading industry players providing information such as company profiles, product picture and specification, capacity, production, price, cost, revenue and contact information. Upstream raw materials and equipment and downstream demand analysis is also carried out. The Military Camouflage Uniform industry development trends and marketing channels are analyzed. Finally the feasibility of new investment projects are assessed and overall research conclusions offered.Main Chapter Showed:United States Military Camouflage Uniform Market Report 20171 Military Camouflage Uniform Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Military Camouflage Uniform1.2 Classification of Military Camouflage Uniform by Product Category1.2.1 United States Military Camouflage Uniform Market Size (Sales Volume) Comparison by Type (2012-2022)1.2.2 United States Military Camouflage Uniform Market Size (Sales Volume) Market Share by Type (Product Category) in 20161.2.3 Combat Camouflage1.2.4 Operational Camouflage1.2.5 Other1.3 United States Military Camouflage Uniform Market by Application/End Users1.3.1 United States Military Camouflage Uniform Market Size (Consumption) and Market Share Comparison by Application (2012-2022)1.3.2 Air Force1.3.3 Land Army1.3.4 Navy1.4 United States Military Camouflage Uniform Market by Region1.4.1 United States Military Camouflage Uniform Market Size (Value) Comparison by Region (2012-2022)1.4.2 The West Military Camouflage Uniform Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.3 Southwest Military Camouflage Uniform Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.4 The Middle Atlantic Military Camouflage Uniform Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.5 New England Military Camouflage Uniform Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.6 The South Military Camouflage Uniform Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.7 The Midwest Military Camouflage Uniform Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.5 United States Market Size (Value and Volume) of Military Camouflage Uniform (2012-2022)1.5.1 United States Military Camouflage Uniform Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2022)1.5.2 United States Military Camouflage Uniform Revenue and Growth Rate (2012-2022)2 United States Military Camouflage Uniform Market Competition by Players/Suppliers2.1 United States Military Camouflage Uniform Sales and Market Share of Key Players/Suppliers (2012-2017)2.2 United States Military Camouflage Uniform Revenue and Share by Players/Suppliers (2012-2017)2.3 United States Military Camouflage Uniform Average Price by Players/Suppliers (2012-2017)2.4 United States Military Camouflage Uniform Market Competitive Situation and Trends2.4.1 United States Military Camouflage Uniform Market Concentration Rate2.4.2 United States Military Camouflage Uniform Market Share of Top 3 and Top 5 Players/Suppliers2.4.3 Mergers & Acquisitions, Expansion in United States Market2.5 United States Players/Suppliers Military Camouflage Uniform Manufacturing Base Distribution, Sales Area, Product Type3 United States Military Camouflage Uniform Sales (Volume) and Revenue (Value) by Region (2012-2017)3.1 United States Military Camouflage Uniform Sales and Market Share by Region (2012-2017)3.2 United States Military Camouflage Uniform Revenue and Market Share by Region (2012-2017)3.3 United States Military Camouflage Uniform Price by Region (2012-2017)4 United States Military Camouflage Uniform Sales (Volume) and Revenue (Value) by Type (Product Category) (2012-2017)4.1 United States Military Camouflage Uniform Sales and Market Share by Type (Product Category) (2012-2017)4.2 United States Military Camouflage Uniform Revenue and Market Share by Type (2012-2017)4.3 United States Military Camouflage Uniform Price by Type (2012-2017)4.4 United States Military Camouflage Uniform Sales Growth Rate by Type (2012-2017)5 United States Military Camouflage Uniform Sales (Volume) by Application (2012-2017)5.1 United States Military Camouflage Uniform Sales and Market Share by Application (2012-2017)5.2 United States Military Camouflage Uniform Sales Growth Rate by Application (2012-2017)5.3 Market Drivers and Opportunities6 United States Military Camouflage Uniform Players/Suppliers Profiles and Sales Data6.1 American Apparel6.1.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors6.1.2 Military Camouflage Uniform Product Category, Application and Specification6.1.2.1 Product A6.1.2.2 Product B6.1.3 American Apparel Military Camouflage Uniform Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)6.1.4 Main Business/Business Overview6.2 Crye Precision6.2.2 Military Camouflage Uniform Product Category, Application and Specification6.2.2.1 Product A6.2.2.2 Product B6.2.3 Crye Precision Military Camouflage Uniform Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)6.2.4 Main Business/Business Overview6.3 DuPont6.3.2 Military Camouflage Uniform Product Category, Application and Specification6.3.2.1 Product A6.3.2.2 Product B6.3.3 DuPont Military Camouflage Uniform Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)6.3.4 Main Business/Business Overview6.4 IBENA Textilwerke6.4.2 Military Camouflage Uniform Product Category, Application and Specification6.4.2.1 Product A6.4.2.2 Product B6.4.3 IBENA Textilwerke Military Camouflage Uniform Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)6.4.4 Main Business/Business Overview.......Note:We also offerGermany/Korea/Australia/Brazil/Russia/India/Indonesia/Malaysia/Europe/Asia/Asia-Pacific/North America/Latin America/South America/AMER/EMEA/Africa etc Countries/Regions and Sales/Industry Versions RespectivelyContact me:QYRESEARCH CO., LTDVILI International Building No.167 Linhe West Road Tianhe District Guangzhou ChinaLynne - QYResearch Report Global SalesEmail: lynne@qyresearch.com Web:QYResearch established in 2007, focus on custom research, management consulting, IPO consulting, industry chain research, data base and seminar services. the company owned a large basic data base (such as National Bureau of statistics database, Customs import and export database, Industry Association Database etc), experts resources (included energy automotive chemical medical ICT consumer goods etc industries experts who own more than 10 years experiences on marketing or R&D), professional survey team (the team member with more than 3 years market survey experience and more than 2 years depth expert interview experience),Excellent data analysis team (SPSS statistics and PPT graphics process team); QYResearch has always pursuit product quality, adhere to the quality is the soul of business. Through the companys years of effort and a lot of customer support, QYResearch consulting group creative design method of many high-quality markets investigation and research team with rich experience. Today, QYResearch brand has become the consulting industry with quality assurance consulting brand. The company has 2500 global well-known customers, covering energy automobile pharmaceutical chemical agriculture more than 30 industries, services from the data analysis and recommendations-Consulting landing one-stop solution, and research regions cover China,US,EU,Asia,Middle East and Africa,South America,Australia,etc Global all regions,and also built research or marketing center in China USA UK France Hongkong etc regions. currently, QYResearch has become the first choice and worth trusted consulting brand in Global and China business consulting services.QYRESEARCH CO., LTDVILI International Building No.167 Linhe West Road Tianhe District Guangzhou ChinaLynne - QYResearch Report Global SalesEmail: lynne@qyresearch.com Web:
Global Touchscreen Controller Industry to 2025 Forecast and Key developments |The Insight Partners

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Latest market study on Touchscreen Controller Market to 2025 - Global Analysis and Forecasts by Technology, Interface, Application and Touch Types, the report include key understanding on the driving factors of this growth and also highlights the prominent players in the market and their developments.Browse market data tables and in-depth TOC of the Touchscreen Controller Market to 2025 @Touchscreen refers to an input device that can also be a display screen and is highly sensitive to touch. There are two types of touchscreens namely, resistive touch screen panel which stimulate with the change in electric current whereas, capacitive touch screen panel stimulates when a charge is drawn to the point of contact. Touchscreen controllers measure the inputs sent by circuits located in resistive or capacitive panels and further processes the information to deliver the response.The report aims to provide an overview of Global Touchscreen Controller Market along with detailed segmentation of market by segment technology, interface, application, touch types and five major geographical regions. Global Touchscreen Controller market is expected to witness growth during the forecast period due to rising demand for touchscreen consumer electronics particularly, wearable devices.Request Sample Copy @The objectives of Touchscreen Controller Market report are as follows: To provide overview of the global Touchscreen Controller market To analyze and forecast the global Touchscreen Controller market on the basis of technology, interface, application and touch types. To provide market size and forecast till 2025 for overall Touchscreen Controller market with respect to five major regions, namely; North America, Europe, Asia Pacific (APAC), Middle East and Africa (MEA), and South America (SAM), which are later sub-segmented across respective major countries To evaluate 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 Touchscreen Controller players influencing the market along with their SWOT analysis and market strategiesInquire about discount on this report @Segmentations Covered in the Touchscreen Controller Market Technology: Resistive Touchscreen Controller, Capacitive Touchscreen Controller Interface: Inter-Integrated Circuit, Serial Peripheral Interface, Universal Serial Bus , Universal Asynchronous Receiver / Transmitter (UART), Human Interface Device Over Universal Serial Bus Application: Consumer Electronics, Commercial, Industrial, Other Touch Types: Single-touch, Multiple-touch Geographical Analysis: North America, Europe, Asia Pacific (APAC), Middle East & Africa (MEA), South America (SAM)Some of the leading players in Touchscreen Controller Market Report Analog Devices, Inc. Cypress Semiconductor Corporation ELAN Microelectronics Corp. Integrated Device Technology, Inc. Microchip Technology Incorporated NXP Semiconductors N.V. Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd Synaptics Incorporated Texas Instruments Incorporated and STMicroelectronics N.V.Why Buy Touchscreen Controller Market Report? 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 Touchscreen Controller 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 competitionProcure Full 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.com505, 6th floor, Amanora Township,Amanora Chambers, East Block,Kharadi Road, Hadapsar, Pune-411028
Coffee Market in Mexico 2016-2020 - Global Market Size, Trends, Growth and Forecast Report

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Albany, NY, April 26, 2017: The coffee market in Mexico comprises fresh roasted and ground coffee, instant coffee, RTD coffee, and coffee pods. Increasing demand from the millennial population has contributed to the rise in demand for coffee in Mexico. An improved economy and increased job opportunities have made different types of coffee more affordable for younger consumers. This demography is more likely to spend on premium beverage brands. This has led to a spurt of cafs and coffee shops, which has further strengthened Mexico's coffee market.Mexico has many certified organically grown coffees, sold in many North American specialty coffee stores. These coffees are certified by independent monitoring agencies. Coffee from Mexico is exported to the US, Japan, and Europe, especially to Germany.The coffee market in Mexico to grow at a CAGR of 5.83% during the period 2016-2020. The report covers the present scenario and the growth prospects of the coffee market in Mexico for 2016-2020. To calculate the market size, Technavio considers the revenue generated from the total consumption of coffee in Mexico. The report does not include revenue generated from the aftermarket service of the product.Get a Sample Research PDF with TOC:The market is divided into the following segments based on types:- Instant coffee- Fresh roasted and ground coffee- RTD coffee- Coffee podTechnavio's report, Coffee Market in Mexico 2016-2020, has been prepared based on an in-depth market analysis with inputs from industry experts. The report covers the market landscape and its growth prospects over the coming years. The report also includes a discussion of the key vendors operating in this market.Key vendors- Grupo LALA- Nestle- Sabormex- Sigma AlimentosOther prominent vendors- Cafinco- Mondelz InternationalMarket driver- Demand for organic coffee- For a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket challenge- Price volatility of coffee- For a full, detailed list, view our reportEnquiry at:Key questions answered in this report- What will the market size be in 2020 and what will the growth rate be?- What are the key market trends?- What is driving this market?- What are the challenges to market growth?- Who are the key vendors in this market space?- What are the market opportunities and threats faced by the key vendors?- What are the strengths and weaknesses of the key vendors?Browse more details at:ResearchMoz is the worlds fastest growing collection of market research reports worldwide. Our database is composed of current market studies from over 100 featured publishers worldwide. Our market research databases integrate statistics with analysis from global, regional, country and company perspectives. ResearchMozs service portfolio also includes value-added services such as market research customization, competitive landscaping, and in-depth surveys, delivered by a team of experienced Research Coordinators.Albany NY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-621-2074Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Email: sales@researchmoz.usFollow us on LinkedIn at:
Barite Market size and Key Trends in terms of volume and value 2014-2020

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Barite is a mineral that is rich in barium. Barite commonly occurs in the large number of depositional environment and it is found in the zinc-lead veins in limestone, in the hot spring deposits and in the hematite ore. Barite is also found alongside meteorites. Barite is relatively inert and also exhibits a physical property of high density. Barite is widely used as a weighting agent in the drilling muds. Barite also finds other applications in the electrical and electronics, rubber, ceramics, paints radiation shielding, medical and glass industry among others. China, India, Morocco and U.S. are expected to be the largest producers of barite. The total barite resources across the globe in all categories are around 2 billion tons, however, only 740 million tons is considered among the identified resources.Most of the barite manufactured is used as a weighting agent in the drilling fluids that are used in the oil and gas exploration. Barites are mainly used to suppress the high formation fluids and also to prevent blowouts. The quantity of barite used is mainly dependent on the depth of the hole that has to be bored. The deeper the hole, more the barite is required. Barite is non-magnetic in nature and hence, it does not interfere with the magnetic measurements that are taken during boring the hole making barite an ideal choice for the drilling fluids. Barite is widely used in the manufacturing of paints and coatings. Thus, the growing automobile industry is expected to boost the overall growth of the paints and coatings industry which in turn is expected to drive the growth of the overall barite market. The global barite market is expected to grow owing to its increasing demand in other applications such as textiles, paper and paints among others. Though, there are alternatives to barite such as ilmenite, celestite, iron ore and synthetic hematite, none of these substitutes had a major impact on the barite drilling mud industry.Request For Report Sample@Barites offer several benefits such as good stability, strong inertia, moderate rigidity, acid and alkali proof and high specific gravity. Due to such advantages, barite is widely used in applications including engineering plastic, middle and high-grade paint, medicine compounding, rubber, pottery, paper-making and cosmetics among others. The main types of barites are ground barite, finely ground barite and bleached barite. Ground barite is used as filler in the production of oil cloth, linoleum, paper, textile, plastics and rubber. Finely ground barite finds use in making thixotropic mud for sealing oil wells in drilling applications and bleached barite is used as a pigment in white paint.Considering the rapidly growing oil and gas drilling industry, the demand for barite is expected to record a strong growth in the coming years. India and China hold a dominant position in the barite supply and have increased prices significantly in the recent times. Owing to this, there is an increased focus on discovering and developing new barite resources across the world. While India and China are anticipated to dominate the barite production and export, mining projects in several stages of development are ongoing in countries such as Liberia, Kazakhstan, Mexico, and Zimbabwe.Request For TOC@Some of the key participants of the barite market include Desku Group Inc., SMIMTAF, Shijiazhuang Oushun Minerals Products Co. Ltd., Shanghai Titanos Industry Co., Ltd., CMS Industries and V&P Corporation among others.ABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACT:Future Market Insights616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
Britain's Brexit secretary David Davis leaves 10 Downing Street in London, Britain, April 25, 2017. [Photo/Agencies]

LONDON - Britain will not seek to take a divide and rule approach with the other 27 member states of the European Union in upcoming Brexit negotiations, Brexit minister David Davis said on Wednesday.

"We want the European Union to be united," Davis told a conference in London.

He also said that Britain would need to take an "intelligent approach" to regulation in the years ahead.

"We must avoid unnecessary burden on business, but we also want to make sure that our new approach maintains or ensures access to markets from Croatia to California," he said.

Agencies
Global WAN Optimization Industry to 2025 Forecast and Key developments |The Insight Partners

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Latest market study on WAN Optimization Market to 2025 - Global Analysis and Forecasts by Solutions, Services, Deployment Type and End-users, the report include key understanding on the driving factors of this growth and also highlights the prominent players in the market and their developments.Browse market data tables and in-depth TOC of the WAN Optimization Market to 2025 @WAN optimization are a set of technology techniques that have been derived to maximize the data flow efficiency between two data points over the network. The functionalities in this technology include traffic shaping for prioritizing the critical data over the network, data de-duplication, compression that is used to shrink the size of data to use less bandwidth over the network, data caching that follows store and forward mechanism and monitoring of network for detection of non-essential traffic. Optimization technologies have gained a huge importance in the recent years owing to increased data traffic over the network.The report aims to provide an overview of Global WAN Optimization Market along with detailed segmentation of market by solutions, services, deployment, end-users and five major geographical regions. Global WAN optimization market is expected to witness rapid growth during the forecast period due to increased speed demands for data transfer across industry verticals with the increase in the data traffic. Data traffic has increased significantly over the years with many upcoming technologies generating huge amounts of customer related data that become essential for service industry to serve better to their customers.Request Sample Copy @The objectives of WAN Optimization Market report are as follows: To provide overview of the global WAN Optimization market To analyze and forecast the global WAN Optimization market on the basis of solutions, services, deployment, end-users To provide market size and forecast till 2025 for overall WAN Optimization market with respect to five major regions, namely; North America, Europe, Asia Pacific (APAC), Middle East and Africa (MEA), and South America (SAM), which are later sub-segmented across respective major countries To evaluate 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 WAN Optimization players influencing the market along with their SWOT analysis and market strategiesInquire about discount on this report @Segmentations Covered in the WAN Optimization Market Solutions: Network Monitoring Solutions, Application Performance Management Solutions, TCP, Optimization Solutions, Hybrid Network Optimization Solutions, Network Traffic Accelerator Solutions Services: Professional Services, Cloud Services, Training and Integration Services Deployment: On-Premise, Off-Premise End-user: Enterprises, Communication Service Providers, Cloud Service Providers Geographical Analysis: North America, Europe, Asia Pacific (APAC), Middle East & Africa (MEA), South America (SAM)Some of the leading players in WAN Optimization Market Report Cisco Systems, Inc. Riverbed Technology Aryaka Networks, Inc. Exinda, Inc. Silver Peak, Inc. Citrix System, Inc. NTT Communications Array Networks FatPipe Networks Inc. and Blue Coat Systems, Inc.Why Buy WAN Optimization Market Report? 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 WAN Optimization 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 competitionAccess Full 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.com505, 6th floor, Amanora Township,Amanora Chambers, East Block,Kharadi Road, Hadapsar, Pune-411028
Global Steam Autoclaves Market to reach $2.9bn by 2023

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The research report Steam Autoclaves Market Size By Configuration (Table Top, Vertical, Horizontal, Floor Standing, High Pressure), By Application [Medical (Hospitals, Clinics, Medical Waste Management), Dental, Laboratory (Pharmaceutical, Bio-hazardous Waste Management)] Industry Analysis Report, Regional Outlook (U.S., Canada, UK, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Switzerland, Japan, China, South Africa, Brazil, Mexico), Application Potential, Price Trends, Competitive Market Share & Forecast, 2016  2023, by Global Market Insights, Inc., Steam Autoclaves Market size was USD 1.5 billion in 2015, with 8.9% CAGR industry growth anticipation for 2016 to 2023. Rising hospital acquired infection incidence, and concerns for bio-hazardous waste management, and stringent regulations should propel global demand.In terms of application, the laboratory applications are expected to register the highest CAGR of 9.3%, driven by unmet needs of managing bio-hazardous waste from pharmaceutical manufacturing. APAC steam autoclave market size could reach USD 398.4 million by 2023. Brazil and Mexico steam autoclaves market will drive LATAM demand, exceeding revenue of USD 60 million by 2023.Increasing issuance of guidelines and mandates for bio-waste management by approval and regulatory authorities such as FDA, DOT, EPA, and European Commission (CE), growing concern to check the spread of hospital acquired infections, and enhanced market penetration rates of medical sterilization and disinfectant devices and equipment should act as potential growth opportunities.Request for a sample of this research report -Growing prevalence of antibacterial resistant infections among admitted patients in the hospitals is expected to heighten the importance of sterilization and disinfection procedures in the hospitals. High amount of medical waste and subsequent threat to the healthy population is further pressurizing the regulatory bodies to meet the social requirements of sanitation. Guidelines for maintaining clean, sterilized, and disinfected environment have been issued by regulatory bodies. Moreover, the introduction of more efficient and cost effective steam autoclaves and growing adoption of CSSD framework is expected to boost the usage rates of steam autoclaves.Vertical steam autoclave market share contributed significantly to the overall revenue in 2015 owing to large application of these autoclaves in hospitals as well as laboratories in various configurations. However, introduction of various enhancements such as portability and capacity handling capability are expected to also drive demand for table top and floor standing autoclaves.Browse key industry insights spread across 120 pages with 78 market data tables & 40 figures & charts from the report, Steam Autoclaves Market in detail along with the table of contents:Key insights from the report include: The global steam autoclaves market generated revenue of USD 1.5 billion in 2015, and is anticipated to reach USD 2.9 billion by 2023, projected to grow at a CAGR of 8.9% from 2016 to 2023. U.S. steam autoclaves market size saw 75% of total North America revenue in 2015. Mandatory compliance to the guidelines issued by the regulatory bodies has boosted regional demand. Medical segment dominated the global steam autoclaves market share in 2015, with revenue pegged at USD 338.9 million. Europe steam autoclaves market share is forecast to see moderate gains, with UK and Germany accounting for 36% revenue in 2015. China is the fastest growing industry across APAC, with 10.2% growth target by 2023, followed by Japan, while the LATAM growth was driven by Mexico and Brazil. Low market entry barriers for manufacturing small, low capacity autoclaves; however, manufacturing larger, FDA approved autoclaves requires huge capital investment, which enhances entry barriers. Tuttnauer, Hanshin Medical, Priorclave, Matancha are some key industry participants.Make an inquiry for purchasing this report @Global Market Insights has segmented the Steam Autoclaves Industry on the basis of configuration, application and region:Global Steam Autoclaves Configuration Market Analysis (Revenue, USD Million; 2013 - 2023) Table Top Vertical Horizontal Floor Standing High PressureGlobal Steam Autoclaves Application Market Analysis (Revenue, USD Million; 2013 - 2023) Medicalo Hospitalso Clinicso Medical Waste Management Dental Laboratoryo Pharmaceuticalo Bio-hazardous Waste ManagementSteam Autoclaves Market Regional Analysis (Revenue, USD Million, 2014  2023) North Americao U.S.o Canada Europeo Germanyo UKo Franceo Spaino Italyo Switzerland Asia Pacifico Chinao Japan LATAMo Brazilo Mexico MEAo South AfricaBrowse Related Reports: Bench-top Dental Autoclaves Market Size By Product (Pre & Post Vacuum, Semi-Automatic, Automatic), Industry Analysis Report, Regional Outlook, Application Potential, Price Trends, Competitive Market Share & Forecast, 2016  2023About 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:Blog:Connect with us: Facebook | Google+ | LinkedIn | Twitter
Geospatial Imagery Analytics Market Segments, Opportunity, Growth and Forecast By End-use Industry 2016-2026

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Geospatial analytics support to integrate, gather, operate, display, and examine geospatial data which is collected through satellite imagery, GPS, geotagging, mapping, and many other sources to create significant information that are important for making important business/organization decisions. In In geospatial imagery analytics, data is collected in the form of geo-referenced satellite images, and then it is represented in two different ways including raster and vector. Enterprises are using geospatial imagery analytics information to examine their operational effectiveness to endure their company position in this competitive surrounding. Geospatial Imagery analysis offers more precise images as related to 3D and 2D analysis. This analysis includes analysis of modules above, on, and below the earth surface. Geospatial Imagery analysis application of supports private as well as government sectors to make knowledgeable conclusions about businesses and also examine risk assessment and mitigation disaster management, urban planning, and climatic conditions.Geospatial Imagery Analytics Market: Drivers & RestraintsThe major factors driving the growth of geospatial imagery analytics market are increasing growth of geospatial analytics market, disposable incomes, and increasing advancement in analytics technologies. Moreover, geospatial imagery analytics is projected to have and high demand in the future analytics market. In coming years, the demand of geospatial analytics has improved among organizations, as it supports to pathway changes in patterns and trends over a period. Furthermore, technological developments in geospatial imagery analytics have increased the acceptance of geospatial technologies including remote sensing (RS), global positioning system (GPS), and geographical information system (GIS), and many others. Also, increasing penetration of geographical information system technology in the service industry, increasing usage of location-based data and rising demand of open interoperable solutions, are major factors which are boosting the growth of the geospatial imagery analytics market.Request Report Sample@Geospatial Imagery Analytics Market: Market SegmentationThe geospatial imagery analytics market is segmented into five parts based on the imaging type, technology type, by analysis type, application type, and geography.Based on the imaging type the geospatial imagery analytics market is segmented into:VideoImageBased on the technology type the geospatial imagery analytics market is segmented into:Global Positioning Systems (GPS)Geographical Information Systems (GIS)Remote Sensing (RS)OthersBased on the analysis geospatial imagery analytics market is segmented into:Surface AnalysisNetwork AnalysisGeovisualizationOthersBased on the type of application geospatial imagery analytics market is segmented into:Defense & SecurityGovernmentEnvironment MonitoringEnergy, Utility & Natural ResourcesEngineering & ConstructionMining & ManufacturingInsuranceAgricultureHealthcare & Life SciencesOthersRequest For TOC@Geospatial Imagery Analytics Market: Regional OutlookRegarding geography, geospatial imagery analytics market has been categorized into seven key regions including North America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, APEJ, Japan, Latin America, and the Middle East & Africa. The geospatial imagery analytics market is expected to register healthy CAGR during the forecast period. North America is experiencing the rapid increase in the production geospatial imagery analytics as a demand for geospatial imagery analytics in wide range of verticals such as defense & security, government, environment monitoring, energy, utility & natural resources, engineering & construction, mining & manufacturing, insurance, agriculture, healthcare & life sciences, others market in the region is rising at faster pace. The geospatial imagery analytics market is projected to register healthy growth due growth of analytics market and technological advancement in information & technology sector across the globe. Geospatial imagery analytics market for Asia Pacific is also expected to witness steady growth during the forecast period primarily attributed to the growth of imagery technologies coupled with demand for customization in offerings, especially in China and India.Geospatial Imagery Analytics Market: Key PlayersSome of the key players identified in the geospatial imagery analytics market are:-Trimble Navigation, Ltd.Hexagon AB, General ElectricRMSI, Bentley Systems, Inc.ESRI, MDA CorporationFugro N.V.Harris CorporationWS Atkins Plc.TomTomDigital GlobeCritigen, AAMNokiaOthersFuture Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.compress@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
Motorized Quadricycles Market to Record an Exponential CAGR by 2025

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Global Motorized Quadricycles Market: IntroductionMotorized quadricycles are small and fuel-efficient vehicles used for local transportation in rural and urban areas. Motorized quadricycles have emerged as an alternative to small city cars and motorcycles. With a speed range of 45  100 kmph and weight of up to 400-500 kg, motorized quadricycles have become a popular means of internal transportation. Quadricycles are largely used in European countries. They are exempt from stringent regulations and safety tests that are applicable for passenger cars; also, they are road-legal and may not require a full license to be driven. As per the directive 2002/24/EC & CE, quadricycles have been categorized into: light quadricycles (L6e) and heavy quadricycles (L7e). Light quadricycles are limited to a speed of 45 kmph, while heavy quadricycles are not speed limited and may have a speed of up to 100 kmph.Sample of this report is available upon request @Motorized quadricycles must meet environment regulations w.r.t emissions, however this isnt a key concern for manufacturers as a major share of motorized quadricycles are electric; gas powered quadricycles hold a low market share. Despite some existing restraining factors, the motorized quadricycle market is expected to witness noteworthy year-on-year growth over the forecast period. It has been witnessed that elderly population accounts for a majority of the demand for motorized quadricycles owing to low cost, light weight and ease of handling of the vehicle. This trend is expected to exist throughout the forecast period.Global Motorized Quadricycle Market: DynamicsLow cost, ease of handling and lack of stringent regulations are some of the prominent factors driving the sale of motorized quadricycles. Quadricycles are many folds cheaper than city passenger cars and thus appeal to huge masses, particularly the elderly population who do not seek high power and high speed vehicles. Motorized quadricycles are easy to handle; these usually have a CVT transmission and require comparatively low maintenance as compared to other passenger cars. Majority of motorized quadricycles are electric powered and thus, are environment friendly. Furthermore, the motorized quadricycle market lacks stringent regulations. Regulations for driving quadricycles vary from country to country. In some countries, no license is required to drive a quadricycle, while in some countries a valid driving license and a minimum age of 18 years are prerequisites.The recent one-off tests conducted by Euro NCAP brought the quadricycle market to limelight. The frontal and side crash test conducted by the organization highlighted that quadricycles significantly lacked passenger safety even at a low speed of 50 kmph. The frontal and side impact tests highlighted the lack of minimum safety equipment in quadricycles. This has created pressure on manufacturers to transform their vehicles and ensure a high level of safety during crash, while maintaining cost of the vehicle; as surge in prices would not be acceptable to customers. At the same time, this incident may also restrain customers from buying quadricycles due to the lack of safety.Global Motorized Quadricycle Market: SegmentationBy product type, the motorized quadricycle market can be segmented into:Light QuadricyclesHeavy QuadricyclesBy mode of operation, the motorized quadricycle market can be segmented into:Electric QuadricyclesFuel Operated QuadricyclesBy price range, the motorized quadricycle market can be categorized into:EconomicMid-rangePremiumGlobal Motorized Quadricycle Market: Region-wise OutlookPresently, Europe leads the demand for motorized quadricycles in the global market, and the region is expected to remain predominant in the motorized quadricycle market over the forecast period. Flexible regulations in the region are expected to be the major driver for market growth and thus, increased adoption of quadricycles is expected over the forecast period. After Europe, North America and Latin America are anticipated to be major upcoming markets for motorized quadricycles. However, slow adoption rate is expected in some countries of these regions. The Asia Pacific motorized quadricycle market possesses significant growth opportunity owing to robust economic growth and increasing vehicle ownership per capita. However, some of the countries in the region create moderate demand for quadricycles, as quadricycles here are only limited to internal transport application and are not authorized to be driven on roads. Safety concerns for passengers and poor road infrastructure in some countries of the Asia Pacific region are expected to hamper demand for motorized quadricycles in the region.Global Motorized Quadricycle Market: Market ParticipantsExamples of some of the market participants in the global motorized quadricycles market are:Aixam-MegaGrecavGroupe RenaultBajaj Auto. Ltd.Ligier AutomobilesClub Car, LLC.TECNO MECCANICA IMOLA SPA (Gruppo Tazzari)TOC of this report is available upon requestThe research report presents a comprehensive assessment of the market and contains thoughtful insights, facts, historical data, and statistically supported and industry-validated market data. It also contains projections using a suitable set of assumptions and methodologies. The research report provides analysis and information according to market segments such as geographies, application, and industry.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.Persistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA  Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb:
Global Isobutylenes Market 2017 - Lyondell Basell, ExxonMobil Chemical, TPC Group, Evonik, Honeywell, Songwon

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The Global Isobutylenes Market 2017 Industry Research Report is a professional and in-depth study on the current state of the Isobutylenes industry. Firstly, the report provides a basic overview of the industry including definitions, classifications, applications and industry chain structure. The Isobutylenes 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.In this report, the global Isobutylenes market is valued at USD XX million in 2016 and is expected to reach USD XX million by the end of 2022, growing at a CAGR of XX% between 2016 and 2022.Download Sample Report @Geographically, this report is segmented into several key Regions, with production, consumption, revenue (million USD), market share and growth rate of Isobutylenes in these regions, from 2012 to 2022 (forecast), coveringNorth AmericaEuropeChinaJapanSoutheast AsiaIndiaGlobal Isobutylenes market competition by top manufacturers, with production, price, revenue (value) and market share for each manufacturer; the top players includingLyondell BasellExxonMobil ChemicalTPC GroupEvonikHoneywellSongwonBASFTASCOSINOPEC Beijing Yanshan PetrochemicalCNPC Jinzhou PetrochemicalWanhua ChemicalTiande ChemicalAccess 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 intoC4 Raffinate IsobuteneHigh Purity IsobutyleneOn 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 Isobutylenes for each application, includingPolyisobutyleneButyl RubberOthersIf you have any special requirements, please let us know and we will offer you the report as you want.About Fior MarketsFior Markets is a leading market intelligence company that sells reports of top publishers in the technology industry.Our extensive research reports cover detailed market assessments that include major technological improvements in the industry. Fior Markets also specializes in analyzing hi-tech systems and current processing systems in its expertise.We have a team of experts that compile precise research reports and actively advise top companies to improve their existing processes. Our experts have extensive experience in the topics that they cover.Contact UsMark StoneSales Manager2566, Lincoln StreetPrinceton,New Jersey 08540USAPhone: (201) 465-4211Email: sales@fiormarkets.comWeb:Blog:
Electric Vehicle Plastics Market to Undertake Strapping Growth During 2017-2025

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Electric Vehicle Plastics Market: IntroductionWhile metal is the go-to material when it comes to manufacturing of various components for automobiles, the resultant increase in weight of vehicles have led the automobile manufacturers to look out for alternatives in order to improve the overall efficiency of vehicles. Hence, plastics are common materials after metals that are utilized currently to build various parts of a vehicle. From the perspective of electric vehicles, higher quantity of plastic material is used than the conventional vehicles owing to inclusion of larger battery pack, smaller size of internal combustion engine and demand for lightweight materials to improve fuel efficiency. Electric vehicle plastics are those raw materials, which are prominently used to manufacture parts and supplies that make up an electric vehicle. Electric vehicle plastics made components can be found in the interior, exterior, luggage section and bonnet section of an electric vehicle. Inclusion of plastic based parts is advantageous as it can cover over half the volume of the electric vehicle alongside contributing less than 15% of the weight of the electric vehicle. Rise in sales and production of electric vehicles coupled with Government regulations on automobile emissions are some of the key factors attributing to the growth of electric vehicle plastics market in the coming years.A sample of this report is available upon request @Electric Vehicle Plastics Market: DynamicsWith a move towards manufacturing automobiles that contribute less greenhouse gases emissions and highly fuel efficient, electric vehicles and its variants are being manufactured by almost all the major automobile manufacturers owing to improving year on year sales of electric vehicles directly influencing the growth of the electric vehicle plastics market. Another factor that drives the growth of the market is the decrease in the prices of raw materials used in the manufacture of electric vehicles. The increasing involvement of plastics as raw materials to build automotive parts and supplies is also one of the major factors attributing to the growth of the electric vehicle plastics market.Electric Vehicle Plastics Market: Regional OutlookThe electric vehicles market in North America and Western Europe region are flourishing at a healthy rate as a result of increasing adoption of non-polluting vehicles as a means of transportation, thereby rendering an attractive prospect for the growth of electric vehicle plastics market. Close on the heels of the above two regions, Asia Pacific region along with Japan has also witnessed a healthy sales of electric vehicles especially in China further improving the demand of such vehicles paving a way for the growth of the electric vehicle plastics market. In contrast, the market in Latin America and Middle East & Africa region may witness a slower growth rate of electric vehicle plastics due to lower demands and sales of electric vehicles, but may improve in later years when the demand for fossil fuels increases.Request to view Table of content @Electric Vehicle Plastics: Market ParticipantsExamples of some of the participants involved in the manufacture of Global Electric Vehicle Plastics are: Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC) BASF SE Formosa Plastics Corporation, U.S.A. LyondellBasell Industries Holdings B.V. Evonik Industries INEOS I. du Pont de Nemours and Company The Dow Chemical Company Air Liquide S.A. Sumitomo Chemical Co., Ltd. Mitsui Chemicals, Inc. Hexion Inc. Momentive Performance Materials Hanwha Azdel, Inc.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.Persistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA  Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb:
Global Nickel Hydroxide Market 2017 Production, Sales, Supply, Demand, Analysis by Forecast to 2021

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Market Highlights:This report states that the global nickel hydroxide market has seen a positive growth in the past few years and it is estimated that the market will grow significantly in near future. Nickel hydroxide is an integral chemical compound which is mostly used batteries manufacturing.As per the report, it has been analyzed that increasing demand for batteries will simultaneously increase the demand for nickel hydroxide. From the application segment, the mid-high rate batteries has accounted the largest share in 2016 followed by pocket batteries. Geographically, China ranks top in productions and capacity.Request a Sample Report @Major Key Players Norilsk Nickel Sumitomo Metal Mining Co. Ltd ERAMET Tanaka Chemical Corporation Jiangmen chancsun Umicore Industry Co. Ltd Henan Kelong New Energy Co. Ltd Jilin Jien Nickel Industry Co. LTD ALT Cobalt & Nickel Products (Dalian) Co. LtdSegmentation:MRFR has segmented the global Nickel Hydroxide market into applications which primarily includes batteries. The batteries are further segmented into pocket batteries and mid-high rate batteries.Regional Analysis of Nickel Hydroxide Market:As per the analysis, the global Nickel Hydroxide market is poised to reach USD 2,841.91 Million in 2021 from USD 2,298.50 Million in 2016.Access Report Details @Industry Overview1.1 Definition And Specifications of Nickel Hydroxide1.1.1 Definition of Nickel Hydroxide1.1.2 Specifications of Nickel Hydroxide1.2 Applications of Nickel Hydroxide1.2.1 Batteries1.3 Industry Chain Structure of Nickel Hydroxide1.3.1 Supplier1.3.2 Manufacturer1.3.3 Distributor1.3.4 retailer1.4 Industry Overview And Major Regions Status of Nickel Hydroxide1.4.1 industry Overview of Nickel Hydroxide1.4.2 Global Major Regions Status of Nickel Hydroxide1.5 Industry Policy Analysis of Nickel Hydroxide1.6 Industry News Analysis of Nickel HydroxideContinuedList of TableTABLE 1 Specifications Of Nickel Hydroxide.TABLE 2 Industry Policy Of Nickel Hydroxide.TABLE 3 Industry News Of Nickel Hydroxide.ContinuedList of FiguresFigure 1 Nickel Cadmium Batteries.Figure 2 Leaching With An Ammonia Solution.Figure 3 Leaching With An Ammonia/Alkali Salt Solution.ContinuedAbout 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 FutureOffice No. 524/528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, HadapsarPune - 411028Maharashtra, India+1 646 845 9312Email: akash.anand@marketresearchfuture.com
Biometrics Services Market Global Industry Analysis, size, share and Forecast 2014-2020

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Agricultural adjuvant are used to enhance the effectiveness of pesticides such as herbicides, fungicides, insecticides and other agents that are used to control or eliminate the unwanted pests. Adjuvant plays a crucial role in improving the efficiency of agrochemical and also for increasing the yield or productivity of the crop. Agricultural adjuvant includes ammonium fertilizers, surfactants and oils.Request For Report Sample@Agricultural adjuvant plays a key role in the global agrochemical market. The market has grown exponentially over the recent few years and this growth is expected to continue over the forecast period. Various factors such as ease of application, innovative product contributions, advanced production practices, increased accessibility and increasing attack of pests and diseases play a vital role in driving the overall agricultural adjuvant market. Adjuvants are slowly making their mark as the best tool for farmers used to improve application, achieve more cost-effective solution, facilitate the dosage, better-targeted and more environmentally acceptable pest control. A significant amount of the demand for agricultural adjuvants market is anticipated from countries such as France, India, Australia, Italy, U.S., Brazil and Germany among others. The global agricultural adjuvant market consists of activator adjuvants and utility adjuvant. Activator adjuvants include ammonium fertilizers, oils and surfactants while utility adjuvants consists of water conditioners, buffering agents, compatibility agents, buffers, anti-foam agents and drift control agents among others. Agricultural surfactant chemicals are the most dominating product which captures the maximum market share of the overall agricultural adjuvant market. North America is expected to be the largest market for agricultural adjuvant.Request For TOC@The leading players of agricultural adjuvant market includes Akzonoble N.V. (Netherlands),Adjuvant plus Inc. (Canada), Brandt Consolidated (U.S.),Momentive Performance Materials (U.S),Clariant International Ltd. (Switzerland), LambertiSpA (Italy),Solvay SA (Belgium), Croda Chemicals (India), Dow Croning (U.S.),Helena Chemical Company (U.S.) andTanatex Chemicals (Europe) 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.ABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACT:Future Market Insights616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
Asia Pacific Flexible Glass Market expected to reach US$ 417.3 Mn by 2020

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Future Market Insights (FMI) announces the release of its latest report titled, Asia Pacific Flexible Glass, Market Opportunity; 2014 to 2020 Forecast." According to the report, the Asia Pacific flexible glass market is expected to account for $612.7 Mn by 2020, registering a CAGR of 36.5% during the forecast period. Incorporation of flexibility threshold in displays is expected to contribute to the growth of the Asia Pacific flexible glass market over the forecast period.In terms of application, Asia Pacific flexible glass market is mainly segmented into display and solar PV (photovoltaic). Currently, display application segment dominates the Asia Pacific flexible glass market. The display segment was valued at US$ 74.2 Mn in 2013, and is expected to reach US$ 417.3 Mn by 2020, exhibiting a CAGR of 33.4% for the forecast period. Moreover, the development of Roll2Roll process is expected to create a demand for flexible glass in solar PV application. As a result, solar PV is projected to be the fastest growing application segment for the forecast period.Request Report Sample@The display application is further sub-segmented as smartphones and tablets, curved TV, building mounted displays and, wearables. Among all the aforementioned sub-segments, smartphones & tablets segment is expected to dominate the market with 50.1% of the total revenue share by 2020. However, curved TV is anticipated to exhibit the highest CAGR of 37.1% during the forecast period. Additionally, influx of new entrants is predicted to fuel the growth of curved TV application segment over the forecast period.Country-wise, the Asia Pacific flexible glass market is segmented into Japan, China, South Korea and others. Japan is the most lucrative market, followed by South Korea and China. Moreover, Japan is expected to contribute 40.0% market share to the Asia Pacific flexible glass market by 2020. The growth of South Korea market is supported by the strong presence of smartphone & TV manufacturers along with growing number of R&D centres in South Korea.Assessing the various factors driving this market, FMI lead analyst, Abhishek S. said, Incorporation of flexibility threshold in displays, development of Roll2Roll process for flexible PV and growing R&D investments in flexible glass by key glass manufacturers are expected to fuel the demand for Asia Pacific flexible glass market.Send An Enquiry@Key players in the Asia Pacific flexible glass market are Asahi Glass Co., Ltd., Corning Inc., Schott AG and Nippon Electric Glass Company Ltd.Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.compress@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
Polypropylene Market Industry Analysis, Trend and Growth, 2015-2025

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Polypropylene (PP) also known as polypropene, is one of the largest and single most consumed polymer resin in the world. It is a synthetic, high molecular weight thermoplastic polymer, which can be easily formed by catalytic polymerization of propylene. Due to its superior quality, its demand is increasing, especially in consumer disposable and automobile industry. This has resulted in countless opportunities for the global polypropylene market. Additionally, the trend of replacing metal with polypropylene is another factor contributing to the growth of the global polypropylene market.Polypropylene Market: Opportunities, Drivers & RestraintsPolypropylene, owing to its numerous properties, has emerged as one of the most versatile polymers and is widely used in applications, such as construction, geotextiles, medical, automobile, electrical and electronics industries. These widespread applications are expected to have a progressive impact on the global polypropylene market. Opportunities are emerging in the use of eco-friendly materials, as such, demand for bio-based polypropylene is on the rise. Volatile prices of polypropylene, largely dependent on crude oil are the restraining factors for global polypropylene market.Request For Report Sample@Polypropylene Market: SegmentationGlobal polypropylene market can be segmented on the basis of its end-user industry and geographic regions. Depending on the end-user industry, global polypropylene market can be segmented into automotive, electrical, consumer durable, construction, and packaging. Packaging segment accounts for largest share in global polypropylene market, followed by automotive and electrical segments.Polypropylene Market: Region-wise OutlookGlobal polypropylene market is anticipated to expand at a high single-digit CAGR from 2015 to 2025. Depending on the geographic regions, global polypropylene market is segmented into key regions: North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Middle East & Africa. North America is expected to witness a decline in its share of global polypropylene market. On the other hand, China is one of the largest consumers of polypropylene in terms of production and consumption because of increasing disposable income and changing lifestyles. Adding to this, capacity additions in China and Middle East are expected to boost the market growth.Request For TOC@Polypropylene Market: Key PlayersSome of the key participants in global polypropylene market are SABIC, Reliance Industries Ltd, PetroChina Company Limited, Sinopec Ltd, Exxon Mobil Corporation, Borealis AG, Formosa Plastics Corporation, and Japan Polypropylene Corporation.ABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACT:Future Market Insights616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
Global Identity Management Solutions Market to Record Sturdy Growth by 2025

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Identity Management Solutions Market: IntroductionIdentity Management Solution market is categorized under administrative area, that facilitates right access of information to the right candidate, controlling and monitoring candidate authenticity. The system ais made to ensure proper rights and restrictions towards accessibility of data. Identity management solution is used to ensure productivity and security with considering the affordability of the system.A sample of this report is available upon request @Identity Management Solutions provides assistance for both wireless and wired users, directory integration, and flexibility to facilitate any type of security and operational policy requirement.Identity Management Solutions Market: Drivers and RestraintsThe increase in security concerns and demand for proper authenticity at a workplace are coupled together to spur the need for Identity Management Solutions market. Maintaining secrecy is becoming the major concern in an organization, so to ensure proper management in terms of security, advance solutions with sound artificial intelligence inbuilt are acting as a major driver for the market growth.Data security and access of information by a right candidate are the other factors, which are contributing towards the industry expansion. The growing utility of the market, in terms of both personal and professional life, are adhering towards the growth of the Identity Management Solution Market.Rising security threads and increasing unauthorized access are becoming the key attraction for investors to invest in the industry. Complex technology and less skilled intellectual are coupled together to restrain the growth of the market.With increase in awareness and dynamic environment of IT are facilitating hackers to track data easily, the raising issue of protecting high-profile data is a key driver for industry growth. Also increasing dependency on the automated system, web application is creating more possibility of cyber-attacks, so to avoid such attacks, the demand for an effective solution are spurring.Identity Management Solutions Market: SegmentationIdentity Management Solutions market is segmented on the basis of a component, vertical, organizational size, deployment, and region.On the basis of a component, the Identity Management Solutions market can be segmented into password management, provisioning, directory services, single sign-on, governance, advanced authentication, audit, and compliance.On the basis of vertical, the Identity Management Solutions market can be segmented into education, BFSI, manufacturing, telecom and IT, energy, healthcare and life sciences, public sector & utilities, and retail.On the basis of organization size, the Identity Management Solutions market can be segmented into Small & medium enterprise (SMEs) and large enterprises.On the basis of deployment, the Identity Management Solutions market can be segmented into a cloud and on premise.Regionally Identity Management Solutions can be segmented into North America, Latin America, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, Asia-Pacific excluding Japan, Japan, and the Middle East and Africa.Identity Management Solutions Market: Regional OutlookThe North America region is expected to witness the largest market share of Identity Management Solutions market. The market is growing extensively in countries such as US and Canada owing to high dependence on automated systems, so to cater security with an innovative and interactive solution, the market is anticipated to continue its growth in the respective region.With the increase in a number of Small and medium enterprise in Asia-Pacific countries such as China and India are estimating the market to exhibit fastest growth rate over forth coming years.Request to view Table of content @Identity Management Solutions Market: Competition LandscapeSailPoint Technologies, IBM Corporation, VMware, CA Technologies, MobileIron, Oracle Corporation, Alfresco Software, Dell EMC, Citrix, NetIQ Corporation, Good Technology, Hitachi ID Systems, Microsoft Corporation, Okta, Inc., Symantec, Centrify, Fischer International OneLogin, SAP, Colligo Networks, Ping Identity, SOTI and Sophos are the key vendors for the identity Management Solution Market.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.Persistence Market Research Pvt. Ltd.305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA - Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.com
Current and Projected Magnetic Materials Market size in terms of volume and value 2015-2025

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Magnetic material are objects that can be magnetized or naturally hold magnetic properties. According to the ease of magnetization, magnetic materials can be classified into hard and soft. Hard magnetic materials retain their magnetism even in the absence of an applied magnetic field. Hard magnetic materials are difficult to magnetize and demagnetize. On the other hand, soft magnetic materials can be easily magnetized and demagnetized. They lose their magnetism when an external magnetic field is removed.Demand for effective utilization of electricity and faster transmission of data, and decreasing size of technological devices have provided an impetus to the magnetic material market.Request For Report Sample@Magnetic Materials Market: Drivers & RestraintsEnvironmental concerns, government support & incentives, increasing demand from end use industries, such as demand in automotive industry for electric vehicles, demand in medical devices for body scanners and others are the driving factors for the growth of the magnetic material market. Additionally, rapid industrialization, specifically in emerging economies and demand for alternative power sources, such as water turbine and wind mill are also driving the demand for magnetic material market. However, the variation in the price of raw material can be a restraining factor in the growth of the magnetic material market.Magnetic Materials Market: SegmentationOn the basis of types, the global magnetic material can be broadly segmented into soft magnetic material and hard or permanent magnet. In 2014, permanent magnet accounted for more than fifty percent of market share of the global magnetic materials market in terms of volume.On the basis of application, the global magnetic material market has largest applications in automotive, industrial and electronics segment. The automotive segment is projected to have the highest growth rate during the forecast period.Magnetic Materials Market: Region-wise OutlookIn terms of region, Asia Pacific is anticipated to have an attractive growth for magnetic material market as various multinational companies shifting their manufacturing set-ups to this region. China has the highest automobile production rate according to the 2014 automobile production rate of OICA which, in turn, is a factor behind the growing demand of magnetic material market. China and India are projected to be the dominant countries for the global magnetic material market.Request For TOC@Magnetic Materials Market: Key PlayersSome of the key players for magnetic material market are Arnold Magnetic Technologies, Hitachi Metals Ltd., Molycorp Inc., Electron Energy Corporation, Lynas Corporation Ltd., Tengam Engineering Inc. and many others.ABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACT:Future Market Insights616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
Wood Pellet Market Analysis, Segments, Growth and Value Chain 2015-2025

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In order to meet the increasing demand for energy and fossil fuels alternative along with intensifying concerns for greenhouse gas (GHG), the demand for global wood pellet market is rapidly escalating. Wood pellet is a solid fuel that is produced by compressing biomass or organic matter. Usually, it is made from waste timber like sawdust, residues of forest and various industrial by products. Its length is 1-2 cm and generally the diameter is 6, 8, 10, or 12mm. At greatest, it is possible to produce 25mm wood pellet. Being extremely thick, it is produced at low moisture, which allows them to burn with high combustion efficiency. Over the other types of solid biomass available, feasibility in transportation, storability and high energy density, among many others are the advantages of using wood pellet and so, it is used as fuels for residential & commercial heating, cooking and generating power.Wood Pellet Market: Drivers & RestraintsIncreasing consumption of wood pellets and the policy support for heating/CHP application (either large scale or small scale plant) is the main driver for the wood pellet market. The increasing (heating) oil prices, carbon dioxide price, concerns over climatic change, demand for large scale electricity production gives the potential scope for the growth of wood pellet market. However, the fluctuation in feedstock prices and limitation of the availability of woody biomass are the major constraints for the wood pellet market. Other factors hindering the growth of wood pellet market are logistical barriers for the transportation, competition with natural gas, coal and other fossil fuels and fulfilling technical quality standards.Request For Report Sample@Wood Pellet Market: SegmentationOn the basis of the feedstock, the global wood pellet market can be segmented into Forest and wood waste resources, Agricultural residues & waste and Energy crops. On the basis of types of pellet heating appliances, it is segmented into free standing pellet stoves, pellet stove inserts and pellet boilers.On the basis of application, the global wood pellet market is segmented intoIndustrial pellet for CHP/district heatingIndustrial pellet for co-firingPellet for heating residential/commercialOthersThe wood pellet market can also be segmented on the basis of density variance which is different for different brand as well as bags in which they are packed.Wood Pellet Market: Region-wise OutlookGlobal wood pellet market is foreseen to witness the highest growth in Europe, currently accounting for almost 80% of global consumption, followed by U.S. and South Korea. The export of wood pellet are mainly done by Russia, U.S. and Canada. South America, South Africa and Australia are the emerging regions for becoming the potential exporters of the wood pellet market. As per our in-depth analysis by 2020, the annual demand for woody biomass would rise to 305 million tons. Owing to this, the demand for global wood pellet market is anticipated to reach double digit million tons during the forecast period.Request For TOC@Wood Pellet Market: Key PlayersSome of the key players of the global wood pellet market are Corinth Wood Pellets, New England Wood Pellets, Energex, OUOsulaGraanul, the subsidiary of AS Graanul Invest, Natures Flame, Green Circle Cottondale, Weyerhaeuser, Mitsubishi Corporation and many others.ABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACT:Future Market Insights616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
Multipack Bottles Market - Competitive Landscape and Regional Analysis by 2016-2024

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The demand for multipack bottles is increasing for initial product promotional offers and to ease transportation of fragile bottles. Multipacks can consist of four or more bottles. Different packaging styles are used depending on the type of bottled product and used packaging material. Nature Multipack by NMP systems GmbH is the latest innovation in multipack bottles market. This technology involves bonding of bottles with the adhesives. The multipack is provided with handles and the bottles can be oriented as per the manufacturers marketing requirements. As compared to the conventional methods of packaging, this method uses less material and enhances the look. Danone waters collaborated with NMP systems GmbH to implement this technology.Browse Market Research Report @Multipack Bottles Market: Drivers and RestraintsThe increasing e-commerce sales of food and beverages is the major driver for the growth of multipack bottles market. The manufacturers now provide promotional offers for their newly launched products. Products are promoted through purchase with purchase strategy. Thus, the marketing strategy leads to the sale and packaging of multiple units and it boosts the global multipack bottles market growth. If the products are fragile as in food and beverage industry, multipack bottles facilitates ease in transportation. Moreover, food or beverage packing is a part of advertising and multipack bottles enhances the look of the product to attract the consumers. The innovative packaging technologies in pharmaceutical industry is expected to boost growth of global multipack bottles market.Multipack Bottles Market: SegmentationOn the basis of material, the global multipack bottles market can be segmented as follows:-Paper and PaperboardShrink WrapPlasticAdhesivesCartonCorrugated BoxContainerFill the form for an exclusive sample of this report @On the basis of packaging style, the global paperboard multipack bottles market can be segmented as follows:-Neck-thru styleOver the topBasket Wrap with Neck-thruCluster ClipCluster SleeveOn the basis of packaging style, the global shrink film multipack bottles market can be segmented as follows:-Print registered filmNested PackPad SupportedTray SupportedLabel OrientationCarry HandlesOn the basis of end users, the global multipack bottles market can be segmented as follows:-Beverage IndustryPharmaceutical IndustryRetail and Consumer Products IndustryMultipack Bottles Market: Region Wise OutlookThe global multipack bottles market can be divided into five regions, namely North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific (APAC) and Middle East & Africa (MEA). North America and Europe holds major share in the global multipack bottles market. The mature retail outlets and food processing industries contribute to the growth of multipack bottles market in these regions. Europe holds significant share in global alcoholic beverages market, which is anticipated to propel the global multipack bottle market in the region. North America accounts for significant share in the global pharmaceutical market. The export of pharma products to the developing economies is also increasing, which is expected to increase the share of North America in global multipack bottles market. MEA is anticipated to project moderate CAGR over the forecast period, due to the expansion of beverages industry in the region. APAC is anticipated to project higher growth in the global packaging industry owing to increasing e-commerce sales and retail outlets, and is expected to have significant share in global multipack bottles market over the forecast period. The growth rate of retail packaging is increasing in Latin America, which is expected to propel the growth of multipack bottles market in the region.Multipack Bottles Market: Key PlayersSome of the key players in the global Multipack Bottles market are as follows:KHS GmbHWestRock CompanyZAMBELLI PACKAGINGMultiscience GmbHMulti-Pack Solutions LLCPolypackAbout 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:
Expansion of Bleaching clay Market to Remain Consistent During 2017-2025

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Bleaching Clay Market: OverviewBleaching clay refers to a category of clay which has relatively high adsorption power for decolorizing and refining oils and fats. The primary source material for bleaching clay is montmorillonite which can also be referred as hydrated aluminum silicates, which imparts indispensable adsorption characteristics to bleaching clays. Since the early 19th century, natural bleaching clays have been used for the refining of edible oils and fats, however, the activation process further enhances its properties which include its adsorptive, acid, catalytic and ion exchange capacities. Vegetable and Mineral oil contains a variegated range of impurities like carotenes, chlorophylls, coupled with other complex impurities such as soaps, oxidation products and metals. Activated bleaching clay can effectively remove these impurities, and imparts improved appearance and flavours to these oils. The global bleaching clay competitive landscape also includes companies which are indulged in mining activities to ensure complete control over supply chain. The rising demand for edible and mineral oil has led these companies to increase their capacity in recent years.The global bleaching clay market is expected to expand in proportion to demand for edible and mineral oil, and is anticipated to expand with a decent CAGR over the forecast period.A sample of this report is available upon request @Global Bleaching Clay Market: Drivers and RestraintsThe prime factor driving demand for bleaching clay is the increasing demand for refined vegetable oil, as bleaching clay plays an integral role in its manufacturing process. Moreover, advancement in optimizing the yield of oilseeds is expected to drive more production of variegated oil seeds, thus translating into more demand for bleaching clay for its refining purposes. Apart from this, demand for fully refined oils with FFA content of less than 0.1% is driving further demand for highly activated bleaching clays. Bleaching clay often finds application in industrial sector particularly in the production of Industrial triglycerides, linseed oil, castor oil, biodiesel, fatty acids, etc., many of which are an integral part of manufacturing of paints, vanishes, soaps, etc.. Due to rising living standards across the globe, demand for these products are bound to increase, thus fuelling more revenues in the global bleaching clay market. Apart from this, rising consumption of mineral oil due to its broad adoption in cosmetics, lubricants, and grease, is also expected to further boost consumption of bleaching clay for mineral oil refining and processing.Global Bleaching Clay Market: SegmentationOn the basis of Product type, Fullers Earth Activated Clays Activated BauxiteOn the basis of application area, Vegetable Oil and Animal Fats Mineral Oil and Waxes Industrial OilOn the basis of end use industry, Nutrition (Food and Beverage) Chemical Processing Cosmetics OthersGlobal Bleaching clay Market: Region Wise OutlookThe global bleaching clay market is segmented into the seven key regions: North America, Latin America, Western Europe, and Eastern Europe, Asia Pacific Excluding Japan (APEJ), Japan and Middle East and Africa (MEA). North America and Asia Pacific are anticipated to dominate the global bleaching clay market throughout the forecast period. This can be attributed to rising production of edible oil in major Asian countries such as China and India. Moreover, rising government incentives for production of biofuels and various agricultural benefits being offered in North America, the region is expected to maintain its dominance for the demand of bleaching clay over the next decade. Western Europe and Latin America are expected to be the next prime markets for the consumption of bleaching clay, amid increasing inclination towards low cholesterol oils, thus fuelling more demand for bleaching clay from the region. Along with, increasing production of oil seeds from prime Latin American countries is expected to drive the growth in the region at an even faster rate. Contrary, MEA and Japan is anticipated to account for a smaller market share in the global bleaching clay market.To view TOC of this report is available upon request @Global Bleaching clay Market: Key Players Taiko Group of Companies Clariant International AG Oil-Dri Corporation of America BASF SE Musim Mas Holdings, W Clay Industries Ashapura Group of Companies AMC (UK) Ltd. Refoil Earth Pvt. Ltd. HRP Industries AMCOL Specialty MineralsThe research report presents a comprehensive assessment of the market and contains thoughtful insights, facts, historical data, and statistically supported and industry-validated market data. It also contains projections using a suitable set of assumptions and methodologies. The research report provides analysis and information according to market segments such as geography, technology and applications.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.Persistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA  Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb:
Global Low Fat Cheese Market Size, Share, Statistics, Trends, Strategy, Segmentation Analysis and Forecast to 2027

Global Low Fat Cheese Market

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Market Highlights:Tablet and Notebook display market has been growing rapidly from past few years. As the demand for the tablets and notebook are increasing, the manufacturers of these products are increasing the production of tablet and notebook displays. Displays are one of the important components of any devices, which allow the user to interact with the device by use of interface.The notebooks and tablets are being widely adopted as a substitute of mobile phones and laptop and desktop, the market for tablet and notebooks display is going to rise.Request a Sample Report @Major Key Players: DSM Lactalis Group Kraft Foods Group Inc. Arla Foods Crystal Farms Sargento Fromageries Bel S.A. Bongrain.Market Segmentation: Segmentation by Technology: LCD (TFT and IPS), OLED and AMOLED. Segmentation by Type: Capacitive and Resistive.Access Report Details @Industry News: In September 2016, AU Optronics launched gen 6 LTPS (Low Temperature Poly-silicon) which can be used in mobile, tablets and notebooks. In September Innolux Corporation announced the mass production of 120Hz high color saturation notebook panels.About Market Research Future:At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.MRFR team have supreme objective to provide the optimum quality market research and intelligence services to our clients. Our market research studies by products, services, technologies, applications, end users, and market players for global, regional, and country level market segments, enable our clients to see more, know more, and do more, which help to answer all their most important questions.Contact:Akash Anand,Market Research FutureOffice No. 524/528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, HadapsarPune - 411028Maharashtra, India+1 646 845 9312Email: akash.anand@marketresearchfuture.com
Cellulosic Thickeners Market Foreseen to Grow exponentially over 2025

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Global Cellulosic Thickeners Market: OverviewCellulosic thickeners is a hydrophilic white powder in pure form, which dissolves in cold water, forming a clear viscous solution or gel. Cellulosic thickeners are used extensively in wide range of applications such as biodegradability, lack of toxicity, and abundant raw material. Cellulose thickeners are also named as cellulose gum, which are used as emulsifiers, suspending agents and thickeners in cosmetic and pharmaceutical applications. Cellulosic thickeners are also used in chromatography as stabilizers for reagents and in therapeutics as bulk laxative with antacid properties. Cellulosic thickeners are also added to hair shampoo, liquid shop, and toothpaste in order to create their characteristic thick consistency. Cellulosic thickeners can be engaged as a mild glue which can be washed away with water. The increasing application of cellulosic thickener is driving the overall global cellulosic thickeners market to grow at significant CAGR in near future.A sample of this report is available upon request @Global Cellulosic Thickeners Market: DynamicsThe cellulose thickeners are used in various application such as pharmaceuticals, as a lubricant in eye drops and in oil & gas industry as an ingredient of drilling mud. Cellulosic thickeners, in the form of HPMC, MC, HEMC, is an odorless and tasteless white powder and also used as cellulose, Which can be obtained from wood or cotton in a water insoluble natural polymer. Cellulose after adding in specific material, enhances the properties of that material. Now a days cellulose thickeners are widely used in surgical and dental implants. Cellulose films are used as temporary substitute for human skin in case of burns, ulcers, and decubitus. Other new applications of cellulose thickeners are to maintain tackiness in food, cosmetics, etc., as a nonwoven fabric or paper for old document repair, as food additives and others. The growing demand of cellulosic thickener in such wide range of applications are fueling the growth of cellulosic thickener. Development of new derivatives and new applications of cellulose is expected to create raw material scarcity for the production of cellulosic thickeners. This scarcity of raw materials may hamper the market growth. Development of new applications in pharmaceutical and medicine field is expected to provide opportunities for the players in cellulose thickeners market.Global Cellulosic Thickeners Market: SegmentationThe global cellulosic thickeners market can be segmented on the basis of thickeners agent type, application and region basis. On the basis of thickeners agent types, the cellulosic thickener can be segmented by sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, methyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose, microcrystalline cellulose, and other cellulosic thickeners. on the basis of application cellulosic thickener can be further segmented into cosmetic & personal care, toiletries & household, paints & coatings, paper & paperboard, food & beverage, pharmaceutical & others(ceramic, construction, adhesive). On the basis of region, cellulosic thickeners can be segmented, North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia pacific and the Middle East & Africa.Global Cellulosic Thickeners Market: Regional OverviewThe cellulosic thickeners are segmented among five regions Europe, North America, Asia pacific, Latin America and Middle East & Africa. North America and Europe are mature markets consequently innovation in the product line is expected to be the key strategy for the market players in this region. Asia pacific is the largest shareholder of global cellulosic thickeners market due to increasing rate of industrialization in this region. The increasing application of cellulose thickener in cosmetic industries as well as other industry is driving the market of cellulosic thickeners market worldwide. Cellulosic thickeners are expected moderate growth in region such as Middle East & Africa Market. Countries like China and India are emerging market for the cellulosic thickeners due to increasing manufacturing unit.To view TOC of this report is available upon request @Global Cellulosic Thickeners Market: Key PlayersThe global key vendors of cellulosic thickeners are Dow Chemical Company, DuPont (EI) de Nemours, Cabot Corporation, Croda International plc, FMC Corporation, Imperial Chemical Industries, International Paper Company, Kraft Foods Incorporated, Rhodia SA, TIC Gums Incorporated, Goodman Fielder Limited, Georgia-Pacific Corporation, Eastman Chemical Company, Ciba Specialty Chemicals Incorporated.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.Persistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA  Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb:
Coenzyme Q10 Consumption Market Production, Revenue, Price, Development Trend and Key Manufacturers Analysis 2017

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ReportsWeb.com added Global Coenzyme Q10 Consumption Market Research Report 2017 to its vast collection of research Database. The report is spread across 118 pages and supported by 19 company leaders.The Global Coenzyme Q10 Consumption Market Research Report 2017is a professional and in-depth study on the current state of the Coenzyme Q10 Consumption industry. In a word, This report studies Coenzyme Q10 Consumption 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. Key companies included in this research are Kaneka, MGC, Pharma, Essentia, Kingdomway, ZMC, NHU, Space Biology, Yuxijiankun, Haotian, NINO, Eisai, Jiankun Biology, HaoTian Bio, Engineering Technology, Allwell Industries, Kexing Biochem, Zhejiang Medicine, Zhejiang NHU, Space Biology and Kingdomway Group.Browse complete report @Market Segment by Region, this report splits Global into several key Region, with sales, revenue, market share and growth rate of Coenzyme Q10 Consumption in these regions, from 2011 to 2022 (forecast), like North America, Europe, China, Japan, Southeast Asia and India. Firstly, Coenzyme Q10 Consumption Market On the basis of product, this report displays the production, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split into Powder Product, Water-Soluble Product and Emulsion Product. On 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 Coenzyme Q10 Consumption for each application, including Hospital, Clinic, Pharmacy and Other.Request for Sample @Major points from Table of Contents:1 Coenzyme Q10 Consumption Market Overview2 Global Coenzyme Q10 Consumption Market Competition by Manufacturers3 Global Coenzyme Q10 Consumption Production, Revenue (Value) by Regions (2012-2017)4 Global Coenzyme Q10 Consumption Supply (Production), Consumption, Export, Import by Regions (2012-2017)5 Global Coenzyme Q10 Consumption Production, Revenue (Value), Price Trend by Types6 Global Coenzyme Q10 Consumption Market Analysis by Applications7 Global Coenzyme Q10 Consumption Manufacturers Profiles/Analysis7.1 Kaneka7.1.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.1.2 Coenzyme Q10 Consumption Product Category, Application and Specification7.1.2.1 Product A7.1.2.2 Product B7.1.3 Kaneka Coenzyme Q10 Consumption Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.1.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.2 MGC7.2.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.2.2 Coenzyme Q10 Consumption Product Category, Application and Specification7.2.2.1 Product A7.2.2.2 Product B7.2.3 MGC Coenzyme Q10 Consumption Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.2.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.3 Pharma Essentia7.3.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.3.2 Coenzyme Q10 Consumption Product Category, Application and Specification7.3.2.1 Product A7.3.2.2 Product B7.3.3 Pharma Essentia Coenzyme Q10 Consumption Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.3.4 Main Business/Business Overview8 Coenzyme Q10 Consumption Manufacturing Cost Analysis9 Industrial Chain, Sourcing Strategy and Downstream Buyers10 Marketing Strategy Analysis, Distributors/Traders11 Market Effect Factors Analysis12 Global Coenzyme Q10 Consumption Market Forecast (2017-2022)List of Tables and FiguresFigure Picture of Coenzyme Q10 ConsumptionFigure Global Coenzyme Q10 Consumption Production (MT) and CAGR (%) Comparison by Types (Product Category) (2012-2022)Figure Global Coenzyme Q10 Consumption Production Market Share by Types (Product Category) in 2016Figure Product Picture of Powder ProductTable Major Manufacturers of Powder ProductFigure Product Picture of Water-Soluble ProductTable Major Manufacturers of Water-Soluble ProductFigure Product Picture of Emulsion ProductTable Major Manufacturers of Emulsion ProductFigure Global Coenzyme Q10 Consumption Consumption (MT) by Applications (2012-2022)Figure Global Coenzyme Q10 Consumption Consumption Market Share by Applications in 2016Figure Hospital ExamplesFigure Clinic ExamplesFigure Pharmacy ExamplesFigure Other ExamplesFigure Global Coenzyme Q10 Consumption Market Size (Million USD) , Comparison (MT) and CAGR (%) by Regions (2012-2022)Figure North America Coenzyme Q10 Consumption Revenue (Million USD) and Growth Rate (2012-2022)Figure Europe Coenzyme Q10 Consumption Revenue (Million USD) and Growth Rate (2012-2022)Figure China Coenzyme Q10 Consumption Revenue (Million USD) and Growth Rate (2012-2022)Figure Japan Coenzyme Q10 Consumption Revenue (Million USD) and Growth Rate (2012-2022)Figure Southeast Asia Coenzyme Q10 Consumption Revenue (Million USD) and Growth Rate (2012-2022)Figure India Coenzyme Q10 Consumption Revenue (Million USD) and Growth Rate (2012-2022)Figure Global Coenzyme Q10 Consumption Revenue (Million USD) Status and Outlook (2012-2022)Figure Global Coenzyme Q10 Consumption Capacity, Production (MT) Status and Outlook (2012-2022)Figure Global Coenzyme Q10 Consumption Major Players Product Capacity (MT) (2012-2017)Table Global Coenzyme Q10 Consumption Capacity (MT) of Key Manufacturers (2012-2017)Table Global Coenzyme Q10 Consumption Capacity Market Share of Key Manufacturers (2012-2017)Figure Global Coenzyme Q10 Consumption Capacity (MT) of Key Manufacturers in 2016Figure Global Coenzyme Q10 Consumption Capacity (MT) of Key Manufacturers in 2017Figure Global Coenzyme Q10 Consumption Major Players Product Production (MT) (2012-2017)Table Global Coenzyme Q10 Consumption Production (MT) of Key Manufacturers (2012-2017)Table Global Coenzyme Q10 Consumption Production Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)Figure 2016 Coenzyme Q10 Consumption Production Share by ManufacturersFigure 2017 Coenzyme Q10 Consumption Production Share by ManufacturersFigure Global Coenzyme Q10 Consumption Major Players Product Revenue (Million USD) (2012-2017)Table Global Coenzyme Q10 Consumption Revenue (Million USD) by Manufacturers (2012-2017)Table Global Coenzyme Q10 Consumption Revenue Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)Place a Direct Purchase Order of Complete Report @Contact Info:Name: Sameer JoshiEmail: 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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 Baby Personal Care Products Market Research Report 2017

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In this report, the global Baby Personal Care Products market is valued at USD XX million in 2016 and is expected to reach USD XX million by the end of 2022, growing at a CAGR of XX% between 2016 and 2022.Geographically, this report is segmented into several key Regions, with production, consumption, revenue (million USD), market share and growth rate of Baby Personal Care Products in these regions, from 2012 to 2022 (forecast), coveringNorth AmericaEuropeChinaJapanSoutheast AsiaIndiaFill the form for an exclusive sample of this report @Global Baby Personal Care Products market competition by top manufacturers, with production, price, revenue (value) and market share for each manufacturer; the top players includingProcter & GambleUnileverJohnson & JohnsonAvonLOrealKimberly-ClarkBeiersdorfBonpointBurts BeesMarks & SpencerNiveaAsda GroupOral B LaboratoriesAlliance BootsOn the basis of product, this report displays the production, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split intoHair Care ProductsSkin Care ProductsToiletriesFragrancesConvenience ProductsOthersOn 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 Baby Personal Care Products for each application, includingSupermarketsConvenience StoresExclusive ShopsOnline StoresObtain Report Details @Table of ContentsGlobal Baby Personal Care Products Market Research Report 20171 Baby Personal Care Products Market Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Baby Personal Care Products1.2 Baby Personal Care Products Segment by Type (Product Category)1.2.1 Global Baby Personal Care Products Production and CAGR (%) Comparison by Type (Product Category) (2012-2022)1.2.2 Global Baby Personal Care Products Production Market Share by Type (Product Category) in 20161.2.3 Hair Care Products1.2.4 Skin Care Products1.2.5 Toiletries1.2.6 Fragrances1.2.7 Convenience Products1.2.8 Others1.3 Global Baby Personal Care Products Segment by Application1.3.1 Baby Personal Care Products Consumption (Sales) Comparison by Application (2012-2022)1.3.2 Supermarkets1.3.3 Convenience Stores1.3.4 Exclusive Shops1.3.5 Online Stores1.4 Global Baby Personal Care Products Market by Region (2012-2022)1.4.1 Global Baby Personal Care Products Market Size (Value) and CAGR (%) Comparison by Region (2012-2022)1.4.2 North America Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.3 Europe Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.4 China Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.5 Japan Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.6 Southeast Asia Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.7 India Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.5 Global Market Size (Value) of Baby Personal Care Products (2012-2022)1.5.1 Global Baby Personal Care Products Revenue Status and Outlook (2012-2022)1.5.2 Global Baby Personal Care Products Capacity, Production Status and Outlook (2012-2022)2 Global Baby Personal Care Products Market Competition by Manufacturers2.1 Global Baby Personal Care Products Capacity, Production and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.1.1 Global Baby Personal Care Products Capacity and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.1.2 Global Baby Personal Care Products Production and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.2 Global Baby Personal Care Products Revenue and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.3 Global Baby Personal Care Products Average Price by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.4 Manufacturers Baby Personal Care Products Manufacturing Base Distribution, Sales Area and Product Type2.5 Baby Personal Care Products Market Competitive Situation and Trends2.5.1 Baby Personal Care Products Market Concentration Rate2.5.2 Baby Personal Care Products Market Share of Top 3 and Top 5 Manufacturers2.5.3 Mergers & Acquisitions, Expansion3 Global Baby Personal Care Products Capacity, Production, Revenue (Value) by Region (2012-2017)3.1 Global Baby Personal Care Products Capacity and Market Share by Region (2012-2017)3.2 Global Baby Personal Care Products Production and Market Share by Region (2012-2017)3.3 Global Baby Personal Care Products Revenue (Value) and Market Share by Region (2012-2017)3.4 Global Baby Personal Care Products Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)3.5 North America Baby Personal Care Products Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)3.6 Europe Baby Personal Care Products Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)3.7 China Baby Personal Care Products Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)3.8 Japan Baby Personal Care Products Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)3.9 Southeast Asia Baby Personal Care Products Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)3.10 India Baby Personal Care Products Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)4 Global Baby Personal Care Products Supply (Production), Consumption, Export, Import by Region (2012-2017)4.1 Global Baby Personal Care Products Consumption by Region (2012-2017)4.2 North America Baby Personal Care Products Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2012-2017)4.3 Europe Baby Personal Care Products Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2012-2017)4.4 China Baby Personal Care Products Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2012-2017)4.5 Japan Baby Personal Care Products Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2012-2017)4.6 Southeast Asia Baby Personal Care Products Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2012-2017)4.7 India Baby Personal Care Products Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2012-2017)5 Global Baby Personal Care Products Production, Revenue (Value), Price Trend by Type5.1 Global Baby Personal Care Products Production and Market Share by Type (2012-2017)5.2 Global Baby Personal Care Products Revenue and Market Share by Type (2012-2017)5.3 Global Baby Personal Care Products Price by Type (2012-2017)5.4 Global Baby Personal Care Products Production Growth by Type (2012-2017)6 Global Baby Personal Care Products Market Analysis by Application6.1 Global Baby Personal Care Products Consumption and Market Share by Application (2012-2017)6.2 Global Baby Personal Care Products Consumption Growth Rate by Application (2012-2017)6.3 Market Drivers and Opportunities6.3.1 Potential Applications6.3.2 Emerging Markets/CountriesQYResearchReports.com is an unimpeachable source of market research data for clients that comprise acclaimed SMEs, Chinese companies, private equity firms, and MNCs. We provide market research reports on various categories such as Energy, Chemicals, Alternative and Green Energy, Manufacturing, Machinery, Pharmaceuticals and Materials, and Glass.Contact Us1820 AvenueM Suite #1047Brooklyn, NY 11230United StatesToll Free: 866-997-4948 (USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Web:Email: sales@qyresearchreports.com
Fuel Cells Market - Evolving Industry Trends 2024

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Fuel cells are electrochemical devices that have soared in popularity as a clean source of electric energy over the past decade. Forming an excellent source of alternative green energy technology, they are inherently more efficient than most other combustion engines. Fuel cells are used in a variety of applications such as submarines, vehicles, combined heat and power (CHP) systems, uninterrupted power supply systems (UPS), military power units, and various electric appliances. The demand for fuel cell technology is fast emerging as a source of heating in commercial buildings, since it supplies emission-free power.Obtain Report Details @ :The market for fuel cells is evolving with the spiraling demand for numerous stationary applications of fuel cells and also gradually replacing conventional batteries in some facilities. In the coming years, proton exchange membrane fuel cells and hydrogen fuel cells are expected to gain prominence for providing uninterrupted power supply in various end-use industries. Prominent portable applications are consumer electronics including laptops, tablets, cameras, and smartphones. As several large car makers are tweaking the potential of hydrogen fuel cells to suit power cars, the share of transportation and automotive industries in the market is also projected to rise.In terms of revenue, the global market for fuel cells was valued at US$ 3.59 Bn in 2015 and is projected to attain a valuation of US$ 27.25 Bn by the end of the forecast period. During the same period, the market is projected to rise at a 23.64% CAGR.Asia Pacific to Offer Lucrative Market Avenues in Coming YearsBased on geography, the fuel cells market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Rest of the World (RoW). Of these, the Asia Pacific market accounted for a significant market share of 59.94% in the fuel cells market in 2015. The regional market is expected to rise at an impressive CAGR over the forecast period. The steady growth will be driven by accelerated adoption of green energy technology, reducing reliance on fossil fuels, and spiraling electricity demand attributable to a burgeoning population in various countries. In addition, the swift pace of industrialization is expected to fuel the demand for fuel cells in numerous industrial applications. Furthermore, stringent government mandates to minimize carbon emissions, coupled with the demand for eco-friendly technologies, will catalyze the growth of the regional market.Fill the form for an exclusive sample of this report @ :The Asia Pacific market is followed by the North America market where a major percentage of demand for fuel cells comes from the U.S. The increasing adoption of emerging fuel cell technologies for generation of electricity and the use of fuel cells in UPS are expected to propel the regional market along the forecast period.Upsurge in Stationary Applications of Fuel Cells to Accentuate Market GrowthThe major types of fuel cells are direct methanol fuel cells (DMFC), proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFC), and solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC). Of these, PEMFC segment held the significant market share in 2015. The substantial growth of the market for PEMFC is expected to be driven by increasing applications in the transport industry to power cars and buses and constant technological advancements aimed to increase the efficiency of these fuel cells. Furthermore, this technology is considered to be the preferred choice for several small-scale residential applicationsBased on application, the fuel cells market is segmented into stationary, portable, and transport. Currently, the stationary application of fuel cells is the leading segment. Other applications are also expected to witness significant technological investments in R&D activities by major players.Some of the top companies operating in this market are Ballard Power Systems Inc., AFC Energy PLC, Doosan Fuel Cell America, Inc., Hydrogenics Corporation, Panasonic Corporation, Plug Power, Inc., Toshiba Corporation., Nedstack, and SFC Energy AG.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. 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Global X-Ray Detector Market to grow at 5% CAGR from 2016 to 2024

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The reginal analysis says that U.S. x-ray detector market share will remain considerable due to high adoption rates of digital imaging system. Asia Pacific is expected to register significant CAGR due to elderly population base, increasing awareness among the population and less stringent regulations. Steadily developing economies such as China, India, Brazil, Mexico and Russia may witness the highest CAGR in the forecast period and provide a platform for growth. Upgrades for existing installations are expected to drive the European industry, particularly across the air cargo and border security applications. X-Ray Detector Market size was over USD 2 billion in 2015, with growth expectations of over 5% CAGR over the forecast timeframe.Rise in the aging population base, technological advancement, growing government investments, prevalence of chronic diseases and demand for photographic films due to FPDs (flat panel displays) are the major drivers. Increasing occurrences of chronic diseases such as arthritis, respiratory diseases, orthopedic and cardiovascular diseases is driving x-ray detector market size. Rising pollution levels and the severity of these chronic illnesses is leading to increase in demand for early diagnosis, which in turn is propelling the growth of diagnostic centers equipped with these systems. Increasing domestic and external accidents in densely populated economies have also fueled x-ray detector market size.Request for an in-depth table of contents for this report @News release of NIH (National Institute of Health), in March, 2016 state 8.5% of the global population is aged above 65 and projects the increase to reach 17% by 2050. Based on these projections, government, financial institutions and private investors are increasingly investing in the sector to support the growth and technological advancements in the industry.Digitization is projected to result in decreased pricing of products such as FPDs used in the industry. Reducing costs of FPDs are bolstering x-ray detector market share. Moreover, the demand for photographic films has increased due to low sensitivity, increased time utilization and long processing time post-exposure. Demand for replacement of older analog systems will provide steady growth prospects for the industry.Reimbursement cuts by manufacturers which was promoted by government initiatives are projected to positively impact x-ray detector market size. For instance, the Consolidated Appropriations Act signed in December 2015 included specific diagnostic radiology rules. Rules in the act promote advanced technologies by reimbursement cuts for analog system eventually aiding imaging providers.Regulatory impositions are also restraining the growth owing to diversity of severe regulations. Certification of Compliance with a particular countrys radiation standards is not acceptable to major other regulatory standards. Moreover, excise taxes on medical devices in certain countries restrain growth. For instance, the U.S. Government levies heavy excise on medical device manufacturers, importers and consumers. Strict regulatory procedures for launching a product, coupled with high initial costs are projected to substantially hamper growth. Scarcity of skilled professionals for conventional operation of devices may hinder revenue.Existing infrastructure of diagnostic radiology centers may provide opportunities for wireless detectors due to portability and power saving features. Growing medical tourism around the globe, especially in Asian countries are projected to enhance growth. India, Malaysia and Thailand may provide high ROI to the investments in the industry.Make an inquiry for buying this report @By product, the industry is segmented into FPD, computed radiography (CR), line scan and charge couple device (CCD). FPD segment accounted for the largest x-ray detector market share owing to decreasing costs, technological advancements and precision in the outputs. FPDs are further segmented based on portability, panel size and system type.The industry is further segmented into medical, dental, security, industrial and veterinary segments based on application. Medical application is projected to grow at a significant rate owing to requirements in cardiovascular and mammography procedures, increasing geriatric and orthopedic population. Demand will also be driven by several government agencies, including custom authorities, emergence responders, homeland security department and military.Key participants in the industry include Varian Medical Systems, Perkinelmer, Canon, Konica Minolta, Thales Group, Agfa-Gevaerf Group, Analogic Corp., Fujifilm Medical Systems, YXLON International and Teledyne Dalsa. Technological advancement within the regulatory norms may provide the base to acquire significant position.Browse Related Reports: X-Ray Security Screening System Market Size By Application (Product Screening, People Screening), By End-Use (Government, Commercial, Transit Industry), Industry Analysis Report, Regional Outlook (U.S., Mexico, Canada, UK, France, Germany, India, Japan, China, Brazil), Application Potential, Price Trends, Competitive Market Share & Forecast, 2016  2023About Global Market InsightsGlobal Market Insights, Inc., headquartered in Delaware, U.S., is a global market research and consulting service provider; offering syndicated and custom research reports along with growth consulting services. Our business intelligence and industry research reports offer clients with penetrative insights and actionable market data specially designed and presented to aid strategic decision making. These exhaustive reports are designed via a proprietary research methodology and are available for key industries such as chemicals, advanced materials, technology, renewable energy and biotechnology.Contact Us:Arun HegdeCorporate Sales, USAGlobal Market Insights, Inc.Phone: 1-302-846-7766Toll Free: 1-888-689-0688Email: sales@gminsights.comWeb:Blog:
2017-2022 Biomimetic Aircraft Report on Global and United States Market, Status and Forecast, by Players, Types and Applications

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This report studies the Biomimetic Aircraft 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 Biomimetic Aircraft market by product type and applications/end industries.The global Biomimetic Aircraft 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.Get sample report @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 Biomimetic Aircraft. 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 Biomimetic Aircraft in these regions, from 2012 to 2022 (forecast), coveringUnited StatesNorth AmericaEuropeAsia-PacificSouth AmericaMiddle East and AfricaThe major players in global and United States Biomimetic Aircraft market, including 3D Robotics, Boeing, HobbyKing, Airbus, Northrop Grumman, Boston Engineering, Lockheed Martin Corporation, Atlas Elektronik Gmbh, General Dynamics Mission Systems, Gossamer Penguin, ENFICA, Green Pioneer China, ETH Zurich, EADS, GSE, Ricardo, Krossblade, Turtle Airships, HiroboThe On the basis of product, the Biomimetic Aircraft market is primarily split intoFMAVFixed Wing AircraftOthersOn the basis on the end users/applications, this report coversAircraft ManufacturingMilitaryAgricultureBiology ResearchOthersBrowse full table of contents and data tables of Report @Table of Contents2017-2022 Biomimetic Aircraft Report on Global and United States Market, Status and Forecast, by Players, Types and Applications1 Methodology and Data Source1.1 Methodology/Research Approach1.1.1 Research Programs/Design1.1.2 Market Size Estimation1.1.3 Market Breakdown and Data Triangulation1.2 Data Source2.1.1 Secondary Sources2.1.2 Primary Sources1.3 Disclaimer2 Biomimetic Aircraft Market Overview2.1 Biomimetic Aircraft Product Overview2.2 Biomimetic Aircraft Market Segment by Type2.2.1 FMAV2.2.2 Fixed Wing Aircraft2.2.3 Others2.3 Global Biomimetic Aircraft Product Segment by Type2.3.1 Global Biomimetic Aircraft Sales (K Units) and Growth (%) by Types (2012, 2016 and 2022)2.3.2 Global Biomimetic Aircraft Sales (K Units) and Market Share (%) by Types (2012-2017)2.3.3 Global Biomimetic Aircraft Revenue (Million USD) and Market Share (%) by Types (2012-2017)2.3.4 Global Biomimetic Aircraft Price (USD/Unit) by Type (2012-2017)2.4 United States Biomimetic Aircraft Product Segment by Type2.4.1 United States Biomimetic Aircraft Sales (K Units) and Growth by Types (2012, 2016 and 2022)2.4.2 United States Biomimetic Aircraft Sales (K Units) and Market Share by Types (2012-2017)2.4.3 United States Biomimetic Aircraft Revenue (Million USD) and Market Share by Types (2012-2017)2.4.4 United States Biomimetic Aircraft Price (USD/Unit) by Type (2012-2017)3 Biomimetic Aircraft Application/End Users3.1 Biomimetic Aircraft Segment by Application/End Users3.1.1 Aircraft Manufacturing3.1.2 Military3.1.3 Agriculture3.1.4 Biology Research3.1.5 Others3.2 Global Biomimetic Aircraft Product Segment by Application3.2.1 Global Biomimetic Aircraft Sales (K Units) and CGAR (%) by Applications (2012, 2016 and 2022)3.2.2 Global Biomimetic Aircraft Sales (K Units) and Market Share (%) by Applications (2012-2017)3.3 United States Biomimetic Aircraft Product Segment by Application3.3.1 United States Biomimetic Aircraft Sales (K Units) and CGAR (%) by Applications (2012, 2016 and 2022)3.3.2 United States Biomimetic Aircraft Sales (K Units) and Market Share (%) by Applications (2012-2017)4 Biomimetic Aircraft Market Status and Outlook by Regions4.1 Global Market Status and Outlook by Regions4.1.1 Global Biomimetic Aircraft Market Size and CAGR by Regions (2012, 2016 and 2022)4.1.2 North America4.1.3 Asia-Pacific4.1.4 Europe4.1.5 South America4.1.6 Middle East and Africa4.1.7 United States4.2 Global Biomimetic Aircraft Sales and Revenue by Regions4.2.1 Global Biomimetic Aircraft Sales (K Units) and Market Share (%) by Regions (2012-2017)4.2.2 Global Biomimetic Aircraft Revenue (Million USD) and Market Share (%) by Regions (2012-2017)4.2.3 Global Biomimetic Aircraft Sales (K Units), Revenue (Million USD), Price (USD/Unit) and Gross Margin (%) (2012-2017)4.2.4 North America Biomimetic Aircraft Sales (K Units), Revenue (Million USD), Price (USD/Unit) and Gross Margin (%) (2012-2017)4.2.5 Europe Biomimetic Aircraft Sales (K Units), Revenue (Million USD), Price (USD/Unit) and Gross Margin (%) (2012-2017)4.2.6 Asia-Pacific Biomimetic Aircraft Sales (K Units), Revenue (Million USD), Price (USD/Unit) and Gross Margin (%) (2012-2017)4.2.7 South America Biomimetic Aircraft Sales (K Units), Revenue (Million USD), Price (USD/Unit) and Gross Margin (2012-2017)4.2.8 Middle East and Africa Biomimetic Aircraft Sales (K Units), Revenue (Million USD), Price (USD/Unit) and Gross Margin (%) (2012-2017)4.2.9 United States Biomimetic Aircraft Sales (K Units), Revenue (Million USD), Price (USD/Unit) and Gross Margin (2012-2017)QYResearchReports.com is an unimpeachable source of market research data for clients that comprise acclaimed SMEs, Chinese companies, private equity firms, and MNCs. We provide market research reports on various categories such as Energy, Chemicals, Alternative and Green Energy, Manufacturing, Machinery, Pharmaceuticals and Materials, and Glass.Contact Us1820 AvenueM Suite #1047Brooklyn, NY 11230United StatesToll Free: 866-997-4948 (USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Web:Email: sales@qyresearchreports.com
Nebulizers Market is expanding at a CAGR of 25.80% from 2015 to 2023

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With the increasing crowd of companies, the India nebulizers market is witnessing intense competition among players. The top three players, Omron Healthcare, CareFusion, and Philips Healthcare, collectively accounted for a share of just about 52% in 2014 in this highly fragmented market.Looking forward, market participants will be compelled to invest in research and development activities aggressively to introduce innovative and advanced products in order to strengthen their position.A study by the World Health Organization (WHO) states that, in India, deaths due to lung disorders are on a rapid rise. Among every 100,000 deaths, nearly 142 are because of one or the other form of lung disorders, making India rank first in deaths by lung diseases across the world.Read Full Report:The prevalence of acute respiratory infections that causes asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD), and cystic fibrosis, has also been reporting immense growth over the last few years. According to the countrys National Health Profile 2015, approximately 3.5 million cases of acute respiratory infection were reported in 2014, registering a spike of 140,000 cases compared to that of 2013, and an increase of 30% since 2010.Nebulizers are highly effective in treating these conditions as they convert liquid medication into the aerosol, which can reach easily into the lungs of patients when inhaled using a mouthpiece. Due to their efficacy and the ease of usage they provide, the popularity of these medical instruments is witnessing an exponential rise in this country.Recent trends are indicating towards increasing incidence of chronic respiratory diseases in cities such as Delhi, Kolkata, and Vijayawada, aggravated by vehicular pollution, air pollution, increased population, and escalating number of smokers, says an analyst. Technological advancements aimed at treating severe respiratory disorders will materialize in an extensive rise in demand for these products in India, providing an opportunity-rich market for participants over the next few years.Download exclusive Sample of this report:TMR estimates the India nebulizers market to expand at a CAGR of 25.80% during the period from 2015 to 2023, increasing the opportunity it presents from INR 575.6 mn in 2014 to INR 4,703.4 mn by the end of the forecast period.Presently, the north zone reports the highest consumption of nebulizers in India. The cold climate and the rising level of pollution have skyrocketed the prevalence of COPD and other respiratory disorders in this zone, which does not look like having a stoppage any time soon. Considering the high efficiency of nebulizers in treating these conditions, their demand is expected to climb rapidly in this zone at a CAGR of 27.50% during the forecast period, retaining its dominant status.Pneumatic nebulizers currently enjoy the highest demand in India on account of the cost efficiency they provide as compared to mesh and ultrasonic nebulizers. However, mesh nebulizers are projected to register the fastest growth rate over the forecast period.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector - such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMRs syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.Contact us:Transparency Market Research90 State Street,Suite 700,AlbanyNY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Underfill Market - Global Industry Trends and Forecast Analysis For 2016 - 2024

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Introduction:Underfill materials are composite formulations of organic polymers and inorganic fillers which are used in semiconductor packaging to achieve improved thermo mechanical performance. Polymer adhesives are used as underfill material to distribute mechanical stresses at solder joint which occurs due to difference in the thermal expansion coefficients at the interconnect. Various phenolic and amine based epoxy materials are used as underfill material in semiconductor packaging industry. High thermal stability and reworkability are desired characteristics for underfill material in the semiconductor packaging industry.Obtain Report Details @They are used in various packaging techniques such as flip chip, ball grid array (BGA), and chip scale packaging (CSP), etc. Flip chip is a major application for underfill material. Global flip chip market is showing strong demand and is estimated to witness double digit growth in near future. The ever growing demand for lighter, smaller, efficient yet cost effective devices has drawn remarkable attention towards the underfill material. Capillary underfill (CUF), no flow underfill (NUF), and molded underfill (MUF) techniques are used for the application of underfill materials. Due to growing pricing pressure from end use industry, CUF being a conventional and relatively costly technique is replaced by MUF process technique. The global semiconductor packaging industry, a parent market for the global underfill material market is expected to continually expand at high growth rates in near future.Global Underfill Materials Market DynamicsRecently, the microelectronic industry is governed by more complex devices, due to trending system on chip (SOC) and system in package (SIP). The trends in portable end use market are driving the global underfill material market growth. The growing demand for low cost, high performing, small in size devices is one of the major driving factors for global underfill material market growth. The increasing use of underfill material from flip chip packaging and wafer level packaging due growing demand in smart phones and tablets is a prominent driving factor for global underfill material market growth. Being a technology driven market, underfill material market is expected to be compelled by the recent advancements in electronic industry. The end use market is posing new requirement of compatibility with lead free solder paste material due latest trend of sustainability in the market. Some of the leading manufacturers in the market are offering underfill material products which are compatible with lead free solder paste.Fill the form to gain deeper insights on this market @Global Underfill Material Market SegmentationThe global underfill material market is segmented on the basis of product type and application. On the basis of product type, the global underfill material market is classified asCUF underfill materialNUF underfill materialMUF underfill Material.Among these segments, CUF is an oldest type and accounts for maximum share in global underfill market. Due to high cost, the CUF is anticipated to be replaced by MUF materials in near future. The MUF product type segment is estimated to show highest growth in near future.On the basis of application, the global underfill material market is segmented asFlip chipsBall grid array (BGA)Chip scale packaging (CSP)The flip chip application segment is expected to exhibit strong demand for underfill material compared to other application segments.Global Underfill Material Market: Regional OutlookOn the basis of geography, global underfill material market can be divided by major regions which include North America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia-Pacific Excluding Japan, Japan, Middle East and Africa, and Latin America. Asia Pacific is a largest market for underfill materials with China, Korea, Japan, and Taiwan being prominent countries producing semiconductor packaging materials. North America and Europe are the largest market after Asia.Global Underfill Material Market PlayersSome of the major players in global underfill material market are Henkel, Won Chemicals Co. Ltd., Epoxy Technology Inc., AIM solder, Namics Corporation.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:
Operational Intelligence Market Rising at 12.39% CAGR During 2017-2021: Growth Analysis, Company Profiles & Trends

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Global Operational Intelligence Market is Projected to grow at 12.39% CAGR during the period 2017-2021. Operational Intelligence Industry research report also provides granular analysis of the market share, segmentation, revenue forecasts and geographic regions of the market.The Research Report analysts forecast the global operational intelligence market to grow at a CAGR of 12.39% during the period 2017-2021.About Operational IntelligenceOI is a real-time dynamic and business analytics solution that delivers greater visibility and insight into businesses. Organizations use it for real-time capabilities when they need to take any immediate action like stopping the business process or making changes to the traditional system. The OI solutions offer applications such as query analysis for better real-time visibility. This real-time business information can be seen in many ways including alarms and alerts when the solution needs to be triggered, and decisions that are made and implemented using dashboards.Request a Sample Copy of Global Operational Intelligence Market Research Report @Covered in this reportThe report covers the present scenario and the growth prospects of the global operational intelligence market for 2017-2021. To calculate the market size, the report considers the the revenue generated from software subscriptions, installations, updates, licenses, maintenance costs, and professional services.The market is divided into the following segments based on geography: Americas APAC EMEAThe Research Report, Global Operational Intelligence 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.Enquiry Discount for Global Operational Intelligence Market Research Report @Key vendors of Global Operational Intelligence Market Flexeye OpenText Splunk Vitria TechnologyGlobal Operational Intelligence Market Other prominent vendors Axway IBENOX Intelligent InSites Kinaxis OpsVeda Oversight Systems CACI Space-Time Insight SQLstream IFS XMProMarket driver Increasing need for real-time decision-making For a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket challenge Lack of skilled professionals For a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket trend Integration with social media For a full, detailed list, view our reportKey questions answered in this report What will the Global Operational Intelligence Market size be in 2021 and what will the growth rate be? What are the key of Global Operational Intelligence Market trends? What is driving this Global Operational Intelligence Market? What are the challenges to Global Operational Intelligence Market growth? Who are the key vendors in this Global Operational Intelligence Market space? What are the market opportunities and threats faced by the key vendors? What are the strengths and weaknesses of the key vendors?Browse full table of contents and data tables for Global Operational Intelligence Market Report @Related Reports: -Global and Chinese Card Printer Industry, 2017 Market Research ReportThe 'Global and Chinese Card Printer Industry, 2012-2022 Market Research Report' is a professional and in-depth study on the current state of the global Card Printer industry with a focus on the Chinese market. The report provides key statistics on the market status of the Card Printer manufacturers and is a valuable source of guidance and direction for companies and individuals interested in the industry.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
Concrete Admixtures Market Set to Witness an Uptick by 2025

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Global Concrete Admixtures Market: OverviewAdmixtures constitute those form of ingredients in a concrete mixture which are added during or immediately before the mixing procedure. They are, however, not to be confused with other ingredients such as water, Portland cement, or the aggregate. Plain concrete mixes fall short of providing the characteristics that can be easily obtained from concrete admixtures. While concrete admixtures are added to concrete at the time of batching or mixing, the dosages are normally less than 5.0% by the mass of the cement used.On the basis of function, concrete admixtures can see a classification by air entraining admixtures, water reducing admixtures, plasticizers, accelerating admixtures, retarding admixtures, retarding admixtures, hydration-control admixtures, corrosion inhibitors, shrinkage reducers, alkali-silica reactivity inhibitors, and coloring admixtures.Request a Brochure of the Report @Global Concrete Admixtures Market: Driving FactorsConcrete admixtures have gained prominence in concrete construction activities as they allow cost reduction. Apart from enhancing the quality of concrete, they help in its maintenance during important stages such as mixing, transporting, placing, and curing and also in adverse weather conditions. Besides this, they find important usage in building and construction activities as well, which is one of the colossal markets on the globe with regard to revenue generation.Various application segments such as highways, houses, bridges, sidewalks, and skyscrapers are expected to significantly add to the rise in the consumption of concrete and consequently, concrete admixtures. Likewise, there is a growing demand from a variety of end users which is equally contributing to the growth. Plasticizers, especially super-plasticizers, are envisaged to lead the international concrete admixtures market among the other segments in the category.Request for TOC of the Report @While the mature markets in developed regions could affect the growth of the global concrete admixtures market, new avenues are expected to open in developing markets with the inflating demand for ready-mix concrete (RMC).Global Concrete Admixtures Market: Geographical AnalysisOwing to the growth in residential complexes, corporate offices, and architectural designs, Asia Pacific had majorly contributed to the global concrete admixtures market in the recent past. The rising urbanization in Asia Pacific countries and elevating strength of the world population are currently driving the global building and construction market and will continue to drive as projected. Emerging economies such as India and China are contributing to the growth of the market in the Asia Pacific region on the back of changing lifestyles and swelling urbanization.South Africa followed by Europe also held an impressive consumption rate. However, North America has witnessed a stable advancement in the global concrete admixtures market. This trend is envisioned to continue until the end of the forecast period.Read Complete Report @Global Concrete Admixtures Market: Key VendorsAmong others, Ashland Inc., BASF, CICO Technologies Ltd., The Dow Chemical Company, Fosroc, Sika AG, LanYa Concrete Admixtures Co. Ltd., CHRYSO, and W.R. Grace & Co. are the crucial global players in the concrete admixtures market. The report presented here studies each company to provide a comprehensive analysis of their critical marketing strategies and future plans. The competitive landscape illustrated by the analysts will help the report buyers to gain a competitive edge in the global market.About TMR ResearchTMR Research is a premier provider of customized market research and consulting ser-vices to business entities keen on succeeding in todays supercharged economic climate. Armed with an experienced, dedicated, and dynamic team of analysts, we are redefining the way our clients conduct business by providing them with authoritative and trusted research studies in tune with the latest methodologies and market trends.Our savvy custom-built reports span a gamut of industries such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals and metals, food and beverages, and technology and media, among others. With actionable insights uncovered through in-depth research of the market, we try to bring about game-changing success for our clients.Contact:Rohit BhiseyHead - Internet MarketingTel: +1-415-520-1050Email: sales@tmrresearch.com
Global Data Center Construction Market Strategic Assessment and Forecast 2017 - 2022

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The market research report provides the in-depth analysis of the present scenario and the growth aspect of worldwide data center construction market market for the period 2016-2022.The report also includes the market growth drivers, trends, and restraints. It also includes the top 5 vendors in the market. This market research report categories the market based on type of construction, tier standards and geography. This market research includes a detailed market segmentation by the followingType of ConstructionElectricalMechanicalGeneralBy Tier StandardsTier 1&2Tier 3Tier 4Geographic SegmentationNorth AmericaAPACEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle East & AfricaROWEach region provides market size and analysis by Type of construction and by Tier standardsBy CountryAfricaAustraliaBrazilCanadaChinaGCCGermanyIndiaMalaysiaNew ZealandNordic regionRussiaSingaporeUKUSEach country provides market size and analysis by Type of construction and by Tier standardsView Report Details:Data Center Construction  Market Size and DynamicsAnalysts at Beige Market Intelligence expect the global Data Center Construction market to reach approx. US$ 73 billion by 2022. The global data center construction market is expected to witness an increase in revenue in 2016-2020. It is anticipated to witness a decline in revenue afterwards. This decline in revenue is because of significant decline in Tier 1 and Tier 2 data center construction in the forthcoming years. In addition to it, other factors such as major construction of mega data centers for future to be done in 2016-2019, sluggish technical innovation on data center construction after 2020 can be help in the revenue decline.Global Data Center Construction market can be segmented based on the type of construction as Electrical Construction, Mechanical Construction, and General Construction. In 2016, electrical construction was the leading revenue contributor. However, by 2022, revenue from General construction will be more than the Electrical and mechanical construction.Data centers are segmented in Tier 1, Tier 2, Tier 3, and Tier 4. Construction of Tier 3 and Tier 4 will witness a high growth in revenue. The number of Tier 1and 2 data centers is expected to decrease during the forecast period because of an increase in the demand for sustainable environments of Tier 3 and Tier 4 standards.Data Center Construction  Drivers, Restrains and TrendsThis market research report provides market overview of the factors driving and restraining the growth of the market. The report also outlines the key trends emerging in the market that will contribute to the growth of Data Center Construction market during the forecast period.Government enterprise partnership for reducing carbon footprint is identified as one the major drivers of the global data center construction market. Data center plays an important role in enhancing the economy of a country, by offering technological advantage to enterprises including the public sector. Therefore, governments all over the world provide support services for both global and local enterprises to establish data center facilities with sufficient power and access to utility requirements. Furthermore, increasing use of internet and social media is also enlisted among the growth driving factors of global data center construction market.Increasing construction of software defined data centers is one of the emerging trends mentioned in the report. Many enterprises adopting cloud-based infrastructure will consider the possibility of establishing an SDDC to achieve better control over the management of their cloud environment. The fact that SDDCs offer more control to enterprises over their business-critical operations and enhances the management of their facilities will fuel the demand for data center services.Increased carbon emission, shortage of power, poor data center design are some of the growth restraints for data center construction market.Data Center Construction  Geographic AnalysisThe report includes the market analysis in different regions such as North America, APAC, Europe, MEA, Latin America and ROW. The report outlines the major market share holder in global market and the market size analysis of all the regions.In 2016, number of data center construction was more. Hence, North America was accounted for the largest market share, and led the market. It was followed by APAC. However, the scenario is going to change significantly by 2022. APAC is expected to have the majority market share followed by North America. The reason being, almost 40% of large data centers construction will be by China, South-east Asia, and India. Hence, APAC region is going to witness a double digit growth during 2016-2022.The data center construction market in North Americas is at saturation stage from new construction point of view. The number of data centers in the US is expected to see a marked increase on a YoY basis during the forecast period.Data Center Construction  Market Share and Key VendorsThe report also provides the competitive landscape of the key players. The report covers the players operating in the entire value chain of the market. The major players identified within the report are AECOM, DPR Construction, Holder Construction, Jacobs Engineering, and Turner Construction.The report also covers the other prominent vendors in the market such as Arup Group, Corgan Associates, Fluor, Gensler, HDR Architecture, ISG, Jones Engineering, Nakano, Schneider Electric, Sweett, Syska Hennessy, SISK.Source Link:About Beige Market IntelligenceWe are a new-age provider of competitive business intelligence, working across various industry verticals. Our expertise and knowledge ensures that the market analysis Beige provides is comprehensive, detailed and complete. The analysis helps our client organizations become aware and make educated decisions, as far as investing or devising a marketing strategy is concerned. The actionable insights delivered through our market research provide a comprehensive market analysis for every level of market segmentation in an industry. Beige Market Intelligence is a quality driven high end Market Research organization. Our team of experts ensure the analysis you receive is not just analyzed and smartly presented, but is completely customized based on the clients requirement. Our deliverables guarantee our current global client base does not look beyond Beige when it comes to any kind of industry and market analysis.Beige Market Intelligencechinnapannahalli Main Road, Bangalore 560037sales@beigemarketintelligence.comUS: 001 347 903 9949UK: 0044 20 323 99499APAC: +91 99 012 75473
Trifluralin Market to Record Sturdy Growth by 2025

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Global Trifluralin Market: OverviewThe global trifluralin market is projected to rise on the back of its main function as an inhibitor of weed growth. With key applications in the agriculture industry, the global market will ride on a robust demand for trifluralin products.Trifluralin helps to control the germination of a variety of broadleaf weeds by restraining their cell division and interrupting mitosis during the development of roots. The herbicide interferes with the synthesis of protein ropes that separate chromosomes during the process of cell division. In most cases, trifluralin is employed as a pre-emergent herbicide. It is studied that the ability of trifluralin to cling with organic matter and substandard water solubility could affect its efficacy and use. However, the crucial advantages provided by trifluralin in different applications compensate for its faint negations.Request a Brochure of the Report @Global Trifluralin Market: TrendsThe European Union (EU) has already banned the usage of trifluralin, owing to the risk to fish and other aquatic species with the herbicides high toxicity level. Moreover, the threat of substitutes could be lingering around the growth of the global trifluralin market.Howbeit, the international market for trifluralin is anticipated to witness a strong advancement with its significant applications in the growing agriculture industry. The herbicide cancels the need to wait for a longer time until the unwanted plantings, especially weeds, are eliminated completely. While tiling is the most commonly used method of decomposing weeds naturally, modern-day techniques which use trifluralin are taking precedence quickly. Trifluralin helps to accelerate the turnaround time for crops while minimizing the dependence on the tiling activity. The herbicide is also a great mode of weed removal which encourages cost-effectiveness and reduction in labor and time.In this regard, the worldwide trifluralin market is envisaged to take advantage of the necessity for faster crop production and the rising agricultural sector.Request for TOC of the Report @Global Trifluralin Market: GeographyThe demand in the developed regions, such as the U.S. and Australia, of the global trifluralin market is favorable. However, China as part of a developing region has been struggling due to the regulatory issues that are inhibiting the growth of its manufacturing plants. The short supply of intermediate chemicals required for production are also adding to the gradual downslide. This has resulted in an augment in the price of trifluralin over the past few years. The Chinese manufacturers have been cancelling supply contracts because of the steady price increase. New contracts have seen a rise, however with increased prices and generally, reduced supply.Global Trifluralin Market: CompetitionWith a gamut of manufacturers operating across different geographical locations, the global trifluralin market is expected to stay fragmented during the course of the forecast period 20172025. Some of the important players in the global market are Shenzhen Sunrising Industry Co., Ltd., Shandong Qiaochang Chemical Co., Ltd., Chongqing Shurong Chemical Co., Ltd., BASF, Jiangsu Fengshan Group Co., Ltd., and Dow Chemical Company. Among others, ADVANCE 10G, HERITAGE, TREFLAN HFP, TREFLAN TR-10, and TREFLAN NF are the prominent trade banners under which the Dow Chemical Company has been manufacturing trifluralin on a large scale.Read Complete Report @About TMR ResearchTMR Research is a premier provider of customized market research and consulting ser-vices to business entities keen on succeeding in todays supercharged economic climate. Armed with an experienced, dedicated, and dynamic team of analysts, we are redefining the way our clients conduct business by providing them with authoritative and trusted research studies in tune with the latest methodologies and market trends.Our savvy custom-built reports span a gamut of industries such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals and metals, food and beverages, and technology and media, among others. With actionable insights uncovered through in-depth research of the market, we try to bring about game-changing success for our clients.Contact:Rohit BhiseyHead - Internet MarketingTel: +1-415-520-1050Email: sales@tmrresearch.com
Gastrointestinal Drugs Market: North America to Derive Growth from Increasing Geriatric Population

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The global gastrointestinal drugs market demonstrates a consolidated landscape with top three players, namely, Takeda Pharmaceutical, Valeant Pharmaceuticals Inc., and Janssen Biotech Inc., holding the market with majority share, finds a report by Transparency Market Research (TMR). These three players, collectively, accounted for a share of 61% in 2016. The market is moderately competitive as of now; however, the degree of competition within this market is likely to increase remarkably over the next few years, reports the study.As per the research report, the global market for gastrointestinal drugs presented an opportunity worth US$45.5 bn in 2015. Analysts estimate it to swell at a CAGR of 4.90% during the period from 2016 to 2024 and increase to US$61.1 bn by the end of the forecast period. Acid neutralizers have been registering a higher demand from consumers and are projected to remain doing so over the forthcoming years, thanks to the growing prevalence of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) across the world.Read Full Report:Latin America, North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and the Middle East and Africa are the key regional markets for gastrointestinal drugs across the world. In this research report, a comparative analysis of these markets has been carried out in order to identify the leading and the most lucrative among these. According to this study, North America led the global market in 2016 with a share of 41%, thanks to the presence of favorable reimbursement policies concerning the treatment of gastrointestinal diseases. With the significant increase in the number of elderly people, who are prone to gastrointestinal disorders, the North America market for gastrointestinal drugs is likely to maintain its lead over the forthcoming years.Europe, which also reported impressive growth over the past few years, is likely to witness continued progress during the forecast period. The introduction of biosimilars for the treatment of inflammatory bowel diseases by various patent-protected brands is projected to boost the market for gastrointestinal drugs in Europe over the next few years.Among others, Asia Pacific is likely to provide the most lucrative opportunities to for the growth of the gastrointestinal drugs market in the years to come. The infrastructural improvements in the medical and healthcare industry, significant increase in the investments and funding in life sciences research, and the technological advancements in the therapies for the treatment of gastrointestinal diseases in emerging countries, such as India and China, are anticipated to drive the gastrointestinal drugs market in Asia Pacific in the near future, states the research study.Download exclusive Sample of this report:The global market for gastrointestinal drugs derive much of its growth from the increasing prevalence of gastrointestinal diseases across the world, says an analyst at TMR. According to a report by the World Gastroenterology Organization, the gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD), is having a worldwide prevalence of approximately 15% to 25% with a high pace of incidence. This, consequently, is reflecting greatly on the demand for gastrointestinal drugs greatly. Along with this, the augmenting level of awareness about the availability of the treatments and the rise in investments to increase research activities for the development of these drugs are also driving this market substantially.On the other hand, the unknown etiology of IBD and IBS and the dearth of a permanent cure for gastrointestinal drugs may restrict the growth of this market in the years to come. However, the continual technological advancements in the treatment therapies are expected to impact positively on this market in the long terms, notes the study.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector - such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMRs syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.Contact us:Transparency Market Research90 State Street,Suite 700,AlbanyNY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Fiberglass Pipes Market is Majorly Driven by the Rapid Development of Oil & Gas Exploration

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Market HighlightsThe growth of the fiber glass pipe market is majorly driven by the rapid development of the Asia-Pacific region. Countries such as China and India are continuously upgrading their infrastructure on a scale never seen before. Many chemical, industrial, water and waste water treatment plants are being constructed at a fast rate to match the needs of the population. These trends are also witnessed around the Rest of the World as well. Fiberglass pipes are extremely suited to harsh environmental conditions as they offer high resistance to corrosion and have very low maintenance cost. The market is further driven by the increasing Shale and Oil & Gas exploration activities in Europe and North America region.Request a Sample Report@Market Research AnalysisThe Asia Pacific region is currently the largest and it is expected to remain as the largest market for fiber glass pipes due to the continued growth rate of countries such as China and India. Increased infrastructure projects in these countries specifically focus on urban buildings, waste water, chemical and industrial applications and are effectively contributing to this growth. Global manufacturing industries are relocating to these markets because of low labor cost and huge demand for products. This trend is also expected to be witnessed around the Rest of the World as the demand increases for water and waste water applications due to increase in the urban population. North America and Europe are expected to maintain their position in the market because of the increasing shale gas activities and Oil & Gas exploration. This is expected to be a key driving factor for the growth of global fiber glass pipes market.Key Players Fibrex (U.S.) Graphite India Ltd. (India) Sarplast SA(Switzerland.) Kemrock Industries And Exports Limited (India.) Chemical Process Piping Pvt.ltd(India) Future Pipe Industries (India) Graphite India Limited (India) Hengrun Group Co. Ltd (China) Abu Dhabi Pipe Factory LLC (UAE) Saudi Arabian Amiantit (UAE)Scope of the ReportThis study provides an overview of the global fiberglass pipe market, tracking three market segments across four geographic regions. The report studies key players, providing a five-year annual trend analysis that highlights market size, volume and share for North America, Europe, Asia Pacific (APAC) and Rest of the World (ROW). The report also provides a forecast, focusing on the market opportunities for the next five years for each region. The scope of the study segments the Global Fiberglass Pipe market by its material, product, application and regions.By Pipe Type GRE pipes GRP pipes OthersBy Fiber Type E-Class S-Class T-Class R-GlassBy Application Oil&Gas Chemical Sewage pipes Irrigation OthersBy Region North America Asia Pacific Europe Rest of the WorldBrowse Full F-Glass-P Market @Taste the market data and market information presented through more than 85 market data tables and figures spread in 140 numbers of pages of the project report. Avail the in-depth table of content & market synopsis on Global Fiber Glass Pipes market Information from 2016 to 2020"Table of Content1 Executive Summary2 Research Methodology3 Market Dynamics3.1 Market Drivers3.2 Market Inhibitors3.3 Supply/Value Chain Analysis3.4 Porters Five Forces Analysis4 Global Fiberglass Pipe Market, By Pipes4.1 Introduction4.2 GRE Pipes4.3. GRP Pipes4.4. Others5 Global Fiberglass Pipe Market, By Fibre type5.1 Introduction5.2. E-Glass5.3. S-Glass5.4 T-Glass/R-Glass6 Global Fiberglass Pipe Market, By Application6.1 Introduction6.2. Oil & Gas6.3. Chemical Industry6.4. Sewage Pipes6.5. Irrigation6.6 Others7 Regional Market Analysis8 Competitive Analysis8.1 Introduction8.2 Competitive Scenario8.3 Fibrex8.4 Graphite India Ltd.8.5 Sarplast SA8.6 Kemrock Industries and Exports limitedAbout Market Research FutureAt Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.Market Research Future Magarpatta Road, Hadapsar, Pune - 411028 Maharashtra, India +1 646 845 9312
Solar Water Disinfection Market : Volume Forecast and Value Chain Analysis 2017 - 2025

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Global Solar Water Disinfection Market: OverviewThe rising environmental concerns and depleting conventional resources have caused a shift towards the utilization of renewable sources for energy generation. At present, solar energy is utilized for a number of applications ranging from power generation to water purification.Solar water disinfection involves the utilization of solar energy for water purification. The technique helps to get rid of bacteria, viruses, protozoa, and worms that can be harmful to humans.The report is an all-important tool for comprehending the market drivers, challenges, and trends that will impact the growth of the global solar water disinfection market until the end of the forecast period in 2025.Request a Brochure of the Report @Global Solar Water Disinfection Market: Drivers and RestraintsThe low cost of solar water disinfection equipment, initiatives for the solar energy, government support, increasing water pollution, and increasing awareness about the importance of clean water are the major factors driving the global solar water disinfection market.However, factors such as lack of awareness in rural areas where the incidence of water-borne diseases is high and the dependence on the sun for the operation of water treatment plants are restraining the growth of this market. Nevertheless, the developing countries of Asia Pacific and Africa combined with the advancement of technologies for filtration of bacteria and other toxic agents will provide growth opportunities to the global water disinfection market.Request for TOC of the Report @Global Solar Water Disinfection Market: Market SegmentationThe global solar water disinfection market is segmented on the basis of methodology, application, and geography. On the basis of methodology for treating the contaminated water, the market can be segmented into effects of electricity, ultraviolet radiation, and heat. The electricity enabled solar disinfection utilizes electricity produced with the help of photovoltaic cells to purify water. The thermal water disinfection method utilizes solar energy to heat water. The heat from the infrared radiations can be accumulated using the solar heat collectors. The ultraviolet radiation method involves the utilization of sunlight and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles to purify the water.The solar water disinfection equipment provides economical and eco-friendly techniques for water purification. These equipment are suitable to be used in refugee camps and disaster relief situations to provide potable water to the afflicted population. However, solar water disinfection equipment are not effective to be used against non-biological agents such as toxic chemicals and metals.Read Complete Report @Global Solar Water Disinfection Market: Regional OutlookThe global solar water disinfection market is analyzed based on the areas where solar water disinfection equipment can be used. The regions with high concentration of polluted water are the potential growth areas of the solar water disinfection market. The major areas include the Honduras and El Salvador in North America; Bhutan, India, Pakistan, Indonesia, and Nepal in Asia Pacific; Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, DR Congo, and Kenya in Rest of the World region.Major Companies Mentioned in ReportThe report mentions and profiles leading players in the global solar water disinfection market, namely Trunz Water Systems, Puralytics, Evaquoa Water Technologies LLC, Wyckomar Inc., and EAWC Technologies. Each of the companies is profiled for their attributes of business positioning, technological developments, product portfolio and specifications, and financial standing.About TMR ResearchTMR Research is a premier provider of customized market research and consulting ser-vices to business entities keen on succeeding in todays supercharged economic climate. Armed with an experienced, dedicated, and dynamic team of analysts, we are redefining the way our clients conduct business by providing them with authoritative and trusted research studies in tune with the latest methodologies and market trends.Our savvy custom-built reports span a gamut of industries such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals and metals, food and beverages, and technology and media, among others. With actionable insights uncovered through in-depth research of the market, we try to bring about game-changing success for our clients.Contact:Rohit BhiseyHead - Internet MarketingTel: +1-415-520-1050Email: sales@tmrresearch.com
Casing Market : Dynamics, Forecast, Analysis and Supply Demand 2017 - 2025

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Global Casing Market: Brief OverviewIn the oil and gas industry, casing is referred to a string of pipes which is accumulated and implanted into the borehole of a well. Casings are a very vital part of the well and are cemented in place with accordance to a desired set of requirements. Casings serve various purposes which includes preventing contamination of fresh water zones, avoiding unstable formations from caving-in, and checking sticking of the drilling string. Casings also deliver a strong foundation for the well to use high-density drilling fluid for drilling deeper. The quality of the cement plays a critical role in the hindrance of fluid movement from deep zones into groundwater resources. Casing and cementing programs is an important tool to protect the underwater quality and provide well control. Oil and gas operators are investing heavily to secure the future production potential of the existing wells.Request a Brochure of the Report @This industry research report is a brief review of the growth trail in terms of existing, past, and future scenarios of the global casing market. It deals with the evaluation of the aspects that are expected to influence the development of the market and the primary trends have also been specified in the research study. The research study also offers a broad lookout on the vendor landscape of the market through Porters five forces analysis. The research report offers references of the research and development activities, mergers and acquisitions, and specifics on licensing and collaborations. The report probes into the strategies related to publicity, shares, and product range of the key participants in the global casing market.Request for TOC of the Report @Global Casing Market: Key HighlightsCasing strings are considered as indispensable elements for well completion services as they provide protection to the groundwater resources. Casings are constructed for the separation of fresh water zones and groundwater from leaks occurring in the well. Countless states and environmental agencies have listed requirements of casing and cementing. Such environmental regulations and conditions imposed by countries is the chief driver of the growth of the global casing market. Increasing exploration and production activities in unconventional fields and deep water areas are expected to further lift the requirement of casing strings. A casing once mounted in a well cannot be removed later. These strings cannot be reused again and thus every new well drilled requires new casing strings.Read Complete Report @Stern environmental regulations and swelling production from alternative fields in oil producing nations provides an attractive market for casing strings. New unconventional fields discovered in South America and Caspian Sea region can act as large markets for casing strings. The growing demand for energy in the Asia pacific region has led to exploration of numerous hydrocarbons potential areas in deep-water locations. These deep water fields will provide an attractive opportunity for the substantial growth of the casing market.Global Casing Market: Competitive LandscapeThe prime participants in the market are Sandvik AB, Tenaris, Offshore Products Ltd., Crestwood Tubulars IncELS & Company, Benteler International AG,Southland Pipe & Supply Co., and St. Louis Pipe & Supply among others.About TMR ResearchTMR Research is a premier provider of customized market research and consulting ser-vices to business entities keen on succeeding in todays supercharged economic climate. Armed with an experienced, dedicated, and dynamic team of analysts, we are redefining the way our clients conduct business by providing them with authoritative and trusted research studies in tune with the latest methodologies and market trends.Our savvy custom-built reports span a gamut of industries such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals and metals, food and beverages, and technology and media, among others. With actionable insights uncovered through in-depth research of the market, we try to bring about game-changing success for our clients.Contact:Rohit BhiseyHead - Internet MarketingTel: +1-415-520-1050Email: sales@tmrresearch.com
Advanced Energy Storage Technologies Market Research, Set to Grow According to Forecast 2017 - 2025

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Global Advanced Energy Storage Technologies Market: OverviewAdvanced energy storage systems play a crucial role in the power industry. Maintenance of power quality, effective distribution, and proper energy management are some of their unique perceived benefits. They carry out the aforementioned tasks through frequency regulation, mitigating power congestion on grids, and supplying power uniformly in distributed generation. Advanced energy storage technologies first convert electricity into energy, store it, and then convert it back into usable electricity when the need arises. This is because while only a fixed amount of electricity can be generated at a time, the demand for electricity changes all the time.A report by Transparency Market Research furnishes valuable insights into the global advanced energy storage technologies market by analyzing the key trends and current competitive dynamics. It segments the market based on applications, technologies, and geography. In terms of technologies, for example, it classifies the market into super capacitors, pump hydro storage, batteries, flywheels, compressed air energy storage, and fuel cells. There are also more recent, upcoming technologies such as synthetic gas, super magnet, and hydrogen gas. Among all of these, pump hydro storage has been around for a very long time and dominates the market too. Application-wise, the report segments the market into transportation and grid storage.Request a Brochure of the Report @Global Advanced Energy Storage Technologies Market: Trends and OpportunitiesSpiking daily electricity consumption along with the yawning gap between energy supply and demand has necessitated substantial storage capacity additions. This has been the single-most important factor contributing to the global advanced energy storage technologies market. Other factors driving the market are the burgeoning renewable energy installations and the spurt in demand for hybrid and electric vehicles. Additionally, increasing concerns about greenhouse gas and carbon dioxide emissions is also filliping the global advanced energy storage technologies market. This is because advanced energy storage technologies assist in effectively managing the flow of energy resources thus reducing the need for power generation, thereby bringing about energy conservation.Request for TOC of the Report @Advanced energy storage systems have also allowed consumers to manage their electricity needs by using the load shifting technique which helps to bring down costs. Furthermore, other factors including the growing need of smart grid installation and new transmission and distribution grid construction and upgrades has also bolstered the global market for advanced energy storage technologies market.Global Advanced Energy Storage Technologies Market: Regional OutlookDepending upon geography, the global market for advanced energy storage technologies can be segmented into North America, Asia Pacific, Europe, and the Rest of the World. North America, among them, is the leading market on account of the soaring popularity of electric vehicles and rising use of grid storage. North America is trailed by Asia Pacific and Europe. Going forward, Asia Pacific is predicted to outshine all other regions in terms of growth rate.Read Complete Report @Companies Mentioned in ReportTo present an insightful assessment of the competition prevailing in the global market for advanced energy storage technologies, the report profiles companies such as Sony, Nippo Chemi-Con Corp., A123 System LLC, Denso, Hitachi, and Toshiba.About TMR ResearchTMR Research is a premier provider of customized market research and consulting ser-vices to business entities keen on succeeding in todays supercharged economic climate. Armed with an experienced, dedicated, and dynamic team of analysts, we are redefining the way our clients conduct business by providing them with authoritative and trusted research studies in tune with the latest methodologies and market trends.Our savvy custom-built reports span a gamut of industries such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals and metals, food and beverages, and technology and media, among others. With actionable insights uncovered through in-depth research of the market, we try to bring about game-changing success for our clients.Contact:Rohit BhiseyHead - Internet MarketingTel: +1-415-520-1050Email: sales@tmrresearch.com
Global Internet of Things (IoT) Market 2016-2020 - Report Presents Leading Companies ( Alcatel-Lucent, AT&T, Cisco Systems, Qualcomm )

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Albany, NY, April 26, 2017: IoT is a network of physical devices, sensors, and machines integrated into everyday objects connected through the Internet for effective data communications. IoT creates smart communication environments, such as smart healthcare. IoT enhances operational efficiency by increasing the speed of communications compared to the existing infrastructure, thus improving business productivity in any industrial setup. It focuses on improving the process capabilities by enabling real-time business decisions with data storage and computing capacity at the basic sensor level. We expect that IoT will likely have a positive impact on industries such as healthcare, manufacturing, retail, energy and utilities, transportation and logistics, and ICT.The global internet of things (IoT) market to grow at a CAGR of 35.97% during the period 2016-2020. The report covers the present scenario and the growth prospects of the global internet of things (IoT) market for 2016-2020. To calculate the market size, we consider revenue generated from IoT software, solutions, tools, applications, and support and maintenance services. We consider revenue generated from radio frequency identification (RFID), near field-communication (NFC), and other platforms used in IoT systems for estimating the market size. However, the report does not consider the sales of hardware systems and devices used in the IoT setup.The market is divided into the following segments based on geography:- Americas- APAC- EMEAGet a Sample Research PDF with TOC:Technavio's report, Global Internet of Things (IoT) Market 2016-2020, has been prepared based on an in-depth market analysis with inputs from industry experts. The report covers the market landscape and its growth prospects over the coming years. The report also includes a discussion of the key vendors operating in this market.Key vendors- Alcatel-Lucent- AT&T- Cisco Systems- QualcommOther prominent vendors- Accenture- Amazon Web Services (AWS)- Apple- ARM Holdings- ATMEL- Atos- Bosch Software Innovations- Broadcom- CTS- Dell- Digi International- Echelon- Ericsson- Freescale Semiconductor- GE- Google- Hitachi- HP- Huawei Technologies.........Enquiry at:Key questions answered in this report- What will the market size be in 2020 and what will the growth rate be?- What are the key market trends?- What is driving this market?- What are the challenges to market growth?- Who are the key vendors in this market space?- What are the market opportunities and threats faced by the key vendors?- What are the strengths and weaknesses of the key vendors?Browse more details at:ResearchMoz is the worlds fastest growing collection of market research reports worldwide. Our database is composed of current market studies from over 100 featured publishers worldwide. Our market research databases integrate statistics with analysis from global, regional, country and company perspectives. ResearchMozs service portfolio also includes value-added services such as market research customization, competitive landscaping, and in-depth surveys, delivered by a team of experienced Research Coordinators.Albany NY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-621-2074Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Email: sales@researchmoz.usFollow us on LinkedIn at:
Algoworks Partnership With Tech Giants

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Algoworks was recently associated with Cloudera as Cloudera SI partners, among other partnerships that the firm has achieved.The founders of the company shared their glee on coming so far in the duration of ten years. As the co-founder of Algoworks, Ajeet Singh says, Our acute finesse in CRM technologies like Salesforce has assisted us in becoming the Salesforce registered consulting partners. Our unmatched excellence in ECM technologies also earned us Kenticos Bronze partnership. Our future goals are aimed at being their Silver partners as well. Apart from this, we take pride in acquiring many other prestigious partnerships too, namely, Microsoft Silver partnership, Webmerge partnership, AWS partnership, IBM SI partnership and Cloudera SI partnership.He further added, We have no plans of stopping here. The scheme of adding more feathers to the cap is under way. Many other partnerships await us, like, Alfresco partnership, Liferay partnership, Qlik partnership, Tableau partnership, Pentaho partnership, Sencha partnership, Xamarin partnership, Oracle partnership, etc.The firm believes in fetching many other celebrated and eminent partnerships in the coming years. Algoworks applaudable list of partnerships in their name has earned praises and acclamation in their respective field.The number of Software development companies are rapidly increasing in the IT sector, striving to score big in the technology world. Partnerships with leading tech marvels are a proven approach to promoting oneself, garnering big names in the basket of IT firms. Given todays market scenario, software development companies detect the task of achieving such collaborations to be challenging.Algoworks, a B2B IT service firm, is one of the emerging companies that is known for focusing on improving and refining their services around the app development cycle. The firm has attained a good number of partnerships with elite tech giants since its inception.Algoworks operates chiefly in the United States from their California Office besides having a good hold on the European and Asian markets. Headquartered in India, the decade old B2B IT service firm has expertise in key areas of Mobility, Salesforce, Business Intelligence, and ECM including Software Product Engineering. For more information visitAlgoworks Solutions Inc.355 W Olive Ave #204, Sunnyvale CA 94086
Global Inflammatory Diseases Therapeutics- Emerging Technologies & Leisure Application: AstraZeneca, Merck & Co, GlaxoSmithKline

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Qyresearchreports include new market research report "Global Inflammatory Diseases Therapeutics Market Size, Status and Forecast 2022" to its huge collection of research reports.The Inflammatory Diseases Therapeutics has been expressively dissected in this statistical surveying that has been added to our frequently growing industry knowledge arrangement. The archive takes after an arrangement that gives a careful and scientific diagram of the Inflammatory Diseases Therapeutics and moreover inspects the main sections, compelling components, and market components that administer the development rate of the market and its competitive and regional scenes.The report offers to its clients an all-encompassing 360-degree point of view of the Inflammatory Diseases Therapeutics from the back to front, starting with the core values of the mechanical components, then proceeding onward to the examination of information on the different perspectives including as industry chain structure, groupings, industry diagram, arrangements, applications, and late advancements.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @The data offered in the report has been accumulated through the assistance of various essential and auxiliary research strategies. Quantitative and subjective information appraisal for key market sections on the regional and the aggregate worldwide front have also been given in the report. The gigantic archives of information that have been sifted through by industry-best investigative techniques will give to the user the points of interest that matter the most.The report also gives a portrayal of the administrative situation of the Inflammatory Diseases Therapeutics and gives points of interest relating to the more prominent arrangements, approaches, controls, and decides in that effect the numerous business related choices in the market. A point by point outline of the competitive scene of the Inflammatory Diseases Therapeutics has additionally been given in the report, wherein itemized business profiles, SWOT examination, and numerous different insights about a portion of the real sellers in the market are incorporated.Browse Complete Report with TOC @Table of ContentsGlobal Inflammatory Diseases Therapeutics Market Size, Status and Forecast 20221 Industry Overview of Inflammatory Diseases Therapeutics1.1 Inflammatory Diseases Therapeutics Market Overview1.1.1 Inflammatory Diseases Therapeutics Product Scope1.1.2 Market Status and Outlook1.2 Global Inflammatory Diseases Therapeutics 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 Inflammatory Diseases Therapeutics Market by Type1.3.1 Anti-Inflammatory Biologics1.3.2 Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs1.3.3 Corticosteroids1.3.4 Other1.4 Inflammatory Diseases Therapeutics Market by End Users/Application1.4.1 Hospitals1.4.2 Clinics1.4.3 Other2 Global Inflammatory Diseases Therapeutics Competition Analysis by Players2.1 Inflammatory Diseases Therapeutics Market Size (Value) by Players (2016 and 2017)2.2 Competitive Status and Trend2.2.1 Market Concentration Rate2.2.2 Product/Service Differences2.2.3 New Entrants2.2.4 The Technology Trends in Future3 Company (Top Players) Profiles3.1 AstraZeneca3.1.1 Company Profile3.1.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.1.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.1.4 Inflammatory Diseases Therapeutics Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.1.5 Recent Developments3.2 Merck & Co3.2.1 Company Profile3.2.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.2.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.2.4 Inflammatory Diseases Therapeutics Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.2.5 Recent Developments3.3 GlaxoSmithKline3.3.1 Company Profile3.3.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.3.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.3.4 Inflammatory Diseases Therapeutics Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.3.5 Recent Developments3.4 Bristol-Myers Squibb3.4.1 Company Profile3.4.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.4.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.4.4 Inflammatory Diseases Therapeutics Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.4.5 Recent Developments3.5 F-Hoffmann-La-Roche3.5.1 Company Profile3.5.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.5.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.5.4 Inflammatory Diseases Therapeutics Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.5.5 Recent Developments3.6 Eli Lilly and Sanofi3.6.1 Company Profile3.6.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.6.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.6.4 Inflammatory Diseases Therapeutics Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.6.5 Recent Developments3.7 Enlivex Therapeutics Ltd3.7.1 Company Profile3.7.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.7.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.7.4 Inflammatory Diseases Therapeutics Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.7.5 Recent Developments3.8 Gilead Sciences3.8.1 Company Profile3.8.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.8.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.8.4 Inflammatory Diseases Therapeutics Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.8.5 Recent Developments3.9 Immune Pharmaceuticals3.9.1 Company Profile3.9.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.9.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.9.4 Inflammatory Diseases Therapeutics Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.9.5 Recent Developments3.10 Merck3.10.1 Company Profile3.10.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.10.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.10.4 Inflammatory Diseases Therapeutics Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.10.5 Recent DevelopmentsAbout UsQYReseachReports.com delivers the latest strategic market intelligence to build a successful business footprint in China. Our syndicated and customized research reports provide companies with vital background information of the market and in-depth analysis on the Chinese trade and investment framework, which directly affects their business operations. Reports from QYReseachReports.com feature valuable recommendations on how to navigate in the extremely unpredictable yet highly attractive Chinese market.Contact Us1820 AvenueM Suite #1047Brooklyn, NY 11230United StatesToll Free: 866-997-4948 (USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Web:Email: sales@qyresearchreports.com
Liquid Ring Vacuum Pumps (LRVP) Market Poised to Bring in US$ 2,871.3 Million by 2024

Liquid Ring Vacuum Pumps Market

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Global LRVP market will witness promising growth in the first half of the forecast period (5.5% CAGR), which will incur a slight dip post-2020, (4.9% CAGR). However, the overall CAGR of the market estimated for 2016-2024 is estimated at 5.2%. Research Analyst, Industrial Automation Domain, Persistence Market ResearchAccording to Global Liquid Ring Vacuum Pumps Market Industry Analysis and Forecast 2016-2024, the global liquid ring vacuum pumps market will reach US$ 2,871.3 Mn by the end of the forecast period.Sample of this report is available upon request @Regional analysis indicates that the US$ 535 Mn North American market will rule the roost with an estimated 6% CAGR over 2016-2024. Towards the close of 2024, this region is expected to attain revenues worth US$ 851.1 Mn. Latin America, Europe, and Asia Pacific are identified to be the next key markets for LRVP. North America, Europe, and APAC will collectively hold a whopping 75% share of the total market size in 2024.In developing economies within Asia Pacific, leading LRVP manufacturers are tackling the competitive pricing issue in order to deliver customer-centric products. Moreover, China and India host a swelling number of small manufacturers specifically serving pharma and chemical process industries. These factors will play a vital role in pushing the sales of liquid ring vacuum pumps in near future within Asian markets. Reaching a value beyond US$ 504 Mn, APAC market is likely to expand at a moderate CAGR of 5.3% over 2016-2024.LRVP market expanding at the backdrop of a slew of factors Increasing demand from oil & gas, and power industries Growing preference for high capacity-high cost liquid ring vacuum pumps Extending applications in chemical and general process industries Constant innovation by manufacturers Strict EPA regulations Promising emergence of low water consuming pumps Burgeoning M&A between key players Lucrative opportunities in Asia countriesIn terms of capacity, 500-1500 cfm segment will continue to lead with the maximum revenue sales, followed by < 500 cfm segment. However, < 500 cfm segment will possibly thrive fastest at a CAGR of 5.2%, followed by > 1500 cfm segment with an estimated 4.4% CAGR over 2016-2024.Considering material type, cast iron segment will continue dominance with over 60% value share, reaching a value of US$ 1,718.2 Mn in 2024. This segment will also demonstrate the fastest CAGR of 5.3% over the forecast period. Stainless steel segment will also grow moderately at 5%, attaining a value worth US$ 876 Mn in 2024.Request to view Table of Content @Based on the end-use industry, oil and gas sector will retain dominance over others, with over US$ 931 Mn by the end of 2024 in terms of revenues. Chemical processing and general process industries will continue to maintain the second and third largest segments respectively. Among these, general process industries will display a higher CAGR of 5.8% over 2016-2024, bagging the revenues of over US$ 511 Mn. Paper and pulp, and power segments are expected to grow steadily throughout the assessment period.To Buy Full Report for a Single User @Report analyzes the key company profilesDekker Vacuum Technologies Inc., Busch Vacuum Technics Inc., Flowserve Corporation, Tsurumi Manufacturing Co., Ltd., Atlas Copco Airpower N.V., Gardner Denver Nash LLC, Tuthill Vacuum & Blower Systems, and Graham Corp. are some of the key players that constitute the competitive landscape of the global liquid ring vacuum pumps marketplace. Persistence Market Researchs report includes in-depth profiling of key companies.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a full-service market intelligence firm specializing in syndicated research, custom research, and consulting services. PMR boasts market research expertise across the Healthcare, Chemicals and Materials, Technology and Media, Energy and Mining, Food and Beverages, Semiconductor and Electronics, Consumer Goods, and Shipping and Transportation industries. The company draws from its multi-disciplinary capabilities and high-pedigree team of analysts to share data that precisely corresponds to clients business needs.PMR stands committed to bringing more accuracy and speed to clients business decisions. From ready-to-purchase market research reports to customized research solutions, PMRs engagement models are highly flexible without compromising on its deep-seated research values.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA - Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.commedia@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb:
Industrial Dryers Market to Approach US$ 830 Million by 2024

Industrial Dryers Market

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Robust demand for industrial dryers in the food and pharmaceutical industry is expected to influence the overall growth of industrial dryers market in the near future. In order to maintain a superior product quality and functional value, end user industries such as food and pharmaceutical heavily depend on high performance dryer systems. In addition, stiffer government guidelines for manufacturing processes coupled with increasing concerns over sustainable industrial expansion has compelled these industries to intensify production operations. A study conducted by Persistence Market Research (PMR) reveals that the demand for new industrial dryers will reach at 3,049 units globally by 2024.Sample of this report is available upon request @Owing to the arrival of advanced drying technology, the application base for industrial dryers has expanded rapidly in recent years. The industrial dryer is a manufacturing equipment in chemical, fertilizer and mineral processing industries. Dryer manufacturers are developing industry specific dryer systems depending on the processing requirement.BottlenecksWhile industrial drying equipment greatly enhances both product value and quality, constraints such as high cost of operation and its severe environmental limitations pertaining to excessive smoke emission may slow down the surging spirit of the market during the forecast period. Moreover, a considerable amount of post processing is involved to minimize the thick discharge of fumes from dryers that entails additional dispensation cost.TrendsPMRs study further sheds light on the technological aspect of industrial dryer systems, major players in the global market for industrial dryer are actively focusing on making higher investments in R&D pipelines. In the recent past, demand for energy efficient dryers has gained traction, as a result of which manufacturers have shifted their concentration towards developing cost-effective and low-energy consuming dryers. Further, growing preference for superheated steam dryers that offer 70-80% energy recovery and have lower operating cost is a key trend governing the global market for industrial dryers.Market OverviewOn the basis of product type, spray dryers is expected to be the predominant segment of the market during the projected period, followed by continuous dryer type. The spray dryer segment is expected to account for 26% share of the market over 2024.Industrial dryers work on two basic principles, direct or indirect, amongst which dryers working of indirect principles are expected to witness a relatively higher demand during 2016  2024. Demand for dryers working on indirect principle is anticipated to remain strong in the near future.Amongst various end user industries chemical, food, and pharmaceutical collectively is expected to account for the majority share of the market both in value and volume terms. In addition, demand for industrial dryer particularly from the chemical industry in expected to remain high throughout the forecast period.Request to view Table of Content @Based on region prospect, the market in Asia Pacific is projected to remain dominant over the next couple of years. The region is expected to witness a CAGR of over 3% during the forecast period. In North America, sales revenue for industrial dryers is expected to grow to US$ 1045.6 Million, expanding at a CAGR of 3.8%. Moreover, key players operating in the global market are implementing market strategies that involve acquisitions and mergers, expansion of facilities and launch of newer products, especially in APAC and North America in order to strengthen their presence in these two regions.To Buy Full Report for a Single User @Competitive DashboardSpooner Industries Ltd, Metso Corporation, ANDRITZ AG, Carrier Vibrating Equipment, Inc., Separation Group, Ventilex Inc., ThyssenKrupp AG, Buhler AG, GEA Group, and HEINKEL Drying are some of the key participants operating in the Global market for Industrial Dryer.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a full-service market intelligence firm specializing in syndicated research, custom research, and consulting services. PMR boasts market research expertise across the Healthcare, Chemicals and Materials, Technology and Media, Energy and Mining, Food and Beverages, Semiconductor and Electronics, Consumer Goods, and Shipping and Transportation industries. The company draws from its multi-disciplinary capabilities and high-pedigree team of analysts to share data that precisely corresponds to clients business needs.PMR stands committed to bringing more accuracy and speed to clients business decisions. From ready-to-purchase market research reports to customized research solutions, PMRs engagement models are highly flexible without compromising on its deep-seated research values.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA - Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.commedia@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb:
Pumped-Storage Hydroelectricity Market to 2025 Forecast and Key developments

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Global Pumped-Storage Hydroelectricity Market: SnapshotPumped-storage hydroelectricity is growing at a significant pace across the globe, thanks to the worlds rising appetite for electricity and the vast surge in renewables. To help accommodate the rising supply of wind energy, for instance, utilities in Spain, where the production of wind energy has increased from about 6% of the countrys total energy production in 2004 to more than 20% presently, utilities have turned to pumped-storage facilities. Pumped-storage hydroelectricity is playing a key role in the field of energy storage today and a massive portion of worlds installed storage capacity is pumped hydro.As the world embraces wind and solar power, pumped-storage hydroelectricity will witness a huge surge in the next few years. Power generators and utilities are building new pumped-storage hydroelectricity facilities across Europe and Asia Pacific countries as a way of striking a balance between power supply and demand across grid networks. Presently, over 290 pumped-storage hydroelectricity plants are operational globally, with a capacity totaling nearly 150 GW. According to the U.S. Department of Energys (DOE) Global Energy Storage Database, more than 45 projects with total capacities of more than 30 GW are under development across the globe.Request a Brochure of the Report @Countries across the globe have ambitious plans to increase the share of renewables in their energy mixes and several government regulations and incentives are encouraging developments in the fields of renewables such as solar and wind power. To accommodate the potential hyper growth of renewables in the near future, the storage capacity of pumped-storage hydroelectricity will also significantly rise.Global Pumped-Storage Hydroelectricity Market: Inclusive InsightPumped-storage hydroelectric (PSH) refers to a system of hydroelectric energy storage, which is utilized by the power industry for peak saving and load balancing. In this system, water is transferred from a lower elevation to a reservoir at higher elevation, and stored. Low cost off-peak electric power is used for this transfer, whereas during the peak demand, the stored water is utilized to run turbines and generate energy. As the cost of electric energy fluctuates, these pumped-storage hydroelectricity systems generated electricity is sold at premium prices and thereby balancing the load on conventional energy sources.Request for TOC of the Report @Pumped storage hydropower plants can be exploited better when used alongside wind energy turbines. The wind turbines pump water back into the reservoir during lean demand times thus resulting in better utilization of excess generation. Pumped storage hydro is capable of supplying a large number of ancillary services ranging from load balancing to voltage control. These plants can also serve as ideal spinning reserves and are useful for black start services to utility grids. Overall, these plants are an integral part of any robust energy generation mix and satisfy the requirement of ample backup power in times of grid failures or other supply related emergencies.With the ever escalating demand for electric energy, the global market for pumped-storage hydroelectricity is projected for a healthy growth rate during the forecast period of 2017 to 2025. This report is a comprehensive analysis of the market for the same in current scenario, and based on several prominent factors that are expected to influence the growth rate, it presents figurative opportunities available. The report also profiles some of the key companies currently operational in the global pumped-storage hydroelectricity market, including their market share and strategic developments. By technology, the market can be segmented into single reversible pump turbine and separate pump and turbine generators. The end use application of pumped storage hydroelectricity can be segmented on the basis of the service they provide. Some of the services provided by pumped storage hydro are energy balancing, stability, storage capacity and ancillary grid services.Read Complete Report @Global Pumped-Storage Hydroelectricity Market: Prospects and InhibitorsThe increasing demand for energy storage systems and the emergence of ancillary services are two of the primary driving factors of the market. In the recent times, increased importance has been given to stable form of energy, and technological advancements has made pumped-storage hydroelectricity serve the demand efficiently. Other factors favoring the global pumped-storage hydroelectricity market include the need for alternative energy sources with black start capabilities, reactive power generation, and the assurance to operate as a spinning reserve. Conversely, the availability of large bodies of water along with a height variation between the two reservoirs are noted by the report as two primary restraining factors over the market. However, this barrier can be overcome via man-made alterations to the topography, which also helps in desired size and height measurements.Global Pumped-Storage Hydroelectricity Market: Prospects and InhibitorsEurope currently serves the maximum demand, especially from the country-wide markets of the U.K., Switzerland, Austria, and Italy. Asia Pacific market is driven by Japan while the U.S. contributes nearly 95% of the demand from the North American region.Alstom, First Hydro, Exelon, Voith and J-Power are some of the key players in this market.About TMR ResearchTMR Research is a premier provider of customized market research and consulting ser-vices to business entities keen on succeeding in todays supercharged economic climate. Armed with an experienced, dedicated, and dynamic team of analysts, we are redefining the way our clients conduct business by providing them with authoritative and trusted research studies in tune with the latest methodologies and market trends.Our savvy custom-built reports span a gamut of industries such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals and metals, food and beverages, and technology and media, among others. With actionable insights uncovered through in-depth research of the market, we try to bring about game-changing success for our clients.Contact:Rohit BhiseyHead - Internet MarketingTel: +1-415-520-1050Email: sales@tmrresearch.com
Reports Monitor : Global Crohns Disease Drug Market Research Report 2017

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In this report, the global Crohn's Disease Drug market is valued at USD XX million in 2016 and is expected to reach USD XX million by the end of 2022, growing at a CAGR of XX% between 2016 and 2022.Geographically, this report is segmented into several key Regions, with production, consumption, revenue (million USD), market share and growth rate of Crohn's Disease Drug in these regions, from 2012 to 2022 (forecast), coveringNorth AmericaEuropeChinaJapanSoutheast AsiaIndiaGlobal Crohn's Disease Drug market competition by top manufacturers, with production, price, revenue (value) and market share for each manufacturer; the top players includingAbbVieJanssen BiotechTakeda PharmaceuticalsUCBAmgenTillotts PharmaRequest Sample Copy @On the basis of product, this report displays the production, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split intoAminosalicylatesCorticosteroidsImmunomodulatorsAntibioticsOn 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 Crohn's Disease Drug for each application, includingAchieving Remission (The Absence Of Symptoms)Maintaining Remission (Prevention Of Flare-Ups)Pediatric Crohn'S DiseaseTo Browse Complete Report visit @Table of ContentsGlobal Crohns Disease Drug Market Research Report 20171 Crohns Disease Drug Market Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Crohns Disease Drug1.2 Crohns Disease Drug Segment by Type (Product Category)1.2.1 Global Crohns Disease Drug Production and CAGR (%) Comparison by Type (Product Category) (2012-2022)1.2.2 Global Crohns Disease Drug Production Market Share by Type (Product Category) in 20161.2.3 Aminosalicylates1.2.4 Corticosteroids1.2.5 Immunomodulators1.2.6 Antibiotics1.3 Global Crohns Disease Drug Segment by Application1.3.1 Crohns Disease Drug Consumption (Sales) Comparison by Application (2012-2022)1.3.2 Achieving Remission (The Absence Of Symptoms)1.3.3 Maintaining Remission (Prevention Of Flare-Ups)1.3.4 Pediatric CrohnS Disease1.4 Global Crohns Disease Drug Market by Region (2012-2022)1.4.1 Global Crohns Disease Drug Market Size (Value) and CAGR (%) Comparison by Region (2012-2022)1.4.2 North America Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.3 Europe Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.4 China Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.5 Japan Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.6 Southeast Asia Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.7 India Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.5 Global Market Size (Value) of Crohns Disease Drug (2012-2022)1.5.1 Global Crohns Disease Drug Revenue Status and Outlook (2012-2022)1.5.2 Global Crohns Disease Drug Capacity, Production Status and Outlook (2012-2022)Contact UsJay MathewsDirect: +1 513 549-5911Email:sales@reportsmonitor.comWebsite:Follow Us:Google plus :LinkedIn:Twitter:Facebook:Reports Monitor is a market intelligence and consulting firm founded by engineers with extensive experience and knowledge of the Market Research industry.008, Mihir Co-Operative,FatimaNagar, Pune-411013
Remote Terminal Units Market - Regional Outlook, Segments And Forecast To 2017 - 2025

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Remote Terminal Units Market: General OutlineA remote terminal unit is a microprocessor-based device, connected to process equipments, transmitters or sensors, for the purpose of remote telemetry and control. RTUs with the aid of appropriate sensors, monitor the status of the process via digital and analogue inputs. They provide control outputs to switch plant such as circuit breakers and tap changers. In the oil and gas industry, during the drilling process, RTUs are used to transmit drilling mechanics, and rock formation information up-hole, in real time. These services are known as logging while drilling and measurement while drilling, Schlumberger's Pulse Technology is a perfect example of this. During the process of drilling, tools use this methodology to send information acquired thousands of feet below the ground. The pressure wave is then translated into a useful information after DSP (Digital Signal Processing) and noise filters, and is later used for drilling optimization, formation evaluation, and geosteering.Remote Terminal Units Market: Comprehensive OverviewThe advent of improved technology for process monitoring and data transmission has dominated the market drivers for remote terminal units. With improved SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) regulations by various governments across the globe, and increased threat of data security, organizations are now looking at the latest technologies for remote terminal units.Request a Brochure of the Report @Developing markets and new drilling areas also contribute to the growth of the RTU market for oil and gas sectors. Despite the growth factors, the industry does face a few challenges. In the European and North American region, RTU system has been established since the 1970s, and there remains no scope for new installations, in other words, markets of these regions have reached a saturation point. Also, significant financial investment is required to lay down a network across regions and to establish RTUs at inaccessible locations. However, with new fields being discovered in the Asia Pacific region, there is a scope for growth.Remote Terminal Units Market: Segment OverviewBased on the mode of application, the RTU industry is classified into: RTUs for Oil and Gas Wells and RTUs for Compressor, Pump or Valve Stations. A further classification can be made on the basis of the industry such as power, oil exploration or pipeline management. Also, based on the connectivity, RTUs may use telephone hard lines or wireless transmission systems.Request for TOC of the Report @Geographically, the remote terminal units market is currently concentrated in the Asia Pacific region due to initiation of major oil exploration projects as well as power grid expansion in India, China, Malaysia, and Indonesia. In the Rest of the World, the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America is also witnessing a similar trend. Whereas, the European and North American regions are expected to see a significant decline in the demand of RTUs, as the market already has a well-established SCADA network.Remote Terminal Units Market: Key Market PlayersSome of the major companies involved in the manufacture and integration of remote terminal units are: TopRank Corporation Sdn. Bhd., ABB Ltd., Schneider Electric SE, Siemens AG, General Electric Company, and Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.Read Complete Report @About TMR ResearchTMR Research is a premier provider of customized market research and consulting ser-vices to business entities keen on succeeding in todays supercharged economic climate. Armed with an experienced, dedicated, and dynamic team of analysts, we are redefining the way our clients conduct business by providing them with authoritative and trusted research studies in tune with the latest methodologies and market trends.Our savvy custom-built reports span a gamut of industries such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals and metals, food and beverages, and technology and media, among others. With actionable insights uncovered through in-depth research of the market, we try to bring about game-changing success for our clients.Contact:Rohit BhiseyHead - Internet MarketingTel: +1-415-520-1050Email: sales@tmrresearch.com
Superconducting Magnetic Energy Storage Market predicts favorable growth and forecast to 2025

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Global Superconducting Magnetic Energy Storage (SMES) Market: OverviewEnergy storage is crucial for providing flexibility and stability that is critical for the effective functioning of electricity grid. With the booming demand for electricity from end users, the need for energy storage in the power sector is also increasing. As the need for energy storage is increasing, the global superconducting magnetic energy storage (SMES) market is expected to grow along with it. An SMES system has the ability to recharge and discharge in a shorter period without degrading the magnet and ensuring minimum energy losses. Therefore, it is being increasingly acknowledged for short duration energy storage applications.The research report on the global SMES market is an outcome of an in-depth analysis of various critical parameters pertaining to the market. The report offers a comprehensive evaluation of drivers, restraints, and opportunities and the extent of their impact on the growth of the market. It provides insights into the competitive landscape of the market. For a coherent understanding, it segments the market on the basis of various criteria including geography and end users.Request a Brochure of the Report @Global Superconducting Magnetic Energy Storage (SMES) Market: Drivers and RestraintsThe rising concerns regarding climate change are creating a burgeoning demand for green and eco-friendly storage solutions, which in turn is fuelling the demand for SMES systems. In addition, the increasing consumption of renewable sources for energy generation coupled with the depleting fossil fuels is working in favor of the growth of the market. The growing adoption of distributed energy solutions is also providing a fillip to the market.Moreover, the burgeoning demand for advanced and cost-effective energy storage technologies for on-grid and off-grid applications and in the utility industry is augmenting the global SMES market. Furthermore, the advancements in superconducting materials are influencing the market positively. On the other hand, the participants in the market are threatened by the presence of substitutes such as compressed air energy storage. This is hampering the growth of the market. The high cost of these systems is also limiting their widespread adoption.Request for TOC of the Report @Global Superconducting Magnetic Energy Storage (SMES) Market: Geographical SegmentationThe regional segments analyzed in the report are Asia Pacific, North America, Europe, and Rest of the World. Asia Pacific will be a major destination for participants in the global SMES market. The rising emphasis on renewable energy integration, smart grids, and distributed energy storage is one of the primary factors contributing to the development of the market in the region. Moreover, the increasing government initiatives and conducive regulatory scenario are promoting the growth of the market. Other factors such as growing penetration of advanced technologies, flourishing electronics industry, and high manufacturing capacity in countries such as India, Korea, and China are supplementing the growth of the region.Global Superconducting Magnetic Energy Storage (SMES) Market: Competitive LandscapeKey players in the global SMES market are paying a high attention to research and development activities to launch more innovative and cost effective products. Some of the key players in the market are Columbus Superconductors SpA, GE Corporation, American Superconductor Corporation, Sumitomo Electric Industries, Nexans SA, and SuperPower Inc.Read Complete Report @About TMR ResearchTMR Research is a premier provider of customized market research and consulting ser-vices to business entities keen on succeeding in todays supercharged economic climate. Armed with an experienced, dedicated, and dynamic team of analysts, we are redefining the way our clients conduct business by providing them with authoritative and trusted research studies in tune with the latest methodologies and market trends.Our savvy custom-built reports span a gamut of industries such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals and metals, food and beverages, and technology and media, among others. With actionable insights uncovered through in-depth research of the market, we try to bring about game-changing success for our clients.Contact:Rohit BhiseyHead - Internet MarketingTel: +1-415-520-1050Email: sales@tmrresearch.com
North And Latin America Water Pumps Market on Track to Reach US$ 13,412 .8 Million by the end of 2024

North And Latin America Water Pumps Market

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The demand for water pumps across North America and Latin America continues to grow in parallel with the growth in the regions population. More households emerging in countries such as the US, Canada, Brazil or Mexico will certainly require water pumps for domestic purposes. Concurrently, agricultural, administrative and industrial sector in these regions will also adopt such pumps to keep up with the surging demands of consumers. Water pumps being deployed in the residential sector of North America and Latin America are projected to grow as municipalities & county authorities from this region will strive to improve their drinking water facilitation and upgrade the wastewater treatment plants.Sample of this report is available upon request @Nevertheless, a recent study developed by Persistence Market Research projects that revenues garnered from sales of water pumps across Latin America and North America will soar at a moderate CAGR of 4% over an eight-year forecast period. After amassing an estimated US$ 9,422.9 million revenues in 2016, the water pumps market in North America and Latin America is anticipated to reach a valuation of US$ 13,412 .8 million by the end of 2024.Key Deterrents for Adoption of Water Pumps in North & Latin America Availability of cheap Chinese water pumps: North American and Latin American manufacturers of water pumps are constantly at risk of losing market presence to newly-entered Chinese pump makers. Consumers in these regions end up opting for cheap Chinese water pumps, which tend to go kaput in short span of time. On the other hand, availing Chinese water pumps becomes more practical for consumers with tight budget, especially for deploying them in agricultural activities. Durability & energy efficiency of centrifugal pumps: Manufacturers of centrifugal water pumps in this region are improving the operating life of their products. This has decelerated the rate at which water pumps get replaced. Low replacement rate has dragged down the aftermarket sales of water pumps in North America and Latin America, thereby impeding the aggregate market revenues. Budget limitations in industrial and agricultural sectors: Expenditure on water pumps fares on a tightrope in North America. Submersible pumps are also expected to impact the adoption of centrifugal water pumps in this region. Latin Americas industrial sector is likely to trim its gross expenditure, which will incidentally impact the sales of water pumps in this region. Low profit margins in North Americas agriculture industry have also slowed down the rate at which water pumps were being installed or replaced in farming activities.Request to view Table of Content @In the report, titled Water Pumps Market: North & Latin America Industry Analysis and Forecast, 2016-2024, Persistence Market Research predicts that more than 90% of water pump revenues in Latin America and North America will be accounted by sales of centrifugal pumps. While over 936 thousand units of positive displacement pumps are estimated to be sold in the Americas during the forecast period, sales of centrifugal pumps will be raking in revenues worth over US$ 12 billion by the end of 2024. In 2016, centrifugal pumps worth nearly US$ 3 billion were estimated to be consumed by wastewater and water treatment plants across North America and Latin America. Oil and gas industries in this region have been predicted to have consumed over 200 thousand units of positive displacement pumps in 2016.To Buy Full Report for a Single User @Compared to Latin America, North America will continue to have a large share in their collective regional market for water pumps. In 2016, the US water pumps market accounted for more than two-third of North Americas water pump revenues, while Brazil and Mexico attributed to more than 50% growth in Latin Americas water pumps revenues. US-based companies Xylem Inc. and Flowserve Corporation are the leading native players in North America and Latin Americas water pumps market. The market will continue to witness higher participation from European water pump manufacturers such as KSB AG, Weir Group Plc., Grundfos, and Sulzer AG. Japanese water pump manufacturer, Ebara Corp is also observed to be a key participant as the company has established two manufacturing plants in North America and one in Latin America.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a full-service market intelligence firm specializing in syndicated research, custom research, and consulting services. PMR boasts market research expertise across the Healthcare, Chemicals and Materials, Technology and Media, Energy and Mining, Food and Beverages, Semiconductor and Electronics, Consumer Goods, and Shipping and Transportation industries. The company draws from its multi-disciplinary capabilities and high-pedigree team of analysts to share data that precisely corresponds to clients business needs.PMR stands committed to bringing more accuracy and speed to clients business decisions. From ready-to-purchase market research reports to customized research solutions, PMRs engagement models are highly flexible without compromising on its deep-seated research values.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA - Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.commedia@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb:
Road Marking Paint Sales Market size forecasters 2022 Product Overview and Scope, Share of Key Manufacturers

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Worldwide Road Marking Paint 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.This report studies Road Marking Paint in Global market, especially in North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East and Africa, focuses on the top 5 Road Marking Paint Players in each region, with sales, price, revenue and market share for top 5 manufacturer, covering3MSherwin-WilliamsSwarco AGNippon PaintEnnis FlintHempelGeveko MarkingsPPG IndustriesAsian Paints PPGRequest a sample copy of Road Marking Paint Market Research Report @Road Marking Paint Market Segment by Regions, this report splits Global into several key Regions, with sales, revenue, market share of top 5 players in these regions, from 2012 to 2017 (forecast), likeNorth America (United States, Canada and Mexico)Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Southeast Asia, India and Korea)Europe (Germany, UK, France, Italy and Russia etc.South America (Brazil, Chile, Peru and Argentina)Middle East and Africa (Egypt, South Africa, Saudi Arabia)Split by Product Types, with sales, revenue, price, market share of each type, can be divided intoThermoplastic Marking PaintWaterbased Marking PaintSolvent Based Marking PaintTwo-Component Road Marking PaintOthersThe listed pricing for this Road Marking Paint Market report starts at $ 4960. Request Discount for Road Marking Paint Market Research Report @Split by applications, this report focuses on sales, market share and growth rate of Road Marking Paint in each application, can be divided intoRoads & StreetsParking LotAirportOthersBrowse full table of contents and data tables For Road Marking Paint Market Report @Related Reports: -Global and Chinese Acrylic paint Industry, 2017 Market Research ReportThe 'Global and Chinese Acrylic paint Industry, 2012-2022 Market Research Report' is a professional and in-depth study on the current state of the global Acrylic paint industry with a focus on the Chinese market.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
Global LNG Bunkering Market Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2014 - 2025

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Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "LNG Bunkering Market (By Vessel Segment - Tankers, Container Ships, Bulk & General Cargo Vessels, and Ferries & Offshore Support Vessels): Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast, 2014 - 2025" to its huge collection of research reports.This research study analyzes the market for LNG bunkering in terms of volume and revenue. The LNG bunkering market has been segmented on the basis of end user and geography. For the research, 2013 has been taken as a base year, while the forecast is for the period 20142025. Market data for all segments have been provided on the regional level for the period 20132025. The report provides a comprehensive competitive landscape and features companies engaged in the LNG bunkering business. This report includes key market dynamics affecting the demand for LNG bunkering globally. The report also provides a detailed industry analysis of the global LNG bunkering market with the help of the Porters Five Forces model. The Porters Five Forces analysis aids in understanding the five major forces that affect the industry structure and the profitability of the global LNG bunkering market. The forces analyzed include the bargaining power of buyers, bargaining power of suppliers, threat from new entrants, threat from substitutes, and degree of competition.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @These high-level analysis provide detailed insights into the business of LNG bunker supply globally. Major drivers, restraints, and opportunities of the LNG bunker fuel market were analyzed in detail and are illustrated in the report through graphs and tables. There are currently numerous drivers of the LNG bunkering industry. One of the most prominent drivers is the enforcement of strict sulfur emission regulation in the Emission Control Areas (ECAs). Shipping companies operating in these areas are slowly switching from conventional fuel to LNG bunker fuel. The status of LNG bunkering infrastructure facilities has also been included in this report to offer a better overview of the evolving LNG bunkering destinations. For this research report, the port infrastructure facilities and upcoming LNG bunkering terminals were analyzed to provide their development status in various regions across the world.Key end users of LNG bunker fuel were identified as container vessels, tanker fleets, bulk & general cargo vessels, and ferries & offshore support vessels (OSV). Ferries including passenger vessels, and offshore support vessels (OSV) are the major end users of LNG bunker fuel. Several ferries and OSVs operating in Europe have switched from conventional heavy fuel oil to LNG bunker fuel. The LNG bunker fuel market was analyzed across four geographies: North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and RoW. The RoW region comprises South & Central America, the Middle East, and Africa. It is observed that in Europe and North America, ship operators are gradually switching from heavy fuel oil to LNG fuel. The strict sulfur emission standards enforced in ECAs in these regions are accountable for this change in fuel preference. Regional data has been provided for each sub-segment of the LNG bunker fuel market. Key market participants in the bunkering business include Gazpromneft Marine Bunker LLC, Bomin Linde LNG GmbH & Co. KG, Gasnor AS, Skangass AS, and Harvey Gulf International Marine LLC. The report provides an overview of these companies, followed by their financial details, business strategy, and recent developments.The market size for LNG bunkering has been estimated by studying the possible future environmental regulation trends in the market. Detailed research on the sulfur regulations in different regions has been undertaken to estimate and forecast the consumption and investments in the LNG bunkering industry.The global LNG bunkering market has been segmented as below:LNG Bunkering Market: End User Analysis- Container Vessels- Tankers Vessels- Bulk & General Cargo Vessels- Ferries & OSVLNG Bunkering Market: Regional Analysis- North America- Europe- Asia Pacific- Rest of the World (RoW)Make an Enquiry of this report @About ResearchMozResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.Mr. NachiketState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesEmail: sales@researchmoz.usWebsite @Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Follow us on LinkedIn @
Sawmill Market by Type, Application, Element, Region  World Trends and Forecast to 2022

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Sawmill analysis is provided for the markets including development trends, competitive landscape analysis, and key regions development status.This report studies Sawmill in Global market, especially in North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East and Africa, focuses on the top 5 Sawmill Players in each region, with sales, price, revenue and market share for top 5 manufacturer, coveringWest FraserCanforWeyerhaeuserStora EnsoGeorgia-PacificInterforSierra Pacific IndustriesHampton AffiliatesAraucoRequest a sample copy of Sawmill Market Research Report @Sawmill Market Segment by Regions, this report splits Global into several key Regions, with sales, revenue, market share of top 5 players in these regions, from 2012 to 2017 (forecast), likeNorth America (United States, Canada and Mexico)Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Southeast Asia, India and Korea)Europe (Germany, UK, France, Italy and Russia etc.South America (Brazil, Chile, Peru and Argentina)Middle East and Africa (Egypt, South Africa, Saudi Arabia)Split by Product Types, with sales, revenue, price, market share of each type, can be divided intoFraming materialsGeneral constructionTruss componentsManufacturing (pallets, siding)The listed pricing for this Sawmill Market report starts at $ 4960. Request Discount for Sawmill Market Research Report @Table of Content for Sawmill Market Report:1 Sawmill Market Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Sawmill1.2 Sawmill Segment by Types1.3 Sawmill Segment by Applications1.4 Sawmill Market by Regions1.5 Global Market Size (Value) of Sawmill (2012-2022)2 Global Sawmill Sales, Revenue (value) and Market Share by Players2.1 Global Sawmill Sales and Market Share in 2015 and 2016 by Players2.2 Global Sawmill Revenue and Market Share by Players in 2015 and 20162.3 Global Sawmill Average Price by Players in 2015 and 20162.4 Global Sawmill Manufacturing Base Distribution, Sales Area, Product Types by Players2.5 Sawmill Market Competitive Situation and TrendsBrowse full table of contents and data tables For Sawmill Market Report @Split by applications, this report focuses on sales, market share and growth rate of Sawmill in each application, can be divided intoConstructionFurniturePackaging and joinery industriesOthersRelated Reports: -Global Sorghum Seed Market by Manufacturers, Countries, Type and Application, Forecast to 2022Sorghum is the fifth largest cereal grain in the world. Sorghum plantation is increasing continuously as the crop is gaining importance as a versatile plant that can tolerate drought, soil toxicities, a wide range of temperatures and high altitudes. Sorghum seed is reproducing system of sorghum, it plays an important role for the continuation of species.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
Website Builders Market Technological developments & Key Insights by 2022

Website Builders

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bigmarketresearch.com include new market research report North America Website Builders Market By Manufacturers, Countries, Type And Application, Forecast To 2022 to its huge collection of research reports.Website builders are tools that typically allow the construction of websites without manual code editing.Request for customization @Scope of the Report:This report focuses on the Website Builders in North America market, especially in United States, Canada and Mexico. This report categorizes the market based on manufacturers, countries, type and application.Market Segment by Manufacturers, this report coversWixWebOnbileTappinnMofuseQfuseActivemobiIbuiltMarket Segment by Countries, coveringUnited StatesCanadaMexicoLay eyes on complete report @Market Segment by Type, coversPC Website BuildersMobile Website BuildersMarket Segment by Applications, can be divided intoPersonal WebsiteSchool or College WebsitesBusiness WebsiteOtherKey Chapters to deeply display the North America Website Builders market :Chapter 1, to describe Website Builders Introduction, product type and application, market overview, market analysis by countries, market opportunities, market risk, market driving force;Chapter 2, to analyze the manufacturers of Website Builders, with profile, main business, news, sales, price, revenue and market share in 2016 and 2017;Chapter 3, to display the competitive situation among the top manufacturers, with profile, main business, news, sales, price, revenue and market share in 2016 and 2017;Chapter 4, to show the North America market by countries, covering United States, Canada and Mexico, with sales, revenue and market share of Website Builders, for each country, from 2012 to 2017;Chapter 5 and 6, to show the market by type and application, with sales, price, revenue, market share and growth rate by type, application, from 2012 to 2017;Chapter 7, 8 and 9, to analyze the segment market in United States, Canada and Mexico, by manufacturers, type and application, with sales, price, revenue and market share by manufacturers, types and applications;Chapter 10, Website Builders market forecast, by countries, type and application, with sales, price and revenue, from 2017 to 2022;Request sample report @About Company :Big Market Research uniqueness lies in its highly ethical reports at economical rates because we value your relationship and growth more than money. Your growth is our aim. With the arsenal of different search reports, we help you here to look and buy research reports that will be helpful to you and your organization. Our research reports have the capability and authenticity to support your organization for growth and consistency.Contact Us :5933 NE Win Sivers Drive,#205, Portland, OR 97220United StatesDirect :+ 1-503-894-6022Toll Free : + 1-800-910-6452Email: help@bigmarketresearch.comWeb:
Immense Scope for New Entrants and Innovative Applications Makes Biochips an Attractive Investment

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The vendor landscape of the global biochips market is extremely fragmented, speckled with a number of small, medium, and large enterprises. Considering that it is not a monopolistic scenario, the entry of new players is not restricted, giving vendors immense scope. In view of this, Transparency Market Research finds that despite being the leading players in the biochips market, Affymetrix Inc., Agilent Technologies Inc., and Illumina Inc. together accounted for only 40% of the global market in 2014, leaving room for a large group of contributors to collectively enjoy a 51% share in the biochips market that year.Browse Market Research Report @Strategic partnerships with major industry players, the development of new and innovative products, technological advancements, and diversifying product offerings are the key strategies companies have been resorting to further their sales of biochips, penetrate into newer market areas, and gain a stronger hold over the market, the author of the TMR study states.Several companies have also increased focus on research and development in order to produce advanced products that align with ongoing technological shifts. Agilent Technologies is one such company. The US-based firm acquired Seahorse Bioscience, a manufacturer of tools for measuring cell metabolism, in November 2015. The acquisition has helped Agilent gain unique technological expertise that complements its mass spectrometry and separations solutions, especially in the research of metabolomics and disease. Affymetrix has also been investing large amounts of funds in the research, design, and development of new assays, arrays, and reagent products.The rising applications of biochips in a wide range of diagnostic areas, especially in drug discovery and research and veterinary diagnostics, is a key factor boosting the global market. While the availability of molecular information and growing investments in the field will continue driving the use of biochips, TMR believes that the automation of several complex processes through the use of biochips is a major advantage that players can capitalize on.Market Players Look to RoW for Future Growth OpportunitiesThe global biochips market is projected to expand at a steady 16.9% CAGR over the course of the forecast period, with the value of this market rising from US$5.7 bn in 2104 to US$22.2 bn by 2023. DNA chips form the largest segment by type in terms of revenue, with a 39.7% share in 2014. Microfluidic devices, on the other hand, are anticipated to expand at the highest CAGR of 17.4% from 2015 to 2023. Among applications, drug discovery and development is projected to witness the maximum growth through the forecast period. However, TMR predicts a slight dip in this segments market share. Despite this, drug discovery and development will continue to dominate the overall biochips market in terms of application.Fill the form for an exclusive sample of this report @In terms of geography, while North America emerged as the leading regional market for biochips valuing US$1.7 bn in 2014, the Rest of the World segment is forecast to expand at the fastest pace of 17.3% between 2015 and 2023. The biochips market in RoW is presently at a nascent stage, but the growing need for diagnostics in the healthcare sectors of the various regions under this segment promises to provide players with lucrative opportunities in the near future, the TMR analyst assures.About Us :Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking 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.TMRs data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With extensive research and analysis capabilities, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques to develop distinctive data sets and research material for business Contact.Contact Us :Transparency Market ResearchState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Global Wine Barrel Market 2017 : OENEO, Francois Freres, BARREL MILL and Canton

Wine Barrel

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This report focuses on top manufacturers in global market, with production, price, revenue and market share for each manufacturer, coveringOENEOFrancois FreresBARREL MILLSeguin Moreau Napa CooperageStaVin IncG & P Garbellotto SpABarry'S BarrelsCantonBouchared Cooperages AustraliaNadalie AustraliaThe survey report by Market Research Store is an overview of the global Wine Barrel market. It covers all the recent trends including key developments in the global market in present and in future. Analyses of the global Wine Barrel market trends along with the projections of CAGRs (compound annual growth rates) are provided in the research report.Further, an evaluation of the history of the global market and the basic information of the global market is included in the report. A developmental perspective of the industry is also documented in the report. Competitive profiles of the key players in the industry are also discussed.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @The research report provides both an assessment of recent developments in the industry along with forecasts examining the industry from the perspective of major competitors, present players and prospective end users in the Wine Barrel market.Forecasts are generated on the basis of region, type, product, supply, demand, and other vital factors of the global market. The research report analyzed the major factors driving the global Wine Barrel market in various countries with a satisfactory and manufacturing and structure of the global market. Forecasts are also provided region-wise in the research report.The research report comprises several chapters, tables, figures, graphs, and various other presentations formats so as to provide a precise overview of the market. The sequence of the report is maintained in such a way that highlights the overall flow of the global market. Recent developments in the global market are further described in the research report. The report also summarizes latest trends along with abstracts of the Wine Barrel market. Major competitors of the global market including commercial and non-commercial participants in the global market are also covered in the report.Inquiry For Buying @Thus, the research report provides in-depth analysis covering all the major regions, competitors, and vital aspects of the Wine Barrel industry.About Us:MarketResearchStore.com is a single destination for all the industry, company and country reports. We feature large repository of latest industry reports, leading and niche company profiles, and market statistics released by reputed private publishers and public organizations.Contact US:Joel JohnSuite #8138, 3422 SW 15 Street,Deerfield Beach, Florida 33442United StatesToll Free: +1-855-465-4651 (USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-386-310-3803
Global Subsea Navigation and Tracking Market 2017 : LinkQuest, IXBlue, Planet OS, Nautronix & ROMONA

Subsea Navigation and Tracking

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This report focuses on top manufacturers in global market, with production, price, revenue and market share for each manufacturer, coveringLinkQuestIXBlueApplied Acoustic EngineeringEvoLogics GmbHPlanet OSKongsberg GruppenSONARDYNEDesert Star Systems LLCAML OceanographicThe survey report by Market Research Store is an overview of the global Subsea Navigation and Tracking market. It covers all the recent trends including key developments in the global market in present and in future. Analyses of the global Subsea Navigation and Tracking market trends along with the projections of CAGRs (compound annual growth rates) are provided in the research report.Further, an evaluation of the history of the global market and the basic information of the global market is included in the report. A developmental perspective of the industry is also documented in the report. Competitive profiles of the key players in the industry are also discussed.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @The research report provides both an assessment of recent developments in the industry along with forecasts examining the industry from the perspective of major competitors, present players and prospective end users in the Subsea Navigation and Tracking market.Forecasts are generated on the basis of region, type, product, supply, demand, and other vital factors of the global market. The research report analyzed the major factors driving the global Subsea Navigation and Tracking market in various countries with a satisfactory and manufacturing and structure of the global market. Forecasts are also provided region-wise in the research report.The research report comprises several chapters, tables, figures, graphs, and various other presentations formats so as to provide a precise overview of the market. The sequence of the report is maintained in such a way that highlights the overall flow of the global market. Recent developments in the global market are further described in the research report. The report also summarizes latest trends along with abstracts of the Subsea Navigation and Tracking market. Major competitors of the global market including commercial and non-commercial participants in the global market are also covered in the report.Inquiry For Buying @Thus, the research report provides in-depth analysis covering all the major regions, competitors, and vital aspects of the Subsea Navigation and Tracking industry.About Us:MarketResearchStore.com is a single destination for all the industry, company and country reports. We feature large repository of latest industry reports, leading and niche company profiles, and market statistics released by reputed private publishers and public organizations.Contact US:Joel JohnSuite #8138, 3422 SW 15 Street,Deerfield Beach, Florida 33442United StatesToll Free: +1-855-465-4651 (USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-386-310-3803
Fuel Cell Market 2016 by Application, Geography, Type, Analysis and Forecast To 2020

ReportsWeb

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Fuel cells produce electricity by utilizing the power generated from electrochemical reactions. They use external sources of chemical energy such as hydrogen and oxygen to produce energy. Electrochemical reactions in the fuel cells oxidize hydrogen, which reacts with oxygen to form water and release electrons. The electrons then flow through the external circuit producing an electric current. All fuel cells are based on a standard design, wherein two electrodes are separated by an electrolyte. The electrolyte carries electrically charged particles. A catalyst is used to speed up or accelerate the electrochemical reaction within the fuel cells. Fuel cells can be used in small devices that are powered by a few watts of electricity and also in large power plants that produce megawatts (MW) of electrical energy. Fuel cells are categorized by the nature of the electrolyte used in them.Publisher's analysts forecast the global fuel cell market to grow at a CAGR of 22.76% during the period 2016-2020.Complete Report Available at:Covered in this reportThe report covers the present scenario and the growth prospects of the global fuel cell market for 2016-2020. To calculate the market size, the report enlists certain key estimates that we have considered for arriving at the market trends and certain exclusions that helped to demarcate the market contours.The market is divided into the following segments based on geography:-Americas-APAC-EMEAPublisher's report, Global Fuel Cell Market 2016-2020, has been prepared based on an in-depth market analysis with inputs from industry experts. The report covers the market landscape and its growth prospects over the coming years. The report also includes a discussion of the key vendors operating in this market.Key vendors-Ballard Power Systems-Bloom Energy-Nuvera Fuel Cells-SFC EnergyGet Sample of the Report at:Other prominent vendors-ACAL-Acumentrics-Aisin-Altergy Systems-Ceramic Fuel Cells-Ceres Power-Delphi Automotive Systems-DMFCC-Doosan Fuel Cell-ElectroChem-EnergyOr Technologies-Enocell-FuelCell Energy-GE-H2 Logic-Horizon Fuel Cell Technologies-Hydrogenics-Infintium Fuel Cell Systems-Intelligent Energy-Johnson Matthey Fuel Cells-Kyocera-LG Fuel Cell Systems-Mitsubishi Heavy Industries-Neah Power Systems-Oorja Protonics-Panasonic-Plug Power-Proton Motor Fuel Cell-Redox Power Systems-Shanghai Everpower Technologies-Symbio FCell-Toshiba-Ultra Electronics AMIMarket driver-Growing demand for efficient and cleaner technologies.-For a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket challenge-Competition from alternative technologies.-For a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket trend-Increase in R&D investment and activities.-For a full, detailed list, view our reportInquire about Report at:Table of ContentsPART 01: Executive summaryPART 02: Scope of the reportPART 03: Market research methodologyPART 04: IntroductionPART 05: Market landscapePART 06: Market segmentation by applicationPART 07: Market segmentation by typePART 08: Market segmentation by geographyPART 09: Key leading countriesPART 10: Market driversPART 11: Impact of driversPART 12: Market challengesPART 13: Impact of drivers and challengesPART 14: Market trendsPART 15: Vendor landscapePART 16: Key vendor analysisPART 17: AppendixPurchase this Report at:ReportsWeb.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
Boric Acid Market 2016 by Application, Revenue, Analysis and Forecast to 2020

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Boric acid is an odorless, nearly tasteless, and non-flammable compound. It is used as a minor antiseptic, anti-fungal agent, and insecticide for control of cockroaches, termites, fire ants, and fleas. It is also used in the manufacture of glass and fiberglass, halogen light bulbs, laboratory glassware and circuit boards, and in nuclear power plants to slow down the rate of the fission reaction.Publisher's analysts forecast the global boric acid market to grow at a CAGR of 7.44% during the period 2016-2020.Complete Report Available atCovered in this reportThe report covers the present scenario and the growth prospects of the global boric acid market for 2016-2020. To calculate the market size, the report considers the revenue generated from the sale of boric acid in several industries including glass and fiberglass, pharmaceuticals and personal care products, flame retardants, wood preservatives and pest control, nutritional supplements, and other segments by considering 2015 as the base year.The market is divided into the following segments based on geography:-APAC-Europe-North America-ROWPublisher's report, Global Boric Acid Market 2016-2020, has been prepared based on an in-depth market analysis with inputs from industry experts. The report covers the market landscape and its growth prospects over the coming years. The report also includes a discussion of the key vendors operating in this market.Key vendors-3M-Avantor Performance Materials-BASF-Borax-Eti Maden-Gujarat Boron DerivativesGet Sample of the Report at:Other prominent vendors-Minera Santa Rita (MSR)-Quiborax-Russian Bor-Searles Valley Reserves-Sociedad Industrial Tierra-Societa Chimica Larderello (SCL)-Tomiyama Pure Chemical IndustriesMarket driver-Rising demand from fiberglass and other end-user segments.-For a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket challenge-Toxicity and bioaccumulation potential of boric acid.-For a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket trend-Production of boric acid from ulexite using trona.-For a full, detailed list, view our reportInquire about Report at:Table of Contents:PART 01: Executive summaryPART 02: Scope of the reportPART 03: Market research methodologyPART 04: IntroductionPART 05: Market landscapePART 06: Market segmentation by applicationPART 07: Market segmentation by geographyPART 08: Market driversPART 09: Impact of driversPART 10: Market challengesPART 11: Impact of drivers and challengesPART 12: Market trendsPART 13: Vendor landscapePART 14: AppendixPurchase this Premium Research Report at:. (Priced at US$ 2500).ReportsWeb.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
North America Coverall Protective Clothing Market Report 2017 Industry analysis, Size, Shares, Growth, Trends, Forecast

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"The Report North America Coverall Protective Clothing Market Report 2017 provides information on pricing, market analysis, shares, forecast, and company profiles for key industry participants. - MarketResearchReports.biz"About Coverall Protective Clothing MarketThis report studies sales (consumption) of Coverall Protective Clothing in North America market, especially in USA, Canada and Mexico, focuses on top players in these Country/countries, with sales, price, revenue and market share for each player in these Country, covering3MHoneywellVersarPPSLakeland IndustriesDuPont Personal ProtectionAJ GroupAnsell Protective SolutionsGet Sample Copy Of The Report @Portwest Clothing LtdLAFONTMatcon B.V.MATISECMolinelBLAKLADER WORKWEARBulwarkBioCleanJSPTotalKapplerMCR SafetyValmyVestilabDrager SafetyGrundens of SuedenHELLY HANSEN Work WearCLEMCO INDUSTRIESCOFRADELTA PLUSHerockICEAKimberly-ClarkView Report @Market Segment by Country, this report splits North America into several key Country, with sales (consumption), revenue, market share and growth rate of Coverall Protective Clothing in these Country, from 2012 to 2022 (forecast), likeUSACanadaMexicoSplit by product types, with Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin, market share and growth rate of each type, can be divided intoDurableDisposableSplit by applications, this report focuses on sales, market share and growth rate of Coverall Protective Clothing in each application, can be divided intoFlame retardantChemical defendingClean RoomMechanical ProtectiveOthersData including (both global and regions): Production (K Units), Sales (both volume and value-million USD), Market Share, Consumption (both volume and value-million USD), Import, Export, price (USD/Unit), cost, gross Margin etc.More detailed information, please refer to the attachment file and table of contents. If you have other requirements, please contact us, we can also offer!Table of ContentsNorth America Coverall Protective Clothing Market Report 20171 Coverall Protective Clothing Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Coverall Protective Clothing1.2 Classification of Coverall Protective Clothing1.2.1 Durable1.2.2 Disposable1.3 Applications of Coverall Protective Clothing1.3.1 Flame retardant1.3.2 Chemical defending1.3.3 Clean Room1.3.4 Mechanical Protective1.3.5 Others1.4 Coverall Protective Clothing Market by Country1.4.1 USA Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.2 Canada Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.3 Mexico Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.5 North America Market Size (Value and Volume) of Coverall Protective Clothing (2012-2022)1.5.1 North America Coverall Protective Clothing Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2022)1.5.2 North America Coverall Protective Clothing Revenue and Growth Rate (2012-2022)2 North America Coverall Protective Clothing Competition by Manufacturers, Type and Application2.1 North America Coverall Protective Clothing Market Competition by Manufacturers2.1.1 North America Coverall Protective Clothing Sales and Market Share of Key Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.1.2 North America Coverall Protective Clothing Revenue and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.2 North America Coverall Protective Clothing (Volume and Value) by Type2.2.1 North America Coverall Protective Clothing Sales and Market Share by Type (2012-2017)2.2.2 North America Coverall Protective Clothing Revenue and Market Share by Type (2012-2017)2.3 North America Coverall Protective Clothing (Volume and Value) by Country2.3.1 North America Coverall Protective Clothing Sales and Market Share by Country (2012-2017)2.3.2 North America Coverall Protective Clothing Revenue and Market Share by Country (2012-2017)2.4 North America Coverall Protective Clothing (Volume) by Application3 USA Coverall Protective Clothing (Volume, Value and Sales Price)3.1 USA Coverall Protective Clothing Sales and Value (2012-2017)3.1.1 USA Coverall Protective Clothing Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2017)3.1.2 USA Coverall Protective Clothing Revenue and Growth Rate (2012-2017)3.1.3 USA Coverall Protective Clothing Sales Price Trend (2012-2017)3.2 USA Coverall Protective Clothing Sales and Market Share by Manufacturers3.3 USA Coverall Protective Clothing Sales and Market Share by Type3.4 USA Coverall Protective Clothing Sales and Market Share by Applications4 Canada Coverall Protective Clothing (Volume, Value and Sales Price)4.1 Canada Coverall Protective Clothing Sales and Value (2012-2017)4.1.1 Canada Coverall Protective Clothing Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2017)4.1.2 Canada Coverall Protective Clothing Revenue and Growth Rate (2012-2017)4.1.3 Canada Coverall Protective Clothing Sales Price Trend (2012-2017)4.2 Canada Coverall Protective Clothing Sales and Market Share by Manufacturers4.3 Canada Coverall Protective Clothing Sales and Market Share by Type4.4 Canada Coverall Protective Clothing Sales and Market Share by ApplicationsMarketResearchReports.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.Mr. NachiketState Tower90 Sate Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-621-2074USA: Canada Toll Free: 866-997-4948Website:E: sales@marketresearchreports.biz
Global Radio Transmitter Market by Manufacturers, Countries, Type and Application, Forecast to 2022

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SummaryA radio transmitter is an electronic device which, when connected to an antenna, produces an electromagnetic signal such as in radio and television broadcasting, two way communications or radar. Heating devices, such as a microwave oven, although of similar design, are not usually called transmitters, in that they use the electromagnetic energy locally rather than transmitting it to another location.Scope of the Report:This report focuses on the Radio Transmitter 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.Get Sample Report @Market Segment by Manufacturers, this report coversHarrisBroadcast ElectronicsR&SSyesGatesAirEgatel(COMSA)NautelThomson BroadcastHitachi Kokusai ElectricNECRIZ TransmittersBTESAContinentalBeijing BBEFTongfang GigamegaChengdu ChengGuangMarket 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, coversFM Radio TransmitterShortwave Radio TransmitterMedium Wave TransmitterMarket Segment by Applications, can be divided intoAerospaceAutomobileElectronics IndustryOthersThere are 15 Chapters to deeply display the global Radio Transmitter market.Chapter 1, to describe Radio Transmitter Introduction, product scope, market overview, market opportunities, market risk, market driving force;Chapter 2, to analyze the top manufacturers of Radio Transmitter, with sales, revenue, and price of Radio Transmitter, 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 Radio Transmitter, 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, Radio Transmitter market forecast, by regions, type and application, with sales and revenue, from 2017 to 2022;Chapter 13, 14 and 15, to describe Radio Transmitter sales channel, distributors, traders, dealers, Research Findings and Conclusion, appendix and data sourceBuy Complete Report Visit @About Us:Reportbazzar.com is your trusted source for the most inclusive and informative assortment of market research reports designed to empower you with the latest in industry information that translates to time and cost savings for your business. We not only help you give wing to your latent business ideas but also facilitate you in taking the best informed and strategic decisions that guarantee success in your most promising business endeavors.Contact Us:ReportBazzar30 Wall Street, 8th floor,New York, NY 10005.United States.US: +1 (212) 389-6363India: +91 20 66528525Email Id: sales@reportbazzar.comWebsite:
Building-Integrated Photovoltaics Global Market Trend, Research Approach, Data Analysis and Forecast to 2022

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According to Publisher, the Global Building-Integrated Photovoltaics market is accounted for $6.94 billion in 2015 and is expected to reach $28.6 billion by 2022 growing at a CAGR of 22.4% from 2015 to 2022. Factors like demand for electricity, energy efficient constructions, smart wire connection technology and solar ready roofs for commercial & residential buildings will drive the market. However, high cost of installation and storage, absence of specific standards and codes and variations in measurement units are the major factors restraining the market growth. Resilient growth in solar PV industry will offer opportunities for the Building-Integrated Photovoltaics market.For more information about this report:The demand for facades is expected to grow, majorly driven by the increasing demand for integrated facades. Curtain wall is expected to grow with a considerable market share for its low maintenance cost and properties. The technology segment is commanded by Crystalline Silicon building integrated photovoltaics. The industrial segment accounted for the highest revenue share due to higher endorsement of the silicon for industrial applications. Europe is the largest market revenue generator mainly attributed to the increased investments in several countries, especially Germany, Belgium, Denmark, Greece, and the UK and also demanding legislation related to energy performance in buildings.Some of the key players in global Building-Integrated Photovoltaics market are Ascent Solar Technologies Inc, Amari Austria GMBH, Belectric Holding GmbH, Dyesol Ltd, Cadcamation KMR SA, Fraunhofer ISE, First Solar, Film Optics Ltd, ertex solartechnik GmbH, Power Film Inc, Hanergy Holding Group Limited, Beijing Ja Solar PV Technology Co. Ltd., BGT Bischoff Glastechnik AG, Sharp Solar, Suntech Power, Onyx Solar Energy S.L, Sanyo, Pythagoras Solar, Trina Solar, Yingli Solar, Advanced Solar Power (Hangzhou) Co. Ltd., Konarka Technologies Inc, Wirtschaft Und Infrastruktur Gmbh & Co Planungs Kg, Wurth Solar GMBH & CO. KG and Kyocera Corporation.Technologies Covered:- Thin Film PVCadmium Telluride (CDTE)Copper Indium Diselenide (CIS)/Copper Indium Gallium Selenide (CIGS)Amorphous SiliconOther Thin Film Technologies- Crystalline SiliconMonocrystalline SiliconMulticrystalline Silicon- Dye Sensitized Solar cells (DSSC)- Solid State Dye Solar Cells (ssDSC)- Organic PhotovoltaicProducts Covered:- Curtain Wall- BIPV Window- Rooftop SystemsTilesShinglesMetal SeamMembraneLaminates- Cladding- GlassTransparentSemi-Transparent- Facades- Glazing- Architectural shading- SkylightsRequest Sample Copy atEnd Users Covered:- Commercial- Industrial- ResidentialRegions 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 Building-Integrated Photovoltaics Market, By Technology6 Global Building-Integrated Photovoltaics Market, By Product7 Global Building-Integrated Photovoltaics Market, By End User8 Global Building-Integrated Photovoltaics Market, By Geography9 Key Developments10 Company Profiling10.1 Ascent Solar Technologies Inc10.2 Amari Austria GMBH10.3 Belectric Holding GmbH10.4 Dyesol Ltd10.5 Cadcamation KMR SA10.6 Fraunhofer ISE10.7 First Solar10.8 Film Optics Ltd10.9 ertex solartechnik GmbH10.10 Power Film Inc10.11 Hanergy Holding Group Limited10.12 Beijing Ja Solar PV Technology Co. Ltd.10.13 BGT Bischoff Glastechnik AG10.14 Sharp Solar10.15 Suntech Power10.16 Onyx Solar Energy S.L10.17 Sanyo10.18 Pythagoras Solar10.19 Trina Solar10.20 Yingli Solar10.21 Advanced Solar Power (Hangzhou) Co. Ltd.10.22 Konarka Technologies Inc10.23 Wirtschaft Und Infrastruktur Gmbh & Co Planungs Kg10.24 Wurth Solar GMBH & CO. KG10.25 Kyocera CorporationInquire 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
Global Magnesium Metal Market Industry Key Players, Share, Trend, Applications, Segmentation and Forecast to 2022

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Market HighlightMagnesium Metal market growth in last few years is XX million, due to surge in demand for alloy products in automobile industry. With wide application in electronic industry like tablets, laptops, mobile Magnesium Metal market is expected to grow at faster pace in forecasted period. Light weight and comparable properties with aluminum metal, magnesium is used more in body parts of aircraft. Government regulation, environment concern dur to highly explosive will hamper the market in forecasted period.Request for Sample Report@Regional AnalysisAsia-Pacific dominates the market during the forecast periodRegion wise, Asia-Pacific has shown a significant growth in Magnesium Metal market accounting more than XX% of the total market. This share is attributed towards growth of industries in countries like China, Japan and South Korea where automobile, electronic and construction industry is growing rapidly.North America contribute significantly due to increase in use of magnesium metal in aircraft industry. Europe shows a relative steady growth as saturation in application industries.Key Player Wenxi YinGuang Magnesium Industry (Group) Co. Ltd Dead Sea Magnesium Ltd RIMA Group Magontec Ltd POSCO Solikamsk Magnesium Works OAO. Taiyuan Tongxiang Magnesium Co. Ltd Nippon Kinzoku US Magnesium LLC Latrobe Magnesium Ltd OthersTaste the market data and market information presented through more than 100 market data tables and figures spread in 136 numbers of pages of the project report. Avail the in-depth table of content TOC & market synopsis on Global Magnesium Metal Market Information from 2014 to 2022"Scope of the studyBy Application Aluminum alloy Die Casting Desulphurization Metal Reduction OthersBrowse Full MM Market @Study Objectives of Magnesium Metal Market: To study market overview of the Magnesium Metal. To estimate market size by product type, by application and region. To provide insights about market drivers, restrains and opportunities of Magnesium Metal market. To provide geographically market analysis and outlook for North America, Europe, Asia, and Rest of the World (ROW) and their countries. To analyze the Global Magnesium Metal Market based on various factors- supply chain analysis, porters five force analysis etc.Table of Content1 Executive Summary2 Scope of the Report2.1 Market Definition2.2 Scope of the Study3 Market Research Methodology3.1 Research Process3.2 Secondary Research4 Market Landscape4.1 Five Forces Analysis4.2 Value Chain/Supply Chain of Global Magnesium Metal Market5 Industry Overview of Global Magnesium Metal Market6 Market Trends6.1 Introduction6.2 Growth Trends6.3 Impact analysis7. Global Magnesium Metal Market by Region8. Global Magnesium Metal Market by Application (Aluminum alloy, Die Casting, Desulphurization, Metal Reduction and others)9. Company Profiles9.1 Wenxi Yin Guang Magnesium Industries (Group) Co. Ltd9.2 Dead Sea Magnesium Ltd9.3 RIMA Group9.4 Magontec Ltd9.5 POSCO10 ConclusionContinued.About Market Research FutureAt Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.Market Research Future Magarpatta Road, Hadapsar, Pune - 411028 Maharashtra, India +1 646 845 9312
Global Quantum Dots Market is Expected to Grow at a CAGR of 85% to Reach $10.02 Billion by the End of 2020

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Quantum Dots are nanocrystals made out of semiconductors used in display and monitor devices and as well as many other equipment. Government and industry have both started focusing on highly efficient energy devices, which is contributing to the market growth. There has been a continuous increase in demand for devices which can perform efficiently in varying conditions. Quantum dot technology addresses these concerns efficiently and is also driving the use of this technology across various application areas.Place Purchase Order for Quantum Dots Market Report@These Quantum Dots can be used in optoelectronics and optical components, healthcare (biomedical and biotechnology, alternative energy, security applications, and others. There are various processes or techniques involved in the production of Quantum Dots, such as, colloidal synthesis, fabrication, viral assembly, bulk-manufacture, electrochemical assembly, and heavy metal free (cadmium-free) quantum dots. The one benefit associated with its production process is that, it can be manufactured easily and cost effectively.There are many benefits of using Quantum Dots a they require only small amount of energy to get activated, which can be obtained by a single blue or UV wavelength beam, regardless of its size. Both attributes reduce the costs largely; can be used in multiple forms, e.g. small crystals in liquid solutions, as quantum dust, and in bead form and these different formats make its range of applications even wider.Browse Full Report with TOC:The market for quantum dots is expected to grow at a CAGR of 85% to reach $10.02 billion by the end of 2020 from the current estimates of $0.25 billion.The report gives a detailed analysis and breakdown of the market by various production processes used in manufacturing of quantum dots and the raw materials used in its manufacturing. The market is further segmented by the geographical regions and a detailed analysis of vendors has been included.Some of the major vendors that are mentioned in the report are Samsung, QD Vision, Nanoco Group, Quantum Material Corporation and Nanosys, Inc.Enquire about this Report@DRIVERSThere are various benefits of using quantum dots, such as efficiency of converting energy to power and miniaturization which is driving the growth of quantum dots market.RESTRAINTSThe factors that could hinder the growth of demand for the Quantum Dots Market are the product associated high costs, environmental concerns, and the existence of similar products in the market.WHAT THE REPORT OFFERSQuantum Dots Market Overview with information on drivers and restraintsIn-depth Quantum Dots Market Analysis and its applications in the industryIdentification of factors responsible for changing the market scenarios, rising prospective opportunities and identification of key companies which can influence the market on global and regional scaleExtensively researched competitive landscape with profiles of major companies along with their market sharesA comprehensive list of key market players along with the analysis of their current strategic interests and key financial informationTable of Content:1. Introduction1.1 Key Findings1.2 Research Methodology2. Executive Summary3. Market Insights3.1 Market Overview3.2 Factors Driving the Market3.2.1 Applications of quantum dots are increasing3.2.2 Efficiency in converting energy to power3.2.3 Miniaturization3.2.4 Government policies regarding effective energy utilization3.3 Factors Restraining the Market3.3.1 High costs3.3.2 Environmental concerns3.3.3 Other competing products3.4 Industry Value Chain Analysis3.5 Industry Attractiveness a Porteras Five Forces3.5.1 Bargaining Power of Suppliers3.5.2 Bargaining Power of Consumers3.5.3 Threat of New Entrants3.5.4 Threat of Substitute Products or Services3.5.5 Competitive Rivalry among Existing Competitors4. Technology Overview4.1 Technology Snapshot4.2 Applications4.2.1 Optoelectronics and Optical Components4.2.2 Healthcare - Biomedical and Biotechnology4.2.3 Alternative Energy4.2.4 Security Applications4.2.5 Others4.3 Production of Quantum Dots4.3.1 Introduction4.3.2 Colloidal synthesis4.3.3 Fabrication4.3.4 Viral assembly4.3.5 Bulk-manufacture4.3.6 Electrochemical assembly4.3.7 Cadmium-free quantum dots5. Global Quantum Dots Market by Applications - $ million (2014 - 2020)5.1 Optoelectronics and Optical Components5.1.1 Overview5.1.2 Market Analysis5.1.3 Analyst View5.2 Healthcare - Biomedical and Biotechnology5.2.1 Overview5.2.2 Market Analysis5.2.3 Analyst View5.3 Alternative Energy5.3.1 Overview5.3.2 Market Analysis5.3.3 Analyst View5.4 Security Applications5.4.1 Overview5.4.2 Market Analysis5.4.3 Analyst View5.5 Others5.5.1 Overview5.5.2 Market Analysis5.5.3 Analyst View6. Global Quantum Dots Market by Production Process - $ million (2014 - 2020)6.1 Colloidal synthesis6.1.1 Overview6.1.2 Market Analysis6.1.3 Analyst View6.2 Fabrication6.2.1 Overview6.2.2 Market Analysis6.2.3 Analyst View6.3 Viral assembly6.3.1 Overview6.3.2 Market Analysis6.3.3 Analyst View6.4 Bulk-manufacture6.4.1 Overview6.4.2 Market Analysis6.4.3 Analyst View6.5 Electrochemical assembly6.5.1 Overview6.5.2 Market Analysis6.5.3 Analyst View6.6 Cadmium-free quantum dots6.6.1 Overview6.6.2 Market Analysis6.6.3 Analyst View7. Global Quantum Dots Market by Raw Material - $ million (2014 - 2020)7.1 Cadmium Selenium7.1.1 Overview7.1.2 Market Analysis7.1.3 Analyst View7.2 Cadmium Tellurium7.2.1 Overview7.2.2 Market Analysis7.2.3 Analyst View7.3 Cadmium-free7.3.1 Overview7.3.2 Market Analysis7.3.3 Analyst View7.4 Others7.4.1 Overview7.4.2 Market Analysis7.4.3 Analyst View8. Quantum Dots Market by Geography - Forecast, Share and Trends: 2014 - 20208.1 North America8.1.1 North America Quantum Dots Market by Production Process8.1.2 North America Quantum Dots Market by Raw Materials8.1.3 Market Analysis8.2 Europe8.2.1 Europe Quantum Dots Market by Production Process8.2.2 Europe Quantum Dots Market by Raw Materials8.2.3 Market Analysis8.3 Asia Pacific8.3.1 Asia Pacific Quantum Dots Market by Production Process8.3.2 Asia Pacific Quantum Dots Market by Raw Materials8.3.3 Market Analysis8.4 Latin America8.4.1 Latin America Quantum Dots Market by Production Process8.4.2 Latin America Quantum Dots Market by Raw Materials8.4.3 Market Analysis8.5 Middle East and Africa8.5.1 Middle East and Africa Quantum Dots Market by Production Process8.5.2 Middle East and Africa Quantum Dots Market by Raw Materials8.5.3 Market Analysis9. Top 10 Vendor Market Share Analysis10. Company Profiles of Quantum Dots Vendors10.1 Samsung10.1.1 Overview10.1.2 Major Products and Services10.1.3 Financials10.1.4 Recent Developments10.2 QD Vision10.2.1 Overview10.2.2 Major Products and Services10.2.3 Financials10.2.4 Recent Developments10.3 Nanoco Group10.3.1 Overview10.3.2 Major Products and Services10.3.3 FinancialsOrbis Research 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 customised 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 specialisation. This helps our clients to map their needs and we produce the perfect required Market research study for our clients.Hector CostelloSenior Manager  Client Engagements4144N Central Expressway,Suite 600, Dallas,Texas - 75204, U.S.A.Phone No.: +1 (214) 884-6817; +912064101019Email ID: sales@orbisresearch.com
Life Insurance in Vietnam, Key Trends and Opportunities to 2020 Industry analysis, Size, Shares, Growth, Forecast

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"The Report Life Insurance in Vietnam, Key Trends and Opportunities to 2020 provides information on pricing, market analysis, shares, forecast, and company profiles for key industry participants. - MarketResearchReports.biz"SynopsisTimetrics 'Life Insurance in Vietnam, Key Trends and Opportunities to 2020' report provides a detailed outlook by product category for the Vietnamese life insurance segment, and a comparison of the Vietnamese insurance industry with its regional counterparts.It provides key performance indicators such as written premium, incurred loss, loss ratio, commissions and expenses, total assets, total investment income and retentions during the review period (2011-2015) and forecast period (2015-2020).Get Sample Copy Of The Report @The report also analyzes distribution channels operating in the segment, gives a comprehensive overview of the Vietnamese economy and demographics, and provides detailed information on the competitive landscape in the country.The report brings together Timetrics research, modeling and analysis expertise, giving insurers access to information on segment dynamics and competitive advantages, and profiles of insurers operating in the country. The report also includes details of insurance regulations, and recent changes in the regulatory structure.View Report @SummaryTimetrics 'Life Insurance in Vietnam, Key Trends and Opportunities to 2020' report provides in-depth market analysis, information and insights into the Vietnamese life insurance segment, including:An overview of the Vietnamese life insurance segmentThe Vietnamese life insurance segments growth prospects by categoryA comprehensive overview of the Vietnamese economy and demographicsA comparison of the Vietnamese life insurance segment with its regional counterpartsThe various distribution channels in the Vietnamese life insurance segmentDetails of the competitive landscape in the life insurance segment in VietnamDetails of regulatory policy applicable to the Vietnamese insurance industryScopeThis report provides a comprehensive analysis of the life insurance segment in Vietnam:It provides historical values for the Vietnamese life insurance segment for the reports 2011-2015 review period, and projected figures for the 2015-2020 forecast period.It offers a detailed analysis of the key categories in the Vietnamese life insurance segment, and market forecasts to 2020.It provides a comparison of the Vietnamese life insurance segment with its regional counterpartsIt analyzes the various distribution channels for life insurance products in Vietnam.It profiles the top life insurance companies in Vietnam and outlines the key regulations affecting them.Reasons To BuyMake strategic business decisions using in-depth historic and forecast market data related to the Vietnamese life insurance segment, and each category within it.Understand the demand-side dynamics, key market trends and growth opportunities in the Vietnamese life insurance segment.Assess the competitive dynamics in the life insurance segment.Identify growth opportunities and market dynamics in key product categories.Gain insights into key regulations governing the Vietnamese insurance industry, and their impact on companies and the industry's future.Key HighlightsThe government issued Decree No. 73/2016/ND-CP on implementation and amendments to certain articles of the Law on Insurance Business, effective July 1, 2016.In October 2013, the Vietnamese government implemented a new regulatory framework for voluntary pension insurance.Effective August 2012, investment-linked products (ILPs) were introduced in Vietnam. The MoF introduced new provisions for universal life insurance products, effective from June 1, 2016.According to Circular 86 issued in July 2014, the Ministry of Finance (MoF) and the State Bank of Vietnam introduced new bancassurance rules for life insurers, effective September 2014.The number of life insurers operating in Vietnam increased from 14 in 2012 to 18 in 2016Table of Contents1 Key Facts and Highlights2 Executive Summary3 Economy and Demographics4 Segment Outlook4.1 Regional Comparison4.2 Segment Indicators4.2.1 Gross written premium and penetration4.2.2 Policies Sold4.2.3 Claims4.2.4 Sum Assured4.2.5 Assets and Investments5 Outlook by Sub-Segment5.1 Individual Life Insurance5.1.1 Premium5.1.2 Policies Sold5.1.3 Penetration6 Distribution Channel Outlook6.1 Analysis by Distribution Channel6.1.1 Agencies6.1.2 BancassuranceMarketResearchReports.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.Mr. NachiketState Tower90 Sate Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-621-2074USA: Canada Toll Free: 866-997-4948Website:E: sales@marketresearchreports.biz
Global Functional Food Ingredients Market Research Report 2017 Industry analysis, Size, Shares, Growth, Trends, Forecast

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"The Report Global Functional Food Ingredients Market Research Report 2017 provides information on pricing, market analysis, shares, forecast, and company profiles for key industry participants. - MarketResearchReports.biz"About Functional Food Ingredients MarketIn this report, the global Functional Food Ingredients market is valued at USD XX million in 2016 and is expected to reach USD XX million by the end of 2022, growing at a CAGR of XX% between 2016 and 2022.Geographically, this report is segmented into several key Regions, with production, consumption, revenue (million USD), market share and growth rate of Functional Food Ingredients in these regions, from 2012 to 2022 (forecast), coveringGet Sample Copy Of The Report @North AmericaEuropeChinaJapanSoutheast AsiaIndiaGlobal Functional Food Ingredients market competition by top manufacturers, with production, price, revenue (value) and market share for each manufacturer; the top players includingView Report @DuPontArcher Daniels Midland (ADM)Kerry GroupAssociated British FoodsBASFIngredionTate & Lyle...On the basis of product, this report displays the production, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split intoProteinVitaminMineralOtherOn 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 Functional Food Ingredients for each application, includingFunctional FoodFunctional DrinksOtherIf you have any special requirements, please let us know and we will offer you the report as you want.Table of ContentsGlobal Functional Food Ingredients Market Research Report 20171 Functional Food Ingredients Market Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Functional Food Ingredients1.2 Functional Food Ingredients Segment by Type (Product Category)1.2.1 Global Functional Food Ingredients Production and CAGR (%) Comparison by Type (Product Category) (2012-2022)1.2.2 Global Functional Food Ingredients Production Market Share by Type (Product Category) in 20161.2.3 Protein1.2.4 Vitamin1.2.5 Mineral1.2.6 Other1.3 Global Functional Food Ingredients Segment by Application1.3.1 Functional Food Ingredients Consumption (Sales) Comparison by Application (2012-2022)1.3.2 Functional Food1.3.3 Functional Drinks1.3.4 Other1.4 Global Functional Food Ingredients Market by Region (2012-2022)1.4.1 Global Functional Food Ingredients Market Size (Value) and CAGR (%) Comparison by Region (2012-2022)1.4.2 North America Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.3 Europe Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.4 China Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.5 Japan Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.6 Southeast Asia Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.7 India Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.5 Global Market Size (Value) of Functional Food Ingredients (2012-2022)1.5.1 Global Functional Food Ingredients Revenue Status and Outlook (2012-2022)1.5.2 Global Functional Food Ingredients Capacity, Production Status and Outlook (2012-2022)2 Global Functional Food Ingredients Market Competition by Manufacturers2.1 Global Functional Food Ingredients Capacity, Production and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.1.1 Global Functional Food Ingredients Capacity and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.1.2 Global Functional Food Ingredients Production and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.2 Global Functional Food Ingredients Revenue and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.3 Global Functional Food Ingredients Average Price by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.4 Manufacturers Functional Food Ingredients Manufacturing Base Distribution, Sales Area and Product Type2.5 Functional Food Ingredients Market Competitive Situation and Trends2.5.1 Functional Food Ingredients Market Concentration Rate2.5.2 Functional Food Ingredients Market Share of Top 3 and Top 5 Manufacturers2.5.3 Mergers & Acquisitions, ExpansionMarketResearchReports.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.Mr. NachiketState Tower90 Sate Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-621-2074USA: Canada Toll Free: 866-997-4948Website:E: sales@marketresearchreports.biz
China Shelf-Life Food Additives Market Research Report 2017 Industry analysis, Size, Shares, Growth, Trends, Forecast

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"The Report China Shelf-Life Food Additives Market Research Report 2017 provides information on pricing, market analysis, shares, forecast, and company profiles for key industry participants. - MarketResearchReports.biz"About China Shelf-Life Food Additives MarketThis report studies Shelf-Life Food Additives in China market, focuses on the top players in China market, with capacity, production, price, revenue and market share for each manufacturer, coveringADMBASFDaniscoDSMGet Sample Copy Of The Report @Market Segment by Regions (provinces), coveringSouth ChinaEast ChinaSouthwest ChinaNortheast ChinaNorth ChinaCentral ChinaNorthwest ChinaSplit by product Type, with production, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, can be divided intoType IType IIView Report @Split by Application, this report focuses on consumption, market share and growth rate of Shelf-Life Food Additives in each application, can be divided intoApplication 1Application 2Table of ContentsChina Shelf-Life Food Additives Market Research Report 20171 Shelf-Life Food Additives Market Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Shelf-Life Food Additives1.2 Shelf-Life Food Additives Segment by Type1.2.1 China Production Market Share of Shelf-Life Food Additives Type in 20151.2.2 Type I1.2.3 Type II1.3 Applications of Shelf-Life Food Additives1.3.1 Shelf-Life Food Additives Consumption Market Share by Application in 20151.3.2 Application 11.3.3 Application 21.4 China Market Size (Value) of Shelf-Life Food Additives (2012-2022)1.5 China Shelf-Life Food Additives Status and Outlook1.6 Government Policies2 China Shelf-Life Food Additives Market Competition by Manufacturers2.1 China Shelf-Life Food Additives Capacity, Production and Share by Manufacturers (2015 and 2016)2.2 China Shelf-Life Food Additives Revenue and Share by Manufacturers (2015 and 2016)2.3 China Shelf-Life Food Additives Average Price by Manufacturers (2015 and 2016)2.4 Manufacturers Shelf-Life Food Additives Manufacturing Base Distribution, Sales Area, Product Type2.5 Shelf-Life Food Additives Market Competitive Situation and Trends2.5.1 Shelf-Life Food Additives Market Concentration Rate2.5.2 Shelf-Life Food Additives Market Share of Top 3 and Top 5 Manufacturers3 China Shelf-Life Food Additives Manufacturers Profiles/Analysis3.1 ADM3.1.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors3.1.2 Shelf-Life Food Additives Product Type, Application and Specification3.1.2.13.1.2.23.1.3 ADM Shelf-Life Food Additives Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2015 and 2016)3.1.4 Main Business/Business Overview3.2 BASF3.2.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors3.2.2 Shelf-Life Food Additives Product Type, Application and Specification3.2.2.13.2.2.23.2.3 BASF 121 Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2015 and 2016)3.2.4 Main Business/Business Overview3.3 Danisco3.3.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors3.3.2 Shelf-Life Food Additives Product Type, Application and Specification3.3.2.13.3.2.23.3.3 Danisco 126 Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2015 and 2016)3.3.4 Main Business/Business Overview3.4 DSM3.4.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors3.4.2 Shelf-Life Food Additives Product Type, Application and Specification3.4.2.13.4.2.23.4.3 DSM Jan Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2015 and 2016)3.4.4 Main Business/Business OverviewMarketResearchReports.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.Mr. NachiketState Tower90 Sate Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-621-2074USA: Canada Toll Free: 866-997-4948Website:E: sales@marketresearchreports.biz
United States Shelf-Life Food Additives Market Report 2017

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"The Report United States Shelf-Life Food Additives Market Report 2017 provides information on pricing, market analysis, shares, forecast, and company profiles for key industry participants. - MarketResearchReports.biz"About Shelf-Life Food Additives MarketThis report studies sales (consumption) of Shelf-Life Food Additives in United States market, focuses on the top players, with sales, price, revenue and market share for each player, coveringADMBASFDaniscoDSMGet Sample Copy Of The Report @Market Segment by States, coveringCaliforniaTexasNew YorkFloridaIllinoisSplit by product types, with sales, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, can be divided intoType IType IIView Report @Split by applications, this report focuses on sales, market share and growth rate of Shelf-Life Food Additives in each application, can be divided intoApplication 1Application 2Table of ContentsUnited States Shelf-Life Food Additives Market Report 20171 Shelf-Life Food Additives Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Shelf-Life Food Additives1.2 Classification of Shelf-Life Food Additives1.2.1 Type I1.2.2 Type II1.3 Application of Shelf-Life Food Additives1.3.1 Application 11.3.2 Application 21.4 United States Market Size Sales (Volume) and Revenue (Value) of Shelf-Life Food Additives (2012-2022)1.4.1 United States Shelf-Life Food Additives Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2022)1.4.2 United States Shelf-Life Food Additives Revenue and Growth Rate (2012-2022)2 United States Shelf-Life Food Additives Competition by Manufacturers2.1 United States Shelf-Life Food Additives Sales and Market Share of Key Manufacturers (2015 and 2016)2.2 United States Shelf-Life Food Additives Revenue and Share by Manufactures (2015 and 2016)2.3 United States Shelf-Life Food Additives Average Price by Manufactures (2015 and 2016)2.4 Shelf-Life Food Additives Market Competitive Situation and Trends2.4.1 Shelf-Life Food Additives Market Concentration Rate2.4.2 Shelf-Life Food Additives Market Share of Top 3 and Top 5 Manufacturers2.4.3 Mergers & Acquisitions, Expansion3 United States Shelf-Life Food Additives Sales (Volume) and Revenue (Value) by States (2012-2017)3.1 United States Shelf-Life Food Additives Sales and Market Share by States (2012-2017)3.2 United States Shelf-Life Food Additives Revenue and Market Share by States (2012-2017)3.3 United States Shelf-Life Food Additives Price by States (2012-2017)4 United States Shelf-Life Food Additives Sales (Volume) and Revenue (Value) by Type (2012-2017)4.1 United States Shelf-Life Food Additives Sales and Market Share by Type (2012-2017)4.2 United States Shelf-Life Food Additives Revenue and Market Share by Type (2012-2017)4.3 United States Shelf-Life Food Additives Price by Type (2012-2017)4.4 United States Shelf-Life Food Additives Sales Growth Rate by Type (2012-2017)MarketResearchReports.biz is the most comprehensive collection of market research reports. MarketResearchReports.Biz services are specially designed to save time and money for our clients. We are a one stop solution for all your research needs, our main offerings are syndicated research reports, custom research, subscription access and consulting services. We serve all sizes and types of companies spanning across various industries.Mr. NachiketState Tower90 Sate Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-621-2074USA: Canada Toll Free: 866-997-4948Website:E: sales@marketresearchreports.biz
2017 Global Handheld DNA Reader Market Report by Segment and Regional Opportunity

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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 Handheld DNA Reader Market is confident in meeting their needs and expectations. The 2017 market research report on Global Handheld DNA Reader 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 Handheld DNA Reader Market report is a noteworthy.Request a sample of this report @The Global Handheld DNA Reader 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 Handheld DNA Reader Industry report showcases the latest trends in the global and regional markets on all critical parameters which include technology, supplies, capacity, production, profit, price, and competition. The key players covered in the report provide a detailed analysis of the competition and their developments in the Global Handheld DNA Reader Industry. Accurate forecasts and expert opinion from credible sources, and the recent R&D development in the industry is also a mainstay of the Handheld DNA Reader Market report.Purchase a copy of Global Handheld DNA Reader Market visit @For more information contact sales@orbisresearch.com .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.Finally, the Handheld DNA Reader 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 Handheld DNA Reader Industry is the holy grail of information which serious knowledge seekers can benefit from. The report which is the result of ultimate dedication of pedigree professionals has a wealth of information which can benefit anyone, irrespective of their commercial or academic interest.Browse Complete Report @Table of Contents:Chapter One: Handheld DNA Reader Market Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Handheld DNA Reader1.2 Handheld DNA Reader Segment by Type1.2.1 Global Production Market Share of Handheld DNA Reader by Type in 20151.2.2 ABO Typing1.2.3 Antibody Screening1.2.4 Cross Matching Test1.3 Handheld DNA Reader Segment by Application1.3.1 Handheld DNA Reader Consumption Market Share by Application in 20151.3.2 Diagnosis of Various Diseases Conditions1.3.3 Sequencing Small Genomes1.3.4 Application 31.4 Handheld DNA Reader Market by Region1.4.1 North America Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.2 Europe Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.3 China Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.4 Japan Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.5 Southeast Asia Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.6 India Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.5 Global Market Size (Value) of Handheld DNA Reader (2012-2022)For any enquires before buying, connect with us @ enquiry@orbisresearch.comAbout Us:Orbis Research (orbisresearch.com) is a single point aid for all your market research requirements. We have vast database of reports from the leading publishers and authors across the globe. We specialize in delivering customized reports as per the requirements of our clients. We have complete information about our publishers and hence are sure about the accuracy of the industries and verticals of their specialization. This helps our clients to map their needs and we produce the perfect required market research study for our clients.Contact Information:Hector CostelloSenior Manager  Client Engagements4144N Central Expressway,Suite 600, Dallas,Texas  75204, U.S.A.Phone No.: +1 (214) 884-6817; +9164101019Follow Us on LinkedIn:Follow us on Twitter:Like us on Facebook:
Market Overview Of COPD Drugs In China Will Grow At A CAGR Of 15.56% Over The Period 2017 - 2020

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Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Market Overview Of COPD Drugs In China Will Grow At A CAGR Of 15.56% Over The Period 2017 - 2020" to its huge collection of research reports.Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a broad term that covers progressive lung diseases, including emphysema, chronic bronchitis, refractory (non-reversible) asthma, and some forms of bronchiectasis. It restricts airflow in the lungs and is characterized by diffculty breathing. The exact etiology of COPD is not understood, but most cases are caused due to genetic factors and by inhaling pollutants, including smoke, fumes, and chemicals. As the disease develops, the symptoms tend to get worse and damages the lungs. The disease cannot be cured, and can only be managed and treated.The COPD drugs market in China is under penetrated. It is dominated by fixed dose combinations of LABA/ICS. Air pollution is the major contributing factor for the growing prevalence of the disease. Nearly 10% of the population in the region who are over the age of 40 years has COPD. The disease is expected to become one of the leading causes of death in the country by 2020. Lack of awareness about the disease and its treatment options affects the growth of the market in this region.Technavios analysts forecast the chronic obstructive pulmonary disease drugs market in China to grow at a CAGR of 15.56% during the period 2016-2020.Covered in this reportThe report covers the present scenario and the growth prospects of the chronic obstructive pulmonary disease drugs market in China for 2016-2020. To calculate the market size, Technavio considers the revenue generated from the total consumption of the chronic obstructive pulmonary disease drugs globally. The report does not include revenue generated from the aftermarket service of the product.The market is divided into the following segments based on drug class:BronchodilatorsPhosphodiesterase-4 (PDE-4) inhibitorsSteroidsCombination therapiesTechnavio's report, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Drugs Market in China 2016-2020, has been prepared based on an in-depth market analysis with inputs from industry experts. The report covers the market landscape and its growth prospects over the coming years. The report also includes a discussion of the key vendors operating in this market.Key vendorsAstraZenecaBoehringer IngelheimGSKMerckNovartisMake an Enquiry of this report @Other prominent vendorsAche Laboratorios FarmaceuticosAlmirallAquinox PharmaceuticalsArio PharmaBioMarck PharmaceuticalsGilead SciencesMereo BioPharma GroupMylanOrionPearl TherapeuticsProsonixTeva Pharmaceutical IndustryTheravance BiopharmaTheron PharmaceuticalsVerona PharmaXentionZAI LabMarket driverIncrease in environmental pollutionFor a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket challengeLow diagnosis rateFor a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket trendIncreased focus on combination therapiesFor a full, detailed list, view our reportKey questions answered in this reportWhat will the market size be in 2020 and what will the growth rate be?What are the key market trends?What is driving this market?What are the challenges to market growth?Who are the key vendors in this market space?What are the market opportunities and threats faced by the key vendors?What are the strengths and weaknesses of the key vendors?To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @About ResearchMozResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.Mr. NachiketState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesEmail: sales@researchmoz.usWebsite @Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Follow us on LinkedIn @
Ophthalmic Lasers Market: Demand for Ophthalmic Lasers to Remain Higher in North America

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Lasers have become an essential part of treatment modality for a number of practicing ophthalmologist. Ophthalmic lasers have gained prominence with the popularity of laser-assisted surgeries for rectifying nearsightedness or myopia. The increasing incidence of ophthalmic disorders and rise in geriatric population in various regions have boosted the application of different types of lasers in treating specific eye problems and improving vision. Technological advances have significantly increased the safety and accuracy of these devices.In recent years, vision scientists studying naturally occurring retinal fluorescence discovered newer applications in diagnostic retinal imaging Combined with advances in adaptive optics and the adoption of automation technologies, physicians find ophthalmic lasers helpful in detecting glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, and several other devastating vision-stealing diseases in the early stages. All these developments are expected to catalyze the demand for ophthalmic lasers. Expanding at 4.60% CAGR from 2016 to 2024, the market is projected to reach US$1.44 bn by the end of forecast period.Obtain Report Details @Which end users are expected to offer promising opportunities for vendors of ophthalmic lasers?Hospitals, ophthalmic clinics, and ambulatory surgical centers (ASCs) have emerged as primary end users of this ophthalmic lasers. A major demand for ophthalmic laser surgeries is expected to come from various ophthalmic clinics and they are expected to contribute a significant chunk of market revenue in the coming years. The substantial demand for laser-assisted surgical processes, such as the LASIK surgery, among a large number of patients is attributed to the preference of eye specialists and the increased convenience witnessed by caretakers in clinical environments. Physicians seeking a non-invasive and accurate method for diagnosing Alzheimers in the earliest stages find the use of lasers as a promising prospect.BioLight Israeli Life Sciences Investments Ltd., signed a memorandum of understanding with Chengdu Kanghong Pharmaceuticals Group Co., Ltd., a Chinese company, in April, 2017 to dilute its stake in IOPtima, IOPtima has been developing laser surgery technology for the treatment of glaucoma. Under the MoU, currently non-binding in nature, the Chinese company will invest a sum of $7 million in IOPtima for garnering 19% of its shares at a $30 million company value. This will confer on the company exclusive rights for selling ophthalmic lasers in China. Such developments bode well for the market.Fill the form for an exclusive sample of this report:Which regions are anticipated to exhibit significant uptake of ophthalmic lasers?North America is expected to provide lucrative avenues for the ophthalmic lasers market. The substantial demand for ophthalmic lasers is driven by the presence of a large number of leading companies in North America. The regional market occupied a significant market share of 40% in 2016. The spiraling investments of private players in research and development and the presence of a robust healthcare infrastructure are key factors fuelling the demand for ophthalmic lasers. In addition, a well-organized regulatory infrastructure that expedites the approval of new products are expected to boost product innovations, thereby catalyzing the regional market.On the other hand, Asia Pacific is fast emerging as a prominent regional market for ophthalmic lasers. In the forthcoming years, the growth of the regional market is expected to outpace others. The prevalence of various vision disorders in various countries such as China and India is a key factor bolstering the demand for ophthalmic laser surgeries.The Middle East and Africa (MEA) and Latin America are expected to provide exciting opportunities for player in the ophthalmic lasers market. The impressive growth is attributed to the soaring medical tourism and the inexpensive eye care treatments.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:
Chlamydia Infection Diagnostic and Therapeutic Market Globally Expected to Drive Growth through 2023

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Chlamydia is a common sexually transmitted infection caused by bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis. Chlamydia is among the most prevalent sexually transmitted disease (STDs) and according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), it comprises of largest proportion of all STDs reported in the United States since 1994. In 2012, a total of 1.4 million cases of Chlamydia infection were reported to CDC in 50 states and the District of Columbia. Overall the case rate among males in 2012 rose by 3.2% during 2011-2012 which is approximately half the case rate reported in females. Chlamydia infection among women is generally asymptomatic. However the disease if left untreated can develop into pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) which is a major cause of infertility, ectopic pregnancy, and chronic pelvic pain. Similar to other STDs, chlamydia infection might facilitate the transmission of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Moreover, pregnant women infected with chlamydia can pass the infection to their infants during delivery, potentially resulting in neonatal ophthalmia and pneumonia. In Europe there are more than 250,000 new cases are reported each year and women below 24 years in Europe have highest number of infection. In 2012, National Health Service, U.K., 206,912 people were tested positive for Chlamydia in England of which 64% were below 25 years of age.Browse Complete Market Details at:Among women, symptoms of chlamydia include abnormal vaginal discharge, painful periods and abdominal pain with fever. Additionally itching and burning around vagina and mild pain during urination. Whereas among men symptom such as cloudy discharge, painful urination, burning around genital area and swelling of testicles are commonly found. Commonly used drugs for treating chlamydia include Amoxil, Doryx, Doxycycline, Erythrocin, Floxin, Gantrisin, Trimox, Zithromax and others. Some of the emerging diagnostic techniques in global Chlamydia Infection Diagnostic and Therapeutic market comprise molecular diagnostic, immunoassays, monoclonal antibodies, flow cytometry and gel moicrodroplet based testing. Major drivers for the growth of the market include increasing collaboration agreement with distributors, manufacturers and universities pertaining to manufacturing and research activities have escalated the market in past few years. Pipelined drugs in the market include CEL-1000, Cyanovirin-N, GEN-001, acALY18 and others.Geographically the market for chlamydia is predominated by developed regions such as the United States and Europe. Major contributors to the growth of these markets include intense research funding and government interventions for developing cheap and affordable medications for sexually transmitted diseases under Affordable CARE Act. Availability of advanced diagnostic centers, clinics and hospitals has also contributed towards the growth and development of market in past one decade. Asia Pacific and Rest of the World market is potentially a lucrative market and has fastest growth rate as compared to other regions pertaining to increasing sexually transmitted diseases incidences and lack of appropriate diagnostic and care centers for sexually transmitted infection/ diseases especially in the under developed parts of Asia-Pacific and Rest of the World is restraining the growth of the market. Approximately 43 million new cases of chlamydia are reported in Southeast Asian region. Whereas according to the 1999 World Health Organization report prevalence rate of chlamydia in Western Pacific region ranges from 5.7% in Thailand up to 17% in India. The aforementioned data clearly depicts the latent growth potential for drug and diagnostic companies manufacturing chlamydia related products.Get Sample Report Containing the Future Market Perspectives at::Some of the key players operating in global chlamydia infection diagnostic and therapeutic market include: Abbott Laboratories, Danaher Corporation, bioMerieux, DiaSorin SpA, NANOGEN Biopharmaceutical, Siemens AG, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Novartis Diagnostics, Fujirebio Diagnostics, Inc. and others.Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.Our data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts, so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With a broad research and analysis capability, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques in developing distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Smart Medical Devices Market: Awareness about Disease Management Lures Consumers toward Sophisticated Products

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Global Smart Medical Devices: SnapshotSmart medical devices have gained traction in the recent past due to the multitude of benefits they provide to the patient and the caregiver. These devices have radically changed the way a disease is managed, by storing copious amounts of data in a logical format to draw insightful inferences. From understanding patterns of diseases or health issues, smart medical devices have largely helped users to keep an efficient tract of their health and fitness regime. Owing to these reasons, the global smart medical devices market is expected to soar at a CAGR of 7.8% to reach US$66.1 bn by 2024 as compared to US$33.7 bn in 2015.Read Full Report:Convenience of Tracking Health Issues through Smart Medical Devices Bodes Well for Global MarketSmart medical devices are being used as important tools by physicians to detect various disease by monitoring vital signs. Chronic disease such as hypertension and diabetes have thus received a fresh perspective from both the medical industry as well as the patients. From a broader perspective, these devices have drastically reduced the workload for healthcare providers by closely monitoring patient health and taking quick action in case of any major change in the readings. The report predicts that the demand for smart medical devices will be attributable to the growing pool of geriatrics, who are prone to a wide range of illnesses. Furthermore, the rapid technological advancements in the fitness devices have also lured in a large base of consumers who are interested in monitoring their heart rate, calorie intake, and the number of calories burned. The user-friendliness of these devices is also expected to fuel the uptake of smart medical devices in the coming few years.Diagnostic and Monitoring Devices to Remain Popular as Inclination toward Fitness IncreasesThe various products available in the smart medical devices market are On the basis of product, the global market is segmented into therapeutic devices, diagnostic and monitoring devices, and injury prevention and rehabilitation devices. Of these, the diagnostic and monitoring devices segment is expected to dominate the global market. Growing awareness toward fitness is expected to drive the uptake of these devices. The quick and easy accessibility to fitness prompts, near-accurate monitoring of health condition such as diabetes and blood pressure, and wide availability of devices in varying price range is expected to work in favor of this segment.Download exclusive Sample of this report:Improving Medical and Healthcare Services in North America Drive Regional MarketIn terms of geography, the global smart medical devices market is segmented into North America, Asia Pacific, Europe, the Middle East and Africa, and Latin America. North America is expected to exhibit excellent growth rate in the coming years. The adoption of technology in the region and its acceptability amongst the overall population is estimated to benefit the regional market. The ongoing upgradation of medical and healthcare services in the region have also played a crucial role in swift sales of smart medical devices all across North America.Some of the leading players operating in the global smart medical devices are Abbott Laboratories, Apple Inc., Dexcom, Inc., Fitbit, Inc., F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Johnson & Johnson, Medtronic plc, NeuroMetrix, Inc., Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd, and Sonova. F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd. These players are expected to retain the lead in the coming years due to their penetration in emerging economies and product innovation. The growing investments in the development of sophisticated products are also anticipated to drive the soaring revenues of these players in the coming few years.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:
Global Ship Speakers Industry, Trends and Forecast Report during 2017-2021

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Ship Speakers Report by Material, Application, and Geography Global Forecast to 2021 is a professional and in-depth research report on the world's major regional market conditions, focusing on the main regions (North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific) and the main countries (United States, Germany, united Kingdom, Japan, South Korea and China).Request For Free Sample @The report firstly introduced the Ship Speakers basics: definitions, classifications, applications and market overview; product specifications; manufacturing processes; cost structures, raw materials and so on. Then it analyzed the world's main region market conditions, including the product price, profit, capacity, production, supply, demand and market growth rate and forecast etc. In the end, the report introduced new project SWOT analysis, investment feasibility analysis, and investment return analysis.The report includes six parts, dealing with:1.) basic information;2.) the Asia Ship Speakers Market;3.) the North American Ship Speakers Market;4.) the European Ship Speakers Market;5.) market entry and investment feasibility;6.) the report conclusion.The market for Global ship speakers sales 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 Global ship speakers sales 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 Global ship speakers sales market report 2017 in the near future. The augmenting interest of investors, government funding, and the rising trend of automation are also projected to reflect positively on this market in the years to come.The research study examines the Global ship speakers sales market report 2017 on the basis of a number of criteria, such as the product type, application, and its geographical presence. The whole supply chain of this market has been explained with statistical details with a special emphasis on various upstream and downstream components. The current trends pertaining to the demand, supply, and sales of Global ship speakers sales market report 2017, together with the recent developments have been given here to provide an exhaustive picture of this market.In this research report, the prominent trends, driving factors, restraints, opportunities, and challenges have been taken into consideration in order to identify the markets future. It also discusses the production cost structure of Global ship speakers sales market report 2017. As per the research study, raw material and equipment are two major components of the Global ship speakers sales 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 Global ship speakers sales market report 2017 have also been discussed at length in this market report.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 Global ship speakers sales market report 2017 in details. It presents in-depth information on the development trends and the policies and regulations, concerning Global ship speakers sales market report 2017, implemented in each of the geographical segments. The predominant applications of the Global ship speakers sales market report 2017 have also been talked about at length in this research report.Further, the research study analyzes the regulatory framework of the Global ship speakers sales 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.Browse Full Report With TOC @The research report also presents a thorough assessment of the competitive landscape of the Global ship speakers sales 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.About Market Research Hub:Market Research Hub (MRH) is a next-generation reseller of research reports and analysis. MRHs expansive collection of market research reports has been carefully curated to help key personnel and decision makers across industry verticals to clearly visualize their operating environment and take strategic steps.MRH functions as an integrated platform for the following products and services: Objective and sound market forecasts, qualitative and quantitative analysis, incisive insight into defining industry trends, and market share estimates. Our reputation lies in delivering value and world-class capabilities to our clients.Contact Details:90 State Street,Albany, NY 12207,United StatesToll Free: 866-997-4948 (US-Canada)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Email: press@marketresearchhub.comWebsite:Follow Us on:Twitter:LinkedIn:Facebook:
United States Outbound Medical Tourism Services Market Report 2017 - Apollo Hospital, Mednamaste, Global Medical Tourism, KPJ Healthcare Berhad, WorldMed Assist, Bumrungrad, Christus Muguerza

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This report studies sales (consumption) of Outbound Medical Tourism Services in United States market, focuses on the top players, with sales, price, revenue and market share for each player, coveringApollo Hospital Enterprise LimitedRevenueProducts/Brand OfferingsCompany HighlightsBumrungrad International HospitalKPJ Healthcare BerhadChristus Muguerza HospitalWorldMed AssistMednamasteGlobal Medical Tourism Inc.Market Segment by States, coveringCaliforniaTexasNew YorkFloridaIllinoisSplit by product types, with sales, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, can be divided intoMedical CareTourismSplit by applications, this report focuses on sales, market share and growth rate of Outbound Medical Tourism Services in each application, can be divided intoCosmetic Surgery TreatmentDental TreatmentCardiovascular TreatmentOrthopedic TreatmentCancer TreatmentFertility TreatmentWeight Loss TreatmentOthersRequest a Free Sample Copy of this Report @QYresearchreports.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
Wire Enamels Market  Advanced Technologies & Growth Opportunities in Industry By 2022

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Wire Enamels analysis is provided for the markets including development trends, competitive landscape analysis, and key regions development status.Wire enamels are applied on copper and aluminum round and flat wires used in motors, transformers, generators and electrical measuring instruments. They are cured onto the wires with heat. The resulting coatings main function is electrical insulation. Wire enamels are also described as primary insulation. The coated wires are sometimes called magnet wires.Scope of the Report:This report focuses on the Wire Enamels 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.Global Wire Enamels Market Segment by Manufacturers, this report coversElantasSuperior EssexAxaltaKyoceraRequest a sample copy of Global Wire Enamels Market Research Report @Global Wire Enamels Market Segment by Regions, regional analysis covers North America (USA, Canada and Mexico), Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia and Italy), Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia), South America (Brazil, Argentina, Columbia etc.), Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria and South Africa)Global Wire Enamels Market Segment by Type, coversPolyurethane Wire EnamelsPolyesterimide Wire EnamelsPolyester Wire EnamelsPolyamide-imide Wire EnamelsOthersThe listed pricing for this Global Wire Enamels Market report starts at $ 3480. Request Discount for Global Wire Enamels Market Research Report @Market Segment by Applications, can be divided intoCopper WiresAluminum WiresOthersBrowse full table of contents and data tables For Global Wire Enamels Market Report @Related Reports: -Global and Chinese Wire and Cable Materials Industry, 2017 Market Research ReportThe report provides key statistics on the market status of the Wire and Cable Materials manufacturers and is a valuable source of guidance and direction for companies and individuals interested in the industry.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
Continuous Glucose Monitoring Systems - Medical Devices Pipeline Assessment, 2017

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Medical Devices sector report, Continuous Glucose Monitoring Systems - Medical Devices Pipeline Assessment, 2017" provides an overview of Continuous Glucose Monitoring Systems currently in pipeline stage.The report provides comprehensive information on the pipeline products with comparative analysis of the products at various stages of development. The report reviews major players involved in the pipeline product development. It also provides information about clinical trials in progress, which includes trial phase, trial status, trial start and end dates, and, the number of trials for the key Continuous Glucose Monitoring Systems pipeline products.This report is prepared using data sourced from in-house databases, secondary and primary research by GlobalData's team of industry experts.*Note: Certain sections in the report may be removed or altered based on the availability and relevance of data in relation to the equipment type.Download Sample Copy Of This Report :Scope- Extensive coverage of the Continuous Glucose Monitoring Systems under development- The report reviews details of major pipeline products which includes, product description, licensing and collaboration details and other developmental activities- The report reviews the major players involved in the development of Continuous Glucose Monitoring Systems and list all their pipeline projects- The coverage of pipeline products based on various stages of development ranging from Early Development to Approved / Issued stage- The report provides key clinical trial data of ongoing trials specific to pipeline products- Recent developments in the segment / industryReasons to buyThe report enables you to -- Formulate significant competitor information, analysis, and insights to improve R&D strategies- Identify emerging players with potentially strong product portfolio and create effective counter-strategies to gain competitive advantage- Identify and understand important and diverse types of Continuous Glucose Monitoring Systems under development- Develop market-entry and market expansion strategies- Plan mergers and acquisitions effectively by identifying major players with the most promising pipeline- In-depth analysis of the products current stage of development, territory and estimated launch dateMarketResearchReports.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
Analysis of the Global E-Commerce Logistics Market in terms of Opportunities and Drivers

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The Big Market Research recently added a latest report, titled, Global E-Commerce Logistics Market Opportunities and forecast 20142022. The research offers an extensive information about the present industry conditions. It is beneficial for the manufacturers to understand market dynamics.Enquire About Report:The report on the global e-commerce logistics industry highlights key advantages and its segments. It also provides a professional perspective, such as opinion by chief executives. It elucidates key findings which include new investment pockets. It adopts the Porters Five Forces analysis (PFFA) to evaluate the competitive spirit among the big market players of the industry. In the PFFA, the experts discuss about the bargaining power of customers as well as manufactures, threats by new entrants, and high competition among the producers. The report offers description about the industrial dynamics, such as its drivers, restraints, opportunities, and their effect on the market. It provides with a list of factors that influences the industry for instance, execution in 3PL, strong relationship between buyers & suppliers, and success of the market.The study of the global e-commerce logistics industry focuses on the aspects that restricts growth of the market, such as regulations formed by the government and distribution of warehouse management solutions. In addition, it highlights the opportunities that prevail in the industry, which include extension of implementation of supply chain footprints and its impact on the market. It offers division of the industry into operational areas, regional deployment, and services offered. It gives an overview of the services offered and then classifies it into transports and warehouses. Based on the operational areas, it spits the industry into global and domestic market. On the basis of geography, it categorizes the market into LAMEA, Asia-Pacific, Europe, and North America.Also Request For Discount:The report on the global e-commerce logistics market offers an in-depth data about the markets segmentation. The experts in the research describe about the key industrial trends, opportunities & growth factors, and market size. The study highlights the strategies adopted by the manufactures, such as transparent & competitive suppliers, higher customization in services, and identification of the modes that decrease the cost. It includes big market players which are Aramex International, Amazon, Clipper Logistics Plc, Ceva Holdings LLC, DHL International GmbH, FedEx Corporation, Gati Limited, Kenco Group Inc., S.F. Express, and United Parcel Service Inc. The companies were included based on business overview, product portfolios, finances, recent developments & strategies.The report of the global e-commerce logistics market provides an extensive information that enables manufacturers to understand the profitable trends to gain a strong treatment in the market. The industry is quantitatively evaluated for the period, 20142022, which gives the data about the market size and share. The study enables the manufacturers and new entrants to recognize the potential threats in the industry and take necessary measures to overcome them. It assists stakeholders to identify the new investments hubs and promote the growth of the market.About Us:With the arsenal of different search reports, Big Market Research helps you here to look and buy research reports that will be helpful to you and your organization. Our research reports have the capability and authenticity to support your organization for growth and consistency. With the window of opportunity getting open and shut at a speed of light, it has become very important to survive in the market and only the fittest and competent enough can do so. So, we try and provide with latest changes in the market that can suit your needs and help you take decision accordingly.Contact Us:5933 NE Win Sivers Drive,#205, Portland, OR 97220United StatesDirect :+ 1-503-894-6022Toll Free : + 1-800-910-6452help@bigmarketresearch.com
Dill Pickles Market  Overview of Vital Industry Drivers

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Dill Pickles Market Introduction:Pickles are the traditional product made from fermenting vegetables or fruits using vinegar or brine with salt, sugar, and spices. Pickles are consumed in large amount across the world and is used as seasoning or flavoring agent. Dill pickles are one of the most preferred pickles in the food industry. It is made by using dill weed or dill seed with cucumber fermented with or without vinegar or brine. Commercial production of dill pickles in bulk amount utilize dill oil as an ingredients. Varieties are available in dill pickle market to serve the need of end users, some of the application include seasoning for pizza and sandwiches, flavoring agent to food and beverages industry and others. Increased consumption of flavored pickles with dill as ingredient in pickle market is expected to register a growth over the forecasted period.Obtain Report Details @Dill Pickles Market Segmentation:Dill pickles market is segmented on the basis of type, form, nature and regions.On the basis of product type, dill pickles market segments into kosher, polish, genuine, baby, and others. Among all of these, kosher and genuine holds the major share and is expected to register a growth during the forecasted period. Type of the pickles available in market is totally depend upon the method of fermentation and ingredients used in production.On the basis of form, segmentation include whole-shaped, spear-shaped or sliced. Among all of these, whole-shaped pickles grabs the major share and is expected to fuel the market over the forecasted period.On the basis of nature, it is segmented into two categories include organic and processed. Among both, processed segment dominates the market and is expected to dominate over the forecasted period. Hence, the global dill pickle market is expected to significantly increase the revenue contribution over the forecast period.Fill the form for an exclusive sample of this report @Dill Pickles Market Regional Outlook:On the basis of regions, dill pickles market is segmented into following key regions; North America, Asia Pacific, Western and Eastern Europe, Japan and The Middle East & Africa.Increasing consumption of pickles in North America grabs the major share of global dill pickles market. Consumer awareness regarding nutritional benefits with low fat and calorie to health conscious population increase more demand in North America regions and it is expected to grow at a steady rate. Increase in street foods like sandwiches, pizza and other cuisines drive the market at higher growth rate. Followed by Europe and Asia pacific regional market is expected to grow at a relatively medium growth rate over the forecast period.Dill Pickles Market Drivers and Trends:Consumer preference for dill pickles as a part of cuisine driving an increase in demand for dill pickles in the market. Number of varieties and low cost drives the dill pickles market. Long self-life and quality ingredients such as garlic, dill oil and spices with no harmful preservatives serves traditional taste to consumer drives the dill pickle market. Other pickles available in market such as different vegetables and fruits pickles is the only restraint to dill pickle market.Dill Pickles Market Key Players:Globally, it is produced and consumed with a continuous demand and some of the key players participating in the global dill pickles market include H.J. Heinz Company LLC, Bay View Foods, Mt Olive Pickles., Pinnacle Foods Inc., Woodstock Foods., B&G Foods, Inc., Gedney Foods Company., MCCLURES PICKLES, INC., The Puckered Pickle Company, and HENGSTENBERG GMBH & CO. The companies are expected to register a growth in their business introducing more product portfolio in global dill pickles market. The companies are subjected to develop certain strategies in order to grab the competitive advantage in dill pickles market during the forecasted period.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Gallnut Extract Market Growing at a Healthy Rate

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Gallnut extract can usually be referred as natural extract prepared from a variety of plants for e.g. oak, Chinese sumac, witch hazel and some others. Plant producing galls are waste material forming outgrowth of plant tissue caused due to parasitism by gall wasp or insects. Gallnuts are traditionally having origin from China and South East Asia. The annual production of gallnuts extract expected to increase in China as per records of past few years, followed by emerging market like India, Japan, and Korea.Obtain Report Details @The major market of gallnut extract serves to textile, and the pharmaceutical industry, followed by food and cosmetics industry. Major application includes dyeing of cotton and other fibers, medicinal purpose, and cosmetic treatment. Gallnuts is highly rich in contains with tannins along with smaller molecules of gallic acid. Tannin along with alum powder used for producing a pale brown color on cotton, wool or silk. Also having an application to synthesis animal skins into quality leather due to its tannin contents.Gallnut Extract Market SegmentationGallnut extract market is basically segmented on the basis of product form, usage, type and regions. Segmentation by product form includes powdered, whole, roasted, splits contents and liquid. Among all of these segments, powdered segment is dominating the market in terms of production, followed by liquid segment expected to grow in near future. Further Segmentation can also be done by usage includes textile industry, feed, pharmaceutical, food, personal care and cosmetics.Fill the form for an exclusive sample of this report @Among all of these, textile segment utilizing high percentage of gallnut extract in powdered form, following by pharmaceutical and cosmetics industry. Segmentation can also be done on the basis of product type includes oak, Chinese sumac, witch hazel, and some other herbal trees. Among all of these segments, Chinese sumac is dominating the market due to its large cultivation. Meanwhile segments of herbal trees like Quercus infectoria is expected to grow in near future due to its skin conditioning agent.Segmentation can also be done on the basis of geographical regions includes seven major regions  North America, Western Europe, Asia-Pacific Excluding Japan (APEJ), Japan, Eastern Europe, Latin America and the Middle East & Africa (MEA). Among all of these regions, Chinese market is expected to show positive growth in terms of mass consumption over the forecast period. In terms of value, some regions of South East Asia expected to account for a major share of the market for gallnut extract over the forecast period.Gallnut Extract Market DriversPopulation explosion leading more demand for textile products expected to drive the market growth as gallnut extracts having tannin present along with alum increase dyeing of cotton, wool and silk to produce pale shaded fabrics. Leather industry consumes more synthetic material inflates cost, which can be reduces by utilizing these natural extracts. Factors such medical anomalies, cosmetic usage, along with preparatory methods for the pharmaceutical industry is enhancing market growth throughout the globe. Major trend witnessed in the consumption of extracts as oil, mordant, and active ingredients drive the demand for producing bulk quantity. Consumption of tannic acid as a food additive in cooking enhances Color, emulsify it, stabilize it, thicken the consistency expected to drive as positive growth in this market segment in near future.Gallnut Extract Market key playersSome of the major players operating in gallnut extract Market includes Foodchem, Nutra Green Biotechnology Co., Ltd, Sabinsa Cosmetics, Lvyin Biotech Co., Ltd, Sami Labs and Naturalin Bio-Resources Co., Ltd.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Turbocharger Market by Manufacturers Honeywell, BorgWarner, MHI, IHI, Cummins, Bosch Mahle

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Market Research Report on Turbocharger Market is a professional and in-depth research report. The Report include basic information like definitions, classifications, applications and industry chain overview, industry policies and plans, product specifications, manufacturing processes, cost structures and so on.This report studies Turbocharger in Global market, especially in United States, Canada, Mexico, Germany, France, UK, Italy, Russia, China, Japan, India, Korea, Southeast Asia, Australia, Brazil, Middle East and Africa,focuses on the top 5 Turbocharger Players in each region, with sales, price, revenue and market share for top 5 manufacturer, coveringHoneywell, BorgWarner, MHI, IHI, Cummins, Bosch Mahle, Continental, Hunan Tyen, Weifu Tianli, Kangyue, Weifang Fuyuan, Shenlong, Okiya Group, Zhejiang Rongfa, Hunan Rugidove.Request A Sample Copy of Turbocharger Market Research Report @Market Segment by Regions, this report splits Global into several key Regions, with sales, revenue, market share of top 5 players in these regions, from 2012 to 2017 (forecast), likeNorth America (United States, Canada and Mexico)Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Southeast Asia, India and Korea)Europe (Germany, UK, France, Italy and Russia etc.South America (Brazil, Chile, Peru and Argentina)Middle East and Africa (Egypt, South Africa, Saudi Arabia)Split by Product Types, with sales, revenue, price, market share of each type, can be divided intoDiesel Engine TurbochargerGasoline Engine TurbochargerNew Energy Engine TurbochargerSplit by applications, this report focuses on sales, market share and growth rate of Turbocharger in each application, can be divided intoVehicleEngineering MachineryOthersThe Listed Pricing For This Turbocharger Market Report Starts At US $4960.Request Discount For Turbocharger Industry Research Report @Table of Contents2017 Top 5 Turbocharger Manufacturers/Players in North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East and Africa6 Asia-Pacific Top 5 Players Turbocharger Sales, Revenue and Price6.1 Asia-Pacific Top 5 Players Turbocharger Sales, Revenue and Market Share in 2015 and 20166.1.1 Asia-Pacific Top 5 Players Turbocharger Sales and Market Share in 2015 and 20166.1.2 Asia-Pacific Top 5 Players Turbocharger Revenue and Market Share in 2015 and 20166.2 Asia-Pacific Turbocharger Sales, Revenue, Market Share and Price by Type (2012-2017)6.2.1 Asia-Pacific Turbocharger Sales and Market Share by Type (2012-2017)6.2.2 Asia-Pacific Turbocharger Revenue and Market Share by Type (2012-2017)6.2.3 Asia-Pacific Turbocharger Price by Type (2012-2017)6.3 Asia-Pacific Turbocharger Sales and Market Share by Application (2012-2017)6.4 Asia-Pacific Turbocharger Sales and Market Share by Country (China, Japan, Southeast Asia, India and Korea) (2012-2017)6.5 Asia-Pacific Turbocharger Import & Export (2012-2017)Continued.For More Information Visit @Related Reports of the Turbocharger Market Research Report : -Global and Chinese CNC Lathes Industry, 2017 Market Research ReportThe 'Global and Chinese CNC Lathes Industry, 2012-2022 Market Research Report' is a professional and in-depth study on the current state of the global CNC Lathes industry with a focus on the Chinese m...About Us:Centralize Market Research Purchases Across Your Entire Organization In One Place Marketsizeforecasters.Com Allows You To Manage And Control All Corporate Research Purchases To Consolidate Billing And Vendor Management. You Can Eliminate Duplicate Purchases And Customize Your Content And License Management.Market Size ForecastersThe Green Suite #4594,Dover, DE 19901United StatesPhone: 1-201-355-0868US Toll Free: 1-866-764-2150Email: sales@marketsizeforecasters.comWebsite:
Nickel Alloy Welding Consumables Market Global Industry Analysis Forecast 2016 - 2024

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This research study analyzes the market for nickel alloy welding consumables in terms of revenue (US$ Bn) and volume (kilo tons). The nickel alloy welding consumables market has been segmented on the basis of product, alloy type, welding technology, end use applications, and geography. The geographical segmentation includes regions, which are further divided into 20 countries. The report features a detailed regional segmentation with market growth forecasts for the period between 2016 and 2024. For the research, 2015 has been considered as the base year and 2016 the estimated year, while all forecasts have been given for the period from 2016 to 2024. Market data for all the segments has been provided at the regional and country-specific levels from 2016 to 2024.Obtain Report Details @ :The report provides a broad competitive analysis of companies engaged in the development of nickel alloy welding consumables. The report also includes key market dynamics such as the drivers, restraints, and opportunities affecting the global nickel alloy welding consumables market. These market dynamics are analyzed in detail and are illustrated in the report with the help of supporting graphs and tables. The report also provides a comprehensive analysis of the market with the help of the Porters Five Forces Analysis model, which helps in understanding the five major forces that affect the structure and profitability of the global nickel alloy welding consumables market. The forces analyzed are the bargaining power of buyers, the bargaining power of suppliers, the threat of new entrants, the threat of substitutes, and the degree of competition.The high-level analysis in the report provides detailed insights into the nickel alloy welding consumables business globally. There are currently numerous drivers for the market. The most prominent drivers include rapid growth in various industries such as transportation and power and the increasing use of nickel and its alloys. With nickel finding applications in renewable energy including wind and solar energy, the nickel alloy welding consumables market may find new avenues for demand generation. Lack of skilled workers and knowledge about the use of welding technologies and welding consumables might act as restraints for the consumable market. Market attractiveness analysis and comparison analysis was carried out for the nickel alloy welding consumables market on the basis of product, alloy, technology, application, region, and country. Market attractiveness was estimated on the basis of common parameters that directly impact the market.Fill the form for an exclusive sample of this report @ :The global nickel alloy welding consumables market has been segmented on the basis of products into stick electrodes and wires. By welding technology, the market has been segmented into shielded metal arc welding, gas metal arc welding, gas tungsten arc welding, flux cored arc welding, and submerged arc welding. By alloy type, the market has been segmented into monel alloys, inconel alloys, and other alloys. Furthermore, the nickel alloy welding consumables market has been segmented by various end-use applications including oil & gas, power, construction, marine, and other applications. Other applications consist of the transportation and manufacturing sector. Applications such as transportation and manufacturing are expected to occupy a leading share in the nickel alloy welding consumable market.In terms of geography, the market has been segmented into five regions: North America, Asia Pacific, Europe, Middle East & Africa, and Latin America. China is expected to remain the dominant market in the nickel alloy welding consumables with market for nickel alloy welding consumables reaching 417.74 kilo tons by 2024. GCC countries are anticipated to show a significant growth rate of 7.14% in the period between 2016 and 2024. The rapid development in infrastructure and trading activities in the emerging economies of the region, such as Latin America, Asia Pacific, Middle East, and Africa, will boost the market for nickel alloy welding consumables.Key players in the nickel alloy welding consumables market are Ador Welding Ltd., Colfax Corporation, Illinois Tool Works, Inc., Kobe Steel, Ltd., Lincoln Electric Holdings, Inc., MEC Holding GmbH, Sandvik Materials Technology AB, Special Metal Corporation, Tianjin Golden Bridge Welding Materials Group Co., Ltd., and voestalpine Bohler Welding GmbH. Other players included are Arcos Industries, LLC, Berkenhoff GmbH, Cor-Met Inc., Kunshan Gintune Welding Co., Ltd., Linan Dayang Welding Material Co., Ltd., Oxford Alloys, Inc., Ramtec Welding Products Limited, Senor Metals Pvt. Ltd., and Weld Mold Company.Nickel alloy welding consumables market: By ProductStick ElectrodesWiresNickel alloy welding consumables market: By TechnologyShielded Metal Arc WeldingGas Metal Arc WeldingGas Tungsten Arc WeldingFlux Cored Arc WeldingSubmerged Arc WeldingNickel alloy welding consumables market: By Alloy TypeMonel AlloysInconel AlloysOther AlloysNickel alloy welding consumables market: By ApplicationOil & GasPowerConstructionMarineOther ApplicationsAbout UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector - such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMRs syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207
Central Hotels Appoints Baristas Corner as Exclusive Coffee partners at All its Upcoming Hotels Central Hotels has entered into a strategic partnership with Baristas Corner as its exclusive supplier of all coffee related products at all its upcoming hotels. Mr Ammar Kanaan, General Manager of Central Hotels, announced today at the Arabian Travel Market, We are pleased to appoint Baristas Corner as our coffee partners across the network of our stunning hotels which will provide all coffee related services. We believe, it is extremely important to get the coffee right as there is nothing like a fresh cup of coffee to get you going through your day. Baristas Corner offers specialty, premium coffee and we are confident they will deliver the finest quality to meet the expectations of our guests who come from different parts of the world.



Baristas Corner is a concept brought to life by a passionate Emirati entrepreneur who clearly understands and appreciates a handcrafted cup of fine coffee. Mr. Mohamed Hassan Alshamsi, Founder and CEO of Baristas Corner, said, We are delighted to partner with Central Hotels who have several projects in development. We import specialty, handpicked coffee beans from reputable sources across the globe, to provide our clients rich premium blends and single origins. At Baristas Corner we also offer a complete spectrum of related services from machines, grinders, brewing tools and manpower amongst others. Our aim is not to be the largest or most lavish coffee company in the market. However, we want to provide our clients the finest and most intimate coffee experience.



As part of the agreement with Central Hotels, during the first phase Baristas Corner will fully supply all related coffee services at the 284-keys Bay Central Hotel located at The Burj Khalifa district as well as the 208-keys Central Hotel in The Palm. Both properties are in the 4-stars category and are scheduled to open in 2017. It will subsequently roll out Baristas Corner to other Central Hotels projects under development.



Mr Ammar Kanaan, General Manager of Central Hotels, stressed, Our aim with Central Hotels has been to provide local know-how with modern comforts, creating value for our guests and associates. Though we have just begun our foray into hospitality we have seen a terrific response from both our guests as well as developers. Hence, we deem it necessary to provide the very best in terms of product, quality, and service to our customers and coffee is an extremely important element of our business.



Visit Central Hotels stand #HC1212 at Arabian Travel Market in Sheikh Saeed Hall, Dubai World Trade Centre from 24  27 April, 2017.



About Central Hotels



Central Hotels has very quickly established itself as a reputed hotel management group in the UAE with its flagship property First Central Hotel Suites located in Barsha Heights (TECOM) near Sheikh Zayed Road. Featuring 524 apartments equipped with top-notch facilities, it offers travelers the best of Arabian hospitality in the heart of Dubai. Building up on this amazing success, the brand is now poised to expand its footprint in the GCC targeting Saudi Arabia and the UAE as the primary markets for growth.



For more information about First Central Hotel Suites visit www.firstcentraldubai.com



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Gas Insulated Substation Market - Evolving Industry Trends 2024

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Substations play a crucial role in electricity distribution infrastructures as a part of the transmission and distribution systems, performing several core functions such as the transformation of voltage from high to low, or vice versa. Electricity may flow through a number of substations between the power generation station to the consumer. Substations may house transformers to alter voltage levels between high and low transmission and distribution voltages or at the junction of two different levels of transmission voltages.Browse Market Research Report @ :In the recent years, gas insulated substations have witnessed a significant rise in demand owing to their high level of efficiency and compact nature, with size running down to around a tenth of conventional substations. The market for gas insulated substations is expected to benefit from the rising concerns of scarcity of land, especially in urban areas. The rising costs of usable land and the increasing demand for compact power transmission and distribution systems are the key factors boosting the market for gas insulated substations.The report estimates that the market for gas insulated substations will more than double over the period between 2016 and 2024. The market is expected to exhibit a robust 10.31% CAGR over the said period, rising from a valuation of US$14.7 bn in 2015 to US$35.8 bn in 2024.High Voltage Substations to See Increased DemandThe report segments the global gas insulated substations market on the basis of voltage into medium ( 72.5 KV) and high (>72.5 KV). Of these, the segment of high voltage gas insulated substations is expected to witness demand rise at a higher pace than the segment of medium voltage gas insulated substations. As the power transmission industry struggles to deal with the challenge of bringing high voltage levels into urban areas, with the added requirement of being able to be compatible with the inconsistent supply of power from renewable sources, the segment of high voltage gas insulation substations is expected to gain higher demand.Fill the form for an exclusive sample of this report @ :Asia Pacific Market for Gas Insulated Substation to Remain at Forefront of GrowthFrom a geographical perspective, the global market for gas insulated substations is segmented in the report into North America, Asia Pacific, Europe, and Rest of the World. Of these, the Asia Pacific market presently dominates, accounting for a massive 54% of the global market in 2015. China and India are the leaders in the massive Asia Pacific market for gas insulated substations. In Asia Pacific, the market for gas insulated substations is expected to benefit from the immense scarcity of open spaces required to expand transmission and distribution infrastructure of the burgeoning power industry. Rising urbanization in countries such as Japan, China, and India are also expected to drive the increased demand for gas insulated substations.In Europe, which held the second spot in terms of share in the global market in 2015, countries such as France, the U.K. and Germany dominate the gas insulated substation market space. In North America, the U.S. and Canada remain at the forefront of the market for gas insulated substations. The Europe and North America markets are expected to benefit from the increased need for replacement of aging power transmission and distribution infrastructure. GCC countries and Brazil represent the key markets for gas insulated substations in the rest of the world.Some of the leading vendors operating in the global gas insulated substation market are Schneider Electric SE, Fuji Electric Co., Ltd., ABB Ltd., Hitachi, Ltd., General Electric (GE), Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, Toshiba Corporation, Siemens AG, Crompton Greaves Ltd., and Eaton Corporation plc.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector - such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMRs syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207
Global Touch Based Human Machine Interface (HMI) Market 2017 - Siemens, Advantech, Pro-Face, ABB, Emerson Electric Co., Schneider

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We analysis touch based human machine interface(HMI) in this report, The products are segmented into Resistive, Capacitives, and Surface Acoustic Wave, different industrial applications of HMI- discrete: automotive, metal & mining, packaging, and aerospace & defense; and process: food & beverage, healthcare, and oil & gas industries.Scope of the Report:This report focuses on the Touch Based Human Machine Interface (HMI) 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 coversSiemensAdvantechMitsubishi Electric CorporationPro-FaceABBEmerson Electric Co.SchneiderWEINVIEWOmron CorporationDeltaMCGSKeanBeijer ElectronicsKinco AutomationTouchwoMarket 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, coversResistiveCapacitiveSurface Acoustic WaveOthersMarket Segment by Applications, can be divided intoIndustrialCommercialOthersAccess Full Report With TOC @There are 15 Chapters to deeply display the global Touch Based Human Machine Interface (HMI) market.Chapter 1, to describe Touch Based Human Machine Interface (HMI) Introduction, product scope, market overview, market opportunities, market risk, market driving force;Chapter 2, to analyze the top manufacturers of Touch Based Human Machine Interface (HMI), with sales, revenue, and price of Touch Based Human Machine Interface (HMI), 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 Touch Based Human Machine Interface (HMI), 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, Touch Based Human Machine Interface (HMI) market forecast, by regions, type and application, with sales and revenue, from 2017 to 2022;Chapter 13, 14 and 15, to describe Touch Based Human Machine Interface (HMI) sales channel, distributors, traders, dealers, Research Findings and Conclusion, appendix and data source.About Fior MarketsFior Markets is a leading market intelligence company that sells reports of top publishers in the technology industry.Our extensive research reports cover detailed market assessments that include major technological improvements in the industry. Fior Markets also specializes in analyzing hi-tech systems and current processing systems in its expertise.We have a team of experts that compile precise research reports and actively advise top companies to improve their existing processes. Our experts have extensive experience in the topics that they cover.Contact UsMark StoneSales ManagerPhone: (201) 465-4211Email: sales@fiormarkets.comWeb:Blog:
Tomato Ketchup Market Driven by Rising Demand in Industrial Applications

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Tomato ketchup is a widely popular condiment made from tomatoes, vinegar, sweeteners, and salt. The simple yet versatile formulation of tomato ketchup has made it popular in various cuisines, with the growing demand for fast food enabling smooth expansion of the tomato ketchup market. Tomato ketchup is commonly served with fast food items such as sandwiches, burgers, fries, and grilled or fried meat. It is also commonly used as a base for other sauces, since its flavor is popular and agreeable.Obtain Report Details @The report examines the historical development trajectory of the global tomato ketchup market. The historical data is combined with detailed information about the present condition of the market in order to derive useful insights into the probable growth trajectory of the global tomato ketchup market in the coming years. The various factors affecting the trajectory of the tomato ketchup market are examined in detail in the report, with detailed analysis given for each notable driver and restraint acting on the market.Global Tomato Ketchup Market: Drivers and RestraintsThe global tomato ketchup market is primarily driven by the growing demand for fast food across the world. While North America is the prime market for fast food, the growing adoption of the Western culture across the world is leading to significant demand for fast food in Asia Pacific and Latin America, where the market stands to grow rapidly owing to the increasing disposable income of urban consumers. The convenience of fast food means the burgeoning middle class is likely to remain a key consumer demographic for the fast food industry in the coming years, leading to strong growth prospects for the global tomato ketchup market.Fill the form for an exclusive sample of this report @Ketchup is a staple with traditional fast food items, but the agreeable flavor of tomato ketchup has also boosted its use with local fast food items in emerging regions. As a result, leading producers of tomato ketchup have been able to successfully create regional variants of their products based on the cultural preferences and compatibility with the local cuisines. This is a key driver for the global tomato ketchup market, especially given the rising demand for ketchup in Southeast Asia and the Far East, where local street food remains widely popular.While tomato ketchup is primarily used in commercially sold fast food, a significant part of the total demand for tomato ketchup comes from families. As tomato ketchup is a versatile condiment and works with a wide range of flavors, the demand for tomato ketchup from the residential sector is growing rapidly.On the other hand, the rising use of other condiments such as mustard and barbecue sauce is a key restraint on the tomato ketchup market. The success of the tomato ketchup market has also encouraged the commercial production of local condiments and sauces, which have emerged as alternatives to tomato ketchup in many regions. Many tomato ketchup manufacturers have thus diversified their product catalog to compensate for the possible reduction in the demand for tomato ketchup.Global Tomato Ketchup Market: Geographical SegmentationDue to the widespread prevalence of fast food joints and quick service restaurants in North America and Europe, these two are the leading contributors to the global tomato ketchup market and are likely to retain a dominant share in the coming years. However, the Asia Pacific and Middle East markets for tomato ketchup have exhibited promise in the last few decade, and with many countries in this region steadily climbing the rungs of economic progress, the fast food industry is also growing smoothly in these regions. This is likely to present promising growth prospects for manufacturers of tomato ketchup in the coming years.The report also profiles the leading companies in the global tomato ketchup market in order to provide an overview of the markets competitive landscape. Key players profiled in the report include Nestle India Ltd., H. J. Heinz Company, Campbell Soup Company, Tate & Lyle plc, ConAgra Foods Inc., Lee Kum Kee, General Mills Inc., and Premier Foods Plc.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Global Ultrasonic Welding Machine Market 2017 - Branson (Emerson), Schunk, Herrmann, Telsonic, Dukane, Weber, Rinco

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Ultrasonic welding is the joining or reforming of thermoplastics or other materials through the use of heat generated from high-frequency mechanical motion. It is accomplished by converting high-frequency electrical energy into high-frequency mechanical motion. That mechanical motion, along with applied force, creates frictional heat at the plastic or other materials components' mating surfaces (joint area) so the material will melt and form a molecular bond between the parts.Scope of the Report:This report focuses on the Ultrasonic Welding Machine 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 coversBranson (Emerson)SchunkHerrmannTelsonicDukaneWeberRincoSonics & MaterialsKLN Ultraschall AGMecasonicSONOTRONIC Nagel GmbHKepuK-SonicSEDECOXin DongliMaxwide UltrasonicKormax SystemEver UltrasonicForward TechnologySonobondHornwellChuxin Sonic techSuccess UltrasonicMarket Segment by Regions, regional analysis coversNorth America (USA, Canada and Mexico)Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia and Italy)Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia)South America (Brazil, Argentina, Columbia etc.)Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria and South Africa)Access Full Report With TOC @Market Segment by Type, coversAutomatic Ultrasonic Welding MachineSemi-automatic Ultrasonic Welding MachineManual Ultrasonic Welding MachineMarket Segment by Applications, can be divided intoAutomotiveElectronicsMedicalPackaging and clothingOthersThere are 15 Chapters to deeply display the global Ultrasonic Welding Machine market.About Fior MarketsFior Markets is a leading market intelligence company that sells reports of top publishers in the technology industry.Our extensive research reports cover detailed market assessments that include major technological improvements in the industry. Fior Markets also specializes in analyzing hi-tech systems and current processing systems in its expertise.We have a team of experts that compile precise research reports and actively advise top companies to improve their existing processes. Our experts have extensive experience in the topics that they cover.Contact UsMark StoneSales ManagerPhone: (201) 465-4211Email: sales@fiormarkets.comWeb:Blog:
Steam Boiler Systems Market Research For (Generators, Steam Engines (Locomotives) Cement Production, Agriculture) Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, And Forecast 2016 - 2024

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Global Steam Boiler System Market: OverviewThis report analyzes and forecasts the market for Steam Boiler Systems at the global and regional level. The market has been forecast based on revenue (US$ Mn) & Volume (Units) from 2016 to 2024. The study includes drivers and restraints of the global Steam Boiler Systems market. It also covers the impact of these drivers and restraints on demand for Steam Boiler Systems during the forecast period. The report also highlights opportunities in the Steam Boiler Systems market at the global and regional level.The report comprises a detailed value chain analysis, which provides a comprehensive view of the global Steam Boiler Systems market. Porters Five Forces model for the Steam Boiler Systems market has also been included to help understand the competitive landscape in the market. The study encompasses market attractiveness analysis, wherein end-user are benchmarked based on their market size, growth rate, and general attractiveness.Global Steam Boiler System Market: Scope of the StudyThe study provides a decisive view of the global Steam Boiler Systems market by segmenting it in terms Type of Boiler, application and end user. These segments have been analyzed based on present and future trends. Regional segmentation includes the current and forecasted demand for Steam Boiler Systems in North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa. The report also covers demand for individual end-user segments in all the regions.Get The Sample Copy Of This Report :The report provides the estimated market size of Steam Boiler Systems for 2015 and forecast for the next nine years. The global market size of Steam Boiler Systems has been provided in terms of revenue and units. Market numbers have been estimated based on Type of Boiler, application and end user segment of Steam Boiler Systems. Market size and forecast for each major type of boiler, application and end user have been provided in terms of global and regional markets.Global Steam Boiler System Market: Research MethodologyIn order to compile the research report, we conducted in-depth interviews and discussions with a number of key industry participants and opinion leaders. Primary research represents the bulk of research efforts, supplemented by extensive secondary research. We reviewed key players operating in the boiler and various end user industries, annual reports, press releases, and relevant documents for competitive analysis and market understanding. Secondary research also includes a search of recent trade, technical writing, internet sources, and statistical data from government websites, trade associations, and agencies. This has proven to be the most reliable, effective, and successful approach for obtaining precise market data, capturing industry participants insights, and recognizing business opportunities.View Full Report :Secondary research sources that are typically referred to include, but are not limited to company websites, annual reports, financial reports, broker reports, investor presentations, and SEC filings, internal and external proprietary databases, and relevant patent and regulatory databases, national government documents, statistical databases, and market reports, news articles, press releases, and webcasts specific to companies operating in the market, International Energy Agency (IEA), U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), Environmental Protection Agency.Primary research involves e-mail interactions, telephonic interviews, and face-to-face interviews for each market, category, segment, and sub-segment across geographies. We conduct primary interviews on an ongoing basis with industry participants and commentators in order to validate the data and analysis. Primary interviews provide firsthand information on market size, market trends, growth trends, competitive landscape, and outlook, etc. These help validate and strengthen secondary research findings. These also help develop the analysis teams expertise and market understanding.Companies Mentioned in this ReportThe study includes profiles of major companies operating in the global Steam Boiler Systems market. Key players profiled in the report include Steam Boiler Systems market include Cleaver-Brooks, ZHENGZHOU BOILER (GROUP) CO., LTD., Buderus, Doosan, Clayton Industries, Byworth Boilers, BHEL, Fulton Boiler Works, Inc., LARSEN & TOUBRO LIMITED , Hurst Boiler & Welding Company, Inc. Market players have been profiled in terms of attributes such as company overview, financial overview, business strategies, recent developments, and SWOT analysis.The report segments the global steam boiler systems market as:By Boiler TypeFire Tube BoilerHorizontal Return Tubular BoilerShort Fire Box BoilerCompact BoilerWater Tube BoilerHorizontal Straight Tube BoilerBent Tube BoilerCyclone Fired BoilerSuper HeaterBy ApplicationGeneratorsSteam Engines (Locomotives)Cement ProductionAgricultureBy End UserFoodChemicalRefineriesPrimary MetalThermal Power PlantsOthersBy RegionNorth AmericaU.S.CanadaEuropeFranceU.K.SpainGermanyItalyRest of EuropeAsia PacificChinaJapanIndiaASEANRest of Asia PacificLatin AmericaBrazilMexicoRest of Latin AmericaMiddle East & Africa (MEA)GCCEgyptSouth AfricaRest of MEAMarketResearchReports.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
Global Underfloor Heating Market 2017 - Raychem, Myson, Warmup, ThermoSoft International, Flexel International, Emerson

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"Underfloor heating (UFH) is a heating system that uses embedded pipes or electric heating cables beneath a finished floor so that heat radiates steadily from floor level.It is a form of central heating using conduction, radiation and convection. Underfloor heating (UFH)s advantages main include two aspects: it provides better quality heating without draughts or dry air, but also that, because of its low operating temperature; it can be easily linked in with alternative heating sources that output at the same low temperatures."Request For Sample Report @Scope of the Report:This report focuses on the Underfloor Heating in Global market, especially in North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East and Africa. This report categorizes the market based on manufacturers, regions, type and application.Market Segment by Manufacturers, this report coversRaychemMysonWarmupThermoSoft InternationalFlexel InternationalEmersonCaloriqueDanfoss A/SDaikinMarket 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, coversHydronic Underfloor HeatingElectric Underfloor HeatingMarket Segment by Applications, can be divided intoCommercial BuildingResidential BuildingIndustrial BuildingOtherAccess Full Report With TOC @There are 15 Chapters to deeply display the global Underfloor Heating market.Chapter 1, to describe Underfloor Heating Introduction, product scope, market overview, market opportunities, market risk, market driving force;Chapter 2, to analyze the top manufacturers of Underfloor Heating, with sales, revenue, and price of Underfloor Heating, 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 Underfloor Heating, 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, Underfloor Heating market forecast, by regions, type and application, with sales and revenue, from 2017 to 2022;Chapter 13, 14 and 15, to describe Underfloor Heating sales channel, distributors, traders, dealers, Research Findings and Conclusion, appendix and data source.About Fior MarketsFior Markets is a leading market intelligence company that sells reports of top publishers in the technology industry.Our extensive research reports cover detailed market assessments that include major technological improvements in the industry. Fior Markets also specializes in analyzing hi-tech systems and current processing systems in its expertise.We have a team of experts that compile precise research reports and actively advise top companies to improve their existing processes. Our experts have extensive experience in the topics that they cover.Contact UsMark StoneSales ManagerPhone: (201) 465-4211Email: sales@fiormarkets.comWeb:Blog:
Nerve Monitoring Devices Market: Industry Insights with Key Companys Profiles - Forecast to 2024

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Global Nerve Monitoring Devices MarketNerve monitoring devices are various implements used to supervise the function of the nervous system during surgeries. Since neural function is absolutely vital and the risk of inadvertent damage to nerves during several surgeries is moderately high, nerve monitoring devices have gained widespread acceptance in recent years. Nerve monitoring devices monitor the integrity and ensure the continued function of a few key areas, in order to avoid irreparable nerve damage.Browse Complete Market Details at:The global nerve monitoring devices market is propelled by the increasing number of neural surgeries and the increasing geriatric population, among other factors. The report presents the expected qualitative and quantitative impact of the driving and restraining factors influencing the global nerve monitoring devices in the 20162024 forecast period, in addition to data on the competitive and commercial dynamics of the nerve monitoring devices industry.Global Nerve Monitoring Devices Market: Drivers and RestraintsThe major driver of the nerve monitoring devices market is, naturally, the increased number of neural surgeries performed around the world. Due to advancements in our knowledge about the nervous system, increasingly complex neural surgeries can now be performed with near-absolute safety. This has led to a consequent rise in the demand for nerve monitoring devices.The rising geriatric population around the world is also a significant factor propelling the global nerve monitoring devices market. The elderly are more prone to nervous diseases than their younger counterparts, and the former are also more likely to require surgical interventions than the latter. Both these factors lead increased demand for nerve monitoring devices, since they are used in both neural and other surgeries that present a risk of nerve damage.Apart from these, the major driving factor propelling the global nerve monitoring devices market is increasing awareness among the global population. The broadening population pool of patients who can afford advanced medical treatments is also boosting the global nerve monitoring devices market.Global Nerve Monitoring Devices Market: Geographical OverviewThe global nerve monitoring devices market is led by North America. The increasing demand for neural surgeries in the region, the high purchasing power of patients in the region, and the firm establishment of major medical research avenues have been the primary drivers for the North America nerve monitoring devices market. The high geriatric population of the region has also helped the expansion of the nerve monitoring devices market.Europe was the second-largest market for nerve monitoring devices in 2015. Several governments in Europe have proactively encouraged medical research, which has boosted the neural surgery sector. The Europe and North America markets for nerve monitoring devices are also helped immensely by the heavy public health-care expenditure, as well as the presence of sufficient reimbursement schemes.In the coming years, though, the increasingly urbanized Asia Pacific market for nerve monitoring devices is expected to emerge as a major regional player in the global market. As health-care infrastructure spreads across developing economies such as China, India, and Japan, advanced medical procedures and devices will become easily available, driving the market for implements such as nerve monitoring devices.Get Sample Report Containing the Future Market Perspectives at:Major players operating in the global nerve monitoring devices market include Medtronic, Nihon Kohden Corporation, Inomed, Dr. Langer Medical GmbH, EMS Biomedical, and Natus Medical Incorporated.The report offers a comprehensive evaluation of the market. It does so via in-depth qualitative insights, historical data, and verifiable projections about market size. The projections featured in the report have been derived using proven research methodologies and assumptions. By doing so, the research report serves as a repository of analysis and information for every facet of the market, including but not limited to: Regional markets, technology, types, and applications.Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.Our data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts, so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With a broad research and analysis capability, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques in developing distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Streptococci Testing Market is Anticipated to Show the Robust Growth by 2024

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Streptococci Testing Market: OverviewStreptococcal infections are caused by a microorganism called Streptococcus which is a non-motile, microaerophilic, grampositive spherical bacterium. Several disease causing strains of the bacteria include streptococci (groups A, B, C, D, and G). Each group causes specific types of infections and symptoms. Group A strain of the bacteria are the most virulent species for humans and cause wound and skin infections, strep throat, scarlet fever, tonsillitis, blood infections (septicemia), pneumonia, Sydenham's chorea., rheumatic fever and glomerulonephritis.Browse Complete Market Details at:Streptococci are known to originate from several natural sources, including humans and diverse animals. These bacteria often colonize on the mucosal surfaces of the mouth, nasal passages, intestinal tract, and pharynx. Moreover, the bacteria may also cause contamination of drinking water due to feces. Food products which are at high risk of contamination include milk and dairy products, steamed lobster, eggs, potato salad, ground ham, rice pudding custard, and shrimp salad. Some streptococci are commercially important for the production of cheese and yogurt, though are known to be potent pathogen.The bacteria species which do not cause any infection and are used in food industry include S. lactis, S. diacelillactis S. cremoris, and S. thermophilus, the latter being the most well-known. The factors affecting the incidences of sore throats (pharyngitis) include seasonal variation, patients age, and geography. Pharyngitis most of the times is bacterial, though can be viral. Children ranging from 5 to 15 years of age are most susceptible to the infection by group A strep during the winter or early spring season. Symptoms of this infection include stomach aches, headaches, vomiting, nausea, and listlessness.Streptococci Testing Market: Key SegmentsThe global streptococci testing market can be segmented based in tests type, end users and geography. Antibody tests include the antistreptolysin O titer (ASO), anti-DNase-B (ADB) test and Streptozyme. ASO test helps in determining a kidney disease glomerulonephritis, scarlet fever or rheumatic fever. ADB test is performed to determine a previous infection of a group A beta-hemolytic Streptococcus. Streptozyme is a screening test used to detect antibodies to several streptococcal antigens. Diagnostic tests include throat culture and rapid antigen test. Diagnostic tests are used to confirm the infection where in the sample from the infected area is used as culture, a means of growing bacteria artificially in the laboratory.The cause of a sore throat is usually diagnosed on the basis of a physical exam and lab tests. A throat culture also known as strep test helps in detection of the presence of group A strain of streptococcal bacteria by using a throat swab. This strain is the most common cause of strep throat infection. Various other infections caused by these bacteria include pneumonia, meningitis and tonsillitis. Rapid antigen test can detect strep bacteria in minutes by looking for substances (antigens) in the throat. The rapid strep test detects the presence of a carbohydrate antigen which is unique to group A Streptococcus.The downside to the rapid test is that it cannot detect the presence of Group C and G which can also cause streptococcal pharyngitis. On positive rapid strep test, the treatment is started with appropriate antibiotics to prevent long-term damage and recurrence. End users segment include hospitals, private labs, physicians offices and public health labs. Geographically, the global streptococci testing market is segmented into four major regions namely, North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Rest of the World.Get Sample Report Containing the Future Market Perspectives at:Streptococci Testing Market: Key PlayersThe key players contributing to Streptococci market include Abbott Diagnostics, Beckman Coulter, bioMerieux, DiaSorin, Hologic, Qiagen, Roche Diagnostics, Novartis Diagnostics, Ortho Clinical Diagnostics, Sigma Aldrich, and Thermo Fischer Scientific.Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.Our data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts, so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With a broad research and analysis capability, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques in developing distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Global Atomizing Iron Powder Market Analysis by Powder Metallurgy, Welding and Chemical Applications 2017

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Global Atomizing Iron Powder Market 2017 report spread across 123 pages gives Market Segment Analysis by Key Manufacturers, Countries, Types and Applications. Atomized iron powder is molten iron or iron alloy treatment by high-pressure water mist, is a new variety of iron powder, with no impurities in the production process, relatively pure, spherical particles made by the atomizing method, it is the best raw materials of mechanical parts.Complete report is available atScope of the Report:This report focuses on the Global Atomizing Iron Powder market, especially in North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East and Africa. This report categorizes the market based on manufacturers, regions, type and application.Market Segment by Manufacturers, this report covers: Hoganas, GKN (Hoeganaes), Rio Tinto Metal Powders, Pometon, Kobelco, JFE, Laiwu Iron&Steel Group, Jiande Yitong, BaZhou HongSheng, CNPC Powder MaterialMarket Segment by Regions, regional analysis covers: North America (USA, Canada and Mexico); Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia and Italy); Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia); South America (Brazil, Argentina, Columbia etc.); Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria and South Africa)Market Segment by Type, covers: 400 MeshMarket Segment by Applications, can be divided into: Powder Metallurgy, Welding, Chemical, OtherRequest for discount atThere are 15 Chapters to deeply display the global Atomizing Iron Powder market.Chapter 1 to describe Atomizing Iron Powder Introduction, product scope, market overview, market opportunities, market risk, market driving force;Chapter 2 to analyze the top manufacturers of Atomizing Iron Powder, with sales, revenue, and price of Atomizing Iron 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 Atomizing Iron 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;Order copy of report atChapter 12 Atomizing Iron Powder market forecast, by regions, type and application, with sales and revenue, from 2017 to 2022;Chapter 13, 14 and 15 to describe Atomizing Iron Powder sales channel, distributors, traders, dealers, Research Findings and Conclusion, appendix and data source.ReportsnReports.com is your single source for all market research needs. Our database includes 500,000+ market research reports from over 95 leading global publishers & in-depth market research studies of over 5000 micro markets.Ritesh Tiwari,+ 1 888 391 5441sales@reportsandreports.com
Latest Survey Reveals Global Point of Sale (POS) Terminal Market: Size, Trends & Forecasts (2017-2021)

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Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Global Point of Sale (POS) Terminal Market: Size, Trends & Forecasts (2017-2021)" to its huge collection of research reports.The report entitled Global Point of Sale (POS) Terminal Market: Size, Trends & Forecasts (2017-2021), provides analysis of the global POS market, with detailed analysis of market size and growth, and segmentation of the industry. The analysis includes the market by value, volume and by segmentation.The report also includes a detailed regional analysis of the POS market in regions such as Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America, Middle East and Africa and US/ Canada. Under competitive landscape, different players in the POS market have been compared on the basis of revenue and market capitalization.Moreover, the report assesses the key opportunities in the market and outlines the factors that are and will be driving the growth of the industry. Growth of the overall global POS market has also been forecasted for the years 2017-2021, taking into consideration the previous growth patterns, the growth drivers and the current and future trends.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @Ingenico Group, Verifone Systems Inc., Toshiba Tec Corporation and PAX Global Technology Limited are some of the key players operating in the global POS market, whose company profiling has been done in the report. In this segment of the report, business overview, financial overview and business strategies of the companies are provided.Country Coverage- Asia Pacific- Europe- Latin America- Middle East and Africa- US/ CanadaCompany Coverage- Ingenico Group- Verifone Systems Inc.- Toshiba Tec Corporation- PAX Global Technology LimitedExecutive SummaryThe Global POS market can be segmented on the basis of component, applicability and product. On the basis of component, the market can further be divided into hardware and software. On the basis of applicability, the market can be divided into hospitality, grocery, healthcare, field service, restaurants & retail small and medium business. On the basis of product, the market can be divided into fixed and wireless POS terminal.The global POS market is expected to increase at a healthy rate during the forecast period (2017-2021). The global POS market is supported by various growth drivers, such as rising e- commerce sales, increasing shipments of NFC enabled handsets, upsurge in number of hotels, resorts and spas, boom in number of smartphone users and increased use of mobile POS by small and medium enterprises. However, non compliance to PCI and data security risk are some of the challenges faced by the market. Growing use of cloud based POS, android POS hardware and increasing use of mobile wallets by consumers are some of the latest trends in the global POS market.Make an Enquiry of this report @About ResearchMozResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.Mr. NachiketState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesEmail: sales@researchmoz.usWebsite @Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Follow us on LinkedIn @
What will the Global Digital Signature Market size and the growth rate be in 2022?

Research N Reports

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Digital Signature - Global Market Outlook (2016-2022) Purchase This Report by calling ResearchnReports.com at +1-888-631-6977.A major chunk of the report talks about the technologies that are and will influence the growth of the Digital Signature market. Forecasts for these technology sectors are presented in the report. Integration is the key to advancement in technology in the global Digital Signature market. Companies that offers the latest integrated technologies at an affordable cost are expected to thrive in the Digital Signature market. The dominating technologies in the Digital Signature market along with the upcoming technologies that are expected to revolutionize the market are explained in the reportThe report also elaborates on the opportunities the emerging markets of Asia Pacific and Latin America offer. Furthermore, the cost of raw materials in these nations is low, while the availability is high. This has turned the heads of several major international companies to the emerging countries of Asia Pacific.The key companies operating in the Digital Signature market along with their revenues, market size, key business strategy, key technology strategy, and recent developments is mentioned in the report. In addition to this, valuable recommendations on the opportunities players in the market can tap on is presented in the report. This will help clients to gain a competitive edge in the Digital Signature market.Get Sample Copy of this Report:The report, titled Digital Signature presents an in-depth study of the Digital Signature market. Providing a brief history about the market, the report analyses the entire value chain of the market and points out the key drivers and restraints affecting the growth of the market during the forecast period. The report also analyses the market attractiveness and the effect of Porters Five Forces on the various factors governing the overall Digital Signature market.The report studies the different product segments and end-user applications segment of the Digital Signature market. Compiling important data from relevant sources, the report estimates the growth of individual segments of the market. Also, the market size and the growth rate of each of the market segments have been discussed in the report. The report pays very special attention to the growth exhibited by the Digital Signature market in key geographic segments and talks about all the favorable conditions propelling the market growth. Growth trajectory of the market across the key geographic segments is discussed in the report.Major players in the Digital Signature market have been listed down in the report. The report talks about the key players eyeing the development of the market in emerging economies due to the numerous significant efforts taken by the policymakers to transform the economic landscape. The report also discusses the product offerings and revenue segmentation of the key players to throw light on the highly competitive environment prevailing in the Digital Signature market. Key strategies of growth adopted by leading industry players are also analyzed in detail by the report.Get Discount on this report:The research report Global Digital Signature Market is a market study examining and profiling the current state of the Digital Signature industry in a professional manner. The report systematically categorizes the Digital Signature market, explaining the definition of Digital Signature before making clear the classification of the market by the various parameters employed by market experts. The multiple applications of Digital Signature in the global industrial scenario are profiled along with an explanation of the industry supply and value chain developed around it. The regional segments of the global Digital Signature market are also examined and data gained from this analysis presented. The development trends in and competitive landscape of the Digital Signature market are also studied and data regarding the same is presented in the report.Cloud based solutions is projected to be the largest deployment segment as they reduce the operational cost of implementation. The managed services segment is expected to witness largest market share owing to reduction of the cost of operations as well as they provide integration of Wide Area Network (WAN) and branch networks. North America is the largest market followed by Europe. Europe growth is attributed to growing legal services firms, adoption of digital signature and release of new regulations for electronic signatures by the European Electronic Messaging Association. Asia Pacific is the fastest growing market due to enhancement of digital technologies in countries such as China and India.Table of Content:-1 Executive Summary2 Preface2.1 Abstract2.2 Stake Holders2.3 Research Scope2.4 Research Methodology2.4.1 Data Mining2.4.2 Data Analysis2.4.3 Data Validation2.4.4 Research Approach2.5 Research Sources2.5.1 Primary Research Sources2.5.2 Secondary Research Sources2.5.3 Assumptions3 Market Trend Analysis3.1 Introduction3.2 Drivers3.3 Restraints3.4 Opportunities3.5 Threats3.6 Application Analysis3.7 End User Analysis3.8 Emerging Markets3.9 Futuristic Market Scenario4 Porters Five Force Analysis4.1 Bargaining power of suppliers4.2 Bargaining power of buyers4.3 Threat of substitutes4.4 Threat of new entrants4.5 Competitive rivalry5 Global Digital Signature Market, By Deployment5.1 Introduction5.2 Cloud-Based5.3 On-Premises5.4 Web Based6 Global Digital Signature Market, By Component6.1 Introduction6.2 Services6.2.1 Professional Services6.2.2 Managed Services6.3 Solutions6.3.1 Software6.3.2 Hardware7 Global Digital Signature Market, By Application7.1 Introduction7.2 Banking, Financial Services, and Insurance7.3 Education and Research7.4 Government and Defense7.5 Healthcare and Life Sciences7.6 Human Resources7.7 Legal7.8 Manufacturing and Engineering7.9 Real Estate7.10 Other Applications8 Global Digital Signature Market, By End User8.1 Introduction8.2 Large Enterprises8.3 Small and Medium Enterprises (SME)9 Global Digital Signature Market, By Type9.1 Introduction9.2 Class 19.3 Class 29.4 Class 310 Global Digital Signature Market, By Geography10.1 North America10.1.1 US10.1.2 Canada10.1.3 Mexico10.2 Europe10.2.1 Germany10.2.2 France10.2.3 Italy10.2.4 UK10.2.5 Spain10.2.6 Rest of Europe10.3 Asia Pacific10.3.1 Japan10.3.2 China10.3.3 India10.3.4 Australia10.3.5 New Zealand10.3.6 Rest of Asia Pacific10.4 Rest of the World10.4.1 Middle East10.4.2 Brazil10.4.3 Argentina10.4.4 South Africa10.4.5 Egypt11 Key Developments11.1 Agreements, Partnerships, Collaborations and Joint Ventures11.2 Acquisitions & Mergers11.3 New Product Launch11.4 Expansions11.5 Other Key Strategies12 Company Profiling12.1 Adobe Systems, Inc12.2 Ascertia12.3 Microsoft Corporation12.4 Docusign, Inc.12.5 Entrust Datacard Corp12.6 Gemalto, Inc12.7 IdenTrust, Inc12.8 International Business solutions llc12.9 Kofax Limited12.10 Korea SYSTEM's TECH Inc12.11 Kotrade Inc12.12 Right Signature LLC12.13 Secured Signing Limited12.14 Signix Inc12.15 Oracle CorporationFor More Enquiry On This Report:Company Overview:Research N Reports is a new age market research firm where we focus on providing information that can be effectively applied. Today being a consumer driven market, companies require information to deal with the complex and dynamic world of choices. Where relying on a sound board firm for your decisions becomes crucial. Research N Reports specializes in industry analysis, market forecasts and as a result getting quality reports covering all verticals, whether be it gaining perspective on current market conditions or being ahead in the cut throat United States and Global and Global competition. Since we excel at business research to help businesses grow, we also offer consulting as an extended arm to our services which only helps us gain more insight into current trends and problems. Consequently we keep evolving as an all-rounder provider of viable information under one roof.Contact us:Mr. Sunny DenisContact No. +1-888-631-6977sales@researchnreports.com(ResearchnReports)
FOEX and APEX R&D sign agreement to bring the APEX Office Print add-on to the FOEX Plugin Framework

http://www.tryfoexnow.com

FOEX GmbH and APEX R&D announced today the signing of a new agreement meant to bring the APEX Office Print (AOP) add-on to the FOEX Plugin Framework.This is yet another step meant to strengthen the partnership between the two companies. Developed by APEX R&D, the APEX Office Print is a flexible print server solution for Oracle Application Express (APEX) which allows users to quickly generate Office and PDF-documents.Asked about this new agreement, Matt Nolan, the CTO of FOEX GmbH stated "Ensuring compatibility between the APEX Office Print and the FOEX Plugin Framework will be great news for our customers. Adding new functionality and ensuring that our rapid application development tool integrates with 3rd party add-ons to provide even more functionality to Oracle APEX developers is one of the things we intend to pursue in the future."Through this agreement FOEX GmbH plans to integrate the APEX Office Print add-on with the FOEX Plugin Framework as a way to provide additional functionality and features to its existing customer base.Markus Lauda, the co-CEO of FOEX later added "Strengthening our partnership with APEX R&D is a great step forward for us. We get to diversify our portfolio of add-ons and ensure that our customers get access to a great printing solution for Oracle APEX that is also compatible with the FOEX Plugin Framework."Dimitri Gielis, the founder and CEO of APEX R&D stated "With APEX Office Print (AOP) we try to make printing in Oracle APEX easy. Through this partnership we want to make sure that companies and developers using the FOEX Plugin Framework get to integrate these two solution in the easiest way possible. We look forward to see what the FOEX developer community will do with AOP."In the next period of time the FOEX's technical team plans to work and ensure that the APEX Office Print add-on integrates flawlessly with the company's other software solutions.FOEX GmbH is an Austrian IT company founded in 2012 and based in Perchtoldsdorf (near Vienna, Austria). We are experts in developing plugins & add-ons which add functionality to the Oracle APEX platform, allowing developers to build the best products imaginable without the overheads from traditional software development.Our mission is to simplify the way enterprise-grade applications are being built and provide a robust platform which enables developers to create such applications in a fast, easy and secure way. With the FOEX Plugin Framework developers can significantly speed up the application development cycle, all while lowering maintenance costs and increasing productivity.To learn more about FOEX, please visitAspettenstrae 48, Perchtoldsdorf, 2380 Austria
Accountants for every financial need

http://www.dnsassociates.co.uk/accountants-in-wolverhampton

http://www.dnsassociates.co.uk/contractor-accountants-edinburgh

Companies, both small and large, and the start-ups have now made it a point to hire out the accountants to assist them in their finances. The need has risen with the increase in workload within the business, which in turn puts a strain on the time spent on managing the financial records. It is natural for a company to have constant transactions and other financial situation, regardless of the business, but it does not mean that there is no help available for them. Putting things to rest, there are several accountants in Wolverhampton () who have been assisting the companies, freelancers, and startups with their financial needs for a long time now.DNS accountants have been instrumental in helping out several small and big companies with their finances, along with the contractors, freelancers and the construction industries. The reputation that they have built for themselves among the companies stands as a proof for their quality of work. Having a vast network within the country, they have been instrumental in shaping the financial future of several companies.There are certain pointers that you need to keep in mind when you start to look out for the contractor accountants in Edinburgh. Hiring a professional is the best possible solution, but you need to be informed about certain things before choosing a person. Here are few things you need to consider: Hiring through ReferralsThe majority of the accountants in Wolverhampton are being hired through referrals from the previous clients. The referrals would have a vast network of people in various sectors and can help you in gaining some leverage in certain aspects of your business at the time of need. Proper financial planningCompared to the large businesses, the small companies and the start-ups are just starting out with their whole business forming process. In this regards, it is natural for them to have some constraints with finances and in times like this, the accountants must be in a position to come up with effective financial solutions that wok best for their situation. Betterment of the financial situation of the companyThe contractor accountants in Edinburgh have the reputation of helping out the companies in coping with their financial situation. By providing them with the effective accounting solutions and a tax plan, the accountants can maintain a smooth financial record for the companies. This has helped the companies in changing their financial situation for their growth. Opportunities to growThe accountants in Wolverhampton are known for their extensive network in and around the region. In this regards, whenever you reach out to them for getting their help, you will be able to develop on your networks in other sectors of your business. This in turns boosts the companys sales and the purchase records, leading to the overall growth of the company. Structured SolutionsIf you observe closely, you will notice that every accountant makes use of a structured solution while helping their clients. This helps them to focus on every minute aspect of the finance and accounting, which has its benefits. Hasty decisions can ruin the companys future, and every accountant tries to avoid it even during hectic situations. By leaving the financial responsibilities to such professional accountants, you are indirectly securing the financial future for your company.DNS accounting is methodical in its approach towards maintaining the accounts and in tax planning. By giving attention to detail, they are able to provide a smooth financial system for the companies. Their services are not just suitable for the small and large companies, but they have also gained a welcome from the freelancers, contractors and the self-employed professionals.Right from its launch, DNS has received several accolades and has been able to rise as one of the best accountants in Wolverhampton. Along with this, they have also been providing able-bodied contractor accountants in Edinburgh (). Needless to say, their accounting software is flexible and has been of great assistance to the self-employed professionals who make use of this for self-assessing their tax returns. Being a one-stop solution to all accounting and financial needs, DNS is now located in various parts of the country, to provide better accounting assistance to the companies and individuals who are in need.DNS AccountantsPacific House, 382 Kenton RoadHarrow, Middlesex, HA3 8DP, UKPhone: 02071480205E-mail: vidit@dnsassociates.co.uk
Global Formic Acid Market Report - Industry Outlook - Latest Development and Trends 2027

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Global: Formic Acid Market Information by Applications (Rubber, Leather, Pharmaceuticals, Chemicals, Agriculture and Others) - Forecast To 2027Key PlayersThe leading market players in the global formic acid market primarily include BASF, Gujarat Narmada Valley Fertilizers, Taminco Corporation, Helm Italia, Samsung Fine Chemicals,Perstorp AB, Feicheng Acid Chemicals, Airedale Chemical, Tufail Chemical Industries Ltd, MKS DevO Chemicals and others.Study Objectives of Formic Acid Market To provide detailed analysis of the market structure along with forecast for the next 10 years of the various segments and sub-segments of the Global Formic Acid Market To provide insights about factors affecting the market growth To Analyse the Global Formic Acid Market based on various factors- price analysis, supply chain analysis, porters five force analysis etc. To provide historical and forecast revenue of the market segments and sub-segments with respect to four main geographies and their countries- North America, Europe, Asia, and Rest of the World (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 applications To provide strategic profiling of key players in the market, comprehensively analysing their core competencies, and drawing a competitive landscape for the market To track and analyse competitive developments such as joint ventures, strategic alliances, mergers and acquisitions, new product developments, and research and developments in the Global Formic Acid MarketGet a Sample Report @Market Synopsis of Formic Acid MarketThe global formic acid market has seen a notable growth over the past few year due to its contribution towards food preservatives and animal feeding. And it has been witnessed during the forecast period the market growth will remain high. Formic acid is one if the major chemical compound which reduces food from getting perish. Even though there are certain applications such as rubber, leather, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, agriculture and few others where the demand of formic acid is intense. Rising demand of meat and poultry has pushed the global formic acid market. Geographically, Europe is the largest market for formic acid, followed by APAC and North America.SegmentationAs per MRFR analysis, the global formic acid market has been segmented into applications and regions. The various application of global formic acid are categorized into rubber, leather, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, agriculture and others.The reports also covers brief analysis of Geographical Region includes: North America US CanadaEurope Germany France Italy Spain U.K Rest of EuropeAsia  Pacific China India Japan Australia/New Zealand Rest of Asia-PacificLatin America Brazil OthersMiddle East & AfricaGet Browse Report @The market report for Formic Acid of Market Research Future comprises of extensive primary research along with the detailed analysis of qualitative as well as quantitative aspects by various industry experts, key opinion leaders to gain the deeper insight of the market and industry performance. The report gives the clear picture of current market scenario which includes historical and projected market size in terms of value and volume, technological advancement, macro economical and governing factors in the market. The report provides details information and strategies of the top key players in the industry. The report also gives a broad study of the different market segments and regions.About Market Research Future:At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.Contact:Akash Anand,Market Research Future+1 646 845 9312Email: akash.anand@marketresearchfuture.com
Global Semi-Autonomous Market is expected to reach USD 55.68 Billion by 2027 with a CAGR of 25.6%

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The Autonomous Vehicles Market statistical report, published by Market Research Future contains succinct information on the autonomous vehicles market, segmented by Types (semi-autonomous, fully autonomous) and forecast from 2016-2027. The various factors driving the autonomous vehicles market are rise in the aging population, technological advancement, ride sharing, and fuel efficiency.Semi-autonomous vehicles are not far from the hitting the roads and can be expected by the end of the year 2017. Semi-Autonomous vehicles are equipped with sensors and advanced technology to help the driver keep the car in one lane, cruise control and some more intermediary features of the car. As the arrival of fully autonomous vehicles is little far, companies are equipping their vehicles with advance technology to assist the driver.Global Semi-Autonomous Market is expected to reach USD 55.68 Billion by 2027 with a CAGR of 25.6%Make an enquiry before buying this Report @Table of Contents1. Info graphics Information1.1 Global Autonomous Vehicles Market, By Type, 2016 VS 2027 (USD Billion)2. Introduction3. Global Autonomous Vehicles Market, By Type, Market DataList of TablesTable 1 Global Autonomous Vehicles Market, By Type, 2016-2027 (USD Billion)List of FiguresFigure 1 Global Autonomous Vehicles Market, By Type, 2016-2027 (USD Billion)Browse Report Details @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 Discrete ATE Market is expected to grow with a CAGR of 5.70%

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Global Discrete ATE Market is expected to reach USD 0.38 Billion By 2022 with a CAGR of 5.70%The Automated Test Equipment Market statistical report, published by Market Research Future contains succinct information on the discrete automated test equipment market, segmented by regions as North America, Europe, Asia- Pacific, & ROW and forecast from 2016-2022. The various factors driving the ATE Market are rising complexities in the design of consumer electronic devices, requirement of high efficiency of the ATEs for increasing the throughput, and sharp rise in applications in the automotive market.Make an enquiry before buying this Report@Discrete automated test equipment is manufactured in-house as they are expensive and normally companies do not invest in this expensive test. Discrete devices are the one that is not based on the common semiconductors substrate with other components; it builds its own package.Browse Report Details @Table of Contents1. Info graphics Information1.1 Global Discrete Automated Test Equipment Market, By Region, 2016 VS 2022 (USD Billion)2. Introduction3. Global Discrete Automated Test Equipment Market, By Region, Market DataList of TablesTable 1 Global Discrete Automated Test Equipment Market, By Region, 2016-2022 (USD Billion) ..5List of FiguresFigure 1 Global Discrete Automated Test Equipment Market, By Region, 2016-2022, (USD Billion) ..6At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.MRFR team have supreme objective to provide the optimum quality market research and intelligence services to our clients. Our market research studies by products, services, technologies, applications, end users, and market players for global, regional, and country level market segments, enable our clients to see more, know more, and do more, which help to answer all their most important questions.In order to stay updated with technology and work process of the industry, MRFR often plans & conducts meet with the industry experts and industrial visits for its research analyst members.Akash Anand,Market Research FutureOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, Hadapsar,Pune - 411028Maharashtra, India+1 646 845 9312Email: akash.anand@marketresearchfuture.com
How to Get the Maximum Health Benefits from Your Annual Checkup

Busy Hospital

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How often do you get a checkup? Are you satisfied with the care you are getting? In an era of connected health devices like the Apple Watch or FitBit, detailed online health resources like Web M.D., or virtual online visits (telemedicine) does the annual physical even make sense anymore? We take a behind-the-scenes look at how healthcare laws and insurance reimbursements are changing the doctor-patient relationship and how you can get the most out of your annual physical exam.In an era where major political fights are taking place in Washington over the future of healthcare, its easy to overlook the role the doctor-patient relationship plays in ensuring your optimal health.From the perspective of many patients, the annual doctors visit can seem like an expensive interruption in our daily lives, one without a lot of apparent benefits. When you add up the inconveniences, including taking time off work, paying for parking, hassles with insurance and co-pays, long wait times in a sterile waiting room where you try to dodge germs from sneezing sick people  its no wonder many of us are completely exasperated by the time the receptionist says the doctor will see you now.But will he or she? Youre ushered into a small examination room, only to wait in your underwear for a further indeterminable amount of time for what appears to be a doctors assistant arriving to ask you an impossibly long series of questions about your health history.Then, finally, your doctor suddenly pops in  for a minute or two  but by this time, the detailed health questions you wanted to ask have disappeared from your mind. By the time your recall them, the doctor has waved a curt goodbye and gone off to visit the next patient.Sound familiar?Lets replay this scenario from the point of view of the physician to get a better understanding of whats happening behind the scenes.Frustrations from the Physicians Point of ViewIf you as a patient are frustrated with the healthcare system, you havent heard the half of it.As most physicians will attest, they didnt spend years at medical school to practice medicine in this hurried fashion. They would like nothing more than spending 30 minutes, if not longer, with each patient.Yet, in the past twenty years, the economics of lower reimbursement payments from insurance companies and government programs like Medicare/Medicaid have driven many primary care doctors to respond by dramatically increasing the number of patients they see each day to make up for the reimbursement shortfall. As a result, its not uncommon for some physicians to see upwards of 20 patients during office hours.This rapid whirlwind of patient encounters is accomplished with the help of what are euphemistically called physician extenders. These include Physicians Assistants (PAs), Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs), and Nurse Practitioners (NPs)  all of whom to a greater or lesser degree (depending on which US state you are in) can diagnose illnesses and prescribe medications under the authority of the physician in charge. Scribes are another new category of physician extenders  they dutifully follow the caregiver, writing down all the patients chart notes and entering them into the electronic medical records systems, insurance reports, etc.But you say, Dont doctors make a lot of money already? Why do they need to make more? While that may be true for many specialists, such as dermatologists, radiologists, and anesthesiologists, the reimbursements for your friendly local general practice doctor or internist have gone down steadily over recent years  to the point that some solo practitioners are heading for the exit door.In fact, as reimbursement rates have gone down, the frustration of solo practitioner doctors has gone up. Many who were close to retirement age hung up their stethoscopes for the last time and retired early. Other primary care doctors have banded together into larger physician groups, or have left their independent practices behind entirely to become employees in hospital systems, where, even though they still have to see more patients than theyd like, they dont have to shoulder the responsibility for acquiring and managing a large patient population. Fewer young doctors graduating from medical school envision their future as an independent physician operating their own individual practices; instead, they are joining healthcare groups as employees from the start.Among the remaining solo practitioner physicians, quite a few are pursuing new business models that help raise their compensation income, such as converting their patient populations over to what is known as Cash Pay (no insurance is accepted, patient must pay the visit fees directly) or Concierge Care, where patients pay an annual subscription fee (typically between one and two thousand dollars a year) in order to remain part of the doctors practice.The Ideal Patient, from the Physicians Point of ViewSo, given this situation, what can you as a patient do to help make the situation (in which everyone can be frustrated) work better so you can receive the best possible healthcare from your doctor?Lets pose the question to the physician: Can you describe an ideal patient? What do they do right?In many cases, the answer is simple: physicians want their patients to be fully engaged and well prepared for their visits. They want them to treat the relationship like a true partnership that is dedicated to achieving good health.Specific Recommendations to Get More Out of Your Doctor VisitsPrimary care physicians are extensively trained in medical school to carefully observe and examine patients for signs of normal growth and aging, as well as to identify symptoms or changes that warrant more careful investigation and monitoring  or even quick intervention when urgent problems are uncovered, such as uncontrolled high blood pressure, heart disease, or unexplained internal pain.That long history form that you fill out when you visit? Its a critical aspect of the physicians training to perform a Review of Systems to gather a comprehensive understanding of your health.That health interview, along with checks of your heart and lungs for unusual sounds and blood/urine tests to determine things like whether your cholesterol is too high, if you are at risk for diabetes, if you have been exposed to infections like HIV or hepatitis  all work together to help the physician establish a baseline health record. These health records, in turn, become invaluable tools for your future healthcare for example, if you should fall ill, having a record of your healthy baseline will make diagnosis much easier and more accurate.So, the ideal patient (from the caregiver point of view) actively participates in their own care by preparing carefully before each doctor visit.Here are some tips from Dr. Gary Brewton, an award-winning Houston-based primary care physician:Confirm your insurance coverage before you come in for a visit. Call your doctors office during non-peak hours (e.g. not first thing in the a.m. nor at lunch) to verify all the details, so there are no complications after the fact.Ask your doctors office if you can get a copy of any patient history forms in order to fill them out thoughtfully at home  rather than rushing through them when you are sitting in the waiting room.Keep a set of notes handy with your full list of questions and concerns for when you walk into the patient exam room.If you are visiting a new doctor, make sure you bring your medical records (or a signed release authorizing the doctor to request them on your behalf).Bring detailed copies of any prescriptions you are taking, including dosage instructions (or bring the actual medications with you).Dont try to make the physician guess everything. If you think something is wrong, and you dont bring it up, its not legitimate to say, Well the doctor didnt ask me about it, so its not important. The ideal patient takes control of their own healthcare by acting as a full partner with the physician.There are other metrics that physicians use to identify the ideal patient. The ideal patient takes all their medication as instructed, reports back to the doctor (via phone or secure message) when something seems wrong, and avoids going to the emergency room when a doctors visit would accomplish the same thing.Why the Emphasis on Compliance and Avoiding the Emergency Room unless its an Emergency?You may not realize it, but in an effort to reduce healthcare spending, the government is curtailing payments for specific tasks (known in the trade as fee for service) in favor of paying physicians for good patient outcomes.Read more ...Formaspace advances the spirit of discovery and creation through the design and manufacture of custom business furniture. Our furniture marries form to function with flexible solutions for clients in the laboratory, industrial, and office environments.Formaspace serves over 80% of the Fortune 500, as well as universities, governments, small businesses, and individuals.Formaspace1100 E. Howard LaneSuite 400Austin, TX 78753800-251-1505
Logo Design Agency in UK | Logo Champ

There are piles of agencies in the UK Which are providing the logo design services yet our Logo design agency is very renown in the UK on account of we have a plethora of experienced employees who are giving the proper time to our clients and they all are very satisfied our agency. On the other hands, we have millions of customer all around the world who are with us since 
Special Auction in Munich  19th Century Art  A Private Collection

Franz von Stuck, Aschenbrodel, 1899, oil on wood, 49.1 x 42.3 cm. Estimate: EUR 80,000-120,000

www.ketterer-internet-auction.com

www.kettererkunst.de

Munich, 26 April 2017, (kk)  The collection of a Southern German art lover that is going for sale in the auction of 19th Century Art at Ketterer Kunst in Munich on 24 May is a true gem. Works by renowned artists from the Munich School, as well as by illustrious representatives of Austrian art are among the highlights of the 35 lots.The high-class range of offerings is led by Ferdinand Georg Wald-muller's oil painting Ein alter Invalide mit Kindern from 1827, which carries an estimate of EUR 100,000-150,000. The acclaimed Viennese artist possesses great mastery in capturing the observer by carefully rendering his protagonists' emotional ties. This closeness emanates a touching truthfulness. His landscape paintings, however, are likewise captivating. An impressive example thereof is the work Altes Bauerngehoft im sudlichen Wienerwald from around 1850, which will enter the race with an estimate of EUR 40,000-60,000.Other highlights are two works by Franz von Stuck. The painting Aschenbrodel from 1899 introduced a very successful motif series in his uvre. Owed to the young girl's innocent erotic aura, the portrait, strictly kept in side-face perspective and executed in Italian Quattrocento manner, is a sensual and gracious depiction that expresses vulnerability and strength in equal measure. It has been estimated at EUR 80,000-120,000 and is on a par with another work by the artist: Made around 1913, Susanna im Bade is a popular theme from Christian tradition that Stuck rendered time and again. However, in doing so he abandoned their traditional meaning in favor of a more archetypal human interpretation.Half a dozen works by Franz von Defregger are guaranteed to provide excitement in the saleroom as well. The group is led by the oil painting Die Zitherspielerin from 1909. Even though the Tyrolean artist made several variations of the popular motif, the portrait master put particular emphasis on the people's faces in this work. An effect that is even increased by the plain background. The estimate is at EUR 20,000-30,000.Other works in the collection come from Rudolf von Alt, Eugene Henri Cauchois, Carl Jutz the Elder, Carl Kronberger, Hubert Sattler, Eduard Schleich the Elder, Adolf Stademann and Joseph Wopfner.Apart from the special auction, the array in the department of 19th Century Art is enriched by more than 170 other works, with, among others, a portrait of Princess Theresa of Bavaria (estimate: EUR 25,000-35,000) from the widely traveled court painter Karl Stieler. Other artists represented with several works are Friedrich Kallmorgen (e.g.: Der Taufgang, estimate: EUR 15,000-20,000), Hans Thoma (with estimates of up to EUR 15,000), Edward Theodore Compton (among others with a View of the Marmolada and a View of the North Slope of Grossglockner, estimates: EUR 12,000-15,000 each) as well as Joseph Wopfner and his monumental Fischerzug am Chiemsee (estimate: EUR 15,000-20,000). Other big names in the section are Paul Baum, Jan Chelminski, Johann Georg von Dillis, Jakob Wilhelm Grunenwald, Karl Hagemeister, Erich Kips, Alexander Koester, Franz von Lenbach, Carl von Marr, Friedrich Voltz and Heinrich von Zugel.Preview:08/09 May  Ketterer Kunst, Holstenwall 5, 20355 Hamburg*11/12 May  Ketterer Kunst, Malkastenstr. 11, 40211 Dusseldorf*15/16 May  Ketterer Kunst, Fasanenstr. 70, 10719 Berlin*19  23 May  Ketterer Kunst, Joseph-Wild-Str. 18, 81829 Munich *** select works** all worksAuction:19th Century Art in Munich, Germany on 24 May 2017Since it was founded in 1954, Ketterer Kunst has been on the forefront of auction houses dealing in Fine Art and Rare Books, with its headquarters in Munich, and a branch in Hamburg. Representatives' offices in Berlin, Heidelberg, Duesseldorf, the Benelux Union, France, Italy, Switzerland and the US have contributed substantially to the company's success. In addition, exhibitions, special thematic and charity auctions as well as monthly online auctions atare regular events at Ketterer Kunst. Robert Ketterer is owner and CEO of Ketterer Kunst.Press inquiries:Ketterer KunstJoseph-Wild-Str. 1881829 MunchenMichaela Derra M.A.Telefon: +49-(0)89-55244-152Fax: +49-(0)89-55244-177E-Mail: m.derra@kettererkunst.deClient inquiries:Ketterer KunstJoseph-Wild-Str. 1881829 MunchenTel. +49-(0)55244-444Fax.: +49-(0)55244-177E-mail: infomuenchen@kettererkunst.de
Auction Rare Books  Manuscripts  Autographs  Decorative Prints  More Space, Quality and Luxury

Biblia germanica. Augsburg, 1474. Estimate: EUR 140,000

www.ketterer-internet-auction.com

www.kettererkunst.de

www.kettererkunst.de

Hamburg, 26 April 2017 (kk)  The Ketterer Kunst auction of Rare Books in Hamburg on 22 May 2017 will be taking a new direction with a focus on even more quality.Following the course of the very successful evening sale, a concept unique on the German auction market, which is accompanied by an extra high-quality catalog, the main auction will also gain in importance. The presentation of all objects in the catalog will be even more appealing. Along with a high-class photographic presentation, more room for every single book allows more elaborate descriptions. Additionally, it is going to be the first time that the entire range of offerings will be called up during just one day and one evening. A separate online auction with around 200 objects will be held on 23 May.Carrying an estimate of EUR 140,000, the array of offers is led by the first illustrated bible in the history of printing. With the Biblia germanica, published by Gunther Zainer in Augsburg in 1474, a magnificent copy of the third German bible with scores of picture initials in old coloring will be called up.Another top lot is Itinerario, it is the very rare first English edition of the famous travelog from Jan Huygen van Linschoten. The renowned handbook for seafarers to East India takes its readers on a journey around the world on 460 pages. It is one of the most acclaimed geographic works of its times, it also was of crucial importance for the Dutch expansion in Asia, not least for the copper maps that show the way to East India. They were the first reliable source for access to the region. Linschoten was able to prepare the maps with the help of sea maps that the Portuguese had kept a secret for more than a century. This edition is particularly attractive as it comprises the mostly lacking map of the Molucca Archipelago, the so-called Spice Islands, endowed with illustrations of various spices in the lower margin. The estimate is at EUR 70,000.Adolph von Menzels monumental work Die Armee Friedrichs des Groen in ihrer Uniformierung will enter the race with an estimate of EUR 50,000. Merely 5 from the total of 30 copies of the book with 436 lithographs, published between 1851 and 1857, were intended for commerce. The other copies were gifts for various European royal houses. This working copy with 253 colored original drawings from the estate of professor Fritz Werner, Menzels famous student, assistant and friend, has long been disregarded by research.The incunabula section offers two remarkable copies of the Liber chronicarum. With more than 1800 woodcuts, the world-famous Nuremberg Chronicle was the greatest book project of its time. While the estimate for the entirely colored copy is at EUR 60,000, the partly colored version is offered with an estimate of EUR 25,000.The first edition of one of Portugals most significant works is extremely rare, as not even ten copies can be found in public libraries around the globe. In Chronica do felicissimo rei dom Emanuel, made 1566-67, Damiao de Goes, humanist, globetrotter and diplomat, delivers one of the first accounts of Portugals Golden Age under Manuel I and the discovery of Brazil. The estimate for this first edition is at EUR 20,000.Another lot guaranteed to increase the thrill in the saleroom is a Parisian Book of Hours that has been estimated at EUR 15,000. The marvelously preserved manuscript with a total of 17 miniatures is particularly captivating for its elegant Antiqua hand in classic Renaissance style.Next to the Fluxus Testament (estimate: EUR 18,000), a theological print from 1747 endowed with inventive India ink drawings and Chinese characters by Nam June Paik and the rare complete copy of the de-luxe edition of Harry Roskolenkos Paris Poems (estimate: EUR 10,000) with lithographs by Zao Wou-Ki, a copy of the famous poetry collection Umbra Vitae, of which only 500 have been published, will be called up with an estimate of EUR 8,000. This important publication counts among the main works of the art of expressionist book illustration in Germany. The entire get-up of the book, including the woodcuts on the cover and on the endpapers, has been made by Ernst Ludwig Kirchner. It is the result of his intensive occupation with the poems of Georg Heym. The same price has been tagged to Rene Char's A la sante du serpent. The unusual book in snakeskin binding was made in Paris in 1954 and is one of just three copies from the absolute de-luxe edition for Rene Char with the original lithograph signed Jean Miro.The section of autographs offers a Strasbourg Album amicorum (estimate: EUR 2,000) from the possession of Margaretha Beltzer with an entry by Friederike Brion, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's first big love, as well as two autographed letters by Theodor Fontane. In 1851 the author wrote an extensive account of his financial problems, the trouble he had with his publisher, but also about the birth of his first child to his friend Friedrich Witte, pharmacist and later Member of the Reichstag. The estimates for the two letters are at EUR 4,000 and EUR 3,000 respectively.Next to Rare Books, Manuscripts, Autographs and Decorative Prints, the auction also comprises works of Maritime and Northern German Art. While the latter offers works by Otto Modersohn (Sturmischer Tag uber der Heide, estimate: EUR 9,000) and Ludwig Mecklenburg (Am Oberhafen in Hamburg, estimate: EUR 2,000), works by, among others, Friedrich Kallmorgen (Heranziehendes Wetter im Hamburger Hafen, estimate: EUR 8,000 as well as Hamburger Hafen 'Nachmittagsstimmung mit groer Luft', estimate: EUR 5,000) and Johannes Holst (Viermastbark auf sturmischer See, estimate: EUR 5,000) will be called up in the section of Maritime Art.Preview:10-12/ 15-19 May21st May by appointmentAuction:22/23 MayPlace:Ketterer Kunst, Holstenwall 5, 20355 HamburgSince it was founded in 1954, Ketterer Kunst has been on the forefront of auction houses dealing in Fine Art and Rare Books, with its headquarters in Munich, and a branch in Hamburg. Representatives' offices in Berlin, Heidelberg, Duesseldorf, the Benelux Union, France, Italy, Switzerland and the US have contributed substantially to the company's success. In addition, exhibitions, special thematic and charity auctions as well as monthly online auctions atare regular events at Ketterer Kunst. Robert Ketterer is owner and CEO of Ketterer Kunst.Your media contact:Ketterer KunstJoseph-Wild-Str. 1881829 MunchenMichaela Derra M.A.Telefon: +49-(0)89-55244-152Fax: +49-(0)89-55244-177E-Mail: m.derra@kettererkunst.deYour contact in the Rare Books department:Ketterer Kunst GmbHHolstenwall 520355 HamburgChristoph CalaminusTelefon: +49-(0)40-374961-11, Fax:-66E-Mail: c.calaminus@kettererkunst.de
Guyson Robot Blasting Prior To Thermal Spray Coating

Guyson RB10 robotically controlled blast system with an inset of robot holding twin blast nozzles

Finishing equipment manufacturer Guyson International has designed, built and installed a twin pressure pot, Guyson RB10 PF robotically controlled blasting system into a world leading manufacturer of high-performance coatings, for the dual application of keying the surface of aerospace seal rings prior to plasma spraying and the surface preparation of turbine blade tips prior to thermal spray coating.The Guyson RB10 blast cabinet has internal dimensions: 1500 mm (w) x 1500 mm (d) and is fitted with large doors, with viewing windows, on two sides of the cabinet allowing access for loading and unloading and maintenance purposes. Fortress type interlocks prevent robot movement, blasting or spindle rotation when a door is open. The blast cabinet is fully lined with energy absorbing hanging rubber sheet for sound absorption and resistance to wear and additional sacrificial hanging rubber sheets are provided in the line of overspray.A 5 mm boron carbide blast nozzle is robotically manipulated at the fixtured component. The robotic manipulation of the blast nozzle maintains the optimum surface speed, blasting angle and the exact offset distance from blast nozzle to component  be that either the aerospace seal rings or the turbine blade tips. The robot positioning the blast nozzle, is an ABB foundry plus robot system, located to the rear of the cabinet and encased within a safety enclosure fitted the with fortress type interlocks providing access for maintenance or adjustment purposes, yet ensuring no one can enter the space whilst operating. A small 7th axis turntable is fitted in the middle of the blast chamber and is designed to accommodate the customers varied fixtures, due to the multiple uses of the cabinet. The robot fixture holds two blast nozzles  each with a separate blast media supply. But only the one appropriate nozzle linked to each of the applications is active at any one time.Blasting is achieved via either of the two Guyson Model G55 pressure pots (55 litres each), these will used to generate the blast stream within the blast chamber, with media being fed from the appropriate pressure vessel into the cabinet through heavy duty hose to the blast nozzle. The flow of media is controlled by a manual pinch valve mounted on the cone of the pressure pot which regulates the volume of media being released into the compressed air stream.High/low media level sensors are fitted to monitor the level of blast media within the G55 pressure pot and will display a signal on the control panel if media level is at a high or low level and there are additional media level sensors for overfill to each pressure pot. A media pressure pot reservoir positioned over each pressure pot, complete with control valves, regulates the volume of media being released to the blast system.The blast media quality is maintained, to give a more consistent surface finish, via a Guyson CY600/12 Cyclone Reclamator mounted above a sieving system and the twin pressure pots. The cyclone extracts everything from the bottom of the blast cabinet and separates out good reusable blast media from the dust debris. The good blast media is then passed through the 24" four-deck sieve. This is designed to take out re-usable blast media from the dust and blast debris, allowing only good media of the correct size to return to the media delivery system, it does this by passing all the extracted media and waste through a series of sieves which separate it out appropriately and then deposit the remains in the correct bins. The sieve, cyclone and pressure vessels are contained inside a tower framework, with cladding panels to reduce noise and a maintenance access ladder on the framework to allow for inspection and maintenance of the sieve system.A highly efficient model C800 Cartridge Dust Collection unit is fitted to draw off the dust laden air from the cyclone reclamator, passing it through the twin pleated micronic polyester filter cartridges which are periodically cleaned via an auto air pulse alternating between the cartridges. A magnahelic differential pressure gauge is used to monitor the condition of the dust collection filter cartridges and indicate when the cartridges require replacing. The dust collector is also fitted with a HEPA secondary filter to protect the system should the primary filter cartridges fail and acts as a safety feature to protect the local area in the event of a leakage on the primary filter. Additionally the dust collector is fitted with an explosion relief panel that is joined to a vertical ducting assembly, to takes the force upwards should the explosion relief panel be triggered, a two metre exclusion zone is required above the top of the ducting.Monitoring and control of the complex blast system is provided via a Mitsubishi PLC/HMI graphical display which gives a real time visual display of what is happening throughout the system. Downtime is reduced as fault notification can be programmed to display specific screen messages regarding warnings and failures. Also parameter changes can be easily effected making future proofing more feasible and such simpler. A three colour beacon allowing awareness of certain events during the machine processes e.g. fault alarm or machine ready.Guyson are inviting prospective robotic blast customers to get in touch for initial talks and demonstrations of the technology involved, including free component blast trials, especially from those involved in the aerospace, medical, thermal spray and oil and gas sectors with components such as turbine blades, medical implants, industrial pumps, turbo chargers and aerospace MRO components.About GuysonGuyson International Limited is a privately owned family company with a world-wide reputation for excellence in the design and manufacture of blast finishing, spray wash and ultrasonic cleaning equipment. Formed nearly eighty years ago, the company is registered to BS EN ISO 9001: 2008 and BS OHSAS 18001:2007, and its head office is located at Skipton, North Yorkshire, in the north of England. Guyson has four international subsidiary companies: Guyson Corporation of the USA, located in Saratoga Springs, New York State; Guyson SA, situated near Paris, France; Guyson Sdn Bhd in Penang, Malaysia; and Guyson CN, in Wuxi, Jiangsu Province, China.Guyson International LtdSnaygill Industrial EstateKeighley RoadSKIPTONNorth YorkshireEngland BD23 2QR
Watkins Insurance Group Hires Industry Veteran Lillian Braunstein as Hospitality Insurance Specialist

Lillian Braunstein

www.WatkinsInsuranceGroup.com

Watkins Insurance Group, one of the largest full-service, locally owned independent insurance agency in Central Texas, has announced that Lillian Braunstein has been hired as Hospitality Insurance Specialist.Braunstein now joins 20 primarily Commercial Lines-focused Producers at Watkins Insurance Groups Austin headquarters. Bringing with her over 30 years of experience in the industry and her excellent reputation for assisting restaurants, bars, and hotels, Lillian Braunstein is a valuable addition to Watkins Insurance Group. Watkins Insurance Group fosters the highest level of integrity and servant leadership, Braunstein says. I am honored to be a member of this esteemed team of professionals and am proud to be able to deliver these qualities to the clients who have followed me.Patrick Watkins, President of Watkins Insurance Group, is always focused on bringing the best talent to the agency. I am extremely pleased to have Lillian Braunstein join our team. We know that her expertise and focus on keeping our clients interests first make her a natural addition for our organization.About Watkins Insurance GroupFounded in Austin in 1949, Watkins Insurance Group is now the largest and fastest-growinglocally-owned independent insurance agency in Central Texas. Headquartered in Austin and named a 2016 IIABA Best Practices agency, Watkins Insurance Group has six locations throughout Texas, including offices inLongview, Marble Falls, Mineola, Tyler, and Waco. The agency provides tailored insurance, employee benefit, and bond solutions for business and personal risks of all sizes.For more information about the Watkins Insurance Group, please visitDshanya ReeseBrand Marketing AdministratorWatkins Insurance Group3834 Spicewood Springs Rd # 100Austin TX 78759(512) 452-8877 / (800) 460-5932DReese@WatkinsInsuranceGroup.com
Lignosulfonates Market to Cross US$ 960 Million Globally by 2024

https://www.marketresearchengine.com/reportdetails/lignosulfonates-market

https://www.marketresearchengine.com/

New York, April 26: Market Research Engine has published a new report titled as Lignosulfonates Market by Product (Calcium Lignosulfonate, Sodium Lignosulfonate, and Magnesium Lignosulfonate), by Application (Additives, Concrete Admixture, Animal Feed Binder, Dust Control & Others) - Global Industry Analysis, Trends and Forecast 2016 - 2024The lignosulfonates market is expected to exceed more than USD 960.0 million by 2024 growing at a CAGR of more than 3.7% in the given forecast period 2016 to 2024.Browse Full Report here:Lignosulfonate is made up of different components created from the spent sulfite liquor in the mashing of soft wood in paper manufacturing and used particular for disperse and binder agents. Lignosulfonates are improved from the spent mashing liquids such as red and brown from sulfite pulping. To split lignosulfonates from the spent mashing liquid ion exchange and ultra filtration techniques are used. Lignosulfonate is the important chemicals used in the concrete admixture industry globally. These are anionic polymers having economical prize, lignosulfonate is get from the manufacture of paper. Lignosulfonate having variety of forms such as magnesium lignosulfonate , calcium lignosulfonate and sodium lignosulfonate .These are eco friendly so used in many applications such as dust control, concrete admixture and feed blinder applications.The major driving factors of lignosulfonates market are as follows: Increasing Construction production growing in demand from animal feed businessThe restraining factors of lignosulfonates market are as follows: Application specific replacement is restraint for lignosulfonate market.The lignosulfonates market is segmented on the lines of its product and application. Under product segmentation it covers calcium lignosulfonate, sodium lignosulfonate and magnesium lignosulfonate. The lignosulfonates market is segmented on the lines of its application like animal feed, dyestuff and dust control. The lignosulfonates market is geographic segmentation covers various regions such as North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, Middle East and Africa. Each geography market is further segmented to provide market revenue for select countries such as the U.S., Canada, U.K. Germany, China, Japan, India, Brazil, and GCC countries.This report provides:1) An overview of the global market for lignosulfonates and related technologies.2) Analyses of global market trends, with data from 2014, estimates for 2015 and 2016, and projections of compound annual growth rates (CAGRs) through 2024.3) Identifications of new market opportunities and targeted promotional plans for lignosulfonates4) Discussion of research and development, and the demand for new products and new applications.5) Comprehensive company profiles of major players in the industry.REPORT SCOPE:The scope of the report includes a detailed study of global and regional markets for various types of coatings with the reasons given for variations in the growth of the industry in certain regions.The report covers detailed competitive outlook including the market share and company profiles of the key participants operating in the global market. Key players profiled in the report include Borregaard LignoTech, Tembec Inc., Sappi, Flambeau River Papers, NIPPON PAPER INDUSTRIES CO., LTD., Domsjo Fabriker AB, Burgo Group Spa, Green Agrochem, Shenyang Xingzhenghe Chemical Co., Ltd., and Qingdao Newworld Material Co., Limited. Company profile includes assign such as company summary, financial summary,business strategy and planning, SWOT analysis and current developments.The Top Companies Report is intended to provide our buyers with a snapshot of the industrys most influential players.The Lignosulfonates Market has been segmented as below:by Application AnalysisConcrete AdditivesAnimal FeedDyestuffDust ControlOthersBy Product AnalysisCalcium LignosulfonateSodium LignosulfonateMagnesium LignosulfonateBy Regional AnalysisNorth AmericaEuropeAsia-PacificRest of the WorldReasons to Buy this Report:1) Obtain the most up to date information available on all Lignosulfonates Market globally.2) Identify growth segments and opportunities in the industry.3) Facilitate decision making on the basis of strong historic and forecast of lignosulfonates industry and unit capacity data.4) Assess your competitors refining portfolio and its evolution.About MarketResearchEngine.comMarket Research Engine is a global market research and consulting organization. We provide market intelligence in emerging, niche technologies and markets. Our market analysis powered by rigorous methodology and quality metrics provide information and forecasts across emerging markets, emerging technologies and emerging business models. Our deep focus on industry verticals and country reports help our clients to identify opportunities and develop business strategies.Media ContactCompany Name: Market Research EngineContact Person: John BayEmail: john@marketresearchengine.comPhone: +1-855-984-1862, +91-860-565-7204Country: United StatesWebsite:Address: 3422 SW 15 Street, Suite #8942, Deerfield Beach, FL 33442, United States
Lithium Iron Phosphate Battery Market Current trends, opportunities, challenges 2024

http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/lithium-iron-phosphate-battery-market.html

http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=15899

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The lithium iron phosphate battery (LFP) battery refers to rechargeable lithium-ion battery which uses LiFePO as a cathode material. The energy density in LiFePO batteries are lower as compared to that of have common LiCoO design available in consumer electronic.However, better power density and longer lifetimes and safety are some of the benefits associated with these batteries.. Lithium Iron Phosphate, also known as LFP has various features such as long cycle life, high safety and high temperature resistance.Lithium iron phosphate batteries find application in power tools, electric vehicles, energy storage devices and electric bicycles among others. But as of now, the main use of Lithium Iron Phosphate battery is its use power batteries for electric vehicles.Obtain Report Details:The Lithium Iron Phosphate battery market is expected to grow as a result of various factors such as the ever increasing population due to which there has been a significant depletion of fossil fuel reserves.This has led to a shift in the focus on the part of various countries towards have renewable power generation. Therefore, as a result of increasing focus towards renewable energy to address the serious concern of climate change and also improving upon the energy conservation is expected to contribute to the growth of the Lithium Iron Phosphate battery market during the forecast period.Moreover, there has also been a growing focus towards the integration of renewable energy resources with power grid networks which in turn is fuelling the growth of the market. These hybrid power systems and power grids use lithium iron phosphate batteries as a backup.As per trends it has been observed that the various manufacturers of Lithium Iron Phosphate batteries are continuously engaged in research and development activities. The market requires extensive investments and return on investment is a time taking process.This has resulted in the manufacturers to be heavily dependent on government funding in order to expand their their facilities. Moreover, as a result of favorable government policies in countries such as Japan, South Korea and China among others is helping the market to flourish.The government in these countries are in support of green and eco-friendly technologies, which is bound to result in many manufacturers to enter the market and develop their own manufacturing units.Currently, the Lithium Iron Phosphate battery market is highly competitive and product quality, brand recognition, durability, reliability, pricing and energy density are of prime importance for the manufacturers in order to stay afloat in the competition. Furthermore, manufacturers offering better quality products at a competitive price are expected to prefer.The lithium iron phosphate battery (LFP) battery on the basis of application can be segmented into; EVs and HEVs (electric vehicles and hybrid electric vehicle), Renewable power and Consumer electronics.The EVs and HEVs is expected to dominate the market in terms of revenue. Unconventional energy storage systems that have the capability to enhance the performance and vehicle efficiency are an important area of focus for the EV manufacturers.As a result of long cycle time and high energy density, lithium iron phosphate batteries are expected to be the most preferred choice as far as alternative energy storage systems are concerned. Therefore, the growth in the demand for EVs in countries such as China is expected to fuel the demand for lithium iron phosphate battery (LFP) batteries.Fill the form to gain deeper insights on this market:Geographically, the lithium iron phosphate battery (LFP) battery market can be segmented into five regions, namely, North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa and Latin America.Some of the key players operating in the lithium iron phosphate battery (LFP) battery market are BYD, A123, Electrical Vehicle Power System Technology, OptimumNano Energy, K2Energy, Pihsiang Energy Technology and Victory Battery Technology among others.The report offers a comprehensive evaluation of the market. It does so via in-depth qualitative insights, historical data, and verifiable projections about market size. The projections featured in the report have been derived using proven research methodologies and assumptions.About TMRTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.TMRs data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With extensive research and analysis capabilities, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques to develop distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.Contact TMR90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email:sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Eyewear Market to Exceed US$ 145.0 Billion Globally by 2020

https://www.marketresearchengine.com/reportdetails/eyewear-market

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New York, April 26: Market Research Engine has published a new report titled as Eyewear Market (Spectacles, Contact Lenses, Plano Sunglasses) - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth and Forecast 2015 - 2023The Global Eyewear Market is likely to reach around 145 billion by 2020, at a CAGR of 3% during the forecasted period.Browse Full Report:Eye wears provide safety to the human eye from dust and UV rays in daylight. Eye wears consist of various product types which include spectacles, sunglasses and contact lenses. Spectacles eye wears are mainly for those who have trouble seeing objects from a specific distance. A ophthalmologist specifically prescribes the spectacles which further enables the consumers to look clearly without causing strain on their eyes. Contact lenses can also replace spectacles but colored contact lenses are not prescribed by any medical practitioner. Similarly sunglasses are the reason the eyewear market is leading.Europe is the largest consumer of Eyewear market followed by by North America in 2015 and likely to maintain the same ranking till the forecasted period. APAC is the fastest growing market and will continue to grow at the same rate during the forecast period.Tremendous growth in eyewear market is owing to increasing demand for sunglasses. Increasing standards of life and sabotaged weather conditions is triggering the demand for sunglasses. Potential increase in population rate with refractive errors is boosting the demand for spectacles and hence increasing global eyewear market in terms of revenue and volume. Counterfeit eyewear products and replicas are a major threat to the key market players in this industry. North America is leading the global eyewear market by volume with outstanding figures.The global eyewear market is segmented based on its product types which include spectacles, plano sunglasses and contact lenses. The market segments in terms of geographical regions include North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Rest of the World (ROW).This report provides:1) An overview of the global market for eyewear and related technologies.2) Analyses of global market trends, with data from 2013, estimates for 2014 and 2015, and projections of compound annual growth rates (CAGRs) through 2020.3) Identifications of new market opportunities and targeted promotional plans for eyewear market.4) Discussion of research and development, and the demand for new products and new applications.5) Comprehensive company profiles of major players in the industry.REPORT SCOPE:The scope of the report includes a detailed study of global and regional markets for various types of eye wears with the reasons given for variations in the growth of the industry in certain regions.The report covers detailed competitive outlook including the market share and company profiles of the key participants operating in the global market. Key players profiled in the report include Luxottica Group SpA Bausch & Lomb Carl Zeiss Charmant Group CIBA Vision CooperVision De Rigo SpA Essilor Fielmann AG Hoya Corporation Johnson & Johnson Marchon Eyewear Marcolin Eyewear Rodenstock Safilo Group SpA Seiko Corporation Shamir.Company profile includes assign such as company summary, financial summary, business strategy and planning, SWOT analysis and current developments.The Top Companies Report is intended to provide our buyers with a snapshot of the industrys most influential players.The Eyewear Market has been segmented as below:By Product Type Spectacleso Spectacles Frameso Spectacles Lenses Contact Lenses Plano Sunglasseso Polarized Sunglasseso Non Polarized Sunglasseso CR-39 Sunglasseso Polycarbonate Sunglasseso Polyurethane Sunglasseso OthersBy Geography North America Europe Asia-Pacific Rest of the World (ROW)Reasons to buy this Report:1) Obtains the most up to date information available on all active and planned eyewear industry globally.2) Identify growth segments and opportunities in the industry.3) Facilitate decision making on the basis of strong historic and forecast of eyewear industry and unit capacity data.4) Assess your competitors refining portfolio and its evolution.About MarketResearchEngine.comMarket Research Engine is a global market research and consulting organization. We provide market intelligence in emerging, niche technologies and markets. Our market analysis powered by rigorous methodology and quality metrics provide information and forecasts across emerging markets, emerging technologies and emerging business models. Our deep focus on industry verticals and country reports help our clients to identify opportunities and develop business strategies.Media ContactCompany Name: Market Research EngineContact Person: John BayEmail: john@marketresearchengine.comPhone: +1-855-984-1862, +91-860-565-7204Country: United StatesWebsite:Address: 3422 SW 15 Street, Suite #8942, Deerfield Beach, FL 33442, United States
Medical Device Leaders Debate on the Future of Combination Products at PFS San Diego Summit this June

Pre-Filled Syringes West Coast 2017

www.prefilled-syringes-westcoast.com

http://www.smi-online.co.uk

SMi Group will welcome the expertise of their growing Pre-Filled Syringes community this June as they invite attendees to share their thoughts at the 2nd annual North American West Coast summit on Pre-Filled Syringes, set to take place on June 5th and 6th in San Diego, California.Entitled Combination Products - Challenges and Opportunities, the first interactive panel debate will take place at the end of day one and will be led by Allergan, MedImmune, Ferring and Eli Lilly. Highlights will include talks surrounding patient centricity, manufacturing guidelines and hurdles in obtaining regulatory approval for pre-filled syringes and pens in human factor studies.The second debate will take place at the end of day two and will be led by Regeneron and Worrell. With a focus on The Future of Parenteral Drug Delivery, attendees will address challenges of high volume injectables from a commercial, user and technological point of view. Progressive insight will also be given on the next generation of PFS products including connected devices, wearable injectors and hand held auto injectors.Some of those confirmed to attend include: Aerpio Therapeutics | Allergan | Amgen | BMS | Catalent Pharma Solutions | Eli Lilly | Fresenius Kabi USA | Genentech | Insulet Corporation | Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. | ISPG, Inc. | MedImmune | Mitsubishi Gas Chemical America Inc | Nemera | Nipro Europe NV | Novo Nordisk A/S | Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc | Roche Diagnostics | Smithers Rapra | Smiths Medical | Sterilzation Validation & Consulting | Terumo Europe | West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc. | Worrell | Xeris Pharmaceuticals | Zeon Chemicals L.P.Following on from shows in London (Pre-Filled Syringes Europe) and Boston (Pre-Filled Syringes East Coast), Pre-Filled Syringes West Coast will be the last installment in SMi Group's renowned PFS global event series for 2017 and will take place on June 5th and 6th at the Hyatt Regency, San Diego, CA.Further details including a detailed conference agenda and speaker line-up are available at---END---About SMi Group:Established since 1993, the SMi Group is a global event-production company that specializes in Business-to-Business Conferences, Workshops, Masterclasses and online Communities. We create and deliver events in the Defence, Security, Energy, Utilities, Finance and Pharmaceutical industries. We pride ourselves on having access to the world's most forward thinking opinion leaders and visionaries, allowing us to bring our communities together to Learn, Engage, Share and Network. More information can be found atFor all media inquiries contact Teri Arri on Tel: +44 (0)20 7827 6162 / Email: tarri@smi-online.co.uk2 Floor Harling House47-51 Great Suffolk Street
Car Security System Market - Advanced technologies & growth opportunities in global Industry by 2024

Car Security System Market, Car Security System Market Share

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The global car security system market has largely benefitted from the technological advancements over the past few years. Security system manufacturers are likely to capitalize on the proliferation of smart devices such as smartphones and smartwatches. They are offering security features in consumer mobile phones that will help them to track the car in case of theft. Moreover, with the growing adoption of the internet, companies are increasingly focusing on global positioning systems (GPS) and internet connectivity systems that are capable of providing advanced security.The increasing cases of car theft worldwide are also escalating the growth of the global car security system market. Several governments are making it compulsory for automakers to install immobilizers as a standard feature in every new car. A case in point is the Western Australia Department of Transport that mandates the use of immobilizers before licensing and transferring a vehicle in a territory.This research report offers a detailed analysis of the various aspects of the global car security systems market. These aspects include market dynamics, trends, geographical segmentation, market size, and competitive landscape. Information from several sources such as press releases, paid databases, presentations, white papers, and journals was taken into account to compile this study on the global car security systems market and its affiliated industries. The report profiles prominent players in the market along with their business strategies, latest developments, and market share.Obtain Report Details @The increasing sales of cars worldwide is a key factor driving the global car security systems market. Automakers are installing security systems in new vehicles in order to stand out in the competition. Moreover, the growing trend of telematics across the globe is providing comfort to car owners and easy car monitoring techniques, which is resulting in enhancement in car security. This is, therefore, working in favor of the growth of the market. Furthermore, the robust growth of aftermarket worldwide is providing a fillip to the market.On the other hand, the growth of the global car security system market is restrained by the high cost of production and installation. Automobile manufacturers are providing advanced car security systems only in premium variants of cars, which is negatively influencing the growth of the market. However, the increasing establishment of car production plants in emerging economies such as Mexico, India, and China is creating new growth opportunities for the market.Fill the form to Gain Deeper Insights on this Market @The key regional markets analyzed in this research report are Europe, Asia Pacific, North America, and Rest of the World. Asia Pacific is anticipated to command a large share of the overall market revenue owing to the flourishing growth of the automotive sector. The increasing vehicle production capacity, rising exports of automobiles, and the expanding aftermarket are collectively fuelling the growth of the region. The rising trend of installing safety features in vehicles is another factor bolstering the growth of the region.North America and Europe are expected to witness significant growth during the forecast period. The presence of a wide base of affluent customers is propelling the demand for vehicles in these regions, which in turn is working in favor of the car security systems market. In addition, North America, particularly the U.S., is a home to various car manufacturing giants such as General Motors, Ford Motor Company, and Fiat-Chrysler Automotive. This provides a significant boost to the growth of the North America region. In Europe, Germany, the U.K., Italy, and France will be the major contributors.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:
Artificial Teeth Market- Current trends, Opportunities, Challenges and Forecast by 2024

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http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/artificial-teeth-market.html

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Artificial teeth or dentures are custom-made teeth applied to reconstruct or restore missing teeth and their surrounding tissue. Artificial teeth are typically produced from porcelain or resin material. The branch of science that focusses on restoration of intraoral defects such as missing teeth, soft tissue, and part of the missing teeth through various artificial methods is known as dental prosthetics. The global artificial teeth market is growing at a significant pace owing to increase in prevalence of oral diseases, rise in geriatric population, growth in the number of diabetic patients, and improvement in awareness about dental prosthetics among individuals.Download The Full Brouchre of ReportLarge potential patient base population in countries of the Asia Pacific region and rise in medical tourism are likely to create an opportunity for dental prosthetics product developers to record high growth in revenue and market share in the near future. In addition, rising geriatric population directly affects the growth and development of the artificial teeth market as elderly people are more likely to lose their teeth. However, lack of reimbursement for various dental procedures could restrict the market growth in the next few years.According to the World Health Organization, the global geriatric population was about 524 million in 2010 and is anticipated to reach 1.5 billion by 2050. Moreover, the world is aging at a rapid pace, especially the developed nations such as the U.S., Germany, and Japan. Therefore, consistent increase in the geriatric population across the world has been identified as one of the major factors fueling the growth of the global artificial teeth market. The global incidence of oral diseases such as oral cancer, pyorrhea, and gingivitis is rising constantly. As per the WHO, in 2012, 5% to 20% of adults aged between 35 years and 44 years was diagnosed with severe periodontal diseases that resulted in tooth loss. Moreover, about 30% of people aged between 65 years and 74 years had no natural teeth. Furthermore, according to the Cancer Research UK, about 6,800 people were diagnosed with oral cancer in 2011. Thus, rise in the number of oral cancer cases is projected to lead to higher demand for artificial teeth during the forecast period.The global artificial teeth market can be segmented into type of denture, type of material, end-user, and region. Based on the type of denture, the market can be segmented into partial denture, complete denture, overdenture, and immediate denture. Based on the type of material, the market can be categorized into acrylic denture and porcelain denture. On the basis of end-user, the market can be segmented into hospitals and clinics, dental laboratories, and others. On the basis of the region, the market is segmented into five major geographies: North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa.Browse Global Strategic Business Report:In terms of revenue, Europe dominates the market, followed by North America globally. The two regions dominate the market due to increase in geriatric population, high adoption of premium priced innovative dental products, and rise in incidence of dental caries. The market in Asia Pacific is expected to expand at a high CAGR in the near future. Rise in prevalence of diabetes is a major factor fueling the growth of the artificial teeth market in the region, as diabetic patients are twice likely to suffer from edentulism. China and India are the major markets in Asia Pacific that exhibit immense opportunities in the artificial teeth market. Additionally, rise in disposable income and increase in health care infrastructure in countries such as India, China, and Malaysia are likely to support the growth of the Asia Pacific market.Avinent Implant System, BioHorizons, Inc., Nobel Biocare Holdings AG, DENTSPLY International, Inc., Institut Straumann AG, Nobel, Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc., and Ivoclar Vivadent Inc. are the major players operating in the global artificial teeth market.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector  such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMRs syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
holiday_retirement_2004_file.jpeg

A Holiday Retirement facility in Newberg, in 2004.

(Oregonian file photo (2004))

Holiday Retirement, a chain of more than 300 senior living centers, notified employees Wednesday that it will close its corporate headquarters in Lake Oswego and eliminate about 200 jobs. The office will move to Florida.

"We will complete much of the relocation by the end of summer and have the office in Oregon closed by the end of the year," the company said in a statement responding to an inquiry from The Oregonian/OregonLive.

Holiday said severance will be determined on a case-by-case basis, and that an unspecified number of employees will be offered the opportunity to relocate to the new office in Winter Park, near Orlando.

"There are programs in place to reduce disruptions as part of the relocation and smooth the transition for our associates," Holiday said in its statement.

Holiday Retirement started in Vancouver, Washington, in 1971. It moved its headquarters from Salem to Kruse Way in Lake Oswego five years ago. The company said at the time it wanted to be closer to the Portland metro area.

The move to Florida comes two months after Holiday's corporate parent, a New York private equity firm called Fortress Investment Group, sold to a Japanese buyer called SoftBank for $3.3 billion. Fortress had paid $6.9 billion for Holiday in 2007; SoftBank is now planning its own investment fund.

Holiday said the move to Florida is unrelated to the SoftBank deal.

"Relocating our home office is part of an overall effort to reorganize our resources in order to become more competitive and agile," the company said.

Holiday became one of Lake Oswego's 10 largest employers when it moved its headquarters there in 2012. Mayor Kent Studebaker said the company had not notified him of its plans to move away, and he did not learn of it until he received an inquiry from a reporter Wednesday.

"I hate to see people go," Studebaker said. "As far as I know there was no reason in the city, in the city in particular, for why they left."

Holiday describes itself as the world's largest owner of senior independent living communities, with more than 37,000 apartments in the U.S. and Canada. It has 14 locations in Oregon, and seven in the Portland area.

In 2013, it agreed to pay restitution of up to $3,500 to each of 163 military veterans in a settlement with the Oregon Department of Justice. The state had been investigating Holiday for "alleged unlawful marketing of senior housing to veterans."

While Oregon's unemployment rate is at a historic low, of 3.8 percent, conditions vary among individual businesses and industries. A number of other employers, including some other longstanding Oregon companies, have announced job cuts in 2017.

-- Mike Rogoway; twitter: @rogoway; 503-294-7699
coal bed methane.jpg

This map shows areas of potential coal bed methane reserves in Oregon.

((courtesy DOGAMI))

The Oregon House passed a bill Tuesday that would place a 10-year ban on fracking, or hydraulic fracturing, by those drilling for oil or natural gas in the state.

The bill is symbolic at this point, as no one is actually using the controversial technique in Oregon. But it has been employed in the past and could be again if developers look to exploit coal bed methane reserves that are potentially spread through Western Oregon, including much of the Willamette Valley.

Hydraulic fracturing involves injecting millions of gallons of fluid into wells under pressure to fracture rock formations and prop open the fissures, which allows gas and oil to flow more freely. The fluid is typically a mixture of water, sand and other chemicals, and the technique is used in shale and coal bed methane formations to make them more permeable - and ultimately more profitable places to drill.

Along with horizontal drilling techniques, fracking is responsible for the natural gas and oil drilling boom that has upended the U.S. energy market. But it is a highly controversial practice that opponents link to groundwater contamination, massive water consumption and the triggering of earthquakes in states where it has been used extensively.

Rep. Ken Helm, D-Beaverton, called House Bill 2711 a precautionary measure. He introduced legislation in 2015 that would have directed the Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries to develop tighter rules around hydraulic fracturing. But the bill never passed, and the rulemaking was estimated to cost $750,000. Since the Legislature is doing everything on the cheap this session, he said he reintroduced the bill with the 10-year moratorium and no rulemaking.

"I'm just proposing pushing a pause button on this type of exploration in the state," he told lawmakers.

Proponents maintain that the practice is highly regulated, environmentally safe and a boon for producers and consumers. The Western States Petroleum Association submitted testimony for an earlier public hearing that said the practice wasn't new, untested or dangerous, and had been safely used to enhance the production of energy for more than 60 years.

The only producing gas field in Oregon today is near the town of Mist, in northwest Oregon. But it's a conventional resource drilled in sandstone that doesn't need to be fracked.

The U.S. Geological Survey has indicated there are potential coalbed methane reserves under a big stretch of Western Oregon, including much of the Willamette Valley. Though there is no active exploration today, about five coalbed methane wells were hydraulically fractured in Coos County in 2005 and 2006, according to the Department of Geology and Mineral Industries. They ultimately were deemed unviable and plugged with cement, and there is no indication of environmental damage from the drilling, the agency said.

Companies also have discovered gas in the Snake River Basin, along the border of Idaho. There are active wells in Idaho, and a Texas company, Alta Mesa Holdings, has leased land in Malheur County, near Ontario, to potentially drill there.

Those formations are also sandstone, so they can be developed without fracking. But the company's law firm submitted testimony saying that the bills could prevent "low-volume well stimulation activities" that are a standard part of conventional drilling operations. "At the minimum, the bill should be amended so as not to impede conventional oil and gas wellbore operations," the letter said.

Cliff Bentz, R-Ontario, made the same point in his floor speech Tuesday. He noted that Oregon uses an enormous amount of imported gas today, and could be producing its own, generating royalties and revenues. At the very least, he said, lawmakers needed to tighten up the language so it didn't dissuade companies from developing the resource in Oregon.

Environmental groups back the bill, which will now head to the Senate.

"We cannot stand by and ignore the hazards that fracking could bring to our state, so we believe a moratorium is entirely appropriate," Rhett Lawrence, the conservation director for the Oregon Chapter of the Sierra Club said in written testimony.

- Ted Sickinger

503-221-8505; @tedsickinger
Wilbur Ross, Sean Spicer

Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, center, accompanied by White House press secretary Sean Spicer, left, smiles while speaking to the media about a new tariff on Canadian lumber during the daily press briefing at the White House, Tuesday, April 25, 2017, in Washington. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

(Andrew Harnik)

Oregon timber executives said Tuesday they will consider adding jobs, instituting new shifts, and investing more in existing Northwest mills as a result of a new 20 percent duty on Canadian softwood lumber announced by the White House.

President Donald Trump announced the billion-dollar duty late Monday at a meeting of conservative media representatives. He said more tough trade tactics could be in the works against certain Canadian industries, with the Canadians vowing to retaliate.

For operators in the Northwest, the duties could bring some relief from Canadian lumber suppliers they claim are heavily subsidized by their government. Thanks to that government support, Canadian lumber suppliers have won more than 30 percent of the U.S. market.

"This is all about jobs," said Steve Swanson of the Swanson Group, owner of a plywood mill in Springfield and sawmills in Roseburg and Glendale. "We should be able to add a few employees -- 25 to 30 workers -- in each of our sawmills."

Trump joined a 35-year trade dispute Monday when he announced the 20 percent duties. U.S. Customs and Border Protection will begin requiring importers to pay cash deposits or post bonds equal to the estimated amounts of unfair subsidies.

The Commerce Department said that so-called countervailing duties ranging from 3 percent to 24 percent would be applied retroactively on five Canadian lumber exporters, The Associated Press reported. Overall the duties would average about 20 percent and could amount to a total of around $1 billion. Additional penalties could be levied if the Commerce Department determines that Canadian lumber is being dumped into U.S. markets.

Timber was for decades a titanic force in the Pacific Northwest economy. Employment in Oregon alone exceeded 80,000 from 1950 to 1980. The industry took a big hit in the 1980s recession and as concerns arose about its environmental impact. By 2012, employment had dwindled to below 30,000, according to the Oregon Office of Economic Analysis, and has fallen further since then.

Monday's announcement inspired a rare moment of bipartisan unity. "Unfairly traded softwood lumber from Canada has for decades hurt mill towns and American millworkers in Oregon and across the country," said Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon. "Today's announcement sends the message that help is on the way."

Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Oregon, credited Trump Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross for making the lumber dispute a priority before the Trump administration moves on to a wholesale renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement.

Trump got elected promising to put American workers before international free trade agreements. He is not the first president to slap a duty on Canadian lumber. He is continuing a fight that Barack Obama and George W. Bush fought before him. In fact, the trade case that resulted in the new duty was instituted by the Obama administration.

But in moving swiftly ahead with the new penalty, Trump has won fans in the U.S. timber industry. Swanson said the industry now has an ally in the White House who shares their dim view of the free trade deal signed by the U.S., Canada and Mexico in 1994. "Trump's been highly critical of NAFTA and so have we," Swanson said.

"This administration is a little less conflicted," DeFazio said. "Remember that Obama was trying to sell the Trans-Pacific Partnership, which would have sold a much worse version of NAFTA over a third of the planet. There's less conflict within the Trump administration about winning over international partners."

Andrew Miller, of Portland-based Stimson Lumber, is hopeful the U.S. trade negotiators can use the duty to extract a major concession from the Canadians -- a flat quota that would allow Canadians a maximum of 25 percent of the U.S. market. "We all have unused capacity," Miller said. "There are ample privately owned logs, most of which are going to China today. If we have the confidence we're not going to be overwhelmed with Canadian product, we can compete with anybody."

Stimson operates mills in Forest Grove, Tillamook and Clatskanie.

Miller credited Wyden for his efforts on behalf of the industry. "Wyden is a free trader," Miller said. "But he's been an outspoken leader for the last 10 years for the domestic timber industry."

-- Jeff Manning

503-294-7606, jmanning@oregonian.com
(Tim Weiner is a Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter. His books include "Legacy of Ashes: The History of the CIA." The opinions expressed are his own.)

By Tim Weiner

April 26 (Reuters) - Admit nothing. Youre the puppet! Deny everything. Trump Russia story is a hoax! Make counteraccusations. How low has President Obama gone to tapp my phones during the very sacred election process. Thats Donald Trump reacting to the Kremlins malevolent meddling in the 2016 election.

The net effect of these comments can be summarized by one word: stonewalling, the tactic of the Confederate Civil War General Stonewall Jackson, whose motto was mystify, mislead, and surprise. Jackson died after he was shot accidentally by his own troops  and Trump needs to watch his right flank in days to come.

His allies in Congress have tried to defuse the explosive Russia affair, and to confuse the citizenry with wild charges. That tactic isnt working. Some Republicans now want a hearing in the Senate. The congressional intelligence committees cannot stay silent. The Federal Bureau of Investigation will not retreat. The stone wall surrounding the White House may not stand.

Whether Americans conspired with Russian spies to disrupt democracy is one of the thorniest questions the FBI ever has confronted. Its investigation will hover over the White House for many months.

Two weeks before Trump was inaugurated, the leaders of every major U.S. intelligence service told him they had concluded that his election had been supported by the Kremlin. Russia worked to damage Hillary Clinton and help Trump  in part by purloining Democratic party emails and weaponizing them through WikiLeaks, a publisher of stolen secrets.

I love WikiLeaks! candidate Trump had proclaimed when his opponent was wounded. But WikiLeaks was a hostile intelligence service abetted by Russian spies, who used it to release data of U.S. victimsobtained through cyber operations against the Democratic National Committee, Trumps CIA director, Mike Pompeo, said on April 13.

Story continues

He added: Russias primary propaganda outlet, RT, has actively collaborated with WikiLeaks. Love WikiLeaks or hate it, Russia used it to great effect, injecting poison pills into the American mainstream.

Was Trumps campaign allied in any way with this warfare? Trump himself egged on Russias hacking. He praised President Vladimir Putin while Putin was making war on the American political system.

His first campaign manager, Paul Manafort, lost his job for longstanding ties to Russian-aligned oligarchs; these included a political consultancy intended to "greatly benefit the Putin Government." His first national security adviser, Michael T. Flynn, served as a paid mouthpiece for RT, then was fired for lying to his superiors about his conversations with the Russian ambassador.

The FBI is following a trail in cyberspace. It will seek evidence of ties  personal, political, financial  between members of Team Putin and Team Trump. Farther down that path, the FBI may reach a crossroads.

Will its counterintelligence case, the pursuit of spies, evolve into a criminal case, with charges presented for prosecution? Will Trump himself become a subject of the investigation? A sitting president cannot be indicted, but he can, as Richard M. Nixon was, be named as an unindicted co-conspirator by a federal grand jury.

He can also, in the Nixon tradition, cloud the political landscape with lies and inventions. President Obama was tapping my phones in October, just prior to Election! Trump proclaimed in an early-morning tweetstorm last month. This is Nixon/Watergate. It was, but only in the sense that the president was blowing smoke in the eyes of the American people.

This particular falsehood set the Republican chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, Devin Nunes of California, careening down a blind alley. He cancelled scheduled committee hearings while setting off in futile search of evidence to support the presidents lie.

He made a dead-of-night trip to obtain secret documents from two National Security Council staffers (one his former aide, the other Flynns hand-picked intelligence officer). He proclaimed they showed that Team Trump was wrongly targeted by Obamas spies  a charge as baseless as Trumps tweet. This bizarre charade forced him to recuse himself from the investigation of the case. He is now under investigation by the House Ethics Committee for his conduct.

Nunes cancelled House Intelligence Committee hearings and knocked his committee out of business for five weeks. On May 2, it restarts  in a closed-door hearing  to learn more from FBI Director James Comey, who gave reticent but resonant testimony on camera in March, when he confirmed that the FBI was on the case.

The Senate Intelligence Committee has been seemingly somnolent since shortly after Trumps inauguration. Behind closed doors, its unusually small staff is reviewing top-secret documents that led the American intelligence establishment to conclude that Russia was disrupting democracy. The American public knows next to nothing about these records.

The committee clearly intends to summon Flynn. But Flynns failure to disclose payments from RT has left him in legal jeopardy, and he wants immunity from prosecution in exchange for his testimony. Whether the Senate committee can compel his appearance is dubious. So is its immediate future: it has issued no subpoenas, scheduled no public hearings, and set no scope for its inquiry.

But the secrecy of the intelligence committees soon will be pierced. News broke Tuesday that the Senate Judiciary Committee will hold a public hearing  entitled Russian Interference in the 2016 United States Election  on May 8.

Two crucial figures will appear. Both were set to testify at the House hearings before Nunes went off the reservation. They are the former National Intelligence Director James Clapper  the top American spymaster under Obama  and the former Acting Attorney General Sally Yates.

Remember Sally Yates? She was running the Justice Department when Trump fired her in January. She had warned the Trump White House that Mike Flynns deceptions about his talks with Putins ambassador made him vulnerable to Russian blackmail. Her successor, Attorney General Jeff Sessions, has recused himself from the Russia affair due to his own undisclosed chats with Moscows envoy.

Someone at the Justice Department has to oversee the FBI investigation  but exactly who is an open question. Someone in Congress has to carry out public hearings  but the will to do so has wavered in past weeks. Polls show that an overwhelming majority of the American people want someone to get to the bottom of this mess. Public trust in government being what it is, those same polls show a desire for a politically independent inquiry.

Expect a social-media groundswell to erupt next month: Sally Yates for special prosecutor. Stranger things have happened in this epic spy story. (By Tim Weiner)
Daimler headquareters

A Western Star truck parked outside Daimler Trucks North America's headquarters on Portland's Swan Island.

(Mark Graves/The Oregonian)

Did Daimler take a self-driving truck for a spin in Oregon late last year? Not really.

As Willamette Week reported Wednesday, Daimler Trucks North America notified the state late last year it would be testing a truck with automated features on Interstate 84.

The test, which occurred in broad daylight on a December weekday, used technology akin to adaptive cruise control, a feature available in many new consumer cars that matches the speed of the next vehicle ahead.

DTNA, which has its headquarters on Portland's Swan Island, was exploring a technology called "platooning," in which two or more trucks follow one another closely together to reduce wind resistance and save fuel.

Sensors and vehicle-to-vehicle wireless communication help the second truck maintain a certain distance from the truck ahead -- much closer than would be safe if it were up to a human driver to react.

If the first truck stops short to avoid a collision, it would nearly instantly transmit that to the following truck, and the second truck would automatically apply the brakes before its human driver could realize what's happening.

Steering, however, is left to the driver. It's considered "Level 1" autonomy on a five-level scale by the engineers organization SAE International and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Tesla cars equipped with Autopilot software use more advanced automation. Those vehicles can both steer and control acceleration.

DTNA is testing autonomous big-rigs in Nevada, which explicitly allows testing self-driving cars.

But the platooning test occurred in Oregon because I-84 has become a standard route for testing fuel economy, company officials said.

"If we want to compare any result we had here with past results, we understand the route, we understand the speed, we understand the terrain," said Derek Rotz, DTNA's director of advanced engineering. "It gives us the best sort of apples-to-apples comparison.

The test is fully legal under Oregon law, and Daimler wasn't required to notify the state transportation department.

Nor would it, or any other company, necessarily have to alert the state if it were testing a fully autonomous vehicle.

"As long as they're in compliance with Oregon law, which at this point is silent on autonomous vehicles, then they could do it," said Andrew Dick, the state transportation department's adviser on connected, automated and electric vehicles.

ODOT won't say whether it would be legal to test a truly driverless car - meaning no human in the driver's seat - in the state because there's been no legal determination.

But in a 2014 legal analysis published in the Texas A&M Law Review, Bryant Walker Smith, an assistant professor at the University of South Carolina, argued that they're probably legal in all 50 states because they assume -- but don't require -- the presence of a human driver.

Some states have since adopted more specific laws, but Oregon has not. Two bills proposed this year in the Oregon Legislature would have created a regulatory framework, but each is dead in committee after missing key deadlines.

DTNA said it plans to continue its platooning tests in Oregon, and that it will continue to notify the state in advance.

If it hasn't occurred yet, it might not be long before Oregon does become a testing site for self-driving vehicles.

Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler said earlier this month that the city was "open for business" to companies developing autonomous vehicles. He and Commissioner Dan Saltzman directed the city's transportation bureau to develop policies to give such companies a path to testing the vehicles on city roads.

-- Elliot Njus

enjus@oregonian.com

503-294-5034

@enjus
This May, Portland Public Schools will ask voters to pass the largest construction bond in state history  $790 million  with no guarantee who, exactly, will be in charge at Oregon's largest school district.

Although the Portland school board has had a lone finalist for superintendent since early March, a contract hasn't been inked and no date has been set for a vote to hire him.

The uncertainty doesn't stop there: On the same ballot as the bond, voters will choose three new members for the seven-member Portland school board. No doubt some view a board sea change as a boon for the district's credibility, but how that change will affect Portland Public Schools is anyone's guess.

Nearly eight weeks ago, the board announced Donyall Dickey, Atlanta Public Schools' chief academic and schools officer, as its top choice. Two board members and the district's deputy chief wrapped up a vetting trip to Georgia six weeks ago.

Don't expect Dickey or anyone else to be named superintendent in time for the election.

Portland school board chair Tom Koehler, who is handling negotiations, said he expects to finalize a contract mid- to late May and won't rush to meet an "arbitrary deadline" like the May 16 election.

Koehler said uncertain leadership should not worry voters, noting the group of employees tasked with implementing the 2012 bond is still there and will do the same for this bond, should it pass.

"I am not concerned and fully expect Donyall to be our next superintendent," Koehler said. He said the district has been criticized in the past for not thoroughly reviewing job candidates. "The background check is very extensive, as it should be. Our expectation is that it will take as long as it needs to in order to ensure it's thorough."

As to whether Dickey's salary has been an issue for a district that is bracing for a budget shortfall, Koehler said negotiations are almost done. The approach, he said, has been "to look at the market and provide a competitive but commensurate salary to other superintendents of like size districts in the region.

Dickey  who has never been a superintendent  makes $230,000 in his role now in Atlanta, which has roughly 52,000 students. Portland has about 49,000.

Carole Smith who helmed the district for nearly a decade made a base salary of $247,000. Interim Superintendent Bob McKean, who had previously led Centennial School District, which has roughly 6,000 students, makes $243,600.

Should Dickey's hire fall through, Portland Public Schools would be facing the prospect of having to launch another search for an interim superintendent on top of yet another search for a permanent superintendent. McKean's contract is up at the end of June and it's unknown if he would stay on.

For those counting: That could mean four executive searches since Smith left in July 2016.

All of this comes at a critical juncture for the school district.

Although Portland Public Schools' lead scandal has been a selling point for the bond, with campaign signs in yards that say "I'm voting yes to get the lead out!", the crisis has also dogged the bond.

The school board chose not to send the bond to a vote in November as planned, saying the lead crisis blindsided the district and more time was needed. They wanted to be able to detail the bond money that would go toward the many health and safety hazards that lurk districtwide in Portland's old schools.

A bond had been in the works since at least 2010, as Portland Public Schools is on the front end of a 30- to 50-year-long series of successive bonds to modernize all 90-plus of its school buildings, which average about 70 years old. The kickoff of this plan failed, with voters in May 2011, rejecting a half-billion-dollar bond measure. However, Portland Public Schools rebounded, with voters in November 2012 overwhelmingly approving a $482 million bond.

How deferred maintenance has left schools in dangerous disrepair has come into focus in the past year, due to the May 2016 lead in drinking water crisis. And it wasn't just a lack of rigor in facilities upkeep that became a flashpoint. A harsh light was also cast on the district's failure to hold employees accountable and its lack of basic systems, a point auditors had been making for years to no avail.

The scandal spurred a painful transition. Many top officials have left, and a combination of people who have stuck it out and short-timers tapped to fill in temporarily are working to rehab or create basic functions.

What is Portland Public Schools asking of homeowners?

For the first four years, property owners would pay $1.40 per $1,000 of assessed property value, meaning the owner of a home assessed at $240,000 would pay $336 a year. That would be on top of the $1.10 per $1,000, or $264 on a $240,000 home, property owners also will pay to help retire the district's 2012 construction bond, which will be paid back by 2033. The 2017 bond, if passed, would be paid back by 2047.

"It is my opinion that the current Portland Public Schools staff managed the 2012 bond in a professional and responsible manner," Dickey told The Oregonian/OregonLive by email on April 25. "Provided the public votes in the affirmative, I plan to be in place to support the management of the 2017 bond in a manner consistent with the high expectations of the community. "

 Bethany Barnes

Got a tip about Portland Public Schools? Email Bethany: bbarnes@oregonian.com
FILE PHOTO: Thomas Enders, Chief Executive Officer of EADS speaks at a ground breaking ceremony for Airbus for its first U.S. assembly plant in Mobile, Alabama April 8, 2013. REUTERS/Lyle Ratliff

By Kirsti Knolle

VIENNA (Reuters) - Airbus (AIR.PA) was plunged deeper into legal wrangling over past business dealings on Wednesday when Vienna prosecutors announced a fraud investigation into its chief executive in connection with a $2 billion (1.56 billion pounds) fighter order over a decade ago.

Airbus called the accusations against CEO Tom Enders "completely unsubstantiated" after Reuters exclusively revealed the investigation, which came to light in correspondence seen by the news agency and confirmed by Vienna prosecutors.

For the second time in two months, Airbus seemed taken aback by the latest developments in a longstanding row over the Eurofighter deal, which has spawned numerous investigations that now coincide with separate probes in other countries of its passenger jet sales.

In February, Vienna prosecutors opened a criminal investigation into Airbus and the Eurofighter consortium after the defence ministry said it believed they had misled Austria about the price, deliverability and equipment of the 2003 deal.

That investigation now involves 16 individuals including Enders, according to a list seen by Reuters.

"Upon our inquiry after initial media reports, the Vienna prosecutor this afternoon informed us for the first time that all individuals, who have been mentioned by the Republic of Austria in its statement of alleged facts, ... are under investigation," an Airbus spokesman said by email.

"This list of individuals includes, among others, Tom Enders. As we have repeatedly stated, we consider the accusations as completely unsubstantiated."

Enders and Airbus, which was called European Aeronautic, Defence and Space Company (EADS) at the time the fighter jet order was agreed, have repeatedly denied any wrongdoing.

Enders, a 58-year-old German, was head of EADS's defence division when the contract was signed. He took responsibility for combat aircraft a few months later.

The Eurofighter consortium, which comprises BAE Systems (BAES.L), Italy's Leonardo (LDOF.MI) and Airbus, has also denied any wrongdoing.

Story continues

Airbus shares fell as much as 1.1 percent after Reuters reported the probe into Enders, before closing unchanged.

COMPLIANCE DRIVE

Airbus has warned of financial implications as it carries out a clean-up of its files under a compliance drive ordered by Enders, which last year exposed discrepancies over jetliner sales that Airbus reported to UK and French authorities.

Prosecutors in both countries are carrying out investigations into suspected fraud, bribery and corruption.

Enders has pledged to push ahead with the compliance effort.

While it recognises problems with past applications for export aid in its passenger jet business, Airbus has pushed back strongly against allegations of wrongdoing in Austria, which it believes are wrapped up in domestic political manoeuvres.

Austrian and German prosecutors have separately been investigating for years whether officials received bribes aimed at ensuring they chose Eurofighter jets over rival offers from Saab (SAABb.ST) and Lockheed Martin (LMT.N).

Allegations surfaced almost immediately after the purchase was agreed that money was pocketed by politicians, civil servants and others via brokers for so-called offset deals accompanying the transaction.

These deals, common in large arms purchases, are designed to provide work for local businesses in countries placing orders.

Austria's defence ministry has alleged Airbus and the Eurofighter consortium illegally charged nearly 10 percent of the purchase price of 1.96 billion euros for these side deals.

(Additional reporting by Victoria Bryan and Tim Hepher; Editing by Francois Murphy, Keith Weir and Mark Potter)
Sundar Pichai

Google's parent company Alphabet reports its Q1 earnings Thursday afternoon after the market closes.

The report comes as Alphabet's stock continues to break records, recently reaching all-time highs. The only company bigger than Alphabet by market cap? Apple.

Google, the core of Alphabet's business, has shown progress in the areas CEO Sundar Pichai has said he wants to focus on: YouTube, artificial intelligence, and consumer products.

Here's what you need to know ahead of Alphabet's earnings.

The numbers

Wall street consensus, according to Bloomberg is:

EPS, GAAP: $7.41

Revenue: $20.02 billion, which would be 21.6% year-over-year growth

YouTube

The big new thing at YouTube: YouTube TV.

YouTube TV launched in a few US cities a few weeks ago. The app itself is well-designed and video streams are reliable. But it's also missing a lot of content. There's a less-than-zero chance Google will disclose how many subscribers YouTube TV has so far, but expect to hear Pichai and team to brag about the successful launch.

Youtube TV 5

AI and voice control

Google is trying to inject artificial intelligence into all of its products, from search to the smart home. It's also increasingly interested in voice control thanks to the Google Assistant that lives in the Google Home speaker and newer Android phones.

But Pichai has struggled to explain how the company can monetize voice searches with ads. The challenge was highlighted in March when Google Home started playing an ad for the new "Beauty and the Beast" movie. Google pulled the spot after the internet lit up with complaints.

Google Home recently got a significant update. It can now sync with multiple user accounts, using voice recognition to switch seamlessly between them.

Other bets

Alphabet's other companies like Nest, Waymo, and Verily are lumped into their own category called Other Bets. These companies make up just a tiny fraction of Google's revenues, but the hope is that one of them will grow into the next huge business after search.

Story continues

In the year-ago quarter, Other Bets revenues were $166 million with an $802 million operating loss. Investors will be looking for revenue growth and slowing losses.

Google I/O

Google's annual developers conference is the company's biggest event of the year where it announces new features for Android and other new products. This year's I/O starts May 17 with a big keynote presentation. Expect Pichai to tease the event a bit during Thursday's earnings call.

NOW WATCH: 7 Google Maps tricks only power users know about





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The Midland City Council on Monday approved a $341,000 budget proposed to seek federal Community Development Block Grants, which would help low-income residents.

The grants are afforded annually to communities by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to help eliminate blight, bring homes to livable conditions by rehabilitation and emergency repair, fund programs aimed at increasing affordable housing and create jobs through expansion and retention of businesses. CDBG applications are due May 15.

Most of the funding for Midland, if approved, would be allocated to housing rehabilitation projects and improving public facilities. City council recommends federal funding for projects submitted by Midland County Habitat for Humanity, Midland Area Homes, Windover High School and others.

On Monday, city officials reiterated the uncertainty the CDBG program faces with the Trump administrations purview. Councilwoman Diane Brown Wilhelm asked where it would leave all the community organizations that need help if the program were to go away altogether.

The reality is, is that without some of this funding, these programs would either have to be discontinued or cut back, said Brad Kaye, assistant city manager. Many of these organizations are helping people with housing rehabilitation. So whether its they simply cant afford a new roof or whether they cant afford a new heater if it goes out in the middle of winter, things like that, if they dont have the funds, then unfortunately we have to try to help them the best we can to find other funding sources, of which the city would not be able to be the supplier.

After a public hearing (there were no comments), council members said they hope the federal money comes to Midland.

As an organization that is impacted by this we hope the money comes, too. It really does mean a lot to all of those organizations, because there are a lot of needs in our community, said Mayor Maureen Donker, who is also executive director of the Reece Endeavor of Midland, for which city officials had recommended for CDBG funding.

The following is a list of projects city officials recommend for federal funding. Organizations presented projects in February to the city housing commission, which forwarded approval to city council:

 Windover High School  $49,000 toward a walk-in fridge/freezer for its culinary arts program. When presenting the application to the city housing commission, Principal Gina Wilson noted 90 percent of the schools 115 students are in poverty and 30 percent are homeless. She said the school has prioritized its culinary arts program and raised $3,000 for the new equipment.

 Washington Woods  $38,000 to replace aging equipment installed when the facility was built, in 1984, including a backflow preventer for its fire suppression system, and to add 10-foot poles with LED lighting to increase security, accessibility and navigability for seniors.

 Cleveland Manor  $35,000 to either replace 60 dehumidifiers or install LED porch lights. Executive Director Trudy Laufer had requested $65,000 to cover both projects, but city staff, citing limited revenue, recommended partial funding.

 Zero-interest home rehabilitation loans  $33,496, administered by the citys planning department and housing technician. These deferred-payment loans serve low- and moderate-income residents by installing roofs, plumbing, electrical upgrades, furnace replacement and other emergency repairs.

 Midland County Habitat for Humanity and Midland Area Homes  $30,000 for five roof repairs/replacements.

 Midland Area Homes  $25,000 to fund health, safety and emergency repairs, primarily focusing on small, urgent-need repairs. The funding comes as a grant; homeowners need not repay.

 Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Great Lakes Bay Region  $16,399 to replace the roof at its Friendship Center at 2200 N. Saginaw Road, which its president and CEO said is 20 years old and is leaking and creating dry rot in the siding on the building. BBBS also requested $18,837 to replace siding, but staff recommended against funding this.

 Habitat for Humanity  $15,000 to acquire land with the intent to build a three-bedroom, one-bath house. A city staff report to the housing commission notes CDBG funds may not be used to fund housing construction, but may be used for property acquisition. This is one of the best ways CDBG dollars can directly impact the creation of new, affordable housing units, stated a city staff report to the housing commission.

 Habitat for Humanity  $10,000 to make critical exterior improvements at one home totaling at least 15 percent of the homes value, as part of its Neighborhood Revitalization Imitative.

 West Midland Family Center  $10,000 to help fund its Family Ties parenting and education program, which works with at-risk families. Funding would also cover transportation costs.

 Midland Community Former Offenders Advocacy  $10,000 to assist former offenders in securing employment and housing. The inability to meet basic life needs is the No. 1 predicator of re-offending, thus this project helps the city of Midland be a safer and more productive community by reducing recidivism. This program has demonstrated strong compliance and timely expenditure of funds, along with substantial accomplishment data over the last two years, the city report stated.

 Midland Area Homes  $5,000 to build accessibility ramps for up to seven extremely low-income residents.

 Legal Services of Eastern Michigan  $3,500 to recruit and train staff to test whether clients face housing discrimination in the city of Midland.

 Reece Endeavor  $1,510 to install automatic stovetop fire suppression systems at 35 homes the organization owns in the city, built for those with special needs and disabilities.

The city anticipates about $43,000 in planning and administrative costs.
NORMAL  The Heartland Community College board gave administrators the go-ahead Tuesday to consider dipping into reserves, if necessary, to offset uncertainty about state funding.

The intent is to preserve program quality, minimize disruptions and not have to take radical actions because of continued uncertainty about state funding, explained President Rob Widmer.

No formal vote was taken, but heads nodded affirmatively when Widmer asked the board, Are you comfortable with the direction we're going?

A tentative budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1 will be presented to the board for adoption in June, and a final budget will follow in September.

In explaining what was meant by radical actions, Widmer said, We got burned on adult education.

Last year, the college cut 29 classes in its adult education program, which provides instruction in areas such as the GED high school equivalency degree and English as a second language, because state funding wasn't forthcoming. The state approved funding on the last day of the fiscal year  too late to do much good.

Doug Minter, vice president of business services, presented board members with several scenarios related to state funding, including one based on receiving no money from the state for several years  even though that is considered unlikely.

Minter did not give exact figures, but he said it is a goal to have an operating fund reserve of about 25 percent of what projected expenditures are for a year. It currently represents about 18 percent of projected expenditures.

By using existing fund balances, we have the ability to ride out the storm, Minter said. But both Minter and Widmer said using the fund balance is not a sustainable strategy.

Under that worst-case scenario, the fund balance would drop to zero in fiscal year 2020. However, if the worst-case scenario  or even a slightly less worse case  developed, Minter said the college would regroup and not let that happen.

The college already has taken several steps to control expenses. But that shouldn't excuse the state from its responsibilities, said Minter.

The message we want to get out is Heartland is alive and well  because we prepared for such situations and the state has to get back on board, he said.

Gregg Chadwick, who was re-elected as board chairman Tuesday night, said he liked this approach because this allows us to spend more time thinking about what we want the college to be rather than when is the next check going to come.

Minter often has used a wild card metaphor when discussing budgeting.

In today's climate, it feels like we're playing a game of roulette instead of a card game where the wild cards become known, he said.

State funding isn't the college's only worry. Another challenge looms, which Minter referred to as the fiscal cliff  the loss of the ability to levy what's called the equity tax. That is based on the district's operating property tax rate compared to the statewide average.

The district is authorized to use the equity tax only if it is eligible for a state equalization grant that is based on a complex formula related to a district's property assessments and student enrollment. The state grant amounts to about $50,000 but the equity tax can bring in about $3 million, Minter said.

The district anticipates losing equity tax authority after fiscal 2018.

In other business, the board seated newly elected board member Mary Campbell, who  along with Chadwick  won the April 4 election. The board also seated a new student board member, Renee Vaessen of Normal, a freshman majoring in communications.
NAIROBI (Reuters) - Kenya's telecoms regulator said on Tuesday it was waiting for a full report on an outage that knocked out services for several hours at the country's biggest operator, Safaricom. The operator, which is 40 percent owned by Britain's Vodafone, suffered the outage on Monday, which left its 27.7 million subscribers out of reach and without access to mobile financial services. "The Authority is awaiting a comprehensive report of the incident from Safaricom in order to determine whether there was any omission on their part in line with the obligations of their license," the Communications Authority (CA) said in a statement. The CA said it was too early to tell if the company would be fined, since the cause of the outage was not clear. Outages caused by factors beyond the control of an operator, technically known as force majeure, usually do not attract sanctions. Safaricom, which has a 71.2 percent market share, said full restoration of the network after the outage ended on Tuesday morning, adding it was working to maintain stability. Its shares fell 0.79 percent in Tuesday's session to close at 18.95 shillings ($0.1836) each, from Monday's close of 19.10 shillings. ($1 = 103.2000 Kenyan shillings) (Reporting by Duncan Miriri; editing by Alexander Smith)
The 2017 Illinois Mennonite Relief Sale Board wishes to express special thanks to all who assisted and participated in our 59th Relief Sale at the Interstate Center on March 17-18. We appreciate the many people from Illinois and guests from out-of-state who helped swell the crowd in feeding several thousand chicken and fish dinners on Friday night, and pancakes and sausage breakfasts on Saturday. Also thanks to those who supported the auction and many booths. Financial results are not yet available, but it appears the 59th Sale net will be approximately the same as last year or achieve a possible increase.




A big, touring Todd Francis retrospective stops at Brooklyn's House of Vans (25 Franklin Street, Brooklyn) on Friday, April 28, 8 to 11 p.m., with over 50 paintings and drawings  plus 100 iconic skateboards. The "Worst of the Worst" exhibition showcases twenty years of the artist's graphics for Antihero. On the night, there's a live performance by LA-based duo Ho99o9 and a DJ set by The Blackouts. And on Saturday, April 29, noon to 4 p.m., Vans is hosting an open-skate session followed by an artist talk with Francis from 4 to 5 p.m. Space is limited. RSVP HERE.

Creative Time and Green-Wood Cemetery (25th Street and 5th Avenue, Sunset Park, Brooklyn) present Sophie Calle's "Here Lie the Secrets of the Visitors of Green-Wood Cemetery, 2017 - 2042" on April 29 and 30, noon to 5 p.m. daily. For the opening, the French conceptual artist will write down or listen to your anonymous "secrets" and insert them into a slot at the base of a tombstone on the cemetery's Bay Grove Hill. After April 30  and for the next 25 years  visitors can continue to record and contribute their secrets. No selfies or autographs, please.





Robert Branaman, "6 Nudes + Psychedelic Head," 1964. Via Susan Inglett Gallery

Susan Inglett Gallery (522 West 24th Street) documents San Francisco's community of mid-century artists known as the Rat Bastard Protective Association, with a big group show opening on April 27 and on view until June 3. The exhibition features over 40 works by ten "Association" artists including Bruce Conner, Wallace Berman, Joan Brown, Bob Branaman, Jean Conner, Joe DeFeo, George Herms, Wally Hedrick, Manuel Neri and Michael McClure. The show's curator, Dr. Anastasia Aukeman, will sign copies of her RBPA book "Welcome to Painterland" on Saturday, April 29, 4 to 6 p.m.





Mark Mothersbaugh, "1964Monument to the Conquerors of Space," 2012. Via Grey Art Gallery

"Mark Mothersbaugh: Myopia" opens on April 26 at NYU's Grey Art Gallery (100 Washington Square East) and runs thru July 15. The artist was a founding member of the band DEVO and has produced scores for film, TV and video games. This exhibition, curated by Adam Lerner, features Mark's visual art including paintings, prints, photos, sculpture etc. On Thursday, May 4, 6:30 p.m., at NYU Skirball Center (566 LaGuardia Place)  following an on-stage conversation with PAPER's Carlo McCormick  Mothersbaugh will conduct orchestral renditions of original music on a "six-sided keyboard of his invention" along with local musicians. Tickets are HERE.





Pioneer Works' annual "Village Fete" fundraiser is Sunday, April 30. Fab 5 Freddy is this year's Master of Ceremonies, with cocktails and a silent auction kicking things off at 5 p.m.; dinner (by Union Square Events) and a live auction at 6:30; and an afterparty starting at 9 p.m. with EXO-TECH live and a DJ set by Actual Magic (Chances With Wolves & Javelin). Tickets are HERE.





George Condo, Nude on Wine Crates 2, 2017. via Skarstedt Gallery.

Skarstedt Gallery (20 East 79th Street) opens a show of new sculpture and paintings by the NYC-based artist George Condo on April 27, 6 to 8 p.m., and up until June 24. The exhibition chronicles the artist's return to his concept of "simulated found objects and includes seven new sculptures and several paintings that "echo and oppose (the sculptures') three-dimensionality."





Joan Jonas via Gavin Brown

Gavin Brown kicks off FRIEZE week with a big Joan Jonas exhibition, "What is Found in the Windowless House is True," opening on Sunday, April 30, noon to 4 p.m., at the gallery's new home at 439 West 127th Street. This is the US premiere of two, large-scale, multi-channel video installations; along with drawings, props and ephemera from the artist's 50-year history. On view until June 10.

The week-long PEN World Voices Festival kicks off with a big, free event called "House Divided" on Sunday, April 30, 3 to 4:30 p.m., in the Great Hall at Cooper Union (7 East 7th Street). Over 30 artists, writers, "thinkers and politicos" will respond to current affairs with an alternative "State of the Union." Participants include: John Giorno, Joan Jonas, Jonas Mekas, Ed Sanders and the Fugs, Richard Serra, Phong Bui and Paul Auster. The event was organized by Stefan Bondell and Bob Holman.

Allouche Gallery (82 Gansevoort Street) has an exhibition called "To Accompany Something Invisible" by Brooklyn-based artist Swoon opening on April 27, 6 to 9 p.m. The works include installation boxes, prep sketches and preliminary paper cutouts  and it coincides with the completion of the artist's third house built in Haiti via her non-profit Konbit Shelter.





ensmble, In-betweens Surface 1, 2015. Via Museum of Arts and Design

The Museum of Arts and Design (2 Columbus Circle) opens a new exhibition called "fashion after Fashion" on Thursday, April 27, and on view until August 6. The show explores the evolution and re-invention of fashion -- rather than its obsolescence -- via commissioned installations by international designers, artists, filmmakers and media including Echhaus Latta, Alexa Karolinski, ensaemble, Lucy Jones, Ryohei Kawanishi, Henrik Vibskov and Helsinki's SSAW Magazine.

The National YoungArts Foundation is hosting a program of performances, exhibitions, readings and screening at various locations in New York City from April 25 to 30. The full schedule is HERE. There's an exhibition of visual arts, photography and design by up-and-coming artists at Sotheby's (1334 York Avenue), opening on Friday, April 28, 8 p.m., but you must rsvp HERE.

Splash image: Swoon, via Allouche Gallery Instagram


Athlete, reality television star and trans activist Caitlyn Jenner, has revealed that she would "seriously consider" running for office  particularly considering she doesn't have the "skeletons in her closet" that would have prevented her in the past.

At an appearance at Manhattan's 92nd Street Y community center to promote her new book The Secrets of My Life, Jenner clarified that despite voting for Trump in the 2016 presidential election, she would be "coming" for Trump if he continued to "screw up."

"[It would] be better working from the inside," she said. "If that is the case...I would seriously look at a run. It just depends where I could be more effective."

While Jenner says she will remain a Republican, she added that her "loyalties do not lie with Donald Trump" after the Republican government's repeated neglect of LGBTQ rights.

"My loyalties are not with Donald Trump. I will come after him and come after Republicans if they come after my community. I've got a voice and they better listen, okay? I will come after them."

There you have it, the Kardashian/Jenners might become America's First Family after all.

[h/t Mic]

Image via Getty
Oh, good.

Ivanka Trump's eponymous clothing and accessories line, riddled with issues since her father gained power, is faced with yet another controversy today. The Washington Post reports that an audit of a factory in - where else? - China that makes Ivanka Trump products revealed workplace abuses, including extremely low pay to workers. The contractor running the factory, G-III Apparel Group, was also responsible for selling Ivanka's clothes under the name Adrienne Vittadini without telling her.



The factory also produces clothes for other brands, and the report did not specify whether workers were making Trump products at the time of the audit, but it's certainly possible. The Fair Labor Association, which did the inspection, recorded subpar workplace safety standards and excessively long hours for which workers were paid minimal amounts (around $62 a week on average, below the minimum wage in many parts of China). Many workers also lacked benefits, time off and representation by a union.

Though worker abuses like these are sadly common, especially in a fast fashion industry that rewards low prices and quick production, Ivanka Trump is no ordinary fashion designer and should be held to the standards befitting her current role in the U.S. government. Though Ivanka claims to be a champion of working women, the workers making her line may be wondering when her principles will trickle down to them, if ever.

[h/t Allure]

Image via Getty
If there are any designers who know how to best translate the beauty of their clothes into an equally beautiful fashion film, it's Kenzo's Carol Kim and Humberto Leon. In the last year alone, the duo have already recruited Her director Spike Jonze, Portlandia star Carrie Brownstein, and, most recently, Lemonade collaborator Kahlil Joseph to direct short films for their Parisian brand. Today, they revealed the latest addition to the pack  this one, filmed by Ruth Ossai and directed by Akinola Davies Jr.

Titled Gidi Gidi Bu Ugwu Eze (which translates to "Unity Is Strength"), this newest short film explores everyday life in Nsukka, an Igbo community in Nigeria. Showcasing models who were street-cast from various places in the Igbo townof course, all wearing Kenzo's SS17 linegetting their hair done, standing around in beauty pageant sashes, playing live music, and excitedly dancing down Soul Train lines, Gidi Gidi is a refreshing look at life in other societies.

Ruth Ossai once described the visual as being a celebration of "young black Nigerian bodies (by) capturing them celebrating Igbo culture and traditions, showing that beauty is always present when there is a commitment to the celebration of culture," and it's hard to disagree with him after seeing it.

Take a trip to the beautiful land of Nigeria with Gidi Gidi Bu Ugwu Eze below.

[h/t Dazed]

Splash photo via Kenzo


Teresa Palmer, an Australian actress and parenting blogger, discussed how she parents her three-year-old and newborn as she revealed she sometimes let them watch TV and eat chocolates. Because of this, she said her parenting is not 100 percent perfect.

The 31-year-old mom revealed on her latest Vogue interview that even though she gives it her best to be strict and conscious with her kids, she has troubles just like any other mother. According to Palmer, one example that her parenting has also flaws is when she lets her kids watch TV on the plane whenever they travel and her son sometimes eats lots of chocolates and ice cream.

Moreover, Palmer pointed out she wanted to be as strict as she can be because her own mother did not get to look after her since she was bipolar and schizophrenic. The blogger said she was able to do anything she wanted and had a little too much freedom, Daily Mail shared.

Meanwhile, the Australian beauty also had an interview with Confidential while promoting her new flick titled, "Berlin Syndrome." Palmer shared that when she was younger, she took whatever job came her way.

Palmer recalled she was not in the position to curate her work so she took a leap on any opportunity that came. She added that as she got older, she became more selective with her roles and that she gravitates "to darker material or characters that feel grounded in reality."

Palmer was best known for her performances in "Hacksaw Ridge" and "Lights Out." "Berlin Syndrome" just premiered at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year and opened in Australia days ago, Adelaide Now reported.

The actress and parenting blogger has two kids  Bodhi Rain and Forest Sage. She is also a step-parent her husband Mark Webber's child from a previous marriage. Meanwhile, check out the trailer for "Berlin Syndrome" below.
The Utah man, who did not get a lung transplant in his home state because he tested positive for marijuana, died over the weekend. He eventually received a lung transplant in Pennsylvania, which caused complications and led to his death.

The man, identified as 19-year-old Riley Hancey, passed away on Saturday. His father, Mark, confirmed his death and also posted about it on a YouCaring fundraising website made specifically to raise funds for Hancey's medical expenses.

In the post, Hancey's family thanked the doctors and staff at the University of Pennsylvania, as well as those from University of Utah for their care and expertise. They also took the time to thank the family who donated the pair of lungs to Hancey.

The teen suffered from flu last December. His family took him to the hospital wherein they found out that he had a rare lung infection that caused his organ to collapse.

Initially, University of Utah told his parents he would die if he did not get the surgery needed. However, after they ran a few tests and found out that Hancey tested positive for marijuana, they declined him a spot on the transplant list.

The hospital said they did not allow him to be on the list because his drug use fell under the absolute contraindications category of active alcohol, tobacco, or illicit drug use. The hospital added they would only allow him to undergo lung transplant if the issues are addressed.

Moreover, his parents said he did not use drugs regularly and just smoked on Thanksgiving, days before they took him to the hospital. He was also healthy and enjoyed winter and summer sports, that's why the diagnosis came as a shock to his family, The New York Post reported.

Last month, after the transplant at the University of Pennsylvania, the family of Hancey said doctors expressed optimism over his case. The details about the complications remained unclear.

More on lung transplants, surgeons may perform a single or double transplant. Once it is complete, the transplant could result in eliminating problems such as breathlessness. The positive effects of the transplant could last for years, Web MD shared.

More than 80 percent of people who had lung transplant surgery claimed they lived an active lifestyle since receiving the new organ. Complications, however, may come into being such as the immune system's rejection of the new lungs. Due to this, more than 80 percent survive a year after the surgery and around 55 to 70 percent remain alive after three years from the transplant.
Opioid consumption is starting to become an epidemic as opioid-related death continentally increase each day. The death toll causes an alarm among the Cherokee Nation wherein they sued drug distributors over the opioid crisis.

Health care providers are starting to worry about the alarming opioid-related death overdoses that drastically increase over the years. A person dies of an opioid overdose every 19 minutes, which means that a child could possibly lose his parents, sibling or a loved one. Opioid overdose does not only affect the victim, but it also impacts the mental and emotional health of the people who cared for them.

The increasing death toll due to opioid prompted the Cherokee Nation to file a lawsuit against pharmacies and other distributors, according to CNN. Fields, special counsel to the attorney general of the Cherokee Nation, explains that large volume of opioids are being distributed in the Cherokee territory, and it needs to be stopped. "The brunt of the epidemic could have been, and should have been, prevented by the defendant companies," the lawsuit claims.

The Cherokee Nation lawsuit involves thousands of dollars, including action and medical treatments (especially for babies with opioid traces). Child welfare is also included in the expenses with a budget allotted for the children with drug-depended parents that cannot support them.

"As we fight this epidemic in our hospitals, our schools, and our Cherokee homes, we will also use our legal system to make sure the companies, who put profits over people while our society is crippled by this epidemic, are held responsible for their actions," Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Bill John Baker in a statement, as cited in CBS.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warns the consumers as drug overdoses quadrupled since 1999. Most of the areas that are highly affected include where the Cherokee Nation is located, affecting white and Native Americans. Opioid-related deaths also affect teens as young as 16 and newborn babies with opioids in their system due to the parental consumption.
Ben Affleck nixes the idea that his children should try out acting. As a child actor himself, the father-of-three knows how hard show business is and if it were up to him, he'd rather Violet, 11, Seraphina, 8, and Samuel, 5, consider Hollywood after they're 18.

Affleck spoke about his children during the press conference for the AutFest International Film Festival. This was his first public appearance since the "Batman vs. Superman" star and Jennifer Garner announced their divorce after a two-year separation, People reported.

During the Q & A with the audience, Affleck said while he loved being a child actor, he's not pushing for any of his kids to become one at least after they're 18-years-old. He found acting as a child rewarding but he also learned to deal with the downsides. He said this was a "hard thing."

"You know you have to have a certain thickness of skin in this business because success and failure, as a performer, are really two sides of the same coin," the dad said. "You're putting yourself out there and being evaluated, and it doesn't go one way, all the way, every time."

For now, however, his kids seemed interested in other things. Affleck told Ellen DeGeneres on her show last January there's a lot of Radio Disney at his house. "I hear a lot about the romantic adventures of Disney characters who are on the Disney Channel, and we go to Taylor Swift concerts," Affleck said, as per Hello.

Affleck and Garner manage co-parenting without tension despite their marriage breaking up. He's very much an active presence in his kids' life as he still regularly goes with them to karate classes or mall trips or Sunday church service.

Meanwhile, in March, Affleck admitted he recently went to rehab for alcohol addiction. CNN reported Garner filed the divorce papers, citing "irreconcilable differences."
Lawmakers in Nebraska delayed the passing of a bill on pregnant students and teen parents. Sen. Tony Vargas proposed schools must provide policies and accommodations for these kids but Sen. Steve Erdman said rural schools won't benefit from it, should the bill become a law.

Vargas introduced Legislative Bill 427 to the Senate floor in January and deliberations followed. Erdman, however, filed amendments to the proposed bill that led to the processing delay.

Erdman said the bill's requirement from state schools must be optional as it won't work for all school districts, particularly in rural areas. He said rural schools already have provisions in place for pregnant students and teen parents in the absence of a law.

He also said his constituents voiced out the bill as irrelevant and not needed in Nebraska rural schools. Erdman instead proposed Vargas' bill should be limited to Omaha and Lincoln school districts, Omaha World Herald reported.

Nebraska lawmakers will have to deliberate on Vargas' proposal while considering Erdman's amendments. Vargas, however, questioned this because he believes pregnant students and teen parents in Nebraska rural schools should still be protected under the law. He saw no difference between urban or rural schools when it came to the bill's benefits once it's signed.

Vargas filed the bill to ensure these students can finish school despite their situation as young parents. Vargas also proposed mandating the State Department of Education to come up with a model policy, which all schools could use as a basis. The bill won't cause the state additional expenses, according to Washington Times.

Pregnant students and teen parents contribute to the high rate of high school dropouts in the United States. The U.S. Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) cites only 50 percent of teen moms receive their high school diploma by age 22 as pregnancy or young parenting set them back from pursuing their studies. Pregnant students and teen parents also likely end up in low-income jobs which make it harder to support their family's needs.
FILE - In this Monday, April 17, 2017, file photo, Richard Dabate, center, appears with attorneys Hubie Santos, left, and Trent LaLima, right, while being arraigned, in Rockville Superior Court in Vernon, Conn. Authorities said Dabate told them a masked man had entered their home Dec. 23, 2015, shot his wife and tied him up before he burned the intruder with a torch. But the New York Daily News reported the Connecticut State Police wrote in an arrest warrant that his wifes Fitbit was logging steps after the time Dabate told them she was killed. (Mark Mirko/Hartford Courant via AP, Pool, File)

ELLINGTON, Conn. (AP) -- Police in Connecticut have cited Fitbit records in an arrest warrant for a 40-year-old man charged with killing his wife in 2015.

Richard Dabate (DAH-bayt) faces murder, tampering with evidence and making a false statement charges in the fatal shooting of 39-year-old Connie Dabate on Dec. 23, 2015.

Authorities say the 40-year-old Dabate told them a masked man had entered their home, shot his wife and tied him up before he burned the intruder with a torch. But the New York Daily News reports (http://nydn.us/2oHT1Nj ) Connecticut State Police wrote in an arrest warrant that Connie Dabate's Fitbit was logging steps after the time Richard Dabate told them she was killed.

Dabate's bail was set at $1 million last week. His lawyer told the Hartford Courant that his client maintains his innocence.
Pen-One Acquisition Group has filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Apple for infringing their 2007 patent titled "Pen-based transponder identity verification system." The patent covers a point of sales system that uses a stylus signature and/or a fingerprint signature. The company claims that Apple Pay used on iDevices requiring Touch ID or the user's fingerprint to make a purchase infringes their patent.

Pen-One Acquisition Group's complaint before the court claims that Apple has infringed patent 7,281,135 titled "Pen-based transponder identity verification system." A part of the patent abstract states: "This pen-based, identity verification uses biometric technology. For use in commercial transactions at a point-of-sate terminal, a customer registers advising the system of a customer account that is to be used for payment. The customer also submits a digital signature for reference purposes--a fingerprint. The customer is then issued a transponder that links the customer to the customer account and to the reference digital signature."

The complaint specifically states that "iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 6S, iPhone 6S Plus, iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus, iPhone SE, iPad, iPad mini, and iPad Pro (each an "Apple device") operating with Apple Pay; each in conjunction with merchant devices, telecommunications equipment, and/or payment processing servers with which the Apple devices operate (the '135 infringing instrumentalities). On information and belief, Apple has developed the '135 Infringing Instrumentalities in partnership with merchants, telecommunications companies, and/or payment processing companies, all of which cooperate to provide the '135 Infringing Instrumentalities." The complaint states that Apple products specifically infringe their patent claims 1, 2, 3, 17, 18 and 19 directly.





The case is quite detailed and for your convenience our report provides you with a Scribd document of the full patent infringement filing against Apple that was filed yesterday in Alabama.

Pen-One Acquisition Group, LLC v. Apple Inc - Patent Infringement Case by Jack Purcher on Scribd

The patent infringement case presented in today's report was filed in the Alabama Southern District Court, Mobile Office. At present, no Judge has been assigned to the case. On the same day, Pen-One also sued Samsung (likely for Samsung Pay).

Notice: Patently Apple presents only a brief summary of certain legal cases/ lawsuits which are part of the public record for journalistic news purposes. Readers are cautioned that Patently Apple does not offer an opinion on the merit of the case and strictly presents the allegations made in said legal cases / lawsuits. A lawyer should be consulted for any further details or analysis. About Making Comments on this Site: Patently Apple reserves the right to post, dismiss or edit comments. Those using abusive language or behavior will result in being blacklisted on Disqus.
News and commentary on organized crime, street crime, white collar crime, cyber crime, sex crime, crime fiction, crime prevention, espionage and terrorism.
Tolerance historically practiced in Iran: Jewish lawmaker

04/26/17

Source: Tehran Times

Not like in the Western world where it was belatedly introduced, tolerance has been practiced in the historically multicultural context of Iran, where the Jewish community have been living in peaceful coexistence with other populations for centuries, Siamak Moreh Sedgh, the Jewish community representative in Majlis (Parliament), says.



Iranian Jewish Lawmaker Siamak Moreh Sedgh





Siamak Moreh Sedgh, also the director of the Dr. Sapir Hospital and Charity Center, says that anti-Semitism and Zionism are "identical twins", both sharing the idea that Jews are different from other human beings.

"Anti-Semitism considers Jews as inferior to others, and Zionism as superior," he tells the Tehran Times.

Situated on Mostafa Khomeini Street, named for the son of the Islamic Republic's founder, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the Sapir hospital sits across from the Imam Reza Seminary school, one of the oldest Shiite seminaries in Tehran.

In what follows, a transcript of the first part of the interview has been given.

Q: Could we start with a brief history of the Dr. Sapir Hospital and Charity Center?

A: The Sapir Hospital and Charity Center started here (in Tehran) as a small clinic in the yard of the small synagogue back in early World War II when there was a Jewish quarter here and most of the people leaving close to the hospital were Jewish.

Step by step, the hospital was expanded mainly through donations from Jews. A main goal was to improve health and hygiene via preventive and therapeutic methods nearly seventy years ago when preventive medicine was not a common practice. For instance, pregnant women received treatment right from registration time till two years after delivery.

It's interesting to know that one of the founders of the hospital died in the hospital during the Typhoid fever epidemic. He was a young, single physician who got infected with Typhoid fever and part of the hospital was named after him as the Dr. Sapir Hospital. He deserved it as he donated his life for the health of others.

Another important point bout the hospital is that we are not permitted to ask about the origins of the patients referring to the center. All of the patients must be admitted to the hospital regardless of their nationality and religion.

Today, nearly 95 percent of the patients admitted to the hospital as well as 95 percent of the staff are non-Jewish. It's the only Jewish charity hospital in the world that works on a charity-basis for all patients who refer to the center. Of course there are other Jewish charity hospitals in the world that exclusively provide services to the Jewish community.

Q: What is the philosophy behind it?

A: The philosophy is written on the hospital's gate. It's a Hebrew proverb and part of the Torah, meaning that you must love others as yourself. It doesn't say love a follow Jew as yourself. Even during the 1979 Revolution many of the people who were attacked by military forces of the Shah were admitted in the hospital for treatment. One night, the officer of the military service came to arrest the patients. But he was denied access by the manager of the hospital, then a Jewish lady, because the patients were undergoing treatment.

One more interesting point to know is that at that night, some Jews had contacted Ayatollah Taleghani and from a backdoor, all the patients had been evacuated overnight just hours before security forces came the day after to arrest the patients injured during anti-Shah demonstrations. For this reason Imam Khomeini, who was then in exile in Neauphle-le-chateau, wrote a letter to the hospital staff to hail the action.

And during the Iraqi invasion of Iran, half of the hospital's beds were allocated to war victims. Even during the Israeli attack against the Palestinian people, we announced that we were completely ready to provide free-of-charge medical services to the Palestinian victims.

During the sanctions era, a European official told me that they weren't able to help the hospital considering the sanctions hurdle. I told him that we are part of the Iranian nation and whenever the sanctions are removed and you were ready to help the Iranian nation, we would be with you.

I told him that it was unacceptable for us to be treated exceptionally. It is in line with our long-standing belief from centuries ago that we the Jewish community and all other Iranians have the same national interests. So, any harm to the Iranian people will be harm to the Iranian Jews, as well.

And everything that's okay for the Iranian people is okay with us, too. That's because we're one nation and have been living together since more than three thousand years ago. If you have a look at Iran's history, it's always been a multicultural one and you can't find one moment in the Iranian history that all the Iranian people have spoken the same language. This mosaic culture of the Iranian people helps Iranians to be highly tolerant and allows them to establish better relations between different monistic religions in Iran.

Q: So, you mean you see no contrast between different religious practices and Iran's national unity?

A: The world should know that Iranian Jews, Zoroastrians, Christians and Muslims are all part of the same nation. So all of us are ready to stand up to those who may be crazy enough to damage our country.

After Saddam Hossein attacked Iran, all worked together to defend the country. Twenty Jews were killed during the war. Also, there were Christians and Zoroastrians who lost their lives during the war to defend Iran. Let me give an example. During the wartime, more than five of the Jews living then in Kermanshah (western Iran) who were a small community of nearly 200 hundreds were killed.

Q: After the 1979 revolution in Iran, many Jewish people left Iran. Yet, many of the Jewish community preferred to stay. Even your wife left the country. But you stayed. Why did you make the decision not to leave?

A: After every revolution, immigration rate is high. Of course, part of Iranian Jews immigrated. But two points are important here. First, most of them went to the U.S. and UK. It shows that the Zionism propaganda cannot attract Iranian Jews.

And it is important to remember that all through the Iranian history you cannot find anti-Semitism. Zionism is active and can succeed in a country where anti-Semitism is high and I think anti-Semitism and Zionism are identical twins because both claim Jews are different from other human beings. Anti-Semitism considers Jews as inferior to others, and Zionism as superior. So, both fractionalize Jews in different ways. But I think Jews are like other people. One cannot categorize people on the basis of their race, religion, language, or nationality. It may be interesting to know that tolerance in Iran dates back to centuries ago.

Something which is called tolerance in the West started after secularism and laicism. But in Iran tolerance is the product of our religious beliefs. Muslims and Jews accept and respect each other. So tolerance in Iran is totally different from its Western version. In Iran, for instance, there are cases were churches, temples, synagogues and mosques are located very close to each other. Abadan (southern Iran) and Shiraz are instances. Even in this hospital, staff include Zoroastrians, Jews, Muslims, all working together regardless of their religion.





Related Book: Religions of Iran: From Prehistory to the Present
Iran and P5+1 Joint Commission hold meeting in Vienna

04/26/17

Source: Press TV

The seventh meeting of the Iran-P5+1 Joint Commission, which monitors the implementation of the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and the P5+1 group of countries, has been convened in the Austrian capital of Vienna.

One of the key issues that the participants were scheduled to discuss was Iran's request to purchase 950 tonnes of concentrated uranium, also known as yellowcake, from Kazakhstan in a three-year period.



This is the first meeting of the commission since the inauguration of US President Donald Trump on January 20. The commission's sixth meeting was held in Vienna on January 10 to discuss Washington's extension of an anti-Iran sanctions law.



Last December, the US Congress voted to extend Iran Sanctions Act (ISA) for another 10 years. The law, which authorizes the US president to re-impose the bans, was first adopted in 1996 to punish investments in the Islamic Republic over its nuclear program and its support for anti-Israeli resistance groups.



ISA's extension came despite numerous reports by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirming Iran's commitment to the JCPOA.







Speaking after a meeting with IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano in Vienna on Monday, Araqchi said the Islamic Republic had lived up to its commitments under the JCPOA.



"As the entire world knows and repeated reports by the agency have confirmed, Iran has always been committed to its obligations and carefully implemented the JCPOA," Araqchi, who is the Iranian head of the Joint Commission, said.

He, however, emphasized that the other side had not fully complied with its obligations under the JCPOA.



Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on Friday slammed the United States for violating both the spirit and the letter of the nuclear deal.



"We'll see if US is prepared to live up to letter of the JCPOA let alone [its] spirit. So far, it has defied both," Zarif said on his official Twitter account.



Iran's foreign minister made the comments after Trump accused Iran of "not living up to the spirit" of the 2015 nuclear agreement.



Iran and the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council -- the United States, Britain, France, China and Russia -- plus Germany signed the JCPOA on July 14, 2015 and started implementing it on January 16, 2016.



Under the agreement, limits were put on Iran's nuclear activities in exchange for, among other things, the removal of all nuclear-related bans against the Islamic Republic.



The UN Security Council later unanimously endorsed a resolution that effectively turned the JCPOA into international law.
Intel doesnt make its own discrete GPU but has built something that specializes in processing 4K graphics. But that product isnt powerful enough to run Crysis, if you were wondering.

The chipmaker showed off its Intel Visual Compute Accelerator 2 at the NAB show in Las Vegas this week. It has the build of a GPU but is designed for server applications and not for PCs.

The VCA 2 is aimed at cloud streaming 4K video, graphics, and virtual reality content. Servers with the graphics accelerator installed could be used to stream video or broadcast content.

The VCA 2 uses the 4K-capable Iris Pro Graphics P580 graphics chip and three Intel Xeon E3-1500 v5 processors. The P580 is also used in Intels mini-PC called Skull Canyon, which is designed for gaming.

Like GPUs, the VCA 2 plugs into PCI-Express 3.0 slots. It is not meant to be the main CPU or GPU for a PC.

It uses year-old GPU technology, not the faster Iris Pro GPUs that are in the 7th Generation Core chips.

You wont be able to buy VCA 2 off the shelf, but instead, itll be sold directly to server and device makers. Intel declined to comment on when itll be available.

The VCA 2 is an upgrade from its predecessor, simply called the Visual Compute Accelerator. The original VCA had the older Iris Pro graphics P6300, used in Broadwell chips, and the older Xeon E3-v4 chips.

At NAB, Haivision showed its KB 4K Encoder, which is powered by Intels VCA 2. The device helped stitch and stream 360-degree content taken by Nokias OZO Live 4K virtual reality camera. The content is delivered to VR headsets.

Intel isnt really known for its prowess in GPUs, though its new integrated processors in some Kaby Lake chips support 4K. PCs with Intels integrated GPUs can handle VR content but have a long way to go to compete with AMD or Nvidia GPUs.

Larrabee, from 2010, was Intels first attempt to make a discrete high-end GPU, but the product was unceremoniously abandoned even after a prototype was shown. Technical challenges led to its cancellation, but its byproducts were used in the Xeon Phi supercomputing and integrated graphics chips.

A full-fledged GPU still doesnt exist in Intels arsenal, and thats a big hole because of the growing popularity of gaming, virtual reality, and machine learning. Nvidia and AMD GPUs are used in most servers involved in deep learning, natural language processing, and other machine-learning tasks.

Intel has said FPGAs could mimic GPUs to an extent. But GPUs are much more flexible than FPGAs, which are designed to do specific tasks.
As the good brother Aaron Gocs once so famously said, this fine country was built on stitch-ups.

And if theres one place that loves a good stitch-up more than the workplace, its the internet.

A Facebook post that has exploded all over the online this afternoon appears to be relaying the joyous news that the precious, golden Big Mac Sauce, along with a range of other Maccas secret sauces, are now available in bottle form at Coles supermarkets across the country.

The photo has been picked up by media outlets already, including 7 News Perth who whacked it up online without giving it a second thought.

Unfortunately, all is not as it seems. We here at the PEDESTRIAN.TV investigative journalism unit have done the sleuthing necessary to uncover the truth: That someone on the internet is having a lend.

The first clue that that photo is a red herring comes in the form of the Kraft logo. On paper, it seems all above-board and fine. Further investigation however reveals that the Australian Kraft logo is stylised in all-caps:

The logo present in that photo looks a lot closer to the Canadian Kraft logo. Observe:

But thats not all, your honour.

Second to that is, in the above photo, the McChicken sauce labels are written in both English and French.

Something they love to do in CANADA.

Canadians are currently enjoying a utopia-like society where Mac Sauces can be freely plucked from supermarket shelves, thanks to McDonalds Canada introducing the good stuff to retailers back in March.

Get ready Canada! Launching on grocery shelves this spring. #BigMacSauce pic.twitter.com/2Q0JyqaBTi  McDonalds Canada (@McD_Canada) March 21, 2017

As far as were concerned thats evidence enough to declare this particular internet bamboozle well and truly DEBUNKED.

Australia has, of course, enjoyed the odd occasion where Mickey Ds has released limited runs of the good stuff for a select few lucky customers to get all up in. But Canadas permanent release of Big Mac Sauce, McChicken Sauce, and Filet-O-Fish Sauce in retail bottles is an anomaly.

There you have it, folks. Dont go rushing out to your local Coles tonight. Its a well-crafted stitch-up.

Still, the markets ready and waiting for you, Maccas.

Ball is in your court.

Source: Facebook.
One of the most concerning prospects about our glorious cyberpunk future is that the promises of RoboCop are probably going to become real, and were going to be policed by unemotional droids built by some nerd in California and powered by a cold, unfeeling algorithm.

Luckily  for now  our cybercops are absolute useless nerds like this moronic robo-hobo, which patrols the carpark of the company that built it:

Meet K-5 the droid taken down by an alleged drunk man last week. Dont worry, hes back on patrol  details @abc7newsbayarea at 11 pic.twitter.com/0qthDHONQq  Tiffany Wilson (@TWilsonTV) April 25, 2017

Nobody has even had the good sense to give this enormous robot trashcan a gun. It sort of just glides around looking like the biggest idiot in the world. So its perhaps no surprise that some drunk guy took it upon himself to enact his own kind of justice and beat the shit out of it.

Police in Mountain View say that Jason Sylvain, 41, stands accused of drunkenly knocking the Knightscope K5 down as it patrolled a parking lot in the area. ABC7 News including this baffling sentence in their report, which I challenge on moral and factual grounds:

The 300-pound robot named K5 spins and occasionally whistles, so its hard to understand why someone would want to knock it down.

Let me tell you this, ABC7 News. There are two very good reasons why someone would want to know the K5 down. Number one: it is a cop. Number two: it is a complete nerd. Just look at this thing.

I think this is a pretty pathetic incident because it shows how spineless the drunk guys in Silicon Valley really are because they attack a victim who doesnt even have any arms, Mountain View resident Eamonn Callon said. Cmon Eamonn. Admit it. It would be fun to knock this thing over.

At least we got this great headline out of it:

Source: ABC7.

Photo: Knightscope.
Pat Toomey file.jpg

U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Pa). File photo.

(DAN GLEITER, THE PATRIOT-NEWS)

Good Wednesday Morning, Fellow Seekers.

If you followed last year's presidential campaign, then you know that

U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa.

, was a frequent critic of then-candidate Donald Trump and his policies. Which, of course, didn't stop the Lehigh Valley Republican from voting for him anyway.

And, now, as the Trump White House nears the critical (if a tad arbitrary) 100-day mark, Toomey appears to have regained his inner skeptic, weighing in on the administration during an interview with ABC-6 in Philadelphia.

"I think it would be better if he did a little less tweeting and keeps the focus on the big, important policies," Toomey told the station, even as he gave the administration a thumbs-up on the confirmation of Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch.

Here's Toomey on the other, key issues of the day:

On the prospect of a government shutdown: "There are regular, almost daily conversations with the goal of trying to get the House, Senate and the White House on the same page," Toomey told ABC-6.

On healthcare reform: :Part of what's making this difficult is trying to do much of the replacement all at once," Toomey told the station.

On foreign policy: Toomey told ABC-6 that he agreed with the Syrian air-strike and sanctions. He added that troops could be headed there if the U.S. is serious about toppling President Bashar al-Assad. "I don't think it requires a large U.S. invasionary force. Congress should give the President the authorization to use military force to execute that plan," Toomey told the station.

On Trump's sagging poll numbers: "It's tougher for a president to advance his agenda if his approval numbers are not high, that is a fact," he told the station.

Watch the interview here:

The rest of the day's news starts now.

Pittsburgh's downtown is for sale, but retailers aren't buying, The Post-Gazette reports.

New state rules aim to get Pa. students vaccinated sooner, The Tribune-Review reports.

PennLive's Ivey DeJesus talked to Trump voters about the first 100 days.

A federal judge has ruled that the Trump administration can't strip funding from such sanctuary cities as Philadelphia, The Inquirer reports.

The state House has approved legislation authorizing the sale of Pa's wholesale liquor system, The Inquirer also reports.

Here's your #Harrisburg Instagram of the Day:

Pa. has gotten $26.5 million to extend medication-assisted treament for opioid abuse, NewsWorks/WHYY-FM reports.

That House-approved liquor bill faces resistance in the Senate and from Gov. Tom Wolf, WITF-FM reports.

Well, this sounds familiar: Could an ongoing FBI probe tilt Allentown's mayoral race? The Morning Call has the details.

PoliticsPA asks its readers who the top vote-getter will be in the primary for Pa. Supreme Court.

Some states are cutting back on probation for some offenders, Stateline.org reports.

Moderates are 'chafing' at the GOP's healthcare compromise, Politico reports.

Surprising no one, the White House says a deal on healthcare is unlikely this week, Roll Call reports.

What Goes On.

9:15 a.m., East Rotunda: Sen. John DiSanto, Rep. Greg Rothman and others call for an end to government regulation.

10 a.m., Main Rotunda: Rep. Eddie Day Pashinksi and musi therapists rally for music therapy. Which is every day hereabouts.

10 a.m, Ryan Building: House Speaker Mike Turzai and Rep. Cate Harper call for more female representation on boards.

12 p.m., Media Center: Rep. Harkins introduces a public worker safety bill

12 p.m., Main Rotunda: The Greater Reading Immigration Project does something. We're guessing it's a rally of some sort.

WolfWatch.

Gov. Tom Wolf heads to Lancaster this morning for an 11:15 a.m. stop at Eurofins Lancaster Laboratories, as a part of his 'Jobs that Pay' tour. He keeps the road show going with a 2:15 p.m. stop at Greiner Packaging in lovely Pittston, Pa.

What Goes On (Nakedly Political Edition).

7:30 a.m.: Breakfast for Rep. Becky Corbin

8 a.m.: Breakfast for Sen. Jim Brewster

8 a.m.: Breakfast for Rep. Harry Readshaw

8 a.m.: Breakfast for Rep. Steve Bloom

Ride the circuit, and give at the max at each event, and you'll part with a mere $6,500 before you even get to the office this morning.

Heavy Rotation.

Here's a bit of a groove for your rainy Wednesday morning.

And now you're up to date. See you all back here in a bit.
A school board member in Allegheny County has been arrested and charged with possessing heroin and other drugs.

As TribLive.com in Pittsburgh reports, Penn Hills school board Director Donald Kuhn Jr., 56, was taken into custody by Allegheny County sheriff's deputies last month and allegedly found to be carrying packages containing heroin and cocaine residue.

Kuhn resigned for the school board Friday.

He faces five counts of possession, all misdemeanors. He has since been released on his own recognizance.

The drug charges stem from when deputies picked up Kuhn on March 23 at Linton Middle School on an unrelated bench warrant stemming from a grand jury investigation into the Penn Hills School District's finances, TribLive.com writes. The warrant was for failing to appear at a hearing.

At that time, sheriff's deputies searched Kuhn and allegedly found the following items in the pockets of his jeans, according to TribLive.com:

* Three blue stamp bags marked "Fire" in Kuhn's wallet. The bags allegedly contained heroin residue.

* Four folded pieces of paper containing suspected cocaine residue.

* A single pill of Vicodin, a prescription painkiller.

* A cut drinking straw and bullet vial, both containing alleged cocaine residue.

He faces a preliminary hearing May 31.
A 41-year-old elementary computer teacher from western Pennsylvania who was about to have his job terminated for a string of arrests related to 'huffing' solvents from aerosol cans to get high has died suddenly.

TribLive.com in Pittsburgh reports Brian Minick, 41, of Westmoreland County, Pa., died unexpectedly late last week, just three days before his scheduled termination hearing in the Greensburg Salem School District.

Minick had been suspended without pay from the district since March 2015, the date of one of his arrests.

The cause of death is pending toxicology reports that could take at least eight weeks, TribLive.com reports.

All this, as the teacher was poised to lose his job after a string of arrests, all chronicled by TribLive.com:

Minick was first arrested for drunken driving in November 2014. School officials said they did not learn about the incident until he was arrested again -- twice in one night -- in March 2015.

The first arrest that night was on West Main Street in Mt. Pleasant Borough, where his truck hit a car. Police found 24 suspected hydrocodone pills in his vehicle.

After being released to his family, he was stopped again three hours later as he drove the same truck. When an officer stopped Minick and told him to get out of the truck, he instead inhaled a substance sprayed from an aerosol can. The officer used a stun gun on Minick three times before he got out of the truck, records said.

He was arrested a fourth time later that month when Mt. Pleasant police found him "huffing" a solvent in his parked car.

In September 2016, he pleaded guilty to three counts of DUI, one count of possessing a solvent for the purpose of releasing toxic vapors, one count of possession of drug paraphernalia and one count of accidental damage to an unattended vehicle.

He was sentenced to six months on house arrest and five years' probation.

Later that month, the school board scheduled his termination hearing.
MIDDLETOWN -- A 93-year-old Middletown man would like to help revitalize his native Shamokin-Coal Township area in Northumberland County.

To that end, Leonard J. Dodson successfully bid during an October 2016 online auction to buy the 17-acre commercial property along Route 61 in Coal Township that once housed an Ames store and other businesses.

"I want to get some jobs up there," he said Wednesday in explaining why he wants the property.

He would like to attract an industry to the 90,000 square-foot former department store building that would employ veterans and make things for the military, the World War II Air Force veteran said.

When he got word Shamokin Commons of Mineola, New York, wanted to sell the property, he said he obtained a legal description from the courthouse.

The Oct. 19 auction, held on the real estate sales website Ten-X, did not require a minimum bid, just a $20,000 transaction fee, Dobson's lawyer, Bryan W. Shook of Harrisburg, said.

Dobson was the high bidder at $106,000 and wired a $15,000 deposit to Madison Title Agency as required.

He paid the remaining $119,994, which included closing fees, and obtained a signed sales agreement, Shook said. But with no explanation, all but $15,000 was returned to Dobson's account.

"I got it at a good price," Dobson said. He cannot understand why the owners will not turn over the deed.

Both he and his lawyer suspect the owners expected higher bids, but they said the auction was listed as absolute.

There has been little communication with the owners, but Shook said eventually he was told the issue was a title defect.

He was not provided details so he said he did his own title search and found nothing wrong.

"This is so odd," he said.

He obtained a judgment against the owners. When there was no response, Shook on Dobson's behalf filed suit in Northumberland County court to force the owners to convey the property and prevent them from selling it to someone else.

The suit also wants Shamokin Commons to pay Dobson's legal costs and the income he has lost due to the delay in the real estate closing. A company has been paying rent to store equipment on the property.

No one from Shamokin Commons appeared at a court hearing Tuesday, but President Judge Charles H. Saylor heard Dobson's side. The judge indicated he would issue a ruling in several weeks.

Shook called Dobson "an amazing person." He graduated from the former Coal Township High School and went to work in Baltimore to support his family after his father died 1941.

He joined the Air Force a short time later. Dobson said he landed in Middletown because he was discharged from the Air Force after 10 years while stationed at the former Olmsted Air Force Base, now Harrisburg International Airport.

He built a few homes and has been in construction since, he said.
President Donald Trump will be in Harrisburg Saturday to mark his 100th day in office, hosting an event in the New Holland Arena at the Farm Show & Expo Center. Democrats and other organizations meanwhile, are organizing an anti-Trump rally to coincide with his appearance.

The anti-Trump event will begin around 5 p.m. near the softball field in front of the Dept. of Agriculture building on Cameron Street. In an email, organizers said that gathering will then be followed by a march beginning at 6 p.m. at the intersection of 7th and Forster. The march will proceed north on 7th Street toward the Farm Show.

Pennsylvania was a key win for Trump during the general election last year, and he became the first Republican to carry the state since 1988. His event is scheduled to begin at 7:30 p.m. Official information about his visit (including tickets) can be found here.
Capitol Dome

The Senate Finance Committee voted 7-5 to move to the Senate floor a bill that echoes federal efforts to cut of public funding to Planned Parenthood and other groups that perform abortions.

(File photo/PennLive.com)

A Senate committee passed a bill Wednesday that critics say is aimed at cutting off state and federal funding for family planning services to Planned Parenthood and other groups that perform abortions.

The measure is an off-shoot of federal funding debates that, earlier this month, saw President Trump sign legislation that removed an Obama-era ban on such restrictions by state and local governments.

Trump signed that law on April 12.

The Pennsylvania measure, sponsored by Sen. John Eichelberger, R-Blair County, would effectively bar most state and federal family planning funding from any entity that also provides abortion.

Federal law already bars public funds from paying directly for abortions, except in cases of rape, incest or to save a woman's life.

Eichelberger said his measure - by prioritizing funding to hospitals, public health clinics and rural health care centers - is intended to make better use of taxpayer dollars by directing recipients of publicly-funded services to facilities that provide fuller ranges of health care services.

"They (Planned Parenthood) don't do lots of things that families need, women need," Eichelberger said.

This is, he said, an attempt to "make sure people are getting real care when they need health care services... That's the real key to somebody having a healthy life."

Planned Parenthood does specializes in reproductive health services.

But its supporters have argued that its expertise in those areas - including contraception and education services - and immediacy of care are precisely why it should continue to be fully eligible for funds.

The funds subject to Eichelberger's proposed restrictions now goes to preventative care and other services such as cancer screenings, birth control education and supplies, testing and treatment for sexually-transmitted diseases, and wellness exams.

Planned Parenthood served about 90,000 patients in Pennsylvania last year through 32 facilities, though it was not immediately clear how many of those were served through the affected funding streams.

About one-third of the state's Planned Parenthood clinics do perform abortions.

Eichelberger said Wednesday he believed Planned Parenthood clinics that currently receive the funds in question would continue to be eligible for public funds, because they don't provide abortion services on site.

But Sari Stevens, executive director of Planned Parenthood's state advocacy network, said she believes current wording of the bill could lead to a blanket defunding of its clinics.

That would likely lead to the closure of some clinics, and a reduction in services to patients. That could have the unintended consequence, she warned, of more unplanned pregnancies and - as a result - abortions.

The Guttmacher Institute, a Washington D.C.-based reproductive health rights organization, has estimated that publicly-funded family planning centers in Pennsylvania helped avert 52,800 unplanned pregnancies in 2014.

The institute projected that would have led to 19,000 abortions that year.

SB 300's supporters, however, have noted that there would be no overall cutbacks in family planning funding.

Passage of Eichelberger's bill, it must be noted, is no sure thing in the face of a promised vote from Gov. Tom Wolf.

"Some politicians in Harrisburg are dead set on putting themselves in between a woman and her doctor, and preventing... access to services they may not have an opportunity to get elsewhere," Wolf said in a statement released by his office after the committee vote.

Arguing that Planned Parenthood has an important role to play in many medically underserved areas, Wolf called on Senate leadership to drop the bill, and added he will veto it if it reaches his desk.

That means, like many abortion bills pending in this divided era of state government, will rest on its ability to win with veto-proof majorities.

Eichelberger's bill came up short on that score Wednesday, passing on a 7-5, mostly party line vote in the Senate Finance Committee. 'No' votes were cast by the four Democrats on the committee, plus Republican Pat Browne from Lehigh County.

The Democrats said they could not support an attack on Planned Parenthood that would lead, in their view, to a reduction in access to health services.

Eichelberger, however, said the bill is important to Pennsylvanians who do not want to subsidize abortion providers in any way, shape or form.

"I hear complaints lots of times about sending tax dollars to Planned Parenthood," he noted during debate on the bill, when asked what complaints he had with the system as it exists.

"I hear that almost daily from citizens," Eichelberger added.

Neither the state, nor Planned Parenthood, could provide detailed figures on the funding streams delineated in Eichelberger's bill Wednesday afternoon.

Eichelberger's measure is the second bill to get early debate this session related to abortion issues.

As one of its first actions this session, the Senate passed a bill that would bar most elective abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy, and prohibit one of the procedures that is commonly used for second trimester abortions.

That bill has moved to the House, which has not begun consideration of it yet but did pass similar language last year.
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Raghunanden Yandamuri

Pennsylvania's Supreme Court refused Wednesday overturned the convictions and two death sentences for a man found guilty of killing a 10-month-old girl and her grandmother during a kidnapping that went violently awry.



In an opinion by Justice Max Baer, the high court rejected multiple claims by Raghunanden Yandamuri.



For example, Yandamuri, an immigrant from India who worked as a software programmer, argued that police had coerced him into confessing to the 2012 crime in Montgomery County, had ignored his claims that two "white men" had forced him to participate in the kidnapping, and that prosecutors presented falsified evidence during his trial.



Investigators said Yandamuri, a regular patron of casinos, plotted to kidnap the infant daughter of some acquaintances and hold her for $50,000 ransom.



However, when he went to the victims' King of Prussia apartment on Oct. 22, 2012, the child's grandmother, 61-year-old Satyavathi Venna, fought him as he tried to take the baby at knife-point. Police said Yandamuri stabbed the woman to death.



He then crammed a handkerchief into the child's mouth and wrapped a hand towel around her head to keep her from crying. Police said Yandamuri stole jewelry from the apartment, stuffed the baby in a suitcase and later abandoned her in the men's sauna of the apartment complex, where she died of suffocation.



As Baer noted, Yandamuri confessed to the murders during a lengthy police interrogation that began after he was found three days later when he was found gambling at the Valley Forge Casino. An alibi Yandamuri provided for his whereabouts during the slayings was contradicted by statements from his wife, the justice wrote.



It was only after he made a record confession to the killing that Yandamuri tried to tell a detective that other men had forced him into the kidnapping plot by threatening to harm his wife, Baer observed.



During his September 2014 trial, prosecutors presented evidence that Yandamuri's own statements led police to the location of the baby's body and the stolen jewelry. Yandamuri represented himself during the trial and testified that his supposed accomplices had committed the murders.






heroin-and-opioid-addiction-in-america-painkillers-bottle.jpg

PennLive file photo.

(File)

There number of people visiting five or more doctors and five or more pharmacies to obtain drugs including opioid painkillers has fallen by 70 percent, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Health. The number of people visiting ten or more doctors and ten or more pharmacies has fallen by 94 percent.

Those percentages, based on data from late last year, equate to 553 people.



Obtaining prescriptions from multiple doctors and pharmacies, known as "doctor shopping," is considered a tell-tale sign of addiction. The visits cited by health department refer to visits within a three-month period.



On Tuesday, health department officials attributed the drop to the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program that went online last August. The program consists of a database doctors can use to see opioid prescriptions filled by their patients, including prescriptions written by other doctors. Pharmacists are required to enter the information for each filled prescription.



Dr. Lauren Hughes, the state's deputy secretary for health innovation and a practicing family doctor, said the drop can be attributed to doctors responding to data retrieved from the system and taking actions such as referring addicts to treatment.



"We're very pleased to see these numbers," she said.





Department officials also said the number of adults receiving opioid prescriptions calling for more than the equivalent of 100 milligrams of morphine per day has fallen by 11 percent. It's considered a sign doctors are becoming more careful in prescribing opioids, which are responsible for a national addiction and overdose epidemic.



A monitoring database is considered critical to battling the crisis of addiction to opioid painkillers, which is in turn often leads to addiction to heroin. Pennsylvania was one of the last states to adopt a database that included opioid painkillers. It already had a database for drugs that used to be considered more harmful than opioid painkillers.



Pennsylvania Secretary of Health Karen Murphy said the monitoring program has seen "extraordinary" progress since going online last August. Health department staffers said almost all pharmacies in the state are registered for the database as required by law. They said an average of 52,000 patient searches per day are being made on weekdays, and 9,000 per day on weekends.



Doctors are required to check the database each time they prescribe an opioid drug or benzodiazephine, and when they feel there is sound reason to believe the patient might be abusing the drug.



The database was also created to crack down on doctors who write excessive or unnecessary prescriptions for opioids -- so-called "pill mills." However the health department is still working on the process by which information about possible pill mills will be forwarded to the state attorney general's office.



The state also expects by summer to have agreements to be able to access the drug monitoring databases of neighboring states, and vice-versa.
UPDATED: Harrisburg shooting victim dies at hospital

HARRISBURG -- A male victim was taken to Harrisburg Hospital after a shooting in the city Tuesday evening.

The shooting happened at around 6:30 p.m. near Third and Muench streets in Harrisburg, said Harrisburg police Lt. Milo Hooper. The victim was shot multiple times and is being treated for serious injuries, Hooper said, adding that the victim was unresponsive when authorities arrived at the scene.

The initial investigation found that a fight preceded the shooting, Hooper said. He added that the victim appeared to have been targeted. Hooper urged residents to remain cautious in all circumstances, while noting there does not appear to be the threat of random violence from this case.

Most of the neighbors observing the scene Tuesday evening said didn't see the shooting, but several said told PennLive heard multiple gunshots. One woman told PennLive she heard shots and then saw people running off, but could not provide any further information.

Hooper said police have information on multiple suspects and are following up on all leads. He said the community was helpful with information regarding the shooting.
Saudi Arabia took steps to reverse some cutbacks on worker benefits and ministers' salaries  a move that could make the kingdom even more reliant on getting a higher price for oil, analysts said.

The move comes as oil flounders around $50 per barrel, and supplies have stubbornly held at high levels. It also suggests the kingdom may be even more eager to sign on to a new OPEC production deal to stabilize oil prices, analysts say.

Saudi Arabia over the weekend also announced some shifts in high-level positions. King Salman promoted two of his sons. Prince Khaled bin Salman was named ambassador to the U.S., and Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman was named state minister for energy affairs.

"It makes them want to have a [production] deal, and it certainly helps King Salman and the leadership ensure stability of policymaking going forward," said Michael Cohen, head of energy commodities research at Barclays. OPEC's technical committee recommended extending the deal to cut 1.8 million barrels a day at the cartel's next meeting in May, and Saudi Arabia last week indicated there is preliminary support for a deal.

Saudi Arabia said it made the decision to end the pay cuts and bring back bonuses because the government's financial position improved. But some analysts said it may have instead been to placate an unhappy public after measures that rolled back financial benefits and removed energy and utilities subsidies.

"They adjusted things; they claim they are adjusting things because the economy is in a better position, but that's nonsense," said Simon Henderson, Baker fellow at The Washington Institute and director of the Institute's Gulf and Energy Policy Program. "It sounds as though they felt it politically necessary to do something, which is economically risky.  They certainly need to adjust their budget."

Henderson said the moves also are another sign of Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's rising influence. Bin Salman, 31, is behind Saudi's Vision 2030 plan to diversify the kingdom away from oil, in part through the sale of a public stake in Saudi Aramco. Known as MBS, he is also second in line, after his cousin, Crown Prince Muhammed bin Nayef. But he is the king's favorite son and he has been upstaging bin Nayef, known as MBN.

Story continues

"The essence of the main headline changes is it's MBS strengthening his power base and if not directly undermining certainly sidelining MBN," said Henderson. The new U.S. ambassador is bin Salman's younger brother. The new minister for energy affairs is his older half-brother.

Helima Croft, RBC global head of commodities strategy, said the resumption of benefits may be a response to unrest in the kingdom. On Sunday, the king restored allowances, financial benefits and bonuses after there were calls for protests. While there were no actual protests in the street, security forces lined the streets of central Riyadh over the weekend, according to wire reports.

Reuters reported that using the Twitter hashtag "April 21 movement," Saudis sent out statements looking for the reinstatement of benefits and an end to plans to take Saudi Aramco public as well as an end to constitutional monarchy.

"The decision to reverse the civil service salary and benefit cuts will likely have the most outsized implications for oil as it will likely necessitate higher prices in order to forestall

another blockbuster deficit," Croft said, in a note. The government announced the 20 percent cut in mister salaries and the sharp cut to civil service benefits in September.

"The benefit reduction caused considerable public consternation as two-thirds of Saudis work for the state, but when considered along with other spending cuts it contributed to an improved fiscal outlook," she added. Croft noted that the 2016 deficit was $79 billion, down from a record $97 billion the year earlier. The 2017 goal is for an ambitious $53 billion.

Croft said it will be difficult to meet these targets with oil bumping around the mid-$50s and lower.

"It will also probably undermine the Vision 2030 goal to scale back the public sector wage bill to 40 percent of spending by 2020, from 45 percent today," she added.

Henderson also said the fact that Saudi Arabia is rolling back some of the benefit cuts may slow down its efforts to diversify its economy. "Their revenues are already under pressure," he said

"They also need to keep the people happy, so they tweaked the lever the other way," said Henderson..

Saudi Arabia and OPEC agreed in December with non-OPEC producers, like Russia, to cut production by 1.8 million barrels a day in an effort to support oil prices. The agreement worked for a while, but oil ultimately fell below $50 again. Brent on Monday was just below $52 a barrel, and West Texas Intermediate crude futures were just above $49 per barrel.

"You need several weeks' worth of decent oil prices, holding in the $50s," said Henderson. "$50 is a marker in everyone's mind." Analysts say oil is beginning to rebalance but the data has not yet shown a big drop in supply.

"The fundamentals are pretty weak," said Cohen. "I don't think we're going to see it until the data helps reinforce that we're going to see it. It's not there yet. The shoulder season was always going to be weak, and we're not going to be out of it yet."

A high oil price is also seen as critical to the kingdom's plan to take Saudi Aramco public next year.

"The IPO is essentially bringing in the money to fund the changes you want to make for 2030, and so the less money there is, or the slower the money comes in, the slower you can make the investment changes to start the transformation in the economy," said Henderson.

The Wall Street Journal reported Monday that while Saudi Arabia has put a $2 trillion price on Aramco, it may not be worth what the prince has said it's worth. Sources told the Journal that the highest evaluation employees were able to come up with was about $1.5 trillion.

"I think the IPO process is going to be longer than people maybe a year ago would have suspected," said Cohen. "It plays into the idea of whether the IPO should really be thought of as something that could influence Saudi Arabia's decision-making process" tied to the OPEC production cut.

Saudi Arabia has been providing the lion's share of the cut.

"This is the trouble with being the world's largest oil exporter and the leader of OPEC. You have to take the burden," said Henderson.

Watch: Still about OPEC





More From CNBC


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Taku Minemura

(submitted)

The body found along the Susquehanna River in Fairview Township April 15 has been identified, police and the York County coroner announced Wednesday.

Clothing worn by man found dead April 15, 2017 in Fairview Township.

The person found is Taku Minemura, 30, of the 100 block of Old Country Road, Mineola, N.Y., said Pamela Gay, York County coroner.

He was identified using dental records, she said. Cause and manner of death is still pending.

Minemura was last seen Dec. 5, 2016 in New York, and had been reported missing Dec. 9, after he failed to show up for work, Fairview Township police said. The department worked with the coroner's office and Nassau County police in New York for the past week-and-a-half to identify the man.

His car was found in Summerdale Jan. 14, and police said it had been parked there since December.

The man's identity was withheld until his family in Japan could be notified, police said. His employer, Fujitsu, was of "great assistance" in the investigation, police said.

The investigation is continuing into the details surrounding his death, police said.

Last week Fairview Township police released photos of the clothing the man had been wearing in an effort to help identify him.

Police said he had been wearing a unique pair of jeans - Edwin brand -made in Japan.

Minemura was found along Ford Road at railroad mile marker EP60.5 in Fairview Township.

Police said it is believed the body had been in the river for a period of time from when water levels were significantly higher, and that he came from an area further north of where he was found. Claude Stabley, chief deputy coroner, said the body had been in the water "weeks to months."

Anyone with information is asked to call Fairview Township Police Department at 717-901-5267.
marquan washington.png

(Harrisburg police)

Harrisburg police are looking for a 22-year-old city man wanted on felony drug charges.



Marquan T. Washington was charged with possession with the intent distribute and criminal use of a communication facility after police found illegal drugs, cash, and a handgun that had been reported stolen in his home.

Police said Washington was seen involved in illegal drug activity prior to the warrant being executed. On April 20, when police executed the search warrant Washington fled officers and avoided apprehension.

Anyone with information as to Washington's whereabouts is asked to contact Detective Dennis Simmons at 717-255-7273, email at DSimmons@cityofhbg.com, or submit a tip via Crimewatch.
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Elliott Ravert and Alicia Buzzard

(submitted)

The man who took his girlfriend out of a Lebanon County mental health facility at gunpoint last year was facing a "perfect storm" caused by going off medication while suffering from mental health issues, his doctor told a judge Wednesday.

It wasn't enough to convince Judge Bradford Charles to accept an 11-and-a-half to 23-month prison sentence for Elliott Ravert, who is accused of taking Alicia Buzzard out of Philhaven Hospital last August after threatening nurses with a fake gun.

Charles ordered Ravert's attorney to come back with another plan May 31.

Ravert, 19, of Narvon, is accused of taking 21-year-old Buzzard of Heidelberg Township out of Philhaven in West Cornwall Township, Lebanon County, and fleeing with her to South Carolina. They were arrested Aug. 12 in Myrtle Beach on shoplifting charges.

Brian Ravert, Elliott's father who adopted him at 18 months, said his son had discontinued his medication because he wanted to try to get into the Marines.

That, said psychologist Jonathan Gransee, was "not a good idea," and coupled with the situation with his girlfriend was "an unfortunate bad cocktail."

Brian Ravert described Elliott as a "Don Quixote" in that "he rescued people who didn't have to be rescued."

"He thought he was rescuing her. He made a horrible mistake," said his dad.

He said his son "wants to be loved," and once told him "I don't want to die alone."

He wanted a girlfriend, and found one in Alicia Buzzard. "He thought this was the end of the world. He fell head-over-heels for her," said his dad.

Looking at the charges against Elliott, Ravert said you might think he was "a monster. I can assure you he is not."

"He's made great strides...he's a good kid," said his dad.

Ravert was charged with robbery, terroristic threats and aggravated assaults after telling a Philhaven nurse "I'm not afraid to shoot you."

"Twenty-three months of supervision is not enough to protect society," Charles said, saying he wouldn't deviate from the standard sentencing range for the offenses.

M. Jason Asbell, Ravert's attorney, presented testimony that Ravert suffers from mental health issues dating to his foster care in childhood. He said his mother had opiates and alcohol in her system when he was born, and he suffered from fetal alcohol syndrome.

Gransee said Ravert has reactive attachment disorder, caused by failing to develop normal attachment in infancy with a caregiver, which results in emotional confusion and difficulty trusting people.

He also was diagnosed in the past with HDAD, intermittent explosive disorder and autism. "He goes overboard," Gransee said.

Elliott had been doing well - he had a job, had learned to drive, said his dad. "We honestly thought he was going to be a Marine," he said."He was patriotic, he loved history."

His father said Elliott wouldn't get anything out of jail, and would do better in treatment.

The judge said he accepts that Ravert had a poor childhood, but said 90 percent of the defendants in the courtroom have had the same, and many have mental health issues too.

A sentence not only has to be rehabilitative, but must protect the community, Charles said, adding that the plea would do neither, noting that Ravert took a gun into the hospital and threatened staff.

Asbell reminded the judge it was an unloaded CO2 pistol, but Charles said that made no difference to the nurses who were "scared out of their wits."

Ravert is accused of forcing a nurse to admit him to the locked floor where Buzzard was a patient. Staff had been under orders not to admit Ravert to see Buzzard, because he had violated rules, officials have said.

Buzzard pleaded guilty to the shoplifting charge Aug. 19, was sentenced to time served and was reportedly planning to continue living in the south, where she has family.
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Robert Chappelle

(Susquehanna Township Police)

Susquehanna Township police have arrested a Bronx, New York man on forgery and identity theft charges.

Robert Chappelle, 56, is accused of opening an account at Member's 1st Federal Credit Union on Linglestown Road using a fake Pennsylvania Driver's license. Chappelle applied for and received the loan from the bank using another person's information, police said.

Chappelle attempted to transfer the money to another account, police said. He was taken into custody with other fraudulent items that had not been issued to him.

Chappelle is charged with four counts of forgery and four counts of identity theft, all felonies. He is being held at Dauphin County Prison on $50,000 bail. He is scheduled for a preliminary hearing May 4 before District Judge James Lenker.
BLOOMSBURG, Pa. (AP) -- Police say a township road worker has been killed by a dump truck driven by another crew member in Pennsylvania.

Hemlock Township police say 60-year-old Joseph Benner, of Catawissa, was directing the driver of the dump truck as it backed up when he was run over about 11:30 a.m. Tuesday.

The driver, who also worked for the township's four-person road crew, is 27-year-old Joseph Fetterman.

Township Supervisor Mark Morrow called the incident a tragic accident, saying the road crew is a tight-knit group that takes care of one another.

From WNEP: The man who hit Benner was a coworker and police say they were friends. Counselors were brought in for the men on the crew because they are all so tightknit.

The Columbia County coroner scheduled an autopsy for Wednesday.

State police investigators are working to reconstruct the accident. The driver has not been cited.
Markus Williams

Markus Williams

(Harrisburg Police)

Is Markus Williams a callous killer or just a guy who was defending himself?

A Dauphin County jury was about to begin weighing that question Wednesday. It has three options.

The jurors can agree with Chief Deputy District Attorney Johnny Baer that Williams, 30, wasn't justified when he shot 32-year-old Bryan Taylor in the face outside an illegal Harrisburg speakeasy last July 30.

That would trigger a first-degree murder verdict and life prison term for Williams.

Or the jury can accept defense attorney

to save himself when Taylor and at least two other men accosted him outside the Wawa's speakeasy at 14th and Vernon streets.

Palermo is contending that Williams should be acquitted of the murder count, although he conceded in his closing argument Wednesday morning that his client is guilty of illegally possessing a gun.

Option No. 3, which neither attorney dwelt on their final comments to the jury, is to convict Williams of voluntary manslaughter. To convict on that count, the jurors would have to conclude Williams believed he had to use deadly force in self defense, but that his belief was mistaken.

The panel was to begin deliberating after Senior Judge Douglas W. Herman instructed it on the law.

Palermo had the first shot at swaying the jury. One of the first things he showed the jurors was a photo taken at a city bar hours before Taylor was killed. That photo shows Taylor and Shawn Harr, another man involved in the fatal encounter, with pistols, Palermo said.

Williams had to fire when Harr and Taylor accosted and physically threatened him, apparently after an argument over Williams taking a photo with one of Harr's female relatives, Palermo said. He said Harr, not Williams, was the aggressor. Harr and Taylor both had pistols and Taylor had pushed and tried to choke Williams before Williams shot, Palermo said.

"If he hadn't fired that shot, I don't believe he'd be here," he told the jury. "The law does not require him to wait for Shawn Harr to shoot him or for Bryan Taylor to choke him to death."

"The only guy who showed restraint with a gun was Markus," Palermo added. Taylor, he said, "is responsible for his own death...What Markus did was justified."

No, it wasn't, Baer countered.

"They did nothing that would have provoked the use of deadly force," he said of Harr and Taylor. "We're talking here about the difference between street justice and legal justification."

Williams' self defense claim simply doesn't meet the legal test, Baer said, especially since there is no evidence he tried to retreat before shooting Taylor. For a self defense claim to be valid, "you have to be absolutely sure there was no other option" than to kill someone, Baer said. "This is a law of last resort...You have to try to get away before you use deadly force."

"This was an intentional killing," he insisted.

He noted that Williams was able to flee safely after shooting Williams even as Harr fired multiple shots at him as he ran up the street.

Williams' actions after the slaying also undermine his self defense claim, the prosecutor said, stressing that Williams didn't go to police and disposed of his gun after making a cell phone video while driving through the city with it.

"That was bragging. That was pride," Baer said of the video. "That was a notch on his gun."

If the jury convicts Williams of first-degree murder he will join two of his relatives who already are serving life prison terms for murders. His father, Bernard Williams, was convicted of killing a state legislator during a robbery in 1988. His brother, John McDonald III, is behind bars for a 2015 murder at a Harrisburg after-hours club.
A Dauphin County jury deliberated only about an hour Wednesday morning before convicting Shamir Hunter of killing a Harrisburg man who was walking home from his brother's wedding reception last year.



The convictions for second-degree murder and robbery mean the 20-year-old Hunter will spend the rest of his life in prison after Judge Deborah E. Curcillo sentences him in June.

For Esworthy's relatives the verdict seemed to release the strain that was evident on their faces. Esworthy's mother, Kim, trembled and wept quietly as her surviving son, Brian, consoled her.



Steve Esworthy, 31, was best man at his brother's wedding hours before he was killed in the 1200 block of Green Street while walking home from the reception.



Chief Deputy District Attorney Jennifer Gettle argued during the three-day trial that Hunter killed Esworthy by hitting him on the back of the head so hard with a wooden stake that his skull was separated from his spine. Hunter netted $20 from the slaying when he rifled through Esworthy's pockets, investigators said.



Evidence Gettle presented including that stake, which was broken by the impact. It contained Esworthy's blood and Hunter's DNA, witnesses said. The prosecutor also played for the jury a recorded statement Hunter gave city police admitting to the killing.



Hunter took the witness stand Tuesday afternoon and denied killing Esworthy. He said someone else must have put his DNA on the murder weapon. Police tricked him into confessing to a crime he didn't commit, he said.



"Mr. Hunter is disappointed in the jury's verdict, but he does respect the process and the decision," defense attorney Shane Kope said afterward. He said Hunter told him he plans to appeal.



Brian Esworthy said the verdict ensures "Steve's murderer will be punished." His family appreciates the efforts of the jury city police and prosecutors, he said.



"The outpouring of support from our friends, family and the community has greatly helped us during this difficult time," Brian Esworthy added. "We pray for peace and strength as we continue our grieving process. We also pray for peace for Shamir Hunter and his family."
Donald Trump

President Donald Trump is not the only one giving 'thumbs-up'. Many of his voters across Pennsylvania - despite waning support in the swing state - approve of his performance in office during his first 100 days. Trump on Tuesday gave the sign of approval as he left the stage after speaking on Capitol Hill in Washington during the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum's National Days of Remembrance ceremony. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

(Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

President Donald Trump's approval rating on the national level remains low. He has put in place no major legislation, and even as he struggles to get consensus in a Republican-controlled Congress, his support among swing states that voted for him is waning.

One thing remains solid, however: As he nears his first 100 days in office, Trump, who ranks as the least popular new president in modern history, continues to enjoy the support of his base.

"I would have to give him certainly a B-plus on his performance so far," said Mike Rooney, a Trump voter from York. "A lot of stuff he has done and said that concerns me. He's not a politician. He didn't come into the job as a politician so I don't think we can expect it to be smooth. He's the common, well... a rich common man, right?"

That kind of assessment stands in contrast to that of majority of Americans: a new aggregate of polls by the news outlet FiveThirtyEight shows 41.9 percent of Americans approve of the president's performance in office compared with 52.3 percent who disapprove.

The former figure points a base that seems steadfast in their conviction that the real estate magnate is a newcomer to politics and deserving of a chance.

"He just deserves a chance like everybody else," said Beth Crandy, a Trump voter from Enola. "He is a businessman not a politician. He knows what he is doing. I stand behind him."

Voters like Crandy and Rooney belong to the 32 percent of voters in Pennsylvania who approve of the president's job performance, according to a poll out in February by Franklin & Marshall College.

As a candidate Trump rallied supporters with promises to drain, repeal and enact a slew of new laws, even listing about 60 policy points, which he vowed to have in place within his first 100 days.

The dozens of new laws have yet to materialize. Trump's "skinny budget" has been assailed, and the bulk of his executive orders have been Obama-era reversals or admnistration procedural orders. His attempts at banning Muslims from the country have been blocked by federal courts.

Trump has even downplayed and rejected the artificial - yet historical - marker of a president's first 100 days, used since 1933 to gauge the success of a new president.

"I think the 100 days is, you know, it's an artificial barrier," the president said on Sunday in an interview with the Associated Press.

"It's not very meaningful. I think I've established amazing relationships that will be used the four or eight years, whatever period of time I'm here. I think for that I would be getting very high marks because I've established great relationships with countries....."

None of it seems to have shaken the steadfast support of his base, however.

"I think it's refreshing to have someone in there who's not political and able to speak their mind and speak for the average person more so than a Democrat who will try to tell us what we want not what we think we need," said Curt Scott of Waynesboro. "I think Trump let's us think for ourselves."

His voters seem unfazed with the change of heart Trump has had on a number of policies, notably foreign policy. The president, who campaigned largely on a platform of America first and that of isolationist, has changed his outlook to that of a globalist regarding China, Russia, Syria, North Korea and NATO.

His base looks upon this change in outlook as par for the course for a chief executive who had no experience in politics.

"Nobody comes into this office being prepared. There's no no class on how to be president. You learn from experience," Rooney said. "Obama did the same thing. Bush. You can go back through all the presidents. They all had grandiose ideas and maybe they could not bring them to fruition."

Scott considers Trump's changes in policy outlooks a refreshing attribute for a president. He thinks the president is "finding out why things are so hard to do" in Washington.

"Donald Trump, he is someone that solves problems," Scott said. " A lot of politicians aren't grown. If they hold grudge or something like that..Donald Trump will work with anybody. He is a business guy. He can say those things but once he gets in front of them, he will try to work out a workable deal. Other politicians aren't like that. There is a line in the sand. If you want to give him anything, I think you have to give him credit. He is willing even though he said these things, he is willing to work with them."

Jim Destino, a Trump voter from Enola, said it's "ridiculous" that anyone would have really expected the president to fulfill his promise to build a border wall in a short order of time.

Destino said Trump's appeal is that he continues to persevere in spite of deep opposition from the left as well as from some GOP sectors.

"That man is a workaholic," he said. "He probably does more before 9 o'clock in the morning than the other presidents did all day."

Trump himself insists it's unfair to compare him to other presidents. "No matter how much I accomplish during the ridiculous standard of the first 100 days, & it has been a lot (including S.C.), media will kill," he said on Twitter.

Pennsylvania voters like Karen Smith could not be happier 100 days into her candidate-of-choice's performance.

The Trump/Pence campaign stickers stuck to the rear bumper of her car still generate reaction from total strangers: Some give her thumbs up and honk their horns as they pull up to a red light. Others give her dirty looks - even worse.

That particular kind of assessment aside, Smith says it's too early to hand down a decision on whether President Trump's tenure as Commander in Chief thus far has been a success, disappointment or failure.

"It's going to take more than 100 days to straighten the mess the U.S. was put into over the past eight years," Smith said.

Like Smith, the majority of voters who voted for the real estate billionaire remains loyal and supportive of the president, and their assessment of his first 100 days in office remains steadfastly entrenched in those parameters.

"If he is not fulfilling some issues the way he promised exactly, it's okay with me," said Smith, who lives in Mechanicsburg. "Things change. He has a lot to accomplish after Obama. We don't know what goes on behind the scenes."
A succession of bills designed to nudge Pennsylvania's liquor system closer to privatization passed the House Tuesday.

Although the four proposals face an uncertain future in the Senate, as well as opposition from Gov. Tom Wolf, they represent the next step on House Republicans' long march toward divesting the state-run liquor stores.

"We're talking booze on just about every street corner," said Rep. Joe Markosek, D-Allegheny County, of one of the bills that would create a franchise license to allow private stores to sell wine and spirits.

Cumberland County Republican Rep. Greg Rothman said the state should not be in the liquor business in the first place.

"It's troubled me for a long long time why Pennsylvania is in the business of selling liquor," he said. "We're not in the business of doing anything else where we know the private sector can do it and do it better."

In addition to the franchise bill, the House also passed the following measures:

"

Divest the PLCB from its wholesale wine and spirits operation entirely and open the door for private wholesalers.

Allow R license holders to sell up to four bottles of liquor to sell, in addition to the wine sales permitted by Act 39.

Rep. Paul Costa, D-Allegheny County, reiterated the position of Wolf in calling for the Legislature to give last year's Act 39 more time before making further changes to the current system.

"It's only been active for eight months," he said. "We haven't had a chance to figure out how everything is working."

Rep. Gene DiGirolamo, R-Bucks County, cited the language in Act 39 that called for the creation of a commission to study the existing system and make recommendations.

So far, the body hasn't materialized. Nor has it made any recommendations.

"This makes no business sense," DiGirolamo said, because it jettisons a profitable state agency and the state system employees in the process.

The expansion of liquor-to-go is troubling, Philadelphia Democratic Rep. Stephen Kinsey said, because it would flood the community and lead to more social problems.

"Not one constituent has come to me complaining about a lack of access to purchase alcohol," he said.

Markosek, who serves as Democratic chair of the House Appropriations Committee, said the legislation will ultimately starve the state of revenue via the PLCB.

He quipped: "Who needs more revenue when you're more than $3 billion short?"

Rep. Jesse Topper, R-Bedford County, said the state is currently in conflict with itself due to its stake in the wine and spirits business.

"We should be in the enforcement business but we should not be in the business of trying to profit from alcohol," he said.

Wolf has made it clear that he wants to give the reforms in Act 39 time to play out. Senate Majority Leader Jake Corman, R-Centre County, told Philly.com last week that he didn't envision any significant liquor expansion.
capitol-domejpg-06aedb6419e01a65.jpg

The Pa. House of Representatives passed a charter school reform bill on Tuesday, sending it to the Senate for consideration.

(File photo/PennLive.com)

The House of Representatives on Tuesday sent a charter school reform bill to the Senate renewing the perennial effort to strengthen the state's 20-year-old charter law that state Auditor General Eugene DePasquale calls among the "worst in the nation."

Time will tell if this latest effort, which passed the House by a 108-84 vote, has a different outcome than ones tried during the past five years.

Senate Education Committee Chairman John Eichelberger, R-Blair County, said he has been keeping tabs on the bill's development in the House and views it generally favorably although there are further tweaks he'd like to see made to ensure it's fair to cyber charter schools.

"I appreciate their work and think it's been good work," Eichelberger said. He said his committee will bring the bill up for consideration.

The law that created these independent public schools opened the door to public school choice in Pennsylvania and led to the creation of what is now 162 brick and mortar charter schools and 14 cyber charter schools. But this separate system of public education has been controversial from the outset and provoked a lot of grumbling about funding from both charters and school districts.

House Bill 97, sponsored by Rep. Mike Reese, R-Westmoreland County, addresses some of the funding concerns although evidentally not fully to the satisfaction of some interest groups representing traditional public schools and charter schools, who opposed or had some concerns about the measure.

Reese described his bill as strengthening the charter school law and providing "a more level playing field among all of schools."

This bill places caps on the amount of money a charter school can hold in its reserve to 12 to 16 percent of its total expenditures. It calls on the State Board of Education to create a performance matrix to measure charter school's academic performance. It creates a standardized charter school application form. It allows for the length of a good-performing charters to be extended 10 years from the current five years.

Among other changes that include bolstering charter schools' transparency, ethics and accountability rules, it also calls for the creation of a 14-member charter school funding commission to develop a recommended funding formula for the Legislature to consider. The commission would be required to hold hearings and complete its work within a year of the law's enactment.

A key difference between this bill and past charter reform bills is it offers a two-year financial enticement for school districts. It reduces the per-student tuition rate they must pay cyber charter schools this year and next, saving districts about $27 million.

But opponents of the bill argued the savings would be eaten up quickly by the expansion of charter schools that this legislation could spur.

Rep. Mike Carroll, D-Luzerne County, said the modest dollar amounts that individual districts would get comes with a risk of having to shell out more for charter school bills in the future.

"I really do think we have problems on the horizon if we were to pass this bill," he said.

Rep. Steve McCarter, D-Montgomery County, said he sees it as a "continuation of the theft that our charter school movement has unfortunately become."

He said the original law promoted charter schools as engines of educational innovations but instead it has created a second separate public school system "that is funded differently, managed to a different standard and I would argue one that is robbing Pennsylvania taxpayers and our traditional public school system blind."

Jonathan Cetel, executive director of the Pennsylvania Campaign for Achievement Now, an education reform group, admits the bill is not perfect but called it "an essential first-step towards modernizing Pennsylvania's outdated charter law."
By Kira Zavyalova and Igor Ilic

MOSCOW/ZAGREB (Reuters) - Russia's largest bank Sberbank (SBER.MM) is considering selling 1.1 billion euros (920.1 million pounds) in loans it granted to indebted Croatian food and retail group Agrokor [AGROK.UL], Sberbank's First Deputy Chairman Maxim Poletayev said.

"We are also considering a possibility of selling Agrokor's debt and are in talks with buyers on the international markets," Poletayev said in an interview with Reuters.

Agrokor, Croatia's biggest private firm, piled up debts worth some 45 billion kuna ($6.42 billion), or six times its equity, during a rapid expansion in the region, according to the latest available official data from last September.

Agrokor is the biggest employer in the Balkan region with some 60,000 staff.

Poletayev said Sberbank, one of the biggest lenders to Agrokor, was ready to go to court to seek a suitable solution in restructuring the company's debt.

More clarity on the extent of Agrokor's debt is expected by the end of June because all the creditors, including both banks and suppliers, have until June 10 to submit their claims.

Agrokor's owner Ivica Todoric handed control of the company to the Croatian government earlier this month under an emergency law to handle a restructuring of the business.

Before the law was introduced, Sberbank had provided Agrokor with 100 million euros in March and now wants to get senior loan status for that money, giving it a preferential claim in a restructuring.

The possibility of providing new loans to Agrokor and future talks on bailing out the Balkan firm will depend on the status of that 100 million euro loan, Poletayev said.

Poletayev said that Sberbank's loan had kept Agrokor operations afloat for two months, without which "the company would have gone bankrupt a month earlier."

"That is why before providing extra finance we think it is appropriate to have a right for preferential claim on a 100 million euro loan provided by Sberbank," the banker said.

Story continues

Two weeks ago, Agrokor secured an initial cash injection worth 80 million euros from five local banks. Its crisis manager, Ante Ramljak, said that the company would identify how much money it needed to keep afloat this year before opening talks with new potential lenders.

Agrokor has made a rough estimate that it will need up to 450 million euros this year.

(Reporting by Kira Zavyalova in Moscow and Igor Ilic in Zagreb; writing by Andrey Ostroukh; editing by Susan Thomas and Jane Merriman)
Friedrich Krispin, Sable Offshore Energy Project decommissioning manager from ExxonMobil Canada, addresses a business conference in Halifax on Wednesday, April 26, 2017. Sable is Canada's first offshore natural gas project with production starting in 1999. While the lifespan of the natural gas fields was expected to be 25 years, the company is finalizing arrangements to dismantle the offshore wells and production platform. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Andrew Vaughan
Logs are stacked at Murray Brothers Lumber Company woodlot in Madawaska, Ont. on Tuesday April 25, 2017. Some softwood lumber companies could begin issuing layoff notices as early as next week as the fallout from the new import tariffs slapped onto Canadian softwood by the U.S. government start kicking in. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick
Lyle Gennett wins election for Charlevoix mayor

According to unofficial results from the city manager, the vote was 790 for Gennett and 525 for Halverson.
Oil prices slip Wednesday on bulging U.S. crude stockpiles, ample supplies

LONDON

Petroleumworld 04 26 2017

Oil prices edged lower on Wednesday as ample global supplies and data showing a rise in U.S. crude inventories cast doubt on OPEC's ability to tighten the market with output cuts.

Brent crude, the international benchmark for oil prices, eased 26 cents to $51.84 per barrel at 1054 GMT. Brent is now around 8.5 percent below its April peak.

U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) was trading down 24 cents at $49.32 per barrel, heading for its eighth fall in nine sessions.

U.S. inventory data issued late on Tuesday by the American Petroleum Institute (API) weighed on prices.

The report showed crude stockpiles rose 897,000 barrels in the week to April 21, defying expectations of a fall of 1.7 million barrels, and also showed a large build in gasoline stocks, unusual for this time of the year.

"Should these figures be mirrored by the EIA, widespread concerns over stubbornly high OECD oil stocks will have been justified in what would be a setback to the global oil rebalancing process," analysts at PVM said.

The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) will issue its inventory data at 1430 GMT on Wednesday. [EIA/S]

Brent and WTI found some support from Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih, who said he was interested in talks between the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and non-OPEC producers to stabilize prices.

OPEC and a handful of big producers, including Russia, pledged to cut output by 1.8 million barrels per day (bpd) in the first half of 2017. Gulf and some other producers have indicated cuts could be extended to the end of 2017.

An extension will be discussed when OPEC meets in May.

"The market remains heavy with doubts about OPEC's ability to achieve a successful extension of the current deal with Russia adopting a lukewarm 'wait and see' approach," said Ole Hansen, head of commodity strategy at Saxo Bank.

He said a bearish EIA report could prompt prices to challenge support levels but they were unlikely to break below the low in March, when Brent dipped under $50.

The average value of the Brent crude forward curve <0#LCO:> has fallen by over $5 per barrel since the start of the year, when an OPEC-led supply cut started.

The slump in Brent is a result of record crude oil volumes in circulation on ships around the world. Thomson Reuters Eikon shipping data showed 50 million bpd were booked for shipment on tankers this month, up 10 percent since December.






Canadian court upholds judgment favoring oil firm creditors

CALGARY, Alberta

Petroleumworld 04 26 2017

A Canadian court on Monday upheld a decision to grant lenders priority over environmental clean-up costs in oil-and-gas bankruptcies, raising chances more disused wells from defunct companies could become a government responsibility.

That could further strain the government-run, industry-funded Orphan Well Association (OWA), which cleans up wells for which no party is legally responsible. The group has said it needs extra funding and upping levies for producers is an option.

Last year, a court in Canada's oil heartland of Alberta ruled that proceeds from the sale of assets belonging to privately held Redwater Energy Corp would go first to secured creditors, rather than toward cleaning up the company's inactive oil and gas wells.

The OWA and its parent, the Alberta Energy Regulator (AER), had appealed that decision.

Alberta's Court of Appeal on Monday ruled 2-1 against them, saying the previous decision contained no errors.

The AER said in a statement it is disappointed at the decision and is studying it to determine whether to appeal further.

The number of so-called orphan wells in Canada spiked after the 2014 oil price crash as layoffs swept the oil patch and companies went bankrupt. Alberta, which produces about 80 percent of Canada's crude, had more than 1,500 orphan wells in February, up from 26 in 2012.

This year's federal budget allocated C$30 million to Alberta to stimulate economic activity and employment in the resource sector, which Premier Rachel Notley said would be used to clean up orphan wells.






Oil refiners from the U.S. East cost eye Texas oil as North Dakota alternative

NEW YORK

Petroleumworld 04 26 2017

U.S. East Coast refiners are looking to buy increasing volumes of domestic crude oil from the Gulf Coast, two sources said, the latest twist in a trade flow upheaval in the wake of the opening of the Dakota Access pipeline.

Major U.S. East Coast refiners profited from railing hundreds of thousands of barrels of discounted Bakken crude to their plants daily from 2013 until 2015. But as more and more pipelines were built in North Dakota, the discount began to disappear, and so did the rail cars.

Now, at least two East Coast refiners, Phillips 66 and Delta Air Lines Inc's subsidiary Monroe Energy, are looking to move more crude by ship from Texas into the Philadelphia area. The Dakota Access pipeline starts up in May, giving the Gulf access to the Bakken shale play, and will likely sap any lingering economic incentive for Bakken-by-rail, which is more expensive.

This option is more expensive than oil imported to the East Coast, typically from Nigeria. Analysts and traders expected that once the Dakota line came into service, East Coast and West Coast refiners would rely on foreign barrels.

In 2016, 13 million barrels of crude went from the U.S. Gulf to the East Coast, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. By comparison, the East Coast took in 323 million barrels of imported crude last year.

Shipping sources say that costs could range between $2.60 to $3.50 a barrel for the two-week round trip on a U.S. flagged vessel. That is lower than the peak, brokers said, because a number of spare vessels are available. Taking a cargo of Nigerian Bonny Light to Philadelphia costs about $1.40 a barrel, brokers said.

Brokers interviewed said bringing U.S. oil via tanker to the East Coast gives refiners access to a variety of crude grades available in Texas, where most U.S. oil ends up now.

"It's about optimizing assets. From Texas, you could bring up Eagle Ford, Permian or even Bakken crude," said one source.

That journey could guarantee a steady supply of domestic crude, as both Phillips 66 and Monroe Energy already have U.S.-flagged Jones Act tankers contracted, brokers said, so bringing that crude would not be difficult. Phillips 66 and other refiners use their tankers to shuffle products to higher margin regions or to bring crude to their refineries.

Even with added Gulf shipments to the East Coast, refiners there should still receive the bulk of their supply from foreign sources due to economics, said Sandy Fielden, director of oil and products research for Morningstar.

West Africa produces crude that is "gasoline rich," he said, important for East Coast refiners. He said he doubts sending Jones Act tankers makes a lot of sense financially because the spread between global benchmark Brent and U.S. West Texas crude futures is not enough to justify the shift.

In an earnings call last year, Phillips 66 President Tim Taylor said the combination of the Dakota pipeline and water could potentially supply the 285,000 barrel per day Bayway refinery in Linden, New Jersey.

Moving crude by water from the Gulf up the Eastern Seaboard is not unheard of. Since October, NARL Refining LP has booked at least seven cargoes from Texas ports to its 130,000 bpd Come-By-Chance refinery in Newfoundland, in eastern Canada. In the previous 10 months, NARL booked just four Texas cargoes, according to Reuters Eikon shipping data.






FILE PHOTO - A man arrives at the Uber offices in Queens, New York, U.S., February 2, 2017. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid/File Photo

SEOUL (Reuters) - A South Korean court on Wednesday ruled that the ride-hailing group Uber Technologies Inc illegally used private vehicles for commercial purposes, in the latest legal setback for the U.S. firm in Asia's fourth biggest economy.

Uber's operations in South Korea were not expected to be impacted by the ruling, since it suspended its UberX service after prosecutors filed charges against the local unit in 2014 for violating the transport law, a company spokeswoman said.

Uber's local unit has "admitted and repented" its illegal act and resolved the issue, a judge at Seoul Central District Court said in a ruling. The company was fined 10 million won ($8,863).

"Uber respects the court's decision and we are looking forward to strengthening our partnership with the government and serving riders, drivers and cities in Korea," the company said in a statement.

Uber's South Korean unit continues to offer its premium taxi service, UberBLACK, and uberASSIST for seniors and people with disabilities, as those services do not use private vehicles, the spokeswoman said.

The U.S.-based company links users to both licensed taxis and unlicensed cars and drivers, a business model that has faced legal challenges in several other cities across the world.

Uber's investors include Goldman Sachs (GS.N) and GV, formerly known as Google Ventures (GOOGL.O).

(Reporting by Hyunjoo Jin; Editing by Randy Fabi)
Russia top crude supplier for China in March

BEIJING

Petroleumworld 04 26 2017

Russia reclaimed its position as China's biggest crude oil supplier in March, customs data showed on Tuesday, displacing Saudi Arabia after two months in second place as Moscow fights to hang on to its slice of the Chinese market.

Russian shipments grew nearly 1 percent to 1.104 million barrels per day (bpd) from the same month a year earlier, as China's private refineries maintained high processing rates and restocked inventories after receiving fresh 2017 import quotas. China's crude imports rose to a record in March, overtaking the United States and shattering expectations.

Saudi shipments were 1.072 million barrels in March, up nearly 15 percent from a year ago, the General Administration of Customs said. For the first three months, Saudi arrivals stood at 1.165 million bpd, making it the top supplier on a quarterly basis.

March's record arrivals came as Saudi Arabia cut April prices of light crude as Europe and the United States ramped out supply to Asia.

The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) agreed to curb its output by about 1.2 million bpd from January to support prices. Non-OPEC producers, including Russia, agreed to cut another 600,000 barrels, but both OPEC and non-OPEC countries continued efforts to keep Asian markets vital for growth well supplied.

March also saw the United States ramp up shipments to 45,057 bpd. A year ago, China did not import U.S. crude.

Imports from Iran meanwhile rose 5.97 percent to 626,200 bpd.






Pemex hedges its own oil output for first time in 11 years

MEXICO CITY

Petroleumworld 04 26 2017

Mexican state-owned oil company Pemex said on Tuesday it has hedged its output through December, the first time it has done so in 11 years, in a bid to protect its balance sheet from a potential drop in oil prices.

Petroleos Mexicanos, as the company is officially known, said the oil hedging program will run from May to December and guarantees a price of $42 per barrel for up to 409,000 barrels per day. It will cost the company $133.5 million.

The Pemex hedge is separate from the much larger oil price hedge undertaken by the finance ministry.

"For the first time in 11 years, Pemex has its own hedging program, which will favor the fulfillment of its operational and investment commitments and provide greater certainty to its income considering a possible drop in oil prices," the firm said in a statement.

Pemex said the hedge will provide protection if the average monthly price of the Mexican oil mix is ??between $37 and $42 per barrel, adding that if prices fall below $37, Pemex will receive the maximum amount of "contracted protection."

In its latest budget forecast, Mexico's Finance Ministry forecast average Mexican oil prices of $42 per barrel in 2017 and $46 per barrel in 2018.

While the Finance Ministry's hedging program "ensures the oil revenues of the Federal government, Pemex's hedging program protects the company's balance sheet," the company said.

Long used as a cash cow for the nation's government, Pemex now contributes less than a fifth of federal revenue, down from more than a third a few years ago.

The Mexican government is implementing an energy industry revamp finalized in 2014. It ended the decades-long production monopoly enjoyed by Pemex, which has led to the first-ever competitive oil auctions and joint venture partnerships.






Venezuela's complicated crisis for oil not just a supply shock

Reuters/Tomas Bravo



Lost Decade: Venezuela's output has fallen already by almost a million barrels a day since 2006

NEW YORK

Petroleumworld 04 26 2017

The cold logic of the oil market dictates that crisis usually equals profit. That's because a crisis in oil usually means a supply crisis, as some large producing country becomes embroiled in war or civil unrest or sanctions or some other geopolitical mess.

The country currently occupying the unenviable position of being the likeliest source of a supply shock is Venezuela. The collapse in oil prices has savaged the country's economy and brought political tensions to a head in the form of a constitutional crisis, mass protests and, particularly over the past week or so, looting and fatalities.

From the oil market's perspective, the question is whether Venezuela's intensifying problems will cause an outright collapse in its production, currently running at about 2 million barrels a day. It's a bit more complicated than that, though.

Venezuela's supply has slumped already:

Lost Decade

Venezuela's output has fallen already by almost a million barrels a day since 2006



Source: BP, International Energy Agency

Note: Data for 2016 is an estimate, reflecting IEA data showing a drop of 220,000 barrels a day that year.

The Other Slump

By 2015, Venezuela's oil demand had dropped 17 percent from its peak in 2013



Source: BP

Put the two together, and Venezuela's surplus production compared to domestic demand looks like this:

Stability (Kinda)

Venezuela's surplus oil production over domestic demand actually stabilized after 2013 even as production fell

Source: BP

So, as of 2015, Venezuela's woes had taken down its production but, by dinging demand, meant excess oil available on the global market had stopped falling. The implication is that, despite the collapse to date, the worst of Venezuela's shock to the oil market is yet to come.

Again, though, it's complicated. Part of the issue concerns Venezuelan demand, which is hard to pin down on a timely basis. Philip Verleger, an energy economist who has been tracking Venezuela's decline for some time, estimates demand there may have fallen another 10-15 percent in 2016.

At the midpoint, that would be another 85,000 barrels a day, offsetting roughly 30 to 40 percent of the International Energy Agency's estimate of the decline in Venezuela's oil production last year. On that basis, surplus oil available for the world market would have resumed its decline, falling to 1.81 million barrels a day.

That figure could really nosedive this year, though. If Venezuela's production remains about 2 million barrels a day this year and demand falls, say, another 12.5 percent, then that would mean roughly 330,000 barrels a day taken off the global market. At just less than 1.5 million barrels a day, Venezuela's surplus would have dropped to its lowest level since 1986.

The question is whether demand collapses even faster. Here are the International Monetary Fund's forecasts for Venezuela's economy. They aren't pretty:

Negativity

Venezuela's economy went into free fall in 2015 and isn't expected to resume growing in real terms for years to come



Source: International Monetary Fund

Note: Change in GDP at constant prices. Data for 2016 onward are estimates.

To get a sense of what the puts and (many) takes in that chart mean for the size of the Venezuelan economy overall, here's how they stack up on a cumulative basis:

Throwback

Venezuela's economy is expected to end this decade at roughly the same size it was at the end of the 1990s



Source: International Monetary Fund

Note: GDP in real terms relative to 1996.

Given GDP is estimated to have fallen by 16 percent last year alone, and is then projected to shrink by another 12 percent over the following 3 years, Venezuela's oil demand could keep falling at a precipitous rate, especially if civil unrest intensifies.

DECLINE IN VENEZUELA'S OIL CONSUMPTION PER CAPITA, 2013-15

19%

An economy that's reverted to pre-2000 levels could mean demand slips below 500,000 barrels a day. True, the population has risen by almost 40 percent since 1996, but that's no guarantee of rising demand: Oil consumption per capita fell by 19 percent between 2013 and 2015 alone.

Could oil production show any resilience in this scenario? That's the big question. On the one hand, it seems hard to imagine it could, especially given the declines to date. On the other, Luisa Palacios, Head of Latin America macro and energy research at Medley Global Advisors, points out Venezuela's oil production is scattered around the country and offshore. Meanwhile, its refineries can be militarized if necessary.

To be clear, barring an unforeseen jump in oil prices, Venezuela's production can't simply ride out this crisis. In particular, the increasingly heavy nature of Venezuela's oil necessitates blending it with imported light oil -- much of it from the U.S. -- which requires payment in hard currency (see this ).

But there is a plausible scenario whereby, before Venezuelan oil production slumps again, further economic collapse and perhaps a breakdown in internal fuel distribution unleashes a demand shock first. Venezuela's tragedy isn't just a wildcard for supply.






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.
Clint Greenwood was a veteran law enforcement officer who served previously as a prosecutor and sheriff's deputy. At the time of his murder, he was an assistant chief deputy constable. (Photo: Harris County SO)

Harris County, TX, commissioners voted Tuesday to name the courthouse annex where Chief Deputy Constable Clint Greenwood was killed in an ambush earlier this month after the longtime lawman, reports the Houston Chronicle.

County Judge Ed Emmett said he expected new signs to be up on the annex at 701 W. Baker Road in Baytown within weeks.

Greenwood was shot to death early in the morning of April 3, moments after pulling into the parking lot of the annex where he worked for the Precinct 3 constable's office.

Related:

Video: TX Deputy Constable Slain in Possible Ambush Shooting at Courthouse

Video: Image of Possible Suspect in TX Deputy Constable's Murder Released

Texas Deputy Constable's Killer Committed Suicide Last Week, Police Say

Slain TX Constable Told Officials He Felt Threatened

TX Officials Want to Name Courthouse for Slain Deputy Constable
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While signing an executive order in the White House, President Donald Trump revealed his attitude towards reading the executive orders that he is signing, and it confirms reports that Trump is not reading what he is signing as president.

Video:

Transcript via The White House as provided to PoliticusUSA:

So I want to thank you very much. So do we have the executive order, please?

So this is promoting agriculture and rural prosperity in America. And, now, theres a lot of words I wont bother reading everything. But agriculture and rural prosperity in America, thats what we want. And we dont want to be taken advantage of by other countries  and thats stopping, and thats stopping fast. Okay, thank you.



Trumps attitude of there are a lot of words here so I wont read them follows a pattern that has been reported that this president doesnt read and that he doesnt read what is placed in front of him to sign.

The President Of The United States prefers to get his information from Fox News, and would rather not read anything because reading bores him.

Donald Trump isnt reading the executive orders that he is signing, which means that he is not doing the minimum requirements of the job that he was elected to do. If one is looking for an answer for why Republicans are floundering even though they are in total control of the federal government, the answer is that Trump is providing them with zero direction and leadership.

A man who wont read what he is signing shouldnt be in charge of the country.
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As Donald Trump threatens a trade war with our neighbors to the north, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is expected to phone the White House on Tuesday, likely to explain basic economics to the reckless U.S. president.

According to a new report from Reuters, Trudeau was due to call Trump later on Tuesday after he speaks to the premiers of Canadas 10 provinces.

The expected call comes after Trudeau spoke out Tuesday against new tariffs being imposed by the Trump administration on softwood lumber imports from Canada.

There are millions of good U.S. jobs that depend on the smooth flow of goods, services and people back and forth across our border, Trudeau said. You cannot thicken this border without hurting people on both sides of it.

Not only is Trudeau right to defend the interests of his own country, but he is also standing up for the American people as well, since they, too, will be hurt by Trumps move.

As CBC noted in a tweet, Trumps tariff would make U.S. houses more expensive and cost American workers hundreds of millions of dollars in the form of lost wages.

U.S. homebuilders say tariffs on imports of Canadian softwood lumber would cost American workers $500M in lost wages and raise house prices.  CBC News Alerts (@CBCAlerts) April 25, 2017

Despite the consequences, Trump continued to stand by his decision on Tuesday and ramped up his attacks on Canada.

People dont realize Canadas been very rough on the United States, Trump said. Theyve outsmarted our politicians for years.

The president also went after Canadas dairy industry in a tweet on Tuesday:

Canada has made business for our dairy farmers in Wisconsin and other border states very difficult. We will not stand for this. Watch!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 25, 2017

Once again, its apparent the U.S. president doesnt have a clue what hes doing. He failed to get his Mexico-funded wall along the southern border, so now hes threatening a trade war with the country to the north.

In the process, hes alienating one of Americas strongest allies, hurting American workers, and proving once again that he doesnt know how to conduct himself on the world stage.
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Top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee Elijah Cummings told MSNBCs Rachel Maddow on Tuesday that Donald Trumps refusal to comply with the Russia investigation sets a very dangerous precedent and only raises more concerns about possible White House ties to Moscow.

Cummings expressed his concerns after the White House refused a bipartisan request for documents related to Michael Flynn, who illegally withheld information about his relationship with Russia.

Video:

Of the White House refusal to release these vital documents  and the broader investigation into the presidents ties to Russia  Cumming said:

I thought we would get some documents, but this White House has made a decision that they will produce absolutely nothing. Ive not seen this before, and it sets a very dangerous precedent. President Trump, when he was running, said no one is above the law. Well, hes not above the law either, and there is a separation of powers. I listened to Mr. Spicer today talk about claiming that they dont have documents. I was very upset just listening to that because they do have documents. As a matter of fact, they have told us that they have documents, but they found every excuse under the sun not to produce the documents.  Were staying focused. This is not some witch-hunt. This is about a fight for the soul of our democracy, and I want to be real clear on that. Were not going to be distracted. Were going to go after the documents.

Cummings is no partisan hack and his request to the Trump administration is not just on behalf of Democrats on the Oversight Committee  and its not part of some partisan witch-hunt. It is a bipartisan request made by leaders in both parties.

The fact that the White House is refusing to be forthright on all matters related to Russia raises a number of serious questions, with the main one continuing to be: If the administration has nothing to hide, why are they so afraid of being transparent with the American people?

At the end of the day, this is the central reason why the investigation must go on in a way that rises above partisan politics. Not only do the American people deserve answers, but its clear by the behavior of the administration that they have something to hide.

As Cummings said on Tuesday, this is about the soul of our democracy. If a presidential election was influenced by a foreign government with the help of one of the two major candidates, it undermines the fabric of Americas democratic process  and that should scare people of all political ideologies.
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After Donald Trump promised the American people that, under his presidential leadership, the U.S. would win so much that it would become tiresome, the country is still waiting on Trump to win something, anything.

That wont come tonight, though.

According to a Tuesday report from CNN, the president was just handed another humiliating defeat. The latest Trump loss will cost the U.S. $163 million a year in the form of sanctions imposed by the World Trade Organization.

More from CNN:

Mexico and the US have fought for years over tuna. The US insists that any Mexican tuna sold in the US must be dolphin safe, meaning dolphins werent killed by tuna fisherman, which was once common. Mexico says its fisherman play by the rules. The US government disagrees. On Tuesday, the World Trade Organization ruled in Mexicos favor, allowing it to impose trade sanctions worth $163 million a year against the US. The WTO says thats how much money Mexico has lost from the US unfairly penalizing Mexican tuna.

Thats right: Trump just lost a trade battle with Mexico  over tuna fish.

Perhaps the loss wouldnt be such a hilarious fail for the president if he didnt spend a year and a half running around the country promising that, with him in the White House, the United States would no longer lose on anything, especially when it comes to trade.

He set up astronomical expectations, and hes epically failing to meet them.

And now, just three months into his presidency, Trump is already experiencing his first major setback on the trade front  and itll cost us nearly $200 million.

While there are very few, if any, redeeming qualities about this administration, its a beautiful thing to watch the ridiculous rhetoric of his campaign catch up with the realities of, you know, actually running the country.
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Sen. Bernie Sanders along with House and Senate Democrats introduced a bill today that will give Democrats a powerful rallying cry in 2018. Sanders and the Democrats want to raise the minimum wage to $15/hour.

Sen. Sanders said in a statement provided to PoliticusUSA, For the last 10 years, Congress, giving tax breaks to the rich, has forgotten to raise the minimum wage. We are here to remind them th t a $7.25 minimum wage is a starvation minimum wage. Nobody can live on $7.25. You cant live on $8. You cant live on $10 an hour, and that is why we are saying that after 10 years of inaction the United States Congress is going to raise the minimum wage to a living wage: $15 an hour.

Democratic struggles in previous midterm elections have been well documented, but the Democratic issue that has resonated with midterm voters from coast to coast is raising the minimum wage. Twenty-three Senate Democrats have signed onto the bill, which would raise the minimum wage above its peak effectiveness, which occurred in 1968.

The co-sponsor of the Raise The Wage Act, Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) said, Im so proud of the strong steps taken in my home state to make sure that full-time work doesnt leave people in our communities living in poverty. I believe we need a $15 federal minimum wage to bring that progress to communities nationwide. Its the right thing to do for working parents, for the nearly two-thirds of minimum wage workers who are women, and as Ive heard from business owners in Seattle, its the right thing to do for our local economies.

If Democrats are going to expose Trumps fake populism, and swing red congressional districts, they will do so with policies that have popular bipartisan support among voters. President Trump has stated on numerous occasions that he believes that wages are too high.

Democrats are going to hit Republicans in one of their weakest spots. The purpose of this bill isnt to pass it in 2017, but to show voters exactly what Democrats can accomplish if they take control of Congress in 2018.
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In spite of what Donald Trump says in public, or thinks in his egotistical twisted mind, there is not much the majority of Americans like about him, his administration, his policies, or his kids. It is about the only good news about the state of the American peoples sensibilities these days and validating for those who cannot comport a vicious and corrupt swindler living in the White House.

For some politicians, and American citizens, opinion or popularity surveys are important. And yet despite how many polls are conducted in any given time period, all of the attention over the past year has been focused on Trump; likely because he is as unpopular as he is incompetent and corrupt. However, most opinion polls ask respondents to weigh in on more than just one policy or politician with little to no reporting on anything other than the Trump.

In one of those polls, the most recent one conducted by NBC News and the Wall Street Journal (NBC/WSJ), it was revealed that no matter how much Americans detest Donald Trump, and they do despise the con man, they dislike his vice-president Mike Pence even more. As Oliver Willis put it, in the Trump Administration, misery loves company. And according to the polls results, one can only imagine that the Trump administration is feeling incredibly miserable at the approval rating numbers for the two men at the head of the Executive Branch of government.

As far as American politicians are regarded by the people, Mike Pence ranks near the top of the list as one of the least popular politicians in the United States. In that NBC poll, only a miserable 38 percent of the respondents had a favorable opinion of Mike Pence. The number for Trumps approval in that poll is a pathetic 39 percent. Obviously, no matter the level of lies, deliberately misleading statements, saber-rattling, or so-called achievements the Trump administration boasts about the majority of the people are not fooled whatsoever.

Within that poll was an approval number that almost certainly irritated the religious extremism right out of Mike Pence more than anything he could possibly imagine; the organization he exists to eliminate, Planned Parenthood, is significantly more popular than either Pence or Trump. Planned Parenthood received a 50 percent approval rating compared to Trumps 39 and Pences 38 percent. As an aside, Planned Parenthood was number two on the popularity list behind the most popular politician in America, Barack Hussein Obama.

Whether or not there is a corollary between Pences horrifying record of trying to undermine womens health care and his unpopularity is unclear, but there is no question that the womens healthcare group is, and has been, more popular than either Pence or his religious acolytes are wont to claim. There is no question, however, that Pence has been one of the leading voices against the womens healthcare advocate and provider; so it is entirely possible that at least one of the reasons Pence is less popular than Trump is his anti-womens rights stance. A stance, by the way, that is driven solely by his extremist evangelical fundamentalism; not his particularly nasty brand of conservatism.

It was news to this author that before he was Indianas governor, Mike Pence was the first Republican in Congress to promote anti-womens legislation defunding Planned Parenthood on religious grounds. While he was governor of Indiana, he championed, and signed, myriad pieces of legislation to deny women the right to access perfectly legal abortion services. Some of the legislation, however, was even too extreme for his fellow Indiana Republicans that they were not shy about registering their opposition.

Today, possibly as a result of the Trump-Pence election victory in November, millions of Americans have registered as staunch supporters of Planned Parenthood and a womens right to choose. Many supporters who oppose abortion still support Planned Parenthood based on its mission to aid vulnerable communities (poor women) who need services like family planning, cancer screening and education on the best form of birth control. What this most recent poll revealed, is that while preacher Pence sinks to the lower tier of respect for public officials right behind anti-womens rights cretin Trump, Planned Parenthoods popularity and respect among the population is still strong and growing.

It may be the case that some of the polls respondents are aware that Pence made a big deal about breaking a tie in the Senate to eliminate Title X protections President implemented just last September. President Obamas executive order prohibited Republican-dominated theocratic legislatures from using their bastardized religion to withhold funding allotted for womens healthcare; including Planned Parenthood clinics. The vote to eliminate that simple and constitutional protection was, as many in America understood, a direct evangelical attack on Planned Parenthood and an effort to eradicate its ability to serve its patients whether male or female.

The Senate vote, and Pences rush to break a tie, came after Pence was the featured religious extremist at the annual evangelical March for Life. That vote came after Pence had told the March for Life rally attendees and Catholic-inspired anti-womens rights activists that, This administration will work with the Congress to end taxpayer funding of abortion and abortion providers. It is worth noting, for the ten-thousandth time that no taxpayer funding can go for abortions. But that is a fact religious Republicans will never accept as the truth because their intent is controlling women and relegating them to nothing more than birth machines or they would cease attacking birth control access and abortion services.

It is highly unlikely this latest polls revelation that Planned Parenthood is significantly more popular than either Pence or Trump will have an impact on religious Republicans. It is true that a sane politician would heed the message from voters that there is substantially stronger support for womens rights, and their healthcare autonomy, than the highly unpopular Trump and even more unpopular Pence, but these religious extremists are not sane. They are patriarchal Republicans driven by religious extremism, like members of ISIS, and will continue ignoring the will of the people no matter how unpopular they or their theocratic policies are. And, they are in power for at least the next three-and-a-half years regardless if Trump remains in the White House or he is replaced by the even more unpopular Mike Pence.

h/t OWillis
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Minnesota, now Virginia Republican Corey Stewart, who running for Governor of Virginia has raised a lot of eyebrows with his blatant appeal to racists, a tweet in defense of Confederate monuments:

Nothing is worse than a Yankee telling a Southerner that his monuments don't matter.  Corey Stewart (@CoreyStewartVA) April 25, 2017

Yes. Wannabe Yankee governor of Virginia attacks Yankees for attacking Confederate monuments. The Yankee is trying so hard to be a Southerner. And if you bring up the matter of his origins, Stewart says youre a snowflake.

Once upon a time, some of my ancestors included, Minnesotans served against the South and slavery. And Stewart did not stop there. He upped the ante by comparing those removing Confederate monuments to ISIS:

Politicians who are for destroying the statues, monuments and other artifacts of history are exactly like ISIS. pic.twitter.com/XW8wbvw93k  Corey Stewart (@CoreyStewartVA) April 26, 2017

Bless his heart. He promises to fight and protect Virginias Heritage and History! but the heritage in question is one of slavery.

He claims their removal is the blatant destruction of U.S. history, but those monuments, because they celebrate the Confederate cause, are monuments to slavery, to racism, to genocide. They are monuments to a rebellion against the United States.

Some have argued that Confederate monuments should at least have plaques putting them in a much-needed context. Stewarts claim requires no less.

If youre still in any doubt as to what, exactly, these monuments stand for, look no further than this:

Singer John Legend had a question for Stewart:

Crime novelist Laura Lippman was happy to explain the whole thing to Stewart:

@johnlegend @Gwenda @CoreyStewartVA Darlin' I'm a Southerner and happy to explain why those monuments are fucked up.  Laura Lippman (@LauraMLippman) April 25, 2017

Stewarts claims carefully avoid the historical facts. It is past time Stewart and other defenders of the defeated Confederacy recognize the cause they embrace when they defend the Confederacys flag and the monuments is the cause of slavery.

Corey Stewarts claims are made more reprehensible by the fact that so many of those Southerners he claims to represent are descendants of the very people that Confederate cause fought to enslave.
Charleston, SC (29403)

Today

Mainly cloudy. High 69F. Winds NNE at 15 to 25 mph. Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph..

Tonight

Tropical storm conditions possible. Cloudy with occasional rain after midnight. Low 63F. Winds NNE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 70%.
Gregory Yee covers the city of Charleston. He's a native Angeleno and previously covered crime and courts for the Press-Telegram in Long Beach, CA. He studied journalism and Spanish literature at the University of California, Irvine.
Louis Morant won re-election to the Georgetown County Council's District 7 seat and Kathy Ferdon-Anderson won re-election to her at-large seat on the Georgetown County School District Board of Trustees, according to unofficial election results. Read moreGeorgetown Co. elections: Morant wins second term; Ferdon-Anderson, Cox win at-large
Sometimes we need a lift. I don't mean a ride somewhere; I mean a boost in our spirit, a reboot of our attitude. I've been feeling a little old lately, so I thought visiting the place where I first set foot when I was 18 years old just might be the ticket. I was right.

Last week I attended a "scholarship breakfast" fundraiser at Century College. The affair, sponsored by the Century College Foundation, provides educational scholarships. This year the keynote speaker was Dr. Michael J. Lovett, superintendent of White Bear Lake area schools.

Century College is a two-year community and technical school located in White Bear Lake, Minn. I met up with a friend and a retired professor from the college. There were more than 250 people attending this gala.

Century certainly doesn't have the history of our own Rochester Community and Technical College. RCTC is the oldest public two-year college in Minnesota. The Rochester junior college was created with help from Dr. Charles H. Mayo in 1915. Century got underway in 1967. Century will be celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.

For me, it will soon be 46 years since my freshman fall quarter on the Century campus. It was a remarkable time in my life. For many of us, that first experience of being out on our own; a job, the military, vocational training or college is something we will always remember.

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Randy Johnson, the acting executive director of the Century Foundation, started the morning talking about their mission of transforming students by focusing on their success and assisting and supporting the students in various ways to enable them to complete their degrees. I was impressed.

I talked to Randy after the event and we discussed the need for more skilled workers in our communities. We have heard this concern here in Rochester, in particular with the Destination Medical Center initiative.

The Century Foundation's work is on the front lines to give more students opportunities to help meet this worker demand that is important to our local and state economies. Last year the Century College Foundation awarded 258 scholarships for over $311,000. That is impressive.

These two-year schools need our backing to continue to provide these scholarships. Support is needed from the community and from the alumni. With state support dollars unclear they need our help more than ever.

I am betting that if many of us reflect we will remember some initial helping hands that got us started. Maybe it was financially, a scholarship or an inspirational teacher or professor. Someone helped us get underway.

At Century, the average age of their students is 26 years old. This is a change from when many of us attended college. Today there are more part-time students and more adults that return to college later in life.

Lovett gave an impressive keynote address. A point I found interesting was when Dr. Lovett said one in five graduates from White Bear Lake High School attend Century College. This is an impressive connection between the high school and the college.

I contacted Nate Stoltman, director of communication and college relations at RCTC, and Nate said that RCTC is capturing one in four graduates of the Rochester Public School system. Wow.

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Two-year schools can be the right choice for many students and generally will provide a significant cost savings from a four-year school. Less debt is a good thing.

Two student speakers stole the show in a sense. The first one was a young man named Curtis Draper. He stepped up to the microphone looking strong and confident. Curtis is a veteran and former Army medic. He is a husband and father. Curtis found the adjustment to the civilian life difficult.

Curtis was the recipient of the Tango Mike Orthotic and Prosthetics Veterans Scholarship. Century College has the only orthotic and prosthetic program in the state. This opportunity has helped him acquire a remarkable skill and find the right path in his life.

The second speaker was Rim Salem. Rim was a young Palestinian girl who felt extremely fortunate to be able to come to the United States with her mom and four siblings. Her father was initially unable to come which made the transition difficult. Rim spoke no English upon her arrival.

Rim has excelled and she will receive an Associate of Arts degree from Century. She was the recipient of the Simmons STEM Scholarship. She will now pursue neuro-science at the University of Minnesota in the hopes of becoming a doctor. She aspires to be a member of Doctors Without Borders. The rest of the story is her dad was eventually able to join his family.

I was able to talk to both of the students shortly after the program. They were amazing. When you witness young people like Curtis and Rim, who were given an opportunity and assistance that aided them with their hopes and dreams, well; all I can say is it sure gave me a lift for the day. It was all good.
The Rochester Area Foundation awarded $112,981 in grants to 11 local nonprofits in the first cycle of 2017 for the Better Communities Grants.

Each year, the Rochester Area Foundation awards grants in two competitive cycles, which are supported by our Better Communities Fund and donor funds held at the Foundation.

"We are so pleased to support nonprofits who are making significant contributions through their programs in health, human services, education and the arts in the greater Rochester area," said Jane Angelone, the foundation's grants officer. "We are especially thankful for our generous fundholders and grant committee volunteers who partner with us to create these opportunities in philanthropic leadership."

Grant recipients

 180 Degrees received $3,275 to support the first phase of construction for a replacement building for its adult residential program supporting men re-entering communities after discharge from correctional facilities.

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 Boys & Girls Club received $12,000 to cover training, outreach, creation of a resource library and supplies for the program that serves more than 1,200 youth annually through its after-school and summer programs.

 Family Means received $10,000 to provide 75 consumer credit counseling sessions with families in Olmsted County.

 Growing Home received $11,800 for startup supplies and equipment connected to work with the Green Thumb Initiative at the Rochester Alternative Learning Center to create a new experiential learning project on food production that teaches students valuable life skills.

 Jeremiah Program received $20,000 for general support in moving to the predevelopment stage to create a campus in Rochester to help young families headed by single mothers to move from poverty to prosperity.

 Junior Achievement of the Upper Midwest received $5,000 to help support development of a new, permanent district office in Rochester.

 Listos Preschool and Childcare received $5,056 to help to fund a community outreach literacy project as Rochester's first dual-immersion preschool and child care program that is providing diverse, inclusive, affordable, high-quality bilingual education at an early age.

 Quarry Hill Nature Center received $24,050 to support design, fabrication and technical equipment for a new permanent exhibit in Exploration Hall, titled Investigation Station.

 Southeastern Minnesota Youth Orchestras received $2,500 to support outreach activities targeted to smaller venues for student performances and a free community capstone concert.

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 Somalia Rebuild Organization received $5,800 to deliver parent-focused training for Rochester's Somali population to support families in participating in the education of their children.

 Zumbro Valley Health Center received $13,500 to support training and supplies to increase the number of peer support specialists who have demonstrated a marked improvement in clinical outcomes for at-risk clients.
MINNEAPOLIS  The upper Midwest timber industry is welcoming the Trump administration's announcement that it's imposing tariffs averaging 20 percent on softwood lumber entering the United States from Canada.

The industry has been struggling in Minnesota and Wisconsin in recent years. The housing market crash in 2008 cut demand for softwood lumber products such as pine 2x4 studs and other kinds of boards used to build homes, which are among the products affected by the administration's move. So industry groups in both states saw Monday's announcement as good news for communities with sawmills, and for loggers who supply them.

The Trump administration and U.S. industry groups say Canada unfairly subsidizes its softwood lumber industry. The dispute goes back to the 1980s. The U.S. contends that the prices charged by Canadian federal and provincial governments for harvesting timber on public land are below market rates, amounting to a subsidy that puts U.S. companies at a competitive disadvantage.

Canada denies that its practices are unfair and greeted the announcement with dismay. Natural Resources Minister Jim Carr said Tuesday that the new tariffs will hurt people in both countries, including American homebuyers who will now pay more for wood.

According to the U.S. Commerce Department, imports of softwood lumber from Canada were worth an estimated $5.66 billion last year. The duties, which Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said Tuesday will cost about $1 billion annually, will range from 3 percent to 24 percent, depending on the manufacturer.

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The cross-border flare-up happened against the backdrop of the Trump administration's intent to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement, which doesn't cover the lumber dispute, and a separate trade dispute over Canadian dairy pricing. It doesn't directly affect the paper industries in the two states, which are larger than their lumber industries and mostly use hardwoods such as aspen, but loggers who typically work for both sectors stand to gain.

The old U.S.-Canadian softwood lumber agreement worked well until it expired in 2015, resulting in no limits on the amount of lumber that could be imported from Canada, said Wayne Brandt, executive director of the Duluth-based Minnesota Timber Producers Association. That, combined with exchange rate differences, made it challenging for U.S. producers to compete, he said.

"Our preference is always that there be an agreement worked out between the two countries so we can have a rational system for pricing products to the market. ... Maybe this will spur the Canadian producers to come to the table and arrive at an agreement," Brandt said.

But for now, the regional industry is welcoming the crackdown.

"It's about time. This will be good for Minnesota and the timber industry. It's been frustrating to the timber industry for years to see full rail cars heading south from Canada," said Scott Dane, executive director of the Gilbert-based Associated Contract Loggers and Truckers of Minnesota.

Minnesota has lost seven major mills since the housing market crashed, Dane said. That cost the state about 25 to 30 percent of its total logging workforce. No more than 1,500 people now work directly on the logging side, he said, but they supply paper and lumber mills with a total workforce of around 40,000, he said.

Wisconsin had about 135,000 jobs in the overall forest products industry, including wood and paper, in the mid-2000s, said Henry Schienebeck, executive director of the Great Lakes Timber Professional Association, based in Rhinelander, Wisconsin. It's just getting back to 62,000 jobs now, he added.

Loggers that supply Wisconsin's mostly smaller sawmills should benefit, Schienebeck said. He also said much of the pine that Wisconsin loggers cut gets trucked out of state to larger Potlatch Corp. sawmills in Bemidji, Minnesota, and Gwinn, Michigan, that should benefit as well.

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"I'm hoping this is going to have a real positive impact on our loggers and sawmills," he said.
One of the most accurate lines in movie history is Mel Brookss Gov. Wm. J. LePetomaine in Blazing Saddles, exclaiming, Weve got to protect our phoney-baloney jobs! The State Department is living up to this dictum this week.

As we reported here a couple weeks ago, the Trump Administration is divided about whether to honor Trumps campaign pledge to withdraw the United States from the Paris Climate Agreement. Today Bloomberg reports that the State Department has produced an internal memo that boosts the case for keeping the U.S. in the Paris accord. The memo appears to have been leaked, though the story doesnt say so directly, and whether such a leak would help or hurt the cause of remaining in the Paris Agreement is hard to say. Of course this amounts to special pleading by State Department diplomats and their UN allies, whose Categorical Imperative is to keep meeting every year to harrumph about climate change.

The amusing part of this story is that the State Departments case for staying in rests on the premise that the Paris Climate Agreement is such a nothingburger that it hardly matters whether we stay or go:

An internal State Department memo says the Paris climate accord imposes few obligations on the U.S., bolstering the case for Trump administration officials who want to stay in the deal. . . While there are some binding provisions in the agreement, those legal obligations are relatively few and are generally process-oriented, the three-page memo obtained by Bloomberg News said.

Ive been saying for 20 years now that the UN climate talks are best described by Winston Churchills great description of the disarmament talks of the 1930sa prolonged and solemn farceand that the Paris Climate Agreement is the climate diplomacy equivalent of the Kellogg-Briand Pact of 1928 that outlawed war, to which both Germany and Japan were signatories. Gee that worked well. Like the Paris Climate Agreement, the Kellogg-Briand Pact is actually still on the international law books as a valid treaty. No one has bothered to repeal or repudiate it precisely because its detachment from reality means no one need pay attention to it. Even former NASA chief climatista James Hansen calls the Paris Agreement a fraud.

The obvious strategy of the climatistas is to keep stringing along the diplomatic circus until that magic moment comespresumably under a President Elizabeth Warren and a heavily Democratic Congresswhen it will be possible to get the US to commit to economic suicide through a binding and enforceable agreement. But if you couldnt get this under Barack Obama in 2009 and 2010, it is unlikely ever to succeed. But better in the name of political hygiene to dump the Paris Agreement completely.

Myron Ebell of the Competitive Enterprise Institute sends out this warning today:

Energy Secretary Rick Perry said yesterday that he supports staying in Paris and re-negotiating it. Its not known whether he was briefed on the feasibility of re-opening the treaty. There is no provision for us to withdraw our Nationally Determined Contribution and then submit a less ambitious one. The EU would demand as a condition of re-opening the whole treaty that it include more mandatory requirements. The developing nations would demand better guarantees that the Green Climate Fund will be fully funded and will increase each year. Its also not known whether Perry was briefed on President Trumps other campaign promise to de-fund UN climate programs. Funding the UNFCCC in any amount has been illegal under PL 103-236 since 17th March 2016 when Palestine became a full member. Perhaps Perry has been converted to the cause of expensive and pointless policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and joined the climate-industrial complexwhich are a powerful client class at DOE.

The one part of the agreement that might actually mean something is the promise of $100 billion per year in climate aid to developing nations. And guess who would be expected to pick up most of that tab? And guess what isnt happening?

This climate aid provision was included as a straightforward bribe to get developing nations to sign on to the non-binding Paris Agreement. Chris Horner of CEI, who is doing yeomans work with his persistent FOIA requests for EPA documents, found this very revealing one from Obamas chief climate negotiator Todd Stern:

If you cant make out the text, it says: Our Ugandan President of GA [UN General Assembly] in response to Markeys question, what will it take to get an agreement in Paris? Answer: Money.
Dana Milbank reports, with glee, that the United Nations has contacted the Trump administration as part of an investigation into whether repealing [Obamacare] without an adequate substitute for the millions who would lose health coverage would be a violation of several international conventions that bind the United States. The warning comes from the Office of the U.N. High Commissioner on Human Rights in Geneva.

The U.N. Human Rights Commission (now known as the Human Rights Council) purports to uphold the highest standards in the promotion and protection of human rights, Its members include China, Cuba, Iraq, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Venezuela.

The High Commissioners office warning that Obamacare repeal/replacement might be illegal comes in a letter to the Trump administration. The Commissioner asked that the letter be shared with majority and minority leadership in both chambers of Congress. It also proposed that the wider public should be alerted to the potential implications of the above-mentioned allegations. According to Milbank, the White House has not shared the letter with Congress, much less alerted the wider public.

The public should be alerted, and alarmed, that the U.N. is attempting to dictate our domestic policy. The High Commissioners letter shows that signing broadly worded international agreements allows foreign countries, including some of the worlds worst dictatorship, to accuse us of violating the law. We should sign no more of them.

By way of illustration, one of the provisions the U.N. relies on in this case is Article 5(e) of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, ratified by the U.S. in 1994. It calls on states to guarantee the right of everyone to, among other things, public health, medical care, social security and social services without regard to race or color.

It is not far-fetched to imagine lawsuits in U.S. courts based on claims that the government is violating this kind of obligation to which America agreed. How far-fetched is it to imagine left-liberal judges seriously entertaining such lawsuits? Not very, in my view.

In reality, pre-Obamacare America offered health care to everyone without regard to race or color. It provided poor Americans with free health care via Medicaid. Millions of other Americans received health insurance from their employer. The rest (except those with pre-existing conditions, a matter of real concern) were free to purchase health insurance, if they so desired. The market offered plans that were not expensive  my wife had one  at least not compared to the ones Americans are required to purchase under the Obamacare regime.

No one was denied health insurance due to race or color. Nor, to my knowledge, was anyone denied service  e.g. at an emergency room  on that basis.

If the pre-Obamacare system violated international law, it doesnt take a creative lawyer to argue that, even with Obamacare, we remain in violation. Millions of Americans are still without health insurance.

In essence, Obamacare provided new incentives to purchase health insurance. One incentive is the penalty (called a tax) by the Supreme Court on those who dont purchase it. Another is the subsidy offered to people of modest means.

But for millions of Americans, these incentives have proven inadequate to induce the purchase of insurance. Thus, the U.N. (were it politically impartial) could easily find that the U.S. remains out of compliance with international law. It could insist that the U.S. sweeten the pot with larger subsidies. It could insist that the U.S. adopt the single-payer system that the American left yearns for.

If Obamacare is ever repealed, it will be replaced. There may well be government-created incentives to buy health insurance (as was the case with Ryans proposal), but they will probably less enticing (e.g., tax credits or deductions).

The U.N., through its investigation, is claiming the authority to evaluate Obamacare replacement packages. In effect, it asserts the right to decide whether the replacement incentives measure up to the Obamacare incentives (inadequate though these may be).

The U.N.s infringement on our democracy is obvious.

Its not surprising that elites in the rest of the world want to dictate to America. Its not surprising that many of the left want such leftist elites to dictate to us. Whats surprising is that America has gone as far as it has to provide the tools with which claims like those being made by these elite, via bureaucrats in Geneva, can be asserted with a straight face.
The Federal Ministry of Finance on Wednesday denied hiring any public relations firm for a fee of $2 million (N612 million) per month. But, said the Executive Council of the Federation, FEC approved only N28.97 million spent on hiring the British consultancy firm.

A media report had said the Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun, hired the British PR firm, Africapractice R & B, to handle her communications throughout the one week she attended the World Bank/International Monetary Fund, IMF Spring meetings in Washington DC.

But the Director of Information, Ministry of Finance, Salisu Dambatta, said in Abuja on Wednesday the PR consultant was hired by the Federal Government, as part of the Eurobond programme.

The Public Relations firm, Africa Practice has been retained by the Federal Government for N28, 975,000 only for three years on the approval of the Federal Executive Council in November 2016 to work for the Debt Management Office as part of the Eurobond programme alongside Standard Chartered Bank, Stanbic IBTC Holdings PLC, Citibank, WHITE & CASE LLP and Banwo & Ighodalo, Mr. Dambatta said.

He said the selection of the company followed a competitive tender advertised in international and local newspapers, including the Federal Tenders Journal.

Due process, he said, was fully followed in the selection exercise, the outcome of which was publicly announced earlier this year.

The representative of Africa Practice, Mr. Dambatta disclosed, was in Washington DC in continuation of the Eurobond programme and in support of the countrys outreach with international investors interested in doing business with Nigeria.

On the criteria for the evaluation of the Technical Bids submitted by the appointed transaction partners, Mr. Dambatta said it included company track record and credentials as well as evidence of valid license to operate in the market or jurisdiction in which they are domiciled.

Other criteria included global presence, transaction history with the federal government or any of its agencies, experience in similar transactions in the international capital market and quality of marketing and distribution strategy for the Eurobond programme.

Africapractice is a strategy and communications consultancy firm providing integrated solutions, business, political and commercial intelligence as well as risk analysis on market entry, issues management and investor relations.

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Turkish authorities arrested more than 1,000 people on Wednesday for allegedly secretly infiltrating police forces across the country on behalf of a U.S.-based cleric blamed by the government for a failed coup attempt in July 2016.

The nationwide sweep was one of the largest operations in months against suspected supporters of the cleric, Fethullah Gulen.

Gulen was a former ally of President Tayyip Erdogan who is now accused by the government of trying to topple him by force.

Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said the overnight crackdown targeted a Gulen network that infiltrated our police force, called secret imams.

One thousand and nine secret imams have been detained so far in 72 provinces, and the operation is ongoing, he said in a press conference.

In the aftermath of the failed July coup, authorities arrested 40,000 people and sacked or suspended 120,000 from a wide range of professions.

They include soldiers, police, teachers and public servants, over alleged links with terrorist groups.

The latest detentions came 10 days after voters narrowly backed plans to expand Erdogans already wide powers in a referendum which opposition parties and European election observers said was marred by irregularities.

The referendum bitterly divided Turkey.

Erdogans critics fear further drift into authoritarianism, with a leader they see as bent on eroding modern Turkeys democracy and secular foundations.

Erdogan argues that strengthening the presidency will avert instability associated with coalition governments, at a time when Turkey faces multiple challenges including security threats from Islamist and Kurdish militants.

In Turkey, there was an attempted coup with a goal of toppling the government and destroying the state.

We are trying to cleanse members of FETO inside the armed forces, inside the judiciary and inside the police, he said, using an acronym for the label, Gulenist Terrorist Organisation (GTO).

GTO is an acronym which the government has given to Gulens supporters.

The president compared the struggle against Gulen with the states battle against Islamic State and Kurdish PKK militants, who are designated terrorist organisations by Turkey, the European Union and the U.S.

We are going to keep up the fight in terms of democracy, fundamental rights and liberties, but at the same time we are going to keep up the fight against PKK, FETO and other terrorist organisations such as Daesh (Islamic State).

We will continue down this path in a very committed fashion, Erdogan said.

Mass detentions immediately after the attempted coup were supported by many Turks, who agreed with Erdogan when he blamed Gulen for orchestrating the putsch which killed 240 people, mostly civilians.

However, criticism mounted as the arrests widened.

Many relatives of those detained or sacked since July say they have nothing to do with the armed attempt to overthrow the government, and are victims of a purge designed to solidify Erdogans control.

(Reuters/NAN)

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The Federal Ministry of Justice says it has launched an investigation amid claims that one of its senior officials attempted to prevent the prosecution of Zinox Computers management over an alleged N170 million contract fraud.

The ministry said it was investigating alleged ties between Stella Anukam, its director of International and Comparative Law, and a law firm that filed a petition in connection with the case.

Mrs. Anukam is named as one of the lead partners of Integrity Law Firm, which sent the petition seen as capable of thwarting the case. Her role in the law firm violates public service rules barring government officials from private practice.

Zinox Computers is one of the firms clients, PREMIUM TIMES found.

The head of the Directorate of Public Prosecution, Mohammed Umar, told PREMIUM TIMES the ministry had commenced investigations into allegations against Mrs. Anukam.

The longwinded case began in 2012 over a N170.3 million contract awarded by the Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS.

An Ibadan-based computer retail firm, Citadel Oracle Concept Limited, which said it won the offer, accused top officials of Zinox Group, including the Chairman, Leonard Stanley Ekeh, and wife, Chioma, of impersonating it and illegally taking over the contract.

Other accused persons include the Company Secretary/Legal Adviser, Zinox Group and Technology Distribution, TD, Chris Ozims, and a director of TD, Folashade Oyebode; the chief executive of Admas Digital Technologies Limited and Pirovics Engineering Services Limited, Onny Igbokwe, along with one Princess O. Kama.

Two staff of Access Bank Plc, Obilo Onuoha and Deborah Ijeabu, were also identified.

Although investigations into the matter were completed by the Special Fraud Unit, SFU, of the Nigerian Police Force in 2014 and a case established against the suspects, prosecution stalled after police refused to release the case file.

Several requests by the then Director of Public Prosecution, DPP, Mohammed Diri, to the police to release the case file were ignored, police and government officials involved in the case told PREMIUM TIMES.

Twist after twist

On June 16, 2016, police curiously charged the complainant and managing director of Citadel Oracle, Joseph Benjamin, to court, accusing him of providing false information in his petition to the police against the suspects.

Following Mr. Benjamins petition, the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, directed the DPP to take over the case to avoid miscarriage of justice.

Based on the directive, a senior counsel from the Ministry of Justice, Aniekan Ekong, appeared at the Federal High Court, Apo on December 7, 2016 and announced the formal take-over of the case. He also asked the police to hand off the case and transfer the case file to the DPP for the prosecution of the accused.

However, at the resumed hearing of the court on February 28, the police presented a letter signed by the DPP, Mr. Umar, upturning the Attorney-Generals order and reinstating the police to continue the trial.

On Friday, Mr. Umar, confirmed to PREMIUM TIMES that he wrote the letter reinstating the police on the instruction of the Attorney-General.

He said the Attorney General changed his mind following a petition by the Abuja-based law firm, Integrity Law Firm, which claimed that its client, the police, had an ongoing case against Mr. Benjamin.

A new petition by Citadel Oracle to the Attorney-General, accused Mrs. Anukam, a partner in the law firm, of being responsible for the reversal.

The petition, dated April 11, by counsel to the company, Udah, Bala, James & Partners, also said Mrs. Anukam was working as an insider to truncate case.

When PREMIUM TIMES visited Mrs. Anukams office on the 5th floor of the Federal Ministry of Justice to seek her reaction to the allegations, an aide, who refused to give his name, said she was not available.

When this paper explained the purpose of the visit, the aide referred it to the ministrys press office. That office was locked.

But at the DPPs office, the director, Mr. Umar, told PREMIUM TIMES on Friday, the ministry had commenced investigations into the issues raised in the petition against Mrs. Anukam.

Mr. Umar said after preliminary findings, Mrs. Anukam would be asked to offer explanations on those issues if found to be credible, to allow management take its decision.

Conflict of interest?

A background check by PREMIUM TIMES showed that Mrs. Anukam, a 1984 law graduate, was listed on Integrity Law Firms website as the lead partner and management team member of the firm.

Curiously, hours after PREMIUM TIMES visit to Mrs. Anukams office on Friday, her profile and status on the Integrity Law Firms website were edited, making her an external consultant for the company.

A review of the Integrity Law Firms list of clients on the companys website also showed Zinox Technologies Limited and Technology Distribution Limited, two companies suspected to have been involved in the N170 million contract scam, conspicuously listed. The companys clientele also included the Federal Ministry of Justice.

Also, company status report obtained by this newspaper from the Corporate Affairs Commission, CAC, showed that Integrity Law Firm, with No. BN985788 and office address at Plot 472, Adetokunbo (Way) Wuse 2, Abuja, was registered as a business name on March 13, 2002, with Innocent Eremionkhale as its proprietor.

PREMIUM TIMES confirmed that Mr. Eremionkhale, a 1999 law graduate of the Edo State University (now Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma), is Mrs. Anukams younger brother.

Federal public service rules prohibits workers from engaging in private practice.

Chapter 3, No. 030425 of the Federal Government Public Service Rules (2008 edition) states: In accordance with the provisions of the Regulated and other Professions Private Practice Prohibition Act (Cap. 390) Part II, no officer shall engage in private practice.

Similarly, Rule No. 030430 of the same Chapter states: No officer shall undertake any private agency in any matter connected with the exercise of his/her public duties.

Part 1, paragraph 1 of the Code of Conduct for Public Officers listed in the Fifth Schedule of the 1999 Constitution as amended also says A public officer shall not put himself in a position where his personal interest conflicts with his duties and responsibilities.

Contract fraud

On the prosecution of the N170 million fraud case, the DPP said the ministry was committed to pursuing it to its logical conclusion.

We are ready to do our job. But more attention should be focused on the police to play its part, by producing the case file. Otherwise, there is little we can do. Since I assumed office, I have written to the Inspector General of Police three times requesting the case file without any response, Mr. Umar said.

The chairman of the Special Investigation Panel, SIP, Ali Amodu, a retired Assistant Inspector General of police, told this newspaper on Friday the current police authorities were worried by the way the case was being handled.

The SIP was constituted by the current Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, to review police investigations with the potential of a miscarriage of justice.

The police authorities are not very happy about the whole situation and has asked the investigation officer to show prove of what he has been investigating, particularly how the complainant in the case ended up being charged for allegedly giving false information and the people accused of involvement in the fraud.

I have already requested the investigation officer to fish out all the relevant documents relating to the case, including the legal advice that recommended the prosecution of the complainant, while the accused are allowed to walk about free.

The police will not allow anything to lie low. We must get to the bottom of the matter and ensure justice is not miscarried, Mr. Amodu said.

Mr. Benjamin said he was against attempts at an out-of-court settlement of the case.

Our cry is for justice, he told PREMIUM TIMES. I am ready to die if need be. All what I want is justice. Let this case be a test and a challenge to the Federal Governments sincerity about its commitment to fight corruption without fear or favour.

The investigation by the EFCC into the case ordered by the Vice President last year has been stalled. I have spent several millions, and risked my life and personal safety to be travelling to Abuja and Lagos to attend court cases, to defend myself over a matter I am innocent of. Yet, the real culprits are walking the streets free.

The case comes up in an Abuja court on Thursday.

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President Muhammadu Buhari was again absent at the weekly meeting of the Federal Executive Council, FEC.

The ongoing meeting, held inside the Council Chambers of the Presidential Villa, Abuja on Wednesday is being chaired by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo due to the presidents absence.

The meeting did not hold last week Wednesday due to the Easter break, according to the presidency. The previous week, Mr. Buhari did not turn up because he was attending to other issues, according to Information Minister, Lai Mohammed.

According to the Punch Newspapers, the ongoing meeting started a few minutes after 11 a.m. when Mr. Osinbajo directed the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu; and the Minister of Health, Isaac Adewole, to say both Muslim and Christian prayers respectively.

Details Later.

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A former President Goodluck Jonathan has reopened issues about Nigerias historic 2015 presidential election which he and his party, Peoples Democratic Party, lost to Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress.

Mr. Jonathan also bared his mind on how his successor is allegedly dismantling his legacy with harassment.

Mr. Jonathan expressed worry about alleged harassment of his family by Mr. Buharis administration although the latter is understood to be taking caution in going against his predecessor over weighty allegations of corruption, particularly ones on diversion of security funds, because of the formers timely concession after the 2015 poll.

Many believe Mr. Jonathans concession helped prevent post-election violence, given the tense environment that characterised the elections. Yet, others say any attempt to canonize Mr. Jonathan is misplaced because there was serious pressure, locally and internationally, on him to concede defeat.

Mr. Jonathan recently expressed reservations about the administration of his successor in a book Against The Run of Play, written by the Chairman of ThisDay Editorial Board and former spokesperson of late President Umaru YarAdua, Olusegun Adeniyi. Excerpts of the book, due for public presentation, were published by The Cable and The Nation newspapers on Wednesday.

I feel sad about the way my family is being hounded, said Mr. Jonathan in the book, quoted by The Nation.

He suggested Mr. Buhari should be methodical and committed himself to correcting mistakes he (Mr. Jonathan) had made, instead of dismantling what he did and forcing people to go on exile.

Society is like a building. You build it one block at a time. If every president decides to go in to dismantle what his predecessor did, society will never make progress. I expected President Buhari to correct whatever mistakes I may have made and then carry on from there.

But a situation in which people go into exile for political reasons is not good for us.

His style of fighting corruption is different from mine and since most Nigerians apparently prefer his style, it is okay. There are steps you take that will help in retrieving ill-gotten wealth and punish offenders while restoring confidence in the system. But there are also things you can do to damage the system, he said.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission is currently investigating Mr. Jonathans wife, Patience, and had got the court to freeze $5,842,316.66 belonging to her and deposited in Skye Bank.

The High Court on April 6 unfroze the account. The EFCC appealed and applied for stay of execution, but on Tuesday, withdrew the application.

Also, several officials who served under Mr. Jonathan, including aides, ministers, and PDP leaders are either being investigated by the EFCC or being tried for corruption.

Presidential spokesperson, Femi Adesina, did not answer calls placed to his phone for comment.

Jega Disappointed Me Muazu, IGP, Others Betrayed Me

Mr. Jonathan also expressed disappointment in the former chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Attahiru Jega, whom he said was insistent on conducting the poll in February when 40 per cent of Nigerians had not collected their permanent voter cards and some parts of the country were under the control of Boko Haram.

He was quoted to have said: I was disappointed by Jega because I still cannot understand what was propelling him to act the way he did in the weeks preceding the election.

As at the first week in February 2015 when about 40 per cent of Nigerians had not collected their PVCs, Jega said INEC was ready to conduct an election in which millions of people would be disenfranchised.

He said the United States of America was encouraging INEC to proceed with the election as scheduled in February.

The election was eventually postponed for six weeks, after the military, security and intelligence chiefs said they could not guarantee safe electoral exercise. In Nigeria, the responsibility for secure and safe election rests with the countrys security, military and intelligence outfits.

When the military and security chiefs demanded more time to deal with the insurgency, the reasons were genuine. As of February 2015, it would have been very difficult to vote in Gombe, Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states.

But the moment all the arms and ammunition that had been ordered finally arrived, the military was able to use them to degrade the capacity of Boko Haram to the level in which they posed the threat to the election, said Mr. Jonathan, defending the postponement.

Then, he accused a former chairman of his party, Adamu Muazu, and security operatives of betrayal, wondering how it was possible for him to have lost in some states without a cooperation between the APC, his own party chiefs and security operatives.

He said: I felt really betrayed by the result coming from some northern states. Perhaps for ethnic purposes, even security agents colluded with the opposition to come up with spurious results against me. You saw the way the Inspector General of Police, a man I appointed, suddenly turned himself into the ADC to Buhari immediately after the election.

How could we have lost Ondo, Benue and Plateau states if our people were committed to the cause? If you examine the results, you will see a pattern: in places where ordinarily we were strong, our supporters did not show enough commitment to mobilise the voters.

What happened was very sad not for me as a person, but for our democracy.

Take, for instance, the PDP National Chairman, Alhaji Adamu Muazu. I believe he joined in the conspiracy against me. For reasons best known to him, he helped to sabotage the election in favour of the opposition.

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The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, has said that President Muhammadu Buhari was absent at Wednesdays meeting of the Federal Executive Council, FEC, because he was still resting.

The president failed to preside over the weekly cabinet meeting for the second time in a row.

The last FEC meeting was held on April 13 and Mr. Mohammed had said that Mr. Buhari asked his deputy, Yemi Osinbajo, to preside over the meeting because he was attending to other issues.

The meeting was cancelled last week with presidential spokespersons saying the cancellation was as a result of the Easter holidays which did not allow ministers prepare their memos for presentation to the Council early enough.

Addressing State House correspondents at the end of the FEC meeting on Wednesday, Mr. Mohammed said the president asked that he should be allowed to rest and the vice president should preside.

The minister also said Mr. Osinbajo will meet with Mr. Buhari later in the day at the presidents official residence.

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The House of Representatives has given the police 24 hours to return all documents relating to the 2017 appropriation bill allegedly carted away from the residence of a senator, Danjuma Goje, who heads the Senate committee on appropriations.

The House also condemned in strong terms, the invasion of Mr. Gojes residence by security operatives on April 20.

This was due to a motion raised at the plenary by Abubakar Ahmad (Gombe-APC).

A special team of officers from the Force Headquarters, Abuja had on April 20 carried out a raid on the Asokoro residence of Mr. Goje, a former governor of Gombe State.

The police are yet to give an official reason for the raid.

While raising the motion, Mr. Ahmad said security agents destroyed doors, bags, ceilings and soakaways and took away documents including reports of the 2017 appropriation bill which was scheduled to be laid before both chambers of the National Assembly during the week.

The proposed budget was initially slated to be passed before the end of March 2017 but the Senate later gave a May 5 deadline for the passage.

The gestapo manner in which the security agents invade private residences in the course of carrying out their duties is causing apprehension in the minds of citizens

Unless steps are taken to halt these extra-legal actions, the nation may descend a near fascist state, Mr. Ahmad said.

While leading the debate, Mr. Ahmad also raised concerns that the budget may not be passed as scheduled.

Now that the documents are in their (the police) possession, how do we proceed?

We have to curb the excesses of these security agents before it gets out of hand, he said.

Also contributing to the debate, Herman Hembe (Benue-APC) said it is unfortunate that a senator of the federal republic will have his house broken into by security agents.

Mr. Hembe said he was particularly worried for ordinary citizens if a senator could be so treated.

We must condemn this act in its entirety he said.

He also raised concerns that the money found in the house was inconsequential and doesnt warrant such action.

Betty Apiafi (Rivers-PDP) concurred with motion. She said all Nigerians cannot be treated as criminals.

It has happened to the judges, it has now moved to the legislators, who knows what will happen tomorrow? she said.

Another lawmaker, Tobi Ogechukwu (Enugu PDP), said if Nigeria has to practice democracy, rule of law has to be adhered to.

Just like Hitler did, they have proceeded to the legislature and we cannot allow this.

On a contrary view, Muhammad Soba (Kaduna-APC) said the House should not enforce the law on behalf of any arm of government.

The principle of separation of power is clear.

The executive has power to arrest, investigate and predicate.

He urged the house not to interfere in executive duties.

The House unanimously agreed to set up an ad-hoc committee to invite the Inspector-General of Police to appear before it to explain what warranted the invasion and to tell the House the laws that backed the force to carry out such operations.

The committee is to report back in two weeks for further legislative action.

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Over 800 Nigerians have been killed by meningitis since the latest outbreak of the epidemic in the country 16 weeks ago.

The Minister of Health, Isaac Adewole, disclosed this figure on Wednesday after the Federal Executive Council meeting at the State House in Abuja.

Mr. Adewole said though the outbreak which started in Nigeria in 2016 is now spreading more slowly, the disease has killed 813 people.

As of yesterday (Tuesday), the number of deaths stood at 813, Mr. Adewole told journalists after the cabinet meeting, adding however, As of now, we are also noticing a decline.

This is week 16. This is also expected because we are moving away from the active season. We are confident that in the next couple of weeks everything will be over.

The Senate President, Bukola Saraki, also confirmed the figure in a tweet on his twitter page on Wednesday.

Weve lost about 800 people to Meningitis  this should not be the case. We must encourage families to take their children for vaccination, he said in the tweet.

As we mark #WorldImmunizationWeek, we must all encourage our families and communities to embrace vaccines as a preventive healthcare measure, Mr. Saraki stated.

On April 19, the Nigerian government had announced that 745 people had died, a spike of more than 50 per cent from the previous week, adding that there had been more than 8,000 suspected cases.

The outbreak of meningitis C is concentrated in northern Nigeria, where a mass vaccination programme has begun to limit its spread.

Five north-west states, which include Zamfara, Sokoto, Katsina, Niger and Kebbi, were the most affected by the outbreak.

The Governor of Zamfara, Abdulaziz Yari, whose state is worst hit with close to 300 recorded deaths, had earlier drawn scathing criticism from across the country when he attributed the epidemic to Gods anger over the sins of Nigerians.

Nigeria lies on the meningitis belt of sub-Saharan Africa that stretches from Senegal in the west to Ethiopia in the east, where outbreaks are a regular occurrence.

Early prevention of the disease, which is spread through coughs, sneezes and close contact, was hindered by a lack of available vaccine for the type meningitis C strain responsible.

Although a large volume of the vaccine has since been imported, it is still not enough for vaccination across Nigeria to prevent the disease; with the government lamenting cost of importation and short shelf life of the vaccines.

Mr. Adewole said the government was exploring a joint venture with a local drug manufacturer to produce the vaccines in Nigeria.

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Hundreds of members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria, IMN, on Wednesday staged a protest at the Unity Fountain in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, to mark the 500th day since their leader, Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, was arrested.

Members of the group marched in separate male and female columns along the roadside from the event centre to the main entrance of the National Assembly, demanding the immediate release of their leader.

Mr. El-Zakzaky and his wife were arrested on December 14, 2015, following a bloody clash between members of his group and the Nigerian Army in Zaria, Kaduna State.

The Chairman, Martyrs Foundation of IMN, Abdullhamid Bello, issued a statement on the occasion.

As Sheikh Zakzaky clocks 500 days of unjustifiable detention, we come out in our numbers to peacefully show our dissatisfaction with the way the government of President Buhari has been handling the subject of Zaria pogrom that was conducted by the Army under his ultimate command, he said in the statement.

This was what led to the Sheikhs unwarranted detention in the first place, and its aftermaths, including the extra-judicial murder of over a thousand innocent citizens under 48 hours.

As Sheikh Zakzaky clocks 500 days in this unjustified detention, we have come out to demonstrate our unwavering commitment to Sheikhs freedom and justice for all those oppressed sequel to that brutal massacre. We will not be cowed into silence by any oppressive measure this government will employ, he stated.

Mr. Bello recalled that a court had ordered the Nigerian government to release Mr. El-Zakzaky and his wife within 45 days but that the two had remained in the custody of the State Security Service over 100 days after the court order.

The Nigerian Army that has committed this horrible massacre in Zaria remains unpunished and has even chosen not to investigate what it did between 12-14 December, 2015, as it recently inaugurated an investigative panel on accusations of human rights abuses against the army.

What is the Army hierarchy afraid of that it cant even dare investigate a serious allegation of coldblooded killing of over 1000 civilians in Zaria?

Mr. Bello appealed to Nigerians and the international community to prevail on the Nigerian government to release the IMN leader and his wife alongside members of the group unconditionally without delay.

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The graduating class of 2017 at the American University of Nigeria (AUN) will experience a touch of royalty on May 13, when the Emir of Kano will give the traditional commencement address.

Interim President, LeGene Quesenberry of AUN, announced that Emir Sanusi accepted the universitys invitation to serve as the ninth commencement speaker at which time he will receive AUNs honorary doctorate degree.

This years commencement will take place at 10 am at the Lamido Aliyu Musdafa Commencement Hall on AUNs Yola campus.

Preceding the commencement, at 5 pm on May 12, will be the dedication by the AUN founder and former Nigerian Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, of the second eco-friendly structure on the campus, the Admin II Building.

Following the dedication, at 7 pm, will be the presentation of this years graduation awards to deserving students by corporate sponsors.

The emir is a graduate of Kings College, Lagos; Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria (where he also taught Economics), and Africa International University, Khartoum, Sudan.

Prior to his accession to the throne, he launched a distinguished banking career in 1985. Holding top positions at First Bank of Nigeria, including Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, his banking career culminated in the governorship of the Central Bank of Nigeria in June 2009.

Over the years, AUN has had an array of notables as commencement speakers, including EU Ambassador David MacRae (2011), civil rights champion Charlayne Hunter-Gault (2013), Ambassador John Simon (2014), and famous Colombian educationist, Vicky Colbert (2015).

We are very excited at another commencement as we graduate yet another amazing class, said Prof. Quesenberry, while thanking the members of staff and faculty for mentoring these students. We know you and your proud parents are very delighted at your many accomplishments here at AUNwe are equally very proud of all of you, she said to the graduating students.

Founded in 2003, the American University of Nigeria was created to be Africas first Development University.

Its mission is to promote service learning and to educate leaders who will be prepared to tackle the development issues of Nigeria and Africa.

The University offers an American-style education modeled after the curriculum of American universities, using the latest in Internet technology and e-learning resources.

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As members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria, IMN, on Wednesday staged a protest in Abuja to mark the 500th day of the detention of their leader, Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, and his wife, Zeenah, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, has joined them to call for the release of the detainees.

Members of the group held a peaceful protest march from the Unity Fountain to the main entrance of the National Assembly on Wednesday in continuation of their agitation of the release of their leader and his wife who were taken into custody after a violent clash between members of the Shiite Islamic group and the Nigerian Army in Zaria in December 2014.

At least 347 members of the IMN were killed by soldiers in the 2014 incident.

In a public letter to President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday, Mr. Falana, who is Mr. El-Zakzakys lawyer, demanded freedom for the detained persons who have not been charged for any offence.

Read the letter below:

Your Excellency,

REQUEST FOR THE RELEASE OF SHEIKH IRRAHEEM ELZAKZAKY AND HIS WIFE FROM ILLEGAL DETENTION

We are solicitors to Ibraheem Elzakzaky and his wife, Ibraheema Elzakzaky, on whose behalf we write this letter.

On December 12, 2015 the Nigerian Army unleashed unmitigated violence on the Shiites in Zaria, Kaduna State under the pretext that there was a plot to assassinate the Chief of Army Staff, General Yussuf Baratai. During the violent arrack the Army massacred 347 Shiites including children.

Aided by the Kaduna state government the Nigerian Army secretly buried the dead bodies of the victims of the barbaric attack in an unmarked grave without any autopsy whatsoever. Up till now, the bereaved families of the deceased have not been informed of the extrajudicial execution of their loved ones.

Although Sheikh Elzakzaky was not at the scene of the violent attack the official assailants invaded his residence at Zaria, set the house ablaze shot at our clients and killed three of their children in their presence. Thereafter, the Kaduna state government proceeded to demolish the burnt residence of our clients and thereby rendered them homeless.

While they were soaked in their own blood out clients were handed over by the Army to the State Security Service which took them to a detention centre in Abuja where they have since been detained without any trial. Owing to lack of medical attention In detention Sheikh Elzakzaky has lost his right eye.

In a bid to cover up the unprecedented atrocities perpetrated by the Army and the Kaduna state government, our clients were deliberately prevented from testifying before the Judicial Commission of Enquiry set up by Governor Nasir Elrufai to probe the incident.

However, during the proceedings of the Judicial Commission the Nigerian Army was unable to substantiate the monstrous allegation that the Shiites had planned to assassinate General Baratai. Upon coming to the conclusion that the massacre was premeditated the Commission recommended that the murderers be fished out and prosecuted for culpable homicide. In an arrogant display of impunity the Nigerian Army and the Kaduna state government have refused to prosecute the military personnel who perpetrated the brutal and cold murder of 347 Nigerian citizens. As our clients detention could not be justified in law we filed an application at the Federal High Court to secure the enforcement of their fundamental right to personal liberty, dignity and fair hearing guaranteed by the Nigerian Constitution. In a considered judgment delivered on December 2, 2016 the Federal High Court declared the detention of our clients illegal and unconstitutional and ordered their release from the custody of the State Security Service within 45 days from the date of the judgment. The Federal Government was also ordered to provide a temporary accommodation for our clients on account of the unchallenged evidence that the Army and the Kaduna had burnt down and demolished their residence. Furthermore, the court awarded N50 million as reparation for the illegal arrest and detention of our clients. Although the Federal Government claims to operate under the Rule of Law, it has treated the said orders of the Federal High Court with contempt. As if that is not enough, some public officers have contemptuously justified the continued detention of our clients without any legal basis whatsoever. In Your Excellencys New Year Message delivered to the Nigerian people on January 1, 2017 you said inter alia:

As for our brothers and sisters of the Shia Community, we urge them too, to embrace peace. They must accept the laws of the country they live in. They cannot be island by themselves. At the same time, the law enforcement agencies must treat them humanely and according to the rule of law.

But contrary to Your Excellencys admonition the law enforcement agencies have refused to treat members of the Shia community humanely and according to the rule of law. In particular, the State Security Service has refused to comply with the order of the Federal High Court to the effect that Sheikh Elzakzaky and his wife be released from further detention. Similarly, the Nigeria Police Force has violently disrupted the peaceful rallies convened by the members of the Shia Community to press for the release of their detained leader from illegal detention. Thus, while exercising their freedom of expression the protesters have been subjected to degrading treatment by the Police.

In view of the commitment of your administration to end impunity in the country we urge Your Excellency to use your good offices to direct the State Security Service to release our clients from further incarceration in compliance with the orders of the Federal High Court. We also pray Your Excellency to direct the Nigerian Army to investigate and prosecute the military personnel responsible for the brutal murder of 347 members of the Shia Community at Zaria in December 2015.

Should Your Excellency refuse to ensure compliance with the said orders of the Federal High Court we shall be compelled to embark on contempt proceedings against the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice as well as the Director-General of State Security Service. If the military personnel indicted by the Judicial Commission of Enquiry are not prosecuted we shall request the Special Prosecutor of the ICC to put then on trial for crimes against humanity.

While awaiting your Excellencys favourable reply to our request, please accept the assurances of our highest esteem and regards.

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A former Nigerian minister of education, Babalola Borishade, 71, is dead.

He died in London on Wednesday after a brief illness.

He was initially rushed to Reddington Hospital in Lagos, last week from where he was taken to London. The cause of death was lung and heart related.

Mr. Borishade was born in Usi-Ekiti on March 7, 1946 into the Ebi Ilotin family.

He served as a minister for four times, between 1999-2011. The electrical engineer was also a teacher and a political strategist.

Between February 2001 and May 2003, he served as the Minister of Education.

In recognition of his contributions to Education in Nigeria, Africa and the World at large, Mr. Borishade was elected the Vice- Chairman of the E9 Group of the United Nations, President of the UNESCO International Conference on Education, as well as Chairman Education for All (EFA) Forum of African Ministers of Education.

In 2004, the professor was appointed as Minister of State, Power and Steel.

He initiated the Gas to Power Project (G2P), a World Bank sponsored project designed to ensure sustained gas development and availability for power production to meet Nigerian electricity demands.

Between July 2005 and November 2006, Mr. Borishade was Minister of Aviation, during which a Civil Aviation Bill was passed to replace the 1964 Act and the direct flight between Nigeria and the United States of America was restored.

His initiation of various reforms and development in the aviation sector resulted in Nigeria scoring 93 per cent in the ICAO Universal Audit which made Nigeria a benchmark to African Aviation Industry.

(NAN)

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The Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai, a lieutenant general, was on April 25 conferred with the Brazilian Military Order of Merit Award, at Brasilia, Brazil.

The Brazilian Military Order of Merit Award, which is the highest military honour, is awarded to those military officers that have distinguished themselves in various military endeavours. Mr. Buratai is one of the few foreign dignitaries to be so honoured with such an award by the country.

The prestigious award and its presentation to the Nigerian general, was based on the approval of President Michel Temer, on the recommendation of the Brazilian Army Commander, Eduardo Villas Boas, a general.

According to citation at the occasion, the award was in recognition of his exemplary and worlds recognised leadership qualities and the Nigerian Armys effort in the fight against terrorism and insurgency.

In his vote of thanks at the occasion, the visibly elated Chief of Army Staff, Mr. Buratai, expressed appreciation for the honour, which he described as not only to him personally, but to the entire officers and soldiers of the Nigerian Army and indeed, Nigeria.

According to him, I had never imagined that I was going to be given such recognition when I was planning to visit the Brazilian Army. It is no doubt a great honour to me, the Nigerian Army and the Federal Republic of Nigeria to be bestowed with the Brazilian Military Order of Merit which is the highest and most prestigious award in the Brazilian Army.

He went further to state that the award was a clear manifestation of the long-standing relationship between Brazil and Nigeria, which also portrays the recognition of Nigerian Armys effort in the ongoing counter-insurgency operations in Nigeria. He thanked the Government and the people of Brazil, as well as the Commander of Brazilian Army and his staff for finding him worthy of such award and recognition and for the hospitality accorded him and his entourage.

He further expressed hope that his visit would serve as the needed fulcrum for more strengthened relationship between the Nigerian Army and the Brazilian Army.

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The Nigeria Police are allegedly planning another raid on the residence of the chairman of the Senate committee on appropriation, Danjuma Goje.

A team from the Force Headquarters last week raided the Asokoro, Abuja residence of the senator and carted away millions of Naira and some foreign currencies as well as some documents.

Both Mr. Goje and the police have not spoken officially on the reason for the raid and what was recovered. An aide to Mr. Goje, however, said the police was yet to contact the lawmaker on the reason for the raid.

The police spokesperson, Jimoh Moshood, told PREMIUM TIMES that investigations on the senator was still ongoing.

However, an aide to Mr. Goje said on Tuesday that they have information that the police is planning another raid.

The aide, who declined to be named because he has no permission to speak to the media, claimed any other raid would not be restricted to Mr. Gojes Abuja house.

We understand they are determined to nail the Senator and the next raid may even extend to his house in the village, he said.

He alleged that last weeks raid was an attempt to bring Senator Goje down by forces within.

The police team had after the raid on Thursday recovered $19,000 4,000 Saudi riyals and N18 million in cash, the lawmakers aides confirmed, arguing the money was legitimate income.

They also allegedly carted away about 18 files and other documents related to the senators work at the National Assembly.

When contacted on the alleged planned raid, police spokesperson, Jimoh Moshood, told PREMIUM TIMES by telephone that he was not aware of any such plans.

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Danjuma Goje, the Chairman of the Senate committee on appropriations whose residence was raided by the police last week, has said files containing work on the 2017 budget proposal were carted away during the raid.

Mr. Goje, a former Gombe State governor, made the disclosure before the Senate on Wednesday when the matter came under Order 43 of the Senate Rules and he was asked to report the raid on his residence, located at Asokoro, Abuja.

Mr. Gojes committee, alongside a similar one at the House of Representatives, has oversight responsibility over the countrys budget.

He told the Senate that the police carted away laptops and 18 documents that contained the work of his committee on the 2017 budget.

The report on the budget proposal was scheduled to be laid this week.

He added that the operatives broke into rooms whose keys they could not get and also carted away a sum of N18 million.

PREMIUM TIMES had provided details of the raid including documents and money recovered by the police team.

In its resolution, the Senate tasked an ad-hoc committee to look into the matter and also investigate the circumstances around the alleged attempted assassination of Dino Melaye.

The police are yet to make a public statement over the raid.

The current 2016 budget, by the provision of the 2016 Appropriations Act, expires on May 5.

But with the development, with the claim of losing files, the 2017 budget may not be ready for legislative passage before the expiration of the current budget.

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Professional Excellence Foundation of Nigeria (PEFON) in line with its mandate of recognizing professionals who have excelled in their chosen fields have chosen on merit Osita Chidoka (Ike Obosi), for the Distinguished Fellow Award. the young Nigerian patriot whose innovative strides as the Corps Marshall of the Federal Road Safety Commission where he transformed the agency to an award wining organisation that won various international awards and became, according to the World Bank, a model for other road safety organisations across Africa for the Distinguished Fellow Award.

The Distinguished Professional Fellow Inductee, Osita Chidoka, was until recently, the Minister of Aviation, Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Osita Chidoka obtained a Bachelor of Science Degree in Management from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka and a Masters of Public Policy degree from the prestigious School of Public Policy at George Mason University in the United States of America. He has a Certificate in Global Strategy and Political Economy from Oxford University, UK and a Graduate Diploma in Maritime & Ports Management from the National University of Singapore.

The induction ceremony will take place at The Hotel Victoria Palace (Smridu Nigeria Ltd), Victoria Island, Lagos, on Thursday, the 27th of April, 2017.

Professional Excellence Foundation of Nigeria (PEFON), a non-profit and a non-Governmental Foundation was established primarily to mitigate the dire shortage in the supply of professionally qualified and competent manpower for the various sectors of Nigerian economy.

The Foundation was an initiative of Dipo Bailey, and it is an offshoot of Bailey Professional Training and Development Center (BPTDC) which was established in 1998.



The Foundation is superintendend by a Board of Trustees comprising of Distinguished Professionals including Edet Amana, Mohammed Hayatudeen, Akinbayo Adenubi and Stella Okoli. The Board is headed by Julius Adelusi Adeluyi.

PEFONs major strength as a Foundation lies in its Board of Trustees, the Council and Distinguished fellows who are accomplished industrialists, technocrats, qualified professionals in diverse areas, Present and Past Presidents of Professional Institutes and other core professionals who have excelled in private and public administration and who have distinguished themselves in various fields within and outside Nigeria.

These distinguished professionals under the umbrella of PEFON periodically organize Fora to deliberate on policies for promoting development of Nigeria economically and industrially.

After a stellar and award-winning public career, Mr. Chidoka joined Mobil Producing Nigeria, a subsidiary of Exxon Mobil Corporation, as a Senior Adviser on Government and Business Relations. It was in this role, in 2007, that the then president of Nigeria, President Olusegun Obasanjo, sought him out and appointed him Corps Marshal and Chief Executive of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC).

His leadership of the FRSC led to the transformation of the Commission to a functional Lead Agency in Road Traffic Administration and Safety Management in the country driven by information and communication technology. His visionary leadership and pursuit of global standard at FRSC led to the certification of the Commission by the Standards Organization of Nigeria (SON) which conferred the Quality Management System Certificate (ISO 9001:2008 Certification) on the Commission on 15 April 2013.

In recognition of Osita Chidokas enormous contributions to national and community development, he was invested with the traditional title of Ike-Obosi (Strength of Obosi) and a member of Ndi-Ichie, the highest decision making body of Obosi Traditional Council of Anambra State in May, 2009.

He bagged the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria Merit Award on 27 November 2010, and the Institute of Logistics Management of Nigeria Fellowship Award in July 2011.

He was conferred with the Distinguished Alumnus Award for Good Governance and Model on Road Safety by the Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Nigeria, Nsukka on 12 November, 2011. And in recognition of his patriotic disposition to his fatherland, the President and Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces, Federal Republic of Nigeria, Goodluck Jonathan, on 14th November, 2011, conferred him with Nigerias National Honour of Officer of the Federal Republic, OFR. He won the Sun and Hallmark Newspapers Public Servant of the Year 2012 awards and under him, the FRSC won Leadership Newspapers Government Agency of the year 2012 award.

Mr. Chidoka was born on 18 July 1971.

Signed:

Ikechukwu Okafor (Media Assistant to Osita Chidoka)

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A Total filling station at Ikosi-ketu area of Lagos is currently being razed by fire, PREMIUM TIMES can report.

Sources who spoke with this newspaper said the fire started in the early hours of Wednesday.

When contacted, an official of the Lagos emergency agency confirmed the incident.

Our men are on their way to control the inferno as I speak, the official said.

Details later.

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As Ekiti residents prepare for the continuous voter registration ahead of the 2018 governorship election, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has threatened the full weight of the law on perpetrators of multiple registration.

The state also declared Thursday and Friday public holidays to enable civil servants register for the exercise.

The electoral commission warned Ekiti politicians against hijacking the continuous voter registration, CVR, exercise which will commence on Thursday across the 16 local governments in the state.

While stressing that those caught in the act of multiple registration would be prosecuted, the commission assured that a fraud-proof mechanism had been put in place to checkmate desperate politicians from thwarting the process.

The INEC Administrative Secretary in Ekiti, Muslim Moleke, gave the warning in Ado Ekiti, on Wednesday, while reviewing the outcome of the meetings the commission held with traditional rulers and politicians across party lines for successful conduct of the exercise.

Mr. Moleke said the commission had put machinery in motion to ensure a hitch-free exercise and that it had extracted commitments from critical stakeholders on the need to allow decorum to prevail during the exercise.

According to him, all logistics have been put in place to ensure that the exercise is successful in all the local government areas of the state.

We want registrants to shun multiple registration because it violates the rules of the process and if you do, such would render your registration invalid, he warned.

The Chairman of the State Council of traditional rulers, Oladapo Oyebade, urged INEC to monitor the exercise closely, in view of the fact that Ekiti State is politically volatile.

Mr. Oyebade expressed satisfaction at the cooperation among the stakeholders , particularly the electoral commission, political parties and security agencies, noting that such would ensure the success of the process.

Meanwhile, the Ekiti State Government has declared Thursday and Friday as work-free days to enable the citizens to participate effectively in the CVR exercise.

The States Head of Service, Olugbenga Faseluka, stated on Wednesday in Ado-Ekiti that the declaration of the work-free days would enable workers participate actively in the registration and revalidation of voters register in the state.

Mr. Faseluka said it is mandatory for all public servants to mobilize and participate in the exercise, adding that the holiday period should be used solely for the civic exercise.

He advised workers not to use the period to travel out, but to use it strictly for the registration exercise.

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Lagos State had a local debt stock of N311.7 billion as at December 31, 2016, according to the Debt Management Office.

The state, referred to as the commercial hub of Nigeria, had the highest local debt stock in the country during the period.

A document posted on the Website of DMO disclosed that total local debts of the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, was N2.958 trillion as at December 31, 2016.

Delta followed Lagos with N241.3 billion in local debts, while Akwa Ibom came third with N155.4 billion in local debts.

The three states were followed by FCT with N152.8 billion debt stock, Osun with N147 billion, Rivers N142.4 billion and Bayelsa N140.1 billion.

The document also said that the lowest indebted state was Anambra with N3.9 billion, followed by Yobe with N13.5 billion and Jigawa with N19 billion.

Anambra had the lowest domestic debt figure of N3.5 billion in 2015 and still maintained the lowest figure in 2016.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that domestic debt is the amount of money raised by the any government denominated in local currency and from its own residents.



The debts consist of two components: bank and non-bank borrowing.

Domestic loans are issued through government debt instruments such as Nigerian Treasury Bills, Nigerian Treasury Certificates, Federal Government Development Stocks, Treasury Bonds, Ways and Means Advances.

(NAN)

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Theres nothing like a weekend with your girls  especially when that weekend is sponsored by an entire city looking to bring your girl-time to a new level with specials for shopping, eating and overnight stays. Head to Sea Isle City this Friday, Saturday and Sunday for a girls' weekend you wont soon forget. Here are six places to toast your besties.

1. Braca Cafe. If Bracas normally has you thinking more about dinner than nightlife, we hear you. But with $6 house cosmos on special, head there for a $21 prix-fixe dinner before heading out for the night. 18 JFK Blvd. Go to TheBracaCafe.com for more information.

Dave Damiani gives a post-modern twist to 500 Club classics at Resorts show If Dave Damiani breaks into Angel Eyes, one of Frank Sinatras sad saloon songs, dont be 

2. Lobster Loft. The Lobster Loft features great food, as usual, but for Girls' Weekend theyve also got great music, with Funzaluv playing at 9 p.m. Friday and The Insiders at 9 p.m. Saturday. 318 42nd Place. Go to TheLobsterLoft.com for more information.

3. Kix McNutleys. If youre looking for multiple places for fun, head to Kix, where there are several bars under one roof. Specials are available 4 to 8 p.m. Friday and 3 to 8 p.m. Saturday, with $6 Grey Goose/Ketel One Martinis, $6 Patron Margaritas, $3 16-ounce beers and $5 wine. With live music by Johnny McFadden, Sydney Kelly, Dean Dunlevy and Sean Breslin and no cover all weekend, youll be hard-pressed to leave. 63rd and Landis Ave. Go to KixMcNutleys.com for more information.

4. ODonnells Pour House. Swing by the Pour House for live music starting at 9 p.m., as well as $5 Three Olives martinis and cosmos. And the foods not half bad either. Located at 3907 Landis Ave. Go to ODonnellsPourHouse.com for more information.

5. Springfield Inn. The opening of the Springfield marks the unofficial start of summer. Head in during Girls' Weekend for $5 Cosmos and margaritas, $3 Miller Lites and $3 Fireball shots. 8 43rd St., No. 12. Go to TheSpringfieldInn.com for more information.

Tropicana resurrects Halloween for a spooky spring celebration Tropicana Atlantic City has been known to seize any opportunity to party, and the most recen

6. The Ocean Drive. Another beacon of summer, the Ocean Drive is back and ready for Girls' Weekend, with $3.50 Three Olives vodka drinks from 5 to 11 p.m. and $2.50 bottles from 11 p.m. to close this weekend. Live music from Kim & Tonic on Friday and Kicking Sunrise on Saturday makes the OD a definite stop on your list. 3915 Landis Ave. Go to TheOD.com for more information.
A group of 240 Uber drivers in South Jersey is suing the Atlantic City Yellow Cab Co. for damages, claiming its cabbies are illegitimately posing as rideshare drivers.

The class-action suit, filed Tuesday in Atlantic County Superior Court by United Drivers South Jersey, claims taxi companies are permitting their drivers to sign up for Uber accounts to poach customers, a practice the Uber drivers say is forbidden and puts customers at risk.

The Uber drivers claim that this practice deprives authorized Uber drivers of customers and fares that they otherwise would have received, but for the unlawful interference of defendants and their drivers, according to a statement from United Drivers.

Atlantic City Yellow Cab Co. owner Murray Rosenberg said Tuesday afternoon he had not yet been informed of the suit, but called it staggering.

If anybody should be suing anybody, it should be us suing them, said Rosenberg, whose family has owned and operated Atlantic City Yellow Cab Co. for 100 years.

Among other things, the suit includes claims under the New Jersey Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, a state law to combat racketeering in commerce.

The drivers say the taxis are putting customers at risk by picking them up via Uber because it invalidates their insurance.

Since coming to the Jersey Shore, Uber and Lyft drivers have faced fines in towns such as Atlantic City and Sea Isle City for operating without a proper license.

A state law approved earlier this year finally put in place regulations for rideshare companies to operate in the state, but Rosenberg believes the drivers should be held to the same standards as taxis.

(Uber) virtually destroyed the value of the medallions in Atlantic City, Rosenberg said of the licenses required by taxi drivers. Limos and taxis have to follow a number of rules, and (Uber drivers) have considered themselves exempt from that.

Rosenberg called the suit nonsense and wondered how rideshare drivers would even know how Atlantic City taxi drivers were operating. He was incredulous at the fact that rideshare operators are allowed to operate without taxi or limo licenses and that no one challenges it.

Weve been in business, my father and myself, 100 years as of May of last year, and weve never encountered anything like this, he said. No one has done anything about it.

Rosenberg said he has not retained an attorney.

The suit also names the Myra Cohen Trust located in Ventnor as a defendant.

The Uber drivers are represented by David J. DiSabato of DiSabato & Bouckenooghe LLC. Named plaintiffs include Lance Zeaman of Atlantic County and Robert Pellegrino of Camden County.

It is the hope of United Drivers that the taxicab companies will take immediate steps to stop this dangerous practice, so that all involved can move on to more positive, exciting things regarding Rideshare and Atlantic City, the United Drivers release states.
PLEASE BE ADVISED: Soon we will no longer integrate with Facebook for story comments. The commenting option is not going away, however, readers will need to register for a FREE site account to continue sharing their thoughts and feedback on stories. If you already have an account (i.e. current subscribers, posting in obituary guestbooks, for submitting community events), you may use that login, otherwise, you will be prompted to create a new account.
EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP  The body of Marine Pfc. Tyler Wechsler, of Egg Harbor Township, will be transported with a full military and police escort from Philadelphia International Airport to the Godfrey Funeral Home between 1 and 2 p.m. Thursday.

The plane will be stopped on the tarmac so that Wechslers remains may be removed and transferred from the airplane by a team of eight Marines in full dress blues, said Sgt.-at-Arms Chuck Knutson of Last Salute Military Funeral Honor Guard, an all-volunteer organization that is conducting the free and full military honor services.

We welcome the opportunity to show the family how important their sons service was to us, Knutson said. He chose a path that not many choose. They are a Marine family, and he is a Marine for life.

The family and the hearse will exit the airport onto I-76 in a motorcade including Marine Corps members, Last Salutes military vehicles and riders from the American Legion Riders and the Warrior Watch Riders. The Philadelphia Police Department will escort the motorcade to the Walt Whitman Bridge, where the New Jersey State Police will assume the duty.

Egg Harbor Township police are expected to join the motorcade at Frank S. Farley Service Plaza along the Atlantic City Expressway and to assist in traffic control once the motorcade travels from Delilah Road to English Creek Avenue and to the funeral home, which is located just past the intersection of English Creek and West Jersey avenues.

Another motorcade will be used Sunday, when his remains will be transported to the Atlantic County Cemetery in Estell Manor. The Last Salute team will fire a single cannon shot and ring a memorial bell three times before a group of five to seven men fire three rifle shots each in a gun salute and the American flag is presented to the family.

American Legion Post 352 member John Carman said several riders are taking off work to participate Thursday.

We do this for the family to show them that we care, that they are not alone. That we stand with them and are grieving along with them, Carman said.

No lane closings are expected along the expressway, according to State Police Sgt. Jeff Flynn.

However, township Lt. Robert Gray said officers may need to stop some traffic as the motorcade leaves the expressway and travels through busy intersections such as the Black Horse Pike and English Creek and again at West Jersey Avenue. The motorcade should arrive between 1:30 and 2 p.m.

Wechsler, 21, was found along a rugged hiking trail in Hawaii on April 18 after he had been missing for nine days. Authorities said they did not suspect foul play. It remains unclear why he traveled to the crater, and his death is still under investigation.

He was stationed at Marine Corps Base Hawaii and belonged to Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 367, Marine Aircraft Group 24, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing. He was a 2013 graduate of Egg Harbor Township High School.

Contact Laura Stetser at 609-601-5194 or laura.stetser@catamaranmedia.com
When a public health emergency hits, such as a widespread disease outbreak or a natural disaster, New Jersey is better prepared than many other states to effectively care for its residents, according to a new national report.

The National Health Security Preparedness Index, published by the Princeton-based Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, found New Jersey falls within the national average of public health emergency preparedness, but the state lags most of its Northeast neighbors.

You can see other states measures and ask, What is Pennsylvania doing to get a little better? What is Vermont doing to have the highest score in the nation? said Alonzo Ploughs, chief science officer and vice president for research and evaluation at the foundation. We hope it creates a learning community.

New Jersey scored a 6.8 out of 10 in the report, which looked at states protocols to address disease outbreak, emergency communication and coordination plans, laboratory testing, public information warnings, medical and mental health access and other measures related to public health.

While the states score isnt as high as others, many policies, programs and protocols were put to the test when Hurricane Sandy slammed into the coastline in October 2012. Ploughs said while good plans and foundations were in place at the time, the natural disaster served as a learning experience for everyone.

There were a lot of vulnerabilities discovered in the Northeast after Sandy, he said. There are things were much more aware of, like the location of elderly housing. We discovered generators were in the basement of hospitals that were flooded. They were lessons the Northeast took to heart to address.

Atlantic, Cape May, Cumberland and Ocean counties had some of the hardest-hit areas from the storm. Martin L. Pagliughi, Cape May County emergency management coordinator, said the near miss of Hurricane Irene in 2011 helped the county improve on its preparedness plans before Sandy was a blip on the radar.

Shelters set up to house nearly 800 people were already in place when the 2012 hurricane hit, and those plans were refined after the storm, Pagliughi said. The county is in the middle of building a $6.2 million central dispatch center to more effectively coordinate emergency services in large-scale events.

Daniel Regenye, public health coordinator and health officer at the Ocean County Health Department, said after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in 2001, more federal and state funding became available to improve and develop public health responses and foundations.

Ocean County had shelter plans in place prior to Sandy that worked, but with any natural event like that, Regenye said, everyone gets together to talk about what went right and what could be better. Those discussions led to better shelters for rest, medical needs and animals, too.

Natural disasters are some of the more obvious public health emergencies, but state and country experts have to prepare for events such as bad flu outbreaks, spread of infectious diseases, lead exposures, radioactive contaminations and other biological emergencies.

Pat Diamond, public health officer for the Atlantic County Health Department, said the county and state have to be extra diligent with surveillance programs and laboratory testing to identify any outbreaks or spikes in disease cases that could lead to larger emergencies if not quickly addressed and contained.

Most counties, including Atlantic, also have a group of medical professionals that make up a Medical Reserve Core, which is often called in to help in public health emergencies, and routine prevention programs such as flu clinics and public information education events.

Diamond said the county will work with neighboring county experts like Regenye to create collaborative plans that would help people in several areas during an emergency. Experts said they continue to make new plans and improve on old ones to be better prepared for anything.

Our reports have really gotten a lot better to help people think about how can we put together a range of things that make states or communities prepared for disasters from earthquakes to Ebola, Ploughs said. Its not a matter of if, its a matter of when.
VINELAND  City officials unveiled a program Tuesday to give local active-duty military personnel a reduction in their utility bills while theyre deployed.

Mayor Anthony Fanucci said he hopes the program will be followed by other efforts to help city residents serving in the military. Fanucci hopes to expand the program to veterans, although that wasnt spelled out in the ordinance City Council passed April 11.

Fanucci and council President Paul Spinelli signed the ordinance in council chambers Tuesday afternoon, as several local veterans looked on.

The ordinance provides a 5 percent reduction on their electric and water bills during deployments to full-time residents serving in the military and deployed for more than 30 days.

The city can provide the discount because it owns its electric and water utilities, which serve a 69-square-mile area.

Brothers Steve and Neil Lewis brought the idea to the city about a year ago.

Veterans organization leaders praised the idea.

It helps alleviate the financial responsibilities these young men and women have while serving our county, said Edwin Alicea, commandant of Semper Marine Detachment 205.

Matthew Jordan, a past-commandant of the Semper Marine Detachment, stressed the importance of helping those serving.

Both Jordan and Alicea said their organizations will help recent vets and active-duty residents learn about the discount.
LONDON, April 25, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Condor Gold Plc (AIM:CNR; OTCQX: CNDGF), a gold exploration and development company whose flagship La India Project in Nicaragua hosts a high grade mineral resource of 18.08 Mtonnes at 4.0 g/t for 2.31 Moz gold, is pleased to announce it has qualified for and expects trading to commence from 7.00am Eastern Time (ET) today on the OTCQX Best Market in the U.S.

Mark Child, Chairman and CEO, commented:

"I am delighted that Condor Gold has qualified to trade on the OTCQX market in the United States following almost 11 years of being listed on AIM, the junior market of the London Stock Exchange. This will allow for greater exposure, accessibility and liquidity in our shares from the U.S. investment community. It makes sense to cross-trade in North America when Condor's flagship asset is in Nicaragua, Central America. Condor's twin strategy of permitting and constructing a base case 2,800tpd processing plant with capacity to produce 100,000 oz gold p.a., while continuing to increase the resource and demonstrate a major gold district, will resonate with a new pool of capital in the U.S. that invests in gold exploration and development companies."

The Company will trade on the OTCQX under the symbol "CNDGF." U.S. investors can find current financial disclosure and Real-Time Level 2 quotes for the Company on www.otcmarkets.com.

The OTCQX market, operated by OTC Markets Group Inc., is reserved for established, investor-focused U.S. and global companies that meet high financial standards, provide timely news and disclosure to investors, and are sponsored by a professional third-party advisor. OTCQX is considered by the SEC as an "established public market" for the purpose of determining the public market price of securities for resale in equity line financings.

The Company has undertaken to limit the percentage of its issued share capital represented by American Depositary Receipts or Depositary Securities that will trade on the OTCQX to no more than 25% existing at any such time.

About Condor Gold plc

Condor Gold plc was admitted to AIM on 31st May 2006 and is cross-traded in the U.S. on the OTCQX Best Market under the symbol CNDGF. The Company is a gold exploration and development company with a focus on Nicaragua in Central America.

Condor completed a Pre-Feasibility Study (PFS) and two Preliminary Economic Assessments (PEA) on La India Project in Nicaragua in December 2014. The PFS details an open pit gold mineral reserve of 6.9 Mt at 3.0 g/t gold for 675,000 oz gold producing 80,000 oz gold p.a. for 7 years. The PEA for the open pit only scenario details 100,000 oz gold production p.a. for 8 years whereas the PEA for a combination of open pit and underground details 140,000 oz gold production p.a. for 8 years. La India Project contains a total attributable mineral resource of 18.08 Mt at 4.0 g/t for 2.31 M oz gold and 2.68 M oz silver at 6.2 g/t to the CIM Code.

The resource calculations are compiled by independent geologists SRK Consulting (UK) Limited for Nicaragua.

For further information please visit www.condorgold.com or contact:



Condor Gold plc

Mark Child, Executive Chairman and CEO

+44-(0)-20-7493 2784



Beaumont Cornish Limited

Roland Cornish and James Biddle

+44-(0)-20-7628-3396

Numis Securities Limited

John Prior and James Black

+44-(0)-20-7260-1000



Glenridge Partners LLC

John LaPorta

+1-(404)-255-9348



Burns Figa & Will PC

Victoria Bantz

+1-(303)-796-2626



Farm Street Media

Simon Robinson

+44-(0)-7593-340107



Disclaimer

Neither the contents of the Company's website nor the contents of any website accessible from hyperlinks on the Company's website (or any other website) is incorporated into, or forms part of, this announcement.

SOURCE Condor Gold plc
IRVINE, Calif., April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Khang & Khang LLP (the "Firm") announces a class action lawsuit against Grana y Montero S.A.A. ("Grana y Montero" or the "Company") (NYSE: GRAM). Investors who purchased or otherwise acquired shares between July 24, 2013 and February 24, 2017 inclusive (the "Class Period"), are encouraged to contact the Firm by the April 28, 2017 lead plaintiff motion deadline.

If you purchased the Company's shares during the Class Period, please contact Joon M. Khang, Esq., of Khang & Khang LLP, 18101 Von Karman Avenue, 3rd Floor, Irvine, CA 92612, by telephone: (949) 419-3834, or by e-mail at [email protected].

There has been no class certification in this case yet. Until certification occurs, you are not represented by an attorney. You may choose to take no action and remain a passive class member.

The Complaint alleges that throughout the Class Period, Grana y Montero made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose: that Grana y Montero was aware that its Brazilian partner Odebrecht S.A. paid bribes to former Peruvian President Alejandro Toledo to win construction work on a road traveling from Peru to Brazil; and as a result, the Company's statements about its business, operations and prospects were materially false and misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis at all relevant times. On February 24, 2017, Reuters published an article highlighting a report that Grana y Montero knew about $20 million in bribes paid to former Peruvian President Alejandro Toledo by its partner Odebrecht. When this news was released, the Company's stock price dropped materially, which harmed investors.

If you wish to learn more about this lawsuit, or if you have any questions about this notice or your rights, please contact Joon M. Khang, a prominent litigator for almost two decades, by telephone: (949) 419-3834, or by e-mail at [email protected].

This press release may constitute Attorney Advertising in certain jurisdictions.

Contact

Joon M. Khang, Esq.

Telephone: 949-419-3834

Facsimile: 949-225-4474

[email protected]

SOURCE Khang & Khang LLP
HIAWATHA, KS, April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ - AgJunction Inc. (TSX: AJX), a leader in automated steering and machine control technology for precision agriculture, will hold a conference call on Thursday, May 11, 2017 at 11:00 a.m. Eastern time to discuss its financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2017. The company will report its financial results in a press release prior to the conference call.

AgJunction CEO Dave Vaughn and CFO Michael Manning will host the conference call, followed by a question and answer period.

Date: Thursday, May 11, 2017

Time: 11:00 a.m. Eastern time (8:00 a.m. Pacific time)

Toll-free dial-in number: 1-888-231-8191

International dial-in number: 1-647-427-7450

Conference ID:10030958

Please call the conference telephone number 5-10 minutes prior to the start time. An operator will register your name and organization. If you have any difficulty connecting with the conference call, please contact Liolios at 1-949-574-3860.

The conference call will be broadcast live and available for replay via the investor center section of the company's website at www.corp.agjunction.com.

A replay of the conference call will be available after 2:00 p.m. Eastern time on the same day through May 25, 2017.

Toll-free replay number: 1-855-859-2056

International replay number: 1-416-849-0833

Replay ID: 10030958

About AgJunction

AgJunction (www.agjunction.com) provides innovative hardware and software applications for precision agriculture worldwide. The Company holds more than 140 patents and markets its products and services under leading brand names including Novariant, Outback Guidance and Satloc. AgJunction is headquartered in Hiawatha, Kansas, with executive offices in Fremont, California, and facilities in Scottsdale, Arizona; Winnipeg, Manitoba; and Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. AgJunction is listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) under the symbol "AJX." For more information, please visit www.agjunction.com.

SOURCE Agjunction Inc.
LEHIGH VALLEY, Pa., April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Air Products (NYSE: APD), a world-leading industrial gases company, today announced that it has started up a new plant in the Banan District in Chongqing City, western China, to supply China's highest-generation, most advanced and most efficient TFT-LCD (thin-film transistor liquid crystal display) fab, which is now in operation. The new project represents another investment by the company to serve the fast-paced development of the country's electronics manufacturing industry. It also further strengthens the company's market position in western China, particularly Chongqing, which is a fast emerging, key production base for high-technology industries.

The fab, which is owned and operated by Chongqing HKC Optoelectronics Technology Co. Ltd., a subsidiary of the domestic display leader Huike Electronics (Shenzhen) Co. Ltd., is located in the Banan Jieshi IT Industrial Park. It is the largest investment in the Banan District and will fuel Chongqing's ambition of becoming a 100-billion-yuan LCD production base by 2020 under the 'Made in China 2025' strategy. Air Products' high-quality bulk gases, including high-purity nitrogen, oxygen, hydrogen, argon and helium, are being used for its production of 8.6 generation TFT-LCD panels.

"As a leading industrial gases supplier to the global electronics industry for over 40 years, Air Products is honored to have been selected to support this strategic electronics project," said Saw Choon Seong, China president, Industrial Gases at Air Products. "We have been committed to supporting the growth of domestic companies in the high-end manufacturing sectors and regional industrial restructuring as guided by the 13th Five-Year Plan and 'Made in China 2025' strategy. The new plant further expands our capacity to meet the growing needs in Chongqing and western China with the region taking off as a major high-technology manufacturing base in the country."

Amid the government's 'Go West' drive that today targets to develop high value-added and innovation-driven industries, Chongqing and other big cities in western China, such as Xi'an and Chengdu, have been attracting investment by global and domestic players from the science and high-technology sectors. Key integrated circuit (IC), display panel and high-end equipment manufacturing clusters have emerged, including the Banan District, which shows huge growth potential. To support the region's industrial development, Air Products has been investing in building and strengthening its local production capability and supply position.

The company has been serving many world-leading and domestic manufacturers in the development of next generation electronics devices. In Xian, it is supplying one of China's most advanced fabs, which is owned and operated by a leading global semiconductor company, and also the local merchant gas market. Air Products also announced further investment in the Nanjing Pukou Economic Development Zone in eastern China last year and the Fujian (Jinjiang) Integrated Circuit Industrial Park in southern China to serve the increasing gas demands from the IC and other industries.

In western China, Air Products has been supporting the development of the local electronics, energy and many other industries. It has built more than a dozen world-class air separation units (ASU) for significant energy projects in the country, including the largest on-site ASU order ever awarded to an industrial gases company.

About Air Products

Air Products (NYSE:APD) is a world-leading Industrial Gases company in operation for over 75 years. The Company's core industrial gases business provides atmospheric and process gases and related equipment to manufacturing markets, including refining and petrochemical, metals, electronics, and food and beverage. Air Products is also the world's leading supplier of liquefied natural gas process technology and equipment.

The Company had fiscal 2016 sales of $7.5 billion from continuing operations in 50 countries and has a current market capitalization of approximately $30 billion. Approximately 16,000 employees are making Air Products the world's safest and best performing industrial gases company, providing sustainable offerings and excellent service to all customers. For more information, visit www.airproducts.com.

NOTE: This release may contain forward-looking statements within the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are based on management's reasonable expectations and assumptions as of the date of this release regarding important risk factors. Actual performance and financial results may differ materially from projections and estimates expressed in the forward-looking statements because of many factors not anticipated by management, including risk factors described in the Company's Form 10K for its fiscal year ended September 30, 2016.

SOURCE Air Products

Related Links

http://www.airproducts.com


ONTARIO, Calif., April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Ajinomoto Windsor, Inc., a leading company in the frozen food industry, will support the expansion of its frozen foods business in North America by building a new frozen appetizer production plant in Joplin, Mo., the company announced today. The new facility, which is located near its existing plant in Carthage, will open in late 2017.



The company also announced that it has entered into a sales agreement to transition ownership of its Piedmont, Mo., food manufacturing facility to Today's Food, LLC, an affiliate of Tasty Brands, LLC, a U.S.-based food manufacturer of frozen and refrigerated food products.



"With the new facility in Joplin and our current Carthage plant, Ajinomoto Windsor will be centralizing our Missouri operations to create efficiency for suppliers, end users and management," said the Ajinomoto Windsor Executive Team. "The Piedmont community has supported us for more than 20 years, and we are confident it will offer the same support to Today's Food, LLC."



Frozen appetizers is a food category that grows by 5-8% each year. The $39 million Joplin plant will bring between 220-240 news jobs to the community.

"We are very excited to announce 220-240 new quality jobs for Joplin," noted Governor Greitens, "That's 220-240 families who will now have access to great work. We have been fighting for every single job and this investment in Joplin shows that the world is recognizing that Missouri is open for business."

Ownership of the Piedmont facility is scheduled to transfer to Today's Foods, LLC in early 2018. During this transition, Ajinomoto Windsor's Piedmont facility will remain open and in full operation and customers will see no impact in their service.

"We have been very impressed by the Piedmont community and the employees at the facility," said David Horowitz, President of both Today's Food, LLC, and Tasty Brands, LLC. "We look forward to working with the Ajinomoto Windsor team to smoothly transition the facility to our Missouri-based entity, Today's Food, LLC."

About Ajinomoto Windsor, Inc.

With a vision to create meaningful food experiences through high quality ingredients and innovative technologies, Ajinomoto Windsor, Inc., is a leader in the frozen food industry. We are committed to providing consumers nutritious and premium meals that honor our rich history of diverse ethnic brands. From Asian, Italian, or Mexican flavors  Ajinomoto Windsor satisfies consumers varied tastes with its broad palate of products. It is our mission to create memorable experiences through our meals, and to ensure that our food not only tastes great, but feels great. To learn more about our dedication to bringing quality meals to your table, visit www.ajinomotowindsor.com.



About Tasty Brands, LLC and Today's Food, LLC

Tasty Brands, LLC, and Today's Food, LLC are manufacturers and marketers of products with a focus on the foodservice and private brand retail channels. We are committed to providing our customers with great tasting, cutting edge products that are also cost effective. Our experience in the elementary and secondary school marketplace and the retail private brand category allows us to leverage our expertise to create on-trend products that are relevant to our customers. We believe that to continue to be a valued partner to our customers, we need to continuously improve upon our commitment to our employees and the communities that we work in. To learn more about our products and company values please visit us at www.tastybrandsk12.com and www.todaysfood.com.

SOURCE Ajinomoto Windsor, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.ajinomotowindsor.com


SEATTLE, April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Financial Highlights:

Reported net income for the first quarter under Generally Accepted Accounting Principles ("GAAP") of $99 million or $0.79 per diluted share, compared to net income of $184 million , or $1.46 per diluted share in 2016. As the acquisition of Virgin America Inc. ("Virgin America") closed on Dec. 14, 2016 , first quarter 2017 information reflects the results of Virgin America, including the impacts associated with purchase accounting. First quarter 2016 results do not include Virgin America.

or per diluted share, compared to net income of , or per diluted share in 2016. As the acquisition of Virgin America Inc. ("Virgin America") closed on , first quarter 2017 information reflects the results of Virgin America, including the impacts associated with purchase accounting. First quarter 2016 results do not include Virgin America. Reported first quarter net income, excluding merger-related costs and mark-to-market fuel hedging adjustments, of $130 million , compared to $183 million in the first quarter of 2016. Adjusted diluted earnings per share were $1.05 , compared to $1.45 in the first quarter of 2016. This quarter's results were in line with First Call analyst consensus estimate of $1.02 per share.

, compared to in the first quarter of 2016. Adjusted diluted earnings per share were , compared to in the first quarter of 2016. This quarter's results were in line with First Call analyst consensus estimate of per share. Paid $0.30 per-share quarterly cash dividend in the first quarter, a 9% increase over the dividend paid in the first quarter of 2016.

per-share quarterly cash dividend in the first quarter, a 9% increase over the dividend paid in the first quarter of 2016. Total assets surpassed $10 billion for the first time in Air Group's history.

for the first time in Air Group's history. Generated approximately $470 million of operating cash flow and used approximately $215 million for capital expenditures, resulting in $255 million of free cash flow in the first quarter of 2017.

of operating cash flow and used approximately for capital expenditures, resulting in of free cash flow in the first quarter of 2017. Held $1.7 billion in unrestricted cash and marketable securities as of March 31, 2017 .

Operational Accomplishments and Highlights:

Released the single largest new market announcement in Air Group's history, adding 20 new nonstop markets from San Francisco International ("SFO"), San Jose International ("SJC") and San Diego ("SAN"). In total, announced 26 and launched six new routes during the quarter, highlighting the primary purpose of the Virgin America acquisition, which is to grow the combined airline and become the premier carrier for guests on the West Coast.

("SAN"). In total, announced 26 and launched six new routes during the quarter, highlighting the primary purpose of the Virgin America acquisition, which is to grow the combined airline and become the premier carrier for guests on the West Coast. Reached a tentative agreement with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters to amend the eight-year contract with Horizon Air's pilots, which will provide Horizon the ability to attract and retain the best pilots in the regional industry.

Granted "Single Carrier Determination" by the National Mediation Board ("NMB") for Alaska Airlines and Virgin America, paving the way for labor integration and union representation. The NMB officially certified the Association of Flight Attendants as the union representative for Virgin America inflight teammates.

Took delivery of the first of 33 E175s to be flown by subsidiary Horizon Air.

Became the first airline to take delivery of the Airbus A321neo in April 2017 . The aircraft is the first of five scheduled for delivery through 2017.

. The aircraft is the first of five scheduled for delivery through 2017. Launched various new in-flight amenities, including Free Chat, upgraded food and beverage options and Premium Class service.

Added Condor Airlines as an Alaska Mileage Plan partner.

Alaska Airlines: Ranked No. 1 in the "Airline Quality Rating" of performance and quality for 2016a study performed by Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University focused on four major areas of airline performance aspects important to air travel consumers.

focused on four major areas of airline performance aspects important to air travel consumers. Alaska Airlines: Named one of top ten airlines in the world by TripAdvisor in 2017 Travelers' Choice awards.

Alaska Airlines: Won the "Best Rewards Program" for Alaska Mileage Plan for carriers in the "Americas" region in the sixth annual FlyerTalk Award.

Alaska Air Group, Inc., (NYSE: ALK) today reported first quarter 2017 GAAP net income of $99 million, or $0.79 per diluted share, compared to $184 million, or $1.46 per diluted share in the first quarter of 2016. Excluding the impact of special items and mark-to-market fuel hedge adjustments, the company reported adjusted net income of $130 million, or $1.05 per diluted share, compared to $183 million, or $1.45 per diluted share, in 2016.

"We are pleased to report a solid profit for the first quarter," said Alaska CEO Brad Tilden. "With the biggest integration decisions behind us, the hard work of executing the plan now lies ahead. We've laid a foundation for growth with our recent announcements of 37 new routes, and the leadership team is fully focused on running a great airline and doing the things we do welltaking care of our guests, building loyalty and operating on time."

The following table reconciles the company's reported GAAP net income and earnings per diluted share ("diluted EPS") during the first quarters of 2017 and 2016 to adjusted amounts:



Three Months Ended March 31,

2017

2016 (in millions, except per-share amounts) Dollars

Diluted EPS

Dollars

Diluted EPS Reported GAAP net income $ 99



$ 0.79



$ 184



$ 1.46

Mark-to-market fuel hedge adjustments 10



0.08



(2)



(0.02)

Special itemsmerger-related costs 40



0.33









Income tax effect on special items and fuel hedge adjustments (19)



(0.15)



1



0.01

Non-GAAP adjusted income and per-share amounts $ 130



$ 1.05



$ 183



$ 1.45



Statistical data, as well as a reconciliation of the reported non-GAAP financial measures, can be found in the accompanying tables. A glossary of financial terms can be found on the last page of this release.

A conference call regarding the first quarter results will be simulcast online at 8:30 a.m. Pacific time on April 26, 2017. It can be accessed through the company's website at www.alaskaair.com/investors. For those unable to listen to the live broadcast, a replay will be available after the conclusion of the call.

References in this news release to "Air Group," "company," "we," "us" and "our" refer to Alaska Air Group, Inc. and its subsidiaries, unless otherwise specified. Alaska Airlines, Inc., Horizon Air Industries, Inc., and Virgin America Inc. are referred to as "Alaska," "Horizon," and "Virgin America" respectively, and together as our "airlines."

This news release may contain forward-looking statements subject to the safe harbor protection provided by Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements relate to future events and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that may cause actual outcomes to be materially different from those indicated by any forward-looking statements. For a comprehensive discussion of potential risk factors, see Item 1A of the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended Dec. 31, 2016, as well as in other documents filed by the Company with the SEC after the date thereof. Some of these risks include general economic conditions, increases in operating costs including fuel, competition, labor costs and relations, our indebtedness, inability to meet cost reduction goals, seasonal fluctuations in our financial results, an aircraft accident, changes in laws and regulations and risks inherent in the achievement of anticipated synergies and the timing thereof in connection with the acquisition of Virgin America. All of the forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by reference to the risk factors discussed therein. We operate in a continually changing business environment, and new risk factors emerge from time to time. Management cannot predict such new risk factors, nor can it assess the impact, if any, of such new risk factors on our business or events described in any forward-looking statements. We expressly disclaim any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements after the date of this report to conform them to actual results. Over time, our actual results, performance or achievements will likely differ from the anticipated results, performance, or achievements that are expressed or implied by our forward-looking statements, and such differences might be significant and materially adverse.

Alaska Airlines, together with Virgin America and its regional partners, flies 40 million customers a year to 118 destinations with an average of 1,200 daily flights across the United States and to Mexico, Canada, Costa Rica and Cuba. With Alaska and Alaska Global Partners , customers can earn and redeem miles on flights to more than 900 destinations worldwide. Alaska Mileage Plan ranked "Highest in Customer Satisfaction with Airline Loyalty Rewards Programs" in the J.D. Power Airline Loyalty/Rewards Program Satisfaction Report for the last three consecutive years. Learn more about Alaska's award-winning service and unmatched reliability at newsroom.alaskaair.com and blog.alaskaair.com. Alaska Airlines, Virgin America and Horizon Air are subsidiaries of Alaska Air Group (NYSE: ALK).

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS (unaudited) Alaska Air Group, Inc.

As the acquisition closed on December 14, 2016, amounts presented below include Virgin America results for the three months ended March 31, 2017 but not for the prior period.



Three Months Ended March 31, (in millions, except per-share amounts) 2017

2016

Change(a) Operating Revenues:









Passenger









Mainline $ 1,272



$ 927



37 % Regional 212



206



3 % Total passenger revenue 1,484



1,133



31 % Freight and mail 24



24



 % Othernet 241



190



27 % Total Operating Revenues 1,749



1,347



30 %











Operating Expenses:









Wages and benefits 448



336



33 % Variable incentive pay 31



32



(3) % Aircraft fuel, including hedging gains and losses 339



167



103 % Aircraft maintenance 87



68



28 % Aircraft rent 65



29



124 % Landing fees and other rentals 115



80



44 % Contracted services 81



60



35 % Selling expenses 81



49



65 % Depreciation and amortization 90



88



2 % Food and beverage service 45



31



45 % Third-party regional carrier expense 27



23



17 % Special itemsmerger-related costs 40







NM Other 134



94



43 % Total Operating Expenses 1,583



1,057



50 % Operating Income 166



290



(43) %











Nonoperating Income (Expense):









Interest income 7



6





Interest expense (25)



(13)





Interest capitalized 4



8





Othernet 



1





Total Nonoperating Income (Expense) (14)



2



(800) % Income Before Income Tax 152



292





Income tax expense 53



108





Net Income $ 99



$ 184



(46) %











Basic Earnings Per Share: $ 0.80



$ 1.47



(46) % Diluted Earnings Per Share: $ 0.79



$ 1.46



(46) %











Shares Used for Computation:









Basic 123.495



124.550



(1) % Diluted 124.299



125.328



(1) %











Cash dividend declared per share: $ 0.300



$ 0.275











(a) See Combined Comparative information in the accompanying pages for year-over-year comparisons including Virgin America.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (unaudited) Alaska Air Group, Inc.

(in millions) March 31, 2017

December 31, 2016 Cash and marketable securities $ 1,710



$ 1,580









Total current assets 2,213



2,050

Property and equipmentnet 5,809



5,666

Goodwill 1,942



1,934

Intangible assets 139



143

Other assets 199



169

Total assets 10,302



9,962









Air traffic liability 1,218



849

Current portion of long-term debt 332



319

Other current liabilities 1,285



1,367

Current liabilities 2,835



2,535

Long-term debt 2,531



2,645

Other liabilities and credits 1,922



1,851

Shareholders' equity 3,014



2,931

Total liabilities and shareholders' equity $ 10,302



$ 9,962









Debt-to-capitalization ratio, adjusted for operating leases(a) 58 %

59 %







Number of common shares outstanding 123.729



123.328







(a) Calculated using the present value of remaining aircraft lease payments.

OPERATING STATISTICS SUMMARY (unaudited) Alaska Air Group, Inc.

As the acquisition closed on December 14, 2016, Consolidated and Mainline amounts presented below include Virgin America results for the three months ended March 31, 2017 but not for the prior period.



Three Months Ended March 31,

2017

2016

Change(e) Consolidated Operating Statistics:(a)









Revenue passengers (000) 10,018

7,835

27.9% RPMs (000,000) "traffic" 11,708

8,571

36.6% ASMs (000,000) "capacity" 14,394

10,453

37.7% Load factor 81.3%

82.0%

(0.7)pts Yield 12.68

13.22

(4.1)% PRASM 10.31

10.84

(4.9)% RASM 12.15

12.88

(5.7)% CASMex(b) 8.37

8.51

(1.6)% Economic fuel cost per gallon(c) $1.78

$1.29

38.0% Fuel gallons (000,000) 184

132

39.4% ASM's per gallon 78.2

79.2

(1.3%) Average number of full-time equivalent employees (FTE) 18,682

14,357

30.1%











Mainline Operating Statistics:









Revenue passengers (000) 7,783

5,642

37.9% RPMs (000,000) "traffic" 10,827

7,716

40.3% ASMs (000,000) "capacity" 13,260

9,354

41.8% Load factor 81.7%

82.5%

(0.8)pts Yield 11.75

12.01

(2.2)% PRASM 9.59

9.91

(3.2)% RASM 11.44

11.99

(4.6)% CASMex(b) 7.53

7.49

0.5% Economic fuel cost per gallon(c) $1.78

$1.28

39.1% Fuel gallons (000,000) 164

113

45.1% ASM's per gallon 80.8

82.8

(2.4%) Average number of FTE's 15,007

11,123

34.9% Aircraft utilization 10.8

10.6

1.9% Average aircraft stage length 1,245

1,237

0.6% Operating fleet 217

152

65 a/c











Regional Operating Statistics:(d)









Revenue passengers (000) 2,234

2,192

1.9% RPMs (000,000) "traffic" 880

855

2.9% ASMs (000,000) "capacity" 1,134

1,100

3.1% Load factor 77.6%

77.7%

(0.1)pts Yield 24.13

24.09

0.2% PRASM 18.73

18.72

0.1% Operating fleet 73

67

6 a/c





(a) Except for full-time equivalent employees, data includes information related to third-party regional capacity purchase flying arrangements. (b) See a reconciliation of this non-GAAP measure and Note A for a discussion of potential importance of this measure to investors in the accompanying pages. (c) See a reconciliation of economic fuel cost in the accompanying pages. (d) Data presented includes information related to flights operated by Horizon Air and third-party carriers. (e) See Combined Comparative information in the accompanying pages for year-over-year comparisons including Virgin America.

SUPPLEMENTARY COMBINED COMPARATIVE FINANCIAL AND OPERATING INFORMATION (unaudited)

We believe that analysis of specific financial and operational results on a combined basis provides more meaningful year-over-year comparisons. The table below provides "Combined Comparative" results for the three months ended March 31, 2016, determined as the sum of the historical consolidated results of Air Group and of Virgin America. Virgin America's financial information has been conformed to reflect Air Group's historical financial statement presentation for each period presented. This information does not purport to reflect what our financial and operational results would have been had the acquisition been consummated at the beginning of the periods presented.



Three Months Ended March 31,

2017

2016





As Reported

Combined(a)

Change Combined Comparative Operating Results









Passenger revenue $ 1,484



$ 1,462



2% Other revenue 265



248



7% Total Operating Revenues 1,749



1,710



2% Non-fuel operating expense 1,244



1,150



8% Fuel expense 339



238



42% Total Operating Expenses 1,583



1,388



14% Operating Income 166



322



(48)% Nonoperating income (expense) (14)



(2)



600% Income Before Tax 152



320



(53)% Special itemsmerger-related costs 40



2



NM Mark-to-market fuel hedge adjustments 10



(3)



NM Adjusted Income Before Tax $ 202



$ 319



(37)%











Combined Comparative Operating Statistics









Revenue passengers (in 000) 10,018



9,602



4.3% RPMs (in 000,000) 11,708



11,186



4.7% ASMs (in 000,000) 14,394



13,719



4.9% Load Factor 81.3 %

81.5 %

(0.2) pts PRASM 10.31 

10.66 

(3.3)% RASM 12.15 

12.47 

(2.6)% CASMex 8.37 

8.36 

0.1%





(a) Refer to our Investor Update issued on April 12, 2017 on Form 8-K for further details of the calculation of the three months ended March 31, 2016 combined data.

OPERATING SEGMENTS (unaudited) Alaska Air Group, Inc.

As the acquisition closed on December 14, 2016, Consolidated and Mainline amounts presented below include Virgin America results for the three months ended March 31, 2017 but not for the prior period.



Three Months Ended March 31, 2017 (in millions) Mainline

Regional

Horizon

Consolidating

& Other

Air Group

Adjusted(a)

Special

Items(b)

Consolidated Operating revenues

























Passenger

























Mainline $ 1,272



$ 



$ 



$ 



$ 1,272



$ 



$ 1,272

Regional 



212











212







212

Total passenger revenues 1,272



212











1,484







1,484

CPA revenues 







97



(97)













Freight and mail 23



1











24







24

Othernet 222



17



1



1



241







241

Total operating revenues 1,517



230



98



(96)



1,749







1,749

Operating expenses

























Operating expenses, excluding fuel 998



200



103



(97)



1,204



40



1,244

Economic fuel 292



36







1



329



10



339

Total operating expenses 1,290



236



103



(96)



1,533



50



1,583

Nonoperating income (expense)

























Interest income 7















7







7

Interest expense (22)







(2)



(1)



(25)







(25)

Other 3











1



4







4

Total Nonoperating income (expense) (12)







(2)







(14)







(14)

Income (loss) before income tax $ 215



$ (6)



$ (7)



$ 



$ 202



$ (50)



$ 152







Three Months Ended March 31, 2016 (in millions) Mainline

Regional

Horizon

Consolidating

Air Group

Adjusted(a)

Special

Items(b)

Consolidated Operating revenues

























Passenger

























Mainline $ 927



$ 



$ 



$ 



$ 927



$ 



$ 927

Regional 



206











206







206

Total passenger revenues 927



206











1,133







1,133

CPA revenues 







103



(103)













Freight and mail 23



1











24







24

Othernet 172



17



1







190







190

Total operating revenues 1,122



224



104



(103)



1,347







1,347

Operating expenses

























Operating expenses, excluding fuel 701



186



105



(102)



890







890

Economic fuel 144



25











169



(2)



167

Total operating expenses 845



211



105



(102)



1,059



(2)



1,057

Nonoperating income (expense)

























Interest income 6















6







6

Interest expense (12)







(1)







(13)







(13)

Other 7











2



9







9

Total Nonoperating income (expense) 1







(1)



2



2







2

Income (loss) before income tax $ 278



$ 13



$ (2)



$ 1



$ 290



$ 2



$ 292







(a) The Air Group Adjusted column represents the financial information that is reviewed by management to assess performance of operations and determine capital allocation and does not include certain charges. See Note A in the accompanying pages for further information. (b) Includes merger-related costs and mark-to-market fuel-hedge accounting adjustments.

GAAP TO NON-GAAP RECONCILIATIONS (unaudited) Alaska Air Group, Inc.

As the acquisition closed on December 14, 2016, amounts presented below include Virgin America results for the three months ended March 31, 2017 but not for the prior period.

CASM Excluding Fuel and Special Items Reconciliation

Three Months Ended March 31,

2017

2016 Consolidated:





CASM 11.00 

10.11  Less the following components:





Aircraft fuel, including hedging gains and losses 2.36



1.60

Special itemsmerger-related costs 0.27





CASM excluding fuel and special items 8.37 

8.51 







Mainline:





CASM 10.11 

9.01  Less the following components:





Aircraft fuel, including hedging gains and losses 2.28



1.52

Special itemsmerger-related costs 0.30





CASM excluding fuel and special items 7.53 

7.49 

Fuel Reconciliation

Three Months Ended March 31,

2017

2016 (in millions, except for per-gallon amounts) Dollars

Cost/Gallon

Dollars

Cost/Gallon Raw or "into-plane" fuel cost $ 325



$ 1.76



$ 165



$ 1.26

Losses on settled hedges 4



0.02



4



0.03

Consolidated economic fuel expense 329



1.78



169



1.29

Mark-to-market fuel hedge adjustment 10



0.06



(2)



(0.02)

GAAP fuel expense $ 339



$ 1.84



$ 167



$ 1.27

Fuel gallons 184







132







Note A: Pursuant to Regulation G, we are providing reconciliation of reported non-GAAP financial measures to their most directly comparable financial measures reported on a GAAP basis. We believe that consideration of these non-GAAP financial measures may be important to investors for the following reasons:

By eliminating fuel expense and certain special items (including merger-related costs) from our unit metrics, we believe that we have better visibility into the results of operations and our non-fuel cost-reduction initiatives. Our industry is highly competitive and is characterized by high fixed costs, so even a small reduction in non-fuel operating costs can result in a significant improvement in operating results. In addition, we believe that all domestic carriers are similarly impacted by changes in jet fuel costs over the long run, so it is important for management (and thus investors) to understand the impact of (and trends in) company-specific cost drivers such as labor rates and productivity, airport costs, maintenance costs, etc., which are more controllable by management.

Cost per ASM (CASM) excluding fuel and certain special items, such as merger-related costs, is one of the most important measures used by management and by the Air Group Board of Directors in assessing quarterly and annual cost performance.

Adjusted income before income tax and CASM excluding fuel (and other items as specified in our plan documents) are important metrics for the employee incentive plan, which covers the majority of Air Group employees.

CASM excluding fuel and certain special items is a measure commonly used by industry analysts, and we believe it is the basis by which they compare our airlines to others in the industry. The measure is also the subject of frequent questions from investors.

Disclosure of the individual impact of certain noted items provides investors the ability to measure and monitor performance both with and without these special items. We believe that disclosing the impact of certain items, such as merger-related costs and mark-to-market hedging adjustments, is important because it provides information on significant items that are not necessarily indicative of future performance. Industry analysts and investors consistently measure our performance without these items for better comparability between periods and among other airlines.

Although we disclose our passenger unit revenues, we do not (nor are we able to) evaluate unit revenues excluding the impact that changes in fuel costs have had on ticket prices. Fuel expense represents a large percentage of our total operating expenses. Fluctuations in fuel prices often drive changes in unit revenues in the mid-to-long term. Although we believe it is useful to evaluate non-fuel unit costs for the reasons noted above, we would caution readers of these financial statements not to place undue reliance on unit costs excluding fuel as a measure or predictor of future profitability because of the significant impact of fuel costs on our business.

Glossary of Terms

Aircraft Utilization - block hours per day; this represents the average number of hours per day our aircraft are in transit

Aircraft Stage Length - represents the average miles flown per aircraft departure

ASMs - available seat miles, or "capacity"; represents total seats available across the fleet multiplied by the number of miles flown

CASM - operating costs per ASM, or "unit cost"; represents all operating expenses including fuel and special items

CASMex - operating costs excluding fuel and special items per ASM; this metric is used to help track progress toward reduction of non-fuel operating costs since fuel is largely out of our control

Debt-to-capitalization ratio - represents adjusted debt (long-term debt plus the present value of future operating lease payments) divided by total equity plus adjusted debt

Diluted Earnings per Share - represents earnings per share ("EPS") using fully diluted shares outstanding

Diluted Shares - represents the total number of shares that would be outstanding if all possible sources of conversion, such as stock options, were exercised

Economic Fuel - best estimate of the cash cost of fuel, net of the impact of our fuel-hedging program

Free Cash Flow - total operating cash flow generated less cash paid for capital expenditures

Load Factor - RPMs as a percentage of ASMs; represents the number of available seats that were filled with paying passengers

Mainline - represents flying Boeing 737 and Airbus 320 family jets and all associated revenues and costs

PRASM - passenger revenue per ASM; commonly called "passenger unit revenue"

Productivity - number of revenue passengers per full-time equivalent employee

RASM - operating revenue per ASMs, or "unit revenue"; operating revenue includes all passenger revenue, freight & mail, Mileage Plan and other ancillary revenue; represents the average total revenue for flying one seat one mile

Regional - represents capacity purchased by Alaska from Horizon, SkyWest and PenAir. In this segment, Regional records actual on-board passenger revenue, less costs such as fuel, distribution costs, and payments made to Horizon, SkyWest and PenAir under the respective capacity purchased arrangement (CPAs). Additionally, Regional includes an allocation of corporate overhead such as IT, finance, other administrative costs incurred by Alaska and on behalf of Horizon.

RPMs - revenue passenger miles, or "traffic"; represents the number of seats that were filled with paying passengers; one passenger traveling one mile is one RPM

Yield - passenger revenue per RPM; represents the average revenue for flying one passenger one mile

SOURCE Alaska Air Group, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.alaskaair.com


MONTREAL, April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ - The ALDO Group has announced the latest phase of its digital transformation with the release of a new responsive website and e-commerce platform that raises the bar for retail online, in-store and mobile channels.

"We are committed to designing a universal digital experience: accessible, responsive, social, human-centered, and most of all, easy to evolve and scale," said Gregoire Baret, GM of Experience Design. "We involved our consumers at each step of the creative process, focusing on flows and details to go beyond convenience and build meaningful services for style seekers." Mr. Baret also led the foray of ALDO's new connected test stores.

The new website will drive the Montreal-based company's ecommerce goals, pushing strong momentum in mobile transactions, and boosting cross-category sales to grow ALDO's popularity in footwear and accessories.

The revamped global storefront goes live in several global markets including the US, Canada and Europe. Visitors to the site get an experience that is:

Lightning-fast, giving shoppers the speed they expect today in e-commerce experiences.

More premium, with a new visual design language and stunning fashion photography.

Functional across devices, and meets digital accessibility standards (WCAG 2.0, Level AA).

Connected to the "new and now", with styling tips from social media influencers.

The move comes as ALDO transitions leadership, with company founder Aldo Bensadoun naming son David Bensadoun the new CEO earlier this month. It's also part of ALDO's laser-focus on showing shoppers that it's a digitally-centric brand.

Said Jennifer Maks, VP Omnichannel: "Our new digital experiences are aimed at inspiring people to explore more from ALDO and make it a primary destination for shoes, bags and accessories. Our new ecommerce website acts as the core engine for our omnichannel strategy, as a natural complement to our stores."

"In creating ALDO's new site, we focused on elevating the brand to ensure shoppers get a rich, premium experience, said Rachel Bogan, a partner at digital product agency Work & Co. At the same time, the new digital presence is simple and fast --letting them find and purchase exactly what they're looking for in a matter of seconds. We're proud to be part of ALDO's evolution to a seamless experience across stores, its website, mobile, customer service and the employee experience."

About The ALDO Group Inc.

The ALDO Group is a world-leading creator and operator of desirable footwear and accessory brands. WIth 2,300 points of sale stores in 100 countries around the world, the company operates under two signature brands, ALDO and Call It Spring, and has a multi-brand retail concept, Globo. Founded in 1972 by Aldo Bensadoun, The ALDO Group leads operations from its head office in Montreal, and continues to act with its founder's values of love, respect and integrity. More 20,000 work for The Aldo Group. For more information, visit www.aldogroup.com .

About Work & Co

Work & Co is a digital product agency with offices in Brooklyn, Portland and Rio de Janeiro. Nearly four years old, the company is focused entirely on digital product strategy, design and development. Work & Co's client partners include the world's most respected brands. Beyond ALDO, that list includes Apple, Google, Facebook, Nike, Chase, Marriott and more. For more information, visit Work.co.

SOURCE ALDO Group
INDIANAPOLIS, April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Allison Transmission Holdings Inc. (NYSE: ALSN), the largest global provider of commercial duty fully-automatic transmissions, today reported net sales for the first quarter of $499 million, an 8 percent increase from the same period in 2016. The increase in net sales was principally driven by higher demand in the Service Parts, Support Equipment & Other end market.

Net Income for the quarter was $83 million compared to $48 million for the same period in 2016. Adjusted EBITDA, a non-GAAP financial measure, for the quarter was $192 million, or 38.5 percent of net sales, compared to $162 million, or 35.1 percent of net sales, for the same period in 2016. Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities for the quarter was $111 million compared to $118 million for the same period in 2016. Adjusted Free Cash Flow, a non-GAAP financial measure, for the quarter was $103 million compared to $113 million for the same period in 2016.

Lawrence E. Dewey, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Allison Transmission commented, "Allison's first quarter 2017 results exceeded the full year guidance ranges we provided to the market on February 6 principally driven by stronger than anticipated demand for North America service parts. Allison demonstrated solid operating margins and free cash flow while executing its well-defined approach to capital structure and allocation. During the first quarter, we settled $415 million of share repurchases and paid a dividend of $0.15 per share. Given first quarter 2017 results and current end markets conditions we are updating our full year net sales guidance to an increase in the range of 7.5 to 10.5 percent."

First Quarter Net Sales by End Market

End Market Q1 2017 Net Sales ($M) Q1 2016 Net Sales ($M) % Variance North America On-Highway 255 257 (1%) North America Hybrid-Propulsion Systems for Transit Bus 20 17 18% North America Off-Highway 1 5 (80%) Defense 27 25 8% Outside North America On-Highway 72 70 3% Outside North America Off-Highway 6 3 100% Service Parts, Support Equipment & Other 118 85 39% Total Net Sales 499 462 8%

First Quarter Highlights

North America On-Highway end market net sales were down 1 percent from the same period in 2016 principally driven by lower demand for Highway Series and Rugged Duty Series models partially offset by higher demand in Pupil Transport/Shuttle and Transit/Other Bus models and up 18 percent on a sequential basis principally driven by higher demand for Rugged Duty Series, Pupil Transport/Shuttle Series and Transit/Other Bus models.

North America Hybrid-Propulsion Systems for Transit Bus end market net sales were up 18 percent from the same period in 2016 principally driven by the timing of certain transit property orders and flat on a sequential basis.

North America Off-Highway end market net sales were down $4 million from the same period in 2016 and up $1 million on a sequential basis principally driven by the previously contemplated trailing impact of low energy prices.

Defense end market net sales were up 8 percent from the same period in 2016 and down 27 percent sequentially, in both cases principally driven by the intra-year movement in the timing of orders.

Outside North America On-Highway end market net sales were up 3 percent from the same period in 2016 principally driven by higher demand in India partially offset by lower demand in China and down 13 percent on a sequential basis principally driven by lower demand in Europe and China.

Outside North America Off-Highway end market net sales were up $3 million from the same period in 2016 principally driven by higher demand in the mining and energy sectors and up $2 million sequentially principally driven by higher demand in the mining sector.

Service Parts, Support Equipment & Other end market net sales were up 39 percent from the same period in 2016 and up 9 percent on a sequential basis principally driven by higher demand for North America service parts.

Gross profit for the quarter was $251 million, an increase of 17 percent from $215 million for the same period in 2016. Gross margin for the quarter was 50.3 percent, an increase of 380 basis points from a gross margin of 46.5 percent for the same period in 2016. The increase in gross profit from the same period in 2016 was principally driven by increased net sales, price increases on certain products and favorable manufacturing expense partially offset by higher incentive compensation expense.

Selling, general and administrative expenses for the quarter were $79 million, a decrease of $4 million from $83 million for the same period in 2016. The decrease was principally driven by favorable product warranty adjustments and 2016 stockholder activism expense partially offset by higher incentive compensation expense.

Engineering  research and development expenses for the quarter were $23 million, an increase of $2 million from $21 million for the same period in 2016. The increase was principally driven by higher incentive compensation expense.

Net income for the quarter was $83 million compared to $48 million for the same period in 2016. The increase was principally driven by increased gross profit, decreased interest expense and decreased selling, general and administrative expense partially offset by increased income tax expense.

First Quarter Non-GAAP Financial Measures

Adjusted EBITDA for the quarter was $192 million, or 38.5 percent of net sales, compared to $162 million, or 35.1 percent of net sales, for the same period in 2016. The increase was principally driven by increased net sales, price increases on certain products, favorable product warranty adjustments and favorable manufacturing expense partially offset by higher incentive compensation expense.

Adjusted Free Cash Flow for the quarter was $103 million compared to $113 million for the same period in 2016, a decrease of $10 million. The decrease was principally driven by increased accounts receivable commensurate with increased net sales and increased incentive compensation payments partially offset by increased gross profit and decreased cash interest expense.

Full Year 2017 Guidance Update

Our updated full year 2017 guidance includes a year-over-year net sales increase in the range of 7.5 to 10.5 percent, an Adjusted EBITDA margin in the range of 34 to 36 percent, an Adjusted Free Cash Flow in the range of $415 to $455 million, capital expenditures in the range of $70 to $80 million, which includes maintenance spending of approximately $65 million, and cash income taxes in the range of $65 to $75 million.

Allison's full year 2017 net sales guidance reflects stronger demand for North America Off-Highway service parts and North America On-Highway products. Our full year 2017 net sales outlook also assumes price increases on certain products and a modest recovery in the Global Off-Highway end markets.

Although we are not providing specific second quarter 2017 guidance, Allison does expect second quarter net sales to be up sequentially principally driven by increased demand in the Global On-Highway end markets.

Conference Call and Webcast

The company will host a conference call at 8:00 a.m. ET on Thursday, April 27 to discuss its first quarter 2017 results. Dial-in number is 1-201-689-8470 and the U.S. toll-free dial-in number is 1-877-407-9039. A live webcast of the conference call will also be available online at http://ir.allisontransmission.com.

For those unable to participate in the conference call, a replay will be available from 11:00 a.m. ET on April 27 until 11:59 p.m. ET on May 4. The replay dial-in number is 1-844-512-2921 and the international replay dial-in number is 1-412-317-6671. The replay passcode is 13659385.

About Allison Transmission

Allison Transmission (NYSE: ALSN) is the world's largest manufacturer of fully automatic transmissions for medium- and heavy-duty commercial vehicles and is a leader in hybrid-propulsion systems for city buses. Allison transmissions are used in a variety of applications including refuse, construction, fire, distribution, bus, motorhomes, defense and energy. Founded in 1915, the company is headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA and employs approximately 2,600 people worldwide. With a market presence in more than 80 countries, Allison has regional headquarters in the Netherlands, China and Brazil with manufacturing facilities in the U.S., Hungary and India. Allison also has approximately 1,400 independent distributor and dealer locations worldwide. For more information, visit allisontransmission.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of historical fact contained in this press release are forward-looking statements, including all statements regarding future financial results. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as "may," "will," "should," "expect," "plans," "project," "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "predict," "intend," "forecast," "could," "potential," "continue" or the negative of these terms or other similar terms or phrases. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve known and unknown risks. Factors which may cause the actual results to differ materially from those anticipated at the time the forward-looking statements are made include, but are not limited to: risks related to our substantial indebtedness; uncertainty in the global regulatory and business environments in which we operate; our participation in markets that are competitive; the highly cyclical industries in which certain of our end users operate; the failure of markets outside North America to increase adoption of fully-automatic transmissions; the concentration of our net sales in our top five customers and the loss of any one of these; future reductions or changes in government subsidies for hybrid vehicles and other external factors impacting demand; U.S. defense spending; general economic and industry conditions; the discovery of defects in our products, resulting in delays in new model launches, recall campaigns and/or increased warranty costs and reduction in future sales or damage to our brand and reputation; our ability to prepare for, respond to and successfully achieve our objectives relating to technological and market developments, competitive threats and changing customer needs; risks associated with our international operations; labor strikes, work stoppages or similar labor disputes, which could significantly disrupt our operations or those of our principal customers; our intention to pay dividends and repurchase shares of our common stock and other risks and uncertainties associated with our business described in our Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K. Although we believe the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are based upon reasonable assumptions, we can give no assurance that the expectations will be attained or that any deviation will not be material. All information is as of the date of this press release, and we undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statement to conform the statement to actual results or changes in expectations.

Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures

This press release contains information about Allison's financial results which are not presented in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States ("GAAP"). Such non-GAAP financial measures are reconciled to their closest GAAP financial measures at the end of this press release. Non-GAAP financial measures should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for our reported results prepared in accordance with GAAP and, as calculated, may not be comparable to other similarly titled measures of other companies.

This press release also contains forward-looking estimates of non-GAAP Adjusted EBITDA Margin and Adjusted Free Cash Flow for fiscal year 2017. We are unable to provide a reconciliation of our forward-looking estimate of non-GAAP Adjusted EBITDA Margin to a forward-looking estimate of GAAP Net Income because certain information needed to make a reasonable forward-looking estimate of GAAP Net Income is difficult to predict and estimate and is often dependent on future events which may be uncertain or outside of our control. These may include unanticipated charges related to asset impairments (fixed assets, investments, intangibles or goodwill) and unanticipated non-recurring items not reflective of ongoing operations. We are unable to provide a reconciliation of our forward-looking estimate of non-GAAP Adjusted Free Cash Flow to a forward-looking estimate of GAAP Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities because certain information needed to make a reasonable forward-looking estimate of GAAP Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities is difficult to predict and estimate and is often dependent on future events which may be uncertain or outside of our control. These may include unanticipated non-recurring items.

Attachment

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations

Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows

Reconciliation of GAAP to Non-GAAP Financial Measures

Allison Transmission Holdings, Inc. Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations (Unaudited, dollars in millions, except per share data)











Three months ended March 31,





2017

2016













Net sales

$ 499

$ 462













Cost of sales

248

247













Gross profit

251

215













Selling, general and administrative

79

83













Engineering - research and development

23

21













Operating income

149

111













Interest expense, net

(25)

(34)













Other income, net

3

-













Income before income taxes

127

77













Income tax expense

(44)

(29)













Net income

$ 83

$ 48













Basic earnings per share attributable to common stockholders

$ 0.53

$ 0.28













Diluted earnings per share attributable to common stockholders

$ 0.52

$ 0.28

















Allison Transmission Holdings, Inc.

Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets

(Unaudited, dollars in millions)





























March 31,

December 31,











2017

2016

ASSETS

































Current Assets































Cash and cash equivalents



$ 120

$ 205



















Accounts receivable



250

197



















Inventories





144

126



















Other current assets



23

20



















Total Current Assets





537

548



















Property, plant and equipment, net

457

464



















Intangible assets, net



3,161

3,183



















Other non-current assets



24

24



















TOTAL ASSETS





$ 4,179

$ 4,219



















LIABILITIES































Current Liabilities































Accounts payable





$ 158

$ 128



















Current portion of long term debt

12

12



















Other current liabilities



208

202



















Total Current Liabilities



378

342



















Long term debt





2,390

2,147



















Other non-current liabilities



674

649



















TOTAL LIABILITIES





3,442

3,138



















TOTAL STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY

737

1,081



















TOTAL LIABILITIES & STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY $ 4,179

$ 4,219





















Allison Transmission Holdings, Inc.

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows

(Unaudited, dollars in millions)



































Three months ended March 31,















2017

2016

























Net cash provided by operating activities



$ 111

$ 118

























Net cash used for investing activities (a)



(8)

(6)

























Net cash used for financing activities



(189)

(65)

























Effect of exchange rate changes on cash



1

-

























Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents



(85)

47

























Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period



205

252

























Cash and cash equivalents at end of period



$ 120

$ 299

























Supplemental disclosures:





































Interest paid







$ 14

$ 22

























Income taxes paid





$ 3

$ 3

























(a) Additions of long-lived assets









$ (8)

$ (6)



Allison Transmission Holdings, Inc. Reconciliation of GAAP to Non-GAAP Financial Measures (Unaudited, dollars in millions)































Three months ended













March 31,













2017

2016

Net income (GAAP)





$ 83

$ 48





















plus:



































Income tax expense





44

29





















Interest expense, net





25

34





















Amortization of intangible assets



22

23





















Depreciation of property, plant and equipment

19

21





















Stock-based compensation expense (a)

2

2





















Unrealized (gain) loss on foreign exchange (b)



(2)

1





















Unrealized gain on commodity hedge contracts (c)

(1)

(1)





















Stockholder activism expenses (d)

-

4





















Dual power inverter module units extended coverage (e)

-

1





















Adjusted EBITDA (Non-GAAP)



$ 192

$ 162





















Net sales (GAAP)





$ 499

$ 462





















Adjusted EBITDA margin (Non-GAAP)

38.5%

35.1%





















Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities (GAAP)

$ 111

$ 118





















(Deductions) or Additions to Reconcile to Adjusted Free Cash Flow:





























Additions of long-lived assets



(8)

(6)





















Stockholder activism expenses (d)

-

1





















Adjusted Free Cash Flow (Non-GAAP)

$ 103

$ 113























(a) Represents employee stock compensation expense (recorded in Cost of sales, Selling, general and administrative expenses, and Engineering  research and development).



(b) Represents (gains) losses (recorded in Other income, net) on intercompany financing transactions related to investments in plant assets for our India facility.



(c) Represents unrealized gains (recorded in Other income, net) on the mark-to-market of our commodity hedge contracts.



(d) Represents expenses (recorded in Selling, general and administrative) of $4 million and payments of $1 million directly associated with stockholder activism activity including the notice, and subsequent withdrawal, of director nomination and governance proposals by Ashe Capital Management, LP in the first quarter of 2016.



(e) Represents an adjustment (recorded in Selling, general and administrative expenses) associated with the Dual Power Inverter Module ("DPIM") extended coverage program liability. The DPIM liability will continue to be reviewed for any changes in estimates as additional claims data and field information become available.

SOURCE Allison Transmission Holdings Inc.

Related Links

http://www.allisontransmission.com


LOS ANGELES, April 25, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Amihan Global Strategies announces the immediate availability of AMIHAN CLOUD BLOCKS, a cloud-native infrastructure solution that accelerates digital transformation by augmenting the existing IT systems of large enterprises with the agility of remote servers in the cloud.

AMIHAN CLOUD BLOCKS merges the best of two worlds: world-class technology, based on Google's pioneering Kubernetes Platform, and regional expertise catering to the specific needs of the largest enterprises in the ASEAN region. Designed as a fully managed service solution and a 100% OPEX subscription model, AMIHAN CLOUD BLOCKS is the only cloud solution that is optimized for Southeast Asia.

INFRASTRUCTURE FOR INNOVATION

"The cloud is step one of digital transformation," said Winston Damarillo, Executive Chairman of Amihan. "It's the infrastructure for innovation that allows you to experiment, grow, and adapt in ways that are necessary to keep up with the pace of customers' digital appetites."

AMIHAN CLOUD BLOCKS enables companies to deploy new services faster, harmonize legacy and next-generation apps in a unified ecosystem, and perform complex data analytics all in a single platform. It aims to transform the IT infrastructure of legacy companies, starting with their data center: the nucleus that powers business applications and houses business intelligence.

AMIHAN CLOUD BLOCKS is based on Kubernetes, a container management tool that was initially developed by Google and is now managed by the Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF), of which Amihan is a member. Furthermore, AMIHAN CLOUD BLOCKS is built on the NEC DX 2000 hardware platform, which delivers world-leading density of compute, memory and storage.

"NEC is excited to collaborate with Amihan to deliver a state-of-the-art Cloud Native Platform in Southeast Asia," says Tatsunori Shibata (Head of Go-to-market, Bigdata & Cloud platform business, NEC Corporation). "The NEC DX 2000 is a perfect fit for the workloads of the fastest growing digital companies in the region."

A SIMPLER DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION, ON DEMAND

Digital transformation is a complex process that involves drastic changes in culture, business practices and IT Systems. AMIHAN CLOUD BLOCKS simplifies this by minimizing time spent on compatibility issues, unifying data sources, investing in new systems, and ensuring latest cybersecurity and data privacy standards.

AMIHAN CLOUD BLOCKS enables a deliberate transformation of a company's existing IT systems to the cloud through its virtualization platform based on OpenStack, which will house legacy Linux and windows servers; Acaleph Storage, a data-secure enterprise wide storage platform; and Kubernetes-managed Docker to accelerate application development. In addition, AMIHAN CLOUD BLOCKS can seamlessly federate with Google Cloud Platform to enable a scalable hybrid-cloud across all its services.

"Enterprises are using open source technologies like Kubernetes to deploy cloud native architecture models that support fast, agile application development," said Dan Kohn, Executive Director of The Cloud Native Computing Foundation. "We are pleased to support our members in their efforts to deliver engineered solutions for the modern enterprise."

Media Contact:

Rexy Josh Dorado

Phone: 216.526.7842

Email: [email protected]

About Amihan:

Amihan Global Strategies is a digital transformation accelerator that advises and partners with some of the largest institutions in the ASEAN region. Amihan helps companies build a digital roadmap, access ideal technology, and act on their vision to become future-ready organizations. Amihan has offices in Manila, Cebu, Singapore and Los Angeles.

Related Files

CLOUDBLOCKS Data Sheet.pdf

Related Images

image1.jpg

image2.png

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Related Links

AMIHAN CLOUD BLOCKS Product Page

Amihan Homepage

This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. For more info visit: http://www.newswire.com.

SOURCE Amihan

Related Links

http://www.amihan.net


TAMPA, Fla., April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- AquaVenture Holdings Limited ("AquaVenture") (NYSE: WAAS), a leader in water purification solutions, today announced that the company will release its first quarter 2017 results after the market close on Tuesday, May 9th, 2017, to be followed by a conference call on Wednesday, May 10th at 8:00 a.m. (Eastern Time).

The conference call can be accessed live over the phone by dialing 1-877-407-0789, or for international callers, 1-201-689-8562. A replay will be available two hours after the call and can be accessed by dialing 1-844-512-2921, or for international callers, 1-412-317-6671. The passcode for the live call and the replay is 13660926. The replay will be available until May 17, 2017.

Interested investors and other parties may also listen to a simultaneous webcast of the conference call by logging onto the Investor Relations section of the Company's website at www.aquaventure.com. The online replay will be available for a limited time beginning immediately following the call.

About AquaVenture

AquaVenture is a multinational provider of WAAS solutions that provide customers a reliable and cost-effective source of clean drinking and process water primarily under long-term contracts that minimize capital investment by the customer. AquaVenture is composed of two operating platforms: Quench, a U.S.-based provider of Point-of-Use, or POU, filtered water systems and related services to approximately 40,000 institutional and commercial customers; and Seven Seas Water, a multinational provider of desalination and wastewater treatment solutions, providing approximately 8 billion gallons of potable, high purity industrial grade and ultra-pure water per year to governmental, municipal, industrial and hospitality customers.

[email protected]

Investors Hotline: 855-278-WAAS (9227)

SOURCE AquaVenture Holdings Limited

Related Links

http://www.aquaventure.com


STOCKHOLM, April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

First quarter

Sales increased by 14% to SEK 18,142 M (15,891), with organic growth of 6% (3). Acquisitions contributed 3%

(15,891), with organic growth of 6% (3). Acquisitions contributed 3% Strong growth was shown by Global Technologies, Entrance Systems, Americas and EMEA, and good growth by Asia Pacific

Contracts have been signed for the acquisition of seven companies with expected combined annual sales of about SEK 700 M

Operating income (EBIT) increased by 16% and totaled SEK 2,787 M (2,411), which represents an operating margin of 15.4% (15.2)

(2,411), which represents an operating margin of 15.4% (15.2) Net income amounted to SEK 1 ,918 M (1,638)

,918 M (1,638) Earnings per share amounted to SEK 1 .73 (1.47)

.73 (1.47) Operating cash flow amounted to SEK 824 M (498).

Sales and income



First quarter











2016 2017



Sales, SEK M 15,891 18,142 14% Of which:





Organic growth1) 400 1,022 6% Acquisitions and divestments 490 448 3% Exchange rate effects1) -251 780 5% Operating income (EBIT), SEK M 2,411 2,787 16% Operating margin (EBIT), % 15.2% 15.4%

Income before tax, SEK M 2,209 2,593 17% Net income, SEK M 1,638 1,918 17% Operating cash flow, SEK M 498 824 65% Earnings per share, SEK 1.47 1.73 17%

1) The sales components Organic growth and exchange rate effects has been restated for the first quarter 2016. No effect on sales numbers.

Comments by the President and CEO

"2017 started well for ASSA ABLOY with a strong organic growth of 6% and with growth in all divisions," says Johan Molin, President and CEO. The mature markets continued to achieve a good performance, with strong growth in many of our key markets such as the USA, Scandinavia, Britain and Germany. In China, where the trend has been very negative, we saw a stabilization of demand. In the Middle East and Brazil sales fell, however. It should be noted that the quarter had two extra days as a result of the late Easter, which contributed to the strong sales.

"We saw the strongest performance in Global Technologies with a full 9% organic growth. Sales growth for electromechanical lock solutions continues to be very good in all divisions and on nearly all markets, which is very much due to our technological leadership. We saw confirmation of this at ISC WEST, the USA's most important security exhibition, where ASSA ABLOY won no fewer than ten prizes for best innovations."

"The applications of virtual keys are continuing to develop rapidly  both on the private residential market through so-called Connected Home solutions using mobile apps and on the commercial market in hotel locks, access control, virtual identities and trusted transactions, for example."

"During the quarter contracts were signed for the acquisition of seven companies, including Jerith. The company complements and strengthens our market-leading position in Perimeter Control in the USA. Jerith is a leading supplier of aluminum fencing for residential, commercial and industrial applications."

"Operating income for the quarter increased by a full 16% and amounted to SEK 2,787 M, with an operating margin of 15.4% (15.2). The margin also moved upward in all divisions apart from Asia Pacific in spite of greatly increased material prices. Normal price adjustments have been made to compensate for these. Operating cash flow improved by 65%, although the first quarter is seasonally weak."

"My judgment is that the global economic trend has improved to some degree. On most markets in North and South America and in parts of Europe there is a positive trend, but on some markets, chiefly in Asia and the Middle East, the trend is weak. However, our strategy of expanding our market presence, even on the emerging markets, remains unchanged. We are also continuing our investments in new products, especially in the growth area of electromechanics."

Further information can be obtained from:

Johan Molin,

President and CEO

Tel: +46-8-506-485-42

Carolina Dybeck Happe,

Chief Financial Officer

Tel: +46-8-506-485-72

ASSA ABLOY is holding an analysts' meeting at 10.00 today at Operaterrassen in Stockholm, Sweden.

The analysts' meeting can also be followed on the Internet at www.assaabloy.com. It is possible to submit questions by telephone on: +46-8-5055-6476, +44-203-364-5371 or +1-877-679-2993

This information is information that ASSA ABLOY AB is obliged to make public pursuant to the EU Market Abuse Regulation. The information was submitted for publication, through the agency of the contact persons set out above, at 08.00 CEST on 26 April 2017.

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

http://news.cision.com/assa-abloy/r/a-strong-start-to-2017,c2250548

The following files are available for download:

http://mb.cision.com/Main/7333/2250548/664510.pdf The full report (PDF)

SOURCE ASSA ABLOY

Related Links

http://www.assaabloy.com


The Butler Did It par Read more [...]
MEXICO CITY, April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Grupo Aeroportuario del Sureste, S.A.B. de C.V. (NYSE: ASR; BMV: ASUR) (ASUR), the first privatized airport group in Mexico and operator of Cancun Airport and eight others in the southeast of Mexico, as well as a 50% JV partner in Aerostar Airport Holdings, LLC, operator of the Luis Munoz Marin International Airport in San Juan, Puerto Rico, today announced that shareholders adopted the following resolutions and considered the following matters at the General Ordinary Shareholders' Meeting held in Mexico City on April 26th, 2017:

General Annual Ordinary

Meeting Summary of Resolutions

Approval of the report submitted by the Chief Executive Officer to the Board of Directors, accompanied by the independent auditor's report, with respect to the operations and results of the Company during the fiscal year ended December 31 st, 2016, as well as the Board of Directors' opinion regarding the content of said report.



Approval of the report submitted by the Board of Directors which contains the principal accounting and reporting policies and criteria followed in the preparation of the Company's financial information. Furthermore, note was taken of the report submitted by the Board of Directors with respect to the transactions entered into with Related Persons, Relevant Shareholders or contracts exceeding US$2,000,000.00 .



Due note was taken that the report of the activities and operations in which the Board of Directors intervened, pursuant to article 28 IV (e) of the Securities Market Law, was not prepared because during the fiscal year ended on December 31, 2016 , the Board of Directors did not intervene in any such activities or operations to be reported.



Approval of the audited individual and consolidated financial statements of the Company for the year ended December 31 st, 2016.



Approval of the report submitted by the Audit Committee of the Company with respect to its activities during the fiscal year ended December 31 st, 2016.



Approval of the activities of the Board of Directors during the year ended December 31 st, 2016.



Approval of the report on fulfillment of the tax obligations of the Company for the fiscal year ended December 31 st, 2015. Due note was taken that the report for the year ended December 31 st, 2016 has not yet been issued and will be presented for approval at the first General Shareholders' Meeting to be held after the report is issued.



Approval of an increase in the legal reserve of the Company in the amount of Ps. 181,868,396.28 (One hundred eighty-one million, eight hundred sixty-eight thousand, three hundred ninety-six pesos and twenty-eight cents , Mexican legal tender) from the accumulated net profits for the year ended December 31 st, 2016.



Approval of (i) an ordinary cash dividend from accumulated retained earnings in the amount of Ps. 6.16 ( six pesos and sixteen cents , Mexican legal tender) per share, to be paid out on or after June 15, 2017 in a single installment to each of the outstanding, common, Series "B" and "BB" shares representing the paid-in capital stock of the Company, and that are issued, subscribed, fully paid and released on such date and (ii) the taxes that the Company incurs with respect to the dividend payment.



Payment of the dividend shall be made through the variable income (Renta Variable) area of S.D. Indeval, S.A. de C.V., at its offices located at Paseo de la Reforma No. 255-3rd floor, Colonia Cuauhtemoc, 06500, Mexico City, Mexico , from Monday through Friday from 9:30 through 13:00 hours as of June 15, 2017 . Payment of the dividend shall be made against delivery of coupon "10" (ten) of the outstanding stock certificates in accordance with the terms notified to shareholders.



The dividend payment notice shall be published no later than April 27 th, 2017 in a newspaper in general circulation.



Approval of the amount of Ps. $1,607,499,529.25 (one billion, six hundred and seven million, four hundred and ninety-nine thousand, five hundred and twenty-nine pesos and twenty-five cents , Mexican legal tender) from the accumulated net profits for the year ended December 31 st, 2016, as the maximum amount that may be used by the Company to repurchase its own shares during the fiscal year 2017, pursuant to Article 56 of the Securities Market Law.



Approval of the activities of the Board of Directors, Chief Executive Officer, Secretary and Assistant Secretary during the year ended December 31 st, 2016, and release from any liability they might have incurred in the execution of their duties.



Ratification of Mr. Fernando Chico Pardo as Chairman of the Board of Directors.



Ratification of all other members and alternate members of the Board of Directors.



Ratification of non-member Secretary and Assistant Secretary of the Board of Directors.



Ratification of Mr. Ricardo Guajardo Touche as Chairman of the Audit Committee.



Ratification of Mr. Fernando Chico Pardo , Mr. Jose Antonio Perez Anton and Mr. Roberto Servitje Sendra as members of the Nominations and Compensation Committee.



Approval of the proposal made by the Nomination and Compensation Committee to pay the following compensation to the members of the management bodies of the Company:

- Each member of the Board of Directors will receive Ps. 55,000.00 (fifty-five thousand pesos 00/100 Mexican currency), plus travel expenses, if any, per meeting attended.

- Each member of the Operations Committee will receive, Ps. 55,000.00 (fifty-five thousand pesos 00/100 Mexican currency), plus travel expenses, if any, per meeting attended.

- Each member of the Nominations and Compensations Committee will receive Ps. 55,000.00 (fifty-five thousand pesos 00/100 Mexican currency), plus travel expenses, if any, per meeting attended.

- Each member of the Audit Committee will receive Ps. 77,000.00 (seventy-seven thousand pesos 00/100 Mexican Currency), plus travel expenses, if any, per meeting attended.

- Each member of the Acquisitions and Contracts Committee will receive Ps. 17,000.00 (seventeen thousand pesos 00/100 Mexican Currency), plus travel expenses, if any, per meeting attended.

Special delegates of the Ordinary Annual General Shareholders' Meeting were appointed to appear before a notary public to legalize the minutes of the meeting and to undertake any other action necessary to formalize and give effect to the resolutions taken at this meeting.

About ASUR:

Grupo Aeroportuario del Sureste, S.A.B. de C.V. (ASUR) is a Mexican airport operator with concessions to operate, maintain and develop the airports of Cancun, Merida, Cozumel, Villahermosa, Oaxaca, Veracruz, Huatulco, Tapachula and Minatitlan in the southeast of Mexico, as well as a 50% JV partner in Aerostar Airport Holdings, LLC, operator of the Luis Munoz Marin International Airport of Puerto Rico. The Company is listed both on the Mexican Bolsa, where it trades under the symbol ASUR, and on the NYSE in the U.S., where it trades under the symbol ASR. One ADS represents ten (10) series B shares.

SOURCE Grupo Aeroportuario del Sureste, S.A.B. de C.V.
DES MOINES, Iowa, April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Attorney Nick Rowley of Trial Lawyers for Justice recently commented on the tragic hit and run that occurred last night near Aurora. Chris Soules, who is known from ABC's hit show The Bachelor, allegedly rear ended a tractor and left the scene of the accident before law enforcement officers arrived. The collision sent both the tractor and Soules' truck into a nearby ditch. The driver of the tractor, Kenneth Mosher, was transported to Mercy Hospital, but has since passed away.

"Mr. Soules decision to flee the scene of the crime instead of calling for emergency medical services could have cost Mr. Mosher his life," Rowley says. "Hopefully, the state and Mr. Mosher's family take swift legal action to force Mr. Soules to face both civil and criminal penalties as a result of his selfish decision."

"The investigation is ongoing, so not much is known about Mr. Soules whereabouts before and after the accident," Rowley continues. "However, court documents revealed that investigators found alcoholic beverages or containers at the scene, indicating that Mr. Soules may have been intoxicated at the time of the accident."

"As an attorney who has won over $1 billion for victims and their families in cases against drunk drivers and other personal injury cases, I know firsthand how devastating it can be to learn that a loved one was injured or killed by an intoxicated driver," Rowley states. "Although Mr. Mosher's family is without a doubt still reeling from this tragedy, I encourage them to explore their legal options and aggressively seek justice. My heart goes out to the family and also members of the community who have lost a good Iowan."

With offices in Iowa, Minnesota, Illinois, and California, and offering legal services from coast to coast, Trial Lawyers for Justice specializes in personal injury law. Trial Lawyers for Justice is dedicated to helping clients recover the compensation they deserve for their injuries. For more information, or to schedule a consultation regarding your case, visit www.tl4j.com today.

SOURCE Trial Lawyers for Justice

Related Links

http://www.tl4j.com


DOVER, Del., April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Sharp Energy, Inc., the largest propane retailer on the Delmarva Peninsula and a subsidiary of Chesapeake Utilities Corporation (NYSE: CPK) (Chesapeake Utilities), announced today that it has constructed and placed into service an AutoGas propane fueling station for fleet vehicles located near the Baltimore/Washington International (BWI) Airport. Airport shuttles, school bus companies, and commercial fleets can use this new fueling station to power their fleets with propane, a preferred alternative fuel option that reduces emissions and yields savings.

"We're excited to add this propane fueling station to the Company's growing network of clean, reliable and affordable energy options," said Elaine B. Bittner, Chief Operating Officer of Sharp Energy, Inc. "Our AutoGas stations support Chesapeake Utilities' environmental initiatives in supplying propane, a clean burning alternative fuel, to the rapidly growing number of fleet vehicles in the area."

MBG Enterprise, a Baltimore area school bus company that has already begun using the new AutoGas station to power ten school buses, will be displacing more than 30,000 gallons of diesel a year. The company has recently added eight additional propane AutoGas-fueled buses for the start of the 2017-2018 school year.

"My family and I have been in the transportation industry for decades and we are always looking for innovative ways to make our business better," said Mitch Gunther, owner of MBG Enterprise. "We decided to make the switch to propane-powered buses last year and we could not be happier. The simplicity of fueling and the expertise Sharp Energy has in their infrastructure is fantastic; their customer support is second to none, another reason we decided to procure more propane buses this year. I look forward to working with Sharp Energy for years to come as we transition our school bus fleet."

Propane reduces carbon monoxide emissions up to 60 percent compared to diesel on a life-cycle basis while reducing smog-producing hydrocarbons by an estimated 80 percent. Substantial economic savings are achieved through fuel and maintenance cost savings. Historically, customers that have converted vehicles to propane AutoGas have saved $1.00 or more on each gallon of propane as compared to gasoline.

Sharp Energy has a dozen AutoGas stations operating in Delaware, Maryland, and Pennsylvania. "Propane AutoGas is the highest grade of commercial propane, and is the most widely used alternative to gasoline and diesel fuel in the world because of its clean, domestic and economic benefits," stated S. Robert Zola, President of Sharp Energy, Inc.

About Chesapeake Utilities Corporation

Chesapeake Utilities Corporation is a diversified energy company engaged in natural gas distribution, transmission, gathering and processing, and marketing; electricity generation and distribution; propane gas distribution; and other businesses. Information about Chesapeake Utilities Corporation's businesses is available at www.chpk.com or through our IR App.

About Sharp Energy

Sharp Energy, headquartered in Georgetown, Delaware, distributes propane to approximately 38,000 residential, commercial and industrial customers in Maryland, Delaware, Virginia and Pennsylvania. With four rail facilities and over 2,500,000 gallons of propane storage, Sharp Energy has established a solid supply portfolio. Sharp Energy is a proud partner of Alliance AutoGas, a national network of companies that have joined together to deliver a comprehensive alternative fueling solution including EPA-certified propane AutoGas vehicle conversions, on-site fueling infrastructure, fuel supply, safety and operational training, and ongoing technical support. To learn more about Sharp Energy, visit www.sharpenergy.com.

Please note that Chesapeake Utilities Corporation is not affiliated with Chesapeake Energy, an oil and natural gas exploration company headquartered in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements: Statements in this release that are not historical are forward-looking statements made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as "expect," "likely," "outlook," "forecast," "would," "could," "should," "can," "will," "project," "intend," "plan," "goal," "target," "continue," "sustain," "believe," "seek," "estimate," "anticipate," "may," "possible," "assume," variations of such words and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause actual results to vary materially from those indicated, including the factors described in Item 1A (Risk Factors) of our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, each of which is incorporated herein by reference, and in other documents that we file or furnish with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those indicated or anticipated by such forward-looking statements. Accordingly, you are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date they are made. Except to the extent required by law, the Company does not undertake, and expressly disclaims, any duty or obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statement after the date of this release, whether as a result of new information, future events, changes in assumptions or otherwise.

For more information, contact:

Mike Stock

Senior Director, Corporate Communications

Chesapeake Utilities Corporation

302.736.7808

[email protected]

SOURCE Chesapeake Utilities Corporation

Related Links

http://www.chpk.com


COLUMBUS, Ohio, April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Big Lots announced today their spring national point-of-sale campaign benefiting Nationwide Children's Hospital raised more than $2.3 million dollars. In the past 3 years, Big Lots has raised more than $8 million dollars via point-of-sale fundraising for Nationwide Children's.

"This fundraising campaign is a huge success because of the generosity of our customers and the hard work of our store associates," said David Campisi, Chief Executive Officer and President of Big Lots. "It's an extraordinary achievement for kids everywhere." Donations were accepted March 30th through April 23rd through Big Lots stores and 100 percent of dollars raised will go directly to support the hospital.

Nationwide Children's is America's largest not-for-profit freestanding pediatric healthcare system, delivering world-class care for more than 1.2 million patient visits each year. The hospital treats children all over the world and from across the nation, providing care to children in all 50 states and over 50 different countries.

"Our patients, families, and hospital staff are so humbled by the hard work, dedication, and generosity of the Big Lots associates and their customers," said Steve Allen, MD, Chief Executive Officer of Nationwide Children's Hospital. "We're honored and enormously grateful for this philanthropic partnership with Big Lots."

In addition to spearheading the Give Big for Kids campaign, on August 31, 2016, Big Lots together with the Big Lots Foundation announced a $50 million transformational gift to Nationwide Children's Hospital to support their ground breaking plans for research, treatment, and care in the underfunded need of behavioral health. The financial commitment represents the single largest financial gift of its kind to support pediatric behavioral health and with this support the Big Lots Behavioral Health Pavilion at Nationwide Children's Hospital is slated to open in 2020. The 250,000-square-foot pavilion on the hospital's main campus will foster collaboration with Nationwide Children's research teams, as well as community partner agencies to help care for children and teens with behavioral health challenges and illnesses.

About Big Lots, Inc.

Headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, Big Lots, Inc. (NYSE: BIG) is a unique, non-traditional, discount retailer operating 1,434 BIG LOTS stores in 47 states with product assortments in the merchandise categories of Furniture, Seasonal, Soft Home, Food, Consumables, Hard Home, and Electronics, Toys & Accessories. Our vision is to be recognized for providing an outstanding shopping experience for our customers, valuing and developing our associates, and creating growth for our shareholders. Big Lots supports the communities it serves through the Big Lots Foundation, a charitable organization focused on four areas of need: hunger, housing, healthcare, and education. For more information about the Company, visit www.biglots.com.

To learn more about Big Lots, speak with a company representative or arrange a store visit, contact the Big Lots Media Hotline at 1-877-614-1274. To donate please visit biglots.com/give4kids

About Nationwide Children's Hospital

Named to the Top 10 Honor Roll on U.S. News & World Report's 2016-17 list of "America's Best Children's Hospitals," Nationwide Children's Hospital is America's largest not-for-profit freestanding pediatric healthcare system providing wellness, preventive, diagnostic, treatment and rehabilitative care for infants, children and adolescents, as well as adult patients with congenital disease. Nationwide Children's has a staff of more than 11,000 providing state-of-the-art pediatric care during more than 1.2 million patient visits annually. As home to the Department of Pediatrics of the Ohio State University College of Medicine, Nationwide Children's physicians train the next generation of pediatricians and pediatric specialists. The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital is one of the Top 10 National Institutes of Healthfunded freestanding pediatric research facilities. Nationwide Children's remains true to the original mission since its founding in 1892 of providing care regardless of a family's ability to pay. More information is available at NationwideChildrens.org.

SOURCE Big Lots, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.biglots.com


GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- BISSELL knows that pets are an important part of the family. And, like kids, they come with their own special set of messes. Accidents, pet hair and odors can wreak havoc on carpetbut those stains have nothing on the new BISSELL ProHeat 2X Revolution Pet Pro carpet cleaner, the company's latest innovation in carpet cleaning. To show its love for pets and confidence in this new deep cleaning system, BISSELL is bringing the outside inside by creating a carpeted dog park in one of New York City's busiest parks.

The new BISSELL ProHeat 2X Revolution Pet Pro carpet cleaner

On Thursday, April 27, BISSELL will create its own dog park within Washington Square Park, setting up plush carpets, couches and chairs and letting them go to the dogsliterally. The park will be open to the public from 2-7 p.m., where pups will be encouraged to get dirty and have some fun. That's where the Revolution Pet Pro comes ina crew will be on standby to tackle any and all messes the dogs create.

In addition to the park being open to the public, dogs from Animal Haven Shelter will be available at the park for adoption on-site. A portion of every pet-specific BISSELL product sale supports the efforts of BISSELL Pet Foundation (BPF), helping to reduce the number of animals in shelters and rescues and finding a loving home for every pet. In 2017 BISSELL will donate more than $1 million to BPF.

"At BISSELL, we understand that pets are part of the family and they go where we go. A lot of messes get tracked in from outside, so we wanted to show the awesome capabilities of the new Revolution Pet Pro by bringing a little bit of the indoors, outside," said Scott Smith, Brand Manager at BISSELL. "This system is our best defense against any mess your pet can get into or odor they bring inside."

The ProHeat 2X Revolution Pet Pro tackles everyday stains like tracked-in mud, dirt and food spills, but also combats pet-specific messes, such as pet stains, odors and hair, in an innovative way that other carpet cleaners don't. Its lightweight, maneuverable body outcleans the leading rental cleaner* in Deep Clean mode, using two rotating power brushes combined with Heatwave Technology to remove dirt and stains. If carpets need to be cleaned quickly, its Express Clean Mode** will leave carpets clean, dry and dazzling in just about an hour.

The entire ProHeat 2X Revolution Pet Pro system includes:

The CleanShot pre-treater targets and removes spots and stains

The 2-in-1 Pet Upholstery Tool to remove pet hair, stains and odors from upholstery

A trial-size BISSELL Professional Pet Urine Eliminator + Oxy Formula that removes tough pet stains and smellseven skunk odor!

To learn more, please visit www.bissell.com. The ProHeat 2X Revolution Pet Pro is available at major retailers with a MSRP of $249.99.

About BISSELL Homecare, Inc.

For 140 years and counting, Michigan-based BISSELL Homecare, Inc. has developed innovative floor care solutions that make cleaning easier. As the top-selling brand in floor care appliances based on NPD unit sales, BISSELL understands that fuller lives often mean more messes, and that convenient cleaning tools help us embrace life's messier moments. Now in its fourth generation of family leadership, the company supplies households across the globe with vacuums, sweepers, carpet-cleaning machines, hard floor cleaners and cleaning formulas. For more on the complete line of BISSELL products, visit www.bissell.com.

*Deep Clean Mode - Using BISSELL Professional Pet Urine Eliminator + Oxy Formula. Based upon measurements of color reflectance and brightness of carpet fibers compared to the leading rental with their best-selling formula.

**Express Clean Mode - Tested on new carpet with protectant. Results may vary.

SOURCE BISSELL Homecare, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.bissell.com


BOSTON, April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The Boston Beer Company, Inc. (NYSE: SAM) reported first quarter 2017 net revenue of $161.7 million, a decrease of $27.1 million or 14% from the same period last year, mainly due to a decline in shipments of 15%, partially offset by price increases. Net income for the first quarter was $5.7 million, or $0.45 per diluted share, a decrease of $1.3 million or $0.08 per diluted share from the first quarter of 2016. This decrease was primarily due to decreases in net revenue and a decrease in gross margin that were only partially offset by decreases in operating expenses and a tax benefit of $0.28 per diluted share resulting from the adoption of the new Accounting Standard "Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting" ("ASU 2016-09"), which was effective for the company on January 1, 2017.

Highlights of this release include:

Depletions decreased 14% from the comparable 13-week period in 2016.

Full-year depletion and shipment change continues to be estimated at between minus 7% and plus 1%. The 2017 fiscal year includes 52 weeks compared to the 2016 fiscal year which included 53 weeks.

First quarter gross margin was 47.2% compared to 48.5% in the first quarter of 2016 and the Company maintains its full year gross margin target of between 51% and 52%.

Advertising, promotional and selling expenses in the first quarter decreased $5.5 million or 9% compared to the first quarter of 2016, primarily due to lower point-of-sale spending and freight to distributors.

or 9% compared to the first quarter of 2016, primarily due to lower point-of-sale spending and freight to distributors. Based on current spending and investment plans, estimated full year 2017 earnings per diluted share remains at between $4.20 and $6.20 , excluding the impact of ASU 2016-09.

Jim Koch, Chairman and Founder of the Company, commented, "Our total company depletions continued to decline in the first quarter. These declines were mostly caused by weakness in the Samuel Adams brand, especially our seasonal beers, and a general softening of the craft beer category that continues to be very competitive. New craft brewers continue to enter the market and existing craft brewers are expanding their distribution and tap rooms, with the result that drinkers are seeing more choices. During the quarter, we introduced several new beers, including our second spring seasonal, Samuel Adams Fresh as Helles, Samuel Adams Rebel Juiced IPA and a refreshed Samuel Adams Rebel IPA. We are currently rolling out our summer seasonal, Samuel Adams Summer Ale, which is now in its twenty-second year and is still the leading summer seasonal beer in the craft industry. We believe that we are well positioned to meet the longer-term challenges of this competitive environment, through the quality of our beers, our innovation capability and our sales execution strength, coupled with our strong financial position that enables us to invest in growing our brands. Our leadership team is making strides to address these challenges and, in our search to find a successor to Martin, who has announced plans to retire in 2018, our Board is focused on identifying someone to lead this team who will be able to harness and accelerate the positive steps that we are taking. I am excited by the opportunities ahead of us and continue to be optimistic about our future."

Martin Roper, the Company's President and CEO stated, "Our depletions decline in the first quarter was primarily due to decreases in our Samuel Adams and Angry Orchard brands that were only partially offset by increases in our Twisted Tea and Truly Spiked & Sparkling brands. We are excited that Twisted Tea continues to grow distribution and pull, and that Truly Spiked & Sparkling is well positioned as a leader in the emerging segment of hard sparkling water. Most of our volume declines for the quarter resulted from the underperformance of our 2017 spring seasonals, Samuel Adams Hopscape and Samuel Adams Fresh as Helles, compared to Samuel Adams Cold Snap last year. The weakness in our two new spring seasonals seems to have resulted from a combination of drinker confusion at retail, acceptability of these seasonal beer styles and the timing of our seasonal transitions compared to last year. We took our learnings from Hopscape and applied them to Fresh as Helles and saw improved pull, but still significantly lower volumes than our seasonal volumes during those same weeks last year. The Angry Orchard and cider category trends, while declining, continue to improve and we have maintained our high share of off-premise tracked channels. The second quarter will see several investments including new and increased Angry Orchard media, Samuel Adams Summer Ale specific media and programming, significant media investment for Truly Spiked & Sparkling, and tactical pricing in key markets to address competitor initiatives and secure key holiday activation. The trends for larger craft beer brands and the cider category remain very difficult to predict and, as a result, we have maintained our broad guidance on full year depletion volumes and earnings. We are optimistic for future craft beer and cider category growth and we are taking steps to ensure that we are well positioned to benefit from that growth. We are committed to investing in the opportunities that we see with all our brands and remain prepared to forsake short-term earnings, as we invest to return to long-term profitable growth."

Mr. Roper continued, "Our priorities for 2017 remain unchanged. Our number one priority is returning both Samuel Adams and Angry Orchard to growth through continued packaging, innovation, promotion and brand communication initiatives, while maintaining Twisted Tea's momentum. Our second priority is a focus on cost savings and efficiency projects to fund the investments needed to grow our brands, including the increased investments planned in the second quarter. We have adjusted our organization to the new volume environment, while preserving the capability to innovate and return to growth. This includes adjusting short-term brewery capacity, organizational alignment behind brand and market priorities, changes to our spending policies and behaviors, and significant improvement in yields and efficiency across our supply chain. Based on these efforts, we are maintaining our previously stated goal of increasing our gross margins by about one percentage point per year over the next three years, before any mix or volume impacts, while preserving our quality and improving our service levels. Our third priority is long-term innovation, where our current focus is ensuring that Truly Spiked & Sparkling maintains its leadership position in its segment and reaches its full potential."

1st Quarter 2017 Summary of Results

Depletions declined 14% from the comparable 13-week period in the prior year. Shipment volume was approximately 707,000 barrels, a 15% decrease from the comparable 13-week period in the prior year.

The Company believes distributor inventory as of April 1, 2017 was at an appropriate level. Inventory as of April 1, 2017 at distributors participating in the Freshest Beer Program decreased slightly in terms of days of inventory on hand when compared to March 26, 2016. The Company has approximately 78% of its volume on the Freshest Beer Program.

Gross margin at 47.2% decreased from the 48.5% margin realized in the first quarter of 2016, primarily due to unfavorable fixed cost absorption and product mix effects, partially offset by cost saving initiatives in the Company's breweries and price increases.

Advertising, promotional and selling expenses decreased $5.5 million compared to the first quarter of 2016, primarily due to lower point-of-sale costs and freight to distributors.

General and administrative expenses decreased by $2.5 million from the first quarter of 2016, primarily due to decreases in stock compensation, salaries and benefits and consulting costs.

During the first quarter, the Company recorded a net income tax benefit of $1.7 million, which consists of a $3.6 million tax benefit related to stock option exercises upon the adoption of ASU 2016-09, partially offset by other income tax expense of $1.9 million. The Company's effective tax rate for the first quarter, excluding the impact of the adoption of ASU 2016-09, increased to 46.8% from 36.3% in the first quarter of 2016.

The Company expects that its April 1, 2017 cash balance of $59.9 million, together with its future operating cash flows and its available $150.0 million line of credit, will be sufficient to fund future cash requirements.

During the first quarter and the period from April 2, 2017 through April 21, 2017, the Company repurchased approximately 283,000 shares of its Class A Common Stock for an aggregate purchase price of approximately $43.3 million. As of April 21, 2017, the Company had approximately $130.0 million remaining on the $781.0 million share buyback expenditure limit set by the Board of Directors.

Depletion estimates

Year-to-date depletions through the fifteen weeks ended April 15, 2017 are estimated by the Company to have decreased approximately 13% from the comparable period in 2016.

Fiscal 2017 Outlook

The Company currently projects full year 2017 earnings per diluted share to be between $4.20 and $6.20, reflecting the uncertain volume outlook. This projection excludes the impact of ASU 2016-09. The Company's actual 2017 earnings per share could vary significantly from the current projection. The 2017 fiscal year includes 52 weeks compared to the 2016 fiscal year which included 53 weeks. Underlying the Company's current 2017 projection are the following full-year estimates and targets:

Depletions and shipments percentage change of between minus 7% and plus 1%.

National price increases of between 1% and 2%.

Gross margin of between 51% and 52%, increasing during the year due to progress on the cost saving initiatives.

Increased investments in advertising, promotional and selling expenses of between $20 million and $30 million . This does not include any changes in freight costs for the shipment of products to the Company's distributors.

. This does not include any changes in freight costs for the shipment of products to the Company's distributors. Effective tax rate of approximately 37%, excluding the impact of ASU 2016-09. The Company is not planning to provide forward guidance on the impact that ASU 2016-09 will have on the Company's 2017 financial statements and full-year effective tax rate, as this will mainly depend upon unpredictable future events, including the timing and value realized upon the exercise of stock options versus the fair value of those options when granted.

Estimated capital spending of between $30 million and $50 million , most of which relates to continued investments in the Company's breweries. This estimate is a decrease from the previously communicated range of $40 million to $60 million .

About the Company

The Boston Beer Company, Inc. (NYSE: SAM) began in 1984 and today brews more than 60 styles of Samuel Adams beer. Our portfolio of brands also includes Angry Orchard Hard Cider, Twisted Tea, Truly Spiked & Sparkling, as well as several other craft beer brands brewed by A&S Brewing, our craft beer incubator. For more information, please visit our investor relations website at www.bostonbeer.com, which includes links to all of our respective brand websites.

Forward-Looking Statements

Statements made in this press release that state the Company's or management's intentions, hopes, beliefs, expectations or predictions of the future are forward-looking statements. It is important to note that the Company's actual results could differ materially from those projected in such forward-looking statements. Additional information concerning factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements is contained from time to time in the Company's SEC filings, including, but not limited to, the Company's report on Form 10-K for the years ended December 31, 2016 and December 26, 2015. Copies of these documents may be found on the Company's website, www.bostonbeer.com, or obtained by contacting the Company or the SEC.

THE BOSTON BEER COMPANY, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (in thousands, except per share data) (unaudited)



















Thirteen weeks ended







April 1,

March 26,







2017

2016















Barrels sold



707

834















Revenue



$ 172,437

$ 202,009

Less excise taxes



10,742

13,182

Net revenue



161,695

188,827

Cost of goods sold



85,351

97,296

Gross profit



76,344

91,531

Operating expenses:











Advertising, promotional and selling expenses



53,754

59,249

General and administrative expenses



18,562

21,045

Total operating expenses



72,316

80,294

Operating income



4,028

11,237

Other income (expense), net:











Interest income, net



84

23

Other expense, net



(72)

(219)

Total other income (expense), net



12

(196)

Income before income tax (benefit) provision



4,040

11,041

Income tax (benefit) provision



(1,671)

4,009

Net income



$ 5,711

$ 7,032















Net income per common share - basic



$ 0.46

$ 0.55

Net income per common share - diluted



$ 0.45

$ 0.53















Weighted-average number of common shares - Class A basic



9,230

9,375

Weighted-average number of common shares - Class B basic



3,170

3,367

Weighted-average number of common shares - diluted



12,516

13,088















Net income



$ 5,711

$ 7,032

Other comprehensive income:











Foreign currency translation adjustment



-

(4)

Comprehensive income



$ 5,711

$ 7,028































THE BOSTON BEER COMPANY, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

(in thousands, except share data)

(unaudited)





















April 1,

December 31,







2017

2016















Assets







Current Assets:











Cash and cash equivalents



$ 59,893

$ 91,035

Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts of $4 and











$0 as of April 1, 2017 and December 31, 2016, respectively



35,314

36,694

Inventories



54,444

52,499

Prepaid expenses and other current assets



9,524

8,731

Income tax receivable



6,898

4,928

Total current assets



166,073

193,887















Property, plant and equipment, net



404,426

408,411

Other assets



12,773

9,965

Goodwill



3,683

3,683

Total assets



$ 586,955

$ 615,946















Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity







Current Liabilities:











Accounts payable



$ 36,072

$ 40,585

Accrued expenses and other current liabilities



48,406

60,934

Total current liabilities



84,478

101,519















Deferred income taxes, net



57,378

57,261

Other liabilities



9,688

10,584

Total liabilities



151,544

169,364















Commitments and Contingencies

























Stockholders' Equity:











Class A Common Stock, $.01 par value; 22,700,000 shares authorized;











9,245,882 and 9,170,956 issued and outstanding as of April 1, 2017











and December 31, 2016, respectively



92

92

Class B Common Stock, $.01 par value; 4,200,000 shares authorized;











3,097,355 and 3,197,355 issued and outstanding as of April 1, 2017



31

32

and December 31, 2016, respectively











Additional paid-in capital



366,297

349,913

Accumulated other comprehensive loss, net of tax



(1,102)

(1,103)

Retained earnings



70,093

97,648

Total stockholders' equity



435,411

446,582

Total liabilities and stockholders' equity



$ 586,955

$ 615,946































THE BOSTON BEER COMPANY, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASHFLOWS

(in thousands)

(unaudited)







Thirteen-weeks ended







April 1,

March 26,







2017

2016















Cash flows (used in) provided by operating activities:











Net income



$ 5,711

$ 7,032

Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash (used in) provided by operating activities:









Depreciation and amortization



12,724

12,029

Loss on disposal of property, plant and equipment



27

303

Bad debt expense (recovery)



4

(33)

Stock-based compensation expense



1,581

2,686

Excess tax benefit from stock-based compensation arrangements



-

(3,839)

Deferred income taxes



117

351

Changes in operating assets and liabilities:











Accounts receivable



1,376

(6,166)

Inventories



(4,799)

(5,275)

Prepaid expenses, income tax receivable and other assets



(2,784)

8,165

Accounts payable



(6,254)

3,825

Accrued expenses and other current liabilities



(12,595)

(8,282)

Other liabilities



(148)

(1,529)

Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities



(5,040)

9,267















Cash flows used in investing activities:











Purchases of property, plant and equipment



(6,981)

(13,011)

Proceeds from disposal of property, plant and equipment



7

-

Decrease in restricted cash



16

56

Net cash used in investing activities



(6,958)

(12,955)















Cash flows used in financing activities:











Repurchase of Class A Common Stock



(33,268)

(63,775)

Proceeds from exercise of stock options



13,869

20,347

Cash paid on note payable



(60)

(58)

Excess tax benefit from stock-based compensation arrangements



-

3,839

Net proceeds from sale of investment shares



315

270

Net cash used in financing activities



(19,144)

(39,377)















Change in cash and cash equivalents



(31,142)

(43,065)















Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year



91,035

94,193















Cash and cash equivalents at end of period



$ 59,893

$ 51,128















Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information:











Income taxes paid



$ 225

$ 1,963

Income taxes refunded



$ 2

$ 12,000

Increase in accounts payable for purchase of property, plant and equipment



$ 1,741

$ 1,628

Decrease in accounts payable for repurchase of Class A Common Stock



$ -

$ (3,000)





























Copies of The Boston Beer Company's press releases, including quarterly financial results,

are available on the Internet at www.bostonbeer.com

















SOURCE The Boston Beer Company, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.samueladams.com


LAKE SUCCESS, N.Y., April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. (NYSE:BR) announced today that it has appointed Deborah A. Bussiere as Global Chief Marketing Officer, effective May 8.

In this role, Bussiere will be responsible for directing Broadridge's global marketing functions, including execution of the company's brand strategy, product marketing efforts, corporate communications, and digital and social media marketing. She will report to Chris Perry, President of Global Sales, Marketing and Client Solutions, Broadridge.

"Deborah is a proven leader with an extensive background in developing high-impact marketing and business development strategies," said Perry. "As Broadridge celebrates its ten-year anniversary as a public company in 2017, Deborah is well suited to play a significant role in driving revenue, relationships and reputation as we look to future growth opportunities over the next decade."

"I'm thrilled to join a world class team and contribute to the evolution of the Broadridge brand and the expansion of our market share," Bussiere said. "Broadridge stands apart as an industry leader, for its scale of capabilities and its breadth and depth of services, as well as, being a leading developer of innovative solutions, such as our blockchain-based proxy applications and our digital communications network.

"As Broadridge looks to grow and build transformative capabilities for the industry, we must add dynamic experienced professionals, and Deborah fits that profile. We are truly excited to welcome her to Broadridge," said Richard J. Daly, President and Chief Executive Officer of Broadridge.

As a global fin-tech company, Broadridge is a leading provider of technology and operations, communications, and data and analytic solutions to financial services firms and corporations. It is at the forefront of helping clients engage customers, navigate risk, optimize efficiency and accelerate growth in a rapidly changing and challenging business environment.

Bussiere brings nearly two decades of financial services experience to Broadridge. Most recently, she served as interim Chief Marketing Officer for several financial technology firms including Grayscale Investments, a trusted authority on digital currency investing.

Previously, she was Chief Marketing Officer for EY, a role in which she directed strategy, vision and execution for all marketing, communications, digital and social media, public relations and client event functions across the Americas. Bussiere also held several senior roles at EY including leading the Global Financial Services marketing team and acting as the Americas Financial Services Business Development Operations Leader.

About Broadridge

Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. (NYSE:BR) is a leading provider of investor communications and technology-driven solutions for broker-dealers, banks, mutual funds and other corporations. Broadridge's investor and customer communications, securities processing and managed services solutions help clients reduce their capital investments in operations infrastructure, allowing them to increase their focus on core business activities. With more than 50 years of experience, Broadridge' s infrastructure underpins proxy voting services for over 90% of public companies and mutual funds in North America and processes on average $5 trillion in equity and fixed income trades per day. Broadridge employs approximately 10,000 associates in 16 countries.

For more information about Broadridge, please visit www.broadridge.com.

Contact Information:

Media:

Gregg Rosenberg

Head of Corporate Communications

+1 212-918-6966

[email protected]

Brett Philbin

Edelman

+1 212-704-8263

[email protected]

Investors:

W. Edings Thibault

Head of Investor Relations

+1 516-472-5129

[email protected]

SOURCE Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.broadridge.com


"Today's groundbreaking is an important milestone for this project and our Cargill Memphis campus as it demonstrates our ongoing commitment to Tennessee, Shelby County and Memphis. It also expands our pledge to aquaculture as an increasingly important source of food," said Cargill Managing Director Mike Wagner.

"FeedKind protein is a new sustainable feed ingredient that is critical to helping meet sharply rising global demand for food," said Alan Shaw, Ph.D., Calysta President and CEO. "We are delighted to partner with Cargill and the Memphis community to launch construction of our first commercial scale manufacturing plant. This is the next step in bringing this important product to markets throughout the world."

Upon completion, NouriTech will occupy 37 acres of Cargill's 69-acre property on President's Island, employ approximately 160 full-time team members and produce approximately 200,000 metric tons of FeedKind annually. The first phase of construction is expected to be completed in 2018, with the plant online in 2019. The second phase of construction will be completed in 2020.

State and community representatives spoke at the ceremony, including Tennessee Economic and Community Development Commissioner Bob Rolfe; Shelby County Mayor Mark H. Luttrell, Jr.; Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland; and Greater Memphis Chamber President Phil Trenary.

"It is great to see NouriTech break ground on its new Memphis facility," said Tennessee Economic and Community Development Commissioner Bob Rolfe. "The company announced plans in November 2016 to locate its new manufacturing facility in Shelby County and create many news jobs, and it is exciting to see NouriTech start the process of building this new facility. I look forward to seeing NouriTech continue to succeed in Tennessee and in the city of Memphis."

"We're delighted about NouriTech's decision to expand its mission in our community. It's a thriving company that now has a new name and a new logo that will be known to people throughout the world," said Shelby County Mayor Mark H. Luttrell, Jr. "NouriTech has invested its corporate resources here which will create many new jobs and strengthen our business community."

"We're proud to have played a unique role in enabling NouriTech to create new jobs here in Memphis," said Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland. "I'm proud this innovative venture decided that Memphis was the best place for it to grow, and I'm so glad to have another example of the momentum we're seeing in our city."

"Memphis has established itself as a major center for advanced manufacturing, and we welcome the NouriTech brand to this community, bringing new jobs and investment to Memphis," said Greater Memphis Chamber President and CEO, Phil Trenary.

NouriTech's 37-acre site will feature:

A one-story administration building that will house technicians, engineers, supervisory and management staff.

Twenty fermenters, each similar in size to a football field end zone. Two fermenters are expected to be installed in the first phase of construction and up to an additional 18 in the second phase.

Several dryers, each approximately the height of a six-story building. One dryer will be built and used for the first phase of construction and the remaining dryers will be built in phase two.

Several kilometers of piping.

Various processing, filtration and product handling and loading equipment.

An architectural rendering of the completed plant was shared at the ground breaking ceremony. The team responsible for making the NouriTech vision a reality includes Black & Veatch, a leading engineering, consulting and construction company, and various equipment and technology providers.

About NouriTech

NouriTech, Memphis, Tenn., is a venture formed in 2016 through investments from Cargill, Calysta and several third-party institutions. The venture is building the world's largest gas fermentation facility, which is expected to come online in 2019. The facility is expected to initially produce up to 20,000 metric tons per year of FeedKind protein and expand to up to 200,000 metric tons per year when operating at full capacity.

About Calysta

Calysta, Menlo Park, Calif., is an innovator in sustainable products to improve worldwide food security. Calysta develops and commercializes FeedKind protein, a sustainable, traceable alternative feed ingredient for fish, livestock and pet nutritional products.

About Cargill

Cargill provides food, agriculture, financial and industrial products and services to the world. Together with farmers, customers, governments and communities, we help people thrive by applying our insights and 150 years of experience. We have 150,000 employees in 70 countries who are committed to feeding the world in a responsible way, reducing environmental impact and improving the communities where we live and work. For more information, visit Cargill.com and our News Center.

SOURCE Cargill

Related Links

http://www.cargill.com


LONDON, April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Continual introduction of innovative products coupled with increasing need for early diagnosis of the disease is the prime factor driving the market growth. In addition, rapid growth of the sector is attributed to the penetration of technologically advanced laboratory systems that have improved oncological screening in yielding accurate outcomes. Rising incidence of cancer is triggering the demand for these screening tests and imaging modalities that are used for monitoring disease progression.



Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/4838571/



Collaborative and independent initiatives led by governments and companies are striving to raise cognizance about the benefits of early diagnosis of the disease. In addition, cancer research organizations along with public and private entities are investing heavily on research projects to launch advanced diagnostic tools in the market, which are capable of diagnosing the disease way before the symptoms appear.



Furthermore, giant players are collaborating with governments and other agencies to enhance patient accessibility of their products. For instance, Illumina, Inc. launched a new venture named GRAIL with investors, Jeff Bezos and Bill Gates, with an investment of more than $100 million. GRAIL is mainly focused on blood-based oncological screening for timely diagnosis of the most common tumor types through simple laboratory tests.



Further Key Findings from the Study Suggest:

Rapid adoption of technology and escalating need for early diagnosis is augmenting the growth of the imaging systems space. Thus, the segment is expected to grow at the fastest CAGR at over 8.0% during the forecast period.

The breast cancer segment, among other application segments, accounted for the largest share due to the high incidence rate of breast cancer triggering the need for its early diagnosis.

In 2016, North America dominated the global space with the largest revenue share of more than 41%. Focused research efforts in oncology for the development of early tumor detection tools coupled with grants from government healthcare agencies are contributing to a strong medical ecosystem to fight cancer in this region.

Asia Pacific is expected to emerge as the fastest growing region during the forecast period. The growing patient pool in India, China, and Japan; due to the support in diagnostic process at comparatively lower prices; and a favorable regulatory framework are some of the factors boosting the market growth in this region.



Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/4838571/



About Reportbuyer

Reportbuyer is a leading industry intelligence solution that provides all market research reports from top publishers

http://www.reportbuyer.com



For more information:

Sarah Smith

Research Advisor at Reportbuyer.com

Email: [email protected]

Tel: +44 208 816 85 48

Website: www.reportbuyer.com

SOURCE ReportBuyer

Related Links

http://www.reportbuyer.com


WICHITA, Kan., April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Cargill has reached an agreement to sell its beef cattle feed yards at Leoti, Kan., and Yuma, Colo., to Omaha-based Green Plains Inc., a vertically integrated ethanol producer with existing feed yards at Kismet, Kan., and Hereford, Texas. The transaction will be finalized once a definitive agreement and regulatory review are complete.

Green Plains will supply cattle to Cargill through a new multiyear agreement. The approximately 90 people currently employed at Cargill's Colorado and Kansas feed yards will be offered positions with Green Plains. The feed yards being sold have a capacity of approximately 155,000 cattle at any point in time.

"Selling our two remaining feed yards aligns with our protein growth focus by allowing us to redeploy working capital away from cattle feeding operations to other investments," said John Keating, president of Cargill's Wichita-based protein business operations and supply chain. "By partnering with Green Plains in a multiyear supply agreement, the Yuma and Leoti yards will continue to supply cattle to our beef processing facilities at Fort Morgan, Colo., and Dodge City, Kan., ensuring consistent, high-quality beef products for our customers."

Over the past two years, Cargill has announced approximately $560 million in acquisitions and capital investments to grow its North American protein business.

"We are committed to being the leading protein provider that nourishes people, animals and the planet in a safe, responsible and sustainable way while exceeding the expectations of our customers," added Keating. "We have great positive growth momentum and are confident it will continue to accelerate as we continue to help our customers' and suppliers' businesses, communities and colleagues thrive."

About Cargill

Cargill provides food, agriculture, financial and industrial products and services to the world. Together with farmers, customers, governments and communities, we help people thrive by applying our insights and 150 years of experience. We have 150,000 employees in 70 countries who are committed to feeding the world in a responsible way, reducing environmental impact and improving the communities where we live and work. For more information, visit Cargill.com and our News Center.

SOURCE Cargill

Related Links

http://www.cargill.com


HOUSTON, April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Carriage Services, Inc. (NYSE: CSV) today announced record results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2017.

Mel Payne, Chief Executive Officer, stated, "Our first quarter performance of 2017 was also the first quarter performance of our second five year timeframe of Carriage's Good To Great Journey that never ends. A more relevant first quarter (century) for long term investors was the first 25 years of Carriage's history, which was covered in my recent shareholder letter titled, The Evolution Of Our Learning Journey.

Our Total Revenue in the first quarter increased 7.6% to a record $68.1 million, and while our Adjusted Consolidated EBITDA of $20.5 million and Adjusted Net Income of $8.1 million were also records, both of these earnings metrics grew only nominally over last year as we brought less of the revenue growth to the bottom line. Our diluted earnings metrics, i.e. GAAP EPS of $0.39 and Adjusted EPS of $0.45, were negatively impacted by a dilution factor of 8.6% related to the share count methodology for our convertible subordinated notes.

We view the first quarter performance as a "glass half full" because the few concentrated operational areas of relative weakness are opportunities to get better in the near term, as we are continuously addressing areas of leadership weakness so that they turn into Right Who sustained high performance strengths in the future.

First quarter highlights are shown below:

Three Months Ended March 31, 2017 compared to Three Months Ended March 31, 2016

Record Total Revenue of $68.1 million , an increase of 7.6%;

, an increase of 7.6%; Record Net Income of $7.1 million , an increase of 55.0%;

, an increase of 55.0%; Record GAAP Diluted Earnings Per Share of $0.39 , an increase of 44.4%;





, an increase of 44.4%; Record Total Field EBITDA of $29.5 million , an increase of 6.6%;

, an increase of 6.6%; Total Field EBITDA Margin down 40 basis points to 43.3%;

Record Adjusted Consolidated EBITDA of $20.5 million , an increase of 3.3%;

, an increase of 3.3%; Adjusted Consolidated EBITDA Margin down 120 basis points to 30.2%;

Record Adjusted Net Income of $8.1 million , an increase of 1.8%; and

, an increase of 1.8%; and Adjusted Diluted Earnings Per Share of $0.45 , a decrease of 4.3%.

Our Total Overhead was about $1 million higher in the first quarter than originally anticipated, as we reorganized our corporate functions toward the end of last year and have since added substantial new leadership talent to critical functional areas to position us for better execution of our three core models over the next five years. In particular, we made substantial leadership investments in Operations, Strategic and Corporate Development and Information Technology, as well as incurred one-time expenses related to a tax strategy project and terminations.

The really good news about the first quarter of 2017 was that it was the first time in memory that our Consolidated EBITDA and Consolidated EBTIDA Margin of $20.5 million and 30.2%, respectively, was the same as our Adjusted Consolidated EBITDA and Adjusted Consolidated EBITDA Margin, meaning that we are "free at last" from confusing Non-GAAP noise. We are intensely focused on sustaining a high performance for the remainder of the year and thereafter consistent with our 2017 theme, "Carriage Services 2017: Owning the Future, Accelerating the Good to Great Journey!"

Listed below are High Performance Hero Managing Partners and Houston Support role models leading us during the first quarter on our Good To Great Journey," concluded Mr. Payne.

Bob Prindiville Bright Funeral Home & Cremation Center; Wake Forest, NC James Bass Emerald Coast/McLaughlin Mortuaries; Ft. Walton Beach, FL Wayne Lovelace Lotz Funeral Home; Vinton, VA Patrick Schoen Jacob Schoen & Son Funeral Home; New Orleans, LA Curtis Ottinger Heritage Funeral Home; Chattanooga, TN John Bresnahan Devanny-Condron Funeral; Pittsfield, MA Bryan Hardwick Bryan & Hardwick Funeral Home; Zanesville, OH Andy Shemwell Maddux-Fuqua-Hinton Funeral Homes; Hopkinsville, KY Ashley Vella Deegan Funeral Chapels; Escalon, CA Justin Luyben Evans Brown Mortuaries; Sun City, CA Joseph Newkirk West Contra Costa Group; Richmond, CA Cliff Pope Havenbrook Funeral Home; Norman, OK Nicholas Welzenbach Los Gatos Memorial Park; San Jose, CA Winnie Hurston Houston Support - Executive Assistant to Mel Payne

TRUST FUND PERFORMANCE

Shown below are consolidated performance metrics for the combined trust fund portfolios (preneed funeral, cemetery merchandise and services and cemetery perpetual care) at key dates.

Investment Performance



Investment Performance(1)

Index Performance



Discretionary Total Trust

S&P 500

Stock Index High Yield

Index 70/30 index

Benchmark(2)















3 months ended 03/31/2017

3.1% 2.9%

6.1% 2.7% 3.7% 1 year ended 12/31/2016

19.7% 18.3%

12.0% 17.6% 15.9% 2 years ended 12/31/2016

16.0% 15.1%

13.5% 12.0% 12.4% 3 years ended 12/31/2016

25.7% 24.2%

28.9% 14.8% 19.0% 4 years ended 12/31/2016

43.6% 41.2%

70.6% 23.4% 37.6% 5 years ended 12/31/2016

72.8% 65.4%

97.8% 42.6% 59.2%

















(1) Investment performance includes realized income and unrealized appreciation. (2) The 70/30 Benchmark is 70% weighted to the High Yield Index and 30% weighted to the S&P 500 Stock Index.

Asset Allocation as of March 31, 2017 (in thousands)





Discretionary

Trust Funds

Total

Trust Funds Asset Class



MV

%

MV

% Cash



$ 23,706

12%

$ 38,976

17% Equities



47,308

24%

49,895

22% Fixed Income



123,241

62%

134,378

59% Other/Insurance



3,315

2%

3,507

2% Total Portfolios



$ 197,570

100%

$ 226,756

100%

For the three months ended March 31, 2017, Carriage's discretionary trust funds returned 3.1% versus 3.7% for the 70/30 index benchmark.

The performance of our preneed trust fund portfolio in the first quarter was in line with our expectations and reflected no change in our overall portfolio strategy.

ADJUSTED FREE CASH FLOW

We produced Adjusted Free Cash Flow from operations for the three months ended March 31, 2017 of $6.4 million compared to Adjusted Free Cash Flow from operations of $12.2 million for the corresponding period in 2016. The decrease in Adjusted Free Cash Flow during the first quarter of 2017 reflected less Non-GAAP noise, along with a final payment for the severance of a former executive and the first five-year payment for our Good To Great incentive compensation award.

A reconciliation of Cash Flow Provided by Operations to Adjusted Free Cash Flow for the three months ended March 31, 2017 and 2016 is as follows (in thousands):



For the Three Months

Ended March 31,

2016

2017 Cash Flow Provided by Operations $ 10,233



$ 8,159

Cash used for Maintenance Capital Expenditures (1,618)



(1,773)

Free Cash Flow $ 8,615



$ 6,386









Plus: Incremental Special Items:





Acquisition and Divestiture Expenses 516





Severance Costs 2,759





Consulting Fees 268





Adjusted Free Cash Flow $ 12,158



$ 6,386



ROLLING FOUR QUARTER OUTLOOK

The Rolling Four Quarter Outlook ("Outlook") reflects management's opinion on the performance of the portfolio of existing businesses, including performance of existing trusts, and excludes size and timing of acquisitions for the Rolling Four Quarter Outlook period ending March 31, 2018 unless we have a signed Letter of Intent and high likelihood of a closing within 90 days. This Outlook is not intended to be management estimates or forecasts of our future performance, as we believe precise estimates will be precisely wrong all the time. Rather our intent and goal is to reflect a "roughly right range" most of the time of future Rolling Four Quarter Outlook performance as we execute our Standards Operating, Strategic Acquisition and 4E Leadership Models over time.

Similarly, we self-publish a Company and Investment Profile, available on our website, that includes a Five Year "Roughly Right Scenario" of our future performance which together with our Five Year Trend Report provides investors a ten year past and future profile of our financial value creation dynamics and condition, making it easier to judge whether our "trends will continue to be the friend" of long term investors.

We are reaffirming our Rolling Four Quarter Outlook of Adjusted Diluted Earnings Per Share range of $1.73 - $1.77 for the period ending March 31, 2018.

ROLLING FOUR QUARTER OUTLOOK  Period Ending March 31, 2018





Range

(in millions, except per share amounts) Revenues

$263 - $267 Adjusted Consolidated EBITDA

$79 - $83 Adjusted Net Income

$30 - $32 Adjusted Basic Earnings Per Share

$1.84 - $1.88 Adjusted Diluted Earnings Per Share(1)

$1.73 - $1.77

Factors affecting our analysis include, among others, funeral contract volumes, average revenue per funeral service, cemetery interment volumes, preneed cemetery sales, capital expenditures, execution of our funeral and cemetery Standards Operating Model, market volatility and changes in Federal Reserve monetary policy. Revenues, Adjusted Consolidated EBITDA, Adjusted Net Income, Adjusted Basic Earnings Per Share and Adjusted Diluted Earnings Per Share for the four quarter period ending March 31, 2018 are expected to improve relative to the trailing four quarter period ended March 31, 2017 due to increases in our existing Funeral Home and Cemetery portfolio and modest decreases in overhead as a percentage of revenue.

(1) The Rolling Four Quarter Outlook on Adjusted Diluted Earnings Per Share does not include any changes to our fully diluted share count that could occur related to additional share repurchases or a stock price increase and EPS dilution calculations related to our convertible subordinated notes and outstanding and exercisable stock options.

CONFERENCE CALL AND INVESTOR RELATIONS CONTACT

Carriage Services has scheduled a conference call for tomorrow, April 27, 2017 at 9:30 a.m. central time. To participate in the call, please dial 866-516-3867 (ID-8035998) and ask for the Carriage Services conference call. A replay of the conference call will be available through May 1, 2017 and may be accessed by dialing 855-859-2056 (ID-8035998). The conference call will also be available at www.carriageservices.com.

For any investor relations questions, please contact Viki Blinderman at 713-332-8568 or Ben Brink at 713-332-8441 or email [email protected] .

CARRIAGE SERVICES, INC. OPERATING AND FINANCIAL TREND REPORT (in thousands, except per share amounts)









Three Months Ended March 31,

2016 2017 % Change







Same Store Contracts





Atneed Contracts 6,298

6,498

3.2% Preneed Contracts 1,504

1,496

(0.5%) Total Same Store Funeral Contracts 7,802

7,994

2.5% Acquisition Contracts





Atneed Contracts 720

1,189

65.1% Preneed Contracts 139

232

66.9% Total Acquisition Funeral Contracts 859

1,421

65.4% Total Funeral Contracts 8,661

9,415

8.7%







Funeral Operating Revenue





Same Store Revenue $ 41,352

$ 42,717

3.3% Acquisition Revenue 5,562

9,245

66.2% Total Funeral Operating Revenue $ 46,914

$ 51,962

10.8%







Cemetery Operating Revenue





Same Store Revenue $ 11,132

$ 10,839

(2.6%) Acquisition Revenue 709

909

28.2% Total Cemetery Operating Revenue $ 11,841

$ 11,748

(0.8%)







Financial Revenue





Preneed Funeral Commission Income $ 421

$ 303

(28.0%) Preneed Funeral Trust Earnings 1,967

1,946

(1.1%) Cemetery Trust Earnings 1,766

1,716

(2.8%) Preneed Cemetery Finance Charges 422

482

14.2% Total Financial Revenue $ 4,576

$ 4,447

(2.8%) Total Revenue $ 63,331

$ 68,157

7.6%







Field EBITDA





Same Store Funeral Field EBITDA $ 16,911

$ 17,725

4.8% Same Store Funeral Field EBITDA Margin 40.9%

41.5%

60 bp Acquisition Funeral Field EBITDA 2,413

4,014

66.3% Acquisition Funeral Field EBITDA Margin 43.4%

43.4%

0 bp Total Funeral Field EBITDA $ 19,324

$ 21,739

12.5% Total Funeral Field EBITDA Margin 41.2%

41.8%

60 bp







Same Store Cemetery Field EBITDA $ 3,843

$ 3,295

(14.3%) Same Store Cemetery Field EBITDA Margin 34.5%

30.4%

(410 bp) Acquisition Cemetery Field EBITDA 221

353

59.7% Acquisition Cemetery Field EBITDA Margin 31.2%

38.8%

760 bp Total Cemetery Field EBITDA $ 4,064

$ 3,648

(10.2%) Total Cemetery Field EBITDA Margin 34.3%

31.1%

(320 bp)







Funeral Financial EBITDA $ 2,197

$ 2,043

(7.0%) Cemetery Financial EBITDA 2,103

2,087

(0.8%) Total Financial EBITDA $ 4,300

$ 4,130

(4.0%) Total Financial EBITDA Margin 94.0%

92.9%

(110 bp)







Total Field EBITDA $ 27,688

$ 29,517

6.6% Total Field EBITDA Margin 43.7%

43.3%

(40 bp)

OPERATING AND FINANCIAL TREND REPORT (in thousands, except per share amounts)









Three Months Ended March 31,

2016 2017 % Change







Overhead





Total Variable Overhead $ 5,400

$ 2,166

(59.9%) Total Regional Fixed Overhead 875

1,067

21.9% Total Corporate Fixed Overhead 5,063

5,732

13.2% Total Overhead $ 11,338

$ 8,965

(20.9%) Overhead as a Percentage of Revenue 17.9%

13.2%

(470 bp)







Consolidated EBITDA $ 16,350

$ 20,552

25.7% Consolidated EBITDA Margin 25.8%

30.2%

440 bp







Other Expenses and Interest





Depreciation & Amortization $ 3,734

$ 3,847

3.0% Non-Cash Stock Compensation 958

836

(12.7%) Interest Expense 2,851

3,029

6.2% Accretion of Discount on Convertible Subordinated Notes 927

1,037

11.9% Loss on Early Extinguishment of Debt 567





Other, Net (305)

(3)



Pretax Income $ 7,618

$ 11,806

55.0% Net Tax Provision 3,047

4,722



GAAP Net Income $ 4,571

$ 7,084

55.0%







Special Items, Net of Tax except for **





Acquisition and Divestiture Expenses $ 336

$ 



Severance and Retirement Costs 1,794





Consulting Fees 175





Accretion of Discount on Convertible Subordinated Notes ** 927

1,037



Loss on Early Extinguishment of Debt 369





Gain on Sale of Assets (198)





Sum of Special Items, Net of Tax $ 3,403

$ 1,037











Adjusted Net Income $ 7,974

$ 8,121

1.8% Adjusted Net Profit Margin 12.6%

11.9%

(70 bp)







Adjusted Basic Earnings Per Share $ 0.48

$ 0.48

% Adjusted Diluted Earnings Per Share $ 0.47

$ 0.45

(4.3%)







GAAP Basic Earnings Per Share $ 0.27

$ 0.42

55.6% GAAP Diluted Earnings Per Share $ 0.27

$ 0.39

44.4%







Weighted Average Basic Shares Outstanding 16,459

16,597



Weighted Average Diluted Shares Outstanding 16,650

18,082











Reconciliation to Adjusted Consolidated EBITDA





Consolidated EBITDA $ 16,350

$ 20,552

25.7% Acquisition and Divestiture Expenses 516





Severance and Retirement Costs 2,759





Consulting Fees 268





Adjusted Consolidated EBITDA $ 19,893

$ 20,552

3.3% Adjusted Consolidated EBITDA Margin 31.4%

30.2%

(120 bp)

CARRIAGE SERVICES, INC. CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (in thousands, except share data)







(unaudited)

December 31, 2016

March 31, 2017 ASSETS





Current assets:





Cash and cash equivalents $ 3,286



$ 806

Accounts receivable, net 18,860



17,712

Inventories 6,147



6,313

Prepaid expenses 2,640



2,426

Other current assets 2,034



106

Total current assets 32,967



27,363

Preneed cemetery trust investments 69,696



69,975

Preneed funeral trust investments 89,240



89,104

Preneed receivables, net 30,383



30,839

Receivables from preneed trusts 14,218



14,652

Property, plant and equipment, net 235,113



234,416

Cemetery property, net 76,119



76,543

Goodwill 275,487



275,487

Intangible and other non-current assets 14,957



14,878

Cemetery perpetual care trust investments 46,889



47,716

Total assets $ 885,069



$ 880,973

LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY





Current liabilities:





Current portion of long-term debt and capital lease obligations $ 13,267



$ 14,265

Accounts payable 10,198



7,419

Other liabilities 717



3,285

Accrued liabilities 20,091



11,394

Total current liabilities 44,273



36,363

Long-term debt, net of current portion 137,862



133,741

Revolving credit facility 66,542



64,011

Convertible subordinated notes due 2021 119,596



120,760

Obligations under capital leases, net of current portion 2,630



2,580

Deferred preneed cemetery revenue 54,631



55,156

Deferred preneed funeral revenue 33,198



33,981

Deferred tax liability 40,555



40,717

Other long-term liabilities 2,567



1,798

Deferred preneed cemetery receipts held in trust 69,696



69,975

Deferred preneed funeral receipts held in trust 89,240



89,104

Care trusts' corpus 46,290



47,250

Total liabilities 707,080



695,436

Commitments and contingencies:





Stockholders' equity:





Common stock, $.01 par value; 80,000,000 shares authorized; 22,490,855 and 22,552,667 shares issued at December 31, 2016 and March 31, 2017, respectively 225



226

Additional paid-in capital 215,064



215,527

Retained earnings 22,966



30,050

Treasury stock, at cost; 5,849,316 shares at December 31, 2016 and March 31, 2017 (60,266)



(60,266)

Total stockholders' equity 177,989



185,537

Total liabilities and stockholders' equity $ 885,069



$ 880,973



CARRIAGE SERVICES, INC. CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS (unaudited and in thousands, except per share data)



For the Three Months

Ended March 31,

2016

2017







Revenues:





Funeral $ 49,302



$ 54,211

Cemetery 14,029



13,946



63,331



68,157

Field costs and expenses:





Funeral 27,781



30,429

Cemetery 7,862



8,211

Depreciation and amortization 3,336



3,471

Regional and unallocated funeral and cemetery costs 3,049



2,954



42,028



45,065

Gross profit 21,303



23,092

Corporate costs and expenses:





General, administrative and other 9,247



6,847

Home office depreciation and amortization 398



376



9,645



7,223

Operating income 11,658



15,869

Interest expense (2,851)



(3,029)

Accretion of discount on convertible subordinated notes (927)



(1,037)

Loss on early extinguishment of debt (567)





Other, net 305



3

Income before income taxes 7,618



11,806

Provision for income taxes (3,047)



(4,722)

Net income $ 4,571



$ 7,084









Basic earnings per common share: $ 0.27



$ 0.42

Diluted earnings per common share: $ 0.27



$ 0.39









Dividends declared per common share: $ 0.025



$ 0.050









Weighted average number of common and common equivalent shares outstanding:





Basic 16,459



16,597

Diluted 16,650



18,082



CARRIAGE SERVICES, INC. CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (unaudited and in thousands)



For the Three Months

Ended March 31,

2016

2017 Cash flows from operating activities:





Net income $ 4,571



$ 7,084

Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:





Depreciation and amortization 3,734



3,847

Provision for losses on accounts receivable 523



389

Stock-based compensation expense 1,297



836

Deferred income tax expense 379



162

Amortization of deferred financing costs 221



203

Accretion of discount on convertible subordinated notes 927



1,037

Loss on early extinguishment of debt 567





Net (gain) loss on sale and disposal of other assets (187)



155









Changes in operating assets and liabilities that provided (required) cash:





Accounts and preneed receivables (479)



303

Inventories and other current assets (727)



1,976

Intangible and other non-current assets 230



80

Preneed funeral and cemetery trust investments 7,560



(1,404)

Accounts payable (1,755)



(2,778)

Accrued and other liabilities 344



(6,142)

Deferred preneed funeral and cemetery revenue (568)



1,308

Deferred preneed funeral and cemetery receipts held in trust (6,404)



1,103

Net cash provided by operating activities 10,233



8,159









Cash flows from investing activities:





Acquisitions and land for new construction (2,685)





Net proceeds from the sale of other assets 555





Capital expenditures (3,595)



(3,730)

Net cash used in investing activities (5,725)



(3,730)









Cash flows from financing activities:





Borrowings from the revolving credit facility 11,500



18,800

Payments against the revolving credit facility (50,100)



(21,400)

Borrowings from the term loan 39,063





Payments against the term loan (2,813)



(2,813)

Payments on other long-term debt and obligations under capital leases (321)



(368)

Payments on contingent consideration recorded at acquisition date 



(101)

Proceeds from the exercise of stock options and employee stock purchase plan contributions 228



315

Taxes paid on restricted stock vestings and exercise of non-qualified options (491)



(509)

Dividends paid on common stock (415)



(833)

Payment of loan origination costs related to the credit facility (717)





Excess tax deficiency of equity compensation (106)





Net cash used in financing activities (4,172)



(6,909)









Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents 336



(2,480)

Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period 535



3,286

Cash and cash equivalents at end of period $ 871



$ 806











NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES

This press release uses Non-GAAP financial measures to present the financial performance of the Company. Non-GAAP financial measures should be viewed in addition to, and not as an alternative for, the Company's reported operating results or cash flow from operations or any other measure of performance as determined in accordance with GAAP. We believe the Non-GAAP results are useful to investors because such results help investors compare our results to previous periods and provide insights into underlying trends in our business. The Company's GAAP financial statements accompany this release. Reconciliations of the Non-GAAP financial measures to GAAP measures are provided in this press release.

The Non-GAAP financial measures include "Special Items", "Adjusted Net Income", "Consolidated EBITDA", "Adjusted Consolidated EBITDA", "Adjusted Consolidated EBITDA Margin", "Adjusted Free Cash Flow", "Funeral, Cemetery and Financial EBITDA", "Total Field EBITDA", "Total Field EBITDA Margin", "Adjusted Basic Earnings Per Share" and "Adjusted Diluted Earnings Per Share" in this press release. These financial measurements are defined as similar GAAP items adjusted for Special Items and are reconciled to GAAP in this press release. In addition, the Company's presentation of these measures may not be comparable to similarly titled measures in other companies' reports. The definitions used by the Company for our internal management purposes and in this press release are as follows:

Special Items are defined as charges or credits included in our GAAP financial statements that can vary from period to period and are not reflective of costs incurred in the ordinary course of our operations. Special Items are taxed at the federal statutory rate of 35 percent for both the three months ended March 31, 2016 and 2017, except for the accretion of the discount on the Convertible Notes as this is a non-tax deductible item.

and 2017, except for the accretion of the discount on the Convertible Notes as this is a non-tax deductible item. Adjusted Net Income is defined as net income plus adjustments for Special Items and other non-recurring expenses or credits.

Consolidated EBITDA is defined as net income before income taxes, interest expenses, non-cash stock compensation, depreciation and amortization, and interest income and other, net.

Adjusted Consolidated EBITDA is defined as Consolidated EBITDA plus adjustments for Special Items and non-recurring expenses or credits.

Adjusted Consolidated EBITDA Margin is defined as Adjusted Consolidated EBITDA as a percentage of revenue.

Adjusted Free Cash Flow is defined as net cash provided by operations, adjusted by Special Items as deemed necessary, less cash for maintenance capital expenditures.

Funeral Field EBITDA is defined as Funeral Gross Profit, which is funeral revenue minus funeral field costs and expenses, less depreciation and amortization, regional and unallocated funeral costs and Funeral Financial EBITDA.

Cemetery Field EBITDA is defined as Cemetery Gross Profit, which is cemetery revenue minus cemetery field costs and expenses, less depreciation and amortization, regional and unallocated cemetery costs and Cemetery Financial EBITDA.

Funeral Financial EBITDA is defined as Funeral Financial Revenue less Funeral Financial Expenses.

Cemetery Financial EBITDA is defined as Cemetery Financial Revenue less Cemetery Financial Expenses.

Total Field EBITDA is defined as Gross Profit less depreciation and amortization, regional and unallocated funeral and cemetery costs.

Total Field EBITDA Margin is defined as Total Field EBITDA as a percentage of revenue.

Adjusted Basic Earnings Per Share is defined as GAAP Basic Earnings Per Share, adjusted for Special Items.

Adjusted Diluted Earnings Per Share is defined as GAAP Diluted Earnings Per Share, adjusted for Special Items.

Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures:

This press release includes the use of certain financial measures that are not GAAP measures. The Non-GAAP financial measures are presented for additional information and are reconciled to their most comparable GAAP measures below.

Reconciliation of Net Income to Adjusted Net Income for the three months ended March 31, 2016 and 2017 (in thousands):



For the Three Months

Ended March 31,

2016

2017 Net Income $ 4,571



$ 7,084

Special Items, Net of Tax except for **





Acquisition and Divestiture Expenses 336





Severance and Retirement Costs 1,794





Consulting Fees 175





Accretion of Discount on Convertible Subordinated Notes ** 927



1,037

Loss on Early Extinguishment of Debt 369





Gain on Sale of Assets (198)





Total Special Items affecting Net Income $ 3,403



$ 1,037

Adjusted Net Income $ 7,974



$ 8,121



Reconciliation of Net Income to Consolidated EBITDA and Adjusted Consolidated EBITDA for the three months ended March 31, 2016 and 2017 (in thousands):



For the Three Months

Ended March 31,

2016

2017 Net Income $ 4,571



$ 7,084

Net Tax Provision 3,047



4,722

Pretax Income $ 7,618



$ 11,806

Interest Expense 2,851



3,029

Accretion of Discount on Convertible Subordinated Notes 927



1,037

Loss on Early Extinguishment of Debt 567





Non-Cash Stock Compensation 958



836

Depreciation & Amortization 3,734



3,847

Other, Net (305)



(3)

Consolidated EBITDA $ 16,350



$ 20,552

Adjusted For:





Acquisition and Divestiture Expenses 516





Severance and Retirement Costs 2,759





Consulting Fees 268





Adjusted Consolidated EBITDA $ 19,893



$ 20,552

Revenue $ 63,331



$ 68,157

Adjusted Consolidated EBITDA Margin 31.4%



30.2%



Reconciliation of Funeral and Cemetery Gross Profit to Field EBITDA for the three months ended March 31, 2016 and 2017 (in thousands):

Funeral Field EBITDA For the Three Months

Ended March 31,

2016

2017 Gross Profit (GAAP) $ 16,968



$ 18,969

Depreciation & Amortization 2,078



2,369

Regional & Unallocated Costs 2,475



2,444

Funeral Financial EBITDA (2,197)



(2,043)

Funeral Field EBITDA $ 19,324



$ 21,739



Cemetery Field EBITDA For the Three Months

Ended March 31,

2016

2017 Gross Profit (GAAP) $ 4,335



$ 4,123

Depreciation & Amortization 1,258



1,102

Regional & Unallocated Costs 574



510

Cemetery Financial EBITDA (2,103)



(2,087)

Cemetery Field EBITDA $ 4,064



$ 3,648



Total Field EBITDA For the Three Months

Ended March 31,

2016

2017 Funeral Field EBITDA $ 19,324



$ 21,739

Cemetery Field EBITDA 4,064



3,648

Funeral Financial EBITDA 2,197



2,043

Cemetery Financial EBITDA 2,103



2,087

Total Field EBITDA $ 27,688



$ 29,517



Reconciliation of GAAP Basic Earnings Per Share to Adjusted Basic Earnings Per Share for the three months ended March 31, 2016 and 2017:



For the Three Months

Ended March 31,

2016

2017 GAAP Basic Earnings Per Share $ 0.27



$ 0.42

Special Items Affecting Net Income 0.21



0.06

Adjusted Basic Earnings Per Share $ 0.48



$ 0.48



Reconciliation of GAAP Diluted Earnings Per Share to Adjusted Diluted Earnings Per Share for the three months ended March 31, 2016 and 2017:



For the Three Months

Ended March 31,

2016

2017 GAAP Diluted Earnings Per Share $ 0.27



$ 0.39

Special Items Affecting Net Income 0.20



0.06

Adjusted Diluted Earnings Per Share $ 0.47



$ 0.45



Earlier in this press release, we present the Rolling Four Quarter Outlook ("Outlook") which reflects management's opinion on the performance of the portfolio of existing businesses, including performance of existing trusts, and excludes size and timing of acquisitions for the Rolling Four Quarter Outlook period ending March 31, 2018 unless we have a signed Letter of Intent and high likelihood of a closing within 90 days. This Outlook is not intended to be management estimates or forecasts of our future performance, as we believe precise estimates will be precisely wrong all the time. The following four reconciliations are presented at the midpoint of the range in this Outlook.

Reconciliation of Net Income to Consolidated EBITDA and Adjusted Consolidated EBITDA for the estimated Rolling Four Quarters ending March 31, 2018 (in thousands):



Rolling Four Quarter Outlook



March 31, 2018E

Net Income



$ 26,800





Net Tax Provision



17,800





Pretax Income



$ 44,600





Net Interest Expense, including Accretion of Discount on Convertible Subordinated Notes



16,500





Depreciation & Amortization, including Non-cash Stock Compensation



19,600





Consolidated EBITDA



$ 80,700





Adjusted for Special Items









Adjusted Consolidated EBITDA



$ 80,700







Reconciliation of Net Income to Adjusted Net Income for the estimated Rolling Four Quarters ending March 31, 2018 (in thousands):



Rolling Four Quarter Outlook



March 31, 2018E

Net Income



$ 26,800





Special Items



4,300





Adjusted Net Income



$ 31,100







Reconciliation of GAAP Basic Earnings Per Share to Adjusted Basic Earnings Per Share for the estimated Rolling Four Quarters ending March 31, 2018:



Rolling Four Quarter Outlook



March 31, 2018E

GAAP Basic Earnings Per Share



$ 1.60





Special Items Affecting Net Income



0.26





Adjusted Basic Earnings Per Share



$ 1.86







Reconciliation of GAAP Diluted Earnings Per Share to Adjusted Diluted Earnings Per Share for the estimated Rolling Four Quarters ending March 31, 2018:



Rolling Four Quarter Outlook



March 31, 2018E

GAAP Diluted Earnings Per Share



$ 1.50





Special Items Affecting Net Income



0.25





Adjusted Diluted Earnings Per Share



$ 1.75







Supplemental Information:

Funeral homes and cemeteries purchased after December 31, 2012 are referred to as "Acquired" in our Trend Report. This classification of acquisitions has been important to management and investors in monitoring the results of these businesses and to gauge the leveraging performance contribution that a selective acquisition program can have on total company performance.



The presentation below highlights the impact of our 2012 Acquired Portfolio that moved from Acquired to Same Store beginning January 1, 2017 (in thousands):



For the Three Months Ended March 31, 2016









Revenue

EBITDA 2012 Acquired Portfolio $ 4,115



$ 1,759



CAUTIONARY STATEMENT ON FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

Certain statements made herein or elsewhere by, or on behalf of, the Company that are not historical facts are intended to be forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. In addition to historical information, this Press Release contains certain statements and information that may constitute forward-looking statements within the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding any projections of earnings, revenues, asset sales, cash flow, debt levels or other financial items; any statements of the plans, strategies and objectives of management for future operations; any statements regarding future economic conditions or performance; any statements of belief; and any statements of assumptions underlying any of the foregoing and are based on our current expectations and beliefs concerning future developments and their potential effect on us. The words "may", "will", "estimate", "intend", "believe", "expect", "seek", "project", "forecast", "foresee", "should", "would", "could", "plan", "anticipate" and other similar words or expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, which are generally not historical in nature. While management believes that these forward-looking statements are reasonable as and when made, there can be no assurance that future developments affecting us will be those that we anticipate. All comments concerning our expectations for future revenues and operating results are based on our forecasts for our existing operations and do not include the potential impact of any future acquisitions. Our forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties (some of which are beyond our control) and assumptions that could cause actual results to differ materially from our historical experience and our present expectations or projections. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, those summarized below:

our ability to find and retain skilled personnel;

our ability to execute our growth strategy;

the effects of competition;

the execution of our Standards Operating, 4E Leadership and Strategic Acquisition Models;

changes in the number of deaths in our markets;

changes in consumer preferences;

our ability to generate preneed sales;

the investment performance of our funeral and cemetery trust funds;

fluctuations in interest rates;

our ability to obtain debt or equity financing on satisfactory terms to fund additional acquisitions, expansion projects, working capital requirements and the repayment or refinancing of indebtedness;

death benefits related to preneed funeral contracts funded through life insurance contracts;

the financial condition of third-party insurance companies that fund our preneed funeral contracts;

increased or unanticipated costs, such as insurance or taxes;

effects of the application of applicable laws and regulations, including changes in such regulations or the interpretation thereof;

consolidation of the deathcare industry; and

other factors and uncertainties inherent in the deathcare industry.

For additional information regarding known material factors that could cause our actual results to differ from our projected results, please see "Risk Factors" in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements after the date they are made, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. A copy of the Company's Form 10-K, other Carriage Services information and news releases are available at www.carriageservices.com.

This press release includes the use of certain financial measures that are not GAAP measures. The Non-GAAP financial measures are presented for additional information and are reconciled to their most comparable GAAP measures in the tables presented above.

SOURCE Carriage Services, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.carriageservices.com


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Catheterization is a basic co-procedure carried out along with various medical procedures, such as cardiac electrophysiology, neurosurgery, angioplasty, urological disorders, and others, by using catheters. The rise in the number of diseases and surgeries globally has increased the demand for catheters as they are most frequently used in hospitals and clinics for various therapeutic and diagnostic purposes.

Rise in cases of cardiovascular and urological diseases, and diabetes; and growth in demand for minimally invasive procedures boost the market growth. Furthermore, technologically advanced catheters, which are manufactured with infection-resistant coatings, minimize catheter-associated infections, and thus are increasingly preferred by healthcare professionals. In addition, increase in reimbursement levels for catheters is expected to increase the demand for catheters. However, inadequate quality assurance of catheters and price competition at domestic levels are expected to hinder the market growth. The rise in healthcare expenditure in developing countries, such as India and China, is expected to provide opportunities for market expansion.

Get Customized Report at: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-for-customization/577

The cardiovascular catheter segment dominated the market, with maximum share in 2015, and is anticipated to continue this trend in the future, in terms of revenue. This is attributed to the presence of a large patient base suffering from cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, rise in demand for minimally invasive cardiac surgeries is expected to boost growth of this segment.

Urological catheter is expected to grow at the highest rate throughout the analysis period, and accounted for almost one-fourth share of the global market in 2015. This is due to the increase in prevalence of urinary diseases and other complications, such as kidney and renal failures.

In 2015, North America displayed maximum contribution to the total revenue generated, while LAMEA is expected to witness the highest CAGR of 11.4%. This is due to rise in disposable income, improvement in healthcare expenditure, and increase in adoption rate of catheters.

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KEY FINDINGS OF CATHETERS MARKET:

Intrauterine insemination catheter is projected to be grow at the highest rate during the analysis period.

Cardiovascular catheter was the highest revenue-generating segment, and is expected to continue its dominance throughout the forecast period.

North America dominated global catheters market, and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 6.4%.

dominated global catheters market, and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 6.4%. Argentina is the fastest growing country in the LAMEA region, registering a CAGR of 12.6%.

is the fastest growing country in the LAMEA region, registering a CAGR of 12.6%. Intermittent catheter segment exhibits the highest CAGR of 10.7%.

According to Sriram Radhakrishnan, Team Lead, Healthcare at Allied Market Research, "Preference for catheter-based ablation procedures over surgery-based ablation procedures, due to its minimally invasive nature and shorter recovery times, have led to the increased awareness and adoption of catheter devices."

The major companies profiled in the report include Abbott Laboratories, Becton Dickinson And Company, Boston Scientific Corporation, Bard Medical, B. Braun Melsungen AG, Teleflex Incorporated, Johnson & Johnson, Medtronic, Inc., Edwards Lifesciences Corp., and Vascular Solutions, Inc.

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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.



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SOURCE Allied Market Research
BEIJING, April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- China New Borun Corporation (NYSE: BORN; "Borun" or the "Company"), a leading producer and distributor of corn-based edible alcohol in China, today announced that the Company has filed its Annual Report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2016 with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission on April 25, 2017.

The Company's annual report on Form 20-F contains its audited consolidated financial statements and is available on the Company's website at http://ir.chinanewborun.com. The Company will provide a hard copy of its completed audited financial statements free of charge to its shareholders and ADS holders upon request.

About China New Borun Corporation

China New Borun Corporation (NYSE: BORN) is a leading producer and distributor of corn-based edible alcohol sold as an ingredient to producers of baijiu, a popular grain-based alcoholic beverage in China. The Company also produces DDGS Feed, liquid carbon dioxide and crude corn oil as by-products of edible alcohol production, and chlorinated polyethylene (CPE) that is widely used in chemical industries. China New Borun is based in Shouguang, Shandong Province. Additional information about the company can be found at http://www.chinanewborun.com and in documents filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, which are available on the SEC's website at http://www.sec.gov.

Asia Bridge Capital Limited

Wendy Sun

Phone: +86-10-8556-9033 (China)

+1-888-870-0798 (U.S.)

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE China New Borun Corporation

Related Links

http://www.chinanewborun.com


JACKSONVILLE, Fla., April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- CIT Group Inc. (NYSE: CIT) cit.com, a leading provider of commercial lending and leasing services, announced today that its Equipment Finance business was recognized recently by Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A., Inc. as receiving the highest Net Promoter Score and the best customer satisfaction performance among its four major leasing providers. The recognition comes from an internal Konica Minolta survey that yielded more than 400 responses from U.S. sales representatives and lease administrators.

"CIT earned their top scores with three key investments. First and foremost, its people. Culturally they are aligned with Konica Minolta because they focus all their attention on our needs and help us to grow," said Bill Glos, vice president, Premier Finance at Konica Minolta Business Solutions. "Second, our customers. Not only are they widely recognized as 'easy to do business with', they have become a natural extension of our company. Finally, their investment in technology. Our integrated systems allow us to present flawless invoicing and reporting that are essential for an excellent customer experience."

In the survey, Konica Minolta employees were asked how likely they would recommend each of the leasing providers to a colleague or friend. Known as the Net Promoter question, the resulting score is recognized by market researchers as a powerful indicator of customer loyalty. CIT earned the highest score in the Konica Minolta survey.

"We're honored to receive this recognition. Our goal is to support our customers growth and profit initiatives while making it extremely easy to do business with us," said Michael D'Errico, office imaging commercial leader of CIT's Equipment Finance business. "For Konica Minolta specifically, we continue to integrate our technology platform with theirs, which delivers an enhanced customer experience and accurate invoicing from day one through end of lease."

CIT's Equipment Finance business offers finance programs designed specifically for the unique needs of Industrial, Office Imaging, Technology and Healthcare manufacturers, their distribution channels and their end users.

EDITOR'S NOTE:

View our corporate video and follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube and Facebook. Register to receive press releases at cit.mediaroom.com/email-alerts.

About CIT

Founded in 1908, CIT (NYSE: CIT) is a financial holding company with $64 billion in assets as of March 31, 2017. Its principal bank subsidiary, CIT Bank, N.A., (Member FDIC, Equal Housing Lender) has more than $30 billion of deposits and more than $40 billion of assets. CIT provides financing, leasing, and advisory services principally to middle-market companies and small businesses across a wide variety of industries. It also offers products and services to consumers through its Internet bank franchise and a network of retail branches in Southern California, operating as OneWest Bank, a division of CIT Bank, N.A. For more information visit cit.com.

CIT MEDIA RELATIONS:

Matt Klein

973-597-2020

[email protected]

SOURCE CIT Group Inc.

Related Links

http://www.cit.com


WORCESTER, Mass., April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Cogmedix, the medical device product development and manufacturing subsidiary of Coghlin Companies, Inc., is proud to announce that it was recently awarded the top honor in Worcester Business Journal's Manufacturing Excellence Awards. Cogmedix was chosen as the "General Manufacturing Excellence" winner in the large company category in the popular magazine's annual ceremony.

"We are honored to receive this award from the Worcester Business Journal," says Chris Coghlin, President and CEO of Coghlin Companies. "We are thankful to all of our dedicated Caring Associates, customers, and suppliers who helped make this possible. We are optimistic for the future of Cogmedix and excited to continue growing and enhancing our value proposition."

Started in 2016, Worcester Business Journal's Manufacturing Excellence Awards are designed to honor the many ways the industry contributes to the region. Manufacturing is recognized both as an economic cornerstone and a contributor to the future of Central Massachusetts. Cogmedix's recent win places them alongside other notable companies like Aaron Industries Corporation, Phillips Precision, Inc., and Space Age Electronics, Inc.all winners in last year's inaugural Manufacturing Excellence Awards.

In the nine years since the company's inception, Cogmedix has grown its team to over 100 experienced, passionate Caring Associates. Cogmedix prides itself on its ability to not only design and manufacture highly customized medical devices for global innovators, but also on the high priority it places on compliance, reliability, serviceability, safety, and cost.

About Cogmedix

Cogmedix is a team of talented Caring Associates that brings OEM medical technology to life. Providing turnkey medical device manufacturing services to a broad range of medical and dental OEMs, Cogmedix delivers high-quality products to market with compliance, competence, and commitment. Cogmedix provides a high level of flexibility in product launch and demand management and aligns itself with innovative companies that maintain similarly high standards in honesty and integrity. Cogmedix is a subsidiary of Coghlin Companies, Inc., a privately held concept-to-commercialization firm spanning four generations. Visit Cogmedix and sign up for the e-Newsletter at www.cogmedix.com.

SOURCE Cogmedix

Related Links

http://www.cogmedix.com


EUGENE, Ore., April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- College Choice, a leading authority in college and university rankings and resources, has published a ranking of the 25 Best Colleges in Michigan for 2017.

http://www.collegechoice.net/rankings/best-colleges-in-michigan/

Michigan is perhaps best known for being home to the Motor City, but the state's high-powered colleges and universities can match Detroit for their finely tuned performance. Home to almost 100 colleges, including eight research universities, Michigan is a highly-favored destination for prospective college students, be they in-state, out-of-state, or even international.

"While the Great Recession hit Michigan'sand especially Detroit'seconomy pretty hard, the state is most definitely on the rebound," Christian Amondson, Managing Editor of College Choice, said of the ranking. "This, along with the bevy of other successful industries like high-tech, research and development, agriculture, and transportation, mean that the job prospects for college graduates are quite good. Your job after college might seem like a distant concern, but in four or five years, you'll be thanking your past self for considering it now."

College Choice developed its list by looking at academic quality along with return on investmentthe differential between tuition costs and average early career earnings.

The ranking for the 25 Best Colleges in Michigan finds University of Michigan-Ann Arbor in the top spot. Michigan State University is in second, and Kalamazoo College rounds out the top three.

The entire ranking, listed in alphabetical order, is as follows:

Adrian College

Albion College

Alma College

Andrews University

Aquinas College

Calvin College

Central Michigan University

Cornerstone University

Eastern Michigan University

Grand Valley State University

Hope College

Kalamazoo College

Kettering University

Lawrence Technological University

Madonna University

Michigan State University

Michigan Technological University

Oakland University

Rochester College

Siena Heights University

Spring Arbor University

University of Detroit Mercy

University of Michigan-Ann Arbor

University of Michigan-Dearborn

Wayne State University

College Choice is an independent online publication dedicated to helping students and their families find the right college. The site publishes rankings and reviews that make finding the best colleges for different interests easier and more fun, as well as resources to help students get into, pay for, and thrive at the college of their choice.

Contact:

Christian Amondson, Managing Editor, College Choice

Web: http://collegechoice.net

Email: [email protected]

Phone: (541) 255-3801

SOURCE College Choice

Related Links

http://www.collegechoice.net


RESTON, Va., April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- comScore today announced that it will offer free viewability measurement to clients across global markets. comScore Viewability is a baseline offering that allows digital media buyers and sellers to measure viewability rates across display, video, and mobile inventory. This initiative promotes trust and transparency in digital advertising and improves cross-media comparability.

Viewability is an increasingly expected part of advertising verification, but can consume measurement budgets and displace other important campaign metrics. As a result, ad effectiveness is often gauged by viewability metrics alone, even though these speak only to whether or not an ad impression is seen and not whether it made an impact.

By enabling media buyers and sellers to measure viewability at no cost, comScore Viewability increases clients' ability to focus on deeper performance metrics, such as reach within geographic and demographic targets and lift in brand awareness, purchase intent, visitation or product sales.

"Viewability is critical, but for too long it has dominated industry discussion at the expense of other metrics that also really matter," said Dan Hess, executive vice president of products at comScore. "We think it's time to make viewability a table stake for digital advertising, and move the market forward to a broader realm of more meaningful ad measurement across platforms."

comScore Viewability becomes available globally this summer as a free, self-service offering with baseline reporting metrics, delivered through a fully redesigned user interface.

What the Industry is Saying



"In order to create a total video marketplace where buyers can plan across platforms to achieve advertising goals, viewability is key to leveling the playing field between digital and TV. This new viewability solution will help expand access and use of viewability measures, allowing the industry to turn its focus back to making sure that ads have an impact."

Lyle Schwartz, president of investment, North America, GroupM

"IAB applauds comScore providing critical support for the digital ad industry's viewability standard. It is critical that this industry stop wasting time on unproductive arguments about baseline standards and start investing time on what really matters  the strategies, ideas, and executions that move hearts, minds, and wallets. The MRC standard for viewable impressions was agreed to and has evolved under consistent cross-industry participation. It's time for the entire marketing-media ecosystem to accept it and move on to more productive innovations, including agreement on how to measure cross-media audiences and engagement."

Randall Rothenberg, president and CEO, Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB)

"Establishing viewability as a baseline standard is critical to the evolution of digital advertising  it further helps bridge the measurement gap between digital and TV. By better aligning advertising across all platforms, advertisers can turn their attention back to meaningful KPIs, such as reach and frequency."

Alison Fennah, executive business advisor, Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) Europe

"Offering free viewability measurement will allow for more comprehensive reporting and help to close the gaps where viewability is not currently reported - thus getting us one step closer to our industry goal of making digital measurement comparable to that of other media."

Nancy Hill, president and CEO, American Association of Advertising Agencies (4As)

"Giving the market broad access to viewability metrics is a critical step in moving digital advertising forward. We applaud comScore for taking this step to bring greater trust and transparency to the industry, and working to level the playing field between digital and TV advertising."

Blaise D'Sylva, vice president of media at Dr. Pepper Snapple Group

"AOL is committed to helping advertisers and publishers build brands people love and action on real metrics across screens. For the digital advertising industry to accomplish these goals, we undoubtedly need greater transparency and trust in the marketplace. We're encouraged to see comScore taking steps to enhance that transparency by opening up viewability to all. This initiative offers clients greater control and drives more dollars to digital."

Tim Mahlman, president, AOL Platforms

"Viewability has become a standard on which digital advertising is bought and sold. At Yahoo, we're committed to providing marketers with an open environment where they have full transparency and control in measuring viewability for display, video and native advertising. We applaud comScore for taking the initiative to make viewability measurement available for free on its platform. It's an important step forward for the industry, and it will help build advertiser confidence in ensuring ROI, brand safety and ad effectiveness."

Tom Schmidt, vice president of advertising products, Yahoo

"We're glad to see comScore's efforts to bring more transparency and accountability to digital advertising. By making viewability measurement accessible for all, our publisher community can better demonstrate the real value that they bring to media buyers and their brands."

Kirk McDonald, president, PubMatic



Learn More About comScore Viewability

This offering uses the same measurement tag and technology as comScore validated Campaign Essentials (vCE), which means the metrics provided in comScore Viewability will align with vCE-reported data. vCE is accredited by the Media Rating Council (MRC) for viewability for display and video impressions in desktop and mobile environments, and includes filtering of both general and sophisticated invalid traffic (IVT). comScore Viewability is not accredited at this time.



To receive updates about comScore Viewability and learn more about this product, which will be available later this summer, please click here.

Publishers and app developers who want to ensure they have the latest comScore code installed to support this upcoming product launch, please click here.

About comScore

comScore is a leading cross-platform measurement company that measures audiences, brands and consumer behavior everywhere. comScore completed its merger with Rentrak Corporation in January 2016, to create the new model for a dynamic, cross-platform world. Built on precision and innovation, our data footprint combines proprietary digital, TV and movie intelligence with vast demographic details to quantify consumers' multiscreen behavior at massive scale. This approach helps media companies monetize their complete audiences and allows marketers to reach these audiences more effectively. With more than 3,200 clients and global footprint in more than 75 countries, comScore is delivering the future of measurement. Shares of comScore stock are currently traded on the OTC Market (OTC:SCOR). For more information on comScore, please visit comscore.com.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, including, without limitation, comScore's expectations as to the financial and operational effects of comScore Viewability, validated Campaign Essentials (vCE) and comScore's entire suite of advertising products. These statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual results to differ materially, including, but not limited to, comScore's ability to project the financial impact of the partnership or comScore's ability to achieve its expected financial and operational results.

For additional discussion of risk factors, please refer to comScore's respective Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, and other filings that comScore makes from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"), which are available on the SEC's website (http://www.sec.gov).

Investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on our forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date such statements are made. comScore does not intend or undertake any obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements to reflect events, circumstances or new information after the date of this press release, or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

SOURCE comScore

Related Links

http://www.comscore.com


ATLANTA and LONDON, April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Crown & Caliber and the Bremont Watch Company have partnered to offer consumers the first ever watch trade-in program offered by a watch manufacturer. Similar trade-in programs have proven successful in the auto industry for years, and both Bremont and Crown & Caliber decided it was time to offer such a program to watch owners. The program launches on May 1st, 2017 and will run through to the end of the month.

Hamilton Powell, CEO/Founder of Crown & Caliber, stated, "Like Bremont, we built our brand based on the needs of the customer. The launch of this trade-in program is a direct response to what customers have been telling us for years  that they want an easy way to trade-in their watches. As big advocates of the Bremont brand, we believe every watch owner should have the ability to own a Bremont, and this program makes that possible."

Individuals interested in selling or trading in their watch simply go to www.CrownAndCaliber.com/BremontTrade where they are prompted to enter the details of the watch they wish to sell or trade. A Crown & Caliber associate will contact the seller with two options: (i) a cash option, and (ii) a store credit at the Bremont boutique in New York. The store credit will be 20% higher than the cash offer, encouraging the seller to trade in their watch for a brand new Bremont watch.

Through this program, Crown & Caliber will accept watches from over 120 different brands. Bremont owners also have the option of trading-in their current Bremont for a new one. Says Powell, "Bremont has become such a popular brand in a very short period of time. As a result, its watches tend to hold their value extraordinarily well in the pre-owned market. In particular, limited edition Bremont watches are often some of the most appreciative watches we see at Crown & Caliber making them great investment pieces."

Giles English, Co-Founder of Bremont, says, "This programme now allows anyone with a watch the ability to own a Bremont. We chose Crown & Caliber to administer this New York programme given their sophisticated database which allows them to properly value pre-owned watches from over 120 different brands. They have created a customer experience defined by a high level of trust, simplicity and satisfaction. Furthermore, Crown & Caliber's brand is known for its white-glove service  resulting in a customer experience just like Bremont's which was important to us."

Individuals who which to participate in the Bremont trade-in program must submit their quote request between: May 1-31, 2017.

About Crown & Caliber

Crown & Caliber was founded in 2013 as an exclusively online marketplace for pre-owned luxury watches. The company is dedicated to its reputation as the most trusted e-retailer of pre-owned luxury timepiecestaking the fear and skepticism out the watch buying & selling process. The 35-person team, based in Atlanta, is passionate about watches and the stories they tell about people, culture, craftsmanship, and technology. Crown & Caliber offers the ultimate in customer service and industry expertise. For more information, visit: www.CrownAndCaliber.com or call (888) 715-9118.

About Bremont

Bremont is an award-winning British luxury watch brand, manufacturing mechanical watches in Henley-on-Thames, England. Co-founded by brothers Nick & Giles English in 2002, Bremont has made a substantial impact on the watch industry in a very short period of time. The brand remains true to its original principles of: aviation and military, British engineering and adventure. As well as manufacturing watches for some of the most exclusive military squadrons around the world, Bremont continues to play an influential role in revitalising the British watch industry, the birthplace of numerous timekeeping innovations still used today. The brand is now in the top handful of chronometer producers in the world. For more information, visit: www.bremont.com

For further press information, images or to arrange interviews please contact Natalie Keigher: e [email protected] | t +44 0845 0960 690 or Kristen Ingraham, Buffalo.Agency for Crown & Caliber: e [email protected] | t 703 761 1444

SOURCE Crown & Caliber
Under the umbrella of the new three-year strategic plan, together with the strong support from the government and industry partners, Cyberport targets to:

expand to a 1,200-member community

strenghthen the investor network to include more than 100 active partners, and

double the funds raised by start-ups to HK$2.8 billion

"Cyberport has been fostering digital tech development over the years. What underpins our new strategic plan is our resolute belief in the potential of digital technology to accelerate Hong Kong's economic growth and ultimately improve our quality of life," said Dr Lee George Lam, Chairman of Cyberport. "I am pleased to be working closely with the dynamic team at Cyberport and help expand their network with investment and business leaders. I am confident that Cyberport will be able to seize new opportunities for collaboration through our ever-expanding network; build a complete ecosystem for entrepreneurs to thrive and succeed; and become a key driving force behind the digital transformation of the Hong Kong economy."

Cyberport will enhance its focus on key clusters of digital technology, namely FinTech, eCommerce, IoT/Wearables, Big Data/AI. With a critical mass of close to 200 FinTech companies providing innovative solutions such as robo advisors, wealth management analytics, InsurTech, and algorithm trading, they have gained strong momentum in transforming the financial industry as well as recognition from numerous industry accolades. This exciting field, together with the other said clusters, are widely regarded as the building blocks of a "Smart City", a vision articulated in the HKSAR government's initiatives. Under the three-year plan, Cyberport will gear up its resources to inspire more youth to join the league; accelerate the growth of digital tech entrepreneurs; catalyse adoption of digital tech solutions among SMEs and corporates; as well as to attract international talents, investors and partners to help the start-ups go global.

The announcement came along with the introduction of Lynk, a Cyberport incubatee, as the first investee of the Cyberport Macro Fund (CMF). This is an unprecedented initiative where Cyberport steps up its commitment to digital tech development by co-investing in start-ups with institutional investors to shore up the venture capital ecosystem in seed to series A funding, and pave the way to success for scalable digital startups in Hong Kong.

"The CMF is a testament to our pledge to give digital start-ups that extra push they need to excel and go global. And more importantly, to maximise that impact by joining hands with industry partners - both old and new, local and overseas," explained Dr Lam. "Therefore, we would like to thank our co-investors for acknowledging the value of Cyberport's start-ups and join us in accelerating their growth into global business. We certainly look forward to more collaborations with individual and institutional investors in the near future through CMF and other initiatives."

Lynk, a digital platform founded in 2013, connects users to the right experts for advice, insights and knowledge. With a growing base of 35,000 experts from 73 countries and strong client portfolio, Lynk is set to become a global brand and a super connector. Benefitting from a highly scalable business model and a conscious awareness of compliance issues, it stands out among early-stage start-ups and currently enjoys an international profile of investors hailing from Hong Kong, Mainland China, the United States, Southeast Asia and Africa.

"I would like to thank Cyberport for their dedicated support of our entrepreneurial journey along the way," said Peggy Choi, Founder and CEO of Lynk. "Aside from being the first investee of the CMF, we have also received professional support through Cyberport Incubation Programme, which has helped accelerate our growth and push our business forward. With Cyberport now being a partner of our business, we look forward to achieving more and contributing to the digital economy."

With headquarters in Hong Kong and offices in Singapore and Mumbai, Lynk has just concluded Series-A funding with US$4M.

About Cyberport

Cyberport is an innovative digital community with close to 900 community members. It is managed by Hong Kong Cyberport Management Company Limited, which is wholly owned by the Hong Kong SAR Government. With the vision to become a main force in developing the digital tech industry as a key economic driver of Hong Kong, Cyberport is committed to nurturing youth, start-ups and entrepreneurs to grow in the digital industry by connecting them to strategic partners and investors, driving collaboration with local and international business partners to create new opportunities, and accelerating digital adoption amongst SME and corporates. With a committed team of professionals providing all rounded value added services to support our digital community and an array of state-of-the-art tech facilities, Cyberport is the flagship for Hong Kong's digital tech industry.

For more information, please visit www.cyberport.hk.

For press enquiries, please contact:

The Hoffman Agency Jackie Lau Tel.: (852) 2231 8103 Email: [email protected] Lorraine Wong Tel.: (852) 2231 8107 Email: [email protected]

Hong Kong Cyberport Management Company Limited

Elsa Lee

Tel.: (852) 3166 3829

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Cyberport

Related Links

http://www.cyberport.hk


It's a tough job, but someone had to do it. A new travel series, World Class List, follows the adventures of Carey Watkins, 27, as he explores the rising trend of cocktail culture, journeying across the globe to some of the world's most dynamic cities to create the ultimate guide to better drinking.

(Logo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/494321/Diageo_World_Class.jpg )



Aspiring Australian musician and drinks enthusiast Carey, who lives in Los Angeles, was selected from hundreds to become the host of the new travel series, to be released on Amazon Prime in selected countries from next week. The series champions the rise of global cocktail culture and seeks to inspire people to drink better and create unforgettable experiences in the process and is created by World Class, the organisers of the world's biggest bartending competition. World Class is an initiative created by leading spirits company Diageo, the makers of Johnnie Walker Scotch Whisky, Tanqueray no. Ten Gin and Ketel One Vodka amongst others.

During the five-part series, Carey explores the best of what to see, do, eat and drink in five of the world's most exciting cities - Sydney, Taipei, Barcelona, San Francisco and Mexico. Led on his journey by the world's best bartenders, the result is a travel series with a twist, and the creation of the ultimate drinks list.

The five renowned World Class bartenders - each a winner of their national World Class Bartender of the Year Competition - share their inside knowledge of their city and passion for better drinking with Carey, presenting their cocktail inspired by their experiences, to feature on the World Class List.

Among the list is a smooth digestif from Australia made with whisky and freshly brewed coffee and a Californian brunch-time alternative to the Bloody Mary combining vodka, carrot juice and fennel.

In his search, Carey experiences some unforgettable moments, including an energetic introduction to Mexican wrestling, spearfishing his own seafood to pair with Tanqueray gin and grapefruit in Sydney and celebrating New Year's Eve drinking cocktails under fireworks on a boat in San Francisco Bay.

Carey Watkins said: "When I found out I'd be the host, I was just really overwhelmed. I definitely didn't comprehend the fact that I was about to travel around the world for six weeks, and by no means did I realise just how good this job was. The whole thing was incredible, and I got to do things I would never normally do.

"The trip very quickly became unbelievable, and nine times out of ten I was doing something I hadn't done before - and would never have done. I do love to travel, but more than anything I love to meet people, to talk to people and form relationships. To combine that with travelling around the world - and learning how these bartenders hone their craft while tasting their unbelievable drinks - literally is the dream job .I was truly blown away by all five of those drinks - everything from the colours, to the smells, to the taste - they were unbelievably good."

World Class Global Director Johanna Dalley said: "World Class List is a global tour delivered by the world's best bartenders who are the ultimate concierges in their own cities. World Class bartenders don't just create the most amazing drinks - they are the in-the-know community who can also serve up the best experiences a city has to offer. This is their little black book of what to see, do, eat and drink, making it a must-see for anyone interested in food, drink or travel.

"We created the series to showcase incredible bartender talent and to inspire people to drink better - to try the amazing drinks on offer in bars all over the world, or to up their game and have a go at making them at home."

World Class List will be released on Amazon Prime in selected countries from 1st May and is available to watch now on MakeItWorldClass.com/List . Follow on Instagram @WorldClass #WorldClassList.

SOURCE Diageo World Class
LIMASSOL, Cyprus, April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Industry pioneer easyMarkets have launched their brand-new trading app, a unique, free to download mobile app, based on their award-winning web-platform.

"We have come full circle from launching the world's first web-based trading platform in 2001 to entering today's fast paced era with the launch of our trading app," CEO Nikos Antoniades said about the new release. "This is as always, another investment in our traders' best interest and it is specifically designed to make their trading experience easier and integrated in their every-day lives."

The app promises to be fast, simple and easy  a tagline which carries the promise easyMarkets made to traders and kept for nearly two decades. Even prior to an official launch, the app has been very well received by 6000 active users.

"The easyMarkets mobile application was developed natively for both Android and iOS to maximize its responsiveness and provide our users with the best possible look and feel," CIO Alexander St Louis, who has been heavily involved in the project, told us.

"It supports a broad range of functionality beyond trading, pricing and market news. Funding, withdrawing and reporting enable the user to enjoy the complete easyMarkets experience on their mobile device. The new easyMarkets app is able to fully replace the desktop experience for its users."

What sets this app apart from other trading apps is its ability to visually and contextually organize features in the most straightforward way. Traders are equipped with several market analysis and risk management tools as they make buy and sell decisions. They can also use easyMarkets' unique trading tool, dealCancellation*, which for a fee, allows them to undo any losing trade within 60 minutes.

In a time of unparalleled demand for access to information through push notifications, the easyMarkets app taps into that need by providing traders with the ability to enable price notifications and receive around-the-clock alerts about the moves, highs and lows of trading assets.

Among many great features, the app provides graphs, live market news, a financial calendar and easyMarkets' Inside Viewer which shows the direction fellow easyMarkets' traders are favoring on a chosen asset.

Several upgrades are in the works which will allow further personalization based on trader preference, and continuous enhancement of user experience.

The easyMarkets trading app is available for download on iOS and Android, in English and Chinese and will soon become available in other languages.

*Terms & Conditions Apply

Risk Warning: Forward Rate Agreements, Options and CFDs (OTC Trading) are leveraged products that carry a substantial risk of loss up to your invested capital and may not be suitable for everyone. Please ensure that you fully understand the risks involved and do not invest money you cannot afford to lose. Please refer to our full risk disclaimer. EF Worldwide Ltd

Media Contact:

James Trescothick

[email protected]

+35725828899

SOURCE easyMarkets
MINNEAPOLIS, April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- ECMC Foundation announced today it will commit $655,000 to EdVisions Schools, Inc. (EdVisions) to support the launch of the organization's three-year expansion and revitalization initiative, which includes opening 12 new schools and providing training in deeper learning instructional practices to 25 others.

Based in Henderson, Minn., and in operation since 2000, EdVisions provides support to a network of new school startups and existing schools to learn radically different approaches to teaching, leading and deeper learning based on the EdVisions Model. Deeper learning practices prepare students for college and career by integrating the mastery of academic content with the development of key competencies, such as critical thinking, problem solving, collaboration and effective communication, in real-world contexts. More than 40 percent of students attending EdVisions' network of schools qualify for free or reduced price lunch and more than 30 percent receive special education services.

"The proven efficacy of deeper learning is evident in EdVisions' programs and we are thrilled to offer our support, which will enhance the lives of students now and into the future," said Kyle Miller, senior program director, ECMC Foundation. "Not only will this grant support EdVisions' plan to open new schools in high-need communities in Minnesota and other locations across the country, but it also is bringing the concept of deeper learning practices to students who often don't have access to offerings that will prepare them for life."

The grant will allow EdVisions to begin working on a set of actions including opening 12 new schools in its network, half in Minnesota and half in other states. It will also start contracts with 25 schools to undergo whole school transformations.

"Minnesota has a long history of public school choice and the generous grant from ECMC Foundation will support quality high school educational choices for students and parents, and help the EdVisions network of innovative schools grow and better serve more young people, especially in high-need areas of the region," said Doug Thomas, EdVisions founder and executive director. "The result will be more graduates moving on to postsecondary schools and better preparation for life, work and citizenship."

ECMC Foundation, funded by Minneapolis-based ECMC Group, facilitates improvements that affect educational outcomesespecially among underserved populations.

"A survey of EdVisions schools revealed that those with the highest fidelity to the model had the strongest educational outcomes for students. This fact was critical in our decision to support EdVisions' expansion and revitalization initiative," Miller said. "EdVisions' plans to strengthen its network will result in students becoming better prepared for college and career."

About EdVisions Schools

The EdVisions model is based on its flagship school, Minnesota New Country School (MNSC), which opened in 1994. In 2006, MNSC was recognized as one of the nation's top eight charter schools in the nation for closing the achievement gap. Recognizing its success, EdVisions was founded to build and support a national network of schools that offer deeper learning.

To date, the organization has worked with over 200 high schools nationally and internationally trained over 1,000 new teachers and administrators. It currently services almost 9,000 students at 40 small schools in 11 states. Many of its students are from underserved populations:

more than half of its students are students of color;

the majority of its students live in urban and rural areas, 62 and 42 percent, respectively; and

more than 40 percent are from low-income families, qualifying for free or reduced price lunch.

Learn more about EdVisions by visiting www.edvisionsschools.org.

About ECMC Foundation

Based in Los Angeles, ECMC Foundation's mission is inspire and facilitate improvements that affect educational outcomesespecially among underserved populationsthrough evidence-based innovation. The Foundation makes investments in three focus areas: Teacher and Leader Development, College Success, and Career Readiness. It is one of several affiliates under the ECMC Group enterprise based in Minneapolis. Learn more about ECMC Foundation by visiting www.ecmcfoundation.org and ECMC Group by visiting www.ecmcgroup.org.

SOURCE ECMC Foundation

Related Links

http://www.ecmcfoundation.org


WASHINGTON, April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Edison Electric Institute President Tom Kuhn today issued the following statement on President Trump's proposed tax plan.

"President Trump's support for comprehensive tax reform is positive for EEI's member companies and our economy. EEI's members strongly support tax reform because we believe that a simpler tax code, broader tax base, and lower tax rates will grow the economy and increase the competitiveness of the United States, support job creation in America, and benefit our customers.

"Our industry is the nation's most capital-intensive industry, and EEI's members invest more than $100 billion each year to build smarter energy infrastructure and to transition to an even cleaner generation fleet. As tax reform proposals advance, it is important that interest deductibility for electric companies be maintained to avoid barriers to investment and to keep energy bills as affordable as possible for customers. The loss of interest deductibility will increase the cost of capital, which is reflected in electric rates paid by our customers.

"In addition to preserving interest deductibility, we also support keeping state and local tax deductions; continuing normalization and addressing excess deferred taxes; and keeping tax rates on dividends and capital gains low and on par. EEI looks forward to working with Congress and the Administration to find tax reform solutions that will benefit customers and encourage much-needed investment in critical energy infrastructure by helping to keep the cost of capital as low as possible."

EEI is the association that represents all U.S. investor-owned electric companies. Our members provide electricity for 220 million Americans, and operate in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. As a whole, the electric power industry supports more than 7 million jobs in communities across the United States. In addition to our U.S. members, EEI has more than 60 international electric companies as International Members, and hundreds of industry suppliers and related organizations as Associate Members.

SOURCE Edison Electric Institute

Related Links

http://www.eei.org


MOSCOW, April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

ElcomSoft Co. Ltd. updates Elcomsoft Cloud eXplorer, a digital forensic tool for remotely acquiring information from Google accounts. Version 1.30 adds the ability to download text messages backed up by Google Pixel smartphones and devices running Android O Developer Preview. In addition, the update improves the handling of enhanced location data, Routes and Places. The ability to process users' routes and places significantly improves readability of location data, providing experts a concise list of places instead of numerical geolocation coordinates.

"Each Android iteration makes things more secure", says Vladimir Katalov, ElcomSoft CEO. "The many versions of hardware and software along with OEM customizations make Android acquisition increasingly challenging. Elcomsoft Cloud eXplorer extracts data directly from the user's Google Account. In this release, we can extract text messages backed up by Google Pixel devices as well as all other handsets capable of running Android O Preview. To our knowledge, there is no other way to obtain text messages from a locked device due to full-disk encryption."

Prior to Android O (currently a developer preview), only Google Pixel devices running any version of Android were able to back up and restored text messages. This functionality is coming to all smartphones once Android O is officially released.

In addition to text message extraction, which is currently only available on Google Pixel smartphones as well as devices running Android O Preview, Elcomsoft Cloud eXplorer 1.30 adds the ability to pull enhanced location data.

"Location history is extremely important for investigations", adds Andy Malyshev, ElcomSoft CTO. "We improved the handling of location data, now extracting enhanced mapping information such as user's Routes and Places to show exactly which places user visited and what routes they traveled instead of just dropping a number of nameless pins."

The ability to back up and restore text messages largely depend on the device itself as well as the version of Android it is running.

Extracting Text Messages from Google Account

Since Android 6 enforcing full-disk encryption and implementing a secure biometric authentication API, Android acquisition became a challenge. Full-disk encryption makes physical acquisition of locked devices impossible, while secure lock screen implementations in Android 6 and 7 make bypassing security an iffy endeavor.

At the same time, Google moves more things into the cloud. Android 6 added fully automated backups that include application data. While Android backup mechanism is yet far from perfect, Google makes constant improvements to its implementation. In particular, Android O (currently a developer preview) adds SMS text messages to the list of items that are automatically stored in the cloud.

Elcomsoft Cloud eXplorer 1.30 helps future-proof mobile forensics by downloading and extracting text messages backed up by Android O and Google Pixel handsets. Experts can now use Elcomsoft Cloud eXplorer to download SMS text messages saved to the user's Google Account as part of Android O and Google Pixel cloud backups.

The tool automatically downloads and extracts all text messages saved as parts of all device backups available in the Google Account. Once the text messages are pulled from available device backups, experts can run a searches through all messages originated from all devices.

The ability to extract text messages from a Google Account is unique to Elcomsoft Cloud eXplorer. No other third-party tools are available to pull text messages from Android cloud backups.

The ability to back up and restore text messages is currently limited to Google Pixel devices running any version of Android, as well as to all handsets capable of running Android O Preview.

Enhanced Location Data

In addition to text messages, the latest build of Elcomsoft Cloud eXplorer offers significant improvements in the way it handles location data. The new release adds the ability to process Google's new Places and Routes categories. The new location engine in Elcomsoft Cloud eXplorer can now correctly identify, extract and process user's navigation routes and display places they visited (based on Google's POI). This significantly improves readability of location data, providing a list of places (such as restaurants, landmarks or shops) instead of plain numbers representing geolocation coordinates.

Routes

Elcomsoft Cloud eXplorer can also extract users' routes based on information contained in Google's mapping service. Unlike generic routes that are built by placing numerical coordinates onto the map, the new Routes feature pulls information about the user's routes directly from Google. This offers significantly more information, and includes methods of transport, stopovers, and places visited during the trip.

About Elcomsoft Cloud eXplorer

Elcomsoft Cloud eXplorer is an all-in-one solution for acquiring and analyzing information collected and stored by Google in the user's Google Account. The tool offers forensic specialists access to users' search history, up to 6 years of detailed location history, contacts, email communications, Chrome browsing history, notes, messages, and much more. Featuring selective access and blazing fast acquisition, Elcomsoft Cloud eXplorer is world's most advanced tool for Google forensics.

System Requirements

Elcomsoft Cloud eXplorer supports Windows 7, 8, 8.1, and Windows 10 as well as Windows 2008-2016 Server.

Pricing and Availability

Elcomsoft Cloud eXplorer is immediately available. North American pricing starts from $1995. Local pricing may vary. Elcomsoft Cloud eXplorer is available stand-alone or as part of Elcomsoft Mobile Forensic Bundle ($2995), which includes a comprehensive range of mobile acquisition and analysis tools for devices running Apple iOS, BlackBerry 10, Windows Phone and Windows 10 Mobile.

About ElcomSoft Co. Ltd.

Founded in 1990, ElcomSoft Co. Ltd. develops state-of-the-art computer forensics tools, provides computer forensics training and computer evidence consulting services. Since 1997, ElcomSoft has been providing support to businesses, law enforcement, military, and intelligence agencies. ElcomSoft tools are used by most of the Fortune 500 corporations, multiple branches of the military all over the world, foreign governments, and all major accounting firms. ElcomSoft is a Microsoft Partner (Gold Application Development), Intel Premier Elite Partner and member of NVIDIA's CUDA/GPU Computing Registered Developer Program.

SOURCE ELCOMSOFT Co. Ltd.
"I know many of our Anderson neighbors struggle to provide for their families and put food on the dinner table," said Electrolux employee Freddie Rodriguez, who lives in Anderson and helped unload the donated appliances at AIM earlier this morning. "I'm proud of how Electrolux is fighting hunger right here in the community."

"The impact of this donation reaches far beyond the walls of Anderson Interfaith Ministries," said Kristi King-Brock, executive director at AIM. "These appliances will allow our partner agencies to improve their infrastructure and provide more fresh and frozen food to those in need in Anderson and surrounding counties."

Electrolux also initiated #ElectroluxCares  a week long social media campaign that was fuelled by community engagement. For every retweet, like or share on an #ElectroluxCares Facebook or Twitter post, the company donated $5. The program generated a total donation amount of $9,000 or 5,400 family meals to the Anderson Interfaith Ministries Food Pantry.

The Electrolux manufacturing facility in Anderson began operating in 1988 and produces approximately 2 million top mount refrigerators annually under the Frigidaire brand.

*Source: Feeding America, 2017.

About Electrolux

Electrolux is a global leader in home appliances and appliances for professional use, based on deep consumer insight. We offer thoughtfully designed, innovative and sustainable solutions, developed in close collaboration with professional users. The products include refrigerators, ovens, cookers, hobs, dishwashers, washing machines, vacuum cleaners, air conditioners and small domestic appliances. Under esteemed brands including Electrolux, AEG, Zanussi, Frigidaire and Electrolux Grand Cuisine, the Group sells more than 60 million products to customers in more than 150 markets every year. In 2016 Electrolux had sales of SEK 121 billion and 55,000 employees. For more information go to www.electroluxgroup.com.

About Anderson Interfaith Ministries

AIM is a nonprofit organization, serving Anderson County with supportive services to lead clients to self-sufficiency. AIM does this through a continuum of services from utilities assistance, SC Help, Housing Rehabilitation, Hunger Ministries, and Education and Training programs. Established in 1990, AIM has partnered with collaborative agencies throughout the state to ensure long term sustainability for families. For more information about AIM, or how you can attend this event, please call 864-226-2273 or visit www.aimcharity.org.

SOURCE Electrolux North America
WASHINGTON, April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Enlightened, Inc., a leading Information Technology (IT) consulting firm delivering Cyber Security, System Integration, and Management Consulting solutions, announced today that it was awarded the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Strategic Partners Acquisition Readiness Contract (SPARC) Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract in the Small Business pool.

SPARC provides a broad range of IT professional services including strategic, technical, and program management guidance and support services, to facilitate the modernization of CMS business processes and supporting systems. As a multiple award IDIQ, performance-based contract with a $25B ceiling, it is available to all components within CMS and all Health and Human Services (HHS) Operating Divisions to procure IT services from end to end.

"We are extremely excited to support CMS' unique mission for health IT and for the opportunity to support both HHS' and CMS' efforts to continue transforming health care delivery through innovation," stated Antwanye Ford, Enlightened President.

About Enlightened

Enlightened is an award winning company that provides Cyber Security, IT and Management solutions to resolve complex business problems for federal, state, and local government agencies. Enlightened holds GSA IT-70 and MOBIS schedule contracts, and is certified as a HUBZone and Small Business by the Small Business Administration. For more information please visit www.enlightened.com.

SOURCE Enlightened, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.enlightened.com


NUREMBERG, Germany, April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Software-defined storage is rapidly becoming reality in the enterprise, as 95 percent of companies express an interest in the flexible storage approach, and nearly two-thirds  63 percent  say their organization will realistically begin to adopt a software-defined storage approach in the next 12 months. That's according to an international study of IT professionals commissioned and released by enterprise open source infrastructure solution provider SUSE.

Companies see business and technology advantages in software-defined storage, including:

Lower cost of ownership  Eighty-one percent of respondents find the business case for software-defined storage to be compelling, with 72 percent increasingly evaluating their storage based on total cost of ownership over time. Seventy-three percent agree every business is a storage business, amplifying the connection between data storage and critical business issues.

 Eighty-one percent of respondents find the business case for software-defined storage to be compelling, with 72 percent increasingly evaluating their storage based on total cost of ownership over time. Seventy-three percent agree every business is a storage business, amplifying the connection between data storage and critical business issues. Higher levels of scalability  Ninety-six percent of companies like the business scalability of software-defined storage, and 95 percent find its time, performance, technical and cost scalability appealing.

 Ninety-six percent of companies like the business scalability of software-defined storage, and 95 percent find its time, performance, technical and cost scalability appealing. Increased performance  The main benefit expected from software-defined storage is enhanced system performance, according to more than half of respondents (52 percent). Other expected benefits include facilitation of modern web, mobile and big data applications/services, reduced support/maintenance costs, support for innovation/open business models, and ease of deployment.

 The main benefit expected from software-defined storage is enhanced system performance, according to more than half of respondents (52 percent). Other expected benefits include facilitation of modern web, mobile and big data applications/services, reduced support/maintenance costs, support for innovation/open business models, and ease of deployment. Keeping up with trending technology  More than half of respondents believe cloud adoption (54 percent) and big data analytics (50 percent) are significant trends that will accelerate the industry's move to software-defined storage.

Interest in software-defined storage also extends to the underlying technology, as 75 percent of companies would consider an open source approach to their storage infrastructure. Forty-two percent are already considering open source to meet their storage needs.

"It's no secret that data will continue to grow at an astounding pace, so it's imperative storage for that data be both scalable and affordable," said Gerald Pfeifer, SUSE vice president of Products and Technology Programs. "This study confirms that businesses are actively seeking solutions to address this phenomenon, and software-defined storage meets the challenge. SUSE is leading the charge by helping customers manage this data with open source storage software that scales, and with a pricing model that is extremely attractive."

SUSE is working with the Ceph open source project to deliver storage technology that's intelligent, scalable and leads the market in price and low-cost ownership. For more information about software-defined storage in the enterprise, visit www.suse.com/storage.

About the Study

The independent market research conducted by Loudhouse surveyed more than 1,200 senior IT decision-makers in 11 countries across a wide variety of industries. All respondents work for organizations with more than 250 employees, with 56 percent representing companies larger than 1,000. Study results can be found at www.suse.com/stateofstorage.

About SUSE

SUSE, a pioneer in open source software, provides reliable, interoperable Linux, cloud infrastructure and storage solutions that give enterprises greater control and flexibility. More than 20 years of engineering excellence, exceptional service and an unrivaled partner ecosystem power the products and support that help our customers manage complexity, reduce cost, and confidently deliver mission-critical services. The lasting relationships we build allow us to adapt and deliver the smarter innovation they need to succeed  today and tomorrow. For more information, visit www.suse.com.

Copyright 2017 SUSE LLC. All rights reserved. SUSE and the SUSE logo are registered trademarks of SUSE LLC in the United States and other countries. All third-party trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

SOURCE SUSE

Related Links

http://www.suse.com


ATLANTA, April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Equifax Inc. (NYSE: EFX) today announced financial results for the quarter ended March 31, 2017.

"We are off to a strong start in 2017 with our first quarter performance," said Richard F. Smith, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer at Equifax. "Broad-based growth was driven by our continued focus on new product innovation, delivering on our enterprise growth initiatives and execution of our vertical market strategies. We remain confident about our outlook for growth in 2017."

Financial Results Summary

The company reported revenue of $832.2 million in the first quarter of 2017, a 14 percent increase from the first quarter of 2016 on a reported basis and up 15 percent on a local currency basis.

First quarter diluted EPS attributable to Equifax was $1.26, up 49 percent from the first quarter of 2016. Adjusted EPS attributable to Equifax was $1.44, up 17 percent from the first quarter of 2016. This financial measure for 2017 excludes the income tax effects of stock awards recognized upon vesting or settlement and adjustments resulting from the conclusion of tax audits. The financial measure for both 2017 and 2016 excludes acquisition-related amortization expense, net of associated tax impacts, and Veda acquisition related amounts as described more fully in the attached Q&A.

Net income attributable to Equifax of $153.3 million was up 50 percent compared to the first quarter of 2016. Adjusted EBITDA margin was 36.0 percent, compared to 34.2 percent in the first quarter of 2016. These financial measures for 2017 and 2016 have been adjusted for certain items, which affect the comparability of the underlying operational performance and are described more fully in the attached Q&A.

USIS delivered solid revenue growth driven by mortgage, new product innovation and enterprise-growth initiatives.

Total revenue was $310.1 million in the first quarter of 2017 compared to $294.9 million in the first quarter of 2016, an increase of 5 percent. Operating margin for USIS was 41.8 percent in the first quarter of 2017 compared to 41.6 percent in the first quarter of 2016. Adjusted EBITDA margin for USIS was 48.6 percent in the first quarter of 2017 compared to 48.7 percent in the first quarter of 2016.

in the first quarter of 2017 compared to in the first quarter of 2016, an increase of 5 percent. Operating margin for USIS was 41.8 percent in the first quarter of 2017 compared to 41.6 percent in the first quarter of 2016. Adjusted EBITDA margin for USIS was 48.6 percent in the first quarter of 2017 compared to 48.7 percent in the first quarter of 2016. Online Information Solutions revenue was $225.2 million , up 3 percent from the first quarter of 2016.

, up 3 percent from the first quarter of 2016. Mortgage Solutions revenue was $38.6 million , up 22 percent from the first quarter of 2016.

, up 22 percent from the first quarter of 2016. Financial Marketing Services revenue was $46.3 million , up 2 percent when compared to the first quarter of 2016.

International drove double-digit local currency growth with broad-based growth across Europe, Latin America, Canada and Asia Pacific.

Total revenue was $216.2 million in the first quarter of 2017, up 37 percent from the first quarter of 2016 and a 41 percent increase on a local currency basis. Operating margin for International was 13.8 percent in the first quarter of 2017, compared to 12.3 percent in the first quarter of 2016. Adjusted EBITDA margin for International was 31.2 percent in the first quarter of 2017, compared to 25.3 percent in the first quarter of 2016.

in the first quarter of 2017, up 37 percent from the first quarter of 2016 and a 41 percent increase on a local currency basis. Operating margin for International was 13.8 percent in the first quarter of 2017, compared to 12.3 percent in the first quarter of 2016. Adjusted EBITDA margin for International was 31.2 percent in the first quarter of 2017, compared to 25.3 percent in the first quarter of 2016. Asia Pacific revenue was $72.0 million driven largely by the Veda acquisition.

revenue was driven largely by the Veda acquisition. Europe revenue was $61.7 million , up 2 percent from the first quarter of 2016 and up 15 percent on a local currency basis.

revenue was , up 2 percent from the first quarter of 2016 and up 15 percent on a local currency basis. Latin America revenue was $51.0 million , up 20 percent from the first quarter of 2016 and up 20 percent on a local currency basis.

revenue was , up 20 percent from the first quarter of 2016 and up 20 percent on a local currency basis. Canada revenue was $31.5 million , up 15 percent from the first quarter of 2016 and up 11 percent on a local currency basis.

Workforce Solutions delivered double-digit growth again driven by strong performance across multiple strategic verticals.

Total revenue was $200.0 million in the first quarter of 2017, an 11 percent increase from the first quarter of 2016. Operating margin for Workforce Solutions was 44.7 percent in the first quarter of 2017 compared to 43.6 percent in the first quarter of 2016. Adjusted EBITDA margin for Workforce Solutions was 50.2 percent in the first quarter of 2017 compared to 49.5 percent in the first quarter of 2016.

in the first quarter of 2017, an 11 percent increase from the first quarter of 2016. Operating margin for Workforce Solutions was 44.7 percent in the first quarter of 2017 compared to 43.6 percent in the first quarter of 2016. Adjusted EBITDA margin for Workforce Solutions was 50.2 percent in the first quarter of 2017 compared to 49.5 percent in the first quarter of 2016. Verification Services revenue was $115.1 million , up 16 percent when compared to the first quarter of 2016.

, up 16 percent when compared to the first quarter of 2016. Employer Services revenue was $84.9 million , up 5 percent when compared to the first quarter of 2016.

Global Consumer Solutions achieved double-digit growth driven by indirect and Direct-to-Consumer reseller revenues.

Revenue was $105.9 million , an 11 percent increase from the first quarter of 2016 and up 13 percent on a local currency basis. Operating margin was 29.1 percent compared to 28.3 percent in the first quarter of 2016. Adjusted EBITDA margin was 31.7 percent compared to 30.8 percent in the first quarter of 2016.

Second Quarter 2017 and Full Year 2017 Outlook

We are off to a strong start in Q1. For the second quarter, we expect revenue to be between $857 and $862 million, reflecting constant currency growth of 7.0 percent to 7.5 percent, partially offset by 1 percent of foreign exchange impact. Adjusted EPS is expected to be between $1.55 and $1.58 which is up 10 percent to 12 percent, excluding $0.01 of foreign exchange headwind.

We expect full year 2017 revenue to be between $3.375 and $3.425 billion, reflecting constant currency growth of approximately 8-9 percent, partially offset by 1 percent of foreign exchange headwind at current rates.

Adjusted EPS for the year is expected to be between $5.96 and $6.10, which is up 8 percent to 10 percent. Excluding approximately $0.02 full year per share negative impact from foreign exchange, this reflects constant currency EPS growth of 8 percent to 11 percent.

About Equifax

Equifax is a global information solutions company that uses trusted unique data, innovative analytics, technology and industry expertise to power organizations and individuals around the world by transforming knowledge into insights that help make more informed business and personal decisions. The company organizes, assimilates and analyzes data on more than 820 million consumers and more than 91 million businesses worldwide, and its database includes employee data contributed from more than 7,100 employers.

Headquartered in Atlanta, Ga., Equifax operates or has investments in 24 countries in North America, Central and South America, Europe and the Asia Pacific region. It is a member of Standard & Poor's (S&P) 500 Index, and its common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) under the symbol EFX. Equifax employs approximately 9,700 employees worldwide.

Some noteworthy achievements for the company include: Named to the Top 100 American Banker FinTech Forward list (2015-2016); named a Top Technology Provider on the FinTech 100 list (2004-2016); named an InformationWeek Elite 100 Winner (2014-2015); named a Top Workplace by Atlanta Journal Constitution (2013-2016); named one of Fortune's World's Most Admired Companies (2011-2015); named one of Forbes' World's 100 Most Innovative Companies (2015-2016). For more information, visit www.equifax.com.

Earnings Conference Call and Audio Webcast

In conjunction with this release, Equifax will host a conference call tomorrow, April 27, 2017 at 8:30 a.m. (ET) via a live audio webcast. To access the webcast, go to the Investor Relations section of our website at www.equifax.com.The discussion will be available via replay at the same site shortly after the conclusion of the webcast. This press release is also available on that website.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

This earnings release presents adjusted EPS attributable to Equifax which is diluted EPS attributable to Equifax adjusted (to the extent noted above for different periods) for acquisition-related amortization expense, net of tax, acquisition-specific transaction and due diligence expense, as well as integration expense through Q1 2017 following the closure of the acquisition, the adjustment of redeemable noncontrolling interest that reflects a redemption value in excess of fair value, the income tax effects of stock awards that are recognized upon vesting or settlement and adjustments for uncertain tax positions related to the recent settlement of an income tax audit. This earnings release also presents adjusted EBITDA and adjusted EBITDA margin which is defined as consolidated net income attributable to Equifax plus net interest expense, income taxes, depreciation and amortization, and also excludes certain one-time items. These are important financial measures for Equifax but are not financial measures as defined by GAAP.

These non-GAAP financial measures should be reviewed in conjunction with the relevant GAAP financial measures and are not presented as an alternative measure of net income or EPS as determined in accordance with GAAP.

Reconciliations of these non-GAAP financial measures to the most directly comparable GAAP financial measures and related notes are presented in the Q&A. This information can also be found under "Investor Relations/GAAP/Non-GAAP Measures" on our website at www.equifax.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information. These statements can be identified by expressions of belief, expectation or intention, as well as statements that are not historical fact. These statements are based on certain factors and assumptions including with respect to foreign exchange rates, expected growth, results of operations, performance, business prospects and opportunities and effective tax rates. While the company believes these factors and assumptions to be reasonable based on information currently available, they may prove to be incorrect.

Several factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to actions taken by us, including restructuring or strategic initiatives (including capital investments or asset acquisitions or dispositions), as well as from developments beyond our control, including, but not limited to, changes in worldwide and U.S. economic conditions that materially impact consumer spending, consumer debt and employment and the demand for Equifax's products and services. Other risk factors include adverse or uncertain economic conditions and changes in credit and financial markets; economic, political and other risks associated with international sales and operations; risks relating to illegal first party efforts to access data or other cybersecurity or physical security breaches; changes in, and the effects of, laws and regulations and government policies governing our business, including, without limitation, our examination and supervision by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau ("CFPB"), a federal agency that holds primary responsibility for the regulation of consumer protection with respect to financial products and services in the U.S., oversight by the U.K. Financial Conduct Authority and Information Commissioner's Office of our debt collections services and core credit reporting businesses in the U.K. and oversight by the Office of Australian Information Commission, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission and other regulatory entities of our credit reporting business in Australia; federal or state responses to identity theft concerns; potential adverse developments in new and pending legal proceedings or government investigations, including investigations or examinations undertaken by the CFPB, State Attorneys General or other governmental agencies; our ability to successfully develop and market new products and services, respond to pricing and other competitive pressures, complete and integrate acquisitions and other investments and achieve targeted cost efficiencies; timing and amount of capital expenditures; changes in capital markets and corresponding effects on the company's investments and benefit plan obligations; foreign currency exchange rates and earnings repatriation limitations; and the decisions of taxing authorities, all of which could affect our effective tax rates. A summary of additional risks and uncertainties can be found in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016, including without limitation under the captions "Item 1. Business -- Governmental Regulation" and "-- Forward-Looking Statements" and "Item 1A. Risk Factors," and in our other filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Forward-looking statements are given only as at the date of this release and the company disclaims any obligation to update or revise the forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

EQUIFAX CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME









Three Months Ended March

31,



2017

2016 (In millions, except per share amounts)

(Unaudited) Operating revenue

$ 832.2



$ 728.3

Operating expenses:







Cost of services (exclusive of depreciation and amortization below)

300.8



253.3

Selling, general and administrative expenses

243.3



243.1

Depreciation and amortization

71.3



55.7

Total operating expenses

615.4



552.1

Operating income

216.8



176.2

Interest expense

(24.2)



(20.1)

Other income (expense), net

3.1



(2.1)

Consolidated income from operations before income taxes

195.7



154.0

Provision for income taxes

(40.3)



(51.6)

Consolidated net income

155.4



102.4

Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests including redeemable noncontrolling

interests

(2.1)



(0.3)

Net income attributable to Equifax

$ 153.3



$ 102.1

Basic earnings per common share:







Net income attributable to Equifax

$ 1.28



$ 0.86

Weighted-average shares used in computing basic earnings per share

120.0



118.8

Diluted earnings per common share:







Net income attributable to Equifax

$ 1.26



$ 0.85

Weighted-average shares used in computing diluted earnings per share

121.9



120.8

Dividends per common share

$ 0.39



$ 0.33



EQUIFAX CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS













March 31, 2017

December 31, 2016 (In millions, except par values)

(Unaudited) ASSETS







Current assets:







Cash and cash equivalents

$ 123.2



$ 129.3

Trade accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts of $8.3 and $7.8 at March

31, 2017 and December 31, 2016, respectively

459.7



433.3

Prepaid expenses

76.2



60.2

Other current assets

46.1



50.1

Total current assets

705.2



672.9

Property and equipment:







Capitalized internal-use software and system costs

332.1



307.0

Data processing equipment and furniture

280.3



273.2

Land, buildings and improvements

206.6



203.8

Total property and equipment

819.0



784.0

Less accumulated depreciation and amortization

(340.0)



(317.1)

Total property and equipment, net

479.0



466.9

Goodwill

4,057.5



3,974.3

Indefinite-lived intangible assets

94.8



94.8

Purchased intangible assets, net

1,312.3



1,323.8

Other assets, net

140.2



131.3

Total assets

$ 6,789.0



$ 6,664.0

LIABILITIES AND EQUITY







Current liabilities:







Short-term debt and current maturities of long-term debt

$ 631.8



$ 585.4

Accounts payable

79.6



81.0

Accrued expenses

133.7



149.3

Accrued salaries and bonuses

59.3



158.8

Deferred revenue

113.5



110.7

Other current liabilities

183.4



174.4

Total current liabilities

1,201.3



1,259.6

Long-term debt

2,037.4



2,086.8

Deferred income tax liabilities, net

330.3



325.4

Long-term pension and other postretirement benefit liabilities

181.0



184.4

Other long-term liabilities

86.8



86.5

Total liabilities

3,836.8



3,942.7

Equifax shareholders' equity:







Preferred stock, $0.01 par value: Authorized shares - 10.0; Issued shares - none







Common stock, $1.25 par value: Authorized shares - 300.0;

Issued shares - 189.3 at March 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016;

Outstanding shares - 120.2 and 119.9 at March 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016, respectively

236.6



236.6

Paid-in capital

1,322.7



1,313.3

Retained earnings

4,255.9



4,153.2

Accumulated other comprehensive loss

(414.4)



(528.9)

Treasury stock, at cost, 68.5 shares and 68.8 shares at March 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016, respectively

(2,506.8)



(2,505.6)

Stock held by employee benefit trusts, at cost, 0.6 shares at March 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016

(5.9)



(5.9)

Total Equifax shareholders' equity

2,888.1



2,662.7

Noncontrolling interests

64.1



58.6

Total equity

2,952.2



2,721.3

Total liabilities and equity

$ 6,789.0



$ 6,664.0



EQUIFAX CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS









Three Months Ended March 31,



2017

2016 (In millions)

(Unaudited) Operating activities:







Consolidated net income

$ 155.4



$ 102.4

Adjustments to reconcile consolidated net income to net cash provided by operating activities:







Depreciation and amortization

72.1



56.8

Stock-based compensation expense

18.7



16.3

Excess tax benefits from stock-based compensation plans





(10.9)

Deferred income taxes

(2.6)



1.1

Changes in assets and liabilities, excluding effects of acquisitions:







Accounts receivable, net

(22.7)



(45.4)

Other assets, current and long-term

(29.2)



17.0

Current and long term liabilities, excluding debt

(88.0)



(29.2)

Cash provided by operating activities

103.7



108.1

Investing activities:







Capital expenditures

(50.3)



(40.2)

Acquisitions, net of cash acquired

(7.3)



(1,727.8)

Cash received from sale of asset

8.6





Economic hedges





(10.8)

Cash used in investing activities

(49.0)



(1,778.8)

Financing activities:







Net short-term borrowings

46.4



900.1

Payments on long-term debt

(50.0)



(10.0)

Borrowings on long-term debt





800.0

Dividends paid to Equifax shareholders

(46.9)



(39.2)

Dividends paid to noncontrolling interests

(1.9)



(1.7)

Proceeds from exercise of stock options

9.4



4.1

Payment of taxes related to settlement of equity awards

(20.3)



(17.8)

Excess tax benefits from stock-based compensation plans





10.9

Cash (used in) provided by financing activities

(63.3)



1,646.4

Effect of foreign currency exchange rates on cash and cash equivalents

2.5



27.8

(Decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents

(6.1)



3.5

Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period

129.3



93.3

Cash and cash equivalents, end of period

$ 123.2



$ 96.8



Common Questions & Answers (Unaudited)

(Dollars in millions)

1. Can you provide a further analysis of operating revenue by operating segment?

Operating revenue consists of the following components:

(In millions)

Three months ended March

31,































Local Currency Operating revenue:

2017

2016

$ Change

% Change

% Change* Online Information Solutions

$ 225.2



$ 218.1



$ 7.1



3 %



Mortgage Solutions

38.6



31.6



7.0



22 %



Financial Marketing Services

46.3



45.2



1.1



2 %



Total U.S. Information Solutions

310.1



294.9



15.2



5 %



Europe

61.7



60.5



1.2



2 %

15 % Latin America

51.0



42.5



8.5



20 %

20 % Asia Pacific

72.0



27.6



44.4



161 %

159 % Canada

31.5



27.5



4.0



15 %

11 % Total International

216.2



158.1



58.1



37 %

41 % Verification Services

115.1



99.2



15.9



16 %



Employer Services

84.9



80.9



4.0



5 %



Total Workforce Solutions

200.0



180.1



19.9



11 %



Global Consumer Solutions

105.9



95.2



10.7



11 %

13 % Total operating revenue

$ 832.2



$ 728.3



$ 103.9



14 %

15 %





































*Reflects percentage change in revenue conforming 2017 results using 2016 exchange rates.

nm - not meaningful.

2. What was the currency impact on the foreign operations?

The U.S. dollar impact on operating revenue is as follows:





Three months ended

March 31, 2017



Operating Revenue (In millions)

Amount

% Europe

$ (7.9)



(13) % Latin America





 % Asia Pacific

0.5



2 % Canada

1.1



4 % Global Consumer Solutions

(1.2)



(1) % Total

$ (7.5)



(1) %

3. What drove the fluctuation in the effective tax rate?

Our effective income tax rate was 20.6% and 33.5% for the three months ended March 31, 2017 and March 31, 2016, respectively. The decrease in our effective income tax rate is primarily attributable to the adoption of the new stock-based compensation guidance we prospectively adopted in the first quarter of 2017 that requires the recognition of the income tax effects of awards in the income statement when the awards vest or are settled. These amounts were previously recognized in additional paid-in-capital. We recognized a $14.9 million tax benefit related to the accounting change in the first quarter of 2017. Additionally, the 2017 rate is lower due to $8.3 million of adjustments for uncertain tax positions related to the recent settlement of an income tax audit.

Reconciliations of Non-GAAP Financial Measures to the Comparable GAAP Financial Measures (Unaudited)

(Dollars in millions, except per share amounts)

A. Reconciliation of net income attributable to Equifax to diluted EPS attributable to Equifax, adjusted for Veda acquisition related amounts other than acquisition-related amortization, the income tax effects of stock awards recognized upon vesting or settlement, adjustments for uncertain tax positions, income taxes related to adjustments, and acquisition-related amortization expense:





Three Months Ended

March 31,







(In millions, except per share amounts)

2017

2016

$ Change

% Change Net income attributable to Equifax

$ 153.3



$ 102.1



$ 51.2



50 % Acquisition-related amortization expense of certain

acquired intangibles (1)

45.0



35.7



$ 9.3



26 % Veda acquisition related amounts other than acquisition-

related amortization (2)

11.4



22.3



(10.9)



(49) % Income tax effects of stock awards that are recognized upon

vesting or settlement (3)

(14.9)







(14.9)



nm

Adjustments for uncertain tax positions (4)

(8.3)







(8.3)



nm

Tax impact of adjustments (5)

(11.0)



(11.5)



0.5



nm

Net income attributable to Equifax, adjusted for items listed

above

175.5



148.6



$ 26.9



18 % Diluted EPS attributable to Equifax, adjusted for items

listed above

$ 1.44



$ 1.23



$ 0.21



17 % Weighted-average shares used in computing diluted EPS

121.9



120.8































nm - not meaningful

(1) During the first quarter of 2017, we recorded acquisition-related amortization expense of certain acquired intangibles of $45.0 million ($36.4 million, net of tax). We calculate this financial measure by excluding the impact of acquisition-related amortization expense and including a benefit to reflect the significant cash income tax savings resulting from the income tax deductibility of amortization for certain acquired intangibles. The $8.6 million of tax is comprised of $14.8 million of tax expense net of $6.2 million of a cash income tax benefit. During the first quarter of 2016, we recorded acquisition-related amortization expense of certain acquired intangibles of $35.7 million ($30.2 million, net of tax). The $5.5 million of tax is comprised of $11.7 million of tax expense net of $6.2 million of a cash income tax benefit.

(2) During the first quarter of 2017, we recorded $11.4 million ($9.0 million, net of tax, which includes a valuation allowance adjustment of $1.0 million reflected in income tax) for Veda acquisition related amounts other than acquisition-related amortization, of which $11.7 million related to integration costs included in operating income, and $0.3 million related to foreign currency gain included in other income, net.

During the first quarter of 2016, we recorded $22.3 million ($16.3 million, net of tax) for Veda acquisition related amounts. $15.8 million relates to transaction and integration costs recorded in operating income, $5.8 million is recorded in other income, net, and is the impact of foreign currency changes on the transaction structure, including economic hedges, and $0.7 million is recorded in interest expense. See the Notes to this reconciliation for additional detail.

(3) During the first quarter of 2017, we recorded a tax benefit of $14.9 million related to the tax effects of deductions for stock compensation in excess of amounts recorded for compensation costs. See the Notes to this reconciliation for additional detail.

(4) During the first quarter of 2017, we recorded a tax benefit of $8.3 million related to adjustments from uncertain tax positions resulting from the completion of examinations of historical tax returns. See the Notes to this reconciliation for additional detail.

(5) During the first quarter of 2017 we recorded the tax impact of adjustments of $11.0 million comprised of (i) acquisition-related amortization expense of certain acquired intangibles of $8.6 million ($14.8 million of tax expense net of $6.2 million of a cash income tax benefit) and (ii) tax adjustment of $2.4 million for Veda acquisition related amounts other than acquisition related amortization.

During the first quarter of 2016 we recorded the tax impact of adjustments of $11.5 million comprised of (i) acquisition-related amortization expense of certain acquired intangibles of $5.5 million ($11.7 million of tax expense net of $6.2 million of a cash income tax benefit), and (ii) a tax adjustment of $6.0 million for Veda acquisition related amounts other than acquisition related amortization.

B. Reconciliation of net income attributable to Equifax to adjusted EBITDA, excluding Veda acquisition related amounts, income taxes, interest expense, net and depreciation and amortization expense, and presentation of adjusted EBITDA margin:





Three Months Ended March 31,







(In millions)

2017

2016

$ Change

% Change Revenue

$ 832.2



$ 728.3



$ 103.9



14 % Net income attributable to Equifax

$ 153.3



$ 102.1



$ 51.2



50 % Income taxes

40.3



51.6



(11.3)



(22) % Interest expense, net*

23.5



18.3



5.2



28 % Depreciation and amortization

71.3



55.7



15.6



28 % Veda acquisition related amounts (1)

11.4



21.6



(10.2)



(47) % Adjusted EBITDA, excluding the items listed above

$ 299.8



$ 249.3



$ 50.5



20 % Adjusted EBITDA margin

36.0 %

34.2 %





























nm - not meaningful *Excludes interest income of $0.7 million in 2017 and $1.8 million in 2016.

(1) During the first quarter of 2017, we recorded $11.4 million ($9.0 million, net of tax, which includes a valuation allowance adjustment of $1.0 million reflected in income tax) for Veda acquisition related amounts other than acquisition-related amortization, of which $11.7 million related to integration costs included in operating income, and $0.3 million related to foreign currency gain included in other income, net.

During the first quarter of 2016, we recorded $22.3 million ($16.3 million, net of tax) for Veda acquisition related amounts. $15.8 million relates to transaction and integration costs recorded in operating income, $5.8 million is recorded in other income, net, and is the impact of foreign currency changes on the transaction structure, including economic hedges, and $0.7 million is recorded in interest expense. See the Notes to this reconciliation for additional detail.

C. Reconciliation of operating income to Adjusted EBITDA, excluding Veda acquisition related amounts, income taxes, depreciation and amortization expense, other income, net, noncontrolling interest, and presentation of adjusted EBITDA margin for each of the segments:

(In millions)

Three months ended March 31, 2017





U.S.

Information

Solutions

International

Workforce

Solutions

Global

Consumer

Solutions

General

Corporate

Expense*

Total















Revenue

$ 310.1



$ 216.2



$ 200.0



$ 105.9



nm



$ 832.2



Operating Income

129.7



29.8



89.5



30.8



(63.0)



216.8



Depreciation and Amortization

20.8



28.1



10.9



2.8



8.7



71.3



Other income/(expense), net**

0.3



2.1















2.4



Noncontrolling interest





(2.1)















(2.1)



Adjustments (1)





9.5











1.9



11.4



Adjusted EBITDA

$ 150.8



$ 67.4



$ 100.4



$ 33.6



$ (52.4)



$ 299.8



Operating Margin

41.8 %

13.8 %

44.7 %

29.1 %

nm



26.1 %

Adjusted EBITDA Margin

48.6 %

31.2 %

50.2 %

31.7 %

nm



36.0 %





















































nm - not meaningful *General Corporate Expense includes non-recurring adjustments of $1.9 million. **Excludes interest income of $0.7 million.

(In millions)

Three months ended March 31, 2016





U.S.

Information

Solutions

International

Workforce

Solutions

Global

Consumer

Solutions

General

Corporate

Expense*

Total















Revenue

$ 294.9



$ 158.1



$ 180.1



$ 95.2



nm



$ 728.3



Operating Income

122.8



19.4



78.6



27.0



(71.6)



176.2



Depreciation and Amortization

20.5



16.4



10.5



2.3



6.0



55.7



Other income/(expense), net**

0.4



1.0











(5.3)



(3.9)



Noncontrolling interest





(0.3)















(0.3)



Adjustments (1)





3.6











18.0



21.6



Adjusted EBITDA

$ 143.7



$ 40.1



$ 89.1



$ 29.3



$ (52.9)



$ 249.3



Operating Margin

41.6 %

12.3 %

43.6 %

28.3 %

nm



24.2 %

Adjusted EBITDA Margin

48.7 %

25.3 %

49.5 %

30.8 %

nm



34.2 %





















































nm - not meaningful *General Corporate Expense includes non-recurring adjustments of $12.3 million. **Excludes interest income of $1.8 million.

(1) During the first quarter of 2017, we recorded $11.4 million ($9.0 million, net of tax, which includes a valuation allowance adjustment of $1.0 million reflected in income tax) for Veda acquisition related amounts other than acquisition-related amortization, of which $11.7 million related to integration costs included in operating income, and $0.3 million related to foreign currency gain included in other income, net.

During the first quarter of 2016, we recorded $22.3 million ($16.3 million, net of tax) for Veda acquisition related amounts. $15.8 million relates to transaction and integration costs recorded in operating income, $5.8 million is recorded in other income, net, and is the impact of foreign currency changes on the transaction structure, including economic hedges, and $0.7 million is recorded in interest expense. See the Notes to this reconciliation for additional detail.

Notes to Reconciliations of Non-GAAP Financial Measures to the Comparable GAAP Financial Measures

Diluted EPS attributable to Equifax is adjusted for the following items:

Acquisition-related amortization expense, net of tax - We calculate this financial measure by excluding the impact of acquisition-related amortization expense and including a benefit to reflect the material cash income tax savings resulting from the income tax deductibility of amortization for certain acquired intangibles. These financial measures are not prepared in conformity with GAAP. Management believes excluding the impact of amortization expense is useful because excluding acquisition-related amortization, and other items that are not comparable, allows investors to evaluate our performance for different periods on a more comparable basis. Certain acquired intangibles result in material cash income tax savings which are not reflected in earnings. Management believes that including a benefit to reflect the cash income tax savings is useful as it allows investors to better value Equifax. Management makes these adjustments to earnings when measuring profitability, evaluating performance trends, setting performance objectives and calculating our return on invested capital.

Veda acquisition related amounts for transaction and due diligence expenses incurred as a direct result of the acquisition, as well as integration expense in the first year following the closure of the acquisition - During the first quarter of 2017, we recorded $11.4 million ($9.0 million, net of tax, which includes a valuation allowance adjustment of $1.0 million reflected in income tax) for Veda acquisition related amounts other than acquisition-related amortization, of which $11.7 million related to integration costs included in operating income, and $0.3 million related to foreign currency gain included in other income, net. Management believes excluding this charge is useful as it allows investors to evaluate our performance for different periods on a more comparable basis. Management makes these adjustments to net income when measuring profitability, evaluating performance trends, setting performance objectives and calculating our return on invested capital. This is consistent with how management reviews and assesses Equifax's historical performance and is useful when planning, forecasting and analyzing future periods.

Income tax effects of stock awards that are recognized upon vesting or settlement - During the first quarter of 2017, we recorded a tax benefit of $14.9 million related to the tax effects of deductions in excess of compensation costs in accordance with newly adopted guidance. Management believes excluding this tax effect from financial results provides meaningful supplemental information regarding our financial results for the three months ended March 31, 2017, as compared to the corresponding period in 2016, because this amount is non-operating and relates to income tax benefits or deficiencies for stock awards recognized when tax amounts differ from recognized stock compensation cost. This is consistent with how management reviews and assesses Equifax's historical performance and is useful when planning, forecasting and analyzing future periods.

Adjustments for uncertain tax positions - During the first quarter of 2017, we recorded a tax benefit of $8.3 million related to adjustments from uncertain tax positions resulting from the completion of examinations of historical tax returns. Management believes excluding this tax effect from certain financial results provides meaningful supplemental information regarding our financial results for the three months ended March 31, 2017, as compared to the corresponding period in 2016, because a benefit of such an amount is not comparable among the periods. This is consistent with how management reviews and assesses Equifax's historical performance and is useful when planning, forecasting and analyzing future periods.

Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA margin, excluding the Veda acquisition related amounts - Management defines adjusted EBITDA as consolidated net income attributable to Equifax plus net interest expense, income taxes, depreciation and amortization, and also excludes certain one-time items. Management believes the use of adjusted EBITDA and adjusted EBITDA margin allows investors to evaluate our performance for different periods on a more comparable basis.

SOURCE Equifax Inc.

Related Links

http://www.equifax.com


SEATTLE, April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- EY today announced that Eric Burns, co-founder and CEO of Panopto, is a finalist for the Entrepreneur Of The Year 2017 Award in the Pacific Northwest. The awards program, which is celebrating its 31st year, recognizes entrepreneurs who are excelling in areas such as innovation, financial performance and personal commitment to their businesses and communities. Burns was selected as a finalist by a panel of independent judges. Award winners will be announced at a special gala event on June 9, 2017 at the Hyatt Regency Bellevue.

"Ten years ago, Panopto set out to build a system that would enable anyone to exchange ideas and expand their knowledge using video," said Eric Burns. "Today, as video continues to revolutionize student learning and become an essential part of business communication, I see unprecedented opportunity for Panopto. I'm honored to have the opportunity to lead this incredible organization, I remain humbled by our team's dedication, hard work, and astonishing talents, and I look forward to building on the accomplishments that we have achieved to date."

Now in its 31st year, the program has expanded to recognize business leaders in over 145 cities and more than 60 countries throughout the world.

Regional award winners are eligible for consideration for the Entrepreneur Of The Year National competition. Award winners in several national categories, as well as the Entrepreneur Of The Year National Overall Award winner, will be announced at the Entrepreneur Of The Year National Awards gala in Palm Springs, California, on November 18, 2017. The awards are the culminating event of the Strategic Growth ForumTM, the nation's most prestigious gathering of high-growth, market-leading companies.

Sponsors

Founded and produced by EY, the Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards are nationally sponsored in the US by SAP America, Merrill Corporation and the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation.

In the Pacific Northwest, sponsors also include GreenRubino, Woodruff-Sawyer & Co., Inc., Big Picture, Inc. and Lockton Companies, LLC.

About Panopto

Panopto helps universities and businesses create searchable video libraries of their institutional knowledge. Since 2007, the company has been a pioneer in video content management systems, video capture software, and inside-video search technology. Today, Panopto's video platform is the largest repository of expert learning videos in the world. Headquartered in Seattle, with offices in Pittsburgh, London, Hong Kong, Beijing, and Sydney, Panopto has received industry recognition for its innovation, rapid growth, and company culture. For more information, visit www.panopto.com.

About Entrepreneur Of The Year

Entrepreneur Of The Year, founded by EY, is the world's most prestigious business awards program for entrepreneurs, chosen from an independent panel of judges including entrepreneurs and prominent leaders from business, finance, and the local community. The program makes a difference through the way it encourages entrepreneurial activity among those with potential and recognizes the contribution of people who inspire others with their vision, leadership and achievement. As the first and only truly global awards program of its kind, Entrepreneur Of The Year celebrates those who are building and leading successful, growing and dynamic businesses, recognizing them through regional, national and global awards programs in over 145 cities and more than 60 countries. ey.com/eoy

About EY's Growth Markets Network

EY's worldwide Growth Markets Network is dedicated to serving the changing needs of high-growth companies. For more than 30 years, we've helped many of the world's most dynamic and ambitious companies grow into market leaders. Whether working with international mid-cap companies or early stage, venture-backed businesses, our professionals draw upon their extensive experience, insight and global resources to help your business succeed. For more information, please visit us at ey.com/sgm or follow news on Twitter @EY_Growth.

About EY

EY is a global leader in assurance, tax, transaction and advisory services. The insights and quality services we deliver help build trust and confidence in the capital markets and in economies the world over. We develop outstanding leaders who team to deliver on our promises to all of our stakeholders. In so doing, we play a critical role in building a better working world for our people, for our clients and for our communities.

EY refers to the global organization, and may refer to one or more of the member firms of Ernst & Young Global Limited, each of which is a separate legal entity. Ernst & Young Global Limited, a UK company limited by guarantee, does not provide services to clients. For more information about our organization, please visit ey.com.

This news release has been issued by Ernst & Young LLP, a member of the global EY organization that provides services to clients in the US.

For more information, please visit ey.com.

SOURCE Panopto

Related Links

http://www.panopto.com


(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140527/10098680 )



Flytxt offers enterprise-class customer data analytics product that can ingest, manage and analyse large volume of moving customer data to derive actionable insights. The product also has built-in applications to leverage these insights for digital customer engagement and digital services. More than 50 telcos and other enterprises have deployed this product in 40+ countries. In certain markets, Flytxt and telco partners also provide brands and agencies with aggregated and anonymised customer insights for executing targeted mobile advertising campaigns. Solutions built using Flytxt's products and services have generated up to 7% measurable economic value for enterprises.

"Flytxt started in 2008 with a vision to provide over 10% measurable economic value to enterprises using customer data analytics technology. Today we have the 3rd generation of our product and more than 100 enterprises, including some of the largest telecom operators in the world, benefit from it. This investment will help us to serve our customers more efficiently as well as invest in R&D, and grow faster through cloud offerings and channel partnerships," said Dr.Vinod Vasudevan, CEO, Flytxt.

About Flytxt

Flytxt provides customer data analytics software products and services to enterprises, helping them to accelerate their digital transformation journey and generate sustained measurable economic value. Digital customer engagement and digital services solutions powered by Flytxt help to drive superior customer experience, increase revenues, optimise margins and enhance customer loyalty. The company serves over 100 customers including some of the largest telcos, financial institutions and global brands across 40 countries, analysing data of over 600 million mobile consumers. Flytxt has consistently delivered up to 7% economic impact to its customers with its software products, enabling services, best practices and partner ecosystem. The company has headquarters in The Netherlands, offices in Dubai and India with regional presence in Paris, London, Singapore, Nairobi, and Mexico City.

Contact:

Naeem Shaikh

Corporate Communication

Flytxt

[email protected]

+91-22-39168950



SOURCE Flytxt
TORONTO, April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ - The Red Maple Leaf, the star-studded feature film by Frank D'Angelo  available worldwide on video-on-demand starting May 1st, 2017  has just won another Best Picture award, this time at the 2017 Boston International Film Festival.

The Boston International Film Festival celebrated it's 15th annual festival with screenings of film entries from all the world. The Indie Spirit Best Picture Award was given to Frank D'Angelo at last week's event for outstanding achievement in film.

For The Red Maple Leaf this is the 3rd Best Picture Award bestowed along with numerous other awards (including, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best Director and Best Foreign Film) during its film Festival Tour. The Red Maple Leaf continues to play to sold out festival theatres across North America with the next stop being the Hoboken International Film Festival on May 20th, 2017 - Greenwood Lake, New York.

The Red Maple Leaf is surely a film not to be missed and tells the story of the daughter of the U.S. Ambassador who is snatched from under the nose of her Secret Service detail in Ottawa. As the American authorities search for answers, pressure comes at them from every side and, while Canada and the U.S. fight over jurisdiction, seasoned veteran police detective Alfonso Palermo puts everything aside to find her.

The movie is written, directed and produced by Canadian-born Frank D'Angelo who also plays the leading role alongside some of Hollywood's finest actors including James Caan, Robert Loggia, Martin Landau, Paul Sorvino, Kris Kristofferson, Mira Sorvino, Michael Pare, Armand Assante, Eric Roberts, Margot Kidder, Daniel Baldwin, Laurie Fortier, Doris Roberts and Marc Blucas. The film is dedicated to the great Oscar nominated Robert Loggia and the Emmy Award-winning Doris Roberts, the last film for both actors.

Frank D'Angelo is now in post production of his 6th feature film "The Neighborhood" which will be featured as a World Premiere at The Italian Contemporary Film Festival at the TIFF building in Toronto on Thursday June 15th where actors from the film will be on-hand for the Red Carpet. The Neighborhood, which Frank D'Angelo wrote, directed and stars with a renowned cast of actors featuring Giancarlo Giannini, Danny Aiello, Franco Nero, Armand Assante, Burt Young, John Savage, John Ashton, Daniel Baldwin, Michael Pare, Margot Kidder, Leslie Easterbrooke, Robert Miano, Maureen McCormick, Tom Wright, Sherman Augustus, Laurie Fortier and others is scheduled to be released this summer.

The Neighborhood, is an original story penned by Frank D'Angelo that takes place in Brooklyn NY, about a brash small-time group of hoodlums who have been doing minor crime jobs in their neighborhood since they were kids - from stealing the donation basket from the church to modern time when they are stealing truckloads of products until they step on the wrong toes and get caught up in a war with an old-school mafia king pin and their lives soon become hell on earth.

Frank D'Angelo is becoming one of Canada's most accomplished film makers, having written, produced, directed and starred in six feature films in the last four years all with a cast of some of Hollywood's most notable and respected actors. Fans can see his award-winning films: Real Gangsters, The Big Fat Stone, No Deposit, Sicilian Vampire, and The Red Maple Leaf on Video on Demand, iTunes, Google Play, and Amazon Instant Video.

Frank D'Angelo is a screenwriter, director, actor, musician, and a Canadian talk show host. As a performer, he knew there was a big void in Canada for Canadians to promote their talents and so he created The Being Frank Show, a nationally broadcast late night talk/variety show. It has boasted guests and show business luminaries such as Al Pacino, Paul Newman, Tony Bennett, Graham Greene, Bill Fichtner, Kim Coates, Estella Warren, Bai Ling, Reggae Rapper Snow, Pavlo, Dan Hill, Ian Thomas, Murray McLauchlan, Missi Pyle, Kevin Hearn of The Barenaked Ladies and many, many more. The Being Frank Show has just completed taping its 7th season.

Links:

http://inyourearproductions.com

SOURCE In Your Ear Productions Ltd.
NAPLES, Fla., April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- During his recent trip to the United States this past weekend, Michelin 3-Star Chef Christian Le Squer has agreed to develop a program in conjunction with the Florida Culinary Accelerator at Immokalee, Fla. Le Squer will immediately begin work on developing a mentoring program, master classes and a competition-based cooking opportunity for new products that will be manufactured at the Culinary Accelerator. The contract is a three-year commitment which will have Le Squer visiting the United States frequently and becoming more involved in the concept of culinary entrepreneurship in America.

The Culinary Accelerator and its parent organization, Economic Incubators, Inc., have been working to develop the partnership with Le Squer for the past 18 months. The Accelerator is situated in rural Immokalee, Fla., where farming employs over 40% of the population. Local restaurateurs and farmers are already feeling the buzz about being offered an opportunity to turn their family recipes into marketable products.

"I'm excited," said Danny Gonzalez, manager of Lozano's Restaurant in Immokalee. "We get tons of customers that want to buy our salsa by the gallon, but we just run out. We have to turn people away."

Gonzalez hopes to be one of the first involved in the membership-based Accelerator when construction is complete this Summer.

Le Squer admits he was slow to act on signing a contract in the United States and needed to feel the right connection with a community-focused culinary opportunity that could be his first entry to the U.S. market.

"I want to make you proud," Le Squer said to Economic Incubators President and CEO Dr. Marshall Goodman in a meeting on Saturday. "I want to be proud of my work and want to feel good about the project I choose to be my first in America. I feel a connection with this project that already makes me proud. It can only grow from here," Le Squer continued.

A $12,500 grant from the State of Florida will fund the first year of the educational component Chef Le Squer will provide to the Culinary Accelerator under his contract. His travel expenses are being funded through private donations. He also agreed to donate his services as the chef for a fundraiser dinner to be held in the near future.

"This is truly an amazing grass-roots effort that has attracted a world-famous chef," said Goodman. "We are beyond honored that Mr. Le Squer will be joining us to shine a spotlight on culinary education and entrepreneurship."

Upon his return to France, Le Squer will continue to work closely with the Culinary Accelerator team to work through details of the mentoring program and cooking competition components to be solidified by this Fall.

A few culinary highlights of Le Squer's first journey to Florida and the U.S included experiencing key lime pie for the first time, meeting many of the residents of Immokalee who will benefit from the Accelerator, and sampling locally-grown produce from several farmer's markets.

About Chef Christian Le Squer

Most recently, Le Squer led the Paris-based Le Cinq restaurant at the Four Seasons George V to their 3rd Michelin star in 2016, a challenge he started in October 2014 at the bequest of Four Seasons General Manager Jose Silva. Le Squer is known for his exemplary consistency, which earned him 3 Michelin stars for 12 consecutive years. He earned his first Star at the age of 34, working as a chef at the Parisian Grand Hotel's restaurant, Cafe de la Paix.

About the Culinary Accelerator @ Immokalee

The Culinary Accelerator @ Immokalee is a membership-based commercial kitchen located in Immokalee, Florida. The Accelerator provides essential space, equipment, and services for culinary entrepreneurs to bring their products from kitchen to market. The Culinary Accelerator @ Immokalee is expected to be complete in Summer of 2017.

Culinary Accelerator @ Immokalee

MEDIA CONTACT:

Jennifer Pellechio, COO

170 Airpark Blvd. #103, Immokalee, FL 34142

(239) 249-5911 ext. 1

[email protected]

www.theculinaryaccelerator.com

ADDITIONAL PHOTOS AND VIDEO AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST.

All interview requests for Mr. Le Squer should be scheduled through the media contact above.

Related Images

image1.jpg

image2.jpg

Related Links

Official Culinary Accelerator Site

This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. For more info visit: http://www.newswire.com

SOURCE Culinary Accelerator @ Immokalee

Related Links

http://theculinaryaccelerator.com


HOUSTON, April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Gastar Exploration Inc. (NYSE MKT: GST) ("Gastar") announced today that it will release its first quarter 2017 results on Thursday, May 4, 2017 after the market closes. In conjunction with the release, Gastar has scheduled a conference call for 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time (10:00 a.m. Central Time) on Friday, May 5, 2017. Investors may participate in the call either by phone or audio webcast.

By Phone: Dial 1-412-902-0030 at least 10 minutes before the call. A telephone replay will be available through May 12 by dialing 1-201-612-7415 and using the conference ID: 13661036.



By Webcast: Visit the Investor Relations page of Gastar's website at www.gastar.com under "Events & Presentations." Please log on a few minutes in advance to register and download any necessary software. A replay will be available shortly after the call.

For more information, please contact Donna Washburn at Dennard-Lascar Associates at 713-529-6600 or e-mail [email protected].

About Gastar Exploration

Gastar Exploration Inc. is a pure play Mid-Continent independent energy company engaged in the exploration, development and production of oil, condensate, natural gas and natural gas liquids. Gastar's principal business activities include the identification, acquisition, and subsequent exploration and development of oil and natural gas properties with an emphasis on unconventional reserves, such as shale resource plays. Gastar holds a concentrated acreage position in what is believed to be the core of the STACK Play, an area of central Oklahoma which is home to multiple oil and natural gas-rich reservoirs including the Meramec, Oswego, Osage, Woodford and Hunton formations. For more information, visit Gastar's website at www.gastar.com.

Contacts:

Gastar Exploration Inc.

Michael A. Gerlich, Chief Financial Officer

713-739-1800 / [email protected]



Investor Relations Counsel:

Lisa Elliott / [email protected]

Dennard-Lascar Associates: 713-529-6600

SOURCE Gastar Exploration Inc.

Related Links

http://www.gastar.com


SAN DIEGO, April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Today General Atomics (GA) reached another key milestone in the fabrication of the ITER Central Solenoid as engineers and technicians at GA's facility officially completed heat treatment of the first module. The Central Solenoid  an integral component of ITER's unprecedented fusion facility  will stand over five stories tall and will be the world's most powerful pulsed superconducting magnet.

The first module of the ITER Central Solenoid being prepared for heat treatment in February 2017 at General Atomics' facility in Poway, Calif. Courtesy: General Atomics A General Atomics technician prepares to remove the first ITER Central Solenoid module from the furnace following heat treatment. The process required five weeks of careful temperature control in order to create the superconducting material in the module windings. Courtesy: General Atomics

"The heat treatment is what ultimately creates the solenoid's superconducting material, and completion of this process demonstrates that we are continuing to make good, consistent progress on this project," said John Smith, GA's program manager.

The process required to create the superconducting material inside the module windings is exacting. The temperature within the furnace can only change at a rate of five or six degrees Fahrenheit per hour, making both the heating and cooling processes very time consuming  it required more than one week for each.

In order to complete the critical heat treatment process, GA engineers and technicians positioned the first module in a massive one-and-a-half-megawatt furnace, which functions in a manner similar to that of convection ovens found in many kitchens. The benefit of the convection oven is the ability to shorten the overall process while maintaining uniform "cooking" of the module.

Inside the furnace, the module spent approximately ten-and-a-half days at 1,060 degrees Fahrenheit and an additional four days at 1,200 degrees Fahrenheit.

"After spending weeks carefully monitoring and controlling the temperature in the furnace, we will now begin the first of the module's multiple insulation processes, called turn insulation. Simultaneously, samples that were heat treated along with the first module will be sent to the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory in Florida to be tested, proving the heat treatment successfully created the superconducting material needed for ITER's solenoid," Smith said. "GA is pleased with our progress on the Central Solenoid fabrication to date, and we are proud of each successive milestone that we reach."

ITER is a collaborative scientific partnership between 35 nations representing more than half the population of the world. This research and development project aims to demonstrate fusion power is a feasible clean-energy source that can be scaled globally. The U.S. ITER project is a collaboration of over 500 companies, laboratories, and universities across 43 states and the District of Columbia and is hosted by the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee. The U.S. ITER work is supported by the Office of Fusion Energy Sciences within the Office of Science of U.S. Department of Energy.

About GA

General Atomics (GA) has been at the cutting edge of global high-technology innovation for more than 60 years. GA's scientists perform research and development in critical fields such as nuclear energy, aerospace, medical diagnostics, advanced materials, and electromagnetics. GA leverages this groundbreaking research for both government and private industry, delivering innovative, practical solutions ranging from next-generation nuclear reactors and nuclear materials to remotely operated aircraft, and electromagnetic systems.

Contact: Zabrina Johal

858-455-4004 | 858-444-5465

[email protected]

SOURCE General Atomics
MURRAY, Utah, April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Geneva Rock  a construction materials and services organization  announced today that Shane Albrecht, PE, has been named Vice President of Area Construction Operations. Albrecht joins Nathan Schellenberg, Vice President of Specialty Construction Operations, in managing the company's construction divisions which provide earthwork, utility, and road-building and asphalt and concrete paving services across the intermountain west.

Albrecht will oversee area construction operations for Geneva Rock, which includes general construction, excavation, utility work, grading, as well as project management teams.

"Shane is a seasoned construction professional, a respected leader and a valuable asset of this company," said Jim Golding, President of Geneva Rock. "We are excited to add an executive of Shane's caliber to our leadership team, where he will continue, no doubt, to make extraordinary contributions to this company."

Albrecht has worked for Geneva Rock Products for 18 years, most recently in his role as Area Manager of construction. Notable projects include: grading and paving of the Miller Motorsports Park in Tooele County, Utah; Interstate 84 reconstruction between Mountain Green and Morgan in Morgan County, Utah; and the $100 million Legacy Parkway Segment 3 project in Davis County, Utah.

Prior to his career with the company, he worked as an engineer for Sandy City and as a project manager with Savage Asphalt Paving. Albrecht attended the University of Utah where he earned a bachelor's degree in civil engineering.

About Geneva Rock

Since 1954 Geneva Rock has been a top supplier of ready-mixed concrete, sand and gravel, asphalt, and construction services along the Wasatch front. Geneva Rock has a history of providing friendly, on-time service, quality products, and a time-honored level of professionalism that can't be beat. Geneva Rock is the largest supplier of ready-mix concrete in the State of Utah due largely to the quality of its materials and its dedication to quality customer service. As a major employer in Utah, Geneva Rock has over 1,050 employees and its parent company, Clyde Companies, has over 3,500 employees.

For more information, visit Geneva Rock Products at genevarock.com.

MEDIA CONTACT

Dave Kallas

Senior Advisor, Director of Communications

Clyde Companies, Inc.

801.802.6900

[email protected]

SOURCE Geneva Rock Products, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.genevarock.com


DUBLIN, April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "Global Platinum Group Metals Market 2017-2021" report to their offering.

The global platinum group metals market to grow at a CAGR of 3.09% during the period 2017-2021.

Global Platinum Group Metals 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. To calculate the market size, the report considers the revenue generated from the sales of platinum group metals.

According to the report, one of the major drivers for this market is increasing use of PGMs in automobiles. PGMs are widely used in autocatalysts that reduce the emission of various hazardous gases such as CO2 and NO2 from vehicles. In addition, these metals are also used in other automobile components such as antilock braking systems, air bag initiators, and spark plugs.

The latest trend gaining momentum in the market is advances in technology. PGMs play a significant role in many technological innovations in many markets in recent years. These metals are used in the production of glass fiber for fiber optic cables, which helps in advanced telecommunication. PGMs are widely used in implants and tools in the medicine. They are also being considered a treatment option for cancer, and platinum is used as an active ingredient in chemotherapy drugs and also in the treatment of Parkinson's disease.

Further, the report states that one of the major factors hindering the growth of this market is volatility in prices. Metal prices are subject to fluctuation. Since South Africa is the major revenue contributor to the global PGM market, the rand to US dollar exchange plays an important role in this market's dynamics. A rise in the value of the rand will affect operating and production costs, thereby reducing the profit margins of the vendors.

Key vendors



Anglo American Platinum

Impala Platinum

JSC MMC Norilsk Nickel

Lonmin

Stillwater Mining

Other prominent vendors



North American Palladium

African Rainbow Minerals

Eastern Platinum

Glencore Xstrata

Aquarius Platinum

Johnson Matthey

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: Market segmentation by metal



Part 07: Market segmentation by application



Part 08: Geographic segmentation



Part 09: Decision framework



Part 10: Drivers and challenges



Part 11: Market trends



Part 12: Vendor landscape



Part 13: Key vendor analysis



Part 14: Appendix

For more information about this report visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/8hwxtw/global_platinum

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 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- About UCAVs



An unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV), or an attack drone, usually carries aircraft ordnance such as missiles, bombs, and laser weapons. Earlier, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) were primarily used for surveillance and patrolling. With the growing need for operational requirements, UAVs were armed and converted into UCAVs. Broadly, UCAVs are used for surveillance, direction of artillery fire, gathering electronic intelligence (ELINT) information, lasing targets for fighter aircraft, and for post-strike damage assessment. While several nations operate unarmed UAVs, as of 2016, only the US, Turkey, Israel, Italy, Iran, China, India, and Pakistan had manufactured UCAVs.





Read the full report: http://www.reportlinker.com/p04838976/Global-Unmanned-Combat-Aerial-Vehicle-UCAV-Market.html







Technavio's analysts forecast the global UCAVs market to grow at a CAGR of 3.03% during the period 2017-2021.



Covered in this report

The report covers the present scenario and the growth prospects of the global UCAVs market for 2017-2021. To calculate the market size, the report considers the revenue generated from the sales of UCAVs.



The market is divided into the following segments based on geography:

 Americas

 APAC

 EMEA



Technavio's report, Global UCAVs Market 2017-2021, has been prepared based on an in-depth market analysis with inputs from industry experts. The report covers the market landscape and its growth prospects over the coming years. The report also includes a discussion of the key vendors operating in this market.



Key vendors

 BAE Systems

 Boeing

 General Atomics Aeronautical Systems

 Israel Aerospace Industries

 Northrop Grumman



Other prominent vendors

 Dassault Aviation

 Denel Dynamics

 Elbit Systems

 Lockheed Martin



Market driver

 Growing export demand from smaller economies

 For a full, detailed list, view our report



Market challenge

 Rapid development of anti-drone technology

 For a full, detailed list, view our report



Market trend

 Development of long-range spy combat drone

 For a full, detailed list, view our report



Key questions answered in this report

 What will the market size be in 2021 and what will the growth rate be?

 What are the key market trends?

 What is driving this market?

 What are the challenges to market growth?

 Who are the key vendors in this market space?

 What are the market opportunities and threats faced by the key vendors?

 What are the strengths and weaknesses of the key vendors?



You can request one free hour of our analyst's time when you purchase this market report. Details are provided within the report.





Methodology

Read the full report: http://www.reportlinker.com/p04838976/Global-Unmanned-Combat-Aerial-Vehicle-UCAV-Market.html



About Reportlinker

ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place.



http://www.reportlinker.com





__________________________

Contact Clare: [email protected]

US: (339)-368-6001

Intl: +1 339-368-6001

SOURCE Reportlinker

Related Links

http://www.reportlinker.com


SAO PAULO, April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- ("GLAI") (BM&FBOVESPA: GOLL4 andNYSE: GOL), Brazil's #1 airline, announces its 1Q17 earnings release schedule.

1Q17 Earnings Release

May 10, 2017 (before trading hours).

The release will be available on our website www.voegol.com.br/ir.

Quiet Period

In accordance with fair disclosure and corporate governance best practices, GOL begins its quiet period on April 26, and will end immediately after the earnings call on May 10.

Conference Calls

English Portuguese 10-May-17 10-May-17 01:30 a.m. (US EDT) 03:00 p.m. (US EDT) 02:30 p.m. (Brasilia time) 04:00 p.m. (Brasilia time) Phone: +1 (412) 317-5453 Phone: +55 (11) 3193-1001

+55 (11) 2820-4001 Code: GOL Code: GOL Replay phone: +1 (412) 317-0088 Replay phone: +55 (11) 3193-1012 Replay code: 10099781 Replay code: 8614608# Webcast: click here Webcast: click here

Participants are requested to connect ten minutes prior to the time set for the conference calls.

Slides and Webcast: A slide presentation will be available for viewing and downloading in our website www.voegol.com.br/ir and Engage-X platform. The conference calls will be live broadcast over the internet on the same website, remaining available after the event.

Replay: A conference call replay facility will be available for 7 days

For further information visit www.voegol.com.br/ir

CONTACTS

INVESTOR RELATIONS

Phone: +55 (11) 2128-4700

E-mail: [email protected]

CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS

Phone: +55 (11) 2128-4183

E-mail: [email protected]

ABOUT GOL LINHAS AEREAS INTELIGENTES S.A.

Brazil's largest air transportation and travel services group with three main businesses: passenger transportation, cargo transportation and coalition loyalty program. GOL is Brazil's largest airline, carrying 32 million p.a. on more than 700 daily flights to 63 destinations in Brazil and 11 destinations in South America and the Caribbean on a fleet of over 120 Boeing 737 aircraft, with a further 120 Boeing 737s on order. GOLLOG is a leading cargo transportation and logistics business serving more than 3,000 Brazilian municipalities and, through partners, 90 international destinations in 47 countries. SMILES is one of the largest coalition loyalty programs in Latin America, with over 11 million registered participants, allowing clients to accumulate miles and redeem tickets for more than 700 locations worldwide. GOL has a team of more than 14,000 highly skilled aviation professionals delivering Brazil's top on-time performance, and an industry leading 16 year safety record. GOL's shares are traded on the NYSE (GOL) and the BM&FBOVESPA (GOLL4).

SOURCE GOL Linhas Aereas Inteligentes S.A.

Related Links

http://www.voegol.com.br/ir


CHICAGO, April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Grainger (NYSE: GWW) held its annual shareholder meeting in Lake Forest, Illinois, today. Grainger Chairman Jim Ryan presided over the meeting and Chief Executive Officer D.G. Macpherson provided an update on the state of the business and offered a recap of 2016 full year and 2017 first quarter performance. A copy of the speech is available at www.grainger.com/investor.

Shareholders elected the following 10 directors:

Rodney C. Adkins Neil S. Novich Brian P. Anderson Michael J. Roberts V. Ann Hailey James T. Ryan Stuart L. Levenick E. Scott Santi D.G. Macpherson James D. Slavik

In addition, the shareholders ratified the appointment of Ernst & Young LLP as independent auditor for the year 2017. Relative to Say on Pay, shareholders voted in favor of the advisory resolution on executive compensation and voted for one year as the preferred frequency for the advisory vote.

About Grainger

W.W. Grainger, Inc., with 2016 sales of $10.1 billion, is North America's leading broad line supplier of maintenance, repair and operating products (MRO) , with operations also in Europe, Asia and Latin America.

SOURCE W.W. Grainger, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.grainger.com


CONFERENCE CALL AND WEBCAST ON MAY 4, 2017

TSX: GPR

NYSE MKT: GPL

VANCOUVER, April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ - GREAT PANTHER SILVER LIMITED (TSX: GPR; NYSE MKT: GPL) ("Great Panther", the "Company") has scheduled the release of its first quarter 2017 financial results on Wednesday, May 3, 2017 after market close.

A conference call and webcast will be held on Thursday, May 4, 2017 at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time (8:00 a.m. Pacific Time) to discuss the results. Mr. Robert Archer, President and CEO and Mr. Jim Zadra, CFO and Corporate Secretary will host the call.

Shareholders, analysts, investors and media are invited to join the live webcast and conference call by logging in or calling in five minutes prior to the start time.

Live webcast and registration: www.greatpanther.com U.S. & Canada Toll-Free: 1 888 394 8218 International Toll: +1 719 325 2213 Conference ID: 5046183

A replay of the webcast will be available on the Investors section of the Company's website approximately one hour after the conference call.

ABOUT GREAT PANTHER

Great Panther Silver Limited is a primary silver mining and exploration company listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange trading under the symbol GPR, and on the NYSE MKT trading under the symbol GPL. Great Panther's current activities are focused on the mining of precious metals from its two wholly-owned operating mines in Mexico: the Guanajuato Mine Complex, which includes the San Ignacio Mine; and the Topia Mine in Durango. In addition, the Company has signed an agreement to acquire a 100% interest in the Coricancha Mine Complex in the central Andes of Peru and is pursuing additional mining opportunities in the Americas.

SOURCE Great Panther Silver Limited

Related Links

http://www.greatpanther.com


KANSAS CITY, Mo., April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Domino's is looking to hire 200 new employees across 29 franchise-owned stores in the Greater Kansas City area through a series of hiring days. All of the new positions offered are for delivery drivers, pizza makers, customer service representatives, assistant managers and general managers. The following Domino's stores will accept applications and hold interviews throughout the days and times below:

May 9 from 1  8 p.m. : Domino's, located at 118 Conistor in Liberty

from 1  : Domino's, located at 118 Conistor in Liberty May 10 from 1  8 p.m. : Domino's, located at 1100 Main St. in Kansas City

from 1  : Domino's, located at 1100 Main St. in May 11 from 1  8 p.m. : Domino's, located at 11036 Quivira Road in Overland Park

"We are very excited to offer additional jobs throughout Greater Kansas City," said Jamie Poulsen, Kansas City Domino's franchise owner. "The growth of the communities that the stores are in and success of Domino's allows us to build on our franchise, so we can continue to do what we do best  make great pizzas and deliver them with exceptional service."

The continued success of Domino's across the nation, and specifically the growth of Domino's locations throughout Kansas City and its surrounding areas, increases the need for additional support from enthusiastic employees.

"Domino's has been a great place to work over the years," said Poulsen. "Our company provides a fantastic opportunity to those who show initiative and a desire to advance. Whether you're looking to grow with the company or need a part-time job, Domino's is the place to be."

Poulsen started working at Domino's as a part-time delivery driver in 1994 and worked his way up to becoming a franchise owner in 2011. He now owns 40 Domino's stores throughout Kansas and Missouri. Poulsen is not alone  more than 90 percent of Domino's U.S. franchise owners began their career as part-time delivery drivers or pizza makers.

Those who are interested in applying for a job may also apply at jobs.dominos.com.

About Domino's Pizza

Order  dominos.com

AnyWare Ordering  anyware.dominos.com

Company Info  biz.dominos.com

Twitter  twitter.com/dominos

Facebook  facebook.com/dominos

Instagram  instagram.com/dominos

YouTube  youtube.com/dominos

SOURCE Dominos

Related Links

http://www.dominos.com


MEXICO CITY, April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Grupo Financiero Interacciones, S.A. de C.V., (BMV: GFINTERO), ("Grupo Financiero Interacciones" or "GFI"), the largest specialized Mexican financial group with a business model focused on providing financing, risk management and financial advisory services mainly to the Mexican public sector, today announced results for the three-month period ended March 31, 2017.

Mr. Carlos Rojo Macedo, Chief Executive Officer of Grupo Financiero Interacciones, commented: "We are very pleased with GFI's performance, not only because of this quarter's results, but because of the base for potential sustainable growth we have built, given the execution of the strategy we set in motion at the end of last year.

Through careful planning, we were able to distribute the maturities of the loans originated during the second half of 2016 and, as a result, we experienced a lower contraction in the loan portfolio relative to the end of year balance. Specifically, 10.21% in 1Q16 vs. 7.33% this quarter. Meanwhile, we increased loan origination by 131.78% relative to a year ago, reaching a loan portfolio of Ps.106,597 million by capitalizing on the opportunities brought forth by the implementation of the Financial Discipline Law, as well as by the execution of our current backlog worth Ps.17,972 million.

Additionally, our earnings grew by 21.65% relative to a year ago, which translated into an ROE of 15.44% leveraging a total YoY loan growth of 22.03%, and supported by a net commissions growth of 22.29%.

Our annual growth was supported by an increase of 28.02% in total deposits, thereby reaching a new record in terms of demand deposit balance of Ps.55,101 million that was obtained through a YoY increase of 49.63%. With this, institutional deposits comprise today 69.13% of GFI's total funding. This effort has been a major contributor in keeping our LCR above 100% on average, since we started this strategy in the 4Q13 and effectively lowered our cost of funds to the lowest level in our history.

With the current opportunities in our market, driven by the construction and rehabilitation of regional roads, the construction of a new set of hospitals, and the special economic zones, in addition to our robust backlog comprising 78 projects, we foresee a great year again for GFI, as states and municipalities strive to meet their infrastructure agendas for the year; moreover, given the opportunities in our horizon, we could be reviewing our guidance by the second half of 2017," concluded Mr. Carlos Rojo.



Main Indicators

Grupo Financiero Interacciones







Main Indicators 1Q17 4Q16 1Q16 Var.vs 4Q16 1Q16 Income Statement*









Financial Margin 121 995 669 -87.84% -81.91% Provisions for Loan Losses - - -2 0.00% 100.00% Commissions Charged 806 1,286 770 -37.33% 4.68% Commissions Paid -208 -166 -281 25.30% -25.98% Net Commissions 598 1,120 489 -46.61% 22.29% Other Non-Interest Income 1,530 995 874 53.77% 75.06% Total Income 5,796 4,609 3,642 25.75% 59.14% Administrative and Promotional Expenses 714 857 610 -16.69% 17.05% Operating Income 729 967 650 -24.61% 12.15% Net Income 618 790 508 -21.77% 21.65%











Main Indicators 1Q17 4Q16 1Q16 Var.vs 4Q16 1Q16 Balance Sheet*









Investment in Securities 96,390 105,398 114,284 -8.55% -15.66% Loan Portfolio 106,597 115,034 87,350 -7.33% 22.03% Loan Portfolio (Net) 105,173 113,565 85,999 -7.39% 22.30% Total Assets 232,436 240,068 216,433 -3.18% 7.39% Total Deposits 91,832 84,441 71,732 8.75% 28.02% Total Liabilities 216,084 224,393 201,914 -3.70% 7.02% Shareholders' Equity 16,352 15,675 14,519 4.32% 12.62%











Main Indicators 1Q17 4Q16 1Q16 Var.vs 4Q16 1Q16 Main Financial Ratios









NIM 0.21% 1.84% 1.29% -163bp -108bp Normalized NIM 1.27% 1.19% 1.33% 8bp -6bp ROE 15.44% 20.58% 14.27% -514bp 117bp ROA 1.05% 1.42% 0.95% -37bp 10bp Efficiency Ratio 49.48% 46.98% 48.34% 250bp 114bp Operating Efficiency Ratio 1.21% 1.54% 1.14% -33bp 7bp NPL Ratio 0.06% 0.05% 0.15% 1bp -9bp Coverage Ratio 23.34x 25.77x 10.47x -2.42x 12.87x *Millions of pesos *Risk Adjusted NIM" has been taken off from the Main Indicators table, given the introduced accounting in 1Q17 regarding provisions and releases.









*Normalized NIM" has been put on the Main Indicators table, to account for the changes in interest income and interest expense,

as a result of the volatility in the USD/MXN exchange rate.











1Q17 EARNINGS CONFERENCE CALL



Date: Thursday, April 27, 2017



Time: 9:00 am CT (Mexico), 10:00 am ET

The conference call can be accessed by dialing +1-844-824-3835 (U.S. / Canada), 001-855-817-7630 (Mexico), or 1-412-317-5160 (Other International) and asking to be joined into the Grupo Financiero Interacciones call. The earnings release for the first quarter ending March 31, 2017 will be issued after the close of the U.S. market on Wednesday, April 26, 2017.

A simultaneous webcast of the conference call can be accessed by clicking the following link:

https://www.webcaster4.com/Webcast/Page/1449/20440

A telephonic replay of the conference call will be available after 12:00pm on April 28, 2017 on GFI's Investor Relations website at www.investorsinteracciones.com.

About Grupo Financiero Interacciones

Grupo Financiero Interacciones, S.A. de C.V. ("Grupo Financiero Interacciones" or "GFI"), is the largest specialized Mexican financial group with a business model focused on providing financing, risk management and financial advisory services mainly to the Mexican public sector, which includes federal, state and municipal governments, quasi-government entities and government suppliers. Grupo Financiero Interacciones conducts its business mainly through Banco Interacciones, its banking subsidiary, and through Interacciones Casa de Bolsa, its broker-dealer subsidiary, and Aseguradora Interacciones, its insurance company subsidiary. Grupo Financiero Interacciones is listed on the Bolsa Mexicana de Valores under the symbol "GFINTERO". For more information, please visit http://www.investorsinteracciones.com

This press release contains forward-looking statements and information that are necessarily subject to risks, uncertainties, and assumptions. By their very nature, forward-looking statements and such information involve inherent risks and uncertainties, both general and specific, and risks exist that the predictions, forecasts, projections and other forward-looking statements will not be achieved or will differ from actual results. A number of important factors could cause actual results to differ materially from the plans, objectives, expectations, estimates and intentions expressed or implied in such forward-looking statements. Should one or more of these factors or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described herein as anticipated, believed, estimated, expected or intended. Grupo Interacciones assumes no obligation to update or correct the information contained in this press release.

To obtain the full text of this earnings release, please visit

http://www.investorsinteracciones.com/financial-information/quarterly-financial-results

Contact:

Adolfo Werner Fritz Rubio, Corporate Development Officer & Head of Investor Relations

Telephone: +52-55-53-26-86-00 Ext: 6825

E-mail: [email protected]

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160411/353958LOGO

SOURCE Grupo Financiero Interacciones, S.A. de C.V.

Related Links

http://www.grupofinancierointeracciones.mx


ABINGDON, Va., April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Highlands Bankshares, Inc. (OTCQX: HLND) announced today the appointment of John H. Gray as executive vice president and chief financial officer of both the parent company and its banking subsidiary, Highlands Union Bank, subject to regulatory approvals. Gray will report to Timothy K. Schools, president and chief executive officer, and will assume the duties previously held by Jim Edmondson, who recently announced his resignation to pursue a new opportunity. Edmondson will remain with the Company through May 12th to assist with the transition and ensure a smooth transfer of responsibilities.

"We are very excited to have John join our team," said Tim Schools. "John's appointment follows an extensive search and evaluation of a number of highly qualified individuals. With his substantial financial and operational experience in one of the industry's most highly regarded and disciplined organizations and more recently at one of the industry's most successful recapitalization and consolidation stories, John will play a leading role in the development and execution of Highlands' strategic plan. He is a great fit for our performance orientation, customer service focus, and fun culture."

"I also want to thank Jim Edmondson for his 20 years of service and commitment to Highlands," said Schools. "He has invested a tremendous amount of time in the Company and is well respected among our employees. Personally, I appreciate his support as we have transformed Highlands over the last year. He will be missed."

Gray joins Highlands from Yadkin Financial Corporation, where he managed the accounting function as Corporate Controller. He joined Yadkin in 2014 and was responsible for accounting policy, general accounting, SEC reporting, and acquisition accounting in addition to being involved in the external audit. He began his career at First Citizens BancShares, Inc. where his involvement over 29 years included accounting policy, financial reporting and analysis, regulatory and SEC reporting, external audit support, and acquisition accounting.

Gray is a native of Raleigh, North Carolina, received his bachelor's degree in accounting from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and is a Certified Public Accountant. He is an active member and has held several leadership roles at Christ Episcopal Church and is a former board member of Arts Together, Inc. and the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina.

About Highlands

Highlands provides a relationship-based and highly personal banking experience to small to mid-sized private businesses, professionals, and other individuals. Focused on providing value to each and every customer, Highlands delivers banking services through highly skilled employees, digital channels, as well as 14 branches located in Western North Carolina, Eastern Tennessee, and Southwest Virginia. For more information about Highlands, visit the company's website at hubank.com.

SOURCE Highlands Bankshares, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.hubank.com


AUSTIN, Minn., April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Hormel Foods Corporation (NYSE: HRL) invites you to participate in a conference call with Jim Snee, president and chief executive officer, and Jim Sheehan, senior vice president and chief financial officer, to discuss the company's second quarter financial results. The company will issue its earnings press release before the markets open on Thursday, May 25, 2017, and will host a conference call at 8:00 a.m. CT (9:00 a.m. ET).

WHEN: Thursday, May 25, 2017

8:00 a.m. CT (9:00 a.m. ET)



WEBCAST: To listen to a live webcast of the conference call, go to the company's

website, http://www.hormelfoods.com, click on Investors, and you will find

a link to the webcast.



PHONE: Dial toll-free 877-681-3367 at least 10 minutes prior to the call.

From outside the United States, call 719-325-4858. Please note: all dial-in

participants should quote the conference ID of 2874950 to access the call.





If you have difficulty accessing the call, please contact:

PGI

Reservations Line

(888) 563-4743



AUDIO

REPLAY: To listen to a replay of the conference call, go to the company's website http://www.hormelfoods.com,

click on Investors, then click on News & Events and you will find a link to the webcast.

About Hormel Foods  Inspired People. Inspired Food.

Hormel Foods Corporation, based in Austin, Minn., is a global branded food company with over $9 billion in annual revenues across 75 countries worldwide. Its brands include SKIPPY, SPAM, Hormel Natural Choice, Applegate, Justin's, Wholly Guacamole, Hormel Black Label and more than 30 other beloved brands. The company is a member of the S&P 500 Index and the S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats, was named one of "The 100 Best Corporate Citizens" by Corporate Responsibility Magazine for the eighth year in a row, and has received numerous other awards and accolades for its corporate responsibility and community service efforts. In 2016, the company celebrated its 125th anniversary and announced its new vision for the future - Inspired People. Inspired Food. - focusing on its legacy of innovation. For more information, visit www.hormelfoods.com and http://2015csr.hormelfoods.com/.

Hormel Foods Contact:

Nathan Annis

(507) 437-5248

[email protected]

SOURCE Hormel Foods Corporation

Related Links

http://www.hormelfoods.com


SAN FRANCISCO, April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Hyperledger, a collaborative cross-industry effort created to advance blockchain technology, announced today that seven new members have joined the project to help create an open standard for distributed ledgers for a new generation of transactional applications.

"This is a very exciting time with world class global organizations joining Hyperledger nearly every week," said Brian Behlendorf, Executive Director, Hyperledger. "The blockchain technology community still has many challenges to solve, and many different possible approaches to solving them. Hyperledger's open collaboration is key to fostering this growing community and is fundamentally important to getting innovative ideas into production-quality code this year."

Hyperledger aims to enable organizations to build robust, industry-specific applications, platforms and hardware systems to support their individual business transactions by creating an enterprise grade, open source distributed ledger framework and code base. It is a global collaboration including leaders in finance, banking, IoT, supply chain, manufacturing and technology. The latest members include: CollectorIQ Inc., Korea Exchange, Shanghai Onechain Information Technology, Shenzhen Forms Syntron Information, The State of Illinois, The Netherlands Organization for applied scientific research (TNO) and 1worldblockchain.

New member quotes:

CollectorIQ Inc.

"CollectorIQ's data and analytics platform aims to unlock liquidity in the $6 trillion global fine art and collectibles market," said Christopher E. Vroom, CFA / CEO / CIQ of CollectorIQ Inc. "We've assembled the world's largest public and private market dataset, which is the first step towards greater transparency and, ultimately, higher transaction velocity. The distributed ledger promises to increase trust and veracity of and in asset authenticity which we view as a fundamental requirement for broad-based participation. Over the next ten years, we expect blockchain strategies to drive an incremental $200 billion in sales activity in this vertical. We're thrilled to be a part of Hyperledger and hope that we can meaningfully contribute to open-source innovation within this growing network of like-minded entrepreneurs."

Korea Exchange

"Joining Hyperledger will open the gateway to the blockchain technology for the Korean capital market," said Hong Hee Shin, CIO of the Korea Exchange. "As it has strived to transform the traditional financial industry into innovative business, the Korea Exchange will keep driving the Korean capital market to adopt and develop distributed ledger technology that will benefit all market participants and investors. The collaboration with Hyperledger and member firms will accelerate its effort to reach the goal."

Shanghai Onechain Information Technology

"Onechain technology, a financial technology company in China, is excited to have joined Hyperledger as an open source initiative that promotes blockchain digital technology and transaction verification," Mr. George Zhou, the general manager of Onechain technology. "Members can cooperate with each other to build an open platform and meet the needs of different industries from multiple use cases and streamline business processes. The success of joining, not only marks that Onechain technology has gained further acceptance in the field of blockchain, but also provides a good opportunity for us to cooperate with other members. And our goal is to become the blockchain integrated application solutions expert in the future."

Shenzhen Forms Syntron Information

"Since its inception in 2003, Forms Syntron has been focusing on providing comprehensive IT services for the banking industry," said Frank Chow, chairman of Forms Syntron. "We believe blockchain will take an important position in the banking industry. Being a member of Hyperledger will facilitate our blockchain technology, accelerate our development of fintech applications, and also promote the implementation of innovative blockchain applications for the banking industry."

1worldblockchain

"The recent partnership between 1worldblockchain.com and the Hyperledger global community is a big step toward ensuring workable Blockchain standards, whilst staying true to the theme of DLT open source," said Edward Ng, CEO of 1worldblockchain.com (1WB). "Our goal is to provide a robust Blockchain platform and business solutions development to facilitate an even better operational environment for the Fintech industry. The Fintech operating environment needs industry standardized stability in order for it to move forward at an optimal and sustainable pace, as it replaces the outmoded, slow and inconvenient traditional X-border wire transfers systems. We at 1worldblockchain are looking forward to supporting the goodwill and contributing to the success of Hyperledger as part of The Linux Foundation."

To see a full list of member companies, visit: https://www.hyperledger.org/about/members. If you're interested in joining Hyperledger as a member company, please visit: https://www.hyperledger.org/about/join

http://ctt.marketwire.com/?release=11G113252-001&id=9465007&type=0&url=https%3a%2f%2fwww.hyperledger.org%2fjoin

About Hyperledger

Hyperledger is an open source collaborative effort created to advance blockchain technology by addressing important features for a cross-industry open standard for distributed ledgers. It is a global collaboration including leaders in finance, banking, Internet of Things, supply chains, manufacturing and Technology. The Linux Foundation hosts Hyperledger as a Collaborative Project under the foundation. To learn more, visit: https://www.hyperledger.org/.

Contact:

Jessica Rampen

The Linux Foundation/Hyperledger

[email protected]

650.787.3548

SOURCE Hyperledger

Related Links

http://www.hyperledger.org


BOISE, Idaho, April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- IDACORP, Inc. (NYSE:IDA) will report its first quarter results on Thursday, May 4, in a news release before the stock markets open. The company will hold an analyst conference call that day at 2:30 p.m. Mountain Time (4:30 p.m. Eastern Time) to discuss the first quarter 2017 earnings.

All parties interested in listening may do so through a live Webcast on the Internet or by calling (800) 242-0681 for listen-only mode . No passcode is needed  please ask to be joined into the IDACORP, Inc. call. The conference call logistics are posted on the company's Website (www.idacorpinc.com) and will be included in the company's earnings news release. Slides will be included during the conference call. To access the slide deck, register for the event just prior to the call at www.idacorpinc.com/investor-relations/earnings-center/conference-calls. A replay of the conference call will be available on the company's website for a period of 12 months and will be available shortly after the call.

IDACORP, Inc., Boise, Idaho-based and formed in 1998, is a holding company comprised of Idaho Power Company, a regulated electric utility; IDACORP Financial, a holder of affordable housing projects and other real estate investments; and Ida-West Energy, an operator of small hydroelectric generation projects that satisfy the requirements of the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978. Idaho Power began operations in 1916 and employs approximately 2,000 people to serve a 24,000 square-mile service area in southern Idaho and eastern Oregon. With 17 low-cost hydroelectric projects as the core of its generation portfolio, Idaho Power's approximately 535,000 residential, business and agricultural customers pay some of the nation's lowest prices for electricity. To learn more about Idaho Power or IDACORP, visit www.idacorpinc.com or www.idahopower.com.

SOURCE IDACORP, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.idacorpinc.com


Dr. Najmabadi, a multiple Top 10 Doctor and Patients' Choice Award recipient, had the idea for the hospital when he and his wife decided they wanted to retire in Punta Mita. "We started looking at available medical services and realized there was a need for improvement. We felt we could deliver high quality, compassionate care combined with the latest in technology and cutting edge medicine to this piece of paradise." Widely regarded as a leader in his field in fertility and reproductive health and having worked with a number of Hollywood's biggest celebrities, Dr. Najmabadi's mission is always to provide the highest quality fertility care. His high success rates per SART / CDC reporting system are unparalleled.

With the help of Dr. Najmabadi, the 13,000 square foot hospital will rival some of the most advanced medical establishments in the U.S by bringing state-of-the-art technology and equipment to Mexico. According to the World Health Organization, 48.5 million couples worldwide were unable to have a child. Punta Mita Hospital is hoping to combat that number by being the first in Mexico to carry the embryoscope. The embryoscope is an incubator that holds an embryo for 3-5 days and features time-lapse photography. It photographs the embryos every 7 minutes at different depths and allows doctors to have real time evaluation, which improves success rates significantly. Punta Mita Hospital will also be releasing it's own app that provides 911 related technology and location tracking for ER services.

www.puntamitahospital.com

SOURCE Dr. Sam Najmabadi

Related Links

http://puntamitahospital.com


SAN JOSE, Calif., April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Intacct, the innovation and customer satisfaction leader in cloud ERP software, continues to be recognized as an outstanding workplace. The Silicon Valley Business Journal and the San Francisco Business Times has announced that Intacct has been honored as one of the "Best Places to Work in the Bay Area" for 2017.

Inclusion on the list was decided based on voluntary employee feedback received from an independent questionnaire. The survey covered such topics as: overall work culture, personal growth, morale, compensation, workplace satisfaction, and managerial effectiveness.

"Intacct remains committed to providing employees an engaging, empowering workplace where their individual skill sets are developed. This priority permeates everything Intacct does across all of our teams," said Marc Linden, CFO of Intacct. "We see each Intacct employee as an important member of our organization and it is our hope that each person we hire values working with such an outstanding group of colleagues. We are looking forward to growing this incredible team as Intacct continues to accelerate its momentum into the future."

Intacct has been honored on numerous occasions throughout the past several years with top workplace awards including:

To learn more about current job openings at Intacct, please visit the Intacct Careers Page.

About Intacct

Intacct is the innovation and customer satisfaction leader in cloud ERP software. Bringing cloud computing to finance and accounting, Intacct's innovative and award-winning applications are the preferred financial applications for AICPA business solutions. In use by organizations from startups to public companies, Intacct is designed to improve company performance and make finance more productive. Hundreds of leading CPA firms and Value Added Resellers also offer Intacct to their clients. The Intacct system includes accounting, cash management, purchasing, vendor management, financial consolidation, subscription billing, contract management, revenue recognition, project accounting, fund accounting, inventory management, and financial reporting applications, all delivered over the Internet via cloud computing.

Intacct is headquartered in San Jose, California. For more information, please visit www.intacct.com or call 877-437-7765. Connect with Intacct on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.

Intacct and the Intacct logo are trademarks of Intacct Corporation. All other company and product names mentioned herein may be trademarks of their respective owners.

SOURCE Intacct

Related Links

http://www.intacct.com


HOUSTON, April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- ION Geophysical Corporation (NYSE: IO) today announced that Scottish Enterprise (SE) will provide a grant of 522,984 over 15 months to support the Company's 1.5 million software development program, which aims to revolutionize offshore operations management. The SE support will create one job and protect twelve jobs in Scotland, and enable the timely release of technology that will benefit the industry. Today, offshore operations are often managed manually and can be especially complex around busy, congested oil and gas installations. These workflows and operations can greatly benefit from proactive use of intelligent, automated software such as ION's Marlin solution.

The announcement came ahead of the Offshore Technology Conference next week in Texas, where the company will host a stand in the Scottish Pavilion to promote Marlin.

ION's Marlin project is to be undertaken by a wholly owned subsidiary, Concept Systems Ltd. (CSL), an Edinburgh-based software provider developing real-time navigation and data management solutions for the seismic industry.

CSL will develop an innovative marine management system that combines temporal project planning with 3D spatial situational awareness across diverse activities to support increased operational efficiency, safer operations and reduced expenditure across oil and gas marine support operations. The Marlin project expands CSL's market from the seismic sector into a broader range of exploration and production operations and potentially also beyond the oil and gas sector.

Marlin technology currently exists in a form that can be delivered via a service model. This new project will transform the Marlin solution into a scalable software product that will deliver value across a wide range of oil and gas activities, from use in a single project to an enterprise-wide solution for all assets in a company's portfolio. Development of Marlin is aligned with E&P companies' operational need for efficiency, safety and performance.

Christopher Usher, EVP & Chief Operating Officer of ION's E&P Operations Optimization group, said, "We have demonstrated the value that Marlin can deliver to E&P operations via our service model. This process has allowed us to deliver value to our clients on a project basis, but has also helped us identify the need for and requirements of an enterprise software solution to optimize operational planning and execution. The support and funding provided by Scottish Enterprise has been essential to help us develop our solution for this market."

Lena Wilson, Chief Executive of Scottish Enterprise, said, "ION is a fantastic example of a U.S. company recognising the benefits of Scotland's top talent and effective business environment. We are very pleased to have been able to support the company to get to this stage and wish them every success in achieving their future ambitions."

For more information, visit iongeo.com/Marlin.

About ION

ION is a leading provider of technology-driven solutions to the global oil & gas industry. ION's offerings are designed to help companies reduce risk and optimize assets throughout the E&P lifecycle. For more information, visit iongeo.com.

Contacts

ION (Investor relations)

Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

Steve Bate, +1 281.552.3011

[email protected]

ION (Media relations)

Vice President, Communications

Rachel White, +1 281.781.1168

[email protected]

The information herein contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. These forward-looking statements may include information and other statements that are not of historical fact. Actual results may vary materially from those described in these forward looking statements. All forward-looking statements reflect numerous assumptions and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. These risks and uncertainties include risks associated with the timing and development of the Company's products and services, the competitiveness of offers, pricing pressure, decreased demand, and changes in oil prices; and political, execution, regulatory, and currency risks. Additional risk factors, which could affect actual results are disclosed by the Company in its fillings with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), including its Form 10-K, Form 10-Q and Form 8-ks filed during the year. The Company expressly disclaims any obligation to revise or update any forward-looking statements.

SOURCE ION Geophysical Corporation

Related Links

http://www.iongeo.com


CHICAGO, April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- In anticipation of Kentucky's annual Derby season, Jim Beam Black is helping fans elevate their style with a limited-time barbershop pop-up at the Jim Beam American Stillhouse. Visitors will be offered complimentary hair cuts and men's beard trims from 5th generation Philadelphia-based barbershop, The Duke, from 9-5 p.m. on May 4 and 5.

Jim Beam American Stillhouse Jim Beam Black

With more than 12 combined generations of experience in both bourbon and barbering, Jim Beam and The Duke are providing an experience that combines both heritage and tradition for the city's most historic event. To ensure that guests are looking and feeling their best for the big race, services will be available to anyone of legal-drinking age.

The Jim Beam Black barbershop pop-up is the first of a series of nationwide events taking place throughout the summer of 2017. The world's highest-rated bourbon according to the 2016 International Wine & Spirits Competition* is partnering with well-known barbershops in nine cities across the country to host events centered around elevating your style, through grooming and through your cocktail choice.

"We're traveling across the country, starting right here in Kentucky, to show our fans that it doesn't take much to elevate your taste and style," said Fred Noe, Jim Beam's 7th Generation Master Distiller. "Jim Beam Black, one of my personal favorites, is a delicious extra-aged bourbon to sip on if you're looking for a more flavorful drink choice for the big race."

In addition to complimentary hair cuts and beard trims, the barbers at the Jim Beam Black barbershop experience will provide hair curling and makeup touch-ups to women visiting the distillery as well. Services for both men and women will be offered on a first-come first-served basis throughout the course of the two-day experience.

Jim Beam Black is a premium Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey with a more flavorful character made to be sipped and savored. At 86 proof, this bourbon is aged longer than original Jim Beam Bourbon in the same white oak barrels, giving it a full-bodied flavor with smooth caramel and warm oak notes.

Tours of the Jim Beam American Stillhouse will also be available to visitors throughout the week. A variety of tour options that allow guests to participate in the full bourbon production process  from mixing grains to bottling your own Jim Beam product  are available at www.JimBeam.com.

To learn more about the Jim Beam Black and the barbershop experience, follow Jim Beam on Twitter @JimBeam, Instagram @jimbeamofficial and Facebook at www.Facebook.com/JimBeam.

*Awarded International Wine & Spirits Competition's Bourbon Trophy. All trademarks are the property of their respective owner

About Beam Suntory Inc.

As the world's third largest premium spirits company, Beam Suntory is Crafting the Spirits Brands that Stir the World. Consumers from all corners of the globe call for the company's brands, including the iconic Jim Beam and Maker's Mark bourbon brands and Suntory whisky Kakubin, as well as world renowned premium brands including Knob Creek bourbon, Yamazaki, Hakushu and Hibiki Japanese whiskies, Teacher's, Laphroaig, and Bowmore Scotch whiskies, Canadian Club whisky, Courvoisier cognac, Hornitos and Sauza tequila, EFFEN and Pinnacle vodka, Sipsmith gin, and Midori liqueur.

Beam Suntory was created in 2014 by combining the world leader in bourbon and the pioneer in Japanese whisky to form a new company with a deep heritage, passion for quality, innovative spirit and commitment to Growing for Good. Headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, Beam Suntory is a subsidiary of Suntory Holdings Limited of Japan. For more information on Beam Suntory, its brands, and its commitment to social responsibility, please visit www.beamsuntory.com and www.drinksmart.com.

About The Duke

The Duke is the modern man's answer to a classic barbershop venue. Established by 5th generation owner and Master Barber, William Brown, the barbershop was created in response to the growing demand for upscale grooming services in the Philadelphia area. The Duke specializes in traditional shaves with hot lather, trims, haircuts and more and is home to several of Philadelphia's most talented men's barbers.

About the Jim Beam American Stillhouse

Nestled in the rolling foothills of Clermont, Kentucky, the Jim Beam American Stillhouse provides an intimate look at the world's No. 1 bourbon. Visitors are immersed in more than 220 years of Beam family heritage through a series of educational bourbon tastings and in-depth guided tours. For those looking to enjoy Jim Beam whiskies in a whole new way, the new Jim Beam Bourbon Bar located on Beam Hill delivers a best-in-class cocktail experience. Guests can also enjoy bourbon-inspired Kentucky fare at Fred's Smokehouse, which is named after seventh generation master distiller and great-grandson of Jim Beam, Fred Noe. Monthly "Distillery Days" offer everything from blue grass concerts to cocktail classes, offering guests even more reason to come as friends and leave as family.

The Jim Beam American Stillhouse is open Monday through Saturday 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Sunday 12:00 p.m.  4:00 p.m. (Closed on New Year's Day, Easter, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day).

For more information or to reserve your tour tickets online, visit the Jim Beam American Stillhouse online at JimBeam.com. Or, like Jim Beam American Stillhouse on Facebook and follow @JimBeam on Twitter.

Jim Beam Black Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, 43% Alc./Vol.

2017 James B. Beam Distilling Co., Clermont, KY. All trademarks are property of their respective owners.

SOURCE Jim Beam

Related Links

http://www.jimbeam.com


HERENTALS, Belgium, April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Kemin Industries, a global nutritional ingredient company that uses science to create solutions and products to touch half of the world's population, announced today the opening of its Russia manufacturing and laboratory facilities in Lipetsk.

The new facility for the Kemin subsidiary, Kemin Industries (Lipetsk) LLC, is located in the Special Economic Zone of Lipetsk. The new location has the capacity to serve the growing demand for specialized nutritional ingredients to address the needs of the rapidly growing Russian animal protein industry.

"Russia is one of the largest animal feed markets in Europe producing more than 30 million tons of feed. Localizing manufacturing reduces process time and allows us to best serve our Kemin customers in the region," said Dr. Chris Nelson, President and CEO of Kemin Industries. "On a global scale, Kemin is always aggressively pursuing expansions to meet our customers where they are to provide high-quality products and solutions. The Lipetsk facility is an example of how Kemin thinks globally and acts locally to best serve our customers and the 3.4 billion people we touch every day with our products."

With regional headquarters in Europe, Kemin has been serving Russia since 1995. In 2014, the company opened a fully equipped customer service laboratory in Moscow to better serve the feed industry and its growing customer base. The Lipetsk location is part of the five-year, global expansion plan for Kemin. The new state-of-the-art facility is one of the most sophisticated plants in the global Kemin portfolio, and features a manufacturing plant, quality labs and warehouses.

"For more than 20 years, Kemin has established a strong footprint in Russian feed production. As the demand for meat production increases in Russia, the need for our value-added products is growing tremendously," said KP Philip, President of Kemin Animal Nutrition and Health. "Now, we can serve one of the largest animal feed markets in Europe with local availability of high-quality feed ingredients, condensed delivery time and reduction of risk with supply chain transportation; all which enables us to grow and better serve the Russian market while increasing the collaboration between our scientists and the direct customers we serve in Russia."

Head of the Administration of the Lipetsk Region .P. Korolev commented: "We in the region are constantly working to create a favorable business climate and value the confidence of investors. I am very glad that now another production has opened in the SEZ "Lipetsk" and workplaces will be created, which means that the quality of life in Lipetsk region will continue to increase. We thank the investors for the joint fruitful work."

About Kemin Industries

Kemin (www.kemin.com) has been dedicated to using applied science to improve the quality of life for over half a century. As a global company touching 3.4 billion people every day with its products, Kemin is committed to improving the quality, safety and efficacy of food, feed and health-related products to feed a growing population and be a resource for others in need.

Committed to feed and food safety, Kemin maintains top-of-the-line manufacturing facilities where over 500 specialty ingredients are made for humans and animals in the global feed and food industries, as well as the health, nutrition and beauty markets. The company provides product solutions and options to customers in more than 120 countries.

A privately held, family-owned and operated company, Kemin has more than 2,000 global employees and operates in 90 countries including manufacturing facilities in Belgium, Brazil, China, India, Italy, Russia, Singapore, South Africa and the United States.

Media Contact:

Lauren M.G. Burt, Worldwide Communications Manager, [email protected], +1 (515) 559-5598

SOURCE Kemin Industries

Related Links

http://www.kemin.com


BOULDER, Colo., April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Naropa University today announced that Kerri Kelly, renowned yoga instructor and social activist, will serve as Naropa's 2017 Commencement speaker. Kerri's speech, "The New Moral Majority," will discuss the recent spiritual movement playing out on yoga mats, meditation cushions, and in creative spaces around the world. Naropa's graduation will be held at Macky Auditorium in Boulder, Colorado, on May 14, beginning at 1 p.m. MST.

Recognized as the national leader in contemplative education, Naropa University will confer degrees to more than 250 graduate and undergraduate students. Naropa's 2017 graduating class will receive BA, BFA, MA, MFA, and MDiv degrees in the arts, education, environmental leadership, psychology, and religious studies, among others. The full schedule of events is available at www.naropa.edu/graduation.

Kerri's work was sparked on 9-11, when she lost her fireman step-dad in the towers. She quickly discovered the power of mindfulness, not only as a tool for personal healing, but also as a catalyst for collective change. Since then, Kerri has worked passionately across communities to fight for justice and well-being. She is the founder of CTZNWELL, an emerging movement to mobilize people into a powerful force for well-being for all.

"Kerri Kelly's work with CTZNWELL to ensure that resources supporting physical, mental and spiritual health are available to all, and not just to the most privileged, fits Naropa's mission perfectly. Our students and faculty lead the hard conversations about inclusion and social justice and Kerry's message will celebrate that work and offer the challenge that there is always more to do."  Charles G. Lief, President, Naropa University.

Kerri also spent seven years as executive director of the nonprofit Off the Mat, Into the World and is currently board chair. She is relentless in her commitment to elevating leaders, groups, and projects to next-level social change makers through her work with The Catalyst Collective, an innovative consultancy designed for mission-based individuals, groups, and organizations that want to be successful and make a difference in the world.

About Naropa University (www.naropa.edu): Located in Boulder, Colorado, Naropa University is a private, liberal arts institution offering undergraduate and graduate degree programs. Naropa University is a leader in contemplative education, an approach to learning and teaching that integrates Eastern wisdom studies and traditional Western scholarship. Naropa is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

Media inquiries, please call 1-800-772-6951 or 303-546-3572.

SOURCE Naropa University

Related Links

http://www.naropa.edu


MOBILE, Ala., April 25, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Kimberly-Clark Corporation has approved an investment of $75 million for construction of a new on-site combined heat-power plant at its tissue mill in Mobile, Alabama. This plant, to be constructed over a two-year period, is expected to improve the facility's long-term energy efficiency and costs, as well as boost its overall competitiveness within Kimberly-Clark.

"The Mobile team is excited about the role this state-of-the-art energy supply will play in strengthening our position as a strategic manufacturing site for Kimberly-Clark, and as an employer of choice in southwest Alabama," said Todd Visscher, Mill Manager for Kimberly-Clark's Mobile operations. "The investment in highly efficient energy technologies will improve our outlook for long-term operations at the site."

"Kimberly-Clark has been an outstanding partner to our community for many years. We are pleased to support them in making this major investment in the City of Mobile, which will enhance the competitiveness of some of the most skilled workers in America. Mobile is open for business, and it's a great time to invest in Mobile," said Mobile Mayor Sandy Stimpson.

The investment is guided by Kimberly-Clark's Sustainability 2022 strategy to reduce emissions and costs through energy efficiency projects across our operations.

"Energy projects like the one in Mobile contribute to our vision for sustainability while creating value for our business," said Lisa Morden, Director of Global Sustainability for Kimberly-Clark. "Our overarching goal is to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions by 20 percent over 2005 levels by Kimberly-Clark's 150th anniversary in 2022."

Currently, the Mobile Mill employs a highly-skilled workforce of more than 600, and produces bath tissue and paper towels under the Scott, Cottonelle, and K-C Professional brand names. The new on-site energy plant is expected to be in operation during the first quarter of 2019.

"Kimberly-Clark has long been an integral part of Mobile's manufacturing base. Their continued growth and investment in Mobile is evidence of their commitment to the region and to Mobile's business climate," said Troy Wayman, the Mobile Area Chamber's vice president of economic development. "We are excited for Kimberly-Clark's expansion and their continuous success."

"We are thrilled about the expansion of the Kimberly-Clark Mobile Mill," said Mobile County Commission President Merceria Ludgood. "We are fortunate to have a long-standing relationship with the company, which has been a great corporate citizen for decades. This $75 million investment in our area solidifies its commitment to Mobile County."

About the Mobile Area Chamber's Economic Development Efforts

The Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce is a private business organization with more than 2,100 members. The Chamber is the economic developer of record for the city of Mobile and Mobile County. Over the last decade, Mobile's economic development efforts have garnered $8.47 billion in capital investment and added 15,771 jobs with an average salary of $45,824, including 35 new businesses recruited and 75 expansions made at existing area companies. Find more about the Chamber and economic development at www.mobilechamber.com.

About Kimberly-Clark

Kimberly-Clark (NYSE: KMB) and its well-known global brands are an indispensable part of life for people in more than 175 countries. Every day, nearly a quarter of the world's population trust Kimberly-Clark's brands and the solutions they provide to enhance their health, hygiene and well-being. With brands such as Kleenex, Scott, Huggies, Pull-Ups, Kotex and Depend, Kimberly-Clark holds No. 1 or No. 2 share positions in 80 countries. To keep up with the latest news and to learn more about the Company's 145-year history, visit http://www.kimberly-clark.com or follow us on Facebook or Twitter.

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110928/DA76879LOGO

SOURCE Kimberly-Clark Corporation

Related Links

http://www.kimberly-clark.com


TORONTO, April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ - (TSX: KFS, NYSE: KFS) Kingsway Financial Services Inc. ("Kingsway" or the "Company") today announced its operating results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2017. All amounts are in U.S. dollars unless indicated otherwise.

Management Comments

Larry G. Swets, Jr., Chief Executive Officer, stated, "Adjusted operating income of $4.1 million during the first quarter reflected progress in a number of our segments and investments. We recorded $2.4 million from our equity pickup in the results of Itasca Capital Ltd. ("ICL"), reflecting the increase in value of ICL's indirect investment in Limbach Holdings, Inc. The improved results in our Leased Real Estate segment are based in part on a $25 million lease amendment negotiated between CMC and its tenant, BNSF, under which we will record increases in rental income each period for the remainder of the lease, beginning with the first quarter of 2017. Our Insurance Services segment recorded positive operating earnings for the third consecutive quarter. And, our Insurance Underwriting segment has made progress on the implementation of several initiatives under its new management team. Its first quarter results reflect $0.4 million of non-recurring severance expense related to its restructuring."

Operating Results

The Company reported net loss attributable to common shareholders of $1.7 million (including a non-cash loss of $1.9 million attributable to change in fair value of debt), or $0.08 per diluted share, in the first quarter of 2017, compared to net loss attributable to common shareholders of $1.5 million (including a non-cash gain of $2.5 million attributable to change in fair value of debt), or $0.08 per diluted share, in the first quarter of 2016.

Following are highlights of Kingsway's first quarter 2017 results. Operating loss reflects the Company's core operating activities, including its reportable segments, passive investment portfolio, merchant banking activities and corporate operating expenses.

Operating loss was $0.6 million for the first quarter of 2017 compared to $2.8 million for the first quarter of 2016.

for the first quarter of 2017 compared to for the first quarter of 2016. Insurance Underwriting segment operating loss was $0.7 million for the first quarter of 2017 compared to $0.2 million for the first quarter of 2016.

for the first quarter of 2017 compared to for the first quarter of 2016.

Insurance Services segment operating income was $0.6 million for the first quarter of 2017 compared to segment operating loss of $0.2 million for the first quarter of 2016.

for the first quarter of 2017 compared to segment operating loss of for the first quarter of 2016.

Operating income attributable to the Leased Real Estate segment was $0.9 million for the first quarter of 2017 compared to zero for the first quarter of 2016.

for the first quarter of 2017 compared to zero for the first quarter of 2016.

Net investment income of $0.7 million was reported for the first quarter of 2017 compared to net investment loss of $0.1 million for the first quarter of 2016.

was reported for the first quarter of 2017 compared to net investment loss of for the first quarter of 2016.

Net realized gains of $0.4 million were reported for the first quarter of 2017 compared to net realized losses of $0.2 million for the first quarter of 2016.

were reported for the first quarter of 2017 compared to net realized losses of for the first quarter of 2016.

Other operating income and expense was a net expense of $2.5 million for the first quarter of 2017 compared to $2.1 million for the first quarter of 2016.

for the first quarter of 2017 compared to for the first quarter of 2016. Adjusted operating income was $4.1 million for the first quarter of 2017 compared to adjusted operating loss of $0.8 million for the first quarter of 2016.

for the first quarter of 2017 compared to adjusted operating loss of for the first quarter of 2016. Book value decreased to $2.55 per share at March 31, 2017 from $2.65 per share at December 31, 2016 . The Company also carries a valuation allowance, in the amount of $12.92 per share at March 31, 2017 , against the deferred tax asset, primarily related to its loss carryforwards.

About the Company

Kingsway is a holding company functioning as a merchant bank with a focus on long-term value-creation. The Company owns or controls stakes in several insurance industry assets and utilizes its subsidiaries, 1347 Advisors LLC and 1347 Capital LLC, to pursue opportunities acting as an advisor, an investor and a financier. The common shares of Kingsway are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange and the New York Stock Exchange under the trading symbol "KFS."

Consolidated Statements of Operations (in thousands, except per share data) (Unaudited)





Three months ended March 31,

2017 2016 Revenues:







Net premiums earned $ 32,922 $ 29,427



Service fee and commission income 6,562 5,322



Rental income 3,341 



Net investment income (loss) 703 (72)



Net realized gains (losses) 398 (171)



Other income 2,815 2,374 Total revenues 46,741 36,880 Operating expenses:







Loss and loss adjustment expenses 26,410 23,497



Commissions and premium taxes 6,278 5,598



Cost of services sold 1,304 773



General and administrative expenses 11,272 9,551



Leased real estate segment interest expense 1,574 



Amortization of intangible assets 291 295



Impairment of intangible assets 250  Total operating expenses 47,379 39,714 Operating loss (638) (2,834) Other expenses (revenues), net:







Interest expense not allocated to segements 1,159 1,093



Foreign exchange losses, net 4 1



Loss (gain) on change in fair value of debt 1,889 (2,528)



Equity in net (income) loss of investees (2,385) 69 Total other expenses (revenues), net 667 (1,365) Loss before income tax expense (1,305) (1,469) Income tax expense 179 26 Net loss (1,484) (1,495)



Less: net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated subsidiaries 105 (39)



Less: dividends on preferred stock 121 82



Net loss attributable to common shareholders $ (1,710) $ (1,538) Loss per share  net loss attributable to common shareholders:





Basic: $ (0.08) $ (0.08)

Diluted: $ (0.08) $ (0.08) Weighted average shares outstanding (in '000s):





Basic: 21,458 19,710

Diluted: 21,458 19,710









Consolidated Balance Sheets (in thousands, except share data)











March 31, 2017

December 31, 2016



(unaudited)



Assets







Investments:









Fixed maturities, at fair value (amortized cost of $58,936 and $62,136, respectively) $ 58,640

$ 61,764

Equity investments, at fair value (cost of $17,430 and $19,099, respectively) 21,045

23,230

Limited liability investments 23,424

22,974

Limited liability investment, at fair value 10,333



10,700

Other investments, at cost which approximates fair value 7,349



7,975

Short-term investments, at cost which approximates fair value 151



401 Total investments

120,942

127,044 Cash and cash equivalents

33,687

36,475 Investment in investee

5,501

3,116 Accrued investment income

728

790 Premiums receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts of $115 and $115, respectively

33,561

31,564 Service fee receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts of $279 and $274, respectively

1,559

1,320 Other receivables, net of allowance for doubtful accounts of $806 and $806, respectively

7,014

4,692 Reinsurance recoverable

679

784 Deferred acquisition costs, net

14,113

13,609 Property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation of $11,752 and $10,603, respectively

115,855

116,961 Goodwill

71,061

71,061 Intangible assets, net of accumulated amortization of $7,472 and $7,181, respectively

88,477

89,017 Other assets

4,530

4,588 Total Assets $ 497,707

$ 501,021 Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity







Liabilities:







Unpaid loss and loss adjustment expenses:









Property and casualty $ 48,201

$ 53,795

Vehicle service agreements 2,773



2,915 Total unpaid loss and loss adjustment expenses

50,974

56,710 Unearned premiums

44,041

40,176 Reinsurance payable

100

100 Note payable

189,213

190,074 Subordinated debt, at fair value

45,508

43,619 Deferred income tax liability

48,668

48,720 Deferred service fees

35,952

35,822 Income taxes payable

2,283

2,051 Accrued expenses and other liabilities

19,781

20,487 Total Liabilities

436,520

437,759









Class A preferred stock, no par value; unlimited number authorized; 262,876 and 262,876 issued and outstanding at March 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016, respectively; redemption amount of $6,572

6,436

6,427









Shareholders' Equity:







Common stock, no par value; unlimited number authorized; 21,458,190 and 21,458,190 issued and outstanding at March 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016, respectively



 Additional paid-in capital

354,127

353,882 Accumulated deficit

(299,432)

(297,668) Accumulated other comprehensive loss

(879)

(208) Shareholders' equity attributable to common shareholders

53,816

56,006 Noncontrolling interests in consolidated subsidiaries

935

829 Total Shareholders' Equity

54,751

56,835 Total Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity $ 497,707

$ 501,021

Non-U.S. GAAP Financial Measures

Segment Operating Income (Loss)

Segment operating income (loss) represents one measure of the pretax profitability of Kingsway's segments and is derived by subtracting direct segment expenses from direct segment revenues. Please refer to the section entitled "Non-U.S. GAAP Financial Measures" in the Management's Discussion and Analysis section of the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016 for a detailed description of this non-U.S. GAAP measure.

Adjusted Operating Income (Loss)

Adjusted operating income (loss) represents another measure used by the Company to assess the profitability of the Company's segments, its passive investment portfolio and its merchant banking activities. Adjusted operating income (loss) is comprised of segment operating income (loss) as well as net investment income (loss), net realized gains (losses), equity in net income (loss) of investees and net revenues of 1347 Advisors. A reconciliation of segment operating income (loss) and adjusted operating income (loss) to net loss for the three months ended March 31, 2017 and 2016 is presented below:





(in thousands) Three months ended March 31,

2017 2016 Segment operating income (loss) $ 762 $ (395) Net investment income (loss) 703 (72) Net realized gains (losses) 398 (171) Equity in net income (loss) of investees 2,385 (69) Revenues of 1347 Advisors, net of related outside professional and advisory expenses (162) (64) Adjusted operating income (loss) 4,086 (771) Equity in net (income) loss of investees (2,385) 69 Corporate operating expenses and other (1) (1,798) (1,837) Amortization of intangible assets (291) (295) Impairment of intangible assets (250)  Operating loss (638) (2,834) Equity in net income (loss) of investees 2,385 (69) Interest expense not allocated to segments (1,159) (1,093) Foreign exchange losses, net (4) (1) (Loss) gain on change in fair value of debt (1,889) 2,528 Loss before income tax expense (1,305) (1,469) Income tax expense (179) (26) Net loss $ (1,484) $ (1,495)











(1) Corporate operating expenses and other includes corporate operating expenses and stock-based compensation expense.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release includes "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are not historical facts, and involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expected and projected. Words such as "expects," "believes," "anticipates," "intends," "estimates," "seeks" and variations and similar words and expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements relate to future events or future performance, but reflect Kingsway management's current beliefs, based on information currently available. A number of factors could cause actual events, performance or results to differ materially from the events, performance and results discussed in the forward-looking statements. For information identifying important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements, please refer to the section entitled "Risk Factors" in the Company's 2016 Annual Report on Form 10-K. Except as expressly required by applicable securities law, 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.

Additional Information

Additional information about Kingsway, including a copy of its 2016 Annual Report and filings on Forms 10-Q and 8-K, can be accessed on the Canadian Securities Administrators' website at www.sedar.com, on the EDGAR section of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's website at www.sec.gov or through the Company's website at www.kingsway-financial.com.

For a current review of the Company and a discussion of its plan to create and sustain long-term shareholder value, management invites you to review its Annual Letter to Shareholders, which may be accessed at the Company's website or directly at http://bit.ly/kfs2015.

SOURCE Kingsway Financial Services Inc.

Related Links

http://www.kingsway-financial.com


MILWAUKEE, April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- A global study of nearly 14,000 job seekers shows a shift in the balance of power from employer to candidate  today's job seekers have more information than ever about a company and a position at early stages of the job search process. This is according to new research from ManpowerGroup Solutions, the world's largest RPO provider, part of ManpowerGroup (NYSE: MAN). In The Rise of the Well-Informed Candidate, ManpowerGroup Solutions shares strategies and tactics for companies to attract top talent in the information age.

Todays job seekers have more information than ever about a company and a position at early stages of the job search process, according to new research from ManpowerGroup Solutions, the worlds largest RPO provider.

Click the link to download the report, The Rise of the Well-Informed Candidate: www.manpowergroupsolutions.com/candidatepreferences

Before making career decisions, job seekers are informing themselves on the details most important to them. The survey results show what really matters to candidates and what they want to know:

Compensation and the type of work are the two most important draws for prospective candidates globally.

Schedule flexibility and benefits tie as the third most important factors, indicating that lifestyle while on the job is a key consideration for job changers.

There is increasing transparency on compensation globally. Nearly half (44%) of candidates know compensation details before applying. In the five markets with year-over-year data, this number has increased by more than 10 percent, which suggests this is a trend on the rise.

"Easy access to information has changed the way individuals find jobs and jobs find individuals. As organizations across the globe continue to report difficulties filling roles, understanding candidate preferences is critical," said Jim McCoy, Vice President and Global Practice Leader, ManpowerGroup Solutions. "Candidates worldwide want to be able to visualize themselves in an organization. They want to know about compensation and benefits. And increasingly, they identify the company mission, corporate brand, culture and commitment to corporate social responsibility as key deciding factors in making a move. It's time for employers to move beyond the final interview disclosure to being up-front and open and own the conversation."

Knowing what matters most to today's job seekers, ManpowerGroup Solutions provides practical advice for companies so they can attract the best candidates:

Reach the right talent where they are. Candidates consider company websites to be the number one source of information. Employers must recognize the importance of the content on their website and the potential of their HR portals to build employer brand and increase access to the information candidates are seeking.

Candidates consider company websites to be the number one source of information. Employers must recognize the importance of the content on their website and the potential of their HR portals to build employer brand and increase access to the information candidates are seeking. Be open to new conversations and new ways of having them. To meet the information expectations of candidates, employers should consider being open to sharing more information about their company. This includes more transparency around compensation.

To meet the information expectations of candidates, employers should consider being open to sharing more information about their company. This includes more transparency around compensation. Monitor the buzz. It is important for organizations to understand how they are being talked about and perceived on channels they do not own  like social media and employer review sites like Glassdoor. While control is limited, there is always an ability to respond and often, educate.

To learn more about ManpowerGroup Solutions' global candidate preferences research and download The Rise of the Well-Informed Candidate, visit www.manpowergroupsolutions.com/candidatepreferences.

About ManpowerGroup Solutions

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HOUSTON, April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Kraton Corporation (NYSE: KRA), a leading global producer of styrenic block copolymers, specialty polymers and high-value performance products derived from pine wood pulping co-products, announces financial results for the quarter ended March 31, 2017.

2017 FIRST QUARTER SUMMARY

Chemical segment sales volumes increased 15% and Polymer segment sales volumes increased 2%, compared to the first quarter 2016

Polymer segment raw material costs increased significantly in the first quarter 2017

As anticipated, Polymer segment margins were adversely impacted in the quarter, reflecting the timing lag in realization of announced price increases and, to a lesser extent, continued competitive market conditions for SIS product grades

Chemical segment margins for the first quarter 2017 reflect ongoing market pressures related to hydrocarbon-based C5 alternatives and competitive conditions for TOFA and TOR products

Outlook for TOFA market conditions has improved

Successful issuance of $400 million of 7.0% Senior Notes due 2025

of 7.0% Senior Notes due 2025 Proceeds applied as prepayment of existing Term Loan Facility, eliminated all scheduled payments prior to final maturity under Term Loan Facility



Three Months Ended March 31,

2017

2016

(In thousands, except per share amounts) Revenue $ 458,125



$ 419,923

Polymer segment operating income $ 41,628



$ 13,946

Chemical segment operating income (loss) $ 17,695



$ (10,720)

Net income attributable to Kraton $ 6,413



$ 88,087

Adjusted EBITDA (non-GAAP)(1) $ 65,571



$ 93,101

Adjusted EBITDA margin (non-GAAP)(2) 14.3 %

22.2 % Diluted earnings per share $ 0.20



$ 2.84

Adjusted diluted earnings (loss) per share (non-GAAP)(1) $ (0.15)



$ 0.80









(1) See non-GAAP reconciliations included in the accompanying financial tables for the reconciliation of each non-GAAP measure to its most directly comparable GAAP measure. (2) Defined as Adjusted EBITDA as a percentage of revenue.

"On a consolidated basis, first quarter 2017 Adjusted EBITDA was $65.6 million. As expected, during the quarter we saw unprecedented increases in raw material costs for our Polymer segment and, as a result, our Adjusted EBITDA was negatively impacted by the lag in realization of price increases. While we expect the full realization of price increases implemented to address the increase in raw material costs to be completed in the second quarter 2017, the raw material cost trend itself has also reversed as we move into the second quarter of the year. As we have pointed out previously, we continue to see competitive conditions for SIS polymer grades in our Performance Products business," said Kevin M. Fogarty, Kraton's President and Chief Executive Officer. "For our Chemical segment, we are encouraged by the 15% increase in sales volume compared to the first quarter 2016. However, segment margins continue to be adversely impacted by availability of low-cost C5 hydrocarbon alternatives, and pricing pressure for TOFA and TOR products in general. Regarding TOFA markets specifically, we implemented a global price increase of $120 per metric ton effective March 15th, reflecting an improving demand outlook for TOFA and, to a lesser extent, cost increases for CTO raw materials," Fogarty added.

"Strategically, we continue to make progress on our cost reduction and transaction synergy value realization initiatives. In the first quarter we delivered an incremental $13 million on top of the cumulative $68 million realized through year-end 2016. We expect that for the balance of 2017 we will deliver an additional $27 million in cost reductions towards our 2018 target of $135 million. In addition, during the first quarter we took steps to further refine our capital structure. In early January we repriced our Term Loan Facility, reducing the interest cost for amounts outstanding under the facility by 100 basis points, and in late March, we issued $400 million of 7.0% Senior Notes, using the proceeds to reduce borrowings under the Term Loan Facility. This issuance resulted in a more appropriate balance between secured and unsecured components of our outstanding debt, and effectively eliminated all scheduled amortization payments under the Term Loan Facility, enhancing financial flexibility," said Fogarty.

Status of Synergies, Operational Improvement, and Cost Reduction Initiatives

We previously announced synergies and operational improvement initiatives associated with our January 6, 2016 acquisition of Arizona Chemical (the "Arizona Chemical Acquisition") and a cost reduction initiative targeted at lowering costs in our Polymer segment. Following is a summary of the status of these initiatives:



Cumulative through

March 31, 2017

December 31, 2016

(In thousands) General and administrative synergies $ 20,863



$ 17,663

Operational improvements 27,007



19,223

Cost reduction 33,522



31,338



$ 81,392



$ 68,224



Three Months Ended March 31, 2017 compared to Three Months Ended March 31, 2016



Polymer Segment





Three Months Ended March 31,

2017

2016 Revenue (In thousands) CariflexTM $ 38,048



$ 38,023

Specialty Polymers 90,920



85,029

Performance Products 141,718



119,919

Other 262



72



$ 270,948



$ 243,043









Operating income $ 41,628



$ 13,946

Adjusted EBITDA (non-GAAP) (1) $ 32,055



$ 52,244













(1) See Non-GAAP reconciliations included in the accompanying financial tables for the reconciliation of each non-GAAP measure to its most directly comparable GAAP measure.

Revenue for the Polymer segment was $270.9 million for the three months ended March 31, 2017 compared to $243.0 million for the three months ended March 31, 2016. The increase in revenue was driven by a $22.7 million higher average selling price primarily resulting from higher raw material costs and a $7.6 million increase in sales volumes, partially offset by a $2.4 million negative effect from changes in currency exchange rates. Sales volumes were 76.6 kilotons for the three months ended March 31, 2017, an increase of 1.5 kilotons or 2.1%.

With respect to revenue for the Polymer segment product groups:

Cariflex revenue was $38.0 million for the three months ended March 31, 2017 and was unchanged compared to the three months ended March 31, 2016 .

revenue was for the three months ended and was unchanged compared to the three months ended . Specialty Polymers revenue was $90.9 million for the three months ended March 31, 2017 compared to $85.0 million for the three months ended March 31, 2016 . The revenue increase reflects the 8.1% increase in sales volumes.

revenue was for the three months ended compared to for the three months ended . The revenue increase reflects the 8.1% increase in sales volumes. Performance Products revenue was $141.7 million for the three months ended March 31, 2017 compared to $119.9 million for the three months ended March 31, 2016 . The $21.8 million increase was primarily driven by higher average selling prices resulting from higher raw material costs.

For the three months ended March 31, 2017, the Polymer segment operating income was $41.6 million compared to $13.9 million for the three months ended March 31, 2016.

For the three months ended March 31, 2017, the Polymer segment generated $32.1 million of Adjusted EBITDA (non-GAAP) compared to $52.2 million for the three months ended March 31, 2016, a decrease of $20.2 million or 38.6%. The decline in Adjusted EBITDA was primarily due to lower margins indicative of the increase in raw material prices which were only partially offset by increases in selling prices in the first quarter and the continued pressure on SIS margins overall. The quarter-over-quarter comparison was also negatively impacted by the first quarter 2016 raw material market conditions which led to margin expansion in the prior year. See a reconciliation of GAAP operating income to non-GAAP Adjusted EBITDA below.

Chemical Segment

The following results of operations for the Chemical segment have been included in our consolidated results since January 6, 2016.



Three Months Ended

March 31, 2017

For the period

January 6, 2016

through March 31,

2016 Revenue (In thousands) Adhesives $ 64,372



$ 62,943

Roads and Construction 10,766



10,670

Tires 11,719



8,981

Performance Chemicals 100,320



94,286



$ 187,177



$ 176,880









Operating income (loss) $ 17,695



$ (10,720)

Adjusted EBITDA (non-GAAP) (1) $ 33,516



$ 40,857













(1) See Non-GAAP reconciliations included in the accompanying financial tables for the reconciliation of each non-GAAP measure to its most directly comparable GAAP measure.

Revenue for the Chemical segment was $187.2 million for the three months ended March 31, 2017 compared to $176.9 million for the three months ended March 31, 2016. The increase in revenue was driven by a $33.7 million increase in sales volumes, partially offset by lower average selling prices aggregating $19.9 million and a $3.5 million negative effect from changes in currency exchange rates. Sales volumes were 109.1 kilotons for the three months ended March 31, 2017, an increase of 14.2 kilotons or 15.0%.

With respect to revenue for the Chemical segment product groups:

Adhesives revenue was $64.4 million for the three months ended March 31, 2017 compared to $62.9 million for the three months ended March 31, 2016 . A 14.3% increase in sales volumes was largely offset by lower average selling prices.

revenue was for the three months ended compared to for the three months ended . A 14.3% increase in sales volumes was largely offset by lower average selling prices. Roads and Construction revenue was $10.8 million for the three months ended March 31, 2017 compared to $10.7 million for the three months ended March 31, 2016 . A 10.8% increase in sales volumes was offset by lower average selling prices.

revenue was for the three months ended compared to for the three months ended . A 10.8% increase in sales volumes was offset by lower average selling prices. Tires revenue was $11.7 million for the three months ended March 31, 2017 compared to $9.0 million for the three months ended March 31, 2016 . A 24.6% increase in sales volumes was largely offset by lower average selling prices.

revenue was for the three months ended compared to for the three months ended . A 24.6% increase in sales volumes was largely offset by lower average selling prices. Performance Chemicals (formerly Chemical Intermediates) revenue was $100.3 million for the three months ended March 31, 2017 compared to $94.3 million for the three months ended March 31, 2016 . A 15.2% increase in sales volumes was partially offset by lower average selling prices.

For the three months ended March 31, 2017, the Chemical segment operating income was $17.7 million compared to an operating loss of $10.7 million for the three months ended March 31, 2016.

For the three months ended March 31, 2017, the Chemical segment generated $33.5 million of Adjusted EBITDA (non-GAAP) compared to $40.9 million for the three months ended March 31, 2016. The decline in Adjusted EBITDA was primarily due to lower margins indicative of the continued impact of low-cost C5 hydrocarbon alternatives and pricing pressure for TOFA and TOR products, which more than offset the 15.0% increase in sales volumes. See a reconciliation of GAAP operating income (loss) to non-GAAP Adjusted EBITDA below.

CASH FLOW AND CAPITAL STRUCTURE

During the three months ended March 31, 2017 (excluding borrowings under the Kraton Formosa Polymers Corporation (KFPC) Loan Agreement) we increased Kraton Corporation indebtedness by $7.8 million, while decreasing cash on hand (excluding KFPC cash) by approximately $21.5 million.

Summary of principal amounts for indebtedness and a reconciliation of Kraton debt to Kraton net debt and consolidated net debt (non-GAAP):



As of March 31, 2017

As of December 31, 2016

(In thousands) Term Loan $ 886,000



$ 1,278,000

10.5% Senior Notes 440,000



440,000

7.0% Senior Notes 400,000





ABL 





Capital lease 2,805



3,042

Kraton debt 1,728,805



1,721,042

Kraton cash 86,134



107,599

Kraton net debt 1,642,671



1,613,443









KFPC(1) loan 136,001



115,854

KFPC(1) cash 17,932



14,150

KFPC(1) net debt 118,069



101,704









Consolidated net debt $ 1,760,740



$ 1,715,147













(1) This amount includes all of the indebtedness of our Kraton Formosa Polymers Corporation (KFPC) joint venture, located in Mailiao, Taiwan, which we own a 50% stake in and consolidate within our financial statements.

OUTLOOK

We continue to estimate that our 2017 Adjusted EBITDA will be approximately $350 million and we expect to reduce net indebtedness by $100-$150 million in 2017.

We currently estimate that our results in the second quarter 2017 will reflect a positive spread between FIFO and ECRC of approximately $10 million.

We have not reconciled Adjusted EBITDA guidance to net income (loss) because we do not provide guidance for net income (loss) or for items that we do not consider indicative of our on-going performance, including, but not limited to, transaction and acquisition costs and costs associated with dispositions, business exits, and production downtime, as certain of these items are out of our control and/or cannot be reasonably predicted. We have not reconciled net debt guidance to debt due to high variability and difficulty in making accurate forecasts and projections that are impacted by future decisions and actions. The actual amount of such reconciling items will have a significant impact if they were included in our Adjusted EBITDA and net debt. Accordingly, a reconciliation of the non-GAAP financial measure guidance to the corresponding U.S. GAAP measures is not available without unreasonable effort.

USE OF NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES

This press release includes the use of both GAAP and non-GAAP financial measures. The non-GAAP financial measures are EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA margin, Adjusted Diluted Earnings per Share, and Net Debt. Tables included in this earnings release reconcile each of these non-GAAP financial measures with the most directly comparable U.S. GAAP financial measure. For additional information on the impact of the spread between the FIFO basis of accounting and estimated current replacement cost ("ECRC"), see Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2016.

We consider these non-GAAP financial measures to be important supplemental measures of our performance and believe they are frequently used by investors, securities analysts and other interested parties in the evaluation of our performance including period-to-period comparisons and/or that of other companies in our industry. Further, management uses these measures to evaluate operating performance, and our incentive compensation plan bases incentive compensation payments on our Adjusted EBITDA performance and attainment of net debt, along with other factors. These non-GAAP financial measures have limitations as analytical tools and in some cases can vary substantially from other measures of our performance. You should not consider them in isolation, or as a substitute for analysis of our results under U.S. GAAP in the United States.

EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA, and Adjusted EBITDA Margin: For our consolidated results, EBITDA represents net income (loss) before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization. For each reporting segment, EBITDA represents operating income before depreciation and amortization, disposition and exit of business activities and earnings of unconsolidated joint ventures. Among other limitations EBITDA does not: reflect the significant interest expense on our debt or reflect the significant depreciation and amortization expense associated with our long-lived assets; and EBITDA included herein should not be used for purposes of assessing compliance or non-compliance with financial covenants under our debt agreements. The calculation of EBITDA in our debt agreements includes adjustments, such as extraordinary, non-recurring or one-time charges, proforma cost savings, certain non-cash items, turnaround costs, and other items included in the definition of EBITDA in the debt agreements. Other companies in our industry may calculate EBITDA differently than we do, limiting its usefulness as a comparative measure. As an analytical tool, Adjusted EBITDA is subject to all the limitations applicable to EBITDA. We prepare Adjusted EBITDA by eliminating from EBITDA the impact of a number of items we do not consider indicative of our on-going performance, including the spread between FIFO and ECRC, but you should be aware that in the future we may incur expenses similar to the adjustments in this presentation. Our presentation of Adjusted EBITDA should not be construed as an inference that our future results will be unaffected by unusual or non-recurring items. In addition, due to volatility in raw material prices, Adjusted EBITDA may, and often does, vary substantially from EBITDA and other performance measures, including net income calculated in accordance with U.S. GAAP. We define Adjusted EBITDA Margin as Adjusted EBITDA as a percentage of revenue (for each reporting segment or on a consolidated basis, if applicable). Because of these and other limitations, EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA should not be considered as a measure of discretionary cash available to us to invest in the growth of our business.

Adjusted Diluted Earnings Per Share: We prepare Adjusted Diluted Earnings per Share by eliminating from Diluted Earnings (loss) per Share the impact of a number of non-recurring items we do not consider indicative of our on-going performance, including the spread between FIFO and ECRC.

Net Debt: We define net debt for Kraton as total debt (excluding debt of KFPC) less cash and cash equivalents. We define consolidated net debt as Kraton net debt plus debt of KFPC less KFPC's cash and cash equivalents. Management uses net debt to determine our outstanding debt obligations that would not readily be satisfied by its cash and cash equivalents on hand. Management believes that using net debt is useful to investors in determining our leverage since we could choose to use cash and cash equivalents to retire debt. In addition, management believes that presenting Kraton's net debt excluding KFPC is useful because KFPC has its own capital structure.

CONFERENCE CALL AND WEBCAST INFORMATION

Kraton has scheduled a conference call on Thursday, April 27, 2017 at 9:00 a.m. (Eastern Time) to discuss first quarter 2017 financial results. Kraton invites you to listen to the conference call, which will be broadcast live over the internet at www.kraton.com, by selecting the "Investor Relations" link at the top of the home page and then selecting "Events" from the Investor Relations menu on the Investor Relations page.

You may also listen to the conference call by telephone by contacting the conference call operator 5 to 10 minutes prior to the scheduled start time and asking for the "Kraton Conference Call  Passcode: Earnings Call." U.S./Canada dial-in 800-839-6511. International dial-in #: 210-839-8886.

For those unable to listen to the live call, a replay will be available beginning at approximately 11:00 a.m. (Eastern Time) on April 27, 2017 through 1:59 a.m. (Eastern Time) on May 11, 2017. To hear a replay of the call over the Internet, access Kraton's Website at www.kraton.com by selecting the "Investor Relations" link at the top of the home page and then selecting "Events" from the Investor Relations menu on the Investor Relations page. To hear a telephonic replay of the call, dial 800-839-2290.

ABOUT KRATON CORPORATION

Kraton Corporation (NYSE: KRA) is a leading global producer of styrenic block copolymers, specialty polymers and high-value performance products derived from pine wood pulping co-products. Kraton's polymers are used in a wide range of applications, including adhesives, coatings, consumer and personal care products, sealants and lubricants, and medical, packaging, automotive, paving and roofing applications. As the largest global provider in the pine chemicals industry, the company's pine-based specialty products are sold into adhesive, road and construction and tire markets, and it produces and sells a broad range of performance chemicals into markets that include fuel additives, oilfield chemicals, coatings, metalworking fluids and lubricants, inks, flavors and fragrances and mining. Kraton offers its products to a diverse customer base in numerous countries worldwide.

Kraton, the Kraton logo and design, and Cariflex are all trademarks of Kraton Polymers LLC or its affiliates.

FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS

Some of the statements and information in this press release contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. This press release includes forward-looking statements that reflect our plans, beliefs, expectations, and current views with respect to, among other things, future events and financial performance. Forward-looking statements are often identified by words such as "outlook," "believes," "target," "estimates," "expects," "projects," "may," "intends," "plans", "on track", or "anticipates," or by discussions of strategy, plans or intentions, including all matters described on the section titled "Outlook" including, but not limited to, our outlook for full year 2017 guidance for Adjusted EBITDA, expectations of Kraton net debt at December 31, 2017 and second quarter 2017 guidance on the positive spread between FIFO and ECRC.

All forward-looking statements in this press release are made based on management's current expectations and estimates, which involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions, and other important factors that could cause actual results, performance or our achievements, or industry results to differ materially from those expressed in forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties are more fully described in our latest Annual Report on Form 10-K, including but not limited to "Part I, Item 1A. Risk Factors" and "Part II, Item 7. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" therein, and in our other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, and include, but are not limited to, risks related to: the integration of Arizona Chemical (now, AZ Chem Holdings LP); Kraton's ability to repay its indebtedness; Kraton's reliance on third parties for the provision of significant operating and other services; conditions in the global economy and capital markets; fluctuations in raw material costs; limitations in the availability of raw materials; competition in Kraton's end-use markets; and other factors of which we are currently unaware or deem immaterial. There may be other factors of which we are currently unaware or deem immaterial that may cause our actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements. In addition, to the extent any inconsistency or conflict exists between the information included in this report and the information included in our prior reports and other filings with the SEC, the information contained in this report updates and supersedes such information. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on our forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and we assume no obligation to update such information in light of new information or future events.

For Further Information:

H. Gene Shiels

Director of Investor Relations

(281) 504-4886

KRATON CORPORATION

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS

(Unaudited)

(In thousands, except per share data)





Three Months Ended March 31,

2017

2016 Revenue $ 458,125



$ 419,923

Cost of goods sold 314,759



326,105

Gross profit 143,366



93,818

Operating expenses:





Research and development 10,345



10,576

Selling, general, and administrative 40,555



49,862

Depreciation and amortization 33,143



30,154

Operating income 59,323



3,226

Disposition and exit of business activities 



45,251

Loss on extinguishment of debt (19,738)



(13,423)

Earnings of unconsolidated joint venture 127



78

Interest expense, net (34,305)



(33,838)

Income before income taxes 5,407



1,294

Income tax benefit (expense) (1,218)



86,251

Consolidated net income 4,189



87,545

Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interest 2,224



542

Net income attributable to Kraton $ 6,413



$ 88,087

Earnings per common share:





Basic $ 0.21



$ 2.87

Diluted $ 0.20



$ 2.84

Weighted average common shares outstanding:





Basic 30,430



30,026

Diluted 30,851



30,289



KRATON CORPORATION

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

(In thousands, except par value)



March 31, 2017

December 31, 2016

(unaudited)



ASSETS





Current assets:





Cash and cash equivalents $ 104,066



$ 121,749

Receivables, net of allowances of $929 and $814 216,330



200,860

Inventories of products 386,900



327,996

Inventories of materials and supplies 23,671



22,392

Prepaid expenses 36,628



35,851

Other current assets 39,267



37,658

Total current assets 806,862



746,506

Property, plant, and equipment, less accumulated depreciation of $438,005 and $411,418 921,411



906,722

Goodwill 770,525



770,012

Intangible assets, less accumulated amortization of $155,595 and $144,946 430,329



439,198

Investment in unconsolidated joint venture 11,003



11,195

Debt issuance costs 3,218



3,511

Deferred income taxes 7,113



6,907

Other long-term assets 24,752



22,594

Total assets $ 2,975,213



$ 2,906,645

LIABILITIES AND EQUITY





Current liabilities:





Current portion of long-term debt $ 28,192



$ 41,825

Accounts payable-trade 165,792



150,081

Other payables and accruals 112,122



130,398

Due to related party 20,895



14,669

Total current liabilities 327,001



336,973

Long-term debt, net of current portion 1,753,382



1,697,700

Deferred income taxes 211,380



211,396

Other long-term liabilities 171,687



170,339

Total liabilities 2,463,450



2,416,408









Equity:





Kraton stockholders' equity:





Preferred stock, $0.01 par value; 100,000 shares authorized; none issued 





Common stock, $0.01 par value; 500,000 shares authorized; 31,176 shares issued and outstanding at March 31, 2017; 30,960 shares issued and outstanding at December 31, 2016 312



310

Additional paid in capital 364,194



361,682

Retained earnings 260,852



254,439

Accumulated other comprehensive loss (145,593)



(158,530)

Total Kraton stockholders' equity 479,765



457,901

Noncontrolling interest 31,998



32,336

Total equity 511,763



490,237

Total liabilities and equity $ 2,975,213



$ 2,906,645



KRATON CORPORATION

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

(Unaudited)

(In thousands)





Three Months Ended March 31,

2017

2016 CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES





Consolidated net income $ 4,189



$ 87,545

Adjustments to reconcile consolidated net income to net cash provided by (used in) operating activities:





Depreciation and amortization 33,143



30,154

Amortization of original issue discount 2,093



1,655

Amortization of debt issuance costs 2,381



1,959

(Gain) loss on disposal of property, plant, and equipment (29)



82

Disposition and exit of business activities 



(45,251)

Loss on extinguishment of debt 19,738



13,423

Earnings from unconsolidated joint venture, net of dividends received 309



369

Deferred income tax benefit (1,177)



(2,643)

Release of valuation allowance 



(86,631)

Share-based compensation 2,974



3,083

Decrease (increase) in:





Accounts receivable (13,188)



(15,551)

Inventories of products, materials, and supplies (56,818)



26,478

Other assets (1,584)



(10,393)

Increase (decrease) in:





Accounts payable-trade 20,262



(10,272)

Other payables and accruals (14,122)



(27,952)

Other long-term liabilities (157)



6,176

Due to related party 5,427



1,154

Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities 3,441



(26,615)

CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES





Kraton purchase of property, plant, and equipment (27,279)



(18,502)

KFPC purchase of property, plant, and equipment (5,558)



(8,325)

Purchase of software and other intangibles (1,514)



(352)

Acquisition, net of cash acquired 



(1,317,252)

Sale of assets 



72,000

Net cash used in investing activities (34,351)



(1,272,431)

CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES





Proceeds from debt 415,000



1,782,965

Repayments of debt (407,000)



(430,133)

KFPC proceeds from debt 13,244



12,100

Capital lease payments (237)



(35)

Purchase of treasury stock (1,511)



(954)

Proceeds from the exercise of stock options 1,051



169

Settlement of interest rate swap 



(5,155)

Debt issuance costs (9,318)



(57,116)

Net cash provided by financing activities 11,229



1,301,841

Effect of exchange rate differences on cash 1,998



5,534

Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents (17,683)



8,329

Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period 121,749



70,049

Cash and cash equivalents, end of period $ 104,066



$ 78,378

Supplemental disclosures:





Cash paid during the period for income taxes, net of refunds received $ 6,523



$ 3,792

Cash paid during the period for interest, net of capitalized interest $ 17,741



$ 19,690

Capitalized interest $ 1,215



$ 797

Supplemental non-cash disclosures:





Property, plant, and equipment accruals $ 23,796



$ 15,121



KRATON CORPORATION

RECONCILIATION OF NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO KRATON AND OPERATING INCOME (LOSS) TO NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES

(Unaudited)

(In thousands)









Three Months Ended March 31, 2017

Three Months Ended March 31, 2016

Polymer

Chemical

Total

Polymer

Chemical

Total Net income attributable to Kraton







$ 6,413











$ 88,087

Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interest







(2,224)











(542)

Consolidated net income







4,189











87,545

Add (deduct):





















Income tax (benefit) expense







1,218











(86,251)

Interest expense, net







34,305











33,838

Earnings of unconsolidated joint venture







(127)











(78)

Loss on extinguishment of debt







19,738











13,423

Disposition and exit of business activities



















(45,251)

Operating income (loss) $ 41,628



$ 17,695



$ 59,323



$ 13,946



$ (10,720)



$ 3,226

Add (deduct):





















Depreciation and amortization 16,324



16,819



33,143



14,592



15,562



30,154

Disposition and exit of business activities 











45,251







45,251

Loss on extinguishment of debt (19,738)







(19,738)



(13,423)







(13,423)

Earnings of unconsolidated joint venture 127







127



78







78

EBITDA 38,341



34,514



72,855



60,444



4,842



65,286

Add (deduct):





















Transaction, acquisition related costs, restructuring, and other costs (a) 4,674



220



4,894



6,477



5,199



11,676

Disposition and exit of business activities 











(45,251)







(45,251)

Loss on extinguishment of debt 19,738







19,738



13,423







13,423

Effect of purchase price accounting on inventory valuation (b) 















24,719



24,719

KFPC startup costs (c) 2,821







2,821



840







840

Non-cash compensation expense 2,974







2,974



3,083







3,083

Spread between FIFO and ECRC (36,493)



(1,218)



(37,711)



13,228



6,097



19,325

Adjusted EBITDA $ 32,055



$ 33,516



$ 65,571



$ 52,244



$ 40,857



$ 93,101













(a) Charges related to the evaluation of acquisition transactions, severance expenses, and other restructuring related charges. (b) Higher costs of goods sold for our Chemical segment related to the fair value adjustment in purchase accounting for their inventory. (c) Startup costs related to the joint venture company, KFPC.

KRATON CORPORATION

RECONCILIATION OF DILUTED EARNINGS PER SHARE TO ADJUSTED DILUTED EARNINGS (LOSS) PER SHARE

(Unaudited)

(In thousands, except per share data)





Three Months Ended March 31,

2017

2016 Diluted earnings per share $ 0.20



$ 2.84

Transaction, acquisition related costs, restructuring, and other costs (a) 0.12



0.33

Disposition and exit of business activities 



(0.94)

Loss on extinguishment of debt 0.41



0.28

Effect of purchase price accounting on inventory valuation (b) 



0.63

KFPC startup costs (c) 0.06



0.01

Valuation allowance (d) 



(2.80)

Spread between FIFO and ECRC (0.94)



0.45

Adjusted diluted earnings (loss) per share (non-GAAP) $ (0.15)



$ 0.80













(a) Charges related to the evaluation of acquisition transactions, severance expenses, and other restructuring related charges. (b) We had higher costs of goods sold for our Chemical segment related to the fair value adjustment in purchase accounting for their inventory. (c) Startup costs related to the joint venture company, KFPC. (d) Reduction of income tax valuation allowance related to the assessment of our ability to utilize net operating losses in future periods.

SOURCE Kraton Corporation

Related Links

http://www.kraton.com


CLIFTON, N.J., April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Comodo, a global innovator and developer of cybersecurity solutions and the worldwide leader in digital certificates, today announced a new release of its Comodo Dome Shield DNS-based web security service for the network boundary. The new release greatly improves the value for managed service providers (MSPs) because Dome Shield integrates more tightly than ever with Comodo ONE, the tool that they use as a single pane of glass to manage Comodo products.

MSPs must be able to efficiently manage services for multiple end customers and require higher levels of integration in a competitive MSP marketplace. This latest release of Comodo Dome Shield raises the bar on the product's ability to support the MSP business model. Service providers can now use a single instance of the Comodo ONE management console to seamlessly manage multiple end-customer instances of Comodo Dome Shield. This capability will greatly improve operational efficiency for MSPs while reducing their costs and enhancing profitability.

"This important release reinforces our commitment to help MSPs grow their businesses and better serve their customers," said Melih Abdulhayoglu, CEO and chief security architect of Comodo. "Organizations both large and small increasingly look to managed service providers as a valuable element of their security strategy. As a cloud-delivered service, the Comodo Dome platform fits naturally into the MSP business model. This tighter integration between Comodo Dome Shield and Comodo ONE makes the value even more compelling."

Comodo offers the Dome cloud-delivered security service in three tiers:

Comodo Dome Shield is the free DNS-based tier that blocks malicious websites, offers domain-level web filtering and includes advanced reporting and analytics

Dome Secure Web Gateway adds malicious file blocking, cloud sandboxing, file containment to address unknown or zero-day threats and granular URL filtering capabilities, among other features

Dome Enterprise adds antispam, data loss prevention and firewall modulesthe lattermost including VPN and intrusion prevention capability. Customers may purchase the modules together or separately

MSPs can wrap their own services around the Dome Shield offering. For example, they could define web domain filtering policies for the end customer, offer rapid response to block newly emerging malware sites and use Dome Shield as the basis for customer reporting.

MKE Tech, an MSP in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, has already started using Comodo Dome Shield. "Customers want to focus on their businesses and leave the IT security to us. We actively seek tools like Comodo Dome Shield that help us to improve their security as part of our service," said John Gillis, president of MKE Tech. "The tighter integration between Comodo Dome Shield and Comodo ONE is a big step forward that will make us more efficient and effective in keeping customer IT environments secure."

The possibilities for MSPs will grow stronger as Comodo plans to extend the tighter integration with Comodo ONE to Dome Secure Web Gateway later this year. MSPs can get started with Dome Shield and seamlessly evolve to future offerings.

Nearly 200 service providers have signed up for a Dome Shield account since Comodo started offering a free license for the product in January 2017even in advance of the new, tighter integration with Comodo ONE. Total new sign ups across all customer types exceed 1,100 over that period.

MSPs, enterprises and SMBs can access the new Dome Shield functionality from within their Comodo ONE console. They, along with interested individuals, can also get a free license for Dome Shield at https://www.comodo.com/cdomeshield/freelicense/.

The latest release of Comodo Dome Shield is available immediately. Learn more about Comodo Dome at cdome.comodo.com.

About Comodo

The Comodo organization is a global innovator of cybersecurity solutions, protecting critical information across the digital landscape. Building on its unique position as the world's largest certificate authority, Comodo authenticates, validates and secures networks and infrastructures from individuals to mid-sized companies to the world's largest enterprises. Comodo provides complete end-to-end security solutions across the boundary, internal network and endpoint with innovative technologies solving the most advanced malware threats, both known and unknown. With global headquarters in Clifton, New Jersey and branch offices in Silicon Valley, Comodo has international offices in China, India, the Philippines, Romania, Turkey, Ukraine and the United Kingdom. For more information, visit comodo.com.

Comodo and the Comodo brand are trademarks of the Comodo Group Inc. or its affiliates in the U.S. and other countries. Other names may be trademarks of their respective owners. The current list of Comodo trademarks and patents is available at comodo.com/repository.

Keep up to date with the latest Comodo News from the Comodo blog at https://blog.comodo.com/ and on Twitter @ComodoNews.

Connect with Comodo on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/comodo.

For more information, media and analysts may contact:

Deb Montner

Montner Tech PR

[email protected]

203-226-9290

SOURCE Comodo

Related Links

https://www.comodo.com


PALO ALTO, Calif., April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The Latino Business Action Network (LBAN) has selected 75 Latino entrepreneurs from across the United States to be a part of the fourth cohort of the Stanford Latino Entrepreneur Leaders Program. The initiative is a six-week program jointly developed by Stanford University and LBAN. Its focus is to help Latino and Latina business owners scale their businesses.

SLELP Cohort 4 Stanford Latino Entrepreneur Leaders Program

The immersive six-week program provides participants with valuable frameworks, enhanced access to capital, personal business mentorship from successful entrepreneurs and investors and a deep understanding of the capital resources necessary to grow. "The scaling of Latino businesses is an American economic imperative," states Mark L. Madrid, LBAN Executive Director. "The Latina and Latino businesses that we convene at Stanford embody the American dream and reinforce the critical role that Latino businesses play in our new American economy."

To be considered for this program, the preferred criteria for applicants is generation of a minimum of $1 million in revenue and/or acquisition of $500K or more in external funding (companies that have received market and/or investor validation).

During the course of this six-week program, the entrepreneurs will take a customized online course based on curriculum developed by Huggy Rao, Stanford Graduate School of Business Faculty and Bob Sutton, Stanford School of Engineering Faculty, who are internationally recognized as experts in scaling businesses.

The new cohort of the Stanford Latino Entrepreneur Leaders Program (below) comprises an elite and talented group of innovators and business leaders whose drive, work ethic and tangible results will drive our American economy and strengthen communities across the United States.

About Stanford University and LBAN Collaboration

LBAN and Stanford University collaborate on programs for Latino Entrepreneurs including the research-focused Stanford Latino Entrepreneurship Initiative and the Stanford Latino Entrepreneur Leaders Program. LBAN endeavors strengthening America by empowering Latino and Latina entrepreneurs to grow large businesses through entrepreneurship research, education and networks. LBAN's ultimate goal is to double the number of $10 million, $100 million and $1 billion Latino-owned businesses by 2025.

The Latino Business Action Network (LBAN) is a qualified nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization formed in 2012 that focuses on strengthening America through LBAN-funded Latino research and education impact programs at Stanford University. Under the direction of newly appointed Executive Director Mark L. Madrid, LBAN will continue to strengthen the American economy by empowering Latino and Latina entrepreneurs to grow substantial firms that create jobs, develop leaders and spawn a new generation of companies.

Press Contact:

LBAN

Roberto Martinez

562.832.2802

[email protected]

SOURCE Latino Business Action Network (LBAN)

Related Links

http://lban.us


SOUTHFIELD, Mich., April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Lear Corporation (NYSE: LEA), a leading global supplier of automotive seating and electrical systems, today reported record sales and earnings for the first quarter 2017. Highlights include:

Sales of $5.0 billion , up 7% from a year ago; up 9% excluding the impact of foreign exchange

, up 7% from a year ago; up 9% excluding the impact of foreign exchange Net income of $305.8 million , up 23% from $248.4 million in the prior year

, up 23% from in the prior year Core operating earnings of $431.5 million with a margin of 8.6%, up from 8.3% a year ago

with a margin of 8.6%, up from 8.3% a year ago Earnings per share of $4.35 and adjusted earnings per share of $4.27 , up 26% from the prior year

and adjusted earnings per share of , up 26% from the prior year Net cash provided by operating activities and free cash flow of $278.9 million and $158.1 million , respectively

and , respectively Increased quarterly cash dividend from $0.30 to $0.50 per share and increased share repurchase authorization to $1 billion

to per share and increased share repurchase authorization to Signed a definitive agreement to acquire Grupo Antolin's seating business

"Our industry-leading cost structure and product capabilities are driving outstanding financial results and market share gains in both product segments," said Matt Simoncini, Lear's president and chief executive officer. "We have a record sales backlog that will provide continued profitable sales growth and superior shareholder returns. This year, we celebrate our 100th anniversary, and the Company has never been in a stronger competitive position. I have never been more optimistic about our future."

First Quarter Financial Results (in millions, except per share amounts)









2017

2016 Reported





Sales $4,998.5

$4,662.9 Net income $305.8

$248.4 Earnings per share $4.35

$3.29







Adjusted (1)





Core operating earnings $431.5

$386.8 Adjusted net income $300.1

$256.4 Adjusted earnings per share $4.27

$3.40

Sales in the first quarter increased 7% to $5.0 billion. Excluding the impact of foreign exchange, sales were up 9%, with growth in all regions. The increase reflects the addition of new business and increased production volumes on key platforms in both of our product segments. Sales for both of our segments were up 7%. Excluding the impact of foreign exchange, sales for our Seating and E-Systems segments were up 9% and 8%, respectively.

Core operating earnings were $431.5 million, or 8.6% of sales, reflecting the increase in sales and favorable operating performance. In the Seating segment, margins and adjusted margins increased 20 basis points to 8.3% and 8.5% of sales, respectively. In the E-Systems segment, margins increased 50 basis points and adjusted margins increased 40 basis points to 14.6% and 14.9% of sales, respectively.

Earnings per share were up 32% to $4.35 per share and include a tax benefit related to a change in the accounting for share-based compensation. Adjusted earnings per share were up 26% to $4.27 per share, reflecting the improved operating earnings, a reduced share count and a lower effective tax rate.

In the first quarter of 2017, net cash provided by operating activities was $278.9 million, and free cash flow was $158.1 million.

(1) For more information regarding our non-GAAP financial measures, see "Non-GAAP Financial Information" below.

Increased Share Repurchase Authorization and Dividend

On February 13, 2017, Lear's Board of Directors authorized an increase in Lear's share repurchase authorization, bringing the total value of shares that may be repurchased to $1 billion. In addition, the Board increased Lear's quarterly cash dividend from $0.30 per share to $0.50 per share.

During the first quarter of 2017, Lear repurchased approximately 0.9 million shares of its common stock for a total of $127 million. As of the end of the first quarter, Lear had a remaining share repurchase authorization of $873 million, which expires on December 31, 2019, and reflects approximately 9% of Lear's total market capitalization at current market prices.

Since initiating the share repurchase program in early 2011, Lear has repurchased 42.0 million shares of its common stock for a total of $3.2 billion at an average price of $75.96 per share. This represents a reduction of approximately 40% of our shares outstanding at the time that we began the program.

Acquisition of Grupo Antolin's Seating Business

On February 6, 2017, Lear signed a definitive agreement to acquire Grupo Antolin's seating business, which is headquartered in France with operations in five countries in Europe and North Africa. Grupo Antolin's seating business is comprised of just-in-time seat assembly, seat structures & mechanisms and seat covers, and is well positioned among the largest European automakers, including Daimler, Peugeot Citroen, Renault Nissan and Volkswagen. Grupo Antolin's seating business has an experienced management team, modern facilities and a reputation for lean manufacturing, superior quality and innovation, including high-functionality and light weight seat designs. We believe that Grupo Antolin's capabilities are an excellent complement to Lear's existing seating business.

The transaction is expected to close in the second quarter of 2017.

Full Year 2017 Financial Outlook

Lear's 2017 financial outlook is unchanged from the prior outlook. The current outlook is based on industry vehicle production assumptions of 17.6 million units in North America, down 1% from the prior year, 22.8 million units in Europe and Africa, up 2% from the prior year, and 26.3 million units in China, up 2% from the prior year. Lear's financial outlook is based on an average full year exchange rate of $1.05/Euro.

Sales in 2017 are expected to be approximately $19.5 billion, and core operating earnings are expected to be about $1.6 billion. Net cash provided by operating activities is estimated to be $1.6 billion, and capital spending is expected to be $550 million, resulting in free cash flow in excess of $1.0 billion.

The Company's effective tax rate on an adjusted basis is expected to be approximately 26%. Adjusted net income is expected to be approximately $1.1 billion.

Pretax operational restructuring costs are estimated to be $65 million, and depreciation and amortization expense is estimated to be $385 million.

Certain of the forward-looking financial measures above are provided on a non-GAAP basis. The Company does not provide a reconciliation of such forward-looking measures to the most directly comparable financial measures calculated and presented in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States ("GAAP") because to do so would be potentially misleading and not practical given the difficulty of projecting event driven transactional and other non-core operating items in any future period. The magnitude of these items, however, may be significant.

Webcast Information

Lear will webcast a conference call to review the Company's first quarter 2017 financial results and related matters on April 26, 2017, at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time, through the investor relations link at http://ir.lear.com/. In addition, the conference call can be accessed by dialing 1-800-789-4751 (domestic) or 1-973-200-3975 (international). The audio replay will be available two hours following the call at 1-855-859-2056 (domestic) or 1-404-537-3406 (international) and will be available until May 10, 2017, with a Conference I.D. of 19652648.

Non-GAAP Financial Information

In addition to the results reported in accordance with GAAP included throughout this press release, the Company has provided information regarding "pretax income before equity income, interest, other expense, restructuring costs and other special items" (core operating earnings or adjusted segment earnings), "adjusted net income attributable to Lear" (adjusted net income), "adjusted diluted net income per share attributable to Lear" (adjusted earnings per share), "tax expense excluding the impact of restructuring costs and other special items" and "free cash flow" (each, a non-GAAP financial measure). Other expense includes, among other things, non-income related taxes, foreign exchange gains and losses, gains and losses related to certain derivative instruments and hedging activities, and gains and losses on the disposal of fixed assets. Adjusted net income and adjusted earnings per share represent net income attributable to Lear and diluted net income per share attributable to Lear, respectively, adjusted for restructuring costs and other special items, including the tax effect thereon. Free cash flow represents net cash provided by operating activities, less capital expenditures.

Management believes the non-GAAP financial measures used in this press release are useful to both management and investors in their analysis of the Company's financial position and results of operations. In particular, management believes that core operating earnings, adjusted net income, adjusted earnings per share and tax expense excluding the impact of restructuring costs and other special items are useful measures in assessing the Company's financial performance by excluding certain items that are not indicative of the Company's core operating performance or that may obscure trends useful in evaluating the Company's continuing operating activities. Management also believes that these measures are useful to both management and investors in their analysis of the Company's results of operations and provide improved comparability between fiscal periods. Management believes that free cash flow is useful to both management and investors in their analysis of the Company's ability to service and repay its debt. Further, management uses these non-GAAP financial measures for planning and forecasting future periods.

Core operating earnings, adjusted net income, adjusted earnings per share, tax expense excluding the impact of restructuring costs and other special items and free cash flow should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for net income attributable to Lear, diluted net income per share attributable to Lear, cash provided by operating activities or other income statement or cash flow statement data prepared in accordance with GAAP or as a measure of profitability or liquidity. In addition, the calculation of free cash flow does not reflect cash used to service debt and, therefore, does not reflect funds available for investment or other discretionary uses. Also, these non-GAAP financial measures, as determined and presented by the Company, may not be comparable to related or similarly titled measures reported by other companies.

For reconciliations of these non-GAAP financial measures to the most directly comparable financial measures calculated and presented in accordance with GAAP, see the attached supplemental data pages which, together with this press release, have been posted on the Company's website through the investor relations link at http://www.lear.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements regarding anticipated financial results and liquidity. The words "will," "may," "designed to," "outlook," "believes," "should," "anticipates," "plans," "expects," "intends," "estimates," "forecasts" and similar expressions identify certain of these forward-looking statements. The Company also may provide forward-looking statements in oral statements or other written materials released to the public. All statements contained or incorporated in this press release or in any other public statements that address operating performance, events or developments that the Company expects or anticipates may occur in the future are forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from these forward-looking statements are discussed in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016 and its other Securities and Exchange Commission filings. Future operating results will be based on various factors, including actual industry production volumes, commodity prices and the Company's success in implementing its operating strategy.

Information in this press release relies on assumptions in the Company's sales backlog. The Company's sales backlog reflects anticipated net sales from formally awarded new programs less lost and discontinued programs. The calculation of the sales backlog does not reflect customer price reductions on existing or newly awarded programs. The sales backlog may be impacted by various assumptions embedded in the calculation, including vehicle production levels on new programs, foreign exchange rates and the timing of major program launches.

The forward-looking statements in this press release are made as of the date hereof, and the Company does not assume any obligation to update, amend or clarify them to reflect events, new information or circumstances occurring after the date hereof.

About Lear

Lear Corporation (NYSE: LEA) was founded in Detroit in 1917 as American Metal Products. In 2017, the Company will celebrate its 100th year anniversary. Lear is one of the world's leading suppliers of automotive seating systems and electrical distribution systems (E-Systems). Lear serves every major automaker in the world, and Lear content can be found on more than 400 vehicle nameplates. Lear's world-class products are designed, engineered and manufactured by a diverse team of approximately 150,000 employees located in 37 countries. Lear currently ranks #154 on the Fortune 500. Lear's headquarters are in Southfield, Michigan. Further information about Lear is available at http://www.lear.com or follow us on Twitter @LearCorporation.

Lear Corporation and Subsidiaries Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income









(Unaudited; in millions, except per share amounts)











































Three Month



Period Ended



April 1,

April 2,



2017

2016









Net sales

$ 4,998.5

$ 4,662.9









Cost of sales

4,416.0

4,127.2 Selling, general and administrative expenses

155.7

149.0 Amortization of intangible assets

10.1

13.2 Interest expense

20.8

21.1 Other expense, net

3.7

8.5









Consolidated income before income taxes and







equity in net income of affiliates

392.2

343.9 Income taxes

89.1

98.2 Equity in net income of affiliates

(15.4)

(16.8)









Consolidated net income

318.5

262.5 Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests

12.7

14.1









Net income attributable to Lear

$ 305.8

$ 248.4



















Diluted net income per share attributable to Lear

$ 4.35

$ 3.29









Weighted average number of diluted shares outstanding

70.3

75.5































Lear Corporation and Subsidiaries Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets









(In millions)











































April 1,

December 31,



2017

2016



(Unaudited)

(Audited) ASSETS







Current:







Cash and cash equivalents

$ 1,209.7

$ 1,271.6 Accounts receivable

3,308.8

2,746.5 Inventories

1,067.8

1,020.6 Other

642.6

610.6



6,228.9

5,649.3 Long-Term:







PP&E, net

2,070.7

2,019.3 Goodwill

1,129.4

1,121.3 Other

1,171.5

1,110.7



4,371.6

4,251.3









Total Assets

$ 10,600.5

$ 9,900.6



















LIABILITIES AND EQUITY







Current:







Short-term borrowings

$ 10.2

$ 8.6 Accounts payable and drafts

3,043.0

2,640.5 Accrued liabilities

1,538.7

1,497.6 Current portion of long-term debt

38.8

35.6



4,630.7

4,182.3 Long-Term:







Long-term debt

1,889.0

1,898.0 Other

617.3

627.4



2,506.3

2,525.4









Equity

3,463.5

3,192.9









Total Liabilities and Equity

$ 10,600.5

$ 9,900.6





















Lear Corporation and Subsidiaries

Supplemental Data















(Unaudited; in millions, except content per vehicle and per share amounts)



































Three Months Ended







April 1,

April 2,







2017

2016



Net Sales











North America

$ 1,989.2

$ 1,926.1



Europe and Africa

1,915.4

1,827.7



Asia

923.3

817.4



South America

170.6

91.7



Total

$ 4,998.5

$ 4,662.9

















Content per Vehicle1











North America

$ 435

$ 425



Europe and Africa

$ 316

$ 315

















Free Cash Flow2











Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities

$ 278.9

$ 288.6



Capital expenditures

(120.8)

(88.1)



Free cash flow

$ 158.1

$ 200.5

















Depreciation and Amortization

$ 96.9

$ 90.2

















Diluted Shares Outstanding at end of Quarter3

69,481,327

74,227,995

















Core Operating Earnings2











Net income attributable to Lear

$ 305.8

$ 248.4



Interest expense

20.8

21.1



Other expense, net

3.7

8.5



Income taxes

89.1

98.2



Equity in net income of affiliates

(15.4)

(16.8)



Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests

12.7

14.1



Pretax income before equity income, interest and











other expense

416.7

373.5



Restructuring costs and other special items -











Costs related to restructuring actions

8.8

11.7



Acquisition costs

1.6

-



Acquisition-related inventory fair value adjustment

1.7

-



Other

2.7

1.6



Core operating earnings

$ 431.5

$ 386.8

















Adjusted Net Income Attributable to Lear2











Net income attributable to Lear

$ 305.8

$ 248.4



Restructuring costs and other special items -











Costs related to restructuring actions

8.8

11.7



Acquisition costs

1.6

-



Acquisition-related inventory fair value adjustment

1.7

-



Other

1.3

1.3



Tax impact of special items and other net tax adjustments 4

(19.1)

(5.0)



Adjusted net income attributable to Lear

$ 300.1

$ 256.4

















Weighted average number of diluted shares outstanding

70.3

75.5

















Diluted net income per share attributable to Lear

$ 4.35

$ 3.29

















Adjusted earnings per share

$ 4.27

$ 3.40





























1 Content per Vehicle for 2016 has been updated to reflect actual production levels.



















2 See "Non-GAAP Financial Information" included in this press release.















3 Calculated using stock price at end of quarter.















4 Represents the tax effect of restructuring costs and other special items, as well as several discrete tax items. The identification of these tax items is judgmental in nature, and their calculation is based on various assumptions and estimates.















Lear Corporation and Subsidiaries Supplemental Data











(Unaudited; in millions, except margins)





























Three Months Ended





April 1,

April 2,





2017

2016

Adjusted Segment Earnings





















Seating









Net sales

$ 3,868.0

$ 3,602.0













Segment earnings

$ 320.3

$ 291.6

Costs related to restructuring actions

6.7

7.2

Acquisition-related inventory fair value adjustment

1.7

-

Adjusted segment earnings

$ 328.7

$ 298.8













Adjusted segment margins

8.5%

8.3%













E-Systems









Net sales

$ 1,130.5

$ 1,060.9













Segment earnings

$ 164.9

$ 149.8

Costs related to restructuring actions

2.0

2.9

Other

1.2

1.2

Adjusted segment earnings

$ 168.1

$ 153.9













Adjusted segment margins

14.9%

14.5%

























SOURCE Lear Corporation

Related Links

http://www.lear.com


WASHINGTON, April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- DTI Management, the leading distributor of live event tickets to online resale marketplaces, today announced the appointment of Lee Shenker as President of DTI. The addition of Shenker, an accomplished and well-respected industry player, further demonstrates DTI's commitment to bring together the best minds in ticketing with the brightest minds in technology.

Shenker will report to CEO Curtis Cheng and oversee the day-to-day operations of all aspects of DTI's business, including the technology and 1Ticket, which was acquired by DTI in late December 2016. One of his top priorities will be creating a new, state-of-the-art version of DTI's technology platform that will provide ticket brokers and rights holders with all of the tools and services they need to succeed in the ever-changing ticketing industry, and interface seamlessly with DTI's online marketplace partners.

Building on nearly 20 years of experience, Shenker started his career in ticketing by launching First 15 while in graduate school. He joined ASC Ticket Company in 2010 as both an owner, and its Vice President & General Counsel. The Maryland-based company is one of the largest inventory holders in the secondary market, and is well known for the efficiency of its operations. During his tenure at ASC, Shenker was responsible for overseeing all of the company's operations and technology strategies. ASC tripled its annual sales without having to increase staff head count to support that growth.

"This an exciting day as we welcome Lee Shenker to our DTI family," says Curtis Cheng, CEO of DTI. "He is the perfect person to upgrade our technology platform, and to integrate and maximize the potential of 1Ticket. My confidence in Lee runs so deep, if he were to take a game-winning shot, I'd celebrate before the ball hits the net. DTI is driven to deliver the best for our brokers and Lee will help us lead the secondary ticketing market into the future."

"I'm thrilled to be joining DTI as its president", says Shenker. "For the past 18 years, I have had the privilege of watching the secondary ticket market grow and mature. Curtis and the DTI team have been at the cutting edge of that evolution. At DTI, I look forward to working closely with the brightest minds in ticketing and technology, as we continue developing industry-leading tools and services for DTI's broker members, marketplace partners, and content owners."

Shenker earned his Bachelor of Arts at Tufts University in 1999. He received his JD and MBA degrees at Boston College in 2003. Shenker is currently licensed to practice law in the state of Maryland and is a member of the StubHub Seller Advisory Board and the Ticket Network Broker Council.

About DTI Management

Established in 2012 and based in Alexandria, Virginia, DTI Management (www.dtimanagement.com) streamlines the distribution of live event tickets through the secondary market, and provides a more controlled and profitable selling environment. At the heart of DTI's business is its proprietary software platform, which efficiently manages the full life cycle of ticket distribution, from listing to sale to fulfillment. This unique technology solution enables DTI's ticket broker-clients to reduce their overhead costs, and provides them with enhanced logistics, real-time data analytics, dynamic pricing, revenue sharing and enhanced marketing strategies. DTI was recently recognized by the Washington Business Journal as one of the 50 Fastest Growing Businesses in 2016.

SOURCE DTI Management

Related Links

http://www.dtimanagement.com


VANCOUVER, British Columbia, April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

LiCo Energy Metals Inc. ("the Company "or" LiCo") TSX-V: LIC; OTCQB: WCTXF is pleased to announce that Geodatos Geophysics of Santiago, Chile has now been contracted to conduct a detailed Transient Electromagnetic (TEM) geophysical survey as part of the Phase One lithium brine exploration program for the Purickuta Project located within the Salar de Atacama, Chile.

In this environment, a TEM survey can provide detailed information on the depth from surface and possible thickness of brine bearing aquifers. The best electrical conductance responses can therefore be used to target the best drilling locations. Drilling to depths of up to 350m will commence shortly thereafter or as soon as the requisite exploration permits have been issued. This will be followed by an engineering and hydrological study that includes 72hr flow testing, porosity measurements and calculation of aquifer potential. Project management has reached out to several drilling contractors for quotes and a supplier will be selected in the coming days.

The Company's management team has returned from a recent trip to Chile in order to advance the proposed Purickuta exploration program and to review additional lithium and cobalt mineral properties for potential acquisition.

"Salar de Atacama is famous for its lithium production and we look forward to seeing the results of our first test of the subsurface at the Purickuta Project. Our neighbors SQM and Albemarle are producing approximately 38% of the worlds lithium supply just 22 km south of our location within the salar. Several direct extraction technologies that don't involve using evaporation ponds are now being developed and would be an ideal fit for the Purickuta Project," commented Mr. Dwayne Melrose, Director and Head of the Technical Advisory Board of LiCo.

The Company holds an option to acquire up to a 60% interest in the Purickuta Exploitation concession (the "Property"). The technical content of this news release has been reviewed and approved by Alan Morris CPG and Qualified Person.

About LiCo Energy Metals: https://licoenergymetals.com/

LiCo Energy Metals Inc. is a well-funded Canadian based exploration company who's primary listing is on the TSX Venture Exchange. The Company's focus is directed towards exploration for high value metals integral to the manufacture of lithium ion batteries.

Chile Purickuta Lithium Project:

The Purickuta Project is located within Salar de Atacama, a salt flat encompassing 3,000 km2, being about 100 km long, 80 km wide and home to approximately 37% of the worlds Lithium production. The salar possesses a very high grade of both Lithium (1,840mg/l) and Potassium (22,630mg/l and is close to power, labour, communications, transportation and other infrastructure. The property of 160 hectares is enveloped by a concession owned by Sociedad Quimica y Minera ("SQM") and lies, significantly, within a few kilometers of the property of CORFO (the Chilean Economic Development Agency) where its leases to both SQM and Albermarle's Rockwood Lithium Corp Together these two companies have combined production of over 62,000 tonnes of LCE (Lithium Carbonate Equivalent) annually making up 100% of Chile's current lithium output. The unique characteristics of Salar de Atacama make finished lithium carbonate easier and cheaper to produce than any of its peer group globally.

Purickuta is a smaller exploitation concession rather than a large exploration concession thereby accelerating the task of taking the project to production once a measured reserve can be established. Currently, the Chilean government retains ownership of lithium separate from other minerals and thus production can only proceed upon receipt of a special lithium operation contract know as a 'CEOL'. In the future, it will be necessary for LiCo and partner to negotiate a production contract with CORFO concurrently with completing any positive feasibility study. "Chile, which has one of the world's most plentiful supplies of lithium, is pushing ahead with new policies to develop those reserves". (Reuters Jan2, 2017).

Ontario Teledyne Cobalt Project:

The Company has an option to earn 100% ownership, subject to a royalty, in the Teledyne Project located near Cobalt. Ontario. The Property adjoins the south and west boundaries of claims that hosted the Agaunico Mine. From 1905 through to 1961, the Agaunico Mine produced a total of 4,350,000 lbs. of cobalt and 980,000 oz. of silver. A significant portion of the cobalt that was produced at the Agaunico Mine located along structures that extended southward onto property currently under option to LiCo Energy Metals.

Nevada Dixie Valley Lithium Project:

The Company has an option to acquire a 100% interest, subject to a 3% NSR, on a large lithium exploration project at the Humboldt Salt Marsh in Dixie Valley, Nevada. The geologic setting and presence of lithium in active geothermal fluids and surface salts in Dixie Valley match characteristics of producing lithium brine deposits at Clayton Valley, Nevada and in South America.

Nevada Black Rock Desert Lithium Project:

The Company has entered into an option agreement whereby the Company may earn an undivided 70% interest, subject to a 3% Net Smelter Return Royalty, in the Black Rock Desert Lithium Project that consists of 128 placer claims (2,560 acres/ 1,036 hectares) in southwest Black Rock Desert, Washoe County, Nevada.

The Company is planning an exploration programs for all its properties over the next several months.

On Behalf of the Board of Directors

Rick Wilson, President & CEO

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.

Disclaimer for Forward-Looking Information:

This news release may contain forward-looking statements which include, but are not limited to, comments that involve future events and conditions such as Exchange approval of the Option Agreement and the Company's ability to exercise the Option, which are subject to various risks and uncertainties. Except for statements of historical facts, comments that address resource potential, upcoming work programs, geological interpretations, receipt and security of mineral property titles, availability of funds, and others are forward-looking. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results may vary materially from those statements. General business conditions are factors that could cause actual results to vary materially from forward-looking statements.

Contact:

1220-789 West Pender St

Vancouver BC V6C 1H2

Phone : +1(236) 521-0207

LiCoEnergyMetals.com



SOURCE LiCo Energy Metals Inc.
ORLANDO, Fla., April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Lockheed Martin's (NYSE: LMT) next iteration of the F-35's Autonomic Logistics Information System (ALIS) has been approved for installation at U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy F-35 sites. Along with a number of improvements to the system's baseline, the upgrade delivers significant enhancements for managing forward operations and sustainment.

The updated ALIS 2.02 software includes a networking feature to more easily establish connections between deployed locations and home stations. Pictured, a maintainer using ALIS alongside an F-35. ALIS by the numbers.

ALIS is the F-35's fleet management system, reducing the cost of operations and maintenance while increasing aircraft availability. After successful flight testing, upgraded ALIS software  called version 2.0.2  will be installed at all operational F-35 sites by the end of 2017. The upgrade has performed well in supporting F-35 operations at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, since March 22.

ALIS 2.0.2 now integrates propulsion data, which allows users to manage the F-35 engine from inside ALIS, eliminating the need for multiple maintenance systems and field service representatives to assist with engine diagnostics, analysis and maintenance. ALIS 2.0.2 improves the tracking of life-limited parts and streamlines resource management for deployed operations.

"This upgrade will allow deploying units to predict 'what if' scenarios inside ALIS, removing most of the manual planning that is done today," said Reeves Valentine, vice president of F-35 Logistics. "ALIS 2.0.2 will allow users to forecast and make those decisions. Picking the best jets, support equipment, spare parts and personnel for the deployment and managing resources throughout their lifecycle  that type of data should ultimately translate to better aircraft availability."

The updated software also includes a networking feature to more easily establish connections between deployed locations and home stations. This upgrade offers parent units more versatility in managing the logistics "tail"  the chain of supplies and spares  for a deployed squadron.

As the IT backbone of the F-35, ALIS integrates preventative maintenance, flight scheduling and the mission planning system. Pilots plan and debrief missions, and maintenance professionals sustain the F-35 using ALIS.

Approval for fleet-wide fielding to F-35 sites for the U.S. Marine Corps is expected in the next six weeks. The U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Air Force declared F-35 initial operating capability (IOC) in 2015 and 2016 respectively, and the U.S. Navy is set to declare IOC in 2018. ALIS is operating at more than 20 locations and has supported more than 90,000 F-35 flight hours.

For additional information, visit www.lockheedmartin.com/ALIS.

About Lockheed Martin

Headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, Lockheed Martin is a global security and aerospace company that employs approximately 97,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services.

SOURCE Lockheed Martin

Related Links

http://www.lockheedmartin.com


Under the M-TADS/PNVS contract, Lockheed Martin will deliver 14 laser designation kits through 2020 to upgrade Japan Ground Self Defense Force (JGSDF) M-TADS systems. The Modernized Day Sensor Assembly (M-DSA) upgrade improves laser reliability and the Apache's ability to designate targets and establish accurate target range. The company's Apache sustainment team will also provide PBL support under a separate three-year contract.

"Lockheed Martin's M-DSA laser designator significantly enhances the capabilities of Japan's Apache fleet," said Paul Lemmo, vice president of Fire Control/SOF CLSS at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control. "Modernizing the M-TADS system delivers improved weapon effectiveness to JGSDF aircrews and streamlined sustainment support to maintainers."

Lockheed Martin will also upgrade JGSDF test equipment and provide in-country training. Japan is the first international Apache customer to receive a M-DSA field upgrade to its M-TADS/PNVS system.

M-TADS/PNVS, known as the "eyes of the Apache," provides pilots with long-range, precision engagement and pilotage capabilities for safe flight during day, night and adverse weather missions. Lockheed Martin has delivered more than 1,350 M-TADS/PNVS systems and spares to the U.S. Army and international customers, including more than a dozen to Japan.

About Lockheed Martin

Headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, Lockheed Martin is a global security and aerospace company that employs approximately 97,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services.

SOURCE Lockheed Martin

Related Links

http://www.lockheedmartin.com


SAN DIEGO, April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Medical Marijuana, Inc. (OTC: MJNA), the first publicly traded cannabis company in the United States, today announced that it received extensive media coverage on the successful April 21-22 World Medical Cannabis Conference and Expo in Pittsburgh, Pa., which brought thousands of people from around the world to learn about the benefits of medical marijuana.

Medical Marjiuana, Inc.'s CEO Dr. Stuart Titus spoke to several television and radio stations about the future of the medical marijuana industry and the Company's groundbreaking Real Scientific Hemp Oil (RSHO) and zero-THC Real Scientific Hemp Oil-X (RSHO-X). Dr. Titus was also a featured panelist where he spoke about industrial hemp in Pennsylvania, along with the state's House of Representatives member, Eric Nelson.

"This World Medical Cannabis Conference and Expo was a huge success and once again confirmed that medical marijuana is one of the fastest growing industries," said Dr. Titus. "We were so proud of the families who shared their children's stories, as we've seen time and again in legalization efforts across the nations, families of young children with special needs are the driving force of cannabis reform."

Other media coverage focused on the families of young medical cannabis patients who came to the conference to tell their stories about how they discovered that using cannabis could help treat their children who suffer debilitating conditions.

"This changed my life, my daughter's life and the lives of all my family," said medical cannabis activist Raul Elizalde of Monterey, Mexico, in a Pittsburgh Action News 4 article.

Additionally, the company garnered national coverage from renowned outlets such as CNN Money and Entrepreneur around well-known cannabis holiday 4/20.

Additional coverage from the Conference included:

Pittsburgh's Action News 4 (ABC): http://www.wtae.com/article/world-medical-cannabis-conference-comes-to-pittsburgh/9543402

Action News 4 (ABC): http://www.wtae.com/article/world-medical-cannabis-conference-comes-to-pittsburgh/9543402 Pittsburgh's NIGHTTALK (NBC): https://www.dropbox.com/s/ihmc756hmdu43v3/PCNC%2004-21-17%20Pittsburg%20Conference.mp4?dl=0

NIGHTTALK (NBC): https://www.dropbox.com/s/ihmc756hmdu43v3/PCNC%2004-21-17%20Pittsburg%20Conference.mp4?dl=0 News WPXI.com: http://www.wpxi.com/news/top-stories/pittsburgh-hosts-medicial-marijuana-expo/514960482

CBS Pittsburgh Radio: http://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/audio/kdka-afternoon-news/

The Nicole Sandler Show: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvzJlMraP_g

Erskine Overnight: http://erskineovernight.com/show-archives/

Pittsburgh Urban Media: http://www.pittsburghurbanmedia.com/Children-and-CTE-in-Sports-a-Focus-at-Pittsburgh-World-Medical-Cannabis-Conference-By-Andrew-Hard/

CBS Pittsburgh TV also featured the company and products

About Medical Marijuana, Inc.

Our mission is to be the premier cannabis and hemp industry innovators, leveraging our team of professionals to source, evaluate and purchase value-added companies and products, while allowing them to keep their integrity and entrepreneurial spirit. We strive to create awareness within our industry, develop environmentally-friendly, economically sustainable businesses, while increasing shareholder value. For details on Medical Marijuana, Inc.'s portfolio and investment companies, visit www.medicalmarijuanainc.com.

To see Medical Marijuana, Inc.'s video statement, click here. Shareholders are also encouraged to visit the Medical Marijuana, Inc. Shop for discounted products.

FORWARD-LOOKING DISCLAIMER AND DISCLOSURES.

This press release may contain certain forward-looking statements and information, as defined within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and is subject to the Safe Harbor created by those sections. This material contains statements about expected future events and/or financial results that are forward-looking in nature and subject to risks and uncertainties. Such forward-looking statements by definition involve risks, uncertainties. The statements in this press release have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose, treat or cure any disease. The Company does not sell or distribute any products that are in violation of the United States Controlled Substances Act. The Company does sell and distribute hemp-based products.

CONTACT:

Public Relations Contact:

Andrew Hard

Chief Executive Officer

CMW Media

P: 888-829- 0070

[email protected]

www.cmwmedia.com

SOURCE Medical Marijuana, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.medicalmarijuanainc.com


NEW YORK, April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The Mesothelioma Compensation Center says, "We are urging a worker who was exposed to asbestos while building the Trans Alaska Pipeline and now has mesothelioma to call us anytime at 800-714-0303. We want to discuss how the compensation process works and why it is so important to have a highly-skilled mesothelioma attorneys to obtain the best possible financial settlement results. We offer instant access to some of the nation's most capable mesothelioma attorneys who have a track record of achieving the best compensation results for their clients." http://MesotheliomaCompensationCenter.Com

Pipeline Worker Asbestos Warning Sign

The Mesothelioma Compensation Center is very focused on oil production, pipeline or refinery workers with mesothelioma getting the very best possible financial compensation for this rare form of cancer caused by asbestos exposure as they would like to discuss anytime at 800-714-0303. People in the oil production, pipeline construction, or refinery work did not or do not live exclusively in Alaska. During the pipeline construction, welders and skilled trades workers came from all over the United States because the money was so good.

The Trans Alaska Pipeline was completed in 1977 and at the time-it-was considered to be one of the engineering marvels of the world. The workers who worked on the pipeline or the production facility in Prudhoe Bay, Alaska primarily came from southern states such as Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Mississippi because these states have so much experience in oil production or pipeline construction workers and or oil refinery workers. http://MesotheliomaCompensationCenter.Com

According to the Mesothelioma Compensation Center, "If you have been diagnosed with mesothelioma because of exposure to asbestos on an oil pipeline, while at an oil production facility or refinery in Alaska or anywhere in the United States, please call us anytime at 800-714-0303 so we can connect you with one of the nation's most skilled and experienced mesothelioma attorneys who have experience getting the best possible financial compensation results for their clients. Please don't settle for less." http://MesotheliomaCompensationCenter.Com

The Mesothelioma Compensation Center specializes in assisting US Navy Veterans, power plant workers, shipyard workers, oil refinery workers, public utility workers, hydro-electric workers, chemical plant workers, nuclear power plant workers, manufacturing workers, plumbers, electricians, and welders who have been diagnosed with mesothelioma. In most instances these people were exposed to asbestos during the1950's, 1960's, 1970's, or 1980's.

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, an oil pipeline or oil/gas production worker with mesothelioma could live in any state including California, New York, Florida, Texas, Illinois, Ohio, Missouri, North Carolina, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, Utah, Arizona, Nevada, Idaho, or Alaska.

The Mesothelioma Compensation Center says, "If you call us at 800-714-0303, we will see to it that you have on the spot access to the nation's most skilled, and experienced mesothelioma attorneys, because these incredibly skilled legal experts consistently get the best financial compensation results for their clients on a nationwide basis." http://MesotheliomaCompensationCenter.Com

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 Compensation Center

Related Links

http://MesotheliomaCompensationCenter.Com


CAMBRIDGE, England, April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Proximagen Limited (Proximagen) today announced that its pivotal Phase 3 trial of intranasal midazolam (USL261) for the rescue treatment of seizure clusters, met its primary efficacy endpoint in a top-level analysis of the data. Based on these findings, Proximagen will approach the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regarding its proposal to submit a 505(b)(2) New Drug Application (NDA) in the second half of this year. USL261 has been granted orphan drug designation and fast track designation for this use by the FDA. Findings from the trial will be presented at the upcoming Antiepileptic Drug and Device Trials (AEDD) meeting, May 17-19, 2017 in Adventura, Florida.

USL261 is a novel, investigational midazolam formulation, specifically designed for intranasal delivery, being developed for the rescue treatment of seizures in patients who require control of intermittent bouts of increased seizure activity, such as seizure clusters or acute repetitive seizures. It is intended to be delivered intranasally, without active inhalation by the patient.

"The primary efficacy results observed in the pivotal phase 3 clinical trial were both statistically and clinically significant. These findings suggest that midazolam nasal spray could be an effective rescue treatment option for patients and caregivers who live with seizure clusters, subject to FDA review," said Bill Pullman, MB, BS, BMedSc, PhD, FRACP, President, Proximagen. "This is an exciting development because to-date, rescue treatment options for seizure clusters have been very limited. We look forward to working with the FDA and submitting a new drug application for midazolam nasal spray later this year."

"Given the challenges and unmet needs of those living with seizures, we are very encouraged by the results of the Phase 3 trial of midazolam nasal spray. While there is still work to be done to put this medication into the hands of patients, I'd like to take this opportunity to thank our investigators, along with the teams at Upsher-Smith and Proximagen who have brought us to this major milestone," said Mark Evenstad, CEO of ACOVA. "I am very proud of the important work that Proximagen is doing to help patients and their families by discovering and developing innovative therapies."

Proximagen's parent company Upsher-Smith Laboratories, Inc. recently announced an agreement to sell its generics business to Sawai, a Japanese publicly traded and family run generics pharmaceutical company. Following closing of this acquisition, Proximagen will cease to be a wholly-owned subsidiary of Upsher-Smith and will instead become a wholly-owned subsidiary of a newly created holding company, ACOVA. The Evenstad Family will continue to fund Proximagen through ACOVA.

Proximagen will retain its existing pipeline of small molecule NCE programs, including two programs in clinical development. In addition, Upsher-Smith's intranasal midazolam program for seizure clusters (formerly known as USL261) will become part of Proximagen's pipeline.

About Study P261-401

The study, ARTEMIS1 (Acute Rescue Therapy in Epilepsy with Midazolam Intranasal Spray) was designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of USL261, an investigational formulation of midazolam delivered intranasally, for the outpatient rescue treatment of seizure clusters.

The primary efficacy endpoint of the study was Treatment Success, defined as achieving both of the following: 1) termination of seizure(s) within 10 minutes after study drug administration, and 2) no recurrence of seizure(s) beginning 10 minutes after administration of study drug to six hours after study drug administration. To be eligible for the trial, participants had to have a diagnosis of epilepsy, a history of seizure clusters and an adult caregiver who could recognize, observe and record seizure cluster episodes. The adverse events observed with USL261 in this study were generally consistent with the known safety profile for midazolam, intranasal drug delivery, and those previously observed across the clinical development program to date.

About Seizure Clusters

Reports of seizure cluster prevalence vary depending on the population evaluated. Seizure clusters are associated with poor seizure control.1 In a study conducted in a tertiary epilepsy center in patients with a broad range of seizure control, the prevalence of seizure clusters was close to 30%.1 The number of epilepsy patients in the United States who experience seizure clusters has been estimated at 152,000.2,3,4,5

About Proximagen

Proximagen and its predecessor companies have a long heritage in discovery and development of novel small molecule therapeutics, in particular in the areas of CNS, pain and inflammation, and was acquired by Upsher-Smith in 2012. Proximagen has an integrated drug discovery facility based in Cambridge, UK and has developed a pipeline of innovative small molecule therapeutics. The Proximagen pipeline includes a Phase II VAP-1 inhibitor program in inflammation that is partnered with Roche, as well as internal development programs including a CXCR4 antagonist in Phase I targeting oncology indications and a Dopamine D1 positive allosteric modulator in preclinical development targeting cognitive disorders. For more information, visit www.proximagen.com.

1. Haut SR, Shinnar S, and Moshe SL. Seizure Clustering: Risks and Outcomes. Epilepsia. 2005;46(1):146-149. 2. Kobau R, Zahran H, Thurman DJ, et al. Epilepsy Surveillance Among Adults  19 States, Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, 2005. MMWR. 2008;57:SS-6. 3. Kwan P, Brodie MJ. Early Identification of Refractory Epilepsy. N Engl J Med. 2000;342:314-319. 4. Berg AT, Vickrey BG, Testa FM, et al. How long does it take for epilepsy to become intractable? A prospective investigation. Annals of Neurology. 2006;60:73-79. 5. Haut SR, Lipton RB, LeValley AJ, et al. Identifying seizure clusters in patients with epilepsy. Neurology. 2005 October 25;65(8):1313-1315.

SOURCE Proximagen Limited

Related Links

http://www.proximagen.com


AutoMobili-D , the show's mobility and technology showcase, will remain open throughout the first weekend of Public Show (Jan. 20-21) for the 2018 auto show to connect people interested in working in all aspects of the auto industry with companies at the first Future Automotive Career Exposition (FACE). The event, a partnership with NAIAS and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, was announced by Roger Curtis, director of the Michigan Department of Talent and Economic Development, today at the Governor's Education & Talent Summit in Lansing.

"Michigan is the world's automotive leader, and we are working to hold that title for generations to come," Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder said. "But to do that, we must become the national leader in developing and attracting talent. The auto industry, like others, faces challenges in filling jobs it needs to further grow and innovate. The NAIAS is the perfect place for people who love cars and have in-demand skills to connect with industry representatives looking for talent."

More than 180 different brands participated at the inaugural launch of AutoMobili-D -- where innovations in mobility technologies and platforms were announced and showcased -- as part of the 2017 NAIAS.

The space included automakers, suppliers and startups. More than 5,000 journalists from across the world and nearly 40,000 industry executives, engineers, developers and analysts, were able to experience these groundbreaking developments first-hand.

"AutoMobili-D was an overwhelming success as industry-leading companies and thought leaders came together under one roof to showcase and discuss future industry paths," said Rod Alberts, NAIAS executive director. "We're grateful to the longstanding support from Gov. Snyder and the State of Michigan in keeping NAIAS and Michigan as the global epicenter for automotive technology."

At FACE, participating AutoMobili-D companies will have the opportunity to interact face-to-face with qualified candidates and fill needed positions across a wide array of disciplines.

"We are continually looking for ways to connect with more people, put a face behind our exciting industry and make NAIAS bigger and better each year," said Ryan LaFontaine, 2018 NAIAS chairman. "With over 200,000 attendees on the first weekend of Public Show, we saw a real opportunity to collaborate with MEDC and connect job-seekers directly with innovative companies eager to address their respective talent shortages."

More information regarding AutoMobili-D's Future Automotive Career Exposition will be announced in the coming months leading into the 2018 NAIAS.

About Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC)

The Michigan Economic Development Corporation is the state's marketing arm and lead advocate for business development, job awareness and community and talent development with the focus on growing Michigan's economy. For more information on the MEDC and our initiatives, visit www.MichiganBusiness.org. For Pure Michigan tourism information, your trip begins at www.michigan.org. Visit Pure Michigan Talent Connect at www.mitalent.org for more information on Michigan's online marketplace for connecting job seekers and employers. Join the conversation on: Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter.

About the North American International Auto Show

Now in its 30th year as an international event, the NAIAS is among the most prestigious auto shows in the world, providing unparalleled access to the automotive products, technologies, people and ideas that matter most  up close and in one place. Administered by executive director Rod Alberts, the NAIAS is one of the largest media events in North America, and the only auto show in the United States to earn an annual distinguished sanction of the Organisation Internationale des Constructeurs d'Automobiles, the Paris-based alliance of automotive trade associations and manufacturers from around the world. For more information, visit naias.com.

Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram for highlights and updates.

2018 NAIAS Dates:

The Gallery  Saturday, January 13, 2018

AutoMobili-D  Sunday-Sunday, January 14-21, 2018

Press Preview  Monday-Tuesday, January 14-16, 2018

Industry Preview  Wednesday-Thursday, January 17-18, 2018

Charity Preview  Friday, January 19, 2018

Public Show  Saturday-Sunday, January 20-28, 2018

SOURCE North American International Auto Show

Related Links

http://naias.com


Is Iran Next? Trump Proclaims Tehran Has Broken Spirit Of Dangerous Nuclear Deal Negotiated By Obama

Trump won't be happy until he starts WWIII.

President Donald J. Trump may have just signaled to the Iranians they could be next for either renewed sanctions from the United States and allies, or worse, for violating the spirit of the Obama administrations nuclear deal.During a press conference last week with Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni, Trump voiced extreme concerns about Tehrans overall commitment to the deal, which critics have panned, saying it only delays an eventual Iranian nuclear bomb.Trumps comments came on the heels of earlier statements made by Secretary of State Rex Tillerman, who also indicated in comments last week that the Iranians may be cheating. As reported by CNBC, Tillerson said the U.S. would be conducting a comprehensive review of the deal, using language that he has also used to describe previous U.S. administrations inability to convince North Korea to abandon its nuclear program. (RELATED: Read Trump Has Several Options For Dealing With North Korea  And None Of Them Are Good.)The Trump administration is currently conducting, across the entire government, a review of our Iran policy  an unchecked Iran has the potential to follow the same path as North Korea and take the world along with it. The United States is keen to avoid a second piece of evidence that strategic patience is a failed approach, he said.Tillerson also said the Trump administration would consider breaking from the deal, which was finalized in 2015, a decision that depended on if, and to what extent, the Iranians have deviated from its provisions.Also, the U.S. is concerned about Irans continued support of terrorism and terrorist organizations like Hamas and Hezbollah.He added that like the North, the Iran deal was indicative of a pattern by the U.S. and its allies of buying off belligerent states to keep them from joining the nuclear club, but it never works.We buy them off for a short period of time, and then someone has to deal with it later, Tillerson said.A nuclear-armed Iran would be a massively destabilizing force in the Middle East, one of the most volatile regions on the planet and strategically important, given its huge oil reserves. If Iran were to develop nuclear weapons, then other nations like Saudi Arabia may also be tempted to do so, reports have said.We cannot live in a situation where Iran has nuclear weapons and we dont. Its as simple as that, one Saudi official said in 2011, the Jerusalem Post reported at the time. If Iran develops a nuclear weapon, that will be unacceptable to us and we will have to follow suit.At his presser with Gentiloni, Trump added that his read of the Iranian nuclear deal is that it isnt likely to prevent Tehran from developing and stockpiling weapons of mass destruction. And he also said it already looks as though Iran is not complying with the terms of the deal.They are not living up to the spirit of the agreement, I can tell you that, Trump said. And were analyzing it very, very carefully, and well have something to say about it in the not-too-distant future. But Iran has not lived up to the spirit of the agreement, and they have to do that.He added that Tehran was engaged in a tremendous disservice to themselves by continuing to provide funding for terrorist groups and regimes, as well as testing longer-range ballistic missiles and fighting on the side of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in that countrys civil war.He said that provisions of the nuclear deal should have dealt with things like that before it was ever signed. But as observers of the deal have noted, it appears as though Obama was more interested in a legacy than actually cutting a deal beneficial to Western interests. (RELATED: Read Declassified List Reveals U.S. Targets Russias High Density Population Centers With Nuclear Weapons Russia Likely Does The Same For The USA.)It was a terrible agreement, the president said. That shouldnt have been signed. It shouldnt have been negotiated the way it was negotiated.Im all for agreements, but that was a bad one  as bad as Ive ever seen negotiated, he added.As for what actions the administration may take in the future to check Iran, analysts have said two recent uses of force  the massive Tomahawk cruise missile attack on a Syrian air base and the use of the largest non-nuclear ordnance in the U.S. militarys stockpile against an ISIS cave complex in Afghanistan  were meant to send a message to Tehran of the United States capabilities.
Jackfruit, an exotic fruit native to parts of southern and southeast Asia, is part of the fig, mulberry, and breadfruit family. This nutrition-packed superfood is an excellent source of vitamin B6, potassium, and vitamin C. It is one of the largest tree fruits in the world, weighing up to 80 pounds. At the "You Don't Know Jack" events, which were playfully named to call students' attention to a fruit most are unfamiliar with, jackfruit was creatively incorporated into traditional pulled pork barbeque sandwiches to enhance their flavor and nutritional value.

Lisa Feldman, director of culinary services for Sodexo, the campus dining partner for both universities, hand-crafted a tasting menu to test the popularity of the little-known superfood that packs a big nutrient punch.

"We're constantly developing dishes that walk the line between on-trend flavors and nostalgia," explained Feldman. "Plant-forward and blended protein approaches are huge market trends, so we wanted to take a non-familiar product like jackfruit and marry it with a nostalgic product like pulled pork barbecue to honor the best of both worlds. What better way to figure it all out than staging a limited-time pop-up in the heart of the south?"

The pop-up dining events were held during lunch at Belmont University and during dinner at Lipscomb University. At the free events, which were open to all members of the campus community, guests were invited to sample char siu pork and jackfruit barbeque sandwiches with Thai red curry coconut sauce. The sandwiches were accompanied by sweet potato fries with blackberry sriracha ketchup.

The "You Don't Know Jack" events represented a collaborative effort between Sodexo and a variety of suppliers. Sodexo chefs Andreas Ortner at Belmont University and Darry Huntsman at Lipscomb University led the on-site culinary teams.

One major goal of the events was to engage students with a fun experience that showcased culinary innovation and leveraged recent dining trends. Pop-up dining continues to gain popularity for its unique, quirky nature, and it was the perfect way to get students excited to try something new.

As a global leader in providing onsite foodservice and facilities management, Sodexo continuously strives to find new ways to introduce innovative concepts and connect with consumers by leveraging the latest trends in dining and technology. At both events, guests were encouraged to provide immediate, real-time feedback via myDtxt, the company's text-based communication platform. Students' feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with three out of four respondents raving about the flavor and nutritional benefits of the dish.

"I really enjoyed my jackfruit barbeque sandwich," reported one student. "I'd never had the fruit itself before, so that was really tasty to experience for the first time."

"I think jackfruit is a great low-cost way to add fruit and flavor to dishes," remarked another student. "The sandwich is delicious, too!"

Due to the success of the two sampling events, Sodexo is working to introduce the recipe at other partner campuses in the near future.

Sodexo delivers more than 100 services across North America that enhance organizational performance, contribute to local communities and improve quality of life. The Fortune Global 500 company is a leader in delivering sustainable, integrated facilities management and foodservice operations. Learn more about Sodexo at its corporate blog, Sodexo Insights.

SOURCE Sodexo

Related Links

http://www.sodexoUSA.com


SMYRNA, Ga., April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- National Asset Services (NAS), one of the Country's leading commercial real estate companies and experts in developing loan maturity solutions for property investors, has successfully delivered the best possible investment outcome to a 14-member Tenant-in-Common (TIC) group. The co-owners were investors in The Shops at East West Connector, a neighborhood retail center in Cobb County Georgia.

Acquired by the TIC group in March 2007, The Shops at East West Connector was one of the many properties purchased during this period by real estate investors with a Commercial Mortgage Backed Security (CMBS) loan. Most of these loans were highly leveraged notes with a 10-year maturity date.

Upon assumption of management duties in 2012, NAS executives aggressively implemented a plan of action to increase property value through income maximization and expense optimization tactics in preparation for the best possible sell-or-refinance, loan maturity solution in 2017. Ownership made the decision to market the property in early 2016, approximately one year prior to the property's loan maturity.

Although the group was working with an undisclosed buyer, a sudden cancellation of proceedings to purchase the asset late in 2016 forced ownership to list the property for sale only a few months prior to loan maturity. Having increased the amount of space leased to 96%, NAS management executives moved quickly to market the shopping center as a possible foreclosure now loomed. With time being of the essence, all favorable selling channels were aggressively pursued, including an online marketing platform.

The successful sale transaction recently closed after NAS secured a forbearance from the lender that allowed the new undisclosed buyer the necessary time to complete the acquisition. NAS management also negotiated discounts on commissions that offset some of the transaction expenses.

'We are delighted to have delivered the best possible outcome, under the circumstances, for our very deserving clients invested in the Shops at East West Connector," commented Karen E. Kennedy, President and Founder of National Asset Services. "I'm extremely proud of our management team's all-out persistence and willingness to go the extra mile. The final outcome was made possible by the group of co-owners working together with our experienced team to grind through the many challenges presented in this situation."

The Shops at East West Connector is a 32,009 square-foot neighborhood shopping center located in Cobb County, Georgia. Anchored by a 22,000 World Gym, the center features a variety of local shops and restaurants.

About National Asset Services (NAS)

NAS is a commercial real estate management that works with over 90 investment groups in properties of a nationwide portfolio valued at over $2 billion. The company manages a wide range of diverse commercial real estate: Office, medical office, multifamily, retail, student housing, assisted living and industrial flex properties. The company manages solely owned and multi-owner properties. NAS offers a wide-range of asset management capabilities. They include: Real estate strategy analysis; long-range business objectives; monitoring changing market conditions; investor relations; real estate and investor accounting; loan modification and workout solutions; exit and hold strategies; leasing & marketing; tenant retention plans; research studies; site selections; feasibility studies; insurance risk management; capital improvement planning and tracking; property tax appeal services and cost segregation services.

Headquartered in Los Angeles, California, NAS operates regional offices in Chicago, Illinois, and Austin, Texas.

For more information about NAS, visit www.nasassets.com. For industry news and company updates, follow NAS on Twitter @nascommercial.

Contact:

JW Robison

310-795-8985

[email protected]

SOURCE National Asset Services
(All dollar figures are in US dollars unless otherwise indicated)

TORONTO, April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ - New Gold Inc. ("New Gold") (TSX:NGD) (NYSE MKT:NGD) today announces its 2017 first quarter results and provides an update on the construction of the company's Rainy River project.

2017 FIRST QUARTER HIGHLIGHTS

Gold production of 89,327 ounces and copper production of 23.8 million pounds

Operating expense of $605 per gold ounce and $1.21 per copper pound

per gold ounce and per copper pound All-in sustaining costs (1) of $597 per ounce, including total cash costs (2) of $296 per ounce

of per ounce, including total cash costs of per ounce Lowest all-in sustaining costs since the introduction of the metric in 2012

Lowering 2017 full-year all-in sustaining costs guidance to $760 to $800 per ounce from $825 to $865 per ounce

per ounce from per ounce Cash generated from operations of $77 million , a 25% increase compared to the first quarter

of 2016

, a 25% increase compared to the first quarter of 2016 Cash generated from operations before changes in non-cash operating working capital (3)

of $69 million , a 12% increase compared to the first quarter of 2016

of , a 12% increase compared to the first quarter of 2016 Net earnings of $38 million , or $0.07 per share

, or per share Adjusted net earnings (4) of $9 million , or $0.02 per share

of , or per share Rainy River project schedule and capital cost estimate remain in line with New Gold's updated plan announced on January 30, 2017

project schedule and capital cost estimate remain in line with New Gold's updated plan announced on Rainy River project capital expenditures totalled $126 million during the quarter

project capital expenditures totalled during the quarter Enhanced financial flexibility with sale of El Morro stream and equity financing

March 31, 2017 cash and cash equivalents of $350 million

"As we indicated to our stakeholders at the beginning of this year, our priorities are: enhancing our financial flexibility, delivering operationally and executing on our updated Rainy River plan," stated Hannes Portmann, President and Chief Executive Officer. "I am very pleased to report that we have made significant progress in all three areas."

"During the first quarter, we increased our liquidity position by $230 million through our equity financing and the sale of our El Morro stream. At the same time, after a strong start to the year, we have lowered our cost guidance and increased our cash generation potential for the balance of the year. Finally, development activities at Rainy River were advanced with both the timeline and budget remaining consistent with our updated plan announced in late January," added Mr. Portmann.

2017 FIRST QUARTER OPERATIONAL RESULTS

New Gold's first quarter gold production of 89,327 ounces remained in line with 2016 as higher production from the company's Mesquite and Peak Mines partially offset planned lower production from New Afton and Cerro San Pedro. Cerro San Pedro's production decreased as the mine has now transitioned into residual leaching. Quarterly copper production decreased by 6% to 23.8 million pounds when compared to the first quarter of 2016. As expected, silver production of 0.3 million ounces was also below 2016 as Cerro San Pedro transitioned to residual leaching.

First quarter operating expense per gold ounce of $605 remained in line with 2016. The company delivered first quarter all-in sustaining costs of $597 per ounce, including total cash costs of $296 per ounce. All-in sustaining costs decreased by over $160 per ounce relative to the first quarter of 2016, resulting in a record low for the metric. The significant decrease in all-in sustaining costs relative to the prior-year quarter was attributable to a $58 per ounce decrease in total cash costs to $296 per ounce and a $103 per ounce, or $9 million, decrease in the company's consolidated sustaining costs, which include New Gold's cumulative sustaining capital, exploration, general and administrative, and amortization of reclamation expenditures.

With the company's strong operational start to 2017, New Gold reiterates its guidance for full-year gold production of 380,000 to 430,000 ounces. The company is particularly pleased to announce a reduction to full-year all-in sustaining costs. As indicated in late January, New Gold was actively evaluating cost savings opportunities to further enhance 2017 cash flow. Through a combination of the company's business improvement initiatives and capital deferrals, New Gold identified cost savings of approximately $15 million, or approximately $40 per ounce. In addition, the company has also fixed the price for 43.7 million pounds of the company's second half 2017 copper production at $2.73 per pound, which compares favourably to the company's guidance assumption of $2.50 per pound. The copper price benefit will provide an additional $10 million, or approximately $25 per ounce, towards 2017 cash flow. Combining the benefit of these initiatives positions New Gold to reduce its 2017 full-year all-in sustaining costs to $760 to $800 per ounce, representing a $65 per ounce reduction from the company's original guidance range of $825 to $865 per ounce.







Three months ended March 31

2017 2016 Operating information



Gold (ounces):





Produced 89,327 90,811

Sold 87,304 86,031 Copper (millions of pounds):





Produced 23.8 25.4

Sold 23.0 25.3 Silver (millions of ounces):





Produced 0.3 0.4

Sold 0.3 0.4 Revenue:





Gold ($/ounce) 1,252 1,165

Copper ($/pound) 2.35 1.94

Silver ($/ounce) 16.89 14.47 Average realized price(5):





Gold ($/ounce) 1,286 1,206

Copper ($/pound) 2.58 2.14

Silver ($/ounce) 17.51 14.72 Operating expense:





Gold ($/ounce) 605 606

Copper ($/pound) 1.21 1.07

Silver ($/ounce) 8.23 7.39 Total cash costs ($/ounce) 296 354 All-in sustaining costs ($/ounce) 597 758

New Afton







Three months ended March 31

2017 2016 Operating information



Gold (ounces):





Produced 20,937 25,068

Sold 20,716 25,131 Copper (millions of pounds):





Produced 20.5 22.4

Sold 19.9 22.0 Operating expense:





Gold ($/ounce) 458 374

Copper ($/pound) 0.92 0.67 All-in sustaining costs ($/ounce) (505) (268) All-in sustaining costs on a co-product basis:





Gold ($/ounce) 679 631

Copper ($/pound) 1.36 1.12

The decrease in gold production at New Afton relative to the first quarter of 2016 was due to an expected decrease in gold grade and gold recovery, partially offset by a 4% increase in mill throughput. Copper production was also lower than the prior-year quarter due to an expected decrease in copper grade.

First quarter operating expenses increased when compared to the prior-year quarter due to higher costs associated with processing more ore tonnes. All-in sustaining costs decreased as the benefit of increased by-product revenues and lower sustaining costs was only partially offset by the appreciation of the Canadian dollar relative to the U.S. dollar and the increase in operating expenses. By-product revenues benefitted from an increase in the realized copper price which more than offset lower copper sales volumes. New Afton's quarterly sustaining costs decreased by $2 million to $7 million when compared to the first quarter of 2016.

New Gold is pleased to reiterate New Afton's guidance for full-year gold production of 70,000 to 80,000 ounces and copper production of 85 to 95 million pounds. As a result of the cost savings initiatives solidified in the first quarter, and the benefit of the copper hedges relative to the company's guidance assumption, New Afton's full-year all-in sustaining cost guidance has been reduced to ($520) to ($480) per ounce, representing a $240 per ounce reduction from the company's original guidance range of ($280) to ($240) per ounce.

Mesquite







Three months ended March 31

2017 2016 Operating information



Gold (ounces):





Produced 30,403 27,371

Sold 29,153 24,929 Operating expense:





Gold ($/ounce) 695 616 All-in sustaining costs ($/ounce) 765 1,101

The increase in gold production at Mesquite relative to the first quarter of 2016 was due to higher recoveries as total ore tonnes mined and placed included less transitional material than was mined in 2016.

First quarter operating expenses increased when compared to the prior-year quarter as no mining costs were capitalized in the first quarter of 2017. First quarter all-in sustaining costs decreased due to a $10 million, or $405 per ounce, decrease in sustaining costs primarily due to no capitalized waste stripping, which was only partially offset by the increase in operating costs.

New Gold is pleased to reiterate Mesquite's guidance for full-year gold production of 140,000 to 150,000 ounces and all-in sustaining costs of $805 to $845 per ounce.

Peak Mines







Three months ended March 31

2017 2016 Operating information



Gold (ounces):





Produced 28,347 19,596

Sold 27,391 17,149 Copper (millions of pounds):





Produced 3.4 3.0

Sold 3.1 3.3 Operating expense:





Gold ($/ounce) 596 870

Copper ($/pound) 1.22 1.53 All-in sustaining costs ($/ounce) 674 1,024

Peak Mines had a strong start to the year with first quarter gold production increasing by 45% relative to the first quarter of 2016. The significant increase in gold production was attributable to mining and processing of higher gold grade material. Quarterly copper production increased by 13% when compared to the first quarter of 2016 due to higher copper grade.

First quarter operating expenses decreased when compared to the prior-year quarter primarily due to higher gold sales volumes. All-in sustaining costs decreased during the quarter primarily as the benefit of higher gold sales volumes and increased by-product revenues were only partially offset by the appreciation of the Australian dollar relative to the U.S. dollar and a slight increase in sustaining costs.

New Gold is pleased to reiterate Peak Mines' guidance for full-year gold production of 85,000 to 95,000 ounces and copper production of approximately 15 million pounds. As a result of the cost savings initiatives solidified in the first quarter, Peak Mines' full-year all-in sustaining costs guidance has been reduced to $975 to $1,015 per ounce, representing an $85 per ounce reduction from the company's original guidance range of $1,060 to $1,100 per ounce.

Cerro San Pedro







Three months ended March 31

2017 2016 Operating information



Gold (ounces):





Produced 9,640 18,776

Sold 10,044 18,822 Silver (millions of ounces):





Produced 0.2 0.3

Sold 0.2 0.3 Operating expense:





Gold ($/ounce) 1,150 993

Silver ($/ounce) 15.84 12.38 All-in sustaining costs ($/ounce) 1,255 952

Cerro San Pedro finished active mining late in the second quarter of 2016 and has now transitioned to residual leaching. As a result, and consistent with expectations, the mine's first quarter gold and silver production decreased compared to the prior year. First quarter operating expenses and all-in sustaining costs increased when compared to the prior-year quarter due to lower gold sales volumes. As the company is drawing down leach pad inventory during the residual leach period, $403 per ounce of the reported all-in sustaining costs is related to cash expenditures that were incurred in prior periods.

New Gold is pleased to reiterate Cerro San Pedro's guidance for full-year gold production of 35,000 to 45,000 ounces and all-in sustaining costs of $1,090 to $1,130 per ounce.

2017 FIRST QUARTER FINANCIAL RESULTS







Three months ended March 31 (in millions of U.S. dollars, except per share amounts) 2017 2016 Revenues $169.5 $154.5 Operating margin(6) 86.6 72.6 Net earnings 37.5 25.6 Net earnings per basic share 0.07 0.05 Adjusted net earnings (loss) 9.4 (1.5) Adjusted net earnings per share 0.02 nil Cash generated from operations 76.8 61.5 Cash generated from operations before changes in non-cash operating working capital 69.4 62.1

First quarter revenues increased by $15 million, or 10%, relative to the prior-year quarter, primarily due to higher metal prices. Relative to the first quarter of 2016, the average realized price increased by $80 per ounce of gold, or 7%, $0.44 per pound of copper, or 21%, and $2.79 per ounce of silver, or 19%. First quarter production and metal sales volumes were in line with the prior-year quarter.

New Gold's first quarter operating margin increased by $14 million relative to the prior-year quarter as a result of the $15 million increase in revenues and the company's operating expenses remaining consistent, despite the appreciation of the Canadian and Australian dollars relative to the U.S. dollar.

The company reported net earnings of $38 million, or $0.07 per share, in the first quarter of 2017 relative to net earnings of $26 million, or $0.05 per share, in the prior-year quarter. First quarter net earnings included a $33 million pre-tax gain on the disposal of the El Morro stream, a $6 million non-cash foreign exchange gain and a $14 million pre-tax loss on the revaluation of company's gold price option contracts.

New Gold had adjusted net earnings of $9 million, or $0.02 per share, in the first quarter of 2017 relative to an adjusted net loss of $2 million, in the prior-year quarter. Quarterly adjusted net earnings were positively impacted by the combination of the $15 million increase in revenues, a $4 million decrease in depreciation and depletion and a $3 million decrease in finance costs as more interest has been capitalized to Rainy River. These items were partially offset by an $8 million increase in adjusted income tax expense, a $1 million increase in operating expenses, and a $1 million increase in exploration, business development, and corporate general and administrative expenses.

The company's first quarter cash generated from operations before changes in non-cash operating working capital of $69 million was $7 million, or 12%, higher than the prior-year quarter as the impact of the higher operating margin was only partially offset by higher income taxes paid. Cash generated from operations in the first quarter of 2017 was $77 million relative to $62 million in the prior-year quarter. The significant working capital benefit during the first quarter of 2017 was due to the company collecting an outstanding concentrate receivable of $21 million at New Afton in January 2017.

FINANCIAL UPDATE

New Gold's cash and cash equivalents at March 31, 2017 were $350 million. The company also has a $400 million revolving credit facility, of which $100 million has been drawn and $123 million has been used to issue letters of credit for closure obligations at the company's producing mines and development projects, leaving $177 million undrawn. The company's pro forma liquidity totals $527 million (cash and undrawn credit facility) plus its expected free cash flow generation from its operating mines through the balance of 2017.

In 2016, New Gold entered into gold price option contracts covering 120,000 ounces of its first half 2017 production, with put options at a strike price of $1,300 per ounce and call options at a strike price of $1,400 per ounce. The company also fixed the price for 31.7 million pounds of the company's first half 2017 copper production at $2.52 per pound and fixed 43.7 million pounds of the company's second half 2017 copper production at $2.73 per pound. These initiatives increase the company's cash flow certainty during the remaining Rainy River development period.

At March 31, 2017, the face value of the company's long-term debt was $900 million (book value  $890 million). The components of the long-term debt include: $300 million of 7.00% face value senior unsecured notes due in April of 2020; $500 million of 6.25% face value senior unsecured notes due in November of 2022; and $100 million drawn from the revolving credit facility. The company currently has approximately 575 million shares outstanding.



PROJECTS UPDATE

Rainy River

Development activities at New Gold's Rainy River project, located in northwestern Ontario, continue to advance and the project is scheduled to transition from construction to operation in the third quarter of 2017. Both the project schedule and capital cost estimate remain in line with New Gold's updated plan announced on January 30, 2017.

RAINY RIVER  2017 FIRST QUARTER HIGHLIGHTS

Project spending during the first quarter totalled $126 million , with estimated remaining capital to achieve November commercial production of $389 million

, with estimated remaining capital to achieve November commercial production of million Mining rate during the quarter averaged over 110,000 tonnes per day

Overall earthworks approximately 70% complete

All key structural components of the process facilities complete

Installation of mechanical, piping, electrical and instrumentation in processing facilities approximately 85% complete

Primary crusher and conveyor system approximately 95% complete

Commissioning of the crusher commenced in March 2017 with first crush scheduled for early May 2017

UPCOMING KEY MILESTONES

Second Quarter 2017



Complete commissioning of crusher and complete first crush

Commence commissioning of ball and SAG mill

Energization of all site power lines

Third Quarter 2017



Dry and wet commissioning of the full process circuit

Complete tailings management area starter cell

First ore to mill and mine start-up

Mining activities at Rainy River progressed well during the first quarter. The company's mining rate during the quarter averaged over 110,000 tonnes per day, which was in line with New Gold's updated plan announced on January 30, 2017. The September start-up is based on an expectation that the mining rate will continue to increase to an average of approximately 120,000 tonnes per day, which includes both planned productivity gains and takes into consideration the impact of changing weather conditions through the spring and summer months. There are multiple catalysts for the planned productivity gains. As pit water management impacts productivity, particularly during the spring thaw, the commissioning of the water management pond will facilitate increased pit dewatering which, in turn, will provide greater access and improved mining conditions. As well, an additional construction rock source has been identified outside of the pit and closer to the tailings area, which is currently being brought online. Once fully operational, this will shorten the cycle time of rock material mined from the pit as it will primarily be delivered to the waste dump instead of the longer haul to the tailings area. These changes, as well as operational improvements in the mining and maintenance areas, underpin the planned increase in mining rate to 120,000 tonnes per day.

Overall earthworks are approximately 70% complete and tracking in line with New Gold's updated plan. Through March 31, 2017, over 800,000m3 of construction material has been placed at the tailings management starter cell. The starter cell is scheduled to be completed in August 2017. Construction of the water management pond is tracking in line with the company's updated plan and approval is expected in the coming days to pump up to 1.4 million cubic metres into the pond. Completion and energization of all site overhead power lines and completion of the tailings pipeline corridor is planned for the second quarter. Subsequent to the end of the quarter, approval was received to commence construction of the mine rock pond.

All of the key structural components of the process facilities have been completed and the setting of mechanical equipment and installation of piping, electrical and instrumentation services is well advanced. The primary crusher and conveyor system are approximately 95% complete. Commissioning of the crusher commenced in March 2017 with the first crush expected in early May 2017. Thereafter, the commissioning of the ball and SAG mills should start during the second quarter and be completed in August 2017. Finally, the refining portion of the circuit should be completed and ready to begin commissioning early in the third quarter. Dry and wet commissioning of the full process circuit is scheduled to be completed in August 2017, which should leave approximately one month before targeted first production for any required adjustments to the circuit.

The company continues to work towards obtaining an amendment to Schedule 2 of the Metal Mining Effluent Regulations, required to close two small creeks and deposit tailings. In recent discussions with senior officials from Environment and Climate Change Canada, New Gold was advised that public notification of the proposed amendment is expected to be published in the second quarter of 2017, with the final publication and adoption of the Schedule 2 amendment expected to occur in January 2018.

As previously disclosed, New Gold is presently constructing a starter tailings cell, located within the broader tailings management area, that does not require a Schedule 2 amendment. This will allow New Gold to commence operations prior to completion of the Schedule 2 amendment. Based on its location and scale, the starter cell would provide capacity for approximately six months of tailings.

In addition, New Gold is finalizing its evaluation of an approach to constructing the creek closures which incorporates sheet pile at the centre of the portion of the dam which will cover the creeks. The purpose of this approach is both to reduce the construction time after receipt of the Schedule 2 amendment, and, most importantly, to be able to complete the work regardless of the weather conditions. The approach is expected to require provincial and federal regulatory approvals.

During the quarter, infill drilling was completed to confirm the estimated grades of mineralization in the resource block model and upgrade confidence in the portion of the reserve expected to be mined during the first year of commercial production.

Project spending at Rainy River during the first quarter totalled $126 million. Based on a C$1.30/US$ exchange rate, the remaining capital cost from April 1, 2017 to the targeted November commercial production is estimated to be approximately $389 million. Capital spending levels are expected to ramp up in the second and third quarters as the project enters the final phase of construction and transitions to operation.

New Gold continues to look forward to the expected growth in the company's production and cash flow once Rainy River transitions into operation later this year. Rainy River has multiple important asset qualities including its great jurisdiction, significant annual production potential, long estimated reserve life and continued exploration potential.

Blackwater

Activities at the company's Blackwater project, located in south-central British Columbia, continued to focus on attaining the approval of the Environmental Assessment ("EA"). The coordinated Federal and Provincial EA technical review is in progress. Technical review comments have now been received from the Federal government, Provincial agencies and local Indigenous communities, and New Gold has responded to the review comments. The company continues to anticipate approval of the Blackwater EA in 2017.

Capital expenditures at Blackwater during the first quarter were $2 million.

El Morro

In February, the company sold its gold stream on the El Morro project to an affiliate of Goldcorp Inc. for $65 million cash.

WEBCAST AND CONFERENCE CALL

A webcast and conference call to discuss these results will be held on Thursday, April 27, 2017 at 9:00 a.m. Eastern time. Participants may listen to the webcast by registering on our website at www.newgold.com. You may also listen to the conference call by calling toll free 1-888-231-8191, or 1-647-427-7450 outside of the U.S. and Canada. A recorded playback of the conference call will be available until May 27, 2017 by calling toll free 1-855-859-2056, or 1-416-849-0833 outside of the U.S. and Canada, passcode 94771662. An archived webcast will also be available until July 27, 2017 at www.newgold.com.

ABOUT NEW GOLD INC.

New Gold is an intermediate gold mining company. The company has a portfolio of four producing assets and two significant development projects. The New Afton Mine in Canada, the Mesquite Mine in the United States, the Peak Mines in Australia and the Cerro San Pedro Mine in Mexico (which transitioned to residual leaching in 2016), provide the company with its current production base. In addition, New Gold owns 100% of the Rainy River and Blackwater projects located in Canada. New Gold's objective is to be the leading intermediate gold producer, focused on the environment and social responsibility. For further information on the company, please visit www.newgold.com.

CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

Certain information contained in this news release, including any information relating to New Gold's future financial or operating performance are "forward looking". All statements in this news release, other than statements of historical fact, which address events, results, outcomes or developments that New Gold expects to occur are "forward-looking statements". Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "targeted", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", "projects", "potential", "believes" or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "should", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved" or the negative connotation of such terms. Forward-looking statements in this news release include the statements made under "2017 first quarter highlights" and "Rainy River update", as well as other statements elsewhere in this news release, including, among others, statements with respect to: guidance for production, operating expense and all-in sustaining costs, and the factors contributing to those expected results, as well as expected capital and other expenditures; planned development activities for 2017 at the Rainy River project, including the completion and commissioning of the processing facilities; planned preparations for operations at the Rainy River project, including the mining rate, removal of overburden and waste, and storage of water; the expected production, costs, economics, grade and other operating parameters of the Rainy River project; the capacity of the starter dam; targeted timing for permits, including the amendment to Schedule 2 of the Metal Mining Effluent Regulations; targeted timing for commissioning, start-up, production and commercial production; and targeting timing for development and other activities related to the Rainy River project.

All forward-looking statements in this news release are based on the opinions and estimates of management as of the date such statements are made and are subject to important risk factors and uncertainties, many of which are beyond New Gold's ability to control or predict. Certain material assumptions regarding such forward-looking statements are discussed in this news release, New Gold's latest annual management's discussion and analysis ("MD&A"), Annual Information Form and Technical Reports filed at www.sedar.com and on EDGAR at www.sec.gov. In addition to, and subject to, such assumptions discussed in more detail elsewhere, the forward-looking statements in this news release are also subject to the following assumptions: (1) there being no significant disruptions affecting New Gold's operations; (2) political and legal developments in jurisdictions where New Gold operates, or may in the future operate, being consistent with New Gold's current expectations; (3) the accuracy of New Gold's current mineral reserve and mineral resource estimates; (4) the exchange rate between the Canadian dollar, Australian dollar, Mexican peso and U.S. dollar being approximately consistent with current levels; (5) prices for diesel, natural gas, fuel oil, electricity and other key supplies being approximately consistent with current levels; (6) equipment, labour and materials costs increasing on a basis consistent with New Gold's current expectations; (7) arrangements with First Nations and other Aboriginal groups in respect of the Rainy River project being consistent with New Gold's current expectations; (8) all required permits, licenses and authorizations, including the amendment to Schedule 2 of the Metal Mining Effluent Regulations, being obtained from the relevant governments and other relevant stakeholders within the expected timelines and the absence of material negative comments during the applicable regulatory processes; (9) the results of the feasibility study for the Rainy River project being realized; and (10) in the case of production, cost and expenditure outlooks at the operating mines and the Rainy River project for 2017, commodity prices and exchange rates being consistent with those estimated for the purposes for 2017.

Forward-looking statements are necessarily based on estimates and assumptions that are inherently subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, without limitation: significant capital requirements and the availability and management of capital resources; additional funding requirements; price volatility in the spot and forward markets for metals and other commodities; fluctuations in the international currency markets and in the rates of exchange of the currencies of Canada, the United States, Australia and Mexico; discrepancies between actual and estimated production, between actual and estimated mineral reserves and mineral resources and between actual and estimated metallurgical recoveries; fluctuation in treatment and refining charges; changes in national and local government legislation in Canada, the United States, Australia and Mexico or any other country in which New Gold currently or may in the future carry on business; taxation; controls, regulations and political or economic developments in the countries in which New Gold does or may carry on business; the speculative nature of mineral exploration and development, including the risks of obtaining and maintaining the validity and enforceability of the necessary licenses and permits and complying with the permitting requirements of each jurisdiction in which New Gold operates, including, but not limited to: in Canada, obtaining the necessary permits for the Rainy River project; the lack of certainty with respect to foreign legal systems, which may not be immune from the influence of political pressure, corruption or other factors that are inconsistent with the rule of law; the uncertainties inherent to current and future legal challenges New Gold is or may become a party to; diminishing quantities or grades of mineral reserves and mineral resources; competition; inherent uncertainties with cost estimates and estimated schedule for the construction and commencement of production at Rainy River as contemplated; loss of key employees; rising costs of labour, supplies, fuel and equipment; actual results of current exploration or reclamation activities; uncertainties inherent to mining economic studies including the feasibility studies for the Rainy River project; changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined; accidents; labour disputes; defective title to mineral claims or property or contests over claims to mineral properties; unexpected delays and costs inherent to consulting and accommodating rights of Indigenous groups; risks, uncertainties and unanticipated delays associated with obtaining and maintaining necessary licenses, permits and authorizations and complying with permitting requirements, including those associated with the amendment to Schedule 2 of the Metal Mining Effluent Regulations for the Rainy River project. In addition, there are risks and hazards associated with the business of mineral exploration, development and mining, including environmental events and hazards, industrial accidents, unusual or unexpected formations, pressures, cave-ins, flooding and gold bullion losses and risks associated with the start of production of a mine, such as Rainy River, (and the risk of inadequate insurance or inability to obtain insurance to cover these risks) as well as "Risk Factors" included in New Gold's Annual Information Form, MD&A and other disclosure documents filed on and available at www.sedar.com and on EDGAR at www.sec.gov. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, and actual results and future events could materially differ from those anticipated in such statements. All of the forward-looking statements contained in this news release are qualified by these cautionary statements. New Gold expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, events or otherwise, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.

CAUTIONARY NOTE TO U.S. READERS CONCERNING ESTIMATES OF MINERAL RESERVES AND MINERAL RESOURCES

Information concerning the properties and operations of New Gold has been prepared in accordance with Canadian standards under applicable Canadian securities laws, and may not be comparable to similar information for United States companies. The terms "Mineral Resource", "Measured Mineral Resource", "Indicated Mineral Resource" and "Inferred Mineral Resource" used in this news release are Canadian mining terms as defined in the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum ("CIM") Definition Standards for Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves adopted by CIM Council on May 10, 2014 and incorporated by reference in National Instrument 43-101. While the terms "Mineral Resource", "Measured Mineral Resource", "Indicated Mineral Resource" and "Inferred Mineral Resource" are recognized and required by Canadian securities regulations, they are not defined terms under standards of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. As such, certain information contained in this news release concerning descriptions of mineralization and mineral resources under Canadian standards is not comparable to similar information made public by United States companies subject to the reporting and disclosure requirements of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.

An "Inferred Mineral Resource" has a great amount of uncertainty as to its existence and as to its economic and legal feasibility. Under Canadian rules, estimates of inferred mineral resources may not form the basis of feasibility or pre-feasibility studies. It cannot be assumed that all or any part of an "Inferred Mineral Resource" will ever be upgraded to a higher confidence category. Readers are cautioned not to assume that all or any part of an "Inferred Mineral Resource" exists or is economically or legally mineable.

Under United States standards, mineralization may not be classified as a "Reserve" unless the determination has been made that the mineralization could be economically and legally produced or extracted at the time the reserve estimation is made. Readers are cautioned not to assume that all or any part of the measured or indicated mineral resources will ever be converted into mineral reserves. In addition, the definitions of "Proven Mineral Reserves" and "Probable Mineral Reserves" under CIM standards differ in certain respects from the standards of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.

TECHNICAL INFORMATION

The scientific and technical information contained herein has been reviewed and approved by Mark A. Petersen, Vice President, Exploration of New Gold, except for the scientific and technical information regarding capital costs at Rainy River set out under the heading "Projects Update - Rainy River - Capital Expenditures", which has been reviewed and approved by Arshya Qureshi, Co-Founder and Project Manager at LQ Consulting and Management Inc. Mr. Qureshi is a Professional Engineer registered with the Professional Engineers of Ontario. Mr. Petersen is a SME Registered Member, AIPG Certified Professional Geologist. Mr. Petersen and Mr. Qureshi are "Qualified Persons" for the purposes of NI 43-101.

For additional technical information on New Gold's material properties, including a detailed breakdown of Mineral Reserves and Mineral Resources by category, as well as key assumptions, parameters and risks, refer to New Gold's Annual Information Form for the year ended December 31, 2016 filed on www.sedar.com.

NON-GAAP MEASURES

(1) All-In Sustaining Costs

"All-in sustaining costs" per ounce is a non-GAAP financial measure. Consistent with guidance announced in 2013 by the World Gold Council, an association of various gold mining companies from around the world of which New Gold is a member, New Gold defines "all-in sustaining costs" per ounce as the sum of total cash costs, capital expenditures that are sustaining in nature, corporate general and administrative costs, capitalized and expensed exploration that is sustaining in nature and environmental reclamation costs, all divided by the ounces of gold sold to arrive at a per ounce figure. New Gold believes this non-GAAP financial measure provides further transparency into costs associated with producing gold and assists analysts, investors and other stakeholders of the company in assessing the company's operating performance, its ability to generate free cash flow from current operations and its overall value. This data is furnished to provide additional information and is a non-GAAP financial measure. All-in sustaining costs presented do not have a standardized meaning under IFRS and may not be comparable to similar measures presented by other mining companies. It should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for measures of performance prepared in accordance with IFRS and is not necessarily indicative of cash flow from operations under IFRS or operating costs presented under IFRS. Further details regarding historical all-in sustaining costs and a reconciliation to the nearest IFRS measures are provided in the MD&A accompanying New Gold's financial statements filed from time to time on www.sedar.com.

"Sustaining costs" is a non-GAAP financial measure. New Gold defines sustaining costs as the difference between all-in sustaining costs and total cash costs, being the sum of net capital expenditures that are sustaining in nature, corporate general and administrative costs, capitalized and expensed exploration that is sustaining in nature, and environmental reclamation costs. Management uses sustaining costs to understand the aggregate net result of the drivers of all-in sustaining costs other than total cash costs. The line items between cash costs and all in sustaining costs in the tables below break down the components of sustaining costs. Sustaining costs is intended to provide additional information only and does not have any standardized meaning under IFRS and may not be comparable to similar measures presented by other mining companies. It should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for measures of performance prepared in accordance with IFRS.

(2) Total Cash Costs

"Total cash costs" per ounce is a non-GAAP financial measure which is calculated in accordance with a standard developed by The Gold Institute, a worldwide association of suppliers of gold and gold products that ceased operations in 2002. Adoption of the standard is voluntary and the cost measures presented may not be comparable to other similarly titled measures of other companies. New Gold reports total cash costs on a sales basis. The company believes that certain investors use this information to evaluate the company's performance and ability to generate liquidity through operating cash flow to fund future capital expenditures and working capital needs. This measure, along with sales, is considered to be a key indicator of the company's ability to generate operating earnings and cash flow from its mining operations. Total cash costs include mine site operating costs such as mining, processing and administration costs, royalties, production taxes, and realized gains and losses on fuel contracts, but are exclusive of amortization, reclamation, capital and exploration costs and net of by-product sales. Total cash costs are then divided by ounces of gold sold to arrive at a per ounce figure. Co-product cash costs remove the impact of other metal sales that are produced as a by-product of gold production and apportion the cash costs to each metal produced on a percentage of revenue basis, and subsequently divides the amount by the total ounces of gold or silver or pounds of copper sold, as the case may be, to arrive at per ounce or per pound figures. Unless otherwise indicated, all total cash cost information in this news release is net of by-product sales. This data is furnished to provide additional information and is a non-GAAP financial measure. Total cash costs and co-product cash costs presented do not have a standardized meaning under IFRS and may not be comparable to similar measures presented by other mining companies. It should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for measures of performance prepared in accordance with IFRS and is not necessarily indicative of cash flow from operations under IFRS or operating costs presented under GAAP. Further details regarding historical total cash costs and a reconciliation to the nearest IFRS measures are provided in the MD&A accompanying New Gold's financial statements filed from time to time on www.sedar.com.

OPEX, CASH COST AND AISC RECONCILIATION







Three months ended March 31, 2017 (in millions of U.S. dollars, except where noted) Gold Copper Silver Total OPEX, Cash Cost and AISC Reconciliation







Operating expenses(1) 52.8 27.9 2.2 82.9 Units of metal sold (ounces/millions of pounds/millions of ounces) 87,304 23.0 0.3

Operating expenses per unit of metal sold ($/ounce or pound) 605 1.21 8.23

Operating expenses(1) 52.8 27.9 2.2 82.9 Treatment and refining charges on concentrate sales 2.9 5.2 0.2 8.3 Adjustments(2) 0.1 0.1 - 0.2 Total cash costs 55.8 33.2 2.4 91.4 By-product silver and copper sales





(65.6) Total cash costs net of by-product revenue





25.8 Units of metal sold (ounces/millions of pounds/millions of ounces) 87,304 23.0 0.3 87,304 Total cash costs on a co-product basis(3) ($/ounce or pound) 639 1.45 8.87

Total cash costs per gold ounce sold ($/ounce)





296 Total co-product cash costs 55.8 33.2 2.4

Total cash costs net of by-product revenue





25.8 Sustaining capital expenditures 8.9 4.7 0.4 14.0 Sustaining exploration - expensed 1.2 0.7 0.1 2.0 Corporate G&A including share-based compensation(4) 5.4 2.9 0.2 8.5 Reclamation expenses 1.2 0.6 - 1.8 Total co-product all-in sustaining costs 72.5 42.1 3.1

Total all-in sustaining costs net of by-product revenue





52.1 All-in sustaining costs on a co-product basis(3) ($/ounce or pound) 831 1.83 11.48

All-in sustaining costs per gold ounce sold ($/ounce)





597





(1) Operating expenses are apportioned to each metal produced on a percentage of revenue basis. (2) Adjustments include non-cash items related to inventory write-down reversals and social closure costs incurred at Cerro San Pedro that are included in operating expenses. (3) Amounts presented on a co-product basis remove the impact of other metal sales that are produced as a by-product of our gold production and apportions the cash costs to each metal produced on a percentage of revenue basis. (4) Includes the sum of corporate administration costs and share-based payment expense per the income statement, net of any non-cash depreciation within those figures.

OPEX, CASH COST AND AISC RECONCILIATION







Three months ended March 31, 2016 (in millions of U.S. dollars, except where noted) Gold Copper Silver Total OPEX, Cash Cost and AISC Reconciliation







Operating expenses(1) 52.1 27.1 2.7 81.9 Units of metal sold (ounces/millions of pounds/millions of ounces) 86,031 25.3 0.4

Operating expenses per unit of metal sold ($/ounce or pound) 606 1.07 7.39

Operating expenses(1) 52.1 27.1 2.7 81.9 Treatment and refining charges on concentrate sales 3.5 5.0 0.1 8.6 Adjustments(2) (0.5) (0.3) - (0.8) Total cash costs 55.1 31.8 2.8 89.7 By-product silver and copper sales





(59.4) Total cash costs net of by-product revenue





30.3 Units of metal sold (ounces/millions of pounds/millions of ounces) 86,031 25.3 0.4 86,031 Total cash costs on a co-product basis(3) ($/ounce or pound) 641 1.26 7.58

Total cash costs per gold ounce sold ($/ounce)





354 Total co-product cash costs 55.1 31.8 2.8

Total cash costs net of by-product revenue





30.3 Sustaining capital expenditures 14.3 7.4 0.7 22.4 Sustaining exploration - expensed 1.3 0.8 0.1 2.2 Corporate G&A including share-based compensation(4) 5.5 2.9 0.3 8.7 Reclamation expenses 0.9 0.4 - 1.3 Total co-product all-in sustaining costs 77.1 43.3 3.9

Total all-in sustaining costs net of by-product revenue





64.9 All-in sustaining costs on a co-product basis(3) ($/ounce or pound) 898 1.72 10.72

All-in sustaining costs per gold ounce sold ($/ounce)





758





(1) Operating expenses are apportioned to each metal produced on a percentage of revenue basis. (2) Adjustments include the amortization of Mesquite's Purchase Price Allocation associated with royalties and social closure costs incurred at Cerro San Pedro that are included in operating expenses. (3) Amounts presented on a co-product basis remove the impact of other metal sales that are produced as a by-product of our gold production and apportions the cash costs to each metal produced on a percentage of revenue basis. (4) Includes the sum of corporate administration costs and share-based payment expense per the income statement, net of any non-cash depreciation within those figures.

(3) Cash Generated from Operations before Changes in Working Capital

"Cash generated from operations before changes in working capital" is a non-GAAP financial measures with no standard meaning under IFRS, excludes changes in non-cash operating working capital. Management uses this measure to evaluate the company's ability to generate cash from its operations before working capital changes. Further details regarding cash generated from operations before changes in working capital and a reconciliation to the nearest IFRS measure is provided in the MD&A accompanying New Gold's financial statements filed from time to time on www.sedar.com.

NET CASH GENERATED FROM OPERATIONS BEFORE CHANGES IN WORKING CAPITAL RECONCILIATION







Three months ended March 31 (in millions of U.S. dollars) 2017 2016 Cash generated from operations $76.8 $61.5 Add back (deduct): Change in non-cash operating working capital (7.4) 0.6 Net cash generated from operations before changes in non-cash working capital 69.4 62.1

(4) Adjusted Net Earnings/(Loss)

"Adjusted net (loss)/earnings" and "adjusted net (loss)/earnings per share" are non-GAAP financial measures. Net (loss)/earnings have been adjusted and tax affected for the group of costs in "Other gains and losses" on the condensed consolidated income statement. The adjusted entries are also impacted for tax to the extent that the underlying entries are impacted for tax in the unadjusted net (loss)/earnings from continuing operations. The company uses this measure for its own internal purposes. Management's internal budgets and forecasts and public guidance do not reflect fair value changes on senior notes and non-hedged derivatives, foreign currency translation and fair value through profit or loss and financial asset gains/losses.

Consequently, the presentation of adjusted net earnings and adjusted net earnings per share enables investors and analysts to better understand the underlying operating performance of our core mining business through the eyes of management. Management periodically evaluates the components of adjusted net earnings and adjusted net earnings per share based on an internal assessment of performance measures that are useful for evaluating the operating performance of our business and a review of the non-GAAP measures used by mining industry analysts and other mining companies. Adjusted net (loss)/earnings and adjusted net (loss)/earnings per share are intended to provide additional information only and do not have any standardized meaning under IFRS and may not be comparable to similar measures presented by other companies. They should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for measures of performance prepared in accordance with IFRS. The measures are not necessarily indicative of operating profit or cash flows from operations as determined under IFRS.

ADJUSTED NET EARNINGS RECONCILIATION







Three months ended March 31 (in millions of U.S. dollars, except per share amounts) 2017 2016 Net earnings before taxes $39.8 $17.7

Other (gains) losses (23.8) (21.6)

Inventory write-down (0.5) 0.7 Adjusted net earnings before tax 15.5 (3.2)

Income tax recovery (expense) (2.3) 7.9

Income tax adjustments (3.8) (6.2) Adjusted income tax expense (6.1) 1.7 Adjusted net earnings (loss) 9.4 (1.5) Adjusted earnings per share (basic and diluted) 0.02 $nil Adjusted effective tax rate 39% 53%

(5) Average Realized Price

"Average realized price per ounce or pound sold" is a non-GAAP financial measure with no standard meaning under IFRS. Management uses this measure to better understand the price realized in each reporting period for gold, silver, and copper sales. Average realized price is intended to provide additional information only and does not have any standardized definition under IFRS; it should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for measures of performance prepared in accordance with IFRS. Other companies may calculate this measure differently and this measure is unlikely to be comparable to similar measures presented by other companies. Further details regarding average realized price and a reconciliation to the nearest IFRS measure is provided in the MD&A accompanying New Gold's financial statements filed from time to time on www.sedar.com.

(6) Operating Margin

"Operating margin" is a non-GAAP financial measure with no standard meaning under IFRS, which management uses to evaluate the company's aggregated and mine-by-mine contribution to net earnings before non-cash depreciation and depletion charges.

OPERATING MARGIN RECONCILIATION







Three months ended March 31 (in millions of U.S. dollars) 2017 2016 Revenues $169.5 $154.5 Less: Operating expenses (82.9) (81.9) Operating margin 86.6 72.6

CONSOLIDATED INCOME STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED)







Three months ended March 31 (in millions of U.S. dollars, except per share amounts) 2017 2016 Revenues $169.5 $154.5 Operating expenses 82.9 81.9 Depreciation and depletion 57.5 61.0 Revenue less cost of goods sold 29.1 11.6 Corporate administration 7.5 5.7 Share-based payment expenses 1.2 3.0 Exploration and business development 3.2 2.5 Earnings from operations 17.2 0.4 Finance income 0.2 0.3 Finance costs (1.4) (4.6) Other gains 23.8 21.6 Earnings before taxes 39.8 17.7 Income tax (expense) recovery (2.3) 7.9 Net earnings 37.5 25.6 Earnings per share



Basic 0.07 0.05 Diluted 0.07 0.05 Weighted average number of shares outstanding (in millions)



Basic 528.1 509.6 Diluted 528.9 510.7

(1) Prior-year period comparatives have been revised. Please refer to Note 2 of the unaudited condensed consolidated interim financial statements for further information.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF FINANCIAL POSITION (UNAUDITED)









As at March 31 As at December 31 (in millions of U.S. dollars) 2017 2016 ASSETS



Current assets



Cash and cash equivalents $349.5 $185.9 Trade and other receivables 20.8 37.1 Inventories 159.6 150.4 Current income tax receivable 10.6 12.5 Derivative assets 4.5 18.0 Prepaid expenses and other 6.7 6.1 Total current assets 551.7 410.0





Non-current inventories 101.9 103.3 Mining interests 3,254.7 3,191.3 Deferred tax assets 227.2 224.9 Other 3.1 3.5 Total assets 4,138.6 3,933.0 LIABILITIES AND EQUITY



Current liabilities



Trade and other payables 165.0 169.2 Current income tax payable 9.9 6.2 Total current liabilities 174.9 175.4





Reclamation and closure cost obligations 91.3 81.0 Provisions 13.0 12.0 Gold stream obligation 232.3 246.5 Long-term debt 890.0 889.5 Deferred tax liabilities 446.4 455.2 Other 0.3 0.2 Total liabilities 1,848.2 1,859.8 Equity



Common shares 3,026.0 2,859.0 Contributed surplus 101.8 100.5 Other reserves (21.6) (33.0) Deficit (815.8) (853.3) Total equity 2,290.4 2,073.2 Total liabilities and equity 4,138.6 3,933.0

(1) Prior-year period comparatives have been revised. Please refer to Note 2 of the unaudited condensed consolidated interim financial statements for further information.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOW (UNAUDITED)







Three months ended March 31 (in millions of U.S. dollars) 2017 2016 OPERATING ACTIVITIES



Net earnings (loss) $37.5 $25.6 Adjustments for:



Foreign exchange losses (gains) (6.2) (33.9) Reclamation and closure costs paid (0.4) (0.9) Reversal of inventory and write-down (0.5) - Gain on disposal of El Morro (33.0) - Depreciation and depletion 57.9 61.1 Other non-cash adjustments 12.3 (1.2) Income tax recovery 2.3 (7.9) Finance income (0.2) (0.3) Finance costs 1.4 4.6 Unrealized loss on gold stream liability 3.1 15.1

74.2 62.2 Change in non-cash operating working capital 7.4 (0.6) Income taxes (paid) refunded (4.8) (0.1) Cash generated from operations 76.8 61.5 INVESTING ACTIVITIES



Mining interests (143.7) (107.4) Proceeds from the sale of El Morro stream and other assets 65.3 0.5 Interest received 0.2 0.3 Gold price option contract and other investment costs - (2.1) Cash used by investing activities (78.2) (108.7) FINANCING ACTIVITY



Proceeds received from exercise of options 0.1 0.8 Net proceeds received from issuances of common shares 165.7 - Financing initiation costs - (0.3) Interest paid (1.5) (0.8) Cash generated from financing activities 164.3 (0.3) Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents 0.7 10.3





Change in cash and cash equivalents 163.6 (37.2) Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period 185.9 335.5 Cash and cash equivalents, end of year 349.5 298.3 Cash and cash equivalents are comprised of:



Cash 255.8 214.4 Short-term money market instruments 93.7 83.9

349.5 298.3

(1) Prior-year period comparatives have been revised. Please refer to Note 2 of the unaudited condensed consolidated interim financial statements for further information.

SOURCE New Gold Inc.

Related Links

www.newgold.com


NPAW (Nice People At Work), the most advanced and holistic business intelligence and video analytics company, announces the addition of three new team members to the company's New York City headquarters. The expansion of our seasoned team of experts covering the North America and Australia comes in support of the growing demand of worldwide top video industry players to optimize their full video service performance at all levels in their company.

(Photo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/494013/NPAW_US_Pacific_Expansion.jpg )

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Jonathan Shields brings with him nearly twenty years of sales leadership and expertise in SaaS, cloud-computing, web content, OTT, and social media driven enterprises. Jonathan's career is a case study in increasing revenue and brand awareness while simultaneously reducing costs and time-to-market.

Jesper Persen is an expert in high tech sales and development, "bridging the gap between tech and people." Most recently a Sales Director and Engineer, in the past he closed deals with big names like the New York papers The Daily News and Newsday, Bell Media, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, and Suddeutsche Zeitung.

Anita Campbell, a graduate of Columbia University, is an expert at ensuring SaaS products meet the specific demands of customers. As a Sales Engineer, she will work closely with our partners and customers to ensure YOUBORA performs as clients expect.

"Incorporating Jon, Jesper and Anita into the NPAW team comes at a time of unprecedented growth and opportunity for our company," said NPAW CEO Ferran Gutierrez. "2017 is going to be a big year for NPAW, and these new additions will make it even bigger than expected".

The additional team members will be based at NPAW's New York Headquarters, located at 79 Madison Avenue, in the "NOMAD" section of Manhattan. Meet them at NAB (SU7821).

About NPAW

NPAW is a Big Data and Business Intelligence company helping online video services globally in making data-driven decisions. NPAW has been in the online video business since 2008, and today we are one of the foremost players on the world stage in this domain.

Our award-winning solution, YOUBORA by NPAW, is the most advanced and holistic video analytics BI platform helping top-tier broadcasters, OTTs, telcos, and media companies gain a better understanding of how their audience behaves and how their platform performs in real time. YOUBORA provides descriptive and predictive insights to help customers reduce churn and proactively manage users, increase ad and content efficiency, and overcome operational and technical challenges.

For media inquiries contact:

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[email protected]

+34-931-222-111



SOURCE NPAW (Nice People At Work)
SAN FRANCISCO, April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Doximity, the leading social network for physician and advanced practice clinicians, today released its first annual Doximity Physician Compensation Report. This is the most comprehensive research undertaken to date on physician pay in the United States, and it found significant variations in average compensation, across 48 specialties, major cities, and gender. The report examined national, as well as local market trends across U.S. metropolitan statistical areas  a first in medical labor market analysis.

"As the largest medical social network, Doximity has unmatched insight into many of the important issues that impact the medical community. Considering that the cost of a medical education can be upwards of $250,000, sharing detailed data on compensation can be particularly helpful. Moreover, the trends identified in this report can provide all stakeholders a view into those areas of the medical labor market that require more attention," said Nate Gross, MD, co-founder of Doximity.

Doximity's physician compensation report is based on 36,000 verified physician respondents. It includes only licensed physicians in the U.S. who practice at least 40 hours a week. Key findings include:

Average Compensation for All Combined Specialties

Interestingly, rural and lower cost cities tended to have higher physician compensation than higher cost areas, such as New York , San Francisco , and Chicago .

, , and . The top five metro areas in which physicians are paid the highest average annual salary are: Charlotte, N.C. ($359,455) ; Bridgeport, Conn. ($353,925) ; Phoenix, Ariz. ($351,677) ; Milwaukee, Wis. ($345,831) ; and Houston, Texas ($345,079) .

; ; ; ; and . The bottom five metro areas in which physicians are paid the lowest average annual salary are: Durham, N.C. ($267,598) ; Ann Arbor, Mich. ($272,398) ; Baltimore, Md. ($281,005) ; Charleston, S.C. ($285,933) ; and Washington, D.C. ($286,242) .

Family Doctors / Primary Care Physicians

Primary care doctors represent the backbone of clinical care in the country, and location is a key determinant of their compensation.

The top five metro areas with the overall highest compensation for primary care providers includes: Charlotte, N.C. ($285,109) ; Bridgeport, Conn. ($279,138) ; Minneapolis, Minn. ($272,610) ; Indianapolis, Ind. ($270,468) ; and Phoenix, Ariz. ($268,869) .

Gender Gap in Physician Compensation

Nationally, the "gender gap" difference is stark. Female physicians on average earn 26.5 percent less, or in dollar terms, $91,284 less than their male counterparts. Moreover, there is no medical specialty identified in the study in which women earn more than men. As an example, female neurosurgeons were found earn over $90,000 less on average per year. Also, there is no place in the United States  state or top 50 metropolitan areas  where women out-earn men.

less than their male counterparts. Moreover, there is no medical specialty identified in the study in which women earn more than men. As an example, female neurosurgeons were found earn over less on average per year. Also, there is no place in  state or top 50 metropolitan areas  where women out-earn men. The five largest gender wage gaps are found in: Charlotte, N.C. (33 percent less or $125,035 ); Durham, N.C. (31 percent less or $90,480 ); Orlando, Fla. (30 percent less or $107,942 ); Pittsburgh, Pa. (30 percent less or $100,956 ); and Bridgeport, Conn. (29 percent less or $110,582 ).

(33 percent less or ); (31 percent less or ); (30 percent less or ); (30 percent less or ); and (29 percent less or ). The specialties with the largest gender wage gap are: Vascular Surgery (20 percent less or $88,800 ); Occupational Medicine (20 percent less or $53,921 ); Pediatric Endocrinology (20 percent less or $41,467 ); Gastroenterology (19 percent less or $78,490 ); and Pediatric Rheumatology (19 less percent or $45,412 ).

); Occupational Medicine (20 percent less or ); Pediatric Endocrinology (20 percent less or ); Gastroenterology (19 percent less or ); and Pediatric Rheumatology (19 less percent or ). For female physicians, the metro areas in which female physicians are paid the highest average annual salary are: Minneapolis, Minn. ($290,747) ; Phoenix, Ariz. ($290,536) ; Milwaukee, Wis. ($287,950) ; Indianapolis, Ind. ($281,987) ; and Dallas, Texas ($278,825) .

; ; ; ; and . The metro areas in which female physicians are paid the lowest average annual salary are: Durham, N.C. ($205,635) ; Charleston, S.C. ($219,112) ; Ann Arbor, Mich. ($225,004) ; Baltimore, Md. ($226,048) ; and Washington, D.C. ($227,263) .

"No matter what happens with health care reform, physicians will remain at the core of our health system. Policymakers and industry leaders must clearly understand how the marketplaces vary for men and women across the country and among medical specialties," said Chris Whaley, PhD, lead author and adjunct assistant professor at the University of California, Berkeley School of Public Health. "Disparities in compensation directly affect the distribution of physicians around the country, which can impact patient care directly."

Methodology

Doximity's study is drawn from self-reported compensation surveys of over 36,000 full-time, licensed U.S. physicians who practice at least 40 hours per week. The timeframe ranges from 2014-2017. Responses were mapped across metropolitan statistical areas, and the top 50 were ranked by the number of respondents in the data. For foreign-trained doctors, the subset includes U.S. citizens and nationals who have trained abroad. To control for differences in specialty, geography, and other provider-specific factors that might influence spending, we estimated a multivariate regression with fixed effects for provider specialty and MSA. We also controlled for how long each provider has practiced medicine and their self-reported average hours worked per week. This regression was estimated using a generalized linear model with a log link and gamma distribution. For the geographic and specialty rankings, we used the predicted values from this regression. For the national numbers on the gap between average gender pay and average pay location of where trained, percentage changes were converted to dollar values by taking marginal effects.

Doximity Media Contact:

Jim Rivas

[email protected]

415-515-8780

About Doximity

Founded in 2011, Doximity connects physicians and advanced practice clinicians to make them more successful and productive. Doximity is the largest secure medical network with over 70 percent of all U.S. physicians as members, enabling collaboration across specialties and every major medical center. Doximity is based in San Francisco and was created by the founders of Epocrates and Rock Health. To learn more, visit www.doximity.com.

SOURCE Doximity

Related Links

http://www.doximity.com


MOBILE, Ala., April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Nfina Technologies Inc., a manufacturer of highly reliable servers and storage devices, announces that the Nfina 602 JBOD has been certified for Microsoft Windows Server 2012 R2, x64, under category: device, Product type: Storage Spaces Enclosure. Windows users that deploy Storage Spaces now have a choice of certified servers with an industry leading five-year warranty.

This certification assures Microsoft Windows 2012 users that the 602 JBOD seamlessly integrates with Storage Spaces. This Nfina JBOD, utilizing only best in class components, has 12GB/s SAS connectivity, dual redundant power supplies, and dual SAS ports. It can be configured with combinations of up to twelve HDDs and SSDs, allowing users to take full advantage of the Storage Spaces capabilities, including the creation of a private cloud with data pools, storage tiering, mirroring, parity, and thin or thick provisioning. Storage Spaces has the ability to optimize data storage, moving more frequently used blocks of data to faster storage media such as solid-state drives. The configuration flexibility of Nfina's storage devices allows users to take full advantage of this feature to easily create a high-performance, high capacity storage system.

Nfina storage devices combine a remarkably low cost of acquisition and an industry leading five-year standard warranty, creating a new standard of value for Windows Server 2012 users. The 602 JBOD is an extremely economical way to deploy the hardware necessary to take advantage of the capabilities of Windows Storage Spaces. With the certification of the 602 JBOD, the entire line of Nfina Storage products are now certified Storage Spaces Enclosures, ranging from this basic JBOD to a robust NAS or SAN solution. Please visit Nfina's website to learn more at https://www.nfinausa.com/

"Microsoft has created a remarkably easy way to deploy an extremely powerful storage platform," said Warren Nicholson, CEO of Nfina Technologies. "In order to realize its potential and assure high-availability, hardware must be as remarkable as the software. That's where Nfina comes in. All of our storage products, from an economical JBOD to our high-performance NAS and SAN products are certified Microsoft Storage Spaces Enclosures. The legendary reliability of Nfina products along with our five-year warranty adds to the value that Storage Spaces offers. Remarkably good software deserves remarkably good hardware  Nfina storage servers."

Nfina Technologies, Inc. develops, manufactures, and markets highly reliable server and storage products: designed to provide the highest value proposition in the most demanding mission critical data center and enterprise IT environments. Our customers are Engineering and Information Technology professionals who require products designed and manufactured to the highest standards in the industry.

Media Contact: Julie Norman 251.243.0043

SOURCE Nfina Technologies, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.nfinausa.com


"Marta has made significant contributions to NS over the course of her career, most recently as one of the architects of our strategic plan," said James A. Squires, Norfolk Southern chairman, president and CEO. "Her intimate knowledge of the railroad business, engagement with stakeholders inside and outside the company, and relentless focus on driving shareholder value has positioned NS for continued success. On behalf of the board and management team, I thank Marta for her service and wish her the best in retirement. We look forward to Marta's continued leadership as we conduct our CFO search and execute an orderly transition to her successor."

"I am very proud of the company's accomplishments during my tenure and the progress we have made in implementing our strategic plan," said Stewart. "I will miss working with a great leadership team and talented employees, and am confident NS is on track to achieve its objectives as it becomes an even stronger, more profitable railroad."

Since joining NS in 1983 as an accountant, Stewart has been instrumental in developing the company's accounting systems and controls. Prior to Stewart's appointment as executive vice president and chief financial officer in 2013, she assumed roles of increasing responsibility in finance and served as vice president accounting and controller, and vice president finance and treasurer. Stewart has been a key strategic advisor to the NS CEO, agent for change throughout the company, and advocate for NS shareholders.

About Norfolk Southern

Norfolk Southern Corporation (NYSE: NSC) is one of the nation's premier transportation companies. Its Norfolk Southern Railway Company subsidiary operates approximately 19,500 route miles in 22 states and the District of Columbia, serves every major container port in the eastern United States, and provides efficient connections to other rail carriers. Norfolk Southern operates the most extensive intermodal network in the East and is a major transporter of coal, automotive, and industrial products.

SOURCE Norfolk Southern Corporation

Related Links

http://www.nscorp.com


LONDON, April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Biostimulants are Positioned to Experience the Fastest Growth



The North American agricultural biologicals market has witnessed double-digit growth from 2012 to 2016 and will observe only slower growth from 2017 to 2022. Consisting of the biofertilizer, biostimulant, and biopesticide market segments, key growth factors driving the agricultural biologicals market include increasing environmental awareness and the desire among food consumers and retailers for crops that use minimal synthetic crop chemicals.

Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/4847377/



Market growth is restrained by consumer skepticism of product efficacy claims, limited and low product awareness among growers, the price sensitivity of said growers, and a decrease in addressable farm acreage in North America.



Biostimulants and biofungicides are expected to witness double-digit growth in the future, compared to the other segments. Technological innovations by manufactures have included the growing use of microbial-derived ingredients and the increasing inclusion of agricultural biologicals in the form of seed inoculants and bundle packaging.



This study provides a detailed insight into the North American agricultural biologicals market by discussing drivers and restraints; the competitive landscape; and key market, company, and technology trends.

Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/4847377/



About Reportbuyer

Reportbuyer is a leading industry intelligence solution that provides all market research reports from top publishers

http://www.reportbuyer.com



For more information:

Sarah Smith

Research Advisor at Reportbuyer.com

Email: [email protected]

Tel: +44 208 816 85 48

Website: www.reportbuyer.com

SOURCE ReportBuyer

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DALLAS, April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- North Avenue Capital (NAC), a specialized commercial lender, announced today a $1.84 million loan for JPN Ventures & JPN Realty, co-borrowers based in rural Minnesota. Sr. Loan Architect, Clint Justice, led NAC's lending activities. According to Justice, "NAC is excited to serve JPN Ventures & JPN Realty in providing the debt-financing needed to launch their real estate and automotive export businesses. With this loan in place, JPN's founder is on his way to realizing the American Dream all the while creating jobs and economic opportunity in his community." NAC originated, underwrote, and funded the loan through the USDA Rural Development Business & Industry program.

Martin Elute-Penda was born in Cameroon, immigrated to the United States in 2000, and has studied at Oxford University and Southern Illinois University. Having worked as a consultant with Arthur Anderson and Ernst & Young and as a risk management executive at Wells Fargo and BMO Financial, Elute-Penda set out to create his own company, culminating in the formation of JPN Ventures ("JPNV") in 2015. Headquartered in Lake City, MN, JPNV exports used luxury vehicles and operates full-service auto dealerships in nations that are part of the Economic Communities of Central and West African States. JPN Realty ("JPNR") manages multiple commercial real estate assets in rural Minnesota, leased to long-standing tenants, including Edward Jones and WS Packaging. Elute-Penda commented, "I have been blessed on the journey to where I am now. With years of hard work behind and ahead, NAC and the USDA have given me the opportunity to pursue my goal of owning a business that contributes to people's quality of life here in America and abroad."

NAC Chief Executive, Ben Chatraw, commented, "Martin is a true success story, creating value for his family, America, and West Africa through JPN. He and his wife are wonderful examples of the opportunities afforded to hard-working, passionate people. JPN is writing a compelling story and NAC is proud to be involved, and proud to help generate meaningful growth where it's needed most, in rural America."

About North Avenue Capital

North Avenue Capital, ranked as the 6th largest USDA Rural Development lender in the country, is a specialized commercial lender exclusively originating, underwriting, and funding USDA RD loans nationwide. Using its expertise, capital, and relationships, NAC is committed to building businesses, growing economies, and creating jobs in rural America. Visit the website at www.northavenuecap.com.

About JPN Ventures, Inc. & JPN Realty, LLC

JPN Ventures, Inc. is an operating company that purchases used-luxury vehicles in the U.S. and exports them to West African markets for sale. JPN Realty, LLC is a real estate holding company owning U.S. real estate assets leased to among others, Edward Jones, WS Packaging, and JPN Ventures. Both entities are wholly-owned by Martin Elute-Penda.

Contact: Joseph Rowell

Office: 904-562-2617

Cell: 404-822-7761

[email protected]

SOURCE North Avenue Capital

Related Links

http://www.northavenuecap.com


HUNTINGTON, Ind., April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Northeast Indiana Bancorp, Inc., (OTCQB: NIDB), the parent company of First Federal Savings Bank, has announced that the Corporation will pay a cash dividend of $0.22 per common share. The dividend will be payable on May 23, 2017 to shareholders of record on May 9, 2017.

Northeast Indiana Bancorp, Inc. held its twenty-second annual shareholders' meeting April 25, 2017. The shareholders selected J. David Carnes and William A. Zimmer as directors of the company for terms to expire in 2020.

The book value of NIDB's stock was $28.34 per common share as of March 31, 2017. The last reported trade of stock at the close of business on April 24, 2017 was $35.00 per common share and the number of outstanding shares was 1,214,879 as of the same date. The annualized dividend yield is currently 2.5% when annualizing the current quarter cash dividend of $0.22 per common share against the April 24, 2017 closing price of $35.00 per common share.

Northeast Indiana Bancorp, Inc. is headquartered at 648 N. Jefferson Street, Huntington, Indiana. The company offers a full array of banking and financial brokerage services to its customers through its main office in Huntington and five full-service Indiana offices in Huntington (2), Warsaw and Fort Wayne (2). The Company is traded on the OTC Markets Group, Inc. (www.otcmarkets.com) utilizing the OTCQB platform under the symbol "NIDB". Our web site address is www.firstfedindiana.bank.

SOURCE Northeast Indiana Bancorp, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.firstfedindiana.bank


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MINNETONKA, Minn., April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Northern Oil and Gas, Inc. (NYSE MKT: NOG) ("Northern") announced today that it expects to release first quarter 2017 financial and operating results on Monday, May 8, 2017 before market open.

Additionally, the company plans to host a conference call on Monday, May 8, 2017 at 10:00 AM Central Time.

Those wishing to listen to the conference call may do so via the company's website www.northernoil.com or by phone.

Conference Call and Webcast Details:

Date: Monday, May 8, 2017

Time: 10:00 AM Central Time

Dial-In: (855) 638-5677

International Dial-In: (262) 912-4762

Conference ID: 14741485

Webcast: www.northernoil.com



Replay Information:

A replay of the conference call will be available through May 15, 2017 by dialing:

Dial-In: (855) 859-2056

International Dial-In: (404) 537-3406

Conference ID: 14741485



ABOUT NORTHERN OIL AND GAS

Northern Oil and Gas, Inc. is an exploration and production company with a core area of focus in the Williston Basin Bakken and Three Forks play in North Dakota and Montana. More information about Northern Oil and Gas, Inc. can be found at www.NorthernOil.com.

INVESTOR RELATIONS CONTACT



Brandon Elliott, CFA

EVP, Corporate Development and Strategy

952-476-9800

[email protected]

SOURCE Northern Oil and Gas, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.NorthernOil.com


KANSAS CITY, Kan., April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- A federal judge in Kansas has appointed Dallas lawyer Warren T. Burns and two other attorneys to lead a nationwide class action against Mylan NV and other defendants over pricing practices involving the EpiPen allergy treatment. Burns is a partner at Burns Charest LLP, a litigation boutique with offices in Dallas and New Orleans.

Mylan, the U.S. distributor of EpiPens, sparked outrage after raising the price of its life-saving product from $100 in 2008 to more than $600 by 2016. EpiPens offer a life-saving dose of epinephrine (adrenaline) to children and adults suffering acute allergic reactions. Congress and federal agencies have since opened investigations into EpiPen pricing.

"This suit is about taking a stand for Americans who suffer life-threatening conditions," Burns said. "We intend to send a message to Mylan and other companies that preying on the weak and the sick is no longer an accepted method of padding their bottom line."

According to the complaint filed in U.S. District Court before Senior Judge John W. Lungstrum, Mylan coerced consumers into buying EpiPen two-packs at exaggerated prices. Mylan also used patent lawsuits and administrative actions to delay the entry of competitors that might have undercut its prices. The plaintiffs claim those actions violate state antitrust and consumer protection laws, as well as the federal RICO racketeering statute.

Joining Burns as co-lead counsel for the plaintiffs' committee are Lynn Sarko of Seattle's Keller Rohrback L.L.P. and Rex A. Sharp of Rex A. Sharp, P.A., in Prairie Village, Kansas.

"What we are seeing is a fraudulent scheme designed to maintain high corporate profits," Burns said. "At the same time it was raking in cash, Mylan was forcing American children and adults to choose between purchasing an overpriced drug or risking death. This just can't be how business is conducted in America."

Mylan and other defendants have filed a motion to dismiss the plaintiffs' suit. Burns expects the court to decide that motion by July, potentially leading to discovery this summer into Mylan's secret pricing practices and decisions.

"This is an important case for all Americans," Burns said. "This is a test case for whether Americans can put effective stops on runaway drug pricing."

The case is In re: Mylan EpiPen Litigation, 2:16-cv-02711-JWL-KGG, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas.

Burns Charest is a Dallas and New Orleans-based trial law firm with a national practice representing consumers and businesses. The firm represents clients in large, complex class actions; antitrust claims; oil and gas royalty disputes; environmental pollution cases; and asbestos exposure claims. To learn more, visit http://www.burnscharest.com

For more information contact Jason Sickles, 800-559-4534 or [email protected].

SOURCE Burns Charest LLP

Related Links

http://www.burnscharest.com


With the addition of Founds the Columbus Umbaugh office now has nine finance professionals. The office opened in May of 2015.

Umbaugh advises cities, towns, townships, counties, utilities, schools, libraries, hospitals and airports regarding financing, long-range planning, tax and utility rates, budgets, debt management, revenue forecasts, economic development and financial management.

Founds is a past member of boards of directors including the Government Finance Officers Association and the Ohio Association of School Business Officials. Founds has been professionally recognized receiving:

GFOA's Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in financial reporting and accounting

GFOA's popular Annual Financial Report award

The Auditor's Award, State of Ohio

Recipient of the Distinguished Service award - Ohio Association of School Business Officials

Founds is a registered municipal advisor and has served as a senior public finance investment banker for a regional broker dealer and a national banking corporation. He maintains securities licenses Series 7, 21, 50, 53, 66 and an Ohio school treasurer license.

Founds earned a Bachelor of Science in business administration with a finance concentration from The Ohio State University (1986.) He has two Masters Degrees  an MBA (2004,) and Education (1997) from Ashland University, Ashland, Ohio.

SOURCE Umbaugh
CALGARY, April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ - Oncolytics Biotech Inc. (TSX:ONC) (OTCQX:ONCYF) (Oncolytics or the Company), will participate in the Bloom Burton & Co. Healthcare Investor Conference in a session on Tuesday, May 2nd, 2017 at 1:30 pm ET. The conference takes place on May 1st & 2nd at the Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel, Lower Concourse Level.

A live audio link to the webcast session will be available at http://wsw.com/webcast/bloomburton2/oncyf and on the company's website at http://www.oncolyticsbiotech.com/investor-centre/presentations. It is recommended that listeners log on 10 minutes in advance of a live session to register and download any necessary software. An audio replay will be accessible approximately two hours following the presentation on the Oncolytics website.

Bloom Burton & Co. is hosting its sixth annual Healthcare Investor Conference where they will showcase approximately 60 of the premier Canadian healthcare companies to their network of investors from across Canada, the U.S. and Europe. The Conference will have networking sessions, keynote speeches and panel discussions with venture capital, public equity and strategic investors. The event attracts investors who are interested in the latest developments in Canadian healthcare companies. Investors will have the opportunity to obtain corporate updates from presenting companies and participate in a 1-on-1 meeting system with company management.

About Oncolytics Biotech Inc.

Oncolytics is a biotechnology company developing REOLYSIN, an immuno-oncology viral-agent, as a potential treatment for a variety of tumor types. The compound induces selective tumor lysis and promotes an inflamed tumor phenotype through innate and adaptive immune responses to treat a variety of cancers. Oncolytics' clinical development program emphasizes three pillars: chemotherapy combinations to trigger selective tumor lysis; immuno-therapy combinations to produce adaptive immune responses; and immune modulator (IMiD) combinations to facilitate innate immune responses. Oncolytics is currently planning its first registration study in breast cancer, as well as studies in combination with checkpoint inhibitors and IMID/targeted therapies in solid and hematological malignancies. For further information about Oncolytics, please visit: www.oncolyticsbiotech.com.

The session and webcast times are subject to change. This release and the presentation related thereto contain forward-looking statements which involve known and unknown risks, delays, uncertainties and other factors not under the Company's control and which may cause actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from the results, performance or expectations implied by these forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, among others, the efficacy of REOLYSIN as a cancer treatment, the success and timely completion of clinical studies and trials, uncertainties related to the research and development of pharmaceuticals and uncertainties related to the regulatory process. Investors should consult the Company's quarterly and annual filings with the Canadian and U.S. securities commissions for additional information on risks and uncertainties relating to the forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned against placing undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company does not undertake to update these forward-looking statements, except as required by applicable laws.

SOURCE Oncolytics Biotech Inc.

Related Links

www.oncolytics.ca


NEW YORK, April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Belgium will continue to be the largest exporter of organic fertilizers, with total exports totalling 1.15 million tonnes in 2015. Netherlands and the U.S. will be the other two key exporters. In terms of imports, France continues to be the largest market globally.

Global organic fertilizer demand was pegged at 17 million tonnes in 2016. In terms of value, the market was valued at US$ 5.57 billion. Persistence Market Research projects the market to grow at 7% CAGR through 2025 and reach US$ 10.23 billion.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161114/438683LOGO )



Key Drivers

Government initiatives and subsidies promoting the use of organic fertilizers. For instance, in the EU, government is promoting organic sector via conversion subsidies and large subsidies on agricultural inputs.

Rising awareness among consumers about organically produced food will continue to provide growth opportunities. From a US$ 15 billion market in 1999, the global organic food and drink market has grown to become a US$ 80 billion market in 2014.

market in 1999, the global organic food and drink market has grown to become a market in 2014. Organic fertilizers don't cause the same level of damage to the environment as conventional fertilizers. This is promoting their adoption among end-users.

While Persistence Market Research maintains a positive outlook on the global organic fertilizer market, premium prices for organic fertilizers are a key impediment to adoption.

View Report Summary and Research [email protected] http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/organic-fertilizer-market.asp

Organic Fertilizer Market Trends

Integrated nutrient supply system (INSS) is being adopted by farm owners, as the lower nutrient content alone is insufficient to supplement the demand for nutrients in plant growth.

Considering the fragmented nature of organic fertilizers market, leading players are focusing on strengthening their distribution partnerships in local markets.

Manufacturers in Europe are focusing on expanding their customer base in high-growth regions, including Latin America and North America .

are focusing on expanding their customer base in high-growth regions, including and . Non-profit organizations are playing a key role in promoting the use of organic fertilizers.

According to Persistence Market Research's analysis, demand for animal-based organic fertilizers is higher than plant-based variants. While 6.84 million tonnes of plant-origin organic fertilizers were sold in 2016, animal-origin organic fertilizer volume was pegged at 10.15 million tonnes.

Use of organic fertilizers remains highest in the farming of cereals and crops. This application segment accounted for over 70% revenue share of the market in 2016. By volume, demand from cereals and crops was estimated at 12.53 million tonnes in 2016.

Historically, solid organic fertilizers have remained sought-after, and the trend is expected to remain unchanged during the forecast period 2017-2025. While solid organic fertilizers are projected to grow at 6.2% CAGR, liquid organic fertilizers' growth rate is estimated to be 5.1%.

A sample of this report is available upon request @ http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/11950

Europe & Asia Pacific Collectively Account for over 60% Revenue Share

Europe is the largest market for organic fertilizers, followed by Asia Pacific. While Europe will continue to be the largest market for organic fertilizers, it will lose 2.3% revenue share to APAC during the forecast period. North America, the third largest market for organic fertilizers, is expected to account for 21.8% revenue share of the market by 2025-end.

View Report Table of Contents, Figures, and Tables

In its report, Persistence has profile key players in the organic fertilizers market, including Italpollina SpA, ILSA S.p.A, BioStar Renewables, Sustane Natural Fertilizer Inc., True Organic Products Inc., California Organic Fertilizers Inc., The Fertell Company, Purely Organics LLC, Pupuk Kaltim, and Qingdao Sonef Chemical Co., Ltd.

Organic Fertilizers Market Report 2017-2025 is available for $4900 (Single User License)

Persistence Market Research Overview

Persistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.

To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.



Contact

Persistence Market Research

U.S. Sales Office:

305 Broadway, 7th Floor

New York City, NY 10007

United States

USA - Canada Toll-Free: 800-961-0353

Email: [email protected]



Web: http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com

SOURCE Persistence Market Research Pvt. Ltd.
WALNUT CREEK, Calif., April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Owens Realty Mortgage, Inc. (NYSE MKT: ORM) announced today the Board of Directors set May 8, 2017 as the record date for the Company's 2017 Annual Meeting of Stockholders. The Annual Meeting of Stockholders will be held on Monday, June 19, 2017 at 10:00am Pacific Time at the company's headquarters located at 2221 Olympic Blvd., Walnut Creek, CA 94595.

About Owens Realty Mortgage, Inc.

Owens Realty Mortgage, Inc., a Maryland corporation, is a specialty finance mortgage company organized to qualify as a real estate investment trust ("REIT") that focuses on the origination, investment, and management of small balance and middle-market commercial real estate loans. We provide customized, short-term acquisition and transition capital to commercial real estate investors that require speed and flexibility. Our primary objective is to provide investors with attractive current income and long-term shareholder value. Owens Realty Mortgage, Inc., is headquartered in Walnut Creek, California, and is externally managed and advised by Owens Financial Group, Inc.

Additional information can be found on the Company's website at www.owensmortgage.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release includes "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements about Owens Realty Mortgage Inc.'s plans, strategies, and prospects are based on current information, estimates, and projections; they are subject to risks and uncertainties, as well as known and unknown risks, which could cause actual results to differ from expectations, estimates and projections and, consequently, readers should not rely on these forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. Words such as "expect," "target," "assume," "estimate," "project," "budget," "forecast," "anticipate," "intend," "plan," "may," "will," "could," "should," "believe," "predicts," "potential," "continue," and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements.

Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance upon any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. The Company does not undertake or accept any obligation to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statement to reflect any change in its expectations or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based. Additional information concerning these and other risk factors is contained in the Company's most recent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements concerning the Company or matters attributable to the Company or any person acting on its behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements above.

SOURCE Owens Realty Mortgage, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.owensmortgage.com


(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160303/792302 )

Browse 95 market data tables and 37 figures spread through 129 pages and in-depth TOC on "Peristaltic Pumps Market - Global Forecast to 2021"

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Low maintenance cost, seal-less design, and corrosion-resistant properties of peristaltic pumps are driving the growth of the market, globally.

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The peristaltic tube pump type segment is projected to lead the peristaltic pumps market

Peristaltic tube pumps are used for contamination-free pumping of shear sensitive fluids and viscous sludge or slurries. They are also utilized for dispensing, metering, and transfer of both, aggressive and neutral fluids. In peristaltic tubing pumps, the tube is the only material that is in contact with the fluid. The tube can be changed to avoid contamination, and the chemical compatibility of the pump can be tailored in accordance with the application for which these peristaltic tube pumps are used by changing the tubing material. Peristaltic tube pumps are widely utilized owing to low maintenance cost and hassle-free operations.

The pharmaceuticals industry accounted for the largest share of the peristaltic pumps market

The pharmaceuticals industry accounted for the largest share of the peristaltic pumps market, followed by the water & wastewater treatment and food & beverage industries. In the pharmaceuticals industry, peristaltic pumps are engaged in processing of botanical drugs & herbs, isolating active medicinal principles, and manufacturing pharmaceutical products intended for internal and external consumption in various forms. Highly precise and accurate peristaltic pumps are demanded by the pharmaceutical formulation industry for pellet and tablet coating.

The rising demand for peristaltic pumps from Asia-Pacific is expected to be a key factor driving the growth of the peristaltic pumps market in this region

The Asia-Pacific region is projected to be the leading market for peristaltic pumps. Among all countries in the Asia-Pacific region, China is expected to be the fastest-growing market for peristaltic pumps during the forecast period. India, Japan, and South Korea are major countries contributing to the growth of the Peristaltic Pumps Market in this region. The increasing demand for peristaltic pumps from varied end-use industries, such as pharmaceuticals, water & wastewater treatment, mining, and chemical processing is expected to drive the growth of the peristaltic pumps market in the Asia-Pacific region.

Make an Inquiry @ http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Enquiry_Before_Buying.asp?id=194304410

Key companies profiled in the peristaltic pumps market include Watson-Marlow Fluid Technology Group (U.K.), Verder Group (Netherland), ProMinent Dosiertechnik GmbH (Germany), Cole-Parmer Instrument Company, LLC (U.S.), Flowrox (Finland), Graco Inc. (U.S.), Wanner Engineering, Inc. (U.S.), IDEX Corporation (U.S.), and SEKO S.p.A. (Italy).

Browse Related Reports:

Water Treatment Chemicals Market by Type (Corrosion Inhibitors, Scale Inhibitors, Coagulants & Flocculants, Biocides & Disinfectants), by Application (Municipal Water Treatment, Power Generation, Chemical, Oil & Gas, Metal & Mining) - Global Forecast to 2020

http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/water-treatment-342.html

Metering Pumps Market by Type (Diaphragm, Piston/ Plunger), End-Use Industry (Water Treatment, Petrochemicals, Oil & Gas, Chemical Processing, Pharmaceuticals, Food & Beverages, Pulp & Paper), and Region - Global Forecast to 2021

http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/metering-pump-market-949.html

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MONTEREY, Calif., April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The AAA Four Diamond Portola Hotel & Spa, overlooking Monterey Bay and Fisherman's Wharf, announces the culmination of its $6 million dollar lobby renovation, and introduces a new lobby bar/restaurant, Jacks Monterey.

The new restaurant and lobby bar welcomes patrons for lunch and dinner in the redesigned atrium lobby. San Francisco-based Puccini Group designed the space with an eye for the inspirations and colors found across Northern California's Monterey Peninsula. Jacks Monterey evokes the spectacular scenery that has made this area a world-famous vacation destination: Modern furnishings reflecting the weathered woods of the nearby docks and canneries, the crisp blue tones of the Pacific Ocean, and the pink and sage flora that dots the coastline.

Chef Danny Abbruzzese's California Cultural Cuisine reflects the melting pot of ethnicities that is exemplified in both California and America. The result is a wide-ranging, palate-pleasing menu of different flavor profiles unique to cultures from around the world, all created with sustainably conscious ingredients found throughout Monterey County.

The lunch menu is moderately priced and features salads, sandwiches, pizzas and more, including a Strawberry Fields Forever salad created with locally grown strawberries, arugula, almonds, goat cheese fritter and aged balsamic.

The dinner menu includes solo plates and sharing plates to allow patrons to sample a variety of menu items and engage in a shared dining experience with family, friends or colleagues. Such sharing plates include Abbruzzese's Pajaro Pastures Goat Moussaka with herb bechamel sauce.

Jacks Monterey's bar menu offers numerous Monterey County wines served by the glass or full bottle. Jacks Monterey also offers wine on draft from 10SPAN Vineyards. Beer lovers can sample award-winning craft beer made onsite at the Portola's craft brewery, Peter B's Brewpub.

Jacks Monterey is open seven days a week, serving lighter fares at lunch from 11:30am to 4pm; sharing and solo plates at dinner from 4pm to 11pm.

Contact: Trisha Davis

Ballantines PR

P: 310.454.3080

E: [email protected]

Images Available

SOURCE Portola Hotel & Spa
NORTHBROOK, Ill., April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- After more than 100 years of operating as one of the leading manufacturers of crawler-cranes, Manitowoc Cranes will be moving its Wisconsin-based manufacturing to Shady Grove, Pennsylvania. The move will make for a more efficient manufacturing footprint, lower costs and increased profit margins for the company. The company will keep its corporate headquarters and the company's product engineering and related support functions in Manitowoc, WI.

PPL Group LLC, Myron Bowling Auctioneers and Cincinnati Industrial Auctioneers have formed a joint venture to conduct a Live/Webcast Auction for the manufacturing assets of The Manitowoc Company. PPL Group LLC, Myron Bowling and Cincinnati Industrial Auctioneers have worked together on multiple successful auctions for more than fifteen years, leveraging the unique experience of each firm.

"We're looking forward to a successful auction for Manitowoc Cranes. With more than 100 years of combined experience, we know what it will take to successfully bring together the right buyers with this premier company," said PPL Group's Executive Vice President and Partner Joel Bersh. "The simultaneous live and online auction format is increasingly effective in matching serious buyers with valuable assets."

The live and webcast auction will be conducted over two days, Thursday May 18th and Friday, May 19th, starting at 10am CDT each day. Included in the auction will be: COMBILIFT SC3T Telescopic Lift, MESSER CNC Burning Tables, CINCINNATI 175-Ton Press Brake, PANGBORN 12-Head Rotoblast, BCP 6-Head Plate Blast, BANCRAFT Welding Lathe, MONARCH Lathe, (2) BULLARD Turret Lathes, Gear Machinery, CNC Turning Centers, Welding Robots, Large Capacity Floor Type Boring Mills, Numerous Large Capacity Paint Booths and Ovens, BAUMANN GS150 Side Loader, (10+) Forklifts up to 12,000-lbs. and much more. A detailed catalog of equipment is available online at www.pplauctions.com. Bidders must register prior to or the day of the auction. Online bids will be taken through www.Bidspotter.com.

The company assets will be available for inspection one day prior to the auction at 2401 S. 30th Street, Manitowoc, WI 54220. The facility will be open from 9 am to 4 pm for inspection and review of equipment.

PPL Group LLC is a leader in the industrial liquidation and auction business for more than 40 years with a focus on complete plant liquidations and auctions. The company's vast experience and expertise allow it to provide the best possible financial recovery for its clients. In the past five years, PPL has successfully structured 300+ asset monetization transactions. The company provides asset management solutions for entire plants, production lines, single assets and companies. It also purchases distressed companies with the right mix of tangible assets, accounts receivable and inventory. Whether large or small, privately held or publicly traded - companies want a high recovery value, expertise, and professionalism in managing assets. PPL Group is a progressive distressed asset management company that does all of this and more.

Myron Bowling Auctioneers is considered to be one of the nation's largest and most successful industrial auctioneering firms, conducting approximately 80 auctions per year throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico, serving publicly-held companies, the United States Bankruptcy Court and other lending institutions and turnaround management companies. A founding member and former director of the Industrial Auctioneers Association, Myron Bowling is a member of the National Auctioneers Association, Machinery Dealers National Association, and the Certified Auctioneers Institute.

Cincinnati Industrial Auctioneers is a nationwide provider of asset disposition, auction and appraisal services. Over 40 years of history has afforded the company a reputation that is second to none in the industrial auction business, with thousands of satisfied clients and customers. Their name, as well as their management, has remained a constant over the years. Since their founding in 1961, Cincinnati Industrial has sold hundreds of millions of dollars in assets in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Manitowoc Company, Inc., founded in 1902, is a leading global manufacturer of cranes and lift solutions that serve a broad and diverse customer base around the world. Manitowoc's products include crawler cranes, tower cranes, and mobile cranes for the heavy construction industry, which are complemented by industry-leading aftermarket support services. Manitowoc serves various markets including infrastructure, residential and commercial construction, petrochemical, industrial, power/utility and military applications.

Media Contact: Tom Nicholson

212-203-2803 or [email protected]

SOURCE PPL Group LLC
ASHLAND Helicopter Day May 27, sponsored by Midwest Medical Transport, is an indoor and outdoor event held at the Strategic Air Command and Aerospace Museum in celebration of aviation careers and the history of helicopters.

Spectators will be able to watch in wonder as, Midwest Medical Transportation, Nebraska National Guard, law enforcement, commercial and private helicopters fly over the horizon and land right in front them. The helicopters begin their decent at 10am. The Nebraska National Guard will land first with a UH-72 Lakota, UH-60 Black Hawk, and CH-47 Chinook. After all helicopters land, spectators can visit with helicopter pilots, including medical and law officials, about their careers and get a firsthand view of each aircraft. Helicopter rides will be available through Galaxy Enterprises of Holdrege, Neb. on a firstcome- first-serve basis.

Activities will take place inside the museum from 10am to 2pm, including a drone workshop on flight and safety, free helicopter balloon sculptors, a make-and-take project, and hands-on activities offered by sponsors.

Outdoor festivities include:

 From 10 .to 11 am helicopters will make their landing.

 Helicopter rides, offered by Galaxy Enterprises, will begin at 11am and will operate until 4pm. Galaxy Enterprises will take reservations the day of the event on a first come basis for a charge.

Indoor festivities include:

 Drone workshop sponsored by Midwest Performance Flyers.

 Free balloon helicopter hat made by balloon artist.

 Midwest Medical Transportation will offer a family activity and the museum will offer a make-and-take activity.

 Theater shows are free and include Crazy Engineering: Mars Helicopter - presenting the challenges of helicopter motion on Mars, The Future Goes Vertical  presented by NASA on the future of rotorcraft.

 Admission applies to indoor activities - $12 adult; $6 youth over 4.

About the Strategic Air Command & Aerospace Museum  Located between Lincoln and Omaha near Interstate 80, utilizes over 300,000 square feet of exhibit, education, and event space. Organized in 1959, the original mission of the museum was to commemorate the contributions of the Strategic Air Command, which until 1992 was headquartered at Offutt Air Force Base. The museum moved to its current location in 1998 upon completion of a new indoor facility. The museum houses an impressive collection of military aircraft and space artifacts, many of which have been restored in the museums on-site restoration facility. To better serve the community, the museum offers STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education opportunities for students, teachers, families, and adult learners. Traveling exhibits, permanent exhibits, and a variety of special events provide additional unique experiences for the museums members and guests.
NEW YORK, April 26, 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

New Smoking Gun: Why Dr. Dao's Payout May Have Just Gotten Bigger

Trump's Tax Plan

Law Enforcement Agencies Need More Dedicated Funding

Teaching Children With Disabilities to Write

Personalized Learning: The Future of Education

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EXPERT ALERTS:

New Smoking Gun: Why Dr. Dao's Payout May Have Just Gotten Bigger

James Goodnow

Legal Commentator

Fennemore Craig, Phoenix

"Just when you thought it couldn't get any worse for United Airlines and the City of Chicago in the Dr. Dao case, it just did. How? Because evidence just surfaced that, before cellphone videos of the event became the subject of worldwide attention, the aviation police involved in the incident may have tried to cover it up. Legally, this is a smoking gun. The mistruths contained in the report will certainly inflame a jury. Prior to this statement being released, there was a possibility that a jury might have some sympathy for the innocent airport officers dropped into a situation where they didn't fully appreciate what was happening. But now, the officers' credibility seems to be blown."

ProfNet Profile: http://www.profnetconnect.com/james.goodnow

Bio: https://lambergoodnow.com/legalcommentator/

Contact: Terence J. Murnin, [email protected]





Trump's Tax Plan

Rebecca Kysar

Professor of Law

Brooklyn Law School

Kysar is available for comment on Trump's tax plan. Here is an excerpt from a January op-ed she wrote for Slate: " It is not realistic to expect the tax code to be set in stone. But the pillars of tax reform should be stable enough to form the basis of long-term investment and growth. Radical, partisan tax reform will prove short-lived and ineffective. Reform that gives the lion's share of its benefits to the wealthy and adds trillions to the debt runs the risk of exacerbating inequality within and between generations, perhaps alienating Trump voters who elevated him to the White House based on his populist rhetoric."

Kysar teaches and researches in the areas of federal income tax, international tax, and the federal budget and tax legislative processes. Her recent scholarship examines tax treaties, as well as the tax legislative process. Her articles have appeared in the Cornell Law Review, the Iowa Law Review, the Notre Dame Law Review, the University of Pennsylvania Law Review, the Washington University Law Review, and the Yale Journal of International Law, among others.

Bio: https://www.brooklaw.edu/faculty/directory/facultymember/biography?id=rebecca.kysar

Contact: John Mackin, [email protected]





Law Enforcement Agencies Need More Dedicated Funding

Dr. Walter E. Stroupe

Chair & Graduate Coordinator, Criminal Justice Department

West Virginia State University

"Lost in our national conversation over policing is that America's social services are coming under an enormous amount of stress. We are seeing increased burnout and retirements across the spectrum, from child protective service workers and teachers to emergency responders, and it has been up to law enforcement to pick up the slack without increased budgets and staff. These new roles in policing are leading to departments stretched thin, funding shortages, and an overall inability to improve services. What law enforcement agencies across the country need now are more dedicated funds so that they can effectively adjust to new responsibilities, recruit better officers, and implement long-term strategies for their communities."

Dr. Stroupe is a professor criminal justice with more than 20 years of law enforcement experience, including as a state field trooper, first lieutenant, and retiring as the assistant director of Training at the West Virginia State Police Academy. He is currently the director of graduate studies for the Criminal Justice Administration at West Virginia State University and is chair of the university's Criminal Justice Department. Dr. Stroupe has been involved in developing and instructing criminal justice curriculum, including classes in race and gendered issues, domestic terrorism, sex crimes, and community-oriented policing. Dr. Stroupe is highly knowledgeable of the current challenges and controversies surrounding law enforcement departments and is passionate about issues related to officer shortage, inadequate agency budgets, and public policy impacting state and local police departments. He is the first officer in the history of the West Virginia State Police to receive an academic doctorate degree while serving as an active member.

Contact: Michael Timberlake, [email protected]





Teaching Children With Disabilities to Write

Janet Sturm

Speech-Language Pathology Professor

Central Michigan University

Sturm can discuss the challenges and supports needed to help children who have intellectual, physical and sensory disabilities learn to write: "For some students, it's just learning to touch a pencil to a page and knowing that authors leave marks on a page. Other students are writing their words in sentences. For students with severe limitations, it's about us attempting to read their cues and find out what they are communicating and to continue to expose them to things to see if we can get some type of intentional response."

Based in Mount Pleasant, Mich., Sturm is the creator of the First Author Writing Curriculum and Software.

Contact: Rachel Esterline Perkins, [email protected]





Personalized Learning: The Future of Education

Dr. Mickey Blackwell

Assistant Professor and Graduate Program Coordinator, Department of Education

West Virginia State University

"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 that 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 is an assistant professor of education with nearly 30 years of experience in teaching and school administration, including being a superintendent and principal at multiple schools. Currently 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 trainings, as well as serving as the primary spokesperson to local and statewide media. Dr. Blackwell is highly involved on the cutting edge of personalized education initiatives, including advancements in the use of technology and student data in the classroom, as well as public policy impacting state public school educators and school administrators. In addition, Dr. Blackwell is passionate about issues relating to shortages in teacher and school administrator staffing, and speaks regularly about the need for fair and appropriate overall school assessments. Dr. Blackwell coordinates the graduate program in Leadership Studies for the Education Department at West Virginia State University.

Contact: Michael Timberlake, [email protected]





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HOW THE AP FIGHTS FAKE NEWS. Information is everywhere. How is the average news consumer supposed to separate fact from fiction? That's where the Associated Press steps in. The AP has been a paragon of neutrality and fact-based content for 171 years, but only recently has it gotten attention specifically for the work it is doing to rid the world of misinformation, one piece of news at a time. What started as a fact-checking mission to validate information presented by newsmakers has migrated into an organization-wide effort to verify reported or shared news stories that appear to have bad information: http://prn.to/2pldN8B

BEHIND THE HEADLINES, WITH TIM RACE. Over the past 27 years, Tim Race became a veteran at the New York Times , serving in a variety of roles, including energy, autos and transportation editor. A few months ago, Race made the jump from journalism to a career in PR. This week, we sat down with Race to discuss his transition to PR, using the full array of purchased, earned, sponsored and owned media platforms to help clients tell stories, and building your personal brand to work your way up: http://cisn.co/2pl6dee

became a veteran at the , serving in a variety of roles, including energy, autos and transportation editor. A few months ago, Race made the jump from journalism to a career in PR. This week, we sat down with Race to discuss his transition to PR, using the full array of purchased, earned, sponsored and owned media platforms to help clients tell stories, and building your personal brand to work your way up: http://cisn.co/2pl6dee 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/2pyYMRE

PROFNET is an exclusive service of PR Newswire.

To contact ProfNet: [email protected] or 800-776-3638, ext. 1

SOURCE ProfNet

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MIAMI, April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Radioee.net -- a nomadic, multilingual, online radio station exploring mobility themes-- will host a live broadcast event this weekend exploring rising tides and the effects of sea level rise from a boat traveling the Miami waters.

This episode, entitled AGUAS ALTAS, will be transmitted via internet from a boat navigating the Miami River and South Florida bays and canals. The floating station will dock at ports, islands, keys, and sites of infrastructure and exchange. The broadcast will consider the impending impacts of sea level rise: How will ecological, economic, and infrastructural systems fare as climate effects sink in? What are the destinies of cities and species as the seas overtake the shores?

AGUAS ALTAS will feature live interviews with sea level rise experts and informants, sound samples and clips from Miami archives on development and water planning, and new tracks by local musicians. Topics include sewage infrastructure, Turkey Point Nuclear Power Plant, the utopian communities of Islandia and Stiltsville, the People's Climate March, urban depopulation, climate science, and ocean biology. This radioee.net broadcast will be in English and Spanish, and, as always, will focus on language integration and wordplay.

Radioee.net hosts nomadic, multi-lingual, online radio broadcast events on themes of mobility: transportation, migration and climate transformation. Each broadcast event is conducted in at least two languages and is often transmitted while on the move. Radioee.net is a collaborative project by Argentinian artist Agustina Woodgate, designer Sebastian Bellver, and collaborator Hernan Woodgate, and curator Stephanie Sherman. 3000+ listeners typically tune in for radioee.net broadcast events. Radioee.net podcasts will be launched in Fall 2017.

Listen Live online Saturday + Sunday April 29 + 30 2017, 12-8PM EST @ radioee.net.

Radioee.net: AGUAS ALTAS is produced in partnership with Miami-Dade Art in Public Places and University of Miami with support from the Knight Foundation.

#radioee #aguasaltas #risingtides

SOURCE Radioee.net
FALLS CHURCH, Va., April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Remine has hired three Real Estate Technology veterans; Lucie Fortier and Bill Weis formerly of Corelogic and Joel Shears from Lone Wolf.

Lucie Fortier will serve as Remine's VP of Product to oversee product development and MLS implementations. Bill Weis was hired as Director of Data Acquisitions. Joel Shears is Director of Industry Relations.

Fortier joins Remine from Corelogic, where she was Senior Director of Operations for Real Estate Solutions, including Matrix and Realist, which is in use by more than 700,000 Realtors today.

"MLS executives across North America have a deep respect for Lucie because she can take complex situations and deliver results. She's got the track record to deliver the Remine platform to more than one million Realtors," said Remine CEO Leo Pareja.

Weis began his career in the data acquisition business more than 20 years ago at First American, before it became Corelogic. "His relationships are extensive as he was one of the first architects of creating a public record acquisition system," says Jonathan Spinetto, COO of Remine. "Bill will help us continue to build out our impressive data assets."

Shears initially became involved in the real estate industry with the original wireless MLS portals for mobile which later turned into some of the apps we see today. Over the past 12 years, Joel oversaw an MLS platform that was in wide use in the Canadian markets, and is deeply connected in the MLS, Association and Brokerage space, both in Canada and the US.

"On the heels of our unprecedented success in the MLS industry, we knew we needed a team of pros that can deliver results, and who have the credibility amongst MLS and Broker executives," said Mark Schacknies, CFO of Remine.

About Remine

Remine delivers real estate intelligence to MLSs, Brokers/Teams and Realtors. We analyze property records, transactional history, consumer data and deliver results on an intuitive user interface. Visit Remine.com or call 855-217-0171.

SOURCE Remine

Related Links

http://Remine.com


RENO, Nev., April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Chef Clint Jolly is pleased to announce his marketing partnership with Rancho Llano Seco, a family farm in Chico, California. Jolly will be working with the farm to increase their awareness in the chef community while featuring Rancho Llano Seco pork products at his various events.

The Rancho has been farming and ranching in Northern California since 1860 and is one of the last Mexican land grant properties that remains intact. Rancho Llano Seco is known for balancing agriculture, live stock husbandry and conservation.

Chef Clint Jolly

"Knowing where the food I cook with comes from is very important to me," said Jolly. "And there's no better place to get your food than from somewhere like Rancho Llano Seco, where every aspect of the cow, pig or even bean is grown with care."

"We are so excited to be working with Chef Jolly as he helps us increase our visibility in the West," said Charlie Thieriot of Rancho Llano Seco. "Clint is such a great steward of the nose to tail practice of working with hogs and we are looking forward to new and exciting preparations from him. Clint's butchering background will be a plus as he helps us speak to other chefs about RLS hogs."

About Chef Clint Jolly

Born and raised in the family butcher shop, Clint Jolly has a life-long respect for food and where it comes from. With a taste for adventure, Chef Clint travels the globe learning the stories behind why we eat like we do and serves them up in imaginative narratives for the palate. His culinary stories have established Clint as an up and coming national treasure, earning a Best Chefs America designation, champion of Food Network's Chopped: Impossible Restaurant Challenge and finalist in New Orleans' Chefs Taste Challenge. A dedicated mentor to culinary students, Chef Clint is blazing the trail for future epicurean artists. www.clintjolly.com

Media contact:

Ira M. Gostin

120 West Strategic Communications

[email protected]

775-525-9371

This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. For more info visit: http://www.newswire.com

SOURCE Chef Clint Jolly

Related Links

http://www.clintjolly.com


Richard B. (Randy) Anderson, Jr. President and Chief Executive Officer said, "Robin is a wonderful addition to the NCB Team and brings strong retail banking and marketing skills to our efforts to enhance our brand and banking experience."

A longtime resident of Northern Virginia, Robertson is involved in the Arlington and Alexandria communities. She holds a B.A. in Business Management from Lynchburg College, and is a graduate of Leadership Arlington, Class of 2001 and member of the Board of Regents for The Leadership Center for Excellence and a graduate of the Virginia Bankers Association School of Bank Management.

The National Capital Bank of Washington was founded in 1889 and is Washington's Oldest Bank. NCB is headquartered on Capitol Hill with a second branch located in Friendship Heights, as well as a residential mortgage office and a wealth management services office. The Bank trades under the symbol NACB. For more information about NCB, visit www.nationalcapitalbank.com

SOURCE The National Capital Bank of Washington

Related Links

http://www.nationalcapitalbank.com


DALLAS, April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Santander Consumer USA Holdings Inc. (NYSE: SC) ("SC") today announced net income for the first quarter of 2017 of $143 million, or $0.40 per diluted common share.

First Quarter 2017 Key Highlights (variances compared to first quarter of 2016):

Total auto originations of $5.4 billion , down 21%

, down 21% Core retail auto originations of $2.2 billion , down 16%

, down 16%

Total Chrysler Capital originations of $3.2 billion , down 23%

, down 23% Net finance and other interest income of $1.1 billion , down 8%

, down 8% Net leased vehicle income of $128 million , up 18%

, up 18% Return on average assets of 1.5%

Average managed assets of $51.2 billion , down 3%

, down 3% Common equity tier 1 (CET1) ratio of 13.8%, up 170 bps

Executed Banco Santander flow agreement - $700 million inaugural transaction

inaugural transaction Issued $3.1 billion in securitizations

in securitizations 49 ABS tranches upgraded, positively impacting more than $4.2 billion in securities

"We are pleased to report solid financials in the first quarter of 2017 as we remain disciplined in our approach to credit in a competitive environment, focusing on maximizing originations with appropriate risk-adjusted returns across the full credit spectrum. This strategy, in addition to our focus on compliance and our commitment to our customers has delivered value to all our stakeholders through cycles," said Jason Kulas, President and Chief Executive Officer.

Mr. Kulas continued, "At the end of the first quarter of 2017 we executed an agreement to flow prime retail loans to Banco Santander and closed the inaugural transaction. We expect this strategy to further strengthen our relationship with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) and positively influence Chrysler Capital by providing a stable framework for originations."

Finance receivables, loans and leases, net1 of $34.2 billion as of March 31, 2017 were flat versus December 31, 2016. Net finance and other interest income decreased 8 percent to $1.1 billion in the first quarter of 2017 from $1.2 billion in the first quarter of 2016, primarily driven by a shift in credit mix as a result of disciplined underwriting standards, and higher cost of funds, which was driven by an increase in benchmark rates.

SC's average annual percentage rate (APR) as of the end of the first quarter of 2017 for retail installment contracts (RICs) held for investment was 16.5 percent, down from 16.7 percent as of the end of the first quarter of 2016. These APRs are consistent with credit trends in our held for investment portfolio. As of the end of the first quarter of 2017, RICs with FICO scores less than 540 decreased to 22.3 percent, from 23.2 percent as of the end of the first quarter of 2016. In addition, RICs with FICO scores greater than 640 increased to 13.8 percent, from 11.9 percent.

Net leased vehicle income increased 18.1 percent to $128 million in the first quarter of 2017 from $108 million in the first quarter of 2016 as a result of the continued growth of our leasing portfolio.

The allowance ratio2 increased 10 basis points, to 12.7 percent as of March 31, 2017, from 12.6 percent as of December 31, 2016, primarily driven by the increased balance of loans classified as troubled debt restructurings (TDRs). A TDR is an accounting classification for assets that meet certain loan modification or extension criteria. Loan modifications and extensions are utilized to offer assistance to some customers experiencing temporary financial hardship. Under GAAP, the allowance for assets classified as TDRs takes into consideration expected lifetime losses and assets classified as TDRs will not be reclassified to non-TDR regardless of subsequent performance.

SC's RIC net charge-off and delinquency ratio3 increased to 8.8 percent and 3.9 percent, respectively, for the first quarter of 2017 from 7.6 percent and 3.1 percent, respectively, for the first quarter of 2016. The increases in the net charge-off and delinquency ratios, and in TDR balances, were driven by the aging of the more nonprime 2015 vintage, and slower portfolio growth since the prior year first quarter.

Provision for credit losses decreased to $635 million in the first quarter of 2017, from $660 million in the first quarter of 2016, driven primarily by lower allowance for credit loss build. This was partially offset by higher net credit losses incurred during the quarter.

In the first quarter of 2017, SC recorded net investment losses of $76 million, compared to net investment losses of $69 million in the first quarter of 2016. The current period losses were primarily driven by $65 million of lower of cost or market adjustments related to the held for sale personal lending portfolio, including $111 million in customer default activity and a $46 million decrease in market discount consistent with typical seasonal patterns. Excluding the impact of personal lending, net investment losses totaled $12 million.

"During the quarter we demonstrated strong access to liquidity, executing more than $7.4 billion in new initiatives including $3.1 billion in securitizations from our SDART and DRIVE platforms and $700 million in prime loan sales to Banco Santander," said Izzy Dawood, Chief Financial Officer.

Mr. Dawood continued, "As portfolio growth moderates, we remain fully committed to managing our expenses and maintaining top-tier efficiency relative to peers."

During the first quarter of 2017, SC incurred $305 million of operating expenses, up 5 percent from $291 million in the first quarter of 2016. The increase was driven by continued investment in compliance and control functions and severance expense related to efficiency efforts. SC's expense ratio for the quarter increased to 2.4 percent, up from 2.2 percent during the same period last year.

In line with SC's strategy to leverage its scalable servicing platform and increase servicing fee income, SC executed asset sales of $931 million during the first quarter of 2017 through the new agreement with Banco Santander and existing loan sale programs, under which it retains servicing. The serviced for others portfolio of $11 billion as of March 31, 2017, is down 23 percent from March 31, 2016, driven by lower prime originations and lower prime asset sales, and down 8 percent from December 31, 2016. Servicing fee income decreased 29 percent to $32 million in the first quarter of 2017, from $44 million in the first quarter of 2016.

1 Includes Finance receivables held for investment, Finance receivables held for sale and Leased vehicles

2 Excludes end of period balances on purchased receivables portfolio of $211 million and finance receivables held for sale of $1.9 billion

3 Net charge-off ratio stated on a recorded investment basis which is unpaid principal balance adjusted for unaccreted net discounts, subvention and origination costs

Conference Call Information

SC management will host a conference call and webcast to discuss the first quarter results and other general matters at 9 a.m. Eastern Time on Wednesday, April 26, 2017. The conference call will be accessible by dialing 877-407-0792 (U.S. domestic), or 201-689-8263 (international). Please dial in 10 minutes prior to the start of the call. The conference call will also be accessible via live audio webcast through the Investor Relations section of the corporate website at http://investors.santanderconsumerusa.com . Choose "Events" and select the information pertaining to the Q1 2017 Earnings Call. Additionally there will be several slides accompanying the webcast. Please allow at least 15 minutes prior to the call to register, download and install any necessary software.

For those unable to listen to the live broadcast, a replay will be available on the company's website or by dialing 844-512-2921 (U.S. domestic), or 412-317-6671 (international), conference ID 13660488, approximately two hours after the event. The dial-in replay will be available for two weeks after the conference call, and the webcast replay will be available through May 10, 2017. An investor presentation will also be available by visiting the Investor Relations page of SC's website at http://investors.santanderconsumerusa.com .

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Any statements about our expectations, beliefs, plans, predictions, forecasts, objectives, assumptions, or future events or performance are not historical facts and may be forward-looking. These statements are often, but not always, made through the use of words or phrases such as anticipates, believes, can, could, may, predicts, potential, should, will, estimates, plans, projects, continuing, ongoing, expects, intends, and similar words or phrases. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, these statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties that are subject to change based on various important factors, some of which are beyond our control. For additional discussion of these risks, refer to the section entitled Risk Factors and elsewhere in our Annual Report on Form 10-K and our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q filed by us with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Among the factors that could cause the forward-looking statements in this press release and/or our financial performance to differ materially from that suggested by the forward-looking statements are (a) the inherent limitations in internal controls over financial reporting; (b) our ability to remediate any material weaknesses in internal controls over financial reporting completely and in a timely manner; (c) continually changing federal, state, and local laws and regulations could materially adversely affect our business; (d) adverse economic conditions in the United States and worldwide may negatively impact our results; (e) our business could suffer if our access to funding is reduced; (f) significant risks we face implementing our growth strategy, some of which are outside our control; (g) unexpected costs and delays in connection with exiting our personal lending business; (h) our agreement with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles US LLC may not result in currently anticipated levels of growth and is subject to certain performance conditions that could result in termination of the agreement; (i) our business could suffer if we are unsuccessful in developing and maintaining relationships with automobile dealerships; (j) our financial condition, liquidity, and results of operations depend on the credit performance of our loans; (k) loss of our key management or other personnel, or an inability to attract such management and personnel; (l) certain regulations, including but not limited to oversight by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the European Central Bank, and the Federal Reserve, whose oversight and regulation may limit certain of our activities, including the timing and amount of dividends and other limitations on our business; and (m) future changes in our relationship with Banco Santander that could adversely affect our operations. If one or more of the factors affecting our forward-looking information and statements proves incorrect, our actual results, performance or achievements could differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, forward-looking information and statements. Therefore, we caution the reader not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking information or statements. The effect of these factors is difficult to predict. Factors other than these also could adversely affect our results, and the reader should not consider these factors to be a complete set of all potential risks or uncertainties as new factors emerge from time to time. Any forward-looking statements only speak as of the date of this document, and we undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking information or statements, whether written or oral, to reflect any change, except as required by law. All forward-looking statements attributable to us are expressly qualified by these cautionary statements.

About Santander Consumer USA Holdings Inc.

Santander Consumer USA Holdings Inc. (NYSE: SC) ("SC") is a full-service, technology-driven consumer finance company focused on vehicle finance, third-party servicing and delivering superior service to our more than 2.7 million customers across the full credit spectrum. The company, which began originating retail installment contracts in 1997, has a managed asset portfolio of approximately $51 billion (as of March 31, 2017), and is headquartered in Dallas. ( www.santanderconsumerusa.com )

Contacts: Investor Relations Evan Black 800.493.8219 [email protected]

Media Relations Laurie Kight 214.801.6455 [email protected]













Table 1: Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets







March 31,

2017

December 31, 2016 Assets (Unaudited, Dollars in thousands) Cash and cash equivalents $ 420,826

$ 160,180 Finance receivables held for sale, net 1,856,019

2,123,415 Finance receivables held for investment, net 23,444,625

23,481,001 Restricted cash 2,946,736

2,757,299 Accrued interest receivable 306,742

373,274 Leased vehicles, net 8,927,536

8,564,628 Furniture and equipment, net 67,921

67,509 Federal, state and other income taxes receivable 93,386

87,352 Related party taxes receivable 467

1,087 Goodwill 74,056

74,056 Intangible assets 32,275

32,623 Due from affiliates 29,480

31,270 Other assets 861,871

785,410 Total assets $ 39,061,940

$ 38,539,104 Liabilities and Equity





Liabilities:





Notes payable  credit facilities $ 4,958,638

$ 6,739,817 Notes payable  secured structured financings 23,666,666

21,608,889 Notes payable  related party 2,850,000

2,975,000 Accrued interest payable 37,759

33,346 Accounts payable and accrued expenses 414,851

379,021 Deferred tax liabilities, net 1,342,055

1,278,064 Due to affiliates 90,341

50,620 Other liabilities 282,632

235,728 Total liabilities 33,642,942

33,300,485







Equity:





Common stock, $0.01 par value 3,594

3,589 Additional paid-in capital 1,662,200

1,657,611 Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), net 35,504

28,259 Retained earnings 3,717,700

3,549,160 Total stockholders' equity 5,418,998

5,238,619 Total liabilities and equity $ 39,061,940

$ 38,539,104







Table 2: Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income





Three Months Ended

March 31,

2017

2016

(Unaudited, Dollars in thousands, except per share amounts) Interest on finance receivables and loans $ 1,209,186

$ 1,286,195 Leased vehicle income 418,233

329,792 Other finance and interest income 3,825

3,912 Total finance and other interest income 1,631,244

1,619,899 Interest expense 227,089

184,735 Leased vehicle expense 290,171

221,360 Net finance and other interest income 1,113,984

1,213,804 Provision for credit losses 635,013

660,170 Net finance and other interest income after provision for credit losses 478,971

553,634 Profit sharing 7,945

11,394 Net finance and other interest income after provision for credit losses and profit sharing 471,026

542,240 Investment losses, net (76,399)

(69,056) Servicing fee income 31,684

44,494 Fees, commissions, and other 100,195

102,120 Total other income 55,480

77,558 Compensation expense 136,262

119,842 Repossession expense 71,299

73,545 Other operating costs 97,517

97,469 Total operating expenses 305,078

290,856 Income before income taxes 221,428

328,942 Income tax expense 78,001

120,643 Net income $ 143,427

$ 208,299







Net income per common share (basic) $ 0.40

$ 0.58 Net income per common share (diluted) $ 0.40

$ 0.58 Weighted average common shares (basic) 359,105,050

357,974,890 Weighted average common shares (diluted) 360,616,032

358,840,322







Table 3: Other Financial Information





Three Months Ended

March 31,



2017

2016 Ratios (Unaudited, Dollars in thousands)

Yield on individually acquired retail installment contracts 15.7%

16.5%

Yield on purchased receivables portfolios 20.2%

25.3%

Yield on receivables from dealers 5.3%

5.2%

Yield on personal loans (1) 24.8%

22.6%

Yield on earning assets (2) 13.5%

14.6%

Cost of debt (3) 2.9%

2.4%

Net interest margin (4) 11.2%

12.7%

Expense ratio (5) 2.4%

2.2%

Return on average assets (6) 1.5%

2.2%

Return on average equity (7) 10.8%

18.6%

Net charge-off ratio on individually acquired retail installment contracts (8) 8.8%

7.6%

Net charge-off ratio on purchased receivables portfolios (8) 0.6%



Net charge-off ratio on receivables from dealers (8) 



Net charge-off ratio on personal loans (8) 78.5%



Net charge-off ratio (8) 8.8%

7.5%

Delinquency ratio on individually acquired retail installment contracts held for investment, end of period (9) 3.9%

3.1%

Delinquency ratio on personal loans, end of period (9) 12.0%

11.0%

Delinquency ratio on loans held for investment, end of period (9) 3.8%

3.1%

Allowance ratio (10) 12.7%

12.0%

Common Equity Tier 1 capital ratio (11) 13.8%

12.1%









Other Financial Information







Charge-offs, net of recoveries, on individually acquired retail installment contracts $ 598,933

$ 540,313

Charge-offs, net of recoveries, on purchased receivables portfolios 353

(24)

Charge-offs, net of recoveries, on receivables from dealers 



Charge-offs, net of recoveries, on personal loans*** 3,458



Charge-offs, net of recoveries, on capital leases 1,314

2,471

Total charge-offs, net of recoveries $ 604,058

$ 542,760

End of period Delinquent principal over 60 days, individually acquired retail installment contracts held for investment $ 1,044,288

$ 852,863

End of period Delinquent principal over 60 days, personal loans $ 169,429

$ 153,608

End of period Delinquent principal over 60 days, loans held for investment $ 1,049,030

$ 864,433

End of period assets covered by allowance for credit losses $ 27,188,404

$ 27,719,697

End of period Gross finance receivables and loans held for investment $ 27,371,719

$ 27,981,142

End of period Gross finance receivables, loans, and leases held for investment $ 37,447,052

$ 36,280,402

Average Gross individually acquired retail installment contracts held for investment $ 27,089,438

$ 27,065,426

Average Gross personal loans held for investment $ 17,610

$ 9,128

Average Gross individually acquired retail installment contracts $ 28,200,907

$ 28,319,861

Average Gross purchased receivables portfolios 220,786

337,180

Average Gross receivables from dealers 70,165

76,415

Average Gross personal loans 1,488,665

1,727,635

Average Gross capital leases 30,599

60,003

Average Gross finance receivables, loans and capital leases $ 30,011,122

$ 30,521,094

Average Gross finance receivables, loans, and leases $ 39,860,199

$ 38,292,053

Average Managed assets $ 51,229,729

$ 52,961,885

Average Total assets $ 38,910,193

$ 37,112,650

Average Debt $ 31,553,342

$ 30,948,314

Average Total equity $ 5,325,581

$ 4,491,317





(1) Includes Finance and other interest income; excludes fees (2) "Yield on earning assets" is defined as the ratio of annualized Total finance and other interest income, net of Leased vehicle expense, to Average gross finance receivables, loans and leases (3) "Cost of debt" is defined as the ratio of annualized Interest expense to Average debt (4) "Net interest margin" is defined as the ratio of annualized Net finance and other interest income to Average gross finance receivables, loans and leases (5) "Expense ratio" is defined as the ratio of annualized Operating expenses to Average managed assets (6) "Return on average assets" is defined as the ratio of annualized Net income to Average total assets (7) "Return on average equity" is defined as the ratio of annualized Net income to Average total equity (8) "Net charge-off ratio" is defined as the ratio of annualized Charge-offs, on a recorded investment basis, net of recoveries, to average unpaid principal balance of the respective held-for-investment portfolio. Effective as of September 30, 2016, the Company records the charge-off activity for certain personal loans within the provision for credit losses due to the reclassification of these loans from held for sale to held for investment. (9) "Delinquency ratio" is defined as the ratio of End of period Delinquent principal over 60 days to End of period gross balance of the respective portfolio, excludes capital leases (10) "Allowance ratio" is defined as the ratio of Allowance for credit losses, which excludes impairment on purchased receivables portfolios, to End of period assets covered by allowance for credit losses (11) "Common Equity Tier 1 Capital ratio" is a non-GAAP ratio defined as the ratio of Total common equity tier 1 capital to Total risk-weighted assets (for a reconciliation from GAAP to this non-GAAP measure, see "Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Measures" in Table 8 of this release)













Table 4: Credit Quality





Amounts related to our individually acquired retail installment contracts as of and for the three months ended March 31, 2017 and 2016, are as follows:





(Unaudited, Dollars in thousands)









Three Months Ended March 31,

2017

2016 Credit loss allowance  beginning of period $ 3,411,055

$ 3,197,414 Provision for credit losses 629,097

663,126 Charge-offs (1,224,697)

(1,150,628) Recoveries 625,764

610,315 Credit loss allowance  end of period $ 3,441,219

$ 3,320,227







Net charge-offs $ 598,933

$ 540,313 Average unpaid principal balance (UPB) 27,089,438

28,319,861 Charge-off ratio1 8.8%

7.6%







March 31, 20172

December 31, 20162 Principal 30-59 days past due $ 2,336,113

8.6%

$ 2,911,800

10.7% Delinquent principal over 59 days3 1,148,517

4.2%

1,520,105

5.6% Total delinquent contracts $ 3,484,630

12.8%

$ 4,431,905

16.3%







March 31,

2017

December 31,

2016 TDR - Unpaid principal balance $ 5,788,390

$ 5,599,567 TDR - Impairment 1,604,489

1,611,295 TDR allowance ratio 27.7%

28.8%







Non-TDR - Unpaid principal balance $ 21,286,466

$ 21,528,406 Non-TDR - Allowance 1,836,730

1,799,760 Non-TDR allowance ratio 8.6%

8.4%







Total - Unpaid principal balance $ 27,074,856

$ 27,127,973 Total - Allowance 3,441,219

3,411,055 Total allowance ratio 12.7%

12.6%





1 "Net charge-off ratio" is defined as the ratio of annualized Charge-offs, on a recorded investment basis, net of recoveries, to average unpaid principal balance of the respective portfolio 2 Percent of unpaid principal balance. 3 Interest is accrued until 60 days past due in accordance with the Company's account policy for retail installment contracts.







Table 5: Originations



Three Months Ended

Three Months Ended

March 31, 2017

March 31, 2016

December 31, 2016 Retained Originations (Unaudited, Dollar amounts in thousands) Retail installment contracts $ 3,185,373

$ 4,418,930

$ 3,068,154 Average APR 17.0%

15.3%

15.4% Average FICO (a) 593

601

604 Discount 0.4%

0.6%

0.3%











Personal loans $ 

$ 9

$ 190,143 Average APR 

24.9%

25.2% Discount 















Leased vehicles $ 1,600,659

$ 1,617,080

$ 971,865











Capital lease receivables $ 1,177

$ 1,853

$ 1,424 Total originations retained $ 4,787,209

$ 6,037,872

$ 4,231,586











Sold Originations (b)









Retail installment contracts $ 601,205

$ 743,873

$ 484,916 Average APR 5.8%

2.5%

4.4% Average FICO (c) 727

761

746 Total originations sold $ 601,205

$ 743,873

$ 484,916











Total originations $ 5,388,414

$ 6,781,745

$ 4,716,502





(a) Unpaid principal balance excluded from the weighted average FICO score is $443 million, $813 million, and $426 million for the three months ended March 31, 2017 and 2016, and the three months ended December 31, 2016, respectively, as the borrowers on these loans did not have FICO scores at origination.



(b) Only includes assets both originated and sold in the period. Total asset sales for the period are shown in Table 6.



(c) Unpaid principal balance excluded from the weighted average FICO score is $80 million, $97 million, and $50 million for the three months ended March 31, 2017 and 2016, and the three months ended December 31, 2016, respectively, as the borrowers on these loans did not have FICO scores at origination.







Table 6: Asset Sales

Asset sales may include assets originated in prior periods.



Three Months Ended Three Months Ended

March 31, 2017

March 31, 2016

December 31, 2016

(Unaudited, Dollar amounts in thousands) Retail installment contracts $ 930,590

$ 859,955

$ 1,381,036 Average APR 5.9%

2.4%

6.3% Average FICO 726

764

721











Personal loans $ 

$ 869,349

$  Average APR 

17.9%

 Total asset sales $ 930,590

$ 1,729,304

$ 1,381,036







Table 7: Ending Portfolio

Ending outstanding balance, average APR and remaining unaccreted dealer discount of our held for investment portfolio as of March 31, 2017, and December 31, 2016, are as follows:



March 31, 2017

December 31, 2016

(Unaudited, Dollar amounts in thousands) Retail installment contracts $ 27,285,930

$ 27,358,147 Average APR 16.5%

16.4% Discount 1.8%

2.3%







Personal loans $ 15,412

$ 19,361 Average APR 32.9%

31.5%







Receivables from dealers $ 70,377

$ 69,431 Average APR 5.1%

4.9%







Leased vehicles $ 10,047,574

$ 9,612,953







Capital leases $ 27,759

$ 31,872







Table 8: Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Measures



Three Months Ended

March 31, 2017

March 31, 2016

(Unaudited, Dollar amounts in thousands) Total equity $ 5,418,998

$ 4,604,739 Deduct: Goodwill and other intangible assets, net of deferred tax liabilities 182,156

201,684 Deduct: Accumulated other comprehensive income, net 35,504

(36,065) Tier 1 common capital $ 5,201,338

$ 4,439,120 Risk weighted assets (a) $ 37,799,513

$ 36,691,264 Common Equity Tier 1 capital ratio (b) 13.8%

12.1%





(a) Under the banking agencies' risk-based capital guidelines, assets and credit equivalent amounts of derivatives and off-balance sheet exposures are assigned to broad risk categories. The aggregate dollar amount in each risk category is multiplied by the associated risk weight of the category. The resulting weighted values are added together with the measure for market risk, resulting in the Company's and the Bank's total Risk weighted assets. (b) CET1 is calculated under Basel III regulations required as of January 1, 2015.

SOURCE Santander Consumer USA Holdings Inc.

Related Links

http://www.santanderconsumerusa.com


CHICAGO, April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Sello provides consumers with a new wine preservation solution that effectively maintains the original tastes and aromas of wine. The system is based on a simple and modern design that utilizes active packaging technology to preserve open bottles of wine. It is a proven method commonly employed by food and beverage manufacturers nationwide. Sello is currently patent pending in the United States and international markets.

The Sello Wine Preservation System keeps wine tasting great by reducing oxygen, moisture, temperature, and light. These are the same factors that eventually cause spoilage in all foods and beverages. Natural elements from the Earth are used to regulate both oxygen and moisture in a continuous manner. The original personality of a wine is better maintained by this mechanism of control. It is technology that has been proven to outperform alternative forms of preservation. Sello was designed to bring this capability to your home. The device functions as both a wine preserver and drip-less pourer, making it simple to use.

"Wine is my passion," said Sello Founder and President Cindy Carsello. "Alternative wine preservation methods change the original essence of wine, so I made it my mission to find a better way. The past few years of my life have been dedicated to creating a simple product that will preserve an open bottle of wine better than anything else available. After an extensive period of research, I developed a product that sustains that distinct character of wine. Sello is the first wine preserver to bring the power of active packaging technology to your home."

The Sello Wine Preservation System and additional replacement cartridges are available on Sello's website, www.selloproducts.com. The system includes the Sello wine preservation device and 24 cartridges for $49.99. Additional replacement cartridges are sold in 12-packs for $9.99. Sello will soon be available for purchase on Amazon.com and at select retail locations.

About Sello: Chicago-based Sello is a consumer products company focusing on innovative designs and applications. The Sello Wine Preservation System is patent pending in the United States and international markets. Sello is a registered trademark of Sello LLC. To learn more about Sello, visit www.selloproducts.com.

Media Contact

Sello LLC

Cindy Carsello, Founder & President

T: 773-531-7038

[email protected]

Related Links

Sello Website

This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. For more info visit: http://www.newswire.com

SOURCE Sello

Related Links

http://www.selloproducts.com


HOUSTON, April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Service Corporation International (NYSE: SCI), the largest provider of deathcare products and services in North America, reported results for the first quarter of 2017. Our unaudited consolidated financial statements can be found at the end of this press release. The table below summarizes our key financial results:

(In millions, except for per share amounts) Three Months Ended March 31,

2017

2016 Revenue $ 777.7



$ 749.2

Operating income $ 139.6



$ 123.7

Net income attributable to common stockholders $ 174.7



$ 47.4

Diluted earnings per share $ 0.91



$ 0.24

Earnings from continuing operations excluding special items(1) $ 73.0



$ 55.3

Diluted earnings per share from continuing operations excluding special items(1) $ 0.38



$ 0.28

Diluted weighted average shares outstanding 192.9



198.0

Net cash provided by operating activities $ 188.4



$ 184.8

Net cash provided by operating activities excluding special items(1) $ 188.4



$ 190.0







(1) Earnings from continuing operations excluding special items, diluted earnings per share from continuing operations excluding special items, and net cash provided by operating activities excluding special items are non-GAAP financial measures. These items are also referred to as "adjusted earnings per share" and "adjusted operating cash flow". A reconciliation from net income attributable to common stockholders, diluted earnings per share, and net cash provided by operating activities computed in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (GAAP) can be found later in this press release under the headings "Cash Flow and Capital Spending" and "Non-GAAP Financial Measures".

Quarterly Highlights:

Diluted earnings per share were $0.91 in the first quarter of 2017 compared to $0.24 in the first quarter of 2016. The first quarter of 2017 was positively impacted by the settlement of IRS tax audits related to tax years 1999 through 2005 and net gains on business dispositions partially offset by charges related to certain pension termination settlements. Diluted earnings per share excluding special items were $0.38 in the first quarter of 2017 compared to $0.28 in the first quarter of 2016. The increase in diluted earnings per share excluding special items was primarily driven by higher operating profits led by a double digit increase in cemetery sales production and higher funeral services performed. These results were also bolstered by a lower tax rate, lower interest expense, and fewer shares outstanding resulting from our ongoing share repurchase program.

in the first quarter of 2017 compared to in the first quarter of 2016. The first quarter of 2017 was positively impacted by the settlement of IRS tax audits related to tax years 1999 through 2005 and net gains on business dispositions partially offset by charges related to certain pension termination settlements. Diluted earnings per share excluding special items were in the first quarter of 2017 compared to in the first quarter of 2016. The increase in diluted earnings per share excluding special items was primarily driven by higher operating profits led by a double digit increase in cemetery sales production and higher funeral services performed. These results were also bolstered by a lower tax rate, lower interest expense, and fewer shares outstanding resulting from our ongoing share repurchase program. Net cash provided by operating activities was $188.4 million in the first quarter of 2017 compared to $184.8 million in the first quarter of 2016. The first quarter of 2016 was impacted by system transition costs and excess tax benefits from share-based awards which reduced cash provided by operating activities. Net cash provided by operating activities excluding special items above was $188.4 million in the first quarter of 2017 compared to $190.0 million in the prior year quarter. The cash flow generated from earnings growth in the first quarter of 2017 was primarily offset by higher expected cash tax and interest payments.

in the first quarter of 2017 compared to in the first quarter of 2016. The first quarter of 2016 was impacted by system transition costs and excess tax benefits from share-based awards which reduced cash provided by operating activities. Net cash provided by operating activities excluding special items above was in the first quarter of 2017 compared to in the prior year quarter. The cash flow generated from earnings growth in the first quarter of 2017 was primarily offset by higher expected cash tax and interest payments. During the first quarter, we returned $107.9 million to shareholders through share repurchases and dividends and deployed $33.2 million of capital to accretive acquisitions.

Tom Ryan, the Company's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, commented on the first quarter of 2017:

"We are extremely proud of the operating performance of our businesses during the first quarter which delivered an impressive 36% improvement in adjusted earnings per share. Strong preneed cemetery sales production and an increase in funeral services performed were the primary factors that drove the earnings improvement for the quarter. We will focus on maintaining our current momentum to deliver solid operating results and substantial cash flows for the remainder of 2017. Based on our impressive first quarter operational performance and lower tax rate, we now believe we will achieve adjusted earnings per share growth in the upper end of our 2017 guidance range of $1.29 to $1.43 per share. Our results could not have been achieved without the hard work and dedication of our entire team, and I thank all 23,000 associates for their efforts and continued focus on delivering extraordinary service to our client families. We believe our long-term growth strategy is on track as we continue to grow revenue, leverage our unparalleled scale, and deploy our capital wisely to enhance shareholder value."

OUTLOOK FOR 2017

The ranges detailed below are consistent with our previously reported outlook for 2017 and are in line with our adjusted EPS long-term growth framework of 8-12% after considering special items in 2016. We now believe that our performance in 2017 will result in adjusted EPS at the upper end of this full year 2017 range. Our outlook for adjusted operating cash flow remains consistent and reflects an anticipated $40 - $45 million increase in cash taxes, as we expect our cash tax rate to approximate our effective tax rate adjusted for the IRS settlement.

(In millions, except per share amounts)

2017 Outlook Diluted earnings per share from continuing operations excluding special items (Adjusted EPS)(1)

$1.29 to $1.43 Net cash provided by operating activities excluding special items (Adjusted operating cash flow)(1)

$465 to $505 Capital improvements at existing facilities and cemetery development expenditures

Approximately $180





(1) Diluted earnings per share from continuing operations excluding special items and Net cash provided by operating activities excluding special items are non-GAAP financial measures. We normally reconcile these non-GAAP financial measures from diluted earnings per share and net cash provided by operating activities; however, diluted earnings per share and net cash provided by operating activities calculated in accordance with GAAP are not currently accessible on a forward-looking basis. Our outlook for 2017 excludes the following because this information is not currently available for 2017: Gains or losses associated with asset divestitures, gains or losses associated with the early extinguishment of debt, potential tax reserve adjustments and IRS settlement payments, acquisition and integration costs, system implementation and transition costs, and potential costs associated with settlements of litigation or the recognition of receivables for insurance recoveries associated with litigation. The foregoing items, especially gains or losses associated with asset divestitures and potential tax reserve adjustments, could materially impact our forward-looking diluted EPS and/or our net cash provided by operating activities calculated in accordance with GAAP, consistent with the historical disclosures found in this press release under the headings "Cash Flow and Capital Spending" and "Non-GAAP Financial Measures".

REVIEW OF RESULTS FOR FIRST QUARTER 2017

Consolidated Segment Results (See definitions of revenue line items later in this earnings release.)

(In millions, except funeral services performed and average revenue per service) Three Months Ended March 31,

2017

2016 Funeral:





Atneed revenue $ 271.8



$ 277.6

Matured preneed revenue 151.8



139.3

Core revenue 423.6



416.9

Non-funeral home revenue 12.3



11.4

Recognized preneed revenue 32.1



29.0

Other revenue 30.8



34.9

Total revenue $ 498.8



$ 492.2









Operating profit $ 112.6



$ 107.2

Operating margin percentage 22.6 %

21.8 %







Funeral services performed 82,918



82,198

Average revenue per service 5,257



$ 5,211









Cemetery:





Atneed revenue $ 81.6



$ 77.6

Recognized preneed revenue 177.9



153.4

Core revenue 259.5



231.0

Other revenue 19.4



26.0

Total revenue $ 278.9



$ 257.0









Operating profit $ 64.6



$ 55.7

Operating margin percentage 23.2 %

21.7 %

Comparable Funeral Results

The table below details comparable funeral results of operations ("same store") for the three months ended March 31, 2017 and 2016. We consider comparable operations to be those owned for the entire period beginning January 1, 2016 and ending March 31, 2017.

(Dollars in millions, except average revenue per service and average revenue per contract sold)





Three Months Ended March 31,



2017

2016

$

% Comparable revenue:















Atneed revenue(1)

$ 267.6



$ 271.8



$ (4.2)



(1.5) % Matured preneed revenue(2)

150.0



136.3



13.7



10.1 % Core revenue(3)

417.6



408.1



9.5



2.3 % Non-funeral home revenue(4)

12.3



11.4



0.9



7.9 % Recognized preneed revenue(5)

32.1



28.8



3.3



11.5 % Other revenue(6)

30.0



33.7



(3.7)



(11.0) % Total comparable revenue

$ 492.0



$ 482.0



$ 10.0



2.1 %

















Comparable operating profit

$ 111.8



$ 105.8



$ 6.0



5.7 % Comparable operating margin percentage

22.7 %

22.0 %

0.7 %

3.2 %

















Comparable funeral services performed:















Atneed

45,832



46,699



(867)



(1.9) % Matured preneed

25,632



23,979



1,653



6.9 % Total core

71,464



70,678



786



1.1 % Non-funeral home

10,653



10,086



567



5.6 % Total comparable funeral services performed

82,117



80,764



1,353



1.7 % Core cremation rate

46.6 %

45.5 %

1.1 %

2.4 % Total comparable cremation rate

53.4 %

52.2 %

1.2 %

2.3 %

















Comparable average revenue per service:















Atneed

$ 5,839



$ 5,820



$ 19



0.3 % Matured preneed

5,852



5,684



168



3.0 % Total core

5,844



5,774



70



1.2 % Non-funeral home

1,155



1,130



25



2.2 % Total comparable average revenue per service

$ 5,235



$ 5,194



$ 41



0.8 %

















Comparable preneed sales production:















Total preneed sales

$ 210.3



$ 206.5



$ 3.8



1.8 % Core contracts sold

27,073



27,840



(767)



(2.8) % Non-funeral home contracts sold

19,530



18,008



1,522



8.5 % Core revenue per contract sold

$ 6,088



$ 6,004



$ 84



1.4 % Non-funeral home revenue per contract sold

$ 2,331



$ 2,186



$ 145



6.6 %





(1) Atneed revenue represents merchandise and services sold and delivered or performed once death has occurred. (2) Matured preneed revenue represents merchandise and services sold on a preneed contract through one of our funeral homes and delivered or performed once death has occurred. (3) Core revenue represents the sum of merchandise and services sold on an atneed contract or preneed contract and delivered or performed once death has occurred through one of our funeral homes. (4) Non-funeral home revenue represents services sold on a preneed or atneed contract through one of our non-funeral home sales channels (e.g. SCI Direct) and performed once death has occurred. (5) Recognized preneed revenue represents merchandise and travel protection sold on a preneed contract and delivered before death has occurred. (6) Other revenue primarily comprises general agency revenue, which is commissions we receive from third-party insurance companies for life insurance policies sold to preneed customers for the purpose of funding preneed arrangements.

Total comparable funeral revenue increased by $10.0 million , or 2.1%, in the first quarter of 2017 compared to the same period of 2016. An increase in core revenue and recognized preneed revenue was partially offset by a decline in general agency revenue due to lower preneed funeral insurance production.

, or 2.1%, in the first quarter of 2017 compared to the same period of 2016. An increase in core revenue and recognized preneed revenue was partially offset by a decline in general agency revenue due to lower preneed funeral insurance production. The $9.5 million core revenue increase was primarily the result of a 1.1% increase in core funeral services performed. Core average revenue per service increased 1.2% during the first quarter of 2017. Organic sales average growth of 1.9% was somewhat offset by a 110 basis point increase in the core cremation mix to 46.6%.

core revenue increase was primarily the result of a 1.1% increase in core funeral services performed. Core average revenue per service increased 1.2% during the first quarter of 2017. Organic sales average growth of 1.9% was somewhat offset by a 110 basis point increase in the core cremation mix to 46.6%. Recognized preneed revenue increased $3.3 million , or 11.5%, primarily driven by an increase in both the number of contracts sold through our non-funeral home sales channel and the average price per contract.

, or 11.5%, primarily driven by an increase in both the number of contracts sold through our non-funeral home sales channel and the average price per contract. Comparable funeral operating profit increased $6.0 million to $111.8 million and the operating margin percentage increased 70 basis points to 22.7%. The $6.0 million increase in comparable funeral operating profit was generally in line with our expectations based on the $10.0 million increase in comparable funeral revenue when taking into account our fixed cost structure in our comparable funeral operations.

to and the operating margin percentage increased 70 basis points to 22.7%. The increase in comparable funeral operating profit was generally in line with our expectations based on the increase in comparable funeral revenue when taking into account our fixed cost structure in our comparable funeral operations. Comparable preneed funeral sales production increased $3.8 million , or 1.8%, in the first quarter of 2017 compared to 2016, primarily due to continued growth from our non-funeral home sales channel.

Comparable Cemetery Results

The table below details comparable cemetery results of operations ("same store") for the three months ended March 31, 2017 and 2016. We consider comparable operations to be those owned for the entire period beginning January 1, 2016 and ending March 31, 2017.

(Dollars in millions)

Three Months Ended March 31,



2017

2016

$

% Comparable revenue:















Atneed revenue(1)

$ 81.2



$ 77.6



$ 3.6



4.6 % Recognized preneed revenue(2)

177.5



153.2



24.3



15.9 % Core revenue(3)

258.7



230.8



27.9



12.1 % Other revenue(4)

19.2



26.0



(6.8)



(26.2) % Total comparable revenue

$ 277.9



$ 256.8



$ 21.1



8.2 %

















Comparable operating profit

$ 64.3



$ 55.6



$ 8.7



15.6 % Comparable operating margin percentage

23.1 %

21.7 %

1.4 %

6.5 %

















Comparable preneed and atneed sales production:















Property

$ 157.0



$ 136.9



$ 20.1



14.7 % Merchandise and services

134.9



127.5



7.4



5.8 % Other

(1.7)



(2.2)



0.5



22.7 % Preneed and atneed sales production

$ 290.2



$ 262.2



$ 28.0



10.7 % Preneed property production

$ 132.0



$ 115.7



$ 16.3



14.1 %

















Recognition rate(5)

89.1 %

88.0 %













(1) Atneed revenue represents property, merchandise, and services sold and delivered or performed once death has occurred. (2) Recognized preneed revenue represents property, merchandise, and services sold on a preneed contract that have been delivered or performed as well as the related merchandise and service trust fund income. (3) Core revenue represents the sum of property, merchandise, and services that have been delivered or performed as well as the related merchandise and service trust fund income. (4) Other revenue is primarily related to endowment care trust fund income, royalty income, and interest and finance charges earned from customer receivables on preneed installment contracts. (5) Represents the ratio of current period core revenue recognition stated as a percentage of current period preneed and atneed sales production.

Comparable cemetery revenue grew $21.1 million , or 8.2%, in the first quarter of 2017 compared to 2016, led by an increase in recognized preneed revenue of $24.3 million , or 15.9%.

, or 8.2%, in the first quarter of 2017 compared to 2016, led by an increase in recognized preneed revenue of , or 15.9%. Comparable preneed cemetery sales production increased $23.8 million , or 13.0%, quarter over quarter. The growth over the prior year quarter is due primarily to the continued momentum of our sales team selling into developed inventory projects completed at the end of 2016.

, or 13.0%, quarter over quarter. The growth over the prior year quarter is due primarily to the continued momentum of our sales team selling into developed inventory projects completed at the end of 2016. Comparable other cemetery revenue declined $6.8 million reflecting the $7.2 million of perpetual care trust capital gain distributions received in the prior year quarter that did not reoccur in the current quarter.

reflecting the of perpetual care trust capital gain distributions received in the prior year quarter that did not reoccur in the current quarter. Comparable cemetery operating profit increased $8.7 million to $64.3 million and the operating margin percentage increased 140 basis points to 23.1%. The $8.7 million increase in comparable cemetery operating profit was the result of high margin core revenue growth of $27.9 million when taking into account our fixed cost structure offset by the decline in the other cemetery revenue.

Other Financial Results

General and administrative expenses increased $3.6 million to $42.5 million in the first quarter of 2017. The current quarter includes an increase of $11.6 million due to certain pension termination settlements. The prior year quarter included $4.1 million of system transition costs primarily related to our 2016 implementation of a new general ledger system and $5.5 million related to the write off of debt costs associated with previous acquisitions. Excluding these costs in both periods, general and administrative expenses increased $1.6 million compared to prior year quarter due to increased costs primarily related to the company's long-term incentive compensation program tied to improvements in total shareholder return.

to in the first quarter of 2017. The current quarter includes an increase of due to certain pension termination settlements. The prior year quarter included of system transition costs primarily related to our 2016 implementation of a new general ledger system and related to the write off of debt costs associated with previous acquisitions. Excluding these costs in both periods, general and administrative expenses increased compared to prior year quarter due to increased costs primarily related to the company's long-term incentive compensation program tied to improvements in total shareholder return. Interest expense decreased $2.4 million to $40.6 million in the first quarter of 2017 as we benefited from the debt refinancings over the past year which increased our proportion of lower variable rate debt.

to in the first quarter of 2017 as we benefited from the debt refinancings over the past year which increased our proportion of lower variable rate debt. The effective income tax rate for the first quarter of 2017 was a benefit of 77.4%, down from the full year rate of 40.5% for 2016, primarily due to our recent IRS tax settlement(A). Our adjusted effective income tax rate was 30.6% in the first quarter of 2017 compared to 38.7% in the prior year quarter. The reduction in our adjusted effective income tax rate was a result of tax benefits recognized during the quarter on the settlement of employee share-based awards in accordance with a revised accounting standard for share-based compensation (B).

Footnotes (A) We reached an agreement in principle with the Internal Revenue Service to resolve the issues under audit with respect to tax years 1999 through 2005. On March 2, 2017, we received from the IRS Office of Appeals the fully executed Form 870-AD, which, subject to finalization of computations, effectively settles the issues under audit for those years. As a result of this resolution, we recognized a reduction in our uncertain tax reserves of $143.0 million of which $102.5 million was recognized as an income tax benefit during the quarter for the matters that were effectively settled with an increase in our taxes payable of $40.5 million. (B) In the first quarter of 2017, as required, the Company adopted ASU No. 2016-09, "Compensation - Stock Compensation (Topic 718) - Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting," which recognizes the tax effect related to the settlement of share-based awards in income tax benefit or expense in the statements of earnings rather than in additional paid-in-capital. This ASU guidance also eliminates the requirement to reclassify excess tax benefits from operating activities to financing activities within the statement of cash flows. The impact of the restricted stock deliveries and option exercises in the first quarter of 2017 was a reduction to our adjusted provision for income taxes of $6.4 million, which had the effect of increasing our diluted earnings per share from continuing operations excluding special items by $0.03 per share.

Cash Flow and Capital Spending

Set forth below is a reconciliation of our reported net cash provided by operating activities prepared in accordance with GAAP to net cash provided by operating activities excluding special items (or sometimes referred to as adjusted operating cash flow). We do not intend for this information to be considered in isolation or as a substitute for other measures of performance prepared in accordance with GAAP.

(In millions) Three Months Ended March 31,

2017

2016 Net cash provided by operating activities, as reported $ 188.4



$ 184.8

Excess tax benefits from share-based awards 



2.3

System transition costs 



2.9

Net cash provided by operating activities excluding special items $ 188.4



$ 190.0

Cash taxes included in net cash provided by operating activities excluding special items $ 19.0



$ 7.1



Net cash provided by operating activities excluding special items was $188.4 million in the first quarter of 2017 compared to $190.0 million in the prior year quarter. The cash flow generated from increased earnings growth in the quarter was primarily offset by expected increases in cash taxes of $11.9 million and cash interest of $4.0 million.

A summary of our capital expenditures is set forth below:

(In millions) Three Months Ended March 31,

2017

2016 Capital improvements at existing locations $ 17.5



$ 19.0

Development of cemetery property 17.1



19.7

Subtotal 34.6



38.7

Construction of new funeral home facilities 5.6



3.0

Total capital expenditures $ 40.2



$ 41.7



Total capital expenditures decreased slightly in the current quarter by $1.5 million as a result of the timing of capital deployed throughout the year.

TRUST FUND RETURNS

Total trust fund returns include realized and unrealized gains and losses, interest, and dividends. A summary of our consolidated trust fund returns for the three months ended March 31, 2017 is set forth below:





Three Months Preneed funeral

4.4% Preneed cemetery

4.8% Cemetery perpetual care

2.5% Combined trust funds

3.9%

NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES

Earnings from continuing operations excluding special items and diluted earnings per share from continuing operations excluding special items shown above are non-GAAP financial measures. We believe these non-GAAP financial measures provide a consistent basis for comparison between quarters and better reflect the performance of our core operations, as they are not influenced by certain income or expense items not affecting continuing operations. We also believe these measures help facilitate comparisons to our competitors' operating results.

Set forth below is a reconciliation of our reported net income attributable to common stockholders to earnings from continuing operations excluding special items and our GAAP diluted earnings per share to diluted earnings per share from continuing operations excluding special items. We do not intend for this information to be considered in isolation or as a substitute for other measures of performance prepared in accordance with GAAP.

(In millions, except diluted EPS) Three Months Ended March 31,

2017

2016

Net

Income

Diluted

EPS

Net

Income

Diluted

EPS Net income attributable to common stockholders, as reported $ 174.7



$ 0.91



$ 47.4



$ 0.24

Pre-tax reconciling items:













(Gains) losses on divestitures and impairment charges, net (4.9)



(0.03)



0.3





Losses on early extinguishment of debt 







0.6





Acquisition and integration costs 







5.5



0.03

System transition costs 







4.1



0.02

Pension termination settlements 11.6



0.06









Tax reconciling items:













Tax benefit from special items noted above (2.4)



(0.01)



(3.7)



(0.02)

Change in certain tax reserves and other (1) (106.0)



(0.55)



1.1



0.01

Earnings from continuing operations excluding special items and diluted earnings per share from continuing operations excluding special items $ 73.0



$ 0.38



$ 55.3



$ 0.28

















Diluted weighted average shares outstanding (in thousands)



192,867







198,030







(1) 2017 is primarily impacted by the settlement of IRS tax audits related to tax years 1999-2005. Please see our Form 8-K filed on March 6, 2017 for more information.

Conference Call and Webcast

We will host a conference call on Thursday, April 27, 2017, at 8:00 a.m. Central Time. A question and answer session will follow a brief presentation made by management. The conference call dial-in number is (847) 619-6396 with the passcode of 44757174. The conference call will also be broadcast live via the Internet and can be accessed through our website at www.sci-corp.com . A replay of the conference call will be available through May 4, 2017 and can be accessed at (630) 652-3042 with the passcode of 44757174#. Additionally, a replay of the conference call will be available on our website for approximately two weeks.

Cautionary Statement on Forward-Looking Statements

The statements in this press release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements made in reliance on the "safe harbor" protections provided under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements may be accompanied by words such as "believe," "estimate," "project," "expect," "anticipate," or "predict," that convey the uncertainty of future events or outcomes. These statements are based on assumptions that we believe are reasonable; however, many important factors could cause our actual results in the future to differ materially from the forward-looking statements made herein and in any other documents or oral presentations made by us, or on our behalf. Important factors, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include, among others, the following:

Our affiliated funeral and cemetery trust funds own investments in equity securities, fixed income securities, and mutual funds, which are affected by market conditions that are beyond our control.

We may be required to replenish our affiliated funeral and cemetery trust funds in order to meet minimum funding requirements, which would have a negative effect on our earnings and cash flow.

Our ability to execute our strategic plan depends on many factors, some of which are beyond our control.

Our credit agreements contain covenants that may prevent us from engaging in certain transactions.

If we lost the ability to use surety bonding to support our preneed funeral and preneed cemetery activities, we may be required to make material cash payments to fund certain trust funds.

The funeral and cemetery industry is competitive.

Increasing death benefits related to preneed contracts funded through life insurance contracts may not cover future increases in the cost of providing a price-guaranteed service.

The financial condition of third-party insurance companies that fund our preneed funeral contracts may impact our future revenue.

Unfavorable results of litigation could have a material adverse impact on our financial statements.

Unfavorable publicity could affect our reputation and business.

If the number of deaths in our markets declines, our cash flows and revenue may decrease.

If we are not able to respond effectively to changing consumer preferences, our market share, revenue, and profitability could decrease.

The continuing upward trend in the number of cremations performed in North America could result in lower revenue, gross profit and cash flows.

could result in lower revenue, gross profit and cash flows. Our funeral home and cemetery businesses are high fixed-cost businesses.

Regulation and compliance could have a material adverse impact on our financial results.

Cemetery burial practice legal claims could have a material adverse impact on our financial results.

We use a combination of insurance, self-insurance and large deductibles in managing our exposure to certain inherent risks, as such, we could be exposed to unexpected costs that could negatively affect our financial performance.

A number of years elapse before particular tax matters, for which we have established accruals, are audited and finally resolved.

Declines in overall economic conditions beyond our control could reduce future potential earnings and cash flows and could result in future impairments to goodwill and/or other intangible assets.

Any failure to maintain the security of the information relating to our customers, their loved ones, our associates, and our vendors could damage our reputation, could cause us to incur substantial additional costs and to become subject to litigation, and could adversely affect our operating results.

Our Canadian business exposes us to operational, economic, and currency risks.

Our level of indebtedness could adversely affect our ability to raise additional capital to fund our operations, limit our ability to react to changes in the economy or our industry, and may prevent us from fulfilling our obligations under our indebtedness.

Failure to maintain effective internal control over financial reporting could adversely affect our results of operations, investor confidence, and our stock price.

The application of unclaimed property laws by certain states to our preneed funeral and cemetery backlog could have a material adverse impact on our liquidity, cash flows, and our financial results.

For further information on these and other risks and uncertainties, see our Securities and Exchange Commission filings, including our 2016 Annual Report on Form 10-K/A and as updated in our Form 10-Q filings. Copies of this document as well as other SEC filings can be obtained from our website at www.sci-corp.com. We assume no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements made herein or any other forward-looking statements made by us, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

About Service Corporation International

Service Corporation International (NYSE: SCI), headquartered in Houston, Texas, is North America's leading provider of deathcare products and services. At March 31, 2017, we owned and operated 1,500 funeral homes and 475 cemeteries (of which 283 are combination locations) in 45 states, eight Canadian provinces, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. Through our businesses, we market the Dignity Memorial brand which offers assurance of quality, value, caring service, and exceptional customer satisfaction. For more information about Service Corporation International, please visit our website at www.sci-corp.com . For more information about Dignity Memorial, please visit www.dignitymemorial.com .

For additional information contact:



Investors:

Debbie Young - Director / Investor Relations

(713) 525-9088 Media:

Jay Andrew - Managing Director / Corporate Communications

(713) 525-5235

SERVICE CORPORATION INTERNATIONAL CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS



Three Months Ended

March 31,

2017

2016

(In thousands, except per share amounts) Revenue $ 777,710



$ 749,219

Costs and expenses (600,545)



(586,296)

Operating profit 177,165



162,923

General and administrative expenses (42,504)



(38,904)

Gains (losses) on divestitures and impairment charges, net 4,935



(347)

Operating income 139,596



123,672

Interest expense (40,636)



(43,082)

Loss on early extinguishment of debt 



(581)

Other expense, net (434)



(242)

Income before income taxes 98,526



79,767

Benefit from (provision for) income taxes 76,223



(32,313)

Net income 174,749



47,454

Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests (47)



(9)

Net income attributable to common stockholders $ 174,702



$ 47,445

Basic earnings per share:





Net income attributable to common stockholders $ 0.93



$ 0.24

Basic weighted average number of shares 188,260



194,924

Diluted earnings per share:





Net income attributable to common stockholders $ 0.91



$ 0.24

Diluted weighted average number of shares 192,867



198,030

Dividends declared per share $ 0.13



$ 0.12







SERVICE CORPORATION INTERNATIONAL CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET



March 31, 2017

December 31, 2016

(In thousands, except share amounts) ASSETS





Current assets:





Cash and cash equivalents $ 238,254



$ 194,986

Receivables, net 86,946



98,455

Inventories 27,375



26,431

Other 38,182



34,524

Total current assets 390,757



354,396

Preneed funeral receivables, net and trust investments 1,862,655



1,817,445

Preneed cemetery receivables, net and trust investments 2,581,745



2,487,720

Cemetery property 1,782,731



1,776,935

Property and equipment, net 1,810,347



1,827,587

Goodwill 1,805,590



1,799,081

Deferred charges and other assets 584,406



567,520

Cemetery perpetual care trust investments 1,440,935



1,407,465

Total assets $ 12,259,166



$ 12,038,149









LIABILITIES & EQUITY





Current liabilities:





Accounts payable and accrued liabilities $ 477,002



$ 439,936

Current maturities of long-term debt 63,606



89,974

Income taxes payable 72,382



7,960

Total current liabilities 612,990



537,870

Long-term debt 3,224,653



3,196,616

Deferred preneed funeral revenue 580,676



581,280

Deferred preneed cemetery revenue 1,180,388



1,150,137

Deferred tax liability 446,086



454,638

Other liabilities 362,338



510,322

Deferred preneed receipts held in trust 3,226,020



3,103,796

Care trusts' corpus 1,442,265



1,408,243

Commitments and contingencies (Note 12)





Equity:





Common stock, $1 per share par value, 500,000,000 shares authorized, 196,761,485 and 195,403,644 shares issued, respectively, and 187,949,951 and 189,405,244 shares outstanding, respectively 187,950



189,405

Capital in excess of par value 968,194



990,203

Retained earnings (accumulated deficit) 5,369



(103,387)

Accumulated other comprehensive income 19,656



16,492

Total common stockholders' equity 1,181,169



1,092,713

Noncontrolling interests 2,581



2,534

Total equity 1,183,750



1,095,247

Total liabilities and equity $ 12,259,166



$ 12,038,149



SERVICE CORPORATION INTERNATIONAL CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS (In thousands, except share amounts)



Three Months Ended March 31,

2017

2016 Cash flows from operating activities:





Net income $ 174,749



$ 47,454

Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:





Loss on early extinguishment of debt 



581

Depreciation and amortization 38,043



35,834

Amortization of intangible assets 6,844



7,667

Amortization of cemetery property 13,881



13,599

Amortization of loan costs 1,433



1,615

Provision for doubtful accounts 2,484



538

Benefit from deferred income taxes (149,585)



(1,291)

(Gain) loss on divestitures and impairment charges, net (4,935)



347

Share-based compensation 3,633



3,067

Excess tax benefits from share-based awards 



(2,258)

Change in assets and liabilities, net of effects from acquisitions and divestitures:





Decrease in receivables 10,959



9,340

(Increase) decrease in other assets (4,858)



1,598

Increase in payables and other liabilities 86,596



56,062

Effect of preneed funeral production and maturities:





(Increase) decrease in preneed funeral receivables, net and trust investments (790)



3,146

Decrease in deferred preneed funeral revenue (3,198)



(599)

Decrease in deferred preneed funeral receipts held in trust (5,263)



(10,273)

Effect of cemetery production and deliveries:





Increase in preneed cemetery receivables, net and trust investments (9,453)



(7,869)

Increase in deferred preneed cemetery revenue 26,599



22,286

Increase in deferred preneed cemetery receipts held in trust 1,244



3,918

Net cash provided by operating activities 188,383



184,762

Cash flows from investing activities:





Capital expenditures (40,150)



(41,708)

Acquisitions (19,327)



(56)

Proceeds from divestitures and sales of property and equipment 3,148



10,164

Net withdrawals of restricted funds 



5,120

Net cash used in investing activities (56,329)



(26,480)

Cash flows from financing activities:





Proceeds from issuance of long-term debt 35,000



590,000

Debt issuance costs 



(5,035)

Payments of debt (8,787)



(10,054)

Early extinguishment of debt 



(580,483)

Principal payments on capital leases (21,055)



(8,156)

Proceeds from exercise of stock options 15,261



3,133

Excess tax benefits from share-based awards 



2,258

Purchase of Company common stock (83,460)



(54,632)

Payments of dividends (24,433)



(23,324)

Bank overdrafts and other (2,096)



1,369

Net cash used in financing activities (89,570)



(84,924)

Effect of foreign currency on cash and cash equivalents 784



5,548

Net increase in cash and cash equivalents 43,268



78,906

Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period 194,986



134,599

Cash and cash equivalents at end of period $ 238,254



$ 213,505



SOURCE Service Corporation International

Related Links

http://www.sci-corp.com


LOS ANGELES, April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Lundin Law PC , a shareholder rights firm, announces the filing of a class action lawsuit against JBS S.A. ("JBS" or the "Company") (Other OTC: JBSAY) concerning possible violations of federal securities laws between June 2, 2015 and March 17, 2017 inclusive (the "Class Period"). Investors who purchased or otherwise acquired shares during the Class Period should contact the firm prior to the May 22, 2017 lead plaintiff motion deadline.

To participate in this class action lawsuit, click here.

You can also call Brian Lundin, Esq., of Lundin Law PC, at 888-713-1033, or e-mail him at [email protected].

No class has been certified in the above action yet. Until a class is certified, you are not considered represented by an attorney. You may also choose to do nothing and be an absent class member.

The Complaint alleges that throughout the Class Period, JBS made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that its executives bribed regulators and politicians to subvert food inspections of its plants and overlook unsanitary practices, such as processing rotten meat and running plants with traces of salmonella.

On March 17, 2017, reports emerged that Brazilian federal police raided the offices of JBS and dozens of other meatpackers following a two-year investigation into alleged bribery of regulators to subvert inspections of their plants and overlook unsanitary practices. Police arrested two JBS employees, among others. JBS stated in a securities filing that three of its plants and one of its employees were targeted in the probe. When this information reached the public, the stock price of JBS lowered materially, which caused investors harm according to the Complaint.

Lundin Law PC was established by Brian Lundin, a securities litigator based in Los Angeles dedicated to upholding shareholders' rights.

This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in certain jurisdictions under the applicable law and ethical rules.

Contact:

Lundin Law PC

Brian Lundin, Esq.

Telephone: 888-713-1033

Facsimile: 888-713-1125

[email protected]

http://lundinlawpc.com/

SOURCE Lundin Law PC

Related Links

http://lundinlawpc.com


HANNOVER, Germany, April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Cruisewatch.com is an innovative next-generation cruise search engine. Their in-depth research found that 100 days before departure the discount period starts. BUT: For some cruise lines, you need to be an early bird to get the best cruise deals.

Percentage of sailings discounted by cruiseline and time bucket; Share of sailings per cruise line on a cabin level, which have their lowest average cruise deals within the stated range of days before departure

According to this comprehensive study, there are many factors at play when it comes to price. The cruise line, the actual cruise, and the time you book. During 2016, Cruisewatch.com analyzed 3,000 cruises on a cabin level. And focused especially on how many days before departure the best prices could be found.

The results of the study, with over 4,000,000 data points, gives a pretty clear view of pricing strategies of the cruise lines. Giving us a strong indication of when to book to get the best deals.

For 56% of cruises, booking within 100 days of departure brought the best prices. For 19% booking early was the best option. Only 25% of cruises were found to have their best price between these two times.

Nina Stumpe, a cruise enthusiast and co-founder of cruisewatch.com gives us some valuable tips...

"It is worth knowing which cruise lines offer better value if you book shortly before departure. Sign up for deals and price alerts. Then you'll know immediately when deals have been released."

"However, if you have your heart set on a particular cruise and a certain type of cabin then it's best to book early. Only book late if you are prepared to be flexible. Once you have booked, it's wise to still keep an eye on the prices. Keep checking them. If they fall after you've booked, many cruise lines will offer you the difference in on-board credit if you contact them."

Book Carnival in advance for best cruise deals. Book Windstar and Holland America later

There are surprisingly big differences between the pricing strategies of the different cruise lines. Crystal Cruises and Disney are almost never at their cheapest during the last 100 days before departure.

However, Royal Caribbean, Princess and Celebrity all usually have their best deals within the last 100 days.

Some companies offer their best prices just 50 days before departure. If your nerves can take it you can get some great deals. These companies include Costa, Norwegian, Holland America and Windstar.

Finally, there are the companies that offer the best prices somewhere in the middle of these time frames. These include Crystal Cruises, MSC, Seadream and Oceania.

"Transparent prices are key to booking the best rates. We offer our customers free automatic notifications of price changes and re-available cabin types. We also provide an overview of the historical price development per ship and cabin type," says Nina Stumpe.

Next generation cruise search with Cruisewatch.com

The search engine Cruisewatch.com offers consumers free price drop monitoring. Our website processes massive amounts of data. We use intuitive software that will help consumers find the perfect cruise at the best price. Users can choose to receive automatic alerts when prices are reduced or when good deals are on the horizon.

"Cruise lines invest massive amounts of resources into revenue optimization. We are leveling the playing field and offering consumers up-to-date technology. This helps them make the right decisions," says Cruisewatch.com's co-founder.

We live up to our motto... RIGHT CRUISE. RIGHT TIME. RIGHT PRICE.

Media Contact:

Nina Stumpe

[email protected]

(650) 235-4941

SOURCE Cruisewatch.com
SANTA CLARA, Calif., April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Silvaco, Inc., a leading provider of IP and EDA software tools, will be exhibiting at IoT DevCon in Santa Clara on April 26-27, 2017. Silvaco technology experts will be available to discuss and demo the new MIPI I3C semiconductor intellectual property (IP) at booth #17.

The MIPI I3C sensor specification is a flexible, high performance method for interconnect and control of a wide variety of sensors including environmental sensing, mechanical and motion, biometrics, haptic feedback, and many more. It drastically reduces the device pin count and signal paths needed compared to prior approaches, enabling many more sensors to be incorporated into a design. I3C provides a powerful interconnect approach for many emerging applications in automotive and IoT sectors.

When:

April 26 (8:30 am - 6:30 pm)

April 27 (8:30 am - 2:30 pm)

Where:

Silvaco, Booth #17 in the Exhibit Hall

Santa Clara Convention Center

5001 Great America Parkway

Santa Clara, CA 95054

The new I3C controller IP cores provide customers with the ability to rapidly add silicon-proven I3C functionality into silicon designs. Currently, Silvaco offers three I3C products:

I3C Advanced Slave core with optional I3C features and advanced power management capabilities

I3C Dual Role Master core that incorporates master mode functionality along with the same Advanced Slave features

I3C Autonomous Slave core, offers the ability to provide I3C capabilities to simple sensors without requiring a microprocessor, saving cost and power

More information on Silvaco's family of I3C cores may be found at http://www.silvaco.com/products/IP/i3c.html

About Silvaco, Inc.

Silvaco, Inc. is a leading provider of IP and EDA software tools used for process and device development and for analog/mixed-signal, power IC and memory design. Silvaco delivers a full TCAD-to-signoff flow along with a complete IP portfolio including IP licensing and IP management. For over 30 years, Silvaco has enabled its customers to bring superior products to market with reduced cost and in the shortest time. The company is headquartered in Santa Clara, California and has a global presence with offices located in North America, Europe, Japan and Asia.

Press/Media Contact:

Silvaco [email protected]

Contact:

Gigi Boss

SIlvaco

408-654-4308

http://www.silvaco.com

SOURCE Silvaco, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.silvaco.com


SAN DIEGO, April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Society of Plastic Surgical Skin Care Specialists (SPSSCS) announced Cindy Steele, LA, NCEA of Little Rock, AR, as its new President today at the 23rd annual meeting of the Society. SPSSCS is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the promotion of education, enhancement of clinical skills, and the delivery of safe quality skincare provided to patients from the offices of board-certified plastic surgeons.

Ms. Steele has been in the skincare business for more than two decades, honing her skills and obtaining advanced training with Candela Lasers, the Vbeam, GentleYAG, Laser and IPL as well as Sublative Radio Frequency Fractionated Lasers. She has also obtained certifications in CoolSculpting body treatments, HydraFacial MD treatments and microdermabrasion. She was recently appointed by Arkansas Governor Beebe to a 2-year term on the Cosmetology Technical Advisory Board, which regulates the industry in their state. She is also a member of NCEA, an educational organization that defines standards of practice through certification and continuing education accreditation. Formerly, a business manager and makeup artist, she received her aesthetician's license in 2006 and has been a member of SPSSCS ever since.

"Cindy's accomplished background in skincare and her advanced knowledge of the newest procedures, techniques and technologies will serve the Society well as she takes on her new role," says Immediate Past-President, Lizabeth Clouse, RN, CPSN. "I am confident she will continue to promote the Society as the leading educational body for our community of global skincare specialists."

"I am deeply honored to be selected by my peers as President of SPSSCS. In the immediate future, we plan to organize the prestigious Past Presidents Club, which acknowledges the dedication, support and intelligent minds of the women that have contributed time and effort to making this society a continued success for over 20 years" notes Cindy Steele. "I look forward to serving as your representative for SPSSCS and welcome input to continue the great efforts of the past."

In addition to her work with SPSSCS, Ms. Steele is very community-minded and works with PATH (Partners Against Trafficking of Humans) and has been the historic 1920s Dreamland Ballroom chair for many years, (which was recently featured in a PBS documentary), hosting such great acts as Sarah Vaughn, Duke Ellington and Ella Fitzgerald.

About SPSSCS

The Society of Plastic Surgical Skin Care Specialists (SPSSCS) was founded in 1994 by a group of renowned plastic surgeons, members of the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS), who recognized the need to educate and provide clinical skills to skincare specialists who provide treatment to patients in the offices of board-certified plastic surgeons. The SPSSCS is uniquely positioned as the only national skin care specialty organization aligned with the plastic surgery specialty. The Society is comprised of 350 members who are either nurses or aestheticians. For more information visit www.spsscs.org.

Media Contact: Leigh Hope Fountain - 562-799-2356

[email protected]

SOURCE Society of Plastic Surgical Skin Care Specialists

Related Links

http://www.spsscs.org


GAITHERSBURG, Md., April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Sodexo, world leader in providing Quality of Life services, has been recognized for its work serving the United States Marine Corps through the annual W.P.T. Hill Memorial Awards for Foodservice Excellence. Mess Hall 227 at Marine Corps Camp Lejeune in North Carolina was selected as the winner of the Best Full Food Service Mess Hall category in the 2017 awards.

The W.P.T. Hill Memorial Award, established in 1971, is an annual Marine Corps-wide competition with trophies and certificates of achievement awarded to USMC installations around the globe exhibiting foodservice excellence. Competitors are judged on areas such as operations, sanitation, taste and quality of food.

"Sodexo serves healthy, nutritious meals to members of the United States Marine Corps daily at 49 mess halls across the United States and considers the health and wellbeing of our servicemen and women a matter of military readiness," said Deborah Roberts, CEO government, Sodexo North America. "The fact that a Sodexo-operated USMC mess hall was recognized in the 2017 W.P.T. Hill Memorial Awards for its outstanding service tells us that our focus on military Quality of Life is on point and that our efforts are helping Marines to be prepared to protect our country. For those reasons, we take great pride in accepting this award."

The award will be formally bestowed upon Sodexo at the Military Foodservice Awards Dinner on Friday, May 19, 2017 in Chicago, Ill., an event sponsored and organized by the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation.

With more than 40 years of experience working municipal, state, federal and military clients, Sodexo's government segment and its nearly 3,000 employees improve the Quality of Life for the people it serves at 150 military and U.S. federal government locations in 26 states. Headquartered in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, Sodexo provides a variety of integrated food and facilities management solutions and is the nation's largest federal foodservice contractor  serving 45.6 million meals annually with a focus on wellness and nutrition.

Sodexo delivers more than 100 services across North America that enhance organizational performance, contribute to local communities and improve quality of life. The Fortune Global 500 company is a leader in delivering sustainable, integrated facilities management and foodservice operations.

Learn more about Sodexo at its corporate blog, Sodexo Insights.

SOURCE Sodexo

Related Links

http://www.sodexoUSA.com


DALLAS, April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- SOMMA Foods, an innovative foodservice company that provides clean label, great tasting food products, today announced Michelle Reitzin-Bass as director of sales for the Western U.S., effective April 29.

Reitzin-Bass will be responsible for establishing SOMMA's presence as a leading provider of clean label chicken, beef and dairy products for foodservice in the region, and will immediately begin managing relationships with the company's West Coast customers.

"We're thrilled to announce Michelle as the newest addition to the SOMMA sales team," said Kevin Potter, Vice President of Sales at SOMMA Foods. "She brings a wealth of knowledge in K-12 foodservice, specifically in her home state of California. With Michelle leading our sales efforts in the West, we are positioned to provide the best possible experience to our customers while continuing to expand our availability to school districts from coast to coast."

Reitzin-Bass has more than 30 years of experience in foodservice sales and marketing. Prior to joining SOMMA, she served as director of sales and marketing at Buena Vista Foods, where she was responsible for the success of 350 K-12 accounts. She also played a key role in the growth and sales success of Integrated Food Service and Don Lee Farms.

Reitzin-Bass previously served as an industry advisor to the California School Nutrition Association (CSNA), and will join the SOMMA sales team at the organization's Child Nutrition and Industry Summit in Monterey, CA, April 30  May 2. She also maintains memberships to industry organizations including the School Nutrition Association (SNA), California Restaurant Association (CRA) and American Commodity Distribution Association (ACDA).

SOMMA Foods is committed to providing healthful food solutions through its Chickentopia and Merrywood Farms brands, and currently supplies clean label protein products to several of the largest school districts in the U.S.

About SOMMA Foods:

SOMMA Foods is a diversified provider of premium-grade chicken, beef, dairy and finished food products for foodservice and retail end markets. SOMMA products are produced under a portfolio of brands including Chickentopia no antibiotics ever, 100% vegetable fed chicken products and Merrywood Farms all natural, clean label beef, poultry and dairy products. These dynamic brands deliver unique, leading-edge food solutions and uncompromised quality with the health and satisfaction of the end consumer in mind. To learn more about SOMMA Foods, visit www.sommafoods.com.

SOURCE SOMMA Foods

Related Links

http://www.sommafoods.com


MCALESTER, Okla., April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Lipska Farm, a 1,000-acre property with irrigated farmland, grain storage, timber, a home, a lake and excellent hunting, will be offered at auction May 24, with Schrader Real Estate and Auction Company marketing the property and conducting the auction.

The land will be offered in 10 tracts, ranging from 20 to 449 acres.

"It's rare to see irrigated land in this part of Oklahoma, just 20 minutes from McAlester. The majority of the tillable land is located on a single tract of 449 acres, most of which is irrigated with a 20-tower irrigation pivot using water from a lake on an adjoining tract," said President R.D. Schrader. "This land is equally suitable for hay production and grazing, and a buyer could have one of the few irrigated pastures in the area," he said.

The farm is bordered on the south by recreational land, and the southern tracts provide mature timber and excellent hunting for waterfowl, trophy deer and turkey, according to Brent Wellings, auction manager for Schrader in Oklahoma. "The lake and ponds provide excellent fishing as well as duck hunting. There's a 56-acre tract that has 38 tillable acres as well as a pond with duck blinds."

A 20-acre tract that has served as headquarters of the farm has a 3,152-square-foot home, 96,000 acres of grain storage, a shop building and other structures.

Schrader personnel will be available at the farm from 3 to 6 p.m. on May 15. The auction will begin at 6 p.m. Wednesday, May 24, at the Elks Lodge, McAlester. Online bidding will be available by prior arrangement.

Individuals seeking additional information may visit www.schraderauction.com or call 800-451-2709.

Schrader Real Estate and Auction Company, based in Columbia City, Indiana, is a leading auctioneer of agricultural land throughout the United States and is a five-time USA Today/National Auctioneers Association Auction of the Year winner.

For more information:

Carl Carter, 205-823-3273

SOURCE Schrader Real Estate and Auction Company

Related Links

http://www.schraderauction.com


TORONTO, April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ - Sun Life Financial Inc. (TSX: SLF) (NYSE: SLF) will hold its Annual Meeting in Toronto, Ontario, on May 10, 2017.

Annual Meeting

Date: Wednesday, May 10, 2017 Time: 9 a.m. ET Location: Sun Life Financial Tower 150 King Street West (at University Avenue) 2nd Floor Toronto, Ontario

The Annual Meeting will be chaired by James H. Sutcliffe, Chairman of the Board, with a presentation by Dean A. Connor, President and Chief Executive Officer, Sun Life Financial.

Sun Life Financial's Notice of Annual Meeting and Management Information Circular for the May 10, 2017 annual meeting and the 2016 Annual Report are available at www.sunlife.com/agm2017.

To view the live webcast of the Annual Meeting and accompanying presentation slides, please visit the website 10 minutes prior to the start of the meeting and follow the instructions to access the webcast. The webcast will be archived on the website the following business day and will be available until November 10, 2017.

First Quarter 2017 Earnings Conference Call

On Tuesday, May 9, 2017, Sun Life Financial Inc. will release its first quarter 2017 financial results, after the markets close. The company will hold its earnings conference call and audio webcast at 1 p.m. ET on May 10, 2017.

Date: Wednesday, May 10, 2017 Time: 1 p.m. ET

To listen to the live webcast of the first quarter 2017 earnings conference call and to view the presentation slides, please visit www.sunlife.com/QuarterlyReports 10 minutes prior to the start of the conference call.

To listen via telephone, please call 10 minutes prior to the scheduled start time as follows:

Participant Dial In (Toll Free): 1-866-521-4909

Participant Dial In (International): 647-427-2311

A replay of the conference call will be available from Wednesday, May 10, 2017 at 4 p.m. ET until 11:59 p.m. ET on Wednesday, May 24, 2017 by calling 416-621-4642 or 1-800-585-8367 (toll free within North America) using Conference ID: 99661659.

About Sun Life Financial

Sun Life Financial is a leading international financial services organization providing a diverse range of insurance, wealth and asset management solutions to individuals and corporate Clients. Sun Life Financial has operations in a number of markets worldwide, including Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Japan, Indonesia, India, China, Australia, Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia and Bermuda. As of December 31, 2016, Sun Life Financial had total assets under management of $903 billion. For more information please visit www.sunlife.com.

Sun Life Financial Inc. trades on the Toronto (TSX), New York (NYSE) and Philippine (PSE) stock exchanges under the ticker symbol SLF.

Note to editors: All figures in Canadian dollars

Media Relations Contact:

Gannon Loftus

Director, External Communications

Corporate Communications

T. 416-979-6345

[email protected]

Investor Relations Contact:

Greg Dilworth

Vice-President

Investor Relations

T. 416-979-6230

[email protected]

SOURCE Sun Life Financial Inc.

Related Links

http://www.sunlife.com


AUSTIN, Texas, April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Superior HealthPlan (Superior) today announced its support of the Drug Enforcement Administration's (DEA's) National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day on April 29, 2017. As part of this initiative, Superior is educating members and providers on the dangers of drug misuse and over-use. There are almost 300 sponsored Take-Back sites available in Texas.

"One of our goals in 2017 is to educate our community about the dangers of using opioids and other controlled substances incorrectly," said Justin Weiss, Senior Vice President of Pharmacy Operations at Superior. "Through supporting this national initiative, we hope to help curb prescription drug misuse and minimize drug diversion by encouraging responsible drug disposal. This is a great opportunity for people to revisit their medicine cabinets and get rid of prescription drugs they no longer need to take."

National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day is part of the DEA's National Take-Back Initiative that began in September 2010. Since the program's inception, there has been a continued increase in participation from state, local and tribal law enforcement partners across the U.S. This day offers individuals a safe and easy way to discard prescription drugs.

A list of collection sites can be found on the U.S. Department of Justice DEA Diversion Control Division website at https://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/drug_disposal/takeback/index.html. Superior is encouraging community members and healthcare providers to find a collection site near them so they can safely dispose of unused prescriptions to prevent misuse and overuse.

For more information on proper drug disposal, including allowable substances/items, disposal options and collection locations, visit https://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/drug_disposal/index.html.

About Superior HealthPlan

Austin-based Superior HealthPlan is a managed care company that employs more than 3,000 people across nine Texas offices. Superior is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Centene Corporation, a diversified, multi-national healthcare enterprise. Superior is licensed by the Texas Department of Insurance and is a Qualified Health Plan issuer in the Texas Health Insurance Marketplace. More information on Superior can be found at www.SuperiorHealthPlan.com.

About the DEA

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is a federal agency drug enforcement organization focused on finding, investigating, blocking and breaking down major drug trafficking organizations and those who lead them. The DEA enforces United States controlled substance laws and regulations and dedicates support to non-enforcement programs that are also in the fight to limit the availability of controlled substances. The DEA website (www.dea.gov) contains further information on drug disposal and their national take-back initiative.

SOURCE Superior HealthPlan

Related Links

http://www.SuperiorHealthPlan.com


"Diana has a history of success and a great reputation in the Southern California market," said Susan Stewart, President of SWBC Mortgage Corporation. "She also brings a depth of knowledge and experience gained from her prior leadership positions in production management at top-tier lenders, and we're fortunate to have a leader like her on our team."

Prior to SWBC, Diana spent 12 years managing production for Bank of America as a Regional Sales Executive and Market President. Prior to Bank of America, Diana was in sales management with Wells Fargo and Washington Mutual. Diana is a third generation Californian, who has spent 40 years in the home finance industry. Diana most recently served as the chairperson for the American Heart Association Ventura County Heart Walk. She also volunteers with Habitat for Humanity, Food Share, and the food bank.

About SWBC

Headquartered in San Antonio, SWBC is a diversified financial services company providing a wide range of insurance, mortgage, and investment services to financial institutions, businesses, and individuals. With offices across the country, SWBC is committed to providing quality products, outstanding service, and customized solutions in all 50 states. For more information, visit SWBC's website at www.swbc.com.

About SWBC Mortgage Corporation

For nearly 30 years, SWBC Mortgage Corporation has been a full-service mortgage lender  with processing, underwriting, and funding performed in house. This allows SWBC Mortgage to be more efficient, and more responsive, making sure loans close in a timely manner. And, because of their excellent relationships with national and private loan investors, SWBC Mortgage offers an unbiased, non-proprietary array of products and can easily identify the ideal rate and loan package to meet the needs and budgets of almost every borrower. SWBC Mortgage is one of America's Top Mortgage Employers (National Mortgage Professional Magazine) and one of the Top 100 Mortgage Companies in America (Mortgage Executive Magazine).

SOURCE SWBC

Related Links

http://www.swbc.com


SAN FRANCISCO, April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Lithium Technologies today announced T-Mobile has implemented Lithium Social Media Management to support its social team's customer service efforts. T-Mobile is known for providing awesome and personal digital experiences to customers across social channels. With the power of the Lithium platform, T-Mobile's social team is now able to centrally control and manage multiple touchpoints, power millions of conversations, and drive smarter decisions through data.

"At Lithium, we're committed to building products that empower global businesses to connect with customers in the moment on their channel of choice," said Rob Tarkoff, president and CEO at Lithium. "We want to work with brands who have the vision to build an operation to make this happen and T-Mobile is a fantastic example of how brands can achieve this  at massive scale."

On the product front, Lithium supports the new Twitter Custom Profiles feature, enabling personal human-to-human conversations on Twitter at scale. T-Mobile was the first to market with this new capability, a clear indicator of the brand's relentless innovation on behalf of its customers. Initial results with the Lithium platform are impressive with T-Mobile's social team responding an average of 16,500 times per day to customers, and achieving a lightning fast average response time of 3 minutes 23 seconds (industry average for brands is 1 hour 24 minutes).

Lithium powers social media management for more of the industry's highest volume brands than any other technology1, making it the preferred engagement platform for any business taking a digital-first approach. Altogether, Lithium helps their customers engage in more than 2.6 million conversations per month, an average of 60 new conversations per minute across social channels at any given time.

About Lithium:

Lithium builds trusted relationships between the world's best brands and their customers, helping people get answers and share their experiences. Customers in more than 34 countries rely on Lithium to help them connect, engage, and understand their total community. With more than 100 million monthly visits over all Lithium communities and 750 million online profiles scored by Klout, Lithium has one of the largest digital footprints in the world. Using that data and the company's software, Lithium customers boost sales, reduce service costs, spark innovation, and build long-term brand loyalty and advocacy. To find out how Lithium can transform your business, and to share the experience enjoyed by 300 other leading brands around the world, visit www.lithium.com, join our community at community.lithium.com, or follow us on Twitter @LithiumTech. Lithium is a privately held company headquartered in San Francisco.

The Lithium logo is a registered Service Mark of Lithium Technologies. All trademarks and product names are the property of their respective owners.

(1) Twitter Mention Firehose data shows that of the 50 highest volume brands on Twitter, Lithium powers more replies than any other vendor.

SOURCE Lithium Technologies

Related Links

http://www.lithium.com


"Customers will love the fiery taste of our new Ghost Pepper Chicken Burrito," said Julie Hoefling, director of marketing for TacoTime. "Our special ghost pepper sauce is a hit, creating the ideal amount of spice that goes great with our deliciously fresh ingredients, while the cool avocado cream sauce mellows things out."

TacoTime has recently featured its ghost pepper sauce in a variety of limited time menu items. Carefully crafted to heat things up, the sauce adds flavor and spice to authentic Mexican favorites.

About TacoTime

Headquartered in Scottsdale, Ariz., TacoTime has been an industry leader in quality quick-service Mexican food for over 50 years. Founded in 1960, TacoTime has grown to nearly 400 franchised restaurants across the U.S. and Canada. In 2003, TacoTime became part of Kahala Brands, one of the fastest growing franchising companies in the world with a portfolio of 22 quick-service restaurant brands and approximately 2900 locations in 28 countries.

For more information about TacoTime, visit www.TacoTime.com.

For more information about Kahala Brands, visit www.KahalaBrands.com.

SOURCE TacoTime

Related Links

http://www.TacoTime.com


Top Teams Compete from 2,000 Students Engaged Across 18 schools in 2016-2017

TORONTO and MUMBAI, India, April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) (BSE: 532540, NSE: TCS), a leading global IT services, consulting and business solutions organization, along with the Toronto District School Board (TDSB), today co-hosted its 'goIT' student competition finale as a culmination of its partnership during the 2016-2017 school year that engaged nearly 2,000 students across 18 schools.

Opening the day's proceedings in front of nine grade eight and nine grade nine teams, Ontario Minister of Education, the Honourable Mitzie Hunter, stressed the need for more public-private partnerships to prepare Canadian youth with latest technology skills.

goIT is TCS' signature community engagement program in North America that increases interest in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education through app development, design thinking and robotics. TCS launched goIT in Canada with 10 schools in 2014-15, as a public-private partnership with TDSB and the Information & Communications Technology Council (ICTC), to inspire and prepare more students for 21st century careers. During the 2015-16 school year, 394 TCS volunteers worked with students in 18 TDSB schools, resulting in more than 23,000 STEM skill-building hours.

TCS' partnership with TDSB builds upon its robust global community initiatives that have inspired more than two million young people in STEM education and careers. In Canada, TCS goIT has served more than 5,000 students through partnerships with Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada, Skills Ontario, Boys and Girls Club, Canadian Association for Girls in Science, Kidnetix Kidz Association, and Toronto Community Housing. TCS is also a founding partner of NPower Canada, focused on closing the diversity gap and providing young adults with opportunities and tech skills to help them achieve their potential. Moreover, more than 5,300 TCS Canada employees have volunteered across 25 cities to support causes of health, education and environment since 2010, working with organizations such as Canadian Heart and Stroke Foundation, Canadian Cancer Society, United Way Canada, and Canadian Red Cross.

"Our unique partnership with Canada's largest school board and the contributions of our world-class professionals have helped to engage thousands of Toronto students via in-school curriculum, inspiring them to confidently explore new future career possibilities," said Soumen Roy, Head of TCS Canada. "This exciting journey with TDSB has set an exemplary benchmark on how the public and private sector can come together to improve and empower our next generation for future readiness."

Since its launch in 2009 to address the growing tech skills gap, goIT has engaged more than 13,000 students in 50 cities across the U.S. and Canada, especially those students from underrepresented groups, minorities and girls. goIT inspires youth to use technology to solve real world problems through design thinking, mobile app development, robotics, and mentorship from TCS employee volunteers.

Students work in teams to identify a problem, generate possible solutions, wireframe their prototypes, develop and test their mobile apps, and present their work to peers and judges. In turn, goIT participants are introduced to design thinking as a problem-solving framework, acquire critical thinking experience while troubleshooting designs, improve their ability to work in teams, and refine their communication skills through public presentations.

About Tata Consultancy Services Ltd (TCS):

Tata Consultancy Services is an IT services, consulting and business solutions organization that delivers real results to global business, ensuring a level of certainty no other firm can match. TCS offers a consulting-led, integrated portfolio of IT, BPS, infrastructure, engineering and assurance services. This is delivered through its unique Global Network Delivery Model, recognized as the benchmark of excellence in software development. A part of the Tata group, India's largest industrial conglomerate, TCS has over 387,000 of the world's best-trained consultants in 45 countries. The company generated consolidated revenues of U.S. $17.6 billion for year ended March 31, 2017 and is listed on the BSE Limited and National Stock Exchange of India Limited. For more information, visit us at www.tcs.com.

To stay up-to-date on TCS news in North America, follow @TCS_NA. For TCS global news, follow @TCS_News.

SOURCE Tata Consultancy Services

Related Links

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SAN ANTONIO, April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- TAVHealth, an organization that offers a cloud-based collaborative platform that solves for Social Determinants of Health, supported the 13th Annual Any Baby Can Walk For Autism on April 22, 2017. The walk, held at the Helotes Cornyval Grounds, was well attended and exceeded expectations. TAVHealth matched its employee's donations and combined, the organization donated more than $1,200 to Any Baby Can.

TAVHealth partners with Autism Lifeline Links (ALL), a not-for-profit organization that works to break down barriers to care by offering a single point of entry into a coordinated network of services and care. Thousands of individuals and families struggling with Autism are able to access valuable resources and connect with others. TAVHealth created the collaborative platform that connects families with networks of clinicians, social and community services.

TAVHealth employees, and their families, participated in the Any Baby Can fund-raising walk. Katy Dice, Controller for TAVHealth, commented, "TAVHealth's mission is to help people improve lives and we are committed to helping everyone overcome barriers to health  including individuals and families struggling with Autism. We were excited to join in the walk among thousands of enthusiastic supporters."

Any Baby Can provides free services to children in the 19 counties surrounding the city of San Antonio and ALL provides local resources to better manage diagnoses within the spectrum of Autism. The platform and website created by TAVHealth is the first of its kind in Autism treatment and makes finding resources, answers, and support an easier process. This allows everyone to understand the person and their support system, and to build relationships characterized by care, concern, and compassion.

About TAVHealth

TAVHealth offers collaborative software and service solutions to solve for Social Determinants of Health. TAV connects the power of people, community resources, and technology to improve health outcomes and experiences, while reducing the costs of care. TAVHealth has more than 275,000 providers and close to 4 million members, families, and friends in the TAVConnect collaborative platform. To learn more about TAV, visit www.tavhealth.com

TAVHealth Media Contact

Chris Buckley, Vice President of Marketing

[email protected]

619-993-3352

SOURCE TAVHealth

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"Tetra Pak is thrilled to deploy these advanced digital technologies to enhance our unique technical services offering for the food and beverage industry," said Pekka Matilainen, Tetra Pak Services VP for the Americas. "It's exciting to make the latest innovations work to meet our customers' most pressing operational needs."

Through one of these new technologies, the Microsoft HoloLens, Tetra Pak is revolutionizing its issues diagnosis and resolution service to reduce machine downtime and productivity loss while securing quick resolution of quality issues for its customers. Armed with HoloLens Mixed Reality (MR) smart glasses, Tetra Pak on-site service engineers are now able to work "alongside" the company's global experts specialized in the problem they are trying to resolve. This means that a service engineer can connect with the right expert, who then sees and hears everything in real time, and guides the on-site work even when a machine is thousands of miles away.

Tetra Pak is piloting the service in 2017 with 50 HoloLens devices and plans to expand further next year.

Another innovation, the Condition Monitoring service, taps into performance data from more than 5,000 connected filling machines around the world to help food and beverage manufacturers prevent machine failures before they occur. Using the power of Microsoft Azure, Tetra Pak specialists can identify deviations and advise customers on their maintenance needs in a more timely and effective way. The new service removes the need for a standardized maintenance process while reducing machine down-time and lowering costs related to maintenance or unexpected failures.

Tetra Pak started a six-month trial in February 2016, supporting 17 customer lines with the new service, including 2 in Mexico and 1 in Argentina. During this period, downtime was eliminated by up to 48 hours for each line.

These new technologies and services are part of Tetra Pak's expanded technical services offerings that include full plant solutions to help food and beverage manufacturers achieve world-class manufacturing operations. Learn more about Tetra Pak's Services.

ABOUT TETRA PAK

Tetra Pak is the world's leading food processing and packaging solutions company. Working closely with our customers and suppliers, we provide safe, innovative and environmentally sound products that each day meet the needs of hundreds of millions of people in more than 170 countries around the world. With more than 23,000 employees based in over 80 countries, we believe in responsible industry leadership and a sustainable approach to business. Our motto, "PROTECTS WHAT'S GOOD," reflects our vision to make food safe and available, everywhere. More information about Tetra Pak is available at www.tetrapakusa.com.

Tetra Pak and PROTECTS WHAT'S GOOD are trademarks belonging to the Tetra Pak Group.

MEDIA CONTACT

Tetra Pak Larine Urbina Tetra Pak U.S. & Canada Phone: +1 940-380-4630 Email: [email protected]



SOURCE Tetra Pak

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SAN FRANCISCO, April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) announced today a partnership with Salesforce to support the 2017 San Francisco Light The Night. San Francisco Light The Night is LLS's local walk that commemorates individuals in the Bay Area touched by cancer and funds lifesaving research and support for people battling blood cancers. John Greene, Vice President of Customer Centric Engineering at Salesforce and AML survivor, will also serve as the 2017 San Francisco Light The Night Chairperson.

After multiple rounds of chemotherapy and a bone marrow transplant, John led Salesforce in the 2011 Light The Night to benefit LLS. In just a few weeks, he helped pull together a team of walkers and raised $60,000 for research and support of cancer patients and their families. Now, over 30 Salesforce hubs participate in Light The Night worldwide. John also spearheads the company-wide initiative that led to Salesforce becoming a presenting sponsor for the second year in a row. Last year, combined efforts of company executives and employees raised more than $2.1 million for Light The Night.

"I'm honored to be this year's Corporate Light The Night Chairperson and to do what I can to encourage individuals and organizations in the Bay Area to join in the fight against cancer," said Greene. "Giving back is interwoven into the fabric of Salesforce's culture, and our leaders, employees and community inspire me every day."

The success of the Light The Night is contingent on involvement from local businesses committed to bringing light to the darkness of cancer. In addition to the Salesforce partnership, LLS announced an executive breakfast on May 17 for San Francisco companies looking to improve survival rates and create a world full of cancer survivors. The event program includes a discussion of the impact of cancer in the workplace and what businesses can do to prevent it.

"The support and generosity of Salesforceand other local businessesis instrumental in the fight against blood cancers," said Kathleen Moore, Greater Bay Area Chapter executive director, LLS. "Salesforce's partnership will enable LLS to support next-wave cancer research and directly help families within the San Francisco and Greater Bay Area community."

Light The Night is a powerful and unique LLS fundraising campaign, which brings together families and communities to honor blood cancer survivors and loved ones lost to the disease. The event also shines a light on the importance of finding cures and providing access to treatments for blood cancer patients. The walk is a family-friendly, non-competitive two-mile walk route and is accessible to all fitness levels. During the walks, participants carry illuminated lanterns  white for survivors, red for supporters and gold in memory of loved ones lost to cancer. The 2017 San Francisco Light The Night will be held on Thursday, November 16 at AT&T Park  Lot A.

To participate in the Light The Night Executive Breakfast in May, please register using this form. To start a Light The Night team or to learn more about the Light The Night, please call The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Greater Bay Area Chapter, at 415-625-1100 or visit www.lightthenight.org/gba.

About The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society  (LLS) is the world's largest voluntary health agency dedicated to blood cancer. The LLS mission: Cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease and myeloma, and improve the quality of life of patients and their families. LLS funds lifesaving blood cancer research around the world and provides free information and support services for patients and their loved ones.

Founded in 1949 and headquartered in New York, LLS has chapters throughout the United States and Canada. To learn more, visit www.LLS.org. Patients and caregivers should contact the Information Resource Center at (800) 955-4572, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET.

SOURCE Leukemia & Lymphoma Society - Greater Bay Area Chapter

Related Links

http://www.lls.org/gba


"Millennials dream of living abroad, moving to a new city and switching careers, but in reality they are quite satisfied with stability," said Paul Appleton, executive vice president, Consumer Payments & Product, Bank of the West. "It's an interesting dichotomy that doesn't appear with Gen-Xers or Boomers. This generation is dreaming bigger and better, and while they are confident they'll fulfill their dreams, they need help figuring out how to fund them."

More than six in 10 Millennials believe the American Dream is still alive today. In fact, they even agree with Gen Xers and Boomers, calling out being happy (70%), owning a home (60%), being debt-free (55%), and retiring comfortably (51%) as the top four ingredients of their American Dream. However, for this youngest working generation, there is a difference between the lives they say they want and the lives they actually lead.

The Conflicting Millennial Perspective: Home, Career, and Family

When considering where to call home, the overwhelming majority of Millennials (85%) say it's important to have the flexibility to move when they want. Most Millennials (67%) even say they would like to live abroad at some point in their lives, and nearly a third of this group can see themselves building a life in another country for the long haul. However, this perspective is very different from how they're actually living. On average, they only envision themselves packing up and moving to a new city, state or country fewer than two more times in their lives, and most (68%) even say they would prefer to build a life in one community, rather than live and work in multiple geographies. This is evidenced by some Millennials' decision to buy their homes (43%)a purchase that can make relocation more challenging. At odds with their reputation for being the renting generation, for those Millennials who are not yet home owners, three in four say they could be motivated to buy a house.

The misalignment between Millennials' dreams and actions is evident in their career paths as well. Nearly half (48%) agree that they would need to switch employers every few years to be paid what they feel they're worth. In practice, however, most Millennials (65%) are happy working for their current company, while 79 percent say they wouldn't quit their current jobs to pursue another career and 62 percent would not move cross-country without a new job offer in hand.

Millennials are also focused on building a family, which makes uprooting their lives at a moment's notice more challenging  and when asked whether they'd prefer a fulfilling family life or a fulfilling professional life, more than three-quarters (78%) of Millennials would put their family life first. If given the choice between moving closer or farther away from their families, eight in 10 would move closer.

This struggle between imagining their lives with no limits, while wanting to put down roots, may be taking an emotional toll on Millennials: the majority (64%) say they sometimes feel stuck in the life they have.

A Goal-Oriented Generation Needs a Plan

Millennials are a generation of optimists. Even with such a lengthy list of dreams to chase, the vast majority (85%) say they are confident that they will attain their American Dream.

Millennials in particular believe they have been granted the chance to achieve their goals: 67 percent agree that they have more opportunity to be successful than their parents had. When it comes to making their dreams a reality, all respondents overwhelmingly felt that having the opportunity (80%), not innate ability (20%), is the key to reaching their goals.

Despite this optimism, only half of Millennials (49%) have a plan in place to finance their American Dream. Without a roadmap to guide them, Millennials' savings habits do not align with their goals for the future. They prioritize one day owning a home and saving for retirementand yet in practice, more Millennials are saving to travel than for either of these two goals.

"Millennials have high expectations for their personal and professional lives, and are driven and able to accomplish the goals that they've set out for themselves," Appleton added. "They want the choice and flexibility to make their own decisions  whether it is to build a new life in a foreign country, navigate a career change to pursue their passions, or buy a home and raise a family. By putting a financial plan in place, Millennials can ensure they have the means to build the life they want to lead."

Making Dreams a Reality

Millennials are more likely than older generations to say that budgeting tips and free financial education would most help them to reach their American Dream.

One behavior that could hold Millennials back is a preference to save cash for a rainy day rather than invest for the future. Having come of age during the volatility of the Great Recession, Millennials gravitate toward low-risk strategies, with most (76%) saving in cash or checking and saving accounts. Only 17 percent say they were investing on their own and less than one in 10 (7%) were leveraging the help of an advisor or robo-advisor.

For those looking to make their financial goals a reality, here are three steps to keep in mind:

Set a Budget: A helpful first step may be to make a budget. Consider taking advantage of free personal financial management tools and apps to track spending and form good habits.

A helpful first step may be to make a budget. Consider taking advantage of free personal financial management tools and apps to track spending and form good habits. Think Long-Term: Incorporate long-term goals when thinking about budgeting for today. Make investing for retirement a line item next to rent/mortgage payments, transportation costs, entertainment and other monthly expenses. Taking a few simple steps today can help prepare for the future.

Incorporate long-term goals when thinking about budgeting for today. Make investing for retirement a line item next to rent/mortgage payments, transportation costs, entertainment and other monthly expenses. Taking a few simple steps today can help prepare for the future. Move from Saver to Investor: Each month think about taking some of your savings and invest that for an opportunity to generate a return. One way to make investing a habit that's difficult to break is to set up automatic transfers and automatic investments, putting funds to work for the future right away.

Bank of the West offers an array of resources for customers who want to learn more about how to manage their finances. Check out the Bank of the West blog's "Your Finances" channel for tips to curb spending, save more, protect identity, and help to reach financial goals for the future.

About the Study

Data was collected in an online survey by Maru|Matchbox on behalf of Bank of the West from January 17th  23rd, 2017. The sample was United States based among 1,010 members of its proprietary Springboard America panel consisting of 80% Millennials (Ages 21-34), 10% Generation X (Ages 35-51), and 10% Baby Boomers (Ages 52-70). Of the 1,010 respondents, 201 individuals were from California, eighty-six percent of which were Millennials.

About Bank of the West

Bank of the West is a regional financial services company headquartered in San Francisco with $83.8 billion in assets as of December 31, 2016. Founded in 1874, Bank of the West provides a wide range of personal, commercial, wealth management and international banking services through more than 600 branches and offices in 23 states and digital channels. Bank of the West is a subsidiary of BNP Paribas, which has a presence in 74 countries with more than 190,000 employees. To learn more about Bank of the West, visit About Us via BankoftheWest.com.

Deposit and loan products offered by Bank of the West, Member FDIC and Equal Housing Lender. Doing business in South Dakota as Bank of the West California.

Visit us on:

SOURCE Bank of the West

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NEW YORK, April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- National veterans nonprofit The Mission Continues today announced the addition of Gen. Ray Odierno, a retired four-star U.S. Army general who served as the 38th Chief of Staff of the Army, to its Board of Directors. In this role, Gen. Odierno will help guide The Mission Continues in its mission of empowering veterans who are adjusting to life at home to find purpose through community impact.

"Gen. Odierno is one of the most respected military leaders of our time. His track record of effective leadership over his nearly 40 year military career will no doubt be a tremendous asset to our organization," said Spencer Kympton, U.S. Army veteran and president of The Mission Continues. "He was 'in the fight' with this generation of veterans  and is deeply committed to their continued success. As we work to empower veterans to be a force for good in at-risk communities across the country, Gen. Odierno's experience and vision will be most welcomed and valued."

A native of Rockaway, N.J., Odierno attended the United States Military Academy at West Point, graduating in 1976 with a commission in Field Artillery. During more than 39 years of service, he commanded units at every echelon, with duty stations in Germany, Albania, Kuwait, Iraq and the United States.

From October 2001 to June 2004, Odierno commanded the 4th Infantry Division, the same group responsible for the capture of Saddam Hussein in December 2003. Odierno is also considered one of the founding architects of the surge in Iraq, which helped pave the way for political progress in the region.

"Though technically retired, I know I'm not alone in my desire to continue serving my country," said Odierno. "Over the course of my career, I worked alongside so many brave men and women who were ready to sacrifice everything for the sake of the mission. That's what makes working with The Mission Continues and the veterans in its programs so fulfilling."

The Mission Continues has operations across the country that engage veteran volunteers every day to have deep impact on critical challenges facing underserved communities. Veterans participate in operations by serving with The Mission Continues in several ways:

As a member of a Service Platoon, undertaking regular service missions that leverage veterans' skills and leadership to make a positive impact.

As an individual The Mission Continues Fellow, embedding as a skilled volunteer with one of the operation's nonprofit partners for a period of six months.

Deploying as part of a mass force for a week-long community service surge to tackle challenges in underserved communities.

To learn more about The Mission Continues' programs and opportunities to get involved, visit www.missioncontinues.org.

About The Mission Continues

The Mission Continues is a national nonprofit organization that empowers veterans who are adjusting to life at home to find purpose through community impact. Our operations in cities across the country deploy veteran volunteers alongside non-profit partners and community leaders to solve some of the most challenging issues facing our communities: improving community education resources, eliminating food deserts, mentoring at-risk youth and more. Through this unique model, veterans build new skills and networks that help them successfully reintegrate to life after the military while making long-term, sustainable transformations in communities and inspiring future generations to serve. To learn more, visit: www.missioncontinues.org or follow us on Twitter @missioncontinue.

SOURCE The Mission Continues

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WALTHAM, Mass., April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (NYSE: TMO), the world leader in serving science, today reported its financial results for the first quarter ended April 1, 2017.

First Quarter 2017 Highlights

Reported revenue of $4.77 billion .





. Reported GAAP diluted earnings per share (EPS) of $1.40 .

Reported adjusted EPS of $2.08 .





. Reported adjusted EPS of . Launched innovative new products across our technology portfolio, including the iCAP triple-quadrupole mass spectrometry system, the first cloud-connected electronic pipette and the microarray-based CarrierScan Assay for the detection of inherited diseases.





Achieved strong growth in Asia-Pacific markets, particularly China , India and South Korea . Opened new customer demonstration center for electron microscopy in partnership with Tsinghua University in Beijing to advance structural biology applications.





markets, particularly , and . Opened new customer demonstration center for electron microscopy in partnership with Tsinghua University in to advance structural biology applications. Completed two strategic bolt-on acquisitions  Finesse Solutions, which adds measurement and control capabilities to strengthen our bioproduction offering, and Core Informatics, provider of a leading cloud-based platform that enhances our digital science strategy.





Repurchased $500 million of stock during the quarter.

Adjusted EPS, adjusted operating income, adjusted operating margin and free cash flow are non-GAAP measures that exclude certain items detailed later in this press release under the heading "Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures."

"We're pleased to start the year on a strong note," said Marc N. Casper, president and chief executive officer of Thermo Fisher Scientific. "We delivered excellent performance on both the top and bottom line, executing our growth strategy and positioning Thermo Fisher for an even stronger future.

"We started strong on the innovation front as well, launching new products that help our customers in a range of applications create more powerful workflows, drive efficiency and sustainability in their labs, and more effectively diagnose disease. In Asia-Pacific, we were especially pleased to continue our excellent momentum in China by leveraging our scale to strengthen our leadership in this key high-growth region.

"We also continued to effectively deploy our capital, making two complementary bolt-on acquisitions that offer exciting new growth opportunities, and returning capital to our shareholders through stock buybacks and dividends.

Casper added, "Based on our performance in the first quarter, we're well-positioned to deliver another excellent year."

First Quarter 2017

Revenue for the quarter grew 11% to $4.77 billion in 2017, versus $4.29 billion in the first quarter of 2016. Organic revenue growth was 4%; acquisitions increased revenue by 8% and currency translation reduced revenue by 1%.

GAAP Earnings Results

GAAP diluted EPS in the first quarter increased 39% to $1.40, versus $1.01 in the same quarter last year, in part reflecting a one-time tax benefit. GAAP operating income for the first quarter of 2017 grew to $622 million, compared with $518 million in the first quarter of 2016. GAAP operating margin increased to 13.1%, compared with 12.1% in the first quarter last year.

Non-GAAP Earnings Results

Adjusted EPS in the first quarter of 2017 rose 16% to $2.08, versus $1.80 in the year-ago quarter. Adjusted operating income for the first quarter of 2017 also grew 16% compared with the same quarter last year. Adjusted operating margin expanded 90 basis points to 22.6%, compared with 21.7% in the first quarter of 2016.

2017 Guidance Update

Thermo Fisher is raising its revenue and adjusted EPS guidance for 2017 to reflect strong first quarter performance, a less adverse foreign exchange environment and acquisitions completed in 2017. The company is raising revenue guidance to a new range of $19.51 to $19.71 billion versus its original guidance of $19.38 to $19.62 billion announced in January 2017. This would result in 7 to 8% revenue growth over the previous year. The company is raising its adjusted EPS guidance to a new range of $9.12 to $9.28 versus the $9.06 to $9.24 previously communicated, for 10 to 12% growth over 2016.

Segment Results

Management uses adjusted operating results to monitor and evaluate performance of the company's four business segments, as highlighted below. Since these results are used for this purpose, they are also considered to be prepared in accordance with GAAP.

Life Sciences Solutions Segment

In the first quarter of 2017, Life Sciences Solutions Segment revenue grew 12% to $1.36 billion, compared with revenue of $1.22 billion in the first quarter of 2016. Segment adjusted operating margin increased to 31.8%, versus 28.9% in the 2016 quarter.

Analytical Instruments Segment

Analytical Instruments Segment results reflect the acquisition of FEI Company in September 2016. Revenue for the segment grew 39% to $1.05 billion in the first quarter of 2017, compared with revenue of $759 million in the first quarter of 2016. Segment adjusted operating margin increased to 18.2%, versus 14.7% in the 2016 quarter.

Specialty Diagnostics Segment

Specialty Diagnostics Segment revenue grew 1% to $866 million in the first quarter of 2017, compared with revenue of $855 million in the first quarter of 2016. Segment adjusted operating margin increased to 27.0%, versus 26.9% in the 2016 quarter.

Laboratory Products and Services Segment

In the first quarter of 2017, Laboratory Products and Services Segment revenue grew 3% to $1.70 billion, compared with revenue of $1.65 billion in the first quarter of 2016. Segment adjusted operating margin was 12.7%, versus 14.4% in the 2016 quarter.

Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures

In addition to the financial measures prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), we use certain non-GAAP financial measures, including adjusted EPS, adjusted operating income and adjusted operating margin, which exclude certain acquisition-related costs, including charges for the sale of inventories revalued at the date of acquisition and significant transaction costs; restructuring and other costs/income; and amortization of acquisition-related intangible assets. Adjusted EPS also excludes certain other gains and losses that are either isolated or cannot be expected to occur again with any predictability, tax provisions/benefits related to the previous items, benefits from tax credit carryforwards, the impact of significant tax audits or events and the results of discontinued operations. We exclude the above items because they are outside of our normal operations and/or, in certain cases, are difficult to forecast accurately for future periods. We also use a non-GAAP measure, free cash flow, which is operating cash flow, net of capital expenditures, and also excludes operating cash flows from discontinued operations to provide a view of the continuing operations' ability to generate cash for use in acquisitions and other investing and financing activities. We believe that the use of non-GAAP measures helps investors to gain a better understanding of our core operating results and future prospects, consistent with how management measures and forecasts the company's performance, especially when comparing such results to previous periods or forecasts.

For example:

We exclude costs and tax effects associated with restructuring activities, such as reducing overhead and consolidating facilities. We believe that the costs related to these restructuring activities are not indicative of our normal operating costs.

We exclude certain acquisition-related costs, including charges for the sale of inventories revalued at the date of acquisition and significant transaction costs. We exclude these costs because we do not believe they are indicative of our normal operating costs.

We exclude the expense and tax effects associated with the amortization of acquisition-related intangible assets because a significant portion of the purchase price for acquisitions may be allocated to intangible assets that have lives of 5 to 20 years. In 2017, based on acquisitions closed through the end of the first quarter of 2017, our adjusted EPS will exclude approximately $2.64 of expense for the amortization of acquisition-related intangible assets. Exclusion of the amortization expense allows comparisons of operating results that are consistent over time for both our newly acquired and long-held businesses and with both acquisitive and non-acquisitive peer companies.

We also exclude certain gains/losses and related tax effects, benefits from tax credit carryforwards and the impact of significant tax audits or events (such as the effect on deferred tax balances of enacted changes in tax rates), which are either isolated or cannot be expected to occur again with any predictability and that we believe are not indicative of our normal operating gains and losses. For example, we exclude gains/losses from items such as the sale of a business or real estate, gains or losses on significant litigation-related matters, gains on curtailments of pension plans, the early retirement of debt and discontinued operations.

We also report free cash flow, which is operating cash flow, net of capital expenditures, and also excludes operating cash flows from discontinued operations to provide a view of the continuing operations' ability to generate cash for use in acquisitions and other investing and financing activities.

Thermo Fisher's management uses these non-GAAP measures, in addition to GAAP financial measures, as the basis for measuring the company's core operating performance and comparing such performance to that of prior periods and to the performance of our competitors. Such measures are also used by management in their financial and operating decision-making and for compensation purposes.

The non-GAAP financial measures of Thermo Fisher's results of operations and cash flows included in this press release are not meant to be considered superior to or a substitute for Thermo Fisher's results of operations prepared in accordance with GAAP. Reconciliations of such non-GAAP financial measures to the most directly comparable GAAP financial measures are set forth in the accompanying tables. Thermo Fisher does not provide GAAP financial measures on a forward-looking basis because we are unable to predict with reasonable certainty and without unreasonable effort items such as the timing and amount of future restructuring actions and acquisition-related charges as well as gains or losses from sales of real estate and businesses, the early retirement of debt and the outcome of legal proceedings. The timing and amount of these items are uncertain and could be material to Thermo Fisher's results computed in accordance with GAAP.

Conference Call

Thermo Fisher Scientific will hold its earnings conference call today, April 26, 2017, at 8:30 a.m. Eastern time. To listen, dial (877) 201-0168 within the U.S. or (647) 788-4901 outside the U.S. You may also listen to the call live on our website, www.thermofisher.com, by clicking on "Investors." You will find this press release, including the accompanying reconciliation of non-GAAP financial measures and related information, in that section of our website under "Financial Results." An audio archive of the call will be available under "Webcasts and Presentations" through Friday, May 12, 2017.

About Thermo Fisher Scientific

Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (NYSE: TMO) is the world leader in serving science, with revenues of $18 billion and more than 55,000 employees globally. Our mission is to enable our customers to make the world healthier, cleaner and safer. We help our customers accelerate life sciences research, solve complex analytical challenges, improve patient diagnostics and increase laboratory productivity. Through our premier brands  Thermo Scientific, Applied Biosystems, Invitrogen, Fisher Scientific and Unity Lab Services  we offer an unmatched combination of innovative technologies, purchasing convenience and comprehensive support. For more information, please visit www.thermofisher.com.

Safe Harbor Statement

The following constitutes a "Safe Harbor" statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated by forward-looking statements include risks and uncertainties relating to: the need to develop new products and adapt to significant technological change; implementation of strategies for improving growth; general economic conditions and related uncertainties; dependence on customers' capital spending policies and government funding policies; the effect of exchange rate fluctuations on international operations; use and protection of intellectual property; the effect of changes in governmental regulations; and the effect of laws and regulations governing government contracts, as well as the possibility that expected benefits related to recent or pending acquisitions may not materialize as expected. Additional important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements are set forth in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016, which is on file with the SEC and available in the "Investors" section of our website under the heading "SEC Filings." While we may elect to update forward-looking statements at some point in the future, we specifically disclaim any obligation to do so, even if estimates change and, therefore, you should not rely on these forward-looking statements as representing our views as of any date subsequent to today.

Consolidated Statement of Income (unaudited) (a)(b)



















Three Months Ended



April 1,

% of

April 2,

% of (In millions except per share amounts)

2017

Revenues

2016

Revenues

















Revenues

$ 4,765.0







$ 4,294.8





Costs and Operating Expenses:















Cost of revenues (c)

2,447.2



51.4 %

2,235.9





52.1 % Selling, general and administrative expenses (d)

1,089.0



22.9 %

991.9





23.1 % Amortization of acquisition-related intangible assets

367.5



7.7 %

322.0





7.5 % Research and development expenses

215.4



4.5 %

176.5





4.1 % Restructuring and other costs, net (e)

23.5



0.5 %

50.6





1.2 %



4,142.6



86.9 %

3,776.9





87.9 %

















Operating Income

622.4



13.1 %

517.9





12.1 % Interest Income

18.5







10.8





Interest Expense

(135.4)







(106.2)





Other (Expense) Income, Net (f)

(2.6)







0.5























Income Before Income Taxes

502.9







423.0





Benefit from (Provision for) Income Taxes (g)

48.5







(20.7)























Income from Continuing Operations

551.4







402.3























Loss from Discontinued Operations, Net of Tax









(0.1)























Net Income

$ 551.4



11.6 %

$ 402.2





9.4 %

















Earnings per Share from Continuing Operations:















Basic

$ 1.41







$ 1.02





Diluted

$ 1.40







$ 1.01























Earnings per Share:















Basic

$ 1.41







$ 1.02





Diluted

$ 1.40







$ 1.01























Weighted Average Shares:















Basic

391.0







395.8





Diluted

394.1







398.7









































Reconciliation of Adjusted Operating Income and Adjusted Operating Margin















GAAP Operating Income (a)

$ 622.4



13.1 %

$ 517.9





12.1 % Cost of Revenues Charges (c)

30.9



0.6 %

10.6





0.2 % Selling, General and Administrative Charges, Net (d)

31.5



0.7 %

28.9





0.7 % Restructuring and Other Costs, Net (e)

23.5



0.5 %

50.6





1.2 % Amortization of Acquisition-related Intangible Assets

367.5



7.7 %

322.0





7.5 %

















Adjusted Operating Income (b)

$ 1,075.8



22.6 %

$ 930.0





21.7 %

















Reconciliation of Adjusted Net Income















GAAP Net Income (a)

$ 551.4



11.6 %

$ 402.2





9.4 % Cost of Revenues Charges (c)

30.9



0.6 %

10.6





0.2 % Selling, General and Administrative Charges, Net (d)

31.5



0.7 %

28.9





0.7 % Restructuring and Other Costs, Net (e)

23.5



0.5 %

50.6





1.2 % Amortization of Acquisition-related Intangible Assets

367.5



7.7 %

322.0





7.5 % Other Income, Net (f)

(2.6)



-0.1 %

(1.3)





-0.1 % Provision for Income Taxes (g)

(182.0)



-3.8 %

(96.0)





-2.2 % Discontinued Operations, Net of Tax





0.0 %

0.1





0.0 %

















Adjusted Net Income (b)

$ 820.2



17.2 %

$ 717.1





16.7 %

















Reconciliation of Adjusted Earnings per Share















GAAP EPS (a)

$ 1.40







$ 1.01





Cost of Revenues Charges, Net of Tax (c)

0.05







0.02





Selling, General and Administrative Charges, Net of Tax (d)

0.05







0.06





Restructuring and Other Costs, Net of Tax (e)

0.04







0.09





Amortization of Acquisition-related Intangible Assets, Net of Tax

0.70







0.60





Other Income, Net of Tax (f)















(Benefit from) Provision for Income Taxes (g)

(0.16)







0.02





Discontinued Operations, Net of Tax

































Adjusted EPS (b)

$ 2.08







$ 1.80























Reconciliation of Free Cash Flow















GAAP Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities (a)

$ 361.5







$ 334.7





Net Cash Used in Discontinued Operations

0.9







1.5





Purchases of Property, Plant and Equipment

(93.4)







(115.1)





Proceeds from Sale of Property, Plant and Equipment

1.1







6.0























Free Cash Flow

$ 270.1







$ 227.1









































































































































































































































































Segment Data

Three Months Ended



April 1,

% of

April 2,

% of (In millions)

2017

Revenues

2016

Revenues

















Revenues















Life Sciences Solutions

$ 1,363.5



28.6 %

$ 1,217.7





28.4 % Analytical Instruments

1,052.0



22.1 %

759.3





17.7 % Specialty Diagnostics

866.4



18.2 %

854.6





19.9 % Laboratory Products and Services

1,699.0



35.7 %

1,648.8





38.4 % Eliminations

(215.9)



-4.6 %

(185.6)





-4.4 %

















Consolidated Revenues

$ 4,765.0



100.0 %

$ 4,294.8





100.0 %

















Operating Income and Operating Margin















Life Sciences Solutions

$ 433.9



31.8 %

$ 351.3





28.9 % Analytical Instruments

191.8



18.2 %

111.7





14.7 % Specialty Diagnostics

233.9



27.0 %

230.1





26.9 % Laboratory Products and Services

216.2



12.7 %

236.9





14.4 %

















Subtotal Reportable Segments

1,075.8



22.6 %

930.0





21.7 %

















Cost of Revenues Charges (c)

(30.9)



-0.6 %

(10.6)





-0.2 % Selling, General and Administrative Charges, Net (d)

(31.5)



-0.7 %

(28.9)





-0.7 % Restructuring and Other Costs, Net (e)

(23.5)



-0.5 %

(50.6)





-1.2 % Amortization of Acquisition-related Intangible Assets

(367.5)



-7.7 %

(322.0)





-7.5 %

















GAAP Operating Income (a)

$ 622.4



13.1 %

$ 517.9





12.1 %



































(a) "GAAP" (reported) results were determined in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP).

(b) Adjusted results are non-GAAP measures and, for income measures, exclude certain charges to cost of revenues (see note (c) for details); certain credits/charges to selling, general and administrative expenses (see note (d) for details); amortization of acquisition-related intangible assets; restructuring and other costs, net (see note (e) for details); certain other gains or losses that are either isolated or cannot be expected to occur again with any predictability (see note (f) for details); and the tax consequences of the preceding items and certain other tax items (see note (g) for details).

(c) Reported results in 2017 and 2016 include i) $30.7 and $6.2, respectively, of charges for the sale of inventories revalued at the date of acquisition. Reported results in 2017 include $0.2 of accelerated depreciation on manufacturing assets to be abandoned due to facility consolidations. Reported results in 2016 include charges of $4.4 to conform the accounting policies of Affymetrix with the company's accounting policies.

(d) Reported results in 2017 and 2016 include i) $5.5 and $23.6, respectively, of third-party transaction/integration costs primarily related to recently completed acquisitions; ii) $25.4 and $(0.1), respectively, of charges/(credits) from changes in estimates of contingent acquisition consideration; and iii) $0.6 and $5.4, respectively, of accelerated depreciation on fixed assets to be abandoned due to integration synergies.

(e) Reported results in 2017 and 2016 include restructuring and other costs, net, consisting principally of severance, abandoned facility and other expenses of headcount reductions within several businesses and real estate consolidations. Reported results in 2017 include $4.3 of litigation charges. Reported results in 2016 include $13.3 of net gains on settlement of litigation and $2.9 of gains on sales of real estate.

(f) Reported results in 2017 include $5.8 of net gains from investments offset in part by a $3.2 loss on extinguishment of debt. Reported results in 2016 include $1.8 of net gains from investments offset in part by $0.5 of amortization of acquisition-related intangible assets of the company's equity-method investments.

(g) Reported provision for income taxes includes i) $119.1 and $105.0 of incremental tax benefit in 2017 and 2016, respectively, for the pre-tax reconciling items between GAAP and adjusted net income; and ii) $62.9 and $(9.0) of incremental tax benefit (provision) in 2017 and 2016, respectively, from adjusting the company's deferred tax balances as a result of tax rate changes.

Notes:

Consolidated depreciation expense is $97.0 and $94.1 in 2017 and 2016, respectively.

Consolidated equity compensation expense included in both reported and adjusted results is $33.0 and $33.4 in 2017 and 2016, respectively.





















Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet (unaudited)





















April 1,

December 31, (In millions)

2017

2016









Assets







Current Assets:







Cash and cash equivalents

$ 713.3



$ 786.2

Accounts receivable, net

3,096.5



3,048.5

Inventories

2,327.1



2,213.3

Other current assets

1,111.2



973.0











Total current assets

7,248.1



7,021.0











Property, Plant and Equipment, Net

2,563.3



2,577.8











Acquisition-related Intangible Assets

13,821.7



13,969.0











Other Assets

1,020.2



1,011.9











Goodwill

21,560.3



21,327.8











Total Assets

$ 46,213.6



$ 45,907.5





















Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity







Current Liabilities:







Short-term obligations and current maturities of long-term obligations

$ 1,882.4



$ 1,255.5

Other current liabilities

3,420.5



3,610.3











Total current liabilities

5,302.9



4,865.8











Other Long-term Liabilities

3,927.1



4,130.0











Long-term Obligations

15,188.4



15,372.4











Total Shareholders' Equity

21,795.2



21,539.3











Total Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity

$ 46,213.6



$ 45,907.5





















































































































































































Condensed Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows (unaudited)





















Three Months Ended



April 1,

April 2, (In millions)

2017

2016









Operating Activities







Net income

$ 551.4



$ 402.2

Loss from discontinued operations





0.1

Income from continuing operations

551.4



402.3











Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:







Depreciation and amortization

464.5



416.1

Change in deferred income taxes

(127.3)



(88.8)

Other non-cash expenses, net

92.0



53.8

Changes in assets and liabilities, excluding the effects of acquisitions and dispositions

(618.2)



(447.2)











Net cash provided by continuing operations

362.4



336.2

Net cash used in discontinued operations

(0.9)



(1.5)











Net cash provided by operating activities

361.5



334.7











Investing Activities







Acquisitions, net of cash acquired

(300.7)



(1,032.4)

Purchases of property, plant and equipment

(93.4)



(115.1)

Proceeds from sale of property, plant and equipment

1.1



6.0

Other investing activities, net

11.1



2.6











Net cash used in investing activities

(381.9)



(1,138.9)











Financing Activities







Net proceeds from issuance of debt

519.0



998.8

Repayment of debt

(703.2)



(1.3)

Net proceeds from issuance of commercial paper

2,361.1



2,359.7

Repayment of commercial paper

(1,795.3)



(1,185.8)

Purchases of company common stock

(500.0)



(1,000.0)

Dividends paid

(59.1)



(60.3)

Net proceeds from issuance of company common stock under employee stock plans

58.2



31.7

Other financing activities, net

-



(0.4)











Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities

(119.3)



1,142.4











Exchange Rate Effect on Cash

65.8



37.0











(Decrease) Increase in Cash, Cash Equivalents and Restricted Cash

(73.9)



375.2

Cash, Cash Equivalents and Restricted Cash at Beginning of Period

810.8



466.3











Cash, Cash Equivalents and Restricted Cash at End of Period

$ 736.9



$ 841.5





















Free Cash Flow (a)

$ 270.1



$ 227.1





















(a) Free cash flow is net cash provided by operating activities of continuing operations less net purchases of property, plant and equipment.



SOURCE Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc.

Related Links

http://www.thermofisher.com


NEW YORK, April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Protests and houses of worship have experienced record turnout since the election. Now more than ever, the nation needs revolutionary love. Middle Collegiate Church and the The Middle Project will host a sold-out conference for over 300 activists and faith leaders of various religions, races, and ages seeking to repair the breach and restore hope.

Van Jones, William Barber, Valarie Kaur, Bill Moyers, and other civil rights activists and prophetic faith leaders will deliver keynotes to ethical leadership from around the country. The conference, Revolutionary Love: Disruptive Ethics to Dismantle Racism will take place Friday, April 28  Sunday, April 30 at Middle Collegiate Church in the East Village.

"The call of our times is revolutionary love. As the president bans Muslim, refugee, and immigrant families, and bombs Syria, racism and xenophobia are still ordering the steps of too many in our nation," said The Rev. Dr. Jacqui Lewis, senior minister of Middle Collegiate Church.

The conference will kick off at 1 p.m. Friday with a presentation led by Sikh activist Valarie Kaur along with The Rev. Dr. Jacqui Lewis on the call for revolutionary love. Other leaders such as Shaun King, Traci Blackmon and Brian McLaren will explore topics ranging from confronting opponents with love, to the ethics of disruption, to Bill Moyers hosting a screening of his film, RIKERS. The conference will culminate at 8 p.m. Sunday with a closing keynote by The Rev. Dr. William Barber and the rock band BETTY.

"As our president dismantles public education without releasing his own tax returns, we are led by Rabbi Jesus, who called people to resist religious hypocrisy and rulers in high places. We are called more than ever by an ethic of love and a movement for justice and peace. Resistance and resilience are acts of faith," said The Rev. Jacqui Lewis, senior minister at Middle Collegiate Church.

Please visit the conference website for more information and a full agenda, and access this video to learn more about Middle Collegiate Church. The conference is sponsored by L2O and partners include the Love Army, Auburn Theological Seminary, The Revolutionary Love Project, Be More, and the Unitarian Universalist Association.

About Middle Collegiate Church

Middle Collegiate Church is a celebrating, culturally diverse, inclusive and growing community of faith where all people are welcomed just as they are as they come through the door. As a teaching congregation that celebrates the arts, our ministries include rich and meaningful worship, care and education that nurture the mind, body and spirit, social action which embraces the global community, and participation in an interfaith dialogue for the purpose of justice and reconciliation. The Rev. Jacqui Lewis, Ph.D. is Senior Minister of Middle Collegiate Church.

Established in 1628, the Collegiate Church is an ecumenical church affiliated with the Reformed Church in America, the National and World Council of Churches, and the New York City Council of Churches.

About The Middle Project

The Middle Project prepares ethical leaders for a more just society. It is an institute that brings together youth, young adults and adults from many fields and faith traditions.

It unites progressive leaders who are ready for a revolutionary and prophetic way of using power and resources to act locally and think globally to heal the human family.

The Middle Project takes its strength and approach from the progressive faith traditions that have played a major role in America's greatest democratic achievements: the abolition of slavery, civil rights, universal suffrage, and the anti-war movement.

SOURCE Middle Collegiate Church
"We couldn't be more excited to be opening a Timex store in Tokyo," said International Marketing Manager Marjanne van Sambeek. "Timex is, first, and foremost, a global brand and we look forward to introducing our unique heritage of timekeeping to a whole new audience in the iconic Shibuya shopping district."

Additionally, to celebrate the opening of the store, Timex Group Design Director Giorgio Galli has designed a special edition of their classic Easy Reader watch. It will come with a black Horween leather strap, and features 'Tokyo Store 2017' on the dial. When turning on the watch's INDIGLO Night-Light, a watermarked number 40 will appear to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Easy Reader watch this year.

"I jumped at the chance to design a unique piece for the opening of the Tokyo store," said Galli. "When you think of cutting-edge fashion in Japan, you think of the Shibuya District, and I can't wait for this new Easy Reader watch to be part of the conversation."

The Timex Tokyo Flagship store held a private opening for media and business partners on April 21st, followed by the official launch on April 22nd.

About Timex Group  www.timexgroup.com

Timex Group designs, manufactures and markets innovative timepieces around the world. Founded in 1854, Timex Group is a privately-held company headquartered in Middlebury, Connecticut with multiple operating units and over 4,000 employees worldwide. As one of the largest watchmakers in the world, Timex Group companies produce watches under a number of well-known brands, including Timex, Guess, GC, Versace, Versus, Salvatore Ferragamo, and Nautica. Timex sells millions of watches each year worldwide.

Join Timex on social media: @Timex

Contact:

Michael Papirmeister

212-679-2233

[email protected]

SOURCE Timex

Related Links

http://www.timexgroup.com


BOSTON, April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- UC Funds recently announced its acquisition of the Residence Inn by Marriott to complement its Courtyard Marriott hotel. Combined, the two hotels offer 271 keys. Both hotels are ideally located in the "Main and Main" section of downtown Stamford, walking distance to restaurant row and Metro North train station. One management team will operate both hotels to reduce per key expenses and create economies of scale. Guest referrals will be made from one hotel to the other, which will increase revenue for the company and provide more amenities for guests at both hotels. The acquisition is the latest move in UC Funds' total capital commitment of over $100 million in Downtown Stamford.

Purchased in April 2017, the total project cost is $40 million. Construction on the eight-story Residence Inn by Marriott is currently 60 percent complete, with expected completion by spring 2018. The 156 key hotel will be comprised of all suite-style rooms that include full kitchenettes. Guests will enjoy a variety of amenities including a state of the art fitness center, business center, meeting space, lobby bar and restaurant. UC Funds projects annual gross revenue in excess of $14 million.

Built in 2003, UC Funds purchased the Courtyard Marriott in August 2016 for $26 million. At nine floors, the 115 key hotel offers amenities including a newly opened restaurant, breakfast offerings, meeting space and valet parking. Its prime location and quality make the Courtyard Marriott the premier hospitality asset in the Stamford market, as well as a highly stabilized asset with annual gross revenue in excess of $10 million.

"We could not be more excited about the opportunity to complete the Residence Inn project and operate it with the Courtyard, under one fabulous hotel brand - Marriott," said Daniel Palmier, CEO of UC Funds. "This asset is contiguous and synergistic with our recently purchased Courtyard by Marriott. Upon completion of the Residence Inn, we will own and operate the best hospitality asset in New England with projected gross revenue in excess of $20 million per annum."

ABOUT UC FUNDS:

UC Funds is a national balance sheet provider of both debt and equity capital solutions, that has closed in excess of $1 billion in real estate investments over the last 36 months. UC Funds provides quick financial solutions throughout the entire capital stack, including joint venture equity. UC Funds is one of the nation's most entrepreneurial lending institutions, focused on Multifamily, Retail, Office, Hotel, Industrial/Warehouse, Adaptive Reuse and Construction assets nationwide. For more about the UC Funds' commercial real estate platform, visit (http://www.UCFunds.com).

SOURCE UC Funds

Related Links

http://www.UCFunds.com


SHANGHAI, April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- UniFi's parent company Shanghai Wheat Asset Management Co., Ltd. ("MaiziJinfu", "Maizi" or "the Company"), a China-based Internet-based financial information service provider, today announced that it has received Series B funding, at the Internet Finance Development and Innovative Application Forum (IFDIA), which was co-hosted by Money Weekly in Shanghai.

This year, the IFDIA Forum attracted financial experts from academic institutions like the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, senior leaders from peer companies including Tencent and Baidu, banks and securities companies, as well as reporters from over 60 media agencies. At the forum, experts from diverse backgrounds contributed insights about the future of Internet finance and its application.

At the event, Huang Darong, CEO and Chairman of MaiziJinfu, said, "The new fund will be used to incubate upgraded Internet finance products as well as to further the company's talent development."

Zhou Qi, spokesperson for the group of investors, spoke highly of Maizi's business model. He pointed out that Internet finance is an unstoppable tide for the industry. "At present, all banks in China are betting on Internet finance as a way to expand investment. We recognize Maizi's potential as well as its innovative spirit and we are looking forward to their development of customized financial services and intelligent wealth management," added Zhou.

In May 2015, MaiziJinfu obtained A Round funding from Haitong Innovation Capital Management Company, which is affiliated with Haitong Security, one of the oldest securities companies in China. "The company's securing of funding in Round B is a strong indication of Maizi's dedication to Internet finance, and recognition of its value proposition," Huang said.

MaiziJinfu, while building its expertise in financial big data marketing, has served over two million clients from diverse industries, with about 20 billion RMB of funding. Its partner list includes Ningbo Commerce Bank, Bank of Shizuishan, and Chang'an Insurance.

UniFi, as part of MaiziJinfu, is a financing product designed for international students. In the US, for instance, international students suffer from financing for starting up a business or even for purchasing a car, since they do not have Social Security records. UniFi, however, provides low-interest loans to those students in need with easy procedures and high flexibility. "We are proud to say that UniFi within a year's time has become a significant financing tool among international students in the US and Canada," Huang Darong said.

About UniFi

UniFi is a financing product designed for overseas students. Leveraging Maizi's FinTech and Big Data, UniFi provides flexible financing solutions to students who are in need for capital support to start a business or purchase a car. UniFi aims to establish an independent credit system for overseas students who has no Social Security records, and link them with "warm and considerate financial services". Within a year's time, the product rapidly gained popularity among international students and expanded to the American and Canadian markets.

SOURCE UniFi
LONDON, April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- United States Non-Vascular Stents Market Outlook to 2023

Summary

GlobalData's new report, United States Non-Vascular Stents Market Outlook to 2023, provides key market data on the United States Non-Vascular Stents market. The report provides value, in millions of US dollars, volume (in units) and and average prices (USD) within market segments - Pancreatic and Biliary Stents, Enteral Stents, Airway Stents and Urinary Tract Stents.

Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/2243667/

The report also provides company shares and distribution shares data for each of these market segments, and global corporate-level profiles of the key market participants. Based on the availability of data for the particular market and country, information related to pipeline products, news and deals is available in the report.

Extensive interviews are conducted with key opinion leaders (KOLs), physicians and industry experts to validate the market size, company share and distribution share data and analysis.

Scope

- Market size and company share data for Non-Vascular Stents market segments

- Pancreatic and Biliary Stents, Enteral Stents, Airway Stents and Urinary Tract Stents.

- Annualized market revenues (USD million) and volume (units) data for each of the market segments. Data is provided from 2009 to 2016 and forecast to 2023.

- 2016 company shares and distribution shares data for each of the market segments.

- Global corporate-level profiles of key companies operating within the United States Non-Vascular Stents market.

- Key players covered include Boston Scientific Corp, C. R. Bard Inc, W. L. Gore & Associates Inc and Others.

Reasons to buy

- Develop business strategies by identifying the key market segments poised for strong growth in the future.

- Develop market-entry and market expansion strategies.

- Design competition strategies by identifying who-stands-where in the market.

- Develop investment strategies by identifying the key market segments expected to register strong growth in the near future.

Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/2243667/

About Reportbuyer

Reportbuyer is a leading industry intelligence solution that provides all market research reports from top publishers

http://www.reportbuyer.com

For more information:

Sarah Smith

Research Advisor at Reportbuyer.com

Email: [email protected]

Tel: +44 208 816 85 48

Website: www.reportbuyer.com

SOURCE ReportBuyer

Related Links

http://www.reportbuyer.com


CHARLOTTE, N.C., April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- A new survey of utility customers nationwide has named Piedmont Natural Gas a Top Utility Environmental Champion of 2017 for initiatives such as slashing emissions in its vehicle fleet and making its facilities more energy efficient.

This is the third consecutive year Piedmont has earned the prestigious designation, which is based on a study of nearly 58,000 customers among 130 of the nation's largest residential gas and electric utility providers. Piedmont is one of 40 companies on the list released by Cogent Reports and Market Strategies International.

Cogent Reports conducted surveys among residential electric, natural gas and combination utility customers between the second quarter of 2016 and the first quarter of 2017, asking them to rate their utility company's dedication to environmental stewardship.

"We are thrilled to be recognized as one of Cogent Reports' top utility champions for 2017," said Frank Yoho, head of gas operations for Piedmont Natural Gas, a subsidiary of Duke Energy. "Environmental stewardship is a core value for Piedmont, and we are gratified to know that our customers are aware of and value the many ongoing initiatives Piedmont has undertaken to reduce our impact on our environment and help our customers do the same."

In late March, Piedmont celebrated the opening of a new Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED)-eligible facility in Fayetteville, N.C. LEED is a green building certification program that recognizes best-in-class sustainable building strategies and practices. Piedmont already operates three LEED-certified facilities in North Carolina  in Charlotte, Rockingham and Tarboro  and one in Nashville.

Piedmont also has taken a lead role in championing the use of cleaner, lower-cost compressed natural gas (CNG) as a transportation fuel, resulting in a surge in CNG demand from trucks and other fleet vehicles. Piedmont is nearing completion of its 11th public CNG refueling station, located near the junction of Interstate 40 and U.S. 321 in Hickory. And the company has converted about one-third of its own corporate fleet of approximately 900 vehicles to run on CNG.

About Piedmont Natural Gas

Piedmont Natural Gas, a North Carolina corporation, is an energy services company whose principal business is the distribution of natural gas to more than a million residential, commercial, industrial and power generation customers in portions of North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee. Piedmont provides a foundation for establishing a broader strategic natural gas infrastructure platform within Duke Energy to supplement and complement the previous natural gas pipeline investments and the natural gas business located in the Midwest.

Headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., Duke Energy is an S&P 100 Stock Index company traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol DUK. More information about the company is available at duke-energy.com.

The Duke Energy News Center serves as a multimedia resource for journalists and features news releases, helpful links, photos and videos. Hosted by Duke Energy, illumination is an online destination for stories about people, innovations, and community and environmental topics. It also offers glimpses into the past and insights into the future of energy.

Follow Duke Energy on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.

Media contact: Jennifer Sharpe

Office: 704.731.4108 I 24-hour: 800.559.3853

[email protected]

SOURCE Duke Energy

Related Links

http://www.duke-energy.com


ROLLING MEADOWS, Ill., April 25, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Generations of Chicago homeowners continue to trust their basement slumber parties, rowing machines, laundry, foosball tables, and drum sets to the care and expertise of U.S. Waterproofing.

In spring 2017, the Rolling Meadows-based basement waterproofing company celebrates 60 years of service.

U.S. Waterproofing was founded in a small Chicago garage by military veteran Albert Weiner. He named the business after the country he proudly served. Soon, his family joined him. The business is still locally family-owned today.

"In pop culture, basements get a bad rap," says Matthew Stock, Weiner's grand-nephew and current president and CEO of U.S. Waterproofing. "But, in real-life, basements are where some of the best family memories happen. I remember hanging out with my friends and cousins, playing ping pong and pool, watching Super Bowls in my own. From the very beginning, U.S. Waterproofing has dedicated itself to helping Chicagoans keep their below-grade living spaces safe and dry, preventing and mitigating water damage."

Stock adds, "We are honored that in 60 years, our company has grown from one employee to more than 150. I learned from my dad, Jerry, who led our firm for decades, we treat them well, like family. We are fortunate that our team is incredibly loyal. Many have worked up the ranks like I did, such as our only non-family co-owner, Barry Schilling. Today, more than a dozen employees have been with U.S. Waterproofing for over two decades. With this team's commitment, we've fixed more than 300,000 basements across the region over the last 60 years. We learned a long time ago that if we take good care of our employees, they will take great care of our customers."

Among many positive testimonials and honors, U.S. Waterproofing is a proud recipient of the Better Business Bureau's esteemed Torch Award for Marketplace Ethics along with the accreditation firm's A+ rating. U.S. Waterproofing is also a decade-long Angie's List Super Service Award company.

Rooted in traditional ideals, the company also has embraced new philosophies and technology over the years. "We learned that providing people with online DIY tools and resources was an important way for us to serve our customers and our community," says Stock. The company's online Learning Center boasts hundreds of how-to-waterproof lessons. And, further embracing technology, customers now can make online appointments 24/7. In response to customer demand, U.S. Waterproofing added concrete raising and job preparation services that complement basement waterproofing services. Today, it is one of the largest home improvement companies in the Chicago area.

"We've enjoyed tremendous growth in these six decades," says Stock. "But most important to us is that we still are family-owned and operated. We continue to serve our customers with practical and reasonably priced solutions."

Contact:

888-733-7243

Related Links

http://www.uswaterproofing.com/

http://www.uswaterproofing.com/services/basement-waterproofing

This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. For more info visit: http://www.newswire.com.

SOURCE U.S. Waterproofing

Related Links

http://www.uswaterproofing.com


CINCINNATI, April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Vantiv, Inc. (NYSE: VNTV) ("Vantiv" or the "company") today announced financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2017. Total revenue increased 13% to $928.2 million as compared to $818.6 million in the prior year period. Net revenue increased 9% to $470.1 million as compared to $431.2 million in the prior year period. On a GAAP basis, net income per diluted share attributable to Vantiv, Inc. decreased 32% to $0.17 as compared to $0.25 in the prior year period. Pro forma adjusted net income per share increased 21% to $0.68 as compared to $0.56 in the prior year period. (See Schedule 1 for net income per diluted share attributable to Vantiv, Inc. and Schedule 2 for pro forma adjusted net income per share.)

"Vantiv's strategy to expand into high-growth channels and verticals continues to drive strong results for our shareholders," said Charles Drucker, president and chief executive officer at Vantiv. "Being ranked as the largest acquirer by transactions in The Nilson Report demonstrates that our strategy is working, and our acquisition of Paymetric will build upon our success by further enhancing our leading ecommerce capabilities and by enabling us to enter the rapidly growing B2B payments vertical in a unique and differentiated way."

Merchant Services

Merchant Services net revenue increased 13% to $385.9 million in the first quarter as compared to $341.2 million in the prior year period, primarily due to a 10% increase in transactions and a 3% increase in net revenue per transaction. On an organic basis, Merchant Services net revenue grew low double digits in the first quarter as compared to the prior year period. Strong transaction growth was primarily due to new client wins, including the recent ramp up of a new large client. The increase in net revenue per transaction was primarily due to continued positive mix shift toward small and medium-sized clients through high-growth channels. Sales and marketing expenses increased 15% to $149.0 million in the first quarter as compared to $129.3 million in the prior year period, primarily due to strong new sales growth in partner channels. (See Schedule 3 for segment information.)

Financial Institution Services

Financial Institution Services net revenue decreased 6% to $84.2 million in the first quarter as compared to $90.0 million in the prior year period. Net revenue growth was impacted by compression from the Fifth Third Bank contract renewal, lapping the contribution from EMV card reissuance and fraud related services in the prior year period, and the de-conversion of a major client. Sales and marketing expenses decreased 4% to $6.1 million in the first quarter as compared to $6.3 million in the prior year period. (See Schedule 3 for segment information.)

Operating Expenses

Other operating costs increased 3% on a GAAP basis to $75.9 million in the first quarter as compared to $73.7 million in the prior year period. When excluding transition, acquisition and integration costs of $3.3 million, Other operating costs increased 2% on a pro forma basis to $72.7 million as compared to $71.2 million in the prior year period. (See schedule 1 for GAAP financial measures and Schedule 2 for non-GAAP and pro forma adjustments.)

General and administrative expenses increased 103% on a GAAP basis to $89.3 million in the first quarter as compared to $44.0 million in the prior year period. The increase in General and administrative expenses is primarily due to approximately $38 million in costs related to a settlement agreement stemming from legacy litigation of an acquired company. When excluding transition, acquisition and integration costs as well as share-based compensation of $56.9 million, General and administrative expenses increased 5% on a pro forma basis to $32.4 million as compared to $31.0 million in the prior year period. (See schedule 1 for GAAP financial measures and Schedule 2 for non-GAAP and pro forma adjustments.)

Adjusted EBITDA

Adjusted EBITDA increased 9% to $210.0 million in the first quarter as compared to $193.4 million in the prior year period. (See Schedule 6 for a reconciliation of GAAP net income to adjusted EBITDA.)

Depreciation and Amortization

Depreciation and amortization expense increased 12% on a GAAP basis to $76.1 million in the first quarter as compared to $68.2 million in the prior year period. Excluding intangible amortization of $51.9 million, depreciation and amortization expense increased 18% on a pro forma basis to $24.2 million as compared to $20.6 million in the prior year period. (See Schedule 1 for GAAP financial measures and Schedule 2 for non-GAAP and pro forma adjustments.)

Full-Year and Second Quarter Financial Outlook

For the full-year 2017, net revenue is expected to be $2,080 to $2,120 million, representing an increase of 9% to 11% above the prior year, which is unchanged from our prior guidance. On a GAAP basis, net income per diluted share attributable to Vantiv, Inc. is expected to be $1.51 - $1.58. Pro forma adjusted net income per share is expected to be $3.22 - $3.29, which represents an increase above our prior guidance. The increase in our pro forma adjusted net income per share guidance is primarily due to our strong financial performance during the first quarter as well as our adoption of the updated accounting standard for employee share-based compensation. (See Schedule 7 for a reconciliation of the outlook for GAAP net income per share attributable to Vantiv, Inc. to pro forma adjusted net income per share.)

For the second quarter of 2017, net revenue is expected to be $517 to $527 million, representing an increase of 8% to 10% above the prior year period. On a GAAP basis, net income per diluted share attributable to Vantiv, Inc. is expected to be $0.41 - $0.43 for the second quarter of 2017. Pro forma adjusted net income per share is expected to be $0.81 - $0.83 for the second quarter of 2017. (See Schedule 7 for a reconciliation of the outlook for GAAP net income per share attributable to Vantiv, Inc. to pro forma adjusted net income per share.)

Earnings Conference Call and Audio Webcast

The company will host a conference call to discuss the first quarter financial results today at 8:00 a.m. ET. The conference call can be accessed live over the phone by dialing (877) 440-5804, or for international callers (719) 325-4878, and referencing conference code 5686209. A replay will be available approximately two hours after the call concludes and can be accessed by dialing (866) 375-1919, or for international callers (719) 457-0820, and entering replay passcode 5686209. The replay will be available through May 10, 2017. The call will also be webcast live from the company's investor relations website at http://investors.vantiv.com. Following completion of the call, a recorded replay of the webcast will be available on the website.

ABOUT VANTIV

Vantiv, Inc. (NYSE: VNTV) is a leading payment processor differentiated by an integrated technology platform. Vantiv offers a comprehensive suite of traditional and innovative payment processing and technology solutions to merchants and financial institutions of all sizes, enabling them to address their payment processing needs through a single provider. We build strong relationships with our customers, helping them become more efficient, more secure and more successful. Vantiv is the largest merchant acquirer and the largest PIN debit acquirer based on number of transactions in the U.S. The company's growth strategy includes expanding further into high-growth channels and verticals, including integrated payments, eCommerce, and merchant bank. Visit us at www.vantiv.com, or follow us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Google+ and YouTube.

 2017 Vantiv, LLC. All Rights Reserved. All trademarks, service marks and trade names referenced herein are the property of their respective owners. Vantiv and other Vantiv products and services mentioned herein as well as their respective logos are registered trademarks or trademarks of Vantiv, LLC in the U.S. and other countries.

Non-GAAP and Pro Forma Financial Measures

This earnings release presents non-GAAP and pro forma financial information including net revenue, adjusted EBITDA, pro forma adjusted net income, and pro forma adjusted net income per share. These are important financial performance measures for the company, but are not financial measures as defined by GAAP. The presentation of this financial information is not intended to be considered in isolation of or as a substitute for, or superior to, the financial information prepared and presented in accordance with GAAP. The company uses these non-GAAP and pro forma financial performance measures for financial and operational decision making and as a means to evaluate period-to-period comparisons. The company believes that they provide useful information about operating results, enhance the overall understanding of past financial performance and future prospects, and allow for greater transparency with respect to key metrics used by management in its financial and operational decision making. Reconciliations of these measures to the most directly comparable GAAP financial measures are presented in the attached schedules.

Forward-Looking Statements

This release contains forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties. All statements other than statements of historical fact or relating to present facts or current conditions included in this release are forward-looking statements including any statements regarding guidance and statements of a general economic or industry specific nature. Forward-looking statements give our current expectations and projections relating to our financial condition, results of operations, guidance, plans, objectives, future performance and business. You can identify forward-looking statements by the fact that they do not relate strictly to historical or current facts. These statements may include words such as "anticipate," "estimate," "expect," "project," "plan," "intend," "believe," "may," "should," "can have," "likely" and other words and terms of similar meaning in connection with any discussion of the timing or nature of future operating or financial performance or other events.

The forward-looking statements contained in this release are based on assumptions that we have made in light of our industry experience and our perceptions of historical trends, current conditions, expected future developments and other factors we believe are appropriate under the circumstances. As you review and consider information presented herein, you should understand that these statements are not guarantees of future performance or results. They depend upon future events and are subject to risks, uncertainties (many of which are beyond our control) and assumptions. Although we believe that these forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, you should be aware that many factors could affect our actual future performance or results and cause them to differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements. Certain of these factors and other risks are discussed in the company's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") and include, but are not limited to: (i) our ability to adapt to developments and change in our industry; (ii) competition; (iii) unauthorized disclosure of data or security breaches; (iv) systems failures or interruptions; (v) our ability to expand our market share or enter new markets; (vi) our ability to identify and complete acquisitions, joint ventures and partnerships; (vii) failure to comply with applicable requirements of Visa, MasterCard or other payment networks or changes in those requirements; (viii) our ability to pass along fee increases; (ix) termination of sponsorship or clearing services; (x) loss of clients or referral partners; (xi) reductions in overall consumer, business and government spending; (xii) fraud by merchants or others; (xiii) a decline in the use of credit, debit or prepaid cards; (xiv) consolidation in the banking and retail industries; (xv) the effects of governmental regulation or changes in laws; and (xvi) outcomes of future litigation or investigations. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should any of these assumptions prove incorrect, our actual results may vary in material respects from those projected in these forward-looking statements. More information on potential factors that could affect the company's financial results and performance is included from time to time in the "Risk Factors" and "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" sections of the company's periodic reports filed with the SEC, including the company's most recently filed Annual Report on Form 10-K and its subsequent filings with the SEC.

Any forward-looking statement made by us in this release speaks only as of the date of this release. Factors or events that could cause our actual results to differ may emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for us to predict all of them. We undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, except as may be required by law.

CONTACTS

Investors

Nathan Rozof, CFA

Investor Relations

(866) 254-4811

(513) 900-4811

[email protected]

Media

Andrew Ciafardini

Corporate Communications

(513) 900-5308

[email protected]

Schedule 1

Vantiv, Inc.

Consolidated Statements of Income

(Unaudited)

(in thousands, except share data)



Three Months Ended March 31,

% Change

2017

2016

Total revenue $ 928,202



$ 818,623



13%

Network fees and other costs 458,092



387,413



18%

Net revenue(1) 470,110



431,210



9%

Sales and marketing 155,040



135,638



14%

Other operating costs 75,924



73,703



3%

General and administrative 89,298



43,984



103%

Depreciation and amortization 76,086



68,230



12%

Income from operations 73,762



109,655



(33)%

Interest expensenet (29,170)



(27,729)



5%

Non-operating expenses(2) (4,124)



(5,652)



(27)%

Income before applicable income taxes 40,468



76,274



(47)%

Income tax expense(3) 5,167



23,826



(78)%

Net income 35,301



52,448



(33)%

Less: Net income attributable to non-controlling interests (6,416)



(12,710)



(50)%

Net income attributable to Vantiv, Inc. $ 28,885



$ 39,738



(27)%













Net income per share attributable to Vantiv, Inc. Class A common stock:









Basic $ 0.18



$ 0.26



(31)%

Diluted(4) $ 0.17



$ 0.25



(32)%

Shares used in computing net income per share of Class A common stock:









Basic 160,876,177



155,397,360





Diluted 197,496,680



196,777,827

















Non Financial Data:









Transactions (in millions) 6,275



5,820



8%



________________

(1) Net revenue is revenue, less network fees and other costs which primarily consist of pass through expenses incurred by us in connection with providing processing services to our clients, including Visa and Mastercard network association fees, payment network fees, third party processing expenses, telecommunication charges, postage and card production costs.

(2) Non-operating expenses for the three months ended March 31, 2017 and 2016 primarily relate to the change in fair value of a tax receivable agreement ("TRA") entered into as part of the acquisition of Mercury.

(3) Includes a credit of approximately $8.6 million for the three months ended March 31, 2017 relating to excess tax benefits as a result of the Company adopting new stock compensation accounting guidance on January 1, 2017 which requires those benefits be recorded in income tax expense.

(4) Due to our structure as a C corporation and Vantiv Holding's structure as a pass-through entity for tax purposes, the numerator in the diluted net income per share calculation is adjusted to reflect our income tax expense at an expected effective tax rate assuming the conversion of the Class B units of Vantiv Holding into shares of our Class A common stock. The components of the diluted net income per share calculation are as follows:



Three Months Ended March 31,

2017

2016 Income before applicable income taxes $ 40,468



$ 76,274

Taxes 5,931



27,459

Net income $ 34,537



$ 48,815

Diluted shares 197,496,680



196,777,827

Diluted EPS $ 0.17



$ 0.25



Schedule 2

Vantiv, Inc.

Pro Forma Adjusted Net Income

(Unaudited)

(in thousands, except share data)





Three Months Ended March 31,







2017

2016

% Change



(in thousands)



Income before applicable income taxes

$ 40,468



$ 76,274



(47)%

Non-GAAP Adjustments:











Transition, acquisition and integration costs(1)

49,534



7,163



592%

Share-based compensation(2)

10,580



8,352



27%

Intangible amortization(3)

51,906



47,665



9%

Non-operating expenses(4)

4,124



5,652



(27)%

Non-GAAP Adjusted Income Before Applicable Taxes

156,612



145,106



8%

Less: Pro Forma Adjustments











Income tax expense(5)

53,248



52,238



2%

Tax adjustments(6)

(31,578)



(18,070)



75%

Total pro forma tax expense

21,670



34,168



(37)%

Pro forma tax rate

14%



24%



















Other(7)

256



535



(52)%

Pro forma adjusted net income

$ 134,686



$ 110,403



22%















Pro forma adjusted net income per share

$ 0.68



$ 0.56



21%

Adjusted shares outstanding

197,496,680



196,777,827







Non-GAAP and Pro Forma Financial Measures

This schedule presents non-GAAP and pro forma financial measures, which are important financial performance measures for the Company, but are not financial measures as defined by GAAP. Such financial measures should not be considered as alternatives to GAAP, and such measures may not be comparable to those reported by other companies.

________________

Pro forma adjusted net income is derived from GAAP income before applicable income taxes and adjusted for the following items described below:

(1) Represents acquisition and integration costs incurred in connection with our acquisitions, charges related to employee termination benefits and other transition activities. Transition, acquisition and integration costs for three months ended March 31, 2017 and 2016 include $3,263 and $2,488 in Other operating costs, respectively and $46,271 and $4,675 in General and administrative ("G&A"), respectively. Included in Transition, acquisition and integration costs in the three months ended March 31, 2017 is a $38 million charge to G&A related to a settlement agreement stemming from legacy litigation of an acquired company.

(2) Share-based compensation is recorded in G&A.

(3) Represents amortization of intangible assets acquired through business combinations and customer portfolio and related asset acquisitions.

(4) Non-operating expenses for the three months ended March 31, 2017 and 2016 primarily relate to the change in the fair value of a TRA entered into as part of the acquisition of Mercury.

(5) Represents adjusted income tax expense to reflect an effective tax rate of 34.0% for 2017 and 36.0% for 2016, respectively, for the three months ended March 31, 2017 and 2016, assuming the conversion of the Class B units of Vantiv Holding into shares of Class A common stock, including the tax effect of adjustments described above. The three months ended March 31, 2017 includes the impact of the excess tax benefits relating to stock compensation as a result of the Company adopting new stock compensation accounting guidance on January 1, 2017 which requires those benefits to be recorded in income tax expense. The effective tax rate is expected to remain at 34.0% for the remainder of 2017.

(6) Represents tax benefits due to the amortization of intangible assets and other tax attributes resulting from or acquired with our acquisitions, and to the tax basis step up associated with our separation from Fifth Third Bank and the purchase or exchange of Class B units of Vantiv Holding, net of payment obligations under tax receivable agreements.

(7) Represents the non-controlling interest, net of pro forma income tax expense discussed in (5) above, associated with a consolidated joint venture.

Schedule 3

Vantiv, Inc.

Segment Information

(Unaudited)

(in thousands)

Merchant Services











Three Months Ended March 31,





2017

2016

% Change Total revenue $ 812,036



$ 694,580



17%

Network fees and other costs 426,144



353,334



21%

Net revenue 385,892



341,246



13%

Sales and marketing 148,959



129,336



15%

Segment profit $ 236,933



$ 211,910



12%













Non-financial data:









Transactions (in millions) 5,341



4,847



10%

Net revenue per transaction $ 0.0723



$ 0.0704



3%



Financial Institution Services







Three Months Ended March 31,





2017

2016

% Change Total revenue $ 116,166



$ 124,043



(6)%

Network fees and other costs 31,948



34,079



(6)%

Net revenue 84,218



89,964



(6)%

Sales and marketing 6,081



6,302



(4)%

Segment profit $ 78,137



$ 83,662



(7)%













Non-financial data:









Transactions (in millions) 934



973



(4)%

Net revenue per transaction $ 0.0902



$ 0.0925



(2)%



Schedule 4

Vantiv, Inc.

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Financial Position

(Unaudited)

(in thousands)





March 31, 2017

December 31, 2016 Assets







Current assets:







Cash and cash equivalents

$ 138,281



$ 139,148

Accounts receivablenet

883,728



940,052

Related party receivable

1,359



1,751

Settlement assets

154,358



152,490

Prepaid expenses

35,386



39,229

Other

28,400



15,188

Total current assets

1,241,512



1,287,858











Customer incentives

67,142



67,288

Property, equipment and softwarenet

369,036



348,553

Intangible assetsnet

750,304



787,820

Goodwill

3,739,825



3,738,589

Deferred taxes

745,221



771,139

Other assets

31,042



42,760

Total assets

$ 6,944,082



$ 7,044,007











Liabilities and equity







Current liabilities:







Accounts payable and accrued expenses

$ 464,402



$ 471,979

Related party payable

3,760



3,623

Settlement obligations

762,140



801,381

Current portion of note payable

131,119



131,119

Current portion of tax receivable agreement obligations to related parties

222,444



191,014

Current portion of tax receivable agreement obligations

53,841



60,400

Deferred income

9,702



7,907

Current maturities of capital lease obligations

7,913



7,870

Other

11,034



13,719

Total current liabilities

1,666,355



1,689,012

Long-term liabilities:







Note payable

3,057,977



3,089,603

Tax receivable agreement obligations to related parties

347,131



451,318

Tax receivable agreement obligations

74,990



86,640

Capital lease obligations

11,049



13,223

Deferred taxes

63,463



62,148

Other

54,345



44,774

Total long-term liabilities

3,608,955



3,747,706

Total liabilities

5,275,310



5,436,718











Commitments and contingencies







Equity:







Total equity(1)

1,668,772



1,607,289

Total liabilities and equity

$ 6,944,082



$ 7,044,007



________________

(1) Includes equity attributable to non-controlling interests.

Schedule 5

Vantiv, Inc.

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows

(Unaudited)

(in thousands)



Three Months Ended March 31,

2017

2016 Operating Activities:





Net income $ 35,301



$ 52,448

Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:





Depreciation and amortization expense 76,086



68,230

Amortization of customer incentives 6,680



7,177

Amortization of debt issuance costs 1,154



1,591

Share-based compensation expense 10,580



8,352

Deferred taxes 20,000



16,964

Excess tax benefit from share-based compensation 



(6,940)

Tax receivable agreements non-cash items 4,131



5,652

Other 153





Change in operating assets and liabilities:





Accounts receivable and related party receivable 56,474



(30,196)

Net settlement assets and obligations (41,109)



(62,257)

Customer incentives (7,190)



(15,602)

Prepaid and other assets (7,049)



(9,675)

Accounts payable and accrued expenses (8,512)



(10,801)

Payable to related party 137



520

Other liabilities (3,168)



3,820

Net cash provided by operating activities 143,668



29,283

Investing Activities:





Purchases of property and equipment (27,871)



(27,883)

Acquisition of customer portfolios and related assets and other (4,339)



(76)

Purchase of derivative instruments 



(21,523)

Net cash used in investing activities (32,210)



(49,482)

Financing Activities:





Borrowings on revolving credit facility 570,000



765,000

Repayment of revolving credit facility (570,000)



(765,000)

Repayment of debt and capital lease obligations (35,588)



(41,767)

Payment of debt issuance costs (1,098)





Proceeds from issuance of Class A common stock under employee stock plans 6,630



3,795

Repurchase of Class A common stock (to satisfy tax withholding obligations) (5,677)



(5,605)

Settlement of certain tax receivable agreements (15,118)





Payments under tax receivable agreements (55,695)



(53,474)

Excess tax benefit from share-based compensation 



6,940

Distributions to non-controlling interests (5,779)



(4,220)

Other 



(12)

Net cash used in financing activities (112,325)



(94,343)

Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents (867)



(114,542)

Cash and cash equivalentsBeginning of period 139,148



197,096

Cash and cash equivalentsEnd of period $ 138,281



$ 82,554

Cash Payments:





Interest $ 27,488



$ 25,931

Taxes 250



13,170



Schedule 6

Vantiv, Inc.

Reconciliation of GAAP Net Income to Adjusted EBITDA

(Unaudited)

(in thousands)



Three Months Ended March 31,

% Change

2017

2016

Net income $ 35,301



$ 52,448



(33)%

Income tax expense 5,167



23,826



(78)%

Non-operating expenses(1) 4,124



5,652



(27)%

Interest expensenet 29,170



27,729



5%

Share-based compensation 10,580



8,352



27%

Transition, acquisition and integration costs(2) 49,534



7,163



592%

Depreciation and amortization 76,086



68,230



12%

Adjusted EBITDA $ 209,962



$ 193,400



9%



Non-GAAP Financial Measures

This schedule presents adjusted EBITDA, which is an important financial performance measure for the Company, but is not a financial measure as defined by GAAP. Such financial measure should not be considered as an alternative to GAAP net income, and such measure may not be comparable to those reported by other companies.

________________

(1) Non-operating expenses for the three months ended March 31, 2017 and 2016 primarily relate to the change in fair value of a TRA entered into as part of the acquisition of Mercury.

(2) Represents acquisition and integration costs incurred in connection with our acquisitions, charges related to employee termination benefits and other transition activities. Included in Transition, acquisition and integration costs in the three months ended March 31, 2017 is a $38 million charge related to a settlement agreement stemming from legacy litigation of an acquired company.

Schedule 7

Vantiv, Inc.

Outlook Summary

(Unaudited)



Second Quarter Financial Outlook

Full Year Financial Outlook

Three Months Ended June 30,





Year Ended December 31,





2017 Outlook

2016 Actual

% Change

2017 Outlook

2016 Actual

% Change GAAP net income per share attributable to Vantiv, Inc. $0.41 - $0.43

$0.38

8% - 13%

$1.51 - $1.58

$1.32

14% - 20% Adjustments to reconcile GAAP to non-GAAP pro forma adjusted net income per share(1) $0.40

$0.32

25%

$1.71

$1.41

21% Pro forma adjusted net income per share $0.81 - $0.83

$0.70

16% - 19%

$3.22 - $3.29

$2.73

18% - 21%





































Non-GAAP and Pro Forma Financial Measures

This schedule presents non-GAAP and pro forma financial measures, which are important financial performance measures for the Company, but are not financial measures as defined by GAAP. Such financial measures should not be considered as alternatives to GAAP, and such measures may not be comparable to those reported by other companies.

________________

(1) Represents adjustments for the following items: (a) acquisition and integration costs incurred in connection with our acquisitions, charges related to employee termination benefits and other transition activities, the full year 2017 financial outlook includes a $38 million charge recorded in March 2017 related to a settlement agreement stemming from legacy litigation of an acquired company; (b) share-based compensation; (c) amortization of intangible assets acquired in business combinations and customer portfolio and related asset acquisitions; (d) non-operating expense primarily associated with the change in fair value of a TRA entered into as part of the acquisition of Mercury; (e) non-controlling interest; (f) adjustments to income tax expense to reflect an effective tax rate of 34.0% for the three months ended June 30, 2017 and year ended December 31, 2017, which includes the impact of excess tax benefits relating to stock compensation as a result of the Company adopting new stock compensation accounting guidance on January 1, 2017 which requires those benefits be recorded in income tax expense and 36.0% for the three months ended June 30, 2016 and year ended December 31, 2016, assuming conversion of the Fifth Third Bank non-controlling interests into shares of Class A common stock, including the tax effect of adjustments described above; and (g) tax benefits due to the amortization of intangible assets and other tax attributes resulting from or acquired with our acquisitions, and to the tax basis step up associated with our separation from Fifth Third Bank and the purchase or exchange of Class B units of Vantiv Holding, net of payment obligations under tax receivable agreements.

SOURCE Vantiv, Inc.

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BIRMINGHAM, Ala., April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Vulcan Materials Company (NYSE:VMC) will host its first quarter earnings conference call on Wednesday, May 10 at 10:00 a.m. CT (11:00 a.m. ET). Financial results for the quarter ended March 31, 2017 will be released before the NYSE market opens on May 10.

The Company invites investors and other interested parties to listen to the live webcast of the conference call at www.vulcanmaterials.com. To participate by phone, call 877-718-5111 approximately 10 minutes before the scheduled start. For international calls, the number is 719-325-4806. The conference ID is 3906362.

A replay of the webcast will be available approximately two hours after the call at the Company's website.

Vulcan Materials Company, a member of the S&P 500 index, is the nation's largest producer of construction aggregates, and a major producer of other construction materials. For additional information about Vulcan, go to www.vulcanmaterials.com.

SOURCE Vulcan Materials Company

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SAN FRANCISCO, April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Webgility, the leader in multi-channel e-commerce software, today revealed that leading online specialty retailers like Club Ride Apparel and DrillsAndCutters.com are turning to Webgility's industry-leading Unify software to simplify inventory management and integrate with best-of-breed solutions such as NetSuite, Square, and QuickBooks, so they can concentrate on selling their highly specialized goods rather than dealing with fulfillment hassles or worrying about accounting.

"So much of online selling is driven by specialty companies' ability to meet the specific, unique needs of their customers quickly," said Parag Mamnani, founder and CEO, Webgility. "If they're to succeed, small retailers need to know where their inventory isand how much of it is actually availablein real time, all the time. Unify is designed to integrate with retailers' systems of choice, making it simple to keep track of inventory and accounting rather than hassling with operational and accounting headaches."

For example, Club Ride Apparel manufactures and sells multi-use mountain bike clothing and gear that is both technical and stylish. Growing steadily since its 2008 founding, the company struggled with inaccurate inventory, over-selling, and manual data entry between Shopify, Amazon, Square, and NetSuite. Before Unify, it took Club Ride Apparel at least 10 minutes per order to manually duplicate sales orders, create invoices, execute item fulfillments, and email an order. Now all of these steps happen instantly without them even touching the data, eliminating all human error. With Unify for NetSuite, Club Ride Apparel saves 50+ hours/month on data entry, processes order in one hour (including pick/pack), and enjoys accurate accounting, inventory, and shipping, all while increasing order volume by 20 percent.

"Because you're not face-to-face in a physical store, when you lose a customer's trust it's really hard to get it back," said Taggart Spenst, Marketing and e-Commerce Sales Manager, Club Ride Apparel. "Webgility has offered an invaluable integration and I think that we're at a place where it's going to get even better from hereUnify is a great product."

Similarly, DrillsAndCutters.com, is a small, specialized operation that sells professional cutting tools, specifically drill bits, taps, dies, reamers, end mills, and other cutters and saws. Because they sell such specialized products, DrillsAndCutters.com keeps their business model fairly simple, with one custom website using a BigCommerce shopping cart and a few marketplaces. Still, even with this simple setup, there was accounting complexity. DrillsAndCutters.com needed a way to seamlessly put all their sales data into QuickBooks without introducing costly, timely, and inaccurate data entry. After considering a few other SaaS data automation options, Webgility's Unify seemed like a good solution based on its main functionality and price. Today, business is booming and DrillsandCutters.com appreciates how, with Unify, they can "set it and forget it."

More and more, sellers are finding that Webgility's Unify is both the foundation and mortar of the essential tech stack for their e-commerce company, connecting and syncing all software and systems. To learn more, read more about these and other Webgility customer success stories and start a free trial of Unify, visit http://www.webgility.com.

ABOUT WEBGILITY

Webgility, Inc. is the leading provider of e-commerce automation software for multi-channel retail companies, managing millions of transactions for 10,000-plus online stores every month. Webgility's e-Commerce Virtual ERP is an antidote to the "app fatigue" plaguing today's online sellers. By integrating with best-of-breed online retail solutions, Webgility's Unify software anchors the Virtual ERP and brings efficiency, order, and scale to otherwise chaotic workflows and business operations. In doing so, Unify empowers online retailers to focus on their passion rather than their operations. Webgility is a certified partner of Intuit, QuickBooks, Xero, and NetSuite, and works with more than 85 e-commerce platforms (including Amazon, eBay, BigCommerce, Shopify, and Magento), payment processors (PayPal, Stripe, Shopify Payments, Square), and SaaS providers. For more information, visit http://www.webgility.com.

For more information, please contact:

Eileen Conway

Zealot Communications for Webgility

650-245-9015

[email protected]

SOURCE Webgility

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WEST VOLUSIA, Fla., April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The winter doldrums are gone, replaced by the pleasant temperatures offered by Central Florida's Great Outdoors. Each year, guests from all over the world flock to the West Volusia area, experiencing the area's abundant wildlife, tropical plants, natural springs and unique eco-environments and habitats. To help you enjoy the new season, here are just a few of West Volusia's top spots.

St. Johns River Eco Boat Tours

The St. Johns River was once the area's main source for commerce and trade with paddlewheel boats regularly bringing goods and people to the region. Today, the St. Johns River, designated an "American Heritage River", is an idyllic respite, teeming with abundant and varied wildlife and tropical plants. These boat tours offer the perfect opportunity for close-up views to enjoy the great beauty of this unspoiled paradise.

Lake Woodruff National Wildlife Refuge

The Refuge is bordered by the magnificent St. Johns River and the Ocala National Forest, and spans more than 20,000 acres. Lake Woodruff is a birder's paradise where enthusiasts come for a glimpse of over 230 bird species and a variety of native wildlife.

Lyonia Preserve

Lyonia Preserve is a 360-acre scrub habitat established to restore and preserve sandy soil plants and small animal life. The conservation effort removed overgrown sand pines to re-establish bare sand areas with low-growing scrub plant species. The preserve has 3.5 miles of sugar-sand hiking trails where you'll meet the resident star, the Florida Scrub Jay, an inquisitive, friendly bird known to land on a visitor's head for a closer look.

DeLeon Springs State Park

Canoes, kayaks and paddleboats are available to explore wildlife along the spring run. Enjoy hiking trails leading through various terrains  home to over 125 species of birds and the famous Old Spanish Sugar Mill Restaurant, where diners cook their own pancakes at their table.

Blue Spring State Park

Home to the largest spring on the St. Johns River, the park is a well-known winter refuge to hundreds of West Indian manatees. Boardwalk strolls showcase the spring run teeming with turtles, numerous fish and elusive migratory birds.

West Volusia Tourism Advertising Authority's mission is to develop and support marketing and advertising programs that bring increased tourism to the area, and to demonstrate the desirability of West Volusia as a tourism destination. It works with area hoteliers, tour providers, attractions and event promoters to represent the area to vacationers, tour operators, travel and meeting planners, and the media.

visitwestvolusia.com

SOURCE West Volusia Tourism Advertising Authority

Related Links

http://visitwestvolusia.com


FITCHBURG, Mass., April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- In a move designed to further enhance its role as a trusted financial advisor, Workers Credit Union announced today its acquisition and partnership with one of Central Massachusetts' leading retail insurance agencies, the Braley Wellington Group.

"At Workers Credit Union it is our mission to improve the daily lives of our members. After an extensive search, we could not be more pleased to have found Braley Wellington, a highly reputable firm with the expertise, cultural compatibility and a shared commitment to helping our members achieve long term financial success and security," said Doug Petersen, Workers Credit Union President and CEO.

Commenting on the acquisition, Robert Lockett, President of Workers Financial Services. LLC. said, "Over 91,000 local residents already trust Workers with the core of their financial life  savings, investing, home mortgages, car loans and other personal credit. Adding direct insurance activities will significantly enhance our ability to provide comprehensive financial solutions to our existing membership and be a powerful tool to attract new members. I look forward to welcoming the talented team from Braley Wellington into our organization."

With assets of more than $1.5 billion, Workers Credit Union, founded in 1914, serves members from across Massachusetts and southern New Hampshire. A leading credit union in Massachusetts, Workers has 16 branches from Orange to Acton. Workers Financial Services is a credit union service organization with the mission of delivering services that compliment traditional credit union products.



The Braley Wellington Group is a full service insurance agency offering assistance with the insurance needs of Massachusetts residents for over 200 years. Representing over 30 reputable carriers, the agency provides a complete range of commercial and personal insurance products as well as a full time claims department, all under one umbrella. The agency operates out of four locations in Worcester, Auburn, Millbury and Leominster.

Parker Wellington, President and CEO of Braley & Wellington Insurance Agency, explains, "Our goal has always been to give our customers the peace of mind that comes with knowing someone is looking out for them. We could not be more pleased to become part of Workers Credit Union, which shares in this belief and will allow us to expand our ability to fulfill our mission."

Both institutions will be working together over the next few months on integration activities while developing a number of delivery strategies directed toward the Credit Union's members and the broader community. Commercial lines agents will continue to represent a blend of business types throughout Central Massachusetts, while personal lines agents will be augmented with support and referrals generated from the Workers branch and digital network. Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.

About Workers:

Workers Credit Union is high performing financial institution owned by its members, with 280 employees and 16 branches throughout north central and eastern Massachusetts. In 2017 Workers gave its members $3.3 Million as part of its annual GiveBack program which rewards members based on their utilization of credit union products and services. Workers is passionate about community, making financial contributions in the communities it serves and facilitating volunteerism among its staff.

Workers Financial Services is a Credit Union Service Organization (CUSO) dedicated to providing trusted products and services to help people achieve financial security. One of the fastest growing CUSO's in the country, Workers Financial Services is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Workers Credit Union.

SOURCE Workers Credit Union
Dhaka, April 22 : Police in Bangladesh on Saturday found at least 17 large containers of hydrogen peroxide, a chemical used to make bombs, from a suspected militant hideout in Jhenaidah district.

The recovery was made after a team of 30 members of the Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) unit resumed their operation for the second day at a house in Porahati village, used by the suspected Neo-Jamaatul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) militants, in the morning, The Daily Star reported.

Besides the containers, a 7.65 foreign made pistol, seven bullets and 15 to 16 jihadi books were also recovered from the militant hideout. Jhenaidah is some 178 km west of capital Dhaka.

"Around 10 a.m., police moved to the house. Some of the bombs have been already disposed...The 30-litre containers are marked hydrogen peroxide," a senior police official told bdnews24.

Based on a tip-off, the team on Friday conducted the raid at the house.

According to the police, the owner of the house was one 'Abdullah', who converted to Islam from Hinduism five years ago, and was a member of a militant group in the district.

Police on Friday claimed that the suspected militants had fled the spot before the CTTC began the operation.

Police said they also found some suicide vests in the house.

A senior police official told bdnews24 that the Neo-JMB - the revived edition of militant group Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh - was using the house as a "bomb-making facility".

Last month, CTTC officials busted five hideouts of Neo-JMB -- two in Chittagong, one in Sylhet and two in Moulvibazar, reports The Daily Star.

Nineteen people, including five children and five women, were killed in those incidents.

According to police, 16 of them were killed in suicide blasts.

Security has been tightened in Bangladesh since Neo JMB militants attacked a cafe in Dhaka's upscale Gulshan area on July 1 last year, killing 22 people, mostly foreigners.

Law enforcers in Bangladesh have cracked down on the Neo-JMB since then.
New Delhi, April 22 : Delhi Police on Saturday questioned sidelined AIADMK Deputy General Secretary T.T.V. Dinakaran for allegedly attempting to bribe Election Commission officials in a case related to the party's poll symbol.

Dinakaran, the nephew of jailed party chief Sasikala, appeared before the investigators in Delhi in the afternoon after arriving from Chennai and was questioned till late night.

Investigators said that Dinakaran's personnel assistant was also interrogated over the issue and was asked if he knows the alleged middleman Sukesh Chandrasekar who was arrested from a five-star hotel on April 16.

They further said that Dinakaran was questioned alone and also confronted with Chandrasekar to clarify their versions over the issue.

As part of investigation, the officers also go through the call records of the politician.

Dinakaran appeared before Delhi Police's interstate crime Branch office in Chanakyapuri in the capital's diplomatic enclave following its April 19 summons with Saturday deadline.

"Dinakaran reached at the Crime Branch office and was questioned over nine hours," said a Crime Branch official.

High drama was witnessed late on Wednesday night when a Dinakaran follower attempted self-immolation when police arrived at his Besant Nagar residence in Chennai to serve him summons.

The Delhi Police has booked Dinakaran for allegedly attempting to bribe Election Commission officials through Chandrasekar to get a favourable verdict in the party's two leaves symbol case.

Police have said that the duo struck a Rs 50 crore deal to try and bribe officials from the Election Commission.

The poll body has frozen the AIADMK's two leaves symbol with two factions -- one led by party General Secretary V.K. Sasikala and the other by former Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam -- claiming it as their own.
Shimla, April 23 : A grand reception awaits Prime Minister Narendra Modi's day-long visit to the "Queen of Hills" -- as Shimla was fondly called by the British colonial rulers -- this week to launch an air connectivity scheme and sound the poll bugle in the state, a BJP leader said on Sunday.

This will be Modi's second visit to Himachal Pradesh since he became the Prime Minister in May 2014. Himachal Pradesh is scheduled to go to the polls in November.

Modi will hold a massive roadshow, besides launching the Centre's subsidised air regional connectivity scheme UDAN, or "Ude Desh ka Har Nagarik", building efficient regional air connectivity, from here on April 27.

Later, he will address a public meeting, which is likely to see participation of over one lakh party workers, at the historic Ridge -- once the promenade for the British colonial rulers when this city was their summer capital.

"Prime Minister Modi will land at the Jubbarhatti airport near Shimla around 11 a.m. and launch the UDAN scheme," former state Health Minister Rajeev Bindal, who is in charge of the Prime Minister's ally, told IANS.

Bindal said after inaugurating the maiden regional connectivity Shimla-Delhi flight from the airport, located 2,196 metres above sea-level, Modi will start his roadshow from Chaura Maidan to the Ridge, the rally venue, 3 km away.

The Shimla airport has been shut for scheduled flights since September 6, 2012, affecting tourists and business travellers to the state.

The Prime Minister will also flag off the regional connectivity Nanded-Mumbai-Hyderabad 'UDAN' flight in Maharashtra and Katappa-Hyderabad flight in Karnataka from Jubbarhatti through video-conferencing, Union Civil Aviation Secretary R.K. Choubey said.

Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda, who is reaching here on Monday to oversee the preparations for the rally, and two-time former Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal would accompany Modi.

State Bharatiya Janata Party media in-charge Karan Nanda told IANS that from the airport, Modi will reach Chaura Maidan by a helicopter.

BJP leaders are planning that Modi will take a short stroll on the Mall from the General Post Office to the rally venue as this is vehicle-free zone.

Marking Modi's ambitious "Swachh Bharat Abhiyan", the state BJP on Sunday launched a 'Clean up Shimla' campaign.

State Commissioner of Tourism and Civil Aviation Dinesh Malhotra said tickets for the inaugural flight would cost Rs 1,920.

He said a regular flight, which will operate five days in a week from Wednesday, will depart at 6.10 a.m. from Delhi and will arrive here at 7.25 a.m.

On the same day, it will depart at 7.45 a.m. from Shimla and will return to Delhi at 8.45 a.m.
Beijing, April 24 : 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 media 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 media 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 Vikrant, 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 Vikrant, 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."
Paris, April 25 : French far-right Presidential hopeful Marine Le Pen on Tuesday visited a food market in Paris where she promoted a policy of protectionism with regards to the country's local produce and accused her rival of being in favour of market deregulation.

Le Pen, who temporarily stepped down as leader of the far-right National Front (FN) on Monday night ahead of the second and final round of the election, was on the campaign trail in Rungis, south of Paris, to meet workers in the food industry, Efe news reported.

During the visit, she tweeted: "Breeders, producers, butchers: the State must defend the French meat industry against unfair international competition!"

She said she believed the State should fix regulation while her rival, independent centrist Emmanuel Macron, was in favour of "total deregulation".

Le Pen, whose manifesto promotes a protectionist stance and rejects the principals of the European Union (EU) single market, said French school children should benefit from quality local produce in their canteens.

Late Monday, she attacked her pro-EU rival again, dubbing him a puppet of the outgoing Socialist Party President Francois Hollande.

Le Pen and Macron are due to go head-to-head in the second and final round of the Presidential election on May 7.

Macron led Sunday's first round, taking 24.01 per cent of the vote while Le Pen garnered 21.30 per cent.

Both candidates, considered outsider choices, beat the traditional centre-left and centre-right parties in France.

Macron currently led the polls ahead of the second vote, which has been welcomed by pro-EU politicians across Europe and even prompted European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker to break protocol and offer his personal support.

Le Pen, backed by the Front National and other eurosceptic parties in Europe, said she would consider a referendum on France's membership of the bloc and its use of the single currency.

A victory for Macron would make him the youngest person ever to hold the French presidency while victory for Le Pen would see the country elect its first ever female head of state.
Los Angeles, April 26 : Wrestler-turned-actor Dave Bautista is eager to see actor Daniel Craig reprise the role of James Bond.

The 48-year-old starred opposite Craig in the most-recent 007 movie "Spectre", in which he played the villainous henchman Mr Hinx. Bautista says he would love to see the British actor return as Bond, reports metro.co.uk.

Asked if he'd like to reprise the part of Mr Hinx, the star said: "Yeah! Believe me we're talking about it a lot. We're waiting at home with our fingers crossed."

"We're waiting for the news to see if Daniel will sign up for 'Bond 25', because then there's a chance that Hinx will come back," he said.
Beijing, April 26 : China launched on Wednesday its second aircraft carrier in a Dalian shipyard in Liaoning province, an official said.

The new carrier, the first developed and built by China, was transferred from a dry dock into water at a launch ceremony in Dalian shipyard of the China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation, Xinhua news agency reported.

It is China's second aircraft carrier, coming after the Liaoning, a refitted Soviet Union-made carrier that was put into commission in the Chinese Navy in 2012.

China began building its second carrier in November 2013. Dock construction started in March 2015.

The main body of the carrier has been completed, with equipment of major systems including propulsion and electricity installed.

Putting the carrier into water marks progress in China's efforts to design and build a domestic aircraft carrier.

After the launch, the new carrier will undergo equipment debugging, outfitting and comprehensive mooring trials.
Beijing, April 26 : Adding to its growing naval might, China on Wednesday launched its first home-built aircraft carrier, amid high tensions in the Korean Peninsula and the South China Sea.

The 50,000-ton carrier, which was launched in the port of Dalian, will be operational by 2020. It will take the number of such vessels to two.

So far, China's sole aircraft-carrier, Liaoning, is functional. The vessel was bought unfinished from the former USSR.

"The launch was to safeguard China's strategic interests and had nothing to do with the arms race," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang told the media here.

The launch comes at a time when the US has deployed a naval strike group in the Korean Peninsula in the wake of Pyongyang's latest nuclear missile tests.

Beijing is increasingly becoming assertive in the seas and engaged in a rapid build-up of its navy. Besides claiming almost the entire South China Sea, it is gradually increasing its influence in the Indian Ocean.

In a commentary this week, state-run Global Times mocked India for harbouring naval ambitions despite "not being well-equipped".

It advised India to focus on the economy rather than building aircraft carriers to check China's increasing presence in the Indian Ocean.

The influential newspaper said China's naval build-up was in sync with its economic wherewithal and being the world's second-largest economy. It said Beijing was "capable of building a strong navy to safeguard the security of strategic maritime channels".

On the contrary, "India could be taken as a negative example for building up aircraft carriers", it remarked.

It said Indian was in the initial stage of industrialisation and will face many technical obstacles in building aircraft carriers.

Beijing in the past has told India not to consider the Indian Ocean as 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.

However, China's naval strength is still far behind that of the US.
Washington, April 26 : US President Donald Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau spoke on the phone and discussed issues of bilateral trade after the US earlier this week announced its intention to impose tariffs on Canadian softwood lumber imports.

In what the White House described as "a very amicable call" on Tuesday, Trump and Trudeau discussed the dairy trade in border states, as well as lumber imports into the US.

However, Trudeau's office was less positive in its assessment of the conversation with Trump, during which the PM "refuted the baseless allegations by the US Department of Commerce and the decision to impose unfair duties", Efe news reported.

The phone call comes a day after Trump signed an executive agricultural order, criticising what he viewed as unfair dairy trade practices and complaining that farmers in US states that border Canada, such as Wisconsin, New York and others, "are not able to sell their dairy products into Canada.

"... And this has been going on for a while, and we're not going to put up with it," Trump had said.

The US President had taken to Twitter early Monday morning to criticise Canada for making "business for our dairy farmers in Wisconsin and other border states very difficult. We will not stand for this. Watch!", he had warned.

Trump also announced that his administration will "put a very big tax (...) on lumber - timber - coming into this country. People don't realise Canada has been very rough on the United States".

Trudeau rejected this, saying that Canadian-US trade in dairy products "heavily favours the US".

He said Canada imports over $550 million of dairy products from the US, but exports just over $110 million to the country.

The discussions were held against the backdrop of Trump's election campaign promise to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), threatening "to withdraw" if the US' partners, (Canada and Mexico) refuse to renegotiate.

Trudeau, however, reaffirmed to Trump that his country will continue to "uphold its international trade obligations, including NAFTA.

The Prime Minister also pointed out that "Canada would continue to defend its interests" despite pressure from its southern neighbour.
Yerevan/New Delhi, April 26 : Vice President M. Hamid Ansari on Wednesday said upcoming technologies like manufacturing of robotics and improved cost-efficiency in renewable energy will reshape geopolitics.

"Every two years, for example, solar installation rates are doubling, and photovoltaic-module costs are falling by about 20 per cent," Ansari said while delivering an address on 'Some Thoughts on the World of Tomorrow' at Yerevan State University (Armenia) where he was awarded an honorary doctorate degree.

"By 2030, solar power will be able to provide 100 per cent of today's energy needs; by 2035, it will seem almost free -- just as cell-phone calls are today," he added.

Speaking on the impact of the new energy forms on geo-politics, Ansari said: "Another surge of growth would spell the imminent extinction of the fossil-fuel industry, and with it the geostrategic significance that hydrocarbon rich states have enjoyed."

"This will have a cascading impact on the regional security architectures in many parts of the world as well as pan-global ramifications," he added.

Talking on the disruptive impact of digital manufacturing and robotics, the Vice President said: "Robots are also uniformly productive irrespective of geography. As manufacturing centres will shift closer to consumption centres, the geostrategic significance of trade routes and demand for transportation will also diminish."

On Tuesday, India and Armenia signed three agreements after Ansari held a bilateral meeting with Armenian Prime Minister Karen Karapetyan in Yerevan.

Ansari reached the Armenian capital on Monday. On Wednesday, he will leave for Poland on the second and last leg of his visit abroad.
Kolkata, April 26 : Taking a swipe at Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee, BJP chief Amit Shah on Wednesday said she has been suffering from "BJP phobia" and claimed that her constant criticism of his party was indicative of its rise in Bengal.

"Mamata Banerjee is having BJP phobia. She is seeing Bharatiya Janata Party at everything," Shah told reporters here.

Asked about the Trinamool leader's claims that the BJP will lose both the Lok Sabha seats it won in 2014 in the next general election, he said: "People will decide on that. It gives me pleasure that the Trinamool Congress is acknowledging the BJP. They used to attack only the Congress and the Left parties earlier."

"The way Mamatadi is criticising the BJP of late, that is a matter of concern for the Left parties."

He said after the success in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Manipur, the BJP leadership has coined the slogan 'ebar bangla' (this time Bengal), and would reach out across the state with the message.

The BJP remains committed to bringing back the lost glory of the state if it comes to power and would seal the border to stop infiltration from Bangladesh, the BJP chief added.

He advised state Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee that "she will be better off" if "she listens to people of Bengal" for what they are demanding.

Taking a dig at the Mamata Banerjee-led government, he said the state government has not been taking steps to check the fake currency supply coming through the Bangladesh border.

Responding to a query on the Narada sting case, the BJP National President said: "Trinamool leaders were seen in the video footage taking bribes. The allegation is based on evidence, it is not a statement."

Criticising the "appeasement politics" in the state, he said: "I believe that ruling in Bengal has been communally driven, that is why cases of clashes have increased."

Refuting the Trinamool Congress' allegation that the BJP has been intimidating its leaders, he said: "No one is in touch with the BJP."
Islamabad, April 26 : China has increased its economic pull in Pakistan over the past year, providing over $1.2 billion in loans to help the country stave off a possible currency crisis.

State-backed Chinese banks have come to Pakistan's rescue twice already -- a $900 million loan in 2016 and $300 million in 2017, Samaa TV quoted officials as saying.

China's financial help shows the risky and unstable stocks of Pakistan's foreign currency that have been depleted in recent months as imports have increased while exports and inbound remittances have fallen.

It also demonstrates Beijing and Islamabad's close partnership as relations between Pakistan and the US dipped.

Beijing's investment in Pakistan under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor will reach $62 billion from $55 billion after China approved more projects in different sectors.

However, despite the expected benefits Pakistan will reap from the deal, CPEC infrastructure is poised to further deplete the foreign currency stocks, used to pay contractors and suppliers.

Figures from the State Bank of Pakistan revealed that the country's net reserves dropped to $17.1 billion in February from $18.9 billion in October 2016 and $25 billion several years ago.

According to the report, this has caused Pakistan to seek emergency loans from outside sources to pay off previous debts made in foreign currencies.

A brokerage house estimated that Pakistan is entitled to pay China up to $90 billion in three decades for the $50 billion worth of loan and investment portfolio Beijing rendered to the country.

"Average annual repayment of CPEC will be $3 billion. [However, in medium term] between fiscal year 2020-25, it will range between $2-$5.3 billion with average repayment of $3.7 billion," Saad Hashemy, an analyst from Topline Securities, said.
Kasauli (Himachal Pradesh), April 26 : Shobha Nehru, wife of Jawaharlal Nehru's cousin B.K. Nehru, who died at her residence in Kasauli town of Himachal Pradesh due to age-related complications, was cremated here on Wednesday, her family said. She was 109.

The cremation was attended by a number of dignitaries, including Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi and state Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Dhani Ram Shandil.

Shobha Nehru, who is survived by three sons, died on early Tuesday. She was married to Jawaharlal Nehru's cousin B.K. Nehru, an Indian diplomat, who nearly succeeded Dag Hammarskjold as the United Nations Secretary General.

Rahul Gandhi used to visit this picturesque hill station of Kasauli to meet her regularly. The last time he visited his great-grandaunt was in May last year.

Born in Budapest in Hungary Magdolna Friedman married into the Nehru family in 1935 after she met B.K. Nehru at the University of Oxford as a student. After marriage she was renamed Shobha.

B.K. Nehru, one of India's most distinguished civil servants of post-Independence India and former Chairman of The Tribune Trust of Publications, passed away on October 31, 2001 at the age of 92.

Justice (retd) S.S. Sodhi, former Chief Justice of the Allahabad High Court and currently the Tribune Trust Chairman, also attended her cremation.
New Delhi, April 26 : A court here on Wednesday sent sidelined AIADMK leader T.T.V. Dinakaran, arrested on the charge of attempting to bribe Election Commission officials, to five-day police custody.

Special Judge Poonam Chaudhary allowed the Crime Branch to quiz Dinakaran, a nephew of jailed AIADMK party chief V.K. Sasikala, for five days after the Delhi Police sought his custody to unearth the entire conspiracy.

Dinakaran was arrested on Tuesday night by the Delhi Police Crime Branch for trying to pay out Rs 50 crore in bribes to the poll officials through middleman Sukesh Chandrasekar to ensure the 'two leaves' poll symbol was allotted to the AIADMK faction led Sasikala.
Ankara, April 26 : Over 1,000 Fetullah Terrorist Organisation (FETO) suspects were arrested in simultaneous police raids across Turkey, the Interior Minister said on Wednesday.

"At least 1,009 covert 'imams' in 72 provinces have been taken into custody so far," Anadolu agency quoted Suleyman Soylu as saying here. "This is an important step for Turkey."

About 8,500 officials targeted FETO police infiltration in 81 provinces.

The operations were carried out as part of a probe led by the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office.

According to the government, FETO and its US-based leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the defeated coup in July 2016, which left 249 people killed and about 2,200 injured.

Ankara has said that FETO is behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police and judiciary.

Since the defeated coup, operations have been ongoing in the military, police and judiciary, as well as in state institutions across the country, to arrest suspects with alleged links to FETO.
Chandigarh, April 26 : A wanted gangster involved in the sensational Nabha jailbreak in November 2016 has been arrested, a senior Punjab Police official said on Wednesday.

Gangster Sukhchain Singh was arrested after the Organised Crime Intelligence Unit (OCIU) intercepted a car on the Nabha-Sangrur road following intelligence inputs, Assistant Inspector General of Police Gurmeet Singh Chauhan said.

A countrymade pistol and a licensed .32 bore revolver were seized from him, apart from 630 gm intoxicant powder, Chauhan said.

The Hyundai Verna car in which the gangster was travelling bore a fake registration number of Haryana, he said.

The gangster has nearly a dozen cases of robbery, snatching, dacoity and attempt to murder registered against him.

Sukhchain Singh is an accomplice of Gurpreet Singh Sekhon, the mastermind of the Nabha jailbreak, the AIGP said.

Of the six gangsters who escaped from the high-security Nabha Jail on November 27 last year, Harminder Singh, Gurpreet Singh Sekhon, Kulpreet Singh Neeta and Aman Dhotia have been arrested.

According to the police, a dozen people, including Sukhchain, were involved in the daring jailbreak to get certain prison inmates freed.

As many as 22 persons have been arrested so far in the jailbreak case.
New Delhi, April 26 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday discussed a range of bilateral issues and matters of mutual concern with visiting Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe here. Following the talks, an agreement on cooperation in economic projects between India and Sri Lanka was signed.

"Held comprehensive talks with PM Ranil Wickremesinghe on ways to strengthen India-Sri Lanka ties for the benefit of our citizens," Modi tweeted after the meeting held at Hyderabad House.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Home Minister Rajnath Singh, and Road, Transport, Highways and Shipping Minister Nitin Gadkari also called on the visiting dignitary.

"The discussions of the Indian leadership with the visiting dignitary provided both sides an opportunity to review the progress in implementation of the decisions taken during various high-level exchanges in the past two years or so, including the visit of the Prime Minister to Sri Lanka in March 2015 and the visits of the President and the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka to India since February 2015," the External Affairs Ministry said in a statement.

"The two sides expressed their satisfaction at the progress in implementation of the outcomes of these exchanges, which further strengthened the historically close and friendly relations between the two countries," it said.

The ministry said that the Indian side reiterated India's commitment to promoting prosperity in the neighbourhood and affirmed the continued support of India for realising the vision of the Sri Lankan leadership for a stable, peaceful and prosperous Sri Lanka.

The leaders welcomed the memorandum of understanding (MoU) on cooperation in economic projects that was signed after the meeting between Modi and Wickremesinghe.

The MoU outlines the agenda for bilateral economic cooperation with both sides expressing their commitment to ensuring that this mutually beneficial agenda is expeditiously implemented.

The ministry statement said that both sides also expressed the hope for early conclusion of the ongoing negotiations on the economic and technology cooperation agreement.

"Pointing out that India had welcomed Sri Lanka co-sponsoring the Resolution 'Promoting Reconciliation, Accountability and Human Rights in Sri Lanka' at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) last month, the Indian leadership expressed the earnest hope that recommendations on the reconciliation would be completed within the stipulated timeframe of two years," it said.

The Indian interlocutors requested continued cooperation of the Sri Lankan government "for humanitarian treatment of Indian fishermen, without resorting to force under any circums tances".

"Indian side also informed the Sri Lankan side of the measures taken by India to encourage the Indian fishermen concerned for adopting deep sea fishing," the statement said.

Wickremesinghe reiterated the invitation to Modi for a visit to Sri Lanka for the Vesak Day celebrations on May 10.

The Sri Lankan Prime Minister arrived here on Tuesday ona five-day working visit to India.
New Delhi, April 26 : Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday termed the BJP's victory in the Delhi civic polls as a "reaffirmation of people's faith in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership".

The Minister also praised Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national President Amit Shah's organisational skills for the party victory in all three - east, south and north Delhi - civic corporations.

"BJP's remarkable victory in MCD polls is reaffirmation of people's faith in PM's leadership and Amit Shah's organisational skills," he tweeted.

He congratulated BJP workers and the party's Delhi unit President Manoj Tiwari for the victory.
Marriott Internationals Moxy brand opens its 4th location in Germany by welcoming guests at Moxy Frankfurt Airport. Moxy Frankfurt Airport is the brands tenth global outpost joining a fast-growing portfolio of destinations including Munich, Milan, Berlin, New Orleans, London and Vienna.

Conveniently located at Frankfurt airport, just 15km from the city centre, Moxy Frankfurt Airport provides the perfect gateway to explore the culture and architecture in one of Germanys largest cities. In true Moxy fashion, Moxy Frankfurt Airport will be a 24/7 spot for all things fun and impromptu with playful communal spaces, a buzzing bar and thoughtfully crafted offerings designed for travellers and locals who want to hang-out with their friends and meet new ones, without breaking the bank.

From photo booth elevators, to communal ironing rooms, to bedtime stories to checking in at the barevery part of Moxy shakes up the traditional hotel experience, said Vicki Poulos, senior global brand director, Moxy Hotels.

The hotels 305 contemporary guest rooms, ranging from standard to family size, are outfitted with sound-reducing walls, 42 LCD flat screen televisions, complimentary super-fast Wi-Fi, abundant USB ports, comfortable bedding and deep-seated armchairs in calming, neutral fabrics. Every bedroom makes a statement with a fun floor to ceiling art piece.

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Moxys 24/7 B&F (Beverage & Food), smart and fun self-service concept gives guests access to what they want, whenever they want it. The Moxy dining area offers lots of options for food and drink including fresh juices and a coffee bar. Guests can enjoy fresh Panini sandwiches and a range of healthy alternatives from salad to antipasti. An evening Crockpot entree will be served along with a variety of cocktails, craft beers and specialty wines. The bar is full-service and the hub of activity in the lobby  it also doubles as the hotels physical check-in, where guests are greeted with a complimentary Got Moxy cocktail upon arrival.

Meetings #ATTHEMOXY

Moxy Frankfurt Airport has one flexible meeting space.

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Moxy guests who are members of the award-winning Marriott Rewards loyalty programme will get exclusive access to even more digital features through the Marriott Mobile app when they book direct, including mobile check-in and check-out, keyless entry and Mobile Requests to make their travel experience seamless. Marriott Rewards members will also earn points for their stay at Moxy Hotels and can redeem for hotel stays across the Marriott Rewards portfolio of brands.

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Special opening rates at the new Moxy Frankfurt Airport begin from 79.

Moxy Hotels first launched in Milan in September 2014. Moxy Tempe, Moxy Munich Airport, Moxy New Orleans, Moxy Frankfurt Eschborn, Moxy Berlin Ostbahnhof and Moxy Aberdeen Airport all opened in 2016. Moxy London Excel and Moxy Vienna Airport followed in 2017. The brand is entering the market in a bold way, with several additional identified projects slated for major metropolitan locations including Amsterdam, New York, San Francisco, Boston and Tokyo.
New Delhi/Islamabad, April 26 : The mother of alleged Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav has filed an appeal with Pakistan seeking Islamabad's intervention for the release of her son who has been sentenced to death and expressed a desire to meet him.

The appeal was handed over by Indian High Commissioner in Pakistan, Gautam Bambawale, during his meeting with Pakistan Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua, during which India sought consular access to Jadhav, a former Indian navy official, for the 16th time.

Bambawale handed over a petition by Jadhav's mother to the Pakistan government and also an appeal by her to the Court of Appeal, on behalf of Jadhav, "who continues to be in detention in Pakistan on concocted charges", said an official statement.

"She requested the intervention of the Federal Government of Pakistan for his release and has expressed the desire to meet him," the statement said.

Pakistan was also requested to facilitate the visas for the mother and father of Jadhav, who have expressed a wish to travel to Pakistan to meet him and to personally file the petition and the appeal. They have applied for visas with the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi.

Indian Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar had also met the High Commissioner of Pakistan to India on Tuesday and made similar points, the statement said.

Jadhav was arrested in Balochistan in March 2016. Pakistan has accused him of being a spy. A military court sentenced him to death on April 10.

India has sought consular access 15 times but Pakistan has denied this every time.

Indian authorities say they have not been informed about the whereabouts of Jadhav or the condition he is in.

India has said if the death sentence is carried out, it would be considered a case of pre-meditated murder.
Mumbai, April 26 : Reliance Communications' subsidiary Global Cloud Xchange (GCX) and Alibaba Cloud will jointly offer cloud solutions to enterprises through the latter's Cloud Express Connect via GCX's Cloud X Fusion in Singapore, said GCX on Wednesday.

The GCX and Alibaba Cloud -- the cloud computing arm of Alibaba Group -- signed an agreement at the Alibaba's Cloud Computing Conference at Nanjing in China to drive business opportunities of enterprise customers.

"As the Cloud revolution continues and innovation becomes rapid, we see an exponential growth in connectivity requirements and infrastructure," said GCX Chief Executive Officer Bill Barney in a statement here.

As part of the agreement, the GCX will provide the Alibaba Cloud secure and low latency solutions across its global subsea network infrastructure, which covers major e-commerce hubs worldwide, according to the agreement.

Through the GCX's global network and its product portfolio, Cloud X Fusion provides seamless, low latency connectivity across developed and emerging markets in the US, Europe, Middle East and Asia.

"The connectivity gives enterprises security, reliability and predictability as they connect to Alibaba Cloud services on a dynamic usage-based consumption," said the statement.

"As we enter a new era of digital transformation, businesses across the globe require new levels of support to tap into the emerging opportunities of data technology and data intelligence.

"Through the interconnection of Cloud Express Connect and Cloud X Fusion, customers will benefit from flexibility and global reach to improve competitiveness in the new paradigm," said Alibaba Cloud Vice-President Jiong Sun in the statement.

Cloud X Fusion is a proprietary platform designed to combine the speed and power of fibre optics with agility, flexibility and cost-efficiencies of "pay-as-you-go" cloud computing.

Cloud's Express Connect provides fast, stable and secure network connections between cloud environments, including Virtual Private Cloud (VPC) intranet intercommunication and dedicated leased line connections across regions and users.

"With Express Connect, enterprises can increase the flexibility of their network topology and enhance the quality and security of inter-network communication," the statement added.
New Delhi/Guwahati, April 26 : Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday assured a delegation of the All Assam Students' Union (AASU) that the spirit of the Assam Accord would not be allowed to get diluted at any cost and the government is committed to provide Constitutional and economic safeguards to the indigenous people of the state.

The Union Minister said this on Wednesday while taking part in tripartite talks between the AASU delegation, the Assam government and the Central government. He said the Central government has been closely monitoring the implementation of the historic Accord.

"The Government of India and the Government of Assam are committed to a flawless NRC updation exercise in Assam and to provide Constitutional and economic safeguards to the indigenous people," said Singh.

The tripartite talks at the Home Ministerial level is being held after a gap of almost 12 years. It was participated by the Union Home Minister, Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and representatives of All Assam Students' Union.

Singh said that a committee with representatives from the central government, Assam government and AASU will be formed to ensure time-bound implementation of all clauses of the Accord.

"All issues raised by AASU will be discussed in detail and implemented in a time-bound manner. We are also mulling the option for second line of defence along the border for strengthening border security and checking infiltration. Besides, erection of fencing along the Indo-Bangla border has already begun," Singh said. The Union Home Minister also said that construction work of the Bogibeel Bridge would be completed within December 2017.

"We have started a meaningful and good beginning to the implementation of Assam Accord. Today's talks have ended on a positive note, as we have discussed in detail clause-wise time bound implementation of the Accord for providing constitutional and economic safeguards to the people of Assam," Sonowal said after the meeting.

AASU Adviser Samujjal Bhattacharyya said that all 60 proposals placed by AASU for clause-wise implementation of the Accord were discussed threadbare in the talks. He said that they discussed the issue of raising of a Special Task Force at district and state levels for detection of illegal immigrants. "A bilateral agreement between Governments of India and Bangladesh for deportation of illegal immigrants was also suggested by AASU in the discussions," Bhattacharyya said.
Seoul, April 26 : A group of women from North and South Koreas, along with women activists from other countries, sent on Wednesday a letter to US President Donald Trump, urging him to stop his war rhetoric.

The activists of the group Women Cross DMZ asked Trump to prevent a military escalation in the Korean peninsula, Efe news reported.

"Peace is the most powerful deterrent of all," read the letter signed by the activists, including Irish Nobel peace laureate Mairead Maguire, and Gloria Steinem, a Jewish writer, journalist and a feminist icon in the US.

"President Trump could demonstrate his art of deal-making by advancing what will and has only ever worked: diplomacy and engagement," according the letter that was published online.

It added that a dialogue with Pyongyang "would be a real benchmark of success" for the new US administration.

A statement by Women Cross DMZ said: "We are united by our belief that diplomacy is the only way to resolve the nuclear crisis and threat of war now facing the Korean Peninsula."

The group came to the spotlight in 2015 when they crossed the DMZ, the heavily-militarised border between the two Koreas, to promote peace and reconciliation in the peninsula.

Tension in the Korean Peninsula has been growing since the beginning of April due to repeated missile tests by North Korea and Trump's war-mongering rhetoric, as well as show of military might by both sides.
Manila, April 26 : Territorial disputes with China and the Philippines' war on drugs will take the centre-stage at the Summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), whose work agenda began on Wednesday.

According to a draft declaration of the summit set to be held on Saturday, Asean does not intend to take a harsh stance against China in its ongoing disputes over South China Sea islands with several regional nations, Efe news reported.

"We share the serious concern expressed by some leaders over recent developments and escalation of activities in the area which may further raise tensions and erode trust and confidence in the region," reads the draft declaration.

The document, open to modification during the meeting of senior officials on Thursday and that of ministers on Friday, favours increasing mutual trust, exercising self-restraint, and looking for peaceful solutions instead of resorting to use of force.

The draft makes no mention of China, its construction of artificial islands or its increased military presence in South China Sea.

It also does not mention the International Arbitration Tribunal's July 2016 ruling that favoured Manila on the Scarborough Shoal issue and rejected the historic rights claimed by Beijing over the area.

China, which stakes a claim to most of the South China Sea region, is embroiled in territorial spats with Brunei, the Philippines, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Vietnam for several islands in the region.

The summit is also expected to focus on the controversial anti-drug campaign unleashed by the host country's President, Rodrigo Duterte.

International non-profit Amnesty International has urged Asean members to condemn over 7,000 deaths -- according to official figures -- that have taken place since Duterte launched the campaign in late June 2016.

Duterte, on the other hand, is expected to make use of the occasion to highlight achievements of his anti-drug campaign before Asean leaders, none of whom has so far objected to his strategy for wiping out crime and drug addiction from the country.

The regional bloc, covering 625 million inhabitants, is formed by Myanmar, Brunei, Cambodia, the Philippines, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
Moscow, April 26 : Defence Minister Arun Jaitley on Wednesday said India supports a greater role by Russia in global affairs as well as in "our shared neighbourhood" in view of growing terrorism which "remains the primary concern for peaceful countries".

Jatiley also expressed concern over growing maritime territorial disputes and the tensions arising in the Korean peninsula while speaking on 'Global Security: Challenges of the 21st Century' at the 6th Moscow Conference on International Security.

On the sidelines of the conference, Jaitley also met with Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoiguwich and Brazilian Defence Minister Paul Belens Jungman Pinto.

"Russia has been a true and trusted friend of India, which is regarded so by the people of India, and there has been a much greater cooperation at the level of Defence," Jaitley said after meeting the Russian Defence Minister.

"We have future plans to set up manufacturing units in India and these are subjects of discussion which came up in my bilateral meeting with the Defence Minister and I am sure with the level of engagement we have, this relationship will continue to grow," he said.

Earlier speaking during the session, Jaitley said: "As a long-standing friend and strategic partner, India supports an expanded role by Russia in global affairs, especially in our shared neighbourhood."

"The scourge of terrorism remains the primary security challenge for all peaceful countries," he said, recalling the bomb blast on a St. Petersburg Metro train on April 3 this year, and conveyed India's strong solidarity with Russia.

He pointed out the use of social media and technology for radicalisation.

"Terrorism is being reinvented in newer and even more dangerous manifestations. The manipulation of young minds by fundamentalist groups using new technologies and social media has already caused long-term damage to our societies," Jaitley said, citing the "lone wolf attacks" in many countries as an example of this.

He said while elimination of terror breeding grounds in West Asia is being done, there is a threat of such elements returning to their home countries.

"We need to encourage closer information exchanges and intelligence cooperation to address this threat," he said.

"Distinctions are still sought to be made between good and bad terrorists, despite all the evidence and experience to the contrary. Terrorism will recoil on those who nurture it," the Indian Defence Minister said.

Jaitley welcomed Russia's efforts to hold consultations on Afghanistan, and said: "A policy of zero tolerance towards violence and terrorism and continued efforts to consolidate the capacity of the Afghan government to deal with violence as well as promote development are essential."

"We welcome recent efforts by Russia to hold consultations on Afghanistan, in which India had also actively participated," Jaitley said.

Calling territorial dispute in maritime domain another "serious challenge", Jaitley said: "India believes that the rights of freedom of navigation and over-flight as well as unimpeded commerce should be ensured. These are vital to India's own economic engagement with the Indo-Pacific region."

"The recent escalation of tensions in the Korean peninsula is a matter of concern," he added.

The Defence Minister, who is also the Finance Minister, said economic and diplomatic engagements with Eurasian region is a "top priority" for India.

Talking about the tri-service joint military exercise with Russia INDRA, set to take place later this year, Jaitley said: "This would be a historic occasion as it will be the first time that India and Russia are taking part in joint exercises in such a format with each other or with any other country."
Srinagar, April 26 : Protesting students clashed with the security forces at many places in Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday.

Students boycotted classes in Pulwama, Bandipora, Shopian, Kulgam, Ganderbal and Chadoora towns and took to the streets, engaging security forces in fierce stone pelting clashes.

Security forces used tear smoke shells to disperse the students.

Reports said over a dozen students and security men were injured in these clashes.

Kashmir University Students Union (KUSU) has appealed to students in the Valley to rejoin classes.
Mumbai, April 26 : A four-seater trainer aircraft crashed in the Vainganga river on the Maharashtra-Madhya Pradesh border on Wednesday killing the pilot and a female trainee after it got entangled in wires above the water line, a top official said here.

Gondia Superintendent of Police (Dr) Dilip Patil-Bhujbal said the victims were a retired Indian Air Force pilot, Capt. Ranjan Gupta, and a trainee, Himani Kalyani, hailing from Mumbai.

Himani's parents are employed with the private carrier Indigo Airlines and have rushed to Gondia from Mumbai, while a team of Directorate-General of Civil Aviation investigators is en route, the official said.

"The exact reasons behind the crash are yet to be ascertained. The bodies of both victims have been recovered as also the plane debris which was fished out of the river waters," Patil-Bhujbal told IANS.

He said the aircraft DA-42 took off on a training sortie from the Birsi airport at Gondia around 9.24 a.m. but around 20 minutes later lost contact with the local air traffic control.

Thereafter, according to local eyewitnesses, the aircraft apparently developed some snag and the pilot attempted to land it on some plain ground near the river.

However, the eyewitnesses said the plane got entangled in some wires running across the river to measure its water level and crashed into the shallow waters.

Later in the evening, local channels beamed images of the aircraft having broken into pieces with hundreds of tribals and villagers rushing for a glimpse of the accident site. The police cordoned off the crash site.

The aircraft belonged to the National Flying Training Institute, a franchisee of a Canadian-based aviation major which has branches and franchises around the world.

Patil-Bhujbal said the local police have registered an accident and death case and investigations are underway by various agencies.
Patna, April 26 : Seeking acknowledgement of Bihar's contribution to the Indian freedom struggle, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Wednesday said the role of Veer Kunwar Singh, who hailed from the state, in the 1857 War of Independence should be discussed at the national level.

"Like Bihar's role in the freedom struggle, role of legendary freedom fighter Veer Kunwar Singh is also not highlighted and discussed," Nitish Kumar said at a function held to pay tributes to Singh.

Nitish Kumar said Singh had fought against British rule in India's first freedom struggle in 1857 and provided a direction to it but it is not being discussed. He was the first leader who defeated British commanders and created a positive situation for others.

After 60 years, Mahatma Gandhi started his first 'satyagrah' in Champaran against the British rule in 1917 that gave a new direction to the freedom movement.

Both events are evidence of Bihar's great role in the country's freedom struggle.
Paris, April 26 : French presidential hopeful Emmanuel Macron was on Wednesday heckled by factory workers in Amiens city after a visit by his far-right rival Marine Le Pen.

Le Pen upstaged her centrist rival earlier by turning up to speak to the workers as he met their union representatives a few miles away, BBC reported.

Macron, who is far ahead in opinion polls, is in Amiens, his home town, amid accusations of complacency. He got another boost when former President Nicolas Sarkozy endorsed him.

Opinion polls taken since the first round on Sunday suggest that Macron, candidate of the En Marche (On The Move) movement, will easily beat Le Pen, who temporarily resigned as leader of the National Front (FN) party.

Macron earlier saw union delegates at the local chamber of commerce, with TV pictures showing them in discussion in a grey meeting room.

Meanwhile, Le Pen was having selfies taken with workers outside a factory a few miles away.

Macron took to Twitter (in French) and said, "MLP [Marine Le Pen] 10 minutes with her followers in a car park in front of the cameras; me one hour and 15 minutes of work with the unions and no media. Each will choose on 7 May."

When he visited the factory, surrounded by journalists, he was booed and whistled.

"There is no work!" a woman shouted repeatedly as he sought to address the workers.
Alaska Airlines and Virgin America plan to move into Terminal 7 at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK). The move, which will be complete by October 2017, relocates the airlines' two operations from Terminal 8 and Terminal 4, respectively, and will offer guests a better airport experience while laying the groundwork for future growth at JFK.

Together, Alaska and Virgin America operate 14 flights a day to JFK from key West Coast international gateways including Seattle, Portland, Oregon, Los Angeles (LAX) and San Francisco. Alaska and Virgin America fly nonstop from 28 destinations to New York City area airports, including Newark, where the two airlines are co-located in Terminal A.

The airlines will join Alaska Global Partners British Airways, Qantas and Icelandair in Terminal 7, providing guests convenient access to a combined 17 daily flights to top global destinations across Europe and Australia. Alaska allows Mileage Plan members to travel and earn miles to more than 900 destinations around the globe through a unique network of international partners, with many flying out of JFK.

Alaska recently announced it will build an airport lounge at JFK, which will open in early 2018. Additional enhancements to the Terminal 7 airport experience, funded by an investment from British Airways, will help increase the efficiency of TSA security screening and provide new concessions for guests within the terminal.
New Delhi, April 26 : With the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) sweeping the Delhi municipal polls on Wednesday, opposition Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Congress leaders offered to quit on moral grounds while also blaming the electronic voting machines (EVMs) used in the polls for their debacle.

Delhi Congress chief Ajay Maken announced his resignation as the poll results came out, while AAP legislator from Chandani Chowk Alka Lamba offered to resign as her party did not win in a single MCD ward from her constituency.

In line with their recent proclaimed scepticism over reliability of the EVMs, both the AAP and Congress expressed apprehensions of the machines having been tampered with even in these civic polls.

The AAP's defeat comes more than two years after the Delhi assembly elections when it had humbled the BJP, winning 67 of the 70 Delhi assembly seats.

"Without rigging, such a massive win is not possible," AAP leader and Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia told reporters on Wednesday.

He said it was "unbelievable" that the BJP could return to power in the civic bodies with such a massive win even as the MCDs had in the last 10 years failed to ensure upkeep of the city.

Delhi Congress chief Ajay Maken announced his resignation and also backed the AAP's charge of the EVMs having been tampered with.

"I will submit my resignation to the Congress President and Vice President shortly," Maken told reporters as he announced his decision to step down.

"We are getting our votes back, but we had higher expectations. I could not meet my own expectations, so I am resigning. I will not take any post in the party for a year," Maken said.

Maken also called for a probe into "EVM tampering".

"Election Commission should institute a probe for the EVMs," he said, adding: "Even if we don't trust EVMs, we must trust the Election Commission."

The BJP, however, dismissed the allegations, with Union Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu saying that the AAP failed to understand the "mood of the nation".

"He (Kejriwal) was not ready to perform... He did not want to work with the central government. He did not understand the mood of the nation. The mood of the nation is 'Modi'," Naidu said.

Former Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, meanwhile, said that her party did not campaign aggressively enough to win the civic polls. She, however, exonerated the party high command and put the onus of the loss on the local leaders.

She also said that despite being elected thrice in a row to be the Chief Minister of Delhi, she was not invited to campaign for the party candidates for the municipal polls.

"Congress did not campaign in an aggressive way... It did not do what it should have done to win the Delhi civic polls," Dikshit told reporters.

"Responsibility of the MCD elections rests with local leaders (Ajay Maken, the Delhi Congress chief). The high command cannot be dragged into this. It is the Pradesh Congress Committee which should bear the blame," Dikshit said while speaking to a India Today TV.
Bhubaneswar, April 26 : Biju Janata Dal (BJD) President and Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday dismissed reports of infighting within the party.

"I don't feel there is any infighting in the party. Where is the infighting in the party?" Patnaik told reporters after returning here from a five-day New Delhi visit.

He also denied that the party was getting weaker in the state.

"I don't think it is becoming weaker at all. Where is it going weaker? We have won four terms and we are the largest party in the state," said Patnaik.

With the opposition parties alleging that the BJD would be forging an alliance with the BJP in the backdrop of his visit to ailing former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in New Delhi, Patnaik clarified: "That is not true. I heard that Vajpayee was not feeling well, so I made a courtesy call... That is all."

He also said that during his New Delhi visit, he had not discussed with any political party leader to nominate a united opposition candidate for the forthcoming presidential election.

"No plans yet and there were no discussions in Delhi as far as I am concerned," he clarified.

Reacting to the controversial article authored by BJD MP Bhartruhari Mahtab in an Odia newspaper, the BJD President said he has not gone through the article yet.

"As BJP is going all out to prepare its strategy for the upcoming Assembly and Lok Sabha elections in 2019, which, it seems, has made BJD upset. As a result, BJD is giving statements out of desperation, which exposes its weakness," Mahtab wrote.
Kolkata, April 26 : At least three persons died and 13 others were still missing after a temporary jetty on the Hooghly river collapsed in Hooghly district of west Bengal on Wednesday, the police said.

"Three people died by drowning after a temporary jetty at Telinipara Ghat in Hooghly district's Bhadreswar was wrecked by the high tide and collapsed into the river. Thirteen people are still missing," Hooghly Superintendent of Police Sukesh Jain told IANS over the phone.

According to the police, passengers waiting to cross over to North 24 Parganas district's Shyamnagar on the other side fell into the river as the wooden structure collapsed.

The locals present at the riverbank managed to save some of the passengers from drowning before the disaster management team and rescue team of the state police rushed to the spot.

"We have managed to save nearly 30-35 people so far. The central disaster management team, water police and fire brigade personnel are still running the rescue operation," the officer said.

"Among the rescued passengers eight were admitted to the hospital. But all of them are stable now," he added.
New Delhi, April 26 : A court here on Wednesday discharged arms dealer Abhishek Verma, his wife, and others in two cases -- one of corruption and another of money laundering -- related to Switzerland-based company Rheinmetall Air Defense (RAD).

Special Judge Anju Bajaj Chandna discharged Verma, his Romanian wife Anca Maria Neacsu, company Rheinmetall and its Senior Vice-President Gerhard Hoy of charges of criminal conspiracy and those under the Prevention of Corruption Act.

The court also discharged Verma, his wife and Delhi-based Ganton India Pvt. Ltd. in the money laundering case.

The case dates back to 2010. The Central Bureau of Investigation had alleged that Verma, Anca, Gerhard Hoy hatched a criminal conspiracy to prevent blacklisting of Rheinmetall Air Defence.

The CBI recommended blacklisting of RAD as it was found that the company paid huge gratification amount for award of a contract by the Ordnance Factory Board, Kolkata.

While the matter of blacklisting was under process, Abhishek Verma assured RAD representatives of help by influencing public servants to stall the blacklisting process.

RAD agreed and paid an advance of $5,30,000 for using his influence, the CBI alleged.

The Enforcement Directorate alleged that RAD transferred the amount to Ganton USA, a company incorporated by Verma's friend.

"Thereafter, between April 15, 2011, and October 12, 2011, a total of Rs 2.2 crore (approximately) was received by Ganton India Pvt. Ltd. from Ganton USA," the ED said.

Verma's wife Anca was director of Ganton India.

The court observed that the transfer of funds from Rheinmettal Air Defence to Ganton USA cannot be termed as illegal gratification.

It added that no criminality can be attached to the transfer of funds by Ganton USA to Ganton India and said: "In such situation, since there is no existence of proceeds of crime, no question of proceeds/money being laundered or projected as untainted arises."

"Rheinmetall Air Defence and accused Gerhard Hoy cannot be roped in for criminal conspiracy, nor the money transaction can be termed as illegal gratification," the court ruled.

"Nowhere is discussion about involvement of public servant or public office is shown during the meetings of the accused."

The court said: "Minus any promise to influence public servant, the offence described under Section 8 (taking gratification, in order, by corrupt or illegal means, to influence public servant) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, is not made out."

The court said that "if private persons deliberate to solve some issue and even exchange money for this purpose, Section 8 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, is not attracted".

"I, therefore, come to the conclusion that there is no evidence against company Rheinmetall Air Defence and its Senior Vice-President Gerhard Hoy to show that illegal gratification of $5,29,982 has been paid on account of influencing public servants through accused Abhishek Verma for the purpose of preventing blacklisting of the company," the court said.

"Nothing incriminating is found in the entire material relied upon by the prosecution and there is no prima facie evidence to substantiate the version of the prosecution."
New Delhi, April 26 : The government on Wednesday appointed senior IPS officer Rajiv Rai Bhatnagar as new chief of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), two days after the force lost 25 troopers in a deadly Maoist attack in Sukma district of Chhattisgarh.

Bhatnagar, a 1983 batch officer of Uttar Pradesh cadre, was appointed to the post nearly two months after the retirement of previous incumbent K. Durga Prasad on February 28.

Additional Director General Sudeep Lakhtakia, a 1984 batch Telangana cadre Indian Police Service (IPS) officer, was handling additional charge as CRPF Director General since March 1.

Prasad, a 1981 batch IPS officer, headed the force as its chief for one year from March 1, 2016 to February 28, 2017.

Bhatnagar is currently serving as Director General of the Narcotics Control Bureau - an ADG rank post which has temporarily been upgraded to a Special Director General rank. He has earlier served as Additional Director General of the Central Reserve Police Force (CISF).

Sources said the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi selected Bhatnagar considering his seniority.

The Home Ministry had earlier recommended the name of another IPS of 1983 batch R.K. Pachnanda but it was apparently turned down by the Prime Minister's Office. Bhatnagar is the second senior most IPS officer from the 1983 batch after Pachnanda.

A West Bengal cadre officer, Pachnanda has been appointed Director General of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP). He will be taking over from Krishna Chaudhary, who is set to retire in June this year.

Pachnanda is presently posted as Director General of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), India's specialized force for responding to natural disasters.
New Delhi, April 26 : The Delhi High Court on Wednesday directed Sir Ganga Ram Hospital here to immediately discharge a patient, saying that hospitals cannot hold hostage persons undergoing treatment for non-clearance of unpaid hospital bills.

The hospital had allegedly withheld discharge of a former Madhya Pradesh policeman over non-clearance of dues pertaining to his treatment.

A division bench of Justice Vipin Sanghi and Justice Deepa Sharma was hearing a habeas corpus plea filed by the son of the policeman, admitted in the hospital in February.

The petitioner-son alleged that the hospital was not discharging his father for non-payment of Rs 13.45 lakh. He disputed the bill amount, saying the hospital was not giving proper treatment to his father.

On the other hand, the hospital said the total dues were Rs 16.75 lakh, of which the petitioner had paid only Rs 3.3 lakh.

It said a surgery was performed on the patient on April 21 despite unpaid bills.

On April 20, the petitioner filed a police complaint after the surgery.
New Delhi, April 26 : As many as 38 of the 270 Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) candidates and 92 of the Congress forfeited their security deposits in the Delhi civic polls, State Election Commissioner (SEC) S.K. Srivastava disclosed on Wednesday.

Only five Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidates lost their deposits this time round. In 2012, 18 BJP contestants had lost their deposits, while the figure for the Congress was 26.

The security deposit is forfeited if a candidate fails to garner a minimum of 1/6th of the total number of valid votes.

In all, 1,790 candidates of the total 2,516 candidates in the fray lost their deposits in Sunday's municipal polls, votes for which were counted on Wednesday, the SEC said.

In all the three municipal corporations, the BJP candidates won by the highest margins. BJP's Sanjeev Kapoor left the AAP's Naveen Gupta behind by 9,332 votes in Krishna Nagar (East DMC) seat.

In Dwarka-B (South DMC) ward, BJP's Kamaljeet Sehrawat defeated the AAP's Sushma Bansal by 9,866 votes.

In Saraswati Vihar (NDMC), Neeraj Kumar of the BJP defeated the AAP's Desraj Aggarwal by 7,895 votes.

Anita Tanwar of the BJP won by two votes in Chattarpur (SDMC), while Gurjeet Kaur of the same party won by 58 seats in Bhajanpura (EDMC).

Seema Tahira of the Congress won by 259 votes from Bazar Sita Ram (North DMC).

Interestingly, as many as 49,235 voters opted for NOTA this time around, which worked out to 0.67 per cent of the total votes cast. Of these, 10,283 (0.58 per cent) were recorded in EDMC, 19,762 (0.74 per cent) in NDMC and 19,190 (0.71 per cent) in SDMC.

"This is quite a high number of NOTA. This means the voters were not happy with any of the candidates in the fray and they expressed their displeasure through NOTA," Srivastava observed.
New Delhi, April 26 : The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday swept all the three municipal bodies of Delhi, returning a tally of 181 of the total 270 seats for which elections were held on April 23.

The BJP won 64 of the 103 seats in the North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC), 70 out of 104 seats in the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC), and 47 of the 63 seats at stake in the East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC).

The Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) emerged a distant second with 48 seats -- 21 seats in NDMC, 16 in SDMC and 11 in EDMC.

The Congress recorded a dismal performance with 30 seats -- 15 seats in NDMC, 12 in SDMC and just three in EDMC.

The BJP cornered 36 per cent of the votes polled, the AAP 26 per cent and the Congress 21 per cent.

While the BJP vote share remained almost the same as in 2012 (36.74 per cent), the Congress slid by almost nine per cent from 30.54 per cent in 2012.

The Bahujan Samaj Party won three seats - one in NDMC and two in EDMC.

The Samajwadi Party and the Indian National Lok Dal managed one seat each in SDMC. Six Independents also won in the civic polls.

Of the 272 seats in the three civic bodies, elections were postponed for Maujpur and Sarai Pipalthala seats due to the deaths of two candidates.
New Delhi, April 26 : The central government on Wednesday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch the air regional connectivity scheme -- UDAN -- on April 27, Thursday, in Shimla.

"Simultaneously, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will also flag off the inaugural UDAN flights on Kadapa-Hyderabad and Nanded-Hyderabad sectors," the Ministry of Civil Aviation said in a statement.

According to the ministry, it is committed to providing air connectivity to currently underserved and unserved airports through the UDAN air connectivity scheme.

An under-served airport is defined as an airport which has no more than seven scheduled commercial flight departures per week, whereas an un-served airport or airstrip is the one which has not even received a single scheduled commercial service during the last two flight schedules.

Prime Minister Modi will launch the scheme at 11.15 a.m. in Shimla and simultaneously flag off the inaugural UDAN flights on Kadapa-Hyderabad and Nanded-Hyderabad sectors through video conferencing.

"To make air travel accessible to citizens in regionally important areas, the 'Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik' RCS was launched in October, 2016. UDAN scheme is a first-of-its-kind scheme globally to stimulate regional connectivity through a market-based mechanism," tweeted the Office of the Prime Minister of India (PMO India).

"The UDAN Scheme is a key component of the National Civil Aviation Policy (NCAP) which was released on 15th June, 2016. Airfare for a one hour journey of appx. 500 km on a fixed wing aircraft or for 30 minute journey on a helicopter would be capped at Rs 2,500."

Air India subsidiary Alliance Air, which will operate the Delhi-Shimla flight, has put in a one-day fare of Rs 2,036.

On March 30, 2017, the central government under the scheme awarded contracts to five companies to operate flight services on 128 routes that will connect 70 airports.

The airports are spread across the country, 24 in the western region, 17 in northern region, 11 in southern region, 12 in eastern region and six in north-eastern region.

The seating capacity of airlines under the scheme will range from 19 to 78, and 50 per cent of the seats in every flight will have a fare cap of Rs 2,500 per seat per hour.

The airline companies chosen are Airline Allied Services (Alliance Air), SpiceJet, Turbo Megha Airways, Air Deccan and Air Odisha.

Last year, the central government launched the RCS which is a key component of the National Civil Aviation Policy (NCAP), whose main objective is to "enhance regional connectivity through fiscal support and infrastructure development."

The objective of RCS, christened as UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik) is to enhance air passenger traffic in the country by stimulating demand on regional routes.

The UDAN scheme will be in operation for a period of 10 years.

The operations under the scheme are intended to provide air connectivity to un-served and remote routes with airfare being capped at Rs 2,500 for an hour's journey of around 500 km.

The allocation of routes under the scheme will be based on a reverse bidding mechanism, with selected airlines getting a VGF (viability gap funding), apart from various other financial concessions for a period of three years.

The central government is expected to provide concessions in the form of reduced excise duty and service tax, and the state governments will have to lower the VAT (value added tax) on ATF (air turbine fuel) to one per cent or less.

Besides, the state governments would not charge on security, and fire services and electricity, water and other utilities would be provided at concessional rates.

On their part, airport operators shall not impose landing and parking charges and terminal navigation landing fees. They would also offer discounts on route navigation facility charges.
Chandigarh, April 26 : Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Wednesday ordered a crackdown on private medical and dental colleges in the state, warning them to either mend ways or shut shop.

Accusing private institutions of engaging in the business of making money at the cost of the students' future, the Chief Minister issued these orders at a review meeting of the Medical Education, Research, and Health and Family Welfare Department here.

Amarinder Singh warned that private medical and dental colleges found violating admission norms and not delivering quality education would be shut, and said his government will not allow such institutions to play with the future of students.

The future of hundreds of students of Gian Sagar Group's medical college and Chintpurni Medical College in Punjab remains uncertain.

During the meeting, the Department Secretary said authorities have already clamped down on such private colleges, especially nursing institutions, found flouting norms of admissions and not imparting quality education.

Amid complaints of lack of funds faced by most government medical colleges, the Chief Minister asked Chief Secretary Karan Avtar Singh to ensure that central funds reserved for medical education are made available to these colleges for infrastructural upgradation and other measures to enhance education quality.

He directed the Chief Secretary to look into Medical Education Department's complaint that it was not receiving state funding, and work out modalities for fund allocation from the exchequer, as feasible.
Royal Caribbean International on April 23, 2017 made its inaugural visit to Cuba with the newly revitalized Empress of the Seas as part of a 5-night sailing from Miami. Guests participated in curated excursions throughout Havana, including rides in 1950s classic American cars to the citys most famous locales, including the old quarter and the Havana Club Museum.

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.

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.

Empress of the Seas spans 11 guest decks, encompasses 48,563 gross registered tons, carries 1,602 guests at double occupancy and features 795 staterooms.
Mumbai, April 26 : The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Wednesday said that it will soon issue new Rs 10 and Rs 5 coins in circulation.

According to the RBI, the central government has minted new Rs 5 coins to commemorate the "150th Anniversary of Allahabad High Court" and Rs 10 coins on the occasion of "One Hundred Twenty-fifth Year of National Archives of India".

Besides, the Reserve Bank said that the existing Rs 5 and Rs 10 coins shall continue to be legal tender even after the issue of new coins.

The apex bank said that the reverse side of the Rs 5 coin shall bear the image depicting "Centre facade of Allahabad High Court Building emerging from the book".

"The year 1866-2016 in English numerals shall be written at the bottom of the image," the RBI said in a statement.

It said that Rs 10 coins' reverse side shall bear the image of "National Archives Building" in the centre.

"A logo of 125th Anniversary Celebration shall exist at the centre and above the image of 'National Archives Building'. The year 1916 and 2016 in international numerals shall be written respectively on left and right top of the image," the statement said.
New Delhi, April 26 : The BJP's victory sweep in the civic polls saw most Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) ministers fail to ensure victory for the AAP candidates in their own constituencies.

Riding on the 'Modi wave', the BJP won 181 of the 270 wards that went to the polls to storm to power in the three municipal corporations for third term in a row. The AAP with just 48 wards came a distant second with the Congress ending up third, bagging just 30 seats.

The BJP won 64 of 103 wards in North Delhi Municipal Corporation, 70 of 104 in South Delhi Municipal Corporation and 47 of 63 in East Delhi Municipal Corporation.

Barring Food & Supplies Minister Imran Hussain, four of the AAP ministers, including Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, conceded ground in their own constituencies to the BJP.

Of the four wards in Sisodia's constituency Patparganj, the AAP could win only one with the rest all going to the BJP.

State Labour Minister Gopal Rai suffered a similar fate with BJP winning three of the four wards in his constituency Babarpur.

Tourism Minister Kapil Mishra, who has five wards in his constituency Karawal Nagar, saw only two of AAP candidates winning with the BJP bagging the rest three.

The worst sufferer was Health Minister Satyendar Jain in whose constituency Shakur Basti, all the three AAP candidates bit the dust.

Minister Hussain turned out to be the saving grace for the AAP with two of three wards in his constituency Ballimaran going to his party with the third won by Congress.

Hussain could save his constituency as it consists largely of Muslims.

AAP MLA from Chandi Chowk Alka Lamba too suffered the ignominy of seeing her party candidates losing all the three wards in her constituency.

Owning up moral responsibility for the defeat, she offered to quit from all party posts. While the others ministers have not said anything on the defeat, Sisodia alleged that Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) were rigged in favour of the BJP.

"Without rigging, such a massive win is not possible," Sisodia said, reiterating the accusations the party has been raising since AAP's defeat in the Punjab and Goa assembly polls.

Putting up a brave face and accepting defeat, Kejriwal congratulated the BJP for its victory.

Kejriwal who has been up in arms against the Election Commission as well as the BJP over EVM tampering, however, remained silent on the issue.

While the AAP has continued to blame EVM tampering for its electoral debacle, social activist Anna Hazare blamed his former protege Kejriwal's "quest for power" for the crushing defeat.

"People gave him a mandate and he got an opportunity to turn Delhi into a model state for the entire country to replicate. But power is bad. Once you sit in the chair, you lose your power of thinking," said Hazare.

"Instead of working for Delhi, he started thinking about capturing power in Punjab and Goa.

There was no need for him to hurry. But he was in a hurry and people realised that it is power in his mind and not society or the country," said Hazare and also dismissed allegations of EVM tampering.
Lucknow, April 26 : The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday hit back at Samajwadi Party (SP) President and former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav for his remarks on the Yogi Adityanath government that law and order in the state is poor.

Batting for the state government, Health Minister Siddharthnath Singh told reporters that instead of unnecessarily pointing fingers at the present government, Akhilesh Yadav should revisit the 1,725 days of his government.

"The former Chief Minister is so dejected with his humiliating defeat at the polls and rejection by the people of Uttar Pradesh that he is seeing everything with a saffron lens," he said.

Singh also accused the past state government of doing nothing for the people and of remaining busy promoting their self interests and protecting family interests.

Advising the former Chief Minister of doing some introspection over the defeat at the hustings, Singh, who is also the spokesman of the government, said: "Akhilesh Yadav should ponder over the reasons on why the government which was brought in with much fanfare by the people in 2012 was booted out in such humiliation in 2017."

All that happened in the Samajwadi Party regime was land grabbing, corruption, lawlessness, exploitation of the poor and promotion of one family, the Health Minister said while claiming a new era of developmental politics in the last one month of the BJP government.

"We have taken some positive steps for the betterment of the state and an all-round development of Uttar Pradesh, and welfare of all remains at the heart of our agenda," the minister said.

Earlier in the day, Akhilesh Yadav had accused BJP supporters of wearing saffron scarfs and terrorising people and officials. He had also claimed that law and order situation in the state was in poor state.
New Delhi, April 26 : As the results of the April 23 voting for the three municipal corporation elections poured in on Wednesday, the party supporters did not break into a rapturous celebration, as is the normal practice, due to the Monday killing of 25 CRPF men in Chhattisgarh.

However, it did not fail to take a dig at the AAP. A poster outside Delhi BJP office said 'Delhi vasiyo badhai, Kejriwal ki hesiyat batai' (congratualtions citizens of Delhi, put Kejriwal in place).

There were no bursting of crackers at the Delhi BJP office at Pandit Pant Marg since morning, or dancing to tune of drumbeats by party workers and supporters, or splashing of colour and distribution of sweets.

BJP leaders and workers paid floral tributes to the Central Reserve Police Force men killed in Maoist attack in Sukma. Union Ministers M. Venkaiah Naidu and Jitendra Singh were among those who came visiting.

Delhi BJP President Manoj Tiwari on Wednesday announced there would be no celebrations in view of the Chhattisgarh attack.

"We won't celebrate this victory and dedicate it to the CRPF personnel who lost their lives in the Sukma attack. We are with their families," Manoj Tiwari told reporters later.

The BJP won 181 of the 270 wards that polled on Sunday, way above the halfway mark to secure control of all the three Municipal Corporations of Delhi - North, South and East. The BJP won 64 of 103 wards in North, 70 of 104 in South and 47 of 63 in East.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) led by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal could manage wins in just 48 wards and the Congress was way behind with 30 seats.

"We have decided not to celebrate the victory. We want to dedicate this victory to the CRPF jawans," said Sunil Yadav, President of the Delhi unit of Bhartiya Janata Yuva Morcha.

Huge LCD screens were put up in makeshift tents where mediaperons and party workers were seated in groups, watching the counting trends.

Meanwhile, the AAP office at Rouse Avenue wore a deserted look as only a very few party volunteers could be seen there.

Barring national spokesperson Ashutosh, the party office saw no other AAP leader in the morning. There were no signs of preparations for any prospective celebrations either.

AAP top brass congregated at Kejriwal's house following the party's debacle in the civic polls, while the party office wore a desolate look.

Besides Kejriwal, other leaders present at his house included Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, Dileep Pandey, Gopal Rai, Sanjay Singh, Raghav Chadha and Deepak Bajpai.

Later, several AAP MLAs and ministers including Satyendar Jain, Kapil Mishra, Imran Hussain, Alka Lamba, Nitin Tyagi, Rajesh Gupta, Sanjeev Jha reached the CM's house and reviewed the poll results.

As poll results showed the AAP coming a distant second in the polls, Rai emerged from the house to tell the media that the BJP win was "due to EVM tampering".

Even at the Delhi Congress office, which a few hundred meters away from the AAP's, there were no top leaders except for some party volunteers.

(Sidhartha Dutta and Ashish Mishra can be reached at sidhartha.d@ians.in and ashish.m@ians.in respectively)
New Delhi, April 26 : The government on Wednesday appointed senior IPS officer Rajiv Rai Bhatnagar as the new chief of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), two days after the force lost 25 troopers in a deadly Maoist attack in Sukma district of Chhattisgarh.

Bhatnagar, a 1983-batch Indian Police Service officer of Uttar Pradesh cadre, was appointed nearly two months after the retirement of previous chief K. Durga Prasad on February 28.

He has been appointed till December 31, 2019, the date of his superannuation or till further orders, a Home Ministry statement said.

Additional Director General Sudeep Lakhtakia, a 1984-batch Telangana cadre Indian Police Service (IPS) officer, was handling additional charge as CRPF Director General since March 1.

Prasad, a 1981-batch IPS officer, headed the force for one year from March 1, 2016, to February 28, 2017.

Bhatnagar is currently serving as Director General of the Narcotics Control Bureau -- an ADGP-rank post temporarily upgraded to a Special Director General of Police rank.

He earlier served as Additional Director General of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF).

Sources said the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave the nod for Bhatnagar's appointment considering his seniority.

The Home Ministry had earlier recommended the name of another IPS of 1983 batch, R.K. Pachnanda, but it was apparently turned down by the Prime Minister's Office. Bhatnagar is the second senior most IPS officer from the 1983 batch after Pachnanda.

A West Bengal cadre officer, Pachnanda has been appointed Director General of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP). He will take over from Krishna Chaudhary, a 1979-batch Bihar cadre officer, who is set to retire on June 30.

Pachnanda, presently posted as Director General of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), India's specialised force for responding to natural disasters, will be appointed to the post till October 31, 2018, or further orders.
New Delhi, April 26 : Reviewing the progress towards handling and resolution of grievances related to the Railways, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said that "strictest possible action" will be taken against railway officials found guilty of corruption.

The Prime Minister asked the Indian Railways to work towards a unified single telephone number for all grievances and queries, including helpline in the case of an accident.

Modi also reviewed the progress of vital infrastructure projects in the railway, road and power sectors, spread in states of Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Jammu and Kashmir, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Tripura and Nagaland, an official release said.

Reviewing mission 'Indradhanush' for universal immunisation of children, Modi asked officials concerned for targeted attention in strict timeframes for the 100 worst performing districts in this regard.

He said youth organisations such as NCC and Nehru Yuva Kendra could be involved in the outreach effort to ensure that no child was left without the benefit of immunisation.

Modi reviewed implementation of Swachhta Action Plans and said events such as Swachhta fortnights should be converted into movements towards permanent solutions.

The Prime Minister urged all government secretaries to come up with concrete plans and objectives for transformative change, to be achieved by the 75th anniversary of independence in 2022.
Bengaluru, April 26 : The Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) on Wednesday ordered closure of 30 polluting industries around the Bellandur lake in the city's south-east suburb for its restoration.

"Of the 30 units, six are around the lake and 24 in its catchment area, which have been operating without valid permits," Board Chairman Lakshman told reporters here.

Some of the industries are engaged in printing, dying and servicing of automobiles.

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on April 19 ordered the closure of all the 500 industries around the lake to clean it up of effluents, untreated water and waste flowing into it from them and hundreds of houses and apartments in the vicinity.

The tribunal bench, headed by Chairman Justice Swatanter Kumar, also banned dumping of municipal solid waste around the lake, and directed the civic authorities to levy Rs 5 lakh from the offenders.
New Delhi, April 26 : The Congress suffered its worst defeat of the last three Delhi municipal polls on Wednesday, bringing to light the enormity of challenges it faces to revive itself in the national capital.

But it is not just about Delhi; the party also faces challenges of revival in several states, including politically crucial Uttar Pradesh.

The Congress got 30 seats in the Delhi municipal polls, far less than 77 seats it won in 2012 and 67 seats in 2007. It finished third behind the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).

Of the three municipal corporations for which elections were held, the Congress bagged 15 seats in the north municipal corporation, 12 in south municipal corporation and only three in east Delhi corporation.

Delhi Congress chief Ajay Maken took responsibility for the party's showing and resigned.

Party leaders expressed their disappointment with the results but drew satisfaction from the increase in party's vote share compared to the last assembly polls when the party could not secure a single seat.

Party leaders also talked about forging a new narrative.

"Congrats to @BJP4India for winning MCD. Thank Cong workers for increase in vote share from 9.6% to 20%. Will work hard for a new narrative," Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala said in a tweet.

The party's efforts for municipal polls suffered setbacks as some of its known faces including former Delhi minister Arvinder Singh Lovely and former Deputy Speaker Amrish Singh Gautam joined the BJP during the campaign period.

Former Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, who headed Congress governments in Delhi for 15 years from 1998 to 2013, said she had not been invited to campaign for party candidates for the municipal polls.

The Congress has lost its traditional support base in Delhi largely to the AAP. The party's vote share has declined since the AAP contested its first assembly elections in 2013.

While the Congress polled 40.31 per cent votes and got 43 of 70 seats in 2008 assembly polls, it got eight seats and 24.55 per cent votes in 2013.

The AAP, on the other hand, got 28 seats and 29.49 per cent votes in 2013 elections. In the 2015 assembly polls, the decline was far sharper, with Congress failing to win a single seat and getting only 9.65 per cent votes. The AAP got 54.34 per cent votes and bagged 67 seats in the last assembly polls.

Interestingly, BJP's vote share did not show a marked variation in the three polls even as there was sharp variation in the seats it won. The party's vote share remained between 32 and 36.5 per cent in the three elections.

Apart from Delhi, the Congress faces problems in its revival in states such as Uttar Pradesh, which sends 80 parliamentarians to the Lok Sabha.

In Bihar, which sends 40 MPs to the Lok Sabha, the Congress is a junior ally in the ruling alliance. The party continues to be weak in states such as Odisha, West Bengal and Tamil Nadu.

Punjab is the only major state won by the Congress since its debacle in 2014 Lok Sabha elections.

The assembly elections later this year in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh will be crucial for the party to set the electoral tempo for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. The BJP is the main rival of the party in both states.

The party would also pose challenge to the BJP in next year's assembly polls in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan.

In Karanatka, the Congress will seek to return to power.

The AAP has given indications about contesting assembly polls in Gujarat and Rajasthan.

The Congress also has to take a call on elevation of party Vice President Rahul Gandhi as the party chief.

(Prashant Sood can be reached at prashant.s@ians.in)
New Delhi, April 26 : India has agreed to help develop the road infrastructure in Sri Lanka's Jaffna region, official sources said on Wednesday.

The issue came up for discussion when Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari called on visiting Sri Lanka Prime Minister Ranil Vickramasinghe.

"During the discussions, the Sri Lankan Prime Minister invited the Indian government to take up development of three major road stretches - Jaffna to Mannar, Mannar to Vavuniya and Dambulla to Tricomalee," a Ministry official said.

Gadkari assured Vickramasinghe, who is on a five-day visit to India, full cooperation in "developing world-class infrastructure" in the region.

He also suggested that taking up these stretches for development may only be possible with the active support of Sri Lankan agencies on land acquisition and local clearances.

Gadkari reiterated Prime Minister Narendra Modi's commitment to India's active support in strengthening bilateral relations.
New Delhi, April 26 : The Congress on Wednesday asked the government to bring a legislation to provide compensation of Rs one crore to families of security and defence personnel killed while fighting anti-national elements.

Congress spokesperson Ajoy Kumar said there were different norms followed by different states in providing compensation to the kin of those who died in operations against terrorists and insurgents.

"We will support any legislation brought by the government to provide Rs one crore compensation," Kumar said.

The Congress leader urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to overhaul the anti-Maoist strategy of the government.

"There are no patrol vehicles in more than 130 police stations in Chhattisgarh. There were two mine protection vehicles with the Chhattisgarh Police, but now there is only one," he said.

Kumar said there is no coordination between the Central Reserve Police Force men and the police in gathering and sharing intelligence.

"This is reflected by the fact that 300 Naxalites attacked a 99-member CRPF party going for their afternoon meals.

The police modernisation programme in Chhattisgarh has completely failed. Only few hundred crores have been spent in the last 14 years, since the state was created," he said.

"There are 12,638 police posts vacant in Chhattisgarh. Money spent on vehicles, weaponry and equipment for training, forensic and policing has been abysmal."

The Congress also accused the government of diluting the Integrated Action Plan which was launched by the previous government to combat Maoism.

"The funds for this scheme was sanctioned directly by the then Planning Commission and provided to the districts through the Home Ministry. Rs 13,000 crore was earmarked specifically for these districts in 2013-14. But the Finance Ministry and the Home Ministry of the BJP-led government diluted this scheme," said Kumar.

"For security forces related infrastructure, the revised estimate was Rs 1,309 crore in 2015-16 but it was reduced to Rs 1,222 crore for 2017-18," he added.

Kumar said: "Although Home Minister Rajnath Singh had promised to double the budget of police modernisation, but in the 2017-18 budget, it has been reduced by 9.5 per cent."
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is to launch its first international campaign to market the country as a destination for meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions by exhibiting at IMEX in Frankfurt 2017 from 16 to 18 May.

Supported by a public relations campaign devised and implemented by London-based Clareville Communications, this marketing activity by the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage in association with the Saudi Exhibition and Convention Bureau will highlight the extensive range of more than 600 first class hotels, convention and exhibition facilities available in the leading cities across the country.

The marketing initiative is a practical step in line with Vision 2030, announced in April 2016, setting out economic and social policies designed to move the Kingdoms economy away from its dependence on oil. Hosting business events is one of the focal points of the reforms, along with leisure and religious tourism, all means to generate both revenue and employment.

Under the National Transformation Plan, the centerpiece of Vision 2030, the Saudi Commission for Tourism & National Heritage (SCTH) is investing almost SAR 26 billion (US $7 billion) on initiatives around the country.

Established nearly four years ago, the Saudi Exhibition and Convention Bureau was created with a mandate to develop the meetings industry.

Tariq A. Al-Essa, Executive Director of the Saudi Exhibition and Convention Bureau explains: As the worldwide exhibition for incentive travel, meetings and events, IMEX in Frankfurt is the perfect place for us to meet thousands of influential event and meetings buyers face-to-face and to show them the opportunities in Saudi Arabia and many superb facilities that we could offer them.
Warsaw, April 26 : India's Vice-President Mohammad Hamid Ansari arrived in Warsaw on Wednesday evening for his a three-day State visit to Poland. He is accompanied by his wife Salma Ansari.

They were received at the airport by officials of the Prime Minister's Office and the Foreign Ministry.

Indian Ambassador Ajay Bisaria and other Indian Embassy officials were present on the occasion.

Ansari is a leading a team of high-ranked officials and others. Minister of State for Small Industries Giriraj Singh and MPs Sitaram Yechury, D.P. Tripathi, Vivek Tankha, and Thupstan Chhewang are part of the delegation.

Preeti Saran, Secretary (East) in the Ministry of External Affairs, heads the official team.

Formal bilateral talks will begin on Thursday morning with Polish Prime Minister Beata Szydlo, who will lead her country's delegation.

After the deliberations, a few agreements will be signed, followed by a special lunch for the visiting dignitaries.

In the afternoon, the visiting Vice-President will call on Polish President Andrzej Duda who has returned from his official visit to Mexico.

The Vice-President will be the main speaker at the Poland-India Business Forum, organised by the Polish Ministry of Economic Development.

The event is likely to be attended by 150 businessmen from both the countries to strengthen economic ties.

In the evening, Ansari and his wife will attend a special dinner hosted by Ambassador Bisaria and have interaction with the Indian community based in various Polish cities.
New Delhi, April 26 : European Union (EU)-funded International Urban Cooperation programme (IUC) was officially launched in India on Wednesday.

According to a statement from the EU, IUC will consolidate city-to-city pairing cooperation among Indian and EU cities which will work together to develop Local Action Plans in urban sustainable development including addressing the challenges emerging from the climate change.

Speaking at the launch, Ambassador of the EU to India, Tomasz Kozlowski said: "The EU is already partnering with India on concrete initiatives on the ground related to offshore wind development, solar parks and solar roof-tops, energy efficiency and smart grids."

"The EU together with the 28 European Member States are committed to be a credible long term partner for India to work on a clean energy future, to implement climate commitments, and to support India's urban transformation," he added.

With the launch of the programme India and European cities can apply to the programme and the selected cities will be paired to work together on development plans.

The European Investment Bank has provided loans and credit lines for more than Euro 1.5 billion to support energy and climate related projects in India.

The programme will provide technical and operational support to Indian cities for adaptations needed to mitigate the impact of climate change.

The programme is a part of the global IUC programme which is currently operating in South East Asia, Japan, North America and Latin America, will run in India until November 2019.

IUC will coordinate with government initiatives such as the AMRUT Mission as well as the 100 Smart Cities Mission.

The programme operates in the framework of the Paris Agreement for Climate Action, and the UN Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development Goals.
Rome, April 27 : Italy's president Sergio Mattarella on Wednesday called on Italy's Parliament to rapidly approve a new electoral law for both of its houses.

During a meeting with chamber of deputies speaker Laura Boldrini and Senate speaker Pietro Grasso at Rome's Quirinal Palace Wednesday, Mattarella also said the Parliament needed to elect a Constitutional Court judge.

The Senate is elected on a proportional voting system under Italy's current electoral law. In the lower house, a political party will automatically be allocated 54 per cent of the seats it gets 40 per cent of votes or if it wins a run-off between the two largest parties should neither obtain 40 per cent of ballots in the first round of voting.

Mattarella has frequently urged the Parliament to harmonise the electoral laws for both houses.

Italy is currently being ruled by the caretaker centre-left government of Paolo Gentiloni after former premier Matteo Renzi resigned in the wake of his crushing defeat in a constitutional referendum in December.

National polls are due by February next year, and many observers predict these will be called sooner.
An Alternative to Alternative Facts: The Annual Register

A comprehensive resource for reliable information about world events, published annually since 1758.

A comprehensive resource for reliable information about world events, published annually since 1758

Long considered essential reading by journalists, politicians, historians and anyone with an interest in current affairs, the Annual Register is a primary source text for historical research and (for the recent and current annuals) a current affairs reference work.

A reliable, comprehensive resource to explore an eclectic range of topics

The oldest continuing annual in English is a universe of vetted information  a universe of facts, with

- An account of Paintings and drawings found among the ruins of Herculaneum from 1763

- The History of a Patient from whom three hundred and ninety-five needles were extracted from 1825?

- Information about nine minor planets discovered in 1878

- The value of gold and coin imported into the United Kingdom according to the Board of Trade returns in 1913

- Figures from the 1940 census on the population of Portugal

- Cases that made 1973 a particularly busy year for the International Court

- The number of fatalities in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia as result of the Mekong river flood in 2001

- A list of prominent books published in 2015

and so much more.

The enduring influence of Edmund Burke

The course of the Annual Register  now in its 258th edition soon out in print  was set by an 18thcentury Anglo-Irish statesman named Edmund Burke, a well-known author, orator, philosopher and political theorist. He also  anonymously  served as the inaugural editor of the Annual Register.

When publishers James and Robert Dodsley conceived of an annual volume to review history, literature and politics in 1758, proper gentlemen didnt work in journalism. Yet, despite any reticence, Burke, then young and not yet established in his career, accepted the position and fulfilled the role enthusiastically, with the intention that the Annual Register appeal to as wide a readership as possible.

In the preface of the first volume, Burke recognized that the newly-launched publication was competing with other periodical compilers in producing a review of contemporary events that was authoritative, but also entertaining and readable. But one distinct advantage of the Annual Register over our fellow-labourers was our scheme of an annual rather than a monthly publication, which allowed him to have a greater period of reflection to consider the importance of events, resulting in a draft of contemporary history, rather simply a journalistic account of them.

Burke wrote:

Not confined to a monthly publication, we have an opportunity of examining with care the products of the year, and of selecting what many appear most particularly deserving of notice. We have from the same cause the advantage of order; we are better able to rank the several kinds under their proper heads; at least with as much exactness as the nature of a miscellany will admit.

Burke penned the early volumes entirely by himself, according to biographers, and he worked in this capacity until he was elected to Parliament in 1765. Though Burke contributed to the publication for only seven years, he is often credited for setting the tone for the enduring success of the publication.

Taking his editorial responsibilities seriously, [Burke] provided his readers with a varied choice of reading, noted F.P. Locke in Edmund Burke, vol. 1, adding The Register filled a need and rapidly acquired a reference value, as is attested by the frequency with which the early volumes were reprinted to provide complete sets.

In the biography, Edmund Burke: The Visionary Who Invented Modern Politics, Jesse Norman elaborated:

The Annual Register attempted something new: not merely to be an authoritative and highly readable account of the year, but to add to that documentary record a wide range of other material of general interest. Its first part thus comprised a long piece of instant history, describing the main events of the year and placing them in a wider context, and a diary containing factual material culled from the newspapers, including births and deaths, speeches by the King, summaries of Acts of Parliament, and human-interest stories.

The distinctive second part was more lively. It included scientific reports, reviews essays, poetry, history, health and how-to tips, recent discoveries, archaeology and Characters  character sketches of contemporary and historical figures, short biographies and anecdotes. Controversy was not sought out, but there was no attempt at balance for the sake of it. Some of the new material may not have been by Burke himself, but as editor he controlled the whole. The Register was, and was intended to be, thought-provoking, eclectic, lively and extremely wide-ranging  an extension of Burkes own mind. It was a success from the first.

The value of the Annual Register for contemporary researchers

Contemporary Review (available from ProQuest Central) wrote about the landmark 250th anniversary of the Annual Register with a salute [to] yet another splendid edition of this venerable publication. Writing about the 2007 volume, this reviewer applauded the expansive scope of the modern edition, dealing with information in relation to 209 countries, where Burke was able to basically limit his attention to the European nations along with their American colonies.

This makes it all the more useful, noted the review, as few of us have even a basic knowledge of most of the world's countries or of the issues that define their politics.

The best summary of this invaluable book is that it maintains the high standards it has inherited, the reviewer added. For breadth of coverage, for depth of analysis, for reasonable objectivity, and for clarity of writing, the 2007 Annual Register retains the position it has held for well over two centuries, that is, the best one-volume work of reference on the world today.

Now, ProQuest is taking the functionality of the beloved Annual Register to another level. The comprehensive spread of information curated in the digital version of this publication has been enhanced with innovative features to boost its usability. The Annual Register has moved to the ProQuest platform for simplified searching, hit highlighting, and serendipitous discovery across the other ProQuest products a library might access.

Learn more about the Annual Register and request a free trial.

Additional ProQuest resources that can complement the Annual Register include:

ProQuest Newspapers

ProQuest Periodicals

ProQuest History Vault

ProQuest Congressional

ProQuest House of Commons Parliamentary Papers

ProQuest House of Lords Parliamentary Papers

ProQuest Statistical Abstract

ProQuest Literature Online

A comprehensive resource for reliable information about world events, published annually since 1758

Long considered essential reading by journalists, politicians, historians and anyone with an interest in current affairs, the Annual Register is a primary source text for historical research and (for the recent and current annuals) a current affairs reference work.

A reliable, comprehensive resource to explore an eclectic range of topics

The oldest continuing annual in English is a universe of vetted information  a universe of facts, with...

- An account of Paintings and drawings found among the ruins of Herculaneum from 1763

- The History of a Patient from whom three hundred and ninety-five needles were extracted from 1825?

- Information about nine minor planets discovered in 1878

- The value of gold and coin imported into the United Kingdom according to the Board of Trade returns in 1913

- Figures from the 1940 census on the population of Portugal

- Cases that made 1973 a particularly busy year for the International Court

- The number of fatalities in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia as result of the Mekong river flood in 2001

- A list of prominent books published in 2015

...and so much more.

The enduring influence of Edmund Burke

The course of the Annual Register  now in its 258th edition soon out in print  was set by an 18th century Anglo-Irish statesman named Edmund Burke, a well-known author, orator, philosopher and political theorist. He also  anonymously  served as the inaugural editor of the Annual Register.

When publishers James and Robert Dodsley conceived of an annual volume to review history, literature and politics in 1758, proper gentlemen didnt work in journalism. Yet, despite any reticence, Burke, then young and not yet established in his career, accepted the position and fulfilled the role enthusiastically, with the intention that the Annual Register appeal to as wide a readership as possible.

In the preface of the first volume, Burke recognized that the newly-launched publication was competing with other periodical compilers in producing a review of contemporary events that was authoritative, but also entertaining and readable. But one distinct advantage of the Annual Register over our fellow-labourers was our scheme of an annual rather than a monthly publication, which allowed him to have a greater period of reflection to consider the importance of events, resulting in a draft of contemporary history, rather simply a journalistic account of them.

Burke wrote:

Not confined to a monthly publication, we have an opportunity of examining with care the products of the year, and of selecting what many appear most particularly deserving of notice. We have from the same cause the advantage of order; we are better able to rank the several kinds under their proper heads; at least with as much exactness as the nature of a miscellany will admit.

Burke penned the early volumes entirely by himself, according to biographers, and he worked in this capacity until he was elected to Parliament in 1765. Though Burke contributed to the publication for only seven years, he is often credited for setting the tone for the enduring success of the publication.

Taking his editorial responsibilities seriously, [Burke] provided his readers with a varied choice of reading, noted F.P. Locke in Edmund Burke, vol. 1, adding The Register filled a need and rapidly acquired a reference value, as is attested by the frequency with which the early volumes were reprinted to provide complete sets.

In the biography, Edmund Burke: The Visionary Who Invented Modern Politics, Jesse Norman elaborated:

The Annual Register attempted something new: not merely to be an authoritative and highly readable account of the year, but to add to that documentary record a wide range of other material of general interest. Its first part thus comprised a long piece of instant history, describing the main events of the year and placing them in a wider context, and a diary containing factual material culled from the newspapers, including births and deaths, speeches by the King, summaries of Acts of Parliament, and human-interest stories.



The distinctive second part was more lively. It included scientific reports, reviews essays, poetry, history, health and how-to tips, recent discoveries, archaeology and Characters  character sketches of contemporary and historical figures, short biographies and anecdotes. Controversy was not sought out, but there was no attempt at balance for the sake of it. Some of the new material may not have been by Burke himself, but as editor he controlled the whole. The Register was, and was intended to be, thought-provoking, eclectic, lively and extremely wide-ranging  an extension of Burkes own mind. It was a success from the first.

The value of the Annual Register for contemporary researchers

Contemporary Review (available from ProQuest Central) wrote about the landmark 250th anniversary of the Annual Register with a salute [to] yet another splendid edition of this venerable publication. Writing about the 2007 volume, this reviewer applauded the expansive scope of the modern edition, dealing with information in relation to 209 countries, where Burke was able to basically limit his attention to the European nations along with their American colonies.

This makes it all the more useful, noted the review, as few of us have even a basic knowledge of most of the world's countries or of the issues that define their politics.

The best summary of this invaluable book is that it maintains the high standards it has inherited, the reviewer added. For breadth of coverage, for depth of analysis, for reasonable objectivity, and for clarity of writing, the 2007 Annual Register retains the position it has held for well over two centuries, that is, the best one-volume work of reference on the world today.

Now, ProQuest is taking the functionality of the beloved Annual Register to another level. The comprehensive spread of information curated in the digital version of this publication has been enhanced with innovative features to boost its usability. The Annual Register has moved to the ProQuest platform for simplified searching, hit highlighting, and serendipitous discovery across the other ProQuest products a library might access.

Learn more about the Annual Register.



Additional ProQuest resources that can complement the Annual Register include:

ProQuest Newspapers

ProQuest Periodicals

ProQuest History Vault

ProQuest Congressional

ProQuest House of Commons Parliamentary Papers

ProQuest House of Lords Parliamentary Papers

ProQuest Statistical Abstract

ProQuest Literature Online
Annapolis Spring Sailboat Show The perfect destination if you are thinking of getting into sailing or if you are getting ready to purchase a boat.

Annapolis has long been known as the sailing capital of the world and is home to a thriving maritime industry. For one weekend in April, the Chesapeake Bay's sailing industry will relocate to City Dock. From sailboats to sails, from St. Michael's to Main Street, the region's favorite retailers and service providers exhibit at the Annapolis Spring Sailboat Show, April 28-30, 2017.

"There are many excellent reasons to attend the sailboat show," said Paul Jacobs, president and general manager of the Annapolis Boat Shows. "It is a perfect destination if you are thinking of getting into sailing or if you are getting ready to purchase a boat. However, the best reason to attend the Annapolis Spring Sailboat Show is the opportunity to shop from hundreds of local marine retailers who offer boat show pricing, expertise, and boat show specials," Jacobs added.

Sailboats, new and brokerage, include catamarans, monohulls, family cruisers, day sailers, and blue water sailboats. Because most sailboats are available for immediate sale, families can realize their dream of escaping the daily grind and spend their summer on a new boat.

The sailboat show will have the latest in navigational equipment, high-tech electronics, inflatables, boating accessories, clothing, gear, and related services such as boating clubs, charter companies, insurance firms, and lending institutions.

New this year the sailboats will make room for an exciting demo area in Ego Alley for small sailboats, kayaks, stand up paddle boards, inflatables, easy kayak docking system and model boats. Attendees can try before they buy a range of smaller in-water products provided by exhibitors. Learn more>>

For those wanting to experience the joy of sailing the First Sail Workshop is taught by expert instructors and is designed for the beginning sailor.

When it's time to take a break from boat shopping, individuals can relax and listen to continuous live music, win valuable prizes, enjoy water views, and try free regional food and drink tastings.

Set in the charming historic seaport of Annapolis, the 2017 show has something for everyone including valuable door prizes donated by sponsors and exhibitors. This isn't just any boat show. There are in-water demos, sailing lessons, cruising programs, historic tours, Naval Academy tours, Maryland crab cakes, blue crabs, raw bars, craft beers, painkillers, live music, and breathtaking water views.

On April 29th, regional high school sailing teams competing for a traveling cup will race in the 3rd Annual Annapolis Junior Keelboat Regatta. Award ceremony immediately following race.

Cruisers University, in its new home at the Naval Academy Club at the U.S. Naval Academy, offers the most comprehensive cruising educational program available anywhere. It offers one- to four-day tuition packages covering cruising destinations, boat systems, navigation, procedures, and all things related to the cruising lifestyle. Renowned cruising experts teach more than 40 different courses. Fee required.

DETAILS

Annapolis Spring Sailboat Show

City Dock, Annapolis, Maryland

Friday, April 28, 2017

10:00am - 6:00pm

Saturday, April 29, 2017

10:00am - 6:00pm

Sunday, April 30, 2017

10:00am - 5:00pm

TICKET PRICES

Adult - One Day $12

Adult - Two Day Combo $19

Children: 12 & under FREE

About the Annapolis Boat Shows: A premier event management company that produces four grand in-water boat shows. Each year 100,000 loyal attendees from around the world travel to the Chesapeake Bay to experience these nautical extravaganzas. According to a 2014 economic impact study, the Annapolis Boat Shows injects more than $112 million into the Annapolis area economy each year.
This Classified Moto owned by Norman Reedus (Daryl Dixon) is the grand prize at BimmerCon

BMW of Sarasota recently announced that it will be hosting its inaugural Bimmer-Con event on Saturday, April 29, 2017 from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at its dealership located at 5151 Clark Road, Sarasota Florida 34233. This year's event will be Walking Dead themed and will feature a cash costume contest, luxury giveaways, and other family-friendly activities.

BimmerCon was organized this year in benefit of Female Veterans Unite, Inc., a local non-profit that organizes retreats for female veterans.

All proceeds from future Bimmer-Con events will also be donated to organizations that raise awareness and provide services, support and training for U.S. veterans.

BimmerCon's main attraction this year is a custom Classified Moto 920R motorcycle previously owned by actor Norman Reedus valued at nearly $40,000. The actor's character, Daryl Dixon, also uses a similar bike on the AMC hit show The Walking Dead.

Last week the Morgan Automotive Group dealership released a short promo video detailing the rules for the highly-anticipated Daryl Dixon Bike giveaway. BMW of Sarasota will be giving away the custom Classified Moto at the event to a winner selected from video entries submitted before midnight on Friday, April 28, 2017.

Other prizes include a 4 hour cruise on a 62 inch yacht on Sarasota Bay, a free weekend rental of a new BMW convertible 4 series and over $1,500.00 in cash prizes for the Walking Dead themed costume contest.

The event will also host celebrity judges that will serve as an expert panel for both the costume and the video entry contest.

Brad Battersby - Director of Digital Film at Ringling College

Anthony Pernicka  Producer at iHorror.com

Conrad De La Torres  Director at Digital Caviar

Damian Alpizar  Special Affects Producer at 208 Monkeys

Jeanne Corcoran  The Sarasota Film Commissioner

Beatrice Sims  Founder of Spaghetti Ninja

BimmerCon is a free event open to the public, however, RSVPs are requested via the event Facebook page for catering purposes. Costumes are not required to attend.

About Morgan Automotive Group

Morgan Auto Group is one of the largest, privately held automotive dealer groups in the nation, recently ranked in the top 50 by Automotive News.

Through its 25 dealerships, the Tampa-based business offers 15 unique brands, from Honda to Lamborghini, with new, certified pre-owned, and quality used vehicles available for lease or purchase. These retail locations also sell car parts, service contracts, along with maintenance and repair services.

The company's famous slogan, "When You Make It Morgan, We Make It Happen" is the basis for all customer service, branding, promotions, and other key operations at its 25 locations from Columbia, Missouri to Naples, Florida.
Kuleli Military High School, which was the oldest military high school in Turkey - located in Cengelkoy on the Asian shore of the Bosphorus, will be turned into a museum. It was founded on September 21, 1845, by Ottoman Sultan Abdulmecid I and closed last year following the coup attempt on July 15, 2016.

Minister of National Defense Fikri Isk announced that the school's building, an Ottoman-era landmark notable for its pointed towers and white exterior, will be converted into a museum while plans are also underway to re-purpose vast green spaces inside the school's sprawling lands.

The reason of the high schools closure is because of some cadets, mostly those persuaded by their commanders at the school and several military officers serving as administrators and teachers at Kuleli, joined the coup attempt.

Isk has said that the museum, which will be run by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, will be specialized on military history and said the decision to convert the place into a museum was upon the instruction by the president.

You can find more information about the Kuleli Military Museum here.
Advice received from AAFMAA Mortgage can be invaluable prior to entering a contract (broker agreement) with a Realtor or the Realtor's preferred builder.

Top five ways to protect against builder and new home construction problems, by Andy May, COO AAFMAA Mortgage Services. Receiving phone calls over the last thirty years regarding builder and lender shenanigans, Andy May has seen just about everything. Here, Andy May describes how military families can insulate themselves when building a new home.

The primary method of insulation is to make certain the military mortgage family has selected the right team. Too often, military families select one person and then trust everything recommended. Questions regarding marketing service agreements (or controlled business arrangements), contract law, fiduciary responsibility, and of course money are limited to the one person selected. Other team members (Realtor, Lender, Appraiser, Attorney, Insurance) should not be selected by the one person. Ask for multiple names and select the right team.

The second risk to mitigate is not to write a big down payment check to the builder. Too many times, Andy May has consulted with home buyers at large developments to find that the builder cashed the down payment check and kept it. There are many contracts to negotiate and the military family must be underwritten and qualified for a mortgage. Writing a check simply puts that money at risk. Consult with the team of professionals before writing a check to the builder.

The third risk in building is to study the risks involved and become educated. Google the builder, the team, and the problems in new home construction that can go wrong. Regional weather risks combined with normal construction risks are ultimately the responsibility of the home buyer.

The fourth risk is a builder that isn't properly vetted. The home buyer needs a back-up plan if the builder defaults either financially or from a quality of construction standpoint.

The fifth risk is an inability to understand that building a home is similar to negotiating a new home purchase. Understand what is customary for profit for a home builder, and the ways in which a home builder may increase profits. Land, labor, capital, materials are all areas of mark-up and may cause the military family to substantially over-pay for a new home. The lender selected should be able to illustrate standard targets for post- certificate of occupancy market values for the new home.

AAFMAA Mortgage Services offers a construction mortgage to well-qualified military families interested in building a new home. Andy May, an experienced state-licensed loan officer and COO of AMS, can help military families achieve homeownership. AMS competes on rates and service and takes pride in continuing the tradition of zero BBB complaints ever to date.

Military families can get the most value out of a home sale or purchase by working with unique tools like the AMS mortgage calculator, the AMS Relocation site, and experienced state-licensed mortgage professionals.

Andy May further stated, "You owe it to yourself to explore rate and cost options. You are your own best advocate for getting the best mortgage product. We are here to serve your financing needs at a very competitive rate."

Competitive, accurate, honest, transparent, and member-owned. Experience the difference at AAFMAA Mortgage Services. AAFMAA Mortgage Services LLC is licensed in the states of Connecticut, Florida, Maryland, North Carolina and Virginia. (NMLS: 1423968).

The team operates from 639 Executive Place, Suite 203, Fayetteville, North Carolina 28305. Call 844-422-3622 (844-4-AAFMAA), email mortgage(at)aafmaa.com or visit the website at http://www.aafmaa.com/mortgage to reach AAFMAA Mortgage Services. Equal Opportunity Lender. Lender NMLS: 1423968. 103418 Loan Officer number for Andy May.
Just as the early company began to turn a profit, thieves cut a hole in the roof and stole all of the finished and working amps. This is the point in the story where most people would give up, close the door, and move on.

All too often, tales of a music companys humble beginnings conclude with an even humbler finish. Not so with QSC. Malcolm Doak, a music industry journalist for AmericanMusical.com, a top supplier in QSC products, has written a ground-breaking article detailing the complete history of QSC.

American Musical Supply is proud of their strong relationship with QSC; and the feeling is mutual. Perry Celia is the Senior Director of Sales for North America at QSC. In his words, we are a like-minded manufacturer and top-tier retailer, working in tandem towards loyalty, reliability and satisfaction for the end user  which can only result in a prosperous working partnership.

A Long Journey

From their inauspicious start, QSC evolved from crafting handmade guitar amplifiers to become the foremost name in audio power amps. From there, QSC has continued to grow, and is now one of the manufacturing leaders in amplification, loudspeakers, digital signal processing (DSP), and digital mixing products for the professional audio market. QSC K Series, KW Series, and KLA Series of pro audio loudspeakers feature the latest innovations in lightweight digital power, advanced DSP signal processing, system-building connections, and convenient remote control.

Q Who?

Patrick Howe Quilter is the Q in QSC; it once stood for Quilter Sound Company, before the name was officially shortened to simply QSC. According to Quilter, his high-school interest in physics and electronics gave him a head start in designing his first circuits at college. About this same time  1967  the bass player in Quilters brothers high school band (The Blown Mind) was desperately seeking an affordable bass amp. The available amps of the day seemed wildly unaffordable to this young player.

On learning that the young mans budget was around $250.00, Pat Quilter announced I could probably make you something for that kind of money. That was and is the first QSC amp. Quilter dropped out of college in favor of real hands-on electronic knowledge. An article on bridging transistors to increase the output power caught quilters eye, and he began working with germanium transistors that were, according to Quilter, the size of doorknobs. From there, Pat Quilter began producing and selling hand-crafted amplifiers out of industrial park garage in Costa Mesa, California.

The Motorcycle Story

It is one of the most serendipitous stories in the musical instrument business, and one that is often repeated. But its a great one. In 1968, Barry Andrews was riding through this same Costa Mesa industrial park when his motorcycle broke down. Waiting for a ride, Barry struck up a conversation with Patrick Quilter, who was hard at work in his shop. Quilter gave Barry Andrews a guided-tour through some of the amplifiers he was building. Barry Andrews discussed some of his experience in building speaker cabinets, and things just clicked. The two men became partners, and began plying their trade.

Early Adversity

Quilter and Andrews took advantage of some early funding, hired a small staff, and started up their fledgling amp business in earnest. To spread the word, they managed to have their amps placed and used onstage at prominent nearby rock clubs on West Hollywoods famed Sunset Strip. There, the amps were heralded by the Doors, Cream, and other top bands of the day, yet big sales numbers remained elusive.

Just as the early company began to turn a profit, thieves cut a hole in the roof and stole all of the finished and working amps. This is the point in the story where most people would give up, close the door, and move on.

Amps are the Answer

By 1975, the guitar amp market was saturated and ruled by large established names. Mixers, multi-track tape recorders, portable club-sized PA systems, synthesizers, and effect pedals were all beginning to appear on the market. Each of these products alone marked a turning point and offered a new direction, yet all had one thing in common: in order to be heard, they would need a power amplifier. This electronic common denominator would prove to be the key to success for QSC.

The Trail to the Top

With the target of being the worlds largest amp company in mind, QSC stepped up their manufacturing game by acting as an OEM (original equipment manufacturer) supplier to companies such as Pignose, Furman, Alembic, and Mitchell.

Orders came in on a regular basis, and QSC was able to sharpen their manufacturing techniques, and to hone their business skills. QSC attended their first NAMM trade show in 1977. New companies were springing up with unique products, and established companies sought relevance through specialization.

Reaching for the Stars

QSC continued to explore new opportunities for growth in the 1980s. The touring and fixed sound systems that had once been custom creations were giving way to a more modular format, where components from various manufacturers could be mixed and matched to create an optimized system at a lower cost. In this fertile environment, QSC took to building the Series Three, their most advanced power amplifier to date. Packed with high-end features designed to satisfy the audio professional, the Series Three was seen as the way to announce the QSC brand to the audio elite. To bring the audio performance of the Series Three to the wider clientele of working musicians, QSC distilled the essence of the Series Three into the Series One.

Strawberry Fields (Not) Forever.

By the 1990s, QSC could clearly see the hurdle that they needed to cross to advance the company to the next level. QSC was left with the choice to either outsource manufacturing, or to bring everything under one roof, and to centralize manufacturing using latest in flow production techniques. After extensive consultation, the hiring of a task-force, and much soul searching, QSC broke ground on a totally new 55,000 square foot state-of-the-art production facility that was capable of producing close to 3,000 units a week.

Meet the Speakers

After decades of focus on creating the worlds finest audio amplifiers, QSC expanded their breadth in 2001 to embrace the design and manufacture of world-class pro audio loudspeakers. The QSC ACE Series was introduced in 2001 to wide acclaim. Based on that success, QSC added their WideLine line array speakers, the DCS Digital Cinema Series, as well as the AcousticDesign and ModularDesign series of passive and active pro audio loudspeakers. Again, a new facility  this time over 42,000 square feet  was added to accommodate the increased demand for QSC loudspeakers.

Within five years, QSC had already established themselves as a major player in the loudspeaker arena. Today, QSC loudspeakers bring together versatile cabinet designs, proven power amps, cutting-edge DSP audio processing, convenient remote control, and superior transducer components for accurate and reliable sound that goes above and beyond the call of duty.

The Quality Equation

One underlying principle unites all of the QSC people and products: the commitment to reliability and the assurance of quality.

Ray van Straten, Senior Director of Marketing at QSC takes a broader view. Quality is not limited to you what has happened, but includes meeting future challenges as well, We let the customers needs become our challenge to meet. Quite uniquely, QSC has loudspeaker, DSP, software, mixer, and amplifier engineering and support teams located all under one roof. That gives us the ability to look at the customers needs not from the perspective of what product do they need, but in terms of how, given our competencies and experience, are we going to solve this problem? For years we were just an amplifier company. Then we added DSP, followed by loudspeakers. Our experience in those three disciplines helped create the K Family phenomenon. Fast-forward to today and were now a leading manufacturer of mixers, software, and most recently, conference room video. The common thread through all of this is a pattern of learning, growing, and innovating  always with the goal of being the best solution for the customer, both before and after the sale.

This is an abridged version. To read the complete story, scroll down to the bottom of the official AMS QSC brand page.

Copyrights: use of this story, in part or in full, is granted provided source is referenced.

By Malcolm Doak, the music industry journalist behind this story.

Full story references:

https://web.archive.org/web/20111214234245/http://www.qscaudio.com/corporate/history.htm

https://www.namm.org/library/oral-history/pat-quilter

https://www.namm.org/library/oral-history/john-andrews

https://www.namm.org/library/oral-history/barry-andrews

https://www.namm.org/library/oral-history/barry-andrews

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=T8LQbG2gfow
Shatterbox Logo We are very pleased to work with a great Kentucky brand like Transylvania

The American Advertising Federation awarded Shatterbox a silver award at the 2017 Addy Awards ceremony in the Sales and Marketing category. Transylvania University, Lexingtons oldest educational institution, teamed up with Shatterbox to design brochures and content targeting prospective college students from across the country.

Russ Hensley, CEO of Shatterbox, announced the 2017 awards for Shatterbox included a Transylvania University Sales and Marketing piece, which was forwarded on to the district 5 for further competition. We are very pleased to work with a great Kentucky brand like Transylvania and continue to build our relationship with them.

Shatterbox creative director Adam Brown and graphic designer Izzy Cable worked closely with the client to define, develop, design and deliver.

The work was also forwarded on to the region to be considered for National competition.

Shatterbox is a multidisciplinary design firm specializing in creative brand strategy, identity development, and award-winning interactive and print design. Shatterbox has been designing websites since 1995 and branding start-ups since 1998. Shatterbox won more than 120 gold Addy Awards from American Advertising Federation, including 3 Best of Shows, and 4 Judges Choice Awards as well national and regional awards. Shatterbox is a winner of the HOW International Design Award for 2013. The studio is also recognized in GDUSA and Logo Lounge for their branding and logo design efforts. Shatterbox was also featured in the 2013 and 2014 PRINT Magazines Regional Design Annual as one of the premier design studios in the United States.
Prashanth Sharma, Vice President, Manufacturing Solutions We delivered an S/4HANA implementation on an exceptionally aggressive schedule. This is a landmark achievement in the SAP community.

ThoughtFocus, an SAP partner, today announced its participation at the SAPPHIRE NOW and ASUG Annual Conference being held May 1618 in Orlando, Florida. ThoughtFocus will be presenting digital transformation strategies based on its recent experience in manufacturing and aerospace & defense industries with the SAP S/4HANA Enterprise Management solution.

ThoughtFocus is one of the few companies with experience in large-scale greenfield implementations of SAP S/4HANA. The company recently announced one of the first greenfield implementations of SAP S/4HANA Enterprise Management in North America by completing two successful roll-outs of SAP S/4HANA at the Parts and Bus divisions of REV Group, a $2B specialty vehicles manufacturer.

Commenting on that roll-out, Prashanth Sharma, ThoughtFocus Vice President, Manufacturing Solutions said,

Our client, a leading manufacturer of specialty vehicles like Fire and Emergency, Recreational Vehicles, Buses and Industrial vehicles, gave us a mandate to bring uniformity in operations while delivering transformational efficiency in the 13 different business units. Our solution with a greenfield implementation of SAP S/4HANA is delivering on that transformative change. The client is pleased with our many program rollouts. We delivered on an exceptionally aggressive schedule while SAP S/4HANA itself continues to evolve. This is a landmark achievement in the SAP community.

The implementation transitions all of REVs Champion bus brands business processes from its legacy system to SAP software, including sales, production, purchasing and logistics, warehouse management, quality inspections, and finance and accounting. This transformational solution uses elements of the SAP Vehicle Manager application and variant configuration while leveraging standard SAP software functionality and best practices throughout the end-to-end process.

ThoughtFocus is participating at SAPPHIRE NOW to show customers how to optimize digital transformation initiatives while achieving operational goals. ThoughtFocus capabilities in IoT, additive manufacturing and analytics target the digital transformation needs of customers in the manufacturing and aerospace & defense industries.

ThoughtFocus helps clients and partners in their digital transformation journey.



Ecosystem Partners: ThoughtFocus has deep experience in developing and integrating solutions with ecosystem partners and brings deep knowledge in deploying digital transformation initiatives and related technologies, including additive manufacturing and IoT.

Manufacturers/A&D companies: ThoughtFocus brings domain expertise to its clients businesses and has a deep understanding of the challenges in running manufacturing operations. ThoughtFocus helps prioritize projects to achieve the greatest impact and partners with clients throughout their digital transformation journey.

SAPPHIRE NOW and ASUG Annual Conference are the worlds premier business technology event and largest SAP customer-run conference, offering attendees the opportunity to learn and network with customers, SAP executives, partners and experts across the entire SAP ecosystem.

About ThoughtFocus

ThoughtFocus is a privately held technology consulting and services company serving middle market to large enterprise clients in Manufacturing, Financial Services, Higher Education and Aerospace. Clients look to ThoughtFocus for innovation in product/application engineering, SAP Implementations, knowledge process outsourcing, and digital transformation. The company has over 1,300 employees globally and is one of the fastest growing technology companies. ThoughtFocus is a technology partner and portfolio investment company of Blackstone, a leading private equity firm.

# # #

SAP, SAPPHIRE NOW, SAP S/4HANA and other SAP products and services mentioned herein as well as their respective logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of SAP SE (or an SAP affiliate company) in Germany and other countries. See http://www.sap.com/corporate-en/legal/copyright/index.epx for additional trademark information and notices. All other product and service names mentioned are the trademarks of their respective companies.
Increasing our presence in the greater Boston area, and providing further convenient and quality care options for commuting families in and out of the city, is always cause for Little Sprouts to celebrate.

Little Sprouts, an award-winning provider of early education and child care, opened the doors to a new school this morning in Watertown, Massachusetts. A welcome addition for city commuters and nearby residents, the school is conveniently located near the Arsenal Mall at 150 Coolidge Avenue in Watertown, MA. A colorful, brand new learning space spanning 13,250 sq. ft., the school boasts thirteen classrooms and will serve up to 142 children. Private outdoor playgrounds, in addition to a spacious indoor recreation room, will ensure children have plenty of space to spread out as they learn, play and grow.

The Little Sprouts Watertown school will be directed by Melinda Flanagan. New to the Little Sprouts team, Flanagan brings with her over 13 years of experience in various roles including teacher, assistant director, and director at KinderCare. Touting an impressive list of leadership skills, Flanagan looks forward to directing this brand new school toward a bright future and providing families with an outstanding early education experience for their children.

For 35 years, Little Sprouts has provided early education and child care to children throughout Massachusetts and New Hampshire. The organization has been nationally recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as a Preschool Center of Educational Excellence. With a focus on play-based learning, Little Sprouts employs an individualized approach to teaching in their curriculum, a method that recognizes every child is unique and learns at their own pace.

President & CEO of Little Sprouts, Mark Anderegg, is thrilled to see the Watertown school come to fruition. Increasing our presence in the greater Boston area, and providing further convenient and quality care options for commuting families in and out of the city, is always cause for Little Sprouts to celebrate. We are confident this modern, spacious, beautiful school will enrich many young minds for years to come.

Inquiring families are welcome to tour Little Sprouts Watertown, meet the Executive Director and teachers, and learn more about Little Sprouts award-winning curriculum. Little Sprouts extends an open invitation to families that are interested in discovering the modern and spacious classrooms, brightly-colored hallways, and private playgrounds. For more information about Little Sprouts, and to find a location near you, visit http://www.littlesprouts.com.

About Little Sprouts: Little Sprouts has been a leader in providing award-winning early education and child care since 1982. Little Sprouts is home to 23 schools in Massachusetts and New Hampshire, supporting families that reflect 56 cultures, speaking 23 languages, from all different walks of social, economic, religious and ethnic backgrounds. To learn more about Little Sprouts and how they expand the power and potential of early education and child care, visit http://www.littlesprouts.com.
By equipping people with unique insights into their possible risk factors, we can empower them on their journey to better health.

In honor of National Diabetes Awareness Month this past November, Paramount Rx partnered with food and drug retailer ShopRite to host free blood glucose screenings in 238 ShopRite stores spanning five states across the Northeast. After taking a simple blood glucose test, more than 6,000 people gained valuable insight on their risk-factors for developing diabetes, heart disease and other medical conditions.

Screenings are a critical first step in preventing or managing diabetes. Of the 29 million Americans with diabetes, one in four are undiagnosed and dont seek out medical treatment. Another 86 million people over age 20 are prediabetic.

Were thrilled that so many ShopRite customers took part in the blood glucose screenings, said Michael Sallusto, executive vice president, Paramount Rx. By equipping people with unique insights into their possible risk factors, we can empower them on their journey to better health.

In addition to supporting preventative health initiatives such as blood glucose screenings, Paramount Rx is helping customers save money on their medications. By participating in Paramount Rxs Community Cares Rx program, customers could receive up to 20 percent off on brands and 70 percent off on generic medication with the Community Cares Rx prescription discount card. Online tools allow program participants to locate a pharmacy and research drug pricing and availability, providing an extra layer of support and convenience in the pharmacy shopping experience.

To learn more about consumer prescription savings programs that deliver real results for pharmacies and the community at large, please visit http://www.paramountrx.com.

About Paramount Rx Inc.

Paramount Rx is a full-service prescription benefits manager (PBM) focused on consumer-driven health care to help clients provide services for consumers to save money on prescription drugs. The company has tailored programs to help their customers and consumers achieve significant savings with discount prescriptions through a national network of over 57,000 participating pharmacies. For more information, visit http://www.paramountrx.com.

About ShopRite

ShopRite is the registered trademark of Wakefern Food Corp., a retailer-owned cooperative based in Keasbey, NJ, and the largest supermarket cooperative in the United States. With more than 270 ShopRite supermarkets located throughout New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Delaware and Maryland, ShopRite serves more than six million customers each week. A long-time supporter of key community efforts, ShopRite is dedicated to fighting hunger in the communities it serves. Through its ShopRite Partners In Caring program, ShopRite has donated more than $43 million to 1,700 worthy charities and food banks since the program began in 1999. For more information, please visit http://www.ShopRite.com.
Knowledge is cool and for that, all students who participate have the chance to be rewarded with $100 a day for a year.

Massachusetts-based educational technology start-up, Eduporium, today announced the launch of a new trivia-style contest with $100 in prizes given away to one winner each day for a year. Set to begin on May 1, this contest is open to all members of the K-12 community Eduporium serves and will feature questions from all areas, including science, history, geography, math, and more.

Eduporium will post the daily trivia question at the same time and in the same place each day. The first person to submit a correct answer will be that days winner and notified by email. Eduporiums contest was designed to deepen the companys engagement with the education community and help kids become more familiar with technology and the skills needed for the modern world.

Knowledge is cool and for that, all students who participate have the chance to be rewarded, said Eduporium co-founder and President, Rick Fredkin.

The goal of the contest is to create a renewed sense of excitement in learning and to give students and teachers something unique to look forward to at the same time. With a consistent approach and a new chance to win every day, Fredkin and his start-up team hope their idea will catch on throughout K-12 schools across the country.

We think the beauty of it is that there will be questions for everyone. While one day there might be a tough question that only high school-aged kids will know, other days there will be questions designed for early elementary students on topics that high schoolers have perhaps forgotten about, Fredkin said.

To participate in the contest, students and teachers can go to try.eduporium.com/giveaway-contest/ and sign up to receive email alerts. Once entered, all entrants (as many students can enter as they want) will receive an email with further instructions and a reminder of when the contest is set to begin (May 1).

You know, we think this will be a good way to engage more with students and teachers in schools that arent exactly local and those in which it would otherwise be harder for us to build a relationship with. This contest will hopefully help us establish some new relationships and were real excited about being able to give away $100 to our store every day for a year, said Fredkin.

The daily prize of $100 will be in the form of a gift card to Eduporiums online store and has been provided by the Guzik Foundation. Eduporiums store features a host of innovative EdTech and STEM education products, including 3D printers, coding kits, robots, CNC machines, and a lot more. The contest kicks off on May 1. For more information and to sign up, visit try.eduporium.com/giveaway-contest/.
Celina, A Divsion of Celina Tent, Facility Because of the IMAGE Grant, we are already considering plans to expand into Germany, France and Canada within the next five years.

Celina has been working on expanding its market base, selling to local businesses, larger corporations, foreign governments and distant customers, for many years. Now, theyre opening a distribution center in the UK with the help of a newly awarded Ohio IMAGE (International Market Access Grant for Exporters) Grant through the State Trade Expansion Program (STEP). This grant will help by covering some costs associated with expanding distribution and marketing of Celinas main line of products.

Elevating Small Business

The STEP program provides states with monetary assistance to promote the education and expansion of small business into the international market. States receive funds according to a competitive process outlined by the Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act of 2015, with the express purpose of using the funds to teach small businesses how to export, how to attract foreign buyers and enter foreign markets, and market their products internationally.

Ohio uses the STEP financial support to run the IMAGE Grant program. This program assists small businesses in expanding their products and services to international markets. Through expanding their market bases and increasing sales, small businesses are able to create more jobs, hire more employees, and sustain the local workforce. The bulk of the assistance comes in the form of reimbursements for activities and expenses associated with new international marketing endeavors.

Investing in Growth

Moving toward international sales is the most recent in a long line of business advances, from Celinas shift to development and production in the early 2000s to the latest production floor expansion and work on the new 100,000 square foot Celina Distribution Center at the main Celina, Ohio plant. The plan to grow into other markets has been in the works for some time.

Jill Roy, Celinas Administration Manger, stated that The IMAGE Grant will allow Celina Tent to open its distribution center in Leicester much sooner than anticipated. In addition to reimbursing expenses related to the UK expansion, the Ohio Department of Development has provided us with invaluable market research. This market research has helped us learn about key market segments and the intricacies of business in the UK. Because of the IMAGE Grant, we are already considering plans to expand into Germany, France and Canada within the next five years.

Celina can be found online at their e-commerce sites GetTent.com and GetTent.co.uk, with more information on their various divisions at CelinaTent.com and CelinaIndustries.com respectively.

Tel: 866-438-8368

Email: Sales(at)celinatent.com
PathSensors: Identifying pathogens at the speed of light Visit PathSensors and its partner, Dual Draw, at National Postal Forum Booth #1024

Baltimore bio tech firm, PathSensors, Inc., announced today it will be demonstrating its new Bioflash MailGuardtm mail security screening solution at the National Postal Forum 2017 in Baltimore, Maryland, May 21st through May 24th. The Bioflash MailGuard system provides a fast, highly accurate, easy to use and low cost threat detection solution for government and commercial mail room operations that need to screen mail and packages for potential threats such as anthrax. The system is now in use at major commercial mail room screening facilities.

Government agencies, document management companies, outsourced mail room screening operators and commercial mail room managers need a turn key bio threat detection solution that has no false alarms; is fast to detect threats and is able to handle high volumes of mail and packages; is easy to use, and, above all, has a much lower cost of ownership than alternative approaches, commented Ted Olsen, CEO, PathSensors, Inc. The Bioflash MailGuard meets these requirements and the results  as demonstrated by a successful field launch earlier this year with a major commercial mail room operation  show that the Bioflash MailGuard is a true breakthrough technology. We are excited to be able to demonstrate the MailGuard with our partner, DualDraw, at the National Postal Forum.

The BioFlashTM MailGuard System consists of an integrated biological testing unit, down flow booth, mail jogger, and compact medical refrigerator and requires standard 110v power to operate. The biological testing unit has the ability to connect to the Internet via an optional tethered laptop computer, which permits remote system diagnostics and secondary testing confirmation as needed. It can detect over 25 biological threats in concentrations as low as 100 CFU in less than five minutes. The Bioflash MailGuard uses PathSensors CANARY technology, which is currently deployed by Defense and Homeland Security customers, and which can be Integrated with x-ray, chemical and other threat detection technologies. PathSensors will be exhibiting at Booth # 1024, at the National Postal Forum (http://www.npf.org) in Baltimore, May 21st to May 24th.

About PathSensors, Inc.

PathSensors is a leading biotechnology solutions and environmental testing company. PathSensors provides high speed, highly sensitive pathogen and threat detection solutions for the defense, homeland security, public health, medical countermeasures, mail room screening, first responder, food processing and agricultural sectors. PathSensors innovative BioFlash and Zephyr detection systems use CANARY technology licensed from the MIT-Lincoln Laboratory and are deployed by government and commercial agencies due to their speed, accuracy and ease-of-use. For more information, visit http://www.pathsensors.com.
Jeffrey Sweeney (right) and Charles Towle, Co-Managing Partners at US Capital Investment Management, LLC "We are proud to be making this private investment opportunity available electronically to our wide network of accredited investors, RIAs, and affiliate broker dealers."  Charles Towle.

US Capital Investment Management, LLC is pleased to announce it is now able to offer its US Capital Business Credit Income Fund, LP (the Credit Fund) to accredited investors on leading public brokerage platforms in North America. Fund balances and activity are reported in monthly account statements and fund income distributions accumulate in client brokerage platform accounts.

Founder and Managing Partner Jeffrey Sweeneys aim in creating the Credit Fund was to deliver attractive risk-adjusted returns to its Limited Partner investors, redeemable in cash every quarter, primarily by providing direct senior loans to highly promising small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs). The Credit Fund is managed by the firms private investment and asset management division, US Capital Investment Management, LLC.

The Credit Fund especially targets SMBs in excellent financial condition that regulated lenders are unable to finance, primarily because of regulatory banking constraints, said Sweeney. I am delighted that the opportunity to participate in the Credit Fund is now open widely to eligible investors and to RIAs acting on behalf of their clients not only through our own digital investment platform at http://www.uscgs.com, but through leading public brokerage platforms.

The first series of investments into the Credit Fund have just been made through one of the largest brokerage platforms in the United States, added Charles Towle, principal of US Capital Global Securities, LLC, the Credit Funds registered distributor. We are proud to be making this private investment opportunity available electronically to our wide network of accredited investors, RIAs, and affiliate broker dealers.

To learn more about the Credit Fund or to get started, call Pat Steele on (415) 889-1025.

About the Fund

US Capital Business Credit Income Fund, LP targets established businesses with annual revenues of up to $100 million and with EBITDA of $500,000 to $10 million. The General Partner believes that this segment continues to be underserved by traditional lending sources. The Credit Fund aims to capitalize on what it believes is a very strong lending opportunity by making short to medium-term direct senior debt investments, with the average lifetime of loans expected to be 36 months. The Credit Funds asset-based collateral management approach and in-depth underwriting analysis allow it to offer middle market customized financing solutions to smaller businesses, thereby providing creative capital to propel these businesses into their growth curve.

To learn more about US Capital Investment Management, LLC or this investment opportunity, email Pat Steele at psteele(at)uscgs(dot)com or call +1 (415) 889-1025.
Thanks to this team, doctors can now create real-time images of human tissue for early detection of cancer, glaucoma and other ailments.

The European Patent Office (EPO) today announced that the team of U.S. Engineers James G. Fujimoto and Eric A. Swanson, and German Physicist Robert Huber, have been named finalists for the European Inventor Award 2017 in the category of Non-European countries. The winners of the 12th edition of the EPOs annual innovation prize will be announced at a ceremony held on June 15th at the Arsenale di Venezia in Venice, Italy.

Ever since the discovery of X-rays by German physicist Wilhelm Conrad Roentgen in 1895 doctors have been able to "look inside" the human body for diagnostic purposes. But despite newer imaging methods, such as ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), certain segments of human anatomy remained opaque. Soft tissue, especially minuscule blood vessels in the human eye and heart, proved nearly impossible to visualize. This has changed thanks to an entirely new category of medical imaging created by US engineers James G. Fujimoto and Eric A. Swanson together with German physicist Robert Huber. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) relies on "echoes" of light beams to render soft tissues visible in real time and in microscopic detail. Premiered as a clinical prototype in 1993, OCT is now used in around 30 million procedures per year around the world.

"Thanks to this team, doctors can now create real-time images of human tissue for early detection of cancer, glaucoma and other ailments, said EPO President Benoit Battistelli, announcing the European Inventor Award 2017 finalists. The optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging method is an impressive example of successful multidisciplinary collaboration and innovation that has helped millions of patients.

Fujimoto and Swanson began developing OCT technology as a method to diagnose glaucoma, a potentially blinding eye disease, at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Boston in 1990. Filing more than 50 patents in the process, they made their breakthrough by directing laser light at soft body tissue and measuring the the time delay of the light beams (echo). Initial OCT devices for ophthalmology were rolled out to clinics in 1996, the first cardiovascular OCT scanner followed in 2004, dermatological OCT in 2010, and gastrointestinal in 2013. Key technologies behind cardiovascular OCT and lasers enabling an imaging speed that is up to a hundred times faster came from German physicist Robert Huber, who joined Fujimoto's MIT group as postdoctoral research fellow from 2003 to 2005.

MEDICAL IMAGING WITH ECHOES OF LIGHT

OCT solves a long-standing problem in medical imaging. Because images of soft tissue proved difficult to capture, doctors often had to perform invasive biopsies to obtain tissue samples for analysis. This is not an option for sensitive organs such as the human eye. Now, however, OCT can perform an "optical biopsy" without surgery. Similar to the working principle behind ultrasound  but with light beams instead of sound waves  the new technology delivers detailed images of the human retina, heart and other organs with unprecedented detail. "Ultra-fast pulsed infrared laser light penetrates up to three millimeters of opaque tissue. We can generate cross-sectional images of tissues in extremely high resolution. They can be seen in real time without the need of an injected agent," says Fujimoto, while pointing out that recent OCT applications can deliver "live" 3D images during surgery. OCT is a method that measures from what depth any light reflections have come. Measuring the transit time of the light enables a 3D image to be generated, explains Huber.

REVOLUTIONARY MEDICAL INSIGHTS

Rolled out to clinical practice in 1996, OCT quickly became a standard technique for eye exams. "OCT is one of the most commonly-used imaging procedures in ophthalmology. About 30 million OCT scans are performed every year worldwide. Thats one every few seconds," says Swanson. By detecting serious eye diseases such as glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy and macular degeneration in early, still treatable stages, the technology has saved the eyesight of countless people. This achievement is even more remarkable considering that the team consists of engineers and a physicist, not medical professionals. "I am not a doctor, I am not on the front line of helping people, but even as engineer it is possible to do things that have a positive impact," says Fujimoto. There are also direct financial implications. "The economic impact of OCT has been exceptional. Today the system market is approaching a billion dollars a year. There are over 16,000 high-quality jobs and it's saved billions of dollars in unnecessary healthcare expenditure," says Swanson.

BRIGHT MARKET PROSPECTS

OCT was greeted as a "transformative medical technology" by the Association of Research and Vision, when Carl Zeiss  a market leader  released the first clinical ophthalmic OCT instrument in 1996. While numerous companies have commercialized OCT technology, the three inventors have launched their own successful start-up companies. The list includes the world's first OCT company, Advanced Ophthalmic Diagnostics, set up in 1992, as well as LightLab Imaging in 1998 (both founded by Fujimoto and Swanson), and Optores GmbH in 2013 (founded by Huber).

OCT has single-handedly etched out a new market segment in medical technologies. It created revenues of about EUR 4.77 billion (USD 5.2 billion) between 1996 and 2016. Third-party analysts at BioOpticsWorld reported global revenues from OCT systems of EUR 688 million (USD 750 million) in 2015 in a marketplace teeming with new activity.

LASER-FOCUSED ON INNOVATION

Despite their entrepreneurial success, all three inventors continue to advance the state of the art in OCT technology. Fujimoto earned his PhD in electrical engineering and computer science from MIT in 1984 and still teaches at his alma mater. He is listed as inventor or co-inventor on 15 patent families worldwide, representing the first and most fundamental patents for the OCT technology. Fujimoto's contributions have been honored with international awards such as the Carl Zeiss Research Award (2011), the Antonio Champalimaud Vision Award (2012), IEEE Photonics Award (2014), the Optical Society's Frederic Ives Medal (2015) and the National Academy of Engineering Russ Prize (2017).

As a professor at MIT, Fujimoto is a principal investigator in the Research Laboratory of Electronics (RLE) and Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. He mentors many promising young scientists, some of whom have even gone on to create their own OCT start-ups. As words of encouragement, Fujimoto shared: "Young professionals in science can make these incredible contributions through their engineering, not only to research but to society overall."

Swanson earned his Masters of Science in electrical engineering from MIT in 1984. Co-author of 81 journal articles, 142 conference presentations, and over 40 patents, he has been honored with numerous awards, including the Rank Prize in optoelectronics (2002), Antonio Champalimaud Vision Award (2012) and the National Academy of Engineering Russ Prize (2017).

Having earned his PhD at the Faculty of Physics of Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitat Munich (LMU) in 2002, Huber is currently developing an ultra-fast version of OCT with his company, Optores GmbH. It features Fourier domain mode locking (FDML), a technique that increases imaging speeds up to 100 times. The author of 100 peer-reviewed publications, Huber has been honored with the German Chemical Society's Albert-Weller-Preis (2003), the Rudolf-Kaiser Preis (2008) and the Klung-Wilhelmy-Weberbank Preis (2013).

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:

Video and photo material

Read more about the inventors

View the patent: EP0883793, EP0981733, EP1839375

IMPROVING DIAGNOSTICS WITH PATENTED INVENTIONS

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is part of a sensitive class of inventions when it comes to patenting law. The European Patent Convention explicitly excludes from patentability methods for surgery, therapy or diagnosis administered on the human (or animal) body. However, a medical apparatus, product or device that is used for such a purpose may well be protected by a patent. For this reason, OCT is covered by several patents, and is to be considered in the same light as for instance the eye surgery technology patented by German inventor Josef Bille, winner of the 2012 European Inventor Award. Read more about patents on medical technologies.

About the European Inventor Award

About the European Patent Office (EPO)
West Coast Consulting Group, the San Francisco based Cloud consulting company, has been named one of the 20 Most Promising CRM Solution Providers 2017 by CIOReview magazine in its April CRM Special, geared at assisting CIOs with identifying the right CRM solution providers.

We are excited that we have been selected by the CIOReview panel, and proud to be in the company of our partner Salesforce, as well as organizations like Pegasystems, and Zendesk, said Benafsha Irani, Managing Partner at West Coast Consulting Group. This reflects the Cloud solution expertise and leadership we have built in the San Francisco Bay Area, over the past 15 years.

A distinguished panel of CEOs, CIOs, VCs and analysts including the CIOReview editorial board has evaluated the top twenty companies in the CRM solutions domain and selected the ones that are at the forefront of tackling industry challenges. The companies featured in this issue have exhibited extensive business knowledge, along with exceptional capabilities to support integrated and innovative strategies in the CRM arena.

With over 200 successful implementations West Coast Consulting Group has gathered a wealth of experience and industry best practices that make all the difference for managing customer relationships in the Cloud. Often, these engagements involve clients who deployed their CRM years ago, but never quite got the results they expected or desired.

Partnering with Salesforce since 2002, West Coast Consulting Groups CRM consultants were among the first 500 to be officially certified. Their 5-star AppExchange rating reflects the success customers are experiencing with West Coast Consulting Group engagements.

Read the full CIOReview article about West Coast Consulting Group here: http://customer-relationship-management.cioreview.com/vendor/2017/west_coast_consulting_group
ElastiKote spray coating This addition will round out an already successful, high quality product offering for our customers.

Hyload Inc., manufacturer and supplier of roofing and waterproofing solutions, announced its addition of the ElastiKote product line. Elastokote LLC is a designer and manufacturer of VOC exempt solvent-based roofing and waterproofing spray apply coating. This addition will allow Hyload to expand on its mission to provide customers with high-performance, top-quality roofing, waterproofing, and masonry solutions.

Hyloads current product offering includes through-wall flashing, single ply membrane roofing, waterproofing and green roof systems. With the addition, ElastiKote is an ideal addition to Hyloads product line with its high-performance spray apply coating for roofing and waterproofing.

The seamless, watertight spray coating accentuates both of Hyloads current segments, roofing and waterproofing. It also provides roofing system applicators with the option to use a spray instead of a membrane, which is often preferred when it comes to time and cost efficiency.

According to Dave Afanador, Business Development Manager at Hyload, Elastkotes products specifically serve to extend the life of an existing roof, as well as adding light reflectivity. This product can be sprayed over the entire roof surface, new or old, and extend its life for up to 10 years, says Afanador. The spray can be used on any type of roof chemistry, from metal to asphalt based roofing.

ElastiKotes spray coating also has an option for higher reflectivity, a feature thats in high demand as an energy-efficient solution for both residential and commercial buildings.

While primarily marketed as a residential product, ElastiKote will also be integrated into the commercial side of the business, Afanador says, and this also provides applicators with more options, since some may prefer a spray over an existing membrane system.

Moving forward, Afanador says that Our sales team has been wanting new products to sell, so we plan to continue adding more product offerings in the next few years. Interested in learning more about ElastiKotes product capabilities? Visit their website for more information.

Dave Jentzsch, General Manager of both Blair Rubber and Hyload adds, this addition will round out an already successful, high quality product offering for our customers.

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About Hyload Inc.

Since 1982, Hyload has produced membranes that Keep the Elements Out, protecting the building envelope against water intrusion damage. With its corporate office in Seville, Ohio and manufacturing based in Wadsworth, Ohio, Hyload launched by producing high-performance Dupont Elvaloy thermoplastic membranes for low-slope roofing. The company has since expanded production to include waterproofing, masonry thru-wall flashing, and green roofing systems, as well as Marwrap mold resistant pipe wrap.
Elisabete after receiving her award at the Enterprising Women of the Year Awards Gala on April 4 in Fort Lauderdale.

Elisabete Miranda, president and CEO of CQ fluency, Inc. in Hackensack, N.J. has been honored by Enterprising Women magazine as one of its 2017 Enterprising Women of the Year, a prestigious awards program that recognizes the worlds top women business owners. Winners have demonstrated that they have fast-growth businesses, mentor or actively support other women and girls involved in entrepreneurship, and stand out as leaders in their communities. Many honorees also serve as leaders of the key organizations that support the growth of womens entrepreneurship. Elisabete and her fellow honorees were recognized at the 15th Annual Enterprising Women of the Year Awards Gala on April 4 at The Ritz-Carlton Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

I am so grateful to Enterprising Women magazine for honoring me with this once in a lifetime achievement. The conference was a fantastic opportunity to learn and spend time with an amazing group of women entrepreneurs from across the United States and as far away as The Netherlands, South Africa, Uganda, the United Kingdom and Canada, Elisabete said, I was so inspired by so many incredible women who I now consider my friends.

Last year, CQ fluency was named for the third time to the 2016 Inc. 5000 List of Fastest Growing Companies in America. The company was also honored by the National Minority Supplier Diversity Council (NMSDC) with the Regional Supplier of the Year  Class II award for the Northeast Region. CQ fluency is WBE certified by WBENC and a minority-owned business certified by the NMSDC. Elisabete is on the board of NY-NJ NMSDC, serving on the Minority Business Enterprise Input Committee (MBEIC).

For more information about CQ fluency and Elisabete Miranda, visit http://www.cqfluency.com.

About CQ Fluency

CQ fluency offers culturally relevant language services and other multicultural solutions to healthcare companies in the US and around the world. Headquartered in Hackensack, New Jersey, the company uses cultural intelligence (CQ) to translate ideas that improve lives in any language. For more information about CQ fluency, visit http://www.cqfluency.com

About Enterprising Women Magazine

Enterprising Women, with headquarters in Cary, N.C., is the nations only women-owned magazine published exclusively for women business owners that chronicles the growing political, economic and social influence and power of entrepreneurial women. The magazine provides a friendly meeting place, a public forum and a national stage for the critical issues confronting womens businesses and daily lives from the unique perspectives and experiences of entrepreneurial women. Published in both print and digital editions, the online edition of the magazine reaches one million readers in 185 countries. For more information, visit http://enterprisingwomen.com or call (919) 362-1551.
Best of Class Gold Medal  changing the American rum industry, bringing back the art of craft distilling ... by emphasizing the quality aspects of small production

Dented Brick Distillery is extremely proud to announce the award of Best of Class from the Miami International RumXP Competition for it's Antelope Island Rum. Winning this prestigious international award is gratifying, particularly given the level of competition. This worthy group of Competitors included industry leaders Bacardi, Mount Gay Rum, and Appleton Estate.

"We are extremely pleased with the reception our Rum has received over the last few months. Since it's release a year ago, we've had a number of high ratings and awards, but this is our greatest achievement to date," says Dented Brick's Marc Christensen. "We are all very proud."

The Miami Rum Renaissance Festival is home to the most prestigious blind tasting competition: The RumXP International Rum Expert Tasting Panel Competition. Rum promoter and author Robert A. Burr established the panel of experts to evaluate fine rums for this competition. Their collective expertise is unrivaled in the spirits world. These noted experts on cane spirits are often invited to appraise new rum products and judge spirits at international rum tasting competitions. Their combined experience spans many dozens of countries and hundreds of brands.

The RumXP International Rum Expert Tasting Panel convenes once a year in Miami to evaluate a wide range of cane spirits from all over the globe. RumXP judges are experienced evaluators of rum spirits from many countries, offering expert guidance in their selections of outstanding rum products. At Miami Rum Fest, they are sequestered for three days of discrete blind tasting sessions. The results are compiled by a seasoned staff of statisticians and the awards are announced at Miami Rum Festival.

The Miami Rum Renaissance Festival has established a dedicated presence for American Rums to spotlight the emergence of these craft spirits and deliver a unique learning experience for festival participants.

Were delighted to search and discover the very best American rums to share with our friends at Miami Rum Fest and Trade Expo, said host Robert Burr, publisher of Robs Rum Guide. From Alabama to Wyoming, from California to Maine, from Florida to Washington, were reaching out to American Rum Producers at a time when the craft rum distilling movement is burgeoning, flourishing and expanding greatly.

According to the editors of Robs Rum Guide, the number of distilleries now producing rum in the United States is growing at a incredible rate, igniting what what can only be described as a new American Rum Revolution.

In the past few years, more national, regional and local rum distillers are gaining well-deserved attention  with many making their mark as true artisan spirits by winning awards and setting new standards for authentic, hand-made rum, said Burr. Its nothing short of a rum revolution  changing the American rum industry, bringing back the art of craft distilling, presenting American rum in a most favorable light by emphasizing the quality aspects of small production.

Before the American revolution, more than 8,000 distilleries in the American colonies were producing rum from the plentiful supply of molasses available through trade with Caribbean islands. Most ceased production by the time prohibition decimated the American spirits industry.

Now, its coming back. Rum will once again be seen as the original authentic Spirit of America.

In addition to this most recent award, Antelope Island Rum has won a silver medal at The 2017 San Francisco World Spirits Competition More than 2,100 spirits were judged this year at San Francisco. Antelope Island Rum also won a silver medal at the Denver International Spirits Competition. Our Rum also received a 91 rating in the Tasting Panel Magazine.

This 80 proof, single batch original white rum recipe calls for organic evaporated green cane juice, molasses, and Artesian well water. The nose is sweet and inviting, with hints of fresh coconut water, vanilla and brine. Gentle on the palate, the pudding effect gets leaner in seconds, with dots of white pepper across the surgery core.
StartUp Health + SAP

StartUp Health, which is organizing and supporting a global army of Health TransformersTM, announced an agreement with SAP, the world leader in enterprise applications in terms of software and software-related service revenue. The agreement includes collaboration between StartUp Healths global army of Health Transformers with the SAP Health division to help power breakthroughs in healthcare and improve patient outcomes. The cooperation will bring together the strength of the two organizations to help support the development of new health-tech innovations through design, implementation and operation of a SAP-sponsored innovation program within the StartUp Health Moonshot Academy. The aim is to further StartUp Healths mission to achieve 10 health moonshots focused on improving the health and wellbeing of everyone in the world.

Together, StartUp Health and the SAP Health division plan to build a custom innovation portfolio, starting with up to 15 digital health startups focused on developing new applications and platforms to be used with the SAP Health platform built on SAP Cloud Platform. It is planned for entrepreneurs from both StartUp Healths Moonshot Academy and StartUp Healths Network of more than 130,000 entrepreneurs, industry leaders and innovators to apply starting in mid-May.

SAP cloud technologies have revolutionized numerous industries, and we are inspired by the companys vision and long-term commitment to making an impact on health, said Steven Krein, co-founder and CEO of StartUp Health. Working with SAP is an extraordinary opportunity for the worlds Health Transformers to get access to SAPs technology, platforms and expertise. Together we can make a significant impact by supporting the entrepreneurs who are focusing on achieving health moonshots.

We believe that connecting SAP Health with StartUp Healths global network of entrepreneurs is a significant opportunity for the healthcare industry, said Thomas Laur, global president of the SAP Health division. We expect this initiative to help empower entrepreneurs passionate about shaping the future of health to deliver digital solutions on a more robust and secure cloud platform. Fundamentally, we believe this collaboration between SAP Health and Startup Health will help contribute to the acceleration of innovation in our industry.

About StartUp Health

In 2011, StartUp Health introduced a revolutionary new model for transforming health by organizing and supporting a global army of entrepreneurs called Health TransformersTM. The Company has identified and is investing in 10 Health Moonshots, with the long-term goal of improving the health and wellbeing of everyone in the world. These include: Access to Care; Cost to Zero; Cure Disease, Cancer; Womens Health; Longevity; Mental Health; Brain Health; Nutrition, and Childrens Health. With the worlds largest digital health portfolio (nearly 200 companies spanning five continents, 18 countries and 60+ cities), StartUp Healths long-term platform for entrepreneurs includes the StartUp Health Academy, StartUp Health Network, StartUp Health Media and StartUp Health Ventures. Founded by Steven Krein and Unity Stoakes, StartUp Health is chaired by former Time Warner CEO Jerry Levin. Notable strategic partners and investors include AARP; Aurora Health Care; California Health Care Foundation; Childrens Hospital Colorado; University of Colorado; UCHealth; Steve Case; Mark Cuban; Esther Dyson; Brad Feld; Genentech; GE Ventures; Janssen Research & Development, ; Kaiser Permanente Ventures; Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, SAP, and SeventySix Capital. To learn more, please visit http://www.startuphealth.com.

SAP and SAP products and services mentioned herein as well as their respective logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of SAP SE (or an SAP affiliate company) in Germany and other countries. See http://www.sap.com/corporate-en/legal/copyright/index.epx for additional trademark information and notices. All other product and service names mentioned are the trademarks of their respective companies.

SAP Forward-looking Statement

Any statements contained in this document that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements as defined in the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as anticipate, believe, estimate, expect, forecast, intend, may, plan, project, predict, should and will and similar expressions as they relate to SAP are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. SAP undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from expectations The factors that could affect SAP's future financial results are discussed more fully in SAP's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), including SAP's most recent Annual Report on Form 20-F filed with the SEC. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of their dates.
Miami native and local periodontist Dr. John Paul Gallardo is celebrating his twenty-fifth anniversary as a dentist.

I could have never imagined back in 1991 that this journey would have taken me into so many learning experiences both professionally and personally, said Dr. Gallardo.

Over the last 25 years, Dr. Gallardo has pioneered implant dentistry innovation, evolving into an internationally recognized leader in the industry. Since the launch of his private practice, Dr. Gallardo has treated patients from more than 38 states and 10 countries.

In addition to marking his twenty-fifth year, Dr. Gallardo recently received the 2017 Spectrum Award for Excellence in Customer Service distinguishing him from other periodontists in South Florida. His keen insights in implant dentistry combined with his knowledge in the area of periodontics and past experience in treating complex cases has brought thousands of patients from all over the world to his Miami clinic. Dr. Gallardo also hosts a doctor study club four times a year to local dentists to distribute knowledge and information regarding advances in dentistry, technology, treatments, as well as discussion in clinical questions.

In school we were taught that the most important person in the room was always the patient. Twenty-five years later, not only do I believe that, but its the relationship with this person that makes me want to give it my all everyday that I walk into the office, said Dr. Gallardo.

Dr. Gallardo practices in Miami, FL, where he diagnosis and treats periodontal disease and places dental implants. His practice specializes in conservative treatment of gum disease using state-of-the-art phase contrast microscopes and bacterial testing. He is one of a few offices in South Florida who offer IV sedation and performs the innovative All-on-4, gum recession treatments, bone grafting, and The Pinhole Surgical Technique.

For more information, please visit http://www.miamiperio.com or call 305.447.1447.
ICBS Executive Director, Dr. Ayman El Tarabishy, speaking at ICSB 2016 World Conference at UN. "We invite all partners and interested stakeholders to join us at the UN on May 11 to help tackle these crucial small business issues at the MSME Summit." - Dr. Ayman El Tarabishy

The International Council of Small Businesses (ICSB), a nonprofit devoted to the advancement of micro-, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSME's) and entrepreneurs, will hold the first-ever MSME Knowledge Summit on May 11 at United Nations Headquarters. It will focus on the important role MSMEs play as catalysts, creators and supporters in achieving the growth of sustainable business worldwide, and in achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals aimed at ending poverty and promoting prosperity.

The World Bank estimates 600 million jobs will be needed in the next 15 years to fulfill the growing workforce, and the international community recognizes that it is small businesses and entrepreneurs that will be the employers of the future. Dr. Ayman El Tarabishy, ICSB Executive Director noted that, ICSB is taking many steps to address the challenges of global job creation and capacity building for small businesses, including organizing high-level forums. We invite all partners and interested stakeholders to join us at the UN on May 11 to help tackle these crucial issues at the MSME Summit.

Government ministers and agency representatives, academic leaders, and private sector organizations that endorsed the formation of MSME Day will participate at the Summit, which follows the adoption of the United Nations General Assembly resolution (A/71/L.60) on April 6 designating June 27 as, Micro-, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises Day. The resolution recognizes the role of MSMEs in promoting innovation and decent work for all and promotes action to evolve the MSME sector worldwide.

ICSB is very excited to announce the lineup of speakers who will bring a wealth of experience and expertise to the program. Delivering the keynote will be The Honorable Linda McMahon, U.S. Small Business Administration Administrator. Attendees will also hear from country ministers and dignitaries from Argentina, Arab Republic of Egypt, and Kuwait. Private Sector representatives include the American Medical Association, Dr. Patrice Harris, Chairman of the Board and Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation, Mr. Michael Falk, General Counsel. Presidents from various universities committed to fostering the development and success of MSMEs will also speak. They include George Washington University, Babson College, and Wilkes University.

ICSB is committed to concrete action with a program that will feature some major global initiatives by partners that offer new ideas and approaches to supporting the MSME sector. Among the presenters will be Michele Bongiovanni, CEO, HealRWorld (HRW). Her company leverages its big data platform to equip MSMEs with cutting edge solutions that tell consumers and businesses their stories, promote their commitments to social and environmental sustainability and drive sales worldwide, while leveraging existing e-commerce networks like Alibaba, Amazon, eBay and others.

The MSME Summit will additionally lay the foundation for further discussions at the 62nd ICSB World Conference in Buenos Aires starting June 27, the First Annual UN MSME Day. The theme is, Towards a New World Mobilized by Entrepreneurship & Innovative SMEs. The world's foremost experts and thought leaders in entrepreneurial research will come together to share their knowledge and expertise and discuss the latest trends.

For the latest updates on the ICSB MSME Summit and to register for the event, please visit http://www.icsb.org/event/msmesdayun/.

Founded in 1955, the International Council for Small Business (ICSB) was the first international membership organization to promote the growth and development of small businesses worldwide. The organization brings together educators, researchers, policy-makers and practitioners from around the world to share knowledge and expertise in their respective fields. The ICSB is a non-profit organization.
Crescent Hotels & Resorts has been selected to manage the Crowne Plaza JFK Airport Hotel. Crescent, based in Fairfax, Virginia is a nationally recognized elite operator of hotels and resorts throughout the United States and Canada.

The 330 room Crowne Plaza hotel is the closest hotel to John F. Kennedy International Airport  the number one airport for New York City, and one of the top five airports in the nation. The hotel offers a free JFK Airport shuttle, and convenient access to attractions such as Resorts World Casino, Belmont Park, Aqueduct Racetrack, Green Acres Shopping Mall, Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, and all New York City attractions.

The Crowne Plaza JFK aligns well with our expertise in operating hotels at gateway airports throughout the U.S., said Michael George, President and Chief Executive Officer of Crescent Hotels & Resorts. Our unique approach as an elite hotel manager, combined with our extensive experience in the greater New York Metropolitan area and other major gateways, will help to maximize the potential of this great hotel.

The Crowne Plaza JFK Airport Hotel offers standard rooms as well as suites, the onsite Idlewild Restaurant, a 24-hour business center, and a 24/7 fitness center with a Zen and yoga room. The hotels onsite Crowne Meeting Director also helps guests plan meetings and conferences with 5,000 square feet across nine flexible function space options.

For more information, or to book your next stay at the Crowne Plaza JFK Airport Hotel, visit http://www.cpjfkairport.com or call (718) 530-1160.

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About Crescent Hotels & Resorts:

Crescent Hotels & Resorts is an award winning, nationally recognized, top-3 operator of hotels and resorts. Crescent currently operates over 90 hotels, resorts & conference centers in the US and Canada. Crescent is one of the few elite management companies approved to operate upper-upscale and luxury hotels under the brand families of Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt and IHG. Crescent also operates a collection of legendary independent lifestyle hotels and resorts. Crescents clients are made up of hotel REITs, private equity firms and major developers. For more information, please visit http://www.chrco.com or connect with Crescent on LinkedIn.
Fybr, which is launching its Smart City Platform in 30 cities worldwide this year, has joined the Smart Cities Council as a North America Associate Partner. The companys turnkey, end-to-end platform turns raw data from thousands of sensors into insightful information that helps make communities better places to live and work.

We are delighted to have Fybr partnering with us, said Council Chairman Jesse Berst. Their platform enables cities to realize the full potential of the Internet of Things. That expertise will be a tremendous asset in our work with municipalities around the globe.

As a Council partner, Fybr joins a network of leading companies advised by top universities, laboratories and standards bodies that helps cities tap the transformative power of digital technologies and intelligent design. Through advocacy, action and its landmark Readiness Program, the Council promotes smart, sustainable and inclusive communities with high-quality living and high-quality jobs.

We are pleased to be a part of an organization that is taking the lead in helping connect cities with technologies that can make communities better places to live and work  something we firmly believe in, said Fybrs CEO Bob Glatz. We hope to leverage their connections to help us bring our turnkey solution to more communities.

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About Fybr

Fybr is a leading, end-to-end IoT platform providercollecting and delivering data along with advanced analytic tools to solve business and community-based quality-of-life issues such as parking, transportation, power, water management and safetyfor customers worldwide. Fybrs ready to deploy technology makes urban life easier for residents and visitors while making cities, universities and corporate campuses safer, more efficient and sustainable.

The Fybr Platform is an end-to-end system that securely and efficiently delivers data to and from the physical world. Combining real-time sensing data with intelligent machine-learning algorithms, the Fybr Platform delivers actionable insights that help cities fix issues proactively--saving money and improving services.

Headquartered in Saint Louis, Missouri, Fybr has deployments across the U.S.as well as Canada and Asia. With Fybrs IoT solution managing nearly 3 billion sensor events, Fybr provides a powerful, simple, and turnkey solution to enable any Internet of Things ambition for cities, farms, and businesses. http://www.fybr-tech.com

About the Smart Cities Council

Launched in 2012, the Smart Cities Council is the author of the internationally recognized Smart Cities Readiness Guide, which provides guiding principles and best practices for an integrated, cross-cutting smart city. The Readiness Guide  which was developed based on input from hundreds of cities and solution vendors and has been applied all over the world  is the framework used to produce Readiness Workshops and Smart Cities Week conferences. The Council is comprised of more than 120 partners and advisors who have generated $2.7 trillion in annual revenue and contributed to more than 10,000 smart cities projects. To learn more, visit http://www.smartcitiescouncil.com.
With more and more automobile manufacturers and parts suppliers using magnesium in their businesses, the impact of magnesium on the industry is increasing daily. Those topics will be explored in depth in May when the top names in the industry gather in Southeast Asia.

The International Magnesium Association (IMA) will host the 2017 World Magnesium Conference, May 21-23, 2017 in Singapore. Among the many info sessions planned will be a trio of closer looks at the automotive industry and the important impact magnesium is having.



Alan Clark of the CM Group will talk about Global Primary Magnesium Supply and Demand Balance.

o The year 2016 turned out to be a surprising one for many base and minor metals industries, with several markets experiencing some significant and unexpected supply-demand fluctuations. Magnesium was impacted by big swings in Chinese inventories and the ongoing effects of chronic oversupply. CM Group will present its analysis of the global primary magnesium industry supply-demand balance for 2016 in the context of its independent analysis and proprietary industry data set.

Aaron Adams, Jon P. Weiler, Jeremy Bos, Chris Sweet and Richard Berkmortel of Meridian Lightweight Technologies will discuss Third Generation Ford F-150 Die-Cast Magnesium Radiator Support Evolution.

o Three consecutive generations of Fords F-150 full-size truck have been assembled with a die-cast magnesium alloy radiator support. The design of the radiator support has evolved with each generation, resulting in a lighter and thinner component. The reduction in mass can in part be attributed to improved design, corrosion mitigation, and modular assembly strategies, as well as advances in technology with each generation.

Alan Luo of the Ohio State University will speak about Enhancing the Ductility of Cast and Wrought Magnesium Alloy Products

o Poor ductility has been a major barrier to widespread applications of cast and wrought magnesium alloys in structural applications. Luo will present an overview of recent research and development on ductility enhancement in both cast and wrought magnesium products, through alloy design and innovative processing. Although high-pressure die casting has been the dominant process for manufacturing magnesium castings, new process technologies are being developed for high-integrity castings for improved ductility.

In addition, IMA will present its annual awards to industry leaders at the three-day conference, which will be held at the Shangri-La Hotel Singapore. Honors annually bestowed by the IMA include four Awards of Excellence (Automotive Cast Products, Commercial Cast Products, Wrought Products and Process) and an Environmental Responsibility Award.

The IMA annual conference is the premier gathering for all magnesium industry leaders, with unparalleled opportunities to connect and network with other IMA members, expand and strengthen skill sets via technical sessions, learn from the best of the best in the industry, refresh perspectives and reinvigorate businesses via new methodologies, tools, and partners.

This conference will provide industry professionals with the latest information and advances on magnesium processes, applications, technology and environmental concerns. The program includes:



Technical sessions

Current industry updates

Awards of Excellence presentations

Exhibit Showcase featuring magnesium industry suppliers

Networking events

Sponsorship opportunities

Opening Presidents Reception, and more!

It is designed for industry professionals who are primary producers of the metal, along with recyclers, foundries, fabricators, end-users and suppliers. For more information, please visit the conference website: http://www.intlmag.org/?page=2017_ConfAbout

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About the International Magnesium Association

IMA was founded in 1943 and works to promote the use of magnesium in material selection and to encourage innovative applications of this versatile metal. Among the members of IMA are primary producers of magnesium, recyclers, foundries, fabricators, end-users and suppliers. As a global voice for the magnesium industry, IMA serves members through a variety of avenues.
It is so gratifying to be recognized by this prestigious publication and our colleagues.

Boutique law firm,Scott & Scott, LLP, was honored by Lawyers Worldwide Magazine as Technology Law Firm of the Year  USA in the April 17th edition of Super Lawyers 2017. The recently released edition features in-depth information with selected winners. You can read about Scott & Scott on Page 16-17 of the digital edition.

It is so gratifying to be recognized by this prestigious publication and our colleagues. Our achievements would not have been possible without the tireless dedication of our team, said Julie Machal-Fulks, partner.

The Lawyers Worldwide Awards Super Lawyers 2017 celebrates the leading, most prolific firms, that have continually displayed a high degree of quality, tenacity and ability to punch above their weight within their area of specialization.

Lawyers Worldwide Awards Super Lawyers 2017 showcases those firms who are truly the most competent across all areas of Private Equity, Banking and Finance, Law and all those who continue to provide assistance to the clients they retain, within such areas as Corporate Finance, Investment Banking, Providers of Alternative Finance and of course, areas of the Due Diligence community, consisting of Environmental, Commercial and Risk & Insurance to name but a few.

Over the last year they have assessed internally via a panel of judges, and their entire readership those firms that are of note and that truly deserve to be crowned a Lawyers Worldwide Awards Super Lawyers 2017 winner.

During the judging process many factors are considered, such as client retention, speed of response and assistance and ability to navigate complex situations, while ensuring that the client is not concerned or unsure of what the outcome will be, regardless of the scale of the matter in question.

About Scott & Scott, LLP

Scott & Scott, LLP (http://www.scottandscottllp.com) is a leading intellectual property and technology law firm representing businesses in matters involving software licensing. Scott & Scott, LLP Scotts legal and technology professionals provide software audit defense and software compliance solutions, all protected by attorney-client and work-product privileges.
AvePoint, the Microsoft Cloud expert, today announced a new software donation program to support qualifying not-for-profit organizations in North America with solutions for Office 365 migration and management. The donation program is run in partnership with TechSoup, a global not-for-profit organization offering transformative technology solutions to improve lives globally and locally, and is part of AvePoint Philanthropy, which also supports community and education initiatives around the world.

As not-for-profit organizations and charities adopt Office 365, we want to help them spend less time on data migrations and management, and more time focusing on their core mission, said Dux Raymond Sy, Chief Marketing Officer and Chief Technology Officer, Public Sector, at AvePoint. Were thrilled to partner with TechSoup for this donation program, launch AvePoint Philanthropy, and give back to causes that are making the world a better place in 2017  a year that Ive personally declared the year of tech for good.

AvePoint Software Donations for North America Not-for-Profits

Through AvePoints software donation program with TechSoup, qualifying not-for-profit organizations based in North America will be able to receive the following solutions:



Office 365 and SharePoint Migration: DocAve Migrator supports support all stages of not-for-profit organizations migration projects  providing assessment, planning, and reporting capabilities  to efficiently move content from legacy collaboration systems to Office 365  SharePoint Online and OneDrive for Business or the latest version of SharePoint with minimal business disruption. Qualifying organizations can receive up to 250 gigabytes of data migration software, with additional migration available at a discounted rate.

Office 365 Management: With AvePoint Online Services for Office 365 management, not-for-profit organizations gain access to a complete toolkit for Office 365 administration, enabling simpler management, movement, and maintenance of mission-critical content. An Azure-powered Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solution trusted by 5 million cloud users worldwide, AvePoint Online Services provides more control over Office 365 security, settings, configurations, and content as well as enhanced features for content migration, synchronization across tenants, and reporting.

Organizations interested in software donations can visit TechSoups website today to learn more and apply.

We are excited to be working with AvePoint as they generously expand their philanthropy program and to launch this new partnership, said Gayle Samuelson Carpentier, Chief Business Development Officer at TechSoup. Here at TechSoup, we focus on making sure all nonprofits have the resources and support they need to do their own important work. Partnering with AvePoint is key to helping nonprofits when they migrate to Office 365 and need to and manage their environments.

Announcing AvePoint Philanthropy

The new software donation program is a core component of AvePoint Philanthropy, an initiative that seeks to impact humanity and drive change through technology, community, and education:

Technology: AvePoint is committed to donating its software and services to causes and not-for-profit organizations to help them achieve their mission. In addition to its partnership with TechSoup, AvePoint also teamed up with Microsoft and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to fight back against human trafficking through 6Degree.org.

Community: As a global organization, AvePoint is proud to support its local communities through employee volunteering, partnerships, and donations. The companys Global Outreach program provides the opportunity for employees throughout worldwide offices to give back and work together on community service projects and local volunteer efforts.

Education: AvePoint is passionate about educating people around the world about the benefits of technology and the opportunities it offers to make a difference through initiatives such as Hour of Code. AvePoints Dux Raymond Sy also recently teamed up with WorldHelp to help students at Destiny Village Boarding School in Kampala, Uganda build out skill sets in web-based technology  an initiative that was recently profiled on the Microsoft Partner Network.

To learn more about AvePoint Philanthropy, please visit our website.

About AvePoint

AvePoint is the Microsoft Cloud expert. Over 15,000 companies and 5 million cloud users trust AvePoint to accelerate the migration, management, and protection of their Office 365 and SharePoint data. AvePoints integrated cloud, hybrid, and on-premises software solutions are enhanced by 24/7 support and award-winning services. Organizations across six continents and all industries rely on AvePoint to ease transition to the Microsoft Cloud, increase IT administrator productivity, and satisfy governance and compliance objectives.

A three-time Microsoft Partner of the Year, AvePoint has been named to the Inc. 500|5000 six times and the Deloitte Technology Fast 500 five times. AvePoint is a Microsoft Global ISV Partner, a Microsoft Gold Partner in Application Development, Cloud Platform, Cloud Productivity, and Collaboration and Content, and a US Government GSA provider via strategic partnerships. Founded in 2001, AvePoint is privately held and headquartered in Jersey City, NJ.

About TechSoup

A trusted partner for three decades, San Francisco-based TechSoup provides the transformative technology solutions, the digital platforms, and the in-person experiences that enable people to work together toward a more equitable world. The TechSoup Global Network operates the worlds only fully global technology philanthropy program. TechSoups Validation Services help connect philanthropy and giving beyond the TechSoup catalog by making accessible vetted information on 851,000 NGOs in 236 countries and territories in order to help givers expand the resources they offer and help validated nonprofit organizations gain access to a diverse set of critical resources. TechSoups online and offline resources engage a community of experts to enhance connections, education and impact in the global social sector. In the U.S. alone, TechSoup has served more than 218,000 not-for-profits and helped them redirect $3.9 billion in technology expenses towards their missions

All product and company names herein may be trademarks of their registered owners.
NOVAtime is thrilled to be partnering with these two incredibly talented attorneys to provide a valuable learning opportunity, not only for our customers, but for the entire business owner and HR professional community

NOVAtime Technology, Inc. (http://www.novatime.com), a leading provider of time & attendance / workforce management solutions, is pleased to announce its two upcoming live webinars: ADA, FMLA, & Intermittent Leaves, which will take place on May 10th, 2017, and Employment Law 101, which will take place on May 24th, 2017. NOVAtime is honored to be working with two highly experienced attorneys, Marie Davis, Esq. of the Landegger Baron Law Group and Aaron Holt, Esq. of Alaniz Schraeder, LLP, on these webinars.

ADA, FMLA, & Intermittent Leaves, which you may register for here, will be presented by Marie Davis, Esq., an expert in employment law and a veteran of the webinar circuit. Ms. Davis is known for providing clear, helpful education in many areas of employment law that are immediately applicable to HR professional and business owner duties. In this webinar, Ms. Davis will explain the common forms of extended leave that are commonly encountered.

Brian Meharry, VP of Business Development at NOVAtime, states, "Ms. Davis' FMLA webinar highlights the need for an FMLA solution such as NOVAtime's FMLA Add-on Module."

Employment Law 101, which you may register for here, will be presented by Aaron Holt, Esq., who specializes in labor & employment law. In this webinar, Mr. Holt will help attendees navigate the complex, shifting legal landscape of employment law, which even the most seasoned HR professional can lose track of. Topics to be covered include at will vs. right to work, FLSA, FMLA, ADA, Title VII of the Civil Rights act, and other essential legal topics.

NOVAtime is thrilled to be partnering with these two incredibly talented attorneys to provide a valuable learning opportunity, not only for our customers, but for the entire business owner and HR professional community. Stated Mr. Meharry. Both webinars are eligible for 1 hour of SHRM and HRCI recertification credits. Check here for a complete list of upcoming webinars and other events at NOVAtime..

About NOVAtime

With over 18,000 customers, NOVAtime is headquartered in Diamond Bar, California, and has become the leader in integrating Workforce Management solution with Human Resource and Payroll systems. Known for its scalable and leading-edge software and hardware technology, NOVAtime has been selected as the preferred Time and Attendance / Workforce Management solution provider by many of the best-managed companies in the world.
Our institutions share a common mission and vision  to transform the health and well-being of our communities and train the future leaders in the healthcare field,

Bastyr University today announced that AOMA Graduate School of Integrative Medicine will become the AOMA College of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine within the University. The relationship was unanimously approved by Bastyrs Board of Trustees and AOMAs Board of Governors.

Our institutions share a common mission and vision  to transform the health and well-being of our communities and train the future leaders in the healthcare field, said Mac Powell, PhD, President of Bastyr University. Bastyr combining with AOMA provides significant opportunities to strengthen and expand the degree and certificate programs that we each currently offer to the benefit of the students and the communities we serve. Through AOMA becoming part of Bastyr, both institutions hope that we will create a College of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine that will draw the best students from around the world, and produce life-changing research.

Founded in 1978, Bastyr University is a pioneer in science-based natural medicine accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU). With campuses in Washington and California, Bastyr offers degree programs in areas such as naturopathic medicine, acupuncture and Oriental medicine, ayurvedic sciences, herbal sciences, midwifery, nutrition, and psychology. The University also has clinics in both Seattle and San Diego, providing an array of services, including naturopathic medicine, nutritional counseling, and acupuncture.

AOMA, based in Austin, Texas, is a top-ranked institution offering graduate programs in acupuncture and Oriental medicine. Founded in 1993, AOMA is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. AOMA also is one of the largest providers of acupuncture and Chinese medicine in Austin, with two clinics in the metropolitan area.

We are very excited to become a part of the Bastyr University community. We are looking forward to collaborating as we grow our educational programs and patient services, as well as furthering research efforts and the advancement of the fields of acupuncture, Chinese Medicine and natural medicine in its entirety, said Betty Edmond, MD, President and CEO of

AOMA.

Final approval by the NWCCU and the Department of Education is required before the formal affiliation can be completed.
Mike Binko, Founder and CEO of Startup Maryland says, Startup Maryland wants to encourage and nurture the hustle side of entrepreneurship. In entrepreneurship, the hustle is what really separates the cream from the crop. When it comes to workforce dev

The Mayors Office of Employment Development, in partnership with theCONNECT facilitated by The Ingoma Foundation, is co-hosting the Youth Rise Workforce Summit, a two-day event to disrupt historically divisive boundaries that threaten Baltimores economic environment. The Summit will bring together more than 100 individuals representing young adults, business leaders, City and State agencies, post-secondary and philanthropic institutions, and training and wrap-around service providers. The convening will create a space for inner and cross-sector collaboration and solution building for viable and sustainable employment pathways for disconnected youth.

There are approximately 42,000 young adults between the ages of 26-24 residing in the Baltimore Region, who are neither working nor enrolled in school. The Summit will examine the network of challenges faced by employers and young people that can be overcome through bringing the community together to apply creative and collaborative problem-solving strategies.

The Ingoma Foundations Executive Director, Paulo Gregory Harris, says, This first Youth Rise Workforce Summit is bringing the brightest and most committed stakeholders in the young-adult workforce development field together for this pioneering two-day Summit. The Summit is not about talking heads, it is about putting our heads together, across the lines that have separated us in Baltimore to stage a quantum leap in understanding and strategic visioning to heal the divides that, in part, led to the Youth Uprising in Baltimore, April 27th, two years ago.

Mike Binko, Founder and CEO of Startup Maryland says, Startup Maryland wants to encourage and nurture the hustle side of entrepreneurship. In entrepreneurship, the hustle is what really separates the cream from the crop. When it comes to workforce development, we believe that the best pathway to a job is to become and entrepreneur, and be your own boss, and own your own venture and the equity that is associated with that

SUMMIT GOAL

Provide an innovative and collaborative environment for critical workforce stakeholders to bridge their perspectives to develop sustainable strategies that support young adult access to employment and entrepreneurship opportunities.

PRESS OPPORTUNITIES

The Summit will begin with a visit of Startup Marylands Start 1 Up Road Show tour bus, supporting emerging entrepreneurs to pitch out the first ball. Young-adult entrepreneurs from the Youth Rise Enterprise Initiative, will pitch their ideas in the bus video booth. The Start 1 Up bus will be onsite from 9:00am to 11:00am on Thursday April 27, 2017.

Participants will be available for interviews from 9:00am  10:00am.

Press should check in at the registration desk in the lobby of the University of Baltimore William H. Thumel Business Center by 9:30am.

theCONNECT is a Network of 100+ organizations, businesses, city and state agencies, foundations, training and wrap-around services collaborating to create employment and entrepreneurship opportunities for young adults in Baltimore City, ages 18-29, facilitated by the Ingoma Foundation.

theCONNECT is Funded By: Aspen Forum for Community Solutions, Opportunity Youth Incentive Fund, Annie E. Casey Foundation, T. Rowe Price Foundation

Contact: Kirsten Allen at (443) 453-7012 for more information.
Dr. Patricia Hooper, Professor, Trident University International If Professor Patricia Hooper is the example of the quality of teachers at Trident, then my experience working on my Masters will be the best that can be provided in comparison to any other online school! - Roger Choiniere, MSHLS student.

Dr. Patricia Hooper, Professor in Trident University Internationals (Trident) College of Health and Human Services, has received the Trident Teaching Excellence Award for the Fall 2016 quarter. Dr. Hooper, who joined Trident in 2015, teaches in the Universitys Homeland Security programs.

Dr. Hooper was selected from among 65 faculty members nominated by 89 students based on the strength of commendations from students and faculty leadership.

If Professor Patricia Hooper is the example of the quality of teachers at Trident, then my experience working on my Masters will be the best that can be provided in comparison to any other online school! stated Roger Choiniere, student in Tridents Master of Science in Homeland Security program.

Dr. Hooper received a Ph.D. in Communication from the University of Washington, Seattle in 2010. Her dissertation was titled Vulnerable Populations and Crisis Communications: A model for accessible disaster preparedness campaigns. Her area of expertise is community-based public relations and crisis communication studies.

In addition to Trident, Dr. Hooper has served as a professor at Syracuse University, University of North Dakota, University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, and University of Wisconsin-Parkside. She was acknowledged as Teacher of the Year at both University of North Dakota and University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.

Dr. Hooper currently serves as the Emergency Manager for the City of Kirkland, WA. She is a Certified Emergency Manager through the International Association of Emergency Managers and is the president elect of the Washington State Emergency Management Association. She worked for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for 14 years, serving in various leadership roles including operations leader and training management.

She has extensive experience in federal response work, including deployment to 23 Presidential disaster declarations like 9-ll in NYC, Hurricane Katrina, and the Cerro Grande Fire Assistance Act. Dr. Hoopers professional presentations include the Australia Resilience Conference, the Emergency Management Institute, Confederated Tribes, U.S. Army and Coast Guard, and the Disaster Emergency Response Association.

Trident is a 100% online university that has been in operation since 1998 and is regionally accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC). Active duty military, veterans, National Guard, and military dependents make up 79% of the Universitys student population, and Trident is proud to employ many veterans at its faculty, staff, and management levels.

About Trident University

Founded in 1998, Trident University International (Trident) is a leading online postsecondary university serving adult learners. Trident developed the Trident Learning Model, which employs case-based learning in an online setting to teach real-world relevant critical thinking skills to enhance the lives and careers of students. Trident offers high-quality bachelors, masters, and doctoral degree programs, led by a qualified faculty team, over 80% of whom have doctoral degrees. Visit http://www.trident.edu, Tridents Facebook page, or call at (855) 290-0290 to learn more about Trident's wide range of bachelor's, master's, and doctoral programs.
ConstructConnect, a leading provider of construction information and technology solutions in North America, will host two major presentations at the AIA Conference on Architecture. The first, entitled The Architects Journey to Specification is a landmark study which offers unprecedented insights into the architects role in product specification and was jointly produced by ConstructConnect and the AIA. The seminar will be led by the studys author Nik Werk, senior research manager at B2B International, and will take place on Thursday, April 27 at 11:00 AM at the ConstructConnect booth (#2531) in the Orange County Convention Center.

This study offers tremendous insights into the architects role in specification  their preferences, habits, and process for selecting building products, said Laura Marlow, ConstructConnect vice president of strategic partnerships. ConstructConnect is proud to partner with the AIA in sharing this knowledge with the industry.

A free copy of the study (valued at $2,000) will be given away immediately after the presentation.

The second presentation is an economic talk given by Alex Carrick, chief economist for ConstructConnect which entails a review of the first half of 2017, and an outlook for the remainder of the year. Mr. Carrick will discuss various industry reports, as well as answer questions at the end of his presentation, scheduled for Thursday, April 27 at 2:15 PM at the ConstructConnect booth (#2531).

The period of recovery and expansion in the U.S. economy since the Great Recession is rapidly approaching 100 months, which is long relative to most previous cyclical improvements. And stock market indices have been recording extraordinary gains, said Carrick. Some analysts are questioning how much further out the good times can be extended. While I recognize that various dangers lurk along the route ahead, I also have three strong reasons, which I will enumerate for delegates to the AIA Conference in Orlando, for believing there is a great deal more positive potential for U.S. output growth.

To learn more about ConstructConnect, visit constructconnect.com.

About ConstructConnect

ConstructConnect is a leading provider of construction information and technology solutions in North America. Through the combination of its four legacy brands (iSqFt, Construction Market Data, BidClerk and Construction Data), ConstructConnect brings project participants together with the most complete, accurate and actionable construction data and tools to drive success in national, regional and local markets. Its collaborative network empowers the construction industry to be more successful with access to relevant information through easy to use technology. For more information, visit http://www.constructconnect.com.
Drug Take-Back Day provides a safe, responsible way to dispose of our expired and unused prescription drugs while protecting our environment.

WHAT:

The Capital Regions six counties are participating in National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day on Saturday, April 29, 2017. The National Take-Back Initiative from the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) occurs every year on the last Saturday in April. State and local police departments, as well as county sheriff's offices, administer the collection sites according to the DEA.

WHERE:

Anyone who has unused or expired prescription and over-the-counter medications can access disposal sites at 38 different locations throughout the Capital region. Collection sites in every county are listed on https://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/drug_disposal/takeback/.

WHEN:

The disposal sites are open on Saturday, April 29, 2017, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. local time.

WHY:

Drug Take-Back Day provides a safe, responsible way to dispose of our expired and unused prescription drugs while protecting our environment. Especially in the face of our opioid epidemic, everyone can help by cleaning out their medicine cabinets, and prevent prescription drugs from getting into the wrong hands, explains Catherine S. Duncan, BSN, RN, Director of Public Health, Saratoga County Public Health Services.

The National Take-Back Initiative is an opportunity for local communities to prevent drug abuse, reduce drug-related poisonings, and take an active role in the Regions fight against the opioid epidemic. People can rid their homes of expired prescription and over-the-counter medications which can be misused or unlawfully distributed to others. The Opioid epidemic in the Capital Region has seen a three-fold increase in opioid overdose deaths between 2014 and 2015.

Amanda, 31, a young mother recounts how her addiction began with the misuse of prescription drugs for her depression and anxiety. Her prescription opiate addiction resulted in heroin abuse and multiple overdoses. Amanda states In the past five years; I have watched friends and people I have traveled with die. My best friend and all those people died from overdosing one time.

The increase in drug overdose deaths, including opioid overdose deaths has catapulted the local health departments and hospitals in the Capital Region to band together with other community organizations to strengthen prevention, treatment, and recovery efforts. This growing epidemic is a top priority in their Community Health Assessment and Health Improvement Plan, and they are leading multisector collaborations and innovative approaches to intervene in this public health crisis.

They ask for the publics help disposing of unused prescription drugs to reduce access to potentially addictive prescriptions and to protect the water supply from improper disposal down a drain or in a landfill.



ALBANY COUNTY -

WATERVLIET POLICE DEPARTMENT

2-15TH STREET

WATERVLIET NY, 12189

ALBANY COUNTY SHERIFF

58 VERDA AVENUE

CLARKSVILLE NY, 12041

CVS PHARMACY

885 CENTRAL AVE.

ALBANY NY, 12205

ALBANY POLICE DEPT. SOUTH STATION

126 ARCH STREET

ALBANY NY, 12202

COLONIE POLICE DEPARTMENT

312 WOLF ROAD

LATHAM NY, 12110

PUBLIC LIBRARY - AUXILIARY PARKING LOT

2228 WESTERN AVENUE

GUILDERLAND NY, 12084

ALBANY COLLEGE OF PHARMACY - CAR PORT (DRIVE UP DROP OFF)

106 NEW SCOTLAND AVE.

ALBANY NY, 12208

NEW YORK STATE POLICE

760 TROY-SCHENECTADY ROAD,

LATHAM NY, 122110

BETHLEHEM TOWN PARK - FRONT PARKING LOT

249 ELM AVE.

DELMAR NY, 12054

COLUMBIA COUNTY -

CHATHAM PD

77 MAIN STREET

CHATHAM NY, 12037

HILLSDALE SUB STATION

2684 STATE ROUTE 23

HILLSDALE NY, 12529

COLUMBIA COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE

85 INDUSTRIAL TRACT

HUDSON NY, 12534

HUDSON CITY PD

427 WARREN STREET

HUDSON NY, 12534

GREENE COUNTY -

TOWN OF HUNTER PD

5748 STATE RT. 23A

TANNERSVILLE NY, 12485

COXSACKIE POLICE DEPARTMENT

119 MANSION STREET

COXSACKIE NY, 12051

CVS HANNAFORD PLAZA

223 MAIN STREET

CAIRO NY, 12413

WINDHAM PHARMACY

61 STATE ROAD 296

WINDHAM NY, 12496

RENSSELAER COUNTY -

EAST GREENBUSH POLICE DEPARTMENT

225 COLUMBIA TURNPIKE

RENSSELAER NY, 12144

NORTH END FIRE STATION

2 ST. FRANCIS PLACE

RENSSELAER NY, 12144

POLICE DEPARTMENT

1797 COLUMBIA TURNPIKE

CASTLETON NY, 12033

POLICE DEPARTMENT

29 MAIN STREET

HOOSICK FALLS NY, 12090

TROY POLICE DEPARTMENT

55 STATE STREET

TROY NY, 12180

TOWN OF SCHODACK PD

1797 COLUMBIA TURNPIKE

CASTLETON NY, 12033

WEST SAND LAKE FIRE DEPARTMENT

3697 RT. 43

WEST SAND LAKE NY, 12196

SARATOGA COUNTY -

CVS PHARMACY PARKING LOT

12 SOUTH CENTRAL AVENUE

MECHANICVILLE NY, 12118

SARATOGA HOSPITAL EMERGENCY DEPT. PARKING LOT

211 CHURCH STREET

SARATOGA SPRINGS NY, 12866

SARATOGA SPRINGS POLICE DEPARTMENT - BEHIND CITY HALL

474 BROADWAY

SARATOGA SPRINGS NY, 12866

BALLSTON SPA POLICE DEPARTMENT

30 BATH STREET

BALLSTON SPA NY, 12020

MOREAU EMERGENCY SQUAD

1583 ROUTE 9,

MOREAU NY, 12866

SP CLIFTON PARK PUBLIC SAFETY BUILDING

5 MUNICIPAL PLAZA STE 1STATE ROUTE 146

CLIFTON PARK NY, 12065

CLIFTON PARK-HALFMOON EMERGENCY SQUAD

15 CROSSING BLVD.

CLIFTON PARK NY, 12065

MOREAU COMMUNITY CENTER

144 MAIN STREET

SOUTH GLENS FALLS NY, 12803

SCHENECTADY COUNTY -

SCHENECTADY POLICE DEPARTMENT

531 LIBERTY ST.

SCHENECTADY NY, 12305

GLENVILLE MUNICIPAL CENTER POLICE ENTRANCE

18 GLENRIDGE RD.

GLENVILLE NY, 12302

SCOTIA POLICE DEPARTMENT

4 NORTH TEN BROECK STREET

SCOTIA NY, 12302

SCHENECTADY COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE SUB STATION

130 PRINCETOWN PLAZA

SCHENECTADY NY, 12306

ROTTERDAM PD

101 PRINCETOWN ROAD

ROTTERDAM NY, 12306

NISKAYUNA TOWN HALL

1 NISKAYUNA CIRLCE

NISKAYUNA NY, 12309

For more information, or to arrange interviews at a different time, please contact Kevin Jobin-Davis, Ph.D. (518) 486-8400.

####

Healthy Capital District Initiative (HCDI) is an incorporated non-profit that builds healthier communities by engaging a broad range of organizations to identify public health priorities and develop coordinated, evidence-based strategies to improve health. HCDI serves the counties of Albany, Rensselaer, Schenectady, Saratoga, Columbia, and Greene.

Founded in 1997, HCDI is a collaborative venture of the hospitals, health insurers, county health departments, federally qualified health centers, and community-based organizations in the region. Other HCDI initiatives include assisting residents with applications for public health insurance or programs that subsidize the cost of care; providing preventative oral health services to children in schools serving primarily low-income youth; and the asthma coalition of the capital region.
2017 Outgoing Board Members  Norma Kolson, Michael Zampelli, Heather Guessford (not pictured: Nicole Alt-Myers and Stuart Czapski); Ron Bowers, Chairman (pictured far left) and John McCain, CEO (pic CEO John McCain said, We are always thankful when new board members accept our invitation to be a part of our team. These community leaders donate their time and expertise which enables us to move our mission forward in powerful and life-changing ways.

Horizon Goodwill is pleased to announce the addition of five new board members: Sandra Hamilton, Aaron Peteranecz, Tina Nash, James Robertson, and Bonnie Winders. CEO John McCain said, We are always thankful when new board members accept our invitation to be a part of our team. It is a very time-consuming prospect to be on a board, and these community leaders donate their time and expertise which enables us to move our mission forward in powerful and life-changing ways.

More about the new board members:

Sandra Hamilton is the Executive Director of Berkeley County Development Authority. She holds a B.A. from Shepherd University, and she is a member of the Martinsburg Rotary Club.

Aaron Peteranecz is President of the Design Method Group, LLC. He holds a B.A. from the Maryland Institute College of Art. He has a Master of Architecture Degree from Catholic Universities of America. He is a member of the Hagerstown Rotary Club and St. James School Alumni Council. Aaron is also a board member of the Humane Society of Washington County.

Tina Nash is CEO of Nash Homes 4U Real Estate and a retired Firefighter. She is a member of the PenMar Association of Realtors and Maryland Association of Realtors. She holds a B.A. from the University of Maryland and is an Alumnae of Hagerstown Community College.

James Snake Robertson is the Training Director for Western MD JATC. He is a graduate of the National Training Institute at the University of Tennessee. He is Chairman of the Chambers Education Committee, President of Allegany County Building Trades ED Foundation, Chair of the Program Advisory Commission for a local Advisory Council and a member of the Western Maryland Workforce Investment.

Bonnie Winders is an Attorney for her own business, Bonnie Winders, LLC Esq. She holds a B. S. from the University of Maryland and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Baltimore. Bonnie is a member of the Maryland Bar Association and the Washington County Bar Association.

Additionally, five board members have finished their term. The outgoing board members include Heather Guessford, Norma Kolson, Mike Zampelli, Nicole Alt-Meyers, and Stuart Czapski. McCain said, I cannot say enough about how much these board members have given to our organization. We appreciate each and every one of them for their wisdom, dedication, and time. They have worked tirelessly on our behalf, and we are very grateful for everything they have accomplished for Horizon Goodwill Industries.

About Horizon Goodwill

Goodwill has been rated #1 above the global brands Amazon and Google for the Brand World Value Rankings for 2016. Horizon Goodwill Industries, whose mission is Removing Barriers, Creating Opportunities, is a non-profit organization dedicated to ensuring that all people have access to employment despite significant obstacles. Horizon Goodwill serves over 5,000 clients annually in a 17 county region that includes parts of the states of Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia. For more information, please visit http://www.horizongoodwill.org
Atlanta's Trusted Source For Home Renovations Our new radio show helps Atlanta homeowners make smart investment decisions.

With the first show airing in January 2017, the Remodeling Expo Center Home Show with Shannon Burke is one of the most popular Saturday morning programs on Atlanta radio. With financial tips and design tricks, the show gives listeners up-to-date news on the latest trends in home remodeling.

Airing Saturday mornings from 9am to 10am on 106.7 FM, the show has quickly gathered a following of devoted listeners who want to learn more about their next big remodeling investment. Led by esteemed radio host Shannon Burke and President of Remodeling Expo Center John Hogan, the team answers tough questions about how homeowners should approach their remodeling plans.

As the Metro Atlanta population explodes at the fourth highest rate in the country, the city is attracting thousands of new homeowners each month. Among this growing market of buyers and sellers in Atlanta real estate, the demand for professional design services has increased tremendously in recent years.

Many of these homes havent been remodeled in decades. Theyre in desperate need of a modern facelift before hitting the market, says John Hogan. The suburban communities around Atlanta are filled with thousands of great homes, but in many cases, they still have the dated interior design elements we remember from thirty years ago like glossy countertops and linoleum flooring.

Todays homebuyers are looking for more contemporary styles, which is why there is so much value in remodeling services. Among this huge market of new and existing homeowners in the Atlanta area, Hogan explains that the main goal is to educate our listeners so they can make smart investments in the value of their homes.

Most remodeling services focus on three main parts of the home: kitchens, bathrooms, and basements. Much of the Remodeling Expo Center Home Show is devoted to tackling common homeowner questions related to these rooms. From financial considerations to popular design features, the radio duo gives an in-depth yet easy-to-understand analysis of the remodeling process. With before-and-after stories and comedic one-liners, the show is every bit as entertaining as it is informative.

The remodeling industry is also in a stage of rapid technological advancement. For the first time ever, designers have the chance to use 3D modeling software, virtual reality previews, and other innovative tech products to change the way homeowners think about their next remodeling project.

Many listeners dont realize just how much the industry has advanced in the past decade, explains Hogan. His company, Remodeling Expo Center, has been at the forefront of this technological revolution, giving homeowners the most advanced tools in the industry to preview their new indoor designs.

Each week, the radio show takes on new topics related to indoor remodeling for a weekly dose of home improvement tips. Tune in this week at News Radio 106.7 to hear the latest industry news. Listen to previous episodes online.

For more information, visit Remodeling Expo Center at their showroom in Downtown Roswell at 48 King Street, Roswell, Georgia 30075.

Submitted by ClickReady Marketing.
Indianapolis Personal Injury Attorney, Charlie Ward Understanding the appeal process is paramount for all litigated cases.

Once again, and for the thirteenth consecutive year, Charlie Ward, a top rated personal injury attorney, motorcycle accident lawyer and auto accident lawyer in Indianapolis, Indiana, has achieved Super Lawyers recognition. Ward has been representing catastrophically injured people since 1994 when he and his father, personal injury attorney and wrongful death lawyer, Donald W. Ward, recipient of the 2016 Indiana Bar Foundation Legendary Lawyer Award, opened the doors of their legal practice in Indianapolis, Ward & Ward Law Firm.

Super Lawyers is a Thomson Reuters rating service for lawyers who have earned a high-degree of respect by their legal peers and have enjoyed distinguished careers in their service to the legal profession. Combined with independent research, Super Lawyer candidates are nominated and evaluated by their peers. The objective of Super Lawyers is to shine a light on those attorneys, by state, who display excellence within their profession.

Ward, an experienced bus accident attorney and advocate for injured victims of trucking accidents, graduated cum laude from Butler University and received his law degree from the Indiana University School of Law located in Indianapolis in 1989. After graduation, Ward gained valuable insight to the legal experience when he clerked for the Honorable Justice Richard M. Givan at the Indiana Supreme Court. Understanding the appeal process is paramount for all litigated cases, stated Ward. I was fortunate to spend time as a clerk for Justice Richard M. Givan.

A co-author of Journeys Account Statute: Litigators Little-Known Friend, 35 Res Gestae 60 (1991), Ward is Lead Counsel Rated, ranked Top Personal Injury Attorney by AVVO, selected for inclusion in Best Lawyers in America, a U.S. News & World Report rating service, and has received the esteemed AV PreeminentPeer Review Rating by Martindale-Hubbell.

Wards practice also involves representing clients in nursing home neglect and abuse cases, pedestrian accident claims, railroad and aviation accident claims and wrongful death cases. If you or someone you know has been injured or killed in an accident caused by the negligence of another person or entity, call 2017 Super Lawyer and Indianapolis personal injury lawyer, Charlie Ward of Ward & Ward Law Firm at 317-639-9501 or toll free at 888-639-9501 for a free - no obligation - analysis of your claim.
NC Governor Roy Cooper and CG founder Christopher Guy Harrison at ribbon cutting ceremony; joined by IMC CEO Bob Maricich, High Point Councilor Jay Wagner, and CG head of Global Visuals John Spurlock High Point is a pivotal global furniture market with widespread recognition as an international buyers destination. It is an honor for us to be able to add such a distinct building to High Point's skyline. - Christopher Guy Harrison, Christopher Guy

Luxury lifestyle brand Christopher Guy (CG) hosted a series of events during High Point Market to commemorate its decennial anniversary. The pinnacle event was the unveiling of the new CG showroom in downtown High Point, held on Friday, April 21.

North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper and CG founder Christopher Guy Harrison cut the ribbon to inaugurate the brands 20,000 square foot showroom. High Point Councilor Jay Wagner, IMC CEO Bob Maricich, and CGs Head of Global Visuals John Spurlock joined the pair during the ribbon cutting ceremony to mark the celebration with a champagne toast. The event was attended by notable dignitaries from High Point's Market Authority, High Point Visitors and Convention Bureau, High Point University and High Point Economic Development Corporation.

After the ceremony, the Governor and Mr. Harrison toured the two-story showroom, viewing many of CGs new signature designs, including over 50 just-released pieces to debut at High Point Spring Market. The Governor found the showroom impressive.

Governor Cooper stated, I am honored to be here at this ribbon cutting for this amazing building. This is the place to be for furniture and furniture manufacturing. High Point is North Carolina's window to the world of furniture.

This building is a realization of a dream of having our own showroom in the epicenter of the world's furniture capital, said Mr. Harrison. Thanks to our tremendous partnership with International Market Centers, our dreams have become a reality.

Councilman Wagner said, "I wish to congratulate Christopher Guy for the 10th anniversary and salute you for innovation. We are proud that you chose to have this jewel of a showroom in High Point and we are proud to be here today."

High Point is a pivotal global furniture market with widespread recognition as an international buyers destination, continued Mr. Harrison. It is an honor for us to be able to add such a distinct building to High Point's skyline.

The Governor concluded, This grand opening of this free standing showroom shows that we need to keep pushing forward, creating those jobs and making sure that the world knows that this is the place to be for the best furniture in the world. He then raised his champagne flute and said to Mr. Harrison, Thank you for letting me be a part of this.

Photos and a drone-captured video of the event are available for media usage. The video can be accessed at https://tinyurl.com/CGHP2017-Video. For more information or for links to images, please contact Birgit C Muller at birgit.muller(at)christopherguy(dot)com.

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CourXam is an innovative educational product developed by Excelsior College and Cengage that addresses the critical concerns of todays higher education students: portability, convenience, and affordability.

The Center for Educational Measurement at Excelsior College and Cengage, an education and technology company, have partnered to launch CourXam, a personalized, portable, and mobile platform for students who are looking for a new way to earn college credit.

CourXam (pronounced korzam) is an innovative educational product developed by Excelsior College and Cengage that addresses the critical concerns of todays higher education students: portability, convenience, and affordability, said Nurit Sonnenschein, General Manager of Excelsiors Center for Educational Measurement. A CourXam is a college option where a student can learn when they want and how they want  on their laptop, their tablet and even their phone.

The first five CourXams developed will be focused on Criminal Justice and can be used toward earning a degree in Criminal Justice at Excelsior College. In 2018, MBA CourXams will also become available. Each are built to the exacting specifications of a team of Criminal Justice professors from several colleges, including Excelsior College. They include all the learning materials used in college courses, but are designed for independent, adult learners who dont have the time or inclination to attend regular class sessions.

Online learning has proven to be a tremendous resource for students who have a busy lifestyle or are unable to attend traditional campus-based programs. CourXams open up access to even more working professionals who need additional college credits or a degree for a job or workplace advancement, said Lori Hales, Senior Vice President of Institutional Sales, Cengage.

Some of the key features include:



Portability: a CourXam can be accessed anywhere, anytime on a laptop, iPad, tablet, smartphone;

Personalization: a CourXam gives the learner the opportunity to test out of what they already know so they can focus only on material they need to learn;

Flexibility: unlike traditional college courses which force the student to engage on a predetermined schedule, with a Courxam, the learner can study lessons when they choose;

Affordability: the cost for each of the criminal justice CourXams is just $450, which includes all the learning materials, an e-book, a full-length practice exam, and the college credit exam.

This product is the culmination of a unique partnership between Excelsior Colleges Center for Educational Measurement, that develops exams for college credit, and Cengage, providers of market-leading textbooks in the collegiate Criminal Justice market. It required the efforts of some of the leading educational, instructional design and tech experts in the country, explained Sonnenschein. We were seeking ways to enhance our exam product by providing a supportive learning environment that maintains the self-directed pace and flexibility that exam takers want; and Cengage was seeking a way to provide high quality, digitally-based, college-level learning materials that could be used by anyone, anywhere, even if they werent enrolled in college.

To learn more about CourXam and its offerings, visit explore.excelsior.edu/courxam.html.

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About Excelsior College

Excelsior College (excelsior.edu) is a regionally accredited, nonprofit online college focused on helping adults complete their degrees and advance their careers. The College contributes to the development of a diverse, educated, and career-ready society by valuing lifelong learning with an emphasis on serving individuals historically underrepresented in higher education. Founded in 1971, Excelsior meets students where they are - academically and geographically - removing obstacles to the educational goals of adults pursuing continuing education and degree completion. Our pillars include innovation, flexibility, academic excellence, and integrity. Learn more at excelsior.edu.

About Cengage

Cengage is the education and technology company built for learners. The company serves the higher education, K-12, professional, library and workforce training markets worldwide. Cengage creates learning experiences that build confidence and momentum toward the future students want. The company is headquartered in Boston, MA with an office hub in San Francisco. Employees reside in nearly 40 countries with sales in more than 125 countries around the world. Visit us at http://www.cengage.com or find us on Facebook or Twitter.
New Surface Mount Manufacturing Space

Annapolis Micro Systems, a leading FPGA board and systems supplier, is hosting a 35th Anniversary Seminar and Open House at its Annapolis, Maryland headquarters on June 8, 2017. The event is free and is open for registration for all customers, partners, and prospects. Register here.

This year  our 35th  is our busiest yet, said Noah Donaldson, Annapolis Micro Systems VP of Product Development. We are shipping more boards and systems for more programs than ever before. We just expanded our manufacturing by 8,000 square feet to accommodate the demand from our Radar, Electronic Warfare, and Signal Intelligence customers.

The event will include a Seminar and an Open House. Attendees are welcome to attend either one or both.

The Seminar (limited to 20 people) starts in the morning and includes lunch. It includes short informative presentations on these topics:



Leveraging Zynq UltraScale+ MPSoC and Other Latest Innovation from Xilinx and Intel Altera

Tactics for Establishing & Maintaining Synchronicity in Signal Processing

Application Programming Tips & Tricks

Whats coming? 100Gb EcoSystem, Stratix 10, Open Project Builder Upgrades, 10+GSps ADC/DAC

The Open House (limited to 50) starts in the afternoon and includes finger foods, drinks, and these demos:

Surface Mount Manufacturing Demos in new expanded space

Product Demos, including our new WILDSTAR UltraKVP ZP Boards and Forced-Air, Conduction-Cooled 3U Chassis

Registration is required. See the agenda and register here: https://www.annapmicro.com/rsvp/

Annapolis Micro Systems was incorporated in 1982 as a services-based company, with two employees, including our president, Jane (Jenny) Donaldson. Early customers included Comsat and IBM.

Developing and prototyping products for other companies enabled Annapolis to gain expertise in printed circuit board design, software design, processor architectures, FPGA processing, and surface mount manufacturing. Annapolis was one of the first companies to harness the power of Xilinx FPGAs.

Today, Annapolis maintains a WILD40 EcoSystem for 6U & 3U OpenVPX and PCIe. Elements of the EcoSystem include:

FPGA Mainboards  Utilize Xilinx and Intel/Altera FPGAs for maximum performance and bandwidth

Mezzanine Cards  Featuring WFMC+ -enabled high density ADC and DAC solutions

Storage Boards  Up to 34 TB of capacity and 10-14 GB/s bandwidth in a single slot

Chassis and Backplanes  100Gb bandwidth coming soon!

Programming Tools  Accelerate your time to market  efficiently utilize your IP or ours.
GiftCardGranny.com In the past, the large demand and high volume of discounted gift card inventory in the marketplaces has brought heightened risks of fraud when people are looking to buy or sell a card, said Jason Wolfe, Gift Card Granny CEO.

Gift Card Granny (http://www.giftcardgranny.com), the largest and most trusted consumer meta website for buying and selling discounted gift cards, today announced its initiative with the National Cyber-Forensics and Training Alliance. The National Cyber-Forensics & Training Alliance is one of the most recognized and respected cybercrime research and prevention organizations in the world. The joint effort will further increase consumer safety through actively reducing the potential for fraud and cyber theft.

Online fraud, particularly using stolen or compromised credit, debit and gift cards, is a growing concern for retailers and law enforcement alike. Gift Card Granny and the NCFTA have joined forces to preemptively prevent and reduce fraud in the $100 billion gift card industry. Actionable data indicating high risk attributes will be available to merchants, banks, financial institutions, and online gift card sellers to mitigate losses and deter bad actors.

Millions of consumers are now buying unwanted and discounted gift cards to join in on the savings. As the leader in the discount gift card marketplace, Gift Card Granny is taking an additional step forward by teaming up with the NCFTA to prevent and track criminal behavior. This joint effort seeks to protect consumers and improve business profitability for partners and retailers by reducing losses due to fraud and theft.

We are very pleased to work with Gift Card Granny in this proactive effort to identify systemic risks to businesses and consumers while also helping to provide protection and clarity to those looking to save money while shopping, said Matt LaVigna, NCTFA President & CEO. The fact that we are joining forces to thwart cybercrime with a fellow Pittsburgh tech company makes it even more exciting."

In close collaboration with its partners, Gift Card Granny pioneered the first Consumer Protection Guidelines for gift card exchange to ensure positive customer experiences. Enhanced fraud prevention tools empower participating Granny Partners with access to 100s of millions of data records to circumvent fraud before it occurs. The discount gift card industry generates hundreds of millions of dollars of annual revenue and is led by major Granny Partners including CardPool and CardCash. This initiative will be a major step forward in fraud prevention and consumer protection.

In the past, the large demand and high volume of discounted gift card inventory in the marketplaces has brought heightened risks of fraud when people are looking to buy or sell a card, said Jason Wolfe, Gift Card Granny CEO. In the future, the alliance with NCFTA and incorporating cutting-edge information sharing into our Gift Card Granny dashboards will lead to an overall safer experience for our deal seekers and a more positive customer experience at the retailers site or store."

Also headquartered in Pittsburgh, PA, since 2002, the NCFTA is a professional non-profit organization with a leadership team handpicked for their depth of experience in financial institutions, retail brand protection, and technology. Often working alongside law enforcement, the NCFTA leverages domestic and international assets to identify, mitigate, and ultimately disrupt cyber threats to prevent fraud. The NCFTAs successful efforts have led to the recent creation of satellite offices in New York City and Los Angeles.

The alliance is a proactive effort to deter fraud and illegal activity in the gift card industry. The NCFTA estimates $1.8 billion dollars a year in fraud is perpetrated by cyber criminals using stolen credit and debit credentials to launder money through the purchase of legitimate goods. In the gift card industry, that equates to a fraudster using a stolen credit card to purchase gift cards from a popular retailer in hopes of flipping them to an online exchange for a quick payout. By having innovative real-time tools, comprehensive relationships, and information exchange between retailers and its partners, Gift Card Granny will help to alert online exchanges before they purchase fraudulent gift cards, identifying and reducing the risk of fraud to shoppers.

About Gift Card Granny

Gift Card Granny has been saving shoppers money since 2009. Originally founded as the first online gift card meta website, Granny has grown from a single person operation to a team of over 30 employees. Today, Gift Card Granny is the largest and most trusted discount gift card aggregator on the Internet  with 400,000+ daily gift card deals and over 15 million visitors a year. Customers may buy gift cards at a discount or sell their unwanted cards for cash.

About NCFTA

The NCFTA (http://www.ncfta.net) is devoted to identifying, mitigating, and neutralizing cybercrime threats on a global scale. One of its main roles consists of conducting real-time information sharing and analysis with Subject Matter Experts in the public, private, and academic sectors. In this way, the organization proactively identifies cyber threats to help partners take preventive measures to mitigate those threats.
Gregory Hold at the Trader's Expo New York We take pride in the strength of our compliance and anti-manipulative trading programs at the firm. I enjoyed showcasing our capabilities in trading surveillance, regulation, and compliance program management.

Gregory Hold, CEO of Hold Brothers Capital, LLC was a featured speaker at the 2017 Traders Expo in Manhattan, where he gave a presentation on, Catching Market Manipulation in the Day Trading World - Regulatory Concerns and Challenges Ahead. He covered best practices for compliance surveillance programs and insights from his 23 years of executive operations in the industry.

The expo brought the country's top trading pros together to discuss the newest developments in the trading industry, including software and trading techniques. Gregory spoke at 4:30 PM on Day 2 of the conference on center stage, where he stressed the importance of staying ahead of trading trends, implementing innovative reporting mechanisms to catch out of the ordinary trading activity, and instilling a culture of compliance across all departments.

Hold Brothers CEO, Gregory Hold, We take pride in the strength of our compliance and anti-manipulative trading programs at the firm. I enjoyed showcasing our capabilities in trading surveillance, regulation, and compliance program management.

About Hold Brothers

Hold Brothers is a leader in providing equities traders with the tools and information they need to execute trades quickly, effectively and efficiently, in any market environment. Since 1994, Hold Brothers has been committed to developing flexible and cutting-edge technology designed to meet the changing demands of the global trading industry. For more information, please visit: http://www.hold.com.

*Hold Brothers is the marketing name for Hold Brothers Capital, LLC (a registered broker-dealer and a FINRA member) and its affiliates. All securities activities and transactions are handled through Hold Brothers Capital, LLC.

For more information contact:

(Vera Shulgina, vshulgina(at)hold.com, 646-745-2112)
A critique Pope Francis in The Political Pope and a defense of witchcraft in Woman Most Wild are among the big religion and spirituality books publishing in May.

Nonfiction

May 1

From Superficial to Significant: What It Means to Become Great in Gods Eyes by David Chadwick (Harvest House, $13.99 paper, ISBN 978-0-7369-6731-0). Chadwick, a pastor, defines success according to Christian values and explores the first steps toward finding it.

May 2

The Political Pope: How Pope Francis Is Delighting the Liberal Left and Abandoning Conservatives by George Neumayr Center Street, $27, ISBN 978-1-4555-7016-4). Neumayr argues that Pope Franciss positions alienate many Catholics and dilute the churchs teachings.

Calm Cure by Sandy C. Newbigging (Hay House, $15.99 paper, ISBN 978-1-4019-5335-5) posits that problems are caused by unconscious conflict and outlines a technique that can clear the mind.

When Did Everybody Else Get So Old? by Jennifer Grant (Herald, $16.99 paper, ISBN 978-1-5138-0131-5). Grant, former health and family columnist for the Chicago Tribune, examines the transitions of midlife.

May 7

Keeping Place: Reflections on the Meaning of Home by Jen Pollock Michel (InterVarsity, $16 paper, ISBN 978-0-8308-4490-6) connects the longing for home and the common experience of homesickness to the story of the Bible.

May 16

Finding the Lost Art of Empathy by Tracy Wilde (Howard, $24.99, ISBN 978-1-5011-5629-8) examines why humans struggle with showing empathy toward others and what it means for todays society.

Objects of Devotion: Religion in Early America by Peter Manseau (Smithsonian, $29.95, ISBN 978-1-58834-592-9) is a companion to a Smithsonian National Museum of American History exhibition on religion in the United States as told through objects.

Fighting Buddha: A Story of Martial Arts, Buddhism, Kicking Ass and Saving It by Jeff Eisenberg (Findhorn, $14.99 paper, ISBN 978-1-84409-722-7). Eisenbergs memoir compares his 40-year martial arts career with meditation training and 25 years of Buddhist practice; the book explores both practices.

Woman Most Wild: Three Keys to Liberating the Witch Within by Danielle Dulsky (New World Library, $15.95 paper, ISBN 978-1-60868-466-3) makes a case for witchcraft as a spiritual path that rejects religious dogma in favor of female empowerment.

As Kingfishers Catch Fire: A Conversation on the Ways of God Formed by the Words of God by Eugene H. Peterson (WaterBrook, $24.99, ISBN 978-1-60142-967-4) is a collection of teachings on the Christian life and how Scripture informs ones relationship with Christ.

What Is the Bible?: How an Ancient Library of Poems, Letters, and Stories Can Transform the Way You Think and Feel About Everything by Rob Bell (HarperOne, $27.99; ISBN 978-0-06-219426-8) explores the people behind biblical stories and the questions and concerns they encountered. 100,000-copy announced first printing.

May 30

Disarming Beauty: Essays on Faith, Truth, and Freedom by Julian Carron (Univ. of Notre Dame, $25, ISBN 978-0-268-10197-8) is the English translation of a collection of essays by the Catholic priest and theologian from Spain. The essays focus on challenges found in modern society.

Fiction

May 1

Journey Toward Home by Carol Cox (Barbour, $9.99 paper, ISBN 978-1-68322-182-1) is about a young woman named Judith who is abandoned along the Santa Fe Trail in search of a relative and a new place to live. On the trail she meets a motley crew of cowboys who offer to help.

May 2

True to You by Becky Wade (Bethany, $13.99 paper, 978-0-7642-1936-8) follows a romance writer named Nora Bradford who hesitates when given an opportunity to experience falling in love in real life.

May 9

Fatal Mistake by Susan Sleeman (FaithWords, $14.99 paper, ISBN 978-1-4555-9646-1) follows Cal Riggins, an FBI agent struggling to both protect an endangered witness and avoid falling in love with her.
Blythe, CA (92225)

Today

Considerable clouds this evening. Some decrease in clouds late. Low around 60F. Winds SW at 15 to 25 mph. Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph..

Tonight

Considerable clouds this evening. Some decrease in clouds late. Low around 60F. Winds SW at 15 to 25 mph. Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph.
Kevin and Karen Urick are touring the Quad-Cities one meal at a time for the column Dinner for Two. The Geneseo couple love everything about food. They grow food, travel the world for food, enjoy eating all styles of food and look forward to sharing their passion with readers! The column will appear periodically in the Life section. If you know of a place you want them to review, email them at quadcitiesrestaurants@gmail.com.

-- Barrel House, 685 Avenue of the Cities, Suite 4, Silvis, IL, 309-281-1472

A barrel house is a warehouse to store spirits at distilleries. They use varying sizes of barrels, some of which have very funny names. The Firkin holds nine gallons, the Hogshead holds 54 gallons and the Butt holds 108 gallons. In the Quad-Cities, Barrel House is a great restaurant and bar where spirits are served and the food sized by the name of the barrel.

The vision for Barrel House began in the Quad-Cities with two local guys, friends Michael DeWitte and Jimmy Holt. Michael had managed several local restaurants and had a vision as to what a good restaurant should look like and Jimmy was a local business owner. They combined their talents and the Barrel House concept was born.

The first restaurant was in downtown Davenport, opening on the first day of the Bix Fest in 2011. In the beginning, Michael was on the line as the chef and everything was hands on. Today, they leave much of the day to day operations in the likable hands of Abraham Blair, the director of operations.

Their restaurant filled a niche in the Quad-Cities restaurant scene -- a locally owned pub that concentrated on food and fun. As one of their coasters states: Traveling through lifes journey youll come to many forks, we suggest you grab the ones at the Barrel House and enjoy!

The Barrel House now has expanded to five locations. Eighteen months after the first one opened they opened the downtown Moline location; next came the Davenport location on Utica Road in May 2015; followed by the Silvis location in May 2016 and their newest one in Dubuque, which opened in late 2016. We visited their Silvis location at the east end of Avenue of the Cities. The menu is the same at each one, but they all have their own individual vibe. As with most local restaurants they care for their employees as much as they do the business. We recently attended a benefit at their Moline location for one of their employees diagnosed with cancer.

Walking into a Barrel House, you know you are in for a good time. From the servers to the food, they want you to enjoy the experience. Their varied menu is a step up from most bar food. The appetizer section with 14 choices, ranging in price from $5 to $9, is filled with unique items. They are all half price after 9 p.m. Favorites include chicken twists, a twisted version of an egg roll and firecracker shrimp, jumbo fried shrimp tossed in boom boom sauce. We are not sure what is in this mayonnaise/sriracha-tasting sauce, but we do know it adds zip to wake up your taste buds.

Being mushroom lovers we were intrigued to try the portobello mushroom fries recommended by our server Ashley. The battered to order fries were served with a Caesar sauce and were delicious.

One of the things that sets this place apart is their selection of homemade sauces. You can choose from buttermilk ranch, firecracker ranch, cucumber wasabi, tangy Caesar, boom boom, chipotle mayonnaise and sweet Thai chili. Our favorite was the cucumber wasabi. The cooling cucumber balanced out the wasabi and really complimented the food.

Their extensive menu has a category for every taste. You can choose from a list of their favorites or tacos and quesadillas, pub burgers, build your own burgers, chicken specialties, salads and wraps, flatbreads and signature sandwiches.

Fans of their firecracker shrimp, we ordered their firecracker shrimp salad for $12.95, in a futile attempt to channel our inner healthy side. It comes with bleu cheese crumbles, tomatoes, bacon and cucumbers topped with fried shrimp and crispy onion rings with their homemade firecracker ranch dressing. It was a great combination of flavors, and we had to share it down the middle.

We had trouble deciding among the many tempting burgers on the menu, so we chose to build our own. Divided into 4 easy steps you begin by choosing your size by the barrel. The Firkin is a 1/4 pound single patty burger, the Hogshead a 1/2 pound two patty burger and the Big Butt a 3/4 pound three patty burger. Fearful the Big Butt might be prophetic we opted for the Hogshead. Step 2 is the bread. You can choose from brioche, pretzel, onion, ciabatta and gluten free, most of which are sourced from a local bakery. Step 3 is the cheese. Step 4 are the extra toppings for 50 cents each. Since the burger was only $8.75 and comes with fries, we chose to add the sriracha slaw for just the right amount of texture and spice.

To live up to their namesake, they have to have a great selection of spirits to complement the food. With 11 beers on tap, hand picked by the manager at each location, they have plenty to choose from. The General Manager at the Sivis location, Anne Marie Tank, suggested the Stone Brewing, Tangerine Express, an American IPA with hints of tangerine and orange. It is great they are now explaining beers like they do wine. With the Kentucky Derby on the near horizon it is the time of year to have a mint julep. They make an excellent version with Woodford Bourbon, the choice of Derby fans.

Open from 11 a.m. to midnight daily, with the bar open until 2 a.m., there is plenty of time to visit. They have lunch specials from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. priced between $6.50 and $7.50.

The Silvis location has seating for around 100 inside and 40 on their great patio with a fire pit. Having visited all of their locations except Dubuque, we really enjoy both the atmosphere and food. It is definitely one of the best places to lift your spirits!

He said: The portobello mushroom fries were a great start to our friendly, relaxed meal. The varied menu, quality of food, and an attentive staff will keep the Barrel House at the top of your list.

She said: It is all about the sauce. You can have great burgers, salads, appetizers, sandwiches and fries a lot of places, it is their homemade sauces that take these up to the next level.
NEW YORK  As a vampire slayer, Sarah Michelle Gellar learned the value of an old-fashioned wooden stake. As a mom of two children, she's still pretty handy with a good stick  only this time it's in the kitchen.

Gellar skewers all kinds of things in her new cookbook, "Stirring Up Fun with Food ," making appetizing-looking chicken fingers, fondues, fruit slices, sliders, cake pops and even a Caesar salad.

The former star of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" also embraces muffin tins, cookie cutters, jars and some nifty knife work  all part of her effort to get kids to eat their veggies and try new flavors.

"We eat with our eyes first and a lot of decisions are made just by looking at something," she said. "A child, an adult, anyone, looks at asparagus and says, 'I don't want to eat that. I'm going to go and eat a cupcake.' So how do you make things more visibly appealing?"

Gellar and co-author Gia Russo think they have the answer with something called food crafting, which elevates a dish's appeal by using clever presentation. Think of boring old meat loaf as a cute muffin.

In their book, mashed potatoes are put in shot glasses, bat-shaped mozzarella is baked for Halloween and chili is spooned into mason jars. Those weird asparagus are baked in panko crumbs.

One clever way Gellar gets fruit or vegetables into her kids' stomach is by using cookie cutters to cut letters out of cucumbers or watermelon, assembling words and then sending her kids to school with edible notes ("I Love You" or "Great Job!").

"Let me tell you how fast those vegetables go," Gellar said.

She also substitutes roasted, Parmesan-flavored cauliflower for popcorn for snacking in front of the TV. "You're getting that same sensation, that same satisfaction, right, but you're getting a nutritional value at the same time."

Gellar, who with her husband, Freddie Prinze Jr., have two children, Charlotte, 7, and Rocky, 4, is passionate about food and nutrition, urging kids to learn about different foods early and help in the kitchen.

Cooking, she said, teaches gross motor skills, math, science and vocabulary. "More than that: It's about time spent together. People will say, 'My child is too young.' You're never too young. My daughter will say to my son, 'OK, we need three cups. Which one is the three, Rocky?' He just points to the three."

Karen Murgolo, who worked on the book as editorial director of the Grand Central Life & Style imprint, said she was impressed by Gellar's creativity and concern for portion control, nutrition and creating food for people on the go. "It's great for parents of kids anywhere from 1 1/2 to 17, but I think 80 percent of the recipes could be served at any dinner party, honestly."

Gellar's interest in better ingredients and sustainable food policies has led her, Galit Laibow and Greg Fleishman to start their own business, Foodstirs, a non-GMO line of baking mixes free of artificial preservatives, flavors and colors that's ethically sourced.

She was prompted to act after being frustrated by the lack of change in supermarket baking mix boxes, which often have salt as the second ingredient or add red dye in a yellow cake mix.

"There's been so much attention on the perimeter of the grocery store  juices and cleanses and fruits and vegetables. Then you go into the interior and it's kind of really antiquated. I thought, 'This is wrong,'" she said.

With her business, Gellar joins other actresses like Gwyneth Paltrow, Gwen Stefani and Jessica Alba who have shown a strong entrepreneurial drive after establishing themselves.

"I think that there's a safety net that we have because we've achieved so much. I've achieved more than I ever thought I would achieve. So everything else becomes gravy and I think it makes you braver," said Gellar, who lives in Los Angeles.

"It makes you not rely so much on the negative comments. It makes you really sort of feel like, 'You know what? I'm going to try it and if it doesn't work out, that's OK because I'm happy with everything I've done.'"

One thing she won't do is help reboot her old Buffy role, saying fans of the Joss Whedon-created show will be upset whether she backs it or not. She called it a "no-win situation."

"I think that the show lives on in graphic novels, in fan fiction. And it lives on because people are still discovering it and still watching it, which means they're happy with it. If it ain't broke, I'm not going to be the one to offer to fix it."
CHICAGO (AP)  A Cook County judge has pleaded not guilty to federal fraud charges accusing her of lying to obtain mortgages for Chicago investment properties.

Judge Jessica O'Brien entered her plea during a brief hearing Wednesday in federal court in Chicago during which she was formally charged.

O'Brien is accused of lying and concealing relevant facts from lenders to obtain more than $1.4 million in mortgages. The mortgages were obtained for properties she purchased and sold between 2004 and 2007.

Also Wednesday the office of the county's chief judge said the court's executive committee decided Tuesday to order O'Brien to stop hearing cases and reassigned her to administrative duties. She was assigned to non-judicial duties immediately after she was charged.
WHEATON, Ill. (AP)  A suburban Chicago man has been charged in the fatal shooting last week of a semi-trailer truck driver on Interstate-88 near Oak Brook.

Illinois State Police announced Tuesday that road rage was behind shooting of 43-year-old Eduardo Munoz of Sunshine, Florida by 34-year-old Anthony Tillmon of Lansing.

State police in a statement said an investigation found no apparent ties between the men.

Munoz was driving east on Interstate 88 on Friday when a shot was fired at the truck from another vehicle, striking him. He was able to pull off the highway onto the shoulder. The Oak Brook Fire Department took Munoz to Elmhurst Hospital where he later died.

Tillmon is being held at DuPage County jail. It wasn't immediately known if he has legal representation.
Rasmea Odeh, 69, will be deported to Jordan or another country in the months ahead. Supporters traveled to Detroit from Chicago to pack the courtroom, and many were in tears later on the courthouse steps.

Odeh was convicted at trial in 2014 and sentenced to 18 months in prison, but the verdict was overturned. A second trial was planned in Detroit, the city where she went through the citizenship process in 2004, before she decided to accept a plea deal.

But even with the plea agreement, Odeh found it impossible to say the word "guilty" when repeatedly asked by U.S. District Judge Gershwin Drain. He gave up and accepted her reply that she had admitted her crime in the court document.

"I signed this," Odeh said.

She won't spend any time in prison and will wait for U.S. immigration officials to tell her when she must leave the country. The deportation won't happen until after she appears in court in August.

"The United States will never be a safe haven for individuals seeking to distance themselves from their pasts," said Steve Francis, special agent in charge of Homeland Security investigations in Detroit.

In 1970, Odeh was convicted of two bombings in Israel, including one that killed two young men at a supermarket in Jerusalem. She insists she was tortured into confessing. She was sentenced to life in prison but was released in 1979 as part of a prisoner swap with the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine.

With family in Michigan, she applied for a U.S. visa in 1994 but didn't disclose her criminal record. She also didn't disclose it when she applied for citizenship in 2004. Her record would have disqualified her from entering the U.S.

In the plea agreement with prosecutors, Odeh said she made the false statements "intentionally and not as a result of any mistake, post-traumatic stress disorder or any other psychological issue or condition or for any innocent reason."

In Chicago, Odeh has worked as associate director of the Arab American Action Network, which provides social services and education. She is widely respected for her work with immigrants, especially Arab women.

Hatem Abudayyeh, director of the organization, told Odeh's allies outside the courthouse that she's guilty only of "dedicating over 50 years of her life to the liberation of Palestine."

Before the guilty plea, a Detroit-area man held a sign outside to honor Leon Kanner and Eddie Joffe, the victims of the 1969 supermarket bombing.

"I'm out here for the families," Dan Cutler, 65, said.
HAMPTON -- Village officials on Monday voted 4-1 against allowing a proposed Casey's General Store.

Trustee Matt King cast the lone dissenting vote. The property sits across Illinois 84 from Porter's Village, a convenience store at 621 State Ave. operated by Dick Porter for 37 years. A second convenience store, South Hampton Service, is located at 638 S. State Ave.

About 100 people packed the Heritage Center for Monday's meeting, an overwhelmingly number opposed to the Casey's proposal. Two speakers were near tears while expressing support of Mr. Porter, citing his contributions to Hampton.

Opponents to the proposal said the village of 1,900 wasn't large enough to support three businesses essentially supplying the same products and services. If one were to close, they said, buried gas tanks would require expensive environmental cleanup before any other business development could occur.

Ben Samuelson, appearing on behalf of Casey's, acknowledged the audience's emotional response but said the proposed site had the exact same zoning as Porter's Village. He said the board's decision was a legal one and trustees were obligated to decide on that basis. He also said the store would benefit Hampton's sales tax revenue.

Chris Bornhoeft, a Hampton Zoning Board member read part of the village code stating that the designation of Casey's as an "integrated shopping center" must demonstrate a need for the proposed location "by means of market studies and such other evidence as the planning commission may require."

Trustee-elect Steffanie Adams said any new sales tax generated by Casey's would be offset by the loss of existing businesses. That loss also would affect property values and real estate taxes, she said.

In other action the board:

-- Approved an ordinance prohibiting wells as a potable water source within the village limits; existing wells with be grandfathered in unless an inspection deems them contaminated.

-- Delayed accepting bids to remodel the police department's evidence room until a second set of bids could be obtained.
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Wabtec Corp., in reporting results for 2017s first quarter, noted that higher Transit Group sales offset lower Freight Group figures. The company also affirmed financial guidance for 2017.

Sales for the first quarter were $916 million, with higher sales in the Transit Group increasing mainly due to the Faiveley Transport acquisition, while Freight Group sales were affected mainly by lower revenues from train control-related equipment and services, and lower industry deliveries of new freight cars and locomotives, Wabtec noted. Changes in foreign exchange rates reduced sales by $25 million compared to the year-ago quarter.

Income from operations in the first quarter was $115 million, including restructuring and transaction expenses of $8.9 million related mainly to the Faiveley integration and ongoing cost reduction activities. Net interest and other expense was $15 million in the first quarter, reflecting a higher debt balance due to the Faiveley acquisition. Income tax expense was $27 million in the first quarter, with an effective tax rate of 27.6%. This included an expense of $2.1 million for an adjustment related to the Faiveley acquisition.

Earnings per diluted share in the first quarter were 77 cents. Wabtec said the net effect of the restructuring and transaction expenses, tax adjustment and non-controlling interest related to the Faiveley acquisition reduced earnings per diluted share by 7 cents. On March 31, the company had cash of $280 million and debt of $1.87 billion.

Wabtec affirmed its 2017 financial guidance, with revenues expected to be about $4.1 billion and adjusted earnings per diluted share expected to be between $3.95 and $4.15, excluding expected restructuring and transaction expenses, and non-controlling interest related to the Faiveley acquisition. Due to the ramp up of projects already in backlog and the timing of synergies from the Faiveley acquisition, the company expects its quarterly results to improve sequentially during the rest of the year, Wabtec said. Wabtec estimates synergies from the acquisition to be about $15 million to $20 million in 2017, with long-term synergies expected to exceed $50 million.

During the quarter, Wabtec acquired the remaining shares of Faiveley Transport and made progress on the integration. Wabtec also acquired Aero Transportation Products, a manufacturer of hatch covers and outlet gates for freight cars with annual sales of about $40 million; and announced the signing of a $97 million contract to provide signaling and communications services to TEX Rail, a new commuter rail line being developed by the Fort Worth Transportation Authority. Following the end of the quarter, Wabtec acquired Thermal Transfer, a manufacturer of heat exchangers for industrial markets, with annual sales of about $25 million; and Semvac, a European-based manufacturer of sanitation systems for transit vehicles, with annual sales of about $15 million.

Our first quarter adjusted earnings were in line with expectations, and we expect improvement during the year, said Wabtec President and CEO Raymond T. Betler. As we work to integrate Faiveley and our other recent acquisitions, we are managing our costs aggressively based on market conditions. We continue to invest in our balanced growth strategies and expect to benefit from our diversified business model and rigorous application of the Wabtec Excellence Program.

Explore the challenges, issues and trends affecting the North American Rail Market  click here to REGISTER NOW for Railway Ages Third Annual RAIL INSIGHTS Conference, June7-8 at the Union League Club, Chicago.
Carlos Rojas, who is expected to become Chief of Police for Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) within the next two months, will have his work cut out for him. He will be dealing with what appears to be an emerging crime problem: Old West-style ambush train robberies.

According to The San Francisco Chronicle, A recent string of robberies on BART trains took a frightening turn when dozens of juveniles swarmed an Oakland station over the weekend and commandeered a train car, forcing passengers to hand over bags and cell phones and leaving at least two with head injuries  BART did not immediately publicize the incidentthe first of its kind in recent memoryafter it occurred around 9:30 p.m. [April 23] at the Coliseum Station.

According to a police summary reviewed by The Chronicle, witnesses said 50 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. At least two victims suffered head/facial injuries requiring medical attention. The teenagers were able to retreat from the station and vanish into the surrounding East Oakland neighborhood before BART officers could respond. The train that was hit was held for about 15 minutes as authorities investigated the crime and tended to the injured.

A series of robberies on BART trains in recent weeks has prompted the agency to increase patrols, though this was apparently the first takeover-style heist  The agency has struggled to contain fare evaders, and is in the midst of installing surveillance cameras in train cars. Why? Because The Chronicle reported that most of the existing cameras were decoys.

Rojas, described by BART as the agencys first Latino Chief of Police, appears to be cut out for the job. According to an agency press release, he is a recipient of multiple law enforcement Medals of Valor, and is bilingual in English and Spanish. He holds a Master of Science in Criminal Justice from Chapman University, and a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from California State University, Long Beach, with additional professional training at the FBI National Academy. Rojas brings 27 years of extensive experience and leadership in community policing. He comes to BART from the Santa Ana Police Department, where he served the past five years as chief. He is an advocate and educator in community-oriented policing practices, having taught the practices to national police forces in Central America and mentored college students.

The police department has been moving in the right direction, and I am confident that our new chief will accelerate our efforts to increase the visibility of police officers on our trains and in our stations, said BART General Manager Grace Crunican. I have asked the new chief to focus attention on our police recruitment practices to ensure the department is able to hire a full complement of officers.

Rojas appointment is contingent upon successful completion of psychological exams and a satisfactory background check, which could take up to 30 days to complete. His start date is still to be determined but will likely be sometime in late May or early June, BART said.

Explore the challenges, issues and trends affecting the North American Rail Market  click here to REGISTER NOW for Railway Ages Third Annual RAIL INSIGHTS Conference, June7-8 at the Union League Club, Chicago.
CN has renamed its national employee training center in Winnipeg after former President and CEO Claude Mongeau.

Opened in 2014, the CN Claude Mongeau National Training Centre campus in Winnipeg provides consistent, quality training with a modern curriculum, coupled with skilled instructors, for jobs ranging from conductor to track maintainer, and car mechanic to supervisor, CN said. Employees receive hands-on training in learning laboratories with equipment such as locomotive, crane, and signals and communication simulators. Outdoor labs with dedicated rolling stock and other equipment for field training are also appreciated by the employees attending the facilities.

Under Claudes leadership, we built two state-of-the-art employee training centers where a new generation of railroaders learn the skills they need for a safe and successful career at CN, said President and CEO Luc Jobin. Claude valued our commitment to safety above all, and the training centers are vital in instilling and maintaining that strong commitment to safety in our thousands of new railroaders as well as veteran employees. The training centers and their part in advancing CNs goal to become the safest railway in North America are a major part of Claudes enduring legacy.

Mongeau joined CN in 1994, was the companys Chief Financial Officer for 11 years, and President and CEO from 2010 until he stepped down for health reasons at the end of June 2016. I am truly honored that the Winnipeg National Training Centre will bear my name, as this facility is a cornerstone of CNs commitment to the safety of its people, customers and communities, he said Mongeau. Safety is a key value at CN and our industry-leading training centers are the embodiment of that commitment.

The Winnipeg center hosts employees from across Canada, while the U.S. training center, located in suburban Chicago, accommodates employees from across the United States. Since the training campuses opened, more than 15,000 CN employees have received training, and through the CN Campus Partnership Program, more than 200 representatives of CN customers have taken courses in basic rail safety and the requirements of safe operations.
Udmurtias ex-governor Solovyov pleads guilty to violation of law

MOSCOW, April 26 (RAPSI, Yevgeniya Sokolova) - Former head of Russias Udmurt Republic Alexander Solovyov, who stands charged with taking over 140 million rubles (about $2.5 mln) in bribes, has pleaded guilty to violating law, RAPSI reports from the Moscow City Court on Wednesday.

Yes, I have violated law, he said. However, Solovyov did not clarify exactly what he meant. His lawyers told RAPSI that Solovyov denied his guilt in receiving a bribe.

Former governor of the Udmurt Republic has been earlier put in detention until June 4. The Moscow City Court upheld this ruling on Wednesday.

According to investigators, in 2014-2016, Solovyov received bribes amounting to 139 million rubles from representatives of organizations behind the construction of bridge crossings over the Kama and Buy rivers in the Udmurt Republic.

Allegedly Solovyov also received a share in a commercial organization worth 2.7 million rubles (about $48.2 mln). The defendant was supposed to ensure extraordinary and immediate payment for construction services from the federal and regional budgets. He was also to allocate licenses for geological exploration and resource extraction.

On April 4, Solovyov was relieved of his position on decree of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Prison terms proposed for bride kidnapping in Russia

MOSCOW, April 26 (RAPSI)  Peoples Assembly of Russias Republic of Ingushetia has submitted a bill fixing penalty of up to 3 years in prison for marriage by capture to the State Duma, according to the database of the parliaments lower house.

Currently, bride stealing with the aim of marriage is punished under the Criminal Codes article on kidnapping; but in most cases abductors can avoid penalties if they voluntarily release kidnaped persons, according to an explanatory note to the bill.

The document reads that such element of crime as bride kidnapping was not include in the Criminal Code drafted in 1996 because of popularity of marriage by capture in the limited part of Russias territory, especially in the North Caucasus Republics.

However, republics authorities may not establish punishment for such actions themselves because criminal legislation comes under the jurisdiction of the Russian Federation, according to the Constitution. Therefore, law enforcement authorities of the said republics do not have the right to bring abductors to responsibility.

Under the proposed bill, bride kidnapping would be punished with community service for up to 3 years or imprisonment of up to 3 years.

Bride kidnapping, a practice in which a man abducts the woman he wishes to marry, widely occurs in Russias Caucasus region. Over the last years, such cases resulted in tragic consequences became more frequent in the North Caucasus Republics.
IWPR, April 20, 2017

By Salma Rasa

The beatings began soon after Zahra, now 22, was married off to a 75-year old man in exchange for a large bride price.

My father was blinded by money and he gave me in marriage to this man, she told IWPR. Every time my husband was violent to me, his family members used to tell me, Your husband has these rights over you, you should put up with it.

On many nights during the cold winter I was dragged out of the house for no reason, my hands and feet were tied with chains and I was forced to spend the whole night outside the back door in the snow, and no one would help me.

The abuse became so severe that eventually Zahras case was brought before a community Jirga, or council of elders, for resolution.

But their intervention made no difference, and Zahra was forced to flee her marriage and take take refuge in a womens shelter in Kabul, one of a handful of safe houses that NGOs have set up across the country.

Zahra, who managed to get a divorce from her husband, said she was happy living at the womens refuge. Her family, however, wanted her to return home.

Im pleased with my life here, but my family still doesnt leave me alone and says I should leave the safe house, she explained. I want my family to let me be and let me live my own way, because my life belongs to me and I need to decide my own future.



Bamiyan shelter and safe house cares for battered Afghan women. (Photo: Paula Bronstein/Getty Images) Bamiyan shelter and safe house cares for battered Afghan women. (Photo: Paula Bronstein/Getty Images)

In Afghanistan, women facing forced marriage or domestic abuse have few options. If they escape and ask for help from the police, they face either being returned or imprisoned, as Afghan women who run away from home or refuse to get married are commonly accused of moral crimes, a vague concept that does not exist in formal law.

Sometimes community elders are asked to intervene or host the runaway, but this is only a very short-term solution.

The idea of a safe house is to provide emergency accommodation where women and girls at risk can access legal advice and healthcare. Mediation is also available.

Nazia Faizi, head of the department of womens protection centres, said that the first such refuge was set up in 2002, the year after the fall of the Taleban regime.

Since then 12 safe houses have been built in Kabul, Herat, Kapisa and Nangarhar province and are currently hosting some 600 women.

Faizi said that girls and women were not referred to a safe house with the intention of separating them from their family. It was rather an opportunity for them to resolve their differences and solve their problems through dialogue. This was not possible when a womans life and safety was at risk.

She explained that women received psychological and medical services during their stay in the safe house, and a lawyer was hired to defend their rights.

Literacy courses, vocational training and religious education were also provided, and women who wanted to return to study were referred to appropriate institutions.

Taahirah Faizi, a psychologist who visits the west Kabul safe house twice a work to work with the women there, said the aim was to support women in overcoming their trauma.

We prepare women psychologically to be active in society and stand on their own feet once again, and its up to them if they want to return to their families, she said.

But the whole concept of womens refuges remains controversial in deeply conservative Afghanistan.

Some argue that they encourage women to leave their families and lead to immoral behavior, and persistent rumours circulate that women are often sexually abused inside the refuges.

In June 2012, the then Afghan justice minister, Habibullah Ghaleb, told female parliamentarians that shelters were centres of prostitution. He later apologised after coming under a barrage of criticism from human rights groups.

Negative attitudes remain, however.

The creation of safe houses in Afghanistan, which is a conservative society, has caused more social and family problems than it has solved, said Sayed Abdul Ghafar Ibrahimi, a lawyer.

He claimed that women felt free to make trouble at home since they were confident of finding shelter at a safe house. This in turn led to the break up of families.

In addition, Ibrahimi argued that womens refugees were viewed by the public as a foreign concept, incompatible with Afghan traditions, and called for the government to take a more active role in supervising them. Otherwise, he continued, they risked further alienating citizens from state institutions.

But others argue that establishing places of safety for women was essential in a society rife with gender violence.

The Afghan government must work to strength and improve the rule of law in society, so that women get their rights and it wont be necessary to brought them to safe houses, said Sayed Maroof Jahid Hashimi, a lawyer. But we can see that the dominant culture in our society, especially in villages and small towns, violates [young womens] rights.

Since women in the country are deprived of the authority to make decisions, and its men who rule and decide the fate of the entire family, women need government intervention to achieve their rights.

The rumours that safe houses are morally corrupt are completely false and I deny them, agreed Shabnam Sima, head of womens affairs at the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC).

She noted that the AIHRC, the ministry of womens affairs and the police all referred women to safe houses for their own protection.

Any allegations of sexual impropriety in a safe house would be thoroughly investigated, she insisted. If the allegations were proved, the refuge would be shut down.

But Sima said that such tales of abuse were simply malicious rumours spread by perpetrators of domestic violence whose victims were forced to seek refuge in safe houses.

Some women do complain about the treatment they received at safe houses.

Madina, 17, said that her experience at a safe house in the west of Kabul had not been positive. She had fled her in-laws house, explaining that soon after she got married in December last year, her mother-in-law began drugging her to drug her to make her sleep with unknown men.

She explained that after she was betrothed to her future husband Yama, who was living in the Netherlands, she discovered that he was already married man and had teenage children.

I fought with Yama to break off the engagement, but he deceived me with his lies and slept with me before we were married, she said.

When my husband went back to Holland, my mother-in-law used to drug me so that I could be sexually abused by men. She told me that I had to take these pills to stay beautiful, but they were sleeping pills so I passed out.

One day when I had not taken any tablets  it was only nine in the morning - two men entered our house. They looked at me and said, Shes normal today. I wondered what they were talking about, and realized that they had evil intentions towards me. When they came close I cried and screamed and all three of them began to beat me.

Madina escaped and made it to a police station. From there she was taken to a safe house.

Although there were scars on my body and my hand was injured, instead of treating me, I was abused with all kinds of vulgar language at the safe house, she said.

Shamila, 23, spent eight months in a Kabul safe house and also said that it had been a frightening and intimidating experience.

Women in safe houses fight among themselves, they are seeking dominance and supremacy over each other, from chairman to lawyer all are abuse women with ugly language, she said, adding, Families should treat their daughters well so that they dont end up in safe houses.

Benafsha Afaf is head of Women for Women in Afghanistan, an NGO working across 13 provinces of the country, said that nonetheless numbers of applicants for spaces in refuges were rising.

She said, Since the beginning of 2007, the number of women referred to safe houses has been increasing.

Afaf said that women could spend between six months and a year in a safe house, during which time they were supported by government funds.

As far as the allegation that safe houses were detrimental to womens welfare, she said that there would be no need to provide a place of refuge if families and communities did not abuse women and girls.

Faizi, of the department of womens protection centres, acknowledged that it was hard to combat rumours that safe houses were a western plot to undermine Afghan society when they were supported by foreign donors with little government oversight.

Up to now, the state had lacked the resources to fund their own refuges, but Faizi said that the ministry of women had proposed this as a alternative relying on the services of NGOs and had receved a positive response. She said that the president had indicated that state-run refuges would be set up in the future.
Reuters, April 24, 2017

By Josh Smith

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)
INDEPENDENCE | Former reality star Chris Soules is the person who called 911 shortly after the Monday night crash that killed an Aurora farmer, according to authorities.

Soules, 35, of rural Arlington, is charged with leaving the scene of a fatal accident in the crash that killed 66-year-old Kenneth Mosher about a mile north of Moshers home. Soules, who starred in The Bachelor and Dancing with the Stars, has been released on bond pending trial.

On radio traffic connected with the crash, deputies can be heard telling dispatchers that one of the drivers took off and they believe his name is Chris Soules. The dispatcher responds that Soules was the RP, which stands for reporting party, the person who placed the call.

Buchanan County sheriffs deputies confirmed that Soules had called 911, and his voice can be heard talking with 911 dispatchers who offered to walk him through CPR on the call released Wednesday by the office.

The crash happened around 8:20 p.m. Monday in the 1000 block of Slate Avenue just north of Aurora. State troopers said Soules was driving a pickup truck southbound when he crashed into the back of Moshers tractor. The tractor went into a ditch, and Soules allegedly fled before law enforcement arrived and didnt return to the scene. He was detained later at his home.

In the six-minute 911 recording, Soules can be heard talking with others as he tells dispatchers where the accident occurred.

I rear ended a guy on a tractor, Soules said.

Are you talking to him? Is he conscious? the dispatcher asked.

He is not conscious, Soules answered. He gave his name when the dispatcher asked.

Is he breathing, Chris? the emergency operated asked.

I cant tell. He doesnt appear to be, Soules responded.

As the call continued, Soules said the tractor isnt on top of Mosher.

Chris, do you know how to do CPR? the dispatched asked.

No, I dont, he said. He then apparently turned to others at the scene and asked anybody know how to do CPR?

I can talk you through it if you are near the patient, the dispatcher continues.

Soules can then be heard counting to himself and tells the dispatcher blood is coming from Moshers mouth.

I can feel a pulse. Yeah, hes got a pulse, Soules said. You guys are on the way?

Yeah, Im going to stay on the line with you. We have law enforcement, medical en route to you. I want to know of those vehicles up on the road have their flashers on, the dispatcher asked.

Soules responds that they do, and then asks, Can I call you back really quick?

The dispatcher said he can, and then the call ends.

A separate recording of radio traffic between dispatchers and authorities shows how emergency crews responded to the crash.

The tractor is in the ditch. The driver of the tractor is unconscious in the ditch, dispatchers told Aurora Rescue. It doesnt appear the driver of the tractor is breathing at this time, dispatchers can be heard saying about a minute later.

About two minutes later, dispatchers tell authorities that someone on the scene is doing CPR.

Some 13 minutes after the crash was paged out, authorities at the scene radio that one of the drivers has left.

One of the subjects that was involved just took off northbound in a red Duramax truck. Do you have any available unit, Fayette County, see if they can get him stopped, one of the officials at the scene radioed to dispatchers.

After emergency operators put out the information, the official as the scene gets back on the radio.I believe the name on the subject is going to be Chris Soules. Thats going to be the subject that took off.

That was my RP, the dispatcher answers.

Alcohol is believed to have been a factor in the accident, according to authorities.
Last week the Trump administration sent a letter to House speaker Paul Ryan to certify that the Islamic Republic of Iran is in compliance with the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, commonly referred to as the Iran nuclear deal. On the campaign trail, Donald Trump had called it the worst deal ever negotiated and promised it wouldn't stand if he made it to the White House. What gives?Trump supporters and others who opposed Barack Obama's signature foreign policy initiative are now wondering: Was the president just bluffing? Did he plan all along to leave the deal in place and take his chances that Iran wouldn't go nuclear on his watch? As usual, Washington is abuzz that the administration is split into rival campsone that wants to go hard on the Iranians and another that wants to take it easy on the leading state sponsor of terror.There is indeed a conversation ongoing within the administration, the result of a larger, comprehensive review of Iran policy. According to one administration official, it is one of the major projects that the government is now embarked on, involving hundreds, maybe thousands of people.
Daniel Blumenthal is the director of Asian Studies at the American Enterprise Institute. This piece is part of a special RCW series on the U.S.-China geopolitical relationship. The views expressed here are the authors own.

American policy toward China depends heavily on whether national security leaders view China as ascendant relative to the United States. Though U.S. policymakers often assume that Washington will soon be eclipsed by Beijing, in truth the United States is widening the wealth gap with China, as the Chinese economy continues to flounder. This fact is frequently obscured, however, in large part because of Beijings successful military modernization as compared to Americas decimated global combat power. Indeed, despite the fact that it is falling even further behind the United States economically, China has managed to change Asias balance of power.

These military trend lines contribute to the dominant perception in American policy circles that China is on an inevitable path to overtake the United States economically and become Asias principal power. Without a doubt, surpassing the United States in Asia is Chinese President Xi Jinpings aspiration. But while he inherited a China far wealthier and more powerful than it had been in decades, Chinas economy is in the process of stagnating, and Beijings economic approach shows no signs of changing.

The idea that the 21st century would be defined by a power transition from American to Chinese dominance is not unreasonable. After all, China experienced dizzyingly high growth in the 1980s, 90s, and into the early 21st century as its economy was reforming along free market lines. This phenomenal growth made an understandable impression on American observers of China -- in no small part because of its association with a military modernization that is now bearing fruit. When a regional military balance changes, the actual economic numbers seem to matter less.

Military Modernization

Chinas post-Cold War military modernization has been sweeping and comprehensive. Since 1990, China has invested in all classes of ballistic and cruise missiles under the worlds most active missile program. Its Second Artillery Force is lethal and now largely precision-guided. And China hasnt just modernized its conventional missile forces; it has also upgraded its nuclear forces, including road-mobile, solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missiles capable of striking anywhere in the United States. China similarly developed nuclear submarines that can deploy submarine-launched ballistic missiles.

According to the RAND Corporations 2015 U.S.-China military scorecard, the People's Liberation Army air force has also been the beneficiary of Beijings largesse: today, about half (736 of 1,432) of Chinas fighters are modern, fourth-generation aircraft -- the equivalent of American F-15s, F-16s, and F/A-18s. Yet it is the improvement in the PLA Naval Air Force that has caught the attention of Asia-Pacific leaders, as RAND notes:

"Clearly, the PLA Navys surface fleet has made remarkable strides. As late as 2003, only about 14 percent of its destroyers and 24 percent of its frigates might have been considered modern -- capable of operations against a capable enemy. By 2015, those figures had risen to 65 percent and 69 percent, respectively."

China has been acquiring modern diesel-powered submarines at a faster clip than any other military in the world. It is now fielding modern destroyers at a rapid rate, many of them equipped with capable anti-air defenses and long-range, anti-ship cruise missiles. The PLA has also developed the worlds first anti-ship ballistic missile, specifically designed for targeting U.S. aircraft carriers. And, in a general surprise to most observers, China remains committed to building its own aircraft carriers and mastering carrier aviation.

Crucially, the PLA has also focused on improving its battle networking -- the connective military tissue that allows for command-and-control and improved targeting. In combination, these systems expand the Chinese capability to hit targets further into what is known as the first island chain, or the string of nearby U.S.-allied countries that includes Japan, Taiwan, and the Philippines. All of this adds up to a break in the U.S. monopoly over what Russia calls the precision strike regime -- the network of communications and information systems that tie together the navy, air force, and missile force capability to find, target, and destroy American and allied forces along with their military installations. The PLA can now project power throughout the South and East China seas and increasingly into the Indian Ocean.

Enabled by fast economic growth, Chinas military modernization has changed the balance of power in the Asia-Pacific. Since the end of the Second World War, the United States has not had to worry about controlling the first island chain or about potentially hostile forces operating in the Pacific Ocean close to Guam and Hawaii. That has changed. In stark contrast to Chinese growth, during the same period, U.S. force structure was about halved. The decimation of the U.S. military, even as it has been asked to do more, is the great untold tragedy of contemporary U.S. foreign policy.

U.S. Forces on the Decline

According to RAND, the U.S. Army has already shed six of its 18 divisions after the Cold War and has lost another two since. The U.S. Navy has lost three more carriers and cannot maintain a simultaneous presence in the Middle East and in the western Pacific. The United States Marine Corps dropped from 39 amphibious ships to 31, but its requirement remains 38. U.S. Air Force bomber and fighter force structure has also been roughly halved since the mid-1990s. The Navys submarine force dropped from 82 to 59 over the same time period, and it will continue to fall below requirements through the 2030s. The loss of fighters, bombers, and submarines is particularly worrying for U.S. force posture in the western Pacific. While their quality has improved -- the aircraft the United States purchases today are much more capable fifth-generation aircraft, such as F-35As -- the decreased number of fighters is having a major impact on U.S. defense and deterrent capabilities. Furthermore, the Air Forces long-standing bomber replacement program (B-21 Raider) is now on track, but wont deliver its first aircraft until the mid-2020s.

The U.S. Navy is the clearest example of American military shrinkage, which most directly hurts U.S. power projection in Asia. Though the number of ships was cut after the Cold War, the United States still had a fleet of more than 400 ships in the early 1990s, the years in which China began increasing its procurements. By contrast, as Sen. Jim Talent (R-Mo.) wrote in 2015, Todays Navy is smaller than at any time since before World War I. It struggles to maintain a fleet of 272 deployable battle force ships and is expected under the current sequester baseline to shrink to between 240-260 ships.

U.S. Beats China in Wealth

What does all of this have to do with the reality of greater American wealth and power? It makes it harder to see that Chinas economic numbers relative to the United States are still quite low. One thing is clear: Chinas relative gains in military strength are not a result of it becoming wealthier than the United States. On the contrary, Chinas economic vulnerabilities are only growing. And in terms of available wealth, the United States is in fact significantly outpacing the Chinese economy.

As my colleague Derek Scissors has pointed out, wealth is a more relevant measurement of national economic power than gross domestic product. Gross domestic product measures annual economic activity, not the amount of resources a country has to draw on to support its military in peace or war. Wealth numbers tell a far different story than the conventional one: Credit Suisse estimates American net private wealth at $84.8 trillion and Chinese private wealth at $23.4 trillion as of mid-2016. And the gap is widening. With $60 trillion less in private wealth than the United States, Chinas global economic leadership is ephemeral. And, while both economies now face mountains of public or semi-public debt, a rough calculation puts the wealth gap, including public sector net assets, at more than $45 trillion.

The trend lines are also surprising. Chinas level of private wealth actually fell from mid-2015, both in amount and in global share. This decline is consistent with heavy capital outflows and indebtedness. On the other hand, Credit Suisse shows U.S. private wealth adding $1.7 trillion over the previous year, expanding its enormous lead over China. On the public sector side, surging debt at state-owned enterprises is eroding Chinas vast public sector assets even as the U.S. public debt growth has stabilized after 2009s sharp increase.

A key change in these trends was the slowing of the Chinese economy that started to show at the end of 2013. For at least a decade prior to 2010, China did outpace the United States in growing its net wealth. But for the past six years, the United States has matched China in wealth growth, and for the past three years, it has outpaced it. The big question for policymakers is: Why does it still feel like China is gaining on the United States?

A big reason is that unlike China, the United States chose to reduce its military power particularly in the domains that matter most in the Asia-Pacific. Despite a bipartisan consensus that Chinas gains should be countered, America remains unwilling to spend adequate resources on defense. Even worse, the entitlement state has even greater claims on the governments spending -- more than 70 percent of all budgetary outlays fund Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, and interest on the national debt. As the United States continues to age, increasingly the main role of the U.S. government will be the intergenerational transfer of wealth and not on resourcing national security.

Therefore, those who believe in an inevitable Chinese takeover of Asia may not be wholly wrong. But that is not because China is overtaking the United States in wealth generation; far from it. Rather, it is because Beijing is taking advantage of an American political system unwilling to deal with its fiscal problems and provide for the common defense against the countrys most challenging threats.
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Erika Jayne sent her "love" Tuesday to critics of her latest nude photo.

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The 45-year-old "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" star and "Dancing with the Stars" alum laughed off backlash after sharing a naked picture earlier in the day on Instagram.

"Me reading your negative comments," she captioned a gif of herself making an exasperated face. "Sending my love to you all."

Jayne was expecting a negative reaction when she posted a completely nude photo with strategically-placed star emojis.

She said her creative director, Mikey Minden, was responsible for the picture.

"Mikey made me do it... Miami nights," the star wrote.

"1. This is my pre DWTS body 2. I am not currently in Miami but am in NYC 3. I posted this knowing most of you would be judgmental and couldn't resist a chance to tear me down and I was right. 4. Go be offended at your own life. 5. I'm living my life to the fullest."

Jayne, who was eliminated last week on "Dancing with the Stars," came under fire during the competition for being "too sexy."

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She explained on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" prior to her exit that she was just being herself.

"I think we as women are held to a little bit different standard than men on the show," the star said. "I don't think you should stop being yourself at all. I'm Erika Jayne in the ballroom, and there you go."

Jayne has starred on "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" since Season 6. The Bravo series co-stars Lisa Vanderpump, Kyle Richards, Lisa Rinna, Eileen Davidson and Dorit Kemsley.
John Chapman and John Spears, senior cadre members at EAG Tactical, announced the formation of Forge Tactical, a gunfighting training firm focused on supporting the mission of our nations armed citizens, law enforcement officers and military professionals, and carrying the legacy of EAG Tactical into the future.

I am excited we were able to create a mechanism to carry on the EAG legacy while evolving our instructional and consulting capabilities,  said John Chapman, Director and Instructor at Forge Tactical. The responsibility that comes with teaching fighting is one which we take seriously. John and I are focused on providing the same high level of principals and standards based training our students have come to expect, while also breaking new ground in the integration of skills, techniques and procedures courses in commercially available tactical training.

John Spears, Director and Instructor at Forge Tactical emphasized, While we have always enjoyed and continue to teach weapons skills and manipulation classes our focus has always been the next stage of development; assembling skills into procedures. This is how we help students and agencies realize capabilities that allow mission completion. Inherent in this is the emphasis on realistic urban training and full mission profile exercises.

While Forge will teach a limited number of skills based courses, the amount of very high quality skills instruction available on the market today is large, so Forge will focus on application level training. Forge will guide students through the process of blending physical skills, judgment, weapons handling, marksmanship, leadership and aggression into coherent principals-based fighting capabilities.

In addition to open enrollment and contracted training services, Forge Tactical will also continue and strengthen their existing relationships with industry partners; maximizing the benefits of user-to-industry communication and applications-based product development.

More information about Forge Tactical can be found at forgetactical.com.
A TV series based on the book "The Handmaid's Tale" is available for streaming on Hulu.com as of Wednesday, April 26.
Exposure to gender norms from an early age have negative effects that stem into adulthood, and curtailing these patterns can improve mental health in generations to come. This opinion does not reflect the opinions of the editorial staff.
More than the revenue component, the movies gain hugely in terms of visibility and reach, reports T E Narasimhan.





IMAGE: Prabhas and Rana Dagubatti in Baahubali.

Baahubali 2, the sequel to the hugely popular mythological-historical fiction film, hits the screens in India and the US this week.

It already has 15 brands in the bag; companies such as Nestle and Britannia, among others, that have a national and global footprint have all come on board.

Another movie, VIP 2, that stars Dhanush and Kajol has also got the big brands on its rolls, as did the Rajinikanth-starrer Kabaali that was released last year.

As movies made in the south break out of the local mould in terms of storylines and star casts, big brands are flocking in. And producers are pulling out the stops in marketing, merchandising and distributing their films to a larger and wider set of moviegoers.

Producers say that brands have been getting keener on movies in the south as they find that the audience is much larger than the states the film is made in, sometimes even as large as big Bollywood starrers.

This is partly because of the growing southern diaspora and also because of the changing storylines and production values of the movies.

IMAGE: Rajnikanth in Kabaali.

Kabaali had reached over 12,000 screens across the world, on par with some big Bollywood releases of its time.

The excitement around Baahubali 2 has been building for a few months, with the movie producers and fans using digital media to drum up a buzz around the film.

Its trailer became the seventh most-watched online video within 24 hours of launch and has crossed over 100 million views on YouTube so far.

The movie is set to release in over 6,500 screens across the country on April 28.

Brands have worked with the movie makers to come up with several innovative merchandising and promotional initiatives.

Nestle will use special Baahubali 2 packaging for five new Munch limited edition packs and promote the film through a television campaign and on social media.

Britannia has associated with the movie for Milk Bikis and Tiger biscuits.

Around 150 million Tiger and Milk Bikis packs will be co-branded with Baahubali merchandise and distributed across 1.2 million outlets, the company said.

Tiger will focus on a pan-India approach with merchandise and tattoos gifted along with the product pack.

Ali Harris Shere, vice-president, marketing at Britannia said, It resonates perfectly with the personalities of both our brands, Tiger and Milk Bikis, which are targeted towards kids across India.

Companies consider movies like Baahubali valuable properties according to Shobu Yarlagadda, producer of Baahubali 2. He says that the movie has become the brand today, implying that it does not need a star to pitch its value to brands just like many superhero films in Hollywood.

Yarlagadda has roped in 15 brands including Nestle, Britannia, Oppo, AMD Radeon and others.

There is no in-film branding, he points out, except for Amrapali Jewellery; the rest are all going to be a part of the movies promotion and marketing exercise.

Baahubali 2 was produced at a cost of around Rs 200 crore and the team expects to earn around Rs 25-30 crore as direct revenue from these associations.

More than the revenue component, the movies gain hugely in terms of visibility and reach according to D Paranthaman, CEO, V Creations.

His production house worked on Rajinikanths Kabaali. He had roped in nearly 12 brands for the movie, including AirAsia, Mondelez International, Amazon, Airtel and Shop Cj. We would have got marketing and branding worth at least Rs 100 crore in Kabaali, he says.

Kabaali was not a one-off success story, Paranthan says.

IMAGE: Kajol with her VIP 2 co-star, Dhanush, and his wife, Aishwarya. Photograph: Courtesy Kajol/Twitter

His next venture, Velaiyilla Pattathari 2 (VIP 2) has seen a growing interest from brands, although not on the same scale as Kabaali.

The point he makes is that brands are now looking beyond the big stars as they see a valuable association in movies made in the south.

In the 1980s, when the first brand associations were struck, these were mostly in-film engagements and of a far lower value than the deals today.

Also the brands were largely local players; Apoorva Raagangal in which K Balachander introduced Rajinikanth had its heroine play the part of a sales girl for Medimix soaps, for instance.

In Kamal Haasans Ala Vandhaan, there was a balloon fight in which oil brand Gold Winner was featured.

IMAGE: Kamalahaasan and Rajnikanth in an early film featuring them.



And when a global FMCG major such as HUL came on board, it did so for products that had a local fan base such as Fair & Lovely.

Apart from the growing reach of the movies because of the wider geographical spread of its audiences, many movies in the south are being dubbed in multiple languages. This helps increase the brand value of these movies too.

For instance, Kabaali was released in six to seven languages. Baahubali 2 will be out in four Indian languages on the first day of release and will later be dubbed into foreign languages including German, Japanese, French and Chinese apart from English.

Analysts said it is a good time for south Indian films, although there is still a long way before the industry can catch up with Bollywood, just as Bollywood has a way to go before it can match big brother Hollywood.
GST compliance will certainly push up cash flow requirement.

Most experts feel GST rules have the potential to trigger legal dispute for taxpayers.

With the implementation of the goods and services tax less than 75 days away -- assuming July 1 as the roll-out date -- Sudipto Dey provides a guide to how businesses can navigate the transition.

Illustration: Uttam Ghosh/Rediff.com

What should businesses keep in mind while generating invoice?

Generating an invoice is perhaps the most critical part of the new indirect tax regime, based on which the input tax credit will be decided. According to the draft rules, invoices have to be filled up in a fairly detailed format.

The absence or wrong filing of required information could trigger denial or delay in claiming input tax credit.

Largely, there are around 16 particulars that are required to be filled up. These include various details of the supplier and the buyer such as the HSN (Harmonised System of Nomenclature) code, the 15-digit goods and services taxpayer identification number (GSTIN) of the recipient and the state code in which the delivery has been made.

"Service providers are required to give state-specific registration number while filing the invoice," said Pritam Mahure, a Pune-based chartered accountant and GST trainer.

For generating the invoice, the IT configuration in a business has to capture a variety of transactions, such as services on inter-company basis, stock transfer and receipt of advances and centralised procurements for re-distribution, noted Amit Sarkar, partner & head, indirect tax, BDO India.

What are the key dos and don'ts while claiming the input tax credit?

For claiming any input tax credit, all vendors in the supply chain have to be tax compliant.

There is also a plan to rate all taxpayers on their GST score card -- putting additional pressure on vendors to be GST-ready.

Under the current system, a supplier can claim tax credit from the government irrespective of whether the vendor has met his tax obligations. That is set to change in the GST regime.

"Vendor should pay tax before the same is claimed as input tax credit. The recipient must receive the tax invoice and supplies before claiming credit," said Rakesh Nangia, managing partner, Nangia & Co.

Given the credits can be availed of only within the specified time limit, the date of issuance of invoice becomes important. "Monitor the payment of value for the goods or services within the period of 180 days, while keeping a track of the debit or credit notes," advised Sarkar.

According to the draft rules, vendors should be paid within 180 days of claiming credit. "Credit should be claimed only for procurements related to taxable business supplies only," added Nangia.

How will the stock transfer of goods or services be different under the GST regime?

The model GST law puts the onus of determining whether a transaction is an "intra-state" or "inter-state" on the assessee.

"So, one needs to decide whether the payment is against the central GST (CGST) plus state GST (SGST) or integrated GST (IGST), based on the type of transaction," said Mahure.

Services being intangible in nature, there are proxy rules or provisions in the GST framework to help the assessee determine the place of consumption. To determine the place of supply in GST regime, it becomes important to have permanent address of the service recipient.

However, this can pose a challenge for sectors like telecom where customers keep moving from one state to another. "Telecom companies have to update their customer database on real-time basis, complicating their operations," said Mahure.

Tax experts note that under GST all inter-state stock transfers, including self-supplies, are chargeable to tax. Similarly, intra-state stock transfers between the different registered business verticals would attract GST.

"This also offers an opportunity for optimising the supply chain from a business perspective," said Sarkar.

According to the GST legislation, if an assessee wrongly pays, say CGST and SGST -- on the belief that the transaction is intra-state -- instead of IGST, they will have to pay the correct tax (that is, IGST) again and claim refund of the wrongfully paid taxes.

Several experts feel instead of putting the onus on the taxpayer to determine whether the transaction is intra-state or inter-state, the GST law should provide a simpler redressal mechanism.

Why one should provision for a higher cash flow requirement in the new system?

Levy of GST on inter-state stock transfers would be one of the many reasons which would push up the requirement of cash flows, said Nangia. For instance, a company transferring goods from one warehouse to another across different states will come under the ambit of IGST. This means taxes have to be paid upfront, increasing the cash requirement for the business.

Another reason for higher cash flow requirement for businesses would be the higher average rate of service tax under the GST regime.

Businesses currently pay around 15 per cent (including the various cesses) on services. This is likely to jump to 18 per cent in the GST regime.

Experts note exporters too would need to bear the brunt of the tax, before claiming rebate.

What are the likely challenges in determining the place of supply for services?

Service providers such as banks and insurance companies have to register separately in all the states in which they are providing services. This state-wise registration will substantially increase compliance costs of businesses.

Nangia notes the place of supply rules under the current regime of service tax are applicable only to cross border transactions.

"Going forward, similar rules would be applicable to every transaction whether domestic or international," he said.

Most experts feel the rules for the place of supply of services have the potential to trigger legal dispute for taxpayers.

Do you understand how GST will impact the Indian economy? Scroll down for a deeper insight.
MASON CITY | An out-of-court settlement has been reached in a hate crime lawsuit filed by a mixed-race family against a man who set fire to their former home in Mason City.

The lawsuit alleges Roger Kuck of Mason City committed hate crimes against the family while they were still living in the home, which was vacant and in foreclosure at the time of the fire in October 2013.

Terms of the settlement are confidential, said Joel Yunek, Kuck's attorney.

Mason City family files suit, claims they were victims of hate crimes MASON CITY | A mixed-race Mason City family has filed a hate crimes lawsuit against a neighb

Linda L. Turnure, Tiffany L. Coleman, Devon D. Thomas and Meggan J. Alexander filed the lawsuit in 2015 in Cerro Gordo County District Court. Linda and Terry Turnure owned the home at 112 Brook Terrace, but Terry Turnure was not named as a plaintiff.

While living at the residence, the Turnure family consisted of a Korean daughter; a Korean sister-in-law, niece and nephew; an African-American son-in-law; two grandchildren who are part African-American; and a Hispanic granddaughter, according to the lawsuit.

The family claimed that after Kuck moved into the neighborhood in 2004, he began acts of terrorism and hate crimes against them.

They claimed Kuck carried a running chainsaw toward a member of the family in a threatening manner, vandalized and shot at vehicles belonging to the family, set fire to a large canvas tree swing in the front yard, made threatening phone calls to the house, and sprayed a heavy dose of chemicals on the lawn.

The lawsuit also alleged Kuck turned in false reports to the police and animal control departments about the family.

The family claimed they eventually moved out of the home and to another part of town due to the harassment, but even after they left Kuck continued to vandalize the home and finally set fire to it.

Kuck entered an Alford plea to second-degree arson, a Class C felony, and was given a 10-year suspended prison sentence and put on probation.

An Alford plea is a legal arrangement in which the defendant doesn't admit to the crime but acknowledges prosecutors can likely prove the charge.

The Ecological Society of Willowbrook and its past president, E. Howard Sonsken, originally were named in the lawsuit, but District Court Judge James Drew dismissed the claims against them earlier this year.

Defendants seek dismissal of claims in hate crimes lawsuit MASON CITY | The defendants in a lawsuit alleging hate crimes against a mixed-race Mason Cit

The society includes 29 properties in the area north of Willowbrook Mall that share some common ground. Members pay yearly dues to finance maintenance projects such as removing dead trees.

The Turnures, who were members of the society while living at the Brook Terrace residence, claimed that beginning in the late 1990s other society members used racial slurs against them and threatened to kill them and their pets.

The family claimed Kuck's actions were on behalf of the Ecological Society of Willowbrook or at least one of its members, and the society did not discourage the actions.

Drew ruled that although minutes from the society's meetings reflect that "the condition of the (Turnure) property was a source of consternation for its members," no evidence was in the record that Kuck was acting as an agent of the society or Sonsken when he started the fire.

His ruling also stated the statue of limitations applied because the family did not allege any incidents pertaining to the society of Sonsken within the two years between the fire and the filing of the lawsuit.

Drew dismissed Coleman, Thomas and Alexander as plaintiffs last month because they did not have an ownership interest in the property at the time of the fire.
'They bluff and lie repeatedly and we swallow their lies.'

'Because we are soft and polite, we get into a mess of our own making.'

Former Indian Navy officer Kulbhushan Jadhav, who was arrested on charges of espionage in March last year, was awarded a death sentence by Pakistan after a 'secret trial.'

While Pakistan insists that the sentence is based on 'credible' and 'specific' evidence, India has condemned the death penalty as an act of 'pre-meditated murder' by Pakistan and warned of serious consequences.

Ambassador Rajiv Dogra, who served as India's consul general in Karachi, speaks with Veenu Sandhu about the case.

India has termed Jadhav's trial as 'farcical.' What are your views?

I would maintain that there was no trial at all. People think it was a trial conducted under the new dispensation given to the Pakistani army to try terrorists.

That is not correct because the section they have quoted is from the British time -- 1923.

Even under the so-called new military powers in Pakistan for the speedy trial of terrorists by military courts, a notice that a trial has started against a particular accused is always given.

In Jadhav's case, no notice was given. No one knew that a trial had started.

So obviously it was a decision taken in a hurry.

Pakistan has one law for Indians and quite another for everyone else.

Recently, there was news in the Pakistani press that Shakil Afridi, the doctor arrested for links with Osama bin Laden, was tried by a sub-divisional magistrate in a civil court and kept in a civil prison in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

His crime in Pakistani eyes should have been much bigger than whatever Jadhav has been accused of.

There is also the case of Raymond Davis, a declared spy who was also tried in a civilian court and kept in a civilian prison -- Kot Lakhpat.

Not only was he a spy, but he had also murdered two Pakistani citizens in broad daylight. He was later released on $2 million blood money.

The fact is that spies of other countries are tried in a civilian court and can be released.

Indians, however, are not tried or given any consideration of law.

Instead, an arbitrary law is made on the spot to punish any Indian according to the Pakistani military judgment.

Do we then need to get tougher with Pakistan?

They bluff and lie repeatedly and we swallow their lies.

Abdul Basit (Pakistan's high commissioner to India) has been quoted in recent newspaper and television interviews saying that the Indian government knows why Jadhav has been tried in a military court and what the charges against him are.

But Indian newspapers now say that the Indian government has no idea where Jadhav is and why he is being held in prison.

The fact is that the Pakistan government had approached the Iranian government to find out why Jadhav was operating in Iran.

And now Pakistan is saying, 'No, he was spying in our country.'

If that was the case, then why did Pakistan reach out to Iran?

We should be posing these tough questions to Pakistan.

Our fault is that repeatedly we submit to Pakistan's bluff.

The other problem is that we are very generous with Pakistan.

Recently, the Indian Coast Guard released two Pakistani marines who were found in Indian waters.

What were they doing in Indian waters? Were they not spying? They were.

Yet, when the head of their marine department rang up his counterpart here, we went out of our way, rushing aircraft and ships to the site to rescue those two as a humanitarian gesture.

But we need to understand that generosity does not work with Pakistan.

Compare this with what Pakistan did when an Indian soldier strayed across to that country a few months ago.

The standard operating procedure between India and Pakistan is that any soldier who has strayed across must be returned within 24 hours. But they kept him and tortured him for two or three months and then, as a great favour, returned him to us.

In Jadhav's case, my hunch is that he would have been tortured to such a degree that he would hardly be coherent.

That is why they would hesitate in releasing him.

So, this one-sided equation does not help India.

It did not help in 1947 and it will not help in the future.

What is Pakistan aiming to achieve through Jadhav's case?

Pakistan's prime minister and foreign minister had earlier admitted that there is no evidence against Jadhav. Then why are they making such a hullabaloo about it now?

There are two reasons.

One is the propaganda bit, to put India down on the international mat, to show that it is engaged in acts of terror in Pakistan and is equally a terror State.

Secondly, we have to see it in the context of Kashmir.

Pakistan thinks because Kashmir is on the boil, the time is ripe to invite international mediation.

And incidents like Jadhav's are just the kind to increase tension to draw international attention.

The Pakistani game plan is bigger. So Jadhav or whoever it will be next are just means to achieve that larger goal.

Pakistan has questioned why Jadhav had two passports, one with a Muslim name. It is using this argument against India's contention.

Pakistan says Jadhav has these many passports and that is why he is an Indian spy.

Well, Dawood Ibrahim has 10 Indian passports, but he is not an Indian spy.

If India were to send him as a spy, it would not send him on an Indian passport. It would send him on, say, a Pakistani, Nepali or Bangladeshi passport.

I don't know why we are not forcefully rebutting such baseless arguments. Because we are soft and polite, we get into a mess of our own making.

Sartaj Aziz (the foreign policy advisor to Pakistan's prime minister) had openly said in their senate in December that Pakistan does not have enough material on Jadhav.

Now, suddenly in three months they have enough to award him a death penalty? It is all a made up story to put India in a corner.

How should India react?

Besides rebutting these accusations, we should not be giving TV space to people like Basit who uses it for propaganda.

Secondly, we must effectively inform the world that we are concerned.

The government should at least issue a travel advisory to Indians to not travel to Pakistan.

When senior clerics from the Hazrat Nizamuddin dargah can be detained and questioned by Pakistani intelligence officials on suspicion of spying, then which Indian is safe there?
Two days after 25 Central Reserve Police Force personnel were killed in a Naxal attack, the government today appointed senior Indian Police Service officer Rajiv Rai Bhatnagar as the head of the paramilitary force, filling the post which was lying vacant for almost two months.

Bhatnagar, a 1983-batch IPS officer of Uttar Pradesh cadre, is currently serving as the director general of the Narcotics Control Bureau.

He will head the 3-lakh strong paramilitary force for 32 months as he will retire in December 2019.

The post was lying vacant since K Durga Prasad retired on February 28 and the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi issued the orders two days after CRPF lost 25 personnel in a deadly Naxal attack in Sukma in Chhattisgarh.

Bhatnagar is expected to take charge of the CRPF later this week as he is on an official assignment in Indonesia in the capacity of NCB DG.

Fine-tuning anti-Naxal operations and getting better results out of them will be the foremost challenge for Bhatnagar apart from enhancing the operational efficacy of the paramilitary in Jammu and Kashmir, where it is deployed in law and order and counter-insurgency tasks.

In an another decision, the ACC appointed Bhatnagars batch-mate R K Pachnanda as the DG of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police, a paramilitary force primarily tasked to guard the Sino-India border.

Pachnanda is a 1983-batch IPS officer of the West Bengal cadre and is present serving as the DG of the National Disaster Response Force.

He, however, will take over the 80,000 personnel strong ITBP on July 1 after current DG Krishna Chaudhary retires on June 30.

Pachnanda will retire in October 2018.

Centre to buy nearly 250 bullet-proof, mine-protected vehicles for anti-Naxal ops

The Centre on Wednesday night said it was inthe process of procuring nearly 250 bullet and mine protectedvehicles for use by the security forces engaged in anti-Naxaloperations in Chhattisgarh.

It also said 45,000 central paramilitary personnel and20,000 state policemen were deployed in Bastar region, whichsaw maximum Naxal violence in Chhattisgarh.

Reacting to media reports, the home ministry said in astatement that it is factually not correct to observe thatlack of financial resources is a reason for casualty ofvaluable lives of police and CRPF personnel in the battleagainst Left-wing extremism.

The funds released for Security Related ExpenditureScheme have increased from Rs 575 crore in 2011-12, 2012-2013, 2013-2014 to Rs 675 crore in 2014-15, 2015-2016, 2016-2017.

The above increase is in spite of the fact that statesnow get a greater share (42 per cent) of the Centre's taxresources. Earlier this used to be only 32 per cent.

The statement said it was incorrect to say thatChhattisgarh Police is in shambles. In addition to 45,000central forces personnel, over 20,000 state police personnelare posted in Bastar region.

As many as 58 mine-protected vehicles are available inChhattisgarh to the paramilitary forces and 30 are underprocess for procurement through the Ordnance Factories Board.42 bullet-proof vehicles are also available and 210 bullet-protected vehicles are under process for procurement, it said.

Referring to the recruitment process of securitypersonnel, the home ministry said it was an ongoing and acontinuous one.

For a force of 70,000, about 3,000 policemen retire everyyear and there is always a pipeline of 6,000 people underrecruitment, it said.

Chhattisgarh Police force is well equipped and a Bastarpackage for police was introduced in 2015. There is completecoordination between the Centre and state forces. In fact 2016has been the most successful year in anti-LWE operation, itsaid.

As compared to an average of 30 Naxals killed every year,135 Maoists were neutralised in 2016 which is three times thenumber of police personnel killed.

Even this year, 32 Naxals have been killed so far whichis more than the average annual killings of Naxals before2015.

It is wrong to say that 72 CRPF personnel have sacrificedtheir lives in 2017. As a matter of fact 38 CRPF personnelhave been killed in Chhattisgarh in 2017. These figuresclearly indicate that anti-Naxal operations are achievingsuccess, the statement said.

The central government's policy has been very helpful andhas substantially brought down the violence figures in thestate. There has been 7 per cent decline in overall violenceincidents since 2013. The LWE cadres are in fact in retreatandresorting to desperate attacks.

A Bastaria Battalion has been sanctioned recently with astrength of around 750 to be recruited from the local tribals.Similarly 10 Special India Reserve Battalions and 56India Reserve Battalions are being raised in the LWE areas.

On the development front various initiatives have beentaken recently such as sanction of a 5,412 km road project ata cost of Rs 11,725 crore, inclusion of all 35 worst affectedLWE districts in the skill development programme, providingNavodaya and Kendriya Vidyalayas, banks, ATMs and post officesin these districts.

On the health front, the statement said, the flagshipNational Rural Health Mission programme is followed up by the Ministry of Health andFamily Welfare on a constant basis and a super specialityhospital has been approved recently at Jagdalpur by way ofupgrading of JadgalpurMedicalCollege.

The next of kin of the soldiers killed currently getaround Rs 84 lakh as assistance.

There were no directions by the home ministry regardingnot showing grieving widows on TV channels. It was asuggestion verbally made keeping in mind the sensitivities ofthe bereaved families and the fundamental decency of notintruding to the privacy of the grieving families, it said.
Accepting moral responsibility for his party's dismal performance in the civic polls, Congress Delhi unit chief Ajay Maken on Wednesday resigned from his post.

Maken said that he will not take up any post in the party for an year and perform his duty as an ordinary worker.

"It is a reasonable revival of the Congress but I had hoped for something better than this. I had expected to perform a little better.

"So, as the president of Delhi Congress I take moral responsibility and offer to resign from my post. I have decided to resign from my post," he said.

He claimed that there has been a rise in the vote percentage of the Congress in Delhi.

"We have fought the election on positive issues. We are satisfied that we raised reasonable issues in the election. I was given free hand during my two-year tenure as Delhi Congress president in organisational appointments," he said.

His remarks come after former Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit said that Maken failed to reach out to the people and even blamed the Delhi Congress chief's "lack of involvement" of the local leadership.

"The party was not able top reach out (to voters) the way we should have. Any excuse can be given when you don't want to do anything. The decision has to be taken by the high command. The leadership needs to introspect," she said.

The former Delhi chief minister rued that Maken failed to involve senior leaders including her in campaigning for the polls.

"I was not asked for campaigning then how could have I gone for it," Dikshit said.

The Congress also failed to reach out to the voters she alleged, saying that the party High Command will look into the whole matter.

According to latest trends, the Bharatiya Janata Party widened its dominance over rivals the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party, leading in 177 wards in MCD polls, with trends for 227 seats hinting to a landslide victory for the party as forecasted by the exit polls.
India on Wednesday handed over to Pakistan an appeal by the mother of retired Indian Navy officer Kulbhushan Jadhav, sentenced to death by a military court, to the appellate court, initiating a process to get his conviction overturned.

The appeal on behalf of Jadhav was given to Pakistan's Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua by Indian High Commissioner Gautam Bambawale, who also handed over a petition by Jadhav's mother seeking the Pakistan government's intervention for his release and expressing the desire to meet him.

Bambawale, who met Janjua, also made a fresh request for consular access to Jadhav, the external affairs ministry said in press release in New Delhi. This is the 16th request for access.

"Also handed over was an appeal by the mother to the Court of Appeal, on behalf of Jadhav, who continues to be in detention in Pakistan on concocted charges," the ministry said.

In the petition, Jadhav's mother has made a request for the intervention of Federal Government of Pakistan for his release and expressed the desire to meet him, it said.

As per the appeal system in Pakistan, a death row convict has to move an appellate court within 40 days of pronouncement of the verdict.

"Pakistan was also requested to facilitate visas for the mother and father of Jadhav. They wish to travel to Pakistan to meet him and also to personally file the petition and the appeal. They have applied for necessary visa with the Pakistan high commission in New Delhi," the ministry added.

Bambawale asked Janjua to provide access to Jadhav to further pursue his case, including launching an appeal against his death sentence, local media reported.

However, Janjua turned down Bambawale's demand saying "access under (bilateral) agreement is meant for prisoners and not for spies."

Pakistan has denied India's request for consular access to Jadhav over a dozen times in the last one year.

Pakistan Army has already rejected any chance of granting consular access to Jadhav who was sentenced to death for espionage and subversive activities by a military court.

Army spokesman Major General Asif Ghafoor last week said consular access cannot be given to Jadhav because he is a spy.

It was second time that Bambawale has met Janjua to seek consular access to Jadhav.

On April 19, a meeting between Bambawale and Janjua was rescheduled.

On April 14, Bambawale had met with Janjua, showing increasing concern of India about the fate of Jadhav. He told media after his meeting that he had asked for list of charges and authentic copy of verdict of military tribunal against Jadhav to launch appeal against his conviction.

He also said that India was seeking consular access on the basis on international law humanitarian grounds.

Pakistan foreign office has said that during the period of trial of Jadhav, due judicial process was followed and he was provided a lawyer in accordance with relevant laws and the Constitution of Pakistan.

Jadhav was awarded death sentence by the Field General Court Martial earlier this month, evoking a sharp reaction in India which warned Pakistan of consequences and damage to bilateral ties if the "pre-meditated murder" was carried out.

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.

However, India denied Pakistan's contention and maintained that Jadhav was kidnapped by the Pakistan authorities.

India had acknowledged that Jadhav had served with the navy but denied that he has any connection with the government.
The families of the two slain Central Reserve Police Force jawans from Haryana on Wednesday demanded that the government give a free hand to the security forces to deal with the Naxalites.

IMAGE: CRPF martyr Inspector Raghbir Singh being carried during his funeral in village Sathiala, some 50 km from Amritsar on Tuesday. Photograph: PTI Photo

As the last rites of CRPF ASI Naresh Kumar and Constable Ram Mehar, killed in the Naxal attack in Chhattisgarh's Sukma, were conducted with full state honours, the families demanded that the government deal with the Naxalites with an iron hand.

The bodies of the two martyrs, wrapped in the tricolour, were brought in bedecked vehicles to their native villages and a large number of people including from neighbouring areas paid homage.

IMAGE: People pay floral tributes to CRPF jawan Ram Mehar who was killed in Naxal attack Chhattisgarh's Sukma district. Photograph: ANI

A gun salute was also given to them as a mark of respect.

ASI Kumar hailing from Jainpur village in Sonipat district of Haryana, and Constable Mehar, native of Kheri Man Singh village in Karnal district, were killed on Monday.

IMAGE: A CRPF official hands over the tricolour to family members of CRPF martyr Alagupandi at his village near Madurai. Photograph: CRPF/Twitter

Haryana ministers Kavita Jain and Karan Dev Kamboj were among others present at the cremation of the two martyrs at Sonipat and Indri in Karnal, respectively.

MLAs of the area, senior CRPF officials and those of the civil and police administration were also present at Sonipat and Karnal.

IMAGE: Relatives and family members carry body of martyr Surender Thakur at his native place, Ner Chowk Mandi. Photograph: PTI Photo

While consoling the family members of the martyr, Kavita Jain broke down and termed the Sukma attack as an act of cowardice.

Kamboj told reporters that the panchayat of Mehar's native village has demanded that a stadium in the area be named after the martyr.

IMAGE: A gun salute was also given to Ram Mehar as a mark of respect. Photograph: ANI

The minister said the government will consider their demand.

Puran Chand, father of Mehar, said the government should give a free hand to the security forces to deal with Naxalites sternly.

"Enemies hiding within the country have been killing our soldiers. The government must tackle this issue with an iron hand," he added.

IMAGE: Last rites of CRPF jawan Binoy Chandra Barman performed at Cooch Behar, West Bengal. Photograph: text here.

Mehar is survived by wife and a minor son and daughter. Kumar is survived by wife Rajbala Devi, a daughter and two school-going sons.

Like Mehar's family, Rajbala asked the Union government to take strict action against perpetrators of the crime.

"If attacks by Naxalites are not stopped immediately they would keep inflicting heavy casualty on our forces," she said.
Data shows that the PMs overseas travel bill reduced from Rs 140.14 crore to Rs 87.16 crore in the second year; data for third year is not available yet.

Nivedita Mookerji/Business Standard reports

IMAGE: Modi's overseas travel bill has come down as compared to previous Prime Minister Manmohan Singh whose bills rose from 45.6% in the second year. Photograph: Adnan Abidi/Reuters

Prime Minister Narendra Modis international travel expenditure dipped considerably in his second year in office, even as his foreign trips continue to make headlines.

The latest data available with the Prime Ministers Office showed a fall of 37.8 per cent in expenditure related to chartered flights on overseas trips during Modis second year in office (June 2015 to May 2016), compared to the first. In the first year, after Modi took charge as PM on May 26, 2014, his overseas travel bill came to Rs 140.14 crore, and then declined to Rs 87.16 crore the following year.

Expenditure information for the third year of Modis term, which will get over next month, is not yet available. But in the third year, the PM travelled abroad fewer times than the previous two, focusing more on domestic trips, including for state election campaigns. Estimates suggested the cost of his third-year overseas travel would be even lower than the second year.

Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singhs international travel bills depicted a contrasting trend. Cost of Singhs foreign trips rose 45.6 per cent at Rs 63.37 crore during his second year in office as PM, compared to the first at Rs 43.52 crore. In the third year of Singhs tenure, however, the expenditure on his overseas travel dropped by 21.3 per cent from the previous year to Rs 49.84 crore. Singhs tenure as PM under the United Progressive Alliance rule began on May 22, 2004.

In fact, when Atal Bihari Vajpayee was the PM under the previous National Democratic Alliance rule, international travel expenditure showed a steep 82.5 per cent increase, touching Rs 23.09 crore, during his second year in office, compared to the first at a modest Rs 12.65 crore. In the third year, it sobered down marginally by 0.64 per cent to Rs 22.94 crore, an analysis of the data showed.

While Modis international travel bills indicated a dip, the actual spend during his tenure was more than double that of Singhs during the first two years in office, and more than six times that of Vajpayees in a similar time frame. In the first two years of office, the total expenditure on foreign travel was Rs 227.3 crore for Modi, compared to Rs 106.89 crore for Singh and Rs 35.6 crore for Vajpayee.

Modi made 11 foreign trips during the first year in office (three of which were by IAF flights), nine in the second year (one of which was on IAF plane) and six in the third year thats currently on. Singh went on six foreign trips in the first year, followed by nine in the second year and six again in the third year. During Vajpayees term, he went on two official foreign trips in the first year, and three each in the second and third year.

While the domestic travel of a prime minister is covered under the defence budget, overseas flight-related expenses are met out of the Budget head Cabinet ministers maintenance of PMs aircraft and other charges.
The alleged stoppage of the convoy of six bodies of Central Reserve Police Force jawans, killed in Chhattisgarh, in Patna Airport area for security reasons as Chief Minister Nitish Kumar was attending a function nearby created a row on Wednesday.

While Patna Senior Superintendent of Police Manu Maharaj denied that the vehicles, carrying the bodies of the jawans, were stopped, Bharatiya Janata Party leaders referred to some TV channels purported footage showing the opposite and criticised the chief minister.

I have enquired about the event and have been told that the movement of the convoy accompanied by special escort pilots was not stopped, Manu Maharaj told reporters.

Asked about the purported TV footages, the Patna SSP said he had not seen them.

The chief minister was attending the foundation day function of the Bihar Road Development Corporation adjacent to the exit gate of the Airport in Patna.

Senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi dubbed the incident as unfortunate and said the CM should have shown sensitivity in this regard.

Sushil Modi also attacked Deputy Chief Minister Tejaswi Yadav for sitting a few distance away, but not visiting the Airport to pay tribute when the bodies of the martyrs had come last evening.

Rashtriya Janata Dal president Lalu Prasad said the CM is a sensitive man. He must not be knowing about the movement of bodies of the martyrs.

Senior Janata Dal-United leader Shyam Rajak came down heavily on the saffron party for making the controversy.

Who does not know how sensitive Nitish Kumar is about such things. The BJP is spinning false stories for petty political gains, Rajak, who is deputy leader in the state assembly, said.

Rajak was present at the Patna Airport to receive the bodies of the jawans and paid tributes.

Kumar had on Tuesday expressed grief over killing of 25 CRPF jawans in Naxal attack in Chhattisgarh on Monday and announced Rs 5 lakh ex gratia each to the six soldiers who hailed from Bihar.

IMAGE: Bodies of slain CRPF jawans kept at Patna airport. Photograph: PTI Photo
Nikita Puri visits Sourabha, A R Shivakumar's pioneering eco-friendly home where he and his family have lived without a municipal water connection for 22 years!

IMAGE: A R Shivakumar is not an architect by training, nor is he in the business of real estate. He is the principal scientific officer at the Karnataka State Council for Science and Technology, Indian Institute of Science. Photograph: Courtesy Shivakumar/Facebook

Over the last several years, Bengaluru-based A R Shivakumar has had hundreds of people asking him to help plan and build their homes.

Shivakumar is not an architect by training, nor is he in the business of real estate. His business card says Shivakumar is the principal scientific officer at the Karnataka State Council for Science and Technology, Indian Institute of Science.

But turn the card around and you see a cartoon of a man in the rain. Unmindful of those staring at him at a bus stop, the cartoon shows the man holding his umbrella inside out, allowing rainwater to flow in through the umbrella and into a tank strapped to the man's back.

The cartoon encapsulates the gist of why even complete strangers ask Shivakumar if they could drop by and see his house in Vijaynagar.

All around Sourabha (Shivakumar's house), there are trees and small water tanks with aquatic plants and fish.

The house itself is designed to "catch" rainfall on different elevations.

The family uses rainwater for all its water needs, including drinking. In the 22 years that the family has lived here, Shivakumar has never felt the need to pay a water bill.

In fact, when the house was being built, Shivakumar never applied for a water connection; he still doesn't have one.

Shivakumar has answered questions about how he's lived without a water connection for so long that he no longer needs prompting. He chalks out everything in detail, and you realise this was his intention all along.

"I wanted to show that we can live a self-sustained green life. This house is an example of that," says Shivakumar.

Growing up in a village about 100 km from Bengaluru, Shivakumar's determination to conserve water was seeded in his childhood: with his two sisters, he would wake up early in the morning to draw water from the village well.

Later on, staying in rented accommodations where water was often scarce steeled his determination not to depend on municipal supply.

In the early 1990s, even as Shivakumar and his wife, Suma, were endlessly working on blueprints for their house, he brought home a heavy bunch of files from the Indian Meteorological Department. These files contained information on the amount of rainfall in Bengaluru over the last 100 years.

"I needed to ensure that we could live off rainfall alone," says Shivakumar.

"All our needs can be met by nature," asserts the innovator.

And it's not just rainwater harvesting that he swears by: skylights flood their house with natural lighting, and solar panels fashioned out of rice hull meet their other needs.

"You just walked on water," Shivakumar tells visitors entering his house, referring to the fact that outside his house, right up till the porch, is a water storage tank of 25,000 litres.

Such tanks exist across his 2,400-sq ft property, bringing the total storage to 45,000 litres. Using pop-up filters he has a patent for, only the clean water gets stored.

As lights from the street go flashing past the windows, one realises that there are no curtains in his house.

"We don't need them, the trees around the house give us all the privacy we need," explains Shivakumar.

"Shivakumar has a very scientific bend of mind and he's a very practical man," explains John Daniel, a green entrepreneur who has known the innovator for 12 years. "He is a perfectionist and keeps thinking about how to make things better."

In Shivakumar's house, there's a good reason why the grills on windows in Shivakumar's house have no curvatures. "He's built all of it himself, that's why we only have straight grills," says Suma. "This is his second home; his first home is the garage where he keeps working on things till midnight."

Just harvesting rainwater wasn't enough -- he also wanted to re-use water from the washing machine. The initial days of this experiment were tough.

"It was very hard to live in the house back then because there was a horrible stench in the house. He wanted to use it to flush the toilets," recalls Suma.

"Despite protests from the family, he figured out a way to reuse that water without any stench," says Daniel.

When he isn't at work or addressing workshops, Shivakumar is either tinkering in the garage or feeding his "pets" (the earthworms in his compost pit).

He has two more years before he retires. "Retirement just means the government is going to stop paying me, but I'm not going to stop working," he says, laughing.
MASON CITY | Mills Fleet Farm's corporate office has released a public statement following an incident at its Mason City store that resulted in a viral Facebook post.

Shane Zahn, who is disabled, posted photos and video of his experience at the store on Facebook after he was allegedly told he could not use a store-provided electric wheelchair to reach his car.

Went to Fleet Farm today to do some shopping, Zahn said in the public post Monday. Paid for all my items and went to leave, was told I couldn't use the wheelchair to go to the car.

Zahn said he returned the items he purchased and had to walk out on my hands and knees.

The video shows Zahn walking on his knees without assistance as he leaves the store.

Just trying to make people aware of how Fleet Farm treats handicapped customers, Zahn wrote.

Zahn didn't immediately respond to an online request for comment Wednesday from the Globe Gazette.

The post garnered more than 5.5 million views, over 23,000 reactions and more than 75,500 shares by Wednesday afternoon.

Mills Fleet Farm posted a statement on their Facebook page from CEO Wayne Sales saying that the company is aware of the incident.

"While use of carts in the parking lot with the uneven terrain can pose a hazard, we feel that in this instance our team member made the wrong decision," Sales said in the statement. "We apologize to the customer and to everyone who may be affected."

Sales said the company "did not live up to the values or the service our customers have come to expect from us."

"We should have gone the extra mile and helped the customer use the cart to return to his vehicle after shopping," he said, noting the company wants to "make things right" for Zahn.
OSAGE | An Osage man sentenced to up to 35 years in prison last year for attempted murder and sexual abuse has a trial set in June on additional sexual abuse charges involving a second alleged victim.

Mark Retterath, 52, is accused of committing sexual acts against the will of a man while acting as his Alcohol Anonymous sponsor in May and June 2015.

Retterath was not only the man's AA sponsor, but also served as an officer with the organization, according to the criminal complaint.

He is scheduled to be tried June 6 on felony charges of third-degree sexual abuse and sexual exploitation by a counselor or therapist.

Those charges were filed in June 2015, around the same time Retterath was charged with attempted murder and solicitation to commit murder for allegedly plotting to kill another man accusing Retterath of sexually abusing him from the time he was a teenager.

Retterath was found guilty by a jury in August 2016 of attempted murder, solicitation to commit murder and third-degree sexual abuse.

Investigators said Retterath decided to kill the accuser in the initial sexual abuse case with the poison ricin to prevent him from testifying against him.

Retterath allegedly got the idea for the murder method from a friend, who'd seen a TV character make ricin from castor beans and kill someone on AMC's hit show "Breaking Bad."
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Environmentalist Chut Wutty of Cambodias Natural Resources Conservation Group was investigating illicit logging operations in the Mondul Seima district of southern Cambodias Koh Kong province when he was fatally shot on April 26, 2012. He was allegedly gunned down by a military police officer who was also found dead at the scene. Six months later, a court in Koh Kong sentenced the security chief of the logging company that ran timber operations in the forest to two years in prison for the unintentional murder of military officer In Rattana, who the court said had fatally shot Chut Wutty. The slain activists family and fellow environmental activists never accepted the verdict or the official account of the killing. Sonorng Kher of RFAs Khmer Serice interviewed Chut Wuttys son, Cheuy Oudom Reaksmey, by skype from California on the fifth anniversary of his fathers murder.

RFA: Today marks five years since your father was killed. In Phnom Penh a group of young supporters gathered to watch the film I Am Chut Wutty on their smart phones to mark the anniversary of his death, as a public screening of the film has been banned. But you are now in the U.S. What is the reason for this trip?

Cheuy Oudom Reaksmey: I have come to the U.S. in response to an invitation from Cambodian Americans who wanted me to observe the fifth anniversary of my fathers death in the United States. I have come to the U.S. to tell the outside world about justice denied.

RFA: Your fathers murder case, which was handled by the Koh Kong Provincial Court, has been closed. What do you expect to do to find justice for him?

Cheuy Oudom Reaksmey: I have no faith in the Koh Kong Provincial Court. I am still not convinced that In Ratana killed him. I will do my best to call for the international community to help find justice for him. Over the past five years, the government of Cambodia has not been willing to find justice for my family. Even a pubic screening of the film about my father has been banned by the government. I will have to take this matter into my own hands. I will work with young people on this.

RFA: The public screening of the film about your father has been banned since last year. How significant do think the film is in helping find justice?

Cheuy Oudom Reaksmey: If the government was not behind my fathers death, why would it take issue with us for showing the film in public? The film tells the true story of his heroism in his work to address illegal logging and land concessions.

RFA: Has a ritual ceremony to mark your fathers anniversary been observed by Cambodian Americans in the U.S.?

Cheuy Oudom Reaksmey: Yes, it has. On April 23, a ceremony was observed by many Cambodian Americans at Wat Chas temple in Stockton, California, where I Am Chut Wutty was shown. People were moved by the film.

RFA: What is your message to listeners?

Cheuy Oudom Reaksmey: I call on all Cambodians to help find justice for my father. No real perpetrators of his murder have even been brought to trial. I also ask the government of Cambodia to prove that it is not behind the murder by finding the real killers and hold them accountable. I am not convinced that In Ratana, who was a very low-ranking military police officer, killed my father. To the international community, please help intervene in this. My father died to protect natural resources. Our family has not received justice yet.

Translated by Nareth Muong.
Authorities in the northeastern Chinese province of Liaoning are seeking to expand their pool of Korean-language interpreters and translators amid growing military tensions on the Korean peninsula.



The bureau of foreign affairs in Liaoning's Dandong city, which lies just across the Yalu River from North Korea, issued a directive indicating that Chinese officials are setting up a team of interpreters and translators working with Korean.



The order requires police, state security police, customs, border guards, and port officials to "build an emergency Korean translation personnel team" to be led by the bureau.



Meanwhile, Chinese state media reports quoted a foreign affairs bureau official surnamed Song as saying that the order falls within "normal working requirements" for the bureau, which include emergency preparedness.



The background preparations, possibly aimed at managing a huge influx of refugees across the border in the event of armed conflict in North Korea, came as Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi called for an end to forthcoming military exercises between a U.S. aircraft carrier and the South Korean armed forces.



Wang said that while Pyongyang's continuing nuclear tests are "a clear violation of UN resolutions," persisting with military maneuvers around the peninsula "is not in the spirit of the resolutions either."



"Security and stability are very fragile at the moment, and the danger is great of a new conflict breaking out at any time," Wang told a news conference with German counterpart Sigmar Gabriel.



"We can't risk even a one percent possibility of war," he said, warning that a conflict would have "unimaginable consequences."



"Therefore, we call on all sides to be prudent and refrain from any actions or words that could lead to new provocations," he said, as U.S. troops began delivering the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile defense system to South Korea amid fears Pyongyang may be preparing a sixth nuclear test.



Conflict now possible



U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly called on China to do more to rein in its traditional ally, while 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.



Meanwhile, the senior U.S. Navy officer overseeing military operations in the Pacific, Adm. Harry Harris Jr., said the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson and its accompanying battle group is capable of defending itself against any incoming North Korean attacks.



Seoul and Washington carry out annual joint military exercises, saying that they are purely defensive in nature.



Professor Liang Yunxiang of Beijing University's School of International Relations said that any nuclear test by North Korea at this juncture could precipitate military conflict with the U.S., as the entire U.S. Senate were called to a White House briefing on the situation on Wednesday.



"I think if they really do carry out a test, that there is a likelihood this could start a war," Liang told RFA. "If they do it now, during the U.S.-South Korean military drills, while the U.S. aircraft carrier is in the region, then North Korea will definitely be seeking to provoke the U.S."



"China is still trying to play the role of mediator, or rather the U.S. and South Korea are hoping to use China and Russia to exert pressure on the North," he said. "The best-case scenario is that all sides stand down without a fight, but if China can't manage that, then it will have failed, and there really is a likelihood of war."



A Dandong resident who declined to be named said that the atmosphere in the city remains calm in spite of growing tensions.



"It's not particularly tense right now, or at least I haven't noticed it," the resident said. "[The North Koreans] are the Communist Party's problem. How would ordinary citizens know anything about it?"



Standoff to continue



Beijing-based political commentator Zha Jianguo told RFA that the standoff looks set to continue indefinitely.



"There is a possibility that North Korea will make slight adjustments to its nuclear and ballistic missile testing schedule in response to the current situation," Zha said. "But they're going to start it up again eventually."



"I think it's safe to predict that they won't give up their nuclear program, regardless of how much military pressure or economic sanctions they are under, or how much we negotiate with them."



"None of these things will achieve the goal of denuclearization [of the Korean peninsula]," Zha said.



Hong Kong-based North Korea expert Chung Lok-wai agreed, saying the North is now working hard to find a way to miniaturize its nuclear weapons to fit them to a long-range ballistic missile.



"They are moving in the direction of ballistic missiles and the miniaturization of nuclear warheads," Chung told RFA on Tuesday. "North Korea is moving in the direction of getting both of those things to work together."



He said recent measures made by seismographs during North Korean nuclear tests indicated that their nuclear arsenal is becoming more and more powerful.



"Their nuclear capabilities have been expanding continually during the past few years," Chung said.



Reported by Yang Fan for RFA's Mandarin Service, and by Goh Fung for the Cantonese Service. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie.




Police in Hong Kong on Wednesday arrested two former lawmakers-elect for "illegal assembly" after they staged a protest in the city's Legislative Council (LegCo) last year during a row over their altered oaths of allegiance.



Yau Wai-ching and Sixtus Leung were formally barred from taking up their seats last year following a high-level intervention from Beijing, when the city's courts ruled that their Oct. 12 oaths were invalid because they weren't "solemn and sincere."



The duo, both members of the youth group Youngspiration, had vowed allegiance to the "Hong Kong Nation" and carried banners saying "Hong Kong is not China" during their swearing-in ceremonies, while Yau swore in her reference to China.



They were both taken away from their homes early on Wednesday and questioned for several hours over a protest on Nov. 2, when they barged into the LegCo chamber and another conference room, disrupting proceedings, government broadcaster RTHK reported.



It said "at least four" security staff members were injured in the scuffles that ensued, without giving details.



Sixtus Leung told reporters the charges against the pair were "ridiculous," because he and Yau were elected representatives at the time they entered the LegCo building.



"It surprised me, because I don't believe that a lawmaker can [commit] unlawful assembly in the chamber," Leung said following his release on bail. "That is totally unreasonable and unacceptable to me."



"[There's no] room for regret," he said. "This wasn't a choice made by us but ... by the government, to continue to spend public money, time and energy on attacks against the political opposition."



"We will continue to resist," Leung said. "We don't have much choice, and there is bound to be an impact, whether emotional or material, as ... we will now have to find the money to fight another round of legal proceedings."



Yau said she and Leung had been acting lawfully on Nov. 2.



"We entered the building using our current status as lawmakers-elect, and we were stopped by LegCo staff who tried to prevent us from doing our jobs," she said. "This in itself undermines the credibility of LegCo."



"The Hong Kong administration and the [ruling Chinese] Communist Party have cobbled together these charges of illegal assembly to arrest both of us," Yau said. "It is clear that they are hell-bent on taking a hard line to suppress public opinion."



League of Social Democrats lawmaker Leung Kwok-hung said the use of illegal assembly laws to target two elected representatives was "unreasonable."



"We all have a reasonable right to attend meetings in LegCo, and they were trying to attend in order to re-take their oaths of allegiance," he said. "This whole affair ... sets a very dangerous precedent."



While pro-Beijing lawmaker Starry Lee said the arrests were legitimate given the "hurt" done to the security of LegCo, Hong Kong First lawmaker Claudia Mo called the move utterly absurd.



"I couldnt help thinking that the [Hong Kong government] is so determined to make sure that the opposition voice is all dead," RTHK quoted Mo as saying. And he wouldnt leave out any chance to suppress any opposition voice.



Targeting political activists



The pair's arrest is the latest in a string of arrests and charges brought against Hong Kong's younger generation of political activists, which have included convictions and non-custodial punishments for key leaders of the 2014 Occupy Central campaign for universal suffrage.



The city's High Court is currently deliberating an application to strip former democracy protest leader Nathan Law of the Demosisto party, veteran rights activist and League of Social Democrats member Leung Kwok-hung, Lau Siu-lai from Democracy Groundwork and Edward Yiu, who represents the surveying profession, of their seats for changing the wording of their oaths.



The government has accused the four of taking their oaths of office "without solemnity and sincerity," qualities which were judged necessary for validity in a retroactive ruling by the People's Congress Standing Committee on Hong Kong's mini-constitution, the Basic Law.



The attempts to unseat serving lawmakers came after former student leaders Joshua Wong, Nathan Law, and Alex Chow were found guilty of public order offenses last July for their role in the occupation of a cordoned-off public space at the start of the movement.



Wong and Chow were convicted of "unlawful assembly" after they climbed into the fenced-off area outside government headquarters on the night of Sept. 26, 2014, at the start of a 79-day civil disobedience campaign for universal suffrage.



They were handed suspended and community service sentences that were later challenged by prosecutors in the former British colony seeking jail time instead, to no avail.



According to Hong Kong journalist and rights activist Kong Tsung-gan, 23 pro-democracy leaders are facing 30 different types of legal action, including 10 new-generation activists and seven who are regarded as "radical."



Eight challenge Hong Kong's status as a Special Administrative Region of the Peoples Republic of China.



"In essence, the Hong Kong government is trying to nip new movements, whether for self-determination or independence, in the bud but also to intimidate the wider pro-democracy movement," Kong wrote via Medium on Wednesday. "Eight eminently old-style, traditional, moderate pan-democrats have also been targeted."



The Occupy Central, or Umbrella, Movement for fully democratic elections rejected Beijing's insistence, made in an Aug. 31, 2014 ruling, that any move to universal suffrage in the city must include the vetting of candidates by its supporters, who rejected the idea as "fake" universal suffrage.



At its height, hundreds of thousands of people poured onto the city's streets in protest, using umbrellas to protect themselves from sun, rain, and pepper spray, and giving the Umbrella Movement its nickname.



But the movement ended with no political victory, and amid accusations from China's state media that the protests were being orchestrated by "hostile foreign forces" behind the scenes.



Reported by Lam Kwok-lap for RFA's Cantonese Service. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie.
Security personnel along North Koreas border with China are encouraging residents to use illegal cellphones operating on Chinese satellite networks or defect in return for protection fees to make up for bribes that have dried up amid heightened controls in the region, sources said.



Illegal crossings of the Yalu and Tumen riversseparating North Korea from Chinaand smuggling activities at the border have seen a significant downturn in recent weeks, leaving those who normally earn a living through payoffs in dire straits, the sources told RFAs Korean Service over the weekend.



A resident of North Hamgyong province, near the border, said security personnel there had been forced to find new ways of supplementing their income.



As the [central] authorities have cracked down on defections and smuggling very severely, security officials, policemen and border guards are facing difficult livelihoods, the source said, speaking on condition of anonymity.



Due to these substantial difficulties, they began searching for alternative sources of money by promoting other illegal activities.



According to the source, security personnel have begun visiting the homes of defector families to warn of the tightened border situation as a pretext to collect protection money for helping them to use Chinese cellphones that can make calls outside of North Korea, or even to defect.



The defector families who desperately need to make contact with people outside the country are being approached by security personnel with the suggestion that they can freely use cellphones [illegally operating on Chinese networks] as long as theyre protected, he said.



Some security personnel are even directly proposing the use of illegal cellphones and defection to the families and asking for money as a form of protection.



A second source in Yanggang province, also located along the border with China, told RFA that in April each year a special security week is declared amid anniversary celebrations to mark the founding of North Koreas military, during which border areas are locked down.



Except for that week, smugglers along the border usually feed the border guards, security officers and policemen with regular bribes, said the source, who also asked not to be named.



But as the central government has recently tightened direct control of the border areas, these security personnel have found themselves in a difficult situation for earning a living.



Border guards, who traditionally pad their income by smuggling goods into North Korea from China, have been hit particularly hard by the new tightened security, the source said, due to the installation of infrared detectors at each guard station and new devices that can detect the signals of cellphones used to set up meets with Chinese counterparts.



Nowadays, border guards are in a difficult position where they have to search for potential defectors and beg them to flee the country [in exchange for protection money], because there are very few people trying to leave with the help of security personnel and due to the crackdown on smuggling, he said.



Security officers, policemen and border guards who have families to support are barely able to make ends meet, he added.



Earlier this month, sources told RFA that authorities began attaching GPS satellite tracking units to guards on duty in North Hamgyongs Onsong county to intensify border security in a trial run of the technology before outfitting all patrols with the devices.



Amid the tighter border controls, guards now face stern punishments for allowing defections to China, including public execution, sources have said.



Reported by Jieun Kim for RFAs Korean Service. Translated by Changsop Pyon. Written in English by Joshua Lipes.
The Lao government must grant land leases based on type of investment, according to a former official, who said a recently amended law that limits leases to 50 years would do little to curb the ill effects of gambling at concessions where casinos are located.



A former official who previously worked at the Savan-Seno Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in Savannakhet province told RFAs Lao Service that 50-year leases are too long for concessions with casinos, where the benefits of job creation are undermined by gambling addiction in local communities.



The length of the concession should depend on what investments are part of the SEZ, said the official, speaking on condition of anonymity.



If the SEZ includes many factories that provide local employment, it is acceptable to give an investor a 99-year concession, but if gambling venues or casinos are established in the SEZ, even a 50-year concession is too long and makes the investment not worthwhile.



In November 2016, the National Assembly approved an amendment to the law on investment promotion, capping concession leases at 50 years. The amendment went into effect in December.



Under the previous version of the law on investment promotion, implemented in 2009, investors could be granted land concessions for up to 99 years after receiving approval from the National Committee for Special Economic Zones. Prior to that, investors sought approval directly from the countrys deputy prime minister.



The government has not provided an official statement on why law on investment promotion was amended last year, though officials have occasionally hinted that regulations on concessions could be improved.



According to the Ministry of Planning and Investment, Laos has established 10 economic zones since 2003, seeking domestic and international investors through tax and duty incentives as part of a bid to promote infrastructure development, employment and production in the regions they are located.



At least two of the economic zonesthe Boten Beautiful Land Specific Economic Zone launched in 2003 in Luang Namtha province and the Golden Triangle SEZ opened in 2007 in Bokeo province near the Lao borders with Myanmar, Thailand, and Chinainclude casinos within the zones.



At least two othersthe Dongphosy Specific Economic Zone formed in 2012 in Vientiane and the Savan-Seno SEZ set up in 2003have established casinos alongside the zones.



The former official told RFA that while economic zones with factories, such as Savan-Seno, bring employment opportunities to hundreds of area residents, those featuring casinos do more damage than good to local communities, and suggested the lease cap would do little to limit that.



People regularly get involved in gambling and lose their money, so they become bankrupted because after they develop an addiction, they sell away all of their property, he said.



In principle, Lao people are prohibited from gambling in casinos, but in actuality, the players are mostly Lao.



Attempts to contact Bouatha Khattiya, vice chairwoman of the National Committee for Special Economic Zones, about the effect of casinos on Lao communities went unanswered.



In addition Savan-Seno, Golden Triangle, Boten and Dongphosy, Laos also established the Saysetha Development Zone in Vientiane in 2010, the Phoukhyo Specific Economic Zone in Khammuane province in 2010, the Vientiane Industrial and Trade Area in Vientiane in 2011, the Thatluang Lake Specific Economic Zone in Vientiane in 2011, the Longthanh-Vientiane Specific Economic Zone in Vientiane in 2012, and the Thakhek Specific Economic Zone in Khammuane province in 2012.



The entrance to the Saysetha Development Zone in Vientiane, March 23, 2017. Investment issues



Laos, one of the least developed Southeast Asian states, has become the subject of massive foreign investment, especially from companies from China, Thailand, and Vietnam.



Much of Laoss economic growth has come from land concessions for natural resourcesincluding timber, agricultural products, minerals, and energybut some worry that it comes at a cost for those who lose their land.



Speaking at the National Assembly on Wednesday, Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith hinted that the government is continuing to refine concession policy in Laos.



There are loopholes in implementing the policy [on concessions] as well the land law, causing problems, he said, without providing details.



The government recognizes that they are urgent issues to be addressed and has begun the process of correcting them.



Reported by RFAs Lao Service. Translated by Ounkeo Souksavanh. Written in English by Joshua Lipes.
Authorities in a Tibetan-populated county of Sichuan are demanding that monks forced out of the Larung Gar Buddhist Academy now leave their new homes in a remote retreat center, warning them of severe measures if they try to stay, a local source says.



Expelled from Larung Gar in a state-ordered campaign to downsize the sprawling complex, the nearly 300 monks had moved to the Belo Ri center in Kardze (in Chinese, Ganzi) Tibetan Autonomous Prefectures Tawu (Daofu) county, a Tibetan living in the area told RFA.



But some officials from Tawu county recently arrived and told the monks they cannot stay there either, RFAs source said, speaking on condition of anonymity.



They told the monks that if they attempt to remain, they will face severe consequences.



Senior monks at Belo Ri, which was established by the well-respected lama Lungtok Tulkua close student of Larung Gar founder Khenpo Jigme Phuntsokpleaded that the group be allowed to stay at the center, saying that they had broken no laws or regulations and have nowhere else to go, the source said.



But the authorities insisted they have to leave, he said.



Recorded in a brief video obtained by RFAs Tibetan Service, a visibly angry official warns monastic representatives at Belo Ri that the former Larung Gar monks will have to leave within the next few days and will not be happy if they remain.



The order for the monks to leave Belo Ri appears to have been given within the last week, and no information has been received regarding their departure or follow-up action by the authorities.



Reported by Kunsang Tenzin for RFAs Tibetan Service. Translated by Karma Dorjee. Written in English by Richard Finney.




7 The Yazidi people were targeted by the militant group Islamic State (IS) beginning in the summer of 2014, when IS swept into swaths of Iraq and Syria. Unlike Christians, many of whom were killed but some of whom were said to have been allowed to pay a religious tax without conversion, Yazidis were given two choices: Convert or die. IS militants have since massacred more than 5,000 Yazidis, and thousands of Yazidi girls and women remain captive as sex slaves.
Just days after the 1986 accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Soviet Ukraine, photographer and rights activist Viktoria Ivleva approached an elderly man sitting on a street bench in Kyiv. "Grandpa, why are you sitting here in the sun? Go home," she recalls warning the man. "And he answered me: 'My little one, we beat the Nazis. You don't think we can beat radiation?'"



Four years later, Ivleva became the first journalist known to have entered the fourth block of the reactor, where a deadly explosion and fire on April 26, 1986, triggered the world's worst civilian nuclear accident and sent a radioactive cloud drifting across the Soviet Union and Europe.



Ivleva, 60, reported from conflict zones in the 1980s and '90s, including the war between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh territory. More recently, she traveled across Ukraine in 2014 to document how ordinary people were affected by the escalating conflict between Kyiv and Moscow.



In an interview with RFE/RL's Belarus Service, Ivleva recalls below how she managed to sneak into the destroyed reactor with the help of some scientists in 1990 and discusses the eerie ambience there.
European lawmakers say Russia and Iran are among a group of countries that are increasingly abusing Interpol red notices to seek the arrest of political opponents, contributing to a five-fold increase of red notices during the past decade.

The Council of Europe said in a resolution on April 26 that it is "deplorable" to misuse the Interpol system for such purposes.

A red notice allows police in Interpols 190 member states to cooperate on the arrest and extradition of a person who is wanted by authorities in one country or by an international tribunal.

A Council of Europe report on April 26 said: "Interpol and its system of red notices has been misused by some member states for political purposes in recent years to suppress freedom of expression or to persecute political opponents abroad."

Among the cases cited were that of Mukhtar Ablyazov, Kazakhstan's former energy minister, who is accused of embezzling billions of dollars from the countrys BTA bank.

Ablyazov spent more than three years in custody after being arrested by French authorities in 2013 on account of a red notice issued by Russia.

France refused to extradite him but he remained in a French jail until last December when his lawyers successfully argued that Russia's goal was political.

The Council's report cited many other cases -- including Mehdi Khosravi, an Iranian arrested in Italy in August 2016 on the basis of a red notice issued by Tehran, even though he had obtained political asylum in Britain.

New Measures

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) on April 26 welcomed news that Interpol has recently adopted measures to improve the reasons for a state seeking a red notification.

Those measures include a provision that red notices be circulated by Interpol only when there are serious grounds for suspicion against the targeted person.

But PACE lawmakers also argued that Interpol should do more to protect the rights of the accused, including stronger measures of recourse for a person affected by a red notice.

"Targeted persons cannot successfully challenge red notices before any national or international courts," PACEs legal affairs and human rights rapporteur Bernd Fabritius said in a March report.

"Sometimes, people are arrested and extradited to countries where they cannot expect a fair trial, or where they are threatened by torture without even knowing that they were the subject of an Interpol notice," Fabritius said.

"Given the damage abusive red notices can do to the lives of innocent people," he said, "it is important that weaknesses in the system are identified and measures taken to prevent and redress abuses more effectively."

The number of Interpol red notices jumped from 2,343 in 2005 to 12,787 in 2016.

With reporting by AFP


Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has sought to counter U.S. allegations that Moscow is supplying arms to the Taliban in Afghanistan, claiming on April 25 that the charges are unsubstantiated and "false."

The commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan, General John Nicholson, said during a press conference with Defense Secretary Jim Mattis in Kabul on April 24 that he wouldnt dispute that Russias involvement in the Afghan war includes providing weapons to the Taliban.

Nicholson did not go into specifics, but a senior U.S. military official said that Russia was giving machine guns and other medium-weight weaponry to Taliban militants.

The military official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the Russian supplies were intended for use in the southern provinces of Helmand, Kandahar, and Uruzgan.

"These are unprofessional declarations that are based on nothing," Lavrov said at a press conference in Moscow on April 25, responding to a question about the U.S. statements.

He said that the United States had not provided "a single fact confirming these negative declarations" and asserted that U.S. intelligence officials "know perfectly well that these are false claims."

Lavrov said Russia's stance is that the Taliban should take part in peace negotiations in Afghanistan.

"We are in favor of only one simple thing: We want the Taliban to join the national dialogue on the basis of the criteria endorsed by the UN Security Council at the Afghan government's request," he said.

But for this to happen, the Taliban must "stop violence, break with terrorism, and respect the constitution," he said.

Lavrov added that there is not much hope for reconciliation in Afghanistan without dialogue between the government and the Taliban.

Taliban militants hold large amounts of territory more than 15 years after being driven from power following a U.S.-led invasion conducted in response to the September 11, 2001, terror attacks on the United States.

The United States targeted Afghanistan because the Taliban, which had taken over most of he country in previous years and imposed extemist rule, was harboring Al-Qaeda leaders who were behind the September 11 attacks.

With reporting by Reuters, dpa, Interfax, and TASS
A U.S. government commission on religious freedom is recommending that Russia be designated as a "country of particular concern" (CPC), putting it in a group of the world's worst offenders of basic rights on religious worship.

The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) said in its annual report on April 26 that it is, for the first time, recommending Russia be recognized as an offender along with 15 other countries.

The commission said Russia is unique among the countries in its report because it is the only state that "not only continually intensified its repression of religious freedom" but also "expanded its repressive policies to the territory of a neighboring state," a reference to Moscow's illegal annexation of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula in 2014.

The report also cited a 2016 law that it said "effectively criminalized all private religious speech not sanctioned by the state."

Known as "Yarovaya's Law," the legislation tightens restrictions on the activities of religious groups -- particularly smaller denominations such as the Mormons and some Christian evangelical sects.

It also noted a Russian Supreme Court ruling earlier in April that imposed a nationwide ban against the Jehovah's Witnesses.

WATCH: Jehovah's Witnesses Fight Russian Ban



USCIRF Chairman Thomas Reese said the United States needs to "send a clear message to Russia that we will not tolerate its continued campaign of attack and intimidation against freedom or religion and beliefs."

The commission also recommended that Pakistan be named a CPC, as it had done in 2016 when then-Secretary of State John Kerry rejected the recommendation.

Pakistan has been selected by the commission for offender status each year since 2002, but the State Department has rejected the recommendation every time.

The latest commission report said Pakistans government has "continued to perpetrate and tolerate systematic, ongoing, and egregious religious freedom violations."

It also cited "discriminatory constitutional provisions and legislation, such as the country's blasphemy and anti-Ahmadiya laws" which it says still result in believers being prosecuted and imprisoned.

There are currently 10 countries designated by the United States as the world's worst offenders of religious freedom: Burma (aka Myanmar), China, Eritrea, Iran, North Korea, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.

The commission has recommended that along with Russia and Pakistan, the Central African Republic, Nigeria, Syria, and Vietnam be added to the CPC list.

Reese said in the 2017 annual report that international religious freedom "is worsening in both the depth and breadth of violations."

At an April 26 press conference in Washington D.C., Reese was particularly critical of Russia -- calling the ban against Jehovah's Witnesses a "very serious violation" of religious freedom.

"It is banning a religion throughout the country; it is going to be confiscating their property [and] basically declaring them outlaws," said Reese, a Jesuit cleric. "We do not feel that religious freedom is respected when a government decides who can be a religion and can't be a religion.... We believe that people should have the right to believe what they want...and to assemble as believers and worship together."

Reese also said the commission is not only worried about the judgment against the Jehovah's Witnesses.

"We are also very concerned about what is happening in terms of religious freedom in Ukraine, where Russia has invaded a country illegally and occupied it, and is now imposing its religious restrictions, it's very tough registration laws, on the religions in the Crimea," Reese said.

He cited the Crimean Tatars as being the hardest hit by representatives of Russia in Crimea, but noted that the Ukrainian Catholic Church has also experienced problems and that Russians "are not allowing them to practice their religion."

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson will be responsible for determining whether to add Russia and the other five recommended states recommended to the list of countries "of particular concern."

Once added, the law states that U.S. officials must seek to hold negotiations with authorities from the offending countries and to come up with ways to resolve the complaints regarding violations of religious freedom.

A failure to come up with such resolutions is supposed to result in the imposition of sanctions.

For the first time, the U.S. freedom or religion commission designated nonstate entities as "entities of particular concern," or EPCs.

Reese said the commission was recommending that Islamic State (IS) extremists in Syria and Iraq, the Taliban in Afghanistan, and Al-Shabaab in Somalia be the first such designated entities.

The USCIRF is a bipartisan U.S. federal government commission made of nine commissioners and headed by Reese -- a senior analyst for the National Catholic Reporter.

The commission was created by Congress in 1998 and issues an annual report each year, making recommendations and giving advice to the president, Congress, and the State Department on which countries are the worst violators of freedom of religion and beliefs.
A group called the Imam Shamil Battalion has claimed responsibility for a deadly subway bombing in the Russian city of St. Petersburg and said the attacker was acting on orders from Al-Qaeda, a U.S.-based organization that monitors extremists says.

The claim by the little-known group was originally published by the Mauritanian news agency ANI, which is often used by Islamist militants in West and North Africa to release statements. It was posted by the SITE Intelligence Group on April 25.

The statement said that bomber Akbarjon Jalilov acted on instructions from Al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri in the April 3 bombing, which killed 16 people and injured about 50.

Russian investigators say the attack was carried out by Jalilov, a 22-year-old Kyrgyz-born Russian citizen who was among the dead.

Russian authorities have arrested 10 people of Central Asian origin on suspicion of involvement and said they have "practically established" who ordered the attack, but gave no details.

The group's name suggests that it was established by people with ties to Russia's mostly Muslim North Caucasus, the site of two post-Soviet separatists wars in Chechnya and a continuing insurgency.

Imam Shamil was the leader of Daghestani and Chechen resistance to Russian forces in the 19th century.

Based on reporting by Reuters and AFP
Top Trump administration officials have told U.S. senators that their goal is to push North Korea into dismantling its nuclear and missile programs through tougher international sanctions and diplomatic pressure.

Despite repeated warnings to Pyongyang in recent weeks that suggested Washington was eyeing military action, the officials told legislators at an unusual briefing of the entire Senate at the White House on April 26 that they hoped to avoid intervening militarily and the administration remained open to negotiations with the renegade nation.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, and Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats described North Korea as "an urgent national security threat" intent on developing the capability of launching nuclear missiles that can hit the United States.

"The presidents approach aims to pressure North Korea into dismantling its nuclear, ballistic-missile, and proliferation programs by tightening economic sanctions and pursuing diplomatic measures with our allies and regional partners," they said in a statement.

"The United States seeks stability and the peaceful denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. We remain open to negotiations toward that goal. However, we remain prepared to defend ourselves and our allies," they said.

Based on reporting by AP and Reuters
Activists in Russia's Tatarstan and Mari El republics were celebrating the Tatar and Mari languages on April 26 as part of events marking Language Day.

In Tatarstan, Language Day coincides with the birthday of Gabdulla Tuqay, a prominent poet considered by Tatars as a classic poet of Tatar literature.

Tuqay's poem Oh, My Mother Tongue! has been used as a rallying cry by a Tatar movement against Russification.

But the day also is officially marked in Kazan and other cities with special Tatar language and culture events at kindergartens, schools, universities, and public places.

The Tatar language belongs to the Turkic linguistic group and is used by some 7 million people in the area and beyond.

In neighboring Mari El, Language Day coincides with the birthday of Prince Boltush -- the 16th century ruler of the Malmyzh princedom who led the Mari nation to battle against the forces of Russian Tsar Ivan The Terrible.

Events in the capital Yoshkar-Ola celebrating the Uralic Mari language and culture include a public awareness campaign called I speak Mari!

About 52 percent of Mari El's 700,000 residents are ethnic Mari.

On April 25, the Day of the Chuvash language was celebrated in the neighboring republic of Chuvashia.

More than 1 million people in Russia's Volga region speak Chuvash, which is a Turkic language.


A French intelligence report has concluded that forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad carried out a sarin nerve-gas attack earlier this month in northern Syria and that Assad or members of his closest entourage ordered the strike.

"There is no doubt that sarin gas was used" in the suspected attack on the town of Khan Sheikhun, French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault told the media after presenting the report on April 26.

"There is also no doubt about the responsibility of the Syrian regime, given the way that the sarin used was produced," Ayrault said.

At least 87 people were killed in the suspected attack, which prompted the United States to respond with a cruise-missile strike on a Syrian air base -- its first assault on Assad's government in the six-year-old conflict.

The declassified six-page report -- put together by France's military and foreign intelligence services -- said it reached its conclusion based on samples obtained from the impact strike on the ground, and a blood sample from a victim.

The document said that among the elements found in the samples was hexamine, a hallmark of sarin produced by the Syrian government.

"The French intelligence services consider that only Bashar al-Assad and some of his most influential entourage can give the order to use chemical weapons," the report said.

It added that militant groups in the area did not have the capacity to develop and launch such an attack and that the extremist group Islamic State (IS) was not in the region.

The report also said that Assad's claim to the AFP news agency on April 13 that the attack was fabricated was "not credible" given the mass flows of casualties in a short space of time arriving in Syrian and Turkish hospitals.

Russia, which has backed Assad throughout the six-year-old war in Syria, said the French report was not enough to prove who was behind the suspected attack.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on April 26 that Moscow's position on the attack was "unchanged" and "that the only way to establish the truth about what happened in Khan Sheikhun is an impartial international investigation."

Russia has said that the attack could have been staged, or that Syrian government bombs could have hit a rebel-held chemical-weapons facility -- claims that the United States and other Western government say are not credible.

The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), which examines chemical attacks but does not place blame, said on April 19 that samples from victims showed that sarin or a similar substance was used.

On April 20, the OPCW rejected a Russian-Iranian move to launch a new investigation, with Western diplomats saying Moscow's aim was to get its own investigators or those of an allied country involved.

The United States and other countries have voiced support for the existing OPCW investigative mechanism.

With reporting by Reuters, AFP, and AP
ON MY MIND

Sergei Lavrov sees Russophobia everywhere.

Allegations that Moscow is supplying arms to the Taliban are Russophobic.

Accusations that Russia is interfering in Western elections are Russophobic.

And claims that the Kremlin is trying to undermine the European Union are, you guessed it, Russophobic.

The term is also regularly used to smear Ukraine and the Baltic states.

And all this Russophobia-mania got me wondering: where did this word come from? What are its origins? When was it first deployed?

And the answer is actually pretty interesting -- and quite revealing.

The term Russophobia first appears in the Russian language in 1867, when Fyodor Tyutchev, a Slavophile poet, diplomat, and agent of the Third Department of the Tsar's Office -- effectively the secret police -- used it to describe opponents and critics of the monarchy.

Tyutchev primarily applied the term to Poles who sought liberation from the Russian Empire. In this context, he referred to "Polish betrayal" and "Polish ingratitude" -- and called the Polish people "the Judas of the Slavs."

So there you have it. The term Russophobia was invented to malign and smear those who did not wish to be dominated by Russia.

In the 19th century, it was those "Russophobic" Poles seeking national liberation. Today, it's those "Russophobic" Ukrainians, Estonians, Latvians, and Lithuanians who are seeking to preserve their independence.

And, of course, anybody else who supports them or dares criticize the Kremlin.

IN THE NEWS

The Senate has voted 94 to 6 to confirm Rod Rosenstein as deputy U.S. attorney general. The longtime prosecutor will oversee the Justice Department's investigation into Russian influence in the U.S. elections.

Former White House national security adviser Michael Flynn probably broke the law by failing to get permission to be paid for a trip to Russia in 2015, the leaders of a U.S. House of Representatives committee have said.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has said that a U.S. allegation Moscow is supplying arms to the Taliban in Afghanistan is unsubstantiated.

Activists in the Russian city of Krasnoyarsk have mounted a petition campaign against plans to build a Russian Orthodox church in the city center on the bank of the Yenisei River.

The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe has launched an internal investigation into a car explosion that killed an OSCE observer in separatist-controlled eastern Ukraine.

Ukraine's state power company says it has cut electricity supplies to the parts of the Luhansk region that are controlled by Russia-backed separatists, citing debts.

The head of Russian natural-gas company Gazprom says a new pipeline across the Baltic Sea to Germany will boost its share of the European market and decrease the amount of gas it pumps westward via Ukraine.

The press rights group Reporters Without Borders is warning that media freedom is increasingly threatened under authoritarian regimes as well as in countries regarded as models of democracy.

WHAT I'M READING

Navalny Strikes Again!

Opposition leader Aleksei Navalny is at it again. The anticorruption crusader has produced a new video looking at the finances of the "charity" organizations that allegedly pay for Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev's real-estate empire.

Meanwhile, in GlobalVoices, Kevin Rothrock takes a look at Navalny's political evolution, his toning down of his nationalist rhetoric, and his embrace of liberal positions.

Medvedev Under Fire

According to a new poll from the Levada Center, 45 percent of Russians want Dmitry Medvedev removed as prime minister.

Kremlin Intrigue

Valery Solovei talks to The New Times about jockeying among the Kremlin clans over who will be Russia's next prime minister.

The Warlord And The Tsar

Anna Arutunyan has a piece for the European Council on Foreign Relations on why Vladimir Putin won't get tough with Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov

Inside The Propaganda Machine

Coda Story has a piece by Ilya Kizirov, Confessions Of A (Former) State TV Reporter,that offers a peek inside the Kremlin's media machine.

Focus On Inequality

OpenDemocracy has a piece looking at a new Russian media organization, Zerkalo, that plans to report on social inequality.

And Shaun Walker has a piece in The Guardian looking at the rise of social inequality in Moscow and its possible political consequences.

Rise Of The Mercenaries

The Atlantic Council has a piece on how Russia is increasingly relying on mercenaries to fight its foreign wars.

The Moscow-Beijing Axis

In The National Interest, Lyle J. Goldstein of the U.S. Naval War College looks at how a China-Russia alliance is viewed from Beijing.

Downgrading Rights

On Foreign Policy's The Cable blog, Emily Tamkin comments on the Russian Foreign Ministry's elimination of its human rights commissioner.

Dancing With The Taliban

In Intersection magazine, Petr Bologov looks at Russia's "dangerous flirtation" with the Taliban in Afghanistan.
Thousands of protesters in Belgrade have taken to the streets to demand a probe into a multibillion-dollar riverside building project in the Serbian capital.

Protesters on April 25 displayed a yellow duck, a symbol of their opposition slogan, "Let's not sink Belgrade," near the Sava River where residential buildings, hotels, and a shopping mall will be built.

The protesters demanded a probe into an incident last year when masked men carried out secretive nighttime demolitions to clear part of the site while public attention was distracted by a parliamentary election. Critics charged the government did not consult the public sufficiently.

The 3 billion-euro ($3.3 billion) project, which government officials say should turn Belgrade into a tourism hub, will be developed by a joint venture between the Serbian government and the Dubai-based company Eagle Hills.

Protesters have organized several antigovernment rallies demanding an inquiry into the demolitions, but the perpetrators have never been identified.

Critics cite the absence of public tenders for the project and question its economic viability in a country with double-digit unemployment and an average monthly wage of $450.

Based on reporting by Reuters and RFE/RL's Balkan Service
BRUSSELS -- EU ambassadors have approved visa liberalization for Ukraine, a key step toward closer ties and visa-free travel to the EU for Ukrainians.

EU ministers are now set to rubber-stamp the decision on May 11, and the signing ceremony for the deal is expected to take place in Strasbourg on May 17.

EU diplomats have told RFE/RL they hope the visa-free regime will enter into force in mid-June.

Analysts say Russia's seizure of Crimea and involvement in a war against government forces in eastern Ukraine have only increased many Ukrainians' desire for closer ties with the EU.

Many in the country of 44 million have closely followed the process since December 2015, when the European Commission recommended to EU member states and the European Parliament that Ukraine be granted visa liberalization.

The decision will apply to all Ukrainian citizens who have biometric passports. They will be able to enter all EU member states apart from Ireland and the United Kingdom for up to 90 days during any 180-day period.

Visa-free EU travel began on March 28 for citizens of Georgia, another former Soviet republic that is under pressure from Russia.

With reporting by Rikard Jozwiak
A Russian court has sentenced a Crimean Tatar man to 12 years in prison, drawing swift condemnation from Ukraine for what Kyiv called a politically motivated ruling.

Lawyers for Ruslan Zeytullayev said that in an April 26 verdict, a military court in the Russian city of Rostov-on-Don convicted their client of establishing a cell of the Islamic group Hizb ut-Tahrir in Crimea.

Hizb ut-Tahrir is banned in Russia, which seized control of Crimea from Ukraine in 2014 and has prosecuted many opponents of the takeover -- including members of the Muslim Crimean Tatar community -- on what rights groups say are false charges.

Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maryana Betsa said the ruling was politically motivated and urged other countries to take Moscow to task over Zeytullayev's trial.

"The so-called ruling is based on fabricated accusations. We demand the release of Zeytullayev," Betsa said on Twitter. "We will [call on] our partners to increase diplomatic pressure on the Russian Federation."

The 12-year sentence came in a retrial that was launched after Russian prosecutors contended that the initial sentence was too lenient.

In September, the same court had convicted Zeytullayev and three other Crimean Tatars of being members of Hizb ut-Tahrir and sentenced them to prison terms ranging from five to seven years.

Prosecutors said at the time that Zeytullayev deserved harsher punishment for being "a founder" of a Hizb ut-Tahrir cell.

Russia has been heavily criticized by international rights groups and Western governments for its treatment of the members of the indigenous Turkic-speaking Crimean Tatar minority since it took over the Black Sea peninsula in March 2014.

Rights activists say Crimean Tatars have been arrested, abducted, and in some cases killed in a campaign to punish the group for largely opposing the takeover and neutralize it as a potential political and social force.

Crimean Tatar self-government organizations have been declared illegal.

Russia seized control of Crimea after sending in troops and staging a referendum considered illegitimate by the United States and a total of 100 UN member states.

The United States, European Union, and other countries imposed sanctions on Russia over the takeover of Crimea and say they will not be lifted until it is returned to Kyiv's control.
Dutch French English

The preliminary documents for the Annual General Shareholder Meeting on 26 May 2017 have been made available

Gosselies, Belgium, 26 April 2017, 7am CEST - BONE THERAPEUTICS (Euronext Brussels and Paris: BOTHE), the bone cell therapy company addressing high unmet medical needs in orthopaedics and bone diseases, informs its shareholders that the Annual General Meeting will be held on 26 May 2017 at 4pm at 37 Rue Auguste Piccard, 6041 Gosselies, Belgium.

The notice for the meeting, including the agenda of the day as well as the motions to vote, have been published in the Belgian Official Gazette and L'Echo on 26 April 2017.

The documents and preliminary information concerning this meeting are being made available to the shareholders and can be consulted on the website of the Company: www.bonetherapeutics.com, under the section Investors / Shareholders meeting, in compliance with the applicable law and regulations.

It is also possible to receive the documents without charge upon simple request by email to valerie.roels@bonetherapeutics.com or by telephone on +32 (0)2 529 59 90. Finally, the documents are available at the Company's headquarters: 37 Rue Auguste Piccard, 6041 Gosselies, Belgium.

About Bone Therapeutics

Bone Therapeutics is a leading cell therapy company addressing high unmet needs in orthopaedics and bone diseases. Based in Gosselies, Belgium, the Company has a broad, diversified portfolio of bone cell therapy products in clinical development across a number of disease areas targeting markets with large unmet medical needs and limited innovation.

Our technology is based on a unique, proprietary approach to bone regeneration which turns undifferentiated stem cells into "osteoblastic", or bone-forming cells. These cells can be administered via a minimally invasive procedure, avoiding the need for invasive surgery.

Our primary clinical focus is ALLOB, an allogeneic "off-the-shelf" cell therapy product derived from stem cells of healthy donors, which is in Phase II studies for the treatment of delayed-union fractures and spinal fusion. The Company also has an autologous bone cell therapy product, PREOB, obtained from patient's own bone marrow and currently in Phase III development for osteonecrosis and non-union fractures.

Bone Therapeutics' cell therapy products are manufactured to the highest GMP standards and are protected by a rich IP estate covering 9 patent families. Further information is available at: www.bonetherapeutics.com.

Certain statements, beliefs and opinions in this press release are forward-looking, which reflect the Company or, as appropriate, the Company directors' current expectations and projections about future events. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. These risks, uncertainties and assumptions could adversely affect the outcome and financial effects of the plans and events described herein. A multitude of factors including, but not limited to, changes in demand, competition and technology, can cause actual events, performance or results to differ significantly from any anticipated development. Forward looking statements contained in this press release regarding past trends or activities should not be taken as a representation that such trends or activities will continue in the future. As a result, the Company expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release any update or revisions to any forward-looking statements in this press release as a result of any change in expectations or any change in events, conditions, assumptions or circumstances on which these forward-looking statements are based. Neither the Company nor its advisers or representatives nor any of its subsidiary undertakings or any such person's officers or employees guarantees that the assumptions underlying such forward-looking statements are free from errors nor does either accept any responsibility for the future accuracy of the forward-looking statements contained in this press release or the actual occurrence of the forecasted developments. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release.

Contacts

Bone Therapeutics SA

Thomas Lienard, Chief Executive Officer

Wim Goemaere, Chief Financial Officer

Tel: +32 (0)2 529 59 90

investorrelations@bonetherapeutics.com

or

For Belgium and International Media Enquiries:

Consilium Strategic Communications

Amber Fennell, Jessica Hodgson and Hendrik Thys

Tel: +44 (0) 20 3709 5701

bonetherapeutics@consilium-comms.com

or

For French Media and Investor Enquiries:

NewCap Investor Relations & Financial Communications

Pierre Laurent, Louis-Victor Delouvrier and Nicolas Merigeau

Tel: + 33 (0)1 44 71 94 94

bone@newcap.eu
2nd Life Inc., a consumer electronics wholesaler, will invest $975,000 to expand its operations in Manchester, netting the South Side neighborhood 66 new jobs over the next two years, according to an announcement from Gov. Terry McAuliffe.

I am pleased to see 2nd Life flourishing in the city of Richmond, McAuliffe said in a statement.

2nd Life was formed in 2016 and currently occupies a 27,000-square-foot warehouse on Commerce Road.

The company repairs and sells various pre-owned electronics like smartphones, tablets, laptops and digital cameras to businesses and consumers. 2nd Life uses proprietary software to assist in the warehousing, distribution, consolidation, kitting and repurposing of thousands of items on a monthly basis.

We are excited to join the rebirth of Manchester, an area that is once again becoming a vibrant and integral part of the city of Richmond,  Michael Feibelman, founder and CEO of 2nd Life Inc., said in a statement. The employees that have joined us here in Richmond have been truly amazing  start-up operations are often chaotic, and these new employees did what was necessary to keep the customer happy.

The company expects to have the facility 100 percent warehouse-ready by June.
French English

Media relations:

Florence Lievre

Tel.: +33 1 47 54 50 71

florence.lievre@capgemini.com

Investor relations:

Vincent Biraud

Tel.: +33 1 47 54 50 87

vincent.biraud@capgemini.com

Q1 2017: Capgemini starts the year on a solid footing

Paris, April 26, 2017 - Capgemini Group achieved consolidated revenues of 3,171 million in the first quarter of 2017, up 2.8% year-on-year at constant exchange rates*.

For Paul Hermelin, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Capgemini Group: "We start the year on a solid footing. Our revenue growth of 2.8% in Q1 is driven by a strong momentum in Continental Europe and an improved performance in North America. Financial Services and Manufacturing - which together account for nearly half of the Group's revenues - show growth rates close to 10%. This reflects our ability to support key market players in their digital transformation. In addition, a strong level of bookings confirms the good start to the year.

Digital and Cloud grew 24% year-on-year and now account for 32% of our revenues. We completed three focused acquisitions this quarter, aimed at further expanding our portfolio in these areas and bringing innovative and end-to-end digital solutions to our clients: Idean, a digital design firm based in Palo Alto, Atlanta-based TCube Solutions, specialized in Duck Creek Technologies insurance software and Itelios, an omni-channel e-commerce expert.

We are also investing in our automation platforms and our global production centers to accompany our clients in their drive to improve competitiveness.

By continuing to implement our strategic priorities, we demonstrate our ability to achieve all our objectives for 2017, the year of Capgemini's 50th anniversary."

(In millions of euros) Change Q1 2016 Q1 2017 As reported At constant exchange rates At constant exchange rates and Group scope* Revenues 3,092 3,171 +2.6% +2.8% +2.6%

Q1 revenues totaled 3,171 million, up 2.6% year-on-year on a reported basis. At constant exchange rates*, revenue grew 2.8% after adjusting for the Brazilian equipment resale business which is being discontinued.

OPERATIONS BY BUSINESS

Consulting Services (4% of Group revenues), driven by growth in Continental Europe and fueled by digital transformation demand, reported year-on-year revenue growth of 10.6% at constant exchange rates. Technology & Engineering Services (16% of Group revenues) grew 5.0% at constant exchange rates, progressing across all Group regions, with a return to growth in France amplified by the positive impact of the number of working days this quarter. Application Services (61% of Group revenues) benefitted from a strong market demand for digital and cloud-based application offerings and continue to drive Group momentum, with revenue growth of 5.3%. Other Managed Services (19% of Group revenues) reported revenues down by 7.6%. This is entirely attributable to Infrastructure Services which continue to be impacted by the anticipated decline in the UK public sector. Business Services (Business Process Outsourcing and platforms) are stable in Q1.

OPERATIONS BY MAJOR REGION

In Q1, as planned, North America began to restore its growth momentum, with revenues almost stable year-on-year, at -0.2% at constant exchange rates, a marked improvement on the -3.1% reported in Q4 2016. In this region, the Energy & Utilities sector confirmed its path to recovery, with a third quarter of sequential revenue stability, while the Financial Services sector enjoyed good momentum and the Manufacturing sector strengthened. The United Kingdom and Ireland reported a revenue decline of 7.6% at constant exchange rates, reflecting the anticipated decline in the public sector while private sector remains healthy. France grew 5.2%, with almost 10% increase in Financial Services and Manufacturing, as well as in the consumer sectors (Commerce, Distribution, Telecom, etc.). The Rest of Europe enjoyed revenue growth of 7.8%, with around 10% increase in Germany, Scandinavia and Italy and positive growth in Benelux. Finally, the Asia-Pacific and Latin America region grew 13.6%, with activity slightly down in Latin America (excluding the Brazilian equipment resale business) and strong growth in Asia-Pacific.

HEADCOUNT

At March 31, 2017, the Group's total headcount stood at 195,800, up 7% year-on-year, with 111,300 employees in offshore centers (57% of the total headcount).

BOOKINGS

Bookings totaled 3,001 million in Q1 2017, down 3.2% at constant exchange rates on Q1 2016 which benefited from the renewal of a major multi-year contract in the UK public sector.

OUTLOOK FOR 2017

For 2017, the Group forecasts revenue growth at constant exchange rates of 3.0%, an operating margin of 11.7% to 11.9% and organic free cash flow generation in excess of 950 million.

In addition:

The Group expects the impact of currency movements on revenues to be limited on a full year basis, with the impact of the pound sterling depreciation against the euro offsetting notably the appreciation of the US dollar and the Brazilian real;

The Group has decided to discontinue its equipment resale activity in Brazil, which represented approximately 60 million in 2016. In order not to disrupt the analysis of quarterly trends, organic growth and growth at constant exchange rates are presented after removing this activity from 2016 and 2017 revenues;

The impact of acquisitions on revenue growth is estimated at this stage to be a few tens of basis points.

CONFERENCE CALL

Paul Hermelin, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer and Aiman Ezzat, Chief Financial Officer, will present this press release during a conference call in English to be held today at 8 a.m. Paris time (CET). You can follow this conference call live via webcast at the following link. A replay will also be available for a period of one year.

All documents relating to this publication will be placed online on the Capgemini investor website at https://www.capgemini.com/results.

SCHEDULE

May 10, 2017 Combined Shareholders' Meeting

July 27, 2017 Publication of H1 2017 results

DISCLAIMER

This press release may contain forward-looking statements. Such statements may include projections, estimates, assumptions, statements regarding plans, objectives, intentions and/or expectations with respect to future financial results, events, operations and services and product development, as well as statements, regarding future performance or events. Forward-looking statements are generally identified by the words "expects", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "plans", "projects", "may", "would" "should" or the negatives of these terms and similar expressions. Although Capgemini's management currently believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, investors are cautioned that forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties (including without limitation risks identified in Capgemini's Registration Document available on Capgemini's website), because they relate to future events and depend on future circumstances that may or may not occur and may be different from those anticipated, many of which are difficult to predict and generally beyond the control of Capgemini. Actual results and developments may differ materially from those expressed in, implied by or projected by forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are not intended to and do not give any assurances or comfort as to future events or results. Other than as required by applicable law, Capgemini does not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement.

This press release does not contain or constitute an offer of securities for sale or an invitation or inducement to invest in securities in France, the United States or any other jurisdiction.

In this disclaimer, the term "Capgemini" refers to Cap Gemini SA, its affiliates and their respective directors, managers and employees.

ABOUT CAPGEMINI

With more than 190,000 people, Capgemini is present in over 40 countries and celebrates its 50th Anniversary year in 2017. A global leader in consulting, technology and outsourcing services, the Group reported 2016 global revenues of EUR 12.5 billion. Together with its clients, Capgemini creates and delivers business, technology and digital solutions that fit their needs, enabling them to achieve innovation and competitiveness. A deeply multicultural organization, Capgemini has developed its own way of working, the Collaborative Business ExperienceTM, and draws on Rightshore, its worldwide delivery model.

Learn more about us at www.capgemini.com.

Rightshore is a trademark belonging to Capgemini



APPENDIX

DEFINITIONS

Organic growth, or like-for-like growth, in revenues is the growth rate calculated at constant Group scope and exchange rates. The Group scope and exchange rates used are those for the published fiscal year. Exchange rates for the published fiscal year are also used to calculate growth at constant exchange rates.

As announced on the publication of the outlook for 2017, to ensure that the discontinuation of equipment resale activities in Brazil does not disrupt the analysis of quarterly trends, organic growth and growth at constant exchange rates will be presented after removing this activity from 2016 and 2017 revenues.

Growth rates reconciliation Organic growth +2.6% Changes in Group scope +0.2pt Growth at constant exchange rates +2.8% Exchange rates fluctuations +0.2pt Current growth +3.0% Activities being discontinued -0.4pt Reported growth +2.6%

The impact from currencies is primarily due to the appreciation of the Brazilian real, the US dollar and the Canadian dollar and the depreciation of the pound sterling. The impact of discontinued activities is linked to evolution of the equipment resale business in Brazil, which in the first quarter of 2016 represented 18 million euros at the reported rate.

RESULTS BY REGION

Revenues Change Q1 2016

(In millions of euros) Q1 2017

(In millions of euros) At constant exchange rates As reported North America 938 972 -0.2% +3.6% United Kingdom and Ireland 525 435 -7.6% -17.1% France 633 666 +5.2% +5.2% Rest of Europe 780 841 +7.8% +7.9% Asia-Pacific and Latin America 216 257 +13.6% +18.9% TOTAL 3,092 3,171 +2.8% +2.6%

OPERATIONS BY BUSINESS

% of revenues Change Q1 2016 Q1 2017 At constant exchange rates Consulting services 4% 4% +10.6% Technology & Engineering Services 15% 16% +5.0% Application services 59% 61% +5.3% Other managed services 22% 19% -7.6% TOTAL 100% 100% +2.8%

UTILIZATION RATES

Q1 2016 Q2 2016 Q3 2016 Q4 2016 Q1 2017 Consulting services 70% 71% 68% 70% 71% Technology & Engineering Services 82% 83% 83% 83% 82% Application services 81% 81% 82% 81% 81%
Calls to grow Richmonds anti-poverty department and increase pay for police and firefighters dominated the Richmond City Councils first public hearing on Mayor Levar Stoneys proposed budget Monday.

The hearing, which drew more than 60 people and stretched nearly three hours, comes as the council members weigh amendments to Stoneys $681 million spending plan.

The council has already signaled that the biggest change they hope to make is a $2.7 million boost for police and fire salaries. However, they have struggled to find agreement on how to fund the increase.

Supporters of both the fire and police departments urged the council members to stay the course.

I know its hard  really hard to find the money, said former Richmond City Council member Bill Pantele, who represents city police officers. But everyone ran on providing basic services and doing whats right. And this affects every man, woman and child in the city. So were counting on you.

Richmond Police Chief Alfred Durham has said city officers soon will be the lowest-paid in the region, and the city is already facing alarming turnover.

Durham and interim Fire Chief David Daniels said the additional $2.7 million in funding would correct the citys pay scale that was compressed after a multiyear pay freeze that has meant long-term officers are paid lower than their counterparts in other departments.

Officers can be replaced at a high cost to taxpayers, but you cant replace the experience, training and community relationships that seasoned officers bring to this city, said Detective Brad Nixon, the president of the Richmond Coalition of Police. With our officer shortage, we are now facing an increase in violent crime throughout Richmond. That is a dangerous combination for our citizens: higher crime with fewer officers.

In its quest to find money to fund the budget increase for police and fire, the council tentatively agreed last week to trim a $400,000 increase that Stoney had proposed for the citys anti-poverty department, the Office of Community Wealth Building. That prompted an outcry Monday from the centers supporters.

The money was earmarked to hire six additional case workers. The departments director, Reggie Gordon, said that would allow the department to increase the number of people its able to place in jobs that pay a living wage  about $15 an hour  from 75 to 150.

He stressed that many residents benefit from the center, which saw about 18,000 visitors last year.

About two dozen people waved signs signaling their support for the department. Many who addressed the council described how they had benefited from the departments programming.

Im here to tell you that this program helped me to be where I am, said Charlene Pitchford, a Gilpin Court resident. Not on welfare, not begging you for money, but trying to make a living. Were trying to get off of welfare and work.

Another theme running through the evening was opposition to Stoneys proposed cuts to arts and culture groups, including representatives of the Virginia Opera, the Richmond Ballet, the Richmond Symphony and the Elegba Folklore Society.

The director of CultureWorks, an umbrella organization for a dozen arts groups, would see its budget cut from $267,000 to $150,000 next year. This would be the third consecutive year the organizations funding, which was $400,000 in 2015, was cut.

Arts and culture is critical to Richmonds future success, said CultureWorks director Scott Garka, who urged the council members to support an amendment to restore funding to this years level.

Representatives of the arts groups also asked the council to restore a $180,000 city grant to help cover the cost of rents at Dominion Arts Center and Altria Theater. Stoneys budget would eliminate the grant.

Several topics were notable for their absence from the discussion. None of the speakers, for instance, brought up Stoneys proposed overhaul of the citys leaf collection program, which would end vacuum leaf collection and instead require residents to bag their leaves.

Stoneys proposed utility fee increases also escaped scrutiny: The mayors proposed budget would raise residents average monthly gas bills by $1.77, water bills by $2.14, wastewater fees by $2.65 and stormwater fees by 19 cents.

However, a handful of amendments floated by City Council members that would increase taxes did not escape notice. None of the proposed tax increases has been discussed at this point, so its unclear whether they have meaningful support.

A dozen people spoke against a proposal by council members Chris Hilbert, Cynthia Newbille and Ellen Robertson to increase the citys admissions tax from 7 percent to 10 percent, which would generate an estimated $1.26 million in revenue.

And an 80-cents-a-pack cigarette tax proposed by Councilman Parker Agelasto that would be dedicated to schools construction debt drew opposition from a half-dozen convenience store owners.

My store is two blocks away from Henrico County, and Im very concerned that an 80-cent-per-pack tax will hurt my business, said Vinkal Jalati, who owns the Quick N Easy on West Broad Street.
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Union Presbyterian Seminary will not begin construction of a proposed 301-unit apartment development across from its Richmond campus until after zoning disputes with neighboring North Side residents are resolved, the mayors office said Tuesday.

The announcement came on the heels of a lawsuit filed Tuesday in Richmond Circuit Court by 12 residents of the Ginter Park and Sherwood Park neighborhoods who hope to stop the construction of the Canopy at Ginter Park project.

The lawsuit claims the city misstated the zoning on the land, known as the Westwood Tract, and that commercial residential development isnt allowed there.

City officials have urged the two sides to come together to work out a compromise, but residents say those efforts havent worked.

We would at all times prefer to work out a project with the seminary that would meet their needs and respect the neighborhood, but you cant start from a nonnegotiable point of 301 units, said Ben Campbell, a resident of the neighborhood and plaintiff in the suit.

Residents previously filed a zoning appeal, which argues that the propertys current zoning is a mistake, but the appeal did not legally prohibit the seminary from moving forward with construction, according to Mayor Levar Stoneys office. Neither did a City Council request made in March that planners study the impact of the development on traffic and schools.

Through spokesman Jim Nolan, Stoney said that Union Presbyterian Seminary President Brian Blount agreed Tuesday morning not to proceed with construction until after a hearing on the zoning appeal, set for June 7, and related litigation is resolved.

I met with seminary President Blount this morning in my office and reaffirmed my belief that the seminary should continue to work with its neighbors to find common ground regarding concerns over the proposed development, Stoney said.

City planners issued permits for the project earlier this month  despite the pending appeal  and construction was set to begin in late spring or early summer.

Mike Frontiero, a spokesman for Union Presbyterian Seminary, said Tuesday that the seminary could not comment on the lawsuit. Although construction will not begin until after the hearing, demolition work on the site will continue, he said.

Frontiero said the complex will house both students of the seminary and the general public. The school is contributing land to the project, and Bristol Development Group is handling the other aspects.

In an op-ed published Monday in the Richmond Times-Dispatch, Blount said the seminary has worked with neighbors to address their concerns, altering plans and reducing the density of the proposed development. At least 17 community engagement meetings have been held to solicit feedback.

The lack of adequate student housing on campus compromises the mission of the seminary, Blount wrote.

The neighbors who filed the lawsuit claim that the land in question, which is across Brook Road from the seminary, should be subject to a 1953 rezoning ordinance that limits the use of the land. The ordinance does not permit a commercial apartment complex, the plaintiffs argue, and the city should not allow construction to move forward.

Were talking about taking a neighborhood that has 350 single-family homes and adding 301 multifamily dwellings; a neighborhood that has 600 cars and adding 500 more cars  bringing down the property values of peoples houses significantly, Campbell said.
More than 410,000 tons of poultry waste and one billion gallons of liquid manure are generated every year from chicken, turkey and dairy and beef cow operations in the Shenandoah Valley counties of Augusta, Page, Rockingham and Shenandoah.

And runoff from that vast stream of animal waste makes it into the Shenandoah River, connected water bodies and ultimately to the Chesapeake Bay, creating oxygen-killing algae blooms and high levels of bacterial contamination that damage the appeal of the area as a recreational resource, according to a report issued today by the Environmental Integrity Project, a nonprofit with offices in Washington and Austin, Texas, that advocates for enforcement of environmental laws.

The report, based on what authors said was an exhaustive review of thousands of records, found that the livestock and poultry operations produce more waste than can be used as fertilizer in the area, a surplus of manure that has led to "shockingly high bacteria levels in some cases" in local waterways, said Eric Schaeffer, the executive director of the Environment Integrity Project and a former director of civil enforcement at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

"Until the manure overload problem in the Shenandoah Valley is addressed, the algal blooms and high bacteria counts will continue," says the report, which calls for the state to issue bacteria warnings for the waterways similar to those issued at seaside beaches. "While health warnings for the public are important, the bigger picture is that the Shenandoah watershed is more than a drainage system for the livestock industry. With more effective limits on agricultural pollution, Virginia can keep its waterways clean enough for all citizens to enjoy."

Wilmer Stoneman, director of commodities and marketing at the Virginia Farm Bureau who works on water quality and environmental issues, derided the report as "an opinion piece."

Stoneman argued that farmers are fencing numerous miles of streams to keep cattle out and implementing best practices to reduce runoff, often shouldering the financial burden on their own since state funding to assist them has slackened.

"You can drive up and down the Shenandoah Valley and find farmers implementing these practices today," he said. "Farmers are doing everything they know and everything they can to protect water quality and they are doing the best job that they know for the environment and to produce a wholesome and safe food supply. ... Reports like this are just slaps in the face and a disincentive to move forward, but we're doing it anyway."

***

The report's authors contend that what farmers are doing on their own isn't enough.

In Rockingham County, for example, the largest agricultural county in the area, about 80 percent of farms with cattle don't fence the animals out of streams, allowing them to defecate in waterways, the report says.

Virginia's commitment to restoring the Chesapeake Bay calls for fencing cattle out of streams on 95 percent of the state's farms.

"The state made some progress in encouraging streamside fencing by offering farmers reimbursement for up to 100 percent of the cost. But then, funding for the program ran short, and a large backlog of farmers seeking the money developed  and the result is that Virginia remains far behind its goal," the report says.

According to Virginia Department of Environmental Quality data, seven out of 16 monitoring sites in the Shenandoah River and its tributaries exceeded screening thresholds for phosphorus, based on a three-year average of sampling results from 2014 to 2016, threatening bottom dwelling animals such as worms, crayfish and snails and creating algal growth that sucks oxygen out of the water and can lead to fish kills.

Environmental advocates, including the Shenandoah riverkeeper, part of the Potomac Riverkeeper Network, have unsuccessfully petitioned the DEQ to declare the river impaired because of algal growth.

"Nobody wants to swim, fish or stay in a (bed and breakfast) next to a smelly river choked with algae," said Mark Frondorf, the Shenandoah riverkeeper, who said Virginia's system for policing agriculture waste is "broken."

Manure runoff, the report says, is also partly to blame for the fact that more than 90 percent of the state water-quality monitoring stations for the Shenandoah River and its tributaries detected fecal bacteria at levels unsafe for human contact between 2014 and 2016.

Yet the state does not issue bacteria advisories for the paddlers, swimmers and others who use the river, like it does when testing at beaches shows high levels of fecal bacteria.

"We are not second-class citizens and we deserve the same level of protection afforded to visitors of our saltwater beaches," Frondorf said.

The Virginia Department of Health, which issues the beach advisories, did not respond to a request for comment on the report.

***

Virginia's regulatory scheme for what it calls an "animal feeding operation" is complex. Such operations are required to obtain DEQ water discharge permits if "pollutants leave the site and reach surface waters." If they don't, they are only required to obtain Virginia pollution abatement permits and implement state-approved "nutrient management plans" to control runoff if they exceed certain numbers of animals.

Bill Hayden, a DEQ spokesman, said nutrient management plans cover about 97 percent of swine operations, 80 percent of poultry operations and about 13 percent of dairy operations.

However, some farmers choose to obtain the nutrient management plans even if they are not required to because it allows them to take advantage of state cost-sharing programs, said Darryl Glover, director of the division of soil and water conservation at the Department of Conservation and Recreation.

Glover said the state has provided about $88 million in funding since January of 2013 for cattle fencing and other practices related to livestock stream exclusion.

"We still have farm operators signing up for livestock-stream exclusion even though we we are no longer offering them 100 percent," he said. "Additional funding is required to meet the demands we are seeing."

Only about 12.5 percent of the nearly 540,000 acres of farmland in the four Shenandoah Valley counties the report studied are covered by nutrient-management plans. And, the report found, about 56 percent of the poultry waste that is transferred from sites with nutrient plans stays in the the area.

"Little public documentation exists to demonstrate that exported poultry litter is being applied in a manner that protects waterways or according to Virginia's regulations," says the report, which also criticizes state regulations that allow spreading manure on fields already saturated with phosphorus.

"Virginia officials depend on crop rotations with yields high enough to absorb the phosphorus from added manure. But actual harvests are often smaller than farmers project. This means less phosphorus is taken up by crops and more is left behind to build up in the soil."

The report calls for pollution control plans for all farms that spread manure, requiring farmers to fence cattle out of streams and improving the state's system for disposing of surplus manure or collecting and shipping it areas where it is needed.

Large meat companies such as Pilgrim's, Tyson and Cargill, which have numerous contract farmers in the valley, "should pay at least part of the cost for this," the report says.

***

Hayden, the DEQ spokesman, said the DEQ's last comprehensive trend analysis indicates that waters in the Shenandoah Valley and the rest of the state are getting cleaner overall.

"The results in the Shenandoah basin indicated that 204 of 315 watersheds showed significant improvements in water quality for bacteria," he said. "The results of the trend analysis dont indicate that Virginias waters are free of bacteria, but they do show that DEQs 20-year cooperative effort with localities, the public and the regulated community to reduce bacteria pollution in local watersheds is resulting in improved water quality."

Since April 1, 2015, the DEQ has conducted 680 inspections at animal feeding operations in the valley region, finding 316 "inspection deficiencies" at 193 operations, Hayden said. Seventy-seven percent of the deficiencies have been resolved, with 44 of the unresolved inspection deficiencies past their due date, he added.

DEQ has issued 31 warning letters and three notices of violation.
The Albemarle County Board of Supervisors has filed a lawsuit against the Charlottesville City Council over whose regulations dictate what activities are permitted at the Ragged Mountain Natural Area, a city-owned park located in the county.

The supervisors are seeking a court injunction to keep a county prohibition against biking at the site in place. Last December, the council passed an ordinance allowing mountain biking on trails around the reservoir.

The suit was filed last Thursday in Charlottesville Circuit Court, according to Lee Catlin, assistant county executive.

By deciding to permit mountain biking at the natural area, which surrounds a water supply reservoir, the county argues, Charlottesville violated state law because the ordinance contradicts county regulations.

Before the council approved the new ordinance, which also allows jogging on the trails at Ragged Mountain, county officials requested that the city defer a decision on the proposed ordinance.

Instead, the council voted 3-2 to approve the measure, and asked the county to amend its rules to avoid a conflict.

Earlier this month, the council voted again to approve a new trail-use map that city parks officials had drafted to create shared-use and hiking-only trails throughout the park.

Although city officials had maintained that biking wasnt allowed yet, parks officials following the vote this month said the designated shared-use trails that are open can be used by cyclists.

Councilors Bob Fenwick and Wes Bellamy voted both times in opposition to the plan to allow those activities at the park.
Now available in the UK, Germany, Italy and Spain, CyPass Micro-Stent is designed to significantly reduce intraocular pressure (IOP)

CE indication has been expanded to allow patients to be treated at the time of cataract surgery without the requirement of failed medical therapy

More than 60 million people worldwide are affected by glaucoma, the leading cause of irreversible blindness worldwide[1][2][3].

BASEL, April 26, 2017 - Alcon, the global leader in eye care and a division of Novartis, announced today the EU launch of the CyPass Micro-Stent, a micro invasive glaucoma surgical (MIGS) device, indicated for the treatment of patients with mild to moderate primary open-angle glaucoma in conjunction with cataract surgery, or as a standalone procedure in patients with primary open-angle glaucoma who have failed previous medical treatments. The CyPass Micro-Stent is the latest addition to Alcon's surgical glaucoma portfolio providing an additional option to meet the needs of millions of glaucoma patients.

"For many glaucoma patients, medication adherence can be challenging due to side effects, difficulty administering drops and the number of medications required daily. Even with proper compliance, patients often have disease progression and require surgery," said Keith Barton, M.D., glaucoma specialist at Moorfields Eye Hospital in London. "The CyPass Micro-Stent is a much-needed new option that is less invasive than traditional glaucoma surgery. More importantly, it is available to patients with mild to moderate glaucoma who are undergoing cataract surgery, even if they have not yet failed previous medical treatments for their glaucoma."

The CyPass Micro-Stent, implanted just below the surface of the eye, is uniquely designed to reduce intraocular pressure (IOP) in patients with primary open-angle glaucoma. The CyPass Micro-Stent is the first MIGS device to leverage an entirely new outflow pathway for excess aqueous fluid in the eye - the supraciliary space, which is the space between the sclera, the white outer layer of the eyeball, and the ciliary body. Once implanted, it creates a permanent conduit between the anterior chamber of the eye and the suprachoroidal space to improve the eye's natural drainage pathway.

"The CyPass Micro-Stent is designed to address the greatest unmet need in glaucoma treatment, reducing patient burden by lowering dependence on topical glaucoma medicine," said Ian Bell, Region President, Europe, Middle East and Africa for Alcon. "We're pleased to offer the CyPass Micro-Stent as a valuable new surgical treatment option for providers and patients in four EU countries, further expanding Alcon's leadership in glaucoma and surgical ophthalmology."

The CyPass Micro-Stent is now available in the UK, Germany, Italy and Spain. Alcon launched the CyPass Micro-Stent in the US last October and plans to train and certify over 500 surgeons in 2017.

About Glaucoma

More than 60 million people globally are affected by glaucoma that can lead to progressive damage of the optic nerve. Early diagnosis of glaucoma is critical to manage the disease, as it is often asymptomatic and therefore can go undetected until it is at an advanced stage. As the disease progresses, patients may experience loss of peripheral (side) vision, tunnel vision or eye spots. Glaucoma can eventually result in gradual, irreversible loss of vision and blindness. The exact cause of glaucoma is unknown. However, elevated pressure in the eye (intraocular pressure, or IOP) is generally present with glaucoma and is the only known modifiable risk factor. As a chronic disease, patients can be treated with eye drops, oral medications, laser surgery, traditional surgery or a combination of these methods[1][2][4].

About the CyPass Micro-Stent

The CyPass Micro-Stent is a prescription medical device that is indicated for use in conjunction with cataract surgery for the reduction of intraocular pressure (IOP) in adult patients with mild to moderate primary open-angle glaucoma, or for use in cataract surgery or as a standalone procedure for the reduction of IOP in adult patients with primary open-angle glaucoma where previous medical treatments have failed. Use of the CyPass Micro-Stent is contraindicated in eyes with angle closure glaucoma, in eyes with traumatic, malignant, uveitic or neovascular glaucoma or discernible congenital anomalies of the anterior chamber angle and in patients with known intolerance or hypersensitivity to topical anesthetics, miotics, mydriatics or polyimide. The surgeon should monitor the patient postoperatively for proper maintenance of IOP. If IOP is not adequately maintained after implantation of a CyPass Micro-Stent, additional therapy may be needed for IOP control.

Please refer to the Instructions for Use for the CyPass Micro-Stent for a complete list of contraindications, warnings, and precautions.

Disclaimer

The foregoing release contains forward-looking statements that can be identified by words such as "launch," "portfolio," "offer," "plans," "can," "may," or similar terms, or by express or implied discussions regarding potential additional approvals for the CyPass Micro-Stent, or regarding potential future revenues from CyPass Micro-Stent. 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 CyPass Micro-Stent will be submitted or approved for sale in any additional markets, or at any particular time. Nor can there be any guarantee that CyPass Micro-Stent will be commercially successful in the future. In particular, management's expectations regarding CyPass Micro-Stent 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 Alcon

Alcon is the global leader in eye care. As a division of Novartis, we offer the broadest portfolio of products to enhance sight and improve people's lives. Our products touch the lives of more than 260 million people each year living with conditions like cataracts, glaucoma, retinal diseases and refractive errors, and there are millions more who are waiting for solutions to meet their eye care needs. Our purpose is reimagining eye care, and we do this through innovative products, partnerships with eye care professionals and programs that enhance access to quality eye care. Learn more at www.alcon.com.

Alcon is on Facebook. Like us at www.facebook.com/AlconEyeCare

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] Lighthouse International. Prevalence of Vision Impairment. http://www.lighthouse.org/research/statistics-on-vision-impairment/prevalence-of-vision-impairment/ (link is external).

[2] Quigley and Broman. The Number of People with Glaucoma Worldwide in 2010 and 2020. Br J Ophthalmol 2006;90:262-7.

[3] Richter and Coleman. Minimally invasive glaucoma surgery: current status and future prospects. Clin Ophthalmol. 2016; 10: 189-206. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4734795/

[4] http://myeyes.com/glaucoma.shtml (link is external)

Novartis Media Relations

Central media line: +41 61 324 2200

E-mail: media.relations@novartis.com

Eric Althoff

Novartis Global Media Relations

+41 61 324 7999 (direct)

+41 79 593 4202 (mobile)

eric.althoff@novartis.com Roslyn Patterson

Alcon Communications

+1 817 615 5092 (direct)

+1 817 891 8104 (mobile)

roslyn.patterson@alcon.com

Novartis Investor Relations

Central investor relations line: +41 61 324 7944

E-mail: investor.relations@novartis.com
BLACKSBURG  The owners of First & Main shopping center have filed a summons against Frank Theatres, claiming the owners of the CineBowl & Grille owe $450,000 in unpaid rent dating back to November 2016.

The court filing comes after employees showed up to work Tuesday morning to find the doors to the complex chained shut and a note informing them that the property owner, Blacksburg APF Partners, has severed ties with Frank Theaters.

Neither APF Partners nor Frank Theatres responded to repeated requests for comment Tuesday.

According to the civil claim for eviction filed Tuesday, a hearing has been scheduled for May 19.

In addition to the back rent, APF Partners claims its owed a $42,500 late fee and other damages that are to be determined.

This isnt the first Frank Theatres location to run afoul of a landlord, as similar claims have been filed against the Florida-based chain in Kingsport, Tennessee, according to reports by The Kingsport Times News.

In that case, owners of a mall claimed Frank Theatres stopped paying rent in March 2016, according to the newspaper. The owners filed suit in December and in January 2017 reached an agreement in which the theater will leave the property by April 30.

According to The Kingsport Times News, that agreement only covers possession of the property. Other issues, such as unpaid rent, are subject to future litigation.

In Blacksburg, things happened much more swiftly.

Shane Lawson, an assistant kitchen manager at the CineBowl, said the business was open on Monday and the note was the first he heard of any issues.

No heads up, nobody knew, he said. Right now, Im pretty upset and aggravated.

Lawson said his boss has since told him that managers are trying to figure things out. But Lawson still plans to spend the day searching for other jobs because he doesnt know how long the lockout will last.

The CineBowl issues are just the latest hardship to strike at First & Main. Built at the brink of the recession in 2008, the upscale shopping center sat largely vacant for years. A bank eventually took control of the property, before it was purchased by APF Partners in 2012.

Within a year, Frank Theatres announced its plans for Blacksburg.

The CineBowl was hailed as a major attraction for the entire shopping center, pulling in visitors with its bowling lanes, restaurant and movie theater boasting a 50-foot IMAX screen.

It opened in 2015 and the success was followed by announcements of other new tenants, including Matt Hagan Outdoors, Starbucks, Walkabout Outfitter, Jersey Mikes and Zoes Kitchen.

As court proceedings get underway with Frank Theaters, court records also show several lawsuits filed against APF Partners by contractors who claim they were not paid for work completed at First & Main. That work was for the building that now houses Zoes Kitchen and is unrelated to the CineBowl facility.

Art of Building & Conception, or ABC, filed its suit in July 2016, claiming it was hired to build the $741,673 restaurant. Of that, the contracting firm wrote in the complaint that APF Partners still owes $52,671.

Two subcontracting firms hired by ABC for the project, one for landscaping and one for concrete work, have also filed suits. They also claim they were not paid by ABC or APF Partners.

Stan Barnhill, a lawyer for ABC, said Tuesday that litigation is ongoing.
Virginia Lt. Gov. Ralph Northam is losing most of the celebrity endorsements to his Democratic rival in the governors race, Tom Perriello  who can count Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren in his corner. Northam isnt going to be able to top that. He also cant out-crazy other candidates in the race, like Republican contender Corey Stewart, who tweeted Monday morning that the removal of Confederate monuments in New Orleans was proof ISIS has won.

Not that Northam would want to try. He is a centrist sans brio or bombast, which is what you want in a pediatric neurologist but not necessarily what you want to get out the vote on Election Day. So while he has the backing of Virginias Democratic establishment, he might need something to elevate his profile in the public mind.

The other day he proposed cutting the states food tax for the poor, according to a story by Travis Fain of The Daily Press. This is an excellent idea. Virginias food tax is only 1.5 percent, compared with 4.3 percent for other goods. But that is still too much given that the state budget, now $107 billion, has roughly doubled in real terms over the past two decades.

Northams proposal also has the virtue of brevity. No Food Tax is just one letter longer than the No Car Tax! proposal on which Jim Gilmore rode into the Executive Mansion in 1997  and would fill the same space on a placard if you tweak the font size a hair.

Gilmores car-tax cut turned out to be a complicated affair: It gradually reduced the local property tax on the first $20,000 of a vehicles worth, and used state dollars to compensate localities for the loss of revenue. This turned the tax cut into a state budget appropriation. It quickly grew beyond projections (imagine that)  until state lawmakers decided to cap the amount at $950 million. Lawmakers had their own plans for the money, and letting taxpayers have it back was getting in the way. Northams people say they want to avoid similar complexities, but they havent yet spelled out exactly how the food-tax cut would work.

Northams likely opponent  assuming he beats Perriello in the primary  is Ed Gillespie. He also has rolled out a tax-cut proposal that would give the states individual income tax rates a haircut. This has led to the usual knee-jerk objections. The Washington Post tagged Gillespie Mr. Free Lunch and demanded to know which programs would be slashed to pay for the tax cut. Perriello blasted him for unfunded tax cuts that largely benefit the rich.

Those complaints look rather feeble when Gov. Terry McAuliffe is issuing press releases boasting that January 2017 General Fund Revenue Collections Up 7.4% From the Previous Year and that February 2017 General Fund Revenue Collections are Up 3.6% From the Previous Year and that March 2017 General Fund Revenue Collections Up 5.7% From the Previous Year and so on.

As the Gillespie campaign points out, his tax plan would simply reduce the growth of state revenue from a projected $3.4 billion to $2 billion over five years. Apparently some folks feel its not enough for tax revenues to rise; they must rise at an ever-accelerating rate, and anything less calls for a The End Is Near sandwich board.

Similar considerations apply to Northams proposal. A 2014 legislative subcommittee report on the food tax noted that the state forgoes $526.7 million a year in revenue by not taxing food at the same rate as other goods. People earning $30,000 or less reap 15 percent of that benefit, or about $80 million. That is a rounding error in the overall scheme of the state budget.

Critics of Gillespies plan also knocked it, somewhat incongruously, for not being generous enough. Average families in Lynchburg would only save $277 dollars (a year) under Gillespies tax plan, said the Virginia Democratic Party before a GOP candidates debate there. A former Democratic candidate for the General Assembly said average Lynchburg families would save only $5 a week under his tax plan, and that is chump change.

But then Northams tax proposal doesnt convey huge benefits, either. A person making $30,000 spends 11.6 percent of her income on food, on average, so eliminating the food tax for her would save her only one dollar a week. Someone making $18,000 pays a higher proportion of her income on food (about 15.8 percent), yet still would save only $40 or so over the course of a year.

But then so what? When youre just scraping by, every penny counts. Better that penny should go to the poor than to the state.
Five years ago, I was invited to serve on the Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority (RRHA) Board of Commissioners. I agreed, thinking my experience during a long career in education might be helpful to the board.

I knew little about public housing in Richmond when I joined RRHA, but have since learned that 9,165 of our citys citizens live there. This number includes 4,888 children, 1,012 residents with disabilities, and 671 elderly residents. In addition to those served by RRHAs Public Housing program, 3,094 low-income families receive rental assistance through the Housing Choice Voucher program (7,735 people, including 3,713 children). That is a total of 16,900 Richmonders living in RRHA properties or private subsidized rental homes. As imposing as this number is, the need is even greater. For an idea of the depth of poverty in Richmond, consider this: The waiting list for RRHA Public Housing and the Housing Choice Voucher program is now nearly 12,000 families. And in Gilpin Court, as just one example, the average annual family income is only $8,386, while the life expectancy is 20 years shorter than in my neighborhood just 6 miles away.

In addition to managing affordable housing programs, RRHA is involved in projects as diverse as working with partners to place a grocery store in the North Church Hill food desert and to provide mixed income/mixed-use housing in Jackson Ward and the East End of Richmond.

Our RRHA Board has two main goals:

First, to provide safe, clean, and well-maintained housing to our residents. This is a real challenge, as our facilities are aged and in need of constant repair. Third-party consultants tell us we need to make over $150 million in capital improvements in RRHAs public housing portfolio. Gilpin Court was built in 1942 to house troops returning from World War II. To make progress, RRHA relies on federal funds. That money currently provides a paltry $750 per unit annually for capital improvements, which doesnt go far when the sewer lines are deteriorating and the boilers for heat go out.

Second, we are working with the city and with many partners to deconcentrate poverty in Richmond. This effort is particularly important for children who live in an environment of concentrated poverty such as RRHAs public housing communities, who are isolated in schools serving overwhelmingly impoverished student populations. We know that students who attend racially and socioeconomically diverse schools are more likely to make better grades and make higher tests scores, to graduate from high school, and attend college; however, as a matter of public policy we continue to isolate children from impoverished families in our educational system. In effect, we contribute to a socioeconomic barrier that prevents these children from rising out of poverty to become productive citizens. This must end.

This concentration of poverty also increases crime rates. According to the Federal Reserve System, by spreading recipients of housing aid throughout more of the city, overall levels of violent crime were lowered. Phasing out large concentrations of public housing and providing families with opportunities to move to mixed-income environments using housing vouchers, as we are doing with the Creighton Court/Armstrong School development in North Church Hill, begins RRHAs effort to deconcentrate poverty in Richmond. Our goal is to end public housing as we now know it, deconcentrating poverty and giving low-income children and families better housing choices.

This brings me to President Trumps budget proposal, which has deep and devastating cuts to HUD funding, totaling $6 billion  more than 16 percent of the current HUD budget. What will this do to Richmond? The current, and inadequate, $750 per-unit annual allocation for capital improvements will drop to $250 per unit. We simply cannot provide critical improvements necessary to maintain RRHAs public housing portfolio at these funding levels. RRHAs funding for Section 8 Housing Choice vouchers would fall by $372,961, which will deny housing to 47 families, including 56 children. Homelessness will rise. Our efforts to deconcentrate poverty will fail.

When I agreed to serve on the RRHA Board, I knew from my years of teaching and working in education policy that concentrated poverty has a substantial negative impact on students. I started my career teaching the children of Norfolk, many of whom lived in public housing communities. It seemed fitting, as I agreed to serve, to renew my efforts to lift children out of poverty as I finished my career and moved into retirement. I share with my board colleagues the feeling that we are moving things in the right direction in Richmond. Unfortunately, Trumps budget proposal will bring our progress to screeching halt, and it will have a devastating impact on Richmonds poorest families.
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The Kandinsky Trio brings Noble Aspirations to their final concert of the 2016-17 season.

The Roanoke Colleges resident chamber music group  pianist Elizabeth Bachelder, violinist Benedict Goodfriend and cellist Alan Weinstein  will play a program that begins with Schubert and continues with two works that speak to the human spirit.

As Weinstein explained, the trio will perform In Memoriam: Karlrobert Kreiten by retired Virginia Tech professor Kent Holliday, a piece that pays tribute to a brilliant pianist murdered by the Nazis in 1943 for daring to criticize Hitler.

The program also includes Beethovens Archduke trio, which Weinstein called the most noble and uplifting music I know.

Originally planned March 18, the performance was rescheduled to take place Sunday.

The trio has a long tradition of producing season fliers that showcase a vaudevillian sense of humor. The 2016-17 brochure, a takeoff on the art of Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band, might just take the cake.

Designer Chris Henson filled the spoof of the famous Beatles album cover with both in-jokes and obvious jokes. This brochure has gotten the best reception in our storied brochure history, Weinstein wrote.
Ambitious playwrights have new incentive to take to their word processors  two annual prizes of $25,000 offered by the American Shakespeare Center in Staunton.

The internationally acclaimed Virginia playhouse has launched the Shakespeares New Contemporaries competition, seeking new plays to serve as companion pieces to William Shakespeares classics.

Over the next 20 years, the theater intends to select one play for each of Shakespeares 38 titles. The theater will also produce two of the new plays each year in conjunction with the Shakespeare plays they are intended to be paired with.

The theater doesnt want retellings, but prequels, sequels, expanded stories of minor characters, even metafictional approaches are fair game. For the first year of the competition, the company is looking for companion pieces to The Merry Wives of Windsor, Henry IV, Part 1, The Comedy of Errors and The Winters Tale.

The deadline for submissions is Feb. 15, 2018. For more information and official rules, call 540-885-5588 or visit americanshakespearecenter.com.
For the first time in 35 years, an assortment of Salem properties was offered up for bid Wednesday in a tax delinquency auction.

The measure, part of a more than yearlong effort to resolve lingering debts to the city, is a common tool for Virginia localities when efforts to work out payment plans or other options fail.

In Salem, the practice had fallen out of use, for reasons no longer known by current administrators.

Neighboring Roanoke and Roanoke County last held tax auctions in 2016 and 2015, respectively. Salems last auction was held in 1982.

Salem Treasurer Bonnie McCormack said reviving the measure in the city wasnt something her office relished.

We do try to work with people as much as we can, she said, adding the city issues regular notices to those who fall behind and encourages them to set up a payment schedule.

Allowing the debt to languish is bad for the city and can be bad for the taxpayer, she said, as interest and penalties will only grow and can become overwhelming.

It just sometimes gets to the point where you need to take some sort of action, McCormack said.

Wednesdays auction, held at the Salem Civic Center, was the culmination of a collection campaign that started in late 2015 with a list of 191 properties that collectively owed $1.2 million in back taxes, not including interest and penalties.

Of those, a little over half paid their bill in full. More worked out a payment plan. The treasurers office calculated it had recouped more than $868,000 of the amount owed, excluding interest and penalties, as of the start of this week.

A chunk of that money helped pay for a replacement ladder truck for the Salem Fire Department last year, said the citys finance office.

The remainder likely will go toward other capital projects.

In the end, 20 properties ended up on Wednesdays auction list. The bulk of those were small, vacant lots or appeared to have out-of-town owners.

Rattling off numbers with electric speed, an auctioner with local firm Woltz & Associates cajoled and joked with the audience in an effort to coax ever-higher bids out of them.

Some among the crowd of around 80 assembled were practiced hands  real estate investors and speculators keeping an eye out for a promising deal.

Others were first-timers whod ventured over to the civic centers community room hoping to secure a particular lot.

Rose Ralston was able to buy an empty strip of land next to her backyard that she and her husband had maintained for years.

The purchase was significant for her as her husband had long hoped to buy that land but was never able to get in touch with the owner.

Her husband passed away in January one month after their 51st anniversary.

It was very emotional for me, Ralston said after making her bid. This was something he wanted.

The highest winning bid of the day was $79,000 for a house on a half-acre lot. The buyer, Dustin Seacrist, is also a neighbor whos fixed up several other properties on the same street.

I try to make things nicer, he said, adding he plans to do the same with this house.

He was unsure how this property had fallen behind on its taxes, but hoped the sale would hold some financial benefit for its current owners.

If a bid exceeds the tax amount owed to the city, the difference is paid to the last owner.

The auction, which took about 90 minutes, cleared a total of over $390,500 in bids. A 5 percent buyers premium is added onto each, making for final sale prices totaling more than $410,000.

It wasnt immediately clear Wednesday how much of that would go to the city and how much could be paid to property owners.

The sales, in order to be final, must be approved by the Circuit Court. A hearing has been set for May 19 to ask for the courts approval.
26 April 2017

Acron Group's Fertiliser Output Up 25% in Q1 2017

Group's Consolidated Output

(Operating Results for Acron, Dorogobuzh and NWPC)





Product, '000 t Q1 2017 Q1 2016** YOY, % MINERAL FERTILISERS Ammonia 648 463 40.2 Incl. in-house consumption 492 461 Nitrogen fertilisers 991 862 14.9 Incl. in-house consumption 271 135 AN 475 448 6.0 Incl. in-house consumption 142 30 Urea 218 174 25.5 Incl. in-house consumption 129 104 UAN 297 240 23.7 Complex fertilisers 674 505 33.6 Incl. in-house consumption 17 5 NPK 541 490 10.4 Incl. in-house consumption 17 5 Bulk blends 133 15 9x increase Total commercial output for Mineral Fertilisers* 1,533 1,229 24.7 INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTS Organic Synthesis Products 111 86 29.8 Incl. in-house consumption 55 45 Methanol 25 17 44.4 Incl. in-house consumption 20 16 Formalin 41 32 27.8 Incl. in-house consumption 35 29 Urea-formaldehyde resins 46 37 24.8 Non-organic compounds 179 165 8.5 Low-density and technical-grade AN 40 41 (2.9) Calcium carbonate 126 110 14.4 Liquid carbon dioxide 11 12 (4.3) Argon 1 2 (6.5) Total commercial output for Industrial Products* 235 206 14.1

PHOSPHATE INPUTS Apatite concentrate 226 289 (22.0) Incl. in-house consumption 220 220 Total commercial output for Apatite Concentrate* 5 70 (92.5)



TOTAL COMMERCIAL OUTPUT* 1,773 1,505 17.8

* Commercial output is output less in-house consumption.

** Excluding Hongri Acron output (due to sale of the plant in 2016)

Chairman of Acron's Board of Directors Alexander Popov comments:

"In Q1 2017, commercial output of mineral fertilisers and ammonia was up an amazing 25%. The Group's total output of its core commercial products was 1,773 kt, up 17.8% year-on-year.

"Output increased mainly due to the operation of the new ammonia unit, commissioned in 2016 at Acron's production site in Veliky Novgorod. Moreover, Dorogobuzh upgraded its AN and NPK units in 2016, which led to record high production of these products in Q1 2017, both for Dorogobuzh and the Group. The significant increase in bulk blends output was due to production diversification and alignment with changing market needs. Production of apatite concentrate at the Oleniy Ruchey mine was down due to extensive overburden rock removal in the reporting period. Novgorod-based Acron increased commercial output 29.8% year-on-year, and commercial output at Dorogobuzh was up 9.7%.

"We are successfully utilising the production potential of our new capacity, and we are confident that our output numbers will continue on a growth trend".

Market Trends

In early 2017, urea prices continued to rise due to high seasonal demand. In February 2017, prices reached USD 260 FOB Baltic Sea Ports. Chinese producers increased capacity utilisation to 60%, against 50% at the beginning of the year. As a result, Chinese exports increased just as spring sowing orders began to wind down, causing prices to fall back to USD 210 FOB Baltic Sea Ports in April. It should be noted that prices remain high for coal, which is the main input for urea production in China, which makes most of the country's urea producers unprofitable. As a result, we expect a decrease in Chinese capacity utilisation during the following months, which will support urea prices above USD 200 FOB China.

Prices for premium nitrogen products like AN and UAN also increased in Q1 2017 due to strong seasonal demand and the upward trend for urea, which is the base product. The AN premium remained high, while the UAN premium was still under pressure from the commissioning of new capacity in the United States and increased production.

In Q1 2017, NPK prices started to recover after a decline in 2016 due to higher prices for base products and strong seasonal demand. Premiums above the basket of products remained flat.

Average Indicative Prices, USD/t, FOB Baltic/Black Sea

Q1 2017 Q4 2016 Q1 2016 Q1 2017 / Q4 2016 change Q1 2017 / Q1 2016 change NPK 16-16-16 262 254 326 3.1 (19.6) AN 202 179 186 12.8 8.6 UAN 158 133 152 18.8 3.9 Urea 237 205 194 15.6 22.2







Media contacts:

Tatiana Smirnova

Public Relations

Phone: +7 (495) 777-08-65 (ext. 5196)

Investor contacts:

Ilya Popov

Investor Relations

Phone: +7 (495) 745-77-45 (ext. 5252)

Background Information

Acron Group is a leading vertically integrated mineral fertiliser producer in Russia and globally, with chemical production facilities in Veliky Novgorod (Acron) and Smolensk (Dorogobuzh). The Group owns and operates a phosphate mine in Murmansk region (NWPC) and plans to implement a potash development project in Perm Krai (VPC). It has a wholly owned transport and logistics infrastructure and distribution networks in Russia and China.

In 2016, the Group sold 6.4 million tonnes of various products to 63 countries, with Russia, Brazil, Europe and the United States as key markets.

In 2016, the Group posted consolidated revenue under IFRS of RUB 89,359 million (USD 1,333 million) and net profit of RUB 25,525 million (USD 381 million). Acron's shares are on the Level 1 quotation list of the Moscow Exchange and its global depositary receipts are traded at the London Stock Exchange (ticker AKRN). Acron employs over 11,000 people.

For more information about Acron Group, please visit www.acron.ru/en.
RICHMOND  State Sen. Bryce Reeves, Republican candidate for lieutenant governor, wants a judge to allow his lawyer to depose GOP primary opponent Sen. Jill Holtzman Vogel over an email that alleged he had an extramarital affair.

Reeves, through an attorney, is asking a judge to allow a deposition of Vogel and husband Alexander Vogel by May 24. The Vogels responded in a court filing, saying Reeves is attempting to abuse the civil discovery process. The primary election is June 13.

The newest legal move by Reeves comes after a series of allegations from each side about whether Vogel and her husband are behind the email. Reeves has already requested permission for his lawyer to depose neighbors of the Vogels in Fauquier County and two of Vogels campaign supporters.

Reeves, of Spotsylvania County, is in a contentious race with Vogel, of Fauquier County, for the GOP nomination for the statewide seat. Del. Glenn Davis, R-Virginia Beach, is also running.

The email was sent last fall to several of Reeves supporters and alleged he had an affair with an aide. The sender of the email was listed as Martha McDaniel.

Reeves has supplied the email to reporters and has said it is false and defamatory. Reeves, a former undercover police officer in Prince William County, filed a defamation lawsuit in October against Martha McDaniel.

Reeves believes Martha McDaniel may be fictitious. Through the lawsuit, he issued subpoenas to communications companies to find out who sent the email.

The email in question was registered to a cellular phone number belonging to Alexander Vogel, according to the March 27 court filing by Reeves asking permission to depose the Vogels. The two IP addresses that accessed the email account belong to the Vogels and their next-door neighbors, the filing said.

The Vogels have denied any involvement, and Jill Vogel has said she believes she was the target of a political stunt.

Reeves has not named the Vogels as defendants and the lawsuit has not been served on anyone. The Supreme Court of Virginia has designated retired Norfolk Circuit Judge Charles Poston to preside over the case.

In a response filed last week in court, the Vogels said Reeves provided information about the email to news media in an attempt to gain leverage in the campaign. They wrote that the subpoenas for their depositions were posted at their previous residence, and that Reeves was aware they had moved.

The Vogels only received word of these subpoenas on or about April 4, 2017, by and through third parties, who found them taped to the door of their former residence.

The Vogels outlined several reasons why they want the judge to deny Reeves request to depose them  among them, that the lawsuit has not been served.

Libby Locke, an attorney for Reeves, said in an email that Vogel is doing everything she can to avoid answering questions:

She has refused Senator Reeves request to conduct an independent forensic analysis to determine whether her computer system was actually hacked, and now she is insisting that she should be exempt from participating in routine civil discovery. That does not sound like someone who wants to seek the truth; it sounds like someone who wants to hide behind a lawyer so the truth never comes out. What is Jill Vogel hiding?

Vogel campaign manager Pat Trueman declined to comment .

The job of lieutenant governor is part-time and pays $36,321 annually. But it is considered a potential launching pad to a run for governor, which is whats led to a high-stakes primary campaign.

Three Democrats are seeking their partys nomination in the June 13 primary  former federal prosecutors Justin Fairfax and Gene Rossi and Susan Platt, a Democratic activist and former lobbyist.
RICHMOND  Police use of Tasers has dropped in Virginia  in some cases dramatically  in the year since a federal appeals court decision essentially rewrote policy for every department in the state, a nationally recognized expert on stun guns and police use of force says.

Nearly all of the largest police agencies in Virginia, as well as some of the smaller ones, reported a significant drop in Taser use by their officers in 2016. That January, the Richmond-based 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that police are prohibited from using the devices to subdue resisting suspects unless they believe there is a risk of immediate danger to themselves or others.

While some experts have hailed the decision that curtails police use of the electrical devices, at least one criminologist who co-wrote a major national study on Tasers called the ruling a major mistake that could lead to more injuries to officers and citizens alike.

The Henrico County Police Department, which historically has used Tasers more than any other department in the Richmond region, saw an 83 percent drop, from 58 on-duty Taser deployments in 2015 to 10 last year.

The Chesterfield County Police Department, which was hit with a $95 million lawsuit over a 2015 Taser incident that left a man horribly disfigured after his clothes caught fire, reported a 67 percent drop in officers discharging their Tasers, from 51 in 2015 to 17 last year.

Petersburg police reported an 82 percent decrease, from 17 Taser deployments in 2015 to three last year.

Similar significant declines were reported by police departments across the state, according to a Richmond Times-Dispatch check of nearly 20 departments.

The Norfolk Police Department, which suspended the use of Tasers for nearly five months after last years appellate court ruling, reported a 95 percent drop in officer Taser use, from 99 incidents in 2015 to just five last year. Virginia Beach police saw their numbers tumble 70 percent, from 64 to 19 incidents over that same period. And the numbers for Chesapeake police declined 23 percent, from 26 to 20.

Police in Fairfax, Prince William, Loudoun and Spotsylvania counties reported declines in Taser use of 41 percent, 20 percent, 60 percent and 83 percent, respectively. Lynchburg police saw a 48 percent decline, while police in Roanoke County and Charlottesville saw incremental drops. Roanoke city police do not equip officers with the devices.

Among the states largest police departments, only Richmond reported an increase, from seven incidents in 2015 to 16 last year. But the citys numbers have never risen above 20 a year, and 2016s rise likely can be attributed to more officers being trained to use and carry the devices. The number of Tasers issued to officers rose from less than 100 in 2015 to 254 as of last week.

Here you have a doubling and a half (of Tasers) and only a few more deployments, even with that many officers carrying them, noted Richmond police spokesman Gene Lepley. Our general order (on Taser use) was already significantly in line with what the 4th Circuit asked for.

In Armstrong v. Pinehurst (N.C.), the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that police use of a Taser amounted to unconstitutional excessive force in a case involving a mentally ill man who died after being stunned five times with the electrical weapon after he clung tightly to a signpost to avoid being taken to a hospital.

The ruling became law in the 4th Circuit, which covers Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina and South Carolina.

The Armstrong case has rewritten policies for every department in the 4th Circuit, said Geoffrey Alpert, a criminologist at the University of South Carolina who co-wrote a major study on the impact of Tasers and injuries to police and civilians. And youre seeing the results of that. And a lot of other circuits (across the country) are citing that case.

The village of Pinehurst appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court, which in October 2016 declined to hear the appeal, allowing the lower court decision to stand.
BELLMAN, Robert Elmer April 23, 2017 Robert (Bob) Elmer Bellman, 89, of Dublin, went to be with the Lord on Sunday, April 23, 2017. He was preceded in death by his loving wife, Joanne Ruth Comer Bellman; parents, Margaret Anna Bellman and George Donald Bellman; infant daughter Margaret Jo Bellman; infant great-granddaughter Riley Albin; and sister Irene Kramer. He is survived by his children, Bob Bellman and wife Jackie of Nicholasville, Ky., Jeff Bellman of Panama City Beach, Fla., George Bellman and wife Donna of Mustang, Okla., Chris Bellman and wife Debbie of Versailles, Ky., Bill Bellman and wife Carol of Bedford, Texas, Ruthie Bellman of Dublin, Va., Starla Kirkland and husband Al of Dothan, Ala.; 11 grandchildren; 30 great-grandchildren; eight great-great-grandchildren; and sister Kay Braught of Norman, Okla. Bob was a devoted and loving husband, father, grandfather, lover of all people and servant of the Lord. He served the Lord for 65 years in the capacities of Youth Pastor, Lay-minister, Pastor and Pastoral Care pastor throughout Illinois, Kentucky, Florida and Virginia. His Lay ministry took him all over the U.S., to Curacao and Aruba. He traveled several times to Haiti and to Jamaica on mission trips sharing the love of Christ with all who would hear. A time for fellowship with the Bellman family will take place Saturday, April 29, 2017, from 10 a.m. to noon at Good Shepherd Baptist Church, 155 Dunlap Drive, NE, Christiansburg, Va. A celebration of life service will take place at noon immediately following the fellowship time with Pastor Matthew Kirkland officiating. A graveside service will conducted at a later date in Wilmore, Kentucky. A special thanks to the wonderful staff at Good Samaritan Hospice. Their loving devotion to Bob and his family was invaluable. In lieu of flowers, please make donations in Bob's memory to the Jimmy Davis Evangelistic Association, P.O. Box 25, Pilot, VA 24138 or on his website at www.jdea.org .
It is rather surprising that Robert A. Strong's opinion column on presidential lies ("Trump is our liar in chief," March 26 commentary) should fail to include mention of President Obama in his list of lying presidents. Are we to believe Obama's claimed ignorance of the Rev. Wright's outrageous tirades, despite his membership of the congregation for twenty years? Are we also to believe the downplaying of his association with Weather Underground leader, Bill Ayers? Were these denials not at least on a par with some of the cited transgressions?

And, lest we forget, President Obama was hardly forthcoming when extolling the virtues of the Affordable Care Act. His claim that If you like your health care plan, you can keep it was named Lie of the year by the Pulitzer Prize-winning website Politifact.com.

However, the prize must go to Obama's outrageous efforts to mislead the public over the cause of the Benghazi disaster. Four Americans were killed by Radical Islamic Terrorists on September 11, 2012 in what was clearly a premeditated attack. Yet, for weeks after the attack, leading up to the presidential election, Obama and senior members of his administration (including Hillary Clinton) continued to falsely blame the attack on an anti-Islamic video while knowing the truth to be otherwise.

In view of the above, it would seem that any reasonable review of presidential lying should at least include Obama as one, if not the leading, candidate for the Pinocchio Award. How can any serious investigator choose to exclude him from the list of candidates? Sadly, it seems that the author was only too eager to reach his conclusion before considering all the facts.

BILL STEPHENSON

SALEM
Virginia saw three conservative visions during the recent GOP gubernatorial debate in Lynchburg, and one vision prevailed over the others. Ed Gillespie has the skills, the vision, and the drive necessary to win the governorship and to be a governor for all Virginians.

During the debate, Gillespie presented himself as the candidate with the vision and the know-how to right Virginias ship of state and to return the commonwealth to economic prosperity we have not seen under Governor McAuliffe.

Rather than stooping to the level of cheap shots and personal attacks from his two Republican counterparts on stage, Gillespie had the foresight to criticize the policies of the Democrat candidate he will be facing in November. It was clear that the majority of those in the debate hall on Thursday were there supporting Ed, but this should come as no surprise to Virginians who have watched his campaign closely.

Gillespie and his wife, Cathy, have put in miles and smiles across the Commonwealth to acquaint themselves with tens of thousands of Virginians. Just last month, they visited a pizza parlor in Lexington to speak with a small group of Washington and Lee students and community members. Gillespies desire for Virginians to succeed is as abundantly obvious as his genuine compassion and hard work on the campaign trail. Keep it up!

SKYLER ZUNK

LEXINGTON
TOP PICKS

THURSDAY

Nobel Prize Winner Arthur McDonald Lecture

Arthur B. McDonald is the winner of the 2015 Nobel Prize in physics for experiments that showed neutrinos can change identities and therefore have mass. The talk will focus on: How does the Sun burn? What are dark matter particles? What are the properties of neutrinos, one of the fundamental building blocks of nature? And how these particles influence our universe?

When: 7:30 p.m.

Where: McBryde Hall, Virginia Tech, 225 Stanger St., Blacksburg

Cost: Free

Contact: 231-8706

Ben Sollee

Visit thespotonkirk.org to purchase tickets.

When: 7 to 10 p.m.

Where: The Spot on Kirk, 22 Kirk Ave., Roanoke

Cost: $20 in advance; $25 at the door

Contact: 685-2995

SATURDAY

17th Annual Open Studios of Roanoke Tour

This tour will feature 25 professional artists representing mediums ranging from mixed media, assemblage, sculpture, painting, drawing, and more. Visitors will be able to see working studios and watch several artists at work at eight locations/stops. The route covers Raleigh Court, Southwest, South Roanoke and Southeast studios in Roanoke Industrial Park.

When: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Where: Artists Homes and Studios in Roanoke, 1922 Power St., Roanoke

Cost: Free

Contact: 589-9437

TUESDAY

Virginia X

Virginia Tech hosts the Virginia X exchange concert of student compositions and performances. Students from Virginia universities will perform and share their work across all styles of original music, sound art and multimedia.

When: 7:30 p.m.

Where: CUBE, Moss Arts Center, 190 Alumni Mall, Blacksburg

Cost: Free

Contact: 231-5200
RALEIGH, N.C., April 26, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Triangle Capital Corporation (NYSE:TCAP) (Triangle or the Company), a leading provider of capital to lower middle market companies, announced today that it closed a $14.4 million investment in APM Holdings, LLC (APM) consisting of second lien debt. APM is a manufacturer of high-purity chemicals for the pharmaceutical, biopharmaceutical, semiconductor and laboratory markets.



About Triangle Capital Corporation

Triangle Capital Corporation (www.TCAP.com) invests capital in established companies in the lower middle market to fund growth, changes of control and other corporate events. Triangle offers a wide variety of investment structures with a primary focus on mezzanine financing with equity components. Triangles investment objective is to seek attractive returns by generating current income from debt investments and capital appreciation from equity related investments. Triangles investment philosophy is to partner with business owners, management teams and financial sponsors to provide flexible financing solutions. Triangle typically invests $5.0 million - $50.0 million per transaction in companies with annual revenues between $20.0 million and $300.0 million and EBITDA between $5.0 million and $75.0 million.

Triangle has elected to be treated as a business development company under the Investment Company Act of 1940 ("1940 Act"). Triangle is required to comply with a series of regulatory requirements under the 1940 Act as well as applicable NYSE, federal and state laws and regulations. Triangle has elected to be treated as a regulated investment company under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986. Failure to comply with any of the laws and regulations that apply to Triangle could have a material adverse effect on Triangle and its stockholders.

Forward Looking Statements

This press release may contain forward looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Any such statements, other than statements of historical fact, are likely to be affected by other unknowable future events and conditions, including elements of the future that are or are not under the Company's control, and that the Company may or may not have considered; accordingly, such statements cannot be guarantees or assurances of any aspect of future performance. Actual developments and results are highly likely to vary materially from these estimates and projections of the future and some of these uncertainties are enumerated in Triangles filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Certain factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements are included in our annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and current reports on Form 8-K, each as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Copies are available on the SECs website at www.sec.gov and stockholders may receive a hard copy of the completed audited financial statements free of charge upon request to the Company at 3700 Glenwood Avenue, Suite 530, Raleigh, NC 27612. Such statements speak only as of the time when made, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update any such statement now or in the future.
As summer approaches, United States Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 83 joins boating safety advocates across the U.S. and Canada to promote safe and responsible boating.

Several Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries Boating Safety Courses are scheduled over the next two months in the New River Valley.

According to the law of the State of Virginia, everyone operating a personal watercraft (PWC or jet-ski) or a motorboat of 10 horsepower and greater must have completed an accepted boating safety class. In order to take a boat out on the water in Virginia, the boat operator must be in possession not only of registration papers for the boat, but also a Boating Education Card certifying that the boat operator has taken a Boating Safety Course and passed the test.

In order to assist boaters to comply with this law, Virginia DGIF and the United States Coast Guard (USCG) Auxiliary Flotilla 83 have teamed up to offer free boating safety classes. The subjects covered are

n Choosing the right boat

n Boat hulls

n Motors

n Legal requirements

n Navigation rules

n Cruising, docking

n Anchoring

n Knots

n Accidents

n Alcohol consumption

n Fire on board

n Weather

n Trailering

n Water sports

n Personal watercraft

This course meets the requirements of Virginia boating safety laws. Students are asked to bring lunch, a drink, a pencil and a highlighter. Each graduate earns a wallet card showing successful completion of the class. Most major insurance companies endorse the course and allow insurance premium discounts to graduates.

Upcoming Boating Safety Classes are scheduled as follows:

Saturday, April 29, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Jessie Peterman Memorial Library, 321 W. Main St. (US 221, across from Food Lion), Floyd

Register at http://www.register-ed.com/events/view/96305

Saturday, May 13, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Blacksburg Library Community Room, 200 Miller St. Blacksburg

Register at http://www.register-ed.com/events/view/100610

Saturday, May 20, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Independence Volunteer Fire Department, 329 Davis St., Independence

Register at http://www.register-ed.com/events/view/99575

Tuesday and Wednesday, June 6 and 7, 5 to 9 p.m. (must attend both evenings; no dinner break)

Rooker Hall Auditorium, New River Community College, 5251 College Drive, Dublin

Register at http://www.register-ed.com/events/view/100860

Pre-registration is required and can be completed by going to the DGIF website at http://www.register-ed.com/events/view/. If you have questions or need help to register, contact Mendy Harman at mendy.harman@dgif.virginia.gov or 494-3569.

Additionally, on Saturday, May 27, members of Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 83 will be conducting Vessel Safety Checks on personal boats at the boat ramp at Claytor Lake State Park from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. There is no charge for the service, and no consequences if your boat does not pass.

The Vessel Safety Check program helps to achieve voluntary compliance with federal, state and local recreational boating safety laws. It also heightens the boaters awareness of safety issues through one-on-one contact by volunteer certified vessel examiners. Some of the inspected items include: fire extinguishers, first aid kits, ventilation systems, backfire flame controls, navigation lights, visual distress signals, sound producing devices, life jackets, registration, proper display of numbers, overall condition of the boat, and state and local requirements.

In addition to inspecting the boat and equipment, the examiner reviews local boating conditions and answers any boating-related safety questions.

The goal is simply to help make boating as safe as possible for you, your family and your friends, through education. A safety check ensures the boat and equipment comply with safety requirements. If your boat does pass, a sticker will be awarded.

The goal is to increase the chances of a safe ride for everyone.

Vessel Safety Checks will be offered on a first come, first served basis. No appointments are necessary.

Submitted by Sharon Eifried
Business News Hyundai Motor Flags Gradual Recovery After Q1 Profit Fall But China Woes Remain | RobinsPost News & Noticias

SEOUL, Oct 24 (Reuters) - Hyundai Motor Co (005380.KS) raised earnings guidance on Monday, buoyed by premium vehicle sales and a foreign exchange lift, but disappointing quarterly results and an ... Read More SEOUL: South Koreas Hyundai Motor Co raised its full-year revenue and profit margin guidance ... While Hyundai Motor expects a gradual recovery from global chip and component shortages ... Read More SEOUL -- Hyundai Motor's revenue jumped more than 30% in the third quarter on strong electric vehicle sales, but profit fell as the company had to set aside nearly $1 billion to deal with the ... Read More SEOUL, Oct. 24 (Xinhua) -- South Korea's biggest automaker Hyundai Motor logged a record-high revenue in the third quarter of this year despite lower profit ... expected a gradual recovery from ... Read More The Biden administration's elimination of tax credits for imported electric vehicles deals a massive blow to Hyundai Motor's business ... Act of 2022 and agreed to remain in contact and continue ... Read More The recovery of global car ... 7 thereafter," the official added. Hyundai Motor recorded an operating profit of 1.5 trillion won in the third quarter even after reflecting over 1 trillion won ... Read More Hyundai Motor Co. is scheduled to report third-quarter results Monday. Here is what you need to know: NET PROFIT FORECAST ... the U.S. dollar on earnings and business expenses in the coming ... Read More To ensure this doesnt happen in the future, please enable Javascript and cookies in your browser. Is this happening to you frequently? Please report it on our ... Read More Hyundai sold 3.89 million vehicles in 2021. Shares in Hyundai closed down 3.3 per cent after it reported a 3 per cent drop in third-quarter net profit ... Motor expects a gradual recovery from ... Read More
Politics News Here S What You Need To Know About The State S Audit Of The University Of California | RobinsPost News & Noticias

Sign up here to get breaking news about California politics, Gov. Gavin Newsom and the Legislature. Election Day is fast approaching, and California voters have ... Read More The holes are to help those with vision impairments know where to ... venture explaining California's policies and politics. Read more state news from CalMatters here. You're hearing a lot more ... Read More Because of false claims and disinformation involving recent elections, the spotlight on the Secretary of States office has never been brighter. Thats why 13News wants you to get to know ... not need ... Read More Theyre fleeing California ... state where all of Americans can come here and get an abortion at the expense of Califonia taxpayers, Dahle said. I know thats a great platform when you ... Read More A once under-the-radar governmental role with significant control over elections is getting a lot more attention this year. Read More The most important thing to know about absentee by-mail voting ... review the Voter FAQ on the State Election Commissions website. Editors Note: An earlier version of this story ... Read More This year, California voters could play a key role in determining the balance of power in the House of Representatives. Do you know what congressional district you live in? Or whos competing to ... Read More To be eligible, you need ... how Californias state Capitol works and why it matters. With the generous support of readers like you, Times of San Diego publishes timely and accurate news ... Read More
Politics News The Stain Of Anti Semitism At The White House Isn T Going Away | RobinsPost News & Noticias

Asked about the twice-impeached former presidents remarks, White House Press Secretary told reporters the comments were anti-semitic and insulting both to jews and to our Israeli ... Read More (CNSNews.com) - The White House on Monday condemned as anti-Semitic former President Donald Trumps comments about Jews needing to get their act together and appreciate what they have in Israel. ... Read More Hateful rhetoric isnt putting a pinch on resales of Adidas ... third of his $2.3 million in annual sales. People are still going crazy for the shoes, he said. Its Kanye West ... Read More (CNSNews.com) - The White House on Monday condemned rapper Kanye Wests comments about Jews as news broke that the ... what I can speak to is anti-Semitism, which is hateful. It is dangerous, and we ... Read More Rapper Kanye West speaks during his meeting with US President Donald Trump in the Oval Office of the White ... going death con 3 On JEWISH PEOPLE The funny thing is I actually cant be Anti ... Read More The episode unsurprisingly toured through the news cycle in the fashion of past Trump outrages. There was initial puzzlement over the political ... White House had denounced the post as anti-Semit ... Read More The response to rapper Kanye Wests anti-Semitic tirades continues to get ... On October 3, West wore a White Lives Matter shirt, apparently showing support for what Southern Poverty ... Read More WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Donald Trump's recent comments that American Jews have offered insufficient praise of his policies toward Israel were "insulting" and "anti-Semitic", White House spokesperson ... Read More WASHINGTON  Donald Trumps recent comments that American Jews have offered insufficient praise of his policies toward Israel were anti-Semitic, White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre ... Read More
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Politics News Full Senate Heads To Rare Classified Meeting At The White House On North Korea | RobinsPost News & Noticias




Elections News Elections In Armenia Signify Progress With Room For Improvement | RobinsPost News & Noticias

How to watch 2022 election night results and live coverage Republican lead in House shrinks again as voters see high-stakes contest - CBS News Battleground Tracker In the final week before the ... Read More Theres a tendency in politics  built over many years  of viewing elections as end points. As in, we spend two years debating and squabbling over the right direction for the country and ... Read More To really understand an election, you have to understand the motivations ... We've got the data for it: tens of thousands of interviews in our CBS News polling over the year where people ... Read More Election Day is less than two months awaybut one key race wont be on most ballots. Theyre school board elections, and thats a big problem for families nationwide. In 37 states, school ... Read More But now she's ready to speak out. WATCH FOX NEWS DIGITAL'S EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH GREEN HERE: Jennifer-Ruth Green takes aim at political opposition after Politico publishes records of her sexual ... Read More Thats actually a slight improvement for Republicans compared to this point in 2020, when 75% of pre-election ballots cast were from Democrats and 17% were from Republicans. Early in-person ... Read More The News & Observers 2022 NC Voter Guide includes links to all our election coverage, including stories and candidate questionnaires for the U.S. Senate, state legislature and local races in ... Read More The 2022 midterm elections will take place on Tuesday, Nov. 8. The midterms are elections that occur halfway through a president's four-year term. All 435 seats in the U.S. House are up for ... Read More WASHINGTON  Millions of Americans will submit their ballots or head to the polls for the 2022 midterm elections in November. While presidential candidates won't be on the ballot, there are ... Read More So, you may be wondering what are midterm elections and why they are so important. Midterm elections in the United States happen every two years and determines who will be elected  or re ... Read More On Wednesday, Nov. 2, county and state elections officials can walk you through the process, and you can ask them questions. The "Follow the Ballot: Be Confident Your Vote Is Counted" event is ... Read More SEATTLE  Ballots are now making their way to 1.4 million King County voters for the upcoming midterm elections. For this voting cycle, King County Elections rolled out its new ballot tracking ... Read More
Product Reviews Netflix Is Finally Making Headway In China Sort Of | RobinsPost News & Noticias

The second change to the product review best practices is to make it clearer that these best practices refer to product review pages and not just product reviews. Its a seemingly minor ... Read More Netflix will no longer provide guidance for global paid subscribers. Many investors have based their past Netflix buys and sells directly on this metric. Now, management prefers to look at a ... Read More Search Engine Land  SEO  Google adds more example categories of sites that may be impacted by the product reviews update Google has added three new examples to the top of the how to write ... Read More Google has added three examples of the type of product review pages and who can write them to the "how to write product reviews" help document. Google added these three examples for the type of ... Read More Before the earnings report announcement, a Netflix spokesperson told McClatchy News it would not make changes for other countries until we better understand whats easiest for our members. ... Read More Netflix is making it easier to boot moochers out of ... Netflix that profiles can only be transferred to new accounts. All products recommended by Engadget are selected by our editorial team ... Read More The LOreal Paris Glycolic Skin Brightening Serum was the other product I tried. The formulations is non-sticky and light. One of its main ingredients is niacinamide, a form of Vitamin B3. Read More Read our Ethics Policy to learn more. Trying to figure out what you need in terms of equipment for unboxing videos and product reviews on YouTube? Weve got you covered. As other YouTube trends ... Read More Netflix is also looking to crack down on password sharing Netflix Inc (NASDAQ:NFLX) is to make it easier to remove freeloaders from a streaming account while still letting them hang onto their viewing ... Read More
Science News Early Evidence Of Middle Stone Age Projectiles Found In South Africa S Sibudu Cave | RobinsPost News & Noticias

and the discovery marks the first time human remains have been found at Duvensee bog in the Schleswig-Holstein region, where dozens of campsites from the Mesolithic era or Middle Stone Age ... Read More Already a subscriber? Log in to hide ads. A selection of the most viewed stories this week on the Monitor's website. Every Saturday Hear about special editorial projects, new product information ... Read More South Africa's major cities in the Gauteng Provincethe ... Low expenditure levels on infrastructure investment is evidence of these capacity deficits despite the national government ... Read More The inquiry found Zuma ... Transnet. Evidence uncovered by the inquiry can be used by authorities to pursue criminal charges. Ramaphosa said of plans to overhaul South Africa's anti-graft strategy ... Read More Find your bookmarks in your Independent Premium section, under my profile A 21-year-old male has appeared in a South African court ... an outcry from women's rights groups who are calling for ... Read More A new study has provided evidence that exposure ... colleagues examined the effect of early childhood exposures to water fluoridation on measures of school-age executive functioning and emotional ... Read More The Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA), South Africas financial regulator, published a notice on Oct. 19 indicating that the countrys 2002 Financial Advisory and Financial ... Read More JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - South Africa's financial watchdog has classified cryptocurrency assets as financial products, a notice in the government gazette said on Wednesday, enabling them to be ... Read More "The evidence from the human remains found at Kendrick's Cave suggests ... suggests. Science News // 3 days ago SpaceX launches broadcast satellite to serve Europe, Africa, Middle East Nov ... Read More They found that scientists who were the least innovative early ... U.S. Census Bureau. The research was supported by the National Institute on Aging, the Office of Behavioral and Social Science ... Read More South Africa's Ramaphosa ... found rampant graft across key economic sectors including state-owned companies such as power utility Eskom and freight and logistics group Transnet. Evidence ... Read More A 21-year-old male has appeared in a South African court in connection with ... The case has sparked an outcry from women's rights groups who are calling for police and officials to do more ... Read More
French English Dutch

Bekaert and ArcelorMittal have reached an agreement on the integration of Bekaert's currently wholly-owned subsidiary in Sumare (Brazil) into the BMB (Belgo Mineira Bekaert Artefatos de Arame Ltda) partnership.

In line with the shareholding structure of the BMB joint venture, ArcelorMittal will be the majority shareholder (55.5%) of the steel cord entity in Sumare and Bekaert will hold the remaining shares (44.5%).

The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions and is expected to be completed in the second quarter of 2017.

Both partners aim at a smooth transition process to ensure continued excellent supply and service to the customers.

Bekaert will, upon deal closing, no longer report the results of the Sumare plant in its consolidated statements but represent its share in the result of joint ventures.
Travel News 25 Epic Photos Of Van Travel That Will Make You Want To See The World On Wheels | RobinsPost News & Noticias

Modern life getting too much for you? You could always try escaping to a cabin somewhere idyllic for a reset. Not sure how or where? Pick up a copy of Modern Cabins: Return to the Wild for ... Read More Most beautiful photos of South India youll see today Holidays in South India are something that need to happen often, mainly because the region is so beautiful. Its a perfect mix of hills ... Read More You wont believe that some parts of the world boast surreal landscapes that seem unbelievable when you first see them. Here, we take you to places that boast of the world's most beautiful ... Read More Editor's Note  Sign up for Unlocking the World, CNN Travel's weekly newsletter. Get news about destinations ... and not want to plan a big Italian feast. In case you're dreaming of your own ... Read More When you are planning a getaway it can be pretty hard to stay up to date with all of the latest offers and experiences out there. Luckily for you, weve picked out the most exciting travel ... Read More So, you want ... travel advisor would do ALL of the work so you could have ALL of the fun? Hear me out friend, you dont NEED a travel agent, BUT having a Travel Advisor on your team can make ... Read More The Ritz-Carlton, Amman is an exquisite new addition to the citys ever-expanding skyline, raising the luxury hospitality bar in Jordan Excitement is building as World Travel Awards (WTA ... Read More Since 1971, Travel + Leisure editors have followed one mission: to inform, inspire, and guide travelers to have deeper, more meaningful experiences. T+L's editors have traveled to countries all ... Read More You always want to make sure you're getting the proper coverage for your needs. Here are some of the top benefits often included in travel insurance policies that travelers should look for ... Read More Preparing for a trip always comes with a long to-do list and even though you may ... Simple Ways to Make Your Flying Experience Smoother, According to Flight Attendants This Travel Hack Is a ... Read More When you're preparing for a big trip, you'll want to make sure you have all of your ... in case things don't go as planned. That's when travel insurance can help. Travel insurance can give you ... Read More Whether you're traveling this winter to see family  or to get away from them  now's the time to start planning that trip. (It's not too late to book Thanksgiving travel either, but some of ... Read More
Travel News 90 Days In Trump S Travel Ban Still Looks Like Bigotry | RobinsPost News & Noticias

A person who is being considered for a waiver still ... look into travel ban statistics and hold the Trump administration accountable for its visa policy for the restricted countries. [ Like ... Read More President Donald Trump took another stab at a travel ban Monday ... six Muslim-majority countries for 90 days and suspend refugee admissions for 120 days. The new ban is narrower in scope than the old ... Read More "History will not look kindly upon the ... The version of the travel ban the court considered is the third the Trump administration has produced, with its first on Jan. 27, 2017, instituting a 90-day ... Read More Weve all known that there were certain days that were better for flying than others, and now travel news resource The Vacationer ... flights will still be open after we throw off our costumes ... Read More Mar-A-Lago is infamous for many reasons, but Donald Trump ... very much like a European kingdom in the middle of the tropics. And really, thats what it is. For more great travel guides ... Read More The residents also questioned an assertion in Watsons order enjoining the city from imposing the 90-day rule  that 30-day rentals were not just for tourists but also people like traveling ... Read More And yet she still felt ... a far-right cable news host  and for the tensile strength of her baseless conviction that the 2020 election was stolen from Mr. Trump. Two days after speaking with ... Read More A TRAVEL expert has ... you might want to look at Tuesdays and Wednesdays according to expertsCredit: Alamy However, an expert has said there are two days of the week when problems are less ... Read More In this exclusive clip from Sunday's 90 Day Fiance: Happily Ever After?, Shaeeda and Bilal visit their fertility doctor, who tells her news ... family, like, pretty fertile." But it looks like ... Read More CEO and travel expert at Airport Parking Reservations, has offered advice on when to book and fly to minimise your chances of feeling like you've been had. "Airfare prices can vary from one day to ... Read More However, Russian nationals can still technically access the EU via third countries and get 90-day ... outright ban on Russian tourists. Several member states have imposed additional travel ... Read More Editor's Note  Sign up for Unlocking the World, CNN Travel's weekly newsletter. Get news about destinations ... Although it may seem like the pandemic is so last year, there are still ... Read More
Travel News Air Travel To U S Drops In Q1 Canada Mexico Gain Forwardkeys | RobinsPost News & Noticias

Washington  Nasa aeronautical innovators are poised to break the sound barrier again, this time in a different way that could make it possible for all of us to one day travel by air just as ... Read More The announcement is a part of Air Canadas plan to expand global services in response to the increasing demand for international travel. Read More Even when US companies outsource some manufacturing to Canada and Mexico, many of the parts (or "intermediate goods") will continue to be made in the United States. "When US companies buy and sell ... Read More Where do you stand  or sit, as the case may be  on a controversial air travel issue ... shared that she was on a flight to the U.S. from Australia  "14 hours," she added  "and sometime ... Read More For domestic travel, Saturdays are the best time to fly, while departing internationally on Friday can save an average of 15 percent on air fare. When it comes to delays, March has been revealed ... Read More Photo Credit: Delta Economy fares on flights within the U.S. and Canada are up 5% from 2019 ... an Airbus subsidiary that compiles daily air travel price indices. Premium cabin passenger ... Read More Hundreds of Venezuelan Migrants Leave Southern Mexico to Travel to U.S ... access to the United States for up to 24,000 Venezuelans who enter the country by air and with a U.S.-based sponsor. Read More Editor's Note  Sign up for Unlocking the World, CNN Travel's weekly newsletter. Get news about destinations ... Colonia Americana in Guadalajara, Mexico, is the world's -- and North America's ... Read More new Air Canada Signature Club today, elevating the fan experience for Quebec hockey enthusiasts and showcasing the unparalleled features our customers can experience and enjoy when they travel ... Read More Thanksgiving airfare prices are currently averaging $281 round trip, up 25% from last year, according to travel booking group Hopper. For Christmas travel, airfare prices are averaging $435 round ... Read More These new features will be created based on live feedback and input from customers and what theyd like to see to improve their digital travel experience. This app also allows Air New Zealand to ... Read More This week in travel: some of the destinations in Asia with the most strict Covid policies are finally reopening, an annual ranking of the world's coolest neighborhoods provides inspiration for ... Read More
Travel News This Is One Of The Best Ways To Travel With Groups Of Friends | RobinsPost News & Noticias

In five minutes youll have up to three qualified local pros, each legally required to act in your best interests ... Corps is one of the oldest ways to volunteer your way to free travel. Read More It was a huge success in more ways than one, drawing several first-timers to get out, see more of their community, and make a few friends ... around the corner." Travel + Leisure is published ... Read More Check out the U.S. News ranking ... $500 round-trip. Travel Off-Peak Booking a trip outside holiday weeks and peak travel season for your chosen destination is one of the best ways to travel ... Read More The greatest online travel sites are fantastic because theyre a breeze to use and will help you plan your upcoming trip around the ... female-only travel FB group. This is one of the best travel ... Read More A travel fund is a good way to save money specifically for traveling. There are several more strategies you can use to afford traveling and fit it into your schedule. Check out our picks for best ... Read More While plenty of people use the tool to tailor their trips, one TikTok ... to review your map and use navigation. Dont let your wish list decide the whole trip Chris Hutchins, a travel expert ... Read More If youre relying on points and miles to cover the cost, you might want to consider whether booking award flights for the holidays is the best ... your travel like paying cash for a one-way ... Read More If you're relying on points and miles to cover the cost, you might want to consider whether booking award flights for the holidays is the best ... ways to unbundle your travel like paying cash for ... Read More Editor's Note  Sign up for Unlocking the World, CNN Travel's weekly newsletter. Get news about ... Chaozhou's best cold crab and Nanjing's famous duck blood soup. You could spend your whole ... Read More For Christmas travel ... travel is the best way to ensure a better travel experience. "Right now demand is high, which means book your seats," she wrote in an email to NBC News. Read More Since 1971, Travel + Leisure editors have followed one mission ... s 2023 Worlds Best Awards is now open for voting! That means, as of Oct. 24, you and your fellow travelers can weigh ... Read More This top pick by turtl doesnt conform to the traditional concept of bulky, bean-filled travel pillows. Instead, its one-of-a-kind design wraps around your neck ... for the best neck support ... Read More
Travel News World Changing Benefits Of Travel Touted At Tourism Summit In Bangkok | RobinsPost News & Noticias

World Travel Market will be taking place from 7-9 November 2022. Register now! Digitalisation is once again one of the pillars to be addressed at TIS  Tourism Innovation Summit 2022 ... Read More The World Tourism Network is the first travel industry ... climate change mitigation, and sustainable development. Will Presidents Putin and Zelenskyy attend the G20 Bali Summit? Read More Get news about ... reopening to tourism. These Covid-related restrictions are one of the reasons that Asia-Pacific is losing its title as the world's biggest travel market. Change is finally ... Read More No one knows the travel landscape ... brands in the world. So you might want to perk yourself up to read what was discussed in Conde Nast Travelers fifth annual travel summit, Points of ... Read More The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC ... took place at the Sustainable Hospitality Alliances Net Positive Summit in London yesterday, where WTTC President & CEO Julia Simpson joined ... Read More has joined the Executive Committee of the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC). Bhatnagars appointment comes following considerable growth of the TBO.com business globally, and the significant ... Read More Business travel used to mean sending employees from ... When the vaccines started to roll out, I started to recognize that the world is changing, says Hunter Block, founder of Offsiter ... Read More And the options are vast. Most travel insurance policies are comprehensive and include an array of benefits for travelers. However, you can also choose a plan that's specific to your needs. Read More Extreme weather has become more common across the globe, and estimates suggest that current levels of warming may have already crossed the threshold for irreversible change in several of the Earth ... Read More T+L's editors have traveled to countries all over the world, having flown ... Offers may be subject to change without notice. Travel + Leisure is part of the Dotdash Meredith publishing family. Read More Understanding recent tax benefits of the American Rescue Plan could help you to save at tax filing time. On March 11, 2021, the American Rescue Plan was signed into law to provide financial ... Read More Travel expenses can be pricey, depending on where you're going and when. So, you may be inclined to deny or refuse travel insurance as a way to cut costs. But sometimes that decision can end up ... Read More
Us News Arkansas Executes Two Inmates On The Same Gurney Hours Apart | RobinsPost News & Noticias

He was the sixth Oklahoma inmate to be executed since the state resumed carrying them out in October 2021. Cole delivered a sometimes rambling, two-minute prayer while strapped to the gurney. Read More MONTGOMERY, Ala (AP)  An Alabama inmate said prison staff poked ... and was strapped to the gurney at about 10:15 p.m. After the two men used needles to probe various parts of his body for ... Read More Benton, Madison and Washington Counties all had jail expansions up for a vote in the 2022 General Election. ROGERS, Ark.  Washington, Benton, and Madison Counties all had jail expansion measures on ... Read More On Monday, October 24, 2022, The Arkansas Department of Corrections admitted to a legislative committee that it had misinterpreted one element of parole ... Read More A 71-year-old man was fatally shot by a northwest Arkansas sheriff's deputy who found ... you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox ... Read More Custody deputies were able to resuscitate two ... hours later, around 1:45 a.m. on Thursday, deputies were called to the same D Unit for a medical emergency. They found another unconscious inmate ... Read More The Arkansas ... inmate in the program is filled with classes. "You take five classes a semester and one class each day for three hours on set curriculum," he said. Thompson said the first two ... Read More Two inmates and two officers sustained minor injuries ... Follow him on Twitter @TAGlobe. Black News Hour presented by The Boston Globe Run by Black journalists at The Boston Globe, Black ... Read More TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN)  Two inmates attempted to escape from Pima County Jail custody Tuesday. According to the Pima County Sheriff's Department, 31-year-old Shaun Busch and 26-yer-old Roger Rios ... Read More An Alabama inmate said prison staff poked him ... and was strapped to the gurney at about 10:15 p.m. After the two men used needles to probe various parts of his body for a vein, also using ... Read More
Us News North Carolina Flooding Body Found In Swollen River Road Closures Reported | RobinsPost News & Noticias

Officials said Coppola and Rathmann were in a relationship and had moved to 592 Weston Road, which is where Coppolas body was found. Investigators said her body had been there for several days ... Read More The body of a Virginia woman was discovered under the floor of a preexisting structure on Asbury Road in Westfield, North Carolina ... Hills body was found Monday, Oct. 17, while ... Read More North of Victoria, moderate-to-major flooding was occurring along several rivers in inland New South Wales state, the bureau said. A 63-year-old man was reported ... Tuesday found the body of ... Read More Lagos  Almost everyone on board a boat died when it capsized in a flood-swollen river in Nigeria's Anambra state, President Muhammadu Buhari said on Sunday. An estimated 85 people were taking ... Read More North Carolina, tested positive for High Path Avian Influenza (HPAI) and will be killed to prevent the disease from spreading, WTVD-TV reported Friday, citing the states Department of Agriculture. Read More Police on Tuesday found the body ... north coast residents were moving to higher ground with river levels forecast to rise and the major port of Devonport was closed on Friday due to flooding ... Read More
World News Us Urges New Sanctions Against South Sudan Russia Says No | RobinsPost News & Noticias

The European Union has just approved new sanctions against Russia, including a price cap on oil sales, following the United States September ... reducing the worlds access to the metals ... Read More Moscow Says U.S. Sanctions Charges Against 5 Russians Are 'Cynical' Bid to Intimidate (Reuters) - Russia sees charges brought by the United States against five Russian nationals for alleged ... Read More U.S. Targets Russian Military Procurement Network in New Sanctions WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States on Wednesday imposed fresh sanctions on Russia over the war in Ukraine, targeting a ... Read More The European Union has just approved new sanctions against Russia, including a price cap on oil sales, following the United States' Sept ... reducing the world's access to the metals and minerals ... Read More Baltic states and Poland have a long shopping list, but host of others seen as cautious of new ... heaviest sanctions of any country in the world. A fossil fuel superpower, Russia is no longer ... Read More The United States on Wednesday imposed fresh sanctions on Russia over the war in Ukraine, targeting a network that Washington accused of procuring military and dual-use technologies from U.S ... Read More The first such gathering on sanctions on Russia included officials from countries in the European Union, Canada and South ... sweeping new restrictions on shipments to Russia of US and foreign ... Read More WASHINGTON, Oct 17 (Reuters) - The United States and Britain will further their cooperation on sanctions against ... 2022 World U.S. privately asks Ukraine to show Russia it's open to talks ... Read More The European Union has just approved new sanctions against Russia, including a price cap on oil sales, following the United States Sept ... well diversified. The World Bank concentration ... Read More at a first-of-its-kind gathering with officials from 32 countries and the United States to discuss sanctions on Russia, made clear that Washington is prepared to take action against those outside ... Read More
World News At Least 10 Killed In Roadside Bomb In Pakistan | RobinsPost News & Noticias

At least three people were killed and six were injured in a bomb attack, targeting two vehicles in Pakistan's Mastung ... planted at a roadside went off when the vehicles were passing through ... Read More QUETTA, Pakistan (AP)  A roadside bomb on Friday killed at least three people in Pakistan's restive southwestern province, government officials said. The blast near the town of Mastung injured ... Read More KARACHI: At least three people were killed while four others were injured on Friday when a remote-controlled bomb exploded near a vehicle in Pakistan's restive Balochistan province, police said. Read More Islamabad, Oct 15 (IANS) At least three people were killed ... Xinhua news agency reported. Deputy Commissioner of Mastung district Sultan Bugti told the media that a roadside bomb blast hit ... Read More Passenger Bus Hits a Roadside Bomb in Central Mali ... themselves as jihadists on a public transportation bus killed at least 30 people, most of whom burned to death in the bus. Read More A passenger bus struck an improvised explosive device in central Mali, killing at least 10 ... killed at least 30 people, most of whom burned to death in the vehicle. Bandiagara was once a tourist ... Read More ISLAMABAD -- At least three people were killed and ... told the media that a roadside bomb blast hit a vehicle of a local tribal elder in the Qabu area of the district. (Pakistan-Blast-Casualties ... Read More QUETTA, Pakistan (AP)  A roadside bomb on Friday killed at least three people in Pakistan's restive southwestern province, government officials said. The blast near the town of Mastung injured six ... Read More
World News Japan Minister Resigns Over Remark About 2011 Tsunami | RobinsPost News & Noticias

A Japanese minister resigned on Monday following allegations over his ties to the Unification ... nf/kaf/leg The Barron's news department was not involved in the creation of the content above. Read More TOKYO (AP)  Japans economy minister submitted his resignation Monday over ties to the Unification Church after facing mounting criticism in a widening controversy involving dozens of ... Read More Japans economy minister resigned over his ties to the Unification Church in a widening controversy involving dozens of governing party lawmakers TOKYO -- Japans economy minister submitted ... Read More Japans economy minister submitted his resignation Monday over ties to the Unification Church after facing mounting criticism in a widening controversy involving dozens of governing party lawmakers. Read More Japans Economy Minister submitted his resignation on October 24 over ties to the Unification Church after facing mounting criticism in a widening controversy involving dozens of governing party ... Read More
SAN FRANCISCO, April 26, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Earlier this year, RiskIQ, the leader in digital threat management, reported an eight-fold increase in internet scam incidents that deny the $83 billion digital advertising industry millions of dollars. Now, researchers at RiskIQ have identified NoTrove, a newly discovered and major threat actor that is delivering millions of scam ads that threaten consumers and further undermine the digital advertising industry.



A new research report released today, NoTrove: The Threat Actor Ruling a Scam Empire, presents a detailed analysis demonstrating how NoTrove uses advanced automation techniques to deliver scam ads from millions of different domain names to stay ahead of detection and takedown efforts. NoTrove was so effective that one of his pages ranked as one of the internets most visited pages for one day.

The online ad scams work by serving up attractive but disingenuous ads on legitimate websites. The ads might offer bogus surveys or free software upgrades, as examples. When someone clicks on the ad, however, the scammers software then re-directs the users clicks and traffic toward various locations across the internet.

Since advertisers and web content providers want as much of the traffic pie as they can get, web traffic is an essential commodity. Ad scammers like NoTrove profit from this demand, participating in traffic affiliate programs or selling traffic to traffic buyers (brokers). Unfortunately for the digital advertisers, however, the users are negatively impacted. They are surprised by the ad they are seeing and dont even know how they got it.

Equally troubling for the digital advertising industry is that as ad scammers increase, the likelihood consumers will implement ad blockers as a way to avoid bogus ads increases as well. This practice, according to Juniper Research, will cost the digital media industry over $27 billion by 2020*.

For consumers, this is more than just a nuisance. Ad scams can also be used to download PUPspotentially unwanted programsand can redirect them to unwanted places.

The RiskIQ report takes a deep dive into how NoTrove works and shows the advances being made to avoid detection, preventing efforts to take it down and making it one of the most effective and largest ad scam operations ever. Key findings include:

To stay ahead of efforts to block its fake ads, NoTrove uses automation to constantly change how the ads are delivered and clickthroughs re-routed.

The scam master has burned through 2,000 randomly generated domains and more than 3,000 IPs, operating across millions of Fully Qualified Domain Names; an FQDN is a complete web address, typically including subdomains for ad scammers, such as ajee99.mycontent.example.com.

RiskIQ observed 78 variants of NoTrove campaigns, such as scam survey rewards, fake software downloads, and redirections to PUPs.

Alexa rankings for its domains show how effective NoTrove is; even though each domain is short-lived, the rankings often shoot up into the Alexa top 10,000 based purely on scam ad deliveries; one NoTrove domain reached the ranking of 517, making it one of the most visited pages on the entire internet for that day.

RiskIQ first observed NoTrove a year ago when it began expanding its focus on scams, but PDNS results inside RiskIQ PassiveTotal indicate this group has been operating as far back as December of 2010. Used by more than 18,000 security analysts, PassiveTotal expedites external threat investigation tasks and automates threat research collaboration and artifact monitoring. You can view the Public Project for NoTrove compiled by RiskIQs Threat Research team here: https://passivetotal.org/projects/7ee582dc-c792-e635-ce78-0396e1e00bf4.

NoTrove harms not only visiting users, but also legitimate advertisers, adversely affecting those reliant on the credibility of the digital advertising ecosystem, such as online retailers, publishers and networks, said William MacArthur, a threat researcher at RiskIQ. Constantly shifting infrastructure means simply blocking domains and IPs isn't enough. We must now begin utilizing machine learning to leverage human security teams who increasingly depend on accurate, automated scam detection.

To conduct this and other web research, RiskIQ applies its proprietary virtual user web crawling technology. This advanced internet reconnaissance acts like a user would, thoroughly interrogating websites and web apps, as well as respective browser session communications. It processes more than 2 billion HTTP requests per day to surface, identify and connect internet elements to malicious campaigns.

Acting in concert with RiskIQs machine learning, virtual user technology can provide a deep level of analysis of how threat actors are behaving, their underlying infrastructure and the techniques they use. In the NoTrove example, they can detect what the NoTrove page looks like down to the document object model (DOM) and how a user gets there and learn what makes a NoTrove page a NoTrove page. RiskIQ's platform will even understand and dynamically monitor for small variances in the payload without the need for any human intervention, so it can continue to detect NoTrove, even as this threat actor evolves.

Click here to download the new report: NoTrove: The Threat Actor Ruling a Scam Empire, in its entirety and register for the upcoming Threatcast of the same title on Thursday, May 18.

Tweet: RiskIQ detected an eight-fold increase in #scam incidents. Meet #NoTrove, the threat actor ruling a scam empire: https://goo.gl/U9bsnS

About RiskIQ

RiskIQ is the leader in digital threat management, providing the most comprehensive discovery, intelligence and mitigation of threats associated with an organizations digital presence. With more than 80 percent of attacks originating outside the firewall, RiskIQ allows enterprises to gain unified insight and control over web, social and mobile exposures. Trusted by thousands of security analysts, RiskIQs platform combines advanced internet data reconnaissance and analytics to expedite investigations, understand digital attack surfaces, assess risk and take action to protect business, brand and customers. Based in San Francisco, the company is backed by Summit Partners, Battery Ventures, Georgian Partners and MassMutual Ventures. Visit RiskIQ.com or follow us on Twitter.

Try RiskIQ Community Edition for free by visiting https://www.riskiq.com/community/.

To learn more about RiskIQ, visit www.riskiq.com.
World News China Demands South Korea Remove Thaad Defense System | RobinsPost News & Noticias

Thaad, go home! they demand ... from North Korea. He also emphasized: Our defense system is to deal with the North Korean threat, not China. Both American and South Korean defense ... Read More U.S. Forces Korea has started to upgrade its Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system deployed in Seongju, a small county about 130 miles south of Seoul, South Korea. Out of all the stated ... Read More While the partisan turmoil in Washington absorbs the world's attention, the relationship between China ... of its THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defence) missile system to South Korea. Read More South Korea's Ministry of National Defense said that the US is incorporating a new equipment into the THAAD system located in Seongju, which lies about 200 km south of Seoul. (US Missile Defense ... Read More Korea is still suffering from the impact of China's economic retaliation due to its decision to deploy the U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (Thaad) system in 2016. Among local retailers, Lotte ... Read More But he told reporters that the South Korean missile defense system is capable of detecting ... is now threatening not only (South Korea) but the entire world, but I think there is nothing North ... Read More South Koreas Joint Chiefs of Staff said the launch happened early Friday but gave no further details including how far the weapon flew. The Japanese Defense Ministry and prime ministers ... Read More 22 (UPI) --South Korea's former defense minister and the head of its ... far right wing leader Giorgia Meloni's immigration policy. World News // 1 hour ago 'Loss and damage' on agenda for U.N ... Read More But he told reporters that the South Korean missile defense system is capable of detecting ... is now threatening not only (South Korea) but the entire world, but I think there is nothing North ... Read More But he told reporters that the South Korean missile defense system is capable of detecting ... is now threatening not only (South Korea) but the entire world, but I think there is nothing North ... Read More
World News Israel White House Discussing Trump Visit Israeli Official | RobinsPost News & Noticias

"The election's biggest surprise is the resounding success of the radical right-wing Religious Zionism coalition" ... Read More To the many Israelis shocked by the rise of Itamar Ben Gvir, an anti-Arab far-right politician, media analysts offer a simple explanation: excessive airtime. Read More President Joe Biden and Israeli President Isaac Herzog announced a new agreement with Lebanon on Wednesday that will create a permanent maritime boundary between the countries, making way for oil and ... Read More
World News Trekker Missing For 47 Days Rescued In Nepal Friend Dead | RobinsPost News & Noticias

"A Kailash Air helicopter has been mobilized to locate the missing trekkers in the region," an official at Nepal Tourism Board ... four British trekkers were rescued from Ragkot area in Dolpa ... Read More We have been doing search and rescue massively but havent been able to figure out the exact number of missing, he said. The president of Trekking Agencies Association of ... Read More A woman who had been missing for two days has been found dead in her car which had overturned in a field. Raquel da Silva Moura Medeiros, 41, was found near the BR-364 motorway in Rondonia State ... Read More The trekkers informed us on the phone that one trekker from West Bengal has died and the rest of them need to be rescued ... Two members of the NIM remain missing. In September, a trekker ... Read More Spanish Man Trekking to World ... days, my daughter and his closest friends ... we already began to think that we had to report his disappearance, his mother said. His parents reported him ... Read More A 14-year-old Colorado teen who had been missing for more than a week has been found safe, police in Boulder, Colorado, said Monday night. Police said the teen, Chloe Campbell, appears to have run ... Read More MADRID (AP)  A Spanish man trekking from Madrid to Doha for the 2022 FIFA World ... 9 days, my daughter and his closest friends ... we already began to think that we had to report his disappearance, ... Read More A Spanish man trekking from Madrid to Doha for the 2022 FIFA World Cup has not been heard from since the day after crossing ... Im with a friend who has come to pick me up. Read More MADRID (AP)  A Spanish man trekking from Madrid to Doha for the 2022 FIFA World Cup has not been heard from since the day after he crossed into Iran three weeks ago, his family said Monday ... Read More
World News Belarus March Against Nuclear Power On Chernobyl Anniversary | RobinsPost News & Noticias

It does not matter whether these are tactical or strategic nuclear weapons. This will lead to irreversible consequences, the death of civilization, said Aleksandr Volfovich. In his words, Belarus has ... Read More The absolute majority are against the war ... ground forces from Belarus, including through the vast wooded exclusion zone that surrounds the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. Read More RUSSIA could use Belarus to launch nuclear strikes as the world enters what could be the ... He said Ukraine has "all rights to strike preventively against Belarus and Russia" while the war ... Read More But in fact, the case against nuclear power and for genuinely renewable energies has never been so conclusiveand so important. In early March ... down in the 1986 Chernobyl disasterand ... Read More Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, days after reigniting concerns he could commit his army to support Russian forces in Ukraine, has warned against ... by Belaruss state news agency ... Read More More info Chernobyl ... nuclear disaster, is in the news again amid Vladimir Putins special military operation in Ukraine. Reports suggest that fighting near the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear ... Read More Belarus stranglehold on information  Lukashenkos regime has put independent news media under severe ... part in the assault on the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, some of whom showed ... Read More What nuclear material is at Europe's largest nuclear power ... The Chernobyl accident spread Iodine-131, Caesium-134 and Caesium-137 across parts of northern Ukraine, Belarus, Russia, northern ... Read More A new research paper circulated by the National Bureau of Economic Research asks a fascinating question  which region will come to dominate the world economy? One of the authors is Laurence ... Read More (Getty) The Cuban Missile Crisis held the world's attention as Washington and Moscow teetered on the edge of nuclear war ... (Getty) Property News: Sunny playground where the growth is only ... Read More Russian forces have occupied the power plant since early March and have been accused by the Ukrainians of "nuclear blackmail ... Meloni's immigration policy. World News // 1 hour ago 'Loss ... Read More
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FT. LAUDERDALE, Fla. and COLUMBIA, Md., April 26, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Netsurion and EventTracker today announced that John Christly, Global CISO and an information security industry veteran, has been named to the PCI Security Standards Council (SSC) Cloud Special Interest Group (SIG). Christly is already heavily involved in the PCI SSC as a member of its small business task force while seeking a seat on its board of advisors, to be announced in May.



The goal of this new group for 2017 is to discuss and update the PCI SSC Cloud Computing Guidelines, first released in 2013, to reflect modern advancements in the technology and new security risks. The group began this month and is expected to publish deliverables by the end of this year.

The paper is intended to provide guidance on using cloud technologies and considerations for maintaining PCI DSS controls in cloud environments. This guidance builds on that provided in the PCI DSS Virtualization Guidelines and is intended for organizations using, or thinking of using, providing or assessing cloud technologies as part of a cardholder data environment (CDE).

According to the Council, considerations may include:

Exploring new cloud architectures and service models and changes in previously documented cloud service models

Identifying opportunities to enhance security when migrating to cloud technologies

Updating risks and security challenges to be considered when cardholder data environments utilize different cloud technologies

Clarifying how PCI DSS requirements can be applied to cloud technologies to address the identified risks and challenges

Updating guidance for cloud customers and cloud providers on their respective security and PCI DSS responsibilities

Expanding guidance on how to achieve isolation between in-scope and out-of-scope virtual component

Christly is well-qualified as a Cloud SIG representative, currently leading cybersecurity and compliance efforts for Netsurion and EventTracker, managed security services providers focusing on firewall and SIEM services for multi-location businesses. In this role, he provides information security support to in-house corporate teams, customers, and partners.

In addition, he already serves as a voice for SMBs and multi-location merchants with the PCI SSC Small Merchant Task Force. Deeply involved with small merchants in day-to-day security operations, Christly has his fingers on the pulse of the SMB operations world. He draws on this experience to provide insights and leadership to help merchants become safer from the threats of data breaches and hackers.

The work the Cloud SIG is doing is essential as more and more merchants, service providers, assessors, and other entities move sensitive information to the cloud. With new threats to this environment emerging every day, the guidelines will be updated to keep up with the evolving landscape and help these organizations secure their cardholder data according to applicable PCI DSS requirements, he said. I am extremely honored to be accepted to this group and look forward to making a very valuable contribution to this important initiative.

Christly has more than 25 years of experience in technical and cybersecurity-related operational, project, and program management, as well as vast knowledge of industry regulations, including PCI DSS, HIPAA, HITECH, and more. He formerly served as the CISO and HIPAA security officer for Nova Southeastern University in Florida. He was also the co-founder and CEO for OMC Systems, a Florida-based cybersecurity advisory firm. In addition, he served as the HIPAA security officer for Memorial Healthcare System, a multi-hospital public healthcare system.

For more information on the PCI SSC Cloud SIG, please visit https://www.pcisecuritystandards.org/get_involved/special_interest_groups.

Tweet this: .@Christly, CISO of @Netsurion + EventTracker (@LogTalk) appointed to @PCISSC #CloudSIG http://bit.ly/2ptC0uk #cloudcomputing

Resources

Netsurion Security Blog

Netsurion Success Stories

EventTracker YouTube

EventTracker Case Studies

About Netsurion

Netsurion is a managed security service provider specializing in the protection of multi-location businesses information, payment systems, and Wi-Fi networks from data breaches, network outages, and ever-evolving cyberthreats. Our new service offering  SIEM-at-the-Edge  is powered by our subsidiary, EventTracker, which helps deliver comprehensive security benefits to edge locations that normally would not have the means to leverage such a solution. Netsurions award-winning remote network security services and PCI compliance solutions help keep businesses of any size secure. Any sized branch or remote office, franchise, or sole proprietor operation can use Netsurion without the costs of onsite support. The company serves the retail, hospitality, healthcare, legal, and insurance sectors. www.netsurion.com Twitter: @Netsurion.

About EventTracker

EventTrackers advanced security solutions protect enterprises and small businesses from data breaches and insider fraud, and streamline regulatory compliance. EventTrackers platform comprises SIEM, vulnerability scanning, intrusion detection, behavior analytics, a HoneyNet deception network and other defense-in-depth capabilities within a single management platform. The company complements its state-of-the-art technology with 24/7 managed services from its global security operations center (SOC) to ensure its customers achieve desired outcomessafer networks, better endpoint security, earlier detection of intrusion, and relevant and specific threat intelligence. The company serves the retail, hospitality, healthcare, legal, banking and financial services, utilities, and government sectors.

EventTracker is a division of Netsurion, a leader in remotely-managed IT security services that protect multi-location businesses information, payment systems, and on-premise public and private Wi-Fi networks. www.eventtracker.com. Twitter: @LogTalk.




AUSTIN, Texas, April 26, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- SmallCapVoice.com, Inc. (SCV) and Vet Online Supply, Inc. (OTC PINK:VTNL) (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/smallcapvoice-interview-with-vet-online-supply-inc-vtnl.



Our business model is structured to create an annual revenue goal of $10M while providing the $38B industry with value priced, superior quality products. Vet Online Supply sources our products through Concord Veterinary Supply, one of Canada's largest, independent suppliers of veterinary surgical and dental instruments. In addition to the first tier of our business model, we are creating our own brand of private label surgical products which will allow our company a footprint in owning our first brand label products in this industry. The third tier takes our business model to a new level, where we are now in discussions in creating a cannabis line of pet products for pet owners who are concerned with the side effects of harsh pharmaceutical medicines for their pets. The cannabis sector is one of the fastest growing markets today, and we want to be in the forefront, stated Eddie Aruda, CEO and Chairman of Vet Online Supply.

Mr. Aruda further stated, We filed an S-1 Registration Statement, which went effective with the SEC on December 23, 2015, we received our symbol, VTNL, shortly after and have been trading on the OTC Pink market. The Company has been diligently working with our partnerships to schedule our product launch in May-2017. We have a strong support team with Concord Surgical, our Branding and our Cannabis Partner, and we are looking to roll-out the new brand and cannabis products during the summer of 2017.

ABOUT VET ONLINE SUPPLY:

Vet Online Supply Inc. is a US based online retail reseller of premium veterinary supplies. The goal of "Vet Online Supply" is to provide the $38B industry with value priced, superior quality products. Vet Online Supply sources our products through Concord Veterinary Supply. Concord, established in 1999, is now one of Canada's largest, independent suppliers of veterinary surgical and dental instruments.

About SmallCapVoice.com

SmallCapVoice.com is a recognized corporate investor relations firm, with clients nationwide, known for their 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/

Safe Harbor for Forward-Looking Statements: This news release includes forward-looking statements. While these statements are made to convey to the public the company's progress, business opportunities and growth prospects, readers are cautioned that such forward-looking statements represent management's opinion. Whereas management believes such representations to be true and accurate based on information and data available to the company at this time, actual results may differ materially from those described. The Company's operations and business prospects are always subject to risk and uncertainties. Important factors that may cause actual results to differ are and will be set forth in the company's periodic filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
ANN ARBOR, Mich., HOD HASHARON, Israel and TOKYO, April 26, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Karamba Security, a provider of autonomous cybersecurity solutions for connected and autonomous vehicles, and eSOL, a leading developer of real-time embedded software solutions, have partnered to demonstrate how their integrated cybersecurity technology solutions can keep self-driving cars and medical IoT devices safe from hackers.



The demonstration will take place during the Embedded Systems Expo & Conference (ESEC) in Tokyo, May 10-12, 2017 at eSOL Booth # West 10-1 at Tokyo Big Sight.

Karambas software enables electronic control units (ECUs) to autonomously protect themselves from hackers. It automatically hardens car ECUs, preventing hackers from compromising those ECUs and hacking into the car, with zero false positives.

eSOL's eT-Kernel real-time operating system (RTOS) is designed for embedded systems that require real-time capability and reliability. It has been selected worldwide for use in a wide range of applications, including automotive devices, industrial equipment, satellites and consumer appliances. The eT-Kernel Compact basic profile has been certified for ISO 26262 Automotive Safety Integrity Level D (ASIL D) and IEC 61508 Safety Integrity Level 4 (SIL 4). In addition, the development processes for eSOL's RTOS products have been certified as complying with the IEC 62304:2006 (medical device software  software life cycle processes).

At ESEC, eSOL and Karamba, in cooperation with Asgent, are demonstrating how Karamba can be applied to ECUs where eT-Kernel is running to provide protection against in-memory vulnerabilities with zero false positives.

Karamba's solution is integrated into the eT-Kernel RTOS-based platform where it automatically protects the ECU binaries against attack attempts. The demo environment shows a system based on eT-Kernel that contains a buffer overflow vulnerability.

The demo includes two parallel systems:

The first is not protected, hence an attacker can exploit the in-memory vulnerability to run unexpected functions

The second is the same system, but with protection applied. The demo shows that the same attack attempt that worked on the first system fails on the second. In addition, after preventing an attack, a forensic log is generated

With Karambas software embedded as part of eSOLs eT-Kernel RTOS-based platform, infection from malware is prevented, while allowing only good code to run, explained Bob N. Ueyama, eSOL executive vice president. This shows we can block external threats, preventing hacks to self-driving cars braking and steering systems and other critical safety functions. It will also deter remote attacks to medical IoT devices, including MRI scanners, X-Ray machines and insulin pumps, he added.

We are delighted to enhance Karambas partnerships in Japan with eSOL, said Ami Dotan, CEO of Karamba Security. Karamba has been seeing strong demand from Japanese automotive companies, and the ability to serve their needs with a hardened version of eT-Kernel will enable the industry to continue protecting cars and ECUs, without the risk of false positives.

Asgent, as the distributor of Karamba, is excited to have the opportunity to demonstrate in-memory protection, which only Karamba can practically provide today, said Takahiro Sugimoto, Asgent CEO and president.

How Hackers Attack

Attackers try to inject malicious messages designed to modify a vehicles behavior, either by a local or remote attack. In April 2016, Karamba Security emerged from stealth to solve this problem. Within a year, the company's Autonomous Security product is being evaluated with 12 different proofs of concept, and in the pipeline are dozens of other companies, owing to the advantages Autonomous Security brings to the car industry:

A software solution that prevents cyberattacks with zero false positives, eliminating the risk of safety impacts

No malware updates required

Automatic policy generation with zero development efforts

Asgent, Inc., a Tokyo Stock Exchange-traded pioneer in cyber security and operations management solutions, is distributing Karamba Security Autonomous Security technology to the automotive and Internet of Things (IoT) markets in Japan, putting Japanese manufacturers at the leading edge of global efforts to protect vehicles and Internet of Things devices from cyberthreats.

Resources

Autonomous Security

Karamba Security Approach

Karamba Security FAQ

About Karamba Security

Karamba Security provides industry-leading autonomous cybersecurity solutions for connected and autonomous vehicles. Karambas software products automatically harden the ECUs of connected and autonomous cars, preventing hackers from manipulating and compromising those ECUs and hacking into the car. Karambas Autonomous Security prevents cyberattacks with zero false positives, no connectivity requirements and negligible performance impact. More information is available at www.karambasecurity.com.

About eSOL Co., Ltd.

Founded in 1975, eSOL is a leading developer of real-time embedded software solutions that seeks to create a rich IoT society using its innovative computer technologies. eSOLs software platform products and professional services, centered around its real-time operating system technology, are used worldwide in every field, starting with automotive systems, which conform to the most stringent quality standards, and including industrial equipment, satellites and digital consumer electronics. In addition to the research and development of its own leading-edge products, and joint research with major manufacturers and universities, eSOL is actively engaged in AUTOSAR and Multi-Many-Core technology standardization activities. For more information, please visit www.esol.com.
AN appeal has gone out to find people who voluntarily want to spend time in a police custody suite.

The office of the South Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner wants to recruit volunteers to a role which helps ensure prisoners rights.

It wants people to become independent custody visitors which would only take up a few hours per month.

Independent custody visitors check on the treatment of people in police custody as well as the conditions in which they are held and that their rights and entitlements are being observed.

A custody visitor is required to visit a custody suite a couple of times a month for up to two hours and report their findings back to the office of the Police and Crime Commissioner.

The volunteers work as part of a team and are accompanied at all times by a fellow independent custody visitor.

A spokesman for the South Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner said: This is a flexible position, where they decide alongside their partner when the visit is made, at any time of the day or night.

Independent custody visitors must maintain their independence and impartiality. They do not take sides but look, listen and report on what they find in the custody suite.

During a visit they will have access to the entire custody area, including the cells, detention rooms, charge rooms and medical room to check detainees have been offered their rights and entitlements under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act.

They must treat everything that they see and hear on their visit as confidential.

Applicants must be over 18 years of age, and live or work in South Yorkshire.

Full training will be given and out of pocket expenses paid.

An application form can be obtained, along with more information, at www.southyorkshire-pcc.gov.uk or by calling 0114 296 4150 before the closing date of Friday, May 12.
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.

Shanta Gold posts high-grade results at Kenyan gold project East Africa-focused gold producer, developer and explorer Shanta Gold has reported high-grade results at its West Kenya project. Company chief executive Eric Zurrin said visible gold was identified across several of the intersections.

Petra suspends operations at Williamson after wall breach at tailings storage facility Petra Diamonds says the eastern wall of the tailings storage facility at its 75%-owned Williamson mine in Tanzania was breached, resulting in flooding away from the pit into certain areas outside of the mine lease area. Petra said mine production...
Anglo American has dismissed reports that it deviated from the course of action when it decided last year to focus on its strongest market positions in diamonds, PGMs and copper.

The group has an 85 percent stake in De Beers, which produced 7.4 million carats during the first quarter of the year compared to 6.9 million carats, a year earlier.

I would ask you to cast your minds back to the circumstances of just over a year ago, when the mining industry and commodity prices were on the floor, said group chairperson Sir John Parker.

At that time, in the aftermath of $6.4 billion having been wiped off our own underlying EBITDA in the previous two years in aggregate, and with scant prospect of an early uplift in prices, Anglo American's clear imperative was to take bold action to bring down our net debt quickly to a manageable level.

So we accelerated sale processes, already under way in some cases, and broadened the range of assets so as to create competitive tension across those processes, with a clear commitment not to accept undervalued prices, particularly for quality assets that we would not normally have offered for sale.

Anglo chief executive Mark Cutifani also praised their diamonds business as global in scope and scale.

While each asset may not be Tier 1 in its own right, the aggregation of assets under the De Beers business adds breadth and value to our customer product offering, said Cutifani.

In PGMs, we are building on our quality resource base and we understand the imperative to have our assets occupy the left hand side of the cost curve. We also need to push along with market developments that we see for fuel cells and jewellery.

In Copper, we have significant potential from our existing resource base - in Peru, in Chile and longer term in Finland - but we are not yet at the scale and quality where we would like to be and so we have work to do.

He also said that the group delivered on its key commitments last year as it delivered free cash flow of $2.6 billion, well above its target while net debt was reduced to $8.5 billion - well below the $10 billion target.

Meanwhile, said Anglos aim in future was to have a more robust balance sheet and increase the resilience of each of its business streams to the price volatility that characterises the mining industry.

He said the group was also planning to reinstate the dividend by the year-end on a payout-ratio-based policy.

Parker said that the fortunes of the mining industry would inevitably continue to be influenced by developments in China, where the authorities recently reduced the country's growth target for 2017 to 6.5 percent as the country seeks to balance its economy through a mixture of stimulus and managed slowdown.

He said China's admirable efforts to improve air quality may boost demand for some of the higher-quality and cleaner-burning iron ore and coking coal that Anglo is well positioned to supply for steel making.

Widespread expectations of continuing slow growth in many regions of the world outside of Asia, accompanied by uncertainty over how much of the reform programme, including its ambitious infrastructure plans, of the new and protectionist-leaning US administration can actually be achieved, may be a drag anchor on the global economy for some time to come, Parker said.



Mathew Nyaungwa, Editor in Chief of the African Bureau, Rough&Polished




Petra Diamonds said it is in talks with the Tanzanian government concerning requirements that the group offer a 30 percent stake in the Williamson diamond mine to Tanzanian interests as well as list on the Dar es Salaam stock exchange.

The Tanzanian government already owned a 25 percent stake in the Williamson mine.

Asked by an analyst during a conference call to comment on the new regulations by Dar es Salaam, group chief executive Johan Dippenaar was quoted by MiningMx as saying that he did not want to get ahead of the outcome of the discussions with the government.

Tanzania introduced new regulations to promote local ownership and build the countrys capital markets with a deadline of August 23 this year set for mining companies operating in the country to comply.

Meanwhile, Petra said it produced 999,768 carats during the third quarter of the fiscal year 2017 compared with 995,905 carats, a year earlier as output from tailings and open pit volumes at the Williamson mine and the Kimberley operations in South Africa were affected by unseasonably high rainfall.

Revenue was down 1 percent to $119.1 million during the period under review from the previous years $120.5 million.

Its cash at bank was $66.2 million as at 31 March 2017 up from $39.0 million during the same period last year.

It had diamond inventories of $49.3 million as at 31 March 2017 down from $54.3 million a year earlier.



Mathew Nyaungwa, Editor in Chief of the African Bureau, Rough&Polished




The Diamond Development Initiative (DDI) has got another significant contribution from the De Beers Group of Companies in support of efforts to promote responsible production and improve the lives and conditions of artisanal diamond miners and their families.

According to Dorothee Gizenga, Executive Director of DDI, ongoing funding from De Beers enables DDI to ensure the sustainability of its programming. "Our objective is to contribute to the formalization of the artisanal and small-scale diamond sector," she says. "This does not happen overnight, or in a month or a year. Faithful partners like De Beers make it possible for us to take the long term view."

Feriel Zerouki, Head of Government and Industry Relations, De Beers Group, said: "Through our relationship with DDI we have the opportunity to support artisanal diamond diggers and their communities and to contribute to improvements in the sector. Any benefit to artisanal miners is a benefit to all of us."

DDI's programs in favour of artisanal diamond miners include miner registration, mining cooperatives, Maendeleo Diamond Standards for miner's rights and responsible production, mobile schooling in mining communities and professional development for miners.

The De Beers Group has been supporting the work of DDI since 2008.



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




Rockwell Diamonds said it advised the Toronto Stock Exchange that it will apply for a listing on the TSX Venture Exchange in view of its current market capitalisation.

The company's shares, it said, were not cease traded by securities regulators and trading on the Toronto Stock Exchange and Johannesburg Stock Exchange remained halted, while there remains uncertainty over the outcome of the hearing on the merits of the liquidation application against its three subsidiaries - Rockwell Resources RSA, HC van Wyk Diamonds and Saxendrift Mine.

Assuming approval, the company will then seek to delist from the TSX, and concurrently list on the TSX Venture Exchange, Rockwell said.

Assuming acceptance of the Company's application by the TSX(V), the company will also work with the Johannesburg Stock Exchange to confirm its listing accordingly.

Its stocks were suspended on the TSX pending a delisting review.

Rockwell was told by TSX that it would only consider the delisting review following the outcome of the final hearing for a liquidation application.

The date to hear the urgency application was now set down for April 26, 2017.

However, Rockwell said it had been advised that the Wednesday court appearance was only to set a date for the court hearing on the merits, and that such date was expected to be set down for early in May.

Interim liquidators were appointed by the Master of the High Court last week in accordance with requisitions by the major creditors, but had not taken control of the subsidiaries in view of further filings by the company.



Mathew Nyaungwa, Editor in Chief of the African Bureau, Rough&Polished




Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Group Limited signed an agreement with leading luxury travel retailer DFS Group to open the first branded Chow Tai Fook boutique in Hawaii this May.

The new Chow Tai Fook boutique is situated at T Galleria by DFS, Hawaii, located on Royal Hawaiian Avenue in the heart of Honolulu, the capital and largest city of Hawaii, and close to the iconic Waikiki Beach and its luxurious resorts.

The boutique promises to offer a wide spectrum of jewellery products including gem-set jewellery, fixed-price gold products and platinum & carat gold jewellery, in tandem with exclusive collections such as Oriental Blessings and Jardin Magique. Hearts On Fire branded diamond and wedding jewellery will also be available in-store, including its premium design-oriented exclusive collections such as Flight of Radiance and Rhythm of Snow.

Chow Tai Fook Managing Director, Kent Wong, said, We are excited to bring the first-ever Chow Tai Fook branded store to Hawaii, supported by DFS' extensive retail expertise, in order to capture the growth potential of leisure spending in the Hawaii market."

Philippe Schaus, CEO of DFS Group said, "We are proud to be Chow Tai Fook's partner in bringing their exquisite collections to travellers in Hawaii.



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




ALBUQUERQUE, N.M., April 26, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Canyon Gate, an Associa company, is excited to announce it has entered into a management contract with Prospector's Point Condominium Association.



"We are thrilled to add another quality association to our local portfolio," said Canyon Gate President Kim Corcoran. "We continue to be versatile and customize our services based on the unique characteristics of individual communities. This has allowed us to continually expand our local portfolio and we're grateful for the communities who continue to put their trust in us to help them reach their full potential."



Located in northeast Albuquerque, Prospector's Point COA is comprised of 120 units. This mid-sized community welcomed its first residents in 2015.



Building and managing successful communities for more than 37 years, Associa is the worldwide leader in community management with over 10,000 employees operating more than 180 branch offices in the United States, Mexico, and Canada. Based in Dallas, Texas, our industry expertise, financial strength and innovation meet the unique needs of clients across the world with customized services and solutions designed to help communities achieve their vision. To learn more about Associa and its charitable organization, Associa Cares, go to www.associaonline.com or www.associacares.com.



Stay Connected:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/associa

Twitter: https://twitter.com/associa

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/associa

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Google+: https://plus.google.com/+Associaonline/




Canadian National

Canadian National has named its national employee training center in Winnipeg after former President and Chief Executive Officer Claude Mongeau.

The newly named CN Claude Mongeau National Training Centre, originally opened in 2014 and the railroad says it provides consistent, quality training with a modern curriculum, coupled with skilled instructors, for jobs ranging from conductor to track maintainer, and car mechanic to supervisor. Employees receive hands-on training in learning laboratories with equipment such as locomotive, crane and signals and communication simulators. The facility also has outdoor labs with dedicated rolling stock and other equipment for field training.

The Winnipeg center hosts employees from across Canada, while the U.S. training center located in suburban Chicago accommodates employees from across the United States. Since the training campuses opened, more than 15,000 CN employees have received training, and through the CN Campus Partnership Program, more than 200 representatives of CN customers have taken courses in basic rail safety and the requirements of safe operations.

Under Claudes leadership, we built two state-of-the-art employee training centers where a new generation of railroaders learn the skills they need for a safe and successful career at CN, said Luc Jobin, president and chief executive officer. Claude valued our commitment to safety above all and the training centers are vital in instilling and maintaining that strong commitment to safety in our thousands of new railroaders as well as veteran employees.

The training centers and their part in advancing CNs goal to become the safest railway in North America are a major part of Claudes enduring legacy, Jobin added.

Mongeau joined CN in 1994, was the companys chief financial officer for 11 years, and president and chief executive officer from 2010 until he stepped down for health reasons at the end of June 2016.

I am truly honored that the Winnipeg National Training Centre will bear my name as this facility is a cornerstone of CNs commitment to the safety of its people, customers and communities, said Mongeau. Safety is a key value at CN and our industry-leading training centers are the embodiment of that commitment.
Subway has filed a $210 million lawsuit against Canada's national broadcasting network, alleging that the broadcaster aired an erroneous report about its chicken products, the New York Post reported.

The sandwich chain claims that a CBC report broadcast in February showed a scientific test that found the chicken products contained only about 50 percent chicken, and the rest could be mostly soy.

In a lawsuit filed in an Ontario provincial court, Subway reportedly alleged that CBC encouraged man-on-the-street testers to lie about its chicken products.

CBC, during a Chicken Challenge segment on its Marketplace show, conducted DNA testing on chicken sandwiches from a number of major chains. The report said the Subway's products had the lowest chicken DNA, and that its chicken was potentially a restructured product.

The CBC report was partly based on DNA testing done by Trent University. CBC reportedly said the meat was tested twice at a Trent University lab, testing five pieces of chicken and five orders of chicken strips each time.

Meanwhile, Subway co-founder Peter Buck told that adding soy filler would make the chicken more expensive.

According to a copy of the lawsuit obtained by the Post, Subway said the report is false, and that it has suffered special damages as a result of sales losses in the Subway stores following the broadcast.

The chain accused that the CBC was reckless and malicious, and that the tests lacked the scientific rigour to be accurate.

Following the broadcast, Subway last month sent CBC a notice saying it disputed the findings and intended to sue over the report.

In a statement, a CBC spokesman said, "CBC intends to defend our position accordingly and as this is now a matter before the courts, we have no further comment."

The CBC is expected to reply to Subway by May 1, the Post said.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Business News
Gold futures were flat Wednesday morning, as the Trump administration planned to announced its tax reform plan today in Washington.

Reports say Trump will announce the corporate tax rate will be slashed from 35% to 15%.

While may react positively to some tax relief for U.S. businesses and consumers, significant tax cuts could cost the government upwards of $1 trillion dollars.

Gold for June was down $2 at $1265 an ounce, having touched its lowest in weeks. Gold has lost some of its safe haven appeal as stocks jumped over the past few weeks.

In economic news, U.S. mortgage applications increased 2.7% from one week earlier, according to latest data from the Mortgage Bankers, as mortgage rates stayed attractive.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Market Analysis
President Donald Trump's daughter Ivanka Trump was jeered by members of the audience during a panel discussion of a high profile female leaders meet in Berlin Tuesday.

Ivanka is in German capital this week on her first official international trip as the US presidential adviser.

Ivanka was responding to a question asked about her father's advocacy for working women at the G20 Women's Summit.

President Trump has been "a tremendous champion of supporting families and enabling them to thrive," she said.

The audience expressed their displeasure by groaning and hissing and booing.

"You hear the reaction from the audience," panel moderator Miriam Meckel pointed out.

The editor-in-chief of "Wirtschaftswoche" said, "I need to address one more point. Some attitudes toward women your father has displayed might leave one questioning whether he's such an empowerer for women."

She was apparently referring to a 2005 video that surfaced during the presidential campaign in which Trump boasted about grabbing women's genitals.

"I've certainly heard the criticism from the media, that's been perpetuated," Ivanka replied, evoking laughter from some of the audience.

"I'm seeking the counsel ... of informed and thoughtful women and men and I'm really striving to think about how best to empower women in the , both domestically and across the globe," Ivanka told the summit.

The president has frequently faced criticism over his attitude towards women.

Ivanka, First Daughter and Assistant to the President, visited Berlin at the direct invitation of German Chancellor Angela Merkel to participate in the W20 Summit. Ivanka was joined at the panel conversation by other women leaders, including Merkel, Queen Maxima of the Netherlands, Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland and IMF Director Christine Lagarde.

Women's Economic Empowerment and Entrepreneurship was the main theme of the summit.

In addition, Ivanka visited Siemens Technik Akademie for an interactive tour and discussion with program apprentices. In commemoration of Yom HaShoah, she also visited the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe in Berlin.

The 35-year-old eldest daughter of Trump is serving as an unpaid adviser to the US President at the White House.

Recently, she has been named in TIME magazine's 100 Most Influential People of 2017 list along with her father and her husband Jared Kushner, who also is a presidential adviser.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Business News
Canadian stocks slumped Wednesday, as Home Capital shares collapse under the weight of recent scandal.

Beleagured lender Home Capital's (HCG.TO) Home Trust division needs a multi-billion-dollar line of credit amid signficant outflows. Shares plunged another 65 percent.

The Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions is looking "closely" at the situation.

Financial stocks dropped 1.3 percent, while energy stocks fell 0.9 percent. Consumer staples performed well, adding 0.8 percent.

All told, the TSX Composite Index was down 95.65 points, or 0.61 percent, to 15,649.54. The index slipped from 2-month highs.

Valeant Pharmaceutical's (VRX.TO) Bausch + Lomb has received 510(k) clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration or FDA for Vitesse. Shares rose 3.3 percent.

BCE Inc. (BCE.TO) released a profit for its first quarter that rose 3% compared to the same period last year. The company now forecasts fiscal 2017 adjusted earnings per share in a range of $3.30 to $3.40 and revenue growth of 4 percent to 6%. Shares rose 2.1 percent.

Cenovus Energy Inc. (CVE.TO) said profits surged to C$323 million, or C$0.39 per share. This was up from C$26 million, or C$0.03 per share, in last year's first quarter. Shares dropped 1.7 percent.

Restaurant Brands International (QSR.TO), the owner of Burger King and Tim Hortons, reported slightly better-than-expected quarterly profit and revenue. Shares slipped 3 percent.

Ontario in Canada is planning to launch universal basic income program to nearly 4000 households. The three year pilot project will be first launched in Hamilton, Thunder Bay and Lindsay.

This is the first effort in North America to provide unconditional income to citizens to encourage work, community engagement and to reduce poverty.

On the economic front, Canadian retail sales declined 0.6% to $47.8 billion in February, following a 2.3% increase in January.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Market Analysis
FM meets Russian Charge d'affaires to Yemen







SANAA, April 25 (Saba)  Foreign Minister Hisham Sharaf Abdullah met on Monday with Russia's Charge d'Affaires in Yemen Andrey Chernovol.



In the meeting, the minister stressed on the importance of Russia and the Group of 18, which sponsor the political settlement process in Yemen, to bear responsibility to commit the group of fugitive Hadi to fulfill promises they made to the international community when he took his disastrous decision to shift the Central Bank and the resulted repercussions on the living situations of the Yemeni citizen and delayed paying state employees' salaries since October 2017.



The meeting dealt with the enemy military escalations of the Saudi-Emirates aggression against the Yemeni western coasts, Hodeida city port and Bab al-Mandab Strait and that the risks they pose on the security and safety of the international navigation.



Minister Sharaf renewed call to the United Nations Security Council to take responsibilities to stop the aggression against Yemen in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations.



The minister said that the international community should be aware that the continuation of Saudi-UAE aggression against Yemen could create a fertile environment for terrorist groups in the Yemeni occupied areas, which would not only harm Yemen, but will go beyond borders.









Reem K./Zak

Saba

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[25/April/2017]
press release

BUSINESS REVIEW FOR THE FIRST QUARTER OF 2017

Paris - April 26, 2017

At 320.6 million, total revenues in line with Q1 2016, despite significant asset disposals in 2016 and early 2017;

Shopping center gross rental income +0.4% to 293.2 million;

Retailer sales +0.6% on a like-for-like basis (on a 12-month rolling basis ended March 2017);

Accelerated leasing activity with 523 leases signed (vs 386 in Q1 2016), representing 10.0 million in additional minimum guaranteed rents on a yearly basis (excluding new projects and extensions) vs 4.2 million in Q1 2016;

Strong consumer response to Hoog Catharijne first redevelopment phase opening (footfall +11%) and Val d'Europe extension (footfall +31%);

Further 100 million reduction in net debt at March 31, 2017 vs year-end 2016; net cost of debt reduced to less than 2.0% for the first quarter of 2017;

Disposals completed and signed worth 213.0 million year-to-date.

2017 outlook confirmed: net current cash flow per share expected between 2.35 and 2.40

KEY FINANCIALS

In  millions, Total-Share basis Q1 2017 Q1 2016 % Change Gross rental income - Shopping centers 293.2 291.9 +0.4 Gross rental income - Other activities 7.3 7.9 -8.6 Total gross rental income total 300.4 299.8 +0.2 Management, administrative and other income (fees) 20.2 22.9 -12.0 Total revenues 320.6 322.8 -0.7

OPERATING PERFORMANCE

Total revenues

For the first quarter of 2017, gross rental income (total share) rose to 300.4 million from 299.8 million for the same period last year, as the contribution from organic growth offset the impact of disposals (-6.3 million).

Shopping center gross rental income (GRI, total share) increased by 0.4%, or 1.3 million, to 293.2 million in the period. Disposals completed in 2016 and early 2017 had a negative 5.9 million impact on shopping center GRI while the contribution from index-linked adjustments was +0.7%.

GRI from other activities amounted to 7.3 million.

Management, administrative and related income (fees) totaled 20.2 million, down 2.7 million from the first quarter last year due to seasonal effects.

Total revenues for the first quarter of 2017 reached 320.6 million, virtually unchanged versus the same period last year.

Retailer sales

On a rolling twelve-month basis, retailer sales were up by 0.6%. On a like-for-like portfolio basis,1 retailer sales in Klepierre's shopping malls declined by 0.6% in Q1 2017 compared to the same quarter last year, mainly due to negative calendar effects: one less Saturday in January and one less working day in February 2017. This year, after a downward trend in January, broadly stable in February, retailer sales recovered in March. These figures benefited from no contribution of extensions or recent developments.

In this context, retailers in France (-1.3%), Italy (-2.2%) and Scandinavia (-0.6%) posted slower sales in the first quarter while Iberia (+0.4%) and CEE & Turkey (+6.6%) remained solid. In France, consumers slowed spending ahead of the spring elections while, in Italy, retailer sales were impacted by increased competition in Milan.

Leasing activity

Leasing activity was very dynamic. In the first quarter, Klepierre signed a total of 523 leases, representing 10.0 million in additional annual minimum guaranteed rents (excluding contributions from extension and greenfield projects), a clear acceleration compared to the first quarter of 2016 (386 leases and 4.2 million in additional MGR).

Klepierre also accelerated the implementation of its "Destination Food" strategy, with the introduction of innovative concepts such as Five Guys (Hoog Catharijne, Alexandrium), Grom (Val d'Europe, Prado), Johnny Rockets (Lonato), Leon (Hoog Catharijne) and Wagamama (Prado). New dedicated food areas in Hoog Catharijne (City Square, Pavillon), Val d'Europe (Place des Etoiles) and the Prado rooftop are further enhancing the attractiveness of the food & beverage offering in Klepierre's malls.

Leasing activity in France was bolstered by the launch of the re-leasing campaign at St.Lazare Paris, which is capturing great reversion with trendy brands. NYX, Rituals, Levi's, Calzedonia and Bialetti plan to open new shops while leases with Petit Bateau and Pylones were renewed. In addition, in the first quarter of 2018, Sephora will unveil one of its largest stores in the world (and 2nd largest in France) with a 1,000+ sq.m. store in a new and innovative concept. These successes underscore the relevance of Klepierre's strategy of transforming the St. Lazare hub into a disruptive retail destination. Sephora has also signed 4 additional leases for Klepierre malls: in Annecy Courier (renewal), Marseille Bourse (opening), Val d'Europe (new concept) and Villiers-en-Biere (renewal).

In Spain, the ongoing implementation of the Clubstore concept in Plenilunio has triggered an acceleration of renewals and refurbishments, including Stradivarius and Pull&Bear (both including a store extension), Okaidi, C&A, Levi's and Etam. New tenants, such as Skechers and Lush, are arriving and will further improve Plenilunio's position as one of the leading platforms in Madrid for international retailers.

After signing 24 leases with Inditex in 2016, Klepierre signed six additional leases in the first quarter of 2017, including a 3,000-sq.m. Zara store in Novy Smichov (Prague).

DEBT POSITION AND FINANCING UPDATE

On February 9, 2017, Klepierre issued a 10-year, 500 million bond with a 1.375% coupon.

On March 13, 2017, Klepierre announced a share buyback program up to 500 million. As of April 25, 3,748,000 shares had been repurchased at an average 35.85 per share, representing an investment of 134 million.

As of March 31, 2017, the Group's consolidated net debt amounted to 8,510 million, a reduction of 103 million compared to year-end 2016. Klepierre's average debt duration remained stable at 6 years and the net cost of debt continued to decrease below 2.0%.

On April 25, 2017, the dividend was paid out to shareholders for a total amount of 562 million (1.82 per share for fiscal year 2016).

DEVELOPMENT PIPELINE AND ASSET ROTATION

Successful delivery of two iconic projects

After three years of construction, on April 12, 2017, Klepierre unveiled a 17,000-sq.m. extension at Val d'Europe (near Paris), bringing the French mall's total sales area to more than 105,000 sq.m. The extension features 30 new brands, including flagship stores. The Group is currently implementing the Clubstore concept through a refurbishment of the entire shopping center. Between April 12 and April 23, Val d'Europe received 0.6 million visitors, a 31% increase compared to the same period last year. Watch the video here.

On April 6, 2017, the Group officially opened 16,000 sq.m. of new retail space, leased-up at 85%, at Hoog Catharijne (Utrecht), the leading mall in the Netherlands. New stores were added to the shopping center's offering: on the fashion segment (Zara, Zara Home, Bershka, Stradivarius, NAME IT, WE, Men At Work, Claudia Strater, Bijou Brigitte, Manfield, Parfois, Nike, Jack & Jones, Vero Moda, Sissy-Boy, Timberland), Food / Restaurant (Leon, Comptoir Libanais, Burger Federation, Five Guys, Vapiano, Exki and McDonald's new concept) or Health & Beauty (Yves Rocher, MAC, Rituals). Between April 5 and April 18, the newly opened part of Hoog Catharijne received nearly 1.1 million visitors, an 11% increase compared to the same period last year.

Disposals signed for 213.0 million

Since January 1, 2017, Klepierre has completed disposals of non-core assets for 177.3 million, across Europe (Norway, Sweden, France and Spain). Based on 2016 rents, the implied yield of shopping centers sold amounts to 5.7% while sale prices are slightly above the last appraised values. In addition, assets worth 35.7 million are currently under sale or purchase promissory agreements.

OUTLOOK CONFIRMED

In 2017, Klepierre expects net rental income to continue to grow on a like-for-like basis, while operational and financial costs should be further reduced. Assuming stable or lower net debt, Klepierre expects to generate net current cash flow per share of between 2.35 and 2.40.

RETAILER SALES like-for-like change

FOR THE FIRST QUARTER OF 2017

Countries Q1 2017

Year-on-Year Change France -1.3% Belgium -1.5% France-Belgium -1.3% Italy -2.2% Norway 0.5% Sweden -0.6% Denmark -3.0% Scandinavia -0.6% Spain 0.9% Portugal -0.7% Iberia 0.4% Poland 3.8% Hungary 11.4% Czech Republic 7.3% Turkey 6.5% CEE and Turkey 6.6% The Netherlands N/A Germany -2.7% TOTAL -0.6%

TOTAL REVENUES

In  millions Total Share Group Share Q1 2017 Q1 2016 Q1 2017 Q1 2016 France 100.4 100.3 82.7 83.0 Belgium 4.4 4.1 4.4 4.1 France-Belgium 104.8 104.4 87.1 87.1 Italy 51.8 50.9 51.0 50.0 Norway 18.5 17.7 10.4 9.9 Sweden 16.0 17.1 9.0 9.6 Denmark 14.2 13.4 8.0 7.5 Scandinavia 48.8 48.2 27.4 27.0 Spain 22.8 23.4 22.0 22.6 Portugal 5.5 5.2 5.5 5.2 Iberia 28.3 28.5 27.5 27.8 Poland 8.8 8.4 8.8 8.4 Hungary 5.5 5.3 5.5 5.2 Czech Republic 7.5 6.6 7.5 6.6 Turkey 8.2 8.7 7.6 8.0 Others 0.7 0.9 0.7 0.8 CEE and Turkey 30.8 30.0 30.1 29.2 The Netherlands 15.0 15.6 15.0 15.6 Germany 13.6 14.3 13.0 13.6 SHOPPING CENTERS

GROSS RENTAL INCOME 293.2 291.9 251.2 250.3 Other activities 7.3 7.9 7.3 7.9 TOTAL

GROSS RENTAL INCOME 300.4 299.8 258.4 258.3 Management, administrative and related income (fees) 20.2 22.9 19.2 21.7 TOTAL REVENUES 320.6 322.8 277.7 280.0 Equity Accounted Investees* 22.3 23.9 21.2 22.3

* Contributions from Equity Accounted Investees include investments in jointly-controlled companies and investments in companies under significant influence. Equity Accounted Investees are accounted for a total value of 1,425 million as of December 31, 2016.

QUARTERLY REVENUES ON A TOTAL-SHARE BASIS

In  millions Q1 2017 Q4 2016 Q3 2016 Q2 2016 France 100.4 106.6 101.7 102.8 Belgium 4.4 4.4 4.4 4.2 France-Belgium 104.8 110.9 106.1 107.0 Italy 51.8 51.4 50.6 51.8 Norway 18.5 20.2 18.8 18.4 Sweden 16.0 15.6 17.7 17.5 Denmark 14.2 13.5 14.3 13.5 Scandinavia 48.8 49.4 50.8 49.3 Spain 22.8 22.2 23.0 23.8 Portugal 5.5 5.1 5.3 5.1 Iberia 28.3 27.4 28.3 28.9 Poland 8.8 8.8 8.5 8.6 Hungary 5.5 5.5 5.3 5.1 Czech Republic 7.5 7.3 6.8 6.6 Turkey 8.2 9.2 9.0 8.6 Others 0.7 0.8 0.4 0.8 CEE and Turkey 30.8 31.6 30.1 29.7 The Netherlands 15.0 15.2 15.2 15.1 Germany 13.6 13.5 15.0 14.4 SHOPPING CENTERS

GROSS RENTAL INCOME 293.2 299.3 296.0 296.2 Other activities 7.3 6.8 8.0 7.9 TOTAL

GROSS RENTAL INCOME 300.4 306.1 304.0 304.1 Management, administrative and related income (fees) 20.2 22.1 20.6 20.9 TOTAL REVENUES 320.6 328.2 324.6 325.0 Equity Accounted Investees* 22.3 23.0 23.6 25.0

* Contributions from Equity Accounted Investees include investments in jointly-controlled companies and investments in companies under significant influence. Equity Accounted Investees are accounted for a total value of 1,425 million as of December 31, 2016.

AGENDA July 25, 2017



First-Half 2017 Earnings (press release after market close)



Investor relations contacts media contacts Hubert d'AILLIERES

+33 (0)1 40 67 51 37 - hubert.daillieres@klepierre.com

Julien ROUCH

+33 (0)1 40 67 53 08 - julien.rouch@klepierre.com



Lorie LICHTLEN, Burson-Marsteller i&e

+33 (0)1 56 03 13 01 - lorie.lichtlen@bm.com

Camille PETIT, Burson-Marsteller i&e

+33 (0)1 56 03 12 98 - camille.petit@bm.com

ABOUT KLEPIERRE

The leading pure play shopping center property company in Europe, Klepierre combines development, property and asset management skills. The company's portfolio is valued at 22.8 billion at December 31, 2016 and comprises large shopping centers in 16 countries in Continental Europe which altogether welcome 1.1 billion visitors per year. Klepierre holds a controlling stake in Steen & Strm (56.1%), Scandinavia's number one shopping center owner and manager. Klepierre is a French REIT (SIIC) listed on Euronext Paris and included in the CAC Next 20, EPRA Euro Zone and GPR 250 indexes. It is also included in ethical indexes, such as DJSI World and Europe, FTSE4Good, STOXX Global ESG Leaders, Euronext Vigeo France 20 and World 120, and is ranked as a Green Star by GRESB (Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark). These distinctions underscore the Group's commitment to a proactive sustainable development policy.

For more information: www.klepierre.com

This press release is available on Klepierre's website: www.klepierre.com
MELVILLE, N.Y., April 26, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Park Electrochemical Corp. (NYSE:PKE) announced the appointment of Steve Pittari as Vice President of Research and Development. In this new position, Mr. Pittari will report to Mark Esquivel, Vice President  Aerospace of Park Electrochemical Corp., and will oversee all of Parks research and development activities. Mr. Pittari will continue in his role as Vice President of Program Management  Aerospace of Park Electrochemical Corp.



Mr. Pittari has been Vice President of Program Management  Aerospace of Park Electrochemical Corp. since June 2016. Previously, he was Vice President of Program Management of Park from November 2014, Vice President of Business Development of Park from April 2013 to November 2014 and Vice President  Aerospace of Park from June 2012 to April 2013 and President of the Companys Park Aerospace Technologies Corp. aerospace advanced composite materials, parts and assemblies manufacturing and design business unit located in Newton, Kansas from March 2012 to April 2013. He joined Park Electrochemical Corp. in December 2010 as Director of OEM Program Management and was Senior Director of Manufacturing Engineering of Park Electrochemical Corp. from January 2011 to March 2012. Prior to joining Park, Mr. Pittari was Chief Operating Officer of Sonostics, Inc., an early stage medical device manufacturing company, located in Binghamton, New York since April 2009. Prior to April 2009, Mr. Pittari held management positions with Sanmina-SCI Corporation, a leading electronics contract manufacturing services company. From June 2001 to April 2009, Mr. Pittari was Vice President and General Manager of Sanmina-SCI Owego; from January 1999 to June 2001, he was Managing Director of Sanmina Kuching; and from October 1996 to January 1999, he was Director of Operations of Sanmina Kuching. During the twelve years prior to 1996, Mr. Pittari held several positions with AMP-AKZO, Zycon Corporation and Photocircuits Corporation. Mr. Pittari received a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Engineering from Polytechnic Institute of New York and a Master of Business Administration degree from San Jose State University.

Park Electrochemical Corp. is a global advanced materials company which develops and manufactures advanced composite materials, primary and secondary structures and assemblies and low-volume tooling for the aerospace markets and high-technology digital and RF/microwave printed circuit materials principally for the telecommunications and internet infrastructure, enterprise and military markets. The Companys manufacturing facilities are located in Kansas, Singapore, France, Arizona and California. The Company also maintains R&D facilities in Arizona, Kansas and Singapore.

Additional corporate information is available on the Companys web site at www.parkelectro.com.
SIMI VALLEY, Calif., April 26, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Soaring Spirits International (SSI) received a $25,000 major sponsorship from the Stanley W. Ekstrom Foundation. The funding will be used to support Soaring Spirits Camp Widow San Diego program; a life-affirming weekend long event that offers widowed people a place to gather; and provides resources and tools to rebuild their lives following the loss of a spouse. We are so grateful to the Stanley W. Ekstrom Foundation for this generous sponsorship. Attending Camp Widow is a hardship for many widowed people. With this $25,000 sponsorship we will be able to provide stipends for Camp registration fees for 50 attendees, said Michele Neff Hernandez, executive director and founder of Soaring Spirits International.



Camp Widow was launched in 2008 in San Diego, and the idea was conceived by founder Miss Neff Hernandez on a paper dinner napkin. When I became widowed at 35 I was at a loss and literally had no idea how to navigate the waters of widowhood. If it was a struggle for me, I wondered if other widowed people were struggling as well. I founded Soaring Spirits International and the Camp Widow program to connect widowed people worldwide and to ensure that no one grieves alone. This sponsorship from the Stanley W. Ekstrom Foundation will help us meet our goal of offering grief support programming to as many widowed people as possible, said Miss Neff Hernandez.

Research conducted by Dr. Carrie West, PhD of Schreiner University shows that widowed people who attend Camp Widow leave with higher levels of resilience, hope, self-esteem, and confidence in ability to accept him or herself as a widow(er). Some testimonials from Campers attribute the program for literally saving their lives.

The Stanley W. Ekstrom Foundation is entirely self-funded and staffed by volunteers. In addition to supporting causes like Soaring Spirits, the Foundation supports wounded military, their families and the families of deceased military, at-risk women and children, abandoned, neglected, abused or endangered animals, senior citizens and other worthy causes.

About Soaring Spirits International:

Soaring Spirits International (SSI) was established in May of 2008 to provide a unique peer-based support community for grieving people. Up to now, this segment of the bereaved community has been underserved and often overlooked. SSI aims to change that by leveraging a social-media-based infrastructure with key programs designed to inspire, inform, comfort, and provide practical help for the bereaved. For more information about SSI visit the website at www.soaringspirits.org.




PHILADELPHIA, April 26, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The head of the Risk & Insurance Management Society (RIMS) has praised Bermudas participation in its 2017 conference and exhibition in Philadelphia this week as a fitting affirmation of the islands industry stature.



Photos accompanying this announcement are available at:

http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/cd8350f0-6001-4b2b-b692-d36a64ed4296

http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/60a3b23f-6af7-4fb4-9387-bc235d97bf2f

http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/c1ad12cb-6386-42cf-93d8-e645d54be3cf.

Our friends at Bermuda always bring energy and passion to RIMS Annual Conference and Exhibition, said RIMS CEO Mary Roth today. We are so grateful that Premier Michael Dunkley was able to join us in Philadelphia and that Bermuda was able to, once again, shine a light on the important role it plays within the risk-management and insurance industry.

Her comments followed a busy two-day visit by Bermudas Premier and a full delegation of government, regulatory and industry representatives, who received an enthusiastic official welcome from the global reinsurance industry at RIMS 2017.

Kicking off the largest annual industry events second day yesterday, Roth and President Nowell Seaman greeted an impressive Team Bermuda at the central RIMS Hub inside the Exhibition Hall at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. The group then conducted its annual Bermuda walkabout of the hall, meeting numerous industry stakeholders.

We appreciate the very warm welcome we received from our RIMS colleagues and it was wonderful to see the strong collaborative spirit of the Bermuda market in action at this all-important conference for our biggest industry, Premier Dunkley said.

Along with the Premier, the Bermuda delegation included Finance Minister ET (Bob) Richards, Economic Development Minister Dr Grant Gibbons, Bermuda Business Development Agency CEO Ross Webber, Bermuda Monetary Authority CEO Jeremy Cox, XL Catlin Deputy Chair Stephen Catlin, Willis Towers Watson Bermuda Chair Paul Scope, and Brad Kading, President of the Association of International Insurers & Reinsurers (ABIR).

Numerous Bermuda-based companies had prominent booths at RIMS, including re/insurers, brokers and service providersunderscoring the jurisdictions strength as one of the top-three re/insurance centres along with London and New York, the top captive and top ILS markets, and the largest property casualty domicile.

Bermuda was very well represented at RIMS 2017in the speaker sessions, in the Exhibition Hall, and in the wealth of business-development meetings around the conference that attract thousands of insurance professionals to the host city every year, noted the BDAs Webber. The islands commitment to promoting that market strength highlights Bermudas industry leadership.

Bermuda speakers, including the Premier, Kading and Catlin, were featured in three separate sessions during this years conference. In a presentation titled Small Wonder: Bermudas Supersized Impact on the World of Risk, Dunkley highlighted Bermudas prominent role in global reinsurance, as well as the islands massive economic contribution to onshore communities and its historic links to the United States dating back 400 years; the speech marked the first time a Bermuda Premier has spoken at RIMS.

Other Bermuda-related sessions featured Brian Quinn, Founding Director of Granite Management, and Al Gier, President of Bermuda Captive Owners Association (BCOA), who spoke about emerging auto risks facing the captive industry. Kading and Catlin joined World Bank head Joaquim Levy to discuss work by the nascent Insurance Development Forum (IDF) to close the Protection Gap in emerging markets.

Print, online and broadcast media interviews over the course of the conference, with companies including Bloomberg, Euromoney Institutional Investor, and AM Best TV provided channels for Bermuda representatives to highlight issues as diverse as the islands recent economic growth, the impact of Brexit and US tax reform, and the upcoming Americas Cup.

The RIMS 2017 visit also delivered important opportunities for business development and new stakeholder engagement in Philadelphia. On Monday, Bermudas delegation enjoyed a productive meeting with members of the citys Select Greater Philadelphia Council, a branch of the citys Chamber of Commerce. And yesterday, the Premier and Minister Richards took time out from the conference to visit Temple University, a school with 39,000 students and multiple campuses that has enjoyed a long connection to the islands risk industry.

For more than 20 years, the school has had two Bermuda captive insurers, Good Samaritan Insurance Company, Ltd (Good Sam) and Temple University Health System Insurance Company, Ltd (TUHIC), both reinsuring professional liability claims in the universitys healthcare system.

Were excited that a school with such a renowned risk-management programme is utilising a Bermuda captive as part of its risk-management solution, said Janita Burke, Client Director at Estera Bermuda, which administers both captives for Temple. We knew RIMS was going to be taking place in Philadelphia, so we thought it would be an excellent opportunity to showcase both the school and the strength of our domicile.



Bermuda is the captive capital of the world, so its definitely the place to be, added Lisa Zimmaro, Associate Vice President, Risk Management & Treasury for Temple.

Temples Fox School of Business Risk Management & Insurance Programme, the largest of its kind in the US, has seen numerous Bermudian students, including two currently: Berkeley graduate Lady Carmela Robinson and Quaejah Cox, a Saltus Grammar School alum, are returning to the island for summer internships and will both graduate in 2018.

Dean Moshe Porat welcomed the Premier and Richards and gave them a tour of the business-school facility, ending with a sit-down with insurance students, including Robinson and Cox. The Dean worked in Bermuda during his doctorate studies and was instrumental in helping draft the legislative and financial framework for setting up captive companies in Bermuda.

To learn about the depth of Temples relationship with Bermuda and the length of time it has been connected to our island was truly impressive, noted Dunkley.

Wrapping up today, RIMS attracts 10,000 risk-management professionals, service providers, senior executives and other decision-makers from a range of industries, plus 400 exhibitors.

CONNECTING BUSINESS

The BDA encourages direct investment and helps companies start up, re-locate or expand their operations in our premier jurisdiction. An independent, public-private partnership, we connect you to industry professionals, regulatory officials, and key contacts in the Bermuda government to assist domicile decisions. Our goal? To make doing business in Bermuda smooth and beneficial.
By SA Commercial Prop News

On September 11-12, real estate leaders active in Europe real estate will get together for the Global Real Estate Institutes 15th annual GRI Europe Summit.

Leading investors, developers and lenders will gather in Intercontinental La Grand Hotel in Paris for two days of discussions.

GRI Europe Summit attracts interest from the real estate leaders due to the seniority of the attendees and its format where attendees participate equally in the discussion and exchange of ideas. Over the past 14 years, the GRI Europe Summit has become the most senior reunion of the industrys leadership across Europe.
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GCI, Inc. Announces Successful Completion of Consent Solicitation Related to Senior Notes

ANCHORAGE, AK (April 26, 2017) - General Communication, Inc. ("GCI") announced today that its wholly owned subsidiary, GCI, Inc. (the "Issuer"), has completed the previously announced solicitation of consents (the "Consent Solicitation") from the holders of its outstanding 6.75% Senior Notes due 2021 ("6.75% Senior Notes") and 6.875% Senior Notes due 2025 ("6.875% Senior Notes" and together with the 6.75% Senior Notes, the "Notes") to effect certain amendments to the indentures governing the Notes (the "Indentures"), as described below, upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the Consent Solicitation Statement, dated April 12, 2017 (the "Statement"), and the related Letter of Consent.

As announced on April 4, 2017, GCI, Liberty Interactive Corporation ("Liberty Interactive") and Liberty Interactive LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Liberty Interactive, have entered into an Agreement and Plan of Reorganization Agreement pursuant to which, through a series of transactions (the "Reorganization Transactions"), Liberty Interactive would acquire GCI, combine GCI with Liberty Interactive's Liberty Ventures tracking stock group ("Liberty Ventures") and effect a split-off of Liberty Interactive's interest in the combined company, to be called GCI Liberty.

The primary purpose of the Consent Solicitation is to amend the Indentures to do the following (the "Proposed Amendments"): (i) permit the Issuer to be a Delaware limited liability company rather than a corporation as currently required under the Indentures, which would be effected through the merger of the Issuer with and into a new wholly owned limited liability company subsidiary of GCI, (ii) result in the Reorganization Transactions not constituting a "Change of Control" requiring the Issuer to make an offer to repurchase the Notes at 101% of principal amount plus accrued and unpaid interest, and (iii) provide less restrictive covenants than those set forth in the Indentures with respect to certain actions the Issuer and certain of its subsidiaries holding the Liberty Ventures businesses, assets and liabilities contributed by Liberty Interactive to GCI as part of the Reorganization Transactions. The existing covenants in the Indentures would continue to apply to all of the Issuer's subsidiaries that are currently designated as "Restricted Subsidiaries."

As of the expiration date of the Consent Solicitation at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on Monday, April 24, 2017 (the "Expiration Date"), the Issuer received consents from holders of: (a) $312,418,000 in aggregate principal amount of the 6.75% Senior Notes, representing 96.13% of the total principal amount outstanding of the 6.75% Senior Notes, and (b) $443,538,000 in aggregate principal amount of the 6.875% Senior Notes, representing 98.56% of the total principal amount outstanding of the 6.875% Senior Notes. The consent of holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of a series of Notes then outstanding was required to approve the Proposed Amendment with respect to that series of Notes. On April 26, 2017, the Issuer paid to the tabulation agent for the benefit of registered holders of Notes ("Noteholders") as of the record date for the Consent Solicitation that validly delivered (and did not validly revoke) a properly completed letter of consent (a "Consent") on or prior to the Expiration Date (x) with respect to the Proposed Amendment relating to the 6.75% Senior Notes, an aggregate consent fee of $812,500 payable to the holders of 6.75% Senior Notes, on a pro rata basis, who validly delivered (and did not validly revoke) a properly completed Consent and (y) with respect to the Proposed Amendment relating to the 6.875% Senior Notes, an aggregate consent fee of $1,125,000 payable to the holders of 6.875% Senior Notes, on a pro rata basis, who validly delivered (and did not validly revoke) a properly completed Consent. The Proposed Amendments will be effected by supplemental indentures to the Indentures.

J.P. Morgan Securities LLC was solicitation agent for the Consent Solicitation and Ipreo LLC was information agent and tabulation and paying agent for the Consent Solicitation.

THIS NEWS RELEASE IS FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY AND DOES NOT CONSTITUTE EITHER AN OFFER TO SELL NOR A SOLICITATION OF CONSENTS OR AN OFFER TO BUY OR SELL ANY SECURITY IN ANY JURISDICTION.

Media contact

Heather Handyside, GCI

907-301-3481, hhandyside@gci.com
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Apr-25-2017 19:20 TweetFollow @OregonNews Henry Rollins Key-Note Speaker at Oregon Marijuana Business Conference in Eugene Learn about cannabis trends and changing regulations, including cannabis testing, tech and branding, taxes and more.

Friday, April 28th, the OMBC commences for a day-long program of established cannabis experts.

(SALEM, Ore.) - The Oregon Marijuana Business Conference (OMBC) on April 28th is shaping up to be a great conference that will give you the latest information you need about cannabis laws and regulations in the Beaver State. In addition to the conference agenda, the parties on Thursday (April 27th) and Friday night, are going to be OFF THE HOOK!!! In advance of Oregons biggest and best cannabis B2B event, the Oregon Marijuana Business Conference (OMBC) is hosting a special VIP reception and networking event with music and comedy icon, the legendary HENRY ROLLINS. Join the topmost-tier of Oregon cannabis industry professionals on Thursday, April 27th, from 6-8 pm for your chance to be part of an intimate group to meet and party with the one and only Henry Rollins! Then, on Friday, April 28th, the OMBC commences for a day-long program of established cannabis experts with the most current knowledge of Oregons medical and adult-use cannabis trends and changing regulations, including cannabis testing, tech and branding, taxes and more. OMBC attendees will hear from licensed professionals, OLCC regulators, have the opportunity to ask questions of cannabis business attorneys and State Senator Floyd Prozanski, and network with others in the industry. After the conference, ATTENDEES ONLY of the OMBC will be welcome to join the After-Party with Marv Ellis at Whirled Pies, sponsored by Prohbtd Media, where the high times continue and conference goers will rage (or just unwind, whatever suits your style)! Ticket prices will go up on April 26th, so get your VIP passes to join Oregons hottest upcoming soiree with Henry Rollins today! If you are in the Oregon cannabis industry, or thinking of joining, the OMBC is the marijuana event for you. _________________________________________

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Articles for April 24, 2017 | Articles for April 25, 2017 |
After defending integrity of Kansas elections, Scott Schwab wins reelection

Kansas Republican Secretary of State Scott Schwab won the 2022 election campaigning on defending the integrity and security of elections.
Dear Editor,

Re: Prevention is always better than cure

Lawyer Leuluaialii Olinda Woodroffe is really concerned about the government inaction concerning the Auckland TB outbreak. She wrote to the PM.

While Samoa has got TB firmly in control, some aspects of the Auckland case is worrying. No one knew what caused death until a few days after burial. Not even the caretaker or family members.

As MP Sua Sio commented, there is something funny with this case.

The reaction of our top health executive was equally worrisome. He was reassuring the public and yet his ministry has not received any reply of a request on this they had asked of NZ. They know nothing of the goings and comings of the woman, not even her name.

TB has and incubation period of one to two weeks (webmd). There is a probability that Auckland Regional Public Health Service Clinic is covering up something.

There could be a TB epidemic in NZ which can be traced to newly arrived immigrants especially if they came from countries with poor drinking water and sanitation. Its happening in European countries that have seen and influx of refugees from middle eastern and African countries.

Auckland Regional Public Health Service Clinic should heed father of the Internet and Googles Chief Internet Evangelist Vinton Cerf when he spoke at the Bluesky Conference Room at Maluafou on the invitation of the Samoa Information Technology Society, where he emphasised that sharing of information is power not hogging information.

I.N.L

Samoa
It was not a usual Monday for the people of Savaii when the last leg of the Golden experience trade promotion rolled into the big island at S.S.A.B. Salelologa.

The Golden Experience promo witnessed a large crowd there to learn about the event and its logistics.

Representatives from various government sectors, owners of private businesses as well as schools head teachers in Savaii were invited to the opening ceremony.

Pastor Joe Amosa blessed the event while C.E.O Fiti Leung Wai delivered the keynote address.

I am grateful to our principals, teachers from various schools, guests who have come here to support and witness this important event, she said.

All our effort and more importantly the investment of our partners and suppliers in hosting this trade promotion would be futile without your presence and support.

A gentleman from the village of Saipipi, Maulupe Faatali expressed his excitement about the affordably priced washing machine he bought from the specials offered.

I had never thought I would be able to buy a Samsung washing machine at this golden price of $899.00, he said.

The original idea I had in mind when I went to the Trade Promotion is to request to the C.E.O of S.S.A.B if I am able to make any deposit and make payment terms for a washing machine for my wife.

I know these good Samsung machines are quite high in price, because of their quality and warranty that comes with it upon purchase but it was a different story when I went to the Trade Promotion on Monday.

I have wanted to buy a washing machine for my wife who does the washing with bare hands every day a long time ago but the prices were too high. This is the greatest gift i can give my wife for Mothers Day next month.

Another happy customer from Saipipi, Nanai Tofilau Lami Itaki struggled to find the exact words to explain his golden experience. Nanai spent more than $4,000 on the spot for his furniture and treadmill.

I am purchasing my beds and treadmill now as I dont know when I will get any other specials like these in the near future, he said.

I have been watching S.S.A.B ads on TV and I have been saving up at the same time so come the trade promotion i would have the money to purchase what I want for my house

The Managing Director of S.S.A.B. Savaii, Tagaloa Fritz Vito said: The Golden experience trade promotion had opened many golden opportunities for Savaii people. Savaii people are very hospitable and they like to meet guests from overseas.

A number of fun activities, crazy specials were put in place during the trade promotion for the Savaii people to win golden prizes.

Michael Scott, the president and owner of Scott Shoes from Hawaii gave away more than 2 Scott shoes valued at $94.50 each. People of Savaii only had to dance on the stage in order to get Scott shoes.

Anu Faamanuia and Temisa Filipo from the Fatupaepape group in Tokelau acknowledged SSAB for the great opportunity and platform for them to educate the Samoan market about the quality of the woven fans, vaka, woven hats, ula sisi and carved boats they make. The crew from Tokelau look forward to bringing more products in the next trade promotion with much more better prices for our customers here to take advantage of.

Graham Hedges from Croxley spoke on behalf of all the suppliers that were present at the golden experience trade promotion.

We as suppliers are very happy to be here in Savaii, to meet the people who use our products and services on daily basis.

CEO Fiti Leung Wai dedicates the success of the Golden Experience Trade Promotion to our dearest Heavenly Father for his continuous favour upon SSAB.

I am grateful and wish to express my heartfelt appreciation to all our suppliers who have travelled from overseas such as New Zealand, Hawaii, China and Tokelau said CEO Fiti Leung Wai.
Unwavering faith. That was the theme of a three-day camp for young women of the Apia Samoa Central Stake.

Held at Sauniatu last week, more than fifty young women attended the camp.

Stake President Hans Jason Ignatius Joseph conducted a short service to officially open the camp.

Young Women Stake President, Makerita Adeline Key, said it was amazing to see young women rise up for God.

The purpose of this annual camp is for our young women to strengthen their faith in their Heavenly Father and in their Savoir Jesus Christ, she said.

Not only that but to strengthen their relationships with one another, to learn more about being self-reliant and to appreciate our nature and Gods creations.

Since we have been called as the stake young women presidency of our Apia Samoa Central Stake, this is our second stake annual camp held in our stake.

Close to a hundred young women attended the camp.

The drive was to uplift the Faith of each of our young women, for each of them to stand firm with strong immovable faiths when they are challenged with lifes difficulties.

We had different programs implemented for our 3 days camp; all our programs were prayerfully planned so that our young women could have a lasting spiritual experience beyond our camp days.

On our Day 2, we had 4 workshops with M.N.R.E., Stress Free, Red Cross and Education.

Our stake young women presidency, our camp leaders, together with the counsel of our Stake Presidency, President Joseph, President Vaiaoga and President Fuimaono were all present.
For California to meet its ambitious goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, developing more energy storage solutions appears to be an absolute necessity.

On that front, San Diego Gas & Electric is ahead of schedule.

SDG&E has just announced it signed five new contracts for local battery storage facilities totaling 83.5 megawatts.

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That number is significant because the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) has laid down targets for SDG&E  along with fellow utilities Pacific Gas & Electric and Southern California Edison  to add energy storage projects to their portfolios by the end of 2020.

Pending CPUC approval, SDG&Es five new contracts will put the investor-owned utility on the cusp of meeting its energy storage mandate with more than three years to spare.

Im very pleased with the results of this solicitation and Im confident well achieve this mandate, Emily Shults, SDG&Es vice president of energy procurement, said on Tuesday.

Shults said the utility is asking the commission to approve the contracts by the end of this year.

The CPUC set SDG&Es energy storage target for 2020 at 165 megawatts in three different areas. The new contracts would put SDG&E over the top in two energy storage domains (transmission and distribution) and just 7.5 megawatts shy in the third (customer or third-party owned).

Shults said the remaining 7.5 megawatts will likely come from commercial and industrial sources.

Pacific Gas & Electric and Southern California Edison were given larger energy storage targets  580 megawatts each  but also seem to be well on their way to meeting their respective mandates.

PG&E officials said it has 225.3 megawatts of storage either in place or lined up while Edison reported it has contracts that have 409 megawatts counting toward the target which is almost double the amount that was installed in the entire nation in 2015.

Energy storage comes in a variety of forms, ranging from such sources as batteries to pumped hydro, in which water is pumped uphill behind dams and then released, with the ensuing rush of water generating power.

State policymakers want to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 80 percent below 1990 levels by 2050 and as California keeps integrating more renewable energy sources into its power grid, storage is increasingly seen as a key driver to keep the system operating.

For example, solar power has increased its percentage of in-state electricity generation from 0.4 percent in 2009 to 7.7 percent in 2015, the most recent year tabulated by the California Energy Commission.

But renewable sources have a problem with intermittency  that is, producing power from solar when the sun is not shining or from wind power when the wind isnt blowing.

Energy storage technologies are designed to smooth out the ebbs and flows, as well as helping the states power mix become less reliant on natural gas.

Natural gas makes up 59.9 percent of in-state generation and the shutdown of the Aliso Canyon natural gas storage site in Los Angeles County after the massive methane leak at the facility has raised questions about the durability of the states power system.

The chief criticism of energy storage systems centers on cost. Some analysts have estimated the CPUCs energy storage mandate may come to as much as $3 billion, which will be picked up by utility ratepayers.

Defenders of storage say costs are coming down rapidly. The management consulting firm McKinsey & Company came out with a report last August predicting costs will drop by half by 2020.

Shults would not disclose the cost of the five systems SDG&E contracted last week, citing confidentiality agreements.

All five of the systems use lithium-ion battery technology.

Two of the five facilities will be owned and operated by SDG&E  a 40-megawatt site that will be constructed by AES Energy Storage and a 30-megawatt facility in Miramar to be built by Renewable Energy Systems America.

Three other storage projects totaling 13.5 megawatts will be owned by third parties and constructed in Escondido, Poway and San Juan Capistrano.

SDG&E officials say the new facilities are like having batteries from more than 5,500 all-electric, long-range vehicles at the ready.

The most recent announcement comes less than two months after SDG&E unveiled another energy storage project  a 30-megawatt plant in Escondido that consists of 400,000 batteries. SDG&E partnered with Virginia-based AES Energy Storage on the facility.

Shults said she was not surprised at how fast the company is reaching its storage targets.

Everybody in the industry is really focused on energy storage as being a solution to deal with renewable integration and bolstering reliability, she said.

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rob.nikolewski@sduniontribune.com

(619) 293-1251 Twitter: @robnikolewski
Alex Rolek of web developer Tiny Factory writes code on his laptop as he and co-worker Justen Palmer program an anonymous communications program based on Google Maps at the AT&T Mobile App Hackathon on June 4.  Charlie Neuman (Charlie Neuman)

San Diego has long been a leader in mobile technology, hosting such high-profile companies as Qualcomm, Kyocera International and Novatel Wireless.

Soon, the city may also become famous for mobile software applications, one of the fastest-growing areas of computing.

In recent months, a fledgling network of application developers has gained traction, getting together at coffee shop meetups and hackathons  larger events where developers can network, share knowledge and strive to create new apps in a limited time.

What's a hackathon? Since the late 90s, software programmers and computer engineers have been using the word hackathon to describe gatherings where they socialize, innovate and freely exchange ideas and expert knowledge without the barriers imposed by the telephone or email. But above all, they attend the events to hack. No, not in the devious break-into-government-database way that most people identify with the word hack. To a hackathons participants, hacking means to plant your face in front of a computer screen, immerse yourself in programming and belt out a piece of software that accomplishes something. An event can last anywhere from a few hours to several days and can draw hundreds of people, as happens at TechCrunch Disrupt in New York. Hackathons can be rowdy things, reminiscent of when a fictionalized Mark Zuckerberg and his college friends spent a night programming in the 2010 film The Social Network. More often, though, hackathons are dominated by the developers quiet intensity. And although real life is rarely driven by a brooding electronic soundtrack, they are all determined to make the most of their hackathon time and pull the next killer app from their myriad lines of code.

These programmers are developing apps that let users do everything from exchange short, anonymous phone calls to find the cheapest place to grab lunch.

Were only limited by our creativity, said San Diego-based developer Alex Rolek, 28. At this point we just need to come together and develop each others ideas. We have absolutely everything we need to make it happen in San Diego.

This potential to transform the region into an app development hub was evident on Saturday when Qualcomm hosted the AT&T Mobile App Hackathon. In less than six hours of programming, about 20 teams churned out fully functional apps for Android phones, the iPhone, iPad and BlackBerry.

Some, like Neha Karnam and Siddartha Reddy, both 25, didnt need the full six hours to work on their app. The pair toiled for less than four hours developing an app that lets users organize and interact with a calendar of events in any given area. They didnt work at a feverish rush to get their work done early, but seemed cool and collected, only contributing the sound of keystrokes and occasional muttering to the events generally muted atmosphere.

Karnam and Reddys app, Event Finder, would go on to take one of the hackathons top prizes  an Apple iPad 2.

Other apps developed at the hackathon included a simple photo editing utility that lets you distort pictures, one designed to help dancers remain steady by playing a tone when their movements arent as smooth as theyd like and a library of step-by-step information on how to program an app.

The three person team from San Diego based social networking site Cloud Girlfriend as they work on a 2 minute random call application. Left to Right: David Fuhriman, Kusno Mudiarto and Matt Baker.  Charlie Neuman (Charlie Neuman)

The pace at which participants were able to create their apps is a testament to mobile programmings increasing accessibility and potential for growth. Coding languages like HTML5 are easier for more people to understand, and development packages like Red Foundry and appMobi eliminate or reduce coding.

HTML5 can simplify mobile app creation, said Alex Donn from AT&Ts developer program, which presented the hackathon at Qualcomm. In 15 minutes I can have an app working. Itll be simple, but itll work.

Keeping it easy to program apps is an interest shared by both developers and companies like AT&T and Qualcomm, who run networks that provide knowledge, assistance and often technology so developers can test their programs with the latest chipsets and devices.

In his announcement about HTCs own developer program during the Uplinq mobile apps conference last week, CEO Stephen Chou said the industry is entering a golden age of mobile development, highlighting the increasing importance being placed on the relationship between phone makers and those who build the software that will define a users experience.

There is a great opportunity to leverage the community in San Diego and turn their hobbies into commercial successes, said William Frantz, ecosystem development staff manager for Qualcomm.

Hackathons and events like them allow the developer community  and corporations  to identify talent, says Bin Li, managing partner at Ansir Innovation Center, which invests resources into early-stage companies and helped present the hackathon.

Who is the programmer that is quiet with his head down in the computer the whole time? Li said. You want that guy.

Read more about Hackathons and San Diego's growing community of app developers and tech enthusiasts.

Reach reporter Nick Myers at nick.myers@uniontrib.com or 619-293-1244. You can also follow him on Twitter @nicholasdmyers
The Carson Scholars Fund recently honored its West Coast recipients at a banquet at the Omni La Costa Resort in Carlsbad. Honorees received a $1,000 college scholarship and recognition package.

The Carson Scholars Fund was founded in 1994 by former presidential candidate Dr. Ben Carson and his wife, Candy, seeking to improve education, promote literacy and reward academic achievers. In March 2017, Carson resigned from the fund to serve as the nations Secretary of Housing and Urban Development under President Donald Trump.

This year, 483 students from grades 4-11 across the country were named Carson Scholars. Students who excel academically and are serving their communities are eligible to apply. Winners are named Carson Scholars and are awarded a medal and a trophy for their school. Previous winners of Carson Scholarships are eligible to reapply for Carson Scholar Recognition annually.

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This years Carson Scholars from San Diego County include:

Colette Berry, Urban Discovery Academy Charter, San Diego

Morgan Burton, Steele Canyon High School, Spring Valley

Stephanie Felix, Mar Vista High School, Imperial Valley

Edder Galindo, Ramona High School, Ramona

Rafe Gerson, San Elijo Middle School, San Marcos

Jeremy Goldberg, University City High School, San Diego

Brady Kurtz, Learning Choice Academy, San Diego

Kurtis LaMore, El Camino High School, Oceanside

Ha My Le, Crawford High School, San Diego

Sierra Marty, Mountain Valley Academy, Ramona

Ian McMillen, Olive Peirce Middle School, Ramona

Gina Milan, Monte Vista High School, Spring Valley

Megan Nowosad, Bonsall High School, Bonsall

Anthony Rodriguez, Mission Hills High School, San Marcos

Elizabeth Rojas Gallegos, Mission Vista High School, Oceanside

Sarah Ruhe, Serra High School, San Diego

Moa Smith, Helix Charter High School, La Mesa

Natasha Threat, Julian Charter School/Phoenix Learning Center, Encinitas

Chantal Valdivia, Hilltop High School, Chula Vista

Amira Walia, Scripps Ranch High School, San Diego

Kylee Wiens, Rancho Buena Vista High School, Vista

Emma Williams, Bonsall West Elementary, Oceanside

Also this year, 872 previous scholarship winners achieved recognition status. These previous winners have continued to meet the high standards of the Carson Scholars Fund, and to show their leadership in the classroom and in the community.

Recognized Carson Scholars from San Diego County include:

Yareli Cervantes Perez, second year, Preuss School, La Jolla; Nhi Duong, third year, Crawford High School, San Diego; Hannah Gill, second year, Mountain Valley Academy, Ramona; Shannon Linder, second year, Ramona High School; April Oertle, second year, Serra High School, San Diego.

Visit carsonscholars.org.

laura.groch@sduniontribune.com
The Chula Vista City Council on Tuesday voted 4-1 to call for the resignation of Hector Gastelum from the Otay Water District board.

The vote, spearheaded by the mayor, was a symbolic one because the council has no legal authority to remove him from an elected position on an independent public agency.

The move was prompted by public comments from Chula Vista residents and others who have objected over the last two council meetings to anti-Muslim and derogatory social media tweets Gastelum made in February.

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Mayor Mary Casillas Salas got consensus from the council to get it on Tuesdays agenda.

Councilman Mike Diaz cast the dissenting vote, saying he doesnt think the city should start policing other politicians from other agencies.

I just dont think we need to go down that road, he said.

Councilman Steve Padilla addressed Gastelum, who attended the meeting, saying, I dont think youre an evil guy Hector, I dont think youre a bad guy, I think youre missing the point  because you could have simply taken the high road and said, I was wrong, Im sorry.

In his comments, Gastelum doubled down on past statements defending himself.

I spoke up for the horrible atrocities that are happening in the Middle East, he said. I was condemning how in Sweden theyve become the rape capital of the world. I spoke up for the women that are not treated the same as men ... against pedophilia  I was speaking out as an American.

Gastelums initial controversial tweet was: Lets pressure OUR Legislators to increase list of so-called #MuslimBan to prevent #SubHuman #Scum from #USA to #MAGA.

Casillas Salas said elected officials are held to a higher standard.

The words that you say are reflective of the constituents you represent, she said. And so thats where I think Mr. Gastelum crossed the line.

The Otay Water board formally censured Gastelum during a meeting April 17 and publicly criticized him for his comments.

Board President Mark Robak subsequently removed him from two assignments as a water representative, and also from his seat on the Chula Vista redevelopment agency oversight board.
Imperial Beach is a step closer to getting an affordable hotel added to a mixed-use project at Ninth Street and Palm Avenue.

The citys design review board approved the proposed Hampton Inn on April 20.

The green light came with a couple of conditions: The developer must create a rendering of the entire site and provide a finalized landscaping plan identifying the location of trees and signage.

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The Breakwater Town Center is a public/private partnership between Sudberry Properties and Imperial Beach that includes commercial and retail development. It extends over a three-block area on state Route 75/Palm Avenue, the main road connecting to the Silver Strand and Coronado.

It will have a contemporary design with coastal influences, such as a tall lifeguard tower that will be the visual focal point, as well as themed outdoor gathering spaces.

The project with the proposed four-story hotel would sit on about 1.5 acres of the nearly 5-acre property between Seventh and Ninth streets, replacing two buildings initially planned for retail.

The hotel proposal is expected to go before the City Council for consideration sometime this summer.

An affordable hotel is perfect for this location, and I just think its a positive for the community, said Dante Pamintuan, chairman of the review board.

Estean Lenyoun, a partner with Sudberry, said the amenity meets a demand in the city for a quality hotel thats not on the beach.

This is a place where your families can come if theres not enough room during the holiday, she said.

The proposed hotel property would have an outdoor pool and plaza with a central gathering place, fireplace, trees and decorative lighting.

Landscaping would include 20-foot date palm trees, canopy trees, accent trees, hedges, shrubs, ground cover and decorative mulch.

Entrance and exit for the site is proposed at two driveways on Palm Avenue/state Route 75 and one driveway on Ninth Street.

Board member Darnisha Hunter was concerned about enough parking for hotel employees and visitors.

Our parking is already very dense in Imperial Beach, and the closer to the beach you get the worse it gets, Hunter said.

She said that with new projects, including the Bernardo Shores condos and the incoming Navy SEAL training center, more families would be moving into the community.

I cant imagine, based on the traffic were going to generate, that were going to have a parking issue, said Colton Sudberry, CEO and president of Sudberry Properties. The chance of it being 100 percent occupied, it almost never happens.

The project proposes 101 on-site parking spaces for the hotel and an additional 148 parking spaces throughout the remaining commercial center.

I think this is a good project, and it certainly fills a need, said Imperial Beach resident Bob Miller. I dont see a down side.

Jack Van Zandt, speaking on behalf of the Imperial Beach Chamber of Commerce and Business Improvement District, said the project would resolve a lot of problems for the community.

We cannot continue on Palm Avenue and state Route 75 with rundown, noncompliant buildings that house marginal retail and other businesses, he said. The reason we cant is because of a thing called the broken window theory. We need new buildings and excellent designs because this is what lifts up the community.

No one was opposed to the project.

The support was a change from initial criticism the proposed hotel received when it was first introduced during a November 2016 meeting.

Residents living near the site and others in the community expressed concerns about lack of privacy due to the hotels proximity to a single-family residential neighborhood. They also cited building height, graffiti, alley traffic and general safety issues.

The developer said those issues have been addressed with fencing and landscaping and by the fact that the hotel does not have balconies.

In addition, trees would be provided along the southern property line to provide screening for the residential units to the south.

Construction began a year ago on the much-needed shopping center following more than a decade of delays.

The first phase is scheduled for completion late this year and will be anchored by Grocery Outlet.

Other businesses expected in the new Breakwater Town Center are Starbucks, Jersey Mikes, T-Mobile, Baskin Robbins, Chipotle, Five Guys, Wing Stop, Great Clips and POKE 1-2-3.
The Imperial Beach City Council has selected a consultant to address the effects of sea level rise and help the city update its coastal plan.

Mayor Serge Dedina said it was critical to look to the future and the need to adapt to sea level rise and the reality of the changing shoreline of our city.

The April 5 vote was 4-0 with Councilwoman Lorie Bragg absent.

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The consultant group, AECOM, will use $375,000 in grant money from the California Coastal Commission, capital reserves and general fund money.

Its task is to sync the citys coastal plan with its zoning ordinance, identify strategies that adapt to sea level rise, and create a climate action plan.

Assembly Bill 32, (California Global Warming Solutions Act) and Senate Bill 375 (Sustainable Communities and Climate Protection Act), require state and local governments to address climate change and the impacts of sea level rise in their programs and projects.

The citys current coastal plan doesnt take into account information from a 2016 sea level rise study, which projects how much the sea will rise over time.

Information in the report estimates a sea level rise of 1.6 feet by 2047 and 3.3 by 2069.

The report has three project goals:

Identify Imperial Beach-specific coastal vulnerabilities from sea level rise and coastal hazards

Identify a range of adaptation strategies including trade-offs and economics

Recommend strategies over time that are economically feasible

Councilman Ed Spriggs said during the meeting that the general plan needs to be updated to get community consensus on where the community is headed.

Its a chance to really get our thinking together as a community while we are grappling with the extra challenge of sea level rise and how do we plan going forward, he said.

The study analyzed the citys vulnerabilities from the effects of sea level rise on coastal resources.

Hazards include coastal flooding from a 100-year wave event, coastal erosion, tidal inundation and nuisance storm water flooding.

It also identified adaptation strategies for the city to consider.

The City Council will consider several strategies to deal with the issue of sea level rise, including vertical seawalls, phased relocation (also known as managed retreat), sand nourishment and a hybrid dune and cobble approach.

The sea level rise report recommends that the city consider multiple strategies to increase its resilience to a changing climate and coastal hazards.

City Manager Andy Hall said hed like to see a draft ordinance updating the citys coastal plan come to the City Council within a year.

The deadline to use the grant money is Dec. 31, 2018.
More than 100 families looking for affordable housing in National City have found a home at Paradise Creek, a 201-unit project on the citys west side.

Tiyana Burke, 30, and her two children, Xavier, 13 and Jazmin, 9, are one of those families who moved into the first phase of the project earlier this year.

Groundbreaking for phase II was celebrated earlier this month, and those 92 units are expected to be complete by fall of 2018.

Burke, a third-year psychology student, was one of more than 3,000 people who applied during the first phase of Paradise Creeks development last summer.

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Burke had lived in another apartment in the city since 2009 that was lackluster at best. She said she dealt with an unprofessional landlord and a host of maintenance problems, including leaks and faulty appliances.

Her sons room was the size of a small, walk-in closet.

It was a nightmare living there, she said.

Luckily, Burke qualified for a 2-bedroom, 1 bath apartment, and after moving in Feb. 1, she said her quality of life has changed drastically.

In my old place, I only had one (electrical) socket in my bedroom, now I have five. I have towel racks. My son has a normal size room.

Burke said she cant believe shes there.

But many people, groups and organizations knew that one day, she and others would be.

And on April 18, National City leaders and community partners celebrated the completion of phase I and the groundbreaking of phase II.

Construction on the first phase was completed last December. The units are 100 percent leased solely by National City residents.

Paradise Creek is a public-private partnership with developers Community HousingWorks and Related California.

Its near the 24th Street Trolley Station, parks and recreational centers, retail, schools, the library and a medical clinic.

The first phase of the project included 109 units on four acres with one-, two-, and three-bedroom units that range from 605 square feet to 1,390 square feet.

The units have access to a community center, fitness area, computer area, conference rooms and a multi-purpose room.

A wall mural coordinated by local nonprofit A Reason To Survive and created by the community, surrounds an onsite park and includes art such as hand prints.

Rents range from $437 to $755 for one bedroom; $521 to $904 for two bedrooms; and $598 to $1,040 for three bedrooms.

The affordable-housing project has been in the works for more than 12 years, surviving various hurdles along the way over financing and partnerships.

The total cost of both phases, including remediation, is about $100 million, with funding coming from various sources:

National City  about $36 million plus land (ground lease)

state  almost $20 million (Prop 1C and cap and trade funds)

federal  more than $42 million in low-income housing tax credit program, other

Sue Reynolds, head of Community HousingWorks, said Paradise Creek is a catalyst for revitalizing the west side of town.

And its a platform for opportunity for the folks who live here, she said during the groundbreaking event.

Mayor Ron Morrison said the day had been a long time coming.

As we continue the second phase and other projects in the town, we work that delicate balance of affordable housing and market-rate housing to make sure we blend our community together.

A representative from the Environmental Health Coalition, which had a role in the project, also attended the event.

We believe that everyone has the right to live in a healthy community, and were here to make sure that happens, Carolina Martinez said.

National City had to overcome many issues for the project to come to fruition: the dissolution of state redevelopment, cleanup of a toxic site, financing, and affordability concerns from the community.

The city-owned property was formerly used as a public works yard for the maintenance of city vehicles surrounded by a neighborhood with similar uses.

It took a lot of work and political will, said William Vasquez, director of U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The project is beautiful. It would fit into any community.

Laura Whittall-Scherfee, deputy director of the state Department of Housing and Community Development, called the project an example of transformation in the best way possible.

We do this because people matter, and because we want to make sure that people are housed regardless of their income levels, she said. Housing is a foundation without which, most things in life are much more difficult or cant happen.

As a single mother of two, Burke agreed.

As Paradise Creek residents we have been given the opportunity of a lifetime, she said. I know Im not the only one that has come from the nightmare of previous housing, so we must do our part to take care of it and pick up after ourselves.
How does a lost $676 money order turn into almost $14,000 in a matter of days?

When its left to the kindness of strangers.

Sergio Juarez, an unemployed custodian living in a Motel 6 with his wife and children, found the money order a week ago on a street in Imperial Beach, tracked down the owner, Yesenia Ortiz-Del Valle, and returned it.

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When she learned about his living situation, she started a GoFundMe campaign on the internet, posted an item on Facebook and called a local radio station, Magic 92.5.

I figured maybe we could raise a few thousand bucks, enough to get them into an apartment somewhere, she said.

But as sometimes happens in the fast-paced, emotionally charged world of social media, the story of a down-on-his-luck Good Samaritan spread. San Diego TV stations and websites did reports. CNN and other news outlets across the country picked it up.

By Wednesday morning, the fund had climbed to nearly $14,000. Several companies had reached out to Juarez with job interviews. A dentist offered to fix his teeth. A limo company donated a ride to the prom for his three high-schoolers. A woman in Illinois asked about sending the family clothes.

There are no words to describe the love and affection people are showing, Juarez, 50, said. Its overwhelming, especially because I dont think what I did was anything special.

Ortiz-Del Valle begs to differ.

With everything hes dealing with in his life, for him to go out of his way to find me, the local Realtor said, her voice trailing off. He could have just thrown it away.

Last Tuesday, was the deadline for filing taxes. She owed the state $1,676 related to a beauty salon she owns in San Ysidro. Rushing around with three kids in her car, including a 4-month-old, she purchased two money orders from a liquor store in Imperial Beach  one for $1,000, another for $676  and then raced to her tax-preparers office about 5:30 p.m. to pick up her return.

Just before she sealed the envelope, she decided to make sure shed included everything.

The $676 money order was gone.

I went nuts, she said. She ran back to the tax office. Not there. She tore apart her car. Not there.

Then she drove home, resigned that shed have to call the money order company the next day to get a replacement. She was told it would take weeks, maybe months. She said she didnt know what she was going to tell her husband.

A chance glance

Juarez cant explain why he decided to look down.

He and his wife of 25 years, Gladys, an administrative assistant, both lost their jobs around the same time three years ago, which is how they wound up living in motels, he said. Hes still unemployed, but she found office work recently, and as the tax deadline arrived last Tuesday, he went out to get help on filing an extension on their returns.

He wound up at the same tax-preparer Ortiz-Del Valle uses, but the office was closed. Walking back to his van, he saw a piece of paper wedged under the front passenger-side tire. He picked it up. He couldnt read it in the dark, so he took it to the Motel 6.

The money order was made out to the Franchise Tax Board and had Ortiz-Del Valles name and address on it. Juarez said he looked on MapQuest and realized she wasnt far away. He drove over.

It was the right thing to do, he said.

She answered the door and was wary when he asked for her by name. I didnt know this guy, she said. She kept the screen door locked. Then he showed her the money order.

She said she couldnt get out the door fast enough.

Determined to give him a reward, all she had on her was $40. She handed it to him and suggested he take his family out to dinner, maybe Dennys. He said he appreciated the sentiment, but hed need to use the money to put gas in the van. Gradually, she pulled out of him more information about his living situation.

Ortiz-Del Valle said she couldnt sleep that night, thinking about how to help the Juarez family. The next morning, she started the GoFundMe campaign, under the heading, We rise by lifting others.

She included a photo of the lost-then-found money order and wrote, Theres still a lot of good people in the world and Sergio is a living example. Lets help him get on his feet again. Even the smallest act of caring has the potential to turn a life around.

Six days later, the donations were still coming in. By Tuesday evening, almost 400 people had contributed. The gifts ranged from $5 to $500, with most less than $50. Some came with comments: You are an inspiration and If only there were more people like you in the world and Honesty should be rewarded.

Juarez said his family will use the money to find new housing. Hes optimistic about a new job. And he said he wants to keep the pay it forward thing going, by offering advice to others going through hard times.

What I want people to know is that they shouldnt lose faith, he said. There are people out there who care. They really care.

john.wilkens@sduniontribune.com

UPDATES:

9:50 a.m.: This article was updated to show the GoFundMe campaign has climbed to almost $14,000.

This article was originally published at 6 a.m.
The Navys guided-missile destroyer Halsey is scheduled to open its hatches to the public this weekend  with a few rules to keep visitors safe.

The Arleigh Burke-class warship is slated to host the free tours at B Street Pier on the San Diego Embarcadero from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on both Saturday and Sunday.

The downtown pier is located on North Harbor Drive, just north of West Broadway.

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Expect security screenings prior to boarding the ship. All visitors 18 or older must show a valid state or federal government-issued photo identification card. All children must be accompanied by an adult.

Visitors are asked to bring as few personal items as possible so theyre better able to navigate the ships tight corridors.

The Navy bans knives, firearms, clubs, chemicals such as Mace and all aerosol spray cans. Also barred are fireworks, flammable liquids, illegal drugs or paraphernalia, large bags and purses, backpacks and large camera bags.

The pier has no holding area for bicycles, baby strollers, scooters or pets.

The Halsey will not be accessible to many mobility-challenged visitors, and the tours might not be appropriate for young children. All others should be in good physical condition to safely climb steep ladders, the Navy advises.

People wearing high-heeled shoes, flip-flops or attire deemed inappropriate, such as bathing suits, will be turned away.

Named in honor of legendary World War II Fleet Admiral William Frederick Bull Halsey Jr., the destroyer is homeported in Pearl Harbor. From Halseys lips came the warships battle cry: Hit hard, hit fast, hit often.

Christened by three of Halseys granddaughters on Jan. 13, 2004 at Northrop Grumman Ship Systems Ingalls Operation in Pascagoula, Mississippi, the destroyer was commissioned in San Diego on July 30, 2005.

Military Videos  On Now D-Day paratrooper from Coronado jumps again in France  at age 96 On Now Remembering war's fallen, one name at a time On Now In Ramona, an airplane and an aviator provide living lessons on World War II 1:43 On Now Video: Navy's newest vessel sails into San Diego and a new future in surface warfare On Now Video: U.S. Navy files homicide charges over warship collisions On Now Stopping Marine hazing On Now Video: U.S. Navy Air Crew Grounded After Creating Vulgar Sky Drawing On Now Navy says Asia Pacific ship collisions were avoidable On Now Hundreds of recruits get sick at Marine boot camp On Now Cutler Dawson Talks Navy Federal

cprine@sduniontribune.com
In a wild-but-real story thats snared interest in the United States, a herd of wild pigs killed three Islamic State fighters in Iraq this weekend, injuring five others.

The group of ISIS soldiers was hiding in a thicket of reeds, waiting to ambush Iraqi tribesmen who were part of an anti-Islamic State brigade, according to The Times of London.

It is likely their movement disturbed a herd of wild pigs, which inhabit the area as well as the nearby cornfields. The area is dense with reeds, which are good for hiding in, Sheikh Anwar al-Assi, a chief of the local Ubaid tribe, told the British newspaper.

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The incident happened about 55 miles southwest of Kirkuk.

Welcome to The Intel, a blog examining the hot military news of the day

The feral boar were inadvertently enacting revenge for 25 Iraqis who ISIS had recently killed in nearby Hawija.

That city is reportedly still under ISIS control as Iraqi and American troops work to win back the former Islamic State stronghold of Mosul to the north.

Response in the United States to the unusual news was gleeful  likely a reaction to the brutality that ISIS fighters have shown, including beheadings and enforced sexual slavery of their victims.

Lets round some up and send them over! commented Grunt Style, a veteran-owned clothing company, on its Facebook page.

On Twitter, people suggested that ISIS fighters would get the same treatment if they visited some parts of the United States.

The Twitter world also called this porcine payback.

Wild Pigs Kill 3 ISIS Fighters, Restore Some Karmic Balance To The Universe https://t.co/eNGDfwUjMM pic.twitter.com/Sodo7ODX4P  Task & Purpose (@TaskandPurpose) April 25, 2017

Just read about a group of ISIS members being attacked by a herd of wild pigs. #irony #baconisbadforyou  John Dearing (@bubbafrmthpearl) April 26, 2017

Military Videos  On Now D-Day paratrooper from Coronado jumps again in France  at age 96 On Now Remembering war's fallen, one name at a time On Now In Ramona, an airplane and an aviator provide living lessons on World War II 1:43 On Now Video: Navy's newest vessel sails into San Diego and a new future in surface warfare On Now Video: U.S. Navy files homicide charges over warship collisions On Now Stopping Marine hazing On Now Video: U.S. Navy Air Crew Grounded After Creating Vulgar Sky Drawing On Now Navy says Asia Pacific ship collisions were avoidable On Now Hundreds of recruits get sick at Marine boot camp On Now Cutler Dawson Talks Navy Federal

jen.steele@sduniontribune.com

Facebook: U-T Military

Twitter: @jensteeley
After suffering a rash of break-ins, residents of Tijuanas San Antonio del Mar community were certain they knew the culprit: a U.S. citizen named Tyler James Yeager.

They started a private Facebook page, To Catch a Thief, and posted flyers showing Yeagers California IDwhich had been dropped at a crime scene. After days of calling for his capture, homeowners have been been celebrating: the 39-year-old former U.S. Marine Scout Sniper is now behind bars at Tijuanas La Mesa Penitentiary.

Authorities announced Tuesday that Yeager has been in custody since 2 p.m. Sunday after he was caught in the act at San Antonio del Mar, a coastal enclave north of Rosarito Beach, where many of the homeowners are Americans. Members of Mexicos Federal Police said they arrested Yeager just as he was leaving the scene of his latest crime, a residence on Avenida Farallon.

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Jorge Alvarez, an official with the Baja California Attorney Generals Office, said that prosecutors were preparing to charge Yeager with robo a casa habitacion con violencia using violence to burglarize a residence.

According to the Federal Police report, the owner of the residence walked in on Yeager as he was committing the crime and managed to flag down federal officers on patrol along the nearby coastal toll road. The officers arrested Yeager just as he was coming out of the residence.

Yeager was armed with a shotgun, Alvarez said. The agency is checking to see whether Yeager could be connected to similar crimes committed in the area.

Yeager first came to their attention more than two months ago, Alvarez said, after officers searched a U.S.-owned residence in the nearby Punta Bandera community. Yeager and an uncle are relatives of the owners, the prosecutor said, and the house was used as a base for consuming drugs and committing car theft.

At the time of the search, four Mexican citizens were detained, but Yeager and another U.S. citizen escaped, Alvarez said.

According to the U.S. Marine Corps, Yeager served from 1998 to 2000, reaching the rank of corporal. His occupational specialties were rifleman and scout sniper, his service record showed. He received several awards, including two Humanitarian Service Awards.

But since leaving the Marines, Yeager has had run-ins with the law in southern Montana, where the Ravalli County Court found him guilty of a 2014 sexual assault and of driving under the influence of alcohol in 2015. Authorities issued a warrant for his arrest after he failed to pay $1,185 in fines in connection with the crimes and did not show up for a hearing.

Staff writer Joshua Stewart contributed to this report.

sandra.dibble@sduniontribune.com

@sandradibble
The controversy over conservative commentator Ann Coulters planned appearance this week at UC Berkeley took another turn Wednesday when she and her sponsors pulled out  even as campus police readied anyway for riot-like demonstrations.

Im so sorry for free speech [being] crushed by thugs, Coulter posted on Twitter in announcing that she had abandoned efforts to find a campus venue where she could speak Thursday.

Its sickening when a radical thuggish institution like Berkeley can so easily snuff out the cherished American right to free speech, she added.

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Berkeley administrators and police countered that their first concern was safety in the face of increasingly violent demonstrations at the famously liberal university.

Coulter had been invited by two student groups to speak on immigration policy as a counterpoint to a Clinton administration advisor. The address became a campus-freedoms rallying point for conservative groups when administrators first canceled Coulters visit, then rescheduled it to an unpopular date.

But even without a high-profile headliner such as Coulter, UC Berkeley Police Capt. Alex Yao said, authorities expect extremists to arrive on campus to have violence against each other. He said students should expect a heavy police presence Thursday and a very, very low tolerance of violence.

Among those contemplating their own Berkeley events on Thursday were Proud Boys founder Gavin McInnes and Canadian alt-right blogger Lauren Southern, according to statements Southern made.

Administrators cited unspecified threats of violence in limiting Coulter to a daytime engagement off the main campus. The Berkeley campus and adjacent downtown has been the scene of three violent clashes since February between alt-right demonstrators and white nationalists on one side and anti-fascist and anarchist groups on the other.

Coulter had pledged to show up anyway, even contemplating an outdoor address. But she discarded that idea Wednesday in the face of continued threats, the universitys refusal to find her a building and the withdrawal of her sponsors.

The president of one student group, BridgeCal, said the escalating rhetoric surrounding what was intended as discourse contributed to the groups decision to rescind its invitation.

Ann herself is using this a little to her advantage  to engage in the test of free speech, said Pranav Jandhyala. He said he found Coulters recent public comments unnecessarily provocative.

We cant endorse an event like that, Jandhyala said.

The other student host, Berkeley College Republicans, also withdrew its invitation but said the issue always had been about free speech.

The group and Coulters well-funded financial sponsor, the Virginia-based Young Americas Foundation, filed a federal free speech lawsuit Monday accusing the university of using security concerns as a guise to censor conservative viewpoints. College Republicans President Troy Worden said he would pursue the litigation.

The fact that we couldnt even get a speaker on campus, thats our primary concern, he said.

The College Republicans in February sought to host right-wing provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos, but the event was canceled when hundreds of demonstrators swarmed the venue  including some in masks who tore down barricades and smashed windows.

The group also invited controversial writer David Horowitz to speak this month but withdrew the request, citing poor attendance expected at the time and location the university required.

The American Civil Liberties Union raised its own concerns Wednesday. National Legal Director David Cole said he was troubled by how threats of violence effectively silenced Coulter.

If the government gets to decide which speech counts as hate speech, the powers that be may later feel free to censor any speech they dont like, Cole said in a statement. For the future of our democracy, we must protect bigoted speech from government censorship.

On college campuses, that means that the best way to combat hateful speech is through counter-speech, vigorous and creative protest, and debate, not threats of violence or censorship.

UC Berkeley Chancellor Nicholas Dirks released a public statement that stressed the universitys commitment to free speech and attributed the risk of mayhem and free speech challenges to outside groups.

This is a university, not a battlefield, Dirks said. The strategies necessary to address these evolving threats are also evolving, but the simplistic view of some  that our police department can simply step in and stop violent confrontations whenever they occur  ignores reality.

Berkeley police have arrested 21 individuals and have warrants for an additional 11 suspected of being involved in the violent demonstrations in March and April, a spokesman said.

City Police Chief Andrew Greenwood said officers are dealing with combatants eager to fight, and any use of force might escalate the violence.

We are rightly expected to not get swept into the volatility of the crowd, he wrote in a report to the Berkeley City Council.

Coulter is still traveling to the Bay Area. She is scheduled to appear Friday at a sold-out fundraiser for the Republican Party of Stanislaus County.

Organizer Janice Keating said the party chose Coulter because of her ability to draw a crowd. Demonstrations were not expected, Keating said, but were prepared as best we can be.

The organization has hired private security to bolster the efforts of the Modesto Police Department.

Los Angeles Times staff writer Teresa Watanabe contributed to this report.

paige.stjohn@latimes.com

Twitter: @paigestjohn

ALSO:

Ann Coulter, free speech and UC Berkeley: How a talk became a political bombshell

Opinion: Berkeley has become the place where political extremists come to throw punches

Editorial: Let Ann Coulter speak

UPDATES:

7:35 p.m.: This article was updated with Coulters decision to cancel her appearance and a comment from the ACLU.

11:35 a.m.: This article was updated with details about another student group withdrawing its invitation to commentator Ann Coulter and comments from Janice Keating of the Republican Party of Stanislaus County.

10:45 a.m.: This article was updated with comments from Pranav Jandhyala, president of the student group BridgeCal.

10 a.m.: This article was updated with comments from UC Berkeley spokesman Dan Mogulof and UC Berkeley Chancellor Nicholas Dirks.

This article was originally published at 9:30 a.m.
A onetime volunteer campaign treasurer for Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Costa Mesa) who embezzled more than $250,000 from his ex-employer and the congressmans reelection committee was sentenced Tuesday to a year in county jail and five years probation.

Orange County Superior Court Judge Robert Fitzgerald decided during a sentencing hearing to spare Jack Wu, who had no previous criminal record, from prison time, but Wu was ordered to pay back the money.

As part of a deal with prosecutors, Wu, 46, pleaded guilty in January to three felony counts of grand theft by embezzlement, 21 felony counts of forgery with sentencing enhancements for theft exceeding $100,000, aggravated white-collar crime over $100,000 and property loss over $200,000, according to Superior Court records.

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Fitzgerald said Wu could apply to serve his jail sentence in home confinement.

Wu could not be reached for comment, but his attorney, Paul Meyer, issued an emailed statement that said: We appreciate the careful analysis and extraordinary circumstances that made probation the right call.

Mr. Wu began restitution before the charges were filed and has fully accepted responsibility. He is deeply grateful for the opportunity to make amends.

In 2004, Wu began working as an unpaid treasurer for the reelection committee. His duties included paying taxes owed by the committee, filing Federal Election Committee reports, acting as the custodian of records and running the committees bank accounts.

Meyer said Wu took over from a professional firm that billed the committee an average of $2,400 per month in an election year and $500 per month plus expenses in non-election years. Had Wu been paid the same rate as the firm, he would have received more than $188,000, Meyer said.

Prosecutors said Wu stole from the campaign partly to help repay a former employer that had fired him amid allegations of stealing money.

From 2008 to 2013, Wu was a controller for Russell Fischer Inc., where he handled accounts receivable, accounts payable and some payroll duties, according to the Orange County district attorneys office.

Wu was paid a $70,000 salary until March 2012, when he became an independent contractor for the company while running his own accounting business, prosecutors said.

At that point, Wu started receiving $2,000 every two weeks for his work at Russell Fischer but also kept taking his original salary, prosecutors said. In all, authorities said, Wu collected more than $71,000 in unauthorized pay between June 2012 and September 2013.

According to prosecutors, Wu also issued an extra $12,000 in unauthorized payments to his company from Russell Fischer in 2013.

Russell Fischer fired Wu in September 2013 after discovering the unauthorized outlays. Wu agreed to and made restitution payments to Russell Fischer in late 2013 and 2014.

According to authorities, Wu tried to repay at least some of the amount he owed with money from Rohrabachers campaign fund.

hannah.fry@latimes.com

Fry writes for Times Community News
A 24-year-old San Diego man is accused of trying to lure an 11-year-old girl hed met online for sex, according to charges unsealed Tuesday in federal court.

Miguel Cervantes remains in custody pending a detention hearing Friday, when a prosecutor is expected to argue that he is a danger to the community and flight risk.

Cervantes and the victim met March 16 on Candid, an app that allows chats between anonymous users. Texts, short videos and photos can also be sent between users.

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Within days, Cervantes began asking the girl to commit sex acts and take nude photos from an iPad, according to the complaint. The conversations from then on were X-rated as he talked about having sex with her. On March 21, he allegedly tried to get her to fly to San Diego for the weekend from another state, where she was visiting with her family. He also encouraged her to save up her allowance to buy him a plane ticket and hotel room so he could visit her, according to the complaint.

During one conversation, the girl confirmed her age. Im 11 yeah. Is there something wrong with that. Cervantes replied: If anyone finds out that were doing this I could go to prison. So I just want you to know that, the complaint states.

Another day, Cervantes asked the girl to get a piece of mail and tell him where she lived, and urged her to just leave school or her house to meet with him, the complaint states. They made plans for him to pick her up from school but he backed out the next day.

On that day, the victims mother found the chats on the iPad and contacted San Diego police. A Chula Vista police officer on the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force took over the chats posing as the girl and set up a meeting with Cervantes, the complaint says. On March 30, Cervantes drove to a McDonalds close to her house thinking he was meeting her, and met police instead, the court documents say.

Cervantes was arrested on April 20 on charges of sexual exploitation of a child and attempted enticement of a minor. He has pleaded not guilty.

kristina.davis@sduniontribune.com

Twitter: @kristinadavis
Four local community college students, including three from MiraCosta College, are among only 55 in the country to receive the prestigious Jack Kent Cooke scholarship this year.

The scholarship for undergraduate transfer students cover the final two or three years necessary to earn bachelor degrees and can be as high as $40,000 annually.

At MiraCosta in Oceanside, the scholarships were awarded to Farshud Sorourifar, Vanessa Van Reynolds and Omer Azizi, a native Afghan whose family fled to Pakistan before emigrating to America,

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At Miramar College in San Diego, the scholarship was awarded to Ishak Mahamoud, whose parents immigrated from Somalia.

About 3,000 students applied for the scholarship, the largest private scholarship for two-year and community college transfer students in the country.

Azizi, who came to the United States with his parents in 2014 when he was 21, has earned several other scholarships and was selected for the All California Academic Team.

He also has received the Presidents Volunteer Service Award for contributing more than 500 hours of volunteer work in the 2016-17 school year, and his community service includes picking up refugees as they arrive at the airport and helping them find housing, jobs and with various chores.

Azizi plans to attend the University of Southern California to pursue degrees in business administration and sociology. His ambition is to head the Office of the United Nations High Commission for Refugees and run the International Rescue Committee.

But whatever I do, my focus will always be on education, he said. My mission in life is to empower children to escape war and poverty through education. Education is the key. Technology is the answer, Azizi said.

Sorourifar returned to school in 2013 after deciding he no longer wanted to work in the automotive field, and then began taking pre-engineering courses, with goal of working in alternative energy.

After doing more research, I found out the biggest breakthroughs in that field are coming from chemical engineering departments from all the top universities, he said. So, Ive focused on chemical engineering. Its been great.

Sorourifar, who hopes to attend University of California at Berkeley, serves as the Phi Theta Kappa president, tutors at the Math Learning Center and is an Honors Scholar Program navigator.

Reynolds is on the Presidents Permanent Honor Roll and has a 4.0 grade point average. She is active with organizations like the North County LGBTQ Resource Center, California Coastal Commission and Habitat for Humanity International.

In August 2016, Reynolds was selected to participate in a college fellowship focusing on ways to increase access for LGBTQIA+ students in the STEM majors (science, technology, engineering and math).

Reynolds plans to pursue a bachelors degree in international business followed by a master of business administration and law degree from Stanford University. She hopes to work in corporate law between the United States and France as well as other French-speaking countries.

MiraCosta College has had two other recipients of the Jack Kent Cooke scholarship in the awards 16-year history. In 2012, one went to Jamie Cook, who transferred to UC Riverside; the other, in 2014, was awarded to Travis Williamson, who went on to Columbia University.

At Miramar College, Mahamoud said receiving the scholarship was a huge surprise, and very appreciated.

It helps a lot because I have five other siblings in my family that are all trying to go to college and my parents cant pay for all of them, so this helps tremendously, he said.

Mahamoud plans to graduate hopes to study electrical engineering next fall at either UC Berkeley or UCLA.

While at Miramar, Mahamoud was a member of the Phi Theta Kappa (Beta Iota Lambda Chapter) Honor Society and was responsible for the construction of the chapters website.

This is the fifth consecutive year that Miramar has had at least one student win an undergraduate transfer scholarship from the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation.

gary.warth@sduniontribune.com

Twitter: @GaryWarthUT

760-529-4939
Trustees for the San Diego Unified School District held off on eliminating the equivalent of 170 full-time positions Tuesday night in a contentious meeting that also saw dozens of people upset about sex education and an anti-Islamophobia plan.

The proposed cutbacks were aimed at helping to trim $124 million from the districts $1.3 billion budget. The district earlier had notified about 1,500 full and part-time certificated employees of possible layoffs. The latest round targeted 61 bus drivers, 40 maintenance workers, about 40 library technicians, about 20 mental health workers and three police officers, among others.

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Debate over the proposal continued late into the night as several speakers said the cuts would cripple the mental health department, eliminate 245 bus routes and close all middle and high school libraries.

The trustees agreed to make another stab at negotiating the layoffs.

Board President Richard Barrera said the district had receive a new proposal from the California School Employees Association that day, and he said they should return to the negotiation table to try to work out a deal.

The district is required to give classified workers a 60-day notice of possible job loses, and it must have a balanced budget before July 1.

Barrera said that after hearing comments from many employees, he agreed the district couldnt afford to make the proposed cuts, and he suggested they set an example for children by behaving like adults.

Trustee John Lee Evans cast the only vote in support of the job cuts.

We have to look for solutions, he said. What Ive heard is, Dont cut this, dont cut that, but I havent heard a lot of solutions about what we should cut instead.

Earlier in the evening, the board room was packed with parents and others who opposed a sexual health curriculum that starts in grade six and was introduced in the fall.

Among the speakers against the curriculum was Dean Broyles, president of the National Center for Law and Policy, who in recent years represented parents who sued the Encinitas Union School District because of its yoga program.

Speaking to the San Diego school board Tuesday, Broyles said the sex education undermined parents rights and demonstrated what he called unlawful hostility toward religion.

Parents speaking in opposition to the curriculum said it was too much, too soon; encouraged sixth grade students to look up information about sex on the internet; and led them to pornography.

A Change.org petition against the curriculum had more than 400 signatures Tuesday.

Several people also addressed the board about a anti-bullying program to protect Muslim students it had approved earlier this month.

The district had worked with the Council on American Islamic Relations in creating steps to protect the students. There were no speakers against the plan at the last meeting, but since then some conservative web sites have reported on the issue. At least one said the district had implemented Sharia law.

Trustee Kevin Beiser addressed the issue early in the meeting by saying there had been some misunderstandings about it, which he described as one step in protecting all children from bullying.

We will not allow Muslim students in San Diego schools to be spit on, Beiser said before being shouted down by people in the audience.

All students should be safe, one person said.

What about the Jews? another said.

After Barrera told people to be orderly, Beiser continued to say that no student should be bullied.

We have made sure that, through the superintendents recommendation, were going to try to do a better job so when we teach in history class about Buddhism, Judaism and Christianity, were also going to teach about Islam, he said.

About five hours into the meeting that started at 5 p.m., several people spoke to the board about their objections to the plan.

At what point did you decide it was OK to teach my children about Islam? said Christopher Wyrick.

Several speaks said CAIR was linked to terrorist groups. The United Arab Emirates has tied CAIR to terrorist organizations  which CAIR denies. The U.S. government does not list CAIR as a terrorist group.

Speakers also told the board that they should rescind the plan and not follow Sharia law.

Because the item was not on the agenda, the board didnt discuss it or take action.

Also on Tuesday, the board voted to support Senate Bill 30, which would prohibit public agencies from awarding any contract with any person or company that is working on a federally funded border wall.

gary.warth@sduniontribune.com

Twitter: @GaryWarthUT

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Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke said Tuesday evening that President Trump has authorized him to review any national monument created since Jan. 1, 1996, that spans at least 100,000 acres to make sure the people have a voice in which lands receive the highest level of federal protection.

Trump is expected to sign an executive order authorizing the review on Wednesday at the Interior Department, a move that could prompt changes to areas designated not only by former president Barack Obama but also George W. Bush and Bill Clinton. Each of those presidents created multiple monuments under the 1906 Antiquities Act, which gives the president wide latitude to safeguard federal land that faces a threat.

It restores the trust between local communities and Washington, Zinke told reporters, adding that the sweeping review would include more than two dozen monuments.

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He praised the Antiquities Act but suggested that some of Trumps predecessors had stretched its meaning in recent years to put millions of acres of land and sea off limits to development. By and large, the Antiquities Act and the monuments that weve protected have done a great service to the public, he said, although citizens in western states would probably say its abused. My position is, Im going to be looking into it and evaluating it on a legal basis.

In general, a national-monument designation restricts farming, grazing, fishing, timber harvesting, mining and oil and gas exploration, and other commercial uses.

While Zinke did not identify which designations the administration considers the most problematic, the review has been specifically crafted to encompass national monuments in Utah: Grand Staircase-Escalante, which Clinton declared in 1996, and Bears Ears, which Obama declared last December.

Zinke said he will make a specific recommendation within 45 days on what to do about Bears Ears, which enjoys support from a broad coalition of tribes and environmentalists but is opposed by every GOP elected official in the state. He will issue a final report within 120 days of the orders signing.

While the order will not rescind any national monuments at the outset, it is sure to spark an intense political and legal battle.

Outdoor Industry Association Executive Director Amy Roberts, whose group pulled its major trade show out of Utah in protest of the state governments opposition to the establishment of the Bears Ears National Monument, said in an interview Tuesday that her members were concerned about any effort to alter existing monuments.

We will participate in that process and make the argument for why these monuments have supported local communities and their economic vitality, said Roberts, whose group hosted Zinke at an event Tuesday at the National Press Club.

Theresa Pierno, president of the National Parks Conservation Association, said in a statement Tuesday night that any attempt to alter or undo an existing monument isnt just undermining a century-old law, its a betrayal of the people who fought so hard for them and the land and history weve all spent generations safeguarding.

Zinke said he will examine whether any designations had led to loss of jobs, reduced wages and reduced public access in areas where grazing, fishing and other extractive activities take place. Well look at what sectors have been affected, plus or minus, he said, acknowledging that with several designations, some jobs probably have been created by recreational opportunities.

Grand Staircase Escalante Partners Executive Director Nicole Croft, whose group represents local businesses and other supporters of that monument, said the tourists who have come to visit since it was established have spurred much broader economic growth in the area. Tourism is the anchor of the economy. But we now have a dentist in town, Croft said. Weve got a building boom and a labor shortage.

But Ethan Lane, executive director of the Public Lands Council at the National Cattlemens Beef Association, said it was time for the administration to scrutinize how the Antiquities Act has been applied and update the law itself. He noted that the number of federal grazing permits at Grand Staircase-Escalante had declined by more than a third over the past two decades, despite the fact that the designation specifically allowed for grazing to continue.

Were not against protecting the resource, Lane said, but added that when it came to the 1906 law, using it as a multi-million-acre land management tool is not appropriate.

Zinke said he would not predispose what the outcome is going to be with any individual monument. The review will also examine major marine areas Bush and Obama put off limits. That includes Hawaiis Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument, which Bush designated in 2006 and Obama quadrupled in size a decade later.

Christy Goldfuss, who headed the White House Council on Environmental Quality at the end of Obamas second term, said she expects the new administration will have difficulty altering the boundaries of existing monuments.

The reason that I think this review is a legal and moral minefield is that the Obama administration took extensive pains to include local communities in the process for every single designation, said Goldfuss, who is now vice president for energy and environment policy at the Center for American Progress, a liberal think tank.

The review will not be the first time a new administration has evaluated previous designations under the Antiquities Act. In 2001 then-Interior Secretary Gale Norton scrutinized Clintons use of the law, including the establishment of Grand Staircase-Escalante, but chose not to alter any of the monuments he had created.

James L. Connaughton, who chaired the Council on Environmental Quality under Bush, said that Bush criticized the flawed process that led to Clintons designation of Grand Staircase-Escalante and that his deputies solicited local input once he took office.

Although Connaughton defended the Antiquities Act as one of the best balances between the two branches, he said Obama had overreached in his expansion of Papahanaumokuakea and the creation of a controversial marine monument off New Englands coast.

They fell short on the process and the substance underlying the justification for them, Connaughton said of Obama administration officials. As a result, its created legitimate criticism, which undermines the support for subsequent designations.

Eilperin writes for The Washington Post.
In the end, it was viruses, not an antibiotic, that saved Tom Pattersons life after a superbug infection he suffered in Egypt left him hallucinating, comatose and near death for months.

Acinetobacter baumannii, a type of toxin-excreting bacteria ranked near the top of the U.S. governments threat list, had nearly destroyed the UC San Diego professors kidneys. At that point, his wife, the infectious-disease specialist Steffanie Strathdee, decided to get creative.

Why not try infecting her husband with bacteria-hunting viruses called bacteriophages? After all, the medical literature showed that these ancient microbes can kill even germs that have evolved resistance to all antibiotics. But finding just the right bacteriophages would be a painstaking and risk-filled process.

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With Pattersons condition deteriorating rapidly and seemingly no other way to save his life, his medical team at UC San Diego Health agreed to give the bacteriophages idea a try.

The team worked with the Navy, Texas A&M University, San Diego State University and AmpliPhi Biosciences, a local biotech company. They collected, concentrated and purified an army of bacteriophages picked for their ability to seek out and destroy the specific strain of bacteria that was multiplying out of control throughout Pattersons body.

There were fears that this experimental therapy, put together in only 20 days under an emergency exemption by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, might actually prove toxic and kill the patient. Instead, the approach produced a miraculous turnaround for Patterson.

His case, which began in late 2015 and stretched for more than nine months, is believed to be the first instance of bacteriophages being used intravenously to treat a patient who was near death because of an infection caused by drug-resistant bacteria. The medical and research teams triumph is being touted this week at a conference in Paris and in an announcement by AmpliPhi. It is also expected to be the subject of an upcoming report in a scientific journal.

Dr. Robert Schooley, Pattersons doctor and head of the infectious-diseases division at UC San Diego, said he will never forget the moment when it became clear that his patient would survive.

When he opened his eyes, it was a sense of elation I havent had many times in my career, Schooley said. Up until we tried the phages, it had just been a continuous downhill course no matter what we tried, and there was just not much hope left.

Schooley and others who helped treat Patterson cautioned against drawing broad conclusions from this dramatic turnaround, and they said much more analysis will be needed to turn this one case into a regimen of care for many other patients. Nonetheless, they agreed that Pattersons triumph represents an intriguing way to fight back against the scourge of superbugs  which is growing as the world struggles to develop new kinds of antibiotics.

Bacteriophage therapy is not new.

French microbiologist Felix dHerelle and British bacteriologist Frederick Twort are credited with identifying bacteriophages a century ago. Before the discovery of penicillin, bacteriophage treatment was common in America and Europe and has continued in Russia and Poland even though it has fallen out of favor in most countries.

The journey to this field of treatment for Patterson began on Nov. 28, 2015, just after he and Strathdee, who also works at UC San Diego, visited Egypt for vacation.

Patterson woke up with severe abdominal pain followed by fever, nausea, vomiting and a racing heartbeat. The condition worsened as he arrived at a medical clinic, and he was soon evacuated to Germany, where doctors drained fluid from a cyst around his pancreas. Those physicians soon diagnosed him as being infected with the deadly superbug.

The toxins pumped by the bacteria into Pattersons bloodstream caused not only pain, but also hallucinations. He remembers perfectly life-like scenes of wandering in a desert for 100 years, watching his wife disappear into asphalt and consulting with men in flowing white robes who kept stopping him from moving toward his destination because he had failed to eat a special leaf inside a wooden box within a prescribed time limit.

At one point, he said, he resolved to end it all by eating the sand under his feet in that psychedelic desert.

I started to drink the sand, I looked down, and the sand was pouring out through my ribs. I couldnt even kill myself, he recalled thinking at the time.

Now, back from the edge of death and having completed a long course of physical therapy that has allowed him to return to his job as a professor of comparative psychology, Patterson said the toxin was distorting his minds ability to interpret the things around him.

You create the most rational story you can from the bits and pieces that are feeding into your brain, he said.

Strathdee said arriving at the decision to try an experimental treatment on her husband was torture. It was the craziest thing I have ever done and hopefully ever will do in my life, she said.

The gamble paid off. The moment Patterson awakened from his coma was a bit surreal, she recalled. In the hospital for nine months and hallucinating or in a coma for most of that time, there was some serious catching-up to do.

He woke up and said, Whats been going on? And I told him, Donald Trump is the nominee for president, and we saved you with purified sewage from Texas, Strathdee said. He looked at me and said, Im hallucinating again.

Thats right, sewage.

It turns out that if youre looking for bacteriophages capable of subduing bacteria that commonly infect people, then human wastewater is a great place to search. For years, scientists have been collecting, cataloging and freezing samples of these viruses after screening them for potentially dangerous traits.

When Pattersons medical team at UC San Diego agreed to pursue a bacteriophage treatment, it asked the FDA for special approval under the agencys Emergency Investigational New Drug program.

The regulators could not have been more accommodating, said Schooley, the doctor for Patterson. They steered him toward the Navy, which has been using its network of ships to collect a comprehensive library of bacteriophage specimens for years.

On March 15, 2016, doctors administered a cocktail made up of four kinds of bacteriophages provided by Texas A&M and AmpliPhi Biosciences. Additional rounds obtained from the Naval Medical Research Centers Biological Defense Research Directorate in Frederick, Md. was injected into the patients bloodstream on March 17. Patterson woke up from his coma on March 19.

Because no single bacteriophage can take out every permutation of Acinetobacter baumannii, it was necessary to use several versions. At one point, Pattersons team had exhausted all available types of bacteriophages.

Not to be deterred, the Navy turned to a new samples which came from overseas collections and Maryland, bringing together new variants, according to an email from Theron Hamilton, head of genomics and bioinformatics at the Navy directorate.

Bacteriophage therapy has fallen out of favor in many countries partly because in decades past, science had not progressed enough to precisely match particular viruses with the particular bacteria they prey on. Centrifuges also were not yet powerful enough to purify bacteriophages to the level that is now possible.

Today, an increasing number of labs are working with bacteriophages. Yale University recently had great results treating a patients drug-resistant bacterial infection with a single type of bacteriophage isolated from a water sample taken from a lake.

Dr. Paul Turner, chief of ecology and evolutionary biology at Yale, said Pattersons case was more complicated than his teams because it required multiple strains of bacteriophages.

These two cases nicely illustrate the promise as well as the challenges of phage therapy, Turner said.

He noted that broadening the use of this old but new treatment is very doable but not trivial.

The challenge, of course, is which phages should be chosen to do the job? This will require a lot more research so that basic researchers and physicians can amass a next-generation drug arsenal, Turner said.

UC San Diego is considering whether to create its own bacteriophage center, complete with its own library of viral samples.

Meanwhile, the 70-year-old Patterson joined last weeks March for Science in San Diego. The event was one of hundreds held around the nation to promote the value of science.

Patterson carried a sign that proclaimed: Science saves lives.

Correction: A previous version of this story misnamed the Naval directorate which was essential in producing the bacteriophages that were injected into Pattersons bloodstream.

Health Playlist On Now Video: Why aren't Americans getting flu shots? 0:37 On Now Video: Leaders urge public to help extinguish hepatitis outbreak On Now San Diego starts cleansing sidewalks, streets to combat hepatitis A On Now Video: Scripps to shutter its hospice service On Now Video: Scripps La Jolla hospitals nab top local spot in annual hospital rankings On Now Video: Does a parent's Alzheimer's doom their children? On Now Video: Vaccine can prevent human papillomavirus, which can cause cancer 0:31 On Now 23 local doctors have already faced state discipline in 2017 0:48 On Now EpiPen recall expands On Now Kids can add years to your life

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Downtown San Diego leaders said on Tuesday that they oppose a potential plan to convert the old Central Library on E Street into a temporary shelter for the homeless.

A spokesman for Mayor Kevin Faulconer said the old library is among options the city is considering for additional shelter space, but that no decisions have been made.

The old library, located between Eighth and Ninth avenues, closed in 2013 when a new Central Library opened next to Petco Park.

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Meanwhile, the City Council approved Faulconers proposal on Tuesday to spend $4.1 million in federal grants to support services to reduce homelessness.

Those projects include $2.8 million to support a criminal diversion program led by City Attorney Mara Elliott and to add showers and restrooms to the Neil Good Day Center, where homeless people can get mail and do laundry.

The additional $1.3 million will fund existing programs, including Connections Housing, the Cortez Hill Family Center and interim housing for homeless adults.

This will support effective programs and vital services that can help someone without shelter get back on their feet, the mayor said in a Tuesday afternoon news release.

At a news conference on Tuesday morning, leaders of several downtown groups said one reason they oppose the potential library conversion is recent data from the Regional Task Force on the Homeless showing temporary shelters beds are underutilized and less effective than other interventions.

It doesnt make sense to invest millions of taxpayer dollars to rehabilitate this site when the revenue generated from its development could be used in ways that would better serve San Diegos most vulnerable, said Kris Michell, chief executive of the Downtown San Diego Partnership. This is a prime piece of real estate in the heart of downtown.

Claudette Cooper, a long-time resident and member of the East Village Residents Group, said the old library could help boost the area around it.

If fully developed, this site will serve as a catalyst for revitalization and generate additional tax revenue for the city, she said.

Faulconer spokesman Matt Awbrey stressed that no decisions have been made about locating a shelter at the site.

We continue to review viable options to assist homeless individuals with emergency shelter, permanent supportive housing and services, he said. No decision about the potential use of the former central library has been made. Our priority is to provide shelter and help homeless individuals move into housing. We look forward to continuing to work with the community to reduce homelessness in San Diego.

david.garrick@sduniontribune.com (619) 269-8906 Twitter:@UTDavidGarrick
A major cleanup of a trash-filled, one-acre homeless encampment began Wednesday morning along the San Diego River, where thieves were stripping hundreds of stolen bicycles for recycling.

The scope of garbage smothering the river bank and the stench were overwhelming: Food cartons and wrappers, clothes, shoes, cardboard, beer cans, water bottles, broken baskets, blankets, carpeting, wood pallets and boards.

Almost anything you can name, its here, said David Loveland, one of about 20 volunteers from the San Diego River Park Foundation who were spending much of the day cleaning the area.

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They took down canopies and tarps, hauled bags of debris, and shook their heads over the propane stoves, carved headboard, end tables, shopping carts and a dismantled hoverboard. Police estimated there were parts to 500 bicycles stacked and strewn throughout the site.

San Diego City Councilman Scott Sherman, whose district includes Grantville, said it would take two or three weeks to clear out an estimated 100,000 pounds of trash that could fill 15 industrial Dumpsters.

The vast extent of the camp, where 10 to 20 men and women were living, shocked officials who toured the site behind the Home Depot off Fairmount Avenue in Grantville on Friday.

I didnt know it was this intense, said Sherman, whose office organized the tour with river foundation leaders, San Diego police and state Fish & Wildlife officers.

He said he lives nearby and knew homeless people were living along the river. San Diego police, too, were noticing more petty theft in the area, especially bicycles.

I saw one transient guy on a $700 bike, Sherman said. Another was pushing a blue recycling bin down there. I thought, OK, there are some serious issues down there.

A January count of homeless people tallied more than 9,000 in the county, with more than 60 percent in the city of San Diego. Of the total, nearly 6,000 were unsheltered. A report by the Regional Task Force on the Homeless noted more people were found in tents and hand-built structures along downtown streets than in the past.

Police Officer J.J. Gomez said when the city started clearing out homeless camps and invasive plants clogging the river near Qualcomm Stadium six months ago, many of the homeless people simply moved further east.

Gomez teamed with Officer J.J. Arguelles early in 2016 as a quality of life team to contact homeless people around the eastern part of the city, offer them services, and take criminals to jail.

Officials wanted to know how many people were living behind the Home Depot before Fridays tour, so a police helicopter crew flew over the site at night with an infrared device. They counted 18 to 20 people coming and going, Gomez said.

1 / 17 John Fraher, one of the volunteers from the San Diego River Park Foundation helps cleanup a homeless encampment estimated to be around one-acre in size behind The Home Depot in Grantville, climbs over bicycle wheels stacked up in a bicycle chop-shop found on the site also filled with discarded trash, human waste along the San Diego River. (Howard Lipin / San Diego Union-Tribune) 2 / 17 Volunteers from the San Diego River Park Foundation helped cleanup a homeless encampment estimated to be around one-acre in size behind The Home Depot store in Grantville filled with discarded trash, human waste, and stolen items. (Howard Lipin / San Diego Union-Tribune) 3 / 17 A container for used medical needles and syringes was one of the items volunteers from the San Diego River Park Foundation helped cleanup in a homeless encampment estimated to be around one-acre in size behind The Home Depot store in Grantville along the San Diego River filled with discarded trash, human waste, and stolen items, including at least one functioning bicycle chop-shop. (Howard Lipin / San Diego Union-Tribune) 4 / 17 Volunteers from the San Diego River Park Foundation helped cleanup a homeless encampment estimated to be around one-acre in size behind The Home Depot in Grantville along the San Diego River filled with discarded trash, human waste, and stolen items. (Howard Lipin / San Diego Union-Tribune) 5 / 17 Volunteers from the San Diego River Park Foundation help cleanup a homeless encampment estimated to be around one-acre in size behind The Home Depot in Grantville along the San Diego River filled with discarded trash, human waste, and stolen items, including at least one functioning bicycle chop-shop. (Howard Lipin / San Diego Union-Tribune) 6 / 17 Volunteers from the San Diego River Park Foundation helped cleanup a homeless encampment estimated to be around one-acre in size behind The Home Depot in Grantville filled with discarded trash, human waste, and stolen items, including at least one functioning bicycle chop-shop. (Howard Lipin / San Diego Union-Tribune) 7 / 17 Volunteers from the San Diego River Park Foundation help cleanup a homeless encampment estimated to be around one-acre in size behind The Home Depot in Grantville along the San Diego River filled with discarded trash, human waste, and stolen items, including at least one functioning bicycle chop-shop. (Howard Lipin / San Diego Union-Tribune) 8 / 17 San Diego Police Officer J. Gomez walks through the homeless encampment estimated to be around one-acre in size behind The Home Depot store in Grantville along the San Diego River filled with discarded trash, human waste, and stolen items, including at least one functioning bicycle chop-shop. (Howard Lipin / San Diego Union-Tribune) 9 / 17 Dennis Fraher, one of the volunteers from the San Diego River Park Foundation helps cleanup a homeless encampment estimated to be around one-acre in size behind The Home Depot store in Grantville along the San Diego River filled with discarded trash, human waste, stolen items, including at least one functioning bicycle chop-shop. (Howard Lipin / San Diego Union-Tribune) 10 / 17 Volunteers from the San Diego River Park Foundation help cleanup a homeless encampment estimated to be around one-acre in size behind The Home Depot in Grantville behind the San Diego River filled with discarded trash, human waste, and stolen items. (Howard Lipin / San Diego Union-Tribune) 11 / 17 Shoes in a cooler were some of the items volunteers from the San Diego River Park Foundation helped cleanup in a homeless encampment estimated to be around one-acre in size behind The Home Depot in Grantville along the San Diego River. (Howard Lipin / San Diego Union-Tribune) 12 / 17 A bicycle chop-shop is one of the things volunteers from the San Diego River Park Foundation helped cleanup in a homeless encampment estimated to be around one-acre in size behind The Home Depot store in Grantville along the San Diego River. (Howard Lipin / San Diego Union-Tribune) 13 / 17 Dennis Fraher, one of the volunteers from the San Diego River Park Foundation helps cleanup a homeless encampment estimated to be around one-acre in size behind The Home Depot in Grantville along the San Diego River filled with discarded trash, human waste, and stolen items, including at least one functioning bicycle chop-shop. (Howard Lipin / San Diego Union-Tribune) 14 / 17 Volunteers from the San Diego River Park Foundation help cleanup a homeless encampment estimated to be around one-acre in size behind The Home Depot in Grantville along the San Diego River filled with discarded trash, human waste, and stolen items, including at least one functioning bicycle chop-shop. (Howard Lipin / San Diego Union-Tribune) 15 / 17 Volunteers from the San Diego River Park Foundation help cleanup a homeless encampment estimated to be around one-acre in size behind The Home Depot in Grantville along the San Diego River filled with discarded trash, human waste, and stolen items, including at least one functioning bicycle chop-shop. (Howard Lipin / San Diego Union-Tribune) 16 / 17 Volunteers from the San Diego River Park Foundation help cleanup a homeless encampment estimated to be around one-acre in size behind The Home Depot store in Grantville along the San Diego River filled with discarded trash, human waste, and stolen items. (Howard Lipin / San Diego Union-Tribune) 17 / 17 Volunteers from the San Diego River Park Foundation helped cleanup a homeless encampment estimated to be around one-acre in size behind The Home Depot store on Fairmount Avenue along the San Diego River filled with discarded trash, human waste, and stolen items. (Howard Lipin / San Diego Union-Tribune)

Officials showed up early on Friday, waking about seven sleeping campers and offering them choices of accepting housing in a shelter, or clearing out. Notices to vacate the area were posted. Two people went to jail. One man, wanted on a felony warrant, dashed away, jumped into the river and stayed out of sight until officers gave up looking for him, Gomez said. But, he added, police kept coming back to the camp periodically and caught the man on Monday.

A woman jailed on a warrant returned to the camp Wednesday and asked to be taken to a shelter, with her companion. Their belongings filled a van, and were taken to a storage area downtown.

Loveland, the river foundation volunteer, estimated that the camp grew to its current size over the span of several years. But when he saw it up close on Friday, it was a huge surprise. I knew it was big, but I didnt really know how big. Youre kind of sad, too, for the people living here.

Added Gomez, Once this camp is cleaned up, youll see crime go down. This will definitely make a dent.
A man and a woman were arrested Tuesday in the stabbing death of a 40-year-old man in a Pacific Beach motel about a week ago, police said.

Cameron Mathew Parker, 29, and Samantha Grace Passmore, 23, were taken into custody as they walked out of a hotel room in Mission Valley, San Diego police Lt. Todd Griffin said.

Police put the hotel under surveillance after homicide detectives got information Tuesday that led them to the suspects in the killing of Joaquin Tuttle.

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Tuttle, of San Diego, suffered cuts to his head and arm, and blunt force trauma to his rib cage, during a fight in a room at San Diego Motel on Mission Bay Drive about 7:45 p.m. on April 14. He died a week later at a hospital.

Griffin said surveillance video recorded near the Pacific Beach motel corroborate the sequence of events related by Tuttle before he died.

Parker and Passmore were booked into jail on suspicion of first-degree murder, according to jail records.

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United Airlines is facing another public relations problem after a giant rabbit being transported from England died after arriving at OHare Airport in Chicago.

The 10-month-old, 3-foot-long bunny named Simon was said to be moving around in his crate after it was taken off the flight from London but he was found dead about 30 minutes later.

A United spokesperson told the Associated Press that the airline did not know what caused the animal to die and that the company was saddened at this death.

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His breeder said the continental giant rabbit, the offspring of Darius, the Guinness World Record holder for the worlds longest rabbit, was in perfect health before the trip.

Simon had his vet check just before getting on the plane, said Annette Edwards. He was fit as a fiddle.

Simon was on his way to Iowa after being bought for the owner of a farm real estate business near Des Moines. Bryan Bergdale said he purchased the bunny for his boss who wanted to show him at the Iowa State Fair.

Bergdale said that after arriving in Chicago, the rabbit was supposed to be put on another flight to Kansas City. Bergdale was on his way to the airport last Thursday to pick him up when the airline called to tell him the news.

Wed built a pen and had toys all ready. Its sort of a sad deal, he said.

The rabbit, who was believed to be on his way to surpass the size of his record-holding dad, cost $350 and $1,800 to transport, Bergdale said.

United spokesman Charles Hobart said that the airline offered to pay for the rabbit. The company also offered to perform a necropsy on Simon but that its owners declined.

According to the Associated Press, United flew 109,149 animals last year and of those, nine died and 14 were injured. Alaska Airlines transported 112,281 animals in 2016, of which two died and one was injured.

Travel can be stressful for animals, Hobart said.

The bunnys death comes just weeks after United faced a firestorm of controversy after a passenger was dragged from his seat on an overbooked plane.

619-293-1710

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Some high-profile California politicians from both political parties are angrily asking the University of California to block or reverse its recent decision to increase student tuition after scathing revelations in an audit of the UC Office of the President were released this week.

Among the troubling findings, the audit, made public on Tuesday and disputed by UC President Janet Napolitano, called into question the UC system administrators spending on salaries and benefits to administrators, and tens of millions of dollars in reserve funds that state auditor Elaine Howle said the office kept hidden from public view.

The audit follows a student tuition increase that was approved by the UC Board of Regents in January. The UC Board of Regents approved a budget that month that increased student tuition by 2.5 percent, or $282, for the 2017-2018 school year.

Napolitano disputed the reports claims that her office had not disclosed $175 million in budget reserve funds to the public. In a letter to the state auditor, she wrote that the report fundamentally and unfairly mischaracterizes her offices handling of the university systems budget.

The report falsely claims that UCOP failed to disclose tens of millions in surplus funds and that UCOPs budget practices are misleading, Napolitano wrote. To start, the $175-million figure mischaracterizes the true amount of UCOPs available and uncommitted reserve, which is $38 million, a modest amount for an organization our size.

Lt. Governor Gavin Newsom on Tuesday was one of those who appealed to the UC board of regents to reverse its tuition increase, which he called unjust in light of what the audit found.

Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon, D-Paramount, who also serves on the UC Board of Regents, shared a similar interest in transparency. In a statement, Rendon said the audit has uncovered the same kind of budgetary misrepresentations and executive excess that weve seen before.

There are many questions that need to be answered  and answered honestly, he said in a statement he shared on Twitter.

Assemblywoman Catharine Baker, R-Dublin, agreed with her Democratic colleagues and called for the UC to freeze its student tuition increases.

I speak as a parent, as vice chair of the higher education committee and UC alumni, Baker said. And I call on the University of California regents to immediately freeze their tuition increase that they just approved and begin to have immediate hearings with us in the Legislature to look into the findings of the state auditors report.

Other California assembly members reacted to the report in different and, sometimes, creative ways.

Assemblyman Jose Medina, D-Riverside, called for a hearing to delve deeper into the report findings after what he says shows a lack of transparency.

Assemblyman Randy Voepel, R-Santee, illustrated the short version of his reaction with  a bitmoji.

Should the UC Board of Regents reverse its decision to increase student tuition in light of this audit? Should Napolitano better explain her offices spending?

Share your thoughts.

Have some thoughts to share?

Join me in a conversation: Shoot me a private email with your thoughts or ideas on a different approach to this story. As always, you can also send us a tweet.

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Poway was once again the safest city in San Diego County in 2016.

According to FBI crime statistics for 2016, Poway saw a 7 percent decrease in crime in 2016, remaining the safest city in the San Diego region with a crime rate of 10.38 crimes per 1,000 population despite a rise in violent crime.

Two unincorporated areas of San Diego showed lower crime rates than Poway: 4S Ranch, with 5.63 crimes per 1,000 and Ramona, with 6.46 crimes per 1,000. 4S Ranch saw a decrease in crime of 8 percent between 2015 and 2016, while Ramona saw a 13 percent decrease in crime.

Poway saw an increase of 48 percent in violent crimes in 2016, growing to a rate of 1.30 violent crimes per 1,000 population. Violent crimes include homicide, rape, aggravated assault and robbery. Despite this years increase, violent crime is still down 33 percent overall in Poway since 2012.

There were no reported homicides in Poway in 2016, compared to one in 2015. Poway had eight reported incidents of rape, 14 robberies and 43 aggravated assaults. The increase in reported violent crimes in 2016 can be mostly seen in aggravated assault cases, with 19 more cases in 2016. There were also two more rapes reported than in 2015 and one additional robbery.

Poway did, however, see its property crime rate decrease to 9.08 property crimes per 1,000 population, a drop of 12 percent from 2015-16 and an overall decrease of 21 percent since 2012. These crimes include larceny, burglary and motor vehicle theft.

Poway also had 106 reported domestic violence incidents, a 23 percent decrease from last year. Domestic violence incidents are down 32 percent overall since 2012.

For property crimes, Poway had 50 residential burglaries, 43 non-residential burglaries, 142 cases of larceny over $400, 187 cases of larceny $400 and under, 33 motor vehicle thefts and two cases of arson.

Property stolen in Poway in 2016 had a dollar value of $1.7 million, with $502,660 of that property being recovered, 120 percent more than recovered in 2015 and 113 percent more dollar value recovered since 2012.

The FBI Index showed a total of 520 crimes were reported in Poway in 2016, 6 percent fewer than last year and down 20 percent since 2012. Of those 520 crimes, 65 were violent crimes. The other 455 crimes were property crimes.

Poway had a violent crime clearance rate of 60 percent in 2016, down 2 percent from 2012, the last year this rate was reported. Poway had a property crime clearance rate of 18 percent, down 1 percent from 2015 and 6 percent since 2012. A clearance rate is calculated by dividing the number of crimes that have a charge being made against a suspect by the total number of crimes.

Email: news@pomeradonews.com
Looking for a popular best-seller? How about a well-loved childrens book? Or something on a hard-to-find rare topic?

What about music or movies? Have a favorite genre, but you only want to spend a few bucks?

Even though youre wanting to buy and not borrow, look no further than your local library.

In what amounts to a treasure hunt of sorts, the Poway, Rancho Bernardo and 4S Ranch Friends of the Library organizations volunteers have likely seen just about everything  literally  come through via donations when locals clean out their bookshelves and garages.

Just last week John Williams, Poway Friends bookstores manager for the past 17 years, was looking through the donation boxes and came across a really old cookbook. It wasnt from the early 70s or even World War II era. Its copyright date  1915.

Now, not all books donated to the groups are a century old. And books like that are not likely to be found on the bookstores shelves. If they can be sold for more than $1 to $3  a quick scan via phone app showed Williams the cookbook could potentially be resold for $20  it will go toward the groups online sales efforts since maximizing profits is their goal in order to provide more free programs to the community.

Better World Books, Amazon and eBay are the go-to options for online sales. These resellers also get the books not likely to be bought by locals, said Nancy Jones, 4S Ranch Friends treasurer who also oversees its book sales.

Older books, textbooks if fairly current and the odd things, like crime scene detection, Jones said. If its specific for a certain kind of person and does not fit into the general population, such as a book on guns and ammo, (that goes online).

Jones said she was surprised when a set of beautiful books published in England were donated. Without an ISBN they could not be sold through Better World, so she placed them on eBay. They went for so much money, I was floored. The books, primarily classics, she grouped online in sets of two or three, which sold for $75 to $100 each.

Another time we got a set of 20 German childrens books, so I put them online, Jones said. She priced them at $15.99. When the sale closed a few days later, the winning bidder paid $180.

Millie Boaz, RB Friends vice president of operations, said the niche books, especially those on the history of other areas of the country or specific topics, plus really good condition first editions or author-signed books go online.

Yet even while volunteers diligently check through each book, assessing its condition and popularity, some of the rare gems slip through and make it onto the bookstores shelves or into the large occasional sales, Williams said.

The 4S Ranch Friends is holding one of those sales over the next few days. Its Buck-a-Bag sale is 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. this Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and noon to 4 p.m. Sunday. Fill up a small plastic grocery bag for $1, or if you bring a larger reusable bag pay $2 or $3 for everything you place in it. The 4S Ranch Library is at 10433 Reserve Drive.

The Rancho Bernardo Friends is gearing up for its annual sale, set for 5 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 3; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday, May 4 and Friday, May 5; and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, May 6. Go to the RB Librarys upstairs community room, 17110 Bernardo Center Drive. On Saturday the books are discounted even more  a bag-full is $3 for RB Friends members and $5 for non-members.

As for the Poway Friends, its next big sale will be June 24 and 25 at the Poway Library, 13137 Poway Road.

The groups hold these sales in order to clear out their stockpile of books and other materials, including audiobooks, music CDs and DVDs. The latter include movies and TV series, usually priced for $1 or $2, or around $5 if a multi-DVD set. Music CDs tend to sell in the 50 cents to $1 range.

As for books, they can vary from 25 or 50 cents for childrens books and well-loved paperbacks, to no more than $3 for a hardcover. There are a few exceptions, such as coffee table books, but in general these are the prices for books that in some cases look brand new and at times originally retailed for $25 or more.

Those who cannot make it to the big sales can find book bargains when the book shops are open, typically during library hours. The Poway and RB stores are staffed by volunteers, while in 4S Ranch there are a few shelves designated for sales. There purchases are made on the honor system. Pick a book and drop the money in the nearby payment box.

Poway Friends also offers a request service, so if there is something you really want, fill out the form and maybe youll get lucky. Williams said someone requested an Armenian-to-English dictionary. A few days later, one came in. He had never seen one before and hasnt seen one since.

Though items are sold for so little, volunteers said since they were donated and the sales are popular, profits add up quickly.

When we hold our big four-day sale, we can raise $2,000 on average, Boaz said. The RB bookshop averages $700 a month in sales.

In the last fiscal year, which ended April 1, the Poway Friends raised $11,000 through online sales, down 20 percent from the year before, Williams said. But the group made up that loss through bookstore and special sales, raising $54,000 last fiscal year, up from the previous years $51,800.

More people are going to the internet to sell their hardback books, Williams said. They see the value and try to sell the books themselves.

While people can try to do this, he said it takes a lot of effort and around 95 percent of books are not special and therefore not highly valuable.

With thousands of books donated each year  for example, Williams said for each big sale he pulls out from the groups storage units around 450 library boxes filled with books  the volunteers at all three groups are constantly busy.

A few years ago the groups started to wonder about the future of used book sales due to the rise in popularity of electronic readers. While Williams said he saw a slight dip in sales for awhile, they have rebounded. Boaz said there has been some impact, but not significant. They attribute this to people still wanting the experience of holding a book in ones hands as they read.

Thats good news for the areas three Friends of the Library organizations and library patrons in general since profits from the all-volunteer groups book sales raise thousands of dollars for library programs, materials and improvements, representatives said.

email: rbnews@pomeradonews.com
A motorist initially fleeing National City police officers pulled over on State Route 67 in Ramona west of Airmail Lane early Wednesday afternoon.

San Diego police reported pursuing the suspect motorist who was refusing to yield on eastbound Pomerado Road in the Scripps Ranch area. The fleeing motorist then headed north on state Route 67, east of Poway, according to San Diego police.

The fleeing motorist eventually pulled over on SR-67 and was taken into custody, police reported.
Worried after a week of increasingly bizarre conversations with his younger brother, Glen Birdow drove to Fort Worth last weekend, hoping to understand why his brother was saying people were trying to kill him and that someone had stuck a needle in his arm.

Derrick Anthony Birdow was fidgeting and acting paranoid, but refused to check himself into a hospital. The 33-year-old married father of four insisted he was fine, his brother said.

But Derrick Birdow left his Fort Worth home Monday, passed by numerous churches and rammed his car into the side of Greater Sweethome Missionary Baptist Church in nearby Forest Hill. There, he got out of his car and beat the Rev. Danny Kirk Sr. to death with an electric guitar.

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The person that I knew was loving and caring, and he was not a killer, Glen Birdow, 39, of San Antonio, told The Associated Press on Tuesday. I just dont know what happened. Im so sorry for the pastors family.

Derrick Birdow did not know the pastor or attend that church, though his wife might have gone there a few times, his brother said. Derrick Birdow enjoyed his job as a truck driver and didnt have a history of mental illness, his brother said, adding that he didnt believe that his brother used drugs.

Birdow died Monday after being found unresponsive in the back of a patrol car, where he was taken after officers subdued him with a Taser and handcuffed him, Forest Hill Police Chief Dan Dennis said.

Kirk, 53, died at the scene. Forest Hill police said Tuesday the investigation was continuing.

The Tarrant County Medical Examiners Office has not yet released how Birdow died. The Texas Rangers are investigating Birdows death because he died in police custody, Dennis said.

Tarrant County court records show that in 2004, Derrick Birdow pleaded guilty to aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and was sentenced to five years in prison. Glen Birdow said his brother believed a man had stolen money from him and police refused to help, and then he shot the man.

Derrick Birdow also served 35 days in jail in 2004 for a misdemeanor drunken driving charge, court records show. In 2000, he received 45 days in jail for misdemeanor assault of a family member, and in 1999 he was sentenced to 120 days in jail for possessing a controlled substance, court records show.

On Monday, his cousin, Christopher Henderson, said that Derrick Birdow had been out of his head the past week, saying people were after him.

When asked if Birdow used drugs, Henderson said that his cousin believed that someone may have given him drugs.

Hes just been acting off the wall, Henderson told The Associated Press outside of the church.
By all outward appearances, the two caretakers treated the severely autistic young man with loving care during the many months they were employed by the Oakley family.

The mans mother trusted them, though both had previous brushes with the law.

But secret recordings of what happened to her son in her absence  allegations of punching, slapping, eye poking and pushing  left Kim Oakley of Valley Center infuriated.

Kim Oakley with her son Jamey in a screen capture from one of Kims YouTube videos.

Michael Dale Garritson, 61, and Matthew Alexander McDuffie, 27, are accused of beating 23-year-old Jamey Oakley hundreds of times over a three-week period.

Sheriffs detectives reviewed more than 2,000 video recordings before issuing the arrest warrants.

McDuffie was taken into custody Wednesday night at his San Diego home, and Garritson turned himself in to Escondido police later that evening.

Sheriffs Sgt. Mark Varnau described the abuse as one of the worst cases he has ever seen. The caregivers used all manners of force, he said.

Kim Oakley's video of her autistic son Jamey Oakley

The victims mother said Thursday that she became suspicious of the men about two months ago after finding the cord to a baby monitor had been cut. The monitor had been set up to show everything going on in her sons bedroom. She said that made her think someone did not want to be watched.

Oakley had also started to notice that her son, who cannot talk, seemed to be unhappy on the days after the men had worked their shifts. One day, Jamey hugged her extra tight and made eye contact with her.

He was trying to communicate with me, she said.

She questioned both caregivers.

They blamed everything on his severe autism, Oakley said.

Besides being autistic, Jamey also has epilepsy and self-injurious behavior. He wears a helmet for protection against himself and uses a wheelchair.

He has the mentality of an 8-month-old and the motor skills of a 3- to 5-year-old, court documents say.

The caregivers also blamed other nurses, Oakley said, claiming they were not handling her son properly.

After finding the damaged baby monitor, she bought a video camera and installed it to record what happened in Jameys room. When she reviewed the video, she said she almost fainted.

I couldnt believe it, Oakley said. It was such a shock, such a betrayal.

She notified the Sheriffs Department that day.

The District Attorneys Office charged Garritson and McDuffie with numerous counts of willful cruelty to a dependent adult, according to a complaint filed Wednesday in Vista Superior Court. The offenses are believed to have occurred between July 28 and Aug. 22. Authorities were notified Aug. 29.

Each is being held on $1 million bail.

Investigators said McDuffie engaged in 66 incidents of abuse, and Garritson 64 incidents.

The allegations against Garritson include driving his thumb into the victims eye, punching him in the head and grinding his shoe into the victims foot.

Portions of the videos were shown on KFMB, Channel 8, and show Jamey being hit and manhandled.

In all, seven caretakers looked after Jamey during the week. Garritson was hired in 2010, McDuffie in June 2011.

Garritson has been a licensed registered nurse since 1983, and state records show no disciplinary action.

He was acquitted of second-degree murder in a 1979 case involving a 13-month-old boy who died of a skull fracture while being babysat at Garritsons Anaheim Hills home, according to news reports.

Prosecutors alleged that Garritson threw the boy down some stairs, but his wife testified she accidentally dropped the baby while her husband was jogging.

In 1985, a jury deadlocked 11-1 in favor of convicting Garritson, and a mistrial was declared.

A year later, an Orange County Superior Court judge acquitted him.

In 2002, Garritson was charged with several felony counts of animal abuse and neglect after authorities found 149 dogs at his Valley Center home. Many of the dogs were dirty, underweight and in varying degrees of physical distress.

The dogs were seized, treated and put up for adoption. Eleven were euthanized.

Garritson pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor count and was placed on probation.

Oakley said she knew about the homicide and the animal-abuse case, but Garritson had told her he was completely innocent in the boys death and that he had taken good care of his dogs.

McDuffie, who lives in El Cerrito, completed training as a medical assistant and was attending pharmacy tech school, Oakley said. He had been in the Navy and a police academy.

Court records show he had a prior arrest on suspicion of battery against a girlfriends mother, and that Oakley knew about it.

McDuffies uncle in Washington, D.C., said Thursday the family is a little baffled by the accusations.

What weve seen in the video looks more like discipline than abuse, said Wayne Jamison, adding that the footage he has seen is only a small portion of what was recorded.
A federal judge set a $100,000 bond Wednesday for the former president of a mining company based in San Diego who has been charged with securities fraud and obstructing justice for allegedly orchestrating a $28 million stock fraud scheme.

Marc Anthony Lopez, the former president of and chief executive officer of Unico, Inc., was arrested Jan. 17. He appeared in front of Magistrate Judge L. Barbara Major Wednesday for a bond hearing.

The charges against Lopez outline a complex stock fraud scheme that involved law firms in Florida and New York and exploited a loophole in the federal securities act, according to the U.S. Attorneys office.

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A co-defendant, New Jersey stock trader Mark Lefkowitz, has already pleaded guilty to his role, prosecutors said.

The loophole in the securities law allows companies to issue unregistered shares of stock to settle some debts. According to the U.S. Attorneys office, Lopez would strike loan agreements with a variety of shell companies. All the companies were owned by Lefkowitz and based in the tax haven of Turks and Caicos Islands.

Then, Unico would default on the loan on purpose. When that happened the companies would file what prosecutors said were sham lawsuits against Unico in Florida. Soon after the suits were filed, sometimes within a few days, Lopez and Lefkowitz would draft a settlement agreement on terms that prosecutor said were extremely favorable to Lefkowitz.

The agreements called for Lopez to pay off the loan debt by issuing unregistered shares of stock that on average were seven times the amount of the loan the company owned.

Lefkowitz would then sell the stocks on the open market to unsuspecting buyers, and Lopez would get a kickback.

The new unregistered shares weakened the value of existing stock shares that were on the marker by some $7 million.

Lopez is also accused of trying to block the probe by the Securities and Exchange Commission by not turning over emails, lying to the agency under oath and redacting portions of emails. Prosecutors said he had two folders with emails he had not turned over, one labeled Files deleted and the second Not Release to SEC Subpoena (Delete).
Pune, Maharashtra -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/26/2017 -- Market Highlights



The Flexible Lid Stock Packaging Market is expected to grow over the CAGR of around 5% during the period 2016 to 2022.



The Global Flexible Lid Stock Packaging Market will be driven by growth in the flexible packaging market majorly due to the changing lifestyle of the people that results in the rise in demand for ready-made meals with extended shelf life. The booming packaging industry is also contributing significantly to the growth of the flexible lid stock packaging market. Factors such as the rise in consumption of convenient packaged food & beverages, personal care products, and pharmaceutical is contributing to the growth of the market. Increased innovations in flexible lid stock packaging along with low cost is also adding to the growth.



Key Players



The key players of Flexible Lid Stock Packaging Market are Amcor Ltd. (Australia), Bemis Company, Inc. (U.S.), Berry Plastics Corporation (U.S.), Mondi plc. (Austria), Sonoco Products Company (U.S.), EP Industries Ltd. (Alfreton, England), Wipak Germany GmbH (Germany), Anchor Packaging Inc. (U.S.), Coveris Holdings S.A. (U.S.) and Sealed Air Corporation (U.S.) among others.



Receive a Sample Copy of Report @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/2678



Market Research Analysis



The packaging type is the most important for packaging of food, beverages, pharmaceutical products and others. Among all applications used for packaging, the food & beverage segment is expected to grow rapidly. The food & beverage segment also includes dairy products. The improved shelf life of the food and beverages due to barrier properties and valving capabilities is also expected to drive the growth of flexible lid stock packaging market for the food & beverage segment.



Asia-Pacific region is expected to dominate the flexible lid stock packaging market with the highest CAGR due to the rapidly changing lifestyle, increase in the disposable income, extensive growth in population, and the constantly growing packaged food industry. The increasing urbanization has led to the increased use of convenient and low cost flexible lid stock packages amongst the people, thereby driving the growth of the market.



Scope of the Report



This study provides an overview of the global flexible lid stock packaging market, tracking two market segments across four geographic regions. The report studies key players, providing a five-year annual trend analysis that highlights market size, volume and share for North America, Europe, Asia Pacific (APAC) and Rest of the World (ROW). The report also provides a forecast, focusing on the market opportunities for the next five years for each region. The scope of the study segments the Global Flexible Lid Stock Packaging Market by its Type, application and region.



Browse Report Details @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/flexible-lid-stock-packaging-market-2678



- By Type



o Paper

o Aluminum foil

o Polymer films

o Others



- By Application



o Food & Beverages

o Chemicals

o Personal Care

o Health care

o Others



- By Region



o North America

o Asia Pacific

o Europe

o Rest of the World



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.



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Valley Cottage, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/26/2017 -- Baobab is also known as the "Queen of Superfruits" and its powder is obtained from the extraction of dried baobab fruit pulp by freeze drying method. Baobab powder contains various essential vitamins such as vitamin B and C and minerals such as calcium, potassium, phosphorus, and others. Baobab fruit is primarily found in Africa and some parts of Australia and India. Baobab powder helps in managing blood sugar level. Baobab powder is rich in antioxidants which help in eliminating the free radicals which contribute to diseases such as aging, cancer, and cardio-vascular disease. Baobab powder is a gluten free powder that can be consumed by gluten intolerant consumers. Baobab powder sales have been increased rapidly in the last few years as a result of increasing usage of baobab powder in various supplements. Many manufacturers are using baobab powder in a variety of beverages which is seen as a great opportunity for the manufacturers to expand their product portfolio. Baobab powder has a light and subtly tangy flavor which blends perfectly with other fruit flavors which can be used in the preparation of flavored waters, smoothies, sparkling beverages, and juices.



Global Baobab Powder: Market Segmentation



The global baobab powder market is segmented on the basis of distribution channel, application and region. The baobab powder market is segmented on the basis of distribution channel such as online stores, supermarket/hypermarket, retail stores, and others. The global baobab powder market is segmented on the basis of application in which baobab powder is used in application such as pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, food and beverage, and others. Baobab powder is used as an ingredient in various products such as supplement powder, smoothies, juices, flavored waters, meal replacement drinks, and cold-pressed juices. Hence, the global baobab Powder market is expected to significantly increase the revenue contribution over the forecast period.



Request Report Sample@ http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-3333



Global Baobab Powder Market: Regional Outlook



Geographically, the global baobab powder industry can be divided by major regions which include North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia Pacific, Japan and Middle East & Africa. Globally, among all regions, Middle East & Africa has developed as the dominant region in global baobab powder market followed by Asia Pacific. Increasing demand for baobab powder in various beverages, has strengthened the growth of global baobab powder market and hence is projected to significantly expand the revenue contribution of the market over the forecast period.



Global Baobab Powder Market: Growth Drivers



The global baobab powder market driving factors are increasing demand for baobab powder in various food products and as a specialty ingredient in various beverages worldwide. Increasing opportunities in bakery and cosmetics industries is also another factor in driving the global baobab powder market. Manufacturers are offering various flavored baobab drink mixes in many varieties such as pineapple-mint baobab, blueberry-baobab, and etc. which is responsible for increasing demand for baobab powder globally. Baobab Powder helps consumers in managing their blood sugar levels, which is another major factor for driving the baobab powder seed market worldwide. Growing population of gluten intolerance consumers is also a major factor which is driving the global baobab powder market. Hence, the global Baobab Powder market is expected to observe robust growth over the forecast period.



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Global Baobab Powder Market: Key Players



Some of the key players identified across the value chain of the global baobab powder market include Baobab Fruit Company Senegal, Baobab Foods, Organic Herb Trading, Eco Products, TheHealthyTree Company, BI Nutraceuticals, BioessenceTrade, Organic Africa, Rawsome Foods, B'Ayoba, Simpli Ingredients are among others. The companies are expected to expand their business by enhancing their product portfolio in global baobab Powder market. The companies are projected to frame certain strategies in future in order to gain the competitive advantage in global baobab powder market till 2027.
Oklahoma City, OK -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/26/2017 -- 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/



Oklahoma City Oklahoma General Society of Mayflower Descendant, Adam Paul Green (Ancestor Stephen Hopkins / Gen.No. 86,723) Declares New Geneology Asset Website for Local Enthusiasts http://www.xocohealth.goodchocolateblog.com/



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



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.



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.



http://www.ImAdamGreen.com



About MayflowerHistory.com

MayflowerHistory.com, the Internet's most complete and accurate website dealing with the Mayflower passengers and the history of the Pilgrims and early Plymouth Colony. The website was first created back in 1994 (when the web was still mostly text!) as a simple, but complete, passenger list of the Mayflower. It has grown over the past twenty years as the author, historian Caleb Johnson, has researched and compiled material.



http://mayflowerhistory.com
Olympia, WA -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/26/2017 -- 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 End of the Mayflower: "Mayflower's End," by Mike Haywood. The Mayflower returned to England from Plymouth Colony, arriving back on 9 May 1621. Christopher Jones took the ship out on a trading voyage to Rochelle, France, in October 1621, returning with a cargo of Bay salt. Christopher Jones, master and quarter-owner of the Mayflower, died and was buried at Rotherhithe, co. Surrey, England, on 5 March 1621/2. No further record of the Mayflower is found until May 1624, when it was appraised for the purposes of probate and was described as being in ruins. The ship was almost certainly sold off as scrap.



The claim, first originating from J. Rendel Harris' book The Finding of the Mayflower (1920), that the Mayflower ended up as a barn in Jordans, England, is now widely discredited as being a figment of an overzealous imagination on the tercentenary anniversary of the Mayflower's voyage, combined with a tainted oral history. None of the evidence has withstood subsequent investigation. Regardless of the lack of evidence for its authenticity, it has been featured in National Geographic on several occasions and is a tourist destination. It is important to realize that in 1624, when the ship was scrapped, it was not at all famous, and nobody would have thought twice about letting it rot away.



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.



Olympia Washington General Society of Mayflower Descendant, Adam Paul Green (Ancestor Stephen Hopkins / Gen.No. 86,723) Introduces New Geneology Support Website for Local Enthusiasts http://www.ImAdamGreen.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.



http://www.ImAdamGreen.com



About MayflowerHistory.com

MayflowerHistory.com, the Internet's most complete and accurate website dealing with the Mayflower passengers and the history of the Pilgrims and early Plymouth Colony. The website was first created back in 1994 (when the web was still mostly text!) as a simple, but complete, passenger list of the Mayflower. It has grown over the past twenty years as the author, historian Caleb Johnson, has researched and compiled material.



http://mayflowerhistory.com
According to the results of a redshift survey of nearly 7,000 galaxies, a gigantic hole in the Universe is unlikely to explain a Cold Spot in the Cosmic Microwave Background, leaving room for exotic explanations like a collision between universes.

The Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) provides the earliest snapshot of the evolution of the Universe.

At a temperature of 2.73 degrees Kelvin (minus 454.77 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 270.43 degrees Celsius), the CMB has some anomalies, including the Cold Spot.

The Cold Spot, which is 0.00015 degrees Kelvin colder than its surroundings, was discovered in 2004 by P. Vielva et al while examining a map of the CMB created by NASAs Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP).

This feature was previously claimed to be caused by an enormous hole, or supervoid, a vast region approximately 1.8 billion light-years across in which the density of galaxies is much lower than usual in the known Universe.

In seeking to confirm or dispel a link between a supervoid and the Cold Spot, a research team led by University of Durham scientists conducted a comprehensive redshift survey of 6,879 galaxies.

From their dataset, the researchers see no evidence of a supervoid capable of explaining the Cold Spot within the standard theory.

They instead found that the Cold Spot region is split into smaller voids, surrounded by clusters of galaxies. This soap bubble structure is much like the rest of the Universe.

The voids we have detected cannot explain the Cold Spot under standard cosmology, said Ruari Mackenzie, a postgraduate student in the Department of Physics and a member of the Centre for Extragalactic Astronomy at the University of Durham.

There is the possibility that some non-standard model could be proposed to link the two in the future but our data place powerful constraints on any attempt to do that.

If there really is no supervoid that can explain the Cold Spot, simulations of the standard model of the Universe give odds of 1 in 50 that the Cold Spot arose by chance.

This means we cant entirely rule out that the Cold Spot is caused by an unlikely fluctuation explained by the standard model, said Tom Shanks, a professor in the Department of Physics and a member of the Centre for Extragalactic Astronomy at the University of Durham.

But if that isnt the answer, then there are more exotic explanations.

Perhaps the most exciting of these is that the Cold Spot was caused by a collision between our Universe and another bubble Universe, Prof. Shanks said.

If further, more detailed, analysis of CMB data proves this to be the case then the Cold Spot might be taken as the first evidence for the Multiverse  and billions of other universes may exist like our own.

For the moment, all that can be said is that the lack of a supervoid to explain the Cold Spot has tilted the balance towards these more unusual explanations, ideas that will need to be further tested by more detailed observations of the CMB.

Details of the research were recently published in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. The article is also publicly available at arXiv.org.

_____

Ruari Mackenzie et al. Evidence against a supervoid causing the CMB Cold Spot. Mon Not R Astron Soc, published online April 25, 2017; doi: 10.1093/mnras/stx931
[ABUJA, NIGERIA] A project that started in 2012 is helping smallholders in 17 African nations obtain reliable and accurate weather data to increase crop yields.



Lack of reliable weather information in most parts of Africa is making many households lose from agriculture, experts say.

The Trans-African Hydro-Meteorological Observatory (TAHMO) project was started in 2012 with an ambitious plan of establishing 20,000 weather stations across Africa to help farmers in particular.

Providing a reliable source of weather information gives farmers some degree of certainty in weather measurement. Nick van de Giesen, Delft University of Technology

TAHMO stations are typically installed at local schools, where they can be used for educational purposes. The innovation known as ATMOS 41 is an all-in-one weather station that fulfils all weather measuring needs such as air temperature, relative humidity, vapour pressure, barometric pressure, wind speed and direction, solar radiation, precipitation and lightning.

Data generated by TAHMO stations is sent to an internet platform to aid accessibility and analyses to guide farmers. TAHMO explains that most all-in-one weather stations provide the option to measure either solar radiation or precipitation, but the ATMOS 41 provides both measurements in one device.



The weather patterns largely determine agricultural performance. More accurate weather information would allow smallholder farmers make better resource management decisions. Weather information also gives farmers access to services such as crop insurance.



Providing a reliable source of weather information gives farmers some degree of certainty in weather measurement, said Nick van de Giesen, a director of the project and a professor of the Netherlands-based Delft University of Technology, in an interview with SciDev.Net last month (26 March).



In Africa, weather influences how households decide to farm and the amount of household income coming from crop sales. When rains fail or prolong, livelihoods are lost, van de Giesen explains.



According to van de Giesen, the project was developed because of the near complete lack of systematic climate observations on the African continent which hinders scientific and economic development.



He adds that the project has been able to establish 105 stations in 17 African countries including Cameroon, Chad, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana, Kenya, Mali, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa and Uganda to help farmers.



John Selker, a professor of biological and ecological engineering at the US-based Oregon State University and co-director of the project, was quoted in a TAHMO press release on 22 March statement as saying that there is a decline in climate observation in Africa due to absence of equipment for real-time reporting and weather monitoring are not top priorities.

In Africa the opportunity to improve yields is phenomenal, Selker says.Niyi Sunmonu, a researcher with the Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria, tells SciDev.Net: TAHMO, like other meteorological data, will be of immense benefits to African farmers as it will provide basic meteorological information across different parts of Africa.Most African farmers depend on the rain, and thus the project is providing information such as the onset and cessation of rainfall across different parts of Africa to guide farmers, he explains.This piece was produced by SciDev.Nets Sub-Saharan Africa English desk.
A recent study from Duke University reveals the impact of hydraulic fracturing in West Virginia water reserve. The study shows that although the practice does not affect the ground water, but it contaminates the river and other surface water stream

The hydraulic fracturing process, or fracking, in West Virginia is conducted in the Marcellus Shale rock formation, in the northwest West Virginia. The area is known to be rich in natural gas reserved, but it has been criticized for its environmental impact to water reserve. However, a recent study from Duke University shows that fracking does not impact groundwater reserve, as reported by Fox News.

The study is a peer-reviewed study, which according to the Duke University press release, the study finds that fracking does not endanger the ground water but its wastewater treatment is harmful to the surface water stream. The team of researchers was led by the professor of geochemistry and water quality at Duke University's Nicholas School of the Environment, Avner Vengosh.

Based on consistent evidence from comprehensive testing," Professor Vengosh said. "We found no indication of groundwater contamination over the three-year course of our study

In the study, the Duke University team collaborated with other researchers from Ohio State University, Pennsylvania State University, Stanford University and the French Geological Survey. The team took the sample from 112 drinking well across northwest West Virginia for three years. The research has found that the argument from the environmentalists who oppose the fracking process about its negative impact on water reserve is not proven.

Although the three years study shows that process of fracking does not endanger the water reserve, but it affects the water stream. It is because the hydraulic fracturing process generates a wastewater as a result of its process to inject a high-pressure water into the rock to fracture it and force it to release the natural gas. Watch the animated video, explaining the fracking process below:


A study found out that periodontitis increases the mortality risk of those people who have cirrhosis. The research team reported that the mortality risk might still be decreased since periodontitis could be treated.

According to Science News Line, a team from Aarhus University Hospital in Denmark assessed 184 cirrhosis patients oral health and found out that 44% have the gum disease, periodontitis. An estimated half of those patients were said to have died a year later. Hence, the study concluded that people with periodontitis have increased the risks of those with cirrhosis.

Periodontitis may act as a persistent source of oral bacterial translocation, causing inflammation and increasing cirrhosis complications. As it can be treated successfully, however, we hope our findings motivate more trials on this subject, the study lead author, Dr. Lea Ladegaard Gronkjaer explained at the International Liver Congress, the annual meeting of the European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL).

The patients that have cirrhosis and periodontitis were studied for a total of 74,197 days, or an average of 350 days per patient. Gronkjaer was also reported to take into account demographic factors such things as age, sex, cirrhosis etiology, smoking, alcohol use, and comorbidities before assessing the patients.

She noted that there are differences between those patients that have severe cirrhosis and those who doesnt. Those with alcoholic etiology and current or former smokers has a severe case of the liver disease. While those who has lesser cirrhosis likely has an autoimmune or cholestatic etiology and less likely to have never smoked per Med Page Today.

Nonetheless, Philip Newsome, MD, a member of the EASL governing board, who was not part of the study mentioned that further research was needed to conclude whether improving gum health could improve people undergoing liver cirrhosis. Gronkjaer also noted that periodontitis was also linked to cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, diabetes, and respiratory diseases. She also concluded that poor oral health is common to those that have cirrhosis.
The vineyards in France are in danger because of the late spring frost that could destroy them. Winegrowers warned that the French vineyards in Champagne and Burgundy will hurt the harvest season if the spring frost would last.

Federation nationale des syndicats d'exploitants agricoles (FNSEA) spokesman Jerome Despey told AFP that the spring frostbite is really tricky. He added that the time the late spring frost arrived, that is when the grapes in the vineyars were just forming.

Currently, the cold snap has the temperatures as low as minus six degrees Celcius or 21.2 degrees Fahrenheit. Despey has also said that the temperature has already affected the vineyards in the Loire Valley and Languedoc-Roussillion in the deep south.

This is not the first time that vineyards in France experience this. Burgundy, known as the source of the favorite Chablis wines, had a similar freeze on the previous year.

A lot of winegrowers are currently trying to limit the damage by using heaters on their vineyards. Another way is the traditional method of setting out drums on oil with a fire burning in them among the vines.

Stephane Aufrere, a vintner in the Chablis region, said that it has been two nights in a row already that they have been up at midnight just to check the temperatures on the vineyards. She said that they light the fires as soon as the mercury drops to zero on a wet say and minus 2.5 if the weather's dry.

They are still very careful with this method, though. They are only deploying the fires on a small section of the 20-hectare or 50-acre vineyard because of monetary concerns.

Jean-Charles Tissot, chairman of the local wine marketing council, said that the spring frost could hurt the harvest of vineyards in the eastern Jura region. The region is known for their sherry-like vin jaune.

He said that the damage of this cold snap could reach 40 to 50 percent of their harvest. This is a huge damage for the harvest of vineyards.

Other people use water sprinklers on the vineyards, allowing a fine coating of ice to form on vines. This could also keep them from freezing through.
Author Kuki Gallmann, the well-known Italian-born author, and conservationist was shot at her Kenyan farm and carried for treatment after herders attacked looking for an area to spare their animals from drought. She is known for writing the best-selling book 'I dreamed of Africa'. A movie was also being released which was based on the novel.

According to The Telegraph, author Kuki Gallmann was in her car when she was attacked. After being shot, she was taken to the Nanyuki County Hospital for emergency treatment and then was shifted to Aga Khan Hospital for special treatments. It is reported that her condition is stable now.

Author Kuki Gallmann is 73 years of age. She was hit by a bullet which injured her seriously while she was looking over her property with the Kenya Wildlife Services rangers. She was surveying the harm done to her property by pyro criminals who burned down structures at one of Laikipia Nature Conservancy's tourism lodges.

Despite the fact that it is not yet known precisely who is responsible for the attack, the shooters are expected to be armed dairy cattle herders who have been attacking the property of author Kuki Gallmann and other adjacent farms looking for munching land. A savage dry season has driven these herders and a huge number of dairy cattle onto private homesteads and farms, The Washington Post reported.

Kenya is facing a drought which is believed to have a great negative impact on over half the country. This situation has also been declared as a national disaster for this East African nation. Kenya's military and police have been attempting to incapacitate and drive the herders and their animals out of farms they've attacked, yet their activities seem to have heightened the savagery. At the point when the military and police drive herders from one farm, they move into another. This is the main reason for the attack on author Kuki Gallmann.
The Kenyan wildlife authorities decision to guard Sudan, its last surviving male northern white rhino comes across as their last-ditch effort to save the famed horn animal from extinction. The African and Asian nations have failed to curb the killing of Rhinos and today their ever-decreasing population states a sorry figure.

According to CNN, the male northern rhino is on the verge of extinction and all hopes are pinned on Sudan the 43-year-old, 2,270 kg weighing white male rhino. Sudan and two female rhinos are the only three surviving rhinos in the world and any hope of the future of this sub-species completely depends on these three. Despite having two prospective female partners, Sudan is unable to mate because of age and some other factors.

With the Asian rumors of Rhino horn having magical medicinal healing powers, the killing of the poor animal is at an all-time high. In fact, experts believe Rhino horn business is more profitable than even the drugs. For the safety of Sudan, the Kenyan government has facilitated round the clock armed guards apart from the radio transmitters fixed on the animal for 24-hour monitoring.

Experts believe that Sudan's age may play a spoilsport in his mating attempts. George Paul, the deputy veterinarian at the conservancy believes Sudan may not be in a position to properly mount on the female rhinos. Also, Sudan's low sperm count is a worry apart from one of the female rhinos having weak hind legs and susceptible to support a mounted male rhino.

According to Mail Online, this particular reserve was chosen because of its successful black rhinos breeding track record in the past. The only other male northern white rhino 'Suni' died last October putting the complete onus on Sudan. These giant rhinos have no natural predators in the wildlife because of their size but human hunting has made their low survival rate alarming. With their ivory fetching as much as 47,000 per kilogram, these animals are under great threat from poachers.

The guards protecting the white rhinos including Sudan and his two female counterparts are themselves under risk from the poachers and keeping these animals safe is increasingly becoming very expensive. With as many as 40 guards safeguarding these rhinos 24-hours daily, the Kenyan government is looking for tourists' contributions and crowdfunding support to protect these animals.
MARION, S.C.  Officials with Carolinas Hospital System-Marion said the facility reached more than 30,000 people over the past year, positively impacting the well-being of Marion County and fulfilling its commitment to serve the health care needs of the area.

In 2016, the hospital admitted more than 2,300 patients and had more than 41,000 outpatient visits, performed more than 2,400 surgeries and delivered 250 babies. The emergency department alone received more than 23,000 patients urgently seeking care.

Marion County can count on Carolinas Hospital System-Marion for the health care services they need, said Parkes Coggins, chief executive officer of Carolinas Hospital System-Marion. Our top priority is to provide every patient with quality, personalized care.

The high standards have been recognized by national accrediting bodies and respected agencies, including Joint Commission Accreditation, 5-Star recognition of Mullins Nursing Center, U.S. News Best Nursing Home List, Blue Distinction Center designation for Maternity Care (BCBS), ACR Mammography Accreditation. The facility was named Top Performer on Key Quality Measures by The Joint Commission for Heart Attack, Heart Failure, Surgical Care, and Immunizations.

Additionally, patients can access more specialty services close to home. Two new physicians have come to the community over the past year, including Dr. Frederick James Hamilton, an orthopedic surgeon, and Dr. Chadwick Thomas, a general surgeon.

To support and enhance services, Carolinas Hospital System-Marion invested more than $1.4 million in capital expenditures for 2016. The expenditures included infrastructure projects, equipment upgrades and other minor equipment.

As Carolinas Hospital System-Marion continuously evaluates how to best respond to patient needs, it also gives back to Marion County. In the past year, Carolinas Hospital System-Marion has provided more than $3.4 million in charity and uncompensated care to the residents in the area who are most in need. The hospital also leaves a sizable footprint of more than $822,000 in property and business taxes, which in turn fund civic resources and services.

Carolinas Hospital System-Marion also enjoyed working with a number of local nonprofit and community organizations during the past year, including the Eastern Carolina Community Foundation, which facilitated the hospitals Employee Disaster Relief Fund, Relay for Life, March of Dimes, United Fund, American Heart Association and the children with special needs and disabilities. Programs offered by this hospital, including Senior Circle and Healthy Woman, are another extension of a commitment to the community, as are the numerous screenings that the hospital provides.

All of this is possible through the skills and dedication of our employees, medical staff and volunteers, Coggins said. We thank them for their unwavering commitment, which gives us a strong foundation for continued success.

Carolinas Hospital System-Marion is a 124-bed acute care facility offering services in medical/surgical, intensive care, labor and delivery, emergency services, wound care, inpatient dialysis, radiology, laboratory and rehabilitation. The system also includes a 92-bed nursing home, Mullins Nursing Center, and eight physician practices.
Estimados amigos,

Les doy cordialmente la bienvenida a este Blog informativo con articulos, analisis y comentarios de publicaciones especializadas y especialmente seleccionadas, principalmente sobre temas economicos, financieros y politicos de actualidad, que esperamos y deseamos, sean de su maximo interes, utilidad y conveniencia.

Pensamos que solo comprendiendo cabalmente el presente, es que podemos proyectarnos acertadamente hacia el futuro.

Las convicciones son mas peligrosos enemigos de la verdad que las mentiras.

There are decades when nothing happens and there are weeks when decades happen.

You only find out who is swimming naked when the tide goes out.

No soy alguien que sabe, sino alguien que busca.

Only Gold is money. Everything else is debt.

Las grandes almas tienen voluntades; las debiles tan solo deseos.

Quien no lo ha dado todo no ha dado nada.

History repeats itself, first as tragedy, second as farce.

If you know the other and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles.

We are travelers on a cosmic journey, stardust, swirling and dancing in the eddies and whirlpools of infinity. Life is eternal. We have stopped for a moment to encounter each other, to meet, to love, to share.This is a precious moment. It is a little parenthesis in eternity.
Kristy Arroyo cooks with a pounding heart. She races around her kitchen from one hot plate to the next, unplugging the one that boils hot dogs so that she can start the one for potatoes. She has not forgotten the time when she left too many of the electric burners on at once, and smoke poured out of the walls outlet, as her three children played on the floor.

I have to be cautious, Arroyo, 33, said. Its not easy.

Arroyo is forced to assemble dinners for her family every night using temporary electric burners, because the building where she lives, 454 Bedford Avenue on Williamsburg's Southside, has been without cooking gas for over a year. Taped to Arroyos apartment door, a poster reads in black and red marker: Turn on our stoves!

Ever since two high-profile gas explosions in New York Cityone in East Harlem that killed eight people in 2014 and another in the East Village that killed two people in 2015ConEdison is quick to turn off a buildings gas if there is any sign of danger. There were 779 gas shut-offs in New York City in 2016, up from 67 in 2014, according to the city's Department of Buildings.

But housing advocates, lawyers and tenants say this trend toward caution is having a harmful effect on many low-income and rent-stabilized tenants, who sometimes do not see their gas restored quickly. One building in the Lower East Side529 East 6th Streetwent 15 months without gas. A co-op in Chelsea was partially without gas for eight months in 2015.

Often, they say, this has become another tool used by landlords to push out tenants in order to fill apartments with others willing and able to pay more.

If she had the means to move, Arroyo would be long gone. An accomplished cook of Puerto Rican dishes, Arroyo is forced to feed her children simpler meals, like hot dogs and French fries. Even that takes hours, because it can take 90 minutes just for her $11.99 hot plates to boil water.

Arroyo said she is constantly broke from the expenses of living without cooking gas. The hot plates, which need to be replaced every few weeks, more than double her electric bills. She now pays around $250 a month for electricity, she said.

"I try to not cook on weekends so the bill won't go higher," Arroyo said, adding that she frequently has to purchase take-out in order to fill her three daughters stomachs.

After 10 months of this, Arroyo realized she needed to take action. One freezing evening in November, she organized a protest outside her apartment. She invited housing activists, tenants and news outlets. She told them all her story: In February 2015, she smelled something worrisome in her apartment and called the fire department. Almost immediately, ConEdison was on the scene and turned off her gas. But it was never turned back on.

In between her interviews in front of cameras, Arroyo spoke with tenants from all over the city that night who said they too are living without cooking gas.

I realized Im not alone, Arroyo said.

Indeed, shes not.

We should all be mindful, said Brandon Kielbasa, director of organizing at the housing rights group Cooper Square Committee. "You could be living in a building, happily, with no problems. Tomorrow your neighborhood is getting hot, and your building gets sold to a bad actor, and next thing you know youre dealing with it.

Laurel Parish, 50, has been without cooking gas for four months at her apartment in Inwood, Manhattan, and said she knows of two other buildings nearby in the same situation. I dont know if we are just too poor that we are on the bottom of a list somewhere, she said.

She has no other option but to wait for her gas to return.

I cant afford to move, Parish said, We are a gentrifying neighborhood for sure.

Kielbasa said most buildings with prolonged gas outages are located in neighborhoods that are becoming more expensive. Eager to cash-in on rising property values, landlords do speedy renovations, often hiring subcontractors who are either unqualified or pressured to complete the work in little time, which can result in issues that lead to gas shut-offs. For landlords trying to push out the tenants paying lower rents, a gas outage can be an opportunity, Kielbasa said.

That extra strain of forcing tenants to pay more out of pocket and having the ambiguity of when this will be resolved can help get out tenants, he said.

The issue prompted Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer to write a letter to city officials and the CEO of ConEdison last year, demanding answers. Id like to know more broadly what additional enforcement, regulatory, or other action we can collectively pursue to reduce the number and length of these gas service suspensions, Brewer wrote. Manhattans residentsespecially those with low or fixed incomesmust have cooking gas to feed themselves affordably.

Leases for apartments in New York City guarantee cooking gas, and landlords should offer their tenants a discount on their monthly rent while this service is not provided. But that is rarely done, advocates say.

And even though the city imposes violations on landlords who deprive tenants of cooking gas, the fees are never enforced and so landlords are not motivated to fix the problems, said Joanna Laine, an attorney at Brooklyn Legal Services Corporation A, who represents dozens of tenants living without cooking gas throughout the city. Landlords are held unaccountable, Laine said.

Usually gas outages begin with a tenant calling the fire department after smelling gas. ConEdison is called to the scene to inspect. If the company decides to turn off a buildings gas, the citys Department of Buildings gets involved. It is then up to the landlord to correct the buildings issues and keep the city updated. Once the landlord informs city officials that the necessary repairs have been done, the Department of Buildings inspects the site and if they deem conditions safe, the city issues the landlord an approval form. Once ConEdison receives this form from the landlord, the gas is restored.

Department of Buildings spokesman Alexander Schnell said tenants often complain that the city isnt responding to their complaints. But, he said, the department is usually waiting on a request from the landlord to inspect the building. Once the Department of Buildings receives that request, inspectors from the city usually arrive at the building within five days, according to Schnell.

Living without cooking gas is not only inconvenient and expensive; residents say they worry about their safety.

Cora Robinson, 62, lives at 1777 Grand Concourse in the Bronx, where tenants lost their gas in the summer. She had a stroke recently, and said her neurologist said it could have been caused by gas. Now the retiree walks around her apartment sniffing the air for signs of danger.

Im not sleeping. Im afraid of the gas, Robinson said. Its depressing.

Sometimes she sees workers in her building, but when she asks them questions they refuse to answer her, she said. "There is no communication."

She lives on Social Security and cant afford to leave her rent-stabilized apartment. But some of her neighbors couldnt take it anymore. Ive seen six families move out in the last three months, and new people move in, she said.

Eli Bleeman, the manager of Asden Properties, which owns the building where Robinson lives, said that it is tenants who are delaying the return of gas. He said residents need to allow the workers into their apartments to do the necessary work.

One plumber is there all the time. As long as he has access, he can do the work, Bleeman said. But its a two-way street.

Back in Brooklyn, Arroyo is still without gas. She's been to court many times, but said her landlord ignores the judge's deadlines to restore gas. The landlord's name is listed as 456-458 Bedford Corp. The managing agent, Cheskel Grunwald, did not respond to requests for comment. "The primary excuse he's been giving is essentially just that it's difficult to repair gas," said Laine, the lawyer who is representing Arroyo. Meanwhile, Arroyo says there are workers at the building all the time, renovating some apartments.

A woman just moved in next door to Arroyo, in one of the buildings new apartments. Arroyo and the woman sometimes chat in the hallway. One day, Arroyo asked how she was coping without gas. Her neighbor had no idea what she was talking about.
An eight-year-old boy was spotted walking alone on the J tracks in Brooklyn yesterday, according to police. He was reported missing from his Bedford-Stuyvesant charter school before a good Samaritan found him.

Cops told Gothamist the child was reported missing from the Brooklyn Excelsior Charter School just before 1 p.m. yesterday. At 2:30 p.m., police were notified that the boy was spotted on the southbound J train track at the Halsey Street Station. Witnesses on the platform spotted the boy and managed to pull him to safety before a train came.

He was transported to Woodhull Hospital for evaluation, but was uninjured, according to police. Cops say he has since been reunited with his parents.

The Brooklyn Excelsior Charter School provided Gothamist with the following statement from Principal Dr. Christopher E. Petty:


After two incidents last month, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers have once again found cocaine-taped to travelers' legs at JFK Airport. This time, two men on the same flight were arrested.

The arrests were made following an April 19th flight from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic to JFK Airport. Customs and Border Protection says that U.S. citizen Ariel Garcia "presented himself for inspection," and was taken to a private search room. During a search, officers say they discovered the packages containing a white powder taped to his legs. The powder later tested positive for cocaine; approximately 11 pounds of cocaine was confiscated, with an estimated street value of more than $180,000.

Fellow traveler Elvin Montilla-Sosa, a citizen of the Dominican Republic, was allegedly found with 12 pounds of cocaine packages taped to his legs and back. The coke has an estimated street value of more than $200,000.

Both men were turned over to Homeland Security Investigations and now face federal narcotics smuggling charges.
Coatings manufacturer Hempel pointed out that a clean and smooth hull reduces friction between the ship and the sea, making the movement of the ship through the water more streamlined and efficient, thereby reaping fuel savings and reducing emissions as well.

Amid the tough business environment in global shipping, Hempel understands that operators are seeking sustainable solutions to meet operators efficiency needs. At the Sea Asia 2017 conference and exhibition this week, Hempel [B2-R09] is and is showcasing its innovative fouling defence coating, Hempaguard.

Launched in 2013, Hempaguard delivers a significant 6% fuel saving compared to best-in-class antifoulings over the entire service interval, and has shown outstanding resistance to fouling - including during idle periods of up to 120 days.

Hempaguard uses an advanced combination of hydrogel-silicone and an efficient fouling preventing biocide in a single coat, releasing 95% less biocide than traditional antifoulings, giving higher efficiency and better environmental performance.

Significantly, Hempaguard retains its effectiveness when switching between slow and normal steaming giving fleet operators unrivalled flexibility over their fleet utilisation, providing competitive advantage in a difficult market.

Hempel cited that international tanker owner Euronav has been applying Hempel silicone coatings since 2007 and was keen to try this new technology. An application of Hempaguard was applied to the VLCC Famenne, which mainly trades in warm waters that are prone to aggressive fouling.

Inspections at 23 months and 45 months confirmed that Hempaguard continued to deliver a clean and smooth hull. These positive results have encouraged Euronav to switch a number of its vessels to Hempaguard.

Hempels R&D efforts continuously focus on bringing top coating solutions to the marine industry, ensuring the company offers products and services that contribute to optimising a vessels performance and minimising operational costs across its life cycle, Hempel stated.
At the Sea Asia 2017 conference session on ship finance, cfo of Neptune Orient Lines (NOL) Serge Corbel highlighted that the industry would now be more concerned with the refinancing of secondhand vessels and the vessels acquired from the demise of some shipowners.

For container shipping, there is currently not much stress on finding financing for new tonnage, but rather the concern is the refinancing of secondhand tonnages. The landscape has also moved into something new  where companies are looking to banks for corporate financing rather than specifically ship financing, Corbel told delegates at the conference.

Tay Kim Joo, director, debt capital markets, DNB Bank, confirmed Corbels concerns as he shared the reality that banks, if given a choice, prefer new ships.

Banks in general have internal policies on what age the asset must be and that it should be debt free, though it also depends on the asset type. But to put it straight, until today all banks prefer new ships, Tay said.

Indeed, the number and size of financing deals for new ships have declined, according to some numbers shared by Tay. During the first quarter of 2017, there were 22 ship financing transactions compared to 56 in the year-ago period. The average transaction size of the deals has also gotten smaller to around $180m from around $256m over the same comparative period. The 22 transactions in the first quarter is also the lowest ever in the past 10 years. This tells us that the market is very, very slow or close to dead, Tay said.

Zhou Ling, general manager, shipping leasing department, CMB Financial Leasing, said plainly that we prefer modern tonnage and secondhand vessels are a no-no for us.

CMB Financial Leasings business model has increasingly expanded its portfolio of international players, after it was first carved out by the Chinese government to support Chinese shipbuilding activities.

The shift to welcoming international players came due to changes in the market dynamics where there is now a lack of sufficient fundings after the withdrawal of major European banks from the ship financing scene.

The leasing model is certainly here to plug the gap. But going forward if the shipping market recovers to the extent that owners are able to again rely on traditional shipping banks, then the leasing model may become less attractive as we know the leasing model is more expensive than the traditional debt solution, Zhou said.

But for the time being we do see a need for leasing solutions. The owners who come to us typically look for more flexibility, higher leverage and longer loan tenure, she said.

Just two years ago, 100% of CMB Financial Leasings transactions were all done for Chinese domestic owners. Today, that equation has changed to 60% international and 40% domestic. New deals over the past 12 months seen at CMB Financial Leasing saw around 90% of international players.

BW LPG, another shipowner on the Sea Asia panel session, has not yet tapped into the leasing model of financing as the shipowner has still been able to secure support from traditional bank loans, according to the companys cfo Elaine Ong. It [financial leasing] is one area we are considering but it comes at a price so we need to look at it closely, Ong said.

Ong said the company has maintained a fairly good cash balance to brace itself for a rather hard fall in 2016 when rates declined. We have not resorted to alternative forms of financing and continue to try to steer our balance sheet to keep it at a healthy level, she said.
This is the third edition of the maritime report where Singapore was also ranked first in 2015 and 2012.

The latest Menon Report, developed by Norwegian consultancy firm Menon Economics, was launched at the Singapore Maritime Week 2017 with the results announced at Sea Asia conference held on Wednesday in Singapore.

Singapore was ranked number one in three categories  Shipping, Ports and Logistics, and Attractiveness and Competitiveness.

The republic also scored good results in the remaining two categories  second place in Maritime Technology and fourth place in Finance and Law.

The cities behind Singapores number one position are Hamburg in second spot, Oslo in third, and Shanghai and London taking fourth and fifth spots respectively.

The Menon Report is a widely-accepted study of the worlds leading maritime capitals, by looking at 24 objective indicators and garnering survey responses from more than 250 industry experts across all continents.

Andrew Tan, chief executive of Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), said: We are deeply honoured yet humbled by this recognition from the international maritime industry. This will spur us to work harder to make Maritime Singapore the global maritime hub of choice. We are truly grateful to all our partners and stakeholders for walking with us every step of the way.

The Menon Report noted that Singapore was able to maintain its reputation as a world leading maritime hub due to the width of the city-states maritime industry.

In the sectors of Shipping, and Ports and Logistics, the littoral state emerged first due to its strategic geographic location, as well as its position as an important centre for commercial management and the worlds second largest port, the report mentioned.

Singapore ranked top in overall Attractiveness and Competitiveness due to the ease of doing business and customs procedures. According to the report, seven in 10 experts regarded Singapore as one of the three most attractive cities in the world for relocating their headquarters and also identified it as one of the Maritime Capitals most prepared and ready to adopt digitalisation.

At the Sea Asia conference presentation, Erik Jakobsen, partner and chairman of the board, Menon Economics, said: We believe that the most important element (for Singapores success) is the long term consistent political strategy () and the strong cooperation between the government and the industry.

Additionally, in making predictions about the worlds leading maritime capitals five years ahead, the majority of industry experts surveyed shared a consensus that Singapore will remain the most important city, with many believing that the country has strong capabilities to handle digital transformation in the maritime industry.

To ensure that Singapore remains a leading maritime hub, MPA said it is driving the Sea Transport Industry Transformation Map (ITM) with industry stakeholders, to drive innovation and productivity, and equip the local maritime workforce with necessary skills to take on higher value-added jobs of the future.

Singapore is one of the worlds busiest ports with vessel arrival tonnage increasing by 6.3% to 2.66bn gt in 2016. Last year Singapore is the worlds second busiest container port with throughput recorded at 30.9m teu, and the worlds largest bunkering port with sales reaching 48.6m metric tonnes.
The 8,238-teu CMA CGM Otello, which is serving the new Java Southeast Asia Express service, is the biggest container ship to ever have berthed in an Indonesian port, local reports said.

CMA CGM will deploy 17 vessels on the service, which claims will have a transit time of 23 days down from the usual 30 days, and cost 20% to 30% less than before as transhipment in Singapore is eliminated.

Indonesian state-owned port operator Pelindo II, said the new call is an acknowledgement that infrastructure at the countrys largest seaport has improved and can now handle large mainline vessels and also handle some domestic transhipment.

The launch of the maiden Jakarta-Los Angeles direct route signals that [Tanjung Priok is] ready to be a transhipment port that is more cost friendly for clients, Pelindo II president director Elvyn Masassya said.

The New Tanjung Priok Port claims it can handle containers at 27 to 30 moves per hour, on par with other major international ports.

Pelindo II subsidiary development director Riry Syeried Jetta said the ports berths will be dredged to a depth of at least 16m to accommodate over 8,000-teu ships. It has allocated IDR2trn ($150.2m) for berth maintenance and dredging all berths to 16m depth. The work is expected to be completed by August.

Indonesia National Shipowners Association (INSA) chairwoman Carmelita Hartoto hailed the new service as a milestone for Tanjung Priok, but added that more needed to be done to compete against neighbouring ports such as Singapore.

They need to give more discounts and better service than PSA as well, she said.
Transforming the conference hall intp a parliamentary debating chamber six speakers - three for the motion and three against  put their case to the delegates, or members of parliament, with BW Group and Singapore Maritime Foundation (SMF) chairman Andreas Sohmen-Pao presiding as Speaker of the House.

The debate played out with a level of passion rarely seen at shipping conferences with core themes of other peoples money, or OPM, and scale running through the session.

Opening the speaking for the motion Michael Parker, global head of shipping for Citigroup commented on what has been happening in recent years said: The few have destroyed the many, and thats why the private shipowner will struggle to survive.

Kenneth Hvid, president and ceo of Teekay Corp, noted that the company had started out as a private one in the 1970s but gone public in 1995. Size and reputation matters, he stated, saying that a reason to be a public company is that bankers say they are focused on serving larger, public companies.

Mikael Skov from private equity backed Hafnia tankers said if you went to a bank wanting to buy one or two ships, it was not going happen and owners needed scale and a plan.

It was Greek shipowner Flippos Lemos, president of NS Lemos & Co, speaking against the motion, who coined the OPM term, which was then picked up by other speakers. Shipping is quite simply not an ideal fit for the broader equity capital market. Other peoples money serves to exacerbate short term investment in the industry, he stated.

Also speaking against the motion was Randy Chen, vice chairman of Wan Hai Lines, a niche privately-owned container line. Financial markets and shipping are rarely aligned, he noted. This means that decisions to buy are taken at the wrong time in the cycle.

The simple rationale is we take the capex decision out of institutional moneys hands. Thats how you can zig when other people zag, Chen stated.

Kenneth Koo, chairman and ceo of TCC Group, questioned if there ever had been any best days in shipping except perhaps in the 1950s in Asia, with any booms being very short.

As for the so-called supercycle in the noughties he asked: Who were the victims? Not us (family owners). I would say the banks were the victims as they kept on lending.

When it all came down to the vote at the end of the debate, the independent private shipowner turned out to be the clear winner in the eyes of the members of the audience with some 73% voting against the motion.
Over an inch of rain fell yesterday through this morning, bringing the monthly rainfall total back to almost normal. More rain is possible today, but the storm, which is centered just east of Atlantic City this morning, is weakening, so it's mostly going to be a misty, drizzly, foggy sort of day. This afternoon's high will be in the mid 60s, which is normal for late April.

Tomorrow will be slightly warmer than today with a high in the upper 60s, but much warmer weather will arrive on Friday. The Bermuda High is expected to move northward, pushing Friday's high into the upper 70s and Saturday's into the lower 80s. By Saturday the dew point temperature will be near 60, making it feel like a muggy mid-summer day.

Our taste of summer won't last too long as a cold front will pass through the region on Saturday night. This doesn't look like the strongest of fronts, but with the humid air mass in front of it we could see a few showers or a thunderstorm. Temperatures on Sunday are expected to be in the mid to upper 60s, which is much closer to normal.
Online Tech, an Ann Arbor company providing cloud, backup, and disaster recovery services to a variety of clients, is reaching into new markets and diversifying its data centers with the April 19 acquisition of Kansas City, Mo.-based Echo Cloud.

The Ann Arbor company began talks about an acquisition in January but needed several weeks to walk Echo Clouds clients through the transition. Online Tech CEO Yan Ness says making the acquisition a seamless process for Echo Clouds clients was important.

Ness says the acquisition made sense for both sides for a number of reasons. Ness says the main advantage for Online Tech is that it gets access to a new market in the Kansas City area, as well as Echo Cloud's "robust" data management product.

The advantage for former Echo Cloud customers is that Online Tech has a much broader range of products to offer Kansas City clients, including data hosting that is compliant with health care and credit industry standards of security. Echo Clouds existing clients will now be able to access their accounts through Online Techs portal.

With the addition of Echo Clouds two Kansas City-area data centers, Online Tech now has seven data centers spread across Missouri, Indiana, and Michigan, and that geographical diversity is another big advantage.

"When youre doing disaster recovery, companies want some distance between centers, so theyll be on two different power systems and experiencing two different weather systems," Ness says.

Companies can store their data on one system in one of the companys Great Lakes data centers and have a secondary system in Kansas City, or vice versa.

"When theyre located a good chunk of miles away from each other, theres confidence that you can handle a lot of different kinds of disasters," Ness says.

Sarah Rigg is a freelance writer and editor in Ypsilanti Township. You may reach her at

sarahrigg1@gmail.com
Victoria Schein moved to Dearborn last year for her job at Ford Motor Co. She lives close to work, so she either bikes or carpools with a friend. She enjoys getting sushi at one of the local restaurants and finds Dearborn a better fit for her than her home base of Palo Alto, California.

I like it here more, she says. It just seems a better fit for me and my career as well. It's really important for me to be in Dearborn to do what I want to do.

And for Schein, that means doing meaningful work. Living a life that matters is tied to my career and making an impact, she says.

As an engineering arts graduate from Smith College, Schein is the kind of young, tech-oriented millennial worker that Ford Motor Company is hoping to attract and retain as it looks to refocus its mission toward a tech-oriented "mobility" company.

As we are transforming from automotive to automotive and mobility, it's created new opportunities for us to recruit talent," says Julie Lodge-Jarrett, chief learning officer and global director of learning, organization development and recruiting for Ford. Fields such as connectivity, mobility, and autonomous vehicles are exciting areas for the automaker in terms of recruitment, she says.

We amplified our recruiting efforts, and that has led to different competitions for talent. We're now competing with tech companies that historically, in the traditional automotive space, we wouldnt have competed with.

For example, take coding, which can be done from anywhere. But the opportunity to do it at Ford has the potential to impact millions of lives, says Lodge-Jarrett.

"We can tackle macroeconomic issues like road congestion and pollution," she adds. "It's an impact we see many early career employees interested in being a part of. They don't want to just work for a company; they want to work for a cause. They want to be part of things larger than themselves.

Ford has designed programs to help attract and groom these millennial employees. One such initiative is the Ford College Graduate program, a 32-month, a rotational-based program that gives younger employees the chance to try out different assignments. Upon completion of the program, the employee is placed in their home department to continue their career at Ford.

Schein, originally from Southern California, is a Ford College Graduate participant. She was offered a permanent job four months into her internship. She has worked in innovation management and at the moment is working in climate and thermal systems. Shes up for a new rotation soon and is likely going to be in the design studio, which leans more toward her long-term career goals.

Ford is also helping cultivate millennials like Schein is through a partnership with the nonprofit sector. Last year, Ford launched a 30 Under 30 program; a leadership course that partners 30 top employees under 30 with nonprofits. In this program, Ford employees consult on topics such as human-centered design and use their skills to offer innovative ways to approach nonprofit business models. The goal is to help build future generations of community-minded employees, Lodge-Jarrett says.

Another program targeting younger workers is the Catalyst Innovation Challenge, which Schein likens to Shark Tank. What started as was a self-initiated grassroots effort now has hundreds of employees from across different departments working together on an innovative idea, Lodge-Jarrett says.

2017 CATALYST winners. Photo courtesy Ford Motor Company.

In the program, teams choose an idea and produce a business plan or concept that they present at Demo Day. The work spans different departments, bringing employees who might not otherwise work directly together in a collaborative space. Mentors provide guidance, and senior leaders evaluate the ideas and give feedback.

In multiple instances, we have commercialized the ideas they've come up with and put them through our product cycle plan, Lodge-Jarrett says.

As part of its strategies to attract and retain younger talent in-house, Ford is also working with the City of Dearborn and its downtown district to make Dearborn a the kind of place millennials want to live, work and play.

Last year, Ford Land, a subsidiary of the automaker that owns and operates approximately 5 million square feet of commercial office space in Dearborn and Allen Park, announced Wagner Place, a $60 million project thats part of the companys 10-year plan to overhaul the aging Dearborn facilities and bring 30,000 employees from 70 buildings to two sites: a product campus and a world headquarters. The project entails turning two blocks of mostly vacant buildings into a mixed-use development with outdoor space, retail, and offices for 600 employees.

Rendering of Wagner Place development. Courtesy Ford Motor Company.



"We see this as an opportunity to create a landmark-type destination that will attract and appeal to the millennial generation, says Cristina Sheppard-Decius, executive director of the West Dearborn Downtown Development Authority.

Cristina Sheppard-Decius. Photo by Doug Coombe.In recent years, new restaurants such as Brome Burger and Shakes, bars and housing developments such as 42 units of housing in West Village Commons above Bar Louie have moved into the city.

Dearborn is also launching its bike share in June as well as adding more bike lanes to make the city more bike-friendly and walkable. For example, the city is also working with the Ford development to make West Village Drive a festival street that will be shut down for events.

We're also working with them regarding tenant recruitment and looking at specific retailers and restaurants we want to bring in specifically for those main floor spaces, Sheppard-Decius says, adding Ford Land has been a good partner on promotions such as Dearborn Restaurant Week.
Press Release

April 25, 2017 Statement of Sen. Leila M. de Lima on the filing of criminal complaint against President Duterte at the International Criminal Court It did not come as a surprise that a criminal complaint has been lodged at the International Criminal Court (ICC) against President Duterte and 11 senior government officials for crimes against humanity, thus warranting an investigation, the issuance of arrest warrants, and the convening of a trial. The complaint is solidly based on verified and verifiable documentary and testimonial evidence--more than journalistic anecdotes--on the complicity of the President and his officials in orchestrating, encouraging, and perpetuating the culture of impunity in the killing of suspected drug offenders and innocent civilians, including women and children. In fact, there are real witnesses who risked their own lives and their families to come forward and testify about the truth. Far from what others claim, the complaint is not black propaganda or a political ploy to oust the President. Instead, it is a formal complaint lodged before the ICC because the Filipino people have already been alarmed, to say the least, about the continued daily killings in the Philippines. It is about making our elected officials accountable for the horrific crimes being committed before the eyes of the Filipino people and the world. I call on the honourable judges of the ICC to heed the Filipino people's pleas. These killings must stop now, and those who allowed the perpetration of these crimes against humanity must be investigated and tried in the world's court for the sake of the thousands of victims of extrajudicial and summary killings, and their widows and orphaned children.
GRACE POE VISITS FPJ RICE PADDY, BACKS 'AGRINNOVATION'

Sen. Grace Poe today hailed the ingenuity of Filipino farmers behind the creation of the rice paddy art on a farm in Nueva Ecija which features the faces of two generations of Ang Probinsyano--her father, the late King of Philippine Movies Fernando Poe Jr. and actor Coco Martin.

"Umaasa tayo na ang kahanga-hangang proyektong ito ay makakapagpalaganap ng interes sa pagsasaka, lalo na sa ating mga kabataan. Ipinapamalas nito ang ating kakayanang maging malikhain para higit na mabigyang pansin ang sektor ng agrikultura," said Poe who visited the rice paddy art in Barangay Maligaya, Science City of Munoz on Tuesday, April 25.

Photos of the FPJ rice paddy art went viral on social media, drawing tourists from all over the country. The rice paddy art is part of the Philippine Rice Research Institute's (PhilRice) FutureRice project which showcases modern technologies to help prepare rice farmers to cope with climate change and environmental degradation.

PhilRice used the purple rice variety for the faces of featured artists, providing a visual contrast to the regular green-leafed variety in producing the art.

"Nakakataba ng puso ang pagtatampok sa aking ama sa napakagandang proyektong ito. Malapit sa puso ni FPJ ang ating maliliit na kababayan, lalo na ang mga magsasaka na naging bahagi rin ng kanyang mga pelikula," Poe said. ? Poe also hoped that the continuing research and training at PhilRice could help bolster rice production and bring food security in the country.

"Inaasahan natin na mabibigyan ng sapat na suporta ng gobyerno ang ating mga magsasaka upang mas maging produktibo sila at mapababa pa ang halaga ng produksyon ng bigas para na rin mas makinabang ang mga mahihirap. Ang bigas ang isa sa pinakamalaking pinaglalaanan ng budget ng isang pamilya," Poe said as she met with PhilRice researchers and workers involved in the planting of the FPJ rice paddy art.

The government needs to raise the productivity of our best rice lands to get close to, if not match, production costs in our rice exporting neighbors. The government, now more than ever, should provide full support to our farmers especially those who are situated in our rice-growing provinces, explained Poe.

The cost of palay production is higher in the country, at P14 per kilogram, compared with neighboring countries like Vietnam (P6-P7) and Thailand (P8).

Poe toured the PhilRice laboratories which house the genebank, molecular laboratory, rice chemistry and food science. The five-hectare farm also showcases clean energy facilities, drone technology, advanced farm machines, and an experimental field that demonstrates hybrid, inbred, and traditional rice varieties. The FPJ rice paddy is available for viewing until May 14.
Press Release

April 26, 2017 ANGARA ENCOURAGES FOREIGN MOVIE SHOOT IN PH BY TAX INCENTIVE GRANT SENATOR Sonny Angara has sought to grant tax incentives and other perks to foreign film makers should they shoot their movies here in the Philippines. The incentives are contained in Angara's Senate Bill 1330, shortly titled, "Philippine Film and Television Tourism Act," which, if enacted into law, will make locally-shot international movies huge "advertising billboards" that will surely generate the interest of foreign tourists to include the Philippines in their list of destinations. "Film tourism is a growing phenomenon wherein tourists visit destinations that they saw in movies, televisions, or videos. We have to take advantage of this trend by encouraging foreign film producers to shoot here in the Philippines in exchange for certain benefits, in addition to best locations for movie making," Angara said, pointing out the job opportunities that will definitely result from such additional tourist arrivals in the country. Section 9 of the bill specifically grants an international or foreign film or television production tax and duty free importation of filming equipment, to be determined and endorsed by the Philippine Film and Television Tourism Authority (PFTTA), which shall be created to run the affairs related to film and television tourism. Another incentive is the issuance to foreign nationals who are members of the international film production entities, as duly endorsed by the PFTTA, of a multiple entry special visa valid for a period of one year. "By boosting the film tourism, the Philippines stands to increase tourist arrival and stimulate the economy. A dollar spent by a tourist for accommodation is multiplied by 2.1 times for the economy as it creates jobs and will have positive effect on other economic or industrial sectors," the chair of the Senate ways and means committee said. He cited the experience of New Zealand where its international visitor arrival increased by 50 percent since the first instalment showing of the "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy in 2001. "Recognizing the potential of international and local motion picture production to create jobs, grow the economy, and raise the nation's international profile, offering production tax incentives and other additional benefits are necessary steps our nation ought to take to seize this new opportunity as levers for growth and development," Angara stressed. He said the government should also give its support to the local movie industry, which has been begging for attention. According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, from 1960 to 1999, the Philippines produced an average of 140 movies each year. However, from 2000 to 2009, local film output fell to an average of 73 annually. Last year, only 78 local films were made.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art is considering charging admission to visitors from outside of New York in hopes of alleviating a significant budget deficit. Though the Met famously boasts a "suggested admission" thanks to an agreement with the city, the Times reports museum officials are trying to get the city to alter that deal to close the gap on the approximately $15 million deficit.

Visitors to the Met can pay whatever they want as part of an 1893 law that offered the museum state funds in exchange for free admission, though they do advertise a $25 "suggested" ticket fee (which was the subject of a lawsuit in the past). But in 2013, the Met signed an amendment to its lease with the city that allows it to renegotiate its pay-as-you-wish policy should it require more money.

Considering recent revelations about the museum's multimillion dollar deficit, it appears that time is now. City officials say they've spoken to the Met about potentially charging admission to tourists, while locals would still be able to pay a suggested admission. "We are still waiting to see the proposed plan between the Met and our department of cultural affairs. The Met is one of our most beloved, historic New York cultural institutions, and we are ready to work with them to make sure they have the resources they need to thrive," mayoral spokesman Ben Sarle said in a statement today.

In February, Met director Thomas P. Campbell resigned, and in the wake of his departure, staffers revealed he and the museum's top executives and board of trustees mismanaged the museum (Campbell was also accused of having an "inappropriate relationship" with a staff member to whom he allotted "power well beyond her rank," according to the Times). The museum subsequently had to cut down its number of annual exhibitions from nearly 60 to 40, laid off staff, and postponed building a new wing, among other cost-cutting measures.

Currently, the Met's suggested admissions fee covers about 13 percent of the museum's annual revenue, and they expect making that $25 fee mandatory for tourists would net them millions of dollars. The city, which contributes about 8 percent of the Met's budget, may then redirect its funds toward other public art projects. Whatever we do is going to be collaborative and mutually supportive, Met president Daniel H. Weiss said. All were doing is exploring.

Other museums with pay-as-you-wish ticketing include the American Museum of Natural History, the Brooklyn Museum, MoMA PS1, and the Museum of the City of New York.
Sen. Leila M. de Lima's Handwritten Note

Dispatch from Crame No. 71

4 / 26 / 17

Of course, Duterte's allies would be quick to hit Atty. Sabio's bold move via his communication to the ICC and dismiss the same as "doomed." Ostensibly so.

Subliminally, though, if not consciously, these presidential defenders know the grave implications and high stakes involved should ICC formally intervene and indict the President and his enforcers. That is why Solgen Calida, an obnoxious creature as he is, now moves to demonize the complainant, Atty. Sabio, and threatens hims with a disbarment rap.

When will the President's underlings ever learn to fight fair and square?
Press Release

April 26, 2017 STATEMENT OF SEN. LEILA M. DE LIMA

ON OMBUDSMAN MORALES' STATEMENT ON JURISDICTION I welcome the statement of Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales that her office has jurisdiction over the obviously sham drug trade charges the Duterte administration has brought up against me. Her statement only validates our outstanding argument before the Supreme Court that the criminal charges filed at the lower courts should be dismissed for lack of jurisdiction as the alleged crimes I was wrongly accused of were purportedly committed in relation to my office as then Secretary of Justice. Clearly, these trumped-up charges are nothing but sinister ploys of political persecution to silence me from speaking against the Duterte administration's murderous war on drugs. And with the pronouncement of the Ombudsman that her office has jurisdiction over these charges, there is still an opportunity to determine, once and for all, the legitimacy of the proceedings undertaken by the DOJ against me. This can be considered by the Supreme Court in the resolution of my petition once they decide, hopefully, that Judge Guerrero has no jurisdiction over the drug charges filed with the RTC of Muntinlupa.
Press Release

April 26, 2017 Transcript of Ambush Interview with Senate Minority Leader Frank Drilon Drilon: The death penalty bill is not part of the legislative agenda. To me, I have two conclusions: the Senate President does not believe in the death penalty or number two, he is not confident that he will be able to carry the Senate insofar as the death penalty bill is concerned. Q: May promise daw na at least madebate lang? Drilon: Hindi ko alam but it's still in the Committee on Justice. Q: Wala pa yung legal opinion ng DOJ? Drilon: Wala. The issue was whether or not the Second Optional Protocol was ratified and the opinion of the Secretary of Justice is sought. Again, the situation is the previous administration specifically President Arroyo and then Secretary of Foreign Affairs that with the law which prohibited the imposition of death penalty, we are deemed to have ratified the Second Optional Protocol. They took the position that it was ratified and the United Nations was duly notified that we have ratified that Second Optional Protocol. The UN did not look behind the notice of ratification and considered this as a ratification, and therefore, bound the Philippines to that act of ratification. I will repeat, the UN considered it ratified on the basis of notice of Arroyo and Romulo. The executive took the position that it was ratified and the UN said that okay if you said it's ratified, we do not question and believe that it is ratified.
Press Release

April 26, 2017 Excerpts from the Kapihan sa Manila Bay Forum with Senate Minority Floor Leader Franklin M. Drilon Drilon: There are a number of measures pending in the House and in the Senate. The most controversial would be the reinstatement of the death penalty. Number two is the postponement of the barangay elections. The tax reform package will be deliberated, although it's still in the House. These are very substantial and controversial pieces of legislation and I am not very optimistic that we could tackle them in the next four weeks substantially. For example, I do not see the death penalty bill as moving forward in the Senate. Right now it is stuck in the Committee on Justice. No hearing has been held, except for one. From my own reading, there are about 13 senators who will vote against the reinstatement of the death penalty. I don't see how it can pass for the next five weeks, or for that matter during this Congress, unless a number of senators will change their minds. There are six in the minority who will oppose the bill and our ally in the LP, Senate President Pro-Tempore Ralph Recto. I don't see the death penalty being approved by Congress. On the matter of postponing the election, the schedule is very tight; there is no committee report in the Senate. The tax reform bill is still in the House. On my part, I will be working on two important measures. This is the revision of the Revised Penal Code in order to update the monetary values upon which the penalty is based, because the monetary value today upon which the penalty is base is still premised on the 1932 peso. What we did is to update these money values so it becomes more realistic. We will approve it on third reading when we come back on Tuesday. Also, we are working on the amendments to the Corporation Code in order to make business easier to make in the Philippines. Q: The LP already broke off from the coalition, is that the reason why the LP is taking a hard stance? Drilon: Let me qualify that. It's not simply taking a hard stance. For example, the matter of reimposition of the death penalty, if you notice there is a bipartisan support in maintaining the present status quo. It's not simply because of the LP, but because individually or collectively the senators think we should not impose the death penalty. In fact, there are seven from the majority coalition today in the Senate who are against the reimposition of the death penalty and six from the minority. Q: It's an individual's stand? Drilon: That's correct. That is what the Senate is. We take our position on the basis of each bill that comes before us. Q: There are certain bills that you also support? Drilon: That's correct. The tax reform package, in general, the LP is in support of the tax reform measure. To me it is about time that we review our tax base. Q: As you said, there are barely four weeks before you adjourn, how would LP try to separate the individual from the party stand? Drilon: There are certain measures where we'll take a party position. For example, the reimposition of the death penalty, the postponement of the barangay elections; the tax reform package, as a party, we will support it. Q: It is now very clear that the LP will be the chief fiscalizer? Drilon: That's correct. Q: How about the House? Drilon: I cannot speak for them. We allow them to take their position because sometimes there are circumstances, which would dictate the position of the LP contingent in the House. Q: The LP number in the Senate will be affected by Senator De Lima, who is now in jail? Drilon: Yes, she cannot vote, but that does not preclude us from asking the Senate leadership or asking the court to allow her to come to the Senate floor to vote on critical issues. If Jinggoy Estrada was give furlough, also Bong Revilla who was allowed to visit his father, for the same reasoning the court should allow Senator De Lima to perform her task as a senator; not in all cases but in certain critical votes in the Senate such, for example, the death penalty and the postponement of the barangay elections. When there is a need we will ask the court to allow her to cast her vote. Q: It doesn't have to be the move of the Senate? Drilon: It can be the move of Senator De Lima by herself. It can be the move of the Senate minority or the Senate leadership. She is not suspended. She is only physical restrained from attending the session because she's under the custody of the court. Q: Can we get your thoughts on Senator De Lima saying she feels disappointed with fellow LP at the House particularly Cong. Quimbo? Drilon: I have not discussed this with Cong. Quimbo. I would rather not make any comment until I am able to sit down with my colleagues in the House and get a briefing with our LP President as to the situation there. Q: Since you are the vice chair of the LP, can we just be clarified on the stand of the LP on the impeachment because Sen. Kiko said that is not the stand of the party? Drilon: We have not discussed it in the party. There was a caucus on Saturday among LP congressmen, to my knowledge because I was not here and I'm just basing it from media reports. I would like to sit down with our President and find out what exactly is the status. Q: Given the tight schedule that you are faced with, is there a move to make the postponement of the barangay elections a priority? Drilon: but I do not know. Q: Your stand on that? Drilon: I am against the postponement. The essence of democracy is that we renew our mandate regularly through an open and honest election. If you keep on postponing the election is not consistent with the principle. We have already postponed the election. The LP is opposed to this postponement. The best way to judge the performance of an elected public official is through an election, especially in the barangay where the electorate would intimately know the performance of their local officials. The smallest unit in our system of government is the barangay, kilalang-kilala mo yung kapitan at tanod ay kung talagang involved sila sa drug ay hindi mo iboboto iyan. To me the cleansing process is the election. Q: During the break, Cong. Alejano initiated an impeachment complaint against Duterte. Does the Senate have the time for that? Drilon: Whether we have a time or not is immaterial. The House will impeach and our obligation is to try. So whether or not we have the time is beside the point. If the House dismisses it, that's it. If the House processes it and votes, we have to try it. Q: On the LP house contingent position on the impeachment complainst vs Duterte and Robredo Drilon: It cannot be denied that we are today polarized as a society. To tackle the impeachment in the House, the LP contingent in the House is of the view that it will not do us any good. That is why they have taken the position that they will not support the impeachment complaints against the President and the Vice President. Q: Parang quid pro quo? Drilon: There's no quid pro quo. They have taken the position they would not support any impeachment. Q: What is the primary reason why you are against the restoring death penalty? Drilon: As a former Secretary of Justice and as a lawyer, I shivered at the though of an imperfect justice system, where will be confronted with the situation where the death penalty would have to be imposed. I believe that our justice system is ineffective. Hindi po tayo pantay-pantay sa ilalim ng ating sistema kaya ayoko na magkamali ang isang huwes na i-impose ang death penalty, because a death penalty imposed cannot be corrected. It is basically, as a lawyer, I see a vey inefficient justice system and that is the principal basis of my opposition against death penalty. Q: What's your thought on the filing of a case against Duterte at the ICC? Drilon: I have not read the complaint and I am not familiar at all with the procedure in the ICC. Pag-aaralan ko muna and I will take a position. Q: Being the executive secretary noon, ikaw ang taga-awat? Drilon: The Executive Secretary should take a more active hand in resolving these disputes in the Cabinet. Today we see Gina Lopez vs. Secretary Dominguez then ES Medialdea; there are rumors of Secretary Evasco vs. Bong Go. Hindi po maganda yan. It's not a good projection. My suggestion is the executive secretary should crack the whip on behalf of the President. When I was ES, some cabinet member would say 'if it's not done, I would quit.' I called that secretary to ask for her resignation. The executive secretary must exercise his power for the good of the administration. They must express their views on in internal meetings, not in public. We must avoid quarrels that we today. Q: There is a proposed legislation against the members of the cabinet bypassed thrice by the Commission on Appointments. Do you support that? Drilon: It is inconsistent with the plenary power of the President to appoint. The CA should take a firm stand: we should vote after the third bypass. It is unconstitutional for Congress to pass a law that will prohibit the President from appointing members of his cabinet for a fourth time after being bypassed four times. The CA should either confirm or reject the appointment. I think that is the rule today in the CA. Q: One of the Senate investigations that produced quite good results is the investigation on the Bangladesh money scam. Are you satisfied? Drilon: Yes. The Senate did something beyond what it is supposed to do. That is to put pressure on the players to return $50 million. Enough pressure was placed on the players so that $50 million as returned. The remaining, if there is an opportunity, they must avail of the justice system now. Q: Yung 13 senators, solid po ba yung opposition nila kahit na ang kasama lang sa bill ang high level drug trafficking? Drilon: When I talk about the 13, they are basically against the reimposition of the death penalty and whether of not it is limited to drug related cases or high crimes, they are against the reimposition of the death penalty per se. There are 5 senators, to my recollection, who favor the death penalty, based on their media statements, among others because its application is limited to drug related cases. These are Senators Sotto, Pacquiao, Ejercito, Gatchalian and Villar. Q: Since yung 13 na yun, solid naman. Is it right to say na patay na yung death penalty? Drilon: In my view, yes. The death penalty is dead, at least for this Congress. Q: Kasi very clear yung 6 from the minority, seven from the majority - including Recto, Escuedreo and Gordon - Drilon: I don't want to identify them. Some of them told me in confidence. Q: When you say they say it in confidence, you can say na may commitment na? Drilon: Of course it's not written in stone. It's not a sworn statement, but certainly we are relying on their words. Q: What will happen to the gov't low cost socialized housing program now that there are legitimate recipients who now refuse to pay their monthly amortization as a result of what happened? Drilon: That is a challenge to this administration. That is a very serious precedent, which they now have to handle carefully. First of all, the Kadamay have taken over forcibly these housing units. What will happen if similar incidence takes place? Number two, now I read in the papers that those who legitimately were awarded and are paying for the housing units, and are now refusing to pay. If this spreads nationwide, what happens next? These are consequences that must be addressed by this administration, because of that policy allowing Kadamay members to occupy. There is a need for housing and that's a basic human right. The issue is tama ba itong nangyari at proseso? Q: Would you support a joint resolution redistributing government houses to different sectors including Kadamay? Drilon: I want to see the resolution first. But as I've said we must be prepared to accept the consequences of such act. Q: There is no way to correct it? Drilon: I do not know. You tell me because you have to enforce the law and enforcing the law means removing them from the units that they occupied without authority. Q: Reaction ninyo sa decision ng SC to junk the petition on Torre de Manila? Drilon: ...I think the decision speaks for itself. Q: What are your expectations on the ASEAN? Drilon: We must take this opportunity to reassert our sovereignty over the disputed island. We have a decision in our favor. We must continue to avail of every opportunity to assert that ruling by the arbitral court. Q: Some nations are pushing for a code of conduct... Drilon: I support that and the code of conduct should be based on the award by the arbitral tribunal. Q: Some Duterte's allies are questioning the timing saying that the complaint is meant to put the president in bad light? Drilon: The matter of the extra-judicial killings has been issue since the third quarter of last year, I do not know if there is anything in the timing. As I've said, I am not familiar with the procedure in the ICC or have I read the complaint, so I will leave it at that. Q: What is the value of this case when you have already done your part - Senate investigation - and there are cases in the Ombudsman already? Drilon: One of the basic principles in the rules of the ICC is that you must show that internal and domestic procedures have not been effective. That's an issue that the ICC prosecutors would have to tackle. Q: On the CA appointment Drilon: There is no rule that the President cannot reappoint. There is a proposal to enact a law that will disqualify a nominee bypassed three times. The proposal before is that if you are not confirmed after you are nominated three times, you can no longer be appointed by the President. I objected to that rule, because you are limiting the power of the President to appoint. Our role as CA is to pass upon the qualification of a nominee. That will encroach on the presidential prerogative to appoint. I Subject to verification, I think the rule today of the CA precisely would require a vote if confronted with such situation. Q: On former Pres. Arroyo blaming former Pres. Aquino on South China Sea issue Drilon: I would like to think that it is misplaced and absolutely has not basis. We should put the blame on China rather than on PNoy for asserting our rights. It's absolutely no basis to lay the blame on former President Aquino. Q: On the plan to summon former President Aquino on the reopening of the Mamasapano incident Drilon: The matter of who will summon is a prerogative of the chairman. I'm sure that President Aquino is not hiding anything. I have no doubt about the ability of President Aquino defending himself. This had been investigated, re-investigated. We keep on beating the dead horse. Q: The economic managers have been pushing for the tax reform, what are the chances of it getting passed? Drilon: We have not even seen the tax reform agenda. In taxation, the House takes the lead. Tax measure originates from the House and we have not seen the House version. I cannot make a comment on something that is still up in the air. Q: A lot bills are still up in the air, what does this say of the President and his relationship with Congress? Drilon: I leave that question to you. Q: On the tax reform bill Drilon: The tax system has to be revised. Conceptually, there is a need to review our tax system, including, by the way, a review of tax incentives granted to our businessmen, because this is one of the areas being abused. Q: On labor contracting Drilon: I call on the Senate leadership to come out with a position on this issue because this is a policy issue. The matter of a labor-only contracting is in the labor code. If we wish to revise this, this is a revision in the policy and in the implementation of the law. It is about time that Senate President Pimentel should take a close look at this and take a position. Hindi pwedeng we will just keep on sweeping this under the rug. As a policy-making body, we must come with the proposed policy change. We cannot leave it to the labor secretary. We should not come out with a policy decision on how to handle this. Q: How would you describe the leadership of SP Pimentel? Drilon: I would not comment on that. That is not proper. Thank you very much, Ichu, for your invitation.
Press Release

April 26, 2017 Drilon: Cabinet infighting not good for country Senate Minority Leader Franklin M. Drilon on Wednesday urged the members of the Duterte Cabinet to get their acts together and stop the infighting among their ranks. "I urge the members of the cabinet to confine their disagreements among themselves and resolve their disputes through meetings away from the public's eye," Drilon said. "It is for the good of the country if they will stop bickering and criticizing each other in public, so that they can focus on the country's most pressing concerns and challenges, as well as on the hosting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit 2017," Drilon stressed. Drilon, a former Executive Secretary during the Cory Aquino administration, said that the publicized clashes between Cabinet members and other Malacanang officials "needlessly distract and hamper the government's ability to address real issues directly affecting the lives of Filipinos." He said the country needs to project the national government as a unified, stable and efficient institution of democracy. "The President must fulfill his leadership role, and that will largely rely on our government being focused and free from the squabbling that we have been seeing in the past few weeks," Drilon underscored. Drilon pointed to the recent spat between Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea and Environment and Natural Resources Gina Lopez, as well as media reports of alleged power struggle between Cabinet Secretary Leoncio Evasco Jr. and Special Assistant to the President Bong Go. This was also the case of former Interior Secretary Ismael Sueno and three undersecretaries in the Department of Agriculture. "Now more than ever, we need government to give its undivided attention to issues that Filipinos actually care about - better basic services, improved disposition of justice and the rule of law, and peace and order - not to word wars between bureaucrats," Drilon concluded.
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Before Oakland became a concrete jungle, herons ruled a small section of what is now downtown. If a heron chick fell from its nest, the grass and shrubbery below would pad its fall, and it could use the foliage to climb and fly back home.

Now, however, that landing place is more likely to be a sidewalk than a meadow, and a baby heron that plummets to the cement stands very little chance of growing up to be an adult heron. Unless, that is, its helped by a 2-year-old effort by the Oakland Zoo, Golden Gate Audubon Society and International Bird Rescue to rescue heron chicks that take a hard fall.

Weve got basically a wildlife-human conflict right in the midst of a major city, said Cindy Margulis, executive director of the Golden Gate Audubon Society.

Black-crowned night herons and snowy egrets that used to nest mainly around Lake Merritt have resettled in recent years to a pair of downtown spots west of the lake, along 13th and Alice streets and at 12th and Harrison streets, said zoo spokeswoman Erin Harrison.

The chicks are hard to spot in their canopies, their presence revealed mainly by remnants of greenish eggshells littering the pavement and an occasional screech that can be heard a block away.

Its this crazy sound, Margulis said, comparing the herons call for food to yabba-dabba-doo meets Beethoven.

Liz Hafalia/The Chronicle

The Golden Gate Audubon Society has identified 130 nests that each house up to three chicks at the two sites, as well as close to 20 nests belonging to snowy egrets that share the canopies with the herons.

As the parent herons forage for food or sticks to upgrade their nests, many baby herons will climb around their trees, trying out their wings, said Leslie Storer, a zoological manager with the Oakland Zoo.

If they fall, those wings wont be strong enough to keep them airborne. If the concrete doesnt hurt them, often times, theyll hide under parked cars or rest on the sidewalk.

Theyre trapped in a dangerous environment, Margulis said. Many will freeze to death, starve or be hit by a car.

The heron-rescue teams have saved seven chicks so far in 2017. The chicks stay at International Bird Rescues facilities until theyre able to fly on their own.

The first of the gawky, dinosaur-looking birds was released last week at Martin Luther King Jr. Regional Shoreline, Margulis said. The hope is that the birds will establish colonies near the water and away from the dangers of the streets.

Saving this rookery location isnt a priority  its saving the population, Margulis said.

A Golden Gate Audubon Society staffer patrols the streets once a day to check for fallen birds. If a chick is there, the zoo sends in a handler to retrieve the bird and takes it to International Bird Rescue in Fairfield for long-term care  anywhere from a week to 40 days.

Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Updated to include drought zones while tracking water shortage status of your area, plus reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts.

The zoo and bird rescue center decided to start the rescue effort after an incident in 2014 in which five baby herons were injured after the post office across from the 13th and Alice colony hired a tree-trimming service to crew-cut canopies, Margulis said.

The trimmer, whom the U.S. Postal Service had hired because the herons were defecating on mail trucks, initially faced criminal charges that could have resulted in jail time and a $15,000 fine. The charges were dropped when he agreed to pay $2,500 for the heron chicks care.

The nesting season for the white birds with a navy-blue backside and blood-red eyes generally is in full swing now, and will be until early May or so. The poop just comes with the territory, Storer said.

Enjoy the actual wildlife thats in your neighborhood  not cursing the fact that there is poop on your car, Storer said. Poop is good luck.

Sarah Ravani is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: sravani@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @SarRavani
Despite a cloud of uncertainty hanging over federal health care policy, several of the nations largest insurers are moving forward with plans to sell insurance on the Covered California exchange in 2018.

Kaiser Permanente, Blue Shield of California and Health Net, which collectively cover two-thirds of the 1.3 million Covered California enrollees, intend to continue selling plans on the California exchange, or marketplace, in 2018. The move is an incremental but important signal of confidence from insurers that they expect the exchange to continue operating next year, at least in California, whose exchange has been one of the most stable in the nation.

We are planning to participate in each of the marketplaces in which we currently operate ... in 2018 as we have in years past, Kaiser Permanente CEO Bernard Tyson said in a statement.

Anthem Blue Cross of California, which covers a quarter of the exchanges enrollees, is the last remaining large insurer on Covered California that has yet to clearly indicate its plans for 2018.

Michael Short/Special To The Chronicle

Anthem CEO Joseph Swedish said in an earnings call with investors Wednesday that the insurer will focus on participating in the markets that are on a visible path toward sustainability, but he did not specify which states or regions he considers sustainable. A company spokeswoman declined to say whether it views California as a sustainable market.

Anthem plans to file preliminary 2018 rates with the assumption the federal government will continue funding cost-sharing subsidies, billions of dollars that go to insurers  but is prepared to pull out of some exchanges if the funding is not secured by early June, Swedish said.

The White House confirmed Wednesday it will continue funding the subsidies, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-San Francisco, said in a statement. It is unclear how long the payments will continue.

Insurers in California face a May 1 deadline to submit applications to Covered California indicating their plans for 2018. That will kick off a months-long negotiation process to determine rates for consumers.

Kaiser sells health plans on exchanges in Maryland, Virginia, Georgia, Colorado, Washington, Oregon, Hawaii and the District of Columbia. The Affordable Care Act created the exchanges to help consumers shop online for health insurance. Some states, including California, run their own exchanges, while others use the federal exchange, known as Healthcare.gov.

Centene Corp., the St. Louis insurer that last year acquired Health Net  the fourth largest insurer on Covered California  will proceed according to business as usual and sell plans on the exchanges in 2018, executives said in a quarterly earnings call with analysts Tuesday.

It is easy to get caught up in the constant noise, but I believe it is time to move past the unfounded headline volatility, Centene CEO Michael Neidorff said during the call. Whether the ACA remains the law of the land or a repeal-and-replace comes to fruition, Centene is well-positioned. As to the exchange, we see nothing at this point to prevent us from proceeding in our 2018 marketplace participation.

Centene sells on exchanges in 13 states, including California. It saw better-than-expected growth in its exchange business in 2016.

Having multiple insurers on the exchange means consumers have more choices and competitive pricing.

Those insurers can compete with each other and offer better value, said Cynthia Cox, a health policy expert at Kaiser Family Foundation, which is unrelated to Kaiser Permanente. And people who have certain health conditions may need a certain doctor, and might want a choice of picking which provider network is better for them.

The decision by the insurers to move forward on the exchange comes amid continued talk by Republicans in Washington of upending the Affordable Care Act. However, they have yet to produce viable legislation to achieve that goal. The uncertainty has been enough for some major insurers to exit exchanges in other states: Humana announced in February that it will withdraw from all exchanges created by the act in 2018, leaving some areas of Tennessee with no insurer on the exchange. And Aetna recently said it will pull out of the Iowa marketplace next year. Neither insurer is on the California exchange. But the state did see United Health, the nations largest insurer, withdraw from Covered California last year.

Cox noted that of the insurers that have said theyre staying on the California exchange, Kaiser Permanente and Blue Shield of California are nonprofit, while Centene mostly served Medicaid patients before it joined the exchange. As such, they may be less subject to the same pressures that for-profit companies like Aetna or United Health might be, she said. Theres probably still a question about the remaining insurers and whether theyll stay or not.

For months, insurance executives have said that they need assurance from Congress or the White House that the federal government would continue funding the subsidies before they could decide whether to remain in the exchanges next year. The apparent White House decision to continue the subsidies may provide that assurance, though how long the administration intends to continue them is unknown.

The subsidies were created under the ACA to help the lowest-income Americans afford health care by lowering their co-pays and out-of-pocket costs. The money, which amounts to $7 billion a year, goes to insurers to defray the cost of providing health plans to those who would not be able to afford them otherwise. Nearly 700,000 low-income Californians have made use of them. Without the subsidies, insurers stand to lose billions in revenue and would have to increase premiums significantly, insurance executives say. Congressional Republicans want to eliminate the subsidies because, they have argued in a pending lawsuit, the Obama administration never had the authority to enact them because Congress did not explicitly allocate the money.

A study released Tuesday by the Kaiser Family Foundation found that cutting off the cost-sharing subsidies would cost the federal government $2.3 billion more next year.

Lauren Bartlett, a spokeswoman for Blue Shield of California, said in an email that the insurer plans to submit its application and intend(s) to work with Covered California to figure out a successful market in 2018. The insurer sells only on the California exchange.

Covered California Chief Deputy Executive Director Doug McKeever said Friday that the agency has not heard from insurers planning to exit the marketplace.

Theres a great deal of angst from insurers as to how theyre going to price the product, McKeever said at a health care journalism conference in Atlanta. Weve not heard from any insurers that they are going to be leaving.

Catherine Ho is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: cho@sfchronicle.com Twitter: Cat__Ho

Largest insurers on the Covered California exchange

1. Blue Shield of California  31% or 390,000 people

2. Anthem Blue Cross  25% or 311,000 people

3. Kaiser Permanente  24% or 297,000 people

4. Health Net (Centene)  11% or 143,000 people

All figures as of December
Every time a California community starts buying electricity on behalf of its residents  as San Francisco does with its new CleanPowerSF program  the states traditional utilities get stuck with excess electrons that theyve already bought but no longer need.

Customers of such community choice aggregation projects pay a monthly fee to the utilities designed to cover the costs of that excess power.

Now the utilities want to raise it.

On Tuesday, the states three big, investor-owned utilities filed a formal proposal with California energy regulators to change the way the fee is calculated, arguing that the current system no longer works.

Instead of spreading the costs of unneeded power fairly between utility customers who join a community choice program and those who dont, the current system places too much burden on the latter, according to the utilities.

At some point the customers who are left behind are going to face a really unreasonable burden, said Steve Malnight, PG&Es senior vice president of strategy and policy. We have to think differently about this.

Californias first such program, Marin Clean Energy, launched in 2010. Now community choice programs account for 13 percent of all the electrical demand on PG&Es grid, and the company estimates that figure could grow to 38 percent by 2020. Sonoma County offers a program, as do a group of cities on the Peninsula, as well as San Francisco.

This year, PG&E customers who dont belong to a community choice program will pay $180 million more to cover the costs of excess electricity than those who do, the company estimates. And as the popularity of community choice programs grows, that imbalance could grow to $500 million by 2020.

In other words, the company believes, customers outside of community choice areas such as Marin and San Francisco, as well as people in those communities who decided not to join, are paying a disproportionate amount to cover those costs.

PG&E joined Southern California Edison and San Diego Gas & Electric in Tuesdays proposal to the California Public Utilities Commission. Any change in the fee would require the commissions approval.

PG&E did not have an estimate Tuesday for how much the proposed changes would raise the fee faced by community choice customers. The typical CleanPowerSF customer currently pays about $8.35 per month to cover this fee, according to the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission.

Executives of community choice programs agree that the current system needs to change. But they argue that PG&E and the other utilities should also do a better job of selling off their excess electricity, which would lower costs for all customers.

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The unneeded power comes from long-term power purchase contracts signed when electricity prices  particularly for solar and wind power  were substantially higher than they are now.

But Barbara Hale, president of the California Community Choice Association, said the utilities have been selling their excess electricity in the short-term, spot market, rather than trying to sell the power under longer-term arrangements that might fetch a higher price.

If youre holding onto something thats costing ratepayers a lot of money, you should try to extract as much value as you can out of that, she said.

Under community choice aggregation, a city or group of cities working together buys power on behalf of citizens. But those citizens still remain customers of the traditional utility company in their area. They pay the community choice program for electricity, while also continuing to pay the utility for maintaining the power grid and, in PG&Es case, supplying natural gas. All of those charges, for both the utility and the community choice program, are paid on one bill.

David R. Baker is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: dbaker@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @DavidBakerSF
Jeff Holden, Ubers chief product officer, hates the phrase flying cars.

But he took to a Dallas stage on Tuesday to announce that Uber will offer a flying-car taxi service in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and Dubai by 2020  something he said fits cleanly into our mission and Ubers focus on big bold bets.

Its natural for Uber to turn its eyes to the air: push a button, get a flight, he said to an audience of several hundred people gathered for a three-day summit called Uber Elevate. Urban aviation can replace long-distance commutes.

Uber is among a bevy of well-funded companies pursuing the sci-fi vision of flying cars. Google co-founder Larry Page has a Mountain View startup called Kitty Hawk led by Sebastian Thrun, who launched Googles self-driving efforts. French aerospace giant Airbus is working on the idea, as are several smaller players.

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Ubers approach is different, however. Rather than creating its own flying machines, it wants to partner with other companies, both for the aircraft and the infrastructure. What Uber brings to the party is its 60 million riders, who one day could see an option to hit Uber Elevate in their ride-hailing app to call a drone.

Somewhat ironically, Holden said Uber also would bring its expertise on working with government and communities, because it already has relationships with regulatory authorities. That seemed to ignore the companys history of clashing with regulators worldwide.

For that matter, plenty of observers noted that Uber may be relieved to have a chance to focus on futuristic visions instead of the present controversies engulfing it, such as a lawsuit over its self-driving car project and accusations of toxic workplace culture and sexism. A judge ruled Tuesday that Anthony Levandowski, head of Ubers self-driving effort, must testify in the lawsuit filed by Waymo.

Uber has inked deals with five companies working on aircraft development: Aurora Flight Sciences, Pipistrel, Bell Helicopter, Embraer and Mooney. It also has agreements with real estate companies  Texas Hillwood Properties and Dubai Holdings  to start scouting places for vertiports; Holden said its identified four sites in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. And Chargepoint, the largest operator of electric-vehicle charging stations, will figure out how to top off the batteries.

The proposed vehicles look more like drones than cars. Technically they are electric VTOLs (vertical takeoff and landing, pronounced vee-toll). They fly themselves straight up into the air like a helicopter  meaning they can more easily take to the skies from dense urban environments  but then fly forward like a small aircraft.

Uber looked into actual helicopters for local transit but rejected them as too expensive, noisy, fuel-consuming and otherwise impractical, Holden said.

In October, Holden published a 99-page white paper outlining Ubers vision of air transit, including vehicles that would travel 100 to 150 mph, eventually making it cheap enough for the masses to use as daily transport.

Just like artificial intelligence, flying cars have been promised for decades but are arriving now, he said on Tuesday.

Plenty of big obstacles remain, such as creating a new air traffic control system and persuading regulators, experts said.

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The idea that the VTOLs may be autonomous is actually a plus, said Karl Bauer, executive publisher of Kelley Blue Book and Auto Trader. Normally it requires years of training to learn to fly. But if youve got computer-controlled flying devices that are all talking to each other, the average Joe can just tell it where to go and it flies itself.

How realistic is Ubers projection of sky taxis by 2020? It wouldnt be the first tech company to plant a stake in the ground, er, air, with an overambitious timetable, but thats not necessarily a bad thing, some experts said.

I love that Ubers a big cheerleader in this space, said Missy Cummings, director of Duke Universitys Humans and Autonomy Laboratory and a NASA researcher. Its great that theyre trying to generate excitement. But the big hurdles are safety and certification. Were not ready for you to jump in your own drone and hop over to Oakland.

Carolyn Said is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: csaid@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @csaid
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Busy Powell Street Station sits at the junction of the Tenderloin and tourist-heavy Union Square and is frequented by vagrants, panhandlers and pickpockets, as well as tourists, shoppers and commuters.

And Powell is the BART station with the most total crime. Yet on a per-passenger basis, riders are more likely to encounter crime at stations in southern Alameda County or eastern Contra Costa.

A Chronicle analysis of BART crime statistics over the past two years found that while crime is spread around the 44 stations in the regional transit system, its not always the worst, or best, where youd suspect. The analysis looked at 10 months of crime statistics, January through October, provided by the BART Police Department at The Chronicles request.

Systemwide, the report shows mixed results over the past year. Violent crime rose 5.6 percent from 2013 to 2014 during the 10 months, with assaults causing serious injury up 27 percent and lesser assaults and batteries up 26 percent. Calls for police assistance were up 10 percent, and vehicle thefts increased by 31 percent. But there were no homicides, robberies decreased 32 percent, and felony arrests were down 6 percent.

Officials at BART  which has struggled over the past couple of years with two strikes, an increasing number of breakdowns and a surge in ridership that has led to overcrowded trains  paint the crime statistics as a positive. They say that while ridership was up 7 percent over the past year, the severity of crimes seems to be down, arrests and citations up, and the overall crime rate, particularly for violent crime, is low.

We drive over 400,000 people a day, said Jeffrey Jennings, a deputy chief for the transit agencys police force. A small city every day. We do a good job of keeping people safe.

The transit system, which passes through parts of four counties and 26 cities, has had no homicides this year and two last year. Jennings said BARTs crime figures tend to mirror whats happening in the communities trains pass through  but at far lower rates.

BART is way safer than most people give it credit for. We do have our fair share, but look at the type of crimes we have, said Jennings, who joined BART two years ago from the Contra Costa County Sheriffs Office. Most are crimes of opportunity  purse snatches, phone snatches. There are very few armed robberies or strong-arm robberies.

Powell Station, one of four BART stops beneath Market Street in downtown San Francisco, is not only among the systems busiest stations, it also has the most crime. Powell ranks high in several categories of crime reports. The station recorded more violent crimes than any other station in the system as well as the most calls to police in both 2013 and 2014.

One of the reasons Powell has higher numbers, Jennings said, is that the BART Police Department has a substation there, providing a steady presence of officers. The agency has also stepped up enforcement in Powell and the other downtown stations since July, when it started a controversial crackdown on people who lie or sit with their legs extended.

Its one of the anomalies of law enforcement, he said. You have a greater presence, you have more arrests. But over time, hopefully, the numbers go down.

When the number of passengers passing through each station is taken into account, however, Bay Fair, Hayward and Fruitvale stations in Alameda County and Concord and North Concord/Martinez stations in Contra Costa County top the list of stations where riders were most likely to encounter violent crime.

Bay Fair station, on the southern end of San Leandro, sits next to the Bayfair Center mall and has a transit hub for AC Transit buses. Like Powell, its also home to a BART police substation.

Jennings attributed the high crime numbers at Bay Fair, as well as at the other stations in the Hayward, San Leandro area, to Band Camp, a gang that rode BART and committed crimes in the area during the summer months. BART police joined local law enforcement agencies to crack down on the gang.

Appropriately for the tech-savvy Bay Area, BART is increasing its reliance on data to drive enforcement and emphasizing enforcement operations that include undercover officers and stings.

Following a model developed in New York in the 1990s, BART police use statistics to determine where on the 105-mile system to deploy its 20 to 30 officers. Jennings meets weekly with commanders from the five enforcement zones to talk about statistics, trends and where and how to assign officers.

We use the data to find out whats going on, to ID the hot spots, said Officer Ken Dam, the departments data analyst.

Dam said he looks not only at which crimes are occurring and where but also during what time of day, on which days, and using what techniques. He also identifies parolees and probationers in the area to see if any of them match the types of crimes being committed.

Then we do directed policing, he said.

That can include undercover or sting operations or simply assigning more police officers and community service officers to a particular station, Jennings said. For instance, if the department determines that car break-ins are occurring at certain stations at certain times, he will flood those stations with community service officers, who are not sworn officers, to keep an eye out and alert police.

BART police have used sting and undercover operations more extensively  and successfully  this year, Jennings said. Since January the agency has conducted 24 data-driven operations, including undercover actions.

Thats part of the reason our numbers are up, he said. We have more arrests, more citations when we do this kind of enforcement.

While Powell and Bay Fair rank consistently high in the statistics, other stations also stand out  in good and bad ways.

Bay Fair, Hayward, Fruitvale, Concord and North Concord/Martinez stations were the top five stations for violent crime per capita in 2014.

Bay Fair, El Cerrito del Norte, Hayward and Civic Center joined Powell to round out the list of five stations with the most violent crimes in total.

Civic Center, Coliseum, Bay Fair and Pittsburg/Bay Point followed Powell as the stations with the most calls for police help.

The worst station for theft in 2014 was Hayward, followed by Coliseum, Fremont, Pittsburg/Bay Point and San Leandro.

Coliseum Station was the undisputed leader in vehicle thefts, well ahead of the other 33 stations with parking lots or garages. But Jennings expects that may change. The Coliseum lots have been surrounded with security fencing, he said, and an officer is stationed full time at the station or inside its lots.

On the other end of the statistical spectrum are the stations that stand out for their lack of crime. Glen Park station had the fewest violent crimes per passenger and also showed near the bottom in total number of police calls and total violent crimes in both 2013 and 2014. San Francisco International Airport Station, which is on heavily policed airport property, is also low on most of the crime lists along with Orinda and South San Francisco stations.

The station with the fewest stolen vehicles so far in 2014 was Lake Merritt, which reported no car thefts. Pleasant Hill, Glen Park, San Bruno and South San Francisco reported two stolen vehicles each. Glen Park, it should be noted, has just 52 spaces, while most have more than 1,000 and some more than 2,000.

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Considering the breadth of the system, the number of cities it passes through and the large number of passengers, Jennings said, BART passengers dont need to ride in fear of becoming a victim of crime, he said, though he advises riders to be aware.

How certain is he? He lets his 15-year-old daughter ride BART as long as shes accompanied by a friend.

I am very confident in the safety of BART, he said.

Michael Cabanatuan is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. E-mail: mcabanatuan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @ctuan

Staying safe

on BART

Download the BART Watch app, which allows you to report an incident, call BART police or send them photos.

Program (510) 464-7000, the BART police emergency line, into your phone. Its faster than dialing 911 from BART.

Be aware of your surroundings. Put down your phone and pay attention.

Zip your purse and dont put it on the ground.

Travel in pairs, especially during the holiday season.

Use community service officer escorts to cars during the holiday season at certain stations.

If fearful on a train, move to the first car, nearer the operator.

Remove valuables from view in cars  even change in the ashtray.

Park where there is light.

Dont hesitate to report anything suspicious.
President Donald Trump hasn't been in New York City since January 19, before his inauguration, but next month he will make his first visit as president. The White House announced last night that he will travel to NYC on May 4th to "commemorate the 75th anniversary of the battle of the Coral Sea" aboard the U.S.S. Intrepid. While there, he will also "conduct a bilateral meeting" with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.

Here's the announcement:

On May 4th, the President will speak aboard the USS INTREPID museum in New York City to commemorate the 75th Anniversary of the Battle of the Coral Sea, a major World War II naval battle in which the United States joined with Australia to halt the advance of enemy forces. That same day, at the museum, the President will also hold a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull of Australia. The President looks forward to meeting the Prime Minister and to strengthening the enduring bonds, deep friendship, and close alliance between the United States and Australia.

The Battle of the Coral Sea, in which United States naval and air forces fought along Australia against Japan, lasted for four days from May 4th to May 8th, 1942. The battle resulted in a strategic victory for the Allies.

In the early days of his presidency, Trump reportedly had a "heated" call with Prime Minister Turnbull, and senior U.S. officials told the Washington Post that Trump informed the Prime Minister: "this was the worst call by far." Turnbull later said the call "frank and forthright."

There is already a protest being organized to coincide with Trump's first presidential visitthe Facebook group is called, Protest Trump's first presidential visit to NYC!by Resist Here and Working Families Party.

And midtown traffic should be... something.
Seeking to track down some of the 40 to 60 teen robbers who took over a train car in Oakland, BART police investigators have pored over video footage, interviewed witnesses, combed through social media chatter and shared surveillance images of the suspects with other police agencies in an all-points bulletin.

But the one thing the transit agency didnt do in the immediate aftermath of the mob robbery is announce what had happened to riders and other members of the public  and seek to enlist their help.

The shocking crime occurred at 9:30 p.m. Saturday when a crowd of juveniles swept into the Coliseum/Oakland Airport Station, hurdling fare gates and racing to the second-story platform, where they rushed onto a train, forcing passengers in at least one car to hand over their phones and other valuables and bloodying at least two riders.

The robbers fled and scattered before two police officers who had been patrolling a rear parking lot at the station arrived minutes later.

BART communicates with its riders and the public at large in a number of ways, including a website, an app, email alerts, a Facebook account and Twitter feeds. But officials did not use those tools to notify the public until after The Chronicle received a tip about the crime on Monday morning. Even riders who were on the same train as the robbery victims but on different cars werent alerted as to why the train was stopped for so long.

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Alyssa Hammonds, who lives in Pleasanton and said she was on a different car on the train in question, said she heard the train operator say something was going on and saw a couple of people who looked shaken but was otherwise left in the dark.

We didnt know what was happening until Monday, Hammonds said.

A BART spokeswoman, Alicia Trost, said a summary of the crime appeared Sunday morning in a daily police log available to the media by email.

Tony Ribera, a former San Francisco police chief who directs the International Institute of Criminal Justice Leadership at the University of San Francisco, said he didnt understand why BART didnt publicize the crime sooner  both to enhance public safety and to enlist help in finding the offenders.

It seems to me rather strange ... but maybe they had other reasons, Ribera said. Usually, the quicker you get information out, the more likely youre going to solve the case. The longer you wait, the less likely that is to happen.

Ribera said making the crime public can be critical for locating witnesses and identifying those involved. And releasing surveillance photos and videos, he said, is often key to the effort.

BART faces a separate set of issues related to surveillance images of the suspects. Officials declined Tuesday to release images from cameras at Coliseum Station, citing a policy of protecting the identity of juveniles, but did send them confidentially to outside police agencies in a bulletin known as a BOLO, which stands for be on the lookout.

The video clearly shows that these were young kids and young teens, said Trost, whose agency has boosted the number of officers patrolling Oakland stations in response to Saturdays robbery and an overall rise in police calls.

David Snyder, an attorney and the executive director at the First Amendment Coalition in San Rafael, said such a policy made sense because California law offers special protections for minors accused of a crime. However, Snyder said that doesnt mean the agency cant release images or video with the identifying features of juveniles redacted  for instance, with their faces blurred  which BART officials have done in the past.

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They may be being overly cautious, Snyder said.

BART has faced questions in the past about delays between crimes and the agencys release of information to the public.

After a 19-year-old man was shot to death on a train car as it moved through Oakland in January 2016, BART circulated clear surveillance images it captured of the suspect to other law enforcement agencies, but it waited four days to release them to the public, after The Chronicle had obtained them.

Then-Police Chief Kenton Rainey said at the time that investigators didnt want to influence witness descriptions of the suspect, who fled from the West Oakland Station.

In the same case, BART waited nine days to reveal that the suspect and the victim had an earlier, video-recorded encounter on a bus ride from Antioch to the Pittsburg/Bay Point Station. After The Chronicle learned of the bus ride, BART officials confirmed it, while explaining they had not wanted to tip off the suspect that investigators knew he had been on the bus.

The killer remains at large.

Michael Cabanatuan and Kurtis Alexander are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: mcabanatuan@sfchronicle.com, kalexander@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @ctuan @kurtisalexander
BART has identified some of the estimated 40 to 60 juveniles suspected of swarming a train and robbing riders at an Oakland station and is working to obtain warrants for their arrest, agency officials said Wednesday.

Detectives narrowed in on the suspects in Saturdays extraordinary crime thanks to surveillance video captured at Coliseum Station  where the train was stopped when it was mobbed  and aboard the train itself, officials said.

The transit agency did not say how many alleged robbers have been identified, nor did it release the names or ages of the suspects. Some of the suspects, officials said, were recognizable to BART police from prior incidents.

Officials said theyre working with the courts and local police departments to obtain arrest warrants and bring some individuals into custody, while trying to strengthen cases against the suspects.

We know who they are, said BART spokeswoman Alicia Trost. Weve identified them, but we still have to work with the witnesses.

Trost said the agency had high-quality digital footage of the alleged robbers. She said six of the trains nine cars had working cameras.

According to BART, the juveniles hurdled fare gates and rushed onto a train on the second-story platform of Coliseum Station at about 9:30 p.m. Saturday. The group allegedly forced passengers in at least two cars to hand over phones and other valuables, and at least two riders were injured.

BART said it has increased patrols in response to the incident and has asked neighboring police departments to boost their presence near stations.

On Tuesday night, after four juveniles were spotted jumping the fare gates at Lake Merritt Station in Oakland, a train operator was directed to pass through the station without stopping, BART officials said. Trost said it was unclear whether the group, which was headed for the platform, intended to rob patrons.

That is a protocol that well use when it warrants it, she said.

Kurtis Alexander is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: kalexander@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @kurtisalexander
Right-wing provocateurs like Ann Coulter arent agitating to speak at UC Berkeley because theyre defending the First Amendment or because theyre worried that UC Berkeleys administrators are limiting conservative speech.

No, people like Coulter are circling the campus because, of late, the response to what they represent has been violent.

And violence gets people talking on TV and social media. It sells books and tickets, and ensures more bookings on conservative TV and radio talk shows.

Its a lucrative career trajectory if you know how to push the right buttons, and Coulter certainly does.

But lets call Coulters brand of messaging what it is: hate speech.

And this is where the protesters come in. Its not the conservative viewpoint that enrages them  its the hate rhetoric at a time when the man sitting in the White House has emboldened a racist white nationalist movement.

Coulters message is often about how terrible immigrants, minorities and nonwhite people are for this country.

Its conservatives like her and Milo Yiannopoulos who spew the fumes of racism, xenophobia and nationalism.

Now Berkeley is ground zero for bloody fights between the alt-right defenders of the feckless president and the masked anarchists who have mastered infiltrating peaceful liberal demonstrations.

No, life wasnt perfect the past eight years. But at least people werent threatening each others lives at political rallies. People who showed up to the recent melees have come armed with deadly weapons.

Its in this explosive environment that Coulter has rejected UC Berkeleys concerns over safety and has repeatedly tried to frame the issue as a First Amendment fight.

Im showing up this Thursday, she said in a Fox News interview Saturday evening. Its up to the police to keep me safe.

Good luck with that.

If she does come, she might want to consider riding in an armored vehicle and having ambulances on standby for when the combatants on both sides start gouging the eyes and ears of their opponents.

When Yiannopoulos came to Berkeley in February, he incited a riot. UC Berkeley tried to protect him and his free speech, only to realize it had been outsmarted by masked anarchists who deftly pulled down three rows of metal barricades and got to the student union building where Yiannopoulos was holed up. People were attacked, windows were smashed and fires were set, causing $100,000 in property damage. Then the riot spread to the citys streets, where businesses were vandalized.

Yet, Coulter rejects the universitys contention that it cannot protect her  or her hate speech  Thursday. Only a privileged attention-seeker would have the gall.

Now shes in a pickle. If she doesnt come, her performance will be seen for what it is: an empty self-promotion play. But if she does come, she has been warned  and perhaps she should be charged with inciting a riot.

Coulter shouldnt be able to shirk responsibility when the fires are set and the warring sides engage in another bloody skirmish.

As she keeps obsessing over the browning of America that she believes is destroying the country, shes got to realize shes contributing to its hateful atmosphere. Her hateful words are a ticking time bomb.

And it doesnt need to go off in Berkeley.

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Thats why I support the university for canceling her appearance.

My interest in public safety, yours and mine, is much greater than hearing someone hate on humanity. Besides, I already know what Coulter thinks about the contributions black people like me have made to society.

They are so important culturally in America  I mean the humor, the actors ... they have the comedians and the music, she told the Daily Beast in 2015.

Gee, thanks.

Coulter also has said that in most race relations, its never blacks who are victims of terror, its whites. Tell that to the young black men in Vallejo, Sacramento and Atlanta who have recently been beaten by police officers  officers who wouldve been free to terrorize more blacks if citizens hadnt recorded the incidents.

If the men had been getting paid thousands of dollars for hate speeches like Coulter, maybe the police wouldve at least tried to keep them safe.

San Francisco Chronicle columnist Otis R. Taylor Jr. appears Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Email: otaylor@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @otisrtaylorjr
What would you call a venue that presents, all at the same time, some 15 substantial art exhibitions, as well as education and social events? It is difficult to think of the Minnesota Street Project in San Francisco as anything but a hyper-challenging, always entertaining museum.

Its not a museum, but here is a list of just some of the current offerings: an up-to-the-minute program of filmic contemplations on race by one of todays most sought-after American artists (Carrie Mae Weems); an invigorating pairing of enigmatic artists from the mid-20th century (Francis Picabia) and today (Sigmar Polke); witty, laboriously hand-carved wooden replicas of cheap plastic seating by a young South African (Cameron Platter); little-seen commercial work by an artist best known for his ruminations on photographic truth (Larry Sultan); a reinterpretation of a well-known installation-cum-performance from the 1980s (originally by Sultan and Mike Mandel); a show of serious political works by distinguished artists, pitched as an interactive project to young audiences (Rise Up! Art as Action). Add to these, nine additional one-person shows, all at a high standard of artistic quality.

Minnesota Street Project is a complex housing art galleries, most of which offer objects for sale. That commercial aspect of exhibition planning must be kept in mind  organizers hope that we will buy  but its also what supports another appealing feature of the place: Virtually all events are free.

Courtesy Casemore Kirkeby

The round of exhibitions currently on view will provide as satisfying an afternoon of art viewing as you will experience anywhere. The full roster of galleries and programs is available at http://minnesotastreetproject.com.

When MSP opened last year, it was not entirely clear that its founders, Deborah and Andy Rappaport, could accomplish all they had in store for it. Indeed, a restaurant originally scheduled to open last summer was actively under construction last week.

But the number of galleries has grown as two major dealers moved into an annex space (at 1150 25th St.) down the street from the first gallery building (1275 Minnesota St.). A third, reportedly nonprofit, exhibition program will join them later this year, bringing the total exhibition space to more than 30,000 square feet (up from 22,421 one year ago).

As if the vibrant programs of the resident galleries were not more than enough, visiting galleries from around the U.S. have presented pop-up exhibitions regularly. Moreover, the complex itself sponsors lectures, events and installations. Less public, but much valued, is a subsidized studio program that currently serves 37 artists selected from among the best in the Bay Area.

Gagosian

A match made in L.A.: Another commercial art enterprise celebrating a year of operation in San Francisco is the international powerhouse Gagosian. Given the scale of the gallerys efforts  and spaces  throughout the world, the program here is probably destined always to be treated as something of a provincial cousin. But its the thought that counts.

The current exhibition, Notepads, Holograms and Books, presents works by two Los Angeles artists, Ed Ruscha and Jonas Wood. Ruscha, by far the better known of the pair (his latest outing here was a major show at the de Young Museum last summer), proves that he can still surprise by showing things that I, for one, had never seen. Among these are old books, the covers and fore-edges of which are painted with the short words or phrases for which he is known (Baby Jet, Oh No, Starbrats). A small selection of holograms on familiar filmic themes is surprisingly appealing, and not gratuitously flashy.

Which brings me to the Jonas Wood works, which are pleasant enough when seen as sketches on paper smaller than 10 by 7 inches, but become bombastic advertising placards for the gallery when they are canvases nearly 8 feet high.

We have yet to see an exhibition of the ambition of the offerings in New York  and I am not talking about size, but depth of thought. Gagosian is located at 657 Howard St.; the exhibition runs through June 17.

Fairly complete: I hope someone is tracking the results of all the art fairs in the Bay Area this year, as it is hard to see how they can all make financial sense. Nevertheless, such events are an efficient way to see a lot of art in a short amount of time.

Some people (I am among them) find the gallery setting a more comfortable art viewing experience. The best galleries provide a place halfway between museum and home  between the strictly formal and the domestic. But people actively looking to buy sometimes prefer to shop in a market environment. The art fair is the big box store of art, the bazaar where everyone knows that commerce is the central function. The two latest such events in our area take place this weekend.

The Art Market San Francisco roster does not have all the big-name galleries one sees at the annual January fairs, but it does include a number of highly credible dealers with small or out-of-the-way shops. Art Market should be thought of as an introduction to a wide range of possibilities, some of them excellent. It takes place April 27-30 at Fort Mason Center; info at http://artmarketsf.com.

Startup Art Fair San Francisco, to be held April 28-30 at Hotel Del Sol (3100 Webster St, S.F. http://sf.startupartfair.com), takes a novel, if controversial, approach. Artists, most of them without gallery representation, rent space from the organizers and sell directly to fair attendees. Its a great way to meet the makers of the works one might be considering  rarely an option at a traditional fair. The downside, like at the many outdoor festivals across the region, is that vetting is minimal. Youre on your own, without the guidance of a knowledgeable dealer.

Individual tickets for a single day start at $15 for Startup, $25 for Art Market.

Last chance: The tiny, almost-on-the-beach Great Highway Gallery (3649 Lawton St., S.F.) presents The Horizon Line, inventive and engaging ceramic works and drawings by Georgia Hodges on the theme of water and sea life. And Jonn Herschend: Your Lost Shoe at Gallery 16 (501 Third St., S.F.) is a thorny story told in overly ambitious video and deceptively casual-looking paintings of great strength. Both shows close Saturday, April 29; both are worth a special trip.

Charles Desmarais is The San Francisco Chronicles art critic. Email: cdesmarais@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @Artguy1
Poet Erica Lewis, whose day job as a publicist for arts groups mandates spotlighting the works of others, was herself in the spotlight Sunday, April 23, at City Lights, where she read from her new book, mary wants to be a superwoman. The title of the book, like the title of each poem in the book, comes from a Stevie Wonder song.

This book is about my family, our history she said, adding that her mothers family traces back to the Trail of Tears. Lewis audience listened in rapt attention. The past has ruined the future, she continued. Then a few minutes later, We forgot how to dance. The crowd was hushed, then euphoric; the longed-for reception for the work of poet.

Id been at other readings in the bookstores upstairs poetry room, but never one in the afternoon when it was flooded with light and packed, not only with friends of Lewis but also with friends of prose writer Rita Bullwinkel, who read first.

As the room filled before the program began, I listened to the conversation of poets and poetry lovers. There was some talk of the Warriors having won. The man next to me pulled a copy of Bob Kaufmans Solitudes Crowded With Loneliness from the shelf and skimmed through it while he waited.

How do you know her? I heard one audience member ask another about Bullwinkel. We were waitresses together, said the other, at a writers conference. I knew she was doing writers stuff, said the first. You gotta support the arts.

Another woman talked to the person next to her about a mutual pal. Shes doing slack-lining. Its really good for her core.

Looking around, my glance fell on the bamboo blinds hanging crookedly in one of the windows, through which you could see laundry flapping across the alley, almost near enough to touch. A short story and a few poems later, the printed blue bedding had been taken in, and replaced by something mint green.

Mike Zonta was on the J-Church the other night, when he overheard a guy talking to himself using American Sign Language. Got off at 24th Street.

H.L. Brown suggests that the threat of violence at UC Berkeley speaking events would be lessened if all speakers and everyone in the audience were required to be nude.

Call and response at the March for Science, as cited by Trent Orr: What do we want? Science. When do we want it? After peer review!

At the Park Tavern this week, Sally Bedell Smith, author of Prince Charles: The Passions and Paradoxes of an Improbable Life, spoke to members of the Monday Group, who gather periodically to reap wisdom from authors and civic leaders. Her multicity tour was co-sponsored by her publisher, Penguin Random House, and the Royal Oak Foundation, which seeks to raise awareness of and advance the work of the National Trust of England, according to its website.

Smith, author of seven previous memoirs, is a thorough journalist  she interviewed 300 people for this work  and a measured speaker. When she spoke to this group about her Pamela Harriman biography, she employed a handful of neat index cards. Nowadays, she uses her iPhone for speech notes.

Her portrait of the prince, however, reveals that he makes no such use of technology. A thoughtful man full of opinions, he walks around jotting down his thoughts on little white pieces of paper, she said. A silver notebook on the dinner table allows him to keep on jotting during the meal. At night, he does his correspondence using a fountain pen.

Also, she said, he sometimes lies on the floor of his country house so he can hear the comments of tourists who cant see him; he does not carry keys, but performs an intricate set of movements with two doorknobs that allow him entry to his house. He is very involved in charity: His Princes Trust provided a $2,000 grant to young Idris Elba that was the seed money for his blossoming acting career; the trust has paid for the restoration of 65 buildings in central Kabul; he also established a charity for endangered red squirrels.

His mother has not stepped aside to let him rule, but when her mothers time on Earth is up, he will become king. Theres no mechanism to skip Charles, said Smith.

Leah Garchik is open for business in San Francisco, (415) 777-8426. Email: lgarchik@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @leahgarchik

Public Eavesdropping

I tried being nice for a week, but its just too hard. I have to accept that Im not a nice person.

Girl to girl, overheard in a Redwood High math class by Niles Thornhill
Theres no doubt that Pacific Gas and Electric Co.s annual investments in repairing and upgrading its electricity transmission system should be subject to greater oversight.

The repair and upgrade projects cost PG&E hundreds of millions of dollars every year. But they fall into an unusual regulatory gray zone.

The California Public Utilities Commission, which oversees most aspects of PG&Es operations, has no jurisdiction over the utilitys repairs and system upgrades.

Meanwhile, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission sets PG&Es transmission rates, and it has the power to look at upgrades  but its regulatory role of the spending on those projects is limited. The federal commission asks for details on the projects when PG&E requests a new transmission rate. It also does occasional audits, but not until PG&E has already spent the money.

So the California Public Utilities Commission, along with San Francisco city officials, filed a complaint with the federal government arguing the spending for those projects should be subject to state review.

More oversight is certainly needed, as last weeks San Francisco blackout showed.

PG&E may be happy with the current situation  spokeswoman Nicole Liebelt described the minimal federal oversight as offering the utility the flexibility it needs to serve customers  but PG&Es near-monopolistic power in the Bay Area means that it should be subject to more oversight than a regular business.

Ideally, the federal commission would play a full oversight role. But in the real world, where utilities have the resources to lobby against national change, the California Public Utilities Commission may be the best hope for consumers. You deserve to know whats in your electric bill.
A new lawsuit accuses Fordham University administrators of unfairly blocking recognition for a pro-Palestinian student organization on campus. In announcing the lawsuit, students represented by the Center for Constitutional Rights and Palestine Legal say the Fordham administration committed "viewpoint discrimination" in refusing to give recognition to a branch of Students for Justice in Palestine on campus.

The fight for SJP getting recognition on Fordham's campus dates back to 2015, according to the press release, when administrators delayed recognizing the group out of a fear that it would "stir up controversy." After the student government approved the club in 2016, the lawsuit claims that the Fordham Dean of Students, Keith Eldredge, overruled the student government approval on the grounds that SJP would be too polarizing because of the national group's support of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) tactic against Israel.

Earlier this year, the state Senate passed a bill that stripped public funding from any students or university groups who endorsed BDS or participated in "hate speech" against Israel. In addition, Governor Cuomo directed New York State to boycott any company that boycotted Israel, in a show of support for Israel that he said"not to get political"showed the Democratic Party was still the party more closely allied with the country.

As a Palestinian on campus, I was denied the opportunity to advocate for freedom for my people, Ahmad Awad, a graduating Fordham student and plaintiff in the lawsuit said in the press release. In the lawsuit itself, the plaintiffs claim that a student who was the Vice President of Operations in the student government specifically asked the SJP organizers if Cuomo's BDS executive order prevented the formation of the club at a meeting before the club was eventually approved.

After Dean Eldredge told organizers he was overruling the student government approval of the club pending further study of the issue, the plaintiffs claim that at a December 2016 meeting, he and another faculty member "asked the students their views on BDS and whether it meant the dissolution of Israel, why they would use the term 'apartheid' to describe Israel and whether they would work with national advocacy groups Jewish Voice for Peace, J Street and Seeds of Peace."

Since the students at the meeting refused to say they wouldn't endorse BDS, Eldrege denied the club official recognition on the last day of the fall 2016 semester, writing that SJP's endorsement of the boycott, divestment and sanctions tactic "presents a barrier to open dialogue and mutual learning and understanding." Eldredge told students that his decision couldn't be appealed, according to the lawsuit, while another administrator allegedly told students that the objection to the club's approval came from the behavior of other Students for Justice in Palestine organizations on other college campuses. The students in the suit claim that they repeatedly told school administrators that their SJP chapter would be autonomous from the national organization and other chapters around the country.

Bob Howe, a spokesperson for the university, confirmed that the school was concerned about reports about the behavior of SJP chapters on other campuses. He also told Gothamist that the school "is simply asking that the name of the club and the proposed constitution be changed to more accurately reflect the lack of control by the national organization or chapters of SJP, which the students have already represented to be the case."

The authors of a study of pro-Palestinian and SJP actions on CUNY campuses last year came to the conclusion that while some unidentified activists acted in ways that put students in fear for their safety, they did not endorse banning Students for Justice in Palestine from CUNY campuses.
Our citys commitment to the fundamental principles of democracy  freedom of expression, thought and peaceful assembly  has been challenged in recent weeks with violent protests in the name of free speech. Any effort to conflate freedom of speech with violence is a dangerous proposition that undermines public safety and our democracy.

Our commitment to free speech is something we have held dear for 50 years and continue to preserve to this day. And while we cherish our freedoms of speech and assembly, there is no freedom to silence others or to commit violence.

The Berkeley Police Department has done an excellent job at addressing each unique event and learning from past experiences to ensure our residents, businesses and entire community are safe  a sentiment shared by many Berkeley residents. During the last two events  a Feb. 1 scheduled address by right-wing activist Milo Yiannopoulos at UC Berkeleys Sproul Plaza and the April 15 clash of supporters and opponents in a city park April 15  Berkeley police officers have made 30 arrests, confiscated dozens of weapons and implemented a number of rules to keep people safe and facilitate peaceful First Amendment activity.

Both the city of Berkeley and UC Berkeley administrators have worked to figure out how to make events featuring controversial speakers safe for all to attend. This includes holding events earlier in the day to prevent black bloc anarchist groups from using the cover of darkness to instigate criminal activities. This is not censorship, but simply a way to accommodate the needs of various parties and avoid violence. We cherish our citys legacy as the birthplace of the Free Speech Movement, but this right must be weighed against the expectation of our citizens to feel safe.

While voices have sought to portray our city as intolerant of ideas contrary to our values, we have worked hard to protect the rights of everyone to be heard. Our city is rooted in the values of openness, equity, diversity and freedom of speech. Diverse viewpoints have always been welcome here. We may argue passionately, but this makes us stronger if done in a constructive way. If you want to challenge someones beliefs, start a dialogue and ask hard questions. If people want to protest against someone whose views they find abhorrent, they should take note of the actions of Martin Luther King Jr. or Mahatma Gandhi and do so in a peaceful, nonviolent manner.

I strongly disagree with hateful rhetoric wrongly promoting xenophobia and racism as solutions to our countrys problems. But in an open society, speakers of those views have a right to speak. Students and community members have a right to denounce that speech.

Building community and supporting all those who need help in this time  women, LGBTQ, immigrants and others  is an alternate solution that may have more impact.

My administration will work tirelessly to protect free speech and protect public safety. Anyone who says you have to choose one is accepting a false premise.

Jesse Arreguin is the mayor

of Berkeley.
Along time ago, in a place far, far away, an emperor became worried about the youth in his country, who were becoming addicted to a mind-altering drug. The Opium Wars were fought over this drug.

Today, many experts believe we have legalized a drug whose properties may have an effect on our youth akin to that which roiled the Emperor Daoguang more than two centuries ago. Marijuana, though not as potent as opium, has significant effects on the immature brain.

Brain maturity is not attained until somewhere in the early to mid-20s, yet marijuana is legal in California for recreational use by persons 21 and older. Unfortunately, the law cannot prevent exposure in younger individuals. For this reason, the American Academy of Pediatrics has come out with a report to help health care providers advise parents and teens. It states: Long- or short-term marijuana use by adolescents impairs short-term memory and decreases concentration, attention span and problem-solving skills. There are also alterations in motor control, judgment, reaction time and tracking ability  skills critical to the safe operation of a motor vehicle.

As worrisome as the effects of marijuana on a students high school success are, a parents greatest fear during the teen years is probably not the lack of an acceptance letter to Harvard, Yale or Princeton. It is that late-night call from the police that an accident has happened.

Also consider: A 25-year study of 4,000 young adults using marijuana showed lower scores on verbal memory even after controlling for many factors such as other drug and alcohol use, psychiatric conditions and demographic factors. The National Institutes of Health note that individuals who carry a variant of the AKT1 gene are at a significantly increased risk of developing psychosis with daily marijuana use compared with those who use marijuana rarely or not at all.

California cities are deciding now whether to license a pot shop or two. Local control allows parents more power over what their kids will be tempted by. Yet Gov. Jerry Brown favors merging medical marijuana laws approved by the Legislature in 2015 with the recreational cannabis initiative approved by voters in 2016. This would streamline the production and distribution of the drug and eliminate local regulation.

Marijuana has lost its stigma in California. We cannot reasonably expect that teens and certainly young adults will forgo use. The big question for parents, then, will be about use. Do you know if your child has the AKT1 gene? Better find out, because Gov. Browns proposed merger of the 2015 medical cannabis law and Proposition 64 may result in loss of local control of where and how marijuana is marketed.

Dr. Katherine Schlaerth practices family medicine in Pomona (Los Angeles County).
In February 2003, Rachel Corrie, an idealistic college senior from Olympia, Wash., was two weeks into a trip volunteering as a peace activist in southern Gaza when she emailed her family and friends back home: Today, as I walked on top of the rubble where homes once stood, Egyptian soldiers called to me from the other side of the border: Go! Go! because a tank was coming. And then (they were) waving and asking Whats your name? Something disturbing about this friendly reminder. It reminded me of how much, to some degree, we are all kids curious about other kids.

Some people will be reminded of the tragic and controversial circumstances of Corries death when they hear those words spoken by actress Charlotte Hemmings in the limited-run Sawtooth Productions presentation of the 2005 one-woman play My Name Is Rachel Corrie at the Magic Theatre.

The 23-year-old Corries expressions of youthful curiosity  about a part of the world riven by conflict and, more fundamentally, about how one idealist like herself might make a difference in it  have been both lauded and denounced ever since she died just five weeks after writing that prescient message home.

This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 3 1 of 3 Courtesy the Corrie Family Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Courtesy the Corrie Family Show More Show Less 3 of 3 Courtesy the Corrie Family Show More Show Less





On March 16, 2003, during the height of the second Palestinian intifada, Corrie was killed when she stood in the path of an advancing Israeli Defense Forces bulldozer, attempting to prevent the demolition of a Palestinian familys home.

Reactions to Corries death were instantly polarized. She became a global symbol for the Palestinian cause, called a martyr by Yasser Arafat, yet called naive, even anti-Israel, by the Israeli right and some American Jews.

The Corrie family pursued legal action against the Israeli military (citing eyewitness testimony that the Caterpillar driver saw Rachel in his path), but a Haifa court ruled her death an accident in 2012. The opinion was upheld by the Israel Supreme Court in 2014.

My Name Is Rachel Corrie is based entirely on Corries diary entries, emails and letters from early childhood through her death, which were pieced together into an affecting script by the late actor Alan Rickman and journalist Katharine Viner (now editor in chief of the Guardian).

We hoped to find out what made Rachel different from the stereotype of todays consumerist, depoliticized youth  to uncover the young woman behind the political symbol, beyond her death, Viner wrote in the Guardian in April 2005.

Compared in reviews to George Orwells Homage to Catalonia, another verbatim first-person drama, as well as to David Hares Via Dolorosa (also about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict), Rachel Corrie is a prime example of the way character-driven drama thats pulled from the headlines  like J.T. Rogers Oslo, currently on Broadway  can serve to illuminate and humanize news events.

Rachel brought us to this issue (of Palestinian rights), said Rachels mother, Cindy Corrie, by phone from Olympia. Of course wed known about the situation in the Middle East all our lives, but had kind of tuned it out as that problem that would never be fixed. Rachel changed that. Its something we hope people still take away from the play. (The Corries now run the nonprofit Rachel Corrie Foundation for Peace and Justice to support human rights and cross-cultural understanding.)

As portrayed in My Name Is Rachel Corrie, Rachel is by turns an exuberant, poetry-writing, Pat Benatar-loving adolescent, a wide-eyed traveler far from home and, most importantly, a humanitarian awakening to the worlds miseries and to her own activist conscience. The play emphasizes her life, not her death.

The drama arrives in San Francisco following three sold-out London runs, an acclaimed 2015 New York production (also starring Hemmings)  as well as a raft of contradictory press and opinions that have dogged the play as well as Corries legacy.

A 2006 New York Theater Workshop production was canceled at the last minute amid a political storm. Locally, an uproar erupted in 2009 over the planned screening of the documentary film Rachel. including condemnation by the Israeli Consul General and caused the festival boards president to step down.

Given the extent to which its reputation precedes it, Rachel Corrie serves as a timely reminder that whenever a new work of art becomes embroiled in political controversy  think of Mapplethorpes nudes or even Tony Kushners Angels in America (before achieving its canonical status)  it can be difficult when the dust settles to remember exactly which intimate or uncomfortable truths the artist at the center of the cultural conflict was seeking to express.

Yet, conversations with Rachels parents, Hemmings and director Jonathan Kane all reinforced the idea that political art, especially about thorny subjects like the long-running strife in the Middle East, has value because it humanizes conflict, said Craig Corrie.

We have pictures on our wall of three different young women who were killed in the same conflict  Rachel, a 10-year-old Palestinian girl and a 14-year-old Jewish Israeli girl, Craig Corrie said. And I look at them every time I walk out of the office door. Those individual stories cant be lost.

As to whether Rachel knowingly laid down her life, Kane said, Theres this argument that Rachel was naive. I think she just had the true idealists point of view that things could be better in the world and she asked, Why arent they? Thats something a lot of us stop asking as we get older. To me thats the heart of the play.

Kane acknowledges that some people still come to the theater with assumptions, that the play is pro-Palestine, anti-Israel. But the irony is that the people that are most upset at the play havent seen or read it.

Im Jewish, my family is Jewish and very pro-Israel, and the response Ive heard from them after seeing it is that to think this is anti-Semitic is ludicrous, just so off-base. They kind of wondered, What is the controversy?

Hemmings, 34, who lives in Portland (and whose father was the famous British actor David Hemmings, who starred in Antonionis Blow-Up), said that at this point with our political world in mayhem, its an extraordinarily important time to take an appreciative look at Rachel. She literally put her life on the line, which is what political passion can look like.

Hopefully soon there will be a resolution to this conflict and the politics surrounding the piece will disappear. Thats my hope, that the play can continue on as a beautiful piece of theater thats not so highly politicized.

Jessica Zack is a freelance writer who frequently covers art and film for The San Francisco Chronicle. Twitter: @jwzack

My Name Is Rachel Corrie: Thursday , April 27-May 14. $25-$50. The Magic Theatre, Fort Mason Center for Arts & Culture, 2 Marina Blvd., S.F. (415) 441-8822. www.magictheatre.org.

Post-show discussions: Saturday, April 29, with Charlotte Hemmings and Jonathan Kane; Wednesday, May 3, and May 4 with Rachels parents, Craig and Cindy Corrie.
A letter from three top San Francisco officials to Pacific Gas and Electric Co.s CEO three days after a fire at a downtown substation left 88,000 residents and 21 schools without power for seven hours requested information but no compensation.

Though City Administrator Naomi Kelly, Fire Chief Joanne Hayes-White and emergency management Executive Director Anne Kronenberg requested a tour of the damaged Larkin Street facility and a review of all substations throughout the city, they did not ask the utility to pay for lost business on Friday.

The impact on businesses and our transportation system led to turmoil and lost productivity throughout the city, the three officials wrote, chiding PG&E for the aging infrastructure at the Larkin Street substation, where a $100 million overhaul was already under way.

PG&E has coughed up money for blackouts before, paying $6.5 million for a 2003 outage that darkened downtown during the busy holiday shopping day. That incident also began with a fire, at a major substation on Mission and Eighth streets.

Documents from the states Public Utilities Commission show that five other fires occurred at indoor substations in San Francisco between November 1996 and March 2005, including another blaze at the Mission substation, in 1996.

The economic hit that San Francisco took on Friday is being assessed by the city controllers office, said Mayor Ed Lees spokeswoman Deirdre Hussey.

City Controller Ben Rosenfield said his office has sent notices to all city departments and to the school district, asking them to calculate losses in revenue or costs from redeploying staff to deal with the outage. He expects preliminary results within a week and said the whole analysis will likely take about two weeks.

At this point the analysis does not account for businesses that were shut down Friday. Department of Emergency Management spokesman Francis Zamora told The Chronicle that officials plan to reach out to the Chamber of Commerce and Business Owners Management Association, and that the city may seek reimbursement on their members behalf.

Supervisors London Breed and Aaron Peskin Tuesday called for a hearing, which will be held May 3, into the lack of communication during the power outage, saying they received no communication from PG&E and didnt hear from the citys Department of Emergency Services for more than four hours.

The communication from PG&E (that day) was nonexistent, Peskin said.

 Rachel Swan

Speed cameras slowed: San Francisco drivers intent on going too fast can rest easy  there wont be any speed cameras tracking their movements anytime soon.

We told you that a new group called San Francisco Bay Area Families for Safe Streets formed late last year to try to do something about the scourge of pedestrian injuries and deaths on city streets.

Their first action was encouraging Assemblyman David Chiu, D-San Francisco, to introduce legislation in Sacramento allowing San Francisco and San Jose to try speed cameras in a pilot program. He introduced the legislation, but it died in the Transportation Committee on Monday. Law enforcement unions opposed the bill, which seems to have been its death knell. Chiu is likely to try again next year.

San Francisco General Hospital treats a new victim with a serious traffic-related injury every 17 hours on average.

On his Facebook page, Chiu thanked the families who testified in committee, including Liz Sanchez-Chavez, whose 5-year-old daughter, Aileen, was killed in a San Jose crosswalk by a speeding driver.

We know that speed kills, and we believe that (security cameras) will save lives, Chiu wrote. For the sake of Aileen and so many others, we wont give up.

 Heather Knight

Email: cityinsider@sfchronicle.com, rswan@sfchronicle.com, hknight@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @sfcityinsider, @rachelswan, @hknightsf
In the year before her death in September, Chinatown activist Rose Pak developed something of an obsession with the New Asia restaurant on Pacific Avenue. She knew the property was coming on the market and thought the city should grab it for affordable housing.

She brought it up repeatedly with Mayor Ed Lee. She mentioned it to Supervisor Aaron Peskin. She badgered city housing staffers about it.

Now, seven months after she died at age 69, Paks wish is coming true. Peskin said he and Lee plan to introduce a resolution at the Board of Supervisors next week authorizing the citys Real Estate Division to spend $5 million to purchase 772 Pacific Ave., home of New Asia, which is owned by Han So.

Rose spent her entire life looking out for Chinatown, and its almost like this is her parting gift to the community, said Malcolm Yeung, deputy director of the Chinatown Community Development Center.

Michael Macor/The Chronicle

The property could accommodate as many as 80 small, affordable housing units, or from 50 to 60 larger family-size apartments. Any project there would include a new home for the restaurant, which is the biggest banquet hall in Chinatown.

The property has been in limbo for 18 months, when the family that owns the property made it clear that it would be sold. The Mayors Office of Housing and Community Development had to move quickly to ensure that the site wasnt sold to a market-rate developer.

Jeff Buckley, senior adviser to Lee on housing issues, said the deal is rare because the property will continue to generate income during the entitlement process, which could take several years. The restaurant pays $22,500 a month in rent and has about five years left on its lease. The city could use that money to help New Asia relocate during construction and to fund some of the preconstruction costs for the affordable housing development, Buckley said.

The sale comes at a time when the banquet business has been gradually migrating to new and larger dim sum palaces with ample parking in suburbs such as Millbrae and Burlingame. One of Chinatowns landmark restaurants, the Empress of China, closed a little more than two years ago.

But business at the New Asia has remained brisk. Peskin, who represents the neighborhood, called the New Asia the most viable banquet hall in Chinatown.

Ive always looked at New Asia as more than a restaurant, Yeung said. Its a legacy business. Its an employment center. Its one of the few larger dim sum restaurants regularly patronized by residents and community stakeholders, not just tourists.

Besides the 84-unit International Hotel development on Kearny Street, the only new affordable housing in the neighborhood in recent years has been on the edge of Chinatown along Broadway, where several parcels were freed up after the Embarcadero Freeway was torn down. Otherwise, Chinatown offers few sites as large as the New Asia property, which is 9,200 square feet.

That was a point Pak made with some frequency, Peskin said.

Rose was on this in a major way, said Peskin. In Chinatown there are only a handful of soft sites where the opportunity exists to build affordable housing, and this is one of them.

J.K. Dineen is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jdineen@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @sfjkdineen
It is almost inconceivable in the quickly changing dining scene for a chef to stay at a restaurant for more than three years, much less nine.

But Jonathan Luce has been guiding Bellanico in Oakland since 2008, cementing the restaurants place as one of the most popular neighborhood gathering places in the Glenview neighborhood.

Hes a chef whos mastered all the basics: making his own charcuterie, pasta, bread and dessert, which always includes a half dozen choices, such as brown butter and almond cake with butterscotch ($6/$9). Yet theres another great incentive to visit the restaurant: Each week he crafts a four-course $40 menu with two choices in each category.

Bellanico is the sister restaurant to Aperto on Potrero Hill, which is closing Sunday, April 30, after nearly 25 years. The Oakland outpost has the added benefit of serving as a wine bar so diners can get more than two dozen wines by the glass, and six flights. Diners who choose the wine pairing ($18) get careful verbal descriptions of what they are drinking. Its clear the staff knows the menu and wine list and presents them in a cordial manner.

The fixed-price menu recently started with either cicchetti, flavor-packed morsels that included two leaves of red endive with horseradish creme and a fillet of smoked steelhead; or Swiss chard malfattini with brown butter and sage. Both were excellent.

The first course on our visit was a cool salad of farro with radicchio, chunks of blood orange, Castelvetrano olives, almonds and a well-rounded Chardonnay vinaigrette. The other choice: a slightly too dense celery root sformato that when cut oozes egg yolk. Its served with prosciutto-wrapped asparagus and a piquant salsa verde made of peppercress.

Beet and ricotta ravioli, one of the signature dishes, stars in the second course and goes up against a fillet of roasted steelhead with cauliflower, radishes, a few chickpeas and a thick swipe of chile paste.

Dessert was a choice of affogato with a choice of ice cream, or a cheese offering.

Liz Hafalia/The Chronicle

While this is an effortless way to go, especially since the pairings are good, I found the a la carte options more interesting, including an exceptional pasta made of cocoa casarecce ($13/$18), where the thick, twisted pasta is infused with a slight bitterness that cuts the richness of the milk-braised pork shoulder.

The antipasti include a generous salad ($10) with arugula, pea tendrils, shaved fennel and chunks of orange with grana padano cheese and Riesling vinaigrette.

The half-dozen main courses include a vegetarian risotto ($20); duck breast with confit leg ($29), baby artichokes and cannellini beans; and braised beef pot roast ($25) with a thin snowfall of grated horseradish and a mix of roasted Brussels sprouts, turnips and cipollini onions nested on an island of polenta surrounded by braising liquid.

Its a menu that is familiar, but never boring.

The restaurant looks like it has served thousands of diners, with a well-worn interior dominated by a long large bar with tables wrapping around the counter, and a tentlike dining patio out front.

The drab drapes with matching scalloped valances at the storefront windows look like they came from The Addams Family set, or maybe just an eccentric aunt, which some regulars might find as endearing as the comforting food.

Michael Bauer is The San Francisco Chronicle restaurant critic and editor at large. Find his blog at http://insidescoopsf.sfgate.com and his reviews on www.sfchronicle.com Email: mbauer@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @michaelbauer1 Instagram: michaelbauer1

Food Guide Top 25 Restaurants Where to eat in the Bay Area. Find spots near you, create a dining wishlist, and more.

  

Bellanico

Food:   

Service:   

Atmosphere:  

Noise: Four Bells

Price: $$$
Henry Chung, a prolific San Francisco restaurateur and one of the first chefs to introduce Hunanese cuisine to the United States, died Sunday at age 99.

Mr. Chung and his wife, Diana, are most famous for their Hunan Restaurant, which opened in San Franciscos Chinatown in 1974 and gave rise to the flourishing Henrys Hunan chain. By the time he became a restaurateur in his 50s, Mr. Chung had already lived an extraordinary life.

Mr. Chung was born in China into the landed peasant class in 1918 in Liling, Hunan, now a one-hour drive from the provincial capital of Changsha. He was married at the age of 8, in accordance with village custom; his bride was 12. Even as a young boy, said his children, Mr. Chung was already considered exceptional. He earned a scholarship to boarding school in the regional capital.

Despite the fact that he had three children by the time he graduated, his village helped send him to the National Central University in Nanjing, then the capital of Nationalist China. There he met and married another Hunanese student named Diana, a star athlete. Its not clear how the first marriage ended. He separated from his family in Liling.

After college, Mr. Chung entered diplomatic service for the Nationalist government. He was posted for a short time to Japan after World War II. With the Communist Party massing around Mao Zedong in the couples home province, Mr. Chung wrangled a diplomatic posting to Houston in 1948, bringing Diana and their two children to the United States.

There, as the ambassador for a stateless government, Mr. Chung ran a Chinese Consulate out of a small apartment and waited for sporadic paychecks. When the Nationalist government fled to Taiwan and called him back, Diana Chung refused to leave the United States. He quit.

From the 1950s through the early 1970s, living in Houston and San Francisco, the Chungs tried every business they could think of: They opened ice cream shops, diners, shoe-repair services and toy stores. They had three more children. They were able to sustain a living, but nothing that you would define as success, youngest son Howard Chung said.

Finally, Mr. Chung landed a plum job as a manager for China Airlines. But Diana, bored and ambitious, wanted to open another restaurant that she would run. This one, the couple decided, would serve the Hunanese food they grew up with, which was all but unknown in Chinatown  let alone the rest of the United States.

Courtesy of the Chung family.

Hunan Restaurants first location, at 853 Kearny St., had a 10-seat counter and tables for another 26. In the early days, the Chungs children have said, San Franciscos Cantonese residents spurned the Chungs chile-laden, pungent food. But in the wake of President Richard Nixons 1972 visit to China and the 1965 loosening of U.S. immigration laws, a new generation of Chinese restaurants was opening around the country  and interest in Chinese regional cuisines was brewing.

Non-Cantonese diners took interest in Hunan Restaurant. One of them was New Yorker writer Tony Hiss, who after his Thanksgiving meal there in 1976 wrote that Hunan was the best Chinese restaurant in the world. It took two days for The Chronicles Herb Caen to share the news with his readers. After that, the lines became so long and so constant that street performers set up on the block to entertain them.

Thousands of restaurants with Hunan in the title, in tiny American towns as well as across Bay Area, can trace their names, if not their recipes, to the Chungs first restaurant. Its onion pancakes and its bold flavors  particularly the mountains of garlic and chiles that moved through the kitchen every day  caught on with the broader public. (The Chungs lovingly smoked meats, sadly, didnt.) Mr. Chung, aided by Hiss, wrote a Hunanese cookbook in 1978, and appeared in Les Blanks 1980 documentary Garlic Is as Good as Ten Mothers.

In 1979, the Chungs opened a 314-seat space on Sansome Street with a cocktail lounge, which also filled with diners. (In an early review, the Examiner critic R.B. Read complained that the restaurant had only four servers for all those seats.) And Henry Chung decided that since banks in America would loan him the money, hed buy his own properties from then on out.

One more decision changed the future of the chain that came to be known as Henrys Hunan. In 1982, after diplomatic relations with the Peoples Republic of China were regularized, Henry and Diana Chung returned to China to search for Mr. Chungs three eldest children.

They found that, during the Cultural Revolution, his progeny had been severely punished for Mr. Chungs escape. The couple began bringing Mr. Chungs children and their extended families to the United States. Buying more buildings and opening restaurants inside them gave the new arrivals employment. The number of Henrys Hunan locations swelled to six, each one managed and staffed by a different branch of the family.

Food Guide Top 25 Restaurants Where to eat in the Bay Area. Find spots near you, create a dining wishlist, and more.

Katy Raddatz/SFC

Although they were tireless workers, Henry and Diana slowly stepped away from running the business as they grew older. Diana Chung died in 2003. Henry Chung remained very much the patriarch of the family. He was always a little intimidating, said granddaughter MacKenzie Fegan, who has become the family biographer, spending many hours collecting her grandfathers stories.

Fegan says that her grandfather once told her she should live her best life. She prodded: What would that be? Live a good life, eat good food, wear good clothes and dont be sloppy, he told her.

As revered as he was by his family, he in turn revered his ancestors, said daughter Sophia Chung Fegan (MacKenzies mother), as well as those whose generosity propelled him out of rural Hunan. He was always talking about people who helped him in his journey, she said.

Mr. Chung channeled his gratitude into education: first, his childrens, then his grandchildrens, and finally those of students he might never meet. The Chungs built a gymnasium at a school in China and endowed scholarships at Sacred Heart Cathedral, UC Berkeley and San Francisco State.

Mr. Chung died at home in the Richmond District, survived by eight children and his many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. His family is still deciding what form the memorial celebrations might take.

Jonathan Kauffman is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jkauffman@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @jonkauffman
Eight national monuments created in California over the past two decades will be reviewed under an executive order signed Wednesday by President Trump that second-guesses designations covering more than a billion acres nationwide.

The monuments in California cover huge swaths of desert, mountains, lakes and forests, including rare stands of ancient sequoia trees. The question of whether Trump can repeal any of the designations is likely to end up in court if the president tries to do so.

His order instructs the Interior Department to review all national monuments designated by presidents since 1996 that are at least 100,000 acres, including 265 million acres protected by President Barack Obama.

During a signing ceremony Wednesday, Trump called Obamas monument designations a land grab and said the order is designed to end another egregious abuse of federal power, and to give that power back to the states and to the people, where it belongs.

It means 30 or so monuments nationwide could be subject to alterations in size, purpose or ways the land is used. The president ordered Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke to evaluate each site designation for its compatibility with the original intent of federal law and its effect on the publics use and access.

Under the order, Zinke will consider public and official opposition to national-monument designations and recommend any modifications within 120 days.

Environmentalists and legislators who support the monuments reacted with outrage.

Were treating this as the opening salvo of a full-scale attack on national monuments, said Dan Hartinger, deputy director of parks and public lands for the Wilderness Society. Removing the protections would be the first step youd need to opening them back up to extractive uses like oil, timber and commercial fishing.

Zinke promised to uphold the 1906 Antiquities Act, which gives the president power to create national monuments on public lands, but said he agrees with Trump that the law should not be be used to restrict historic uses like farming, grazing, ranching, timber harvesting, fishing or motorized recreation.

We feel that the public, the people affected, should be considered, Zinke said.

Twelve monuments have been established in California since 1996, but only eight of them fall under the order: Berryessa Snow Mountain, which sprawls across Napa, Solano, Yolo and four other counties in Northern California; Giant Sequoia, in the Sequoia National Forest in the southern Sierra; Cascade-Siskiyou, in southwestern Oregon and northwestern California; Carrizo Plain in the southern San Joaquin Valley; San Gabriel Mountains, northeast of Los Angeles; Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains, west of the Coachella Valley in Riverside County; and two desert monuments that were pushed by Sen. Dianne Feinstein, Sand to Snow and Mojave Trails.

For Californians who love the West, there is a lot to fear, said David Myers, executive director of the Wildlands Conservancy. These are places where we camp, hike, hunt, fish, so an attack on one is an attack on all. The administration is not standing with the American people  they are standing with a small minority of companies that want to privatize our public lands.

Several California legislators and conservationists were confident that at least some of the states monuments would pass muster, even under an administration that has made clear that commercial interests should play a larger role in the governments environmental decision-making.

Berryessa Snow Mountain is a textbook-perfect example of what a monument designation should look like, said Rep. Mike Thompson, D-St. Helena, who persuaded Obama to designate a 100-mile swath of land stretching from the shores of Lake Berryessa to the flanks of Snow Mountain in 2015. The business community in the area sent over 100 letters in support, and every board of supervisors passed resolutions.

However, Californias desert national monuments could be in jeopardy. Obama protected 1.8 million acres in February 2016 at the behest of Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., who championed the monument designations for years.

House Republicans opened an investigation in March 2016 into the desert monuments, claiming a lack of transparency and consultation with local stakeholders.

The stakeholders they were referring to included local miners, rock collectors, recreational-vehicle users and others who feared their use of the land would be curtailed. The California Off-Road Vehicle Association was initially concerned, but eventually acquiesced under Feinsteins prodding.

The federal agencies have been very engaged and very responsive to our concerns, said Amy Granat, managing director of the Off-Road Vehicle Association, which is working with officials on management plans at the desert monuments and Berryessa Snow Mountain that would permit off-road vehicles.

David Lamfrom, California desert director for the National Parks Conservation Association, defended the desert monuments as crucial wildlife corridors that also preserve the last open stretch of historic Route 66.

The California desert monuments were the product of legislation and a really widespread, grassroots-focused community process, Lamfrom said. When the Trump administration reviews the California desert national monuments, they will find a community that strongly backs them and a business community that cares deeply about protecting them.

The administration and Republican legislators are apparently determined to test their resolve.

The Antiquities Act does not give the federal government unlimited power to lock up millions of acres of land and water, and its time we ended this abusive practice, Trump said.

The act has been used by 16 presidents, half of them Republican, to protect natural and historic features, including Muir Woods National Monument. President Herbert Hoover used it to establish Death Valley as a national monument in 1933, and President Franklin D. Roosevelt designated Joshua Tree in 1936. Both later became national parks.

Obama was particularly gung-ho about the act, using it to protect more than 550 million acres in 34 national monuments, more than Presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton put together.

Trumps review was prompted in part by Utah GOP Sens. Orrin Hatch and Rob Bishop, who strongly objected to Obamas 2016 designation of the 1.35 million-acre Bears Ears National Monument in southeastern Utah.

The monument, named after a pair of buttes that rise above the Colorado Plateau, is the ancestral home of several American Indian tribes and features 100,000 archaeological sites, including ancestral Puebloan cliff dwellings. The two senators said far more land than necessary was set aside in the monument.

Utahs congressional delegation was also highly critical of Clintons 1996 designation of the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument in their state, which explains why Trumps order goes back 21 years.

No president has ever rescinded a national monument designation, and there is no provision in the Antiquities Act for reversal. Legal experts say shrinking or revoking a monument would have to be done through an act of Congress, but some Republicans believe Trump can do it unilaterally and should be willing to go to court if necessary to win that right.

Conservationists reject that notion, saying Trumps order is not only unnecessary but harmful.

What they are doing is undermining one of the United States most important conservation laws and politicizing national monuments in a way that they frankly dont deserve, said Ani Kameenui, director of legislation and policy for the National Parks Conservation Association. Public lands are owned by all Americans. By calling into question these sites, they are calling into question part of the American story that is manifested in these sites.

Peter Fimrite is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: pfimrite@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @pfimrite
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Its a good thing Brent Assink, the longtime San Francisco Symphony executive director, recently retired. Now he has more time for house calls .

Assink knew he was being honored April 18 at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music gala. What he didnt know was that conservatory President David Stull and Michael Kim, music director of the University of Minnesota (Assinks alma mater), would surprise him with an honorary doctorate in music.

This marvelous musicale  featuring a concert, McCalls dinner in an elegant J. Riccardo Benavides-designed tent and dance-party with Red Baraat Band  organized by co-chairs Deepa Pakianathan, Eileen Blum-Bourgade and Maria Shim, enriched conservatory student scholarships and community programs to the tune of $800K.

Also on deck: Conservatoryboard chairman Timothy Foo with Assinks former bosses  Symphony President Sako Fisher and her predecessors Nancy Bechtle and John Goldman, who announced a conservatory scholarship named for the honoree and his wife, Jan Assink.

The initial $250K seed grant endows this fund in perpetuity for students with the greatest musical promise and highest financial need.

Brent and Jan have given so much to the Symphony and the conservatory, Goldman enthused. They believe strongly in the spirit of outreach and engagement and know that ensuring the future of music leads to the betterment of society.

Onstage, that future was evident  even for pianist Jon Nakamatsu and soprano Deborah Voight, who are both conservatory faculty members  in a young group of musicians. These established stars were wowed by the superb Little Stars String Trio  10-year-old Dustin Breshears Jr. and his sisters Starla, 9, and Valery, 7  who travel to the conservatorys pre-college program every Saturday from Chico.

During Assinks 18-year tenure, which has coincided with Michael Tilson Thomas time as maestro, the Symphony has attained global preeminence and developed such groundbreaking sideline businesses as a Grammy-winning music label, the Keeping Score With MTT media series, and Soundbox. Additionally, 35 Symphony orchestra members moonlight as conservatory faculty.

Minding a symphony orchestra is difficult enough. Yet all this derived from Brents leadership, enthused Stull. And when a symphony turns its attention, through its free Adventures in Music programs, to the education needs of public school students in a city thats losing arts funding, thats when you know Brent achieved something remarkable.

Snap: Theres a Larry Sultan spectacular in town  a three-ring circus of complementary celebrations of the late photographer.

Sultan was a master documentarian who re-imagined the banal, using his shutter to transform hackneyed suburban spaces into alien terrain.

He honed his groove amid what were assumed to be the sleepy hamlets of Los Angeles, where he grew up. In the early 70s, Sultan moved north earning his masters of fine arts at the San Francisco Art Institute, and later taught there and at California College of the Arts.

First at bat: A major retrospective, Here and Home, recently opened at SFMOMA, where director Neal Benezra proudly noted, at a Directors Circle conversation with former SFMOMA curator Sandra Phillips and the late artists wife, Kelly Sultan, that the museums permanent collection boasts a whopping 84 of Sultans works.

In 2005, Larry received our Treasure Award, and just before his sad passing in 2009, he served as the museums second artist trustee, Benezra recalled. Larry continues to mean so much to our community of photographers, artists, collectors and students.

Hes also beloved by local swells, including grande dame Denise Hale. Though her famous Sultan portrait (shot for a sizzling W Magazine story about Pacific Heights denizens) resides in an exhibition on the south end of town, Hale, draped in white fur and diamonds, joined inner-Sultan-circlers at the museum cafe for a post-exhibition McCalls buffet.

There, art critic and author Philip Gefter raised a glass to his longtime friend: Larry had the ease of a surfer, the speech of a poet and the manner of a prince.

The next night, at Minnesota Street Project in Dogpatch, a more funky vibe reigned as co-founders Deborah and Andy Rappaport welcomed students, photographers and fans of all stripes to their gallery collective.

Amid this artistic hive are more Sultan installations at Casemore Kirkeby Gallery, including Editorial Works (heres where youll find la Hale) and Fake Newsroom, an au courant revamp of the 1983 Newsroom performance-photo project Sultan created at Berkeley Art Museum-Pacific Film Archive with artist Mike Mandel, whose own exhibition opens May 20 at SFMOMA.

Ambiguity was Larrys middle name, and his art is a form of storytelling where the viewer must participate, explains gallerist Julie Casemore, who worked with Sultan at Stephen Wirtz Gallery.

Kelly Sultan echoed that oeuvre, noting that her late husbands art is about not knowing what exactly youre looking at.

Larry was in love with reality and didnt feel the need to make a fiction of it. His ultimate question was, What are you seeing and whose truth is it? she continues. But by looking at a piece, you eventually see. Larry documented poetically with the result being something more than just a photograph.

Soups on: St. Anthonys supporters raised a very filling $450K during the recent Raising Hope gala at City Hall. Led by chair Meagan Levitan, the McCalls dinner turned the tables by ladling praise on dedicated volunteers who serve meals with a side of hope to at-need clients of St. Anthonys.

In three years, this event has raised more than $1 million for the charitable organizations recovery clinic, tech lab, clothing program and dining room.

Founded in the Tenderloin 67 years ago by Father Alfred Boeddeker, St. Anthonys serves the homeless and those whove slipped through the social safety net. While St. Anthonys is not as widely known as the cable cars or S.F. Giants, it is, Levitan said, a revered San Francisco icon.

St. Anthonys reminds us of what we are called to do as humans and as San Franciscans  to take care of others, Levitan declared. When we talk about what it means to be a city of compassion and generosity, the city of St. Francis  we can still point to St. Anthonys as the embodiment of these values.

Catherine Bigelow is The San Francisco Chronicles society correspondent. Email: missbigelow@sfgate.com Instagram: @missbigelow
A new military jeep being sold for $100? Surely that couldnt be true.

While digging through The Chronicles archive, I found photos from 1946 and 1947 that showed row upon row of unused vehicles, ships and materials left over after World War IIs end. Intrigued, I went looking for more.

When the fighting in the Pacific ended, the U.S. had a mammoth surplus that was managed by the War Assets Administration and spread across the country and beyond. Gen. Merritt Edson explained the predicament: War is not fought on an economical basis, but on the assumption it will last indefinitely. For that reason, the services have over a years supply of weapons and other materials.

Those other materials included cars, boats and plenty of jeeps, and rumors spread that because so many existed they were being offered to veterans for as low as $100. Whether that were true would take some investigation.

On Oct. 25, 1945, the Office of Surplus Properties put the first 9,100 quarter-ton Army trucks  Army-speak for jeeps  up for sale. A Chronicle article from the following day explained that federal agencies, state and city governments, and tax-supported institutions got priority to make purchases until Nov. 6, when veterans would get a crack at them, followed by civilians. The article speculated Joe Veteran or Joe Civilian didnt have a chance to buy a cheap jeep.

Some of the surplus jeeps, however, made it to the Bay Area, with a batch of 1,588 vehicles being put up for sale at the Benicia Arsenal on June 24, 1946. Over 10,000 veterans showed up at the base, with many of them camping out overnight. Most didnt drive home in new jeeps.

Vivian Brill, a former WAVES (Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service) participant from San Francisco, was one of about a half-dozen women who scored a jeep. I want mine to bum around in, and have a good time, she said.

Aaron Rubino/The Chronicle

Surplus jeeps were scarce in 1946, but rumors persisted that vast supplies of bargain-priced vehicles existed. On March 20, 1958, The Chronicle published a lighthearted story saying that just about everyone seemed to know someone who knew someone that had bought a dirt-cheap surplus jeep. Tales proliferated that thousands of Californians were getting their names on lists to purchase jeeps for $100 or $125. They were being sold in batches, people said, and all you had to do was get on a list. Some folks swore there were 1,800 new jeeps in Half Moon Bay, others reported hundreds being stored at a supply depot near Stockton. None of the rumor mongers, however, had talked to the Army or the Navy.

The Chronicle did talk to the Navy and got a no-nonsense answer: The rumor has no foundation in fact.

The Army spokesman didnt mince words, either. He said this was about the 1,000th time he had tried kill the great jeep rumor. We have no sales of large quantities, he said. We have never crated jeeps. ... At most, we have a very few old used jeeps, normally in pretty poor condition.

Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Updated to include drought zones while tracking water shortage status of your area, plus reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts.

The rumors have been circulating throughout the country, and we wish we knew ... who starts them and why.

The spokesman did offer some hope: If you want a new vehicle, I understand the Army has declared some of its tanks obsolete and surplus now.

Bill Van Niekerken is the library director of The San Francisco Chronicle, where he has worked since 1985. In his weekly column, From the Archive, he explores the depths of The Chronicles vast photography archive in search of interesting historical tales related to the city by the bay.
Thats how the company will be routinely described in the not too distant future if the company maintains its current path.

What a disheartening, disappointing, disturbing first evening of the Here and Now festival, as it is being called by NYCB. As one of Haglunds favorite readers C said to him, Ill take Then and There anytime over Here and Now. Of course, there will always be the predictable praises from those who go to the performances for free  those who dont have to open their own wallets to buy tickets or toil at mundane day jobs to put together the cash needed to see NYCB.

The evening began with curtain remarks by Peter Martins and a toast to Christopher Wheeldon whose works were performed that evening. The toast was fine. The remarks not so.

During the speech, Martins dropped a bombshell. He said that NYCB spends half of its time attending to Balanchines and Robbins works and half of its time on new works making it clear that LESS than half of its time is spent on Balanchine. LESS than HALF. Were giving Balanchine a little vacation [during this festival], he said.

How can NYCB continue to call itself The House of Balanchine when it mothballs his work and replaces it with riff raff. Lets look at next years schedule:

In the fall season, only 7 out of 28 performances will include Balanchines work while 20 performances will include Martins work. In the winter season, only 17 of the 42 performances will include Balanchines work while 16 performances will include Martins work. In the spring season, only 19 of the 42 performances will include Balanchines work while 22 of them will include work by Jerome Robbins because it is his centennial celebration. The remaining dates are filled in with mostly media candy choreographers including far too much of Justin Peck's work.

No Serenade, no Jewels, no Symphony in C, no Ballet Imperial, no Ballo della Regina, no Brahms-Shoenberg Quartet, no Danses Concertante, no Donizetti, no Fairys Kiss, no Firebird, no Flower Festival, no Ivesiana, no Liebeslieder, no Prodigal Son, no Raymonda, no Davidsbundlertanze, no Scotch Symphony, no Stars and Stripes, no Sylvia PdD, no Slaughter, no Theme and Variations, no Tschaikovsky PC 2, no Tschaikovsky Suite No. 3, no Tzigane, no Union Jack, no Valse Fantasie, no Vienna Waltzes, no Walpurgisnacht, no Western Symphony, and no Who Cares? Well, we care.

In the 2017-2018 season, we are seeing only 15 different Balanchine works for the whole year. How can NYCB continue to call itself the House of Balanchine? Not only is it presenting fewer and fewer of his works, but it is substituting new work that doesnt even approach the brilliance of Balanchines work. Does. Not. Even. Approach.

How can NYCB continue to call itself the House of Balanchine? It simply cannot. This schedule doesn't constitute any type of a "vacation" for Balanchine; it's an effort to reduce his significance at NYCB and force-feed the audience lesser work simply because it is new.

All of the new crap that is landing on NYCBs stage is being presented in the name of moving the art forward. There is no such thing as moving forward in art. There is no moving backwards, and there is no moving sideways. Art is simply made. It employs evolved tools such as evolved musical instruments, evolved pointe shoes, evolved lighting and stage flooring. But art itself is humanly created and simply added to the universe. This nonsense about art MOVING FORWARD like its on some imaginary linear journey to Art Nirvana is a load of marketing gobbledygoop by artists who are desperate for attention which their honest skills are not getting for them. If they can imply that someone elses art is stale, backward, not hip, not FORWARD thinking, then they have a better chance of rising above it all without the necessary skills to succeed.

For over a half century, Balanchine created ballets for his company through World War II, Korean War, Vietnam, Nixon, Kennedys assassination, the first moonwalk (on the moon, not in a Michael Jackson video), invention of color TV, civil rights riots, civil disobedience riots, draft dodging, inventions of Mr. Potato Head and The Pill. Did he chant about making ballets that were relevant to current times? No, he did not. Did he create ballets about wars in which he did not fight or physically suffer? No, he didnt. By now, we should all be gagging on the word relevant. It means NOTHING in the world of art. The idea of relevance is merely a reaction to art, not a measurement of quality or artists skill. Once the artists goal becomes to obtain a certain reaction or affirmation of relevance from the viewer, e.g., I can identify with that or Wowzer, that really speaks to me me me me me me me, then his goal is no longer to create art.

In the Met Museum, does one ever hear things like, That 3rd Century BC gold phiale libation bowl decorated with bees and acorns is pretty, but it doesnt relate to me me me me me me me like the new line of dishes at Pottery Barn. Or at the NY Phil, Mozarts Jupiter Symphony is okay for the first ten minutes, but it would be more relevant to me me me me me me me if Rhianna would sing something to it.

Relevance is overrated.

Last evenings performance included Christopher Wheeldons Mercurial Manoeuvres (2000), Polyphonia (2001), Liturgy (2003), and American Rhapsody (2016).

Mercurial Manoeuvres was the best of the four ballets in terms of musical responsiveness through the creation of group movements as well as sizzling solos for a man in a burning red unitard. Unlike American Rhapsody, which closed the program, it is not cast dependent. Tiler Peck was the featured ballerina in Mercurial Manoeuvres which has enjoyed a history of wonderful performances from Abi Stafford and Miranda Weese as well as Tiler. Last night her work glistened with the beauty and sense of freedom that we saw the week before in Allegro Brilliante. Tyler Angle was her outstanding partner and delivered his own blazing allegro. But the highlight of this ballet was Harrison Ball (replacing Anthony Huxley) whose fiery form, while amazing, only suggested what we might see from him in the future.

The Corps de Ballet and demi soloists Sara Adams and Kristen Segin were all pinpoint perfection. Their straight arm swinging is where we first encountered Wheeldons proclivity for this sort thing back in 2000. Now it shows up the way like, you know, and totally show up between words in common speech.

Robert Fairchild and Tiler Peck carried American Rhapsody in its first showings in 2016, and their absence last night sunk it. Sorry to have to say once again that Russell Janzen (in Fairchilds role) is no jazz bunny, no matter how badly he wants to be one. Lauren Lovette (in Tilers role) was trying to use her eyebrows to create passion and drama, but the choreography was not in her body. What made the PdD in American Rhapsody acceptable last year was Tilers innate musicality. Lauren has her own attributes, but natural musicality is not one of them at the moment.

The absence of Fairchild and Peck even seemed to throw water on the performances of Amar Ramasar and Unity Phelan who danced in the premiere. Their chemistry came across as forced and they looked over-challenged by the choreography.

Then there was the mundane straight arm waving that were seeing way too much of in Wheeldons works, e.g., Mercurial Manoeuvres, DGV: Danse a Grande Vitesse, Liturgy.

Speaking of Liturgy, Maria Kowroski and Jared Angle gave it the old college try, but really, there isnt much in the choreography. Its Wheeldon presenting a big nothing as being of world importance through the use of dramatic stage lighting, minimal movement, and skimpy costume. Ditto with Polyphonia which is definitely cast dependent and isnt likely to ever garner the interest it did when Ansanelli, Whelan, and Somogyi were on the stage in it. Last night, watching Sara Mearns in an unflattering black-belted leotard plow through steps next to Sterling Hyltin might qualify as cruel and unusual punishment for both the viewer and Sara.

With the exception of Mercurial Manoeuvres, Haglund did not have a good time last night and wishes that he had saved his money. The only way that hell ever watch American Rhapsody again is if Harrison Coll is in the Fairchild role - then only maybe. Boy, is this young dancer ready to set the world on fire in roles that feature Gershwin, Bernstein, and Kay! Heres hoping that we see a lot of him during next years Robbins celebration.

Since it was such a distressing night, were going to hold off awarding any HH Pump Bump Award. Oh heck anyway. Well bestow a red suede flame by Louboutin on Harrison Ball since his dancing seems to be on such a strong and virtuous track right now.
A bright glow lit up the sky over Central California early Wednesday morning when Vandenberg Air Force Base conducted a missile test launch.

The base hurled an unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile into the sky during an operational test at 12:03 a.m., on April 26, 2017.

More for you Mysterious light in Bay Area sky Tuesday morning was a missile test launch

"Tonight's launch was an important demonstration of our nation's nuclear deterrent capability," said Col. John Moss, the 30th Space Wing commander in charge of the launch, in a statement. "Test launches like this one are vital to validating the effectiveness and readiness of our operational nuclear systems, so it is critical that they are successful. The men and women of the 30th Space Wing and Air Force Global Strike Command's 576th Flight Test Squadron did a fantastic job working together to make tonight's launch possible and successful."

The Nuclear Age Peace Foundation released a statement denouncing the timing of the launch as tensions between the United States and North Korea heighten.

"When it comes to missile testing, the U.S. is operating with a clear double standard: It views its own tests as justified and useful, while it views the tests of North Korea as threatening and destabilizing." said David Krieger, president of the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation. "What is needed is diplomacy rather than military provocations. Threats, whether in the form of tweets, nuclear-capable aircraft carrier groups, or nuclear-capable missile launches, only increase the dangers to us all."
Rallies and protest events are a part of political life in the Bay Area. Heres a roundup of whats happening.

Thursday

Comedy night: Comedy Night for Immigrant Rights will feature Bay Area comedians Irene Tu, Johan Miranda and Zahra Noorbaksh. The event begins at 5:30 p.m. at BATS Improv Theatre in Building B at Fort Mason, San Francisco. For tickets: www.iibayarea.org/comedy-night-event.

Friday

Memorial: A day of remembrance for workers who have been killed and injured on the job. Panel discussion on Race, Power and Politics: Effects on Workers of Color, with speakers from state and federal agencies, labor organizations and community groups. The event is from noon to 1:45 p.m. at Oakstop Event Space, Telegraph Room, 1721 Broadway in Oakland. For information: http://bit.ly/WorkersMemorial2017.

Music show: A science and arts collaboration that tells the story of how climate has changed in the last 200 years. The show begins at 6:30 p.m. at Theatre of Yugen at NOHspace, 2840 Mariposa St. in San Francisco. For tickets, call (415) 753-5515.

Saturday

Climate change marches: In Oakland, a march will begin at 11 a.m. at the Lake Merritt Amphitheater, between 12th Street and First Avenue. In Kentfield, a march will start at 11 a.m. at the College of Marin, 1001 Sir Francis Drake Blvd. In San Rafael, a march will begin 11 a.m. outside San Rafael City Hall, 1400 Fifth Ave. In San Jose, a march starts at 10 a.m. outside City Hall, 200 E. Santa Clara St. For information on all marches: https://peoplesclimate.org

Monday

May Day events: A Day Without Immigrants, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Justin Herman Plaza, Embarcadero Center in San Francisco. For information: https://www.facebook.com/events/1885901481694528/. SEIU United Service Workers West is also calling for a May Day general workers strike. For information: https://www.facebook.com/events/1221437297933877/.

May 6

Immigration event: Remembering the 135th Anniversary of the Chinese Exclusion Act and standing in opposition to President Trumps proposed travel ban. A rally will be held from noon to 1:30 p.m. at Portsmouth Square, 733 Kearny St. in San Francisco. Contact Chinese for Affirmative Action: (415) 274-6750

Health care film: Healthcare for Everybody will be screened from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Contra Costa Central Labor Council, 1333 Pine St., Suite E in Martinez. The event is free.

May 7

Health care film: A screening of Now Is the Time followed by a health care discussion on the proposed California proposition for a single-payer plan. The event is from 2 to 4 p.m. at the San Lorenzo Library, 395 Paseo Grande in San Lorenzo. For information, contact aruchlis@gmail.com
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As a San Francisco sheriffs deputy taped an eviction notice on the door of a Bernal Heights artists collective, residents shuffled out with their essentials: blankets, clothes, laptops and toothbrushes.

Most of them did not know where they were going next.

I feel defeated, said resident Tony Burgess, as he gathered up his shoes to put into a cardboard box.

Their removal was one of the first court-ordered evictions carried out in a San Francisco artist collective since a deadly fire broke out at the Ghost Ship, a disheveled Oakland warehouse that housed artists and musicians amidst makeshift stairs and other jury-rigged structures.

That fire, which killed 36 people, spread a jolt of alarm among landlords and fire and safety regulators around the Bay Area, leading to a rash of inspections of shared warehouse spaces. Some tenants departed their homes under pressure by landlords without official action.

ALSO Survivors of Oakland halfway house fire file lawsuit

Artists flock to these spaces as a refuge from the citys expensive and competitive real-estate market, seeking venues where they can live and work for an affordable price.

The artists at the warehouse on Peralta Avenue, known as Bernalhaus, received a notice to vacate shortly after the Dec. 2 fire. The note contended that the space  south of Cortland Avenue, near the Highway 101-Interstate 280 interchange  was used only commercially, not as a living space. Commercial leases in California can be terminated with 30 days notice. The warehouses occupants say they lived there with the landlords knowledge for years. Under California law, residences, even illegal ones, have protections against evictions that business tenants lack.

The tenants argued against the landlords unlawful detainer action in court and sought to place the unit under rent control, which would give them more protections. But on Wednesday, as the decision on rent control was still pending before the San Francisco Rent Board, seven deputies carried out the eviction.

Hillary Ronen, a San Francisco city supervisor whose district includes Bernal Heights, was surprised to hear of the incident.

There are several legal processes that are still not finished, she said. While we must make sure that people are safe, we have to do everything to prevent displacement.

The Board of Supervisors unanimously passed a resolution in the wake of the Ghost Ship fire. The supervisors called for a plan to address safety concerns in such spaces while minimizing displacement of their occupants.

Shortly after the December notice, resident Nathan Cottam said he and his fellow residents spent about $20,000 to bring the warehouse up to fire code. They added windows and smoke alarms to every sleeping area and created an extra exit door.

Joanna Kozubal, an attorney for the owner of the building, could not be reached for comment. The warehouse is also the site of a planned 49-unit apartment complex valued at $7 million. Its developer applied for a permit in July, leading the people who live there to believe their landlord is trying to get them out to make room for the new building.

Back in December, eight people lived in the brightly painted building, which was a melange of bedrooms, a sound studio and a dance studio. Guitars and pieces of pyrography hang on the walls of the multiple common areas with couches, where the residents frequently hung out together.

Some of the residents, like 42-year-old Cottam, built rooms out of empty space in the warehouse. He laid cork on the dusty floors and added a bed, some couches and a rug. Cottam, a dance instructor, also built a mini-ballet floor out of reclaimed poplar wood for space to practice.

Cottam said he moved in the space about three years ago because it was the only thing he could afford. It was a place where he could both live and run his dance business on a tight budget, he said.

On Wednesday, as Cottam and his housemates waited for the deputies to show up and carry out the eviction, most of the artwork on the walls was gone. Some rooms were emptied out, and residents were slowly loading up a U-Haul truck.

While a handyman changed the houses locks  part of the official eviction procedure  the residents watched in the misty rain as they were permanently shut out of their home.

Chronicle staff writer Michael Bodley contributed to this report.

Trisha Thadani is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: tthadani@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @TrishaThadani
Google has sprinkled some new ingredients into its search engine in an effort to prevent bogus information and offensive suggestions from souring its results.

The changes have been in the works for four months, but Google hadnt publicly discussed most of them until now. The announcement in a blog post Tuesday reflects Googles confidence in a new screening system designed to reduce the chances it will highlight untrue stories about people and events, a phenomenon commonly referred to as fake news.

Its not a problem that is going to go all the way to zero, but we now think we can stay a step ahead of things, said Google vice president Ben Gomes.

Besides taking steps to block fake news from appearing, Google also has reprogrammed a popular feature that automatically tries to predict what a person is looking for as a search request as being typed. The tool, called autocomplete, has been overhauled to omit derogatory suggestions, such as are women evil, or recommendations that promote violence.

Google is also adding a feedback option that will enable users to complain about objectionable autocomplete suggestions so a human can review the wording.

Lawsuit

Mylan quashed EpiPen rival

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, which once controlled more than 90 percent of the market for epinephrine allergy injectors, is already under scrutiny over the skyrocketing prices of its EpiPen product. The company is facing a U.S. antitrust probe of whether it improperly thwarted competition to the blockbuster product. Sanofi said Mylan offered unprecedented price rebates to persuade government officials, insurance companies and pharmaceutical benefit managers not to reimburse patients for Sanofis competing Auvi-Q allergy treatment. Mylan also allegedly ran misleading ads to persuade doctors to avoid prescribing Auvi-Q, according to the suit.

A spokeswoman for Mylan didnt immediately return a call for comment.

Online video

Netflix gains

on China talks

Netflix is in talks to distribute programs in China through iQiyi.com, the streaming-video provider controlled by Baidu, gaining access to a market that has long eluded the worlds largest pay-TV service.

Netflix shares jumped to a record on the news. Variety reported earlier that a Netflix executive, Robert Roy, announced at a conference in Indonesia that a deal with iQiyi was in place. The pact is a licensing deal with multiple shows, a Netflix spokeswoman said in an email.

Netflix has been looking for a way to enter China as part of its plan to amass a global audience for its burgeoning library of exclusive shows, from House of Cards to Stranger Things. Netflix expanded to 130 countries last year, with China the sole major market left out, and surpassed 100 million subscribers worldwide last weekend.

Netflix shares climbed 8.3 percent to close at $152.16 Tuesday. Baidus U.S.-listed shares climbed 3.9 percent to close at $186.99.

Real estate

New home sales

suddenly rise

Purchases of new U.S. homes unexpectedly increased in March to an eight-month high, indicating housing demand remained strong at the start of the spring buying season, Commerce Department data showed Tuesday.

Single-family home sales increased 5.8 percent to a 621,000 annualized pace (median forecast called for a 584,000 rate). The median sale price of a new house rose 1.2 percent from March 2016 to $315,100. The supply of homes shrank to 5.2 months from 5.4 months; there were 268,000 new houses on the market at the end of March.

Steady job growth and improving wages are continuing to drive demand, building on last years new-home sales that were the strongest since 2007. While mortgage costs remain above pre-election levels, theyre becoming less of a curb on the market, with the average 30-year fixed rate falling last week to the lowest since November. Still, lean inventories and rising prices may restrain any gains.

The rise in demand was led by a 16.7 percent gain in the West, which had the fastest sales pace since 2007; the South and Northeast also saw gains, while purchases slowed in Midwest.

The February reading was revised to a 587,000 pace from a previously estimated 592,000

New-home sales account for about 10 percent of the residential market and are tabulated when contracts are signed; existing-home sales, which rose 4.4 percent last month, are based on contract closings.

Chronicle News Services
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A major supplier of home oxygen equipment has agreed to pay $11.4 million to settle accusations that it profiteered by filing false reimbursement claims with the government and arranging kickbacks with sleep-testing clinics, federal officials said Tuesday.

Justice Department and health care officials announced the settlement with Pacific Pulmonary Services, which is based in Novato and has more than 100 outlets in 20 states. Sixteen percent of the settlement, or $1.824 million, will be paid to Manuel Alcaine, a former Pacific Pulmonary sales representative in San Leandro. He sued the company in 2010 under a law that allows private citizens who expose fraud against the government to share in the recovery.
Every time a California community starts buying electricity on behalf of its residents  as San Francisco does with its new CleanPowerSF program  the states traditional utilities get stuck with excess electrons that theyve already bought but no longer need.

Customers of such community choice aggregation projects pay a monthly fee to the utilities designed to cover the costs of that excess power.

Now the utilities want to raise it.

On Tuesday, the states three big, investor-owned utilities filed a formal proposal with California energy regulators to change the way the fee is calculated, arguing that the current system no longer works.

Instead of spreading the costs of unneeded power fairly between utility customers who join a community choice program and those who dont, the current system places too much burden on the latter, according to the utilities.

At some point the customers who are left behind are going to face a really unreasonable burden, said Steve Malnight, PG&Es senior vice president of strategy and policy. We have to think differently about this.

Californias first such program, Marin Clean Energy, launched in 2010. Now community choice programs account for 13 percent of all the electrical demand on PG&Es grid, and the company estimates that figure could grow to 38 percent by 2020. Sonoma County offers a program, as do a group of cities on the Peninsula, as well as San Francisco.

This year, PG&E customers who dont belong to a community choice program will pay $180 million more to cover the costs of excess electricity than those who do, the company estimates. And as the popularity of community choice programs grows, that imbalance could grow to $500 million by 2020.

In other words, the company believes, customers outside of community choice areas such as Marin and San Francisco, as well as people in those communities who decided not to join, are paying a disproportionate amount to cover those costs.

PG&E joined Southern California Edison and San Diego Gas & Electric in Tuesdays proposal to the California Public Utilities Commission. Any change in the fee would require the commissions approval.

PG&E did not have an estimate Tuesday for how much the proposed changes would raise the fee faced by community choice customers. The typical CleanPowerSF customer currently pays about $8.35 per month to cover this fee, according to the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission.

Executives of community choice programs agree that the current system needs to change. But they argue that PG&E and the other utilities should also do a better job of selling off their excess electricity, which would lower costs for all customers.

The unneeded power comes from long-term power purchase contracts signed when electricity prices  particularly for solar and wind power  were substantially higher than they are now.

But Barbara Hale, president of the California Community Choice Association, said the utilities have been selling their excess electricity in the short-term, spot market, rather than trying to sell the power under longer-term arrangements that might fetch a higher price.

If youre holding onto something thats costing ratepayers a lot of money, you should try to extract as much value as you can out of that, she said.

Under community choice aggregation, a city or group of cities working together buys power on behalf of citizens. But those citizens still remain customers of the traditional utility company in their area. They pay the community choice program for electricity, while also continuing to pay the utility for maintaining the power grid and, in PG&Es case, supplying natural gas. All of those charges, for both the utility and the community choice program, are paid on one bill.

David R. Baker is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: dbaker@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @DavidBakerSF
News, analysis, and archives on the grassroots in Haiti. Nouvel, analiz, ak achiv sou baz yo an AYITI. Noticias, analisis y archivos sobre el pueblo de Haiti.
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Wells Fargo branches across the country deliberately targeted undocumented immigrants to open savings and checking accounts in order to meet aggressive sales goals, according to court documents.

In sworn declarations obtained by Burlingame plaintiffs attorney Joseph Cotchett, former employees describe a scheme in which Spanish-speaking colleagues would visit places they knew were frequented by immigrants (including construction sites and a 7-Eleven), drive them to a branch and persuade them to open an account. Some employees would give the immigrants $10 apiece to start an account. The events described in the declaration go back a decade.

The conduct we have come up with is scandalous, Cotchett said. Its outrageous to think that regulators let the bank get away with this.

The alleged scheme appears consistent with earlier reports of a runaway sales culture at Wells Fargo, where branch employees faced pressure to meet high sales quotas. But it raises fresh questions about whether bank employees merely deceived customers by opening accounts in their names  or further crossed a line.

Under federal law, banks must verify the identities of customers. The declarations offer no evidence that Wells Fargo skirted those requirements.

These allegations are inconsistent with our policies, values and the relationships we work hard to build with all parts of our community, company spokesman Ancel Martinez said in an email. Wells Fargo has long been committed to providing banking services to immigrants in a manner that complies fully with the law, and we have controls in place to ensure we comply with requirements.

These assertions are offensive, because they run counter to the expectations of Wells Fargo, and would be a violation of policies we have in place to safeguard against abuses, he said.

But given Wells Fargos well-documented rush to hit sales goals, experts say its quite possible that employees did not follow procedures. In any case, targeting immigrants to hit sales goals should have raised red flags among the banks many compliance and risk officers, banking experts said.

The crude nature of the bank employees actions suggests that the bank was more interested in opening accounts than doing the necessary due diligence and sincerely wanting to help immigrants with their financial needs, said Clifford Rossi, a former chief risk officer at Citigroups consumer lending unit who now teaches finance at the University of Maryland.

Its hard for me to think that they were trying to do the right thing, he said.

The documents were filed Wednesday as part of a shareholder lawsuit filed by Cotchett in San Francisco Superior Court against Wells Fargos top executives.

Last year, the San Francisco banking giant admitted that thousands of employees created up to 2 million fraudulent accounts in the names of real consumers without their consent.

Wells Fargo ultimately fired CEO John Stumpf and paid $185 million in fines. A report commissioned by the board of directors concluded that the banks aggressive culture pressured employees to commit fraud. But the report absolved the directors of any wrongdoing, blaming Stumpf for failing to detect the fraud and inform the board.

Cotchetts lawsuit specifically targets the board, arguing the directors were negligent and violated their fiduciary duty to shareholders.

If they didnt know about (the fraud), then they are at least incompetent, Cotchett said.

At Wells Fargos annual shareholders meeting Tuesday, the directors all won re-election, though narrowly in some cases.

The latest accusations add a twist to the Wells Fargo scandal, as it suggests a level of sophistication and coordination among employees at disparate branches that the company has not previously acknowledged. The board report, for example, does not mention any acknowledged fraud involving immigrants.

Under the USA Patriot and Bank Secrecy acts, banks must develop a customer identification program that would give them reasonable assurance that account holders are who they say they are. Undocumented immigrants can open accounts, as long as they have an address, drivers license and Individual Taxpayer Identification Number from the Internal Revenue Service. The IRS grants such numbers, akin to Social Security numbers, without regard to immigration status. Some banks also accept foreign passports or other forms of identification, like Mexicos matricula consular.

Wells Fargo said it accepted such consular cards as a form of identification.

We have no indication that consular card customers were disparately impacted among the 2 million accounts we analyzed that may have been unauthorized, Martinez said.

In his declaration, Denny Russo, who worked at Wells Fargo from 2008 to 2011, said the branch manager told employees of Latino descent to corral Hispanic day laborers who would gather at a 7-Eleven store in Petaluma.

The Wells Fargo employees were instructed to round up a group of the undocumented workers and drive them back to the Wells Fargo branch to open up checking and savings accounts in exchange for waiving check-cashing fees that the day laborers would otherwise have to pay, Russo said.

My colleagues constantly went to and from this location to try to meet their sales goals, he said. Based on discussions with other Wells Fargo employees and managers, I was aware that these practices ... were also widespread throughout the state of California.

In her declaration, Kelsey Hess, who worked as a teller in Draper, Utah, from 2013 to 2014, described a similar scheme in which employees would target immigrants at construction sites and a nearby Coca-Cola plant.

Many of the factory workers could not have bank accounts because of their immigration status, Hess said. With management permission, tellers promised to give the factory workers cash to sign up new accounts.

Julia Miller, who worked as Wells Fargo branch manager in Macungie, Pa., described Hit the Streets Thursday, in which bankers and tellers of Latino descent were told to patrol the streets and local security offices for new potential clients and ... get them into local branches and pressure them into opening new accounts, according to her declaration.

Banks in the past have courted Latino immigrants, who are often unbanked and who represent a potential rich pool of new customers.

Fifty-three percent of Mexican immigrants and 37 percent of other Latin American immigrants are unbanked, compared with 20 percent of immigrants from Asia and 17 percent from Europe, according to a report by the Federal Reserve Bank in Kansas City.

Winning new customers is very difficult; to do so, banks will either open new branches or acquire competitors for their customers, said Mike Arnold, co-owner of Alco Partners, a consulting firm that advises financial institutions on risk management.

But once you get a customer, that person is unlikely to change banks because of the inconvenience of closing down an account and opening a new one, he said.

The stickiness of the customer is what makes them real valuable, said Arnold, a former executive at Citigroup and Bank of America.

But Arnold said he has never heard of a bank targeting immigrants living in the country without legal permission. The risk to the banks reputation and operations would be severe, he said, if Wells Fargo did not make sure employees complied with identity-verification rules.

Many immigrants who entered or remain in the country without authorization avoid mainstream financial institutions, and experts say it hard to believe Wells Fargo employees were able to overcome their fear of banks during these round-ups.

Undocumented immigrants are also concerned that banks will share their information with immigration officials, or that they wouldnt be able to access their funds if they are deported, according to a report by the Federal Reserve Bank in Richmond, Va.

This is a real fear among undocumented immigrants and a potentially high barrier to overcome, because it could mean the difference between staying and working in the United States (and sending money back home) and being forced to leave the country, the report said.

Richard George, a San Francisco-based principal of the Bank Experts Group, a firm that provides expert court testimony to financial institutions, said he has never heard of a bank targeting immigrants living in the country without permission in order to meet sales goals.

But that it happened at Wells Fargo seems about right, said George, a former executive at Citibank and consultant at McKinsey & Co.

It doesnt surprise me that some enterprising branch manager under pressure to meet sales goals would come up with all sorts of ways to open new accounts, George said.

Thomas Lee is a San Francisco Chronicle columnist. Email: tlee@sfchronicle.com

Twitter: @ByTomLee
Guadalupe Suarez, a 16-year-old Oakland high school student, has never been to Philadelphia or New Jersey. But on Monday, she and her classmates at Aspire Golden State College Preparatory Academy were able to travel virtually to historic sites related to the life of Alexander Hamilton, the nations first Treasury secretary and the subject of the hit musical now playing in San Francisco.

It felt like you were there, Guadalupe said. She and the other students lifted Google Cardboards  inexpensive virtual reality viewers  to their faces to explore key places in Hamiltons life, including the New Jersey site where Aaron Burr fatally shot Hamilton in a duel.
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Melania Trump is celebrating her 47th birthday today

FLOTUS will be spending her birthday in Washington, D.C. according to a tweet she posted... "Looking forward to today's Senate spouses luncheon at the National Gallery of Art. A wonderful group doing great things for our country!"

President Trump also gave his wife a Twitter shout out saying, "HAPPY BIRTHDAY to our @FLOTUS, Melania!" The 45th President accompanied his tweet with a photo of them walking along the Inaugural parade route.

Melania Knavs was born in Slovenia, on April 26, 1970 and came to the USA in 1996 in pursuit of a modeling career.

Whether you agree with her husband's politics or not, it's fair to say that Mrs. Trump has had a wild year. In just the last 100 days, the former model has taken hits from fashion designers, has been criticized on how she reads to children, and has received backlash for remaining at Trump Tower.

But let's be real, FLOTUS has managed to wipe the hate off and has looked mighty fabulous doing do. As of March, Mrs. Trump has had higher approval ratings than her husband at 52 percent. Her ultra-stylish wardrobe doesn't hurt either.

FORMER FIRSTS: The youngest and oldest first ladies

(Story continues below:)

Until the President and First Lady's ten-year-old son, Barron Trump, finishes his school year, Mrs. Trump will remain at the Trump Tower in NYC.

However, the First Lady hasn't been completely absent from her duties. Leaders from the nations of China, Jordan, Israel, and Japan have been hosted by both Mr. and Mrs. Trump. And at a White House luncheon for Women's International Day on March 8, FLOTUS spoke on gender equality and education being the tool to ensure women's rights.

In just a few months, we'll see how Melania Trump's tenure as First Lady will play out when she moves into the White House full time.

In the meantime...

See every outfit Melania Trump has worn during her husband's first 100 days in office in the gallery above.
Navi Kitchen, the new restaurant from Preeti Mistry of Juhu Beach Club, opened this morning in Emeryville with limited hours ( 8 a.m. to noon) in the form of a "brekkie and coffee/chai" morning service.

Mistry said a 3 p.m. lunch service will be added down the line and pizzas will start popping up on the menu in early May. At that point the concept will start to take it formal shape as an Indian-Neapolitan pizzeria and all-day cafe.
Gilbert Baker, the designer of the rainbow flag and a longtime San Franciscan who died on March 31, has a new typeface to celebrate his contributions to the LGBTQ community as both an artist and activist.

The font, which harkens back to the bold multicolor stripes of the flag that is now an icon for the LGBTQ community, was created by Type with Pride, a typography project created by NYC Pride, New York's LGBT Film and Media Art Organization's NewFest and marketing firm Ogilvy & Mather.
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WASHINGTON  President Trump will mark the end of his first 100 days in office with a flurry of executive orders, looking to fulfill campaign promises and rack up victories ahead of that milestone by turning to a presidential tool he once derided. But Trumps frequent use of the executive order points to his struggles getting legislation through a Congress controlled by his own party, and few of the orders themselves appear to deliver the sweeping changes the president has promised.

White House aides said Trump will have signed 32 executive orders by Friday, the most of any president in their first 100 days since World War II. Thats a far cry from Trumps heated campaign rhetoric, in which he railed against his predecessors use of executive action late in his tenure as President Barack Obama sought to maneuver around a Republican Congress. Trump argued that he, the consummate deal maker, wouldnt need to rely on the tool.

The country wasnt based on executive orders, said Trump at a town hall in South Carolina in February 2016. Right now, Obama goes around signing executive orders. He cant even get along with the Democrats, and he goes around signing all these executive orders. Its a basic disaster. You cant do it.

But after taking office, Trump has learned to love the executive order.

In an email blast to reporters on Tuesday, the White House touted the sheer volume of orders as evidence for the suspect claim that Trump has accomplished more in his 100 days than any other President since Franklin Roosevelt. The White House has defended the use of executive orders as necessary to accomplish the speedy solutions it says the American people elected Trump to enact.

At first, the presidents West Wing advisers fashioned an onslaught of executive action to set the tone for this term, with the centerpiece of that first-week blitz being Trumps travel ban. But that hastily drawn ban was rejected by the courts. A second replacement order also remains in judicial limbo.

Presidents frequently turn to executive orders when they struggle to advance their agendas through Congresses controlled by the opposition party. In Trumps case, hes struggled even though both houses of Congress are in the hands of Republicans; his health care bill never even came for a vote in the House of Representatives after it drew sharp criticism from moderate and conservative Republicans alike.

And in the Senate, Republicans need to win over some Democratic lawmakers to get the 60 votes needed for passage of a contested bill. But the Senate is generally more inclined to cut bipartisan deals than the House because senators have statewide constituencies.

This president has found that legislating is hard work, said Mark Rozell, dean of George Mason Universitys Schar School of Policy and Government. Executive orders are the easiest, simplest way to showcase action by the president to begin to fulfill some of the pledges made in the campaign.

Obama signed 276 executive orders during his eight years in office, slightly less than Bush (291) and Bill Clinton (364) did in their two terms, according to data from UC Santa Barbara.

Jonathan Lemire and Jill Colvin are Associated Press writers.
In an interview before Gov. Steve Bullock signed his suicide prevention bill Tuesday afternoon, Rep. Jonathan Windy Boy said that getting the law passed was a long and personal journey.

The Box Elder Democrat said his 14-year old granddaughter in Havre died by suicide in 2015. She had been reaching out for help, he said, but no one recognized the signs until it was too late.

Were ranked among the highest in suicide nationwide, said Windy Boy. Indian Country is ranked the highest in Montana. These types of demographics and statistics are unacceptable.

This is the first step in reducing that, he said, adding that he wants to thank the governor and the Legislature for their support in making sure this was a priority in this session.

House Bill 118 had bipartisan support in the Legislature, passing 44-6 in the Senate and 92-7 in the House.

And Tuesday afternoon, Bullock hailed the bill as a positive step.

Whether it was days ago in the Salish Kootenai community or here in this community, said Bullock, communities are facing this issue and continue to face this issue.

The bill wont solve the problem, he said, adding that all of us ought to be haunted about whats happening in our state.

Theres not a community in the state that has not been substantially impacted by the losses of lives that happen way too soon.

HB118 has what Windy Boy calls four different moving parts and $1 million in designated funding.

It also folds in elements of four other suicide prevention bills introduced this session.

This is something long overdue, said Windy Boy.

It provides $250,000 in funding to implement activities to reduce Native Youth suicides, guided by the 2017 Montana Native Youth Suicide Reduction Strategic Plan.

Native youth are at the highest risk for suicide among all population groups within the State of Montana, according to the report.

Another $250,000 is for putting out grants for schools across the state," Windy Boy said, adding that 841 schools are eligible.

These two efforts are funded until the next legislative session, he said, because at that time we may need to re-shift the focus ... to further enhance the program in two years.

Another $500,000, he said, is geared toward ongoing funding for ... any groups dealing with suicide across the state in general -- along with veteran organizations and Native veteran groups.

Grant activities are to be evidence-based, or based on rigorous scientific peer-reviewed research or recommended by the Montana Suicide Review Team.

HB118 also defines the states suicide prevention officers duties to include coordinating all suicide prevention activities conducted by the Department of Public Health and Human Services and other state agencies, said Windy Boy, such as the universities and department of veterans affairs.

It tasks that officer to develop a biennial suicide reduction program for all ages, ethnic groups and occupations, and to direct a statewide suicide prevention program with evidence-based activities.

This could include a public awareness campaign aiming to normalize the need for Montanans to address mental health problems, said Windy Boy, and could include using social media and technology to get the word out.

We tried to address everyone in the spectrum across the state, he said, by encouraging more community-based responses.

One of the most important things in the bill is the grants out to communities for evidence-based suicide prevention programs, said Matt Kuntz, National Alliance on Mental Illness Montana executive director. Its critically important for communities to do projects theyre excited about.

The strength of this bill is there are grants that are going out to communities for practices that have been proven to work, Kuntz said. Its a great mix of allowing communities to be innovative while addressing their needs while still requiring a basic standard of research base.

It both provides incentives, yet sets a clear bar and expectation, he said, so the money goes to really make a difference.

Rep. Mary Ann Dunwell, D-Helena, who had part of her suicide prevention bill, HB265, folded into HB118, said all in all its a good bill.

It helps the tribes, it helps vets, and it also provides grants to schools for suicide prevention, which was the heart of her bill.

HB118 is funded by tobacco settlement proceeds in the state's special revenue account and the tobacco tax.
In our care

TODAY

SULLIVAN, Larry D., age 83, of Townsend passed away Saturday, April 22, 2017. A Funeral Mass will be at 10 a.m. today, April 26, at Holy Cross Catholic Church, 101 S. Walnut St. in Townsend. Burial will follow the Mass at Holy Cross Cemetery. A reception will follow the burial in the basement of Holy Cross Catholic Church. In lieu of flowers, please feel free to make a donation to the Holy Cross Cemetery, PO Box 610, Townsend; Broadwater Co. Rural Fire Department, 130 S. Cedar St., Townsend; or an organization of your choice. Please visit www.stevensonwilke.com to offer the family a condolence or to share a memory of Larry.

THURSDAY

LANNAN, William J. Bill," age 85, of Helena, passed away on Dec. 9, 2016. Join us in celebrating Bills life at his funeral mass at 12 p.m. on Thursday, April 27, at St. Helena Cathedral, 530 N. Ewing St., Helena. A Luncheon will follow in the Brondel Center. Burial will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorials in honor of Bill are suggested to Carroll College  Office of Institutional Development, 1601 N. Benton, Helena, MT 59601 or to St. Helena Cathedral, 530 N. Ewing, Helena, Mt 59601 or to a charity of your choice. Please visit www.aswfuneralhome.com to offer the family a condolence or to share a memory of Bill.

DECLERCQ, Millie, age 91, of Helena passed away Friday, April 21, 2017. Burial will take place at 1 p.m. Thursday, April 27, 2017, at the Montana State Veterans Cemetery Committal Shelter. A reception will immediately follow the services at Debs residence. In lieu of flowers memorials may be sent in Millies name to St. Peters hospice, 201 S. California St. Helena, MT. 59601. Please visit www.aswfuneralhome.com to offer a condolence to the family or to share a memory of Millie.

FRIDAY

MOWLES, Richard Rick" A., age 68, of Helena, formerly of Townsend, passed away on Saturday, April 22, 2017. A burial with military honors will be 12:30 p.m., Friday, April 28, at the Montana State Veterans Cemetery Committal Shelter, Fort Harrison. A reception will immediately follow the service at the South Hills Church of Christ, 2294 Deerfield Lane, Helena. In lieu of flowers, please send memorial donations to Wounded Warrior Project, c/o MT Supporting Soldiers, P.O. Box 4964 Helena, MT 59604 or to The Montana Hope Project, P.O. Box 5927, Helena, MT 59604. Please visit www.aswfuneralhome.com to offer the family a condolence or to share a memory of Rick.

SATURDAY

KITTO, Kenneth L., age 94, passed away April 22, 2017. A viewing will be held from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. Friday, April 28, 2017, at Stevenson Wilke Funeral Home in Townsend. A Funeral Service is set for 11:00 a.m. Saturday, April 29, 2017, at the Broadwater High School Gymnasium, 201 N Spruce St, Townsend. Burial will be held at Deep Creek Cemetery following the funeral. A reception will be held at the 4H Building at the Townsend Fairgrounds after the burial. Please visit www.stevensonwilke.com to offer the family a condolence or to share a memory of Ken.
Thanks to the thousands of people in East Helena that had a vision for the future and acted on it. This vision, to give voters the chance to look at expanding the East Helena School District to include a high school, is now one step closer to reality. In particular, a special thank you is in order to parents Karen Goldsberry and Heather Ireland who worked tirelessly in support of this dream. Thanks also to the East Helena Board of Trustees Scott Walter, Chair, Breck Scheet, Mark Diehl, Marcia Ellermeyer, Kevin Bokovoy, Joe Nye, and Ann Marie Thompson who listened to the community and acted on it with persistence and integrity. Thanks as well to the Helena School Board of Trustees, Superintendent Jack Copps and Board Chair Aidan Myhre for the belief that when we work together we can embrace change through mutual cooperation.

A special thank you goes out to our bill sponsor, Senator Duane Ankney for his leadership and steadfast belief in local control. Thanks as well to Representative Sue Vinton in the House who carried the bill in the hallways and on the floor. Thank you too, to those that went before to pave the way during previous legislative sessions, Senator Taylor Brown and Senator Terry Murphy who forged a path for things to come. Thanks as well to Senator Edie McClafferty, Senator Jill Cohenour, Representative Mary Ann Dunwell and all of the current and former Legislators that led us to this point and saw the benefits many of our students would receive in giving a vote to our constituents.

The EH board of trustees will look at the high school expansion issue in the future, but right now they are dealing with the immediate need for solving the crowding issues in the elementary schools. The May 2nd Bond election is asking voters to build an elementary school to relieve the crowding conditions at Radley and Eastgate Schools. Thanks again for the support of SB139.

Ron Whitmoyer is the superintendent of East Helena Public Schools.
Republican leadership and the governor are going back to the drawing board on finding a compromise to pass a bill that would use bonding to pay for some infrastructure projects.

A group of about a dozen lawmakers, mostly Republicans, met with Democratic Gov. Steve Bullock early Tuesday morning to discuss what it would take to pass an infrastructure package, though they came to no deal.

The governor had previously picked several Republican-favored bills from a list presented by that party's leadership as part of a negotiation to get an infrastructure bonding bill passed this session.

The Legislature has not passed an infrastructure bonding bill for several sessions. In 2015, a package failed by one vote and the session before Bullock vetoed the infrastructure bill, saying it was necessary to balance the state budget.

Some Republicans in the House and Senate are opposed to the idea of bonding to pay for statewide infrastructure projects, though among others there is a gradient of comfort depending on the amount of money being bonded. There are two bills in play, one that calls for $78 million carried by Rep. Mike Cuffe, R-Eureka, and another carried by Sen. Eric Moore, R-Miles City, that has $98 million.

Cuffes bill had less bonding at first, but was amended to add in projects that have caused friction, including upgrades to Romney Hall on the Montana State University campus and a veterans home in Butte. Moores bill includes those projects, plus additional money for school projects.

Cuffe late Tuesday said he hasn't been involved in negotiations on his bill, but remains optimistic.

"I'm hoping something good will happen," he said. "I'm hoping some dealing continues and we can come to a good solution. Time is short."

On Monday the House voted on a motion to sine die, which means to end the Legislative session. The vote only got 20 votes, but a similar motion got 35 votes Tuesday. A majority of the House, or 51 votes, is needed. But if that happens before Day 87 of the Legislature, which is Thursday, permission is needed from the Senate.

Its estimated about 10-15 Republicans in the House and another 10 in the Senate wont support any sort of bonding.

Democrats have tried to sell bonding as a good deal in a year when the state budget is tight, with House Minority Leader Jenny Eck repeatedly pointing out several school districts are asking voters this spring to bond more for school projects  Bozeman at $125 million for a new high school and $63 million in Helena for three new elementary schools.

Knudsen said Republicans understand that, but its not a point that gains any traction. I dont think we have a Republican caucus full of morons.

Bullock also said Montana has a low debt level compared to other states.

But many Republicans, who hold a majority in the Legislature, argue the state should not enter into any debt to pay for projects, while others have concerns about the state transferring cash that was set aside for these types of projects into the states general fund to help balance the budget and replacing that money with bonding.

The package of bills Bullock agreed to let become law in exchange for an infrastructure package included two bills to change workers compensation rules, another to allow for 10-year license plates, a land access bill, a non-genetically modified seed bill and a bill to pay for regional water projects.

But Speaker of the House Austin Knudsen, R-Culbertson, said in the occasionally tense meeting Tuesday morning those bills werent enough.

He asked for the governor to sign one of the two bills that would either outright ban or severely limit access to abortion, as well as allow a charter school bill that, though its carried by a Democrat, is unpopular within the party. A third bill Knudsen floated was one exempting wells on family-transferred land from regulation.

Those bills were on the original list provided to Bullock to pick from.

Sen. Jon Sesso criticized the bills Knudsen selected. I dont understand what the linkage is between social policy and job creation and economic development. To interject that division into the infrastructure debate is misplaced.

Through the meeting, Knudsen repeatedly said hes not the dictator of his caucus and that he asks members to vote their conscience.

Bullock and Knudsen at times clashed during the meeting, and it was clear there also wasnt complete consensus among Republicans at the table about which bills should be prioritized.

Moore said he didnt care which infrastructure bill passed or if it had his name on it, while some in attendance said that Cuffe had pride in authorship and wanted the final package.

More also suggested a global haircut on the amount of bonding in either of the bills, saying that reducing the total amount bonded by cutting the budgets for each project by something like 10 percent might make the bill more appealing.

Sen Llew Jones, R-Conrad, said some have said removing more controversial projects like Romney Hall might gain some Republican votes, but lose other Republicans, including possibly his in the Senate, and many Democrats.

The meeting was between Republican Reps. Jeff Essmann, Rob Cook, Frank Garner, Mike Hopkins, Speaker Pro Tem Greg Hertz and Knudsen. Democratic Representatives included Casey Schreiner and Minority Leader Eck.

On the Senate side, Republicans Moore and Jones were there. Sesso was the lone Senate Democrat. Also there was Dan Villa, the governors budget director, and his Deputy Chief of Staff Ali Bovingdon, plus two members of the communications staff.

A mid-morning fire alarm that cleared the building caused more flurry in an already busy morning. After people were let back into the Capitol, Republicans wouldnt say when they planned to meet again to develop a new list to present to Bullock, though some said they expected it to happen between House floor sessions in the early afternoon. It was also unclear if or when legislators would meet with the governor again.

Before a 2 p.m. House floor session, Knudsen said he didn't think things progressed any farther than where negotiations were left in the morning meeting.

Some lawmakers said that it would be easier to hash out a deal without media present. The morning meeting was not announced publicly, and reporters found out about it by sitting outside the governors office.

It also wasnt clear if the Speaker of the House was initially invited, saying when he entered, I must have missed the memo about the 8 oclock meeting in the governors office.

Another attendee said he found out about the meeting after getting a text message from a phone number he didnt know.
A Kalispell Republican says his bill restricting abortions will have a better chance to become law if linked to an infrastructure proposal carried by a Democrat.

To me its a win-win, Sen. Albert Olszewski said.

He plans to introduce an amendment to House Bill 660, which currently funds an expansion of the Montana Historical Society with an increase to the states facilities use lodging tax. It would make that bill void if his bill to limit abortions isnt also signed by the governor.

Senate Bill 282 would establish viability at 24 weeks and prohibit an abortion after that point, even if the pregnant womans life is at risk. In that case, the woman's doctor would have to induce labor or deliver the fetus by cesarean section and do everything medically possible to support the fetus. The bill gives doctors the option to use their best judgment on whether a fetus is viable at 24 weeks.

Democrats have resisted three abortion bills all session and while SB282 is on its way to the desk of Democrat Gov. Steve Bullock. The attempt to add a contingent voidness is a last ditch effort to pressure the governors office to sign a piece of anti-abortion legislation.

Its a parliamentary tactic to tie a bill that a number of Democrats and Republicans have approved that most likely will not be approved by the executive branch, Olszewski said.

Bullock Spokesperson Ronja Abel said Wednesday that the governor would veto SB282 and condemned Olszewski's effort to keep it alive.

"It's disappointing Republicans are threatening to sink an infrastructure and jobs bill for extreme ideological proposals," Ronja Abel said in an emailed statement.

HB660, carried by Helena Democrat Jenny Eck, would increase the 3 percent sales tax on accommodations and campgrounds to 3.5 percent. Of the total revenue generated, 12.85 percent would go to the Montana Historical Society and 1.45 percent would be deposited in the historic preservation state special revenue account. Ecks bill was scheduled for a vote on the Senate floor on Monday, but delayed. Olszewski was uncertain when or if the bill would be considered.

Eck said she didnt think the amendment would pass if introduced.

Its one of those vindictive, unnecessary political statements, she said. Ive negotiated in good faith with people who are reasonable who want to get good things done in the state.

Democrats have generally supported funding an expansion project for the Montana Historical Society for multiple sessions, but havent been gotten enough support from Republicans. Olszewski said he thinks enough Republicans would be willing to support the bed tax bill if they were assured an anti-abortion measure would become law.

Olszewski said he wasnt initially a supporter of the bed tax bill, but was looking for a compromise since constituents and Helena residents were asking him to vote for it.

The Republicans might support the Montana Historical Society, he said.
State leaders decided Wednesday which programs and services should be cut if the state doesnt bring in as much money as expected over the next two years.

Senate Bill 261 establishes a Budget Stabilization Reserve Fund and creates a new set of rules for how the state must react to revenues that come in lower or higher than projected, cutting some spending in bad times and socking away extra cash in the best times. Some of the areas targeted for potential future cuts had been protected from earlier reductions made by legislators as they built the 2018-19 budget.

The goal is to give the governor more guidance on how to react to revenue slumps so the Legislature has a smaller hole to fill as they craft the next two-year budget. It also placed more onus on legislators to decide how those cuts might be made.

This has not been easy to determine where we go if revenues tank, Senate Minority Leader Jon Sesso, D-Butte, said during the conference committee meeting to reconcile differences between House and Senate versions of the bill. We wanted to share in the responsibility to outline that.

Since January, legislators have had to slow program growth or make cuts to backfill a revenue shortfall of about $200 million over the last two years. For decades, Montana has simply left extra cash in its checking account in case of emergencies. If SB261 ultimately becomes law, it would make Montana the 48th state to develop a formal strategy for smoothing economic fluctuations.

But until the state can build up some cash in the new Budget Stabilization Reserve, any future decline in revenues must be managed with program cuts. Although funding for social services and education had been spared the brunt of reductions in the 2018-19 budget, they could not be ignored in Wednesdays negotiations about how to handle any additional drops.

While it cuts a bit deeper than wed like to see -- it does go into essential services  we tried as hard as we could to make it even across the board and not affect one area more than another where possible, House Appropriations Chair Nancy Ballance, R-Hamilton, said.

She later told the House GOP caucus that the governors office asked about two weeks ago for the Legislature to reopen the main budget bill and to make additional cuts. Instead, she said that request evolved into the budget cut targets and trigger levels in SB261.

The concern was we had not cut enough, she said.

Bullock Spokesperson Ronja Abel disputed that characterization of events in a statement she issued in response to a request for Budget Director Dan Villa to comment.

After Republican legislators refused to raise revenues and instead adopted an inflated revenue estimate, it became clear that the budget in its current form would be unacceptable to the Governor and risked the need for a special session, she wrote, saying that meeting had been at their request to mitigate that risk. She described the details of SB261 as a mutual agreement.

In a written statement issued by Abel, Villa said of SB261 in general: Given the options, this bill represents the best compromise that could be reached at this time.

Future budget cuts would be triggered in four waves, each cut going deeper as revenues fall farther.

One of the first places the governor would turn is the fire fund. Up to $30 million of the $73 million cash pot could be borrowed to cover declines. The bill also outlines when the governor could make across-the-board cuts to state spending, reduce provider rates paid for some Medicaid services, cancel contracts to move HELP Act work in-house, eliminate planned pay raises for state employees, and, in the worst-case scenario, cancel or delay several payments to local school districts. The budgets for statewide library services, the Montana Historical Societys Research Center, tourism promotion, Native language preservation and agricultural marketing also could be on the chopping block.

Sesso tried Wednesday to remove part of possible cuts to provider rates.

The Legislature is poised to pass legislation that would increase over two years the amount the state pays to companies who provide in-home care to people with disabilities and the elderly. It requires that increased Medicaid reimbursement be used to raise the hourly wages of direct care workers. For years, the state has been unable to spend all of the money it appropriated for those services because private companies could not find enough people to work for the wages covered by the reimbursements.

Those indirectly funded wage increases would be delayed if the third trigger level is reached. Because only part of the money comes from the General Fund  which SB261 protects  Sesso said the committee should not cancel the spending supported by a trust fund for elderly services, saying that is throwing out the baby with the bath water.

The motion died on a split-party vote. Republicans noted that while the trust monies would pay for the increased provider rates initially, they would have to be paid out of the General Fund in the future, an obligation they did not think was smart to make if those revenues were in decline.

The final version of the bill received preliminary approval from the House and Senate later Wednesday.
President Donald Trump this morning tweeted his displeasure with a district judge's decision barring enforcement nationwide of his executive order cutting federal funding to so-called sanctuary cities.

Trump blasted the Ninth Circuit Court, which has appellate jurisdiction over districts whose judges also blocked two versions of presidential executive orders seeking to temporarily halt the U.S. entry of refugees and nationals from certain Middle Eastern and African countries:

"Out of our very big country, with many choices, does everyone notice that both the 'ban' case and now the 'sanctuary' case is brought in ...

"...(by) the Ninth Circuit, which has a terrible record of being overturned (close to 80%)"

Can that be right, 80 percent of Ninth Circuit rulings are overturned by the Supreme Court?

No. Absolutely false, despite a blitz of posts asserting the opposite on social media over the last few months. According to Snopes, many of the posts cited a Daily Caller blog, which cherry-picked the "80 percent" claim from a 2010 American Bar study of Supreme Court reversal rates without providing context.

The study explained that about a 10th of 1 percent of the 60,467 cases terminated on average each year by federal court of appeals are reviewed by the Supreme Court  a total of 64 cases (2010 figures). Some of the reviewed cases originated from the Ninth Circuit Court, but those constitute only a tiny fraction of the overall number of Ninth Circuit Court rulings.

And of that tiny fraction, 80 percent are overturned by the Supreme Court.

But doing the big-picture math would disrupt the perception cultivated by the administration (and some Republicans) that the Ninth Circuit is an out-of-control "rogue" court.

On Tuesday, White House chief of staff Reince Priebus, who vowed to appeal the sanctuary city decision, said, "Again its the Ninth Circuit going bananas. It's clear that forum-shopping is going on ... We will win at the Supreme Court level."

Back in February, after the ruling against reinstating the revised travel ban, South Carolina Rep. Trey Gowdy also criticized Ninth Circuit judges.

"No one familiar with the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals should be surprised at today's ruling," he said in a statement. "The 9th Circuit has a well-earned reputation for being presumptively reversible."

But the Ninth Circuit Court is not the most overturned circuit court in the nation, or even the second most.

From 2010 to 2015, the Supreme Court reversed 70 percent of all the cases it reviewed (100-150 a year over that time frame), according to a review of SCOTUSBlog's Supreme Court statistics archive by Politifact. Of the cases it reviewed from the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, it reversed about 79 percent.

The Sixth Circuit (Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee and Michigan) had an 87 percent reversal rate and the 11th Circuit (Alabama, Florida and Georgia), 85 percent.
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California dreaming? Hardly.

Mattresses on sidewalks, moving vans in driveways and hasty garage sales hint at a trend Bay Area residents have long suspected  exodus.

Real estate brokerage site Redfin released its annual "migration report" on Monday and found that those residing in San Francisco Metro are the most likely to leave. The catalyst for moving  high housing costs  should surprise no one.

"Movement of Bay Area residents to more affordable metro areas dominated the nation's migration patterns in the first quarter," the report states.

Analyzing a sample of 1 million Redfin users, the site found that 19.4 percent of potential homebuyers in San Francisco searched outside of the region for houses.

San Francisco also recorded the highest "net outflow"  the number of potential homebuyers looking to move to San Francisco Metro subtracted from the number of those who want to leave. The region's outflow was double that of New York.

Story continues below.

Sacramento was the most common in-state destination, while those heading out-of-state were most likely to settle in Seattle.

The median home value in San Francisco is $843,200, according to real estate site Zillow, while the average home cost in Sacramento is $293,600. In the past year, Sacramento's housing costs have risen by 11.3 percent.

"Even a Bay Area family with two solid incomes can struggle to afford a modest home," Redfin's chief economist Nela Richardson told the Marin Independent Journal. "For many, the only path to homeownership is to pack up and move out."

Jumping ship  a very, very expensive ship  for a cheaper locale is hardly unique to California. Across the nation, Redfin found that 19.8 percent of house hunters in 75 metro areas searched for houses outside their current cities.

Read Michelle Robertsons latest stories and send her news tips at mrobertson@sfchronicle.com.
If you're planning your spring or summer trip, you may want to consider Bali. According to reviews on travel site TripAdvisor, it's the top destination for 2017.

But be quick because April is the cheapest month to go, according to TripAdvisor.
KALISPELL  Members of the Blackfeet Indian Tribe have voted overwhelmingly to approve a water compact that quantifies the tribe's water rights and confirms its jurisdiction over those rights on the reservation near Glacier National Park.

The tribe voted Thursday to approve the water rights agreement with Montana and the United States after more than 30 years of negotiations.

The compact passed the Montana Legislature in 2009 and received Congressional approval late last year.

It will provide the tribe with $471 million for water-related projects including new or improved irrigation systems, the development of community water systems and land acquisition.

Tribal officials say projects in areas of the reservation that have lacked access to clean drinking water will be a top priority.
ISTANBUL  More than a thousand Turkish police officers, accused of being secret imams for a U.S.-based cleric who the authorities have said was responsible for a failed coup in July, were detained on Wednesday in the largest such sweep in months.

About 45,000 people have already been taken into custody since the coup attempt, but the raids on Wednesday represented the first widespread roundup of political opponents since a referendum on April 16 to expand the powers of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Some analysts had wondered whether the crackdown might slow as Erdogan attempted to establish greater national consensus after winning the contentious referendum, but the scale of the raids suggested it was just as likely to accelerate. The sweeping purge of state institutions has led to the firing of about 130,000 people.

The interior minister, Suleyman Soylu, said officers had detained 1,009 people whom he described as high-ranking members of the Islamic group led by the cleric, Fethullah Gulen, who lives in self-imposed exile in the United States. The group is accused of infiltrating many Turkish institutions over the past three decades.

According to Soylu, the secret imams were part of a parallel leadership structure within the police force that was ultimately answerable to Gulen, whose extradition has long been sought by Turkish authorities.

The subject of Gulen is almost certain to be discussed at a coming meeting in Washington between President Trump and Erdogan, whose government was allied to the clerics movement before the two fell out publicly in 2013.

The raids were a most important step toward uncovering a group that leaked into the police force, trying to rule the police force from outside, trying to establish an almost alternative police organization, ignoring the rules of the state, Soylu said, in remarks quoted by Anadolu, the state-owned news agency.

The crackdown has targeted not just those believed to be Gulenists, but also leftist and liberal dissidents, including journalists, soldiers, judges, lawyers, teachers and professors. Some people have been purged simply for placing their children in Gulen-owned schools or for putting their money in Gulen-owned banks.

Patrick Kingsley is a New York Times writer.
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BAGHDAD  Iraqi paramilitary forces said Wednesday that they have captured Hatra, a 2,000-year-old historical site near the northern city of Mosul, where U.S.-backed forces have been battling the Islamic State group for months.

The media arm of the state-sanctioned force made up mainly of Shiite militias broadcast images of the site Wednesday, showing what appeared to be the ancient ruins in the distance as militia vehicles drove through open desert. It was unclear from the video if the forces had actually secured the ancient site.

Karim al-Nouri, a spokesman for the paramilitary forces, told state TV they captured the UNESCO world heritage site and were around 2 miles from a nearby town with the same name, without providing further details.

Iraqi forces often claim to have driven Islamic State fighters from areas that are still far from secure, or that quickly fall back into the militants hands.

Hatra is believed to have been built in the second or third century B.C. by the Seleucid Empire. Islamic State militants destroyed it along with other major historical sites in and around Mosul after seizing much of northern Iraq in the summer of 2014. The extremist group believes antiquities promote idolatry, though it is also believed to sell artifacts on the black market to fund its operations.

In April 2015, Islamic State released a video showing the extremists smashing sledgehammers into Hatras walls and firing assault rifles at priceless statues. At one point, the video showed a militant on a ladder using a sledgehammer to bang repeatedly on the back of a carved face until it crashed to the ground and broke into pieces.

Hatra, located 68 miles southwest of Mosul, flourished during the first and second centuries as a religious and trading center. It was a large, fortified city during the Parthian Empire and capital of the first Arab kingdom.

The site is said to have withstood invasions by the Romans in A.D. 116 and A.D. 198 thanks to its high, thick walls. The ancient trading center was surrounded by more than 160 towers. At its heart were a series of temples with a grand temple at the center  a structure supported by columns that once rose to 100 feet.

Meanwhile, the battle to retake Mosul is now in its seventh month.

The militants basic strategy appears to be to focus much of their efforts on blunting the counterterrorism services attack, calculating that if they can stymie Iraqs most experienced fighting force, the Iraqi governments broader offensive will bog down.

The battle to take western Mosul from the Islamic State has been a block-by-block crawl as casualties mount.

The militants are contesting every move by the counterterrorism forces, and they are making full use of the hundreds of thousands of civilians still trapped in their strongholds.

New York Times contributed to this report.

Sinan Salaheddin is an Associated Press writer.
Endorsement, April 12: Vote No in the Soda War

Cant Afford It

Can you read this? If so, you are ahead of a quarter of our state's kindergartners who cannot read one single letter on the first day of school. When our children reach third grade, three-quarters are not proficient in reading or math. Our children's prospects, from birth to career need help.

Pre-K is quality standards-based education for 3- and 4-year olds (not "a sort of hybrid between childcare and nursery school"). The benefits of high-quality early childhood education have been shown by non-partisan peer-reviewed research to last through kindergarten, third grade, and well into adulthood.

In a state in which funding for public education, higher education, and social services continues to shrink, local communities must come up with solutions. One way or another, these children will touch your life. We can either invest in them now and give them the opportunity to succeed, or we can pay for them when they are youth in need of much more costly services.

Pre-K gives children the opportunity to enter kindergarten ready to learn, and that is the first step to breaking the cycle of poverty and improving our community. How can we afford to say no to that?

Katherine Ortega Courtney

Santa Fe Community Foundation



Ooh, They Mad

Your "no" endorsement of the pre-K initiative was appalling. You show little understanding of the urgent need for early childhood education and its well-documented public value. And your reasons for opposing the measure are bizarre.

Support from the "progressive cabal" is a turn-off? Would we be better off if Santa Fe were run by the corporate cabal that rules most of the country? Policies that support working families face brutal, well-funded opposition and require smart supporters who can raise money to fight back.

You worry this will create a bureaucracy? All vital public programs require humans to implement them. Nobody argues that we should eliminate social security because a fraction of its cost goes to administration (also known as decent jobs).

You think this is "political posturing?" This is how politics is supposed to work: We should elect leaders who run on their track record of delivering bold achievements for their constituents, rather than lining the pockets of their corporate sponsors. If Mayor Gonzales is thinking of running for governor based on delivering for kids over Coke, then sign me up for his progressive cabal.

Mitch Ackerman

Santa Fe



What is it, Javier?

After listening to Mayor Javier Gonzales on KSFR and reading the Reporter, my resistance to the sugar tax has increased.

Gonzales said that 100 percent of the tax would go to pre-K education. The ordinance allows 5 percent of the tax to go for administrative costs, an undetermined percentage for building construction and annual quality and fiscal audits. The audit process alone will require more bureaucracy and probably at a cost of 10 percent or more.

The mayor said it will pay for 1,000 children to go to pre-K but only if most can pay at least half of the cost of a high quality pre-K education.

He said that the program will be ready next year. [Gonzales] fails to mention that the ordinance requires one year of data collection before the program begins. In my opinion, the mayor is not honest when he says the city will not be hiring extra staffsurely the city manager as per ordinance is not going to collect the money. He cannot even do his own job without the help of an assistant city manager.

The city has other options including using texting fines and creating economically diverse neighborhoods to help children be successful.

Stefanie Beninato

Santa Fe

Clutchin Pearls

SFR notes that you "join others who are suspicious of the mayor's intentions"those intentions being higher office, of course. You suspect that Mayor Gonzales might even go so far as to use the success of his leadership on an important issue as a barometer for his next career move.

I've got white knuckles from clutching my pearls so hard. STOP THE DAMN PRESSES. A politician is aspirational for higher office, hoping his leadership on a particular issue could further his career. ... Sorry, SFR, I was unaware we were running a monastic order and not a local government here.

SFR opposes the initiative because it "requires the city to take on a whole new bureaucracy, not just hiring a third-party contractor to collect the tax from distributors, but also overseeing who gets the money and monitoring outcomes." Good point, exceptthis isn't new. The city already collects taxes, already distributes and monitors grants. ... So what's that "whole new bureaucracy" is SFR referencing here? ...

I get that we'd all like for the state, an entity that can levy truly progressive taxes, to foot the bill here. But it won't. And the low- and lower-middle income children of this townthe kids whose parents can't afford a year at a private preschoolneed this program yesterday. ... There is no better tool at our disposal than early childhood ed for stopping the prison industrial complex, dismantling white supremacy, and smashing the patriarchy.

Sascha Anderson

Santa Fe



Lame. Duh!

How lame is it to come up with a lot of namby-pamby arguments to stop lots of low-income kids from pre-K and keep their parents from wasting health & funds from too much soda? Sorry, SFRthat's LAME! ...

Why couldn't Pre-K for Santa Fe wait another year for a regular city election? Because tons of kids would be a year or more older, duh! Every formative year [before age 5] is crucial for child development! If not now, when? Do you see the state or others stepping up in the Martinez/Trump climate of NO? Not gonna happen.

Tnx. Also, feel free to be convinced to do a pre-K retraction ... that you came around to YES! Because the counter-arguments I see in SFR and The New Mexican seem to be simply not wanting the mayor to be a successful progressive. That's why we elected him, duh!

William Ferguson

Santa Fe



Ask for Help

For years I have supported the idea of a similar taxbut with a major distinction. I envisioned imposing a tax on companies that choose to create products with high fructose corn syrup, etc. This would incentivize these manufacturers from producing more detrimental forms of their products. If they bore the burden for the quality and health effects of their products, they would produce them more conscientiously.

Taxing the people at the bottom of the totem pole does NOT achieve these ends, and the companies will continue on as before. Furthermore, lumping kombucha into the category with sugary beverages is entirely misguided and you are making it harder for people like me to gain the health benefits of this vital drink by taxing it along with the others.

I wish you had solicited broader-reaching input before presenting this tax plan to the people. I would have loved to assist.

Anthe A Kelley

Santa Fe



Not a Potato

As a community, I think we should be paying attention to the core issue surrounding the so-called "sugar tax" vote on May 2.

The issue at stake is improving the educational future of our city's children! That is essentially what it is about, not who is paying for what ads or whether you will be forced to lessen your sugar intake or whether the money will be spent on intended targets. ...

The point is to create equal access for all children in Santa Fe and to expand existing enrollment in these programs. ... Demand continues to exceed supply! Have you been paying attention to the budget crises in the schools in our state? ... Why not look at this vote as an opportunity to change your level of sugar intake and to support the improvement of the education future of Santa Fe students? ...

This is not a political issue. It is an educational vision! Do we need to be constantly reminded that we are 49th in the country? Que lastima! Please vote YES for this very needed initiative!

Eslee Kessler

Santa Fe



From A Tax Pro

I don't question the intentions of our Mayor pushing this tax and I also support the goal of funding pre-K for those in need. ... Something needs to be done now more than later, but I think its overall tax structure is bad tax policy. ...

During this time of year I see firsthand and feel the anguish when people come in with their tax bills and tell me they feel blindsided with all the increases. Santa Feans have been hit with more and more new taxes. ... This would be the highest tax ever imposed here. ...

This tax ... is going to push those families deeper into poverty and make it harder for them to pay their bills. This tax is not equal. The burden of the tax will be paid by the low- and middle-class because that is what they buy. By its very intention this tax will end up being a sinkable fund, which means in three years the city will have to increase taxes somewhere else to fund the pre-K program because people will go elsewhere to buy or not buy at all. ...

There are [other] sources of revenues that would have less of a negative impact and be more fair to everyone. Some cities are taxing plastic containers at a rate of 1/8 of a cent which is used for public good, like senior care. Everyone contributes and the burden is distributed across the board and is not overwhelming against those who can least afford it, like this tax would be.

Patrick Varela

Santa Fe County Treasurer

News, April 19: When SFUAD Closes a Door, it Opens a Window

Remote and Small

Except for tourism-related arts and shops/hotels/cafes and the luxury real estate "industry" (and I use this word charitably), Santa Fe remains an economic basket case especially hard on the condition of the lower and middle classes. Chasing movie makers and producers is fine, but the local pols need to try to sell the city as a place for software developers. Its outdoor attractions and character would be a natural for techie millennials and their companies if certain infrastructure was provided by the town. This would bring the kind of good-job enterprises that can be conducted from anywhere, so Santa Fe's remoteness and smallness would not be a great drawback for such investment.

Jay Reedy

SFReporter.com



Theyre Endless

Look how well the film industry is doing in New Mexico. Why is that? One reason is lots of tax and rebate incentives. Why not offer incentives (such as no corporate state income taxes to any business) to all New Mexico businesses? Just think of the possibilities.

David Dennison

Santa Fe

Picks, April 19: Science Matters, Yall

Love Yer Mama

Having the sciences is extremely important, but being conscientious in creating a better world for each other is even more important. This starts with realizing that all of our actions/interactions have an effect on other species, the planet and each other.

We ALL need to be accountable and acknowledge that we can make a difference. One person individually can start a motion and make a difference. The little details in life can add up to make a tremendous impact.

Take a stand and say something if you see someone litter, hurt people, or cause destruction. These times and the planet are in a scary place. We must now earn to keep what we have. Respect other people, other species, and the Earth!

CD Friedman

Santa Fe

SFR will correct factual errors online and in print. Please let us know if we make a mistake, editor@sfreporter.com or 988-7530.



Mail letters to PO Box 2306, Santa Fe, NM 87504, deliver to 132 E Marcy St., or email them to editor@sfreporter.com. Letters (no more than 200 words) should refer to specific articles in the Reporter. Letters will be edited for space and clarity.

Santa Fe Reporter
Police can go after the person who served the driver's last drink. (Courtesy Santa Fe Police Department)

Police think Dominic Friedlein was drunk. One officer said the 24-year-old admitted as much at the hospital. Someone else shouldve drove. I ruined my life today, Friedlein said hours after the crash, according to Santa Fe police officer Ubaldo Garcia. How do you not blame yourself for something like this? I killed someone today.

On the evening of April 9, Friedlein misjudged a left-hand turn from St. Francis Drive to San Mateo Road, causing the crash that killed Stefan Seigmann, a passenger in his SUV.

Santa Fe police charged Friedlein with vehicular homicide and two counts of causing great bodily harm in a DWI crash. The mother and son who smashed into Friedlein's Toyota 4Runner were both seriously injured.

Friedlein told police he'd had three beers from a local brewery, all on an empty stomach. Given the right circumstancesthe time in which he drank the beers, their size and alcohol contenthe could have been drunk when he ordered the last one. There are more variables to consider, many of them subjective, but there's a chance someone should not have sold Friedlein that last beer.

Figuring that outtracing the final drink through what's called a source investigationcan be one of the more effective tools in the fight against drunken driving. But as with Friedlein's case and a few dozen like it each year around New Mexico, deciding whether someone else played a part in a DWI-related death or injury is difficult.

For example, a police officer reported Friedlein had been drinking at Second Street Brewery. Investigators later learned it was the Santa Fe Brewing Company. Santa Fe Brewing Co. owner Brian Lock tells SFR he's since turned over receipts and video from the tasting room to Santa Fe police.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with the people involved in the accident," Lock says. "That's the first thing."

Lock says his servers are trained as required by law and that the tasting room has a three-beer limit. He didn't see anything on the video that would indicate one of his servers missed a sign that Friedlein was drunk.

"We all need to take personal accountability for our choices, right? That's not in question," says New Mexico State Police Captain Suzanne Skasik. "But the servers and the licensees carry a big weight on their shoulders, too, when making decisions about how to determine when a person has had too much."

Capt. Skasik oversees the Special Investigations Unit (SIU), which investigates overserving, serving to minors and other violations of the Liquor Control Act. Her team of 15 agents and five sergeants is spread out around New Mexico. They average a handful of source investigations a month; much of their time is spent not tracing last drinks but trying to be proactive.

"It's uncomfortable. It's difficult. And we really encourage the servers or the clerks that if they're not comfortable refusing the sale, to go to their leadership or their management and get that person involved," Skasik tells SFR. "And to err on the side of caution and deny the sale."

For those who don't, a first offense for serving someone who's drunk is a misdemeanor that often results not in jail time, but in a fine and the uneasy knowledge that their permit to sling booze is in jeopardy. That kind of threat to the pocketbook is usually pretty effective, state officials say.

There's also the promise of a harsh penalty for a second violation: a fourth-degree felony.

But it's the administrative side of things that really makes the law against overserving someone stand up. Penalties for licenseesthe bars, gas stations and liquor storesstart at $1,000 and a day of no alcohol sales. Two violations in a year bring $2,000 and a week of not selling booze. Three violations in 12 months brings a revocation, according to New Mexico Administrative Code. But the state often chooses instead to force the license holder to sell the license. In New Mexico, liquor licenses are limited and have become a valuable commodity. One retail license recently sold for $1 million. Licenses for bars routinely cost hundreds of thousands of dollars.

In the past 20 years, Deputy Superintendent of Regulation and Licensing Alex Sanchez says, department staff can recall the state having revoked just a single license.

"People's livelihoods are tied up in these licenses. There are loans and mortgages that depend on the value of the license, so we work really hard to get people to sell them instead of a straight revocation," says Sanchez. "Also, if the banks know that we're taking away licenses, it becomes less likely that they'll loan money to buy them."

The SIU is the only law enforcement entity in the state that can issue an administrative citation for selling or serving alcohol to a drunk person. Other police agencies can refer source investigations to SIU, but Skasik says she often sees a crash reported on the evening news and tells her crew to get after it.

"We actively seek out information from within our own agency  when there is a fatality involving alcohol or when the investigating officer believes alcohol may have been a factor," Skasik tells SFR. "We try to get in as early as we can on those investigations to backtrack and trace the source."

Serious crashes aren't the only trigger for a state investigation, though. Complaints also come to SIU through the state's Alcohol and Gaming Division or from a local agency. Santa Fe County DWI Prevention Specialist Peter Olson says while a tip may not carry legal weight, it can be useful. "It's just their word, but it gives us an idea of where people have been drinking," he says.

In the city and county of Santa Fe, officers and deputies are told to ask suspected drunken drivers where they've been drinking as a matter of course.

"We can do our own last-drink investigations," SFPD deputy chief Mario Salbidrez says. But he knows that unless a witness speaks up or an officer is lucky enough to find a receipt for booze, the trail to the last drink ends at the scene of an arrest or a crash.

"Most of the time, they won't tell us where they had it."



Administrative Smackdown

Penalties for selling to a minor or intoxicated person

First citation





$1,000 and one-day suspension





(no alcohol sales)

Second citation





(within 1 year)





$2,000 plus seven-day suspension

Third citation





(within 1 year)





$10,000 plus revocation







Santa Fe Reporter
Slaying the patriarchy and simultaneously caring for the Earth is hard work, but artists and activists usually don't shrink from a challenge. Thus, we welcome Dear Patriarchy, a mind-blowing coming-together of Indigenous artists and musicians as means of resistance, raised awareness and fundraiser for Indigenous environmental justice nonprofit Honor the Earth. We're talking Minnesota-based activist Winona LaDuke, a champion for renewable energy and food systems, Oregon folk musician Nahko Bear and friends (think Conor Oberst, Bob Dylan kinda jams), local visual artist Rose B Simpson, Arizona activist and water protector Kim Smith, artist/DJ Ginger Dunnill and so many more. "It revolves around anti-patriarchy and really bringing women to the forefront," Smith says. "When we're talking about a lot of the buzz, it's been around what happened in Standing Rock, but the reality is that the way we treat our land is also the way we treat our women, and there has to be a paradigm shift."

Smith, who hails from the Dine Nation, sits on the board of Honor the Earth and works as an activist all over the country. "A lot of the destruction or abuse gets normalized," she says. "The protection of Mother Earth isn't a hippie thing, it's about survival." Smith says Honor the Earth hosts many fundraisers and provides grants to other environmental groups, but that Dear Patriarchy is the first event of its kind they've mounted.

"This is really our first 'show,' which makes it exciting because it could become an annual thing and become bigger and better," she says. "It's really a stage for feminists to talk about where they stand and how a lot of their work revolves around caring for Mother Earth." (Alex De Vore)







Dear Patriachy

8 pm Thursday April 27. $20-$100.

Meow Wolf,

1352 Rufina Circle,

395-6369



The New King

Amuse (Amuse)

It would obviously take one hell of an animated film to topple records set by Hayao Miyazakis 2001 masterpiece

Spirited Away,

but, as luck would have it, such a film has presented itself.

Your Name

from director Makoto Shinkai (2007s

5 Centimeters Per Second

) tells the story of a young boy and girl who set out to meet each other after they switch bodies. We hear this thing is downright magical and, as of earlier this year, it became the highest-grossing anime movie of all time. Now

that's

spirit. (ADV)





Your Name:

7 pm Wednedsday April 26 (subtitled);

2:20 pm and 9 pm Thursday April 27 (dubbed). $8-$10.50.

Jean Cocteau Cinema,

418 Montezuma Ave.,

466-5528

Circ-in

Kate Russell (Kate Russell)

Who doesnt love Wise Fool? Santa Fes dedicated (and long-running) circus troupe not only provides educational programming for kids of all ages, they preside over shows of such death-defying wonder and whimsical beauty that youre practically guaranteed to be charmed. For the third annual CircAspire event, Wise Fool welcomes all levels of students to perform what they refer to as pre-professional acts. This oughta be a good one. (ADV)

CircAspire:

7 pm Friday, April 28; 2 pm and 7 pm Saturday April 29;

4 pm Sunday April 30. $5-$20.

Wise Fool,

1131 Siler Road,

992-2588

Dream On

Courtesy Concert for Santa Fe Dreamers (Courtesy Concert for Santa Fe Dreamers)

OK, well admit itwere pretty infatuated with the Santa Fe Dreamers Project and its founder, attorney Allegra Love. ICYMI, Love helps immigrants navigate the often tricky and tumultuous world of naturalization, visa and asylum paperwork in an effort to help them live in the US safely. Musicians have noticed her efforts, too, and a cavalcade of whos-who champions descends upon Skylight. Performances from acts like Nosotros, Jono Manson and Joe West & the Santa Fe Revue oughta get you there, and the Dreamers Project scores another win. (ADV)

Concert for Santa Fe Dreamers:

6 pm Friday April 28. $10.

Skylight,

139 W San Francisco St.,

982-0775

Santa Fe Reporter
New Zealand annual net migration hit a fresh record in the year to March as migrants continue to flock to the country.

Annual net migration rose to a record 71,932 in the 12 months ended March 31 versus 67,619 in the same period a year earlier and above the prior record of 71,300 migrants in the February 2017 year, Statistics New Zealand said.

People arriving as permanent and long-term migrants outnumbered those departing by 129,518 to 57,586 in the latest 12 months. Of those arriving, 57,710 were bound for Auckland while 10,080 were headed to the capital city of Wellington. In the South Island, 12,719 were bound for Canterbury. In terms of departures, 21,938 left Auckland while 5,890 left Canterbury.

China continued to make up the biggest source of permanent and long-term arrivals on residence visas, rising 20 percent to 3,435 in the year to March, while total residence visas lifted 14 percent to 16,763. Work-visa migrants from the UK rose 14 percent to 7,341 while those from France were up 14 percent to 3,956.

New Zealand has been experiencing record levels of net migration in recent years as economic growth outpaced Australia's, meaning fewer locals moved across the Tasman. Rising immigration is shaping up to be a key election issue as it strains the country's infrastructure and has been blamed for inflaming property markets.

Last week the government announced it is committed to a "Kiwis first" immigration policy, making it harder for firms to hire overseas with new restrictions on temporary work visas for anyone earning less than the median wage, Immigration Minister Michael Woodhouse said.

Short-term visitor arrivals, which include tourists, people visiting family and friends and people travelling for work, reached 3.543 million in the year ended March, up 8.9 percent from a year earlier, Stats New Zealand said. That number also equaled the previous annual record set in February. However, the 343,800 visitors arriving in March 2017 were down 600 on March 2016.

"The majority of the visitor arrivals in March 2017 were from Australia (36 percent) followed by China (12 percent) and the United States of America (11 percent)", population statistics senior manager Peter Dolan said.

New Zealand residents took a record 2.68 million overseas trips in the March 2017 year, up 10 percent from the March 2016 year. In March 2017, New Zealand residents left on 192,200 overseas trips, up 11 percent from March 2016.

(BusinessDesk)
Greenpeace New Zealand executive director Russel Norman and two other activists have been charged by the Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment under the Crown Minerals Act over a protest against deepwater seismic testing off the Wairarapa coast.





The three have been summoned to appear in the Napier District Court. An MBIE spokesman declined to comment on the charges but Greenpeace confirmed they involved Norman and two others.





The Crown Minerals Act, which governs the allocation of the Crowns petroleum and mineral resources, was amended in 2013 to add new offences covering damage or interference with structures or ships being used offshore in prospecting, exploration and mining activities. One of the new provisions sets a non-interference zone around a petroleum or minerals operation at sea that can extend up to 500 metres. Breaches carry a fine of up to $10,000.





The environmental group was protesting against the work of the Amazon Warrior vessel, which is using seismic tests to gather data for potential oil reserves. It says extracting oil from such deepwater risks a repeat of the Deepwater Horizon disaster in the Gulf of Mexico and that new sources of fossil fuel were only adding to the problems of global warming. The testing was also a hazard to marine mammals, it said.





Energy Minister Judith Collins said an oil spill on that that scale "is an extremely low probability event."





"Internationally, there have been significant learnings taken from the Horizon spill," she said. "In New Zealand, we strengthened our regulatory regime - including regulating the environmental impacts of activities in our EEZ for the first time (marine consent process through the Environmental Protection Authority).





Further oil and gas discoveries would provide real benefits for New Zealand, Collins said. "The Pegasus Basin, where the Amazon is currently surveying off the Wairarapa coast, is particularly prospective for natural gas. If there were a discovery, there is potential for gas to be exported to India and Asia where it could be used to displace coal for electricity generation."





Chevron and Norwegian oil company Statoil teamed up in 2014 to take an interest in three blocks in the little-explored Pegasus Basin off the Wairarapa, taking advantage of a little-known scheme that encourages seismic data collection by entrepreneurial private firms which can then market the information to oil companies and can keep the information for 15 years before it becomes public property.





(BusinessDesk)

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New Zealand will spend $5.4 million in the latest phase of a project that will use this country's expertise to help ensure dam safety in Viet Nam.

Damwatch Engineering managing director Peter Amos told BusinessDesk the aim is to build capacity in Viet Nam, a country with one of the largest dam systems in the world where failures have led to loss of life as well as infrastructure. Last October, for example, severe flooding from heavy rains and the sudden release of hydropower reservoirs left more than 15 people dead, according to local media reports. Some 10,000 homes were affected, as well as railway lines and crop land.

Its really about improving how they go about things, said Amos, underscoring New Zealands strength lies in skill building. Its not a fly in, fly out operation  New Zealand is contributing expertise rather than bricks and mortar.

Viet Nam has more than 7,000 dams, which are used for irrigation, electricity and drinking water, with a plethora of different sectors and stakeholders.

One of the aims of the current project is to break down silos and ensure cooperation, said Amos.

The Dam and Downstream Community Safety Initiative was launched in 2012 and Damwatch Engineering and Crown Research Institute GNS Science were involved in creating a dam safety methodology, which will now be applied to multiple dams in a large river basin.

Foreign Minister Murray McCully and Ha Cong Tuan, Viet Nams vice minister of agriculture and rural development, launched the next phase of the project in Ha Noi, which will focus on dam safety for the 1,000 kilometre-long Ca River in Viet Nam. The project builds on a three-year $2.5 million pilot project that concluded in May 2015, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.

New Zealand is sharing its expertise in water engineering and natural hazard management to help Viet Nam address its development challenges, McCully said in a statement. According to MFAT, both this initiative and the pilot were requested by the Vietnamese government in recognition of New Zealands expertise in dam safety management and hazard risk identification.

Our support will help Viet Nam effectively assess dams most in need of repair, coordinate dam owners with officials and communities, and upgrade the training curriculum for future water managers, he said.

The Ca River basin  the fourth largest in the country - runs through two provinces that have a population of more than 4 million. An estimated 978 dams are in the basin, including 15 large dams.

The project aims to halve the death toll from flooding on the Ca River and reduce associated economic losses by 30 percent by 2021, according to McCully. The Viet Nam  New Zealand Dam Safety Project is funded by the New Zealand Aid Programme and will be implemented by Viet Nams Thuy Loi University, New Zealands Damwatch Engineering and GNS Science.

(BusinessDesk)
Unfiltered Media, whose subscribers can access long-form interviews with business leaders and entrepreneurs, has appointed ad man Kevin Roberts and Icebreaker boss Rob Fyfe to its board, with Roberts taking the chair.

The appointments are effective from the start of May and come a month after Auckland-based Unfiltered raised $1.2 million from a selection of high net worth investors to help fund its push into the US from June, the company said in a statement. The board is rounded out by founders Jake Millar and Yuuki Ogino and Australian entrepreneur Richard Bell.

Unfiltered was set up by Millar and Ogino in November 2015 and has built up 150,000 individual and corporate users in New Zealand who can access 111 interviews with corporate high-flyers including Stephen Jennings, Virgin's Richard Branson and former Lion boss Doug Myers, which are pitched as business education.

"I've come into Unfiltered because I believe it's unstoppable," Roberts said. "The big idea is that we can disrupt every business education programme the world has ever seen. The opportunities in front of us are enormous globally."

Roberts and Fyfe were part of last month's $1.2 million capital raise, which expanded the companies shares on issue by 1.2 million to 6 million shares, implying Unfiltered's valued at $6 million.

Unfiltered chief executive Millar is the biggest shareholder with 50.2 percent, followed by Richard Bell with 16.5 million and Ogino at 11.8 percent. Other investors joining the register in last month's round include Diane Foreman, Aaron Bhatnagar, Villa Maria Estate founder George Fistonich, and the Huljich family's Christopher & Banks investment vehicle.

Millar said Fyfe and Roberts' skills "are exactly what Unfiltered needs from a governance perspective to help it grow into a truly global business".

(BusinessDesk)

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HAMILTON -- Two elderly Hamilton residents may have experienced their last legal deer hunt in Montana.

John Post, 84, and Dianne Gors, 73, lost their hunting and trapping privileges for 10 years recently after pleading guilty to charges of poaching two deer.

The two were charged last fall after they were caught dragging out a mule deer buck they killed in a highly-prized trophy hunting district in the southern reaches of the Bitterroot Valley.

Ravalli County has two trophy mule deer hunting areas that thousands of hunters seek to draw a permit for each year.

In Hunting District 261, 2,185 hunters put in for 35 permits last year. In the adjacent HD 270, nearly 6,600 sought the 45 permits offered there.

The Hamilton couple was charged after a bit of good luck led two state game wardens to their vehicle in time to see Gors dragging a buck deer down a steep hillside.

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks warden Justin Singleterry said their first call in the case came from a landowner upset that the couple had trespassed on his private road on Nov. 24.

The landowner had called the state TIPMONT line after having a run-in with the couple who were busy gutting out a small forked-horn deer just off his road.

He had heard a shot and had driven his four-wheeler over to investigate, Singleterry said. He found the suspects gutting out the deer. When he told them they didnt have permission to drive up his road, John Post apparently got pretty argumentative.

The landowner asked Post if he had one of the special deer permits required to hunt the area.

Post told him, Yeah. I got one of those, Singleterry said. The landowner told them after they were done to get out of there and then he called TIPMONT.

He forgot to get a license plate number, the warden remembered. He was so ticked off at himself about that.

The landowner did give Singleterry a description of both people and the dark green or blue American-made SUV they were driving.

After talking with the landowner the next morning, Singleterry and fellow warden Lou Royce opted to drive up Gird Creek to look around. A few minutes after setting up a check station, a hunter came by and told him that an older couple was just up the road dragging out a deer.

I asked him what they were driving, Singleterry said. When he said it was like a green SUV, I thought we might be on to something.

When they arrived on the scene, they found Gors dragging the deer down a gully and Post scooting down the steep hillside on his backside using the lever-action rifle as a brake.

We walked up to her and said something about her having some luck, Singleterry said. When I asked her where the tag was, she reached into her pocket and pulled it out. It wasnt validated. She pulled out some scissors and said I need to cut out that tag.

Singleterry told her no.

I was immediately pretty sure that we had our suspects, he said.

As Post continued to struggle to get down the hillside, Singleterry told Gors that she must have been pretty lucky to get one of the coveted HD 261 mule deer permits.

She looked at me and said, Well. Thats a whitetail, Singleterry said. I replied: No maam. Thats definitely a mule deer.

While they waited for Post to navigate the last bit of the hillside, Royce noticed there was blood on the cars tailgate.

The couple decided to remain silent about the bloody tailgate until Singleterry told them he was going to get a warrant and seize their vehicle. At that point, Post acknowledged they had shot a deer the day before, but said their shot had messed up all the meat.

Royce later found the first deer hanging intact at their home. It didnt have a tag on it either.

When we finally searched their vehicle after getting consent, we found an elk license with dried blood on it, Singleterry said. They told us they had accidently put the elk license on the first deer and decided that since they still had a deer license, they would just go out and get another one.

Gors was charged with two misdemeanor counts each of hunting without a license or permit and unlawful possession of an illegally harvested buck and failure to obtain landowner permission.

Ravalli County Justice Jim Bailey required her to pay $1,245 in fines and $500 in restitution.

Post was charged with two misdemeanor counts of possession of an unlawfully harvested deer and failure to obtain landowner permission. He was fined $585 and required to pay $500 in restitution.

They both claimed that Dianne shot both bucks using a lever action rifle with open sights, Singleterry said. This is one of those jobs that you just never know what youre going to come across. These deer were definitely not trophies, but they were definitely a loss of a resource to sportsmen.
GREAT FALLS (AP)  Montana Gov. Steve Bullock has granted clemency to a man who was convicted of raping his girlfriend when she was 15 and he was 19.

The Great Falls Tribune reports 41-year-old Russell "Delano" Foster was granted clemency Tuesday, but details of the decision weren't immediately available.

Delano Foster, who couldn't be reached for comment, was convicted in 1996 after he and Amber Foster had consensual sex. The couple married in 2000 after he was released from prison, and they now have four children.

The Montana Board of Pardons and Parole recommended that Bullock grant clemency.

Amber and Delano Foster said having a sex offense on record can prevent them from getting certain state licenses or government contracts. Delano Foster works in maintenance and construction.
As the White House observes its first 100 days in office, which is seen as a barometer of success, agriculture finally has a voice at cabinet meetings. With an 87-11 confirmation vote in the Senate Monday evening, Sonny Perdue became the Secretary of Agriculture. That office has been empty since before Christmas when former Secretary Tom Vilsack departed to manage a dairy export trade association.

Perdue has no connection with Purdue University, or the Perdue poultry empire. As noted in this column when he was initially nominated just before the Inauguration, Perdue is a former Georgia lawmaker and governor, an educated and licensed veterinarian, and a Georgia farmer and grain dealer who has cut a wide swath in that states agriculture industry.

While that pedigree will go a long way toward his understanding of some of the dynamics in todays agriculture, his main test will be how successful he is in pushing the needs of todays farmers forward in a White House that already has a head start in other directions. Sonny Perdue has a lot of political acreage to plant in a short period of time.

Does he have any hired help? Not much at this point. The USDA and its 90,000 employees are all civil service staff who have kept the agency afloat since Jan. 20 when all of the Obama political appointees were fired. They have done well, and only an initial over-ruling by the acting Deputy Secretary of a department head made any Washington headlines.

Perdues arrival in the cage, as the Secretarys office is known because of its unique glass and wood trim design, was marked with mountains of paperwork that is long overdue for action. And his to-do list is just as voluminous. Because of the delay in his nomination, the delay in ethics office approval of his paperwork, and delay in the Senate confirmation Perdue arrives without the typical cadre of deputy, undersecretaries, and assistant secretaries of agriculture that his predecessors have had to help with the chores.

On Tuesday, he was summoned to the White House to meet with 14 representatives of agriculture who were assembled to show that the Trump Administration is interested in agricultural issues. Perdue may have wanted to select some of those himself, but may have had some background input on the invitation list. At least he will have an old friend sitting nearby in Zippy Duvall, President of the American Farm Bureau Federation and a fellow Georgia farmer.

Others in the room will have traveled from scattered areas of the country, none from Illinois, so Iowa Director of Agriculture Bill Northey will have to represent the interests of Cornbelt corn and soybean farmers. The assemblage will give President Trump a backdrop to sign an executive order to eliminate the White House Rural Council, begun by Vilsack, and restart a similar initiative to combine several federal agencies to communicate on rural issues and promote economic development in agriculture.

The best thing that could have happened after the Tuesday photo op would have been if Perdue had been able to hog tie the president and say, We need to talk. Now that I am official in Washington, I am in charge of this nations largest industry, with two million farmers out there. Many of them say they voted for you, but they are concerned about some issues. Lets talk about trade, lets talk about migrant labor, lets talk about  .
NEW DELHI: India and Armenia on Tuesday signed three agreements after Vice President Hamid Ansari held a bilateral meeting with Armenian Prime Minister Karen Karapetyan in Yerevan.

"Vice President reviews entire gamut of bilateral relationship with Prime Minister of Armenia; #IndiaArmenia sign three agreements," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Gopal Baglay tweeted.

The two countries signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on peaceful uses of outer space, another MoU on cooperation in youth matters and a programme of cultural cooperation for the years 2017-2020.

Ansari reached the Armenian capital on Monday. On Wednesday he will leave for Poland on the second and last leg of his visit abroad.

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NEW DELHI: To discuss the future of the India-US energy partnership, one of the first Trump administration officials to visit India from the Department of Energy (DOE) held a roundtable meet here with the think tank CEEW on Tuesday.

The Council of Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW) is an advisor the the Indian government.

Beth Urbanas, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Asia at the office of International Affairs in the US, DOE, discussed the issues including energy access, renewables and energy efficiency, energy security, and energy technologies.

The discussion was held among the US official and the adviser to the Minister of Power and top officials from think tanks, including Center for Study of Science, Technology and Policy (CSTEP), Alliance for an Energy Efficient Economy, Clean Energy Access Network and others.

"Urbanas is one of the first Trump administration officials to visit India and is responsible for managing DOE's bilateral and multilateral engagement with Asian and American countries," said Sitanshu Noarad from CEEW.

Arunabha Ghosh, CEO, CEEW, guided the discussion on measures to preserve the trusted close partnership that has developed between India and United States over the years.

"The discussion focused on the next steps in the India-US Energy Partnership, identifying key energy priorities and potential areas of convergence between the two countries," CEEW said in a statement.

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WASHINGTON: An Indian-American student from the prestigious Harvard University has been invited for a talk at the TEDx in Paris next month on an innovative hand held device for diagnosis of malaria, a disease which in 2014 accounted for 438,000 deaths globally.



Aimed at diagnosis and treatment of this dreaded disease, two Indian-American undergraduate students at the Harvard University -- Neil Davey and Miraj Shah -- spent months working with two undergraduate students in Peru, Marco Malaga and Fabricio Espinoza, to design and develop a hand-held point-of-care diagnostic for malaria.



The microfluidic device, named UniDx (short for Universal Diagnostics), which was field tested in the Peruvian Amazon where costly lab equipment and expertise are lacking, involves a simple, but sensitive process.



DNA from a small amount of blood is isolated and subsequently injected into the device, which encapsulates the DNA into individual microfluidic drops; subsequently, if present in an encapsulated drop, malaria-specific DNA will be targeted and amplified, thereby causing that drop to fluoresce.



Based on the findings and research so far, TEDx has invited Dave for a talk in Paris on May 20, a media release said.



After the talk, Dave and his team is headed to India to transfer the technology of UniDx for malaria and potentially other pathogenic blood samples, with the hope that his device can truly become the universal diagnostic of infectious diseases.



The WHEELS Global Foundation this week announced to fund Dave and his team USD 15,000 for this purpose which is being done in collaboration with Prof. Debjani Paul of the Indian Institute of Technology in Mumbai.



WHEELS Global Foundation is a non-profit organisation dedicated to improving health outcomes in India.



"An infectious disease-free world can only exist if our medical approach moves from curative to preventative, and the first step to making that happen is early diagnosis. UniDx can accomplish that with just a few drops of blood, Dave said.

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Source: PTI
STATEN ISLAND,N.Y. -- At 100 years young, this new centenarian still loves social scene soirees, divine dinners with fine food and white wine and daily coffee klatches -- pretty much the same way she hobnobbed during her younger years.

Meet Anna Mannuzza, the Grasmere resident who rounded the century mark April 20 -- when she was surrounded by some 60 well-wishers toasting the woman of the hour at the Mansion Grand at Great Kills Harbor.

Born in the province of Carini in Palermo, Sicily, Anna immigrated to the United States with her parents and settled on Manhattan's Lower East Side, when she was just 3 years of age.

She later relocated to the Bensonhurst section of Brooklyn when she married Sal Mannuzza back in 1941. The couple would later become the parents of Carmen Fasano and eventually moved to Grasmere some 30 years ago.

With a keen eye for fashion, Anna at one time was an expert seamstress for Eagle Clothes, a men's suit manufacturer in Brooklyn.

The "birthday gal" is the grandmother of Michele Fasano and Christopher Fasano and great-grandmother of Connor, Christopher and Matthew Fasano.

According to Anna's daughter, Carmen, the new centenarian still features partaking in social events. She often invites cronies to her home for coffee and cake and still enjoys chatting on the phone with family members and friends.

She also looks with enthusiasm toward visits at the Carmel Richmond Day Care Center to partake in daily activities and chit chat with members.

Anna, who's still up on current happenings, also has fun playing Lotto.

When asked about her recipe for longevity, Anna's quick to note she never smoked but does credit a good glass of white wine for keeping her young and fit.

What's more, she always thanks God for her good and happy life.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The Staten Island Zoological Society's annual ZooFari Benefit Tuesday evening saw hundreds gather at the Richmond County Country Club for the West Brighton cultural's major fundraising event.

Honored during the evening were Carol T. Decina, manager of National Grid's Community & Customer Management area -- and Lifestyles for the Disabled, the unique organization that has served the developmentally disabled population of Staten Island for more than 20 years.

The event included a lavish cocktail hour, dinner and dancing.

A signature feature of the major fundraising gala was an opportunity for guests to mingle with a variety of wildlife creatures -- some 12 in all -- including a sloth, tortoise, snake, Chuck the Groundhog, and assorted other ambassador animals. Adventurous guests also had their photos taken with their favorite creatures.

As manager of the Community and Customer area at National Grid, Decina is the central point of contact for key stakeholders in Downstate New York within the community and business area of Staten Island, ensuring business needs are met and customer satisfaction is sustained.

She began her career in 1981 with National Grid's predecessor, Brooklyn Union Gas, which later became KeySpan. She has held numerous positions, growing with the organization through three mergers.

A Dyker Heights, Brooklyn resident, Decina is a member of the Staten Island Chamber of Commerce Board of Trustees, and a member of the Staten Island Economic Development Corporation (SIEDC) Board of Trustees. She also serves on the SIEDC'S Executive Women's Council and the SIEDC Personnel Committee. She was bestowed the 2016 Staten Island Power Women in Business Award in honor of her contributions to the Staten Island community.

Founded in 1994, Lifestyles started as an agency which served four adults and families and now serves over 400. Focusing on the abilities of each individual, rather than their disability, their mission has always been to provide quality learning experiences that will enable all program participants, regardless of their disability, to become productive members of society and live their lives with dignity and as independently as possible.

Lifestyles' two campuses -- Willowbrook, and the Educational Center in Clifton -- combined with multiple community locations, give program participants a full array of options and avenues in Day Habilitation, Lifestyles' most comprehensive program. The organization is closely tied to the Zoo's programs as operator of the Zoo Cafe, while also participating in landscaping and decorations services.

"It is so delightful to know that so many people value, support and encourage our mission at the Zoo," said William J. Frew, Jr., president of the Zoo Board of Trustees, before adding, "A total of 250 persons attended the ZooFari Benefit."
A Macon County woman has been arrested on charges of voter fraud after police say she voted twice in the 2016 General Election.

Lt. Tony Brown received records showing the woman had voted early in Effingham County in October and then again in November in Macon County, the sheriff's office said in a news release. She was taken to Macon County Jail, processed and released with a notice to appear.
Story by Blair Warren '17; video edited by Claire Johnson 18 and shot by Wilson Espinal 17

This year's conference of Skidmore's student Women in Business Club truly fulfilled the club's mission statement. The event functioned as a source of inspiration, empowering women across disciplines through engagement and discussion with an impressive group of Skidmore alumni.

WIB aims to bring together students of all majors to promote women in leadership. The club hosts speakers from various industries, to encourage students to pursue advantageous careers after college, and also organizes wellness events such as yoga and hiking. The members hope to galvanize women in their desired career fields and foster a support system on campus, especially for incoming freshmen. In the future, they hope to make the club a stronger aspect of Skidmore's signature First-Year Experience, to make students from all classes "feel confident and capable of doing anything," says Gabrielle Pagnozzi-Schwam '18, WIB's co-president.



And Pagnozzi-Schwam emphasizes that WIB tries to bring men into its events as well, because "if we are ever going to have equality, it's going to be on both sides." Hadley Haselmann '17, a WIB member and attendee at this year's conference, explains that "it's hard being a woman in business. Skidmore is 60-40 female-male, but the majority of students in my business classes are men, so I've been in many different class groups as the only girl. Women in Business gives people that extra encouragement and support to talk about how this is hard, but also about who inspires us and what we are doing individually." She adds, "The biggest thing that Women in Business has given me is an outlet for what I'm interested in, connecting me with other like-minded women."

Pagnozzi-Schwam helped plan this year's WIB conference and was pleased by its success. Around 20 alumni took part, from a variety of career fields including environmental science, theater, film, consulting and more. The alumni gave speeches, held fireside chats, or spoke on one of the two panels, "Transitioning from College to Career" and "Envisioning the Future."



The first panel centered on young alumni as they addressed the initial challenges of leaving college and starting careers. Pagnozzi-Schwam says, "it's important to hear the younger alumni speak, because people who are successful in their careers often glaze over how difficult it was starting out, from finding a job and place to live, to having the realization that they can't afford their life right away, and how scary that all can be. The recent graduates were really great for that perspective." The second panel concentrated on longer-established professionals. The alumni spoke about their career paths and the challenges they overcame throughout their professional journeys, emphasizing the value of being persistent.







Listen to Gabrielle Pagnozzi-Schwam '18 and Hadley Hassleman '17 talk about Women in Business at Skidmore College.

Keynote speakers Ceci Zak '87 (Omnicom CEO and soon-to-be Columbia professor) and Nancy Hamilton '77 (a top Houston lawyer) echoed this theme of persistence, sharing their stories about the work it took to move their careers forward as women. Haselmann enjoyed Zak's speech, calling her "a really great, strong, and empowering woman. There's a relatability about her; listening to her talk, I felt connected to her story." Many of the older alumni, Pagnozzi-Schwam notes, "had careers that had nothing to do with their majors, but they figured it out and became incredibly successful."



Personally, Pagnozzi-Schwam got a lot out of the conference: "It came at a time when I was in need of some great advice and inspiration, and I definitely got that from listening to everyone speak and hearing their stories."



The conference ended with a networking event, which gave students the opportunity to build connections with alumni and learn more about what industries they might be interested in. For Pagnozzi-Schwam, this was her favorite part: "I love networking! It is, hands down, the most important thing. It allows people to open as many doors as they possibly can, and it can lead to fantastic opportunities."

"The alumni support here really makes Skidmore a great community."

Haselmann agrees. "Being able to network with alumni is crucial. It's not what you do, it's who you know." She adds, "The alumni support here really makes Skidmore a great community. There's this strong sense of support across generations. And it's a self-sustaining cycle-it makes me want to do the same, creating a continuation of alumni-student support and connection." For Haselmann, it's as simple and powerful as: "If she can do it, I can do it too!" Blair Warren '17
DECATUR  The Decatur School District is taking steps to remediate areas with elevated lead levels after receiving results of state-mandated testing in six district buildings.

Federal standards from the Environmental Protection Agency require action to be taken if lead levels exceed 15 parts per billion. A state law signed in January required schools to test and mandates that school districts notify parents and staff of results above 5 parts per billion.

The schools for which results have been received are: Harris, Muffley and Stevenson elementary schools; Johns Hill Magnet School; Pershing Early Learning Center; and Southeast Learning Center.

Muffley water tests revealed three water sources that exceeded the federal EPA limit, the school district said. They included a classroom sink, water fountain and the sink in the school nurse's office. Tests at Johns Hill and Stevenson each revealed one water sample that exceeded the lesser requirement to notify parents.

District spokeswoman Maria Robertson said water sources that were found to have any trace of lead were shut off until repairs could be made.

The law requires testing sources including water fountains and classroom sinks, but excludes bathroom sinks and basins used by janitorial staff, said Jim Gortner, director of buildings and grounds.

The district did similar testing in 1992 and addressed areas where lead levels exceeded 15 parts per billion, Gortner said. The new standard requires testing in every building constructed prior to Jan. 1, 2000 housing children first grade and younger, but Gortner said the district is testing every building with children sixth grade and younger.

We're focusing on the smaller children first, he said.

Results of the other schools' tests are expected in the coming month, Gortner said.

Katie Miller, whose two daughters attend Muffley, said she wasnt too concerned about the situation and thought the district handled the situation well.

They did the testing to make sure its corrected, and Im comfortable with the fact that theyre keeping up with the testing, she said. Im happy they did the testing and they were forthcoming with the information.

Decatur's schools, with the exceptions of Eisenhower and MacArthur high schools and Hope Academy, which serves pre-kindergarten through eighth grade, were all built prior to 2000.

Gov. Bruce Rauner signed the measure in January that required Illinois schools and day cares to test for lead in water.

The proposal follows the lead-tainted water crisis in Flint, Mich., which shed light on the dangers of lead contamination. Children are most at risk to the effects of elevated lead levels, which can cause developmental delays.
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President Donald Trumps Justice Department has ramped up its crusade against so-called sanctuary cities in a way that looks about as doomed as his Muslim travel ban fiasco.

As the president says he realized with his move to repeal and replace Obamacare, immigration enforcement is a lot more complicated than he thought.

That point rang out Tuesday afternoon when a San Francisco judge blocked enforcement of the presidents executive order to cut off federal funds from municipalities that refuse to comply with federal authorities to enforce immigration laws.

The ruling hands a victory to San Francisco and Santa Clara County, Calif., which won preliminary injunctions to block Trumps January order. The Justice Department can still withhold grants from places that dont comply with the law, according to the U.S. District Judge William Orricks order, but not in a way that violates the Constitution.

The ruling follows others now moving through the courts that have cast serious doubt on President Trumps order. In September, for example, U.S. District Judge John Z. Lee of Northern Illinois invalidated the practice of issuing detainers  formal requests from federal authorities for a local jail to hold non-citizen inmates  on constitutional grounds.

If federal authorities want to hold an immigrant in local custody, the judge ruled, they must get a warrant.

The issue of sanctuary cities is complicated further by the lack of definition under federal law for what a sanctuary city is.

To former Fox News host Bill OReilly and other known influencers of our TV-loving president, sanctuary cities are local governments that limit their cooperation with federal immigration authorities about the status of prisoners in their custody.

But the level of cooperation can vary a lot from one city to the next. The Justice Department sent warning letters last Friday to New York City, Chicago, Cook County, Ill., Miami, Philadelphia, New Orleans, Las Vegas, Milwaukee and Sacramento.

The department threatened to yank federal funding if state or local governments failed to cooperate with immigration enforcement, as required by federal law.

DHS on Monday released its first weekly list of local jails and jurisdictions that the administration wants to shame for failing to honor immigrant detainer requests. Those requests ask local law enforcement to hold an inmate who is in the country illegally and has been arrested or charged with a crime for an additional 48 hours after their release date so federal officials can decide to whether to pick them up and deport them.

But mayors and other local leaders have argued that cooperating actually can hurt law enforcement by undermining local trust in police. Immigrants are less likely to report a crime  even when theyre the victims  if they fear it could lead to their deportation.

As a case in point, Los Angeles Police Chief Charlie Beck said last month that reports by the citys Latino residents of sexual assault and domestic violence have plummeted this year (by 25 percent and 10 percent respectively), apparently in response to fears of deportation if they interact with police or testify in court.

One leading immigration reform advocate, Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-Ill.), denounced the DOJs actions, noting, The reality is that in most cities, the police have found that acting as deportation police makes it harder to keep their cities safe.

Indeed, the sanctuary cities issue, like the larger immigration debate, is enflamed by fears that are not backed up by facts. A study by the libertarian Cato Institute, for example, found unauthorized immigrants to be incarcerated at about half the rate of native-born Americans.

Candidate Trump turned sanctuary cities into a central theme of his presidential campaign, right along with his promise to build a wall along our border with Mexico  and have Mexico pay for it. The proposed wall and form of payment now face pitfalls in Washingtons world of legislative sausage-making. So could his plan to stop sanctuary cities.

As Chicago immigration attorney Chirag G. Badlani pointed out to me, Supreme Court decisions prohibit states or cities from being coerced into action by the federal government with a financial gun to the head. Thats from the language of Chief Justice John Roberts in the 2012 Affordable Care Act case.

Federal officials also cant commandeer state officials to do their work for them under a 1997 decision involving gun purchases under the Brady Act.

Ultimately, the best way to deal with the complicated issue of immigration is through comprehensive immigration reform. But that would require the thoughtful and rigorous debate and compromise that cant seem to climb over the wall dividing both parties these days.
Drive down Main Street in Decatur and you would think it would be hard to miss nearly $200 million on a couple of pieces of prime real estate. Yet thats exactly what seems to be happening at the state Capitol these days.

In his latest budget address, Gov. Rauner again proposed cuts to higher education. He called for a small increase in funds for the Monetary Award Program, but MAP grants havent been funded this year. The last two years of devastating funding cuts to MAP grants and operating funds for Illinois colleges and universities have been only an extreme example of 15 years of defunding, devaluing and dismantling this states once nationally ranked higher education system.

Higher education has its perception problems: charges of inefficiency, duplicative programs and administrative bloat. But try telling the leaders of many communities around the state that those concerns are worth the costs of draconian funding cuts.

In Decatur, the impact that Millikin University and Richland Community College have is undeniable. Combined, they annually generate more than $190 million and nearly 2,000 jobs in local economic impact. Think about the damage caused when those institutions face the current struggles and have to make very difficult decisions.

The impact there from the two colleges is significant, but far from unique. From Rockford to Carbondale, Quincy to Champaign, colleges and universities drive local economies and prepare our next generation of leaders and workforce. Yet the longer this budget impasse runs, the more paralyzed our system becomes  and the more the costs of this crisis grow.

Its too easy to ignore higher educations value and benefits, because we take them for granted. As the state has cut more than $1 billion from 2000-2015  36.4 percent  in higher education funding and aid for students, we fail to appreciate how much a role colleges and universities play to provide higher average salaries, better health, longer employment, more tax support for local services, and much more.

As the House, Senate and governor debate approving a full-year budget or more short-term help through stopgap/lifeline solutions, higher education withers away. Its not that our policymakers cant recognize the need for urgent action when economic crisis rears its head. When Exelon, Sears and CME needed help, or when other businesses asked for incentives to stay and expand here, those calls were heard and addressed. Why not higher education? After all, its a mammoth employer: $50 billion in economic impact annually, with 800,000 students and 175,000 employees in more than 200 locations.

As the discussion at the Capitol centers on Illinois economic recovery and building a stronger workforce and tax base, slashing higher ed is hypocritical, counterproductive and digging our hole deeper. Students are choosing out-of-state schools or skipping college altogether. Others are deciding not to come back after going away for school. Talented faculty and staff are laid off and leaving for better opportunities elsewhere. And with each blow, the recovery takes much longer than the initial damage.

Until the trend in funding for higher education is reversed, the promise of a better Illinois is an illusion. A state without a plan is a state with a very dim future.
The State Department and Pentagon both described the United States as "deeply concerned" by the strikes and said the objections were raised directly with the Turkish government. They warned that Turkey's targeting of Kurdish groups could distract from the common campaign to defeat IS.
When enrolments dipped at Canberra Christian School and the campus looked destined for closure, its community asked the tuck shop lady to become principal and set its sights on transformation.

The tuck shop worker - Bree Hills, a former primary school teacher who attended the school and whose children followed suit - readily agreed, rolling up her sleeves to work with staff on researching innovative teaching methods and how they could be adapted for the small Mawson campus.

Canberra Christian School principal Bree Hills wants an environment where students are excited about going to school. Credit:Sitthixay Ditthavong

The team also looked at updating and expanding the now 45-year-old school, securing a grant to do so, and opened an early learning centre in an underused building.

Bucking the trend among independent schools, where enrolments grew an average of .3 per cent between February 2016 and this year, Canberra Christian School this year recorded a boost in its student population of more than 40 per cent.